An Anglo-Saxon settlement believed to be where the priceless treasures found in the Sutton Hoo burial ship were originally made has been uncovered by archaeologists. The community of craftsmen, which dates back at least 1,400 years, was discovered in Rendlesham, Suffolk. The site is just three miles from Sutton Hoo, described as the UKs greatest archaeological discovery and portrayed in the hit Netflix film The Dig. Melted metal fragments and slag found at the Rendlesham site indicate workers were involved in iron smithing and producing items out of copper alloy. Artefacts made from copper alloy and iron were found in the 88ft burial ship including an ornate helmet believed to have provided protection in battle while also used as a crown. The site is three miles from Sutton Hoo, described as the UKs greatest archaeological discovery and portrayed in the hit Netflix film The Dig Artefacts made from copper alloy and iron were found in the 88ft burial ship The items may have belonged to East Anglias King Raedwald, who is widely thought to be the ruler buried in the ship in the 7th century AD. A Suffolk County Council spokesman said those buried at Sutton Hoo would have probably lived at Rendlesham, adding: There is also evidence of craft working at Rendlesham, so it is possible they may have produced some of the objects discovered in the Sutton Hoo burial grounds. The unearthing of the ship in 1939 changed the narrative of British history as it showed the Anglo-Saxons were far more advanced than previously thought. The Dig, released last year, starred Ralph Fiennes as archaeologist Basil Brown, who found the ship after being hired by landowner Edith Pretty, played by Carey Mulligan, to excavate burial mounds. Other artefacts found at Rendlesham include spindle whorls and loomweights used in spinning and weaving, and dress items such as a copper alloy brooch and buckle. There were also pottery vessels for cooking and storage, and bones from butchered cattle, sheep and pigs. The remains of what may have been a palace for King Raedwald and other Anglo-Saxon rulers was found nearby during excavations betwwen 2008 and 2014. Much of the excavation was carried out by 150 volunteers among them pupils of Rendlesham primary school and youngsters from the Suffolk Family Carers charity The Dig, released last year, starred Ralph Fiennes as archaeologist Basil Brown, who found the ship after being hired by landowner Edith Pretty, played by Carey Mulligan, to excavate burial mounds The latest dig took place this year as the first phase of a four-year project backed by a 517,000 National Lottery Heritage Fund grant. Its exact location is being kept a secret to deter treasure hunters and metal detectorists. Much of the excavation was carried out by 150 volunteers among them pupils of Rendlesham primary school and youngsters from the Suffolk Family Carers charity under the guidance of Suffolk councils archaeological service and Cotswold Archaeology Ltd. Professor Chris Scull, the projects principal academic adviser, said the area was the power centre of the East Anglian kingdom, adding: Our excavation has unravelled some of the complexities of this internationally significant site and given us insights into the lives of the people whose farming and craft skills supported the early rulers of the East Anglian kingdom. Work has begun on analysing the finds, with provisional results expected in spring next year. An Anglo-Saxon settlement believed to be where the priceless treasures found in the Sutton Hoo burial ship were originally made has been uncovered by archaeologists. The community of craftsmen, which dates back at least 1,400 years, was discovered in Rendlesham, Suffolk. The site is just three miles from Sutton Hoo, described as the UKs greatest archaeological discovery and portrayed in the hit Netflix film The Dig. Melted metal fragments and slag found at the Rendlesham site indicate workers were involved in iron smithing and producing items out of copper alloy. Artefacts made from copper alloy and iron were found in the 88ft burial ship including an ornate helmet believed to have provided protection in battle while also used as a crown. The site is three miles from Sutton Hoo, described as the UKs greatest archaeological discovery and portrayed in the hit Netflix film The Dig Artefacts made from copper alloy and iron were found in the 88ft burial ship The items may have belonged to East Anglias King Raedwald, who is widely thought to be the ruler buried in the ship in the 7th century AD. A Suffolk County Council spokesman said those buried at Sutton Hoo would have probably lived at Rendlesham, adding: There is also evidence of craft working at Rendlesham, so it is possible they may have produced some of the objects discovered in the Sutton Hoo burial grounds. The unearthing of the ship in 1939 changed the narrative of British history as it showed the Anglo-Saxons were far more advanced than previously thought. The Dig, released last year, starred Ralph Fiennes as archaeologist Basil Brown, who found the ship after being hired by landowner Edith Pretty, played by Carey Mulligan, to excavate burial mounds. Other artefacts found at Rendlesham include spindle whorls and loomweights used in spinning and weaving, and dress items such as a copper alloy brooch and buckle. There were also pottery vessels for cooking and storage, and bones from butchered cattle, sheep and pigs. The remains of what may have been a palace for King Raedwald and other Anglo-Saxon rulers was found nearby during excavations betwwen 2008 and 2014. Much of the excavation was carried out by 150 volunteers among them pupils of Rendlesham primary school and youngsters from the Suffolk Family Carers charity The Dig, released last year, starred Ralph Fiennes as archaeologist Basil Brown, who found the ship after being hired by landowner Edith Pretty, played by Carey Mulligan, to excavate burial mounds The latest dig took place this year as the first phase of a four-year project backed by a 517,000 National Lottery Heritage Fund grant. Its exact location is being kept a secret to deter treasure hunters and metal detectorists. Much of the excavation was carried out by 150 volunteers among them pupils of Rendlesham primary school and youngsters from the Suffolk Family Carers charity under the guidance of Suffolk councils archaeological service and Cotswold Archaeology Ltd. Professor Chris Scull, the projects principal academic adviser, said the area was the power centre of the East Anglian kingdom, adding: Our excavation has unravelled some of the complexities of this internationally significant site and given us insights into the lives of the people whose farming and craft skills supported the early rulers of the East Anglian kingdom. Work has begun on analysing the finds, with provisional results expected in spring next year. VERO BEACH, Fla., Dec. 31, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach Assisted Living and Memory Care approaches its one-year anniversary of grand opening, Executive Director Kim Haddon prepares to celebrate with her growing community of associates, residents and family members. Haddon was selected to lead the 107-unit luxury senior living community earlier this year, bringing more than twenty years of experience in the healthcare industry. She began her career as a certified nursing assistant and med tech, and successfully advanced into leadership positions in culinary, programming, and mental health management. Most recently, Haddon joyfully served eight years as an Executive Director for assisted living and memory care communities before joining the Watercrest family. The residents and families of Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach sing Kim's praises as an executive director who honors her commitments and builds trust by holding herself and others accountable. Her dedication to teamwork has led to thriving partnerships in the surrounding community of Santa Rosa Beach, a city who greatly supported the development of the luxury senior living community of Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach. "Our days are filled with laughter, smiles and cherished moments with our residents making this extraordinary community their new home," says Kim Haddon, Executive Director of Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach. "We have formed a family here and look forward to amazing accomplishments and unforgettable experiences in 2022!" Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach offers 75 assisted living and 32 memory care apartments with resort-style service and world-class care. Residents enjoy pampering in elegant Spa W, savor private label Watercrest wines at the bistro, and relish the flavors of locally grown, seasonal ingredients and organic fare whether dining outdoors, bistro-style, or in the chef's private dining room. Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach is a newly-constructed senior living development project partnered between Watercrest Senior Living Group and The St. Joe Company. The 92,000 square foot luxury senior living community is conveniently located at 205 West Hewett Road along the Emerald Coast in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. For information, contact the community at 850-660-7130. About Watercrest Senior Living GroupWatercrest Senior Living Group was founded to honor our mothers and fathers, aspiring to become a beacon for quality in senior living by surpassing standards of care, service and associate training. Watercrest senior living communities are recognized for their luxury aesthetic, exceptional amenities, world-class care, and innovative memory care programming offering unparalleled service to seniors living with Alzheimer's and dementia. A certified Great Place to Work, Watercrest specializes in the development and operations of assisted living and memory care communities and the growth of servant leaders. For information, visit www.watercrestseniorliving.com. About The St. Joe CompanyThe St. Joe Company is a real estate development, asset management and operating company with real estate assets and operations in Northwest Florida. The Company intends to use existing assets for residential, hospitality and commercial ventures. St. Joe has significant residential and commercial land-use entitlements. The Company actively seeks higher and better uses for its real estate assets through a range of development activities. More information about the Company can be found on its website at www.joe.com. On a regular basis, the Company releases a video showing progress on projects in development or under construction. See https://www.joe.com/video-gallery for more information. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/watercrest-santa-rosa-beach-assisted-living-and-memory-care-looks-ahead-to-2022-with-executive-director-kim-haddon-301452435.html SOURCE Watercrest Senior Living Group A clutch of City grandees bagged a knighthood in the New Year's Honours list. Former BT chairman Jan du Plessis, hedge fund tycoon David Harding, ex-Lord Mayor William Russell, Games Workshop founder Ian Livingstone and Legal & General boss Nigel Wilson will take on the title of 'Sir' for achievements recognised by the Queen. After another year dominated by the pandemic, John Dawson chief executive of Oxford Biomedica, which became a stock market darling after creating Britain's Covid vaccine with Astrazeneca was handed a CBE. Awards: Despite auditors taking another beating for their roles in a string of accounting scandals, two were honoured Astra senior vice-president Ruth March and senior director of research and development Julia Thompson also claimed an OBE each. Stephen Reese, a partner at law firm Clifford Chance, was awarded a CBE for advising the Government and Pfizer on their vaccine plans. Despite auditors taking another beating for their roles in a string of accounting scandals, two were honoured. Nick Owen, who recently stepped down as the UK chairman of Deloitte, was recognised with a CBE. And Bina Mehta, his counterpart at KPMG, was awarded an MBE. Kate Grussing took home a CBE after her headhunting firm Sapphire Partners was the first in 326 years to help the search for a Bank of England governor, as Threadneedle Street finally decided it needed to shortlist some women. Former TSB chairman Richard Meddings and consumer champion Martin Lewis scooped CBEs for their work in the finance sector. Meddings now in line for the top NHS England chairman job helped to turn TSB around after presiding over an IT meltdown which left around 2m customers locked out of their accounts. Lewis, who founded advice website Moneysavingexpert, caught MPs' attention this year after his impassioned appearance in Parliament, urging the Government to do more to tackle online fraud. The knighthoods were dished out for acumen and contributions to society. Du Plessis, 67, helped BT 'to make fundamental investments that are critical to the future success of the UK economy', the Cabinet Office list read. These included the 15billion commitment to extend fibre broadband to 25m homes. Harding, 60, of Winton Group, who has donated hundreds of millions to charity, enabling 'enormous contributions to research, industry and civil society'. Wilson, 65, was praised for growing L&G to be the UK's first 1trillion investment manager. Livingstone, 72, was grandly titled 'one of the founding fathers of the UK games industry'. And Russell, 56, the City of London's 692nd Lord Mayor, received credit for his contributions to fintech, green finance and charity There's CBEs for grocery bosses too The boss of the Co-op and a former chief of Asda have been honoured for keeping shelves stocked amid the pandemic. Steve Murrells, chief executive of the Co-op Group, and Roger Burnley, who stepped down as Asda's chief executive this year, will be made CBEs. Honoured: Steve Murrells (far right), chief executive of the Co-op Group, and Roger Burnley (left), who stepped down as Asda's chief executive this year, will be made CBEs The pair have been recognised for services to the food supply chain, the Government said, in a year when supermarkets, hospitality firms and suppliers worked to avoid shortages as a lack of staff, pandemic restrictions and global disruption took a toll. Products such as poultry saw particular pressure in the summer before the Government issued emergency visas for workers in supply chains. Murrells, who has led the Co-op Group since 2017, said: 'This award recognises the broader social impact a strong and vibrant Co-op can make within society, and the tireless support of 60,000 incredible Co-op colleagues.' Burnley departed from Asda after its 6.8billion takeover by the Issa brothers and TDR Capital. He said: 'I am incredibly proud, and humbled, by this recognition. Everyone in the UK food industry has done an amazing job against the relentless backdrop of the Covid pandemic.' Jo Scott, a shop floor worker and community champion at Asda in Pwllheli, north Wales, received a BEM. Portraits of Bu Chun-hwa, far left, Kim Ok-ryeon and Bu Deok-ryang / Courtesy of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs By Park Han-sol Three "haenyeo," or women divers of Jeju Island, who led the key resistance movement during the 1910-45 Japanese colonial occupation, were selected as the "Independence Fighters of the Month" of January 2022, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs (MPVA) announced Friday. This is the first time the ministry has named the Jeju islanders as independence fighters as part of its monthly designation project, which began in 1992. In the early 1930s, Bu Chun-hwa, Kim Ok-ryeon and Bu Deok-ryang led what came to be the country's largest civil protest ever organized by women against the Japanese forces. Joined by some 17,000 participants, part of the movement's aim was to address the colonial government's economic exploitation of marine resources and labor. All born in Gujwa-eup on the island, the three women started their lives as haenyeo at an early age, between 9 and 15, to help put food on the table for their families. But while working as divers, they also attended the same night school, an experience that gradually raised their spirit of resistance and national awareness within colonized Korea, the MPVA stated. One day in 1930, in the small Jeju village of Hado-ri, a group of young men took issue with the Japanese-controlled union's illicit sale of Ceylon moss a seaweed used to produce agar, which soon led to their arrests by the colonial police. After witnessing the quick suppression of a nonviolent protest against colonial Japan's economic exploitation of the islanders, the haenyeo soon joined forces, with the three women chosen as their leaders. On Jan. 12, 1932, the divers came out to the street, wielding their seafood harvesting tools like handheld scrapers ("bitchang") and picks ("homaengi"). But the Japanese armed forces arrested a number of key figures just days after the incident. As prisoners awaiting trial, the three women were locked behind bars for months. Bu Deok-ryang died soon afterwards due to wounds she sustained from torture. She was only 28. In the early 2000s, the government conferred the National Foundational Medal on all three women. Graphic by Cho Sang-won No matter who wins, 2022 will be turning point for Korea By Jung Da-min The year 2022 is expected to be a watershed period for Korea, with the major political event of the presidential election slated for March 9. Frustrated with the deepening polarization and division of the country, most Koreans, regardless of age, social status or political background, expect to see a major turnaround following the upcoming election. Though the presidential competition is mainly a race between the rival candidates of the country's two-major parties Lee Jae-myung of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) all eyes are on whether the ruling liberal bloc will manage to retain power or if the conservative bloc will succeed in bringing a leadership change. No matter who wins in the March election, Korea is expected to enter a new era. If elected, Lee is highly likely to expedite reforms that the Moon Jae-in administration has been pushing for and steer the country toward what he calls a "fair society." If Yoon wins, he will try to reshape the Korean political and economic landscape by changing things fundamentally and eventually turning the nation further into a market principle-centered society. From 1987, when a direct presidential election system went into effect in Korea, until the right-wing Park Geun-hye government (2013-2017), conservative and liberal administrations had taken power in turn in a 10-year cycle. Conservative presidents reigned from Roh Tae-woo (1988-1993) to the Kim Young-sam (1993-1998) period. Next, liberal presidents Kim Dae-jung (1998-2003) and Roh Moo-hyun (2003-2008) were elected. And following them, the conservatives came back into power with Presidents Lee Myung-bak (2008-2013) and Park. After Park was impeached before finishing her five-year term over various charges including corruption, the liberal bloc succeeded in changing the party of the leadership in power with the election of President Moon Jae-in. The level of attention is particularly high because foreign and economic policies will take different directions depending on which bloc takes the helm. The two candidates are taking contrasting stances on how to distribute wealth and promote economic growth, as well as how to build relations with key allies, including the United States and China. Bae Jong-chan, an opinion poll expert and head of Insight K, said Lee of the DPK, if elected, will place economic policy priority on resolving polarization and strengthening social welfare systems. "Lee has consistently called for a universal basic income. He is currently taking a rather soft position on the matter, saying he would not unilaterally push for the basic income policy without social consensus. But it is likely that he would put a stronger drive into introducing a basic income once elected," Bae said. In contrast, Bae said that Yoon would shift the focus of economic policies to encouraging entrepreneurial growth over wealth distribution, introducing more company-friendly policies by easing regulations and offering tax incentives. Bae also expected a clear distinction between the rival candidates in their policy directions in diplomatic and security issues. "If Yoon is elected, he would emphasize the principle that denuclearization should come first before inter-Korean cooperation, whereas Lee would continue the engagement policies pursued by the Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in governments," Bae said. Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea, poses at the party headquarters in Seoul's Yeouido, ahead of a joint interview with The Korea Times, Reuters and the South China Morning Post, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul "For other neighboring countries, Lee would try to strike a balance between China and the U.S. amid their growing rivalry, but it would be hard to expect that bilateral relations between South Korea and Japan could improve under Lee's leadership, as he is focused on the historical issues between the countries," Bae said. Seoul-Tokyo relations have deteriorated over historical issues including wartime sex slavery and forced labor. "For Yoon, it is obvious that he would be committed to strengthening the South Korea-U.S. alliance and improving relations with Japan, considering the figures selected as members of his election camp," he said. Cha Jae-won, a professor of special affairs at the Catholic University of Pusan, said conflicts among the different parties in terms of domestic policies and diplomacy with neighboring countries are expected if either Lee or Yoon is elected. Cha said that Lee's "pragmatic" stance on the government's planned increase of capital gains taxes on multiple home owners, for example, could bring a backlash from supporters of the liberal bloc. Aiming to gain the support of swing voters or centrists, Lee has suggested postponing the timing of the tax increase. But his proposal faced opposition from the incumbent administration, which is focused on normalizing the country's overheated housing market. "In addition, if Lee wins the presidential election, it is likely that the DPK could also win the subsequent local elections slated for June 1 to select leaders of local governments across the nation. When the DPK already has a supermajority in the National Assembly, accounting for almost 60 percent of the 300 seats, such a monopoly in politics would threaten the democratic principle of checks and balances. Concerns are that Lee could abandon his pragmatic stance to meet the expectations of the liberal bloc supporters only," Cha said. Cha also expects that Lee, if elected, could tip the balance of diplomacy in favor of China by engaging North Korea and promoting cooperation with Beijing, while distancing from the U.S. Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of the main opposition conservative People Power Party, speaks during an inauguration ceremony of the regional branch of his election camp in Daegu, at the party's regional office in the city, Thursday. Yonhap Graphic by Cho Sang-won No matter who wins, 2022 will be turning point for Korea By Jung Da-min The year 2022 is expected to be a watershed period for Korea, with the major political event of the presidential election slated for March 9. Frustrated with the deepening polarization and division of the country, most Koreans, regardless of age, social status or political background, expect to see a major turnaround following the upcoming election. Though the presidential competition is mainly a race between the rival candidates of the country's two-major parties Lee Jae-myung of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) all eyes are on whether the ruling liberal bloc will manage to retain power or if the conservative bloc will succeed in bringing a leadership change. No matter who wins in the March election, Korea is expected to enter a new era. If elected, Lee is highly likely to expedite reforms that the Moon Jae-in administration has been pushing for and steer the country toward what he calls a "fair society." If Yoon wins, he will try to reshape the Korean political and economic landscape by changing things fundamentally and eventually turning the nation further into a market principle-centered society. From 1987, when a direct presidential election system went into effect in Korea, until the right-wing Park Geun-hye government (2013-2017), conservative and liberal administrations had taken power in turn in a 10-year cycle. Conservative presidents reigned from Roh Tae-woo (1988-1993) to the Kim Young-sam (1993-1998) period. Next, liberal presidents Kim Dae-jung (1998-2003) and Roh Moo-hyun (2003-2008) were elected. And following them, the conservatives came back into power with Presidents Lee Myung-bak (2008-2013) and Park. After Park was impeached before finishing her five-year term over various charges including corruption, the liberal bloc succeeded in changing the party of the leadership in power with the election of President Moon Jae-in. The level of attention is particularly high because foreign and economic policies will take different directions depending on which bloc takes the helm. The two candidates are taking contrasting stances on how to distribute wealth and promote economic growth, as well as how to build relations with key allies, including the United States and China. Bae Jong-chan, an opinion poll expert and head of Insight K, said Lee of the DPK, if elected, will place economic policy priority on resolving polarization and strengthening social welfare systems. "Lee has consistently called for a universal basic income. He is currently taking a rather soft position on the matter, saying he would not unilaterally push for the basic income policy without social consensus. But it is likely that he would put a stronger drive into introducing a basic income once elected," Bae said. In contrast, Bae said that Yoon would shift the focus of economic policies to encouraging entrepreneurial growth over wealth distribution, introducing more company-friendly policies by easing regulations and offering tax incentives. Bae also expected a clear distinction between the rival candidates in their policy directions in diplomatic and security issues. "If Yoon is elected, he would emphasize the principle that denuclearization should come first before inter-Korean cooperation, whereas Lee would continue the engagement policies pursued by the Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in governments," Bae said. Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea, poses at the party headquarters in Seoul's Yeouido, ahead of a joint interview with The Korea Times, Reuters and the South China Morning Post, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul "For other neighboring countries, Lee would try to strike a balance between China and the U.S. amid their growing rivalry, but it would be hard to expect that bilateral relations between South Korea and Japan could improve under Lee's leadership, as he is focused on the historical issues between the countries," Bae said. Seoul-Tokyo relations have deteriorated over historical issues including wartime sex slavery and forced labor. "For Yoon, it is obvious that he would be committed to strengthening the South Korea-U.S. alliance and improving relations with Japan, considering the figures selected as members of his election camp," he said. Cha Jae-won, a professor of special affairs at the Catholic University of Pusan, said conflicts among the different parties in terms of domestic policies and diplomacy with neighboring countries are expected if either Lee or Yoon is elected. Cha said that Lee's "pragmatic" stance on the government's planned increase of capital gains taxes on multiple home owners, for example, could bring a backlash from supporters of the liberal bloc. Aiming to gain the support of swing voters or centrists, Lee has suggested postponing the timing of the tax increase. But his proposal faced opposition from the incumbent administration, which is focused on normalizing the country's overheated housing market. "In addition, if Lee wins the presidential election, it is likely that the DPK could also win the subsequent local elections slated for June 1 to select leaders of local governments across the nation. When the DPK already has a supermajority in the National Assembly, accounting for almost 60 percent of the 300 seats, such a monopoly in politics would threaten the democratic principle of checks and balances. Concerns are that Lee could abandon his pragmatic stance to meet the expectations of the liberal bloc supporters only," Cha said. Cha also expects that Lee, if elected, could tip the balance of diplomacy in favor of China by engaging North Korea and promoting cooperation with Beijing, while distancing from the U.S. Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of the main opposition conservative People Power Party, speaks during an inauguration ceremony of the regional branch of his election camp in Daegu, at the party's regional office in the city, Thursday. Yonhap Graphic by Cho Sang-won No matter who wins, 2022 will be turning point for Korea By Jung Da-min The year 2022 is expected to be a watershed period for Korea, with the major political event of the presidential election slated for March 9. Frustrated with the deepening polarization and division of the country, most Koreans, regardless of age, social status or political background, expect to see a major turnaround following the upcoming election. Though the presidential competition is mainly a race between the rival candidates of the country's two-major parties Lee Jae-myung of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) all eyes are on whether the ruling liberal bloc will manage to retain power or if the conservative bloc will succeed in bringing a leadership change. No matter who wins in the March election, Korea is expected to enter a new era. If elected, Lee is highly likely to expedite reforms that the Moon Jae-in administration has been pushing for and steer the country toward what he calls a "fair society." If Yoon wins, he will try to reshape the Korean political and economic landscape by changing things fundamentally and eventually turning the nation further into a market principle-centered society. From 1987, when a direct presidential election system went into effect in Korea, until the right-wing Park Geun-hye government (2013-2017), conservative and liberal administrations had taken power in turn in a 10-year cycle. Conservative presidents reigned from Roh Tae-woo (1988-1993) to the Kim Young-sam (1993-1998) period. Next, liberal presidents Kim Dae-jung (1998-2003) and Roh Moo-hyun (2003-2008) were elected. And following them, the conservatives came back into power with Presidents Lee Myung-bak (2008-2013) and Park. After Park was impeached before finishing her five-year term over various charges including corruption, the liberal bloc succeeded in changing the party of the leadership in power with the election of President Moon Jae-in. The level of attention is particularly high because foreign and economic policies will take different directions depending on which bloc takes the helm. The two candidates are taking contrasting stances on how to distribute wealth and promote economic growth, as well as how to build relations with key allies, including the United States and China. Bae Jong-chan, an opinion poll expert and head of Insight K, said Lee of the DPK, if elected, will place economic policy priority on resolving polarization and strengthening social welfare systems. "Lee has consistently called for a universal basic income. He is currently taking a rather soft position on the matter, saying he would not unilaterally push for the basic income policy without social consensus. But it is likely that he would put a stronger drive into introducing a basic income once elected," Bae said. In contrast, Bae said that Yoon would shift the focus of economic policies to encouraging entrepreneurial growth over wealth distribution, introducing more company-friendly policies by easing regulations and offering tax incentives. Bae also expected a clear distinction between the rival candidates in their policy directions in diplomatic and security issues. "If Yoon is elected, he would emphasize the principle that denuclearization should come first before inter-Korean cooperation, whereas Lee would continue the engagement policies pursued by the Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in governments," Bae said. Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea, poses at the party headquarters in Seoul's Yeouido, ahead of a joint interview with The Korea Times, Reuters and the South China Morning Post, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul "For other neighboring countries, Lee would try to strike a balance between China and the U.S. amid their growing rivalry, but it would be hard to expect that bilateral relations between South Korea and Japan could improve under Lee's leadership, as he is focused on the historical issues between the countries," Bae said. Seoul-Tokyo relations have deteriorated over historical issues including wartime sex slavery and forced labor. "For Yoon, it is obvious that he would be committed to strengthening the South Korea-U.S. alliance and improving relations with Japan, considering the figures selected as members of his election camp," he said. Cha Jae-won, a professor of special affairs at the Catholic University of Pusan, said conflicts among the different parties in terms of domestic policies and diplomacy with neighboring countries are expected if either Lee or Yoon is elected. Cha said that Lee's "pragmatic" stance on the government's planned increase of capital gains taxes on multiple home owners, for example, could bring a backlash from supporters of the liberal bloc. Aiming to gain the support of swing voters or centrists, Lee has suggested postponing the timing of the tax increase. But his proposal faced opposition from the incumbent administration, which is focused on normalizing the country's overheated housing market. "In addition, if Lee wins the presidential election, it is likely that the DPK could also win the subsequent local elections slated for June 1 to select leaders of local governments across the nation. When the DPK already has a supermajority in the National Assembly, accounting for almost 60 percent of the 300 seats, such a monopoly in politics would threaten the democratic principle of checks and balances. Concerns are that Lee could abandon his pragmatic stance to meet the expectations of the liberal bloc supporters only," Cha said. Cha also expects that Lee, if elected, could tip the balance of diplomacy in favor of China by engaging North Korea and promoting cooperation with Beijing, while distancing from the U.S. Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of the main opposition conservative People Power Party, speaks during an inauguration ceremony of the regional branch of his election camp in Daegu, at the party's regional office in the city, Thursday. Yonhap Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Washington: One year after thousands of his supporters stormed the US Capitol, Donald Trump plans to mark the anniversary on January 6 with a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. It will be no mea culpa. In a statement issued before Christmas, the former president made it clear that he would use the event to reassert his false claim that the election was stolen, and launch yet another attack on the bipartisan select House committee investigating the incident. Until then, remember, the insurrection took place on November 3rd, Trump said, referencing the day of the 2020 election. It was the completely unarmed protest of the rigged election that took place on January 6th. The insurgency left several people dead, about 150 police officers injured and a nation shocked and divided. Advertisement But there is every reason to think that the January 6 attack was just the beginning for Donald Trump and his allies and this time, theyre much better organised. Twelve months after Americas chamber of democracy was stormed by the foot soldiers of a president trying to cling to power at any cost, Trumpists and partisan state legislatures are now working to undermine election processes right across the US. Theyre much less violent than an angry mob descending on Congress after being told to fight like hell but far more insidious, strategic, and potentially damaging to democracy in the longer term. Indeed, by last month, at least 262 bills had been introduced in 41 states that would interfere with election administration, according to a joint report released by States United, Law Forward, and Protect Democracy three non-partisan groups seeking to enhance election security. Choking the vote Among them are a raft of voter suppression laws that will constrain the ability of millions of Americans to vote early, through the mail, or on Election Day itself. Take the sunbelt state of Texas, which already had some of the nations toughest voting constraints. It has now introduced a ban on overnight early voting hours and drive-through voting both of which have proved popular among voters of colour. Advertisement Loading In Kansas, people could face criminal charges for returning advance ballots on behalf of voters who need help, such as people with disabilities. In Georgia, people can now be charged with a crime for giving food and water to people waiting in line to vote. Electoral boundaries have also been redrawn to give Republicans the edge in new districts ahead of this years crucial midterm elections. Both parties have a history of gerrymandering maps to improve their Congress numbers, but the Republicans have been more successful in recent decades. And despite losing dozens of legal challenges centred on the baseless claim of a fraudulent result, Trump and his supporters are now working to elect proponents of the myth to powerful positions at state and national level. If elected, these candidates, who say the 2020 presidential election was stolen, could have significant sway to help overturn the next presidential election result. Little wonder democracy groups, politics academics, and former military leaders are warning about America being on the brink of a constitutional crisis. The fight of our lives right now, of this generation, has to be to secure voting rights and to secure a peaceful transition of power. That should not be a partisan issue, renowned presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, told CNN this week. Advertisement RINOs and revenge In Alaska, Trump is seeking to oust moderate Republican senator Liz Murkowski by backing her primary challenger Kelly Tshibaka, a former state bureaucrat who has promoted Trumps theory of election fraud. In Michigan, the former president has put his weight behind state politician Steve Carra, who led the local push for an audit of the 2020 election results, over veteran congressman Fred Upton, who voted for Trumps impeachment. Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney, Republican royalty and daughter of former vice-president Dick Cheney, was called a RINO by Donald Trump (Republican in name only) for voting to impeach him. Credit:AP And in the state of Wyoming, Trump has endorsed local lawyer Harriet Hagemen in her GOP bid to unseat fellow Republican Liz Cheney, the daughter of George W. Bushs former vice-president, Dick Cheney, and an outspoken member of the House committee investigating the January 6 event. Harriet is all in for America First, Trump said in a statement in September, denouncing Cheney as a RINO slang for Republican in Name Only and describing her as the Democrats number one provider of sound bites. Cheney, responding on 60 Minutes, said she was well aware that her once safe seat was about to become a litmus test for Trumps dominance over the party. Advertisement Its going to be the most important House race in the country in 2022, she said. It will be one where people do have the opportunity to say: We want to stand for the constitution. Other Trump loyalists have also been endorsed as candidates to become the chief election official, known as the secretary of state. Key contests will take place in Michigan, Arizona and in Georgia, the southern state that helped deliver Joe Biden the presidency partly because its incumbent secretary, Republican Brad Raffensperger, refused to cave in to Trumps demands to find 11,780 votes to overturn the election result. Georgian congressman Jody Hice voted to overturn the election result after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol. Credit:AP The former president and his allies are instead backing US congressman Jody Hice, who voted against certifying Bidens victory, to run against Raffensberger for the critical post. Jody will stop the Fraud and get honesty into our Elections! Trump declared in 2021. As for Trump? Even without the megaphone of Twitter and Facebook (which have banned his accounts), hes nonetheless spent the past 12 months pushing his message through targeted emails, rallies and interviews on Fox News and other friendly outlets. Trumps fundraising might Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Washington: One year after thousands of his supporters stormed the US Capitol, Donald Trump plans to mark the anniversary on January 6 with a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. It will be no mea culpa. In a statement issued before Christmas, the former president made it clear that he would use the event to reassert his false claim that the election was stolen, and launch yet another attack on the bipartisan select House committee investigating the incident. Until then, remember, the insurrection took place on November 3rd, Trump said, referencing the day of the 2020 election. It was the completely unarmed protest of the rigged election that took place on January 6th. The insurgency left several people dead, about 150 police officers injured and a nation shocked and divided. Advertisement But there is every reason to think that the January 6 attack was just the beginning for Donald Trump and his allies and this time, theyre much better organised. Twelve months after Americas chamber of democracy was stormed by the foot soldiers of a president trying to cling to power at any cost, Trumpists and partisan state legislatures are now working to undermine election processes right across the US. Theyre much less violent than an angry mob descending on Congress after being told to fight like hell but far more insidious, strategic, and potentially damaging to democracy in the longer term. Indeed, by last month, at least 262 bills had been introduced in 41 states that would interfere with election administration, according to a joint report released by States United, Law Forward, and Protect Democracy three non-partisan groups seeking to enhance election security. Choking the vote Among them are a raft of voter suppression laws that will constrain the ability of millions of Americans to vote early, through the mail, or on Election Day itself. Take the sunbelt state of Texas, which already had some of the nations toughest voting constraints. It has now introduced a ban on overnight early voting hours and drive-through voting both of which have proved popular among voters of colour. Advertisement Loading In Kansas, people could face criminal charges for returning advance ballots on behalf of voters who need help, such as people with disabilities. In Georgia, people can now be charged with a crime for giving food and water to people waiting in line to vote. Electoral boundaries have also been redrawn to give Republicans the edge in new districts ahead of this years crucial midterm elections. Both parties have a history of gerrymandering maps to improve their Congress numbers, but the Republicans have been more successful in recent decades. And despite losing dozens of legal challenges centred on the baseless claim of a fraudulent result, Trump and his supporters are now working to elect proponents of the myth to powerful positions at state and national level. If elected, these candidates, who say the 2020 presidential election was stolen, could have significant sway to help overturn the next presidential election result. Little wonder democracy groups, politics academics, and former military leaders are warning about America being on the brink of a constitutional crisis. The fight of our lives right now, of this generation, has to be to secure voting rights and to secure a peaceful transition of power. That should not be a partisan issue, renowned presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, told CNN this week. Advertisement RINOs and revenge In Alaska, Trump is seeking to oust moderate Republican senator Liz Murkowski by backing her primary challenger Kelly Tshibaka, a former state bureaucrat who has promoted Trumps theory of election fraud. In Michigan, the former president has put his weight behind state politician Steve Carra, who led the local push for an audit of the 2020 election results, over veteran congressman Fred Upton, who voted for Trumps impeachment. Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney, Republican royalty and daughter of former vice-president Dick Cheney, was called a RINO by Donald Trump (Republican in name only) for voting to impeach him. Credit:AP And in the state of Wyoming, Trump has endorsed local lawyer Harriet Hagemen in her GOP bid to unseat fellow Republican Liz Cheney, the daughter of George W. Bushs former vice-president, Dick Cheney, and an outspoken member of the House committee investigating the January 6 event. Harriet is all in for America First, Trump said in a statement in September, denouncing Cheney as a RINO slang for Republican in Name Only and describing her as the Democrats number one provider of sound bites. Cheney, responding on 60 Minutes, said she was well aware that her once safe seat was about to become a litmus test for Trumps dominance over the party. Advertisement Its going to be the most important House race in the country in 2022, she said. It will be one where people do have the opportunity to say: We want to stand for the constitution. Other Trump loyalists have also been endorsed as candidates to become the chief election official, known as the secretary of state. Key contests will take place in Michigan, Arizona and in Georgia, the southern state that helped deliver Joe Biden the presidency partly because its incumbent secretary, Republican Brad Raffensperger, refused to cave in to Trumps demands to find 11,780 votes to overturn the election result. Georgian congressman Jody Hice voted to overturn the election result after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol. Credit:AP The former president and his allies are instead backing US congressman Jody Hice, who voted against certifying Bidens victory, to run against Raffensberger for the critical post. Jody will stop the Fraud and get honesty into our Elections! Trump declared in 2021. As for Trump? Even without the megaphone of Twitter and Facebook (which have banned his accounts), hes nonetheless spent the past 12 months pushing his message through targeted emails, rallies and interviews on Fox News and other friendly outlets. Trumps fundraising might Advertisement Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of 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San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2021 (265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. RENO, Nev. (AP) Conservationists and tribal leaders are suing the U.S. government to try to block construction of two geothermal plants in northern Nevadas high desert that they say will destroy a sacred hot springs and could push a rare toad to the brink of extinction. The lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe says the project would turn a pristine and unique location of ecological value and spiritual significance into an industrial site. Its the latest public lands conflict pitting green energy production against potential harm to wildlife habitat or cultural resources in the biggest U.S. gold producing state, where legal challenges traditionally target things like hard-rock mining. Environmentalists nationally have rallied around President Joe Bidens ambitious renewable energy agenda, which embraces solar, wind and geothermal production. Geothermal plants pump water from beneath the earth to generate steam to make electricity. The deeper they drill, the warmer the water is. The power plants produce significantly fewer greenhouse emissions than plants that burn natural gas or coal. The lawsuit filed Dec. 15 accuses the Bureau of Land Management of illegally approving Ormat Technologies Inc.s project in the Dixie Meadows about 100 miles (160 kilometers) east of Reno without the necessary environmental analysis. It also says the agency is violating the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Bureau spokesman Chris Rose said the agency had no comment on the litigation. A judge has scheduled a Jan. 4 hearing in U.S. District Court in Reno to consider the groups subsequent request for a restraining order to temporarily block initial construction work Ormat planned to begin as early as Jan. 6. Formed by natural springs, Dixie Meadows is a critical wetland ecosystem in a desert oasis that is home to the Dixie Valley toad found nowhere else in the world, the lawsuit says. The Biden administration approved the project last month even though the centers petition to list the toad as a U.S. endangered species is still pending before the Fish and Wildlife Service. The center is the same group that won an endangered species listing earlier this year for a rare plant at the site of a proposed lithium mine 225 miles (362 km) southeast of Reno. Lithium is a key component of batteries for electric vehicles, a centerpiece of Bidens energy strategy. We strongly support renewable energy when its in the right place, but a project like this that threatens sacred sites and endangered species is definitely the wrong place, Patrick Donnelly, the centers Nevada state director, said about the geothermal plants. Tribal Chairperson Cathi Tuni said the Fallon Paiute-Shoshones ancestors have lived in the Dixie Valley region for thousands of years and long recognized the hot springs as a sacred place of healing and reflection. The United States has repeatedly promised to honor and protect Indigenous sacred sites, but then the BLM approved a major construction project nearly on top of our most sacred hot springs. It just feels like more empty words, she said. Reno-based Ormat filed a motion Dec. 20 seeking intervenor status in the case, citing its $68 million investment over 10 years in the project, which it said could be jeopardized by any delays. Even a few weeks of delay in construction of this project may spell disaster for the financial viability of the project, the company said, pointing to a December 2021 deadline in its private power production agreements. This exceptionally long and thorough review period took years longer than anticipated, and was several years longer than the majority of other Ormat projects permitted on federal land, which have generally taken about two years to permit, Ormat Vice President Paul Thomsen said. The bureau said in announcing the projects approval in November the two 30-megawatt geothermal plants would help Nevada meet its renewable portfolio requirement that the states utilities procure 25% of their energy from renewable sources by 2025. Donnelly said the company had refused requests to reconsider plans to start bulldozing for a 10-acre (4-hectare) pad and access road at the site on Jan. 6 and begin constructing the first of two power plants. Thats why weve had to take extraordinary legal measures, to ensure the massive legal deficiencies in this projects approval process get evaluated before the bulldozers start to run, he said in an email this week to The Associated Press. Cayuga County had nearly 100 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday and over 500 more that have not been processed a growing backlog as the county deals with a "significant uptick" in confirmed cases after Christmas. The increase led Aileen McNabb-Coleman, the outgoing chair of the Cayuga County Legislature, to issue a statement alerting residents of the recent spike in cases and urging those who test positive to isolate immediately. "Regardless of vaccination status, isolate yourself from others in your household," McNabb-Coleman said Friday. "In New York state, isolation guidance continues to be 10 days from the positive test result or the onset of symptoms, whichever occurs first." Laboratory delays have created the backlog the local health department is now working through. Contact tracers worked on New Year's Eve and will work again on New Year's Day to inform residents of their positive tests and identify close contacts. But McNabb-Coleman acknowledged that the tracers won't be able to reach everyone over the weekend. The backlog is so large and new cases continue to be reported. Just a few days ago, there were more than 200 new cases that hadn't been contacted. "If you test positive for COVID-19, we are asking that community members be responsible in preventing the spread of this illness ... The community is being asked to take extra precautions and make responsible decisions over the next few days," McNabb-Coleman added. The county had 93 new cases and 498 active cases on Thursday. Hospitalizations dipped to 18, but the health department didn't receive reports from Crouse Hospital and St. Joseph's Health. McNabb-Coleman advised residents who gather for New Year's festivities to wear masks, maintain social distancing and stay home if they don't feel well. "Any step you take to limit the spread of COVID-19 during this surge is a step toward protecting our health care system, keeping children in schools, and preventing more disease in our community," she said. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Washington: One year after thousands of his supporters stormed the US Capitol, Donald Trump plans to mark the anniversary on January 6 with a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. It will be no mea culpa. In a statement issued before Christmas, the former president made it clear that he would use the event to reassert his false claim that the election was stolen, and launch yet another attack on the bipartisan select House committee investigating the incident. Until then, remember, the insurrection took place on November 3rd, Trump said, referencing the day of the 2020 election. It was the completely unarmed protest of the rigged election that took place on January 6th. The insurgency left several people dead, about 150 police officers injured and a nation shocked and divided. Advertisement But there is every reason to think that the January 6 attack was just the beginning for Donald Trump and his allies and this time, theyre much better organised. Twelve months after Americas chamber of democracy was stormed by the foot soldiers of a president trying to cling to power at any cost, Trumpists and partisan state legislatures are now working to undermine election processes right across the US. Theyre much less violent than an angry mob descending on Congress after being told to fight like hell but far more insidious, strategic, and potentially damaging to democracy in the longer term. Indeed, by last month, at least 262 bills had been introduced in 41 states that would interfere with election administration, according to a joint report released by States United, Law Forward, and Protect Democracy three non-partisan groups seeking to enhance election security. Choking the vote Among them are a raft of voter suppression laws that will constrain the ability of millions of Americans to vote early, through the mail, or on Election Day itself. Take the sunbelt state of Texas, which already had some of the nations toughest voting constraints. It has now introduced a ban on overnight early voting hours and drive-through voting both of which have proved popular among voters of colour. Advertisement Loading In Kansas, people could face criminal charges for returning advance ballots on behalf of voters who need help, such as people with disabilities. In Georgia, people can now be charged with a crime for giving food and water to people waiting in line to vote. Electoral boundaries have also been redrawn to give Republicans the edge in new districts ahead of this years crucial midterm elections. Both parties have a history of gerrymandering maps to improve their Congress numbers, but the Republicans have been more successful in recent decades. And despite losing dozens of legal challenges centred on the baseless claim of a fraudulent result, Trump and his supporters are now working to elect proponents of the myth to powerful positions at state and national level. If elected, these candidates, who say the 2020 presidential election was stolen, could have significant sway to help overturn the next presidential election result. Little wonder democracy groups, politics academics, and former military leaders are warning about America being on the brink of a constitutional crisis. The fight of our lives right now, of this generation, has to be to secure voting rights and to secure a peaceful transition of power. That should not be a partisan issue, renowned presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, told CNN this week. Advertisement RINOs and revenge In Alaska, Trump is seeking to oust moderate Republican senator Liz Murkowski by backing her primary challenger Kelly Tshibaka, a former state bureaucrat who has promoted Trumps theory of election fraud. In Michigan, the former president has put his weight behind state politician Steve Carra, who led the local push for an audit of the 2020 election results, over veteran congressman Fred Upton, who voted for Trumps impeachment. Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney, Republican royalty and daughter of former vice-president Dick Cheney, was called a RINO by Donald Trump (Republican in name only) for voting to impeach him. Credit:AP And in the state of Wyoming, Trump has endorsed local lawyer Harriet Hagemen in her GOP bid to unseat fellow Republican Liz Cheney, the daughter of George W. Bushs former vice-president, Dick Cheney, and an outspoken member of the House committee investigating the January 6 event. Harriet is all in for America First, Trump said in a statement in September, denouncing Cheney as a RINO slang for Republican in Name Only and describing her as the Democrats number one provider of sound bites. Cheney, responding on 60 Minutes, said she was well aware that her once safe seat was about to become a litmus test for Trumps dominance over the party. Advertisement Its going to be the most important House race in the country in 2022, she said. It will be one where people do have the opportunity to say: We want to stand for the constitution. Other Trump loyalists have also been endorsed as candidates to become the chief election official, known as the secretary of state. Key contests will take place in Michigan, Arizona and in Georgia, the southern state that helped deliver Joe Biden the presidency partly because its incumbent secretary, Republican Brad Raffensperger, refused to cave in to Trumps demands to find 11,780 votes to overturn the election result. Georgian congressman Jody Hice voted to overturn the election result after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol. Credit:AP The former president and his allies are instead backing US congressman Jody Hice, who voted against certifying Bidens victory, to run against Raffensberger for the critical post. Jody will stop the Fraud and get honesty into our Elections! Trump declared in 2021. As for Trump? Even without the megaphone of Twitter and Facebook (which have banned his accounts), hes nonetheless spent the past 12 months pushing his message through targeted emails, rallies and interviews on Fox News and other friendly outlets. Trumps fundraising might Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Washington: One year after thousands of his supporters stormed the US Capitol, Donald Trump plans to mark the anniversary on January 6 with a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. It will be no mea culpa. In a statement issued before Christmas, the former president made it clear that he would use the event to reassert his false claim that the election was stolen, and launch yet another attack on the bipartisan select House committee investigating the incident. Until then, remember, the insurrection took place on November 3rd, Trump said, referencing the day of the 2020 election. It was the completely unarmed protest of the rigged election that took place on January 6th. The insurgency left several people dead, about 150 police officers injured and a nation shocked and divided. Advertisement But there is every reason to think that the January 6 attack was just the beginning for Donald Trump and his allies and this time, theyre much better organised. Twelve months after Americas chamber of democracy was stormed by the foot soldiers of a president trying to cling to power at any cost, Trumpists and partisan state legislatures are now working to undermine election processes right across the US. Theyre much less violent than an angry mob descending on Congress after being told to fight like hell but far more insidious, strategic, and potentially damaging to democracy in the longer term. Indeed, by last month, at least 262 bills had been introduced in 41 states that would interfere with election administration, according to a joint report released by States United, Law Forward, and Protect Democracy three non-partisan groups seeking to enhance election security. Choking the vote Among them are a raft of voter suppression laws that will constrain the ability of millions of Americans to vote early, through the mail, or on Election Day itself. Take the sunbelt state of Texas, which already had some of the nations toughest voting constraints. It has now introduced a ban on overnight early voting hours and drive-through voting both of which have proved popular among voters of colour. Advertisement Loading In Kansas, people could face criminal charges for returning advance ballots on behalf of voters who need help, such as people with disabilities. In Georgia, people can now be charged with a crime for giving food and water to people waiting in line to vote. Electoral boundaries have also been redrawn to give Republicans the edge in new districts ahead of this years crucial midterm elections. Both parties have a history of gerrymandering maps to improve their Congress numbers, but the Republicans have been more successful in recent decades. And despite losing dozens of legal challenges centred on the baseless claim of a fraudulent result, Trump and his supporters are now working to elect proponents of the myth to powerful positions at state and national level. If elected, these candidates, who say the 2020 presidential election was stolen, could have significant sway to help overturn the next presidential election result. Little wonder democracy groups, politics academics, and former military leaders are warning about America being on the brink of a constitutional crisis. The fight of our lives right now, of this generation, has to be to secure voting rights and to secure a peaceful transition of power. That should not be a partisan issue, renowned presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, told CNN this week. Advertisement RINOs and revenge In Alaska, Trump is seeking to oust moderate Republican senator Liz Murkowski by backing her primary challenger Kelly Tshibaka, a former state bureaucrat who has promoted Trumps theory of election fraud. In Michigan, the former president has put his weight behind state politician Steve Carra, who led the local push for an audit of the 2020 election results, over veteran congressman Fred Upton, who voted for Trumps impeachment. Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney, Republican royalty and daughter of former vice-president Dick Cheney, was called a RINO by Donald Trump (Republican in name only) for voting to impeach him. Credit:AP And in the state of Wyoming, Trump has endorsed local lawyer Harriet Hagemen in her GOP bid to unseat fellow Republican Liz Cheney, the daughter of George W. Bushs former vice-president, Dick Cheney, and an outspoken member of the House committee investigating the January 6 event. Harriet is all in for America First, Trump said in a statement in September, denouncing Cheney as a RINO slang for Republican in Name Only and describing her as the Democrats number one provider of sound bites. Cheney, responding on 60 Minutes, said she was well aware that her once safe seat was about to become a litmus test for Trumps dominance over the party. Advertisement Its going to be the most important House race in the country in 2022, she said. It will be one where people do have the opportunity to say: We want to stand for the constitution. Other Trump loyalists have also been endorsed as candidates to become the chief election official, known as the secretary of state. Key contests will take place in Michigan, Arizona and in Georgia, the southern state that helped deliver Joe Biden the presidency partly because its incumbent secretary, Republican Brad Raffensperger, refused to cave in to Trumps demands to find 11,780 votes to overturn the election result. Georgian congressman Jody Hice voted to overturn the election result after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol. Credit:AP The former president and his allies are instead backing US congressman Jody Hice, who voted against certifying Bidens victory, to run against Raffensberger for the critical post. Jody will stop the Fraud and get honesty into our Elections! Trump declared in 2021. As for Trump? Even without the megaphone of Twitter and Facebook (which have banned his accounts), hes nonetheless spent the past 12 months pushing his message through targeted emails, rallies and interviews on Fox News and other friendly outlets. Trumps fundraising might Advertisement Washington DC: The raging inferno that erupted in Boulder County, Colorado became the most destructive wildfire in the states history as it burned through hundreds of homes in densely populated suburbs. The fire was fuelled by an extreme set of atmospheric conditions, intensified by climate change and fanned by a violent windstorm. The fire on Thursday afternoon (Friday AEDT) came at a time of year when a blaze of such violence is unprecedented; Colorados fire season typically spans May though September. But exceptionally warm and dry conditions through this autumn, including a historic lack of snowfall, created tinderbox conditions ripe for a fast-spreading blaze. Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said more than 500 homes were probably destroyed. He and the governor said as many as 1,000 homes might have been lost, though that wont be known until crews can assess the damage. Tens of thousands were ordered to flee and at least seven people were injured, but remarkably there were no immediate reports of any deaths or anyone missing in the aftermath of the blaze outside Denver. All that was needed to incite such a conflagration was a spark and that was provided by a ferocious windstorm, rushing down the slopes of the front range. As the winds - gusting over 160kph - toppled power lines, the inferno was ignited. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Washington: One year after thousands of his supporters stormed the US Capitol, Donald Trump plans to mark the anniversary on January 6 with a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. It will be no mea culpa. In a statement issued before Christmas, the former president made it clear that he would use the event to reassert his false claim that the election was stolen, and launch yet another attack on the bipartisan select House committee investigating the incident. Until then, remember, the insurrection took place on November 3rd, Trump said, referencing the day of the 2020 election. It was the completely unarmed protest of the rigged election that took place on January 6th. The insurgency left several people dead, about 150 police officers injured and a nation shocked and divided. Advertisement But there is every reason to think that the January 6 attack was just the beginning for Donald Trump and his allies and this time, theyre much better organised. Twelve months after Americas chamber of democracy was stormed by the foot soldiers of a president trying to cling to power at any cost, Trumpists and partisan state legislatures are now working to undermine election processes right across the US. Theyre much less violent than an angry mob descending on Congress after being told to fight like hell but far more insidious, strategic, and potentially damaging to democracy in the longer term. Indeed, by last month, at least 262 bills had been introduced in 41 states that would interfere with election administration, according to a joint report released by States United, Law Forward, and Protect Democracy three non-partisan groups seeking to enhance election security. Choking the vote Among them are a raft of voter suppression laws that will constrain the ability of millions of Americans to vote early, through the mail, or on Election Day itself. Take the sunbelt state of Texas, which already had some of the nations toughest voting constraints. It has now introduced a ban on overnight early voting hours and drive-through voting both of which have proved popular among voters of colour. Advertisement Loading In Kansas, people could face criminal charges for returning advance ballots on behalf of voters who need help, such as people with disabilities. In Georgia, people can now be charged with a crime for giving food and water to people waiting in line to vote. Electoral boundaries have also been redrawn to give Republicans the edge in new districts ahead of this years crucial midterm elections. Both parties have a history of gerrymandering maps to improve their Congress numbers, but the Republicans have been more successful in recent decades. And despite losing dozens of legal challenges centred on the baseless claim of a fraudulent result, Trump and his supporters are now working to elect proponents of the myth to powerful positions at state and national level. If elected, these candidates, who say the 2020 presidential election was stolen, could have significant sway to help overturn the next presidential election result. Little wonder democracy groups, politics academics, and former military leaders are warning about America being on the brink of a constitutional crisis. The fight of our lives right now, of this generation, has to be to secure voting rights and to secure a peaceful transition of power. That should not be a partisan issue, renowned presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, told CNN this week. Advertisement RINOs and revenge In Alaska, Trump is seeking to oust moderate Republican senator Liz Murkowski by backing her primary challenger Kelly Tshibaka, a former state bureaucrat who has promoted Trumps theory of election fraud. In Michigan, the former president has put his weight behind state politician Steve Carra, who led the local push for an audit of the 2020 election results, over veteran congressman Fred Upton, who voted for Trumps impeachment. Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney, Republican royalty and daughter of former vice-president Dick Cheney, was called a RINO by Donald Trump (Republican in name only) for voting to impeach him. Credit:AP And in the state of Wyoming, Trump has endorsed local lawyer Harriet Hagemen in her GOP bid to unseat fellow Republican Liz Cheney, the daughter of George W. Bushs former vice-president, Dick Cheney, and an outspoken member of the House committee investigating the January 6 event. Harriet is all in for America First, Trump said in a statement in September, denouncing Cheney as a RINO slang for Republican in Name Only and describing her as the Democrats number one provider of sound bites. Cheney, responding on 60 Minutes, said she was well aware that her once safe seat was about to become a litmus test for Trumps dominance over the party. Advertisement Its going to be the most important House race in the country in 2022, she said. It will be one where people do have the opportunity to say: We want to stand for the constitution. Other Trump loyalists have also been endorsed as candidates to become the chief election official, known as the secretary of state. Key contests will take place in Michigan, Arizona and in Georgia, the southern state that helped deliver Joe Biden the presidency partly because its incumbent secretary, Republican Brad Raffensperger, refused to cave in to Trumps demands to find 11,780 votes to overturn the election result. Georgian congressman Jody Hice voted to overturn the election result after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol. Credit:AP The former president and his allies are instead backing US congressman Jody Hice, who voted against certifying Bidens victory, to run against Raffensberger for the critical post. Jody will stop the Fraud and get honesty into our Elections! Trump declared in 2021. As for Trump? Even without the megaphone of Twitter and Facebook (which have banned his accounts), hes nonetheless spent the past 12 months pushing his message through targeted emails, rallies and interviews on Fox News and other friendly outlets. Trumps fundraising might Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Washington: One year after thousands of his supporters stormed the US Capitol, Donald Trump plans to mark the anniversary on January 6 with a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. It will be no mea culpa. In a statement issued before Christmas, the former president made it clear that he would use the event to reassert his false claim that the election was stolen, and launch yet another attack on the bipartisan select House committee investigating the incident. Until then, remember, the insurrection took place on November 3rd, Trump said, referencing the day of the 2020 election. It was the completely unarmed protest of the rigged election that took place on January 6th. The insurgency left several people dead, about 150 police officers injured and a nation shocked and divided. Advertisement But there is every reason to think that the January 6 attack was just the beginning for Donald Trump and his allies and this time, theyre much better organised. Twelve months after Americas chamber of democracy was stormed by the foot soldiers of a president trying to cling to power at any cost, Trumpists and partisan state legislatures are now working to undermine election processes right across the US. Theyre much less violent than an angry mob descending on Congress after being told to fight like hell but far more insidious, strategic, and potentially damaging to democracy in the longer term. Indeed, by last month, at least 262 bills had been introduced in 41 states that would interfere with election administration, according to a joint report released by States United, Law Forward, and Protect Democracy three non-partisan groups seeking to enhance election security. Choking the vote Among them are a raft of voter suppression laws that will constrain the ability of millions of Americans to vote early, through the mail, or on Election Day itself. Take the sunbelt state of Texas, which already had some of the nations toughest voting constraints. It has now introduced a ban on overnight early voting hours and drive-through voting both of which have proved popular among voters of colour. Advertisement Loading In Kansas, people could face criminal charges for returning advance ballots on behalf of voters who need help, such as people with disabilities. In Georgia, people can now be charged with a crime for giving food and water to people waiting in line to vote. Electoral boundaries have also been redrawn to give Republicans the edge in new districts ahead of this years crucial midterm elections. Both parties have a history of gerrymandering maps to improve their Congress numbers, but the Republicans have been more successful in recent decades. And despite losing dozens of legal challenges centred on the baseless claim of a fraudulent result, Trump and his supporters are now working to elect proponents of the myth to powerful positions at state and national level. If elected, these candidates, who say the 2020 presidential election was stolen, could have significant sway to help overturn the next presidential election result. Little wonder democracy groups, politics academics, and former military leaders are warning about America being on the brink of a constitutional crisis. The fight of our lives right now, of this generation, has to be to secure voting rights and to secure a peaceful transition of power. That should not be a partisan issue, renowned presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, told CNN this week. Advertisement RINOs and revenge In Alaska, Trump is seeking to oust moderate Republican senator Liz Murkowski by backing her primary challenger Kelly Tshibaka, a former state bureaucrat who has promoted Trumps theory of election fraud. In Michigan, the former president has put his weight behind state politician Steve Carra, who led the local push for an audit of the 2020 election results, over veteran congressman Fred Upton, who voted for Trumps impeachment. Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney, Republican royalty and daughter of former vice-president Dick Cheney, was called a RINO by Donald Trump (Republican in name only) for voting to impeach him. Credit:AP And in the state of Wyoming, Trump has endorsed local lawyer Harriet Hagemen in her GOP bid to unseat fellow Republican Liz Cheney, the daughter of George W. Bushs former vice-president, Dick Cheney, and an outspoken member of the House committee investigating the January 6 event. Harriet is all in for America First, Trump said in a statement in September, denouncing Cheney as a RINO slang for Republican in Name Only and describing her as the Democrats number one provider of sound bites. Cheney, responding on 60 Minutes, said she was well aware that her once safe seat was about to become a litmus test for Trumps dominance over the party. Advertisement Its going to be the most important House race in the country in 2022, she said. It will be one where people do have the opportunity to say: We want to stand for the constitution. Other Trump loyalists have also been endorsed as candidates to become the chief election official, known as the secretary of state. Key contests will take place in Michigan, Arizona and in Georgia, the southern state that helped deliver Joe Biden the presidency partly because its incumbent secretary, Republican Brad Raffensperger, refused to cave in to Trumps demands to find 11,780 votes to overturn the election result. Georgian congressman Jody Hice voted to overturn the election result after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol. Credit:AP The former president and his allies are instead backing US congressman Jody Hice, who voted against certifying Bidens victory, to run against Raffensberger for the critical post. Jody will stop the Fraud and get honesty into our Elections! Trump declared in 2021. As for Trump? Even without the megaphone of Twitter and Facebook (which have banned his accounts), hes nonetheless spent the past 12 months pushing his message through targeted emails, rallies and interviews on Fox News and other friendly outlets. Trumps fundraising might Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Washington: One year after thousands of his supporters stormed the US Capitol, Donald Trump plans to mark the anniversary on January 6 with a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. It will be no mea culpa. In a statement issued before Christmas, the former president made it clear that he would use the event to reassert his false claim that the election was stolen, and launch yet another attack on the bipartisan select House committee investigating the incident. Until then, remember, the insurrection took place on November 3rd, Trump said, referencing the day of the 2020 election. It was the completely unarmed protest of the rigged election that took place on January 6th. The insurgency left several people dead, about 150 police officers injured and a nation shocked and divided. Advertisement But there is every reason to think that the January 6 attack was just the beginning for Donald Trump and his allies and this time, theyre much better organised. Twelve months after Americas chamber of democracy was stormed by the foot soldiers of a president trying to cling to power at any cost, Trumpists and partisan state legislatures are now working to undermine election processes right across the US. Theyre much less violent than an angry mob descending on Congress after being told to fight like hell but far more insidious, strategic, and potentially damaging to democracy in the longer term. Indeed, by last month, at least 262 bills had been introduced in 41 states that would interfere with election administration, according to a joint report released by States United, Law Forward, and Protect Democracy three non-partisan groups seeking to enhance election security. Choking the vote Among them are a raft of voter suppression laws that will constrain the ability of millions of Americans to vote early, through the mail, or on Election Day itself. Take the sunbelt state of Texas, which already had some of the nations toughest voting constraints. It has now introduced a ban on overnight early voting hours and drive-through voting both of which have proved popular among voters of colour. Advertisement Loading In Kansas, people could face criminal charges for returning advance ballots on behalf of voters who need help, such as people with disabilities. In Georgia, people can now be charged with a crime for giving food and water to people waiting in line to vote. Electoral boundaries have also been redrawn to give Republicans the edge in new districts ahead of this years crucial midterm elections. Both parties have a history of gerrymandering maps to improve their Congress numbers, but the Republicans have been more successful in recent decades. And despite losing dozens of legal challenges centred on the baseless claim of a fraudulent result, Trump and his supporters are now working to elect proponents of the myth to powerful positions at state and national level. If elected, these candidates, who say the 2020 presidential election was stolen, could have significant sway to help overturn the next presidential election result. Little wonder democracy groups, politics academics, and former military leaders are warning about America being on the brink of a constitutional crisis. The fight of our lives right now, of this generation, has to be to secure voting rights and to secure a peaceful transition of power. That should not be a partisan issue, renowned presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, told CNN this week. Advertisement RINOs and revenge In Alaska, Trump is seeking to oust moderate Republican senator Liz Murkowski by backing her primary challenger Kelly Tshibaka, a former state bureaucrat who has promoted Trumps theory of election fraud. In Michigan, the former president has put his weight behind state politician Steve Carra, who led the local push for an audit of the 2020 election results, over veteran congressman Fred Upton, who voted for Trumps impeachment. Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney, Republican royalty and daughter of former vice-president Dick Cheney, was called a RINO by Donald Trump (Republican in name only) for voting to impeach him. Credit:AP And in the state of Wyoming, Trump has endorsed local lawyer Harriet Hagemen in her GOP bid to unseat fellow Republican Liz Cheney, the daughter of George W. Bushs former vice-president, Dick Cheney, and an outspoken member of the House committee investigating the January 6 event. Harriet is all in for America First, Trump said in a statement in September, denouncing Cheney as a RINO slang for Republican in Name Only and describing her as the Democrats number one provider of sound bites. Cheney, responding on 60 Minutes, said she was well aware that her once safe seat was about to become a litmus test for Trumps dominance over the party. Advertisement Its going to be the most important House race in the country in 2022, she said. It will be one where people do have the opportunity to say: We want to stand for the constitution. Other Trump loyalists have also been endorsed as candidates to become the chief election official, known as the secretary of state. Key contests will take place in Michigan, Arizona and in Georgia, the southern state that helped deliver Joe Biden the presidency partly because its incumbent secretary, Republican Brad Raffensperger, refused to cave in to Trumps demands to find 11,780 votes to overturn the election result. Georgian congressman Jody Hice voted to overturn the election result after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol. Credit:AP The former president and his allies are instead backing US congressman Jody Hice, who voted against certifying Bidens victory, to run against Raffensberger for the critical post. Jody will stop the Fraud and get honesty into our Elections! Trump declared in 2021. As for Trump? Even without the megaphone of Twitter and Facebook (which have banned his accounts), hes nonetheless spent the past 12 months pushing his message through targeted emails, rallies and interviews on Fox News and other friendly outlets. Trumps fundraising might Advertisement Cayuga County had nearly 100 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday and over 500 more that have not been processed a growing backlog as the county deals with a "significant uptick" in confirmed cases after Christmas. The increase led Aileen McNabb-Coleman, the outgoing chair of the Cayuga County Legislature, to issue a statement alerting residents of the recent spike in cases and urging those who test positive to isolate immediately. "Regardless of vaccination status, isolate yourself from others in your household," McNabb-Coleman said Friday. "In New York state, isolation guidance continues to be 10 days from the positive test result or the onset of symptoms, whichever occurs first." Laboratory delays have created the backlog the local health department is now working through. Contact tracers worked on New Year's Eve and will work again on New Year's Day to inform residents of their positive tests and identify close contacts. But McNabb-Coleman acknowledged that the tracers won't be able to reach everyone over the weekend. The backlog is so large and new cases continue to be reported. Just a few days ago, there were more than 200 new cases that hadn't been contacted. "If you test positive for COVID-19, we are asking that community members be responsible in preventing the spread of this illness ... The community is being asked to take extra precautions and make responsible decisions over the next few days," McNabb-Coleman added. The county had 93 new cases and 498 active cases on Thursday. Hospitalizations dipped to 18, but the health department didn't receive reports from Crouse Hospital and St. Joseph's Health. McNabb-Coleman advised residents who gather for New Year's festivities to wear masks, maintain social distancing and stay home if they don't feel well. "Any step you take to limit the spread of COVID-19 during this surge is a step toward protecting our health care system, keeping children in schools, and preventing more disease in our community," she said. Cayuga County had nearly 100 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday and over 500 more that have not been processed a growing backlog as the county deals with a "significant uptick" in confirmed cases after Christmas. The increase led Aileen McNabb-Coleman, the outgoing chair of the Cayuga County Legislature, to issue a statement alerting residents of the recent spike in cases and urging those who test positive to isolate immediately. "Regardless of vaccination status, isolate yourself from others in your household," McNabb-Coleman said Friday. "In New York state, isolation guidance continues to be 10 days from the positive test result or the onset of symptoms, whichever occurs first." Laboratory delays have created the backlog the local health department is now working through. Contact tracers worked on New Year's Eve and will work again on New Year's Day to inform residents of their positive tests and identify close contacts. But McNabb-Coleman acknowledged that the tracers won't be able to reach everyone over the weekend. The backlog is so large and new cases continue to be reported. Just a few days ago, there were more than 200 new cases that hadn't been contacted. "If you test positive for COVID-19, we are asking that community members be responsible in preventing the spread of this illness ... The community is being asked to take extra precautions and make responsible decisions over the next few days," McNabb-Coleman added. The county had 93 new cases and 498 active cases on Thursday. Hospitalizations dipped to 18, but the health department didn't receive reports from Crouse Hospital and St. Joseph's Health. McNabb-Coleman advised residents who gather for New Year's festivities to wear masks, maintain social distancing and stay home if they don't feel well. "Any step you take to limit the spread of COVID-19 during this surge is a step toward protecting our health care system, keeping children in schools, and preventing more disease in our community," she said. 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Unlock 30+ premium stories daily hand-picked by our editors, across devices on browser and app. Full access to our intuitive epaper - clip, save, share articles from any device; newspaper archives from 2006. Curated newsletters on markets, personal finance, policy & politics, start-ups, technology, and more. Pick your 5 favourite companies, get a daily email with all news updates on them. 26 years of website archives. When many people think of New Years resolutions, they brainstorm ways to improve themselves for the year ahead. What if we expanded those aspirations to include resolutions that benefit our communities, society and the planet, too? It might not be a typical approach, but it can broaden your horizons to show ways you can also be of service to others. Here are four popular New Years resolutions with a twist for improving your relationship with nature in 2022 and beyond. Exercise more consideration for how your actions impact the environment We each have an environmental ethic reflecting how we value, manage and ultimately relate to nature. Balancing the scales of reciprocity between us and nature how much we give and take can improve this relationship in many ways. Whether its our addiction to one-use plastics that pile up in landfills or fossil fuels that warm the planet, a mishandled relationship with nature is not doing us or the Earth any favors. In 2022, we can all take more responsibility for how our actions exacerbate environmental problems. We can also encourage governments and businesses to make it easier for people from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds to protect the environment. This includes making recycled goods affordable and reliable public transportation widely accessible. Check out the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys resources describing some very simple ways to reduce waste at home, work, in our communities and during the holidays. Tips from the website include turning off or unplugging lights during the day, reusing packaging materials and using online billing services instead of paper mail. Lose the weight of social injustice it harms nature, too The perils of social injustice stress multiple aspects of society. Racism and inequality can lead to health disparities, and they also have consequences for the natural environment. A recent study described how practices such as redlining and residential segregation led to unequal access to nature, excess pollution and biodiversity loss. These practices brought in highways and industries that harm environmental quality in marginalized communities. They also left neighborhoods with fewer parks and trees that provide cooling in summer and benefit the planet. Perpetuating social ills like systemic racism and inequitable resource allocation is detrimental to the environment, marginalized people and society as a whole. To help turn this around, you can speak out in your community. Join groups that are trying to promote environmental protection and social justice and are bringing nature back to communities. Call your city, state and Congressional leaders to urge them to take action. Also, refer to the Green 2.0 reports section on making diversity initiatives successful for concrete ways that you can actualize this in your place of work. Learn something new about nature and how to reduce harm to the environment and yourself Clean air, water and soil are fundamental for our survival, but research shows many people lack basic environmental and health literacy to know how to protect themselves. In 2022, get to know your own impact on the environment. Read more and start exploring ways to preserve the integrity of your areas natural resources. For example, find out where you can stay abreast of local land-use decisions that impact the environment and your overall community. You can also support local educators and encourage them to bring the environment into lessons. Environmental issues overlap many other subjects, from history to health. This website includes a framework and materials for educators to help students expand their environmental literacy. Staying plugged in with media that discuss the latest research can enhance awareness. You can also try tying environmental facts and knowledge into your game night and team-building activities. Spend more time with family and friends in nature Studies show that spending time in nature, including urban green spaces, can improve your relationship with nature and with others. Time in nature can increase social cohesion. Throughout the pandemic, many people discovered the outdoors as a place to decompress and reduce stress. Spending more time outdoors can encourage social interactions that benefit health, buffer emotional distress and encourage use of these spaces, which can help protect them for the future. Here are some tools that outline best practices to enhance parks and recreation near you. Also, here are ways to make outdoor environments more inclusive for families in diverse communities. Collectively, thinking about our relationship with nature and finding ways to protect the environment can help us be better stewards of the planet. [Too busy to read another daily email? Get one of The Conversations curated weekly newsletters.] Viniece Jennings serves as a consultant to the National Recreation and Parks Association on a diversity, equity and inclusion initiative. She is also a colleague to Dr. Tony Reames in the JPB Environmental Health fellowship at Harvard University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Kim Kardashian took to Instagram on Friday to share two new pictures of her daughter Chicago and sister Khloe Kardashian's daughter True. Kim, 41, posted the cousins, both three-years-old, sitting together on a ride at an amusement park in one photo. In a second outtake they stood side by side as they both wore Minnie Mouse ears and held up identical Little Mermaid toys. Kim Kardashian took to Instagram on Friday to share two new pictures of her daughter Chicago and sister Khloe Kardashian's daughter True Chicago - whom Kim shares with ex Kanye West - was dressed in a fuzzy pink jacket and pink track pants. Underneath her outer layer she had on a white top that had the initial C in red. She had on white sneakers. The little one's hair was braided in two plaits at the front of her head, a two thicker ones toward the back. True's hair was parted diagonally and slicked into space buns. She wore a grey hooded sweatshirt and pink textured pants. Twinning: The little girls stood side by side as they both wore Minnie Mouse ears and held up identical Little Mermaid toys Kim wrote in the caption, 'Lots of love,' framed by double pink heart emojis on either side of the phrase. The post quickly collected nearly 600,000 likes from Kardashian's huge and faithful following of 274 million fans. Although they showed the photos plenty of love, some were also skeptical. Dozens of fans pointed out that Khloe's daughter - who she shares with ex Tristan Thompson - looked like she may have been photoshopped into the pictures. One user asked, 'Why is True cropped in?' and it got more than 2,000 likes. Another noted, 'those look so edited im cackling.' Cousins: The SKIMS mogul, who's regularly active on social media, also shared a photo of more of her kids in her Stories recently The SKIMS mogul, who's regularly active on social media, also shared a photo of more of her kids in her Stories recently. Her sons Saint, six, and Psalm, two, joined Chicago, along with Rob Kardashian's daughter Dream, five, and Kylie's daughter Stormi, three. Earlier this week the KKW Beauty founder shared Chicago again in two pictures from a recent trip to San Francisco. Doting mom: Earlier this week the KKW Beauty founder shared Chicago again in two pictures from a recent trip to San Francisco The mom and daughter duo crouched down in front of a mural of underwater fish flashing in a colorful, lit display. Chicago, who the mom-of-four calls Chi for short, was dressed in a denim jacket and jeans that were decorated with gems. Her hair was styled in a center part with two long, braided ponytails on either side as she held on to a large piece of paper. Kim captioned the post, 'Team Lab at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco,' with a string of fish emojis. Fireworks light up the sky over the Sydney Harbour Bridge during New Year's Eve celebrations in Sydney, Australia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Mark Evans/Getty Images) Australia Begins 2022 With Grand Fireworks, Amid Reduced Crowd Australia ushered in 2022 in a somewhat subdued fashion, heading into 2022 with a reduced crowd watching its iconic fireworks displays on Sydney Harbour. The sky exploded in Sydney with colour at midnight to ring in the new year. While crowds exceeding one million people were the norm in years gone by, organisers expected reduced numbers in the context of the latest coronavirus outbreak. About 17,000 tickets had been issued to watch from one of six City of Sydney vantage points. Fireworks light up the sky over Sydney Harbour during New Years Eve celebration in Sydney, Australia, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Mark Evans/Getty Images) The fireworks began with the 9 p.m. Welcome to Country, curated by Koori artist and creative consultant Blak Douglas, followed by a performance featuring local First Nations musicians Barkaa and Dobby that ended with Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore being handed a message stick. Tickets remained available as the night wore on, while others looked on from the balconies of nearby apartment buildings and hospitality venues as well as vessels on the harbour. Those who turned up on an otherwise ideal 22 degrees Celcius summer night were treated to displays that lived up to the lord mayors earlier promise. Fireworks light up the sky over the Sydney Harbour Bridge during New Years Eve celebrations in Sydney, Australia, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Mark Evans/Getty Images) Fireworks light up the sky over Sydney Harbour as the clock strikes midnight in Sydney, Australia, on on Jan. 1, 2022. (Brook Mitchell/Getty Images) More than 80,000 pyrotechnics and 25,000 shooting effects requiring 60 tonnes of equipment to launch were sent into the sky under the experienced guidance of Fortunato Foti, who celebrated his 25th year at the helm of the fireworks display. Sydney electronic music duo the Presets soundtracked the scene as fireworks launched from the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the sails of the Opera House, and barges on the harbour. The display culminated with the iconic waterfall effect that cascades fire from the bridge down to the water while fireworks continued surging into the sky above. Fireworks light up the sky over the Sydney Harbour Bridge during New Years Eve celebrations in Sydney, Australia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Mark Evans/Getty Images) While attention was focused around the harbour, it wasnt the only place to catch some pyrotechnics in the centre of Sydney on New Years Eve. A considerably smaller number of fireworks could be seen exploding just above Prince Alfred Park at Surry Hills about 11pm, lacking the pizzazz, and likely the appropriate permits of the harbour spectacle. NSW Police said people were generally well behaved across the state. A total of 128 arrests were made, including 10 in the Sydney CBD with three Criminal Infringement Notices and one Field Court Attendance Notice issued. I would like to thank those members of the community who made their plans COVID-safe and celebrated the beginning of 2022 responsibly, in what we hope is a better year for everyone, said Assistant Commissioner Peter Thurtell. By Jack Gramenz Fireworks light up the sky over the Sydney Harbour Bridge during New Year's Eve celebrations in Sydney, Australia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Mark Evans/Getty Images) Australia Begins 2022 With Grand Fireworks, Amid Reduced Crowd Australia ushered in 2022 in a somewhat subdued fashion, heading into 2022 with a reduced crowd watching its iconic fireworks displays on Sydney Harbour. The sky exploded in Sydney with colour at midnight to ring in the new year. While crowds exceeding one million people were the norm in years gone by, organisers expected reduced numbers in the context of the latest coronavirus outbreak. About 17,000 tickets had been issued to watch from one of six City of Sydney vantage points. Fireworks light up the sky over Sydney Harbour during New Years Eve celebration in Sydney, Australia, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Mark Evans/Getty Images) The fireworks began with the 9 p.m. Welcome to Country, curated by Koori artist and creative consultant Blak Douglas, followed by a performance featuring local First Nations musicians Barkaa and Dobby that ended with Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore being handed a message stick. Tickets remained available as the night wore on, while others looked on from the balconies of nearby apartment buildings and hospitality venues as well as vessels on the harbour. Those who turned up on an otherwise ideal 22 degrees Celcius summer night were treated to displays that lived up to the lord mayors earlier promise. Fireworks light up the sky over the Sydney Harbour Bridge during New Years Eve celebrations in Sydney, Australia, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Mark Evans/Getty Images) Fireworks light up the sky over Sydney Harbour as the clock strikes midnight in Sydney, Australia, on on Jan. 1, 2022. (Brook Mitchell/Getty Images) More than 80,000 pyrotechnics and 25,000 shooting effects requiring 60 tonnes of equipment to launch were sent into the sky under the experienced guidance of Fortunato Foti, who celebrated his 25th year at the helm of the fireworks display. Sydney electronic music duo the Presets soundtracked the scene as fireworks launched from the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the sails of the Opera House, and barges on the harbour. The display culminated with the iconic waterfall effect that cascades fire from the bridge down to the water while fireworks continued surging into the sky above. Fireworks light up the sky over the Sydney Harbour Bridge during New Years Eve celebrations in Sydney, Australia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Mark Evans/Getty Images) While attention was focused around the harbour, it wasnt the only place to catch some pyrotechnics in the centre of Sydney on New Years Eve. A considerably smaller number of fireworks could be seen exploding just above Prince Alfred Park at Surry Hills about 11pm, lacking the pizzazz, and likely the appropriate permits of the harbour spectacle. NSW Police said people were generally well behaved across the state. A total of 128 arrests were made, including 10 in the Sydney CBD with three Criminal Infringement Notices and one Field Court Attendance Notice issued. I would like to thank those members of the community who made their plans COVID-safe and celebrated the beginning of 2022 responsibly, in what we hope is a better year for everyone, said Assistant Commissioner Peter Thurtell. By Jack Gramenz Paris [France], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): The French foreign ministry said on Friday that Paris was upset about Iran's recent space launch, all the more so because it came at a time when nuclear talks with Tehran were showing signs of progress. "France condemns this launch, which is not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231," a ministerial spokesperson said, referring to the UN call on Iran to stop working on the nuclear-capable ballistic missile technology. Iran said on Thursday that a satellite launch rocket had successfully put three research devices in orbit, prompting criticism from Germany and the United States. France sees the Iranian ballistic missile and space programs as overlapping due to the "closeness of technologies" used in space launches and missile tests, the ministry said. The Iranian Defence Ministry's involvement in the space launch further proves their "close link". "These activities are all the more regrettable because they happened at a time when we are seeing progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna," the spokesperson added. The latest round of talks between Iran and world powers began in Vienna on Monday in a bid to salvage the 2015 deal after the US pulled out in 2018. Iranian chief negotiator Ali Bagheri said they were making satisfactory progress. (ANI/Sputnik) New York States Covid-19 eviction moratorium is set to expire Jan. 15, and local housing advocates, landlords and tenants are bracing for what one housing court judge called a likely deluge of eviction cases. A series of moratoriums have, since 2020, banned landlords from evicting nonpaying tenants who suffered a pandemic-related financial hardship, such as job loss or increased child care expenses. But the measure has faced increasingly vocal opposition from landlords who say months of lost rental income have also jeopardized their operations. Gov. Kathy Hochul could extend the current moratorium, but she has not yet signaled that she will. She's got really, really great hardships on both sides of this issue, said Judge Patrick Carney, a Buffalo Housing Court judge who oversees eviction cases. In other words, no matter what she does, I guarantee you people are going to get hurt. The City of Buffalo faced an eviction crunch even before the pandemic. A 2020 report by the Partnership for the Public Good, a think tank affiliated with Cornell University, found that roughly 13% of Buffalo renters faced eviction in a single year a higher rate than most peer cities. Today, nearly 600,000 New York households are behind on rent, with a total estimated debt of nearly $2 billion, according to an analysis of census data by the National Equity Atlas, a research group based at the University of Southern California. In the eight counties of Western New York, more than 620 households have filed what are known as hardship declarations legal documents that postpone potential eviction proceedings until the end of the moratorium. That number underestimates the total number of tenants at risk of eviction, however, because it does not account for hardship declarations filed directly with landlords. Landlords contend, however, that not every tenant who claims hardship is telling the truth and that, in either case, many property owners cannot afford to lease rent-free for so long. In August, the U.S. Supreme Court partially sided with New York landlords, ruling that the state must provide them a means for challenging tenants hardship declarations. But a State Supreme Court justice recently dismissed a lawsuit brought by three dozen Western New York landlords who called the state's Covid-19 eviction moratorium law unconstitutional, even though it was amended to allow for landlords to challenge the hardship declarations. Even if landlords suspect bad faith on the part of tenants who can afford to pay rent, they say it's too difficult to challenge under the state's eviction moratorium legislation. Landlords almost never have access to the information they say is necessary to challenge a hardship claim, such as tenant paychecks and savings account information, according to the landlords' attorneys. State Supreme Court Justice E. Jeannette Ogden ruled the three dozen landlords lacked standing to bring their case because they hadn't tried to challenge any tenant's hardship claim. Landlords challenged only 23 declarations in Western New York through late December, according to the state Office of Court Administration. Separately, many more landlords have pursued relief through a state fund called the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, Carney said, which pays up to 15 months rent directly to landlords on behalf of low- and middle-income tenants. The backlog on that program has stretched for several months, however, and it often doesnt pay the full amount of owed rent. Some of our landlords have people who have literally not paid rent in two years, said Lisa Damiani, the executive director of the Western New York Property Owners Coalition, which advocates for landlords. If people are experiencing hardship and need additional assistance, let's deal with them. But let's stop with these blanket moratoriums. Housing advocates dont necessarily disagree, though they say the most vulnerable renters still need additional protections. Temporary eviction bans have kept people in their homes but they have also created an endless cycle of panic and anxiety for low-income renters, who cant be sure how long they will last, said Tanvier Peart, the director of policy advancement at the Partnership for the Public Good, in an email. Statewide housing organizations have instead advocated for a permanent policy called Good Cause Eviction, which prohibits steep rent increases and limits the circumstances in which landlords can evict tenants. Four New York cities including Albany and Poughkeepsie adopted Good Cause policies during the pandemic. In the absence of such a policy here, however, the pre-pandemic eviction process could resume as early as next month. One exception applies to landlords who received emergency rental assistance funds. They can't evict tenants or raise their rents within a year of payment. An end to the eviction moratorium may force some renters from their current homes. Buffalo Housing Court also frequently negotiates compromises, such as repayment plans or "mutual terminations," between tenants and landlords. Carneys department is already staffing up. He expects to get a part-time judge and an extra law clerk to help cover the workload. We will be deluged. Buried, Carney said. The court system is, however, prepared to process cases quickly, he added. A man receives his fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, central Israel, on Dec. 31, 2021. The Israeli Health Ministry on Friday said it has approved the administration of the fourth booster vaccine shot against COVID-19 for nursing home residents and staff. (Tomer Neuberg/JINI via Xinhua) JERUSALEM, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli Health Ministry on Friday said it has approved the administration of the fourth booster vaccine shot against COVID-19 for nursing home residents and staff. The ministry also approved the fourth shot at assisted living facilities, geriatric hospitals, and institutions for people who suffer from dual diagnoses. On Thursday, the ministry approved the administration of the fourth shot for those with suppressed immune systems. However, a recommendation by an expert panel at the ministry to give the fourth shot to the entire elderly population aged over 60 has not yet been approved. Enditem Conservative MP Mark Strahl rises during question period in the House of Commons in Ottawa on Feb. 19, 2020. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press) MP Questions Logic of Not Allowing Unvaccinated Health Staff to Work While Keeping COVID-Positive Staff on the Job BC mulls allowing only vaccinated COVID-positive health-care workers back to work A Tory MP is questioning why B.C. is considering allowing vaccinated COVID-positive health-care workers to return to work but not those who are unvaccinated. So, vaccinated but Covid positive workers are told to keep working, while unvaccinated workers are forced to stay home even if they are Covid-free? If this is really about protecting the system, why not give daily tests to all & let all Covid-free workers keep it running safely? Mark Strahl said on Twitter Thursday. Strahl, who represents the riding of Chilliwack-Hope in British Columbia, was responding to a comment made by the provinces top doctor Bonnie Henry, who told reporters at a press conference Wednesday that officials were weighing the possibility of letting some health-care workers with mild symptoms go back to work, if necessary. That is something we have had preliminary plans, for but were working with the occupational health and safety folk to make sure we have those criteria identified for health care workers, and making sure we also have plans to be able to substitute other workers and move workers around as needed, Henry said. Obviously if somebody is sick, whether its with COVID or any other illness, we dont want them in a workplace setting because it is a risk to others, but there are certain settings where we need to make sure we have that balancing of continuity of carehealth-care workers are one. On Sept. 13, B.C. health officials announced that workers and volunteers at all health-care facilities across the province must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 by Oct. 26, or risk being placed on unpaid leave. However, by Nov. 1, the province was already facing staff shortages in the health system as more than 3,000 unvaccinated health workers were put on unpaid leave, causing hospitals to postpone some surgeries. The same situation occurred in Quebec, whose Health Minister Christian Dube announced on Dec. 27 that the province will allow health care personnel who have tested positive for COVID-19 to continue working. Omicrons contagion is so exponential that a huge number of personnel have to be withdrawn, and that poses a risk to the network capacity to treat Quebecers, Dube said, adding that the government is consulting with unions regarding the policy change. It forced us to make a paradigm shift. In previous waves, we wanted to identify and remove at-risk employees as quickly as possible. With the current level of vaccination, we have to do otherwise, we have no choice. Manitoba and Ontario have said they are considering similar measures to avoid overwhelming their own health systems. Meanwhile, Alberta has offered regular testing in a bid to get unvaccinated health employees back to work. The Canadian Press contributed to this report Gift Article Share Biden to speak with Zelensky on Sunday Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight President Biden plans to speak by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday amid growing alarm over Russias military buildup near its border with Ukraine. The call with Zelensky will come three days after Biden spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin for nearly an hour. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, said a White House official, previewing the call for reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House. Biden is also expected to review preparations with Zelensky for upcoming diplomatic talks. Senior U.S. and Russian officials will meet in Geneva on Jan. 9 and 10, before a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council on Jan. 12 and talks at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Vienna on Jan. 13. Advertisement Meryl Kornfield Government accuses Walmart of 'stupidity' Chinas anti-graft agency on Friday accused U.S. retail giant Walmart and its Sams Club chain of stupidity and shorted-sightedness after Chinese news outlets reported that Sams Club had removed Xinjiang-sourced products from stores. Last week, Sams Club came under fire in China after several news outlets shared videos and screenshots on the Weibo social media platform that they said showed products from the far-western Chinese region of Xinjiang had been removed from the stores online app. The social media row erupted after President Biden signed into law legislation banning imports from Xinjiang over concern about forced labor there. Walmart is the latest foreign company to be tripped up by Western pressure over Beijings treatment of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in Xinjiang. Advertisement China rejects accusations of forced labor or any other abuses in Xinjiang. Reuters Israeli troops fatally shoot knife-wielding man: Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian assailant running toward them with a knife at a bus station near the occupied West Bank settlement of Ariel, the army said, and the Hamas militant group claimed him as a member. The attack comes amid a rise in stabbings of Israeli citizens. Earlier this month, an ultra-Orthodox Jew was seriously wounded after being stabbed just outside the walls of Jerusalem's Old City. Former S. Korean president released from prison: Former South Korean president Park Geun-hye was released from prison nearly five years after being convicted of corruption, fueling debate over whether she would play any role ahead of a March presidential election. Park, 69, became the country's first democratically elected leader to be thrown out of office when the Constitutional Court upheld a parliamentary vote in 2017 to impeach her. Advertisement S. African president to receive report on Zuma corruption: A South African judicial commission will formally hand over the first part of its report to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday following its inquiry into corruption during former president Jacob Zuma's time in power, a cabinet minister said. The inquiry was established to examine allegations of high-level graft during Zuma's period in power from 2009 to 2018. Charity boat with 440 migrants to dock in Italy: The German charity vessel Sea Watch 3, carrying hundreds of migrants, will dock in the Italian port of Pozzallo, in Sicily, the charity group operating it tweeted. The vessel had been seeking a port to disembark for a week, since rescuing the 440 migrants from the Mediterranean. Most of the migrants were from Africa. Russia test-fires hypersonic Tsirkon missiles: Russia test-fired about 10 new Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missiles from a frigate and two more from a submarine, the Interfax news agency said, citing the military's northern fleet. President Vladimir Putin has lauded the weapon as part of a new generation of unrivaled arms systems. Some Western experts questioned that assessment. Advertisement Death toll in latest Sudan protests rises to five: The death toll from a police crackdown on the latest nationwide protests against military rule in Sudan rose to five, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said. The group, aligned with the protest movement, said the fifth person killed had been hit in the chest by a tear-gas canister fired by security forces during demonstrations on Thursday. From news services GiftOutline Gift Article Gift Article Share Biden to speak with Zelensky on Sunday Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight President Biden plans to speak by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday amid growing alarm over Russias military buildup near its border with Ukraine. The call with Zelensky will come three days after Biden spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin for nearly an hour. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, said a White House official, previewing the call for reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House. Biden is also expected to review preparations with Zelensky for upcoming diplomatic talks. Senior U.S. and Russian officials will meet in Geneva on Jan. 9 and 10, before a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council on Jan. 12 and talks at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Vienna on Jan. 13. Advertisement Meryl Kornfield Government accuses Walmart of 'stupidity' Chinas anti-graft agency on Friday accused U.S. retail giant Walmart and its Sams Club chain of stupidity and shorted-sightedness after Chinese news outlets reported that Sams Club had removed Xinjiang-sourced products from stores. Last week, Sams Club came under fire in China after several news outlets shared videos and screenshots on the Weibo social media platform that they said showed products from the far-western Chinese region of Xinjiang had been removed from the stores online app. The social media row erupted after President Biden signed into law legislation banning imports from Xinjiang over concern about forced labor there. Walmart is the latest foreign company to be tripped up by Western pressure over Beijings treatment of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in Xinjiang. Advertisement China rejects accusations of forced labor or any other abuses in Xinjiang. Reuters Israeli troops fatally shoot knife-wielding man: Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian assailant running toward them with a knife at a bus station near the occupied West Bank settlement of Ariel, the army said, and the Hamas militant group claimed him as a member. The attack comes amid a rise in stabbings of Israeli citizens. Earlier this month, an ultra-Orthodox Jew was seriously wounded after being stabbed just outside the walls of Jerusalem's Old City. Former S. Korean president released from prison: Former South Korean president Park Geun-hye was released from prison nearly five years after being convicted of corruption, fueling debate over whether she would play any role ahead of a March presidential election. Park, 69, became the country's first democratically elected leader to be thrown out of office when the Constitutional Court upheld a parliamentary vote in 2017 to impeach her. Advertisement S. African president to receive report on Zuma corruption: A South African judicial commission will formally hand over the first part of its report to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday following its inquiry into corruption during former president Jacob Zuma's time in power, a cabinet minister said. The inquiry was established to examine allegations of high-level graft during Zuma's period in power from 2009 to 2018. Charity boat with 440 migrants to dock in Italy: The German charity vessel Sea Watch 3, carrying hundreds of migrants, will dock in the Italian port of Pozzallo, in Sicily, the charity group operating it tweeted. The vessel had been seeking a port to disembark for a week, since rescuing the 440 migrants from the Mediterranean. Most of the migrants were from Africa. Russia test-fires hypersonic Tsirkon missiles: Russia test-fired about 10 new Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missiles from a frigate and two more from a submarine, the Interfax news agency said, citing the military's northern fleet. President Vladimir Putin has lauded the weapon as part of a new generation of unrivaled arms systems. Some Western experts questioned that assessment. Advertisement Death toll in latest Sudan protests rises to five: The death toll from a police crackdown on the latest nationwide protests against military rule in Sudan rose to five, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said. The group, aligned with the protest movement, said the fifth person killed had been hit in the chest by a tear-gas canister fired by security forces during demonstrations on Thursday. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Bradey Police Lt. Philip Trudeau (L) comforts Bourbonnais Police officer Andy Cox following a ceremonial procession for fallen Bradley Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, in Bourbonnais, Ill., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Tiffany Blanchette/The Daily Journal via AP) Suspect in Shooting of Illinois Officers Arrested in Indiana CHICAGOA man suspected in the shooting of one police officer and wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel has been taken into custody, authorities said Friday. Darius Sullivan, one of two people suspected in the shooting of the two Bradley police officers, was arrested Friday morning at a home in North Manchester, Indiana, Sgt. Glen Fifield of the Indiana State Police said at a news conference. Sullivan, 25, surrendered to a SWAT team that was assisting the U.S. Marshals with a search warrant for the property about 110 miles east of Bradley. Sullivans arrest came a day after Illinois authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The Illinois State Police did not release any updates on the investigation Friday other than a written statement confirming that Sullivan had been arrested and would be taken back to Kankakee County, where the shooting occurred late Wednesday. Fifield said he didnt have any details on the investigation into the shooting. He did name three other men but wouldnt discuss whether their arrests were connected to the officers shootings. Two of the men were arrested after police said they ran from their car during a traffic stop in Fulton County, Indiana. The third was arrested at the home where Sullivan was taken into custody. Fifield said police found weapons and drugs in the car that the two men fled from and at the North Manchester home. Authorities are still searching for 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, of Bradley, who investigators believe was at the hotel when the shootings happened, the Illinois State Police said. The two officers were speaking to people in a room at a Comfort Inn along a highway in Kankakee County when they were shot, according to the county sheriffs office. They were taken to nearby hospitals, where 49-year-old Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic died. The other officeridentified by the Illinois State Police as 27-year-old Tyler J. Baileyunderwent surgery and was listed in critical condition on Thursday, according to the Bradley Police Department. Messages left with the department and Illinois State Police on Friday to update Baileys condition were not immediately returned. The officers were at the hotel to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, the sheriffs office said. They found the room where the vehicles possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, it said. Authorities arrested two other people Thursday on charges alleging they impeded the search for Sullivan and a woman also suspected in the shootings. Nichele Newton-Carroll, 42, and Jelman Sullivan, 21, face charges of obstructing justice/leaving the state, the (Kankakee) Daily Journal reported. Neither had an attorney listed Friday in court or jail records. Kankakee County States Attorney Jim Rowe identified Newton-Carroll as Sullivans mother. Rowe said he is not sure of the connection between Jelman Sullivan and Darius Sullivan. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriffs deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriffs Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputys squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. Gift Article Share Biden to speak with Zelensky on Sunday Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight President Biden plans to speak by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday amid growing alarm over Russias military buildup near its border with Ukraine. The call with Zelensky will come three days after Biden spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin for nearly an hour. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, said a White House official, previewing the call for reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House. Biden is also expected to review preparations with Zelensky for upcoming diplomatic talks. Senior U.S. and Russian officials will meet in Geneva on Jan. 9 and 10, before a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council on Jan. 12 and talks at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Vienna on Jan. 13. Advertisement Meryl Kornfield Government accuses Walmart of 'stupidity' Chinas anti-graft agency on Friday accused U.S. retail giant Walmart and its Sams Club chain of stupidity and shorted-sightedness after Chinese news outlets reported that Sams Club had removed Xinjiang-sourced products from stores. Last week, Sams Club came under fire in China after several news outlets shared videos and screenshots on the Weibo social media platform that they said showed products from the far-western Chinese region of Xinjiang had been removed from the stores online app. The social media row erupted after President Biden signed into law legislation banning imports from Xinjiang over concern about forced labor there. Walmart is the latest foreign company to be tripped up by Western pressure over Beijings treatment of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in Xinjiang. Advertisement China rejects accusations of forced labor or any other abuses in Xinjiang. Reuters Israeli troops fatally shoot knife-wielding man: Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian assailant running toward them with a knife at a bus station near the occupied West Bank settlement of Ariel, the army said, and the Hamas militant group claimed him as a member. The attack comes amid a rise in stabbings of Israeli citizens. Earlier this month, an ultra-Orthodox Jew was seriously wounded after being stabbed just outside the walls of Jerusalem's Old City. Former S. Korean president released from prison: Former South Korean president Park Geun-hye was released from prison nearly five years after being convicted of corruption, fueling debate over whether she would play any role ahead of a March presidential election. Park, 69, became the country's first democratically elected leader to be thrown out of office when the Constitutional Court upheld a parliamentary vote in 2017 to impeach her. Advertisement S. African president to receive report on Zuma corruption: A South African judicial commission will formally hand over the first part of its report to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday following its inquiry into corruption during former president Jacob Zuma's time in power, a cabinet minister said. The inquiry was established to examine allegations of high-level graft during Zuma's period in power from 2009 to 2018. Charity boat with 440 migrants to dock in Italy: The German charity vessel Sea Watch 3, carrying hundreds of migrants, will dock in the Italian port of Pozzallo, in Sicily, the charity group operating it tweeted. The vessel had been seeking a port to disembark for a week, since rescuing the 440 migrants from the Mediterranean. Most of the migrants were from Africa. Russia test-fires hypersonic Tsirkon missiles: Russia test-fired about 10 new Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missiles from a frigate and two more from a submarine, the Interfax news agency said, citing the military's northern fleet. President Vladimir Putin has lauded the weapon as part of a new generation of unrivaled arms systems. Some Western experts questioned that assessment. Advertisement Death toll in latest Sudan protests rises to five: The death toll from a police crackdown on the latest nationwide protests against military rule in Sudan rose to five, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said. The group, aligned with the protest movement, said the fifth person killed had been hit in the chest by a tear-gas canister fired by security forces during demonstrations on Thursday. From news services GiftOutline Gift Article Paris [France], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): The French foreign ministry said on Friday that Paris was upset about Iran's recent space launch, all the more so because it came at a time when nuclear talks with Tehran were showing signs of progress. "France condemns this launch, which is not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231," a ministerial spokesperson said, referring to the UN call on Iran to stop working on the nuclear-capable ballistic missile technology. Iran said on Thursday that a satellite launch rocket had successfully put three research devices in orbit, prompting criticism from Germany and the United States. France sees the Iranian ballistic missile and space programs as overlapping due to the "closeness of technologies" used in space launches and missile tests, the ministry said. The Iranian Defence Ministry's involvement in the space launch further proves their "close link". "These activities are all the more regrettable because they happened at a time when we are seeing progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna," the spokesperson added. The latest round of talks between Iran and world powers began in Vienna on Monday in a bid to salvage the 2015 deal after the US pulled out in 2018. Iranian chief negotiator Ali Bagheri said they were making satisfactory progress. (ANI/Sputnik) Paris [France], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): The French foreign ministry said on Friday that Paris was upset about Iran's recent space launch, all the more so because it came at a time when nuclear talks with Tehran were showing signs of progress. "France condemns this launch, which is not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231," a ministerial spokesperson said, referring to the UN call on Iran to stop working on the nuclear-capable ballistic missile technology. Iran said on Thursday that a satellite launch rocket had successfully put three research devices in orbit, prompting criticism from Germany and the United States. France sees the Iranian ballistic missile and space programs as overlapping due to the "closeness of technologies" used in space launches and missile tests, the ministry said. The Iranian Defence Ministry's involvement in the space launch further proves their "close link". "These activities are all the more regrettable because they happened at a time when we are seeing progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna," the spokesperson added. The latest round of talks between Iran and world powers began in Vienna on Monday in a bid to salvage the 2015 deal after the US pulled out in 2018. Iranian chief negotiator Ali Bagheri said they were making satisfactory progress. (ANI/Sputnik) Paris [France], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): The French foreign ministry said on Friday that Paris was upset about Iran's recent space launch, all the more so because it came at a time when nuclear talks with Tehran were showing signs of progress. "France condemns this launch, which is not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231," a ministerial spokesperson said, referring to the UN call on Iran to stop working on the nuclear-capable ballistic missile technology. Iran said on Thursday that a satellite launch rocket had successfully put three research devices in orbit, prompting criticism from Germany and the United States. France sees the Iranian ballistic missile and space programs as overlapping due to the "closeness of technologies" used in space launches and missile tests, the ministry said. The Iranian Defence Ministry's involvement in the space launch further proves their "close link". "These activities are all the more regrettable because they happened at a time when we are seeing progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna," the spokesperson added. The latest round of talks between Iran and world powers began in Vienna on Monday in a bid to salvage the 2015 deal after the US pulled out in 2018. Iranian chief negotiator Ali Bagheri said they were making satisfactory progress. (ANI/Sputnik) Paris [France], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): The French foreign ministry said on Friday that Paris was upset about Iran's recent space launch, all the more so because it came at a time when nuclear talks with Tehran were showing signs of progress. "France condemns this launch, which is not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231," a ministerial spokesperson said, referring to the UN call on Iran to stop working on the nuclear-capable ballistic missile technology. Iran said on Thursday that a satellite launch rocket had successfully put three research devices in orbit, prompting criticism from Germany and the United States. France sees the Iranian ballistic missile and space programs as overlapping due to the "closeness of technologies" used in space launches and missile tests, the ministry said. The Iranian Defence Ministry's involvement in the space launch further proves their "close link". "These activities are all the more regrettable because they happened at a time when we are seeing progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna," the spokesperson added. The latest round of talks between Iran and world powers began in Vienna on Monday in a bid to salvage the 2015 deal after the US pulled out in 2018. Iranian chief negotiator Ali Bagheri said they were making satisfactory progress. (ANI/Sputnik) Paris [France], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): The French foreign ministry said on Friday that Paris was upset about Iran's recent space launch, all the more so because it came at a time when nuclear talks with Tehran were showing signs of progress. "France condemns this launch, which is not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231," a ministerial spokesperson said, referring to the UN call on Iran to stop working on the nuclear-capable ballistic missile technology. Iran said on Thursday that a satellite launch rocket had successfully put three research devices in orbit, prompting criticism from Germany and the United States. France sees the Iranian ballistic missile and space programs as overlapping due to the "closeness of technologies" used in space launches and missile tests, the ministry said. The Iranian Defence Ministry's involvement in the space launch further proves their "close link". "These activities are all the more regrettable because they happened at a time when we are seeing progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna," the spokesperson added. The latest round of talks between Iran and world powers began in Vienna on Monday in a bid to salvage the 2015 deal after the US pulled out in 2018. Iranian chief negotiator Ali Bagheri said they were making satisfactory progress. (ANI/Sputnik) Paris [France], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): The French foreign ministry said on Friday that Paris was upset about Iran's recent space launch, all the more so because it came at a time when nuclear talks with Tehran were showing signs of progress. "France condemns this launch, which is not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231," a ministerial spokesperson said, referring to the UN call on Iran to stop working on the nuclear-capable ballistic missile technology. Iran said on Thursday that a satellite launch rocket had successfully put three research devices in orbit, prompting criticism from Germany and the United States. France sees the Iranian ballistic missile and space programs as overlapping due to the "closeness of technologies" used in space launches and missile tests, the ministry said. The Iranian Defence Ministry's involvement in the space launch further proves their "close link". "These activities are all the more regrettable because they happened at a time when we are seeing progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna," the spokesperson added. The latest round of talks between Iran and world powers began in Vienna on Monday in a bid to salvage the 2015 deal after the US pulled out in 2018. Iranian chief negotiator Ali Bagheri said they were making satisfactory progress. (ANI/Sputnik) A man receives his fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, central Israel, on Dec. 31, 2021. The Israeli Health Ministry on Friday said it has approved the administration of the fourth booster vaccine shot against COVID-19 for nursing home residents and staff. (Tomer Neuberg/JINI via Xinhua) JERUSALEM, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli Health Ministry on Friday said it has approved the administration of the fourth booster vaccine shot against COVID-19 for nursing home residents and staff. The ministry also approved the fourth shot at assisted living facilities, geriatric hospitals, and institutions for people who suffer from dual diagnoses. On Thursday, the ministry approved the administration of the fourth shot for those with suppressed immune systems. However, a recommendation by an expert panel at the ministry to give the fourth shot to the entire elderly population aged over 60 has not yet been approved. Enditem Gift Article Share Biden to speak with Zelensky on Sunday Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight President Biden plans to speak by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday amid growing alarm over Russias military buildup near its border with Ukraine. The call with Zelensky will come three days after Biden spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin for nearly an hour. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, said a White House official, previewing the call for reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House. Biden is also expected to review preparations with Zelensky for upcoming diplomatic talks. Senior U.S. and Russian officials will meet in Geneva on Jan. 9 and 10, before a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council on Jan. 12 and talks at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Vienna on Jan. 13. Advertisement Meryl Kornfield Government accuses Walmart of 'stupidity' Chinas anti-graft agency on Friday accused U.S. retail giant Walmart and its Sams Club chain of stupidity and shorted-sightedness after Chinese news outlets reported that Sams Club had removed Xinjiang-sourced products from stores. Last week, Sams Club came under fire in China after several news outlets shared videos and screenshots on the Weibo social media platform that they said showed products from the far-western Chinese region of Xinjiang had been removed from the stores online app. The social media row erupted after President Biden signed into law legislation banning imports from Xinjiang over concern about forced labor there. Walmart is the latest foreign company to be tripped up by Western pressure over Beijings treatment of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in Xinjiang. Advertisement China rejects accusations of forced labor or any other abuses in Xinjiang. Reuters Israeli troops fatally shoot knife-wielding man: Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian assailant running toward them with a knife at a bus station near the occupied West Bank settlement of Ariel, the army said, and the Hamas militant group claimed him as a member. The attack comes amid a rise in stabbings of Israeli citizens. Earlier this month, an ultra-Orthodox Jew was seriously wounded after being stabbed just outside the walls of Jerusalem's Old City. Former S. Korean president released from prison: Former South Korean president Park Geun-hye was released from prison nearly five years after being convicted of corruption, fueling debate over whether she would play any role ahead of a March presidential election. Park, 69, became the country's first democratically elected leader to be thrown out of office when the Constitutional Court upheld a parliamentary vote in 2017 to impeach her. Advertisement S. African president to receive report on Zuma corruption: A South African judicial commission will formally hand over the first part of its report to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday following its inquiry into corruption during former president Jacob Zuma's time in power, a cabinet minister said. The inquiry was established to examine allegations of high-level graft during Zuma's period in power from 2009 to 2018. Charity boat with 440 migrants to dock in Italy: The German charity vessel Sea Watch 3, carrying hundreds of migrants, will dock in the Italian port of Pozzallo, in Sicily, the charity group operating it tweeted. The vessel had been seeking a port to disembark for a week, since rescuing the 440 migrants from the Mediterranean. Most of the migrants were from Africa. Russia test-fires hypersonic Tsirkon missiles: Russia test-fired about 10 new Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missiles from a frigate and two more from a submarine, the Interfax news agency said, citing the military's northern fleet. President Vladimir Putin has lauded the weapon as part of a new generation of unrivaled arms systems. Some Western experts questioned that assessment. Advertisement Death toll in latest Sudan protests rises to five: The death toll from a police crackdown on the latest nationwide protests against military rule in Sudan rose to five, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said. The group, aligned with the protest movement, said the fifth person killed had been hit in the chest by a tear-gas canister fired by security forces during demonstrations on Thursday. From news services GiftOutline Gift Article Gift Article Share Biden to speak with Zelensky on Sunday Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight President Biden plans to speak by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday amid growing alarm over Russias military buildup near its border with Ukraine. The call with Zelensky will come three days after Biden spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin for nearly an hour. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, said a White House official, previewing the call for reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House. Biden is also expected to review preparations with Zelensky for upcoming diplomatic talks. Senior U.S. and Russian officials will meet in Geneva on Jan. 9 and 10, before a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council on Jan. 12 and talks at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Vienna on Jan. 13. Advertisement Meryl Kornfield Government accuses Walmart of 'stupidity' Chinas anti-graft agency on Friday accused U.S. retail giant Walmart and its Sams Club chain of stupidity and shorted-sightedness after Chinese news outlets reported that Sams Club had removed Xinjiang-sourced products from stores. Last week, Sams Club came under fire in China after several news outlets shared videos and screenshots on the Weibo social media platform that they said showed products from the far-western Chinese region of Xinjiang had been removed from the stores online app. The social media row erupted after President Biden signed into law legislation banning imports from Xinjiang over concern about forced labor there. Walmart is the latest foreign company to be tripped up by Western pressure over Beijings treatment of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in Xinjiang. Advertisement China rejects accusations of forced labor or any other abuses in Xinjiang. Reuters Israeli troops fatally shoot knife-wielding man: Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian assailant running toward them with a knife at a bus station near the occupied West Bank settlement of Ariel, the army said, and the Hamas militant group claimed him as a member. The attack comes amid a rise in stabbings of Israeli citizens. Earlier this month, an ultra-Orthodox Jew was seriously wounded after being stabbed just outside the walls of Jerusalem's Old City. Former S. Korean president released from prison: Former South Korean president Park Geun-hye was released from prison nearly five years after being convicted of corruption, fueling debate over whether she would play any role ahead of a March presidential election. Park, 69, became the country's first democratically elected leader to be thrown out of office when the Constitutional Court upheld a parliamentary vote in 2017 to impeach her. Advertisement S. African president to receive report on Zuma corruption: A South African judicial commission will formally hand over the first part of its report to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday following its inquiry into corruption during former president Jacob Zuma's time in power, a cabinet minister said. The inquiry was established to examine allegations of high-level graft during Zuma's period in power from 2009 to 2018. Charity boat with 440 migrants to dock in Italy: The German charity vessel Sea Watch 3, carrying hundreds of migrants, will dock in the Italian port of Pozzallo, in Sicily, the charity group operating it tweeted. The vessel had been seeking a port to disembark for a week, since rescuing the 440 migrants from the Mediterranean. Most of the migrants were from Africa. Russia test-fires hypersonic Tsirkon missiles: Russia test-fired about 10 new Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missiles from a frigate and two more from a submarine, the Interfax news agency said, citing the military's northern fleet. President Vladimir Putin has lauded the weapon as part of a new generation of unrivaled arms systems. Some Western experts questioned that assessment. Advertisement Death toll in latest Sudan protests rises to five: The death toll from a police crackdown on the latest nationwide protests against military rule in Sudan rose to five, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said. The group, aligned with the protest movement, said the fifth person killed had been hit in the chest by a tear-gas canister fired by security forces during demonstrations on Thursday. From news services GiftOutline Gift Article A man receives his fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, central Israel, on Dec. 31, 2021. The Israeli Health Ministry on Friday said it has approved the administration of the fourth booster vaccine shot against COVID-19 for nursing home residents and staff. (Tomer Neuberg/JINI via Xinhua) JERUSALEM, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli Health Ministry on Friday said it has approved the administration of the fourth booster vaccine shot against COVID-19 for nursing home residents and staff. The ministry also approved the fourth shot at assisted living facilities, geriatric hospitals, and institutions for people who suffer from dual diagnoses. On Thursday, the ministry approved the administration of the fourth shot for those with suppressed immune systems. However, a recommendation by an expert panel at the ministry to give the fourth shot to the entire elderly population aged over 60 has not yet been approved. Enditem New Delhi: At least 12 died in the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan on Saturday (January 1), ANI reported quoting Dr Gopal Dutt, Block Medical Officer, Community Health Centre. The exact, numbers are, however, not confirmed as yet. Among those who died, several are from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and one victim were from Jammu and Kashmir. According to Dutt, the bodies of the victims have been sent for the post mortem while the injured have been taken to Naraina Hospital. #UPDATE | Visuals from Naraina hospital where injured devotees have been taken for treatment after the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Katra. pic.twitter.com/JIb7ZW8TJB ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2022 Meanwhile, at least 13 have been injured in the stampede, informed J&K DGP Dilbagh Singh. According to Singh, the incident occurred around 2:45 am, and as per initial reports, an argument broke out which resulted in people pushing each other, followed by a stampede. Visuals from near Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Katra where stampede has occurred; injuries reported. Rescue operation underway: Police Control Room, Reasi pic.twitter.com/RNFndVczKA ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2022 A stampede was reported on Saturday morning at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir The reason behind the incident is said to be the heavy footfall of devotees on the occasion of New Year's Day. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences for the victims and their families. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_ Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSingh Ji, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation. January 1, 2022 "Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon," tweeted Prime Minister. Modi has also announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh each for those who lost their lives in the tragic incident while Rs 50,000 would be given to the injured. (More details awaited) Live TV New Delhi: At least 12 died in the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan on Saturday (January 1), ANI reported quoting Dr Gopal Dutt, Block Medical Officer, Community Health Centre. The exact, numbers are, however, not confirmed as yet. Among those who died, several are from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and one victim were from Jammu and Kashmir. According to Dutt, the bodies of the victims have been sent for the post mortem while the injured have been taken to Naraina Hospital. #UPDATE | Visuals from Naraina hospital where injured devotees have been taken for treatment after the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Katra. pic.twitter.com/JIb7ZW8TJB ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2022 Meanwhile, at least 13 have been injured in the stampede, informed J&K DGP Dilbagh Singh. According to Singh, the incident occurred around 2:45 am, and as per initial reports, an argument broke out which resulted in people pushing each other, followed by a stampede. Visuals from near Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Katra where stampede has occurred; injuries reported. Rescue operation underway: Police Control Room, Reasi pic.twitter.com/RNFndVczKA ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2022 A stampede was reported on Saturday morning at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir The reason behind the incident is said to be the heavy footfall of devotees on the occasion of New Year's Day. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences for the victims and their families. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_ Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSingh Ji, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation. January 1, 2022 "Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon," tweeted Prime Minister. Modi has also announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh each for those who lost their lives in the tragic incident while Rs 50,000 would be given to the injured. (More details awaited) Live TV Paris [France], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): The French foreign ministry said on Friday that Paris was upset about Iran's recent space launch, all the more so because it came at a time when nuclear talks with Tehran were showing signs of progress. "France condemns this launch, which is not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231," a ministerial spokesperson said, referring to the UN call on Iran to stop working on the nuclear-capable ballistic missile technology. Iran said on Thursday that a satellite launch rocket had successfully put three research devices in orbit, prompting criticism from Germany and the United States. France sees the Iranian ballistic missile and space programs as overlapping due to the "closeness of technologies" used in space launches and missile tests, the ministry said. The Iranian Defence Ministry's involvement in the space launch further proves their "close link". "These activities are all the more regrettable because they happened at a time when we are seeing progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna," the spokesperson added. The latest round of talks between Iran and world powers began in Vienna on Monday in a bid to salvage the 2015 deal after the US pulled out in 2018. Iranian chief negotiator Ali Bagheri said they were making satisfactory progress. (ANI/Sputnik) Paris [France], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): The French foreign ministry said on Friday that Paris was upset about Iran's recent space launch, all the more so because it came at a time when nuclear talks with Tehran were showing signs of progress. "France condemns this launch, which is not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231," a ministerial spokesperson said, referring to the UN call on Iran to stop working on the nuclear-capable ballistic missile technology. Iran said on Thursday that a satellite launch rocket had successfully put three research devices in orbit, prompting criticism from Germany and the United States. France sees the Iranian ballistic missile and space programs as overlapping due to the "closeness of technologies" used in space launches and missile tests, the ministry said. The Iranian Defence Ministry's involvement in the space launch further proves their "close link". "These activities are all the more regrettable because they happened at a time when we are seeing progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna," the spokesperson added. The latest round of talks between Iran and world powers began in Vienna on Monday in a bid to salvage the 2015 deal after the US pulled out in 2018. Iranian chief negotiator Ali Bagheri said they were making satisfactory progress. (ANI/Sputnik) Gift Article Share Biden to speak with Zelensky on Sunday Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight President Biden plans to speak by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday amid growing alarm over Russias military buildup near its border with Ukraine. The call with Zelensky will come three days after Biden spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin for nearly an hour. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, said a White House official, previewing the call for reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House. Biden is also expected to review preparations with Zelensky for upcoming diplomatic talks. Senior U.S. and Russian officials will meet in Geneva on Jan. 9 and 10, before a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council on Jan. 12 and talks at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Vienna on Jan. 13. Advertisement Meryl Kornfield Government accuses Walmart of 'stupidity' Chinas anti-graft agency on Friday accused U.S. retail giant Walmart and its Sams Club chain of stupidity and shorted-sightedness after Chinese news outlets reported that Sams Club had removed Xinjiang-sourced products from stores. Last week, Sams Club came under fire in China after several news outlets shared videos and screenshots on the Weibo social media platform that they said showed products from the far-western Chinese region of Xinjiang had been removed from the stores online app. The social media row erupted after President Biden signed into law legislation banning imports from Xinjiang over concern about forced labor there. Walmart is the latest foreign company to be tripped up by Western pressure over Beijings treatment of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in Xinjiang. Advertisement China rejects accusations of forced labor or any other abuses in Xinjiang. Reuters Israeli troops fatally shoot knife-wielding man: Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian assailant running toward them with a knife at a bus station near the occupied West Bank settlement of Ariel, the army said, and the Hamas militant group claimed him as a member. The attack comes amid a rise in stabbings of Israeli citizens. Earlier this month, an ultra-Orthodox Jew was seriously wounded after being stabbed just outside the walls of Jerusalem's Old City. Former S. Korean president released from prison: Former South Korean president Park Geun-hye was released from prison nearly five years after being convicted of corruption, fueling debate over whether she would play any role ahead of a March presidential election. Park, 69, became the country's first democratically elected leader to be thrown out of office when the Constitutional Court upheld a parliamentary vote in 2017 to impeach her. Advertisement S. African president to receive report on Zuma corruption: A South African judicial commission will formally hand over the first part of its report to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday following its inquiry into corruption during former president Jacob Zuma's time in power, a cabinet minister said. The inquiry was established to examine allegations of high-level graft during Zuma's period in power from 2009 to 2018. Charity boat with 440 migrants to dock in Italy: The German charity vessel Sea Watch 3, carrying hundreds of migrants, will dock in the Italian port of Pozzallo, in Sicily, the charity group operating it tweeted. The vessel had been seeking a port to disembark for a week, since rescuing the 440 migrants from the Mediterranean. Most of the migrants were from Africa. Russia test-fires hypersonic Tsirkon missiles: Russia test-fired about 10 new Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missiles from a frigate and two more from a submarine, the Interfax news agency said, citing the military's northern fleet. President Vladimir Putin has lauded the weapon as part of a new generation of unrivaled arms systems. Some Western experts questioned that assessment. Advertisement Death toll in latest Sudan protests rises to five: The death toll from a police crackdown on the latest nationwide protests against military rule in Sudan rose to five, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said. The group, aligned with the protest movement, said the fifth person killed had been hit in the chest by a tear-gas canister fired by security forces during demonstrations on Thursday. From news services GiftOutline Gift Article Gift Article Share Biden to speak with Zelensky on Sunday Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight President Biden plans to speak by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday amid growing alarm over Russias military buildup near its border with Ukraine. The call with Zelensky will come three days after Biden spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin for nearly an hour. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, said a White House official, previewing the call for reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House. Biden is also expected to review preparations with Zelensky for upcoming diplomatic talks. Senior U.S. and Russian officials will meet in Geneva on Jan. 9 and 10, before a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council on Jan. 12 and talks at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Vienna on Jan. 13. Advertisement Meryl Kornfield Government accuses Walmart of 'stupidity' Chinas anti-graft agency on Friday accused U.S. retail giant Walmart and its Sams Club chain of stupidity and shorted-sightedness after Chinese news outlets reported that Sams Club had removed Xinjiang-sourced products from stores. Last week, Sams Club came under fire in China after several news outlets shared videos and screenshots on the Weibo social media platform that they said showed products from the far-western Chinese region of Xinjiang had been removed from the stores online app. The social media row erupted after President Biden signed into law legislation banning imports from Xinjiang over concern about forced labor there. Walmart is the latest foreign company to be tripped up by Western pressure over Beijings treatment of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in Xinjiang. Advertisement China rejects accusations of forced labor or any other abuses in Xinjiang. Reuters Israeli troops fatally shoot knife-wielding man: Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian assailant running toward them with a knife at a bus station near the occupied West Bank settlement of Ariel, the army said, and the Hamas militant group claimed him as a member. The attack comes amid a rise in stabbings of Israeli citizens. Earlier this month, an ultra-Orthodox Jew was seriously wounded after being stabbed just outside the walls of Jerusalem's Old City. Former S. Korean president released from prison: Former South Korean president Park Geun-hye was released from prison nearly five years after being convicted of corruption, fueling debate over whether she would play any role ahead of a March presidential election. Park, 69, became the country's first democratically elected leader to be thrown out of office when the Constitutional Court upheld a parliamentary vote in 2017 to impeach her. Advertisement S. African president to receive report on Zuma corruption: A South African judicial commission will formally hand over the first part of its report to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday following its inquiry into corruption during former president Jacob Zuma's time in power, a cabinet minister said. The inquiry was established to examine allegations of high-level graft during Zuma's period in power from 2009 to 2018. Charity boat with 440 migrants to dock in Italy: The German charity vessel Sea Watch 3, carrying hundreds of migrants, will dock in the Italian port of Pozzallo, in Sicily, the charity group operating it tweeted. The vessel had been seeking a port to disembark for a week, since rescuing the 440 migrants from the Mediterranean. Most of the migrants were from Africa. Russia test-fires hypersonic Tsirkon missiles: Russia test-fired about 10 new Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missiles from a frigate and two more from a submarine, the Interfax news agency said, citing the military's northern fleet. President Vladimir Putin has lauded the weapon as part of a new generation of unrivaled arms systems. Some Western experts questioned that assessment. Advertisement Death toll in latest Sudan protests rises to five: The death toll from a police crackdown on the latest nationwide protests against military rule in Sudan rose to five, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said. The group, aligned with the protest movement, said the fifth person killed had been hit in the chest by a tear-gas canister fired by security forces during demonstrations on Thursday. From news services GiftOutline Gift Article Gift Article Share Biden to speak with Zelensky on Sunday Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight President Biden plans to speak by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday amid growing alarm over Russias military buildup near its border with Ukraine. The call with Zelensky will come three days after Biden spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin for nearly an hour. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, said a White House official, previewing the call for reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House. Biden is also expected to review preparations with Zelensky for upcoming diplomatic talks. Senior U.S. and Russian officials will meet in Geneva on Jan. 9 and 10, before a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council on Jan. 12 and talks at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Vienna on Jan. 13. Advertisement Meryl Kornfield Government accuses Walmart of 'stupidity' Chinas anti-graft agency on Friday accused U.S. retail giant Walmart and its Sams Club chain of stupidity and shorted-sightedness after Chinese news outlets reported that Sams Club had removed Xinjiang-sourced products from stores. Last week, Sams Club came under fire in China after several news outlets shared videos and screenshots on the Weibo social media platform that they said showed products from the far-western Chinese region of Xinjiang had been removed from the stores online app. The social media row erupted after President Biden signed into law legislation banning imports from Xinjiang over concern about forced labor there. Walmart is the latest foreign company to be tripped up by Western pressure over Beijings treatment of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in Xinjiang. Advertisement China rejects accusations of forced labor or any other abuses in Xinjiang. Reuters Israeli troops fatally shoot knife-wielding man: Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian assailant running toward them with a knife at a bus station near the occupied West Bank settlement of Ariel, the army said, and the Hamas militant group claimed him as a member. The attack comes amid a rise in stabbings of Israeli citizens. Earlier this month, an ultra-Orthodox Jew was seriously wounded after being stabbed just outside the walls of Jerusalem's Old City. Former S. Korean president released from prison: Former South Korean president Park Geun-hye was released from prison nearly five years after being convicted of corruption, fueling debate over whether she would play any role ahead of a March presidential election. Park, 69, became the country's first democratically elected leader to be thrown out of office when the Constitutional Court upheld a parliamentary vote in 2017 to impeach her. Advertisement S. African president to receive report on Zuma corruption: A South African judicial commission will formally hand over the first part of its report to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday following its inquiry into corruption during former president Jacob Zuma's time in power, a cabinet minister said. The inquiry was established to examine allegations of high-level graft during Zuma's period in power from 2009 to 2018. Charity boat with 440 migrants to dock in Italy: The German charity vessel Sea Watch 3, carrying hundreds of migrants, will dock in the Italian port of Pozzallo, in Sicily, the charity group operating it tweeted. The vessel had been seeking a port to disembark for a week, since rescuing the 440 migrants from the Mediterranean. Most of the migrants were from Africa. Russia test-fires hypersonic Tsirkon missiles: Russia test-fired about 10 new Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missiles from a frigate and two more from a submarine, the Interfax news agency said, citing the military's northern fleet. President Vladimir Putin has lauded the weapon as part of a new generation of unrivaled arms systems. Some Western experts questioned that assessment. Advertisement Death toll in latest Sudan protests rises to five: The death toll from a police crackdown on the latest nationwide protests against military rule in Sudan rose to five, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said. The group, aligned with the protest movement, said the fifth person killed had been hit in the chest by a tear-gas canister fired by security forces during demonstrations on Thursday. From news services GiftOutline Gift Article New York States Covid-19 eviction moratorium is set to expire Jan. 15, and local housing advocates, landlords and tenants are bracing for what one housing court judge called a likely deluge of eviction cases. A series of moratoriums have, since 2020, banned landlords from evicting nonpaying tenants who suffered a pandemic-related financial hardship, such as job loss or increased child care expenses. But the measure has faced increasingly vocal opposition from landlords who say months of lost rental income have also jeopardized their operations. Gov. Kathy Hochul could extend the current moratorium, but she has not yet signaled that she will. She's got really, really great hardships on both sides of this issue, said Judge Patrick Carney, a Buffalo Housing Court judge who oversees eviction cases. In other words, no matter what she does, I guarantee you people are going to get hurt. The City of Buffalo faced an eviction crunch even before the pandemic. A 2020 report by the Partnership for the Public Good, a think tank affiliated with Cornell University, found that roughly 13% of Buffalo renters faced eviction in a single year a higher rate than most peer cities. Today, nearly 600,000 New York households are behind on rent, with a total estimated debt of nearly $2 billion, according to an analysis of census data by the National Equity Atlas, a research group based at the University of Southern California. In the eight counties of Western New York, more than 620 households have filed what are known as hardship declarations legal documents that postpone potential eviction proceedings until the end of the moratorium. That number underestimates the total number of tenants at risk of eviction, however, because it does not account for hardship declarations filed directly with landlords. Landlords contend, however, that not every tenant who claims hardship is telling the truth and that, in either case, many property owners cannot afford to lease rent-free for so long. In August, the U.S. Supreme Court partially sided with New York landlords, ruling that the state must provide them a means for challenging tenants hardship declarations. But a State Supreme Court justice recently dismissed a lawsuit brought by three dozen Western New York landlords who called the state's Covid-19 eviction moratorium law unconstitutional, even though it was amended to allow for landlords to challenge the hardship declarations. Even if landlords suspect bad faith on the part of tenants who can afford to pay rent, they say it's too difficult to challenge under the state's eviction moratorium legislation. Landlords almost never have access to the information they say is necessary to challenge a hardship claim, such as tenant paychecks and savings account information, according to the landlords' attorneys. State Supreme Court Justice E. Jeannette Ogden ruled the three dozen landlords lacked standing to bring their case because they hadn't tried to challenge any tenant's hardship claim. Landlords challenged only 23 declarations in Western New York through late December, according to the state Office of Court Administration. Separately, many more landlords have pursued relief through a state fund called the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, Carney said, which pays up to 15 months rent directly to landlords on behalf of low- and middle-income tenants. The backlog on that program has stretched for several months, however, and it often doesnt pay the full amount of owed rent. Some of our landlords have people who have literally not paid rent in two years, said Lisa Damiani, the executive director of the Western New York Property Owners Coalition, which advocates for landlords. If people are experiencing hardship and need additional assistance, let's deal with them. But let's stop with these blanket moratoriums. Housing advocates dont necessarily disagree, though they say the most vulnerable renters still need additional protections. Temporary eviction bans have kept people in their homes but they have also created an endless cycle of panic and anxiety for low-income renters, who cant be sure how long they will last, said Tanvier Peart, the director of policy advancement at the Partnership for the Public Good, in an email. Statewide housing organizations have instead advocated for a permanent policy called Good Cause Eviction, which prohibits steep rent increases and limits the circumstances in which landlords can evict tenants. Four New York cities including Albany and Poughkeepsie adopted Good Cause policies during the pandemic. In the absence of such a policy here, however, the pre-pandemic eviction process could resume as early as next month. One exception applies to landlords who received emergency rental assistance funds. They can't evict tenants or raise their rents within a year of payment. An end to the eviction moratorium may force some renters from their current homes. Buffalo Housing Court also frequently negotiates compromises, such as repayment plans or "mutual terminations," between tenants and landlords. Carneys department is already staffing up. He expects to get a part-time judge and an extra law clerk to help cover the workload. We will be deluged. Buried, Carney said. The court system is, however, prepared to process cases quickly, he added. A man receives his fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, central Israel, on Dec. 31, 2021. The Israeli Health Ministry on Friday said it has approved the administration of the fourth booster vaccine shot against COVID-19 for nursing home residents and staff. (Tomer Neuberg/JINI via Xinhua) JERUSALEM, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli Health Ministry on Friday said it has approved the administration of the fourth booster vaccine shot against COVID-19 for nursing home residents and staff. The ministry also approved the fourth shot at assisted living facilities, geriatric hospitals, and institutions for people who suffer from dual diagnoses. On Thursday, the ministry approved the administration of the fourth shot for those with suppressed immune systems. However, a recommendation by an expert panel at the ministry to give the fourth shot to the entire elderly population aged over 60 has not yet been approved. Enditem New York States Covid-19 eviction moratorium is set to expire Jan. 15, and local housing advocates, landlords and tenants are bracing for what one housing court judge called a likely deluge of eviction cases. A series of moratoriums have, since 2020, banned landlords from evicting nonpaying tenants who suffered a pandemic-related financial hardship, such as job loss or increased child care expenses. But the measure has faced increasingly vocal opposition from landlords who say months of lost rental income have also jeopardized their operations. Gov. Kathy Hochul could extend the current moratorium, but she has not yet signaled that she will. She's got really, really great hardships on both sides of this issue, said Judge Patrick Carney, a Buffalo Housing Court judge who oversees eviction cases. In other words, no matter what she does, I guarantee you people are going to get hurt. The City of Buffalo faced an eviction crunch even before the pandemic. A 2020 report by the Partnership for the Public Good, a think tank affiliated with Cornell University, found that roughly 13% of Buffalo renters faced eviction in a single year a higher rate than most peer cities. Today, nearly 600,000 New York households are behind on rent, with a total estimated debt of nearly $2 billion, according to an analysis of census data by the National Equity Atlas, a research group based at the University of Southern California. In the eight counties of Western New York, more than 620 households have filed what are known as hardship declarations legal documents that postpone potential eviction proceedings until the end of the moratorium. That number underestimates the total number of tenants at risk of eviction, however, because it does not account for hardship declarations filed directly with landlords. Landlords contend, however, that not every tenant who claims hardship is telling the truth and that, in either case, many property owners cannot afford to lease rent-free for so long. In August, the U.S. Supreme Court partially sided with New York landlords, ruling that the state must provide them a means for challenging tenants hardship declarations. But a State Supreme Court justice recently dismissed a lawsuit brought by three dozen Western New York landlords who called the state's Covid-19 eviction moratorium law unconstitutional, even though it was amended to allow for landlords to challenge the hardship declarations. Even if landlords suspect bad faith on the part of tenants who can afford to pay rent, they say it's too difficult to challenge under the state's eviction moratorium legislation. Landlords almost never have access to the information they say is necessary to challenge a hardship claim, such as tenant paychecks and savings account information, according to the landlords' attorneys. State Supreme Court Justice E. Jeannette Ogden ruled the three dozen landlords lacked standing to bring their case because they hadn't tried to challenge any tenant's hardship claim. Landlords challenged only 23 declarations in Western New York through late December, according to the state Office of Court Administration. Separately, many more landlords have pursued relief through a state fund called the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, Carney said, which pays up to 15 months rent directly to landlords on behalf of low- and middle-income tenants. The backlog on that program has stretched for several months, however, and it often doesnt pay the full amount of owed rent. Some of our landlords have people who have literally not paid rent in two years, said Lisa Damiani, the executive director of the Western New York Property Owners Coalition, which advocates for landlords. If people are experiencing hardship and need additional assistance, let's deal with them. But let's stop with these blanket moratoriums. Housing advocates dont necessarily disagree, though they say the most vulnerable renters still need additional protections. Temporary eviction bans have kept people in their homes but they have also created an endless cycle of panic and anxiety for low-income renters, who cant be sure how long they will last, said Tanvier Peart, the director of policy advancement at the Partnership for the Public Good, in an email. Statewide housing organizations have instead advocated for a permanent policy called Good Cause Eviction, which prohibits steep rent increases and limits the circumstances in which landlords can evict tenants. Four New York cities including Albany and Poughkeepsie adopted Good Cause policies during the pandemic. In the absence of such a policy here, however, the pre-pandemic eviction process could resume as early as next month. One exception applies to landlords who received emergency rental assistance funds. They can't evict tenants or raise their rents within a year of payment. An end to the eviction moratorium may force some renters from their current homes. Buffalo Housing Court also frequently negotiates compromises, such as repayment plans or "mutual terminations," between tenants and landlords. Carneys department is already staffing up. He expects to get a part-time judge and an extra law clerk to help cover the workload. We will be deluged. Buried, Carney said. The court system is, however, prepared to process cases quickly, he added. When many people think of New Years resolutions, they brainstorm ways to improve themselves for the year ahead. What if we expanded those aspirations to include resolutions that benefit our communities, society and the planet, too? It might not be a typical approach, but it can broaden your horizons to show ways you can also be of service to others. Here are four popular New Years resolutions with a twist for improving your relationship with nature in 2022 and beyond. Exercise more consideration for how your actions impact the environment We each have an environmental ethic reflecting how we value, manage and ultimately relate to nature. Balancing the scales of reciprocity between us and nature how much we give and take can improve this relationship in many ways. Whether its our addiction to one-use plastics that pile up in landfills or fossil fuels that warm the planet, a mishandled relationship with nature is not doing us or the Earth any favors. In 2022, we can all take more responsibility for how our actions exacerbate environmental problems. We can also encourage governments and businesses to make it easier for people from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds to protect the environment. This includes making recycled goods affordable and reliable public transportation widely accessible. Check out the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys resources describing some very simple ways to reduce waste at home, work, in our communities and during the holidays. Tips from the website include turning off or unplugging lights during the day, reusing packaging materials and using online billing services instead of paper mail. Lose the weight of social injustice it harms nature, too The perils of social injustice stress multiple aspects of society. Racism and inequality can lead to health disparities, and they also have consequences for the natural environment. A recent study described how practices such as redlining and residential segregation led to unequal access to nature, excess pollution and biodiversity loss. These practices brought in highways and industries that harm environmental quality in marginalized communities. They also left neighborhoods with fewer parks and trees that provide cooling in summer and benefit the planet. Perpetuating social ills like systemic racism and inequitable resource allocation is detrimental to the environment, marginalized people and society as a whole. To help turn this around, you can speak out in your community. Join groups that are trying to promote environmental protection and social justice and are bringing nature back to communities. Call your city, state and Congressional leaders to urge them to take action. Also, refer to the Green 2.0 reports section on making diversity initiatives successful for concrete ways that you can actualize this in your place of work. Learn something new about nature and how to reduce harm to the environment and yourself Clean air, water and soil are fundamental for our survival, but research shows many people lack basic environmental and health literacy to know how to protect themselves. In 2022, get to know your own impact on the environment. Read more and start exploring ways to preserve the integrity of your areas natural resources. For example, find out where you can stay abreast of local land-use decisions that impact the environment and your overall community. You can also support local educators and encourage them to bring the environment into lessons. Environmental issues overlap many other subjects, from history to health. This website includes a framework and materials for educators to help students expand their environmental literacy. Staying plugged in with media that discuss the latest research can enhance awareness. You can also try tying environmental facts and knowledge into your game night and team-building activities. Spend more time with family and friends in nature Studies show that spending time in nature, including urban green spaces, can improve your relationship with nature and with others. Time in nature can increase social cohesion. Throughout the pandemic, many people discovered the outdoors as a place to decompress and reduce stress. Spending more time outdoors can encourage social interactions that benefit health, buffer emotional distress and encourage use of these spaces, which can help protect them for the future. Here are some tools that outline best practices to enhance parks and recreation near you. Also, here are ways to make outdoor environments more inclusive for families in diverse communities. Collectively, thinking about our relationship with nature and finding ways to protect the environment can help us be better stewards of the planet. [Too busy to read another daily email? Get one of The Conversations curated weekly newsletters.] Viniece Jennings serves as a consultant to the National Recreation and Parks Association on a diversity, equity and inclusion initiative. She is also a colleague to Dr. Tony Reames in the JPB Environmental Health fellowship at Harvard University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Gift Article Share Biden to speak with Zelensky on Sunday Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight President Biden plans to speak by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday amid growing alarm over Russias military buildup near its border with Ukraine. The call with Zelensky will come three days after Biden spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin for nearly an hour. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, said a White House official, previewing the call for reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House. Biden is also expected to review preparations with Zelensky for upcoming diplomatic talks. Senior U.S. and Russian officials will meet in Geneva on Jan. 9 and 10, before a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council on Jan. 12 and talks at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Vienna on Jan. 13. Advertisement Meryl Kornfield Government accuses Walmart of 'stupidity' Chinas anti-graft agency on Friday accused U.S. retail giant Walmart and its Sams Club chain of stupidity and shorted-sightedness after Chinese news outlets reported that Sams Club had removed Xinjiang-sourced products from stores. Last week, Sams Club came under fire in China after several news outlets shared videos and screenshots on the Weibo social media platform that they said showed products from the far-western Chinese region of Xinjiang had been removed from the stores online app. The social media row erupted after President Biden signed into law legislation banning imports from Xinjiang over concern about forced labor there. Walmart is the latest foreign company to be tripped up by Western pressure over Beijings treatment of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in Xinjiang. Advertisement China rejects accusations of forced labor or any other abuses in Xinjiang. Reuters Israeli troops fatally shoot knife-wielding man: Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian assailant running toward them with a knife at a bus station near the occupied West Bank settlement of Ariel, the army said, and the Hamas militant group claimed him as a member. The attack comes amid a rise in stabbings of Israeli citizens. Earlier this month, an ultra-Orthodox Jew was seriously wounded after being stabbed just outside the walls of Jerusalem's Old City. Former S. Korean president released from prison: Former South Korean president Park Geun-hye was released from prison nearly five years after being convicted of corruption, fueling debate over whether she would play any role ahead of a March presidential election. Park, 69, became the country's first democratically elected leader to be thrown out of office when the Constitutional Court upheld a parliamentary vote in 2017 to impeach her. Advertisement S. African president to receive report on Zuma corruption: A South African judicial commission will formally hand over the first part of its report to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday following its inquiry into corruption during former president Jacob Zuma's time in power, a cabinet minister said. The inquiry was established to examine allegations of high-level graft during Zuma's period in power from 2009 to 2018. Charity boat with 440 migrants to dock in Italy: The German charity vessel Sea Watch 3, carrying hundreds of migrants, will dock in the Italian port of Pozzallo, in Sicily, the charity group operating it tweeted. The vessel had been seeking a port to disembark for a week, since rescuing the 440 migrants from the Mediterranean. Most of the migrants were from Africa. Russia test-fires hypersonic Tsirkon missiles: Russia test-fired about 10 new Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missiles from a frigate and two more from a submarine, the Interfax news agency said, citing the military's northern fleet. President Vladimir Putin has lauded the weapon as part of a new generation of unrivaled arms systems. Some Western experts questioned that assessment. Advertisement Death toll in latest Sudan protests rises to five: The death toll from a police crackdown on the latest nationwide protests against military rule in Sudan rose to five, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said. The group, aligned with the protest movement, said the fifth person killed had been hit in the chest by a tear-gas canister fired by security forces during demonstrations on Thursday. From news services GiftOutline Gift Article Gift Article Share Biden to speak with Zelensky on Sunday Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight President Biden plans to speak by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday amid growing alarm over Russias military buildup near its border with Ukraine. The call with Zelensky will come three days after Biden spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin for nearly an hour. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, said a White House official, previewing the call for reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House. Biden is also expected to review preparations with Zelensky for upcoming diplomatic talks. Senior U.S. and Russian officials will meet in Geneva on Jan. 9 and 10, before a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council on Jan. 12 and talks at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Vienna on Jan. 13. Advertisement Meryl Kornfield Government accuses Walmart of 'stupidity' Chinas anti-graft agency on Friday accused U.S. retail giant Walmart and its Sams Club chain of stupidity and shorted-sightedness after Chinese news outlets reported that Sams Club had removed Xinjiang-sourced products from stores. Last week, Sams Club came under fire in China after several news outlets shared videos and screenshots on the Weibo social media platform that they said showed products from the far-western Chinese region of Xinjiang had been removed from the stores online app. The social media row erupted after President Biden signed into law legislation banning imports from Xinjiang over concern about forced labor there. Walmart is the latest foreign company to be tripped up by Western pressure over Beijings treatment of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in Xinjiang. Advertisement China rejects accusations of forced labor or any other abuses in Xinjiang. Reuters Israeli troops fatally shoot knife-wielding man: Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian assailant running toward them with a knife at a bus station near the occupied West Bank settlement of Ariel, the army said, and the Hamas militant group claimed him as a member. The attack comes amid a rise in stabbings of Israeli citizens. Earlier this month, an ultra-Orthodox Jew was seriously wounded after being stabbed just outside the walls of Jerusalem's Old City. Former S. Korean president released from prison: Former South Korean president Park Geun-hye was released from prison nearly five years after being convicted of corruption, fueling debate over whether she would play any role ahead of a March presidential election. Park, 69, became the country's first democratically elected leader to be thrown out of office when the Constitutional Court upheld a parliamentary vote in 2017 to impeach her. Advertisement S. African president to receive report on Zuma corruption: A South African judicial commission will formally hand over the first part of its report to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday following its inquiry into corruption during former president Jacob Zuma's time in power, a cabinet minister said. The inquiry was established to examine allegations of high-level graft during Zuma's period in power from 2009 to 2018. Charity boat with 440 migrants to dock in Italy: The German charity vessel Sea Watch 3, carrying hundreds of migrants, will dock in the Italian port of Pozzallo, in Sicily, the charity group operating it tweeted. The vessel had been seeking a port to disembark for a week, since rescuing the 440 migrants from the Mediterranean. Most of the migrants were from Africa. Russia test-fires hypersonic Tsirkon missiles: Russia test-fired about 10 new Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missiles from a frigate and two more from a submarine, the Interfax news agency said, citing the military's northern fleet. President Vladimir Putin has lauded the weapon as part of a new generation of unrivaled arms systems. Some Western experts questioned that assessment. Advertisement Death toll in latest Sudan protests rises to five: The death toll from a police crackdown on the latest nationwide protests against military rule in Sudan rose to five, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said. The group, aligned with the protest movement, said the fifth person killed had been hit in the chest by a tear-gas canister fired by security forces during demonstrations on Thursday. From news services GiftOutline Gift Article Gift Article Share Biden to speak with Zelensky on Sunday Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight President Biden plans to speak by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday amid growing alarm over Russias military buildup near its border with Ukraine. The call with Zelensky will come three days after Biden spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin for nearly an hour. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, said a White House official, previewing the call for reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House. Biden is also expected to review preparations with Zelensky for upcoming diplomatic talks. Senior U.S. and Russian officials will meet in Geneva on Jan. 9 and 10, before a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council on Jan. 12 and talks at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Vienna on Jan. 13. Advertisement Meryl Kornfield Government accuses Walmart of 'stupidity' Chinas anti-graft agency on Friday accused U.S. retail giant Walmart and its Sams Club chain of stupidity and shorted-sightedness after Chinese news outlets reported that Sams Club had removed Xinjiang-sourced products from stores. Last week, Sams Club came under fire in China after several news outlets shared videos and screenshots on the Weibo social media platform that they said showed products from the far-western Chinese region of Xinjiang had been removed from the stores online app. The social media row erupted after President Biden signed into law legislation banning imports from Xinjiang over concern about forced labor there. Walmart is the latest foreign company to be tripped up by Western pressure over Beijings treatment of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in Xinjiang. Advertisement China rejects accusations of forced labor or any other abuses in Xinjiang. Reuters Israeli troops fatally shoot knife-wielding man: Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian assailant running toward them with a knife at a bus station near the occupied West Bank settlement of Ariel, the army said, and the Hamas militant group claimed him as a member. The attack comes amid a rise in stabbings of Israeli citizens. Earlier this month, an ultra-Orthodox Jew was seriously wounded after being stabbed just outside the walls of Jerusalem's Old City. Former S. Korean president released from prison: Former South Korean president Park Geun-hye was released from prison nearly five years after being convicted of corruption, fueling debate over whether she would play any role ahead of a March presidential election. Park, 69, became the country's first democratically elected leader to be thrown out of office when the Constitutional Court upheld a parliamentary vote in 2017 to impeach her. Advertisement S. African president to receive report on Zuma corruption: A South African judicial commission will formally hand over the first part of its report to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday following its inquiry into corruption during former president Jacob Zuma's time in power, a cabinet minister said. The inquiry was established to examine allegations of high-level graft during Zuma's period in power from 2009 to 2018. Charity boat with 440 migrants to dock in Italy: The German charity vessel Sea Watch 3, carrying hundreds of migrants, will dock in the Italian port of Pozzallo, in Sicily, the charity group operating it tweeted. The vessel had been seeking a port to disembark for a week, since rescuing the 440 migrants from the Mediterranean. Most of the migrants were from Africa. Russia test-fires hypersonic Tsirkon missiles: Russia test-fired about 10 new Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missiles from a frigate and two more from a submarine, the Interfax news agency said, citing the military's northern fleet. President Vladimir Putin has lauded the weapon as part of a new generation of unrivaled arms systems. Some Western experts questioned that assessment. Advertisement Death toll in latest Sudan protests rises to five: The death toll from a police crackdown on the latest nationwide protests against military rule in Sudan rose to five, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said. The group, aligned with the protest movement, said the fifth person killed had been hit in the chest by a tear-gas canister fired by security forces during demonstrations on Thursday. From news services GiftOutline Gift Article Gift Article Share Biden to speak with Zelensky on Sunday Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight President Biden plans to speak by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday amid growing alarm over Russias military buildup near its border with Ukraine. The call with Zelensky will come three days after Biden spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin for nearly an hour. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, said a White House official, previewing the call for reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House. Biden is also expected to review preparations with Zelensky for upcoming diplomatic talks. Senior U.S. and Russian officials will meet in Geneva on Jan. 9 and 10, before a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council on Jan. 12 and talks at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Vienna on Jan. 13. Advertisement Meryl Kornfield Government accuses Walmart of 'stupidity' Chinas anti-graft agency on Friday accused U.S. retail giant Walmart and its Sams Club chain of stupidity and shorted-sightedness after Chinese news outlets reported that Sams Club had removed Xinjiang-sourced products from stores. Last week, Sams Club came under fire in China after several news outlets shared videos and screenshots on the Weibo social media platform that they said showed products from the far-western Chinese region of Xinjiang had been removed from the stores online app. The social media row erupted after President Biden signed into law legislation banning imports from Xinjiang over concern about forced labor there. Walmart is the latest foreign company to be tripped up by Western pressure over Beijings treatment of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in Xinjiang. Advertisement China rejects accusations of forced labor or any other abuses in Xinjiang. Reuters Israeli troops fatally shoot knife-wielding man: Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian assailant running toward them with a knife at a bus station near the occupied West Bank settlement of Ariel, the army said, and the Hamas militant group claimed him as a member. The attack comes amid a rise in stabbings of Israeli citizens. Earlier this month, an ultra-Orthodox Jew was seriously wounded after being stabbed just outside the walls of Jerusalem's Old City. Former S. Korean president released from prison: Former South Korean president Park Geun-hye was released from prison nearly five years after being convicted of corruption, fueling debate over whether she would play any role ahead of a March presidential election. Park, 69, became the country's first democratically elected leader to be thrown out of office when the Constitutional Court upheld a parliamentary vote in 2017 to impeach her. Advertisement S. African president to receive report on Zuma corruption: A South African judicial commission will formally hand over the first part of its report to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday following its inquiry into corruption during former president Jacob Zuma's time in power, a cabinet minister said. The inquiry was established to examine allegations of high-level graft during Zuma's period in power from 2009 to 2018. Charity boat with 440 migrants to dock in Italy: The German charity vessel Sea Watch 3, carrying hundreds of migrants, will dock in the Italian port of Pozzallo, in Sicily, the charity group operating it tweeted. The vessel had been seeking a port to disembark for a week, since rescuing the 440 migrants from the Mediterranean. Most of the migrants were from Africa. Russia test-fires hypersonic Tsirkon missiles: Russia test-fired about 10 new Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missiles from a frigate and two more from a submarine, the Interfax news agency said, citing the military's northern fleet. President Vladimir Putin has lauded the weapon as part of a new generation of unrivaled arms systems. Some Western experts questioned that assessment. Advertisement Death toll in latest Sudan protests rises to five: The death toll from a police crackdown on the latest nationwide protests against military rule in Sudan rose to five, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said. The group, aligned with the protest movement, said the fifth person killed had been hit in the chest by a tear-gas canister fired by security forces during demonstrations on Thursday. From news services GiftOutline Gift Article Washington: US President Joe Biden has expressed hope that the security guarantees negotiations with Russia will result in significant progress. On late Thursday (December 30, 2021), Biden held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which the leaders agreed to hold security guarantees talks in three formats: in Vienna, Geneva and Brussels. "Well, I got the sense of it that he`s agreed that we would have three major conferences in Europe at the beginning of the middle of the month ... He laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, we laid out ours. I made it clear that they only could work if he deescalated ... Well, I always expect to negotiate and make progress," Biden said on late Friday, as quoted by the White House. Live TV VERO BEACH, Fla., Dec. 31, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach Assisted Living and Memory Care approaches its one-year anniversary of grand opening, Executive Director Kim Haddon prepares to celebrate with her growing community of associates, residents and family members. Haddon was selected to lead the 107-unit luxury senior living community earlier this year, bringing more than twenty years of experience in the healthcare industry. She began her career as a certified nursing assistant and med tech, and successfully advanced into leadership positions in culinary, programming, and mental health management. Most recently, Haddon joyfully served eight years as an Executive Director for assisted living and memory care communities before joining the Watercrest family. The residents and families of Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach sing Kim's praises as an executive director who honors her commitments and builds trust by holding herself and others accountable. Her dedication to teamwork has led to thriving partnerships in the surrounding community of Santa Rosa Beach, a city who greatly supported the development of the luxury senior living community of Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach. "Our days are filled with laughter, smiles and cherished moments with our residents making this extraordinary community their new home," says Kim Haddon, Executive Director of Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach. "We have formed a family here and look forward to amazing accomplishments and unforgettable experiences in 2022!" Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach offers 75 assisted living and 32 memory care apartments with resort-style service and world-class care. Residents enjoy pampering in elegant Spa W, savor private label Watercrest wines at the bistro, and relish the flavors of locally grown, seasonal ingredients and organic fare whether dining outdoors, bistro-style, or in the chef's private dining room. Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach is a newly-constructed senior living development project partnered between Watercrest Senior Living Group and The St. Joe Company. The 92,000 square foot luxury senior living community is conveniently located at 205 West Hewett Road along the Emerald Coast in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. For information, contact the community at 850-660-7130. About Watercrest Senior Living GroupWatercrest Senior Living Group was founded to honor our mothers and fathers, aspiring to become a beacon for quality in senior living by surpassing standards of care, service and associate training. Watercrest senior living communities are recognized for their luxury aesthetic, exceptional amenities, world-class care, and innovative memory care programming offering unparalleled service to seniors living with Alzheimer's and dementia. A certified Great Place to Work, Watercrest specializes in the development and operations of assisted living and memory care communities and the growth of servant leaders. For information, visit www.watercrestseniorliving.com. About The St. Joe CompanyThe St. Joe Company is a real estate development, asset management and operating company with real estate assets and operations in Northwest Florida. The Company intends to use existing assets for residential, hospitality and commercial ventures. St. Joe has significant residential and commercial land-use entitlements. The Company actively seeks higher and better uses for its real estate assets through a range of development activities. More information about the Company can be found on its website at www.joe.com. On a regular basis, the Company releases a video showing progress on projects in development or under construction. See https://www.joe.com/video-gallery for more information. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/watercrest-santa-rosa-beach-assisted-living-and-memory-care-looks-ahead-to-2022-with-executive-director-kim-haddon-301452435.html SOURCE Watercrest Senior Living Group Gift Article Share Biden to speak with Zelensky on Sunday Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight President Biden plans to speak by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday amid growing alarm over Russias military buildup near its border with Ukraine. The call with Zelensky will come three days after Biden spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin for nearly an hour. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, said a White House official, previewing the call for reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House. Biden is also expected to review preparations with Zelensky for upcoming diplomatic talks. Senior U.S. and Russian officials will meet in Geneva on Jan. 9 and 10, before a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council on Jan. 12 and talks at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Vienna on Jan. 13. Advertisement Meryl Kornfield Government accuses Walmart of 'stupidity' Chinas anti-graft agency on Friday accused U.S. retail giant Walmart and its Sams Club chain of stupidity and shorted-sightedness after Chinese news outlets reported that Sams Club had removed Xinjiang-sourced products from stores. Last week, Sams Club came under fire in China after several news outlets shared videos and screenshots on the Weibo social media platform that they said showed products from the far-western Chinese region of Xinjiang had been removed from the stores online app. The social media row erupted after President Biden signed into law legislation banning imports from Xinjiang over concern about forced labor there. Walmart is the latest foreign company to be tripped up by Western pressure over Beijings treatment of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in Xinjiang. Advertisement China rejects accusations of forced labor or any other abuses in Xinjiang. Reuters Israeli troops fatally shoot knife-wielding man: Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian assailant running toward them with a knife at a bus station near the occupied West Bank settlement of Ariel, the army said, and the Hamas militant group claimed him as a member. The attack comes amid a rise in stabbings of Israeli citizens. Earlier this month, an ultra-Orthodox Jew was seriously wounded after being stabbed just outside the walls of Jerusalem's Old City. Former S. Korean president released from prison: Former South Korean president Park Geun-hye was released from prison nearly five years after being convicted of corruption, fueling debate over whether she would play any role ahead of a March presidential election. Park, 69, became the country's first democratically elected leader to be thrown out of office when the Constitutional Court upheld a parliamentary vote in 2017 to impeach her. Advertisement S. African president to receive report on Zuma corruption: A South African judicial commission will formally hand over the first part of its report to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday following its inquiry into corruption during former president Jacob Zuma's time in power, a cabinet minister said. The inquiry was established to examine allegations of high-level graft during Zuma's period in power from 2009 to 2018. Charity boat with 440 migrants to dock in Italy: The German charity vessel Sea Watch 3, carrying hundreds of migrants, will dock in the Italian port of Pozzallo, in Sicily, the charity group operating it tweeted. The vessel had been seeking a port to disembark for a week, since rescuing the 440 migrants from the Mediterranean. Most of the migrants were from Africa. Russia test-fires hypersonic Tsirkon missiles: Russia test-fired about 10 new Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missiles from a frigate and two more from a submarine, the Interfax news agency said, citing the military's northern fleet. President Vladimir Putin has lauded the weapon as part of a new generation of unrivaled arms systems. Some Western experts questioned that assessment. Advertisement Death toll in latest Sudan protests rises to five: The death toll from a police crackdown on the latest nationwide protests against military rule in Sudan rose to five, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said. The group, aligned with the protest movement, said the fifth person killed had been hit in the chest by a tear-gas canister fired by security forces during demonstrations on Thursday. From news services GiftOutline Gift Article Gift Article Share Biden to speak with Zelensky on Sunday Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight President Biden plans to speak by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday amid growing alarm over Russias military buildup near its border with Ukraine. The call with Zelensky will come three days after Biden spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin for nearly an hour. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, said a White House official, previewing the call for reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House. Biden is also expected to review preparations with Zelensky for upcoming diplomatic talks. Senior U.S. and Russian officials will meet in Geneva on Jan. 9 and 10, before a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council on Jan. 12 and talks at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Vienna on Jan. 13. Advertisement Meryl Kornfield Government accuses Walmart of 'stupidity' Chinas anti-graft agency on Friday accused U.S. retail giant Walmart and its Sams Club chain of stupidity and shorted-sightedness after Chinese news outlets reported that Sams Club had removed Xinjiang-sourced products from stores. Last week, Sams Club came under fire in China after several news outlets shared videos and screenshots on the Weibo social media platform that they said showed products from the far-western Chinese region of Xinjiang had been removed from the stores online app. The social media row erupted after President Biden signed into law legislation banning imports from Xinjiang over concern about forced labor there. Walmart is the latest foreign company to be tripped up by Western pressure over Beijings treatment of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in Xinjiang. Advertisement China rejects accusations of forced labor or any other abuses in Xinjiang. Reuters Israeli troops fatally shoot knife-wielding man: Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian assailant running toward them with a knife at a bus station near the occupied West Bank settlement of Ariel, the army said, and the Hamas militant group claimed him as a member. The attack comes amid a rise in stabbings of Israeli citizens. Earlier this month, an ultra-Orthodox Jew was seriously wounded after being stabbed just outside the walls of Jerusalem's Old City. Former S. Korean president released from prison: Former South Korean president Park Geun-hye was released from prison nearly five years after being convicted of corruption, fueling debate over whether she would play any role ahead of a March presidential election. Park, 69, became the country's first democratically elected leader to be thrown out of office when the Constitutional Court upheld a parliamentary vote in 2017 to impeach her. Advertisement S. African president to receive report on Zuma corruption: A South African judicial commission will formally hand over the first part of its report to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday following its inquiry into corruption during former president Jacob Zuma's time in power, a cabinet minister said. The inquiry was established to examine allegations of high-level graft during Zuma's period in power from 2009 to 2018. Charity boat with 440 migrants to dock in Italy: The German charity vessel Sea Watch 3, carrying hundreds of migrants, will dock in the Italian port of Pozzallo, in Sicily, the charity group operating it tweeted. The vessel had been seeking a port to disembark for a week, since rescuing the 440 migrants from the Mediterranean. Most of the migrants were from Africa. Russia test-fires hypersonic Tsirkon missiles: Russia test-fired about 10 new Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missiles from a frigate and two more from a submarine, the Interfax news agency said, citing the military's northern fleet. President Vladimir Putin has lauded the weapon as part of a new generation of unrivaled arms systems. Some Western experts questioned that assessment. Advertisement Death toll in latest Sudan protests rises to five: The death toll from a police crackdown on the latest nationwide protests against military rule in Sudan rose to five, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said. The group, aligned with the protest movement, said the fifth person killed had been hit in the chest by a tear-gas canister fired by security forces during demonstrations on Thursday. From news services GiftOutline Gift Article Gift Article Share Biden to speak with Zelensky on Sunday Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight President Biden plans to speak by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday amid growing alarm over Russias military buildup near its border with Ukraine. The call with Zelensky will come three days after Biden spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin for nearly an hour. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, said a White House official, previewing the call for reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House. Biden is also expected to review preparations with Zelensky for upcoming diplomatic talks. Senior U.S. and Russian officials will meet in Geneva on Jan. 9 and 10, before a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council on Jan. 12 and talks at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Vienna on Jan. 13. Advertisement Meryl Kornfield Government accuses Walmart of 'stupidity' Chinas anti-graft agency on Friday accused U.S. retail giant Walmart and its Sams Club chain of stupidity and shorted-sightedness after Chinese news outlets reported that Sams Club had removed Xinjiang-sourced products from stores. Last week, Sams Club came under fire in China after several news outlets shared videos and screenshots on the Weibo social media platform that they said showed products from the far-western Chinese region of Xinjiang had been removed from the stores online app. The social media row erupted after President Biden signed into law legislation banning imports from Xinjiang over concern about forced labor there. Walmart is the latest foreign company to be tripped up by Western pressure over Beijings treatment of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in Xinjiang. Advertisement China rejects accusations of forced labor or any other abuses in Xinjiang. Reuters Israeli troops fatally shoot knife-wielding man: Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian assailant running toward them with a knife at a bus station near the occupied West Bank settlement of Ariel, the army said, and the Hamas militant group claimed him as a member. The attack comes amid a rise in stabbings of Israeli citizens. Earlier this month, an ultra-Orthodox Jew was seriously wounded after being stabbed just outside the walls of Jerusalem's Old City. Former S. Korean president released from prison: Former South Korean president Park Geun-hye was released from prison nearly five years after being convicted of corruption, fueling debate over whether she would play any role ahead of a March presidential election. Park, 69, became the country's first democratically elected leader to be thrown out of office when the Constitutional Court upheld a parliamentary vote in 2017 to impeach her. Advertisement S. African president to receive report on Zuma corruption: A South African judicial commission will formally hand over the first part of its report to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday following its inquiry into corruption during former president Jacob Zuma's time in power, a cabinet minister said. The inquiry was established to examine allegations of high-level graft during Zuma's period in power from 2009 to 2018. Charity boat with 440 migrants to dock in Italy: The German charity vessel Sea Watch 3, carrying hundreds of migrants, will dock in the Italian port of Pozzallo, in Sicily, the charity group operating it tweeted. The vessel had been seeking a port to disembark for a week, since rescuing the 440 migrants from the Mediterranean. Most of the migrants were from Africa. Russia test-fires hypersonic Tsirkon missiles: Russia test-fired about 10 new Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missiles from a frigate and two more from a submarine, the Interfax news agency said, citing the military's northern fleet. President Vladimir Putin has lauded the weapon as part of a new generation of unrivaled arms systems. Some Western experts questioned that assessment. Advertisement Death toll in latest Sudan protests rises to five: The death toll from a police crackdown on the latest nationwide protests against military rule in Sudan rose to five, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said. The group, aligned with the protest movement, said the fifth person killed had been hit in the chest by a tear-gas canister fired by security forces during demonstrations on Thursday. From news services GiftOutline Gift Article Gift Article Share Biden to speak with Zelensky on Sunday Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight President Biden plans to speak by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday amid growing alarm over Russias military buildup near its border with Ukraine. The call with Zelensky will come three days after Biden spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin for nearly an hour. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, said a White House official, previewing the call for reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House. Biden is also expected to review preparations with Zelensky for upcoming diplomatic talks. Senior U.S. and Russian officials will meet in Geneva on Jan. 9 and 10, before a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council on Jan. 12 and talks at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Vienna on Jan. 13. Advertisement Meryl Kornfield Government accuses Walmart of 'stupidity' Chinas anti-graft agency on Friday accused U.S. retail giant Walmart and its Sams Club chain of stupidity and shorted-sightedness after Chinese news outlets reported that Sams Club had removed Xinjiang-sourced products from stores. Last week, Sams Club came under fire in China after several news outlets shared videos and screenshots on the Weibo social media platform that they said showed products from the far-western Chinese region of Xinjiang had been removed from the stores online app. The social media row erupted after President Biden signed into law legislation banning imports from Xinjiang over concern about forced labor there. Walmart is the latest foreign company to be tripped up by Western pressure over Beijings treatment of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in Xinjiang. Advertisement China rejects accusations of forced labor or any other abuses in Xinjiang. Reuters Israeli troops fatally shoot knife-wielding man: Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian assailant running toward them with a knife at a bus station near the occupied West Bank settlement of Ariel, the army said, and the Hamas militant group claimed him as a member. The attack comes amid a rise in stabbings of Israeli citizens. Earlier this month, an ultra-Orthodox Jew was seriously wounded after being stabbed just outside the walls of Jerusalem's Old City. Former S. Korean president released from prison: Former South Korean president Park Geun-hye was released from prison nearly five years after being convicted of corruption, fueling debate over whether she would play any role ahead of a March presidential election. Park, 69, became the country's first democratically elected leader to be thrown out of office when the Constitutional Court upheld a parliamentary vote in 2017 to impeach her. Advertisement S. African president to receive report on Zuma corruption: A South African judicial commission will formally hand over the first part of its report to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday following its inquiry into corruption during former president Jacob Zuma's time in power, a cabinet minister said. The inquiry was established to examine allegations of high-level graft during Zuma's period in power from 2009 to 2018. Charity boat with 440 migrants to dock in Italy: The German charity vessel Sea Watch 3, carrying hundreds of migrants, will dock in the Italian port of Pozzallo, in Sicily, the charity group operating it tweeted. The vessel had been seeking a port to disembark for a week, since rescuing the 440 migrants from the Mediterranean. Most of the migrants were from Africa. Russia test-fires hypersonic Tsirkon missiles: Russia test-fired about 10 new Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missiles from a frigate and two more from a submarine, the Interfax news agency said, citing the military's northern fleet. President Vladimir Putin has lauded the weapon as part of a new generation of unrivaled arms systems. Some Western experts questioned that assessment. Advertisement Death toll in latest Sudan protests rises to five: The death toll from a police crackdown on the latest nationwide protests against military rule in Sudan rose to five, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said. The group, aligned with the protest movement, said the fifth person killed had been hit in the chest by a tear-gas canister fired by security forces during demonstrations on Thursday. From news services GiftOutline Gift Article Gift Article Share Biden to speak with Zelensky on Sunday Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight President Biden plans to speak by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday amid growing alarm over Russias military buildup near its border with Ukraine. The call with Zelensky will come three days after Biden spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin for nearly an hour. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, said a White House official, previewing the call for reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House. Biden is also expected to review preparations with Zelensky for upcoming diplomatic talks. Senior U.S. and Russian officials will meet in Geneva on Jan. 9 and 10, before a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council on Jan. 12 and talks at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Vienna on Jan. 13. Advertisement Meryl Kornfield Government accuses Walmart of 'stupidity' Chinas anti-graft agency on Friday accused U.S. retail giant Walmart and its Sams Club chain of stupidity and shorted-sightedness after Chinese news outlets reported that Sams Club had removed Xinjiang-sourced products from stores. Last week, Sams Club came under fire in China after several news outlets shared videos and screenshots on the Weibo social media platform that they said showed products from the far-western Chinese region of Xinjiang had been removed from the stores online app. The social media row erupted after President Biden signed into law legislation banning imports from Xinjiang over concern about forced labor there. Walmart is the latest foreign company to be tripped up by Western pressure over Beijings treatment of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in Xinjiang. Advertisement China rejects accusations of forced labor or any other abuses in Xinjiang. Reuters Israeli troops fatally shoot knife-wielding man: Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian assailant running toward them with a knife at a bus station near the occupied West Bank settlement of Ariel, the army said, and the Hamas militant group claimed him as a member. The attack comes amid a rise in stabbings of Israeli citizens. Earlier this month, an ultra-Orthodox Jew was seriously wounded after being stabbed just outside the walls of Jerusalem's Old City. Former S. Korean president released from prison: Former South Korean president Park Geun-hye was released from prison nearly five years after being convicted of corruption, fueling debate over whether she would play any role ahead of a March presidential election. Park, 69, became the country's first democratically elected leader to be thrown out of office when the Constitutional Court upheld a parliamentary vote in 2017 to impeach her. Advertisement S. African president to receive report on Zuma corruption: A South African judicial commission will formally hand over the first part of its report to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday following its inquiry into corruption during former president Jacob Zuma's time in power, a cabinet minister said. The inquiry was established to examine allegations of high-level graft during Zuma's period in power from 2009 to 2018. Charity boat with 440 migrants to dock in Italy: The German charity vessel Sea Watch 3, carrying hundreds of migrants, will dock in the Italian port of Pozzallo, in Sicily, the charity group operating it tweeted. The vessel had been seeking a port to disembark for a week, since rescuing the 440 migrants from the Mediterranean. Most of the migrants were from Africa. Russia test-fires hypersonic Tsirkon missiles: Russia test-fired about 10 new Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missiles from a frigate and two more from a submarine, the Interfax news agency said, citing the military's northern fleet. President Vladimir Putin has lauded the weapon as part of a new generation of unrivaled arms systems. Some Western experts questioned that assessment. Advertisement Death toll in latest Sudan protests rises to five: The death toll from a police crackdown on the latest nationwide protests against military rule in Sudan rose to five, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said. The group, aligned with the protest movement, said the fifth person killed had been hit in the chest by a tear-gas canister fired by security forces during demonstrations on Thursday. From news services GiftOutline Gift Article Among the 23, 19 are international travellers from the US, Europe, Middle East and Africa, he said. The state Health Department has managed to track all their primary and secondary contacts, Among the 19, one is 15 year-old, who had come from the US. He is currently under institutional isolation at a private hospital, and is currently asymptomatic. All his 18 primary contacts have been traced and isolated. Another Omicron positive patient is 47-year-old male Indian, who came from Nigeria. He is in institutional quarantine. The patient has been recovered and discharged. All primary 18 contacts were traced and tested. A 10-year-old female, a South African national and 35-year-old female, who is also a South African national, have tested positive. Both are symptomatic and are at the designated government hospital. A 12-year-old girl who returned from USA and 2-year-old male baby who returned from Tanzania have also tested positive for Omicron variant. A 12-year-old Indian female who is primary contact of Omicron patient from Nigeria has also tested positive for it. --IANS mka/vd ( 217 Words) 2022-01-01-00:32:04 (IANS) Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. North Carolina will enter a third year of the COVID-19 pandemic with the daily case count and positive test rate at record-high levels. The stunning spike in most key COVID-19 metrics led the state Department of Health and Human Services to issue an update Friday, rather than take an announced holiday break for New Years Day. DHHS reported a record 19,174 new cases from 3 p.m. Thursday to 11 a.m. Friday. That count was on top of 18,571 new cases reported Thursday, which itself was nearly double the 9,317 cases reported Wednesday. The statewide positive test rate reached a record 22.9% based on a record 81,356 tests conducted Wednesday. For Forsyth County, the case count was 626 by far the second highest daily total for the pandemic, but still down from the record high of 705 reported Thursday. There have been 59,884 cases for the pandemic in Forsyth, including 4,551 so far in December. DHHS listed Forsyth with three additional COVID-19 related deaths for a pandemic total of 619 and 26 so far in December. There have been 394 related deaths occurring in 2021 compared with 225 in 2020. The Forsyth positive test rate was at 15.9% as of 11 a.m. Friday, compared with 13.7% Thursday and 9.1% on Dec. 23. More case details DHHS lists COVID-19 cases and deaths on the day they are confirmed by medical providers and public health officials, so individuals may have been infected or may have died days or weeks before their cases were counted. With Fridays report, Forsyth averaged 67.6 cases per 100,000 people over the most recent two-week period, while Guilford is at 57.1 per 100,000. One reason those case and positive test-rate totals are important is that Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines has said he would use two criteria in deciding whether to lift the citys mask mandate: The city must have a COVID-19 positive test rate of 5% or less for at least two weeks, and must average fewer than 10 new cases per 100,000 people over five days. Meanwhile, Yadkin currently is at 102.6 cases per 100,000, Surry at 79.4 per 100,000, Alamance at 76.5 per 100,000, Davie at 72.2 per 100,000, Stokes at 68.6 per 100,000, and Alleghany at 60.9 cases per 100,000. In the rest of the 14-county Triad and Northwest N.C. region, the positive test rates as of Friday was 17.2% in Alamance, 16.4% in Alleghany, 12.9% in Ashe, 15.3% in Davidson, 17.6% in Davie, 15% in Guilford, 13.4% in Randolph, 14.8% in Rockingham, 18.8% in Stokes, 17.1% in Surry, 11% in Watauga, 14.5% in Wilkes and 19.5% in Yadkin. Worse ahead? The surge comes as local and state public health officials say there is close to a 50-50 mix of delta and omicron cases. Dr. Mandy Cohen, whose last day as state health secretary was Friday, has urged North Carolinians to get tested before and after large public gatherings, particularly those indoors. Omicron is beginning to spread rapidly and is expected to cause the highest rates of COVID-19 infections of the pandemic in the coming weeks, Cohen said on Dec. 20. The omicron variant is two to three times as contagious as the delta variant, making it four to six times as contagious as the original COVID-19 virus. North Carolina is not alone is being blitzed by a surge in COVID-19 cases. The federal Centers of Disease Control and Prevention said 18 states reached record daily case counts Thursday, including South Carolina. Whats more ominous is the statewide positive test rate still likely doesnt reflect the full effect of family and other gatherings over the Christmas holiday period since it typically takes three to six days to go from being exposed to showing COVID-19 symptoms. A person with the omicron variant will infect three to five other people around them, said Dr. David Priest, an infectious diseases expert with Novant. Forsyth health director Joshua Swift expects the countys daily case count and positive test rate to remain elevated through Christmas and New Years, and potentially two to three weeks afterward. Since early July, the vast majority of the COVID-related hospitalizations and deaths locally and statewide have been among unvaccinated people, according to local infectious diseases experts and state public health officials. There also have been deaths among vaccinated people who were immunocompromised or who had other health issues. State and local health-care officials also attribute the current surge to colder weather leading more people to spend more time indoors. Gov. Roy Cooper has not provided official comment about the latest COVID-19 wave since Dec. 20, when he said that vaccinations, booster shots, testing and mask-wearing indoors remain the best tools to slow COVID-19s community spread heading into 2022. Key metric updates Statewide, there were 27 COVID-related deaths reported between 3 p.m. Thursday and 11 a.m. Friday. There have been 1.69 million cases and 19,426 COVID-19 related deaths since the pandemic began. The number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 also has surged over the past week. The statewide total jumped from 1,777 on Dec. 23 to 2,387 as of 11 a.m. Friday. The hospitalization count was not only up 129 over Thursday, but represented the highest daily count since 2,413 on Oct. 8. Of the latest total, 296 patients are listed as on a ventilator, unchanged from Thursday. Hospitals in the 17-county Triad and Northwest N.C. region reported a combined 611 COVID-19 patients, up 19 from Thursday. According to DHHS, as of Dec. 25, unvaccinated individuals represented 83.1% of COVID-19 hospitalizations and 88.6% of COVID-19 ICU patients statewide. Boosters, vaccinations As of 11 a.m. Friday, 2.45 million COVID-19 booster doses had been given in N.C. since Aug. 13. DHHS said 69% of adult North Carolinians are fully vaccinated, or 5.69 million with the two-dose regimen and 470,462 with the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. As of 11 a.m. Friday, 226,043 Forsyth residents or 59% of all residents were fully vaccinated. By comparison, Guilford County was 59% fully vaccinated, Durham County 68%, Wake County 70% and Mecklenburg County 61%. About 70% of adult Forsyth residents are fully vaccinated. By comparison, Guilford is at 69%, Durham 78%, Wake 81% and Mecklenburg 71%. No relief for weeks Dr. Christopher Ohl, an infectious diseases expert with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, said Thursday he is among those public-health officials who believe omicron will have its most contagious and infectious impact between now and early February, and that unvaccinated and immunocompromised individuals should limit their risks to exposure. Its going to be a tough time because of the elevated daily case counts, Ohl said. Ohl said the surge in local and statewide cases are likely underreported for a lot of reasons, including people staying home when they are sick rather than getting tested, tests are hard to find right now ... and not everyone reports their home test to the public health system. There is no requirement to submit an at-home COVID-19 test to a county health department, said Maura Trimble, nursing supervisor for communicable diseases for the Forsyth Department of Public Health. There are people who test positive that we dont about, Trimble said. They know what their status is so they can make the best decision for themselves with that knowledge. Complicating data collection for at-home tests, Trimble said, is that the test may not have been administered correctly. Ohl said that local public-health officials have a pretty good idea of whats going on now ... and weve always tried to account for underreporting, which happens with any infectious diseases. Ohl said hes encouraged that the surge in daily cases hasnt led so far to an equivalent increase in hospitalizations, which may be evidence that the omicron variant is less harmful than the delta variant. Interestingly, our ICU units arent as bad right now, Ohl said. Itll take another 10 to 14 days to see if that trend continues because it takes a while for a person to acquire the infection, get sick from the infection and then get sick enough to go into the ICU. Ohl said that omicron supplants delta as the primary variant, it is less likely to cause hospitalization, particularly in people whove been vaccinated and boosted, or previously infected. Thats why I dont think hospitalizations will be the problem they were this time last year, Ohl said. Yet, Ohl said its still about 90% to 95% of those being hospitalized have never gotten a COVID-19 vaccine. A man receives his fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, central Israel, on Dec. 31, 2021. The Israeli Health Ministry on Friday said it has approved the administration of the fourth booster vaccine shot against COVID-19 for nursing home residents and staff. (Tomer Neuberg/JINI via Xinhua) JERUSALEM, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli Health Ministry on Friday said it has approved the administration of the fourth booster vaccine shot against COVID-19 for nursing home residents and staff. The ministry also approved the fourth shot at assisted living facilities, geriatric hospitals, and institutions for people who suffer from dual diagnoses. On Thursday, the ministry approved the administration of the fourth shot for those with suppressed immune systems. However, a recommendation by an expert panel at the ministry to give the fourth shot to the entire elderly population aged over 60 has not yet been approved. Enditem Kim Kardashian took to Instagram on Friday to share two new pictures of her daughter Chicago and sister Khloe Kardashian's daughter True. Kim, 41, posted the cousins, both three-years-old, sitting together on a ride at an amusement park in one photo. In a second outtake they stood side by side as they both wore Minnie Mouse ears and held up identical Little Mermaid toys. Kim Kardashian took to Instagram on Friday to share two new pictures of her daughter Chicago and sister Khloe Kardashian's daughter True Chicago - whom Kim shares with ex Kanye West - was dressed in a fuzzy pink jacket and pink track pants. Underneath her outer layer she had on a white top that had the initial C in red. She had on white sneakers. The little one's hair was braided in two plaits at the front of her head, a two thicker ones toward the back. True's hair was parted diagonally and slicked into space buns. She wore a grey hooded sweatshirt and pink textured pants. Twinning: The little girls stood side by side as they both wore Minnie Mouse ears and held up identical Little Mermaid toys Kim wrote in the caption, 'Lots of love,' framed by double pink heart emojis on either side of the phrase. The post quickly collected nearly 600,000 likes from Kardashian's huge and faithful following of 274 million fans. Although they showed the photos plenty of love, some were also skeptical. Dozens of fans pointed out that Khloe's daughter - who she shares with ex Tristan Thompson - looked like she may have been photoshopped into the pictures. One user asked, 'Why is True cropped in?' and it got more than 2,000 likes. Another noted, 'those look so edited im cackling.' Cousins: The SKIMS mogul, who's regularly active on social media, also shared a photo of more of her kids in her Stories recently The SKIMS mogul, who's regularly active on social media, also shared a photo of more of her kids in her Stories recently. Her sons Saint, six, and Psalm, two, joined Chicago, along with Rob Kardashian's daughter Dream, five, and Kylie's daughter Stormi, three. Earlier this week the KKW Beauty founder shared Chicago again in two pictures from a recent trip to San Francisco. Doting mom: Earlier this week the KKW Beauty founder shared Chicago again in two pictures from a recent trip to San Francisco The mom and daughter duo crouched down in front of a mural of underwater fish flashing in a colorful, lit display. Chicago, who the mom-of-four calls Chi for short, was dressed in a denim jacket and jeans that were decorated with gems. Her hair was styled in a center part with two long, braided ponytails on either side as she held on to a large piece of paper. Kim captioned the post, 'Team Lab at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco,' with a string of fish emojis. They are both glamorous reality stars who know how to command attention. And Love Island's Anna Vakili and Too Hot To Handle's Nicole O'Brien stepped out in Mayfair to celebrate NYE on Friday night. Anna, 31, put on a very leggy display in a gold mini dress which she teamed with towering heels that boosted her height to head to MKNY HSE. Stunning: Love Island's Anna Vakili (pictured) and Too Hot To Handle's Nicole O'Brien stepped out in Mayfair to celebrate NYE on Friday night She showed a hint of her ample assets in the skimpy dress and wore her light tresses in curly waves while opting for a glamorous makeup look. Meanwhile Nicole, 26, showed off her gorgeous curves in a glitzy jumpsuit that had a busty neckline as she headed to Bagatelle. The beauty completed her look with nude heels and toted a matching handbag with her as she stepped out to celebrate. Wow: Nicole, 26, showed off her gorgeous curves in a glitzy jumpsuit that had a busty neckline for the night out Beauty: Anna, 31, put on a very leggy display in a gold mini dress which she teamed with towering heels that boosted her height to head to MKNY HSE Anna was one of Love Island's stand-out stars during the 2019 season and is now best known for her podcast 'Reality Check'. Earlier this year, Anna revealed that she is reversing 100,000 of plastic surgery and body modifications. She admitted that she has gone 'a lot more towards the natural look' and hopes reversing some of her procedures will help to achieve her desired appearance. Looking good: She showed a hint of her ample assets in the skimpy dress and wore her light tresses in curly waves while opting for a glamorous makeup look Fame: Anna was one of Love Island's stand-out stars during the 2019 season and is now best known for her podcast 'Reality Check' The reality star revealed that she will undergo a boob reduction and will have her porcelain veneers removed, but won't ditch her lip filler or regular Botox injections. It comes as a collection of reality stars, including Chloe Sims, Molly-Mae Hague and Chloe Ferry, have recently been embracing a more 'natural look' with fans. While Nicole did not find love on Too Hot To Handle, she went on to date her co-star Bryce Hirschberg after the show wrapped, making their relationship public last April. They called it quits later in the year due to the travel restrictions posed by COVID-19, as Bryce lives in Marina Del Rey, California, and Nicole calls the UK home. Work it: The beauty completed her look with nude heels and toted a matching handbag with her as she stepped out to celebrate Exes: Meanwhile Nicole did not find love on the show, but she went on to date her co-star Bryce Hirschberg after the show wrapped, making their relationship public last April Wise: Earlier this year, Anna revealed that she is reversing 100,000 of plastic surgery and body modifications A representative for Bryce, 30, told People at the time: 'I can confirm that Bryce and Nicole decided mutually to split early last week after months of trying to make a long-distance relationship work.' Bryce also made a statement: 'After the many failed attempts to reunite due to quarantine and border restrictions, we decided that moving on and remaining friends would be our best option for the time being. 'Nicole is so lovely and if under less unusual circumstances I'm sure that we could've had an amazing relationship! I wish her the best because she deserves it.' Sad: They called it quits later in the year due to the travel restrictions posed by COVID-19, as Bryce lives in Marina Del Rey, California, and Nicole calls the UK home Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative 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Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Among the 23, 19 are international travellers from the US, Europe, Middle East and Africa, he said. The state Health Department has managed to track all their primary and secondary contacts, Among the 19, one is 15 year-old, who had come from the US. He is currently under institutional isolation at a private hospital, and is currently asymptomatic. All his 18 primary contacts have been traced and isolated. Another Omicron positive patient is 47-year-old male Indian, who came from Nigeria. He is in institutional quarantine. The patient has been recovered and discharged. All primary 18 contacts were traced and tested. A 10-year-old female, a South African national and 35-year-old female, who is also a South African national, have tested positive. Both are symptomatic and are at the designated government hospital. A 12-year-old girl who returned from USA and 2-year-old male baby who returned from Tanzania have also tested positive for Omicron variant. A 12-year-old Indian female who is primary contact of Omicron patient from Nigeria has also tested positive for it. --IANS mka/vd ( 217 Words) 2022-01-01-00:32:04 (IANS) Washington: US President Joe Biden has expressed hope that the security guarantees negotiations with Russia will result in significant progress. On late Thursday (December 30, 2021), Biden held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which the leaders agreed to hold security guarantees talks in three formats: in Vienna, Geneva and Brussels. "Well, I got the sense of it that he`s agreed that we would have three major conferences in Europe at the beginning of the middle of the month ... He laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, we laid out ours. I made it clear that they only could work if he deescalated ... Well, I always expect to negotiate and make progress," Biden said on late Friday, as quoted by the White House. Live TV Washington: US President Joe Biden has expressed hope that the security guarantees negotiations with Russia will result in significant progress. On late Thursday (December 30, 2021), Biden held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which the leaders agreed to hold security guarantees talks in three formats: in Vienna, Geneva and Brussels. "Well, I got the sense of it that he`s agreed that we would have three major conferences in Europe at the beginning of the middle of the month ... He laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, we laid out ours. I made it clear that they only could work if he deescalated ... Well, I always expect to negotiate and make progress," Biden said on late Friday, as quoted by the White House. Live TV Councillor Alun Jenkins awarded a BEM in the Queens New Year Honours List This article is old - Published: Friday, Dec 31st, 2021 Alun Jenkins, the Welsh Liberal Democrat councillor for Offa Ward has been awarded the Medal of the Order of the British Empire (BEM) for Political and Public Service in the New Year 2022 Honours List. Cllr Jenkins has continuously served Offa Ward for over 50 years as its councillor, having been elected in 1970, and last year celebrated half a century of representing his community. Congratulating Alun on his BEM Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS said: Alun has been a stalwart public servant for Offa Ward and the whole of Wrexham for as long as I can remember and its fantastic to see his public service recognised with a BEM. Alun has a strong reputation for always thoroughly engaging with constituents and also set a tremendous record during his tenures as Deputy Leader of the Council and the Lead Member for Finance. Alun has not only served his constituents with the utmost dedication, but he also inspired and worked with generations of Welsh Liberal Democrat activists across Wrexham and North Wales. I know Alun is a much-loved member of both his community in Offa, Wrexham and North Wales Liberal Democrats and I know everyone will be as thrilled as I am for him to receive this honour. BRUSSELS Media freedom continued to be under attack across much of the world in 2021, with nine journalists killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan alone and 102 imprisoned in China, according to a new report. The International Federation of Journalists said in a bleak assessment that imprisonments were especially on the rise, with 365 journalists behind bars compared to 235 last year. The world needs to wake up to the growing violations of journalists rights and media freedoms across the globe, IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said. The report was released on the eve of the United Nations Human Rights Day. Apart from China, Turkey had 34 journalists in prison, Belarus and Eritrea 29, Egypt 27 and Vietnam 21. The IFJ said that the rise of detentions in China was linked to the coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, the further arrests of Uyghur journalists reporting on the treatment of the Muslim minority in western China. Many have called it genocide. It said that coverage of the demonstrations in Hong Kong also led to further arrests. Bellanger said the attacks on journalists went well beyond the personal losses suffered and affected society as a whole. They also point to the violation of the peoples fundamental right to access accurate, objective and fair information so that they can make properly informed choices about public affairs. With three weeks left in the year, overall deaths in the line of duty were set to go down this year, with 45 so far, compared to 65 overall last year. With Afghanistan topping the list with nine journalists killed, Mexico came close behind with eight, all of them murders. India had four and Pakistan three. The Brussels-based IFJ represents 600,000 media professionals from 187 trade unions and associations in more than 140 countries. BRUSSELS Media freedom continued to be under attack across much of the world in 2021, with nine journalists killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan alone and 102 imprisoned in China, according to a new report. The International Federation of Journalists said in a bleak assessment that imprisonments were especially on the rise, with 365 journalists behind bars compared to 235 last year. The world needs to wake up to the growing violations of journalists rights and media freedoms across the globe, IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said. The report was released on the eve of the United Nations Human Rights Day. Apart from China, Turkey had 34 journalists in prison, Belarus and Eritrea 29, Egypt 27 and Vietnam 21. The IFJ said that the rise of detentions in China was linked to the coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, the further arrests of Uyghur journalists reporting on the treatment of the Muslim minority in western China. Many have called it genocide. It said that coverage of the demonstrations in Hong Kong also led to further arrests. Bellanger said the attacks on journalists went well beyond the personal losses suffered and affected society as a whole. They also point to the violation of the peoples fundamental right to access accurate, objective and fair information so that they can make properly informed choices about public affairs. With three weeks left in the year, overall deaths in the line of duty were set to go down this year, with 45 so far, compared to 65 overall last year. With Afghanistan topping the list with nine journalists killed, Mexico came close behind with eight, all of them murders. India had four and Pakistan three. The Brussels-based IFJ represents 600,000 media professionals from 187 trade unions and associations in more than 140 countries. BRUSSELS Media freedom continued to be under attack across much of the world in 2021, with nine journalists killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan alone and 102 imprisoned in China, according to a new report. The International Federation of Journalists said in a bleak assessment that imprisonments were especially on the rise, with 365 journalists behind bars compared to 235 last year. The world needs to wake up to the growing violations of journalists rights and media freedoms across the globe, IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said. The report was released on the eve of the United Nations Human Rights Day. Apart from China, Turkey had 34 journalists in prison, Belarus and Eritrea 29, Egypt 27 and Vietnam 21. The IFJ said that the rise of detentions in China was linked to the coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, the further arrests of Uyghur journalists reporting on the treatment of the Muslim minority in western China. Many have called it genocide. It said that coverage of the demonstrations in Hong Kong also led to further arrests. Bellanger said the attacks on journalists went well beyond the personal losses suffered and affected society as a whole. They also point to the violation of the peoples fundamental right to access accurate, objective and fair information so that they can make properly informed choices about public affairs. With three weeks left in the year, overall deaths in the line of duty were set to go down this year, with 45 so far, compared to 65 overall last year. With Afghanistan topping the list with nine journalists killed, Mexico came close behind with eight, all of them murders. India had four and Pakistan three. The Brussels-based IFJ represents 600,000 media professionals from 187 trade unions and associations in more than 140 countries. BRUSSELS Media freedom continued to be under attack across much of the world in 2021, with nine journalists killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan alone and 102 imprisoned in China, according to a new report. The International Federation of Journalists said in a bleak assessment that imprisonments were especially on the rise, with 365 journalists behind bars compared to 235 last year. The world needs to wake up to the growing violations of journalists rights and media freedoms across the globe, IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said. The report was released on the eve of the United Nations Human Rights Day. Apart from China, Turkey had 34 journalists in prison, Belarus and Eritrea 29, Egypt 27 and Vietnam 21. The IFJ said that the rise of detentions in China was linked to the coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, the further arrests of Uyghur journalists reporting on the treatment of the Muslim minority in western China. Many have called it genocide. It said that coverage of the demonstrations in Hong Kong also led to further arrests. Bellanger said the attacks on journalists went well beyond the personal losses suffered and affected society as a whole. They also point to the violation of the peoples fundamental right to access accurate, objective and fair information so that they can make properly informed choices about public affairs. With three weeks left in the year, overall deaths in the line of duty were set to go down this year, with 45 so far, compared to 65 overall last year. With Afghanistan topping the list with nine journalists killed, Mexico came close behind with eight, all of them murders. India had four and Pakistan three. The Brussels-based IFJ represents 600,000 media professionals from 187 trade unions and associations in more than 140 countries. Bradey Police Lt. Philip Trudeau (L) comforts Bourbonnais Police officer Andy Cox following a ceremonial procession for fallen Bradley Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, in Bourbonnais, Ill., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Tiffany Blanchette/The Daily Journal via AP) Suspect in Shooting of Illinois Officers Arrested in Indiana CHICAGOA man suspected in the shooting of one police officer and wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel has been taken into custody, authorities said Friday. Darius Sullivan, one of two people suspected in the shooting of the two Bradley police officers, was arrested Friday morning at a home in North Manchester, Indiana, Sgt. Glen Fifield of the Indiana State Police said at a news conference. Sullivan, 25, surrendered to a SWAT team that was assisting the U.S. Marshals with a search warrant for the property about 110 miles east of Bradley. Sullivans arrest came a day after Illinois authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The Illinois State Police did not release any updates on the investigation Friday other than a written statement confirming that Sullivan had been arrested and would be taken back to Kankakee County, where the shooting occurred late Wednesday. Fifield said he didnt have any details on the investigation into the shooting. He did name three other men but wouldnt discuss whether their arrests were connected to the officers shootings. Two of the men were arrested after police said they ran from their car during a traffic stop in Fulton County, Indiana. The third was arrested at the home where Sullivan was taken into custody. Fifield said police found weapons and drugs in the car that the two men fled from and at the North Manchester home. Authorities are still searching for 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, of Bradley, who investigators believe was at the hotel when the shootings happened, the Illinois State Police said. The two officers were speaking to people in a room at a Comfort Inn along a highway in Kankakee County when they were shot, according to the county sheriffs office. They were taken to nearby hospitals, where 49-year-old Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic died. The other officeridentified by the Illinois State Police as 27-year-old Tyler J. Baileyunderwent surgery and was listed in critical condition on Thursday, according to the Bradley Police Department. Messages left with the department and Illinois State Police on Friday to update Baileys condition were not immediately returned. The officers were at the hotel to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, the sheriffs office said. They found the room where the vehicles possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, it said. Authorities arrested two other people Thursday on charges alleging they impeded the search for Sullivan and a woman also suspected in the shootings. Nichele Newton-Carroll, 42, and Jelman Sullivan, 21, face charges of obstructing justice/leaving the state, the (Kankakee) Daily Journal reported. Neither had an attorney listed Friday in court or jail records. Kankakee County States Attorney Jim Rowe identified Newton-Carroll as Sullivans mother. Rowe said he is not sure of the connection between Jelman Sullivan and Darius Sullivan. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriffs deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriffs Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputys squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. TOWN OF NORWAY A member of the Wind Lake fire department has resigned after being accused of using a crowbar to threaten a motorist in an apparent road rage incident. Bruce Liberski, a former firefighter who was serving as an engineer, said he has stepped down from his volunteer position with the Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company. I think Id feel better if I just resign, he stated in an email. I just dont need the extra pressure. Fire Chief Justin Lyman confirmed that Liberski no longer is part of the volunteer fire department. Lyman has declined to discuss the incident, although he stated: The Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company takes pride in the relationship and trust we hold with law enforcement, neighboring fire/EMS services, as well as the citizens we serve. Liberski, 60, was issued a police citation for disorderly conduct after his wife was involved in a Dec. 6 traffic collision with another motorist near State Highway 36 and Fries Lane. According to police, Liberski arrived on the scene and threatened the other motorist with a crowbar. The other motorist was issued a traffic citation after he allegedly followed closely, flashed his bright lights, tried to pass, and then caused a collision. Liberski has a Jan. 11 date in Norway Municipal Court for a noncriminal disorderly conduct citation that carries a potential civil fine of up to $313 if he is found guilty. Liberski, a longtime firefighter who joined the Wind Lake department three years ago, criticized the police officer who handled the Dec. 6 incident. He also asked then-Police Chief John Hanrahan to dismiss the disorderly conduct citation. Hanrahan, who has since retired, defended his officers work and said that Liberski engaged in asinine behavior as well as violent and extraordinarily unprofessional conduct. TOWN OF NORWAY A member of the Wind Lake fire department has resigned after being accused of using a crowbar to threaten a motorist in an apparent road rage incident. Bruce Liberski, a former firefighter who was serving as an engineer, said he has stepped down from his volunteer position with the Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company. I think Id feel better if I just resign, he stated in an email. I just dont need the extra pressure. Fire Chief Justin Lyman confirmed that Liberski no longer is part of the volunteer fire department. Lyman has declined to discuss the incident, although he stated: The Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company takes pride in the relationship and trust we hold with law enforcement, neighboring fire/EMS services, as well as the citizens we serve. Liberski, 60, was issued a police citation for disorderly conduct after his wife was involved in a Dec. 6 traffic collision with another motorist near State Highway 36 and Fries Lane. According to police, Liberski arrived on the scene and threatened the other motorist with a crowbar. The other motorist was issued a traffic citation after he allegedly followed closely, flashed his bright lights, tried to pass, and then caused a collision. Liberski has a Jan. 11 date in Norway Municipal Court for a noncriminal disorderly conduct citation that carries a potential civil fine of up to $313 if he is found guilty. Liberski, a longtime firefighter who joined the Wind Lake department three years ago, criticized the police officer who handled the Dec. 6 incident. He also asked then-Police Chief John Hanrahan to dismiss the disorderly conduct citation. Hanrahan, who has since retired, defended his officers work and said that Liberski engaged in asinine behavior as well as violent and extraordinarily unprofessional conduct. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. As 2021 comes to a close, it is natural to look back at the year that was. While there was some return to normalcy during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, several events were canceled, and even with those that went on as planned, masks, attempts at distancing and noting that the previous years event had been canceled often were reminders of the ongoing issue. Still, life went on. With that in mind, these are the most important stories I covered in 2021, and ones that are likely to continue to make headlines going into 2022. Shooting left one child dead, two injured One childs life ended, two others changed forever, and their families left to figure out how to move forward. The suffering they have and will continue to go through is something few others in the community can understand. On June 28, authorities said a group of men in a car fired on another man standing in front of a home on Wilson Lee Boulevard. It appeared they missed their target, but the gunfire struck AhMiyahh Howell, 8, killing her, and injuring a second child, Tariq Lowery, who was shot in the leg. Soon after, a second shooting took place which injured Maliki Ramseur, a 10-year-old. Witnesses were reluctant to come forward, fearing retaliation, but a few weeks later, the Statesville Police Department arrested six people in connection with the shootings. Their cases are expected to go trial in 2022. Since then, the Statesville City Council said it would begin to address the socio-economic issues that seem more prevalent in the part of town where the shootings happened. Several community events have taken place in hopes of building relationships in the community that can address those same issues. While many remain skeptical of what can be done, the hope expressed by many is the issues at hand can be addressed and a crime like this wont happen again. Iredell County Confederate Memorial stays The Iredell County Confederate Memorial was poised to move off of county grounds and into a local cemetery with the Confederate dead buried there. Then, the political backlash came. Local conservatives soon let the elected leaders know they had little interest in the idea and the commissioners then said it wouldnt be pursuing the idea further. The Iredell County Board of Commissioners had voted 4-1 to begin a process of moving the statue, with Scottie Brown voting against the move. The statue attracted protesters and counter protesters, like in many other cities, as racial justice protests emerged all over the country after the killing of George Floyd by a Minnesota police officer. But a few days after the resolution was passed, the commissioners said the statute wouldnt be moved. What changed their mind remains a matter of opinion. James Mallory and Gene Houpe said that local Sons of the Confederacy groups did not agree to the move, so the matter was resolved. Protests would continue into the summer asking for the removal of the statue, mostly without more than shouting between protesters and counter protesters. For many of the nights, signs with slogans or chants with expletives were the closest either side was to being more than loud in their efforts to change peoples minds. But at times it turned ugly with some arrests and occasional, but clear, racist slogans being shouted by counter protesters. The protesters eventually left as some of the organizers split off from each other, but the issue isnt in the past just yet. Several local groups came together to file a lawsuit, but they havent had their day in court. For now, the statue remains at the Iredell County Government Center on South Center Street. COVID-19 pandemic continues While life in many ways continued with the signs of the pandemic coming and going as cases waxed and waned, one place it was impossible to forget was at schools. Iredell-Statesville Schools and other districts tried to balance education with health and safety. While the school year started out with no mask mandate, a surge of early cases prompted I-SS to enact one, which led to more controversy. As protesters lined up outside the Career Academy & Technical School in Troutman where I-SS meetings take place, one ended up breaking a glass door while pounding on it with their hands. Police would say it was accidental, but the shattered glass startled those inside and made them consider what might happen next. The protests would subside, but the controversy continued even as the numbers of COVID cases rose. It hasnt been surprising to see I-SSs data say nearly 2,000 students had been potentially in contact with a positive case within a given week, whether it came from inside or outside the schools. In light of a rise in cases recently, the school system will require masks for students when they return to class in 2022. According to the Iredell County Health Department, there have been 32,766 COVID cases in the county, leading to 350 deaths. Delays, redistricting and elections in Iredell County Local politicians were off to the races until they werent. The end of 2021 meant a number of candidates would begin filing for the 2022 elections, with an initial rush coming on Dec. 6, the first day that filing was open. But soon after, it was all put on hold as the North Carolina Supreme Court agreed to issue a stay as lawsuits were filed over redistricting maps for congressional and state legislative districts. The North Carolina Court of Appeals put a hold on filing for state-level offices and higher. Rep. Jeff McNeely and Sen. Vickie Sawyer who were among those who had voted on the districts that were slated to be used in the 2022 elections would file the next day, but on Dec. 8 the states Supreme Court put filing on hold. While a number of candidates declared well before then, not all filed paperwork to be on the ballot, leaving them in limbo as they way to see if the next round of challenges will change what districts they are in. The whole process was already delayed when information from the 2020 census was delayed due to issues gathering the data during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cities like Statesville, with permission from the state, chose to delay their elections in light of this, to 2022. This is itself was controversial as it extended the terms of some officeholders. Now, statewide primaries are delayed until May 17 instead of taking place as they usually do in March. 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. 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. If you love Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohens bromance, you may want to know how to watch CNNs New Years Eve Live online to not miss second of all the drunk BFF moments. New Years Eve Live, a New Years Eve TV special broadcasted on CNN, started on December 31, 2001, with CNN correspondents hosting the show from Times Square. Anderson Cooper, who hosts Anderson Cooper 360 on CNN, took over as the New Years Eve Live host in 2002. The show was also expanded from 30 minutes to 90 to 120 minutes in 2003. Though the special airs from Times Square in New York City, the show has also featured cities like Nashville, Tennessee, and New Orleans, Louisiana. In 2008, comedian Kathy Griffin joined Cooper as the co-host of New Years Eve Live. Griffin was replaced by Watch What Happens Live and Real Housewives host Andy Cohen in 2017 after she came under fire for a photo of her posing with a decapitated head of former President Donald Trump. More from StyleCaster Watch CNNs New Years Eve Live on $10 Buy Now In an interview on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert in 2021, Cooper described New Years Eve Live as different than other New Years shows due to the messy and sloppy behavior he and Cohen sometimes show when they drink throughout the night. Thats what we like about this New Years show is its sort of like everybodys New Years Eve, Cooper explained. Its like you think its gonna be one thing. It ends up going off the rails. You sort of have a good time. But sometimes its just messy. And sloppy, he said. During the interview, Cohen also joked that Cooper is a lightweight. The irony is Ive become the straight guy and have to drive the bus, he said. Because this one is down for the count. Hes such a lightweight. If news breaks when were on the air, Im going to be the guy thats handling it. Story continues In a post on his Instagram Story in 2021, Cohen promised to get Cooper drunk for CNNs New Years Eve Live. First time caller. Long time listener. If you dont get Anderson absolutely wasted for New Years I will never forgive you. We have nothing else. Please hear our prayers, a fan wrote in a question to Cohen, to which he responded, I will get him drunk like my life depended on it. America needs #drunkanderson! Click here to read the full article. So how can one watch CNNs New Years Eve Live to see drunk Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen? Read on ahead for how to watch CNNs New Years Eve Live online and stream the unfiltered special for cheap. When does CNNs New Years Eve Liveair? CNNs New Years Eve Live starts at 8 p.m. ET on December 31, 2021, with hosts Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen. At 12:30 a.m. ET on January 1, 2021, Don Lemon, Alisyn Camerota and Dulce Sloan will take over as hosts. How to watch CNNs New Years Eve Live online How can one watch CNNs New Years Eve Live online? New Years Eve Live airs on CNN, which is available to stream online with services like Hulu+ With Live TV and Sling TV. Hulu+ With Live TV costs $64.99 per month, while Sling TV has a current deal where users can subscribe for $10 for their first month. After the first month, users can continue to subscribe for $35 per month. Watch CNNs New Years Eve Live on $10 Buy Now Watch CNNs New Years Eve Live on $64.99 Buy Now Who are the CNN New Years Eve Live hosts? The CNN New Years Eve Live hosts are news anchor Anderson Cooper (who has hosted the special since 2011), and Watch What Happens Live host Andy Cohen (who has hosted the special since 2017). CNNs other New Years Eve Live hosts include CNN anchors Don Lemon and Alisyn Camerota and comedian Dulce Sloan, who will host the special from the Central Time Zone in New Orleans. Other CNN correspondents include Stephanie Elam from Las Vegas, Randi Kaye from Key West, Richard Quest from a New York City skyscraper, Chloe Melas from Times Square, Gary Tuchman and Lindsay Tuchman from Puerto Rico, Coy Wire from Minneapolis and Donie OSullivan from a New York City Irish bar. Who are the CNN New Years Eve Live performers? Who are the CNN New Years Eve Live performers? Katy Perry will headline New Years Eve from her Las Vegas Residency Play at the Reorts World in Las Vegas. Other special guest stars include William Shatner, Patti LaBelle, Earth, Wind & Fire, Duran Duran, Amanda Gorman, Patti LuPone, David Arquette, Leslie Jordan and Cheri Oteri. CNNs New Years Eve Live starts at 8 p.m. ET on CNN. Watch CNNs New Years Eve Live on $10 Buy Now Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think youll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale. New Entertainment Newsletter Best of StyleCaster TOWN OF NORWAY A member of the Wind Lake fire department has resigned after being accused of using a crowbar to threaten a motorist in an apparent road rage incident. Bruce Liberski, a former firefighter who was serving as an engineer, said he has stepped down from his volunteer position with the Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company. I think Id feel better if I just resign, he stated in an email. I just dont need the extra pressure. Fire Chief Justin Lyman confirmed that Liberski no longer is part of the volunteer fire department. Lyman has declined to discuss the incident, although he stated: The Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company takes pride in the relationship and trust we hold with law enforcement, neighboring fire/EMS services, as well as the citizens we serve. Liberski, 60, was issued a police citation for disorderly conduct after his wife was involved in a Dec. 6 traffic collision with another motorist near State Highway 36 and Fries Lane. According to police, Liberski arrived on the scene and threatened the other motorist with a crowbar. The other motorist was issued a traffic citation after he allegedly followed closely, flashed his bright lights, tried to pass, and then caused a collision. Liberski has a Jan. 11 date in Norway Municipal Court for a noncriminal disorderly conduct citation that carries a potential civil fine of up to $313 if he is found guilty. Liberski, a longtime firefighter who joined the Wind Lake department three years ago, criticized the police officer who handled the Dec. 6 incident. He also asked then-Police Chief John Hanrahan to dismiss the disorderly conduct citation. Hanrahan, who has since retired, defended his officers work and said that Liberski engaged in asinine behavior as well as violent and extraordinarily unprofessional conduct. TOWN OF NORWAY A member of the Wind Lake fire department has resigned after being accused of using a crowbar to threaten a motorist in an apparent road rage incident. Bruce Liberski, a former firefighter who was serving as an engineer, said he has stepped down from his volunteer position with the Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company. I think Id feel better if I just resign, he stated in an email. I just dont need the extra pressure. Fire Chief Justin Lyman confirmed that Liberski no longer is part of the volunteer fire department. Lyman has declined to discuss the incident, although he stated: The Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company takes pride in the relationship and trust we hold with law enforcement, neighboring fire/EMS services, as well as the citizens we serve. Liberski, 60, was issued a police citation for disorderly conduct after his wife was involved in a Dec. 6 traffic collision with another motorist near State Highway 36 and Fries Lane. According to police, Liberski arrived on the scene and threatened the other motorist with a crowbar. The other motorist was issued a traffic citation after he allegedly followed closely, flashed his bright lights, tried to pass, and then caused a collision. Liberski has a Jan. 11 date in Norway Municipal Court for a noncriminal disorderly conduct citation that carries a potential civil fine of up to $313 if he is found guilty. Liberski, a longtime firefighter who joined the Wind Lake department three years ago, criticized the police officer who handled the Dec. 6 incident. He also asked then-Police Chief John Hanrahan to dismiss the disorderly conduct citation. Hanrahan, who has since retired, defended his officers work and said that Liberski engaged in asinine behavior as well as violent and extraordinarily unprofessional conduct. Bradey Police Lt. Philip Trudeau (L) comforts Bourbonnais Police officer Andy Cox following a ceremonial procession for fallen Bradley Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, in Bourbonnais, Ill., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Tiffany Blanchette/The Daily Journal via AP) Suspect in Shooting of Illinois Officers Arrested in Indiana CHICAGOA man suspected in the shooting of one police officer and wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel has been taken into custody, authorities said Friday. Darius Sullivan, one of two people suspected in the shooting of the two Bradley police officers, was arrested Friday morning at a home in North Manchester, Indiana, Sgt. Glen Fifield of the Indiana State Police said at a news conference. Sullivan, 25, surrendered to a SWAT team that was assisting the U.S. Marshals with a search warrant for the property about 110 miles east of Bradley. Sullivans arrest came a day after Illinois authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The Illinois State Police did not release any updates on the investigation Friday other than a written statement confirming that Sullivan had been arrested and would be taken back to Kankakee County, where the shooting occurred late Wednesday. Fifield said he didnt have any details on the investigation into the shooting. He did name three other men but wouldnt discuss whether their arrests were connected to the officers shootings. Two of the men were arrested after police said they ran from their car during a traffic stop in Fulton County, Indiana. The third was arrested at the home where Sullivan was taken into custody. Fifield said police found weapons and drugs in the car that the two men fled from and at the North Manchester home. Authorities are still searching for 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, of Bradley, who investigators believe was at the hotel when the shootings happened, the Illinois State Police said. The two officers were speaking to people in a room at a Comfort Inn along a highway in Kankakee County when they were shot, according to the county sheriffs office. They were taken to nearby hospitals, where 49-year-old Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic died. The other officeridentified by the Illinois State Police as 27-year-old Tyler J. Baileyunderwent surgery and was listed in critical condition on Thursday, according to the Bradley Police Department. Messages left with the department and Illinois State Police on Friday to update Baileys condition were not immediately returned. The officers were at the hotel to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, the sheriffs office said. They found the room where the vehicles possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, it said. Authorities arrested two other people Thursday on charges alleging they impeded the search for Sullivan and a woman also suspected in the shootings. Nichele Newton-Carroll, 42, and Jelman Sullivan, 21, face charges of obstructing justice/leaving the state, the (Kankakee) Daily Journal reported. Neither had an attorney listed Friday in court or jail records. Kankakee County States Attorney Jim Rowe identified Newton-Carroll as Sullivans mother. Rowe said he is not sure of the connection between Jelman Sullivan and Darius Sullivan. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriffs deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriffs Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputys squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. Washington, , 2021 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Jan, 2022 ) :President Joe Biden and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymr Zelensky will speak by phone on Sunday, both sides confirmed, after the US leader warned Russia's Vladimir Putin of a tough response to any invasion of the eastern European country. During the call, Biden will "reaffirm US support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russia's military build-up on Ukraine's borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region," a White House official said Friday. Zelensky tweeted: "Look forward to talking again with @POTUS this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe." The western American city of San Francisco, California suffered a huge earthquake on April 18th, 1906. More than three thousand people are known to have died. The true number of dead will never be known. Two hundred fifty thousand people lost their homes. Just a few hours after the terrible earthquake, a magazine named Colliers sent a telegraph message to the famous American writer Jack London. They asked Mr. London to go to San Francisco and report about what he saw. He arrived in the city only a few hours after the earthquake. The report he wrote is called, The Story of an Eyewitness. Not in history has a modern city been so completely destroyed. San Francisco is gone. Nothing remains of it but memories and a few homes that were near the edge of the city. Its industrial area is gone. Its business area is gone. Its social and living areas are gone. The factories, great stores and newspaper buildings, the hotels and the huge homes of the very rich, are all gone. Within minutes of the earthquake the fires began. Within an hour a huge tower of smoke caused by the fires could be seen a hundred miles away. And for three days and nights this huge fire moved in the sky, reddening the sun, darkening the day and filling the land with smoke. There was no opposing the flames. There was no organization, no communication. The earthquake had smashed all of the modern inventions of a twentieth century city. The streets were broken and filled with pieces of fallen walls. The telephone and telegraph systems were broken. And the great water pipes had burst. All inventions and safety plans of man had been destroyed by thirty seconds of movement by the earth. By Wednesday afternoon, only twelve hours after the earthquake, half the heart of the city was gone. I watched the huge fire. It was very calm. There was no wind. Yet from every side, wind was pouring in upon the city. East, west, north and south, strong winds were blowing upon the dying city. The heated air made a huge wind that pulled air into the fire, rising into the atmosphere. Day and night the calm continued, and yet, near the flames, the wind was often as strong as a storm. There was no water to fight the fire. Fire fighters decided to use explosives to destroy buildings in its path. They hoped this would create a block to slow or stop the fire. Building after building was destroyed. And still the great fires continued. Jack London told how people tried to save some of their possessions from the fire. Wednesday night the whole city crashed and roared into ruin, yet the city was quiet. There were no crowds. There was no shouting and yelling. There was no disorder. I passed Wednesday night in the path of the fire and in all those terrible hours I saw not one woman who cried, not one man who was excited, not one person who caused trouble. Throughout the night, tens of thousands of homeless ones fled the fire. Some were wrapped in blankets. Others carried bedding and dear household treasures. Many of the poor left their homes with everything they could carry. Many of their loads were extremely heavy. Throughout the night they dropped items they could no longer hold. They left on the street clothing and treasures they had carried for miles. Many carried large boxes called trunks. They held onto these the longest. It was a hard night and the hills of San Francisco are steep. And up these hills, mile after mile, were the trunks dragged. Many a strong man broke his heart that night. Before the march of the fire were soldiers. Their job was to keep the people moving away from the fire. The extremely tired people would arise and struggle up the steep hills, pausing from weakness every five or ten feet. Often, after reaching the top of a heart-breaking hill, they would find the fire was moving at them from a different direction. After working hour after hour through the night to save part of their lives, thousands were forced to leave their trunks and flee. At night I walked down through the very heart of the city. I walked through mile after mile of beautiful buildings. Here was no fire. All was in perfect order. The police patrolled the streets. And yet it was all doomed, all of it. There was no water. The explosives were almost used up. And two huge fires were coming toward this part of the city from different directions. Four hours later I walked through this same part of the city. Everything still stood as before. And yet there was a change. A rain of ashes was falling. The police had been withdrawn. There were no firemen, no fire engines, and no men using explosives. I stood at the corner of Kearney and Market Streets in the very heart of San Francisco. Nothing could be done. Nothing could be saved. The surrender was complete. It was impossible to guess where the fire would move next. In the early evening I passed through Union Square. It was packed with refugees. Thousands of them had gone to bed on the grass. Government tents had been set up, food was being cooked and the refugees were lining up for free meals. Late that night I passed Union Square again. Three sides of the Square were in flames. The Square, with mountains of trunks, was deserted. The troops, refugees and all had retreated. The next morning I sat in front of a home on San Franciscos famous Nob Hill. With me sat Japanese, Italians, Chinese and Negroes. All about were the huge homes of the very rich. To the east and south of us were advancing two huge walls of fire. I went inside one house and talked to the owner. He smiled and said the earthquake had destroyed everything he owned. All he had left was his beautiful house. He looked at me and said, The fire will be here in fifteen minutes. Outside the house the troops were falling back and forcing the refugees ahead of them. From every side came the roaring of flames, the crashing of walls and the sound of explosives. Day was trying to dawn through the heavy smoke. A sickly light was creeping over the face of things. When the sun broke through the smoke it was blood-red and small. The smoke changed color from red to rose to purple. I walked past the broken dome of the City Hall building. This part of the city was already a waste of smoking ruins. Here and there through the smoke came a few men and women. It was like the meeting of a few survivors the day after the world ended. The huge fires continued to burn on. Nothing could stop them. Mister London walked from place to place in the city, watching the huge fires destroy the city. Nothing could be done to halt the firestorm. In the end, the fire went out by itself because there was nothing left to burn. Jack London finishes his story: All day Thursday and all Thursday night, all day Friday and Friday night, the flames raged on. Friday night saw the huge fires finally conquered, but not before the fires had swept three-quarters of a mile of docks and store houses at the waterfront. San Francisco at the present time is like the center of a volcano. Around this volcano are tens of thousands of refugees. All the surrounding cities and towns are jammed with the homeless ones. The refugees were carried free by the railroads to any place they wished to go. It is said that more than one hundred thousand people have left the peninsula on which San Francisco stood. The government has control of the situation, and thanks to the immediate relief given by the whole United States, there is no lack of food. The bankers and businessmen have already begun making the necessary plans to rebuild this once beautiful city of San Francisco. "The Story of an Eyewitness" was written by Jack London and adapted by Paul Thompson. It was published in Colliers Magazine, May 5, 1906. Your narrator was Doug Johnson. _______________________________________________________________ For Teachers This lesson plan, based on the CALLA Approach, teaches the learning strategy of classifying to help students understand the story. Quiz Try this Listening Quiz to check your understanding. Quiz - The Story of an Eyewitness Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story smash - v. to break into many pieces; to shatter or destroy atmosphere - n. the whole mass of air that surrounds the Earth surrender - v. to agree to stop fighting, hiding, resisting, etc., because you know that you will not win or succeed retreat - v. to move or go away from a place or situation especially because it is dangerous, unpleasant, etc. survivor - n. a member of a group who continues to live after other members have died firestorm - n. a very large fire that destroys everything in its path and produces powerful winds jammed - v. to fill (a place) completely 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. 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. 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. 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. What better start could there be to 2022? Despite the best efforts of those who would condemn us to an endless cycle of lockdowns, we managed to see in the New Year free from most Covid restrictions. Now in todays Mail, Health Secretary Sajid Javid gives the strongest signal yet that there is no need for any further curbs in the foreseeable future. We couldnt agree more. And there is a wealth of statistics to back him up. Thanks to a tremendous vaccination surge, more frequent testing and the relative weakness of the Omicron strain, rising infections have not translated into dangerously high hospitalisations. Even NHS Providers chief Chris Hopson says hospitals are coping, and sees no immediate need for more draconian measures. In todays Mail, Health Secretary Sajid Javid (pictured on December 19) gives the strongest signal yet that there is no need for any further curbs in the foreseeable future Meanwhile, in South Africa, the authorities are so confident that Omicron has passed its peak (with little impact on death or hospitalisation rates) they have lifted a night-time curfew after 21 months. True, there are still problems with NHS staff absences due to Covid, but that will be eased considerably by the cut in the isolation period from ten days to seven. Its surely time to follow the US and Greece and reduce it to five, as long as symptoms have eased and some minor precautions are still taken. Given the scale of infections, Mr Javid can hardly say the threat is over. But he makes the overriding point that we must learn to live with the virus rather than panic at the first hint of any new variant. It has taken courage to hold out against the bulk of the scientific establishment. Most scientists, however, are coming round to his and Boris Johnsons way of thinking. What Britain needs now is to look forward. The economic indicators for 2022 are overwhelmingly positive and this country is ready to take off. We cannot let our wings be clipped again. Failing our youth Two more young lives brutally snuffed out. Two more grieving mothers. Two more cold statistics on the police murder file. The story is depressingly familiar, yet still deeply shocking. Within half an hour on Thursday, two boys aged 15 and 16 were stabbed to death in separate London parks. That brings the number of teenagers killed in blade attacks this year in the capital to a record 30. What an appalling indictment of London mayor Sadiq Khan. On his watch, the death toll is almost twice as high as the average over the eight years of his predecessor Boris Johnson. Police tape is seen at Ashburton Park in Croydon, south London, where London's 29th stabbing victim died on Thursday night Mr Khan constantly wrings his hands over knife crime, but has failed to stem the carnage despite shelling out 62million on an ineffectual violence reduction unit. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick is no better. Her abject failure to reclaim the streets has let the problem escalate to epidemic proportions. As victims and perpetrators come dis-proportionately from the black community, there are, of course, racial sensitivities. But until the police, mayors office and community leaders overcome them to agree a decisive, joined-up strategy, the bloodletting will only get worse. Boys will go on dying. Their uncomprehending mothers will go on grieving. The best of British There are those who love to talk Britain down. But the achievements of those named in the New Year honours show what a truly extraordinary country this is. From Covid heroes, through sporting champions, scientists, thespians and political luminaries, the list bristles with talent and quality. Even that icon of revolutionary Trotskyism Vanessa Redgrave has graciously agreed to accept a damehood. If that glittering array doesnt make you proud to be British, nothing will. What better start could there be to 2022? Despite the best efforts of those who would condemn us to an endless cycle of lockdowns, we managed to see in the New Year free from most Covid restrictions. Now in todays Mail, Health Secretary Sajid Javid gives the strongest signal yet that there is no need for any further curbs in the foreseeable future. We couldnt agree more. And there is a wealth of statistics to back him up. Thanks to a tremendous vaccination surge, more frequent testing and the relative weakness of the Omicron strain, rising infections have not translated into dangerously high hospitalisations. Even NHS Providers chief Chris Hopson says hospitals are coping, and sees no immediate need for more draconian measures. In todays Mail, Health Secretary Sajid Javid (pictured on December 19) gives the strongest signal yet that there is no need for any further curbs in the foreseeable future Meanwhile, in South Africa, the authorities are so confident that Omicron has passed its peak (with little impact on death or hospitalisation rates) they have lifted a night-time curfew after 21 months. True, there are still problems with NHS staff absences due to Covid, but that will be eased considerably by the cut in the isolation period from ten days to seven. Its surely time to follow the US and Greece and reduce it to five, as long as symptoms have eased and some minor precautions are still taken. Given the scale of infections, Mr Javid can hardly say the threat is over. But he makes the overriding point that we must learn to live with the virus rather than panic at the first hint of any new variant. It has taken courage to hold out against the bulk of the scientific establishment. Most scientists, however, are coming round to his and Boris Johnsons way of thinking. What Britain needs now is to look forward. The economic indicators for 2022 are overwhelmingly positive and this country is ready to take off. We cannot let our wings be clipped again. Failing our youth Two more young lives brutally snuffed out. Two more grieving mothers. Two more cold statistics on the police murder file. The story is depressingly familiar, yet still deeply shocking. Within half an hour on Thursday, two boys aged 15 and 16 were stabbed to death in separate London parks. That brings the number of teenagers killed in blade attacks this year in the capital to a record 30. What an appalling indictment of London mayor Sadiq Khan. On his watch, the death toll is almost twice as high as the average over the eight years of his predecessor Boris Johnson. Police tape is seen at Ashburton Park in Croydon, south London, where London's 29th stabbing victim died on Thursday night Mr Khan constantly wrings his hands over knife crime, but has failed to stem the carnage despite shelling out 62million on an ineffectual violence reduction unit. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick is no better. Her abject failure to reclaim the streets has let the problem escalate to epidemic proportions. As victims and perpetrators come dis-proportionately from the black community, there are, of course, racial sensitivities. But until the police, mayors office and community leaders overcome them to agree a decisive, joined-up strategy, the bloodletting will only get worse. Boys will go on dying. Their uncomprehending mothers will go on grieving. The best of British There are those who love to talk Britain down. But the achievements of those named in the New Year honours show what a truly extraordinary country this is. From Covid heroes, through sporting champions, scientists, thespians and political luminaries, the list bristles with talent and quality. Even that icon of revolutionary Trotskyism Vanessa Redgrave has graciously agreed to accept a damehood. If that glittering array doesnt make you proud to be British, nothing will. Even as the Omicron version of the coronavirus spreads, camel owners from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar recently traveled to the United Arab Emirates. They brought with them 40,000 of their most beautiful camels for the Al Dhafra Festival, an event that celebrates desert culture. Camel beauty is decided based on appearances agreed upon generations ago. Only female camels take part because males fight too much, experts said. A five-man jury decides the winners. One of the organizers, Mohammed al-Muhari, described what judges were looking for as hundreds of camels were being shown. Necks must be long and thin, cheeks wide and hooves large, he told The Associated Press. Lips must hang down. The camels must walk tall. Its not so different from humans, al-Muhari said. Some breeders have tried to cheat. They use banned injections to grow the camels lips, soften the face and increase the size of the camels back. Festival spokesman Abdel Hadi Saleh would not say how many breeders had been banned over measures to change a camels appearance. All camels have detailed medical examinations before entering Al Dhafra Festival. Since Emirati investigators began using X-rays and other devices a few years ago, Saleh said the number of cheaters has fallen. We easily catch them, and they realize getting caught, its not worth the cost to their reputation, he said. A great deal is at stake. Al Dhafra Festival offers the top 10 winners in each category prizes from $1,300 to $13,600. At the main Saudi contest, the most beautiful get high prices. Camels change hands in deals worth millions of dirhams, a local form of money. But breeders say it is not only about the money. Saleh al-Minhali is a camel-owner from Dubai. It is a kind of our heritage and custom that the (Emirati rulers) revived, he said. Revive is a term that means to bring back. Gone are the days when camels were important for daily life in the country. However, experts say Emiratis are increasingly searching for meaning in the past. This includes Bedouin traditions that were common before the UAE became a nation 50 years ago. Rima Sabban of the Zayed University in Dubai said, Younger Emiratis who have identity issues are going back to their heritage to find a sense of belonging. Sabban added, The society developed and modernized so fast it creates a crisis inside. Festivals across the country celebrate the camels importance. Al Dhafra also features falcon racing, camel dancing and a camel milking contest. Each category in the 10-day contest is divided into two types of camels: Mahaliyat, the tan breed that comes from the UAE and Oman, and Majaheen, the darker breed from Saudi Arabia. For hours, judges studied each camel, writing lists of the animals body parts for scoring purposes. Breeders shouted to surprise camels so they would look up and show off long necks. As the sun set over the sands, the winning breeders were called to accept their prizes. Camels were crowned with gold and silver-lined cloth. Weve received over 40 prizes (in various camel contests) this year alone, said Mohammed Saleh bin Migrin al-Amri as he held four from the day, including two golds. After that, he jumped into his vehicle and the victory parade of vehicles and camels disappeared into the desert. Im John Russell. Isabel Debre reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. _________________________________________________ Words in This Story hooves n. plural the hard covering on the foot of an animal (such as a horse or pig) breeder n. a person who keeps and takes care of certain kinds of animals to produce more of that animal with the same qualities reputation n. the common opinion that people have about someone at stake phrase in a position to be lost or gained category n. a group of people or things that are similar in some way heritage n. the traditions, beliefs and deeds that are part of the history of a group or nation Bradey Police Lt. Philip Trudeau (L) comforts Bourbonnais Police officer Andy Cox following a ceremonial procession for fallen Bradley Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, in Bourbonnais, Ill., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Tiffany Blanchette/The Daily Journal via AP) Suspect in Shooting of Illinois Officers Arrested in Indiana CHICAGOA man suspected in the shooting of one police officer and wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel has been taken into custody, authorities said Friday. Darius Sullivan, one of two people suspected in the shooting of the two Bradley police officers, was arrested Friday morning at a home in North Manchester, Indiana, Sgt. Glen Fifield of the Indiana State Police said at a news conference. Sullivan, 25, surrendered to a SWAT team that was assisting the U.S. Marshals with a search warrant for the property about 110 miles east of Bradley. Sullivans arrest came a day after Illinois authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The Illinois State Police did not release any updates on the investigation Friday other than a written statement confirming that Sullivan had been arrested and would be taken back to Kankakee County, where the shooting occurred late Wednesday. Fifield said he didnt have any details on the investigation into the shooting. He did name three other men but wouldnt discuss whether their arrests were connected to the officers shootings. Two of the men were arrested after police said they ran from their car during a traffic stop in Fulton County, Indiana. The third was arrested at the home where Sullivan was taken into custody. Fifield said police found weapons and drugs in the car that the two men fled from and at the North Manchester home. Authorities are still searching for 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, of Bradley, who investigators believe was at the hotel when the shootings happened, the Illinois State Police said. The two officers were speaking to people in a room at a Comfort Inn along a highway in Kankakee County when they were shot, according to the county sheriffs office. They were taken to nearby hospitals, where 49-year-old Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic died. The other officeridentified by the Illinois State Police as 27-year-old Tyler J. Baileyunderwent surgery and was listed in critical condition on Thursday, according to the Bradley Police Department. Messages left with the department and Illinois State Police on Friday to update Baileys condition were not immediately returned. The officers were at the hotel to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, the sheriffs office said. They found the room where the vehicles possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, it said. Authorities arrested two other people Thursday on charges alleging they impeded the search for Sullivan and a woman also suspected in the shootings. Nichele Newton-Carroll, 42, and Jelman Sullivan, 21, face charges of obstructing justice/leaving the state, the (Kankakee) Daily Journal reported. Neither had an attorney listed Friday in court or jail records. Kankakee County States Attorney Jim Rowe identified Newton-Carroll as Sullivans mother. Rowe said he is not sure of the connection between Jelman Sullivan and Darius Sullivan. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriffs deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriffs Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputys squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. Even as the Omicron version of the coronavirus spreads, camel owners from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar recently traveled to the United Arab Emirates. They brought with them 40,000 of their most beautiful camels for the Al Dhafra Festival, an event that celebrates desert culture. Camel beauty is decided based on appearances agreed upon generations ago. Only female camels take part because males fight too much, experts said. A five-man jury decides the winners. One of the organizers, Mohammed al-Muhari, described what judges were looking for as hundreds of camels were being shown. Necks must be long and thin, cheeks wide and hooves large, he told The Associated Press. Lips must hang down. The camels must walk tall. Its not so different from humans, al-Muhari said. Some breeders have tried to cheat. They use banned injections to grow the camels lips, soften the face and increase the size of the camels back. Festival spokesman Abdel Hadi Saleh would not say how many breeders had been banned over measures to change a camels appearance. All camels have detailed medical examinations before entering Al Dhafra Festival. Since Emirati investigators began using X-rays and other devices a few years ago, Saleh said the number of cheaters has fallen. We easily catch them, and they realize getting caught, its not worth the cost to their reputation, he said. A great deal is at stake. Al Dhafra Festival offers the top 10 winners in each category prizes from $1,300 to $13,600. At the main Saudi contest, the most beautiful get high prices. Camels change hands in deals worth millions of dirhams, a local form of money. But breeders say it is not only about the money. Saleh al-Minhali is a camel-owner from Dubai. It is a kind of our heritage and custom that the (Emirati rulers) revived, he said. Revive is a term that means to bring back. Gone are the days when camels were important for daily life in the country. However, experts say Emiratis are increasingly searching for meaning in the past. This includes Bedouin traditions that were common before the UAE became a nation 50 years ago. Rima Sabban of the Zayed University in Dubai said, Younger Emiratis who have identity issues are going back to their heritage to find a sense of belonging. Sabban added, The society developed and modernized so fast it creates a crisis inside. Festivals across the country celebrate the camels importance. Al Dhafra also features falcon racing, camel dancing and a camel milking contest. Each category in the 10-day contest is divided into two types of camels: Mahaliyat, the tan breed that comes from the UAE and Oman, and Majaheen, the darker breed from Saudi Arabia. For hours, judges studied each camel, writing lists of the animals body parts for scoring purposes. Breeders shouted to surprise camels so they would look up and show off long necks. As the sun set over the sands, the winning breeders were called to accept their prizes. Camels were crowned with gold and silver-lined cloth. Weve received over 40 prizes (in various camel contests) this year alone, said Mohammed Saleh bin Migrin al-Amri as he held four from the day, including two golds. After that, he jumped into his vehicle and the victory parade of vehicles and camels disappeared into the desert. Im John Russell. Isabel Debre reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. _________________________________________________ Words in This Story hooves n. plural the hard covering on the foot of an animal (such as a horse or pig) breeder n. a person who keeps and takes care of certain kinds of animals to produce more of that animal with the same qualities reputation n. the common opinion that people have about someone at stake phrase in a position to be lost or gained category n. a group of people or things that are similar in some way heritage n. the traditions, beliefs and deeds that are part of the history of a group or nation Even as the Omicron version of the coronavirus spreads, camel owners from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar recently traveled to the United Arab Emirates. They brought with them 40,000 of their most beautiful camels for the Al Dhafra Festival, an event that celebrates desert culture. Camel beauty is decided based on appearances agreed upon generations ago. Only female camels take part because males fight too much, experts said. A five-man jury decides the winners. One of the organizers, Mohammed al-Muhari, described what judges were looking for as hundreds of camels were being shown. Necks must be long and thin, cheeks wide and hooves large, he told The Associated Press. Lips must hang down. The camels must walk tall. Its not so different from humans, al-Muhari said. Some breeders have tried to cheat. They use banned injections to grow the camels lips, soften the face and increase the size of the camels back. Festival spokesman Abdel Hadi Saleh would not say how many breeders had been banned over measures to change a camels appearance. All camels have detailed medical examinations before entering Al Dhafra Festival. Since Emirati investigators began using X-rays and other devices a few years ago, Saleh said the number of cheaters has fallen. We easily catch them, and they realize getting caught, its not worth the cost to their reputation, he said. A great deal is at stake. Al Dhafra Festival offers the top 10 winners in each category prizes from $1,300 to $13,600. At the main Saudi contest, the most beautiful get high prices. Camels change hands in deals worth millions of dirhams, a local form of money. But breeders say it is not only about the money. Saleh al-Minhali is a camel-owner from Dubai. It is a kind of our heritage and custom that the (Emirati rulers) revived, he said. Revive is a term that means to bring back. Gone are the days when camels were important for daily life in the country. However, experts say Emiratis are increasingly searching for meaning in the past. This includes Bedouin traditions that were common before the UAE became a nation 50 years ago. Rima Sabban of the Zayed University in Dubai said, Younger Emiratis who have identity issues are going back to their heritage to find a sense of belonging. Sabban added, The society developed and modernized so fast it creates a crisis inside. Festivals across the country celebrate the camels importance. Al Dhafra also features falcon racing, camel dancing and a camel milking contest. Each category in the 10-day contest is divided into two types of camels: Mahaliyat, the tan breed that comes from the UAE and Oman, and Majaheen, the darker breed from Saudi Arabia. For hours, judges studied each camel, writing lists of the animals body parts for scoring purposes. Breeders shouted to surprise camels so they would look up and show off long necks. As the sun set over the sands, the winning breeders were called to accept their prizes. Camels were crowned with gold and silver-lined cloth. Weve received over 40 prizes (in various camel contests) this year alone, said Mohammed Saleh bin Migrin al-Amri as he held four from the day, including two golds. After that, he jumped into his vehicle and the victory parade of vehicles and camels disappeared into the desert. Im John Russell. Isabel Debre reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. _________________________________________________ Words in This Story hooves n. plural the hard covering on the foot of an animal (such as a horse or pig) breeder n. a person who keeps and takes care of certain kinds of animals to produce more of that animal with the same qualities reputation n. the common opinion that people have about someone at stake phrase in a position to be lost or gained category n. a group of people or things that are similar in some way heritage n. the traditions, beliefs and deeds that are part of the history of a group or nation Even as the Omicron version of the coronavirus spreads, camel owners from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar recently traveled to the United Arab Emirates. They brought with them 40,000 of their most beautiful camels for the Al Dhafra Festival, an event that celebrates desert culture. Camel beauty is decided based on appearances agreed upon generations ago. Only female camels take part because males fight too much, experts said. A five-man jury decides the winners. One of the organizers, Mohammed al-Muhari, described what judges were looking for as hundreds of camels were being shown. Necks must be long and thin, cheeks wide and hooves large, he told The Associated Press. Lips must hang down. The camels must walk tall. Its not so different from humans, al-Muhari said. Some breeders have tried to cheat. They use banned injections to grow the camels lips, soften the face and increase the size of the camels back. Festival spokesman Abdel Hadi Saleh would not say how many breeders had been banned over measures to change a camels appearance. All camels have detailed medical examinations before entering Al Dhafra Festival. Since Emirati investigators began using X-rays and other devices a few years ago, Saleh said the number of cheaters has fallen. We easily catch them, and they realize getting caught, its not worth the cost to their reputation, he said. A great deal is at stake. Al Dhafra Festival offers the top 10 winners in each category prizes from $1,300 to $13,600. At the main Saudi contest, the most beautiful get high prices. Camels change hands in deals worth millions of dirhams, a local form of money. But breeders say it is not only about the money. Saleh al-Minhali is a camel-owner from Dubai. It is a kind of our heritage and custom that the (Emirati rulers) revived, he said. Revive is a term that means to bring back. Gone are the days when camels were important for daily life in the country. However, experts say Emiratis are increasingly searching for meaning in the past. This includes Bedouin traditions that were common before the UAE became a nation 50 years ago. Rima Sabban of the Zayed University in Dubai said, Younger Emiratis who have identity issues are going back to their heritage to find a sense of belonging. Sabban added, The society developed and modernized so fast it creates a crisis inside. Festivals across the country celebrate the camels importance. Al Dhafra also features falcon racing, camel dancing and a camel milking contest. Each category in the 10-day contest is divided into two types of camels: Mahaliyat, the tan breed that comes from the UAE and Oman, and Majaheen, the darker breed from Saudi Arabia. For hours, judges studied each camel, writing lists of the animals body parts for scoring purposes. Breeders shouted to surprise camels so they would look up and show off long necks. As the sun set over the sands, the winning breeders were called to accept their prizes. Camels were crowned with gold and silver-lined cloth. Weve received over 40 prizes (in various camel contests) this year alone, said Mohammed Saleh bin Migrin al-Amri as he held four from the day, including two golds. After that, he jumped into his vehicle and the victory parade of vehicles and camels disappeared into the desert. Im John Russell. Isabel Debre reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. _________________________________________________ Words in This Story hooves n. plural the hard covering on the foot of an animal (such as a horse or pig) breeder n. a person who keeps and takes care of certain kinds of animals to produce more of that animal with the same qualities reputation n. the common opinion that people have about someone at stake phrase in a position to be lost or gained category n. a group of people or things that are similar in some way heritage n. the traditions, beliefs and deeds that are part of the history of a group or nation Even as the Omicron version of the coronavirus spreads, camel owners from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar recently traveled to the United Arab Emirates. They brought with them 40,000 of their most beautiful camels for the Al Dhafra Festival, an event that celebrates desert culture. Camel beauty is decided based on appearances agreed upon generations ago. Only female camels take part because males fight too much, experts said. A five-man jury decides the winners. One of the organizers, Mohammed al-Muhari, described what judges were looking for as hundreds of camels were being shown. Necks must be long and thin, cheeks wide and hooves large, he told The Associated Press. Lips must hang down. The camels must walk tall. Its not so different from humans, al-Muhari said. Some breeders have tried to cheat. They use banned injections to grow the camels lips, soften the face and increase the size of the camels back. Festival spokesman Abdel Hadi Saleh would not say how many breeders had been banned over measures to change a camels appearance. All camels have detailed medical examinations before entering Al Dhafra Festival. Since Emirati investigators began using X-rays and other devices a few years ago, Saleh said the number of cheaters has fallen. We easily catch them, and they realize getting caught, its not worth the cost to their reputation, he said. A great deal is at stake. Al Dhafra Festival offers the top 10 winners in each category prizes from $1,300 to $13,600. At the main Saudi contest, the most beautiful get high prices. Camels change hands in deals worth millions of dirhams, a local form of money. But breeders say it is not only about the money. Saleh al-Minhali is a camel-owner from Dubai. It is a kind of our heritage and custom that the (Emirati rulers) revived, he said. Revive is a term that means to bring back. Gone are the days when camels were important for daily life in the country. However, experts say Emiratis are increasingly searching for meaning in the past. This includes Bedouin traditions that were common before the UAE became a nation 50 years ago. Rima Sabban of the Zayed University in Dubai said, Younger Emiratis who have identity issues are going back to their heritage to find a sense of belonging. Sabban added, The society developed and modernized so fast it creates a crisis inside. Festivals across the country celebrate the camels importance. Al Dhafra also features falcon racing, camel dancing and a camel milking contest. Each category in the 10-day contest is divided into two types of camels: Mahaliyat, the tan breed that comes from the UAE and Oman, and Majaheen, the darker breed from Saudi Arabia. For hours, judges studied each camel, writing lists of the animals body parts for scoring purposes. Breeders shouted to surprise camels so they would look up and show off long necks. As the sun set over the sands, the winning breeders were called to accept their prizes. Camels were crowned with gold and silver-lined cloth. Weve received over 40 prizes (in various camel contests) this year alone, said Mohammed Saleh bin Migrin al-Amri as he held four from the day, including two golds. After that, he jumped into his vehicle and the victory parade of vehicles and camels disappeared into the desert. Im John Russell. Isabel Debre reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. _________________________________________________ Words in This Story hooves n. plural the hard covering on the foot of an animal (such as a horse or pig) breeder n. a person who keeps and takes care of certain kinds of animals to produce more of that animal with the same qualities reputation n. the common opinion that people have about someone at stake phrase in a position to be lost or gained category n. a group of people or things that are similar in some way heritage n. the traditions, beliefs and deeds that are part of the history of a group or nation Even as the Omicron version of the coronavirus spreads, camel owners from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar recently traveled to the United Arab Emirates. They brought with them 40,000 of their most beautiful camels for the Al Dhafra Festival, an event that celebrates desert culture. Camel beauty is decided based on appearances agreed upon generations ago. Only female camels take part because males fight too much, experts said. A five-man jury decides the winners. One of the organizers, Mohammed al-Muhari, described what judges were looking for as hundreds of camels were being shown. Necks must be long and thin, cheeks wide and hooves large, he told The Associated Press. Lips must hang down. The camels must walk tall. Its not so different from humans, al-Muhari said. Some breeders have tried to cheat. They use banned injections to grow the camels lips, soften the face and increase the size of the camels back. Festival spokesman Abdel Hadi Saleh would not say how many breeders had been banned over measures to change a camels appearance. All camels have detailed medical examinations before entering Al Dhafra Festival. Since Emirati investigators began using X-rays and other devices a few years ago, Saleh said the number of cheaters has fallen. We easily catch them, and they realize getting caught, its not worth the cost to their reputation, he said. A great deal is at stake. Al Dhafra Festival offers the top 10 winners in each category prizes from $1,300 to $13,600. At the main Saudi contest, the most beautiful get high prices. Camels change hands in deals worth millions of dirhams, a local form of money. But breeders say it is not only about the money. Saleh al-Minhali is a camel-owner from Dubai. It is a kind of our heritage and custom that the (Emirati rulers) revived, he said. Revive is a term that means to bring back. Gone are the days when camels were important for daily life in the country. However, experts say Emiratis are increasingly searching for meaning in the past. This includes Bedouin traditions that were common before the UAE became a nation 50 years ago. Rima Sabban of the Zayed University in Dubai said, Younger Emiratis who have identity issues are going back to their heritage to find a sense of belonging. Sabban added, The society developed and modernized so fast it creates a crisis inside. Festivals across the country celebrate the camels importance. Al Dhafra also features falcon racing, camel dancing and a camel milking contest. Each category in the 10-day contest is divided into two types of camels: Mahaliyat, the tan breed that comes from the UAE and Oman, and Majaheen, the darker breed from Saudi Arabia. For hours, judges studied each camel, writing lists of the animals body parts for scoring purposes. Breeders shouted to surprise camels so they would look up and show off long necks. As the sun set over the sands, the winning breeders were called to accept their prizes. Camels were crowned with gold and silver-lined cloth. Weve received over 40 prizes (in various camel contests) this year alone, said Mohammed Saleh bin Migrin al-Amri as he held four from the day, including two golds. After that, he jumped into his vehicle and the victory parade of vehicles and camels disappeared into the desert. Im John Russell. Isabel Debre reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. _________________________________________________ Words in This Story hooves n. plural the hard covering on the foot of an animal (such as a horse or pig) breeder n. a person who keeps and takes care of certain kinds of animals to produce more of that animal with the same qualities reputation n. the common opinion that people have about someone at stake phrase in a position to be lost or gained category n. a group of people or things that are similar in some way heritage n. the traditions, beliefs and deeds that are part of the history of a group or nation Even as the Omicron version of the coronavirus spreads, camel owners from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar recently traveled to the United Arab Emirates. They brought with them 40,000 of their most beautiful camels for the Al Dhafra Festival, an event that celebrates desert culture. Camel beauty is decided based on appearances agreed upon generations ago. Only female camels take part because males fight too much, experts said. A five-man jury decides the winners. One of the organizers, Mohammed al-Muhari, described what judges were looking for as hundreds of camels were being shown. Necks must be long and thin, cheeks wide and hooves large, he told The Associated Press. Lips must hang down. The camels must walk tall. Its not so different from humans, al-Muhari said. Some breeders have tried to cheat. They use banned injections to grow the camels lips, soften the face and increase the size of the camels back. Festival spokesman Abdel Hadi Saleh would not say how many breeders had been banned over measures to change a camels appearance. All camels have detailed medical examinations before entering Al Dhafra Festival. Since Emirati investigators began using X-rays and other devices a few years ago, Saleh said the number of cheaters has fallen. We easily catch them, and they realize getting caught, its not worth the cost to their reputation, he said. A great deal is at stake. Al Dhafra Festival offers the top 10 winners in each category prizes from $1,300 to $13,600. At the main Saudi contest, the most beautiful get high prices. Camels change hands in deals worth millions of dirhams, a local form of money. But breeders say it is not only about the money. Saleh al-Minhali is a camel-owner from Dubai. It is a kind of our heritage and custom that the (Emirati rulers) revived, he said. Revive is a term that means to bring back. Gone are the days when camels were important for daily life in the country. However, experts say Emiratis are increasingly searching for meaning in the past. This includes Bedouin traditions that were common before the UAE became a nation 50 years ago. Rima Sabban of the Zayed University in Dubai said, Younger Emiratis who have identity issues are going back to their heritage to find a sense of belonging. Sabban added, The society developed and modernized so fast it creates a crisis inside. Festivals across the country celebrate the camels importance. Al Dhafra also features falcon racing, camel dancing and a camel milking contest. Each category in the 10-day contest is divided into two types of camels: Mahaliyat, the tan breed that comes from the UAE and Oman, and Majaheen, the darker breed from Saudi Arabia. For hours, judges studied each camel, writing lists of the animals body parts for scoring purposes. Breeders shouted to surprise camels so they would look up and show off long necks. As the sun set over the sands, the winning breeders were called to accept their prizes. Camels were crowned with gold and silver-lined cloth. Weve received over 40 prizes (in various camel contests) this year alone, said Mohammed Saleh bin Migrin al-Amri as he held four from the day, including two golds. After that, he jumped into his vehicle and the victory parade of vehicles and camels disappeared into the desert. Im John Russell. Isabel Debre reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. _________________________________________________ Words in This Story hooves n. plural the hard covering on the foot of an animal (such as a horse or pig) breeder n. a person who keeps and takes care of certain kinds of animals to produce more of that animal with the same qualities reputation n. the common opinion that people have about someone at stake phrase in a position to be lost or gained category n. a group of people or things that are similar in some way heritage n. the traditions, beliefs and deeds that are part of the history of a group or nation Even as the Omicron version of the coronavirus spreads, camel owners from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar recently traveled to the United Arab Emirates. They brought with them 40,000 of their most beautiful camels for the Al Dhafra Festival, an event that celebrates desert culture. Camel beauty is decided based on appearances agreed upon generations ago. Only female camels take part because males fight too much, experts said. A five-man jury decides the winners. One of the organizers, Mohammed al-Muhari, described what judges were looking for as hundreds of camels were being shown. Necks must be long and thin, cheeks wide and hooves large, he told The Associated Press. Lips must hang down. The camels must walk tall. Its not so different from humans, al-Muhari said. Some breeders have tried to cheat. They use banned injections to grow the camels lips, soften the face and increase the size of the camels back. Festival spokesman Abdel Hadi Saleh would not say how many breeders had been banned over measures to change a camels appearance. All camels have detailed medical examinations before entering Al Dhafra Festival. Since Emirati investigators began using X-rays and other devices a few years ago, Saleh said the number of cheaters has fallen. We easily catch them, and they realize getting caught, its not worth the cost to their reputation, he said. A great deal is at stake. Al Dhafra Festival offers the top 10 winners in each category prizes from $1,300 to $13,600. At the main Saudi contest, the most beautiful get high prices. Camels change hands in deals worth millions of dirhams, a local form of money. But breeders say it is not only about the money. Saleh al-Minhali is a camel-owner from Dubai. It is a kind of our heritage and custom that the (Emirati rulers) revived, he said. Revive is a term that means to bring back. Gone are the days when camels were important for daily life in the country. However, experts say Emiratis are increasingly searching for meaning in the past. This includes Bedouin traditions that were common before the UAE became a nation 50 years ago. Rima Sabban of the Zayed University in Dubai said, Younger Emiratis who have identity issues are going back to their heritage to find a sense of belonging. Sabban added, The society developed and modernized so fast it creates a crisis inside. Festivals across the country celebrate the camels importance. Al Dhafra also features falcon racing, camel dancing and a camel milking contest. Each category in the 10-day contest is divided into two types of camels: Mahaliyat, the tan breed that comes from the UAE and Oman, and Majaheen, the darker breed from Saudi Arabia. For hours, judges studied each camel, writing lists of the animals body parts for scoring purposes. Breeders shouted to surprise camels so they would look up and show off long necks. As the sun set over the sands, the winning breeders were called to accept their prizes. Camels were crowned with gold and silver-lined cloth. Weve received over 40 prizes (in various camel contests) this year alone, said Mohammed Saleh bin Migrin al-Amri as he held four from the day, including two golds. After that, he jumped into his vehicle and the victory parade of vehicles and camels disappeared into the desert. Im John Russell. Isabel Debre reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. _________________________________________________ Words in This Story hooves n. plural the hard covering on the foot of an animal (such as a horse or pig) breeder n. a person who keeps and takes care of certain kinds of animals to produce more of that animal with the same qualities reputation n. the common opinion that people have about someone at stake phrase in a position to be lost or gained category n. a group of people or things that are similar in some way heritage n. the traditions, beliefs and deeds that are part of the history of a group or nation It's the message of hope Australia has been waiting to hear - one of the nation's top doctors has now confidently predicted: 'In 2022, the COVID-19 pandemic will end.' Former deputy chief medical officer Dr Nick Coatsworth says vaccination jabs and the spread of the mild Omicron strain will finally make the world immune to Covid. His welcome words have come as Australia again hit record new case numbers across the country - but thankfully ICU numbers remain stubbornly low. And that mirrors the experience overseas where death rates have barely budged despite massive surges in numbers - and in the UK, deaths have actually dropped during the current Omicron outbreak. It's the message of hope Australia has been waiting to hear, One of the nation's top doctors has now confidently predicted: 'In 2022, the COVID-19 pandemic will end.' Former deputy chief medical officer Dr Nick Coatsworth (pictured) says vaccination and Omicron are going to make the world immune to Covid Now Dr Coatsworth says the world is on the verge of using Omicron to bounce back from the nightmare of the last two years. 'We will live our lives again as part of the incredibly social and incurably optimistic human species that thrives on this planet,' he said in an op-ed for the Sydney Morning Herald. '2022 will be the year the pandemic ends. It could even be sooner than we think.' More than 137,000 Australians were infected with Covid on New Year's Day - but there are just 135 patients currently in ICU with the virus, including 79 in NSW where the state recorded 22, 577 new cases on Saturday. A look back at the NSW Government's doomsday modelling about the impact of the Delta outbreak, revealed in September, puts the latest figures in context. The Burnet Institute predicted 2,000 cases a day by November with 947 patients in ICU and hospitals on code black emergency status - but still able to cope. The Burnet Institute modelling (pictured) predicted that for two weeks at the end of October and the start of November, the NSW hospital system would be in on a code black, level 3, emergency footing with 947 in ICU - although it never eventuated in the end There are currently 135 in ICU with the virus - and data from overseas shows death rates have actually DROPPED during Omicron outbreaks (pictured, a Covid patient at Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital) The latest NSW Health figures of just 79 ICU patients on New Year's Day is not even one-tenth of that modelling prediction, despite Covid cases being more than 10 times worse. There are currently fewer patients in NSW ICU now than there were on October 30 which had 81 people in ICU with 31 on ventilators, compared to just 26 on Saturday. More than 70 per cent of NSW ICU patients are unvaccinated - and global studies suggest the unvaxxed are 60 times more likely to end up in intensive care. Dr Coatsworth said the human race had emerged from countless pandemics throughout history - and it will make us stronger and more capable of managing the next in future. He was the face of Australia's vaccination programme rollout when it first began, and he said the massive widespread uptake will be key to our future. He hailed the way the Australian public had rallied to the cause and got jabbed to protect themselves and the community. 'The virus itself has also helped us,' he said. 'It has evolved into a definitively milder illness with a complete uncoupling of case numbers and hospitalisations.' 'The evidence for this emerged from South Africa very early in the Omicron wave and now has been validated around the world to the point of being conclusive.' DrNick Coatsworth says the world is on the verge of using Omicron to bounce back from the nightmare of the last two years (pictured New Years Eve fireworks on Sydney Harbour) In South Africa, where Omicron was first identified, cases are already dropping dramatically just a month after the new variant first began to spread. Cases began to surge there around Nov 28 and hit their peak about two weeks later on Dec 12 when the country had more than 37,000 reported new cases. Since then the numbers have been falling steadily and are now around 10,000 new cases a day - but death rates have barely changed throughout the outbreak. South Africa's average Covid daily death rate went from 31 on November 10 before the outbreak, to 64 at its peak, despite case numbers soaring 15,000 per cent. In South Africa, where Omicron was first identified, cases are already dropping dramatically just a month after it first began to spread (pictured) South Africa's average Covid daily death rate went from 31 on November 10 before the outbreak, to 64 at its peak, despite case numbers soaring 15,000 per cent (pictured) In the UK, daily new cases are approaching 200,000 a day - but the seven day average death rate for the disease has actually dropped below pre-Omicron levels, from 157 a day in October to its current 100 a day average. 'In Britain, hundreds of thousands of cases have not brought the National Health Service to collapse,' said Dr Coatsworth. 'Regis Professor of Medicine at Oxford John Bell concluded earlier in the week that Omicron is not the same disease we were seeing a year ago.. Every nation has seen the same phenomenon. We are seeing it in Australia.' Australia's leaders have admitted the nation's health system has been put under pressure with the latest Omicron outbreak, especially handling testing and results. Victoria's Covid Commissioner Jeroen Weimar admitted the current rising numbers were a concern but insisted the preparations were in place to deal with it (pictured, testing at Bondi) 'We've seen a significant increase in case numbers, but what is pleasing is that our health system remains strong,' NSW Premier Dom Perrottet said on Friday. 'Whilst the case numbers are substantially increasing, compared to where we were with the Delta variant, our position remains incredibly strong.' Victoria's Covid Commissioner Jeroen Weimar admitted the current rising numbers were a concern but insisted the preparations were in place to deal with it. 'We expect to see those numbers continue to rise over the days ahead,' he said. 'There's a huge amount of work happening across our hospitals to make sure we're ready for that workload.' Dr Nick Coatsworth has called for an end to social media scaremongering and says it's time to learn to live with the virus (pictured, cars queue for testing at Bondi on New Year's Day) Now Dr Coatsworth has called for an end to social media scaremongering and says it's time to learn to live with the virus. 'In light of our community success, the evolution of the virus to a milder form and effective new treatments, the time for mandates and whole-of-community restrictions is therefore over,' he said. 'The case for fear of COVID-19 is now restricted largely to the social media platform of Twitter. 'Absent the perennial efforts of a small but vocal section of public health academia and a dwindling number of media personalities, our community is ready and can move to a phase of living with COVID-19 as an endemic virus.' Health chiefs have admitted the nation's health system has been put under pressure with the latest Omicron outbreak, especially handling testing and results (pictured, an ICU patient at Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital) But he warned some may try to use the spread of Omicron for political gain before this year's federal election 'in an attempt to damage the incumbent Coalition'. He added: 'We can be rightly proud of what we have achieved as Australians in the face of what was the challenge of our lifetime. 'We will emerge a stronger, healthier and more prosperous nation for our efforts.' Even as the Omicron version of the coronavirus spreads, camel owners from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar recently traveled to the United Arab Emirates. They brought with them 40,000 of their most beautiful camels for the Al Dhafra Festival, an event that celebrates desert culture. Camel beauty is decided based on appearances agreed upon generations ago. Only female camels take part because males fight too much, experts said. A five-man jury decides the winners. One of the organizers, Mohammed al-Muhari, described what judges were looking for as hundreds of camels were being shown. Necks must be long and thin, cheeks wide and hooves large, he told The Associated Press. Lips must hang down. The camels must walk tall. Its not so different from humans, al-Muhari said. Some breeders have tried to cheat. They use banned injections to grow the camels lips, soften the face and increase the size of the camels back. Festival spokesman Abdel Hadi Saleh would not say how many breeders had been banned over measures to change a camels appearance. All camels have detailed medical examinations before entering Al Dhafra Festival. Since Emirati investigators began using X-rays and other devices a few years ago, Saleh said the number of cheaters has fallen. We easily catch them, and they realize getting caught, its not worth the cost to their reputation, he said. A great deal is at stake. Al Dhafra Festival offers the top 10 winners in each category prizes from $1,300 to $13,600. At the main Saudi contest, the most beautiful get high prices. Camels change hands in deals worth millions of dirhams, a local form of money. But breeders say it is not only about the money. Saleh al-Minhali is a camel-owner from Dubai. It is a kind of our heritage and custom that the (Emirati rulers) revived, he said. Revive is a term that means to bring back. Gone are the days when camels were important for daily life in the country. However, experts say Emiratis are increasingly searching for meaning in the past. This includes Bedouin traditions that were common before the UAE became a nation 50 years ago. Rima Sabban of the Zayed University in Dubai said, Younger Emiratis who have identity issues are going back to their heritage to find a sense of belonging. Sabban added, The society developed and modernized so fast it creates a crisis inside. Festivals across the country celebrate the camels importance. Al Dhafra also features falcon racing, camel dancing and a camel milking contest. Each category in the 10-day contest is divided into two types of camels: Mahaliyat, the tan breed that comes from the UAE and Oman, and Majaheen, the darker breed from Saudi Arabia. For hours, judges studied each camel, writing lists of the animals body parts for scoring purposes. Breeders shouted to surprise camels so they would look up and show off long necks. As the sun set over the sands, the winning breeders were called to accept their prizes. Camels were crowned with gold and silver-lined cloth. Weve received over 40 prizes (in various camel contests) this year alone, said Mohammed Saleh bin Migrin al-Amri as he held four from the day, including two golds. After that, he jumped into his vehicle and the victory parade of vehicles and camels disappeared into the desert. Im John Russell. Isabel Debre reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. _________________________________________________ Words in This Story hooves n. plural the hard covering on the foot of an animal (such as a horse or pig) breeder n. a person who keeps and takes care of certain kinds of animals to produce more of that animal with the same qualities reputation n. the common opinion that people have about someone at stake phrase in a position to be lost or gained category n. a group of people or things that are similar in some way heritage n. the traditions, beliefs and deeds that are part of the history of a group or nation Eligibility checker for 120m Omicron business support package opens This article is old - Published: Saturday, Jan 1st, 2022 Businesses in Wales impacted by the rapid spread of the Omicron virus can now find out how much they can expect to receive in emergency financial support from the Welsh Government. Economy Minister Vaughan Gething previously said 120m would be available for retail, hospitality, leisure and tourism business and their supply chains affected by the move to alert level 2 announced by the First Minister on Wednesday 22 December. The support package includes funding from the Economic Resilience Fund (ERF), with an eligibility checker for this fund now live on the Business Wales website. This will help businesses, including charities and social enterprises, to gauge how much they can expect to receive from the ERF. Eligible businesses can apply for grants of between 2,500k 25,000, with grants dependent on their size and number of employees. The application window for the ERF will open in week commencing 17 January 2022, with payments starting to reach businesses within days. The application window will be open for two weeks. Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething, said: We recognise that businesses are facing another hugely uncertain time due to the Omicron variant of Coronavirus. The eligibility checker which goes live today will help them forward plan during this challenging period. Since the start of the pandemic, weve provided over 2.6bn of support to businesses throughout Wales to help them manage their way through difficult circumstances. This latest 120 million package of support will further assist impacted businesses and we will get financial support to them as quickly as possible. Non-essential retail, hospitality, leisure and tourism businesses in Wales will also receive support from the Non Domestic Rates (NDR) linked grant which will be administered by Local Authorities. Businesses will be entitled to a payment of 2,000, 4,000 or 6,000 depending on their rateable value. Local Authorities will also be administrating a discretionary fund for sole traders, freelancers and taxi drivers and businesses that employee people but do not pay business rates. The registration process for the NDR linked grants and application process for the discretionary fund will open week commencing the 10 January 2022. Bradey Police Lt. Philip Trudeau (L) comforts Bourbonnais Police officer Andy Cox following a ceremonial procession for fallen Bradley Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, in Bourbonnais, Ill., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Tiffany Blanchette/The Daily Journal via AP) Suspect in Shooting of Illinois Officers Arrested in Indiana CHICAGOA man suspected in the shooting of one police officer and wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel has been taken into custody, authorities said Friday. Darius Sullivan, one of two people suspected in the shooting of the two Bradley police officers, was arrested Friday morning at a home in North Manchester, Indiana, Sgt. Glen Fifield of the Indiana State Police said at a news conference. Sullivan, 25, surrendered to a SWAT team that was assisting the U.S. Marshals with a search warrant for the property about 110 miles east of Bradley. Sullivans arrest came a day after Illinois authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The Illinois State Police did not release any updates on the investigation Friday other than a written statement confirming that Sullivan had been arrested and would be taken back to Kankakee County, where the shooting occurred late Wednesday. Fifield said he didnt have any details on the investigation into the shooting. He did name three other men but wouldnt discuss whether their arrests were connected to the officers shootings. Two of the men were arrested after police said they ran from their car during a traffic stop in Fulton County, Indiana. The third was arrested at the home where Sullivan was taken into custody. Fifield said police found weapons and drugs in the car that the two men fled from and at the North Manchester home. Authorities are still searching for 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, of Bradley, who investigators believe was at the hotel when the shootings happened, the Illinois State Police said. The two officers were speaking to people in a room at a Comfort Inn along a highway in Kankakee County when they were shot, according to the county sheriffs office. They were taken to nearby hospitals, where 49-year-old Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic died. The other officeridentified by the Illinois State Police as 27-year-old Tyler J. Baileyunderwent surgery and was listed in critical condition on Thursday, according to the Bradley Police Department. Messages left with the department and Illinois State Police on Friday to update Baileys condition were not immediately returned. The officers were at the hotel to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, the sheriffs office said. They found the room where the vehicles possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, it said. Authorities arrested two other people Thursday on charges alleging they impeded the search for Sullivan and a woman also suspected in the shootings. Nichele Newton-Carroll, 42, and Jelman Sullivan, 21, face charges of obstructing justice/leaving the state, the (Kankakee) Daily Journal reported. Neither had an attorney listed Friday in court or jail records. Kankakee County States Attorney Jim Rowe identified Newton-Carroll as Sullivans mother. Rowe said he is not sure of the connection between Jelman Sullivan and Darius Sullivan. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriffs deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriffs Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputys squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. An empty restaurant is shown in Montreal on Dec. 26, as new health measures imposed by the Quebec government to help curb the spread of COVID-19 come into effect. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press - image credit) The federal government announced today that the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit (CWLB) is open for applications. The benefit, which gives temporary income support to employed and self-employed people who cannot work due to a COVID-19 lockdown, pays $300 a week. It's only available to those in a lockdown region who can't work as a result of capacity restrictions. In a news release, the Canada Revenue Agency said British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador and Nunavut are designated as lockdown regions. "This list will be updated as provincial or territorial governments introduce changes to public health restrictions," the release reads. Payments will be retroactive to December 19. The benefit was created early this month but was not initially available to anyone as the federal government had not designated any regions as being in lockdown. The government later expanded eligibility so that COVID-19 public health orders restricting public access to businesses by at least 50 per cent would be included under the definition of a lockdown order. Full eligibility criteria can be found on the CRA's website. Applicants must have lost more than half of their income. "Through Bill C-2 and the expansion of the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit, we are supporting Canadian workers through targeted income support as regions implement public health measures to stop the spread of COVID-19," Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough said in the release. National Revenue Minister Diane Lebouthillier said the government would continue "monitoring the evolving situation closely." "These changes will ensure Canadians have the support they need to deal with the economic impacts of the Omicron variant, while also supporting a strong economic recovery," Lebouthillier said. BRUSSELS Media freedom continued to be under attack across much of the world in 2021, with nine journalists killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan alone and 102 imprisoned in China, according to a new report. The International Federation of Journalists said in a bleak assessment that imprisonments were especially on the rise, with 365 journalists behind bars compared to 235 last year. The world needs to wake up to the growing violations of journalists rights and media freedoms across the globe, IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said. The report was released on the eve of the United Nations Human Rights Day. Apart from China, Turkey had 34 journalists in prison, Belarus and Eritrea 29, Egypt 27 and Vietnam 21. The IFJ said that the rise of detentions in China was linked to the coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, the further arrests of Uyghur journalists reporting on the treatment of the Muslim minority in western China. Many have called it genocide. It said that coverage of the demonstrations in Hong Kong also led to further arrests. Bellanger said the attacks on journalists went well beyond the personal losses suffered and affected society as a whole. They also point to the violation of the peoples fundamental right to access accurate, objective and fair information so that they can make properly informed choices about public affairs. With three weeks left in the year, overall deaths in the line of duty were set to go down this year, with 45 so far, compared to 65 overall last year. With Afghanistan topping the list with nine journalists killed, Mexico came close behind with eight, all of them murders. India had four and Pakistan three. The Brussels-based IFJ represents 600,000 media professionals from 187 trade unions and associations in more than 140 countries. Katra (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 1 (ANI): A stampede occurred at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan here on Saturday morning. An official from the police control room in Reasi town said in a brief communication that a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan has occurred. Also Read | COVID-19 in Mumbai: Dharavi Reports 34 New Coronavirus Cases in Past 24 Hours; Total Active Cases Rises to 95. "Injuries have been reported. A rescue operation is underway," the official said. More details are awaited. (ANI) Also Read | PM Narendra Modi to Inaugurate Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2022 on January 10. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) What better start could there be to 2022? Despite the best efforts of those who would condemn us to an endless cycle of lockdowns, we managed to see in the New Year free from most Covid restrictions. Now in todays Mail, Health Secretary Sajid Javid gives the strongest signal yet that there is no need for any further curbs in the foreseeable future. We couldnt agree more. And there is a wealth of statistics to back him up. Thanks to a tremendous vaccination surge, more frequent testing and the relative weakness of the Omicron strain, rising infections have not translated into dangerously high hospitalisations. Even NHS Providers chief Chris Hopson says hospitals are coping, and sees no immediate need for more draconian measures. In todays Mail, Health Secretary Sajid Javid (pictured on December 19) gives the strongest signal yet that there is no need for any further curbs in the foreseeable future Meanwhile, in South Africa, the authorities are so confident that Omicron has passed its peak (with little impact on death or hospitalisation rates) they have lifted a night-time curfew after 21 months. True, there are still problems with NHS staff absences due to Covid, but that will be eased considerably by the cut in the isolation period from ten days to seven. Its surely time to follow the US and Greece and reduce it to five, as long as symptoms have eased and some minor precautions are still taken. Given the scale of infections, Mr Javid can hardly say the threat is over. But he makes the overriding point that we must learn to live with the virus rather than panic at the first hint of any new variant. It has taken courage to hold out against the bulk of the scientific establishment. Most scientists, however, are coming round to his and Boris Johnsons way of thinking. What Britain needs now is to look forward. The economic indicators for 2022 are overwhelmingly positive and this country is ready to take off. We cannot let our wings be clipped again. Failing our youth Two more young lives brutally snuffed out. Two more grieving mothers. Two more cold statistics on the police murder file. The story is depressingly familiar, yet still deeply shocking. Within half an hour on Thursday, two boys aged 15 and 16 were stabbed to death in separate London parks. That brings the number of teenagers killed in blade attacks this year in the capital to a record 30. What an appalling indictment of London mayor Sadiq Khan. On his watch, the death toll is almost twice as high as the average over the eight years of his predecessor Boris Johnson. Police tape is seen at Ashburton Park in Croydon, south London, where London's 29th stabbing victim died on Thursday night Mr Khan constantly wrings his hands over knife crime, but has failed to stem the carnage despite shelling out 62million on an ineffectual violence reduction unit. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick is no better. Her abject failure to reclaim the streets has let the problem escalate to epidemic proportions. As victims and perpetrators come dis-proportionately from the black community, there are, of course, racial sensitivities. But until the police, mayors office and community leaders overcome them to agree a decisive, joined-up strategy, the bloodletting will only get worse. Boys will go on dying. Their uncomprehending mothers will go on grieving. The best of British There are those who love to talk Britain down. But the achievements of those named in the New Year honours show what a truly extraordinary country this is. From Covid heroes, through sporting champions, scientists, thespians and political luminaries, the list bristles with talent and quality. Even that icon of revolutionary Trotskyism Vanessa Redgrave has graciously agreed to accept a damehood. If that glittering array doesnt make you proud to be British, nothing will. A glamorous wellness influencer has been arrested and charged with fraud just days after announcing her absence from social media in a cryptic Instagram post. Bianca Cheah, 40 - who has 1.3 million Instagram followers - was detained by Australian Border Force after flying from Los Angeles and arriving at Sydney Airport at 7.30am on Friday. Cheah is understood to have been expecting authorities to be waiting for her at the gates before she was then handed over to NSW Police. She was taken to Mascot Police Station where she was charged with two counts of publishing false or misleading material to obtain advantage. Bianca Cheah, 40, was detained by Australian Border Force after flying from Los Angeles and arriving at Sydney Airport at 7.30am on Friday Ms Cheah is seen above with her husband Simon Chalmers. The high-powered couple has since split Ms Cheah made a cryptic post to Instagram a week before she was arrested In November 2019, NSW Police launched a fraud investigation into Ms Cheah, a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia. The former IMG model had been accused of playing a role in duping investors in her online business Sporteluxe out of $1million. Just before her arrest this week, Ms Cheah posted to Instagram claiming she was uploading less content than normal as she had chosen to focus upon her family life and her son. 'Why am I not posting on Instagram as much? To answer your questionat this time in my life, I've just chosen to be more present with my darling Olly,' she wrote. 'I know this is a finite period in my life and I am choosing to embrace it. I am choosing to find joy in my motherhood journey. I know my little Oliver needs me now in a way he won't ever again. NSW Police launched a fraud investigation into Ms Cheah in November 2019 She had been accused of duping investors out of $1million by allegedly inflating the profits of her online business Ms Cheah posted a cryptic message to Instagram just prior to her arrest saying she had become 'distant' on social media 'And I don't want to miss out on all the beautiful moments right here in front of my very eyes. The ones that many have to sadly miss, and the ones that I never want to take for granted.' Ms Chea said she had become 'distant' on social media but 'closer' to her son during her time off. 'I'm learning from him and his own, unique perspective,' she wrote. 'Seeing things through his beautiful lens and thinking about things differently for a change. You see, right now, my Oliver is only little. 'Right now he needs me. Right now I am his safe place and comfort and his home. That is why, first and foremost, I am defined by my motherhood. Being present is my greatest gift I could ever give to Oliver.' Two court matters for Ms Cheah had been listed in Manly Local Court days before the post. Ms Cheah once boasted of being 'probably the best green juice drinker in the world'. Her husband Simon Chalmers - who she has split from - ran Kings Cross nightclub Beach Haus, where Leonardo DiCaprio celebrated his 37th birthday. On Friday, Ms Chea was granted conditional bail following her arrest at Sydney Airport on Friday. She will appear at Manly Local Court on February 22. Ms Chea said she had become 'distant' on social media but 'closer' to her son during her time off A glamorous wellness influencer has been arrested and charged with fraud just days after announcing her absence from social media in a cryptic Instagram post. Bianca Cheah, 40 - who has 1.3 million Instagram followers - was detained by Australian Border Force after flying from Los Angeles and arriving at Sydney Airport at 7.30am on Friday. Cheah is understood to have been expecting authorities to be waiting for her at the gates before she was then handed over to NSW Police. She was taken to Mascot Police Station where she was charged with two counts of publishing false or misleading material to obtain advantage. Bianca Cheah, 40, was detained by Australian Border Force after flying from Los Angeles and arriving at Sydney Airport at 7.30am on Friday Ms Cheah is seen above with her husband Simon Chalmers. The high-powered couple has since split Ms Cheah made a cryptic post to Instagram a week before she was arrested In November 2019, NSW Police launched a fraud investigation into Ms Cheah, a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia. The former IMG model had been accused of playing a role in duping investors in her online business Sporteluxe out of $1million. Just before her arrest this week, Ms Cheah posted to Instagram claiming she was uploading less content than normal as she had chosen to focus upon her family life and her son. 'Why am I not posting on Instagram as much? To answer your questionat this time in my life, I've just chosen to be more present with my darling Olly,' she wrote. 'I know this is a finite period in my life and I am choosing to embrace it. I am choosing to find joy in my motherhood journey. I know my little Oliver needs me now in a way he won't ever again. NSW Police launched a fraud investigation into Ms Cheah in November 2019 She had been accused of duping investors out of $1million by allegedly inflating the profits of her online business Ms Cheah posted a cryptic message to Instagram just prior to her arrest saying she had become 'distant' on social media 'And I don't want to miss out on all the beautiful moments right here in front of my very eyes. The ones that many have to sadly miss, and the ones that I never want to take for granted.' Ms Chea said she had become 'distant' on social media but 'closer' to her son during her time off. 'I'm learning from him and his own, unique perspective,' she wrote. 'Seeing things through his beautiful lens and thinking about things differently for a change. You see, right now, my Oliver is only little. 'Right now he needs me. Right now I am his safe place and comfort and his home. That is why, first and foremost, I am defined by my motherhood. Being present is my greatest gift I could ever give to Oliver.' Two court matters for Ms Cheah had been listed in Manly Local Court days before the post. Ms Cheah once boasted of being 'probably the best green juice drinker in the world'. Her husband Simon Chalmers - who she has split from - ran Kings Cross nightclub Beach Haus, where Leonardo DiCaprio celebrated his 37th birthday. On Friday, Ms Chea was granted conditional bail following her arrest at Sydney Airport on Friday. She will appear at Manly Local Court on February 22. Ms Chea said she had become 'distant' on social media but 'closer' to her son during her time off A glamorous wellness influencer has been arrested and charged with fraud just days after announcing her absence from social media in a cryptic Instagram post. Bianca Cheah, 40 - who has 1.3 million Instagram followers - was detained by Australian Border Force after flying from Los Angeles and arriving at Sydney Airport at 7.30am on Friday. Cheah is understood to have been expecting authorities to be waiting for her at the gates before she was then handed over to NSW Police. She was taken to Mascot Police Station where she was charged with two counts of publishing false or misleading material to obtain advantage. Bianca Cheah, 40, was detained by Australian Border Force after flying from Los Angeles and arriving at Sydney Airport at 7.30am on Friday Ms Cheah is seen above with her husband Simon Chalmers. The high-powered couple has since split Ms Cheah made a cryptic post to Instagram a week before she was arrested In November 2019, NSW Police launched a fraud investigation into Ms Cheah, a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia. The former IMG model had been accused of playing a role in duping investors in her online business Sporteluxe out of $1million. Just before her arrest this week, Ms Cheah posted to Instagram claiming she was uploading less content than normal as she had chosen to focus upon her family life and her son. 'Why am I not posting on Instagram as much? To answer your questionat this time in my life, I've just chosen to be more present with my darling Olly,' she wrote. 'I know this is a finite period in my life and I am choosing to embrace it. I am choosing to find joy in my motherhood journey. I know my little Oliver needs me now in a way he won't ever again. NSW Police launched a fraud investigation into Ms Cheah in November 2019 She had been accused of duping investors out of $1million by allegedly inflating the profits of her online business Ms Cheah posted a cryptic message to Instagram just prior to her arrest saying she had become 'distant' on social media 'And I don't want to miss out on all the beautiful moments right here in front of my very eyes. The ones that many have to sadly miss, and the ones that I never want to take for granted.' Ms Chea said she had become 'distant' on social media but 'closer' to her son during her time off. 'I'm learning from him and his own, unique perspective,' she wrote. 'Seeing things through his beautiful lens and thinking about things differently for a change. You see, right now, my Oliver is only little. 'Right now he needs me. Right now I am his safe place and comfort and his home. That is why, first and foremost, I am defined by my motherhood. Being present is my greatest gift I could ever give to Oliver.' Two court matters for Ms Cheah had been listed in Manly Local Court days before the post. Ms Cheah once boasted of being 'probably the best green juice drinker in the world'. Her husband Simon Chalmers - who she has split from - ran Kings Cross nightclub Beach Haus, where Leonardo DiCaprio celebrated his 37th birthday. On Friday, Ms Chea was granted conditional bail following her arrest at Sydney Airport on Friday. She will appear at Manly Local Court on February 22. Ms Chea said she had become 'distant' on social media but 'closer' to her son during her time off A glamorous wellness influencer has been arrested and charged with fraud just days after announcing her absence from social media in a cryptic Instagram post. Bianca Cheah, 40 - who has 1.3 million Instagram followers - was detained by Australian Border Force after flying from Los Angeles and arriving at Sydney Airport at 7.30am on Friday. Cheah is understood to have been expecting authorities to be waiting for her at the gates before she was then handed over to NSW Police. She was taken to Mascot Police Station where she was charged with two counts of publishing false or misleading material to obtain advantage. Bianca Cheah, 40, was detained by Australian Border Force after flying from Los Angeles and arriving at Sydney Airport at 7.30am on Friday Ms Cheah is seen above with her husband Simon Chalmers. The high-powered couple has since split Ms Cheah made a cryptic post to Instagram a week before she was arrested In November 2019, NSW Police launched a fraud investigation into Ms Cheah, a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia. The former IMG model had been accused of playing a role in duping investors in her online business Sporteluxe out of $1million. Just before her arrest this week, Ms Cheah posted to Instagram claiming she was uploading less content than normal as she had chosen to focus upon her family life and her son. 'Why am I not posting on Instagram as much? To answer your questionat this time in my life, I've just chosen to be more present with my darling Olly,' she wrote. 'I know this is a finite period in my life and I am choosing to embrace it. I am choosing to find joy in my motherhood journey. I know my little Oliver needs me now in a way he won't ever again. NSW Police launched a fraud investigation into Ms Cheah in November 2019 She had been accused of duping investors out of $1million by allegedly inflating the profits of her online business Ms Cheah posted a cryptic message to Instagram just prior to her arrest saying she had become 'distant' on social media 'And I don't want to miss out on all the beautiful moments right here in front of my very eyes. The ones that many have to sadly miss, and the ones that I never want to take for granted.' Ms Chea said she had become 'distant' on social media but 'closer' to her son during her time off. 'I'm learning from him and his own, unique perspective,' she wrote. 'Seeing things through his beautiful lens and thinking about things differently for a change. You see, right now, my Oliver is only little. 'Right now he needs me. Right now I am his safe place and comfort and his home. That is why, first and foremost, I am defined by my motherhood. Being present is my greatest gift I could ever give to Oliver.' Two court matters for Ms Cheah had been listed in Manly Local Court days before the post. Ms Cheah once boasted of being 'probably the best green juice drinker in the world'. Her husband Simon Chalmers - who she has split from - ran Kings Cross nightclub Beach Haus, where Leonardo DiCaprio celebrated his 37th birthday. On Friday, Ms Chea was granted conditional bail following her arrest at Sydney Airport on Friday. She will appear at Manly Local Court on February 22. Ms Chea said she had become 'distant' on social media but 'closer' to her son during her time off A glamorous wellness influencer has been arrested and charged with fraud just days after announcing her absence from social media in a cryptic Instagram post. Bianca Cheah, 40 - who has 1.3 million Instagram followers - was detained by Australian Border Force after flying from Los Angeles and arriving at Sydney Airport at 7.30am on Friday. Cheah is understood to have been expecting authorities to be waiting for her at the gates before she was then handed over to NSW Police. She was taken to Mascot Police Station where she was charged with two counts of publishing false or misleading material to obtain advantage. Bianca Cheah, 40, was detained by Australian Border Force after flying from Los Angeles and arriving at Sydney Airport at 7.30am on Friday Ms Cheah is seen above with her husband Simon Chalmers. The high-powered couple has since split Ms Cheah made a cryptic post to Instagram a week before she was arrested In November 2019, NSW Police launched a fraud investigation into Ms Cheah, a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia. The former IMG model had been accused of playing a role in duping investors in her online business Sporteluxe out of $1million. Just before her arrest this week, Ms Cheah posted to Instagram claiming she was uploading less content than normal as she had chosen to focus upon her family life and her son. 'Why am I not posting on Instagram as much? To answer your questionat this time in my life, I've just chosen to be more present with my darling Olly,' she wrote. 'I know this is a finite period in my life and I am choosing to embrace it. I am choosing to find joy in my motherhood journey. I know my little Oliver needs me now in a way he won't ever again. NSW Police launched a fraud investigation into Ms Cheah in November 2019 She had been accused of duping investors out of $1million by allegedly inflating the profits of her online business Ms Cheah posted a cryptic message to Instagram just prior to her arrest saying she had become 'distant' on social media 'And I don't want to miss out on all the beautiful moments right here in front of my very eyes. The ones that many have to sadly miss, and the ones that I never want to take for granted.' Ms Chea said she had become 'distant' on social media but 'closer' to her son during her time off. 'I'm learning from him and his own, unique perspective,' she wrote. 'Seeing things through his beautiful lens and thinking about things differently for a change. You see, right now, my Oliver is only little. 'Right now he needs me. Right now I am his safe place and comfort and his home. That is why, first and foremost, I am defined by my motherhood. Being present is my greatest gift I could ever give to Oliver.' Two court matters for Ms Cheah had been listed in Manly Local Court days before the post. Ms Cheah once boasted of being 'probably the best green juice drinker in the world'. Her husband Simon Chalmers - who she has split from - ran Kings Cross nightclub Beach Haus, where Leonardo DiCaprio celebrated his 37th birthday. On Friday, Ms Chea was granted conditional bail following her arrest at Sydney Airport on Friday. She will appear at Manly Local Court on February 22. Ms Chea said she had become 'distant' on social media but 'closer' to her son during her time off Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar As 2021 comes to a close, it is natural to look back at the year that was. While there was some return to normalcy during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, several events were canceled, and even with those that went on as planned, masks, attempts at distancing and noting that the previous years event had been canceled often were reminders of the ongoing issue. Still, life went on. With that in mind, these are the most important stories I covered in 2021, and ones that are likely to continue to make headlines going into 2022. Shooting left one child dead, two injured One childs life ended, two others changed forever, and their families left to figure out how to move forward. The suffering they have and will continue to go through is something few others in the community can understand. On June 28, authorities said a group of men in a car fired on another man standing in front of a home on Wilson Lee Boulevard. It appeared they missed their target, but the gunfire struck AhMiyahh Howell, 8, killing her, and injuring a second child, Tariq Lowery, who was shot in the leg. Soon after, a second shooting took place which injured Maliki Ramseur, a 10-year-old. Witnesses were reluctant to come forward, fearing retaliation, but a few weeks later, the Statesville Police Department arrested six people in connection with the shootings. Their cases are expected to go trial in 2022. Since then, the Statesville City Council said it would begin to address the socio-economic issues that seem more prevalent in the part of town where the shootings happened. Several community events have taken place in hopes of building relationships in the community that can address those same issues. While many remain skeptical of what can be done, the hope expressed by many is the issues at hand can be addressed and a crime like this wont happen again. Iredell County Confederate Memorial stays The Iredell County Confederate Memorial was poised to move off of county grounds and into a local cemetery with the Confederate dead buried there. Then, the political backlash came. Local conservatives soon let the elected leaders know they had little interest in the idea and the commissioners then said it wouldnt be pursuing the idea further. The Iredell County Board of Commissioners had voted 4-1 to begin a process of moving the statue, with Scottie Brown voting against the move. The statue attracted protesters and counter protesters, like in many other cities, as racial justice protests emerged all over the country after the killing of George Floyd by a Minnesota police officer. But a few days after the resolution was passed, the commissioners said the statute wouldnt be moved. What changed their mind remains a matter of opinion. James Mallory and Gene Houpe said that local Sons of the Confederacy groups did not agree to the move, so the matter was resolved. Protests would continue into the summer asking for the removal of the statue, mostly without more than shouting between protesters and counter protesters. For many of the nights, signs with slogans or chants with expletives were the closest either side was to being more than loud in their efforts to change peoples minds. But at times it turned ugly with some arrests and occasional, but clear, racist slogans being shouted by counter protesters. The protesters eventually left as some of the organizers split off from each other, but the issue isnt in the past just yet. Several local groups came together to file a lawsuit, but they havent had their day in court. For now, the statue remains at the Iredell County Government Center on South Center Street. COVID-19 pandemic continues While life in many ways continued with the signs of the pandemic coming and going as cases waxed and waned, one place it was impossible to forget was at schools. Iredell-Statesville Schools and other districts tried to balance education with health and safety. While the school year started out with no mask mandate, a surge of early cases prompted I-SS to enact one, which led to more controversy. As protesters lined up outside the Career Academy & Technical School in Troutman where I-SS meetings take place, one ended up breaking a glass door while pounding on it with their hands. Police would say it was accidental, but the shattered glass startled those inside and made them consider what might happen next. The protests would subside, but the controversy continued even as the numbers of COVID cases rose. It hasnt been surprising to see I-SSs data say nearly 2,000 students had been potentially in contact with a positive case within a given week, whether it came from inside or outside the schools. In light of a rise in cases recently, the school system will require masks for students when they return to class in 2022. According to the Iredell County Health Department, there have been 32,766 COVID cases in the county, leading to 350 deaths. Delays, redistricting and elections in Iredell County Local politicians were off to the races until they werent. The end of 2021 meant a number of candidates would begin filing for the 2022 elections, with an initial rush coming on Dec. 6, the first day that filing was open. But soon after, it was all put on hold as the North Carolina Supreme Court agreed to issue a stay as lawsuits were filed over redistricting maps for congressional and state legislative districts. The North Carolina Court of Appeals put a hold on filing for state-level offices and higher. Rep. Jeff McNeely and Sen. Vickie Sawyer who were among those who had voted on the districts that were slated to be used in the 2022 elections would file the next day, but on Dec. 8 the states Supreme Court put filing on hold. While a number of candidates declared well before then, not all filed paperwork to be on the ballot, leaving them in limbo as they way to see if the next round of challenges will change what districts they are in. The whole process was already delayed when information from the 2020 census was delayed due to issues gathering the data during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cities like Statesville, with permission from the state, chose to delay their elections in light of this, to 2022. This is itself was controversial as it extended the terms of some officeholders. Now, statewide primaries are delayed until May 17 instead of taking place as they usually do in March. The western American city of San Francisco, California suffered a huge earthquake on April 18th, 1906. More than three thousand people are known to have died. The true number of dead will never be known. Two hundred fifty thousand people lost their homes. Just a few hours after the terrible earthquake, a magazine named Colliers sent a telegraph message to the famous American writer Jack London. They asked Mr. London to go to San Francisco and report about what he saw. He arrived in the city only a few hours after the earthquake. The report he wrote is called, The Story of an Eyewitness. Not in history has a modern city been so completely destroyed. San Francisco is gone. Nothing remains of it but memories and a few homes that were near the edge of the city. Its industrial area is gone. Its business area is gone. Its social and living areas are gone. The factories, great stores and newspaper buildings, the hotels and the huge homes of the very rich, are all gone. Within minutes of the earthquake the fires began. Within an hour a huge tower of smoke caused by the fires could be seen a hundred miles away. And for three days and nights this huge fire moved in the sky, reddening the sun, darkening the day and filling the land with smoke. There was no opposing the flames. There was no organization, no communication. The earthquake had smashed all of the modern inventions of a twentieth century city. The streets were broken and filled with pieces of fallen walls. The telephone and telegraph systems were broken. And the great water pipes had burst. All inventions and safety plans of man had been destroyed by thirty seconds of movement by the earth. By Wednesday afternoon, only twelve hours after the earthquake, half the heart of the city was gone. I watched the huge fire. It was very calm. There was no wind. Yet from every side, wind was pouring in upon the city. East, west, north and south, strong winds were blowing upon the dying city. The heated air made a huge wind that pulled air into the fire, rising into the atmosphere. Day and night the calm continued, and yet, near the flames, the wind was often as strong as a storm. There was no water to fight the fire. Fire fighters decided to use explosives to destroy buildings in its path. They hoped this would create a block to slow or stop the fire. Building after building was destroyed. And still the great fires continued. Jack London told how people tried to save some of their possessions from the fire. Wednesday night the whole city crashed and roared into ruin, yet the city was quiet. There were no crowds. There was no shouting and yelling. There was no disorder. I passed Wednesday night in the path of the fire and in all those terrible hours I saw not one woman who cried, not one man who was excited, not one person who caused trouble. Throughout the night, tens of thousands of homeless ones fled the fire. Some were wrapped in blankets. Others carried bedding and dear household treasures. Many of the poor left their homes with everything they could carry. Many of their loads were extremely heavy. Throughout the night they dropped items they could no longer hold. They left on the street clothing and treasures they had carried for miles. Many carried large boxes called trunks. They held onto these the longest. It was a hard night and the hills of San Francisco are steep. And up these hills, mile after mile, were the trunks dragged. Many a strong man broke his heart that night. Before the march of the fire were soldiers. Their job was to keep the people moving away from the fire. The extremely tired people would arise and struggle up the steep hills, pausing from weakness every five or ten feet. Often, after reaching the top of a heart-breaking hill, they would find the fire was moving at them from a different direction. After working hour after hour through the night to save part of their lives, thousands were forced to leave their trunks and flee. At night I walked down through the very heart of the city. I walked through mile after mile of beautiful buildings. Here was no fire. All was in perfect order. The police patrolled the streets. And yet it was all doomed, all of it. There was no water. The explosives were almost used up. And two huge fires were coming toward this part of the city from different directions. Four hours later I walked through this same part of the city. Everything still stood as before. And yet there was a change. A rain of ashes was falling. The police had been withdrawn. There were no firemen, no fire engines, and no men using explosives. I stood at the corner of Kearney and Market Streets in the very heart of San Francisco. Nothing could be done. Nothing could be saved. The surrender was complete. It was impossible to guess where the fire would move next. In the early evening I passed through Union Square. It was packed with refugees. Thousands of them had gone to bed on the grass. Government tents had been set up, food was being cooked and the refugees were lining up for free meals. Late that night I passed Union Square again. Three sides of the Square were in flames. The Square, with mountains of trunks, was deserted. The troops, refugees and all had retreated. The next morning I sat in front of a home on San Franciscos famous Nob Hill. With me sat Japanese, Italians, Chinese and Negroes. All about were the huge homes of the very rich. To the east and south of us were advancing two huge walls of fire. I went inside one house and talked to the owner. He smiled and said the earthquake had destroyed everything he owned. All he had left was his beautiful house. He looked at me and said, The fire will be here in fifteen minutes. Outside the house the troops were falling back and forcing the refugees ahead of them. From every side came the roaring of flames, the crashing of walls and the sound of explosives. Day was trying to dawn through the heavy smoke. A sickly light was creeping over the face of things. When the sun broke through the smoke it was blood-red and small. The smoke changed color from red to rose to purple. I walked past the broken dome of the City Hall building. This part of the city was already a waste of smoking ruins. Here and there through the smoke came a few men and women. It was like the meeting of a few survivors the day after the world ended. The huge fires continued to burn on. Nothing could stop them. Mister London walked from place to place in the city, watching the huge fires destroy the city. Nothing could be done to halt the firestorm. In the end, the fire went out by itself because there was nothing left to burn. Jack London finishes his story: All day Thursday and all Thursday night, all day Friday and Friday night, the flames raged on. Friday night saw the huge fires finally conquered, but not before the fires had swept three-quarters of a mile of docks and store houses at the waterfront. San Francisco at the present time is like the center of a volcano. Around this volcano are tens of thousands of refugees. All the surrounding cities and towns are jammed with the homeless ones. The refugees were carried free by the railroads to any place they wished to go. It is said that more than one hundred thousand people have left the peninsula on which San Francisco stood. The government has control of the situation, and thanks to the immediate relief given by the whole United States, there is no lack of food. The bankers and businessmen have already begun making the necessary plans to rebuild this once beautiful city of San Francisco. "The Story of an Eyewitness" was written by Jack London and adapted by Paul Thompson. It was published in Colliers Magazine, May 5, 1906. Your narrator was Doug Johnson. _______________________________________________________________ For Teachers This lesson plan, based on the CALLA Approach, teaches the learning strategy of classifying to help students understand the story. Quiz Try this Listening Quiz to check your understanding. Quiz - The Story of an Eyewitness Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story smash - v. to break into many pieces; to shatter or destroy atmosphere - n. the whole mass of air that surrounds the Earth surrender - v. to agree to stop fighting, hiding, resisting, etc., because you know that you will not win or succeed retreat - v. to move or go away from a place or situation especially because it is dangerous, unpleasant, etc. survivor - n. a member of a group who continues to live after other members have died firestorm - n. a very large fire that destroys everything in its path and produces powerful winds jammed - v. to fill (a place) completely Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The western American city of San Francisco, California suffered a huge earthquake on April 18th, 1906. More than three thousand people are known to have died. The true number of dead will never be known. Two hundred fifty thousand people lost their homes. Just a few hours after the terrible earthquake, a magazine named Colliers sent a telegraph message to the famous American writer Jack London. They asked Mr. London to go to San Francisco and report about what he saw. He arrived in the city only a few hours after the earthquake. The report he wrote is called, The Story of an Eyewitness. Not in history has a modern city been so completely destroyed. San Francisco is gone. Nothing remains of it but memories and a few homes that were near the edge of the city. Its industrial area is gone. Its business area is gone. Its social and living areas are gone. The factories, great stores and newspaper buildings, the hotels and the huge homes of the very rich, are all gone. Within minutes of the earthquake the fires began. Within an hour a huge tower of smoke caused by the fires could be seen a hundred miles away. And for three days and nights this huge fire moved in the sky, reddening the sun, darkening the day and filling the land with smoke. There was no opposing the flames. There was no organization, no communication. The earthquake had smashed all of the modern inventions of a twentieth century city. The streets were broken and filled with pieces of fallen walls. The telephone and telegraph systems were broken. And the great water pipes had burst. All inventions and safety plans of man had been destroyed by thirty seconds of movement by the earth. By Wednesday afternoon, only twelve hours after the earthquake, half the heart of the city was gone. I watched the huge fire. It was very calm. There was no wind. Yet from every side, wind was pouring in upon the city. East, west, north and south, strong winds were blowing upon the dying city. The heated air made a huge wind that pulled air into the fire, rising into the atmosphere. Day and night the calm continued, and yet, near the flames, the wind was often as strong as a storm. There was no water to fight the fire. Fire fighters decided to use explosives to destroy buildings in its path. They hoped this would create a block to slow or stop the fire. Building after building was destroyed. And still the great fires continued. Jack London told how people tried to save some of their possessions from the fire. Wednesday night the whole city crashed and roared into ruin, yet the city was quiet. There were no crowds. There was no shouting and yelling. There was no disorder. I passed Wednesday night in the path of the fire and in all those terrible hours I saw not one woman who cried, not one man who was excited, not one person who caused trouble. Throughout the night, tens of thousands of homeless ones fled the fire. Some were wrapped in blankets. Others carried bedding and dear household treasures. Many of the poor left their homes with everything they could carry. Many of their loads were extremely heavy. Throughout the night they dropped items they could no longer hold. They left on the street clothing and treasures they had carried for miles. Many carried large boxes called trunks. They held onto these the longest. It was a hard night and the hills of San Francisco are steep. And up these hills, mile after mile, were the trunks dragged. Many a strong man broke his heart that night. Before the march of the fire were soldiers. Their job was to keep the people moving away from the fire. The extremely tired people would arise and struggle up the steep hills, pausing from weakness every five or ten feet. Often, after reaching the top of a heart-breaking hill, they would find the fire was moving at them from a different direction. After working hour after hour through the night to save part of their lives, thousands were forced to leave their trunks and flee. At night I walked down through the very heart of the city. I walked through mile after mile of beautiful buildings. Here was no fire. All was in perfect order. The police patrolled the streets. And yet it was all doomed, all of it. There was no water. The explosives were almost used up. And two huge fires were coming toward this part of the city from different directions. Four hours later I walked through this same part of the city. Everything still stood as before. And yet there was a change. A rain of ashes was falling. The police had been withdrawn. There were no firemen, no fire engines, and no men using explosives. I stood at the corner of Kearney and Market Streets in the very heart of San Francisco. Nothing could be done. Nothing could be saved. The surrender was complete. It was impossible to guess where the fire would move next. In the early evening I passed through Union Square. It was packed with refugees. Thousands of them had gone to bed on the grass. Government tents had been set up, food was being cooked and the refugees were lining up for free meals. Late that night I passed Union Square again. Three sides of the Square were in flames. The Square, with mountains of trunks, was deserted. The troops, refugees and all had retreated. The next morning I sat in front of a home on San Franciscos famous Nob Hill. With me sat Japanese, Italians, Chinese and Negroes. All about were the huge homes of the very rich. To the east and south of us were advancing two huge walls of fire. I went inside one house and talked to the owner. He smiled and said the earthquake had destroyed everything he owned. All he had left was his beautiful house. He looked at me and said, The fire will be here in fifteen minutes. Outside the house the troops were falling back and forcing the refugees ahead of them. From every side came the roaring of flames, the crashing of walls and the sound of explosives. Day was trying to dawn through the heavy smoke. A sickly light was creeping over the face of things. When the sun broke through the smoke it was blood-red and small. The smoke changed color from red to rose to purple. I walked past the broken dome of the City Hall building. This part of the city was already a waste of smoking ruins. Here and there through the smoke came a few men and women. It was like the meeting of a few survivors the day after the world ended. The huge fires continued to burn on. Nothing could stop them. Mister London walked from place to place in the city, watching the huge fires destroy the city. Nothing could be done to halt the firestorm. In the end, the fire went out by itself because there was nothing left to burn. Jack London finishes his story: All day Thursday and all Thursday night, all day Friday and Friday night, the flames raged on. Friday night saw the huge fires finally conquered, but not before the fires had swept three-quarters of a mile of docks and store houses at the waterfront. San Francisco at the present time is like the center of a volcano. Around this volcano are tens of thousands of refugees. All the surrounding cities and towns are jammed with the homeless ones. The refugees were carried free by the railroads to any place they wished to go. It is said that more than one hundred thousand people have left the peninsula on which San Francisco stood. The government has control of the situation, and thanks to the immediate relief given by the whole United States, there is no lack of food. The bankers and businessmen have already begun making the necessary plans to rebuild this once beautiful city of San Francisco. "The Story of an Eyewitness" was written by Jack London and adapted by Paul Thompson. It was published in Colliers Magazine, May 5, 1906. Your narrator was Doug Johnson. _______________________________________________________________ For Teachers This lesson plan, based on the CALLA Approach, teaches the learning strategy of classifying to help students understand the story. Quiz Try this Listening Quiz to check your understanding. Quiz - The Story of an Eyewitness Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story smash - v. to break into many pieces; to shatter or destroy atmosphere - n. the whole mass of air that surrounds the Earth surrender - v. to agree to stop fighting, hiding, resisting, etc., because you know that you will not win or succeed retreat - v. to move or go away from a place or situation especially because it is dangerous, unpleasant, etc. survivor - n. a member of a group who continues to live after other members have died firestorm - n. a very large fire that destroys everything in its path and produces powerful winds jammed - v. to fill (a place) completely Long-serving north Wales paramedic recognised in Queens New Year Honours List This article is old - Published: Friday, Dec 31st, 2021 A long-serving paramedic at the Welsh Ambulance Service has been recognised in the Queens New Year Honours List. Paramedic and Duty Operations Manager Jenny Lewis has been awarded the Queens Ambulance Service Medal for distinguished service, it was announced tonight (Friday 31 January 2021). The mother-of-two, who is based in Dobshill, Flintshire, has more than 30 years of service having joined Clwyd Ambulance Service as an Emergency Medical Technician in 1991. Jenny played an instrumental role in the move to the purpose-built Area Ambulance Centre in Dobshill in 2012, home to the Trusts flagship Make Ready Depot. In November, Jenny and her Operations Manager colleagues in North East Wales won a WAST Award for delivering outstanding patient care and supporting frontline colleagues. Chief Executive Jason Killens said: Were beyond thrilled that Jenny has been recognised in the Queens New Year Honours List. It is testament not just to her contribution through the Covid-19 pandemic but to her broader commitment to the NHS in Wales over her 30-year career. Were incredibly proud of all colleagues who go that extra mile for patients and contribute to the development and progression of the ambulance service, at all levels. These awards recognise the hard work and dedication of some of our very best ambulance professionals, and Id like to extend a huge congratulations to Jenny. Jonathan Sweet, Head of Service for the Trusts Operational Delivery Unit, who nominated Jenny, added: Jenny is a respected leader and a trusted peer among colleagues in North Wales, not to mention a compassionate paramedic. She has worked relentlessly throughout her career to sharpen her clinical knowledge and management skills, and has led the Flintshire team through adversity in recent years following the unexpected death of two colleagues. We are delighted that Jenny is being celebrated for her enduring and positive contribution to the Trust and its people. The Queens New Year Honours List has recognised 1,278 people for their exceptional contributions to business, charity, culture, development, education, foreign policy, health, security and sport. Among the other Welsh emergency service colleagues recognised is South Wales Police Constable Anne Overton, who has been awarded the Queens Police Medal, and Jennifer Griffiths, Group Manager at South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, who is the recipient of a Queens Fire Service Medal. Meanwhile, Wales Chief Medical Officer Dr Frank Atherton has been given a knighthood for services to public health. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: These recipients have inspired and entertained us and given so much to their communities in the UK or in many cases around the world. The honours are an opportunity for us to thank them, as a country, for their dedication and outstanding contribution. Long-serving north Wales paramedic recognised in Queens New Year Honours List This article is old - Published: Friday, Dec 31st, 2021 A long-serving paramedic at the Welsh Ambulance Service has been recognised in the Queens New Year Honours List. Paramedic and Duty Operations Manager Jenny Lewis has been awarded the Queens Ambulance Service Medal for distinguished service, it was announced tonight (Friday 31 January 2021). The mother-of-two, who is based in Dobshill, Flintshire, has more than 30 years of service having joined Clwyd Ambulance Service as an Emergency Medical Technician in 1991. Jenny played an instrumental role in the move to the purpose-built Area Ambulance Centre in Dobshill in 2012, home to the Trusts flagship Make Ready Depot. In November, Jenny and her Operations Manager colleagues in North East Wales won a WAST Award for delivering outstanding patient care and supporting frontline colleagues. Chief Executive Jason Killens said: Were beyond thrilled that Jenny has been recognised in the Queens New Year Honours List. It is testament not just to her contribution through the Covid-19 pandemic but to her broader commitment to the NHS in Wales over her 30-year career. Were incredibly proud of all colleagues who go that extra mile for patients and contribute to the development and progression of the ambulance service, at all levels. These awards recognise the hard work and dedication of some of our very best ambulance professionals, and Id like to extend a huge congratulations to Jenny. Jonathan Sweet, Head of Service for the Trusts Operational Delivery Unit, who nominated Jenny, added: Jenny is a respected leader and a trusted peer among colleagues in North Wales, not to mention a compassionate paramedic. She has worked relentlessly throughout her career to sharpen her clinical knowledge and management skills, and has led the Flintshire team through adversity in recent years following the unexpected death of two colleagues. We are delighted that Jenny is being celebrated for her enduring and positive contribution to the Trust and its people. The Queens New Year Honours List has recognised 1,278 people for their exceptional contributions to business, charity, culture, development, education, foreign policy, health, security and sport. Among the other Welsh emergency service colleagues recognised is South Wales Police Constable Anne Overton, who has been awarded the Queens Police Medal, and Jennifer Griffiths, Group Manager at South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, who is the recipient of a Queens Fire Service Medal. Meanwhile, Wales Chief Medical Officer Dr Frank Atherton has been given a knighthood for services to public health. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: These recipients have inspired and entertained us and given so much to their communities in the UK or in many cases around the world. The honours are an opportunity for us to thank them, as a country, for their dedication and outstanding contribution. On Friday, natural gas prices rebounded 5% and finished the week nearly unchanged up 0.4%. For the year natural gas prices were up 32%. Colder than average weather is expected to move down into the center of the United States over the next 2-weeks. The weather will remain warmer than normal on the East Coast. Technical Analysis On Friday, natural gas prices rebounded 5%, following a 7% decline on Thursday. Prices closed at a 6-month low, on Thursday. Target support is seen near April lows at 2.45. Short-term momentum is positive as the fast stochastic generated a crossover buy signal. Medium-term positive momentum is decelerating as the MACD (moving average convergence divergence) histogram is printing in positive territory with a declining trajectory which points to consolidation. LNG Exports Declined U.S. LNG exports decreased by five vessels this week from last week. Twenty-one LNG vessels eight from Sabine Pass, four each from Cameron, Corpus Christi and Freeport, and one from Cove Point with a combined LNG-carrying capacity of 80 Bcf departed the United States between December 9 and December 15, 2021, according to shipping data provided by the Energy Information Administration. This article was originally posted on FX Empire More From FXEMPIRE: What better start could there be to 2022? Despite the best efforts of those who would condemn us to an endless cycle of lockdowns, we managed to see in the New Year free from most Covid restrictions. Now in todays Mail, Health Secretary Sajid Javid gives the strongest signal yet that there is no need for any further curbs in the foreseeable future. We couldnt agree more. And there is a wealth of statistics to back him up. Thanks to a tremendous vaccination surge, more frequent testing and the relative weakness of the Omicron strain, rising infections have not translated into dangerously high hospitalisations. Even NHS Providers chief Chris Hopson says hospitals are coping, and sees no immediate need for more draconian measures. In todays Mail, Health Secretary Sajid Javid (pictured on December 19) gives the strongest signal yet that there is no need for any further curbs in the foreseeable future Meanwhile, in South Africa, the authorities are so confident that Omicron has passed its peak (with little impact on death or hospitalisation rates) they have lifted a night-time curfew after 21 months. True, there are still problems with NHS staff absences due to Covid, but that will be eased considerably by the cut in the isolation period from ten days to seven. Its surely time to follow the US and Greece and reduce it to five, as long as symptoms have eased and some minor precautions are still taken. Given the scale of infections, Mr Javid can hardly say the threat is over. But he makes the overriding point that we must learn to live with the virus rather than panic at the first hint of any new variant. It has taken courage to hold out against the bulk of the scientific establishment. Most scientists, however, are coming round to his and Boris Johnsons way of thinking. What Britain needs now is to look forward. The economic indicators for 2022 are overwhelmingly positive and this country is ready to take off. We cannot let our wings be clipped again. Failing our youth Two more young lives brutally snuffed out. Two more grieving mothers. Two more cold statistics on the police murder file. The story is depressingly familiar, yet still deeply shocking. Within half an hour on Thursday, two boys aged 15 and 16 were stabbed to death in separate London parks. That brings the number of teenagers killed in blade attacks this year in the capital to a record 30. What an appalling indictment of London mayor Sadiq Khan. On his watch, the death toll is almost twice as high as the average over the eight years of his predecessor Boris Johnson. Police tape is seen at Ashburton Park in Croydon, south London, where London's 29th stabbing victim died on Thursday night Mr Khan constantly wrings his hands over knife crime, but has failed to stem the carnage despite shelling out 62million on an ineffectual violence reduction unit. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick is no better. Her abject failure to reclaim the streets has let the problem escalate to epidemic proportions. As victims and perpetrators come dis-proportionately from the black community, there are, of course, racial sensitivities. But until the police, mayors office and community leaders overcome them to agree a decisive, joined-up strategy, the bloodletting will only get worse. Boys will go on dying. Their uncomprehending mothers will go on grieving. The best of British There are those who love to talk Britain down. But the achievements of those named in the New Year honours show what a truly extraordinary country this is. From Covid heroes, through sporting champions, scientists, thespians and political luminaries, the list bristles with talent and quality. Even that icon of revolutionary Trotskyism Vanessa Redgrave has graciously agreed to accept a damehood. If that glittering array doesnt make you proud to be British, nothing will. It's the message of hope Australia has been waiting to hear - one of the nation's top doctors has now confidently predicted: 'In 2022, the COVID-19 pandemic will end.' Former deputy chief medical officer Dr Nick Coatsworth says vaccination jabs and the spread of the mild Omicron strain will finally make the world immune to Covid. His welcome words have come as Australia again hit record new case numbers across the country - but thankfully ICU numbers remain stubbornly low. And that mirrors the experience overseas where death rates have barely budged despite massive surges in numbers - and in the UK, deaths have actually dropped during the current Omicron outbreak. It's the message of hope Australia has been waiting to hear, One of the nation's top doctors has now confidently predicted: 'In 2022, the COVID-19 pandemic will end.' Former deputy chief medical officer Dr Nick Coatsworth (pictured) says vaccination and Omicron are going to make the world immune to Covid Now Dr Coatsworth says the world is on the verge of using Omicron to bounce back from the nightmare of the last two years. 'We will live our lives again as part of the incredibly social and incurably optimistic human species that thrives on this planet,' he said in an op-ed for the Sydney Morning Herald. '2022 will be the year the pandemic ends. It could even be sooner than we think.' More than 137,000 Australians were infected with Covid on New Year's Day - but there are just 135 patients currently in ICU with the virus, including 79 in NSW where the state recorded 22, 577 new cases on Saturday. A look back at the NSW Government's doomsday modelling about the impact of the Delta outbreak, revealed in September, puts the latest figures in context. The Burnet Institute predicted 2,000 cases a day by November with 947 patients in ICU and hospitals on code black emergency status - but still able to cope. The Burnet Institute modelling (pictured) predicted that for two weeks at the end of October and the start of November, the NSW hospital system would be in on a code black, level 3, emergency footing with 947 in ICU - although it never eventuated in the end There are currently 135 in ICU with the virus - and data from overseas shows death rates have actually DROPPED during Omicron outbreaks (pictured, a Covid patient at Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital) The latest NSW Health figures of just 79 ICU patients on New Year's Day is not even one-tenth of that modelling prediction, despite Covid cases being more than 10 times worse. There are currently fewer patients in NSW ICU now than there were on October 30 which had 81 people in ICU with 31 on ventilators, compared to just 26 on Saturday. More than 70 per cent of NSW ICU patients are unvaccinated - and global studies suggest the unvaxxed are 60 times more likely to end up in intensive care. Dr Coatsworth said the human race had emerged from countless pandemics throughout history - and it will make us stronger and more capable of managing the next in future. He was the face of Australia's vaccination programme rollout when it first began, and he said the massive widespread uptake will be key to our future. He hailed the way the Australian public had rallied to the cause and got jabbed to protect themselves and the community. 'The virus itself has also helped us,' he said. 'It has evolved into a definitively milder illness with a complete uncoupling of case numbers and hospitalisations.' 'The evidence for this emerged from South Africa very early in the Omicron wave and now has been validated around the world to the point of being conclusive.' DrNick Coatsworth says the world is on the verge of using Omicron to bounce back from the nightmare of the last two years (pictured New Years Eve fireworks on Sydney Harbour) In South Africa, where Omicron was first identified, cases are already dropping dramatically just a month after the new variant first began to spread. Cases began to surge there around Nov 28 and hit their peak about two weeks later on Dec 12 when the country had more than 37,000 reported new cases. Since then the numbers have been falling steadily and are now around 10,000 new cases a day - but death rates have barely changed throughout the outbreak. South Africa's average Covid daily death rate went from 31 on November 10 before the outbreak, to 64 at its peak, despite case numbers soaring 15,000 per cent. In South Africa, where Omicron was first identified, cases are already dropping dramatically just a month after it first began to spread (pictured) South Africa's average Covid daily death rate went from 31 on November 10 before the outbreak, to 64 at its peak, despite case numbers soaring 15,000 per cent (pictured) In the UK, daily new cases are approaching 200,000 a day - but the seven day average death rate for the disease has actually dropped below pre-Omicron levels, from 157 a day in October to its current 100 a day average. 'In Britain, hundreds of thousands of cases have not brought the National Health Service to collapse,' said Dr Coatsworth. 'Regis Professor of Medicine at Oxford John Bell concluded earlier in the week that Omicron is not the same disease we were seeing a year ago.. Every nation has seen the same phenomenon. We are seeing it in Australia.' Australia's leaders have admitted the nation's health system has been put under pressure with the latest Omicron outbreak, especially handling testing and results. Victoria's Covid Commissioner Jeroen Weimar admitted the current rising numbers were a concern but insisted the preparations were in place to deal with it (pictured, testing at Bondi) 'We've seen a significant increase in case numbers, but what is pleasing is that our health system remains strong,' NSW Premier Dom Perrottet said on Friday. 'Whilst the case numbers are substantially increasing, compared to where we were with the Delta variant, our position remains incredibly strong.' Victoria's Covid Commissioner Jeroen Weimar admitted the current rising numbers were a concern but insisted the preparations were in place to deal with it. 'We expect to see those numbers continue to rise over the days ahead,' he said. 'There's a huge amount of work happening across our hospitals to make sure we're ready for that workload.' Dr Nick Coatsworth has called for an end to social media scaremongering and says it's time to learn to live with the virus (pictured, cars queue for testing at Bondi on New Year's Day) Now Dr Coatsworth has called for an end to social media scaremongering and says it's time to learn to live with the virus. 'In light of our community success, the evolution of the virus to a milder form and effective new treatments, the time for mandates and whole-of-community restrictions is therefore over,' he said. 'The case for fear of COVID-19 is now restricted largely to the social media platform of Twitter. 'Absent the perennial efforts of a small but vocal section of public health academia and a dwindling number of media personalities, our community is ready and can move to a phase of living with COVID-19 as an endemic virus.' Health chiefs have admitted the nation's health system has been put under pressure with the latest Omicron outbreak, especially handling testing and results (pictured, an ICU patient at Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital) But he warned some may try to use the spread of Omicron for political gain before this year's federal election 'in an attempt to damage the incumbent Coalition'. He added: 'We can be rightly proud of what we have achieved as Australians in the face of what was the challenge of our lifetime. 'We will emerge a stronger, healthier and more prosperous nation for our efforts.' Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar The western American city of San Francisco, California suffered a huge earthquake on April 18th, 1906. More than three thousand people are known to have died. The true number of dead will never be known. Two hundred fifty thousand people lost their homes. Just a few hours after the terrible earthquake, a magazine named Colliers sent a telegraph message to the famous American writer Jack London. They asked Mr. London to go to San Francisco and report about what he saw. He arrived in the city only a few hours after the earthquake. The report he wrote is called, The Story of an Eyewitness. Not in history has a modern city been so completely destroyed. San Francisco is gone. Nothing remains of it but memories and a few homes that were near the edge of the city. Its industrial area is gone. Its business area is gone. Its social and living areas are gone. The factories, great stores and newspaper buildings, the hotels and the huge homes of the very rich, are all gone. Within minutes of the earthquake the fires began. Within an hour a huge tower of smoke caused by the fires could be seen a hundred miles away. And for three days and nights this huge fire moved in the sky, reddening the sun, darkening the day and filling the land with smoke. There was no opposing the flames. There was no organization, no communication. The earthquake had smashed all of the modern inventions of a twentieth century city. The streets were broken and filled with pieces of fallen walls. The telephone and telegraph systems were broken. And the great water pipes had burst. All inventions and safety plans of man had been destroyed by thirty seconds of movement by the earth. By Wednesday afternoon, only twelve hours after the earthquake, half the heart of the city was gone. I watched the huge fire. It was very calm. There was no wind. Yet from every side, wind was pouring in upon the city. East, west, north and south, strong winds were blowing upon the dying city. The heated air made a huge wind that pulled air into the fire, rising into the atmosphere. Day and night the calm continued, and yet, near the flames, the wind was often as strong as a storm. There was no water to fight the fire. Fire fighters decided to use explosives to destroy buildings in its path. They hoped this would create a block to slow or stop the fire. Building after building was destroyed. And still the great fires continued. Jack London told how people tried to save some of their possessions from the fire. Wednesday night the whole city crashed and roared into ruin, yet the city was quiet. There were no crowds. There was no shouting and yelling. There was no disorder. I passed Wednesday night in the path of the fire and in all those terrible hours I saw not one woman who cried, not one man who was excited, not one person who caused trouble. Throughout the night, tens of thousands of homeless ones fled the fire. Some were wrapped in blankets. Others carried bedding and dear household treasures. Many of the poor left their homes with everything they could carry. Many of their loads were extremely heavy. Throughout the night they dropped items they could no longer hold. They left on the street clothing and treasures they had carried for miles. Many carried large boxes called trunks. They held onto these the longest. It was a hard night and the hills of San Francisco are steep. And up these hills, mile after mile, were the trunks dragged. Many a strong man broke his heart that night. Before the march of the fire were soldiers. Their job was to keep the people moving away from the fire. The extremely tired people would arise and struggle up the steep hills, pausing from weakness every five or ten feet. Often, after reaching the top of a heart-breaking hill, they would find the fire was moving at them from a different direction. After working hour after hour through the night to save part of their lives, thousands were forced to leave their trunks and flee. At night I walked down through the very heart of the city. I walked through mile after mile of beautiful buildings. Here was no fire. All was in perfect order. The police patrolled the streets. And yet it was all doomed, all of it. There was no water. The explosives were almost used up. And two huge fires were coming toward this part of the city from different directions. Four hours later I walked through this same part of the city. Everything still stood as before. And yet there was a change. A rain of ashes was falling. The police had been withdrawn. There were no firemen, no fire engines, and no men using explosives. I stood at the corner of Kearney and Market Streets in the very heart of San Francisco. Nothing could be done. Nothing could be saved. The surrender was complete. It was impossible to guess where the fire would move next. In the early evening I passed through Union Square. It was packed with refugees. Thousands of them had gone to bed on the grass. Government tents had been set up, food was being cooked and the refugees were lining up for free meals. Late that night I passed Union Square again. Three sides of the Square were in flames. The Square, with mountains of trunks, was deserted. The troops, refugees and all had retreated. The next morning I sat in front of a home on San Franciscos famous Nob Hill. With me sat Japanese, Italians, Chinese and Negroes. All about were the huge homes of the very rich. To the east and south of us were advancing two huge walls of fire. I went inside one house and talked to the owner. He smiled and said the earthquake had destroyed everything he owned. All he had left was his beautiful house. He looked at me and said, The fire will be here in fifteen minutes. Outside the house the troops were falling back and forcing the refugees ahead of them. From every side came the roaring of flames, the crashing of walls and the sound of explosives. Day was trying to dawn through the heavy smoke. A sickly light was creeping over the face of things. When the sun broke through the smoke it was blood-red and small. The smoke changed color from red to rose to purple. I walked past the broken dome of the City Hall building. This part of the city was already a waste of smoking ruins. Here and there through the smoke came a few men and women. It was like the meeting of a few survivors the day after the world ended. The huge fires continued to burn on. Nothing could stop them. Mister London walked from place to place in the city, watching the huge fires destroy the city. Nothing could be done to halt the firestorm. In the end, the fire went out by itself because there was nothing left to burn. Jack London finishes his story: All day Thursday and all Thursday night, all day Friday and Friday night, the flames raged on. Friday night saw the huge fires finally conquered, but not before the fires had swept three-quarters of a mile of docks and store houses at the waterfront. San Francisco at the present time is like the center of a volcano. Around this volcano are tens of thousands of refugees. All the surrounding cities and towns are jammed with the homeless ones. The refugees were carried free by the railroads to any place they wished to go. It is said that more than one hundred thousand people have left the peninsula on which San Francisco stood. The government has control of the situation, and thanks to the immediate relief given by the whole United States, there is no lack of food. The bankers and businessmen have already begun making the necessary plans to rebuild this once beautiful city of San Francisco. "The Story of an Eyewitness" was written by Jack London and adapted by Paul Thompson. It was published in Colliers Magazine, May 5, 1906. Your narrator was Doug Johnson. _______________________________________________________________ For Teachers This lesson plan, based on the CALLA Approach, teaches the learning strategy of classifying to help students understand the story. Quiz Try this Listening Quiz to check your understanding. Quiz - The Story of an Eyewitness Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story smash - v. to break into many pieces; to shatter or destroy atmosphere - n. the whole mass of air that surrounds the Earth surrender - v. to agree to stop fighting, hiding, resisting, etc., because you know that you will not win or succeed retreat - v. to move or go away from a place or situation especially because it is dangerous, unpleasant, etc. survivor - n. a member of a group who continues to live after other members have died firestorm - n. a very large fire that destroys everything in its path and produces powerful winds jammed - v. to fill (a place) completely Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Eligibility checker for 120m Omicron business support package opens This article is old - Published: Saturday, Jan 1st, 2022 Businesses in Wales impacted by the rapid spread of the Omicron virus can now find out how much they can expect to receive in emergency financial support from the Welsh Government. Economy Minister Vaughan Gething previously said 120m would be available for retail, hospitality, leisure and tourism business and their supply chains affected by the move to alert level 2 announced by the First Minister on Wednesday 22 December. The support package includes funding from the Economic Resilience Fund (ERF), with an eligibility checker for this fund now live on the Business Wales website. This will help businesses, including charities and social enterprises, to gauge how much they can expect to receive from the ERF. Eligible businesses can apply for grants of between 2,500k 25,000, with grants dependent on their size and number of employees. The application window for the ERF will open in week commencing 17 January 2022, with payments starting to reach businesses within days. The application window will be open for two weeks. Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething, said: We recognise that businesses are facing another hugely uncertain time due to the Omicron variant of Coronavirus. The eligibility checker which goes live today will help them forward plan during this challenging period. Since the start of the pandemic, weve provided over 2.6bn of support to businesses throughout Wales to help them manage their way through difficult circumstances. This latest 120 million package of support will further assist impacted businesses and we will get financial support to them as quickly as possible. Non-essential retail, hospitality, leisure and tourism businesses in Wales will also receive support from the Non Domestic Rates (NDR) linked grant which will be administered by Local Authorities. Businesses will be entitled to a payment of 2,000, 4,000 or 6,000 depending on their rateable value. Local Authorities will also be administrating a discretionary fund for sole traders, freelancers and taxi drivers and businesses that employee people but do not pay business rates. The registration process for the NDR linked grants and application process for the discretionary fund will open week commencing the 10 January 2022. Long-serving north Wales paramedic recognised in Queens New Year Honours List This article is old - Published: Friday, Dec 31st, 2021 A long-serving paramedic at the Welsh Ambulance Service has been recognised in the Queens New Year Honours List. Paramedic and Duty Operations Manager Jenny Lewis has been awarded the Queens Ambulance Service Medal for distinguished service, it was announced tonight (Friday 31 January 2021). The mother-of-two, who is based in Dobshill, Flintshire, has more than 30 years of service having joined Clwyd Ambulance Service as an Emergency Medical Technician in 1991. Jenny played an instrumental role in the move to the purpose-built Area Ambulance Centre in Dobshill in 2012, home to the Trusts flagship Make Ready Depot. In November, Jenny and her Operations Manager colleagues in North East Wales won a WAST Award for delivering outstanding patient care and supporting frontline colleagues. Chief Executive Jason Killens said: Were beyond thrilled that Jenny has been recognised in the Queens New Year Honours List. It is testament not just to her contribution through the Covid-19 pandemic but to her broader commitment to the NHS in Wales over her 30-year career. Were incredibly proud of all colleagues who go that extra mile for patients and contribute to the development and progression of the ambulance service, at all levels. These awards recognise the hard work and dedication of some of our very best ambulance professionals, and Id like to extend a huge congratulations to Jenny. Jonathan Sweet, Head of Service for the Trusts Operational Delivery Unit, who nominated Jenny, added: Jenny is a respected leader and a trusted peer among colleagues in North Wales, not to mention a compassionate paramedic. She has worked relentlessly throughout her career to sharpen her clinical knowledge and management skills, and has led the Flintshire team through adversity in recent years following the unexpected death of two colleagues. We are delighted that Jenny is being celebrated for her enduring and positive contribution to the Trust and its people. The Queens New Year Honours List has recognised 1,278 people for their exceptional contributions to business, charity, culture, development, education, foreign policy, health, security and sport. Among the other Welsh emergency service colleagues recognised is South Wales Police Constable Anne Overton, who has been awarded the Queens Police Medal, and Jennifer Griffiths, Group Manager at South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, who is the recipient of a Queens Fire Service Medal. Meanwhile, Wales Chief Medical Officer Dr Frank Atherton has been given a knighthood for services to public health. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: These recipients have inspired and entertained us and given so much to their communities in the UK or in many cases around the world. The honours are an opportunity for us to thank them, as a country, for their dedication and outstanding contribution. Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar 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. Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar 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. 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. 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. Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar 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. 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. 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. 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. Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar In a statement, the Ministry on Friday estimated the scope of the helicopter agreement at $2 billion, and the two refuelling aircraft at $1.1 billion. The Ministry said the Lockheed Martin-Sikorsky helicopters will replace the Israel Air Force's current "Yasur" helicopters. The deal also includes an option to buy six additional helicopters. The first helicopters are expected to arrive in Israel in 2026, Xinhua news agency reported. The platform of the Boeing refuelling planes will be adapted to "meet the Israel Air Force's operational requirements and Israeli systems will be integrated into aircraft," the Ministry added. According to the Ministry, the procurement deals are part of a large-scale program that the Ministry and military have been undertaking over the last year and a half, with the aim of strengthening Israel's "military capabilities, force buildup and preparedness to face existing and future threats." --IANS int/khz/ ( 183 Words) 2022-01-01-00:36:03 (IANS) Even as the Omicron version of the coronavirus spreads, camel owners from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar recently traveled to the United Arab Emirates. They brought with them 40,000 of their most beautiful camels for the Al Dhafra Festival, an event that celebrates desert culture. Camel beauty is decided based on appearances agreed upon generations ago. Only female camels take part because males fight too much, experts said. A five-man jury decides the winners. One of the organizers, Mohammed al-Muhari, described what judges were looking for as hundreds of camels were being shown. Necks must be long and thin, cheeks wide and hooves large, he told The Associated Press. Lips must hang down. The camels must walk tall. Its not so different from humans, al-Muhari said. Some breeders have tried to cheat. They use banned injections to grow the camels lips, soften the face and increase the size of the camels back. Festival spokesman Abdel Hadi Saleh would not say how many breeders had been banned over measures to change a camels appearance. All camels have detailed medical examinations before entering Al Dhafra Festival. Since Emirati investigators began using X-rays and other devices a few years ago, Saleh said the number of cheaters has fallen. We easily catch them, and they realize getting caught, its not worth the cost to their reputation, he said. A great deal is at stake. Al Dhafra Festival offers the top 10 winners in each category prizes from $1,300 to $13,600. At the main Saudi contest, the most beautiful get high prices. Camels change hands in deals worth millions of dirhams, a local form of money. But breeders say it is not only about the money. Saleh al-Minhali is a camel-owner from Dubai. It is a kind of our heritage and custom that the (Emirati rulers) revived, he said. Revive is a term that means to bring back. Gone are the days when camels were important for daily life in the country. However, experts say Emiratis are increasingly searching for meaning in the past. This includes Bedouin traditions that were common before the UAE became a nation 50 years ago. Rima Sabban of the Zayed University in Dubai said, Younger Emiratis who have identity issues are going back to their heritage to find a sense of belonging. Sabban added, The society developed and modernized so fast it creates a crisis inside. Festivals across the country celebrate the camels importance. Al Dhafra also features falcon racing, camel dancing and a camel milking contest. Each category in the 10-day contest is divided into two types of camels: Mahaliyat, the tan breed that comes from the UAE and Oman, and Majaheen, the darker breed from Saudi Arabia. For hours, judges studied each camel, writing lists of the animals body parts for scoring purposes. Breeders shouted to surprise camels so they would look up and show off long necks. As the sun set over the sands, the winning breeders were called to accept their prizes. Camels were crowned with gold and silver-lined cloth. Weve received over 40 prizes (in various camel contests) this year alone, said Mohammed Saleh bin Migrin al-Amri as he held four from the day, including two golds. After that, he jumped into his vehicle and the victory parade of vehicles and camels disappeared into the desert. Im John Russell. Isabel Debre reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. _________________________________________________ Words in This Story hooves n. plural the hard covering on the foot of an animal (such as a horse or pig) breeder n. a person who keeps and takes care of certain kinds of animals to produce more of that animal with the same qualities reputation n. the common opinion that people have about someone at stake phrase in a position to be lost or gained category n. a group of people or things that are similar in some way heritage n. the traditions, beliefs and deeds that are part of the history of a group or nation Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Beirut [Lebanon], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): A US military base in the northeastern Syrian province of Al-Hasakah has come under mortar fire, the Syrian state television reported. The incident reportedly took place in the town of Ash Shaddadi. Also Read | Israel Detects First Case of Florona Disease, Says Report. Air raid sirens sounded at the base, the alert level has been raised. The Syrian government sees the US presence on its soil as a violation of national sovereignty and an attempt to seize its natural resources. (ANI/Sputnik) Also Read | COVID-19 Now Infecting Thousands of Kids in US Amid Omicron Surge, Says CDC. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) If you love Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohens bromance, you may want to know how to watch CNNs New Years Eve Live online to not miss second of all the drunk BFF moments. New Years Eve Live, a New Years Eve TV special broadcasted on CNN, started on December 31, 2001, with CNN correspondents hosting the show from Times Square. Anderson Cooper, who hosts Anderson Cooper 360 on CNN, took over as the New Years Eve Live host in 2002. The show was also expanded from 30 minutes to 90 to 120 minutes in 2003. Though the special airs from Times Square in New York City, the show has also featured cities like Nashville, Tennessee, and New Orleans, Louisiana. In 2008, comedian Kathy Griffin joined Cooper as the co-host of New Years Eve Live. Griffin was replaced by Watch What Happens Live and Real Housewives host Andy Cohen in 2017 after she came under fire for a photo of her posing with a decapitated head of former President Donald Trump. More from StyleCaster Watch CNNs New Years Eve Live on $10 Buy Now In an interview on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert in 2021, Cooper described New Years Eve Live as different than other New Years shows due to the messy and sloppy behavior he and Cohen sometimes show when they drink throughout the night. Thats what we like about this New Years show is its sort of like everybodys New Years Eve, Cooper explained. Its like you think its gonna be one thing. It ends up going off the rails. You sort of have a good time. But sometimes its just messy. And sloppy, he said. During the interview, Cohen also joked that Cooper is a lightweight. The irony is Ive become the straight guy and have to drive the bus, he said. Because this one is down for the count. Hes such a lightweight. If news breaks when were on the air, Im going to be the guy thats handling it. Story continues In a post on his Instagram Story in 2021, Cohen promised to get Cooper drunk for CNNs New Years Eve Live. First time caller. Long time listener. If you dont get Anderson absolutely wasted for New Years I will never forgive you. We have nothing else. Please hear our prayers, a fan wrote in a question to Cohen, to which he responded, I will get him drunk like my life depended on it. America needs #drunkanderson! Click here to read the full article. So how can one watch CNNs New Years Eve Live to see drunk Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen? Read on ahead for how to watch CNNs New Years Eve Live online and stream the unfiltered special for cheap. When does CNNs New Years Eve Liveair? CNNs New Years Eve Live starts at 8 p.m. ET on December 31, 2021, with hosts Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen. At 12:30 a.m. ET on January 1, 2021, Don Lemon, Alisyn Camerota and Dulce Sloan will take over as hosts. How to watch CNNs New Years Eve Live online How can one watch CNNs New Years Eve Live online? New Years Eve Live airs on CNN, which is available to stream online with services like Hulu+ With Live TV and Sling TV. Hulu+ With Live TV costs $64.99 per month, while Sling TV has a current deal where users can subscribe for $10 for their first month. After the first month, users can continue to subscribe for $35 per month. Watch CNNs New Years Eve Live on $10 Buy Now Watch CNNs New Years Eve Live on $64.99 Buy Now Who are the CNN New Years Eve Live hosts? The CNN New Years Eve Live hosts are news anchor Anderson Cooper (who has hosted the special since 2011), and Watch What Happens Live host Andy Cohen (who has hosted the special since 2017). CNNs other New Years Eve Live hosts include CNN anchors Don Lemon and Alisyn Camerota and comedian Dulce Sloan, who will host the special from the Central Time Zone in New Orleans. Other CNN correspondents include Stephanie Elam from Las Vegas, Randi Kaye from Key West, Richard Quest from a New York City skyscraper, Chloe Melas from Times Square, Gary Tuchman and Lindsay Tuchman from Puerto Rico, Coy Wire from Minneapolis and Donie OSullivan from a New York City Irish bar. Who are the CNN New Years Eve Live performers? Who are the CNN New Years Eve Live performers? Katy Perry will headline New Years Eve from her Las Vegas Residency Play at the Reorts World in Las Vegas. Other special guest stars include William Shatner, Patti LaBelle, Earth, Wind & Fire, Duran Duran, Amanda Gorman, Patti LuPone, David Arquette, Leslie Jordan and Cheri Oteri. CNNs New Years Eve Live starts at 8 p.m. ET on CNN. Watch CNNs New Years Eve Live on $10 Buy Now Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think youll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale. New Entertainment Newsletter Best of StyleCaster Even as the Omicron version of the coronavirus spreads, camel owners from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar recently traveled to the United Arab Emirates. They brought with them 40,000 of their most beautiful camels for the Al Dhafra Festival, an event that celebrates desert culture. Camel beauty is decided based on appearances agreed upon generations ago. Only female camels take part because males fight too much, experts said. A five-man jury decides the winners. One of the organizers, Mohammed al-Muhari, described what judges were looking for as hundreds of camels were being shown. Necks must be long and thin, cheeks wide and hooves large, he told The Associated Press. Lips must hang down. The camels must walk tall. Its not so different from humans, al-Muhari said. Some breeders have tried to cheat. They use banned injections to grow the camels lips, soften the face and increase the size of the camels back. Festival spokesman Abdel Hadi Saleh would not say how many breeders had been banned over measures to change a camels appearance. All camels have detailed medical examinations before entering Al Dhafra Festival. Since Emirati investigators began using X-rays and other devices a few years ago, Saleh said the number of cheaters has fallen. We easily catch them, and they realize getting caught, its not worth the cost to their reputation, he said. A great deal is at stake. Al Dhafra Festival offers the top 10 winners in each category prizes from $1,300 to $13,600. At the main Saudi contest, the most beautiful get high prices. Camels change hands in deals worth millions of dirhams, a local form of money. But breeders say it is not only about the money. Saleh al-Minhali is a camel-owner from Dubai. It is a kind of our heritage and custom that the (Emirati rulers) revived, he said. Revive is a term that means to bring back. Gone are the days when camels were important for daily life in the country. However, experts say Emiratis are increasingly searching for meaning in the past. This includes Bedouin traditions that were common before the UAE became a nation 50 years ago. Rima Sabban of the Zayed University in Dubai said, Younger Emiratis who have identity issues are going back to their heritage to find a sense of belonging. Sabban added, The society developed and modernized so fast it creates a crisis inside. Festivals across the country celebrate the camels importance. Al Dhafra also features falcon racing, camel dancing and a camel milking contest. Each category in the 10-day contest is divided into two types of camels: Mahaliyat, the tan breed that comes from the UAE and Oman, and Majaheen, the darker breed from Saudi Arabia. For hours, judges studied each camel, writing lists of the animals body parts for scoring purposes. Breeders shouted to surprise camels so they would look up and show off long necks. As the sun set over the sands, the winning breeders were called to accept their prizes. Camels were crowned with gold and silver-lined cloth. Weve received over 40 prizes (in various camel contests) this year alone, said Mohammed Saleh bin Migrin al-Amri as he held four from the day, including two golds. After that, he jumped into his vehicle and the victory parade of vehicles and camels disappeared into the desert. Im John Russell. Isabel Debre reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. _________________________________________________ Words in This Story hooves n. plural the hard covering on the foot of an animal (such as a horse or pig) breeder n. a person who keeps and takes care of certain kinds of animals to produce more of that animal with the same qualities reputation n. the common opinion that people have about someone at stake phrase in a position to be lost or gained category n. a group of people or things that are similar in some way heritage n. the traditions, beliefs and deeds that are part of the history of a group or nation 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. In a statement, the Ministry on Friday estimated the scope of the helicopter agreement at $2 billion, and the two refuelling aircraft at $1.1 billion. The Ministry said the Lockheed Martin-Sikorsky helicopters will replace the Israel Air Force's current "Yasur" helicopters. The deal also includes an option to buy six additional helicopters. The first helicopters are expected to arrive in Israel in 2026, Xinhua news agency reported. The platform of the Boeing refuelling planes will be adapted to "meet the Israel Air Force's operational requirements and Israeli systems will be integrated into aircraft," the Ministry added. According to the Ministry, the procurement deals are part of a large-scale program that the Ministry and military have been undertaking over the last year and a half, with the aim of strengthening Israel's "military capabilities, force buildup and preparedness to face existing and future threats." --IANS int/khz/ ( 183 Words) 2022-01-01-00:36:03 (IANS) If you love Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohens bromance, you may want to know how to watch CNNs New Years Eve Live online to not miss second of all the drunk BFF moments. New Years Eve Live, a New Years Eve TV special broadcasted on CNN, started on December 31, 2001, with CNN correspondents hosting the show from Times Square. Anderson Cooper, who hosts Anderson Cooper 360 on CNN, took over as the New Years Eve Live host in 2002. The show was also expanded from 30 minutes to 90 to 120 minutes in 2003. Though the special airs from Times Square in New York City, the show has also featured cities like Nashville, Tennessee, and New Orleans, Louisiana. In 2008, comedian Kathy Griffin joined Cooper as the co-host of New Years Eve Live. Griffin was replaced by Watch What Happens Live and Real Housewives host Andy Cohen in 2017 after she came under fire for a photo of her posing with a decapitated head of former President Donald Trump. More from StyleCaster Watch CNNs New Years Eve Live on $10 Buy Now In an interview on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert in 2021, Cooper described New Years Eve Live as different than other New Years shows due to the messy and sloppy behavior he and Cohen sometimes show when they drink throughout the night. Thats what we like about this New Years show is its sort of like everybodys New Years Eve, Cooper explained. Its like you think its gonna be one thing. It ends up going off the rails. You sort of have a good time. But sometimes its just messy. And sloppy, he said. During the interview, Cohen also joked that Cooper is a lightweight. The irony is Ive become the straight guy and have to drive the bus, he said. Because this one is down for the count. Hes such a lightweight. If news breaks when were on the air, Im going to be the guy thats handling it. Story continues In a post on his Instagram Story in 2021, Cohen promised to get Cooper drunk for CNNs New Years Eve Live. First time caller. Long time listener. If you dont get Anderson absolutely wasted for New Years I will never forgive you. We have nothing else. Please hear our prayers, a fan wrote in a question to Cohen, to which he responded, I will get him drunk like my life depended on it. America needs #drunkanderson! Click here to read the full article. So how can one watch CNNs New Years Eve Live to see drunk Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen? Read on ahead for how to watch CNNs New Years Eve Live online and stream the unfiltered special for cheap. When does CNNs New Years Eve Liveair? CNNs New Years Eve Live starts at 8 p.m. ET on December 31, 2021, with hosts Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen. At 12:30 a.m. ET on January 1, 2021, Don Lemon, Alisyn Camerota and Dulce Sloan will take over as hosts. How to watch CNNs New Years Eve Live online How can one watch CNNs New Years Eve Live online? New Years Eve Live airs on CNN, which is available to stream online with services like Hulu+ With Live TV and Sling TV. Hulu+ With Live TV costs $64.99 per month, while Sling TV has a current deal where users can subscribe for $10 for their first month. After the first month, users can continue to subscribe for $35 per month. Watch CNNs New Years Eve Live on $10 Buy Now Watch CNNs New Years Eve Live on $64.99 Buy Now Who are the CNN New Years Eve Live hosts? The CNN New Years Eve Live hosts are news anchor Anderson Cooper (who has hosted the special since 2011), and Watch What Happens Live host Andy Cohen (who has hosted the special since 2017). CNNs other New Years Eve Live hosts include CNN anchors Don Lemon and Alisyn Camerota and comedian Dulce Sloan, who will host the special from the Central Time Zone in New Orleans. Other CNN correspondents include Stephanie Elam from Las Vegas, Randi Kaye from Key West, Richard Quest from a New York City skyscraper, Chloe Melas from Times Square, Gary Tuchman and Lindsay Tuchman from Puerto Rico, Coy Wire from Minneapolis and Donie OSullivan from a New York City Irish bar. Who are the CNN New Years Eve Live performers? Who are the CNN New Years Eve Live performers? Katy Perry will headline New Years Eve from her Las Vegas Residency Play at the Reorts World in Las Vegas. Other special guest stars include William Shatner, Patti LaBelle, Earth, Wind & Fire, Duran Duran, Amanda Gorman, Patti LuPone, David Arquette, Leslie Jordan and Cheri Oteri. CNNs New Years Eve Live starts at 8 p.m. ET on CNN. Watch CNNs New Years Eve Live on $10 Buy Now Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think youll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale. New Entertainment Newsletter Best of StyleCaster Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar 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. 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. Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar PARIS, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that he is "resolutely optimistic for the coming year" for France, despite the upcoming few difficult weeks amid COVID-19 cases resurgence. Speaking from the Elysee to the nation for New Year, Macron stressed the importance of vaccination against coronavirus. "Vaccination is our most secure asset. It divides the number of severe forms by ten," he said. He urged the 5 million non-vaccinated French citizens to get vaccinated for themselves, for their compatriots and for their country. Macron also called on people, vaccinated or not, to continue to respect barrier gestures to curb the rapid spread of the virus. Acknowledging the essential role of health staff during the pandemic for the past two years, Macron said he is "optimistic" about a possible end of the pandemic in 2022. Recalling the year 2021, Macron said the government has introduced during the crisis various initiatives to protect spending power, as well as new projects for the young generation, environmental crisis, housing crisis and more. Macron said the year 2022 will be a year of a European turning point as France is going to hold the presidency of the European Union. He continued to say that the year 2022 will also be a decisive year for France. "I will act until the last moment of the mandate for which you elected me," said Macron. The presidential election in France is scheduled for April, 2022. Enditem Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar BRUSSELS Media freedom continued to be under attack across much of the world in 2021, with nine journalists killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan alone and 102 imprisoned in China, according to a new report. The International Federation of Journalists said in a bleak assessment that imprisonments were especially on the rise, with 365 journalists behind bars compared to 235 last year. The world needs to wake up to the growing violations of journalists rights and media freedoms across the globe, IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said. The report was released on the eve of the United Nations Human Rights Day. Apart from China, Turkey had 34 journalists in prison, Belarus and Eritrea 29, Egypt 27 and Vietnam 21. The IFJ said that the rise of detentions in China was linked to the coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, the further arrests of Uyghur journalists reporting on the treatment of the Muslim minority in western China. Many have called it genocide. It said that coverage of the demonstrations in Hong Kong also led to further arrests. Bellanger said the attacks on journalists went well beyond the personal losses suffered and affected society as a whole. They also point to the violation of the peoples fundamental right to access accurate, objective and fair information so that they can make properly informed choices about public affairs. With three weeks left in the year, overall deaths in the line of duty were set to go down this year, with 45 so far, compared to 65 overall last year. With Afghanistan topping the list with nine journalists killed, Mexico came close behind with eight, all of them murders. India had four and Pakistan three. The Brussels-based IFJ represents 600,000 media professionals from 187 trade unions and associations in more than 140 countries. BRUSSELS Media freedom continued to be under attack across much of the world in 2021, with nine journalists killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan alone and 102 imprisoned in China, according to a new report. The International Federation of Journalists said in a bleak assessment that imprisonments were especially on the rise, with 365 journalists behind bars compared to 235 last year. The world needs to wake up to the growing violations of journalists rights and media freedoms across the globe, IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said. The report was released on the eve of the United Nations Human Rights Day. Apart from China, Turkey had 34 journalists in prison, Belarus and Eritrea 29, Egypt 27 and Vietnam 21. The IFJ said that the rise of detentions in China was linked to the coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, the further arrests of Uyghur journalists reporting on the treatment of the Muslim minority in western China. Many have called it genocide. It said that coverage of the demonstrations in Hong Kong also led to further arrests. Bellanger said the attacks on journalists went well beyond the personal losses suffered and affected society as a whole. They also point to the violation of the peoples fundamental right to access accurate, objective and fair information so that they can make properly informed choices about public affairs. With three weeks left in the year, overall deaths in the line of duty were set to go down this year, with 45 so far, compared to 65 overall last year. With Afghanistan topping the list with nine journalists killed, Mexico came close behind with eight, all of them murders. India had four and Pakistan three. The Brussels-based IFJ represents 600,000 media professionals from 187 trade unions and associations in more than 140 countries. TOWN OF NORWAY A member of the Wind Lake fire department has resigned after being accused of using a crowbar to threaten a motorist in an apparent road rage incident. Bruce Liberski, a former firefighter who was serving as an engineer, said he has stepped down from his volunteer position with the Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company. I think Id feel better if I just resign, he stated in an email. I just dont need the extra pressure. Fire Chief Justin Lyman confirmed that Liberski no longer is part of the volunteer fire department. Lyman has declined to discuss the incident, although he stated: The Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company takes pride in the relationship and trust we hold with law enforcement, neighboring fire/EMS services, as well as the citizens we serve. Liberski, 60, was issued a police citation for disorderly conduct after his wife was involved in a Dec. 6 traffic collision with another motorist near State Highway 36 and Fries Lane. According to police, Liberski arrived on the scene and threatened the other motorist with a crowbar. The other motorist was issued a traffic citation after he allegedly followed closely, flashed his bright lights, tried to pass, and then caused a collision. Liberski has a Jan. 11 date in Norway Municipal Court for a noncriminal disorderly conduct citation that carries a potential civil fine of up to $313 if he is found guilty. Liberski, a longtime firefighter who joined the Wind Lake department three years ago, criticized the police officer who handled the Dec. 6 incident. He also asked then-Police Chief John Hanrahan to dismiss the disorderly conduct citation. Hanrahan, who has since retired, defended his officers work and said that Liberski engaged in asinine behavior as well as violent and extraordinarily unprofessional conduct. TOWN OF NORWAY A member of the Wind Lake fire department has resigned after being accused of using a crowbar to threaten a motorist in an apparent road rage incident. Bruce Liberski, a former firefighter who was serving as an engineer, said he has stepped down from his volunteer position with the Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company. I think Id feel better if I just resign, he stated in an email. I just dont need the extra pressure. Fire Chief Justin Lyman confirmed that Liberski no longer is part of the volunteer fire department. Lyman has declined to discuss the incident, although he stated: The Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company takes pride in the relationship and trust we hold with law enforcement, neighboring fire/EMS services, as well as the citizens we serve. Liberski, 60, was issued a police citation for disorderly conduct after his wife was involved in a Dec. 6 traffic collision with another motorist near State Highway 36 and Fries Lane. According to police, Liberski arrived on the scene and threatened the other motorist with a crowbar. The other motorist was issued a traffic citation after he allegedly followed closely, flashed his bright lights, tried to pass, and then caused a collision. Liberski has a Jan. 11 date in Norway Municipal Court for a noncriminal disorderly conduct citation that carries a potential civil fine of up to $313 if he is found guilty. Liberski, a longtime firefighter who joined the Wind Lake department three years ago, criticized the police officer who handled the Dec. 6 incident. He also asked then-Police Chief John Hanrahan to dismiss the disorderly conduct citation. Hanrahan, who has since retired, defended his officers work and said that Liberski engaged in asinine behavior as well as violent and extraordinarily unprofessional conduct. Even as the Omicron version of the coronavirus spreads, camel owners from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar recently traveled to the United Arab Emirates. They brought with them 40,000 of their most beautiful camels for the Al Dhafra Festival, an event that celebrates desert culture. Camel beauty is decided based on appearances agreed upon generations ago. Only female camels take part because males fight too much, experts said. A five-man jury decides the winners. One of the organizers, Mohammed al-Muhari, described what judges were looking for as hundreds of camels were being shown. Necks must be long and thin, cheeks wide and hooves large, he told The Associated Press. Lips must hang down. The camels must walk tall. Its not so different from humans, al-Muhari said. Some breeders have tried to cheat. They use banned injections to grow the camels lips, soften the face and increase the size of the camels back. Festival spokesman Abdel Hadi Saleh would not say how many breeders had been banned over measures to change a camels appearance. All camels have detailed medical examinations before entering Al Dhafra Festival. Since Emirati investigators began using X-rays and other devices a few years ago, Saleh said the number of cheaters has fallen. We easily catch them, and they realize getting caught, its not worth the cost to their reputation, he said. A great deal is at stake. Al Dhafra Festival offers the top 10 winners in each category prizes from $1,300 to $13,600. At the main Saudi contest, the most beautiful get high prices. Camels change hands in deals worth millions of dirhams, a local form of money. But breeders say it is not only about the money. Saleh al-Minhali is a camel-owner from Dubai. It is a kind of our heritage and custom that the (Emirati rulers) revived, he said. Revive is a term that means to bring back. Gone are the days when camels were important for daily life in the country. However, experts say Emiratis are increasingly searching for meaning in the past. This includes Bedouin traditions that were common before the UAE became a nation 50 years ago. Rima Sabban of the Zayed University in Dubai said, Younger Emiratis who have identity issues are going back to their heritage to find a sense of belonging. Sabban added, The society developed and modernized so fast it creates a crisis inside. Festivals across the country celebrate the camels importance. Al Dhafra also features falcon racing, camel dancing and a camel milking contest. Each category in the 10-day contest is divided into two types of camels: Mahaliyat, the tan breed that comes from the UAE and Oman, and Majaheen, the darker breed from Saudi Arabia. For hours, judges studied each camel, writing lists of the animals body parts for scoring purposes. Breeders shouted to surprise camels so they would look up and show off long necks. As the sun set over the sands, the winning breeders were called to accept their prizes. Camels were crowned with gold and silver-lined cloth. Weve received over 40 prizes (in various camel contests) this year alone, said Mohammed Saleh bin Migrin al-Amri as he held four from the day, including two golds. After that, he jumped into his vehicle and the victory parade of vehicles and camels disappeared into the desert. Im John Russell. Isabel Debre reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. _________________________________________________ Words in This Story hooves n. plural the hard covering on the foot of an animal (such as a horse or pig) breeder n. a person who keeps and takes care of certain kinds of animals to produce more of that animal with the same qualities reputation n. the common opinion that people have about someone at stake phrase in a position to be lost or gained category n. a group of people or things that are similar in some way heritage n. the traditions, beliefs and deeds that are part of the history of a group or nation As 2021 comes to a close, it is natural to look back at the year that was. While there was some return to normalcy during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, several events were canceled, and even with those that went on as planned, masks, attempts at distancing and noting that the previous years event had been canceled often were reminders of the ongoing issue. Still, life went on. With that in mind, these are the most important stories I covered in 2021, and ones that are likely to continue to make headlines going into 2022. Shooting left one child dead, two injured One childs life ended, two others changed forever, and their families left to figure out how to move forward. The suffering they have and will continue to go through is something few others in the community can understand. On June 28, authorities said a group of men in a car fired on another man standing in front of a home on Wilson Lee Boulevard. It appeared they missed their target, but the gunfire struck AhMiyahh Howell, 8, killing her, and injuring a second child, Tariq Lowery, who was shot in the leg. Soon after, a second shooting took place which injured Maliki Ramseur, a 10-year-old. Witnesses were reluctant to come forward, fearing retaliation, but a few weeks later, the Statesville Police Department arrested six people in connection with the shootings. Their cases are expected to go trial in 2022. Since then, the Statesville City Council said it would begin to address the socio-economic issues that seem more prevalent in the part of town where the shootings happened. Several community events have taken place in hopes of building relationships in the community that can address those same issues. While many remain skeptical of what can be done, the hope expressed by many is the issues at hand can be addressed and a crime like this wont happen again. Iredell County Confederate Memorial stays The Iredell County Confederate Memorial was poised to move off of county grounds and into a local cemetery with the Confederate dead buried there. Then, the political backlash came. Local conservatives soon let the elected leaders know they had little interest in the idea and the commissioners then said it wouldnt be pursuing the idea further. The Iredell County Board of Commissioners had voted 4-1 to begin a process of moving the statue, with Scottie Brown voting against the move. The statue attracted protesters and counter protesters, like in many other cities, as racial justice protests emerged all over the country after the killing of George Floyd by a Minnesota police officer. But a few days after the resolution was passed, the commissioners said the statute wouldnt be moved. What changed their mind remains a matter of opinion. James Mallory and Gene Houpe said that local Sons of the Confederacy groups did not agree to the move, so the matter was resolved. Protests would continue into the summer asking for the removal of the statue, mostly without more than shouting between protesters and counter protesters. For many of the nights, signs with slogans or chants with expletives were the closest either side was to being more than loud in their efforts to change peoples minds. But at times it turned ugly with some arrests and occasional, but clear, racist slogans being shouted by counter protesters. The protesters eventually left as some of the organizers split off from each other, but the issue isnt in the past just yet. Several local groups came together to file a lawsuit, but they havent had their day in court. For now, the statue remains at the Iredell County Government Center on South Center Street. COVID-19 pandemic continues While life in many ways continued with the signs of the pandemic coming and going as cases waxed and waned, one place it was impossible to forget was at schools. Iredell-Statesville Schools and other districts tried to balance education with health and safety. While the school year started out with no mask mandate, a surge of early cases prompted I-SS to enact one, which led to more controversy. As protesters lined up outside the Career Academy & Technical School in Troutman where I-SS meetings take place, one ended up breaking a glass door while pounding on it with their hands. Police would say it was accidental, but the shattered glass startled those inside and made them consider what might happen next. The protests would subside, but the controversy continued even as the numbers of COVID cases rose. It hasnt been surprising to see I-SSs data say nearly 2,000 students had been potentially in contact with a positive case within a given week, whether it came from inside or outside the schools. In light of a rise in cases recently, the school system will require masks for students when they return to class in 2022. According to the Iredell County Health Department, there have been 32,766 COVID cases in the county, leading to 350 deaths. Delays, redistricting and elections in Iredell County Local politicians were off to the races until they werent. The end of 2021 meant a number of candidates would begin filing for the 2022 elections, with an initial rush coming on Dec. 6, the first day that filing was open. But soon after, it was all put on hold as the North Carolina Supreme Court agreed to issue a stay as lawsuits were filed over redistricting maps for congressional and state legislative districts. The North Carolina Court of Appeals put a hold on filing for state-level offices and higher. Rep. Jeff McNeely and Sen. Vickie Sawyer who were among those who had voted on the districts that were slated to be used in the 2022 elections would file the next day, but on Dec. 8 the states Supreme Court put filing on hold. While a number of candidates declared well before then, not all filed paperwork to be on the ballot, leaving them in limbo as they way to see if the next round of challenges will change what districts they are in. The whole process was already delayed when information from the 2020 census was delayed due to issues gathering the data during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cities like Statesville, with permission from the state, chose to delay their elections in light of this, to 2022. This is itself was controversial as it extended the terms of some officeholders. Now, statewide primaries are delayed until May 17 instead of taking place as they usually do in March. As 2021 comes to a close, it is natural to look back at the year that was. While there was some return to normalcy during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, several events were canceled, and even with those that went on as planned, masks, attempts at distancing and noting that the previous years event had been canceled often were reminders of the ongoing issue. Still, life went on. With that in mind, these are the most important stories I covered in 2021, and ones that are likely to continue to make headlines going into 2022. Shooting left one child dead, two injured One childs life ended, two others changed forever, and their families left to figure out how to move forward. The suffering they have and will continue to go through is something few others in the community can understand. On June 28, authorities said a group of men in a car fired on another man standing in front of a home on Wilson Lee Boulevard. It appeared they missed their target, but the gunfire struck AhMiyahh Howell, 8, killing her, and injuring a second child, Tariq Lowery, who was shot in the leg. Soon after, a second shooting took place which injured Maliki Ramseur, a 10-year-old. Witnesses were reluctant to come forward, fearing retaliation, but a few weeks later, the Statesville Police Department arrested six people in connection with the shootings. Their cases are expected to go trial in 2022. Since then, the Statesville City Council said it would begin to address the socio-economic issues that seem more prevalent in the part of town where the shootings happened. Several community events have taken place in hopes of building relationships in the community that can address those same issues. While many remain skeptical of what can be done, the hope expressed by many is the issues at hand can be addressed and a crime like this wont happen again. Iredell County Confederate Memorial stays The Iredell County Confederate Memorial was poised to move off of county grounds and into a local cemetery with the Confederate dead buried there. Then, the political backlash came. Local conservatives soon let the elected leaders know they had little interest in the idea and the commissioners then said it wouldnt be pursuing the idea further. The Iredell County Board of Commissioners had voted 4-1 to begin a process of moving the statue, with Scottie Brown voting against the move. The statue attracted protesters and counter protesters, like in many other cities, as racial justice protests emerged all over the country after the killing of George Floyd by a Minnesota police officer. But a few days after the resolution was passed, the commissioners said the statute wouldnt be moved. What changed their mind remains a matter of opinion. James Mallory and Gene Houpe said that local Sons of the Confederacy groups did not agree to the move, so the matter was resolved. Protests would continue into the summer asking for the removal of the statue, mostly without more than shouting between protesters and counter protesters. For many of the nights, signs with slogans or chants with expletives were the closest either side was to being more than loud in their efforts to change peoples minds. But at times it turned ugly with some arrests and occasional, but clear, racist slogans being shouted by counter protesters. The protesters eventually left as some of the organizers split off from each other, but the issue isnt in the past just yet. Several local groups came together to file a lawsuit, but they havent had their day in court. For now, the statue remains at the Iredell County Government Center on South Center Street. COVID-19 pandemic continues While life in many ways continued with the signs of the pandemic coming and going as cases waxed and waned, one place it was impossible to forget was at schools. Iredell-Statesville Schools and other districts tried to balance education with health and safety. While the school year started out with no mask mandate, a surge of early cases prompted I-SS to enact one, which led to more controversy. As protesters lined up outside the Career Academy & Technical School in Troutman where I-SS meetings take place, one ended up breaking a glass door while pounding on it with their hands. Police would say it was accidental, but the shattered glass startled those inside and made them consider what might happen next. The protests would subside, but the controversy continued even as the numbers of COVID cases rose. It hasnt been surprising to see I-SSs data say nearly 2,000 students had been potentially in contact with a positive case within a given week, whether it came from inside or outside the schools. In light of a rise in cases recently, the school system will require masks for students when they return to class in 2022. According to the Iredell County Health Department, there have been 32,766 COVID cases in the county, leading to 350 deaths. Delays, redistricting and elections in Iredell County Local politicians were off to the races until they werent. The end of 2021 meant a number of candidates would begin filing for the 2022 elections, with an initial rush coming on Dec. 6, the first day that filing was open. But soon after, it was all put on hold as the North Carolina Supreme Court agreed to issue a stay as lawsuits were filed over redistricting maps for congressional and state legislative districts. The North Carolina Court of Appeals put a hold on filing for state-level offices and higher. Rep. Jeff McNeely and Sen. Vickie Sawyer who were among those who had voted on the districts that were slated to be used in the 2022 elections would file the next day, but on Dec. 8 the states Supreme Court put filing on hold. While a number of candidates declared well before then, not all filed paperwork to be on the ballot, leaving them in limbo as they way to see if the next round of challenges will change what districts they are in. The whole process was already delayed when information from the 2020 census was delayed due to issues gathering the data during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cities like Statesville, with permission from the state, chose to delay their elections in light of this, to 2022. This is itself was controversial as it extended the terms of some officeholders. Now, statewide primaries are delayed until May 17 instead of taking place as they usually do in March. Even as the Omicron version of the coronavirus spreads, camel owners from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar recently traveled to the United Arab Emirates. They brought with them 40,000 of their most beautiful camels for the Al Dhafra Festival, an event that celebrates desert culture. Camel beauty is decided based on appearances agreed upon generations ago. Only female camels take part because males fight too much, experts said. A five-man jury decides the winners. One of the organizers, Mohammed al-Muhari, described what judges were looking for as hundreds of camels were being shown. Necks must be long and thin, cheeks wide and hooves large, he told The Associated Press. Lips must hang down. The camels must walk tall. Its not so different from humans, al-Muhari said. Some breeders have tried to cheat. They use banned injections to grow the camels lips, soften the face and increase the size of the camels back. Festival spokesman Abdel Hadi Saleh would not say how many breeders had been banned over measures to change a camels appearance. All camels have detailed medical examinations before entering Al Dhafra Festival. Since Emirati investigators began using X-rays and other devices a few years ago, Saleh said the number of cheaters has fallen. We easily catch them, and they realize getting caught, its not worth the cost to their reputation, he said. A great deal is at stake. Al Dhafra Festival offers the top 10 winners in each category prizes from $1,300 to $13,600. At the main Saudi contest, the most beautiful get high prices. Camels change hands in deals worth millions of dirhams, a local form of money. But breeders say it is not only about the money. Saleh al-Minhali is a camel-owner from Dubai. It is a kind of our heritage and custom that the (Emirati rulers) revived, he said. Revive is a term that means to bring back. Gone are the days when camels were important for daily life in the country. However, experts say Emiratis are increasingly searching for meaning in the past. This includes Bedouin traditions that were common before the UAE became a nation 50 years ago. Rima Sabban of the Zayed University in Dubai said, Younger Emiratis who have identity issues are going back to their heritage to find a sense of belonging. Sabban added, The society developed and modernized so fast it creates a crisis inside. Festivals across the country celebrate the camels importance. Al Dhafra also features falcon racing, camel dancing and a camel milking contest. Each category in the 10-day contest is divided into two types of camels: Mahaliyat, the tan breed that comes from the UAE and Oman, and Majaheen, the darker breed from Saudi Arabia. For hours, judges studied each camel, writing lists of the animals body parts for scoring purposes. Breeders shouted to surprise camels so they would look up and show off long necks. As the sun set over the sands, the winning breeders were called to accept their prizes. Camels were crowned with gold and silver-lined cloth. Weve received over 40 prizes (in various camel contests) this year alone, said Mohammed Saleh bin Migrin al-Amri as he held four from the day, including two golds. After that, he jumped into his vehicle and the victory parade of vehicles and camels disappeared into the desert. Im John Russell. Isabel Debre reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. _________________________________________________ Words in This Story hooves n. plural the hard covering on the foot of an animal (such as a horse or pig) breeder n. a person who keeps and takes care of certain kinds of animals to produce more of that animal with the same qualities reputation n. the common opinion that people have about someone at stake phrase in a position to be lost or gained category n. a group of people or things that are similar in some way heritage n. the traditions, beliefs and deeds that are part of the history of a group or nation Even as the Omicron version of the coronavirus spreads, camel owners from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar recently traveled to the United Arab Emirates. They brought with them 40,000 of their most beautiful camels for the Al Dhafra Festival, an event that celebrates desert culture. Camel beauty is decided based on appearances agreed upon generations ago. Only female camels take part because males fight too much, experts said. A five-man jury decides the winners. One of the organizers, Mohammed al-Muhari, described what judges were looking for as hundreds of camels were being shown. Necks must be long and thin, cheeks wide and hooves large, he told The Associated Press. Lips must hang down. The camels must walk tall. Its not so different from humans, al-Muhari said. Some breeders have tried to cheat. They use banned injections to grow the camels lips, soften the face and increase the size of the camels back. Festival spokesman Abdel Hadi Saleh would not say how many breeders had been banned over measures to change a camels appearance. All camels have detailed medical examinations before entering Al Dhafra Festival. Since Emirati investigators began using X-rays and other devices a few years ago, Saleh said the number of cheaters has fallen. We easily catch them, and they realize getting caught, its not worth the cost to their reputation, he said. A great deal is at stake. Al Dhafra Festival offers the top 10 winners in each category prizes from $1,300 to $13,600. At the main Saudi contest, the most beautiful get high prices. Camels change hands in deals worth millions of dirhams, a local form of money. But breeders say it is not only about the money. Saleh al-Minhali is a camel-owner from Dubai. It is a kind of our heritage and custom that the (Emirati rulers) revived, he said. Revive is a term that means to bring back. Gone are the days when camels were important for daily life in the country. However, experts say Emiratis are increasingly searching for meaning in the past. This includes Bedouin traditions that were common before the UAE became a nation 50 years ago. Rima Sabban of the Zayed University in Dubai said, Younger Emiratis who have identity issues are going back to their heritage to find a sense of belonging. Sabban added, The society developed and modernized so fast it creates a crisis inside. Festivals across the country celebrate the camels importance. Al Dhafra also features falcon racing, camel dancing and a camel milking contest. Each category in the 10-day contest is divided into two types of camels: Mahaliyat, the tan breed that comes from the UAE and Oman, and Majaheen, the darker breed from Saudi Arabia. For hours, judges studied each camel, writing lists of the animals body parts for scoring purposes. Breeders shouted to surprise camels so they would look up and show off long necks. As the sun set over the sands, the winning breeders were called to accept their prizes. Camels were crowned with gold and silver-lined cloth. Weve received over 40 prizes (in various camel contests) this year alone, said Mohammed Saleh bin Migrin al-Amri as he held four from the day, including two golds. After that, he jumped into his vehicle and the victory parade of vehicles and camels disappeared into the desert. Im John Russell. Isabel Debre reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. _________________________________________________ Words in This Story hooves n. plural the hard covering on the foot of an animal (such as a horse or pig) breeder n. a person who keeps and takes care of certain kinds of animals to produce more of that animal with the same qualities reputation n. the common opinion that people have about someone at stake phrase in a position to be lost or gained category n. a group of people or things that are similar in some way heritage n. the traditions, beliefs and deeds that are part of the history of a group or nation Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Even as the Omicron version of the coronavirus spreads, camel owners from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar recently traveled to the United Arab Emirates. They brought with them 40,000 of their most beautiful camels for the Al Dhafra Festival, an event that celebrates desert culture. Camel beauty is decided based on appearances agreed upon generations ago. Only female camels take part because males fight too much, experts said. A five-man jury decides the winners. One of the organizers, Mohammed al-Muhari, described what judges were looking for as hundreds of camels were being shown. Necks must be long and thin, cheeks wide and hooves large, he told The Associated Press. Lips must hang down. The camels must walk tall. Its not so different from humans, al-Muhari said. Some breeders have tried to cheat. They use banned injections to grow the camels lips, soften the face and increase the size of the camels back. Festival spokesman Abdel Hadi Saleh would not say how many breeders had been banned over measures to change a camels appearance. All camels have detailed medical examinations before entering Al Dhafra Festival. Since Emirati investigators began using X-rays and other devices a few years ago, Saleh said the number of cheaters has fallen. We easily catch them, and they realize getting caught, its not worth the cost to their reputation, he said. A great deal is at stake. Al Dhafra Festival offers the top 10 winners in each category prizes from $1,300 to $13,600. At the main Saudi contest, the most beautiful get high prices. Camels change hands in deals worth millions of dirhams, a local form of money. But breeders say it is not only about the money. Saleh al-Minhali is a camel-owner from Dubai. It is a kind of our heritage and custom that the (Emirati rulers) revived, he said. Revive is a term that means to bring back. Gone are the days when camels were important for daily life in the country. However, experts say Emiratis are increasingly searching for meaning in the past. This includes Bedouin traditions that were common before the UAE became a nation 50 years ago. Rima Sabban of the Zayed University in Dubai said, Younger Emiratis who have identity issues are going back to their heritage to find a sense of belonging. Sabban added, The society developed and modernized so fast it creates a crisis inside. Festivals across the country celebrate the camels importance. Al Dhafra also features falcon racing, camel dancing and a camel milking contest. Each category in the 10-day contest is divided into two types of camels: Mahaliyat, the tan breed that comes from the UAE and Oman, and Majaheen, the darker breed from Saudi Arabia. For hours, judges studied each camel, writing lists of the animals body parts for scoring purposes. Breeders shouted to surprise camels so they would look up and show off long necks. As the sun set over the sands, the winning breeders were called to accept their prizes. Camels were crowned with gold and silver-lined cloth. Weve received over 40 prizes (in various camel contests) this year alone, said Mohammed Saleh bin Migrin al-Amri as he held four from the day, including two golds. After that, he jumped into his vehicle and the victory parade of vehicles and camels disappeared into the desert. Im John Russell. Isabel Debre reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. _________________________________________________ Words in This Story hooves n. plural the hard covering on the foot of an animal (such as a horse or pig) breeder n. a person who keeps and takes care of certain kinds of animals to produce more of that animal with the same qualities reputation n. the common opinion that people have about someone at stake phrase in a position to be lost or gained category n. a group of people or things that are similar in some way heritage n. the traditions, beliefs and deeds that are part of the history of a group or nation Even as the Omicron version of the coronavirus spreads, camel owners from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar recently traveled to the United Arab Emirates. They brought with them 40,000 of their most beautiful camels for the Al Dhafra Festival, an event that celebrates desert culture. Camel beauty is decided based on appearances agreed upon generations ago. Only female camels take part because males fight too much, experts said. A five-man jury decides the winners. One of the organizers, Mohammed al-Muhari, described what judges were looking for as hundreds of camels were being shown. Necks must be long and thin, cheeks wide and hooves large, he told The Associated Press. Lips must hang down. The camels must walk tall. Its not so different from humans, al-Muhari said. Some breeders have tried to cheat. They use banned injections to grow the camels lips, soften the face and increase the size of the camels back. Festival spokesman Abdel Hadi Saleh would not say how many breeders had been banned over measures to change a camels appearance. All camels have detailed medical examinations before entering Al Dhafra Festival. Since Emirati investigators began using X-rays and other devices a few years ago, Saleh said the number of cheaters has fallen. We easily catch them, and they realize getting caught, its not worth the cost to their reputation, he said. A great deal is at stake. Al Dhafra Festival offers the top 10 winners in each category prizes from $1,300 to $13,600. At the main Saudi contest, the most beautiful get high prices. Camels change hands in deals worth millions of dirhams, a local form of money. But breeders say it is not only about the money. Saleh al-Minhali is a camel-owner from Dubai. It is a kind of our heritage and custom that the (Emirati rulers) revived, he said. Revive is a term that means to bring back. Gone are the days when camels were important for daily life in the country. However, experts say Emiratis are increasingly searching for meaning in the past. This includes Bedouin traditions that were common before the UAE became a nation 50 years ago. Rima Sabban of the Zayed University in Dubai said, Younger Emiratis who have identity issues are going back to their heritage to find a sense of belonging. Sabban added, The society developed and modernized so fast it creates a crisis inside. Festivals across the country celebrate the camels importance. Al Dhafra also features falcon racing, camel dancing and a camel milking contest. Each category in the 10-day contest is divided into two types of camels: Mahaliyat, the tan breed that comes from the UAE and Oman, and Majaheen, the darker breed from Saudi Arabia. For hours, judges studied each camel, writing lists of the animals body parts for scoring purposes. Breeders shouted to surprise camels so they would look up and show off long necks. As the sun set over the sands, the winning breeders were called to accept their prizes. Camels were crowned with gold and silver-lined cloth. Weve received over 40 prizes (in various camel contests) this year alone, said Mohammed Saleh bin Migrin al-Amri as he held four from the day, including two golds. After that, he jumped into his vehicle and the victory parade of vehicles and camels disappeared into the desert. Im John Russell. Isabel Debre reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. _________________________________________________ Words in This Story hooves n. plural the hard covering on the foot of an animal (such as a horse or pig) breeder n. a person who keeps and takes care of certain kinds of animals to produce more of that animal with the same qualities reputation n. the common opinion that people have about someone at stake phrase in a position to be lost or gained category n. a group of people or things that are similar in some way heritage n. the traditions, beliefs and deeds that are part of the history of a group or nation Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar Burma Junta Watch: New Submarines; Junta Massacres Civilians in Southeast Myanmar; Regime Uses Christians for Propaganda and More The commissioning of new submarine Min Ye Kyaw Htin in Yangon on December 24 in commemoration of the 74th Anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. / Cncds Coup leader thanks predecessor for submarine fleet Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has praised his predecessor former military dictator Than Shwe, describing him as the person who laid the foundations for Myanmars first submarine unit. It was because of Than Shwe that the Myanmar Navy was ready to establish a submarine unit, said the coup leader as he attended a ceremony in Yangon on December 24 to commission the Myanmar militarys second submarine. The commissioning ceremony was timed to coincide with the 74th anniversary of the founding of the Myanmar Navy. A day to supplement the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] with a new remarkable capacity, said Snr-Gen, Min Aung Hlaing, who took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Than Shwe who handpicked him as his successor in 2011. In March, the coup leader had statues of former military chiefs including his mentor Than Shwe unveiled at the military museum in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw as a gesture of honoring them. Junta-controlled newspapers also reported that Than Shwe and his wife offered meals to senior Buddhist monks in November. The former military strongman has rarely appeared in public or the media since 2011. The navys second submarine, named Min Ye Kyaw Htin, is a Ming Class Type 035 diesel electric submarine and was bought from China. It is not clear if it is new or a second-hand model. The commissioning ceremony was also attended by Chinas Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai. In 2020, the military bought its first submarine, a second-hand one, from India. It is a Russian-manufactured Kilo Class submarine and is named Min Ye Thein Kha Thu. As well as the latest addition to the submarine fleet, four patrol boats and a vessel built by the Myanmar Navy were deployed at the ceremony. Junta continues to deny its atrocities Around 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and then set on fire in seven vehicles by junta soldiers on December 24 near Moso village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State. The incident is not unprecedented, given the fact that the military has long committed serious atrocities in ethnic areas. But the regime reveals its extreme arrogance by continuing to commit atrocities and then steadfastly denying its violence, while the whole country and international community are watching. As usual, the junta said the victims were terrorists and trainees undergoing military training to commit acts of terror. The massacre happened after an hour-long battle between junta troops and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Soldiers detained villagers near Moso and burned them along with seven vehicles and five motorbikes, according to the KNDF, which was formed after the coup to resist military rule. The ethnic military alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army has condemned the massacre. The United Nations has also condemned the incident and called for an investigation into the killings. Junta leader celebrates Christmas while bombing churches Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sent military officers to make donations to Christian churches on Christmas Day. He also presented gifts to Christian soldiers in the Myanmar military and said prayers along with them, according to the militarys mouthpiece, the Myawaddy Daily newspaper. The coup leader has also used Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, for regime propaganda. On December 23, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to mark Christmas at the archbishops church in Yangon. That led to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo being widely criticized on social media and by Christian communities, after pictures of him cutting a cake along with the coup leader were circulated, While junta-controlled newspapers have been busy exaggerating their leaders support for Christianity in Myanmar, dozens of churches in ethnic areas have been damaged by junta artillery strikes since the coup. Thousands of ethnic people, many of whom are Christians, were forced to flee junta assaults and air raids, and so could not celebrate Christmas at home. Businessman supplies arms to Myanmar military Anonymous open letters from former Myanmar military officers since the coup have accused the Kyaw Thaung family of procuring weapons for the military. An investigative report in the New York Times recently revealed how Jonathan Kyaw Thaungs family business is helping the military avoid scrutiny by Western governments. In 2015, the Singapore branch of a Kyaw Thaung company signed a deal to supply the military with a coastal radar technology system made by Thales, an arms manufacturer partly owned by the French government. The surveillance system, called Coast Watcher 100, was believed to be used for military purpose during the exodus of Rohingya refugees in 2016-2017. MWG, a Kyaw Thaung aviation company, has reportedly purchased a US$2.16 million (3.8 billion kyats) European-made helicopter from Brazil for the Myanmar military, using falsified paperwork to make it appear to be for civilian use. In 2017, MGW also arranged the purchase of two Fokker planes from an arm of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The planes are now used to transport high-ranking military officials. In September, one flew to Moscow just as the deputy junta leader visited Russia. Kyaw Thaungs KT Group handled the import from Europe of at least two turboprops and two transport planes that entered the Myanmar military fleet. The deals were made to look like commercial transfers to private companies rather than military procurement, to help avoid the possibility that the transactions might trigger European export bans placed on the Myanmar military. Juntas foreign ministry slams Western embassies statement on Karen air raids Heads of missions from Western countries issued a joint statement on December 24 about recent junta attacks on civilians including the shelling of villages in Karen State, calling them a violation of International Humanitarian Law. In response, the juntas foreign ministry said that: the joint statement is based on unverifiable sources such as anti-government elements, terrorists and insurgent groups. The Ministry also warned that such statements meddled in the internal affairs of Myanmar and violated the principles stipulated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Charter of the United Nations. The statement apparently ignored the fact that over 10,000 people from Karen States Lay Kay Kaw and the surrounding area have already been forced to flee across the border into Thailand to escape the military regimes shelling and air attacks. Even as Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former chief of the Thai army and a dictator himself, has publicly said he would take care of Myanmar refugees, Myanmars military still loves to lie blatantly and repeatedly. Civil servants wont work under military rule Junta chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said he will fill by any means vacancies caused by civil servants on strike in opposition to military rule. He claimed that some civil servants were being forced to join the Civil Disobedience Movement by people wishing to disrupt the administrative mechanism of the regime. The coup leader made the comments as he met government employees and community elders in Yangons Cocokyun Township on December 28. But over ten months after the coup, the regime still cant fill the vacancies left by striking civil servants. Nor has the coup leader clarified exactly how he plans to fill the vacancies. Since the February 1 coup, over 400,000 civil servants from the countrys health, education, transportation and other sectors have refused to work under military rule. To force them to return to work, the regime has employed a number of methods including arrest and prosecution, eviction from government-provided staff quarters, threats of dismissal and the detention of family members of striking government employees. At the same time, the regime has also tried a softer approach, saying it would withdraw lawsuits against striking civil servants if they return to work. In 1988, the majority of government employees who joined the general strike as part of the pro-democracy uprising returned to work when the military used the same threats. But in 2021, most civil servants are doing the opposite, showing their determination to end military dictatorship in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Juntas Worst Massacres of 2021 Student Activist Dies in Myanmar Junta Custody Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar 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. Washington, , 2021 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Jan, 2022 ) :President Joe Biden and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymr Zelensky will speak by phone on Sunday, both sides confirmed, after the US leader warned Russia's Vladimir Putin of a tough response to any invasion of the eastern European country. During the call, Biden will "reaffirm US support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russia's military build-up on Ukraine's borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region," a White House official said Friday. Zelensky tweeted: "Look forward to talking again with @POTUS this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe." Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. 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 western American city of San Francisco, California suffered a huge earthquake on April 18th, 1906. More than three thousand people are known to have died. The true number of dead will never be known. Two hundred fifty thousand people lost their homes. Just a few hours after the terrible earthquake, a magazine named Colliers sent a telegraph message to the famous American writer Jack London. They asked Mr. London to go to San Francisco and report about what he saw. He arrived in the city only a few hours after the earthquake. The report he wrote is called, The Story of an Eyewitness. Not in history has a modern city been so completely destroyed. San Francisco is gone. Nothing remains of it but memories and a few homes that were near the edge of the city. Its industrial area is gone. Its business area is gone. Its social and living areas are gone. The factories, great stores and newspaper buildings, the hotels and the huge homes of the very rich, are all gone. Within minutes of the earthquake the fires began. Within an hour a huge tower of smoke caused by the fires could be seen a hundred miles away. And for three days and nights this huge fire moved in the sky, reddening the sun, darkening the day and filling the land with smoke. There was no opposing the flames. There was no organization, no communication. The earthquake had smashed all of the modern inventions of a twentieth century city. The streets were broken and filled with pieces of fallen walls. The telephone and telegraph systems were broken. And the great water pipes had burst. All inventions and safety plans of man had been destroyed by thirty seconds of movement by the earth. By Wednesday afternoon, only twelve hours after the earthquake, half the heart of the city was gone. I watched the huge fire. It was very calm. There was no wind. Yet from every side, wind was pouring in upon the city. East, west, north and south, strong winds were blowing upon the dying city. The heated air made a huge wind that pulled air into the fire, rising into the atmosphere. Day and night the calm continued, and yet, near the flames, the wind was often as strong as a storm. There was no water to fight the fire. Fire fighters decided to use explosives to destroy buildings in its path. They hoped this would create a block to slow or stop the fire. Building after building was destroyed. And still the great fires continued. Jack London told how people tried to save some of their possessions from the fire. Wednesday night the whole city crashed and roared into ruin, yet the city was quiet. There were no crowds. There was no shouting and yelling. There was no disorder. I passed Wednesday night in the path of the fire and in all those terrible hours I saw not one woman who cried, not one man who was excited, not one person who caused trouble. Throughout the night, tens of thousands of homeless ones fled the fire. Some were wrapped in blankets. Others carried bedding and dear household treasures. Many of the poor left their homes with everything they could carry. Many of their loads were extremely heavy. Throughout the night they dropped items they could no longer hold. They left on the street clothing and treasures they had carried for miles. Many carried large boxes called trunks. They held onto these the longest. It was a hard night and the hills of San Francisco are steep. And up these hills, mile after mile, were the trunks dragged. Many a strong man broke his heart that night. Before the march of the fire were soldiers. Their job was to keep the people moving away from the fire. The extremely tired people would arise and struggle up the steep hills, pausing from weakness every five or ten feet. Often, after reaching the top of a heart-breaking hill, they would find the fire was moving at them from a different direction. After working hour after hour through the night to save part of their lives, thousands were forced to leave their trunks and flee. At night I walked down through the very heart of the city. I walked through mile after mile of beautiful buildings. Here was no fire. All was in perfect order. The police patrolled the streets. And yet it was all doomed, all of it. There was no water. The explosives were almost used up. And two huge fires were coming toward this part of the city from different directions. Four hours later I walked through this same part of the city. Everything still stood as before. And yet there was a change. A rain of ashes was falling. The police had been withdrawn. There were no firemen, no fire engines, and no men using explosives. I stood at the corner of Kearney and Market Streets in the very heart of San Francisco. Nothing could be done. Nothing could be saved. The surrender was complete. It was impossible to guess where the fire would move next. In the early evening I passed through Union Square. It was packed with refugees. Thousands of them had gone to bed on the grass. Government tents had been set up, food was being cooked and the refugees were lining up for free meals. Late that night I passed Union Square again. Three sides of the Square were in flames. The Square, with mountains of trunks, was deserted. The troops, refugees and all had retreated. The next morning I sat in front of a home on San Franciscos famous Nob Hill. With me sat Japanese, Italians, Chinese and Negroes. All about were the huge homes of the very rich. To the east and south of us were advancing two huge walls of fire. I went inside one house and talked to the owner. He smiled and said the earthquake had destroyed everything he owned. All he had left was his beautiful house. He looked at me and said, The fire will be here in fifteen minutes. Outside the house the troops were falling back and forcing the refugees ahead of them. From every side came the roaring of flames, the crashing of walls and the sound of explosives. Day was trying to dawn through the heavy smoke. A sickly light was creeping over the face of things. When the sun broke through the smoke it was blood-red and small. The smoke changed color from red to rose to purple. I walked past the broken dome of the City Hall building. This part of the city was already a waste of smoking ruins. Here and there through the smoke came a few men and women. It was like the meeting of a few survivors the day after the world ended. The huge fires continued to burn on. Nothing could stop them. Mister London walked from place to place in the city, watching the huge fires destroy the city. Nothing could be done to halt the firestorm. In the end, the fire went out by itself because there was nothing left to burn. Jack London finishes his story: All day Thursday and all Thursday night, all day Friday and Friday night, the flames raged on. Friday night saw the huge fires finally conquered, but not before the fires had swept three-quarters of a mile of docks and store houses at the waterfront. San Francisco at the present time is like the center of a volcano. Around this volcano are tens of thousands of refugees. All the surrounding cities and towns are jammed with the homeless ones. The refugees were carried free by the railroads to any place they wished to go. It is said that more than one hundred thousand people have left the peninsula on which San Francisco stood. The government has control of the situation, and thanks to the immediate relief given by the whole United States, there is no lack of food. The bankers and businessmen have already begun making the necessary plans to rebuild this once beautiful city of San Francisco. "The Story of an Eyewitness" was written by Jack London and adapted by Paul Thompson. It was published in Colliers Magazine, May 5, 1906. Your narrator was Doug Johnson. _______________________________________________________________ For Teachers This lesson plan, based on the CALLA Approach, teaches the learning strategy of classifying to help students understand the story. Quiz Try this Listening Quiz to check your understanding. Quiz - The Story of an Eyewitness Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story smash - v. to break into many pieces; to shatter or destroy atmosphere - n. the whole mass of air that surrounds the Earth surrender - v. to agree to stop fighting, hiding, resisting, etc., because you know that you will not win or succeed retreat - v. to move or go away from a place or situation especially because it is dangerous, unpleasant, etc. survivor - n. a member of a group who continues to live after other members have died firestorm - n. a very large fire that destroys everything in its path and produces powerful winds jammed - v. to fill (a place) completely The western American city of San Francisco, California suffered a huge earthquake on April 18th, 1906. More than three thousand people are known to have died. The true number of dead will never be known. Two hundred fifty thousand people lost their homes. Just a few hours after the terrible earthquake, a magazine named Colliers sent a telegraph message to the famous American writer Jack London. They asked Mr. London to go to San Francisco and report about what he saw. He arrived in the city only a few hours after the earthquake. The report he wrote is called, The Story of an Eyewitness. Not in history has a modern city been so completely destroyed. San Francisco is gone. Nothing remains of it but memories and a few homes that were near the edge of the city. Its industrial area is gone. Its business area is gone. Its social and living areas are gone. The factories, great stores and newspaper buildings, the hotels and the huge homes of the very rich, are all gone. Within minutes of the earthquake the fires began. Within an hour a huge tower of smoke caused by the fires could be seen a hundred miles away. And for three days and nights this huge fire moved in the sky, reddening the sun, darkening the day and filling the land with smoke. There was no opposing the flames. There was no organization, no communication. The earthquake had smashed all of the modern inventions of a twentieth century city. The streets were broken and filled with pieces of fallen walls. The telephone and telegraph systems were broken. And the great water pipes had burst. All inventions and safety plans of man had been destroyed by thirty seconds of movement by the earth. By Wednesday afternoon, only twelve hours after the earthquake, half the heart of the city was gone. I watched the huge fire. It was very calm. There was no wind. Yet from every side, wind was pouring in upon the city. East, west, north and south, strong winds were blowing upon the dying city. The heated air made a huge wind that pulled air into the fire, rising into the atmosphere. Day and night the calm continued, and yet, near the flames, the wind was often as strong as a storm. There was no water to fight the fire. Fire fighters decided to use explosives to destroy buildings in its path. They hoped this would create a block to slow or stop the fire. Building after building was destroyed. And still the great fires continued. Jack London told how people tried to save some of their possessions from the fire. Wednesday night the whole city crashed and roared into ruin, yet the city was quiet. There were no crowds. There was no shouting and yelling. There was no disorder. I passed Wednesday night in the path of the fire and in all those terrible hours I saw not one woman who cried, not one man who was excited, not one person who caused trouble. Throughout the night, tens of thousands of homeless ones fled the fire. Some were wrapped in blankets. Others carried bedding and dear household treasures. Many of the poor left their homes with everything they could carry. Many of their loads were extremely heavy. Throughout the night they dropped items they could no longer hold. They left on the street clothing and treasures they had carried for miles. Many carried large boxes called trunks. They held onto these the longest. It was a hard night and the hills of San Francisco are steep. And up these hills, mile after mile, were the trunks dragged. Many a strong man broke his heart that night. Before the march of the fire were soldiers. Their job was to keep the people moving away from the fire. The extremely tired people would arise and struggle up the steep hills, pausing from weakness every five or ten feet. Often, after reaching the top of a heart-breaking hill, they would find the fire was moving at them from a different direction. After working hour after hour through the night to save part of their lives, thousands were forced to leave their trunks and flee. At night I walked down through the very heart of the city. I walked through mile after mile of beautiful buildings. Here was no fire. All was in perfect order. The police patrolled the streets. And yet it was all doomed, all of it. There was no water. The explosives were almost used up. And two huge fires were coming toward this part of the city from different directions. Four hours later I walked through this same part of the city. Everything still stood as before. And yet there was a change. A rain of ashes was falling. The police had been withdrawn. There were no firemen, no fire engines, and no men using explosives. I stood at the corner of Kearney and Market Streets in the very heart of San Francisco. Nothing could be done. Nothing could be saved. The surrender was complete. It was impossible to guess where the fire would move next. In the early evening I passed through Union Square. It was packed with refugees. Thousands of them had gone to bed on the grass. Government tents had been set up, food was being cooked and the refugees were lining up for free meals. Late that night I passed Union Square again. Three sides of the Square were in flames. The Square, with mountains of trunks, was deserted. The troops, refugees and all had retreated. The next morning I sat in front of a home on San Franciscos famous Nob Hill. With me sat Japanese, Italians, Chinese and Negroes. All about were the huge homes of the very rich. To the east and south of us were advancing two huge walls of fire. I went inside one house and talked to the owner. He smiled and said the earthquake had destroyed everything he owned. All he had left was his beautiful house. He looked at me and said, The fire will be here in fifteen minutes. Outside the house the troops were falling back and forcing the refugees ahead of them. From every side came the roaring of flames, the crashing of walls and the sound of explosives. Day was trying to dawn through the heavy smoke. A sickly light was creeping over the face of things. When the sun broke through the smoke it was blood-red and small. The smoke changed color from red to rose to purple. I walked past the broken dome of the City Hall building. This part of the city was already a waste of smoking ruins. Here and there through the smoke came a few men and women. It was like the meeting of a few survivors the day after the world ended. The huge fires continued to burn on. Nothing could stop them. Mister London walked from place to place in the city, watching the huge fires destroy the city. Nothing could be done to halt the firestorm. In the end, the fire went out by itself because there was nothing left to burn. Jack London finishes his story: All day Thursday and all Thursday night, all day Friday and Friday night, the flames raged on. Friday night saw the huge fires finally conquered, but not before the fires had swept three-quarters of a mile of docks and store houses at the waterfront. San Francisco at the present time is like the center of a volcano. Around this volcano are tens of thousands of refugees. All the surrounding cities and towns are jammed with the homeless ones. The refugees were carried free by the railroads to any place they wished to go. It is said that more than one hundred thousand people have left the peninsula on which San Francisco stood. The government has control of the situation, and thanks to the immediate relief given by the whole United States, there is no lack of food. The bankers and businessmen have already begun making the necessary plans to rebuild this once beautiful city of San Francisco. "The Story of an Eyewitness" was written by Jack London and adapted by Paul Thompson. It was published in Colliers Magazine, May 5, 1906. Your narrator was Doug Johnson. _______________________________________________________________ For Teachers This lesson plan, based on the CALLA Approach, teaches the learning strategy of classifying to help students understand the story. Quiz Try this Listening Quiz to check your understanding. Quiz - The Story of an Eyewitness Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story smash - v. to break into many pieces; to shatter or destroy atmosphere - n. the whole mass of air that surrounds the Earth surrender - v. to agree to stop fighting, hiding, resisting, etc., because you know that you will not win or succeed retreat - v. to move or go away from a place or situation especially because it is dangerous, unpleasant, etc. survivor - n. a member of a group who continues to live after other members have died firestorm - n. a very large fire that destroys everything in its path and produces powerful winds jammed - v. to fill (a place) completely The western American city of San Francisco, California suffered a huge earthquake on April 18th, 1906. More than three thousand people are known to have died. The true number of dead will never be known. Two hundred fifty thousand people lost their homes. Just a few hours after the terrible earthquake, a magazine named Colliers sent a telegraph message to the famous American writer Jack London. They asked Mr. London to go to San Francisco and report about what he saw. He arrived in the city only a few hours after the earthquake. The report he wrote is called, The Story of an Eyewitness. Not in history has a modern city been so completely destroyed. San Francisco is gone. Nothing remains of it but memories and a few homes that were near the edge of the city. Its industrial area is gone. Its business area is gone. Its social and living areas are gone. The factories, great stores and newspaper buildings, the hotels and the huge homes of the very rich, are all gone. Within minutes of the earthquake the fires began. Within an hour a huge tower of smoke caused by the fires could be seen a hundred miles away. And for three days and nights this huge fire moved in the sky, reddening the sun, darkening the day and filling the land with smoke. There was no opposing the flames. There was no organization, no communication. The earthquake had smashed all of the modern inventions of a twentieth century city. The streets were broken and filled with pieces of fallen walls. The telephone and telegraph systems were broken. And the great water pipes had burst. All inventions and safety plans of man had been destroyed by thirty seconds of movement by the earth. By Wednesday afternoon, only twelve hours after the earthquake, half the heart of the city was gone. I watched the huge fire. It was very calm. There was no wind. Yet from every side, wind was pouring in upon the city. East, west, north and south, strong winds were blowing upon the dying city. The heated air made a huge wind that pulled air into the fire, rising into the atmosphere. Day and night the calm continued, and yet, near the flames, the wind was often as strong as a storm. There was no water to fight the fire. Fire fighters decided to use explosives to destroy buildings in its path. They hoped this would create a block to slow or stop the fire. Building after building was destroyed. And still the great fires continued. Jack London told how people tried to save some of their possessions from the fire. Wednesday night the whole city crashed and roared into ruin, yet the city was quiet. There were no crowds. There was no shouting and yelling. There was no disorder. I passed Wednesday night in the path of the fire and in all those terrible hours I saw not one woman who cried, not one man who was excited, not one person who caused trouble. Throughout the night, tens of thousands of homeless ones fled the fire. Some were wrapped in blankets. Others carried bedding and dear household treasures. Many of the poor left their homes with everything they could carry. Many of their loads were extremely heavy. Throughout the night they dropped items they could no longer hold. They left on the street clothing and treasures they had carried for miles. Many carried large boxes called trunks. They held onto these the longest. It was a hard night and the hills of San Francisco are steep. And up these hills, mile after mile, were the trunks dragged. Many a strong man broke his heart that night. Before the march of the fire were soldiers. Their job was to keep the people moving away from the fire. The extremely tired people would arise and struggle up the steep hills, pausing from weakness every five or ten feet. Often, after reaching the top of a heart-breaking hill, they would find the fire was moving at them from a different direction. After working hour after hour through the night to save part of their lives, thousands were forced to leave their trunks and flee. At night I walked down through the very heart of the city. I walked through mile after mile of beautiful buildings. Here was no fire. All was in perfect order. The police patrolled the streets. And yet it was all doomed, all of it. There was no water. The explosives were almost used up. And two huge fires were coming toward this part of the city from different directions. Four hours later I walked through this same part of the city. Everything still stood as before. And yet there was a change. A rain of ashes was falling. The police had been withdrawn. There were no firemen, no fire engines, and no men using explosives. I stood at the corner of Kearney and Market Streets in the very heart of San Francisco. Nothing could be done. Nothing could be saved. The surrender was complete. It was impossible to guess where the fire would move next. In the early evening I passed through Union Square. It was packed with refugees. Thousands of them had gone to bed on the grass. Government tents had been set up, food was being cooked and the refugees were lining up for free meals. Late that night I passed Union Square again. Three sides of the Square were in flames. The Square, with mountains of trunks, was deserted. The troops, refugees and all had retreated. The next morning I sat in front of a home on San Franciscos famous Nob Hill. With me sat Japanese, Italians, Chinese and Negroes. All about were the huge homes of the very rich. To the east and south of us were advancing two huge walls of fire. I went inside one house and talked to the owner. He smiled and said the earthquake had destroyed everything he owned. All he had left was his beautiful house. He looked at me and said, The fire will be here in fifteen minutes. Outside the house the troops were falling back and forcing the refugees ahead of them. From every side came the roaring of flames, the crashing of walls and the sound of explosives. Day was trying to dawn through the heavy smoke. A sickly light was creeping over the face of things. When the sun broke through the smoke it was blood-red and small. The smoke changed color from red to rose to purple. I walked past the broken dome of the City Hall building. This part of the city was already a waste of smoking ruins. Here and there through the smoke came a few men and women. It was like the meeting of a few survivors the day after the world ended. The huge fires continued to burn on. Nothing could stop them. Mister London walked from place to place in the city, watching the huge fires destroy the city. Nothing could be done to halt the firestorm. In the end, the fire went out by itself because there was nothing left to burn. Jack London finishes his story: All day Thursday and all Thursday night, all day Friday and Friday night, the flames raged on. Friday night saw the huge fires finally conquered, but not before the fires had swept three-quarters of a mile of docks and store houses at the waterfront. San Francisco at the present time is like the center of a volcano. Around this volcano are tens of thousands of refugees. All the surrounding cities and towns are jammed with the homeless ones. The refugees were carried free by the railroads to any place they wished to go. It is said that more than one hundred thousand people have left the peninsula on which San Francisco stood. The government has control of the situation, and thanks to the immediate relief given by the whole United States, there is no lack of food. The bankers and businessmen have already begun making the necessary plans to rebuild this once beautiful city of San Francisco. "The Story of an Eyewitness" was written by Jack London and adapted by Paul Thompson. It was published in Colliers Magazine, May 5, 1906. Your narrator was Doug Johnson. _______________________________________________________________ For Teachers This lesson plan, based on the CALLA Approach, teaches the learning strategy of classifying to help students understand the story. Quiz Try this Listening Quiz to check your understanding. Quiz - The Story of an Eyewitness Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story smash - v. to break into many pieces; to shatter or destroy atmosphere - n. the whole mass of air that surrounds the Earth surrender - v. to agree to stop fighting, hiding, resisting, etc., because you know that you will not win or succeed retreat - v. to move or go away from a place or situation especially because it is dangerous, unpleasant, etc. survivor - n. a member of a group who continues to live after other members have died firestorm - n. a very large fire that destroys everything in its path and produces powerful winds jammed - v. to fill (a place) completely 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. 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. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. If you love Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohens bromance, you may want to know how to watch CNNs New Years Eve Live online to not miss second of all the drunk BFF moments. New Years Eve Live, a New Years Eve TV special broadcasted on CNN, started on December 31, 2001, with CNN correspondents hosting the show from Times Square. Anderson Cooper, who hosts Anderson Cooper 360 on CNN, took over as the New Years Eve Live host in 2002. The show was also expanded from 30 minutes to 90 to 120 minutes in 2003. Though the special airs from Times Square in New York City, the show has also featured cities like Nashville, Tennessee, and New Orleans, Louisiana. In 2008, comedian Kathy Griffin joined Cooper as the co-host of New Years Eve Live. Griffin was replaced by Watch What Happens Live and Real Housewives host Andy Cohen in 2017 after she came under fire for a photo of her posing with a decapitated head of former President Donald Trump. More from StyleCaster Watch CNNs New Years Eve Live on $10 Buy Now In an interview on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert in 2021, Cooper described New Years Eve Live as different than other New Years shows due to the messy and sloppy behavior he and Cohen sometimes show when they drink throughout the night. Thats what we like about this New Years show is its sort of like everybodys New Years Eve, Cooper explained. Its like you think its gonna be one thing. It ends up going off the rails. You sort of have a good time. But sometimes its just messy. And sloppy, he said. During the interview, Cohen also joked that Cooper is a lightweight. The irony is Ive become the straight guy and have to drive the bus, he said. Because this one is down for the count. Hes such a lightweight. If news breaks when were on the air, Im going to be the guy thats handling it. Story continues In a post on his Instagram Story in 2021, Cohen promised to get Cooper drunk for CNNs New Years Eve Live. First time caller. Long time listener. If you dont get Anderson absolutely wasted for New Years I will never forgive you. We have nothing else. Please hear our prayers, a fan wrote in a question to Cohen, to which he responded, I will get him drunk like my life depended on it. America needs #drunkanderson! Click here to read the full article. So how can one watch CNNs New Years Eve Live to see drunk Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen? Read on ahead for how to watch CNNs New Years Eve Live online and stream the unfiltered special for cheap. When does CNNs New Years Eve Liveair? CNNs New Years Eve Live starts at 8 p.m. ET on December 31, 2021, with hosts Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen. At 12:30 a.m. ET on January 1, 2021, Don Lemon, Alisyn Camerota and Dulce Sloan will take over as hosts. How to watch CNNs New Years Eve Live online How can one watch CNNs New Years Eve Live online? New Years Eve Live airs on CNN, which is available to stream online with services like Hulu+ With Live TV and Sling TV. Hulu+ With Live TV costs $64.99 per month, while Sling TV has a current deal where users can subscribe for $10 for their first month. After the first month, users can continue to subscribe for $35 per month. Watch CNNs New Years Eve Live on $10 Buy Now Watch CNNs New Years Eve Live on $64.99 Buy Now Who are the CNN New Years Eve Live hosts? The CNN New Years Eve Live hosts are news anchor Anderson Cooper (who has hosted the special since 2011), and Watch What Happens Live host Andy Cohen (who has hosted the special since 2017). CNNs other New Years Eve Live hosts include CNN anchors Don Lemon and Alisyn Camerota and comedian Dulce Sloan, who will host the special from the Central Time Zone in New Orleans. Other CNN correspondents include Stephanie Elam from Las Vegas, Randi Kaye from Key West, Richard Quest from a New York City skyscraper, Chloe Melas from Times Square, Gary Tuchman and Lindsay Tuchman from Puerto Rico, Coy Wire from Minneapolis and Donie OSullivan from a New York City Irish bar. Who are the CNN New Years Eve Live performers? Who are the CNN New Years Eve Live performers? Katy Perry will headline New Years Eve from her Las Vegas Residency Play at the Reorts World in Las Vegas. Other special guest stars include William Shatner, Patti LaBelle, Earth, Wind & Fire, Duran Duran, Amanda Gorman, Patti LuPone, David Arquette, Leslie Jordan and Cheri Oteri. CNNs New Years Eve Live starts at 8 p.m. ET on CNN. Watch CNNs New Years Eve Live on $10 Buy Now Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think youll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale. New Entertainment Newsletter Best of StyleCaster Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Australian politicians have never been particularly shy about suing for defamation, and the rise of social media has led to an explosion in the number of potentially defamatory comments published each day about political leaders. This year, some of those comments made their way to the courts. Former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro sued YouTube personality Jordan Shanks and Google, the owner of the video-sharing platform, over allegedly defamatory videos posted on Shanks Friendlyjordies channel. (The case against Shanks has since settled.) Former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro and YouTube personality Jordan Shanks. Defence Minister Peter Dutton sued a refugee advocate, Shane Bazzi, over a six-word tweet accusing him of being a rape apologist and won a $35,000 damages payout and $825 in interest. But there are signs that the Federal Court, where the bulk of political defamation cases are being filed, is seeking to dissuade some social media cases from darkening its doors. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Australian politicians have never been particularly shy about suing for defamation, and the rise of social media has led to an explosion in the number of potentially defamatory comments published each day about political leaders. This year, some of those comments made their way to the courts. Former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro sued YouTube personality Jordan Shanks and Google, the owner of the video-sharing platform, over allegedly defamatory videos posted on Shanks Friendlyjordies channel. (The case against Shanks has since settled.) Former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro and YouTube personality Jordan Shanks. Defence Minister Peter Dutton sued a refugee advocate, Shane Bazzi, over a six-word tweet accusing him of being a rape apologist and won a $35,000 damages payout and $825 in interest. But there are signs that the Federal Court, where the bulk of political defamation cases are being filed, is seeking to dissuade some social media cases from darkening its doors. Australian politicians have never been particularly shy about suing for defamation, and the rise of social media has led to an explosion in the number of potentially defamatory comments published each day about political leaders. This year, some of those comments made their way to the courts. Former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro sued YouTube personality Jordan Shanks and Google, the owner of the video-sharing platform, over allegedly defamatory videos posted on Shanks Friendlyjordies channel. (The case against Shanks has since settled.) Former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro and YouTube personality Jordan Shanks. Defence Minister Peter Dutton sued a refugee advocate, Shane Bazzi, over a six-word tweet accusing him of being a rape apologist and won a $35,000 damages payout and $825 in interest. But there are signs that the Federal Court, where the bulk of political defamation cases are being filed, is seeking to dissuade some social media cases from darkening its doors. Australian politicians have never been particularly shy about suing for defamation, and the rise of social media has led to an explosion in the number of potentially defamatory comments published each day about political leaders. This year, some of those comments made their way to the courts. Former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro sued YouTube personality Jordan Shanks and Google, the owner of the video-sharing platform, over allegedly defamatory videos posted on Shanks Friendlyjordies channel. (The case against Shanks has since settled.) Former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro and YouTube personality Jordan Shanks. Defence Minister Peter Dutton sued a refugee advocate, Shane Bazzi, over a six-word tweet accusing him of being a rape apologist and won a $35,000 damages payout and $825 in interest. But there are signs that the Federal Court, where the bulk of political defamation cases are being filed, is seeking to dissuade some social media cases from darkening its doors. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Australian politicians have never been particularly shy about suing for defamation, and the rise of social media has led to an explosion in the number of potentially defamatory comments published each day about political leaders. This year, some of those comments made their way to the courts. Former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro sued YouTube personality Jordan Shanks and Google, the owner of the video-sharing platform, over allegedly defamatory videos posted on Shanks Friendlyjordies channel. (The case against Shanks has since settled.) Former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro and YouTube personality Jordan Shanks. Defence Minister Peter Dutton sued a refugee advocate, Shane Bazzi, over a six-word tweet accusing him of being a rape apologist and won a $35,000 damages payout and $825 in interest. But there are signs that the Federal Court, where the bulk of political defamation cases are being filed, is seeking to dissuade some social media cases from darkening its doors. Australian politicians have never been particularly shy about suing for defamation, and the rise of social media has led to an explosion in the number of potentially defamatory comments published each day about political leaders. This year, some of those comments made their way to the courts. Former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro sued YouTube personality Jordan Shanks and Google, the owner of the video-sharing platform, over allegedly defamatory videos posted on Shanks Friendlyjordies channel. (The case against Shanks has since settled.) Former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro and YouTube personality Jordan Shanks. Defence Minister Peter Dutton sued a refugee advocate, Shane Bazzi, over a six-word tweet accusing him of being a rape apologist and won a $35,000 damages payout and $825 in interest. But there are signs that the Federal Court, where the bulk of political defamation cases are being filed, is seeking to dissuade some social media cases from darkening its doors. As part of activities to mark the 70th Anniversary of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the Alumni have initiated steps to raise $5 million as seed capital for an Alumni Endowment Fund. This is to help support the management of the school in the areas of scholarships for bright and needy students, futuristic and environmentally friendly infrastructural development and research and retooling of learning facilities. As part of the anniversary celebrations, an energizer event was organised by the Alumni on Tuesday 28th December to create awareness and stir up interest towards the upcoming launch of the KNUST Alumni Endowment Fund (KAEF). Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, chairman of the committee in charge of the fund-raising drive and planning for the launch of the Endowment Fund, said in his keynote address at the KAEF Energizer Event that, all major universities around the world have benefited from endowment funds through the support of their alumni hence the need to work closely with the university administration to build a more resilient sustainable future for the young ones in school. As alumni, we've been supporting needy students, but we now want to expand this effort to cover a well-structured scholarship scheme, building futuristic environmentally friendly infrastructure, and to support research work and the retooling of learning facilities. The fund-raising program dubbed [email protected] has been designed to enable all Alumni worldwide to participate by donating to the fund through the various payment platforms that have been created. Some of the activities lined up as part of the anniversary celebrations include mentorship sessions for students to meet and learn from Captains of industries, impact at your doorstep which encourages alumni all over the world to come together in their usual social groups to have some fun and undertake some social impact activities, and the launch of the KNUST Alumni Endowment Fund (KAEF), among others. The Public Relations Officer of KNUST, Dr. Daniel Norris Bekoe, who represented the VC, in his address, indicated that, prominent among the challenges faced by the university is the lack of hostel accommodation on campus. This means the larger student population lived outside campus in overpriced hostels, which cost the school additional funds to cater for the security of these students. The university is therefore inviting the Alumni to organise its entrepreneurial members in the real estate industry to come and build hostels on campus, on a Build, Operate and Transfer basis. According to him, the university is ready to make land available to alumni who want to invest in the building of hostel facilities on campus to help create a congenial environment for students to study. He bemoaned the high number of students who risk lodging outside the school every year due to the increased numbers in enrolment with no matching accommodation facilities to absorb them. The situation he believes will be solved if more hostels are built and owned by Alumni at rates affordable to students. It is worthy of note, that since its establishment in 1951 by Ghana's first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, KNUST has since produced very notable Alumni in the world. The university's total population currently stands at 80,000 students and about 5,000 teaching and non-teaching staff, and this continues to grow positively. The nights event, ended with some members of the Alumni pledging their initial contribution to the fund and also sharing some fond memories of their time on campus. Alumni worldwide were encouraged to start their donations towards the fund now. As part of activities to mark the 70th Anniversary of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the Alumni have initiated steps to raise $5 million as seed capital for an Alumni Endowment Fund. This is to help support the management of the school in the areas of scholarships for bright and needy students, futuristic and environmentally friendly infrastructural development and research and retooling of learning facilities. As part of the anniversary celebrations, an energizer event was organised by the Alumni on Tuesday 28th December to create awareness and stir up interest towards the upcoming launch of the KNUST Alumni Endowment Fund (KAEF). Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, chairman of the committee in charge of the fund-raising drive and planning for the launch of the Endowment Fund, said in his keynote address at the KAEF Energizer Event that, all major universities around the world have benefited from endowment funds through the support of their alumni hence the need to work closely with the university administration to build a more resilient sustainable future for the young ones in school. As alumni, we've been supporting needy students, but we now want to expand this effort to cover a well-structured scholarship scheme, building futuristic environmentally friendly infrastructure, and to support research work and the retooling of learning facilities. The fund-raising program dubbed [email protected] has been designed to enable all Alumni worldwide to participate by donating to the fund through the various payment platforms that have been created. Some of the activities lined up as part of the anniversary celebrations include mentorship sessions for students to meet and learn from Captains of industries, impact at your doorstep which encourages alumni all over the world to come together in their usual social groups to have some fun and undertake some social impact activities, and the launch of the KNUST Alumni Endowment Fund (KAEF), among others. The Public Relations Officer of KNUST, Dr. Daniel Norris Bekoe, who represented the VC, in his address, indicated that, prominent among the challenges faced by the university is the lack of hostel accommodation on campus. This means the larger student population lived outside campus in overpriced hostels, which cost the school additional funds to cater for the security of these students. The university is therefore inviting the Alumni to organise its entrepreneurial members in the real estate industry to come and build hostels on campus, on a Build, Operate and Transfer basis. According to him, the university is ready to make land available to alumni who want to invest in the building of hostel facilities on campus to help create a congenial environment for students to study. He bemoaned the high number of students who risk lodging outside the school every year due to the increased numbers in enrolment with no matching accommodation facilities to absorb them. The situation he believes will be solved if more hostels are built and owned by Alumni at rates affordable to students. It is worthy of note, that since its establishment in 1951 by Ghana's first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, KNUST has since produced very notable Alumni in the world. The university's total population currently stands at 80,000 students and about 5,000 teaching and non-teaching staff, and this continues to grow positively. The nights event, ended with some members of the Alumni pledging their initial contribution to the fund and also sharing some fond memories of their time on campus. Alumni worldwide were encouraged to start their donations towards the fund now. As part of activities to mark the 70th Anniversary of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the Alumni have initiated steps to raise $5 million as seed capital for an Alumni Endowment Fund. This is to help support the management of the school in the areas of scholarships for bright and needy students, futuristic and environmentally friendly infrastructural development and research and retooling of learning facilities. As part of the anniversary celebrations, an energizer event was organised by the Alumni on Tuesday 28th December to create awareness and stir up interest towards the upcoming launch of the KNUST Alumni Endowment Fund (KAEF). Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, chairman of the committee in charge of the fund-raising drive and planning for the launch of the Endowment Fund, said in his keynote address at the KAEF Energizer Event that, all major universities around the world have benefited from endowment funds through the support of their alumni hence the need to work closely with the university administration to build a more resilient sustainable future for the young ones in school. As alumni, we've been supporting needy students, but we now want to expand this effort to cover a well-structured scholarship scheme, building futuristic environmentally friendly infrastructure, and to support research work and the retooling of learning facilities. The fund-raising program dubbed [email protected] has been designed to enable all Alumni worldwide to participate by donating to the fund through the various payment platforms that have been created. Some of the activities lined up as part of the anniversary celebrations include mentorship sessions for students to meet and learn from Captains of industries, impact at your doorstep which encourages alumni all over the world to come together in their usual social groups to have some fun and undertake some social impact activities, and the launch of the KNUST Alumni Endowment Fund (KAEF), among others. The Public Relations Officer of KNUST, Dr. Daniel Norris Bekoe, who represented the VC, in his address, indicated that, prominent among the challenges faced by the university is the lack of hostel accommodation on campus. This means the larger student population lived outside campus in overpriced hostels, which cost the school additional funds to cater for the security of these students. The university is therefore inviting the Alumni to organise its entrepreneurial members in the real estate industry to come and build hostels on campus, on a Build, Operate and Transfer basis. According to him, the university is ready to make land available to alumni who want to invest in the building of hostel facilities on campus to help create a congenial environment for students to study. He bemoaned the high number of students who risk lodging outside the school every year due to the increased numbers in enrolment with no matching accommodation facilities to absorb them. The situation he believes will be solved if more hostels are built and owned by Alumni at rates affordable to students. It is worthy of note, that since its establishment in 1951 by Ghana's first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, KNUST has since produced very notable Alumni in the world. The university's total population currently stands at 80,000 students and about 5,000 teaching and non-teaching staff, and this continues to grow positively. The nights event, ended with some members of the Alumni pledging their initial contribution to the fund and also sharing some fond memories of their time on campus. Alumni worldwide were encouraged to start their donations towards the fund now. As part of activities to mark the 70th Anniversary of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the Alumni have initiated steps to raise $5 million as seed capital for an Alumni Endowment Fund. This is to help support the management of the school in the areas of scholarships for bright and needy students, futuristic and environmentally friendly infrastructural development and research and retooling of learning facilities. As part of the anniversary celebrations, an energizer event was organised by the Alumni on Tuesday 28th December to create awareness and stir up interest towards the upcoming launch of the KNUST Alumni Endowment Fund (KAEF). Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, chairman of the committee in charge of the fund-raising drive and planning for the launch of the Endowment Fund, said in his keynote address at the KAEF Energizer Event that, all major universities around the world have benefited from endowment funds through the support of their alumni hence the need to work closely with the university administration to build a more resilient sustainable future for the young ones in school. As alumni, we've been supporting needy students, but we now want to expand this effort to cover a well-structured scholarship scheme, building futuristic environmentally friendly infrastructure, and to support research work and the retooling of learning facilities. The fund-raising program dubbed [email protected] has been designed to enable all Alumni worldwide to participate by donating to the fund through the various payment platforms that have been created. Some of the activities lined up as part of the anniversary celebrations include mentorship sessions for students to meet and learn from Captains of industries, impact at your doorstep which encourages alumni all over the world to come together in their usual social groups to have some fun and undertake some social impact activities, and the launch of the KNUST Alumni Endowment Fund (KAEF), among others. The Public Relations Officer of KNUST, Dr. Daniel Norris Bekoe, who represented the VC, in his address, indicated that, prominent among the challenges faced by the university is the lack of hostel accommodation on campus. This means the larger student population lived outside campus in overpriced hostels, which cost the school additional funds to cater for the security of these students. The university is therefore inviting the Alumni to organise its entrepreneurial members in the real estate industry to come and build hostels on campus, on a Build, Operate and Transfer basis. According to him, the university is ready to make land available to alumni who want to invest in the building of hostel facilities on campus to help create a congenial environment for students to study. He bemoaned the high number of students who risk lodging outside the school every year due to the increased numbers in enrolment with no matching accommodation facilities to absorb them. The situation he believes will be solved if more hostels are built and owned by Alumni at rates affordable to students. It is worthy of note, that since its establishment in 1951 by Ghana's first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, KNUST has since produced very notable Alumni in the world. The university's total population currently stands at 80,000 students and about 5,000 teaching and non-teaching staff, and this continues to grow positively. The nights event, ended with some members of the Alumni pledging their initial contribution to the fund and also sharing some fond memories of their time on campus. Alumni worldwide were encouraged to start their donations towards the fund now. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Russia "firmly and consistently" defended its national interests as well as the security of the country and its citizens in 2021, President Vladimir Putin said in his 2022 New Year address. "We faced colossal challenges, but we learned to live in such harsh conditions to solve complex problems. We were able to do this thanks to our solidarity," Putin said on Friday. "The most important thing is that we overcame all the difficulties of the outgoing year together ... There are still a lot of unsolved problems, but this year we passed with dignity," he added. "Celebrating the New Year, we hope that it will open up new opportunities. We count, of course, on good luck, but we still understand that the achievement of what we have conceived primarily depends on ourselves," he said. The President also expressed condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the Covid-19 pandemic, Xinhua news agency reported. --IANS int/khz/ ( 167 Words) 2022-01-01-01:28:02 (IANS) Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 A man receives his fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, central Israel, on Dec. 31, 2021. The Israeli Health Ministry on Friday said it has approved the administration of the fourth booster vaccine shot against COVID-19 for nursing home residents and staff. (Tomer Neuberg/JINI via Xinhua) JERUSALEM, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli Health Ministry on Friday said it has approved the administration of the fourth booster vaccine shot against COVID-19 for nursing home residents and staff. The ministry also approved the fourth shot at assisted living facilities, geriatric hospitals, and institutions for people who suffer from dual diagnoses. On Thursday, the ministry approved the administration of the fourth shot for those with suppressed immune systems. However, a recommendation by an expert panel at the ministry to give the fourth shot to the entire elderly population aged over 60 has not yet been approved. Enditem Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 As part of activities to mark the 70th Anniversary of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the Alumni have initiated steps to raise $5 million as seed capital for an Alumni Endowment Fund. This is to help support the management of the school in the areas of scholarships for bright and needy students, futuristic and environmentally friendly infrastructural development and research and retooling of learning facilities. As part of the anniversary celebrations, an energizer event was organised by the Alumni on Tuesday 28th December to create awareness and stir up interest towards the upcoming launch of the KNUST Alumni Endowment Fund (KAEF). Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, chairman of the committee in charge of the fund-raising drive and planning for the launch of the Endowment Fund, said in his keynote address at the KAEF Energizer Event that, all major universities around the world have benefited from endowment funds through the support of their alumni hence the need to work closely with the university administration to build a more resilient sustainable future for the young ones in school. As alumni, we've been supporting needy students, but we now want to expand this effort to cover a well-structured scholarship scheme, building futuristic environmentally friendly infrastructure, and to support research work and the retooling of learning facilities. The fund-raising program dubbed [email protected] has been designed to enable all Alumni worldwide to participate by donating to the fund through the various payment platforms that have been created. Some of the activities lined up as part of the anniversary celebrations include mentorship sessions for students to meet and learn from Captains of industries, impact at your doorstep which encourages alumni all over the world to come together in their usual social groups to have some fun and undertake some social impact activities, and the launch of the KNUST Alumni Endowment Fund (KAEF), among others. The Public Relations Officer of KNUST, Dr. Daniel Norris Bekoe, who represented the VC, in his address, indicated that, prominent among the challenges faced by the university is the lack of hostel accommodation on campus. This means the larger student population lived outside campus in overpriced hostels, which cost the school additional funds to cater for the security of these students. The university is therefore inviting the Alumni to organise its entrepreneurial members in the real estate industry to come and build hostels on campus, on a Build, Operate and Transfer basis. According to him, the university is ready to make land available to alumni who want to invest in the building of hostel facilities on campus to help create a congenial environment for students to study. He bemoaned the high number of students who risk lodging outside the school every year due to the increased numbers in enrolment with no matching accommodation facilities to absorb them. The situation he believes will be solved if more hostels are built and owned by Alumni at rates affordable to students. It is worthy of note, that since its establishment in 1951 by Ghana's first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, KNUST has since produced very notable Alumni in the world. The university's total population currently stands at 80,000 students and about 5,000 teaching and non-teaching staff, and this continues to grow positively. The nights event, ended with some members of the Alumni pledging their initial contribution to the fund and also sharing some fond memories of their time on campus. Alumni worldwide were encouraged to start their donations towards the fund now. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 A former Special Aide to the late former President Jerry John Rawlings , Donald Agumenu, has appealed to government to reconsider the burial place of the former president and make it easily accessible to the people to reflect his character, belief and philosophy. Reflecting on the 40th anniversary of Rawlings bursting onto the political scene to establish the Fourth Republic, Dr Donald Agumenu bemoaned the limited access to Rawlings graveyard as not in tandem with what the Ghanaian leader stood for. Notwithstanding the befitting burial of President Rawlings, its important to underscore the fact that government was misled on the choice of his burial place. The simple point is if his wishes will not be respected after his demise, at least his nature should be honoured. He was a man of the people and his final resting place should reflect his character. A place that is secured but easily accessible to everyone including the common man on the streets of Dzorwulo traffic, Zabzugu, Wa, Tsokor, Aflao, Yendi, Dzelukofe, Suame, Ashiaman, etc. The makola woman and that of Kedjetia should not go through rigorous processes to pay him homage, Dr Agumenu adduced. The former special aide is of the view that underdogs just as the upperclass should have a sense of equity in connecting with the man they loved as the former President truly loved them. He continued, pointing out that President Rawlings's actions and inactions were purely motivated by a quest for justice and equity for all and noted that his present burial place is not a testament to both his character and his wishes. Dr Agumenu (third from left) walking next to the late President Rawlings According to Dr Agumenu, former President Rawlings ensured that first President Dr Kwame Nkrumah was given a befitting place of burial in Accra that reflects his persona and that place has been made accessible to everybody. In the same vein, we need to accord President Rawlings a place that is in sync with his value system- free up that burial place for the people to visit anytime they wish, for them to continue paying their homage in reminiscent of his good works. The situation must not be created to seem as if Rawlings's mortal remains are caged in some elitist enclave. The place should be situated in such a way that every cadre and political activist can easily access, he quipped. The former special aide further observed that the values of truth, integrity, accountability and transparency which Rawlings touted should give Ghanaians a wake-up call to rally together in protecting and strengthening the institutions of our democratic fabric. Dr Agumenu said, The debate is still alive about the steps he took 40yrs ago. As I reflect on the complexities of that phase in our political history, one will agree with me that the former leader succeeded in scrounging the kind of sociopolitical stability we enjoy today. He added, What happened in Parliament on the E-levy is a true testament of how actions and inactions could generate spontaneous reactions if not mitigated early enough. In fact, the issue unravels some level of fragility in our democracy and therefore calls for deliberate steps to broaden our quest for building robust democratic institutions while building capacity for the actors, policemen and women of our governance system. Dr Agumenu advocated for laws governing government projects, portfolios and programmes formulation and implementation to be attached with strong entrenched continuity clauses not only to roll out a national developmental agenda but also to protect public expenditure and waste emanating from their discontinuity. He also called on the leadership and the rank and file of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to do some sober introspection and ensure the party is anchored firmly on the solid foundational principles lived and died for. The leadership of the NDC must craft that unique selling proposition that the party is people-centred. That the NDC is for the people and ready to provide better lives for everybody regardless of religion, social status, tribe, gender or creed. This is the best way to make the NDC of today attractive in order to win elections, he pointed out. On 31st December 1981, Jerry John Rawlings seized power from President Hilla Liman and his Peoples National Party (PNP) government citing bad governance and general hardships. He then formed the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) which would later transform into the NDC as a fully registered political party. In 1992, with President Rawlings as flagbearer, the NDC won the polls convincingly, a feat which was repeated in 1996. President Rawlings in 2001, handed over power to New Patriotic Party's John Agyekum Kufuor who emerged winner of the 2000 presidential elections. Ghana's Fourth Republican thus became institutionalised and has become a bastion of sustainable peace and development in Africa. Source: 3news.com Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Russia "firmly and consistently" defended its national interests as well as the security of the country and its citizens in 2021, President Vladimir Putin said in his 2022 New Year address. "We faced colossal challenges, but we learned to live in such harsh conditions to solve complex problems. We were able to do this thanks to our solidarity," Putin said on Friday. "The most important thing is that we overcame all the difficulties of the outgoing year together ... There are still a lot of unsolved problems, but this year we passed with dignity," he added. "Celebrating the New Year, we hope that it will open up new opportunities. We count, of course, on good luck, but we still understand that the achievement of what we have conceived primarily depends on ourselves," he said. The President also expressed condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the Covid-19 pandemic, Xinhua news agency reported. --IANS int/khz/ ( 167 Words) 2022-01-01-01:28:02 (IANS) The Tema District Court has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Pastor Kingsley Kwasi Abeyie, the Head Pastor of the Beneficial Veracious Christ Church located at Community Seven for overgrown weeds on the church premises. The Court presided over by Mr Festu Fovi issued the bench warrant after Pastor Kwasi Abeyie failed to appear before it on December 20, 2021, to answer charges of overgrown weeds on-premises, and non-compliance with the abatement notice. The case has been adjourned to January 13, 2022, for the accused to reappear before the court. Madam Saudatu Issaka, the Assistant Health Environmental Analyst, who was prosecuting said, on August 20, this year at about midday, Environmental Health Officer inspected the accused's church premises and found that the place was overgrown with weeds, which were likely to breed reptiles, which could be injurious to the public. The prosecution said Pastor Kwasi Abeyie was called to the scene and the nuisance was pointed out and educated on the dangers it poses after which notice was served on him as a matter of urgency to weed and collect all rubbish within seven days and report compliance. The prosecution explained that on August 29, a re-inspection was made but the condition of the place was the same, a second notice was issued, on that day, to abate the nuisance in two days. On December 2 a re-inspection was done and it was revealed that Pastor Kwasi Abeyie has failed to comply with the notice. The accused was then charged with the offense to appear and answer before the court. GNA A man receives his fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, central Israel, on Dec. 31, 2021. The Israeli Health Ministry on Friday said it has approved the administration of the fourth booster vaccine shot against COVID-19 for nursing home residents and staff. (Tomer Neuberg/JINI via Xinhua) JERUSALEM, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli Health Ministry on Friday said it has approved the administration of the fourth booster vaccine shot against COVID-19 for nursing home residents and staff. The ministry also approved the fourth shot at assisted living facilities, geriatric hospitals, and institutions for people who suffer from dual diagnoses. On Thursday, the ministry approved the administration of the fourth shot for those with suppressed immune systems. However, a recommendation by an expert panel at the ministry to give the fourth shot to the entire elderly population aged over 60 has not yet been approved. Enditem The Pakistani President House has announced to open its door to the general public on Saturday as part of the New Year celebrations, a statement said. The statement issued by the media wing of the Aiwan-e-Sadr or the President House located in the high-security red zone of the capital Islamabad on Friday added that the rare opportunity will allow people to see the magnificent building as well as its beautiful green lawns, Xinhua news agency reported. The building opened to the public a few times in the past, in pursuance of the government's commitment to opening all state buildings to the general public which otherwise used to be considered a no-go area, said the statement. The people desiring to visit the President House have been asked to bring their Covid-19 vaccination certificates and wear a face mask as a pre-requisite for entry to the house which will open for three hours on Saturday afternoon. Islamabad has already been put on high alert on the eve of the New Year with the special deployment of over 2,000 security personnel to maintain peace and tranquility, said a statement from local police. --IANS int/khz/ ( 205 Words) 2022-01-01-01:20:02 (IANS) The Pakistani President House has announced to open its door to the general public on Saturday as part of the New Year celebrations, a statement said. The statement issued by the media wing of the Aiwan-e-Sadr or the President House located in the high-security red zone of the capital Islamabad on Friday added that the rare opportunity will allow people to see the magnificent building as well as its beautiful green lawns, Xinhua news agency reported. The building opened to the public a few times in the past, in pursuance of the government's commitment to opening all state buildings to the general public which otherwise used to be considered a no-go area, said the statement. The people desiring to visit the President House have been asked to bring their Covid-19 vaccination certificates and wear a face mask as a pre-requisite for entry to the house which will open for three hours on Saturday afternoon. Islamabad has already been put on high alert on the eve of the New Year with the special deployment of over 2,000 security personnel to maintain peace and tranquility, said a statement from local police. --IANS int/khz/ ( 205 Words) 2022-01-01-01:20:02 (IANS) The Pakistani President House has announced to open its door to the general public on Saturday as part of the New Year celebrations, a statement said. The statement issued by the media wing of the Aiwan-e-Sadr or the President House located in the high-security red zone of the capital Islamabad on Friday added that the rare opportunity will allow people to see the magnificent building as well as its beautiful green lawns, Xinhua news agency reported. The building opened to the public a few times in the past, in pursuance of the government's commitment to opening all state buildings to the general public which otherwise used to be considered a no-go area, said the statement. The people desiring to visit the President House have been asked to bring their Covid-19 vaccination certificates and wear a face mask as a pre-requisite for entry to the house which will open for three hours on Saturday afternoon. Islamabad has already been put on high alert on the eve of the New Year with the special deployment of over 2,000 security personnel to maintain peace and tranquility, said a statement from local police. --IANS int/khz/ ( 205 Words) 2022-01-01-01:20:02 (IANS) The Pakistani President House has announced to open its door to the general public on Saturday as part of the New Year celebrations, a statement said. The statement issued by the media wing of the Aiwan-e-Sadr or the President House located in the high-security red zone of the capital Islamabad on Friday added that the rare opportunity will allow people to see the magnificent building as well as its beautiful green lawns, Xinhua news agency reported. The building opened to the public a few times in the past, in pursuance of the government's commitment to opening all state buildings to the general public which otherwise used to be considered a no-go area, said the statement. The people desiring to visit the President House have been asked to bring their Covid-19 vaccination certificates and wear a face mask as a pre-requisite for entry to the house which will open for three hours on Saturday afternoon. Islamabad has already been put on high alert on the eve of the New Year with the special deployment of over 2,000 security personnel to maintain peace and tranquility, said a statement from local police. --IANS int/khz/ ( 205 Words) 2022-01-01-01:20:02 (IANS) The Pakistani President House has announced to open its door to the general public on Saturday as part of the New Year celebrations, a statement said. The statement issued by the media wing of the Aiwan-e-Sadr or the President House located in the high-security red zone of the capital Islamabad on Friday added that the rare opportunity will allow people to see the magnificent building as well as its beautiful green lawns, Xinhua news agency reported. The building opened to the public a few times in the past, in pursuance of the government's commitment to opening all state buildings to the general public which otherwise used to be considered a no-go area, said the statement. The people desiring to visit the President House have been asked to bring their Covid-19 vaccination certificates and wear a face mask as a pre-requisite for entry to the house which will open for three hours on Saturday afternoon. Islamabad has already been put on high alert on the eve of the New Year with the special deployment of over 2,000 security personnel to maintain peace and tranquility, said a statement from local police. --IANS int/khz/ ( 205 Words) 2022-01-01-01:20:02 (IANS) Australian politicians have never been particularly shy about suing for defamation, and the rise of social media has led to an explosion in the number of potentially defamatory comments published each day about political leaders. This year, some of those comments made their way to the courts. Former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro sued YouTube personality Jordan Shanks and Google, the owner of the video-sharing platform, over allegedly defamatory videos posted on Shanks Friendlyjordies channel. (The case against Shanks has since settled.) Former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro and YouTube personality Jordan Shanks. Defence Minister Peter Dutton sued a refugee advocate, Shane Bazzi, over a six-word tweet accusing him of being a rape apologist and won a $35,000 damages payout and $825 in interest. But there are signs that the Federal Court, where the bulk of political defamation cases are being filed, is seeking to dissuade some social media cases from darkening its doors. A former Special Aide to the late former President Jerry John Rawlings , Donald Agumenu, has appealed to government to reconsider the burial place of the former president and make it easily accessible to the people to reflect his character, belief and philosophy. Reflecting on the 40th anniversary of Rawlings bursting onto the political scene to establish the Fourth Republic, Dr Donald Agumenu bemoaned the limited access to Rawlings graveyard as not in tandem with what the Ghanaian leader stood for. Notwithstanding the befitting burial of President Rawlings, its important to underscore the fact that government was misled on the choice of his burial place. The simple point is if his wishes will not be respected after his demise, at least his nature should be honoured. He was a man of the people and his final resting place should reflect his character. A place that is secured but easily accessible to everyone including the common man on the streets of Dzorwulo traffic, Zabzugu, Wa, Tsokor, Aflao, Yendi, Dzelukofe, Suame, Ashiaman, etc. The makola woman and that of Kedjetia should not go through rigorous processes to pay him homage, Dr Agumenu adduced. The former special aide is of the view that underdogs just as the upperclass should have a sense of equity in connecting with the man they loved as the former President truly loved them. He continued, pointing out that President Rawlings's actions and inactions were purely motivated by a quest for justice and equity for all and noted that his present burial place is not a testament to both his character and his wishes. Dr Agumenu (third from left) walking next to the late President Rawlings According to Dr Agumenu, former President Rawlings ensured that first President Dr Kwame Nkrumah was given a befitting place of burial in Accra that reflects his persona and that place has been made accessible to everybody. In the same vein, we need to accord President Rawlings a place that is in sync with his value system- free up that burial place for the people to visit anytime they wish, for them to continue paying their homage in reminiscent of his good works. The situation must not be created to seem as if Rawlings's mortal remains are caged in some elitist enclave. The place should be situated in such a way that every cadre and political activist can easily access, he quipped. The former special aide further observed that the values of truth, integrity, accountability and transparency which Rawlings touted should give Ghanaians a wake-up call to rally together in protecting and strengthening the institutions of our democratic fabric. Dr Agumenu said, The debate is still alive about the steps he took 40yrs ago. As I reflect on the complexities of that phase in our political history, one will agree with me that the former leader succeeded in scrounging the kind of sociopolitical stability we enjoy today. He added, What happened in Parliament on the E-levy is a true testament of how actions and inactions could generate spontaneous reactions if not mitigated early enough. In fact, the issue unravels some level of fragility in our democracy and therefore calls for deliberate steps to broaden our quest for building robust democratic institutions while building capacity for the actors, policemen and women of our governance system. Dr Agumenu advocated for laws governing government projects, portfolios and programmes formulation and implementation to be attached with strong entrenched continuity clauses not only to roll out a national developmental agenda but also to protect public expenditure and waste emanating from their discontinuity. He also called on the leadership and the rank and file of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to do some sober introspection and ensure the party is anchored firmly on the solid foundational principles lived and died for. The leadership of the NDC must craft that unique selling proposition that the party is people-centred. That the NDC is for the people and ready to provide better lives for everybody regardless of religion, social status, tribe, gender or creed. This is the best way to make the NDC of today attractive in order to win elections, he pointed out. On 31st December 1981, Jerry John Rawlings seized power from President Hilla Liman and his Peoples National Party (PNP) government citing bad governance and general hardships. He then formed the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) which would later transform into the NDC as a fully registered political party. In 1992, with President Rawlings as flagbearer, the NDC won the polls convincingly, a feat which was repeated in 1996. President Rawlings in 2001, handed over power to New Patriotic Party's John Agyekum Kufuor who emerged winner of the 2000 presidential elections. Ghana's Fourth Republican thus became institutionalised and has become a bastion of sustainable peace and development in Africa. Source: 3news.com A man receives his fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, central Israel, on Dec. 31, 2021. The Israeli Health Ministry on Friday said it has approved the administration of the fourth booster vaccine shot against COVID-19 for nursing home residents and staff. (Tomer Neuberg/JINI via Xinhua) JERUSALEM, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli Health Ministry on Friday said it has approved the administration of the fourth booster vaccine shot against COVID-19 for nursing home residents and staff. The ministry also approved the fourth shot at assisted living facilities, geriatric hospitals, and institutions for people who suffer from dual diagnoses. On Thursday, the ministry approved the administration of the fourth shot for those with suppressed immune systems. However, a recommendation by an expert panel at the ministry to give the fourth shot to the entire elderly population aged over 60 has not yet been approved. Enditem U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and the head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Friday asked AT&T and Verizon Communications to delay the planned Jan. 5 introduction of new 5G wireless service over aviation safety concerns. In a letter Friday seen by Reuters, Buttigieg and FAA Administrator Steve Dickson asked AT&T Chief Executive John Stankey and Verizon Chief Executive Hans Vestberg for a delay of no more than two weeks as part of a "proposal as a near-term solution for advancing the co-existence of 5G deployment in the C-Band and safe flight operations." The aviation industry and FAA have raised concerns about potential interference of 5G with sensitive aircraft electronics like radio altimeters that could disrupt flights. "We ask that your companies continue to pause introducing commercial C-Band service for an additional short period of no more than two weeks beyond the currently scheduled deployment date of January 5," the letter says. Verizon and AT&T both said they received the letter and were reviewing it. Earlier Friday the two companies accused the aerospace industry of seeking to hold C-Band spectrum deployment "hostage until the wireless industry agrees to cover the costs of upgrading any obsolete altimeters." Buttigieg and Dickson said under the framework "commercial C-band service would begin as planned in January with certain exceptions around priority airports." The FAA and the aviation industry would identify priority airports "where a buffer zone would permit aviation operations to continue safely while the FAA completes its assessments of the interference potential." The government would work to identify "mitigations for all priority airports" to enable most "large commercial aircraft to operate safely in all conditions." That would allow deployment around "priority airports on a rolling basis," aiming to ensure activation by March 31 barring unforeseen issues. The carriers, which won the spectrum in an $80 billion government auction, previously agreed to precautionary measures for six months to limit interference. On Thursday, trade group Airlines for America asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to halt deployment of new 5G wireless service around many airports, warning thousands of flights could be disrupted. Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, representing 50,000 flight attendants at 17 airlines, called the Transportation Department proposal "the right move to successfully implement 5G without using the traveling public (and the crews on their flights) as guinea pigs for two systems that need to coexist without questions for safety." Wireless industry group CTIA said 5G is safe and spectrum is being used in about 40 other countries. House Transportation Committee chair Peter DeFazio on Friday backed the airline group petition warning "we cant afford to experiment with aviation safety." ROME, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- In what was due to be his last New Year speech as the country's president, Sergio Mattarella on Friday thanked Italians for their "maturity and sense of responsibility" during the two years of the coronavirus pandemic. Mattarella, 80, was elected Italy's 12th president on Jan. 31, 2015, and his seven-year mandate will end in January. He repeatedly made clear he would not be available for re-election. "In these days, I have been going over what we have lived together in the last two years: the time of a pandemic that shocked the world and our lives," he said in a 15-minute speech broadcast live from the Quirinale presidential palace. Mattarella stressed -- "as an invaluable heritage of humanity" -- the self-sacrifice of physicians, healthcare workers and all those who have committed themselves to fight the coronavirus. Then, he thanked common people who put their trust in science, followed the recommended anti-pandemic rules and chose to be vaccinated against the COVID-19. "This means almost all Italians, which I want to thank for their maturity and sense of responsibility," he noted. On Dec. 31, as the new Omicron virus variant is pushing up infections, Italy registered over 144,000 cases, the largest daily increase since the pandemic began. Yet, some 85.8 percent of the population over 12 has completed the vaccination cycle. This has so far allowed the country to largely contain the most serious cases of the disease and the number of people in need of hospitalization and emergency care. "The vaccines are a valuable tool, not because they ensure invulnerability but because they allow us to reduce damages and risks for ourselves and for the others," he noted. Finally, recalling that Italy has shown tangible signs of economic recovery in 2021, and has managed the pandemic in a way that drew appreciation from other European major countries, Mattarella. "My wishes for you are more intense than ever because -- along with the need to look at the New Year with confidence and hope -- I feel the need to thank each and everyone of you for having shown Italy's true face: hard-working, creative, and supportive," he said. Enditem Paul Rudd Once Used a False Name for This Film Because He Didnt Like the Movie Perhaps every actor has one or a couple of films under their belt they wish they didnt do. This is the case for Paul Rudd, who once ended up in a project he wanted nothing to do with. In fact, Peoples Sexiest Man Alive was so against the film that he took on a false name so that his real name wouldnt be attached to it. How Paul Rudd got into acting Paul Rudd | Ian West/Getty Images As with most actors, Paul Rudd caught the acting bug at an early age. But according to his interview with GQ, Rudd thought he was going to go down a different career path. His direction changed, however, when he ended up in a speech class and met a teacher who helped him discover a passion for acting. Although many would consider his time in Clueless as his breakout role, Rudd also gave credit to his comedies for his success. Just because I, in the last years, got into some comedies that made money, in particular Judds [Apatow] movies, and I think its been a great thing to be part of and I really lucked out, Rudd said. Anchorman also played a role in propelling Rudd to superstardom, along with a slew of successful Judd Apatow comedy hits. Anchorman was never supposed to be a popular, like, hit movie, Rudd said. That movie was a cheap movieit felt like we were working on a weird independent comedy in a way. 40-Year-Old Virgin was kind of the same. There was probably more expectation with Knocked Up. But I was just happy, honestly, to be working, and still am, on things that I like, that were fun to work on, with people I liked. Rudd also believes that he partially got into acting because he looked for more attention from his parents. Actors talk about a love of craft and contributing to artistic welfare. But, really, I think [the desire to act] came for me from wanting more attention from my parents, Rudd told The Guardian. Paul Rudd allegedly used a false name for his first film because he didnt like the movie Before Paul Rudd had gotten the career hed worked so hard for, the actor starred in a little-known Christian film. According to Contact Music, A Question for Ethics was a film that the Halloween actor quickly realized wasnt for him. It wasnt even a movie, Rudd once elaborated. It was a 20-minute thing for kids about cheating in school. Despite the films moral message, Rudd ended up not liking the project for several reasons. On the last day we did the big redemption scene where my character comes to his senses. And the director came over, and he was like, That was great, we just want to do an alternate take, Rudd recalled. And they gave me this script that was all about being saved and how I came to my sense because I accepted Jesus into my life, and if I hadnt, I was going to hell. Upon realizing what the film truly was, Rudd panicked. I was really freaked out and didnt want to do it, Rudd shared. They panicked, because the church financed the film I said, One, I dont really believe in this, and two, Im Jewish. It turned up on some Christian channel years ago, and somebody called my sister and said, I think I just saw your brother in this weird Christian movie. She said, No, theres this guy named Kenny Chin who looks just like him.' How being Jewish made Paul Rudd feel like an outsider growing up In the same interview with The Guardian, Rudd asserted that he wasnt a religious person. Still, however, Rudd admitted hed feel that he didnt belong because of his Judaism. This made fitting in difficult since his father worked for airline TWA. Because of this, the Ant-Man actor and his family were on the move a lot. Rudd overcame this feeling by telling jokes. So I learned early on that I could be accepted if I made people laugh when I turned the joke on myself and, particularly in Kansas, if I made a joke about being Jewish, my friends would laugh really hard, harder than they perhaps should have, Rudd shared. That feeling would later return to him in his adult years when he acted in the hit sitcom Friends. Once again, the actor felt like an outsider. The process [of making a sitcom] seemed really foreign to me, so its kind of a strange memory for me. I mainly hung out in the background and talked to Gunther, Rudd said. It was amazing but kind of like being the Jew with English parents in Kansas thats the way I felt on Friends. I just didnt want to get in the way. RELATED: You Might Not Recognize Marvel Star Paul Rudd in This Sitcom ROME, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- In what was due to be his last New Year speech as the country's president, Sergio Mattarella on Friday thanked Italians for their "maturity and sense of responsibility" during the two years of the coronavirus pandemic. Mattarella, 80, was elected Italy's 12th president on Jan. 31, 2015, and his seven-year mandate will end in January. He repeatedly made clear he would not be available for re-election. "In these days, I have been going over what we have lived together in the last two years: the time of a pandemic that shocked the world and our lives," he said in a 15-minute speech broadcast live from the Quirinale presidential palace. Mattarella stressed -- "as an invaluable heritage of humanity" -- the self-sacrifice of physicians, healthcare workers and all those who have committed themselves to fight the coronavirus. Then, he thanked common people who put their trust in science, followed the recommended anti-pandemic rules and chose to be vaccinated against the COVID-19. "This means almost all Italians, which I want to thank for their maturity and sense of responsibility," he noted. On Dec. 31, as the new Omicron virus variant is pushing up infections, Italy registered over 144,000 cases, the largest daily increase since the pandemic began. Yet, some 85.8 percent of the population over 12 has completed the vaccination cycle. This has so far allowed the country to largely contain the most serious cases of the disease and the number of people in need of hospitalization and emergency care. "The vaccines are a valuable tool, not because they ensure invulnerability but because they allow us to reduce damages and risks for ourselves and for the others," he noted. Finally, recalling that Italy has shown tangible signs of economic recovery in 2021, and has managed the pandemic in a way that drew appreciation from other European major countries, Mattarella. "My wishes for you are more intense than ever because -- along with the need to look at the New Year with confidence and hope -- I feel the need to thank each and everyone of you for having shown Italy's true face: hard-working, creative, and supportive," he said. Enditem This school year is Paxson Elementary Schools 100th birthday. Over the last century the building has obviously changed, as have the staff and students that fill the classrooms and hallways each passing year. But what has remained the same is that feeling of community and that closeness that we have together, said Petey Torma, a fourth-grade teacher at Paxson. Torma has a pretty good read on the school and its position in the community in fact the school has been in her orbit for over 30 years now. I just remember it always felt so great to be going to this school because it was like everyone in the school were friends you saw out and about at the parks and who youd been friends with before school started, Torma recalled. She first stepped foot into the school in 1988 as a kindergartner. Now, shes at the school as a teacher and mother, whose current classroom is the site where she herself attended fifth grade. Her oldest child, Tallis Parkey, attends first grade at the school and her daughter Luna will begin kindergarten next year. In the late 1980s, the Paxson Problem was coming to a head. The building was no longer up to code and the student population was bursting at the seams. As a student, Torma experienced that tumultuous time first hand. By 1991, the old Paxson building was torn down and rebuilt at the same site. Students at the school were scattered across the community during construction. Tormas family temporarily relocated to New Mexico when her mother pursued a masters degree. When they returned to Missoula, the construction was complete and Torma was ready to start her fourth-grade year in a brand new school. I just remember everyone feeling so excited for fourth grade because we were all coming back together," Torma said. "Wed been in different places and we were so excited to see each other and we got to be the very first ones to use the new building. She remembers all of her teachers at Paxson, but her first-grade teacher Mrs. Virginia Jensen left a lasting impact on her and her classmates growing up. Jensen retired from teaching after 35 years; she died in May 2021 at the age of 92. Following her death, Torma and her former classmates swapped their favorite memories of Jensen. Resounding comments from everybody that I went to school with was that, She just made me feel so special, she made me feel like everything I did was important, Torma said. We found out that she was there for everybody. They recalled Jensen attending their eighth-grade promotions, high school graduations and even a few college graduations. Torma remembers Jensens classroom in the annex, due to the swelling population. During fire drills Jensen would lift students up one-by-one to climb out the window. Can you believe that we did that? Torma said through a laugh. Ultimately, Jensen is one of the reasons why Torma became a teacher, she said. As a student, Torma would have never even thought she would later return to the same school to teach. Her dream job growing up was to work with the Missoula Childrens Theatre as a tour actor and director to teach kids across the country, and globe, about live theater, which she ultimately did after college. I got to see all 50 states and I got to go overseas to Japan, Korea and Guam with the whole goal of working with teachers, working with administrators, seeing schools and communities and living in them and I wanted to find where I wanted to settle down. Nowhere was better than here. We just have ... this golden town, this beautiful little place, that when I was done touring it was like, I just want to be back in Missoula, working in that town, Torma continued. Its got everything that I wanted. Neighborhood-driven school Neighborhood schools like Paxson are deeply valued by residents and represent an important part of the neighborhoods identity, according to a 2010 master's thesis by Tina Karin Erickson, who studied the value of a neighborhood school. The neighborhood-driven effort to rebuild Paxson at the same site in the 1990s is indicative of that value, which is still alive and well today, according to Missoula County Public Schools Superintendent Rob Watson. Like any school, staff members will change over the years, however, the positive culture of the school remains intact, Watson said. I believe this speaks to the incredible foundation that was built at Paxson so many years ago. It continued to provide an excellent education for the children of the neighborhood something that Im sure was started 100 years ago. Julie Robitaille, Paxsons principal, agrees that the schools location is key to its identity. Although shes only in her second year at Paxson, shes noticed that neighborhood pride. Each day, she greets students as they arrive in the morning to start their day on a positive note. My favorite aspects of being the principal at Paxson include building on the great work our staff and my predecessors have accomplished to make Paxson the amazing school it is today, Robitaille said. The schools Parent-Teacher Association is also an indicator of Paxsons impact on the community, Torma said. The PTA recently completed two phases of playground equipment upgrades and is currently raising money for the final phase to incorporate a nature-based play area. That sense of pride for Paxson, and Missoula as a whole, has also been picked up by the students, Torma said. Students in fifth grade started a fundraiser called Trees for Missoula. The partnership with the City of Missoula shares tips on proper pruning and care, and helps plant replacement saplings for boulevard trees around town. Because of the way our PTA and our families care about our community, it really trickles down to our students and them wanting to do well for our community, too, and doing things that are great for our community, Torma said. Given Tormas long-standing relationship with Paxson as a student, mother and teacher, it's no surprise that she feels a deeper sense of connection with her students. Its a huge responsibility to hold and you really have to walk with it very lightly," Torma said. "Its exciting though to know that you have the potential to reach out and do good for all those students that walk into your door. I think its always fun as a teacher to walk in (to your classroom each year) and you get a unique class of individuals, Torma said later. But you also get these glimmers of every other student youve had in the past through them, too, and how they remind you of the kids that you used to teach or the kids you went to school with. This school year is Paxson Elementary Schools 100th birthday. Over the last century the building has obviously changed, as have the staff and students that fill the classrooms and hallways each passing year. But what has remained the same is that feeling of community and that closeness that we have together, said Petey Torma, a fourth-grade teacher at Paxson. Torma has a pretty good read on the school and its position in the community in fact the school has been in her orbit for over 30 years now. I just remember it always felt so great to be going to this school because it was like everyone in the school were friends you saw out and about at the parks and who youd been friends with before school started, Torma recalled. She first stepped foot into the school in 1988 as a kindergartner. Now, shes at the school as a teacher and mother, whose current classroom is the site where she herself attended fifth grade. Her oldest child, Tallis Parkey, attends first grade at the school and her daughter Luna will begin kindergarten next year. In the late 1980s, the Paxson Problem was coming to a head. The building was no longer up to code and the student population was bursting at the seams. As a student, Torma experienced that tumultuous time first hand. By 1991, the old Paxson building was torn down and rebuilt at the same site. Students at the school were scattered across the community during construction. Tormas family temporarily relocated to New Mexico when her mother pursued a masters degree. When they returned to Missoula, the construction was complete and Torma was ready to start her fourth-grade year in a brand new school. I just remember everyone feeling so excited for fourth grade because we were all coming back together," Torma said. "Wed been in different places and we were so excited to see each other and we got to be the very first ones to use the new building. She remembers all of her teachers at Paxson, but her first-grade teacher Mrs. Virginia Jensen left a lasting impact on her and her classmates growing up. Jensen retired from teaching after 35 years; she died in May 2021 at the age of 92. Following her death, Torma and her former classmates swapped their favorite memories of Jensen. Resounding comments from everybody that I went to school with was that, She just made me feel so special, she made me feel like everything I did was important, Torma said. We found out that she was there for everybody. They recalled Jensen attending their eighth-grade promotions, high school graduations and even a few college graduations. Torma remembers Jensens classroom in the annex, due to the swelling population. During fire drills Jensen would lift students up one-by-one to climb out the window. Can you believe that we did that? Torma said through a laugh. Ultimately, Jensen is one of the reasons why Torma became a teacher, she said. As a student, Torma would have never even thought she would later return to the same school to teach. Her dream job growing up was to work with the Missoula Childrens Theatre as a tour actor and director to teach kids across the country, and globe, about live theater, which she ultimately did after college. I got to see all 50 states and I got to go overseas to Japan, Korea and Guam with the whole goal of working with teachers, working with administrators, seeing schools and communities and living in them and I wanted to find where I wanted to settle down. Nowhere was better than here. We just have ... this golden town, this beautiful little place, that when I was done touring it was like, I just want to be back in Missoula, working in that town, Torma continued. Its got everything that I wanted. Neighborhood-driven school Neighborhood schools like Paxson are deeply valued by residents and represent an important part of the neighborhoods identity, according to a 2010 master's thesis by Tina Karin Erickson, who studied the value of a neighborhood school. The neighborhood-driven effort to rebuild Paxson at the same site in the 1990s is indicative of that value, which is still alive and well today, according to Missoula County Public Schools Superintendent Rob Watson. Like any school, staff members will change over the years, however, the positive culture of the school remains intact, Watson said. I believe this speaks to the incredible foundation that was built at Paxson so many years ago. It continued to provide an excellent education for the children of the neighborhood something that Im sure was started 100 years ago. Julie Robitaille, Paxsons principal, agrees that the schools location is key to its identity. Although shes only in her second year at Paxson, shes noticed that neighborhood pride. Each day, she greets students as they arrive in the morning to start their day on a positive note. My favorite aspects of being the principal at Paxson include building on the great work our staff and my predecessors have accomplished to make Paxson the amazing school it is today, Robitaille said. The schools Parent-Teacher Association is also an indicator of Paxsons impact on the community, Torma said. The PTA recently completed two phases of playground equipment upgrades and is currently raising money for the final phase to incorporate a nature-based play area. That sense of pride for Paxson, and Missoula as a whole, has also been picked up by the students, Torma said. Students in fifth grade started a fundraiser called Trees for Missoula. The partnership with the City of Missoula shares tips on proper pruning and care, and helps plant replacement saplings for boulevard trees around town. Because of the way our PTA and our families care about our community, it really trickles down to our students and them wanting to do well for our community, too, and doing things that are great for our community, Torma said. Given Tormas long-standing relationship with Paxson as a student, mother and teacher, it's no surprise that she feels a deeper sense of connection with her students. Its a huge responsibility to hold and you really have to walk with it very lightly," Torma said. "Its exciting though to know that you have the potential to reach out and do good for all those students that walk into your door. I think its always fun as a teacher to walk in (to your classroom each year) and you get a unique class of individuals, Torma said later. But you also get these glimmers of every other student youve had in the past through them, too, and how they remind you of the kids that you used to teach or the kids you went to school with. Even as the country mobilises for child vaccinations, private hospitals may not be able to participate right off the bat, because of complications posed by the Centres ruling that label expired vials of Covaxin cannot be used. The confusion has placed private hospitals in the state with their supply of nearly six lakh label-expired doses in the lurch. The Private Hospital and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA) said that although Bharat Biotech is supposed to take back the expired dose for relabeling or give hospitals credit, neither has happened. While the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) had extended the shelf life of the vaccine to 12 months, up from nine months, on December 23, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare told the state that all vaccines including Covid-19 vaccines should not be utilised beyond the expiry date as mentioned in the label of each vaccine vial. Dr H M Prasanna, president, PHANA, said that as per an understanding, Bharat Biotech should take back the six lakh-odd doses for relabelling or give hospitals credit. Neither has happened. This has placed the private sector in a difficult position, he said, adding that on the face of things, it appears as though the firm wants hospitals to purchase new stock. Several hospitals across the city said they had no idea what to do with their expired stock of vaccines. At Sparsh Hospital, Guruprasad B R, Director of Strategy and Business Development, said that the hospital has 12,000 doses of label-expired Covaxin. At Manipal Hospital, Karthik Rajagopal, Chief Operating Officer, said the hospital had several hundred unexpired doses, which has prompted them to raise an initial indent of one lakh new doses from Bharat Biotech for all of its units across the country. The situation is nebulous. But we are nevertheless conducting outreach programmes with schools to hold vaccination camps, Rajagopal said, adding that 12 schools had shown interest. Dr Yatheesh Govindaiah, Unit Head, Apollo Hospital Jayanagar, specified that competition had erupted among hospitals vying to hold camps in schools but the uncertainty over the doses had cooled matters somewhat. One hospital representative predicted three outcomes: either private players would not be able to participate in the vaccination drive or Bharat Biotech would relabel the vials and lastly, some hospitals may end up administering doses from label expired doses to children. Dr Prasanna said that Phana is writing to the government in a bid to get further clarity on the matter. Even if doses were available, the hospitals face the added problem of low public interest. We are reaching out to schools but there has not been much of a response, said Dr Govindaiah. Watch the latest DH videos here: This school year is Paxson Elementary Schools 100th birthday. Over the last century the building has obviously changed, as have the staff and students that fill the classrooms and hallways each passing year. But what has remained the same is that feeling of community and that closeness that we have together, said Petey Torma, a fourth-grade teacher at Paxson. Torma has a pretty good read on the school and its position in the community in fact the school has been in her orbit for over 30 years now. I just remember it always felt so great to be going to this school because it was like everyone in the school were friends you saw out and about at the parks and who youd been friends with before school started, Torma recalled. She first stepped foot into the school in 1988 as a kindergartner. Now, shes at the school as a teacher and mother, whose current classroom is the site where she herself attended fifth grade. Her oldest child, Tallis Parkey, attends first grade at the school and her daughter Luna will begin kindergarten next year. In the late 1980s, the Paxson Problem was coming to a head. The building was no longer up to code and the student population was bursting at the seams. As a student, Torma experienced that tumultuous time first hand. By 1991, the old Paxson building was torn down and rebuilt at the same site. Students at the school were scattered across the community during construction. Tormas family temporarily relocated to New Mexico when her mother pursued a masters degree. When they returned to Missoula, the construction was complete and Torma was ready to start her fourth-grade year in a brand new school. I just remember everyone feeling so excited for fourth grade because we were all coming back together," Torma said. "Wed been in different places and we were so excited to see each other and we got to be the very first ones to use the new building. She remembers all of her teachers at Paxson, but her first-grade teacher Mrs. Virginia Jensen left a lasting impact on her and her classmates growing up. Jensen retired from teaching after 35 years; she died in May 2021 at the age of 92. Following her death, Torma and her former classmates swapped their favorite memories of Jensen. Resounding comments from everybody that I went to school with was that, She just made me feel so special, she made me feel like everything I did was important, Torma said. We found out that she was there for everybody. They recalled Jensen attending their eighth-grade promotions, high school graduations and even a few college graduations. Torma remembers Jensens classroom in the annex, due to the swelling population. During fire drills Jensen would lift students up one-by-one to climb out the window. Can you believe that we did that? Torma said through a laugh. Ultimately, Jensen is one of the reasons why Torma became a teacher, she said. As a student, Torma would have never even thought she would later return to the same school to teach. Her dream job growing up was to work with the Missoula Childrens Theatre as a tour actor and director to teach kids across the country, and globe, about live theater, which she ultimately did after college. I got to see all 50 states and I got to go overseas to Japan, Korea and Guam with the whole goal of working with teachers, working with administrators, seeing schools and communities and living in them and I wanted to find where I wanted to settle down. Nowhere was better than here. We just have ... this golden town, this beautiful little place, that when I was done touring it was like, I just want to be back in Missoula, working in that town, Torma continued. Its got everything that I wanted. Neighborhood-driven school Neighborhood schools like Paxson are deeply valued by residents and represent an important part of the neighborhoods identity, according to a 2010 master's thesis by Tina Karin Erickson, who studied the value of a neighborhood school. The neighborhood-driven effort to rebuild Paxson at the same site in the 1990s is indicative of that value, which is still alive and well today, according to Missoula County Public Schools Superintendent Rob Watson. Like any school, staff members will change over the years, however, the positive culture of the school remains intact, Watson said. I believe this speaks to the incredible foundation that was built at Paxson so many years ago. It continued to provide an excellent education for the children of the neighborhood something that Im sure was started 100 years ago. Julie Robitaille, Paxsons principal, agrees that the schools location is key to its identity. Although shes only in her second year at Paxson, shes noticed that neighborhood pride. Each day, she greets students as they arrive in the morning to start their day on a positive note. My favorite aspects of being the principal at Paxson include building on the great work our staff and my predecessors have accomplished to make Paxson the amazing school it is today, Robitaille said. The schools Parent-Teacher Association is also an indicator of Paxsons impact on the community, Torma said. The PTA recently completed two phases of playground equipment upgrades and is currently raising money for the final phase to incorporate a nature-based play area. That sense of pride for Paxson, and Missoula as a whole, has also been picked up by the students, Torma said. Students in fifth grade started a fundraiser called Trees for Missoula. The partnership with the City of Missoula shares tips on proper pruning and care, and helps plant replacement saplings for boulevard trees around town. Because of the way our PTA and our families care about our community, it really trickles down to our students and them wanting to do well for our community, too, and doing things that are great for our community, Torma said. Given Tormas long-standing relationship with Paxson as a student, mother and teacher, it's no surprise that she feels a deeper sense of connection with her students. Its a huge responsibility to hold and you really have to walk with it very lightly," Torma said. "Its exciting though to know that you have the potential to reach out and do good for all those students that walk into your door. I think its always fun as a teacher to walk in (to your classroom each year) and you get a unique class of individuals, Torma said later. But you also get these glimmers of every other student youve had in the past through them, too, and how they remind you of the kids that you used to teach or the kids you went to school with. This school year is Paxson Elementary Schools 100th birthday. Over the last century the building has obviously changed, as have the staff and students that fill the classrooms and hallways each passing year. But what has remained the same is that feeling of community and that closeness that we have together, said Petey Torma, a fourth-grade teacher at Paxson. Torma has a pretty good read on the school and its position in the community in fact the school has been in her orbit for over 30 years now. I just remember it always felt so great to be going to this school because it was like everyone in the school were friends you saw out and about at the parks and who youd been friends with before school started, Torma recalled. She first stepped foot into the school in 1988 as a kindergartner. Now, shes at the school as a teacher and mother, whose current classroom is the site where she herself attended fifth grade. Her oldest child, Tallis Parkey, attends first grade at the school and her daughter Luna will begin kindergarten next year. In the late 1980s, the Paxson Problem was coming to a head. The building was no longer up to code and the student population was bursting at the seams. As a student, Torma experienced that tumultuous time first hand. By 1991, the old Paxson building was torn down and rebuilt at the same site. Students at the school were scattered across the community during construction. Tormas family temporarily relocated to New Mexico when her mother pursued a masters degree. When they returned to Missoula, the construction was complete and Torma was ready to start her fourth-grade year in a brand new school. I just remember everyone feeling so excited for fourth grade because we were all coming back together," Torma said. "Wed been in different places and we were so excited to see each other and we got to be the very first ones to use the new building. She remembers all of her teachers at Paxson, but her first-grade teacher Mrs. Virginia Jensen left a lasting impact on her and her classmates growing up. Jensen retired from teaching after 35 years; she died in May 2021 at the age of 92. Following her death, Torma and her former classmates swapped their favorite memories of Jensen. Resounding comments from everybody that I went to school with was that, She just made me feel so special, she made me feel like everything I did was important, Torma said. We found out that she was there for everybody. They recalled Jensen attending their eighth-grade promotions, high school graduations and even a few college graduations. Torma remembers Jensens classroom in the annex, due to the swelling population. During fire drills Jensen would lift students up one-by-one to climb out the window. Can you believe that we did that? Torma said through a laugh. Ultimately, Jensen is one of the reasons why Torma became a teacher, she said. As a student, Torma would have never even thought she would later return to the same school to teach. Her dream job growing up was to work with the Missoula Childrens Theatre as a tour actor and director to teach kids across the country, and globe, about live theater, which she ultimately did after college. I got to see all 50 states and I got to go overseas to Japan, Korea and Guam with the whole goal of working with teachers, working with administrators, seeing schools and communities and living in them and I wanted to find where I wanted to settle down. Nowhere was better than here. We just have ... this golden town, this beautiful little place, that when I was done touring it was like, I just want to be back in Missoula, working in that town, Torma continued. Its got everything that I wanted. Neighborhood-driven school Neighborhood schools like Paxson are deeply valued by residents and represent an important part of the neighborhoods identity, according to a 2010 master's thesis by Tina Karin Erickson, who studied the value of a neighborhood school. The neighborhood-driven effort to rebuild Paxson at the same site in the 1990s is indicative of that value, which is still alive and well today, according to Missoula County Public Schools Superintendent Rob Watson. Like any school, staff members will change over the years, however, the positive culture of the school remains intact, Watson said. I believe this speaks to the incredible foundation that was built at Paxson so many years ago. It continued to provide an excellent education for the children of the neighborhood something that Im sure was started 100 years ago. Julie Robitaille, Paxsons principal, agrees that the schools location is key to its identity. Although shes only in her second year at Paxson, shes noticed that neighborhood pride. Each day, she greets students as they arrive in the morning to start their day on a positive note. My favorite aspects of being the principal at Paxson include building on the great work our staff and my predecessors have accomplished to make Paxson the amazing school it is today, Robitaille said. The schools Parent-Teacher Association is also an indicator of Paxsons impact on the community, Torma said. The PTA recently completed two phases of playground equipment upgrades and is currently raising money for the final phase to incorporate a nature-based play area. That sense of pride for Paxson, and Missoula as a whole, has also been picked up by the students, Torma said. Students in fifth grade started a fundraiser called Trees for Missoula. The partnership with the City of Missoula shares tips on proper pruning and care, and helps plant replacement saplings for boulevard trees around town. Because of the way our PTA and our families care about our community, it really trickles down to our students and them wanting to do well for our community, too, and doing things that are great for our community, Torma said. Given Tormas long-standing relationship with Paxson as a student, mother and teacher, it's no surprise that she feels a deeper sense of connection with her students. Its a huge responsibility to hold and you really have to walk with it very lightly," Torma said. "Its exciting though to know that you have the potential to reach out and do good for all those students that walk into your door. I think its always fun as a teacher to walk in (to your classroom each year) and you get a unique class of individuals, Torma said later. But you also get these glimmers of every other student youve had in the past through them, too, and how they remind you of the kids that you used to teach or the kids you went to school with. This school year is Paxson Elementary Schools 100th birthday. Over the last century the building has obviously changed, as have the staff and students that fill the classrooms and hallways each passing year. But what has remained the same is that feeling of community and that closeness that we have together, said Petey Torma, a fourth-grade teacher at Paxson. Torma has a pretty good read on the school and its position in the community in fact the school has been in her orbit for over 30 years now. I just remember it always felt so great to be going to this school because it was like everyone in the school were friends you saw out and about at the parks and who youd been friends with before school started, Torma recalled. She first stepped foot into the school in 1988 as a kindergartner. Now, shes at the school as a teacher and mother, whose current classroom is the site where she herself attended fifth grade. Her oldest child, Tallis Parkey, attends first grade at the school and her daughter Luna will begin kindergarten next year. In the late 1980s, the Paxson Problem was coming to a head. The building was no longer up to code and the student population was bursting at the seams. As a student, Torma experienced that tumultuous time first hand. By 1991, the old Paxson building was torn down and rebuilt at the same site. Students at the school were scattered across the community during construction. Tormas family temporarily relocated to New Mexico when her mother pursued a masters degree. When they returned to Missoula, the construction was complete and Torma was ready to start her fourth-grade year in a brand new school. I just remember everyone feeling so excited for fourth grade because we were all coming back together," Torma said. "Wed been in different places and we were so excited to see each other and we got to be the very first ones to use the new building. She remembers all of her teachers at Paxson, but her first-grade teacher Mrs. Virginia Jensen left a lasting impact on her and her classmates growing up. Jensen retired from teaching after 35 years; she died in May 2021 at the age of 92. Following her death, Torma and her former classmates swapped their favorite memories of Jensen. Resounding comments from everybody that I went to school with was that, She just made me feel so special, she made me feel like everything I did was important, Torma said. We found out that she was there for everybody. They recalled Jensen attending their eighth-grade promotions, high school graduations and even a few college graduations. Torma remembers Jensens classroom in the annex, due to the swelling population. During fire drills Jensen would lift students up one-by-one to climb out the window. Can you believe that we did that? Torma said through a laugh. Ultimately, Jensen is one of the reasons why Torma became a teacher, she said. As a student, Torma would have never even thought she would later return to the same school to teach. Her dream job growing up was to work with the Missoula Childrens Theatre as a tour actor and director to teach kids across the country, and globe, about live theater, which she ultimately did after college. I got to see all 50 states and I got to go overseas to Japan, Korea and Guam with the whole goal of working with teachers, working with administrators, seeing schools and communities and living in them and I wanted to find where I wanted to settle down. Nowhere was better than here. We just have ... this golden town, this beautiful little place, that when I was done touring it was like, I just want to be back in Missoula, working in that town, Torma continued. Its got everything that I wanted. Neighborhood-driven school Neighborhood schools like Paxson are deeply valued by residents and represent an important part of the neighborhoods identity, according to a 2010 master's thesis by Tina Karin Erickson, who studied the value of a neighborhood school. The neighborhood-driven effort to rebuild Paxson at the same site in the 1990s is indicative of that value, which is still alive and well today, according to Missoula County Public Schools Superintendent Rob Watson. Like any school, staff members will change over the years, however, the positive culture of the school remains intact, Watson said. I believe this speaks to the incredible foundation that was built at Paxson so many years ago. It continued to provide an excellent education for the children of the neighborhood something that Im sure was started 100 years ago. Julie Robitaille, Paxsons principal, agrees that the schools location is key to its identity. Although shes only in her second year at Paxson, shes noticed that neighborhood pride. Each day, she greets students as they arrive in the morning to start their day on a positive note. My favorite aspects of being the principal at Paxson include building on the great work our staff and my predecessors have accomplished to make Paxson the amazing school it is today, Robitaille said. The schools Parent-Teacher Association is also an indicator of Paxsons impact on the community, Torma said. The PTA recently completed two phases of playground equipment upgrades and is currently raising money for the final phase to incorporate a nature-based play area. That sense of pride for Paxson, and Missoula as a whole, has also been picked up by the students, Torma said. Students in fifth grade started a fundraiser called Trees for Missoula. The partnership with the City of Missoula shares tips on proper pruning and care, and helps plant replacement saplings for boulevard trees around town. Because of the way our PTA and our families care about our community, it really trickles down to our students and them wanting to do well for our community, too, and doing things that are great for our community, Torma said. Given Tormas long-standing relationship with Paxson as a student, mother and teacher, it's no surprise that she feels a deeper sense of connection with her students. Its a huge responsibility to hold and you really have to walk with it very lightly," Torma said. "Its exciting though to know that you have the potential to reach out and do good for all those students that walk into your door. I think its always fun as a teacher to walk in (to your classroom each year) and you get a unique class of individuals, Torma said later. But you also get these glimmers of every other student youve had in the past through them, too, and how they remind you of the kids that you used to teach or the kids you went to school with. This school year is Paxson Elementary Schools 100th birthday. Over the last century the building has obviously changed, as have the staff and students that fill the classrooms and hallways each passing year. But what has remained the same is that feeling of community and that closeness that we have together, said Petey Torma, a fourth-grade teacher at Paxson. Torma has a pretty good read on the school and its position in the community in fact the school has been in her orbit for over 30 years now. I just remember it always felt so great to be going to this school because it was like everyone in the school were friends you saw out and about at the parks and who youd been friends with before school started, Torma recalled. She first stepped foot into the school in 1988 as a kindergartner. Now, shes at the school as a teacher and mother, whose current classroom is the site where she herself attended fifth grade. Her oldest child, Tallis Parkey, attends first grade at the school and her daughter Luna will begin kindergarten next year. In the late 1980s, the Paxson Problem was coming to a head. The building was no longer up to code and the student population was bursting at the seams. As a student, Torma experienced that tumultuous time first hand. By 1991, the old Paxson building was torn down and rebuilt at the same site. Students at the school were scattered across the community during construction. Tormas family temporarily relocated to New Mexico when her mother pursued a masters degree. When they returned to Missoula, the construction was complete and Torma was ready to start her fourth-grade year in a brand new school. I just remember everyone feeling so excited for fourth grade because we were all coming back together," Torma said. "Wed been in different places and we were so excited to see each other and we got to be the very first ones to use the new building. She remembers all of her teachers at Paxson, but her first-grade teacher Mrs. Virginia Jensen left a lasting impact on her and her classmates growing up. Jensen retired from teaching after 35 years; she died in May 2021 at the age of 92. Following her death, Torma and her former classmates swapped their favorite memories of Jensen. Resounding comments from everybody that I went to school with was that, She just made me feel so special, she made me feel like everything I did was important, Torma said. We found out that she was there for everybody. They recalled Jensen attending their eighth-grade promotions, high school graduations and even a few college graduations. Torma remembers Jensens classroom in the annex, due to the swelling population. During fire drills Jensen would lift students up one-by-one to climb out the window. Can you believe that we did that? Torma said through a laugh. Ultimately, Jensen is one of the reasons why Torma became a teacher, she said. As a student, Torma would have never even thought she would later return to the same school to teach. Her dream job growing up was to work with the Missoula Childrens Theatre as a tour actor and director to teach kids across the country, and globe, about live theater, which she ultimately did after college. I got to see all 50 states and I got to go overseas to Japan, Korea and Guam with the whole goal of working with teachers, working with administrators, seeing schools and communities and living in them and I wanted to find where I wanted to settle down. Nowhere was better than here. We just have ... this golden town, this beautiful little place, that when I was done touring it was like, I just want to be back in Missoula, working in that town, Torma continued. Its got everything that I wanted. Neighborhood-driven school Neighborhood schools like Paxson are deeply valued by residents and represent an important part of the neighborhoods identity, according to a 2010 master's thesis by Tina Karin Erickson, who studied the value of a neighborhood school. The neighborhood-driven effort to rebuild Paxson at the same site in the 1990s is indicative of that value, which is still alive and well today, according to Missoula County Public Schools Superintendent Rob Watson. Like any school, staff members will change over the years, however, the positive culture of the school remains intact, Watson said. I believe this speaks to the incredible foundation that was built at Paxson so many years ago. It continued to provide an excellent education for the children of the neighborhood something that Im sure was started 100 years ago. Julie Robitaille, Paxsons principal, agrees that the schools location is key to its identity. Although shes only in her second year at Paxson, shes noticed that neighborhood pride. Each day, she greets students as they arrive in the morning to start their day on a positive note. My favorite aspects of being the principal at Paxson include building on the great work our staff and my predecessors have accomplished to make Paxson the amazing school it is today, Robitaille said. The schools Parent-Teacher Association is also an indicator of Paxsons impact on the community, Torma said. The PTA recently completed two phases of playground equipment upgrades and is currently raising money for the final phase to incorporate a nature-based play area. That sense of pride for Paxson, and Missoula as a whole, has also been picked up by the students, Torma said. Students in fifth grade started a fundraiser called Trees for Missoula. The partnership with the City of Missoula shares tips on proper pruning and care, and helps plant replacement saplings for boulevard trees around town. Because of the way our PTA and our families care about our community, it really trickles down to our students and them wanting to do well for our community, too, and doing things that are great for our community, Torma said. Given Tormas long-standing relationship with Paxson as a student, mother and teacher, it's no surprise that she feels a deeper sense of connection with her students. Its a huge responsibility to hold and you really have to walk with it very lightly," Torma said. "Its exciting though to know that you have the potential to reach out and do good for all those students that walk into your door. I think its always fun as a teacher to walk in (to your classroom each year) and you get a unique class of individuals, Torma said later. But you also get these glimmers of every other student youve had in the past through them, too, and how they remind you of the kids that you used to teach or the kids you went to school with. The latest surge of coronavirus with the variants of Omicron and Delta combined has kept the US in complicated chaos of understaffed medical services as well as cancelled flights, while the federal government still pins hope on its vaccination policy to turn the table, sooner or later. With more than 580,000 Covid-19 cases on Thursday, the US shattered its own record for new daily coronavirus cases, beating a milestone it already broke on Wednesday. Thursday's count toppled the 488,000 new cases on Wednesday, which was nearly double the highest numbers from last winter, Xinhua news agency reported. "The back-to-back record-breaking days are a growing sign of the virus's fast spread and come as the world enters its third year of the pandemic," reported The New York Times (NYT), noting that hospitalisations and deaths, however, have not followed the same dramatic increase, further indication that the Omicron variant seems to be milder than Delta and causes fewer cases of severe illness. In the past two weeks, deaths are down by five per cent with a daily average of 1,221 while hospitalisations increased by just 15 per cent to an average of 78,781 per day, it added. Urgent care centres across the US are grappling with what to do as the fast-spreading Omicron variant hits employees and the demand for Covid-19 testing surges. "In some instances, they are closing certain locations for a few days," reported The Wall Street Journal on Friday. More people are turning to the non-emergency clinics for Covid-19 testing, and at-home test kits are hard to come by. As at airlines, which have canceled thousands of flights this December, workers at urgent care centres are testing positive for coronavirus and are unable to work, said the report. CityMD, a chain of urgent care clinics in the New York City area, closed 31 of its locations in recent weeks, including 12 on Wednesday. A spokeswoman said more locations could close. Northwell Health-GoHealth Urgent Care temporarily closed about 10 of its 55 locations in New York in recent days. Heading into the New Year's weekend, when return flights will produce another crest in air travel, airlines have been canceling more than 1,000 flights a day to, from or within the US. "Carriers and their employees say the latest chapter of the pandemic, the Omicron variant, has cut deeply into the ability to staff flights, even though a vast majority of crew members are vaccinated," reported NYT on Thursday. JetBlue has been one of the airlines hardest hit, canceling 17 per cent of its flights on Thursday, according to the air travel data site FlightAware. The carrier said on Wednesday that it would cut about 1,280 flights through mid-January, citing the rise in virus cases in the Northeast, where its operations and crews are concentrated. As many as 10 million people may fly from Thursday through Monday, according to Transportation Security Administration estimates. For months, airlines have been preparing reserves of workers for the holiday crush, but "those measures were inadequate in a fast-changing situation, and many passengers were frustrated," said the report. The rapid surge of Omicron infections in the US may be relatively brief, measured in weeks rather than months, according to infectious-disease experts who have been astonished by the speed of the coronavirus variant's spread and who are hoping this wave ebbs just as quickly, reported The Washington Post on Thursday. Some forecasts suggest coronavirus infections could peak by mid-January. "Omicron will likely be quick. It won't be easy, but it will be quick. Come the early spring, a lot of people will have experienced Covid-19," William Hanage, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, was quoted as saying. On Thursday, the Joe Biden administration told the Supreme Court that federal law gives it the authority to impose a nationwide vaccine or testing requirement for large employers, and the court should not stand in the way of a program that will save thousands of lives, the report added. "The nation is facing an unprecedented pandemic that is sickening and killing thousands of workers around the country, and any further delay in the implementation of the (requirement) will result in unnecessary illness, hospitalisations and deaths because of workplace exposure" to the coronavirus, said a federal filing. The Supreme Court has announced a special hearing on January 7 to consider challenges to the rules from the Occupational Safety and Health administration. It was upheld by a panel of the US Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit earlier this December, but is being challenged by a coalition of business groups and Republican-led states. --IANS int/khz/ ( 786 Words) 2022-01-01-01:10:02 (IANS) She took to Instagram this week to announce her New Year's resolutions, including a vow to 'embrace' her body and 'boob gap'. But Scarlett Moffatt, 31, lived firmly in the moment as she rung the New Year in with boyfriend Scott Dobinson, 26, at London's Proud Embankment on Friday night. The television personality looked glamorous in an arctic-hue mini dress as she attended the Cabaret All Stars show starring Denise van Outen and Duncan James. In style: Scarlett Moffatt, 31, looked glamorous in an arctic-hue mini dress while ringing in the New Year with boyfriend Scott Dobinson, 26, at London's Proud Embankment on Friday The former Gogglebox star's garment featured a plunging V-neckline, large mirrored sequins and feathered detail, while the hem finished just above her knee. She wore a pair of open-toed heels with sky blue straps and held a silver handbag adorned with glitter. One-time I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! winner Scarlett's policeman boyfriend towered over her while standing with his hand placed on the small of her back. Out on the town: The star's garment featured a plunging neckline with the hem finishing above her knee while at the Cabaret All Stars show starring Denise van Outen and Duncan James Fashion focus: She wore a pair of open-toed heels with sky blue straps and held a silver handbag adorned with glitter He wore a black suit with a white shirt which he left open at the collar. Television presenter Scarlett was in a cheerful mood for the final hours of 2021, cheekily giving a V-sign hand gesture as she posed at the venue. The former ballroom dancer's outing came after she took to her Instagram Stories on Thursday to reveal her inspiring pledges for 2022, which included starting to dance again and spending more time at home. Celebrations: Scarlett cut a glamorous figure in the sparkly number as she posed for cameras Scarlett, who often speaks about her battle with her image, also vowed to embrace her body and her 'boob gap' in the twelves months ahead. Alongside a snap of herself wearing a low-cut vest top, she detailed her body-positive resolution, writing: 'Embrace my body more. That includes my boob gap. 'I'm also going to start dancing again as it's something that fills my heart with joy.' New Year's resolutions: Scarlett took to her Instagram Stories on Thursday to reveal her inspiring pledges for 2022, which included embracing her body more Goals: Her list of New Year's resolutions also included spending more time at home, making sure she gives herself six days off each month Her list of resolutions also included allowing herself more free time, making sure she gives herself six days off each month, and doing dry January. She wrote: 'My New Year's resolutions are to spend more time at home. Being self employed I am so grateful and thank my lucky stars everyday for my job. 'But it makes it hard to say no to work. So I'll do this by ensuring I always have at least six days off a month.' Festive: Scarlett's boyfriend Scott came down to London to spend Christmas with her, with the star sharing some festive snaps of the couple on social media In a follow-up post, she added: 'And to do dry January. It's been a crazy year where I've probably drank more than usual and I'm ready for a bit of a detox in January. 'Also me and @scottdobby now we are settled are going to post more on our House account @ourbonniebarn.' Scott came to London to spend the festive period with Scarlett, with the reality star sharing cosy pictures of the pair online. She wrote alongside the snaps: 'Thanks to my bestie and soulmate for coming down so we could celebrate in London together. 'I wasn't feeling 100% as I got the Xmas cold but the day couldn't have been more perfect.' Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. New Delhi: The Tibetan government-in-exile has strongly condemned the Chinese Embassy`s letter to Indian parliamentarians and said that Tibet has never been a part of China. "We condemn such letter which was sent to the Indian Parliament members and as a democratic country, the Parliament members have their rights to look at what they think and over the last, so many years, we have so many supports and solidarities from the Indian parliamentarians and many great leaders of India. So there has been a tradition," a spokesperson of Tibetan government-in-exile Tenzin Lakshay said. "In fact, all-party Indian parliamentary forum for Tibet was in existence since 1970. It was in continuation under the leadership of many great Indian leaders. So this letter in fact if you look at the content of the letter it was a purely propagandist letter that threatens Indian parliament members not to interfere in Tibetan affairs. Lakshay said, "The letter said that Tibet was historically a part of China since ancient times which was not true. But Tibet was an occupied state after the PRC was formed in 1959 and we have been living in exile for the last 60 years." "But the letter said that Central Tibetan administration is an illegal separatist political group. We reject that with a confirmation that the central Tibetan administration is working on a policy which is a middle way policy to get genuine autonomy within the framework of the Chinese constitution," added Lakshay. Stressing that this is not about separatism, Lakshay said that it is about willing to integrate to share and to fulfil the aspirations of Tibetan people inside Tibet. "So we reject the content of the letter completely and hope that the Chinese leaders have a wisdom with a new year coming, they have the wisdom to fulfil the aspirations of Tibetan people and resume the dialogue to resolve the Sino-Tibet conflict," said Lakshay. The condemnation came after Zhou Yongsheng, political counsellor, Chinese Embassy to India, wrote a letter to members of the Indian parliament for attending an event held by all party Indian parliamentary forum for Tibet and their interaction with Tibetan parliamentarians in exile earlier this month. Live TV New Delhi: The Tibetan government-in-exile has strongly condemned the Chinese Embassy`s letter to Indian parliamentarians and said that Tibet has never been a part of China. "We condemn such letter which was sent to the Indian Parliament members and as a democratic country, the Parliament members have their rights to look at what they think and over the last, so many years, we have so many supports and solidarities from the Indian parliamentarians and many great leaders of India. So there has been a tradition," a spokesperson of Tibetan government-in-exile Tenzin Lakshay said. "In fact, all-party Indian parliamentary forum for Tibet was in existence since 1970. It was in continuation under the leadership of many great Indian leaders. So this letter in fact if you look at the content of the letter it was a purely propagandist letter that threatens Indian parliament members not to interfere in Tibetan affairs. Lakshay said, "The letter said that Tibet was historically a part of China since ancient times which was not true. But Tibet was an occupied state after the PRC was formed in 1959 and we have been living in exile for the last 60 years." "But the letter said that Central Tibetan administration is an illegal separatist political group. We reject that with a confirmation that the central Tibetan administration is working on a policy which is a middle way policy to get genuine autonomy within the framework of the Chinese constitution," added Lakshay. Stressing that this is not about separatism, Lakshay said that it is about willing to integrate to share and to fulfil the aspirations of Tibetan people inside Tibet. "So we reject the content of the letter completely and hope that the Chinese leaders have a wisdom with a new year coming, they have the wisdom to fulfil the aspirations of Tibetan people and resume the dialogue to resolve the Sino-Tibet conflict," said Lakshay. The condemnation came after Zhou Yongsheng, political counsellor, Chinese Embassy to India, wrote a letter to members of the Indian parliament for attending an event held by all party Indian parliamentary forum for Tibet and their interaction with Tibetan parliamentarians in exile earlier this month. Live TV The latest statistics from the Taiwan Immigration Department indicate that the number of Hong Kong residents emigrating to Taiwan hit a new high in 2021, Radio Free Asia (RFA) quoted Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Commission (MAC) spokesman Chiu Chui-cheng as saying on Friday. Taiwan's Interior Ministry handed out 9,772 residence cards to Hong Kong residents between January and November 2021, compared with 9,501 in the same period in 2020, the publication added. In 2021, Taiwan awarded a permanent residency to 1,572 Hongkongers, compared with 1,397 in the same period the previous year. Chiu has said that some new draft amendments to the rules have been prepared in line with talent recruitment regulations to extend the period of residency, especially for the students to let them stay after completing their masters and doctorate degrees. Chiu also expressed hope for the implementation of the new draft rules soon. Emphasizing that if Taiwan had not imposed stringent COVID-19 restrictions on entry and exits and stressing that if these were not in place, Immigration consultant Chang Hsiang-ling said that more Hongkongers might have applied. (ANI) New Delhi: The Tibetan government-in-exile has strongly condemned the Chinese Embassy`s letter to Indian parliamentarians and said that Tibet has never been a part of China. "We condemn such letter which was sent to the Indian Parliament members and as a democratic country, the Parliament members have their rights to look at what they think and over the last, so many years, we have so many supports and solidarities from the Indian parliamentarians and many great leaders of India. So there has been a tradition," a spokesperson of Tibetan government-in-exile Tenzin Lakshay said. "In fact, all-party Indian parliamentary forum for Tibet was in existence since 1970. It was in continuation under the leadership of many great Indian leaders. So this letter in fact if you look at the content of the letter it was a purely propagandist letter that threatens Indian parliament members not to interfere in Tibetan affairs. Lakshay said, "The letter said that Tibet was historically a part of China since ancient times which was not true. But Tibet was an occupied state after the PRC was formed in 1959 and we have been living in exile for the last 60 years." "But the letter said that Central Tibetan administration is an illegal separatist political group. We reject that with a confirmation that the central Tibetan administration is working on a policy which is a middle way policy to get genuine autonomy within the framework of the Chinese constitution," added Lakshay. Stressing that this is not about separatism, Lakshay said that it is about willing to integrate to share and to fulfil the aspirations of Tibetan people inside Tibet. "So we reject the content of the letter completely and hope that the Chinese leaders have a wisdom with a new year coming, they have the wisdom to fulfil the aspirations of Tibetan people and resume the dialogue to resolve the Sino-Tibet conflict," said Lakshay. The condemnation came after Zhou Yongsheng, political counsellor, Chinese Embassy to India, wrote a letter to members of the Indian parliament for attending an event held by all party Indian parliamentary forum for Tibet and their interaction with Tibetan parliamentarians in exile earlier this month. Live TV Srinagar, Jan 1 : Several pilgrims have died and many others were injured during a stampede at Katra in Jammu, police officials said on Saturday. The incident took place at the Bhavan where there was a massive rush of pilgrims on the occasion of New year. The yatra has been stopped for now while the injured have been moved to the hospital. Vaishno Devi yatra draws thousands of pilgrims daily to Katra. The rush of pilgrims is particularly high during the Navratras. Days of Our Lives was certainly quite the barn burner this week. Murder, intrigue, and an exorcism all conspired to make this last week of shows for 2021 some of the best yet. And, yes, the Devil does indeed live on in a new host. Will it be back in Dr. Marlena Evans-Black anytime soon? Lets check it out! [Spoiler alert: Spoilers for this past weeks episodes of Days of Our Lives are ahead.] Tamara Braun, who plays Ava on Days of Our Lives | Paul Archuleta/Getty Images On Days of Our Lives, Ava commits a murder For all that Ava is starting to plot and scheme against Rafe (and who can blame her, really) for the whole Nicole situation, she still hadnt committed murder quite yet. That all changed on the December 30 episode of Days of Our Lives. According to SoapHub, that was the day that Ava committed a murderof none other than the beloved Duke the Bear! Avas anger and her quest for vengeance are totally justifiable, and her straight-up assassination of Duke the Bear was a public service, reports the outlet. Now, how to properly distribute the teddys head, and torso, into her enemies beds? Most mafia princesses (allegedly) prefer horseheads to Vermont Teddy Bear heads, but whatever works for you, Ava. The Devil gets a new host The New Years Eve episode of Days of Our Lives ultimately proved to be beneficial for Dr. Marlena Evans-Black. On that day, the good doc got an exorcism performed on her by none other than Father Eric. And, according to Soaps.com, that provided some measure of peaceuntil the Devil decided he wasnt quite finished with Salem just yet. The holidays never end with the cast of #Days of our Lives: A Very Salem Christmas! pic.twitter.com/8rbebgmDQC Days of our Lives (@nbcdays) December 30, 2021 In the DiMera mansion living room, Chanel waits for Johnny to get dressed as Tripp and Allie lock lips, reports the outlet. Upstairs, Johnny dresses in a red suit and looks in the mirror. His eyes flash yellow and he says in a distorted voice, Happy New Year Salem. You didnt really think you were getting rid of me that easily. Did you? Poor Johnny! Poor Chanel! Something tells us Paulina is going to be kicking some serious butt on some upcoming episodes of Days of Our Lives. And speaking of Paulina Meanwhile, elsewhere in Salem Other Days of Our Lives goings-on that we can look forward to in the new year feature Paulina and Lani. As fans of the show are undoubtedly aware, the truth of Lanis paternity and maternity have forever altered the relationship between the two women. Paulina is desperate to pick up all the pieces of her life, and to have a reconciliation. Bye 2021, hello 2022. Cheers to the new year, #DAYS fans! pic.twitter.com/BtNPsAiUc3 Days of our Lives (@nbcdays) December 31, 2021 But she doesnt just want to reconcile with Abe (although, certainly, it wouldnt hurt). Rather, she also wants to make things right with Lani. More than just being her daughter, Lani is also Paulinas friend. Can these two save their relationship or replace it with something better in the coming year? Well just have to tune in to upcoming episodes of Days of Our Lives to find out for sure. RELATED: Days of Our Lives Fans Beef With The Young and the Restless Fans Over Chabby Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. The German government has scrapped plans to award the countrys highest honor to an Israeli Holocaust historian due criticism about his work on genocide in Bosnia-Herzegovina. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier had planned to present the Order of Merit to Gideon Greif, but the presidential office and Foreign Ministry said they would review the plans for the award in October. German news agency dpa reported on December 31 that the Foreign Ministry withdrew the nomination earlier this month. Greif, who is primarily a Holocaust researcher, chaired an international commission of historians who published a report in July that suggested the Srebrenica massacre at the end of the 1992-95 war in Bosnia was not genocide. International courts have deemed the mass murder of more than 8,000 Muslim Bosniaks around Srebrenica by Bosnian Serb forces as genocide. Denial of the genocide became a criminal offense in Bosnia in July, in one of the last acts of the former high representative of the international community in Bosnia, Valentin Inzko. The report was commissioned by Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik, who has recently pushed for secession of the Serb part of Bosnia, Republika Srpska. Dodik has repeatedly questioned the nature of events in Srebrenica and criticized laws criminalizing denial of the genocide. News of the German decision was first reported by klix.ba, a Bosnian news site, citing a letter from the German Foreign Ministry dated December 7. Based on reporting by dpa The German government has scrapped plans to award the countrys highest honor to an Israeli Holocaust historian due criticism about his work on genocide in Bosnia-Herzegovina. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier had planned to present the Order of Merit to Gideon Greif, but the presidential office and Foreign Ministry said they would review the plans for the award in October. German news agency dpa reported on December 31 that the Foreign Ministry withdrew the nomination earlier this month. Greif, who is primarily a Holocaust researcher, chaired an international commission of historians who published a report in July that suggested the Srebrenica massacre at the end of the 1992-95 war in Bosnia was not genocide. International courts have deemed the mass murder of more than 8,000 Muslim Bosniaks around Srebrenica by Bosnian Serb forces as genocide. Denial of the genocide became a criminal offense in Bosnia in July, in one of the last acts of the former high representative of the international community in Bosnia, Valentin Inzko. The report was commissioned by Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik, who has recently pushed for secession of the Serb part of Bosnia, Republika Srpska. Dodik has repeatedly questioned the nature of events in Srebrenica and criticized laws criminalizing denial of the genocide. News of the German decision was first reported by klix.ba, a Bosnian news site, citing a letter from the German Foreign Ministry dated December 7. Based on reporting by dpa This school year is Paxson Elementary Schools 100th birthday. Over the last century the building has obviously changed, as have the staff and students that fill the classrooms and hallways each passing year. But what has remained the same is that feeling of community and that closeness that we have together, said Petey Torma, a fourth-grade teacher at Paxson. Torma has a pretty good read on the school and its position in the community in fact the school has been in her orbit for over 30 years now. I just remember it always felt so great to be going to this school because it was like everyone in the school were friends you saw out and about at the parks and who youd been friends with before school started, Torma recalled. She first stepped foot into the school in 1988 as a kindergartner. Now, shes at the school as a teacher and mother, whose current classroom is the site where she herself attended fifth grade. Her oldest child, Tallis Parkey, attends first grade at the school and her daughter Luna will begin kindergarten next year. In the late 1980s, the Paxson Problem was coming to a head. The building was no longer up to code and the student population was bursting at the seams. As a student, Torma experienced that tumultuous time first hand. By 1991, the old Paxson building was torn down and rebuilt at the same site. Students at the school were scattered across the community during construction. Tormas family temporarily relocated to New Mexico when her mother pursued a masters degree. When they returned to Missoula, the construction was complete and Torma was ready to start her fourth-grade year in a brand new school. I just remember everyone feeling so excited for fourth grade because we were all coming back together," Torma said. "Wed been in different places and we were so excited to see each other and we got to be the very first ones to use the new building. She remembers all of her teachers at Paxson, but her first-grade teacher Mrs. Virginia Jensen left a lasting impact on her and her classmates growing up. Jensen retired from teaching after 35 years; she died in May 2021 at the age of 92. Following her death, Torma and her former classmates swapped their favorite memories of Jensen. Resounding comments from everybody that I went to school with was that, She just made me feel so special, she made me feel like everything I did was important, Torma said. We found out that she was there for everybody. They recalled Jensen attending their eighth-grade promotions, high school graduations and even a few college graduations. Torma remembers Jensens classroom in the annex, due to the swelling population. During fire drills Jensen would lift students up one-by-one to climb out the window. Can you believe that we did that? Torma said through a laugh. Ultimately, Jensen is one of the reasons why Torma became a teacher, she said. As a student, Torma would have never even thought she would later return to the same school to teach. Her dream job growing up was to work with the Missoula Childrens Theatre as a tour actor and director to teach kids across the country, and globe, about live theater, which she ultimately did after college. I got to see all 50 states and I got to go overseas to Japan, Korea and Guam with the whole goal of working with teachers, working with administrators, seeing schools and communities and living in them and I wanted to find where I wanted to settle down. Nowhere was better than here. We just have ... this golden town, this beautiful little place, that when I was done touring it was like, I just want to be back in Missoula, working in that town, Torma continued. Its got everything that I wanted. Neighborhood-driven school Neighborhood schools like Paxson are deeply valued by residents and represent an important part of the neighborhoods identity, according to a 2010 master's thesis by Tina Karin Erickson, who studied the value of a neighborhood school. The neighborhood-driven effort to rebuild Paxson at the same site in the 1990s is indicative of that value, which is still alive and well today, according to Missoula County Public Schools Superintendent Rob Watson. Like any school, staff members will change over the years, however, the positive culture of the school remains intact, Watson said. I believe this speaks to the incredible foundation that was built at Paxson so many years ago. It continued to provide an excellent education for the children of the neighborhood something that Im sure was started 100 years ago. Julie Robitaille, Paxsons principal, agrees that the schools location is key to its identity. Although shes only in her second year at Paxson, shes noticed that neighborhood pride. Each day, she greets students as they arrive in the morning to start their day on a positive note. My favorite aspects of being the principal at Paxson include building on the great work our staff and my predecessors have accomplished to make Paxson the amazing school it is today, Robitaille said. The schools Parent-Teacher Association is also an indicator of Paxsons impact on the community, Torma said. The PTA recently completed two phases of playground equipment upgrades and is currently raising money for the final phase to incorporate a nature-based play area. That sense of pride for Paxson, and Missoula as a whole, has also been picked up by the students, Torma said. Students in fifth grade started a fundraiser called Trees for Missoula. The partnership with the City of Missoula shares tips on proper pruning and care, and helps plant replacement saplings for boulevard trees around town. Because of the way our PTA and our families care about our community, it really trickles down to our students and them wanting to do well for our community, too, and doing things that are great for our community, Torma said. Given Tormas long-standing relationship with Paxson as a student, mother and teacher, it's no surprise that she feels a deeper sense of connection with her students. Its a huge responsibility to hold and you really have to walk with it very lightly," Torma said. "Its exciting though to know that you have the potential to reach out and do good for all those students that walk into your door. I think its always fun as a teacher to walk in (to your classroom each year) and you get a unique class of individuals, Torma said later. But you also get these glimmers of every other student youve had in the past through them, too, and how they remind you of the kids that you used to teach or the kids you went to school with. This school year is Paxson Elementary Schools 100th birthday. Over the last century the building has obviously changed, as have the staff and students that fill the classrooms and hallways each passing year. But what has remained the same is that feeling of community and that closeness that we have together, said Petey Torma, a fourth-grade teacher at Paxson. Torma has a pretty good read on the school and its position in the community in fact the school has been in her orbit for over 30 years now. I just remember it always felt so great to be going to this school because it was like everyone in the school were friends you saw out and about at the parks and who youd been friends with before school started, Torma recalled. She first stepped foot into the school in 1988 as a kindergartner. Now, shes at the school as a teacher and mother, whose current classroom is the site where she herself attended fifth grade. Her oldest child, Tallis Parkey, attends first grade at the school and her daughter Luna will begin kindergarten next year. In the late 1980s, the Paxson Problem was coming to a head. The building was no longer up to code and the student population was bursting at the seams. As a student, Torma experienced that tumultuous time first hand. By 1991, the old Paxson building was torn down and rebuilt at the same site. Students at the school were scattered across the community during construction. Tormas family temporarily relocated to New Mexico when her mother pursued a masters degree. When they returned to Missoula, the construction was complete and Torma was ready to start her fourth-grade year in a brand new school. I just remember everyone feeling so excited for fourth grade because we were all coming back together," Torma said. "Wed been in different places and we were so excited to see each other and we got to be the very first ones to use the new building. She remembers all of her teachers at Paxson, but her first-grade teacher Mrs. Virginia Jensen left a lasting impact on her and her classmates growing up. Jensen retired from teaching after 35 years; she died in May 2021 at the age of 92. Following her death, Torma and her former classmates swapped their favorite memories of Jensen. Resounding comments from everybody that I went to school with was that, She just made me feel so special, she made me feel like everything I did was important, Torma said. We found out that she was there for everybody. They recalled Jensen attending their eighth-grade promotions, high school graduations and even a few college graduations. Torma remembers Jensens classroom in the annex, due to the swelling population. During fire drills Jensen would lift students up one-by-one to climb out the window. Can you believe that we did that? Torma said through a laugh. Ultimately, Jensen is one of the reasons why Torma became a teacher, she said. As a student, Torma would have never even thought she would later return to the same school to teach. Her dream job growing up was to work with the Missoula Childrens Theatre as a tour actor and director to teach kids across the country, and globe, about live theater, which she ultimately did after college. I got to see all 50 states and I got to go overseas to Japan, Korea and Guam with the whole goal of working with teachers, working with administrators, seeing schools and communities and living in them and I wanted to find where I wanted to settle down. Nowhere was better than here. We just have ... this golden town, this beautiful little place, that when I was done touring it was like, I just want to be back in Missoula, working in that town, Torma continued. Its got everything that I wanted. Neighborhood-driven school Neighborhood schools like Paxson are deeply valued by residents and represent an important part of the neighborhoods identity, according to a 2010 master's thesis by Tina Karin Erickson, who studied the value of a neighborhood school. The neighborhood-driven effort to rebuild Paxson at the same site in the 1990s is indicative of that value, which is still alive and well today, according to Missoula County Public Schools Superintendent Rob Watson. Like any school, staff members will change over the years, however, the positive culture of the school remains intact, Watson said. I believe this speaks to the incredible foundation that was built at Paxson so many years ago. It continued to provide an excellent education for the children of the neighborhood something that Im sure was started 100 years ago. Julie Robitaille, Paxsons principal, agrees that the schools location is key to its identity. Although shes only in her second year at Paxson, shes noticed that neighborhood pride. Each day, she greets students as they arrive in the morning to start their day on a positive note. My favorite aspects of being the principal at Paxson include building on the great work our staff and my predecessors have accomplished to make Paxson the amazing school it is today, Robitaille said. The schools Parent-Teacher Association is also an indicator of Paxsons impact on the community, Torma said. The PTA recently completed two phases of playground equipment upgrades and is currently raising money for the final phase to incorporate a nature-based play area. That sense of pride for Paxson, and Missoula as a whole, has also been picked up by the students, Torma said. Students in fifth grade started a fundraiser called Trees for Missoula. The partnership with the City of Missoula shares tips on proper pruning and care, and helps plant replacement saplings for boulevard trees around town. Because of the way our PTA and our families care about our community, it really trickles down to our students and them wanting to do well for our community, too, and doing things that are great for our community, Torma said. Given Tormas long-standing relationship with Paxson as a student, mother and teacher, it's no surprise that she feels a deeper sense of connection with her students. Its a huge responsibility to hold and you really have to walk with it very lightly," Torma said. "Its exciting though to know that you have the potential to reach out and do good for all those students that walk into your door. I think its always fun as a teacher to walk in (to your classroom each year) and you get a unique class of individuals, Torma said later. But you also get these glimmers of every other student youve had in the past through them, too, and how they remind you of the kids that you used to teach or the kids you went to school with. This school year is Paxson Elementary Schools 100th birthday. Over the last century the building has obviously changed, as have the staff and students that fill the classrooms and hallways each passing year. But what has remained the same is that feeling of community and that closeness that we have together, said Petey Torma, a fourth-grade teacher at Paxson. Torma has a pretty good read on the school and its position in the community in fact the school has been in her orbit for over 30 years now. I just remember it always felt so great to be going to this school because it was like everyone in the school were friends you saw out and about at the parks and who youd been friends with before school started, Torma recalled. She first stepped foot into the school in 1988 as a kindergartner. Now, shes at the school as a teacher and mother, whose current classroom is the site where she herself attended fifth grade. Her oldest child, Tallis Parkey, attends first grade at the school and her daughter Luna will begin kindergarten next year. In the late 1980s, the Paxson Problem was coming to a head. The building was no longer up to code and the student population was bursting at the seams. As a student, Torma experienced that tumultuous time first hand. By 1991, the old Paxson building was torn down and rebuilt at the same site. Students at the school were scattered across the community during construction. Tormas family temporarily relocated to New Mexico when her mother pursued a masters degree. When they returned to Missoula, the construction was complete and Torma was ready to start her fourth-grade year in a brand new school. I just remember everyone feeling so excited for fourth grade because we were all coming back together," Torma said. "Wed been in different places and we were so excited to see each other and we got to be the very first ones to use the new building. She remembers all of her teachers at Paxson, but her first-grade teacher Mrs. Virginia Jensen left a lasting impact on her and her classmates growing up. Jensen retired from teaching after 35 years; she died in May 2021 at the age of 92. Following her death, Torma and her former classmates swapped their favorite memories of Jensen. Resounding comments from everybody that I went to school with was that, She just made me feel so special, she made me feel like everything I did was important, Torma said. We found out that she was there for everybody. They recalled Jensen attending their eighth-grade promotions, high school graduations and even a few college graduations. Torma remembers Jensens classroom in the annex, due to the swelling population. During fire drills Jensen would lift students up one-by-one to climb out the window. Can you believe that we did that? Torma said through a laugh. Ultimately, Jensen is one of the reasons why Torma became a teacher, she said. As a student, Torma would have never even thought she would later return to the same school to teach. Her dream job growing up was to work with the Missoula Childrens Theatre as a tour actor and director to teach kids across the country, and globe, about live theater, which she ultimately did after college. I got to see all 50 states and I got to go overseas to Japan, Korea and Guam with the whole goal of working with teachers, working with administrators, seeing schools and communities and living in them and I wanted to find where I wanted to settle down. Nowhere was better than here. We just have ... this golden town, this beautiful little place, that when I was done touring it was like, I just want to be back in Missoula, working in that town, Torma continued. Its got everything that I wanted. Neighborhood-driven school Neighborhood schools like Paxson are deeply valued by residents and represent an important part of the neighborhoods identity, according to a 2010 master's thesis by Tina Karin Erickson, who studied the value of a neighborhood school. The neighborhood-driven effort to rebuild Paxson at the same site in the 1990s is indicative of that value, which is still alive and well today, according to Missoula County Public Schools Superintendent Rob Watson. Like any school, staff members will change over the years, however, the positive culture of the school remains intact, Watson said. I believe this speaks to the incredible foundation that was built at Paxson so many years ago. It continued to provide an excellent education for the children of the neighborhood something that Im sure was started 100 years ago. Julie Robitaille, Paxsons principal, agrees that the schools location is key to its identity. Although shes only in her second year at Paxson, shes noticed that neighborhood pride. Each day, she greets students as they arrive in the morning to start their day on a positive note. My favorite aspects of being the principal at Paxson include building on the great work our staff and my predecessors have accomplished to make Paxson the amazing school it is today, Robitaille said. The schools Parent-Teacher Association is also an indicator of Paxsons impact on the community, Torma said. The PTA recently completed two phases of playground equipment upgrades and is currently raising money for the final phase to incorporate a nature-based play area. That sense of pride for Paxson, and Missoula as a whole, has also been picked up by the students, Torma said. Students in fifth grade started a fundraiser called Trees for Missoula. The partnership with the City of Missoula shares tips on proper pruning and care, and helps plant replacement saplings for boulevard trees around town. Because of the way our PTA and our families care about our community, it really trickles down to our students and them wanting to do well for our community, too, and doing things that are great for our community, Torma said. Given Tormas long-standing relationship with Paxson as a student, mother and teacher, it's no surprise that she feels a deeper sense of connection with her students. Its a huge responsibility to hold and you really have to walk with it very lightly," Torma said. "Its exciting though to know that you have the potential to reach out and do good for all those students that walk into your door. I think its always fun as a teacher to walk in (to your classroom each year) and you get a unique class of individuals, Torma said later. But you also get these glimmers of every other student youve had in the past through them, too, and how they remind you of the kids that you used to teach or the kids you went to school with. ROME, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- In what was due to be his last New Year speech as the country's president, Sergio Mattarella on Friday thanked Italians for their "maturity and sense of responsibility" during the two years of the coronavirus pandemic. Mattarella, 80, was elected Italy's 12th president on Jan. 31, 2015, and his seven-year mandate will end in January. He repeatedly made clear he would not be available for re-election. "In these days, I have been going over what we have lived together in the last two years: the time of a pandemic that shocked the world and our lives," he said in a 15-minute speech broadcast live from the Quirinale presidential palace. Mattarella stressed -- "as an invaluable heritage of humanity" -- the self-sacrifice of physicians, healthcare workers and all those who have committed themselves to fight the coronavirus. Then, he thanked common people who put their trust in science, followed the recommended anti-pandemic rules and chose to be vaccinated against the COVID-19. "This means almost all Italians, which I want to thank for their maturity and sense of responsibility," he noted. On Dec. 31, as the new Omicron virus variant is pushing up infections, Italy registered over 144,000 cases, the largest daily increase since the pandemic began. Yet, some 85.8 percent of the population over 12 has completed the vaccination cycle. This has so far allowed the country to largely contain the most serious cases of the disease and the number of people in need of hospitalization and emergency care. "The vaccines are a valuable tool, not because they ensure invulnerability but because they allow us to reduce damages and risks for ourselves and for the others," he noted. Finally, recalling that Italy has shown tangible signs of economic recovery in 2021, and has managed the pandemic in a way that drew appreciation from other European major countries, Mattarella. "My wishes for you are more intense than ever because -- along with the need to look at the New Year with confidence and hope -- I feel the need to thank each and everyone of you for having shown Italy's true face: hard-working, creative, and supportive," he said. Enditem She took to Instagram this week to announce her New Year's resolutions, including a vow to 'embrace' her body and 'boob gap'. But Scarlett Moffatt, 31, lived firmly in the moment as she rung the New Year in with boyfriend Scott Dobinson, 26, at London's Proud Embankment on Friday night. The television personality looked glamorous in an arctic-hue mini dress as she attended the Cabaret All Stars show starring Denise van Outen and Duncan James. In style: Scarlett Moffatt, 31, looked glamorous in an arctic-hue mini dress while ringing in the New Year with boyfriend Scott Dobinson, 26, at London's Proud Embankment on Friday The former Gogglebox star's garment featured a plunging V-neckline, large mirrored sequins and feathered detail, while the hem finished just above her knee. She wore a pair of open-toed heels with sky blue straps and held a silver handbag adorned with glitter. One-time I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! winner Scarlett's policeman boyfriend towered over her while standing with his hand placed on the small of her back. Out on the town: The star's garment featured a plunging neckline with the hem finishing above her knee while at the Cabaret All Stars show starring Denise van Outen and Duncan James Fashion focus: She wore a pair of open-toed heels with sky blue straps and held a silver handbag adorned with glitter He wore a black suit with a white shirt which he left open at the collar. Television presenter Scarlett was in a cheerful mood for the final hours of 2021, cheekily giving a V-sign hand gesture as she posed at the venue. The former ballroom dancer's outing came after she took to her Instagram Stories on Thursday to reveal her inspiring pledges for 2022, which included starting to dance again and spending more time at home. Celebrations: Scarlett cut a glamorous figure in the sparkly number as she posed for cameras Scarlett, who often speaks about her battle with her image, also vowed to embrace her body and her 'boob gap' in the twelves months ahead. Alongside a snap of herself wearing a low-cut vest top, she detailed her body-positive resolution, writing: 'Embrace my body more. That includes my boob gap. 'I'm also going to start dancing again as it's something that fills my heart with joy.' New Year's resolutions: Scarlett took to her Instagram Stories on Thursday to reveal her inspiring pledges for 2022, which included embracing her body more Goals: Her list of New Year's resolutions also included spending more time at home, making sure she gives herself six days off each month Her list of resolutions also included allowing herself more free time, making sure she gives herself six days off each month, and doing dry January. She wrote: 'My New Year's resolutions are to spend more time at home. Being self employed I am so grateful and thank my lucky stars everyday for my job. 'But it makes it hard to say no to work. So I'll do this by ensuring I always have at least six days off a month.' Festive: Scarlett's boyfriend Scott came down to London to spend Christmas with her, with the star sharing some festive snaps of the couple on social media In a follow-up post, she added: 'And to do dry January. It's been a crazy year where I've probably drank more than usual and I'm ready for a bit of a detox in January. 'Also me and @scottdobby now we are settled are going to post more on our House account @ourbonniebarn.' Scott came to London to spend the festive period with Scarlett, with the reality star sharing cosy pictures of the pair online. She wrote alongside the snaps: 'Thanks to my bestie and soulmate for coming down so we could celebrate in London together. 'I wasn't feeling 100% as I got the Xmas cold but the day couldn't have been more perfect.' Even as the country mobilises for child vaccinations, private hospitals may not be able to participate right off the bat, because of complications posed by the Centres ruling that label expired vials of Covaxin cannot be used. The confusion has placed private hospitals in the state with their supply of nearly six lakh label-expired doses in the lurch. The Private Hospital and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA) said that although Bharat Biotech is supposed to take back the expired dose for relabeling or give hospitals credit, neither has happened. While the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) had extended the shelf life of the vaccine to 12 months, up from nine months, on December 23, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare told the state that all vaccines including Covid-19 vaccines should not be utilised beyond the expiry date as mentioned in the label of each vaccine vial. Dr H M Prasanna, president, PHANA, said that as per an understanding, Bharat Biotech should take back the six lakh-odd doses for relabelling or give hospitals credit. Neither has happened. This has placed the private sector in a difficult position, he said, adding that on the face of things, it appears as though the firm wants hospitals to purchase new stock. Several hospitals across the city said they had no idea what to do with their expired stock of vaccines. At Sparsh Hospital, Guruprasad B R, Director of Strategy and Business Development, said that the hospital has 12,000 doses of label-expired Covaxin. At Manipal Hospital, Karthik Rajagopal, Chief Operating Officer, said the hospital had several hundred unexpired doses, which has prompted them to raise an initial indent of one lakh new doses from Bharat Biotech for all of its units across the country. The situation is nebulous. But we are nevertheless conducting outreach programmes with schools to hold vaccination camps, Rajagopal said, adding that 12 schools had shown interest. Dr Yatheesh Govindaiah, Unit Head, Apollo Hospital Jayanagar, specified that competition had erupted among hospitals vying to hold camps in schools but the uncertainty over the doses had cooled matters somewhat. One hospital representative predicted three outcomes: either private players would not be able to participate in the vaccination drive or Bharat Biotech would relabel the vials and lastly, some hospitals may end up administering doses from label expired doses to children. Dr Prasanna said that Phana is writing to the government in a bid to get further clarity on the matter. Even if doses were available, the hospitals face the added problem of low public interest. We are reaching out to schools but there has not been much of a response, said Dr Govindaiah. Watch the latest DH videos here: Agra, Jan 1 : India's star tourism destination Agra has suffered the most under the 'double-engine government' that flaunts its saffron colours unabashedly, perhaps because of the perceived pro-Islamic character of the city, founded by Sikandar Lodhi in 1504. This is the consensus of opinion in the city of heritage monuments that has nine BJP legislators and three MPs. Names of streets have been changed and statues of new heroes are being pompously installed to correct historical distortions. But basic problems of the city continue to hang fire for want of political will. "It is still possible that the BJP may comfortably romp home in the coming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, but that would be largely due to absence of credible alternative," says political commentator Paras Nath. After spending several crores of rupees to draw up vision documents to declare Agra as a heritage city, at the call of the apex court, the state government midway decided to project the Mughal metropolis as a smart city. From heritage to smart city is a sordid saga of corruption, adhocism, lack of understanding and prejudiced mindset, allege the striking lawyers who have been protesting for a high court bench for last four decades. Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had spent Rs 140 crore on developing a cycle track from Etawah to Agra through ravines, forests and adventurous terrains, but today it lies in a state of shambles, almost disappeared. Another mega project of the previous Samajwadi Party government, the Rs 150-crore Mughal museum near the Taj Mahal has seen only one change, and that of nomenclature, now called as Chhatrapati Shivaji museum. No one knows when it will be opened. Much before plans for opening Jewar airport, Agra was promised an International airport but the Yogi Adityanath government has clearly shelved the project except changing the name of a bus stand like airport, from Kheria to Deen Dayal airport. A new terminal building has taken ages to complete a boundary wall. "They ( BJP government) wanted a showpiece in Varanasi, did it in two years, but obviously Agra is not their favourite, for whatever reasons," laments Sudhir Gupta, a senior citizen. Agra's health infrastructure is not their concern, the Agra University can go to dogs. Tourism and other industries can be allowed to suffer due to all kinds of restrictions in the eco-sensitive Taj Trapezium Zone. Indeed the list of grievances is long, but the most glaring shortcoming has been the continued neglect of river Yamuna, now reduced to a vast sewage canal. Ever since the Supreme Court took up the PIL of M.C. Mehta on pollution threats to Taj Mahal in 1993, thousands of crores of rupees have been spent in the Taj Trapezium Zone on controlling pollution, but the results are invisible to naked eye. For months together the city has remained in the red zone, with the ambient air becoming highly toxic and polluted. In the list released by the Central Pollution Control Board, Agra's AQI index was 327, with dust level (suspended particulate matter, SPM), PM 2.5 and carbon monoxide levels shooting up beyond tolerable limits. The Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) routinely sends out notices to a number of agencies, including the Metro Corporation, the UP Jal Nigam, the Smart City company and the Agra Development Authority, directing them to follow the guidelines to bring down the pollution levels. Vishwanath Sharma, UPPCB Regional Officer, says action would soon follow against those found responsible for adding to the pollution load in the city. Close to the Taj Mahal, pollution level was found alarmingly high. Local green activists blame the state government agencies which had dug up the whole city for various developmental projects. The National Highway Authority, too, has been accused of not promptly attending to calls for repairing roads of the three national highways that criss-cross the city. Work on the Agra Metro in the vicinity of the Taj Mahal has also added to the pollution load, Environmentalist Devashish Bhattacharya said. Clearly, in the city of monuments, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Swachch Bharat Abhiyan' (Clean India Mission) appears to have run aground and made no discernible change to the city's profile or the upkeep of basic amenities, according to the locals, though the Mayor and other officials of the Agra Municipal Corporation dismiss the concerns raised. "The reason why the city remains so dirty and disorganised is because of the misplaced priorities of the government." "The officials spend more time on organising fairs and festivals than on getting the basics fixed, feel members of the River Connect Campaign. Cleaning up the city and streamling the traffic management plan or improving the law and order situation are nowhere on the priority list," the locals said. Local politicians have no role to play in cleaning up the city or the Yamuna river. On paper, public toilets have been opened but in large parts of the city, people still defecate in the open, along the drains. "As you enter the city, a strange stink or odour hits you and never quits your company till you leave the city." "Elsewhere they (government) roll out a red carpet for guests. In Agra you have animal dung splashed on roads and a stink in the air welcoming people." "Little wonder no one wants to stay back for the night in Agra," says Surendra Sharma, President of the Braj Mandal Heritage Conservation Society. Agra's past haunts it's future. Now residents are suggesting change of name, perhaps Agrasen Nagar, to secure favourable response from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. (Brij Khandelwal can be contacted at brij.k@ians.in) Agra, Jan 1 : India's star tourism destination Agra has suffered the most under the 'double-engine government' that flaunts its saffron colours unabashedly, perhaps because of the perceived pro-Islamic character of the city, founded by Sikandar Lodhi in 1504. This is the consensus of opinion in the city of heritage monuments that has nine BJP legislators and three MPs. Names of streets have been changed and statues of new heroes are being pompously installed to correct historical distortions. But basic problems of the city continue to hang fire for want of political will. "It is still possible that the BJP may comfortably romp home in the coming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, but that would be largely due to absence of credible alternative," says political commentator Paras Nath. After spending several crores of rupees to draw up vision documents to declare Agra as a heritage city, at the call of the apex court, the state government midway decided to project the Mughal metropolis as a smart city. From heritage to smart city is a sordid saga of corruption, adhocism, lack of understanding and prejudiced mindset, allege the striking lawyers who have been protesting for a high court bench for last four decades. Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had spent Rs 140 crore on developing a cycle track from Etawah to Agra through ravines, forests and adventurous terrains, but today it lies in a state of shambles, almost disappeared. Another mega project of the previous Samajwadi Party government, the Rs 150-crore Mughal museum near the Taj Mahal has seen only one change, and that of nomenclature, now called as Chhatrapati Shivaji museum. No one knows when it will be opened. Much before plans for opening Jewar airport, Agra was promised an International airport but the Yogi Adityanath government has clearly shelved the project except changing the name of a bus stand like airport, from Kheria to Deen Dayal airport. A new terminal building has taken ages to complete a boundary wall. "They ( BJP government) wanted a showpiece in Varanasi, did it in two years, but obviously Agra is not their favourite, for whatever reasons," laments Sudhir Gupta, a senior citizen. Agra's health infrastructure is not their concern, the Agra University can go to dogs. Tourism and other industries can be allowed to suffer due to all kinds of restrictions in the eco-sensitive Taj Trapezium Zone. Indeed the list of grievances is long, but the most glaring shortcoming has been the continued neglect of river Yamuna, now reduced to a vast sewage canal. Ever since the Supreme Court took up the PIL of M.C. Mehta on pollution threats to Taj Mahal in 1993, thousands of crores of rupees have been spent in the Taj Trapezium Zone on controlling pollution, but the results are invisible to naked eye. For months together the city has remained in the red zone, with the ambient air becoming highly toxic and polluted. In the list released by the Central Pollution Control Board, Agra's AQI index was 327, with dust level (suspended particulate matter, SPM), PM 2.5 and carbon monoxide levels shooting up beyond tolerable limits. The Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) routinely sends out notices to a number of agencies, including the Metro Corporation, the UP Jal Nigam, the Smart City company and the Agra Development Authority, directing them to follow the guidelines to bring down the pollution levels. Vishwanath Sharma, UPPCB Regional Officer, says action would soon follow against those found responsible for adding to the pollution load in the city. Close to the Taj Mahal, pollution level was found alarmingly high. Local green activists blame the state government agencies which had dug up the whole city for various developmental projects. The National Highway Authority, too, has been accused of not promptly attending to calls for repairing roads of the three national highways that criss-cross the city. Work on the Agra Metro in the vicinity of the Taj Mahal has also added to the pollution load, Environmentalist Devashish Bhattacharya said. Clearly, in the city of monuments, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Swachch Bharat Abhiyan' (Clean India Mission) appears to have run aground and made no discernible change to the city's profile or the upkeep of basic amenities, according to the locals, though the Mayor and other officials of the Agra Municipal Corporation dismiss the concerns raised. "The reason why the city remains so dirty and disorganised is because of the misplaced priorities of the government." "The officials spend more time on organising fairs and festivals than on getting the basics fixed, feel members of the River Connect Campaign. Cleaning up the city and streamling the traffic management plan or improving the law and order situation are nowhere on the priority list," the locals said. Local politicians have no role to play in cleaning up the city or the Yamuna river. On paper, public toilets have been opened but in large parts of the city, people still defecate in the open, along the drains. "As you enter the city, a strange stink or odour hits you and never quits your company till you leave the city." "Elsewhere they (government) roll out a red carpet for guests. In Agra you have animal dung splashed on roads and a stink in the air welcoming people." "Little wonder no one wants to stay back for the night in Agra," says Surendra Sharma, President of the Braj Mandal Heritage Conservation Society. Agra's past haunts it's future. Now residents are suggesting change of name, perhaps Agrasen Nagar, to secure favourable response from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. (Brij Khandelwal can be contacted at brij.k@ians.in) As part of its policy to encourage information technology in tier II towns in Telangana, the state government on Friday launched work on IT Hub in Nalgonda. Information Technology Minister K.T. Rama Rao laid the foundation for the IT Hub, which will be constructed in three acres, with a built-up area of 75,000 square feet. This state of the art facility will have all the advanced facilities in a plug and play manner. Officials said nine companies have already signed MoUs with the state government to set up their offices in Nalgonda IT Hub and seven more companies showed keen interest in having their offices in the IT Hub. The IT Minister said these companies will create jobs for 1,500 local youth. He said the building for the IT hub will be ready in 16-17 months. He quoted the IT entrepreneurs that Covid-19 has come as a blessing in disguise as it has led to a situation where the work can be done not just from home but from anywhere. He asked the District Collector and other officials to provide temporary facility to these companies so that they can set up their operations immediately. KTR, as the minister is popularly known, said Nalgonda will be the six tier II town to have an IT Hub. "We have already started IT hubs in Warangal, Khammam and Karimnagar. The IT hub in Nizamabad will be inaugurated by Ugadi while the same in Mahabubnagar will be inaugurated soon," he said. KTR recalled when the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) came to power in 2014, IT was confined to Hyderabad but Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao set the goal to take it beyond Hyderabad so that tier II towns also enjoy fruits of technology and the youth in these towns also get jobs. He announced that the IT Hub in Nalgonda will also have a centre of Telangana Academy of Skills and Knowledge (TASK) to train educated youth in IT skills. The facility will also have a regional centre of T Hub to encourage innovations by local youth. The minister claimed that Telangana was marching ahead on the path of development not just in agriculture and rural development but also in industry and information technology. He said in a short span of seven years, Telangana witnessed rapid growth. "Among 28 states in the country Telangana is at 11th place in terms of size and 12th place in terms of population but as per a recent report of the Reserve Bank of India, Telangana is the fourth largest contributor to the economy," he said --IANS ms/vd ( 440 Words) 2022-01-01-00:28:03 (IANS) Even as the country mobilises for child vaccinations, private hospitals may not be able to participate right off the bat, because of complications posed by the Centres ruling that label expired vials of Covaxin cannot be used. The confusion has placed private hospitals in the state with their supply of nearly six lakh label-expired doses in the lurch. The Private Hospital and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA) said that although Bharat Biotech is supposed to take back the expired dose for relabeling or give hospitals credit, neither has happened. While the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) had extended the shelf life of the vaccine to 12 months, up from nine months, on December 23, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare told the state that all vaccines including Covid-19 vaccines should not be utilised beyond the expiry date as mentioned in the label of each vaccine vial. Dr H M Prasanna, president, PHANA, said that as per an understanding, Bharat Biotech should take back the six lakh-odd doses for relabelling or give hospitals credit. Neither has happened. This has placed the private sector in a difficult position, he said, adding that on the face of things, it appears as though the firm wants hospitals to purchase new stock. Several hospitals across the city said they had no idea what to do with their expired stock of vaccines. At Sparsh Hospital, Guruprasad B R, Director of Strategy and Business Development, said that the hospital has 12,000 doses of label-expired Covaxin. At Manipal Hospital, Karthik Rajagopal, Chief Operating Officer, said the hospital had several hundred unexpired doses, which has prompted them to raise an initial indent of one lakh new doses from Bharat Biotech for all of its units across the country. The situation is nebulous. But we are nevertheless conducting outreach programmes with schools to hold vaccination camps, Rajagopal said, adding that 12 schools had shown interest. Dr Yatheesh Govindaiah, Unit Head, Apollo Hospital Jayanagar, specified that competition had erupted among hospitals vying to hold camps in schools but the uncertainty over the doses had cooled matters somewhat. One hospital representative predicted three outcomes: either private players would not be able to participate in the vaccination drive or Bharat Biotech would relabel the vials and lastly, some hospitals may end up administering doses from label expired doses to children. Dr Prasanna said that Phana is writing to the government in a bid to get further clarity on the matter. Even if doses were available, the hospitals face the added problem of low public interest. We are reaching out to schools but there has not been much of a response, said Dr Govindaiah. Watch the latest DH videos here: Even as the country mobilises for child vaccinations, private hospitals may not be able to participate right off the bat, because of complications posed by the Centres ruling that label expired vials of Covaxin cannot be used. The confusion has placed private hospitals in the state with their supply of nearly six lakh label-expired doses in the lurch. The Private Hospital and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA) said that although Bharat Biotech is supposed to take back the expired dose for relabeling or give hospitals credit, neither has happened. While the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) had extended the shelf life of the vaccine to 12 months, up from nine months, on December 23, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare told the state that all vaccines including Covid-19 vaccines should not be utilised beyond the expiry date as mentioned in the label of each vaccine vial. Dr H M Prasanna, president, PHANA, said that as per an understanding, Bharat Biotech should take back the six lakh-odd doses for relabelling or give hospitals credit. Neither has happened. This has placed the private sector in a difficult position, he said, adding that on the face of things, it appears as though the firm wants hospitals to purchase new stock. Several hospitals across the city said they had no idea what to do with their expired stock of vaccines. At Sparsh Hospital, Guruprasad B R, Director of Strategy and Business Development, said that the hospital has 12,000 doses of label-expired Covaxin. At Manipal Hospital, Karthik Rajagopal, Chief Operating Officer, said the hospital had several hundred unexpired doses, which has prompted them to raise an initial indent of one lakh new doses from Bharat Biotech for all of its units across the country. The situation is nebulous. But we are nevertheless conducting outreach programmes with schools to hold vaccination camps, Rajagopal said, adding that 12 schools had shown interest. Dr Yatheesh Govindaiah, Unit Head, Apollo Hospital Jayanagar, specified that competition had erupted among hospitals vying to hold camps in schools but the uncertainty over the doses had cooled matters somewhat. One hospital representative predicted three outcomes: either private players would not be able to participate in the vaccination drive or Bharat Biotech would relabel the vials and lastly, some hospitals may end up administering doses from label expired doses to children. Dr Prasanna said that Phana is writing to the government in a bid to get further clarity on the matter. Even if doses were available, the hospitals face the added problem of low public interest. We are reaching out to schools but there has not been much of a response, said Dr Govindaiah. Watch the latest DH videos here: Five former chiefs of the armed forces and a number of other prominent citizens including bureaucrats have written a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the recent incidents of hate speeches and urged them to take appropriate measures. In a letter, the group of over 100 people also referred to the communal comments made at an event in Haridwar recently and condemned "in no uncertain terms" such "incitement" to violence. "We cannot allow such incitement to violence together with public expressions of hate - which not only constitute serious breaches of internal security but which could also tear apart the social fabric of our nation," they said in the letter. Also read: Indias leaders are playing with fire They further said, "In view of the current situation on our borders, any breach of peace and harmony within the Nation will embolden inimical external forces." "The unity and cohesiveness of our men and women in uniform, including the CAPFs and Police Forces, will be seriously affected by allowing such blatant calls for violence against one or the other community in our diverse and plural society," they added. The signatories included former Navy chiefs Admiral (Retd) L Ramdas, Admiral (retd) Vishnu Bhagwat, Admiral (retd) Arun Prakash and Admiral (retd) RK Dhowan. Watch the latest DH videos here: Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Even as the country mobilises for child vaccinations, private hospitals may not be able to participate right off the bat, because of complications posed by the Centres ruling that label expired vials of Covaxin cannot be used. The confusion has placed private hospitals in the state with their supply of nearly six lakh label-expired doses in the lurch. The Private Hospital and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA) said that although Bharat Biotech is supposed to take back the expired dose for relabeling or give hospitals credit, neither has happened. While the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) had extended the shelf life of the vaccine to 12 months, up from nine months, on December 23, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare told the state that all vaccines including Covid-19 vaccines should not be utilised beyond the expiry date as mentioned in the label of each vaccine vial. Dr H M Prasanna, president, PHANA, said that as per an understanding, Bharat Biotech should take back the six lakh-odd doses for relabelling or give hospitals credit. Neither has happened. This has placed the private sector in a difficult position, he said, adding that on the face of things, it appears as though the firm wants hospitals to purchase new stock. Several hospitals across the city said they had no idea what to do with their expired stock of vaccines. At Sparsh Hospital, Guruprasad B R, Director of Strategy and Business Development, said that the hospital has 12,000 doses of label-expired Covaxin. At Manipal Hospital, Karthik Rajagopal, Chief Operating Officer, said the hospital had several hundred unexpired doses, which has prompted them to raise an initial indent of one lakh new doses from Bharat Biotech for all of its units across the country. The situation is nebulous. But we are nevertheless conducting outreach programmes with schools to hold vaccination camps, Rajagopal said, adding that 12 schools had shown interest. Dr Yatheesh Govindaiah, Unit Head, Apollo Hospital Jayanagar, specified that competition had erupted among hospitals vying to hold camps in schools but the uncertainty over the doses had cooled matters somewhat. One hospital representative predicted three outcomes: either private players would not be able to participate in the vaccination drive or Bharat Biotech would relabel the vials and lastly, some hospitals may end up administering doses from label expired doses to children. Dr Prasanna said that Phana is writing to the government in a bid to get further clarity on the matter. Even if doses were available, the hospitals face the added problem of low public interest. We are reaching out to schools but there has not been much of a response, said Dr Govindaiah. Watch the latest DH videos here: New Delhi: The Tibetan government-in-exile has strongly condemned the Chinese Embassy`s letter to Indian parliamentarians and said that Tibet has never been a part of China. "We condemn such letter which was sent to the Indian Parliament members and as a democratic country, the Parliament members have their rights to look at what they think and over the last, so many years, we have so many supports and solidarities from the Indian parliamentarians and many great leaders of India. So there has been a tradition," a spokesperson of Tibetan government-in-exile Tenzin Lakshay said. "In fact, all-party Indian parliamentary forum for Tibet was in existence since 1970. It was in continuation under the leadership of many great Indian leaders. So this letter in fact if you look at the content of the letter it was a purely propagandist letter that threatens Indian parliament members not to interfere in Tibetan affairs. Lakshay said, "The letter said that Tibet was historically a part of China since ancient times which was not true. But Tibet was an occupied state after the PRC was formed in 1959 and we have been living in exile for the last 60 years." "But the letter said that Central Tibetan administration is an illegal separatist political group. We reject that with a confirmation that the central Tibetan administration is working on a policy which is a middle way policy to get genuine autonomy within the framework of the Chinese constitution," added Lakshay. Stressing that this is not about separatism, Lakshay said that it is about willing to integrate to share and to fulfil the aspirations of Tibetan people inside Tibet. "So we reject the content of the letter completely and hope that the Chinese leaders have a wisdom with a new year coming, they have the wisdom to fulfil the aspirations of Tibetan people and resume the dialogue to resolve the Sino-Tibet conflict," said Lakshay. The condemnation came after Zhou Yongsheng, political counsellor, Chinese Embassy to India, wrote a letter to members of the Indian parliament for attending an event held by all party Indian parliamentary forum for Tibet and their interaction with Tibetan parliamentarians in exile earlier this month. Live TV New Delhi: The Tibetan government-in-exile has strongly condemned the Chinese Embassy`s letter to Indian parliamentarians and said that Tibet has never been a part of China. "We condemn such letter which was sent to the Indian Parliament members and as a democratic country, the Parliament members have their rights to look at what they think and over the last, so many years, we have so many supports and solidarities from the Indian parliamentarians and many great leaders of India. So there has been a tradition," a spokesperson of Tibetan government-in-exile Tenzin Lakshay said. "In fact, all-party Indian parliamentary forum for Tibet was in existence since 1970. It was in continuation under the leadership of many great Indian leaders. So this letter in fact if you look at the content of the letter it was a purely propagandist letter that threatens Indian parliament members not to interfere in Tibetan affairs. Lakshay said, "The letter said that Tibet was historically a part of China since ancient times which was not true. But Tibet was an occupied state after the PRC was formed in 1959 and we have been living in exile for the last 60 years." "But the letter said that Central Tibetan administration is an illegal separatist political group. We reject that with a confirmation that the central Tibetan administration is working on a policy which is a middle way policy to get genuine autonomy within the framework of the Chinese constitution," added Lakshay. Stressing that this is not about separatism, Lakshay said that it is about willing to integrate to share and to fulfil the aspirations of Tibetan people inside Tibet. "So we reject the content of the letter completely and hope that the Chinese leaders have a wisdom with a new year coming, they have the wisdom to fulfil the aspirations of Tibetan people and resume the dialogue to resolve the Sino-Tibet conflict," said Lakshay. The condemnation came after Zhou Yongsheng, political counsellor, Chinese Embassy to India, wrote a letter to members of the Indian parliament for attending an event held by all party Indian parliamentary forum for Tibet and their interaction with Tibetan parliamentarians in exile earlier this month. Live TV The Chief Minister said that the government has set up a special cyber crime unit and those who are found misusing social media would be booked promptly under the law. After laying the foundation stone for a Haj House at Lilong in Thoubal district, he said that decency must be maintained by one and all while using social media, and people should abstain from uploading comments which might hurt the sentiments of others. Eaelier, different authorities in Manipur had booked several activists and journalists under the National Security Act (NSA) and other laws for Facebook posts criticising the BJP government and the ruling party leaders on numerous issues. The detainees were subsequently released following Supreme Court and high court orders. Speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony, the Chief Minister recalled what he had announced earlier in 2018 about the importance for constructing a Haj House in Manipur. The Haj House would be a multi-utility facility for the Muslim community, providing accommodation and imparting training to the Haj pilgrims. Singh said that the government had earlier decided to pay Rs 30,000 per month as honorarium to the chairman of the Haj Committee. The Haj House is being constructed under the special assistance scheme for capital expenditure during 2021-22 with a project cost of Rs 10 crore. The land for the construction of the Haj House was donated by Muslim leader Hafiz Quary Quayamuddin. The Chief Minister said that the government is gearing up for the completion of the 'Ima market' (all women market) at Lilong and it would be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he visits Manipur on January 4. --IANS sc/arm ( 305 Words) 2021-12-31-22:14:04 (IANS) The Chief Minister said that the government has set up a special cyber crime unit and those who are found misusing social media would be booked promptly under the law. After laying the foundation stone for a Haj House at Lilong in Thoubal district, he said that decency must be maintained by one and all while using social media, and people should abstain from uploading comments which might hurt the sentiments of others. Eaelier, different authorities in Manipur had booked several activists and journalists under the National Security Act (NSA) and other laws for Facebook posts criticising the BJP government and the ruling party leaders on numerous issues. The detainees were subsequently released following Supreme Court and high court orders. Speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony, the Chief Minister recalled what he had announced earlier in 2018 about the importance for constructing a Haj House in Manipur. The Haj House would be a multi-utility facility for the Muslim community, providing accommodation and imparting training to the Haj pilgrims. Singh said that the government had earlier decided to pay Rs 30,000 per month as honorarium to the chairman of the Haj Committee. The Haj House is being constructed under the special assistance scheme for capital expenditure during 2021-22 with a project cost of Rs 10 crore. The land for the construction of the Haj House was donated by Muslim leader Hafiz Quary Quayamuddin. The Chief Minister said that the government is gearing up for the completion of the 'Ima market' (all women market) at Lilong and it would be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he visits Manipur on January 4. --IANS sc/arm ( 305 Words) 2021-12-31-22:14:04 (IANS) New Delhi: The Tibetan government-in-exile has strongly condemned the Chinese Embassy`s letter to Indian parliamentarians and said that Tibet has never been a part of China. "We condemn such letter which was sent to the Indian Parliament members and as a democratic country, the Parliament members have their rights to look at what they think and over the last, so many years, we have so many supports and solidarities from the Indian parliamentarians and many great leaders of India. So there has been a tradition," a spokesperson of Tibetan government-in-exile Tenzin Lakshay said. "In fact, all-party Indian parliamentary forum for Tibet was in existence since 1970. It was in continuation under the leadership of many great Indian leaders. So this letter in fact if you look at the content of the letter it was a purely propagandist letter that threatens Indian parliament members not to interfere in Tibetan affairs. Lakshay said, "The letter said that Tibet was historically a part of China since ancient times which was not true. But Tibet was an occupied state after the PRC was formed in 1959 and we have been living in exile for the last 60 years." "But the letter said that Central Tibetan administration is an illegal separatist political group. We reject that with a confirmation that the central Tibetan administration is working on a policy which is a middle way policy to get genuine autonomy within the framework of the Chinese constitution," added Lakshay. Stressing that this is not about separatism, Lakshay said that it is about willing to integrate to share and to fulfil the aspirations of Tibetan people inside Tibet. "So we reject the content of the letter completely and hope that the Chinese leaders have a wisdom with a new year coming, they have the wisdom to fulfil the aspirations of Tibetan people and resume the dialogue to resolve the Sino-Tibet conflict," said Lakshay. The condemnation came after Zhou Yongsheng, political counsellor, Chinese Embassy to India, wrote a letter to members of the Indian parliament for attending an event held by all party Indian parliamentary forum for Tibet and their interaction with Tibetan parliamentarians in exile earlier this month. Live TV New Delhi: The Tibetan government-in-exile has strongly condemned the Chinese Embassy`s letter to Indian parliamentarians and said that Tibet has never been a part of China. "We condemn such letter which was sent to the Indian Parliament members and as a democratic country, the Parliament members have their rights to look at what they think and over the last, so many years, we have so many supports and solidarities from the Indian parliamentarians and many great leaders of India. So there has been a tradition," a spokesperson of Tibetan government-in-exile Tenzin Lakshay said. "In fact, all-party Indian parliamentary forum for Tibet was in existence since 1970. It was in continuation under the leadership of many great Indian leaders. So this letter in fact if you look at the content of the letter it was a purely propagandist letter that threatens Indian parliament members not to interfere in Tibetan affairs. Lakshay said, "The letter said that Tibet was historically a part of China since ancient times which was not true. But Tibet was an occupied state after the PRC was formed in 1959 and we have been living in exile for the last 60 years." "But the letter said that Central Tibetan administration is an illegal separatist political group. We reject that with a confirmation that the central Tibetan administration is working on a policy which is a middle way policy to get genuine autonomy within the framework of the Chinese constitution," added Lakshay. Stressing that this is not about separatism, Lakshay said that it is about willing to integrate to share and to fulfil the aspirations of Tibetan people inside Tibet. "So we reject the content of the letter completely and hope that the Chinese leaders have a wisdom with a new year coming, they have the wisdom to fulfil the aspirations of Tibetan people and resume the dialogue to resolve the Sino-Tibet conflict," said Lakshay. The condemnation came after Zhou Yongsheng, political counsellor, Chinese Embassy to India, wrote a letter to members of the Indian parliament for attending an event held by all party Indian parliamentary forum for Tibet and their interaction with Tibetan parliamentarians in exile earlier this month. Live TV She took to Instagram this week to announce her New Year's resolutions, including a vow to 'embrace' her body and 'boob gap'. But Scarlett Moffatt, 31, lived firmly in the moment as she rung the New Year in with boyfriend Scott Dobinson, 26, at London's Proud Embankment on Friday night. The television personality looked glamorous in an arctic-hue mini dress as she attended the Cabaret All Stars show starring Denise van Outen and Duncan James. In style: Scarlett Moffatt, 31, looked glamorous in an arctic-hue mini dress while ringing in the New Year with boyfriend Scott Dobinson, 26, at London's Proud Embankment on Friday The former Gogglebox star's garment featured a plunging V-neckline, large mirrored sequins and feathered detail, while the hem finished just above her knee. She wore a pair of open-toed heels with sky blue straps and held a silver handbag adorned with glitter. One-time I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! winner Scarlett's policeman boyfriend towered over her while standing with his hand placed on the small of her back. Out on the town: The star's garment featured a plunging neckline with the hem finishing above her knee while at the Cabaret All Stars show starring Denise van Outen and Duncan James Fashion focus: She wore a pair of open-toed heels with sky blue straps and held a silver handbag adorned with glitter He wore a black suit with a white shirt which he left open at the collar. Television presenter Scarlett was in a cheerful mood for the final hours of 2021, cheekily giving a V-sign hand gesture as she posed at the venue. The former ballroom dancer's outing came after she took to her Instagram Stories on Thursday to reveal her inspiring pledges for 2022, which included starting to dance again and spending more time at home. Celebrations: Scarlett cut a glamorous figure in the sparkly number as she posed for cameras Scarlett, who often speaks about her battle with her image, also vowed to embrace her body and her 'boob gap' in the twelves months ahead. Alongside a snap of herself wearing a low-cut vest top, she detailed her body-positive resolution, writing: 'Embrace my body more. That includes my boob gap. 'I'm also going to start dancing again as it's something that fills my heart with joy.' New Year's resolutions: Scarlett took to her Instagram Stories on Thursday to reveal her inspiring pledges for 2022, which included embracing her body more Goals: Her list of New Year's resolutions also included spending more time at home, making sure she gives herself six days off each month Her list of resolutions also included allowing herself more free time, making sure she gives herself six days off each month, and doing dry January. She wrote: 'My New Year's resolutions are to spend more time at home. Being self employed I am so grateful and thank my lucky stars everyday for my job. 'But it makes it hard to say no to work. So I'll do this by ensuring I always have at least six days off a month.' Festive: Scarlett's boyfriend Scott came down to London to spend Christmas with her, with the star sharing some festive snaps of the couple on social media In a follow-up post, she added: 'And to do dry January. It's been a crazy year where I've probably drank more than usual and I'm ready for a bit of a detox in January. 'Also me and @scottdobby now we are settled are going to post more on our House account @ourbonniebarn.' Scott came to London to spend the festive period with Scarlett, with the reality star sharing cosy pictures of the pair online. She wrote alongside the snaps: 'Thanks to my bestie and soulmate for coming down so we could celebrate in London together. 'I wasn't feeling 100% as I got the Xmas cold but the day couldn't have been more perfect.' The extension was made as an effort to continue curbing the spread of Covid-19 through air travel, the Ministry's announcement said on Friday. The Central Committee on Prevention, Control and Treatment for Covid-19 also issued an order of extending the period for Covid-19 preventive measures until January 31, 2022, Xinhua news agency reported. The extension will be applied to all orders, announcements, directives previously issued by the respective union level government organisations and ministries in order to contain the spread of the viral disease, the announcement added. According to a release from the Ministry of Health on Friday, Myanmar reported 189 new Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the tally to 530,834 so far. With three new deaths, the death toll has increased to 19,268 on Friday. A total of 508,232 patients have been discharged from hospitals so far. Myanmar detected its first two Covid-19 positive cases on March 23, 2020. --IANS int/khz/ ( 194 Words) 2022-01-01-00:54:04 (IANS) She took to Instagram this week to announce her New Year's resolutions, including a vow to 'embrace' her body and 'boob gap'. But Scarlett Moffatt, 31, lived firmly in the moment as she rung the New Year in with boyfriend Scott Dobinson, 26, at London's Proud Embankment on Friday night. The television personality looked glamorous in an arctic-hue mini dress as she attended the Cabaret All Stars show starring Denise van Outen and Duncan James. In style: Scarlett Moffatt, 31, looked glamorous in an arctic-hue mini dress while ringing in the New Year with boyfriend Scott Dobinson, 26, at London's Proud Embankment on Friday The former Gogglebox star's garment featured a plunging V-neckline, large mirrored sequins and feathered detail, while the hem finished just above her knee. She wore a pair of open-toed heels with sky blue straps and held a silver handbag adorned with glitter. One-time I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! winner Scarlett's policeman boyfriend towered over her while standing with his hand placed on the small of her back. Out on the town: The star's garment featured a plunging neckline with the hem finishing above her knee while at the Cabaret All Stars show starring Denise van Outen and Duncan James Fashion focus: She wore a pair of open-toed heels with sky blue straps and held a silver handbag adorned with glitter He wore a black suit with a white shirt which he left open at the collar. Television presenter Scarlett was in a cheerful mood for the final hours of 2021, cheekily giving a V-sign hand gesture as she posed at the venue. The former ballroom dancer's outing came after she took to her Instagram Stories on Thursday to reveal her inspiring pledges for 2022, which included starting to dance again and spending more time at home. Celebrations: Scarlett cut a glamorous figure in the sparkly number as she posed for cameras Scarlett, who often speaks about her battle with her image, also vowed to embrace her body and her 'boob gap' in the twelves months ahead. Alongside a snap of herself wearing a low-cut vest top, she detailed her body-positive resolution, writing: 'Embrace my body more. That includes my boob gap. 'I'm also going to start dancing again as it's something that fills my heart with joy.' New Year's resolutions: Scarlett took to her Instagram Stories on Thursday to reveal her inspiring pledges for 2022, which included embracing her body more Goals: Her list of New Year's resolutions also included spending more time at home, making sure she gives herself six days off each month Her list of resolutions also included allowing herself more free time, making sure she gives herself six days off each month, and doing dry January. She wrote: 'My New Year's resolutions are to spend more time at home. Being self employed I am so grateful and thank my lucky stars everyday for my job. 'But it makes it hard to say no to work. So I'll do this by ensuring I always have at least six days off a month.' Festive: Scarlett's boyfriend Scott came down to London to spend Christmas with her, with the star sharing some festive snaps of the couple on social media In a follow-up post, she added: 'And to do dry January. It's been a crazy year where I've probably drank more than usual and I'm ready for a bit of a detox in January. 'Also me and @scottdobby now we are settled are going to post more on our House account @ourbonniebarn.' Scott came to London to spend the festive period with Scarlett, with the reality star sharing cosy pictures of the pair online. She wrote alongside the snaps: 'Thanks to my bestie and soulmate for coming down so we could celebrate in London together. 'I wasn't feeling 100% as I got the Xmas cold but the day couldn't have been more perfect.' "Unfortunately, we have not ended the war in the eastern part of our state. This is my main goal. That is why I say 'yet.' Because the next year will be better," Zelensky said in a New Year address to the nation. Kiev launched a military operation against the self-proclaimed republic of Donetsk and Luhansk in 2014 after they refused to recognize the new Ukrainian government and proclaimed independence from the country. A ceasefire deal was signed in Minsk a year later following talks brokered by the leaders of the Normandy Four states. The agreement has not been implemented so far and sporadic clashes still continue. (ANI/Sputnik) "Unfortunately, we have not ended the war in the eastern part of our state. This is my main goal. That is why I say 'yet.' Because the next year will be better," Zelensky said in a New Year address to the nation. Kiev launched a military operation against the self-proclaimed republic of Donetsk and Luhansk in 2014 after they refused to recognize the new Ukrainian government and proclaimed independence from the country. A ceasefire deal was signed in Minsk a year later following talks brokered by the leaders of the Normandy Four states. The agreement has not been implemented so far and sporadic clashes still continue. (ANI/Sputnik) Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Agra, Jan 1 : India's star tourism destination Agra has suffered the most under the 'double-engine government' that flaunts its saffron colours unabashedly, perhaps because of the perceived pro-Islamic character of the city, founded by Sikandar Lodhi in 1504. This is the consensus of opinion in the city of heritage monuments that has nine BJP legislators and three MPs. Names of streets have been changed and statues of new heroes are being pompously installed to correct historical distortions. But basic problems of the city continue to hang fire for want of political will. "It is still possible that the BJP may comfortably romp home in the coming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, but that would be largely due to absence of credible alternative," says political commentator Paras Nath. After spending several crores of rupees to draw up vision documents to declare Agra as a heritage city, at the call of the apex court, the state government midway decided to project the Mughal metropolis as a smart city. From heritage to smart city is a sordid saga of corruption, adhocism, lack of understanding and prejudiced mindset, allege the striking lawyers who have been protesting for a high court bench for last four decades. Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had spent Rs 140 crore on developing a cycle track from Etawah to Agra through ravines, forests and adventurous terrains, but today it lies in a state of shambles, almost disappeared. Another mega project of the previous Samajwadi Party government, the Rs 150-crore Mughal museum near the Taj Mahal has seen only one change, and that of nomenclature, now called as Chhatrapati Shivaji museum. No one knows when it will be opened. Much before plans for opening Jewar airport, Agra was promised an International airport but the Yogi Adityanath government has clearly shelved the project except changing the name of a bus stand like airport, from Kheria to Deen Dayal airport. A new terminal building has taken ages to complete a boundary wall. "They ( BJP government) wanted a showpiece in Varanasi, did it in two years, but obviously Agra is not their favourite, for whatever reasons," laments Sudhir Gupta, a senior citizen. Agra's health infrastructure is not their concern, the Agra University can go to dogs. Tourism and other industries can be allowed to suffer due to all kinds of restrictions in the eco-sensitive Taj Trapezium Zone. Indeed the list of grievances is long, but the most glaring shortcoming has been the continued neglect of river Yamuna, now reduced to a vast sewage canal. Ever since the Supreme Court took up the PIL of M.C. Mehta on pollution threats to Taj Mahal in 1993, thousands of crores of rupees have been spent in the Taj Trapezium Zone on controlling pollution, but the results are invisible to naked eye. For months together the city has remained in the red zone, with the ambient air becoming highly toxic and polluted. In the list released by the Central Pollution Control Board, Agra's AQI index was 327, with dust level (suspended particulate matter, SPM), PM 2.5 and carbon monoxide levels shooting up beyond tolerable limits. The Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) routinely sends out notices to a number of agencies, including the Metro Corporation, the UP Jal Nigam, the Smart City company and the Agra Development Authority, directing them to follow the guidelines to bring down the pollution levels. Vishwanath Sharma, UPPCB Regional Officer, says action would soon follow against those found responsible for adding to the pollution load in the city. Close to the Taj Mahal, pollution level was found alarmingly high. Local green activists blame the state government agencies which had dug up the whole city for various developmental projects. The National Highway Authority, too, has been accused of not promptly attending to calls for repairing roads of the three national highways that criss-cross the city. Work on the Agra Metro in the vicinity of the Taj Mahal has also added to the pollution load, Environmentalist Devashish Bhattacharya said. Clearly, in the city of monuments, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Swachch Bharat Abhiyan' (Clean India Mission) appears to have run aground and made no discernible change to the city's profile or the upkeep of basic amenities, according to the locals, though the Mayor and other officials of the Agra Municipal Corporation dismiss the concerns raised. "The reason why the city remains so dirty and disorganised is because of the misplaced priorities of the government." "The officials spend more time on organising fairs and festivals than on getting the basics fixed, feel members of the River Connect Campaign. Cleaning up the city and streamling the traffic management plan or improving the law and order situation are nowhere on the priority list," the locals said. Local politicians have no role to play in cleaning up the city or the Yamuna river. On paper, public toilets have been opened but in large parts of the city, people still defecate in the open, along the drains. "As you enter the city, a strange stink or odour hits you and never quits your company till you leave the city." "Elsewhere they (government) roll out a red carpet for guests. In Agra you have animal dung splashed on roads and a stink in the air welcoming people." "Little wonder no one wants to stay back for the night in Agra," says Surendra Sharma, President of the Braj Mandal Heritage Conservation Society. Agra's past haunts it's future. Now residents are suggesting change of name, perhaps Agrasen Nagar, to secure favourable response from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. (Brij Khandelwal can be contacted at brij.k@ians.in) Lambasting the new bill in Pakistan's National Assembly, the country's former Finance Minister Miftah Ismail said that with the government's unveiling of a new amendment bill the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has "now become the State Bank of IMF." The Pakistani government was "completely reliant" on the international money lender for its policies, The News International quoted Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Miftah Ismail as saying as he criticised the SBP Amendment Bill at a press conference on Friday. Ismail also said that State Bank is now a higher authority than the parliament. "We are not against the State Bank of Pakistan's autonomy, but now, there will be no oversight of the fiscal and monetary policy," The News International quoted Ismail as saying. Lashing out at Prime Minister Imran Khan, he said that the Pakistan government now will not be able to borrow money in need from the State Bank of Pakistan as the government has surrendered before the IMF. Ismail also said that even if a flood hits the country, the Imran Khan government cannot take loans from the SBP. Hitting at the government, he said that now parliament can no longer circulate summaries without the "IMF State Bank's" approval. (ANI) Sorrow for the dead and dying, fear of more infections to come and hopes for an end to the coronavirus pandemic were again the bittersweet cocktail with which the world said good riddance to 2021 and ushered in 2022. New Year's Eve, which used to be celebrated globally with a free-spirited wildness, felt instead like a case of deja vu, with the fast-spreading omicron variant again filing hospitals. In London, officials said as many as 1 in 15 people were infected with the virus in the week before Christmas, while hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in the U.K. rose 44 per cent in the last week. At the La Timone hospital in the southern French city of Marseille, Dr. Fouad Bouzana could only sigh Friday when asked what 2022 might bring. Big question, he said. It's starting to become exhausting, because the waves come one after another." The pandemic game-changer of 2021 - vaccinations continued apace, with some people getting jabs while others stocked up on drinks and treats for subdued feasting. Pakistani announced that had it achieved its goal of fully vaccinating 70 million people by the year's end. In Russia, President Vladimir Putin mourned the dead, praised Russians for their strength in difficult times and soberly warned that the pandemic isn't retreating yet. Russia's virus task force has reported 308,860 COVID-19 deaths but its state statistics agency says the death toll has been more than double that. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones," Putin said in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russia's 11 time zones. Elsewhere, the venue that many chose for New Year's celebrations was the same place they became overly familiarly with during lockdowns: their homes. Because of omicron's virulence, cities cancelled traditional New Year's Eve concerts and fireworks displays to avoid drawing large crowds. Pope Francis also cancelled his New Year's Eve tradition of visiting the life-sized manger set up in St. Peter's Square, again to avoid a crowd. Also read: Hope in the time of viruses of all kinds Face masks again became mandatory Friday on the streets of Paris, a rule widely ignored among afternoon crowds that thronged the sunbathed Champs-Elysees. With nearly 50 per cent of Paris-region intensive care beds filled by COVID-19 patients, hospitals were ordered to postpone non-essential surgeries to make more room. Australia went ahead with its celebrations despite an explosion in virus cases. Thousands of fireworks lit up the sky over Sydney's Harbor Bridge and Opera House at midnight. Hours before the spectacular display, Australian health authorities reported a record 32,000 new virus cases, many of them in Sydney. Because of the surge, crowds were far smaller than in pre-pandemic years, when as many as 1 million revelers would crowd inner Sydney. Neighboring New Zealand opted for a more low-key approach, replacing its fireworks show in Auckland with a lights display projected onto landmarks including the Sky Tower and Harbor Bridge. In Japan, writer Naoki Matsuzawa said he would spend the next few days cooking and delivering food to the elderly because some stores would be closed. He said vaccinations had made people less anxious about the pandemic, despite the new variant. A numbness has set in, and we are no longer overly afraid," said Matsuzawa, who lives in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo. "Some of us are starting to take for granted that it won't happen to me. People thronged temples and shrines, most of them wearing masks. Some shrugged off the virus, dining and drinking in downtown Tokyo and flocking to shops, celebrating not only the holidays but a sense of exhilaration over being freed from recent virus restrictions. In South Korea's capital, Seoul, the annual New Year's Eve bell-ringing ceremony was canceled for the second straight year due to a surge in cases. Officials said a pre-recorded video of this year's bell-ringing ceremony would instead be broadcast online and on television. South Korean authorities also planned to close many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the year's first sunrise. On Friday, South Korea said it will extend tough distancing rules for another two weeks. In India, millions of people were planning to ring in the new year from their homes, with nighttime curfews and other restrictions taking the fizz out of celebrations in large cities including New Delhi and Mumbai. Authorities have imposed restrictions to keep revelers away from restaurants, hotels, beaches and bars amid a surge in cases fueled by omicron. Also read: New Year's Eve muted by Omicron; many hoping for better 2022 Many Indonesians were also forgoing their usual festivities for a quieter evening at home, after the government banned many New Year's Eve celebrations. In Jakarta, fireworks displays, parades and other large gatherings were prohibited, while restaurants and malls were allowed to remain open but with curfews. In Hong Kong, about 3,000 people planned to attend a New Year's Eve concert featuring local celebrities including boy band Mirror. The concert will be the first big New Year's Eve event held since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 due to political strife and last year because of the pandemic. In mainland China, the Shanghai government canceled events including an annual light show along the Huangpu River in the city center that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. The government has called on people to avoid leaving the Chinese capital if possible and requires tests for travelers arriving from areas where there are infections. Popular temples in the eastern Chinese cities of Nanjing, Hangzhou and other major cities canceled traditional New Year's Eve lucky bell-ringing ceremonies and asked the public to stay away. But in Thailand, authorities were allowing New Year's Eve parties and fireworks displays to continue, albeit with strict safety measures. They were hoping to slow the spread of the omicron variant while also softening the blow to the country's battered tourism sector. New Year's Eve prayers, which are usually held in Buddhist temples around Thailand, will be held online instead. In the Philippines, a powerful typhoon two weeks ago wiped out basic necessities for tens of thousands of people ahead of New Year's Eve. More than 400 were killed by Typhoon Rai and at least 82 remain missing. Half a million homes were damaged or destroyed. Leahmer Singson, a 17-year-old mother, lost her home to a fire last month, and then the typhoon blew away her temporary wooden shack in Cebu city. She will welcome the new year with her husband, who works in a glass and aluminum factory, and her 1-year-old baby in a ramshackle tent in a coastal clearing where hundreds of other families erected small tents from debris, rice sacks and tarpaulins. Asked what she wants for the new year, Singson had a simple wish: I hope we won't get sick. Watch the latest DH videos here: Sorrow for the dead and dying, fear of more infections to come and hopes for an end to the coronavirus pandemic were again the bittersweet cocktail with which the world said good riddance to 2021 and ushered in 2022. New Year's Eve, which used to be celebrated globally with a free-spirited wildness, felt instead like a case of deja vu, with the fast-spreading omicron variant again filing hospitals. In London, officials said as many as 1 in 15 people were infected with the virus in the week before Christmas, while hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in the U.K. rose 44 per cent in the last week. At the La Timone hospital in the southern French city of Marseille, Dr. Fouad Bouzana could only sigh Friday when asked what 2022 might bring. Big question, he said. It's starting to become exhausting, because the waves come one after another." The pandemic game-changer of 2021 - vaccinations continued apace, with some people getting jabs while others stocked up on drinks and treats for subdued feasting. Pakistani announced that had it achieved its goal of fully vaccinating 70 million people by the year's end. In Russia, President Vladimir Putin mourned the dead, praised Russians for their strength in difficult times and soberly warned that the pandemic isn't retreating yet. Russia's virus task force has reported 308,860 COVID-19 deaths but its state statistics agency says the death toll has been more than double that. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones," Putin said in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russia's 11 time zones. Elsewhere, the venue that many chose for New Year's celebrations was the same place they became overly familiarly with during lockdowns: their homes. Because of omicron's virulence, cities cancelled traditional New Year's Eve concerts and fireworks displays to avoid drawing large crowds. Pope Francis also cancelled his New Year's Eve tradition of visiting the life-sized manger set up in St. Peter's Square, again to avoid a crowd. Also read: Hope in the time of viruses of all kinds Face masks again became mandatory Friday on the streets of Paris, a rule widely ignored among afternoon crowds that thronged the sunbathed Champs-Elysees. With nearly 50 per cent of Paris-region intensive care beds filled by COVID-19 patients, hospitals were ordered to postpone non-essential surgeries to make more room. Australia went ahead with its celebrations despite an explosion in virus cases. Thousands of fireworks lit up the sky over Sydney's Harbor Bridge and Opera House at midnight. Hours before the spectacular display, Australian health authorities reported a record 32,000 new virus cases, many of them in Sydney. Because of the surge, crowds were far smaller than in pre-pandemic years, when as many as 1 million revelers would crowd inner Sydney. Neighboring New Zealand opted for a more low-key approach, replacing its fireworks show in Auckland with a lights display projected onto landmarks including the Sky Tower and Harbor Bridge. In Japan, writer Naoki Matsuzawa said he would spend the next few days cooking and delivering food to the elderly because some stores would be closed. He said vaccinations had made people less anxious about the pandemic, despite the new variant. A numbness has set in, and we are no longer overly afraid," said Matsuzawa, who lives in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo. "Some of us are starting to take for granted that it won't happen to me. People thronged temples and shrines, most of them wearing masks. Some shrugged off the virus, dining and drinking in downtown Tokyo and flocking to shops, celebrating not only the holidays but a sense of exhilaration over being freed from recent virus restrictions. In South Korea's capital, Seoul, the annual New Year's Eve bell-ringing ceremony was canceled for the second straight year due to a surge in cases. Officials said a pre-recorded video of this year's bell-ringing ceremony would instead be broadcast online and on television. South Korean authorities also planned to close many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the year's first sunrise. On Friday, South Korea said it will extend tough distancing rules for another two weeks. In India, millions of people were planning to ring in the new year from their homes, with nighttime curfews and other restrictions taking the fizz out of celebrations in large cities including New Delhi and Mumbai. Authorities have imposed restrictions to keep revelers away from restaurants, hotels, beaches and bars amid a surge in cases fueled by omicron. Also read: New Year's Eve muted by Omicron; many hoping for better 2022 Many Indonesians were also forgoing their usual festivities for a quieter evening at home, after the government banned many New Year's Eve celebrations. In Jakarta, fireworks displays, parades and other large gatherings were prohibited, while restaurants and malls were allowed to remain open but with curfews. In Hong Kong, about 3,000 people planned to attend a New Year's Eve concert featuring local celebrities including boy band Mirror. The concert will be the first big New Year's Eve event held since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 due to political strife and last year because of the pandemic. In mainland China, the Shanghai government canceled events including an annual light show along the Huangpu River in the city center that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. The government has called on people to avoid leaving the Chinese capital if possible and requires tests for travelers arriving from areas where there are infections. Popular temples in the eastern Chinese cities of Nanjing, Hangzhou and other major cities canceled traditional New Year's Eve lucky bell-ringing ceremonies and asked the public to stay away. But in Thailand, authorities were allowing New Year's Eve parties and fireworks displays to continue, albeit with strict safety measures. They were hoping to slow the spread of the omicron variant while also softening the blow to the country's battered tourism sector. New Year's Eve prayers, which are usually held in Buddhist temples around Thailand, will be held online instead. In the Philippines, a powerful typhoon two weeks ago wiped out basic necessities for tens of thousands of people ahead of New Year's Eve. More than 400 were killed by Typhoon Rai and at least 82 remain missing. Half a million homes were damaged or destroyed. Leahmer Singson, a 17-year-old mother, lost her home to a fire last month, and then the typhoon blew away her temporary wooden shack in Cebu city. She will welcome the new year with her husband, who works in a glass and aluminum factory, and her 1-year-old baby in a ramshackle tent in a coastal clearing where hundreds of other families erected small tents from debris, rice sacks and tarpaulins. Asked what she wants for the new year, Singson had a simple wish: I hope we won't get sick. Watch the latest DH videos here: The latest statistics from the Taiwan Immigration Department indicate that the number of Hong Kong residents emigrating to Taiwan hit a new high in 2021, Radio Free Asia (RFA) quoted Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Commission (MAC) spokesman Chiu Chui-cheng as saying on Friday. Taiwan's Interior Ministry handed out 9,772 residence cards to Hong Kong residents between January and November 2021, compared with 9,501 in the same period in 2020, the publication added. In 2021, Taiwan awarded a permanent residency to 1,572 Hongkongers, compared with 1,397 in the same period the previous year. Chiu has said that some new draft amendments to the rules have been prepared in line with talent recruitment regulations to extend the period of residency, especially for the students to let them stay after completing their masters and doctorate degrees. Chiu also expressed hope for the implementation of the new draft rules soon. Emphasizing that if Taiwan had not imposed stringent COVID-19 restrictions on entry and exits and stressing that if these were not in place, Immigration consultant Chang Hsiang-ling said that more Hongkongers might have applied. (ANI) On Dec. 31, people from cultures all around the world will be raising a toast to welcome in A.D. 2022. Few of them will think about the fact that A.D. signals anno Domini, Latin for in the year of our Lord. In A.D. temporality the one acknowledged by most societies today next year marks 2023 years since the purported birth of Jesus Christ. So why are we all toasting this new year, given that most of the worlds nearly 8 billion people arent Christians? My fascination with time was nurtured by the millennium and the hype that surrounded its approach, as the globe anticipated traversing from 11:59 p.m., Dec. 31, 1999 to 12:00 a.m., Jan. 1, 2000. Convinced that there was some truth to fears about technological disruptions caused by the Y2K bug, I stayed away from the ball drop in Times Square. Instead, I watched the celebration on my laptop and enjoyed trailing journalists reports abroad. I began to wonder: How did it come to be that people all over the Earth subscribed to and were aware of the temporal system followed by the Christian West? After all, cultures have historically experienced and documented time in a variety of ways. These questions about time blossomed into a research project and book. Part of the phenomenon was caused by global capitalism, but I soon learned that another aspect involved the globalization of anno Domini. The A.D. system, often called C.E. or Common Era time today, was introduced in Europe during the Middle Ages. It joined the worlds other temporal systems like the Coptic, Seleucid, Egyptian, Jewish and the Zodiac calendars, along with calculations based on the years of rulers reigns and the founding of Rome. Latin Christendom slowly but confidently came to dominate Europe, and its year dating system then came to dominate the world, so that most countries now take A.D. for granted, at least when it comes to globalized business and government. A.D.s ubiquity has almost silenced other ways of thinking about time. This began during the medieval era, under the influence of educated Christian monks what historian Bernard Guenee describes as anno Dominis conquest of time. My recent work as a medieval studies professor focuses on the demonization of Jewish communities in Europe at a time when the A.D. system was gaining prominence and marginalizing the Jewish calendar. Counting backwards Part of the story of anno Domini time takes us back to the fourth and fifth century, when Christian scholars like Eusebius of Caesarea and John Chrysostom were trying to calculate what they considered was the beginning of Christian time in other words, the birth date of Jesus of Nazareth. Eusebius and Chrysostom were working with the Gospel accounts of Jesus birth and death. According to the Gospels, Jesus was arrested around the time of the Jewish holiday of Passover, and the Gospel of John suggests that Jesus was about 33 when he died. Therefore, Eusebius and Chrysostom first tried to determine the date of his death based on Passover dates in the Jewish calendar. But both men failed in their calculations and blamed the Jews for their difficulty. In their twisted reasoning, the Jewish community had postponed Passover in order to make anno Domini time impossible to calculate. This accusation illustrates the intense antisemitism common in Europe at their time and which work like theirs helped continue. But in many ways, the real author of the worlds modern sense of time, the one who decided to choose the date when Year One would begin, is the Venerable Bede, an English monk who lived circa 673-735. Bede found himself with several calculations he did not approve of, and decided Christ must have actually been born on Dec. 25, 1 B.C.. By his reasoning, in other words, the A.D. system began a year after Jesus purported birth. Bede also determined that March 25, 34 A.D. marked Christs death. Bede, a monk in an important monastery in Northumbria, popularized the A.D. dating system by using it in his work Ecclesiastical History of the People of England, which made him the first historian to tell time by anno Domini. The Ecclesiastical History was dedicated to King Ceowulf of Northumbria, written in Latin in 731, and translated into Old English around the end of the ninth or the beginning of the 10th centuries. Still read by many today, it popularized anno Domini time by infusing A.D. time into events Bede told about the English people. Taken together, these ingredients helped A.D. time become the norm. While the Christian calendar is built on and infused with other cultures time systems, A.D.s popularization contributed to sidelining these calendars to the margins what postcolonial scholars call temporal colonization. For example, the date Bede set for Easter in his work The Reckoning of Time is based on a polytheistic celebration of Eostre, a German goddess. Eostre has, thus, disappeared into Easter. Likewise, the fraught connections between the dates of Jesuss Passion, Easter and Passover further fueled antisemitism at a time when Jewish communities were also trying to formalize a Jewish calendar. Changing the name Approximately 1,400 years ago, when Bede selected a date to begin "anno Domini time, he perhaps unwittingly started the process of privileging Christian time, which is now near-universally recognized. [Over 140,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletters to understand the world. Sign up today.] Today, many people use the expressions common era and before the common era, or C.E. and B.C.E., instead of A.D. and B.C. But despite what we call it now, the roots of this system are not common but Christian. As the medieval studies scholar Kathleen Davis writes, using C.E. does little to diminish the effect of a globalized Christian calendar. Initially, I too had applauded C.E. as a less Christian replacement for A.D. But today, Id argue it is just the equivalent of a yellow sticky note placed over it. Theres nothing naturally common about the common era, and its worth applauding all kinds of diversity even in time on planet Earth. This year, what will you be toasting at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 31? ___ Miriamne Ara Krummel 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. ___ The latest statistics from the Taiwan Immigration Department indicate that the number of Hong Kong residents emigrating to Taiwan hit a new high in 2021, Radio Free Asia (RFA) quoted Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Commission (MAC) spokesman Chiu Chui-cheng as saying on Friday. Taiwan's Interior Ministry handed out 9,772 residence cards to Hong Kong residents between January and November 2021, compared with 9,501 in the same period in 2020, the publication added. In 2021, Taiwan awarded a permanent residency to 1,572 Hongkongers, compared with 1,397 in the same period the previous year. Chiu has said that some new draft amendments to the rules have been prepared in line with talent recruitment regulations to extend the period of residency, especially for the students to let them stay after completing their masters and doctorate degrees. Chiu also expressed hope for the implementation of the new draft rules soon. Emphasizing that if Taiwan had not imposed stringent COVID-19 restrictions on entry and exits and stressing that if these were not in place, Immigration consultant Chang Hsiang-ling said that more Hongkongers might have applied. (ANI) "Unfortunately, we have not ended the war in the eastern part of our state. This is my main goal. That is why I say 'yet.' Because the next year will be better," Zelensky said in a New Year address to the nation. Kiev launched a military operation against the self-proclaimed republic of Donetsk and Luhansk in 2014 after they refused to recognize the new Ukrainian government and proclaimed independence from the country. A ceasefire deal was signed in Minsk a year later following talks brokered by the leaders of the Normandy Four states. The agreement has not been implemented so far and sporadic clashes still continue. (ANI/Sputnik) "Unfortunately, we have not ended the war in the eastern part of our state. This is my main goal. That is why I say 'yet.' Because the next year will be better," Zelensky said in a New Year address to the nation. Kiev launched a military operation against the self-proclaimed republic of Donetsk and Luhansk in 2014 after they refused to recognize the new Ukrainian government and proclaimed independence from the country. A ceasefire deal was signed in Minsk a year later following talks brokered by the leaders of the Normandy Four states. The agreement has not been implemented so far and sporadic clashes still continue. (ANI/Sputnik) Days of Our Lives was certainly quite the barn burner this week. Murder, intrigue, and an exorcism all conspired to make this last week of shows for 2021 some of the best yet. And, yes, the Devil does indeed live on in a new host. Will it be back in Dr. Marlena Evans-Black anytime soon? Lets check it out! [Spoiler alert: Spoilers for this past weeks episodes of Days of Our Lives are ahead.] Tamara Braun, who plays Ava on Days of Our Lives | Paul Archuleta/Getty Images On Days of Our Lives, Ava commits a murder For all that Ava is starting to plot and scheme against Rafe (and who can blame her, really) for the whole Nicole situation, she still hadnt committed murder quite yet. That all changed on the December 30 episode of Days of Our Lives. According to SoapHub, that was the day that Ava committed a murderof none other than the beloved Duke the Bear! Avas anger and her quest for vengeance are totally justifiable, and her straight-up assassination of Duke the Bear was a public service, reports the outlet. Now, how to properly distribute the teddys head, and torso, into her enemies beds? Most mafia princesses (allegedly) prefer horseheads to Vermont Teddy Bear heads, but whatever works for you, Ava. The Devil gets a new host The New Years Eve episode of Days of Our Lives ultimately proved to be beneficial for Dr. Marlena Evans-Black. On that day, the good doc got an exorcism performed on her by none other than Father Eric. And, according to Soaps.com, that provided some measure of peaceuntil the Devil decided he wasnt quite finished with Salem just yet. The holidays never end with the cast of #Days of our Lives: A Very Salem Christmas! pic.twitter.com/8rbebgmDQC Days of our Lives (@nbcdays) December 30, 2021 In the DiMera mansion living room, Chanel waits for Johnny to get dressed as Tripp and Allie lock lips, reports the outlet. Upstairs, Johnny dresses in a red suit and looks in the mirror. His eyes flash yellow and he says in a distorted voice, Happy New Year Salem. You didnt really think you were getting rid of me that easily. Did you? Poor Johnny! Poor Chanel! Something tells us Paulina is going to be kicking some serious butt on some upcoming episodes of Days of Our Lives. And speaking of Paulina Meanwhile, elsewhere in Salem Other Days of Our Lives goings-on that we can look forward to in the new year feature Paulina and Lani. As fans of the show are undoubtedly aware, the truth of Lanis paternity and maternity have forever altered the relationship between the two women. Paulina is desperate to pick up all the pieces of her life, and to have a reconciliation. Bye 2021, hello 2022. Cheers to the new year, #DAYS fans! pic.twitter.com/BtNPsAiUc3 Days of our Lives (@nbcdays) December 31, 2021 But she doesnt just want to reconcile with Abe (although, certainly, it wouldnt hurt). Rather, she also wants to make things right with Lani. More than just being her daughter, Lani is also Paulinas friend. Can these two save their relationship or replace it with something better in the coming year? Well just have to tune in to upcoming episodes of Days of Our Lives to find out for sure. RELATED: Days of Our Lives Fans Beef With The Young and the Restless Fans Over Chabby Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. On Dec. 31, people from cultures all around the world will be raising a toast to welcome in A.D. 2022. Few of them will think about the fact that A.D. signals anno Domini, Latin for in the year of our Lord. In A.D. temporality the one acknowledged by most societies today next year marks 2023 years since the purported birth of Jesus Christ. So why are we all toasting this new year, given that most of the worlds nearly 8 billion people arent Christians? My fascination with time was nurtured by the millennium and the hype that surrounded its approach, as the globe anticipated traversing from 11:59 p.m., Dec. 31, 1999 to 12:00 a.m., Jan. 1, 2000. Convinced that there was some truth to fears about technological disruptions caused by the Y2K bug, I stayed away from the ball drop in Times Square. Instead, I watched the celebration on my laptop and enjoyed trailing journalists reports abroad. I began to wonder: How did it come to be that people all over the Earth subscribed to and were aware of the temporal system followed by the Christian West? After all, cultures have historically experienced and documented time in a variety of ways. These questions about time blossomed into a research project and book. Part of the phenomenon was caused by global capitalism, but I soon learned that another aspect involved the globalization of anno Domini. The A.D. system, often called C.E. or Common Era time today, was introduced in Europe during the Middle Ages. It joined the worlds other temporal systems like the Coptic, Seleucid, Egyptian, Jewish and the Zodiac calendars, along with calculations based on the years of rulers reigns and the founding of Rome. Latin Christendom slowly but confidently came to dominate Europe, and its year dating system then came to dominate the world, so that most countries now take A.D. for granted, at least when it comes to globalized business and government. A.D.s ubiquity has almost silenced other ways of thinking about time. This began during the medieval era, under the influence of educated Christian monks what historian Bernard Guenee describes as anno Dominis conquest of time. My recent work as a medieval studies professor focuses on the demonization of Jewish communities in Europe at a time when the A.D. system was gaining prominence and marginalizing the Jewish calendar. Counting backwards Part of the story of anno Domini time takes us back to the fourth and fifth century, when Christian scholars like Eusebius of Caesarea and John Chrysostom were trying to calculate what they considered was the beginning of Christian time in other words, the birth date of Jesus of Nazareth. Eusebius and Chrysostom were working with the Gospel accounts of Jesus birth and death. According to the Gospels, Jesus was arrested around the time of the Jewish holiday of Passover, and the Gospel of John suggests that Jesus was about 33 when he died. Therefore, Eusebius and Chrysostom first tried to determine the date of his death based on Passover dates in the Jewish calendar. But both men failed in their calculations and blamed the Jews for their difficulty. In their twisted reasoning, the Jewish community had postponed Passover in order to make anno Domini time impossible to calculate. This accusation illustrates the intense antisemitism common in Europe at their time and which work like theirs helped continue. But in many ways, the real author of the worlds modern sense of time, the one who decided to choose the date when Year One would begin, is the Venerable Bede, an English monk who lived circa 673-735. Bede found himself with several calculations he did not approve of, and decided Christ must have actually been born on Dec. 25, 1 B.C.. By his reasoning, in other words, the A.D. system began a year after Jesus purported birth. Bede also determined that March 25, 34 A.D. marked Christs death. Bede, a monk in an important monastery in Northumbria, popularized the A.D. dating system by using it in his work Ecclesiastical History of the People of England, which made him the first historian to tell time by anno Domini. The Ecclesiastical History was dedicated to King Ceowulf of Northumbria, written in Latin in 731, and translated into Old English around the end of the ninth or the beginning of the 10th centuries. Still read by many today, it popularized anno Domini time by infusing A.D. time into events Bede told about the English people. Taken together, these ingredients helped A.D. time become the norm. While the Christian calendar is built on and infused with other cultures time systems, A.D.s popularization contributed to sidelining these calendars to the margins what postcolonial scholars call temporal colonization. For example, the date Bede set for Easter in his work The Reckoning of Time is based on a polytheistic celebration of Eostre, a German goddess. Eostre has, thus, disappeared into Easter. Likewise, the fraught connections between the dates of Jesuss Passion, Easter and Passover further fueled antisemitism at a time when Jewish communities were also trying to formalize a Jewish calendar. Changing the name Approximately 1,400 years ago, when Bede selected a date to begin "anno Domini time, he perhaps unwittingly started the process of privileging Christian time, which is now near-universally recognized. [Over 140,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletters to understand the world. Sign up today.] Today, many people use the expressions common era and before the common era, or C.E. and B.C.E., instead of A.D. and B.C. But despite what we call it now, the roots of this system are not common but Christian. As the medieval studies scholar Kathleen Davis writes, using C.E. does little to diminish the effect of a globalized Christian calendar. Initially, I too had applauded C.E. as a less Christian replacement for A.D. But today, Id argue it is just the equivalent of a yellow sticky note placed over it. Theres nothing naturally common about the common era, and its worth applauding all kinds of diversity even in time on planet Earth. This year, what will you be toasting at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 31? ___ Miriamne Ara Krummel 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. ___ New Delhi: The Tibetan government-in-exile has strongly condemned the Chinese Embassy`s letter to Indian parliamentarians and said that Tibet has never been a part of China. "We condemn such letter which was sent to the Indian Parliament members and as a democratic country, the Parliament members have their rights to look at what they think and over the last, so many years, we have so many supports and solidarities from the Indian parliamentarians and many great leaders of India. So there has been a tradition," a spokesperson of Tibetan government-in-exile Tenzin Lakshay said. "In fact, all-party Indian parliamentary forum for Tibet was in existence since 1970. It was in continuation under the leadership of many great Indian leaders. So this letter in fact if you look at the content of the letter it was a purely propagandist letter that threatens Indian parliament members not to interfere in Tibetan affairs. Lakshay said, "The letter said that Tibet was historically a part of China since ancient times which was not true. But Tibet was an occupied state after the PRC was formed in 1959 and we have been living in exile for the last 60 years." "But the letter said that Central Tibetan administration is an illegal separatist political group. We reject that with a confirmation that the central Tibetan administration is working on a policy which is a middle way policy to get genuine autonomy within the framework of the Chinese constitution," added Lakshay. Stressing that this is not about separatism, Lakshay said that it is about willing to integrate to share and to fulfil the aspirations of Tibetan people inside Tibet. "So we reject the content of the letter completely and hope that the Chinese leaders have a wisdom with a new year coming, they have the wisdom to fulfil the aspirations of Tibetan people and resume the dialogue to resolve the Sino-Tibet conflict," said Lakshay. The condemnation came after Zhou Yongsheng, political counsellor, Chinese Embassy to India, wrote a letter to members of the Indian parliament for attending an event held by all party Indian parliamentary forum for Tibet and their interaction with Tibetan parliamentarians in exile earlier this month. Live TV Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. The Delhi government has sanctioned Rs 475.78 crore to install 600 LED screens across the city, an official said on Friday. "The LED screens will be installed at prominent locations on PWD roads, intersections and T points of roads, entry/exit of the metro station having heavy footfalls," the government said in a statement. The screens will display graphics, films, pollution data, social messages and information of government policies, and other relevant details of public interest. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had chaired the Expenditure Finance Committee, in its fifth meeting held on December 22. According to the statement, "the CCC or the Command Control Centre shall be compatible to run setup with various permutation and combinations (i.e., individually, cluster or all at a time) of the LED screen, area and location wise". The data for display will be received in the central control room, and after processing the same, will be displayed with the help of GSM network and cloud services, it noted. The Jan Vishwas Yatra has been an effective and successful outreach programme of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to all the 403 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the elections, said party MLC Vidyasagar Sonkar on Friday. Vidyasagar Sonkar is the state Jan Vishwas Yatra chief of BJP. Speaking to ANI, Sonkar said, "Beginning on December 19, the 15-day Jan Vishwas Yatra has been an effective and great outreach programme of BJP to all 403 assemblies in Uttar Pradesh. The Yatra instilled enthusiasm among the party workers in all the assemblies. Through the Yatra, the party has reached out to every village and every household and conveyed its message even before the announcement of the election date in Uttar Pradesh." He said the party will successfully conclude the Jan Vishwas Yatra on January 3, 2022. Senior ministers and officials of BJP participated in this yatra. He said there were designated chiefs for every yatra. For Yatra, raths and SUVs were provided by the party. "Meetings, public meetings and roadshows were organized during the Yatra. Programmes of party morchas were held in all 403 assemblies. The yatras were also on night stay in all the assemblies. Through the Jan Vishwas Yatra, BJP addressed the workers' convention in all the Assemblies of Uttar Pradesh before the start of the elections," Sonkar said. "Prime Minister will address a mega rally marking the conclusion of Jan Vishwas Yatra on January 9, 2022 in . However, the programme is still proposed, as soon as the approval is received, the schedule will also be released," the BJP leader said. The first Jan Vishwas Yatra started from Mathura on December 19 and will end on December 31 in Bareilly. The head of this yatra is BJP MLC Dr Manvendra Pratap Singh. The second such Yatra is headed by BJP MP Satish Gautam that began from Bijnor and will end in Rampur on January 1, 2022. The third Jan Vishwas Yatra headed by Union Minister Baburam Nishad started from Jhansi and will end on January 2 at Kanpur-Bithoor. Its head is Baburam Nishad, Minister of State with a status. Headed by BJP MLC Vijay Bahadur Pathak, the fourth Yatra began from Ambedkar Nagar and will end at Kakori on January 3. The fifth yatra started from Ballia and will end at Basti on January 3. BJP MP Harish Dwivedi is heading this yatra. Starting from Ghazipur, the sixth Yatra will end on January 3 at Amethi. It is headed by party MP Vinod Sonkar. Among the key leaders who participated in the Yatra include BJP national president JP Nadda, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Several union ministers such as Nitin Gadkari, Dharmendra Pradhan, Smriti Irani and Uttar Pradesh BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh, state Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma have also marked their presence in Jan Vishwas Yatra. Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh are slated for early next year. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. GREENSBORO Though the battle remains fierce against COVID-19, health officials say 2021 had some amazing, uplifting and yes, heart-wrenching, developments. At this time last year, the Guilford County health department had just given out its first 50 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine calling in nurses who were on holiday to distribute them to emergency services workers. At Cone Health, officials were preparing to issue a warning that all 924 staffed beds would soon be filled if coronavirus hospitalization trends continued. Around the world, scientists, doctors, educators, CEOs and politicians along with everyday folks grappled with what the future held, trying to determine the next right steps. And while that continues to be the case as the new year begins, 2021 still brought better tools and more weapons to fight the pandemic. Perhaps most importantly, the year also provided much-needed experience for what may lie ahead. Pivoting On Wednesday, the News & Record spoke with two physicians at the forefront of Guilford Countys COVID-19 battle: Dr. Iulia Vann, the countys public health director, and Dr. Brent McQuaid, Cone Healths lead COVID-19 physician. And while Websters word of the year may be vaccine, judging from these interviews, pivot might be a close second. Between oft-changing guidance, new treatments and an ever-expanding population of vaccine recipients, health care leaders found themselves frequently pivoting to address new facets of the pandemic as they arose. Once the vaccine began arriving, then everything started happening really fast, Vann said. Our entire process of planning for the vaccine distribution had some really good strong points, but there were still a lot of things that we didnt know, she said. For instance, the transportation and storage requirements for the initial vaccine were a challenge. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the first to receive federal emergency approval, had to be stored at minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit and required ultra-cold freezers. So we had to really pivot and figure out how are we going to store them. We did not have an ultra-cold chain unit, Vann said, referring to the freezer needed. We didnt know how were going to transport them to clinic sites. ... We had all of these plans in place, but not all of them fit the situation in which we were in because there were so many different variables, Vann said. Looking back, there was so much that was unknown, McQuaid said. There were certain treatments that we werent sure if they were going to be effective or not, he said. And later on we learned that they were. McQuaid draws parallels between his own health numbers and those reflected with the rise and fall of the number of COVID-19 patients admitted to Cone Healths hospitals. My own personal blood pressure cuff readings at home track very nicely with the number of inpatients that we have, he said and chuckled. Im not kidding when I tell you my internist and I joke about that, McQuaid said. From an emotional kind of stress level standpoint, we certainly all feel more stress when the numbers are high and peaking. When the numbers are low and things are good, we were able to relax more. And with the limited vaccine supply in early 2021, health officials also had to adhere to a strict, difficult-to-predict schedule for deploying the vaccinations. Every time we would put in an order, we had to make sure that we depleted the inventory that we had the week before, Vann said. We wouldnt get anything if we didnt deplete the inventory for the prior week. So that was so stressful. Anticipating the different phases for when certain groups became eligible for the vaccine also proved challenging. Every time a new phase would become eligible, we knew that tens of thousands of people are going to now want to get the vaccine, Vann said. So we have to make sure that we have that plan in place to allow for that surge and that would overlap with second doses of the first people that were coming in. Vaccine hesitancy Another area that health care leaders had to tackle and still are was not just skepticism that the COVID-19 vaccines would work but also outright opposition to them. I wish, McQuaid said, we could have communicated more effectively to people who question what we do in modern Western medicine what happens if you have a horrible, highly contagious, very virulent virus that is about to attack an unvaccinated population. When the number of cases started dropping in March and April, many of us kind of felt this sigh of relief. It wasnt over, but we kind of felt like it was over, he said. Looking back, he wishes he had really doubled-down at that time on driving home the vaccination message because the more highly contagious delta variant was waiting in the wings. What happened with delta is that it selectively hit the unvaccinated particularly hard, he said. Thats our community, you know, those are our neighbors. Those are our family. He paused, recalling the young people who died after contracting that particular variant. To look at them and to talk to them and offer them hope and let them know that youre gonna fight with everything youve got to get them through it, McQuaid said, his voice slightly breaking. But then despite our best efforts to have some of them die. I mean, thats particularly difficult. Anger and gratitude Falsehoods rampant on social media injected their own particular poison into the vaccination conversation. Its been difficult, Vann said, just handling all of the different misinformation that has been out there on social media, in different groups of individuals, and receiving very distasteful messages and very challenging letters. (There were) a lot of very angry people directing their anger and displeasure towards public health, myself, my team, you know, it was really scary at times, she said. Vann said she wasnt physically threatened, but I have received very direct, derogatory, very angry messages and letters throughout this time. On the whole, however, Vann said she got positive feedback for her efforts and those of her staff. Weve received hundreds of messages and emails and phone calls and letters people actually wrote me letters to tell me how wonderful of an experience they had in our vaccine clinics, talking about how our team has been so amazing, and how grateful they were, she said. Reading those comments was everything that we wished for. One of her favorite memories was at the health departments clinic at the Greensboro Coliseum, when her teams efforts came together like a well-oiled machine. It was just so powerful, not only to see how well we operated that site, but then also to see the response of the community as they were coming in to our site, she said. It was just amazing. McQuaid recalled the day the last patient was released from Cone Healths Green Valley campus the old Womens Hospital that was temporarily converted to treat only COVID-19 patients early in the pandemic. The hospital has since closed. Just the gratitude she expressed, the heartfelt just sincere appreciation for what the team members did for her, McQuaid said, thats something that really stands out as kind of a representative voice of our patients and from our community who appreciated what we did. Forging relationships Vann and McQuaid said as difficult as the past year has been, their staffs though often stretched very thin made the difference. These are probably some of the most passionate people that I have ever worked with in my entire career, said Vann, whos 36. Theyre just absolutely amazing. McQuaid echoed the sentiment, noting that health care workers can go just about anywhere in todays market. Weve been incredibly fortunate to retain the people that we have, and were very grateful for what theyve done, he said. Theyve poured themselves into patient care and into our community over the last year theres no question about that. The pandemic also afforded opportunities to forge new or better relationships. I think the friendships and the relationships that have been developed between doctors, all levels of the staff, administration has been really pretty extraordinary, McQuaid said. But its something that I think develops because of something as stressful as whats happened in 2021. So for me, thats a high note. At the public health department, Vann said they were able to build a relationship with the business community in areas we never really partnered with before. Something that would have taken probably five years to build, we were able to do so in just a few months of constant communications with them, she said. Add to that the departments work with hospital systems, faith groups, universities and schools and, it brought us even closer to work together and have a common goal and common objectives, she said. It just gave us even more motivation to get things done together in the team. I think for many people who are in health care ... to some degree, it restored their faith in the health system, McQuaid said. It may have conquered some of the cynicism about the American health care system that its all about money, he said. You go through something like this, where you watch your leaders come in on a Saturday night at 8 oclock and help you out. You see them make really difficult decisions that affect the direction of where the health system is going to go. And it makes you realize, OK, we are all still here for the common purpose of serving this community to the best of our ability, McQuaid said. I mean the health system, it didnt buckle. You know, it was stressed, but it didnt buckle, and it served the community really well with the right priorities. Health equity One thing both Vann and McQuaid mentioned is the disproportionate toll the pandemic took on people of color. COVID really shines a light on health care disparities in our community, McQuaid said. Vaccination efforts at both Cone and the health department targeted communities with a high population of minorities, who statistically are at much greater risk of suffering serious consequences from COVID-19. You look at the bad outcomes, the disparity in outcomes in hospital survivorship for example, among the Black and brown community, and where does that come from? McQuaid said. That starts from a place of where our community is not doing enough to make sure that people in the Black and brown community are getting the access to primary care that they need. Good access to such care can prevent and/or allay underlying conditions that make it harder to survive COVID-19, such as heart disease, kidney ailments and high blood pressure. And, he said, that equity also needs to be in place as new treatments become available for the coronavirus. Its important for us ... that every time we pivot to a new therapy, we need to make sure that were being very careful that we offer this with equal opportunity to everyone, McQuaid said. Especially in time of stress, of pandemic, you know its very easy for vulnerable groups to just get left behind if youre not keeping that in the forefront. At home While on the front line of the fight, McQuaid and Vann also credited their families with helping them manage the stress of the pandemic. What I treasure the most about the past year is the undying support from my wife and kids, McQuaid said. You change what you value when you go through something like this. You value the people around you much more than any sort of personal achievement or accomplishment. Vann said the challenges her family faced mirrored those of the community. Her husband was laid off for a time from his job, her son whos on the autism spectrum had to attend school virtually something she called traumatic for all of them, and her daughters day care closed, forcing them to search for another one. Though her immediate family avoided getting COVID-19, Vann said they did lose family members to the disease. They died alone, in the hospital, because of the COVID-19 restrictions. And the pandemic also has delayed a medical procedure for her son, one that he was on a waitlist for two years to receive. These things in my own personal life, makes me human, too, she said. NEW YORK, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Travel disruptions are slated to persist in the New Year, as heavy holiday traffic in air and on ground overlapped with a spike in coronavirus cases in the United States, and airlines, train companies and even their regulators grapple with staff unavailability as a result of the pandemic's ever more contagious variants of Omicron and Delta. The United States set a new record high of over 640,000 daily COVID-19 cases on Friday, according to latest data of Johns Hopkins University. A total of 647,067 new cases and 1,409 new deaths were reported across the nation on Friday. The single-day increase of cases has set a new record since the onset of the pandemic in the country. FLIGHTS CANCELLED Heading into the New Year's weekend, when return flights will produce another crest in air travel, airlines have been canceling more than 1,000 flights a day to, from or within the United States. "Carriers and their employees say the latest chapter of the pandemic, the Omicron variant, has cut deeply into the ability to staff flights, even though a vast majority of crew members are vaccinated," reported New York Times on Thursday. JetBlue has been one of the airlines hardest hit, canceling 17 percent of its flights on Thursday, according to the air travel data site FlightAware. The carrier said on Wednesday that it would cut about 1,280 flights through mid-January, citing the rise in virus cases in the Northeast, where its operations and crews are concentrated. As many as 10 million people may fly from Thursday through Monday, according to Transportation Security Administration estimates. For months, airlines have been preparing reserves of workers for the holiday crush, but "those measures were inadequate in a fast-changing situation, and many passengers were frustrated," said the report. Out of the ongoing difficulty of staff shortage, Spirit Airlines flight attendants are receiving triple pay on any work through Jan. 4, their union said, as the budget carrier scrambles to keep its schedules intact after U.S. airlines were hammered by a week of mass cancellations. "All flight attendants, regardless of how you have obtained your pairing, will be receiving 200% pay for any pairing that touches Dec. 28 through Jan. 4," the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA said in a statement. The union represented about 4,000 flights attendants at Spirit Airlines, according to the carrier's latest annual filing. Spirit Airlines is an American ultra-low-cost carrier headquartered in Miramar, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. Spirit operates scheduled flights throughout the United States and in the Caribbean and Latin America. Spirit was the fourth largest passenger carrier in North America as of 2020, as well as the largest ultra-low-cost carrier in North America. To make things worse, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Friday that an "increased number" of its own employees are testing positive for the virus, which could force it to implement health and cleaning procedures that reduce the number of flights the system can handle. "To maintain safety, traffic volume at some facilities could be reduced, which might result in delays during busy periods," the FAA said, noting that airlines canceled more than 11,000 flights since Christmas Eve, including more than 1,000 already scrapped from Saturday and Sunday schedules, but none of those were the result of FAA issues. Meanwhile, CNN quoted the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) as saying on Thursday that it has "adequate staff to cover flight schedules and passenger volumes." The TSA expects 10 million more people to pass through airport screening between now and the end of the day Monday. TRAINS SLASHED Amtrak, a passenger railroad service that provides medium and long-distance inter-city rail service in the contiguous United States and to nine cities in Canada, said on Thursday that it will reduce its schedule between New Year's Eve and Jan. 6 as it battles bad weather in some parts of the country and a surge in coronavirus cases among its employees. About two dozen trains on both its Northeast Corridor and long-distance routes will be affected. The reductions are about 1.5 percent of Amtrak's trains that were scheduled for the week. "Amtrak regrets any inconvenience," the railroad said in a statement. "We are continuing to monitor changing conditions and will make any further adjustments as required." "The trimmed train schedule mirrors thousands of canceled airline flights since Christmas Eve and disruptions to local transit services as the fast-spreading Omicron variant drives case counts to their highest levels of the pandemic," reported The Washington Post. Earlier on Tuesday, multiple lines on New Jersey Transit had to cancel trains as the transit agency dealt with what it called "crew availability" difficulties, while New York City Transit said it had to suspend three lines for the same reason. "Like everyone in New York, we've been affected by the COVID surge. We're running as much train service as we can with the operators we have available," said the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the New York City metropolitan area of the U.S. state of New York. The W line was suspended all of Wednesday, which had an effect on riders, many of whom said that their commutes were impacted. Its suspension continued on Thursday and the B and Z services were also cut. The MTA suggested straphangers use the Q trains in Brooklyn and D trains in Manhattan and Bronx. Enditem GREENSBORO Though the battle remains fierce against COVID-19, health officials say 2021 had some amazing, uplifting and yes, heart-wrenching, developments. At this time last year, the Guilford County health department had just given out its first 50 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine calling in nurses who were on holiday to distribute them to emergency services workers. At Cone Health, officials were preparing to issue a warning that all 924 staffed beds would soon be filled if coronavirus hospitalization trends continued. Around the world, scientists, doctors, educators, CEOs and politicians along with everyday folks grappled with what the future held, trying to determine the next right steps. And while that continues to be the case as the new year begins, 2021 still brought better tools and more weapons to fight the pandemic. Perhaps most importantly, the year also provided much-needed experience for what may lie ahead. Pivoting On Wednesday, the News & Record spoke with two physicians at the forefront of Guilford Countys COVID-19 battle: Dr. Iulia Vann, the countys public health director, and Dr. Brent McQuaid, Cone Healths lead COVID-19 physician. And while Websters word of the year may be vaccine, judging from these interviews, pivot might be a close second. Between oft-changing guidance, new treatments and an ever-expanding population of vaccine recipients, health care leaders found themselves frequently pivoting to address new facets of the pandemic as they arose. Once the vaccine began arriving, then everything started happening really fast, Vann said. Our entire process of planning for the vaccine distribution had some really good strong points, but there were still a lot of things that we didnt know, she said. For instance, the transportation and storage requirements for the initial vaccine were a challenge. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the first to receive federal emergency approval, had to be stored at minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit and required ultra-cold freezers. So we had to really pivot and figure out how are we going to store them. We did not have an ultra-cold chain unit, Vann said, referring to the freezer needed. We didnt know how were going to transport them to clinic sites. ... We had all of these plans in place, but not all of them fit the situation in which we were in because there were so many different variables, Vann said. Looking back, there was so much that was unknown, McQuaid said. There were certain treatments that we werent sure if they were going to be effective or not, he said. And later on we learned that they were. McQuaid draws parallels between his own health numbers and those reflected with the rise and fall of the number of COVID-19 patients admitted to Cone Healths hospitals. My own personal blood pressure cuff readings at home track very nicely with the number of inpatients that we have, he said and chuckled. Im not kidding when I tell you my internist and I joke about that, McQuaid said. From an emotional kind of stress level standpoint, we certainly all feel more stress when the numbers are high and peaking. When the numbers are low and things are good, we were able to relax more. And with the limited vaccine supply in early 2021, health officials also had to adhere to a strict, difficult-to-predict schedule for deploying the vaccinations. Every time we would put in an order, we had to make sure that we depleted the inventory that we had the week before, Vann said. We wouldnt get anything if we didnt deplete the inventory for the prior week. So that was so stressful. Anticipating the different phases for when certain groups became eligible for the vaccine also proved challenging. Every time a new phase would become eligible, we knew that tens of thousands of people are going to now want to get the vaccine, Vann said. So we have to make sure that we have that plan in place to allow for that surge and that would overlap with second doses of the first people that were coming in. Vaccine hesitancy Another area that health care leaders had to tackle and still are was not just skepticism that the COVID-19 vaccines would work but also outright opposition to them. I wish, McQuaid said, we could have communicated more effectively to people who question what we do in modern Western medicine what happens if you have a horrible, highly contagious, very virulent virus that is about to attack an unvaccinated population. When the number of cases started dropping in March and April, many of us kind of felt this sigh of relief. It wasnt over, but we kind of felt like it was over, he said. Looking back, he wishes he had really doubled-down at that time on driving home the vaccination message because the more highly contagious delta variant was waiting in the wings. What happened with delta is that it selectively hit the unvaccinated particularly hard, he said. Thats our community, you know, those are our neighbors. Those are our family. He paused, recalling the young people who died after contracting that particular variant. To look at them and to talk to them and offer them hope and let them know that youre gonna fight with everything youve got to get them through it, McQuaid said, his voice slightly breaking. But then despite our best efforts to have some of them die. I mean, thats particularly difficult. Anger and gratitude Falsehoods rampant on social media injected their own particular poison into the vaccination conversation. Its been difficult, Vann said, just handling all of the different misinformation that has been out there on social media, in different groups of individuals, and receiving very distasteful messages and very challenging letters. (There were) a lot of very angry people directing their anger and displeasure towards public health, myself, my team, you know, it was really scary at times, she said. Vann said she wasnt physically threatened, but I have received very direct, derogatory, very angry messages and letters throughout this time. On the whole, however, Vann said she got positive feedback for her efforts and those of her staff. Weve received hundreds of messages and emails and phone calls and letters people actually wrote me letters to tell me how wonderful of an experience they had in our vaccine clinics, talking about how our team has been so amazing, and how grateful they were, she said. Reading those comments was everything that we wished for. One of her favorite memories was at the health departments clinic at the Greensboro Coliseum, when her teams efforts came together like a well-oiled machine. It was just so powerful, not only to see how well we operated that site, but then also to see the response of the community as they were coming in to our site, she said. It was just amazing. McQuaid recalled the day the last patient was released from Cone Healths Green Valley campus the old Womens Hospital that was temporarily converted to treat only COVID-19 patients early in the pandemic. The hospital has since closed. Just the gratitude she expressed, the heartfelt just sincere appreciation for what the team members did for her, McQuaid said, thats something that really stands out as kind of a representative voice of our patients and from our community who appreciated what we did. Forging relationships Vann and McQuaid said as difficult as the past year has been, their staffs though often stretched very thin made the difference. These are probably some of the most passionate people that I have ever worked with in my entire career, said Vann, whos 36. Theyre just absolutely amazing. McQuaid echoed the sentiment, noting that health care workers can go just about anywhere in todays market. Weve been incredibly fortunate to retain the people that we have, and were very grateful for what theyve done, he said. Theyve poured themselves into patient care and into our community over the last year theres no question about that. The pandemic also afforded opportunities to forge new or better relationships. I think the friendships and the relationships that have been developed between doctors, all levels of the staff, administration has been really pretty extraordinary, McQuaid said. But its something that I think develops because of something as stressful as whats happened in 2021. So for me, thats a high note. At the public health department, Vann said they were able to build a relationship with the business community in areas we never really partnered with before. Something that would have taken probably five years to build, we were able to do so in just a few months of constant communications with them, she said. Add to that the departments work with hospital systems, faith groups, universities and schools and, it brought us even closer to work together and have a common goal and common objectives, she said. It just gave us even more motivation to get things done together in the team. I think for many people who are in health care ... to some degree, it restored their faith in the health system, McQuaid said. It may have conquered some of the cynicism about the American health care system that its all about money, he said. You go through something like this, where you watch your leaders come in on a Saturday night at 8 oclock and help you out. You see them make really difficult decisions that affect the direction of where the health system is going to go. And it makes you realize, OK, we are all still here for the common purpose of serving this community to the best of our ability, McQuaid said. I mean the health system, it didnt buckle. You know, it was stressed, but it didnt buckle, and it served the community really well with the right priorities. Health equity One thing both Vann and McQuaid mentioned is the disproportionate toll the pandemic took on people of color. COVID really shines a light on health care disparities in our community, McQuaid said. Vaccination efforts at both Cone and the health department targeted communities with a high population of minorities, who statistically are at much greater risk of suffering serious consequences from COVID-19. You look at the bad outcomes, the disparity in outcomes in hospital survivorship for example, among the Black and brown community, and where does that come from? McQuaid said. That starts from a place of where our community is not doing enough to make sure that people in the Black and brown community are getting the access to primary care that they need. Good access to such care can prevent and/or allay underlying conditions that make it harder to survive COVID-19, such as heart disease, kidney ailments and high blood pressure. And, he said, that equity also needs to be in place as new treatments become available for the coronavirus. Its important for us ... that every time we pivot to a new therapy, we need to make sure that were being very careful that we offer this with equal opportunity to everyone, McQuaid said. Especially in time of stress, of pandemic, you know its very easy for vulnerable groups to just get left behind if youre not keeping that in the forefront. At home While on the front line of the fight, McQuaid and Vann also credited their families with helping them manage the stress of the pandemic. What I treasure the most about the past year is the undying support from my wife and kids, McQuaid said. You change what you value when you go through something like this. You value the people around you much more than any sort of personal achievement or accomplishment. Vann said the challenges her family faced mirrored those of the community. Her husband was laid off for a time from his job, her son whos on the autism spectrum had to attend school virtually something she called traumatic for all of them, and her daughters day care closed, forcing them to search for another one. Though her immediate family avoided getting COVID-19, Vann said they did lose family members to the disease. They died alone, in the hospital, because of the COVID-19 restrictions. And the pandemic also has delayed a medical procedure for her son, one that he was on a waitlist for two years to receive. These things in my own personal life, makes me human, too, she said. The IRGC on Friday did not mention the time and place of the operation, which comes as a retaliation for the killings of its two servicemen on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported. The two servicemen, Mehran Shourizadeh and Mohsen Kaykhaa'i, were murdered on duty by armed men in the southeastern city of Zahedan, the provincial capital of Sistan and Baluchestan. Iranian forces frequently engage in clashes with thugs and terrorists near the country's western and eastern borders. --IANS int/khz/ ( 115 Words) 2022-01-01-01:52:02 (IANS) Wyomings Joint Judiciary Committee for the second consecutive year did not produce a bill ready for the full Legislature that would address concerns with Title 25. It was clear from the start of the committees Dec. 17 meeting that a draft bill to change the legal processes for detaining a resident experiencing a mental health crisis would likely stall. The committee began the 2021 interim focused on working with some of the states county attorneys to address perceived problems with Title 25, though Senate Judiciary Chair Tara Nethercott (R-Cheyenne) told WyoFile the scope of that process was limited. We were not necessarily rewriting how it works or bending the system, but just kind of subtle changes, she said. A working group of county attorneys crafted a bill for lawmakers meant to clear up statutory ambiguities and generally make improvements based on past experience, Clint Beaver, Sheridan County deputy and prosecuting attorney, said. But as the conversation unfolded through 2021, it became clear that stakeholders and lawmakers were drawn into larger conversations about Title 25 outside of the committees original scope. Ultimately, the committee tabled the bill for another interim. The result was frustrating, said Rep. Art Washut (R-Casper), one of the few judiciary committee members who had also worked on Title 25 statutory changes during the 2020 interim. I wonder what else were leaving unattended while we devote hours and hours to Title 25 and come to a non-productive result for two consecutive interims, Washut told the committee. However, Rep. Ember Oakley (R-Riverton), who was new to the judiciary committee in 2021, said that while she appreciated the amount of work that had been put into Title 25, the changes the committee was considering were not a substantial improvement worthy of prime time. What Ive taken from this is that (the problems with Title 25) are systemic, and were not going to fix it by taking little pieces, Oakley said. Title 25 of Wyoming Statute addresses emergency detentions for those suffering from mental health challenges so severe that they may be a danger to themselves or others or are unable to meet their basic needs. Stakeholders have asked legislators to fix problems with the Title 25 system for years. Wyoming counties struggle to find appropriate facilities for Title 25 patients and to pay for the services they need. Many had called on the judiciary committee to change statute to clarify how counties should move forward with Title 25 cases relatively narrow amendments to existing law. Washut said the judiciary committee had learned a lot about approaching Title 25 changes during the 2020 interim, particularly that lawmakers needed to narrow their focus on the due process changes. But the Joint Judiciary Committee in 2021 saw significant turnover from the 2020 interim. On the Senate side, only Nethercott and Sen. R.J. Kost (R-Powell) carried over. Of nine House members of the committee, Washut was the only one present for the 2020 interim discussions on Title 25. As a result, Washut said, a lot of the lessons learned in 2020 were lost. Part of the challenge that we faced this interim was that we had to kind of relearn the lessons that we learned the previous interim and we couldnt just move forward, Washut said. Oakley, one of the new House judiciary members, said she understood how there could be frustration with new members from those who carried over. Still, Oakley said, she could not look at making the narrow changes the judiciary committee was considering without thinking of the whole Title 25 system across the state. Nethercott said there are inherent challenges with committee turnover that shes learned to accept as part of the legislative process. There was a lack of historical knowledge, Nethercott said. Its drinking from a fire hydrant. Just getting your arms around any topic is hard enough, let alone this one. Stakeholders at the Dec. 17 meeting encouraged lawmakers not to drop the Title 25 topic entirely, even if that means revisiting it in the 2022 interim. Im 27 years in the industry and trying to fix this problem, but were committed to working with whoever we can to improve access to care to help these patients, Eric Boley, Wyoming Hospital Association president, told lawmakers. Stakeholders from county commissioners to prosecutors to care providers are concerned about aspects of emergency detentions and involuntary hospitalizations under Title 25 in Wyoming. Many parts of Wyoming, especially rural areas, lack facilities they can send people to. Staffing facilities that provide mental health services has proven difficult. Determining which counties will bear the cost of emergency detentions and involuntary hospitalizations has become a constant issue as has determining which county is responsible for the first 72 hours of care in Title 25 cases, whether its the county where contact with patients originated and where theyre being cared for. Financial questions pop up regarding transporting patients to a designated hospital. Other questions involve figuring out how to get patients back to their homes after an emergency detention or involuntary hospitalization. Much of the problem comes down to the differing needs of rural and urban communities. The process through the last two years, Sheridan county attorney Beaver said, has been an education on how different counties needs are. Theres only one Title 25 law out there, Beaver said. There should be uniformity, but as a practical matter, its almost impossible to have uniformity given the variability of each county. Nethercott said the message she heard from county attorneys was that the minor statutory changes the committee was considering wouldnt make a meaningful difference in peoples lives given the scope of the challenge. It was kind of, Thanks, but no thanks, Nethercott said. Unless youre going to do something thats going to change access to facilities and cost, dont waste your time. The judiciary committees consideration of Title 25 is part of a larger conversation taking place in Wyoming about mental health issues. Several legislative committees are working on topics that could have an impact on how Title 25 detentions and hospitalizations play out in Wyoming. Nethercott told the judiciary committee she believes lawmakers should lean heavily on those doing concurrent work. Whether one problem can be solved without solving other problems simultaneously, she said, remains to be seen. Some have suggested that developing a statewide approach to Title 25 would be the best way to address systemic issues. While that discussion is in preliminary stages, Nethercott said, its worthy of exploration. Its difficult to provide appropriate care to patients with the states patchwork system of Title 25 across Wyomings 23 counties, Andi Summerville, Wyoming Association of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers executive director, said. A statewide approach, Summerville said, could make improvements on that front. Theres also inconsistency, Nethercott said, with costs from county to county. If the state were the payer, she said it could potentially negotiate a consistent rate across the board. Theres no clear vision as of yet for how a statewide Title 25 could be implemented or what the funding structure would look like. I think that it might be a change that could streamline and make it a more efficient process and then give the state the opportunity to be more involved in rule-making, Boley told WyoFile. Its just one option on the table to try and fix the funding side of Title 25. Some of the states county attorneys also find the statewide approach appealing, Beaver said. I have definitely heard county attorneys suggest and endorse that idea, Beaver said. I have not heard anybody express a negative view toward having the state take on that responsibility. Such a suggestion might have its own challenges when it comes to the full Legislature, Washut said. Theres strong resistance among lawmakers to expanding the size of government. Shifting costs traditionally borne by counties to the state, could be difficult concept to build consensus for. Its possible, but I dont think it will be an easy sell, he said. And while putting Title 25 under the states purview might be a step in the right direction, Rep. Karlee Provenza (D-Laramie) said, funding questions will still loom over the conversation. At the end of the day, this still comes back to Medicaid expansion, she said. If we want to help Title 25, we need to expand Medicaid. Wyomings Joint Judiciary Committee for the second consecutive year did not produce a bill ready for the full Legislature that would address concerns with Title 25. It was clear from the start of the committees Dec. 17 meeting that a draft bill to change the legal processes for detaining a resident experiencing a mental health crisis would likely stall. The committee began the 2021 interim focused on working with some of the states county attorneys to address perceived problems with Title 25, though Senate Judiciary Chair Tara Nethercott (R-Cheyenne) told WyoFile the scope of that process was limited. We were not necessarily rewriting how it works or bending the system, but just kind of subtle changes, she said. A working group of county attorneys crafted a bill for lawmakers meant to clear up statutory ambiguities and generally make improvements based on past experience, Clint Beaver, Sheridan County deputy and prosecuting attorney, said. But as the conversation unfolded through 2021, it became clear that stakeholders and lawmakers were drawn into larger conversations about Title 25 outside of the committees original scope. Ultimately, the committee tabled the bill for another interim. The result was frustrating, said Rep. Art Washut (R-Casper), one of the few judiciary committee members who had also worked on Title 25 statutory changes during the 2020 interim. I wonder what else were leaving unattended while we devote hours and hours to Title 25 and come to a non-productive result for two consecutive interims, Washut told the committee. However, Rep. Ember Oakley (R-Riverton), who was new to the judiciary committee in 2021, said that while she appreciated the amount of work that had been put into Title 25, the changes the committee was considering were not a substantial improvement worthy of prime time. What Ive taken from this is that (the problems with Title 25) are systemic, and were not going to fix it by taking little pieces, Oakley said. Title 25 of Wyoming Statute addresses emergency detentions for those suffering from mental health challenges so severe that they may be a danger to themselves or others or are unable to meet their basic needs. Stakeholders have asked legislators to fix problems with the Title 25 system for years. Wyoming counties struggle to find appropriate facilities for Title 25 patients and to pay for the services they need. Many had called on the judiciary committee to change statute to clarify how counties should move forward with Title 25 cases relatively narrow amendments to existing law. Washut said the judiciary committee had learned a lot about approaching Title 25 changes during the 2020 interim, particularly that lawmakers needed to narrow their focus on the due process changes. But the Joint Judiciary Committee in 2021 saw significant turnover from the 2020 interim. On the Senate side, only Nethercott and Sen. R.J. Kost (R-Powell) carried over. Of nine House members of the committee, Washut was the only one present for the 2020 interim discussions on Title 25. As a result, Washut said, a lot of the lessons learned in 2020 were lost. Part of the challenge that we faced this interim was that we had to kind of relearn the lessons that we learned the previous interim and we couldnt just move forward, Washut said. Oakley, one of the new House judiciary members, said she understood how there could be frustration with new members from those who carried over. Still, Oakley said, she could not look at making the narrow changes the judiciary committee was considering without thinking of the whole Title 25 system across the state. Nethercott said there are inherent challenges with committee turnover that shes learned to accept as part of the legislative process. There was a lack of historical knowledge, Nethercott said. Its drinking from a fire hydrant. Just getting your arms around any topic is hard enough, let alone this one. Stakeholders at the Dec. 17 meeting encouraged lawmakers not to drop the Title 25 topic entirely, even if that means revisiting it in the 2022 interim. Im 27 years in the industry and trying to fix this problem, but were committed to working with whoever we can to improve access to care to help these patients, Eric Boley, Wyoming Hospital Association president, told lawmakers. Stakeholders from county commissioners to prosecutors to care providers are concerned about aspects of emergency detentions and involuntary hospitalizations under Title 25 in Wyoming. Many parts of Wyoming, especially rural areas, lack facilities they can send people to. Staffing facilities that provide mental health services has proven difficult. Determining which counties will bear the cost of emergency detentions and involuntary hospitalizations has become a constant issue as has determining which county is responsible for the first 72 hours of care in Title 25 cases, whether its the county where contact with patients originated and where theyre being cared for. Financial questions pop up regarding transporting patients to a designated hospital. Other questions involve figuring out how to get patients back to their homes after an emergency detention or involuntary hospitalization. Much of the problem comes down to the differing needs of rural and urban communities. The process through the last two years, Sheridan county attorney Beaver said, has been an education on how different counties needs are. Theres only one Title 25 law out there, Beaver said. There should be uniformity, but as a practical matter, its almost impossible to have uniformity given the variability of each county. Nethercott said the message she heard from county attorneys was that the minor statutory changes the committee was considering wouldnt make a meaningful difference in peoples lives given the scope of the challenge. It was kind of, Thanks, but no thanks, Nethercott said. Unless youre going to do something thats going to change access to facilities and cost, dont waste your time. The judiciary committees consideration of Title 25 is part of a larger conversation taking place in Wyoming about mental health issues. Several legislative committees are working on topics that could have an impact on how Title 25 detentions and hospitalizations play out in Wyoming. Nethercott told the judiciary committee she believes lawmakers should lean heavily on those doing concurrent work. Whether one problem can be solved without solving other problems simultaneously, she said, remains to be seen. Some have suggested that developing a statewide approach to Title 25 would be the best way to address systemic issues. While that discussion is in preliminary stages, Nethercott said, its worthy of exploration. Its difficult to provide appropriate care to patients with the states patchwork system of Title 25 across Wyomings 23 counties, Andi Summerville, Wyoming Association of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers executive director, said. A statewide approach, Summerville said, could make improvements on that front. Theres also inconsistency, Nethercott said, with costs from county to county. If the state were the payer, she said it could potentially negotiate a consistent rate across the board. Theres no clear vision as of yet for how a statewide Title 25 could be implemented or what the funding structure would look like. I think that it might be a change that could streamline and make it a more efficient process and then give the state the opportunity to be more involved in rule-making, Boley told WyoFile. Its just one option on the table to try and fix the funding side of Title 25. Some of the states county attorneys also find the statewide approach appealing, Beaver said. I have definitely heard county attorneys suggest and endorse that idea, Beaver said. I have not heard anybody express a negative view toward having the state take on that responsibility. Such a suggestion might have its own challenges when it comes to the full Legislature, Washut said. Theres strong resistance among lawmakers to expanding the size of government. Shifting costs traditionally borne by counties to the state, could be difficult concept to build consensus for. Its possible, but I dont think it will be an easy sell, he said. And while putting Title 25 under the states purview might be a step in the right direction, Rep. Karlee Provenza (D-Laramie) said, funding questions will still loom over the conversation. At the end of the day, this still comes back to Medicaid expansion, she said. If we want to help Title 25, we need to expand Medicaid. The IRGC on Friday did not mention the time and place of the operation, which comes as a retaliation for the killings of its two servicemen on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported. The two servicemen, Mehran Shourizadeh and Mohsen Kaykhaa'i, were murdered on duty by armed men in the southeastern city of Zahedan, the provincial capital of Sistan and Baluchestan. Iranian forces frequently engage in clashes with thugs and terrorists near the country's western and eastern borders. --IANS int/khz/ ( 115 Words) 2022-01-01-01:52:02 (IANS) It is early days in Fitchs venture, but his master plan is to bring in some sort of restaurant in the buildings lower levels. Optimally, he added, he wants the restaurant to operate alongside a cafe and gallery. New Downtown Property Owner To Be A Positive Force In North Adams Fitch has an education in International Affairs and Political Science. He has also managed a screen acting school in Boston and managed community relations and marketing at a coding Bootcamp. NORTH ADAMS, Mass. Andrew Fitch, the new owner of 117 Main St. and 3-5 Eagle St., plans to undergo a substantial renovation to support a new eatery in the buildings lower level. "I am looking forward to meeting everyone, I am looking forward to being a positive contributor to this city, and Im looking forward to welcoming everyone into the space," Fitch said. It is early days in Fitchs venture, but his master plan is to bring in some sort of restaurant to the buildings lower level. Optimally, he added, he wants the restaurant to operate alongside a cafe and gallery. "My preference is quality," he said. "Something that is good for the city, something that people would enjoy, something that I would enjoy." Speaking with Fitch, he reiterated numerous times that he wanted to help reinvigorate the post-pandemic downtown and champion the city he had just stumbled upon earlier this year. "I am the kind of person who always gets involved in whatever community I exist in," Fitch said. "...I want to do that in North Adams, and I know this building is a unique and a special placeI figure if I do the right things with that building it could help rehabilitate the downtown area." Fitch is an Eastern Massachusetts native but has spent time in San Francisco, New York City, and London, among other places. He said even though he has traveled the world, he has always wanted to return to the Bay State. "For years, I have been bouncing around the country and the world but when people ask me where I am from I always say Massachusetts," Fitch said. "I have always been working on moving back home, but I was letting myself get distracted with different adventures or career opportunities." Before the pandemic hit, Fitch was living in a sailboat in San Francisco Bay. He said he had a new nephew back home, and he wanted to fly back to Massachusetts before COVID-19 travel restrictions made that impossible. "The day before San Francisco went on lockdown I booked a ticketIn the end, I ended up staying five months," he said. "After going back and forth a few times, I decided that I was just going to move home." Fitch, who currently is working remotely in diversity, equity, and inclusion for a tech company, sold his boat and started moving his things across the country. He made the trip by car and by motorcycle. He needed a place to live. Preferably a place where he could reconnect with the Commonwealth. After spending some time in different communities, he found North Adams. "I thought maybe Boston. I rented a place in Provincetown for a while,and then I found North Adams," he said. "I never heard of North Adams. I was looking for a cute little town where I could find a place in the center of town where I could find a cup of coffee, go on hikes, and do interesting things in my home state." North Adams fit that description and Fitch made his move this summer. "I really loved being hereI made friends quickly, and I loved the art scene," he said. "I didnt think somewhere this interesting would ever be so affordable." In the fall, Fitch closed on a house and then started looking at commercial properties. He said he had his eyes on the corner property for some time. After looking at a few more properties, he decided to make his move. The property had originally been Rice's Drug Store, first established in 1866. The corner had been colloquially known as "Rice's Corner" for decades. It was then owned by Star Realty Co. before the Varelllases bought it in 1971. Mark and Robert Moulton Jr., whose family also operates Moulton's Spectacle Shoppe next door, bought the building in 2004 from John and James Varellas. James and Stacy Varellas had run the Pizza House there for more than 30 years. The corner continued as a pizzeria, first as Moulton's Pizza and as several other entities, including Supreme and Bella Roma. It's been closed for more than a year. Fitch said he has enjoyed people stopping in to tell him about their own connections to the building. "People are curious. People knock on the door and tell me their stories and past history with the building," he said. "What it used to be, what they want it to be. People are excited." Fitch is working with an architect and engineer and is happy to report that the building is in good shape. He anticipates some roof work but said "fingers crossed" he hopes to have a tenant street level in about a year after he spruces up the space. He said he has already been in discussions with possible tenants. Upstairs is a different project. He said the apartments are partially gutted and that work needs to be completed. He anticipates this fits more in a two-year timeline Outside, if possible, he hopes to install some sort of public art project. "I do intend to do something expressive and beautiful with the building," he said. "I don't know what that is yet but I will find a way to finagle some sort of public artwork or mural." Fitch is happy to be part of the North Adams community and hopes to work with other developers and business owners to breathe new life into the downtown. "I dont have any hopes that one person can bring Main Street or Eagle Street back up," he said. "But I figure if a couple of us do this kind of thing the entire city will benefitso stay tuned." It is early days in Fitchs venture, but his master plan is to bring in some sort of restaurant in the buildings lower levels. Optimally, he added, he wants the restaurant to operate alongside a cafe and gallery. New Downtown Property Owner To Be A Positive Force In North Adams Fitch has an education in International Affairs and Political Science. He has also managed a screen acting school in Boston and managed community relations and marketing at a coding Bootcamp. NORTH ADAMS, Mass. Andrew Fitch, the new owner of 117 Main St. and 3-5 Eagle St., plans to undergo a substantial renovation to support a new eatery in the buildings lower level. "I am looking forward to meeting everyone, I am looking forward to being a positive contributor to this city, and Im looking forward to welcoming everyone into the space," Fitch said. It is early days in Fitchs venture, but his master plan is to bring in some sort of restaurant to the buildings lower level. Optimally, he added, he wants the restaurant to operate alongside a cafe and gallery. "My preference is quality," he said. "Something that is good for the city, something that people would enjoy, something that I would enjoy." Speaking with Fitch, he reiterated numerous times that he wanted to help reinvigorate the post-pandemic downtown and champion the city he had just stumbled upon earlier this year. "I am the kind of person who always gets involved in whatever community I exist in," Fitch said. "...I want to do that in North Adams, and I know this building is a unique and a special placeI figure if I do the right things with that building it could help rehabilitate the downtown area." Fitch is an Eastern Massachusetts native but has spent time in San Francisco, New York City, and London, among other places. He said even though he has traveled the world, he has always wanted to return to the Bay State. "For years, I have been bouncing around the country and the world but when people ask me where I am from I always say Massachusetts," Fitch said. "I have always been working on moving back home, but I was letting myself get distracted with different adventures or career opportunities." Before the pandemic hit, Fitch was living in a sailboat in San Francisco Bay. He said he had a new nephew back home, and he wanted to fly back to Massachusetts before COVID-19 travel restrictions made that impossible. "The day before San Francisco went on lockdown I booked a ticketIn the end, I ended up staying five months," he said. "After going back and forth a few times, I decided that I was just going to move home." Fitch, who currently is working remotely in diversity, equity, and inclusion for a tech company, sold his boat and started moving his things across the country. He made the trip by car and by motorcycle. He needed a place to live. Preferably a place where he could reconnect with the Commonwealth. After spending some time in different communities, he found North Adams. "I thought maybe Boston. I rented a place in Provincetown for a while,and then I found North Adams," he said. "I never heard of North Adams. I was looking for a cute little town where I could find a place in the center of town where I could find a cup of coffee, go on hikes, and do interesting things in my home state." North Adams fit that description and Fitch made his move this summer. "I really loved being hereI made friends quickly, and I loved the art scene," he said. "I didnt think somewhere this interesting would ever be so affordable." In the fall, Fitch closed on a house and then started looking at commercial properties. He said he had his eyes on the corner property for some time. After looking at a few more properties, he decided to make his move. The property had originally been Rice's Drug Store, first established in 1866. The corner had been colloquially known as "Rice's Corner" for decades. It was then owned by Star Realty Co. before the Varelllases bought it in 1971. Mark and Robert Moulton Jr., whose family also operates Moulton's Spectacle Shoppe next door, bought the building in 2004 from John and James Varellas. James and Stacy Varellas had run the Pizza House there for more than 30 years. The corner continued as a pizzeria, first as Moulton's Pizza and as several other entities, including Supreme and Bella Roma. It's been closed for more than a year. Fitch said he has enjoyed people stopping in to tell him about their own connections to the building. "People are curious. People knock on the door and tell me their stories and past history with the building," he said. "What it used to be, what they want it to be. People are excited." Fitch is working with an architect and engineer and is happy to report that the building is in good shape. He anticipates some roof work but said "fingers crossed" he hopes to have a tenant street level in about a year after he spruces up the space. He said he has already been in discussions with possible tenants. Upstairs is a different project. He said the apartments are partially gutted and that work needs to be completed. He anticipates this fits more in a two-year timeline Outside, if possible, he hopes to install some sort of public art project. "I do intend to do something expressive and beautiful with the building," he said. "I don't know what that is yet but I will find a way to finagle some sort of public artwork or mural." Fitch is happy to be part of the North Adams community and hopes to work with other developers and business owners to breathe new life into the downtown. "I dont have any hopes that one person can bring Main Street or Eagle Street back up," he said. "But I figure if a couple of us do this kind of thing the entire city will benefitso stay tuned." It is early days in Fitchs venture, but his master plan is to bring in some sort of restaurant in the buildings lower levels. Optimally, he added, he wants the restaurant to operate alongside a cafe and gallery. New Downtown Property Owner To Be A Positive Force In North Adams Fitch has an education in International Affairs and Political Science. He has also managed a screen acting school in Boston and managed community relations and marketing at a coding Bootcamp. NORTH ADAMS, Mass. Andrew Fitch, the new owner of 117 Main St. and 3-5 Eagle St., plans to undergo a substantial renovation to support a new eatery in the buildings lower level. "I am looking forward to meeting everyone, I am looking forward to being a positive contributor to this city, and Im looking forward to welcoming everyone into the space," Fitch said. It is early days in Fitchs venture, but his master plan is to bring in some sort of restaurant to the buildings lower level. Optimally, he added, he wants the restaurant to operate alongside a cafe and gallery. "My preference is quality," he said. "Something that is good for the city, something that people would enjoy, something that I would enjoy." Speaking with Fitch, he reiterated numerous times that he wanted to help reinvigorate the post-pandemic downtown and champion the city he had just stumbled upon earlier this year. "I am the kind of person who always gets involved in whatever community I exist in," Fitch said. "...I want to do that in North Adams, and I know this building is a unique and a special placeI figure if I do the right things with that building it could help rehabilitate the downtown area." Fitch is an Eastern Massachusetts native but has spent time in San Francisco, New York City, and London, among other places. He said even though he has traveled the world, he has always wanted to return to the Bay State. "For years, I have been bouncing around the country and the world but when people ask me where I am from I always say Massachusetts," Fitch said. "I have always been working on moving back home, but I was letting myself get distracted with different adventures or career opportunities." Before the pandemic hit, Fitch was living in a sailboat in San Francisco Bay. He said he had a new nephew back home, and he wanted to fly back to Massachusetts before COVID-19 travel restrictions made that impossible. "The day before San Francisco went on lockdown I booked a ticketIn the end, I ended up staying five months," he said. "After going back and forth a few times, I decided that I was just going to move home." Fitch, who currently is working remotely in diversity, equity, and inclusion for a tech company, sold his boat and started moving his things across the country. He made the trip by car and by motorcycle. He needed a place to live. Preferably a place where he could reconnect with the Commonwealth. After spending some time in different communities, he found North Adams. "I thought maybe Boston. I rented a place in Provincetown for a while,and then I found North Adams," he said. "I never heard of North Adams. I was looking for a cute little town where I could find a place in the center of town where I could find a cup of coffee, go on hikes, and do interesting things in my home state." North Adams fit that description and Fitch made his move this summer. "I really loved being hereI made friends quickly, and I loved the art scene," he said. "I didnt think somewhere this interesting would ever be so affordable." In the fall, Fitch closed on a house and then started looking at commercial properties. He said he had his eyes on the corner property for some time. After looking at a few more properties, he decided to make his move. The property had originally been Rice's Drug Store, first established in 1866. The corner had been colloquially known as "Rice's Corner" for decades. It was then owned by Star Realty Co. before the Varelllases bought it in 1971. Mark and Robert Moulton Jr., whose family also operates Moulton's Spectacle Shoppe next door, bought the building in 2004 from John and James Varellas. James and Stacy Varellas had run the Pizza House there for more than 30 years. The corner continued as a pizzeria, first as Moulton's Pizza and as several other entities, including Supreme and Bella Roma. It's been closed for more than a year. Fitch said he has enjoyed people stopping in to tell him about their own connections to the building. "People are curious. People knock on the door and tell me their stories and past history with the building," he said. "What it used to be, what they want it to be. People are excited." Fitch is working with an architect and engineer and is happy to report that the building is in good shape. He anticipates some roof work but said "fingers crossed" he hopes to have a tenant street level in about a year after he spruces up the space. He said he has already been in discussions with possible tenants. Upstairs is a different project. He said the apartments are partially gutted and that work needs to be completed. He anticipates this fits more in a two-year timeline Outside, if possible, he hopes to install some sort of public art project. "I do intend to do something expressive and beautiful with the building," he said. "I don't know what that is yet but I will find a way to finagle some sort of public artwork or mural." Fitch is happy to be part of the North Adams community and hopes to work with other developers and business owners to breathe new life into the downtown. "I dont have any hopes that one person can bring Main Street or Eagle Street back up," he said. "But I figure if a couple of us do this kind of thing the entire city will benefitso stay tuned." Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. The GST officials on Friday said the Mumbai Commissionerate while investigating the business activities of a exchange, WazirX, detected GST evasion of Rs 40.5 crore. "The GST of Rs 40.5 crore was not paid. Along with interest and penalty, on December 30, a total of Rs 49.2 crore has been recovered from WazirX," a GST official said. "WazirX exchange is managed by Zanmai Labs Pvt. Ltd and WRX is owned by Binance Investment Co. Ltd, Seychelles. "The exchange provides option to a trader to transact in Rupee or WRX. The WRX has to be purchased from WazirX platform. The company was charging commission on each transaction in from buyer and seller both. But they were not paying the tax to Government," the official said. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) officials also found that the rate of commission was different for both the transactions. "The transaction in rupee attracts the commission of 0.2 per cent and transaction in WRX attracts the commission of 0.1 per cent," said the official. During the investigation, it came to notice that the company used to collect revenue from commission as trading fees, deposit fees and withdrawal fees. The company was paying GST only on commission earned in rupee but was not paying GST on commission earned in WRX. A GST at the rate of 18 per cent is applicable on this transaction fees. The case was a part of the special anti- drive, which relies on intensive data mining and data analytics, initiated by the CGST Mumbai Zone. "The CGST department will cover all the cryptocurrency exchanges falling in Mumbai zone and will also intensify this drive in the coming days," the official said. --IANS atk/pgh (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.) Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese government spokesperson on Friday criticized certain politicians from Western countries for slandering Hong Kong's press freedom, saying it has only exposed their hypocrisy and double standards. The arrests of people suspected of publishing seditious materials and the freeze of relevant assets by Hong Kong law enforcement are imperative to maintain law and order and safeguard peace, said a spokesperson for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council. Press freedom and freedom of speech are protected by law, the spokesperson said, adding that on the other hand people should abide by the law when exercising these freedoms. The recent arrests were in response to the law-breaking acts of certain Hong Kong media practitioners propagating "Hong Kong independence," "black terror" and "burn-with-us tactics" under the pretext of "press freedom," the spokesperson said, adding that these acts have posed a serious threat to national security and social stability. The spokesperson said the rhetoric by some politicians of the United States and other Western countries is hypocritical, noting despicable acts of violating press freedom in their countries, including unlawful arrests of journalists, police brutality, persecution of whistleblowers, among others. The spokesperson also criticized the obstruction of the operation of Chinese media outlets in the United States and Britain. Enditem BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese government spokesperson on Friday criticized certain politicians from Western countries for slandering Hong Kong's press freedom, saying it has only exposed their hypocrisy and double standards. The arrests of people suspected of publishing seditious materials and the freeze of relevant assets by Hong Kong law enforcement are imperative to maintain law and order and safeguard peace, said a spokesperson for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council. Press freedom and freedom of speech are protected by law, the spokesperson said, adding that on the other hand people should abide by the law when exercising these freedoms. The recent arrests were in response to the law-breaking acts of certain Hong Kong media practitioners propagating "Hong Kong independence," "black terror" and "burn-with-us tactics" under the pretext of "press freedom," the spokesperson said, adding that these acts have posed a serious threat to national security and social stability. The spokesperson said the rhetoric by some politicians of the United States and other Western countries is hypocritical, noting despicable acts of violating press freedom in their countries, including unlawful arrests of journalists, police brutality, persecution of whistleblowers, among others. The spokesperson also criticized the obstruction of the operation of Chinese media outlets in the United States and Britain. Enditem BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese government spokesperson on Friday criticized certain politicians from Western countries for slandering Hong Kong's press freedom, saying it has only exposed their hypocrisy and double standards. The arrests of people suspected of publishing seditious materials and the freeze of relevant assets by Hong Kong law enforcement are imperative to maintain law and order and safeguard peace, said a spokesperson for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council. Press freedom and freedom of speech are protected by law, the spokesperson said, adding that on the other hand people should abide by the law when exercising these freedoms. The recent arrests were in response to the law-breaking acts of certain Hong Kong media practitioners propagating "Hong Kong independence," "black terror" and "burn-with-us tactics" under the pretext of "press freedom," the spokesperson said, adding that these acts have posed a serious threat to national security and social stability. The spokesperson said the rhetoric by some politicians of the United States and other Western countries is hypocritical, noting despicable acts of violating press freedom in their countries, including unlawful arrests of journalists, police brutality, persecution of whistleblowers, among others. The spokesperson also criticized the obstruction of the operation of Chinese media outlets in the United States and Britain. Enditem Sudanese pro-democracy demonstrators blocked streets in Khartoum on Friday, protesting against violence a day earlier that left five people dead and sparked condemnation. Protesters barricaded roads in the east Khartoum district of Burri as well as in nearby Khartoum North using rocks, tree branches and tyres, an AFP journalist reported. Sudan has been gripped by turmoil since military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan launched a coup on October 25 and detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Hamdok was reinstated on November 21, but mass protests have continued as demonstrators distrust Burhan's promises of seeking to guide the country toward full democracy. As the authorities on Thursday cut off communications across the country, security forces clamped down on demonstrations, firing live rounds and tear gas as tens of thousands gathered in Khartoum and its neighbouring cities. Four protesters were fatally shot in the head or chest in Omdurman, according to the pro-democracy Doctors' Committee, while a fifth succumbed to his wounds Friday after he was shot in central Khartoum. Protesters charge that the deal to reinstate Hamdok simply aims to give the cloak of legitimacy to the generals, whom they accuse of trying to continue the regime built by former autocratic president Omar al-Bashir, who was toppled in 2019 following mass protests. Resignations A civilian member recently appointed to the ruling Sovereign Council, Abdel Baqi Abdel Qader, announced that he intends to resign. Sudanese demonstrators push a cement barricade in the capital Khartoum as tens of thousands protest against the army's October 25 coup, on December 30. By - (AFP) He said he had sent a message to Burhan's office requesting a meeting "to present to him my resignation... over the violence against demonstrators". Interim health minister Haitham Mohammed also announced his resignation in a letter made public, denouncing attacks on medics and hospitals treating protesters. Two journalists from Saudi Arabia's Asharq television channel, Maha al-Talb and Sally Othman, were released after they and their crews were held for several hours, the channel said. Police had also stormed the bureau of the Al-Arabiya television network funded by Saudi Arabia -- seen as a traditional ally of Sudan's military leaders. The violence and attacks on the media drew widespread condemnation. "Deeply troubled by reports that Sudanese security forces used lethal force against protesters, blacked out the internet, and attempted to shut down media outlets," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted after Thursday's events. The Doctors' Committee has accused security forces of blocking ambulances and of forcibly removing at least one seriously injured protester from an ambulance. Videos have circulated on social media showing men in uniform beating protesters with sticks. 'International solidarity' The Sudanese Communist Party called for "urgent international solidarity to demand an end to the bloody repression in Sudan and the immediate release of all political detainees". Christian figures in the country announced the cancellation of New Year's celebrations in memory of Thursday's victims. Protesters have renewed demands that the military "return to their barracks" as promised in 2019 when Bashir was toppled and the country came under the control of the Sovereign Council, a body composed of both civilian and military figures, headed by Burhan. A police spokesman had said four people died in Thursday's unrest and 297 people were injured, "including 49 police officers". He also said "three police vans were set on fire" and accused protest leaders of having sought to "turn a peaceful march into violence and confrontations with the security forces". An adviser to Burhan told the state news agency that "the demonstrations are a waste of time and energy" and would not lead to a political solution. The bloody crackdown since the October coup has claimed 53 lives and left hundreds wounded. Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. More officials investigated for COVID-19 test kit overcharging Several suspects in the overcharging for COVID-19 test kits at the Viet A Technologies JSC are being investigated for offering bribe, receiving bribe, and abusing position and power while performing duties. Lt. Gen. To An Xo, Spokesman of the Ministry of Public Security, said on December 31 that the ministrys investigation police agency has launched a probe into Nguyen Minh Tuan (former Director of the Ministry of Health (MoH)s department for health care equipment and projects), Nguyen Nam Lien (Director of the MoHs department for financial planning), and Trinh Thanh Hung (Deputy Director of the department of science and technology for economic technical branches under the Ministry of Science and Technology) for their alleged abuse of position and power while performing duties. From left: Nguyen Minh Tuan, Nguyen Nam Lien, and Trinh Thanh Hung, who are among the suspects in the COVID-19 test kit overcharging at the Viet A Technologies JSC (Photo: mps.gov.vn) Police have found that some officials of the centres for disease control (CDC) in Nghe An and Binh Duong provinces colluded with General Director of the Viet A company Phan Quoc Viet and others of this company as well as the Vietnam Development Applied Technologies Co. Ltd (VNDAT) in this case. Initial investigation results show that they violated the Law on Bidding when inviting bids for the procurement of supplies for the COVID-19 prevention and control, causing particularly serious consequences. Legal actions have also been launched against related suspects at the CDCs of Nghe An and Binh Duong and the Health Department of Binh Duong. VNDAT Director Nguyen Truong Giang, an employee named Nguyen Thi Thuy of the VNDAT, and Regional Director of the Viet A Company Le Trung Nguyen are being probed for violating regulations on bidding, causing serious consequences. In addition, Phan Quoc Viet and Vu Dinh Hiep (Deputy Director of Viet A) were charged with offering a bribe of 27 billion VND (nearly 1.2 million USD at the current exchange rate), and Pham Duy Tuyen (Director of the CDC of Hai Duong province) receiving the bribe. Police are expanding the investigation into this case, according to Lt. Gen. To An Xo. Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, says First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu erred by attempting to vote while presiding over parliamentary proceedings on Monday, December 20, during the debate on the proposed electronic payments tax policy. Mr. Bagbin reiterated that the rules of the House do not allow for that, the reason the Minority side resisted leading to fisticuffs in the house. Speaking on Moomen Tonight on GTV, Alban Bagbin, noted that the incident is an indication that Ghanas legislators are still entrenched in their partisanship. To be frank with you, my first Deputy Speaker was wrong in even announcing that he was going to vote and nobody could stop him from doing that That is what led to the fisticuffs. We have not still moved away from this unbridled partisanship for the national interest, Mr. Bagbin added. During the debate on whether to consider the controversial E-Levy, some Minority MPs rushed to the front of the chamber after Mr. Osei-Owusu announced that the Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Asiamah Amoako, should take over the seat. Although Mr. Osei-Owusu did not give any reason for his decision, the Minority MPs insisted that it was an attempt to enable him vote in the House. Some members threw punches and fought their colleagues during the scuffle, while others restrained each other. Mr. Bagbin also fired back at the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, for suggestions that he had not shown leadership during the impasse over the E-Levy. I presided till after 6pm and when I left, he wasn't on the floor. How can you now lead your team and now be attacking me? The Majority in Parliament had accused Mr. Bagbin of trying to frustrate the approval of the E-levy. Mr. Bagbin had retorted, saying he was willing and ready to preside, but the Majority Caucus kept on varying the order of proceedings. He said he was in the chair to the point he felt he needed to go and rest, as the Majority were delaying the business of the day. ---citinewsroom The Delhi government has sanctioned Rs 475.78 crore to install 600 LED screens across the city, an official said on Friday. "The LED screens will be installed at prominent locations on PWD roads, intersections and T points of roads, entry/exit of the metro station having heavy footfalls," the government said in a statement. The screens will display graphics, films, pollution data, social messages and information of government policies, and other relevant details of public interest. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had chaired the Expenditure Finance Committee, in its fifth meeting held on December 22. According to the statement, "the CCC or the Command Control Centre shall be compatible to run setup with various permutation and combinations (i.e., individually, cluster or all at a time) of the LED screen, area and location wise". The data for display will be received in the central control room, and after processing the same, will be displayed with the help of GSM network and cloud services, it noted. The Delhi government has sanctioned Rs 475.78 crore to install 600 LED screens across the city, an official said on Friday. "The LED screens will be installed at prominent locations on PWD roads, intersections and T points of roads, entry/exit of the metro station having heavy footfalls," the government said in a statement. The screens will display graphics, films, pollution data, social messages and information of government policies, and other relevant details of public interest. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had chaired the Expenditure Finance Committee, in its fifth meeting held on December 22. According to the statement, "the CCC or the Command Control Centre shall be compatible to run setup with various permutation and combinations (i.e., individually, cluster or all at a time) of the LED screen, area and location wise". The data for display will be received in the central control room, and after processing the same, will be displayed with the help of GSM network and cloud services, it noted. Photo taken on Feb. 8, 2021 shows a traditional Spring Festival fair held in Bayuquan District of Yingkou, northeast China's Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Yao Jianfeng) SHENYANG, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Whether sleeping on a brick bed, feeding leftovers to dogs and chickens, or rustling up a mishmash for himself on a fire stove, fast-paced clips of "Student Zhang" have racked up 2 million likes on Douyin, a popular short-video app in China. Vlogger Zhang Kai, or "Student Zhang," has stirred up a nostalgic trend with his clips that mostly portray a non-filtered rural life filmed through the lens of Yingkou City of Liaoning Province in northeastern China. Over two months, the 36-year-old posted over 45 videos using a decades-old German song "Aloha Heja He" as background music, receiving 50 million likes and attracting 16 million subscribers. Zhang is the latest vlogger to start from a one-man operation to become an online sensation. Content creators or influencers like Zhang have cropped up in Chinese social media apps such as Douyin and Kuaishou. Though Zhang is only starting to get more attention, many have used a solid fan base to win sponsorship deals and develop their hobby into a lucrative business. IN HIS LENS, REVIVING RURAL LIFE Zhang says he is self-made and has not received professional training to make catchy videos. His video setup is no more than a smartphone and some tapes. The man, who wears an old cotton-padded jacket with a rough and reddened face, was once a truck driver and a garage owner. After several business failures, he chose to go back to his hometown Songshu Village in July 2020. He describes the choice as a break from city life and reconciliation for his perennial insomnia problem. "A lot of the details in my videos come from my childhood memories, not exactly from the countryside now," he said. Zhang makes the videos in an old house that belonged to his grandfather. The brick house is set aside from rows of modern houses in the village. Most of the villagers now live in houses plated with white glazed tiles on the facades and have running water and underfloor heating. Inside Zhang's house, furniture and an old DVD player remind people of life in the 1980s or 1990s. Some scenes that may be unfamiliar for urbanites, such as washing clothes in the river, cutting firewood in the mountains and digging cellars, are still common for some elderly people in this village, Zhang said. The vlogger said he would often invite his friends in the village to appear in the videos. These 30-something men and women could be "drummers" as they beat a bucket with wooden sticks, or be "guitarists" as they pretended to play the cardboard box guitars, showing plenty of joie de vivre in a minimalist lifestyle. His subscribers say the rural life portrayed in Zhang's videos used to be the reality that many lived through 20 or 30 years ago, creating an "emotional impact." Student Zhang projects not a day in the life, but a life in the past, one comment on Douyin said. Wang Le, a 45-year-old resident in Dalian City, is a fan of short videos about rural life. He said that everything in Student Zhang's short videos -- the frozen vegetable fields in the yard, the piles of straw in the crop fields, and the pine forests on the distant mountains -- remind him of the countryside where he grew up. "In a few years I will retire; I would like to return to the countryside to spend my later years," Wang said. LIMELIGHT SHINES ON THE COUNTRYSIDE Zhang did not expect his newfound fame would come so soon. Now, his old house has become a "landmark" and many are willing to travel there to see him in person. Such a viral phenomenon reminds many of Li Ziqi, who shared an idyllic life in the mountain of the southwestern Sichuan Province on different platforms at home and abroad. Now, she has over 16 million subscribers on her YouTube channel. Data released in June by Douyin shows that videos themed on China's rural life had received 12.9 billion likes in the past year, and the total income of these content creators increased by 15 times year on year. "With the urbanization of China's countryside and more people moving into or building cities, rural life has become a dear and cherished memory for many Chinese," said Xie Taiping, a professor with the Southwest University of Political Science and Law. According to China's seventh national census conducted last year, the population of permanent residents in China's urban areas had reached about 902 million by 2020, with an urbanization rate of permanent residents of 63.89 percent. The 48th "Statistical Report on China's Internet Development Status" shows that by June 2021, the number of Internet users in China had exceeded 1 billion, of whom 297 million were from rural areas. Under the spotlight, Zhang is uncertain but full of expectations about his future. "The countryside is my roots. I hope to use my expertise to help my hometown attract more attention and get more lively," said Zhang. Germany has shut down three of its remaining six nuclear power plants in line with former chancellor Angela Merkel's timetable for phasing out atomic energy in favour of renewables. The plants in Brokdorf, Grohnde and Gundremmingen closed on Friday, halving Germany's nuclear capacity and reducing energy output by around four gigawatts equivalent to the power produced by 1,000 wind turbines. Protests over the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 prompted former chancellor Merkel to set the wheels in motion for abandoning nuclear power just over 10 years ago. Germany is planning to completely wind down atomic energy by the end of 2022, when it will shut its final three plants in Neckarwestheim, Essenbach and Emsland. Bad timing But with energy prices soaring across Europe and tensions running high between the continent and key gas supplier Russia, the closures come at a tricky time. Europe's reference gas price, Dutch TTF, hit 187.78 euros per megawatt hour in December 10 times higher than at the start of the year and electricity prices are also soaring. The spike has been fuelled by geopolitical tensions with Russia, which supplies one third of Europe's gas. Western countries accuse Russia of limiting gas deliveries to put pressure on Europe amid tensions over the Ukraine conflict. Moscow also wants to push through the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline, set to ship still more Russian gas to Germany. Price hikes The end of nuclear power in Germany threatens to push prices up even further. "In the long term, the hope is that an increase in renewable energy will balance things out, but this will not be the case in the short term," Sebastian Herold, a professor of energy policy at the Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences told AFP. Until Germany can really ramp up renewables, it will remain dependent on fossil fuels to plug the gap left by the nuclear exit. "This will make Germany more dependent on natural gas overall, at least in the short term, and thus also a little more dependent on Russia," Herold said. Renewables The transition may also take longer than Germany would like, with progress on renewables slowed in recent years by opposition to energy infrastructure projects. The proportion of energy generated by renewables is expected to fall in 2021 for the first time since 1997 to 42 percent, compared with 45.3 percent in 2020. As well as driving up prices, the nuclear plant closures will also remove a key source of low-carbon energy in a country that is already struggling to meet ambitious climate goals. The new coalition government under Social Democrat Olaf Scholz has pledged to bring forward Germany's planned coal exit to 2030 and wants Germany to generate 80 percent of its electricity from renewables by the same year. Climate targets But Robert Habeck, the co-leader of the Green party and head of a newly created super-ministry for the economy and climate, admitted this week that Germany is already on course to miss its climate targets for 2022 and probably also 2023. France is among EU countries continuing to push nuclear energy and campaigning for it to be included on the EU's list of sustainable energy sources eligible for investment. Even in Germany, public opinion towards nuclear seems to be softening. In a recent YouGov survey for the Welt am Sonntag newspaper, around 50 percent of Germans said they were in favour of reversing the planned nuclear shutdown due to the recent sharp rise in energy prices. (with AFP) Germany has shut down three of its remaining six nuclear power plants in line with former chancellor Angela Merkel's timetable for phasing out atomic energy in favour of renewables. The plants in Brokdorf, Grohnde and Gundremmingen closed on Friday, halving Germany's nuclear capacity and reducing energy output by around four gigawatts equivalent to the power produced by 1,000 wind turbines. Protests over the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 prompted former chancellor Merkel to set the wheels in motion for abandoning nuclear power just over 10 years ago. Germany is planning to completely wind down atomic energy by the end of 2022, when it will shut its final three plants in Neckarwestheim, Essenbach and Emsland. Bad timing But with energy prices soaring across Europe and tensions running high between the continent and key gas supplier Russia, the closures come at a tricky time. Europe's reference gas price, Dutch TTF, hit 187.78 euros per megawatt hour in December 10 times higher than at the start of the year and electricity prices are also soaring. The spike has been fuelled by geopolitical tensions with Russia, which supplies one third of Europe's gas. Western countries accuse Russia of limiting gas deliveries to put pressure on Europe amid tensions over the Ukraine conflict. Moscow also wants to push through the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline, set to ship still more Russian gas to Germany. Price hikes The end of nuclear power in Germany threatens to push prices up even further. "In the long term, the hope is that an increase in renewable energy will balance things out, but this will not be the case in the short term," Sebastian Herold, a professor of energy policy at the Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences told AFP. Until Germany can really ramp up renewables, it will remain dependent on fossil fuels to plug the gap left by the nuclear exit. "This will make Germany more dependent on natural gas overall, at least in the short term, and thus also a little more dependent on Russia," Herold said. Renewables The transition may also take longer than Germany would like, with progress on renewables slowed in recent years by opposition to energy infrastructure projects. The proportion of energy generated by renewables is expected to fall in 2021 for the first time since 1997 to 42 percent, compared with 45.3 percent in 2020. As well as driving up prices, the nuclear plant closures will also remove a key source of low-carbon energy in a country that is already struggling to meet ambitious climate goals. The new coalition government under Social Democrat Olaf Scholz has pledged to bring forward Germany's planned coal exit to 2030 and wants Germany to generate 80 percent of its electricity from renewables by the same year. Climate targets But Robert Habeck, the co-leader of the Green party and head of a newly created super-ministry for the economy and climate, admitted this week that Germany is already on course to miss its climate targets for 2022 and probably also 2023. France is among EU countries continuing to push nuclear energy and campaigning for it to be included on the EU's list of sustainable energy sources eligible for investment. Even in Germany, public opinion towards nuclear seems to be softening. In a recent YouGov survey for the Welt am Sonntag newspaper, around 50 percent of Germans said they were in favour of reversing the planned nuclear shutdown due to the recent sharp rise in energy prices. (with AFP) Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. Osian Roberts has praised the demanding nature of Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha and backed him to help take the club to the next level. The Ivory Coast international will return from suspension for the New Years Day clash with West Ham after he was sent off during the 3-0 loss at Tottenham last weekend. It will be Zahas last domestic game before he jets off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 9. Since the winger graduated through the Eagles academy more than a decade ago, he has regularly been criticised externally for his perceived poor attitude and body language on the pitch, where he can from time to time be seen gesticulating with his own team-mates. However, current boss Patrick Vieira has often praised the winning mentality of Zaha and his assistant echoed those sentiments on Friday. I can only go on personal experience over the last few months and I think Wilfried is a top professional who is hungry for success, Roberts said while filling in for the isolating Palace manager. He wants to be successful as an individual and successful in a team environment. In order to do so you have to push yourself, you have to push your team-mates and always demand. Patrick is always saying to our group of players you must demand more from each other and Wilfried is one of the first to do that. If we want to raise the bar and achieve more moving forward, which the players are ambitious to do, then players like Wilfried are really important in that process. He is not one who is going to accept mediocrity, he will expect excellence every day in training and in every game. He has a major part to play and it is important players like Wilfried, who have that experience and ability, pass on their experience and help lead this group of players to the next level. New Years Day opponents West Ham have gone through the transformation Palace are eager to follow from being a mid-table club to a team competing in Europe, albeit with significant investment. Story continues While Roberts did not wish to be drawn on parallels between the sides, he was more than happy to talk up the managerial exploits of Hammers boss David Moyes, who has rebuilt his reputation at the London Stadium following difficult spells with Manchester United and Sunderland. The Eagles assistant said: Every club is very different and I am sure the situation will have many differences to it but I am a huge fan of David Moyes. I used to go to Bellefield and watch the Everton first-team train when he was manager and Alan Irvine was assistant. They would allow me to go in and watch training many years ago so I have been a huge fan of Davids for a long time. I am so pleased that everybody now is realising he is a top, top manager. Maybe some opinions changed for a short while after he left Everton but you dont become a bad manager overnight. The experience he has gained and the way he has his teams play deserves the utmost respect. Palace are awaiting the results of routine PCR testing conducted on Friday which could allow boss Vieira to return to the touchline following a bout of Covid-19. 30.12.2021 LISTEN Mr Mark Korku Seayor, the immediate past regional coordinator of V20, a group connected to the government New Patriotic Party (NPP) has urged the party serial callers in the region to stay strong and committed to the agenda of the party to 'break the 8.' He said the NPP party will break the record of eight year rotation of power. According to him, President Nana Addo led NPP administration has done a lot since taking over power from National Democratic Congress (NDC) party in 2016. He said this at an engagement with the NPP serials callers group in Ho central constituency where he appealed to them to conduct themselves in ways that will build the trust Ghanaians have in the NPP. "President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo has achieved a lot since assuming office in 2016, we will break the eight which mean we need to be committed and strive hard and move beyond 2024. "For us to achieve that, we need to continue propagating and preaching the good policies and initiatives of President Nana Addo led government," he stated. Mr Seayor explained that "only hard work and positive behaviors will be the way we can achieve our mission of breaking the eight." Mr Seayor, according to sources close to ModernGhana News has confirmed his intention to contest the NPP Volta Regional Youth Organizer position in the upcoming executive election in the region. He also made a donation of bags of rice, mackerel, cooking oil, mobile phone and an undisclosed amount of money to the serial callers for the yuletide. He urges them to support him ahead of the election. Mr Perry Nuwornu, Ho Central constituency communication Director of the party who thanked Mr Markson Korku Seayor, the party's regional Youth organizer hopeful for the kind gestures. The chairman of Ho central serial callers association, Mr Ernest Nuworse in his turn expressed excitement over the gestures of Mr Seayor. He assured him of their maximum support. 30.12.2021 LISTEN Mr Mark Korku Seayor, the immediate past regional coordinator of V20, a group connected to the government New Patriotic Party (NPP) has urged the party serial callers in the region to stay strong and committed to the agenda of the party to 'break the 8.' He said the NPP party will break the record of eight year rotation of power. According to him, President Nana Addo led NPP administration has done a lot since taking over power from National Democratic Congress (NDC) party in 2016. He said this at an engagement with the NPP serials callers group in Ho central constituency where he appealed to them to conduct themselves in ways that will build the trust Ghanaians have in the NPP. "President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo has achieved a lot since assuming office in 2016, we will break the eight which mean we need to be committed and strive hard and move beyond 2024. "For us to achieve that, we need to continue propagating and preaching the good policies and initiatives of President Nana Addo led government," he stated. Mr Seayor explained that "only hard work and positive behaviors will be the way we can achieve our mission of breaking the eight." Mr Seayor, according to sources close to ModernGhana News has confirmed his intention to contest the NPP Volta Regional Youth Organizer position in the upcoming executive election in the region. He also made a donation of bags of rice, mackerel, cooking oil, mobile phone and an undisclosed amount of money to the serial callers for the yuletide. He urges them to support him ahead of the election. Mr Perry Nuwornu, Ho Central constituency communication Director of the party who thanked Mr Markson Korku Seayor, the party's regional Youth organizer hopeful for the kind gestures. The chairman of Ho central serial callers association, Mr Ernest Nuworse in his turn expressed excitement over the gestures of Mr Seayor. He assured him of their maximum support. Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, says First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu erred by attempting to vote while presiding over parliamentary proceedings on Monday, December 20, during the debate on the proposed electronic payments tax policy. Mr. Bagbin reiterated that the rules of the House do not allow for that, the reason the Minority side resisted leading to fisticuffs in the house. Speaking on Moomen Tonight on GTV, Alban Bagbin, noted that the incident is an indication that Ghanas legislators are still entrenched in their partisanship. To be frank with you, my first Deputy Speaker was wrong in even announcing that he was going to vote and nobody could stop him from doing that That is what led to the fisticuffs. We have not still moved away from this unbridled partisanship for the national interest, Mr. Bagbin added. During the debate on whether to consider the controversial E-Levy, some Minority MPs rushed to the front of the chamber after Mr. Osei-Owusu announced that the Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Asiamah Amoako, should take over the seat. Although Mr. Osei-Owusu did not give any reason for his decision, the Minority MPs insisted that it was an attempt to enable him vote in the House. Some members threw punches and fought their colleagues during the scuffle, while others restrained each other. Mr. Bagbin also fired back at the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, for suggestions that he had not shown leadership during the impasse over the E-Levy. I presided till after 6pm and when I left, he wasn't on the floor. How can you now lead your team and now be attacking me? The Majority in Parliament had accused Mr. Bagbin of trying to frustrate the approval of the E-levy. Mr. Bagbin had retorted, saying he was willing and ready to preside, but the Majority Caucus kept on varying the order of proceedings. He said he was in the chair to the point he felt he needed to go and rest, as the Majority were delaying the business of the day. ---citinewsroom The Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) chapter in the United Kingdom(UK) and the Republic of Ireland Alhaji Alhassan Mbalba has said the socio-economic and political situation in the country is worsened under the Akufo-Addo led administration coupled with unprecedented corruption, nepotism and tribalism. He noted that the gains made in collective efforts to consolidate and deepen democracy have been derailed due to the constitutional dictatorship and acts of bare-faced thuggery by the NPP government. Alhaji Alhassan Mbalba indicated the actions of Members of Parliament of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP) during the election of Rt. Hon Alban Sumani Kingsford Bagbin as the Speaker 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic and the controversies surrounding the E-Levy bill are disgraceful and a blight on the democratic experiment as a country. In a message to mark the 40th anniversary of the 31st December revolution, he urges party members to despair despite the disturbing events and intolerable and unbearable economic hardship in the country. "It appears the gains we have made in our collective efforts to consolidate and deepen democracy in Ghana is under threat due to the constitutional dictatorship and acts of bare-faced thuggery being perpetrated by elements of President Akufo Addo- Bawumia led government. "However, despite these disturbing events and intolerable and unbearable economic hardship, let us not be despaired. Insofar as the good people of Ghana do not want to experience or witness any unconstitutional change of government or coup in Ghana; or allow any political party to use unconstitutional or illegal means to gain or retain power, the NDC will continue to hold the NPP accountable and pursue all legal and democratic means of wrestling power from them in 2024," he stated. According to Alhaji Alhassan Mbalba, the 40th anniversary of the 31st December revolution will be celebrated without the leader of the revolution, the late Flt Lt John Jerry Rawlings of blessed memory. "This is the second year that the 31st December revolution is being celebrated without the Leader of Revolution, the late Flt Lt John Jerry Rawlings of blessed memory". "The 31st December Revolution occasioned the formation of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), and subsequently National Democratic Congress (NDC) under the fourth Republican Constitution with the beliefs, values and guiding principles of Flt Lt J.J Rawlings as its main ethos," he added. Below is the full press statement NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS- UK & IRELAND CHAPTER MESSAGE TO MARK 40th ANNIVERSARY OF 31ST DECEMBER REVOLUTION This is the second year running that the 31st December Revolution is being commemorated without the Leader of the Revolution, late Flt Lt John Jerry Rawlings of blessed memory. The 31st December Revolution occasioned the formation of the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC), and subsequently National Democratic Congress(NDC) under the fourth Republican Constitution with the beliefs, values, and guiding principles of Flt J.J. Rawlings as its main ethos. The significance of the PNDC government under the visionary leadership of late President Rawlings in the promulgation of the longest and enduring constitutional dispensation- Ghanas 4th Republic - cannot be overemphasized. As Shakespeare opined when treason prospers, none dare call it treason. There is no doubt that despite the sudden demise of Flt Lt Rawlings, the principles and values of the 31st December Revolution will continue to be relevant and important in sustaining and consolidating our longest attempt to institutionalize true democracy, rule of law and constitutionalism in Ghana. The current socio-economic and political situation in the country is very concerning: Unprecedented corruption, nepotism and tribalism, including actions of Members of Parliament of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP) during the election of Rt. Hon Alban Sumani Kingsford Bagbin as the Speaker 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic and the controversies surrounding the E-Levy bill are disgraceful and a blight on our democratic experiment as a country. It appears the gains we have made in our collective efforts to consolidate and deepen democracy in Ghana is under threat due to the constitutional dictatorship and acts of bare-faced thuggery being perpetrated by elements of President Akufo Addo- Bawumia led government. However, despite these disturbing events and intolerable and unbearable economic hardship, let us not be despaired. Insofar as the good people of Ghana do not want to experience or witness any unconstitutional change of government or coup in Ghana; or allow any political party to use unconstitutional or illegal means to gain or retain power, the NDC will continue to hold the NPP accountable and pursue all legal and democratic means of wrestling power from them in 2024. Therefore, we must continue to cherish and propagate the ideals, values and principles underpinning the 31st December Revolution as we mark the 40th Anniversary of 31st December Revolution because as the saying goes life begins at 40. May the Soul of President Rawlings and other fallen comrades rest in perfect peace. Long Live Ghana! Long Live NDC! Long Live 31st December Revolution! Thank you. Alhaji Alhassan Mbalba Chairman NDC- UK & Ireland Chapter The Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) chapter in the United Kingdom(UK) and the Republic of Ireland Alhaji Alhassan Mbalba has said the socio-economic and political situation in the country is worsened under the Akufo-Addo led administration coupled with unprecedented corruption, nepotism and tribalism. He noted that the gains made in collective efforts to consolidate and deepen democracy have been derailed due to the constitutional dictatorship and acts of bare-faced thuggery by the NPP government. Alhaji Alhassan Mbalba indicated the actions of Members of Parliament of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP) during the election of Rt. Hon Alban Sumani Kingsford Bagbin as the Speaker 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic and the controversies surrounding the E-Levy bill are disgraceful and a blight on the democratic experiment as a country. In a message to mark the 40th anniversary of the 31st December revolution, he urges party members to despair despite the disturbing events and intolerable and unbearable economic hardship in the country. "It appears the gains we have made in our collective efforts to consolidate and deepen democracy in Ghana is under threat due to the constitutional dictatorship and acts of bare-faced thuggery being perpetrated by elements of President Akufo Addo- Bawumia led government. "However, despite these disturbing events and intolerable and unbearable economic hardship, let us not be despaired. Insofar as the good people of Ghana do not want to experience or witness any unconstitutional change of government or coup in Ghana; or allow any political party to use unconstitutional or illegal means to gain or retain power, the NDC will continue to hold the NPP accountable and pursue all legal and democratic means of wrestling power from them in 2024," he stated. According to Alhaji Alhassan Mbalba, the 40th anniversary of the 31st December revolution will be celebrated without the leader of the revolution, the late Flt Lt John Jerry Rawlings of blessed memory. "This is the second year that the 31st December revolution is being celebrated without the Leader of Revolution, the late Flt Lt John Jerry Rawlings of blessed memory". "The 31st December Revolution occasioned the formation of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), and subsequently National Democratic Congress (NDC) under the fourth Republican Constitution with the beliefs, values and guiding principles of Flt Lt J.J Rawlings as its main ethos," he added. Below is the full press statement NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS- UK & IRELAND CHAPTER MESSAGE TO MARK 40th ANNIVERSARY OF 31ST DECEMBER REVOLUTION This is the second year running that the 31st December Revolution is being commemorated without the Leader of the Revolution, late Flt Lt John Jerry Rawlings of blessed memory. The 31st December Revolution occasioned the formation of the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC), and subsequently National Democratic Congress(NDC) under the fourth Republican Constitution with the beliefs, values, and guiding principles of Flt J.J. Rawlings as its main ethos. The significance of the PNDC government under the visionary leadership of late President Rawlings in the promulgation of the longest and enduring constitutional dispensation- Ghanas 4th Republic - cannot be overemphasized. As Shakespeare opined when treason prospers, none dare call it treason. There is no doubt that despite the sudden demise of Flt Lt Rawlings, the principles and values of the 31st December Revolution will continue to be relevant and important in sustaining and consolidating our longest attempt to institutionalize true democracy, rule of law and constitutionalism in Ghana. The current socio-economic and political situation in the country is very concerning: Unprecedented corruption, nepotism and tribalism, including actions of Members of Parliament of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP) during the election of Rt. Hon Alban Sumani Kingsford Bagbin as the Speaker 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic and the controversies surrounding the E-Levy bill are disgraceful and a blight on our democratic experiment as a country. It appears the gains we have made in our collective efforts to consolidate and deepen democracy in Ghana is under threat due to the constitutional dictatorship and acts of bare-faced thuggery being perpetrated by elements of President Akufo Addo- Bawumia led government. However, despite these disturbing events and intolerable and unbearable economic hardship, let us not be despaired. Insofar as the good people of Ghana do not want to experience or witness any unconstitutional change of government or coup in Ghana; or allow any political party to use unconstitutional or illegal means to gain or retain power, the NDC will continue to hold the NPP accountable and pursue all legal and democratic means of wrestling power from them in 2024. Therefore, we must continue to cherish and propagate the ideals, values and principles underpinning the 31st December Revolution as we mark the 40th Anniversary of 31st December Revolution because as the saying goes life begins at 40. May the Soul of President Rawlings and other fallen comrades rest in perfect peace. Long Live Ghana! Long Live NDC! Long Live 31st December Revolution! Thank you. Alhaji Alhassan Mbalba Chairman NDC- UK & Ireland Chapter The Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) chapter in the United Kingdom(UK) and the Republic of Ireland Alhaji Alhassan Mbalba has said the socio-economic and political situation in the country is worsened under the Akufo-Addo led administration coupled with unprecedented corruption, nepotism and tribalism. He noted that the gains made in collective efforts to consolidate and deepen democracy have been derailed due to the constitutional dictatorship and acts of bare-faced thuggery by the NPP government. Alhaji Alhassan Mbalba indicated the actions of Members of Parliament of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP) during the election of Rt. Hon Alban Sumani Kingsford Bagbin as the Speaker 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic and the controversies surrounding the E-Levy bill are disgraceful and a blight on the democratic experiment as a country. In a message to mark the 40th anniversary of the 31st December revolution, he urges party members to despair despite the disturbing events and intolerable and unbearable economic hardship in the country. "It appears the gains we have made in our collective efforts to consolidate and deepen democracy in Ghana is under threat due to the constitutional dictatorship and acts of bare-faced thuggery being perpetrated by elements of President Akufo Addo- Bawumia led government. "However, despite these disturbing events and intolerable and unbearable economic hardship, let us not be despaired. Insofar as the good people of Ghana do not want to experience or witness any unconstitutional change of government or coup in Ghana; or allow any political party to use unconstitutional or illegal means to gain or retain power, the NDC will continue to hold the NPP accountable and pursue all legal and democratic means of wrestling power from them in 2024," he stated. According to Alhaji Alhassan Mbalba, the 40th anniversary of the 31st December revolution will be celebrated without the leader of the revolution, the late Flt Lt John Jerry Rawlings of blessed memory. "This is the second year that the 31st December revolution is being celebrated without the Leader of Revolution, the late Flt Lt John Jerry Rawlings of blessed memory". "The 31st December Revolution occasioned the formation of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), and subsequently National Democratic Congress (NDC) under the fourth Republican Constitution with the beliefs, values and guiding principles of Flt Lt J.J Rawlings as its main ethos," he added. Below is the full press statement NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS- UK & IRELAND CHAPTER MESSAGE TO MARK 40th ANNIVERSARY OF 31ST DECEMBER REVOLUTION This is the second year running that the 31st December Revolution is being commemorated without the Leader of the Revolution, late Flt Lt John Jerry Rawlings of blessed memory. The 31st December Revolution occasioned the formation of the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC), and subsequently National Democratic Congress(NDC) under the fourth Republican Constitution with the beliefs, values, and guiding principles of Flt J.J. Rawlings as its main ethos. The significance of the PNDC government under the visionary leadership of late President Rawlings in the promulgation of the longest and enduring constitutional dispensation- Ghanas 4th Republic - cannot be overemphasized. As Shakespeare opined when treason prospers, none dare call it treason. There is no doubt that despite the sudden demise of Flt Lt Rawlings, the principles and values of the 31st December Revolution will continue to be relevant and important in sustaining and consolidating our longest attempt to institutionalize true democracy, rule of law and constitutionalism in Ghana. The current socio-economic and political situation in the country is very concerning: Unprecedented corruption, nepotism and tribalism, including actions of Members of Parliament of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP) during the election of Rt. Hon Alban Sumani Kingsford Bagbin as the Speaker 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic and the controversies surrounding the E-Levy bill are disgraceful and a blight on our democratic experiment as a country. It appears the gains we have made in our collective efforts to consolidate and deepen democracy in Ghana is under threat due to the constitutional dictatorship and acts of bare-faced thuggery being perpetrated by elements of President Akufo Addo- Bawumia led government. However, despite these disturbing events and intolerable and unbearable economic hardship, let us not be despaired. Insofar as the good people of Ghana do not want to experience or witness any unconstitutional change of government or coup in Ghana; or allow any political party to use unconstitutional or illegal means to gain or retain power, the NDC will continue to hold the NPP accountable and pursue all legal and democratic means of wrestling power from them in 2024. Therefore, we must continue to cherish and propagate the ideals, values and principles underpinning the 31st December Revolution as we mark the 40th Anniversary of 31st December Revolution because as the saying goes life begins at 40. May the Soul of President Rawlings and other fallen comrades rest in perfect peace. Long Live Ghana! Long Live NDC! Long Live 31st December Revolution! Thank you. Alhaji Alhassan Mbalba Chairman NDC- UK & Ireland Chapter Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, says First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu erred by attempting to vote while presiding over parliamentary proceedings on Monday, December 20, during the debate on the proposed electronic payments tax policy. Mr. Bagbin reiterated that the rules of the House do not allow for that, the reason the Minority side resisted leading to fisticuffs in the house. Speaking on Moomen Tonight on GTV, Alban Bagbin, noted that the incident is an indication that Ghanas legislators are still entrenched in their partisanship. To be frank with you, my first Deputy Speaker was wrong in even announcing that he was going to vote and nobody could stop him from doing that That is what led to the fisticuffs. We have not still moved away from this unbridled partisanship for the national interest, Mr. Bagbin added. During the debate on whether to consider the controversial E-Levy, some Minority MPs rushed to the front of the chamber after Mr. Osei-Owusu announced that the Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Asiamah Amoako, should take over the seat. Although Mr. Osei-Owusu did not give any reason for his decision, the Minority MPs insisted that it was an attempt to enable him vote in the House. Some members threw punches and fought their colleagues during the scuffle, while others restrained each other. Mr. Bagbin also fired back at the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, for suggestions that he had not shown leadership during the impasse over the E-Levy. I presided till after 6pm and when I left, he wasn't on the floor. How can you now lead your team and now be attacking me? The Majority in Parliament had accused Mr. Bagbin of trying to frustrate the approval of the E-levy. Mr. Bagbin had retorted, saying he was willing and ready to preside, but the Majority Caucus kept on varying the order of proceedings. He said he was in the chair to the point he felt he needed to go and rest, as the Majority were delaying the business of the day. ---citinewsroom Former President John Mahama has accused his successor, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, of failing to show leadership in steering the affairs of the country. The former President also accused the President of consistently failing to take responsibility when things go wrong. Mr. Mahama who spoke at the 40th Anniversary commemoration of the 31st December Revolution in Accra on Friday, said Leadership is about responsibility. It is only a poor leader who shirks responsibilities and shift blames. We had power crisis dumsor in this country because of lack of investment in generation for many years, and so we were consuming more power than we generated. That was the situation I met, and yet I did not say it is not my fault. I went to Parliament, took responsibility for it and promised to fix it, which we did. Today somebody [President Akufo-Addo] claims he inherited a weak economy, which he hasnt been able to be responsible for, 5 years on. Its always about Mahama and NDC. If he [Nana Akufo-Addo] can not do the job, he should give way for the NDC to do it for you. President Akufo-Addo does not think his administration has performed badly at all. He believes his government has done so well and has not let any opportunity to tout the achievements of his administration slide. Speaking on Sunday, December 19, 2021, during the NPP's National Delegates Conference in Kumasi, Akufo-Addo insisted that his government has chalked more successes than any other government in the Fourth Republic. He thus charged all members of the NPP to be proud of this, and also let Ghanaians know about the good works of his government. ---citinewsroom Former President John Mahama has accused his successor, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, of failing to show leadership in steering the affairs of the country. The former President also accused the President of consistently failing to take responsibility when things go wrong. Mr. Mahama who spoke at the 40th Anniversary commemoration of the 31st December Revolution in Accra on Friday, said Leadership is about responsibility. It is only a poor leader who shirks responsibilities and shift blames. We had power crisis dumsor in this country because of lack of investment in generation for many years, and so we were consuming more power than we generated. That was the situation I met, and yet I did not say it is not my fault. I went to Parliament, took responsibility for it and promised to fix it, which we did. Today somebody [President Akufo-Addo] claims he inherited a weak economy, which he hasnt been able to be responsible for, 5 years on. Its always about Mahama and NDC. If he [Nana Akufo-Addo] can not do the job, he should give way for the NDC to do it for you. President Akufo-Addo does not think his administration has performed badly at all. He believes his government has done so well and has not let any opportunity to tout the achievements of his administration slide. Speaking on Sunday, December 19, 2021, during the NPP's National Delegates Conference in Kumasi, Akufo-Addo insisted that his government has chalked more successes than any other government in the Fourth Republic. He thus charged all members of the NPP to be proud of this, and also let Ghanaians know about the good works of his government. ---citinewsroom Former President John Mahama has accused his successor, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, of failing to show leadership in steering the affairs of the country. The former President also accused the President of consistently failing to take responsibility when things go wrong. Mr. Mahama who spoke at the 40th Anniversary commemoration of the 31st December Revolution in Accra on Friday, said Leadership is about responsibility. It is only a poor leader who shirks responsibilities and shift blames. We had power crisis dumsor in this country because of lack of investment in generation for many years, and so we were consuming more power than we generated. That was the situation I met, and yet I did not say it is not my fault. I went to Parliament, took responsibility for it and promised to fix it, which we did. Today somebody [President Akufo-Addo] claims he inherited a weak economy, which he hasnt been able to be responsible for, 5 years on. Its always about Mahama and NDC. If he [Nana Akufo-Addo] can not do the job, he should give way for the NDC to do it for you. President Akufo-Addo does not think his administration has performed badly at all. He believes his government has done so well and has not let any opportunity to tout the achievements of his administration slide. Speaking on Sunday, December 19, 2021, during the NPP's National Delegates Conference in Kumasi, Akufo-Addo insisted that his government has chalked more successes than any other government in the Fourth Republic. He thus charged all members of the NPP to be proud of this, and also let Ghanaians know about the good works of his government. ---citinewsroom Former President John Mahama has accused his successor, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, of failing to show leadership in steering the affairs of the country. The former President also accused the President of consistently failing to take responsibility when things go wrong. Mr. Mahama who spoke at the 40th Anniversary commemoration of the 31st December Revolution in Accra on Friday, said Leadership is about responsibility. It is only a poor leader who shirks responsibilities and shift blames. We had power crisis dumsor in this country because of lack of investment in generation for many years, and so we were consuming more power than we generated. That was the situation I met, and yet I did not say it is not my fault. I went to Parliament, took responsibility for it and promised to fix it, which we did. Today somebody [President Akufo-Addo] claims he inherited a weak economy, which he hasnt been able to be responsible for, 5 years on. Its always about Mahama and NDC. If he [Nana Akufo-Addo] can not do the job, he should give way for the NDC to do it for you. President Akufo-Addo does not think his administration has performed badly at all. He believes his government has done so well and has not let any opportunity to tout the achievements of his administration slide. Speaking on Sunday, December 19, 2021, during the NPP's National Delegates Conference in Kumasi, Akufo-Addo insisted that his government has chalked more successes than any other government in the Fourth Republic. He thus charged all members of the NPP to be proud of this, and also let Ghanaians know about the good works of his government. ---citinewsroom The Jan Vishwas Yatra has been an effective and successful outreach programme of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to all the 403 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the elections, said party MLC Vidyasagar Sonkar on Friday. Vidyasagar Sonkar is the state Jan Vishwas Yatra chief of BJP. Speaking to ANI, Sonkar said, "Beginning on December 19, the 15-day Jan Vishwas Yatra has been an effective and great outreach programme of BJP to all 403 assemblies in Uttar Pradesh. The Yatra instilled enthusiasm among the party workers in all the assemblies. Through the Yatra, the party has reached out to every village and every household and conveyed its message even before the announcement of the election date in Uttar Pradesh." He said the party will successfully conclude the Jan Vishwas Yatra on January 3, 2022. Senior ministers and officials of BJP participated in this yatra. He said there were designated chiefs for every yatra. For Yatra, raths and SUVs were provided by the party. "Meetings, public meetings and roadshows were organized during the Yatra. Programmes of party morchas were held in all 403 assemblies. The yatras were also on night stay in all the assemblies. Through the Jan Vishwas Yatra, BJP addressed the workers' convention in all the Assemblies of Uttar Pradesh before the start of the elections," Sonkar said. "Prime Minister will address a mega rally marking the conclusion of Jan Vishwas Yatra on January 9, 2022 in . However, the programme is still proposed, as soon as the approval is received, the schedule will also be released," the BJP leader said. The first Jan Vishwas Yatra started from Mathura on December 19 and will end on December 31 in Bareilly. The head of this yatra is BJP MLC Dr Manvendra Pratap Singh. The second such Yatra is headed by BJP MP Satish Gautam that began from Bijnor and will end in Rampur on January 1, 2022. The third Jan Vishwas Yatra headed by Union Minister Baburam Nishad started from Jhansi and will end on January 2 at Kanpur-Bithoor. Its head is Baburam Nishad, Minister of State with a status. Headed by BJP MLC Vijay Bahadur Pathak, the fourth Yatra began from Ambedkar Nagar and will end at Kakori on January 3. The fifth yatra started from Ballia and will end at Basti on January 3. BJP MP Harish Dwivedi is heading this yatra. Starting from Ghazipur, the sixth Yatra will end on January 3 at Amethi. It is headed by party MP Vinod Sonkar. Among the key leaders who participated in the Yatra include BJP national president JP Nadda, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Several union ministers such as Nitin Gadkari, Dharmendra Pradhan, Smriti Irani and Uttar Pradesh BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh, state Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma have also marked their presence in Jan Vishwas Yatra. Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh are slated for early next year. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Jan Vishwas Yatra has been an effective and successful outreach programme of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to all the 403 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the elections, said party MLC Vidyasagar Sonkar on Friday. Vidyasagar Sonkar is the state Jan Vishwas Yatra chief of BJP. Speaking to ANI, Sonkar said, "Beginning on December 19, the 15-day Jan Vishwas Yatra has been an effective and great outreach programme of BJP to all 403 assemblies in Uttar Pradesh. The Yatra instilled enthusiasm among the party workers in all the assemblies. Through the Yatra, the party has reached out to every village and every household and conveyed its message even before the announcement of the election date in Uttar Pradesh." He said the party will successfully conclude the Jan Vishwas Yatra on January 3, 2022. Senior ministers and officials of BJP participated in this yatra. He said there were designated chiefs for every yatra. For Yatra, raths and SUVs were provided by the party. "Meetings, public meetings and roadshows were organized during the Yatra. Programmes of party morchas were held in all 403 assemblies. The yatras were also on night stay in all the assemblies. Through the Jan Vishwas Yatra, BJP addressed the workers' convention in all the Assemblies of Uttar Pradesh before the start of the elections," Sonkar said. "Prime Minister will address a mega rally marking the conclusion of Jan Vishwas Yatra on January 9, 2022 in . However, the programme is still proposed, as soon as the approval is received, the schedule will also be released," the BJP leader said. The first Jan Vishwas Yatra started from Mathura on December 19 and will end on December 31 in Bareilly. The head of this yatra is BJP MLC Dr Manvendra Pratap Singh. The second such Yatra is headed by BJP MP Satish Gautam that began from Bijnor and will end in Rampur on January 1, 2022. The third Jan Vishwas Yatra headed by Union Minister Baburam Nishad started from Jhansi and will end on January 2 at Kanpur-Bithoor. Its head is Baburam Nishad, Minister of State with a status. Headed by BJP MLC Vijay Bahadur Pathak, the fourth Yatra began from Ambedkar Nagar and will end at Kakori on January 3. The fifth yatra started from Ballia and will end at Basti on January 3. BJP MP Harish Dwivedi is heading this yatra. Starting from Ghazipur, the sixth Yatra will end on January 3 at Amethi. It is headed by party MP Vinod Sonkar. Among the key leaders who participated in the Yatra include BJP national president JP Nadda, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Several union ministers such as Nitin Gadkari, Dharmendra Pradhan, Smriti Irani and Uttar Pradesh BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh, state Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma have also marked their presence in Jan Vishwas Yatra. Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh are slated for early next year. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After Virginia set a new record for COVID-19 cases on Wednesdaya number that was soundly trounced each of the next two daysGov. Ralph Northam said rising case numbers were cause for concern, not panic, because of the prevalence of vaccines. Data from around the world has shown that if people get vaccinated and then get COVID, their symptoms are likely to be minor, the governor said, stressing: Nearly everyone going to the hospital with COVID is unvaccinated. Thats not what data from Mary Washington Healthcare and the state show. Since September, MWHC has posted graphics in which gold stick figures represent unvaccinated patients and green stick figures represent vaccinated ones. When the graphics began, the charts were mostly honey-colored images, noting those who had not been inoculated. The graphics have gotten a bit greener since Thanksgiving as the number of vaccinated people admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 has risen, according to MWHC data. Fridays chart shows that 41 peoplemore than one-third of the 115 patients at Mary Washington Hospital and Stafford Hospital with the viruswere vaccinated. Among the older setthe 52 patients over age 65there were more vaccinated than unvaccinated in the hospital by a margin of 2923. Three of the 29 older patients also had gotten booster shots, according to MWHC. Four of the 16 people in intensive care had been vaccinated, but unlike reports from earlier days, none of the six patients on ventilators, as of Fridays report, were vaccinated, according to MWHC. The fast-spreading omicron variant is to blame for the changes, said Dr. Olugbenga Obasanjo, director of the Rappahannock Area Health District, which includes Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford. Omicron is increasing hospitalization especially among the unvaccinated, but also among the vaccinated, he said. In terms of numbers, the increased infectivity means a lot more people will likely become infected, which increases the possibility of getting seriously ill and even dying, even for those who are fully vaccinated. Dr. Christopher Newman, chief medical officer at MWHC, said his concerns were more focused on the overall growing number of hospitalizations regardless of vaccination status. The standard playbook for COVID-19 that has worked quite well with previous variants is just not working with omicron, he said. For instance, both MWHC and the state suspended the use of certain types of monoclonal antibodieswhich are given in an infusion to those most at risk to prevent serious illness and hospitalizationsbecause they werent effective against omicron. MWHC will receive a small allotment of an antibodies treatment that does seem to work, called sotrovimab, but will have to reserve it for the severely immunocompromised. There is not enough supply for the demand, he said. Compromised immune systems and chronic health conditions were topics of Facebook chatter on Thursday as those on MWHCs site wondered if the already vaccinated patients, in hospitals, have underlying issues. Certain factorsincluding being over 65, having chronic health problems and having weakened immune systemsdo put people more at risk of severe outcomes, said Mary Chamberlin, public information officer for the local health district. After one person asked what brand of vaccine those hospitalized had received, MWHC posted that numbers were fairly equally split. Of the 35 vaccinated inpatients in the hospital as of Thursday, 15 had received Pfizer; 14, Moderna; and six, Johnson & Johnson. The key is to get a booster as soon as possible, MWHC also posted on Facebook. Even though the number of patients whove been vaccinated has risen at MWHC hospitals, the majority of people being treated for virus symptoms arent vaccinated, as the governor suggested. Thats particularly true among younger people; as of Friday, 51 of the 63 patients under 65 in MWHC facilities had not been vaccinated. Among the 12 patients in that age group who were fully vaccinated, none had gotten booster shots, according to the chart. Data from the Virginia Department of Health shows that even with the impact from delta and omicron, people who arent vaccinated are getting infected, hospitalized and dying at rates four times higher than those who have been vaccinated. But the state data also shows a growing number of breakthrough cases in which fully vaccinated people develop the illness. From mid-January to late December this year, 88,143 fully vaccinated Virginians were infected with COVID-19. Of that total, 2,559 ended up in the hospital and 969 of them died, according to state data. As COVID-19 has remained on the sceneand not been stamped out, perhaps due to not enough people being vaccinatedthe virus has mutated and produced different variants against which vaccines may not be as effective. Dr. Sheena Taylor, chief hospitalist at Mary Washington Healthcare, spoke in September about the way mutations can be fueled by the unvaccinated. She said those who are vaccinated have antibodies in their systemsvirtual armies ready to be deployed when the virus attacks. Those who arent vaccinated dont have that supply of armed forces and as their bodies fight to build up a defense, theres a lag time between infection and immune response. In that lag time, [the virus] is getting an opportunity to replicate, Taylor said, and possibly mutate into an even stronger variant. That is why its immensely important to vaccinate. Were protecting our community at large and preventing the opportunity of future mutations to come about. But as public health officials also have noted, being vaccinated doesnt provide superhuman coverage. Thats why the governors statement about almost everyone hospitalized being unvaccinated could suggest a false sense of security among those whove been vaccinated and even boosted. We need to continue to use all the barriers between us and the virus until the pandemic is truly in the rearview mirror, Obasanjo said. Vaccination, testing with quarantine and isolation as indicated, masking and social distancing must continue more fastidiously given the increased infectivity. On Monday, Newman gave the same advice to MWH staff in the wake of rising patient counts and hospital workers contracting the virus. He suggested they wear medical-grade masks rather than cloth ones outside their homes and around anyone not in their household; make sure the masks cover their mouths and noses; practice social distancing and avoid social gatherings; wash hands frequently; and encourage vaccinations and boosters. He also said on Thursday that because of omicrons transmissibility, individuals really must weigh their personal risk when electing to participate in certain activities. After Virginia set a new record for COVID-19 cases on Wednesdaya number that was soundly trounced each of the next two daysGov. Ralph Northam said rising case numbers were cause for concern, not panic, because of the prevalence of vaccines. Data from around the world has shown that if people get vaccinated and then get COVID, their symptoms are likely to be minor, the governor said, stressing: Nearly everyone going to the hospital with COVID is unvaccinated. Thats not what data from Mary Washington Healthcare and the state show. Since September, MWHC has posted graphics in which gold stick figures represent unvaccinated patients and green stick figures represent vaccinated ones. When the graphics began, the charts were mostly honey-colored images, noting those who had not been inoculated. The graphics have gotten a bit greener since Thanksgiving as the number of vaccinated people admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 has risen, according to MWHC data. Fridays chart shows that 41 peoplemore than one-third of the 115 patients at Mary Washington Hospital and Stafford Hospital with the viruswere vaccinated. Among the older setthe 52 patients over age 65there were more vaccinated than unvaccinated in the hospital by a margin of 2923. Three of the 29 older patients also had gotten booster shots, according to MWHC. Four of the 16 people in intensive care had been vaccinated, but unlike reports from earlier days, none of the six patients on ventilators, as of Fridays report, were vaccinated, according to MWHC. The fast-spreading omicron variant is to blame for the changes, said Dr. Olugbenga Obasanjo, director of the Rappahannock Area Health District, which includes Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford. Omicron is increasing hospitalization especially among the unvaccinated, but also among the vaccinated, he said. In terms of numbers, the increased infectivity means a lot more people will likely become infected, which increases the possibility of getting seriously ill and even dying, even for those who are fully vaccinated. Dr. Christopher Newman, chief medical officer at MWHC, said his concerns were more focused on the overall growing number of hospitalizations regardless of vaccination status. The standard playbook for COVID-19 that has worked quite well with previous variants is just not working with omicron, he said. For instance, both MWHC and the state suspended the use of certain types of monoclonal antibodieswhich are given in an infusion to those most at risk to prevent serious illness and hospitalizationsbecause they werent effective against omicron. MWHC will receive a small allotment of an antibodies treatment that does seem to work, called sotrovimab, but will have to reserve it for the severely immunocompromised. There is not enough supply for the demand, he said. Compromised immune systems and chronic health conditions were topics of Facebook chatter on Thursday as those on MWHCs site wondered if the already vaccinated patients, in hospitals, have underlying issues. Certain factorsincluding being over 65, having chronic health problems and having weakened immune systemsdo put people more at risk of severe outcomes, said Mary Chamberlin, public information officer for the local health district. After one person asked what brand of vaccine those hospitalized had received, MWHC posted that numbers were fairly equally split. Of the 35 vaccinated inpatients in the hospital as of Thursday, 15 had received Pfizer; 14, Moderna; and six, Johnson & Johnson. The key is to get a booster as soon as possible, MWHC also posted on Facebook. Even though the number of patients whove been vaccinated has risen at MWHC hospitals, the majority of people being treated for virus symptoms arent vaccinated, as the governor suggested. Thats particularly true among younger people; as of Friday, 51 of the 63 patients under 65 in MWHC facilities had not been vaccinated. Among the 12 patients in that age group who were fully vaccinated, none had gotten booster shots, according to the chart. Data from the Virginia Department of Health shows that even with the impact from delta and omicron, people who arent vaccinated are getting infected, hospitalized and dying at rates four times higher than those who have been vaccinated. But the state data also shows a growing number of breakthrough cases in which fully vaccinated people develop the illness. From mid-January to late December this year, 88,143 fully vaccinated Virginians were infected with COVID-19. Of that total, 2,559 ended up in the hospital and 969 of them died, according to state data. As COVID-19 has remained on the sceneand not been stamped out, perhaps due to not enough people being vaccinatedthe virus has mutated and produced different variants against which vaccines may not be as effective. Dr. Sheena Taylor, chief hospitalist at Mary Washington Healthcare, spoke in September about the way mutations can be fueled by the unvaccinated. She said those who are vaccinated have antibodies in their systemsvirtual armies ready to be deployed when the virus attacks. Those who arent vaccinated dont have that supply of armed forces and as their bodies fight to build up a defense, theres a lag time between infection and immune response. In that lag time, [the virus] is getting an opportunity to replicate, Taylor said, and possibly mutate into an even stronger variant. That is why its immensely important to vaccinate. Were protecting our community at large and preventing the opportunity of future mutations to come about. But as public health officials also have noted, being vaccinated doesnt provide superhuman coverage. Thats why the governors statement about almost everyone hospitalized being unvaccinated could suggest a false sense of security among those whove been vaccinated and even boosted. We need to continue to use all the barriers between us and the virus until the pandemic is truly in the rearview mirror, Obasanjo said. Vaccination, testing with quarantine and isolation as indicated, masking and social distancing must continue more fastidiously given the increased infectivity. On Monday, Newman gave the same advice to MWH staff in the wake of rising patient counts and hospital workers contracting the virus. He suggested they wear medical-grade masks rather than cloth ones outside their homes and around anyone not in their household; make sure the masks cover their mouths and noses; practice social distancing and avoid social gatherings; wash hands frequently; and encourage vaccinations and boosters. He also said on Thursday that because of omicrons transmissibility, individuals really must weigh their personal risk when electing to participate in certain activities. Container ships are seen loaded with cargo at Busan Port, in this Dec. 7 file photo. Yonhap Exports rose 25.8 percent in 2021 from the previous year to reach an all-time high on the back of solid demand for semiconductors and petroleum products amid a global economic recovery, the industry ministry said Saturday. Outbound shipments stood at $644.54 billion last year, compared with $512.5 billion in 2020, according to data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. This is the highest annual figure since 1956 when the country began compiling trade related data the previous record was $604.9 billion set in 2018. The country's exports surpassed the $100 million mark for the first time in 1964, $10 billion in 1977, and reached the $100 billion milestone in 1995 and $600 billion in 2018. Imports spiked 31.5 percent year-on-year to $615.05 billion in 2021, resulting in a trade surplus of $29.49 billion the 13th consecutive year that the country's exports exceeded imports. Total trade volume also hit a yearly record of $1.26 trillion in 2021, making South Korea the eighth-largest trading nation in the world, according to the ministry. The country had been the world's ninth for about the previous decade. For December, exports increased 18.3 percent year-on-year, reaching a monthly high of $60.74 billion. Imports climbed 37.4 percent for the month to $61.32 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of $590 million, the ministry's data showed. Exports of the country's major items, such as semiconductors and petrochemicals, logged double-digit growth, to lead the overall gains, the ministry said. Outbound shipments to nine major regions all grew in 2021, with yearly exports to China, the United States, the European Union, ASEAN nations and India reaching record highs, it added. (Yonhap) The Jan Vishwas Yatra has been an effective and successful outreach programme of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to all the 403 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the elections, said party MLC Vidyasagar Sonkar on Friday. Vidyasagar Sonkar is the state Jan Vishwas Yatra chief of BJP. Speaking to ANI, Sonkar said, "Beginning on December 19, the 15-day Jan Vishwas Yatra has been an effective and great outreach programme of BJP to all 403 assemblies in Uttar Pradesh. The Yatra instilled enthusiasm among the party workers in all the assemblies. Through the Yatra, the party has reached out to every village and every household and conveyed its message even before the announcement of the election date in Uttar Pradesh." He said the party will successfully conclude the Jan Vishwas Yatra on January 3, 2022. Senior ministers and officials of BJP participated in this yatra. He said there were designated chiefs for every yatra. For Yatra, raths and SUVs were provided by the party. "Meetings, public meetings and roadshows were organized during the Yatra. Programmes of party morchas were held in all 403 assemblies. The yatras were also on night stay in all the assemblies. Through the Jan Vishwas Yatra, BJP addressed the workers' convention in all the Assemblies of Uttar Pradesh before the start of the elections," Sonkar said. "Prime Minister will address a mega rally marking the conclusion of Jan Vishwas Yatra on January 9, 2022 in . However, the programme is still proposed, as soon as the approval is received, the schedule will also be released," the BJP leader said. The first Jan Vishwas Yatra started from Mathura on December 19 and will end on December 31 in Bareilly. The head of this yatra is BJP MLC Dr Manvendra Pratap Singh. The second such Yatra is headed by BJP MP Satish Gautam that began from Bijnor and will end in Rampur on January 1, 2022. The third Jan Vishwas Yatra headed by Union Minister Baburam Nishad started from Jhansi and will end on January 2 at Kanpur-Bithoor. Its head is Baburam Nishad, Minister of State with a status. Headed by BJP MLC Vijay Bahadur Pathak, the fourth Yatra began from Ambedkar Nagar and will end at Kakori on January 3. The fifth yatra started from Ballia and will end at Basti on January 3. BJP MP Harish Dwivedi is heading this yatra. Starting from Ghazipur, the sixth Yatra will end on January 3 at Amethi. It is headed by party MP Vinod Sonkar. Among the key leaders who participated in the Yatra include BJP national president JP Nadda, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Several union ministers such as Nitin Gadkari, Dharmendra Pradhan, Smriti Irani and Uttar Pradesh BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh, state Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma have also marked their presence in Jan Vishwas Yatra. Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh are slated for early next year. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Jan Vishwas Yatra has been an effective and successful outreach programme of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to all the 403 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the elections, said party MLC Vidyasagar Sonkar on Friday. Vidyasagar Sonkar is the state Jan Vishwas Yatra chief of BJP. Speaking to ANI, Sonkar said, "Beginning on December 19, the 15-day Jan Vishwas Yatra has been an effective and great outreach programme of BJP to all 403 assemblies in Uttar Pradesh. The Yatra instilled enthusiasm among the party workers in all the assemblies. Through the Yatra, the party has reached out to every village and every household and conveyed its message even before the announcement of the election date in Uttar Pradesh." He said the party will successfully conclude the Jan Vishwas Yatra on January 3, 2022. Senior ministers and officials of BJP participated in this yatra. He said there were designated chiefs for every yatra. For Yatra, raths and SUVs were provided by the party. "Meetings, public meetings and roadshows were organized during the Yatra. Programmes of party morchas were held in all 403 assemblies. The yatras were also on night stay in all the assemblies. Through the Jan Vishwas Yatra, BJP addressed the workers' convention in all the Assemblies of Uttar Pradesh before the start of the elections," Sonkar said. "Prime Minister will address a mega rally marking the conclusion of Jan Vishwas Yatra on January 9, 2022 in . However, the programme is still proposed, as soon as the approval is received, the schedule will also be released," the BJP leader said. The first Jan Vishwas Yatra started from Mathura on December 19 and will end on December 31 in Bareilly. The head of this yatra is BJP MLC Dr Manvendra Pratap Singh. The second such Yatra is headed by BJP MP Satish Gautam that began from Bijnor and will end in Rampur on January 1, 2022. The third Jan Vishwas Yatra headed by Union Minister Baburam Nishad started from Jhansi and will end on January 2 at Kanpur-Bithoor. Its head is Baburam Nishad, Minister of State with a status. Headed by BJP MLC Vijay Bahadur Pathak, the fourth Yatra began from Ambedkar Nagar and will end at Kakori on January 3. The fifth yatra started from Ballia and will end at Basti on January 3. BJP MP Harish Dwivedi is heading this yatra. Starting from Ghazipur, the sixth Yatra will end on January 3 at Amethi. It is headed by party MP Vinod Sonkar. Among the key leaders who participated in the Yatra include BJP national president JP Nadda, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Several union ministers such as Nitin Gadkari, Dharmendra Pradhan, Smriti Irani and Uttar Pradesh BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh, state Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma have also marked their presence in Jan Vishwas Yatra. Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh are slated for early next year. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. The Delhi government has sanctioned Rs 475.78 crore to install 600 LED screens across the city, an official said on Friday. "The LED screens will be installed at prominent locations on PWD roads, intersections and T points of roads, entry/exit of the metro station having heavy footfalls," the government said in a statement. The screens will display graphics, films, pollution data, social messages and information of government policies, and other relevant details of public interest. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had chaired the Expenditure Finance Committee, in its fifth meeting held on December 22. According to the statement, "the CCC or the Command Control Centre shall be compatible to run setup with various permutation and combinations (i.e., individually, cluster or all at a time) of the LED screen, area and location wise". The data for display will be received in the central control room, and after processing the same, will be displayed with the help of GSM network and cloud services, it noted. Sudanese pro-democracy demonstrators blocked streets in Khartoum on Friday, protesting against violence a day earlier that left five people dead and sparked condemnation. Protesters barricaded roads in the east Khartoum district of Burri as well as in nearby Khartoum North using rocks, tree branches and tyres, an AFP journalist reported. Sudan has been gripped by turmoil since military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan launched a coup on October 25 and detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Hamdok was reinstated on November 21, but mass protests have continued as demonstrators distrust Burhan's promises of seeking to guide the country toward full democracy. As the authorities on Thursday cut off communications across the country, security forces clamped down on demonstrations, firing live rounds and tear gas as tens of thousands gathered in Khartoum and its neighbouring cities. Four protesters were fatally shot in the head or chest in Omdurman, according to the pro-democracy Doctors' Committee, while a fifth succumbed to his wounds Friday after he was shot in central Khartoum. Protesters charge that the deal to reinstate Hamdok simply aims to give the cloak of legitimacy to the generals, whom they accuse of trying to continue the regime built by former autocratic president Omar al-Bashir, who was toppled in 2019 following mass protests. Resignations A civilian member recently appointed to the ruling Sovereign Council, Abdel Baqi Abdel Qader, announced that he intends to resign. Sudanese demonstrators push a cement barricade in the capital Khartoum as tens of thousands protest against the army's October 25 coup, on December 30. By - (AFP) He said he had sent a message to Burhan's office requesting a meeting "to present to him my resignation... over the violence against demonstrators". Interim health minister Haitham Mohammed also announced his resignation in a letter made public, denouncing attacks on medics and hospitals treating protesters. Two journalists from Saudi Arabia's Asharq television channel, Maha al-Talb and Sally Othman, were released after they and their crews were held for several hours, the channel said. Police had also stormed the bureau of the Al-Arabiya television network funded by Saudi Arabia -- seen as a traditional ally of Sudan's military leaders. The violence and attacks on the media drew widespread condemnation. "Deeply troubled by reports that Sudanese security forces used lethal force against protesters, blacked out the internet, and attempted to shut down media outlets," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted after Thursday's events. The Doctors' Committee has accused security forces of blocking ambulances and of forcibly removing at least one seriously injured protester from an ambulance. Videos have circulated on social media showing men in uniform beating protesters with sticks. 'International solidarity' The Sudanese Communist Party called for "urgent international solidarity to demand an end to the bloody repression in Sudan and the immediate release of all political detainees". Christian figures in the country announced the cancellation of New Year's celebrations in memory of Thursday's victims. Protesters have renewed demands that the military "return to their barracks" as promised in 2019 when Bashir was toppled and the country came under the control of the Sovereign Council, a body composed of both civilian and military figures, headed by Burhan. A police spokesman had said four people died in Thursday's unrest and 297 people were injured, "including 49 police officers". He also said "three police vans were set on fire" and accused protest leaders of having sought to "turn a peaceful march into violence and confrontations with the security forces". An adviser to Burhan told the state news agency that "the demonstrations are a waste of time and energy" and would not lead to a political solution. The bloody crackdown since the October coup has claimed 53 lives and left hundreds wounded. Sudanese pro-democracy demonstrators blocked streets in Khartoum on Friday, protesting against violence a day earlier that left five people dead and sparked condemnation. Protesters barricaded roads in the east Khartoum district of Burri as well as in nearby Khartoum North using rocks, tree branches and tyres, an AFP journalist reported. Sudan has been gripped by turmoil since military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan launched a coup on October 25 and detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Hamdok was reinstated on November 21, but mass protests have continued as demonstrators distrust Burhan's promises of seeking to guide the country toward full democracy. As the authorities on Thursday cut off communications across the country, security forces clamped down on demonstrations, firing live rounds and tear gas as tens of thousands gathered in Khartoum and its neighbouring cities. Four protesters were fatally shot in the head or chest in Omdurman, according to the pro-democracy Doctors' Committee, while a fifth succumbed to his wounds Friday after he was shot in central Khartoum. Protesters charge that the deal to reinstate Hamdok simply aims to give the cloak of legitimacy to the generals, whom they accuse of trying to continue the regime built by former autocratic president Omar al-Bashir, who was toppled in 2019 following mass protests. Resignations A civilian member recently appointed to the ruling Sovereign Council, Abdel Baqi Abdel Qader, announced that he intends to resign. Sudanese demonstrators push a cement barricade in the capital Khartoum as tens of thousands protest against the army's October 25 coup, on December 30. By - (AFP) He said he had sent a message to Burhan's office requesting a meeting "to present to him my resignation... over the violence against demonstrators". Interim health minister Haitham Mohammed also announced his resignation in a letter made public, denouncing attacks on medics and hospitals treating protesters. Two journalists from Saudi Arabia's Asharq television channel, Maha al-Talb and Sally Othman, were released after they and their crews were held for several hours, the channel said. Police had also stormed the bureau of the Al-Arabiya television network funded by Saudi Arabia -- seen as a traditional ally of Sudan's military leaders. The violence and attacks on the media drew widespread condemnation. "Deeply troubled by reports that Sudanese security forces used lethal force against protesters, blacked out the internet, and attempted to shut down media outlets," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted after Thursday's events. The Doctors' Committee has accused security forces of blocking ambulances and of forcibly removing at least one seriously injured protester from an ambulance. Videos have circulated on social media showing men in uniform beating protesters with sticks. 'International solidarity' The Sudanese Communist Party called for "urgent international solidarity to demand an end to the bloody repression in Sudan and the immediate release of all political detainees". Christian figures in the country announced the cancellation of New Year's celebrations in memory of Thursday's victims. Protesters have renewed demands that the military "return to their barracks" as promised in 2019 when Bashir was toppled and the country came under the control of the Sovereign Council, a body composed of both civilian and military figures, headed by Burhan. A police spokesman had said four people died in Thursday's unrest and 297 people were injured, "including 49 police officers". He also said "three police vans were set on fire" and accused protest leaders of having sought to "turn a peaceful march into violence and confrontations with the security forces". An adviser to Burhan told the state news agency that "the demonstrations are a waste of time and energy" and would not lead to a political solution. The bloody crackdown since the October coup has claimed 53 lives and left hundreds wounded. Sudanese pro-democracy demonstrators blocked streets in Khartoum on Friday, protesting against violence a day earlier that left five people dead and sparked condemnation. Protesters barricaded roads in the east Khartoum district of Burri as well as in nearby Khartoum North using rocks, tree branches and tyres, an AFP journalist reported. Sudan has been gripped by turmoil since military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan launched a coup on October 25 and detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Hamdok was reinstated on November 21, but mass protests have continued as demonstrators distrust Burhan's promises of seeking to guide the country toward full democracy. As the authorities on Thursday cut off communications across the country, security forces clamped down on demonstrations, firing live rounds and tear gas as tens of thousands gathered in Khartoum and its neighbouring cities. Four protesters were fatally shot in the head or chest in Omdurman, according to the pro-democracy Doctors' Committee, while a fifth succumbed to his wounds Friday after he was shot in central Khartoum. Protesters charge that the deal to reinstate Hamdok simply aims to give the cloak of legitimacy to the generals, whom they accuse of trying to continue the regime built by former autocratic president Omar al-Bashir, who was toppled in 2019 following mass protests. Resignations A civilian member recently appointed to the ruling Sovereign Council, Abdel Baqi Abdel Qader, announced that he intends to resign. Sudanese demonstrators push a cement barricade in the capital Khartoum as tens of thousands protest against the army's October 25 coup, on December 30. By - (AFP) He said he had sent a message to Burhan's office requesting a meeting "to present to him my resignation... over the violence against demonstrators". Interim health minister Haitham Mohammed also announced his resignation in a letter made public, denouncing attacks on medics and hospitals treating protesters. Two journalists from Saudi Arabia's Asharq television channel, Maha al-Talb and Sally Othman, were released after they and their crews were held for several hours, the channel said. Police had also stormed the bureau of the Al-Arabiya television network funded by Saudi Arabia -- seen as a traditional ally of Sudan's military leaders. The violence and attacks on the media drew widespread condemnation. "Deeply troubled by reports that Sudanese security forces used lethal force against protesters, blacked out the internet, and attempted to shut down media outlets," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted after Thursday's events. The Doctors' Committee has accused security forces of blocking ambulances and of forcibly removing at least one seriously injured protester from an ambulance. Videos have circulated on social media showing men in uniform beating protesters with sticks. 'International solidarity' The Sudanese Communist Party called for "urgent international solidarity to demand an end to the bloody repression in Sudan and the immediate release of all political detainees". Christian figures in the country announced the cancellation of New Year's celebrations in memory of Thursday's victims. Protesters have renewed demands that the military "return to their barracks" as promised in 2019 when Bashir was toppled and the country came under the control of the Sovereign Council, a body composed of both civilian and military figures, headed by Burhan. A police spokesman had said four people died in Thursday's unrest and 297 people were injured, "including 49 police officers". He also said "three police vans were set on fire" and accused protest leaders of having sought to "turn a peaceful march into violence and confrontations with the security forces". An adviser to Burhan told the state news agency that "the demonstrations are a waste of time and energy" and would not lead to a political solution. The bloody crackdown since the October coup has claimed 53 lives and left hundreds wounded. Sudanese pro-democracy demonstrators blocked streets in Khartoum on Friday, protesting against violence a day earlier that left five people dead and sparked condemnation. Protesters barricaded roads in the east Khartoum district of Burri as well as in nearby Khartoum North using rocks, tree branches and tyres, an AFP journalist reported. Sudan has been gripped by turmoil since military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan launched a coup on October 25 and detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Hamdok was reinstated on November 21, but mass protests have continued as demonstrators distrust Burhan's promises of seeking to guide the country toward full democracy. As the authorities on Thursday cut off communications across the country, security forces clamped down on demonstrations, firing live rounds and tear gas as tens of thousands gathered in Khartoum and its neighbouring cities. Four protesters were fatally shot in the head or chest in Omdurman, according to the pro-democracy Doctors' Committee, while a fifth succumbed to his wounds Friday after he was shot in central Khartoum. Protesters charge that the deal to reinstate Hamdok simply aims to give the cloak of legitimacy to the generals, whom they accuse of trying to continue the regime built by former autocratic president Omar al-Bashir, who was toppled in 2019 following mass protests. Resignations A civilian member recently appointed to the ruling Sovereign Council, Abdel Baqi Abdel Qader, announced that he intends to resign. Sudanese demonstrators push a cement barricade in the capital Khartoum as tens of thousands protest against the army's October 25 coup, on December 30. By - (AFP) He said he had sent a message to Burhan's office requesting a meeting "to present to him my resignation... over the violence against demonstrators". Interim health minister Haitham Mohammed also announced his resignation in a letter made public, denouncing attacks on medics and hospitals treating protesters. Two journalists from Saudi Arabia's Asharq television channel, Maha al-Talb and Sally Othman, were released after they and their crews were held for several hours, the channel said. Police had also stormed the bureau of the Al-Arabiya television network funded by Saudi Arabia -- seen as a traditional ally of Sudan's military leaders. The violence and attacks on the media drew widespread condemnation. "Deeply troubled by reports that Sudanese security forces used lethal force against protesters, blacked out the internet, and attempted to shut down media outlets," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted after Thursday's events. The Doctors' Committee has accused security forces of blocking ambulances and of forcibly removing at least one seriously injured protester from an ambulance. Videos have circulated on social media showing men in uniform beating protesters with sticks. 'International solidarity' The Sudanese Communist Party called for "urgent international solidarity to demand an end to the bloody repression in Sudan and the immediate release of all political detainees". Christian figures in the country announced the cancellation of New Year's celebrations in memory of Thursday's victims. Protesters have renewed demands that the military "return to their barracks" as promised in 2019 when Bashir was toppled and the country came under the control of the Sovereign Council, a body composed of both civilian and military figures, headed by Burhan. A police spokesman had said four people died in Thursday's unrest and 297 people were injured, "including 49 police officers". He also said "three police vans were set on fire" and accused protest leaders of having sought to "turn a peaceful march into violence and confrontations with the security forces". An adviser to Burhan told the state news agency that "the demonstrations are a waste of time and energy" and would not lead to a political solution. The bloody crackdown since the October coup has claimed 53 lives and left hundreds wounded. GREENSBORO Though the battle remains fierce against COVID-19, health officials say 2021 had some amazing, uplifting and yes, heart-wrenching, developments. At this time last year, the Guilford County health department had just given out its first 50 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine calling in nurses who were on holiday to distribute them to emergency services workers. At Cone Health, officials were preparing to issue a warning that all 924 staffed beds would soon be filled if coronavirus hospitalization trends continued. Around the world, scientists, doctors, educators, CEOs and politicians along with everyday folks grappled with what the future held, trying to determine the next right steps. And while that continues to be the case as the new year begins, 2021 still brought better tools and more weapons to fight the pandemic. Perhaps most importantly, the year also provided much-needed experience for what may lie ahead. Pivoting On Wednesday, the News & Record spoke with two physicians at the forefront of Guilford Countys COVID-19 battle: Dr. Iulia Vann, the countys public health director, and Dr. Brent McQuaid, Cone Healths lead COVID-19 physician. And while Websters word of the year may be vaccine, judging from these interviews, pivot might be a close second. Between oft-changing guidance, new treatments and an ever-expanding population of vaccine recipients, health care leaders found themselves frequently pivoting to address new facets of the pandemic as they arose. Once the vaccine began arriving, then everything started happening really fast, Vann said. Our entire process of planning for the vaccine distribution had some really good strong points, but there were still a lot of things that we didnt know, she said. For instance, the transportation and storage requirements for the initial vaccine were a challenge. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the first to receive federal emergency approval, had to be stored at minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit and required ultra-cold freezers. So we had to really pivot and figure out how are we going to store them. We did not have an ultra-cold chain unit, Vann said, referring to the freezer needed. We didnt know how were going to transport them to clinic sites. ... We had all of these plans in place, but not all of them fit the situation in which we were in because there were so many different variables, Vann said. Looking back, there was so much that was unknown, McQuaid said. There were certain treatments that we werent sure if they were going to be effective or not, he said. And later on we learned that they were. McQuaid draws parallels between his own health numbers and those reflected with the rise and fall of the number of COVID-19 patients admitted to Cone Healths hospitals. My own personal blood pressure cuff readings at home track very nicely with the number of inpatients that we have, he said and chuckled. Im not kidding when I tell you my internist and I joke about that, McQuaid said. From an emotional kind of stress level standpoint, we certainly all feel more stress when the numbers are high and peaking. When the numbers are low and things are good, we were able to relax more. And with the limited vaccine supply in early 2021, health officials also had to adhere to a strict, difficult-to-predict schedule for deploying the vaccinations. Every time we would put in an order, we had to make sure that we depleted the inventory that we had the week before, Vann said. We wouldnt get anything if we didnt deplete the inventory for the prior week. So that was so stressful. Anticipating the different phases for when certain groups became eligible for the vaccine also proved challenging. Every time a new phase would become eligible, we knew that tens of thousands of people are going to now want to get the vaccine, Vann said. So we have to make sure that we have that plan in place to allow for that surge and that would overlap with second doses of the first people that were coming in. Vaccine hesitancy Another area that health care leaders had to tackle and still are was not just skepticism that the COVID-19 vaccines would work but also outright opposition to them. I wish, McQuaid said, we could have communicated more effectively to people who question what we do in modern Western medicine what happens if you have a horrible, highly contagious, very virulent virus that is about to attack an unvaccinated population. When the number of cases started dropping in March and April, many of us kind of felt this sigh of relief. It wasnt over, but we kind of felt like it was over, he said. Looking back, he wishes he had really doubled-down at that time on driving home the vaccination message because the more highly contagious delta variant was waiting in the wings. What happened with delta is that it selectively hit the unvaccinated particularly hard, he said. Thats our community, you know, those are our neighbors. Those are our family. He paused, recalling the young people who died after contracting that particular variant. To look at them and to talk to them and offer them hope and let them know that youre gonna fight with everything youve got to get them through it, McQuaid said, his voice slightly breaking. But then despite our best efforts to have some of them die. I mean, thats particularly difficult. Anger and gratitude Falsehoods rampant on social media injected their own particular poison into the vaccination conversation. Its been difficult, Vann said, just handling all of the different misinformation that has been out there on social media, in different groups of individuals, and receiving very distasteful messages and very challenging letters. (There were) a lot of very angry people directing their anger and displeasure towards public health, myself, my team, you know, it was really scary at times, she said. Vann said she wasnt physically threatened, but I have received very direct, derogatory, very angry messages and letters throughout this time. On the whole, however, Vann said she got positive feedback for her efforts and those of her staff. Weve received hundreds of messages and emails and phone calls and letters people actually wrote me letters to tell me how wonderful of an experience they had in our vaccine clinics, talking about how our team has been so amazing, and how grateful they were, she said. Reading those comments was everything that we wished for. One of her favorite memories was at the health departments clinic at the Greensboro Coliseum, when her teams efforts came together like a well-oiled machine. It was just so powerful, not only to see how well we operated that site, but then also to see the response of the community as they were coming in to our site, she said. It was just amazing. McQuaid recalled the day the last patient was released from Cone Healths Green Valley campus the old Womens Hospital that was temporarily converted to treat only COVID-19 patients early in the pandemic. The hospital has since closed. Just the gratitude she expressed, the heartfelt just sincere appreciation for what the team members did for her, McQuaid said, thats something that really stands out as kind of a representative voice of our patients and from our community who appreciated what we did. Forging relationships Vann and McQuaid said as difficult as the past year has been, their staffs though often stretched very thin made the difference. These are probably some of the most passionate people that I have ever worked with in my entire career, said Vann, whos 36. Theyre just absolutely amazing. McQuaid echoed the sentiment, noting that health care workers can go just about anywhere in todays market. Weve been incredibly fortunate to retain the people that we have, and were very grateful for what theyve done, he said. Theyve poured themselves into patient care and into our community over the last year theres no question about that. The pandemic also afforded opportunities to forge new or better relationships. I think the friendships and the relationships that have been developed between doctors, all levels of the staff, administration has been really pretty extraordinary, McQuaid said. But its something that I think develops because of something as stressful as whats happened in 2021. So for me, thats a high note. At the public health department, Vann said they were able to build a relationship with the business community in areas we never really partnered with before. Something that would have taken probably five years to build, we were able to do so in just a few months of constant communications with them, she said. Add to that the departments work with hospital systems, faith groups, universities and schools and, it brought us even closer to work together and have a common goal and common objectives, she said. It just gave us even more motivation to get things done together in the team. I think for many people who are in health care ... to some degree, it restored their faith in the health system, McQuaid said. It may have conquered some of the cynicism about the American health care system that its all about money, he said. You go through something like this, where you watch your leaders come in on a Saturday night at 8 oclock and help you out. You see them make really difficult decisions that affect the direction of where the health system is going to go. And it makes you realize, OK, we are all still here for the common purpose of serving this community to the best of our ability, McQuaid said. I mean the health system, it didnt buckle. You know, it was stressed, but it didnt buckle, and it served the community really well with the right priorities. Health equity One thing both Vann and McQuaid mentioned is the disproportionate toll the pandemic took on people of color. COVID really shines a light on health care disparities in our community, McQuaid said. Vaccination efforts at both Cone and the health department targeted communities with a high population of minorities, who statistically are at much greater risk of suffering serious consequences from COVID-19. You look at the bad outcomes, the disparity in outcomes in hospital survivorship for example, among the Black and brown community, and where does that come from? McQuaid said. That starts from a place of where our community is not doing enough to make sure that people in the Black and brown community are getting the access to primary care that they need. Good access to such care can prevent and/or allay underlying conditions that make it harder to survive COVID-19, such as heart disease, kidney ailments and high blood pressure. And, he said, that equity also needs to be in place as new treatments become available for the coronavirus. Its important for us ... that every time we pivot to a new therapy, we need to make sure that were being very careful that we offer this with equal opportunity to everyone, McQuaid said. Especially in time of stress, of pandemic, you know its very easy for vulnerable groups to just get left behind if youre not keeping that in the forefront. At home While on the front line of the fight, McQuaid and Vann also credited their families with helping them manage the stress of the pandemic. What I treasure the most about the past year is the undying support from my wife and kids, McQuaid said. You change what you value when you go through something like this. You value the people around you much more than any sort of personal achievement or accomplishment. Vann said the challenges her family faced mirrored those of the community. Her husband was laid off for a time from his job, her son whos on the autism spectrum had to attend school virtually something she called traumatic for all of them, and her daughters day care closed, forcing them to search for another one. Though her immediate family avoided getting COVID-19, Vann said they did lose family members to the disease. They died alone, in the hospital, because of the COVID-19 restrictions. And the pandemic also has delayed a medical procedure for her son, one that he was on a waitlist for two years to receive. These things in my own personal life, makes me human, too, she said. Even as the Board of Regents for the Nevada System of Higher Education deadlocked 6-6 with one absent on a vote to keep in place the COVID vaccine mandate for employees, it also failed to approve a motion that would have delayed firings related to the mandate. The two votes effectively left the policy as-is just hours before terminations for noncompliance became effective. Thursdays meeting was the latest turn in the months-long effort by policy makers to establish vaccine requirements for more than 22,000 employees and more than 100,000 students ahead of the start of the spring semester next year. The inaction came amid mounting concerns that the delay or revocation of terminations the day before they were planned would create operational chaos across all eight NSHE institutions. Operationally, for us to go back and to revisit this on Jan. 15, that change becomes highly problematic, Nevada State College President DeRionne Pollard told regents. And I think it sends a mixed message about the intent of both this policy and also our commitments around public health. Still, an expanding core of regents opposed the employee mandate on varying grounds from individual freedom to concerns over the lack of a student equivalent. On Thursday, that included Regents Byron Brooks, Patrick Boylan, Laura Perkins, Patrick Carter and Cathy McAdoo. I take issue with even one faculty member or one classified worker being terminated for not having the vaccine when clearly the student vaccine mandate has been dropped, Brooks said. So it really becomes about equitable policy for all, rather than for some. However, it was the absence of one Regent Lois Tarkanian an opponent of the mandate in the last two votes on the issue that likely doomed any delay or repeal of the vaccine requirement as the board was left at an even twelve members. That absence briefly became a sticking point as some anti-mandate regents, including Brooks, postulated on the possibility of Tarkanian tipping the vote though the possibility of her favorable vote did little to tip the balance in favor of the motion that would have delayed firings from the vaccine mandate to mid-January. Regents initially voted to create the mandate in late September, following the creation of a student mandate by the Board of Health one month earlier. Nearly 1,700 employees not in compliance were sent termination letters on Dec. 1, but all were allowed stays if they received the vaccine before the end of the month. In the final days before the firings became permanent, only a small fraction of NSHE employees 2.3 percent remained unvaccinated, or just over 500 employees, according to data shared with regents by institutions on Wednesday. The board also voted 10-2 to direct the chancellor to draft a letter in support of a student vaccine requirement to be sent to the governor, Board of Health and Legislature. That letter will be reviewed by regents at an open meeting next month. The vote marked the first time since the pandemic began that regents held a formal vote on the increasingly politically charged issue of student vaccine requirements, as regents have clashed over the specifics of mandates and mitigation policies just as major student and faculty groups who have long supported such mandates have simmered at the inaction. Im kind of floored that we're arguing over whether or not to send a letter, when us, as students and instructors, have to be in the classroom in two weeks, Nicole Thomas, president of the UNLV Graduate and Professional Student Association, said during the meeting. We have to deal with the fallout. Though students enrolling in in-person classes next spring were initially required to prove COVID vaccination status or receive a valid exemption under an emergency regulation created by the state Board of Health, a partisan deadlock on a procedural vote in the Legislative Commission last week effectively ended that mandate. Gov. Steve Sisolak has indicated his office will continue to pursue a student mandate through normal regulatory channels, though that process is not likely to be completed ahead of the start of the spring semester in January. Ahead of Thursdays meeting, Sisolak and all eight presidents or acting heads of the states colleges and universities voiced their support for the continuation of the employee mandate. GREENSBORO Though the battle remains fierce against COVID-19, health officials say 2021 had some amazing, uplifting and yes, heart-wrenching, developments. At this time last year, the Guilford County health department had just given out its first 50 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine calling in nurses who were on holiday to distribute them to emergency services workers. At Cone Health, officials were preparing to issue a warning that all 924 staffed beds would soon be filled if coronavirus hospitalization trends continued. Around the world, scientists, doctors, educators, CEOs and politicians along with everyday folks grappled with what the future held, trying to determine the next right steps. And while that continues to be the case as the new year begins, 2021 still brought better tools and more weapons to fight the pandemic. Perhaps most importantly, the year also provided much-needed experience for what may lie ahead. Pivoting On Wednesday, the News & Record spoke with two physicians at the forefront of Guilford Countys COVID-19 battle: Dr. Iulia Vann, the countys public health director, and Dr. Brent McQuaid, Cone Healths lead COVID-19 physician. And while Websters word of the year may be vaccine, judging from these interviews, pivot might be a close second. Between oft-changing guidance, new treatments and an ever-expanding population of vaccine recipients, health care leaders found themselves frequently pivoting to address new facets of the pandemic as they arose. Once the vaccine began arriving, then everything started happening really fast, Vann said. Our entire process of planning for the vaccine distribution had some really good strong points, but there were still a lot of things that we didnt know, she said. For instance, the transportation and storage requirements for the initial vaccine were a challenge. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the first to receive federal emergency approval, had to be stored at minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit and required ultra-cold freezers. So we had to really pivot and figure out how are we going to store them. We did not have an ultra-cold chain unit, Vann said, referring to the freezer needed. We didnt know how were going to transport them to clinic sites. ... We had all of these plans in place, but not all of them fit the situation in which we were in because there were so many different variables, Vann said. Looking back, there was so much that was unknown, McQuaid said. There were certain treatments that we werent sure if they were going to be effective or not, he said. And later on we learned that they were. McQuaid draws parallels between his own health numbers and those reflected with the rise and fall of the number of COVID-19 patients admitted to Cone Healths hospitals. My own personal blood pressure cuff readings at home track very nicely with the number of inpatients that we have, he said and chuckled. Im not kidding when I tell you my internist and I joke about that, McQuaid said. From an emotional kind of stress level standpoint, we certainly all feel more stress when the numbers are high and peaking. When the numbers are low and things are good, we were able to relax more. And with the limited vaccine supply in early 2021, health officials also had to adhere to a strict, difficult-to-predict schedule for deploying the vaccinations. Every time we would put in an order, we had to make sure that we depleted the inventory that we had the week before, Vann said. We wouldnt get anything if we didnt deplete the inventory for the prior week. So that was so stressful. Anticipating the different phases for when certain groups became eligible for the vaccine also proved challenging. Every time a new phase would become eligible, we knew that tens of thousands of people are going to now want to get the vaccine, Vann said. So we have to make sure that we have that plan in place to allow for that surge and that would overlap with second doses of the first people that were coming in. Vaccine hesitancy Another area that health care leaders had to tackle and still are was not just skepticism that the COVID-19 vaccines would work but also outright opposition to them. I wish, McQuaid said, we could have communicated more effectively to people who question what we do in modern Western medicine what happens if you have a horrible, highly contagious, very virulent virus that is about to attack an unvaccinated population. When the number of cases started dropping in March and April, many of us kind of felt this sigh of relief. It wasnt over, but we kind of felt like it was over, he said. Looking back, he wishes he had really doubled-down at that time on driving home the vaccination message because the more highly contagious delta variant was waiting in the wings. What happened with delta is that it selectively hit the unvaccinated particularly hard, he said. Thats our community, you know, those are our neighbors. Those are our family. He paused, recalling the young people who died after contracting that particular variant. To look at them and to talk to them and offer them hope and let them know that youre gonna fight with everything youve got to get them through it, McQuaid said, his voice slightly breaking. But then despite our best efforts to have some of them die. I mean, thats particularly difficult. Anger and gratitude Falsehoods rampant on social media injected their own particular poison into the vaccination conversation. Its been difficult, Vann said, just handling all of the different misinformation that has been out there on social media, in different groups of individuals, and receiving very distasteful messages and very challenging letters. (There were) a lot of very angry people directing their anger and displeasure towards public health, myself, my team, you know, it was really scary at times, she said. Vann said she wasnt physically threatened, but I have received very direct, derogatory, very angry messages and letters throughout this time. On the whole, however, Vann said she got positive feedback for her efforts and those of her staff. Weve received hundreds of messages and emails and phone calls and letters people actually wrote me letters to tell me how wonderful of an experience they had in our vaccine clinics, talking about how our team has been so amazing, and how grateful they were, she said. Reading those comments was everything that we wished for. One of her favorite memories was at the health departments clinic at the Greensboro Coliseum, when her teams efforts came together like a well-oiled machine. It was just so powerful, not only to see how well we operated that site, but then also to see the response of the community as they were coming in to our site, she said. It was just amazing. McQuaid recalled the day the last patient was released from Cone Healths Green Valley campus the old Womens Hospital that was temporarily converted to treat only COVID-19 patients early in the pandemic. The hospital has since closed. Just the gratitude she expressed, the heartfelt just sincere appreciation for what the team members did for her, McQuaid said, thats something that really stands out as kind of a representative voice of our patients and from our community who appreciated what we did. Forging relationships Vann and McQuaid said as difficult as the past year has been, their staffs though often stretched very thin made the difference. These are probably some of the most passionate people that I have ever worked with in my entire career, said Vann, whos 36. Theyre just absolutely amazing. McQuaid echoed the sentiment, noting that health care workers can go just about anywhere in todays market. Weve been incredibly fortunate to retain the people that we have, and were very grateful for what theyve done, he said. Theyve poured themselves into patient care and into our community over the last year theres no question about that. The pandemic also afforded opportunities to forge new or better relationships. I think the friendships and the relationships that have been developed between doctors, all levels of the staff, administration has been really pretty extraordinary, McQuaid said. But its something that I think develops because of something as stressful as whats happened in 2021. So for me, thats a high note. At the public health department, Vann said they were able to build a relationship with the business community in areas we never really partnered with before. Something that would have taken probably five years to build, we were able to do so in just a few months of constant communications with them, she said. Add to that the departments work with hospital systems, faith groups, universities and schools and, it brought us even closer to work together and have a common goal and common objectives, she said. It just gave us even more motivation to get things done together in the team. I think for many people who are in health care ... to some degree, it restored their faith in the health system, McQuaid said. It may have conquered some of the cynicism about the American health care system that its all about money, he said. You go through something like this, where you watch your leaders come in on a Saturday night at 8 oclock and help you out. You see them make really difficult decisions that affect the direction of where the health system is going to go. And it makes you realize, OK, we are all still here for the common purpose of serving this community to the best of our ability, McQuaid said. I mean the health system, it didnt buckle. You know, it was stressed, but it didnt buckle, and it served the community really well with the right priorities. Health equity One thing both Vann and McQuaid mentioned is the disproportionate toll the pandemic took on people of color. COVID really shines a light on health care disparities in our community, McQuaid said. Vaccination efforts at both Cone and the health department targeted communities with a high population of minorities, who statistically are at much greater risk of suffering serious consequences from COVID-19. You look at the bad outcomes, the disparity in outcomes in hospital survivorship for example, among the Black and brown community, and where does that come from? McQuaid said. That starts from a place of where our community is not doing enough to make sure that people in the Black and brown community are getting the access to primary care that they need. Good access to such care can prevent and/or allay underlying conditions that make it harder to survive COVID-19, such as heart disease, kidney ailments and high blood pressure. And, he said, that equity also needs to be in place as new treatments become available for the coronavirus. Its important for us ... that every time we pivot to a new therapy, we need to make sure that were being very careful that we offer this with equal opportunity to everyone, McQuaid said. Especially in time of stress, of pandemic, you know its very easy for vulnerable groups to just get left behind if youre not keeping that in the forefront. At home While on the front line of the fight, McQuaid and Vann also credited their families with helping them manage the stress of the pandemic. What I treasure the most about the past year is the undying support from my wife and kids, McQuaid said. You change what you value when you go through something like this. You value the people around you much more than any sort of personal achievement or accomplishment. Vann said the challenges her family faced mirrored those of the community. Her husband was laid off for a time from his job, her son whos on the autism spectrum had to attend school virtually something she called traumatic for all of them, and her daughters day care closed, forcing them to search for another one. Though her immediate family avoided getting COVID-19, Vann said they did lose family members to the disease. They died alone, in the hospital, because of the COVID-19 restrictions. And the pandemic also has delayed a medical procedure for her son, one that he was on a waitlist for two years to receive. These things in my own personal life, makes me human, too, she said. GREENSBORO Though the battle remains fierce against COVID-19, health officials say 2021 had some amazing, uplifting and yes, heart-wrenching, developments. At this time last year, the Guilford County health department had just given out its first 50 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine calling in nurses who were on holiday to distribute them to emergency services workers. At Cone Health, officials were preparing to issue a warning that all 924 staffed beds would soon be filled if coronavirus hospitalization trends continued. Around the world, scientists, doctors, educators, CEOs and politicians along with everyday folks grappled with what the future held, trying to determine the next right steps. And while that continues to be the case as the new year begins, 2021 still brought better tools and more weapons to fight the pandemic. Perhaps most importantly, the year also provided much-needed experience for what may lie ahead. Pivoting On Wednesday, the News & Record spoke with two physicians at the forefront of Guilford Countys COVID-19 battle: Dr. Iulia Vann, the countys public health director, and Dr. Brent McQuaid, Cone Healths lead COVID-19 physician. And while Websters word of the year may be vaccine, judging from these interviews, pivot might be a close second. Between oft-changing guidance, new treatments and an ever-expanding population of vaccine recipients, health care leaders found themselves frequently pivoting to address new facets of the pandemic as they arose. Once the vaccine began arriving, then everything started happening really fast, Vann said. Our entire process of planning for the vaccine distribution had some really good strong points, but there were still a lot of things that we didnt know, she said. For instance, the transportation and storage requirements for the initial vaccine were a challenge. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the first to receive federal emergency approval, had to be stored at minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit and required ultra-cold freezers. So we had to really pivot and figure out how are we going to store them. We did not have an ultra-cold chain unit, Vann said, referring to the freezer needed. We didnt know how were going to transport them to clinic sites. ... We had all of these plans in place, but not all of them fit the situation in which we were in because there were so many different variables, Vann said. Looking back, there was so much that was unknown, McQuaid said. There were certain treatments that we werent sure if they were going to be effective or not, he said. And later on we learned that they were. McQuaid draws parallels between his own health numbers and those reflected with the rise and fall of the number of COVID-19 patients admitted to Cone Healths hospitals. My own personal blood pressure cuff readings at home track very nicely with the number of inpatients that we have, he said and chuckled. Im not kidding when I tell you my internist and I joke about that, McQuaid said. From an emotional kind of stress level standpoint, we certainly all feel more stress when the numbers are high and peaking. When the numbers are low and things are good, we were able to relax more. And with the limited vaccine supply in early 2021, health officials also had to adhere to a strict, difficult-to-predict schedule for deploying the vaccinations. Every time we would put in an order, we had to make sure that we depleted the inventory that we had the week before, Vann said. We wouldnt get anything if we didnt deplete the inventory for the prior week. So that was so stressful. Anticipating the different phases for when certain groups became eligible for the vaccine also proved challenging. Every time a new phase would become eligible, we knew that tens of thousands of people are going to now want to get the vaccine, Vann said. So we have to make sure that we have that plan in place to allow for that surge and that would overlap with second doses of the first people that were coming in. Vaccine hesitancy Another area that health care leaders had to tackle and still are was not just skepticism that the COVID-19 vaccines would work but also outright opposition to them. I wish, McQuaid said, we could have communicated more effectively to people who question what we do in modern Western medicine what happens if you have a horrible, highly contagious, very virulent virus that is about to attack an unvaccinated population. When the number of cases started dropping in March and April, many of us kind of felt this sigh of relief. It wasnt over, but we kind of felt like it was over, he said. Looking back, he wishes he had really doubled-down at that time on driving home the vaccination message because the more highly contagious delta variant was waiting in the wings. What happened with delta is that it selectively hit the unvaccinated particularly hard, he said. Thats our community, you know, those are our neighbors. Those are our family. He paused, recalling the young people who died after contracting that particular variant. To look at them and to talk to them and offer them hope and let them know that youre gonna fight with everything youve got to get them through it, McQuaid said, his voice slightly breaking. But then despite our best efforts to have some of them die. I mean, thats particularly difficult. Anger and gratitude Falsehoods rampant on social media injected their own particular poison into the vaccination conversation. Its been difficult, Vann said, just handling all of the different misinformation that has been out there on social media, in different groups of individuals, and receiving very distasteful messages and very challenging letters. (There were) a lot of very angry people directing their anger and displeasure towards public health, myself, my team, you know, it was really scary at times, she said. Vann said she wasnt physically threatened, but I have received very direct, derogatory, very angry messages and letters throughout this time. On the whole, however, Vann said she got positive feedback for her efforts and those of her staff. Weve received hundreds of messages and emails and phone calls and letters people actually wrote me letters to tell me how wonderful of an experience they had in our vaccine clinics, talking about how our team has been so amazing, and how grateful they were, she said. Reading those comments was everything that we wished for. One of her favorite memories was at the health departments clinic at the Greensboro Coliseum, when her teams efforts came together like a well-oiled machine. It was just so powerful, not only to see how well we operated that site, but then also to see the response of the community as they were coming in to our site, she said. It was just amazing. McQuaid recalled the day the last patient was released from Cone Healths Green Valley campus the old Womens Hospital that was temporarily converted to treat only COVID-19 patients early in the pandemic. The hospital has since closed. Just the gratitude she expressed, the heartfelt just sincere appreciation for what the team members did for her, McQuaid said, thats something that really stands out as kind of a representative voice of our patients and from our community who appreciated what we did. Forging relationships Vann and McQuaid said as difficult as the past year has been, their staffs though often stretched very thin made the difference. These are probably some of the most passionate people that I have ever worked with in my entire career, said Vann, whos 36. Theyre just absolutely amazing. McQuaid echoed the sentiment, noting that health care workers can go just about anywhere in todays market. Weve been incredibly fortunate to retain the people that we have, and were very grateful for what theyve done, he said. Theyve poured themselves into patient care and into our community over the last year theres no question about that. The pandemic also afforded opportunities to forge new or better relationships. I think the friendships and the relationships that have been developed between doctors, all levels of the staff, administration has been really pretty extraordinary, McQuaid said. But its something that I think develops because of something as stressful as whats happened in 2021. So for me, thats a high note. At the public health department, Vann said they were able to build a relationship with the business community in areas we never really partnered with before. Something that would have taken probably five years to build, we were able to do so in just a few months of constant communications with them, she said. Add to that the departments work with hospital systems, faith groups, universities and schools and, it brought us even closer to work together and have a common goal and common objectives, she said. It just gave us even more motivation to get things done together in the team. I think for many people who are in health care ... to some degree, it restored their faith in the health system, McQuaid said. It may have conquered some of the cynicism about the American health care system that its all about money, he said. You go through something like this, where you watch your leaders come in on a Saturday night at 8 oclock and help you out. You see them make really difficult decisions that affect the direction of where the health system is going to go. And it makes you realize, OK, we are all still here for the common purpose of serving this community to the best of our ability, McQuaid said. I mean the health system, it didnt buckle. You know, it was stressed, but it didnt buckle, and it served the community really well with the right priorities. Health equity One thing both Vann and McQuaid mentioned is the disproportionate toll the pandemic took on people of color. COVID really shines a light on health care disparities in our community, McQuaid said. Vaccination efforts at both Cone and the health department targeted communities with a high population of minorities, who statistically are at much greater risk of suffering serious consequences from COVID-19. You look at the bad outcomes, the disparity in outcomes in hospital survivorship for example, among the Black and brown community, and where does that come from? McQuaid said. That starts from a place of where our community is not doing enough to make sure that people in the Black and brown community are getting the access to primary care that they need. Good access to such care can prevent and/or allay underlying conditions that make it harder to survive COVID-19, such as heart disease, kidney ailments and high blood pressure. And, he said, that equity also needs to be in place as new treatments become available for the coronavirus. Its important for us ... that every time we pivot to a new therapy, we need to make sure that were being very careful that we offer this with equal opportunity to everyone, McQuaid said. Especially in time of stress, of pandemic, you know its very easy for vulnerable groups to just get left behind if youre not keeping that in the forefront. At home While on the front line of the fight, McQuaid and Vann also credited their families with helping them manage the stress of the pandemic. What I treasure the most about the past year is the undying support from my wife and kids, McQuaid said. You change what you value when you go through something like this. You value the people around you much more than any sort of personal achievement or accomplishment. Vann said the challenges her family faced mirrored those of the community. Her husband was laid off for a time from his job, her son whos on the autism spectrum had to attend school virtually something she called traumatic for all of them, and her daughters day care closed, forcing them to search for another one. Though her immediate family avoided getting COVID-19, Vann said they did lose family members to the disease. They died alone, in the hospital, because of the COVID-19 restrictions. And the pandemic also has delayed a medical procedure for her son, one that he was on a waitlist for two years to receive. These things in my own personal life, makes me human, too, she said. GREENSBORO Though the battle remains fierce against COVID-19, health officials say 2021 had some amazing, uplifting and yes, heart-wrenching, developments. At this time last year, the Guilford County health department had just given out its first 50 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine calling in nurses who were on holiday to distribute them to emergency services workers. At Cone Health, officials were preparing to issue a warning that all 924 staffed beds would soon be filled if coronavirus hospitalization trends continued. Around the world, scientists, doctors, educators, CEOs and politicians along with everyday folks grappled with what the future held, trying to determine the next right steps. And while that continues to be the case as the new year begins, 2021 still brought better tools and more weapons to fight the pandemic. Perhaps most importantly, the year also provided much-needed experience for what may lie ahead. Pivoting On Wednesday, the News & Record spoke with two physicians at the forefront of Guilford Countys COVID-19 battle: Dr. Iulia Vann, the countys public health director, and Dr. Brent McQuaid, Cone Healths lead COVID-19 physician. And while Websters word of the year may be vaccine, judging from these interviews, pivot might be a close second. Between oft-changing guidance, new treatments and an ever-expanding population of vaccine recipients, health care leaders found themselves frequently pivoting to address new facets of the pandemic as they arose. Once the vaccine began arriving, then everything started happening really fast, Vann said. Our entire process of planning for the vaccine distribution had some really good strong points, but there were still a lot of things that we didnt know, she said. For instance, the transportation and storage requirements for the initial vaccine were a challenge. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the first to receive federal emergency approval, had to be stored at minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit and required ultra-cold freezers. So we had to really pivot and figure out how are we going to store them. We did not have an ultra-cold chain unit, Vann said, referring to the freezer needed. We didnt know how were going to transport them to clinic sites. ... We had all of these plans in place, but not all of them fit the situation in which we were in because there were so many different variables, Vann said. Looking back, there was so much that was unknown, McQuaid said. There were certain treatments that we werent sure if they were going to be effective or not, he said. And later on we learned that they were. McQuaid draws parallels between his own health numbers and those reflected with the rise and fall of the number of COVID-19 patients admitted to Cone Healths hospitals. My own personal blood pressure cuff readings at home track very nicely with the number of inpatients that we have, he said and chuckled. Im not kidding when I tell you my internist and I joke about that, McQuaid said. From an emotional kind of stress level standpoint, we certainly all feel more stress when the numbers are high and peaking. When the numbers are low and things are good, we were able to relax more. And with the limited vaccine supply in early 2021, health officials also had to adhere to a strict, difficult-to-predict schedule for deploying the vaccinations. Every time we would put in an order, we had to make sure that we depleted the inventory that we had the week before, Vann said. We wouldnt get anything if we didnt deplete the inventory for the prior week. So that was so stressful. Anticipating the different phases for when certain groups became eligible for the vaccine also proved challenging. Every time a new phase would become eligible, we knew that tens of thousands of people are going to now want to get the vaccine, Vann said. So we have to make sure that we have that plan in place to allow for that surge and that would overlap with second doses of the first people that were coming in. Vaccine hesitancy Another area that health care leaders had to tackle and still are was not just skepticism that the COVID-19 vaccines would work but also outright opposition to them. I wish, McQuaid said, we could have communicated more effectively to people who question what we do in modern Western medicine what happens if you have a horrible, highly contagious, very virulent virus that is about to attack an unvaccinated population. When the number of cases started dropping in March and April, many of us kind of felt this sigh of relief. It wasnt over, but we kind of felt like it was over, he said. Looking back, he wishes he had really doubled-down at that time on driving home the vaccination message because the more highly contagious delta variant was waiting in the wings. What happened with delta is that it selectively hit the unvaccinated particularly hard, he said. Thats our community, you know, those are our neighbors. Those are our family. He paused, recalling the young people who died after contracting that particular variant. To look at them and to talk to them and offer them hope and let them know that youre gonna fight with everything youve got to get them through it, McQuaid said, his voice slightly breaking. But then despite our best efforts to have some of them die. I mean, thats particularly difficult. Anger and gratitude Falsehoods rampant on social media injected their own particular poison into the vaccination conversation. Its been difficult, Vann said, just handling all of the different misinformation that has been out there on social media, in different groups of individuals, and receiving very distasteful messages and very challenging letters. (There were) a lot of very angry people directing their anger and displeasure towards public health, myself, my team, you know, it was really scary at times, she said. Vann said she wasnt physically threatened, but I have received very direct, derogatory, very angry messages and letters throughout this time. On the whole, however, Vann said she got positive feedback for her efforts and those of her staff. Weve received hundreds of messages and emails and phone calls and letters people actually wrote me letters to tell me how wonderful of an experience they had in our vaccine clinics, talking about how our team has been so amazing, and how grateful they were, she said. Reading those comments was everything that we wished for. One of her favorite memories was at the health departments clinic at the Greensboro Coliseum, when her teams efforts came together like a well-oiled machine. It was just so powerful, not only to see how well we operated that site, but then also to see the response of the community as they were coming in to our site, she said. It was just amazing. McQuaid recalled the day the last patient was released from Cone Healths Green Valley campus the old Womens Hospital that was temporarily converted to treat only COVID-19 patients early in the pandemic. The hospital has since closed. Just the gratitude she expressed, the heartfelt just sincere appreciation for what the team members did for her, McQuaid said, thats something that really stands out as kind of a representative voice of our patients and from our community who appreciated what we did. Forging relationships Vann and McQuaid said as difficult as the past year has been, their staffs though often stretched very thin made the difference. These are probably some of the most passionate people that I have ever worked with in my entire career, said Vann, whos 36. Theyre just absolutely amazing. McQuaid echoed the sentiment, noting that health care workers can go just about anywhere in todays market. Weve been incredibly fortunate to retain the people that we have, and were very grateful for what theyve done, he said. Theyve poured themselves into patient care and into our community over the last year theres no question about that. The pandemic also afforded opportunities to forge new or better relationships. I think the friendships and the relationships that have been developed between doctors, all levels of the staff, administration has been really pretty extraordinary, McQuaid said. But its something that I think develops because of something as stressful as whats happened in 2021. So for me, thats a high note. At the public health department, Vann said they were able to build a relationship with the business community in areas we never really partnered with before. Something that would have taken probably five years to build, we were able to do so in just a few months of constant communications with them, she said. Add to that the departments work with hospital systems, faith groups, universities and schools and, it brought us even closer to work together and have a common goal and common objectives, she said. It just gave us even more motivation to get things done together in the team. I think for many people who are in health care ... to some degree, it restored their faith in the health system, McQuaid said. It may have conquered some of the cynicism about the American health care system that its all about money, he said. You go through something like this, where you watch your leaders come in on a Saturday night at 8 oclock and help you out. You see them make really difficult decisions that affect the direction of where the health system is going to go. And it makes you realize, OK, we are all still here for the common purpose of serving this community to the best of our ability, McQuaid said. I mean the health system, it didnt buckle. You know, it was stressed, but it didnt buckle, and it served the community really well with the right priorities. Health equity One thing both Vann and McQuaid mentioned is the disproportionate toll the pandemic took on people of color. COVID really shines a light on health care disparities in our community, McQuaid said. Vaccination efforts at both Cone and the health department targeted communities with a high population of minorities, who statistically are at much greater risk of suffering serious consequences from COVID-19. You look at the bad outcomes, the disparity in outcomes in hospital survivorship for example, among the Black and brown community, and where does that come from? McQuaid said. That starts from a place of where our community is not doing enough to make sure that people in the Black and brown community are getting the access to primary care that they need. Good access to such care can prevent and/or allay underlying conditions that make it harder to survive COVID-19, such as heart disease, kidney ailments and high blood pressure. And, he said, that equity also needs to be in place as new treatments become available for the coronavirus. Its important for us ... that every time we pivot to a new therapy, we need to make sure that were being very careful that we offer this with equal opportunity to everyone, McQuaid said. Especially in time of stress, of pandemic, you know its very easy for vulnerable groups to just get left behind if youre not keeping that in the forefront. At home While on the front line of the fight, McQuaid and Vann also credited their families with helping them manage the stress of the pandemic. What I treasure the most about the past year is the undying support from my wife and kids, McQuaid said. You change what you value when you go through something like this. You value the people around you much more than any sort of personal achievement or accomplishment. Vann said the challenges her family faced mirrored those of the community. Her husband was laid off for a time from his job, her son whos on the autism spectrum had to attend school virtually something she called traumatic for all of them, and her daughters day care closed, forcing them to search for another one. Though her immediate family avoided getting COVID-19, Vann said they did lose family members to the disease. They died alone, in the hospital, because of the COVID-19 restrictions. And the pandemic also has delayed a medical procedure for her son, one that he was on a waitlist for two years to receive. These things in my own personal life, makes me human, too, she said. The Jan Vishwas Yatra has been an effective and successful outreach programme of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to all the 403 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the elections, said party MLC Vidyasagar Sonkar on Friday. Vidyasagar Sonkar is the state Jan Vishwas Yatra chief of BJP. Speaking to ANI, Sonkar said, "Beginning on December 19, the 15-day Jan Vishwas Yatra has been an effective and great outreach programme of BJP to all 403 assemblies in Uttar Pradesh. The Yatra instilled enthusiasm among the party workers in all the assemblies. Through the Yatra, the party has reached out to every village and every household and conveyed its message even before the announcement of the election date in Uttar Pradesh." He said the party will successfully conclude the Jan Vishwas Yatra on January 3, 2022. Senior ministers and officials of BJP participated in this yatra. He said there were designated chiefs for every yatra. For Yatra, raths and SUVs were provided by the party. "Meetings, public meetings and roadshows were organized during the Yatra. Programmes of party morchas were held in all 403 assemblies. The yatras were also on night stay in all the assemblies. Through the Jan Vishwas Yatra, BJP addressed the workers' convention in all the Assemblies of Uttar Pradesh before the start of the elections," Sonkar said. "Prime Minister will address a mega rally marking the conclusion of Jan Vishwas Yatra on January 9, 2022 in . However, the programme is still proposed, as soon as the approval is received, the schedule will also be released," the BJP leader said. The first Jan Vishwas Yatra started from Mathura on December 19 and will end on December 31 in Bareilly. The head of this yatra is BJP MLC Dr Manvendra Pratap Singh. The second such Yatra is headed by BJP MP Satish Gautam that began from Bijnor and will end in Rampur on January 1, 2022. The third Jan Vishwas Yatra headed by Union Minister Baburam Nishad started from Jhansi and will end on January 2 at Kanpur-Bithoor. Its head is Baburam Nishad, Minister of State with a status. Headed by BJP MLC Vijay Bahadur Pathak, the fourth Yatra began from Ambedkar Nagar and will end at Kakori on January 3. The fifth yatra started from Ballia and will end at Basti on January 3. BJP MP Harish Dwivedi is heading this yatra. Starting from Ghazipur, the sixth Yatra will end on January 3 at Amethi. It is headed by party MP Vinod Sonkar. Among the key leaders who participated in the Yatra include BJP national president JP Nadda, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Several union ministers such as Nitin Gadkari, Dharmendra Pradhan, Smriti Irani and Uttar Pradesh BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh, state Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma have also marked their presence in Jan Vishwas Yatra. Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh are slated for early next year. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The GST officials on Friday said the Mumbai Commissionerate while investigating the business activities of a exchange, WazirX, detected GST evasion of Rs 40.5 crore. "The GST of Rs 40.5 crore was not paid. Along with interest and penalty, on December 30, a total of Rs 49.2 crore has been recovered from WazirX," a GST official said. "WazirX exchange is managed by Zanmai Labs Pvt. Ltd and WRX is owned by Binance Investment Co. Ltd, Seychelles. "The exchange provides option to a trader to transact in Rupee or WRX. The WRX has to be purchased from WazirX platform. The company was charging commission on each transaction in from buyer and seller both. But they were not paying the tax to Government," the official said. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) officials also found that the rate of commission was different for both the transactions. "The transaction in rupee attracts the commission of 0.2 per cent and transaction in WRX attracts the commission of 0.1 per cent," said the official. During the investigation, it came to notice that the company used to collect revenue from commission as trading fees, deposit fees and withdrawal fees. The company was paying GST only on commission earned in rupee but was not paying GST on commission earned in WRX. A GST at the rate of 18 per cent is applicable on this transaction fees. The case was a part of the special anti- drive, which relies on intensive data mining and data analytics, initiated by the CGST Mumbai Zone. "The CGST department will cover all the cryptocurrency exchanges falling in Mumbai zone and will also intensify this drive in the coming days," the official said. --IANS atk/pgh (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 Delhi government has sanctioned Rs 475.78 crore to install 600 LED screens across the city, an official said on Friday. "The LED screens will be installed at prominent locations on PWD roads, intersections and T points of roads, entry/exit of the metro station having heavy footfalls," the government said in a statement. The screens will display graphics, films, pollution data, social messages and information of government policies, and other relevant details of public interest. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had chaired the Expenditure Finance Committee, in its fifth meeting held on December 22. According to the statement, "the CCC or the Command Control Centre shall be compatible to run setup with various permutation and combinations (i.e., individually, cluster or all at a time) of the LED screen, area and location wise". The data for display will be received in the central control room, and after processing the same, will be displayed with the help of GSM network and cloud services, it noted. Even as the Board of Regents for the Nevada System of Higher Education deadlocked 6-6 with one absent on a vote to keep in place the COVID vaccine mandate for employees, it also failed to approve a motion that would have delayed firings related to the mandate. The two votes effectively left the policy as-is just hours before terminations for noncompliance became effective. Thursdays meeting was the latest turn in the months-long effort by policy makers to establish vaccine requirements for more than 22,000 employees and more than 100,000 students ahead of the start of the spring semester next year. The inaction came amid mounting concerns that the delay or revocation of terminations the day before they were planned would create operational chaos across all eight NSHE institutions. Operationally, for us to go back and to revisit this on Jan. 15, that change becomes highly problematic, Nevada State College President DeRionne Pollard told regents. And I think it sends a mixed message about the intent of both this policy and also our commitments around public health. Still, an expanding core of regents opposed the employee mandate on varying grounds from individual freedom to concerns over the lack of a student equivalent. On Thursday, that included Regents Byron Brooks, Patrick Boylan, Laura Perkins, Patrick Carter and Cathy McAdoo. I take issue with even one faculty member or one classified worker being terminated for not having the vaccine when clearly the student vaccine mandate has been dropped, Brooks said. So it really becomes about equitable policy for all, rather than for some. However, it was the absence of one Regent Lois Tarkanian an opponent of the mandate in the last two votes on the issue that likely doomed any delay or repeal of the vaccine requirement as the board was left at an even twelve members. That absence briefly became a sticking point as some anti-mandate regents, including Brooks, postulated on the possibility of Tarkanian tipping the vote though the possibility of her favorable vote did little to tip the balance in favor of the motion that would have delayed firings from the vaccine mandate to mid-January. Regents initially voted to create the mandate in late September, following the creation of a student mandate by the Board of Health one month earlier. Nearly 1,700 employees not in compliance were sent termination letters on Dec. 1, but all were allowed stays if they received the vaccine before the end of the month. In the final days before the firings became permanent, only a small fraction of NSHE employees 2.3 percent remained unvaccinated, or just over 500 employees, according to data shared with regents by institutions on Wednesday. The board also voted 10-2 to direct the chancellor to draft a letter in support of a student vaccine requirement to be sent to the governor, Board of Health and Legislature. That letter will be reviewed by regents at an open meeting next month. The vote marked the first time since the pandemic began that regents held a formal vote on the increasingly politically charged issue of student vaccine requirements, as regents have clashed over the specifics of mandates and mitigation policies just as major student and faculty groups who have long supported such mandates have simmered at the inaction. Im kind of floored that we're arguing over whether or not to send a letter, when us, as students and instructors, have to be in the classroom in two weeks, Nicole Thomas, president of the UNLV Graduate and Professional Student Association, said during the meeting. We have to deal with the fallout. Though students enrolling in in-person classes next spring were initially required to prove COVID vaccination status or receive a valid exemption under an emergency regulation created by the state Board of Health, a partisan deadlock on a procedural vote in the Legislative Commission last week effectively ended that mandate. Gov. Steve Sisolak has indicated his office will continue to pursue a student mandate through normal regulatory channels, though that process is not likely to be completed ahead of the start of the spring semester in January. Ahead of Thursdays meeting, Sisolak and all eight presidents or acting heads of the states colleges and universities voiced their support for the continuation of the employee mandate. The Delhi government has sanctioned Rs 475.78 crore to install 600 LED screens across the city, an official said on Friday. "The LED screens will be installed at prominent locations on PWD roads, intersections and T points of roads, entry/exit of the metro station having heavy footfalls," the government said in a statement. The screens will display graphics, films, pollution data, social messages and information of government policies, and other relevant details of public interest. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had chaired the Expenditure Finance Committee, in its fifth meeting held on December 22. According to the statement, "the CCC or the Command Control Centre shall be compatible to run setup with various permutation and combinations (i.e., individually, cluster or all at a time) of the LED screen, area and location wise". The data for display will be received in the central control room, and after processing the same, will be displayed with the help of GSM network and cloud services, it noted. The Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) chapter in the United Kingdom(UK) and the Republic of Ireland Alhaji Alhassan Mbalba has said the socio-economic and political situation in the country is worsened under the Akufo-Addo led administration coupled with unprecedented corruption, nepotism and tribalism. He noted that the gains made in collective efforts to consolidate and deepen democracy have been derailed due to the constitutional dictatorship and acts of bare-faced thuggery by the NPP government. Alhaji Alhassan Mbalba indicated the actions of Members of Parliament of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP) during the election of Rt. Hon Alban Sumani Kingsford Bagbin as the Speaker 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic and the controversies surrounding the E-Levy bill are disgraceful and a blight on the democratic experiment as a country. In a message to mark the 40th anniversary of the 31st December revolution, he urges party members to despair despite the disturbing events and intolerable and unbearable economic hardship in the country. "It appears the gains we have made in our collective efforts to consolidate and deepen democracy in Ghana is under threat due to the constitutional dictatorship and acts of bare-faced thuggery being perpetrated by elements of President Akufo Addo- Bawumia led government. "However, despite these disturbing events and intolerable and unbearable economic hardship, let us not be despaired. Insofar as the good people of Ghana do not want to experience or witness any unconstitutional change of government or coup in Ghana; or allow any political party to use unconstitutional or illegal means to gain or retain power, the NDC will continue to hold the NPP accountable and pursue all legal and democratic means of wrestling power from them in 2024," he stated. According to Alhaji Alhassan Mbalba, the 40th anniversary of the 31st December revolution will be celebrated without the leader of the revolution, the late Flt Lt John Jerry Rawlings of blessed memory. "This is the second year that the 31st December revolution is being celebrated without the Leader of Revolution, the late Flt Lt John Jerry Rawlings of blessed memory". "The 31st December Revolution occasioned the formation of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), and subsequently National Democratic Congress (NDC) under the fourth Republican Constitution with the beliefs, values and guiding principles of Flt Lt J.J Rawlings as its main ethos," he added. Below is the full press statement NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS- UK & IRELAND CHAPTER MESSAGE TO MARK 40th ANNIVERSARY OF 31ST DECEMBER REVOLUTION This is the second year running that the 31st December Revolution is being commemorated without the Leader of the Revolution, late Flt Lt John Jerry Rawlings of blessed memory. The 31st December Revolution occasioned the formation of the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC), and subsequently National Democratic Congress(NDC) under the fourth Republican Constitution with the beliefs, values, and guiding principles of Flt J.J. Rawlings as its main ethos. The significance of the PNDC government under the visionary leadership of late President Rawlings in the promulgation of the longest and enduring constitutional dispensation- Ghanas 4th Republic - cannot be overemphasized. As Shakespeare opined when treason prospers, none dare call it treason. There is no doubt that despite the sudden demise of Flt Lt Rawlings, the principles and values of the 31st December Revolution will continue to be relevant and important in sustaining and consolidating our longest attempt to institutionalize true democracy, rule of law and constitutionalism in Ghana. The current socio-economic and political situation in the country is very concerning: Unprecedented corruption, nepotism and tribalism, including actions of Members of Parliament of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP) during the election of Rt. Hon Alban Sumani Kingsford Bagbin as the Speaker 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic and the controversies surrounding the E-Levy bill are disgraceful and a blight on our democratic experiment as a country. It appears the gains we have made in our collective efforts to consolidate and deepen democracy in Ghana is under threat due to the constitutional dictatorship and acts of bare-faced thuggery being perpetrated by elements of President Akufo Addo- Bawumia led government. However, despite these disturbing events and intolerable and unbearable economic hardship, let us not be despaired. Insofar as the good people of Ghana do not want to experience or witness any unconstitutional change of government or coup in Ghana; or allow any political party to use unconstitutional or illegal means to gain or retain power, the NDC will continue to hold the NPP accountable and pursue all legal and democratic means of wrestling power from them in 2024. Therefore, we must continue to cherish and propagate the ideals, values and principles underpinning the 31st December Revolution as we mark the 40th Anniversary of 31st December Revolution because as the saying goes life begins at 40. May the Soul of President Rawlings and other fallen comrades rest in perfect peace. Long Live Ghana! Long Live NDC! Long Live 31st December Revolution! Thank you. Alhaji Alhassan Mbalba Chairman NDC- UK & Ireland Chapter The Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) chapter in the United Kingdom(UK) and the Republic of Ireland Alhaji Alhassan Mbalba has said the socio-economic and political situation in the country is worsened under the Akufo-Addo led administration coupled with unprecedented corruption, nepotism and tribalism. He noted that the gains made in collective efforts to consolidate and deepen democracy have been derailed due to the constitutional dictatorship and acts of bare-faced thuggery by the NPP government. Alhaji Alhassan Mbalba indicated the actions of Members of Parliament of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP) during the election of Rt. Hon Alban Sumani Kingsford Bagbin as the Speaker 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic and the controversies surrounding the E-Levy bill are disgraceful and a blight on the democratic experiment as a country. In a message to mark the 40th anniversary of the 31st December revolution, he urges party members to despair despite the disturbing events and intolerable and unbearable economic hardship in the country. "It appears the gains we have made in our collective efforts to consolidate and deepen democracy in Ghana is under threat due to the constitutional dictatorship and acts of bare-faced thuggery being perpetrated by elements of President Akufo Addo- Bawumia led government. "However, despite these disturbing events and intolerable and unbearable economic hardship, let us not be despaired. Insofar as the good people of Ghana do not want to experience or witness any unconstitutional change of government or coup in Ghana; or allow any political party to use unconstitutional or illegal means to gain or retain power, the NDC will continue to hold the NPP accountable and pursue all legal and democratic means of wrestling power from them in 2024," he stated. According to Alhaji Alhassan Mbalba, the 40th anniversary of the 31st December revolution will be celebrated without the leader of the revolution, the late Flt Lt John Jerry Rawlings of blessed memory. "This is the second year that the 31st December revolution is being celebrated without the Leader of Revolution, the late Flt Lt John Jerry Rawlings of blessed memory". "The 31st December Revolution occasioned the formation of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), and subsequently National Democratic Congress (NDC) under the fourth Republican Constitution with the beliefs, values and guiding principles of Flt Lt J.J Rawlings as its main ethos," he added. Below is the full press statement NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS- UK & IRELAND CHAPTER MESSAGE TO MARK 40th ANNIVERSARY OF 31ST DECEMBER REVOLUTION This is the second year running that the 31st December Revolution is being commemorated without the Leader of the Revolution, late Flt Lt John Jerry Rawlings of blessed memory. The 31st December Revolution occasioned the formation of the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC), and subsequently National Democratic Congress(NDC) under the fourth Republican Constitution with the beliefs, values, and guiding principles of Flt J.J. Rawlings as its main ethos. The significance of the PNDC government under the visionary leadership of late President Rawlings in the promulgation of the longest and enduring constitutional dispensation- Ghanas 4th Republic - cannot be overemphasized. As Shakespeare opined when treason prospers, none dare call it treason. There is no doubt that despite the sudden demise of Flt Lt Rawlings, the principles and values of the 31st December Revolution will continue to be relevant and important in sustaining and consolidating our longest attempt to institutionalize true democracy, rule of law and constitutionalism in Ghana. The current socio-economic and political situation in the country is very concerning: Unprecedented corruption, nepotism and tribalism, including actions of Members of Parliament of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP) during the election of Rt. Hon Alban Sumani Kingsford Bagbin as the Speaker 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic and the controversies surrounding the E-Levy bill are disgraceful and a blight on our democratic experiment as a country. It appears the gains we have made in our collective efforts to consolidate and deepen democracy in Ghana is under threat due to the constitutional dictatorship and acts of bare-faced thuggery being perpetrated by elements of President Akufo Addo- Bawumia led government. However, despite these disturbing events and intolerable and unbearable economic hardship, let us not be despaired. Insofar as the good people of Ghana do not want to experience or witness any unconstitutional change of government or coup in Ghana; or allow any political party to use unconstitutional or illegal means to gain or retain power, the NDC will continue to hold the NPP accountable and pursue all legal and democratic means of wrestling power from them in 2024. Therefore, we must continue to cherish and propagate the ideals, values and principles underpinning the 31st December Revolution as we mark the 40th Anniversary of 31st December Revolution because as the saying goes life begins at 40. May the Soul of President Rawlings and other fallen comrades rest in perfect peace. Long Live Ghana! Long Live NDC! Long Live 31st December Revolution! Thank you. Alhaji Alhassan Mbalba Chairman NDC- UK & Ireland Chapter The Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) chapter in the United Kingdom(UK) and the Republic of Ireland Alhaji Alhassan Mbalba has said the socio-economic and political situation in the country is worsened under the Akufo-Addo led administration coupled with unprecedented corruption, nepotism and tribalism. He noted that the gains made in collective efforts to consolidate and deepen democracy have been derailed due to the constitutional dictatorship and acts of bare-faced thuggery by the NPP government. Alhaji Alhassan Mbalba indicated the actions of Members of Parliament of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP) during the election of Rt. Hon Alban Sumani Kingsford Bagbin as the Speaker 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic and the controversies surrounding the E-Levy bill are disgraceful and a blight on the democratic experiment as a country. In a message to mark the 40th anniversary of the 31st December revolution, he urges party members to despair despite the disturbing events and intolerable and unbearable economic hardship in the country. "It appears the gains we have made in our collective efforts to consolidate and deepen democracy in Ghana is under threat due to the constitutional dictatorship and acts of bare-faced thuggery being perpetrated by elements of President Akufo Addo- Bawumia led government. "However, despite these disturbing events and intolerable and unbearable economic hardship, let us not be despaired. Insofar as the good people of Ghana do not want to experience or witness any unconstitutional change of government or coup in Ghana; or allow any political party to use unconstitutional or illegal means to gain or retain power, the NDC will continue to hold the NPP accountable and pursue all legal and democratic means of wrestling power from them in 2024," he stated. According to Alhaji Alhassan Mbalba, the 40th anniversary of the 31st December revolution will be celebrated without the leader of the revolution, the late Flt Lt John Jerry Rawlings of blessed memory. "This is the second year that the 31st December revolution is being celebrated without the Leader of Revolution, the late Flt Lt John Jerry Rawlings of blessed memory". "The 31st December Revolution occasioned the formation of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), and subsequently National Democratic Congress (NDC) under the fourth Republican Constitution with the beliefs, values and guiding principles of Flt Lt J.J Rawlings as its main ethos," he added. Below is the full press statement NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS- UK & IRELAND CHAPTER MESSAGE TO MARK 40th ANNIVERSARY OF 31ST DECEMBER REVOLUTION This is the second year running that the 31st December Revolution is being commemorated without the Leader of the Revolution, late Flt Lt John Jerry Rawlings of blessed memory. The 31st December Revolution occasioned the formation of the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC), and subsequently National Democratic Congress(NDC) under the fourth Republican Constitution with the beliefs, values, and guiding principles of Flt J.J. Rawlings as its main ethos. The significance of the PNDC government under the visionary leadership of late President Rawlings in the promulgation of the longest and enduring constitutional dispensation- Ghanas 4th Republic - cannot be overemphasized. As Shakespeare opined when treason prospers, none dare call it treason. There is no doubt that despite the sudden demise of Flt Lt Rawlings, the principles and values of the 31st December Revolution will continue to be relevant and important in sustaining and consolidating our longest attempt to institutionalize true democracy, rule of law and constitutionalism in Ghana. The current socio-economic and political situation in the country is very concerning: Unprecedented corruption, nepotism and tribalism, including actions of Members of Parliament of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP) during the election of Rt. Hon Alban Sumani Kingsford Bagbin as the Speaker 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic and the controversies surrounding the E-Levy bill are disgraceful and a blight on our democratic experiment as a country. It appears the gains we have made in our collective efforts to consolidate and deepen democracy in Ghana is under threat due to the constitutional dictatorship and acts of bare-faced thuggery being perpetrated by elements of President Akufo Addo- Bawumia led government. However, despite these disturbing events and intolerable and unbearable economic hardship, let us not be despaired. Insofar as the good people of Ghana do not want to experience or witness any unconstitutional change of government or coup in Ghana; or allow any political party to use unconstitutional or illegal means to gain or retain power, the NDC will continue to hold the NPP accountable and pursue all legal and democratic means of wrestling power from them in 2024. Therefore, we must continue to cherish and propagate the ideals, values and principles underpinning the 31st December Revolution as we mark the 40th Anniversary of 31st December Revolution because as the saying goes life begins at 40. May the Soul of President Rawlings and other fallen comrades rest in perfect peace. Long Live Ghana! Long Live NDC! Long Live 31st December Revolution! Thank you. Alhaji Alhassan Mbalba Chairman NDC- UK & Ireland Chapter The IRGC on Friday did not mention the time and place of the operation, which comes as a retaliation for the killings of its two servicemen on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported. The two servicemen, Mehran Shourizadeh and Mohsen Kaykhaa'i, were murdered on duty by armed men in the southeastern city of Zahedan, the provincial capital of Sistan and Baluchestan. Iranian forces frequently engage in clashes with thugs and terrorists near the country's western and eastern borders. --IANS int/khz/ ( 115 Words) 2022-01-01-01:52:02 (IANS) The IRGC on Friday did not mention the time and place of the operation, which comes as a retaliation for the killings of its two servicemen on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported. The two servicemen, Mehran Shourizadeh and Mohsen Kaykhaa'i, were murdered on duty by armed men in the southeastern city of Zahedan, the provincial capital of Sistan and Baluchestan. Iranian forces frequently engage in clashes with thugs and terrorists near the country's western and eastern borders. --IANS int/khz/ ( 115 Words) 2022-01-01-01:52:02 (IANS) Germany has shut down three of its remaining six nuclear power plants in line with former chancellor Angela Merkel's timetable for phasing out atomic energy in favour of renewables. The plants in Brokdorf, Grohnde and Gundremmingen closed on Friday, halving Germany's nuclear capacity and reducing energy output by around four gigawatts equivalent to the power produced by 1,000 wind turbines. Protests over the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 prompted former chancellor Merkel to set the wheels in motion for abandoning nuclear power just over 10 years ago. Germany is planning to completely wind down atomic energy by the end of 2022, when it will shut its final three plants in Neckarwestheim, Essenbach and Emsland. Bad timing But with energy prices soaring across Europe and tensions running high between the continent and key gas supplier Russia, the closures come at a tricky time. Europe's reference gas price, Dutch TTF, hit 187.78 euros per megawatt hour in December 10 times higher than at the start of the year and electricity prices are also soaring. The spike has been fuelled by geopolitical tensions with Russia, which supplies one third of Europe's gas. Western countries accuse Russia of limiting gas deliveries to put pressure on Europe amid tensions over the Ukraine conflict. Moscow also wants to push through the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline, set to ship still more Russian gas to Germany. Price hikes The end of nuclear power in Germany threatens to push prices up even further. "In the long term, the hope is that an increase in renewable energy will balance things out, but this will not be the case in the short term," Sebastian Herold, a professor of energy policy at the Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences told AFP. Until Germany can really ramp up renewables, it will remain dependent on fossil fuels to plug the gap left by the nuclear exit. "This will make Germany more dependent on natural gas overall, at least in the short term, and thus also a little more dependent on Russia," Herold said. Renewables The transition may also take longer than Germany would like, with progress on renewables slowed in recent years by opposition to energy infrastructure projects. The proportion of energy generated by renewables is expected to fall in 2021 for the first time since 1997 to 42 percent, compared with 45.3 percent in 2020. As well as driving up prices, the nuclear plant closures will also remove a key source of low-carbon energy in a country that is already struggling to meet ambitious climate goals. The new coalition government under Social Democrat Olaf Scholz has pledged to bring forward Germany's planned coal exit to 2030 and wants Germany to generate 80 percent of its electricity from renewables by the same year. Climate targets But Robert Habeck, the co-leader of the Green party and head of a newly created super-ministry for the economy and climate, admitted this week that Germany is already on course to miss its climate targets for 2022 and probably also 2023. France is among EU countries continuing to push nuclear energy and campaigning for it to be included on the EU's list of sustainable energy sources eligible for investment. Even in Germany, public opinion towards nuclear seems to be softening. In a recent YouGov survey for the Welt am Sonntag newspaper, around 50 percent of Germans said they were in favour of reversing the planned nuclear shutdown due to the recent sharp rise in energy prices. (with AFP) Wyomings Joint Judiciary Committee for the second consecutive year did not produce a bill ready for the full Legislature that would address concerns with Title 25. It was clear from the start of the committees Dec. 17 meeting that a draft bill to change the legal processes for detaining a resident experiencing a mental health crisis would likely stall. The committee began the 2021 interim focused on working with some of the states county attorneys to address perceived problems with Title 25, though Senate Judiciary Chair Tara Nethercott (R-Cheyenne) told WyoFile the scope of that process was limited. We were not necessarily rewriting how it works or bending the system, but just kind of subtle changes, she said. A working group of county attorneys crafted a bill for lawmakers meant to clear up statutory ambiguities and generally make improvements based on past experience, Clint Beaver, Sheridan County deputy and prosecuting attorney, said. But as the conversation unfolded through 2021, it became clear that stakeholders and lawmakers were drawn into larger conversations about Title 25 outside of the committees original scope. Ultimately, the committee tabled the bill for another interim. The result was frustrating, said Rep. Art Washut (R-Casper), one of the few judiciary committee members who had also worked on Title 25 statutory changes during the 2020 interim. I wonder what else were leaving unattended while we devote hours and hours to Title 25 and come to a non-productive result for two consecutive interims, Washut told the committee. However, Rep. Ember Oakley (R-Riverton), who was new to the judiciary committee in 2021, said that while she appreciated the amount of work that had been put into Title 25, the changes the committee was considering were not a substantial improvement worthy of prime time. What Ive taken from this is that (the problems with Title 25) are systemic, and were not going to fix it by taking little pieces, Oakley said. Title 25 of Wyoming Statute addresses emergency detentions for those suffering from mental health challenges so severe that they may be a danger to themselves or others or are unable to meet their basic needs. Stakeholders have asked legislators to fix problems with the Title 25 system for years. Wyoming counties struggle to find appropriate facilities for Title 25 patients and to pay for the services they need. Many had called on the judiciary committee to change statute to clarify how counties should move forward with Title 25 cases relatively narrow amendments to existing law. Washut said the judiciary committee had learned a lot about approaching Title 25 changes during the 2020 interim, particularly that lawmakers needed to narrow their focus on the due process changes. But the Joint Judiciary Committee in 2021 saw significant turnover from the 2020 interim. On the Senate side, only Nethercott and Sen. R.J. Kost (R-Powell) carried over. Of nine House members of the committee, Washut was the only one present for the 2020 interim discussions on Title 25. As a result, Washut said, a lot of the lessons learned in 2020 were lost. Part of the challenge that we faced this interim was that we had to kind of relearn the lessons that we learned the previous interim and we couldnt just move forward, Washut said. Oakley, one of the new House judiciary members, said she understood how there could be frustration with new members from those who carried over. Still, Oakley said, she could not look at making the narrow changes the judiciary committee was considering without thinking of the whole Title 25 system across the state. Nethercott said there are inherent challenges with committee turnover that shes learned to accept as part of the legislative process. There was a lack of historical knowledge, Nethercott said. Its drinking from a fire hydrant. Just getting your arms around any topic is hard enough, let alone this one. Stakeholders at the Dec. 17 meeting encouraged lawmakers not to drop the Title 25 topic entirely, even if that means revisiting it in the 2022 interim. Im 27 years in the industry and trying to fix this problem, but were committed to working with whoever we can to improve access to care to help these patients, Eric Boley, Wyoming Hospital Association president, told lawmakers. Stakeholders from county commissioners to prosecutors to care providers are concerned about aspects of emergency detentions and involuntary hospitalizations under Title 25 in Wyoming. Many parts of Wyoming, especially rural areas, lack facilities they can send people to. Staffing facilities that provide mental health services has proven difficult. Determining which counties will bear the cost of emergency detentions and involuntary hospitalizations has become a constant issue as has determining which county is responsible for the first 72 hours of care in Title 25 cases, whether its the county where contact with patients originated and where theyre being cared for. Financial questions pop up regarding transporting patients to a designated hospital. Other questions involve figuring out how to get patients back to their homes after an emergency detention or involuntary hospitalization. Much of the problem comes down to the differing needs of rural and urban communities. The process through the last two years, Sheridan county attorney Beaver said, has been an education on how different counties needs are. Theres only one Title 25 law out there, Beaver said. There should be uniformity, but as a practical matter, its almost impossible to have uniformity given the variability of each county. Nethercott said the message she heard from county attorneys was that the minor statutory changes the committee was considering wouldnt make a meaningful difference in peoples lives given the scope of the challenge. It was kind of, Thanks, but no thanks, Nethercott said. Unless youre going to do something thats going to change access to facilities and cost, dont waste your time. The judiciary committees consideration of Title 25 is part of a larger conversation taking place in Wyoming about mental health issues. Several legislative committees are working on topics that could have an impact on how Title 25 detentions and hospitalizations play out in Wyoming. Nethercott told the judiciary committee she believes lawmakers should lean heavily on those doing concurrent work. Whether one problem can be solved without solving other problems simultaneously, she said, remains to be seen. Some have suggested that developing a statewide approach to Title 25 would be the best way to address systemic issues. While that discussion is in preliminary stages, Nethercott said, its worthy of exploration. Its difficult to provide appropriate care to patients with the states patchwork system of Title 25 across Wyomings 23 counties, Andi Summerville, Wyoming Association of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers executive director, said. A statewide approach, Summerville said, could make improvements on that front. Theres also inconsistency, Nethercott said, with costs from county to county. If the state were the payer, she said it could potentially negotiate a consistent rate across the board. Theres no clear vision as of yet for how a statewide Title 25 could be implemented or what the funding structure would look like. I think that it might be a change that could streamline and make it a more efficient process and then give the state the opportunity to be more involved in rule-making, Boley told WyoFile. Its just one option on the table to try and fix the funding side of Title 25. Some of the states county attorneys also find the statewide approach appealing, Beaver said. I have definitely heard county attorneys suggest and endorse that idea, Beaver said. I have not heard anybody express a negative view toward having the state take on that responsibility. Such a suggestion might have its own challenges when it comes to the full Legislature, Washut said. Theres strong resistance among lawmakers to expanding the size of government. Shifting costs traditionally borne by counties to the state, could be difficult concept to build consensus for. Its possible, but I dont think it will be an easy sell, he said. And while putting Title 25 under the states purview might be a step in the right direction, Rep. Karlee Provenza (D-Laramie) said, funding questions will still loom over the conversation. At the end of the day, this still comes back to Medicaid expansion, she said. If we want to help Title 25, we need to expand Medicaid. Wyomings Joint Judiciary Committee for the second consecutive year did not produce a bill ready for the full Legislature that would address concerns with Title 25. It was clear from the start of the committees Dec. 17 meeting that a draft bill to change the legal processes for detaining a resident experiencing a mental health crisis would likely stall. The committee began the 2021 interim focused on working with some of the states county attorneys to address perceived problems with Title 25, though Senate Judiciary Chair Tara Nethercott (R-Cheyenne) told WyoFile the scope of that process was limited. We were not necessarily rewriting how it works or bending the system, but just kind of subtle changes, she said. A working group of county attorneys crafted a bill for lawmakers meant to clear up statutory ambiguities and generally make improvements based on past experience, Clint Beaver, Sheridan County deputy and prosecuting attorney, said. But as the conversation unfolded through 2021, it became clear that stakeholders and lawmakers were drawn into larger conversations about Title 25 outside of the committees original scope. Ultimately, the committee tabled the bill for another interim. The result was frustrating, said Rep. Art Washut (R-Casper), one of the few judiciary committee members who had also worked on Title 25 statutory changes during the 2020 interim. I wonder what else were leaving unattended while we devote hours and hours to Title 25 and come to a non-productive result for two consecutive interims, Washut told the committee. However, Rep. Ember Oakley (R-Riverton), who was new to the judiciary committee in 2021, said that while she appreciated the amount of work that had been put into Title 25, the changes the committee was considering were not a substantial improvement worthy of prime time. What Ive taken from this is that (the problems with Title 25) are systemic, and were not going to fix it by taking little pieces, Oakley said. Title 25 of Wyoming Statute addresses emergency detentions for those suffering from mental health challenges so severe that they may be a danger to themselves or others or are unable to meet their basic needs. Stakeholders have asked legislators to fix problems with the Title 25 system for years. Wyoming counties struggle to find appropriate facilities for Title 25 patients and to pay for the services they need. Many had called on the judiciary committee to change statute to clarify how counties should move forward with Title 25 cases relatively narrow amendments to existing law. Washut said the judiciary committee had learned a lot about approaching Title 25 changes during the 2020 interim, particularly that lawmakers needed to narrow their focus on the due process changes. But the Joint Judiciary Committee in 2021 saw significant turnover from the 2020 interim. On the Senate side, only Nethercott and Sen. R.J. Kost (R-Powell) carried over. Of nine House members of the committee, Washut was the only one present for the 2020 interim discussions on Title 25. As a result, Washut said, a lot of the lessons learned in 2020 were lost. Part of the challenge that we faced this interim was that we had to kind of relearn the lessons that we learned the previous interim and we couldnt just move forward, Washut said. Oakley, one of the new House judiciary members, said she understood how there could be frustration with new members from those who carried over. Still, Oakley said, she could not look at making the narrow changes the judiciary committee was considering without thinking of the whole Title 25 system across the state. Nethercott said there are inherent challenges with committee turnover that shes learned to accept as part of the legislative process. There was a lack of historical knowledge, Nethercott said. Its drinking from a fire hydrant. Just getting your arms around any topic is hard enough, let alone this one. Stakeholders at the Dec. 17 meeting encouraged lawmakers not to drop the Title 25 topic entirely, even if that means revisiting it in the 2022 interim. Im 27 years in the industry and trying to fix this problem, but were committed to working with whoever we can to improve access to care to help these patients, Eric Boley, Wyoming Hospital Association president, told lawmakers. Stakeholders from county commissioners to prosecutors to care providers are concerned about aspects of emergency detentions and involuntary hospitalizations under Title 25 in Wyoming. Many parts of Wyoming, especially rural areas, lack facilities they can send people to. Staffing facilities that provide mental health services has proven difficult. Determining which counties will bear the cost of emergency detentions and involuntary hospitalizations has become a constant issue as has determining which county is responsible for the first 72 hours of care in Title 25 cases, whether its the county where contact with patients originated and where theyre being cared for. Financial questions pop up regarding transporting patients to a designated hospital. Other questions involve figuring out how to get patients back to their homes after an emergency detention or involuntary hospitalization. Much of the problem comes down to the differing needs of rural and urban communities. The process through the last two years, Sheridan county attorney Beaver said, has been an education on how different counties needs are. Theres only one Title 25 law out there, Beaver said. There should be uniformity, but as a practical matter, its almost impossible to have uniformity given the variability of each county. Nethercott said the message she heard from county attorneys was that the minor statutory changes the committee was considering wouldnt make a meaningful difference in peoples lives given the scope of the challenge. It was kind of, Thanks, but no thanks, Nethercott said. Unless youre going to do something thats going to change access to facilities and cost, dont waste your time. The judiciary committees consideration of Title 25 is part of a larger conversation taking place in Wyoming about mental health issues. Several legislative committees are working on topics that could have an impact on how Title 25 detentions and hospitalizations play out in Wyoming. Nethercott told the judiciary committee she believes lawmakers should lean heavily on those doing concurrent work. Whether one problem can be solved without solving other problems simultaneously, she said, remains to be seen. Some have suggested that developing a statewide approach to Title 25 would be the best way to address systemic issues. While that discussion is in preliminary stages, Nethercott said, its worthy of exploration. Its difficult to provide appropriate care to patients with the states patchwork system of Title 25 across Wyomings 23 counties, Andi Summerville, Wyoming Association of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers executive director, said. A statewide approach, Summerville said, could make improvements on that front. Theres also inconsistency, Nethercott said, with costs from county to county. If the state were the payer, she said it could potentially negotiate a consistent rate across the board. Theres no clear vision as of yet for how a statewide Title 25 could be implemented or what the funding structure would look like. I think that it might be a change that could streamline and make it a more efficient process and then give the state the opportunity to be more involved in rule-making, Boley told WyoFile. Its just one option on the table to try and fix the funding side of Title 25. Some of the states county attorneys also find the statewide approach appealing, Beaver said. I have definitely heard county attorneys suggest and endorse that idea, Beaver said. I have not heard anybody express a negative view toward having the state take on that responsibility. Such a suggestion might have its own challenges when it comes to the full Legislature, Washut said. Theres strong resistance among lawmakers to expanding the size of government. Shifting costs traditionally borne by counties to the state, could be difficult concept to build consensus for. Its possible, but I dont think it will be an easy sell, he said. And while putting Title 25 under the states purview might be a step in the right direction, Rep. Karlee Provenza (D-Laramie) said, funding questions will still loom over the conversation. At the end of the day, this still comes back to Medicaid expansion, she said. If we want to help Title 25, we need to expand Medicaid. 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe The world began ushering in 2022 on Friday after another tumultuous and pandemic-ridden year capped by new restrictions, soaring case numbers, and a slight glimmer of hope for better times ahead. The past 12 months saw a new US president and a fresh Adele album, the first spectator-free Olympics, and dreams of democracy from Afghanistan to Myanmar and Hong Kong crushed by authoritarian regimes. But it was the pandemic -- now entering its third year -- that again dominated life for most of humankind. More than 5.4 million people have died since the coronavirus was first reported in central China in December 2019. An Emirati traditional band plays during new year celebrations in front of the New Zealand pavillon at Dubai Expo 2020, in the Gulf emirate on December 31, 2021. By - (AFP) Countless more have been sickened -- subjected to outbreaks, lockdowns, lock-ins and an alphabet spaghetti of PCR, LFT and RAT tests. The year 2021 started with hope, as life-saving vaccines were rolled out to around 60 percent of the world's population, although many of its poor still have limited access and some of its rich falsely believe the jabs are part of some ill-defined plot. As the year drew to a close, the emergence of the Omicron variant pushed the number of daily new Covid-19 cases past one million for the first time, according to an AFP tally. France on Friday became the latest country to announce Omicron was now its dominant coronavirus strain. In Britain, the United States, and even Australia -- long a refuge from the pandemic -- the variant's prominence is driving record new cases. To party, or not? People in Wierden, The Netherlands, celebrate the new year on December 31, 2021 with carbide shootings, a practice that does not fall under a one-off national fireworks ban as part of the measure to curb the spread of Covid-19. By Vincent Jannink (ANP/AFP) Parts of the Pacific nation of Kiribati became the first to welcome in the new year from 1000 GMT. But from Seoul to San Francisco, celebrations have again been cancelled or curtailed as infections rise. In Sydney, which in normal times bills itself as the "New Year's Eve capital of the world", the vast harbour where people gathered to watch the city's fireworks was notably uncrowded. With tourists still unable to enter the country and many residents fearful of the rapid spread of Omicron, tens of thousands were estimated to have attended, rather than the one million-plus who normally flock to the foreshore. Still, the city saw New Year's Eve in with a bang -- igniting six tonnes of technicoloured fireworks that lit up the Opera House and floating barges, turning the Harbour Bridge rainbow-like. A kitemaker flies a kite ahead of new year celebrations on December 31, 2021 on the outskirts of Amritsar, India, where cities and states have imposed restrictions on gatherings. By Narinder NANU (AFP) "I'm just trying to focus on the positive things that happened this year, rather than dwelling on all the bad things that have happened," 22-year-old medical student Melinda Howard told AFP as she waited for the show. Dubai is planning a pyrotechnics spectacle at the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower, despite a surge of infections in the United Arab Emirates. Elsewhere in the Middle East, municipal authorities in the Tunisian capital Tunis cited the "rise in cases" of coronavirus for the last-minute cancellation of a concert and other festivities planned for Bourguiba Avenue, the main city-centre thoroughfare. In contrast, South Africa -- the first country to report Omicron back in November -- lifted a curfew late Thursday to allow festivities to go ahead. Health officials said that a dip in infections in the past week indicated the peak of the current wave had passed -- crucially without a significant increase in deaths. 'Only one desire' In Rio, celebrations on Copacabana Beach will go ahead in a scaled back format -- though crowds of revellers are still expected at the traditional party spot. A plainclothes police officer is seen as customers queue to buy fireworks outside St Mary Cathedral in Johannesburg ahead of New Years eve celebrations -- which were able to proceed after authorities lifted a curfew. By MARCO LONGARI (AFP) "People have only one desire, to leave their homes, to celebrate life," 45-year-old Copacabana beach waiter Francisco Rodrigues said. Authorities in Seoul are showing caution, barring spectators from a traditional midnight bell-ringing that will instead be live-streamed. In India, fearing a repeat of a devastating virus surge that overwhelmed the country in April and May, cities and states have imposed restrictions on gatherings. Delhi implemented a 10:00 pm curfew. Mumbai police on Friday issued evening bans on people visiting public places such as the city's beaches and seafront promenades, normally popular sites for seeing in the new year -- with the restrictions set to last two weeks. The UK also marks the new year in muted fashion, but at least does so under the warmest temperatures on record, near 15 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit). Trying times The World Health Organization has warned of trying times ahead, saying Omicron could lead to "a tsunami of cases". Many Western leaders have been hesitant to reimpose strict controls seen in 2020, for fear of sparking a new economic downturn. But on-again-off-again restrictions have still prompted frequent, vocal and occasionally violent anti-lockdown, anti-vaccine and anti-government protests. Experts and non-experts alike hope that 2022 may be remembered as a new, less deadly phase of the pandemic. "Hopefully 2022 is going to be better for everyone," said 31-year-old reveller Oscar Ramirez in Sydney. "Everyone in the world needs a big change." The world began ushering in 2022 on Friday after another tumultuous and pandemic-ridden year capped by new restrictions, soaring case numbers, and a slight glimmer of hope for better times ahead. The past 12 months saw a new US president and a fresh Adele album, the first spectator-free Olympics, and dreams of democracy from Afghanistan to Myanmar and Hong Kong crushed by authoritarian regimes. But it was the pandemic -- now entering its third year -- that again dominated life for most of humankind. More than 5.4 million people have died since the coronavirus was first reported in central China in December 2019. An Emirati traditional band plays during new year celebrations in front of the New Zealand pavillon at Dubai Expo 2020, in the Gulf emirate on December 31, 2021. By - (AFP) Countless more have been sickened -- subjected to outbreaks, lockdowns, lock-ins and an alphabet spaghetti of PCR, LFT and RAT tests. The year 2021 started with hope, as life-saving vaccines were rolled out to around 60 percent of the world's population, although many of its poor still have limited access and some of its rich falsely believe the jabs are part of some ill-defined plot. As the year drew to a close, the emergence of the Omicron variant pushed the number of daily new Covid-19 cases past one million for the first time, according to an AFP tally. France on Friday became the latest country to announce Omicron was now its dominant coronavirus strain. In Britain, the United States, and even Australia -- long a refuge from the pandemic -- the variant's prominence is driving record new cases. To party, or not? People in Wierden, The Netherlands, celebrate the new year on December 31, 2021 with carbide shootings, a practice that does not fall under a one-off national fireworks ban as part of the measure to curb the spread of Covid-19. By Vincent Jannink (ANP/AFP) Parts of the Pacific nation of Kiribati became the first to welcome in the new year from 1000 GMT. But from Seoul to San Francisco, celebrations have again been cancelled or curtailed as infections rise. In Sydney, which in normal times bills itself as the "New Year's Eve capital of the world", the vast harbour where people gathered to watch the city's fireworks was notably uncrowded. With tourists still unable to enter the country and many residents fearful of the rapid spread of Omicron, tens of thousands were estimated to have attended, rather than the one million-plus who normally flock to the foreshore. Still, the city saw New Year's Eve in with a bang -- igniting six tonnes of technicoloured fireworks that lit up the Opera House and floating barges, turning the Harbour Bridge rainbow-like. A kitemaker flies a kite ahead of new year celebrations on December 31, 2021 on the outskirts of Amritsar, India, where cities and states have imposed restrictions on gatherings. By Narinder NANU (AFP) "I'm just trying to focus on the positive things that happened this year, rather than dwelling on all the bad things that have happened," 22-year-old medical student Melinda Howard told AFP as she waited for the show. Dubai is planning a pyrotechnics spectacle at the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower, despite a surge of infections in the United Arab Emirates. Elsewhere in the Middle East, municipal authorities in the Tunisian capital Tunis cited the "rise in cases" of coronavirus for the last-minute cancellation of a concert and other festivities planned for Bourguiba Avenue, the main city-centre thoroughfare. In contrast, South Africa -- the first country to report Omicron back in November -- lifted a curfew late Thursday to allow festivities to go ahead. Health officials said that a dip in infections in the past week indicated the peak of the current wave had passed -- crucially without a significant increase in deaths. 'Only one desire' In Rio, celebrations on Copacabana Beach will go ahead in a scaled back format -- though crowds of revellers are still expected at the traditional party spot. A plainclothes police officer is seen as customers queue to buy fireworks outside St Mary Cathedral in Johannesburg ahead of New Years eve celebrations -- which were able to proceed after authorities lifted a curfew. By MARCO LONGARI (AFP) "People have only one desire, to leave their homes, to celebrate life," 45-year-old Copacabana beach waiter Francisco Rodrigues said. Authorities in Seoul are showing caution, barring spectators from a traditional midnight bell-ringing that will instead be live-streamed. In India, fearing a repeat of a devastating virus surge that overwhelmed the country in April and May, cities and states have imposed restrictions on gatherings. Delhi implemented a 10:00 pm curfew. Mumbai police on Friday issued evening bans on people visiting public places such as the city's beaches and seafront promenades, normally popular sites for seeing in the new year -- with the restrictions set to last two weeks. The UK also marks the new year in muted fashion, but at least does so under the warmest temperatures on record, near 15 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit). Trying times The World Health Organization has warned of trying times ahead, saying Omicron could lead to "a tsunami of cases". Many Western leaders have been hesitant to reimpose strict controls seen in 2020, for fear of sparking a new economic downturn. But on-again-off-again restrictions have still prompted frequent, vocal and occasionally violent anti-lockdown, anti-vaccine and anti-government protests. Experts and non-experts alike hope that 2022 may be remembered as a new, less deadly phase of the pandemic. "Hopefully 2022 is going to be better for everyone," said 31-year-old reveller Oscar Ramirez in Sydney. "Everyone in the world needs a big change." The world began ushering in 2022 on Friday after another tumultuous and pandemic-ridden year capped by new restrictions, soaring case numbers, and a slight glimmer of hope for better times ahead. The past 12 months saw a new US president and a fresh Adele album, the first spectator-free Olympics, and dreams of democracy from Afghanistan to Myanmar and Hong Kong crushed by authoritarian regimes. But it was the pandemic -- now entering its third year -- that again dominated life for most of humankind. More than 5.4 million people have died since the coronavirus was first reported in central China in December 2019. An Emirati traditional band plays during new year celebrations in front of the New Zealand pavillon at Dubai Expo 2020, in the Gulf emirate on December 31, 2021. By - (AFP) Countless more have been sickened -- subjected to outbreaks, lockdowns, lock-ins and an alphabet spaghetti of PCR, LFT and RAT tests. The year 2021 started with hope, as life-saving vaccines were rolled out to around 60 percent of the world's population, although many of its poor still have limited access and some of its rich falsely believe the jabs are part of some ill-defined plot. As the year drew to a close, the emergence of the Omicron variant pushed the number of daily new Covid-19 cases past one million for the first time, according to an AFP tally. France on Friday became the latest country to announce Omicron was now its dominant coronavirus strain. In Britain, the United States, and even Australia -- long a refuge from the pandemic -- the variant's prominence is driving record new cases. To party, or not? People in Wierden, The Netherlands, celebrate the new year on December 31, 2021 with carbide shootings, a practice that does not fall under a one-off national fireworks ban as part of the measure to curb the spread of Covid-19. By Vincent Jannink (ANP/AFP) Parts of the Pacific nation of Kiribati became the first to welcome in the new year from 1000 GMT. But from Seoul to San Francisco, celebrations have again been cancelled or curtailed as infections rise. In Sydney, which in normal times bills itself as the "New Year's Eve capital of the world", the vast harbour where people gathered to watch the city's fireworks was notably uncrowded. With tourists still unable to enter the country and many residents fearful of the rapid spread of Omicron, tens of thousands were estimated to have attended, rather than the one million-plus who normally flock to the foreshore. Still, the city saw New Year's Eve in with a bang -- igniting six tonnes of technicoloured fireworks that lit up the Opera House and floating barges, turning the Harbour Bridge rainbow-like. A kitemaker flies a kite ahead of new year celebrations on December 31, 2021 on the outskirts of Amritsar, India, where cities and states have imposed restrictions on gatherings. By Narinder NANU (AFP) "I'm just trying to focus on the positive things that happened this year, rather than dwelling on all the bad things that have happened," 22-year-old medical student Melinda Howard told AFP as she waited for the show. Dubai is planning a pyrotechnics spectacle at the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower, despite a surge of infections in the United Arab Emirates. Elsewhere in the Middle East, municipal authorities in the Tunisian capital Tunis cited the "rise in cases" of coronavirus for the last-minute cancellation of a concert and other festivities planned for Bourguiba Avenue, the main city-centre thoroughfare. In contrast, South Africa -- the first country to report Omicron back in November -- lifted a curfew late Thursday to allow festivities to go ahead. Health officials said that a dip in infections in the past week indicated the peak of the current wave had passed -- crucially without a significant increase in deaths. 'Only one desire' In Rio, celebrations on Copacabana Beach will go ahead in a scaled back format -- though crowds of revellers are still expected at the traditional party spot. A plainclothes police officer is seen as customers queue to buy fireworks outside St Mary Cathedral in Johannesburg ahead of New Years eve celebrations -- which were able to proceed after authorities lifted a curfew. By MARCO LONGARI (AFP) "People have only one desire, to leave their homes, to celebrate life," 45-year-old Copacabana beach waiter Francisco Rodrigues said. Authorities in Seoul are showing caution, barring spectators from a traditional midnight bell-ringing that will instead be live-streamed. In India, fearing a repeat of a devastating virus surge that overwhelmed the country in April and May, cities and states have imposed restrictions on gatherings. Delhi implemented a 10:00 pm curfew. Mumbai police on Friday issued evening bans on people visiting public places such as the city's beaches and seafront promenades, normally popular sites for seeing in the new year -- with the restrictions set to last two weeks. The UK also marks the new year in muted fashion, but at least does so under the warmest temperatures on record, near 15 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit). Trying times The World Health Organization has warned of trying times ahead, saying Omicron could lead to "a tsunami of cases". Many Western leaders have been hesitant to reimpose strict controls seen in 2020, for fear of sparking a new economic downturn. But on-again-off-again restrictions have still prompted frequent, vocal and occasionally violent anti-lockdown, anti-vaccine and anti-government protests. Experts and non-experts alike hope that 2022 may be remembered as a new, less deadly phase of the pandemic. "Hopefully 2022 is going to be better for everyone," said 31-year-old reveller Oscar Ramirez in Sydney. "Everyone in the world needs a big change." One of the primary tasks the Wyoming Legislature has to tackle is redrawing the House and Senate districts following the 2020 census. The once-in-a-decade redistricting process, which was meant to be done Dec. 1, is still ongoing. The Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee met on Monday and Tuesday and made substantial progress, but the end is still a couple weeks away. The outstanding issues for the committee are sorting out the Eastern side of the state, particularly around Weston County and whether or not it stays whole, as well as figuring out how the Senate districts will be maneuvered. So far, the committee has been focusing mainly on the House districts. The committee is now solid that Eastern Wyoming will gain another House seat and one will be taken from Southwestern Wyoming, said co-chairman of the committee, Rep. Dan Zwonitzer, R-Cheyenne. Some lawmakers on the committee are proposing nesting (putting House districts inside Senate districts) for a portion of the regions, while other lawmakers think all regions should be nested. We moved the ball forward a little bit, not a lot, said committee member Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson. Theres also the outstanding issue of what to do with Albany County, home to the University of Wyoming is, one of the only Blue counties in the state. State lawmakers from this county have repeatedly expressed that they want the county to stay whole as a district, instead of splitting parts off with neighboring Laramie and Carbon Counties, which are far more Republican. One possibility, Zwonitzer said, is to split Albany 50-50, giving half to a district that includes part of Laramie and half to a district that includes Carbon. This move would make the likelihood that that regions loses Democratic representation in the Senate much more likely. The rural-urban divide continues to be kind of messy, Zwonitzer said. Its not a fun, easy process. The idea is for the committee to sponsor one bill with one redrawn map, but it is possible that multiple maps get introduced to the Legislature. That said, Albert Sommers, R-Pinedale, and Speaker of the House Eric Barlow, R-Gillette, both said theyd much prefer one bill with one map. There has also been extensive discussion of minimizing disruption for sitting lawmakers by attempting to not move their districts around much. Because of the discomfort with lawmakers having a major hand in determining their own districts, other states have tasked independent councils with redistricting. If districts are redrawn, lawmakers have constituency changes, which they dont like because it makes campaigning much more difficult and uncertain, Zwonitzer said. Because its being done by legislators, it has to be a political process. So you have to have a bill that can get 31 votes in the House and 16 votes in the Senate, Yin said. Our goal is to deal with the change that has happened to our state and figure out how to best represent our constituents. The committees next meeting is currently set for Jan. 12. There may be another meeting after that as well, as the start of the session quickly approaches. One of the primary tasks the Wyoming Legislature has to tackle is redrawing the House and Senate districts following the 2020 census. The once-in-a-decade redistricting process, which was meant to be done Dec. 1, is still ongoing. The Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee met on Monday and Tuesday and made substantial progress, but the end is still a couple weeks away. The outstanding issues for the committee are sorting out the Eastern side of the state, particularly around Weston County and whether or not it stays whole, as well as figuring out how the Senate districts will be maneuvered. So far, the committee has been focusing mainly on the House districts. The committee is now solid that Eastern Wyoming will gain another House seat and one will be taken from Southwestern Wyoming, said co-chairman of the committee, Rep. Dan Zwonitzer, R-Cheyenne. Some lawmakers on the committee are proposing nesting (putting House districts inside Senate districts) for a portion of the regions, while other lawmakers think all regions should be nested. We moved the ball forward a little bit, not a lot, said committee member Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson. Theres also the outstanding issue of what to do with Albany County, home to the University of Wyoming is, one of the only Blue counties in the state. State lawmakers from this county have repeatedly expressed that they want the county to stay whole as a district, instead of splitting parts off with neighboring Laramie and Carbon Counties, which are far more Republican. One possibility, Zwonitzer said, is to split Albany 50-50, giving half to a district that includes part of Laramie and half to a district that includes Carbon. This move would make the likelihood that that regions loses Democratic representation in the Senate much more likely. The rural-urban divide continues to be kind of messy, Zwonitzer said. Its not a fun, easy process. The idea is for the committee to sponsor one bill with one redrawn map, but it is possible that multiple maps get introduced to the Legislature. That said, Albert Sommers, R-Pinedale, and Speaker of the House Eric Barlow, R-Gillette, both said theyd much prefer one bill with one map. There has also been extensive discussion of minimizing disruption for sitting lawmakers by attempting to not move their districts around much. Because of the discomfort with lawmakers having a major hand in determining their own districts, other states have tasked independent councils with redistricting. If districts are redrawn, lawmakers have constituency changes, which they dont like because it makes campaigning much more difficult and uncertain, Zwonitzer said. Because its being done by legislators, it has to be a political process. So you have to have a bill that can get 31 votes in the House and 16 votes in the Senate, Yin said. Our goal is to deal with the change that has happened to our state and figure out how to best represent our constituents. The committees next meeting is currently set for Jan. 12. There may be another meeting after that as well, as the start of the session quickly approaches. Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, says First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu erred by attempting to vote while presiding over parliamentary proceedings on Monday, December 20, during the debate on the proposed electronic payments tax policy. Mr. Bagbin reiterated that the rules of the House do not allow for that, the reason the Minority side resisted leading to fisticuffs in the house. Speaking on Moomen Tonight on GTV, Alban Bagbin, noted that the incident is an indication that Ghanas legislators are still entrenched in their partisanship. To be frank with you, my first Deputy Speaker was wrong in even announcing that he was going to vote and nobody could stop him from doing that That is what led to the fisticuffs. We have not still moved away from this unbridled partisanship for the national interest, Mr. Bagbin added. During the debate on whether to consider the controversial E-Levy, some Minority MPs rushed to the front of the chamber after Mr. Osei-Owusu announced that the Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Asiamah Amoako, should take over the seat. Although Mr. Osei-Owusu did not give any reason for his decision, the Minority MPs insisted that it was an attempt to enable him vote in the House. Some members threw punches and fought their colleagues during the scuffle, while others restrained each other. Mr. Bagbin also fired back at the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, for suggestions that he had not shown leadership during the impasse over the E-Levy. I presided till after 6pm and when I left, he wasn't on the floor. How can you now lead your team and now be attacking me? The Majority in Parliament had accused Mr. Bagbin of trying to frustrate the approval of the E-levy. Mr. Bagbin had retorted, saying he was willing and ready to preside, but the Majority Caucus kept on varying the order of proceedings. He said he was in the chair to the point he felt he needed to go and rest, as the Majority were delaying the business of the day. ---citinewsroom Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, says First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu erred by attempting to vote while presiding over parliamentary proceedings on Monday, December 20, during the debate on the proposed electronic payments tax policy. Mr. Bagbin reiterated that the rules of the House do not allow for that, the reason the Minority side resisted leading to fisticuffs in the house. Speaking on Moomen Tonight on GTV, Alban Bagbin, noted that the incident is an indication that Ghanas legislators are still entrenched in their partisanship. To be frank with you, my first Deputy Speaker was wrong in even announcing that he was going to vote and nobody could stop him from doing that That is what led to the fisticuffs. We have not still moved away from this unbridled partisanship for the national interest, Mr. Bagbin added. During the debate on whether to consider the controversial E-Levy, some Minority MPs rushed to the front of the chamber after Mr. Osei-Owusu announced that the Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Asiamah Amoako, should take over the seat. Although Mr. Osei-Owusu did not give any reason for his decision, the Minority MPs insisted that it was an attempt to enable him vote in the House. Some members threw punches and fought their colleagues during the scuffle, while others restrained each other. Mr. Bagbin also fired back at the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, for suggestions that he had not shown leadership during the impasse over the E-Levy. I presided till after 6pm and when I left, he wasn't on the floor. How can you now lead your team and now be attacking me? The Majority in Parliament had accused Mr. Bagbin of trying to frustrate the approval of the E-levy. Mr. Bagbin had retorted, saying he was willing and ready to preside, but the Majority Caucus kept on varying the order of proceedings. He said he was in the chair to the point he felt he needed to go and rest, as the Majority were delaying the business of the day. ---citinewsroom Bradey Police Lt. Philip Trudeau (L) comforts Bourbonnais Police officer Andy Cox following a ceremonial procession for fallen Bradley Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, in Bourbonnais, Ill., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Tiffany Blanchette/The Daily Journal via AP) Suspect in Shooting of Illinois Officers Arrested in Indiana CHICAGOA man suspected in the shooting of one police officer and wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel has been taken into custody, authorities said Friday. Darius Sullivan, one of two people suspected in the shooting of the two Bradley police officers, was arrested Friday morning at a home in North Manchester, Indiana, Sgt. Glen Fifield of the Indiana State Police said at a news conference. Sullivan, 25, surrendered to a SWAT team that was assisting the U.S. Marshals with a search warrant for the property about 110 miles east of Bradley. Sullivans arrest came a day after Illinois authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The Illinois State Police did not release any updates on the investigation Friday other than a written statement confirming that Sullivan had been arrested and would be taken back to Kankakee County, where the shooting occurred late Wednesday. Fifield said he didnt have any details on the investigation into the shooting. He did name three other men but wouldnt discuss whether their arrests were connected to the officers shootings. Two of the men were arrested after police said they ran from their car during a traffic stop in Fulton County, Indiana. The third was arrested at the home where Sullivan was taken into custody. Fifield said police found weapons and drugs in the car that the two men fled from and at the North Manchester home. Authorities are still searching for 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, of Bradley, who investigators believe was at the hotel when the shootings happened, the Illinois State Police said. The two officers were speaking to people in a room at a Comfort Inn along a highway in Kankakee County when they were shot, according to the county sheriffs office. They were taken to nearby hospitals, where 49-year-old Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic died. The other officeridentified by the Illinois State Police as 27-year-old Tyler J. Baileyunderwent surgery and was listed in critical condition on Thursday, according to the Bradley Police Department. Messages left with the department and Illinois State Police on Friday to update Baileys condition were not immediately returned. The officers were at the hotel to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, the sheriffs office said. They found the room where the vehicles possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, it said. Authorities arrested two other people Thursday on charges alleging they impeded the search for Sullivan and a woman also suspected in the shootings. Nichele Newton-Carroll, 42, and Jelman Sullivan, 21, face charges of obstructing justice/leaving the state, the (Kankakee) Daily Journal reported. Neither had an attorney listed Friday in court or jail records. Kankakee County States Attorney Jim Rowe identified Newton-Carroll as Sullivans mother. Rowe said he is not sure of the connection between Jelman Sullivan and Darius Sullivan. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriffs deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriffs Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputys squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese government spokesperson on Friday criticized certain politicians from Western countries for slandering Hong Kong's press freedom, saying it has only exposed their hypocrisy and double standards. The arrests of people suspected of publishing seditious materials and the freeze of relevant assets by Hong Kong law enforcement are imperative to maintain law and order and safeguard peace, said a spokesperson for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council. Press freedom and freedom of speech are protected by law, the spokesperson said, adding that on the other hand people should abide by the law when exercising these freedoms. The recent arrests were in response to the law-breaking acts of certain Hong Kong media practitioners propagating "Hong Kong independence," "black terror" and "burn-with-us tactics" under the pretext of "press freedom," the spokesperson said, adding that these acts have posed a serious threat to national security and social stability. The spokesperson said the rhetoric by some politicians of the United States and other Western countries is hypocritical, noting despicable acts of violating press freedom in their countries, including unlawful arrests of journalists, police brutality, persecution of whistleblowers, among others. The spokesperson also criticized the obstruction of the operation of Chinese media outlets in the United States and Britain. Enditem BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese government spokesperson on Friday criticized certain politicians from Western countries for slandering Hong Kong's press freedom, saying it has only exposed their hypocrisy and double standards. The arrests of people suspected of publishing seditious materials and the freeze of relevant assets by Hong Kong law enforcement are imperative to maintain law and order and safeguard peace, said a spokesperson for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council. Press freedom and freedom of speech are protected by law, the spokesperson said, adding that on the other hand people should abide by the law when exercising these freedoms. The recent arrests were in response to the law-breaking acts of certain Hong Kong media practitioners propagating "Hong Kong independence," "black terror" and "burn-with-us tactics" under the pretext of "press freedom," the spokesperson said, adding that these acts have posed a serious threat to national security and social stability. The spokesperson said the rhetoric by some politicians of the United States and other Western countries is hypocritical, noting despicable acts of violating press freedom in their countries, including unlawful arrests of journalists, police brutality, persecution of whistleblowers, among others. The spokesperson also criticized the obstruction of the operation of Chinese media outlets in the United States and Britain. Enditem Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. AOC hit back on Friday in a tweet saying: 'Hasn't Gov. DeSantis been inexplicably missing for like 2 weeks?' Supporters of Florida's governor, Ron DeSantis, mocked AOC and told her to enjoy her 'taste of freedom' Florida also reported a record 77,848 new cases and 90 more deaths to the CDC on Thursday Many residents are also still waiting for hours in lines getting tests and planning to spend New Year's at home New York state is smashing daily COVID records, with the most recent data showing the third day in a row of new highs, and 76,555 infections in 24 hours Ocasio-Cortez swapped her New York district, where Omicron has caused a massive surge in COVID cases, for her Florida getaway She was photographed eating outside and without a face masks, which some conservatives said was hypocritical The Squad member has staunchly supported masks and vaccine mandates since the start of the pandemic Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was photographed on December 30 in Miami eating at Doraku Izakaya and Sushi with her boyfriend, Riley Roberts Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Friday hit back at her critics who took issue with her dining maskless outdoors in Florida, claiming they were angry with her because they couldn't date her. The New York congresswoman angered Republicans when the photo of her December 30 lunch in Miami was published, with her opponents noting that the strident supporter of mask mandates was not wearing a face mask. 'Welcome to Florida, AOC!' tweeted the account of the state's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis. 'We hope you're enjoying a taste of freedom here in the Sunshine State thanks to @RonDeSantisFL's leadership.' Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has fled her virus-ravaged state of New York for Miami Beach, Florida, where she was seen raising a class over sushi with her boyfriend, Riley Roberts Ocasio-Cortez had swapped the New York chill for sunny Florida for a pre-New Year getaway Ocasio-Cortez hit back, replying that he should take lessons from the governor of New York, Kathy Hochul. 'Hasn't Gov. DeSantis been inexplicably missing for like 2 weeks? 'If he's around, I would be happy to say hello. His social media team seems to have been posting old photos for weeks. 'In the meantime, perhaps I could help with local organizing. Folks are quite receptive here. 'I'd also be happy to share some notes from @GovKathyHochul's work in NY since he seems to be in need of tips!' The conversation generated a plethora of replies, with former Trump advisor Steve Cortes angered by Ocasio-Cortez 'frolicking in free Florida', while her home state enforced mask mandates. The New York mask mandate only applies indoors, and people are allowed to remove masks while eating. Cortes tweeted: '1. If Leftists like AOC actually thought mandates and masking worked, they wouldn't be frolicking in free FL. '2. Her guy is showing his gross pale male feet in public (not at a pool/beach) with hideous sandals. 'O for 2' Ocasio-Cortez replied with scorn, calling Cortes a 'creepy weirdo' for her remarks about her boyfriend's Birkenstock sandals. 'If Republicans are mad they can't date me they can just say that instead of projecting their sexual frustrations onto my boyfriend's feet. Ya creepy weirdos.' She continued: 'It's starting to get old ignoring the very obvious, strange, and deranged sexual frustrations that underpin the Republican fixation on me, women,& LGBT+ people in general. 'These people clearly need therapy, won't do it, and use politics as their outlet instead. It's really weird.' Ian Haworth, editor of Daily Wire, tweeted: 'I definitely do not want to date you.' Ocasio-Cortez replied: 'I'm glad you felt the need to share that with the world. Don't worry, this is a totally normal thought to have and share as an editor of a right-wing website, and totally doesn't prove my point at all. 'I hear if you say it enough times you'll actually start to believe it.' She concluded with an attack on Haworth's conservative site. 'The fact that these people are so creepy/weird yet are also the ones responsible for shaping the NEWS HEADLINES we all see in media should be really concerning. 'I don't even want to know what knuckle-dragging thoughts these people have all day while covering women in politics.' Brian Mast, a Republican congressman for Florida, wrote on Twitter: 'Welcome to Florida AOC. Leave your politics in New York and enjoy a taste of freedom in our great state!' Shawn Farash, who runs the conservative group Long Island Loud Majority, said her visit amounted to an endorsement of DeSantis. 'Hey @AOC tell me you endorse @RonDeSantisFL without telling me you endorse @RonDeSantisFL,' he wrote. Republican anger was in part retaliation for her own criticism of Ted Cruz, the Republican senator for Texas. In February, Ocasio-Cortez demanded Cruz resign for making a trip to Cancun with his family while Texas was ravaged by a deadly winter storm. 'If Sen. Cruz had resigned back in January after helping gin up a violent insurrection that killed several people, he could've taken his vacation in peace,' she tweeted at the time. 'Texans should continue to demand his resignation.' In September 2021, in response to a thread on the storms in New York, she tweeted: 'I know Republicans' idea of 'disaster relief' is flying to Cancun while the power's still out, but unlike that approach I actually give a damn.' Ocasio-Cortez's trip came as COVID cases exploded again in New York. Residents have been forced to line up for hours for tests and many are planning to spend New Year's Eve at home, with restaurants closing and amid fears of the Omicron surge. On Thursday New York smashed its daily COVID case count for the third day in a row, with 76,555 new infections - an increase from 67,000 the day before. In New York City, more than one in four tests are positive, with a 26.55 percent seven-day average positivity. Governor Kathy Hochul has also introduced her '2.0 Plan' to fight Omicron by extending her 'vax and mask' mandate until February 1. There are now 7,919 New Yorkers hospitalized, a 7 percent increase in 24 hours, and 4,000 of those cases were in New York City alone. A record number of first responders are now call in sick in New York City. Over 20 percent of the city's police officers and 30 percent of paramedics were out sick on Thursday, city officials told Fox News. The city has no plans to drop its COVID protocols as incoming New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who will be sworn in on New Year's Eve, announced Thursday his plans to keep in place many of outgoing mayor Bill de Blasio's restrictions, including a vaccination mandate for entering local businesses. DailyMail.com has reached out to Ocasio-Cortez's office for comment. Travelers coming and going from LaGuardia Airport line up for COVID testing in the parking garage on Thursday The U.S. has been hit by massive testing shortages that the Biden administration has vowed to fix in the New Year The U.S. smashed another global COVID infection record on Thursday when 647,067 new cases were reported, with deaths halving to 1,400, as one expert warned of a 'virtual blizzard' of Omicron he says will lead to shutdowns nationwide. In total, USA Today reports, the United States recorded 2.49 million cases within the past week, outpacing the country's previous record of 1.7 million new cases recorded in the one-week period from January 3 through January 9. Experts say the number of cases are rising so rapidly due to the spread of the highly-contagious Omicron variant, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says accounts for anywhere from 40 to 70 percent of the new cases in the US. A UK-based expert says the variant could spread with just a 'whiff of infected breath.' At the same time, however, the number of daily deaths have halved from 2,800 to 1,400 between Wednesday and Thursday. The drop comes after multiple studies showed that Omicron was likely to cause up to 80 per cent fewer hospitalizations than Delta, although scientists have cautioned that more data is needed, and say the sheer number of infections caused by the new variant could ultimately cause an additional spike in serious illness and death. Daily life continues to be upended by COVID and Omicron, with 1,198 flights canceled on New Year's Eve, and another 955 already nixed on Saturday, as airlines grapple with staffing shortages. JetBlue - which is headquartered in Omicron-epicenter New York City - was the worst-affected airline, canceling 145 flights, equivalent to 14 per cent of its December 31 schedule. That is a 26 percent from just the day before, when 512,533 new cases were reported The US broke a world record for average daily COVID cases for the second day in a row with 647,067 reported on Thursday, according to a DailyMail.com analysis of John Hopkins data Americans are still waiting hours in lines to be tested for COVID-19. Above, a health care workers tests residents in Miami, Florida, at a drive-through COVID testing site on Wednesday In total, the United States recorded 2.49 million cases within the past week, outpacing the country's previous record of 1.7 million new cases recorded in the one-week period from January 3 through January 9. People are pictured here waiting on line to get a COVID test in Houston, Texas - which has seen a spike in cases recently Fifteen states reported a record-high number of average daily infections, according to the CDC. They include Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia and Washington, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. Florida also reported a record 77,848 new cases and 90 more deaths to the Centers for Disease Control on Thursday, following a backlog in reporting, according to an analysis of state data from the Miami Herald. That represents the largest multi-day increase of newly reported cases since the pandemic began in March 2020. The previous multi-day record was set during the height of the Delta wave this past summer, when 56,036 cases were reported. AOC hit back on Friday in a tweet saying: 'Hasn't Gov. DeSantis been inexplicably missing for like 2 weeks?' Supporters of Florida's governor, Ron DeSantis, mocked AOC and told her to enjoy her 'taste of freedom' Florida also reported a record 77,848 new cases and 90 more deaths to the CDC on Thursday Many residents are also still waiting for hours in lines getting tests and planning to spend New Year's at home New York state is smashing daily COVID records, with the most recent data showing the third day in a row of new highs, and 76,555 infections in 24 hours Ocasio-Cortez swapped her New York district, where Omicron has caused a massive surge in COVID cases, for her Florida getaway She was photographed eating outside and without a face masks, which some conservatives said was hypocritical The Squad member has staunchly supported masks and vaccine mandates since the start of the pandemic Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was photographed on December 30 in Miami eating at Doraku Izakaya and Sushi with her boyfriend, Riley Roberts Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Friday hit back at her critics who took issue with her dining maskless outdoors in Florida, claiming they were angry with her because they couldn't date her. The New York congresswoman angered Republicans when the photo of her December 30 lunch in Miami was published, with her opponents noting that the strident supporter of mask mandates was not wearing a face mask. 'Welcome to Florida, AOC!' tweeted the account of the state's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis. 'We hope you're enjoying a taste of freedom here in the Sunshine State thanks to @RonDeSantisFL's leadership.' Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has fled her virus-ravaged state of New York for Miami Beach, Florida, where she was seen raising a class over sushi with her boyfriend, Riley Roberts Ocasio-Cortez had swapped the New York chill for sunny Florida for a pre-New Year getaway Ocasio-Cortez hit back, replying that he should take lessons from the governor of New York, Kathy Hochul. 'Hasn't Gov. DeSantis been inexplicably missing for like 2 weeks? 'If he's around, I would be happy to say hello. His social media team seems to have been posting old photos for weeks. 'In the meantime, perhaps I could help with local organizing. Folks are quite receptive here. 'I'd also be happy to share some notes from @GovKathyHochul's work in NY since he seems to be in need of tips!' The conversation generated a plethora of replies, with former Trump advisor Steve Cortes angered by Ocasio-Cortez 'frolicking in free Florida', while her home state enforced mask mandates. The New York mask mandate only applies indoors, and people are allowed to remove masks while eating. Cortes tweeted: '1. If Leftists like AOC actually thought mandates and masking worked, they wouldn't be frolicking in free FL. '2. Her guy is showing his gross pale male feet in public (not at a pool/beach) with hideous sandals. 'O for 2' Ocasio-Cortez replied with scorn, calling Cortes a 'creepy weirdo' for her remarks about her boyfriend's Birkenstock sandals. 'If Republicans are mad they can't date me they can just say that instead of projecting their sexual frustrations onto my boyfriend's feet. Ya creepy weirdos.' She continued: 'It's starting to get old ignoring the very obvious, strange, and deranged sexual frustrations that underpin the Republican fixation on me, women,& LGBT+ people in general. 'These people clearly need therapy, won't do it, and use politics as their outlet instead. It's really weird.' Ian Haworth, editor of Daily Wire, tweeted: 'I definitely do not want to date you.' Ocasio-Cortez replied: 'I'm glad you felt the need to share that with the world. Don't worry, this is a totally normal thought to have and share as an editor of a right-wing website, and totally doesn't prove my point at all. 'I hear if you say it enough times you'll actually start to believe it.' She concluded with an attack on Haworth's conservative site. 'The fact that these people are so creepy/weird yet are also the ones responsible for shaping the NEWS HEADLINES we all see in media should be really concerning. 'I don't even want to know what knuckle-dragging thoughts these people have all day while covering women in politics.' Brian Mast, a Republican congressman for Florida, wrote on Twitter: 'Welcome to Florida AOC. Leave your politics in New York and enjoy a taste of freedom in our great state!' Shawn Farash, who runs the conservative group Long Island Loud Majority, said her visit amounted to an endorsement of DeSantis. 'Hey @AOC tell me you endorse @RonDeSantisFL without telling me you endorse @RonDeSantisFL,' he wrote. Republican anger was in part retaliation for her own criticism of Ted Cruz, the Republican senator for Texas. In February, Ocasio-Cortez demanded Cruz resign for making a trip to Cancun with his family while Texas was ravaged by a deadly winter storm. 'If Sen. Cruz had resigned back in January after helping gin up a violent insurrection that killed several people, he could've taken his vacation in peace,' she tweeted at the time. 'Texans should continue to demand his resignation.' In September 2021, in response to a thread on the storms in New York, she tweeted: 'I know Republicans' idea of 'disaster relief' is flying to Cancun while the power's still out, but unlike that approach I actually give a damn.' Ocasio-Cortez's trip came as COVID cases exploded again in New York. Residents have been forced to line up for hours for tests and many are planning to spend New Year's Eve at home, with restaurants closing and amid fears of the Omicron surge. On Thursday New York smashed its daily COVID case count for the third day in a row, with 76,555 new infections - an increase from 67,000 the day before. In New York City, more than one in four tests are positive, with a 26.55 percent seven-day average positivity. Governor Kathy Hochul has also introduced her '2.0 Plan' to fight Omicron by extending her 'vax and mask' mandate until February 1. There are now 7,919 New Yorkers hospitalized, a 7 percent increase in 24 hours, and 4,000 of those cases were in New York City alone. A record number of first responders are now call in sick in New York City. Over 20 percent of the city's police officers and 30 percent of paramedics were out sick on Thursday, city officials told Fox News. The city has no plans to drop its COVID protocols as incoming New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who will be sworn in on New Year's Eve, announced Thursday his plans to keep in place many of outgoing mayor Bill de Blasio's restrictions, including a vaccination mandate for entering local businesses. DailyMail.com has reached out to Ocasio-Cortez's office for comment. Travelers coming and going from LaGuardia Airport line up for COVID testing in the parking garage on Thursday The U.S. has been hit by massive testing shortages that the Biden administration has vowed to fix in the New Year The U.S. smashed another global COVID infection record on Thursday when 647,067 new cases were reported, with deaths halving to 1,400, as one expert warned of a 'virtual blizzard' of Omicron he says will lead to shutdowns nationwide. In total, USA Today reports, the United States recorded 2.49 million cases within the past week, outpacing the country's previous record of 1.7 million new cases recorded in the one-week period from January 3 through January 9. Experts say the number of cases are rising so rapidly due to the spread of the highly-contagious Omicron variant, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says accounts for anywhere from 40 to 70 percent of the new cases in the US. A UK-based expert says the variant could spread with just a 'whiff of infected breath.' At the same time, however, the number of daily deaths have halved from 2,800 to 1,400 between Wednesday and Thursday. The drop comes after multiple studies showed that Omicron was likely to cause up to 80 per cent fewer hospitalizations than Delta, although scientists have cautioned that more data is needed, and say the sheer number of infections caused by the new variant could ultimately cause an additional spike in serious illness and death. Daily life continues to be upended by COVID and Omicron, with 1,198 flights canceled on New Year's Eve, and another 955 already nixed on Saturday, as airlines grapple with staffing shortages. JetBlue - which is headquartered in Omicron-epicenter New York City - was the worst-affected airline, canceling 145 flights, equivalent to 14 per cent of its December 31 schedule. That is a 26 percent from just the day before, when 512,533 new cases were reported The US broke a world record for average daily COVID cases for the second day in a row with 647,067 reported on Thursday, according to a DailyMail.com analysis of John Hopkins data Americans are still waiting hours in lines to be tested for COVID-19. Above, a health care workers tests residents in Miami, Florida, at a drive-through COVID testing site on Wednesday In total, the United States recorded 2.49 million cases within the past week, outpacing the country's previous record of 1.7 million new cases recorded in the one-week period from January 3 through January 9. People are pictured here waiting on line to get a COVID test in Houston, Texas - which has seen a spike in cases recently Fifteen states reported a record-high number of average daily infections, according to the CDC. They include Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia and Washington, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. Florida also reported a record 77,848 new cases and 90 more deaths to the Centers for Disease Control on Thursday, following a backlog in reporting, according to an analysis of state data from the Miami Herald. That represents the largest multi-day increase of newly reported cases since the pandemic began in March 2020. The previous multi-day record was set during the height of the Delta wave this past summer, when 56,036 cases were reported. Sudanese pro-democracy demonstrators blocked streets in Khartoum on Friday, protesting against violence a day earlier that left five people dead and sparked condemnation. Protesters barricaded roads in the east Khartoum district of Burri as well as in nearby Khartoum North using rocks, tree branches and tyres, an AFP journalist reported. Sudan has been gripped by turmoil since military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan launched a coup on October 25 and detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Hamdok was reinstated on November 21, but mass protests have continued as demonstrators distrust Burhan's promises of seeking to guide the country toward full democracy. As the authorities on Thursday cut off communications across the country, security forces clamped down on demonstrations, firing live rounds and tear gas as tens of thousands gathered in Khartoum and its neighbouring cities. Four protesters were fatally shot in the head or chest in Omdurman, according to the pro-democracy Doctors' Committee, while a fifth succumbed to his wounds Friday after he was shot in central Khartoum. Protesters charge that the deal to reinstate Hamdok simply aims to give the cloak of legitimacy to the generals, whom they accuse of trying to continue the regime built by former autocratic president Omar al-Bashir, who was toppled in 2019 following mass protests. Resignations A civilian member recently appointed to the ruling Sovereign Council, Abdel Baqi Abdel Qader, announced that he intends to resign. Sudanese demonstrators push a cement barricade in the capital Khartoum as tens of thousands protest against the army's October 25 coup, on December 30. By - (AFP) He said he had sent a message to Burhan's office requesting a meeting "to present to him my resignation... over the violence against demonstrators". Interim health minister Haitham Mohammed also announced his resignation in a letter made public, denouncing attacks on medics and hospitals treating protesters. Two journalists from Saudi Arabia's Asharq television channel, Maha al-Talb and Sally Othman, were released after they and their crews were held for several hours, the channel said. Police had also stormed the bureau of the Al-Arabiya television network funded by Saudi Arabia -- seen as a traditional ally of Sudan's military leaders. The violence and attacks on the media drew widespread condemnation. "Deeply troubled by reports that Sudanese security forces used lethal force against protesters, blacked out the internet, and attempted to shut down media outlets," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted after Thursday's events. The Doctors' Committee has accused security forces of blocking ambulances and of forcibly removing at least one seriously injured protester from an ambulance. Videos have circulated on social media showing men in uniform beating protesters with sticks. 'International solidarity' The Sudanese Communist Party called for "urgent international solidarity to demand an end to the bloody repression in Sudan and the immediate release of all political detainees". Christian figures in the country announced the cancellation of New Year's celebrations in memory of Thursday's victims. Protesters have renewed demands that the military "return to their barracks" as promised in 2019 when Bashir was toppled and the country came under the control of the Sovereign Council, a body composed of both civilian and military figures, headed by Burhan. A police spokesman had said four people died in Thursday's unrest and 297 people were injured, "including 49 police officers". He also said "three police vans were set on fire" and accused protest leaders of having sought to "turn a peaceful march into violence and confrontations with the security forces". An adviser to Burhan told the state news agency that "the demonstrations are a waste of time and energy" and would not lead to a political solution. The bloody crackdown since the October coup has claimed 53 lives and left hundreds wounded. Sudanese pro-democracy demonstrators blocked streets in Khartoum on Friday, protesting against violence a day earlier that left five people dead and sparked condemnation. Protesters barricaded roads in the east Khartoum district of Burri as well as in nearby Khartoum North using rocks, tree branches and tyres, an AFP journalist reported. Sudan has been gripped by turmoil since military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan launched a coup on October 25 and detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Hamdok was reinstated on November 21, but mass protests have continued as demonstrators distrust Burhan's promises of seeking to guide the country toward full democracy. As the authorities on Thursday cut off communications across the country, security forces clamped down on demonstrations, firing live rounds and tear gas as tens of thousands gathered in Khartoum and its neighbouring cities. Four protesters were fatally shot in the head or chest in Omdurman, according to the pro-democracy Doctors' Committee, while a fifth succumbed to his wounds Friday after he was shot in central Khartoum. Protesters charge that the deal to reinstate Hamdok simply aims to give the cloak of legitimacy to the generals, whom they accuse of trying to continue the regime built by former autocratic president Omar al-Bashir, who was toppled in 2019 following mass protests. Resignations A civilian member recently appointed to the ruling Sovereign Council, Abdel Baqi Abdel Qader, announced that he intends to resign. Sudanese demonstrators push a cement barricade in the capital Khartoum as tens of thousands protest against the army's October 25 coup, on December 30. By - (AFP) He said he had sent a message to Burhan's office requesting a meeting "to present to him my resignation... over the violence against demonstrators". Interim health minister Haitham Mohammed also announced his resignation in a letter made public, denouncing attacks on medics and hospitals treating protesters. Two journalists from Saudi Arabia's Asharq television channel, Maha al-Talb and Sally Othman, were released after they and their crews were held for several hours, the channel said. Police had also stormed the bureau of the Al-Arabiya television network funded by Saudi Arabia -- seen as a traditional ally of Sudan's military leaders. The violence and attacks on the media drew widespread condemnation. "Deeply troubled by reports that Sudanese security forces used lethal force against protesters, blacked out the internet, and attempted to shut down media outlets," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted after Thursday's events. The Doctors' Committee has accused security forces of blocking ambulances and of forcibly removing at least one seriously injured protester from an ambulance. Videos have circulated on social media showing men in uniform beating protesters with sticks. 'International solidarity' The Sudanese Communist Party called for "urgent international solidarity to demand an end to the bloody repression in Sudan and the immediate release of all political detainees". Christian figures in the country announced the cancellation of New Year's celebrations in memory of Thursday's victims. Protesters have renewed demands that the military "return to their barracks" as promised in 2019 when Bashir was toppled and the country came under the control of the Sovereign Council, a body composed of both civilian and military figures, headed by Burhan. A police spokesman had said four people died in Thursday's unrest and 297 people were injured, "including 49 police officers". He also said "three police vans were set on fire" and accused protest leaders of having sought to "turn a peaceful march into violence and confrontations with the security forces". An adviser to Burhan told the state news agency that "the demonstrations are a waste of time and energy" and would not lead to a political solution. The bloody crackdown since the October coup has claimed 53 lives and left hundreds wounded. Sudanese pro-democracy demonstrators blocked streets in Khartoum on Friday, protesting against violence a day earlier that left five people dead and sparked condemnation. Protesters barricaded roads in the east Khartoum district of Burri as well as in nearby Khartoum North using rocks, tree branches and tyres, an AFP journalist reported. Sudan has been gripped by turmoil since military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan launched a coup on October 25 and detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Hamdok was reinstated on November 21, but mass protests have continued as demonstrators distrust Burhan's promises of seeking to guide the country toward full democracy. As the authorities on Thursday cut off communications across the country, security forces clamped down on demonstrations, firing live rounds and tear gas as tens of thousands gathered in Khartoum and its neighbouring cities. Four protesters were fatally shot in the head or chest in Omdurman, according to the pro-democracy Doctors' Committee, while a fifth succumbed to his wounds Friday after he was shot in central Khartoum. Protesters charge that the deal to reinstate Hamdok simply aims to give the cloak of legitimacy to the generals, whom they accuse of trying to continue the regime built by former autocratic president Omar al-Bashir, who was toppled in 2019 following mass protests. Resignations A civilian member recently appointed to the ruling Sovereign Council, Abdel Baqi Abdel Qader, announced that he intends to resign. Sudanese demonstrators push a cement barricade in the capital Khartoum as tens of thousands protest against the army's October 25 coup, on December 30. By - (AFP) He said he had sent a message to Burhan's office requesting a meeting "to present to him my resignation... over the violence against demonstrators". Interim health minister Haitham Mohammed also announced his resignation in a letter made public, denouncing attacks on medics and hospitals treating protesters. Two journalists from Saudi Arabia's Asharq television channel, Maha al-Talb and Sally Othman, were released after they and their crews were held for several hours, the channel said. Police had also stormed the bureau of the Al-Arabiya television network funded by Saudi Arabia -- seen as a traditional ally of Sudan's military leaders. The violence and attacks on the media drew widespread condemnation. "Deeply troubled by reports that Sudanese security forces used lethal force against protesters, blacked out the internet, and attempted to shut down media outlets," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted after Thursday's events. The Doctors' Committee has accused security forces of blocking ambulances and of forcibly removing at least one seriously injured protester from an ambulance. Videos have circulated on social media showing men in uniform beating protesters with sticks. 'International solidarity' The Sudanese Communist Party called for "urgent international solidarity to demand an end to the bloody repression in Sudan and the immediate release of all political detainees". Christian figures in the country announced the cancellation of New Year's celebrations in memory of Thursday's victims. Protesters have renewed demands that the military "return to their barracks" as promised in 2019 when Bashir was toppled and the country came under the control of the Sovereign Council, a body composed of both civilian and military figures, headed by Burhan. A police spokesman had said four people died in Thursday's unrest and 297 people were injured, "including 49 police officers". He also said "three police vans were set on fire" and accused protest leaders of having sought to "turn a peaceful march into violence and confrontations with the security forces". An adviser to Burhan told the state news agency that "the demonstrations are a waste of time and energy" and would not lead to a political solution. The bloody crackdown since the October coup has claimed 53 lives and left hundreds wounded. Sudanese pro-democracy demonstrators blocked streets in Khartoum on Friday, protesting against violence a day earlier that left five people dead and sparked condemnation. Protesters barricaded roads in the east Khartoum district of Burri as well as in nearby Khartoum North using rocks, tree branches and tyres, an AFP journalist reported. Sudan has been gripped by turmoil since military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan launched a coup on October 25 and detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Hamdok was reinstated on November 21, but mass protests have continued as demonstrators distrust Burhan's promises of seeking to guide the country toward full democracy. As the authorities on Thursday cut off communications across the country, security forces clamped down on demonstrations, firing live rounds and tear gas as tens of thousands gathered in Khartoum and its neighbouring cities. Four protesters were fatally shot in the head or chest in Omdurman, according to the pro-democracy Doctors' Committee, while a fifth succumbed to his wounds Friday after he was shot in central Khartoum. Protesters charge that the deal to reinstate Hamdok simply aims to give the cloak of legitimacy to the generals, whom they accuse of trying to continue the regime built by former autocratic president Omar al-Bashir, who was toppled in 2019 following mass protests. Resignations A civilian member recently appointed to the ruling Sovereign Council, Abdel Baqi Abdel Qader, announced that he intends to resign. Sudanese demonstrators push a cement barricade in the capital Khartoum as tens of thousands protest against the army's October 25 coup, on December 30. By - (AFP) He said he had sent a message to Burhan's office requesting a meeting "to present to him my resignation... over the violence against demonstrators". Interim health minister Haitham Mohammed also announced his resignation in a letter made public, denouncing attacks on medics and hospitals treating protesters. Two journalists from Saudi Arabia's Asharq television channel, Maha al-Talb and Sally Othman, were released after they and their crews were held for several hours, the channel said. Police had also stormed the bureau of the Al-Arabiya television network funded by Saudi Arabia -- seen as a traditional ally of Sudan's military leaders. The violence and attacks on the media drew widespread condemnation. "Deeply troubled by reports that Sudanese security forces used lethal force against protesters, blacked out the internet, and attempted to shut down media outlets," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted after Thursday's events. The Doctors' Committee has accused security forces of blocking ambulances and of forcibly removing at least one seriously injured protester from an ambulance. Videos have circulated on social media showing men in uniform beating protesters with sticks. 'International solidarity' The Sudanese Communist Party called for "urgent international solidarity to demand an end to the bloody repression in Sudan and the immediate release of all political detainees". Christian figures in the country announced the cancellation of New Year's celebrations in memory of Thursday's victims. Protesters have renewed demands that the military "return to their barracks" as promised in 2019 when Bashir was toppled and the country came under the control of the Sovereign Council, a body composed of both civilian and military figures, headed by Burhan. A police spokesman had said four people died in Thursday's unrest and 297 people were injured, "including 49 police officers". He also said "three police vans were set on fire" and accused protest leaders of having sought to "turn a peaceful march into violence and confrontations with the security forces". An adviser to Burhan told the state news agency that "the demonstrations are a waste of time and energy" and would not lead to a political solution. The bloody crackdown since the October coup has claimed 53 lives and left hundreds wounded. Sudanese pro-democracy demonstrators blocked streets in Khartoum on Friday, protesting against violence a day earlier that left five people dead and sparked condemnation. Protesters barricaded roads in the east Khartoum district of Burri as well as in nearby Khartoum North using rocks, tree branches and tyres, an AFP journalist reported. Sudan has been gripped by turmoil since military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan launched a coup on October 25 and detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Hamdok was reinstated on November 21, but mass protests have continued as demonstrators distrust Burhan's promises of seeking to guide the country toward full democracy. As the authorities on Thursday cut off communications across the country, security forces clamped down on demonstrations, firing live rounds and tear gas as tens of thousands gathered in Khartoum and its neighbouring cities. Four protesters were fatally shot in the head or chest in Omdurman, according to the pro-democracy Doctors' Committee, while a fifth succumbed to his wounds Friday after he was shot in central Khartoum. Protesters charge that the deal to reinstate Hamdok simply aims to give the cloak of legitimacy to the generals, whom they accuse of trying to continue the regime built by former autocratic president Omar al-Bashir, who was toppled in 2019 following mass protests. Resignations A civilian member recently appointed to the ruling Sovereign Council, Abdel Baqi Abdel Qader, announced that he intends to resign. Sudanese demonstrators push a cement barricade in the capital Khartoum as tens of thousands protest against the army's October 25 coup, on December 30. By - (AFP) He said he had sent a message to Burhan's office requesting a meeting "to present to him my resignation... over the violence against demonstrators". Interim health minister Haitham Mohammed also announced his resignation in a letter made public, denouncing attacks on medics and hospitals treating protesters. Two journalists from Saudi Arabia's Asharq television channel, Maha al-Talb and Sally Othman, were released after they and their crews were held for several hours, the channel said. Police had also stormed the bureau of the Al-Arabiya television network funded by Saudi Arabia -- seen as a traditional ally of Sudan's military leaders. The violence and attacks on the media drew widespread condemnation. "Deeply troubled by reports that Sudanese security forces used lethal force against protesters, blacked out the internet, and attempted to shut down media outlets," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted after Thursday's events. The Doctors' Committee has accused security forces of blocking ambulances and of forcibly removing at least one seriously injured protester from an ambulance. Videos have circulated on social media showing men in uniform beating protesters with sticks. 'International solidarity' The Sudanese Communist Party called for "urgent international solidarity to demand an end to the bloody repression in Sudan and the immediate release of all political detainees". Christian figures in the country announced the cancellation of New Year's celebrations in memory of Thursday's victims. Protesters have renewed demands that the military "return to their barracks" as promised in 2019 when Bashir was toppled and the country came under the control of the Sovereign Council, a body composed of both civilian and military figures, headed by Burhan. A police spokesman had said four people died in Thursday's unrest and 297 people were injured, "including 49 police officers". He also said "three police vans were set on fire" and accused protest leaders of having sought to "turn a peaceful march into violence and confrontations with the security forces". An adviser to Burhan told the state news agency that "the demonstrations are a waste of time and energy" and would not lead to a political solution. The bloody crackdown since the October coup has claimed 53 lives and left hundreds wounded. Sudanese pro-democracy demonstrators blocked streets in Khartoum on Friday, protesting against violence a day earlier that left five people dead and sparked condemnation. Protesters barricaded roads in the east Khartoum district of Burri as well as in nearby Khartoum North using rocks, tree branches and tyres, an AFP journalist reported. Sudan has been gripped by turmoil since military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan launched a coup on October 25 and detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Hamdok was reinstated on November 21, but mass protests have continued as demonstrators distrust Burhan's promises of seeking to guide the country toward full democracy. As the authorities on Thursday cut off communications across the country, security forces clamped down on demonstrations, firing live rounds and tear gas as tens of thousands gathered in Khartoum and its neighbouring cities. Four protesters were fatally shot in the head or chest in Omdurman, according to the pro-democracy Doctors' Committee, while a fifth succumbed to his wounds Friday after he was shot in central Khartoum. Protesters charge that the deal to reinstate Hamdok simply aims to give the cloak of legitimacy to the generals, whom they accuse of trying to continue the regime built by former autocratic president Omar al-Bashir, who was toppled in 2019 following mass protests. Resignations A civilian member recently appointed to the ruling Sovereign Council, Abdel Baqi Abdel Qader, announced that he intends to resign. Sudanese demonstrators push a cement barricade in the capital Khartoum as tens of thousands protest against the army's October 25 coup, on December 30. By - (AFP) He said he had sent a message to Burhan's office requesting a meeting "to present to him my resignation... over the violence against demonstrators". Interim health minister Haitham Mohammed also announced his resignation in a letter made public, denouncing attacks on medics and hospitals treating protesters. Two journalists from Saudi Arabia's Asharq television channel, Maha al-Talb and Sally Othman, were released after they and their crews were held for several hours, the channel said. Police had also stormed the bureau of the Al-Arabiya television network funded by Saudi Arabia -- seen as a traditional ally of Sudan's military leaders. The violence and attacks on the media drew widespread condemnation. "Deeply troubled by reports that Sudanese security forces used lethal force against protesters, blacked out the internet, and attempted to shut down media outlets," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted after Thursday's events. The Doctors' Committee has accused security forces of blocking ambulances and of forcibly removing at least one seriously injured protester from an ambulance. Videos have circulated on social media showing men in uniform beating protesters with sticks. 'International solidarity' The Sudanese Communist Party called for "urgent international solidarity to demand an end to the bloody repression in Sudan and the immediate release of all political detainees". Christian figures in the country announced the cancellation of New Year's celebrations in memory of Thursday's victims. Protesters have renewed demands that the military "return to their barracks" as promised in 2019 when Bashir was toppled and the country came under the control of the Sovereign Council, a body composed of both civilian and military figures, headed by Burhan. A police spokesman had said four people died in Thursday's unrest and 297 people were injured, "including 49 police officers". He also said "three police vans were set on fire" and accused protest leaders of having sought to "turn a peaceful march into violence and confrontations with the security forces". An adviser to Burhan told the state news agency that "the demonstrations are a waste of time and energy" and would not lead to a political solution. The bloody crackdown since the October coup has claimed 53 lives and left hundreds wounded. Beloved Emmy-winning actress and animal advocate Betty White turned 95 on Tuesday. To mark the occasion, the living legend sat down with Yahoos Katie Couric to share some of her secrets to living a long and fruitful life. I am the luckiest old broad on two feet, she acknowledged. See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Advertisement Snuggle often As a birthday gift, Couric brought White a stuffed sloth, which led to the revelation that the birthday girl has an entire room in her home dedicated to stuffed animals. Im a little strange for stuffed animals, said White. Im a little strange for any kind of animals. Except possibly the two-legged kind, joked White. Invest in a quality alarm clock When asked about a typical day in her life, White said she always gets up early, though in her case, she has a little help via a quick puppy kiss. [My dog] comes over and he lets me know when its 6:30, said White. Keep looking ahead Though married twice before, White got married for the last time in 1963 to television host Allen Ludden. The pair were happily wed until Luddens death from stomach cancer in 1981. Also a widow, having lost her first husband to colon cancer in 1998, Couric asked White if she had advice for women who found themselves in their position. One day at a time, White said, shaking her head. You dont look ahead. And you try not to look back. Of course, she smiled, you cant help that. And did she ever want to get married again? Remarry, no, she said. Fool around, sure! Keep busy White, who still has an active career in Hollywood she even hosted Saturday Night Live in 2010 stressed to Couric the importance of filling your time. Dont focus everything on you, advised White. That wears out pretty fast. Its not hard to find things youre interested in. Enjoy them. Indulge them. Beyond her professional work, White has spent her life committed to being an advocate for animal health and is known for her close relationship with the Los Angeles Zoo. libby.hill@latimes.com @midwestspitfire ALSO In honor of her 95th birthday, watch 10 of Betty Whites golden TV moments GoFundMe campaign warns 2016 to stay away from Betty White Sharing biblical stories and 100 years of life lessons with Kirk Douglas Heres what happens when Jerry Lewis isnt so hostile in an interview Old Hollywoods Lew Ayres served his country as a conscientious objector Sudanese pro-democracy demonstrators blocked streets in Khartoum on Friday, protesting against violence a day earlier that left five people dead and sparked condemnation. Protesters barricaded roads in the east Khartoum district of Burri as well as in nearby Khartoum North using rocks, tree branches and tyres, an AFP journalist reported. Sudan has been gripped by turmoil since military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan launched a coup on October 25 and detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Hamdok was reinstated on November 21, but mass protests have continued as demonstrators distrust Burhan's promises of seeking to guide the country toward full democracy. As the authorities on Thursday cut off communications across the country, security forces clamped down on demonstrations, firing live rounds and tear gas as tens of thousands gathered in Khartoum and its neighbouring cities. Four protesters were fatally shot in the head or chest in Omdurman, according to the pro-democracy Doctors' Committee, while a fifth succumbed to his wounds Friday after he was shot in central Khartoum. Protesters charge that the deal to reinstate Hamdok simply aims to give the cloak of legitimacy to the generals, whom they accuse of trying to continue the regime built by former autocratic president Omar al-Bashir, who was toppled in 2019 following mass protests. Resignations A civilian member recently appointed to the ruling Sovereign Council, Abdel Baqi Abdel Qader, announced that he intends to resign. Sudanese demonstrators push a cement barricade in the capital Khartoum as tens of thousands protest against the army's October 25 coup, on December 30. By - (AFP) He said he had sent a message to Burhan's office requesting a meeting "to present to him my resignation... over the violence against demonstrators". Interim health minister Haitham Mohammed also announced his resignation in a letter made public, denouncing attacks on medics and hospitals treating protesters. Two journalists from Saudi Arabia's Asharq television channel, Maha al-Talb and Sally Othman, were released after they and their crews were held for several hours, the channel said. Police had also stormed the bureau of the Al-Arabiya television network funded by Saudi Arabia -- seen as a traditional ally of Sudan's military leaders. The violence and attacks on the media drew widespread condemnation. "Deeply troubled by reports that Sudanese security forces used lethal force against protesters, blacked out the internet, and attempted to shut down media outlets," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted after Thursday's events. The Doctors' Committee has accused security forces of blocking ambulances and of forcibly removing at least one seriously injured protester from an ambulance. Videos have circulated on social media showing men in uniform beating protesters with sticks. 'International solidarity' The Sudanese Communist Party called for "urgent international solidarity to demand an end to the bloody repression in Sudan and the immediate release of all political detainees". Christian figures in the country announced the cancellation of New Year's celebrations in memory of Thursday's victims. Protesters have renewed demands that the military "return to their barracks" as promised in 2019 when Bashir was toppled and the country came under the control of the Sovereign Council, a body composed of both civilian and military figures, headed by Burhan. A police spokesman had said four people died in Thursday's unrest and 297 people were injured, "including 49 police officers". He also said "three police vans were set on fire" and accused protest leaders of having sought to "turn a peaceful march into violence and confrontations with the security forces". An adviser to Burhan told the state news agency that "the demonstrations are a waste of time and energy" and would not lead to a political solution. The bloody crackdown since the October coup has claimed 53 lives and left hundreds wounded. The IRGC on Friday did not mention the time and place of the operation, which comes as a retaliation for the killings of its two servicemen on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported. The two servicemen, Mehran Shourizadeh and Mohsen Kaykhaa'i, were murdered on duty by armed men in the southeastern city of Zahedan, the provincial capital of Sistan and Baluchestan. Iranian forces frequently engage in clashes with thugs and terrorists near the country's western and eastern borders. --IANS int/khz/ ( 115 Words) 2022-01-01-01:52:02 (IANS) The IRGC on Friday did not mention the time and place of the operation, which comes as a retaliation for the killings of its two servicemen on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported. The two servicemen, Mehran Shourizadeh and Mohsen Kaykhaa'i, were murdered on duty by armed men in the southeastern city of Zahedan, the provincial capital of Sistan and Baluchestan. Iranian forces frequently engage in clashes with thugs and terrorists near the country's western and eastern borders. --IANS int/khz/ ( 115 Words) 2022-01-01-01:52:02 (IANS) It is early days in Fitchs venture, but his master plan is to bring in some sort of restaurant in the buildings lower levels. Optimally, he added, he wants the restaurant to operate alongside a cafe and gallery. New Downtown Property Owner To Be A Positive Force In North Adams Fitch has an education in International Affairs and Political Science. He has also managed a screen acting school in Boston and managed community relations and marketing at a coding Bootcamp. NORTH ADAMS, Mass. Andrew Fitch, the new owner of 117 Main St. and 3-5 Eagle St., plans to undergo a substantial renovation to support a new eatery in the buildings lower level. "I am looking forward to meeting everyone, I am looking forward to being a positive contributor to this city, and Im looking forward to welcoming everyone into the space," Fitch said. It is early days in Fitchs venture, but his master plan is to bring in some sort of restaurant to the buildings lower level. Optimally, he added, he wants the restaurant to operate alongside a cafe and gallery. "My preference is quality," he said. "Something that is good for the city, something that people would enjoy, something that I would enjoy." Speaking with Fitch, he reiterated numerous times that he wanted to help reinvigorate the post-pandemic downtown and champion the city he had just stumbled upon earlier this year. "I am the kind of person who always gets involved in whatever community I exist in," Fitch said. "...I want to do that in North Adams, and I know this building is a unique and a special placeI figure if I do the right things with that building it could help rehabilitate the downtown area." Fitch is an Eastern Massachusetts native but has spent time in San Francisco, New York City, and London, among other places. He said even though he has traveled the world, he has always wanted to return to the Bay State. "For years, I have been bouncing around the country and the world but when people ask me where I am from I always say Massachusetts," Fitch said. "I have always been working on moving back home, but I was letting myself get distracted with different adventures or career opportunities." Before the pandemic hit, Fitch was living in a sailboat in San Francisco Bay. He said he had a new nephew back home, and he wanted to fly back to Massachusetts before COVID-19 travel restrictions made that impossible. "The day before San Francisco went on lockdown I booked a ticketIn the end, I ended up staying five months," he said. "After going back and forth a few times, I decided that I was just going to move home." Fitch, who currently is working remotely in diversity, equity, and inclusion for a tech company, sold his boat and started moving his things across the country. He made the trip by car and by motorcycle. He needed a place to live. Preferably a place where he could reconnect with the Commonwealth. After spending some time in different communities, he found North Adams. "I thought maybe Boston. I rented a place in Provincetown for a while,and then I found North Adams," he said. "I never heard of North Adams. I was looking for a cute little town where I could find a place in the center of town where I could find a cup of coffee, go on hikes, and do interesting things in my home state." North Adams fit that description and Fitch made his move this summer. "I really loved being hereI made friends quickly, and I loved the art scene," he said. "I didnt think somewhere this interesting would ever be so affordable." In the fall, Fitch closed on a house and then started looking at commercial properties. He said he had his eyes on the corner property for some time. After looking at a few more properties, he decided to make his move. The property had originally been Rice's Drug Store, first established in 1866. The corner had been colloquially known as "Rice's Corner" for decades. It was then owned by Star Realty Co. before the Varelllases bought it in 1971. Mark and Robert Moulton Jr., whose family also operates Moulton's Spectacle Shoppe next door, bought the building in 2004 from John and James Varellas. James and Stacy Varellas had run the Pizza House there for more than 30 years. The corner continued as a pizzeria, first as Moulton's Pizza and as several other entities, including Supreme and Bella Roma. It's been closed for more than a year. Fitch said he has enjoyed people stopping in to tell him about their own connections to the building. "People are curious. People knock on the door and tell me their stories and past history with the building," he said. "What it used to be, what they want it to be. People are excited." Fitch is working with an architect and engineer and is happy to report that the building is in good shape. He anticipates some roof work but said "fingers crossed" he hopes to have a tenant street level in about a year after he spruces up the space. He said he has already been in discussions with possible tenants. Upstairs is a different project. He said the apartments are partially gutted and that work needs to be completed. He anticipates this fits more in a two-year timeline Outside, if possible, he hopes to install some sort of public art project. "I do intend to do something expressive and beautiful with the building," he said. "I don't know what that is yet but I will find a way to finagle some sort of public artwork or mural." Fitch is happy to be part of the North Adams community and hopes to work with other developers and business owners to breathe new life into the downtown. "I dont have any hopes that one person can bring Main Street or Eagle Street back up," he said. "But I figure if a couple of us do this kind of thing the entire city will benefitso stay tuned." After Virginia set a new record for COVID-19 cases on Wednesdaya number that was soundly trounced each of the next two daysGov. Ralph Northam said rising case numbers were cause for concern, not panic, because of the prevalence of vaccines. Data from around the world has shown that if people get vaccinated and then get COVID, their symptoms are likely to be minor, the governor said, stressing: Nearly everyone going to the hospital with COVID is unvaccinated. Thats not what data from Mary Washington Healthcare and the state show. Since September, MWHC has posted graphics in which gold stick figures represent unvaccinated patients and green stick figures represent vaccinated ones. When the graphics began, the charts were mostly honey-colored images, noting those who had not been inoculated. The graphics have gotten a bit greener since Thanksgiving as the number of vaccinated people admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 has risen, according to MWHC data. Fridays chart shows that 41 peoplemore than one-third of the 115 patients at Mary Washington Hospital and Stafford Hospital with the viruswere vaccinated. Among the older setthe 52 patients over age 65there were more vaccinated than unvaccinated in the hospital by a margin of 2923. Three of the 29 older patients also had gotten booster shots, according to MWHC. Four of the 16 people in intensive care had been vaccinated, but unlike reports from earlier days, none of the six patients on ventilators, as of Fridays report, were vaccinated, according to MWHC. The fast-spreading omicron variant is to blame for the changes, said Dr. Olugbenga Obasanjo, director of the Rappahannock Area Health District, which includes Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford. Omicron is increasing hospitalization especially among the unvaccinated, but also among the vaccinated, he said. In terms of numbers, the increased infectivity means a lot more people will likely become infected, which increases the possibility of getting seriously ill and even dying, even for those who are fully vaccinated. Dr. Christopher Newman, chief medical officer at MWHC, said his concerns were more focused on the overall growing number of hospitalizations regardless of vaccination status. The standard playbook for COVID-19 that has worked quite well with previous variants is just not working with omicron, he said. For instance, both MWHC and the state suspended the use of certain types of monoclonal antibodieswhich are given in an infusion to those most at risk to prevent serious illness and hospitalizationsbecause they werent effective against omicron. MWHC will receive a small allotment of an antibodies treatment that does seem to work, called sotrovimab, but will have to reserve it for the severely immunocompromised. There is not enough supply for the demand, he said. Compromised immune systems and chronic health conditions were topics of Facebook chatter on Thursday as those on MWHCs site wondered if the already vaccinated patients, in hospitals, have underlying issues. Certain factorsincluding being over 65, having chronic health problems and having weakened immune systemsdo put people more at risk of severe outcomes, said Mary Chamberlin, public information officer for the local health district. After one person asked what brand of vaccine those hospitalized had received, MWHC posted that numbers were fairly equally split. Of the 35 vaccinated inpatients in the hospital as of Thursday, 15 had received Pfizer; 14, Moderna; and six, Johnson & Johnson. The key is to get a booster as soon as possible, MWHC also posted on Facebook. Even though the number of patients whove been vaccinated has risen at MWHC hospitals, the majority of people being treated for virus symptoms arent vaccinated, as the governor suggested. Thats particularly true among younger people; as of Friday, 51 of the 63 patients under 65 in MWHC facilities had not been vaccinated. Among the 12 patients in that age group who were fully vaccinated, none had gotten booster shots, according to the chart. Data from the Virginia Department of Health shows that even with the impact from delta and omicron, people who arent vaccinated are getting infected, hospitalized and dying at rates four times higher than those who have been vaccinated. But the state data also shows a growing number of breakthrough cases in which fully vaccinated people develop the illness. From mid-January to late December this year, 88,143 fully vaccinated Virginians were infected with COVID-19. Of that total, 2,559 ended up in the hospital and 969 of them died, according to state data. As COVID-19 has remained on the sceneand not been stamped out, perhaps due to not enough people being vaccinatedthe virus has mutated and produced different variants against which vaccines may not be as effective. Dr. Sheena Taylor, chief hospitalist at Mary Washington Healthcare, spoke in September about the way mutations can be fueled by the unvaccinated. She said those who are vaccinated have antibodies in their systemsvirtual armies ready to be deployed when the virus attacks. Those who arent vaccinated dont have that supply of armed forces and as their bodies fight to build up a defense, theres a lag time between infection and immune response. In that lag time, [the virus] is getting an opportunity to replicate, Taylor said, and possibly mutate into an even stronger variant. That is why its immensely important to vaccinate. Were protecting our community at large and preventing the opportunity of future mutations to come about. But as public health officials also have noted, being vaccinated doesnt provide superhuman coverage. Thats why the governors statement about almost everyone hospitalized being unvaccinated could suggest a false sense of security among those whove been vaccinated and even boosted. We need to continue to use all the barriers between us and the virus until the pandemic is truly in the rearview mirror, Obasanjo said. Vaccination, testing with quarantine and isolation as indicated, masking and social distancing must continue more fastidiously given the increased infectivity. On Monday, Newman gave the same advice to MWH staff in the wake of rising patient counts and hospital workers contracting the virus. He suggested they wear medical-grade masks rather than cloth ones outside their homes and around anyone not in their household; make sure the masks cover their mouths and noses; practice social distancing and avoid social gatherings; wash hands frequently; and encourage vaccinations and boosters. He also said on Thursday that because of omicrons transmissibility, individuals really must weigh their personal risk when electing to participate in certain activities. After Virginia set a new record for COVID-19 cases on Wednesdaya number that was soundly trounced each of the next two daysGov. Ralph Northam said rising case numbers were cause for concern, not panic, because of the prevalence of vaccines. Data from around the world has shown that if people get vaccinated and then get COVID, their symptoms are likely to be minor, the governor said, stressing: Nearly everyone going to the hospital with COVID is unvaccinated. Thats not what data from Mary Washington Healthcare and the state show. Since September, MWHC has posted graphics in which gold stick figures represent unvaccinated patients and green stick figures represent vaccinated ones. When the graphics began, the charts were mostly honey-colored images, noting those who had not been inoculated. The graphics have gotten a bit greener since Thanksgiving as the number of vaccinated people admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 has risen, according to MWHC data. Fridays chart shows that 41 peoplemore than one-third of the 115 patients at Mary Washington Hospital and Stafford Hospital with the viruswere vaccinated. Among the older setthe 52 patients over age 65there were more vaccinated than unvaccinated in the hospital by a margin of 2923. Three of the 29 older patients also had gotten booster shots, according to MWHC. Four of the 16 people in intensive care had been vaccinated, but unlike reports from earlier days, none of the six patients on ventilators, as of Fridays report, were vaccinated, according to MWHC. The fast-spreading omicron variant is to blame for the changes, said Dr. Olugbenga Obasanjo, director of the Rappahannock Area Health District, which includes Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford. Omicron is increasing hospitalization especially among the unvaccinated, but also among the vaccinated, he said. In terms of numbers, the increased infectivity means a lot more people will likely become infected, which increases the possibility of getting seriously ill and even dying, even for those who are fully vaccinated. Dr. Christopher Newman, chief medical officer at MWHC, said his concerns were more focused on the overall growing number of hospitalizations regardless of vaccination status. The standard playbook for COVID-19 that has worked quite well with previous variants is just not working with omicron, he said. For instance, both MWHC and the state suspended the use of certain types of monoclonal antibodieswhich are given in an infusion to those most at risk to prevent serious illness and hospitalizationsbecause they werent effective against omicron. MWHC will receive a small allotment of an antibodies treatment that does seem to work, called sotrovimab, but will have to reserve it for the severely immunocompromised. There is not enough supply for the demand, he said. Compromised immune systems and chronic health conditions were topics of Facebook chatter on Thursday as those on MWHCs site wondered if the already vaccinated patients, in hospitals, have underlying issues. Certain factorsincluding being over 65, having chronic health problems and having weakened immune systemsdo put people more at risk of severe outcomes, said Mary Chamberlin, public information officer for the local health district. After one person asked what brand of vaccine those hospitalized had received, MWHC posted that numbers were fairly equally split. Of the 35 vaccinated inpatients in the hospital as of Thursday, 15 had received Pfizer; 14, Moderna; and six, Johnson & Johnson. The key is to get a booster as soon as possible, MWHC also posted on Facebook. Even though the number of patients whove been vaccinated has risen at MWHC hospitals, the majority of people being treated for virus symptoms arent vaccinated, as the governor suggested. Thats particularly true among younger people; as of Friday, 51 of the 63 patients under 65 in MWHC facilities had not been vaccinated. Among the 12 patients in that age group who were fully vaccinated, none had gotten booster shots, according to the chart. Data from the Virginia Department of Health shows that even with the impact from delta and omicron, people who arent vaccinated are getting infected, hospitalized and dying at rates four times higher than those who have been vaccinated. But the state data also shows a growing number of breakthrough cases in which fully vaccinated people develop the illness. From mid-January to late December this year, 88,143 fully vaccinated Virginians were infected with COVID-19. Of that total, 2,559 ended up in the hospital and 969 of them died, according to state data. As COVID-19 has remained on the sceneand not been stamped out, perhaps due to not enough people being vaccinatedthe virus has mutated and produced different variants against which vaccines may not be as effective. Dr. Sheena Taylor, chief hospitalist at Mary Washington Healthcare, spoke in September about the way mutations can be fueled by the unvaccinated. She said those who are vaccinated have antibodies in their systemsvirtual armies ready to be deployed when the virus attacks. Those who arent vaccinated dont have that supply of armed forces and as their bodies fight to build up a defense, theres a lag time between infection and immune response. In that lag time, [the virus] is getting an opportunity to replicate, Taylor said, and possibly mutate into an even stronger variant. That is why its immensely important to vaccinate. Were protecting our community at large and preventing the opportunity of future mutations to come about. But as public health officials also have noted, being vaccinated doesnt provide superhuman coverage. Thats why the governors statement about almost everyone hospitalized being unvaccinated could suggest a false sense of security among those whove been vaccinated and even boosted. We need to continue to use all the barriers between us and the virus until the pandemic is truly in the rearview mirror, Obasanjo said. Vaccination, testing with quarantine and isolation as indicated, masking and social distancing must continue more fastidiously given the increased infectivity. On Monday, Newman gave the same advice to MWH staff in the wake of rising patient counts and hospital workers contracting the virus. He suggested they wear medical-grade masks rather than cloth ones outside their homes and around anyone not in their household; make sure the masks cover their mouths and noses; practice social distancing and avoid social gatherings; wash hands frequently; and encourage vaccinations and boosters. He also said on Thursday that because of omicrons transmissibility, individuals really must weigh their personal risk when electing to participate in certain activities. GREENSBORO Though the battle remains fierce against COVID-19, health officials say 2021 had some amazing, uplifting and yes, heart-wrenching, developments. At this time last year, the Guilford County health department had just given out its first 50 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine calling in nurses who were on holiday to distribute them to emergency services workers. At Cone Health, officials were preparing to issue a warning that all 924 staffed beds would soon be filled if coronavirus hospitalization trends continued. Around the world, scientists, doctors, educators, CEOs and politicians along with everyday folks grappled with what the future held, trying to determine the next right steps. And while that continues to be the case as the new year begins, 2021 still brought better tools and more weapons to fight the pandemic. Perhaps most importantly, the year also provided much-needed experience for what may lie ahead. Pivoting On Wednesday, the News & Record spoke with two physicians at the forefront of Guilford Countys COVID-19 battle: Dr. Iulia Vann, the countys public health director, and Dr. Brent McQuaid, Cone Healths lead COVID-19 physician. And while Websters word of the year may be vaccine, judging from these interviews, pivot might be a close second. Between oft-changing guidance, new treatments and an ever-expanding population of vaccine recipients, health care leaders found themselves frequently pivoting to address new facets of the pandemic as they arose. Once the vaccine began arriving, then everything started happening really fast, Vann said. Our entire process of planning for the vaccine distribution had some really good strong points, but there were still a lot of things that we didnt know, she said. For instance, the transportation and storage requirements for the initial vaccine were a challenge. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the first to receive federal emergency approval, had to be stored at minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit and required ultra-cold freezers. So we had to really pivot and figure out how are we going to store them. We did not have an ultra-cold chain unit, Vann said, referring to the freezer needed. We didnt know how were going to transport them to clinic sites. ... We had all of these plans in place, but not all of them fit the situation in which we were in because there were so many different variables, Vann said. Looking back, there was so much that was unknown, McQuaid said. There were certain treatments that we werent sure if they were going to be effective or not, he said. And later on we learned that they were. McQuaid draws parallels between his own health numbers and those reflected with the rise and fall of the number of COVID-19 patients admitted to Cone Healths hospitals. My own personal blood pressure cuff readings at home track very nicely with the number of inpatients that we have, he said and chuckled. Im not kidding when I tell you my internist and I joke about that, McQuaid said. From an emotional kind of stress level standpoint, we certainly all feel more stress when the numbers are high and peaking. When the numbers are low and things are good, we were able to relax more. And with the limited vaccine supply in early 2021, health officials also had to adhere to a strict, difficult-to-predict schedule for deploying the vaccinations. Every time we would put in an order, we had to make sure that we depleted the inventory that we had the week before, Vann said. We wouldnt get anything if we didnt deplete the inventory for the prior week. So that was so stressful. Anticipating the different phases for when certain groups became eligible for the vaccine also proved challenging. Every time a new phase would become eligible, we knew that tens of thousands of people are going to now want to get the vaccine, Vann said. So we have to make sure that we have that plan in place to allow for that surge and that would overlap with second doses of the first people that were coming in. Vaccine hesitancy Another area that health care leaders had to tackle and still are was not just skepticism that the COVID-19 vaccines would work but also outright opposition to them. I wish, McQuaid said, we could have communicated more effectively to people who question what we do in modern Western medicine what happens if you have a horrible, highly contagious, very virulent virus that is about to attack an unvaccinated population. When the number of cases started dropping in March and April, many of us kind of felt this sigh of relief. It wasnt over, but we kind of felt like it was over, he said. Looking back, he wishes he had really doubled-down at that time on driving home the vaccination message because the more highly contagious delta variant was waiting in the wings. What happened with delta is that it selectively hit the unvaccinated particularly hard, he said. Thats our community, you know, those are our neighbors. Those are our family. He paused, recalling the young people who died after contracting that particular variant. To look at them and to talk to them and offer them hope and let them know that youre gonna fight with everything youve got to get them through it, McQuaid said, his voice slightly breaking. But then despite our best efforts to have some of them die. I mean, thats particularly difficult. Anger and gratitude Falsehoods rampant on social media injected their own particular poison into the vaccination conversation. Its been difficult, Vann said, just handling all of the different misinformation that has been out there on social media, in different groups of individuals, and receiving very distasteful messages and very challenging letters. (There were) a lot of very angry people directing their anger and displeasure towards public health, myself, my team, you know, it was really scary at times, she said. Vann said she wasnt physically threatened, but I have received very direct, derogatory, very angry messages and letters throughout this time. On the whole, however, Vann said she got positive feedback for her efforts and those of her staff. Weve received hundreds of messages and emails and phone calls and letters people actually wrote me letters to tell me how wonderful of an experience they had in our vaccine clinics, talking about how our team has been so amazing, and how grateful they were, she said. Reading those comments was everything that we wished for. One of her favorite memories was at the health departments clinic at the Greensboro Coliseum, when her teams efforts came together like a well-oiled machine. It was just so powerful, not only to see how well we operated that site, but then also to see the response of the community as they were coming in to our site, she said. It was just amazing. McQuaid recalled the day the last patient was released from Cone Healths Green Valley campus the old Womens Hospital that was temporarily converted to treat only COVID-19 patients early in the pandemic. The hospital has since closed. Just the gratitude she expressed, the heartfelt just sincere appreciation for what the team members did for her, McQuaid said, thats something that really stands out as kind of a representative voice of our patients and from our community who appreciated what we did. Forging relationships Vann and McQuaid said as difficult as the past year has been, their staffs though often stretched very thin made the difference. These are probably some of the most passionate people that I have ever worked with in my entire career, said Vann, whos 36. Theyre just absolutely amazing. McQuaid echoed the sentiment, noting that health care workers can go just about anywhere in todays market. Weve been incredibly fortunate to retain the people that we have, and were very grateful for what theyve done, he said. Theyve poured themselves into patient care and into our community over the last year theres no question about that. The pandemic also afforded opportunities to forge new or better relationships. I think the friendships and the relationships that have been developed between doctors, all levels of the staff, administration has been really pretty extraordinary, McQuaid said. But its something that I think develops because of something as stressful as whats happened in 2021. So for me, thats a high note. At the public health department, Vann said they were able to build a relationship with the business community in areas we never really partnered with before. Something that would have taken probably five years to build, we were able to do so in just a few months of constant communications with them, she said. Add to that the departments work with hospital systems, faith groups, universities and schools and, it brought us even closer to work together and have a common goal and common objectives, she said. It just gave us even more motivation to get things done together in the team. I think for many people who are in health care ... to some degree, it restored their faith in the health system, McQuaid said. It may have conquered some of the cynicism about the American health care system that its all about money, he said. You go through something like this, where you watch your leaders come in on a Saturday night at 8 oclock and help you out. You see them make really difficult decisions that affect the direction of where the health system is going to go. And it makes you realize, OK, we are all still here for the common purpose of serving this community to the best of our ability, McQuaid said. I mean the health system, it didnt buckle. You know, it was stressed, but it didnt buckle, and it served the community really well with the right priorities. Health equity One thing both Vann and McQuaid mentioned is the disproportionate toll the pandemic took on people of color. COVID really shines a light on health care disparities in our community, McQuaid said. Vaccination efforts at both Cone and the health department targeted communities with a high population of minorities, who statistically are at much greater risk of suffering serious consequences from COVID-19. You look at the bad outcomes, the disparity in outcomes in hospital survivorship for example, among the Black and brown community, and where does that come from? McQuaid said. That starts from a place of where our community is not doing enough to make sure that people in the Black and brown community are getting the access to primary care that they need. Good access to such care can prevent and/or allay underlying conditions that make it harder to survive COVID-19, such as heart disease, kidney ailments and high blood pressure. And, he said, that equity also needs to be in place as new treatments become available for the coronavirus. Its important for us ... that every time we pivot to a new therapy, we need to make sure that were being very careful that we offer this with equal opportunity to everyone, McQuaid said. Especially in time of stress, of pandemic, you know its very easy for vulnerable groups to just get left behind if youre not keeping that in the forefront. At home While on the front line of the fight, McQuaid and Vann also credited their families with helping them manage the stress of the pandemic. What I treasure the most about the past year is the undying support from my wife and kids, McQuaid said. You change what you value when you go through something like this. You value the people around you much more than any sort of personal achievement or accomplishment. Vann said the challenges her family faced mirrored those of the community. Her husband was laid off for a time from his job, her son whos on the autism spectrum had to attend school virtually something she called traumatic for all of them, and her daughters day care closed, forcing them to search for another one. Though her immediate family avoided getting COVID-19, Vann said they did lose family members to the disease. They died alone, in the hospital, because of the COVID-19 restrictions. And the pandemic also has delayed a medical procedure for her son, one that he was on a waitlist for two years to receive. These things in my own personal life, makes me human, too, she said. It is early days in Fitchs venture, but his master plan is to bring in some sort of restaurant in the buildings lower levels. Optimally, he added, he wants the restaurant to operate alongside a cafe and gallery. New Downtown Property Owner To Be A Positive Force In North Adams Fitch has an education in International Affairs and Political Science. He has also managed a screen acting school in Boston and managed community relations and marketing at a coding Bootcamp. NORTH ADAMS, Mass. Andrew Fitch, the new owner of 117 Main St. and 3-5 Eagle St., plans to undergo a substantial renovation to support a new eatery in the buildings lower level. "I am looking forward to meeting everyone, I am looking forward to being a positive contributor to this city, and Im looking forward to welcoming everyone into the space," Fitch said. It is early days in Fitchs venture, but his master plan is to bring in some sort of restaurant to the buildings lower level. Optimally, he added, he wants the restaurant to operate alongside a cafe and gallery. "My preference is quality," he said. "Something that is good for the city, something that people would enjoy, something that I would enjoy." Speaking with Fitch, he reiterated numerous times that he wanted to help reinvigorate the post-pandemic downtown and champion the city he had just stumbled upon earlier this year. "I am the kind of person who always gets involved in whatever community I exist in," Fitch said. "...I want to do that in North Adams, and I know this building is a unique and a special placeI figure if I do the right things with that building it could help rehabilitate the downtown area." Fitch is an Eastern Massachusetts native but has spent time in San Francisco, New York City, and London, among other places. He said even though he has traveled the world, he has always wanted to return to the Bay State. "For years, I have been bouncing around the country and the world but when people ask me where I am from I always say Massachusetts," Fitch said. "I have always been working on moving back home, but I was letting myself get distracted with different adventures or career opportunities." Before the pandemic hit, Fitch was living in a sailboat in San Francisco Bay. He said he had a new nephew back home, and he wanted to fly back to Massachusetts before COVID-19 travel restrictions made that impossible. "The day before San Francisco went on lockdown I booked a ticketIn the end, I ended up staying five months," he said. "After going back and forth a few times, I decided that I was just going to move home." Fitch, who currently is working remotely in diversity, equity, and inclusion for a tech company, sold his boat and started moving his things across the country. He made the trip by car and by motorcycle. He needed a place to live. Preferably a place where he could reconnect with the Commonwealth. After spending some time in different communities, he found North Adams. "I thought maybe Boston. I rented a place in Provincetown for a while,and then I found North Adams," he said. "I never heard of North Adams. I was looking for a cute little town where I could find a place in the center of town where I could find a cup of coffee, go on hikes, and do interesting things in my home state." North Adams fit that description and Fitch made his move this summer. "I really loved being hereI made friends quickly, and I loved the art scene," he said. "I didnt think somewhere this interesting would ever be so affordable." In the fall, Fitch closed on a house and then started looking at commercial properties. He said he had his eyes on the corner property for some time. After looking at a few more properties, he decided to make his move. The property had originally been Rice's Drug Store, first established in 1866. The corner had been colloquially known as "Rice's Corner" for decades. It was then owned by Star Realty Co. before the Varelllases bought it in 1971. Mark and Robert Moulton Jr., whose family also operates Moulton's Spectacle Shoppe next door, bought the building in 2004 from John and James Varellas. James and Stacy Varellas had run the Pizza House there for more than 30 years. The corner continued as a pizzeria, first as Moulton's Pizza and as several other entities, including Supreme and Bella Roma. It's been closed for more than a year. Fitch said he has enjoyed people stopping in to tell him about their own connections to the building. "People are curious. People knock on the door and tell me their stories and past history with the building," he said. "What it used to be, what they want it to be. People are excited." Fitch is working with an architect and engineer and is happy to report that the building is in good shape. He anticipates some roof work but said "fingers crossed" he hopes to have a tenant street level in about a year after he spruces up the space. He said he has already been in discussions with possible tenants. Upstairs is a different project. He said the apartments are partially gutted and that work needs to be completed. He anticipates this fits more in a two-year timeline Outside, if possible, he hopes to install some sort of public art project. "I do intend to do something expressive and beautiful with the building," he said. "I don't know what that is yet but I will find a way to finagle some sort of public artwork or mural." Fitch is happy to be part of the North Adams community and hopes to work with other developers and business owners to breathe new life into the downtown. "I dont have any hopes that one person can bring Main Street or Eagle Street back up," he said. "But I figure if a couple of us do this kind of thing the entire city will benefitso stay tuned." It is early days in Fitchs venture, but his master plan is to bring in some sort of restaurant in the buildings lower levels. Optimally, he added, he wants the restaurant to operate alongside a cafe and gallery. New Downtown Property Owner To Be A Positive Force In North Adams Fitch has an education in International Affairs and Political Science. He has also managed a screen acting school in Boston and managed community relations and marketing at a coding Bootcamp. NORTH ADAMS, Mass. Andrew Fitch, the new owner of 117 Main St. and 3-5 Eagle St., plans to undergo a substantial renovation to support a new eatery in the buildings lower level. "I am looking forward to meeting everyone, I am looking forward to being a positive contributor to this city, and Im looking forward to welcoming everyone into the space," Fitch said. It is early days in Fitchs venture, but his master plan is to bring in some sort of restaurant to the buildings lower level. Optimally, he added, he wants the restaurant to operate alongside a cafe and gallery. "My preference is quality," he said. "Something that is good for the city, something that people would enjoy, something that I would enjoy." Speaking with Fitch, he reiterated numerous times that he wanted to help reinvigorate the post-pandemic downtown and champion the city he had just stumbled upon earlier this year. "I am the kind of person who always gets involved in whatever community I exist in," Fitch said. "...I want to do that in North Adams, and I know this building is a unique and a special placeI figure if I do the right things with that building it could help rehabilitate the downtown area." Fitch is an Eastern Massachusetts native but has spent time in San Francisco, New York City, and London, among other places. He said even though he has traveled the world, he has always wanted to return to the Bay State. "For years, I have been bouncing around the country and the world but when people ask me where I am from I always say Massachusetts," Fitch said. "I have always been working on moving back home, but I was letting myself get distracted with different adventures or career opportunities." Before the pandemic hit, Fitch was living in a sailboat in San Francisco Bay. He said he had a new nephew back home, and he wanted to fly back to Massachusetts before COVID-19 travel restrictions made that impossible. "The day before San Francisco went on lockdown I booked a ticketIn the end, I ended up staying five months," he said. "After going back and forth a few times, I decided that I was just going to move home." Fitch, who currently is working remotely in diversity, equity, and inclusion for a tech company, sold his boat and started moving his things across the country. He made the trip by car and by motorcycle. He needed a place to live. Preferably a place where he could reconnect with the Commonwealth. After spending some time in different communities, he found North Adams. "I thought maybe Boston. I rented a place in Provincetown for a while,and then I found North Adams," he said. "I never heard of North Adams. I was looking for a cute little town where I could find a place in the center of town where I could find a cup of coffee, go on hikes, and do interesting things in my home state." North Adams fit that description and Fitch made his move this summer. "I really loved being hereI made friends quickly, and I loved the art scene," he said. "I didnt think somewhere this interesting would ever be so affordable." In the fall, Fitch closed on a house and then started looking at commercial properties. He said he had his eyes on the corner property for some time. After looking at a few more properties, he decided to make his move. The property had originally been Rice's Drug Store, first established in 1866. The corner had been colloquially known as "Rice's Corner" for decades. It was then owned by Star Realty Co. before the Varelllases bought it in 1971. Mark and Robert Moulton Jr., whose family also operates Moulton's Spectacle Shoppe next door, bought the building in 2004 from John and James Varellas. James and Stacy Varellas had run the Pizza House there for more than 30 years. The corner continued as a pizzeria, first as Moulton's Pizza and as several other entities, including Supreme and Bella Roma. It's been closed for more than a year. Fitch said he has enjoyed people stopping in to tell him about their own connections to the building. "People are curious. People knock on the door and tell me their stories and past history with the building," he said. "What it used to be, what they want it to be. People are excited." Fitch is working with an architect and engineer and is happy to report that the building is in good shape. He anticipates some roof work but said "fingers crossed" he hopes to have a tenant street level in about a year after he spruces up the space. He said he has already been in discussions with possible tenants. Upstairs is a different project. He said the apartments are partially gutted and that work needs to be completed. He anticipates this fits more in a two-year timeline Outside, if possible, he hopes to install some sort of public art project. "I do intend to do something expressive and beautiful with the building," he said. "I don't know what that is yet but I will find a way to finagle some sort of public artwork or mural." Fitch is happy to be part of the North Adams community and hopes to work with other developers and business owners to breathe new life into the downtown. "I dont have any hopes that one person can bring Main Street or Eagle Street back up," he said. "But I figure if a couple of us do this kind of thing the entire city will benefitso stay tuned." It is early days in Fitchs venture, but his master plan is to bring in some sort of restaurant in the buildings lower levels. Optimally, he added, he wants the restaurant to operate alongside a cafe and gallery. New Downtown Property Owner To Be A Positive Force In North Adams Fitch has an education in International Affairs and Political Science. He has also managed a screen acting school in Boston and managed community relations and marketing at a coding Bootcamp. NORTH ADAMS, Mass. Andrew Fitch, the new owner of 117 Main St. and 3-5 Eagle St., plans to undergo a substantial renovation to support a new eatery in the buildings lower level. "I am looking forward to meeting everyone, I am looking forward to being a positive contributor to this city, and Im looking forward to welcoming everyone into the space," Fitch said. It is early days in Fitchs venture, but his master plan is to bring in some sort of restaurant to the buildings lower level. Optimally, he added, he wants the restaurant to operate alongside a cafe and gallery. "My preference is quality," he said. "Something that is good for the city, something that people would enjoy, something that I would enjoy." Speaking with Fitch, he reiterated numerous times that he wanted to help reinvigorate the post-pandemic downtown and champion the city he had just stumbled upon earlier this year. "I am the kind of person who always gets involved in whatever community I exist in," Fitch said. "...I want to do that in North Adams, and I know this building is a unique and a special placeI figure if I do the right things with that building it could help rehabilitate the downtown area." Fitch is an Eastern Massachusetts native but has spent time in San Francisco, New York City, and London, among other places. He said even though he has traveled the world, he has always wanted to return to the Bay State. "For years, I have been bouncing around the country and the world but when people ask me where I am from I always say Massachusetts," Fitch said. "I have always been working on moving back home, but I was letting myself get distracted with different adventures or career opportunities." Before the pandemic hit, Fitch was living in a sailboat in San Francisco Bay. He said he had a new nephew back home, and he wanted to fly back to Massachusetts before COVID-19 travel restrictions made that impossible. "The day before San Francisco went on lockdown I booked a ticketIn the end, I ended up staying five months," he said. "After going back and forth a few times, I decided that I was just going to move home." Fitch, who currently is working remotely in diversity, equity, and inclusion for a tech company, sold his boat and started moving his things across the country. He made the trip by car and by motorcycle. He needed a place to live. Preferably a place where he could reconnect with the Commonwealth. After spending some time in different communities, he found North Adams. "I thought maybe Boston. I rented a place in Provincetown for a while,and then I found North Adams," he said. "I never heard of North Adams. I was looking for a cute little town where I could find a place in the center of town where I could find a cup of coffee, go on hikes, and do interesting things in my home state." North Adams fit that description and Fitch made his move this summer. "I really loved being hereI made friends quickly, and I loved the art scene," he said. "I didnt think somewhere this interesting would ever be so affordable." In the fall, Fitch closed on a house and then started looking at commercial properties. He said he had his eyes on the corner property for some time. After looking at a few more properties, he decided to make his move. The property had originally been Rice's Drug Store, first established in 1866. The corner had been colloquially known as "Rice's Corner" for decades. It was then owned by Star Realty Co. before the Varelllases bought it in 1971. Mark and Robert Moulton Jr., whose family also operates Moulton's Spectacle Shoppe next door, bought the building in 2004 from John and James Varellas. James and Stacy Varellas had run the Pizza House there for more than 30 years. The corner continued as a pizzeria, first as Moulton's Pizza and as several other entities, including Supreme and Bella Roma. It's been closed for more than a year. Fitch said he has enjoyed people stopping in to tell him about their own connections to the building. "People are curious. People knock on the door and tell me their stories and past history with the building," he said. "What it used to be, what they want it to be. People are excited." Fitch is working with an architect and engineer and is happy to report that the building is in good shape. He anticipates some roof work but said "fingers crossed" he hopes to have a tenant street level in about a year after he spruces up the space. He said he has already been in discussions with possible tenants. Upstairs is a different project. He said the apartments are partially gutted and that work needs to be completed. He anticipates this fits more in a two-year timeline Outside, if possible, he hopes to install some sort of public art project. "I do intend to do something expressive and beautiful with the building," he said. "I don't know what that is yet but I will find a way to finagle some sort of public artwork or mural." Fitch is happy to be part of the North Adams community and hopes to work with other developers and business owners to breathe new life into the downtown. "I dont have any hopes that one person can bring Main Street or Eagle Street back up," he said. "But I figure if a couple of us do this kind of thing the entire city will benefitso stay tuned." It is early days in Fitchs venture, but his master plan is to bring in some sort of restaurant in the buildings lower levels. Optimally, he added, he wants the restaurant to operate alongside a cafe and gallery. New Downtown Property Owner To Be A Positive Force In North Adams Fitch has an education in International Affairs and Political Science. He has also managed a screen acting school in Boston and managed community relations and marketing at a coding Bootcamp. NORTH ADAMS, Mass. Andrew Fitch, the new owner of 117 Main St. and 3-5 Eagle St., plans to undergo a substantial renovation to support a new eatery in the buildings lower level. "I am looking forward to meeting everyone, I am looking forward to being a positive contributor to this city, and Im looking forward to welcoming everyone into the space," Fitch said. It is early days in Fitchs venture, but his master plan is to bring in some sort of restaurant to the buildings lower level. Optimally, he added, he wants the restaurant to operate alongside a cafe and gallery. "My preference is quality," he said. "Something that is good for the city, something that people would enjoy, something that I would enjoy." Speaking with Fitch, he reiterated numerous times that he wanted to help reinvigorate the post-pandemic downtown and champion the city he had just stumbled upon earlier this year. "I am the kind of person who always gets involved in whatever community I exist in," Fitch said. "...I want to do that in North Adams, and I know this building is a unique and a special placeI figure if I do the right things with that building it could help rehabilitate the downtown area." Fitch is an Eastern Massachusetts native but has spent time in San Francisco, New York City, and London, among other places. He said even though he has traveled the world, he has always wanted to return to the Bay State. "For years, I have been bouncing around the country and the world but when people ask me where I am from I always say Massachusetts," Fitch said. "I have always been working on moving back home, but I was letting myself get distracted with different adventures or career opportunities." Before the pandemic hit, Fitch was living in a sailboat in San Francisco Bay. He said he had a new nephew back home, and he wanted to fly back to Massachusetts before COVID-19 travel restrictions made that impossible. "The day before San Francisco went on lockdown I booked a ticketIn the end, I ended up staying five months," he said. "After going back and forth a few times, I decided that I was just going to move home." Fitch, who currently is working remotely in diversity, equity, and inclusion for a tech company, sold his boat and started moving his things across the country. He made the trip by car and by motorcycle. He needed a place to live. Preferably a place where he could reconnect with the Commonwealth. After spending some time in different communities, he found North Adams. "I thought maybe Boston. I rented a place in Provincetown for a while,and then I found North Adams," he said. "I never heard of North Adams. I was looking for a cute little town where I could find a place in the center of town where I could find a cup of coffee, go on hikes, and do interesting things in my home state." North Adams fit that description and Fitch made his move this summer. "I really loved being hereI made friends quickly, and I loved the art scene," he said. "I didnt think somewhere this interesting would ever be so affordable." In the fall, Fitch closed on a house and then started looking at commercial properties. He said he had his eyes on the corner property for some time. After looking at a few more properties, he decided to make his move. The property had originally been Rice's Drug Store, first established in 1866. The corner had been colloquially known as "Rice's Corner" for decades. It was then owned by Star Realty Co. before the Varelllases bought it in 1971. Mark and Robert Moulton Jr., whose family also operates Moulton's Spectacle Shoppe next door, bought the building in 2004 from John and James Varellas. James and Stacy Varellas had run the Pizza House there for more than 30 years. The corner continued as a pizzeria, first as Moulton's Pizza and as several other entities, including Supreme and Bella Roma. It's been closed for more than a year. Fitch said he has enjoyed people stopping in to tell him about their own connections to the building. "People are curious. People knock on the door and tell me their stories and past history with the building," he said. "What it used to be, what they want it to be. People are excited." Fitch is working with an architect and engineer and is happy to report that the building is in good shape. He anticipates some roof work but said "fingers crossed" he hopes to have a tenant street level in about a year after he spruces up the space. He said he has already been in discussions with possible tenants. Upstairs is a different project. He said the apartments are partially gutted and that work needs to be completed. He anticipates this fits more in a two-year timeline Outside, if possible, he hopes to install some sort of public art project. "I do intend to do something expressive and beautiful with the building," he said. "I don't know what that is yet but I will find a way to finagle some sort of public artwork or mural." Fitch is happy to be part of the North Adams community and hopes to work with other developers and business owners to breathe new life into the downtown. "I dont have any hopes that one person can bring Main Street or Eagle Street back up," he said. "But I figure if a couple of us do this kind of thing the entire city will benefitso stay tuned." It is early days in Fitchs venture, but his master plan is to bring in some sort of restaurant in the buildings lower levels. Optimally, he added, he wants the restaurant to operate alongside a cafe and gallery. New Downtown Property Owner To Be A Positive Force In North Adams Fitch has an education in International Affairs and Political Science. He has also managed a screen acting school in Boston and managed community relations and marketing at a coding Bootcamp. NORTH ADAMS, Mass. Andrew Fitch, the new owner of 117 Main St. and 3-5 Eagle St., plans to undergo a substantial renovation to support a new eatery in the buildings lower level. "I am looking forward to meeting everyone, I am looking forward to being a positive contributor to this city, and Im looking forward to welcoming everyone into the space," Fitch said. It is early days in Fitchs venture, but his master plan is to bring in some sort of restaurant to the buildings lower level. Optimally, he added, he wants the restaurant to operate alongside a cafe and gallery. "My preference is quality," he said. "Something that is good for the city, something that people would enjoy, something that I would enjoy." Speaking with Fitch, he reiterated numerous times that he wanted to help reinvigorate the post-pandemic downtown and champion the city he had just stumbled upon earlier this year. "I am the kind of person who always gets involved in whatever community I exist in," Fitch said. "...I want to do that in North Adams, and I know this building is a unique and a special placeI figure if I do the right things with that building it could help rehabilitate the downtown area." Fitch is an Eastern Massachusetts native but has spent time in San Francisco, New York City, and London, among other places. He said even though he has traveled the world, he has always wanted to return to the Bay State. "For years, I have been bouncing around the country and the world but when people ask me where I am from I always say Massachusetts," Fitch said. "I have always been working on moving back home, but I was letting myself get distracted with different adventures or career opportunities." Before the pandemic hit, Fitch was living in a sailboat in San Francisco Bay. He said he had a new nephew back home, and he wanted to fly back to Massachusetts before COVID-19 travel restrictions made that impossible. "The day before San Francisco went on lockdown I booked a ticketIn the end, I ended up staying five months," he said. "After going back and forth a few times, I decided that I was just going to move home." Fitch, who currently is working remotely in diversity, equity, and inclusion for a tech company, sold his boat and started moving his things across the country. He made the trip by car and by motorcycle. He needed a place to live. Preferably a place where he could reconnect with the Commonwealth. After spending some time in different communities, he found North Adams. "I thought maybe Boston. I rented a place in Provincetown for a while,and then I found North Adams," he said. "I never heard of North Adams. I was looking for a cute little town where I could find a place in the center of town where I could find a cup of coffee, go on hikes, and do interesting things in my home state." North Adams fit that description and Fitch made his move this summer. "I really loved being hereI made friends quickly, and I loved the art scene," he said. "I didnt think somewhere this interesting would ever be so affordable." In the fall, Fitch closed on a house and then started looking at commercial properties. He said he had his eyes on the corner property for some time. After looking at a few more properties, he decided to make his move. The property had originally been Rice's Drug Store, first established in 1866. The corner had been colloquially known as "Rice's Corner" for decades. It was then owned by Star Realty Co. before the Varelllases bought it in 1971. Mark and Robert Moulton Jr., whose family also operates Moulton's Spectacle Shoppe next door, bought the building in 2004 from John and James Varellas. James and Stacy Varellas had run the Pizza House there for more than 30 years. The corner continued as a pizzeria, first as Moulton's Pizza and as several other entities, including Supreme and Bella Roma. It's been closed for more than a year. Fitch said he has enjoyed people stopping in to tell him about their own connections to the building. "People are curious. People knock on the door and tell me their stories and past history with the building," he said. "What it used to be, what they want it to be. People are excited." Fitch is working with an architect and engineer and is happy to report that the building is in good shape. He anticipates some roof work but said "fingers crossed" he hopes to have a tenant street level in about a year after he spruces up the space. He said he has already been in discussions with possible tenants. Upstairs is a different project. He said the apartments are partially gutted and that work needs to be completed. He anticipates this fits more in a two-year timeline Outside, if possible, he hopes to install some sort of public art project. "I do intend to do something expressive and beautiful with the building," he said. "I don't know what that is yet but I will find a way to finagle some sort of public artwork or mural." Fitch is happy to be part of the North Adams community and hopes to work with other developers and business owners to breathe new life into the downtown. "I dont have any hopes that one person can bring Main Street or Eagle Street back up," he said. "But I figure if a couple of us do this kind of thing the entire city will benefitso stay tuned." Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. AOC hit back on Friday in a tweet saying: 'Hasn't Gov. DeSantis been inexplicably missing for like 2 weeks?' Supporters of Florida's governor, Ron DeSantis, mocked AOC and told her to enjoy her 'taste of freedom' Florida also reported a record 77,848 new cases and 90 more deaths to the CDC on Thursday Many residents are also still waiting for hours in lines getting tests and planning to spend New Year's at home New York state is smashing daily COVID records, with the most recent data showing the third day in a row of new highs, and 76,555 infections in 24 hours Ocasio-Cortez swapped her New York district, where Omicron has caused a massive surge in COVID cases, for her Florida getaway She was photographed eating outside and without a face masks, which some conservatives said was hypocritical The Squad member has staunchly supported masks and vaccine mandates since the start of the pandemic Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was photographed on December 30 in Miami eating at Doraku Izakaya and Sushi with her boyfriend, Riley Roberts Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Friday hit back at her critics who took issue with her dining maskless outdoors in Florida, claiming they were angry with her because they couldn't date her. The New York congresswoman angered Republicans when the photo of her December 30 lunch in Miami was published, with her opponents noting that the strident supporter of mask mandates was not wearing a face mask. 'Welcome to Florida, AOC!' tweeted the account of the state's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis. 'We hope you're enjoying a taste of freedom here in the Sunshine State thanks to @RonDeSantisFL's leadership.' Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has fled her virus-ravaged state of New York for Miami Beach, Florida, where she was seen raising a class over sushi with her boyfriend, Riley Roberts Ocasio-Cortez had swapped the New York chill for sunny Florida for a pre-New Year getaway Ocasio-Cortez hit back, replying that he should take lessons from the governor of New York, Kathy Hochul. 'Hasn't Gov. DeSantis been inexplicably missing for like 2 weeks? 'If he's around, I would be happy to say hello. His social media team seems to have been posting old photos for weeks. 'In the meantime, perhaps I could help with local organizing. Folks are quite receptive here. 'I'd also be happy to share some notes from @GovKathyHochul's work in NY since he seems to be in need of tips!' The conversation generated a plethora of replies, with former Trump advisor Steve Cortes angered by Ocasio-Cortez 'frolicking in free Florida', while her home state enforced mask mandates. The New York mask mandate only applies indoors, and people are allowed to remove masks while eating. Cortes tweeted: '1. If Leftists like AOC actually thought mandates and masking worked, they wouldn't be frolicking in free FL. '2. Her guy is showing his gross pale male feet in public (not at a pool/beach) with hideous sandals. 'O for 2' Ocasio-Cortez replied with scorn, calling Cortes a 'creepy weirdo' for her remarks about her boyfriend's Birkenstock sandals. 'If Republicans are mad they can't date me they can just say that instead of projecting their sexual frustrations onto my boyfriend's feet. Ya creepy weirdos.' She continued: 'It's starting to get old ignoring the very obvious, strange, and deranged sexual frustrations that underpin the Republican fixation on me, women,& LGBT+ people in general. 'These people clearly need therapy, won't do it, and use politics as their outlet instead. It's really weird.' Ian Haworth, editor of Daily Wire, tweeted: 'I definitely do not want to date you.' Ocasio-Cortez replied: 'I'm glad you felt the need to share that with the world. Don't worry, this is a totally normal thought to have and share as an editor of a right-wing website, and totally doesn't prove my point at all. 'I hear if you say it enough times you'll actually start to believe it.' She concluded with an attack on Haworth's conservative site. 'The fact that these people are so creepy/weird yet are also the ones responsible for shaping the NEWS HEADLINES we all see in media should be really concerning. 'I don't even want to know what knuckle-dragging thoughts these people have all day while covering women in politics.' Brian Mast, a Republican congressman for Florida, wrote on Twitter: 'Welcome to Florida AOC. Leave your politics in New York and enjoy a taste of freedom in our great state!' Shawn Farash, who runs the conservative group Long Island Loud Majority, said her visit amounted to an endorsement of DeSantis. 'Hey @AOC tell me you endorse @RonDeSantisFL without telling me you endorse @RonDeSantisFL,' he wrote. Republican anger was in part retaliation for her own criticism of Ted Cruz, the Republican senator for Texas. In February, Ocasio-Cortez demanded Cruz resign for making a trip to Cancun with his family while Texas was ravaged by a deadly winter storm. 'If Sen. Cruz had resigned back in January after helping gin up a violent insurrection that killed several people, he could've taken his vacation in peace,' she tweeted at the time. 'Texans should continue to demand his resignation.' In September 2021, in response to a thread on the storms in New York, she tweeted: 'I know Republicans' idea of 'disaster relief' is flying to Cancun while the power's still out, but unlike that approach I actually give a damn.' Ocasio-Cortez's trip came as COVID cases exploded again in New York. Residents have been forced to line up for hours for tests and many are planning to spend New Year's Eve at home, with restaurants closing and amid fears of the Omicron surge. On Thursday New York smashed its daily COVID case count for the third day in a row, with 76,555 new infections - an increase from 67,000 the day before. In New York City, more than one in four tests are positive, with a 26.55 percent seven-day average positivity. Governor Kathy Hochul has also introduced her '2.0 Plan' to fight Omicron by extending her 'vax and mask' mandate until February 1. There are now 7,919 New Yorkers hospitalized, a 7 percent increase in 24 hours, and 4,000 of those cases were in New York City alone. A record number of first responders are now call in sick in New York City. Over 20 percent of the city's police officers and 30 percent of paramedics were out sick on Thursday, city officials told Fox News. The city has no plans to drop its COVID protocols as incoming New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who will be sworn in on New Year's Eve, announced Thursday his plans to keep in place many of outgoing mayor Bill de Blasio's restrictions, including a vaccination mandate for entering local businesses. DailyMail.com has reached out to Ocasio-Cortez's office for comment. Travelers coming and going from LaGuardia Airport line up for COVID testing in the parking garage on Thursday The U.S. has been hit by massive testing shortages that the Biden administration has vowed to fix in the New Year The U.S. smashed another global COVID infection record on Thursday when 647,067 new cases were reported, with deaths halving to 1,400, as one expert warned of a 'virtual blizzard' of Omicron he says will lead to shutdowns nationwide. In total, USA Today reports, the United States recorded 2.49 million cases within the past week, outpacing the country's previous record of 1.7 million new cases recorded in the one-week period from January 3 through January 9. Experts say the number of cases are rising so rapidly due to the spread of the highly-contagious Omicron variant, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says accounts for anywhere from 40 to 70 percent of the new cases in the US. A UK-based expert says the variant could spread with just a 'whiff of infected breath.' At the same time, however, the number of daily deaths have halved from 2,800 to 1,400 between Wednesday and Thursday. The drop comes after multiple studies showed that Omicron was likely to cause up to 80 per cent fewer hospitalizations than Delta, although scientists have cautioned that more data is needed, and say the sheer number of infections caused by the new variant could ultimately cause an additional spike in serious illness and death. Daily life continues to be upended by COVID and Omicron, with 1,198 flights canceled on New Year's Eve, and another 955 already nixed on Saturday, as airlines grapple with staffing shortages. JetBlue - which is headquartered in Omicron-epicenter New York City - was the worst-affected airline, canceling 145 flights, equivalent to 14 per cent of its December 31 schedule. That is a 26 percent from just the day before, when 512,533 new cases were reported The US broke a world record for average daily COVID cases for the second day in a row with 647,067 reported on Thursday, according to a DailyMail.com analysis of John Hopkins data Americans are still waiting hours in lines to be tested for COVID-19. Above, a health care workers tests residents in Miami, Florida, at a drive-through COVID testing site on Wednesday In total, the United States recorded 2.49 million cases within the past week, outpacing the country's previous record of 1.7 million new cases recorded in the one-week period from January 3 through January 9. People are pictured here waiting on line to get a COVID test in Houston, Texas - which has seen a spike in cases recently Fifteen states reported a record-high number of average daily infections, according to the CDC. They include Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia and Washington, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. Florida also reported a record 77,848 new cases and 90 more deaths to the Centers for Disease Control on Thursday, following a backlog in reporting, according to an analysis of state data from the Miami Herald. That represents the largest multi-day increase of newly reported cases since the pandemic began in March 2020. The previous multi-day record was set during the height of the Delta wave this past summer, when 56,036 cases were reported. AOC hit back on Friday in a tweet saying: 'Hasn't Gov. DeSantis been inexplicably missing for like 2 weeks?' Supporters of Florida's governor, Ron DeSantis, mocked AOC and told her to enjoy her 'taste of freedom' Florida also reported a record 77,848 new cases and 90 more deaths to the CDC on Thursday Many residents are also still waiting for hours in lines getting tests and planning to spend New Year's at home New York state is smashing daily COVID records, with the most recent data showing the third day in a row of new highs, and 76,555 infections in 24 hours Ocasio-Cortez swapped her New York district, where Omicron has caused a massive surge in COVID cases, for her Florida getaway She was photographed eating outside and without a face masks, which some conservatives said was hypocritical The Squad member has staunchly supported masks and vaccine mandates since the start of the pandemic Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was photographed on December 30 in Miami eating at Doraku Izakaya and Sushi with her boyfriend, Riley Roberts Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Friday hit back at her critics who took issue with her dining maskless outdoors in Florida, claiming they were angry with her because they couldn't date her. The New York congresswoman angered Republicans when the photo of her December 30 lunch in Miami was published, with her opponents noting that the strident supporter of mask mandates was not wearing a face mask. 'Welcome to Florida, AOC!' tweeted the account of the state's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis. 'We hope you're enjoying a taste of freedom here in the Sunshine State thanks to @RonDeSantisFL's leadership.' Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has fled her virus-ravaged state of New York for Miami Beach, Florida, where she was seen raising a class over sushi with her boyfriend, Riley Roberts Ocasio-Cortez had swapped the New York chill for sunny Florida for a pre-New Year getaway Ocasio-Cortez hit back, replying that he should take lessons from the governor of New York, Kathy Hochul. 'Hasn't Gov. DeSantis been inexplicably missing for like 2 weeks? 'If he's around, I would be happy to say hello. His social media team seems to have been posting old photos for weeks. 'In the meantime, perhaps I could help with local organizing. Folks are quite receptive here. 'I'd also be happy to share some notes from @GovKathyHochul's work in NY since he seems to be in need of tips!' The conversation generated a plethora of replies, with former Trump advisor Steve Cortes angered by Ocasio-Cortez 'frolicking in free Florida', while her home state enforced mask mandates. The New York mask mandate only applies indoors, and people are allowed to remove masks while eating. Cortes tweeted: '1. If Leftists like AOC actually thought mandates and masking worked, they wouldn't be frolicking in free FL. '2. Her guy is showing his gross pale male feet in public (not at a pool/beach) with hideous sandals. 'O for 2' Ocasio-Cortez replied with scorn, calling Cortes a 'creepy weirdo' for her remarks about her boyfriend's Birkenstock sandals. 'If Republicans are mad they can't date me they can just say that instead of projecting their sexual frustrations onto my boyfriend's feet. Ya creepy weirdos.' She continued: 'It's starting to get old ignoring the very obvious, strange, and deranged sexual frustrations that underpin the Republican fixation on me, women,& LGBT+ people in general. 'These people clearly need therapy, won't do it, and use politics as their outlet instead. It's really weird.' Ian Haworth, editor of Daily Wire, tweeted: 'I definitely do not want to date you.' Ocasio-Cortez replied: 'I'm glad you felt the need to share that with the world. Don't worry, this is a totally normal thought to have and share as an editor of a right-wing website, and totally doesn't prove my point at all. 'I hear if you say it enough times you'll actually start to believe it.' She concluded with an attack on Haworth's conservative site. 'The fact that these people are so creepy/weird yet are also the ones responsible for shaping the NEWS HEADLINES we all see in media should be really concerning. 'I don't even want to know what knuckle-dragging thoughts these people have all day while covering women in politics.' Brian Mast, a Republican congressman for Florida, wrote on Twitter: 'Welcome to Florida AOC. Leave your politics in New York and enjoy a taste of freedom in our great state!' Shawn Farash, who runs the conservative group Long Island Loud Majority, said her visit amounted to an endorsement of DeSantis. 'Hey @AOC tell me you endorse @RonDeSantisFL without telling me you endorse @RonDeSantisFL,' he wrote. Republican anger was in part retaliation for her own criticism of Ted Cruz, the Republican senator for Texas. In February, Ocasio-Cortez demanded Cruz resign for making a trip to Cancun with his family while Texas was ravaged by a deadly winter storm. 'If Sen. Cruz had resigned back in January after helping gin up a violent insurrection that killed several people, he could've taken his vacation in peace,' she tweeted at the time. 'Texans should continue to demand his resignation.' In September 2021, in response to a thread on the storms in New York, she tweeted: 'I know Republicans' idea of 'disaster relief' is flying to Cancun while the power's still out, but unlike that approach I actually give a damn.' Ocasio-Cortez's trip came as COVID cases exploded again in New York. Residents have been forced to line up for hours for tests and many are planning to spend New Year's Eve at home, with restaurants closing and amid fears of the Omicron surge. On Thursday New York smashed its daily COVID case count for the third day in a row, with 76,555 new infections - an increase from 67,000 the day before. In New York City, more than one in four tests are positive, with a 26.55 percent seven-day average positivity. Governor Kathy Hochul has also introduced her '2.0 Plan' to fight Omicron by extending her 'vax and mask' mandate until February 1. There are now 7,919 New Yorkers hospitalized, a 7 percent increase in 24 hours, and 4,000 of those cases were in New York City alone. A record number of first responders are now call in sick in New York City. Over 20 percent of the city's police officers and 30 percent of paramedics were out sick on Thursday, city officials told Fox News. The city has no plans to drop its COVID protocols as incoming New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who will be sworn in on New Year's Eve, announced Thursday his plans to keep in place many of outgoing mayor Bill de Blasio's restrictions, including a vaccination mandate for entering local businesses. DailyMail.com has reached out to Ocasio-Cortez's office for comment. Travelers coming and going from LaGuardia Airport line up for COVID testing in the parking garage on Thursday The U.S. has been hit by massive testing shortages that the Biden administration has vowed to fix in the New Year The U.S. smashed another global COVID infection record on Thursday when 647,067 new cases were reported, with deaths halving to 1,400, as one expert warned of a 'virtual blizzard' of Omicron he says will lead to shutdowns nationwide. In total, USA Today reports, the United States recorded 2.49 million cases within the past week, outpacing the country's previous record of 1.7 million new cases recorded in the one-week period from January 3 through January 9. Experts say the number of cases are rising so rapidly due to the spread of the highly-contagious Omicron variant, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says accounts for anywhere from 40 to 70 percent of the new cases in the US. A UK-based expert says the variant could spread with just a 'whiff of infected breath.' At the same time, however, the number of daily deaths have halved from 2,800 to 1,400 between Wednesday and Thursday. The drop comes after multiple studies showed that Omicron was likely to cause up to 80 per cent fewer hospitalizations than Delta, although scientists have cautioned that more data is needed, and say the sheer number of infections caused by the new variant could ultimately cause an additional spike in serious illness and death. Daily life continues to be upended by COVID and Omicron, with 1,198 flights canceled on New Year's Eve, and another 955 already nixed on Saturday, as airlines grapple with staffing shortages. JetBlue - which is headquartered in Omicron-epicenter New York City - was the worst-affected airline, canceling 145 flights, equivalent to 14 per cent of its December 31 schedule. That is a 26 percent from just the day before, when 512,533 new cases were reported The US broke a world record for average daily COVID cases for the second day in a row with 647,067 reported on Thursday, according to a DailyMail.com analysis of John Hopkins data Americans are still waiting hours in lines to be tested for COVID-19. Above, a health care workers tests residents in Miami, Florida, at a drive-through COVID testing site on Wednesday In total, the United States recorded 2.49 million cases within the past week, outpacing the country's previous record of 1.7 million new cases recorded in the one-week period from January 3 through January 9. People are pictured here waiting on line to get a COVID test in Houston, Texas - which has seen a spike in cases recently Fifteen states reported a record-high number of average daily infections, according to the CDC. They include Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia and Washington, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. Florida also reported a record 77,848 new cases and 90 more deaths to the Centers for Disease Control on Thursday, following a backlog in reporting, according to an analysis of state data from the Miami Herald. That represents the largest multi-day increase of newly reported cases since the pandemic began in March 2020. The previous multi-day record was set during the height of the Delta wave this past summer, when 56,036 cases were reported. GREENSBORO Though the battle remains fierce against COVID-19, health officials say 2021 had some amazing, uplifting and yes, heart-wrenching, developments. At this time last year, the Guilford County health department had just given out its first 50 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine calling in nurses who were on holiday to distribute them to emergency services workers. At Cone Health, officials were preparing to issue a warning that all 924 staffed beds would soon be filled if coronavirus hospitalization trends continued. Around the world, scientists, doctors, educators, CEOs and politicians along with everyday folks grappled with what the future held, trying to determine the next right steps. And while that continues to be the case as the new year begins, 2021 still brought better tools and more weapons to fight the pandemic. Perhaps most importantly, the year also provided much-needed experience for what may lie ahead. Pivoting On Wednesday, the News & Record spoke with two physicians at the forefront of Guilford Countys COVID-19 battle: Dr. Iulia Vann, the countys public health director, and Dr. Brent McQuaid, Cone Healths lead COVID-19 physician. And while Websters word of the year may be vaccine, judging from these interviews, pivot might be a close second. Between oft-changing guidance, new treatments and an ever-expanding population of vaccine recipients, health care leaders found themselves frequently pivoting to address new facets of the pandemic as they arose. Once the vaccine began arriving, then everything started happening really fast, Vann said. Our entire process of planning for the vaccine distribution had some really good strong points, but there were still a lot of things that we didnt know, she said. For instance, the transportation and storage requirements for the initial vaccine were a challenge. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the first to receive federal emergency approval, had to be stored at minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit and required ultra-cold freezers. So we had to really pivot and figure out how are we going to store them. We did not have an ultra-cold chain unit, Vann said, referring to the freezer needed. We didnt know how were going to transport them to clinic sites. ... We had all of these plans in place, but not all of them fit the situation in which we were in because there were so many different variables, Vann said. Looking back, there was so much that was unknown, McQuaid said. There were certain treatments that we werent sure if they were going to be effective or not, he said. And later on we learned that they were. McQuaid draws parallels between his own health numbers and those reflected with the rise and fall of the number of COVID-19 patients admitted to Cone Healths hospitals. My own personal blood pressure cuff readings at home track very nicely with the number of inpatients that we have, he said and chuckled. Im not kidding when I tell you my internist and I joke about that, McQuaid said. From an emotional kind of stress level standpoint, we certainly all feel more stress when the numbers are high and peaking. When the numbers are low and things are good, we were able to relax more. And with the limited vaccine supply in early 2021, health officials also had to adhere to a strict, difficult-to-predict schedule for deploying the vaccinations. Every time we would put in an order, we had to make sure that we depleted the inventory that we had the week before, Vann said. We wouldnt get anything if we didnt deplete the inventory for the prior week. So that was so stressful. Anticipating the different phases for when certain groups became eligible for the vaccine also proved challenging. Every time a new phase would become eligible, we knew that tens of thousands of people are going to now want to get the vaccine, Vann said. So we have to make sure that we have that plan in place to allow for that surge and that would overlap with second doses of the first people that were coming in. Vaccine hesitancy Another area that health care leaders had to tackle and still are was not just skepticism that the COVID-19 vaccines would work but also outright opposition to them. I wish, McQuaid said, we could have communicated more effectively to people who question what we do in modern Western medicine what happens if you have a horrible, highly contagious, very virulent virus that is about to attack an unvaccinated population. When the number of cases started dropping in March and April, many of us kind of felt this sigh of relief. It wasnt over, but we kind of felt like it was over, he said. Looking back, he wishes he had really doubled-down at that time on driving home the vaccination message because the more highly contagious delta variant was waiting in the wings. What happened with delta is that it selectively hit the unvaccinated particularly hard, he said. Thats our community, you know, those are our neighbors. Those are our family. He paused, recalling the young people who died after contracting that particular variant. To look at them and to talk to them and offer them hope and let them know that youre gonna fight with everything youve got to get them through it, McQuaid said, his voice slightly breaking. But then despite our best efforts to have some of them die. I mean, thats particularly difficult. Anger and gratitude Falsehoods rampant on social media injected their own particular poison into the vaccination conversation. Its been difficult, Vann said, just handling all of the different misinformation that has been out there on social media, in different groups of individuals, and receiving very distasteful messages and very challenging letters. (There were) a lot of very angry people directing their anger and displeasure towards public health, myself, my team, you know, it was really scary at times, she said. Vann said she wasnt physically threatened, but I have received very direct, derogatory, very angry messages and letters throughout this time. On the whole, however, Vann said she got positive feedback for her efforts and those of her staff. Weve received hundreds of messages and emails and phone calls and letters people actually wrote me letters to tell me how wonderful of an experience they had in our vaccine clinics, talking about how our team has been so amazing, and how grateful they were, she said. Reading those comments was everything that we wished for. One of her favorite memories was at the health departments clinic at the Greensboro Coliseum, when her teams efforts came together like a well-oiled machine. It was just so powerful, not only to see how well we operated that site, but then also to see the response of the community as they were coming in to our site, she said. It was just amazing. McQuaid recalled the day the last patient was released from Cone Healths Green Valley campus the old Womens Hospital that was temporarily converted to treat only COVID-19 patients early in the pandemic. The hospital has since closed. Just the gratitude she expressed, the heartfelt just sincere appreciation for what the team members did for her, McQuaid said, thats something that really stands out as kind of a representative voice of our patients and from our community who appreciated what we did. Forging relationships Vann and McQuaid said as difficult as the past year has been, their staffs though often stretched very thin made the difference. These are probably some of the most passionate people that I have ever worked with in my entire career, said Vann, whos 36. Theyre just absolutely amazing. McQuaid echoed the sentiment, noting that health care workers can go just about anywhere in todays market. Weve been incredibly fortunate to retain the people that we have, and were very grateful for what theyve done, he said. Theyve poured themselves into patient care and into our community over the last year theres no question about that. The pandemic also afforded opportunities to forge new or better relationships. I think the friendships and the relationships that have been developed between doctors, all levels of the staff, administration has been really pretty extraordinary, McQuaid said. But its something that I think develops because of something as stressful as whats happened in 2021. So for me, thats a high note. At the public health department, Vann said they were able to build a relationship with the business community in areas we never really partnered with before. Something that would have taken probably five years to build, we were able to do so in just a few months of constant communications with them, she said. Add to that the departments work with hospital systems, faith groups, universities and schools and, it brought us even closer to work together and have a common goal and common objectives, she said. It just gave us even more motivation to get things done together in the team. I think for many people who are in health care ... to some degree, it restored their faith in the health system, McQuaid said. It may have conquered some of the cynicism about the American health care system that its all about money, he said. You go through something like this, where you watch your leaders come in on a Saturday night at 8 oclock and help you out. You see them make really difficult decisions that affect the direction of where the health system is going to go. And it makes you realize, OK, we are all still here for the common purpose of serving this community to the best of our ability, McQuaid said. I mean the health system, it didnt buckle. You know, it was stressed, but it didnt buckle, and it served the community really well with the right priorities. Health equity One thing both Vann and McQuaid mentioned is the disproportionate toll the pandemic took on people of color. COVID really shines a light on health care disparities in our community, McQuaid said. Vaccination efforts at both Cone and the health department targeted communities with a high population of minorities, who statistically are at much greater risk of suffering serious consequences from COVID-19. You look at the bad outcomes, the disparity in outcomes in hospital survivorship for example, among the Black and brown community, and where does that come from? McQuaid said. That starts from a place of where our community is not doing enough to make sure that people in the Black and brown community are getting the access to primary care that they need. Good access to such care can prevent and/or allay underlying conditions that make it harder to survive COVID-19, such as heart disease, kidney ailments and high blood pressure. And, he said, that equity also needs to be in place as new treatments become available for the coronavirus. Its important for us ... that every time we pivot to a new therapy, we need to make sure that were being very careful that we offer this with equal opportunity to everyone, McQuaid said. Especially in time of stress, of pandemic, you know its very easy for vulnerable groups to just get left behind if youre not keeping that in the forefront. At home While on the front line of the fight, McQuaid and Vann also credited their families with helping them manage the stress of the pandemic. What I treasure the most about the past year is the undying support from my wife and kids, McQuaid said. You change what you value when you go through something like this. You value the people around you much more than any sort of personal achievement or accomplishment. Vann said the challenges her family faced mirrored those of the community. Her husband was laid off for a time from his job, her son whos on the autism spectrum had to attend school virtually something she called traumatic for all of them, and her daughters day care closed, forcing them to search for another one. Though her immediate family avoided getting COVID-19, Vann said they did lose family members to the disease. They died alone, in the hospital, because of the COVID-19 restrictions. And the pandemic also has delayed a medical procedure for her son, one that he was on a waitlist for two years to receive. These things in my own personal life, makes me human, too, she said. AOC hit back on Friday in a tweet saying: 'Hasn't Gov. DeSantis been inexplicably missing for like 2 weeks?' Supporters of Florida's governor, Ron DeSantis, mocked AOC and told her to enjoy her 'taste of freedom' Florida also reported a record 77,848 new cases and 90 more deaths to the CDC on Thursday Many residents are also still waiting for hours in lines getting tests and planning to spend New Year's at home New York state is smashing daily COVID records, with the most recent data showing the third day in a row of new highs, and 76,555 infections in 24 hours Ocasio-Cortez swapped her New York district, where Omicron has caused a massive surge in COVID cases, for her Florida getaway She was photographed eating outside and without a face masks, which some conservatives said was hypocritical The Squad member has staunchly supported masks and vaccine mandates since the start of the pandemic Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was photographed on December 30 in Miami eating at Doraku Izakaya and Sushi with her boyfriend, Riley Roberts Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Friday hit back at her critics who took issue with her dining maskless outdoors in Florida, claiming they were angry with her because they couldn't date her. The New York congresswoman angered Republicans when the photo of her December 30 lunch in Miami was published, with her opponents noting that the strident supporter of mask mandates was not wearing a face mask. 'Welcome to Florida, AOC!' tweeted the account of the state's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis. 'We hope you're enjoying a taste of freedom here in the Sunshine State thanks to @RonDeSantisFL's leadership.' Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has fled her virus-ravaged state of New York for Miami Beach, Florida, where she was seen raising a class over sushi with her boyfriend, Riley Roberts Ocasio-Cortez had swapped the New York chill for sunny Florida for a pre-New Year getaway Ocasio-Cortez hit back, replying that he should take lessons from the governor of New York, Kathy Hochul. 'Hasn't Gov. DeSantis been inexplicably missing for like 2 weeks? 'If he's around, I would be happy to say hello. His social media team seems to have been posting old photos for weeks. 'In the meantime, perhaps I could help with local organizing. Folks are quite receptive here. 'I'd also be happy to share some notes from @GovKathyHochul's work in NY since he seems to be in need of tips!' The conversation generated a plethora of replies, with former Trump advisor Steve Cortes angered by Ocasio-Cortez 'frolicking in free Florida', while her home state enforced mask mandates. The New York mask mandate only applies indoors, and people are allowed to remove masks while eating. Cortes tweeted: '1. If Leftists like AOC actually thought mandates and masking worked, they wouldn't be frolicking in free FL. '2. Her guy is showing his gross pale male feet in public (not at a pool/beach) with hideous sandals. 'O for 2' Ocasio-Cortez replied with scorn, calling Cortes a 'creepy weirdo' for her remarks about her boyfriend's Birkenstock sandals. 'If Republicans are mad they can't date me they can just say that instead of projecting their sexual frustrations onto my boyfriend's feet. Ya creepy weirdos.' She continued: 'It's starting to get old ignoring the very obvious, strange, and deranged sexual frustrations that underpin the Republican fixation on me, women,& LGBT+ people in general. 'These people clearly need therapy, won't do it, and use politics as their outlet instead. It's really weird.' Ian Haworth, editor of Daily Wire, tweeted: 'I definitely do not want to date you.' Ocasio-Cortez replied: 'I'm glad you felt the need to share that with the world. Don't worry, this is a totally normal thought to have and share as an editor of a right-wing website, and totally doesn't prove my point at all. 'I hear if you say it enough times you'll actually start to believe it.' She concluded with an attack on Haworth's conservative site. 'The fact that these people are so creepy/weird yet are also the ones responsible for shaping the NEWS HEADLINES we all see in media should be really concerning. 'I don't even want to know what knuckle-dragging thoughts these people have all day while covering women in politics.' Brian Mast, a Republican congressman for Florida, wrote on Twitter: 'Welcome to Florida AOC. Leave your politics in New York and enjoy a taste of freedom in our great state!' Shawn Farash, who runs the conservative group Long Island Loud Majority, said her visit amounted to an endorsement of DeSantis. 'Hey @AOC tell me you endorse @RonDeSantisFL without telling me you endorse @RonDeSantisFL,' he wrote. Republican anger was in part retaliation for her own criticism of Ted Cruz, the Republican senator for Texas. In February, Ocasio-Cortez demanded Cruz resign for making a trip to Cancun with his family while Texas was ravaged by a deadly winter storm. 'If Sen. Cruz had resigned back in January after helping gin up a violent insurrection that killed several people, he could've taken his vacation in peace,' she tweeted at the time. 'Texans should continue to demand his resignation.' In September 2021, in response to a thread on the storms in New York, she tweeted: 'I know Republicans' idea of 'disaster relief' is flying to Cancun while the power's still out, but unlike that approach I actually give a damn.' Ocasio-Cortez's trip came as COVID cases exploded again in New York. Residents have been forced to line up for hours for tests and many are planning to spend New Year's Eve at home, with restaurants closing and amid fears of the Omicron surge. On Thursday New York smashed its daily COVID case count for the third day in a row, with 76,555 new infections - an increase from 67,000 the day before. In New York City, more than one in four tests are positive, with a 26.55 percent seven-day average positivity. Governor Kathy Hochul has also introduced her '2.0 Plan' to fight Omicron by extending her 'vax and mask' mandate until February 1. There are now 7,919 New Yorkers hospitalized, a 7 percent increase in 24 hours, and 4,000 of those cases were in New York City alone. A record number of first responders are now call in sick in New York City. Over 20 percent of the city's police officers and 30 percent of paramedics were out sick on Thursday, city officials told Fox News. The city has no plans to drop its COVID protocols as incoming New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who will be sworn in on New Year's Eve, announced Thursday his plans to keep in place many of outgoing mayor Bill de Blasio's restrictions, including a vaccination mandate for entering local businesses. DailyMail.com has reached out to Ocasio-Cortez's office for comment. Travelers coming and going from LaGuardia Airport line up for COVID testing in the parking garage on Thursday The U.S. has been hit by massive testing shortages that the Biden administration has vowed to fix in the New Year The U.S. smashed another global COVID infection record on Thursday when 647,067 new cases were reported, with deaths halving to 1,400, as one expert warned of a 'virtual blizzard' of Omicron he says will lead to shutdowns nationwide. In total, USA Today reports, the United States recorded 2.49 million cases within the past week, outpacing the country's previous record of 1.7 million new cases recorded in the one-week period from January 3 through January 9. Experts say the number of cases are rising so rapidly due to the spread of the highly-contagious Omicron variant, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says accounts for anywhere from 40 to 70 percent of the new cases in the US. A UK-based expert says the variant could spread with just a 'whiff of infected breath.' At the same time, however, the number of daily deaths have halved from 2,800 to 1,400 between Wednesday and Thursday. The drop comes after multiple studies showed that Omicron was likely to cause up to 80 per cent fewer hospitalizations than Delta, although scientists have cautioned that more data is needed, and say the sheer number of infections caused by the new variant could ultimately cause an additional spike in serious illness and death. Daily life continues to be upended by COVID and Omicron, with 1,198 flights canceled on New Year's Eve, and another 955 already nixed on Saturday, as airlines grapple with staffing shortages. JetBlue - which is headquartered in Omicron-epicenter New York City - was the worst-affected airline, canceling 145 flights, equivalent to 14 per cent of its December 31 schedule. That is a 26 percent from just the day before, when 512,533 new cases were reported The US broke a world record for average daily COVID cases for the second day in a row with 647,067 reported on Thursday, according to a DailyMail.com analysis of John Hopkins data Americans are still waiting hours in lines to be tested for COVID-19. Above, a health care workers tests residents in Miami, Florida, at a drive-through COVID testing site on Wednesday In total, the United States recorded 2.49 million cases within the past week, outpacing the country's previous record of 1.7 million new cases recorded in the one-week period from January 3 through January 9. People are pictured here waiting on line to get a COVID test in Houston, Texas - which has seen a spike in cases recently Fifteen states reported a record-high number of average daily infections, according to the CDC. They include Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia and Washington, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. Florida also reported a record 77,848 new cases and 90 more deaths to the Centers for Disease Control on Thursday, following a backlog in reporting, according to an analysis of state data from the Miami Herald. That represents the largest multi-day increase of newly reported cases since the pandemic began in March 2020. The previous multi-day record was set during the height of the Delta wave this past summer, when 56,036 cases were reported. Beloved Emmy-winning actress and animal advocate Betty White turned 95 on Tuesday. To mark the occasion, the living legend sat down with Yahoos Katie Couric to share some of her secrets to living a long and fruitful life. I am the luckiest old broad on two feet, she acknowledged. See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Advertisement Snuggle often As a birthday gift, Couric brought White a stuffed sloth, which led to the revelation that the birthday girl has an entire room in her home dedicated to stuffed animals. Im a little strange for stuffed animals, said White. Im a little strange for any kind of animals. Except possibly the two-legged kind, joked White. Invest in a quality alarm clock When asked about a typical day in her life, White said she always gets up early, though in her case, she has a little help via a quick puppy kiss. [My dog] comes over and he lets me know when its 6:30, said White. Keep looking ahead Though married twice before, White got married for the last time in 1963 to television host Allen Ludden. The pair were happily wed until Luddens death from stomach cancer in 1981. Also a widow, having lost her first husband to colon cancer in 1998, Couric asked White if she had advice for women who found themselves in their position. One day at a time, White said, shaking her head. You dont look ahead. And you try not to look back. Of course, she smiled, you cant help that. And did she ever want to get married again? Remarry, no, she said. Fool around, sure! Keep busy White, who still has an active career in Hollywood she even hosted Saturday Night Live in 2010 stressed to Couric the importance of filling your time. Dont focus everything on you, advised White. That wears out pretty fast. Its not hard to find things youre interested in. Enjoy them. Indulge them. Beyond her professional work, White has spent her life committed to being an advocate for animal health and is known for her close relationship with the Los Angeles Zoo. libby.hill@latimes.com @midwestspitfire ALSO In honor of her 95th birthday, watch 10 of Betty Whites golden TV moments GoFundMe campaign warns 2016 to stay away from Betty White Sharing biblical stories and 100 years of life lessons with Kirk Douglas Heres what happens when Jerry Lewis isnt so hostile in an interview Old Hollywoods Lew Ayres served his country as a conscientious objector AOC hit back on Friday in a tweet saying: 'Hasn't Gov. DeSantis been inexplicably missing for like 2 weeks?' Supporters of Florida's governor, Ron DeSantis, mocked AOC and told her to enjoy her 'taste of freedom' Florida also reported a record 77,848 new cases and 90 more deaths to the CDC on Thursday Many residents are also still waiting for hours in lines getting tests and planning to spend New Year's at home New York state is smashing daily COVID records, with the most recent data showing the third day in a row of new highs, and 76,555 infections in 24 hours Ocasio-Cortez swapped her New York district, where Omicron has caused a massive surge in COVID cases, for her Florida getaway She was photographed eating outside and without a face masks, which some conservatives said was hypocritical The Squad member has staunchly supported masks and vaccine mandates since the start of the pandemic Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was photographed on December 30 in Miami eating at Doraku Izakaya and Sushi with her boyfriend, Riley Roberts Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Friday hit back at her critics who took issue with her dining maskless outdoors in Florida, claiming they were angry with her because they couldn't date her. The New York congresswoman angered Republicans when the photo of her December 30 lunch in Miami was published, with her opponents noting that the strident supporter of mask mandates was not wearing a face mask. 'Welcome to Florida, AOC!' tweeted the account of the state's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis. 'We hope you're enjoying a taste of freedom here in the Sunshine State thanks to @RonDeSantisFL's leadership.' Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has fled her virus-ravaged state of New York for Miami Beach, Florida, where she was seen raising a class over sushi with her boyfriend, Riley Roberts Ocasio-Cortez had swapped the New York chill for sunny Florida for a pre-New Year getaway Ocasio-Cortez hit back, replying that he should take lessons from the governor of New York, Kathy Hochul. 'Hasn't Gov. DeSantis been inexplicably missing for like 2 weeks? 'If he's around, I would be happy to say hello. His social media team seems to have been posting old photos for weeks. 'In the meantime, perhaps I could help with local organizing. Folks are quite receptive here. 'I'd also be happy to share some notes from @GovKathyHochul's work in NY since he seems to be in need of tips!' The conversation generated a plethora of replies, with former Trump advisor Steve Cortes angered by Ocasio-Cortez 'frolicking in free Florida', while her home state enforced mask mandates. The New York mask mandate only applies indoors, and people are allowed to remove masks while eating. Cortes tweeted: '1. If Leftists like AOC actually thought mandates and masking worked, they wouldn't be frolicking in free FL. '2. Her guy is showing his gross pale male feet in public (not at a pool/beach) with hideous sandals. 'O for 2' Ocasio-Cortez replied with scorn, calling Cortes a 'creepy weirdo' for her remarks about her boyfriend's Birkenstock sandals. 'If Republicans are mad they can't date me they can just say that instead of projecting their sexual frustrations onto my boyfriend's feet. Ya creepy weirdos.' She continued: 'It's starting to get old ignoring the very obvious, strange, and deranged sexual frustrations that underpin the Republican fixation on me, women,& LGBT+ people in general. 'These people clearly need therapy, won't do it, and use politics as their outlet instead. It's really weird.' Ian Haworth, editor of Daily Wire, tweeted: 'I definitely do not want to date you.' Ocasio-Cortez replied: 'I'm glad you felt the need to share that with the world. Don't worry, this is a totally normal thought to have and share as an editor of a right-wing website, and totally doesn't prove my point at all. 'I hear if you say it enough times you'll actually start to believe it.' She concluded with an attack on Haworth's conservative site. 'The fact that these people are so creepy/weird yet are also the ones responsible for shaping the NEWS HEADLINES we all see in media should be really concerning. 'I don't even want to know what knuckle-dragging thoughts these people have all day while covering women in politics.' Brian Mast, a Republican congressman for Florida, wrote on Twitter: 'Welcome to Florida AOC. Leave your politics in New York and enjoy a taste of freedom in our great state!' Shawn Farash, who runs the conservative group Long Island Loud Majority, said her visit amounted to an endorsement of DeSantis. 'Hey @AOC tell me you endorse @RonDeSantisFL without telling me you endorse @RonDeSantisFL,' he wrote. Republican anger was in part retaliation for her own criticism of Ted Cruz, the Republican senator for Texas. In February, Ocasio-Cortez demanded Cruz resign for making a trip to Cancun with his family while Texas was ravaged by a deadly winter storm. 'If Sen. Cruz had resigned back in January after helping gin up a violent insurrection that killed several people, he could've taken his vacation in peace,' she tweeted at the time. 'Texans should continue to demand his resignation.' In September 2021, in response to a thread on the storms in New York, she tweeted: 'I know Republicans' idea of 'disaster relief' is flying to Cancun while the power's still out, but unlike that approach I actually give a damn.' Ocasio-Cortez's trip came as COVID cases exploded again in New York. Residents have been forced to line up for hours for tests and many are planning to spend New Year's Eve at home, with restaurants closing and amid fears of the Omicron surge. On Thursday New York smashed its daily COVID case count for the third day in a row, with 76,555 new infections - an increase from 67,000 the day before. In New York City, more than one in four tests are positive, with a 26.55 percent seven-day average positivity. Governor Kathy Hochul has also introduced her '2.0 Plan' to fight Omicron by extending her 'vax and mask' mandate until February 1. There are now 7,919 New Yorkers hospitalized, a 7 percent increase in 24 hours, and 4,000 of those cases were in New York City alone. A record number of first responders are now call in sick in New York City. Over 20 percent of the city's police officers and 30 percent of paramedics were out sick on Thursday, city officials told Fox News. The city has no plans to drop its COVID protocols as incoming New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who will be sworn in on New Year's Eve, announced Thursday his plans to keep in place many of outgoing mayor Bill de Blasio's restrictions, including a vaccination mandate for entering local businesses. DailyMail.com has reached out to Ocasio-Cortez's office for comment. Travelers coming and going from LaGuardia Airport line up for COVID testing in the parking garage on Thursday The U.S. has been hit by massive testing shortages that the Biden administration has vowed to fix in the New Year The U.S. smashed another global COVID infection record on Thursday when 647,067 new cases were reported, with deaths halving to 1,400, as one expert warned of a 'virtual blizzard' of Omicron he says will lead to shutdowns nationwide. In total, USA Today reports, the United States recorded 2.49 million cases within the past week, outpacing the country's previous record of 1.7 million new cases recorded in the one-week period from January 3 through January 9. Experts say the number of cases are rising so rapidly due to the spread of the highly-contagious Omicron variant, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says accounts for anywhere from 40 to 70 percent of the new cases in the US. A UK-based expert says the variant could spread with just a 'whiff of infected breath.' At the same time, however, the number of daily deaths have halved from 2,800 to 1,400 between Wednesday and Thursday. The drop comes after multiple studies showed that Omicron was likely to cause up to 80 per cent fewer hospitalizations than Delta, although scientists have cautioned that more data is needed, and say the sheer number of infections caused by the new variant could ultimately cause an additional spike in serious illness and death. Daily life continues to be upended by COVID and Omicron, with 1,198 flights canceled on New Year's Eve, and another 955 already nixed on Saturday, as airlines grapple with staffing shortages. JetBlue - which is headquartered in Omicron-epicenter New York City - was the worst-affected airline, canceling 145 flights, equivalent to 14 per cent of its December 31 schedule. That is a 26 percent from just the day before, when 512,533 new cases were reported The US broke a world record for average daily COVID cases for the second day in a row with 647,067 reported on Thursday, according to a DailyMail.com analysis of John Hopkins data Americans are still waiting hours in lines to be tested for COVID-19. Above, a health care workers tests residents in Miami, Florida, at a drive-through COVID testing site on Wednesday In total, the United States recorded 2.49 million cases within the past week, outpacing the country's previous record of 1.7 million new cases recorded in the one-week period from January 3 through January 9. People are pictured here waiting on line to get a COVID test in Houston, Texas - which has seen a spike in cases recently Fifteen states reported a record-high number of average daily infections, according to the CDC. They include Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia and Washington, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. Florida also reported a record 77,848 new cases and 90 more deaths to the Centers for Disease Control on Thursday, following a backlog in reporting, according to an analysis of state data from the Miami Herald. That represents the largest multi-day increase of newly reported cases since the pandemic began in March 2020. The previous multi-day record was set during the height of the Delta wave this past summer, when 56,036 cases were reported. GREENSBORO Though the battle remains fierce against COVID-19, health officials say 2021 had some amazing, uplifting and yes, heart-wrenching, developments. At this time last year, the Guilford County health department had just given out its first 50 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine calling in nurses who were on holiday to distribute them to emergency services workers. At Cone Health, officials were preparing to issue a warning that all 924 staffed beds would soon be filled if coronavirus hospitalization trends continued. Around the world, scientists, doctors, educators, CEOs and politicians along with everyday folks grappled with what the future held, trying to determine the next right steps. And while that continues to be the case as the new year begins, 2021 still brought better tools and more weapons to fight the pandemic. Perhaps most importantly, the year also provided much-needed experience for what may lie ahead. Pivoting On Wednesday, the News & Record spoke with two physicians at the forefront of Guilford Countys COVID-19 battle: Dr. Iulia Vann, the countys public health director, and Dr. Brent McQuaid, Cone Healths lead COVID-19 physician. And while Websters word of the year may be vaccine, judging from these interviews, pivot might be a close second. Between oft-changing guidance, new treatments and an ever-expanding population of vaccine recipients, health care leaders found themselves frequently pivoting to address new facets of the pandemic as they arose. Once the vaccine began arriving, then everything started happening really fast, Vann said. Our entire process of planning for the vaccine distribution had some really good strong points, but there were still a lot of things that we didnt know, she said. For instance, the transportation and storage requirements for the initial vaccine were a challenge. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the first to receive federal emergency approval, had to be stored at minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit and required ultra-cold freezers. So we had to really pivot and figure out how are we going to store them. We did not have an ultra-cold chain unit, Vann said, referring to the freezer needed. We didnt know how were going to transport them to clinic sites. ... We had all of these plans in place, but not all of them fit the situation in which we were in because there were so many different variables, Vann said. Looking back, there was so much that was unknown, McQuaid said. There were certain treatments that we werent sure if they were going to be effective or not, he said. And later on we learned that they were. McQuaid draws parallels between his own health numbers and those reflected with the rise and fall of the number of COVID-19 patients admitted to Cone Healths hospitals. My own personal blood pressure cuff readings at home track very nicely with the number of inpatients that we have, he said and chuckled. Im not kidding when I tell you my internist and I joke about that, McQuaid said. From an emotional kind of stress level standpoint, we certainly all feel more stress when the numbers are high and peaking. When the numbers are low and things are good, we were able to relax more. And with the limited vaccine supply in early 2021, health officials also had to adhere to a strict, difficult-to-predict schedule for deploying the vaccinations. Every time we would put in an order, we had to make sure that we depleted the inventory that we had the week before, Vann said. We wouldnt get anything if we didnt deplete the inventory for the prior week. So that was so stressful. Anticipating the different phases for when certain groups became eligible for the vaccine also proved challenging. Every time a new phase would become eligible, we knew that tens of thousands of people are going to now want to get the vaccine, Vann said. So we have to make sure that we have that plan in place to allow for that surge and that would overlap with second doses of the first people that were coming in. Vaccine hesitancy Another area that health care leaders had to tackle and still are was not just skepticism that the COVID-19 vaccines would work but also outright opposition to them. I wish, McQuaid said, we could have communicated more effectively to people who question what we do in modern Western medicine what happens if you have a horrible, highly contagious, very virulent virus that is about to attack an unvaccinated population. When the number of cases started dropping in March and April, many of us kind of felt this sigh of relief. It wasnt over, but we kind of felt like it was over, he said. Looking back, he wishes he had really doubled-down at that time on driving home the vaccination message because the more highly contagious delta variant was waiting in the wings. What happened with delta is that it selectively hit the unvaccinated particularly hard, he said. Thats our community, you know, those are our neighbors. Those are our family. He paused, recalling the young people who died after contracting that particular variant. To look at them and to talk to them and offer them hope and let them know that youre gonna fight with everything youve got to get them through it, McQuaid said, his voice slightly breaking. But then despite our best efforts to have some of them die. I mean, thats particularly difficult. Anger and gratitude Falsehoods rampant on social media injected their own particular poison into the vaccination conversation. Its been difficult, Vann said, just handling all of the different misinformation that has been out there on social media, in different groups of individuals, and receiving very distasteful messages and very challenging letters. (There were) a lot of very angry people directing their anger and displeasure towards public health, myself, my team, you know, it was really scary at times, she said. Vann said she wasnt physically threatened, but I have received very direct, derogatory, very angry messages and letters throughout this time. On the whole, however, Vann said she got positive feedback for her efforts and those of her staff. Weve received hundreds of messages and emails and phone calls and letters people actually wrote me letters to tell me how wonderful of an experience they had in our vaccine clinics, talking about how our team has been so amazing, and how grateful they were, she said. Reading those comments was everything that we wished for. One of her favorite memories was at the health departments clinic at the Greensboro Coliseum, when her teams efforts came together like a well-oiled machine. It was just so powerful, not only to see how well we operated that site, but then also to see the response of the community as they were coming in to our site, she said. It was just amazing. McQuaid recalled the day the last patient was released from Cone Healths Green Valley campus the old Womens Hospital that was temporarily converted to treat only COVID-19 patients early in the pandemic. The hospital has since closed. Just the gratitude she expressed, the heartfelt just sincere appreciation for what the team members did for her, McQuaid said, thats something that really stands out as kind of a representative voice of our patients and from our community who appreciated what we did. Forging relationships Vann and McQuaid said as difficult as the past year has been, their staffs though often stretched very thin made the difference. These are probably some of the most passionate people that I have ever worked with in my entire career, said Vann, whos 36. Theyre just absolutely amazing. McQuaid echoed the sentiment, noting that health care workers can go just about anywhere in todays market. Weve been incredibly fortunate to retain the people that we have, and were very grateful for what theyve done, he said. Theyve poured themselves into patient care and into our community over the last year theres no question about that. The pandemic also afforded opportunities to forge new or better relationships. I think the friendships and the relationships that have been developed between doctors, all levels of the staff, administration has been really pretty extraordinary, McQuaid said. But its something that I think develops because of something as stressful as whats happened in 2021. So for me, thats a high note. At the public health department, Vann said they were able to build a relationship with the business community in areas we never really partnered with before. Something that would have taken probably five years to build, we were able to do so in just a few months of constant communications with them, she said. Add to that the departments work with hospital systems, faith groups, universities and schools and, it brought us even closer to work together and have a common goal and common objectives, she said. It just gave us even more motivation to get things done together in the team. I think for many people who are in health care ... to some degree, it restored their faith in the health system, McQuaid said. It may have conquered some of the cynicism about the American health care system that its all about money, he said. You go through something like this, where you watch your leaders come in on a Saturday night at 8 oclock and help you out. You see them make really difficult decisions that affect the direction of where the health system is going to go. And it makes you realize, OK, we are all still here for the common purpose of serving this community to the best of our ability, McQuaid said. I mean the health system, it didnt buckle. You know, it was stressed, but it didnt buckle, and it served the community really well with the right priorities. Health equity One thing both Vann and McQuaid mentioned is the disproportionate toll the pandemic took on people of color. COVID really shines a light on health care disparities in our community, McQuaid said. Vaccination efforts at both Cone and the health department targeted communities with a high population of minorities, who statistically are at much greater risk of suffering serious consequences from COVID-19. You look at the bad outcomes, the disparity in outcomes in hospital survivorship for example, among the Black and brown community, and where does that come from? McQuaid said. That starts from a place of where our community is not doing enough to make sure that people in the Black and brown community are getting the access to primary care that they need. Good access to such care can prevent and/or allay underlying conditions that make it harder to survive COVID-19, such as heart disease, kidney ailments and high blood pressure. And, he said, that equity also needs to be in place as new treatments become available for the coronavirus. Its important for us ... that every time we pivot to a new therapy, we need to make sure that were being very careful that we offer this with equal opportunity to everyone, McQuaid said. Especially in time of stress, of pandemic, you know its very easy for vulnerable groups to just get left behind if youre not keeping that in the forefront. At home While on the front line of the fight, McQuaid and Vann also credited their families with helping them manage the stress of the pandemic. What I treasure the most about the past year is the undying support from my wife and kids, McQuaid said. You change what you value when you go through something like this. You value the people around you much more than any sort of personal achievement or accomplishment. Vann said the challenges her family faced mirrored those of the community. Her husband was laid off for a time from his job, her son whos on the autism spectrum had to attend school virtually something she called traumatic for all of them, and her daughters day care closed, forcing them to search for another one. Though her immediate family avoided getting COVID-19, Vann said they did lose family members to the disease. They died alone, in the hospital, because of the COVID-19 restrictions. And the pandemic also has delayed a medical procedure for her son, one that he was on a waitlist for two years to receive. These things in my own personal life, makes me human, too, she said. GREENSBORO Though the battle remains fierce against COVID-19, health officials say 2021 had some amazing, uplifting and yes, heart-wrenching, developments. At this time last year, the Guilford County health department had just given out its first 50 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine calling in nurses who were on holiday to distribute them to emergency services workers. At Cone Health, officials were preparing to issue a warning that all 924 staffed beds would soon be filled if coronavirus hospitalization trends continued. Around the world, scientists, doctors, educators, CEOs and politicians along with everyday folks grappled with what the future held, trying to determine the next right steps. And while that continues to be the case as the new year begins, 2021 still brought better tools and more weapons to fight the pandemic. Perhaps most importantly, the year also provided much-needed experience for what may lie ahead. Pivoting On Wednesday, the News & Record spoke with two physicians at the forefront of Guilford Countys COVID-19 battle: Dr. Iulia Vann, the countys public health director, and Dr. Brent McQuaid, Cone Healths lead COVID-19 physician. And while Websters word of the year may be vaccine, judging from these interviews, pivot might be a close second. Between oft-changing guidance, new treatments and an ever-expanding population of vaccine recipients, health care leaders found themselves frequently pivoting to address new facets of the pandemic as they arose. Once the vaccine began arriving, then everything started happening really fast, Vann said. Our entire process of planning for the vaccine distribution had some really good strong points, but there were still a lot of things that we didnt know, she said. For instance, the transportation and storage requirements for the initial vaccine were a challenge. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the first to receive federal emergency approval, had to be stored at minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit and required ultra-cold freezers. So we had to really pivot and figure out how are we going to store them. We did not have an ultra-cold chain unit, Vann said, referring to the freezer needed. We didnt know how were going to transport them to clinic sites. ... We had all of these plans in place, but not all of them fit the situation in which we were in because there were so many different variables, Vann said. Looking back, there was so much that was unknown, McQuaid said. There were certain treatments that we werent sure if they were going to be effective or not, he said. And later on we learned that they were. McQuaid draws parallels between his own health numbers and those reflected with the rise and fall of the number of COVID-19 patients admitted to Cone Healths hospitals. My own personal blood pressure cuff readings at home track very nicely with the number of inpatients that we have, he said and chuckled. Im not kidding when I tell you my internist and I joke about that, McQuaid said. From an emotional kind of stress level standpoint, we certainly all feel more stress when the numbers are high and peaking. When the numbers are low and things are good, we were able to relax more. And with the limited vaccine supply in early 2021, health officials also had to adhere to a strict, difficult-to-predict schedule for deploying the vaccinations. Every time we would put in an order, we had to make sure that we depleted the inventory that we had the week before, Vann said. We wouldnt get anything if we didnt deplete the inventory for the prior week. So that was so stressful. Anticipating the different phases for when certain groups became eligible for the vaccine also proved challenging. Every time a new phase would become eligible, we knew that tens of thousands of people are going to now want to get the vaccine, Vann said. So we have to make sure that we have that plan in place to allow for that surge and that would overlap with second doses of the first people that were coming in. Vaccine hesitancy Another area that health care leaders had to tackle and still are was not just skepticism that the COVID-19 vaccines would work but also outright opposition to them. I wish, McQuaid said, we could have communicated more effectively to people who question what we do in modern Western medicine what happens if you have a horrible, highly contagious, very virulent virus that is about to attack an unvaccinated population. When the number of cases started dropping in March and April, many of us kind of felt this sigh of relief. It wasnt over, but we kind of felt like it was over, he said. Looking back, he wishes he had really doubled-down at that time on driving home the vaccination message because the more highly contagious delta variant was waiting in the wings. What happened with delta is that it selectively hit the unvaccinated particularly hard, he said. Thats our community, you know, those are our neighbors. Those are our family. He paused, recalling the young people who died after contracting that particular variant. To look at them and to talk to them and offer them hope and let them know that youre gonna fight with everything youve got to get them through it, McQuaid said, his voice slightly breaking. But then despite our best efforts to have some of them die. I mean, thats particularly difficult. Anger and gratitude Falsehoods rampant on social media injected their own particular poison into the vaccination conversation. Its been difficult, Vann said, just handling all of the different misinformation that has been out there on social media, in different groups of individuals, and receiving very distasteful messages and very challenging letters. (There were) a lot of very angry people directing their anger and displeasure towards public health, myself, my team, you know, it was really scary at times, she said. Vann said she wasnt physically threatened, but I have received very direct, derogatory, very angry messages and letters throughout this time. On the whole, however, Vann said she got positive feedback for her efforts and those of her staff. Weve received hundreds of messages and emails and phone calls and letters people actually wrote me letters to tell me how wonderful of an experience they had in our vaccine clinics, talking about how our team has been so amazing, and how grateful they were, she said. Reading those comments was everything that we wished for. One of her favorite memories was at the health departments clinic at the Greensboro Coliseum, when her teams efforts came together like a well-oiled machine. It was just so powerful, not only to see how well we operated that site, but then also to see the response of the community as they were coming in to our site, she said. It was just amazing. McQuaid recalled the day the last patient was released from Cone Healths Green Valley campus the old Womens Hospital that was temporarily converted to treat only COVID-19 patients early in the pandemic. The hospital has since closed. Just the gratitude she expressed, the heartfelt just sincere appreciation for what the team members did for her, McQuaid said, thats something that really stands out as kind of a representative voice of our patients and from our community who appreciated what we did. Forging relationships Vann and McQuaid said as difficult as the past year has been, their staffs though often stretched very thin made the difference. These are probably some of the most passionate people that I have ever worked with in my entire career, said Vann, whos 36. Theyre just absolutely amazing. McQuaid echoed the sentiment, noting that health care workers can go just about anywhere in todays market. Weve been incredibly fortunate to retain the people that we have, and were very grateful for what theyve done, he said. Theyve poured themselves into patient care and into our community over the last year theres no question about that. The pandemic also afforded opportunities to forge new or better relationships. I think the friendships and the relationships that have been developed between doctors, all levels of the staff, administration has been really pretty extraordinary, McQuaid said. But its something that I think develops because of something as stressful as whats happened in 2021. So for me, thats a high note. At the public health department, Vann said they were able to build a relationship with the business community in areas we never really partnered with before. Something that would have taken probably five years to build, we were able to do so in just a few months of constant communications with them, she said. Add to that the departments work with hospital systems, faith groups, universities and schools and, it brought us even closer to work together and have a common goal and common objectives, she said. It just gave us even more motivation to get things done together in the team. I think for many people who are in health care ... to some degree, it restored their faith in the health system, McQuaid said. It may have conquered some of the cynicism about the American health care system that its all about money, he said. You go through something like this, where you watch your leaders come in on a Saturday night at 8 oclock and help you out. You see them make really difficult decisions that affect the direction of where the health system is going to go. And it makes you realize, OK, we are all still here for the common purpose of serving this community to the best of our ability, McQuaid said. I mean the health system, it didnt buckle. You know, it was stressed, but it didnt buckle, and it served the community really well with the right priorities. Health equity One thing both Vann and McQuaid mentioned is the disproportionate toll the pandemic took on people of color. COVID really shines a light on health care disparities in our community, McQuaid said. Vaccination efforts at both Cone and the health department targeted communities with a high population of minorities, who statistically are at much greater risk of suffering serious consequences from COVID-19. You look at the bad outcomes, the disparity in outcomes in hospital survivorship for example, among the Black and brown community, and where does that come from? McQuaid said. That starts from a place of where our community is not doing enough to make sure that people in the Black and brown community are getting the access to primary care that they need. Good access to such care can prevent and/or allay underlying conditions that make it harder to survive COVID-19, such as heart disease, kidney ailments and high blood pressure. And, he said, that equity also needs to be in place as new treatments become available for the coronavirus. Its important for us ... that every time we pivot to a new therapy, we need to make sure that were being very careful that we offer this with equal opportunity to everyone, McQuaid said. Especially in time of stress, of pandemic, you know its very easy for vulnerable groups to just get left behind if youre not keeping that in the forefront. At home While on the front line of the fight, McQuaid and Vann also credited their families with helping them manage the stress of the pandemic. What I treasure the most about the past year is the undying support from my wife and kids, McQuaid said. You change what you value when you go through something like this. You value the people around you much more than any sort of personal achievement or accomplishment. Vann said the challenges her family faced mirrored those of the community. Her husband was laid off for a time from his job, her son whos on the autism spectrum had to attend school virtually something she called traumatic for all of them, and her daughters day care closed, forcing them to search for another one. Though her immediate family avoided getting COVID-19, Vann said they did lose family members to the disease. They died alone, in the hospital, because of the COVID-19 restrictions. And the pandemic also has delayed a medical procedure for her son, one that he was on a waitlist for two years to receive. These things in my own personal life, makes me human, too, she said. AOC hit back on Friday in a tweet saying: 'Hasn't Gov. DeSantis been inexplicably missing for like 2 weeks?' Supporters of Florida's governor, Ron DeSantis, mocked AOC and told her to enjoy her 'taste of freedom' Florida also reported a record 77,848 new cases and 90 more deaths to the CDC on Thursday Many residents are also still waiting for hours in lines getting tests and planning to spend New Year's at home New York state is smashing daily COVID records, with the most recent data showing the third day in a row of new highs, and 76,555 infections in 24 hours Ocasio-Cortez swapped her New York district, where Omicron has caused a massive surge in COVID cases, for her Florida getaway She was photographed eating outside and without a face masks, which some conservatives said was hypocritical The Squad member has staunchly supported masks and vaccine mandates since the start of the pandemic Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was photographed on December 30 in Miami eating at Doraku Izakaya and Sushi with her boyfriend, Riley Roberts Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Friday hit back at her critics who took issue with her dining maskless outdoors in Florida, claiming they were angry with her because they couldn't date her. The New York congresswoman angered Republicans when the photo of her December 30 lunch in Miami was published, with her opponents noting that the strident supporter of mask mandates was not wearing a face mask. 'Welcome to Florida, AOC!' tweeted the account of the state's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis. 'We hope you're enjoying a taste of freedom here in the Sunshine State thanks to @RonDeSantisFL's leadership.' Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has fled her virus-ravaged state of New York for Miami Beach, Florida, where she was seen raising a class over sushi with her boyfriend, Riley Roberts Ocasio-Cortez had swapped the New York chill for sunny Florida for a pre-New Year getaway Ocasio-Cortez hit back, replying that he should take lessons from the governor of New York, Kathy Hochul. 'Hasn't Gov. DeSantis been inexplicably missing for like 2 weeks? 'If he's around, I would be happy to say hello. His social media team seems to have been posting old photos for weeks. 'In the meantime, perhaps I could help with local organizing. Folks are quite receptive here. 'I'd also be happy to share some notes from @GovKathyHochul's work in NY since he seems to be in need of tips!' The conversation generated a plethora of replies, with former Trump advisor Steve Cortes angered by Ocasio-Cortez 'frolicking in free Florida', while her home state enforced mask mandates. The New York mask mandate only applies indoors, and people are allowed to remove masks while eating. Cortes tweeted: '1. If Leftists like AOC actually thought mandates and masking worked, they wouldn't be frolicking in free FL. '2. Her guy is showing his gross pale male feet in public (not at a pool/beach) with hideous sandals. 'O for 2' Ocasio-Cortez replied with scorn, calling Cortes a 'creepy weirdo' for her remarks about her boyfriend's Birkenstock sandals. 'If Republicans are mad they can't date me they can just say that instead of projecting their sexual frustrations onto my boyfriend's feet. Ya creepy weirdos.' She continued: 'It's starting to get old ignoring the very obvious, strange, and deranged sexual frustrations that underpin the Republican fixation on me, women,& LGBT+ people in general. 'These people clearly need therapy, won't do it, and use politics as their outlet instead. It's really weird.' Ian Haworth, editor of Daily Wire, tweeted: 'I definitely do not want to date you.' Ocasio-Cortez replied: 'I'm glad you felt the need to share that with the world. Don't worry, this is a totally normal thought to have and share as an editor of a right-wing website, and totally doesn't prove my point at all. 'I hear if you say it enough times you'll actually start to believe it.' She concluded with an attack on Haworth's conservative site. 'The fact that these people are so creepy/weird yet are also the ones responsible for shaping the NEWS HEADLINES we all see in media should be really concerning. 'I don't even want to know what knuckle-dragging thoughts these people have all day while covering women in politics.' Brian Mast, a Republican congressman for Florida, wrote on Twitter: 'Welcome to Florida AOC. Leave your politics in New York and enjoy a taste of freedom in our great state!' Shawn Farash, who runs the conservative group Long Island Loud Majority, said her visit amounted to an endorsement of DeSantis. 'Hey @AOC tell me you endorse @RonDeSantisFL without telling me you endorse @RonDeSantisFL,' he wrote. Republican anger was in part retaliation for her own criticism of Ted Cruz, the Republican senator for Texas. In February, Ocasio-Cortez demanded Cruz resign for making a trip to Cancun with his family while Texas was ravaged by a deadly winter storm. 'If Sen. Cruz had resigned back in January after helping gin up a violent insurrection that killed several people, he could've taken his vacation in peace,' she tweeted at the time. 'Texans should continue to demand his resignation.' In September 2021, in response to a thread on the storms in New York, she tweeted: 'I know Republicans' idea of 'disaster relief' is flying to Cancun while the power's still out, but unlike that approach I actually give a damn.' Ocasio-Cortez's trip came as COVID cases exploded again in New York. Residents have been forced to line up for hours for tests and many are planning to spend New Year's Eve at home, with restaurants closing and amid fears of the Omicron surge. On Thursday New York smashed its daily COVID case count for the third day in a row, with 76,555 new infections - an increase from 67,000 the day before. In New York City, more than one in four tests are positive, with a 26.55 percent seven-day average positivity. Governor Kathy Hochul has also introduced her '2.0 Plan' to fight Omicron by extending her 'vax and mask' mandate until February 1. There are now 7,919 New Yorkers hospitalized, a 7 percent increase in 24 hours, and 4,000 of those cases were in New York City alone. A record number of first responders are now call in sick in New York City. Over 20 percent of the city's police officers and 30 percent of paramedics were out sick on Thursday, city officials told Fox News. The city has no plans to drop its COVID protocols as incoming New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who will be sworn in on New Year's Eve, announced Thursday his plans to keep in place many of outgoing mayor Bill de Blasio's restrictions, including a vaccination mandate for entering local businesses. DailyMail.com has reached out to Ocasio-Cortez's office for comment. Travelers coming and going from LaGuardia Airport line up for COVID testing in the parking garage on Thursday The U.S. has been hit by massive testing shortages that the Biden administration has vowed to fix in the New Year The U.S. smashed another global COVID infection record on Thursday when 647,067 new cases were reported, with deaths halving to 1,400, as one expert warned of a 'virtual blizzard' of Omicron he says will lead to shutdowns nationwide. In total, USA Today reports, the United States recorded 2.49 million cases within the past week, outpacing the country's previous record of 1.7 million new cases recorded in the one-week period from January 3 through January 9. Experts say the number of cases are rising so rapidly due to the spread of the highly-contagious Omicron variant, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says accounts for anywhere from 40 to 70 percent of the new cases in the US. A UK-based expert says the variant could spread with just a 'whiff of infected breath.' At the same time, however, the number of daily deaths have halved from 2,800 to 1,400 between Wednesday and Thursday. The drop comes after multiple studies showed that Omicron was likely to cause up to 80 per cent fewer hospitalizations than Delta, although scientists have cautioned that more data is needed, and say the sheer number of infections caused by the new variant could ultimately cause an additional spike in serious illness and death. Daily life continues to be upended by COVID and Omicron, with 1,198 flights canceled on New Year's Eve, and another 955 already nixed on Saturday, as airlines grapple with staffing shortages. JetBlue - which is headquartered in Omicron-epicenter New York City - was the worst-affected airline, canceling 145 flights, equivalent to 14 per cent of its December 31 schedule. That is a 26 percent from just the day before, when 512,533 new cases were reported The US broke a world record for average daily COVID cases for the second day in a row with 647,067 reported on Thursday, according to a DailyMail.com analysis of John Hopkins data Americans are still waiting hours in lines to be tested for COVID-19. Above, a health care workers tests residents in Miami, Florida, at a drive-through COVID testing site on Wednesday In total, the United States recorded 2.49 million cases within the past week, outpacing the country's previous record of 1.7 million new cases recorded in the one-week period from January 3 through January 9. People are pictured here waiting on line to get a COVID test in Houston, Texas - which has seen a spike in cases recently Fifteen states reported a record-high number of average daily infections, according to the CDC. They include Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia and Washington, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. Florida also reported a record 77,848 new cases and 90 more deaths to the Centers for Disease Control on Thursday, following a backlog in reporting, according to an analysis of state data from the Miami Herald. That represents the largest multi-day increase of newly reported cases since the pandemic began in March 2020. The previous multi-day record was set during the height of the Delta wave this past summer, when 56,036 cases were reported. Wyomings Joint Judiciary Committee for the second consecutive year did not produce a bill ready for the full Legislature that would address concerns with Title 25. It was clear from the start of the committees Dec. 17 meeting that a draft bill to change the legal processes for detaining a resident experiencing a mental health crisis would likely stall. The committee began the 2021 interim focused on working with some of the states county attorneys to address perceived problems with Title 25, though Senate Judiciary Chair Tara Nethercott (R-Cheyenne) told WyoFile the scope of that process was limited. We were not necessarily rewriting how it works or bending the system, but just kind of subtle changes, she said. A working group of county attorneys crafted a bill for lawmakers meant to clear up statutory ambiguities and generally make improvements based on past experience, Clint Beaver, Sheridan County deputy and prosecuting attorney, said. But as the conversation unfolded through 2021, it became clear that stakeholders and lawmakers were drawn into larger conversations about Title 25 outside of the committees original scope. Ultimately, the committee tabled the bill for another interim. The result was frustrating, said Rep. Art Washut (R-Casper), one of the few judiciary committee members who had also worked on Title 25 statutory changes during the 2020 interim. I wonder what else were leaving unattended while we devote hours and hours to Title 25 and come to a non-productive result for two consecutive interims, Washut told the committee. However, Rep. Ember Oakley (R-Riverton), who was new to the judiciary committee in 2021, said that while she appreciated the amount of work that had been put into Title 25, the changes the committee was considering were not a substantial improvement worthy of prime time. What Ive taken from this is that (the problems with Title 25) are systemic, and were not going to fix it by taking little pieces, Oakley said. Title 25 of Wyoming Statute addresses emergency detentions for those suffering from mental health challenges so severe that they may be a danger to themselves or others or are unable to meet their basic needs. Stakeholders have asked legislators to fix problems with the Title 25 system for years. Wyoming counties struggle to find appropriate facilities for Title 25 patients and to pay for the services they need. Many had called on the judiciary committee to change statute to clarify how counties should move forward with Title 25 cases relatively narrow amendments to existing law. Washut said the judiciary committee had learned a lot about approaching Title 25 changes during the 2020 interim, particularly that lawmakers needed to narrow their focus on the due process changes. But the Joint Judiciary Committee in 2021 saw significant turnover from the 2020 interim. On the Senate side, only Nethercott and Sen. R.J. Kost (R-Powell) carried over. Of nine House members of the committee, Washut was the only one present for the 2020 interim discussions on Title 25. As a result, Washut said, a lot of the lessons learned in 2020 were lost. Part of the challenge that we faced this interim was that we had to kind of relearn the lessons that we learned the previous interim and we couldnt just move forward, Washut said. Oakley, one of the new House judiciary members, said she understood how there could be frustration with new members from those who carried over. Still, Oakley said, she could not look at making the narrow changes the judiciary committee was considering without thinking of the whole Title 25 system across the state. Nethercott said there are inherent challenges with committee turnover that shes learned to accept as part of the legislative process. There was a lack of historical knowledge, Nethercott said. Its drinking from a fire hydrant. Just getting your arms around any topic is hard enough, let alone this one. Stakeholders at the Dec. 17 meeting encouraged lawmakers not to drop the Title 25 topic entirely, even if that means revisiting it in the 2022 interim. Im 27 years in the industry and trying to fix this problem, but were committed to working with whoever we can to improve access to care to help these patients, Eric Boley, Wyoming Hospital Association president, told lawmakers. Stakeholders from county commissioners to prosecutors to care providers are concerned about aspects of emergency detentions and involuntary hospitalizations under Title 25 in Wyoming. Many parts of Wyoming, especially rural areas, lack facilities they can send people to. Staffing facilities that provide mental health services has proven difficult. Determining which counties will bear the cost of emergency detentions and involuntary hospitalizations has become a constant issue as has determining which county is responsible for the first 72 hours of care in Title 25 cases, whether its the county where contact with patients originated and where theyre being cared for. Financial questions pop up regarding transporting patients to a designated hospital. Other questions involve figuring out how to get patients back to their homes after an emergency detention or involuntary hospitalization. Much of the problem comes down to the differing needs of rural and urban communities. The process through the last two years, Sheridan county attorney Beaver said, has been an education on how different counties needs are. Theres only one Title 25 law out there, Beaver said. There should be uniformity, but as a practical matter, its almost impossible to have uniformity given the variability of each county. Nethercott said the message she heard from county attorneys was that the minor statutory changes the committee was considering wouldnt make a meaningful difference in peoples lives given the scope of the challenge. It was kind of, Thanks, but no thanks, Nethercott said. Unless youre going to do something thats going to change access to facilities and cost, dont waste your time. The judiciary committees consideration of Title 25 is part of a larger conversation taking place in Wyoming about mental health issues. Several legislative committees are working on topics that could have an impact on how Title 25 detentions and hospitalizations play out in Wyoming. Nethercott told the judiciary committee she believes lawmakers should lean heavily on those doing concurrent work. Whether one problem can be solved without solving other problems simultaneously, she said, remains to be seen. Some have suggested that developing a statewide approach to Title 25 would be the best way to address systemic issues. While that discussion is in preliminary stages, Nethercott said, its worthy of exploration. Its difficult to provide appropriate care to patients with the states patchwork system of Title 25 across Wyomings 23 counties, Andi Summerville, Wyoming Association of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers executive director, said. A statewide approach, Summerville said, could make improvements on that front. Theres also inconsistency, Nethercott said, with costs from county to county. If the state were the payer, she said it could potentially negotiate a consistent rate across the board. Theres no clear vision as of yet for how a statewide Title 25 could be implemented or what the funding structure would look like. I think that it might be a change that could streamline and make it a more efficient process and then give the state the opportunity to be more involved in rule-making, Boley told WyoFile. Its just one option on the table to try and fix the funding side of Title 25. Some of the states county attorneys also find the statewide approach appealing, Beaver said. I have definitely heard county attorneys suggest and endorse that idea, Beaver said. I have not heard anybody express a negative view toward having the state take on that responsibility. Such a suggestion might have its own challenges when it comes to the full Legislature, Washut said. Theres strong resistance among lawmakers to expanding the size of government. Shifting costs traditionally borne by counties to the state, could be difficult concept to build consensus for. Its possible, but I dont think it will be an easy sell, he said. And while putting Title 25 under the states purview might be a step in the right direction, Rep. Karlee Provenza (D-Laramie) said, funding questions will still loom over the conversation. At the end of the day, this still comes back to Medicaid expansion, she said. If we want to help Title 25, we need to expand Medicaid. Wyomings Joint Judiciary Committee for the second consecutive year did not produce a bill ready for the full Legislature that would address concerns with Title 25. It was clear from the start of the committees Dec. 17 meeting that a draft bill to change the legal processes for detaining a resident experiencing a mental health crisis would likely stall. The committee began the 2021 interim focused on working with some of the states county attorneys to address perceived problems with Title 25, though Senate Judiciary Chair Tara Nethercott (R-Cheyenne) told WyoFile the scope of that process was limited. We were not necessarily rewriting how it works or bending the system, but just kind of subtle changes, she said. A working group of county attorneys crafted a bill for lawmakers meant to clear up statutory ambiguities and generally make improvements based on past experience, Clint Beaver, Sheridan County deputy and prosecuting attorney, said. But as the conversation unfolded through 2021, it became clear that stakeholders and lawmakers were drawn into larger conversations about Title 25 outside of the committees original scope. Ultimately, the committee tabled the bill for another interim. The result was frustrating, said Rep. Art Washut (R-Casper), one of the few judiciary committee members who had also worked on Title 25 statutory changes during the 2020 interim. I wonder what else were leaving unattended while we devote hours and hours to Title 25 and come to a non-productive result for two consecutive interims, Washut told the committee. However, Rep. Ember Oakley (R-Riverton), who was new to the judiciary committee in 2021, said that while she appreciated the amount of work that had been put into Title 25, the changes the committee was considering were not a substantial improvement worthy of prime time. What Ive taken from this is that (the problems with Title 25) are systemic, and were not going to fix it by taking little pieces, Oakley said. Title 25 of Wyoming Statute addresses emergency detentions for those suffering from mental health challenges so severe that they may be a danger to themselves or others or are unable to meet their basic needs. Stakeholders have asked legislators to fix problems with the Title 25 system for years. Wyoming counties struggle to find appropriate facilities for Title 25 patients and to pay for the services they need. Many had called on the judiciary committee to change statute to clarify how counties should move forward with Title 25 cases relatively narrow amendments to existing law. Washut said the judiciary committee had learned a lot about approaching Title 25 changes during the 2020 interim, particularly that lawmakers needed to narrow their focus on the due process changes. But the Joint Judiciary Committee in 2021 saw significant turnover from the 2020 interim. On the Senate side, only Nethercott and Sen. R.J. Kost (R-Powell) carried over. Of nine House members of the committee, Washut was the only one present for the 2020 interim discussions on Title 25. As a result, Washut said, a lot of the lessons learned in 2020 were lost. Part of the challenge that we faced this interim was that we had to kind of relearn the lessons that we learned the previous interim and we couldnt just move forward, Washut said. Oakley, one of the new House judiciary members, said she understood how there could be frustration with new members from those who carried over. Still, Oakley said, she could not look at making the narrow changes the judiciary committee was considering without thinking of the whole Title 25 system across the state. Nethercott said there are inherent challenges with committee turnover that shes learned to accept as part of the legislative process. There was a lack of historical knowledge, Nethercott said. Its drinking from a fire hydrant. Just getting your arms around any topic is hard enough, let alone this one. Stakeholders at the Dec. 17 meeting encouraged lawmakers not to drop the Title 25 topic entirely, even if that means revisiting it in the 2022 interim. Im 27 years in the industry and trying to fix this problem, but were committed to working with whoever we can to improve access to care to help these patients, Eric Boley, Wyoming Hospital Association president, told lawmakers. Stakeholders from county commissioners to prosecutors to care providers are concerned about aspects of emergency detentions and involuntary hospitalizations under Title 25 in Wyoming. Many parts of Wyoming, especially rural areas, lack facilities they can send people to. Staffing facilities that provide mental health services has proven difficult. Determining which counties will bear the cost of emergency detentions and involuntary hospitalizations has become a constant issue as has determining which county is responsible for the first 72 hours of care in Title 25 cases, whether its the county where contact with patients originated and where theyre being cared for. Financial questions pop up regarding transporting patients to a designated hospital. Other questions involve figuring out how to get patients back to their homes after an emergency detention or involuntary hospitalization. Much of the problem comes down to the differing needs of rural and urban communities. The process through the last two years, Sheridan county attorney Beaver said, has been an education on how different counties needs are. Theres only one Title 25 law out there, Beaver said. There should be uniformity, but as a practical matter, its almost impossible to have uniformity given the variability of each county. Nethercott said the message she heard from county attorneys was that the minor statutory changes the committee was considering wouldnt make a meaningful difference in peoples lives given the scope of the challenge. It was kind of, Thanks, but no thanks, Nethercott said. Unless youre going to do something thats going to change access to facilities and cost, dont waste your time. The judiciary committees consideration of Title 25 is part of a larger conversation taking place in Wyoming about mental health issues. Several legislative committees are working on topics that could have an impact on how Title 25 detentions and hospitalizations play out in Wyoming. Nethercott told the judiciary committee she believes lawmakers should lean heavily on those doing concurrent work. Whether one problem can be solved without solving other problems simultaneously, she said, remains to be seen. Some have suggested that developing a statewide approach to Title 25 would be the best way to address systemic issues. While that discussion is in preliminary stages, Nethercott said, its worthy of exploration. Its difficult to provide appropriate care to patients with the states patchwork system of Title 25 across Wyomings 23 counties, Andi Summerville, Wyoming Association of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers executive director, said. A statewide approach, Summerville said, could make improvements on that front. Theres also inconsistency, Nethercott said, with costs from county to county. If the state were the payer, she said it could potentially negotiate a consistent rate across the board. Theres no clear vision as of yet for how a statewide Title 25 could be implemented or what the funding structure would look like. I think that it might be a change that could streamline and make it a more efficient process and then give the state the opportunity to be more involved in rule-making, Boley told WyoFile. Its just one option on the table to try and fix the funding side of Title 25. Some of the states county attorneys also find the statewide approach appealing, Beaver said. I have definitely heard county attorneys suggest and endorse that idea, Beaver said. I have not heard anybody express a negative view toward having the state take on that responsibility. Such a suggestion might have its own challenges when it comes to the full Legislature, Washut said. Theres strong resistance among lawmakers to expanding the size of government. Shifting costs traditionally borne by counties to the state, could be difficult concept to build consensus for. Its possible, but I dont think it will be an easy sell, he said. And while putting Title 25 under the states purview might be a step in the right direction, Rep. Karlee Provenza (D-Laramie) said, funding questions will still loom over the conversation. At the end of the day, this still comes back to Medicaid expansion, she said. If we want to help Title 25, we need to expand Medicaid. Wyomings Joint Judiciary Committee for the second consecutive year did not produce a bill ready for the full Legislature that would address concerns with Title 25. It was clear from the start of the committees Dec. 17 meeting that a draft bill to change the legal processes for detaining a resident experiencing a mental health crisis would likely stall. The committee began the 2021 interim focused on working with some of the states county attorneys to address perceived problems with Title 25, though Senate Judiciary Chair Tara Nethercott (R-Cheyenne) told WyoFile the scope of that process was limited. We were not necessarily rewriting how it works or bending the system, but just kind of subtle changes, she said. A working group of county attorneys crafted a bill for lawmakers meant to clear up statutory ambiguities and generally make improvements based on past experience, Clint Beaver, Sheridan County deputy and prosecuting attorney, said. But as the conversation unfolded through 2021, it became clear that stakeholders and lawmakers were drawn into larger conversations about Title 25 outside of the committees original scope. Ultimately, the committee tabled the bill for another interim. The result was frustrating, said Rep. Art Washut (R-Casper), one of the few judiciary committee members who had also worked on Title 25 statutory changes during the 2020 interim. I wonder what else were leaving unattended while we devote hours and hours to Title 25 and come to a non-productive result for two consecutive interims, Washut told the committee. However, Rep. Ember Oakley (R-Riverton), who was new to the judiciary committee in 2021, said that while she appreciated the amount of work that had been put into Title 25, the changes the committee was considering were not a substantial improvement worthy of prime time. What Ive taken from this is that (the problems with Title 25) are systemic, and were not going to fix it by taking little pieces, Oakley said. Title 25 of Wyoming Statute addresses emergency detentions for those suffering from mental health challenges so severe that they may be a danger to themselves or others or are unable to meet their basic needs. Stakeholders have asked legislators to fix problems with the Title 25 system for years. Wyoming counties struggle to find appropriate facilities for Title 25 patients and to pay for the services they need. Many had called on the judiciary committee to change statute to clarify how counties should move forward with Title 25 cases relatively narrow amendments to existing law. Washut said the judiciary committee had learned a lot about approaching Title 25 changes during the 2020 interim, particularly that lawmakers needed to narrow their focus on the due process changes. But the Joint Judiciary Committee in 2021 saw significant turnover from the 2020 interim. On the Senate side, only Nethercott and Sen. R.J. Kost (R-Powell) carried over. Of nine House members of the committee, Washut was the only one present for the 2020 interim discussions on Title 25. As a result, Washut said, a lot of the lessons learned in 2020 were lost. Part of the challenge that we faced this interim was that we had to kind of relearn the lessons that we learned the previous interim and we couldnt just move forward, Washut said. Oakley, one of the new House judiciary members, said she understood how there could be frustration with new members from those who carried over. Still, Oakley said, she could not look at making the narrow changes the judiciary committee was considering without thinking of the whole Title 25 system across the state. Nethercott said there are inherent challenges with committee turnover that shes learned to accept as part of the legislative process. There was a lack of historical knowledge, Nethercott said. Its drinking from a fire hydrant. Just getting your arms around any topic is hard enough, let alone this one. Stakeholders at the Dec. 17 meeting encouraged lawmakers not to drop the Title 25 topic entirely, even if that means revisiting it in the 2022 interim. Im 27 years in the industry and trying to fix this problem, but were committed to working with whoever we can to improve access to care to help these patients, Eric Boley, Wyoming Hospital Association president, told lawmakers. Stakeholders from county commissioners to prosecutors to care providers are concerned about aspects of emergency detentions and involuntary hospitalizations under Title 25 in Wyoming. Many parts of Wyoming, especially rural areas, lack facilities they can send people to. Staffing facilities that provide mental health services has proven difficult. Determining which counties will bear the cost of emergency detentions and involuntary hospitalizations has become a constant issue as has determining which county is responsible for the first 72 hours of care in Title 25 cases, whether its the county where contact with patients originated and where theyre being cared for. Financial questions pop up regarding transporting patients to a designated hospital. Other questions involve figuring out how to get patients back to their homes after an emergency detention or involuntary hospitalization. Much of the problem comes down to the differing needs of rural and urban communities. The process through the last two years, Sheridan county attorney Beaver said, has been an education on how different counties needs are. Theres only one Title 25 law out there, Beaver said. There should be uniformity, but as a practical matter, its almost impossible to have uniformity given the variability of each county. Nethercott said the message she heard from county attorneys was that the minor statutory changes the committee was considering wouldnt make a meaningful difference in peoples lives given the scope of the challenge. It was kind of, Thanks, but no thanks, Nethercott said. Unless youre going to do something thats going to change access to facilities and cost, dont waste your time. The judiciary committees consideration of Title 25 is part of a larger conversation taking place in Wyoming about mental health issues. Several legislative committees are working on topics that could have an impact on how Title 25 detentions and hospitalizations play out in Wyoming. Nethercott told the judiciary committee she believes lawmakers should lean heavily on those doing concurrent work. Whether one problem can be solved without solving other problems simultaneously, she said, remains to be seen. Some have suggested that developing a statewide approach to Title 25 would be the best way to address systemic issues. While that discussion is in preliminary stages, Nethercott said, its worthy of exploration. Its difficult to provide appropriate care to patients with the states patchwork system of Title 25 across Wyomings 23 counties, Andi Summerville, Wyoming Association of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers executive director, said. A statewide approach, Summerville said, could make improvements on that front. Theres also inconsistency, Nethercott said, with costs from county to county. If the state were the payer, she said it could potentially negotiate a consistent rate across the board. Theres no clear vision as of yet for how a statewide Title 25 could be implemented or what the funding structure would look like. I think that it might be a change that could streamline and make it a more efficient process and then give the state the opportunity to be more involved in rule-making, Boley told WyoFile. Its just one option on the table to try and fix the funding side of Title 25. Some of the states county attorneys also find the statewide approach appealing, Beaver said. I have definitely heard county attorneys suggest and endorse that idea, Beaver said. I have not heard anybody express a negative view toward having the state take on that responsibility. Such a suggestion might have its own challenges when it comes to the full Legislature, Washut said. Theres strong resistance among lawmakers to expanding the size of government. Shifting costs traditionally borne by counties to the state, could be difficult concept to build consensus for. Its possible, but I dont think it will be an easy sell, he said. And while putting Title 25 under the states purview might be a step in the right direction, Rep. Karlee Provenza (D-Laramie) said, funding questions will still loom over the conversation. At the end of the day, this still comes back to Medicaid expansion, she said. If we want to help Title 25, we need to expand Medicaid. Wyomings Joint Judiciary Committee for the second consecutive year did not produce a bill ready for the full Legislature that would address concerns with Title 25. It was clear from the start of the committees Dec. 17 meeting that a draft bill to change the legal processes for detaining a resident experiencing a mental health crisis would likely stall. The committee began the 2021 interim focused on working with some of the states county attorneys to address perceived problems with Title 25, though Senate Judiciary Chair Tara Nethercott (R-Cheyenne) told WyoFile the scope of that process was limited. We were not necessarily rewriting how it works or bending the system, but just kind of subtle changes, she said. A working group of county attorneys crafted a bill for lawmakers meant to clear up statutory ambiguities and generally make improvements based on past experience, Clint Beaver, Sheridan County deputy and prosecuting attorney, said. But as the conversation unfolded through 2021, it became clear that stakeholders and lawmakers were drawn into larger conversations about Title 25 outside of the committees original scope. Ultimately, the committee tabled the bill for another interim. The result was frustrating, said Rep. Art Washut (R-Casper), one of the few judiciary committee members who had also worked on Title 25 statutory changes during the 2020 interim. I wonder what else were leaving unattended while we devote hours and hours to Title 25 and come to a non-productive result for two consecutive interims, Washut told the committee. However, Rep. Ember Oakley (R-Riverton), who was new to the judiciary committee in 2021, said that while she appreciated the amount of work that had been put into Title 25, the changes the committee was considering were not a substantial improvement worthy of prime time. What Ive taken from this is that (the problems with Title 25) are systemic, and were not going to fix it by taking little pieces, Oakley said. Title 25 of Wyoming Statute addresses emergency detentions for those suffering from mental health challenges so severe that they may be a danger to themselves or others or are unable to meet their basic needs. Stakeholders have asked legislators to fix problems with the Title 25 system for years. Wyoming counties struggle to find appropriate facilities for Title 25 patients and to pay for the services they need. Many had called on the judiciary committee to change statute to clarify how counties should move forward with Title 25 cases relatively narrow amendments to existing law. Washut said the judiciary committee had learned a lot about approaching Title 25 changes during the 2020 interim, particularly that lawmakers needed to narrow their focus on the due process changes. But the Joint Judiciary Committee in 2021 saw significant turnover from the 2020 interim. On the Senate side, only Nethercott and Sen. R.J. Kost (R-Powell) carried over. Of nine House members of the committee, Washut was the only one present for the 2020 interim discussions on Title 25. As a result, Washut said, a lot of the lessons learned in 2020 were lost. Part of the challenge that we faced this interim was that we had to kind of relearn the lessons that we learned the previous interim and we couldnt just move forward, Washut said. Oakley, one of the new House judiciary members, said she understood how there could be frustration with new members from those who carried over. Still, Oakley said, she could not look at making the narrow changes the judiciary committee was considering without thinking of the whole Title 25 system across the state. Nethercott said there are inherent challenges with committee turnover that shes learned to accept as part of the legislative process. There was a lack of historical knowledge, Nethercott said. Its drinking from a fire hydrant. Just getting your arms around any topic is hard enough, let alone this one. Stakeholders at the Dec. 17 meeting encouraged lawmakers not to drop the Title 25 topic entirely, even if that means revisiting it in the 2022 interim. Im 27 years in the industry and trying to fix this problem, but were committed to working with whoever we can to improve access to care to help these patients, Eric Boley, Wyoming Hospital Association president, told lawmakers. Stakeholders from county commissioners to prosecutors to care providers are concerned about aspects of emergency detentions and involuntary hospitalizations under Title 25 in Wyoming. Many parts of Wyoming, especially rural areas, lack facilities they can send people to. Staffing facilities that provide mental health services has proven difficult. Determining which counties will bear the cost of emergency detentions and involuntary hospitalizations has become a constant issue as has determining which county is responsible for the first 72 hours of care in Title 25 cases, whether its the county where contact with patients originated and where theyre being cared for. Financial questions pop up regarding transporting patients to a designated hospital. Other questions involve figuring out how to get patients back to their homes after an emergency detention or involuntary hospitalization. Much of the problem comes down to the differing needs of rural and urban communities. The process through the last two years, Sheridan county attorney Beaver said, has been an education on how different counties needs are. Theres only one Title 25 law out there, Beaver said. There should be uniformity, but as a practical matter, its almost impossible to have uniformity given the variability of each county. Nethercott said the message she heard from county attorneys was that the minor statutory changes the committee was considering wouldnt make a meaningful difference in peoples lives given the scope of the challenge. It was kind of, Thanks, but no thanks, Nethercott said. Unless youre going to do something thats going to change access to facilities and cost, dont waste your time. The judiciary committees consideration of Title 25 is part of a larger conversation taking place in Wyoming about mental health issues. Several legislative committees are working on topics that could have an impact on how Title 25 detentions and hospitalizations play out in Wyoming. Nethercott told the judiciary committee she believes lawmakers should lean heavily on those doing concurrent work. Whether one problem can be solved without solving other problems simultaneously, she said, remains to be seen. Some have suggested that developing a statewide approach to Title 25 would be the best way to address systemic issues. While that discussion is in preliminary stages, Nethercott said, its worthy of exploration. Its difficult to provide appropriate care to patients with the states patchwork system of Title 25 across Wyomings 23 counties, Andi Summerville, Wyoming Association of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers executive director, said. A statewide approach, Summerville said, could make improvements on that front. Theres also inconsistency, Nethercott said, with costs from county to county. If the state were the payer, she said it could potentially negotiate a consistent rate across the board. Theres no clear vision as of yet for how a statewide Title 25 could be implemented or what the funding structure would look like. I think that it might be a change that could streamline and make it a more efficient process and then give the state the opportunity to be more involved in rule-making, Boley told WyoFile. Its just one option on the table to try and fix the funding side of Title 25. Some of the states county attorneys also find the statewide approach appealing, Beaver said. I have definitely heard county attorneys suggest and endorse that idea, Beaver said. I have not heard anybody express a negative view toward having the state take on that responsibility. Such a suggestion might have its own challenges when it comes to the full Legislature, Washut said. Theres strong resistance among lawmakers to expanding the size of government. Shifting costs traditionally borne by counties to the state, could be difficult concept to build consensus for. Its possible, but I dont think it will be an easy sell, he said. And while putting Title 25 under the states purview might be a step in the right direction, Rep. Karlee Provenza (D-Laramie) said, funding questions will still loom over the conversation. At the end of the day, this still comes back to Medicaid expansion, she said. If we want to help Title 25, we need to expand Medicaid. Wyomings Joint Judiciary Committee for the second consecutive year did not produce a bill ready for the full Legislature that would address concerns with Title 25. It was clear from the start of the committees Dec. 17 meeting that a draft bill to change the legal processes for detaining a resident experiencing a mental health crisis would likely stall. The committee began the 2021 interim focused on working with some of the states county attorneys to address perceived problems with Title 25, though Senate Judiciary Chair Tara Nethercott (R-Cheyenne) told WyoFile the scope of that process was limited. We were not necessarily rewriting how it works or bending the system, but just kind of subtle changes, she said. A working group of county attorneys crafted a bill for lawmakers meant to clear up statutory ambiguities and generally make improvements based on past experience, Clint Beaver, Sheridan County deputy and prosecuting attorney, said. But as the conversation unfolded through 2021, it became clear that stakeholders and lawmakers were drawn into larger conversations about Title 25 outside of the committees original scope. Ultimately, the committee tabled the bill for another interim. The result was frustrating, said Rep. Art Washut (R-Casper), one of the few judiciary committee members who had also worked on Title 25 statutory changes during the 2020 interim. I wonder what else were leaving unattended while we devote hours and hours to Title 25 and come to a non-productive result for two consecutive interims, Washut told the committee. However, Rep. Ember Oakley (R-Riverton), who was new to the judiciary committee in 2021, said that while she appreciated the amount of work that had been put into Title 25, the changes the committee was considering were not a substantial improvement worthy of prime time. What Ive taken from this is that (the problems with Title 25) are systemic, and were not going to fix it by taking little pieces, Oakley said. Title 25 of Wyoming Statute addresses emergency detentions for those suffering from mental health challenges so severe that they may be a danger to themselves or others or are unable to meet their basic needs. Stakeholders have asked legislators to fix problems with the Title 25 system for years. Wyoming counties struggle to find appropriate facilities for Title 25 patients and to pay for the services they need. Many had called on the judiciary committee to change statute to clarify how counties should move forward with Title 25 cases relatively narrow amendments to existing law. Washut said the judiciary committee had learned a lot about approaching Title 25 changes during the 2020 interim, particularly that lawmakers needed to narrow their focus on the due process changes. But the Joint Judiciary Committee in 2021 saw significant turnover from the 2020 interim. On the Senate side, only Nethercott and Sen. R.J. Kost (R-Powell) carried over. Of nine House members of the committee, Washut was the only one present for the 2020 interim discussions on Title 25. As a result, Washut said, a lot of the lessons learned in 2020 were lost. Part of the challenge that we faced this interim was that we had to kind of relearn the lessons that we learned the previous interim and we couldnt just move forward, Washut said. Oakley, one of the new House judiciary members, said she understood how there could be frustration with new members from those who carried over. Still, Oakley said, she could not look at making the narrow changes the judiciary committee was considering without thinking of the whole Title 25 system across the state. Nethercott said there are inherent challenges with committee turnover that shes learned to accept as part of the legislative process. There was a lack of historical knowledge, Nethercott said. Its drinking from a fire hydrant. Just getting your arms around any topic is hard enough, let alone this one. Stakeholders at the Dec. 17 meeting encouraged lawmakers not to drop the Title 25 topic entirely, even if that means revisiting it in the 2022 interim. Im 27 years in the industry and trying to fix this problem, but were committed to working with whoever we can to improve access to care to help these patients, Eric Boley, Wyoming Hospital Association president, told lawmakers. Stakeholders from county commissioners to prosecutors to care providers are concerned about aspects of emergency detentions and involuntary hospitalizations under Title 25 in Wyoming. Many parts of Wyoming, especially rural areas, lack facilities they can send people to. Staffing facilities that provide mental health services has proven difficult. Determining which counties will bear the cost of emergency detentions and involuntary hospitalizations has become a constant issue as has determining which county is responsible for the first 72 hours of care in Title 25 cases, whether its the county where contact with patients originated and where theyre being cared for. Financial questions pop up regarding transporting patients to a designated hospital. Other questions involve figuring out how to get patients back to their homes after an emergency detention or involuntary hospitalization. Much of the problem comes down to the differing needs of rural and urban communities. The process through the last two years, Sheridan county attorney Beaver said, has been an education on how different counties needs are. Theres only one Title 25 law out there, Beaver said. There should be uniformity, but as a practical matter, its almost impossible to have uniformity given the variability of each county. Nethercott said the message she heard from county attorneys was that the minor statutory changes the committee was considering wouldnt make a meaningful difference in peoples lives given the scope of the challenge. It was kind of, Thanks, but no thanks, Nethercott said. Unless youre going to do something thats going to change access to facilities and cost, dont waste your time. The judiciary committees consideration of Title 25 is part of a larger conversation taking place in Wyoming about mental health issues. Several legislative committees are working on topics that could have an impact on how Title 25 detentions and hospitalizations play out in Wyoming. Nethercott told the judiciary committee she believes lawmakers should lean heavily on those doing concurrent work. Whether one problem can be solved without solving other problems simultaneously, she said, remains to be seen. Some have suggested that developing a statewide approach to Title 25 would be the best way to address systemic issues. While that discussion is in preliminary stages, Nethercott said, its worthy of exploration. Its difficult to provide appropriate care to patients with the states patchwork system of Title 25 across Wyomings 23 counties, Andi Summerville, Wyoming Association of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers executive director, said. A statewide approach, Summerville said, could make improvements on that front. Theres also inconsistency, Nethercott said, with costs from county to county. If the state were the payer, she said it could potentially negotiate a consistent rate across the board. Theres no clear vision as of yet for how a statewide Title 25 could be implemented or what the funding structure would look like. I think that it might be a change that could streamline and make it a more efficient process and then give the state the opportunity to be more involved in rule-making, Boley told WyoFile. Its just one option on the table to try and fix the funding side of Title 25. Some of the states county attorneys also find the statewide approach appealing, Beaver said. I have definitely heard county attorneys suggest and endorse that idea, Beaver said. I have not heard anybody express a negative view toward having the state take on that responsibility. Such a suggestion might have its own challenges when it comes to the full Legislature, Washut said. Theres strong resistance among lawmakers to expanding the size of government. Shifting costs traditionally borne by counties to the state, could be difficult concept to build consensus for. Its possible, but I dont think it will be an easy sell, he said. And while putting Title 25 under the states purview might be a step in the right direction, Rep. Karlee Provenza (D-Laramie) said, funding questions will still loom over the conversation. At the end of the day, this still comes back to Medicaid expansion, she said. If we want to help Title 25, we need to expand Medicaid. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Wyomings Joint Judiciary Committee for the second consecutive year did not produce a bill ready for the full Legislature that would address concerns with Title 25. It was clear from the start of the committees Dec. 17 meeting that a draft bill to change the legal processes for detaining a resident experiencing a mental health crisis would likely stall. The committee began the 2021 interim focused on working with some of the states county attorneys to address perceived problems with Title 25, though Senate Judiciary Chair Tara Nethercott (R-Cheyenne) told WyoFile the scope of that process was limited. We were not necessarily rewriting how it works or bending the system, but just kind of subtle changes, she said. A working group of county attorneys crafted a bill for lawmakers meant to clear up statutory ambiguities and generally make improvements based on past experience, Clint Beaver, Sheridan County deputy and prosecuting attorney, said. But as the conversation unfolded through 2021, it became clear that stakeholders and lawmakers were drawn into larger conversations about Title 25 outside of the committees original scope. Ultimately, the committee tabled the bill for another interim. The result was frustrating, said Rep. Art Washut (R-Casper), one of the few judiciary committee members who had also worked on Title 25 statutory changes during the 2020 interim. I wonder what else were leaving unattended while we devote hours and hours to Title 25 and come to a non-productive result for two consecutive interims, Washut told the committee. However, Rep. Ember Oakley (R-Riverton), who was new to the judiciary committee in 2021, said that while she appreciated the amount of work that had been put into Title 25, the changes the committee was considering were not a substantial improvement worthy of prime time. What Ive taken from this is that (the problems with Title 25) are systemic, and were not going to fix it by taking little pieces, Oakley said. Title 25 of Wyoming Statute addresses emergency detentions for those suffering from mental health challenges so severe that they may be a danger to themselves or others or are unable to meet their basic needs. Stakeholders have asked legislators to fix problems with the Title 25 system for years. Wyoming counties struggle to find appropriate facilities for Title 25 patients and to pay for the services they need. Many had called on the judiciary committee to change statute to clarify how counties should move forward with Title 25 cases relatively narrow amendments to existing law. Washut said the judiciary committee had learned a lot about approaching Title 25 changes during the 2020 interim, particularly that lawmakers needed to narrow their focus on the due process changes. But the Joint Judiciary Committee in 2021 saw significant turnover from the 2020 interim. On the Senate side, only Nethercott and Sen. R.J. Kost (R-Powell) carried over. Of nine House members of the committee, Washut was the only one present for the 2020 interim discussions on Title 25. As a result, Washut said, a lot of the lessons learned in 2020 were lost. Part of the challenge that we faced this interim was that we had to kind of relearn the lessons that we learned the previous interim and we couldnt just move forward, Washut said. Oakley, one of the new House judiciary members, said she understood how there could be frustration with new members from those who carried over. Still, Oakley said, she could not look at making the narrow changes the judiciary committee was considering without thinking of the whole Title 25 system across the state. Nethercott said there are inherent challenges with committee turnover that shes learned to accept as part of the legislative process. There was a lack of historical knowledge, Nethercott said. Its drinking from a fire hydrant. Just getting your arms around any topic is hard enough, let alone this one. Stakeholders at the Dec. 17 meeting encouraged lawmakers not to drop the Title 25 topic entirely, even if that means revisiting it in the 2022 interim. Im 27 years in the industry and trying to fix this problem, but were committed to working with whoever we can to improve access to care to help these patients, Eric Boley, Wyoming Hospital Association president, told lawmakers. Stakeholders from county commissioners to prosecutors to care providers are concerned about aspects of emergency detentions and involuntary hospitalizations under Title 25 in Wyoming. Many parts of Wyoming, especially rural areas, lack facilities they can send people to. Staffing facilities that provide mental health services has proven difficult. Determining which counties will bear the cost of emergency detentions and involuntary hospitalizations has become a constant issue as has determining which county is responsible for the first 72 hours of care in Title 25 cases, whether its the county where contact with patients originated and where theyre being cared for. Financial questions pop up regarding transporting patients to a designated hospital. Other questions involve figuring out how to get patients back to their homes after an emergency detention or involuntary hospitalization. Much of the problem comes down to the differing needs of rural and urban communities. The process through the last two years, Sheridan county attorney Beaver said, has been an education on how different counties needs are. Theres only one Title 25 law out there, Beaver said. There should be uniformity, but as a practical matter, its almost impossible to have uniformity given the variability of each county. Nethercott said the message she heard from county attorneys was that the minor statutory changes the committee was considering wouldnt make a meaningful difference in peoples lives given the scope of the challenge. It was kind of, Thanks, but no thanks, Nethercott said. Unless youre going to do something thats going to change access to facilities and cost, dont waste your time. The judiciary committees consideration of Title 25 is part of a larger conversation taking place in Wyoming about mental health issues. Several legislative committees are working on topics that could have an impact on how Title 25 detentions and hospitalizations play out in Wyoming. Nethercott told the judiciary committee she believes lawmakers should lean heavily on those doing concurrent work. Whether one problem can be solved without solving other problems simultaneously, she said, remains to be seen. Some have suggested that developing a statewide approach to Title 25 would be the best way to address systemic issues. While that discussion is in preliminary stages, Nethercott said, its worthy of exploration. Its difficult to provide appropriate care to patients with the states patchwork system of Title 25 across Wyomings 23 counties, Andi Summerville, Wyoming Association of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers executive director, said. A statewide approach, Summerville said, could make improvements on that front. Theres also inconsistency, Nethercott said, with costs from county to county. If the state were the payer, she said it could potentially negotiate a consistent rate across the board. Theres no clear vision as of yet for how a statewide Title 25 could be implemented or what the funding structure would look like. I think that it might be a change that could streamline and make it a more efficient process and then give the state the opportunity to be more involved in rule-making, Boley told WyoFile. Its just one option on the table to try and fix the funding side of Title 25. Some of the states county attorneys also find the statewide approach appealing, Beaver said. I have definitely heard county attorneys suggest and endorse that idea, Beaver said. I have not heard anybody express a negative view toward having the state take on that responsibility. Such a suggestion might have its own challenges when it comes to the full Legislature, Washut said. Theres strong resistance among lawmakers to expanding the size of government. Shifting costs traditionally borne by counties to the state, could be difficult concept to build consensus for. Its possible, but I dont think it will be an easy sell, he said. And while putting Title 25 under the states purview might be a step in the right direction, Rep. Karlee Provenza (D-Laramie) said, funding questions will still loom over the conversation. At the end of the day, this still comes back to Medicaid expansion, she said. If we want to help Title 25, we need to expand Medicaid. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. (TBTCO) - Voi mong muon toi uu quyen loi cho cac khach hang, moi ay san pham Bao hiem suc khoe VBI Care cua Bao hiem VietinBank (VBI) a thong bao ieu chinh nhieu iem cai tien moi ve o tuoi tham gia, quy trinh boi thuong va cac quyen loi bao hiem ke tu ngay 5/9/2022. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size S In a sprawling settlement of mud brick huts in western Afghanistan housing people displaced by drought and war, a woman is fighting to save her daughter. Aziz Guls husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife, taking a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Without that money, he told her, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one to save the rest. Many of Afghanistans growing number of destitute people are making desperate decisions such as these as their nation spirals into a vortex of poverty. Qandi Gul already looks after her little brother, now her father has sold her into marriage. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov The aid-dependent countrys economy was already teetering when the Taliban seized power in mid-August amid a chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops. The international community froze Afghanistans assets abroad and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government given its reputation for brutality during its previous rule 20 years ago. The consequences have been devastating for a country battered by four decades of war, a punishing drought and the coronavirus pandemic. Legions of state employees, including doctors, havent been paid in months. Malnutrition and poverty stalk the most vulnerable, and aid groups say more than half the population faces acute food shortages. Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering, said Asuntha Charles, national director of the World Vision aid organisation in Afghanistan, which runs a health clinic for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat. Advertisement Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members, Charles said. So its the right time for the humanitarian community to stand up and stay with the people of Afghanistan. Arranging marriages for very young girls is a frequent practice throughout the region. The grooms family often distant relatives pays money to seal the deal, and the child usually stays with her parents until she is at least around 15 or 16. Yet with many unable to afford even basic food, some say theyd allow prospective grooms to take very young girls or are even trying to sell their sons. Qandi, 10 years old But Gul, unusually in this deeply patriarchal, male-dominated society, is resisting. Married off herself at 15, she says she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away. Gul remembers well the moment she found out her husband had sold Qandi. For around two months, the family had been able to eat. Eventually, she asked her husband where the money came from, and he told her. Aziz Gul, on the right, says she will kill herself if her 10-year-old daughter is taken from her, but instead she is fighting for Qandis future. Credit:AP My heart stopped beating. I wished I could have died at that time, but maybe God didnt want me to die, Gul said. Qandi sat close to her mother, her hazel eyes peering shyly from beneath her sky-blue headscarf. Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult. Advertisement She asked her husband why he did it. He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. You all would have died this way, (he said.) I told him, Dying was much better than what you have done. Gul rallied her community, telling her brother and village elders that her husband had sold her child behind her back. They supported her, and with their help she secured a divorce for her child, but only on condition she repays the 100,000 afghanis (about $1236) that her husband received. Its money she doesnt have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to the authorities. The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage or using women and girls as exchange tokens to settle disputes. The family of the prospective groom, a man of around 21 or 22, has already tried several times to claim the girl, she says. She is not sure how long she can fend them off. I am just so desperate. If I cant provide money to pay these people and cant keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself, Gul said. But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them? Her eldest is 12, her youngest her sixth just two months. Now alone, Gul leaves the children with her elderly mother while she goes to work in peoples homes. Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school. Its barely enough to keep them fed, and the saffron season is short, only a few weeks in the fall. Advertisement We dont have anything, Gul said. Nazia, six years old In another part of the same camp, father-of-four Hamid Abdullah was also selling his young daughters into arranged marriages, desperate for money to treat his chronically ill wife, pregnant with their fifth child. Abdullah borrowed money to pay for his wifes treatments and cant pay it back, he said. So three years ago, he received a down-payment for his eldest daughter Hoshran, now 7, in an arranged marriage to an 18-year-old in their native Badghis province. Hes now looking for someone to buy his second daughter, six-year-old Nazia. Hamid Abdullah sold his young daughters into arranged marriages to raise money to treat his chronically ill wife, who is pregnant with their fifth child. Credit:AP We dont have food to eat, Abdullah explained, adding he also had to buy medicine for his wife, who soon would need more treatment. She needs another surgery, I dont have one afghani to pay for the doctor. The family that bought Hoshran is waiting until she is older before the full amount is settled, he explained. Advertisement But he needs money now for food and treatments, so he is trying to arrange a marriage for Nazia for about 20,000-30,000 afghani ($300 to $400). What should we do? We have to do it, we have no other option, said his wife, Bibi Jan. When we made the decision, it was like someone had taken away a body part from me. Salahuddin, eight years old In the neighbouring province of Badghis, another displaced family is considering selling their son, 8-year-old Salahuddin. His mother, Guldasta, said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take the boy to the bazaar and sell him to bring food for the others. I dont want to sell my son, but I have to, the 35-year-old said. No mother can do this to her child, but when you have no other choice, you have to make a decision against your will. Guldasta said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take eight-year-old Salahuddin to the bazaar and sell him to buy food for the other children. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size S In a sprawling settlement of mud brick huts in western Afghanistan housing people displaced by drought and war, a woman is fighting to save her daughter. Aziz Guls husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife, taking a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Without that money, he told her, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one to save the rest. Many of Afghanistans growing number of destitute people are making desperate decisions such as these as their nation spirals into a vortex of poverty. Qandi Gul already looks after her little brother, now her father has sold her into marriage. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov The aid-dependent countrys economy was already teetering when the Taliban seized power in mid-August amid a chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops. The international community froze Afghanistans assets abroad and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government given its reputation for brutality during its previous rule 20 years ago. The consequences have been devastating for a country battered by four decades of war, a punishing drought and the coronavirus pandemic. Legions of state employees, including doctors, havent been paid in months. Malnutrition and poverty stalk the most vulnerable, and aid groups say more than half the population faces acute food shortages. Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering, said Asuntha Charles, national director of the World Vision aid organisation in Afghanistan, which runs a health clinic for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat. Advertisement Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members, Charles said. So its the right time for the humanitarian community to stand up and stay with the people of Afghanistan. Arranging marriages for very young girls is a frequent practice throughout the region. The grooms family often distant relatives pays money to seal the deal, and the child usually stays with her parents until she is at least around 15 or 16. Yet with many unable to afford even basic food, some say theyd allow prospective grooms to take very young girls or are even trying to sell their sons. Qandi, 10 years old But Gul, unusually in this deeply patriarchal, male-dominated society, is resisting. Married off herself at 15, she says she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away. Gul remembers well the moment she found out her husband had sold Qandi. For around two months, the family had been able to eat. Eventually, she asked her husband where the money came from, and he told her. Aziz Gul, on the right, says she will kill herself if her 10-year-old daughter is taken from her, but instead she is fighting for Qandis future. Credit:AP My heart stopped beating. I wished I could have died at that time, but maybe God didnt want me to die, Gul said. Qandi sat close to her mother, her hazel eyes peering shyly from beneath her sky-blue headscarf. Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult. Advertisement She asked her husband why he did it. He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. You all would have died this way, (he said.) I told him, Dying was much better than what you have done. Gul rallied her community, telling her brother and village elders that her husband had sold her child behind her back. They supported her, and with their help she secured a divorce for her child, but only on condition she repays the 100,000 afghanis (about $1236) that her husband received. Its money she doesnt have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to the authorities. The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage or using women and girls as exchange tokens to settle disputes. The family of the prospective groom, a man of around 21 or 22, has already tried several times to claim the girl, she says. She is not sure how long she can fend them off. I am just so desperate. If I cant provide money to pay these people and cant keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself, Gul said. But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them? Her eldest is 12, her youngest her sixth just two months. Now alone, Gul leaves the children with her elderly mother while she goes to work in peoples homes. Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school. Its barely enough to keep them fed, and the saffron season is short, only a few weeks in the fall. Advertisement We dont have anything, Gul said. Nazia, six years old In another part of the same camp, father-of-four Hamid Abdullah was also selling his young daughters into arranged marriages, desperate for money to treat his chronically ill wife, pregnant with their fifth child. Abdullah borrowed money to pay for his wifes treatments and cant pay it back, he said. So three years ago, he received a down-payment for his eldest daughter Hoshran, now 7, in an arranged marriage to an 18-year-old in their native Badghis province. Hes now looking for someone to buy his second daughter, six-year-old Nazia. Hamid Abdullah sold his young daughters into arranged marriages to raise money to treat his chronically ill wife, who is pregnant with their fifth child. Credit:AP We dont have food to eat, Abdullah explained, adding he also had to buy medicine for his wife, who soon would need more treatment. She needs another surgery, I dont have one afghani to pay for the doctor. The family that bought Hoshran is waiting until she is older before the full amount is settled, he explained. Advertisement But he needs money now for food and treatments, so he is trying to arrange a marriage for Nazia for about 20,000-30,000 afghani ($300 to $400). What should we do? We have to do it, we have no other option, said his wife, Bibi Jan. When we made the decision, it was like someone had taken away a body part from me. Salahuddin, eight years old In the neighbouring province of Badghis, another displaced family is considering selling their son, 8-year-old Salahuddin. His mother, Guldasta, said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take the boy to the bazaar and sell him to bring food for the others. I dont want to sell my son, but I have to, the 35-year-old said. No mother can do this to her child, but when you have no other choice, you have to make a decision against your will. Guldasta said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take eight-year-old Salahuddin to the bazaar and sell him to buy food for the other children. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov Advertisement At the end of a tense meeting filled with outbursts, Chesapeakes school board voted Friday to reinstate mask mandates across the division. Vice Chair Colleen Leary said she called the special meeting because the board wanted to reassess the divisions COVID-19 protocols as students return from winter break amid a recent surge in cases. Parents and community members shouted at board members some called them child abusers before the board called for a closed session roughly 10 minutes into the meeting. Two people were escorted out because of outbursts. Officials cleared the room of about 45 people before the 30-minute closed meeting. People were only allowed to re-enter through metal detectors. Afterward, the board voted to again require masks when students return Monday. Athletes also do not have to undergo weekly testing as previously required since early November. The 5-1 vote comes after a reported increase in in-school cases. Superintendent Jared Cotton, who called into the meeting because he was out of town, said most transmission happens during lunch and on bus rides. Local health officials predict cases will increase in January, higher than the divisions peak in January 2021. But Cotton said its important to note that more students are in-person this year. The board opted to make masks optional during a Dec. 13 meeting after member Christie New Craig initiated the vote, citing parental rights. On Friday, member Tom Mercer, who opposed eliminating mask requirements in December, motioned to amend the policy. Leary, Dr. Patricia King, Samuel Boone and Michael Woods voted in favor. Angie Swygert was the only school board member to vote against reinstating masks. Neither New Craig nor Harry Murphy attended the meeting. New Craig wrote on Facebook she was against reinstating the mandate. Virginia Beach School Board member Laura Hughes, who proposed to make masks optional in that school district earlier this month, and several Virginia Beach parents attended the meeting. Some called Fridays decision disgusting, accusing board members of violating parental rights. Story continues But some parents, such as Ginny Gnadt, are relieved their children will have a safeguard in place to protect them from transmission. Gnadt, a Chesapeake native whose son is in second grade, said she worried he could contract the virus and infect his younger sister, who is high-risk. Her son is an avid mask-wearer. He doesnt like masks, she said, but he wears one because he has to. And Gnadt, who left her job as a teacher last year, worried her son would be singled out by his peers in school if masks remained optional. I have grown to care deeply (for) not just my children, but also all of the children that could be exposed to this and have adverse consequences. And the families that have much more scary consequences from this disease than the my kids do, she said during a phone interview Friday. Gnadt is part of an advocacy group for educators, parents and community members who work to ensure schools are safe for students and teachers. Eliminating the mask mandate shouldve never happened, Gnadt said, specially with federal guidance and a statewide universal masking requirement for K-12. And reinstating mask-wearing is the the least the school division couldve done to keep schools safe, she said. But she said shes relieved the board took the steps in the right direction to keep schools safe, responsibly. Sierra Jenkins, 229-462-8896, sierra.jenkins@virginiamedia.com Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size S In a sprawling settlement of mud brick huts in western Afghanistan housing people displaced by drought and war, a woman is fighting to save her daughter. Aziz Guls husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife, taking a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Without that money, he told her, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one to save the rest. Many of Afghanistans growing number of destitute people are making desperate decisions such as these as their nation spirals into a vortex of poverty. Qandi Gul already looks after her little brother, now her father has sold her into marriage. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov The aid-dependent countrys economy was already teetering when the Taliban seized power in mid-August amid a chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops. The international community froze Afghanistans assets abroad and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government given its reputation for brutality during its previous rule 20 years ago. The consequences have been devastating for a country battered by four decades of war, a punishing drought and the coronavirus pandemic. Legions of state employees, including doctors, havent been paid in months. Malnutrition and poverty stalk the most vulnerable, and aid groups say more than half the population faces acute food shortages. Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering, said Asuntha Charles, national director of the World Vision aid organisation in Afghanistan, which runs a health clinic for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat. Advertisement Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members, Charles said. So its the right time for the humanitarian community to stand up and stay with the people of Afghanistan. Arranging marriages for very young girls is a frequent practice throughout the region. The grooms family often distant relatives pays money to seal the deal, and the child usually stays with her parents until she is at least around 15 or 16. Yet with many unable to afford even basic food, some say theyd allow prospective grooms to take very young girls or are even trying to sell their sons. Qandi, 10 years old But Gul, unusually in this deeply patriarchal, male-dominated society, is resisting. Married off herself at 15, she says she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away. Gul remembers well the moment she found out her husband had sold Qandi. For around two months, the family had been able to eat. Eventually, she asked her husband where the money came from, and he told her. Aziz Gul, on the right, says she will kill herself if her 10-year-old daughter is taken from her, but instead she is fighting for Qandis future. Credit:AP My heart stopped beating. I wished I could have died at that time, but maybe God didnt want me to die, Gul said. Qandi sat close to her mother, her hazel eyes peering shyly from beneath her sky-blue headscarf. Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult. Advertisement She asked her husband why he did it. He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. You all would have died this way, (he said.) I told him, Dying was much better than what you have done. Gul rallied her community, telling her brother and village elders that her husband had sold her child behind her back. They supported her, and with their help she secured a divorce for her child, but only on condition she repays the 100,000 afghanis (about $1236) that her husband received. Its money she doesnt have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to the authorities. The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage or using women and girls as exchange tokens to settle disputes. The family of the prospective groom, a man of around 21 or 22, has already tried several times to claim the girl, she says. She is not sure how long she can fend them off. I am just so desperate. If I cant provide money to pay these people and cant keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself, Gul said. But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them? Her eldest is 12, her youngest her sixth just two months. Now alone, Gul leaves the children with her elderly mother while she goes to work in peoples homes. Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school. Its barely enough to keep them fed, and the saffron season is short, only a few weeks in the fall. Advertisement We dont have anything, Gul said. Nazia, six years old In another part of the same camp, father-of-four Hamid Abdullah was also selling his young daughters into arranged marriages, desperate for money to treat his chronically ill wife, pregnant with their fifth child. Abdullah borrowed money to pay for his wifes treatments and cant pay it back, he said. So three years ago, he received a down-payment for his eldest daughter Hoshran, now 7, in an arranged marriage to an 18-year-old in their native Badghis province. Hes now looking for someone to buy his second daughter, six-year-old Nazia. Hamid Abdullah sold his young daughters into arranged marriages to raise money to treat his chronically ill wife, who is pregnant with their fifth child. Credit:AP We dont have food to eat, Abdullah explained, adding he also had to buy medicine for his wife, who soon would need more treatment. She needs another surgery, I dont have one afghani to pay for the doctor. The family that bought Hoshran is waiting until she is older before the full amount is settled, he explained. Advertisement But he needs money now for food and treatments, so he is trying to arrange a marriage for Nazia for about 20,000-30,000 afghani ($300 to $400). What should we do? We have to do it, we have no other option, said his wife, Bibi Jan. When we made the decision, it was like someone had taken away a body part from me. Salahuddin, eight years old In the neighbouring province of Badghis, another displaced family is considering selling their son, 8-year-old Salahuddin. His mother, Guldasta, said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take the boy to the bazaar and sell him to bring food for the others. I dont want to sell my son, but I have to, the 35-year-old said. No mother can do this to her child, but when you have no other choice, you have to make a decision against your will. Guldasta said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take eight-year-old Salahuddin to the bazaar and sell him to buy food for the other children. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size S In a sprawling settlement of mud brick huts in western Afghanistan housing people displaced by drought and war, a woman is fighting to save her daughter. Aziz Guls husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife, taking a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Without that money, he told her, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one to save the rest. Many of Afghanistans growing number of destitute people are making desperate decisions such as these as their nation spirals into a vortex of poverty. Qandi Gul already looks after her little brother, now her father has sold her into marriage. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov The aid-dependent countrys economy was already teetering when the Taliban seized power in mid-August amid a chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops. The international community froze Afghanistans assets abroad and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government given its reputation for brutality during its previous rule 20 years ago. The consequences have been devastating for a country battered by four decades of war, a punishing drought and the coronavirus pandemic. Legions of state employees, including doctors, havent been paid in months. Malnutrition and poverty stalk the most vulnerable, and aid groups say more than half the population faces acute food shortages. Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering, said Asuntha Charles, national director of the World Vision aid organisation in Afghanistan, which runs a health clinic for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat. Advertisement Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members, Charles said. So its the right time for the humanitarian community to stand up and stay with the people of Afghanistan. Arranging marriages for very young girls is a frequent practice throughout the region. The grooms family often distant relatives pays money to seal the deal, and the child usually stays with her parents until she is at least around 15 or 16. Yet with many unable to afford even basic food, some say theyd allow prospective grooms to take very young girls or are even trying to sell their sons. Qandi, 10 years old But Gul, unusually in this deeply patriarchal, male-dominated society, is resisting. Married off herself at 15, she says she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away. Gul remembers well the moment she found out her husband had sold Qandi. For around two months, the family had been able to eat. Eventually, she asked her husband where the money came from, and he told her. Aziz Gul, on the right, says she will kill herself if her 10-year-old daughter is taken from her, but instead she is fighting for Qandis future. Credit:AP My heart stopped beating. I wished I could have died at that time, but maybe God didnt want me to die, Gul said. Qandi sat close to her mother, her hazel eyes peering shyly from beneath her sky-blue headscarf. Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult. Advertisement She asked her husband why he did it. He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. You all would have died this way, (he said.) I told him, Dying was much better than what you have done. Gul rallied her community, telling her brother and village elders that her husband had sold her child behind her back. They supported her, and with their help she secured a divorce for her child, but only on condition she repays the 100,000 afghanis (about $1236) that her husband received. Its money she doesnt have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to the authorities. The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage or using women and girls as exchange tokens to settle disputes. The family of the prospective groom, a man of around 21 or 22, has already tried several times to claim the girl, she says. She is not sure how long she can fend them off. I am just so desperate. If I cant provide money to pay these people and cant keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself, Gul said. But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them? Her eldest is 12, her youngest her sixth just two months. Now alone, Gul leaves the children with her elderly mother while she goes to work in peoples homes. Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school. Its barely enough to keep them fed, and the saffron season is short, only a few weeks in the fall. Advertisement We dont have anything, Gul said. Nazia, six years old In another part of the same camp, father-of-four Hamid Abdullah was also selling his young daughters into arranged marriages, desperate for money to treat his chronically ill wife, pregnant with their fifth child. Abdullah borrowed money to pay for his wifes treatments and cant pay it back, he said. So three years ago, he received a down-payment for his eldest daughter Hoshran, now 7, in an arranged marriage to an 18-year-old in their native Badghis province. Hes now looking for someone to buy his second daughter, six-year-old Nazia. Hamid Abdullah sold his young daughters into arranged marriages to raise money to treat his chronically ill wife, who is pregnant with their fifth child. Credit:AP We dont have food to eat, Abdullah explained, adding he also had to buy medicine for his wife, who soon would need more treatment. She needs another surgery, I dont have one afghani to pay for the doctor. The family that bought Hoshran is waiting until she is older before the full amount is settled, he explained. Advertisement But he needs money now for food and treatments, so he is trying to arrange a marriage for Nazia for about 20,000-30,000 afghani ($300 to $400). What should we do? We have to do it, we have no other option, said his wife, Bibi Jan. When we made the decision, it was like someone had taken away a body part from me. Salahuddin, eight years old In the neighbouring province of Badghis, another displaced family is considering selling their son, 8-year-old Salahuddin. His mother, Guldasta, said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take the boy to the bazaar and sell him to bring food for the others. I dont want to sell my son, but I have to, the 35-year-old said. No mother can do this to her child, but when you have no other choice, you have to make a decision against your will. Guldasta said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take eight-year-old Salahuddin to the bazaar and sell him to buy food for the other children. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size S In a sprawling settlement of mud brick huts in western Afghanistan housing people displaced by drought and war, a woman is fighting to save her daughter. Aziz Guls husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife, taking a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Without that money, he told her, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one to save the rest. Many of Afghanistans growing number of destitute people are making desperate decisions such as these as their nation spirals into a vortex of poverty. Qandi Gul already looks after her little brother, now her father has sold her into marriage. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov The aid-dependent countrys economy was already teetering when the Taliban seized power in mid-August amid a chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops. The international community froze Afghanistans assets abroad and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government given its reputation for brutality during its previous rule 20 years ago. The consequences have been devastating for a country battered by four decades of war, a punishing drought and the coronavirus pandemic. Legions of state employees, including doctors, havent been paid in months. Malnutrition and poverty stalk the most vulnerable, and aid groups say more than half the population faces acute food shortages. Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering, said Asuntha Charles, national director of the World Vision aid organisation in Afghanistan, which runs a health clinic for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat. Advertisement Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members, Charles said. So its the right time for the humanitarian community to stand up and stay with the people of Afghanistan. Arranging marriages for very young girls is a frequent practice throughout the region. The grooms family often distant relatives pays money to seal the deal, and the child usually stays with her parents until she is at least around 15 or 16. Yet with many unable to afford even basic food, some say theyd allow prospective grooms to take very young girls or are even trying to sell their sons. Qandi, 10 years old But Gul, unusually in this deeply patriarchal, male-dominated society, is resisting. Married off herself at 15, she says she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away. Gul remembers well the moment she found out her husband had sold Qandi. For around two months, the family had been able to eat. Eventually, she asked her husband where the money came from, and he told her. Aziz Gul, on the right, says she will kill herself if her 10-year-old daughter is taken from her, but instead she is fighting for Qandis future. Credit:AP My heart stopped beating. I wished I could have died at that time, but maybe God didnt want me to die, Gul said. Qandi sat close to her mother, her hazel eyes peering shyly from beneath her sky-blue headscarf. Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult. Advertisement She asked her husband why he did it. He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. You all would have died this way, (he said.) I told him, Dying was much better than what you have done. Gul rallied her community, telling her brother and village elders that her husband had sold her child behind her back. They supported her, and with their help she secured a divorce for her child, but only on condition she repays the 100,000 afghanis (about $1236) that her husband received. Its money she doesnt have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to the authorities. The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage or using women and girls as exchange tokens to settle disputes. The family of the prospective groom, a man of around 21 or 22, has already tried several times to claim the girl, she says. She is not sure how long she can fend them off. I am just so desperate. If I cant provide money to pay these people and cant keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself, Gul said. But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them? Her eldest is 12, her youngest her sixth just two months. Now alone, Gul leaves the children with her elderly mother while she goes to work in peoples homes. Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school. Its barely enough to keep them fed, and the saffron season is short, only a few weeks in the fall. Advertisement We dont have anything, Gul said. Nazia, six years old In another part of the same camp, father-of-four Hamid Abdullah was also selling his young daughters into arranged marriages, desperate for money to treat his chronically ill wife, pregnant with their fifth child. Abdullah borrowed money to pay for his wifes treatments and cant pay it back, he said. So three years ago, he received a down-payment for his eldest daughter Hoshran, now 7, in an arranged marriage to an 18-year-old in their native Badghis province. Hes now looking for someone to buy his second daughter, six-year-old Nazia. Hamid Abdullah sold his young daughters into arranged marriages to raise money to treat his chronically ill wife, who is pregnant with their fifth child. Credit:AP We dont have food to eat, Abdullah explained, adding he also had to buy medicine for his wife, who soon would need more treatment. She needs another surgery, I dont have one afghani to pay for the doctor. The family that bought Hoshran is waiting until she is older before the full amount is settled, he explained. Advertisement But he needs money now for food and treatments, so he is trying to arrange a marriage for Nazia for about 20,000-30,000 afghani ($300 to $400). What should we do? We have to do it, we have no other option, said his wife, Bibi Jan. When we made the decision, it was like someone had taken away a body part from me. Salahuddin, eight years old In the neighbouring province of Badghis, another displaced family is considering selling their son, 8-year-old Salahuddin. His mother, Guldasta, said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take the boy to the bazaar and sell him to bring food for the others. I dont want to sell my son, but I have to, the 35-year-old said. No mother can do this to her child, but when you have no other choice, you have to make a decision against your will. Guldasta said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take eight-year-old Salahuddin to the bazaar and sell him to buy food for the other children. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size S In a sprawling settlement of mud brick huts in western Afghanistan housing people displaced by drought and war, a woman is fighting to save her daughter. Aziz Guls husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife, taking a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Without that money, he told her, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one to save the rest. Many of Afghanistans growing number of destitute people are making desperate decisions such as these as their nation spirals into a vortex of poverty. Qandi Gul already looks after her little brother, now her father has sold her into marriage. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov The aid-dependent countrys economy was already teetering when the Taliban seized power in mid-August amid a chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops. The international community froze Afghanistans assets abroad and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government given its reputation for brutality during its previous rule 20 years ago. The consequences have been devastating for a country battered by four decades of war, a punishing drought and the coronavirus pandemic. Legions of state employees, including doctors, havent been paid in months. Malnutrition and poverty stalk the most vulnerable, and aid groups say more than half the population faces acute food shortages. Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering, said Asuntha Charles, national director of the World Vision aid organisation in Afghanistan, which runs a health clinic for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat. Advertisement Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members, Charles said. So its the right time for the humanitarian community to stand up and stay with the people of Afghanistan. Arranging marriages for very young girls is a frequent practice throughout the region. The grooms family often distant relatives pays money to seal the deal, and the child usually stays with her parents until she is at least around 15 or 16. Yet with many unable to afford even basic food, some say theyd allow prospective grooms to take very young girls or are even trying to sell their sons. Qandi, 10 years old But Gul, unusually in this deeply patriarchal, male-dominated society, is resisting. Married off herself at 15, she says she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away. Gul remembers well the moment she found out her husband had sold Qandi. For around two months, the family had been able to eat. Eventually, she asked her husband where the money came from, and he told her. Aziz Gul, on the right, says she will kill herself if her 10-year-old daughter is taken from her, but instead she is fighting for Qandis future. Credit:AP My heart stopped beating. I wished I could have died at that time, but maybe God didnt want me to die, Gul said. Qandi sat close to her mother, her hazel eyes peering shyly from beneath her sky-blue headscarf. Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult. Advertisement She asked her husband why he did it. He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. You all would have died this way, (he said.) I told him, Dying was much better than what you have done. Gul rallied her community, telling her brother and village elders that her husband had sold her child behind her back. They supported her, and with their help she secured a divorce for her child, but only on condition she repays the 100,000 afghanis (about $1236) that her husband received. Its money she doesnt have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to the authorities. The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage or using women and girls as exchange tokens to settle disputes. The family of the prospective groom, a man of around 21 or 22, has already tried several times to claim the girl, she says. She is not sure how long she can fend them off. I am just so desperate. If I cant provide money to pay these people and cant keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself, Gul said. But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them? Her eldest is 12, her youngest her sixth just two months. Now alone, Gul leaves the children with her elderly mother while she goes to work in peoples homes. Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school. Its barely enough to keep them fed, and the saffron season is short, only a few weeks in the fall. Advertisement We dont have anything, Gul said. Nazia, six years old In another part of the same camp, father-of-four Hamid Abdullah was also selling his young daughters into arranged marriages, desperate for money to treat his chronically ill wife, pregnant with their fifth child. Abdullah borrowed money to pay for his wifes treatments and cant pay it back, he said. So three years ago, he received a down-payment for his eldest daughter Hoshran, now 7, in an arranged marriage to an 18-year-old in their native Badghis province. Hes now looking for someone to buy his second daughter, six-year-old Nazia. Hamid Abdullah sold his young daughters into arranged marriages to raise money to treat his chronically ill wife, who is pregnant with their fifth child. Credit:AP We dont have food to eat, Abdullah explained, adding he also had to buy medicine for his wife, who soon would need more treatment. She needs another surgery, I dont have one afghani to pay for the doctor. The family that bought Hoshran is waiting until she is older before the full amount is settled, he explained. Advertisement But he needs money now for food and treatments, so he is trying to arrange a marriage for Nazia for about 20,000-30,000 afghani ($300 to $400). What should we do? We have to do it, we have no other option, said his wife, Bibi Jan. When we made the decision, it was like someone had taken away a body part from me. Salahuddin, eight years old In the neighbouring province of Badghis, another displaced family is considering selling their son, 8-year-old Salahuddin. His mother, Guldasta, said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take the boy to the bazaar and sell him to bring food for the others. I dont want to sell my son, but I have to, the 35-year-old said. No mother can do this to her child, but when you have no other choice, you have to make a decision against your will. Guldasta said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take eight-year-old Salahuddin to the bazaar and sell him to buy food for the other children. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size S In a sprawling settlement of mud brick huts in western Afghanistan housing people displaced by drought and war, a woman is fighting to save her daughter. Aziz Guls husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife, taking a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Without that money, he told her, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one to save the rest. Many of Afghanistans growing number of destitute people are making desperate decisions such as these as their nation spirals into a vortex of poverty. Qandi Gul already looks after her little brother, now her father has sold her into marriage. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov The aid-dependent countrys economy was already teetering when the Taliban seized power in mid-August amid a chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops. The international community froze Afghanistans assets abroad and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government given its reputation for brutality during its previous rule 20 years ago. The consequences have been devastating for a country battered by four decades of war, a punishing drought and the coronavirus pandemic. Legions of state employees, including doctors, havent been paid in months. Malnutrition and poverty stalk the most vulnerable, and aid groups say more than half the population faces acute food shortages. Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering, said Asuntha Charles, national director of the World Vision aid organisation in Afghanistan, which runs a health clinic for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat. Advertisement Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members, Charles said. So its the right time for the humanitarian community to stand up and stay with the people of Afghanistan. Arranging marriages for very young girls is a frequent practice throughout the region. The grooms family often distant relatives pays money to seal the deal, and the child usually stays with her parents until she is at least around 15 or 16. Yet with many unable to afford even basic food, some say theyd allow prospective grooms to take very young girls or are even trying to sell their sons. Qandi, 10 years old But Gul, unusually in this deeply patriarchal, male-dominated society, is resisting. Married off herself at 15, she says she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away. Gul remembers well the moment she found out her husband had sold Qandi. For around two months, the family had been able to eat. Eventually, she asked her husband where the money came from, and he told her. Aziz Gul, on the right, says she will kill herself if her 10-year-old daughter is taken from her, but instead she is fighting for Qandis future. Credit:AP My heart stopped beating. I wished I could have died at that time, but maybe God didnt want me to die, Gul said. Qandi sat close to her mother, her hazel eyes peering shyly from beneath her sky-blue headscarf. Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult. Advertisement She asked her husband why he did it. He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. You all would have died this way, (he said.) I told him, Dying was much better than what you have done. Gul rallied her community, telling her brother and village elders that her husband had sold her child behind her back. They supported her, and with their help she secured a divorce for her child, but only on condition she repays the 100,000 afghanis (about $1236) that her husband received. Its money she doesnt have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to the authorities. The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage or using women and girls as exchange tokens to settle disputes. The family of the prospective groom, a man of around 21 or 22, has already tried several times to claim the girl, she says. She is not sure how long she can fend them off. I am just so desperate. If I cant provide money to pay these people and cant keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself, Gul said. But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them? Her eldest is 12, her youngest her sixth just two months. Now alone, Gul leaves the children with her elderly mother while she goes to work in peoples homes. Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school. Its barely enough to keep them fed, and the saffron season is short, only a few weeks in the fall. Advertisement We dont have anything, Gul said. Nazia, six years old In another part of the same camp, father-of-four Hamid Abdullah was also selling his young daughters into arranged marriages, desperate for money to treat his chronically ill wife, pregnant with their fifth child. Abdullah borrowed money to pay for his wifes treatments and cant pay it back, he said. So three years ago, he received a down-payment for his eldest daughter Hoshran, now 7, in an arranged marriage to an 18-year-old in their native Badghis province. Hes now looking for someone to buy his second daughter, six-year-old Nazia. Hamid Abdullah sold his young daughters into arranged marriages to raise money to treat his chronically ill wife, who is pregnant with their fifth child. Credit:AP We dont have food to eat, Abdullah explained, adding he also had to buy medicine for his wife, who soon would need more treatment. She needs another surgery, I dont have one afghani to pay for the doctor. The family that bought Hoshran is waiting until she is older before the full amount is settled, he explained. Advertisement But he needs money now for food and treatments, so he is trying to arrange a marriage for Nazia for about 20,000-30,000 afghani ($300 to $400). What should we do? We have to do it, we have no other option, said his wife, Bibi Jan. When we made the decision, it was like someone had taken away a body part from me. Salahuddin, eight years old In the neighbouring province of Badghis, another displaced family is considering selling their son, 8-year-old Salahuddin. His mother, Guldasta, said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take the boy to the bazaar and sell him to bring food for the others. I dont want to sell my son, but I have to, the 35-year-old said. No mother can do this to her child, but when you have no other choice, you have to make a decision against your will. Guldasta said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take eight-year-old Salahuddin to the bazaar and sell him to buy food for the other children. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size S In a sprawling settlement of mud brick huts in western Afghanistan housing people displaced by drought and war, a woman is fighting to save her daughter. Aziz Guls husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife, taking a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Without that money, he told her, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one to save the rest. Many of Afghanistans growing number of destitute people are making desperate decisions such as these as their nation spirals into a vortex of poverty. Qandi Gul already looks after her little brother, now her father has sold her into marriage. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov The aid-dependent countrys economy was already teetering when the Taliban seized power in mid-August amid a chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops. The international community froze Afghanistans assets abroad and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government given its reputation for brutality during its previous rule 20 years ago. The consequences have been devastating for a country battered by four decades of war, a punishing drought and the coronavirus pandemic. Legions of state employees, including doctors, havent been paid in months. Malnutrition and poverty stalk the most vulnerable, and aid groups say more than half the population faces acute food shortages. Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering, said Asuntha Charles, national director of the World Vision aid organisation in Afghanistan, which runs a health clinic for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat. Advertisement Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members, Charles said. So its the right time for the humanitarian community to stand up and stay with the people of Afghanistan. Arranging marriages for very young girls is a frequent practice throughout the region. The grooms family often distant relatives pays money to seal the deal, and the child usually stays with her parents until she is at least around 15 or 16. Yet with many unable to afford even basic food, some say theyd allow prospective grooms to take very young girls or are even trying to sell their sons. Qandi, 10 years old But Gul, unusually in this deeply patriarchal, male-dominated society, is resisting. Married off herself at 15, she says she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away. Gul remembers well the moment she found out her husband had sold Qandi. For around two months, the family had been able to eat. Eventually, she asked her husband where the money came from, and he told her. Aziz Gul, on the right, says she will kill herself if her 10-year-old daughter is taken from her, but instead she is fighting for Qandis future. Credit:AP My heart stopped beating. I wished I could have died at that time, but maybe God didnt want me to die, Gul said. Qandi sat close to her mother, her hazel eyes peering shyly from beneath her sky-blue headscarf. Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult. Advertisement She asked her husband why he did it. He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. You all would have died this way, (he said.) I told him, Dying was much better than what you have done. Gul rallied her community, telling her brother and village elders that her husband had sold her child behind her back. They supported her, and with their help she secured a divorce for her child, but only on condition she repays the 100,000 afghanis (about $1236) that her husband received. Its money she doesnt have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to the authorities. The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage or using women and girls as exchange tokens to settle disputes. The family of the prospective groom, a man of around 21 or 22, has already tried several times to claim the girl, she says. She is not sure how long she can fend them off. I am just so desperate. If I cant provide money to pay these people and cant keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself, Gul said. But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them? Her eldest is 12, her youngest her sixth just two months. Now alone, Gul leaves the children with her elderly mother while she goes to work in peoples homes. Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school. Its barely enough to keep them fed, and the saffron season is short, only a few weeks in the fall. Advertisement We dont have anything, Gul said. Nazia, six years old In another part of the same camp, father-of-four Hamid Abdullah was also selling his young daughters into arranged marriages, desperate for money to treat his chronically ill wife, pregnant with their fifth child. Abdullah borrowed money to pay for his wifes treatments and cant pay it back, he said. So three years ago, he received a down-payment for his eldest daughter Hoshran, now 7, in an arranged marriage to an 18-year-old in their native Badghis province. Hes now looking for someone to buy his second daughter, six-year-old Nazia. Hamid Abdullah sold his young daughters into arranged marriages to raise money to treat his chronically ill wife, who is pregnant with their fifth child. Credit:AP We dont have food to eat, Abdullah explained, adding he also had to buy medicine for his wife, who soon would need more treatment. She needs another surgery, I dont have one afghani to pay for the doctor. The family that bought Hoshran is waiting until she is older before the full amount is settled, he explained. Advertisement But he needs money now for food and treatments, so he is trying to arrange a marriage for Nazia for about 20,000-30,000 afghani ($300 to $400). What should we do? We have to do it, we have no other option, said his wife, Bibi Jan. When we made the decision, it was like someone had taken away a body part from me. Salahuddin, eight years old In the neighbouring province of Badghis, another displaced family is considering selling their son, 8-year-old Salahuddin. His mother, Guldasta, said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take the boy to the bazaar and sell him to bring food for the others. I dont want to sell my son, but I have to, the 35-year-old said. No mother can do this to her child, but when you have no other choice, you have to make a decision against your will. Guldasta said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take eight-year-old Salahuddin to the bazaar and sell him to buy food for the other children. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size S In a sprawling settlement of mud brick huts in western Afghanistan housing people displaced by drought and war, a woman is fighting to save her daughter. Aziz Guls husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife, taking a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Without that money, he told her, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one to save the rest. Many of Afghanistans growing number of destitute people are making desperate decisions such as these as their nation spirals into a vortex of poverty. Qandi Gul already looks after her little brother, now her father has sold her into marriage. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov The aid-dependent countrys economy was already teetering when the Taliban seized power in mid-August amid a chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops. The international community froze Afghanistans assets abroad and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government given its reputation for brutality during its previous rule 20 years ago. The consequences have been devastating for a country battered by four decades of war, a punishing drought and the coronavirus pandemic. Legions of state employees, including doctors, havent been paid in months. Malnutrition and poverty stalk the most vulnerable, and aid groups say more than half the population faces acute food shortages. Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering, said Asuntha Charles, national director of the World Vision aid organisation in Afghanistan, which runs a health clinic for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat. Advertisement Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members, Charles said. So its the right time for the humanitarian community to stand up and stay with the people of Afghanistan. Arranging marriages for very young girls is a frequent practice throughout the region. The grooms family often distant relatives pays money to seal the deal, and the child usually stays with her parents until she is at least around 15 or 16. Yet with many unable to afford even basic food, some say theyd allow prospective grooms to take very young girls or are even trying to sell their sons. Qandi, 10 years old But Gul, unusually in this deeply patriarchal, male-dominated society, is resisting. Married off herself at 15, she says she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away. Gul remembers well the moment she found out her husband had sold Qandi. For around two months, the family had been able to eat. Eventually, she asked her husband where the money came from, and he told her. Aziz Gul, on the right, says she will kill herself if her 10-year-old daughter is taken from her, but instead she is fighting for Qandis future. Credit:AP My heart stopped beating. I wished I could have died at that time, but maybe God didnt want me to die, Gul said. Qandi sat close to her mother, her hazel eyes peering shyly from beneath her sky-blue headscarf. Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult. Advertisement She asked her husband why he did it. He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. You all would have died this way, (he said.) I told him, Dying was much better than what you have done. Gul rallied her community, telling her brother and village elders that her husband had sold her child behind her back. They supported her, and with their help she secured a divorce for her child, but only on condition she repays the 100,000 afghanis (about $1236) that her husband received. Its money she doesnt have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to the authorities. The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage or using women and girls as exchange tokens to settle disputes. The family of the prospective groom, a man of around 21 or 22, has already tried several times to claim the girl, she says. She is not sure how long she can fend them off. I am just so desperate. If I cant provide money to pay these people and cant keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself, Gul said. But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them? Her eldest is 12, her youngest her sixth just two months. Now alone, Gul leaves the children with her elderly mother while she goes to work in peoples homes. Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school. Its barely enough to keep them fed, and the saffron season is short, only a few weeks in the fall. Advertisement We dont have anything, Gul said. Nazia, six years old In another part of the same camp, father-of-four Hamid Abdullah was also selling his young daughters into arranged marriages, desperate for money to treat his chronically ill wife, pregnant with their fifth child. Abdullah borrowed money to pay for his wifes treatments and cant pay it back, he said. So three years ago, he received a down-payment for his eldest daughter Hoshran, now 7, in an arranged marriage to an 18-year-old in their native Badghis province. Hes now looking for someone to buy his second daughter, six-year-old Nazia. Hamid Abdullah sold his young daughters into arranged marriages to raise money to treat his chronically ill wife, who is pregnant with their fifth child. Credit:AP We dont have food to eat, Abdullah explained, adding he also had to buy medicine for his wife, who soon would need more treatment. She needs another surgery, I dont have one afghani to pay for the doctor. The family that bought Hoshran is waiting until she is older before the full amount is settled, he explained. Advertisement But he needs money now for food and treatments, so he is trying to arrange a marriage for Nazia for about 20,000-30,000 afghani ($300 to $400). What should we do? We have to do it, we have no other option, said his wife, Bibi Jan. When we made the decision, it was like someone had taken away a body part from me. Salahuddin, eight years old In the neighbouring province of Badghis, another displaced family is considering selling their son, 8-year-old Salahuddin. His mother, Guldasta, said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take the boy to the bazaar and sell him to bring food for the others. I dont want to sell my son, but I have to, the 35-year-old said. No mother can do this to her child, but when you have no other choice, you have to make a decision against your will. Guldasta said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take eight-year-old Salahuddin to the bazaar and sell him to buy food for the other children. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size S In a sprawling settlement of mud brick huts in western Afghanistan housing people displaced by drought and war, a woman is fighting to save her daughter. Aziz Guls husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife, taking a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Without that money, he told her, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one to save the rest. Many of Afghanistans growing number of destitute people are making desperate decisions such as these as their nation spirals into a vortex of poverty. Qandi Gul already looks after her little brother, now her father has sold her into marriage. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov The aid-dependent countrys economy was already teetering when the Taliban seized power in mid-August amid a chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops. The international community froze Afghanistans assets abroad and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government given its reputation for brutality during its previous rule 20 years ago. The consequences have been devastating for a country battered by four decades of war, a punishing drought and the coronavirus pandemic. Legions of state employees, including doctors, havent been paid in months. Malnutrition and poverty stalk the most vulnerable, and aid groups say more than half the population faces acute food shortages. Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering, said Asuntha Charles, national director of the World Vision aid organisation in Afghanistan, which runs a health clinic for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat. Advertisement Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members, Charles said. So its the right time for the humanitarian community to stand up and stay with the people of Afghanistan. Arranging marriages for very young girls is a frequent practice throughout the region. The grooms family often distant relatives pays money to seal the deal, and the child usually stays with her parents until she is at least around 15 or 16. Yet with many unable to afford even basic food, some say theyd allow prospective grooms to take very young girls or are even trying to sell their sons. Qandi, 10 years old But Gul, unusually in this deeply patriarchal, male-dominated society, is resisting. Married off herself at 15, she says she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away. Gul remembers well the moment she found out her husband had sold Qandi. For around two months, the family had been able to eat. Eventually, she asked her husband where the money came from, and he told her. Aziz Gul, on the right, says she will kill herself if her 10-year-old daughter is taken from her, but instead she is fighting for Qandis future. Credit:AP My heart stopped beating. I wished I could have died at that time, but maybe God didnt want me to die, Gul said. Qandi sat close to her mother, her hazel eyes peering shyly from beneath her sky-blue headscarf. Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult. Advertisement She asked her husband why he did it. He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. You all would have died this way, (he said.) I told him, Dying was much better than what you have done. Gul rallied her community, telling her brother and village elders that her husband had sold her child behind her back. They supported her, and with their help she secured a divorce for her child, but only on condition she repays the 100,000 afghanis (about $1236) that her husband received. Its money she doesnt have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to the authorities. The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage or using women and girls as exchange tokens to settle disputes. The family of the prospective groom, a man of around 21 or 22, has already tried several times to claim the girl, she says. She is not sure how long she can fend them off. I am just so desperate. If I cant provide money to pay these people and cant keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself, Gul said. But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them? Her eldest is 12, her youngest her sixth just two months. Now alone, Gul leaves the children with her elderly mother while she goes to work in peoples homes. Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school. Its barely enough to keep them fed, and the saffron season is short, only a few weeks in the fall. Advertisement We dont have anything, Gul said. Nazia, six years old In another part of the same camp, father-of-four Hamid Abdullah was also selling his young daughters into arranged marriages, desperate for money to treat his chronically ill wife, pregnant with their fifth child. Abdullah borrowed money to pay for his wifes treatments and cant pay it back, he said. So three years ago, he received a down-payment for his eldest daughter Hoshran, now 7, in an arranged marriage to an 18-year-old in their native Badghis province. Hes now looking for someone to buy his second daughter, six-year-old Nazia. Hamid Abdullah sold his young daughters into arranged marriages to raise money to treat his chronically ill wife, who is pregnant with their fifth child. Credit:AP We dont have food to eat, Abdullah explained, adding he also had to buy medicine for his wife, who soon would need more treatment. She needs another surgery, I dont have one afghani to pay for the doctor. The family that bought Hoshran is waiting until she is older before the full amount is settled, he explained. Advertisement But he needs money now for food and treatments, so he is trying to arrange a marriage for Nazia for about 20,000-30,000 afghani ($300 to $400). What should we do? We have to do it, we have no other option, said his wife, Bibi Jan. When we made the decision, it was like someone had taken away a body part from me. Salahuddin, eight years old In the neighbouring province of Badghis, another displaced family is considering selling their son, 8-year-old Salahuddin. His mother, Guldasta, said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take the boy to the bazaar and sell him to bring food for the others. I dont want to sell my son, but I have to, the 35-year-old said. No mother can do this to her child, but when you have no other choice, you have to make a decision against your will. Guldasta said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take eight-year-old Salahuddin to the bazaar and sell him to buy food for the other children. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size S In a sprawling settlement of mud brick huts in western Afghanistan housing people displaced by drought and war, a woman is fighting to save her daughter. Aziz Guls husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife, taking a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Without that money, he told her, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one to save the rest. Many of Afghanistans growing number of destitute people are making desperate decisions such as these as their nation spirals into a vortex of poverty. Qandi Gul already looks after her little brother, now her father has sold her into marriage. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov The aid-dependent countrys economy was already teetering when the Taliban seized power in mid-August amid a chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops. The international community froze Afghanistans assets abroad and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government given its reputation for brutality during its previous rule 20 years ago. The consequences have been devastating for a country battered by four decades of war, a punishing drought and the coronavirus pandemic. Legions of state employees, including doctors, havent been paid in months. Malnutrition and poverty stalk the most vulnerable, and aid groups say more than half the population faces acute food shortages. Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering, said Asuntha Charles, national director of the World Vision aid organisation in Afghanistan, which runs a health clinic for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat. Advertisement Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members, Charles said. So its the right time for the humanitarian community to stand up and stay with the people of Afghanistan. Arranging marriages for very young girls is a frequent practice throughout the region. The grooms family often distant relatives pays money to seal the deal, and the child usually stays with her parents until she is at least around 15 or 16. Yet with many unable to afford even basic food, some say theyd allow prospective grooms to take very young girls or are even trying to sell their sons. Qandi, 10 years old But Gul, unusually in this deeply patriarchal, male-dominated society, is resisting. Married off herself at 15, she says she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away. Gul remembers well the moment she found out her husband had sold Qandi. For around two months, the family had been able to eat. Eventually, she asked her husband where the money came from, and he told her. Aziz Gul, on the right, says she will kill herself if her 10-year-old daughter is taken from her, but instead she is fighting for Qandis future. Credit:AP My heart stopped beating. I wished I could have died at that time, but maybe God didnt want me to die, Gul said. Qandi sat close to her mother, her hazel eyes peering shyly from beneath her sky-blue headscarf. Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult. Advertisement She asked her husband why he did it. He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. You all would have died this way, (he said.) I told him, Dying was much better than what you have done. Gul rallied her community, telling her brother and village elders that her husband had sold her child behind her back. They supported her, and with their help she secured a divorce for her child, but only on condition she repays the 100,000 afghanis (about $1236) that her husband received. Its money she doesnt have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to the authorities. The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage or using women and girls as exchange tokens to settle disputes. The family of the prospective groom, a man of around 21 or 22, has already tried several times to claim the girl, she says. She is not sure how long she can fend them off. I am just so desperate. If I cant provide money to pay these people and cant keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself, Gul said. But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them? Her eldest is 12, her youngest her sixth just two months. Now alone, Gul leaves the children with her elderly mother while she goes to work in peoples homes. Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school. Its barely enough to keep them fed, and the saffron season is short, only a few weeks in the fall. Advertisement We dont have anything, Gul said. Nazia, six years old In another part of the same camp, father-of-four Hamid Abdullah was also selling his young daughters into arranged marriages, desperate for money to treat his chronically ill wife, pregnant with their fifth child. Abdullah borrowed money to pay for his wifes treatments and cant pay it back, he said. So three years ago, he received a down-payment for his eldest daughter Hoshran, now 7, in an arranged marriage to an 18-year-old in their native Badghis province. Hes now looking for someone to buy his second daughter, six-year-old Nazia. Hamid Abdullah sold his young daughters into arranged marriages to raise money to treat his chronically ill wife, who is pregnant with their fifth child. Credit:AP We dont have food to eat, Abdullah explained, adding he also had to buy medicine for his wife, who soon would need more treatment. She needs another surgery, I dont have one afghani to pay for the doctor. The family that bought Hoshran is waiting until she is older before the full amount is settled, he explained. Advertisement But he needs money now for food and treatments, so he is trying to arrange a marriage for Nazia for about 20,000-30,000 afghani ($300 to $400). What should we do? We have to do it, we have no other option, said his wife, Bibi Jan. When we made the decision, it was like someone had taken away a body part from me. Salahuddin, eight years old In the neighbouring province of Badghis, another displaced family is considering selling their son, 8-year-old Salahuddin. His mother, Guldasta, said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take the boy to the bazaar and sell him to bring food for the others. I dont want to sell my son, but I have to, the 35-year-old said. No mother can do this to her child, but when you have no other choice, you have to make a decision against your will. Guldasta said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take eight-year-old Salahuddin to the bazaar and sell him to buy food for the other children. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size S In a sprawling settlement of mud brick huts in western Afghanistan housing people displaced by drought and war, a woman is fighting to save her daughter. Aziz Guls husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife, taking a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Without that money, he told her, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one to save the rest. Many of Afghanistans growing number of destitute people are making desperate decisions such as these as their nation spirals into a vortex of poverty. Qandi Gul already looks after her little brother, now her father has sold her into marriage. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov The aid-dependent countrys economy was already teetering when the Taliban seized power in mid-August amid a chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops. The international community froze Afghanistans assets abroad and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government given its reputation for brutality during its previous rule 20 years ago. The consequences have been devastating for a country battered by four decades of war, a punishing drought and the coronavirus pandemic. Legions of state employees, including doctors, havent been paid in months. Malnutrition and poverty stalk the most vulnerable, and aid groups say more than half the population faces acute food shortages. Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering, said Asuntha Charles, national director of the World Vision aid organisation in Afghanistan, which runs a health clinic for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat. Advertisement Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members, Charles said. So its the right time for the humanitarian community to stand up and stay with the people of Afghanistan. Arranging marriages for very young girls is a frequent practice throughout the region. The grooms family often distant relatives pays money to seal the deal, and the child usually stays with her parents until she is at least around 15 or 16. Yet with many unable to afford even basic food, some say theyd allow prospective grooms to take very young girls or are even trying to sell their sons. Qandi, 10 years old But Gul, unusually in this deeply patriarchal, male-dominated society, is resisting. Married off herself at 15, she says she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away. Gul remembers well the moment she found out her husband had sold Qandi. For around two months, the family had been able to eat. Eventually, she asked her husband where the money came from, and he told her. Aziz Gul, on the right, says she will kill herself if her 10-year-old daughter is taken from her, but instead she is fighting for Qandis future. Credit:AP My heart stopped beating. I wished I could have died at that time, but maybe God didnt want me to die, Gul said. Qandi sat close to her mother, her hazel eyes peering shyly from beneath her sky-blue headscarf. Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult. Advertisement She asked her husband why he did it. He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. You all would have died this way, (he said.) I told him, Dying was much better than what you have done. Gul rallied her community, telling her brother and village elders that her husband had sold her child behind her back. They supported her, and with their help she secured a divorce for her child, but only on condition she repays the 100,000 afghanis (about $1236) that her husband received. Its money she doesnt have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to the authorities. The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage or using women and girls as exchange tokens to settle disputes. The family of the prospective groom, a man of around 21 or 22, has already tried several times to claim the girl, she says. She is not sure how long she can fend them off. I am just so desperate. If I cant provide money to pay these people and cant keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself, Gul said. But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them? Her eldest is 12, her youngest her sixth just two months. Now alone, Gul leaves the children with her elderly mother while she goes to work in peoples homes. Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school. Its barely enough to keep them fed, and the saffron season is short, only a few weeks in the fall. Advertisement We dont have anything, Gul said. Nazia, six years old In another part of the same camp, father-of-four Hamid Abdullah was also selling his young daughters into arranged marriages, desperate for money to treat his chronically ill wife, pregnant with their fifth child. Abdullah borrowed money to pay for his wifes treatments and cant pay it back, he said. So three years ago, he received a down-payment for his eldest daughter Hoshran, now 7, in an arranged marriage to an 18-year-old in their native Badghis province. Hes now looking for someone to buy his second daughter, six-year-old Nazia. Hamid Abdullah sold his young daughters into arranged marriages to raise money to treat his chronically ill wife, who is pregnant with their fifth child. Credit:AP We dont have food to eat, Abdullah explained, adding he also had to buy medicine for his wife, who soon would need more treatment. She needs another surgery, I dont have one afghani to pay for the doctor. The family that bought Hoshran is waiting until she is older before the full amount is settled, he explained. Advertisement But he needs money now for food and treatments, so he is trying to arrange a marriage for Nazia for about 20,000-30,000 afghani ($300 to $400). What should we do? We have to do it, we have no other option, said his wife, Bibi Jan. When we made the decision, it was like someone had taken away a body part from me. Salahuddin, eight years old In the neighbouring province of Badghis, another displaced family is considering selling their son, 8-year-old Salahuddin. His mother, Guldasta, said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take the boy to the bazaar and sell him to bring food for the others. I dont want to sell my son, but I have to, the 35-year-old said. No mother can do this to her child, but when you have no other choice, you have to make a decision against your will. Guldasta said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take eight-year-old Salahuddin to the bazaar and sell him to buy food for the other children. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size S In a sprawling settlement of mud brick huts in western Afghanistan housing people displaced by drought and war, a woman is fighting to save her daughter. Aziz Guls husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife, taking a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Without that money, he told her, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one to save the rest. Many of Afghanistans growing number of destitute people are making desperate decisions such as these as their nation spirals into a vortex of poverty. Qandi Gul already looks after her little brother, now her father has sold her into marriage. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov The aid-dependent countrys economy was already teetering when the Taliban seized power in mid-August amid a chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops. The international community froze Afghanistans assets abroad and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government given its reputation for brutality during its previous rule 20 years ago. The consequences have been devastating for a country battered by four decades of war, a punishing drought and the coronavirus pandemic. Legions of state employees, including doctors, havent been paid in months. Malnutrition and poverty stalk the most vulnerable, and aid groups say more than half the population faces acute food shortages. Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering, said Asuntha Charles, national director of the World Vision aid organisation in Afghanistan, which runs a health clinic for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat. Advertisement Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members, Charles said. So its the right time for the humanitarian community to stand up and stay with the people of Afghanistan. Arranging marriages for very young girls is a frequent practice throughout the region. The grooms family often distant relatives pays money to seal the deal, and the child usually stays with her parents until she is at least around 15 or 16. Yet with many unable to afford even basic food, some say theyd allow prospective grooms to take very young girls or are even trying to sell their sons. Qandi, 10 years old But Gul, unusually in this deeply patriarchal, male-dominated society, is resisting. Married off herself at 15, she says she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away. Gul remembers well the moment she found out her husband had sold Qandi. For around two months, the family had been able to eat. Eventually, she asked her husband where the money came from, and he told her. Aziz Gul, on the right, says she will kill herself if her 10-year-old daughter is taken from her, but instead she is fighting for Qandis future. Credit:AP My heart stopped beating. I wished I could have died at that time, but maybe God didnt want me to die, Gul said. Qandi sat close to her mother, her hazel eyes peering shyly from beneath her sky-blue headscarf. Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult. Advertisement She asked her husband why he did it. He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. You all would have died this way, (he said.) I told him, Dying was much better than what you have done. Gul rallied her community, telling her brother and village elders that her husband had sold her child behind her back. They supported her, and with their help she secured a divorce for her child, but only on condition she repays the 100,000 afghanis (about $1236) that her husband received. Its money she doesnt have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to the authorities. The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage or using women and girls as exchange tokens to settle disputes. The family of the prospective groom, a man of around 21 or 22, has already tried several times to claim the girl, she says. She is not sure how long she can fend them off. I am just so desperate. If I cant provide money to pay these people and cant keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself, Gul said. But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them? Her eldest is 12, her youngest her sixth just two months. Now alone, Gul leaves the children with her elderly mother while she goes to work in peoples homes. Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school. Its barely enough to keep them fed, and the saffron season is short, only a few weeks in the fall. Advertisement We dont have anything, Gul said. Nazia, six years old In another part of the same camp, father-of-four Hamid Abdullah was also selling his young daughters into arranged marriages, desperate for money to treat his chronically ill wife, pregnant with their fifth child. Abdullah borrowed money to pay for his wifes treatments and cant pay it back, he said. So three years ago, he received a down-payment for his eldest daughter Hoshran, now 7, in an arranged marriage to an 18-year-old in their native Badghis province. Hes now looking for someone to buy his second daughter, six-year-old Nazia. Hamid Abdullah sold his young daughters into arranged marriages to raise money to treat his chronically ill wife, who is pregnant with their fifth child. Credit:AP We dont have food to eat, Abdullah explained, adding he also had to buy medicine for his wife, who soon would need more treatment. She needs another surgery, I dont have one afghani to pay for the doctor. The family that bought Hoshran is waiting until she is older before the full amount is settled, he explained. Advertisement But he needs money now for food and treatments, so he is trying to arrange a marriage for Nazia for about 20,000-30,000 afghani ($300 to $400). What should we do? We have to do it, we have no other option, said his wife, Bibi Jan. When we made the decision, it was like someone had taken away a body part from me. Salahuddin, eight years old In the neighbouring province of Badghis, another displaced family is considering selling their son, 8-year-old Salahuddin. His mother, Guldasta, said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take the boy to the bazaar and sell him to bring food for the others. I dont want to sell my son, but I have to, the 35-year-old said. No mother can do this to her child, but when you have no other choice, you have to make a decision against your will. Guldasta said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take eight-year-old Salahuddin to the bazaar and sell him to buy food for the other children. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size S In a sprawling settlement of mud brick huts in western Afghanistan housing people displaced by drought and war, a woman is fighting to save her daughter. Aziz Guls husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife, taking a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Without that money, he told her, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one to save the rest. Many of Afghanistans growing number of destitute people are making desperate decisions such as these as their nation spirals into a vortex of poverty. Qandi Gul already looks after her little brother, now her father has sold her into marriage. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov The aid-dependent countrys economy was already teetering when the Taliban seized power in mid-August amid a chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops. The international community froze Afghanistans assets abroad and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government given its reputation for brutality during its previous rule 20 years ago. The consequences have been devastating for a country battered by four decades of war, a punishing drought and the coronavirus pandemic. Legions of state employees, including doctors, havent been paid in months. Malnutrition and poverty stalk the most vulnerable, and aid groups say more than half the population faces acute food shortages. Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering, said Asuntha Charles, national director of the World Vision aid organisation in Afghanistan, which runs a health clinic for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat. Advertisement Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members, Charles said. So its the right time for the humanitarian community to stand up and stay with the people of Afghanistan. Arranging marriages for very young girls is a frequent practice throughout the region. The grooms family often distant relatives pays money to seal the deal, and the child usually stays with her parents until she is at least around 15 or 16. Yet with many unable to afford even basic food, some say theyd allow prospective grooms to take very young girls or are even trying to sell their sons. Qandi, 10 years old But Gul, unusually in this deeply patriarchal, male-dominated society, is resisting. Married off herself at 15, she says she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away. Gul remembers well the moment she found out her husband had sold Qandi. For around two months, the family had been able to eat. Eventually, she asked her husband where the money came from, and he told her. Aziz Gul, on the right, says she will kill herself if her 10-year-old daughter is taken from her, but instead she is fighting for Qandis future. Credit:AP My heart stopped beating. I wished I could have died at that time, but maybe God didnt want me to die, Gul said. Qandi sat close to her mother, her hazel eyes peering shyly from beneath her sky-blue headscarf. Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult. Advertisement She asked her husband why he did it. He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. You all would have died this way, (he said.) I told him, Dying was much better than what you have done. Gul rallied her community, telling her brother and village elders that her husband had sold her child behind her back. They supported her, and with their help she secured a divorce for her child, but only on condition she repays the 100,000 afghanis (about $1236) that her husband received. Its money she doesnt have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to the authorities. The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage or using women and girls as exchange tokens to settle disputes. The family of the prospective groom, a man of around 21 or 22, has already tried several times to claim the girl, she says. She is not sure how long she can fend them off. I am just so desperate. If I cant provide money to pay these people and cant keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself, Gul said. But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them? Her eldest is 12, her youngest her sixth just two months. Now alone, Gul leaves the children with her elderly mother while she goes to work in peoples homes. Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school. Its barely enough to keep them fed, and the saffron season is short, only a few weeks in the fall. Advertisement We dont have anything, Gul said. Nazia, six years old In another part of the same camp, father-of-four Hamid Abdullah was also selling his young daughters into arranged marriages, desperate for money to treat his chronically ill wife, pregnant with their fifth child. Abdullah borrowed money to pay for his wifes treatments and cant pay it back, he said. So three years ago, he received a down-payment for his eldest daughter Hoshran, now 7, in an arranged marriage to an 18-year-old in their native Badghis province. Hes now looking for someone to buy his second daughter, six-year-old Nazia. Hamid Abdullah sold his young daughters into arranged marriages to raise money to treat his chronically ill wife, who is pregnant with their fifth child. Credit:AP We dont have food to eat, Abdullah explained, adding he also had to buy medicine for his wife, who soon would need more treatment. She needs another surgery, I dont have one afghani to pay for the doctor. The family that bought Hoshran is waiting until she is older before the full amount is settled, he explained. Advertisement But he needs money now for food and treatments, so he is trying to arrange a marriage for Nazia for about 20,000-30,000 afghani ($300 to $400). What should we do? We have to do it, we have no other option, said his wife, Bibi Jan. When we made the decision, it was like someone had taken away a body part from me. Salahuddin, eight years old In the neighbouring province of Badghis, another displaced family is considering selling their son, 8-year-old Salahuddin. His mother, Guldasta, said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take the boy to the bazaar and sell him to bring food for the others. I dont want to sell my son, but I have to, the 35-year-old said. No mother can do this to her child, but when you have no other choice, you have to make a decision against your will. Guldasta said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take eight-year-old Salahuddin to the bazaar and sell him to buy food for the other children. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size S In a sprawling settlement of mud brick huts in western Afghanistan housing people displaced by drought and war, a woman is fighting to save her daughter. Aziz Guls husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife, taking a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Without that money, he told her, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one to save the rest. Many of Afghanistans growing number of destitute people are making desperate decisions such as these as their nation spirals into a vortex of poverty. Qandi Gul already looks after her little brother, now her father has sold her into marriage. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov The aid-dependent countrys economy was already teetering when the Taliban seized power in mid-August amid a chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops. The international community froze Afghanistans assets abroad and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government given its reputation for brutality during its previous rule 20 years ago. The consequences have been devastating for a country battered by four decades of war, a punishing drought and the coronavirus pandemic. Legions of state employees, including doctors, havent been paid in months. Malnutrition and poverty stalk the most vulnerable, and aid groups say more than half the population faces acute food shortages. Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering, said Asuntha Charles, national director of the World Vision aid organisation in Afghanistan, which runs a health clinic for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat. Advertisement Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members, Charles said. So its the right time for the humanitarian community to stand up and stay with the people of Afghanistan. Arranging marriages for very young girls is a frequent practice throughout the region. The grooms family often distant relatives pays money to seal the deal, and the child usually stays with her parents until she is at least around 15 or 16. Yet with many unable to afford even basic food, some say theyd allow prospective grooms to take very young girls or are even trying to sell their sons. Qandi, 10 years old But Gul, unusually in this deeply patriarchal, male-dominated society, is resisting. Married off herself at 15, she says she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away. Gul remembers well the moment she found out her husband had sold Qandi. For around two months, the family had been able to eat. Eventually, she asked her husband where the money came from, and he told her. Aziz Gul, on the right, says she will kill herself if her 10-year-old daughter is taken from her, but instead she is fighting for Qandis future. Credit:AP My heart stopped beating. I wished I could have died at that time, but maybe God didnt want me to die, Gul said. Qandi sat close to her mother, her hazel eyes peering shyly from beneath her sky-blue headscarf. Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult. Advertisement She asked her husband why he did it. He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. You all would have died this way, (he said.) I told him, Dying was much better than what you have done. Gul rallied her community, telling her brother and village elders that her husband had sold her child behind her back. They supported her, and with their help she secured a divorce for her child, but only on condition she repays the 100,000 afghanis (about $1236) that her husband received. Its money she doesnt have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to the authorities. The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage or using women and girls as exchange tokens to settle disputes. The family of the prospective groom, a man of around 21 or 22, has already tried several times to claim the girl, she says. She is not sure how long she can fend them off. I am just so desperate. If I cant provide money to pay these people and cant keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself, Gul said. But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them? Her eldest is 12, her youngest her sixth just two months. Now alone, Gul leaves the children with her elderly mother while she goes to work in peoples homes. Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school. Its barely enough to keep them fed, and the saffron season is short, only a few weeks in the fall. Advertisement We dont have anything, Gul said. Nazia, six years old In another part of the same camp, father-of-four Hamid Abdullah was also selling his young daughters into arranged marriages, desperate for money to treat his chronically ill wife, pregnant with their fifth child. Abdullah borrowed money to pay for his wifes treatments and cant pay it back, he said. So three years ago, he received a down-payment for his eldest daughter Hoshran, now 7, in an arranged marriage to an 18-year-old in their native Badghis province. Hes now looking for someone to buy his second daughter, six-year-old Nazia. Hamid Abdullah sold his young daughters into arranged marriages to raise money to treat his chronically ill wife, who is pregnant with their fifth child. Credit:AP We dont have food to eat, Abdullah explained, adding he also had to buy medicine for his wife, who soon would need more treatment. She needs another surgery, I dont have one afghani to pay for the doctor. The family that bought Hoshran is waiting until she is older before the full amount is settled, he explained. Advertisement But he needs money now for food and treatments, so he is trying to arrange a marriage for Nazia for about 20,000-30,000 afghani ($300 to $400). What should we do? We have to do it, we have no other option, said his wife, Bibi Jan. When we made the decision, it was like someone had taken away a body part from me. Salahuddin, eight years old In the neighbouring province of Badghis, another displaced family is considering selling their son, 8-year-old Salahuddin. His mother, Guldasta, said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take the boy to the bazaar and sell him to bring food for the others. I dont want to sell my son, but I have to, the 35-year-old said. No mother can do this to her child, but when you have no other choice, you have to make a decision against your will. Guldasta said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take eight-year-old Salahuddin to the bazaar and sell him to buy food for the other children. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size S In a sprawling settlement of mud brick huts in western Afghanistan housing people displaced by drought and war, a woman is fighting to save her daughter. Aziz Guls husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife, taking a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Without that money, he told her, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one to save the rest. Many of Afghanistans growing number of destitute people are making desperate decisions such as these as their nation spirals into a vortex of poverty. Qandi Gul already looks after her little brother, now her father has sold her into marriage. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov The aid-dependent countrys economy was already teetering when the Taliban seized power in mid-August amid a chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops. The international community froze Afghanistans assets abroad and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government given its reputation for brutality during its previous rule 20 years ago. The consequences have been devastating for a country battered by four decades of war, a punishing drought and the coronavirus pandemic. Legions of state employees, including doctors, havent been paid in months. Malnutrition and poverty stalk the most vulnerable, and aid groups say more than half the population faces acute food shortages. Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering, said Asuntha Charles, national director of the World Vision aid organisation in Afghanistan, which runs a health clinic for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat. Advertisement Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members, Charles said. So its the right time for the humanitarian community to stand up and stay with the people of Afghanistan. Arranging marriages for very young girls is a frequent practice throughout the region. The grooms family often distant relatives pays money to seal the deal, and the child usually stays with her parents until she is at least around 15 or 16. Yet with many unable to afford even basic food, some say theyd allow prospective grooms to take very young girls or are even trying to sell their sons. Qandi, 10 years old But Gul, unusually in this deeply patriarchal, male-dominated society, is resisting. Married off herself at 15, she says she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away. Gul remembers well the moment she found out her husband had sold Qandi. For around two months, the family had been able to eat. Eventually, she asked her husband where the money came from, and he told her. Aziz Gul, on the right, says she will kill herself if her 10-year-old daughter is taken from her, but instead she is fighting for Qandis future. Credit:AP My heart stopped beating. I wished I could have died at that time, but maybe God didnt want me to die, Gul said. Qandi sat close to her mother, her hazel eyes peering shyly from beneath her sky-blue headscarf. Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult. Advertisement She asked her husband why he did it. He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. You all would have died this way, (he said.) I told him, Dying was much better than what you have done. Gul rallied her community, telling her brother and village elders that her husband had sold her child behind her back. They supported her, and with their help she secured a divorce for her child, but only on condition she repays the 100,000 afghanis (about $1236) that her husband received. Its money she doesnt have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to the authorities. The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage or using women and girls as exchange tokens to settle disputes. The family of the prospective groom, a man of around 21 or 22, has already tried several times to claim the girl, she says. She is not sure how long she can fend them off. I am just so desperate. If I cant provide money to pay these people and cant keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself, Gul said. But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them? Her eldest is 12, her youngest her sixth just two months. Now alone, Gul leaves the children with her elderly mother while she goes to work in peoples homes. Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school. Its barely enough to keep them fed, and the saffron season is short, only a few weeks in the fall. Advertisement We dont have anything, Gul said. Nazia, six years old In another part of the same camp, father-of-four Hamid Abdullah was also selling his young daughters into arranged marriages, desperate for money to treat his chronically ill wife, pregnant with their fifth child. Abdullah borrowed money to pay for his wifes treatments and cant pay it back, he said. So three years ago, he received a down-payment for his eldest daughter Hoshran, now 7, in an arranged marriage to an 18-year-old in their native Badghis province. Hes now looking for someone to buy his second daughter, six-year-old Nazia. Hamid Abdullah sold his young daughters into arranged marriages to raise money to treat his chronically ill wife, who is pregnant with their fifth child. Credit:AP We dont have food to eat, Abdullah explained, adding he also had to buy medicine for his wife, who soon would need more treatment. She needs another surgery, I dont have one afghani to pay for the doctor. The family that bought Hoshran is waiting until she is older before the full amount is settled, he explained. Advertisement But he needs money now for food and treatments, so he is trying to arrange a marriage for Nazia for about 20,000-30,000 afghani ($300 to $400). What should we do? We have to do it, we have no other option, said his wife, Bibi Jan. When we made the decision, it was like someone had taken away a body part from me. Salahuddin, eight years old In the neighbouring province of Badghis, another displaced family is considering selling their son, 8-year-old Salahuddin. His mother, Guldasta, said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take the boy to the bazaar and sell him to bring food for the others. I dont want to sell my son, but I have to, the 35-year-old said. No mother can do this to her child, but when you have no other choice, you have to make a decision against your will. Guldasta said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take eight-year-old Salahuddin to the bazaar and sell him to buy food for the other children. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size S In a sprawling settlement of mud brick huts in western Afghanistan housing people displaced by drought and war, a woman is fighting to save her daughter. Aziz Guls husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife, taking a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Without that money, he told her, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one to save the rest. Many of Afghanistans growing number of destitute people are making desperate decisions such as these as their nation spirals into a vortex of poverty. Qandi Gul already looks after her little brother, now her father has sold her into marriage. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov The aid-dependent countrys economy was already teetering when the Taliban seized power in mid-August amid a chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops. The international community froze Afghanistans assets abroad and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government given its reputation for brutality during its previous rule 20 years ago. The consequences have been devastating for a country battered by four decades of war, a punishing drought and the coronavirus pandemic. Legions of state employees, including doctors, havent been paid in months. Malnutrition and poverty stalk the most vulnerable, and aid groups say more than half the population faces acute food shortages. Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering, said Asuntha Charles, national director of the World Vision aid organisation in Afghanistan, which runs a health clinic for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat. Advertisement Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members, Charles said. So its the right time for the humanitarian community to stand up and stay with the people of Afghanistan. Arranging marriages for very young girls is a frequent practice throughout the region. The grooms family often distant relatives pays money to seal the deal, and the child usually stays with her parents until she is at least around 15 or 16. Yet with many unable to afford even basic food, some say theyd allow prospective grooms to take very young girls or are even trying to sell their sons. Qandi, 10 years old But Gul, unusually in this deeply patriarchal, male-dominated society, is resisting. Married off herself at 15, she says she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away. Gul remembers well the moment she found out her husband had sold Qandi. For around two months, the family had been able to eat. Eventually, she asked her husband where the money came from, and he told her. Aziz Gul, on the right, says she will kill herself if her 10-year-old daughter is taken from her, but instead she is fighting for Qandis future. Credit:AP My heart stopped beating. I wished I could have died at that time, but maybe God didnt want me to die, Gul said. Qandi sat close to her mother, her hazel eyes peering shyly from beneath her sky-blue headscarf. Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult. Advertisement She asked her husband why he did it. He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. You all would have died this way, (he said.) I told him, Dying was much better than what you have done. Gul rallied her community, telling her brother and village elders that her husband had sold her child behind her back. They supported her, and with their help she secured a divorce for her child, but only on condition she repays the 100,000 afghanis (about $1236) that her husband received. Its money she doesnt have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to the authorities. The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage or using women and girls as exchange tokens to settle disputes. The family of the prospective groom, a man of around 21 or 22, has already tried several times to claim the girl, she says. She is not sure how long she can fend them off. I am just so desperate. If I cant provide money to pay these people and cant keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself, Gul said. But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them? Her eldest is 12, her youngest her sixth just two months. Now alone, Gul leaves the children with her elderly mother while she goes to work in peoples homes. Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school. Its barely enough to keep them fed, and the saffron season is short, only a few weeks in the fall. Advertisement We dont have anything, Gul said. Nazia, six years old In another part of the same camp, father-of-four Hamid Abdullah was also selling his young daughters into arranged marriages, desperate for money to treat his chronically ill wife, pregnant with their fifth child. Abdullah borrowed money to pay for his wifes treatments and cant pay it back, he said. So three years ago, he received a down-payment for his eldest daughter Hoshran, now 7, in an arranged marriage to an 18-year-old in their native Badghis province. Hes now looking for someone to buy his second daughter, six-year-old Nazia. Hamid Abdullah sold his young daughters into arranged marriages to raise money to treat his chronically ill wife, who is pregnant with their fifth child. Credit:AP We dont have food to eat, Abdullah explained, adding he also had to buy medicine for his wife, who soon would need more treatment. She needs another surgery, I dont have one afghani to pay for the doctor. The family that bought Hoshran is waiting until she is older before the full amount is settled, he explained. Advertisement But he needs money now for food and treatments, so he is trying to arrange a marriage for Nazia for about 20,000-30,000 afghani ($300 to $400). What should we do? We have to do it, we have no other option, said his wife, Bibi Jan. When we made the decision, it was like someone had taken away a body part from me. Salahuddin, eight years old In the neighbouring province of Badghis, another displaced family is considering selling their son, 8-year-old Salahuddin. His mother, Guldasta, said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take the boy to the bazaar and sell him to bring food for the others. I dont want to sell my son, but I have to, the 35-year-old said. No mother can do this to her child, but when you have no other choice, you have to make a decision against your will. Guldasta said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take eight-year-old Salahuddin to the bazaar and sell him to buy food for the other children. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size S In a sprawling settlement of mud brick huts in western Afghanistan housing people displaced by drought and war, a woman is fighting to save her daughter. Aziz Guls husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife, taking a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Without that money, he told her, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one to save the rest. Many of Afghanistans growing number of destitute people are making desperate decisions such as these as their nation spirals into a vortex of poverty. Qandi Gul already looks after her little brother, now her father has sold her into marriage. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov The aid-dependent countrys economy was already teetering when the Taliban seized power in mid-August amid a chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops. The international community froze Afghanistans assets abroad and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government given its reputation for brutality during its previous rule 20 years ago. The consequences have been devastating for a country battered by four decades of war, a punishing drought and the coronavirus pandemic. Legions of state employees, including doctors, havent been paid in months. Malnutrition and poverty stalk the most vulnerable, and aid groups say more than half the population faces acute food shortages. Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering, said Asuntha Charles, national director of the World Vision aid organisation in Afghanistan, which runs a health clinic for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat. Advertisement Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members, Charles said. So its the right time for the humanitarian community to stand up and stay with the people of Afghanistan. Arranging marriages for very young girls is a frequent practice throughout the region. The grooms family often distant relatives pays money to seal the deal, and the child usually stays with her parents until she is at least around 15 or 16. Yet with many unable to afford even basic food, some say theyd allow prospective grooms to take very young girls or are even trying to sell their sons. Qandi, 10 years old But Gul, unusually in this deeply patriarchal, male-dominated society, is resisting. Married off herself at 15, she says she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away. Gul remembers well the moment she found out her husband had sold Qandi. For around two months, the family had been able to eat. Eventually, she asked her husband where the money came from, and he told her. Aziz Gul, on the right, says she will kill herself if her 10-year-old daughter is taken from her, but instead she is fighting for Qandis future. Credit:AP My heart stopped beating. I wished I could have died at that time, but maybe God didnt want me to die, Gul said. Qandi sat close to her mother, her hazel eyes peering shyly from beneath her sky-blue headscarf. Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult. Advertisement She asked her husband why he did it. He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. You all would have died this way, (he said.) I told him, Dying was much better than what you have done. Gul rallied her community, telling her brother and village elders that her husband had sold her child behind her back. They supported her, and with their help she secured a divorce for her child, but only on condition she repays the 100,000 afghanis (about $1236) that her husband received. Its money she doesnt have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to the authorities. The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage or using women and girls as exchange tokens to settle disputes. The family of the prospective groom, a man of around 21 or 22, has already tried several times to claim the girl, she says. She is not sure how long she can fend them off. I am just so desperate. If I cant provide money to pay these people and cant keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself, Gul said. But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them? Her eldest is 12, her youngest her sixth just two months. Now alone, Gul leaves the children with her elderly mother while she goes to work in peoples homes. Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school. Its barely enough to keep them fed, and the saffron season is short, only a few weeks in the fall. Advertisement We dont have anything, Gul said. Nazia, six years old In another part of the same camp, father-of-four Hamid Abdullah was also selling his young daughters into arranged marriages, desperate for money to treat his chronically ill wife, pregnant with their fifth child. Abdullah borrowed money to pay for his wifes treatments and cant pay it back, he said. So three years ago, he received a down-payment for his eldest daughter Hoshran, now 7, in an arranged marriage to an 18-year-old in their native Badghis province. Hes now looking for someone to buy his second daughter, six-year-old Nazia. Hamid Abdullah sold his young daughters into arranged marriages to raise money to treat his chronically ill wife, who is pregnant with their fifth child. Credit:AP We dont have food to eat, Abdullah explained, adding he also had to buy medicine for his wife, who soon would need more treatment. She needs another surgery, I dont have one afghani to pay for the doctor. The family that bought Hoshran is waiting until she is older before the full amount is settled, he explained. Advertisement But he needs money now for food and treatments, so he is trying to arrange a marriage for Nazia for about 20,000-30,000 afghani ($300 to $400). What should we do? We have to do it, we have no other option, said his wife, Bibi Jan. When we made the decision, it was like someone had taken away a body part from me. Salahuddin, eight years old In the neighbouring province of Badghis, another displaced family is considering selling their son, 8-year-old Salahuddin. His mother, Guldasta, said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take the boy to the bazaar and sell him to bring food for the others. I dont want to sell my son, but I have to, the 35-year-old said. No mother can do this to her child, but when you have no other choice, you have to make a decision against your will. Guldasta said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take eight-year-old Salahuddin to the bazaar and sell him to buy food for the other children. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov Advertisement MUTARE, Zimbabwe (AP) African leaders are paying tribute to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu for his fearless campaign that helped end South Africa's brutal apartheid regime and bring democracy to the country. But many of the same leaders have remained silent about the late Nobel Peace Prize winner's support for issues they're uncomfortable with, such as his support for LGBTQ rights, democratic freedoms and environmental issues. Tutu died Sunday at age 90. His casket is to lie in state Thursday and Friday at St. George's Anglican Cathedral in Cape Town, where the public is invited to file past to pay their respects ahead of a requiem Mass and funeral on New Year's Day. A celebration of Tutu's life, featuring the music and dancing that he loved, was held this week at Cape Town City Hall. Memorial services are planned in Johannesburg and other parts of South Africa. Tutu was a true son and icon of Africa. His contribution to the liberation struggle and unwavering position to peace, unity and good governance will forever be cherished, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said without mentioning his support for the LGBTQ people who are threatened with arrest in Tanzania. Africa has lost a monument, said Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye, accused by a U.N. commission in September of human rights violations. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who won the Nobel Peace Prize 25 years after Tutu did, praised his fellow laureate as the embodiment of the struggle for liberation, even though Tutu's foundation early this year warned that the war in Ethiopia's Tigray region amounted to genocide. Revered across the continent for opposing apartheid in South Africa and helping the countrys peaceful transition to majority rule, Tutu went on to tackle some of Africa's most thorny issues and its leaders. He criticized South African President Thabo Mbeki for denying HIV/AIDS and preventing the government from distributing life-saving treatments. He lambasted South Africa's next president, Jacob Zuma, for alleged corruption. He compared a proposed law criminalizing homosexuality in Uganda to apartheid South Africas laws that banned inter-racial sexual relations. Tutu was ahead of his time, Nic Cheeseman, a politics professor and specialist in African politics at the University of Birmingham in Britain, said. Many great people have one great fight in them, then they become blinkered and support the new status quo, Cheeseman said. Tutu continued to see injustice economic, racial and sexual and understood there were more battles to be won. He did not stop with the fall of apartheid. After apartheid ended in South Africa ended in the early 1990a, Tutu urged the international community to punish the military junta of the late Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha with sanctions after it hanged environmental activist and playwright Ken Saro Wiwa and other activists in 1995. As evidence mounted of the killings of tens of thousands of people and displacement of many in Sudan's Darfur region, Tutu lashed out at African leaders for supporting and protecting then-Sudanese leader Omar al Bashir from an International Criminal Court warrant of arrest for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. He believed in the universality of human rights, Stephen Brown, a professor at the University of Ottawas School of Political Studies, said of Tutu. He held profound convictions no matter how risky or unpopular it could be to advocate what he believed in." Tutu repeatedly clashed with Zimbabwe's former ruler, the late Robert Mugabe, whom he said resembled a caricature of an African dictator. In turn, Mugabe dismissed Tutu for supporting gay rights, calling him an angry, evil and embittered little bishop. Africa's opposition leaders have mourned Tutu's death. A giant has fallen, tweeted Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine, a constant target of harassment by Ugandas government. If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor, tweeted a Tanzanian opposition party, the Alliance for Change and Transparency, repeating one of Tutus most famous quotes. MUTARE, Zimbabwe (AP) African leaders are paying tribute to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu for his fearless campaign that helped end South Africa's brutal apartheid regime and bring democracy to the country. But many of the same leaders have remained silent about the late Nobel Peace Prize winner's support for issues they're uncomfortable with, such as his support for LGBTQ rights, democratic freedoms and environmental issues. Tutu died Sunday at age 90. His casket is to lie in state Thursday and Friday at St. George's Anglican Cathedral in Cape Town, where the public is invited to file past to pay their respects ahead of a requiem Mass and funeral on New Year's Day. A celebration of Tutu's life, featuring the music and dancing that he loved, was held this week at Cape Town City Hall. Memorial services are planned in Johannesburg and other parts of South Africa. Tutu was a true son and icon of Africa. His contribution to the liberation struggle and unwavering position to peace, unity and good governance will forever be cherished, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said without mentioning his support for the LGBTQ people who are threatened with arrest in Tanzania. Africa has lost a monument, said Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye, accused by a U.N. commission in September of human rights violations. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who won the Nobel Peace Prize 25 years after Tutu did, praised his fellow laureate as the embodiment of the struggle for liberation, even though Tutu's foundation early this year warned that the war in Ethiopia's Tigray region amounted to genocide. Revered across the continent for opposing apartheid in South Africa and helping the countrys peaceful transition to majority rule, Tutu went on to tackle some of Africa's most thorny issues and its leaders. He criticized South African President Thabo Mbeki for denying HIV/AIDS and preventing the government from distributing life-saving treatments. He lambasted South Africa's next president, Jacob Zuma, for alleged corruption. He compared a proposed law criminalizing homosexuality in Uganda to apartheid South Africas laws that banned inter-racial sexual relations. Tutu was ahead of his time, Nic Cheeseman, a politics professor and specialist in African politics at the University of Birmingham in Britain, said. Many great people have one great fight in them, then they become blinkered and support the new status quo, Cheeseman said. Tutu continued to see injustice economic, racial and sexual and understood there were more battles to be won. He did not stop with the fall of apartheid. After apartheid ended in South Africa ended in the early 1990a, Tutu urged the international community to punish the military junta of the late Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha with sanctions after it hanged environmental activist and playwright Ken Saro Wiwa and other activists in 1995. As evidence mounted of the killings of tens of thousands of people and displacement of many in Sudan's Darfur region, Tutu lashed out at African leaders for supporting and protecting then-Sudanese leader Omar al Bashir from an International Criminal Court warrant of arrest for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. He believed in the universality of human rights, Stephen Brown, a professor at the University of Ottawas School of Political Studies, said of Tutu. He held profound convictions no matter how risky or unpopular it could be to advocate what he believed in." Tutu repeatedly clashed with Zimbabwe's former ruler, the late Robert Mugabe, whom he said resembled a caricature of an African dictator. In turn, Mugabe dismissed Tutu for supporting gay rights, calling him an angry, evil and embittered little bishop. Africa's opposition leaders have mourned Tutu's death. A giant has fallen, tweeted Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine, a constant target of harassment by Ugandas government. If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor, tweeted a Tanzanian opposition party, the Alliance for Change and Transparency, repeating one of Tutus most famous quotes. MUTARE, Zimbabwe (AP) African leaders are paying tribute to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu for his fearless campaign that helped end South Africa's brutal apartheid regime and bring democracy to the country. But many of the same leaders have remained silent about the late Nobel Peace Prize winner's support for issues they're uncomfortable with, such as his support for LGBTQ rights, democratic freedoms and environmental issues. Tutu died Sunday at age 90. His casket is to lie in state Thursday and Friday at St. George's Anglican Cathedral in Cape Town, where the public is invited to file past to pay their respects ahead of a requiem Mass and funeral on New Year's Day. A celebration of Tutu's life, featuring the music and dancing that he loved, was held this week at Cape Town City Hall. Memorial services are planned in Johannesburg and other parts of South Africa. Tutu was a true son and icon of Africa. His contribution to the liberation struggle and unwavering position to peace, unity and good governance will forever be cherished, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said without mentioning his support for the LGBTQ people who are threatened with arrest in Tanzania. Africa has lost a monument, said Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye, accused by a U.N. commission in September of human rights violations. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who won the Nobel Peace Prize 25 years after Tutu did, praised his fellow laureate as the embodiment of the struggle for liberation, even though Tutu's foundation early this year warned that the war in Ethiopia's Tigray region amounted to genocide. Revered across the continent for opposing apartheid in South Africa and helping the countrys peaceful transition to majority rule, Tutu went on to tackle some of Africa's most thorny issues and its leaders. He criticized South African President Thabo Mbeki for denying HIV/AIDS and preventing the government from distributing life-saving treatments. He lambasted South Africa's next president, Jacob Zuma, for alleged corruption. He compared a proposed law criminalizing homosexuality in Uganda to apartheid South Africas laws that banned inter-racial sexual relations. Tutu was ahead of his time, Nic Cheeseman, a politics professor and specialist in African politics at the University of Birmingham in Britain, said. Many great people have one great fight in them, then they become blinkered and support the new status quo, Cheeseman said. Tutu continued to see injustice economic, racial and sexual and understood there were more battles to be won. He did not stop with the fall of apartheid. After apartheid ended in South Africa ended in the early 1990a, Tutu urged the international community to punish the military junta of the late Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha with sanctions after it hanged environmental activist and playwright Ken Saro Wiwa and other activists in 1995. As evidence mounted of the killings of tens of thousands of people and displacement of many in Sudan's Darfur region, Tutu lashed out at African leaders for supporting and protecting then-Sudanese leader Omar al Bashir from an International Criminal Court warrant of arrest for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. He believed in the universality of human rights, Stephen Brown, a professor at the University of Ottawas School of Political Studies, said of Tutu. He held profound convictions no matter how risky or unpopular it could be to advocate what he believed in." Tutu repeatedly clashed with Zimbabwe's former ruler, the late Robert Mugabe, whom he said resembled a caricature of an African dictator. In turn, Mugabe dismissed Tutu for supporting gay rights, calling him an angry, evil and embittered little bishop. Africa's opposition leaders have mourned Tutu's death. A giant has fallen, tweeted Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine, a constant target of harassment by Ugandas government. If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor, tweeted a Tanzanian opposition party, the Alliance for Change and Transparency, repeating one of Tutus most famous quotes. MUTARE, Zimbabwe (AP) African leaders are paying tribute to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu for his fearless campaign that helped end South Africa's brutal apartheid regime and bring democracy to the country. But many of the same leaders have remained silent about the late Nobel Peace Prize winner's support for issues they're uncomfortable with, such as his support for LGBTQ rights, democratic freedoms and environmental issues. Tutu died Sunday at age 90. His casket is to lie in state Thursday and Friday at St. George's Anglican Cathedral in Cape Town, where the public is invited to file past to pay their respects ahead of a requiem Mass and funeral on New Year's Day. A celebration of Tutu's life, featuring the music and dancing that he loved, was held this week at Cape Town City Hall. Memorial services are planned in Johannesburg and other parts of South Africa. Tutu was a true son and icon of Africa. His contribution to the liberation struggle and unwavering position to peace, unity and good governance will forever be cherished, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said without mentioning his support for the LGBTQ people who are threatened with arrest in Tanzania. Africa has lost a monument, said Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye, accused by a U.N. commission in September of human rights violations. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who won the Nobel Peace Prize 25 years after Tutu did, praised his fellow laureate as the embodiment of the struggle for liberation, even though Tutu's foundation early this year warned that the war in Ethiopia's Tigray region amounted to genocide. Revered across the continent for opposing apartheid in South Africa and helping the countrys peaceful transition to majority rule, Tutu went on to tackle some of Africa's most thorny issues and its leaders. He criticized South African President Thabo Mbeki for denying HIV/AIDS and preventing the government from distributing life-saving treatments. He lambasted South Africa's next president, Jacob Zuma, for alleged corruption. He compared a proposed law criminalizing homosexuality in Uganda to apartheid South Africas laws that banned inter-racial sexual relations. Tutu was ahead of his time, Nic Cheeseman, a politics professor and specialist in African politics at the University of Birmingham in Britain, said. Many great people have one great fight in them, then they become blinkered and support the new status quo, Cheeseman said. Tutu continued to see injustice economic, racial and sexual and understood there were more battles to be won. He did not stop with the fall of apartheid. After apartheid ended in South Africa ended in the early 1990a, Tutu urged the international community to punish the military junta of the late Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha with sanctions after it hanged environmental activist and playwright Ken Saro Wiwa and other activists in 1995. As evidence mounted of the killings of tens of thousands of people and displacement of many in Sudan's Darfur region, Tutu lashed out at African leaders for supporting and protecting then-Sudanese leader Omar al Bashir from an International Criminal Court warrant of arrest for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. He believed in the universality of human rights, Stephen Brown, a professor at the University of Ottawas School of Political Studies, said of Tutu. He held profound convictions no matter how risky or unpopular it could be to advocate what he believed in." Tutu repeatedly clashed with Zimbabwe's former ruler, the late Robert Mugabe, whom he said resembled a caricature of an African dictator. In turn, Mugabe dismissed Tutu for supporting gay rights, calling him an angry, evil and embittered little bishop. Africa's opposition leaders have mourned Tutu's death. A giant has fallen, tweeted Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine, a constant target of harassment by Ugandas government. If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor, tweeted a Tanzanian opposition party, the Alliance for Change and Transparency, repeating one of Tutus most famous quotes. MUTARE, Zimbabwe (AP) African leaders are paying tribute to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu for his fearless campaign that helped end South Africa's brutal apartheid regime and bring democracy to the country. But many of the same leaders have remained silent about the late Nobel Peace Prize winner's support for issues they're uncomfortable with, such as his support for LGBTQ rights, democratic freedoms and environmental issues. Tutu died Sunday at age 90. His casket is to lie in state Thursday and Friday at St. George's Anglican Cathedral in Cape Town, where the public is invited to file past to pay their respects ahead of a requiem Mass and funeral on New Year's Day. A celebration of Tutu's life, featuring the music and dancing that he loved, was held this week at Cape Town City Hall. Memorial services are planned in Johannesburg and other parts of South Africa. Tutu was a true son and icon of Africa. His contribution to the liberation struggle and unwavering position to peace, unity and good governance will forever be cherished, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said without mentioning his support for the LGBTQ people who are threatened with arrest in Tanzania. Africa has lost a monument, said Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye, accused by a U.N. commission in September of human rights violations. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who won the Nobel Peace Prize 25 years after Tutu did, praised his fellow laureate as the embodiment of the struggle for liberation, even though Tutu's foundation early this year warned that the war in Ethiopia's Tigray region amounted to genocide. Revered across the continent for opposing apartheid in South Africa and helping the countrys peaceful transition to majority rule, Tutu went on to tackle some of Africa's most thorny issues and its leaders. He criticized South African President Thabo Mbeki for denying HIV/AIDS and preventing the government from distributing life-saving treatments. He lambasted South Africa's next president, Jacob Zuma, for alleged corruption. He compared a proposed law criminalizing homosexuality in Uganda to apartheid South Africas laws that banned inter-racial sexual relations. Tutu was ahead of his time, Nic Cheeseman, a politics professor and specialist in African politics at the University of Birmingham in Britain, said. Many great people have one great fight in them, then they become blinkered and support the new status quo, Cheeseman said. Tutu continued to see injustice economic, racial and sexual and understood there were more battles to be won. He did not stop with the fall of apartheid. After apartheid ended in South Africa ended in the early 1990a, Tutu urged the international community to punish the military junta of the late Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha with sanctions after it hanged environmental activist and playwright Ken Saro Wiwa and other activists in 1995. As evidence mounted of the killings of tens of thousands of people and displacement of many in Sudan's Darfur region, Tutu lashed out at African leaders for supporting and protecting then-Sudanese leader Omar al Bashir from an International Criminal Court warrant of arrest for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. He believed in the universality of human rights, Stephen Brown, a professor at the University of Ottawas School of Political Studies, said of Tutu. He held profound convictions no matter how risky or unpopular it could be to advocate what he believed in." Tutu repeatedly clashed with Zimbabwe's former ruler, the late Robert Mugabe, whom he said resembled a caricature of an African dictator. In turn, Mugabe dismissed Tutu for supporting gay rights, calling him an angry, evil and embittered little bishop. Africa's opposition leaders have mourned Tutu's death. A giant has fallen, tweeted Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine, a constant target of harassment by Ugandas government. If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor, tweeted a Tanzanian opposition party, the Alliance for Change and Transparency, repeating one of Tutus most famous quotes. MUTARE, Zimbabwe (AP) African leaders are paying tribute to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu for his fearless campaign that helped end South Africa's brutal apartheid regime and bring democracy to the country. But many of the same leaders have remained silent about the late Nobel Peace Prize winner's support for issues they're uncomfortable with, such as his support for LGBTQ rights, democratic freedoms and environmental issues. Tutu died Sunday at age 90. His casket is to lie in state Thursday and Friday at St. George's Anglican Cathedral in Cape Town, where the public is invited to file past to pay their respects ahead of a requiem Mass and funeral on New Year's Day. A celebration of Tutu's life, featuring the music and dancing that he loved, was held this week at Cape Town City Hall. Memorial services are planned in Johannesburg and other parts of South Africa. Tutu was a true son and icon of Africa. His contribution to the liberation struggle and unwavering position to peace, unity and good governance will forever be cherished, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said without mentioning his support for the LGBTQ people who are threatened with arrest in Tanzania. Africa has lost a monument, said Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye, accused by a U.N. commission in September of human rights violations. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who won the Nobel Peace Prize 25 years after Tutu did, praised his fellow laureate as the embodiment of the struggle for liberation, even though Tutu's foundation early this year warned that the war in Ethiopia's Tigray region amounted to genocide. Revered across the continent for opposing apartheid in South Africa and helping the countrys peaceful transition to majority rule, Tutu went on to tackle some of Africa's most thorny issues and its leaders. He criticized South African President Thabo Mbeki for denying HIV/AIDS and preventing the government from distributing life-saving treatments. He lambasted South Africa's next president, Jacob Zuma, for alleged corruption. He compared a proposed law criminalizing homosexuality in Uganda to apartheid South Africas laws that banned inter-racial sexual relations. Tutu was ahead of his time, Nic Cheeseman, a politics professor and specialist in African politics at the University of Birmingham in Britain, said. Many great people have one great fight in them, then they become blinkered and support the new status quo, Cheeseman said. Tutu continued to see injustice economic, racial and sexual and understood there were more battles to be won. He did not stop with the fall of apartheid. After apartheid ended in South Africa ended in the early 1990a, Tutu urged the international community to punish the military junta of the late Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha with sanctions after it hanged environmental activist and playwright Ken Saro Wiwa and other activists in 1995. As evidence mounted of the killings of tens of thousands of people and displacement of many in Sudan's Darfur region, Tutu lashed out at African leaders for supporting and protecting then-Sudanese leader Omar al Bashir from an International Criminal Court warrant of arrest for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. He believed in the universality of human rights, Stephen Brown, a professor at the University of Ottawas School of Political Studies, said of Tutu. He held profound convictions no matter how risky or unpopular it could be to advocate what he believed in." Tutu repeatedly clashed with Zimbabwe's former ruler, the late Robert Mugabe, whom he said resembled a caricature of an African dictator. In turn, Mugabe dismissed Tutu for supporting gay rights, calling him an angry, evil and embittered little bishop. Africa's opposition leaders have mourned Tutu's death. A giant has fallen, tweeted Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine, a constant target of harassment by Ugandas government. If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor, tweeted a Tanzanian opposition party, the Alliance for Change and Transparency, repeating one of Tutus most famous quotes. RCEP comes into effect on first day of 2022 ) 09:05, January 01, 2022 BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade agreement, entered into force on Saturday. After the agreement takes effect, more than 90 percent of merchandise trade among members that have approved the agreement will eventually be subject to zero tariffs. With optimized trade rules among signatories, streamlined procedures and wider opening-up in the sectors of services-trade and investment, the RECP will bring tangible benefits to the member countries. China will fully implement the obligations of the RCEP agreement and guide local governments, industries and enterprises to better seize the opening-up opportunities, according to the Ministry of Commerce. The country will work actively with other members to build the RCEP mechanism into a major platform for economic and trade cooperation in East Asia, the ministry said. The RCEP includes 10 ASEAN members, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The 15 states' total population, gross domestic product and trade all account for about 30 percent of the world total. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Starting in March, Netflix will have to stream 20 state television channels in Russia. Roskomnadzor, the country's media watchdog, registered the platform as an "audiovisual service" this week. Among the channels Netflix will have to carry are the flagship Channel One, entertainment network NTV and a Russian Orthodox Church channel called Spas (which means "Saved"). Streaming services with more than 100,000 daily users in Russia are included on the register, which was established late last year. Not only must registered platforms offer state TV channels, they need to set up a Russian company, according to The Moscow Times. Companies on the register also have to abide by Russian laws. For one thing, Netflix will not be allowed to promote "extremism." Critics claim that provision has been wielded against those who support the Kremlin's opponents. Other video services in the country reportedly argued that Netflix should be added to the register to level the playing field, since it meets the requirements. The Russian version of Netflix is operated by Entertainment Online Service, a subsidiary of National Media Group, which has a stake in Channel One. Engadget has contacted Netflix for comment. In November, it emerged Russia was investigating a complaint over LGBTQIA+ content on Netflix. The company told Engadget such content was rated appropriately. That same month, Russia ordered several tech giants (including Apple, Google, Meta, TikTok and Twitter) to set up offices within its borders by the end of this year. MUTARE, Zimbabwe (AP) African leaders are paying tribute to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu for his fearless campaign that helped end South Africa's brutal apartheid regime and bring democracy to the country. But many of the same leaders have remained silent about the late Nobel Peace Prize winner's support for issues they're uncomfortable with, such as his support for LGBTQ rights, democratic freedoms and environmental issues. Tutu died Sunday at age 90. His casket is to lie in state Thursday and Friday at St. George's Anglican Cathedral in Cape Town, where the public is invited to file past to pay their respects ahead of a requiem Mass and funeral on New Year's Day. A celebration of Tutu's life, featuring the music and dancing that he loved, was held this week at Cape Town City Hall. Memorial services are planned in Johannesburg and other parts of South Africa. Tutu was a true son and icon of Africa. His contribution to the liberation struggle and unwavering position to peace, unity and good governance will forever be cherished, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said without mentioning his support for the LGBTQ people who are threatened with arrest in Tanzania. Africa has lost a monument, said Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye, accused by a U.N. commission in September of human rights violations. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who won the Nobel Peace Prize 25 years after Tutu did, praised his fellow laureate as the embodiment of the struggle for liberation, even though Tutu's foundation early this year warned that the war in Ethiopia's Tigray region amounted to genocide. Revered across the continent for opposing apartheid in South Africa and helping the countrys peaceful transition to majority rule, Tutu went on to tackle some of Africa's most thorny issues and its leaders. He criticized South African President Thabo Mbeki for denying HIV/AIDS and preventing the government from distributing life-saving treatments. He lambasted South Africa's next president, Jacob Zuma, for alleged corruption. He compared a proposed law criminalizing homosexuality in Uganda to apartheid South Africas laws that banned inter-racial sexual relations. Tutu was ahead of his time, Nic Cheeseman, a politics professor and specialist in African politics at the University of Birmingham in Britain, said. Many great people have one great fight in them, then they become blinkered and support the new status quo, Cheeseman said. Tutu continued to see injustice economic, racial and sexual and understood there were more battles to be won. He did not stop with the fall of apartheid. After apartheid ended in South Africa ended in the early 1990a, Tutu urged the international community to punish the military junta of the late Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha with sanctions after it hanged environmental activist and playwright Ken Saro Wiwa and other activists in 1995. As evidence mounted of the killings of tens of thousands of people and displacement of many in Sudan's Darfur region, Tutu lashed out at African leaders for supporting and protecting then-Sudanese leader Omar al Bashir from an International Criminal Court warrant of arrest for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. He believed in the universality of human rights, Stephen Brown, a professor at the University of Ottawas School of Political Studies, said of Tutu. He held profound convictions no matter how risky or unpopular it could be to advocate what he believed in." Tutu repeatedly clashed with Zimbabwe's former ruler, the late Robert Mugabe, whom he said resembled a caricature of an African dictator. In turn, Mugabe dismissed Tutu for supporting gay rights, calling him an angry, evil and embittered little bishop. Africa's opposition leaders have mourned Tutu's death. A giant has fallen, tweeted Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine, a constant target of harassment by Ugandas government. If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor, tweeted a Tanzanian opposition party, the Alliance for Change and Transparency, repeating one of Tutus most famous quotes. MUTARE, Zimbabwe (AP) African leaders are paying tribute to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu for his fearless campaign that helped end South Africa's brutal apartheid regime and bring democracy to the country. But many of the same leaders have remained silent about the late Nobel Peace Prize winner's support for issues they're uncomfortable with, such as his support for LGBTQ rights, democratic freedoms and environmental issues. Tutu died Sunday at age 90. His casket is to lie in state Thursday and Friday at St. George's Anglican Cathedral in Cape Town, where the public is invited to file past to pay their respects ahead of a requiem Mass and funeral on New Year's Day. A celebration of Tutu's life, featuring the music and dancing that he loved, was held this week at Cape Town City Hall. Memorial services are planned in Johannesburg and other parts of South Africa. Tutu was a true son and icon of Africa. His contribution to the liberation struggle and unwavering position to peace, unity and good governance will forever be cherished, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said without mentioning his support for the LGBTQ people who are threatened with arrest in Tanzania. Africa has lost a monument, said Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye, accused by a U.N. commission in September of human rights violations. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who won the Nobel Peace Prize 25 years after Tutu did, praised his fellow laureate as the embodiment of the struggle for liberation, even though Tutu's foundation early this year warned that the war in Ethiopia's Tigray region amounted to genocide. Revered across the continent for opposing apartheid in South Africa and helping the countrys peaceful transition to majority rule, Tutu went on to tackle some of Africa's most thorny issues and its leaders. He criticized South African President Thabo Mbeki for denying HIV/AIDS and preventing the government from distributing life-saving treatments. He lambasted South Africa's next president, Jacob Zuma, for alleged corruption. He compared a proposed law criminalizing homosexuality in Uganda to apartheid South Africas laws that banned inter-racial sexual relations. Tutu was ahead of his time, Nic Cheeseman, a politics professor and specialist in African politics at the University of Birmingham in Britain, said. Many great people have one great fight in them, then they become blinkered and support the new status quo, Cheeseman said. Tutu continued to see injustice economic, racial and sexual and understood there were more battles to be won. He did not stop with the fall of apartheid. After apartheid ended in South Africa ended in the early 1990a, Tutu urged the international community to punish the military junta of the late Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha with sanctions after it hanged environmental activist and playwright Ken Saro Wiwa and other activists in 1995. As evidence mounted of the killings of tens of thousands of people and displacement of many in Sudan's Darfur region, Tutu lashed out at African leaders for supporting and protecting then-Sudanese leader Omar al Bashir from an International Criminal Court warrant of arrest for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. He believed in the universality of human rights, Stephen Brown, a professor at the University of Ottawas School of Political Studies, said of Tutu. He held profound convictions no matter how risky or unpopular it could be to advocate what he believed in." Tutu repeatedly clashed with Zimbabwe's former ruler, the late Robert Mugabe, whom he said resembled a caricature of an African dictator. In turn, Mugabe dismissed Tutu for supporting gay rights, calling him an angry, evil and embittered little bishop. Africa's opposition leaders have mourned Tutu's death. A giant has fallen, tweeted Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine, a constant target of harassment by Ugandas government. If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor, tweeted a Tanzanian opposition party, the Alliance for Change and Transparency, repeating one of Tutus most famous quotes. MUTARE, Zimbabwe (AP) African leaders are paying tribute to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu for his fearless campaign that helped end South Africa's brutal apartheid regime and bring democracy to the country. But many of the same leaders have remained silent about the late Nobel Peace Prize winner's support for issues they're uncomfortable with, such as his support for LGBTQ rights, democratic freedoms and environmental issues. Tutu died Sunday at age 90. His casket is to lie in state Thursday and Friday at St. George's Anglican Cathedral in Cape Town, where the public is invited to file past to pay their respects ahead of a requiem Mass and funeral on New Year's Day. A celebration of Tutu's life, featuring the music and dancing that he loved, was held this week at Cape Town City Hall. Memorial services are planned in Johannesburg and other parts of South Africa. Tutu was a true son and icon of Africa. His contribution to the liberation struggle and unwavering position to peace, unity and good governance will forever be cherished, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said without mentioning his support for the LGBTQ people who are threatened with arrest in Tanzania. Africa has lost a monument, said Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye, accused by a U.N. commission in September of human rights violations. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who won the Nobel Peace Prize 25 years after Tutu did, praised his fellow laureate as the embodiment of the struggle for liberation, even though Tutu's foundation early this year warned that the war in Ethiopia's Tigray region amounted to genocide. Revered across the continent for opposing apartheid in South Africa and helping the countrys peaceful transition to majority rule, Tutu went on to tackle some of Africa's most thorny issues and its leaders. He criticized South African President Thabo Mbeki for denying HIV/AIDS and preventing the government from distributing life-saving treatments. He lambasted South Africa's next president, Jacob Zuma, for alleged corruption. He compared a proposed law criminalizing homosexuality in Uganda to apartheid South Africas laws that banned inter-racial sexual relations. Tutu was ahead of his time, Nic Cheeseman, a politics professor and specialist in African politics at the University of Birmingham in Britain, said. Many great people have one great fight in them, then they become blinkered and support the new status quo, Cheeseman said. Tutu continued to see injustice economic, racial and sexual and understood there were more battles to be won. He did not stop with the fall of apartheid. After apartheid ended in South Africa ended in the early 1990a, Tutu urged the international community to punish the military junta of the late Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha with sanctions after it hanged environmental activist and playwright Ken Saro Wiwa and other activists in 1995. As evidence mounted of the killings of tens of thousands of people and displacement of many in Sudan's Darfur region, Tutu lashed out at African leaders for supporting and protecting then-Sudanese leader Omar al Bashir from an International Criminal Court warrant of arrest for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. He believed in the universality of human rights, Stephen Brown, a professor at the University of Ottawas School of Political Studies, said of Tutu. He held profound convictions no matter how risky or unpopular it could be to advocate what he believed in." Tutu repeatedly clashed with Zimbabwe's former ruler, the late Robert Mugabe, whom he said resembled a caricature of an African dictator. In turn, Mugabe dismissed Tutu for supporting gay rights, calling him an angry, evil and embittered little bishop. Africa's opposition leaders have mourned Tutu's death. A giant has fallen, tweeted Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine, a constant target of harassment by Ugandas government. If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor, tweeted a Tanzanian opposition party, the Alliance for Change and Transparency, repeating one of Tutus most famous quotes. MUTARE, Zimbabwe (AP) African leaders are paying tribute to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu for his fearless campaign that helped end South Africa's brutal apartheid regime and bring democracy to the country. But many of the same leaders have remained silent about the late Nobel Peace Prize winner's support for issues they're uncomfortable with, such as his support for LGBTQ rights, democratic freedoms and environmental issues. Tutu died Sunday at age 90. His casket is to lie in state Thursday and Friday at St. George's Anglican Cathedral in Cape Town, where the public is invited to file past to pay their respects ahead of a requiem Mass and funeral on New Year's Day. A celebration of Tutu's life, featuring the music and dancing that he loved, was held this week at Cape Town City Hall. Memorial services are planned in Johannesburg and other parts of South Africa. Tutu was a true son and icon of Africa. His contribution to the liberation struggle and unwavering position to peace, unity and good governance will forever be cherished, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said without mentioning his support for the LGBTQ people who are threatened with arrest in Tanzania. Africa has lost a monument, said Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye, accused by a U.N. commission in September of human rights violations. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who won the Nobel Peace Prize 25 years after Tutu did, praised his fellow laureate as the embodiment of the struggle for liberation, even though Tutu's foundation early this year warned that the war in Ethiopia's Tigray region amounted to genocide. Revered across the continent for opposing apartheid in South Africa and helping the countrys peaceful transition to majority rule, Tutu went on to tackle some of Africa's most thorny issues and its leaders. He criticized South African President Thabo Mbeki for denying HIV/AIDS and preventing the government from distributing life-saving treatments. He lambasted South Africa's next president, Jacob Zuma, for alleged corruption. He compared a proposed law criminalizing homosexuality in Uganda to apartheid South Africas laws that banned inter-racial sexual relations. Tutu was ahead of his time, Nic Cheeseman, a politics professor and specialist in African politics at the University of Birmingham in Britain, said. Many great people have one great fight in them, then they become blinkered and support the new status quo, Cheeseman said. Tutu continued to see injustice economic, racial and sexual and understood there were more battles to be won. He did not stop with the fall of apartheid. After apartheid ended in South Africa ended in the early 1990a, Tutu urged the international community to punish the military junta of the late Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha with sanctions after it hanged environmental activist and playwright Ken Saro Wiwa and other activists in 1995. As evidence mounted of the killings of tens of thousands of people and displacement of many in Sudan's Darfur region, Tutu lashed out at African leaders for supporting and protecting then-Sudanese leader Omar al Bashir from an International Criminal Court warrant of arrest for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. He believed in the universality of human rights, Stephen Brown, a professor at the University of Ottawas School of Political Studies, said of Tutu. He held profound convictions no matter how risky or unpopular it could be to advocate what he believed in." Tutu repeatedly clashed with Zimbabwe's former ruler, the late Robert Mugabe, whom he said resembled a caricature of an African dictator. In turn, Mugabe dismissed Tutu for supporting gay rights, calling him an angry, evil and embittered little bishop. Africa's opposition leaders have mourned Tutu's death. A giant has fallen, tweeted Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine, a constant target of harassment by Ugandas government. If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor, tweeted a Tanzanian opposition party, the Alliance for Change and Transparency, repeating one of Tutus most famous quotes. MUTARE, Zimbabwe (AP) African leaders are paying tribute to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu for his fearless campaign that helped end South Africa's brutal apartheid regime and bring democracy to the country. But many of the same leaders have remained silent about the late Nobel Peace Prize winner's support for issues they're uncomfortable with, such as his support for LGBTQ rights, democratic freedoms and environmental issues. Tutu died Sunday at age 90. His casket is to lie in state Thursday and Friday at St. George's Anglican Cathedral in Cape Town, where the public is invited to file past to pay their respects ahead of a requiem Mass and funeral on New Year's Day. A celebration of Tutu's life, featuring the music and dancing that he loved, was held this week at Cape Town City Hall. Memorial services are planned in Johannesburg and other parts of South Africa. Tutu was a true son and icon of Africa. His contribution to the liberation struggle and unwavering position to peace, unity and good governance will forever be cherished, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said without mentioning his support for the LGBTQ people who are threatened with arrest in Tanzania. Africa has lost a monument, said Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye, accused by a U.N. commission in September of human rights violations. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who won the Nobel Peace Prize 25 years after Tutu did, praised his fellow laureate as the embodiment of the struggle for liberation, even though Tutu's foundation early this year warned that the war in Ethiopia's Tigray region amounted to genocide. Revered across the continent for opposing apartheid in South Africa and helping the countrys peaceful transition to majority rule, Tutu went on to tackle some of Africa's most thorny issues and its leaders. He criticized South African President Thabo Mbeki for denying HIV/AIDS and preventing the government from distributing life-saving treatments. He lambasted South Africa's next president, Jacob Zuma, for alleged corruption. He compared a proposed law criminalizing homosexuality in Uganda to apartheid South Africas laws that banned inter-racial sexual relations. Tutu was ahead of his time, Nic Cheeseman, a politics professor and specialist in African politics at the University of Birmingham in Britain, said. Many great people have one great fight in them, then they become blinkered and support the new status quo, Cheeseman said. Tutu continued to see injustice economic, racial and sexual and understood there were more battles to be won. He did not stop with the fall of apartheid. After apartheid ended in South Africa ended in the early 1990a, Tutu urged the international community to punish the military junta of the late Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha with sanctions after it hanged environmental activist and playwright Ken Saro Wiwa and other activists in 1995. As evidence mounted of the killings of tens of thousands of people and displacement of many in Sudan's Darfur region, Tutu lashed out at African leaders for supporting and protecting then-Sudanese leader Omar al Bashir from an International Criminal Court warrant of arrest for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. He believed in the universality of human rights, Stephen Brown, a professor at the University of Ottawas School of Political Studies, said of Tutu. He held profound convictions no matter how risky or unpopular it could be to advocate what he believed in." Tutu repeatedly clashed with Zimbabwe's former ruler, the late Robert Mugabe, whom he said resembled a caricature of an African dictator. In turn, Mugabe dismissed Tutu for supporting gay rights, calling him an angry, evil and embittered little bishop. Africa's opposition leaders have mourned Tutu's death. A giant has fallen, tweeted Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine, a constant target of harassment by Ugandas government. If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor, tweeted a Tanzanian opposition party, the Alliance for Change and Transparency, repeating one of Tutus most famous quotes. MUTARE, Zimbabwe (AP) African leaders are paying tribute to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu for his fearless campaign that helped end South Africa's brutal apartheid regime and bring democracy to the country. But many of the same leaders have remained silent about the late Nobel Peace Prize winner's support for issues they're uncomfortable with, such as his support for LGBTQ rights, democratic freedoms and environmental issues. Tutu died Sunday at age 90. His casket is to lie in state Thursday and Friday at St. George's Anglican Cathedral in Cape Town, where the public is invited to file past to pay their respects ahead of a requiem Mass and funeral on New Year's Day. A celebration of Tutu's life, featuring the music and dancing that he loved, was held this week at Cape Town City Hall. Memorial services are planned in Johannesburg and other parts of South Africa. Tutu was a true son and icon of Africa. His contribution to the liberation struggle and unwavering position to peace, unity and good governance will forever be cherished, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said without mentioning his support for the LGBTQ people who are threatened with arrest in Tanzania. Africa has lost a monument, said Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye, accused by a U.N. commission in September of human rights violations. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who won the Nobel Peace Prize 25 years after Tutu did, praised his fellow laureate as the embodiment of the struggle for liberation, even though Tutu's foundation early this year warned that the war in Ethiopia's Tigray region amounted to genocide. Revered across the continent for opposing apartheid in South Africa and helping the countrys peaceful transition to majority rule, Tutu went on to tackle some of Africa's most thorny issues and its leaders. He criticized South African President Thabo Mbeki for denying HIV/AIDS and preventing the government from distributing life-saving treatments. He lambasted South Africa's next president, Jacob Zuma, for alleged corruption. He compared a proposed law criminalizing homosexuality in Uganda to apartheid South Africas laws that banned inter-racial sexual relations. Tutu was ahead of his time, Nic Cheeseman, a politics professor and specialist in African politics at the University of Birmingham in Britain, said. Many great people have one great fight in them, then they become blinkered and support the new status quo, Cheeseman said. Tutu continued to see injustice economic, racial and sexual and understood there were more battles to be won. He did not stop with the fall of apartheid. After apartheid ended in South Africa ended in the early 1990a, Tutu urged the international community to punish the military junta of the late Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha with sanctions after it hanged environmental activist and playwright Ken Saro Wiwa and other activists in 1995. As evidence mounted of the killings of tens of thousands of people and displacement of many in Sudan's Darfur region, Tutu lashed out at African leaders for supporting and protecting then-Sudanese leader Omar al Bashir from an International Criminal Court warrant of arrest for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. He believed in the universality of human rights, Stephen Brown, a professor at the University of Ottawas School of Political Studies, said of Tutu. He held profound convictions no matter how risky or unpopular it could be to advocate what he believed in." Tutu repeatedly clashed with Zimbabwe's former ruler, the late Robert Mugabe, whom he said resembled a caricature of an African dictator. In turn, Mugabe dismissed Tutu for supporting gay rights, calling him an angry, evil and embittered little bishop. Africa's opposition leaders have mourned Tutu's death. A giant has fallen, tweeted Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine, a constant target of harassment by Ugandas government. If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor, tweeted a Tanzanian opposition party, the Alliance for Change and Transparency, repeating one of Tutus most famous quotes. 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Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe HAVANA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to Cuba Ma Hui on Friday laid a wreath of flowers at the monument to fallen Chinese fighters during Cuba's Independence War in Havana. "Over the past 170 years, the Chinese and Cuban people have forged a friendship that has stood the test of time," Ma said. The diplomat congratulated attendees for the arrival of the new year and highlighted the 63rd anniversary of Cuba's socialist revolution's triumph to be marked on Jan. 1, 2022. "I wish that the updating of the Cuban economic and social model as well as the socialist construction bring more success to the island," he said. The ceremony took place under social distancing guidelines and mask mandates due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Luis Gongora, director-general of Foreign Trade and International Relations at the government of Havana, said that China has provided an extraordinary example to the world in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Enditem HAVANA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to Cuba Ma Hui on Friday laid a wreath of flowers at the monument to fallen Chinese fighters during Cuba's Independence War in Havana. "Over the past 170 years, the Chinese and Cuban people have forged a friendship that has stood the test of time," Ma said. The diplomat congratulated attendees for the arrival of the new year and highlighted the 63rd anniversary of Cuba's socialist revolution's triumph to be marked on Jan. 1, 2022. "I wish that the updating of the Cuban economic and social model as well as the socialist construction bring more success to the island," he said. The ceremony took place under social distancing guidelines and mask mandates due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Luis Gongora, director-general of Foreign Trade and International Relations at the government of Havana, said that China has provided an extraordinary example to the world in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Enditem At the end of a tense meeting filled with outbursts, Chesapeakes school board voted Friday to reinstate mask mandates across the division. Vice Chair Colleen Leary said she called the special meeting because the board wanted to reassess the divisions COVID-19 protocols as students return from winter break amid a recent surge in cases. Parents and community members shouted at board members some called them child abusers before the board called for a closed session roughly 10 minutes into the meeting. Two people were escorted out because of outbursts. Officials cleared the room of about 45 people before the 30-minute closed meeting. People were only allowed to re-enter through metal detectors. Afterward, the board voted to again require masks when students return Monday. Athletes also do not have to undergo weekly testing as previously required since early November. The 5-1 vote comes after a reported increase in in-school cases. Superintendent Jared Cotton, who called into the meeting because he was out of town, said most transmission happens during lunch and on bus rides. Local health officials predict cases will increase in January, higher than the divisions peak in January 2021. But Cotton said its important to note that more students are in-person this year. The board opted to make masks optional during a Dec. 13 meeting after member Christie New Craig initiated the vote, citing parental rights. On Friday, member Tom Mercer, who opposed eliminating mask requirements in December, motioned to amend the policy. Leary, Dr. Patricia King, Samuel Boone and Michael Woods voted in favor. Angie Swygert was the only school board member to vote against reinstating masks. Neither New Craig nor Harry Murphy attended the meeting. New Craig wrote on Facebook she was against reinstating the mandate. Virginia Beach School Board member Laura Hughes, who proposed to make masks optional in that school district earlier this month, and several Virginia Beach parents attended the meeting. Some called Fridays decision disgusting, accusing board members of violating parental rights. Story continues But some parents, such as Ginny Gnadt, are relieved their children will have a safeguard in place to protect them from transmission. Gnadt, a Chesapeake native whose son is in second grade, said she worried he could contract the virus and infect his younger sister, who is high-risk. Her son is an avid mask-wearer. He doesnt like masks, she said, but he wears one because he has to. And Gnadt, who left her job as a teacher last year, worried her son would be singled out by his peers in school if masks remained optional. I have grown to care deeply (for) not just my children, but also all of the children that could be exposed to this and have adverse consequences. And the families that have much more scary consequences from this disease than the my kids do, she said during a phone interview Friday. Gnadt is part of an advocacy group for educators, parents and community members who work to ensure schools are safe for students and teachers. Eliminating the mask mandate shouldve never happened, Gnadt said, specially with federal guidance and a statewide universal masking requirement for K-12. And reinstating mask-wearing is the the least the school division couldve done to keep schools safe, she said. But she said shes relieved the board took the steps in the right direction to keep schools safe, responsibly. Sierra Jenkins, 229-462-8896, sierra.jenkins@virginiamedia.com Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam 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Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe At the end of a tense meeting filled with outbursts, Chesapeakes school board voted Friday to reinstate mask mandates across the division. Vice Chair Colleen Leary said she called the special meeting because the board wanted to reassess the divisions COVID-19 protocols as students return from winter break amid a recent surge in cases. Parents and community members shouted at board members some called them child abusers before the board called for a closed session roughly 10 minutes into the meeting. Two people were escorted out because of outbursts. Officials cleared the room of about 45 people before the 30-minute closed meeting. People were only allowed to re-enter through metal detectors. Afterward, the board voted to again require masks when students return Monday. Athletes also do not have to undergo weekly testing as previously required since early November. The 5-1 vote comes after a reported increase in in-school cases. Superintendent Jared Cotton, who called into the meeting because he was out of town, said most transmission happens during lunch and on bus rides. Local health officials predict cases will increase in January, higher than the divisions peak in January 2021. But Cotton said its important to note that more students are in-person this year. The board opted to make masks optional during a Dec. 13 meeting after member Christie New Craig initiated the vote, citing parental rights. On Friday, member Tom Mercer, who opposed eliminating mask requirements in December, motioned to amend the policy. Leary, Dr. Patricia King, Samuel Boone and Michael Woods voted in favor. Angie Swygert was the only school board member to vote against reinstating masks. Neither New Craig nor Harry Murphy attended the meeting. New Craig wrote on Facebook she was against reinstating the mandate. Virginia Beach School Board member Laura Hughes, who proposed to make masks optional in that school district earlier this month, and several Virginia Beach parents attended the meeting. Some called Fridays decision disgusting, accusing board members of violating parental rights. Story continues But some parents, such as Ginny Gnadt, are relieved their children will have a safeguard in place to protect them from transmission. Gnadt, a Chesapeake native whose son is in second grade, said she worried he could contract the virus and infect his younger sister, who is high-risk. Her son is an avid mask-wearer. He doesnt like masks, she said, but he wears one because he has to. And Gnadt, who left her job as a teacher last year, worried her son would be singled out by his peers in school if masks remained optional. I have grown to care deeply (for) not just my children, but also all of the children that could be exposed to this and have adverse consequences. And the families that have much more scary consequences from this disease than the my kids do, she said during a phone interview Friday. Gnadt is part of an advocacy group for educators, parents and community members who work to ensure schools are safe for students and teachers. Eliminating the mask mandate shouldve never happened, Gnadt said, specially with federal guidance and a statewide universal masking requirement for K-12. And reinstating mask-wearing is the the least the school division couldve done to keep schools safe, she said. But she said shes relieved the board took the steps in the right direction to keep schools safe, responsibly. Sierra Jenkins, 229-462-8896, sierra.jenkins@virginiamedia.com Russia safeguards national interests, security in 2021: Putin Xinhua) 09:09, January 01, 2022 MOSCOW, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Russia "firmly and consistently" defended its national interests as well as the security of the country and its citizens in 2021, President Vladimir Putin said in his 2022 New Year Address on Friday. "We faced colossal challenges, but we learned to live in such harsh conditions, to solve complex problems. We were able to do this thanks to our solidarity," Putin said. "The most important thing is that we overcame all the difficulties of the outgoing year together ... There are still a lot of unsolved problems, but this year we passed with dignity," he added. "Celebrating the New Year, we hope that it will open up new opportunities. We count, of course, on good luck, but we still understand that the achievement of what we have conceived primarily depends on ourselves," Putin said. The president also expressed condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the COVID-19 pandemic. 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Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe (TBTCO) - Voi mong muon toi uu quyen loi cho cac khach hang, moi ay san pham Bao hiem suc khoe VBI Care cua Bao hiem VietinBank (VBI) a thong bao ieu chinh nhieu iem cai tien moi ve o tuoi tham gia, quy trinh boi thuong va cac quyen loi bao hiem ke tu ngay 5/9/2022. The Daily Beast KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty ImagesVladimir Putins defense minister sent a clear message to the people of Russia on Wednesday: Their country is at war not just with Ukraine, but with the entirety of the West.I cannot but emphasize the fact that today, we are at war not so much with Ukraine and the Ukrainian army as with the collective West, Sergei Shoigu said in a televised speech, according to TASS.At this point, we are really at war with the collective West, with NATO, Shoigu added.Sh By Tomoyuki Tachikawa, KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 18:12 | World, All North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to rebuild the agricultural sector and strengthen defense capabilities, state-run media reported Saturday, amid mounting uncertainties over the country's economic and security status. Meanwhile, the Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, did not elaborate on whether Kim mentioned nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles during a key party gathering through Friday. It also remains unknown whether Kim announced any policy shift toward the United States at the five-day plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the party, which was convened to map out strategies for 2022. North Korea's silence about its diplomatic policy for this year indicated that it has been trying to steadily develop new weapons while avoiding further escalating tensions with the United States and South Korea, foreign affairs experts said. Some pundits said Kim, who skipped his annual New Year's address for the third straight year, may put priority in 2022 on shoring up the domestic economy that has been languishing against a backdrop of the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The latest gathering took place with North Korea having acknowledged it faces a severe food crisis due in part to natural disasters and sluggish trade with China, its closest and most influential ally in economic terms, as a result of the pandemic. Kim was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency as saying at the meeting that the struggle in 2021 "endowed us with more clear predictability about subjective and objective conditions and environment of the revolution at present and in the future." He vowed to "increase the agricultural production and solve the food problem" in the nation, the news agency said, adding he "specified the goals" of output of commodities such as grain, fruit and vegetable for the coming 10 years. As for security policy, Kim said, "The military environment of the Korean peninsula and the trend of the international situation" have been "getting instable day after day," according to KCNA. It is necessary to bolster the state defense capabilities more powerfully "without a moment's delay," Kim was quoted as saying. North Korea is banned from firing ballistic missiles under U.N. Security Council resolutions that impose sanctions on the country. Still, it has developed technological advances on hard-to-intercept weapons, threatening peace and stability in the region. In November 2017, North Korea launched what it said was its "most powerful" ICBM capable of delivering a nuclear warhead anywhere in the continental United States. Kim declared the completion of "the state nuclear force." The nuclear-armed nation also said last year that it has developed missiles with state-of-the-art technologies, including ballistic ones. On the diplomatic front, direct talks between North Korea and the United States have been at a standstill for more than two years, with the administration of President Joe Biden unlikely to make concessions over denuclearization and sanctions relief. North Korea has expressed reluctance to hold bilateral negotiations with the United States unless Washington withdraws what Pyongyang considers to be its hostile stance toward it. Pyongyang has no diplomatic relations with Washington and Seoul. North Korea and the United States remain technically in a state of war as the 1950-1953 Korean War -- in which U.S.-led U.N. forces fought alongside the South against the North backed by China and the Soviet Union -- ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. On Jan. 1, 2018, Kim surprisingly extended an olive branch to South Korea in his New Year's address, and later in the year promised to achieve "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula. At the first-ever U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore in June 2018, Kim obtained an agreement from former U.S. President Donald Trump, Biden's predecessor, that Washington would provide security guarantees to Pyongyang in return for its denuclearization. U.S.-North Korea talks, however, have been stalled since 2019, as they have fallen short of bridging the gap between Washington's demands and Pyongyang's calls for sanctions relief. By Tomoyuki Tachikawa, KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 18:12 | World, All North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to rebuild the agricultural sector and strengthen defense capabilities, state-run media reported Saturday, amid mounting uncertainties over the country's economic and security status. Meanwhile, the Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, did not elaborate on whether Kim mentioned nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles during a key party gathering through Friday. It also remains unknown whether Kim announced any policy shift toward the United States at the five-day plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the party, which was convened to map out strategies for 2022. North Korea's silence about its diplomatic policy for this year indicated that it has been trying to steadily develop new weapons while avoiding further escalating tensions with the United States and South Korea, foreign affairs experts said. Some pundits said Kim, who skipped his annual New Year's address for the third straight year, may put priority in 2022 on shoring up the domestic economy that has been languishing against a backdrop of the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The latest gathering took place with North Korea having acknowledged it faces a severe food crisis due in part to natural disasters and sluggish trade with China, its closest and most influential ally in economic terms, as a result of the pandemic. Kim was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency as saying at the meeting that the struggle in 2021 "endowed us with more clear predictability about subjective and objective conditions and environment of the revolution at present and in the future." He vowed to "increase the agricultural production and solve the food problem" in the nation, the news agency said, adding he "specified the goals" of output of commodities such as grain, fruit and vegetable for the coming 10 years. As for security policy, Kim said, "The military environment of the Korean peninsula and the trend of the international situation" have been "getting instable day after day," according to KCNA. It is necessary to bolster the state defense capabilities more powerfully "without a moment's delay," Kim was quoted as saying. North Korea is banned from firing ballistic missiles under U.N. Security Council resolutions that impose sanctions on the country. Still, it has developed technological advances on hard-to-intercept weapons, threatening peace and stability in the region. In November 2017, North Korea launched what it said was its "most powerful" ICBM capable of delivering a nuclear warhead anywhere in the continental United States. Kim declared the completion of "the state nuclear force." The nuclear-armed nation also said last year that it has developed missiles with state-of-the-art technologies, including ballistic ones. On the diplomatic front, direct talks between North Korea and the United States have been at a standstill for more than two years, with the administration of President Joe Biden unlikely to make concessions over denuclearization and sanctions relief. North Korea has expressed reluctance to hold bilateral negotiations with the United States unless Washington withdraws what Pyongyang considers to be its hostile stance toward it. Pyongyang has no diplomatic relations with Washington and Seoul. North Korea and the United States remain technically in a state of war as the 1950-1953 Korean War -- in which U.S.-led U.N. forces fought alongside the South against the North backed by China and the Soviet Union -- ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. On Jan. 1, 2018, Kim surprisingly extended an olive branch to South Korea in his New Year's address, and later in the year promised to achieve "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula. At the first-ever U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore in June 2018, Kim obtained an agreement from former U.S. President Donald Trump, Biden's predecessor, that Washington would provide security guarantees to Pyongyang in return for its denuclearization. U.S.-North Korea talks, however, have been stalled since 2019, as they have fallen short of bridging the gap between Washington's demands and Pyongyang's calls for sanctions relief. By Tomoyuki Tachikawa, KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 18:12 | World, All North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to rebuild the agricultural sector and strengthen defense capabilities, state-run media reported Saturday, amid mounting uncertainties over the country's economic and security status. Meanwhile, the Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, did not elaborate on whether Kim mentioned nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles during a key party gathering through Friday. It also remains unknown whether Kim announced any policy shift toward the United States at the five-day plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the party, which was convened to map out strategies for 2022. North Korea's silence about its diplomatic policy for this year indicated that it has been trying to steadily develop new weapons while avoiding further escalating tensions with the United States and South Korea, foreign affairs experts said. Some pundits said Kim, who skipped his annual New Year's address for the third straight year, may put priority in 2022 on shoring up the domestic economy that has been languishing against a backdrop of the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The latest gathering took place with North Korea having acknowledged it faces a severe food crisis due in part to natural disasters and sluggish trade with China, its closest and most influential ally in economic terms, as a result of the pandemic. Kim was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency as saying at the meeting that the struggle in 2021 "endowed us with more clear predictability about subjective and objective conditions and environment of the revolution at present and in the future." He vowed to "increase the agricultural production and solve the food problem" in the nation, the news agency said, adding he "specified the goals" of output of commodities such as grain, fruit and vegetable for the coming 10 years. As for security policy, Kim said, "The military environment of the Korean peninsula and the trend of the international situation" have been "getting instable day after day," according to KCNA. It is necessary to bolster the state defense capabilities more powerfully "without a moment's delay," Kim was quoted as saying. North Korea is banned from firing ballistic missiles under U.N. Security Council resolutions that impose sanctions on the country. Still, it has developed technological advances on hard-to-intercept weapons, threatening peace and stability in the region. In November 2017, North Korea launched what it said was its "most powerful" ICBM capable of delivering a nuclear warhead anywhere in the continental United States. Kim declared the completion of "the state nuclear force." The nuclear-armed nation also said last year that it has developed missiles with state-of-the-art technologies, including ballistic ones. On the diplomatic front, direct talks between North Korea and the United States have been at a standstill for more than two years, with the administration of President Joe Biden unlikely to make concessions over denuclearization and sanctions relief. North Korea has expressed reluctance to hold bilateral negotiations with the United States unless Washington withdraws what Pyongyang considers to be its hostile stance toward it. Pyongyang has no diplomatic relations with Washington and Seoul. North Korea and the United States remain technically in a state of war as the 1950-1953 Korean War -- in which U.S.-led U.N. forces fought alongside the South against the North backed by China and the Soviet Union -- ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. On Jan. 1, 2018, Kim surprisingly extended an olive branch to South Korea in his New Year's address, and later in the year promised to achieve "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula. At the first-ever U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore in June 2018, Kim obtained an agreement from former U.S. President Donald Trump, Biden's predecessor, that Washington would provide security guarantees to Pyongyang in return for its denuclearization. U.S.-North Korea talks, however, have been stalled since 2019, as they have fallen short of bridging the gap between Washington's demands and Pyongyang's calls for sanctions relief. By Tomoyuki Tachikawa, KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 18:12 | World, All North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to rebuild the agricultural sector and strengthen defense capabilities, state-run media reported Saturday, amid mounting uncertainties over the country's economic and security status. Meanwhile, the Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, did not elaborate on whether Kim mentioned nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles during a key party gathering through Friday. It also remains unknown whether Kim announced any policy shift toward the United States at the five-day plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the party, which was convened to map out strategies for 2022. North Korea's silence about its diplomatic policy for this year indicated that it has been trying to steadily develop new weapons while avoiding further escalating tensions with the United States and South Korea, foreign affairs experts said. Some pundits said Kim, who skipped his annual New Year's address for the third straight year, may put priority in 2022 on shoring up the domestic economy that has been languishing against a backdrop of the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The latest gathering took place with North Korea having acknowledged it faces a severe food crisis due in part to natural disasters and sluggish trade with China, its closest and most influential ally in economic terms, as a result of the pandemic. Kim was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency as saying at the meeting that the struggle in 2021 "endowed us with more clear predictability about subjective and objective conditions and environment of the revolution at present and in the future." He vowed to "increase the agricultural production and solve the food problem" in the nation, the news agency said, adding he "specified the goals" of output of commodities such as grain, fruit and vegetable for the coming 10 years. As for security policy, Kim said, "The military environment of the Korean peninsula and the trend of the international situation" have been "getting instable day after day," according to KCNA. It is necessary to bolster the state defense capabilities more powerfully "without a moment's delay," Kim was quoted as saying. North Korea is banned from firing ballistic missiles under U.N. Security Council resolutions that impose sanctions on the country. Still, it has developed technological advances on hard-to-intercept weapons, threatening peace and stability in the region. In November 2017, North Korea launched what it said was its "most powerful" ICBM capable of delivering a nuclear warhead anywhere in the continental United States. Kim declared the completion of "the state nuclear force." The nuclear-armed nation also said last year that it has developed missiles with state-of-the-art technologies, including ballistic ones. On the diplomatic front, direct talks between North Korea and the United States have been at a standstill for more than two years, with the administration of President Joe Biden unlikely to make concessions over denuclearization and sanctions relief. North Korea has expressed reluctance to hold bilateral negotiations with the United States unless Washington withdraws what Pyongyang considers to be its hostile stance toward it. Pyongyang has no diplomatic relations with Washington and Seoul. North Korea and the United States remain technically in a state of war as the 1950-1953 Korean War -- in which U.S.-led U.N. forces fought alongside the South against the North backed by China and the Soviet Union -- ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. On Jan. 1, 2018, Kim surprisingly extended an olive branch to South Korea in his New Year's address, and later in the year promised to achieve "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula. At the first-ever U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore in June 2018, Kim obtained an agreement from former U.S. President Donald Trump, Biden's predecessor, that Washington would provide security guarantees to Pyongyang in return for its denuclearization. U.S.-North Korea talks, however, have been stalled since 2019, as they have fallen short of bridging the gap between Washington's demands and Pyongyang's calls for sanctions relief. (TBTCO) - Voi mong muon toi uu quyen loi cho cac khach hang, moi ay san pham Bao hiem suc khoe VBI Care cua Bao hiem VietinBank (VBI) a thong bao ieu chinh nhieu iem cai tien moi ve o tuoi tham gia, quy trinh boi thuong va cac quyen loi bao hiem ke tu ngay 5/9/2022. (TBTCO) - Voi mong muon toi uu quyen loi cho cac khach hang, moi ay san pham Bao hiem suc khoe VBI Care cua Bao hiem VietinBank (VBI) a thong bao ieu chinh nhieu iem cai tien moi ve o tuoi tham gia, quy trinh boi thuong va cac quyen loi bao hiem ke tu ngay 5/9/2022. By Tomoyuki Tachikawa, KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 18:12 | World, All North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to rebuild the agricultural sector and strengthen defense capabilities, state-run media reported Saturday, amid mounting uncertainties over the country's economic and security status. Meanwhile, the Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, did not elaborate on whether Kim mentioned nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles during a key party gathering through Friday. It also remains unknown whether Kim announced any policy shift toward the United States at the five-day plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the party, which was convened to map out strategies for 2022. North Korea's silence about its diplomatic policy for this year indicated that it has been trying to steadily develop new weapons while avoiding further escalating tensions with the United States and South Korea, foreign affairs experts said. Some pundits said Kim, who skipped his annual New Year's address for the third straight year, may put priority in 2022 on shoring up the domestic economy that has been languishing against a backdrop of the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The latest gathering took place with North Korea having acknowledged it faces a severe food crisis due in part to natural disasters and sluggish trade with China, its closest and most influential ally in economic terms, as a result of the pandemic. Kim was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency as saying at the meeting that the struggle in 2021 "endowed us with more clear predictability about subjective and objective conditions and environment of the revolution at present and in the future." He vowed to "increase the agricultural production and solve the food problem" in the nation, the news agency said, adding he "specified the goals" of output of commodities such as grain, fruit and vegetable for the coming 10 years. As for security policy, Kim said, "The military environment of the Korean peninsula and the trend of the international situation" have been "getting instable day after day," according to KCNA. It is necessary to bolster the state defense capabilities more powerfully "without a moment's delay," Kim was quoted as saying. North Korea is banned from firing ballistic missiles under U.N. Security Council resolutions that impose sanctions on the country. Still, it has developed technological advances on hard-to-intercept weapons, threatening peace and stability in the region. In November 2017, North Korea launched what it said was its "most powerful" ICBM capable of delivering a nuclear warhead anywhere in the continental United States. Kim declared the completion of "the state nuclear force." The nuclear-armed nation also said last year that it has developed missiles with state-of-the-art technologies, including ballistic ones. On the diplomatic front, direct talks between North Korea and the United States have been at a standstill for more than two years, with the administration of President Joe Biden unlikely to make concessions over denuclearization and sanctions relief. North Korea has expressed reluctance to hold bilateral negotiations with the United States unless Washington withdraws what Pyongyang considers to be its hostile stance toward it. Pyongyang has no diplomatic relations with Washington and Seoul. North Korea and the United States remain technically in a state of war as the 1950-1953 Korean War -- in which U.S.-led U.N. forces fought alongside the South against the North backed by China and the Soviet Union -- ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. On Jan. 1, 2018, Kim surprisingly extended an olive branch to South Korea in his New Year's address, and later in the year promised to achieve "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula. At the first-ever U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore in June 2018, Kim obtained an agreement from former U.S. President Donald Trump, Biden's predecessor, that Washington would provide security guarantees to Pyongyang in return for its denuclearization. U.S.-North Korea talks, however, have been stalled since 2019, as they have fallen short of bridging the gap between Washington's demands and Pyongyang's calls for sanctions relief. China denounces Western attack on Hong Kong's press freedom Xinhua) 09:06, January 01, 2022 BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese government spokesperson on Friday criticized certain politicians from Western countries for slandering Hong Kong's press freedom, saying it has only exposed their hypocrisy and double standards. The arrests of people suspected of publishing seditious materials and the freeze of relevant assets by Hong Kong law enforcement are imperative to maintain law and order and safeguard peace, said a spokesperson for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council. Press freedom and freedom of speech are protected by law, the spokesperson said, adding that on the other hand people should abide by the law when exercising these freedoms. The recent arrests were in response to the law-breaking acts of certain Hong Kong media practitioners propagating "Hong Kong independence," "black terror" and "burn-with-us tactics" under the pretext of "press freedom," the spokesperson said, adding that these acts have posed a serious threat to national security and social stability. The spokesperson said the rhetoric by some politicians of the United States and other Western countries is hypocritical, noting despicable acts of violating press freedom in their countries, including unlawful arrests of journalists, police brutality, persecution of whistleblowers, among others. The spokesperson also criticized the obstruction of the operation of Chinese media outlets in the United States and Britain. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) New Delhi: Amid increasing COVID-19 cases and Omicron infections, Maharashtra minister Vijay Wadettiwar on Friday (December 31, 2021) said that the stage of imposing a fresh lockdown is 'approaching' in the state. His comment came on a day when Maharashtra, the worst coronavirus-hit state in India, reported 8,067 fresh infections, a rise of 2,699 compared to Thursday. "The stage of lockdown is approaching. But the chief minister will take a decision on when to impose it," Wadettiwar, the minister for disaster management, was quoted as saying by PTI news agency. He added that decision on restrictions on travel and colleges will be taken together. ALSO READ | Fresh lockdown to be imposed in Maharashtra if Oxygen demand touches 800MT: State Health Minister Maharashtra, notably, has witnessed a dramatic spike in coronavirus cases in the last ten days and has so far recorded 66,78,821 infections and 1,41,526 deaths. It currently has 24,509 active cases. The state also recorded four new cases of Omicron and has recorded 454 infections of the new COVID-19 variant to date. Maharashtra may report 2 lakh active COVID-19 cases by January 3rd week Amid the rising COVID-19 cases, Maharashtra Additional Chief Health Secretary has predicted that the state may report a total of two lakh active infections by the third week of January. "Based on the current trend of rising COVID cases in the state, it is expected that we will have about two lakh active cases by the third week of January 2022," Dr Pradeep Vyas said. "Don`t be lulled by the narrative that third wave or Omicron wave is mild and not fatal. It`s equally fatal for those who are not vaccinated and have comorbidities. So please improve vaccination coverage and save lives," he added. Earlier on Thursday, the Maharashtra government had announced fresh curbs on attendance at weddings, social, political, religious events, and funerals. (With agency inputs) Live TV The Daily Beast KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty ImagesVladimir Putins defense minister sent a clear message to the people of Russia on Wednesday: Their country is at war not just with Ukraine, but with the entirety of the West.I cannot but emphasize the fact that today, we are at war not so much with Ukraine and the Ukrainian army as with the collective West, Sergei Shoigu said in a televised speech, according to TASS.At this point, we are really at war with the collective West, with NATO, Shoigu added.Sh Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, 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Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size S In a sprawling settlement of mud brick huts in western Afghanistan housing people displaced by drought and war, a woman is fighting to save her daughter. Aziz Guls husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife, taking a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Without that money, he told her, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one to save the rest. Many of Afghanistans growing number of destitute people are making desperate decisions such as these as their nation spirals into a vortex of poverty. Qandi Gul already looks after her little brother, now her father has sold her into marriage. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov The aid-dependent countrys economy was already teetering when the Taliban seized power in mid-August amid a chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops. The international community froze Afghanistans assets abroad and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government given its reputation for brutality during its previous rule 20 years ago. The consequences have been devastating for a country battered by four decades of war, a punishing drought and the coronavirus pandemic. Legions of state employees, including doctors, havent been paid in months. Malnutrition and poverty stalk the most vulnerable, and aid groups say more than half the population faces acute food shortages. Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering, said Asuntha Charles, national director of the World Vision aid organisation in Afghanistan, which runs a health clinic for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat. Advertisement Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members, Charles said. So its the right time for the humanitarian community to stand up and stay with the people of Afghanistan. Arranging marriages for very young girls is a frequent practice throughout the region. The grooms family often distant relatives pays money to seal the deal, and the child usually stays with her parents until she is at least around 15 or 16. Yet with many unable to afford even basic food, some say theyd allow prospective grooms to take very young girls or are even trying to sell their sons. Qandi, 10 years old But Gul, unusually in this deeply patriarchal, male-dominated society, is resisting. Married off herself at 15, she says she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away. Gul remembers well the moment she found out her husband had sold Qandi. For around two months, the family had been able to eat. Eventually, she asked her husband where the money came from, and he told her. Aziz Gul, on the right, says she will kill herself if her 10-year-old daughter is taken from her, but instead she is fighting for Qandis future. Credit:AP My heart stopped beating. I wished I could have died at that time, but maybe God didnt want me to die, Gul said. Qandi sat close to her mother, her hazel eyes peering shyly from beneath her sky-blue headscarf. Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult. Advertisement She asked her husband why he did it. He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. You all would have died this way, (he said.) I told him, Dying was much better than what you have done. Gul rallied her community, telling her brother and village elders that her husband had sold her child behind her back. They supported her, and with their help she secured a divorce for her child, but only on condition she repays the 100,000 afghanis (about $1236) that her husband received. Its money she doesnt have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to the authorities. The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage or using women and girls as exchange tokens to settle disputes. The family of the prospective groom, a man of around 21 or 22, has already tried several times to claim the girl, she says. She is not sure how long she can fend them off. I am just so desperate. If I cant provide money to pay these people and cant keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself, Gul said. But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them? Her eldest is 12, her youngest her sixth just two months. Now alone, Gul leaves the children with her elderly mother while she goes to work in peoples homes. Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school. Its barely enough to keep them fed, and the saffron season is short, only a few weeks in the fall. Advertisement We dont have anything, Gul said. Nazia, six years old In another part of the same camp, father-of-four Hamid Abdullah was also selling his young daughters into arranged marriages, desperate for money to treat his chronically ill wife, pregnant with their fifth child. Abdullah borrowed money to pay for his wifes treatments and cant pay it back, he said. So three years ago, he received a down-payment for his eldest daughter Hoshran, now 7, in an arranged marriage to an 18-year-old in their native Badghis province. Hes now looking for someone to buy his second daughter, six-year-old Nazia. Hamid Abdullah sold his young daughters into arranged marriages to raise money to treat his chronically ill wife, who is pregnant with their fifth child. Credit:AP We dont have food to eat, Abdullah explained, adding he also had to buy medicine for his wife, who soon would need more treatment. She needs another surgery, I dont have one afghani to pay for the doctor. The family that bought Hoshran is waiting until she is older before the full amount is settled, he explained. Advertisement But he needs money now for food and treatments, so he is trying to arrange a marriage for Nazia for about 20,000-30,000 afghani ($300 to $400). What should we do? We have to do it, we have no other option, said his wife, Bibi Jan. When we made the decision, it was like someone had taken away a body part from me. Salahuddin, eight years old In the neighbouring province of Badghis, another displaced family is considering selling their son, 8-year-old Salahuddin. His mother, Guldasta, said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take the boy to the bazaar and sell him to bring food for the others. I dont want to sell my son, but I have to, the 35-year-old said. No mother can do this to her child, but when you have no other choice, you have to make a decision against your will. Guldasta said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take eight-year-old Salahuddin to the bazaar and sell him to buy food for the other children. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size S In a sprawling settlement of mud brick huts in western Afghanistan housing people displaced by drought and war, a woman is fighting to save her daughter. Aziz Guls husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife, taking a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Without that money, he told her, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one to save the rest. Many of Afghanistans growing number of destitute people are making desperate decisions such as these as their nation spirals into a vortex of poverty. Qandi Gul already looks after her little brother, now her father has sold her into marriage. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov The aid-dependent countrys economy was already teetering when the Taliban seized power in mid-August amid a chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops. The international community froze Afghanistans assets abroad and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government given its reputation for brutality during its previous rule 20 years ago. The consequences have been devastating for a country battered by four decades of war, a punishing drought and the coronavirus pandemic. Legions of state employees, including doctors, havent been paid in months. Malnutrition and poverty stalk the most vulnerable, and aid groups say more than half the population faces acute food shortages. Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering, said Asuntha Charles, national director of the World Vision aid organisation in Afghanistan, which runs a health clinic for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat. Advertisement Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members, Charles said. So its the right time for the humanitarian community to stand up and stay with the people of Afghanistan. Arranging marriages for very young girls is a frequent practice throughout the region. The grooms family often distant relatives pays money to seal the deal, and the child usually stays with her parents until she is at least around 15 or 16. Yet with many unable to afford even basic food, some say theyd allow prospective grooms to take very young girls or are even trying to sell their sons. Qandi, 10 years old But Gul, unusually in this deeply patriarchal, male-dominated society, is resisting. Married off herself at 15, she says she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away. Gul remembers well the moment she found out her husband had sold Qandi. For around two months, the family had been able to eat. Eventually, she asked her husband where the money came from, and he told her. Aziz Gul, on the right, says she will kill herself if her 10-year-old daughter is taken from her, but instead she is fighting for Qandis future. Credit:AP My heart stopped beating. I wished I could have died at that time, but maybe God didnt want me to die, Gul said. Qandi sat close to her mother, her hazel eyes peering shyly from beneath her sky-blue headscarf. Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult. Advertisement She asked her husband why he did it. He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. You all would have died this way, (he said.) I told him, Dying was much better than what you have done. Gul rallied her community, telling her brother and village elders that her husband had sold her child behind her back. They supported her, and with their help she secured a divorce for her child, but only on condition she repays the 100,000 afghanis (about $1236) that her husband received. Its money she doesnt have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to the authorities. The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage or using women and girls as exchange tokens to settle disputes. The family of the prospective groom, a man of around 21 or 22, has already tried several times to claim the girl, she says. She is not sure how long she can fend them off. I am just so desperate. If I cant provide money to pay these people and cant keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself, Gul said. But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them? Her eldest is 12, her youngest her sixth just two months. Now alone, Gul leaves the children with her elderly mother while she goes to work in peoples homes. Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school. Its barely enough to keep them fed, and the saffron season is short, only a few weeks in the fall. Advertisement We dont have anything, Gul said. Nazia, six years old In another part of the same camp, father-of-four Hamid Abdullah was also selling his young daughters into arranged marriages, desperate for money to treat his chronically ill wife, pregnant with their fifth child. Abdullah borrowed money to pay for his wifes treatments and cant pay it back, he said. So three years ago, he received a down-payment for his eldest daughter Hoshran, now 7, in an arranged marriage to an 18-year-old in their native Badghis province. Hes now looking for someone to buy his second daughter, six-year-old Nazia. Hamid Abdullah sold his young daughters into arranged marriages to raise money to treat his chronically ill wife, who is pregnant with their fifth child. Credit:AP We dont have food to eat, Abdullah explained, adding he also had to buy medicine for his wife, who soon would need more treatment. She needs another surgery, I dont have one afghani to pay for the doctor. The family that bought Hoshran is waiting until she is older before the full amount is settled, he explained. Advertisement But he needs money now for food and treatments, so he is trying to arrange a marriage for Nazia for about 20,000-30,000 afghani ($300 to $400). What should we do? We have to do it, we have no other option, said his wife, Bibi Jan. When we made the decision, it was like someone had taken away a body part from me. Salahuddin, eight years old In the neighbouring province of Badghis, another displaced family is considering selling their son, 8-year-old Salahuddin. His mother, Guldasta, said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take the boy to the bazaar and sell him to bring food for the others. I dont want to sell my son, but I have to, the 35-year-old said. No mother can do this to her child, but when you have no other choice, you have to make a decision against your will. Guldasta said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take eight-year-old Salahuddin to the bazaar and sell him to buy food for the other children. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov Advertisement By Tomoyuki Tachikawa, KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 18:12 | World, All North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to rebuild the agricultural sector and strengthen defense capabilities, state-run media reported Saturday, amid mounting uncertainties over the country's economic and security status. Meanwhile, the Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, did not elaborate on whether Kim mentioned nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles during a key party gathering through Friday. It also remains unknown whether Kim announced any policy shift toward the United States at the five-day plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the party, which was convened to map out strategies for 2022. North Korea's silence about its diplomatic policy for this year indicated that it has been trying to steadily develop new weapons while avoiding further escalating tensions with the United States and South Korea, foreign affairs experts said. Some pundits said Kim, who skipped his annual New Year's address for the third straight year, may put priority in 2022 on shoring up the domestic economy that has been languishing against a backdrop of the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The latest gathering took place with North Korea having acknowledged it faces a severe food crisis due in part to natural disasters and sluggish trade with China, its closest and most influential ally in economic terms, as a result of the pandemic. Kim was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency as saying at the meeting that the struggle in 2021 "endowed us with more clear predictability about subjective and objective conditions and environment of the revolution at present and in the future." He vowed to "increase the agricultural production and solve the food problem" in the nation, the news agency said, adding he "specified the goals" of output of commodities such as grain, fruit and vegetable for the coming 10 years. As for security policy, Kim said, "The military environment of the Korean peninsula and the trend of the international situation" have been "getting instable day after day," according to KCNA. It is necessary to bolster the state defense capabilities more powerfully "without a moment's delay," Kim was quoted as saying. North Korea is banned from firing ballistic missiles under U.N. Security Council resolutions that impose sanctions on the country. Still, it has developed technological advances on hard-to-intercept weapons, threatening peace and stability in the region. In November 2017, North Korea launched what it said was its "most powerful" ICBM capable of delivering a nuclear warhead anywhere in the continental United States. Kim declared the completion of "the state nuclear force." The nuclear-armed nation also said last year that it has developed missiles with state-of-the-art technologies, including ballistic ones. On the diplomatic front, direct talks between North Korea and the United States have been at a standstill for more than two years, with the administration of President Joe Biden unlikely to make concessions over denuclearization and sanctions relief. North Korea has expressed reluctance to hold bilateral negotiations with the United States unless Washington withdraws what Pyongyang considers to be its hostile stance toward it. Pyongyang has no diplomatic relations with Washington and Seoul. North Korea and the United States remain technically in a state of war as the 1950-1953 Korean War -- in which U.S.-led U.N. forces fought alongside the South against the North backed by China and the Soviet Union -- ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. On Jan. 1, 2018, Kim surprisingly extended an olive branch to South Korea in his New Year's address, and later in the year promised to achieve "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula. At the first-ever U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore in June 2018, Kim obtained an agreement from former U.S. President Donald Trump, Biden's predecessor, that Washington would provide security guarantees to Pyongyang in return for its denuclearization. U.S.-North Korea talks, however, have been stalled since 2019, as they have fallen short of bridging the gap between Washington's demands and Pyongyang's calls for sanctions relief. By Tomoyuki Tachikawa, KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 18:12 | World, All North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to rebuild the agricultural sector and strengthen defense capabilities, state-run media reported Saturday, amid mounting uncertainties over the country's economic and security status. Meanwhile, the Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, did not elaborate on whether Kim mentioned nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles during a key party gathering through Friday. It also remains unknown whether Kim announced any policy shift toward the United States at the five-day plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the party, which was convened to map out strategies for 2022. North Korea's silence about its diplomatic policy for this year indicated that it has been trying to steadily develop new weapons while avoiding further escalating tensions with the United States and South Korea, foreign affairs experts said. Some pundits said Kim, who skipped his annual New Year's address for the third straight year, may put priority in 2022 on shoring up the domestic economy that has been languishing against a backdrop of the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The latest gathering took place with North Korea having acknowledged it faces a severe food crisis due in part to natural disasters and sluggish trade with China, its closest and most influential ally in economic terms, as a result of the pandemic. Kim was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency as saying at the meeting that the struggle in 2021 "endowed us with more clear predictability about subjective and objective conditions and environment of the revolution at present and in the future." He vowed to "increase the agricultural production and solve the food problem" in the nation, the news agency said, adding he "specified the goals" of output of commodities such as grain, fruit and vegetable for the coming 10 years. As for security policy, Kim said, "The military environment of the Korean peninsula and the trend of the international situation" have been "getting instable day after day," according to KCNA. It is necessary to bolster the state defense capabilities more powerfully "without a moment's delay," Kim was quoted as saying. North Korea is banned from firing ballistic missiles under U.N. Security Council resolutions that impose sanctions on the country. Still, it has developed technological advances on hard-to-intercept weapons, threatening peace and stability in the region. In November 2017, North Korea launched what it said was its "most powerful" ICBM capable of delivering a nuclear warhead anywhere in the continental United States. Kim declared the completion of "the state nuclear force." The nuclear-armed nation also said last year that it has developed missiles with state-of-the-art technologies, including ballistic ones. On the diplomatic front, direct talks between North Korea and the United States have been at a standstill for more than two years, with the administration of President Joe Biden unlikely to make concessions over denuclearization and sanctions relief. North Korea has expressed reluctance to hold bilateral negotiations with the United States unless Washington withdraws what Pyongyang considers to be its hostile stance toward it. Pyongyang has no diplomatic relations with Washington and Seoul. North Korea and the United States remain technically in a state of war as the 1950-1953 Korean War -- in which U.S.-led U.N. forces fought alongside the South against the North backed by China and the Soviet Union -- ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. On Jan. 1, 2018, Kim surprisingly extended an olive branch to South Korea in his New Year's address, and later in the year promised to achieve "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula. At the first-ever U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore in June 2018, Kim obtained an agreement from former U.S. President Donald Trump, Biden's predecessor, that Washington would provide security guarantees to Pyongyang in return for its denuclearization. U.S.-North Korea talks, however, have been stalled since 2019, as they have fallen short of bridging the gap between Washington's demands and Pyongyang's calls for sanctions relief. By Tomoyuki Tachikawa, KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 18:12 | World, All North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to rebuild the agricultural sector and strengthen defense capabilities, state-run media reported Saturday, amid mounting uncertainties over the country's economic and security status. Meanwhile, the Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, did not elaborate on whether Kim mentioned nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles during a key party gathering through Friday. It also remains unknown whether Kim announced any policy shift toward the United States at the five-day plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the party, which was convened to map out strategies for 2022. North Korea's silence about its diplomatic policy for this year indicated that it has been trying to steadily develop new weapons while avoiding further escalating tensions with the United States and South Korea, foreign affairs experts said. Some pundits said Kim, who skipped his annual New Year's address for the third straight year, may put priority in 2022 on shoring up the domestic economy that has been languishing against a backdrop of the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The latest gathering took place with North Korea having acknowledged it faces a severe food crisis due in part to natural disasters and sluggish trade with China, its closest and most influential ally in economic terms, as a result of the pandemic. Kim was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency as saying at the meeting that the struggle in 2021 "endowed us with more clear predictability about subjective and objective conditions and environment of the revolution at present and in the future." He vowed to "increase the agricultural production and solve the food problem" in the nation, the news agency said, adding he "specified the goals" of output of commodities such as grain, fruit and vegetable for the coming 10 years. As for security policy, Kim said, "The military environment of the Korean peninsula and the trend of the international situation" have been "getting instable day after day," according to KCNA. It is necessary to bolster the state defense capabilities more powerfully "without a moment's delay," Kim was quoted as saying. North Korea is banned from firing ballistic missiles under U.N. Security Council resolutions that impose sanctions on the country. Still, it has developed technological advances on hard-to-intercept weapons, threatening peace and stability in the region. In November 2017, North Korea launched what it said was its "most powerful" ICBM capable of delivering a nuclear warhead anywhere in the continental United States. Kim declared the completion of "the state nuclear force." The nuclear-armed nation also said last year that it has developed missiles with state-of-the-art technologies, including ballistic ones. On the diplomatic front, direct talks between North Korea and the United States have been at a standstill for more than two years, with the administration of President Joe Biden unlikely to make concessions over denuclearization and sanctions relief. North Korea has expressed reluctance to hold bilateral negotiations with the United States unless Washington withdraws what Pyongyang considers to be its hostile stance toward it. Pyongyang has no diplomatic relations with Washington and Seoul. North Korea and the United States remain technically in a state of war as the 1950-1953 Korean War -- in which U.S.-led U.N. forces fought alongside the South against the North backed by China and the Soviet Union -- ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. On Jan. 1, 2018, Kim surprisingly extended an olive branch to South Korea in his New Year's address, and later in the year promised to achieve "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula. At the first-ever U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore in June 2018, Kim obtained an agreement from former U.S. President Donald Trump, Biden's predecessor, that Washington would provide security guarantees to Pyongyang in return for its denuclearization. U.S.-North Korea talks, however, have been stalled since 2019, as they have fallen short of bridging the gap between Washington's demands and Pyongyang's calls for sanctions relief. By Tomoyuki Tachikawa, KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 18:12 | World, All North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to rebuild the agricultural sector and strengthen defense capabilities, state-run media reported Saturday, amid mounting uncertainties over the country's economic and security status. Meanwhile, the Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, did not elaborate on whether Kim mentioned nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles during a key party gathering through Friday. It also remains unknown whether Kim announced any policy shift toward the United States at the five-day plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the party, which was convened to map out strategies for 2022. North Korea's silence about its diplomatic policy for this year indicated that it has been trying to steadily develop new weapons while avoiding further escalating tensions with the United States and South Korea, foreign affairs experts said. Some pundits said Kim, who skipped his annual New Year's address for the third straight year, may put priority in 2022 on shoring up the domestic economy that has been languishing against a backdrop of the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The latest gathering took place with North Korea having acknowledged it faces a severe food crisis due in part to natural disasters and sluggish trade with China, its closest and most influential ally in economic terms, as a result of the pandemic. Kim was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency as saying at the meeting that the struggle in 2021 "endowed us with more clear predictability about subjective and objective conditions and environment of the revolution at present and in the future." He vowed to "increase the agricultural production and solve the food problem" in the nation, the news agency said, adding he "specified the goals" of output of commodities such as grain, fruit and vegetable for the coming 10 years. As for security policy, Kim said, "The military environment of the Korean peninsula and the trend of the international situation" have been "getting instable day after day," according to KCNA. It is necessary to bolster the state defense capabilities more powerfully "without a moment's delay," Kim was quoted as saying. North Korea is banned from firing ballistic missiles under U.N. Security Council resolutions that impose sanctions on the country. Still, it has developed technological advances on hard-to-intercept weapons, threatening peace and stability in the region. In November 2017, North Korea launched what it said was its "most powerful" ICBM capable of delivering a nuclear warhead anywhere in the continental United States. Kim declared the completion of "the state nuclear force." The nuclear-armed nation also said last year that it has developed missiles with state-of-the-art technologies, including ballistic ones. On the diplomatic front, direct talks between North Korea and the United States have been at a standstill for more than two years, with the administration of President Joe Biden unlikely to make concessions over denuclearization and sanctions relief. North Korea has expressed reluctance to hold bilateral negotiations with the United States unless Washington withdraws what Pyongyang considers to be its hostile stance toward it. Pyongyang has no diplomatic relations with Washington and Seoul. North Korea and the United States remain technically in a state of war as the 1950-1953 Korean War -- in which U.S.-led U.N. forces fought alongside the South against the North backed by China and the Soviet Union -- ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. On Jan. 1, 2018, Kim surprisingly extended an olive branch to South Korea in his New Year's address, and later in the year promised to achieve "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula. At the first-ever U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore in June 2018, Kim obtained an agreement from former U.S. President Donald Trump, Biden's predecessor, that Washington would provide security guarantees to Pyongyang in return for its denuclearization. U.S.-North Korea talks, however, have been stalled since 2019, as they have fallen short of bridging the gap between Washington's demands and Pyongyang's calls for sanctions relief. By Tomoyuki Tachikawa, KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 18:12 | World, All North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to rebuild the agricultural sector and strengthen defense capabilities, state-run media reported Saturday, amid mounting uncertainties over the country's economic and security status. Meanwhile, the Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, did not elaborate on whether Kim mentioned nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles during a key party gathering through Friday. It also remains unknown whether Kim announced any policy shift toward the United States at the five-day plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the party, which was convened to map out strategies for 2022. North Korea's silence about its diplomatic policy for this year indicated that it has been trying to steadily develop new weapons while avoiding further escalating tensions with the United States and South Korea, foreign affairs experts said. Some pundits said Kim, who skipped his annual New Year's address for the third straight year, may put priority in 2022 on shoring up the domestic economy that has been languishing against a backdrop of the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The latest gathering took place with North Korea having acknowledged it faces a severe food crisis due in part to natural disasters and sluggish trade with China, its closest and most influential ally in economic terms, as a result of the pandemic. Kim was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency as saying at the meeting that the struggle in 2021 "endowed us with more clear predictability about subjective and objective conditions and environment of the revolution at present and in the future." He vowed to "increase the agricultural production and solve the food problem" in the nation, the news agency said, adding he "specified the goals" of output of commodities such as grain, fruit and vegetable for the coming 10 years. As for security policy, Kim said, "The military environment of the Korean peninsula and the trend of the international situation" have been "getting instable day after day," according to KCNA. It is necessary to bolster the state defense capabilities more powerfully "without a moment's delay," Kim was quoted as saying. North Korea is banned from firing ballistic missiles under U.N. Security Council resolutions that impose sanctions on the country. Still, it has developed technological advances on hard-to-intercept weapons, threatening peace and stability in the region. In November 2017, North Korea launched what it said was its "most powerful" ICBM capable of delivering a nuclear warhead anywhere in the continental United States. Kim declared the completion of "the state nuclear force." The nuclear-armed nation also said last year that it has developed missiles with state-of-the-art technologies, including ballistic ones. On the diplomatic front, direct talks between North Korea and the United States have been at a standstill for more than two years, with the administration of President Joe Biden unlikely to make concessions over denuclearization and sanctions relief. North Korea has expressed reluctance to hold bilateral negotiations with the United States unless Washington withdraws what Pyongyang considers to be its hostile stance toward it. Pyongyang has no diplomatic relations with Washington and Seoul. North Korea and the United States remain technically in a state of war as the 1950-1953 Korean War -- in which U.S.-led U.N. forces fought alongside the South against the North backed by China and the Soviet Union -- ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. On Jan. 1, 2018, Kim surprisingly extended an olive branch to South Korea in his New Year's address, and later in the year promised to achieve "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula. At the first-ever U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore in June 2018, Kim obtained an agreement from former U.S. President Donald Trump, Biden's predecessor, that Washington would provide security guarantees to Pyongyang in return for its denuclearization. U.S.-North Korea talks, however, have been stalled since 2019, as they have fallen short of bridging the gap between Washington's demands and Pyongyang's calls for sanctions relief. By Tomoyuki Tachikawa, KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 18:12 | World, All North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to rebuild the agricultural sector and strengthen defense capabilities, state-run media reported Saturday, amid mounting uncertainties over the country's economic and security status. Meanwhile, the Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, did not elaborate on whether Kim mentioned nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles during a key party gathering through Friday. It also remains unknown whether Kim announced any policy shift toward the United States at the five-day plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the party, which was convened to map out strategies for 2022. North Korea's silence about its diplomatic policy for this year indicated that it has been trying to steadily develop new weapons while avoiding further escalating tensions with the United States and South Korea, foreign affairs experts said. Some pundits said Kim, who skipped his annual New Year's address for the third straight year, may put priority in 2022 on shoring up the domestic economy that has been languishing against a backdrop of the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The latest gathering took place with North Korea having acknowledged it faces a severe food crisis due in part to natural disasters and sluggish trade with China, its closest and most influential ally in economic terms, as a result of the pandemic. Kim was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency as saying at the meeting that the struggle in 2021 "endowed us with more clear predictability about subjective and objective conditions and environment of the revolution at present and in the future." He vowed to "increase the agricultural production and solve the food problem" in the nation, the news agency said, adding he "specified the goals" of output of commodities such as grain, fruit and vegetable for the coming 10 years. As for security policy, Kim said, "The military environment of the Korean peninsula and the trend of the international situation" have been "getting instable day after day," according to KCNA. It is necessary to bolster the state defense capabilities more powerfully "without a moment's delay," Kim was quoted as saying. North Korea is banned from firing ballistic missiles under U.N. Security Council resolutions that impose sanctions on the country. Still, it has developed technological advances on hard-to-intercept weapons, threatening peace and stability in the region. In November 2017, North Korea launched what it said was its "most powerful" ICBM capable of delivering a nuclear warhead anywhere in the continental United States. Kim declared the completion of "the state nuclear force." The nuclear-armed nation also said last year that it has developed missiles with state-of-the-art technologies, including ballistic ones. On the diplomatic front, direct talks between North Korea and the United States have been at a standstill for more than two years, with the administration of President Joe Biden unlikely to make concessions over denuclearization and sanctions relief. North Korea has expressed reluctance to hold bilateral negotiations with the United States unless Washington withdraws what Pyongyang considers to be its hostile stance toward it. Pyongyang has no diplomatic relations with Washington and Seoul. North Korea and the United States remain technically in a state of war as the 1950-1953 Korean War -- in which U.S.-led U.N. forces fought alongside the South against the North backed by China and the Soviet Union -- ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. On Jan. 1, 2018, Kim surprisingly extended an olive branch to South Korea in his New Year's address, and later in the year promised to achieve "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula. At the first-ever U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore in June 2018, Kim obtained an agreement from former U.S. President Donald Trump, Biden's predecessor, that Washington would provide security guarantees to Pyongyang in return for its denuclearization. U.S.-North Korea talks, however, have been stalled since 2019, as they have fallen short of bridging the gap between Washington's demands and Pyongyang's calls for sanctions relief. By Tomoyuki Tachikawa, KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 18:12 | World, All North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to rebuild the agricultural sector and strengthen defense capabilities, state-run media reported Saturday, amid mounting uncertainties over the country's economic and security status. Meanwhile, the Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, did not elaborate on whether Kim mentioned nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles during a key party gathering through Friday. It also remains unknown whether Kim announced any policy shift toward the United States at the five-day plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the party, which was convened to map out strategies for 2022. North Korea's silence about its diplomatic policy for this year indicated that it has been trying to steadily develop new weapons while avoiding further escalating tensions with the United States and South Korea, foreign affairs experts said. Some pundits said Kim, who skipped his annual New Year's address for the third straight year, may put priority in 2022 on shoring up the domestic economy that has been languishing against a backdrop of the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The latest gathering took place with North Korea having acknowledged it faces a severe food crisis due in part to natural disasters and sluggish trade with China, its closest and most influential ally in economic terms, as a result of the pandemic. Kim was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency as saying at the meeting that the struggle in 2021 "endowed us with more clear predictability about subjective and objective conditions and environment of the revolution at present and in the future." He vowed to "increase the agricultural production and solve the food problem" in the nation, the news agency said, adding he "specified the goals" of output of commodities such as grain, fruit and vegetable for the coming 10 years. As for security policy, Kim said, "The military environment of the Korean peninsula and the trend of the international situation" have been "getting instable day after day," according to KCNA. It is necessary to bolster the state defense capabilities more powerfully "without a moment's delay," Kim was quoted as saying. North Korea is banned from firing ballistic missiles under U.N. Security Council resolutions that impose sanctions on the country. Still, it has developed technological advances on hard-to-intercept weapons, threatening peace and stability in the region. In November 2017, North Korea launched what it said was its "most powerful" ICBM capable of delivering a nuclear warhead anywhere in the continental United States. Kim declared the completion of "the state nuclear force." The nuclear-armed nation also said last year that it has developed missiles with state-of-the-art technologies, including ballistic ones. On the diplomatic front, direct talks between North Korea and the United States have been at a standstill for more than two years, with the administration of President Joe Biden unlikely to make concessions over denuclearization and sanctions relief. North Korea has expressed reluctance to hold bilateral negotiations with the United States unless Washington withdraws what Pyongyang considers to be its hostile stance toward it. Pyongyang has no diplomatic relations with Washington and Seoul. North Korea and the United States remain technically in a state of war as the 1950-1953 Korean War -- in which U.S.-led U.N. forces fought alongside the South against the North backed by China and the Soviet Union -- ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. On Jan. 1, 2018, Kim surprisingly extended an olive branch to South Korea in his New Year's address, and later in the year promised to achieve "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula. At the first-ever U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore in June 2018, Kim obtained an agreement from former U.S. President Donald Trump, Biden's predecessor, that Washington would provide security guarantees to Pyongyang in return for its denuclearization. U.S.-North Korea talks, however, have been stalled since 2019, as they have fallen short of bridging the gap between Washington's demands and Pyongyang's calls for sanctions relief. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size S In a sprawling settlement of mud brick huts in western Afghanistan housing people displaced by drought and war, a woman is fighting to save her daughter. Aziz Guls husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife, taking a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Without that money, he told her, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one to save the rest. Many of Afghanistans growing number of destitute people are making desperate decisions such as these as their nation spirals into a vortex of poverty. Qandi Gul already looks after her little brother, now her father has sold her into marriage. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov The aid-dependent countrys economy was already teetering when the Taliban seized power in mid-August amid a chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops. The international community froze Afghanistans assets abroad and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government given its reputation for brutality during its previous rule 20 years ago. The consequences have been devastating for a country battered by four decades of war, a punishing drought and the coronavirus pandemic. Legions of state employees, including doctors, havent been paid in months. Malnutrition and poverty stalk the most vulnerable, and aid groups say more than half the population faces acute food shortages. Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering, said Asuntha Charles, national director of the World Vision aid organisation in Afghanistan, which runs a health clinic for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat. Advertisement Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members, Charles said. So its the right time for the humanitarian community to stand up and stay with the people of Afghanistan. Arranging marriages for very young girls is a frequent practice throughout the region. The grooms family often distant relatives pays money to seal the deal, and the child usually stays with her parents until she is at least around 15 or 16. Yet with many unable to afford even basic food, some say theyd allow prospective grooms to take very young girls or are even trying to sell their sons. Qandi, 10 years old But Gul, unusually in this deeply patriarchal, male-dominated society, is resisting. Married off herself at 15, she says she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away. Gul remembers well the moment she found out her husband had sold Qandi. For around two months, the family had been able to eat. Eventually, she asked her husband where the money came from, and he told her. Aziz Gul, on the right, says she will kill herself if her 10-year-old daughter is taken from her, but instead she is fighting for Qandis future. Credit:AP My heart stopped beating. I wished I could have died at that time, but maybe God didnt want me to die, Gul said. Qandi sat close to her mother, her hazel eyes peering shyly from beneath her sky-blue headscarf. Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult. Advertisement She asked her husband why he did it. He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. You all would have died this way, (he said.) I told him, Dying was much better than what you have done. Gul rallied her community, telling her brother and village elders that her husband had sold her child behind her back. They supported her, and with their help she secured a divorce for her child, but only on condition she repays the 100,000 afghanis (about $1236) that her husband received. Its money she doesnt have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to the authorities. The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage or using women and girls as exchange tokens to settle disputes. The family of the prospective groom, a man of around 21 or 22, has already tried several times to claim the girl, she says. She is not sure how long she can fend them off. I am just so desperate. If I cant provide money to pay these people and cant keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself, Gul said. But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them? Her eldest is 12, her youngest her sixth just two months. Now alone, Gul leaves the children with her elderly mother while she goes to work in peoples homes. Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school. Its barely enough to keep them fed, and the saffron season is short, only a few weeks in the fall. Advertisement We dont have anything, Gul said. Nazia, six years old In another part of the same camp, father-of-four Hamid Abdullah was also selling his young daughters into arranged marriages, desperate for money to treat his chronically ill wife, pregnant with their fifth child. Abdullah borrowed money to pay for his wifes treatments and cant pay it back, he said. So three years ago, he received a down-payment for his eldest daughter Hoshran, now 7, in an arranged marriage to an 18-year-old in their native Badghis province. Hes now looking for someone to buy his second daughter, six-year-old Nazia. Hamid Abdullah sold his young daughters into arranged marriages to raise money to treat his chronically ill wife, who is pregnant with their fifth child. Credit:AP We dont have food to eat, Abdullah explained, adding he also had to buy medicine for his wife, who soon would need more treatment. She needs another surgery, I dont have one afghani to pay for the doctor. The family that bought Hoshran is waiting until she is older before the full amount is settled, he explained. Advertisement But he needs money now for food and treatments, so he is trying to arrange a marriage for Nazia for about 20,000-30,000 afghani ($300 to $400). What should we do? We have to do it, we have no other option, said his wife, Bibi Jan. When we made the decision, it was like someone had taken away a body part from me. Salahuddin, eight years old In the neighbouring province of Badghis, another displaced family is considering selling their son, 8-year-old Salahuddin. His mother, Guldasta, said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take the boy to the bazaar and sell him to bring food for the others. I dont want to sell my son, but I have to, the 35-year-old said. No mother can do this to her child, but when you have no other choice, you have to make a decision against your will. Guldasta said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take eight-year-old Salahuddin to the bazaar and sell him to buy food for the other children. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size S In a sprawling settlement of mud brick huts in western Afghanistan housing people displaced by drought and war, a woman is fighting to save her daughter. Aziz Guls husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife, taking a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Without that money, he told her, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one to save the rest. Many of Afghanistans growing number of destitute people are making desperate decisions such as these as their nation spirals into a vortex of poverty. Qandi Gul already looks after her little brother, now her father has sold her into marriage. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov The aid-dependent countrys economy was already teetering when the Taliban seized power in mid-August amid a chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops. The international community froze Afghanistans assets abroad and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government given its reputation for brutality during its previous rule 20 years ago. The consequences have been devastating for a country battered by four decades of war, a punishing drought and the coronavirus pandemic. Legions of state employees, including doctors, havent been paid in months. Malnutrition and poverty stalk the most vulnerable, and aid groups say more than half the population faces acute food shortages. Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering, said Asuntha Charles, national director of the World Vision aid organisation in Afghanistan, which runs a health clinic for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat. Advertisement Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members, Charles said. So its the right time for the humanitarian community to stand up and stay with the people of Afghanistan. Arranging marriages for very young girls is a frequent practice throughout the region. The grooms family often distant relatives pays money to seal the deal, and the child usually stays with her parents until she is at least around 15 or 16. Yet with many unable to afford even basic food, some say theyd allow prospective grooms to take very young girls or are even trying to sell their sons. Qandi, 10 years old But Gul, unusually in this deeply patriarchal, male-dominated society, is resisting. Married off herself at 15, she says she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away. Gul remembers well the moment she found out her husband had sold Qandi. For around two months, the family had been able to eat. Eventually, she asked her husband where the money came from, and he told her. Aziz Gul, on the right, says she will kill herself if her 10-year-old daughter is taken from her, but instead she is fighting for Qandis future. Credit:AP My heart stopped beating. I wished I could have died at that time, but maybe God didnt want me to die, Gul said. Qandi sat close to her mother, her hazel eyes peering shyly from beneath her sky-blue headscarf. Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult. Advertisement She asked her husband why he did it. He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. You all would have died this way, (he said.) I told him, Dying was much better than what you have done. Gul rallied her community, telling her brother and village elders that her husband had sold her child behind her back. They supported her, and with their help she secured a divorce for her child, but only on condition she repays the 100,000 afghanis (about $1236) that her husband received. Its money she doesnt have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to the authorities. The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage or using women and girls as exchange tokens to settle disputes. The family of the prospective groom, a man of around 21 or 22, has already tried several times to claim the girl, she says. She is not sure how long she can fend them off. I am just so desperate. If I cant provide money to pay these people and cant keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself, Gul said. But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them? Her eldest is 12, her youngest her sixth just two months. Now alone, Gul leaves the children with her elderly mother while she goes to work in peoples homes. Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school. Its barely enough to keep them fed, and the saffron season is short, only a few weeks in the fall. Advertisement We dont have anything, Gul said. Nazia, six years old In another part of the same camp, father-of-four Hamid Abdullah was also selling his young daughters into arranged marriages, desperate for money to treat his chronically ill wife, pregnant with their fifth child. Abdullah borrowed money to pay for his wifes treatments and cant pay it back, he said. So three years ago, he received a down-payment for his eldest daughter Hoshran, now 7, in an arranged marriage to an 18-year-old in their native Badghis province. Hes now looking for someone to buy his second daughter, six-year-old Nazia. Hamid Abdullah sold his young daughters into arranged marriages to raise money to treat his chronically ill wife, who is pregnant with their fifth child. Credit:AP We dont have food to eat, Abdullah explained, adding he also had to buy medicine for his wife, who soon would need more treatment. She needs another surgery, I dont have one afghani to pay for the doctor. The family that bought Hoshran is waiting until she is older before the full amount is settled, he explained. Advertisement But he needs money now for food and treatments, so he is trying to arrange a marriage for Nazia for about 20,000-30,000 afghani ($300 to $400). What should we do? We have to do it, we have no other option, said his wife, Bibi Jan. When we made the decision, it was like someone had taken away a body part from me. Salahuddin, eight years old In the neighbouring province of Badghis, another displaced family is considering selling their son, 8-year-old Salahuddin. His mother, Guldasta, said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take the boy to the bazaar and sell him to bring food for the others. I dont want to sell my son, but I have to, the 35-year-old said. No mother can do this to her child, but when you have no other choice, you have to make a decision against your will. Guldasta said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take eight-year-old Salahuddin to the bazaar and sell him to buy food for the other children. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size S In a sprawling settlement of mud brick huts in western Afghanistan housing people displaced by drought and war, a woman is fighting to save her daughter. Aziz Guls husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife, taking a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Without that money, he told her, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one to save the rest. Many of Afghanistans growing number of destitute people are making desperate decisions such as these as their nation spirals into a vortex of poverty. Qandi Gul already looks after her little brother, now her father has sold her into marriage. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov The aid-dependent countrys economy was already teetering when the Taliban seized power in mid-August amid a chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops. The international community froze Afghanistans assets abroad and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government given its reputation for brutality during its previous rule 20 years ago. The consequences have been devastating for a country battered by four decades of war, a punishing drought and the coronavirus pandemic. Legions of state employees, including doctors, havent been paid in months. Malnutrition and poverty stalk the most vulnerable, and aid groups say more than half the population faces acute food shortages. Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering, said Asuntha Charles, national director of the World Vision aid organisation in Afghanistan, which runs a health clinic for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat. Advertisement Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members, Charles said. So its the right time for the humanitarian community to stand up and stay with the people of Afghanistan. Arranging marriages for very young girls is a frequent practice throughout the region. The grooms family often distant relatives pays money to seal the deal, and the child usually stays with her parents until she is at least around 15 or 16. Yet with many unable to afford even basic food, some say theyd allow prospective grooms to take very young girls or are even trying to sell their sons. Qandi, 10 years old But Gul, unusually in this deeply patriarchal, male-dominated society, is resisting. Married off herself at 15, she says she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away. Gul remembers well the moment she found out her husband had sold Qandi. For around two months, the family had been able to eat. Eventually, she asked her husband where the money came from, and he told her. Aziz Gul, on the right, says she will kill herself if her 10-year-old daughter is taken from her, but instead she is fighting for Qandis future. Credit:AP My heart stopped beating. I wished I could have died at that time, but maybe God didnt want me to die, Gul said. Qandi sat close to her mother, her hazel eyes peering shyly from beneath her sky-blue headscarf. Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult. Advertisement She asked her husband why he did it. He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. You all would have died this way, (he said.) I told him, Dying was much better than what you have done. Gul rallied her community, telling her brother and village elders that her husband had sold her child behind her back. They supported her, and with their help she secured a divorce for her child, but only on condition she repays the 100,000 afghanis (about $1236) that her husband received. Its money she doesnt have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to the authorities. The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage or using women and girls as exchange tokens to settle disputes. The family of the prospective groom, a man of around 21 or 22, has already tried several times to claim the girl, she says. She is not sure how long she can fend them off. I am just so desperate. If I cant provide money to pay these people and cant keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself, Gul said. But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them? Her eldest is 12, her youngest her sixth just two months. Now alone, Gul leaves the children with her elderly mother while she goes to work in peoples homes. Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school. Its barely enough to keep them fed, and the saffron season is short, only a few weeks in the fall. Advertisement We dont have anything, Gul said. Nazia, six years old In another part of the same camp, father-of-four Hamid Abdullah was also selling his young daughters into arranged marriages, desperate for money to treat his chronically ill wife, pregnant with their fifth child. Abdullah borrowed money to pay for his wifes treatments and cant pay it back, he said. So three years ago, he received a down-payment for his eldest daughter Hoshran, now 7, in an arranged marriage to an 18-year-old in their native Badghis province. Hes now looking for someone to buy his second daughter, six-year-old Nazia. Hamid Abdullah sold his young daughters into arranged marriages to raise money to treat his chronically ill wife, who is pregnant with their fifth child. Credit:AP We dont have food to eat, Abdullah explained, adding he also had to buy medicine for his wife, who soon would need more treatment. She needs another surgery, I dont have one afghani to pay for the doctor. The family that bought Hoshran is waiting until she is older before the full amount is settled, he explained. Advertisement But he needs money now for food and treatments, so he is trying to arrange a marriage for Nazia for about 20,000-30,000 afghani ($300 to $400). What should we do? We have to do it, we have no other option, said his wife, Bibi Jan. When we made the decision, it was like someone had taken away a body part from me. Salahuddin, eight years old In the neighbouring province of Badghis, another displaced family is considering selling their son, 8-year-old Salahuddin. His mother, Guldasta, said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take the boy to the bazaar and sell him to bring food for the others. I dont want to sell my son, but I have to, the 35-year-old said. No mother can do this to her child, but when you have no other choice, you have to make a decision against your will. Guldasta said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take eight-year-old Salahuddin to the bazaar and sell him to buy food for the other children. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size S In a sprawling settlement of mud brick huts in western Afghanistan housing people displaced by drought and war, a woman is fighting to save her daughter. Aziz Guls husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife, taking a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Without that money, he told her, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one to save the rest. Many of Afghanistans growing number of destitute people are making desperate decisions such as these as their nation spirals into a vortex of poverty. Qandi Gul already looks after her little brother, now her father has sold her into marriage. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov The aid-dependent countrys economy was already teetering when the Taliban seized power in mid-August amid a chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops. The international community froze Afghanistans assets abroad and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government given its reputation for brutality during its previous rule 20 years ago. The consequences have been devastating for a country battered by four decades of war, a punishing drought and the coronavirus pandemic. Legions of state employees, including doctors, havent been paid in months. Malnutrition and poverty stalk the most vulnerable, and aid groups say more than half the population faces acute food shortages. Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering, said Asuntha Charles, national director of the World Vision aid organisation in Afghanistan, which runs a health clinic for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat. Advertisement Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members, Charles said. So its the right time for the humanitarian community to stand up and stay with the people of Afghanistan. Arranging marriages for very young girls is a frequent practice throughout the region. The grooms family often distant relatives pays money to seal the deal, and the child usually stays with her parents until she is at least around 15 or 16. Yet with many unable to afford even basic food, some say theyd allow prospective grooms to take very young girls or are even trying to sell their sons. Qandi, 10 years old But Gul, unusually in this deeply patriarchal, male-dominated society, is resisting. Married off herself at 15, she says she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away. Gul remembers well the moment she found out her husband had sold Qandi. For around two months, the family had been able to eat. Eventually, she asked her husband where the money came from, and he told her. Aziz Gul, on the right, says she will kill herself if her 10-year-old daughter is taken from her, but instead she is fighting for Qandis future. Credit:AP My heart stopped beating. I wished I could have died at that time, but maybe God didnt want me to die, Gul said. Qandi sat close to her mother, her hazel eyes peering shyly from beneath her sky-blue headscarf. Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult. Advertisement She asked her husband why he did it. He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. You all would have died this way, (he said.) I told him, Dying was much better than what you have done. Gul rallied her community, telling her brother and village elders that her husband had sold her child behind her back. They supported her, and with their help she secured a divorce for her child, but only on condition she repays the 100,000 afghanis (about $1236) that her husband received. Its money she doesnt have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to the authorities. The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage or using women and girls as exchange tokens to settle disputes. The family of the prospective groom, a man of around 21 or 22, has already tried several times to claim the girl, she says. She is not sure how long she can fend them off. I am just so desperate. If I cant provide money to pay these people and cant keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself, Gul said. But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them? Her eldest is 12, her youngest her sixth just two months. Now alone, Gul leaves the children with her elderly mother while she goes to work in peoples homes. Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school. Its barely enough to keep them fed, and the saffron season is short, only a few weeks in the fall. Advertisement We dont have anything, Gul said. Nazia, six years old In another part of the same camp, father-of-four Hamid Abdullah was also selling his young daughters into arranged marriages, desperate for money to treat his chronically ill wife, pregnant with their fifth child. Abdullah borrowed money to pay for his wifes treatments and cant pay it back, he said. So three years ago, he received a down-payment for his eldest daughter Hoshran, now 7, in an arranged marriage to an 18-year-old in their native Badghis province. Hes now looking for someone to buy his second daughter, six-year-old Nazia. Hamid Abdullah sold his young daughters into arranged marriages to raise money to treat his chronically ill wife, who is pregnant with their fifth child. Credit:AP We dont have food to eat, Abdullah explained, adding he also had to buy medicine for his wife, who soon would need more treatment. She needs another surgery, I dont have one afghani to pay for the doctor. The family that bought Hoshran is waiting until she is older before the full amount is settled, he explained. Advertisement But he needs money now for food and treatments, so he is trying to arrange a marriage for Nazia for about 20,000-30,000 afghani ($300 to $400). What should we do? We have to do it, we have no other option, said his wife, Bibi Jan. When we made the decision, it was like someone had taken away a body part from me. Salahuddin, eight years old In the neighbouring province of Badghis, another displaced family is considering selling their son, 8-year-old Salahuddin. His mother, Guldasta, said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take the boy to the bazaar and sell him to bring food for the others. I dont want to sell my son, but I have to, the 35-year-old said. No mother can do this to her child, but when you have no other choice, you have to make a decision against your will. Guldasta said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take eight-year-old Salahuddin to the bazaar and sell him to buy food for the other children. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size S In a sprawling settlement of mud brick huts in western Afghanistan housing people displaced by drought and war, a woman is fighting to save her daughter. Aziz Guls husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife, taking a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Without that money, he told her, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one to save the rest. Many of Afghanistans growing number of destitute people are making desperate decisions such as these as their nation spirals into a vortex of poverty. Qandi Gul already looks after her little brother, now her father has sold her into marriage. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov The aid-dependent countrys economy was already teetering when the Taliban seized power in mid-August amid a chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops. The international community froze Afghanistans assets abroad and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government given its reputation for brutality during its previous rule 20 years ago. The consequences have been devastating for a country battered by four decades of war, a punishing drought and the coronavirus pandemic. Legions of state employees, including doctors, havent been paid in months. Malnutrition and poverty stalk the most vulnerable, and aid groups say more than half the population faces acute food shortages. Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering, said Asuntha Charles, national director of the World Vision aid organisation in Afghanistan, which runs a health clinic for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat. Advertisement Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members, Charles said. So its the right time for the humanitarian community to stand up and stay with the people of Afghanistan. Arranging marriages for very young girls is a frequent practice throughout the region. The grooms family often distant relatives pays money to seal the deal, and the child usually stays with her parents until she is at least around 15 or 16. Yet with many unable to afford even basic food, some say theyd allow prospective grooms to take very young girls or are even trying to sell their sons. Qandi, 10 years old But Gul, unusually in this deeply patriarchal, male-dominated society, is resisting. Married off herself at 15, she says she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away. Gul remembers well the moment she found out her husband had sold Qandi. For around two months, the family had been able to eat. Eventually, she asked her husband where the money came from, and he told her. Aziz Gul, on the right, says she will kill herself if her 10-year-old daughter is taken from her, but instead she is fighting for Qandis future. Credit:AP My heart stopped beating. I wished I could have died at that time, but maybe God didnt want me to die, Gul said. Qandi sat close to her mother, her hazel eyes peering shyly from beneath her sky-blue headscarf. Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult. Advertisement She asked her husband why he did it. He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. You all would have died this way, (he said.) I told him, Dying was much better than what you have done. Gul rallied her community, telling her brother and village elders that her husband had sold her child behind her back. They supported her, and with their help she secured a divorce for her child, but only on condition she repays the 100,000 afghanis (about $1236) that her husband received. Its money she doesnt have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to the authorities. The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage or using women and girls as exchange tokens to settle disputes. The family of the prospective groom, a man of around 21 or 22, has already tried several times to claim the girl, she says. She is not sure how long she can fend them off. I am just so desperate. If I cant provide money to pay these people and cant keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself, Gul said. But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them? Her eldest is 12, her youngest her sixth just two months. Now alone, Gul leaves the children with her elderly mother while she goes to work in peoples homes. Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school. Its barely enough to keep them fed, and the saffron season is short, only a few weeks in the fall. Advertisement We dont have anything, Gul said. Nazia, six years old In another part of the same camp, father-of-four Hamid Abdullah was also selling his young daughters into arranged marriages, desperate for money to treat his chronically ill wife, pregnant with their fifth child. Abdullah borrowed money to pay for his wifes treatments and cant pay it back, he said. So three years ago, he received a down-payment for his eldest daughter Hoshran, now 7, in an arranged marriage to an 18-year-old in their native Badghis province. Hes now looking for someone to buy his second daughter, six-year-old Nazia. Hamid Abdullah sold his young daughters into arranged marriages to raise money to treat his chronically ill wife, who is pregnant with their fifth child. Credit:AP We dont have food to eat, Abdullah explained, adding he also had to buy medicine for his wife, who soon would need more treatment. She needs another surgery, I dont have one afghani to pay for the doctor. The family that bought Hoshran is waiting until she is older before the full amount is settled, he explained. Advertisement But he needs money now for food and treatments, so he is trying to arrange a marriage for Nazia for about 20,000-30,000 afghani ($300 to $400). What should we do? We have to do it, we have no other option, said his wife, Bibi Jan. When we made the decision, it was like someone had taken away a body part from me. Salahuddin, eight years old In the neighbouring province of Badghis, another displaced family is considering selling their son, 8-year-old Salahuddin. His mother, Guldasta, said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take the boy to the bazaar and sell him to bring food for the others. I dont want to sell my son, but I have to, the 35-year-old said. No mother can do this to her child, but when you have no other choice, you have to make a decision against your will. Guldasta said that after days with nothing to eat, she told her husband to take eight-year-old Salahuddin to the bazaar and sell him to buy food for the other children. Credit:AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov Advertisement MUTARE, Zimbabwe (AP) African leaders are paying tribute to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu for his fearless campaign that helped end South Africa's brutal apartheid regime and bring democracy to the country. But many of the same leaders have remained silent about the late Nobel Peace Prize winner's support for issues they're uncomfortable with, such as his support for LGBTQ rights, democratic freedoms and environmental issues. Tutu died Sunday at age 90. His casket is to lie in state Thursday and Friday at St. George's Anglican Cathedral in Cape Town, where the public is invited to file past to pay their respects ahead of a requiem Mass and funeral on New Year's Day. A celebration of Tutu's life, featuring the music and dancing that he loved, was held this week at Cape Town City Hall. Memorial services are planned in Johannesburg and other parts of South Africa. Tutu was a true son and icon of Africa. His contribution to the liberation struggle and unwavering position to peace, unity and good governance will forever be cherished, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said without mentioning his support for the LGBTQ people who are threatened with arrest in Tanzania. Africa has lost a monument, said Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye, accused by a U.N. commission in September of human rights violations. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who won the Nobel Peace Prize 25 years after Tutu did, praised his fellow laureate as the embodiment of the struggle for liberation, even though Tutu's foundation early this year warned that the war in Ethiopia's Tigray region amounted to genocide. Revered across the continent for opposing apartheid in South Africa and helping the countrys peaceful transition to majority rule, Tutu went on to tackle some of Africa's most thorny issues and its leaders. He criticized South African President Thabo Mbeki for denying HIV/AIDS and preventing the government from distributing life-saving treatments. He lambasted South Africa's next president, Jacob Zuma, for alleged corruption. He compared a proposed law criminalizing homosexuality in Uganda to apartheid South Africas laws that banned inter-racial sexual relations. Tutu was ahead of his time, Nic Cheeseman, a politics professor and specialist in African politics at the University of Birmingham in Britain, said. Many great people have one great fight in them, then they become blinkered and support the new status quo, Cheeseman said. Tutu continued to see injustice economic, racial and sexual and understood there were more battles to be won. He did not stop with the fall of apartheid. After apartheid ended in South Africa ended in the early 1990a, Tutu urged the international community to punish the military junta of the late Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha with sanctions after it hanged environmental activist and playwright Ken Saro Wiwa and other activists in 1995. As evidence mounted of the killings of tens of thousands of people and displacement of many in Sudan's Darfur region, Tutu lashed out at African leaders for supporting and protecting then-Sudanese leader Omar al Bashir from an International Criminal Court warrant of arrest for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. He believed in the universality of human rights, Stephen Brown, a professor at the University of Ottawas School of Political Studies, said of Tutu. He held profound convictions no matter how risky or unpopular it could be to advocate what he believed in." Tutu repeatedly clashed with Zimbabwe's former ruler, the late Robert Mugabe, whom he said resembled a caricature of an African dictator. In turn, Mugabe dismissed Tutu for supporting gay rights, calling him an angry, evil and embittered little bishop. Africa's opposition leaders have mourned Tutu's death. A giant has fallen, tweeted Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine, a constant target of harassment by Ugandas government. If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor, tweeted a Tanzanian opposition party, the Alliance for Change and Transparency, repeating one of Tutus most famous quotes. MUTARE, Zimbabwe (AP) African leaders are paying tribute to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu for his fearless campaign that helped end South Africa's brutal apartheid regime and bring democracy to the country. But many of the same leaders have remained silent about the late Nobel Peace Prize winner's support for issues they're uncomfortable with, such as his support for LGBTQ rights, democratic freedoms and environmental issues. Tutu died Sunday at age 90. His casket is to lie in state Thursday and Friday at St. George's Anglican Cathedral in Cape Town, where the public is invited to file past to pay their respects ahead of a requiem Mass and funeral on New Year's Day. A celebration of Tutu's life, featuring the music and dancing that he loved, was held this week at Cape Town City Hall. Memorial services are planned in Johannesburg and other parts of South Africa. Tutu was a true son and icon of Africa. His contribution to the liberation struggle and unwavering position to peace, unity and good governance will forever be cherished, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said without mentioning his support for the LGBTQ people who are threatened with arrest in Tanzania. Africa has lost a monument, said Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye, accused by a U.N. commission in September of human rights violations. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who won the Nobel Peace Prize 25 years after Tutu did, praised his fellow laureate as the embodiment of the struggle for liberation, even though Tutu's foundation early this year warned that the war in Ethiopia's Tigray region amounted to genocide. Revered across the continent for opposing apartheid in South Africa and helping the countrys peaceful transition to majority rule, Tutu went on to tackle some of Africa's most thorny issues and its leaders. He criticized South African President Thabo Mbeki for denying HIV/AIDS and preventing the government from distributing life-saving treatments. He lambasted South Africa's next president, Jacob Zuma, for alleged corruption. He compared a proposed law criminalizing homosexuality in Uganda to apartheid South Africas laws that banned inter-racial sexual relations. Tutu was ahead of his time, Nic Cheeseman, a politics professor and specialist in African politics at the University of Birmingham in Britain, said. Many great people have one great fight in them, then they become blinkered and support the new status quo, Cheeseman said. Tutu continued to see injustice economic, racial and sexual and understood there were more battles to be won. He did not stop with the fall of apartheid. After apartheid ended in South Africa ended in the early 1990a, Tutu urged the international community to punish the military junta of the late Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha with sanctions after it hanged environmental activist and playwright Ken Saro Wiwa and other activists in 1995. As evidence mounted of the killings of tens of thousands of people and displacement of many in Sudan's Darfur region, Tutu lashed out at African leaders for supporting and protecting then-Sudanese leader Omar al Bashir from an International Criminal Court warrant of arrest for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. He believed in the universality of human rights, Stephen Brown, a professor at the University of Ottawas School of Political Studies, said of Tutu. He held profound convictions no matter how risky or unpopular it could be to advocate what he believed in." Tutu repeatedly clashed with Zimbabwe's former ruler, the late Robert Mugabe, whom he said resembled a caricature of an African dictator. In turn, Mugabe dismissed Tutu for supporting gay rights, calling him an angry, evil and embittered little bishop. Africa's opposition leaders have mourned Tutu's death. A giant has fallen, tweeted Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine, a constant target of harassment by Ugandas government. If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor, tweeted a Tanzanian opposition party, the Alliance for Change and Transparency, repeating one of Tutus most famous quotes. 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe By Tomoyuki Tachikawa, KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 18:12 | World, All North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to rebuild the agricultural sector and strengthen defense capabilities, state-run media reported Saturday, amid mounting uncertainties over the country's economic and security status. Meanwhile, the Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, did not elaborate on whether Kim mentioned nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles during a key party gathering through Friday. It also remains unknown whether Kim announced any policy shift toward the United States at the five-day plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the party, which was convened to map out strategies for 2022. North Korea's silence about its diplomatic policy for this year indicated that it has been trying to steadily develop new weapons while avoiding further escalating tensions with the United States and South Korea, foreign affairs experts said. Some pundits said Kim, who skipped his annual New Year's address for the third straight year, may put priority in 2022 on shoring up the domestic economy that has been languishing against a backdrop of the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The latest gathering took place with North Korea having acknowledged it faces a severe food crisis due in part to natural disasters and sluggish trade with China, its closest and most influential ally in economic terms, as a result of the pandemic. Kim was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency as saying at the meeting that the struggle in 2021 "endowed us with more clear predictability about subjective and objective conditions and environment of the revolution at present and in the future." He vowed to "increase the agricultural production and solve the food problem" in the nation, the news agency said, adding he "specified the goals" of output of commodities such as grain, fruit and vegetable for the coming 10 years. As for security policy, Kim said, "The military environment of the Korean peninsula and the trend of the international situation" have been "getting instable day after day," according to KCNA. It is necessary to bolster the state defense capabilities more powerfully "without a moment's delay," Kim was quoted as saying. North Korea is banned from firing ballistic missiles under U.N. Security Council resolutions that impose sanctions on the country. Still, it has developed technological advances on hard-to-intercept weapons, threatening peace and stability in the region. In November 2017, North Korea launched what it said was its "most powerful" ICBM capable of delivering a nuclear warhead anywhere in the continental United States. Kim declared the completion of "the state nuclear force." The nuclear-armed nation also said last year that it has developed missiles with state-of-the-art technologies, including ballistic ones. On the diplomatic front, direct talks between North Korea and the United States have been at a standstill for more than two years, with the administration of President Joe Biden unlikely to make concessions over denuclearization and sanctions relief. North Korea has expressed reluctance to hold bilateral negotiations with the United States unless Washington withdraws what Pyongyang considers to be its hostile stance toward it. Pyongyang has no diplomatic relations with Washington and Seoul. North Korea and the United States remain technically in a state of war as the 1950-1953 Korean War -- in which U.S.-led U.N. forces fought alongside the South against the North backed by China and the Soviet Union -- ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. On Jan. 1, 2018, Kim surprisingly extended an olive branch to South Korea in his New Year's address, and later in the year promised to achieve "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula. At the first-ever U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore in June 2018, Kim obtained an agreement from former U.S. President Donald Trump, Biden's predecessor, that Washington would provide security guarantees to Pyongyang in return for its denuclearization. U.S.-North Korea talks, however, have been stalled since 2019, as they have fallen short of bridging the gap between Washington's demands and Pyongyang's calls for sanctions relief. By Tomoyuki Tachikawa, KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 18:12 | World, All North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to rebuild the agricultural sector and strengthen defense capabilities, state-run media reported Saturday, amid mounting uncertainties over the country's economic and security status. Meanwhile, the Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, did not elaborate on whether Kim mentioned nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles during a key party gathering through Friday. It also remains unknown whether Kim announced any policy shift toward the United States at the five-day plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the party, which was convened to map out strategies for 2022. North Korea's silence about its diplomatic policy for this year indicated that it has been trying to steadily develop new weapons while avoiding further escalating tensions with the United States and South Korea, foreign affairs experts said. Some pundits said Kim, who skipped his annual New Year's address for the third straight year, may put priority in 2022 on shoring up the domestic economy that has been languishing against a backdrop of the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The latest gathering took place with North Korea having acknowledged it faces a severe food crisis due in part to natural disasters and sluggish trade with China, its closest and most influential ally in economic terms, as a result of the pandemic. Kim was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency as saying at the meeting that the struggle in 2021 "endowed us with more clear predictability about subjective and objective conditions and environment of the revolution at present and in the future." He vowed to "increase the agricultural production and solve the food problem" in the nation, the news agency said, adding he "specified the goals" of output of commodities such as grain, fruit and vegetable for the coming 10 years. As for security policy, Kim said, "The military environment of the Korean peninsula and the trend of the international situation" have been "getting instable day after day," according to KCNA. It is necessary to bolster the state defense capabilities more powerfully "without a moment's delay," Kim was quoted as saying. North Korea is banned from firing ballistic missiles under U.N. Security Council resolutions that impose sanctions on the country. Still, it has developed technological advances on hard-to-intercept weapons, threatening peace and stability in the region. In November 2017, North Korea launched what it said was its "most powerful" ICBM capable of delivering a nuclear warhead anywhere in the continental United States. Kim declared the completion of "the state nuclear force." The nuclear-armed nation also said last year that it has developed missiles with state-of-the-art technologies, including ballistic ones. On the diplomatic front, direct talks between North Korea and the United States have been at a standstill for more than two years, with the administration of President Joe Biden unlikely to make concessions over denuclearization and sanctions relief. North Korea has expressed reluctance to hold bilateral negotiations with the United States unless Washington withdraws what Pyongyang considers to be its hostile stance toward it. Pyongyang has no diplomatic relations with Washington and Seoul. North Korea and the United States remain technically in a state of war as the 1950-1953 Korean War -- in which U.S.-led U.N. forces fought alongside the South against the North backed by China and the Soviet Union -- ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. On Jan. 1, 2018, Kim surprisingly extended an olive branch to South Korea in his New Year's address, and later in the year promised to achieve "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula. At the first-ever U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore in June 2018, Kim obtained an agreement from former U.S. President Donald Trump, Biden's predecessor, that Washington would provide security guarantees to Pyongyang in return for its denuclearization. U.S.-North Korea talks, however, have been stalled since 2019, as they have fallen short of bridging the gap between Washington's demands and Pyongyang's calls for sanctions relief. By Tomoyuki Tachikawa, KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 18:12 | World, All North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to rebuild the agricultural sector and strengthen defense capabilities, state-run media reported Saturday, amid mounting uncertainties over the country's economic and security status. Meanwhile, the Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, did not elaborate on whether Kim mentioned nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles during a key party gathering through Friday. It also remains unknown whether Kim announced any policy shift toward the United States at the five-day plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the party, which was convened to map out strategies for 2022. North Korea's silence about its diplomatic policy for this year indicated that it has been trying to steadily develop new weapons while avoiding further escalating tensions with the United States and South Korea, foreign affairs experts said. Some pundits said Kim, who skipped his annual New Year's address for the third straight year, may put priority in 2022 on shoring up the domestic economy that has been languishing against a backdrop of the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The latest gathering took place with North Korea having acknowledged it faces a severe food crisis due in part to natural disasters and sluggish trade with China, its closest and most influential ally in economic terms, as a result of the pandemic. Kim was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency as saying at the meeting that the struggle in 2021 "endowed us with more clear predictability about subjective and objective conditions and environment of the revolution at present and in the future." He vowed to "increase the agricultural production and solve the food problem" in the nation, the news agency said, adding he "specified the goals" of output of commodities such as grain, fruit and vegetable for the coming 10 years. As for security policy, Kim said, "The military environment of the Korean peninsula and the trend of the international situation" have been "getting instable day after day," according to KCNA. It is necessary to bolster the state defense capabilities more powerfully "without a moment's delay," Kim was quoted as saying. North Korea is banned from firing ballistic missiles under U.N. Security Council resolutions that impose sanctions on the country. Still, it has developed technological advances on hard-to-intercept weapons, threatening peace and stability in the region. In November 2017, North Korea launched what it said was its "most powerful" ICBM capable of delivering a nuclear warhead anywhere in the continental United States. Kim declared the completion of "the state nuclear force." The nuclear-armed nation also said last year that it has developed missiles with state-of-the-art technologies, including ballistic ones. On the diplomatic front, direct talks between North Korea and the United States have been at a standstill for more than two years, with the administration of President Joe Biden unlikely to make concessions over denuclearization and sanctions relief. North Korea has expressed reluctance to hold bilateral negotiations with the United States unless Washington withdraws what Pyongyang considers to be its hostile stance toward it. Pyongyang has no diplomatic relations with Washington and Seoul. North Korea and the United States remain technically in a state of war as the 1950-1953 Korean War -- in which U.S.-led U.N. forces fought alongside the South against the North backed by China and the Soviet Union -- ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. On Jan. 1, 2018, Kim surprisingly extended an olive branch to South Korea in his New Year's address, and later in the year promised to achieve "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula. At the first-ever U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore in June 2018, Kim obtained an agreement from former U.S. President Donald Trump, Biden's predecessor, that Washington would provide security guarantees to Pyongyang in return for its denuclearization. U.S.-North Korea talks, however, have been stalled since 2019, as they have fallen short of bridging the gap between Washington's demands and Pyongyang's calls for sanctions relief. By Tomoyuki Tachikawa, KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 18:12 | World, All North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to rebuild the agricultural sector and strengthen defense capabilities, state-run media reported Saturday, amid mounting uncertainties over the country's economic and security status. Meanwhile, the Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, did not elaborate on whether Kim mentioned nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles during a key party gathering through Friday. It also remains unknown whether Kim announced any policy shift toward the United States at the five-day plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the party, which was convened to map out strategies for 2022. North Korea's silence about its diplomatic policy for this year indicated that it has been trying to steadily develop new weapons while avoiding further escalating tensions with the United States and South Korea, foreign affairs experts said. Some pundits said Kim, who skipped his annual New Year's address for the third straight year, may put priority in 2022 on shoring up the domestic economy that has been languishing against a backdrop of the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The latest gathering took place with North Korea having acknowledged it faces a severe food crisis due in part to natural disasters and sluggish trade with China, its closest and most influential ally in economic terms, as a result of the pandemic. Kim was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency as saying at the meeting that the struggle in 2021 "endowed us with more clear predictability about subjective and objective conditions and environment of the revolution at present and in the future." He vowed to "increase the agricultural production and solve the food problem" in the nation, the news agency said, adding he "specified the goals" of output of commodities such as grain, fruit and vegetable for the coming 10 years. As for security policy, Kim said, "The military environment of the Korean peninsula and the trend of the international situation" have been "getting instable day after day," according to KCNA. It is necessary to bolster the state defense capabilities more powerfully "without a moment's delay," Kim was quoted as saying. North Korea is banned from firing ballistic missiles under U.N. Security Council resolutions that impose sanctions on the country. Still, it has developed technological advances on hard-to-intercept weapons, threatening peace and stability in the region. In November 2017, North Korea launched what it said was its "most powerful" ICBM capable of delivering a nuclear warhead anywhere in the continental United States. Kim declared the completion of "the state nuclear force." The nuclear-armed nation also said last year that it has developed missiles with state-of-the-art technologies, including ballistic ones. On the diplomatic front, direct talks between North Korea and the United States have been at a standstill for more than two years, with the administration of President Joe Biden unlikely to make concessions over denuclearization and sanctions relief. North Korea has expressed reluctance to hold bilateral negotiations with the United States unless Washington withdraws what Pyongyang considers to be its hostile stance toward it. Pyongyang has no diplomatic relations with Washington and Seoul. North Korea and the United States remain technically in a state of war as the 1950-1953 Korean War -- in which U.S.-led U.N. forces fought alongside the South against the North backed by China and the Soviet Union -- ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. On Jan. 1, 2018, Kim surprisingly extended an olive branch to South Korea in his New Year's address, and later in the year promised to achieve "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula. At the first-ever U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore in June 2018, Kim obtained an agreement from former U.S. President Donald Trump, Biden's predecessor, that Washington would provide security guarantees to Pyongyang in return for its denuclearization. U.S.-North Korea talks, however, have been stalled since 2019, as they have fallen short of bridging the gap between Washington's demands and Pyongyang's calls for sanctions relief. 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Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe By Tomoyuki Tachikawa, KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 18:12 | World, All North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to rebuild the agricultural sector and strengthen defense capabilities, state-run media reported Saturday, amid mounting uncertainties over the country's economic and security status. Meanwhile, the Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, did not elaborate on whether Kim mentioned nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles during a key party gathering through Friday. It also remains unknown whether Kim announced any policy shift toward the United States at the five-day plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the party, which was convened to map out strategies for 2022. North Korea's silence about its diplomatic policy for this year indicated that it has been trying to steadily develop new weapons while avoiding further escalating tensions with the United States and South Korea, foreign affairs experts said. Some pundits said Kim, who skipped his annual New Year's address for the third straight year, may put priority in 2022 on shoring up the domestic economy that has been languishing against a backdrop of the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The latest gathering took place with North Korea having acknowledged it faces a severe food crisis due in part to natural disasters and sluggish trade with China, its closest and most influential ally in economic terms, as a result of the pandemic. Kim was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency as saying at the meeting that the struggle in 2021 "endowed us with more clear predictability about subjective and objective conditions and environment of the revolution at present and in the future." He vowed to "increase the agricultural production and solve the food problem" in the nation, the news agency said, adding he "specified the goals" of output of commodities such as grain, fruit and vegetable for the coming 10 years. As for security policy, Kim said, "The military environment of the Korean peninsula and the trend of the international situation" have been "getting instable day after day," according to KCNA. It is necessary to bolster the state defense capabilities more powerfully "without a moment's delay," Kim was quoted as saying. North Korea is banned from firing ballistic missiles under U.N. Security Council resolutions that impose sanctions on the country. Still, it has developed technological advances on hard-to-intercept weapons, threatening peace and stability in the region. In November 2017, North Korea launched what it said was its "most powerful" ICBM capable of delivering a nuclear warhead anywhere in the continental United States. Kim declared the completion of "the state nuclear force." The nuclear-armed nation also said last year that it has developed missiles with state-of-the-art technologies, including ballistic ones. On the diplomatic front, direct talks between North Korea and the United States have been at a standstill for more than two years, with the administration of President Joe Biden unlikely to make concessions over denuclearization and sanctions relief. North Korea has expressed reluctance to hold bilateral negotiations with the United States unless Washington withdraws what Pyongyang considers to be its hostile stance toward it. Pyongyang has no diplomatic relations with Washington and Seoul. North Korea and the United States remain technically in a state of war as the 1950-1953 Korean War -- in which U.S.-led U.N. forces fought alongside the South against the North backed by China and the Soviet Union -- ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. On Jan. 1, 2018, Kim surprisingly extended an olive branch to South Korea in his New Year's address, and later in the year promised to achieve "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula. At the first-ever U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore in June 2018, Kim obtained an agreement from former U.S. President Donald Trump, Biden's predecessor, that Washington would provide security guarantees to Pyongyang in return for its denuclearization. U.S.-North Korea talks, however, have been stalled since 2019, as they have fallen short of bridging the gap between Washington's demands and Pyongyang's calls for sanctions relief. By Tomoyuki Tachikawa, KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 18:12 | World, All North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to rebuild the agricultural sector and strengthen defense capabilities, state-run media reported Saturday, amid mounting uncertainties over the country's economic and security status. Meanwhile, the Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, did not elaborate on whether Kim mentioned nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles during a key party gathering through Friday. It also remains unknown whether Kim announced any policy shift toward the United States at the five-day plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the party, which was convened to map out strategies for 2022. North Korea's silence about its diplomatic policy for this year indicated that it has been trying to steadily develop new weapons while avoiding further escalating tensions with the United States and South Korea, foreign affairs experts said. Some pundits said Kim, who skipped his annual New Year's address for the third straight year, may put priority in 2022 on shoring up the domestic economy that has been languishing against a backdrop of the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The latest gathering took place with North Korea having acknowledged it faces a severe food crisis due in part to natural disasters and sluggish trade with China, its closest and most influential ally in economic terms, as a result of the pandemic. Kim was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency as saying at the meeting that the struggle in 2021 "endowed us with more clear predictability about subjective and objective conditions and environment of the revolution at present and in the future." He vowed to "increase the agricultural production and solve the food problem" in the nation, the news agency said, adding he "specified the goals" of output of commodities such as grain, fruit and vegetable for the coming 10 years. As for security policy, Kim said, "The military environment of the Korean peninsula and the trend of the international situation" have been "getting instable day after day," according to KCNA. It is necessary to bolster the state defense capabilities more powerfully "without a moment's delay," Kim was quoted as saying. North Korea is banned from firing ballistic missiles under U.N. Security Council resolutions that impose sanctions on the country. Still, it has developed technological advances on hard-to-intercept weapons, threatening peace and stability in the region. In November 2017, North Korea launched what it said was its "most powerful" ICBM capable of delivering a nuclear warhead anywhere in the continental United States. Kim declared the completion of "the state nuclear force." The nuclear-armed nation also said last year that it has developed missiles with state-of-the-art technologies, including ballistic ones. On the diplomatic front, direct talks between North Korea and the United States have been at a standstill for more than two years, with the administration of President Joe Biden unlikely to make concessions over denuclearization and sanctions relief. North Korea has expressed reluctance to hold bilateral negotiations with the United States unless Washington withdraws what Pyongyang considers to be its hostile stance toward it. Pyongyang has no diplomatic relations with Washington and Seoul. North Korea and the United States remain technically in a state of war as the 1950-1953 Korean War -- in which U.S.-led U.N. forces fought alongside the South against the North backed by China and the Soviet Union -- ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. On Jan. 1, 2018, Kim surprisingly extended an olive branch to South Korea in his New Year's address, and later in the year promised to achieve "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula. At the first-ever U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore in June 2018, Kim obtained an agreement from former U.S. President Donald Trump, Biden's predecessor, that Washington would provide security guarantees to Pyongyang in return for its denuclearization. U.S.-North Korea talks, however, have been stalled since 2019, as they have fallen short of bridging the gap between Washington's demands and Pyongyang's calls for sanctions relief. By Tomoyuki Tachikawa, KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 18:12 | World, All North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to rebuild the agricultural sector and strengthen defense capabilities, state-run media reported Saturday, amid mounting uncertainties over the country's economic and security status. Meanwhile, the Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, did not elaborate on whether Kim mentioned nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles during a key party gathering through Friday. It also remains unknown whether Kim announced any policy shift toward the United States at the five-day plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the party, which was convened to map out strategies for 2022. North Korea's silence about its diplomatic policy for this year indicated that it has been trying to steadily develop new weapons while avoiding further escalating tensions with the United States and South Korea, foreign affairs experts said. Some pundits said Kim, who skipped his annual New Year's address for the third straight year, may put priority in 2022 on shoring up the domestic economy that has been languishing against a backdrop of the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The latest gathering took place with North Korea having acknowledged it faces a severe food crisis due in part to natural disasters and sluggish trade with China, its closest and most influential ally in economic terms, as a result of the pandemic. Kim was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency as saying at the meeting that the struggle in 2021 "endowed us with more clear predictability about subjective and objective conditions and environment of the revolution at present and in the future." He vowed to "increase the agricultural production and solve the food problem" in the nation, the news agency said, adding he "specified the goals" of output of commodities such as grain, fruit and vegetable for the coming 10 years. As for security policy, Kim said, "The military environment of the Korean peninsula and the trend of the international situation" have been "getting instable day after day," according to KCNA. It is necessary to bolster the state defense capabilities more powerfully "without a moment's delay," Kim was quoted as saying. North Korea is banned from firing ballistic missiles under U.N. Security Council resolutions that impose sanctions on the country. Still, it has developed technological advances on hard-to-intercept weapons, threatening peace and stability in the region. In November 2017, North Korea launched what it said was its "most powerful" ICBM capable of delivering a nuclear warhead anywhere in the continental United States. Kim declared the completion of "the state nuclear force." The nuclear-armed nation also said last year that it has developed missiles with state-of-the-art technologies, including ballistic ones. On the diplomatic front, direct talks between North Korea and the United States have been at a standstill for more than two years, with the administration of President Joe Biden unlikely to make concessions over denuclearization and sanctions relief. North Korea has expressed reluctance to hold bilateral negotiations with the United States unless Washington withdraws what Pyongyang considers to be its hostile stance toward it. Pyongyang has no diplomatic relations with Washington and Seoul. North Korea and the United States remain technically in a state of war as the 1950-1953 Korean War -- in which U.S.-led U.N. forces fought alongside the South against the North backed by China and the Soviet Union -- ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. On Jan. 1, 2018, Kim surprisingly extended an olive branch to South Korea in his New Year's address, and later in the year promised to achieve "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula. At the first-ever U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore in June 2018, Kim obtained an agreement from former U.S. President Donald Trump, Biden's predecessor, that Washington would provide security guarantees to Pyongyang in return for its denuclearization. U.S.-North Korea talks, however, have been stalled since 2019, as they have fallen short of bridging the gap between Washington's demands and Pyongyang's calls for sanctions relief. U.S. should remove hypocritical mask of double standard on democracy: FM spokesperson Xinhua) 09:23, January 01, 2022 BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The United States should heed the rational criticism from the international community, deeply reflect upon itself and remove its hypocritical mask of double standard on democracy, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday. Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks at a daily press briefing when asked to comment on criticism from many international experts and academics about U.S. democracy and the so-called "Summit for Democracy". Mutsuji Shoji, a Japanese expert on international issues, said in an article that the countries invited to attend the "Summit for Democracy" have varying democratic conditions. It looked as if many were there, but actually most were just making up the number. The alliance for democracy patched up by the United States is nothing but a bluff like a "paper tiger," the expert said. Zhao said that the expert's "paper tiger" description was most vivid, noting that democracy is a value shared by all humanity. No one can lecture other countries condescendingly on this subject, and the United States is in no position to lecture others. In addition to the Japanese expert, Americans including former Congressman Ron Paul, mainstream media in Western countries such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and the Economist magazine, and academics from think tanks in Asian countries including India, the Philippines and Thailand, have all questioned and criticized the so-called "Summit for Democracy", Zhao said. Opinion polls conducted by the Pew Research Center and other institutions have shown pessimism about the U.S. democracy in the international community, including among the U.S. public, according to Zhao. "U.S. democracy has lost its luster. U.S. governance is also in a ramshackle state. Rampant gun violence, systemic racial discrimination and other issues in the United States also keep setting new world records and shocking the public," he said. Turning a blind eye to its deplorable record, the United States cooked up the false argument of "democracy versus autocracy," trying to label and politicize democracy. The so-called "Summit for Democracy" fizzled out to a hasty end as expected, the spokesperson said. The United States should heed the rational criticism from the international community, deeply reflect upon itself, remove its hypocritical mask of double standard on democracy, take concrete actions to address domestic problems, and respond to the concerns of the international community, he said. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) MUTARE, Zimbabwe (AP) African leaders are paying tribute to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu for his fearless campaign that helped end South Africa's brutal apartheid regime and bring democracy to the country. But many of the same leaders have remained silent about the late Nobel Peace Prize winner's support for issues they're uncomfortable with, such as his support for LGBTQ rights, democratic freedoms and environmental issues. Tutu died Sunday at age 90. His casket is to lie in state Thursday and Friday at St. George's Anglican Cathedral in Cape Town, where the public is invited to file past to pay their respects ahead of a requiem Mass and funeral on New Year's Day. A celebration of Tutu's life, featuring the music and dancing that he loved, was held this week at Cape Town City Hall. Memorial services are planned in Johannesburg and other parts of South Africa. Tutu was a true son and icon of Africa. His contribution to the liberation struggle and unwavering position to peace, unity and good governance will forever be cherished, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said without mentioning his support for the LGBTQ people who are threatened with arrest in Tanzania. Africa has lost a monument, said Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye, accused by a U.N. commission in September of human rights violations. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who won the Nobel Peace Prize 25 years after Tutu did, praised his fellow laureate as the embodiment of the struggle for liberation, even though Tutu's foundation early this year warned that the war in Ethiopia's Tigray region amounted to genocide. Revered across the continent for opposing apartheid in South Africa and helping the countrys peaceful transition to majority rule, Tutu went on to tackle some of Africa's most thorny issues and its leaders. He criticized South African President Thabo Mbeki for denying HIV/AIDS and preventing the government from distributing life-saving treatments. He lambasted South Africa's next president, Jacob Zuma, for alleged corruption. He compared a proposed law criminalizing homosexuality in Uganda to apartheid South Africas laws that banned inter-racial sexual relations. Tutu was ahead of his time, Nic Cheeseman, a politics professor and specialist in African politics at the University of Birmingham in Britain, said. Many great people have one great fight in them, then they become blinkered and support the new status quo, Cheeseman said. Tutu continued to see injustice economic, racial and sexual and understood there were more battles to be won. He did not stop with the fall of apartheid. After apartheid ended in South Africa ended in the early 1990a, Tutu urged the international community to punish the military junta of the late Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha with sanctions after it hanged environmental activist and playwright Ken Saro Wiwa and other activists in 1995. As evidence mounted of the killings of tens of thousands of people and displacement of many in Sudan's Darfur region, Tutu lashed out at African leaders for supporting and protecting then-Sudanese leader Omar al Bashir from an International Criminal Court warrant of arrest for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. He believed in the universality of human rights, Stephen Brown, a professor at the University of Ottawas School of Political Studies, said of Tutu. He held profound convictions no matter how risky or unpopular it could be to advocate what he believed in." Tutu repeatedly clashed with Zimbabwe's former ruler, the late Robert Mugabe, whom he said resembled a caricature of an African dictator. In turn, Mugabe dismissed Tutu for supporting gay rights, calling him an angry, evil and embittered little bishop. Africa's opposition leaders have mourned Tutu's death. A giant has fallen, tweeted Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine, a constant target of harassment by Ugandas government. If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor, tweeted a Tanzanian opposition party, the Alliance for Change and Transparency, repeating one of Tutus most famous quotes. MUTARE, Zimbabwe (AP) African leaders are paying tribute to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu for his fearless campaign that helped end South Africa's brutal apartheid regime and bring democracy to the country. But many of the same leaders have remained silent about the late Nobel Peace Prize winner's support for issues they're uncomfortable with, such as his support for LGBTQ rights, democratic freedoms and environmental issues. Tutu died Sunday at age 90. His casket is to lie in state Thursday and Friday at St. George's Anglican Cathedral in Cape Town, where the public is invited to file past to pay their respects ahead of a requiem Mass and funeral on New Year's Day. A celebration of Tutu's life, featuring the music and dancing that he loved, was held this week at Cape Town City Hall. Memorial services are planned in Johannesburg and other parts of South Africa. Tutu was a true son and icon of Africa. His contribution to the liberation struggle and unwavering position to peace, unity and good governance will forever be cherished, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said without mentioning his support for the LGBTQ people who are threatened with arrest in Tanzania. Africa has lost a monument, said Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye, accused by a U.N. commission in September of human rights violations. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who won the Nobel Peace Prize 25 years after Tutu did, praised his fellow laureate as the embodiment of the struggle for liberation, even though Tutu's foundation early this year warned that the war in Ethiopia's Tigray region amounted to genocide. Revered across the continent for opposing apartheid in South Africa and helping the countrys peaceful transition to majority rule, Tutu went on to tackle some of Africa's most thorny issues and its leaders. He criticized South African President Thabo Mbeki for denying HIV/AIDS and preventing the government from distributing life-saving treatments. He lambasted South Africa's next president, Jacob Zuma, for alleged corruption. He compared a proposed law criminalizing homosexuality in Uganda to apartheid South Africas laws that banned inter-racial sexual relations. Tutu was ahead of his time, Nic Cheeseman, a politics professor and specialist in African politics at the University of Birmingham in Britain, said. Many great people have one great fight in them, then they become blinkered and support the new status quo, Cheeseman said. Tutu continued to see injustice economic, racial and sexual and understood there were more battles to be won. He did not stop with the fall of apartheid. After apartheid ended in South Africa ended in the early 1990a, Tutu urged the international community to punish the military junta of the late Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha with sanctions after it hanged environmental activist and playwright Ken Saro Wiwa and other activists in 1995. As evidence mounted of the killings of tens of thousands of people and displacement of many in Sudan's Darfur region, Tutu lashed out at African leaders for supporting and protecting then-Sudanese leader Omar al Bashir from an International Criminal Court warrant of arrest for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. He believed in the universality of human rights, Stephen Brown, a professor at the University of Ottawas School of Political Studies, said of Tutu. He held profound convictions no matter how risky or unpopular it could be to advocate what he believed in." Tutu repeatedly clashed with Zimbabwe's former ruler, the late Robert Mugabe, whom he said resembled a caricature of an African dictator. In turn, Mugabe dismissed Tutu for supporting gay rights, calling him an angry, evil and embittered little bishop. Africa's opposition leaders have mourned Tutu's death. A giant has fallen, tweeted Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine, a constant target of harassment by Ugandas government. If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor, tweeted a Tanzanian opposition party, the Alliance for Change and Transparency, repeating one of Tutus most famous quotes. MUTARE, Zimbabwe (AP) African leaders are paying tribute to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu for his fearless campaign that helped end South Africa's brutal apartheid regime and bring democracy to the country. But many of the same leaders have remained silent about the late Nobel Peace Prize winner's support for issues they're uncomfortable with, such as his support for LGBTQ rights, democratic freedoms and environmental issues. Tutu died Sunday at age 90. His casket is to lie in state Thursday and Friday at St. George's Anglican Cathedral in Cape Town, where the public is invited to file past to pay their respects ahead of a requiem Mass and funeral on New Year's Day. A celebration of Tutu's life, featuring the music and dancing that he loved, was held this week at Cape Town City Hall. Memorial services are planned in Johannesburg and other parts of South Africa. Tutu was a true son and icon of Africa. His contribution to the liberation struggle and unwavering position to peace, unity and good governance will forever be cherished, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said without mentioning his support for the LGBTQ people who are threatened with arrest in Tanzania. Africa has lost a monument, said Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye, accused by a U.N. commission in September of human rights violations. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who won the Nobel Peace Prize 25 years after Tutu did, praised his fellow laureate as the embodiment of the struggle for liberation, even though Tutu's foundation early this year warned that the war in Ethiopia's Tigray region amounted to genocide. Revered across the continent for opposing apartheid in South Africa and helping the countrys peaceful transition to majority rule, Tutu went on to tackle some of Africa's most thorny issues and its leaders. He criticized South African President Thabo Mbeki for denying HIV/AIDS and preventing the government from distributing life-saving treatments. He lambasted South Africa's next president, Jacob Zuma, for alleged corruption. He compared a proposed law criminalizing homosexuality in Uganda to apartheid South Africas laws that banned inter-racial sexual relations. Tutu was ahead of his time, Nic Cheeseman, a politics professor and specialist in African politics at the University of Birmingham in Britain, said. Many great people have one great fight in them, then they become blinkered and support the new status quo, Cheeseman said. Tutu continued to see injustice economic, racial and sexual and understood there were more battles to be won. He did not stop with the fall of apartheid. After apartheid ended in South Africa ended in the early 1990a, Tutu urged the international community to punish the military junta of the late Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha with sanctions after it hanged environmental activist and playwright Ken Saro Wiwa and other activists in 1995. As evidence mounted of the killings of tens of thousands of people and displacement of many in Sudan's Darfur region, Tutu lashed out at African leaders for supporting and protecting then-Sudanese leader Omar al Bashir from an International Criminal Court warrant of arrest for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. He believed in the universality of human rights, Stephen Brown, a professor at the University of Ottawas School of Political Studies, said of Tutu. He held profound convictions no matter how risky or unpopular it could be to advocate what he believed in." Tutu repeatedly clashed with Zimbabwe's former ruler, the late Robert Mugabe, whom he said resembled a caricature of an African dictator. In turn, Mugabe dismissed Tutu for supporting gay rights, calling him an angry, evil and embittered little bishop. Africa's opposition leaders have mourned Tutu's death. A giant has fallen, tweeted Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine, a constant target of harassment by Ugandas government. If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor, tweeted a Tanzanian opposition party, the Alliance for Change and Transparency, repeating one of Tutus most famous quotes. MUTARE, Zimbabwe (AP) African leaders are paying tribute to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu for his fearless campaign that helped end South Africa's brutal apartheid regime and bring democracy to the country. But many of the same leaders have remained silent about the late Nobel Peace Prize winner's support for issues they're uncomfortable with, such as his support for LGBTQ rights, democratic freedoms and environmental issues. Tutu died Sunday at age 90. His casket is to lie in state Thursday and Friday at St. George's Anglican Cathedral in Cape Town, where the public is invited to file past to pay their respects ahead of a requiem Mass and funeral on New Year's Day. A celebration of Tutu's life, featuring the music and dancing that he loved, was held this week at Cape Town City Hall. Memorial services are planned in Johannesburg and other parts of South Africa. Tutu was a true son and icon of Africa. His contribution to the liberation struggle and unwavering position to peace, unity and good governance will forever be cherished, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said without mentioning his support for the LGBTQ people who are threatened with arrest in Tanzania. Africa has lost a monument, said Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye, accused by a U.N. commission in September of human rights violations. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who won the Nobel Peace Prize 25 years after Tutu did, praised his fellow laureate as the embodiment of the struggle for liberation, even though Tutu's foundation early this year warned that the war in Ethiopia's Tigray region amounted to genocide. Revered across the continent for opposing apartheid in South Africa and helping the countrys peaceful transition to majority rule, Tutu went on to tackle some of Africa's most thorny issues and its leaders. He criticized South African President Thabo Mbeki for denying HIV/AIDS and preventing the government from distributing life-saving treatments. He lambasted South Africa's next president, Jacob Zuma, for alleged corruption. He compared a proposed law criminalizing homosexuality in Uganda to apartheid South Africas laws that banned inter-racial sexual relations. Tutu was ahead of his time, Nic Cheeseman, a politics professor and specialist in African politics at the University of Birmingham in Britain, said. Many great people have one great fight in them, then they become blinkered and support the new status quo, Cheeseman said. Tutu continued to see injustice economic, racial and sexual and understood there were more battles to be won. He did not stop with the fall of apartheid. After apartheid ended in South Africa ended in the early 1990a, Tutu urged the international community to punish the military junta of the late Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha with sanctions after it hanged environmental activist and playwright Ken Saro Wiwa and other activists in 1995. As evidence mounted of the killings of tens of thousands of people and displacement of many in Sudan's Darfur region, Tutu lashed out at African leaders for supporting and protecting then-Sudanese leader Omar al Bashir from an International Criminal Court warrant of arrest for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. He believed in the universality of human rights, Stephen Brown, a professor at the University of Ottawas School of Political Studies, said of Tutu. He held profound convictions no matter how risky or unpopular it could be to advocate what he believed in." Tutu repeatedly clashed with Zimbabwe's former ruler, the late Robert Mugabe, whom he said resembled a caricature of an African dictator. In turn, Mugabe dismissed Tutu for supporting gay rights, calling him an angry, evil and embittered little bishop. Africa's opposition leaders have mourned Tutu's death. A giant has fallen, tweeted Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine, a constant target of harassment by Ugandas government. If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor, tweeted a Tanzanian opposition party, the Alliance for Change and Transparency, repeating one of Tutus most famous quotes. Celebrities share the stories behind their favourite photographs. This week it's actor and panto star Nigel Havers, 70. Actor and panto star Nigel Havers, 70 (pictured), shared the stories behind a selection of his favourtie snaps 1952: This is the day I was christened, with my father [former MP Sir Michael, later Baron, Havers], my mother, grandfather and older brother Philip. I was told my mother and father got quite drunk before the ceremony. As a child I was very sweet and very quiet, apparently, and I first started showing an interest in performing when I was about seven or eight and was at prep school 1981: We shot this scene from Chariots Of Fire at Eton because Cambridge refused to let us do it at the real location. Running behind me is Ben Cross, who sadly died in 2020. That film was so important in my career. We were the toast of the town at the Oscars, but then I had to fly back to London because I was doing Jackanory for the BBC, so I missed all the fun 1984: Director David Lean is in the carriage with me here while filming A Passage To India because he wanted to see what the shot would look like if the camera was in with me. During filming I was a go-between for David and Alec Guinness as they hadn't spoken properly for years after having a row while filming The Bridge On The River Kwai. They had tremendous respect for each other, they just didn't really talk 1986: Michael Caine played my father in the film The Whistle Blower. He took me out to lunch before we started shooting and said to me, 'Are you going to talk like me or am I going to have to posh up?' I said, 'You're going to have to posh up,' and he replied, 'OK, no worries.' Then on the first day of filming the cameras started rolling and his first words were 'Allo son' in his most Cockney accent. That was his poshing up. It didn't matter, though, because the whole point was that his character had saved up all his money to send me to a posh school. Michael's incredibly warm, funny and charismatic, and he still calls me 'Son' 1987: This is me with the beautiful Fiona Fullerton filming The Charmer I think we were at Brighton Pier. My character conned women out of money, which as you can imagine was great fun to play. I thought I overdid it a bit and was so evil that no one would ever want to cast me in anything ever again, but actually the opposite happened. People love a villain and playing nasty people is much easier. Being good can be quite tiring 1988: Don't Wait Up was a fantastic show and the cast were like another family to me. I admired Tony Britton (pictured with me) so much and he was a real tutor, teaching me a tremendous amount about how to play comedy. I absolutely adored him and he was like a second father. When my father died, Tony rang me and said, 'I'm really sorry to hear about that. If you don't mind I'll now be your father.' And I said, 'Fantastic!' 2009: In Coronation Street I played Lewis Archer, who was like a modern version of The Charmer. They just upped the stakes and, yes, I'm wearing a tuxedo again. With me here are Rula Lenska as Claudia [left] and Sue Nicholls as Audrey, and it was a joy to work with both of them. People say it's full-on working on soaps, but I loved how quick everything is. You can never go out as you have to learn your lines every night, but it was a great gig 2016: My gorgeous wife Georgiana and I are inseparable, but Julian Clary is the second love of my life. He's utterly wonderful and here we are on stage in Cinderella at the London Palladium. He's probably being rude to me, as that's what he does, and I'll be lapping it up. Watching him perform is incredible. We're back on stage together now in Pantoland at the London Palladium and I stand and just admire what he does every night. As told to Nick McGrath. Nigel Havers is in Pantoland at the London Palladium until 9 January, then goes back on tour with Noel Coward's comedy Private Lives until April 2022 Wouldn't you know it, less than a week after last week's Trail Mix column went to press, it was obsolete. In the holiday news lull, it had seemed like a good opportunity to take stock of the candidate line-ups in major Colorado races. While savvy political watchers have been expecting at least a few additional contenders for statewide and federal offices to emerge soon after the first of the new year not coincidentally, the start of a new fundraising quarter it seemed like a safe bet that the candidate roster would remain unchanged through the holidays. Republican Erik Aadland, however, had other plans. On Dec. 27, Aadland's campaign announced he was moving from the U.S. Senate race to the congressional contest in the Democratic-leaning 7th District, hoping to challenge U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter instead of U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet. The West Point graduate and former oil and gas company executive said he made the move because the terrain in the two races had changed significantly since he launched his Senate campaign in June. Since then, several Republicans with more political experience had joined the Senate primary, including a couple with the potential to pour millions of dollars into their own campaigns. What's more, the redistricting process had produced a more competitive 7th CD, putting Perlmutter in the sights of national Republicans hungry to flip as many seats as possible in what could be a GOP wave election. Many considerations go into any nascent candidate's determination about when to launch a campaign, with no one approach considered sure-fire. Still, there's little reward in kicking things off close to the end of a quarter virtually guaranteeing an underwhelming initial fundraising report and plenty of reasons to avoid trying to make a splash in the last half of December, when voters aren't particularly focused on politics. But once he'd arrived at the decision, it made as much sense for Aadland to make his move from one federal race to another on the Monday after Christmas as it would have to wait for a another news cycle. Switching races midstream isn't without its challenges, campaign veterans say. The optics can be bad if it looks like a candidate is merely office-shopping voters like to pick their elected officials, rather feel like it's the other way around but candidates who convey that they believe they can make a difference in a different race are unlikely to suffer from switching. It's a lot easier, too, to move from one federal race to another, or from one state-level race to another from Senate to House, like Aadland did, or from governor to attorney general, or vice versa, to cite another recent example because candidates can transfer money raised for one campaign to the other without running into complicated campaign finance issues. Aadland has some company among recent Colorado candidates, including another Republican who made the same exact switch a dozen years ago. Like Aadland this year, then-Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier spent nearly six months in 2009 seeking the nomination to challenge Bennet but then shifted late in the year from a Senate run to the 7th CD, eventually winning the nomination to face Perlmutter in November 2010. Frazier, one of the early entrants in Colorado's 2010 Republican U.S. Senate primary, attracted some national attention because he might have become only the second Black Republican elected to the Senate since Reconstruction. But by the time fall rolled around and after a couple of lackluster fundraising quarters, national Republicans recruited former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton into the race, and Frazier decided that his chances were better running against Perlmutter, who had become a top GOP target in what was shaping up to be a Republican wave year. "The 7th Congressional District represents the right path, right now to do my part in helping make America better," Frazier said. As it turned out, Frazier lost to Perlmutter by nearly 12 points after winning the primary over fresh face Lang Sias, who went on to serve in the Colorado legislature and run for lieutenant governor in 2018 and is running for state treasurer in next year's election. Norton lost the 2010 Senate primary to a dark horse candidate named Ken Buck, a district attorney who caught the fancy of tea party voters but lost to Bennet by less than 2 points. Four years later, Buck became the frontrunner in a crowded field of Republicans hoping to oust Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Udall in 2014. Again, however, national Republicans persuaded a heavyweight to join the Senate primary, sensing that Udall was vulnerable in the midterms with an unpopular Democrat occupying the White House. This time it was U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner, who abandoned his re-election bid in the 4th Congressional District and declared his candidacy for the Senate just days before precinct caucuses. Buck and most of the other leading Senate candidates cleared the way for Gardner to secure the nomination, though then-state Sen. Owen Hill dug in his heels before eventually withdrawing. Gardner prevailed at state assembly over then-state Sen. Randy Baumgardner, the only Senate candidate who stuck it out. Buck switched gears immediately to run for the suddenly open 4th CD seat at the same time Gardner announced his Senate bid, though he had to make it past a number of primary challengers to secure the nomination in the heavily Republican district. Both Republicans won in the fall after effectively swapping the offices they were seeking. Something similar happened in November 2017 ahead of the 2018 election when Republican Attorney General Cynthia Coffman ended months of speculation by jumping from her re-election campaign into the crowded GOP primary for governor. George Brauchler, at the time a district attorney who had been running for governor for months, traded places with Coffman days later, ending his gubernatorial bid and launching a run for attorney general. My decision to run for office has always been about my commitment to serving Colorado far more than it has been about the title of the elected position, Brauchler said. That commitment remains just as strong as we make this important change. Buck, by then a congressman, had spent months mulling a switch from a re-election run to a bid for attorney general while waiting for Coffman to make up her mind, but ultimately decided to make clear he was seeking a third term in the House, which he won easily. (He was elected last year to a fourth term and is seeking a fifth term in the 2022 election). Coffman failed to make the gubernatorial primary ballot, and Brauchler, who was unopposed for the GOP nomination, lost in November to Democrat Phil Weiser. Perlmutter did some switching of his own ahead of the 2018 election, including the exceedingly rare switch-back. After launching a campaign for governor in April 2017, he withdrew from the by-then-crowded primary in July, saying he wasn't going to seek re-election to the House but changed his mind a month later and announced he was running for a another term representing the 7th CD. He has won re-election twice by wide margins since making that decision and is seeking a ninth term next year. Perlmutter defeated Republican Casper Stockham last year following Stockham's last-minute switch from challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Jason Crow in the 6th Congressional District to challenging Perlmutter. It was Stockham's third consecutive run for Congress after losing twice to Democrat Diana DeGette in the 1st Congressional District. Democrat John Hickenlooper, a former two-term governor, made the switch in 2019 from his long-shot presidential bid to the 2020 U.S. Senate race, eventually winning the primary and unseating Gardner. TRAIL MIX | Heidi Ganahl peppers her stump speech with lofty goals and 'Karens' Ernest Luning notes that the Republican in the at-large post on the CU board of regents is sounding again like she has her eye on higher office. TRAIL MIX | In fiercely partisan DC, Joe Neguse leads Colorado's aisle-crossers Ernest Luning: "Neguse, of Lafayette, landed in the top 10% of House members on the scale, which measures how often lawmakers' legislation attracts co-sponsors from across the aisle and how often they sign on to bills sponsored by members of the other party." TRAIL MIX | The nine lives of Doug Lamborn Ernest Luning: "The Colorado Springs Republican, serving his eighth term in Congress, has had more close calls than a long-tailed cat on a porch full of rocking chairs." Ricky Gervais doesnt so much laugh as cackle. Hes doing it now, honking away, describing how he looked round after filming a particularly affecting scene in his comedy-drama After Life, to find the entire crew crying. He was crying too at the time, he says (while laughing). Actress Kerry Godliman who plays Lisa, Rickys character Tonys dead wife was reciting the poem Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep. Viewers never meet the live Lisa in the Netflix series, but follow the journey of the grieving Tony as he drags himself through life without her after her death from breast cancer. We get to know the couple through their happy home videos which Tony, a reporter on a local free paper, plays on a loop, mostly while drinking too much. During the third (and probably final?) series, available to stream on 14 January, we build up to the last video where Lisa, clad in a headscarf after chemo, effectively says goodbye. Everyone was a blubbering mess filming that one, he says. I mean, its such an amazing poem. I still dont know how anyone could have written it. Kerry did that scene in one take. I looked around and everyone was crying. Ricky Gervais, 60, (pictured) who lives in Hampstead, revealed how speaking to fans who've had their own experiences of loss influenced the new series of After Life Ricky said he didn't have to put himself in Tony's shoes because he knows he would be a wreck if he lost Jane. Pictured: Ricky as Tony with Kerry Godliman as Lisa in After Life So why is he in peals of laughter now? Therein lies the conundrum at the heart of the show, perhaps at the heart of Ricky himself. Some critics have struggled with After Life, not quite sure whether its a searing study of grief or a laugh-out-loud comedy. Ricky suggests its both. The older I get and the more I think about my work, and my life, the more I think there isnt that much between comedy and tragedy. Its a razors edge, really. The fact that there is a third series of After Life, which Ricky announced last month had amassed 100 million viewers, is significant. Hes never written a third series of anything. The Office, the comedy that launched his career, only had two, as did Extras and Derek. He wrote this series of After Life as the final one, which posed a huge dilemma. How to end Tonys story? Series one saw our unlikely hero contemplating slitting his wrists in the bath (he decides not to, because the couples dog appears at the door, hungry). Series two suggested he might find love again with a nurse in his fathers care home, but was he ready for this? Today he says he had five possible endings. One did indeed involve Tony ending his life, but did he dare go down that route? He chats about how hes been deluged with fans sharing their own stories of loss. Grief counsellors have praised the show, but urged him to tread carefully. One said to me, Please do not let Tony commit suicide, he reveals. Ricky (pictured), who has been with his partner, novelist Jane Fallon, for 40 years, said After Life is a love story exploring what would happen if the central character lost everything That had been one of the options, but I did feel a sense of responsibility about that not unusually, because I do worry about the effect on the real world but that decided it for me. I didnt feel that, for the sake of good drama, I could do that. Id feel arrogant assuming I knew enough about it. He has experienced bereavement (having lost both his parents and his eldest sibling) but always within the natural order, so not like this. He does know about love though. Hes been with his partner, novelist Jane Fallon, for 40 years. They met at university and started out broke, and now share a 10m home in Hampstead complete with pool and badminton court, as well as a home in New York. I know Id be a wreck if I lost my soulmate He always conceived After Life as a love story, albeit one where the wife just happens to be dead. He wanted to explore what would happen if his central character lost everything. And to me that would mean losing your life partner, your soulmate. And Ricky is a man who writes from experience. The Office was based on his time in a dead-end job. Extras was about his observations of Hollywood. Derek, set in a care home, was based on the things family members (who still work in the care system) told him. Did he put himself in Tonys shoes during the writing process, wondering how hed cope if he lost Jane? No, I dont have to do that because I know Id be a wreck, he says, cheerily. I think Id be worse than Tony. I just would. People have said to me about their own experiences, I thought I was going mad. I hated everyone. I can understand that. But time does heal. Someone told me their counsellor described grief as a heavy rucksack. Over time, it doesnt get any lighter, but you get better at carrying it. I like that. In the show, such advice is offered by Anne, played by Penelope Wilton. She first met Tony in the graveyard where she was visiting her dead husband and is further down the grief route than Tony. Netflix reportedly paid Ricky 30m to make After Life. Pictured: Ricky as Tony with his local newspaper colleagues in After Life Theres a lovely bit of grown-up altruism where she says that although shes suffering, she would rather be suffering than have him suffering, if shed been the one to die first, Ricky says. He reckons he could never be that grown-up. Im selfish. I want to go first, he admits. Greedy, scatty, miserable... meet Ricky's cast of oddballs Tonys acquaintances in After Life are a bunch of oddballs, but Ricky Gervais says theyre all true to life and he hand-picked the cast who play them. Tony Way, 43, who appears as newspaper photographer Lenny, has stayed in touch with Ricky since they worked together on The 11 OClock Show 20 years ago. The comedy world is very small, says Tony. Everyone knows everyone, but when Ricky asks you if you want to be involved in something, you say yes if you can because its always such a good experience. Not entirely flattering though. Id hesitate to say he wrote the part for me, but he did say he had me in mind. Im not sure thats the greatest compliment though, given that when he was telling me about this character he said, Hes greedy and a bit lazy. Ricky added aspects of Jo Hartley's real-life character as the series continued. Pictured: Jo Hartley and Tony Way as June and Lenny Comedian Joe Wilkinson, 46, agreed to appear in the show as miserable Postman Pat because he loves working with Ricky too, but as a very small cog in a big wheel didnt appear to have been particularly noticed after series one. Until he was, in the queue in his local post office. The man serving me at the counter was really dry with me and I apologised for being miserable in the show. He said, Its OK, lots of us are miserable. I believe Im up on the wall in a few post offices and I was offered an honorary thing a postperson-ship, I guess in Stoke. Pictured: Joe Wilkinson as Postman Pat Ricky also wrote the character of scatty June with Jo Hartley, 49, in mind, then added aspects from her real-life character as the series continued. She comments on the shows unique capacity to make everyone laugh and cry. I think anyone who has suffered a bereavement just gets it. My dad died from lung cancer when I was 17. At the time I was too young to take it on board, but that trauma comes with you. 'What Ricky has managed to do is to articulate it, not in a heavy way, but he doesnt try to protect the audience either. Its a privilege to be involved with a show that just matters. Advertisement Netflix reportedly paid him 30m to make After Life. This third series will probably divide the critics and leave Ricky, a master at polarising opinion, open to suggestions that the show is at once too sentimental and too smutty. This will be water off a ducks back to him. He didnt set out to write Friends, he points out. This is a very British production, devoid of gloss. If some of Tonys friends in the fictional town of Tambury seem a bit unsavoury, its because they are. Joe Wilkinson plays Postman Pat, who fell in love with a prostitute in series two, Jo Hartley is Tonys scatty-but-sage friend June, and Tony Way is cast as greedy photographer Lenny. If you compare it to American shows, everyone looks like a freak, Ricky admits. The characters are dishevelled, they wear weird clothes. They say stupid things. If you compare it to ER, it looks weird. But if you walk round Britain, thats what people look like, like me and Joe Wilkinson. We dont look like George Clooney and Brad Pitt. 'And yes, if you compare it to Terry And June or Friends, its too sweary, but if you walk around a building site or a school, its about right. I dont go anywhere where I dont hear people swearing. The real star of the show is Tonys dog Brandy, played by Anti, a German Shepherd with the most expressive eyes in TV history and Ricky thinks they bonded during filming. At the end of each series he had to say goodbye, which meant proper tears. I kept thinking, But she wont understand why she wont see me on Monday. Im probably overestimating how much she cares, but I like to think she genuinely loves me. Ricky loves dogs, cats, any animals really and campaigns for animal rights. He famously doesnt believe in God, but he does believe in dogs. They are my heroin, he admits. During lockdown, Jane and I walked every day. Every dog we met, we talked to. I must know 200 by name. Dogs are life-savers. The number of people who watched After Life and said to me, After my wife died, my dog saved me. Because they do. 'They can smell cancer. They cheer us up, guard us, guide us. A dog is the most amazing thing in the world. You couldnt invent it. Its too perfect. But you dont actually own a dog? No, because I travel and I couldnt bear the look on its face when I had to leave. But when I retire Ill buy a castle and fill it with rescue dogs. Back in the real world hes a cat person. For 16 years he and Jane shared their lives with Ollie, a cat who had her own Twitter account. Now they have Pickle, who is also on Twitter. Ricky becomes as serious as he ever is when he talks about having to have pets put down. Weve had to do it three times and I have cried my eyes out every time. I know a cat doesnt know whats going on, like your nan does, but its still a member of the family and there is a lovely co-dependent bond there. He says his experience weeping at the vets, saying goodbye in the kindest way, is precisely why he supports voluntary assisted euthanasia for humans. I know it to be a beautiful act of kindness and I dont know why there is resistance to it. Has he killed the show though? Will he write a fourth series if Netflix dangle more money? He laughs again. Never say never. He admits hes getting more serious as he gets older. He turned 60 in June and says hes turning into a Grumpy Old Man. He swears a lot at the TV, at politicians, at people who invite him to parties. Is it fair to say his work has become more serious? Running through his work from The Office to Extras and Derek, he agrees each has been a little more serious than the last. Derek was more philosophical, even existential, but After Life has the highest percentage of drama to comedy. 'I dont think its just because Im 60, whereas I was 40 when I wrote The Office. Sometimes you like to do different things. I could go backwards next. 'I could do a fake documentary about students. Comedy acting is hugely underrated, thats why I dont want to move away from it. Also, he points out, life is funny. Until it isnt. You laugh and laugh and then you find a lump, he says, then brightens at his own astuteness. I should have that on my gravestone. After Life is available to stream on Netflix from 14 January. Ricky Gervais doesnt so much laugh as cackle. Hes doing it now, honking away, describing how he looked round after filming a particularly affecting scene in his comedy-drama After Life, to find the entire crew crying. He was crying too at the time, he says (while laughing). Actress Kerry Godliman who plays Lisa, Rickys character Tonys dead wife was reciting the poem Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep. Viewers never meet the live Lisa in the Netflix series, but follow the journey of the grieving Tony as he drags himself through life without her after her death from breast cancer. We get to know the couple through their happy home videos which Tony, a reporter on a local free paper, plays on a loop, mostly while drinking too much. During the third (and probably final?) series, available to stream on 14 January, we build up to the last video where Lisa, clad in a headscarf after chemo, effectively says goodbye. Everyone was a blubbering mess filming that one, he says. I mean, its such an amazing poem. I still dont know how anyone could have written it. Kerry did that scene in one take. I looked around and everyone was crying. Ricky Gervais, 60, (pictured) who lives in Hampstead, revealed how speaking to fans who've had their own experiences of loss influenced the new series of After Life Ricky said he didn't have to put himself in Tony's shoes because he knows he would be a wreck if he lost Jane. Pictured: Ricky as Tony with Kerry Godliman as Lisa in After Life So why is he in peals of laughter now? Therein lies the conundrum at the heart of the show, perhaps at the heart of Ricky himself. Some critics have struggled with After Life, not quite sure whether its a searing study of grief or a laugh-out-loud comedy. Ricky suggests its both. The older I get and the more I think about my work, and my life, the more I think there isnt that much between comedy and tragedy. Its a razors edge, really. The fact that there is a third series of After Life, which Ricky announced last month had amassed 100 million viewers, is significant. Hes never written a third series of anything. The Office, the comedy that launched his career, only had two, as did Extras and Derek. He wrote this series of After Life as the final one, which posed a huge dilemma. How to end Tonys story? Series one saw our unlikely hero contemplating slitting his wrists in the bath (he decides not to, because the couples dog appears at the door, hungry). Series two suggested he might find love again with a nurse in his fathers care home, but was he ready for this? Today he says he had five possible endings. One did indeed involve Tony ending his life, but did he dare go down that route? He chats about how hes been deluged with fans sharing their own stories of loss. Grief counsellors have praised the show, but urged him to tread carefully. One said to me, Please do not let Tony commit suicide, he reveals. Ricky (pictured), who has been with his partner, novelist Jane Fallon, for 40 years, said After Life is a love story exploring what would happen if the central character lost everything That had been one of the options, but I did feel a sense of responsibility about that not unusually, because I do worry about the effect on the real world but that decided it for me. I didnt feel that, for the sake of good drama, I could do that. Id feel arrogant assuming I knew enough about it. He has experienced bereavement (having lost both his parents and his eldest sibling) but always within the natural order, so not like this. He does know about love though. Hes been with his partner, novelist Jane Fallon, for 40 years. They met at university and started out broke, and now share a 10m home in Hampstead complete with pool and badminton court, as well as a home in New York. I know Id be a wreck if I lost my soulmate He always conceived After Life as a love story, albeit one where the wife just happens to be dead. He wanted to explore what would happen if his central character lost everything. And to me that would mean losing your life partner, your soulmate. And Ricky is a man who writes from experience. The Office was based on his time in a dead-end job. Extras was about his observations of Hollywood. Derek, set in a care home, was based on the things family members (who still work in the care system) told him. Did he put himself in Tonys shoes during the writing process, wondering how hed cope if he lost Jane? No, I dont have to do that because I know Id be a wreck, he says, cheerily. I think Id be worse than Tony. I just would. People have said to me about their own experiences, I thought I was going mad. I hated everyone. I can understand that. But time does heal. Someone told me their counsellor described grief as a heavy rucksack. Over time, it doesnt get any lighter, but you get better at carrying it. I like that. In the show, such advice is offered by Anne, played by Penelope Wilton. She first met Tony in the graveyard where she was visiting her dead husband and is further down the grief route than Tony. Netflix reportedly paid Ricky 30m to make After Life. Pictured: Ricky as Tony with his local newspaper colleagues in After Life Theres a lovely bit of grown-up altruism where she says that although shes suffering, she would rather be suffering than have him suffering, if shed been the one to die first, Ricky says. He reckons he could never be that grown-up. Im selfish. I want to go first, he admits. Greedy, scatty, miserable... meet Ricky's cast of oddballs Tonys acquaintances in After Life are a bunch of oddballs, but Ricky Gervais says theyre all true to life and he hand-picked the cast who play them. Tony Way, 43, who appears as newspaper photographer Lenny, has stayed in touch with Ricky since they worked together on The 11 OClock Show 20 years ago. The comedy world is very small, says Tony. Everyone knows everyone, but when Ricky asks you if you want to be involved in something, you say yes if you can because its always such a good experience. Not entirely flattering though. Id hesitate to say he wrote the part for me, but he did say he had me in mind. Im not sure thats the greatest compliment though, given that when he was telling me about this character he said, Hes greedy and a bit lazy. Ricky added aspects of Jo Hartley's real-life character as the series continued. Pictured: Jo Hartley and Tony Way as June and Lenny Comedian Joe Wilkinson, 46, agreed to appear in the show as miserable Postman Pat because he loves working with Ricky too, but as a very small cog in a big wheel didnt appear to have been particularly noticed after series one. Until he was, in the queue in his local post office. The man serving me at the counter was really dry with me and I apologised for being miserable in the show. He said, Its OK, lots of us are miserable. I believe Im up on the wall in a few post offices and I was offered an honorary thing a postperson-ship, I guess in Stoke. Pictured: Joe Wilkinson as Postman Pat Ricky also wrote the character of scatty June with Jo Hartley, 49, in mind, then added aspects from her real-life character as the series continued. She comments on the shows unique capacity to make everyone laugh and cry. I think anyone who has suffered a bereavement just gets it. My dad died from lung cancer when I was 17. At the time I was too young to take it on board, but that trauma comes with you. 'What Ricky has managed to do is to articulate it, not in a heavy way, but he doesnt try to protect the audience either. Its a privilege to be involved with a show that just matters. Advertisement Netflix reportedly paid him 30m to make After Life. This third series will probably divide the critics and leave Ricky, a master at polarising opinion, open to suggestions that the show is at once too sentimental and too smutty. This will be water off a ducks back to him. He didnt set out to write Friends, he points out. This is a very British production, devoid of gloss. If some of Tonys friends in the fictional town of Tambury seem a bit unsavoury, its because they are. Joe Wilkinson plays Postman Pat, who fell in love with a prostitute in series two, Jo Hartley is Tonys scatty-but-sage friend June, and Tony Way is cast as greedy photographer Lenny. If you compare it to American shows, everyone looks like a freak, Ricky admits. The characters are dishevelled, they wear weird clothes. They say stupid things. If you compare it to ER, it looks weird. But if you walk round Britain, thats what people look like, like me and Joe Wilkinson. We dont look like George Clooney and Brad Pitt. 'And yes, if you compare it to Terry And June or Friends, its too sweary, but if you walk around a building site or a school, its about right. I dont go anywhere where I dont hear people swearing. The real star of the show is Tonys dog Brandy, played by Anti, a German Shepherd with the most expressive eyes in TV history and Ricky thinks they bonded during filming. At the end of each series he had to say goodbye, which meant proper tears. I kept thinking, But she wont understand why she wont see me on Monday. Im probably overestimating how much she cares, but I like to think she genuinely loves me. Ricky loves dogs, cats, any animals really and campaigns for animal rights. He famously doesnt believe in God, but he does believe in dogs. They are my heroin, he admits. During lockdown, Jane and I walked every day. Every dog we met, we talked to. I must know 200 by name. Dogs are life-savers. The number of people who watched After Life and said to me, After my wife died, my dog saved me. Because they do. 'They can smell cancer. They cheer us up, guard us, guide us. A dog is the most amazing thing in the world. You couldnt invent it. Its too perfect. But you dont actually own a dog? No, because I travel and I couldnt bear the look on its face when I had to leave. But when I retire Ill buy a castle and fill it with rescue dogs. Back in the real world hes a cat person. For 16 years he and Jane shared their lives with Ollie, a cat who had her own Twitter account. Now they have Pickle, who is also on Twitter. Ricky becomes as serious as he ever is when he talks about having to have pets put down. Weve had to do it three times and I have cried my eyes out every time. I know a cat doesnt know whats going on, like your nan does, but its still a member of the family and there is a lovely co-dependent bond there. He says his experience weeping at the vets, saying goodbye in the kindest way, is precisely why he supports voluntary assisted euthanasia for humans. I know it to be a beautiful act of kindness and I dont know why there is resistance to it. Has he killed the show though? Will he write a fourth series if Netflix dangle more money? He laughs again. Never say never. He admits hes getting more serious as he gets older. He turned 60 in June and says hes turning into a Grumpy Old Man. He swears a lot at the TV, at politicians, at people who invite him to parties. Is it fair to say his work has become more serious? Running through his work from The Office to Extras and Derek, he agrees each has been a little more serious than the last. Derek was more philosophical, even existential, but After Life has the highest percentage of drama to comedy. 'I dont think its just because Im 60, whereas I was 40 when I wrote The Office. Sometimes you like to do different things. I could go backwards next. 'I could do a fake documentary about students. Comedy acting is hugely underrated, thats why I dont want to move away from it. Also, he points out, life is funny. Until it isnt. You laugh and laugh and then you find a lump, he says, then brightens at his own astuteness. I should have that on my gravestone. After Life is available to stream on Netflix from 14 January. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. 2021 was a devastating year for Vietnam, with the worst-ever COVID-19 outbreak hitting all of the country's provinces and cities and spreading moments of sorrow, despair, love, and hope. It is thus not surprising that the list of Vietnams highlight moments this year is dominated by pandemic-related incidents. The fourth and worst COVID-19 wave began on April 27 and has so far caused over 1.7 million infections across all 63 provinces and cities in the country. Since the pandemic first hit the country early last year, Vietnam has logged 1,714,742 COVID-19-positive cases and over 32,100 deaths. Though the pandemic brought pain and loss to families across the country, it also reminded the Vietnamese people of their resolve and willingness to care for one another, even in the toughest of times. Citizens across Vietnam spent the year joining hands with local authorities to survive months of lockdown in order to reach a new normal that is meant to allow people to live safely with COVID-19. As of Thursday, over 77.5 million of the countrys 98 million people have received at least one dose while more than 67.7 million have been jabbed twice. Here are the highlight of 2021, captured through the lenses of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters: A border guard officer in Ha Giang Province on night patrol in 0-degree Celsius weather. Many people entered Vietnam illegally during the fourth COVID-19 outbreak, hindering the countrys pandemic prevention and control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre An ambulance travels along an empty street in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City at 7:00 pm on July 27, 2021, after municipal authorities began enforcing a movement restriction order after 6:00 pm to curb the pandemic. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Health workers transport a deceased COVID-19 patient at the COVID-19 Resuscitation Hospital in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Health workers take a COVID-19 patient who is suffering from difficulty breathing to the hospital in Nha Ba District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre A man carries his elderly family member to a vaccination site in Hanoi, September 12, 2021. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Thousands receive COVID-19 vaccine doses at Phu Tho Stadium in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre A little girl and her family are brought to a concentrated quarantine facility after coming into direct contact with a COVID-19 patient in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Vietnamese Saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan performs a song to doctors and patients at a makeshift COVID-19 hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Huynh Quang Nhat Long (L) delivers an oxygen tank to a COVID-19 patient at an isolated area in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Dr. Tran Thanh Linh has red marks on his face and neck after wearing face masks for long hours at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Merchants provide their phone numbers as markets are closed during a social distancing in Hanoi. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Military officers disinfect a street in Hanoi in late July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre A woman bows in front of the ashes of her mother who died of COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City. Deceased COVID-19 patients were cremated at Binh Hung Hoa in Binh Tan District before their ashes were taken to their family members. Photo: Thanh Minh / Tuoi Tre Health workers help a COVID-19 patient deliver a baby at Hung Vuong Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre Students return to class on a trial basis on Thach An Island in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City, October 20, 2021 following months of remote learning. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Thousands of fruit-carrying trucks wait for clearance at a border gate between Vietnams Son La Province and China in mid-December 2021 as the neighboring country tightens COVID-19 control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at a press conference at the end of her business trip to Vietnam from August 24 to 26. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre A shipment of COVID-19 vaccine donated by the U.S. via the COVAX Facility arrives at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi in July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! 2021 was a devastating year for Vietnam, with the worst-ever COVID-19 outbreak hitting all of the country's provinces and cities and spreading moments of sorrow, despair, love, and hope. It is thus not surprising that the list of Vietnams highlight moments this year is dominated by pandemic-related incidents. The fourth and worst COVID-19 wave began on April 27 and has so far caused over 1.7 million infections across all 63 provinces and cities in the country. Since the pandemic first hit the country early last year, Vietnam has logged 1,714,742 COVID-19-positive cases and over 32,100 deaths. Though the pandemic brought pain and loss to families across the country, it also reminded the Vietnamese people of their resolve and willingness to care for one another, even in the toughest of times. Citizens across Vietnam spent the year joining hands with local authorities to survive months of lockdown in order to reach a new normal that is meant to allow people to live safely with COVID-19. As of Thursday, over 77.5 million of the countrys 98 million people have received at least one dose while more than 67.7 million have been jabbed twice. Here are the highlight of 2021, captured through the lenses of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters: A border guard officer in Ha Giang Province on night patrol in 0-degree Celsius weather. Many people entered Vietnam illegally during the fourth COVID-19 outbreak, hindering the countrys pandemic prevention and control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre An ambulance travels along an empty street in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City at 7:00 pm on July 27, 2021, after municipal authorities began enforcing a movement restriction order after 6:00 pm to curb the pandemic. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Health workers transport a deceased COVID-19 patient at the COVID-19 Resuscitation Hospital in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Health workers take a COVID-19 patient who is suffering from difficulty breathing to the hospital in Nha Ba District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre A man carries his elderly family member to a vaccination site in Hanoi, September 12, 2021. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Thousands receive COVID-19 vaccine doses at Phu Tho Stadium in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre A little girl and her family are brought to a concentrated quarantine facility after coming into direct contact with a COVID-19 patient in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Vietnamese Saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan performs a song to doctors and patients at a makeshift COVID-19 hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Huynh Quang Nhat Long (L) delivers an oxygen tank to a COVID-19 patient at an isolated area in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Dr. Tran Thanh Linh has red marks on his face and neck after wearing face masks for long hours at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Merchants provide their phone numbers as markets are closed during a social distancing in Hanoi. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Military officers disinfect a street in Hanoi in late July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre A woman bows in front of the ashes of her mother who died of COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City. Deceased COVID-19 patients were cremated at Binh Hung Hoa in Binh Tan District before their ashes were taken to their family members. Photo: Thanh Minh / Tuoi Tre Health workers help a COVID-19 patient deliver a baby at Hung Vuong Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre Students return to class on a trial basis on Thach An Island in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City, October 20, 2021 following months of remote learning. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Thousands of fruit-carrying trucks wait for clearance at a border gate between Vietnams Son La Province and China in mid-December 2021 as the neighboring country tightens COVID-19 control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at a press conference at the end of her business trip to Vietnam from August 24 to 26. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre A shipment of COVID-19 vaccine donated by the U.S. via the COVAX Facility arrives at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi in July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! 2021 was a devastating year for Vietnam, with the worst-ever COVID-19 outbreak hitting all of the country's provinces and cities and spreading moments of sorrow, despair, love, and hope. It is thus not surprising that the list of Vietnams highlight moments this year is dominated by pandemic-related incidents. The fourth and worst COVID-19 wave began on April 27 and has so far caused over 1.7 million infections across all 63 provinces and cities in the country. Since the pandemic first hit the country early last year, Vietnam has logged 1,714,742 COVID-19-positive cases and over 32,100 deaths. Though the pandemic brought pain and loss to families across the country, it also reminded the Vietnamese people of their resolve and willingness to care for one another, even in the toughest of times. Citizens across Vietnam spent the year joining hands with local authorities to survive months of lockdown in order to reach a new normal that is meant to allow people to live safely with COVID-19. As of Thursday, over 77.5 million of the countrys 98 million people have received at least one dose while more than 67.7 million have been jabbed twice. Here are the highlight of 2021, captured through the lenses of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters: A border guard officer in Ha Giang Province on night patrol in 0-degree Celsius weather. Many people entered Vietnam illegally during the fourth COVID-19 outbreak, hindering the countrys pandemic prevention and control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre An ambulance travels along an empty street in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City at 7:00 pm on July 27, 2021, after municipal authorities began enforcing a movement restriction order after 6:00 pm to curb the pandemic. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Health workers transport a deceased COVID-19 patient at the COVID-19 Resuscitation Hospital in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Health workers take a COVID-19 patient who is suffering from difficulty breathing to the hospital in Nha Ba District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre A man carries his elderly family member to a vaccination site in Hanoi, September 12, 2021. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Thousands receive COVID-19 vaccine doses at Phu Tho Stadium in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre A little girl and her family are brought to a concentrated quarantine facility after coming into direct contact with a COVID-19 patient in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Vietnamese Saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan performs a song to doctors and patients at a makeshift COVID-19 hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Huynh Quang Nhat Long (L) delivers an oxygen tank to a COVID-19 patient at an isolated area in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Dr. Tran Thanh Linh has red marks on his face and neck after wearing face masks for long hours at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Merchants provide their phone numbers as markets are closed during a social distancing in Hanoi. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Military officers disinfect a street in Hanoi in late July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre A woman bows in front of the ashes of her mother who died of COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City. Deceased COVID-19 patients were cremated at Binh Hung Hoa in Binh Tan District before their ashes were taken to their family members. Photo: Thanh Minh / Tuoi Tre Health workers help a COVID-19 patient deliver a baby at Hung Vuong Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre Students return to class on a trial basis on Thach An Island in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City, October 20, 2021 following months of remote learning. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Thousands of fruit-carrying trucks wait for clearance at a border gate between Vietnams Son La Province and China in mid-December 2021 as the neighboring country tightens COVID-19 control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at a press conference at the end of her business trip to Vietnam from August 24 to 26. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre A shipment of COVID-19 vaccine donated by the U.S. via the COVAX Facility arrives at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi in July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! 2021 was a devastating year for Vietnam, with the worst-ever COVID-19 outbreak hitting all of the country's provinces and cities and spreading moments of sorrow, despair, love, and hope. It is thus not surprising that the list of Vietnams highlight moments this year is dominated by pandemic-related incidents. The fourth and worst COVID-19 wave began on April 27 and has so far caused over 1.7 million infections across all 63 provinces and cities in the country. Since the pandemic first hit the country early last year, Vietnam has logged 1,714,742 COVID-19-positive cases and over 32,100 deaths. Though the pandemic brought pain and loss to families across the country, it also reminded the Vietnamese people of their resolve and willingness to care for one another, even in the toughest of times. Citizens across Vietnam spent the year joining hands with local authorities to survive months of lockdown in order to reach a new normal that is meant to allow people to live safely with COVID-19. As of Thursday, over 77.5 million of the countrys 98 million people have received at least one dose while more than 67.7 million have been jabbed twice. Here are the highlight of 2021, captured through the lenses of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters: A border guard officer in Ha Giang Province on night patrol in 0-degree Celsius weather. Many people entered Vietnam illegally during the fourth COVID-19 outbreak, hindering the countrys pandemic prevention and control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre An ambulance travels along an empty street in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City at 7:00 pm on July 27, 2021, after municipal authorities began enforcing a movement restriction order after 6:00 pm to curb the pandemic. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Health workers transport a deceased COVID-19 patient at the COVID-19 Resuscitation Hospital in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Health workers take a COVID-19 patient who is suffering from difficulty breathing to the hospital in Nha Ba District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre A man carries his elderly family member to a vaccination site in Hanoi, September 12, 2021. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Thousands receive COVID-19 vaccine doses at Phu Tho Stadium in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre A little girl and her family are brought to a concentrated quarantine facility after coming into direct contact with a COVID-19 patient in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Vietnamese Saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan performs a song to doctors and patients at a makeshift COVID-19 hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Huynh Quang Nhat Long (L) delivers an oxygen tank to a COVID-19 patient at an isolated area in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Dr. Tran Thanh Linh has red marks on his face and neck after wearing face masks for long hours at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Merchants provide their phone numbers as markets are closed during a social distancing in Hanoi. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Military officers disinfect a street in Hanoi in late July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre A woman bows in front of the ashes of her mother who died of COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City. Deceased COVID-19 patients were cremated at Binh Hung Hoa in Binh Tan District before their ashes were taken to their family members. Photo: Thanh Minh / Tuoi Tre Health workers help a COVID-19 patient deliver a baby at Hung Vuong Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre Students return to class on a trial basis on Thach An Island in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City, October 20, 2021 following months of remote learning. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Thousands of fruit-carrying trucks wait for clearance at a border gate between Vietnams Son La Province and China in mid-December 2021 as the neighboring country tightens COVID-19 control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at a press conference at the end of her business trip to Vietnam from August 24 to 26. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre A shipment of COVID-19 vaccine donated by the U.S. via the COVAX Facility arrives at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi in July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald has spent the holidays soaking up the sun in South Australia. Earlier this week, the media personality was spotted enjoying the beach with his two boys Lenny and Hewson in Port Noarlunga. The 45-year-old looked every inch the doting dad as he ran along the sand with his shirt off. Holiday: Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald was spotted enjoying a swim at South Australia's Port Noarlunga earlier this week At one point, he splashed around in the water with Lenny and Hewson, even catching one of the boys as he leaped into his arms. Fitzy was joined by another couple, most likely some friends, for the sunny afternoon out. The former Big Brother star went shirtless for the outing, but wore a pair of navy board shorts to swim in. The beachy holiday comes as Fitzy and his wife Belinda Jay started renovating a mansion in Fitzy's home state of South Australia. Fitzy's second home is based in the beachside suburb of Port Noarlunga just 34 kilometres south of Adelaide. Family time: The 45-year-old splashed around with his two sons Lenny and Hewson Fun! At one point, he even caught one of the boys as he leaped into his arms It was purchased in 2008 - but this has been completely demolished to make way for a multi-level pad overlooking the beach. Despite relocating to Sydney to host popular radio show Fitzy and Wippa, Ryan has in the past revealed plans to return to Adelaide with his family including Belinda and his two sons Hewy, 12, and Lenny, eight. 'We will end up back at Port Noarlunga to live,' Fitzgerald told RealEstate.com in 2015. 'Im really enjoying my time in Sydney but I really want my kids to have that life the childhood I had, I would not change it for the world,' he added at the time. The couple married in 2008. Fitzy had played for the Adelaide Crows in 2002 before his retirement from the AFL. Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald has spent the holidays soaking up the sun in South Australia. Earlier this week, the media personality was spotted enjoying the beach with his two boys Lenny and Hewson in Port Noarlunga. The 45-year-old looked every inch the doting dad as he ran along the sand with his shirt off. Holiday: Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald was spotted enjoying a swim at South Australia's Port Noarlunga earlier this week At one point, he splashed around in the water with Lenny and Hewson, even catching one of the boys as he leaped into his arms. Fitzy was joined by another couple, most likely some friends, for the sunny afternoon out. The former Big Brother star went shirtless for the outing, but wore a pair of navy board shorts to swim in. The beachy holiday comes as Fitzy and his wife Belinda Jay started renovating a mansion in Fitzy's home state of South Australia. Fitzy's second home is based in the beachside suburb of Port Noarlunga just 34 kilometres south of Adelaide. Family time: The 45-year-old splashed around with his two sons Lenny and Hewson Fun! At one point, he even caught one of the boys as he leaped into his arms It was purchased in 2008 - but this has been completely demolished to make way for a multi-level pad overlooking the beach. Despite relocating to Sydney to host popular radio show Fitzy and Wippa, Ryan has in the past revealed plans to return to Adelaide with his family including Belinda and his two sons Hewy, 12, and Lenny, eight. 'We will end up back at Port Noarlunga to live,' Fitzgerald told RealEstate.com in 2015. 'Im really enjoying my time in Sydney but I really want my kids to have that life the childhood I had, I would not change it for the world,' he added at the time. The couple married in 2008. Fitzy had played for the Adelaide Crows in 2002 before his retirement from the AFL. Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald has spent the holidays soaking up the sun in South Australia. Earlier this week, the media personality was spotted enjoying the beach with his two boys Lenny and Hewson in Port Noarlunga. The 45-year-old looked every inch the doting dad as he ran along the sand with his shirt off. Holiday: Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald was spotted enjoying a swim at South Australia's Port Noarlunga earlier this week At one point, he splashed around in the water with Lenny and Hewson, even catching one of the boys as he leaped into his arms. Fitzy was joined by another couple, most likely some friends, for the sunny afternoon out. The former Big Brother star went shirtless for the outing, but wore a pair of navy board shorts to swim in. The beachy holiday comes as Fitzy and his wife Belinda Jay started renovating a mansion in Fitzy's home state of South Australia. Fitzy's second home is based in the beachside suburb of Port Noarlunga just 34 kilometres south of Adelaide. Family time: The 45-year-old splashed around with his two sons Lenny and Hewson Fun! At one point, he even caught one of the boys as he leaped into his arms It was purchased in 2008 - but this has been completely demolished to make way for a multi-level pad overlooking the beach. Despite relocating to Sydney to host popular radio show Fitzy and Wippa, Ryan has in the past revealed plans to return to Adelaide with his family including Belinda and his two sons Hewy, 12, and Lenny, eight. 'We will end up back at Port Noarlunga to live,' Fitzgerald told RealEstate.com in 2015. 'Im really enjoying my time in Sydney but I really want my kids to have that life the childhood I had, I would not change it for the world,' he added at the time. The couple married in 2008. Fitzy had played for the Adelaide Crows in 2002 before his retirement from the AFL. Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald has spent the holidays soaking up the sun in South Australia. Earlier this week, the media personality was spotted enjoying the beach with his two boys Lenny and Hewson in Port Noarlunga. The 45-year-old looked every inch the doting dad as he ran along the sand with his shirt off. Holiday: Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald was spotted enjoying a swim at South Australia's Port Noarlunga earlier this week At one point, he splashed around in the water with Lenny and Hewson, even catching one of the boys as he leaped into his arms. Fitzy was joined by another couple, most likely some friends, for the sunny afternoon out. The former Big Brother star went shirtless for the outing, but wore a pair of navy board shorts to swim in. The beachy holiday comes as Fitzy and his wife Belinda Jay started renovating a mansion in Fitzy's home state of South Australia. Fitzy's second home is based in the beachside suburb of Port Noarlunga just 34 kilometres south of Adelaide. Family time: The 45-year-old splashed around with his two sons Lenny and Hewson Fun! At one point, he even caught one of the boys as he leaped into his arms It was purchased in 2008 - but this has been completely demolished to make way for a multi-level pad overlooking the beach. Despite relocating to Sydney to host popular radio show Fitzy and Wippa, Ryan has in the past revealed plans to return to Adelaide with his family including Belinda and his two sons Hewy, 12, and Lenny, eight. 'We will end up back at Port Noarlunga to live,' Fitzgerald told RealEstate.com in 2015. 'Im really enjoying my time in Sydney but I really want my kids to have that life the childhood I had, I would not change it for the world,' he added at the time. The couple married in 2008. Fitzy had played for the Adelaide Crows in 2002 before his retirement from the AFL. China's moves to build villages along its disputed boundary with India and to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh in its own languages are all linked to its ploy to take advantage of a bilateral agreement inked in 2005 and to sway the boundary negotiation in its favour. The Chinese government is also set to bring into force a new land boundary law on Saturday. The law, which was adopted on October 23, emphasises the role of the civilian population in protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China. India has dismissed Beijings latest move to assign new names to eight residential places, four mountains, two rivers and a mountain pass in Arunachal Pradesh, but it has also been increasingly worried over China's intent to take advantage of the Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for Settlement of the Boundary Question, which India and China had signed in 2005. Also read: India insisted on 'complete disengagement' in all its talks with China on eastern Ladakh row: Centre The Article VII of the 2005 India-China agreement says that the two sides shall safeguard interests of settled populations in the border areas while clinching a deal to resolve the boundary row. The India-China boundary negotiation led by the Special Representatives of the two governments remained stalled since the two sides got engaged in a military stand-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh in April-May 2020. But India suspects that China is trying to strengthen its territorial claims in anticipation of resumption of negotiation in future not only by building villages in the territories of India and Bhutan, but also by renaming places in Arunachal Pradesh. China is clearly preparing to counter India's territorial claims by citing the border villages as well as the habitats named in Mandarin Chinese in Arunachal Pradesh, a source aware of the course of the boundary negotiations told DH. China's new Land Border Law's emphasis on development of villages and towns in the border areas and role of civilians in protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity indicates that it would expand settlements all along its disputed boundaries with India and Bhutan. Zangnan (the southern part of Chinas Tibet) is located in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. It has been Chinas territory since ancient times. Chinas ethnic minorities such as the Moinba and Tibetan ethnic groups have lived and worked in this area for a long time, and many place names have been passed down," Zhao Lijian, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Chinese Government, said in Beijing. Watch the latest DH videos here: Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. China's moves to build villages along its disputed boundary with India and to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh in its own languages are all linked to its ploy to take advantage of a bilateral agreement inked in 2005 and to sway the boundary negotiation in its favour. The Chinese government is also set to bring into force a new land boundary law on Saturday. The law, which was adopted on October 23, emphasises the role of the civilian population in protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China. India has dismissed Beijings latest move to assign new names to eight residential places, four mountains, two rivers and a mountain pass in Arunachal Pradesh, but it has also been increasingly worried over China's intent to take advantage of the Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for Settlement of the Boundary Question, which India and China had signed in 2005. Also read: India insisted on 'complete disengagement' in all its talks with China on eastern Ladakh row: Centre The Article VII of the 2005 India-China agreement says that the two sides shall safeguard interests of settled populations in the border areas while clinching a deal to resolve the boundary row. The India-China boundary negotiation led by the Special Representatives of the two governments remained stalled since the two sides got engaged in a military stand-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh in April-May 2020. But India suspects that China is trying to strengthen its territorial claims in anticipation of resumption of negotiation in future not only by building villages in the territories of India and Bhutan, but also by renaming places in Arunachal Pradesh. China is clearly preparing to counter India's territorial claims by citing the border villages as well as the habitats named in Mandarin Chinese in Arunachal Pradesh, a source aware of the course of the boundary negotiations told DH. China's new Land Border Law's emphasis on development of villages and towns in the border areas and role of civilians in protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity indicates that it would expand settlements all along its disputed boundaries with India and Bhutan. Zangnan (the southern part of Chinas Tibet) is located in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. It has been Chinas territory since ancient times. Chinas ethnic minorities such as the Moinba and Tibetan ethnic groups have lived and worked in this area for a long time, and many place names have been passed down," Zhao Lijian, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Chinese Government, said in Beijing. Watch the latest DH videos here: China's moves to build villages along its disputed boundary with India and to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh in its own languages are all linked to its ploy to take advantage of a bilateral agreement inked in 2005 and to sway the boundary negotiation in its favour. The Chinese government is also set to bring into force a new land boundary law on Saturday. The law, which was adopted on October 23, emphasises the role of the civilian population in protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China. India has dismissed Beijings latest move to assign new names to eight residential places, four mountains, two rivers and a mountain pass in Arunachal Pradesh, but it has also been increasingly worried over China's intent to take advantage of the Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for Settlement of the Boundary Question, which India and China had signed in 2005. Also read: India insisted on 'complete disengagement' in all its talks with China on eastern Ladakh row: Centre The Article VII of the 2005 India-China agreement says that the two sides shall safeguard interests of settled populations in the border areas while clinching a deal to resolve the boundary row. The India-China boundary negotiation led by the Special Representatives of the two governments remained stalled since the two sides got engaged in a military stand-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh in April-May 2020. But India suspects that China is trying to strengthen its territorial claims in anticipation of resumption of negotiation in future not only by building villages in the territories of India and Bhutan, but also by renaming places in Arunachal Pradesh. China is clearly preparing to counter India's territorial claims by citing the border villages as well as the habitats named in Mandarin Chinese in Arunachal Pradesh, a source aware of the course of the boundary negotiations told DH. China's new Land Border Law's emphasis on development of villages and towns in the border areas and role of civilians in protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity indicates that it would expand settlements all along its disputed boundaries with India and Bhutan. Zangnan (the southern part of Chinas Tibet) is located in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. It has been Chinas territory since ancient times. Chinas ethnic minorities such as the Moinba and Tibetan ethnic groups have lived and worked in this area for a long time, and many place names have been passed down," Zhao Lijian, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Chinese Government, said in Beijing. Watch the latest DH videos here: 2021 was a devastating year for Vietnam, with the worst-ever COVID-19 outbreak hitting all of the country's provinces and cities and spreading moments of sorrow, despair, love, and hope. It is thus not surprising that the list of Vietnams highlight moments this year is dominated by pandemic-related incidents. The fourth and worst COVID-19 wave began on April 27 and has so far caused over 1.7 million infections across all 63 provinces and cities in the country. Since the pandemic first hit the country early last year, Vietnam has logged 1,714,742 COVID-19-positive cases and over 32,100 deaths. Though the pandemic brought pain and loss to families across the country, it also reminded the Vietnamese people of their resolve and willingness to care for one another, even in the toughest of times. Citizens across Vietnam spent the year joining hands with local authorities to survive months of lockdown in order to reach a new normal that is meant to allow people to live safely with COVID-19. As of Thursday, over 77.5 million of the countrys 98 million people have received at least one dose while more than 67.7 million have been jabbed twice. Here are the highlight of 2021, captured through the lenses of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters: A border guard officer in Ha Giang Province on night patrol in 0-degree Celsius weather. Many people entered Vietnam illegally during the fourth COVID-19 outbreak, hindering the countrys pandemic prevention and control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre An ambulance travels along an empty street in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City at 7:00 pm on July 27, 2021, after municipal authorities began enforcing a movement restriction order after 6:00 pm to curb the pandemic. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Health workers transport a deceased COVID-19 patient at the COVID-19 Resuscitation Hospital in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Health workers take a COVID-19 patient who is suffering from difficulty breathing to the hospital in Nha Ba District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre A man carries his elderly family member to a vaccination site in Hanoi, September 12, 2021. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Thousands receive COVID-19 vaccine doses at Phu Tho Stadium in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre A little girl and her family are brought to a concentrated quarantine facility after coming into direct contact with a COVID-19 patient in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Vietnamese Saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan performs a song to doctors and patients at a makeshift COVID-19 hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Huynh Quang Nhat Long (L) delivers an oxygen tank to a COVID-19 patient at an isolated area in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Dr. Tran Thanh Linh has red marks on his face and neck after wearing face masks for long hours at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Merchants provide their phone numbers as markets are closed during a social distancing in Hanoi. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Military officers disinfect a street in Hanoi in late July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre A woman bows in front of the ashes of her mother who died of COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City. Deceased COVID-19 patients were cremated at Binh Hung Hoa in Binh Tan District before their ashes were taken to their family members. Photo: Thanh Minh / Tuoi Tre Health workers help a COVID-19 patient deliver a baby at Hung Vuong Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre Students return to class on a trial basis on Thach An Island in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City, October 20, 2021 following months of remote learning. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Thousands of fruit-carrying trucks wait for clearance at a border gate between Vietnams Son La Province and China in mid-December 2021 as the neighboring country tightens COVID-19 control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at a press conference at the end of her business trip to Vietnam from August 24 to 26. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre A shipment of COVID-19 vaccine donated by the U.S. via the COVAX Facility arrives at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi in July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! 2021 was a devastating year for Vietnam, with the worst-ever COVID-19 outbreak hitting all of the country's provinces and cities and spreading moments of sorrow, despair, love, and hope. It is thus not surprising that the list of Vietnams highlight moments this year is dominated by pandemic-related incidents. The fourth and worst COVID-19 wave began on April 27 and has so far caused over 1.7 million infections across all 63 provinces and cities in the country. Since the pandemic first hit the country early last year, Vietnam has logged 1,714,742 COVID-19-positive cases and over 32,100 deaths. Though the pandemic brought pain and loss to families across the country, it also reminded the Vietnamese people of their resolve and willingness to care for one another, even in the toughest of times. Citizens across Vietnam spent the year joining hands with local authorities to survive months of lockdown in order to reach a new normal that is meant to allow people to live safely with COVID-19. As of Thursday, over 77.5 million of the countrys 98 million people have received at least one dose while more than 67.7 million have been jabbed twice. Here are the highlight of 2021, captured through the lenses of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters: A border guard officer in Ha Giang Province on night patrol in 0-degree Celsius weather. Many people entered Vietnam illegally during the fourth COVID-19 outbreak, hindering the countrys pandemic prevention and control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre An ambulance travels along an empty street in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City at 7:00 pm on July 27, 2021, after municipal authorities began enforcing a movement restriction order after 6:00 pm to curb the pandemic. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Health workers transport a deceased COVID-19 patient at the COVID-19 Resuscitation Hospital in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Health workers take a COVID-19 patient who is suffering from difficulty breathing to the hospital in Nha Ba District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre A man carries his elderly family member to a vaccination site in Hanoi, September 12, 2021. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Thousands receive COVID-19 vaccine doses at Phu Tho Stadium in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre A little girl and her family are brought to a concentrated quarantine facility after coming into direct contact with a COVID-19 patient in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Vietnamese Saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan performs a song to doctors and patients at a makeshift COVID-19 hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Huynh Quang Nhat Long (L) delivers an oxygen tank to a COVID-19 patient at an isolated area in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Dr. Tran Thanh Linh has red marks on his face and neck after wearing face masks for long hours at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Merchants provide their phone numbers as markets are closed during a social distancing in Hanoi. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Military officers disinfect a street in Hanoi in late July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre A woman bows in front of the ashes of her mother who died of COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City. Deceased COVID-19 patients were cremated at Binh Hung Hoa in Binh Tan District before their ashes were taken to their family members. Photo: Thanh Minh / Tuoi Tre Health workers help a COVID-19 patient deliver a baby at Hung Vuong Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre Students return to class on a trial basis on Thach An Island in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City, October 20, 2021 following months of remote learning. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Thousands of fruit-carrying trucks wait for clearance at a border gate between Vietnams Son La Province and China in mid-December 2021 as the neighboring country tightens COVID-19 control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at a press conference at the end of her business trip to Vietnam from August 24 to 26. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre A shipment of COVID-19 vaccine donated by the U.S. via the COVAX Facility arrives at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi in July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! 2021 was a devastating year for Vietnam, with the worst-ever COVID-19 outbreak hitting all of the country's provinces and cities and spreading moments of sorrow, despair, love, and hope. It is thus not surprising that the list of Vietnams highlight moments this year is dominated by pandemic-related incidents. The fourth and worst COVID-19 wave began on April 27 and has so far caused over 1.7 million infections across all 63 provinces and cities in the country. Since the pandemic first hit the country early last year, Vietnam has logged 1,714,742 COVID-19-positive cases and over 32,100 deaths. Though the pandemic brought pain and loss to families across the country, it also reminded the Vietnamese people of their resolve and willingness to care for one another, even in the toughest of times. Citizens across Vietnam spent the year joining hands with local authorities to survive months of lockdown in order to reach a new normal that is meant to allow people to live safely with COVID-19. As of Thursday, over 77.5 million of the countrys 98 million people have received at least one dose while more than 67.7 million have been jabbed twice. Here are the highlight of 2021, captured through the lenses of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters: A border guard officer in Ha Giang Province on night patrol in 0-degree Celsius weather. Many people entered Vietnam illegally during the fourth COVID-19 outbreak, hindering the countrys pandemic prevention and control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre An ambulance travels along an empty street in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City at 7:00 pm on July 27, 2021, after municipal authorities began enforcing a movement restriction order after 6:00 pm to curb the pandemic. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Health workers transport a deceased COVID-19 patient at the COVID-19 Resuscitation Hospital in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Health workers take a COVID-19 patient who is suffering from difficulty breathing to the hospital in Nha Ba District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre A man carries his elderly family member to a vaccination site in Hanoi, September 12, 2021. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Thousands receive COVID-19 vaccine doses at Phu Tho Stadium in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre A little girl and her family are brought to a concentrated quarantine facility after coming into direct contact with a COVID-19 patient in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Vietnamese Saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan performs a song to doctors and patients at a makeshift COVID-19 hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Huynh Quang Nhat Long (L) delivers an oxygen tank to a COVID-19 patient at an isolated area in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Dr. Tran Thanh Linh has red marks on his face and neck after wearing face masks for long hours at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Merchants provide their phone numbers as markets are closed during a social distancing in Hanoi. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Military officers disinfect a street in Hanoi in late July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre A woman bows in front of the ashes of her mother who died of COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City. Deceased COVID-19 patients were cremated at Binh Hung Hoa in Binh Tan District before their ashes were taken to their family members. Photo: Thanh Minh / Tuoi Tre Health workers help a COVID-19 patient deliver a baby at Hung Vuong Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre Students return to class on a trial basis on Thach An Island in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City, October 20, 2021 following months of remote learning. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Thousands of fruit-carrying trucks wait for clearance at a border gate between Vietnams Son La Province and China in mid-December 2021 as the neighboring country tightens COVID-19 control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at a press conference at the end of her business trip to Vietnam from August 24 to 26. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre A shipment of COVID-19 vaccine donated by the U.S. via the COVAX Facility arrives at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi in July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! 2021 was a devastating year for Vietnam, with the worst-ever COVID-19 outbreak hitting all of the country's provinces and cities and spreading moments of sorrow, despair, love, and hope. It is thus not surprising that the list of Vietnams highlight moments this year is dominated by pandemic-related incidents. The fourth and worst COVID-19 wave began on April 27 and has so far caused over 1.7 million infections across all 63 provinces and cities in the country. Since the pandemic first hit the country early last year, Vietnam has logged 1,714,742 COVID-19-positive cases and over 32,100 deaths. Though the pandemic brought pain and loss to families across the country, it also reminded the Vietnamese people of their resolve and willingness to care for one another, even in the toughest of times. Citizens across Vietnam spent the year joining hands with local authorities to survive months of lockdown in order to reach a new normal that is meant to allow people to live safely with COVID-19. As of Thursday, over 77.5 million of the countrys 98 million people have received at least one dose while more than 67.7 million have been jabbed twice. Here are the highlight of 2021, captured through the lenses of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters: A border guard officer in Ha Giang Province on night patrol in 0-degree Celsius weather. Many people entered Vietnam illegally during the fourth COVID-19 outbreak, hindering the countrys pandemic prevention and control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre An ambulance travels along an empty street in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City at 7:00 pm on July 27, 2021, after municipal authorities began enforcing a movement restriction order after 6:00 pm to curb the pandemic. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Health workers transport a deceased COVID-19 patient at the COVID-19 Resuscitation Hospital in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Health workers take a COVID-19 patient who is suffering from difficulty breathing to the hospital in Nha Ba District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre A man carries his elderly family member to a vaccination site in Hanoi, September 12, 2021. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Thousands receive COVID-19 vaccine doses at Phu Tho Stadium in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre A little girl and her family are brought to a concentrated quarantine facility after coming into direct contact with a COVID-19 patient in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Vietnamese Saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan performs a song to doctors and patients at a makeshift COVID-19 hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Huynh Quang Nhat Long (L) delivers an oxygen tank to a COVID-19 patient at an isolated area in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Dr. Tran Thanh Linh has red marks on his face and neck after wearing face masks for long hours at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Merchants provide their phone numbers as markets are closed during a social distancing in Hanoi. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Military officers disinfect a street in Hanoi in late July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre A woman bows in front of the ashes of her mother who died of COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City. Deceased COVID-19 patients were cremated at Binh Hung Hoa in Binh Tan District before their ashes were taken to their family members. Photo: Thanh Minh / Tuoi Tre Health workers help a COVID-19 patient deliver a baby at Hung Vuong Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre Students return to class on a trial basis on Thach An Island in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City, October 20, 2021 following months of remote learning. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Thousands of fruit-carrying trucks wait for clearance at a border gate between Vietnams Son La Province and China in mid-December 2021 as the neighboring country tightens COVID-19 control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at a press conference at the end of her business trip to Vietnam from August 24 to 26. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre A shipment of COVID-19 vaccine donated by the U.S. via the COVAX Facility arrives at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi in July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! 2021 was a devastating year for Vietnam, with the worst-ever COVID-19 outbreak hitting all of the country's provinces and cities and spreading moments of sorrow, despair, love, and hope. It is thus not surprising that the list of Vietnams highlight moments this year is dominated by pandemic-related incidents. The fourth and worst COVID-19 wave began on April 27 and has so far caused over 1.7 million infections across all 63 provinces and cities in the country. Since the pandemic first hit the country early last year, Vietnam has logged 1,714,742 COVID-19-positive cases and over 32,100 deaths. Though the pandemic brought pain and loss to families across the country, it also reminded the Vietnamese people of their resolve and willingness to care for one another, even in the toughest of times. Citizens across Vietnam spent the year joining hands with local authorities to survive months of lockdown in order to reach a new normal that is meant to allow people to live safely with COVID-19. As of Thursday, over 77.5 million of the countrys 98 million people have received at least one dose while more than 67.7 million have been jabbed twice. Here are the highlight of 2021, captured through the lenses of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters: A border guard officer in Ha Giang Province on night patrol in 0-degree Celsius weather. Many people entered Vietnam illegally during the fourth COVID-19 outbreak, hindering the countrys pandemic prevention and control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre An ambulance travels along an empty street in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City at 7:00 pm on July 27, 2021, after municipal authorities began enforcing a movement restriction order after 6:00 pm to curb the pandemic. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Health workers transport a deceased COVID-19 patient at the COVID-19 Resuscitation Hospital in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Health workers take a COVID-19 patient who is suffering from difficulty breathing to the hospital in Nha Ba District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre A man carries his elderly family member to a vaccination site in Hanoi, September 12, 2021. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Thousands receive COVID-19 vaccine doses at Phu Tho Stadium in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre A little girl and her family are brought to a concentrated quarantine facility after coming into direct contact with a COVID-19 patient in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Vietnamese Saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan performs a song to doctors and patients at a makeshift COVID-19 hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Huynh Quang Nhat Long (L) delivers an oxygen tank to a COVID-19 patient at an isolated area in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Dr. Tran Thanh Linh has red marks on his face and neck after wearing face masks for long hours at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Merchants provide their phone numbers as markets are closed during a social distancing in Hanoi. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Military officers disinfect a street in Hanoi in late July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre A woman bows in front of the ashes of her mother who died of COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City. Deceased COVID-19 patients were cremated at Binh Hung Hoa in Binh Tan District before their ashes were taken to their family members. Photo: Thanh Minh / Tuoi Tre Health workers help a COVID-19 patient deliver a baby at Hung Vuong Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre Students return to class on a trial basis on Thach An Island in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City, October 20, 2021 following months of remote learning. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Thousands of fruit-carrying trucks wait for clearance at a border gate between Vietnams Son La Province and China in mid-December 2021 as the neighboring country tightens COVID-19 control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at a press conference at the end of her business trip to Vietnam from August 24 to 26. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre A shipment of COVID-19 vaccine donated by the U.S. via the COVAX Facility arrives at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi in July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Rather than letting his financial difficulties get in the way of his studies, Tran Doan Dinh Phap is pushing steadily towards his dream of becoming a doctor. Despite his ongoing struggles, Phap, a freshman at Da Nang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy located in its namesake central city, would go to any lengths to realize his dream of becoming a capable doctor. The 18-year-old is the eldest and a beacon of hope for his family of three siblings from an underprivileged neighborhood in Phu Ninh District, Quang Nam Province, approximately 70 kilometers from Da Nang City. Life took an unexpected turn for his farming family in 2012 as his father was struck dead by lightning while he was working on the field. Fighter The sudden passing of Phaps father, the breadwinner, when he was only nine and the deteriorating health of his paternal grandmother left his family in a deep financial hole and emotionally devastated. His mother pushed extremely hard to put food on the table and pay his grandmothers medical bills for severe heart disease. As his mothers income could only cover daily needs, when he was not in class, Phap would help her with farm work. The grieving woman and her young son toiling on the farm was a common sight, according to Phaps neighbors. There were days when the boy got laughed at by his classmates for his mud-smeared legs as he barely had time to get changed and take a shower. After finishing ninth grade, Phap once thought of discontinuing his studies so he could find work to support his family. Alone in his struggle, he realized he was almost at a dead-end and did not know anyone to turn to for help. Help came just when it was needed most as Phap found himself a beneficiary of a Da Nang-based charity center which offered to cover three years of tuition for underprivileged, well-performing students. The teenager had his first taste of independence when he moved to Da Nang to attend senior high school, where he continued to excel in his studies. His perseverance and determination and the support he received have helped him through the difficult times. Instead of missing years of learning, the young man finally made it to medical college last September and is taking his first steps towards his dream and a brighter future. Nhung, Phaps mother, was exhilarated with the good news of her sons college enrollment, but the joy was short-lived. She was weighed down with worries that she would be too poor to support her sons university education. As she only has a few beds of vegetables to rely on for income, she would struggle to finance her sons studies, with tuition fees approximating VND15 million (US$656) a year, as well as boarding. I tossed and turned the nights [following his enrollment]. I can hardly cover our daily needs, Nhung shared. Refusing to let financial difficulties stand in the way of realizing his dream, Phap never ceased to work to make the impossible possible. His first step was spending most of his days helping at a plumbing tool store owned by one of his relatives in Da Nang. Phap also helps at a beverage stall nearby. With his payment being free meals and boarding, the aspiring young man can save up and focus on his studies. The relative is very kind to him, so he does not miss out on online classes, which have been in full swing in many localities in Vietnam since early May to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Every night, inside a mezzanine, which triples as his relative's warehouse, kitchen, and rest space, the student diligently does his studies by lamp light, which keeps his dream ablaze and his future as bright as possible. Phap shared his childhood dream of becoming a doctor is something very important and personal. With all the financial distress, physical pain and emotional loss his family has been through, the young man is determined to pursue his dream to the very end. I always keep in mind what my mom told me, I have to put in double or triple the efforts compared to others, Phap shared. Where there is darkness, there is light. Only by excelling academically can I become who I aspire to be. 29 benefit from Tuoi Tre newspapers flagship educational support program On December 23, Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, in coordination with Da Nang chapter of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, gave away scholarships to 29 freshmen at Da Nang-based colleges, in the media organizations Tiep suc den truong (student support) program to help underprivileged students. This years scholarship handout is part of Tuoi Tres Vi ngay mai phat trien (For the growth of next generations) program. The scholarships have a total value of more than VND300 million (US$13,125), with donations coming from Quang Nam-Da Nang Tiep suc den truong Club. Each scholarship is worth VND10 million ($437) and with one special scholarship valued at VND15 million ($656). Other donors include Nestle Vietnam, which hands out gifts to the beneficiaries, and Vincam Co.s Vincam Study Encouragement Foundation, which gifts laptops to particularly disadvantaged students who need devices for their studies. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 11:54 | All, World, Coronavirus European countries reported their highest daily COVID-19 infection figures yet on Friday, with the U.S. daily average also marking a record high, as the Omicron variant continues its spread. There were 232,200 cases reported in France and 189,846 in Britain, while Italy confirmed over 144,243 and Greece 40,560. The seven-day average for new daily cases in the United States stood at 355,990 on Thursday, CNN reported, citing data from Johns Hopkins University. French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday in a New Year's Eve address that the next few weeks will be difficult, preparing his nation for upcoming challenges as subdued year-end celebrations began. But the president said 2022 could prove to be the year France "exits the pandemic" on the back of progress in vaccinations. Wouldn't you know it, less than a week after last week's Trail Mix column went to press, it was obsolete. In the holiday news lull, it had seemed like a good opportunity to take stock of the candidate line-ups in major Colorado races. While savvy political watchers have been expecting at least a few additional contenders for statewide and federal offices to emerge soon after the first of the new year not coincidentally, the start of a new fundraising quarter it seemed like a safe bet that the candidate roster would remain unchanged through the holidays. Republican Erik Aadland, however, had other plans. On Dec. 27, Aadland's campaign announced he was moving from the U.S. Senate race to the congressional contest in the Democratic-leaning 7th District, hoping to challenge U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter instead of U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet. The West Point graduate and former oil and gas company executive said he made the move because the terrain in the two races had changed significantly since he launched his Senate campaign in June. Since then, several Republicans with more political experience had joined the Senate primary, including a couple with the potential to pour millions of dollars into their own campaigns. What's more, the redistricting process had produced a more competitive 7th CD, putting Perlmutter in the sights of national Republicans hungry to flip as many seats as possible in what could be a GOP wave election. Many considerations go into any nascent candidate's determination about when to launch a campaign, with no one approach considered sure-fire. Still, there's little reward in kicking things off close to the end of a quarter virtually guaranteeing an underwhelming initial fundraising report and plenty of reasons to avoid trying to make a splash in the last half of December, when voters aren't particularly focused on politics. But once he'd arrived at the decision, it made as much sense for Aadland to make his move from one federal race to another on the Monday after Christmas as it would have to wait for a another news cycle. Switching races midstream isn't without its challenges, campaign veterans say. The optics can be bad if it looks like a candidate is merely office-shopping voters like to pick their elected officials, rather feel like it's the other way around but candidates who convey that they believe they can make a difference in a different race are unlikely to suffer from switching. It's a lot easier, too, to move from one federal race to another, or from one state-level race to another from Senate to House, like Aadland did, or from governor to attorney general, or vice versa, to cite another recent example because candidates can transfer money raised for one campaign to the other without running into complicated campaign finance issues. Aadland has some company among recent Colorado candidates, including another Republican who made the same exact switch a dozen years ago. Like Aadland this year, then-Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier spent nearly six months in 2009 seeking the nomination to challenge Bennet but then shifted late in the year from a Senate run to the 7th CD, eventually winning the nomination to face Perlmutter in November 2010. Frazier, one of the early entrants in Colorado's 2010 Republican U.S. Senate primary, attracted some national attention because he might have become only the second Black Republican elected to the Senate since Reconstruction. But by the time fall rolled around and after a couple of lackluster fundraising quarters, national Republicans recruited former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton into the race, and Frazier decided that his chances were better running against Perlmutter, who had become a top GOP target in what was shaping up to be a Republican wave year. "The 7th Congressional District represents the right path, right now to do my part in helping make America better," Frazier said. As it turned out, Frazier lost to Perlmutter by nearly 12 points after winning the primary over fresh face Lang Sias, who went on to serve in the Colorado legislature and run for lieutenant governor in 2018 and is running for state treasurer in next year's election. Norton lost the 2010 Senate primary to a dark horse candidate named Ken Buck, a district attorney who caught the fancy of tea party voters but lost to Bennet by less than 2 points. Four years later, Buck became the frontrunner in a crowded field of Republicans hoping to oust Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Udall in 2014. Again, however, national Republicans persuaded a heavyweight to join the Senate primary, sensing that Udall was vulnerable in the midterms with an unpopular Democrat occupying the White House. This time it was U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner, who abandoned his re-election bid in the 4th Congressional District and declared his candidacy for the Senate just days before precinct caucuses. Buck and most of the other leading Senate candidates cleared the way for Gardner to secure the nomination, though then-state Sen. Owen Hill dug in his heels before eventually withdrawing. Gardner prevailed at state assembly over then-state Sen. Randy Baumgardner, the only Senate candidate who stuck it out. Buck switched gears immediately to run for the suddenly open 4th CD seat at the same time Gardner announced his Senate bid, though he had to make it past a number of primary challengers to secure the nomination in the heavily Republican district. Both Republicans won in the fall after effectively swapping the offices they were seeking. Something similar happened in November 2017 ahead of the 2018 election when Republican Attorney General Cynthia Coffman ended months of speculation by jumping from her re-election campaign into the crowded GOP primary for governor. George Brauchler, at the time a district attorney who had been running for governor for months, traded places with Coffman days later, ending his gubernatorial bid and launching a run for attorney general. My decision to run for office has always been about my commitment to serving Colorado far more than it has been about the title of the elected position, Brauchler said. That commitment remains just as strong as we make this important change. Buck, by then a congressman, had spent months mulling a switch from a re-election run to a bid for attorney general while waiting for Coffman to make up her mind, but ultimately decided to make clear he was seeking a third term in the House, which he won easily. (He was elected last year to a fourth term and is seeking a fifth term in the 2022 election). Coffman failed to make the gubernatorial primary ballot, and Brauchler, who was unopposed for the GOP nomination, lost in November to Democrat Phil Weiser. Perlmutter did some switching of his own ahead of the 2018 election, including the exceedingly rare switch-back. After launching a campaign for governor in April 2017, he withdrew from the by-then-crowded primary in July, saying he wasn't going to seek re-election to the House but changed his mind a month later and announced he was running for a another term representing the 7th CD. He has won re-election twice by wide margins since making that decision and is seeking a ninth term next year. Perlmutter defeated Republican Casper Stockham last year following Stockham's last-minute switch from challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Jason Crow in the 6th Congressional District to challenging Perlmutter. It was Stockham's third consecutive run for Congress after losing twice to Democrat Diana DeGette in the 1st Congressional District. Democrat John Hickenlooper, a former two-term governor, made the switch in 2019 from his long-shot presidential bid to the 2020 U.S. Senate race, eventually winning the primary and unseating Gardner. TRAIL MIX | Heidi Ganahl peppers her stump speech with lofty goals and 'Karens' Ernest Luning notes that the Republican in the at-large post on the CU board of regents is sounding again like she has her eye on higher office. TRAIL MIX | In fiercely partisan DC, Joe Neguse leads Colorado's aisle-crossers Ernest Luning: "Neguse, of Lafayette, landed in the top 10% of House members on the scale, which measures how often lawmakers' legislation attracts co-sponsors from across the aisle and how often they sign on to bills sponsored by members of the other party." TRAIL MIX | The nine lives of Doug Lamborn Ernest Luning: "The Colorado Springs Republican, serving his eighth term in Congress, has had more close calls than a long-tailed cat on a porch full of rocking chairs." Wouldn't you know it, less than a week after last week's Trail Mix column went to press, it was obsolete. In the holiday news lull, it had seemed like a good opportunity to take stock of the candidate line-ups in major Colorado races. While savvy political watchers have been expecting at least a few additional contenders for statewide and federal offices to emerge soon after the first of the new year not coincidentally, the start of a new fundraising quarter it seemed like a safe bet that the candidate roster would remain unchanged through the holidays. Republican Erik Aadland, however, had other plans. On Dec. 27, Aadland's campaign announced he was moving from the U.S. Senate race to the congressional contest in the Democratic-leaning 7th District, hoping to challenge U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter instead of U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet. The West Point graduate and former oil and gas company executive said he made the move because the terrain in the two races had changed significantly since he launched his Senate campaign in June. Since then, several Republicans with more political experience had joined the Senate primary, including a couple with the potential to pour millions of dollars into their own campaigns. What's more, the redistricting process had produced a more competitive 7th CD, putting Perlmutter in the sights of national Republicans hungry to flip as many seats as possible in what could be a GOP wave election. Many considerations go into any nascent candidate's determination about when to launch a campaign, with no one approach considered sure-fire. Still, there's little reward in kicking things off close to the end of a quarter virtually guaranteeing an underwhelming initial fundraising report and plenty of reasons to avoid trying to make a splash in the last half of December, when voters aren't particularly focused on politics. But once he'd arrived at the decision, it made as much sense for Aadland to make his move from one federal race to another on the Monday after Christmas as it would have to wait for a another news cycle. Switching races midstream isn't without its challenges, campaign veterans say. The optics can be bad if it looks like a candidate is merely office-shopping voters like to pick their elected officials, rather feel like it's the other way around but candidates who convey that they believe they can make a difference in a different race are unlikely to suffer from switching. It's a lot easier, too, to move from one federal race to another, or from one state-level race to another from Senate to House, like Aadland did, or from governor to attorney general, or vice versa, to cite another recent example because candidates can transfer money raised for one campaign to the other without running into complicated campaign finance issues. Aadland has some company among recent Colorado candidates, including another Republican who made the same exact switch a dozen years ago. Like Aadland this year, then-Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier spent nearly six months in 2009 seeking the nomination to challenge Bennet but then shifted late in the year from a Senate run to the 7th CD, eventually winning the nomination to face Perlmutter in November 2010. Frazier, one of the early entrants in Colorado's 2010 Republican U.S. Senate primary, attracted some national attention because he might have become only the second Black Republican elected to the Senate since Reconstruction. But by the time fall rolled around and after a couple of lackluster fundraising quarters, national Republicans recruited former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton into the race, and Frazier decided that his chances were better running against Perlmutter, who had become a top GOP target in what was shaping up to be a Republican wave year. "The 7th Congressional District represents the right path, right now to do my part in helping make America better," Frazier said. As it turned out, Frazier lost to Perlmutter by nearly 12 points after winning the primary over fresh face Lang Sias, who went on to serve in the Colorado legislature and run for lieutenant governor in 2018 and is running for state treasurer in next year's election. Norton lost the 2010 Senate primary to a dark horse candidate named Ken Buck, a district attorney who caught the fancy of tea party voters but lost to Bennet by less than 2 points. Four years later, Buck became the frontrunner in a crowded field of Republicans hoping to oust Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Udall in 2014. Again, however, national Republicans persuaded a heavyweight to join the Senate primary, sensing that Udall was vulnerable in the midterms with an unpopular Democrat occupying the White House. This time it was U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner, who abandoned his re-election bid in the 4th Congressional District and declared his candidacy for the Senate just days before precinct caucuses. Buck and most of the other leading Senate candidates cleared the way for Gardner to secure the nomination, though then-state Sen. Owen Hill dug in his heels before eventually withdrawing. Gardner prevailed at state assembly over then-state Sen. Randy Baumgardner, the only Senate candidate who stuck it out. Buck switched gears immediately to run for the suddenly open 4th CD seat at the same time Gardner announced his Senate bid, though he had to make it past a number of primary challengers to secure the nomination in the heavily Republican district. Both Republicans won in the fall after effectively swapping the offices they were seeking. Something similar happened in November 2017 ahead of the 2018 election when Republican Attorney General Cynthia Coffman ended months of speculation by jumping from her re-election campaign into the crowded GOP primary for governor. George Brauchler, at the time a district attorney who had been running for governor for months, traded places with Coffman days later, ending his gubernatorial bid and launching a run for attorney general. My decision to run for office has always been about my commitment to serving Colorado far more than it has been about the title of the elected position, Brauchler said. That commitment remains just as strong as we make this important change. Buck, by then a congressman, had spent months mulling a switch from a re-election run to a bid for attorney general while waiting for Coffman to make up her mind, but ultimately decided to make clear he was seeking a third term in the House, which he won easily. (He was elected last year to a fourth term and is seeking a fifth term in the 2022 election). Coffman failed to make the gubernatorial primary ballot, and Brauchler, who was unopposed for the GOP nomination, lost in November to Democrat Phil Weiser. Perlmutter did some switching of his own ahead of the 2018 election, including the exceedingly rare switch-back. After launching a campaign for governor in April 2017, he withdrew from the by-then-crowded primary in July, saying he wasn't going to seek re-election to the House but changed his mind a month later and announced he was running for a another term representing the 7th CD. He has won re-election twice by wide margins since making that decision and is seeking a ninth term next year. Perlmutter defeated Republican Casper Stockham last year following Stockham's last-minute switch from challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Jason Crow in the 6th Congressional District to challenging Perlmutter. It was Stockham's third consecutive run for Congress after losing twice to Democrat Diana DeGette in the 1st Congressional District. Democrat John Hickenlooper, a former two-term governor, made the switch in 2019 from his long-shot presidential bid to the 2020 U.S. Senate race, eventually winning the primary and unseating Gardner. TRAIL MIX | Heidi Ganahl peppers her stump speech with lofty goals and 'Karens' Ernest Luning notes that the Republican in the at-large post on the CU board of regents is sounding again like she has her eye on higher office. TRAIL MIX | In fiercely partisan DC, Joe Neguse leads Colorado's aisle-crossers Ernest Luning: "Neguse, of Lafayette, landed in the top 10% of House members on the scale, which measures how often lawmakers' legislation attracts co-sponsors from across the aisle and how often they sign on to bills sponsored by members of the other party." TRAIL MIX | The nine lives of Doug Lamborn Ernest Luning: "The Colorado Springs Republican, serving his eighth term in Congress, has had more close calls than a long-tailed cat on a porch full of rocking chairs." 2021 was a devastating year for Vietnam, with the worst-ever COVID-19 outbreak hitting all of the country's provinces and cities and spreading moments of sorrow, despair, love, and hope. It is thus not surprising that the list of Vietnams highlight moments this year is dominated by pandemic-related incidents. The fourth and worst COVID-19 wave began on April 27 and has so far caused over 1.7 million infections across all 63 provinces and cities in the country. Since the pandemic first hit the country early last year, Vietnam has logged 1,714,742 COVID-19-positive cases and over 32,100 deaths. Though the pandemic brought pain and loss to families across the country, it also reminded the Vietnamese people of their resolve and willingness to care for one another, even in the toughest of times. Citizens across Vietnam spent the year joining hands with local authorities to survive months of lockdown in order to reach a new normal that is meant to allow people to live safely with COVID-19. As of Thursday, over 77.5 million of the countrys 98 million people have received at least one dose while more than 67.7 million have been jabbed twice. Here are the highlight of 2021, captured through the lenses of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters: A border guard officer in Ha Giang Province on night patrol in 0-degree Celsius weather. Many people entered Vietnam illegally during the fourth COVID-19 outbreak, hindering the countrys pandemic prevention and control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre An ambulance travels along an empty street in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City at 7:00 pm on July 27, 2021, after municipal authorities began enforcing a movement restriction order after 6:00 pm to curb the pandemic. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Health workers transport a deceased COVID-19 patient at the COVID-19 Resuscitation Hospital in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Health workers take a COVID-19 patient who is suffering from difficulty breathing to the hospital in Nha Ba District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre A man carries his elderly family member to a vaccination site in Hanoi, September 12, 2021. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Thousands receive COVID-19 vaccine doses at Phu Tho Stadium in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre A little girl and her family are brought to a concentrated quarantine facility after coming into direct contact with a COVID-19 patient in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Vietnamese Saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan performs a song to doctors and patients at a makeshift COVID-19 hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Huynh Quang Nhat Long (L) delivers an oxygen tank to a COVID-19 patient at an isolated area in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Dr. Tran Thanh Linh has red marks on his face and neck after wearing face masks for long hours at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Merchants provide their phone numbers as markets are closed during a social distancing in Hanoi. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Military officers disinfect a street in Hanoi in late July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre A woman bows in front of the ashes of her mother who died of COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City. Deceased COVID-19 patients were cremated at Binh Hung Hoa in Binh Tan District before their ashes were taken to their family members. Photo: Thanh Minh / Tuoi Tre Health workers help a COVID-19 patient deliver a baby at Hung Vuong Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre Students return to class on a trial basis on Thach An Island in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City, October 20, 2021 following months of remote learning. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Thousands of fruit-carrying trucks wait for clearance at a border gate between Vietnams Son La Province and China in mid-December 2021 as the neighboring country tightens COVID-19 control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at a press conference at the end of her business trip to Vietnam from August 24 to 26. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre A shipment of COVID-19 vaccine donated by the U.S. via the COVAX Facility arrives at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi in July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnams Ministry of Health reported 16,515 COVID-19 cases throughout the country on Friday, while logging 18,642 recoveries and 226 mortalities. The latest infections, including 39 imported and 16,476 domestic transmissions, were recorded in 60 provinces and cities, the ministry said, adding that 11,337 patients caught the pathogen in the community. Hanoi registered 1,914 of the newest local cases, Vinh Long Province 1,080, Ca Mau Province 1,063, Binh Phuoc Province 1,003, Khanh Hoa Province 799, Tay Ninh Province 776, Tra Vinh Province 571, Ho Chi Minh City 557, Hai Phong City 520, Thua Thien-Hue Province 404, Can Tho City 293, Lam Dong Province 259, Binh Thuan Province 217, Quang Nam Province 188, Dong Nai Province 178, Quang Ninh Province 155, Da Nang 154, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province 152, Binh Duong Province 107, and Hoa Binh Province 97. Vietnam had detected 19,848 domestically-acquired infections on Thursday. The country has confirmed 1,725,518 community transmissions in all its 63 provinces and cities since the fourth virus wave erupted on April 27. A combined 1,352,469 of them have recovered from COVID-19. Ho Chi Minh City tops the caseload with 503,244 patients, followed by Binh Duong Province with 290,671, Dong Nai Province with 97,718, Tay Ninh Province with 75,109, Hanoi with 46,040, Dong Thap Province with 44,181, Can Tho City with 40,867, Long An Province with 40,360, Tien Giang Province with 33,720, Khanh Hoa Province with 33,005, An Giang Province with 32,461, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province with 26,320, Binh Thuan Province with 25,900, and Da Nang with 11,189. Vietnam found a mere 1,570 locally-transmitted infections in total in the previous three waves. The health ministry announced 18,642 recovered patients on Friday, taking the total count to 1,355,286. The toll has spiraled to 32,394 deaths after the ministry logged 226 fatalities on the same day, including 34 in Ho Chi Minh City, 18 in Dong Nai Province, 18 in An Giang Province, 15 in Vinh Long Province, 15 in Can Tho City, 14 in Dong Thap Province, and the remainder in 19 other provinces and cities. Vietnam has reported 1,731,257 patients since the COVID-19 pandemic first hit the country early last year. Health workers have administered almost 151 million vaccine doses, including 1,964,508 shots on Thursday, since vaccination was rolled out nationwide on March 8. Above 77.5 million of the countrys 98 million people have received at least one dose while over 68.4 million have been jabbed twice. The number of third doses including additional primary shots for immunocompromised people, boosters, and third jabs of Cubas Abdala vaccine has risen to 4,944,591. Vietnam aims to fully inoculate 100 percent of its adult population this year. Many provinces and cities are immunizing children aged 12-17 against COVID-19, using Pfizer-BioNTech shots. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Enjoy your holiday and please spend some time reading what is in the news today! Society -- According to the observation of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters, serious traffic jam occurred on multiple major roads in Hanoi on Friday night since people chose to stay in the capital city to welcome the New Year. -- Phan Van Mai, deputy secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, on Friday said five people in Ho Chi Minh City have been suspected to carry the Omicron variant. -- Ho Chi Minh Citys Tan Son Nhat International Airport will conduct COVID-19 rapid tests on all passengers arriving at the airdome starting Saturday, according to the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC). -- The Ministry of Transport has asked the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City to implement measures to prevent COVID-19 transmission risks from passengers on regular international commercial flights to the city. -- On Friday night, a cold front resulted in low temperatures in northern Vietnamese provinces, while in some mountainous areas, the mercury fell below 13 degrees Celsius. -- Police in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday arrested and initiated legal proceedings against Tran Thi Hong Gam, general director of Bao Long Real Estate Investment Joint Stock Company, and her husband for appropriating VND114 billion (US$2,6 million). Lifestyle -- Authorities in northern Yen Bai Province held a ceremony on Friday to announce the decision and to receive the certificate recognizing Mu Cang Chai Terraced Fields as a Special National Relic Site and the H'mong "Le mung lua moi" (new paddy crop celebration) as a national intangible cultural heritage. World News -- The Omicron variant dampened New Year festivities around much of the world, cancelling celebrations at Paris's Arc de Triomphe and the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, although Cape Town rang in 2022 with the lifting of a nighttime curfew after two years of COVID-19 restrictions, Reuters reported. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. LETS SUPPOSE that there is a marriage where the two parties are continually fighting. They despise each other and say hateful things at every opportunity. Occasionally the verbal battles turn physical. These two people have irreconcilable differences and no manner of counseling has helped. They cant agree on anything from either a moral or monetary standpoint and the chasm between the two is widening. With each passing day, the situation becomes more volatile. What should they do? Should they remain together and be miserable for the rest of their lives or should the union be dissolved? I can hear your answer. They should get a divorce. Thats good advice, but Im not really talking about a married couple. Im talking about the United States of America. Im talking about Republicans and Democrats. Is it time we dissolved the Union and split America into two countries? Have we moved so far from center that we can never go back to what once was? Republicans hate Democrats and Democrats hate Republicans. I see it on social media and I hear it on the street. The two parties can agree on nothing and they throw hateful slurs at each other at every opportunity. As happened prior to and during the Civil War, friends are cast aside because of their political persuasions and families are even sometimes split apart. At times, as in the stormiest marriages, there is violence, as members of one party take to the streets to burn and pillage to make a political statement. We have now had an incident where members of another party forced their way into the U.S. Capitol, causing property damage and physical harm. As in a bad marriage, both parties claim that they are right, that their political and moral philosophies are the only ones right for the country. Neither side will compromise to any degree. Like the parties in a feuding marriage, they spew hate, calling each other the vilest names. If the Democrats are in power, the Republicans ridicule and sling verbal arrows at those in office. If the Republicans are in power, the hate is reversed. Democrats distrust a Republican administration and Republicans distrust a Democratic administration. Duly elected means nothing to members of either party. In fact, as we have seen with the past two presidential elections, duly elected to one side means illegally elected to the other. If you took all these facts to a marriage counselor, you would be told that a divorce was in the best interest of both parties. A judge would agree wholeheartedly. Divorce before something really bad happens. Maybe it is time that we dissolve the Union because of irreconcilable differences between the two parties. If Democrats only trust Democrats and Republicans only trust Republicans, then establish two separate countries: The United States of Democrats and the United States of Republicans. We seem to be at that point. Split the country in half, either north and south or east and west and let an international panel of judges decide the boundaries (if we asked Democrats and Republicans to do this, it would never get accomplished). Let the Republicans establish their own government and if they want Donald Trump to be king, then so be it. If the Democrats want a socialist state, then let them have it. There is precedent for this. When India gained independent from Britain, the Muslims established Pakistan and the Hindus remained in India. This split came at the urging of Mahatma Gandhi after civil unrest erupted between members of the two predominant religions. Haiti and the Dominican Republic exist side-by-side (as political states in America might) on the island of Hispaniola. That arrangement also resulted from political divisions. We have reached the point where political in-fighting has already resulted in violence and insurrection. Maybe if we split the country peacefully in a court of law, we could avoid further bloodshed. Is my suggestion unpatriotic? I think not. It is being realistic. Im sick and tired of all this party fighting. As Solomon and Gandhi would advise, split the country and give each party its own government. Let each party see if it could exist without the other. And give us independents a corner somewhere where we can live in peace. Start the New Year with a plan for respect and peace. Ricky Gervais doesnt so much laugh as cackle. Hes doing it now, honking away, describing how he looked round after filming a particularly affecting scene in his comedy-drama After Life, to find the entire crew crying. He was crying too at the time, he says (while laughing). Actress Kerry Godliman who plays Lisa, Rickys character Tonys dead wife was reciting the poem Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep. Viewers never meet the live Lisa in the Netflix series, but follow the journey of the grieving Tony as he drags himself through life without her after her death from breast cancer. We get to know the couple through their happy home videos which Tony, a reporter on a local free paper, plays on a loop, mostly while drinking too much. During the third (and probably final?) series, available to stream on 14 January, we build up to the last video where Lisa, clad in a headscarf after chemo, effectively says goodbye. Everyone was a blubbering mess filming that one, he says. I mean, its such an amazing poem. I still dont know how anyone could have written it. Kerry did that scene in one take. I looked around and everyone was crying. Ricky Gervais, 60, (pictured) who lives in Hampstead, revealed how speaking to fans who've had their own experiences of loss influenced the new series of After Life Ricky said he didn't have to put himself in Tony's shoes because he knows he would be a wreck if he lost Jane. Pictured: Ricky as Tony with Kerry Godliman as Lisa in After Life So why is he in peals of laughter now? Therein lies the conundrum at the heart of the show, perhaps at the heart of Ricky himself. Some critics have struggled with After Life, not quite sure whether its a searing study of grief or a laugh-out-loud comedy. Ricky suggests its both. The older I get and the more I think about my work, and my life, the more I think there isnt that much between comedy and tragedy. Its a razors edge, really. The fact that there is a third series of After Life, which Ricky announced last month had amassed 100 million viewers, is significant. Hes never written a third series of anything. The Office, the comedy that launched his career, only had two, as did Extras and Derek. He wrote this series of After Life as the final one, which posed a huge dilemma. How to end Tonys story? Series one saw our unlikely hero contemplating slitting his wrists in the bath (he decides not to, because the couples dog appears at the door, hungry). Series two suggested he might find love again with a nurse in his fathers care home, but was he ready for this? Today he says he had five possible endings. One did indeed involve Tony ending his life, but did he dare go down that route? He chats about how hes been deluged with fans sharing their own stories of loss. Grief counsellors have praised the show, but urged him to tread carefully. One said to me, Please do not let Tony commit suicide, he reveals. Ricky (pictured), who has been with his partner, novelist Jane Fallon, for 40 years, said After Life is a love story exploring what would happen if the central character lost everything That had been one of the options, but I did feel a sense of responsibility about that not unusually, because I do worry about the effect on the real world but that decided it for me. I didnt feel that, for the sake of good drama, I could do that. Id feel arrogant assuming I knew enough about it. He has experienced bereavement (having lost both his parents and his eldest sibling) but always within the natural order, so not like this. He does know about love though. Hes been with his partner, novelist Jane Fallon, for 40 years. They met at university and started out broke, and now share a 10m home in Hampstead complete with pool and badminton court, as well as a home in New York. I know Id be a wreck if I lost my soulmate He always conceived After Life as a love story, albeit one where the wife just happens to be dead. He wanted to explore what would happen if his central character lost everything. And to me that would mean losing your life partner, your soulmate. And Ricky is a man who writes from experience. The Office was based on his time in a dead-end job. Extras was about his observations of Hollywood. Derek, set in a care home, was based on the things family members (who still work in the care system) told him. Did he put himself in Tonys shoes during the writing process, wondering how hed cope if he lost Jane? No, I dont have to do that because I know Id be a wreck, he says, cheerily. I think Id be worse than Tony. I just would. People have said to me about their own experiences, I thought I was going mad. I hated everyone. I can understand that. But time does heal. Someone told me their counsellor described grief as a heavy rucksack. Over time, it doesnt get any lighter, but you get better at carrying it. I like that. In the show, such advice is offered by Anne, played by Penelope Wilton. She first met Tony in the graveyard where she was visiting her dead husband and is further down the grief route than Tony. Netflix reportedly paid Ricky 30m to make After Life. Pictured: Ricky as Tony with his local newspaper colleagues in After Life Theres a lovely bit of grown-up altruism where she says that although shes suffering, she would rather be suffering than have him suffering, if shed been the one to die first, Ricky says. He reckons he could never be that grown-up. Im selfish. I want to go first, he admits. Greedy, scatty, miserable... meet Ricky's cast of oddballs Tonys acquaintances in After Life are a bunch of oddballs, but Ricky Gervais says theyre all true to life and he hand-picked the cast who play them. Tony Way, 43, who appears as newspaper photographer Lenny, has stayed in touch with Ricky since they worked together on The 11 OClock Show 20 years ago. The comedy world is very small, says Tony. Everyone knows everyone, but when Ricky asks you if you want to be involved in something, you say yes if you can because its always such a good experience. Not entirely flattering though. Id hesitate to say he wrote the part for me, but he did say he had me in mind. Im not sure thats the greatest compliment though, given that when he was telling me about this character he said, Hes greedy and a bit lazy. Ricky added aspects of Jo Hartley's real-life character as the series continued. Pictured: Jo Hartley and Tony Way as June and Lenny Comedian Joe Wilkinson, 46, agreed to appear in the show as miserable Postman Pat because he loves working with Ricky too, but as a very small cog in a big wheel didnt appear to have been particularly noticed after series one. Until he was, in the queue in his local post office. The man serving me at the counter was really dry with me and I apologised for being miserable in the show. He said, Its OK, lots of us are miserable. I believe Im up on the wall in a few post offices and I was offered an honorary thing a postperson-ship, I guess in Stoke. Pictured: Joe Wilkinson as Postman Pat Ricky also wrote the character of scatty June with Jo Hartley, 49, in mind, then added aspects from her real-life character as the series continued. She comments on the shows unique capacity to make everyone laugh and cry. I think anyone who has suffered a bereavement just gets it. My dad died from lung cancer when I was 17. At the time I was too young to take it on board, but that trauma comes with you. 'What Ricky has managed to do is to articulate it, not in a heavy way, but he doesnt try to protect the audience either. Its a privilege to be involved with a show that just matters. Advertisement Netflix reportedly paid him 30m to make After Life. This third series will probably divide the critics and leave Ricky, a master at polarising opinion, open to suggestions that the show is at once too sentimental and too smutty. This will be water off a ducks back to him. He didnt set out to write Friends, he points out. This is a very British production, devoid of gloss. If some of Tonys friends in the fictional town of Tambury seem a bit unsavoury, its because they are. Joe Wilkinson plays Postman Pat, who fell in love with a prostitute in series two, Jo Hartley is Tonys scatty-but-sage friend June, and Tony Way is cast as greedy photographer Lenny. If you compare it to American shows, everyone looks like a freak, Ricky admits. The characters are dishevelled, they wear weird clothes. They say stupid things. If you compare it to ER, it looks weird. But if you walk round Britain, thats what people look like, like me and Joe Wilkinson. We dont look like George Clooney and Brad Pitt. 'And yes, if you compare it to Terry And June or Friends, its too sweary, but if you walk around a building site or a school, its about right. I dont go anywhere where I dont hear people swearing. The real star of the show is Tonys dog Brandy, played by Anti, a German Shepherd with the most expressive eyes in TV history and Ricky thinks they bonded during filming. At the end of each series he had to say goodbye, which meant proper tears. I kept thinking, But she wont understand why she wont see me on Monday. Im probably overestimating how much she cares, but I like to think she genuinely loves me. Ricky loves dogs, cats, any animals really and campaigns for animal rights. He famously doesnt believe in God, but he does believe in dogs. They are my heroin, he admits. During lockdown, Jane and I walked every day. Every dog we met, we talked to. I must know 200 by name. Dogs are life-savers. The number of people who watched After Life and said to me, After my wife died, my dog saved me. Because they do. 'They can smell cancer. They cheer us up, guard us, guide us. A dog is the most amazing thing in the world. You couldnt invent it. Its too perfect. But you dont actually own a dog? No, because I travel and I couldnt bear the look on its face when I had to leave. But when I retire Ill buy a castle and fill it with rescue dogs. Back in the real world hes a cat person. For 16 years he and Jane shared their lives with Ollie, a cat who had her own Twitter account. Now they have Pickle, who is also on Twitter. Ricky becomes as serious as he ever is when he talks about having to have pets put down. Weve had to do it three times and I have cried my eyes out every time. I know a cat doesnt know whats going on, like your nan does, but its still a member of the family and there is a lovely co-dependent bond there. He says his experience weeping at the vets, saying goodbye in the kindest way, is precisely why he supports voluntary assisted euthanasia for humans. I know it to be a beautiful act of kindness and I dont know why there is resistance to it. Has he killed the show though? Will he write a fourth series if Netflix dangle more money? He laughs again. Never say never. He admits hes getting more serious as he gets older. He turned 60 in June and says hes turning into a Grumpy Old Man. He swears a lot at the TV, at politicians, at people who invite him to parties. Is it fair to say his work has become more serious? Running through his work from The Office to Extras and Derek, he agrees each has been a little more serious than the last. Derek was more philosophical, even existential, but After Life has the highest percentage of drama to comedy. 'I dont think its just because Im 60, whereas I was 40 when I wrote The Office. Sometimes you like to do different things. I could go backwards next. 'I could do a fake documentary about students. Comedy acting is hugely underrated, thats why I dont want to move away from it. Also, he points out, life is funny. Until it isnt. You laugh and laugh and then you find a lump, he says, then brightens at his own astuteness. I should have that on my gravestone. After Life is available to stream on Netflix from 14 January. Ricky Gervais doesnt so much laugh as cackle. Hes doing it now, honking away, describing how he looked round after filming a particularly affecting scene in his comedy-drama After Life, to find the entire crew crying. He was crying too at the time, he says (while laughing). Actress Kerry Godliman who plays Lisa, Rickys character Tonys dead wife was reciting the poem Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep. Viewers never meet the live Lisa in the Netflix series, but follow the journey of the grieving Tony as he drags himself through life without her after her death from breast cancer. We get to know the couple through their happy home videos which Tony, a reporter on a local free paper, plays on a loop, mostly while drinking too much. During the third (and probably final?) series, available to stream on 14 January, we build up to the last video where Lisa, clad in a headscarf after chemo, effectively says goodbye. Everyone was a blubbering mess filming that one, he says. I mean, its such an amazing poem. I still dont know how anyone could have written it. Kerry did that scene in one take. I looked around and everyone was crying. Ricky Gervais, 60, (pictured) who lives in Hampstead, revealed how speaking to fans who've had their own experiences of loss influenced the new series of After Life Ricky said he didn't have to put himself in Tony's shoes because he knows he would be a wreck if he lost Jane. Pictured: Ricky as Tony with Kerry Godliman as Lisa in After Life So why is he in peals of laughter now? Therein lies the conundrum at the heart of the show, perhaps at the heart of Ricky himself. Some critics have struggled with After Life, not quite sure whether its a searing study of grief or a laugh-out-loud comedy. Ricky suggests its both. The older I get and the more I think about my work, and my life, the more I think there isnt that much between comedy and tragedy. Its a razors edge, really. The fact that there is a third series of After Life, which Ricky announced last month had amassed 100 million viewers, is significant. Hes never written a third series of anything. The Office, the comedy that launched his career, only had two, as did Extras and Derek. He wrote this series of After Life as the final one, which posed a huge dilemma. How to end Tonys story? Series one saw our unlikely hero contemplating slitting his wrists in the bath (he decides not to, because the couples dog appears at the door, hungry). Series two suggested he might find love again with a nurse in his fathers care home, but was he ready for this? Today he says he had five possible endings. One did indeed involve Tony ending his life, but did he dare go down that route? He chats about how hes been deluged with fans sharing their own stories of loss. Grief counsellors have praised the show, but urged him to tread carefully. One said to me, Please do not let Tony commit suicide, he reveals. Ricky (pictured), who has been with his partner, novelist Jane Fallon, for 40 years, said After Life is a love story exploring what would happen if the central character lost everything That had been one of the options, but I did feel a sense of responsibility about that not unusually, because I do worry about the effect on the real world but that decided it for me. I didnt feel that, for the sake of good drama, I could do that. Id feel arrogant assuming I knew enough about it. He has experienced bereavement (having lost both his parents and his eldest sibling) but always within the natural order, so not like this. He does know about love though. Hes been with his partner, novelist Jane Fallon, for 40 years. They met at university and started out broke, and now share a 10m home in Hampstead complete with pool and badminton court, as well as a home in New York. I know Id be a wreck if I lost my soulmate He always conceived After Life as a love story, albeit one where the wife just happens to be dead. He wanted to explore what would happen if his central character lost everything. And to me that would mean losing your life partner, your soulmate. And Ricky is a man who writes from experience. The Office was based on his time in a dead-end job. Extras was about his observations of Hollywood. Derek, set in a care home, was based on the things family members (who still work in the care system) told him. Did he put himself in Tonys shoes during the writing process, wondering how hed cope if he lost Jane? No, I dont have to do that because I know Id be a wreck, he says, cheerily. I think Id be worse than Tony. I just would. People have said to me about their own experiences, I thought I was going mad. I hated everyone. I can understand that. But time does heal. Someone told me their counsellor described grief as a heavy rucksack. Over time, it doesnt get any lighter, but you get better at carrying it. I like that. In the show, such advice is offered by Anne, played by Penelope Wilton. She first met Tony in the graveyard where she was visiting her dead husband and is further down the grief route than Tony. Netflix reportedly paid Ricky 30m to make After Life. Pictured: Ricky as Tony with his local newspaper colleagues in After Life Theres a lovely bit of grown-up altruism where she says that although shes suffering, she would rather be suffering than have him suffering, if shed been the one to die first, Ricky says. He reckons he could never be that grown-up. Im selfish. I want to go first, he admits. Greedy, scatty, miserable... meet Ricky's cast of oddballs Tonys acquaintances in After Life are a bunch of oddballs, but Ricky Gervais says theyre all true to life and he hand-picked the cast who play them. Tony Way, 43, who appears as newspaper photographer Lenny, has stayed in touch with Ricky since they worked together on The 11 OClock Show 20 years ago. The comedy world is very small, says Tony. Everyone knows everyone, but when Ricky asks you if you want to be involved in something, you say yes if you can because its always such a good experience. Not entirely flattering though. Id hesitate to say he wrote the part for me, but he did say he had me in mind. Im not sure thats the greatest compliment though, given that when he was telling me about this character he said, Hes greedy and a bit lazy. Ricky added aspects of Jo Hartley's real-life character as the series continued. Pictured: Jo Hartley and Tony Way as June and Lenny Comedian Joe Wilkinson, 46, agreed to appear in the show as miserable Postman Pat because he loves working with Ricky too, but as a very small cog in a big wheel didnt appear to have been particularly noticed after series one. Until he was, in the queue in his local post office. The man serving me at the counter was really dry with me and I apologised for being miserable in the show. He said, Its OK, lots of us are miserable. I believe Im up on the wall in a few post offices and I was offered an honorary thing a postperson-ship, I guess in Stoke. Pictured: Joe Wilkinson as Postman Pat Ricky also wrote the character of scatty June with Jo Hartley, 49, in mind, then added aspects from her real-life character as the series continued. She comments on the shows unique capacity to make everyone laugh and cry. I think anyone who has suffered a bereavement just gets it. My dad died from lung cancer when I was 17. At the time I was too young to take it on board, but that trauma comes with you. 'What Ricky has managed to do is to articulate it, not in a heavy way, but he doesnt try to protect the audience either. Its a privilege to be involved with a show that just matters. Advertisement Netflix reportedly paid him 30m to make After Life. This third series will probably divide the critics and leave Ricky, a master at polarising opinion, open to suggestions that the show is at once too sentimental and too smutty. This will be water off a ducks back to him. He didnt set out to write Friends, he points out. This is a very British production, devoid of gloss. If some of Tonys friends in the fictional town of Tambury seem a bit unsavoury, its because they are. Joe Wilkinson plays Postman Pat, who fell in love with a prostitute in series two, Jo Hartley is Tonys scatty-but-sage friend June, and Tony Way is cast as greedy photographer Lenny. If you compare it to American shows, everyone looks like a freak, Ricky admits. The characters are dishevelled, they wear weird clothes. They say stupid things. If you compare it to ER, it looks weird. But if you walk round Britain, thats what people look like, like me and Joe Wilkinson. We dont look like George Clooney and Brad Pitt. 'And yes, if you compare it to Terry And June or Friends, its too sweary, but if you walk around a building site or a school, its about right. I dont go anywhere where I dont hear people swearing. The real star of the show is Tonys dog Brandy, played by Anti, a German Shepherd with the most expressive eyes in TV history and Ricky thinks they bonded during filming. At the end of each series he had to say goodbye, which meant proper tears. I kept thinking, But she wont understand why she wont see me on Monday. Im probably overestimating how much she cares, but I like to think she genuinely loves me. Ricky loves dogs, cats, any animals really and campaigns for animal rights. He famously doesnt believe in God, but he does believe in dogs. They are my heroin, he admits. During lockdown, Jane and I walked every day. Every dog we met, we talked to. I must know 200 by name. Dogs are life-savers. The number of people who watched After Life and said to me, After my wife died, my dog saved me. Because they do. 'They can smell cancer. They cheer us up, guard us, guide us. A dog is the most amazing thing in the world. You couldnt invent it. Its too perfect. But you dont actually own a dog? No, because I travel and I couldnt bear the look on its face when I had to leave. But when I retire Ill buy a castle and fill it with rescue dogs. Back in the real world hes a cat person. For 16 years he and Jane shared their lives with Ollie, a cat who had her own Twitter account. Now they have Pickle, who is also on Twitter. Ricky becomes as serious as he ever is when he talks about having to have pets put down. Weve had to do it three times and I have cried my eyes out every time. I know a cat doesnt know whats going on, like your nan does, but its still a member of the family and there is a lovely co-dependent bond there. He says his experience weeping at the vets, saying goodbye in the kindest way, is precisely why he supports voluntary assisted euthanasia for humans. I know it to be a beautiful act of kindness and I dont know why there is resistance to it. Has he killed the show though? Will he write a fourth series if Netflix dangle more money? He laughs again. Never say never. He admits hes getting more serious as he gets older. He turned 60 in June and says hes turning into a Grumpy Old Man. He swears a lot at the TV, at politicians, at people who invite him to parties. Is it fair to say his work has become more serious? Running through his work from The Office to Extras and Derek, he agrees each has been a little more serious than the last. Derek was more philosophical, even existential, but After Life has the highest percentage of drama to comedy. 'I dont think its just because Im 60, whereas I was 40 when I wrote The Office. Sometimes you like to do different things. I could go backwards next. 'I could do a fake documentary about students. Comedy acting is hugely underrated, thats why I dont want to move away from it. Also, he points out, life is funny. Until it isnt. You laugh and laugh and then you find a lump, he says, then brightens at his own astuteness. I should have that on my gravestone. After Life is available to stream on Netflix from 14 January. Vietnams Ministry of Health reported 16,515 COVID-19 cases throughout the country on Friday, while logging 18,642 recoveries and 226 mortalities. The latest infections, including 39 imported and 16,476 domestic transmissions, were recorded in 60 provinces and cities, the ministry said, adding that 11,337 patients caught the pathogen in the community. Hanoi registered 1,914 of the newest local cases, Vinh Long Province 1,080, Ca Mau Province 1,063, Binh Phuoc Province 1,003, Khanh Hoa Province 799, Tay Ninh Province 776, Tra Vinh Province 571, Ho Chi Minh City 557, Hai Phong City 520, Thua Thien-Hue Province 404, Can Tho City 293, Lam Dong Province 259, Binh Thuan Province 217, Quang Nam Province 188, Dong Nai Province 178, Quang Ninh Province 155, Da Nang 154, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province 152, Binh Duong Province 107, and Hoa Binh Province 97. Vietnam had detected 19,848 domestically-acquired infections on Thursday. The country has confirmed 1,725,518 community transmissions in all its 63 provinces and cities since the fourth virus wave erupted on April 27. A combined 1,352,469 of them have recovered from COVID-19. Ho Chi Minh City tops the caseload with 503,244 patients, followed by Binh Duong Province with 290,671, Dong Nai Province with 97,718, Tay Ninh Province with 75,109, Hanoi with 46,040, Dong Thap Province with 44,181, Can Tho City with 40,867, Long An Province with 40,360, Tien Giang Province with 33,720, Khanh Hoa Province with 33,005, An Giang Province with 32,461, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province with 26,320, Binh Thuan Province with 25,900, and Da Nang with 11,189. Vietnam found a mere 1,570 locally-transmitted infections in total in the previous three waves. The health ministry announced 18,642 recovered patients on Friday, taking the total count to 1,355,286. The toll has spiraled to 32,394 deaths after the ministry logged 226 fatalities on the same day, including 34 in Ho Chi Minh City, 18 in Dong Nai Province, 18 in An Giang Province, 15 in Vinh Long Province, 15 in Can Tho City, 14 in Dong Thap Province, and the remainder in 19 other provinces and cities. Vietnam has reported 1,731,257 patients since the COVID-19 pandemic first hit the country early last year. Health workers have administered almost 151 million vaccine doses, including 1,964,508 shots on Thursday, since vaccination was rolled out nationwide on March 8. Above 77.5 million of the countrys 98 million people have received at least one dose while over 68.4 million have been jabbed twice. The number of third doses including additional primary shots for immunocompromised people, boosters, and third jabs of Cubas Abdala vaccine has risen to 4,944,591. Vietnam aims to fully inoculate 100 percent of its adult population this year. Many provinces and cities are immunizing children aged 12-17 against COVID-19, using Pfizer-BioNTech shots. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Wouldn't you know it, less than a week after last week's Trail Mix column went to press, it was obsolete. In the holiday news lull, it had seemed like a good opportunity to take stock of the candidate line-ups in major Colorado races. While savvy political watchers have been expecting at least a few additional contenders for statewide and federal offices to emerge soon after the first of the new year not coincidentally, the start of a new fundraising quarter it seemed like a safe bet that the candidate roster would remain unchanged through the holidays. Republican Erik Aadland, however, had other plans. On Dec. 27, Aadland's campaign announced he was moving from the U.S. Senate race to the congressional contest in the Democratic-leaning 7th District, hoping to challenge U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter instead of U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet. The West Point graduate and former oil and gas company executive said he made the move because the terrain in the two races had changed significantly since he launched his Senate campaign in June. Since then, several Republicans with more political experience had joined the Senate primary, including a couple with the potential to pour millions of dollars into their own campaigns. What's more, the redistricting process had produced a more competitive 7th CD, putting Perlmutter in the sights of national Republicans hungry to flip as many seats as possible in what could be a GOP wave election. Many considerations go into any nascent candidate's determination about when to launch a campaign, with no one approach considered sure-fire. Still, there's little reward in kicking things off close to the end of a quarter virtually guaranteeing an underwhelming initial fundraising report and plenty of reasons to avoid trying to make a splash in the last half of December, when voters aren't particularly focused on politics. But once he'd arrived at the decision, it made as much sense for Aadland to make his move from one federal race to another on the Monday after Christmas as it would have to wait for a another news cycle. Switching races midstream isn't without its challenges, campaign veterans say. The optics can be bad if it looks like a candidate is merely office-shopping voters like to pick their elected officials, rather feel like it's the other way around but candidates who convey that they believe they can make a difference in a different race are unlikely to suffer from switching. It's a lot easier, too, to move from one federal race to another, or from one state-level race to another from Senate to House, like Aadland did, or from governor to attorney general, or vice versa, to cite another recent example because candidates can transfer money raised for one campaign to the other without running into complicated campaign finance issues. Aadland has some company among recent Colorado candidates, including another Republican who made the same exact switch a dozen years ago. Like Aadland this year, then-Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier spent nearly six months in 2009 seeking the nomination to challenge Bennet but then shifted late in the year from a Senate run to the 7th CD, eventually winning the nomination to face Perlmutter in November 2010. Frazier, one of the early entrants in Colorado's 2010 Republican U.S. Senate primary, attracted some national attention because he might have become only the second Black Republican elected to the Senate since Reconstruction. But by the time fall rolled around and after a couple of lackluster fundraising quarters, national Republicans recruited former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton into the race, and Frazier decided that his chances were better running against Perlmutter, who had become a top GOP target in what was shaping up to be a Republican wave year. "The 7th Congressional District represents the right path, right now to do my part in helping make America better," Frazier said. As it turned out, Frazier lost to Perlmutter by nearly 12 points after winning the primary over fresh face Lang Sias, who went on to serve in the Colorado legislature and run for lieutenant governor in 2018 and is running for state treasurer in next year's election. Norton lost the 2010 Senate primary to a dark horse candidate named Ken Buck, a district attorney who caught the fancy of tea party voters but lost to Bennet by less than 2 points. Four years later, Buck became the frontrunner in a crowded field of Republicans hoping to oust Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Udall in 2014. Again, however, national Republicans persuaded a heavyweight to join the Senate primary, sensing that Udall was vulnerable in the midterms with an unpopular Democrat occupying the White House. This time it was U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner, who abandoned his re-election bid in the 4th Congressional District and declared his candidacy for the Senate just days before precinct caucuses. Buck and most of the other leading Senate candidates cleared the way for Gardner to secure the nomination, though then-state Sen. Owen Hill dug in his heels before eventually withdrawing. Gardner prevailed at state assembly over then-state Sen. Randy Baumgardner, the only Senate candidate who stuck it out. Buck switched gears immediately to run for the suddenly open 4th CD seat at the same time Gardner announced his Senate bid, though he had to make it past a number of primary challengers to secure the nomination in the heavily Republican district. Both Republicans won in the fall after effectively swapping the offices they were seeking. Something similar happened in November 2017 ahead of the 2018 election when Republican Attorney General Cynthia Coffman ended months of speculation by jumping from her re-election campaign into the crowded GOP primary for governor. George Brauchler, at the time a district attorney who had been running for governor for months, traded places with Coffman days later, ending his gubernatorial bid and launching a run for attorney general. My decision to run for office has always been about my commitment to serving Colorado far more than it has been about the title of the elected position, Brauchler said. That commitment remains just as strong as we make this important change. Buck, by then a congressman, had spent months mulling a switch from a re-election run to a bid for attorney general while waiting for Coffman to make up her mind, but ultimately decided to make clear he was seeking a third term in the House, which he won easily. (He was elected last year to a fourth term and is seeking a fifth term in the 2022 election). Coffman failed to make the gubernatorial primary ballot, and Brauchler, who was unopposed for the GOP nomination, lost in November to Democrat Phil Weiser. Perlmutter did some switching of his own ahead of the 2018 election, including the exceedingly rare switch-back. After launching a campaign for governor in April 2017, he withdrew from the by-then-crowded primary in July, saying he wasn't going to seek re-election to the House but changed his mind a month later and announced he was running for a another term representing the 7th CD. He has won re-election twice by wide margins since making that decision and is seeking a ninth term next year. Perlmutter defeated Republican Casper Stockham last year following Stockham's last-minute switch from challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Jason Crow in the 6th Congressional District to challenging Perlmutter. It was Stockham's third consecutive run for Congress after losing twice to Democrat Diana DeGette in the 1st Congressional District. Democrat John Hickenlooper, a former two-term governor, made the switch in 2019 from his long-shot presidential bid to the 2020 U.S. Senate race, eventually winning the primary and unseating Gardner. TRAIL MIX | Heidi Ganahl peppers her stump speech with lofty goals and 'Karens' Ernest Luning notes that the Republican in the at-large post on the CU board of regents is sounding again like she has her eye on higher office. TRAIL MIX | In fiercely partisan DC, Joe Neguse leads Colorado's aisle-crossers Ernest Luning: "Neguse, of Lafayette, landed in the top 10% of House members on the scale, which measures how often lawmakers' legislation attracts co-sponsors from across the aisle and how often they sign on to bills sponsored by members of the other party." TRAIL MIX | The nine lives of Doug Lamborn Ernest Luning: "The Colorado Springs Republican, serving his eighth term in Congress, has had more close calls than a long-tailed cat on a porch full of rocking chairs." Wouldn't you know it, less than a week after last week's Trail Mix column went to press, it was obsolete. In the holiday news lull, it had seemed like a good opportunity to take stock of the candidate line-ups in major Colorado races. While savvy political watchers have been expecting at least a few additional contenders for statewide and federal offices to emerge soon after the first of the new year not coincidentally, the start of a new fundraising quarter it seemed like a safe bet that the candidate roster would remain unchanged through the holidays. Republican Erik Aadland, however, had other plans. On Dec. 27, Aadland's campaign announced he was moving from the U.S. Senate race to the congressional contest in the Democratic-leaning 7th District, hoping to challenge U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter instead of U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet. The West Point graduate and former oil and gas company executive said he made the move because the terrain in the two races had changed significantly since he launched his Senate campaign in June. Since then, several Republicans with more political experience had joined the Senate primary, including a couple with the potential to pour millions of dollars into their own campaigns. What's more, the redistricting process had produced a more competitive 7th CD, putting Perlmutter in the sights of national Republicans hungry to flip as many seats as possible in what could be a GOP wave election. Many considerations go into any nascent candidate's determination about when to launch a campaign, with no one approach considered sure-fire. Still, there's little reward in kicking things off close to the end of a quarter virtually guaranteeing an underwhelming initial fundraising report and plenty of reasons to avoid trying to make a splash in the last half of December, when voters aren't particularly focused on politics. But once he'd arrived at the decision, it made as much sense for Aadland to make his move from one federal race to another on the Monday after Christmas as it would have to wait for a another news cycle. Switching races midstream isn't without its challenges, campaign veterans say. The optics can be bad if it looks like a candidate is merely office-shopping voters like to pick their elected officials, rather feel like it's the other way around but candidates who convey that they believe they can make a difference in a different race are unlikely to suffer from switching. It's a lot easier, too, to move from one federal race to another, or from one state-level race to another from Senate to House, like Aadland did, or from governor to attorney general, or vice versa, to cite another recent example because candidates can transfer money raised for one campaign to the other without running into complicated campaign finance issues. Aadland has some company among recent Colorado candidates, including another Republican who made the same exact switch a dozen years ago. Like Aadland this year, then-Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier spent nearly six months in 2009 seeking the nomination to challenge Bennet but then shifted late in the year from a Senate run to the 7th CD, eventually winning the nomination to face Perlmutter in November 2010. Frazier, one of the early entrants in Colorado's 2010 Republican U.S. Senate primary, attracted some national attention because he might have become only the second Black Republican elected to the Senate since Reconstruction. But by the time fall rolled around and after a couple of lackluster fundraising quarters, national Republicans recruited former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton into the race, and Frazier decided that his chances were better running against Perlmutter, who had become a top GOP target in what was shaping up to be a Republican wave year. "The 7th Congressional District represents the right path, right now to do my part in helping make America better," Frazier said. As it turned out, Frazier lost to Perlmutter by nearly 12 points after winning the primary over fresh face Lang Sias, who went on to serve in the Colorado legislature and run for lieutenant governor in 2018 and is running for state treasurer in next year's election. Norton lost the 2010 Senate primary to a dark horse candidate named Ken Buck, a district attorney who caught the fancy of tea party voters but lost to Bennet by less than 2 points. Four years later, Buck became the frontrunner in a crowded field of Republicans hoping to oust Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Udall in 2014. Again, however, national Republicans persuaded a heavyweight to join the Senate primary, sensing that Udall was vulnerable in the midterms with an unpopular Democrat occupying the White House. This time it was U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner, who abandoned his re-election bid in the 4th Congressional District and declared his candidacy for the Senate just days before precinct caucuses. Buck and most of the other leading Senate candidates cleared the way for Gardner to secure the nomination, though then-state Sen. Owen Hill dug in his heels before eventually withdrawing. Gardner prevailed at state assembly over then-state Sen. Randy Baumgardner, the only Senate candidate who stuck it out. Buck switched gears immediately to run for the suddenly open 4th CD seat at the same time Gardner announced his Senate bid, though he had to make it past a number of primary challengers to secure the nomination in the heavily Republican district. Both Republicans won in the fall after effectively swapping the offices they were seeking. Something similar happened in November 2017 ahead of the 2018 election when Republican Attorney General Cynthia Coffman ended months of speculation by jumping from her re-election campaign into the crowded GOP primary for governor. George Brauchler, at the time a district attorney who had been running for governor for months, traded places with Coffman days later, ending his gubernatorial bid and launching a run for attorney general. My decision to run for office has always been about my commitment to serving Colorado far more than it has been about the title of the elected position, Brauchler said. That commitment remains just as strong as we make this important change. Buck, by then a congressman, had spent months mulling a switch from a re-election run to a bid for attorney general while waiting for Coffman to make up her mind, but ultimately decided to make clear he was seeking a third term in the House, which he won easily. (He was elected last year to a fourth term and is seeking a fifth term in the 2022 election). Coffman failed to make the gubernatorial primary ballot, and Brauchler, who was unopposed for the GOP nomination, lost in November to Democrat Phil Weiser. Perlmutter did some switching of his own ahead of the 2018 election, including the exceedingly rare switch-back. After launching a campaign for governor in April 2017, he withdrew from the by-then-crowded primary in July, saying he wasn't going to seek re-election to the House but changed his mind a month later and announced he was running for a another term representing the 7th CD. He has won re-election twice by wide margins since making that decision and is seeking a ninth term next year. Perlmutter defeated Republican Casper Stockham last year following Stockham's last-minute switch from challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Jason Crow in the 6th Congressional District to challenging Perlmutter. It was Stockham's third consecutive run for Congress after losing twice to Democrat Diana DeGette in the 1st Congressional District. Democrat John Hickenlooper, a former two-term governor, made the switch in 2019 from his long-shot presidential bid to the 2020 U.S. Senate race, eventually winning the primary and unseating Gardner. TRAIL MIX | Heidi Ganahl peppers her stump speech with lofty goals and 'Karens' Ernest Luning notes that the Republican in the at-large post on the CU board of regents is sounding again like she has her eye on higher office. TRAIL MIX | In fiercely partisan DC, Joe Neguse leads Colorado's aisle-crossers Ernest Luning: "Neguse, of Lafayette, landed in the top 10% of House members on the scale, which measures how often lawmakers' legislation attracts co-sponsors from across the aisle and how often they sign on to bills sponsored by members of the other party." TRAIL MIX | The nine lives of Doug Lamborn Ernest Luning: "The Colorado Springs Republican, serving his eighth term in Congress, has had more close calls than a long-tailed cat on a porch full of rocking chairs." Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Several hundred Afghan evacuees, some of whom were flagged for security concerns, still reside at a NATO base in Kosovo where they are being processed by U.S. personnel, multiple government officials said this week. Most of the approximately 200 evacuees at Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo are family members of someone going through additional processing, said a government source who was unauthorized to comment on the record but was familiar with the situation. A senior Biden administration official acknowledged that some of those at Camp Bondsteel were flagged during vetting for security concerns. The fact that some people have been flagged by our counterterrorism, intelligence or law enforcement professionals for additional screening shows our system is working, said the administration official, who was unauthorized to speak on the record. U.S. politicians have expressed fears that some of the 120,000 people who were brought out of Afghanistan are security threats or connected to violent groups such as the Taliban or the Islamic State. About 69,000 Afghan evacuees were transported to bases in Europe and the Middle East for security screening, with most then being flown to bases in the U.S., with a smaller number being moved to Kosovo. Some of those whose cases have needed additional processing have been moved to Camp Liya located at Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo, said a State Department spokesperson, who was unauthorized to speak on the record. The 955-acre Camp Bondsteel, located in central Kosovo, houses around 1,000 troops from the U.S., Turkey, Poland and Latvia. These troops are part of a long-running peace-keeping force in the country, which includes elements from 11 state National Guards, as well as Army Reserve and active-duty troops. At the camp, government officials review their records and move evacuees toward eventual admission to the United States or resettlement in a third country, said the spokesperson. The U.S. military deployed troops to Kosovo to work with the American Embassy in Pristina in an effort dubbed Task Force Ever Vigilant, an Army statement in September said. The effort led to a contract to support 1,200 long-term evacuees, a U.S. Army statement said Dec. 21. Afghans continue to leave the base to head to America, said the spokesperson, who did not respond to a follow-up question about which countries are willing to accept those who are not brought to the U.S. A spokesman for the militarys U.S. European Command deferred questions to the State Department. Human rights groups in the region have raised concerns about the lack of transparency regarding U.S. processing of Afghans at Camp Bondsteel, with some expressing worry about the wellbeing and human rights of those at the base, the Belgrade, Serbia-based newspaper Balkan Insight reported. Kosovos Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to a request for comment. Stars and Stripes reporter Slobodan Lekic contributed to this story. EV PHEV As Hyundai representatives told South Korean business newspaper Maeil Business , the report published by The Chosun IIbo is false, and the company continues its development of fuel cell vehicles, as well as the electrification of the Genesis fleet.Just a few months ago, Hyundai presented a plan called Vision 2040, which also featured hydrogen-powered vehicles on top of EVs. The Korean marque is already working on the third generation of its fuel cell stack, and that technology is supposed to be featured in an unnamed 2025 Genesis hydrogen vehicle.Despite what Elon Musk thinks about hydrogen, the technology is here, and it can work as an alternative in numerous ways. While the South-African-born billionaire 's vision on this alternative fuel is understandable if you consider that he is all-in on electric power, it is easy to see where FCEVs may be more suited than EVs, as well as other uses for hydrogen.Musk's opinion on the matter of hydrogen is shared by VW CEO Herbert Diess , but the German leader of the country's largest vehicle manufacturing conglomerate is motivated by a belief that hydrogen is better suited for other industries. Diess described hydrogen as "far too expensive, inefficient, slow, and difficult to roll out and transport."Companies like BMW, Daimler, Toyota , Honda, and Hyundai have a different opinion, as each has experimented with hydrogen in one form or another and deployed hydrogen-powered vehicles in one way or another. Mazda and GM have also experimented with hydrogen, and the list does not end here Hydrogen-fueled vehicles currently face a big setback in the form of a limited network of refuel stations . These cannot be implemented in the same manner ascharging stations, as they require a few extra precautions to ensure the safety of users and those around them.The way that fuel cell vehicles work involves a small-sized battery, which cannot be recharged from a plug, like a, so there is no chance of making an FCEV drive once its hydrogen tank goes empty.Another issue with hydrogen is linked to the way it is obtained, as not all hydrogen is green hydrogen . While being expensive, the most common sources of hydrogen involve the oil industry and fossil fuels, which is acceptable only if you want to prove the concept of hydrogen working as a fuel but not sustainable going forward.With the facts laid out above, you should consider it excellent news that the Hyundai Group will not focus solely on electric power in the future. It might be a risky strategy if a breakthrough in hydrogen tech appears, and it would mean that all that they accomplished in this field would have been wasted.Let us think back at the GM EV1 , which was ahead of its time and could have made the American corporation a leader in electric vehicle technology but was killed off.Discontinuing technology is rarely good news for an industry, except when that technology is bad for the environment, unsustainable, or it is replaced by something superior in several ways. In the case of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, they can be alternatives for EVs in situations where large tanks can be fitted, and higher ranges are required, and this is just one use-case scenario.Think about public transportation instead of having to recharge a fleet of dozens or hundreds of electric buses, they could be refilled with hydrogen and operate emission-free and with no pressure on the power grid. Since they can fit large tanks under their floors, buses are perfectly suited for hydrogen use, and large and expensive batteries will not be required for them.The same can be said about trucks , which operate on predictable routes for most of their usable lives . In the case of personal vehicles, hydrogen technology can still be employed, as it is today, as it can be a zero-emission alternative to electric vehicles.The worst thing that could happen to the automotive industry would be to put horse goggles on their engineers' heads and focus on nothing else except electric vehicles. Nobody will find better technology if no one is looking for alternatives. EV PHEV As Hyundai representatives told South Korean business newspaper Maeil Business , the report published by The Chosun IIbo is false, and the company continues its development of fuel cell vehicles, as well as the electrification of the Genesis fleet.Just a few months ago, Hyundai presented a plan called Vision 2040, which also featured hydrogen-powered vehicles on top of EVs. The Korean marque is already working on the third generation of its fuel cell stack, and that technology is supposed to be featured in an unnamed 2025 Genesis hydrogen vehicle.Despite what Elon Musk thinks about hydrogen, the technology is here, and it can work as an alternative in numerous ways. While the South-African-born billionaire 's vision on this alternative fuel is understandable if you consider that he is all-in on electric power, it is easy to see where FCEVs may be more suited than EVs, as well as other uses for hydrogen.Musk's opinion on the matter of hydrogen is shared by VW CEO Herbert Diess , but the German leader of the country's largest vehicle manufacturing conglomerate is motivated by a belief that hydrogen is better suited for other industries. Diess described hydrogen as "far too expensive, inefficient, slow, and difficult to roll out and transport."Companies like BMW, Daimler, Toyota , Honda, and Hyundai have a different opinion, as each has experimented with hydrogen in one form or another and deployed hydrogen-powered vehicles in one way or another. Mazda and GM have also experimented with hydrogen, and the list does not end here Hydrogen-fueled vehicles currently face a big setback in the form of a limited network of refuel stations . These cannot be implemented in the same manner ascharging stations, as they require a few extra precautions to ensure the safety of users and those around them.The way that fuel cell vehicles work involves a small-sized battery, which cannot be recharged from a plug, like a, so there is no chance of making an FCEV drive once its hydrogen tank goes empty.Another issue with hydrogen is linked to the way it is obtained, as not all hydrogen is green hydrogen . While being expensive, the most common sources of hydrogen involve the oil industry and fossil fuels, which is acceptable only if you want to prove the concept of hydrogen working as a fuel but not sustainable going forward.With the facts laid out above, you should consider it excellent news that the Hyundai Group will not focus solely on electric power in the future. It might be a risky strategy if a breakthrough in hydrogen tech appears, and it would mean that all that they accomplished in this field would have been wasted.Let us think back at the GM EV1 , which was ahead of its time and could have made the American corporation a leader in electric vehicle technology but was killed off.Discontinuing technology is rarely good news for an industry, except when that technology is bad for the environment, unsustainable, or it is replaced by something superior in several ways. In the case of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, they can be alternatives for EVs in situations where large tanks can be fitted, and higher ranges are required, and this is just one use-case scenario.Think about public transportation instead of having to recharge a fleet of dozens or hundreds of electric buses, they could be refilled with hydrogen and operate emission-free and with no pressure on the power grid. Since they can fit large tanks under their floors, buses are perfectly suited for hydrogen use, and large and expensive batteries will not be required for them.The same can be said about trucks , which operate on predictable routes for most of their usable lives . In the case of personal vehicles, hydrogen technology can still be employed, as it is today, as it can be a zero-emission alternative to electric vehicles.The worst thing that could happen to the automotive industry would be to put horse goggles on their engineers' heads and focus on nothing else except electric vehicles. Nobody will find better technology if no one is looking for alternatives. EV PHEV As Hyundai representatives told South Korean business newspaper Maeil Business , the report published by The Chosun IIbo is false, and the company continues its development of fuel cell vehicles, as well as the electrification of the Genesis fleet.Just a few months ago, Hyundai presented a plan called Vision 2040, which also featured hydrogen-powered vehicles on top of EVs. The Korean marque is already working on the third generation of its fuel cell stack, and that technology is supposed to be featured in an unnamed 2025 Genesis hydrogen vehicle.Despite what Elon Musk thinks about hydrogen, the technology is here, and it can work as an alternative in numerous ways. While the South-African-born billionaire 's vision on this alternative fuel is understandable if you consider that he is all-in on electric power, it is easy to see where FCEVs may be more suited than EVs, as well as other uses for hydrogen.Musk's opinion on the matter of hydrogen is shared by VW CEO Herbert Diess , but the German leader of the country's largest vehicle manufacturing conglomerate is motivated by a belief that hydrogen is better suited for other industries. Diess described hydrogen as "far too expensive, inefficient, slow, and difficult to roll out and transport."Companies like BMW, Daimler, Toyota , Honda, and Hyundai have a different opinion, as each has experimented with hydrogen in one form or another and deployed hydrogen-powered vehicles in one way or another. Mazda and GM have also experimented with hydrogen, and the list does not end here Hydrogen-fueled vehicles currently face a big setback in the form of a limited network of refuel stations . These cannot be implemented in the same manner ascharging stations, as they require a few extra precautions to ensure the safety of users and those around them.The way that fuel cell vehicles work involves a small-sized battery, which cannot be recharged from a plug, like a, so there is no chance of making an FCEV drive once its hydrogen tank goes empty.Another issue with hydrogen is linked to the way it is obtained, as not all hydrogen is green hydrogen . While being expensive, the most common sources of hydrogen involve the oil industry and fossil fuels, which is acceptable only if you want to prove the concept of hydrogen working as a fuel but not sustainable going forward.With the facts laid out above, you should consider it excellent news that the Hyundai Group will not focus solely on electric power in the future. It might be a risky strategy if a breakthrough in hydrogen tech appears, and it would mean that all that they accomplished in this field would have been wasted.Let us think back at the GM EV1 , which was ahead of its time and could have made the American corporation a leader in electric vehicle technology but was killed off.Discontinuing technology is rarely good news for an industry, except when that technology is bad for the environment, unsustainable, or it is replaced by something superior in several ways. In the case of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, they can be alternatives for EVs in situations where large tanks can be fitted, and higher ranges are required, and this is just one use-case scenario.Think about public transportation instead of having to recharge a fleet of dozens or hundreds of electric buses, they could be refilled with hydrogen and operate emission-free and with no pressure on the power grid. Since they can fit large tanks under their floors, buses are perfectly suited for hydrogen use, and large and expensive batteries will not be required for them.The same can be said about trucks , which operate on predictable routes for most of their usable lives . In the case of personal vehicles, hydrogen technology can still be employed, as it is today, as it can be a zero-emission alternative to electric vehicles.The worst thing that could happen to the automotive industry would be to put horse goggles on their engineers' heads and focus on nothing else except electric vehicles. Nobody will find better technology if no one is looking for alternatives. Ricky Gervais doesnt so much laugh as cackle. Hes doing it now, honking away, describing how he looked round after filming a particularly affecting scene in his comedy-drama After Life, to find the entire crew crying. He was crying too at the time, he says (while laughing). Actress Kerry Godliman who plays Lisa, Rickys character Tonys dead wife was reciting the poem Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep. Viewers never meet the live Lisa in the Netflix series, but follow the journey of the grieving Tony as he drags himself through life without her after her death from breast cancer. We get to know the couple through their happy home videos which Tony, a reporter on a local free paper, plays on a loop, mostly while drinking too much. During the third (and probably final?) series, available to stream on 14 January, we build up to the last video where Lisa, clad in a headscarf after chemo, effectively says goodbye. Everyone was a blubbering mess filming that one, he says. I mean, its such an amazing poem. I still dont know how anyone could have written it. Kerry did that scene in one take. I looked around and everyone was crying. Ricky Gervais, 60, (pictured) who lives in Hampstead, revealed how speaking to fans who've had their own experiences of loss influenced the new series of After Life Ricky said he didn't have to put himself in Tony's shoes because he knows he would be a wreck if he lost Jane. Pictured: Ricky as Tony with Kerry Godliman as Lisa in After Life So why is he in peals of laughter now? Therein lies the conundrum at the heart of the show, perhaps at the heart of Ricky himself. Some critics have struggled with After Life, not quite sure whether its a searing study of grief or a laugh-out-loud comedy. Ricky suggests its both. The older I get and the more I think about my work, and my life, the more I think there isnt that much between comedy and tragedy. Its a razors edge, really. The fact that there is a third series of After Life, which Ricky announced last month had amassed 100 million viewers, is significant. Hes never written a third series of anything. The Office, the comedy that launched his career, only had two, as did Extras and Derek. He wrote this series of After Life as the final one, which posed a huge dilemma. How to end Tonys story? Series one saw our unlikely hero contemplating slitting his wrists in the bath (he decides not to, because the couples dog appears at the door, hungry). Series two suggested he might find love again with a nurse in his fathers care home, but was he ready for this? Today he says he had five possible endings. One did indeed involve Tony ending his life, but did he dare go down that route? He chats about how hes been deluged with fans sharing their own stories of loss. Grief counsellors have praised the show, but urged him to tread carefully. One said to me, Please do not let Tony commit suicide, he reveals. Ricky (pictured), who has been with his partner, novelist Jane Fallon, for 40 years, said After Life is a love story exploring what would happen if the central character lost everything That had been one of the options, but I did feel a sense of responsibility about that not unusually, because I do worry about the effect on the real world but that decided it for me. I didnt feel that, for the sake of good drama, I could do that. Id feel arrogant assuming I knew enough about it. He has experienced bereavement (having lost both his parents and his eldest sibling) but always within the natural order, so not like this. He does know about love though. Hes been with his partner, novelist Jane Fallon, for 40 years. They met at university and started out broke, and now share a 10m home in Hampstead complete with pool and badminton court, as well as a home in New York. I know Id be a wreck if I lost my soulmate He always conceived After Life as a love story, albeit one where the wife just happens to be dead. He wanted to explore what would happen if his central character lost everything. And to me that would mean losing your life partner, your soulmate. And Ricky is a man who writes from experience. The Office was based on his time in a dead-end job. Extras was about his observations of Hollywood. Derek, set in a care home, was based on the things family members (who still work in the care system) told him. Did he put himself in Tonys shoes during the writing process, wondering how hed cope if he lost Jane? No, I dont have to do that because I know Id be a wreck, he says, cheerily. I think Id be worse than Tony. I just would. People have said to me about their own experiences, I thought I was going mad. I hated everyone. I can understand that. But time does heal. Someone told me their counsellor described grief as a heavy rucksack. Over time, it doesnt get any lighter, but you get better at carrying it. I like that. In the show, such advice is offered by Anne, played by Penelope Wilton. She first met Tony in the graveyard where she was visiting her dead husband and is further down the grief route than Tony. Netflix reportedly paid Ricky 30m to make After Life. Pictured: Ricky as Tony with his local newspaper colleagues in After Life Theres a lovely bit of grown-up altruism where she says that although shes suffering, she would rather be suffering than have him suffering, if shed been the one to die first, Ricky says. He reckons he could never be that grown-up. Im selfish. I want to go first, he admits. Greedy, scatty, miserable... meet Ricky's cast of oddballs Tonys acquaintances in After Life are a bunch of oddballs, but Ricky Gervais says theyre all true to life and he hand-picked the cast who play them. Tony Way, 43, who appears as newspaper photographer Lenny, has stayed in touch with Ricky since they worked together on The 11 OClock Show 20 years ago. The comedy world is very small, says Tony. Everyone knows everyone, but when Ricky asks you if you want to be involved in something, you say yes if you can because its always such a good experience. Not entirely flattering though. Id hesitate to say he wrote the part for me, but he did say he had me in mind. Im not sure thats the greatest compliment though, given that when he was telling me about this character he said, Hes greedy and a bit lazy. Ricky added aspects of Jo Hartley's real-life character as the series continued. Pictured: Jo Hartley and Tony Way as June and Lenny Comedian Joe Wilkinson, 46, agreed to appear in the show as miserable Postman Pat because he loves working with Ricky too, but as a very small cog in a big wheel didnt appear to have been particularly noticed after series one. Until he was, in the queue in his local post office. The man serving me at the counter was really dry with me and I apologised for being miserable in the show. He said, Its OK, lots of us are miserable. I believe Im up on the wall in a few post offices and I was offered an honorary thing a postperson-ship, I guess in Stoke. Pictured: Joe Wilkinson as Postman Pat Ricky also wrote the character of scatty June with Jo Hartley, 49, in mind, then added aspects from her real-life character as the series continued. She comments on the shows unique capacity to make everyone laugh and cry. I think anyone who has suffered a bereavement just gets it. My dad died from lung cancer when I was 17. At the time I was too young to take it on board, but that trauma comes with you. 'What Ricky has managed to do is to articulate it, not in a heavy way, but he doesnt try to protect the audience either. Its a privilege to be involved with a show that just matters. Advertisement Netflix reportedly paid him 30m to make After Life. This third series will probably divide the critics and leave Ricky, a master at polarising opinion, open to suggestions that the show is at once too sentimental and too smutty. This will be water off a ducks back to him. He didnt set out to write Friends, he points out. This is a very British production, devoid of gloss. If some of Tonys friends in the fictional town of Tambury seem a bit unsavoury, its because they are. Joe Wilkinson plays Postman Pat, who fell in love with a prostitute in series two, Jo Hartley is Tonys scatty-but-sage friend June, and Tony Way is cast as greedy photographer Lenny. If you compare it to American shows, everyone looks like a freak, Ricky admits. The characters are dishevelled, they wear weird clothes. They say stupid things. If you compare it to ER, it looks weird. But if you walk round Britain, thats what people look like, like me and Joe Wilkinson. We dont look like George Clooney and Brad Pitt. 'And yes, if you compare it to Terry And June or Friends, its too sweary, but if you walk around a building site or a school, its about right. I dont go anywhere where I dont hear people swearing. The real star of the show is Tonys dog Brandy, played by Anti, a German Shepherd with the most expressive eyes in TV history and Ricky thinks they bonded during filming. At the end of each series he had to say goodbye, which meant proper tears. I kept thinking, But she wont understand why she wont see me on Monday. Im probably overestimating how much she cares, but I like to think she genuinely loves me. Ricky loves dogs, cats, any animals really and campaigns for animal rights. He famously doesnt believe in God, but he does believe in dogs. They are my heroin, he admits. During lockdown, Jane and I walked every day. Every dog we met, we talked to. I must know 200 by name. Dogs are life-savers. The number of people who watched After Life and said to me, After my wife died, my dog saved me. Because they do. 'They can smell cancer. They cheer us up, guard us, guide us. A dog is the most amazing thing in the world. You couldnt invent it. Its too perfect. But you dont actually own a dog? No, because I travel and I couldnt bear the look on its face when I had to leave. But when I retire Ill buy a castle and fill it with rescue dogs. Back in the real world hes a cat person. For 16 years he and Jane shared their lives with Ollie, a cat who had her own Twitter account. Now they have Pickle, who is also on Twitter. Ricky becomes as serious as he ever is when he talks about having to have pets put down. Weve had to do it three times and I have cried my eyes out every time. I know a cat doesnt know whats going on, like your nan does, but its still a member of the family and there is a lovely co-dependent bond there. He says his experience weeping at the vets, saying goodbye in the kindest way, is precisely why he supports voluntary assisted euthanasia for humans. I know it to be a beautiful act of kindness and I dont know why there is resistance to it. Has he killed the show though? Will he write a fourth series if Netflix dangle more money? He laughs again. Never say never. He admits hes getting more serious as he gets older. He turned 60 in June and says hes turning into a Grumpy Old Man. He swears a lot at the TV, at politicians, at people who invite him to parties. Is it fair to say his work has become more serious? Running through his work from The Office to Extras and Derek, he agrees each has been a little more serious than the last. Derek was more philosophical, even existential, but After Life has the highest percentage of drama to comedy. 'I dont think its just because Im 60, whereas I was 40 when I wrote The Office. Sometimes you like to do different things. I could go backwards next. 'I could do a fake documentary about students. Comedy acting is hugely underrated, thats why I dont want to move away from it. Also, he points out, life is funny. Until it isnt. You laugh and laugh and then you find a lump, he says, then brightens at his own astuteness. I should have that on my gravestone. After Life is available to stream on Netflix from 14 January. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Ricky Gervais doesnt so much laugh as cackle. Hes doing it now, honking away, describing how he looked round after filming a particularly affecting scene in his comedy-drama After Life, to find the entire crew crying. He was crying too at the time, he says (while laughing). Actress Kerry Godliman who plays Lisa, Rickys character Tonys dead wife was reciting the poem Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep. Viewers never meet the live Lisa in the Netflix series, but follow the journey of the grieving Tony as he drags himself through life without her after her death from breast cancer. We get to know the couple through their happy home videos which Tony, a reporter on a local free paper, plays on a loop, mostly while drinking too much. During the third (and probably final?) series, available to stream on 14 January, we build up to the last video where Lisa, clad in a headscarf after chemo, effectively says goodbye. Everyone was a blubbering mess filming that one, he says. I mean, its such an amazing poem. I still dont know how anyone could have written it. Kerry did that scene in one take. I looked around and everyone was crying. Ricky Gervais, 60, (pictured) who lives in Hampstead, revealed how speaking to fans who've had their own experiences of loss influenced the new series of After Life Ricky said he didn't have to put himself in Tony's shoes because he knows he would be a wreck if he lost Jane. Pictured: Ricky as Tony with Kerry Godliman as Lisa in After Life So why is he in peals of laughter now? Therein lies the conundrum at the heart of the show, perhaps at the heart of Ricky himself. Some critics have struggled with After Life, not quite sure whether its a searing study of grief or a laugh-out-loud comedy. Ricky suggests its both. The older I get and the more I think about my work, and my life, the more I think there isnt that much between comedy and tragedy. Its a razors edge, really. The fact that there is a third series of After Life, which Ricky announced last month had amassed 100 million viewers, is significant. Hes never written a third series of anything. The Office, the comedy that launched his career, only had two, as did Extras and Derek. He wrote this series of After Life as the final one, which posed a huge dilemma. How to end Tonys story? Series one saw our unlikely hero contemplating slitting his wrists in the bath (he decides not to, because the couples dog appears at the door, hungry). Series two suggested he might find love again with a nurse in his fathers care home, but was he ready for this? Today he says he had five possible endings. One did indeed involve Tony ending his life, but did he dare go down that route? He chats about how hes been deluged with fans sharing their own stories of loss. Grief counsellors have praised the show, but urged him to tread carefully. One said to me, Please do not let Tony commit suicide, he reveals. Ricky (pictured), who has been with his partner, novelist Jane Fallon, for 40 years, said After Life is a love story exploring what would happen if the central character lost everything That had been one of the options, but I did feel a sense of responsibility about that not unusually, because I do worry about the effect on the real world but that decided it for me. I didnt feel that, for the sake of good drama, I could do that. Id feel arrogant assuming I knew enough about it. He has experienced bereavement (having lost both his parents and his eldest sibling) but always within the natural order, so not like this. He does know about love though. Hes been with his partner, novelist Jane Fallon, for 40 years. They met at university and started out broke, and now share a 10m home in Hampstead complete with pool and badminton court, as well as a home in New York. I know Id be a wreck if I lost my soulmate He always conceived After Life as a love story, albeit one where the wife just happens to be dead. He wanted to explore what would happen if his central character lost everything. And to me that would mean losing your life partner, your soulmate. And Ricky is a man who writes from experience. The Office was based on his time in a dead-end job. Extras was about his observations of Hollywood. Derek, set in a care home, was based on the things family members (who still work in the care system) told him. Did he put himself in Tonys shoes during the writing process, wondering how hed cope if he lost Jane? No, I dont have to do that because I know Id be a wreck, he says, cheerily. I think Id be worse than Tony. I just would. People have said to me about their own experiences, I thought I was going mad. I hated everyone. I can understand that. But time does heal. Someone told me their counsellor described grief as a heavy rucksack. Over time, it doesnt get any lighter, but you get better at carrying it. I like that. In the show, such advice is offered by Anne, played by Penelope Wilton. She first met Tony in the graveyard where she was visiting her dead husband and is further down the grief route than Tony. Netflix reportedly paid Ricky 30m to make After Life. Pictured: Ricky as Tony with his local newspaper colleagues in After Life Theres a lovely bit of grown-up altruism where she says that although shes suffering, she would rather be suffering than have him suffering, if shed been the one to die first, Ricky says. He reckons he could never be that grown-up. Im selfish. I want to go first, he admits. Greedy, scatty, miserable... meet Ricky's cast of oddballs Tonys acquaintances in After Life are a bunch of oddballs, but Ricky Gervais says theyre all true to life and he hand-picked the cast who play them. Tony Way, 43, who appears as newspaper photographer Lenny, has stayed in touch with Ricky since they worked together on The 11 OClock Show 20 years ago. The comedy world is very small, says Tony. Everyone knows everyone, but when Ricky asks you if you want to be involved in something, you say yes if you can because its always such a good experience. Not entirely flattering though. Id hesitate to say he wrote the part for me, but he did say he had me in mind. Im not sure thats the greatest compliment though, given that when he was telling me about this character he said, Hes greedy and a bit lazy. Ricky added aspects of Jo Hartley's real-life character as the series continued. Pictured: Jo Hartley and Tony Way as June and Lenny Comedian Joe Wilkinson, 46, agreed to appear in the show as miserable Postman Pat because he loves working with Ricky too, but as a very small cog in a big wheel didnt appear to have been particularly noticed after series one. Until he was, in the queue in his local post office. The man serving me at the counter was really dry with me and I apologised for being miserable in the show. He said, Its OK, lots of us are miserable. I believe Im up on the wall in a few post offices and I was offered an honorary thing a postperson-ship, I guess in Stoke. Pictured: Joe Wilkinson as Postman Pat Ricky also wrote the character of scatty June with Jo Hartley, 49, in mind, then added aspects from her real-life character as the series continued. She comments on the shows unique capacity to make everyone laugh and cry. I think anyone who has suffered a bereavement just gets it. My dad died from lung cancer when I was 17. At the time I was too young to take it on board, but that trauma comes with you. 'What Ricky has managed to do is to articulate it, not in a heavy way, but he doesnt try to protect the audience either. Its a privilege to be involved with a show that just matters. Advertisement Netflix reportedly paid him 30m to make After Life. This third series will probably divide the critics and leave Ricky, a master at polarising opinion, open to suggestions that the show is at once too sentimental and too smutty. This will be water off a ducks back to him. He didnt set out to write Friends, he points out. This is a very British production, devoid of gloss. If some of Tonys friends in the fictional town of Tambury seem a bit unsavoury, its because they are. Joe Wilkinson plays Postman Pat, who fell in love with a prostitute in series two, Jo Hartley is Tonys scatty-but-sage friend June, and Tony Way is cast as greedy photographer Lenny. If you compare it to American shows, everyone looks like a freak, Ricky admits. The characters are dishevelled, they wear weird clothes. They say stupid things. If you compare it to ER, it looks weird. But if you walk round Britain, thats what people look like, like me and Joe Wilkinson. We dont look like George Clooney and Brad Pitt. 'And yes, if you compare it to Terry And June or Friends, its too sweary, but if you walk around a building site or a school, its about right. I dont go anywhere where I dont hear people swearing. The real star of the show is Tonys dog Brandy, played by Anti, a German Shepherd with the most expressive eyes in TV history and Ricky thinks they bonded during filming. At the end of each series he had to say goodbye, which meant proper tears. I kept thinking, But she wont understand why she wont see me on Monday. Im probably overestimating how much she cares, but I like to think she genuinely loves me. Ricky loves dogs, cats, any animals really and campaigns for animal rights. He famously doesnt believe in God, but he does believe in dogs. They are my heroin, he admits. During lockdown, Jane and I walked every day. Every dog we met, we talked to. I must know 200 by name. Dogs are life-savers. The number of people who watched After Life and said to me, After my wife died, my dog saved me. Because they do. 'They can smell cancer. They cheer us up, guard us, guide us. A dog is the most amazing thing in the world. You couldnt invent it. Its too perfect. But you dont actually own a dog? No, because I travel and I couldnt bear the look on its face when I had to leave. But when I retire Ill buy a castle and fill it with rescue dogs. Back in the real world hes a cat person. For 16 years he and Jane shared their lives with Ollie, a cat who had her own Twitter account. Now they have Pickle, who is also on Twitter. Ricky becomes as serious as he ever is when he talks about having to have pets put down. Weve had to do it three times and I have cried my eyes out every time. I know a cat doesnt know whats going on, like your nan does, but its still a member of the family and there is a lovely co-dependent bond there. He says his experience weeping at the vets, saying goodbye in the kindest way, is precisely why he supports voluntary assisted euthanasia for humans. I know it to be a beautiful act of kindness and I dont know why there is resistance to it. Has he killed the show though? Will he write a fourth series if Netflix dangle more money? He laughs again. Never say never. He admits hes getting more serious as he gets older. He turned 60 in June and says hes turning into a Grumpy Old Man. He swears a lot at the TV, at politicians, at people who invite him to parties. Is it fair to say his work has become more serious? Running through his work from The Office to Extras and Derek, he agrees each has been a little more serious than the last. Derek was more philosophical, even existential, but After Life has the highest percentage of drama to comedy. 'I dont think its just because Im 60, whereas I was 40 when I wrote The Office. Sometimes you like to do different things. I could go backwards next. 'I could do a fake documentary about students. Comedy acting is hugely underrated, thats why I dont want to move away from it. Also, he points out, life is funny. Until it isnt. You laugh and laugh and then you find a lump, he says, then brightens at his own astuteness. I should have that on my gravestone. After Life is available to stream on Netflix from 14 January. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Wouldn't you know it, less than a week after last week's Trail Mix column went to press, it was obsolete. In the holiday news lull, it had seemed like a good opportunity to take stock of the candidate line-ups in major Colorado races. While savvy political watchers have been expecting at least a few additional contenders for statewide and federal offices to emerge soon after the first of the new year not coincidentally, the start of a new fundraising quarter it seemed like a safe bet that the candidate roster would remain unchanged through the holidays. Republican Erik Aadland, however, had other plans. On Dec. 27, Aadland's campaign announced he was moving from the U.S. Senate race to the congressional contest in the Democratic-leaning 7th District, hoping to challenge U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter instead of U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet. The West Point graduate and former oil and gas company executive said he made the move because the terrain in the two races had changed significantly since he launched his Senate campaign in June. Since then, several Republicans with more political experience had joined the Senate primary, including a couple with the potential to pour millions of dollars into their own campaigns. What's more, the redistricting process had produced a more competitive 7th CD, putting Perlmutter in the sights of national Republicans hungry to flip as many seats as possible in what could be a GOP wave election. Many considerations go into any nascent candidate's determination about when to launch a campaign, with no one approach considered sure-fire. Still, there's little reward in kicking things off close to the end of a quarter virtually guaranteeing an underwhelming initial fundraising report and plenty of reasons to avoid trying to make a splash in the last half of December, when voters aren't particularly focused on politics. But once he'd arrived at the decision, it made as much sense for Aadland to make his move from one federal race to another on the Monday after Christmas as it would have to wait for a another news cycle. Switching races midstream isn't without its challenges, campaign veterans say. The optics can be bad if it looks like a candidate is merely office-shopping voters like to pick their elected officials, rather feel like it's the other way around but candidates who convey that they believe they can make a difference in a different race are unlikely to suffer from switching. It's a lot easier, too, to move from one federal race to another, or from one state-level race to another from Senate to House, like Aadland did, or from governor to attorney general, or vice versa, to cite another recent example because candidates can transfer money raised for one campaign to the other without running into complicated campaign finance issues. Aadland has some company among recent Colorado candidates, including another Republican who made the same exact switch a dozen years ago. Like Aadland this year, then-Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier spent nearly six months in 2009 seeking the nomination to challenge Bennet but then shifted late in the year from a Senate run to the 7th CD, eventually winning the nomination to face Perlmutter in November 2010. Frazier, one of the early entrants in Colorado's 2010 Republican U.S. Senate primary, attracted some national attention because he might have become only the second Black Republican elected to the Senate since Reconstruction. But by the time fall rolled around and after a couple of lackluster fundraising quarters, national Republicans recruited former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton into the race, and Frazier decided that his chances were better running against Perlmutter, who had become a top GOP target in what was shaping up to be a Republican wave year. "The 7th Congressional District represents the right path, right now to do my part in helping make America better," Frazier said. As it turned out, Frazier lost to Perlmutter by nearly 12 points after winning the primary over fresh face Lang Sias, who went on to serve in the Colorado legislature and run for lieutenant governor in 2018 and is running for state treasurer in next year's election. Norton lost the 2010 Senate primary to a dark horse candidate named Ken Buck, a district attorney who caught the fancy of tea party voters but lost to Bennet by less than 2 points. Four years later, Buck became the frontrunner in a crowded field of Republicans hoping to oust Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Udall in 2014. Again, however, national Republicans persuaded a heavyweight to join the Senate primary, sensing that Udall was vulnerable in the midterms with an unpopular Democrat occupying the White House. This time it was U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner, who abandoned his re-election bid in the 4th Congressional District and declared his candidacy for the Senate just days before precinct caucuses. Buck and most of the other leading Senate candidates cleared the way for Gardner to secure the nomination, though then-state Sen. Owen Hill dug in his heels before eventually withdrawing. Gardner prevailed at state assembly over then-state Sen. Randy Baumgardner, the only Senate candidate who stuck it out. Buck switched gears immediately to run for the suddenly open 4th CD seat at the same time Gardner announced his Senate bid, though he had to make it past a number of primary challengers to secure the nomination in the heavily Republican district. Both Republicans won in the fall after effectively swapping the offices they were seeking. Something similar happened in November 2017 ahead of the 2018 election when Republican Attorney General Cynthia Coffman ended months of speculation by jumping from her re-election campaign into the crowded GOP primary for governor. George Brauchler, at the time a district attorney who had been running for governor for months, traded places with Coffman days later, ending his gubernatorial bid and launching a run for attorney general. My decision to run for office has always been about my commitment to serving Colorado far more than it has been about the title of the elected position, Brauchler said. That commitment remains just as strong as we make this important change. Buck, by then a congressman, had spent months mulling a switch from a re-election run to a bid for attorney general while waiting for Coffman to make up her mind, but ultimately decided to make clear he was seeking a third term in the House, which he won easily. (He was elected last year to a fourth term and is seeking a fifth term in the 2022 election). Coffman failed to make the gubernatorial primary ballot, and Brauchler, who was unopposed for the GOP nomination, lost in November to Democrat Phil Weiser. Perlmutter did some switching of his own ahead of the 2018 election, including the exceedingly rare switch-back. After launching a campaign for governor in April 2017, he withdrew from the by-then-crowded primary in July, saying he wasn't going to seek re-election to the House but changed his mind a month later and announced he was running for a another term representing the 7th CD. He has won re-election twice by wide margins since making that decision and is seeking a ninth term next year. Perlmutter defeated Republican Casper Stockham last year following Stockham's last-minute switch from challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Jason Crow in the 6th Congressional District to challenging Perlmutter. It was Stockham's third consecutive run for Congress after losing twice to Democrat Diana DeGette in the 1st Congressional District. Democrat John Hickenlooper, a former two-term governor, made the switch in 2019 from his long-shot presidential bid to the 2020 U.S. Senate race, eventually winning the primary and unseating Gardner. TRAIL MIX | Heidi Ganahl peppers her stump speech with lofty goals and 'Karens' Ernest Luning notes that the Republican in the at-large post on the CU board of regents is sounding again like she has her eye on higher office. TRAIL MIX | In fiercely partisan DC, Joe Neguse leads Colorado's aisle-crossers Ernest Luning: "Neguse, of Lafayette, landed in the top 10% of House members on the scale, which measures how often lawmakers' legislation attracts co-sponsors from across the aisle and how often they sign on to bills sponsored by members of the other party." TRAIL MIX | The nine lives of Doug Lamborn Ernest Luning: "The Colorado Springs Republican, serving his eighth term in Congress, has had more close calls than a long-tailed cat on a porch full of rocking chairs." Wouldn't you know it, less than a week after last week's Trail Mix column went to press, it was obsolete. In the holiday news lull, it had seemed like a good opportunity to take stock of the candidate line-ups in major Colorado races. While savvy political watchers have been expecting at least a few additional contenders for statewide and federal offices to emerge soon after the first of the new year not coincidentally, the start of a new fundraising quarter it seemed like a safe bet that the candidate roster would remain unchanged through the holidays. Republican Erik Aadland, however, had other plans. On Dec. 27, Aadland's campaign announced he was moving from the U.S. Senate race to the congressional contest in the Democratic-leaning 7th District, hoping to challenge U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter instead of U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet. The West Point graduate and former oil and gas company executive said he made the move because the terrain in the two races had changed significantly since he launched his Senate campaign in June. Since then, several Republicans with more political experience had joined the Senate primary, including a couple with the potential to pour millions of dollars into their own campaigns. What's more, the redistricting process had produced a more competitive 7th CD, putting Perlmutter in the sights of national Republicans hungry to flip as many seats as possible in what could be a GOP wave election. Many considerations go into any nascent candidate's determination about when to launch a campaign, with no one approach considered sure-fire. Still, there's little reward in kicking things off close to the end of a quarter virtually guaranteeing an underwhelming initial fundraising report and plenty of reasons to avoid trying to make a splash in the last half of December, when voters aren't particularly focused on politics. But once he'd arrived at the decision, it made as much sense for Aadland to make his move from one federal race to another on the Monday after Christmas as it would have to wait for a another news cycle. Switching races midstream isn't without its challenges, campaign veterans say. The optics can be bad if it looks like a candidate is merely office-shopping voters like to pick their elected officials, rather feel like it's the other way around but candidates who convey that they believe they can make a difference in a different race are unlikely to suffer from switching. It's a lot easier, too, to move from one federal race to another, or from one state-level race to another from Senate to House, like Aadland did, or from governor to attorney general, or vice versa, to cite another recent example because candidates can transfer money raised for one campaign to the other without running into complicated campaign finance issues. Aadland has some company among recent Colorado candidates, including another Republican who made the same exact switch a dozen years ago. Like Aadland this year, then-Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier spent nearly six months in 2009 seeking the nomination to challenge Bennet but then shifted late in the year from a Senate run to the 7th CD, eventually winning the nomination to face Perlmutter in November 2010. Frazier, one of the early entrants in Colorado's 2010 Republican U.S. Senate primary, attracted some national attention because he might have become only the second Black Republican elected to the Senate since Reconstruction. But by the time fall rolled around and after a couple of lackluster fundraising quarters, national Republicans recruited former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton into the race, and Frazier decided that his chances were better running against Perlmutter, who had become a top GOP target in what was shaping up to be a Republican wave year. "The 7th Congressional District represents the right path, right now to do my part in helping make America better," Frazier said. As it turned out, Frazier lost to Perlmutter by nearly 12 points after winning the primary over fresh face Lang Sias, who went on to serve in the Colorado legislature and run for lieutenant governor in 2018 and is running for state treasurer in next year's election. Norton lost the 2010 Senate primary to a dark horse candidate named Ken Buck, a district attorney who caught the fancy of tea party voters but lost to Bennet by less than 2 points. Four years later, Buck became the frontrunner in a crowded field of Republicans hoping to oust Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Udall in 2014. Again, however, national Republicans persuaded a heavyweight to join the Senate primary, sensing that Udall was vulnerable in the midterms with an unpopular Democrat occupying the White House. This time it was U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner, who abandoned his re-election bid in the 4th Congressional District and declared his candidacy for the Senate just days before precinct caucuses. Buck and most of the other leading Senate candidates cleared the way for Gardner to secure the nomination, though then-state Sen. Owen Hill dug in his heels before eventually withdrawing. Gardner prevailed at state assembly over then-state Sen. Randy Baumgardner, the only Senate candidate who stuck it out. Buck switched gears immediately to run for the suddenly open 4th CD seat at the same time Gardner announced his Senate bid, though he had to make it past a number of primary challengers to secure the nomination in the heavily Republican district. Both Republicans won in the fall after effectively swapping the offices they were seeking. Something similar happened in November 2017 ahead of the 2018 election when Republican Attorney General Cynthia Coffman ended months of speculation by jumping from her re-election campaign into the crowded GOP primary for governor. George Brauchler, at the time a district attorney who had been running for governor for months, traded places with Coffman days later, ending his gubernatorial bid and launching a run for attorney general. My decision to run for office has always been about my commitment to serving Colorado far more than it has been about the title of the elected position, Brauchler said. That commitment remains just as strong as we make this important change. Buck, by then a congressman, had spent months mulling a switch from a re-election run to a bid for attorney general while waiting for Coffman to make up her mind, but ultimately decided to make clear he was seeking a third term in the House, which he won easily. (He was elected last year to a fourth term and is seeking a fifth term in the 2022 election). Coffman failed to make the gubernatorial primary ballot, and Brauchler, who was unopposed for the GOP nomination, lost in November to Democrat Phil Weiser. Perlmutter did some switching of his own ahead of the 2018 election, including the exceedingly rare switch-back. After launching a campaign for governor in April 2017, he withdrew from the by-then-crowded primary in July, saying he wasn't going to seek re-election to the House but changed his mind a month later and announced he was running for a another term representing the 7th CD. He has won re-election twice by wide margins since making that decision and is seeking a ninth term next year. Perlmutter defeated Republican Casper Stockham last year following Stockham's last-minute switch from challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Jason Crow in the 6th Congressional District to challenging Perlmutter. It was Stockham's third consecutive run for Congress after losing twice to Democrat Diana DeGette in the 1st Congressional District. Democrat John Hickenlooper, a former two-term governor, made the switch in 2019 from his long-shot presidential bid to the 2020 U.S. Senate race, eventually winning the primary and unseating Gardner. TRAIL MIX | Heidi Ganahl peppers her stump speech with lofty goals and 'Karens' Ernest Luning notes that the Republican in the at-large post on the CU board of regents is sounding again like she has her eye on higher office. TRAIL MIX | In fiercely partisan DC, Joe Neguse leads Colorado's aisle-crossers Ernest Luning: "Neguse, of Lafayette, landed in the top 10% of House members on the scale, which measures how often lawmakers' legislation attracts co-sponsors from across the aisle and how often they sign on to bills sponsored by members of the other party." TRAIL MIX | The nine lives of Doug Lamborn Ernest Luning: "The Colorado Springs Republican, serving his eighth term in Congress, has had more close calls than a long-tailed cat on a porch full of rocking chairs." Wouldn't you know it, less than a week after last week's Trail Mix column went to press, it was obsolete. In the holiday news lull, it had seemed like a good opportunity to take stock of the candidate line-ups in major Colorado races. While savvy political watchers have been expecting at least a few additional contenders for statewide and federal offices to emerge soon after the first of the new year not coincidentally, the start of a new fundraising quarter it seemed like a safe bet that the candidate roster would remain unchanged through the holidays. Republican Erik Aadland, however, had other plans. On Dec. 27, Aadland's campaign announced he was moving from the U.S. Senate race to the congressional contest in the Democratic-leaning 7th District, hoping to challenge U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter instead of U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet. The West Point graduate and former oil and gas company executive said he made the move because the terrain in the two races had changed significantly since he launched his Senate campaign in June. Since then, several Republicans with more political experience had joined the Senate primary, including a couple with the potential to pour millions of dollars into their own campaigns. What's more, the redistricting process had produced a more competitive 7th CD, putting Perlmutter in the sights of national Republicans hungry to flip as many seats as possible in what could be a GOP wave election. Many considerations go into any nascent candidate's determination about when to launch a campaign, with no one approach considered sure-fire. Still, there's little reward in kicking things off close to the end of a quarter virtually guaranteeing an underwhelming initial fundraising report and plenty of reasons to avoid trying to make a splash in the last half of December, when voters aren't particularly focused on politics. But once he'd arrived at the decision, it made as much sense for Aadland to make his move from one federal race to another on the Monday after Christmas as it would have to wait for a another news cycle. Switching races midstream isn't without its challenges, campaign veterans say. The optics can be bad if it looks like a candidate is merely office-shopping voters like to pick their elected officials, rather feel like it's the other way around but candidates who convey that they believe they can make a difference in a different race are unlikely to suffer from switching. It's a lot easier, too, to move from one federal race to another, or from one state-level race to another from Senate to House, like Aadland did, or from governor to attorney general, or vice versa, to cite another recent example because candidates can transfer money raised for one campaign to the other without running into complicated campaign finance issues. Aadland has some company among recent Colorado candidates, including another Republican who made the same exact switch a dozen years ago. Like Aadland this year, then-Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier spent nearly six months in 2009 seeking the nomination to challenge Bennet but then shifted late in the year from a Senate run to the 7th CD, eventually winning the nomination to face Perlmutter in November 2010. Frazier, one of the early entrants in Colorado's 2010 Republican U.S. Senate primary, attracted some national attention because he might have become only the second Black Republican elected to the Senate since Reconstruction. But by the time fall rolled around and after a couple of lackluster fundraising quarters, national Republicans recruited former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton into the race, and Frazier decided that his chances were better running against Perlmutter, who had become a top GOP target in what was shaping up to be a Republican wave year. "The 7th Congressional District represents the right path, right now to do my part in helping make America better," Frazier said. As it turned out, Frazier lost to Perlmutter by nearly 12 points after winning the primary over fresh face Lang Sias, who went on to serve in the Colorado legislature and run for lieutenant governor in 2018 and is running for state treasurer in next year's election. Norton lost the 2010 Senate primary to a dark horse candidate named Ken Buck, a district attorney who caught the fancy of tea party voters but lost to Bennet by less than 2 points. Four years later, Buck became the frontrunner in a crowded field of Republicans hoping to oust Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Udall in 2014. Again, however, national Republicans persuaded a heavyweight to join the Senate primary, sensing that Udall was vulnerable in the midterms with an unpopular Democrat occupying the White House. This time it was U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner, who abandoned his re-election bid in the 4th Congressional District and declared his candidacy for the Senate just days before precinct caucuses. Buck and most of the other leading Senate candidates cleared the way for Gardner to secure the nomination, though then-state Sen. Owen Hill dug in his heels before eventually withdrawing. Gardner prevailed at state assembly over then-state Sen. Randy Baumgardner, the only Senate candidate who stuck it out. Buck switched gears immediately to run for the suddenly open 4th CD seat at the same time Gardner announced his Senate bid, though he had to make it past a number of primary challengers to secure the nomination in the heavily Republican district. Both Republicans won in the fall after effectively swapping the offices they were seeking. Something similar happened in November 2017 ahead of the 2018 election when Republican Attorney General Cynthia Coffman ended months of speculation by jumping from her re-election campaign into the crowded GOP primary for governor. George Brauchler, at the time a district attorney who had been running for governor for months, traded places with Coffman days later, ending his gubernatorial bid and launching a run for attorney general. My decision to run for office has always been about my commitment to serving Colorado far more than it has been about the title of the elected position, Brauchler said. That commitment remains just as strong as we make this important change. Buck, by then a congressman, had spent months mulling a switch from a re-election run to a bid for attorney general while waiting for Coffman to make up her mind, but ultimately decided to make clear he was seeking a third term in the House, which he won easily. (He was elected last year to a fourth term and is seeking a fifth term in the 2022 election). Coffman failed to make the gubernatorial primary ballot, and Brauchler, who was unopposed for the GOP nomination, lost in November to Democrat Phil Weiser. Perlmutter did some switching of his own ahead of the 2018 election, including the exceedingly rare switch-back. After launching a campaign for governor in April 2017, he withdrew from the by-then-crowded primary in July, saying he wasn't going to seek re-election to the House but changed his mind a month later and announced he was running for a another term representing the 7th CD. He has won re-election twice by wide margins since making that decision and is seeking a ninth term next year. Perlmutter defeated Republican Casper Stockham last year following Stockham's last-minute switch from challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Jason Crow in the 6th Congressional District to challenging Perlmutter. It was Stockham's third consecutive run for Congress after losing twice to Democrat Diana DeGette in the 1st Congressional District. Democrat John Hickenlooper, a former two-term governor, made the switch in 2019 from his long-shot presidential bid to the 2020 U.S. Senate race, eventually winning the primary and unseating Gardner. TRAIL MIX | Heidi Ganahl peppers her stump speech with lofty goals and 'Karens' Ernest Luning notes that the Republican in the at-large post on the CU board of regents is sounding again like she has her eye on higher office. TRAIL MIX | In fiercely partisan DC, Joe Neguse leads Colorado's aisle-crossers Ernest Luning: "Neguse, of Lafayette, landed in the top 10% of House members on the scale, which measures how often lawmakers' legislation attracts co-sponsors from across the aisle and how often they sign on to bills sponsored by members of the other party." TRAIL MIX | The nine lives of Doug Lamborn Ernest Luning: "The Colorado Springs Republican, serving his eighth term in Congress, has had more close calls than a long-tailed cat on a porch full of rocking chairs." Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Enjoy your holiday and please spend some time reading what is in the news today! Society -- According to the observation of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters, serious traffic jam occurred on multiple major roads in Hanoi on Friday night since people chose to stay in the capital city to welcome the New Year. -- Phan Van Mai, deputy secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, on Friday said five people in Ho Chi Minh City have been suspected to carry the Omicron variant. -- Ho Chi Minh Citys Tan Son Nhat International Airport will conduct COVID-19 rapid tests on all passengers arriving at the airdome starting Saturday, according to the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC). -- The Ministry of Transport has asked the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City to implement measures to prevent COVID-19 transmission risks from passengers on regular international commercial flights to the city. -- On Friday night, a cold front resulted in low temperatures in northern Vietnamese provinces, while in some mountainous areas, the mercury fell below 13 degrees Celsius. -- Police in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday arrested and initiated legal proceedings against Tran Thi Hong Gam, general director of Bao Long Real Estate Investment Joint Stock Company, and her husband for appropriating VND114 billion (US$2,6 million). Lifestyle -- Authorities in northern Yen Bai Province held a ceremony on Friday to announce the decision and to receive the certificate recognizing Mu Cang Chai Terraced Fields as a Special National Relic Site and the H'mong "Le mung lua moi" (new paddy crop celebration) as a national intangible cultural heritage. World News -- The Omicron variant dampened New Year festivities around much of the world, cancelling celebrations at Paris's Arc de Triomphe and the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, although Cape Town rang in 2022 with the lifting of a nighttime curfew after two years of COVID-19 restrictions, Reuters reported. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Rather than letting his financial difficulties get in the way of his studies, Tran Doan Dinh Phap is pushing steadily towards his dream of becoming a doctor. Despite his ongoing struggles, Phap, a freshman at Da Nang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy located in its namesake central city, would go to any lengths to realize his dream of becoming a capable doctor. The 18-year-old is the eldest and a beacon of hope for his family of three siblings from an underprivileged neighborhood in Phu Ninh District, Quang Nam Province, approximately 70 kilometers from Da Nang City. Life took an unexpected turn for his farming family in 2012 as his father was struck dead by lightning while he was working on the field. Fighter The sudden passing of Phaps father, the breadwinner, when he was only nine and the deteriorating health of his paternal grandmother left his family in a deep financial hole and emotionally devastated. His mother pushed extremely hard to put food on the table and pay his grandmothers medical bills for severe heart disease. As his mothers income could only cover daily needs, when he was not in class, Phap would help her with farm work. The grieving woman and her young son toiling on the farm was a common sight, according to Phaps neighbors. There were days when the boy got laughed at by his classmates for his mud-smeared legs as he barely had time to get changed and take a shower. After finishing ninth grade, Phap once thought of discontinuing his studies so he could find work to support his family. Alone in his struggle, he realized he was almost at a dead-end and did not know anyone to turn to for help. Help came just when it was needed most as Phap found himself a beneficiary of a Da Nang-based charity center which offered to cover three years of tuition for underprivileged, well-performing students. The teenager had his first taste of independence when he moved to Da Nang to attend senior high school, where he continued to excel in his studies. His perseverance and determination and the support he received have helped him through the difficult times. Instead of missing years of learning, the young man finally made it to medical college last September and is taking his first steps towards his dream and a brighter future. Nhung, Phaps mother, was exhilarated with the good news of her sons college enrollment, but the joy was short-lived. She was weighed down with worries that she would be too poor to support her sons university education. As she only has a few beds of vegetables to rely on for income, she would struggle to finance her sons studies, with tuition fees approximating VND15 million (US$656) a year, as well as boarding. I tossed and turned the nights [following his enrollment]. I can hardly cover our daily needs, Nhung shared. Refusing to let financial difficulties stand in the way of realizing his dream, Phap never ceased to work to make the impossible possible. His first step was spending most of his days helping at a plumbing tool store owned by one of his relatives in Da Nang. Phap also helps at a beverage stall nearby. With his payment being free meals and boarding, the aspiring young man can save up and focus on his studies. The relative is very kind to him, so he does not miss out on online classes, which have been in full swing in many localities in Vietnam since early May to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Every night, inside a mezzanine, which triples as his relative's warehouse, kitchen, and rest space, the student diligently does his studies by lamp light, which keeps his dream ablaze and his future as bright as possible. Phap shared his childhood dream of becoming a doctor is something very important and personal. With all the financial distress, physical pain and emotional loss his family has been through, the young man is determined to pursue his dream to the very end. I always keep in mind what my mom told me, I have to put in double or triple the efforts compared to others, Phap shared. Where there is darkness, there is light. Only by excelling academically can I become who I aspire to be. 29 benefit from Tuoi Tre newspapers flagship educational support program On December 23, Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, in coordination with Da Nang chapter of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, gave away scholarships to 29 freshmen at Da Nang-based colleges, in the media organizations Tiep suc den truong (student support) program to help underprivileged students. This years scholarship handout is part of Tuoi Tres Vi ngay mai phat trien (For the growth of next generations) program. The scholarships have a total value of more than VND300 million (US$13,125), with donations coming from Quang Nam-Da Nang Tiep suc den truong Club. Each scholarship is worth VND10 million ($437) and with one special scholarship valued at VND15 million ($656). Other donors include Nestle Vietnam, which hands out gifts to the beneficiaries, and Vincam Co.s Vincam Study Encouragement Foundation, which gifts laptops to particularly disadvantaged students who need devices for their studies. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! 2021 was a devastating year for Vietnam, with the worst-ever COVID-19 outbreak hitting all of the country's provinces and cities and spreading moments of sorrow, despair, love, and hope. It is thus not surprising that the list of Vietnams highlight moments this year is dominated by pandemic-related incidents. The fourth and worst COVID-19 wave began on April 27 and has so far caused over 1.7 million infections across all 63 provinces and cities in the country. Since the pandemic first hit the country early last year, Vietnam has logged 1,714,742 COVID-19-positive cases and over 32,100 deaths. Though the pandemic brought pain and loss to families across the country, it also reminded the Vietnamese people of their resolve and willingness to care for one another, even in the toughest of times. Citizens across Vietnam spent the year joining hands with local authorities to survive months of lockdown in order to reach a new normal that is meant to allow people to live safely with COVID-19. As of Thursday, over 77.5 million of the countrys 98 million people have received at least one dose while more than 67.7 million have been jabbed twice. Here are the highlight of 2021, captured through the lenses of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters: A border guard officer in Ha Giang Province on night patrol in 0-degree Celsius weather. Many people entered Vietnam illegally during the fourth COVID-19 outbreak, hindering the countrys pandemic prevention and control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre An ambulance travels along an empty street in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City at 7:00 pm on July 27, 2021, after municipal authorities began enforcing a movement restriction order after 6:00 pm to curb the pandemic. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Health workers transport a deceased COVID-19 patient at the COVID-19 Resuscitation Hospital in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Health workers take a COVID-19 patient who is suffering from difficulty breathing to the hospital in Nha Ba District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre A man carries his elderly family member to a vaccination site in Hanoi, September 12, 2021. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Thousands receive COVID-19 vaccine doses at Phu Tho Stadium in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre A little girl and her family are brought to a concentrated quarantine facility after coming into direct contact with a COVID-19 patient in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Vietnamese Saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan performs a song to doctors and patients at a makeshift COVID-19 hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Huynh Quang Nhat Long (L) delivers an oxygen tank to a COVID-19 patient at an isolated area in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Dr. Tran Thanh Linh has red marks on his face and neck after wearing face masks for long hours at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Merchants provide their phone numbers as markets are closed during a social distancing in Hanoi. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Military officers disinfect a street in Hanoi in late July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre A woman bows in front of the ashes of her mother who died of COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City. Deceased COVID-19 patients were cremated at Binh Hung Hoa in Binh Tan District before their ashes were taken to their family members. Photo: Thanh Minh / Tuoi Tre Health workers help a COVID-19 patient deliver a baby at Hung Vuong Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre Students return to class on a trial basis on Thach An Island in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City, October 20, 2021 following months of remote learning. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Thousands of fruit-carrying trucks wait for clearance at a border gate between Vietnams Son La Province and China in mid-December 2021 as the neighboring country tightens COVID-19 control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at a press conference at the end of her business trip to Vietnam from August 24 to 26. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre A shipment of COVID-19 vaccine donated by the U.S. via the COVAX Facility arrives at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi in July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! 2021 was a devastating year for Vietnam, with the worst-ever COVID-19 outbreak hitting all of the country's provinces and cities and spreading moments of sorrow, despair, love, and hope. It is thus not surprising that the list of Vietnams highlight moments this year is dominated by pandemic-related incidents. The fourth and worst COVID-19 wave began on April 27 and has so far caused over 1.7 million infections across all 63 provinces and cities in the country. Since the pandemic first hit the country early last year, Vietnam has logged 1,714,742 COVID-19-positive cases and over 32,100 deaths. Though the pandemic brought pain and loss to families across the country, it also reminded the Vietnamese people of their resolve and willingness to care for one another, even in the toughest of times. Citizens across Vietnam spent the year joining hands with local authorities to survive months of lockdown in order to reach a new normal that is meant to allow people to live safely with COVID-19. As of Thursday, over 77.5 million of the countrys 98 million people have received at least one dose while more than 67.7 million have been jabbed twice. Here are the highlight of 2021, captured through the lenses of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters: A border guard officer in Ha Giang Province on night patrol in 0-degree Celsius weather. Many people entered Vietnam illegally during the fourth COVID-19 outbreak, hindering the countrys pandemic prevention and control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre An ambulance travels along an empty street in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City at 7:00 pm on July 27, 2021, after municipal authorities began enforcing a movement restriction order after 6:00 pm to curb the pandemic. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Health workers transport a deceased COVID-19 patient at the COVID-19 Resuscitation Hospital in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Health workers take a COVID-19 patient who is suffering from difficulty breathing to the hospital in Nha Ba District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre A man carries his elderly family member to a vaccination site in Hanoi, September 12, 2021. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Thousands receive COVID-19 vaccine doses at Phu Tho Stadium in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre A little girl and her family are brought to a concentrated quarantine facility after coming into direct contact with a COVID-19 patient in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Vietnamese Saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan performs a song to doctors and patients at a makeshift COVID-19 hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Huynh Quang Nhat Long (L) delivers an oxygen tank to a COVID-19 patient at an isolated area in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Dr. Tran Thanh Linh has red marks on his face and neck after wearing face masks for long hours at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Merchants provide their phone numbers as markets are closed during a social distancing in Hanoi. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Military officers disinfect a street in Hanoi in late July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre A woman bows in front of the ashes of her mother who died of COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City. Deceased COVID-19 patients were cremated at Binh Hung Hoa in Binh Tan District before their ashes were taken to their family members. Photo: Thanh Minh / Tuoi Tre Health workers help a COVID-19 patient deliver a baby at Hung Vuong Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre Students return to class on a trial basis on Thach An Island in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City, October 20, 2021 following months of remote learning. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Thousands of fruit-carrying trucks wait for clearance at a border gate between Vietnams Son La Province and China in mid-December 2021 as the neighboring country tightens COVID-19 control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at a press conference at the end of her business trip to Vietnam from August 24 to 26. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre A shipment of COVID-19 vaccine donated by the U.S. via the COVAX Facility arrives at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi in July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! 2021 was a devastating year for Vietnam, with the worst-ever COVID-19 outbreak hitting all of the country's provinces and cities and spreading moments of sorrow, despair, love, and hope. It is thus not surprising that the list of Vietnams highlight moments this year is dominated by pandemic-related incidents. The fourth and worst COVID-19 wave began on April 27 and has so far caused over 1.7 million infections across all 63 provinces and cities in the country. Since the pandemic first hit the country early last year, Vietnam has logged 1,714,742 COVID-19-positive cases and over 32,100 deaths. Though the pandemic brought pain and loss to families across the country, it also reminded the Vietnamese people of their resolve and willingness to care for one another, even in the toughest of times. Citizens across Vietnam spent the year joining hands with local authorities to survive months of lockdown in order to reach a new normal that is meant to allow people to live safely with COVID-19. As of Thursday, over 77.5 million of the countrys 98 million people have received at least one dose while more than 67.7 million have been jabbed twice. Here are the highlight of 2021, captured through the lenses of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters: A border guard officer in Ha Giang Province on night patrol in 0-degree Celsius weather. Many people entered Vietnam illegally during the fourth COVID-19 outbreak, hindering the countrys pandemic prevention and control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre An ambulance travels along an empty street in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City at 7:00 pm on July 27, 2021, after municipal authorities began enforcing a movement restriction order after 6:00 pm to curb the pandemic. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Health workers transport a deceased COVID-19 patient at the COVID-19 Resuscitation Hospital in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Health workers take a COVID-19 patient who is suffering from difficulty breathing to the hospital in Nha Ba District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre A man carries his elderly family member to a vaccination site in Hanoi, September 12, 2021. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Thousands receive COVID-19 vaccine doses at Phu Tho Stadium in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre A little girl and her family are brought to a concentrated quarantine facility after coming into direct contact with a COVID-19 patient in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Vietnamese Saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan performs a song to doctors and patients at a makeshift COVID-19 hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Huynh Quang Nhat Long (L) delivers an oxygen tank to a COVID-19 patient at an isolated area in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Dr. Tran Thanh Linh has red marks on his face and neck after wearing face masks for long hours at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Merchants provide their phone numbers as markets are closed during a social distancing in Hanoi. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Military officers disinfect a street in Hanoi in late July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre A woman bows in front of the ashes of her mother who died of COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City. Deceased COVID-19 patients were cremated at Binh Hung Hoa in Binh Tan District before their ashes were taken to their family members. Photo: Thanh Minh / Tuoi Tre Health workers help a COVID-19 patient deliver a baby at Hung Vuong Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre Students return to class on a trial basis on Thach An Island in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City, October 20, 2021 following months of remote learning. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Thousands of fruit-carrying trucks wait for clearance at a border gate between Vietnams Son La Province and China in mid-December 2021 as the neighboring country tightens COVID-19 control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at a press conference at the end of her business trip to Vietnam from August 24 to 26. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre A shipment of COVID-19 vaccine donated by the U.S. via the COVAX Facility arrives at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi in July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! 2021 was a devastating year for Vietnam, with the worst-ever COVID-19 outbreak hitting all of the country's provinces and cities and spreading moments of sorrow, despair, love, and hope. It is thus not surprising that the list of Vietnams highlight moments this year is dominated by pandemic-related incidents. The fourth and worst COVID-19 wave began on April 27 and has so far caused over 1.7 million infections across all 63 provinces and cities in the country. Since the pandemic first hit the country early last year, Vietnam has logged 1,714,742 COVID-19-positive cases and over 32,100 deaths. Though the pandemic brought pain and loss to families across the country, it also reminded the Vietnamese people of their resolve and willingness to care for one another, even in the toughest of times. Citizens across Vietnam spent the year joining hands with local authorities to survive months of lockdown in order to reach a new normal that is meant to allow people to live safely with COVID-19. As of Thursday, over 77.5 million of the countrys 98 million people have received at least one dose while more than 67.7 million have been jabbed twice. Here are the highlight of 2021, captured through the lenses of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters: A border guard officer in Ha Giang Province on night patrol in 0-degree Celsius weather. Many people entered Vietnam illegally during the fourth COVID-19 outbreak, hindering the countrys pandemic prevention and control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre An ambulance travels along an empty street in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City at 7:00 pm on July 27, 2021, after municipal authorities began enforcing a movement restriction order after 6:00 pm to curb the pandemic. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Health workers transport a deceased COVID-19 patient at the COVID-19 Resuscitation Hospital in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Health workers take a COVID-19 patient who is suffering from difficulty breathing to the hospital in Nha Ba District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre A man carries his elderly family member to a vaccination site in Hanoi, September 12, 2021. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Thousands receive COVID-19 vaccine doses at Phu Tho Stadium in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre A little girl and her family are brought to a concentrated quarantine facility after coming into direct contact with a COVID-19 patient in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Vietnamese Saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan performs a song to doctors and patients at a makeshift COVID-19 hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Huynh Quang Nhat Long (L) delivers an oxygen tank to a COVID-19 patient at an isolated area in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Dr. Tran Thanh Linh has red marks on his face and neck after wearing face masks for long hours at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Merchants provide their phone numbers as markets are closed during a social distancing in Hanoi. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Military officers disinfect a street in Hanoi in late July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre A woman bows in front of the ashes of her mother who died of COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City. Deceased COVID-19 patients were cremated at Binh Hung Hoa in Binh Tan District before their ashes were taken to their family members. Photo: Thanh Minh / Tuoi Tre Health workers help a COVID-19 patient deliver a baby at Hung Vuong Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre Students return to class on a trial basis on Thach An Island in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City, October 20, 2021 following months of remote learning. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Thousands of fruit-carrying trucks wait for clearance at a border gate between Vietnams Son La Province and China in mid-December 2021 as the neighboring country tightens COVID-19 control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at a press conference at the end of her business trip to Vietnam from August 24 to 26. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre A shipment of COVID-19 vaccine donated by the U.S. via the COVAX Facility arrives at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi in July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! 2021 was a devastating year for Vietnam, with the worst-ever COVID-19 outbreak hitting all of the country's provinces and cities and spreading moments of sorrow, despair, love, and hope. It is thus not surprising that the list of Vietnams highlight moments this year is dominated by pandemic-related incidents. The fourth and worst COVID-19 wave began on April 27 and has so far caused over 1.7 million infections across all 63 provinces and cities in the country. Since the pandemic first hit the country early last year, Vietnam has logged 1,714,742 COVID-19-positive cases and over 32,100 deaths. Though the pandemic brought pain and loss to families across the country, it also reminded the Vietnamese people of their resolve and willingness to care for one another, even in the toughest of times. Citizens across Vietnam spent the year joining hands with local authorities to survive months of lockdown in order to reach a new normal that is meant to allow people to live safely with COVID-19. As of Thursday, over 77.5 million of the countrys 98 million people have received at least one dose while more than 67.7 million have been jabbed twice. Here are the highlight of 2021, captured through the lenses of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters: A border guard officer in Ha Giang Province on night patrol in 0-degree Celsius weather. Many people entered Vietnam illegally during the fourth COVID-19 outbreak, hindering the countrys pandemic prevention and control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre An ambulance travels along an empty street in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City at 7:00 pm on July 27, 2021, after municipal authorities began enforcing a movement restriction order after 6:00 pm to curb the pandemic. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Health workers transport a deceased COVID-19 patient at the COVID-19 Resuscitation Hospital in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Health workers take a COVID-19 patient who is suffering from difficulty breathing to the hospital in Nha Ba District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre A man carries his elderly family member to a vaccination site in Hanoi, September 12, 2021. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Thousands receive COVID-19 vaccine doses at Phu Tho Stadium in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre A little girl and her family are brought to a concentrated quarantine facility after coming into direct contact with a COVID-19 patient in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Vietnamese Saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan performs a song to doctors and patients at a makeshift COVID-19 hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Huynh Quang Nhat Long (L) delivers an oxygen tank to a COVID-19 patient at an isolated area in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Dr. Tran Thanh Linh has red marks on his face and neck after wearing face masks for long hours at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Merchants provide their phone numbers as markets are closed during a social distancing in Hanoi. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Military officers disinfect a street in Hanoi in late July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre A woman bows in front of the ashes of her mother who died of COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City. Deceased COVID-19 patients were cremated at Binh Hung Hoa in Binh Tan District before their ashes were taken to their family members. Photo: Thanh Minh / Tuoi Tre Health workers help a COVID-19 patient deliver a baby at Hung Vuong Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre Students return to class on a trial basis on Thach An Island in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City, October 20, 2021 following months of remote learning. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Thousands of fruit-carrying trucks wait for clearance at a border gate between Vietnams Son La Province and China in mid-December 2021 as the neighboring country tightens COVID-19 control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at a press conference at the end of her business trip to Vietnam from August 24 to 26. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre A shipment of COVID-19 vaccine donated by the U.S. via the COVAX Facility arrives at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi in July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! 2021 was a devastating year for Vietnam, with the worst-ever COVID-19 outbreak hitting all of the country's provinces and cities and spreading moments of sorrow, despair, love, and hope. It is thus not surprising that the list of Vietnams highlight moments this year is dominated by pandemic-related incidents. The fourth and worst COVID-19 wave began on April 27 and has so far caused over 1.7 million infections across all 63 provinces and cities in the country. Since the pandemic first hit the country early last year, Vietnam has logged 1,714,742 COVID-19-positive cases and over 32,100 deaths. Though the pandemic brought pain and loss to families across the country, it also reminded the Vietnamese people of their resolve and willingness to care for one another, even in the toughest of times. Citizens across Vietnam spent the year joining hands with local authorities to survive months of lockdown in order to reach a new normal that is meant to allow people to live safely with COVID-19. As of Thursday, over 77.5 million of the countrys 98 million people have received at least one dose while more than 67.7 million have been jabbed twice. Here are the highlight of 2021, captured through the lenses of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters: A border guard officer in Ha Giang Province on night patrol in 0-degree Celsius weather. Many people entered Vietnam illegally during the fourth COVID-19 outbreak, hindering the countrys pandemic prevention and control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre An ambulance travels along an empty street in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City at 7:00 pm on July 27, 2021, after municipal authorities began enforcing a movement restriction order after 6:00 pm to curb the pandemic. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Health workers transport a deceased COVID-19 patient at the COVID-19 Resuscitation Hospital in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Health workers take a COVID-19 patient who is suffering from difficulty breathing to the hospital in Nha Ba District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre A man carries his elderly family member to a vaccination site in Hanoi, September 12, 2021. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Thousands receive COVID-19 vaccine doses at Phu Tho Stadium in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre A little girl and her family are brought to a concentrated quarantine facility after coming into direct contact with a COVID-19 patient in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Vietnamese Saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan performs a song to doctors and patients at a makeshift COVID-19 hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Huynh Quang Nhat Long (L) delivers an oxygen tank to a COVID-19 patient at an isolated area in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Dr. Tran Thanh Linh has red marks on his face and neck after wearing face masks for long hours at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Merchants provide their phone numbers as markets are closed during a social distancing in Hanoi. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Military officers disinfect a street in Hanoi in late July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre A woman bows in front of the ashes of her mother who died of COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City. Deceased COVID-19 patients were cremated at Binh Hung Hoa in Binh Tan District before their ashes were taken to their family members. Photo: Thanh Minh / Tuoi Tre Health workers help a COVID-19 patient deliver a baby at Hung Vuong Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre Students return to class on a trial basis on Thach An Island in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City, October 20, 2021 following months of remote learning. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Thousands of fruit-carrying trucks wait for clearance at a border gate between Vietnams Son La Province and China in mid-December 2021 as the neighboring country tightens COVID-19 control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at a press conference at the end of her business trip to Vietnam from August 24 to 26. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre A shipment of COVID-19 vaccine donated by the U.S. via the COVAX Facility arrives at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi in July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Rather than letting his financial difficulties get in the way of his studies, Tran Doan Dinh Phap is pushing steadily towards his dream of becoming a doctor. Despite his ongoing struggles, Phap, a freshman at Da Nang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy located in its namesake central city, would go to any lengths to realize his dream of becoming a capable doctor. The 18-year-old is the eldest and a beacon of hope for his family of three siblings from an underprivileged neighborhood in Phu Ninh District, Quang Nam Province, approximately 70 kilometers from Da Nang City. Life took an unexpected turn for his farming family in 2012 as his father was struck dead by lightning while he was working on the field. Fighter The sudden passing of Phaps father, the breadwinner, when he was only nine and the deteriorating health of his paternal grandmother left his family in a deep financial hole and emotionally devastated. His mother pushed extremely hard to put food on the table and pay his grandmothers medical bills for severe heart disease. As his mothers income could only cover daily needs, when he was not in class, Phap would help her with farm work. The grieving woman and her young son toiling on the farm was a common sight, according to Phaps neighbors. There were days when the boy got laughed at by his classmates for his mud-smeared legs as he barely had time to get changed and take a shower. After finishing ninth grade, Phap once thought of discontinuing his studies so he could find work to support his family. Alone in his struggle, he realized he was almost at a dead-end and did not know anyone to turn to for help. Help came just when it was needed most as Phap found himself a beneficiary of a Da Nang-based charity center which offered to cover three years of tuition for underprivileged, well-performing students. The teenager had his first taste of independence when he moved to Da Nang to attend senior high school, where he continued to excel in his studies. His perseverance and determination and the support he received have helped him through the difficult times. Instead of missing years of learning, the young man finally made it to medical college last September and is taking his first steps towards his dream and a brighter future. Nhung, Phaps mother, was exhilarated with the good news of her sons college enrollment, but the joy was short-lived. She was weighed down with worries that she would be too poor to support her sons university education. As she only has a few beds of vegetables to rely on for income, she would struggle to finance her sons studies, with tuition fees approximating VND15 million (US$656) a year, as well as boarding. I tossed and turned the nights [following his enrollment]. I can hardly cover our daily needs, Nhung shared. Refusing to let financial difficulties stand in the way of realizing his dream, Phap never ceased to work to make the impossible possible. His first step was spending most of his days helping at a plumbing tool store owned by one of his relatives in Da Nang. Phap also helps at a beverage stall nearby. With his payment being free meals and boarding, the aspiring young man can save up and focus on his studies. The relative is very kind to him, so he does not miss out on online classes, which have been in full swing in many localities in Vietnam since early May to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Every night, inside a mezzanine, which triples as his relative's warehouse, kitchen, and rest space, the student diligently does his studies by lamp light, which keeps his dream ablaze and his future as bright as possible. Phap shared his childhood dream of becoming a doctor is something very important and personal. With all the financial distress, physical pain and emotional loss his family has been through, the young man is determined to pursue his dream to the very end. I always keep in mind what my mom told me, I have to put in double or triple the efforts compared to others, Phap shared. Where there is darkness, there is light. Only by excelling academically can I become who I aspire to be. 29 benefit from Tuoi Tre newspapers flagship educational support program On December 23, Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, in coordination with Da Nang chapter of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, gave away scholarships to 29 freshmen at Da Nang-based colleges, in the media organizations Tiep suc den truong (student support) program to help underprivileged students. This years scholarship handout is part of Tuoi Tres Vi ngay mai phat trien (For the growth of next generations) program. The scholarships have a total value of more than VND300 million (US$13,125), with donations coming from Quang Nam-Da Nang Tiep suc den truong Club. Each scholarship is worth VND10 million ($437) and with one special scholarship valued at VND15 million ($656). Other donors include Nestle Vietnam, which hands out gifts to the beneficiaries, and Vincam Co.s Vincam Study Encouragement Foundation, which gifts laptops to particularly disadvantaged students who need devices for their studies. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! 2021 was a devastating year for Vietnam, with the worst-ever COVID-19 outbreak hitting all of the country's provinces and cities and spreading moments of sorrow, despair, love, and hope. It is thus not surprising that the list of Vietnams highlight moments this year is dominated by pandemic-related incidents. The fourth and worst COVID-19 wave began on April 27 and has so far caused over 1.7 million infections across all 63 provinces and cities in the country. Since the pandemic first hit the country early last year, Vietnam has logged 1,714,742 COVID-19-positive cases and over 32,100 deaths. Though the pandemic brought pain and loss to families across the country, it also reminded the Vietnamese people of their resolve and willingness to care for one another, even in the toughest of times. Citizens across Vietnam spent the year joining hands with local authorities to survive months of lockdown in order to reach a new normal that is meant to allow people to live safely with COVID-19. As of Thursday, over 77.5 million of the countrys 98 million people have received at least one dose while more than 67.7 million have been jabbed twice. Here are the highlight of 2021, captured through the lenses of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters: A border guard officer in Ha Giang Province on night patrol in 0-degree Celsius weather. Many people entered Vietnam illegally during the fourth COVID-19 outbreak, hindering the countrys pandemic prevention and control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre An ambulance travels along an empty street in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City at 7:00 pm on July 27, 2021, after municipal authorities began enforcing a movement restriction order after 6:00 pm to curb the pandemic. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Health workers transport a deceased COVID-19 patient at the COVID-19 Resuscitation Hospital in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Health workers take a COVID-19 patient who is suffering from difficulty breathing to the hospital in Nha Ba District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre A man carries his elderly family member to a vaccination site in Hanoi, September 12, 2021. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Thousands receive COVID-19 vaccine doses at Phu Tho Stadium in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre A little girl and her family are brought to a concentrated quarantine facility after coming into direct contact with a COVID-19 patient in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Vietnamese Saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan performs a song to doctors and patients at a makeshift COVID-19 hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Huynh Quang Nhat Long (L) delivers an oxygen tank to a COVID-19 patient at an isolated area in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Dr. Tran Thanh Linh has red marks on his face and neck after wearing face masks for long hours at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Merchants provide their phone numbers as markets are closed during a social distancing in Hanoi. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Military officers disinfect a street in Hanoi in late July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre A woman bows in front of the ashes of her mother who died of COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City. Deceased COVID-19 patients were cremated at Binh Hung Hoa in Binh Tan District before their ashes were taken to their family members. Photo: Thanh Minh / Tuoi Tre Health workers help a COVID-19 patient deliver a baby at Hung Vuong Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre Students return to class on a trial basis on Thach An Island in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City, October 20, 2021 following months of remote learning. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Thousands of fruit-carrying trucks wait for clearance at a border gate between Vietnams Son La Province and China in mid-December 2021 as the neighboring country tightens COVID-19 control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at a press conference at the end of her business trip to Vietnam from August 24 to 26. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre A shipment of COVID-19 vaccine donated by the U.S. via the COVAX Facility arrives at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi in July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! 2021 was a devastating year for Vietnam, with the worst-ever COVID-19 outbreak hitting all of the country's provinces and cities and spreading moments of sorrow, despair, love, and hope. It is thus not surprising that the list of Vietnams highlight moments this year is dominated by pandemic-related incidents. The fourth and worst COVID-19 wave began on April 27 and has so far caused over 1.7 million infections across all 63 provinces and cities in the country. Since the pandemic first hit the country early last year, Vietnam has logged 1,714,742 COVID-19-positive cases and over 32,100 deaths. Though the pandemic brought pain and loss to families across the country, it also reminded the Vietnamese people of their resolve and willingness to care for one another, even in the toughest of times. Citizens across Vietnam spent the year joining hands with local authorities to survive months of lockdown in order to reach a new normal that is meant to allow people to live safely with COVID-19. As of Thursday, over 77.5 million of the countrys 98 million people have received at least one dose while more than 67.7 million have been jabbed twice. Here are the highlight of 2021, captured through the lenses of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters: A border guard officer in Ha Giang Province on night patrol in 0-degree Celsius weather. Many people entered Vietnam illegally during the fourth COVID-19 outbreak, hindering the countrys pandemic prevention and control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre An ambulance travels along an empty street in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City at 7:00 pm on July 27, 2021, after municipal authorities began enforcing a movement restriction order after 6:00 pm to curb the pandemic. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Health workers transport a deceased COVID-19 patient at the COVID-19 Resuscitation Hospital in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Health workers take a COVID-19 patient who is suffering from difficulty breathing to the hospital in Nha Ba District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre A man carries his elderly family member to a vaccination site in Hanoi, September 12, 2021. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Thousands receive COVID-19 vaccine doses at Phu Tho Stadium in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre A little girl and her family are brought to a concentrated quarantine facility after coming into direct contact with a COVID-19 patient in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Vietnamese Saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan performs a song to doctors and patients at a makeshift COVID-19 hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Huynh Quang Nhat Long (L) delivers an oxygen tank to a COVID-19 patient at an isolated area in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Dr. Tran Thanh Linh has red marks on his face and neck after wearing face masks for long hours at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Merchants provide their phone numbers as markets are closed during a social distancing in Hanoi. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Military officers disinfect a street in Hanoi in late July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre A woman bows in front of the ashes of her mother who died of COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City. Deceased COVID-19 patients were cremated at Binh Hung Hoa in Binh Tan District before their ashes were taken to their family members. Photo: Thanh Minh / Tuoi Tre Health workers help a COVID-19 patient deliver a baby at Hung Vuong Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre Students return to class on a trial basis on Thach An Island in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City, October 20, 2021 following months of remote learning. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Thousands of fruit-carrying trucks wait for clearance at a border gate between Vietnams Son La Province and China in mid-December 2021 as the neighboring country tightens COVID-19 control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at a press conference at the end of her business trip to Vietnam from August 24 to 26. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre A shipment of COVID-19 vaccine donated by the U.S. via the COVAX Facility arrives at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi in July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Enjoy your holiday and please spend some time reading what is in the news today! Society -- According to the observation of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters, serious traffic jam occurred on multiple major roads in Hanoi on Friday night since people chose to stay in the capital city to welcome the New Year. -- Phan Van Mai, deputy secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, on Friday said five people in Ho Chi Minh City have been suspected to carry the Omicron variant. -- Ho Chi Minh Citys Tan Son Nhat International Airport will conduct COVID-19 rapid tests on all passengers arriving at the airdome starting Saturday, according to the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC). -- The Ministry of Transport has asked the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City to implement measures to prevent COVID-19 transmission risks from passengers on regular international commercial flights to the city. -- On Friday night, a cold front resulted in low temperatures in northern Vietnamese provinces, while in some mountainous areas, the mercury fell below 13 degrees Celsius. -- Police in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday arrested and initiated legal proceedings against Tran Thi Hong Gam, general director of Bao Long Real Estate Investment Joint Stock Company, and her husband for appropriating VND114 billion (US$2,6 million). Lifestyle -- Authorities in northern Yen Bai Province held a ceremony on Friday to announce the decision and to receive the certificate recognizing Mu Cang Chai Terraced Fields as a Special National Relic Site and the H'mong "Le mung lua moi" (new paddy crop celebration) as a national intangible cultural heritage. World News -- The Omicron variant dampened New Year festivities around much of the world, cancelling celebrations at Paris's Arc de Triomphe and the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, although Cape Town rang in 2022 with the lifting of a nighttime curfew after two years of COVID-19 restrictions, Reuters reported. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! 2021 was a devastating year for Vietnam, with the worst-ever COVID-19 outbreak hitting all of the country's provinces and cities and spreading moments of sorrow, despair, love, and hope. It is thus not surprising that the list of Vietnams highlight moments this year is dominated by pandemic-related incidents. The fourth and worst COVID-19 wave began on April 27 and has so far caused over 1.7 million infections across all 63 provinces and cities in the country. Since the pandemic first hit the country early last year, Vietnam has logged 1,714,742 COVID-19-positive cases and over 32,100 deaths. Though the pandemic brought pain and loss to families across the country, it also reminded the Vietnamese people of their resolve and willingness to care for one another, even in the toughest of times. Citizens across Vietnam spent the year joining hands with local authorities to survive months of lockdown in order to reach a new normal that is meant to allow people to live safely with COVID-19. As of Thursday, over 77.5 million of the countrys 98 million people have received at least one dose while more than 67.7 million have been jabbed twice. Here are the highlight of 2021, captured through the lenses of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters: A border guard officer in Ha Giang Province on night patrol in 0-degree Celsius weather. Many people entered Vietnam illegally during the fourth COVID-19 outbreak, hindering the countrys pandemic prevention and control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre An ambulance travels along an empty street in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City at 7:00 pm on July 27, 2021, after municipal authorities began enforcing a movement restriction order after 6:00 pm to curb the pandemic. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Health workers transport a deceased COVID-19 patient at the COVID-19 Resuscitation Hospital in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Health workers take a COVID-19 patient who is suffering from difficulty breathing to the hospital in Nha Ba District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre A man carries his elderly family member to a vaccination site in Hanoi, September 12, 2021. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Thousands receive COVID-19 vaccine doses at Phu Tho Stadium in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre A little girl and her family are brought to a concentrated quarantine facility after coming into direct contact with a COVID-19 patient in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Vietnamese Saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan performs a song to doctors and patients at a makeshift COVID-19 hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Huynh Quang Nhat Long (L) delivers an oxygen tank to a COVID-19 patient at an isolated area in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Dr. Tran Thanh Linh has red marks on his face and neck after wearing face masks for long hours at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Merchants provide their phone numbers as markets are closed during a social distancing in Hanoi. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Military officers disinfect a street in Hanoi in late July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre A woman bows in front of the ashes of her mother who died of COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City. Deceased COVID-19 patients were cremated at Binh Hung Hoa in Binh Tan District before their ashes were taken to their family members. Photo: Thanh Minh / Tuoi Tre Health workers help a COVID-19 patient deliver a baby at Hung Vuong Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre Students return to class on a trial basis on Thach An Island in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City, October 20, 2021 following months of remote learning. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Thousands of fruit-carrying trucks wait for clearance at a border gate between Vietnams Son La Province and China in mid-December 2021 as the neighboring country tightens COVID-19 control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at a press conference at the end of her business trip to Vietnam from August 24 to 26. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre A shipment of COVID-19 vaccine donated by the U.S. via the COVAX Facility arrives at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi in July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! 2021 was a devastating year for Vietnam, with the worst-ever COVID-19 outbreak hitting all of the country's provinces and cities and spreading moments of sorrow, despair, love, and hope. It is thus not surprising that the list of Vietnams highlight moments this year is dominated by pandemic-related incidents. The fourth and worst COVID-19 wave began on April 27 and has so far caused over 1.7 million infections across all 63 provinces and cities in the country. Since the pandemic first hit the country early last year, Vietnam has logged 1,714,742 COVID-19-positive cases and over 32,100 deaths. Though the pandemic brought pain and loss to families across the country, it also reminded the Vietnamese people of their resolve and willingness to care for one another, even in the toughest of times. Citizens across Vietnam spent the year joining hands with local authorities to survive months of lockdown in order to reach a new normal that is meant to allow people to live safely with COVID-19. As of Thursday, over 77.5 million of the countrys 98 million people have received at least one dose while more than 67.7 million have been jabbed twice. Here are the highlight of 2021, captured through the lenses of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters: A border guard officer in Ha Giang Province on night patrol in 0-degree Celsius weather. Many people entered Vietnam illegally during the fourth COVID-19 outbreak, hindering the countrys pandemic prevention and control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre An ambulance travels along an empty street in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City at 7:00 pm on July 27, 2021, after municipal authorities began enforcing a movement restriction order after 6:00 pm to curb the pandemic. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Health workers transport a deceased COVID-19 patient at the COVID-19 Resuscitation Hospital in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Health workers take a COVID-19 patient who is suffering from difficulty breathing to the hospital in Nha Ba District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre A man carries his elderly family member to a vaccination site in Hanoi, September 12, 2021. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Thousands receive COVID-19 vaccine doses at Phu Tho Stadium in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre A little girl and her family are brought to a concentrated quarantine facility after coming into direct contact with a COVID-19 patient in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Vietnamese Saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan performs a song to doctors and patients at a makeshift COVID-19 hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Huynh Quang Nhat Long (L) delivers an oxygen tank to a COVID-19 patient at an isolated area in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Dr. Tran Thanh Linh has red marks on his face and neck after wearing face masks for long hours at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngo Tran Hai An / Tuoi Tre Merchants provide their phone numbers as markets are closed during a social distancing in Hanoi. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Military officers disinfect a street in Hanoi in late July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre A woman bows in front of the ashes of her mother who died of COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City. Deceased COVID-19 patients were cremated at Binh Hung Hoa in Binh Tan District before their ashes were taken to their family members. Photo: Thanh Minh / Tuoi Tre Health workers help a COVID-19 patient deliver a baby at Hung Vuong Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre Students return to class on a trial basis on Thach An Island in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City, October 20, 2021 following months of remote learning. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Thousands of fruit-carrying trucks wait for clearance at a border gate between Vietnams Son La Province and China in mid-December 2021 as the neighboring country tightens COVID-19 control. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at a press conference at the end of her business trip to Vietnam from August 24 to 26. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre A shipment of COVID-19 vaccine donated by the U.S. via the COVAX Facility arrives at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi in July 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Enjoy your holiday and please spend some time reading what is in the news today! Society -- According to the observation of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters, serious traffic jam occurred on multiple major roads in Hanoi on Friday night since people chose to stay in the capital city to welcome the New Year. -- Phan Van Mai, deputy secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, on Friday said five people in Ho Chi Minh City have been suspected to carry the Omicron variant. -- Ho Chi Minh Citys Tan Son Nhat International Airport will conduct COVID-19 rapid tests on all passengers arriving at the airdome starting Saturday, according to the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC). -- The Ministry of Transport has asked the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City to implement measures to prevent COVID-19 transmission risks from passengers on regular international commercial flights to the city. -- On Friday night, a cold front resulted in low temperatures in northern Vietnamese provinces, while in some mountainous areas, the mercury fell below 13 degrees Celsius. -- Police in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday arrested and initiated legal proceedings against Tran Thi Hong Gam, general director of Bao Long Real Estate Investment Joint Stock Company, and her husband for appropriating VND114 billion (US$2,6 million). Lifestyle -- Authorities in northern Yen Bai Province held a ceremony on Friday to announce the decision and to receive the certificate recognizing Mu Cang Chai Terraced Fields as a Special National Relic Site and the H'mong "Le mung lua moi" (new paddy crop celebration) as a national intangible cultural heritage. World News -- The Omicron variant dampened New Year festivities around much of the world, cancelling celebrations at Paris's Arc de Triomphe and the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, although Cape Town rang in 2022 with the lifting of a nighttime curfew after two years of COVID-19 restrictions, Reuters reported. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The north Indian town of Haridwar, where the Ganges flows out of the Himalayas onto Indias vast plains, has been for centuries a destination for pilgrims. For three days in December, it also played host to what the Indian media has called a hate-speech conclave, in which multiple speakers all dressed in saffron garb, the traditional signifier of sanctity in India called for Muslims and Christians in India to be killed. One hailed the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and exhorted Indian politicians, the army and every Hindu to pick up weapons and conduct a cleanliness drive. There was, he said, no solution apart from this. Even in a country that has turned worryingly majoritarian in recent years, such open promotion of genocide and ethnic cleansing should have set off alarms. It is not only tens of millions of minorities as well as Indias increasingly tenuous connection to liberal values that are at risk. The Indian State itself risks being undermined by its leaders tacit acceptance of religious vigilantism. The BJP would not be the first political party to wink at ethno-nationalist extremism among its followers. The states of Uttarakhand, where the town of Haridwar is located, and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh from which Uttarakhand was split off two decades ago are due for elections in the coming months. The BJP, in power in both states, might be tempted to think that heightened inter-religious tension is a useful distraction from a struggling economy and the devastation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. But Indias opposition parties have not pushed back strongly either. They are struggling to formulate a response to this sort of rhetoric that does not result in them being labelled anti-Hindu. In parts of north India, the secularism guaranteed by Indias Constitution has become so politically toxic that many politicians no longer seem able to defend the right of citizens to profess whatever faith they choose. As a consequence, the entire Indian political class seems increasingly complicit in enabling hate speech. The organisers of the Haridwar hate fest have already planned another for the Uttar Pradesh town of Aligarh, home to a government-run university long known as a centre of Indian Muslim scholarship. Tolerating such events is devastatingly short-sighted. Words have consequences, especially in a country with as awful a history of inter-religious violence as India. Just last week, in the Sikh-majority state of Punjab, two men accused of sacrilege were lynched by Sikh mobs. Punjab will also hold elections soon, and newspapers pointed out that most politicians condemned the alleged sacrilege but said little else. Elsewhere in India, Christmas services were interrupted by mobs, and Santa Claus was burned in effigy, obviously. If Indias leaders want to see where tolerance of religious militancy leads, they need only look across the border to arch-rival Pakistan. In a particularly brutal example of mob violence this month, Priyantha Kumara, a Sri Lankan factory manager in the Pakistani town of Sialkot, was beaten, stoned and then set on fire by his own workers supposedly because he had committed blasphemy. Kumara worked in one of Sialkots many export-focused garment factories; the citys businessmen worry that if it gets a reputation for violence and sectarianism, their trade and investment partners will look elsewhere. National leaders should be no less concerned. Some analysts have suggested the US might seek to reorient its relationship with Pakistan toward boosting trade and increasing investment by American firms. That seems, to put it mildly, unlikely in a place where expatriate executives fear possible lynching. Practical considerations should shock Indias politicians into action, if moral ones dont. The states that the Ganges flows through after passing Haridwar are Indias heartland and central to the BJPs stranglehold on power in New Delhi. And yet, the 300 million-plus people who live there are according to the governments own figures among the poorest and most deprived in the world. The current government of Uttar Pradesh has failed to improve matters: The state grew by only 2% a year over the BJPs five-year tenure and even prior to the pandemic underperformed the national average by 1.6 percentage points a year. To secure the future of this Gangetic plain, investment and trade will need to increase many times over. Economic transformation on such a scale cannot happen where the State fails to protect its citizens or society is fractured, xenophobic and violent. Nobody is going to invest billions in areas that appear vulnerable to religious civil war. Politicians may believe they can ride this tiger. Trying to distract voters with sectarian hatred, however, is a bit like concealing the lack of paint on your house by burning it down. (Bloomberg Opinion) Watch the latest DH videos here: The north Indian town of Haridwar, where the Ganges flows out of the Himalayas onto Indias vast plains, has been for centuries a destination for pilgrims. For three days in December, it also played host to what the Indian media has called a hate-speech conclave, in which multiple speakers all dressed in saffron garb, the traditional signifier of sanctity in India called for Muslims and Christians in India to be killed. One hailed the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and exhorted Indian politicians, the army and every Hindu to pick up weapons and conduct a cleanliness drive. There was, he said, no solution apart from this. Even in a country that has turned worryingly majoritarian in recent years, such open promotion of genocide and ethnic cleansing should have set off alarms. It is not only tens of millions of minorities as well as Indias increasingly tenuous connection to liberal values that are at risk. The Indian State itself risks being undermined by its leaders tacit acceptance of religious vigilantism. The BJP would not be the first political party to wink at ethno-nationalist extremism among its followers. The states of Uttarakhand, where the town of Haridwar is located, and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh from which Uttarakhand was split off two decades ago are due for elections in the coming months. The BJP, in power in both states, might be tempted to think that heightened inter-religious tension is a useful distraction from a struggling economy and the devastation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. But Indias opposition parties have not pushed back strongly either. They are struggling to formulate a response to this sort of rhetoric that does not result in them being labelled anti-Hindu. In parts of north India, the secularism guaranteed by Indias Constitution has become so politically toxic that many politicians no longer seem able to defend the right of citizens to profess whatever faith they choose. As a consequence, the entire Indian political class seems increasingly complicit in enabling hate speech. The organisers of the Haridwar hate fest have already planned another for the Uttar Pradesh town of Aligarh, home to a government-run university long known as a centre of Indian Muslim scholarship. Tolerating such events is devastatingly short-sighted. Words have consequences, especially in a country with as awful a history of inter-religious violence as India. Just last week, in the Sikh-majority state of Punjab, two men accused of sacrilege were lynched by Sikh mobs. Punjab will also hold elections soon, and newspapers pointed out that most politicians condemned the alleged sacrilege but said little else. Elsewhere in India, Christmas services were interrupted by mobs, and Santa Claus was burned in effigy, obviously. If Indias leaders want to see where tolerance of religious militancy leads, they need only look across the border to arch-rival Pakistan. In a particularly brutal example of mob violence this month, Priyantha Kumara, a Sri Lankan factory manager in the Pakistani town of Sialkot, was beaten, stoned and then set on fire by his own workers supposedly because he had committed blasphemy. Kumara worked in one of Sialkots many export-focused garment factories; the citys businessmen worry that if it gets a reputation for violence and sectarianism, their trade and investment partners will look elsewhere. National leaders should be no less concerned. Some analysts have suggested the US might seek to reorient its relationship with Pakistan toward boosting trade and increasing investment by American firms. That seems, to put it mildly, unlikely in a place where expatriate executives fear possible lynching. Practical considerations should shock Indias politicians into action, if moral ones dont. The states that the Ganges flows through after passing Haridwar are Indias heartland and central to the BJPs stranglehold on power in New Delhi. And yet, the 300 million-plus people who live there are according to the governments own figures among the poorest and most deprived in the world. The current government of Uttar Pradesh has failed to improve matters: The state grew by only 2% a year over the BJPs five-year tenure and even prior to the pandemic underperformed the national average by 1.6 percentage points a year. To secure the future of this Gangetic plain, investment and trade will need to increase many times over. Economic transformation on such a scale cannot happen where the State fails to protect its citizens or society is fractured, xenophobic and violent. Nobody is going to invest billions in areas that appear vulnerable to religious civil war. Politicians may believe they can ride this tiger. Trying to distract voters with sectarian hatred, however, is a bit like concealing the lack of paint on your house by burning it down. (Bloomberg Opinion) Watch the latest DH videos here: Mutahi Kagwe, the Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Health, on Friday said in a statement that out of the 10 million people, 5.8 million are adults who are partially vaccinated while 4.16 million people have taken the two jabs. "Another 20,121 doses have been administered to those between 15 and 18-years-old and 5,280 are booster doses," Kagwe added. The proportion of adults who are fully vaccinated now stood at 15.3 per cent and the government was working to vaccinate its overall target of 27 million people, said the official. The Cabinet Secretary observed that the country's cumulative Covid-19 positive cases stood at 295,028 after 2,791 more cases were reported as of Thursday from a sample of 9,384, Xinhua news agency reported. The vaccination of the 10 million people comes at a time when the east African nation is battling a surge in Covid-19 confirmed cases caused by the Omicron variant. Kenya has ramped up vaccination as it also fights vaccine hesitancy by denying some services to the unvaccinated. President Uhuru Kenyatta earlier on Friday announced that from January 1, 2022, the government would start to administer booster doses to those who are fully vaccinated to protect them from the new variant. --IANS int/khz/ ( 249 Words) 2022-01-01-02:18:03 (IANS) A senior citizen receives nucleic acid testing at a testing site in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Dec. 29, 2021. (Xinhua/Tao Ming) BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland on Friday reported 175 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said in its daily report on Saturday. Of the new local cases, 174 were reported in the province of Shaanxi, and one in Guizhou, the commission said. Also reported were 56 new imported cases in 12 provincial-level regions, according to the commission. One new suspected case arriving from outside the mainland was reported in Shanghai, and no new deaths from COVID-19 were reported on the day, it added. Enditem German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for more solidarity and social cohesion in the fight against the impending Omicron wave in his New Year's Eve speech. "Let us do everything together... so that we can finally defeat the coronavirus in the new year," Scholz said on Friday. Because of the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, he added, it was important to make use of all vaccination offers, Xinhua news agency reported. "Now it is all about speed. We have to be faster than the virus," he stressed. Total Covid-19 infections in Germany within one day increased by 41,240 cases on Friday, around 5,800 more than last week, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). The seven-day incidence rose from 207.4 on Thursday to 214.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The share of the Omicron variant among Covid-19 infections in Germany jumped from 3.1 per cent in the previous week to 17.5 per cent on Thursday, RKI reported. However, it warned that the figures were an underestimate, because less testing was carried out and reports were delayed over the Christmas holidays in Germany. To slow the coming Omicron wave, the German government implemented stricter Covid-19 rules, including contact restrictions both for vaccinated and recovered people, as well as a nationwide ban on gatherings over New Year. "It is clear to all of us that the pandemic is not over," said the German Chancellor. "The next few days and weeks will still be entirely dominated by Covid-19." Scholz also called for understanding for the significant restrictions that came into force earlier this week. Besides the Covid-19 crisis, Scholz also called on citizens to support the transformation of the country's government and economy in order to enable increased climate protection. In less than 25 years, he said, Germany should become independent of coal, oil and gas. --IANS int/khz/ ( 320 Words) 2022-01-01-02:22:01 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of lives in the stampede that took place early this morning at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Jammu and Kashmir's Katra, in which at least 12 people were killed and several others injured. The Prime Minister also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured. "Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_ Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSingh Ji, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation," PM Modi tweeted. "An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi," tweeted the Prime Minister's Office. At least 12 people were killed, while 13 others were injured in a stampede, triggered by heavy rush of devotees on New Year's Day, at the shrine atop Trikuta hills in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said today. "12 dead, 13 injured in the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Katra. The incident occurred around 2:45 am, and as per initial reports, an argument broke out which resulted in people pushing each other, followed by the stampede," Singh said to ANI. The injured have been taken to Naraina Hospital. Speaking to ANI, Block Medical Officer of Community Health Centre, Gopal Dutt said, "12 people have died in the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra. Casualties are from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and one from Jammu and Kashmir. More details are awaited. Injured are being taken to Naraina Hospital after rescue." (ANI) The north Indian town of Haridwar, where the Ganges flows out of the Himalayas onto Indias vast plains, has been for centuries a destination for pilgrims. For three days in December, it also played host to what the Indian media has called a hate-speech conclave, in which multiple speakers all dressed in saffron garb, the traditional signifier of sanctity in India called for Muslims and Christians in India to be killed. One hailed the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and exhorted Indian politicians, the army and every Hindu to pick up weapons and conduct a cleanliness drive. There was, he said, no solution apart from this. Even in a country that has turned worryingly majoritarian in recent years, such open promotion of genocide and ethnic cleansing should have set off alarms. It is not only tens of millions of minorities as well as Indias increasingly tenuous connection to liberal values that are at risk. The Indian State itself risks being undermined by its leaders tacit acceptance of religious vigilantism. The BJP would not be the first political party to wink at ethno-nationalist extremism among its followers. The states of Uttarakhand, where the town of Haridwar is located, and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh from which Uttarakhand was split off two decades ago are due for elections in the coming months. The BJP, in power in both states, might be tempted to think that heightened inter-religious tension is a useful distraction from a struggling economy and the devastation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. But Indias opposition parties have not pushed back strongly either. They are struggling to formulate a response to this sort of rhetoric that does not result in them being labelled anti-Hindu. In parts of north India, the secularism guaranteed by Indias Constitution has become so politically toxic that many politicians no longer seem able to defend the right of citizens to profess whatever faith they choose. As a consequence, the entire Indian political class seems increasingly complicit in enabling hate speech. The organisers of the Haridwar hate fest have already planned another for the Uttar Pradesh town of Aligarh, home to a government-run university long known as a centre of Indian Muslim scholarship. Tolerating such events is devastatingly short-sighted. Words have consequences, especially in a country with as awful a history of inter-religious violence as India. Just last week, in the Sikh-majority state of Punjab, two men accused of sacrilege were lynched by Sikh mobs. Punjab will also hold elections soon, and newspapers pointed out that most politicians condemned the alleged sacrilege but said little else. Elsewhere in India, Christmas services were interrupted by mobs, and Santa Claus was burned in effigy, obviously. If Indias leaders want to see where tolerance of religious militancy leads, they need only look across the border to arch-rival Pakistan. In a particularly brutal example of mob violence this month, Priyantha Kumara, a Sri Lankan factory manager in the Pakistani town of Sialkot, was beaten, stoned and then set on fire by his own workers supposedly because he had committed blasphemy. Kumara worked in one of Sialkots many export-focused garment factories; the citys businessmen worry that if it gets a reputation for violence and sectarianism, their trade and investment partners will look elsewhere. National leaders should be no less concerned. Some analysts have suggested the US might seek to reorient its relationship with Pakistan toward boosting trade and increasing investment by American firms. That seems, to put it mildly, unlikely in a place where expatriate executives fear possible lynching. Practical considerations should shock Indias politicians into action, if moral ones dont. The states that the Ganges flows through after passing Haridwar are Indias heartland and central to the BJPs stranglehold on power in New Delhi. And yet, the 300 million-plus people who live there are according to the governments own figures among the poorest and most deprived in the world. The current government of Uttar Pradesh has failed to improve matters: The state grew by only 2% a year over the BJPs five-year tenure and even prior to the pandemic underperformed the national average by 1.6 percentage points a year. To secure the future of this Gangetic plain, investment and trade will need to increase many times over. Economic transformation on such a scale cannot happen where the State fails to protect its citizens or society is fractured, xenophobic and violent. Nobody is going to invest billions in areas that appear vulnerable to religious civil war. Politicians may believe they can ride this tiger. Trying to distract voters with sectarian hatred, however, is a bit like concealing the lack of paint on your house by burning it down. (Bloomberg Opinion) Watch the latest DH videos here: Mutahi Kagwe, the Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Health, on Friday said in a statement that out of the 10 million people, 5.8 million are adults who are partially vaccinated while 4.16 million people have taken the two jabs. "Another 20,121 doses have been administered to those between 15 and 18-years-old and 5,280 are booster doses," Kagwe added. The proportion of adults who are fully vaccinated now stood at 15.3 per cent and the government was working to vaccinate its overall target of 27 million people, said the official. The Cabinet Secretary observed that the country's cumulative Covid-19 positive cases stood at 295,028 after 2,791 more cases were reported as of Thursday from a sample of 9,384, Xinhua news agency reported. The vaccination of the 10 million people comes at a time when the east African nation is battling a surge in Covid-19 confirmed cases caused by the Omicron variant. Kenya has ramped up vaccination as it also fights vaccine hesitancy by denying some services to the unvaccinated. President Uhuru Kenyatta earlier on Friday announced that from January 1, 2022, the government would start to administer booster doses to those who are fully vaccinated to protect them from the new variant. --IANS int/khz/ ( 249 Words) 2022-01-01-02:18:03 (IANS) The South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has said the country is taking stock of the loss caused by Covid-19 with many lives lost in 2021 due to the pandemic. Ramaphosa made the remarks on Friday while delivering the New Year message for 2022, Xinhua news agency reported. "This is a sad time and a reminder of what they have lost and in many homes tonight, there's an empty space, which was once occupied by a father, mother, sister, brother, or a child. During the course of the year, we have lost men and women who were pillars of strength in our communities, leaders, activists, and veterans of our struggle for liberation. For many of us, this is also a time to look back at the year we have been through, a time to reflect on the year that has gone by," he added. He said that people should use this time of the year to make a positive contribution in one way or the other in their communities. Ramaphosa wished the people well in 2022. "As we welcome in the New Year, I wish you all joy, happiness, prosperity and peace. This is a special time of year for us all. It is a time for family and enjoying quality time with those we love." The President called on the people to work towards building "a better South Africa in 2022". Some of those who succumbed to Covid-19 in 2021 include former Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu, Member of Parliament Tozama Mantashe, businessman and investor Jabu Mabuza, and Giovanni Pretorius, an Olympic boxer. As of Thursday, a total of 91,061 people had succumbed to Covid-19 in South Africa. --IANS int/khz/ ( 298 Words) 2022-01-01-02:06:06 (IANS) South Africa bids farewell on Saturday to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the last great hero in its struggle against apartheid, in a funeral set to be stripped of pomp but freighted with tears and smiles. Tutu died last Sunday at the age of 90, triggering grief among South Africans and tributes from world leaders for a life spent fighting injustice. Famous for his modesty, Tutu gave instructions for a simple, no-frills ceremony, with a cheap coffin, donations for charity instead of floral tributes and an eco-friendly cremation. The requiem mass will start at 10 am (0800 GMT) at Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral where, for years, Tutu used the pulpit to rail against a brutal white minority regime. The eulogy will be delivered by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who will then hand South Africa's multicoloured flag to Tutu's widow, Leah -- a reminder of her husband's description of the post-apartheid country as the "Rainbow Nation". South Africa has been marking a week of mourning, culminating with two days of lying in state. Several thousand people, some of whom had travelled across the country, filed past a diminutive rope-handled casket made of pine, adorned simply by a bunch of carnations. Mourners are expected to include close friends and family, clergy and a few guests, including former Irish president Mary Robinson, who is to read a prayer, and King Letsie III of South Africa's neighbour Lesotho. Tutu's longtime friend, retired bishop Michael Nuttall, who was Anglican Church dean when Tutu was the archbishop of Cape Town, will deliver the sermon. The two forged a strong relationship, illustrating for many how a white leader could work for a black leader. Nuttall went on write a memoir titled "Tutu's Number Two" about their friendship. "They had a very close bond. Particularly in the 1980s, to have a black man and a white man in a collaborative loving intention in association, was in itself a very remarkable testimony," commented the current dean at the cathedral Michael Weeder. - Fighter - Under apartheid, South Africa's white minority cemented its grip with a panoply of laws based on the notion of race and racial segregation, and the police ruthlessly hunted down opponents, killing or jailing them. With Nelson Mandela and other leaders sentenced to decades in prison, Tutu in the 1970s became the emblem of the struggle. The purple-gowned figure campaigned relentlessly abroad, administering public lashings to the United States, Britain and Germany and other countries for failing to slap sanctions on the apartheid regime. At home, from his pulpit, he slammed police violence against blacks, including the gunning down of school students during the 1976 Soweto uprising. Only his robes saved him from prison. Cabinet minister and anti-apartheid activist Patricia De Lille recalled the many protest marches Tutu led. His presence, she said, was like an invisible shield. "We knew that when the archbishop is leading the march, the chances of us being teargassed or shot by the police was very reduced, because (police) were afraid of him," she said. - Humour - After apartheid was dismantled and South Africa ushered in its first free elections in 1994, Tutu chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which exposed the horrors of the past in grim detail. He would later speak out fearlessly against the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for corruption, leadership incompetence and failures to tackle the country's AIDS epidemic. Tutu's moral firmness and passion went hand-in-hand with self-deprecatory humour and a famously cackling laugh. "One day I was in San Francisco, minding my own business, as I always do, when a lady came up gushing," he recalled in a speech in 2008. "Oh, she was so warm and she was greeting me and she said, 'Hello, Archbishop Mandela!' Sort of getting two for the price of one." For his funeral, Tutu picked as a guiding quote the scripture from the New Testament's Gospel of St. John where Jesus addresses his disciples after their last supper. It reads: "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." Australian politicians have never been particularly shy about suing for defamation, and the rise of social media has led to an explosion in the number of potentially defamatory comments published each day about political leaders. This year, some of those comments made their way to the courts. Former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro sued YouTube personality Jordan Shanks and Google, the owner of the video-sharing platform, over allegedly defamatory videos posted on Shanks Friendlyjordies channel. (The case against Shanks has since settled.) Former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro and YouTube personality Jordan Shanks. Defence Minister Peter Dutton sued a refugee advocate, Shane Bazzi, over a six-word tweet accusing him of being a rape apologist and won a $35,000 damages payout and $825 in interest. But there are signs that the Federal Court, where the bulk of political defamation cases are being filed, is seeking to dissuade some social media cases from darkening its doors. Australian politicians have never been particularly shy about suing for defamation, and the rise of social media has led to an explosion in the number of potentially defamatory comments published each day about political leaders. This year, some of those comments made their way to the courts. Former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro sued YouTube personality Jordan Shanks and Google, the owner of the video-sharing platform, over allegedly defamatory videos posted on Shanks Friendlyjordies channel. (The case against Shanks has since settled.) Former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro and YouTube personality Jordan Shanks. Defence Minister Peter Dutton sued a refugee advocate, Shane Bazzi, over a six-word tweet accusing him of being a rape apologist and won a $35,000 damages payout and $825 in interest. But there are signs that the Federal Court, where the bulk of political defamation cases are being filed, is seeking to dissuade some social media cases from darkening its doors. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/israeli-fm-vows-to-counter-iranian-threat-says-israel-has-capabilities-some-cannot-even-imagine-1091954027.html Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Earlier this week, the Iranian Foreign Ministry accused the Israeli government of attempting to sabotage renewed talks on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 middle east iran uranium nuclear talks israel joint comprehensive plan of action (jcpoa) iran nuclear deal us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091953847_0:0:3115:1753_1920x0_80_0_0_69fcc280b4d1a36b4ce902d97490a80f.jpg In a Friday Channel 12 broadcast, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid bragged that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) is prepared to bring to bear an array of "capabilities" to protect itself against what it claimed was an Iranian threat. When asked about Tel Aviv's ability to strike Iranian uranium enrichment facilities and what were described as weapon sites, Lapid declared that Tel Aviv was both capable and prepared to carry out such a strike.Lapid also said that an Israeli attack against Tehran could occur without prior correspondence with the US.He also reiterated that allies have been shown information he claimed "proves the Iranians are lying" in regard to recent nuclear activities. Despite vocal pushback from the Israeli government, which opposed the original 2015 JCPOA pact, Tel Aviv would support a "good deal," as "it is only against the wrong deal." Lapid has previously stated that he would rather the US and other JCPOA signatories walk away from renewed talks than reach an agreement that lacks what he characterized as "real oversight" of Iran's nuclear program. In May 2018, then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled the US out of the JCPOA agreement - also known as the Iran nuclear deal - and reimposed sanctions that crippled the Iranian economy. Tehran soon after abandoned its commitments under the agreement. Following the election of US President Joe Biden, negotiations to revisit the agreement kicked off in April but stalled in June, when Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi took office. More recently, talks saw a pause from the US after American officials concluded that Iran was "not serious" about the ongoing talks in Vienna.Despite delays, Monday kicked off an eighth round of JCPOA discussion. The US communicated earlier this week that progress had been made in defining what it claimed were the main issues preventing Tehran from returning to the pact.According to Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani, nearly all delegates have agreed on the need to lift sanctions against Tehran, and expressed plans to consider conditions for their removal. https://sputniknews.com/20211230/head-of-iranian-delegation-says-progress-made-in-jcpoa-talks-in-vienna-1091923420.html iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead israel, iran, nuclear talks https://sputniknews.com/20220101/israeli-fm-vows-to-counter-iranian-threat-says-israel-has-capabilities-some-cannot-even-imagine-1091954027.html Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Earlier this week, the Iranian Foreign Ministry accused the Israeli government of attempting to sabotage renewed talks on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 middle east iran uranium nuclear talks israel joint comprehensive plan of action (jcpoa) iran nuclear deal us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091953847_0:0:3115:1753_1920x0_80_0_0_69fcc280b4d1a36b4ce902d97490a80f.jpg In a Friday Channel 12 broadcast, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid bragged that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) is prepared to bring to bear an array of "capabilities" to protect itself against what it claimed was an Iranian threat. When asked about Tel Aviv's ability to strike Iranian uranium enrichment facilities and what were described as weapon sites, Lapid declared that Tel Aviv was both capable and prepared to carry out such a strike.Lapid also said that an Israeli attack against Tehran could occur without prior correspondence with the US.He also reiterated that allies have been shown information he claimed "proves the Iranians are lying" in regard to recent nuclear activities. Despite vocal pushback from the Israeli government, which opposed the original 2015 JCPOA pact, Tel Aviv would support a "good deal," as "it is only against the wrong deal." Lapid has previously stated that he would rather the US and other JCPOA signatories walk away from renewed talks than reach an agreement that lacks what he characterized as "real oversight" of Iran's nuclear program. In May 2018, then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled the US out of the JCPOA agreement - also known as the Iran nuclear deal - and reimposed sanctions that crippled the Iranian economy. Tehran soon after abandoned its commitments under the agreement. Following the election of US President Joe Biden, negotiations to revisit the agreement kicked off in April but stalled in June, when Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi took office. More recently, talks saw a pause from the US after American officials concluded that Iran was "not serious" about the ongoing talks in Vienna.Despite delays, Monday kicked off an eighth round of JCPOA discussion. The US communicated earlier this week that progress had been made in defining what it claimed were the main issues preventing Tehran from returning to the pact.According to Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani, nearly all delegates have agreed on the need to lift sanctions against Tehran, and expressed plans to consider conditions for their removal. https://sputniknews.com/20211230/head-of-iranian-delegation-says-progress-made-in-jcpoa-talks-in-vienna-1091923420.html iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead israel, iran, nuclear talks A senior citizen receives nucleic acid testing at a testing site in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Dec. 29, 2021. (Xinhua/Tao Ming) BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland on Friday reported 175 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said in its daily report on Saturday. Of the new local cases, 174 were reported in the province of Shaanxi, and one in Guizhou, the commission said. Also reported were 56 new imported cases in 12 provincial-level regions, according to the commission. One new suspected case arriving from outside the mainland was reported in Shanghai, and no new deaths from COVID-19 were reported on the day, it added. Enditem China's Xi'an is witnessing a COVID-19 resurgence. Companies and individuals across China are lending their hands by delivering food and items to show love and solidarity. Produced by Xinhua Global Service South Africa bids farewell on Saturday to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the last great hero in its struggle against apartheid, in a funeral set to be stripped of pomp but freighted with tears and smiles. Tutu died last Sunday at the age of 90, triggering grief among South Africans and tributes from world leaders for a life spent fighting injustice. Famous for his modesty, Tutu gave instructions for a simple, no-frills ceremony, with a cheap coffin, donations for charity instead of floral tributes and an eco-friendly cremation. The requiem mass will start at 10 am (0800 GMT) at Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral where, for years, Tutu used the pulpit to rail against a brutal white minority regime. The eulogy will be delivered by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who will then hand South Africa's multicoloured flag to Tutu's widow, Leah -- a reminder of her husband's description of the post-apartheid country as the "Rainbow Nation". South Africa has been marking a week of mourning, culminating with two days of lying in state. Several thousand people, some of whom had travelled across the country, filed past a diminutive rope-handled casket made of pine, adorned simply by a bunch of carnations. Mourners are expected to include close friends and family, clergy and a few guests, including former Irish president Mary Robinson, who is to read a prayer, and King Letsie III of South Africa's neighbour Lesotho. Tutu's longtime friend, retired bishop Michael Nuttall, who was Anglican Church dean when Tutu was the archbishop of Cape Town, will deliver the sermon. The two forged a strong relationship, illustrating for many how a white leader could work for a black leader. Nuttall went on write a memoir titled "Tutu's Number Two" about their friendship. "They had a very close bond. Particularly in the 1980s, to have a black man and a white man in a collaborative loving intention in association, was in itself a very remarkable testimony," commented the current dean at the cathedral Michael Weeder. - Fighter - Under apartheid, South Africa's white minority cemented its grip with a panoply of laws based on the notion of race and racial segregation, and the police ruthlessly hunted down opponents, killing or jailing them. With Nelson Mandela and other leaders sentenced to decades in prison, Tutu in the 1970s became the emblem of the struggle. The purple-gowned figure campaigned relentlessly abroad, administering public lashings to the United States, Britain and Germany and other countries for failing to slap sanctions on the apartheid regime. At home, from his pulpit, he slammed police violence against blacks, including the gunning down of school students during the 1976 Soweto uprising. Only his robes saved him from prison. Cabinet minister and anti-apartheid activist Patricia De Lille recalled the many protest marches Tutu led. His presence, she said, was like an invisible shield. "We knew that when the archbishop is leading the march, the chances of us being teargassed or shot by the police was very reduced, because (police) were afraid of him," she said. - Humour - After apartheid was dismantled and South Africa ushered in its first free elections in 1994, Tutu chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which exposed the horrors of the past in grim detail. He would later speak out fearlessly against the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for corruption, leadership incompetence and failures to tackle the country's AIDS epidemic. Tutu's moral firmness and passion went hand-in-hand with self-deprecatory humour and a famously cackling laugh. "One day I was in San Francisco, minding my own business, as I always do, when a lady came up gushing," he recalled in a speech in 2008. "Oh, she was so warm and she was greeting me and she said, 'Hello, Archbishop Mandela!' Sort of getting two for the price of one." For his funeral, Tutu picked as a guiding quote the scripture from the New Testament's Gospel of St. John where Jesus addresses his disciples after their last supper. It reads: "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." South Africa bids farewell on Saturday to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the last great hero in its struggle against apartheid, in a funeral set to be stripped of pomp but freighted with tears and smiles. Tutu died last Sunday at the age of 90, triggering grief among South Africans and tributes from world leaders for a life spent fighting injustice. Famous for his modesty, Tutu gave instructions for a simple, no-frills ceremony, with a cheap coffin, donations for charity instead of floral tributes and an eco-friendly cremation. The requiem mass will start at 10 am (0800 GMT) at Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral where, for years, Tutu used the pulpit to rail against a brutal white minority regime. The eulogy will be delivered by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who will then hand South Africa's multicoloured flag to Tutu's widow, Leah -- a reminder of her husband's description of the post-apartheid country as the "Rainbow Nation". South Africa has been marking a week of mourning, culminating with two days of lying in state. Several thousand people, some of whom had travelled across the country, filed past a diminutive rope-handled casket made of pine, adorned simply by a bunch of carnations. Mourners are expected to include close friends and family, clergy and a few guests, including former Irish president Mary Robinson, who is to read a prayer, and King Letsie III of South Africa's neighbour Lesotho. Tutu's longtime friend, retired bishop Michael Nuttall, who was Anglican Church dean when Tutu was the archbishop of Cape Town, will deliver the sermon. The two forged a strong relationship, illustrating for many how a white leader could work for a black leader. Nuttall went on write a memoir titled "Tutu's Number Two" about their friendship. "They had a very close bond. Particularly in the 1980s, to have a black man and a white man in a collaborative loving intention in association, was in itself a very remarkable testimony," commented the current dean at the cathedral Michael Weeder. - Fighter - Under apartheid, South Africa's white minority cemented its grip with a panoply of laws based on the notion of race and racial segregation, and the police ruthlessly hunted down opponents, killing or jailing them. With Nelson Mandela and other leaders sentenced to decades in prison, Tutu in the 1970s became the emblem of the struggle. The purple-gowned figure campaigned relentlessly abroad, administering public lashings to the United States, Britain and Germany and other countries for failing to slap sanctions on the apartheid regime. At home, from his pulpit, he slammed police violence against blacks, including the gunning down of school students during the 1976 Soweto uprising. Only his robes saved him from prison. Cabinet minister and anti-apartheid activist Patricia De Lille recalled the many protest marches Tutu led. His presence, she said, was like an invisible shield. "We knew that when the archbishop is leading the march, the chances of us being teargassed or shot by the police was very reduced, because (police) were afraid of him," she said. - Humour - After apartheid was dismantled and South Africa ushered in its first free elections in 1994, Tutu chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which exposed the horrors of the past in grim detail. He would later speak out fearlessly against the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for corruption, leadership incompetence and failures to tackle the country's AIDS epidemic. Tutu's moral firmness and passion went hand-in-hand with self-deprecatory humour and a famously cackling laugh. "One day I was in San Francisco, minding my own business, as I always do, when a lady came up gushing," he recalled in a speech in 2008. "Oh, she was so warm and she was greeting me and she said, 'Hello, Archbishop Mandela!' Sort of getting two for the price of one." For his funeral, Tutu picked as a guiding quote the scripture from the New Testament's Gospel of St. John where Jesus addresses his disciples after their last supper. It reads: "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." South Africa bids farewell on Saturday to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the last great hero in its struggle against apartheid, in a funeral set to be stripped of pomp but freighted with tears and smiles. Tutu died last Sunday at the age of 90, triggering grief among South Africans and tributes from world leaders for a life spent fighting injustice. Famous for his modesty, Tutu gave instructions for a simple, no-frills ceremony, with a cheap coffin, donations for charity instead of floral tributes and an eco-friendly cremation. The requiem mass will start at 10 am (0800 GMT) at Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral where, for years, Tutu used the pulpit to rail against a brutal white minority regime. The eulogy will be delivered by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who will then hand South Africa's multicoloured flag to Tutu's widow, Leah -- a reminder of her husband's description of the post-apartheid country as the "Rainbow Nation". South Africa has been marking a week of mourning, culminating with two days of lying in state. Several thousand people, some of whom had travelled across the country, filed past a diminutive rope-handled casket made of pine, adorned simply by a bunch of carnations. Mourners are expected to include close friends and family, clergy and a few guests, including former Irish president Mary Robinson, who is to read a prayer, and King Letsie III of South Africa's neighbour Lesotho. Tutu's longtime friend, retired bishop Michael Nuttall, who was Anglican Church dean when Tutu was the archbishop of Cape Town, will deliver the sermon. The two forged a strong relationship, illustrating for many how a white leader could work for a black leader. Nuttall went on write a memoir titled "Tutu's Number Two" about their friendship. "They had a very close bond. Particularly in the 1980s, to have a black man and a white man in a collaborative loving intention in association, was in itself a very remarkable testimony," commented the current dean at the cathedral Michael Weeder. - Fighter - Under apartheid, South Africa's white minority cemented its grip with a panoply of laws based on the notion of race and racial segregation, and the police ruthlessly hunted down opponents, killing or jailing them. With Nelson Mandela and other leaders sentenced to decades in prison, Tutu in the 1970s became the emblem of the struggle. The purple-gowned figure campaigned relentlessly abroad, administering public lashings to the United States, Britain and Germany and other countries for failing to slap sanctions on the apartheid regime. At home, from his pulpit, he slammed police violence against blacks, including the gunning down of school students during the 1976 Soweto uprising. Only his robes saved him from prison. Cabinet minister and anti-apartheid activist Patricia De Lille recalled the many protest marches Tutu led. His presence, she said, was like an invisible shield. "We knew that when the archbishop is leading the march, the chances of us being teargassed or shot by the police was very reduced, because (police) were afraid of him," she said. - Humour - After apartheid was dismantled and South Africa ushered in its first free elections in 1994, Tutu chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which exposed the horrors of the past in grim detail. He would later speak out fearlessly against the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for corruption, leadership incompetence and failures to tackle the country's AIDS epidemic. Tutu's moral firmness and passion went hand-in-hand with self-deprecatory humour and a famously cackling laugh. "One day I was in San Francisco, minding my own business, as I always do, when a lady came up gushing," he recalled in a speech in 2008. "Oh, she was so warm and she was greeting me and she said, 'Hello, Archbishop Mandela!' Sort of getting two for the price of one." For his funeral, Tutu picked as a guiding quote the scripture from the New Testament's Gospel of St. John where Jesus addresses his disciples after their last supper. It reads: "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe PARIS: Despite the forthcoming challenging weeks caused by the recurrence of Covid-19 cases, French President Emmanuel Macron has stated that he is "resolutely confident" for the future year. Macron, speaking from the Elysee to the country on New Year's Day, emphasized the significance of coronavirus immunisation. "Our most secure asset is vaccination. It takes the number of severe forms and divides it by ten "he said. He asked France's 5 million unvaccinated residents to get vaccinated for themselves, their fellow citizens, and the country. The President also urged everyone, whether or not they have been vaccinated, to continue to obey barrier gestures in order to slow the virus's spread. Macron said he is "optimistic" about a possible end to the pandemic in 2022, acknowledging the critical job of health workers during the pandemic for the previous two years. Recalling 2021, the President stated that throughout the crisis, the government adopted different steps to defend spending power, as well as new projects for the young generation, environmental crisis, housing crisis, and other issues. Macron predicted that 2022 will be a watershed moment in European history since France will be hosting the European Union presidency. He went on to add that 2022 will be a watershed moment for France. Mexico accounts 28.1 pc growth in International tourism for 2021 Italian president greets citizens for sense of responsibility in New Year speech France's cumulative number of Covid cases surpasses 10-million mark German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for more solidarity and social cohesion in the fight against the impending Omicron wave in his New Year's Eve speech. "Let us do everything together... so that we can finally defeat the coronavirus in the new year," Scholz said on Friday. Because of the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, he added, it was important to make use of all vaccination offers, Xinhua news agency reported. "Now it is all about speed. We have to be faster than the virus," he stressed. Total Covid-19 infections in Germany within one day increased by 41,240 cases on Friday, around 5,800 more than last week, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). The seven-day incidence rose from 207.4 on Thursday to 214.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The share of the Omicron variant among Covid-19 infections in Germany jumped from 3.1 per cent in the previous week to 17.5 per cent on Thursday, RKI reported. However, it warned that the figures were an underestimate, because less testing was carried out and reports were delayed over the Christmas holidays in Germany. To slow the coming Omicron wave, the German government implemented stricter Covid-19 rules, including contact restrictions both for vaccinated and recovered people, as well as a nationwide ban on gatherings over New Year. "It is clear to all of us that the pandemic is not over," said the German Chancellor. "The next few days and weeks will still be entirely dominated by Covid-19." Scholz also called for understanding for the significant restrictions that came into force earlier this week. Besides the Covid-19 crisis, Scholz also called on citizens to support the transformation of the country's government and economy in order to enable increased climate protection. In less than 25 years, he said, Germany should become independent of coal, oil and gas. --IANS int/khz/ ( 320 Words) 2022-01-01-02:22:01 (IANS) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for more solidarity and social cohesion in the fight against the impending Omicron wave in his New Year's Eve speech. "Let us do everything together... so that we can finally defeat the coronavirus in the new year," Scholz said on Friday. Because of the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, he added, it was important to make use of all vaccination offers, Xinhua news agency reported. "Now it is all about speed. We have to be faster than the virus," he stressed. Total Covid-19 infections in Germany within one day increased by 41,240 cases on Friday, around 5,800 more than last week, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). The seven-day incidence rose from 207.4 on Thursday to 214.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The share of the Omicron variant among Covid-19 infections in Germany jumped from 3.1 per cent in the previous week to 17.5 per cent on Thursday, RKI reported. However, it warned that the figures were an underestimate, because less testing was carried out and reports were delayed over the Christmas holidays in Germany. To slow the coming Omicron wave, the German government implemented stricter Covid-19 rules, including contact restrictions both for vaccinated and recovered people, as well as a nationwide ban on gatherings over New Year. "It is clear to all of us that the pandemic is not over," said the German Chancellor. "The next few days and weeks will still be entirely dominated by Covid-19." Scholz also called for understanding for the significant restrictions that came into force earlier this week. Besides the Covid-19 crisis, Scholz also called on citizens to support the transformation of the country's government and economy in order to enable increased climate protection. In less than 25 years, he said, Germany should become independent of coal, oil and gas. --IANS int/khz/ ( 320 Words) 2022-01-01-02:22:01 (IANS) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for more solidarity and social cohesion in the fight against the impending Omicron wave in his New Year's Eve speech. "Let us do everything together... so that we can finally defeat the coronavirus in the new year," Scholz said on Friday. Because of the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, he added, it was important to make use of all vaccination offers, Xinhua news agency reported. "Now it is all about speed. We have to be faster than the virus," he stressed. Total Covid-19 infections in Germany within one day increased by 41,240 cases on Friday, around 5,800 more than last week, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). The seven-day incidence rose from 207.4 on Thursday to 214.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The share of the Omicron variant among Covid-19 infections in Germany jumped from 3.1 per cent in the previous week to 17.5 per cent on Thursday, RKI reported. However, it warned that the figures were an underestimate, because less testing was carried out and reports were delayed over the Christmas holidays in Germany. To slow the coming Omicron wave, the German government implemented stricter Covid-19 rules, including contact restrictions both for vaccinated and recovered people, as well as a nationwide ban on gatherings over New Year. "It is clear to all of us that the pandemic is not over," said the German Chancellor. "The next few days and weeks will still be entirely dominated by Covid-19." Scholz also called for understanding for the significant restrictions that came into force earlier this week. Besides the Covid-19 crisis, Scholz also called on citizens to support the transformation of the country's government and economy in order to enable increased climate protection. In less than 25 years, he said, Germany should become independent of coal, oil and gas. --IANS int/khz/ ( 320 Words) 2022-01-01-02:22:01 (IANS) PARIS: Despite the forthcoming challenging weeks caused by the recurrence of Covid-19 cases, French President Emmanuel Macron has stated that he is "resolutely confident" for the future year. Macron, speaking from the Elysee to the country on New Year's Day, emphasized the significance of coronavirus immunisation. "Our most secure asset is vaccination. It takes the number of severe forms and divides it by ten "he said. He asked France's 5 million unvaccinated residents to get vaccinated for themselves, their fellow citizens, and the country. The President also urged everyone, whether or not they have been vaccinated, to continue to obey barrier gestures in order to slow the virus's spread. Macron said he is "optimistic" about a possible end to the pandemic in 2022, acknowledging the critical job of health workers during the pandemic for the previous two years. Recalling 2021, the President stated that throughout the crisis, the government adopted different steps to defend spending power, as well as new projects for the young generation, environmental crisis, housing crisis, and other issues. Macron predicted that 2022 will be a watershed moment in European history since France will be hosting the European Union presidency. He went on to add that 2022 will be a watershed moment for France. Mexico accounts 28.1 pc growth in International tourism for 2021 Italian president greets citizens for sense of responsibility in New Year speech France's cumulative number of Covid cases surpasses 10-million mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of lives in the stampede that took place early this morning at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Jammu and Kashmir's Katra, in which at least 12 people were killed and several others injured. The Prime Minister also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured. "Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_ Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSingh Ji, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation," PM Modi tweeted. "An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi," tweeted the Prime Minister's Office. At least 12 people were killed, while 13 others were injured in a stampede, triggered by heavy rush of devotees on New Year's Day, at the shrine atop Trikuta hills in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said today. "12 dead, 13 injured in the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Katra. The incident occurred around 2:45 am, and as per initial reports, an argument broke out which resulted in people pushing each other, followed by the stampede," Singh said to ANI. The injured have been taken to Naraina Hospital. Speaking to ANI, Block Medical Officer of Community Health Centre, Gopal Dutt said, "12 people have died in the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra. Casualties are from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and one from Jammu and Kashmir. More details are awaited. Injured are being taken to Naraina Hospital after rescue." (ANI) KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 09:15 | All, Japan, Coronavirus Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday vowed to continue to take all necessary measures to fight the spread of COVID-19 while accelerating his push to create a "new capitalism." In his New Year's address, Kishida also said he would step up summit diplomacy in 2022 and that constitutional reform would be a "major theme" of the year. "I will further enhance prevention, testing and early treatment and reduce the risk that the novel coronavirus poses to society," Kishida said. The government is seeking to speed up the rollout of COVID-19 vaccine booster shots with the community spread of the Omicron variant confirmed in some areas including Tokyo and Osaka. In such regions, free PCR and antigen tests are being provided To support the pandemic-hit economy, parliament has passed a record 36 trillion yen ($313 billion) extra budget for the current fiscal year to March. The COVID-19 response has taken priority but once the country wins the battle against the virus, the government will focus on policies to achieve growth and wealth distribution, he said. "Pursuing economic sustainability by creating a virtuous cycle of growth and distribution is the kind of new capitalism that I am aiming for," he said, calling for further wage hikes and more investment in human resources by companies. "I will realize more robust growth, countering intense challenges posed by an economic system operating under what can be described as state capitalism," Kishida said in what was seen as a reference to the Chinese economy. In his first New Year address since becoming prime minister in October, Kishida said solid leadership is necessary to cope with the severity and complexity of international affairs. He vowed to move ahead with what he has described as a diplomatic approach based on "realism for the new era," saying it consists of three pillars -- emphasizing universal values, engaging in efforts to resolve global challenges and "resolutely protecting" the lives and livelihoods of the people. He has expressed hope to visit the United States for in-person talks with U.S. President Joe Biden, though no specific date has been set. Kishida is seen as a moderate conservative in contrast to more hawkish members of his Liberal Democratic Party including former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. But he vowed to accelerate debate to achieve the party's goal of revising the pacifist Constitution, which was strongly pushed by Abe. "I will strive to deepen debate in parliament and also spur discussion among the people of Japan," the 64-year-old prime minister said. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/israeli-fm-vows-to-counter-iranian-threat-says-israel-has-capabilities-some-cannot-even-imagine-1091954027.html Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Earlier this week, the Iranian Foreign Ministry accused the Israeli government of attempting to sabotage renewed talks on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 middle east iran uranium nuclear talks israel joint comprehensive plan of action (jcpoa) iran nuclear deal us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091953847_0:0:3115:1753_1920x0_80_0_0_69fcc280b4d1a36b4ce902d97490a80f.jpg In a Friday Channel 12 broadcast, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid bragged that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) is prepared to bring to bear an array of "capabilities" to protect itself against what it claimed was an Iranian threat. When asked about Tel Aviv's ability to strike Iranian uranium enrichment facilities and what were described as weapon sites, Lapid declared that Tel Aviv was both capable and prepared to carry out such a strike.Lapid also said that an Israeli attack against Tehran could occur without prior correspondence with the US.He also reiterated that allies have been shown information he claimed "proves the Iranians are lying" in regard to recent nuclear activities. Despite vocal pushback from the Israeli government, which opposed the original 2015 JCPOA pact, Tel Aviv would support a "good deal," as "it is only against the wrong deal." Lapid has previously stated that he would rather the US and other JCPOA signatories walk away from renewed talks than reach an agreement that lacks what he characterized as "real oversight" of Iran's nuclear program. In May 2018, then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled the US out of the JCPOA agreement - also known as the Iran nuclear deal - and reimposed sanctions that crippled the Iranian economy. Tehran soon after abandoned its commitments under the agreement. Following the election of US President Joe Biden, negotiations to revisit the agreement kicked off in April but stalled in June, when Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi took office. More recently, talks saw a pause from the US after American officials concluded that Iran was "not serious" about the ongoing talks in Vienna.Despite delays, Monday kicked off an eighth round of JCPOA discussion. The US communicated earlier this week that progress had been made in defining what it claimed were the main issues preventing Tehran from returning to the pact.According to Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani, nearly all delegates have agreed on the need to lift sanctions against Tehran, and expressed plans to consider conditions for their removal. https://sputniknews.com/20211230/head-of-iranian-delegation-says-progress-made-in-jcpoa-talks-in-vienna-1091923420.html iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead israel, iran, nuclear talks https://sputniknews.com/20220101/israeli-fm-vows-to-counter-iranian-threat-says-israel-has-capabilities-some-cannot-even-imagine-1091954027.html Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Earlier this week, the Iranian Foreign Ministry accused the Israeli government of attempting to sabotage renewed talks on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 middle east iran uranium nuclear talks israel joint comprehensive plan of action (jcpoa) iran nuclear deal us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091953847_0:0:3115:1753_1920x0_80_0_0_69fcc280b4d1a36b4ce902d97490a80f.jpg In a Friday Channel 12 broadcast, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid bragged that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) is prepared to bring to bear an array of "capabilities" to protect itself against what it claimed was an Iranian threat. When asked about Tel Aviv's ability to strike Iranian uranium enrichment facilities and what were described as weapon sites, Lapid declared that Tel Aviv was both capable and prepared to carry out such a strike.Lapid also said that an Israeli attack against Tehran could occur without prior correspondence with the US.He also reiterated that allies have been shown information he claimed "proves the Iranians are lying" in regard to recent nuclear activities. Despite vocal pushback from the Israeli government, which opposed the original 2015 JCPOA pact, Tel Aviv would support a "good deal," as "it is only against the wrong deal." Lapid has previously stated that he would rather the US and other JCPOA signatories walk away from renewed talks than reach an agreement that lacks what he characterized as "real oversight" of Iran's nuclear program. In May 2018, then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled the US out of the JCPOA agreement - also known as the Iran nuclear deal - and reimposed sanctions that crippled the Iranian economy. Tehran soon after abandoned its commitments under the agreement. Following the election of US President Joe Biden, negotiations to revisit the agreement kicked off in April but stalled in June, when Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi took office. More recently, talks saw a pause from the US after American officials concluded that Iran was "not serious" about the ongoing talks in Vienna.Despite delays, Monday kicked off an eighth round of JCPOA discussion. The US communicated earlier this week that progress had been made in defining what it claimed were the main issues preventing Tehran from returning to the pact.According to Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani, nearly all delegates have agreed on the need to lift sanctions against Tehran, and expressed plans to consider conditions for their removal. https://sputniknews.com/20211230/head-of-iranian-delegation-says-progress-made-in-jcpoa-talks-in-vienna-1091923420.html iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead israel, iran, nuclear talks The north Indian town of Haridwar, where the Ganges flows out of the Himalayas onto Indias vast plains, has been for centuries a destination for pilgrims. For three days in December, it also played host to what the Indian media has called a hate-speech conclave, in which multiple speakers all dressed in saffron garb, the traditional signifier of sanctity in India called for Muslims and Christians in India to be killed. One hailed the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and exhorted Indian politicians, the army and every Hindu to pick up weapons and conduct a cleanliness drive. There was, he said, no solution apart from this. Even in a country that has turned worryingly majoritarian in recent years, such open promotion of genocide and ethnic cleansing should have set off alarms. It is not only tens of millions of minorities as well as Indias increasingly tenuous connection to liberal values that are at risk. The Indian State itself risks being undermined by its leaders tacit acceptance of religious vigilantism. The BJP would not be the first political party to wink at ethno-nationalist extremism among its followers. The states of Uttarakhand, where the town of Haridwar is located, and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh from which Uttarakhand was split off two decades ago are due for elections in the coming months. The BJP, in power in both states, might be tempted to think that heightened inter-religious tension is a useful distraction from a struggling economy and the devastation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. But Indias opposition parties have not pushed back strongly either. They are struggling to formulate a response to this sort of rhetoric that does not result in them being labelled anti-Hindu. In parts of north India, the secularism guaranteed by Indias Constitution has become so politically toxic that many politicians no longer seem able to defend the right of citizens to profess whatever faith they choose. As a consequence, the entire Indian political class seems increasingly complicit in enabling hate speech. The organisers of the Haridwar hate fest have already planned another for the Uttar Pradesh town of Aligarh, home to a government-run university long known as a centre of Indian Muslim scholarship. Tolerating such events is devastatingly short-sighted. Words have consequences, especially in a country with as awful a history of inter-religious violence as India. Just last week, in the Sikh-majority state of Punjab, two men accused of sacrilege were lynched by Sikh mobs. Punjab will also hold elections soon, and newspapers pointed out that most politicians condemned the alleged sacrilege but said little else. Elsewhere in India, Christmas services were interrupted by mobs, and Santa Claus was burned in effigy, obviously. If Indias leaders want to see where tolerance of religious militancy leads, they need only look across the border to arch-rival Pakistan. In a particularly brutal example of mob violence this month, Priyantha Kumara, a Sri Lankan factory manager in the Pakistani town of Sialkot, was beaten, stoned and then set on fire by his own workers supposedly because he had committed blasphemy. Kumara worked in one of Sialkots many export-focused garment factories; the citys businessmen worry that if it gets a reputation for violence and sectarianism, their trade and investment partners will look elsewhere. National leaders should be no less concerned. Some analysts have suggested the US might seek to reorient its relationship with Pakistan toward boosting trade and increasing investment by American firms. That seems, to put it mildly, unlikely in a place where expatriate executives fear possible lynching. Practical considerations should shock Indias politicians into action, if moral ones dont. The states that the Ganges flows through after passing Haridwar are Indias heartland and central to the BJPs stranglehold on power in New Delhi. And yet, the 300 million-plus people who live there are according to the governments own figures among the poorest and most deprived in the world. The current government of Uttar Pradesh has failed to improve matters: The state grew by only 2% a year over the BJPs five-year tenure and even prior to the pandemic underperformed the national average by 1.6 percentage points a year. To secure the future of this Gangetic plain, investment and trade will need to increase many times over. Economic transformation on such a scale cannot happen where the State fails to protect its citizens or society is fractured, xenophobic and violent. Nobody is going to invest billions in areas that appear vulnerable to religious civil war. Politicians may believe they can ride this tiger. Trying to distract voters with sectarian hatred, however, is a bit like concealing the lack of paint on your house by burning it down. (Bloomberg Opinion) Watch the latest DH videos here: https://sputniknews.com/20220101/israeli-fm-vows-to-counter-iranian-threat-says-israel-has-capabilities-some-cannot-even-imagine-1091954027.html Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Earlier this week, the Iranian Foreign Ministry accused the Israeli government of attempting to sabotage renewed talks on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 middle east iran uranium nuclear talks israel joint comprehensive plan of action (jcpoa) iran nuclear deal us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091953847_0:0:3115:1753_1920x0_80_0_0_69fcc280b4d1a36b4ce902d97490a80f.jpg In a Friday Channel 12 broadcast, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid bragged that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) is prepared to bring to bear an array of "capabilities" to protect itself against what it claimed was an Iranian threat. When asked about Tel Aviv's ability to strike Iranian uranium enrichment facilities and what were described as weapon sites, Lapid declared that Tel Aviv was both capable and prepared to carry out such a strike.Lapid also said that an Israeli attack against Tehran could occur without prior correspondence with the US.He also reiterated that allies have been shown information he claimed "proves the Iranians are lying" in regard to recent nuclear activities. Despite vocal pushback from the Israeli government, which opposed the original 2015 JCPOA pact, Tel Aviv would support a "good deal," as "it is only against the wrong deal." Lapid has previously stated that he would rather the US and other JCPOA signatories walk away from renewed talks than reach an agreement that lacks what he characterized as "real oversight" of Iran's nuclear program. In May 2018, then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled the US out of the JCPOA agreement - also known as the Iran nuclear deal - and reimposed sanctions that crippled the Iranian economy. Tehran soon after abandoned its commitments under the agreement. Following the election of US President Joe Biden, negotiations to revisit the agreement kicked off in April but stalled in June, when Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi took office. More recently, talks saw a pause from the US after American officials concluded that Iran was "not serious" about the ongoing talks in Vienna.Despite delays, Monday kicked off an eighth round of JCPOA discussion. The US communicated earlier this week that progress had been made in defining what it claimed were the main issues preventing Tehran from returning to the pact.According to Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani, nearly all delegates have agreed on the need to lift sanctions against Tehran, and expressed plans to consider conditions for their removal. https://sputniknews.com/20211230/head-of-iranian-delegation-says-progress-made-in-jcpoa-talks-in-vienna-1091923420.html iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead israel, iran, nuclear talks https://sputniknews.com/20220101/israeli-fm-vows-to-counter-iranian-threat-says-israel-has-capabilities-some-cannot-even-imagine-1091954027.html Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Earlier this week, the Iranian Foreign Ministry accused the Israeli government of attempting to sabotage renewed talks on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 middle east iran uranium nuclear talks israel joint comprehensive plan of action (jcpoa) iran nuclear deal us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091953847_0:0:3115:1753_1920x0_80_0_0_69fcc280b4d1a36b4ce902d97490a80f.jpg In a Friday Channel 12 broadcast, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid bragged that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) is prepared to bring to bear an array of "capabilities" to protect itself against what it claimed was an Iranian threat. When asked about Tel Aviv's ability to strike Iranian uranium enrichment facilities and what were described as weapon sites, Lapid declared that Tel Aviv was both capable and prepared to carry out such a strike.Lapid also said that an Israeli attack against Tehran could occur without prior correspondence with the US.He also reiterated that allies have been shown information he claimed "proves the Iranians are lying" in regard to recent nuclear activities. Despite vocal pushback from the Israeli government, which opposed the original 2015 JCPOA pact, Tel Aviv would support a "good deal," as "it is only against the wrong deal." Lapid has previously stated that he would rather the US and other JCPOA signatories walk away from renewed talks than reach an agreement that lacks what he characterized as "real oversight" of Iran's nuclear program. In May 2018, then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled the US out of the JCPOA agreement - also known as the Iran nuclear deal - and reimposed sanctions that crippled the Iranian economy. Tehran soon after abandoned its commitments under the agreement. Following the election of US President Joe Biden, negotiations to revisit the agreement kicked off in April but stalled in June, when Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi took office. More recently, talks saw a pause from the US after American officials concluded that Iran was "not serious" about the ongoing talks in Vienna.Despite delays, Monday kicked off an eighth round of JCPOA discussion. The US communicated earlier this week that progress had been made in defining what it claimed were the main issues preventing Tehran from returning to the pact.According to Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani, nearly all delegates have agreed on the need to lift sanctions against Tehran, and expressed plans to consider conditions for their removal. https://sputniknews.com/20211230/head-of-iranian-delegation-says-progress-made-in-jcpoa-talks-in-vienna-1091923420.html iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead israel, iran, nuclear talks https://sputniknews.com/20220101/israeli-fm-vows-to-counter-iranian-threat-says-israel-has-capabilities-some-cannot-even-imagine-1091954027.html Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Earlier this week, the Iranian Foreign Ministry accused the Israeli government of attempting to sabotage renewed talks on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 middle east iran uranium nuclear talks israel joint comprehensive plan of action (jcpoa) iran nuclear deal us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091953847_0:0:3115:1753_1920x0_80_0_0_69fcc280b4d1a36b4ce902d97490a80f.jpg In a Friday Channel 12 broadcast, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid bragged that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) is prepared to bring to bear an array of "capabilities" to protect itself against what it claimed was an Iranian threat. When asked about Tel Aviv's ability to strike Iranian uranium enrichment facilities and what were described as weapon sites, Lapid declared that Tel Aviv was both capable and prepared to carry out such a strike.Lapid also said that an Israeli attack against Tehran could occur without prior correspondence with the US.He also reiterated that allies have been shown information he claimed "proves the Iranians are lying" in regard to recent nuclear activities. Despite vocal pushback from the Israeli government, which opposed the original 2015 JCPOA pact, Tel Aviv would support a "good deal," as "it is only against the wrong deal." Lapid has previously stated that he would rather the US and other JCPOA signatories walk away from renewed talks than reach an agreement that lacks what he characterized as "real oversight" of Iran's nuclear program. In May 2018, then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled the US out of the JCPOA agreement - also known as the Iran nuclear deal - and reimposed sanctions that crippled the Iranian economy. Tehran soon after abandoned its commitments under the agreement. Following the election of US President Joe Biden, negotiations to revisit the agreement kicked off in April but stalled in June, when Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi took office. More recently, talks saw a pause from the US after American officials concluded that Iran was "not serious" about the ongoing talks in Vienna.Despite delays, Monday kicked off an eighth round of JCPOA discussion. The US communicated earlier this week that progress had been made in defining what it claimed were the main issues preventing Tehran from returning to the pact.According to Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani, nearly all delegates have agreed on the need to lift sanctions against Tehran, and expressed plans to consider conditions for their removal. https://sputniknews.com/20211230/head-of-iranian-delegation-says-progress-made-in-jcpoa-talks-in-vienna-1091923420.html iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead israel, iran, nuclear talks https://sputniknews.com/20220101/israeli-fm-vows-to-counter-iranian-threat-says-israel-has-capabilities-some-cannot-even-imagine-1091954027.html Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Earlier this week, the Iranian Foreign Ministry accused the Israeli government of attempting to sabotage renewed talks on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 middle east iran uranium nuclear talks israel joint comprehensive plan of action (jcpoa) iran nuclear deal us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091953847_0:0:3115:1753_1920x0_80_0_0_69fcc280b4d1a36b4ce902d97490a80f.jpg In a Friday Channel 12 broadcast, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid bragged that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) is prepared to bring to bear an array of "capabilities" to protect itself against what it claimed was an Iranian threat. When asked about Tel Aviv's ability to strike Iranian uranium enrichment facilities and what were described as weapon sites, Lapid declared that Tel Aviv was both capable and prepared to carry out such a strike.Lapid also said that an Israeli attack against Tehran could occur without prior correspondence with the US.He also reiterated that allies have been shown information he claimed "proves the Iranians are lying" in regard to recent nuclear activities. Despite vocal pushback from the Israeli government, which opposed the original 2015 JCPOA pact, Tel Aviv would support a "good deal," as "it is only against the wrong deal." Lapid has previously stated that he would rather the US and other JCPOA signatories walk away from renewed talks than reach an agreement that lacks what he characterized as "real oversight" of Iran's nuclear program. In May 2018, then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled the US out of the JCPOA agreement - also known as the Iran nuclear deal - and reimposed sanctions that crippled the Iranian economy. Tehran soon after abandoned its commitments under the agreement. Following the election of US President Joe Biden, negotiations to revisit the agreement kicked off in April but stalled in June, when Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi took office. More recently, talks saw a pause from the US after American officials concluded that Iran was "not serious" about the ongoing talks in Vienna.Despite delays, Monday kicked off an eighth round of JCPOA discussion. The US communicated earlier this week that progress had been made in defining what it claimed were the main issues preventing Tehran from returning to the pact.According to Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani, nearly all delegates have agreed on the need to lift sanctions against Tehran, and expressed plans to consider conditions for their removal. https://sputniknews.com/20211230/head-of-iranian-delegation-says-progress-made-in-jcpoa-talks-in-vienna-1091923420.html iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead israel, iran, nuclear talks https://sputniknews.com/20220101/israeli-fm-vows-to-counter-iranian-threat-says-israel-has-capabilities-some-cannot-even-imagine-1091954027.html Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Earlier this week, the Iranian Foreign Ministry accused the Israeli government of attempting to sabotage renewed talks on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 middle east iran uranium nuclear talks israel joint comprehensive plan of action (jcpoa) iran nuclear deal us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091953847_0:0:3115:1753_1920x0_80_0_0_69fcc280b4d1a36b4ce902d97490a80f.jpg In a Friday Channel 12 broadcast, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid bragged that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) is prepared to bring to bear an array of "capabilities" to protect itself against what it claimed was an Iranian threat. When asked about Tel Aviv's ability to strike Iranian uranium enrichment facilities and what were described as weapon sites, Lapid declared that Tel Aviv was both capable and prepared to carry out such a strike.Lapid also said that an Israeli attack against Tehran could occur without prior correspondence with the US.He also reiterated that allies have been shown information he claimed "proves the Iranians are lying" in regard to recent nuclear activities. Despite vocal pushback from the Israeli government, which opposed the original 2015 JCPOA pact, Tel Aviv would support a "good deal," as "it is only against the wrong deal." Lapid has previously stated that he would rather the US and other JCPOA signatories walk away from renewed talks than reach an agreement that lacks what he characterized as "real oversight" of Iran's nuclear program. In May 2018, then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled the US out of the JCPOA agreement - also known as the Iran nuclear deal - and reimposed sanctions that crippled the Iranian economy. Tehran soon after abandoned its commitments under the agreement. Following the election of US President Joe Biden, negotiations to revisit the agreement kicked off in April but stalled in June, when Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi took office. More recently, talks saw a pause from the US after American officials concluded that Iran was "not serious" about the ongoing talks in Vienna.Despite delays, Monday kicked off an eighth round of JCPOA discussion. The US communicated earlier this week that progress had been made in defining what it claimed were the main issues preventing Tehran from returning to the pact.According to Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani, nearly all delegates have agreed on the need to lift sanctions against Tehran, and expressed plans to consider conditions for their removal. https://sputniknews.com/20211230/head-of-iranian-delegation-says-progress-made-in-jcpoa-talks-in-vienna-1091923420.html iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead israel, iran, nuclear talks https://sputniknews.com/20220101/israeli-fm-vows-to-counter-iranian-threat-says-israel-has-capabilities-some-cannot-even-imagine-1091954027.html Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Earlier this week, the Iranian Foreign Ministry accused the Israeli government of attempting to sabotage renewed talks on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 middle east iran uranium nuclear talks israel joint comprehensive plan of action (jcpoa) iran nuclear deal us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091953847_0:0:3115:1753_1920x0_80_0_0_69fcc280b4d1a36b4ce902d97490a80f.jpg In a Friday Channel 12 broadcast, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid bragged that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) is prepared to bring to bear an array of "capabilities" to protect itself against what it claimed was an Iranian threat. When asked about Tel Aviv's ability to strike Iranian uranium enrichment facilities and what were described as weapon sites, Lapid declared that Tel Aviv was both capable and prepared to carry out such a strike.Lapid also said that an Israeli attack against Tehran could occur without prior correspondence with the US.He also reiterated that allies have been shown information he claimed "proves the Iranians are lying" in regard to recent nuclear activities. Despite vocal pushback from the Israeli government, which opposed the original 2015 JCPOA pact, Tel Aviv would support a "good deal," as "it is only against the wrong deal." Lapid has previously stated that he would rather the US and other JCPOA signatories walk away from renewed talks than reach an agreement that lacks what he characterized as "real oversight" of Iran's nuclear program. In May 2018, then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled the US out of the JCPOA agreement - also known as the Iran nuclear deal - and reimposed sanctions that crippled the Iranian economy. Tehran soon after abandoned its commitments under the agreement. Following the election of US President Joe Biden, negotiations to revisit the agreement kicked off in April but stalled in June, when Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi took office. More recently, talks saw a pause from the US after American officials concluded that Iran was "not serious" about the ongoing talks in Vienna.Despite delays, Monday kicked off an eighth round of JCPOA discussion. The US communicated earlier this week that progress had been made in defining what it claimed were the main issues preventing Tehran from returning to the pact.According to Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani, nearly all delegates have agreed on the need to lift sanctions against Tehran, and expressed plans to consider conditions for their removal. https://sputniknews.com/20211230/head-of-iranian-delegation-says-progress-made-in-jcpoa-talks-in-vienna-1091923420.html iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead israel, iran, nuclear talks KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 09:15 | All, Japan, Coronavirus Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday vowed to continue to take all necessary measures to fight the spread of COVID-19 while accelerating his push to create a "new capitalism." In his New Year's address, Kishida also said he would step up summit diplomacy in 2022 and that constitutional reform would be a "major theme" of the year. "I will further enhance prevention, testing and early treatment and reduce the risk that the novel coronavirus poses to society," Kishida said. The government is seeking to speed up the rollout of COVID-19 vaccine booster shots with the community spread of the Omicron variant confirmed in some areas including Tokyo and Osaka. In such regions, free PCR and antigen tests are being provided To support the pandemic-hit economy, parliament has passed a record 36 trillion yen ($313 billion) extra budget for the current fiscal year to March. The COVID-19 response has taken priority but once the country wins the battle against the virus, the government will focus on policies to achieve growth and wealth distribution, he said. "Pursuing economic sustainability by creating a virtuous cycle of growth and distribution is the kind of new capitalism that I am aiming for," he said, calling for further wage hikes and more investment in human resources by companies. "I will realize more robust growth, countering intense challenges posed by an economic system operating under what can be described as state capitalism," Kishida said in what was seen as a reference to the Chinese economy. In his first New Year address since becoming prime minister in October, Kishida said solid leadership is necessary to cope with the severity and complexity of international affairs. He vowed to move ahead with what he has described as a diplomatic approach based on "realism for the new era," saying it consists of three pillars -- emphasizing universal values, engaging in efforts to resolve global challenges and "resolutely protecting" the lives and livelihoods of the people. He has expressed hope to visit the United States for in-person talks with U.S. President Joe Biden, though no specific date has been set. Kishida is seen as a moderate conservative in contrast to more hawkish members of his Liberal Democratic Party including former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. But he vowed to accelerate debate to achieve the party's goal of revising the pacifist Constitution, which was strongly pushed by Abe. "I will strive to deepen debate in parliament and also spur discussion among the people of Japan," the 64-year-old prime minister said. KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 09:15 | All, Japan, Coronavirus Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday vowed to continue to take all necessary measures to fight the spread of COVID-19 while accelerating his push to create a "new capitalism." In his New Year's address, Kishida also said he would step up summit diplomacy in 2022 and that constitutional reform would be a "major theme" of the year. "I will further enhance prevention, testing and early treatment and reduce the risk that the novel coronavirus poses to society," Kishida said. The government is seeking to speed up the rollout of COVID-19 vaccine booster shots with the community spread of the Omicron variant confirmed in some areas including Tokyo and Osaka. In such regions, free PCR and antigen tests are being provided To support the pandemic-hit economy, parliament has passed a record 36 trillion yen ($313 billion) extra budget for the current fiscal year to March. The COVID-19 response has taken priority but once the country wins the battle against the virus, the government will focus on policies to achieve growth and wealth distribution, he said. "Pursuing economic sustainability by creating a virtuous cycle of growth and distribution is the kind of new capitalism that I am aiming for," he said, calling for further wage hikes and more investment in human resources by companies. "I will realize more robust growth, countering intense challenges posed by an economic system operating under what can be described as state capitalism," Kishida said in what was seen as a reference to the Chinese economy. In his first New Year address since becoming prime minister in October, Kishida said solid leadership is necessary to cope with the severity and complexity of international affairs. He vowed to move ahead with what he has described as a diplomatic approach based on "realism for the new era," saying it consists of three pillars -- emphasizing universal values, engaging in efforts to resolve global challenges and "resolutely protecting" the lives and livelihoods of the people. He has expressed hope to visit the United States for in-person talks with U.S. President Joe Biden, though no specific date has been set. Kishida is seen as a moderate conservative in contrast to more hawkish members of his Liberal Democratic Party including former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. But he vowed to accelerate debate to achieve the party's goal of revising the pacifist Constitution, which was strongly pushed by Abe. "I will strive to deepen debate in parliament and also spur discussion among the people of Japan," the 64-year-old prime minister said. Mutahi Kagwe, the Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Health, on Friday said in a statement that out of the 10 million people, 5.8 million are adults who are partially vaccinated while 4.16 million people have taken the two jabs. "Another 20,121 doses have been administered to those between 15 and 18-years-old and 5,280 are booster doses," Kagwe added. The proportion of adults who are fully vaccinated now stood at 15.3 per cent and the government was working to vaccinate its overall target of 27 million people, said the official. The Cabinet Secretary observed that the country's cumulative Covid-19 positive cases stood at 295,028 after 2,791 more cases were reported as of Thursday from a sample of 9,384, Xinhua news agency reported. The vaccination of the 10 million people comes at a time when the east African nation is battling a surge in Covid-19 confirmed cases caused by the Omicron variant. Kenya has ramped up vaccination as it also fights vaccine hesitancy by denying some services to the unvaccinated. President Uhuru Kenyatta earlier on Friday announced that from January 1, 2022, the government would start to administer booster doses to those who are fully vaccinated to protect them from the new variant. --IANS int/khz/ ( 249 Words) 2022-01-01-02:18:03 (IANS) Mutahi Kagwe, the Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Health, on Friday said in a statement that out of the 10 million people, 5.8 million are adults who are partially vaccinated while 4.16 million people have taken the two jabs. "Another 20,121 doses have been administered to those between 15 and 18-years-old and 5,280 are booster doses," Kagwe added. The proportion of adults who are fully vaccinated now stood at 15.3 per cent and the government was working to vaccinate its overall target of 27 million people, said the official. The Cabinet Secretary observed that the country's cumulative Covid-19 positive cases stood at 295,028 after 2,791 more cases were reported as of Thursday from a sample of 9,384, Xinhua news agency reported. The vaccination of the 10 million people comes at a time when the east African nation is battling a surge in Covid-19 confirmed cases caused by the Omicron variant. Kenya has ramped up vaccination as it also fights vaccine hesitancy by denying some services to the unvaccinated. President Uhuru Kenyatta earlier on Friday announced that from January 1, 2022, the government would start to administer booster doses to those who are fully vaccinated to protect them from the new variant. --IANS int/khz/ ( 249 Words) 2022-01-01-02:18:03 (IANS) PARIS: Despite the forthcoming challenging weeks caused by the recurrence of Covid-19 cases, French President Emmanuel Macron has stated that he is "resolutely confident" for the future year. Macron, speaking from the Elysee to the country on New Year's Day, emphasized the significance of coronavirus immunisation. "Our most secure asset is vaccination. It takes the number of severe forms and divides it by ten "he said. He asked France's 5 million unvaccinated residents to get vaccinated for themselves, their fellow citizens, and the country. The President also urged everyone, whether or not they have been vaccinated, to continue to obey barrier gestures in order to slow the virus's spread. Macron said he is "optimistic" about a possible end to the pandemic in 2022, acknowledging the critical job of health workers during the pandemic for the previous two years. Recalling 2021, the President stated that throughout the crisis, the government adopted different steps to defend spending power, as well as new projects for the young generation, environmental crisis, housing crisis, and other issues. Macron predicted that 2022 will be a watershed moment in European history since France will be hosting the European Union presidency. He went on to add that 2022 will be a watershed moment for France. Mexico accounts 28.1 pc growth in International tourism for 2021 Italian president greets citizens for sense of responsibility in New Year speech France's cumulative number of Covid cases surpasses 10-million mark The north Indian town of Haridwar, where the Ganges flows out of the Himalayas onto Indias vast plains, has been for centuries a destination for pilgrims. For three days in December, it also played host to what the Indian media has called a hate-speech conclave, in which multiple speakers all dressed in saffron garb, the traditional signifier of sanctity in India called for Muslims and Christians in India to be killed. One hailed the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and exhorted Indian politicians, the army and every Hindu to pick up weapons and conduct a cleanliness drive. There was, he said, no solution apart from this. Even in a country that has turned worryingly majoritarian in recent years, such open promotion of genocide and ethnic cleansing should have set off alarms. It is not only tens of millions of minorities as well as Indias increasingly tenuous connection to liberal values that are at risk. The Indian State itself risks being undermined by its leaders tacit acceptance of religious vigilantism. The BJP would not be the first political party to wink at ethno-nationalist extremism among its followers. The states of Uttarakhand, where the town of Haridwar is located, and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh from which Uttarakhand was split off two decades ago are due for elections in the coming months. The BJP, in power in both states, might be tempted to think that heightened inter-religious tension is a useful distraction from a struggling economy and the devastation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. But Indias opposition parties have not pushed back strongly either. They are struggling to formulate a response to this sort of rhetoric that does not result in them being labelled anti-Hindu. In parts of north India, the secularism guaranteed by Indias Constitution has become so politically toxic that many politicians no longer seem able to defend the right of citizens to profess whatever faith they choose. As a consequence, the entire Indian political class seems increasingly complicit in enabling hate speech. The organisers of the Haridwar hate fest have already planned another for the Uttar Pradesh town of Aligarh, home to a government-run university long known as a centre of Indian Muslim scholarship. Tolerating such events is devastatingly short-sighted. Words have consequences, especially in a country with as awful a history of inter-religious violence as India. Just last week, in the Sikh-majority state of Punjab, two men accused of sacrilege were lynched by Sikh mobs. Punjab will also hold elections soon, and newspapers pointed out that most politicians condemned the alleged sacrilege but said little else. Elsewhere in India, Christmas services were interrupted by mobs, and Santa Claus was burned in effigy, obviously. If Indias leaders want to see where tolerance of religious militancy leads, they need only look across the border to arch-rival Pakistan. In a particularly brutal example of mob violence this month, Priyantha Kumara, a Sri Lankan factory manager in the Pakistani town of Sialkot, was beaten, stoned and then set on fire by his own workers supposedly because he had committed blasphemy. Kumara worked in one of Sialkots many export-focused garment factories; the citys businessmen worry that if it gets a reputation for violence and sectarianism, their trade and investment partners will look elsewhere. National leaders should be no less concerned. Some analysts have suggested the US might seek to reorient its relationship with Pakistan toward boosting trade and increasing investment by American firms. That seems, to put it mildly, unlikely in a place where expatriate executives fear possible lynching. Practical considerations should shock Indias politicians into action, if moral ones dont. The states that the Ganges flows through after passing Haridwar are Indias heartland and central to the BJPs stranglehold on power in New Delhi. And yet, the 300 million-plus people who live there are according to the governments own figures among the poorest and most deprived in the world. The current government of Uttar Pradesh has failed to improve matters: The state grew by only 2% a year over the BJPs five-year tenure and even prior to the pandemic underperformed the national average by 1.6 percentage points a year. To secure the future of this Gangetic plain, investment and trade will need to increase many times over. Economic transformation on such a scale cannot happen where the State fails to protect its citizens or society is fractured, xenophobic and violent. Nobody is going to invest billions in areas that appear vulnerable to religious civil war. Politicians may believe they can ride this tiger. Trying to distract voters with sectarian hatred, however, is a bit like concealing the lack of paint on your house by burning it down. (Bloomberg Opinion) Watch the latest DH videos here: The north Indian town of Haridwar, where the Ganges flows out of the Himalayas onto Indias vast plains, has been for centuries a destination for pilgrims. For three days in December, it also played host to what the Indian media has called a hate-speech conclave, in which multiple speakers all dressed in saffron garb, the traditional signifier of sanctity in India called for Muslims and Christians in India to be killed. One hailed the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and exhorted Indian politicians, the army and every Hindu to pick up weapons and conduct a cleanliness drive. There was, he said, no solution apart from this. Even in a country that has turned worryingly majoritarian in recent years, such open promotion of genocide and ethnic cleansing should have set off alarms. It is not only tens of millions of minorities as well as Indias increasingly tenuous connection to liberal values that are at risk. The Indian State itself risks being undermined by its leaders tacit acceptance of religious vigilantism. The BJP would not be the first political party to wink at ethno-nationalist extremism among its followers. The states of Uttarakhand, where the town of Haridwar is located, and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh from which Uttarakhand was split off two decades ago are due for elections in the coming months. The BJP, in power in both states, might be tempted to think that heightened inter-religious tension is a useful distraction from a struggling economy and the devastation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. But Indias opposition parties have not pushed back strongly either. They are struggling to formulate a response to this sort of rhetoric that does not result in them being labelled anti-Hindu. In parts of north India, the secularism guaranteed by Indias Constitution has become so politically toxic that many politicians no longer seem able to defend the right of citizens to profess whatever faith they choose. As a consequence, the entire Indian political class seems increasingly complicit in enabling hate speech. The organisers of the Haridwar hate fest have already planned another for the Uttar Pradesh town of Aligarh, home to a government-run university long known as a centre of Indian Muslim scholarship. Tolerating such events is devastatingly short-sighted. Words have consequences, especially in a country with as awful a history of inter-religious violence as India. Just last week, in the Sikh-majority state of Punjab, two men accused of sacrilege were lynched by Sikh mobs. Punjab will also hold elections soon, and newspapers pointed out that most politicians condemned the alleged sacrilege but said little else. Elsewhere in India, Christmas services were interrupted by mobs, and Santa Claus was burned in effigy, obviously. If Indias leaders want to see where tolerance of religious militancy leads, they need only look across the border to arch-rival Pakistan. In a particularly brutal example of mob violence this month, Priyantha Kumara, a Sri Lankan factory manager in the Pakistani town of Sialkot, was beaten, stoned and then set on fire by his own workers supposedly because he had committed blasphemy. Kumara worked in one of Sialkots many export-focused garment factories; the citys businessmen worry that if it gets a reputation for violence and sectarianism, their trade and investment partners will look elsewhere. National leaders should be no less concerned. Some analysts have suggested the US might seek to reorient its relationship with Pakistan toward boosting trade and increasing investment by American firms. That seems, to put it mildly, unlikely in a place where expatriate executives fear possible lynching. Practical considerations should shock Indias politicians into action, if moral ones dont. The states that the Ganges flows through after passing Haridwar are Indias heartland and central to the BJPs stranglehold on power in New Delhi. And yet, the 300 million-plus people who live there are according to the governments own figures among the poorest and most deprived in the world. The current government of Uttar Pradesh has failed to improve matters: The state grew by only 2% a year over the BJPs five-year tenure and even prior to the pandemic underperformed the national average by 1.6 percentage points a year. To secure the future of this Gangetic plain, investment and trade will need to increase many times over. Economic transformation on such a scale cannot happen where the State fails to protect its citizens or society is fractured, xenophobic and violent. Nobody is going to invest billions in areas that appear vulnerable to religious civil war. Politicians may believe they can ride this tiger. Trying to distract voters with sectarian hatred, however, is a bit like concealing the lack of paint on your house by burning it down. (Bloomberg Opinion) Watch the latest DH videos here: Charlottesvilles years-long efforts to remove its Confederate statues finally came to fruition in 2021 after a court ruled the city could take the statues down, and cranes took them away in July. And in December, City Council voted to give its statue of Robert E. Lee to the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center to be melted and turned into a new work of public art, and gave the statue of Thomas Stonewall Jackson to a museum in Los Angeles for an exhibit on Lost Cause propaganda. But community members and city councilors said here is more work for the city to do when it comes to racial equity in the city. The way they see it, the statues were a symbol of a bigger crisis. Yes, you have to remove Confederate statues, but we also need to remove statutes that are continuing wealth inequality, racial inequality and I think thats the most important thing, said councilor Michael Payne. The city has been trying to remove its confederate statues since 2017, when the City Council first voted to remove the Lee statue. Zyahna Bryant, then a student at Charlottesville High School, started a petition in 2016 for City Council to remove the statues. Then-councilors Wes Bellamy and Kristin Szakos spearheaded Councils work to remove the statues. In July 2021, crowds gathered to watch the removal of Lee and Jackson, as well as the removal of the statue of Meriwether Lewis, William Clark and Shoshone interpreter Sacajawea. While the day was jubilant for activists who had toiled for years to see this day, they agreed this was only the first step. We are standing in a park where the city is still refusing to address systemic issues, Bryant, now a student at the University of Virginia, said the day of the removal. ... The work of removing the statues is only the tip of the iceberg. Theres so much work left to do to address affordable housing, to address policing [and] to address the wealth gap. Work to be done While the removal of statues was arguably the biggest action Charlottesvilles City Council took in 2021, councilors say they know there needs to be more done in the fight for equity in the city. I think that we need to have conversation that moves to action, said incoming councilor Juandiego Wade. I think conversation is very important to have, but dialogue for the sake of dialogue without acting on it is really not going to move us forward. Councilor Lloyd Snook sees the statues being gone as an opportunity for the city to channel more energy and attention into pressing equity issues, such as affordable housing, improving all childrens access to a high-quality education and even seemingly minor issues such as remodeling the library. I think 2017 was a bell that keeps ringing in Charlottesville, and I hope that with the statues being gone, maybe the bell will at least quiet down. And one of the things about our truly loud bell is it drowns out everything else, Snook said. Whats absolutely critical is that we start moving forward on some of the affordable housing things that weve talked about. In November, the City Council voted to approve a new Future Land Use Map and Comprehensive Plan that prioritizes development of affordable housing. This is one of the first substantial steps the city has taken to address the citys legacy of exclusionary racial covenants and redlining. While this is a major change, people who worked on the map say the city still needs to focus on committing funding for affordable housing. The greatest need is affordable housing, it will require sustained commitment on the citys part, financial commitments, to make that happen, Jenny Koch, project manager for Cville Plans Together, told The Daily Progress in November. That will be an important part of actually seeing those affordable housing changes happen on the ground, specifically at the greatest needs. Payne agreed. What I think will be important in the new year is focusing on how do we build on the big policy changes weve already made? How do we effectively do the zoning right process? How do we identify the funding streams for $10 million a year in affordable housing? How do we get the funding and staff positions needed to develop and execute our climate action planning process? Payne said. Snook said the city also needs to consider equity issues that arent as obvious or may not have been on recent City Council agendas. Equity shows up in interesting places, if you think about it. One issue that is truly a matter of equity is the library. The library is where poor people can go to read, they dont have to go buy a book someplace. Weve got a lot of money that needs to be spent to fix up the library. We have no way to make that happen with our current budget. But the point is, thats something that we have ignored for a long time in Charlottesville, Snook said. In an interview, incoming councilor Brian Pinkston identified two of the most pertinent equity issues in the city as affordable housing and reconfiguration of public schools. But he says the city needs to stabilize itself and dedicate funding to these projects if theyre going to succeed. The concern is it feels a little like a bottleneck were going through right now. We have all of these things that weve identified, and now we need to push it through the bottleneck and that not only requires staff stability in the city government itself, its also going to require money, Pinkston said. In a live interview with Vinegar Hill Magazine and the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center, Mayor Nikuyah Walker voiced concern that the incoming City Council may not further her mission of equity. I dont know that I trust, or that I have hope, that we are going to continue the work. Im debating about whether I still put pressure on it or whether I retreat to see if theyre willing to stay the course, she said. Walker did not respond to a request for an interview from The Daily Progress. Diversity in city leadership As Walker leaves her post as the first Black female mayor, the face of City Council is changing. The incoming City Council will choose a new mayor in the new year. Walker was the only person of color to serve on the most recent City Council, and now Wade will be the only person of color on the council. The fact that [Walker] is our first Black woman mayor is going to be inspirational to other young Black girls who will be able to see themselves in that place. These are incredibly important things, Magill said. Councilor Lloyd Snook said while he frequently disagreed with Walker on certain issues and approaches, he appreciated that she brought a unique perspective to the table. [Walker] and I are never going to look at things exactly the same way and I couldnt claim to be someone who would see things through the same equity lens she does. We disagree in some ways about things like that, but Ive always had a great deal of respect for her and awareness of just why she felt she was there, Snook said. Magill said its important that Charlottesville works to become a place where diverse candidates feel welcome to run for city office or apply for a city staff position. She says the city needs to address why someone may not feel welcome in the city government. We need to be elevating people, we need to be making sure that were looking around and saying What is stopping somebody. Why? Magill said. [If] Im looking through all these candidates for a job, and none of them are anything but white or anything but male, why is that? Because we shouldnt be having that now. The north Indian town of Haridwar, where the Ganges flows out of the Himalayas onto Indias vast plains, has been for centuries a destination for pilgrims. For three days in December, it also played host to what the Indian media has called a hate-speech conclave, in which multiple speakers all dressed in saffron garb, the traditional signifier of sanctity in India called for Muslims and Christians in India to be killed. One hailed the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and exhorted Indian politicians, the army and every Hindu to pick up weapons and conduct a cleanliness drive. There was, he said, no solution apart from this. Even in a country that has turned worryingly majoritarian in recent years, such open promotion of genocide and ethnic cleansing should have set off alarms. It is not only tens of millions of minorities as well as Indias increasingly tenuous connection to liberal values that are at risk. The Indian State itself risks being undermined by its leaders tacit acceptance of religious vigilantism. The BJP would not be the first political party to wink at ethno-nationalist extremism among its followers. The states of Uttarakhand, where the town of Haridwar is located, and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh from which Uttarakhand was split off two decades ago are due for elections in the coming months. The BJP, in power in both states, might be tempted to think that heightened inter-religious tension is a useful distraction from a struggling economy and the devastation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. But Indias opposition parties have not pushed back strongly either. They are struggling to formulate a response to this sort of rhetoric that does not result in them being labelled anti-Hindu. In parts of north India, the secularism guaranteed by Indias Constitution has become so politically toxic that many politicians no longer seem able to defend the right of citizens to profess whatever faith they choose. As a consequence, the entire Indian political class seems increasingly complicit in enabling hate speech. The organisers of the Haridwar hate fest have already planned another for the Uttar Pradesh town of Aligarh, home to a government-run university long known as a centre of Indian Muslim scholarship. Tolerating such events is devastatingly short-sighted. Words have consequences, especially in a country with as awful a history of inter-religious violence as India. Just last week, in the Sikh-majority state of Punjab, two men accused of sacrilege were lynched by Sikh mobs. Punjab will also hold elections soon, and newspapers pointed out that most politicians condemned the alleged sacrilege but said little else. Elsewhere in India, Christmas services were interrupted by mobs, and Santa Claus was burned in effigy, obviously. If Indias leaders want to see where tolerance of religious militancy leads, they need only look across the border to arch-rival Pakistan. In a particularly brutal example of mob violence this month, Priyantha Kumara, a Sri Lankan factory manager in the Pakistani town of Sialkot, was beaten, stoned and then set on fire by his own workers supposedly because he had committed blasphemy. Kumara worked in one of Sialkots many export-focused garment factories; the citys businessmen worry that if it gets a reputation for violence and sectarianism, their trade and investment partners will look elsewhere. National leaders should be no less concerned. Some analysts have suggested the US might seek to reorient its relationship with Pakistan toward boosting trade and increasing investment by American firms. That seems, to put it mildly, unlikely in a place where expatriate executives fear possible lynching. Practical considerations should shock Indias politicians into action, if moral ones dont. The states that the Ganges flows through after passing Haridwar are Indias heartland and central to the BJPs stranglehold on power in New Delhi. And yet, the 300 million-plus people who live there are according to the governments own figures among the poorest and most deprived in the world. The current government of Uttar Pradesh has failed to improve matters: The state grew by only 2% a year over the BJPs five-year tenure and even prior to the pandemic underperformed the national average by 1.6 percentage points a year. To secure the future of this Gangetic plain, investment and trade will need to increase many times over. Economic transformation on such a scale cannot happen where the State fails to protect its citizens or society is fractured, xenophobic and violent. Nobody is going to invest billions in areas that appear vulnerable to religious civil war. Politicians may believe they can ride this tiger. Trying to distract voters with sectarian hatred, however, is a bit like concealing the lack of paint on your house by burning it down. (Bloomberg Opinion) Watch the latest DH videos here: The South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has said the country is taking stock of the loss caused by Covid-19 with many lives lost in 2021 due to the pandemic. Ramaphosa made the remarks on Friday while delivering the New Year message for 2022, Xinhua news agency reported. "This is a sad time and a reminder of what they have lost and in many homes tonight, there's an empty space, which was once occupied by a father, mother, sister, brother, or a child. During the course of the year, we have lost men and women who were pillars of strength in our communities, leaders, activists, and veterans of our struggle for liberation. For many of us, this is also a time to look back at the year we have been through, a time to reflect on the year that has gone by," he added. He said that people should use this time of the year to make a positive contribution in one way or the other in their communities. Ramaphosa wished the people well in 2022. "As we welcome in the New Year, I wish you all joy, happiness, prosperity and peace. This is a special time of year for us all. It is a time for family and enjoying quality time with those we love." The President called on the people to work towards building "a better South Africa in 2022". Some of those who succumbed to Covid-19 in 2021 include former Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu, Member of Parliament Tozama Mantashe, businessman and investor Jabu Mabuza, and Giovanni Pretorius, an Olympic boxer. As of Thursday, a total of 91,061 people had succumbed to Covid-19 in South Africa. --IANS int/khz/ ( 298 Words) 2022-01-01-02:06:06 (IANS) How to use the mindat.org media viewer Click/touch this help panel to close it. Welcome to the mindat.org media viewer. Here is a quick guide to some of the options available to you. Different controls are available depending on the type of media being shown (photo, video, animation, 3d image) Controls - all media types Zoom in and out of media using your mousewheel or with a two-finger 'resize' action on a touch device. Use the mouse or your finger to drag the image or the view area of the image around the screen. < and > at the left and right hand side of the screen move forwards and backwards for the other images associated with the media you selected. Usually this is used for previous/next photo in a gallery, in an article or in search results. Keyboard shortcuts: use shift + the left and right arrow keys. < and > in the bottom center are used for switching between the photos of the same specimen. Keyboard shortcuts: use the left and right arrow keys. > in the bottom center, raises the information box giving details and further options for the media, < at the top of this box then hides it. Keyboard shortcuts: use the up and down arrow keys. ? opens this help window. Keyboard shortcuts: use the H key or the ? key. Other keyboard shortcuts: 1 Fit image to screen 2 Fill screen with image 5 Display at full resolution < Make background darker > Make background lighter space Hide/dim titles and buttons Scalebar If the field of view (FOV) is specified for the photo, the scalebar appears in the left bottom corner of the viewer. The scalebar is draggable and resizeable. Drag the right edge to resize it. Double click will reset the scalebar to it's default size and position. If the scalebar is in default position, double click will make it circular. Controls - Video Video files have a standard set of video controls: - Reset to start, - Skip back, - Play, - Pause, - Skip forwards. Keyboard shortcuts: You can stop/start video play with the P key. Controls - Animation (Spin Rotation) Animation (usually 360 degree spin rotations) have their own controls: - enable spin mode. Note that while images are loading this option will not be available but will be automatically activated when the animation has loaded. Once active you can spin the image/change the animation by moving your mouse or finger on the image left/right or by pressing the [ or ] keys. The button switches to move mode so that you can use your mouse/fingers to move the image around the screen as with other media types. The button, or the P key will start playing the animation directly, you can interrupt this by using the mouse or finger on the image to regain manual movement control. Controls - 3D Stereoscopic images If a stereoscopic 3D image is opened in the viewer, the 3D button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "3D settings" menu. The 3D images can be viewed in several ways: - without any special equipment using cross-eyed or parallel-eyed method - with stereoscope - with anaglyph glasses. - on a suitable 3D TV or monitor (passive 3D system) For details about 3D refer to: Mindat manuals: Mindat Media Viewer: 3D To enable/disable 3D stereo display of a compatible stereo pair image press the 3 key. If the left/right images are reversed on your display (this often happens in full-screen mode) press the 4 key to reverse them. Controls - photo comparison mode If a photo with activated comparison mode is opened in the viewer, the button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "Comparison mode settings" menu. Several layouts are supported: slider and side by-side comparison with up to 6 photos shown synchronously on the screen. On each of the compared photos a view selector is placed, e.g.: Longwave UV . It shows the name of currently selected view and allows to select a view for each placeholder. Summary of all keyboard shortcuts The north Indian town of Haridwar, where the Ganges flows out of the Himalayas onto Indias vast plains, has been for centuries a destination for pilgrims. For three days in December, it also played host to what the Indian media has called a hate-speech conclave, in which multiple speakers all dressed in saffron garb, the traditional signifier of sanctity in India called for Muslims and Christians in India to be killed. One hailed the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and exhorted Indian politicians, the army and every Hindu to pick up weapons and conduct a cleanliness drive. There was, he said, no solution apart from this. Even in a country that has turned worryingly majoritarian in recent years, such open promotion of genocide and ethnic cleansing should have set off alarms. It is not only tens of millions of minorities as well as Indias increasingly tenuous connection to liberal values that are at risk. The Indian State itself risks being undermined by its leaders tacit acceptance of religious vigilantism. The BJP would not be the first political party to wink at ethno-nationalist extremism among its followers. The states of Uttarakhand, where the town of Haridwar is located, and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh from which Uttarakhand was split off two decades ago are due for elections in the coming months. The BJP, in power in both states, might be tempted to think that heightened inter-religious tension is a useful distraction from a struggling economy and the devastation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. But Indias opposition parties have not pushed back strongly either. They are struggling to formulate a response to this sort of rhetoric that does not result in them being labelled anti-Hindu. In parts of north India, the secularism guaranteed by Indias Constitution has become so politically toxic that many politicians no longer seem able to defend the right of citizens to profess whatever faith they choose. As a consequence, the entire Indian political class seems increasingly complicit in enabling hate speech. The organisers of the Haridwar hate fest have already planned another for the Uttar Pradesh town of Aligarh, home to a government-run university long known as a centre of Indian Muslim scholarship. Tolerating such events is devastatingly short-sighted. Words have consequences, especially in a country with as awful a history of inter-religious violence as India. Just last week, in the Sikh-majority state of Punjab, two men accused of sacrilege were lynched by Sikh mobs. Punjab will also hold elections soon, and newspapers pointed out that most politicians condemned the alleged sacrilege but said little else. Elsewhere in India, Christmas services were interrupted by mobs, and Santa Claus was burned in effigy, obviously. If Indias leaders want to see where tolerance of religious militancy leads, they need only look across the border to arch-rival Pakistan. In a particularly brutal example of mob violence this month, Priyantha Kumara, a Sri Lankan factory manager in the Pakistani town of Sialkot, was beaten, stoned and then set on fire by his own workers supposedly because he had committed blasphemy. Kumara worked in one of Sialkots many export-focused garment factories; the citys businessmen worry that if it gets a reputation for violence and sectarianism, their trade and investment partners will look elsewhere. National leaders should be no less concerned. Some analysts have suggested the US might seek to reorient its relationship with Pakistan toward boosting trade and increasing investment by American firms. That seems, to put it mildly, unlikely in a place where expatriate executives fear possible lynching. Practical considerations should shock Indias politicians into action, if moral ones dont. The states that the Ganges flows through after passing Haridwar are Indias heartland and central to the BJPs stranglehold on power in New Delhi. And yet, the 300 million-plus people who live there are according to the governments own figures among the poorest and most deprived in the world. The current government of Uttar Pradesh has failed to improve matters: The state grew by only 2% a year over the BJPs five-year tenure and even prior to the pandemic underperformed the national average by 1.6 percentage points a year. To secure the future of this Gangetic plain, investment and trade will need to increase many times over. Economic transformation on such a scale cannot happen where the State fails to protect its citizens or society is fractured, xenophobic and violent. Nobody is going to invest billions in areas that appear vulnerable to religious civil war. Politicians may believe they can ride this tiger. Trying to distract voters with sectarian hatred, however, is a bit like concealing the lack of paint on your house by burning it down. (Bloomberg Opinion) Watch the latest DH videos here: The north Indian town of Haridwar, where the Ganges flows out of the Himalayas onto Indias vast plains, has been for centuries a destination for pilgrims. For three days in December, it also played host to what the Indian media has called a hate-speech conclave, in which multiple speakers all dressed in saffron garb, the traditional signifier of sanctity in India called for Muslims and Christians in India to be killed. One hailed the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and exhorted Indian politicians, the army and every Hindu to pick up weapons and conduct a cleanliness drive. There was, he said, no solution apart from this. Even in a country that has turned worryingly majoritarian in recent years, such open promotion of genocide and ethnic cleansing should have set off alarms. It is not only tens of millions of minorities as well as Indias increasingly tenuous connection to liberal values that are at risk. The Indian State itself risks being undermined by its leaders tacit acceptance of religious vigilantism. The BJP would not be the first political party to wink at ethno-nationalist extremism among its followers. The states of Uttarakhand, where the town of Haridwar is located, and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh from which Uttarakhand was split off two decades ago are due for elections in the coming months. The BJP, in power in both states, might be tempted to think that heightened inter-religious tension is a useful distraction from a struggling economy and the devastation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. But Indias opposition parties have not pushed back strongly either. They are struggling to formulate a response to this sort of rhetoric that does not result in them being labelled anti-Hindu. In parts of north India, the secularism guaranteed by Indias Constitution has become so politically toxic that many politicians no longer seem able to defend the right of citizens to profess whatever faith they choose. As a consequence, the entire Indian political class seems increasingly complicit in enabling hate speech. The organisers of the Haridwar hate fest have already planned another for the Uttar Pradesh town of Aligarh, home to a government-run university long known as a centre of Indian Muslim scholarship. Tolerating such events is devastatingly short-sighted. Words have consequences, especially in a country with as awful a history of inter-religious violence as India. Just last week, in the Sikh-majority state of Punjab, two men accused of sacrilege were lynched by Sikh mobs. Punjab will also hold elections soon, and newspapers pointed out that most politicians condemned the alleged sacrilege but said little else. Elsewhere in India, Christmas services were interrupted by mobs, and Santa Claus was burned in effigy, obviously. If Indias leaders want to see where tolerance of religious militancy leads, they need only look across the border to arch-rival Pakistan. In a particularly brutal example of mob violence this month, Priyantha Kumara, a Sri Lankan factory manager in the Pakistani town of Sialkot, was beaten, stoned and then set on fire by his own workers supposedly because he had committed blasphemy. Kumara worked in one of Sialkots many export-focused garment factories; the citys businessmen worry that if it gets a reputation for violence and sectarianism, their trade and investment partners will look elsewhere. National leaders should be no less concerned. Some analysts have suggested the US might seek to reorient its relationship with Pakistan toward boosting trade and increasing investment by American firms. That seems, to put it mildly, unlikely in a place where expatriate executives fear possible lynching. Practical considerations should shock Indias politicians into action, if moral ones dont. The states that the Ganges flows through after passing Haridwar are Indias heartland and central to the BJPs stranglehold on power in New Delhi. And yet, the 300 million-plus people who live there are according to the governments own figures among the poorest and most deprived in the world. The current government of Uttar Pradesh has failed to improve matters: The state grew by only 2% a year over the BJPs five-year tenure and even prior to the pandemic underperformed the national average by 1.6 percentage points a year. To secure the future of this Gangetic plain, investment and trade will need to increase many times over. Economic transformation on such a scale cannot happen where the State fails to protect its citizens or society is fractured, xenophobic and violent. Nobody is going to invest billions in areas that appear vulnerable to religious civil war. Politicians may believe they can ride this tiger. Trying to distract voters with sectarian hatred, however, is a bit like concealing the lack of paint on your house by burning it down. (Bloomberg Opinion) Watch the latest DH videos here: Netherlands finances 19.5 million USD for climate adaptation project in Vinh Long Deputy Minister of Finance Tran Xuan Ha and Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman have signed an agreement for Development Related Investment Infrastructure Vehicle (DRIVE) funded by the Netherlands Invest International, to support the Vinh Long Climate Resilience Project, the Vietnam Government Portal (VGP) reported. Under the agreement, the Netherlands grants USD19.5 million (EUR 16.5 million) to the aforesaid project totaling USD202.2 million (EUR 170 million) in Vinh Long city to make the city more climate resilient and to protect its people against flood risks, she said. Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman (Photo: VNA) The rest of the amount is covered by the World Bank and by Vinh Long province. The significant amount of Dutch grant, played a crucial role to make the project possible, added Akkerman. The Dutch grant will be provided to build a water treatment plant in Vinh Long city in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long. The water treatment plant is a component of the wider Vinh Long City Urban Development and Enhanced Climate Resilience Project. The objective of this project is to improve access to infrastructure and connectivity and to reduce flood risk in the urban area of Vinh Long city. The project has the following components: flood risk management and environmental sanitation; flood risk mitigation and urban drainage; wastewater collection and treatment; strategic corridors development; and resettlement area development. The Embassy of the Netherlands strongly supports this project as it synergizes with different core elements of the Strategic Partnership Agreement on Climate Change Adaptation and Water Management that was signed between the Vietnamese and Netherlands government in 2010. Vietnam and the Netherlands are both committed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and for that public and private interests often coincide, highlighted Ambassador Akkerman./. Netherlands finances 19.5 million USD for climate adaptation project in Vinh Long Deputy Minister of Finance Tran Xuan Ha and Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman have signed an agreement for Development Related Investment Infrastructure Vehicle (DRIVE) funded by the Netherlands Invest International, to support the Vinh Long Climate Resilience Project, the Vietnam Government Portal (VGP) reported. Under the agreement, the Netherlands grants USD19.5 million (EUR 16.5 million) to the aforesaid project totaling USD202.2 million (EUR 170 million) in Vinh Long city to make the city more climate resilient and to protect its people against flood risks, she said. Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman (Photo: VNA) The rest of the amount is covered by the World Bank and by Vinh Long province. The significant amount of Dutch grant, played a crucial role to make the project possible, added Akkerman. The Dutch grant will be provided to build a water treatment plant in Vinh Long city in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long. The water treatment plant is a component of the wider Vinh Long City Urban Development and Enhanced Climate Resilience Project. The objective of this project is to improve access to infrastructure and connectivity and to reduce flood risk in the urban area of Vinh Long city. The project has the following components: flood risk management and environmental sanitation; flood risk mitigation and urban drainage; wastewater collection and treatment; strategic corridors development; and resettlement area development. The Embassy of the Netherlands strongly supports this project as it synergizes with different core elements of the Strategic Partnership Agreement on Climate Change Adaptation and Water Management that was signed between the Vietnamese and Netherlands government in 2010. Vietnam and the Netherlands are both committed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and for that public and private interests often coincide, highlighted Ambassador Akkerman./. Netherlands finances 19.5 million USD for climate adaptation project in Vinh Long Deputy Minister of Finance Tran Xuan Ha and Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman have signed an agreement for Development Related Investment Infrastructure Vehicle (DRIVE) funded by the Netherlands Invest International, to support the Vinh Long Climate Resilience Project, the Vietnam Government Portal (VGP) reported. Under the agreement, the Netherlands grants USD19.5 million (EUR 16.5 million) to the aforesaid project totaling USD202.2 million (EUR 170 million) in Vinh Long city to make the city more climate resilient and to protect its people against flood risks, she said. Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman (Photo: VNA) The rest of the amount is covered by the World Bank and by Vinh Long province. The significant amount of Dutch grant, played a crucial role to make the project possible, added Akkerman. The Dutch grant will be provided to build a water treatment plant in Vinh Long city in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long. The water treatment plant is a component of the wider Vinh Long City Urban Development and Enhanced Climate Resilience Project. The objective of this project is to improve access to infrastructure and connectivity and to reduce flood risk in the urban area of Vinh Long city. The project has the following components: flood risk management and environmental sanitation; flood risk mitigation and urban drainage; wastewater collection and treatment; strategic corridors development; and resettlement area development. The Embassy of the Netherlands strongly supports this project as it synergizes with different core elements of the Strategic Partnership Agreement on Climate Change Adaptation and Water Management that was signed between the Vietnamese and Netherlands government in 2010. Vietnam and the Netherlands are both committed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and for that public and private interests often coincide, highlighted Ambassador Akkerman./. Netherlands finances 19.5 million USD for climate adaptation project in Vinh Long Deputy Minister of Finance Tran Xuan Ha and Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman have signed an agreement for Development Related Investment Infrastructure Vehicle (DRIVE) funded by the Netherlands Invest International, to support the Vinh Long Climate Resilience Project, the Vietnam Government Portal (VGP) reported. Under the agreement, the Netherlands grants USD19.5 million (EUR 16.5 million) to the aforesaid project totaling USD202.2 million (EUR 170 million) in Vinh Long city to make the city more climate resilient and to protect its people against flood risks, she said. Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman (Photo: VNA) The rest of the amount is covered by the World Bank and by Vinh Long province. The significant amount of Dutch grant, played a crucial role to make the project possible, added Akkerman. The Dutch grant will be provided to build a water treatment plant in Vinh Long city in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long. The water treatment plant is a component of the wider Vinh Long City Urban Development and Enhanced Climate Resilience Project. The objective of this project is to improve access to infrastructure and connectivity and to reduce flood risk in the urban area of Vinh Long city. The project has the following components: flood risk management and environmental sanitation; flood risk mitigation and urban drainage; wastewater collection and treatment; strategic corridors development; and resettlement area development. The Embassy of the Netherlands strongly supports this project as it synergizes with different core elements of the Strategic Partnership Agreement on Climate Change Adaptation and Water Management that was signed between the Vietnamese and Netherlands government in 2010. Vietnam and the Netherlands are both committed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and for that public and private interests often coincide, highlighted Ambassador Akkerman./. Netherlands finances 19.5 million USD for climate adaptation project in Vinh Long Deputy Minister of Finance Tran Xuan Ha and Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman have signed an agreement for Development Related Investment Infrastructure Vehicle (DRIVE) funded by the Netherlands Invest International, to support the Vinh Long Climate Resilience Project, the Vietnam Government Portal (VGP) reported. Under the agreement, the Netherlands grants USD19.5 million (EUR 16.5 million) to the aforesaid project totaling USD202.2 million (EUR 170 million) in Vinh Long city to make the city more climate resilient and to protect its people against flood risks, she said. Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman (Photo: VNA) The rest of the amount is covered by the World Bank and by Vinh Long province. The significant amount of Dutch grant, played a crucial role to make the project possible, added Akkerman. The Dutch grant will be provided to build a water treatment plant in Vinh Long city in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long. The water treatment plant is a component of the wider Vinh Long City Urban Development and Enhanced Climate Resilience Project. The objective of this project is to improve access to infrastructure and connectivity and to reduce flood risk in the urban area of Vinh Long city. The project has the following components: flood risk management and environmental sanitation; flood risk mitigation and urban drainage; wastewater collection and treatment; strategic corridors development; and resettlement area development. The Embassy of the Netherlands strongly supports this project as it synergizes with different core elements of the Strategic Partnership Agreement on Climate Change Adaptation and Water Management that was signed between the Vietnamese and Netherlands government in 2010. Vietnam and the Netherlands are both committed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and for that public and private interests often coincide, highlighted Ambassador Akkerman./. Netherlands finances 19.5 million USD for climate adaptation project in Vinh Long Deputy Minister of Finance Tran Xuan Ha and Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman have signed an agreement for Development Related Investment Infrastructure Vehicle (DRIVE) funded by the Netherlands Invest International, to support the Vinh Long Climate Resilience Project, the Vietnam Government Portal (VGP) reported. Under the agreement, the Netherlands grants USD19.5 million (EUR 16.5 million) to the aforesaid project totaling USD202.2 million (EUR 170 million) in Vinh Long city to make the city more climate resilient and to protect its people against flood risks, she said. Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman (Photo: VNA) The rest of the amount is covered by the World Bank and by Vinh Long province. The significant amount of Dutch grant, played a crucial role to make the project possible, added Akkerman. The Dutch grant will be provided to build a water treatment plant in Vinh Long city in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long. The water treatment plant is a component of the wider Vinh Long City Urban Development and Enhanced Climate Resilience Project. The objective of this project is to improve access to infrastructure and connectivity and to reduce flood risk in the urban area of Vinh Long city. The project has the following components: flood risk management and environmental sanitation; flood risk mitigation and urban drainage; wastewater collection and treatment; strategic corridors development; and resettlement area development. The Embassy of the Netherlands strongly supports this project as it synergizes with different core elements of the Strategic Partnership Agreement on Climate Change Adaptation and Water Management that was signed between the Vietnamese and Netherlands government in 2010. Vietnam and the Netherlands are both committed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and for that public and private interests often coincide, highlighted Ambassador Akkerman./. Netherlands finances 19.5 million USD for climate adaptation project in Vinh Long Deputy Minister of Finance Tran Xuan Ha and Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman have signed an agreement for Development Related Investment Infrastructure Vehicle (DRIVE) funded by the Netherlands Invest International, to support the Vinh Long Climate Resilience Project, the Vietnam Government Portal (VGP) reported. Under the agreement, the Netherlands grants USD19.5 million (EUR 16.5 million) to the aforesaid project totaling USD202.2 million (EUR 170 million) in Vinh Long city to make the city more climate resilient and to protect its people against flood risks, she said. Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman (Photo: VNA) The rest of the amount is covered by the World Bank and by Vinh Long province. The significant amount of Dutch grant, played a crucial role to make the project possible, added Akkerman. The Dutch grant will be provided to build a water treatment plant in Vinh Long city in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long. The water treatment plant is a component of the wider Vinh Long City Urban Development and Enhanced Climate Resilience Project. The objective of this project is to improve access to infrastructure and connectivity and to reduce flood risk in the urban area of Vinh Long city. The project has the following components: flood risk management and environmental sanitation; flood risk mitigation and urban drainage; wastewater collection and treatment; strategic corridors development; and resettlement area development. The Embassy of the Netherlands strongly supports this project as it synergizes with different core elements of the Strategic Partnership Agreement on Climate Change Adaptation and Water Management that was signed between the Vietnamese and Netherlands government in 2010. Vietnam and the Netherlands are both committed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and for that public and private interests often coincide, highlighted Ambassador Akkerman./. Netherlands finances 19.5 million USD for climate adaptation project in Vinh Long Deputy Minister of Finance Tran Xuan Ha and Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman have signed an agreement for Development Related Investment Infrastructure Vehicle (DRIVE) funded by the Netherlands Invest International, to support the Vinh Long Climate Resilience Project, the Vietnam Government Portal (VGP) reported. Under the agreement, the Netherlands grants USD19.5 million (EUR 16.5 million) to the aforesaid project totaling USD202.2 million (EUR 170 million) in Vinh Long city to make the city more climate resilient and to protect its people against flood risks, she said. Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman (Photo: VNA) The rest of the amount is covered by the World Bank and by Vinh Long province. The significant amount of Dutch grant, played a crucial role to make the project possible, added Akkerman. The Dutch grant will be provided to build a water treatment plant in Vinh Long city in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long. The water treatment plant is a component of the wider Vinh Long City Urban Development and Enhanced Climate Resilience Project. The objective of this project is to improve access to infrastructure and connectivity and to reduce flood risk in the urban area of Vinh Long city. The project has the following components: flood risk management and environmental sanitation; flood risk mitigation and urban drainage; wastewater collection and treatment; strategic corridors development; and resettlement area development. The Embassy of the Netherlands strongly supports this project as it synergizes with different core elements of the Strategic Partnership Agreement on Climate Change Adaptation and Water Management that was signed between the Vietnamese and Netherlands government in 2010. Vietnam and the Netherlands are both committed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and for that public and private interests often coincide, highlighted Ambassador Akkerman./. Netherlands finances 19.5 million USD for climate adaptation project in Vinh Long Deputy Minister of Finance Tran Xuan Ha and Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman have signed an agreement for Development Related Investment Infrastructure Vehicle (DRIVE) funded by the Netherlands Invest International, to support the Vinh Long Climate Resilience Project, the Vietnam Government Portal (VGP) reported. Under the agreement, the Netherlands grants USD19.5 million (EUR 16.5 million) to the aforesaid project totaling USD202.2 million (EUR 170 million) in Vinh Long city to make the city more climate resilient and to protect its people against flood risks, she said. Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman (Photo: VNA) The rest of the amount is covered by the World Bank and by Vinh Long province. The significant amount of Dutch grant, played a crucial role to make the project possible, added Akkerman. The Dutch grant will be provided to build a water treatment plant in Vinh Long city in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long. The water treatment plant is a component of the wider Vinh Long City Urban Development and Enhanced Climate Resilience Project. The objective of this project is to improve access to infrastructure and connectivity and to reduce flood risk in the urban area of Vinh Long city. The project has the following components: flood risk management and environmental sanitation; flood risk mitigation and urban drainage; wastewater collection and treatment; strategic corridors development; and resettlement area development. The Embassy of the Netherlands strongly supports this project as it synergizes with different core elements of the Strategic Partnership Agreement on Climate Change Adaptation and Water Management that was signed between the Vietnamese and Netherlands government in 2010. Vietnam and the Netherlands are both committed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and for that public and private interests often coincide, highlighted Ambassador Akkerman./. Illustrative image. (Photo: VNA) He also said that the US authorities will also consider opening the door for Vietnamese coconuts. Nam suggested that businesses wishing to export the fruit to the US should work with the plant quarantine units of Vietnam to complete necessary documents to soon export pomelos to the US. According to the Department of Crop Production under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the country has 105,400 hectares under pomelo trees, with a total output of nearly 950,000 tonnes. From now until the first quarter of 2022, Vietnam will harvest about 140,000 tonnes of pomelos. Currently, there are six types of fresh fruit of Vietnam exported to the US, namely dragon fruit, rambutan, mango, longan, star apple, and lychee. Vietnam's pomelo exports brought home nearly 4.8 million USD in 2019, and 10.9 million USD in the first nine months of 2020, up 246.2 percent over the same period in 2019. The main export markets of Vietnam's pomelo are the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, Canada, the European Union, Russia and some Asian countries./. A Blue Springs man now faces a string of charges from terroristic threats and assault to stalking and protection order violations for what initially was described as an alleged conspiracy to commit murder. At a hearing Tuesday in Beatrice, Gage County Court Judge Jeffrey Gaertig set Derrie Seeman's bond at $250,000. Seeman, 40, has been charged with two counts of terroristic threats and third-degree domestic assault, stalking and violation of a protection order. His father, William Seeman Jr., hadn't yet been charged as of Wednesday, but he remained in jail. Gage County Attorney Roger Harris didn't respond to a message Wednesday seeking comment on whether his office plans to charge him or when he'll be in court. On Dec. 10, Sheriff Millard Gus Gustafson announced their arrests in a news release, saying during the course of the investigation officials found evidence that indicated the 40-year-old and his 71-year-old father had been plotting to kill or have killed a family member, as well as a juvenile male and another adult male in Blue Springs. Derrie Seeman and William Seeman were arrested at a home in Liberty, about 6 miles north of the Kansas border, and booked into the Gage County Detention Center on conspiracy to commit murder. At the time, Gustafson largely declined to discuss details in the case, though he indicated the arrests were the product of an investigation prompted by tips called into the sheriff's office. And a judge sealed the affidavit for Derrie Seeman's arrest at the request of the prosecutor. 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. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/israeli-fm-vows-to-counter-iranian-threat-says-israel-has-capabilities-some-cannot-even-imagine-1091954027.html Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Earlier this week, the Iranian Foreign Ministry accused the Israeli government of attempting to sabotage renewed talks on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 middle east iran uranium nuclear talks israel joint comprehensive plan of action (jcpoa) iran nuclear deal us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091953847_0:0:3115:1753_1920x0_80_0_0_69fcc280b4d1a36b4ce902d97490a80f.jpg In a Friday Channel 12 broadcast, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid bragged that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) is prepared to bring to bear an array of "capabilities" to protect itself against what it claimed was an Iranian threat. When asked about Tel Aviv's ability to strike Iranian uranium enrichment facilities and what were described as weapon sites, Lapid declared that Tel Aviv was both capable and prepared to carry out such a strike.Lapid also said that an Israeli attack against Tehran could occur without prior correspondence with the US.He also reiterated that allies have been shown information he claimed "proves the Iranians are lying" in regard to recent nuclear activities. Despite vocal pushback from the Israeli government, which opposed the original 2015 JCPOA pact, Tel Aviv would support a "good deal," as "it is only against the wrong deal." Lapid has previously stated that he would rather the US and other JCPOA signatories walk away from renewed talks than reach an agreement that lacks what he characterized as "real oversight" of Iran's nuclear program. In May 2018, then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled the US out of the JCPOA agreement - also known as the Iran nuclear deal - and reimposed sanctions that crippled the Iranian economy. Tehran soon after abandoned its commitments under the agreement. Following the election of US President Joe Biden, negotiations to revisit the agreement kicked off in April but stalled in June, when Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi took office. More recently, talks saw a pause from the US after American officials concluded that Iran was "not serious" about the ongoing talks in Vienna.Despite delays, Monday kicked off an eighth round of JCPOA discussion. The US communicated earlier this week that progress had been made in defining what it claimed were the main issues preventing Tehran from returning to the pact.According to Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani, nearly all delegates have agreed on the need to lift sanctions against Tehran, and expressed plans to consider conditions for their removal. https://sputniknews.com/20211230/head-of-iranian-delegation-says-progress-made-in-jcpoa-talks-in-vienna-1091923420.html iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead israel, iran, nuclear talks https://sputniknews.com/20220101/israeli-fm-vows-to-counter-iranian-threat-says-israel-has-capabilities-some-cannot-even-imagine-1091954027.html Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Earlier this week, the Iranian Foreign Ministry accused the Israeli government of attempting to sabotage renewed talks on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 middle east iran uranium nuclear talks israel joint comprehensive plan of action (jcpoa) iran nuclear deal us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091953847_0:0:3115:1753_1920x0_80_0_0_69fcc280b4d1a36b4ce902d97490a80f.jpg In a Friday Channel 12 broadcast, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid bragged that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) is prepared to bring to bear an array of "capabilities" to protect itself against what it claimed was an Iranian threat. When asked about Tel Aviv's ability to strike Iranian uranium enrichment facilities and what were described as weapon sites, Lapid declared that Tel Aviv was both capable and prepared to carry out such a strike.Lapid also said that an Israeli attack against Tehran could occur without prior correspondence with the US.He also reiterated that allies have been shown information he claimed "proves the Iranians are lying" in regard to recent nuclear activities. Despite vocal pushback from the Israeli government, which opposed the original 2015 JCPOA pact, Tel Aviv would support a "good deal," as "it is only against the wrong deal." Lapid has previously stated that he would rather the US and other JCPOA signatories walk away from renewed talks than reach an agreement that lacks what he characterized as "real oversight" of Iran's nuclear program. In May 2018, then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled the US out of the JCPOA agreement - also known as the Iran nuclear deal - and reimposed sanctions that crippled the Iranian economy. Tehran soon after abandoned its commitments under the agreement. Following the election of US President Joe Biden, negotiations to revisit the agreement kicked off in April but stalled in June, when Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi took office. More recently, talks saw a pause from the US after American officials concluded that Iran was "not serious" about the ongoing talks in Vienna.Despite delays, Monday kicked off an eighth round of JCPOA discussion. The US communicated earlier this week that progress had been made in defining what it claimed were the main issues preventing Tehran from returning to the pact.According to Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani, nearly all delegates have agreed on the need to lift sanctions against Tehran, and expressed plans to consider conditions for their removal. https://sputniknews.com/20211230/head-of-iranian-delegation-says-progress-made-in-jcpoa-talks-in-vienna-1091923420.html iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead israel, iran, nuclear talks https://sputniknews.com/20220101/israeli-fm-vows-to-counter-iranian-threat-says-israel-has-capabilities-some-cannot-even-imagine-1091954027.html Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Earlier this week, the Iranian Foreign Ministry accused the Israeli government of attempting to sabotage renewed talks on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 middle east iran uranium nuclear talks israel joint comprehensive plan of action (jcpoa) iran nuclear deal us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091953847_0:0:3115:1753_1920x0_80_0_0_69fcc280b4d1a36b4ce902d97490a80f.jpg In a Friday Channel 12 broadcast, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid bragged that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) is prepared to bring to bear an array of "capabilities" to protect itself against what it claimed was an Iranian threat. When asked about Tel Aviv's ability to strike Iranian uranium enrichment facilities and what were described as weapon sites, Lapid declared that Tel Aviv was both capable and prepared to carry out such a strike.Lapid also said that an Israeli attack against Tehran could occur without prior correspondence with the US.He also reiterated that allies have been shown information he claimed "proves the Iranians are lying" in regard to recent nuclear activities. Despite vocal pushback from the Israeli government, which opposed the original 2015 JCPOA pact, Tel Aviv would support a "good deal," as "it is only against the wrong deal." Lapid has previously stated that he would rather the US and other JCPOA signatories walk away from renewed talks than reach an agreement that lacks what he characterized as "real oversight" of Iran's nuclear program. In May 2018, then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled the US out of the JCPOA agreement - also known as the Iran nuclear deal - and reimposed sanctions that crippled the Iranian economy. Tehran soon after abandoned its commitments under the agreement. Following the election of US President Joe Biden, negotiations to revisit the agreement kicked off in April but stalled in June, when Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi took office. More recently, talks saw a pause from the US after American officials concluded that Iran was "not serious" about the ongoing talks in Vienna.Despite delays, Monday kicked off an eighth round of JCPOA discussion. The US communicated earlier this week that progress had been made in defining what it claimed were the main issues preventing Tehran from returning to the pact.According to Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani, nearly all delegates have agreed on the need to lift sanctions against Tehran, and expressed plans to consider conditions for their removal. https://sputniknews.com/20211230/head-of-iranian-delegation-says-progress-made-in-jcpoa-talks-in-vienna-1091923420.html iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead israel, iran, nuclear talks https://sputniknews.com/20220101/israeli-fm-vows-to-counter-iranian-threat-says-israel-has-capabilities-some-cannot-even-imagine-1091954027.html Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Israeli FM Vows to Counter 'Iranian Threat,' Says Israel Has Capabilities Some 'Cannot Even Imagine' Earlier this week, the Iranian Foreign Ministry accused the Israeli government of attempting to sabotage renewed talks on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-01-01T03:06+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 middle east iran uranium nuclear talks israel joint comprehensive plan of action (jcpoa) iran nuclear deal us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091953847_0:0:3115:1753_1920x0_80_0_0_69fcc280b4d1a36b4ce902d97490a80f.jpg In a Friday Channel 12 broadcast, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid bragged that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) is prepared to bring to bear an array of "capabilities" to protect itself against what it claimed was an Iranian threat. When asked about Tel Aviv's ability to strike Iranian uranium enrichment facilities and what were described as weapon sites, Lapid declared that Tel Aviv was both capable and prepared to carry out such a strike.Lapid also said that an Israeli attack against Tehran could occur without prior correspondence with the US.He also reiterated that allies have been shown information he claimed "proves the Iranians are lying" in regard to recent nuclear activities. Despite vocal pushback from the Israeli government, which opposed the original 2015 JCPOA pact, Tel Aviv would support a "good deal," as "it is only against the wrong deal." Lapid has previously stated that he would rather the US and other JCPOA signatories walk away from renewed talks than reach an agreement that lacks what he characterized as "real oversight" of Iran's nuclear program. In May 2018, then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled the US out of the JCPOA agreement - also known as the Iran nuclear deal - and reimposed sanctions that crippled the Iranian economy. Tehran soon after abandoned its commitments under the agreement. Following the election of US President Joe Biden, negotiations to revisit the agreement kicked off in April but stalled in June, when Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi took office. More recently, talks saw a pause from the US after American officials concluded that Iran was "not serious" about the ongoing talks in Vienna.Despite delays, Monday kicked off an eighth round of JCPOA discussion. The US communicated earlier this week that progress had been made in defining what it claimed were the main issues preventing Tehran from returning to the pact.According to Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani, nearly all delegates have agreed on the need to lift sanctions against Tehran, and expressed plans to consider conditions for their removal. https://sputniknews.com/20211230/head-of-iranian-delegation-says-progress-made-in-jcpoa-talks-in-vienna-1091923420.html iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead israel, iran, nuclear talks Clarkston, WA (99403) Today Cloudy with rain ending for the afternoon. High 73F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.. Tonight Mainly clear. Low around 50F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Illustrative image. (Photo: VNA) He also said that the US authorities will also consider opening the door for Vietnamese coconuts. Nam suggested that businesses wishing to export the fruit to the US should work with the plant quarantine units of Vietnam to complete necessary documents to soon export pomelos to the US. According to the Department of Crop Production under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the country has 105,400 hectares under pomelo trees, with a total output of nearly 950,000 tonnes. From now until the first quarter of 2022, Vietnam will harvest about 140,000 tonnes of pomelos. Currently, there are six types of fresh fruit of Vietnam exported to the US, namely dragon fruit, rambutan, mango, longan, star apple, and lychee. Vietnam's pomelo exports brought home nearly 4.8 million USD in 2019, and 10.9 million USD in the first nine months of 2020, up 246.2 percent over the same period in 2019. The main export markets of Vietnam's pomelo are the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, Canada, the European Union, Russia and some Asian countries./. Illustrative image. (Photo: VNA) He also said that the US authorities will also consider opening the door for Vietnamese coconuts. Nam suggested that businesses wishing to export the fruit to the US should work with the plant quarantine units of Vietnam to complete necessary documents to soon export pomelos to the US. According to the Department of Crop Production under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the country has 105,400 hectares under pomelo trees, with a total output of nearly 950,000 tonnes. From now until the first quarter of 2022, Vietnam will harvest about 140,000 tonnes of pomelos. Currently, there are six types of fresh fruit of Vietnam exported to the US, namely dragon fruit, rambutan, mango, longan, star apple, and lychee. Vietnam's pomelo exports brought home nearly 4.8 million USD in 2019, and 10.9 million USD in the first nine months of 2020, up 246.2 percent over the same period in 2019. The main export markets of Vietnam's pomelo are the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, Canada, the European Union, Russia and some Asian countries./. Netherlands finances 19.5 million USD for climate adaptation project in Vinh Long Deputy Minister of Finance Tran Xuan Ha and Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman have signed an agreement for Development Related Investment Infrastructure Vehicle (DRIVE) funded by the Netherlands Invest International, to support the Vinh Long Climate Resilience Project, the Vietnam Government Portal (VGP) reported. Under the agreement, the Netherlands grants USD19.5 million (EUR 16.5 million) to the aforesaid project totaling USD202.2 million (EUR 170 million) in Vinh Long city to make the city more climate resilient and to protect its people against flood risks, she said. Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman (Photo: VNA) The rest of the amount is covered by the World Bank and by Vinh Long province. The significant amount of Dutch grant, played a crucial role to make the project possible, added Akkerman. The Dutch grant will be provided to build a water treatment plant in Vinh Long city in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long. The water treatment plant is a component of the wider Vinh Long City Urban Development and Enhanced Climate Resilience Project. The objective of this project is to improve access to infrastructure and connectivity and to reduce flood risk in the urban area of Vinh Long city. The project has the following components: flood risk management and environmental sanitation; flood risk mitigation and urban drainage; wastewater collection and treatment; strategic corridors development; and resettlement area development. The Embassy of the Netherlands strongly supports this project as it synergizes with different core elements of the Strategic Partnership Agreement on Climate Change Adaptation and Water Management that was signed between the Vietnamese and Netherlands government in 2010. Vietnam and the Netherlands are both committed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and for that public and private interests often coincide, highlighted Ambassador Akkerman./. Netherlands finances 19.5 million USD for climate adaptation project in Vinh Long Deputy Minister of Finance Tran Xuan Ha and Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman have signed an agreement for Development Related Investment Infrastructure Vehicle (DRIVE) funded by the Netherlands Invest International, to support the Vinh Long Climate Resilience Project, the Vietnam Government Portal (VGP) reported. Under the agreement, the Netherlands grants USD19.5 million (EUR 16.5 million) to the aforesaid project totaling USD202.2 million (EUR 170 million) in Vinh Long city to make the city more climate resilient and to protect its people against flood risks, she said. Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman (Photo: VNA) The rest of the amount is covered by the World Bank and by Vinh Long province. The significant amount of Dutch grant, played a crucial role to make the project possible, added Akkerman. The Dutch grant will be provided to build a water treatment plant in Vinh Long city in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long. The water treatment plant is a component of the wider Vinh Long City Urban Development and Enhanced Climate Resilience Project. The objective of this project is to improve access to infrastructure and connectivity and to reduce flood risk in the urban area of Vinh Long city. The project has the following components: flood risk management and environmental sanitation; flood risk mitigation and urban drainage; wastewater collection and treatment; strategic corridors development; and resettlement area development. The Embassy of the Netherlands strongly supports this project as it synergizes with different core elements of the Strategic Partnership Agreement on Climate Change Adaptation and Water Management that was signed between the Vietnamese and Netherlands government in 2010. Vietnam and the Netherlands are both committed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and for that public and private interests often coincide, highlighted Ambassador Akkerman./. Illustrative image. (Photo: VNA) He also said that the US authorities will also consider opening the door for Vietnamese coconuts. Nam suggested that businesses wishing to export the fruit to the US should work with the plant quarantine units of Vietnam to complete necessary documents to soon export pomelos to the US. According to the Department of Crop Production under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the country has 105,400 hectares under pomelo trees, with a total output of nearly 950,000 tonnes. From now until the first quarter of 2022, Vietnam will harvest about 140,000 tonnes of pomelos. Currently, there are six types of fresh fruit of Vietnam exported to the US, namely dragon fruit, rambutan, mango, longan, star apple, and lychee. Vietnam's pomelo exports brought home nearly 4.8 million USD in 2019, and 10.9 million USD in the first nine months of 2020, up 246.2 percent over the same period in 2019. The main export markets of Vietnam's pomelo are the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, Canada, the European Union, Russia and some Asian countries./. Netherlands finances 19.5 million USD for climate adaptation project in Vinh Long Deputy Minister of Finance Tran Xuan Ha and Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman have signed an agreement for Development Related Investment Infrastructure Vehicle (DRIVE) funded by the Netherlands Invest International, to support the Vinh Long Climate Resilience Project, the Vietnam Government Portal (VGP) reported. Under the agreement, the Netherlands grants USD19.5 million (EUR 16.5 million) to the aforesaid project totaling USD202.2 million (EUR 170 million) in Vinh Long city to make the city more climate resilient and to protect its people against flood risks, she said. Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman (Photo: VNA) The rest of the amount is covered by the World Bank and by Vinh Long province. The significant amount of Dutch grant, played a crucial role to make the project possible, added Akkerman. The Dutch grant will be provided to build a water treatment plant in Vinh Long city in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long. The water treatment plant is a component of the wider Vinh Long City Urban Development and Enhanced Climate Resilience Project. The objective of this project is to improve access to infrastructure and connectivity and to reduce flood risk in the urban area of Vinh Long city. The project has the following components: flood risk management and environmental sanitation; flood risk mitigation and urban drainage; wastewater collection and treatment; strategic corridors development; and resettlement area development. The Embassy of the Netherlands strongly supports this project as it synergizes with different core elements of the Strategic Partnership Agreement on Climate Change Adaptation and Water Management that was signed between the Vietnamese and Netherlands government in 2010. Vietnam and the Netherlands are both committed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and for that public and private interests often coincide, highlighted Ambassador Akkerman./. Sach Tet Nham Dan 2022 (Book for the Year of the Tiger 2022), a book celebrating Tet released by Dong A Books. Photo courtesy of the company Sach Tet Nham Dan 2022 (Book for the Year of the Tiger 2022) features a collection of stories, poems, songs, paintings and illustrations about the spring and Tet festival by 60 writers and painters. The 304-page book was compiled by writer Ho Anh Thai, who has worked with Dong A to publish special books for Tet since 2019. The book is divided into six parts: Ky uc mua xuan (Memories of Spring), Van (Essays), Tho (Poems), Nhac (Songs), Hoa (Paintings), and Vi thanh (Conclusion). The first part about spring in the past includes short stories such as Du Am Xom Cay Go (Back to Spring at Cay Go Residential Area) by Pham Cong Luan, Nho Mo (Fatback) by Do Tien Thuy, and Co Ai Con Nho (Remembrance) by Uong Trieu. The book also features literary works by famous Vietnamese writers and poets, like Cho Hoa Phien Ap Tet (Flower Market the Day Before Tet) by late author Ma Van Khang, and Tet Binh Thuong Cua Mot Nguoi Nghiem Tuc (A Usual Tet Festival of a Serious Man) by Phan Thi Vang Anh, as well as songs by composers Pho Duc Phuong and Song Hao. The painting section features works by Nguyen Viet Cuong, whose work honours frontline workers, and life in HCM City and the solidarity of its people during the pandemic, as well as paintings and illustrations by veteran and young painters like Thanh Chuong and Ta Huy Long. According to Dong A Books, as in previous years, Sach Tet Nham Dan 2022 has had a great contribution from veteran artists and new faces. It is expected to be a great gift for people in the upcoming festival. Dong A Books special gift box for Tet 'Mot Goi Xuan'. Photo courtesy of the company In addition, the company will present a special gift box for Tet called Mot Goi Xuan (A Package of Spring), featuring books Sach Tet Nham Dan 2022 and Thuong Nho Muoi Hai (Twelve Months to Remember) by Vu Bang, about love and nostalgia for his wife and native land in the north, experienced while stationed in various parts of the country over the course of decades. The book consists of stories about foods, fruits, drinks and popular pastimes enjoyed during the year. The gift set will include a table calendar with illustrations inspired from Bangs book created by veteran artist Duy Hung. The Mot Goi Xuan set priced at VND709,000 (US$31) can be pre-ordered at e-commerce platform tiki.vn. Sach Tet Nham Dan 2022 is available at the company website sachdonga.vn, and e-commerce platforms tiki.vn and Shopee. It costs VND359,000 ($15.7). Source: Vietnam News Tet in olden days through the eyes of Vietnamese, French scholars Tet Vietnam Xua (Vietnams Tet in the Olden Days), a collection of articles by Vietnamese and French scholars, gives readers a host of insights into the traditional holiday through its many rituals and customs. Sach Tet Nham Dan 2022 (Book for the Year of the Tiger 2022), a book celebrating Tet released by Dong A Books. Photo courtesy of the company Sach Tet Nham Dan 2022 (Book for the Year of the Tiger 2022) features a collection of stories, poems, songs, paintings and illustrations about the spring and Tet festival by 60 writers and painters. The 304-page book was compiled by writer Ho Anh Thai, who has worked with Dong A to publish special books for Tet since 2019. The book is divided into six parts: Ky uc mua xuan (Memories of Spring), Van (Essays), Tho (Poems), Nhac (Songs), Hoa (Paintings), and Vi thanh (Conclusion). The first part about spring in the past includes short stories such as Du Am Xom Cay Go (Back to Spring at Cay Go Residential Area) by Pham Cong Luan, Nho Mo (Fatback) by Do Tien Thuy, and Co Ai Con Nho (Remembrance) by Uong Trieu. The book also features literary works by famous Vietnamese writers and poets, like Cho Hoa Phien Ap Tet (Flower Market the Day Before Tet) by late author Ma Van Khang, and Tet Binh Thuong Cua Mot Nguoi Nghiem Tuc (A Usual Tet Festival of a Serious Man) by Phan Thi Vang Anh, as well as songs by composers Pho Duc Phuong and Song Hao. The painting section features works by Nguyen Viet Cuong, whose work honours frontline workers, and life in HCM City and the solidarity of its people during the pandemic, as well as paintings and illustrations by veteran and young painters like Thanh Chuong and Ta Huy Long. According to Dong A Books, as in previous years, Sach Tet Nham Dan 2022 has had a great contribution from veteran artists and new faces. It is expected to be a great gift for people in the upcoming festival. Dong A Books special gift box for Tet 'Mot Goi Xuan'. Photo courtesy of the company In addition, the company will present a special gift box for Tet called Mot Goi Xuan (A Package of Spring), featuring books Sach Tet Nham Dan 2022 and Thuong Nho Muoi Hai (Twelve Months to Remember) by Vu Bang, about love and nostalgia for his wife and native land in the north, experienced while stationed in various parts of the country over the course of decades. The book consists of stories about foods, fruits, drinks and popular pastimes enjoyed during the year. The gift set will include a table calendar with illustrations inspired from Bangs book created by veteran artist Duy Hung. The Mot Goi Xuan set priced at VND709,000 (US$31) can be pre-ordered at e-commerce platform tiki.vn. Sach Tet Nham Dan 2022 is available at the company website sachdonga.vn, and e-commerce platforms tiki.vn and Shopee. It costs VND359,000 ($15.7). Source: Vietnam News Tet in olden days through the eyes of Vietnamese, French scholars Tet Vietnam Xua (Vietnams Tet in the Olden Days), a collection of articles by Vietnamese and French scholars, gives readers a host of insights into the traditional holiday through its many rituals and customs. Resident Chen Qiang (L) delivers food for health workers in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Dec. 22, 2021. More than 100,000 frontline workers and volunteers are participating in the epidemic prevention and control efforts in Xi'an. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen) A volunteer (front R) guides people at a nucleic acid testing site in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Dec. 30, 2021. More than 100,000 frontline workers and volunteers are participating in the epidemic prevention and control efforts in Xi'an. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen) A volunteer informs residents to take nucleic acid test at a community in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Dec. 29, 2021. More than 100,000 frontline workers and volunteers are participating in the epidemic prevention and control efforts in Xi'an. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen) A volunteer (L) disinfects a health worker at a nucleic acid testing site in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Dec. 29, 2021. More than 100,000 frontline workers and volunteers are participating in the epidemic prevention and control efforts in Xi'an. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen) A volunteer carries boxes containing food for delivery in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Dec. 29, 2021. More than 100,000 frontline workers and volunteers are participating in the epidemic prevention and control efforts in Xi'an. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen) Volunteers deliver daily necessities for residents at a community in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Dec. 29, 2021. More than 100,000 frontline workers and volunteers are participating in the epidemic prevention and control efforts in Xi'an. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen) A volunteer (R) broadcasts tips on nucleic acid test at Donggan Village in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Dec. 30, 2021. More than 100,000 frontline workers and volunteers are participating in the epidemic prevention and control efforts in Xi'an. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen) A volunteer (front R) guides people at a nucleic acid testing site in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Dec. 29, 2021. More than 100,000 frontline workers and volunteers are participating in the epidemic prevention and control efforts in Xi'an. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen) A volunteer team consisting of veterans pose for a group photo in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Dec. 31, 2021. More than 100,000 frontline workers and volunteers are participating in the epidemic prevention and control efforts in Xi'an. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen) The recent incidents on the Afghan-Pak border has brought to light the age-old issue of Durand Line that Pakistan had hoped to resolve with the Taliban holding the reins in Kabul. On Friday, the Khaama Press news agency reported a second such incident in the recent past when Taliban's local affiliates said that they stopped the Pakistani military from erecting barbed-wire fences and outposts in Afghanistan. The Pakistani military personnel reportedly wanted to build their outpost on Afghanistan soil in Chahar Burjak district of Nimroz province. The Pakistani military went up to 15 kilometres inside Afghanistan and wanted to build check posts, said eyewitnesses and residents of the bordering district, according to reports. Similarly, on December 22, the Afghan Taliban had disrupted the fence constructed by Pakistan in the Nangahar Province on the Durand Line. A Toronto-based think tank, International Forum For Rights And Security (IFFRAS) said that this is an illustration of one festering wound that continues to engage Afghanistan and Pakistan bilaterally. The fencing of the 2,600-km long Durand Line has remained a contentious issue between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Ashraf Ghani government had objected to the fencing of the border and the Afghan side had even then tried to stop Pakistan from erecting a fence. However, Pakistan went ahead with the fencing. Pakistan media reports say that 90 per cent of the border with Pakistan now stands fenced. "The fencing is part of the border mechanism Pakistan has been working on for years, not just to regulate the movement of people but also to deny terrorists the chance to move across the border freely," IFFRAS said. According to the think tank, the real reason for Pakistan to fence the border is to divide the Pashtuns. The Pashtuns as an ethnic group straddle between the Pak-Afghan border. In Afghanistan, they constitute 42 per cent of the population. Meanwhile, in Pakistan, the population of Pashtuns is 25 per cent. Highlighting the irony of how Pashtuns live on both sides of the border, the think thank argued that Pakistan has chosen to divide these peoples by building a fence across the stretch of the border. "Pakistan has chosen to recognise the Durand Line while Afghanistan, both in the past and currently refuses to recognise it as the international border between Afghanistan and Pakistan," IFFRAS said. Earlier in September, the Taliban's position on the Durand Line was expressed by its key spokesperson. While speaking with a Pashto channel in Pakistan, Zabiullah Mujahid had said Afghans opposed the fence erected by Pakistan along the Durand Line. "The new Afghan government will announce its position on this issue. The fencing has separated people and divided families. We want to create a secure and peaceful environment on the border so there is no need to create barriers," Mujahid had said. (ANI) Police officials outside Revanth Reddy's house to prevent him from leaving his house to attend achabanda programme in Bhupalpally (By arrangement) HYDERABAD: Tension prevailed at the residence of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A. Revanth Reddy here at Jubilee Hills on Friday as the police put him under house arrest ahead of the Rachabanda programme in Bhupalpally. The police in large numbers gathered at Revanths residence and prevented him from going out. Allegedly, a few police personnel entered into the house of the state Congress president. Reacting to this, Revanth Reddy expressed anger over policemen for entering into his house without warrant. Reportedly, he scolded a few police personnel, who entered the house from the rear side by jumping the walls. Assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Sudarshan said as per the directives of higher-officials they reached Jubilee Hills. Meanwhile, Revanth Reddy spoke to Hyderabad police commissioner C.V. Anand about the camping of police personnel at his residence. Revanth Reddy said the police should act as per the norms. However, the Congress activists in huge numbers rushed to the residence of the TPCC chief during the arrest. On the other hand, Congress leaders and activists had been taken into preventive custody in undivided Nalgonda district. A few Congress leaders burnt the effigy of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao in protest against the house arrest of Revanth Reddy. Police officials outside Revanth Reddy's house to prevent him from leaving his house to attend achabanda programme in Bhupalpally (By arrangement) HYDERABAD: Tension prevailed at the residence of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A. Revanth Reddy here at Jubilee Hills on Friday as the police put him under house arrest ahead of the Rachabanda programme in Bhupalpally. The police in large numbers gathered at Revanths residence and prevented him from going out. Allegedly, a few police personnel entered into the house of the state Congress president. Reacting to this, Revanth Reddy expressed anger over policemen for entering into his house without warrant. Reportedly, he scolded a few police personnel, who entered the house from the rear side by jumping the walls. Assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Sudarshan said as per the directives of higher-officials they reached Jubilee Hills. Meanwhile, Revanth Reddy spoke to Hyderabad police commissioner C.V. Anand about the camping of police personnel at his residence. Revanth Reddy said the police should act as per the norms. However, the Congress activists in huge numbers rushed to the residence of the TPCC chief during the arrest. On the other hand, Congress leaders and activists had been taken into preventive custody in undivided Nalgonda district. A few Congress leaders burnt the effigy of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao in protest against the house arrest of Revanth Reddy. Police officials outside Revanth Reddy's house to prevent him from leaving his house to attend achabanda programme in Bhupalpally (By arrangement) HYDERABAD: Tension prevailed at the residence of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A. Revanth Reddy here at Jubilee Hills on Friday as the police put him under house arrest ahead of the Rachabanda programme in Bhupalpally. The police in large numbers gathered at Revanths residence and prevented him from going out. Allegedly, a few police personnel entered into the house of the state Congress president. Reacting to this, Revanth Reddy expressed anger over policemen for entering into his house without warrant. Reportedly, he scolded a few police personnel, who entered the house from the rear side by jumping the walls. Assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Sudarshan said as per the directives of higher-officials they reached Jubilee Hills. Meanwhile, Revanth Reddy spoke to Hyderabad police commissioner C.V. Anand about the camping of police personnel at his residence. Revanth Reddy said the police should act as per the norms. However, the Congress activists in huge numbers rushed to the residence of the TPCC chief during the arrest. On the other hand, Congress leaders and activists had been taken into preventive custody in undivided Nalgonda district. A few Congress leaders burnt the effigy of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao in protest against the house arrest of Revanth Reddy. Police officials outside Revanth Reddy's house to prevent him from leaving his house to attend achabanda programme in Bhupalpally (By arrangement) HYDERABAD: Tension prevailed at the residence of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A. Revanth Reddy here at Jubilee Hills on Friday as the police put him under house arrest ahead of the Rachabanda programme in Bhupalpally. The police in large numbers gathered at Revanths residence and prevented him from going out. Allegedly, a few police personnel entered into the house of the state Congress president. Reacting to this, Revanth Reddy expressed anger over policemen for entering into his house without warrant. Reportedly, he scolded a few police personnel, who entered the house from the rear side by jumping the walls. Assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Sudarshan said as per the directives of higher-officials they reached Jubilee Hills. Meanwhile, Revanth Reddy spoke to Hyderabad police commissioner C.V. Anand about the camping of police personnel at his residence. Revanth Reddy said the police should act as per the norms. However, the Congress activists in huge numbers rushed to the residence of the TPCC chief during the arrest. On the other hand, Congress leaders and activists had been taken into preventive custody in undivided Nalgonda district. A few Congress leaders burnt the effigy of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao in protest against the house arrest of Revanth Reddy. The city of Napa is working on a legislative platform for 2022 that would better define the citys priorities to bring in more federal funding to specific areas, such as housing or infrastructure, in the future. The citys suggested priority areas include: preserving and enhancing local control and local revenues; housing opportunities for all income levels, including for those experiencing homelessness; pandemic recovery and economic development; investments in infrastructure; and maintaining a healthy and sustainable environment and community. The list of priority areas was presented to the Napa City Council in December, but the council will vote to approve priority areas at a future meeting. Molly Rattigan, assistant to the city manager, said the list was developed in partnership with consultant Merchant McIntyre & Associates, a federal relations advocacy firm the citys been working with since October 2020. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Special offer: Subscribe for $4.99 for yo This really serves as the guidance on where the city of Napa is putting its legislative capital, for lack of a better word, Rattigan said. Over roughly the past year, the firm has provided federal advocacy and helped the city prepare federal grant applications, Rattigan added. She said that though the firm doesn't provide representation at the state level, the city is actively engaged with the League of California Cities and works closely with its two state representatives, Sen. Bill Dodd and Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry. Katie Peterson, a partner at the firm, highlighted two pending federal grants applications resulting from that work: a $75,000 grant to support the Napa Lighted Arts Festival from the National Endowment for the Arts, and a $100,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for firefighter training and health testing. Peterson added that the firm also worked with Rep. Mike Thompsons office to earmark $1.8 million for police radios, included in the Fiscal Year 2022 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related agencies bill, which passed in July. Peterson said the legislative platform needs to focus on specific areas because it is supposed to clarify the citys priorities to Congress and therefore improve local quality of life. The purpose, the primary directive of the legislative platform, is not to solve or advocate for every issue under the sun on behalf of the city, Peterson said. Its very much to establish key official city positions on clearly stated legislative issues. The Napa councilmembers broadly agreed that the recommended legislative priorities align with city council goals. Councilmember Beth Painter said the specific language of the areas is highly important. Among other suggestions, she recommended the word safe be added to the healthy and sustainable environment and community item because the council has stated the importance of promoting pedestrian and bike safety. Painter also suggested that disaster recovery be added to the pandemic recovery item because the city doesnt know when the next disaster, beyond the pandemic, is going to strike. Napa resident Maureen Trippe an organizer of the local Slow Down Napa movement said shed also like to see some consideration for transportation safety in the platform, which could include such measures as traffic calming, speeding, building safe routes to school or other safety-related categories. Rattigan said the city would still have room to work outside of the legislative platform, if needed, and that needs that go beyond the areas identified in the platform will certainly rise. There are always going to be things that come up that are outside of the scope of the legislative platform, Rattigan said. Like I said, you can never fully predict whats going to be proposed. So we will keep our eye on that as well. If there are issues that may not fall within the scope and they need to come back to the council, theres of course the mechanism to do so if needed. The Bengaluru airport is the main gateway for the people in Rayalaseema and also foreign tourists who take the road to visit Puttaparthi, Hampi and Goa thereafter. (Representational Image/PTI) ANANTAPUR: The lack of quarantine facilities and fewer rapid tests carried out on foreign returnees at the Kempe Gowda International Airport at Bengaluru is resulting in health authorities of AP having to scramble to collect the samples and send them for tests including for the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus. With more than five positive cases among foreign returnees being reported from Rayalaseema for the past 10 days, the administration in the districts in the region and medical teams have to wait at least for three days to get a Covid-19 test report and a few more days for confirmation regarding Omicron. The Bengaluru airport is the main gateway for the people in Rayalaseema and also foreign tourists who take the road to visit Puttaparthi, Hampi and Goa thereafter. Many of the arrivals include locals working abroad, foreign visitors including employees of the Rural Development Trust and KIA Motors India in Anantapur district. Official reports revealed more than 5,000 foreign returnees reached various parts of Rayalaseema in one month. It is said that the Anantapur district administration could not trace more than 70 foreign returns. An official from the medical department said that the samples of travellers are collected soon after they reach home. It takes at least two days to get a report. During this time, the returnee is not isolated. Recently, a 22-year-old software engineer returned home and spent time with family members and friends. Much later, he tested positive for the Omicron variant. His sister also tested positive for Omicron though she had no history of travelling abroad. It is suspected she caught the virus from here brother. "We can prevent more cases if the foreign returnees are tested at the Bengaluru airport and detained till they get a negative report. Otherwise they must be quarantined in the airport premises", a senior medical official said. The Bengaluru airport is the main gateway for the people in Rayalaseema and also foreign tourists who take the road to visit Puttaparthi, Hampi and Goa thereafter. (Representational Image/PTI) ANANTAPUR: The lack of quarantine facilities and fewer rapid tests carried out on foreign returnees at the Kempe Gowda International Airport at Bengaluru is resulting in health authorities of AP having to scramble to collect the samples and send them for tests including for the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus. With more than five positive cases among foreign returnees being reported from Rayalaseema for the past 10 days, the administration in the districts in the region and medical teams have to wait at least for three days to get a Covid-19 test report and a few more days for confirmation regarding Omicron. The Bengaluru airport is the main gateway for the people in Rayalaseema and also foreign tourists who take the road to visit Puttaparthi, Hampi and Goa thereafter. Many of the arrivals include locals working abroad, foreign visitors including employees of the Rural Development Trust and KIA Motors India in Anantapur district. Official reports revealed more than 5,000 foreign returnees reached various parts of Rayalaseema in one month. It is said that the Anantapur district administration could not trace more than 70 foreign returns. An official from the medical department said that the samples of travellers are collected soon after they reach home. It takes at least two days to get a report. During this time, the returnee is not isolated. Recently, a 22-year-old software engineer returned home and spent time with family members and friends. Much later, he tested positive for the Omicron variant. His sister also tested positive for Omicron though she had no history of travelling abroad. It is suspected she caught the virus from here brother. "We can prevent more cases if the foreign returnees are tested at the Bengaluru airport and detained till they get a negative report. Otherwise they must be quarantined in the airport premises", a senior medical official said. The state rolled out the first of its kind Sweccha through which personal sanitary supplies will be provided to girl students in government schools free. The CM also started a novel initiative, the Jagananna Sampoorna Gruha Hakku (OTS), where people who received houses from the government can get them registered by paying a nominal fee. DC file image VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy clearly emerged as the undisputed leader in terms of popularity and efficiency, going by the overwhelming mandate in a series of elections acknowledging his welfare and development agenda, industrial houses queuing up to set up shop in the state and the first edition of YSR Achievement Awards getting underway, among others. The results of the elections to the local bodies, the Tirupati Lok Sabha and Budvel Assembly bypolls reiterated the faith of people in Jagan Mohan Reddys governance. In his reactions, he said he felt the results had increased the government's responsibility. Topping his work on the social justice front was the election of Koyye Moshen Raju as Chairman and Zakia Khanam as his deputy in the Legislative Council. Meanwhile, YSRC numbers swelled with the ruling party bagging all the 11 seats on offer. Reddy visited Delhi twice and discussed wide-ranging issues of the state by meeting Union home minister Amit Shah and other Central ministers. He also called on Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to resolve water disputes and border issues between the two states. On the education front, the Chief Minister launched the first phase of Nadu-Nedu in schools, which welcomed students after a long break due to Covid-19. Almost 15,715 government schools were modernised, the government has said. Besides, he laid the foundation stone for constructing 14 medical colleges. After the distribution of house sites to over 30 lakh beneficiaries, the Chief Minister initiated the construction of 15.6 lakh houses for the poor in the first phase. He launched the door delivery of rice to ration card holders along with a fleet of dispensing units vans. He launched a comprehensive temple management system. The state rolled out the first of its kind Sweccha through which personal sanitary supplies will be provided to girl students in government schools free. The CM also started a novel initiative, the Jagananna Sampoorna Gruha Hakku (OTS), where people who received houses from the government can get them registered by paying a nominal fee.The year 2021 must be rated among the busiest for the CM. He started working on the first day of the outgoing year, laying the foundation stone for six lighthouses under the Global Housing Technology Challenge India programme and receiving awards from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for good performance in the housing programme. The state rolled out the first of its kind Sweccha through which personal sanitary supplies will be provided to girl students in government schools free. The CM also started a novel initiative, the Jagananna Sampoorna Gruha Hakku (OTS), where people who received houses from the government can get them registered by paying a nominal fee. DC file image VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy clearly emerged as the undisputed leader in terms of popularity and efficiency, going by the overwhelming mandate in a series of elections acknowledging his welfare and development agenda, industrial houses queuing up to set up shop in the state and the first edition of YSR Achievement Awards getting underway, among others. The results of the elections to the local bodies, the Tirupati Lok Sabha and Budvel Assembly bypolls reiterated the faith of people in Jagan Mohan Reddys governance. In his reactions, he said he felt the results had increased the government's responsibility. Topping his work on the social justice front was the election of Koyye Moshen Raju as Chairman and Zakia Khanam as his deputy in the Legislative Council. Meanwhile, YSRC numbers swelled with the ruling party bagging all the 11 seats on offer. Reddy visited Delhi twice and discussed wide-ranging issues of the state by meeting Union home minister Amit Shah and other Central ministers. He also called on Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to resolve water disputes and border issues between the two states. On the education front, the Chief Minister launched the first phase of Nadu-Nedu in schools, which welcomed students after a long break due to Covid-19. Almost 15,715 government schools were modernised, the government has said. Besides, he laid the foundation stone for constructing 14 medical colleges. After the distribution of house sites to over 30 lakh beneficiaries, the Chief Minister initiated the construction of 15.6 lakh houses for the poor in the first phase. He launched the door delivery of rice to ration card holders along with a fleet of dispensing units vans. He launched a comprehensive temple management system. The state rolled out the first of its kind Sweccha through which personal sanitary supplies will be provided to girl students in government schools free. The CM also started a novel initiative, the Jagananna Sampoorna Gruha Hakku (OTS), where people who received houses from the government can get them registered by paying a nominal fee.The year 2021 must be rated among the busiest for the CM. He started working on the first day of the outgoing year, laying the foundation stone for six lighthouses under the Global Housing Technology Challenge India programme and receiving awards from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for good performance in the housing programme. The state rolled out the first of its kind Sweccha through which personal sanitary supplies will be provided to girl students in government schools free. The CM also started a novel initiative, the Jagananna Sampoorna Gruha Hakku (OTS), where people who received houses from the government can get them registered by paying a nominal fee. DC file image VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy clearly emerged as the undisputed leader in terms of popularity and efficiency, going by the overwhelming mandate in a series of elections acknowledging his welfare and development agenda, industrial houses queuing up to set up shop in the state and the first edition of YSR Achievement Awards getting underway, among others. The results of the elections to the local bodies, the Tirupati Lok Sabha and Budvel Assembly bypolls reiterated the faith of people in Jagan Mohan Reddys governance. In his reactions, he said he felt the results had increased the government's responsibility. Topping his work on the social justice front was the election of Koyye Moshen Raju as Chairman and Zakia Khanam as his deputy in the Legislative Council. Meanwhile, YSRC numbers swelled with the ruling party bagging all the 11 seats on offer. Reddy visited Delhi twice and discussed wide-ranging issues of the state by meeting Union home minister Amit Shah and other Central ministers. He also called on Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to resolve water disputes and border issues between the two states. On the education front, the Chief Minister launched the first phase of Nadu-Nedu in schools, which welcomed students after a long break due to Covid-19. Almost 15,715 government schools were modernised, the government has said. Besides, he laid the foundation stone for constructing 14 medical colleges. After the distribution of house sites to over 30 lakh beneficiaries, the Chief Minister initiated the construction of 15.6 lakh houses for the poor in the first phase. He launched the door delivery of rice to ration card holders along with a fleet of dispensing units vans. He launched a comprehensive temple management system. The state rolled out the first of its kind Sweccha through which personal sanitary supplies will be provided to girl students in government schools free. The CM also started a novel initiative, the Jagananna Sampoorna Gruha Hakku (OTS), where people who received houses from the government can get them registered by paying a nominal fee.The year 2021 must be rated among the busiest for the CM. He started working on the first day of the outgoing year, laying the foundation stone for six lighthouses under the Global Housing Technology Challenge India programme and receiving awards from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for good performance in the housing programme. The tally of the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus went up to 17, with the detection of a new case, that of a woman hailing from Prakasam district. (Representational Photo: DC) Vijayawada: The tally of the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus went up to 17, with the detection of a new case, that of a woman hailing from Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh who had returned from the UAE. State health authorities said that the woman passenger, who was 52 years old, had landed at the Bengaluru International Airport on December 21 and went home to Prakasam district. She tested Covid-19 positive in the RT-PCR test held on December 24. Her samples were sent to the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology in Hyderabad for genome sequencing and the result showed that she was positive for Omicron. The department said she was healthy and had been placed in quarantine and was under the observation of health personnel. Officials said that 14 persons who had come in contact with her had been tested for Covid-19 and had been found to be negative. The state health authorities advised the general public to follow Covid appropriate behaviour scrupulously by wearing a mask, maintaining social distance, washing hands regularly, and to avoid group meetings, functions and gatherings to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. They have also advised the people who are yet to take second dose of Covid-19 jab to take it immediately as per their schedule. The issue of closure of several film theatres by the authorities also came for discussion during the meeting. (Representational image) Vijayawada: The committee headed by principal secretary, home, Kumar Vishwajeet that was recently constituted to fix the rates of admission into cinema theatres held its first meeting virtually with all the members and other stakeholders here on Friday. The stakeholders expressed their concerns over how the fixation of low prices for film tickets, especially in the municipality, nagar and gram panchayat areas, had made the business unviable. They said that exhibitors were unable to meet the maintenance expenditure pertaining to wages to the staff, power bills and other taxes. A majority of them are learnt to have asked the committee for upward revision of the film ticket prices. The issue of closure of several film theatres by the authorities also came for discussion during the meeting. Members said some managements had only failed to fulfil the norms like renewal of licence, or obtaining a no-objection certificate from the fire department. The committee held deliberations with the members and the stakeholders who in turn expressed their views and suggestions and after holding discussions, the committee has decided to meet on January 11. HYDERABAD: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president and MP A. Revanth Reddy on Friday exhorted the Congress cadre to chase, gherao and disrupt all programmes of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) ministers across the state. He strongly condemned Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao for placing him and other Congress leaders under house arrests to prevent them from visiting Mahabubabad district on Friday. He informed that the Congress leaders wanted to visit and console the family of Jeturam Naik, a mandal education officer, who died of heart attack, after he was forcibly transferred from Mahabubabad to Mulugu district. "The death of Jeturam Naik is an institutional murder committed by the state government," he alleged. He was addressing a press conference, along with senior leaders Mohammed Ali Shabbir, Dr. Mallu Ravi, M. Anjan Kumar Yadav, A. Sampath Kumar, Ramulu Naik and others, at his residence in Jubilee Hills. Revanth Reddy said as the Member of Parliament and state president of the Congress, he had every right to meet people to share their pain and sorrow. However, Chandrashekar Rao placed him and other Congress leaders under house arrests, he said. While Rao is using the police force as his private army, some officials are behaving like TRS workers," he alleged. "The TRS government has tried enough to disrupt our political activities. Now the Congress will exhibit its might. We will not allow the TRS ministers to move freely across the state. The NSUI and Youth Congress workers will greet the ministers, wherever they are found. The ministers will be chased everywhere and we will not allow them to conduct any programme in a smooth manner," he warned. Revanth Reddy said the Congress government brought Presidential order, six-point formula, 14F and other measures to ensure that locals get preference in allotments and transfers. He said the Congress had granted statehood for Telangana to end the local and non-local disputes. However, he said that the TRS government issued GO MS No 317 in violation of the Presidential order and other norms to revive the dispute while causing huge injustice to employees and teachers. Apart from the New Year, Shravana masam was a good time for flower and fruit sales. But not any longer. (DC Image/Vadrevu Srinivas) KAKINADA: For the third year running, flower and fruit sellers and cultivators have faced bad news: Plunging demand, especially during the New Year celebrations which earlier was a time of high sales. Covid-19 put paid to all of that, and the new Omicron variant has only made things worse. Apart from the New Year, Shravana masam was a good time for flower and fruit sales. But not any longer. Kadiyam is famous for its nurseries and floriculture and several tonnes of flowers are exported to other states. But, heavy rain including from the recent cyclones and floods damaged crops. Flowers are being imported from Chittoor and Bengaluru, and some varieties from Kolkata. Affecting the flower and fruit trade is the social media campaign against celebrating January 1 as the new year as it is western culture. Instead, the campaign suggests, only Ugadi should be celebrated as the new year. Some MPs, MLAs and officials have reportedly appealed to the people to not visit them in person bearing fruits and flowers and greet them online for the New Year, citing Covid-19. This has dealt another blow to the trade. Telugu Desam leaders Vanamadi Venkateswara Rao, Reddy Subrahmanyam and others appealed to the people not to come to them to greet them and instead celebrate with their families. Kakinada Municipal Commissioner Swapnil Dinkar Pundkar requested the people not to come to his house. Rajanagaram MLA Jakkampudi Raja appealed to the people to bring only books, pens and other education materials. Kadiyam Flower Traders Association president Gangumalla Nageswara Rao said that 200 tonnes of different varieties of flowers used to be sold earlier but this year it has crashed to 35 tonnes, and the prices have plunged to Rs 150 per kg from Rs 250 last year. He said that the local crop had not come in yet, and the flowers were being imported from Chittoor and some parts of Karnataka, in particular Bengaluru. He said that many wholesalers used to give orders to them prior to the New Year but that did not happen this year, due to the uncertainty over whether festitivies would be allowed in the face of the Omicron variant. Apart from the New Year, Shravana masam was a good time for flower and fruit sales. But not any longer. (DC Image/Vadrevu Srinivas) KAKINADA: For the third year running, flower and fruit sellers and cultivators have faced bad news: Plunging demand, especially during the New Year celebrations which earlier was a time of high sales. Covid-19 put paid to all of that, and the new Omicron variant has only made things worse. Apart from the New Year, Shravana masam was a good time for flower and fruit sales. But not any longer. Kadiyam is famous for its nurseries and floriculture and several tonnes of flowers are exported to other states. But, heavy rain including from the recent cyclones and floods damaged crops. Flowers are being imported from Chittoor and Bengaluru, and some varieties from Kolkata. Affecting the flower and fruit trade is the social media campaign against celebrating January 1 as the new year as it is western culture. Instead, the campaign suggests, only Ugadi should be celebrated as the new year. Some MPs, MLAs and officials have reportedly appealed to the people to not visit them in person bearing fruits and flowers and greet them online for the New Year, citing Covid-19. This has dealt another blow to the trade. Telugu Desam leaders Vanamadi Venkateswara Rao, Reddy Subrahmanyam and others appealed to the people not to come to them to greet them and instead celebrate with their families. Kakinada Municipal Commissioner Swapnil Dinkar Pundkar requested the people not to come to his house. Rajanagaram MLA Jakkampudi Raja appealed to the people to bring only books, pens and other education materials. Kadiyam Flower Traders Association president Gangumalla Nageswara Rao said that 200 tonnes of different varieties of flowers used to be sold earlier but this year it has crashed to 35 tonnes, and the prices have plunged to Rs 150 per kg from Rs 250 last year. He said that the local crop had not come in yet, and the flowers were being imported from Chittoor and some parts of Karnataka, in particular Bengaluru. He said that many wholesalers used to give orders to them prior to the New Year but that did not happen this year, due to the uncertainty over whether festitivies would be allowed in the face of the Omicron variant. The state rolled out the first of its kind Sweccha through which personal sanitary supplies will be provided to girl students in government schools free. The CM also started a novel initiative, the Jagananna Sampoorna Gruha Hakku (OTS), where people who received houses from the government can get them registered by paying a nominal fee. DC file image VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy clearly emerged as the undisputed leader in terms of popularity and efficiency, going by the overwhelming mandate in a series of elections acknowledging his welfare and development agenda, industrial houses queuing up to set up shop in the state and the first edition of YSR Achievement Awards getting underway, among others. The results of the elections to the local bodies, the Tirupati Lok Sabha and Budvel Assembly bypolls reiterated the faith of people in Jagan Mohan Reddys governance. In his reactions, he said he felt the results had increased the government's responsibility. Topping his work on the social justice front was the election of Koyye Moshen Raju as Chairman and Zakia Khanam as his deputy in the Legislative Council. Meanwhile, YSRC numbers swelled with the ruling party bagging all the 11 seats on offer. Reddy visited Delhi twice and discussed wide-ranging issues of the state by meeting Union home minister Amit Shah and other Central ministers. He also called on Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to resolve water disputes and border issues between the two states. On the education front, the Chief Minister launched the first phase of Nadu-Nedu in schools, which welcomed students after a long break due to Covid-19. Almost 15,715 government schools were modernised, the government has said. Besides, he laid the foundation stone for constructing 14 medical colleges. After the distribution of house sites to over 30 lakh beneficiaries, the Chief Minister initiated the construction of 15.6 lakh houses for the poor in the first phase. He launched the door delivery of rice to ration card holders along with a fleet of dispensing units vans. He launched a comprehensive temple management system. The state rolled out the first of its kind Sweccha through which personal sanitary supplies will be provided to girl students in government schools free. The CM also started a novel initiative, the Jagananna Sampoorna Gruha Hakku (OTS), where people who received houses from the government can get them registered by paying a nominal fee.The year 2021 must be rated among the busiest for the CM. He started working on the first day of the outgoing year, laying the foundation stone for six lighthouses under the Global Housing Technology Challenge India programme and receiving awards from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for good performance in the housing programme. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close The recent incidents on the Afghan-Pak border has brought to light the age-old issue of Durand Line that Pakistan had hoped to resolve with the Taliban holding the reins in Kabul. On Friday, the Khaama Press news agency reported a second such incident in the recent past when Taliban's local affiliates said that they stopped the Pakistani military from erecting barbed-wire fences and outposts in Afghanistan. The Pakistani military personnel reportedly wanted to build their outpost on Afghanistan soil in Chahar Burjak district of Nimroz province. The Pakistani military went up to 15 kilometres inside Afghanistan and wanted to build check posts, said eyewitnesses and residents of the bordering district, according to reports. Similarly, on December 22, the Afghan Taliban had disrupted the fence constructed by Pakistan in the Nangahar Province on the Durand Line. A Toronto-based think tank, International Forum For Rights And Security (IFFRAS) said that this is an illustration of one festering wound that continues to engage Afghanistan and Pakistan bilaterally. The fencing of the 2,600-km long Durand Line has remained a contentious issue between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Ashraf Ghani government had objected to the fencing of the border and the Afghan side had even then tried to stop Pakistan from erecting a fence. However, Pakistan went ahead with the fencing. Pakistan media reports say that 90 per cent of the border with Pakistan now stands fenced. "The fencing is part of the border mechanism Pakistan has been working on for years, not just to regulate the movement of people but also to deny terrorists the chance to move across the border freely," IFFRAS said. According to the think tank, the real reason for Pakistan to fence the border is to divide the Pashtuns. The Pashtuns as an ethnic group straddle between the Pak-Afghan border. In Afghanistan, they constitute 42 per cent of the population. Meanwhile, in Pakistan, the population of Pashtuns is 25 per cent. Highlighting the irony of how Pashtuns live on both sides of the border, the think thank argued that Pakistan has chosen to divide these peoples by building a fence across the stretch of the border. "Pakistan has chosen to recognise the Durand Line while Afghanistan, both in the past and currently refuses to recognise it as the international border between Afghanistan and Pakistan," IFFRAS said. Earlier in September, the Taliban's position on the Durand Line was expressed by its key spokesperson. While speaking with a Pashto channel in Pakistan, Zabiullah Mujahid had said Afghans opposed the fence erected by Pakistan along the Durand Line. "The new Afghan government will announce its position on this issue. The fencing has separated people and divided families. We want to create a secure and peaceful environment on the border so there is no need to create barriers," Mujahid had said. (ANI) The recent incidents on the Afghan-Pak border has brought to light the age-old issue of Durand Line that Pakistan had hoped to resolve with the Taliban holding the reins in Kabul. On Friday, the Khaama Press news agency reported a second such incident in the recent past when Taliban's local affiliates said that they stopped the Pakistani military from erecting barbed-wire fences and outposts in Afghanistan. The Pakistani military personnel reportedly wanted to build their outpost on Afghanistan soil in Chahar Burjak district of Nimroz province. The Pakistani military went up to 15 kilometres inside Afghanistan and wanted to build check posts, said eyewitnesses and residents of the bordering district, according to reports. Similarly, on December 22, the Afghan Taliban had disrupted the fence constructed by Pakistan in the Nangahar Province on the Durand Line. A Toronto-based think tank, International Forum For Rights And Security (IFFRAS) said that this is an illustration of one festering wound that continues to engage Afghanistan and Pakistan bilaterally. The fencing of the 2,600-km long Durand Line has remained a contentious issue between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Ashraf Ghani government had objected to the fencing of the border and the Afghan side had even then tried to stop Pakistan from erecting a fence. However, Pakistan went ahead with the fencing. Pakistan media reports say that 90 per cent of the border with Pakistan now stands fenced. "The fencing is part of the border mechanism Pakistan has been working on for years, not just to regulate the movement of people but also to deny terrorists the chance to move across the border freely," IFFRAS said. According to the think tank, the real reason for Pakistan to fence the border is to divide the Pashtuns. The Pashtuns as an ethnic group straddle between the Pak-Afghan border. In Afghanistan, they constitute 42 per cent of the population. Meanwhile, in Pakistan, the population of Pashtuns is 25 per cent. Highlighting the irony of how Pashtuns live on both sides of the border, the think thank argued that Pakistan has chosen to divide these peoples by building a fence across the stretch of the border. "Pakistan has chosen to recognise the Durand Line while Afghanistan, both in the past and currently refuses to recognise it as the international border between Afghanistan and Pakistan," IFFRAS said. Earlier in September, the Taliban's position on the Durand Line was expressed by its key spokesperson. While speaking with a Pashto channel in Pakistan, Zabiullah Mujahid had said Afghans opposed the fence erected by Pakistan along the Durand Line. "The new Afghan government will announce its position on this issue. The fencing has separated people and divided families. We want to create a secure and peaceful environment on the border so there is no need to create barriers," Mujahid had said. (ANI) The recent incidents on the Afghan-Pak border has brought to light the age-old issue of Durand Line that Pakistan had hoped to resolve with the Taliban holding the reins in Kabul. On Friday, the Khaama Press news agency reported a second such incident in the recent past when Taliban's local affiliates said that they stopped the Pakistani military from erecting barbed-wire fences and outposts in Afghanistan. The Pakistani military personnel reportedly wanted to build their outpost on Afghanistan soil in Chahar Burjak district of Nimroz province. The Pakistani military went up to 15 kilometres inside Afghanistan and wanted to build check posts, said eyewitnesses and residents of the bordering district, according to reports. Similarly, on December 22, the Afghan Taliban had disrupted the fence constructed by Pakistan in the Nangahar Province on the Durand Line. A Toronto-based think tank, International Forum For Rights And Security (IFFRAS) said that this is an illustration of one festering wound that continues to engage Afghanistan and Pakistan bilaterally. The fencing of the 2,600-km long Durand Line has remained a contentious issue between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Ashraf Ghani government had objected to the fencing of the border and the Afghan side had even then tried to stop Pakistan from erecting a fence. However, Pakistan went ahead with the fencing. Pakistan media reports say that 90 per cent of the border with Pakistan now stands fenced. "The fencing is part of the border mechanism Pakistan has been working on for years, not just to regulate the movement of people but also to deny terrorists the chance to move across the border freely," IFFRAS said. According to the think tank, the real reason for Pakistan to fence the border is to divide the Pashtuns. The Pashtuns as an ethnic group straddle between the Pak-Afghan border. In Afghanistan, they constitute 42 per cent of the population. Meanwhile, in Pakistan, the population of Pashtuns is 25 per cent. Highlighting the irony of how Pashtuns live on both sides of the border, the think thank argued that Pakistan has chosen to divide these peoples by building a fence across the stretch of the border. "Pakistan has chosen to recognise the Durand Line while Afghanistan, both in the past and currently refuses to recognise it as the international border between Afghanistan and Pakistan," IFFRAS said. Earlier in September, the Taliban's position on the Durand Line was expressed by its key spokesperson. While speaking with a Pashto channel in Pakistan, Zabiullah Mujahid had said Afghans opposed the fence erected by Pakistan along the Durand Line. "The new Afghan government will announce its position on this issue. The fencing has separated people and divided families. We want to create a secure and peaceful environment on the border so there is no need to create barriers," Mujahid had said. (ANI) It was further alleged that the borrower company neither completed the project nor complied with the terms and conditions of loan agreements. The accused including borrower company allegedly transferred or diverted the disbursed project funds to create fixed deposits with Bank of India and UCO Bank and to pay advances to contractors. Facebook HYDERABAD: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials filed a charge sheet against 16 accused including the Ind-Barath Power Madras Ltd, its chairman/managing director (CMD) and Narsapuram MP K Raghu Rama Krishna Raju, its directors, sister companies, managing director, chartered accountants and private persons before the Special Judge, CBI Cases, Rouse Avenue Court Complex, New Delhi. The CBI registered a case on April 29, 2019 on the orders of the Central government and took over the investigation against five accused including a private company based in Hyderabad and others including its directors. Investigation revealed that the company through its CMD had allegedly availed Rs 947.71 crore from a consortium of lenders led by Power Finance Corporation Limited (PFC), and other two lenders, Rural Electrification Corporation Limited (REC) and India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL), for setting up a thermal power plant at Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu. It was further alleged that the borrower company neither completed the project nor complied with the terms and conditions of loan agreements. The accused including borrower company allegedly transferred or diverted the disbursed project funds to create fixed deposits with Bank of India and UCO Bank and to pay advances to contractors. Subsequently, the accused allegedly availed loans against these fixed deposits and advances paid to contractors for the group companies and later due to non-repayment of loan amount, the said FDs were adjusted against the loan accounts, leading to loss to the lenders. Bank of Baroda officials lodged a complaint with CBI stating that they had sanctioned a loan of Rs 44 crore to Vijaya Aero Blocks, which pledged immovable properties located at Ranga Reddy and Mahaboobnagar districts as collateral security. DC file image Hyderabad: CBI officials registered criminal cases against Vijaya Aero Blocks pvt. ltd. for defaulting on a loan amount of Rs 44 crore with Bank of Baroda. The cases were registered against Vijaya Aero Blocks, and its directors Narra Prasanna Kumar, Chigurupati Ram Prasad, Narra Lakshmi Prasanna, Narra Vijaya Lakshmi and some others. According to CBI officials, the firm manufactures autoclaved aerated concrete brick/blocks (AAC Bricks) in Kunsi village, Mahbubnagar district. Bank of Baroda officials lodged a complaint with CBI stating that they had sanctioned a loan of Rs 44 crore to Vijaya Aero Blocks, which pledged immovable properties located at Ranga Reddy and Mahaboobnagar districts as collateral security. The bank audit report found the borrowers irregular repayment of installments. The CBI has taken up investigation. PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA), which enters into force on Jan. 1, 2022, is a historic milestone in the bilateral economic ties and it will be a booster for Cambodia's exports, said Cambodian officials and experts. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said the CCFTA, signed on Oct. 12, 2020, aims to boost bilateral trade, services and investment, and promote post-COVID-19 economic recovery. "The CCFTA marks a significant victory and it will be a driving force for Cambodia's exports," he told Xinhua. "It will bring a lot of benefits." Sovicheat said as the agreement takes effect, it will bring the proportion of zero-tariff products in the goods traded between Cambodia and China to more than 90 percent for both countries. "It also contributes to greater economic activity and job creation in Cambodia," he said. "If the investors come and if the activities of trade have been increased, then the workers also get more job opportunities and by the way, the investors will come and the exchange of technology will be taking place." The spokesman said despite the impact of COVID-19, Cambodia-China trade volume topped 10 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, two years ahead of the target set by the two countries. "So within 2022 or after the CCFTA enters into force, the number will increase further," he said. Meanwhile, he said the Belt and Road Initiative also provides impetus for the successful implementation of both the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the CCFTA. Sovicheat added that China's 5G technology will play an important role in facilitating trade and economic activities as Cambodia is journeying into the fourth industrial revolution and the digital economy. Cambodian government chief spokesman Phay Siphan said the bilateral FTA offers opportunities for local and foreign investors to invest or expand businesses in Cambodia in order to export to the world's second largest economy and the world's biggest population of 1.4 billion. "It will importantly contribute to boosting Cambodia's economy and improving our people's livelihoods, and will ultimately contribute to building a community of shared future for Cambodia and China," he told Xinhua. Lim Heng, vice-president of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, said it would provide tremendous opportunities to Cambodia to increase and diversify its exports. "It will be a new impetus for Cambodia's trade and investment ties with China in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "Thanks to our close ties, we hope that the agreement will help Cambodia to become a hub for distributing Chinese products to other ASEAN and Asian countries in the future." Chheang Vannarith, president of the Asian Vision Institute in Phnom Penh, said the bilateral FTA will help increase the production network between the two countries. "Through the FTA, Cambodia will be able to boost further exports, especially agriculture products, to the Chinese market and it will also strengthen the country's value chain," he told Xinhua. Vannarith added that Cambodia will become a significant market for large companies in China in the industry value chain. "The pact will attract medium-sized Chinese manufacturers to invest in Cambodia, allowing those companies to supply their products to large-scale companies in China," he said. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA), which enters into force on Jan. 1, 2022, is a historic milestone in the bilateral economic ties and it will be a booster for Cambodia's exports, said Cambodian officials and experts. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said the CCFTA, signed on Oct. 12, 2020, aims to boost bilateral trade, services and investment, and promote post-COVID-19 economic recovery. "The CCFTA marks a significant victory and it will be a driving force for Cambodia's exports," he told Xinhua. "It will bring a lot of benefits." Sovicheat said as the agreement takes effect, it will bring the proportion of zero-tariff products in the goods traded between Cambodia and China to more than 90 percent for both countries. "It also contributes to greater economic activity and job creation in Cambodia," he said. "If the investors come and if the activities of trade have been increased, then the workers also get more job opportunities and by the way, the investors will come and the exchange of technology will be taking place." The spokesman said despite the impact of COVID-19, Cambodia-China trade volume topped 10 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, two years ahead of the target set by the two countries. "So within 2022 or after the CCFTA enters into force, the number will increase further," he said. Meanwhile, he said the Belt and Road Initiative also provides impetus for the successful implementation of both the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the CCFTA. Sovicheat added that China's 5G technology will play an important role in facilitating trade and economic activities as Cambodia is journeying into the fourth industrial revolution and the digital economy. Cambodian government chief spokesman Phay Siphan said the bilateral FTA offers opportunities for local and foreign investors to invest or expand businesses in Cambodia in order to export to the world's second largest economy and the world's biggest population of 1.4 billion. "It will importantly contribute to boosting Cambodia's economy and improving our people's livelihoods, and will ultimately contribute to building a community of shared future for Cambodia and China," he told Xinhua. Lim Heng, vice-president of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, said it would provide tremendous opportunities to Cambodia to increase and diversify its exports. "It will be a new impetus for Cambodia's trade and investment ties with China in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "Thanks to our close ties, we hope that the agreement will help Cambodia to become a hub for distributing Chinese products to other ASEAN and Asian countries in the future." Chheang Vannarith, president of the Asian Vision Institute in Phnom Penh, said the bilateral FTA will help increase the production network between the two countries. "Through the FTA, Cambodia will be able to boost further exports, especially agriculture products, to the Chinese market and it will also strengthen the country's value chain," he told Xinhua. Vannarith added that Cambodia will become a significant market for large companies in China in the industry value chain. "The pact will attract medium-sized Chinese manufacturers to invest in Cambodia, allowing those companies to supply their products to large-scale companies in China," he said. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA), which enters into force on Jan. 1, 2022, is a historic milestone in the bilateral economic ties and it will be a booster for Cambodia's exports, said Cambodian officials and experts. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said the CCFTA, signed on Oct. 12, 2020, aims to boost bilateral trade, services and investment, and promote post-COVID-19 economic recovery. "The CCFTA marks a significant victory and it will be a driving force for Cambodia's exports," he told Xinhua. "It will bring a lot of benefits." Sovicheat said as the agreement takes effect, it will bring the proportion of zero-tariff products in the goods traded between Cambodia and China to more than 90 percent for both countries. "It also contributes to greater economic activity and job creation in Cambodia," he said. "If the investors come and if the activities of trade have been increased, then the workers also get more job opportunities and by the way, the investors will come and the exchange of technology will be taking place." The spokesman said despite the impact of COVID-19, Cambodia-China trade volume topped 10 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, two years ahead of the target set by the two countries. "So within 2022 or after the CCFTA enters into force, the number will increase further," he said. Meanwhile, he said the Belt and Road Initiative also provides impetus for the successful implementation of both the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the CCFTA. Sovicheat added that China's 5G technology will play an important role in facilitating trade and economic activities as Cambodia is journeying into the fourth industrial revolution and the digital economy. Cambodian government chief spokesman Phay Siphan said the bilateral FTA offers opportunities for local and foreign investors to invest or expand businesses in Cambodia in order to export to the world's second largest economy and the world's biggest population of 1.4 billion. "It will importantly contribute to boosting Cambodia's economy and improving our people's livelihoods, and will ultimately contribute to building a community of shared future for Cambodia and China," he told Xinhua. Lim Heng, vice-president of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, said it would provide tremendous opportunities to Cambodia to increase and diversify its exports. "It will be a new impetus for Cambodia's trade and investment ties with China in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "Thanks to our close ties, we hope that the agreement will help Cambodia to become a hub for distributing Chinese products to other ASEAN and Asian countries in the future." Chheang Vannarith, president of the Asian Vision Institute in Phnom Penh, said the bilateral FTA will help increase the production network between the two countries. "Through the FTA, Cambodia will be able to boost further exports, especially agriculture products, to the Chinese market and it will also strengthen the country's value chain," he told Xinhua. Vannarith added that Cambodia will become a significant market for large companies in China in the industry value chain. "The pact will attract medium-sized Chinese manufacturers to invest in Cambodia, allowing those companies to supply their products to large-scale companies in China," he said. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA), which enters into force on Jan. 1, 2022, is a historic milestone in the bilateral economic ties and it will be a booster for Cambodia's exports, said Cambodian officials and experts. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said the CCFTA, signed on Oct. 12, 2020, aims to boost bilateral trade, services and investment, and promote post-COVID-19 economic recovery. "The CCFTA marks a significant victory and it will be a driving force for Cambodia's exports," he told Xinhua. "It will bring a lot of benefits." Sovicheat said as the agreement takes effect, it will bring the proportion of zero-tariff products in the goods traded between Cambodia and China to more than 90 percent for both countries. "It also contributes to greater economic activity and job creation in Cambodia," he said. "If the investors come and if the activities of trade have been increased, then the workers also get more job opportunities and by the way, the investors will come and the exchange of technology will be taking place." The spokesman said despite the impact of COVID-19, Cambodia-China trade volume topped 10 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, two years ahead of the target set by the two countries. "So within 2022 or after the CCFTA enters into force, the number will increase further," he said. Meanwhile, he said the Belt and Road Initiative also provides impetus for the successful implementation of both the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the CCFTA. Sovicheat added that China's 5G technology will play an important role in facilitating trade and economic activities as Cambodia is journeying into the fourth industrial revolution and the digital economy. Cambodian government chief spokesman Phay Siphan said the bilateral FTA offers opportunities for local and foreign investors to invest or expand businesses in Cambodia in order to export to the world's second largest economy and the world's biggest population of 1.4 billion. "It will importantly contribute to boosting Cambodia's economy and improving our people's livelihoods, and will ultimately contribute to building a community of shared future for Cambodia and China," he told Xinhua. Lim Heng, vice-president of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, said it would provide tremendous opportunities to Cambodia to increase and diversify its exports. "It will be a new impetus for Cambodia's trade and investment ties with China in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "Thanks to our close ties, we hope that the agreement will help Cambodia to become a hub for distributing Chinese products to other ASEAN and Asian countries in the future." Chheang Vannarith, president of the Asian Vision Institute in Phnom Penh, said the bilateral FTA will help increase the production network between the two countries. "Through the FTA, Cambodia will be able to boost further exports, especially agriculture products, to the Chinese market and it will also strengthen the country's value chain," he told Xinhua. Vannarith added that Cambodia will become a significant market for large companies in China in the industry value chain. "The pact will attract medium-sized Chinese manufacturers to invest in Cambodia, allowing those companies to supply their products to large-scale companies in China," he said. Enditem You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Police officials outside Revanth Reddy's house to prevent him from leaving his house to attend achabanda programme in Bhupalpally (By arrangement) HYDERABAD: Tension prevailed at the residence of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A. Revanth Reddy here at Jubilee Hills on Friday as the police put him under house arrest ahead of the Rachabanda programme in Bhupalpally. The police in large numbers gathered at Revanths residence and prevented him from going out. Allegedly, a few police personnel entered into the house of the state Congress president. Reacting to this, Revanth Reddy expressed anger over policemen for entering into his house without warrant. Reportedly, he scolded a few police personnel, who entered the house from the rear side by jumping the walls. Assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Sudarshan said as per the directives of higher-officials they reached Jubilee Hills. Meanwhile, Revanth Reddy spoke to Hyderabad police commissioner C.V. Anand about the camping of police personnel at his residence. Revanth Reddy said the police should act as per the norms. However, the Congress activists in huge numbers rushed to the residence of the TPCC chief during the arrest. On the other hand, Congress leaders and activists had been taken into preventive custody in undivided Nalgonda district. A few Congress leaders burnt the effigy of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao in protest against the house arrest of Revanth Reddy. The Bengaluru airport is the main gateway for the people in Rayalaseema and also foreign tourists who take the road to visit Puttaparthi, Hampi and Goa thereafter. (Representational Image/PTI) ANANTAPUR: The lack of quarantine facilities and fewer rapid tests carried out on foreign returnees at the Kempe Gowda International Airport at Bengaluru is resulting in health authorities of AP having to scramble to collect the samples and send them for tests including for the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus. With more than five positive cases among foreign returnees being reported from Rayalaseema for the past 10 days, the administration in the districts in the region and medical teams have to wait at least for three days to get a Covid-19 test report and a few more days for confirmation regarding Omicron. The Bengaluru airport is the main gateway for the people in Rayalaseema and also foreign tourists who take the road to visit Puttaparthi, Hampi and Goa thereafter. Many of the arrivals include locals working abroad, foreign visitors including employees of the Rural Development Trust and KIA Motors India in Anantapur district. Official reports revealed more than 5,000 foreign returnees reached various parts of Rayalaseema in one month. It is said that the Anantapur district administration could not trace more than 70 foreign returns. An official from the medical department said that the samples of travellers are collected soon after they reach home. It takes at least two days to get a report. During this time, the returnee is not isolated. Recently, a 22-year-old software engineer returned home and spent time with family members and friends. Much later, he tested positive for the Omicron variant. His sister also tested positive for Omicron though she had no history of travelling abroad. It is suspected she caught the virus from here brother. "We can prevent more cases if the foreign returnees are tested at the Bengaluru airport and detained till they get a negative report. Otherwise they must be quarantined in the airport premises", a senior medical official said. Vietnams beauty scene exploded in 2021 thanks to the unparalleled success of its rising pageant stars. In early December, Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien was crowned Miss Grand International 2021 in Thailand after beating out stunning contestants from Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Brazil, and South Africa. In the pageants finale, held on December 4, the 23-year-old beauty queen stole the show with dazzling swimsuit and evening gown performances before impressing both the audiences and judges with her confidence and fluency in both English and Thai while answering tie-breaker questions to secure the crown. Thuy Tiens victory on the Miss Grand International pageant stage is the first for a Vietnamese woman in the events 8-year history. Her pageant resume includes a first runner-up finish in Ho Chi Minh Citys Miss Southern 2017 pageant, a Top 5 finish at Miss Vietnam 2018. Tien also took home the Beauty with a Purpose title at Miss Vietnam 2018. Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien is seen wearing ao dai (Vietnamese traditional costume) and poses in a photo for a peace-themed series she posted on her verified Facebook page. Also in December, beauty queen Hoang Huong Ly a Top 5 finisher at the Miss Sea Vietnam 2016 pageant took home the title of Miss Tourism Metropolitan International at the Miss Tourism International 2021 pageant. The contest was held online with the participation of 50 contestants. The finale took place on December 19. Huong Ly said her biggest wish was to promote the beauty of Vietnam and its tourism potential while simultaneously calling on the world to protect nature and the environment. A supplied photo shows Hoang Huong Ly who won the title of Miss Tourism Metropolitan International at the Miss Tourism International 2021 pageant. Two days later, 13-year-old Bella Vu Huyen Dieu was crowned Miss Eco Teen International in Egypt thanks to her impressive singing, piano playing, and catwalk performances. Dieu took part in the 2019 Little Miss Universe pageant in Georgia where she was named Little Miss Charm. A supplied photo shows Bella Vu Huyen Dieu in a national costume at Miss Eco Teen International 2021. Unfortunately, not all of Vietnams beauty queens found success on the pageant stage. Nguyen Thi Van Anh failed to make it into the Top 20 at Miss Earth 2021 in the Philippines, Tran Hoang Ai Nhi failed to make it into the Top 20 Miss Intercontinental 2021 in Egypt, and Nguyen Hoang Kim Duyen failed to make it passed the round of 16 at Miss Universe 2021 in Israel. A collage of two supplied photos shows Ai Nhi (left) and Van Anh who represented Vietnam at the Miss Intercontinental 2021 and Miss Earth 2021 respectively. A photo shows Nguyen Huynh Kim Duyen in a costume inspired by 'banh tet,' a traditional type of glutinous rice cake in Vietnam, at Miss Universe 2021's national costume round, Duyen posted on her verified Facebook page. The country still has high hopes for Do Thi Ha, who had to pause her journey at Miss World 2021 in Puerto Rico after 17 COVID-19 cases were detected. The contest finals night has been pushed back from December 17 to March 16 next year. A supplied photo shows Do Thi Ha who represented Vietnam at the Miss World 2021 in Puerto Rico. Although not technically a beauty pageant queen, Vietnamese model Nguyen Quynh Anh made fans proud with her victory on the sixth season of Supermodel Me (Supermodel Me: Revolution), a modeling competition reality show in Singapore. In the final round on December 13, Anh outperformed her rivals, Nikki from the Philippines and Hannah from Singapore, to secure the top prize as well as the first victory of a Vietnamese model in one Asias biggest fashion competitions. Vietnamese model Nguyen Quynh Anh won the top prize of the Supermodel Me: Revolution modeling contest in Singapore. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The state rolled out the first of its kind Sweccha through which personal sanitary supplies will be provided to girl students in government schools free. The CM also started a novel initiative, the Jagananna Sampoorna Gruha Hakku (OTS), where people who received houses from the government can get them registered by paying a nominal fee. DC file image VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy clearly emerged as the undisputed leader in terms of popularity and efficiency, going by the overwhelming mandate in a series of elections acknowledging his welfare and development agenda, industrial houses queuing up to set up shop in the state and the first edition of YSR Achievement Awards getting underway, among others. The results of the elections to the local bodies, the Tirupati Lok Sabha and Budvel Assembly bypolls reiterated the faith of people in Jagan Mohan Reddys governance. In his reactions, he said he felt the results had increased the government's responsibility. Topping his work on the social justice front was the election of Koyye Moshen Raju as Chairman and Zakia Khanam as his deputy in the Legislative Council. Meanwhile, YSRC numbers swelled with the ruling party bagging all the 11 seats on offer. Reddy visited Delhi twice and discussed wide-ranging issues of the state by meeting Union home minister Amit Shah and other Central ministers. He also called on Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to resolve water disputes and border issues between the two states. On the education front, the Chief Minister launched the first phase of Nadu-Nedu in schools, which welcomed students after a long break due to Covid-19. Almost 15,715 government schools were modernised, the government has said. Besides, he laid the foundation stone for constructing 14 medical colleges. After the distribution of house sites to over 30 lakh beneficiaries, the Chief Minister initiated the construction of 15.6 lakh houses for the poor in the first phase. He launched the door delivery of rice to ration card holders along with a fleet of dispensing units vans. He launched a comprehensive temple management system. The state rolled out the first of its kind Sweccha through which personal sanitary supplies will be provided to girl students in government schools free. The CM also started a novel initiative, the Jagananna Sampoorna Gruha Hakku (OTS), where people who received houses from the government can get them registered by paying a nominal fee.The year 2021 must be rated among the busiest for the CM. He started working on the first day of the outgoing year, laying the foundation stone for six lighthouses under the Global Housing Technology Challenge India programme and receiving awards from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for good performance in the housing programme. CHICAGO A man suspected in the shooting of one police officer and wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel has been taken into custody, the Illinois State Police said Friday. The agency said in a statement that Darius Sullivan was found Friday morning, a day after authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The statement did not provide details of where Sullivan was found. It said he will be transported brought back to Kankakee County, where the shooting occurred late Wednesday. Authorities are still searching for 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, of Bradley, who investigators believe was at the hotel when the shootings happened, the state police said. The two officers were speaking to people in a room at a Comfort Inn along a highway in Kankakee County when they were shot, according to the county sheriff's office. The officers were taken to nearby hospitals, where 49-year-old Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic died. The other officer identified by the Illinois State Police as 27-year-old Tyler J. Bailey underwent surgery was listed in critical condition on Thursday, according to the Bradley Police Department. The officers were at the hotel to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, the sheriff's office said. They found the room where the vehicle's possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, it said. Authorities arrested two other people Thursday on charges alleging they impeded the search for Sullivan and a woman also suspected in the shootings. Nichele Newton-Carroll, 43, and Jelman Sullivan, 21, face charges of obstructing justice/leaving the state, the Kankakee Daily Journal reported. Neither had an attorney listed Friday in court or jail records. Kankakee County State's Attorney Jim Rowe identified Newton-Carroll as Sullivan's mother. Rowe said he is not sure of the connection between Jelman Sullivan and Darius Sullivan. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriff's deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriff's Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputy's squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. HYDERABAD: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president and MP A. Revanth Reddy on Friday exhorted the Congress cadre to chase, gherao and disrupt all programmes of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) ministers across the state. He strongly condemned Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao for placing him and other Congress leaders under house arrests to prevent them from visiting Mahabubabad district on Friday. He informed that the Congress leaders wanted to visit and console the family of Jeturam Naik, a mandal education officer, who died of heart attack, after he was forcibly transferred from Mahabubabad to Mulugu district. "The death of Jeturam Naik is an institutional murder committed by the state government," he alleged. He was addressing a press conference, along with senior leaders Mohammed Ali Shabbir, Dr. Mallu Ravi, M. Anjan Kumar Yadav, A. Sampath Kumar, Ramulu Naik and others, at his residence in Jubilee Hills. Revanth Reddy said as the Member of Parliament and state president of the Congress, he had every right to meet people to share their pain and sorrow. However, Chandrashekar Rao placed him and other Congress leaders under house arrests, he said. While Rao is using the police force as his private army, some officials are behaving like TRS workers," he alleged. "The TRS government has tried enough to disrupt our political activities. Now the Congress will exhibit its might. We will not allow the TRS ministers to move freely across the state. The NSUI and Youth Congress workers will greet the ministers, wherever they are found. The ministers will be chased everywhere and we will not allow them to conduct any programme in a smooth manner," he warned. Revanth Reddy said the Congress government brought Presidential order, six-point formula, 14F and other measures to ensure that locals get preference in allotments and transfers. He said the Congress had granted statehood for Telangana to end the local and non-local disputes. However, he said that the TRS government issued GO MS No 317 in violation of the Presidential order and other norms to revive the dispute while causing huge injustice to employees and teachers. HYDERABAD: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president and MP A. Revanth Reddy on Friday exhorted the Congress cadre to chase, gherao and disrupt all programmes of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) ministers across the state. He strongly condemned Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao for placing him and other Congress leaders under house arrests to prevent them from visiting Mahabubabad district on Friday. He informed that the Congress leaders wanted to visit and console the family of Jeturam Naik, a mandal education officer, who died of heart attack, after he was forcibly transferred from Mahabubabad to Mulugu district. "The death of Jeturam Naik is an institutional murder committed by the state government," he alleged. He was addressing a press conference, along with senior leaders Mohammed Ali Shabbir, Dr. Mallu Ravi, M. Anjan Kumar Yadav, A. Sampath Kumar, Ramulu Naik and others, at his residence in Jubilee Hills. Revanth Reddy said as the Member of Parliament and state president of the Congress, he had every right to meet people to share their pain and sorrow. However, Chandrashekar Rao placed him and other Congress leaders under house arrests, he said. While Rao is using the police force as his private army, some officials are behaving like TRS workers," he alleged. "The TRS government has tried enough to disrupt our political activities. Now the Congress will exhibit its might. We will not allow the TRS ministers to move freely across the state. The NSUI and Youth Congress workers will greet the ministers, wherever they are found. The ministers will be chased everywhere and we will not allow them to conduct any programme in a smooth manner," he warned. Revanth Reddy said the Congress government brought Presidential order, six-point formula, 14F and other measures to ensure that locals get preference in allotments and transfers. He said the Congress had granted statehood for Telangana to end the local and non-local disputes. However, he said that the TRS government issued GO MS No 317 in violation of the Presidential order and other norms to revive the dispute while causing huge injustice to employees and teachers. HYDERABAD: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president and MP A. Revanth Reddy on Friday exhorted the Congress cadre to chase, gherao and disrupt all programmes of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) ministers across the state. He strongly condemned Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao for placing him and other Congress leaders under house arrests to prevent them from visiting Mahabubabad district on Friday. He informed that the Congress leaders wanted to visit and console the family of Jeturam Naik, a mandal education officer, who died of heart attack, after he was forcibly transferred from Mahabubabad to Mulugu district. "The death of Jeturam Naik is an institutional murder committed by the state government," he alleged. He was addressing a press conference, along with senior leaders Mohammed Ali Shabbir, Dr. Mallu Ravi, M. Anjan Kumar Yadav, A. Sampath Kumar, Ramulu Naik and others, at his residence in Jubilee Hills. Revanth Reddy said as the Member of Parliament and state president of the Congress, he had every right to meet people to share their pain and sorrow. However, Chandrashekar Rao placed him and other Congress leaders under house arrests, he said. While Rao is using the police force as his private army, some officials are behaving like TRS workers," he alleged. "The TRS government has tried enough to disrupt our political activities. Now the Congress will exhibit its might. We will not allow the TRS ministers to move freely across the state. The NSUI and Youth Congress workers will greet the ministers, wherever they are found. The ministers will be chased everywhere and we will not allow them to conduct any programme in a smooth manner," he warned. Revanth Reddy said the Congress government brought Presidential order, six-point formula, 14F and other measures to ensure that locals get preference in allotments and transfers. He said the Congress had granted statehood for Telangana to end the local and non-local disputes. However, he said that the TRS government issued GO MS No 317 in violation of the Presidential order and other norms to revive the dispute while causing huge injustice to employees and teachers. CHICAGO A man suspected in the shooting of one police officer and wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel has been taken into custody, the Illinois State Police said Friday. The agency said in a statement that Darius Sullivan was found Friday morning, a day after authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The statement did not provide details of where Sullivan was found. It said he will be transported brought back to Kankakee County, where the shooting occurred late Wednesday. Authorities are still searching for 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, of Bradley, who investigators believe was at the hotel when the shootings happened, the state police said. The two officers were speaking to people in a room at a Comfort Inn along a highway in Kankakee County when they were shot, according to the county sheriff's office. The officers were taken to nearby hospitals, where 49-year-old Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic died. The other officer identified by the Illinois State Police as 27-year-old Tyler J. Bailey underwent surgery was listed in critical condition on Thursday, according to the Bradley Police Department. The officers were at the hotel to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, the sheriff's office said. They found the room where the vehicle's possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, it said. Authorities arrested two other people Thursday on charges alleging they impeded the search for Sullivan and a woman also suspected in the shootings. Nichele Newton-Carroll, 43, and Jelman Sullivan, 21, face charges of obstructing justice/leaving the state, the Kankakee Daily Journal reported. Neither had an attorney listed Friday in court or jail records. Kankakee County State's Attorney Jim Rowe identified Newton-Carroll as Sullivan's mother. Rowe said he is not sure of the connection between Jelman Sullivan and Darius Sullivan. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriff's deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriff's Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputy's squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. CHICAGO A man suspected in the shooting of one police officer and wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel has been taken into custody, the Illinois State Police said Friday. The agency said in a statement that Darius Sullivan was found Friday morning, a day after authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The statement did not provide details of where Sullivan was found. It said he will be transported brought back to Kankakee County, where the shooting occurred late Wednesday. Authorities are still searching for 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, of Bradley, who investigators believe was at the hotel when the shootings happened, the state police said. The two officers were speaking to people in a room at a Comfort Inn along a highway in Kankakee County when they were shot, according to the county sheriff's office. The officers were taken to nearby hospitals, where 49-year-old Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic died. The other officer identified by the Illinois State Police as 27-year-old Tyler J. Bailey underwent surgery was listed in critical condition on Thursday, according to the Bradley Police Department. The officers were at the hotel to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, the sheriff's office said. They found the room where the vehicle's possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, it said. Authorities arrested two other people Thursday on charges alleging they impeded the search for Sullivan and a woman also suspected in the shootings. Nichele Newton-Carroll, 43, and Jelman Sullivan, 21, face charges of obstructing justice/leaving the state, the Kankakee Daily Journal reported. Neither had an attorney listed Friday in court or jail records. Kankakee County State's Attorney Jim Rowe identified Newton-Carroll as Sullivan's mother. Rowe said he is not sure of the connection between Jelman Sullivan and Darius Sullivan. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriff's deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriff's Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputy's squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. Larsa Pippen blessed her 3M Instagram followers on Thursday by posting two glamorous photos of herself while promoting the new season of The Real Housewives of Miami. The reality TV star, 47, posed in a transparent blue dress that showed off her legs as she struck her best modeling pose for the camera. The OG housewife captioned the snaps writing, 'New episode of The Real Housewives of Miami is on @peacocktv check it out.' Glamorous: Larsa Pippen, 47, blessed her 3M Instagram followers on Thursday by posting two glamorous photos of herself while promoting the new season of The Real Housewives of Miami In one shot Pippen appeared to be in her spacious walk-in closet, as she pushed her leg forward to reveal the sultry thigh-slit in her dress. Kim Kardashian's former best friend paired the sexy outfit with a pair of white heels. Larsa also accessorized with a chic basket purse. The mom-of-four styled her hair down to perfection, letting it down in loose waves that swept over her shoulder. In another snap Pippen can be seen from up close as her eyes flirt with the camera through a seductive gaze, revealing her smoky evening makeup and long nails. Seductive gaze: The reality TV star wore a diamond necklace as she struck her best modeling pose for the camera The star also opted for a bit of sparkle to go along with her look, wearing large silver hoops and a diamond necklace. Fans were thrilled with the shots, with one commenting, 'hot queen' while another called Larsa 'every man's dream woman.' Larsa has been busy promoting her long awaited return to the Real Housewives of Miami series, which dropped on December 16. She quickly caused controversy on the show by discussing her work on OnlyFans, revealing that she makes $10,000 per day on the platform. Despite the fact that the site is mostly known for hosting X-rated images and videos sold to fans by sex workers and models, Pippen insisted that she made her money by posting regular pictures. Miami stunner: Larsa has been busy promoting her long awaited return to the Real Housewives of Miami series, which dropped on December 16 'I literally post the same things I would post on Instagram,' she said. However, many of the ladies weren't buying Larsa's story. 'If you're making $10,000 a day, you're showing more,' Alexia Echevarria said, implying that Larsa was stripping down on the subscription-based social media platform. Earlier this year Larsa also made an Instagram post stating her OnlyFans was designed to empower women. 'I dont care what anyone says. Every woman can love and live on her own terms. I want to show women all over the world no matter where they are in life they can be sexy and successful!' PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA), which enters into force on Jan. 1, 2022, is a historic milestone in the bilateral economic ties and it will be a booster for Cambodia's exports, said Cambodian officials and experts. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said the CCFTA, signed on Oct. 12, 2020, aims to boost bilateral trade, services and investment, and promote post-COVID-19 economic recovery. "The CCFTA marks a significant victory and it will be a driving force for Cambodia's exports," he told Xinhua. "It will bring a lot of benefits." Sovicheat said as the agreement takes effect, it will bring the proportion of zero-tariff products in the goods traded between Cambodia and China to more than 90 percent for both countries. "It also contributes to greater economic activity and job creation in Cambodia," he said. "If the investors come and if the activities of trade have been increased, then the workers also get more job opportunities and by the way, the investors will come and the exchange of technology will be taking place." The spokesman said despite the impact of COVID-19, Cambodia-China trade volume topped 10 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, two years ahead of the target set by the two countries. "So within 2022 or after the CCFTA enters into force, the number will increase further," he said. Meanwhile, he said the Belt and Road Initiative also provides impetus for the successful implementation of both the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the CCFTA. Sovicheat added that China's 5G technology will play an important role in facilitating trade and economic activities as Cambodia is journeying into the fourth industrial revolution and the digital economy. Cambodian government chief spokesman Phay Siphan said the bilateral FTA offers opportunities for local and foreign investors to invest or expand businesses in Cambodia in order to export to the world's second largest economy and the world's biggest population of 1.4 billion. "It will importantly contribute to boosting Cambodia's economy and improving our people's livelihoods, and will ultimately contribute to building a community of shared future for Cambodia and China," he told Xinhua. Lim Heng, vice-president of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, said it would provide tremendous opportunities to Cambodia to increase and diversify its exports. "It will be a new impetus for Cambodia's trade and investment ties with China in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "Thanks to our close ties, we hope that the agreement will help Cambodia to become a hub for distributing Chinese products to other ASEAN and Asian countries in the future." Chheang Vannarith, president of the Asian Vision Institute in Phnom Penh, said the bilateral FTA will help increase the production network between the two countries. "Through the FTA, Cambodia will be able to boost further exports, especially agriculture products, to the Chinese market and it will also strengthen the country's value chain," he told Xinhua. Vannarith added that Cambodia will become a significant market for large companies in China in the industry value chain. "The pact will attract medium-sized Chinese manufacturers to invest in Cambodia, allowing those companies to supply their products to large-scale companies in China," he said. Enditem You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close The issue of closure of several film theatres by the authorities also came for discussion during the meeting. (Representational image) Vijayawada: The committee headed by principal secretary, home, Kumar Vishwajeet that was recently constituted to fix the rates of admission into cinema theatres held its first meeting virtually with all the members and other stakeholders here on Friday. The stakeholders expressed their concerns over how the fixation of low prices for film tickets, especially in the municipality, nagar and gram panchayat areas, had made the business unviable. They said that exhibitors were unable to meet the maintenance expenditure pertaining to wages to the staff, power bills and other taxes. A majority of them are learnt to have asked the committee for upward revision of the film ticket prices. The issue of closure of several film theatres by the authorities also came for discussion during the meeting. Members said some managements had only failed to fulfil the norms like renewal of licence, or obtaining a no-objection certificate from the fire department. The committee held deliberations with the members and the stakeholders who in turn expressed their views and suggestions and after holding discussions, the committee has decided to meet on January 11. Bank of Baroda officials lodged a complaint with CBI stating that they had sanctioned a loan of Rs 44 crore to Vijaya Aero Blocks, which pledged immovable properties located at Ranga Reddy and Mahaboobnagar districts as collateral security. DC file image Hyderabad: CBI officials registered criminal cases against Vijaya Aero Blocks pvt. ltd. for defaulting on a loan amount of Rs 44 crore with Bank of Baroda. The cases were registered against Vijaya Aero Blocks, and its directors Narra Prasanna Kumar, Chigurupati Ram Prasad, Narra Lakshmi Prasanna, Narra Vijaya Lakshmi and some others. According to CBI officials, the firm manufactures autoclaved aerated concrete brick/blocks (AAC Bricks) in Kunsi village, Mahbubnagar district. Bank of Baroda officials lodged a complaint with CBI stating that they had sanctioned a loan of Rs 44 crore to Vijaya Aero Blocks, which pledged immovable properties located at Ranga Reddy and Mahaboobnagar districts as collateral security. The bank audit report found the borrowers irregular repayment of installments. The CBI has taken up investigation. Bank of Baroda officials lodged a complaint with CBI stating that they had sanctioned a loan of Rs 44 crore to Vijaya Aero Blocks, which pledged immovable properties located at Ranga Reddy and Mahaboobnagar districts as collateral security. DC file image Hyderabad: CBI officials registered criminal cases against Vijaya Aero Blocks pvt. ltd. for defaulting on a loan amount of Rs 44 crore with Bank of Baroda. The cases were registered against Vijaya Aero Blocks, and its directors Narra Prasanna Kumar, Chigurupati Ram Prasad, Narra Lakshmi Prasanna, Narra Vijaya Lakshmi and some others. According to CBI officials, the firm manufactures autoclaved aerated concrete brick/blocks (AAC Bricks) in Kunsi village, Mahbubnagar district. Bank of Baroda officials lodged a complaint with CBI stating that they had sanctioned a loan of Rs 44 crore to Vijaya Aero Blocks, which pledged immovable properties located at Ranga Reddy and Mahaboobnagar districts as collateral security. The bank audit report found the borrowers irregular repayment of installments. The CBI has taken up investigation. She had been behind bars since March 2017, when she was impeached amid massive candlelight protest and arrested on multiple counts of corruption, extortion and abuse of office. Ex-President Park Geun-hye was officially freed from prison at midnight Friday under a New Year's amnesty but remains at Samsung Medical Center in southern Seoul, where she has been treated for unspecified ailments. The amnesty cuts short a combined 22-year jail sentence upheld by the Supreme Court earlier this year. Park will continue to be protected by a presidential security team but forfeits all other privileges given to former presidents. It is unclear where she will live since her palatial former home in Seoul has been auctioned off to pay her fines. Her attorney, Yoo Yeong-ha, only said she will "focus on her treatment for now." Meanwhile, a book of letters Park exchanged with die-hard supporters was released in time for her release. In it, she protests her innocence, saying "History will tell the truth some day as it will eventually come forth." The letters on the whole take a martyred tone, saying she will take all the suffering upon herself and does not blame others any more. PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA), which enters into force on Jan. 1, 2022, is a historic milestone in the bilateral economic ties and it will be a booster for Cambodia's exports, said Cambodian officials and experts. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said the CCFTA, signed on Oct. 12, 2020, aims to boost bilateral trade, services and investment, and promote post-COVID-19 economic recovery. "The CCFTA marks a significant victory and it will be a driving force for Cambodia's exports," he told Xinhua. "It will bring a lot of benefits." Sovicheat said as the agreement takes effect, it will bring the proportion of zero-tariff products in the goods traded between Cambodia and China to more than 90 percent for both countries. "It also contributes to greater economic activity and job creation in Cambodia," he said. "If the investors come and if the activities of trade have been increased, then the workers also get more job opportunities and by the way, the investors will come and the exchange of technology will be taking place." The spokesman said despite the impact of COVID-19, Cambodia-China trade volume topped 10 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, two years ahead of the target set by the two countries. "So within 2022 or after the CCFTA enters into force, the number will increase further," he said. Meanwhile, he said the Belt and Road Initiative also provides impetus for the successful implementation of both the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the CCFTA. Sovicheat added that China's 5G technology will play an important role in facilitating trade and economic activities as Cambodia is journeying into the fourth industrial revolution and the digital economy. Cambodian government chief spokesman Phay Siphan said the bilateral FTA offers opportunities for local and foreign investors to invest or expand businesses in Cambodia in order to export to the world's second largest economy and the world's biggest population of 1.4 billion. "It will importantly contribute to boosting Cambodia's economy and improving our people's livelihoods, and will ultimately contribute to building a community of shared future for Cambodia and China," he told Xinhua. Lim Heng, vice-president of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, said it would provide tremendous opportunities to Cambodia to increase and diversify its exports. "It will be a new impetus for Cambodia's trade and investment ties with China in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "Thanks to our close ties, we hope that the agreement will help Cambodia to become a hub for distributing Chinese products to other ASEAN and Asian countries in the future." Chheang Vannarith, president of the Asian Vision Institute in Phnom Penh, said the bilateral FTA will help increase the production network between the two countries. "Through the FTA, Cambodia will be able to boost further exports, especially agriculture products, to the Chinese market and it will also strengthen the country's value chain," he told Xinhua. Vannarith added that Cambodia will become a significant market for large companies in China in the industry value chain. "The pact will attract medium-sized Chinese manufacturers to invest in Cambodia, allowing those companies to supply their products to large-scale companies in China," he said. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA), which enters into force on Jan. 1, 2022, is a historic milestone in the bilateral economic ties and it will be a booster for Cambodia's exports, said Cambodian officials and experts. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said the CCFTA, signed on Oct. 12, 2020, aims to boost bilateral trade, services and investment, and promote post-COVID-19 economic recovery. "The CCFTA marks a significant victory and it will be a driving force for Cambodia's exports," he told Xinhua. "It will bring a lot of benefits." Sovicheat said as the agreement takes effect, it will bring the proportion of zero-tariff products in the goods traded between Cambodia and China to more than 90 percent for both countries. "It also contributes to greater economic activity and job creation in Cambodia," he said. "If the investors come and if the activities of trade have been increased, then the workers also get more job opportunities and by the way, the investors will come and the exchange of technology will be taking place." The spokesman said despite the impact of COVID-19, Cambodia-China trade volume topped 10 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, two years ahead of the target set by the two countries. "So within 2022 or after the CCFTA enters into force, the number will increase further," he said. Meanwhile, he said the Belt and Road Initiative also provides impetus for the successful implementation of both the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the CCFTA. Sovicheat added that China's 5G technology will play an important role in facilitating trade and economic activities as Cambodia is journeying into the fourth industrial revolution and the digital economy. Cambodian government chief spokesman Phay Siphan said the bilateral FTA offers opportunities for local and foreign investors to invest or expand businesses in Cambodia in order to export to the world's second largest economy and the world's biggest population of 1.4 billion. "It will importantly contribute to boosting Cambodia's economy and improving our people's livelihoods, and will ultimately contribute to building a community of shared future for Cambodia and China," he told Xinhua. Lim Heng, vice-president of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, said it would provide tremendous opportunities to Cambodia to increase and diversify its exports. "It will be a new impetus for Cambodia's trade and investment ties with China in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "Thanks to our close ties, we hope that the agreement will help Cambodia to become a hub for distributing Chinese products to other ASEAN and Asian countries in the future." Chheang Vannarith, president of the Asian Vision Institute in Phnom Penh, said the bilateral FTA will help increase the production network between the two countries. "Through the FTA, Cambodia will be able to boost further exports, especially agriculture products, to the Chinese market and it will also strengthen the country's value chain," he told Xinhua. Vannarith added that Cambodia will become a significant market for large companies in China in the industry value chain. "The pact will attract medium-sized Chinese manufacturers to invest in Cambodia, allowing those companies to supply their products to large-scale companies in China," he said. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA), which enters into force on Jan. 1, 2022, is a historic milestone in the bilateral economic ties and it will be a booster for Cambodia's exports, said Cambodian officials and experts. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said the CCFTA, signed on Oct. 12, 2020, aims to boost bilateral trade, services and investment, and promote post-COVID-19 economic recovery. "The CCFTA marks a significant victory and it will be a driving force for Cambodia's exports," he told Xinhua. "It will bring a lot of benefits." Sovicheat said as the agreement takes effect, it will bring the proportion of zero-tariff products in the goods traded between Cambodia and China to more than 90 percent for both countries. "It also contributes to greater economic activity and job creation in Cambodia," he said. "If the investors come and if the activities of trade have been increased, then the workers also get more job opportunities and by the way, the investors will come and the exchange of technology will be taking place." The spokesman said despite the impact of COVID-19, Cambodia-China trade volume topped 10 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, two years ahead of the target set by the two countries. "So within 2022 or after the CCFTA enters into force, the number will increase further," he said. Meanwhile, he said the Belt and Road Initiative also provides impetus for the successful implementation of both the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the CCFTA. Sovicheat added that China's 5G technology will play an important role in facilitating trade and economic activities as Cambodia is journeying into the fourth industrial revolution and the digital economy. Cambodian government chief spokesman Phay Siphan said the bilateral FTA offers opportunities for local and foreign investors to invest or expand businesses in Cambodia in order to export to the world's second largest economy and the world's biggest population of 1.4 billion. "It will importantly contribute to boosting Cambodia's economy and improving our people's livelihoods, and will ultimately contribute to building a community of shared future for Cambodia and China," he told Xinhua. Lim Heng, vice-president of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, said it would provide tremendous opportunities to Cambodia to increase and diversify its exports. "It will be a new impetus for Cambodia's trade and investment ties with China in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "Thanks to our close ties, we hope that the agreement will help Cambodia to become a hub for distributing Chinese products to other ASEAN and Asian countries in the future." Chheang Vannarith, president of the Asian Vision Institute in Phnom Penh, said the bilateral FTA will help increase the production network between the two countries. "Through the FTA, Cambodia will be able to boost further exports, especially agriculture products, to the Chinese market and it will also strengthen the country's value chain," he told Xinhua. Vannarith added that Cambodia will become a significant market for large companies in China in the industry value chain. "The pact will attract medium-sized Chinese manufacturers to invest in Cambodia, allowing those companies to supply their products to large-scale companies in China," he said. Enditem Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA), which enters into force on Jan. 1, 2022, is a historic milestone in the bilateral economic ties and it will be a booster for Cambodia's exports, said Cambodian officials and experts. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said the CCFTA, signed on Oct. 12, 2020, aims to boost bilateral trade, services and investment, and promote post-COVID-19 economic recovery. "The CCFTA marks a significant victory and it will be a driving force for Cambodia's exports," he told Xinhua. "It will bring a lot of benefits." Sovicheat said as the agreement takes effect, it will bring the proportion of zero-tariff products in the goods traded between Cambodia and China to more than 90 percent for both countries. "It also contributes to greater economic activity and job creation in Cambodia," he said. "If the investors come and if the activities of trade have been increased, then the workers also get more job opportunities and by the way, the investors will come and the exchange of technology will be taking place." The spokesman said despite the impact of COVID-19, Cambodia-China trade volume topped 10 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, two years ahead of the target set by the two countries. "So within 2022 or after the CCFTA enters into force, the number will increase further," he said. Meanwhile, he said the Belt and Road Initiative also provides impetus for the successful implementation of both the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the CCFTA. Sovicheat added that China's 5G technology will play an important role in facilitating trade and economic activities as Cambodia is journeying into the fourth industrial revolution and the digital economy. Cambodian government chief spokesman Phay Siphan said the bilateral FTA offers opportunities for local and foreign investors to invest or expand businesses in Cambodia in order to export to the world's second largest economy and the world's biggest population of 1.4 billion. "It will importantly contribute to boosting Cambodia's economy and improving our people's livelihoods, and will ultimately contribute to building a community of shared future for Cambodia and China," he told Xinhua. Lim Heng, vice-president of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, said it would provide tremendous opportunities to Cambodia to increase and diversify its exports. "It will be a new impetus for Cambodia's trade and investment ties with China in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "Thanks to our close ties, we hope that the agreement will help Cambodia to become a hub for distributing Chinese products to other ASEAN and Asian countries in the future." Chheang Vannarith, president of the Asian Vision Institute in Phnom Penh, said the bilateral FTA will help increase the production network between the two countries. "Through the FTA, Cambodia will be able to boost further exports, especially agriculture products, to the Chinese market and it will also strengthen the country's value chain," he told Xinhua. Vannarith added that Cambodia will become a significant market for large companies in China in the industry value chain. "The pact will attract medium-sized Chinese manufacturers to invest in Cambodia, allowing those companies to supply their products to large-scale companies in China," he said. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA), which enters into force on Jan. 1, 2022, is a historic milestone in the bilateral economic ties and it will be a booster for Cambodia's exports, said Cambodian officials and experts. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said the CCFTA, signed on Oct. 12, 2020, aims to boost bilateral trade, services and investment, and promote post-COVID-19 economic recovery. "The CCFTA marks a significant victory and it will be a driving force for Cambodia's exports," he told Xinhua. "It will bring a lot of benefits." Sovicheat said as the agreement takes effect, it will bring the proportion of zero-tariff products in the goods traded between Cambodia and China to more than 90 percent for both countries. "It also contributes to greater economic activity and job creation in Cambodia," he said. "If the investors come and if the activities of trade have been increased, then the workers also get more job opportunities and by the way, the investors will come and the exchange of technology will be taking place." The spokesman said despite the impact of COVID-19, Cambodia-China trade volume topped 10 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, two years ahead of the target set by the two countries. "So within 2022 or after the CCFTA enters into force, the number will increase further," he said. Meanwhile, he said the Belt and Road Initiative also provides impetus for the successful implementation of both the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the CCFTA. Sovicheat added that China's 5G technology will play an important role in facilitating trade and economic activities as Cambodia is journeying into the fourth industrial revolution and the digital economy. Cambodian government chief spokesman Phay Siphan said the bilateral FTA offers opportunities for local and foreign investors to invest or expand businesses in Cambodia in order to export to the world's second largest economy and the world's biggest population of 1.4 billion. "It will importantly contribute to boosting Cambodia's economy and improving our people's livelihoods, and will ultimately contribute to building a community of shared future for Cambodia and China," he told Xinhua. Lim Heng, vice-president of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, said it would provide tremendous opportunities to Cambodia to increase and diversify its exports. "It will be a new impetus for Cambodia's trade and investment ties with China in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "Thanks to our close ties, we hope that the agreement will help Cambodia to become a hub for distributing Chinese products to other ASEAN and Asian countries in the future." Chheang Vannarith, president of the Asian Vision Institute in Phnom Penh, said the bilateral FTA will help increase the production network between the two countries. "Through the FTA, Cambodia will be able to boost further exports, especially agriculture products, to the Chinese market and it will also strengthen the country's value chain," he told Xinhua. Vannarith added that Cambodia will become a significant market for large companies in China in the industry value chain. "The pact will attract medium-sized Chinese manufacturers to invest in Cambodia, allowing those companies to supply their products to large-scale companies in China," he said. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA), which enters into force on Jan. 1, 2022, is a historic milestone in the bilateral economic ties and it will be a booster for Cambodia's exports, said Cambodian officials and experts. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said the CCFTA, signed on Oct. 12, 2020, aims to boost bilateral trade, services and investment, and promote post-COVID-19 economic recovery. "The CCFTA marks a significant victory and it will be a driving force for Cambodia's exports," he told Xinhua. "It will bring a lot of benefits." Sovicheat said as the agreement takes effect, it will bring the proportion of zero-tariff products in the goods traded between Cambodia and China to more than 90 percent for both countries. "It also contributes to greater economic activity and job creation in Cambodia," he said. "If the investors come and if the activities of trade have been increased, then the workers also get more job opportunities and by the way, the investors will come and the exchange of technology will be taking place." The spokesman said despite the impact of COVID-19, Cambodia-China trade volume topped 10 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, two years ahead of the target set by the two countries. "So within 2022 or after the CCFTA enters into force, the number will increase further," he said. Meanwhile, he said the Belt and Road Initiative also provides impetus for the successful implementation of both the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the CCFTA. Sovicheat added that China's 5G technology will play an important role in facilitating trade and economic activities as Cambodia is journeying into the fourth industrial revolution and the digital economy. Cambodian government chief spokesman Phay Siphan said the bilateral FTA offers opportunities for local and foreign investors to invest or expand businesses in Cambodia in order to export to the world's second largest economy and the world's biggest population of 1.4 billion. "It will importantly contribute to boosting Cambodia's economy and improving our people's livelihoods, and will ultimately contribute to building a community of shared future for Cambodia and China," he told Xinhua. Lim Heng, vice-president of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, said it would provide tremendous opportunities to Cambodia to increase and diversify its exports. "It will be a new impetus for Cambodia's trade and investment ties with China in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "Thanks to our close ties, we hope that the agreement will help Cambodia to become a hub for distributing Chinese products to other ASEAN and Asian countries in the future." Chheang Vannarith, president of the Asian Vision Institute in Phnom Penh, said the bilateral FTA will help increase the production network between the two countries. "Through the FTA, Cambodia will be able to boost further exports, especially agriculture products, to the Chinese market and it will also strengthen the country's value chain," he told Xinhua. Vannarith added that Cambodia will become a significant market for large companies in China in the industry value chain. "The pact will attract medium-sized Chinese manufacturers to invest in Cambodia, allowing those companies to supply their products to large-scale companies in China," he said. Enditem M. Chaise Gilbert Scientists have often invited the public to see what they see, using everything from engraved woodblocks to electron microscopes to explore the complexity of the scientific enterprise and the beauty of life. Sharing these visions through illustrations, photography and videos has allowed laypeople to explore a range of discoveries, from new bird species to the inner workings of the human cell. As a neuroscience and bioscience researcher, I know that scientists are sometimes pigeonholed as white lab coats obsessed with charts and graphs. What that stereotype misses is their passion for science as a mode of discovery. Thats why scientists frequently turn to awe-inducing visualizations as a way to explain the unexplainable. The BioArt Scientific Image and Video Competition, administered by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, shares images rarely seen outside the laboratory with the public in order to introduce and educate laypeople about the wonder often associated with biological research. BioArt and similar contests reflect the lengthy history of using imagery to elucidate science. A zebrafish embryos developing eye, 72 hours after fertilization. Lynne Nacke The Renaissance, a period in European history between the 14th and 17th centuries, breathed new life into both science and art. It brought together the fledgling discipline of natural historya field of inquiry observing animals, plants and fungi in their ordinary environmentswith artistic illustration. This allowed for wider study and classification of the natural world. Artists and artistic naturalists were also able to advance approaches to the study of nature by illustrating discoveries of early botanists and anatomists. Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens, for example, offered remarkable insight into human anatomy in his famous anatomical drawings. This art-science formula was further democratized in the 17th and 18th centuries as the printing process became more sophisticated and allowed early ornithologists and anatomists to publish and disseminate their elegant drawings. Initial popular entries included John James Audubons Birds of America and Charles Darwins The Origin of the Speciesgroundbreaking at the time for the clarity of their illustrations. Story continues A painting of a cross-section of a small respiratory droplet, like the ones that are thought to transmit the coronavirus. Christine Zardecki Publishers soon followed with well-received field guides and encyclopedias detailing observations of what were seen through early microscopes. For example, a Scottish encyclopedia published in 1859, Chamberss Encyclopaedia: A Dictionary of Universal Knowledge for the People, sought to broadly explain the natural world through woodblock illustrations of mammals, microorganisms, birds and reptiles. These publications responded to the publics demand for more news and views of the natural world. People formed amateur naturalist societies, hunted for fossils, and enjoyed trips to local zoos or menageries. By the 19th century, natural history museums were being constructed around the world to share scientific knowledge through illustrations, models and real-life examples. Exhibits ranged from taxidermied animals to human organs preserved in liquid. What began as hand drawings has morphed over the past 150 years with the help of new technologies. The advent of sophisticated imaging techniques such as X-rays in 1895, electron microscopes in 1931, 3D modeling in the 1960s and magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI in 1973 made it easier for scientists to share what they were seeing in the lab. In fact, Wilhelm Roentgen, a physics professor who first discovered the X-ray, made the first human X-ray image with his wifes hand. Micro-CT density rendering of an embryonic southern cassowary skull superimposed upon the cranial casque of an adult. Todd Green Today, scientific publications including Nature and The Scientist have taken to sharing their favorites with readers. Visualizations, whether through photography or video, are one more method for scientists to document, test and affirm their research. These science visualizations have found their way into classrooms, as K-12 schools add scientific photographs and videos to lesson plans. Art museums, for example, have developed science curricula based on art to give students a glimpse of what science looks like. This can help promote scientific literacy, increasing both their understanding of basic scientific principles and their critical thinking skills. A fluorescent overlay of HeLa cells infected with the fatal food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. You can see the bacteria spreading from cell to cell. Arandeep Dhanda Scientific literacy is especially important now. During a pandemic in which misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccines has been rampant, a better understanding of natural phenomena could help students learn how to make informed decisions about disease risk and transmission. Teaching scientific literacy gives students the skills to evaluate the claims of both scientists and public figures, whether theyre about COVID-19, the common cold or climate change. However, science knowledge appears to be stagnating. The 2019 National Assessment of Education Progress measures the science knowledge and scientific inquiry capabilities of U.S. public school students in grades 4, 8 and 12 from a scale of zero to 300. Scores stagnated for all grades from 2009 to 2019, hovering between 150 to 154. A 3D evaluation of a mouses cardiac lymphatic network. Coraline Heron A survey of K-12 teachers shows that 77 percent of elementary teachers spend under four hours a week on science. And the 2018 National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education found that K-3 students receive an average of only 18 minutes of science instruction per day, compared to 57 minutes in math. Making science more visual may make learning science at an early age easier. It could also help students both understand scientific models and develop skills like teamwork and how to communicate complex concepts. The BioArt Scientific Image and Video Competition was established 10 years ago to both give scientists an outlet to share their latest research and allow a wider audience to view bioscience from the researchers point of view. Whats unique about the BioArt competition is the diversity of submissions over the past decade. After all, bioscience encompasses the wide range of disciplines within the life sciences. The 2021 BioArt contest winners range from a zebrafish embryos developing eye to the shell of a species of 96 million-year-old helochelydrid fossil turtle. I have served as a judge for the BioArt competition over the past five years. My appreciation for the science behind the images is often exceeded by my enjoyment of their beauty and technical skill. For instance, photography using polarized light, which filters light waves so they oscillate in one direction instead of many directions, allows scientists to reveal what the otherwise hidden insides of samples look like. Whether today or in the past, science elucidates the foundation of our world, both in miniature and at scale. Its my hope that visually illuminating scientific processes and concepts can advance scientific literacy and give both students and the general public access to a deeper understanding of the natural world that they need to be informed citizens. That those images and videos are often beautiful is an added benefit. Chris Curran is a neuroscientist at Northern Kentucky University. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. HYDERABAD: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president and MP A. Revanth Reddy on Friday exhorted the Congress cadre to chase, gherao and disrupt all programmes of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) ministers across the state. He strongly condemned Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao for placing him and other Congress leaders under house arrests to prevent them from visiting Mahabubabad district on Friday. He informed that the Congress leaders wanted to visit and console the family of Jeturam Naik, a mandal education officer, who died of heart attack, after he was forcibly transferred from Mahabubabad to Mulugu district. "The death of Jeturam Naik is an institutional murder committed by the state government," he alleged. He was addressing a press conference, along with senior leaders Mohammed Ali Shabbir, Dr. Mallu Ravi, M. Anjan Kumar Yadav, A. Sampath Kumar, Ramulu Naik and others, at his residence in Jubilee Hills. Revanth Reddy said as the Member of Parliament and state president of the Congress, he had every right to meet people to share their pain and sorrow. However, Chandrashekar Rao placed him and other Congress leaders under house arrests, he said. While Rao is using the police force as his private army, some officials are behaving like TRS workers," he alleged. "The TRS government has tried enough to disrupt our political activities. Now the Congress will exhibit its might. We will not allow the TRS ministers to move freely across the state. The NSUI and Youth Congress workers will greet the ministers, wherever they are found. The ministers will be chased everywhere and we will not allow them to conduct any programme in a smooth manner," he warned. Revanth Reddy said the Congress government brought Presidential order, six-point formula, 14F and other measures to ensure that locals get preference in allotments and transfers. He said the Congress had granted statehood for Telangana to end the local and non-local disputes. However, he said that the TRS government issued GO MS No 317 in violation of the Presidential order and other norms to revive the dispute while causing huge injustice to employees and teachers. Police officials outside Revanth Reddy's house to prevent him from leaving his house to attend achabanda programme in Bhupalpally (By arrangement) HYDERABAD: Tension prevailed at the residence of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A. Revanth Reddy here at Jubilee Hills on Friday as the police put him under house arrest ahead of the Rachabanda programme in Bhupalpally. The police in large numbers gathered at Revanths residence and prevented him from going out. Allegedly, a few police personnel entered into the house of the state Congress president. Reacting to this, Revanth Reddy expressed anger over policemen for entering into his house without warrant. Reportedly, he scolded a few police personnel, who entered the house from the rear side by jumping the walls. Assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Sudarshan said as per the directives of higher-officials they reached Jubilee Hills. Meanwhile, Revanth Reddy spoke to Hyderabad police commissioner C.V. Anand about the camping of police personnel at his residence. Revanth Reddy said the police should act as per the norms. However, the Congress activists in huge numbers rushed to the residence of the TPCC chief during the arrest. On the other hand, Congress leaders and activists had been taken into preventive custody in undivided Nalgonda district. A few Congress leaders burnt the effigy of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao in protest against the house arrest of Revanth Reddy. Police officials outside Revanth Reddy's house to prevent him from leaving his house to attend achabanda programme in Bhupalpally (By arrangement) HYDERABAD: Tension prevailed at the residence of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A. Revanth Reddy here at Jubilee Hills on Friday as the police put him under house arrest ahead of the Rachabanda programme in Bhupalpally. The police in large numbers gathered at Revanths residence and prevented him from going out. Allegedly, a few police personnel entered into the house of the state Congress president. Reacting to this, Revanth Reddy expressed anger over policemen for entering into his house without warrant. Reportedly, he scolded a few police personnel, who entered the house from the rear side by jumping the walls. Assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Sudarshan said as per the directives of higher-officials they reached Jubilee Hills. Meanwhile, Revanth Reddy spoke to Hyderabad police commissioner C.V. Anand about the camping of police personnel at his residence. Revanth Reddy said the police should act as per the norms. However, the Congress activists in huge numbers rushed to the residence of the TPCC chief during the arrest. On the other hand, Congress leaders and activists had been taken into preventive custody in undivided Nalgonda district. A few Congress leaders burnt the effigy of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao in protest against the house arrest of Revanth Reddy. Police officials outside Revanth Reddy's house to prevent him from leaving his house to attend achabanda programme in Bhupalpally (By arrangement) HYDERABAD: Tension prevailed at the residence of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A. Revanth Reddy here at Jubilee Hills on Friday as the police put him under house arrest ahead of the Rachabanda programme in Bhupalpally. The police in large numbers gathered at Revanths residence and prevented him from going out. Allegedly, a few police personnel entered into the house of the state Congress president. Reacting to this, Revanth Reddy expressed anger over policemen for entering into his house without warrant. Reportedly, he scolded a few police personnel, who entered the house from the rear side by jumping the walls. Assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Sudarshan said as per the directives of higher-officials they reached Jubilee Hills. Meanwhile, Revanth Reddy spoke to Hyderabad police commissioner C.V. Anand about the camping of police personnel at his residence. Revanth Reddy said the police should act as per the norms. However, the Congress activists in huge numbers rushed to the residence of the TPCC chief during the arrest. On the other hand, Congress leaders and activists had been taken into preventive custody in undivided Nalgonda district. A few Congress leaders burnt the effigy of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao in protest against the house arrest of Revanth Reddy. HYDERABAD: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president and MP A. Revanth Reddy on Friday exhorted the Congress cadre to chase, gherao and disrupt all programmes of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) ministers across the state. He strongly condemned Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao for placing him and other Congress leaders under house arrests to prevent them from visiting Mahabubabad district on Friday. He informed that the Congress leaders wanted to visit and console the family of Jeturam Naik, a mandal education officer, who died of heart attack, after he was forcibly transferred from Mahabubabad to Mulugu district. "The death of Jeturam Naik is an institutional murder committed by the state government," he alleged. He was addressing a press conference, along with senior leaders Mohammed Ali Shabbir, Dr. Mallu Ravi, M. Anjan Kumar Yadav, A. Sampath Kumar, Ramulu Naik and others, at his residence in Jubilee Hills. Revanth Reddy said as the Member of Parliament and state president of the Congress, he had every right to meet people to share their pain and sorrow. However, Chandrashekar Rao placed him and other Congress leaders under house arrests, he said. While Rao is using the police force as his private army, some officials are behaving like TRS workers," he alleged. "The TRS government has tried enough to disrupt our political activities. Now the Congress will exhibit its might. We will not allow the TRS ministers to move freely across the state. The NSUI and Youth Congress workers will greet the ministers, wherever they are found. The ministers will be chased everywhere and we will not allow them to conduct any programme in a smooth manner," he warned. Revanth Reddy said the Congress government brought Presidential order, six-point formula, 14F and other measures to ensure that locals get preference in allotments and transfers. He said the Congress had granted statehood for Telangana to end the local and non-local disputes. However, he said that the TRS government issued GO MS No 317 in violation of the Presidential order and other norms to revive the dispute while causing huge injustice to employees and teachers. HYDERABAD: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president and MP A. Revanth Reddy on Friday exhorted the Congress cadre to chase, gherao and disrupt all programmes of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) ministers across the state. He strongly condemned Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao for placing him and other Congress leaders under house arrests to prevent them from visiting Mahabubabad district on Friday. He informed that the Congress leaders wanted to visit and console the family of Jeturam Naik, a mandal education officer, who died of heart attack, after he was forcibly transferred from Mahabubabad to Mulugu district. "The death of Jeturam Naik is an institutional murder committed by the state government," he alleged. He was addressing a press conference, along with senior leaders Mohammed Ali Shabbir, Dr. Mallu Ravi, M. Anjan Kumar Yadav, A. Sampath Kumar, Ramulu Naik and others, at his residence in Jubilee Hills. Revanth Reddy said as the Member of Parliament and state president of the Congress, he had every right to meet people to share their pain and sorrow. However, Chandrashekar Rao placed him and other Congress leaders under house arrests, he said. While Rao is using the police force as his private army, some officials are behaving like TRS workers," he alleged. "The TRS government has tried enough to disrupt our political activities. Now the Congress will exhibit its might. We will not allow the TRS ministers to move freely across the state. The NSUI and Youth Congress workers will greet the ministers, wherever they are found. The ministers will be chased everywhere and we will not allow them to conduct any programme in a smooth manner," he warned. Revanth Reddy said the Congress government brought Presidential order, six-point formula, 14F and other measures to ensure that locals get preference in allotments and transfers. He said the Congress had granted statehood for Telangana to end the local and non-local disputes. However, he said that the TRS government issued GO MS No 317 in violation of the Presidential order and other norms to revive the dispute while causing huge injustice to employees and teachers. ASHWAUBENON The American Red Cross opened a shelter on New Year's Eve for residents displaced by a fire earlier Friday at a 24-unit apartment building on Carstensen Lane in Ashwaubenon. The Red Cross invited tenants who were displaced to visit Ashwaubenon High School, 2391 S. Ridge Road, "for a warm, safe place to stay, plus food and other essentials," according to a statement issued late Friday by Justin Kern, a spokesman for the organization. "We are especially grateful for our volunteers, bringing their relentless humanitarianism into the New Year," the statement read. No further details about the fire or its cause were immediately available. More: First responders discover two dead, two injured after garage explodes in Shawano County This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Ashwaubenon apartment fire on New Year's Eve: Red Cross offers shelter ASHWAUBENON The American Red Cross opened a shelter on New Year's Eve for residents displaced by a fire earlier Friday at a 24-unit apartment building on Carstensen Lane in Ashwaubenon. The Red Cross invited tenants who were displaced to visit Ashwaubenon High School, 2391 S. Ridge Road, "for a warm, safe place to stay, plus food and other essentials," according to a statement issued late Friday by Justin Kern, a spokesman for the organization. "We are especially grateful for our volunteers, bringing their relentless humanitarianism into the New Year," the statement read. No further details about the fire or its cause were immediately available. More: First responders discover two dead, two injured after garage explodes in Shawano County This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Ashwaubenon apartment fire on New Year's Eve: Red Cross offers shelter The state rolled out the first of its kind Sweccha through which personal sanitary supplies will be provided to girl students in government schools free. The CM also started a novel initiative, the Jagananna Sampoorna Gruha Hakku (OTS), where people who received houses from the government can get them registered by paying a nominal fee. DC file image VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy clearly emerged as the undisputed leader in terms of popularity and efficiency, going by the overwhelming mandate in a series of elections acknowledging his welfare and development agenda, industrial houses queuing up to set up shop in the state and the first edition of YSR Achievement Awards getting underway, among others. The results of the elections to the local bodies, the Tirupati Lok Sabha and Budvel Assembly bypolls reiterated the faith of people in Jagan Mohan Reddys governance. In his reactions, he said he felt the results had increased the government's responsibility. Topping his work on the social justice front was the election of Koyye Moshen Raju as Chairman and Zakia Khanam as his deputy in the Legislative Council. Meanwhile, YSRC numbers swelled with the ruling party bagging all the 11 seats on offer. Reddy visited Delhi twice and discussed wide-ranging issues of the state by meeting Union home minister Amit Shah and other Central ministers. He also called on Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to resolve water disputes and border issues between the two states. On the education front, the Chief Minister launched the first phase of Nadu-Nedu in schools, which welcomed students after a long break due to Covid-19. Almost 15,715 government schools were modernised, the government has said. Besides, he laid the foundation stone for constructing 14 medical colleges. After the distribution of house sites to over 30 lakh beneficiaries, the Chief Minister initiated the construction of 15.6 lakh houses for the poor in the first phase. He launched the door delivery of rice to ration card holders along with a fleet of dispensing units vans. He launched a comprehensive temple management system. The state rolled out the first of its kind Sweccha through which personal sanitary supplies will be provided to girl students in government schools free. The CM also started a novel initiative, the Jagananna Sampoorna Gruha Hakku (OTS), where people who received houses from the government can get them registered by paying a nominal fee.The year 2021 must be rated among the busiest for the CM. He started working on the first day of the outgoing year, laying the foundation stone for six lighthouses under the Global Housing Technology Challenge India programme and receiving awards from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for good performance in the housing programme. The recent incidents on the Afghan-Pak border has brought to light the age-old issue of Durand Line that Pakistan had hoped to resolve with the Taliban holding the reins in Kabul. On Friday, the Khaama Press news agency reported a second such incident in the recent past when Taliban's local affiliates said that they stopped the Pakistani military from erecting barbed-wire fences and outposts in Afghanistan. The Pakistani military personnel reportedly wanted to build their outpost on Afghanistan soil in Chahar Burjak district of Nimroz province. The Pakistani military went up to 15 kilometres inside Afghanistan and wanted to build check posts, said eyewitnesses and residents of the bordering district, according to reports. Similarly, on December 22, the Afghan Taliban had disrupted the fence constructed by Pakistan in the Nangahar Province on the Durand Line. A Toronto-based think tank, International Forum For Rights And Security (IFFRAS) said that this is an illustration of one festering wound that continues to engage Afghanistan and Pakistan bilaterally. The fencing of the 2,600-km long Durand Line has remained a contentious issue between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Ashraf Ghani government had objected to the fencing of the border and the Afghan side had even then tried to stop Pakistan from erecting a fence. However, Pakistan went ahead with the fencing. Pakistan media reports say that 90 per cent of the border with Pakistan now stands fenced. "The fencing is part of the border mechanism Pakistan has been working on for years, not just to regulate the movement of people but also to deny terrorists the chance to move across the border freely," IFFRAS said. According to the think tank, the real reason for Pakistan to fence the border is to divide the Pashtuns. The Pashtuns as an ethnic group straddle between the Pak-Afghan border. In Afghanistan, they constitute 42 per cent of the population. Meanwhile, in Pakistan, the population of Pashtuns is 25 per cent. Highlighting the irony of how Pashtuns live on both sides of the border, the think thank argued that Pakistan has chosen to divide these peoples by building a fence across the stretch of the border. "Pakistan has chosen to recognise the Durand Line while Afghanistan, both in the past and currently refuses to recognise it as the international border between Afghanistan and Pakistan," IFFRAS said. Earlier in September, the Taliban's position on the Durand Line was expressed by its key spokesperson. While speaking with a Pashto channel in Pakistan, Zabiullah Mujahid had said Afghans opposed the fence erected by Pakistan along the Durand Line. "The new Afghan government will announce its position on this issue. The fencing has separated people and divided families. We want to create a secure and peaceful environment on the border so there is no need to create barriers," Mujahid had said. (ANI) Vietnams beauty scene exploded in 2021 thanks to the unparalleled success of its rising pageant stars. In early December, Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien was crowned Miss Grand International 2021 in Thailand after beating out stunning contestants from Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Brazil, and South Africa. In the pageants finale, held on December 4, the 23-year-old beauty queen stole the show with dazzling swimsuit and evening gown performances before impressing both the audiences and judges with her confidence and fluency in both English and Thai while answering tie-breaker questions to secure the crown. Thuy Tiens victory on the Miss Grand International pageant stage is the first for a Vietnamese woman in the events 8-year history. Her pageant resume includes a first runner-up finish in Ho Chi Minh Citys Miss Southern 2017 pageant, a Top 5 finish at Miss Vietnam 2018. Tien also took home the Beauty with a Purpose title at Miss Vietnam 2018. Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien is seen wearing ao dai (Vietnamese traditional costume) and poses in a photo for a peace-themed series she posted on her verified Facebook page. Also in December, beauty queen Hoang Huong Ly a Top 5 finisher at the Miss Sea Vietnam 2016 pageant took home the title of Miss Tourism Metropolitan International at the Miss Tourism International 2021 pageant. The contest was held online with the participation of 50 contestants. The finale took place on December 19. Huong Ly said her biggest wish was to promote the beauty of Vietnam and its tourism potential while simultaneously calling on the world to protect nature and the environment. A supplied photo shows Hoang Huong Ly who won the title of Miss Tourism Metropolitan International at the Miss Tourism International 2021 pageant. Two days later, 13-year-old Bella Vu Huyen Dieu was crowned Miss Eco Teen International in Egypt thanks to her impressive singing, piano playing, and catwalk performances. Dieu took part in the 2019 Little Miss Universe pageant in Georgia where she was named Little Miss Charm. A supplied photo shows Bella Vu Huyen Dieu in a national costume at Miss Eco Teen International 2021. Unfortunately, not all of Vietnams beauty queens found success on the pageant stage. Nguyen Thi Van Anh failed to make it into the Top 20 at Miss Earth 2021 in the Philippines, Tran Hoang Ai Nhi failed to make it into the Top 20 Miss Intercontinental 2021 in Egypt, and Nguyen Hoang Kim Duyen failed to make it passed the round of 16 at Miss Universe 2021 in Israel. A collage of two supplied photos shows Ai Nhi (left) and Van Anh who represented Vietnam at the Miss Intercontinental 2021 and Miss Earth 2021 respectively. A photo shows Nguyen Huynh Kim Duyen in a costume inspired by 'banh tet,' a traditional type of glutinous rice cake in Vietnam, at Miss Universe 2021's national costume round, Duyen posted on her verified Facebook page. The country still has high hopes for Do Thi Ha, who had to pause her journey at Miss World 2021 in Puerto Rico after 17 COVID-19 cases were detected. The contest finals night has been pushed back from December 17 to March 16 next year. A supplied photo shows Do Thi Ha who represented Vietnam at the Miss World 2021 in Puerto Rico. Although not technically a beauty pageant queen, Vietnamese model Nguyen Quynh Anh made fans proud with her victory on the sixth season of Supermodel Me (Supermodel Me: Revolution), a modeling competition reality show in Singapore. In the final round on December 13, Anh outperformed her rivals, Nikki from the Philippines and Hannah from Singapore, to secure the top prize as well as the first victory of a Vietnamese model in one Asias biggest fashion competitions. Vietnamese model Nguyen Quynh Anh won the top prize of the Supermodel Me: Revolution modeling contest in Singapore. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnams beauty scene exploded in 2021 thanks to the unparalleled success of its rising pageant stars. In early December, Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien was crowned Miss Grand International 2021 in Thailand after beating out stunning contestants from Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Brazil, and South Africa. In the pageants finale, held on December 4, the 23-year-old beauty queen stole the show with dazzling swimsuit and evening gown performances before impressing both the audiences and judges with her confidence and fluency in both English and Thai while answering tie-breaker questions to secure the crown. Thuy Tiens victory on the Miss Grand International pageant stage is the first for a Vietnamese woman in the events 8-year history. Her pageant resume includes a first runner-up finish in Ho Chi Minh Citys Miss Southern 2017 pageant, a Top 5 finish at Miss Vietnam 2018. Tien also took home the Beauty with a Purpose title at Miss Vietnam 2018. Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien is seen wearing ao dai (Vietnamese traditional costume) and poses in a photo for a peace-themed series she posted on her verified Facebook page. Also in December, beauty queen Hoang Huong Ly a Top 5 finisher at the Miss Sea Vietnam 2016 pageant took home the title of Miss Tourism Metropolitan International at the Miss Tourism International 2021 pageant. The contest was held online with the participation of 50 contestants. The finale took place on December 19. Huong Ly said her biggest wish was to promote the beauty of Vietnam and its tourism potential while simultaneously calling on the world to protect nature and the environment. A supplied photo shows Hoang Huong Ly who won the title of Miss Tourism Metropolitan International at the Miss Tourism International 2021 pageant. Two days later, 13-year-old Bella Vu Huyen Dieu was crowned Miss Eco Teen International in Egypt thanks to her impressive singing, piano playing, and catwalk performances. Dieu took part in the 2019 Little Miss Universe pageant in Georgia where she was named Little Miss Charm. A supplied photo shows Bella Vu Huyen Dieu in a national costume at Miss Eco Teen International 2021. Unfortunately, not all of Vietnams beauty queens found success on the pageant stage. Nguyen Thi Van Anh failed to make it into the Top 20 at Miss Earth 2021 in the Philippines, Tran Hoang Ai Nhi failed to make it into the Top 20 Miss Intercontinental 2021 in Egypt, and Nguyen Hoang Kim Duyen failed to make it passed the round of 16 at Miss Universe 2021 in Israel. A collage of two supplied photos shows Ai Nhi (left) and Van Anh who represented Vietnam at the Miss Intercontinental 2021 and Miss Earth 2021 respectively. A photo shows Nguyen Huynh Kim Duyen in a costume inspired by 'banh tet,' a traditional type of glutinous rice cake in Vietnam, at Miss Universe 2021's national costume round, Duyen posted on her verified Facebook page. The country still has high hopes for Do Thi Ha, who had to pause her journey at Miss World 2021 in Puerto Rico after 17 COVID-19 cases were detected. The contest finals night has been pushed back from December 17 to March 16 next year. A supplied photo shows Do Thi Ha who represented Vietnam at the Miss World 2021 in Puerto Rico. Although not technically a beauty pageant queen, Vietnamese model Nguyen Quynh Anh made fans proud with her victory on the sixth season of Supermodel Me (Supermodel Me: Revolution), a modeling competition reality show in Singapore. In the final round on December 13, Anh outperformed her rivals, Nikki from the Philippines and Hannah from Singapore, to secure the top prize as well as the first victory of a Vietnamese model in one Asias biggest fashion competitions. Vietnamese model Nguyen Quynh Anh won the top prize of the Supermodel Me: Revolution modeling contest in Singapore. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnams beauty scene exploded in 2021 thanks to the unparalleled success of its rising pageant stars. In early December, Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien was crowned Miss Grand International 2021 in Thailand after beating out stunning contestants from Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Brazil, and South Africa. In the pageants finale, held on December 4, the 23-year-old beauty queen stole the show with dazzling swimsuit and evening gown performances before impressing both the audiences and judges with her confidence and fluency in both English and Thai while answering tie-breaker questions to secure the crown. Thuy Tiens victory on the Miss Grand International pageant stage is the first for a Vietnamese woman in the events 8-year history. Her pageant resume includes a first runner-up finish in Ho Chi Minh Citys Miss Southern 2017 pageant, a Top 5 finish at Miss Vietnam 2018. Tien also took home the Beauty with a Purpose title at Miss Vietnam 2018. Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien is seen wearing ao dai (Vietnamese traditional costume) and poses in a photo for a peace-themed series she posted on her verified Facebook page. Also in December, beauty queen Hoang Huong Ly a Top 5 finisher at the Miss Sea Vietnam 2016 pageant took home the title of Miss Tourism Metropolitan International at the Miss Tourism International 2021 pageant. The contest was held online with the participation of 50 contestants. The finale took place on December 19. Huong Ly said her biggest wish was to promote the beauty of Vietnam and its tourism potential while simultaneously calling on the world to protect nature and the environment. A supplied photo shows Hoang Huong Ly who won the title of Miss Tourism Metropolitan International at the Miss Tourism International 2021 pageant. Two days later, 13-year-old Bella Vu Huyen Dieu was crowned Miss Eco Teen International in Egypt thanks to her impressive singing, piano playing, and catwalk performances. Dieu took part in the 2019 Little Miss Universe pageant in Georgia where she was named Little Miss Charm. A supplied photo shows Bella Vu Huyen Dieu in a national costume at Miss Eco Teen International 2021. Unfortunately, not all of Vietnams beauty queens found success on the pageant stage. Nguyen Thi Van Anh failed to make it into the Top 20 at Miss Earth 2021 in the Philippines, Tran Hoang Ai Nhi failed to make it into the Top 20 Miss Intercontinental 2021 in Egypt, and Nguyen Hoang Kim Duyen failed to make it passed the round of 16 at Miss Universe 2021 in Israel. A collage of two supplied photos shows Ai Nhi (left) and Van Anh who represented Vietnam at the Miss Intercontinental 2021 and Miss Earth 2021 respectively. A photo shows Nguyen Huynh Kim Duyen in a costume inspired by 'banh tet,' a traditional type of glutinous rice cake in Vietnam, at Miss Universe 2021's national costume round, Duyen posted on her verified Facebook page. The country still has high hopes for Do Thi Ha, who had to pause her journey at Miss World 2021 in Puerto Rico after 17 COVID-19 cases were detected. The contest finals night has been pushed back from December 17 to March 16 next year. A supplied photo shows Do Thi Ha who represented Vietnam at the Miss World 2021 in Puerto Rico. Although not technically a beauty pageant queen, Vietnamese model Nguyen Quynh Anh made fans proud with her victory on the sixth season of Supermodel Me (Supermodel Me: Revolution), a modeling competition reality show in Singapore. In the final round on December 13, Anh outperformed her rivals, Nikki from the Philippines and Hannah from Singapore, to secure the top prize as well as the first victory of a Vietnamese model in one Asias biggest fashion competitions. Vietnamese model Nguyen Quynh Anh won the top prize of the Supermodel Me: Revolution modeling contest in Singapore. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! By Sarah Wu TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen had a New Year message for China on Saturday: military conflict is not the answer, but Beijing responded with a stern warning that if Taiwan crossed any red line it would lead to "profound catastrophe". China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has increased military and diplomatic pressure in the past two years to assert its sovereignty claims. "We must remind the Beijing authorities to not misjudge the situation and to prevent the internal expansion of 'military adventurism'," Tsai said on Saturday in her New Year's speech, broadcast live on Facebook. Taiwan says it is an independent country and has repeatedly vowed to defend its freedom and democracy. Chinese President Xi Jinping said https://www.reuters.com/world/china/look-future-stay-focused-xi-tells-china-new-years-address-2021-12-31 in his New Year address on Friday that the complete unification of "the motherland" was an aspiration shared by people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. On Saturday, after Tsai's speech, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing, said: "We are willing to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification." "But if 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces continue to provoke and coerce, or even cross any red line, we will have to take decisive measures." The pursuit of independence will only throw Taiwan into a "deep chasm" and bring about "profound catastrophe", Zhu added. In recent months, Beijing has sent repeated air missions over the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan has said it will not give in to threats. "The military is definitely not an option for solving cross-strait disagreements. Military conflicts would impact economic stability," Tsai said. To ease tension in the region, both Taipei and Beijing must "work hard to take care of people's livelihoods and calm the hearts of the people" in order to find peaceful solutions to problems together, she said. Story continues Tsai also said Taiwan would continue to monitor the situation in Hong Kong, adding that interference in the recent legislative election https://www.reuters.com/world/china/hong-kong-patriots-only-election-draws-record-low-turnout-2021-12-19 and the arrests https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/hong-kong-police-arrest-6-current-or-former-staff-online-media-outlet-2021-12-28 this week of senior staff at the pro-democracy media outlet Stand News "made people worry even more about human rights and freedom of speech in Hong Kong". "We will hold fast to our sovereignty, uphold the values of freedom and democracy, defend territorial sovereignty and national security, and maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region," Tsai said. (Reporting by Sarah Wu;Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard and Ryan Woo in BeijingEditing by Kim Coghill and Frances Kerry) By Sarah Wu TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen had a New Year message for China on Saturday: military conflict is not the answer, but Beijing responded with a stern warning that if Taiwan crossed any red line it would lead to "profound catastrophe". China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has increased military and diplomatic pressure in the past two years to assert its sovereignty claims. "We must remind the Beijing authorities to not misjudge the situation and to prevent the internal expansion of 'military adventurism'," Tsai said on Saturday in her New Year's speech, broadcast live on Facebook. Taiwan says it is an independent country and has repeatedly vowed to defend its freedom and democracy. Chinese President Xi Jinping said https://www.reuters.com/world/china/look-future-stay-focused-xi-tells-china-new-years-address-2021-12-31 in his New Year address on Friday that the complete unification of "the motherland" was an aspiration shared by people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. On Saturday, after Tsai's speech, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing, said: "We are willing to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification." "But if 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces continue to provoke and coerce, or even cross any red line, we will have to take decisive measures." The pursuit of independence will only throw Taiwan into a "deep chasm" and bring about "profound catastrophe", Zhu added. In recent months, Beijing has sent repeated air missions over the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan has said it will not give in to threats. "The military is definitely not an option for solving cross-strait disagreements. Military conflicts would impact economic stability," Tsai said. To ease tension in the region, both Taipei and Beijing must "work hard to take care of people's livelihoods and calm the hearts of the people" in order to find peaceful solutions to problems together, she said. Story continues Tsai also said Taiwan would continue to monitor the situation in Hong Kong, adding that interference in the recent legislative election https://www.reuters.com/world/china/hong-kong-patriots-only-election-draws-record-low-turnout-2021-12-19 and the arrests https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/hong-kong-police-arrest-6-current-or-former-staff-online-media-outlet-2021-12-28 this week of senior staff at the pro-democracy media outlet Stand News "made people worry even more about human rights and freedom of speech in Hong Kong". "We will hold fast to our sovereignty, uphold the values of freedom and democracy, defend territorial sovereignty and national security, and maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region," Tsai said. (Reporting by Sarah Wu;Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard and Ryan Woo in BeijingEditing by Kim Coghill and Frances Kerry) You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Larsa Pippen blessed her 3M Instagram followers on Thursday by posting two glamorous photos of herself while promoting the new season of The Real Housewives of Miami. The reality TV star, 47, posed in a transparent blue dress that showed off her legs as she struck her best modeling pose for the camera. The OG housewife captioned the snaps writing, 'New episode of The Real Housewives of Miami is on @peacocktv check it out.' Glamorous: Larsa Pippen, 47, blessed her 3M Instagram followers on Thursday by posting two glamorous photos of herself while promoting the new season of The Real Housewives of Miami In one shot Pippen appeared to be in her spacious walk-in closet, as she pushed her leg forward to reveal the sultry thigh-slit in her dress. Kim Kardashian's former best friend paired the sexy outfit with a pair of white heels. Larsa also accessorized with a chic basket purse. The mom-of-four styled her hair down to perfection, letting it down in loose waves that swept over her shoulder. In another snap Pippen can be seen from up close as her eyes flirt with the camera through a seductive gaze, revealing her smoky evening makeup and long nails. Seductive gaze: The reality TV star wore a diamond necklace as she struck her best modeling pose for the camera The star also opted for a bit of sparkle to go along with her look, wearing large silver hoops and a diamond necklace. Fans were thrilled with the shots, with one commenting, 'hot queen' while another called Larsa 'every man's dream woman.' Larsa has been busy promoting her long awaited return to the Real Housewives of Miami series, which dropped on December 16. She quickly caused controversy on the show by discussing her work on OnlyFans, revealing that she makes $10,000 per day on the platform. Despite the fact that the site is mostly known for hosting X-rated images and videos sold to fans by sex workers and models, Pippen insisted that she made her money by posting regular pictures. Miami stunner: Larsa has been busy promoting her long awaited return to the Real Housewives of Miami series, which dropped on December 16 'I literally post the same things I would post on Instagram,' she said. However, many of the ladies weren't buying Larsa's story. 'If you're making $10,000 a day, you're showing more,' Alexia Echevarria said, implying that Larsa was stripping down on the subscription-based social media platform. Earlier this year Larsa also made an Instagram post stating her OnlyFans was designed to empower women. 'I dont care what anyone says. Every woman can love and live on her own terms. I want to show women all over the world no matter where they are in life they can be sexy and successful!' You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close CHICAGO A man suspected in the shooting of one police officer and wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel has been taken into custody, the Illinois State Police said Friday. The agency said in a statement that Darius Sullivan was found Friday morning, a day after authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The statement did not provide details of where Sullivan was found. It said he will be transported brought back to Kankakee County, where the shooting occurred late Wednesday. Authorities are still searching for 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, of Bradley, who investigators believe was at the hotel when the shootings happened, the state police said. The two officers were speaking to people in a room at a Comfort Inn along a highway in Kankakee County when they were shot, according to the county sheriff's office. The officers were taken to nearby hospitals, where 49-year-old Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic died. The other officer identified by the Illinois State Police as 27-year-old Tyler J. Bailey underwent surgery was listed in critical condition on Thursday, according to the Bradley Police Department. The officers were at the hotel to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, the sheriff's office said. They found the room where the vehicle's possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, it said. Authorities arrested two other people Thursday on charges alleging they impeded the search for Sullivan and a woman also suspected in the shootings. Nichele Newton-Carroll, 43, and Jelman Sullivan, 21, face charges of obstructing justice/leaving the state, the Kankakee Daily Journal reported. Neither had an attorney listed Friday in court or jail records. Kankakee County State's Attorney Jim Rowe identified Newton-Carroll as Sullivan's mother. Rowe said he is not sure of the connection between Jelman Sullivan and Darius Sullivan. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriff's deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriff's Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputy's squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. CHICAGO A man suspected in the shooting of one police officer and wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel has been taken into custody, the Illinois State Police said Friday. The agency said in a statement that Darius Sullivan was found Friday morning, a day after authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The statement did not provide details of where Sullivan was found. It said he will be transported brought back to Kankakee County, where the shooting occurred late Wednesday. Authorities are still searching for 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, of Bradley, who investigators believe was at the hotel when the shootings happened, the state police said. The two officers were speaking to people in a room at a Comfort Inn along a highway in Kankakee County when they were shot, according to the county sheriff's office. The officers were taken to nearby hospitals, where 49-year-old Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic died. The other officer identified by the Illinois State Police as 27-year-old Tyler J. Bailey underwent surgery was listed in critical condition on Thursday, according to the Bradley Police Department. The officers were at the hotel to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, the sheriff's office said. They found the room where the vehicle's possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, it said. Authorities arrested two other people Thursday on charges alleging they impeded the search for Sullivan and a woman also suspected in the shootings. Nichele Newton-Carroll, 43, and Jelman Sullivan, 21, face charges of obstructing justice/leaving the state, the Kankakee Daily Journal reported. Neither had an attorney listed Friday in court or jail records. Kankakee County State's Attorney Jim Rowe identified Newton-Carroll as Sullivan's mother. Rowe said he is not sure of the connection between Jelman Sullivan and Darius Sullivan. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriff's deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriff's Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputy's squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. OMAHA Nebraska Republican gubernatorial candidate Theresa Thibodeau has announced plans for a statewide campaign trip, starting Monday. Thibodeau said she will embark on an eight-day "listening tour" to meet with voters. Thibodeau is a former Nebraska state senator, business owner and chairwoman of the Douglas County Republican Party. She was initially chosen as the running mate of another GOP gubernatorial candidate, Charles Herbster, but later withdrew from that campaign. She announced her intention to run for governor in November. I'm excited to continue the important mission of listening to the concerns and ideas of Nebraskans, Thibodeau said in a statement. From Omaha to Scottsbluff, Valentine to McCook, every Nebraskan deserves an opportunity to have their voice heard by the candidate who wishes to represent them. Thibodeau's campaign said it will release specific stops on the listening tour on Sunday. Thibodeau is hoping to win a competitive Republican primary that includes Herbster, University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen, state Sen. Brett Lindstrom and Omaha information technology manager Breland Ridenour. State Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue is running on the Democratic side. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. CHICAGO A man suspected in the shooting of one police officer and wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel has been taken into custody, the Illinois State Police said Friday. The agency said in a statement that Darius Sullivan was found Friday morning, a day after authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The statement did not provide details of where Sullivan was found. It said he will be transported brought back to Kankakee County, where the shooting occurred late Wednesday. Authorities are still searching for 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, of Bradley, who investigators believe was at the hotel when the shootings happened, the state police said. The two officers were speaking to people in a room at a Comfort Inn along a highway in Kankakee County when they were shot, according to the county sheriff's office. The officers were taken to nearby hospitals, where 49-year-old Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic died. The other officer identified by the Illinois State Police as 27-year-old Tyler J. Bailey underwent surgery was listed in critical condition on Thursday, according to the Bradley Police Department. The officers were at the hotel to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, the sheriff's office said. They found the room where the vehicle's possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, it said. Authorities arrested two other people Thursday on charges alleging they impeded the search for Sullivan and a woman also suspected in the shootings. Nichele Newton-Carroll, 43, and Jelman Sullivan, 21, face charges of obstructing justice/leaving the state, the Kankakee Daily Journal reported. Neither had an attorney listed Friday in court or jail records. Kankakee County State's Attorney Jim Rowe identified Newton-Carroll as Sullivan's mother. Rowe said he is not sure of the connection between Jelman Sullivan and Darius Sullivan. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriff's deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriff's Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputy's squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close ASHWAUBENON The American Red Cross opened a shelter on New Year's Eve for residents displaced by a fire earlier Friday at a 24-unit apartment building on Carstensen Lane in Ashwaubenon. The Red Cross invited tenants who were displaced to visit Ashwaubenon High School, 2391 S. Ridge Road, "for a warm, safe place to stay, plus food and other essentials," according to a statement issued late Friday by Justin Kern, a spokesman for the organization. "We are especially grateful for our volunteers, bringing their relentless humanitarianism into the New Year," the statement read. No further details about the fire or its cause were immediately available. More: First responders discover two dead, two injured after garage explodes in Shawano County This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Ashwaubenon apartment fire on New Year's Eve: Red Cross offers shelter VERO BEACH, Fla., Dec. 31, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach Assisted Living and Memory Care approaches its one-year anniversary of grand opening, Executive Director Kim Haddon prepares to celebrate with her growing community of associates, residents and family members. Haddon was selected to lead the 107-unit luxury senior living community earlier this year, bringing more than twenty years of experience in the healthcare industry. She began her career as a certified nursing assistant and med tech, and successfully advanced into leadership positions in culinary, programming, and mental health management. Most recently, Haddon joyfully served eight years as an Executive Director for assisted living and memory care communities before joining the Watercrest family. The residents and families of Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach sing Kim's praises as an executive director who honors her commitments and builds trust by holding herself and others accountable. Her dedication to teamwork has led to thriving partnerships in the surrounding community of Santa Rosa Beach, a city who greatly supported the development of the luxury senior living community of Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach. "Our days are filled with laughter, smiles and cherished moments with our residents making this extraordinary community their new home," says Kim Haddon, Executive Director of Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach. "We have formed a family here and look forward to amazing accomplishments and unforgettable experiences in 2022!" Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach offers 75 assisted living and 32 memory care apartments with resort-style service and world-class care. Residents enjoy pampering in elegant Spa W, savor private label Watercrest wines at the bistro, and relish the flavors of locally grown, seasonal ingredients and organic fare whether dining outdoors, bistro-style, or in the chef's private dining room. Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach is a newly-constructed senior living development project partnered between Watercrest Senior Living Group and The St. Joe Company. The 92,000 square foot luxury senior living community is conveniently located at 205 West Hewett Road along the Emerald Coast in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. For information, contact the community at 850-660-7130. About Watercrest Senior Living GroupWatercrest Senior Living Group was founded to honor our mothers and fathers, aspiring to become a beacon for quality in senior living by surpassing standards of care, service and associate training. Watercrest senior living communities are recognized for their luxury aesthetic, exceptional amenities, world-class care, and innovative memory care programming offering unparalleled service to seniors living with Alzheimer's and dementia. A certified Great Place to Work, Watercrest specializes in the development and operations of assisted living and memory care communities and the growth of servant leaders. For information, visit www.watercrestseniorliving.com. About The St. Joe CompanyThe St. Joe Company is a real estate development, asset management and operating company with real estate assets and operations in Northwest Florida. The Company intends to use existing assets for residential, hospitality and commercial ventures. St. Joe has significant residential and commercial land-use entitlements. The Company actively seeks higher and better uses for its real estate assets through a range of development activities. More information about the Company can be found on its website at www.joe.com. On a regular basis, the Company releases a video showing progress on projects in development or under construction. See https://www.joe.com/video-gallery for more information. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/watercrest-santa-rosa-beach-assisted-living-and-memory-care-looks-ahead-to-2022-with-executive-director-kim-haddon-301452435.html SOURCE Watercrest Senior Living Group You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Vials labeled "COVID-19 Coronavirus Vaccine" and a syringe are seen in front of displayed Novavax logo in this illustration taken on Feb. 9, 2021. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters) Novavax Files Final Data to FDA, Lays Groundwork for COVID-19 Vaccine EUA Request in a Month Novavax says that it has submitted the final round of data on its COVID-19 vaccine to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in anticipation of filing a request to the agency for emergency use authorization (EUA) in a month. The final data is related to the vaccines manufacturing processes, and its submission is the final prerequisite for the EUA application. The two-dose vaccine by Novavax, NVX-CoV2373, was engineered from the genetic sequence of the first strain of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the disease COVID-19. The vaccine is protein-based, which sets it apart from the COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the United States: the mRNA-based vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna and the non-replicating viral vector vaccine from Johnson & Johnson. NVX-CoV2373 was created using Novavax recombinant nanoparticle technology to generate antigen derived from the coronavirus spike (S) protein and is formulated with Novavax patented saponin-based Matrix-M adjuvant to enhance the immune response and stimulate high levels of neutralizing antibodies, the Maryland-based biotechnology company said in a statement. NVX-CoV2373 contains purified protein antigen and can neither replicate, nor can it cause COVID-19. A phase 3 trial in the United States and Mexico with more than 25,000 participants achieved [a 90.4 percent] efficacy overall, according to Novavax. The company stated that it has already established some partnerships to produce and distribute the vaccine should it receive the EUA. The vaccine has received authorizations from EU regulators and the World Health Organization. It has also secured authorizations in India, Indonesia, and the Philippines, where it has partnered with the Serum Institute of Indiaone of the largest vaccine manufacturers in the worldto deliver its vaccines. Novavax is also awaiting approval in Japan, where its vaccine would be manufactured and distributed by Takeda Pharmaceutical. Reuters contributed to this report. Registered Nurse Rachelle Curtis cares for an intubated patient in the coronavirus intensive care unit at CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital on Friday, Jan. 22, 2021. MIKALA COMPTON | Herald-Zeitung Vietnams beauty scene exploded in 2021 thanks to the unparalleled success of its rising pageant stars. In early December, Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien was crowned Miss Grand International 2021 in Thailand after beating out stunning contestants from Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Brazil, and South Africa. In the pageants finale, held on December 4, the 23-year-old beauty queen stole the show with dazzling swimsuit and evening gown performances before impressing both the audiences and judges with her confidence and fluency in both English and Thai while answering tie-breaker questions to secure the crown. Thuy Tiens victory on the Miss Grand International pageant stage is the first for a Vietnamese woman in the events 8-year history. Her pageant resume includes a first runner-up finish in Ho Chi Minh Citys Miss Southern 2017 pageant, a Top 5 finish at Miss Vietnam 2018. Tien also took home the Beauty with a Purpose title at Miss Vietnam 2018. Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien is seen wearing ao dai (Vietnamese traditional costume) and poses in a photo for a peace-themed series she posted on her verified Facebook page. Also in December, beauty queen Hoang Huong Ly a Top 5 finisher at the Miss Sea Vietnam 2016 pageant took home the title of Miss Tourism Metropolitan International at the Miss Tourism International 2021 pageant. The contest was held online with the participation of 50 contestants. The finale took place on December 19. Huong Ly said her biggest wish was to promote the beauty of Vietnam and its tourism potential while simultaneously calling on the world to protect nature and the environment. A supplied photo shows Hoang Huong Ly who won the title of Miss Tourism Metropolitan International at the Miss Tourism International 2021 pageant. Two days later, 13-year-old Bella Vu Huyen Dieu was crowned Miss Eco Teen International in Egypt thanks to her impressive singing, piano playing, and catwalk performances. Dieu took part in the 2019 Little Miss Universe pageant in Georgia where she was named Little Miss Charm. A supplied photo shows Bella Vu Huyen Dieu in a national costume at Miss Eco Teen International 2021. Unfortunately, not all of Vietnams beauty queens found success on the pageant stage. Nguyen Thi Van Anh failed to make it into the Top 20 at Miss Earth 2021 in the Philippines, Tran Hoang Ai Nhi failed to make it into the Top 20 Miss Intercontinental 2021 in Egypt, and Nguyen Hoang Kim Duyen failed to make it passed the round of 16 at Miss Universe 2021 in Israel. A collage of two supplied photos shows Ai Nhi (left) and Van Anh who represented Vietnam at the Miss Intercontinental 2021 and Miss Earth 2021 respectively. A photo shows Nguyen Huynh Kim Duyen in a costume inspired by 'banh tet,' a traditional type of glutinous rice cake in Vietnam, at Miss Universe 2021's national costume round, Duyen posted on her verified Facebook page. The country still has high hopes for Do Thi Ha, who had to pause her journey at Miss World 2021 in Puerto Rico after 17 COVID-19 cases were detected. The contest finals night has been pushed back from December 17 to March 16 next year. A supplied photo shows Do Thi Ha who represented Vietnam at the Miss World 2021 in Puerto Rico. Although not technically a beauty pageant queen, Vietnamese model Nguyen Quynh Anh made fans proud with her victory on the sixth season of Supermodel Me (Supermodel Me: Revolution), a modeling competition reality show in Singapore. In the final round on December 13, Anh outperformed her rivals, Nikki from the Philippines and Hannah from Singapore, to secure the top prize as well as the first victory of a Vietnamese model in one Asias biggest fashion competitions. Vietnamese model Nguyen Quynh Anh won the top prize of the Supermodel Me: Revolution modeling contest in Singapore. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! VERO BEACH, Fla., Dec. 31, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach Assisted Living and Memory Care approaches its one-year anniversary of grand opening, Executive Director Kim Haddon prepares to celebrate with her growing community of associates, residents and family members. Haddon was selected to lead the 107-unit luxury senior living community earlier this year, bringing more than twenty years of experience in the healthcare industry. She began her career as a certified nursing assistant and med tech, and successfully advanced into leadership positions in culinary, programming, and mental health management. Most recently, Haddon joyfully served eight years as an Executive Director for assisted living and memory care communities before joining the Watercrest family. The residents and families of Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach sing Kim's praises as an executive director who honors her commitments and builds trust by holding herself and others accountable. Her dedication to teamwork has led to thriving partnerships in the surrounding community of Santa Rosa Beach, a city who greatly supported the development of the luxury senior living community of Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach. "Our days are filled with laughter, smiles and cherished moments with our residents making this extraordinary community their new home," says Kim Haddon, Executive Director of Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach. "We have formed a family here and look forward to amazing accomplishments and unforgettable experiences in 2022!" Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach offers 75 assisted living and 32 memory care apartments with resort-style service and world-class care. Residents enjoy pampering in elegant Spa W, savor private label Watercrest wines at the bistro, and relish the flavors of locally grown, seasonal ingredients and organic fare whether dining outdoors, bistro-style, or in the chef's private dining room. Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach is a newly-constructed senior living development project partnered between Watercrest Senior Living Group and The St. Joe Company. The 92,000 square foot luxury senior living community is conveniently located at 205 West Hewett Road along the Emerald Coast in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. For information, contact the community at 850-660-7130. About Watercrest Senior Living GroupWatercrest Senior Living Group was founded to honor our mothers and fathers, aspiring to become a beacon for quality in senior living by surpassing standards of care, service and associate training. Watercrest senior living communities are recognized for their luxury aesthetic, exceptional amenities, world-class care, and innovative memory care programming offering unparalleled service to seniors living with Alzheimer's and dementia. A certified Great Place to Work, Watercrest specializes in the development and operations of assisted living and memory care communities and the growth of servant leaders. For information, visit www.watercrestseniorliving.com. About The St. Joe CompanyThe St. Joe Company is a real estate development, asset management and operating company with real estate assets and operations in Northwest Florida. The Company intends to use existing assets for residential, hospitality and commercial ventures. St. Joe has significant residential and commercial land-use entitlements. The Company actively seeks higher and better uses for its real estate assets through a range of development activities. More information about the Company can be found on its website at www.joe.com. On a regular basis, the Company releases a video showing progress on projects in development or under construction. See https://www.joe.com/video-gallery for more information. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/watercrest-santa-rosa-beach-assisted-living-and-memory-care-looks-ahead-to-2022-with-executive-director-kim-haddon-301452435.html SOURCE Watercrest Senior Living Group Vietnams beauty scene exploded in 2021 thanks to the unparalleled success of its rising pageant stars. In early December, Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien was crowned Miss Grand International 2021 in Thailand after beating out stunning contestants from Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Brazil, and South Africa. In the pageants finale, held on December 4, the 23-year-old beauty queen stole the show with dazzling swimsuit and evening gown performances before impressing both the audiences and judges with her confidence and fluency in both English and Thai while answering tie-breaker questions to secure the crown. Thuy Tiens victory on the Miss Grand International pageant stage is the first for a Vietnamese woman in the events 8-year history. Her pageant resume includes a first runner-up finish in Ho Chi Minh Citys Miss Southern 2017 pageant, a Top 5 finish at Miss Vietnam 2018. Tien also took home the Beauty with a Purpose title at Miss Vietnam 2018. Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien is seen wearing ao dai (Vietnamese traditional costume) and poses in a photo for a peace-themed series she posted on her verified Facebook page. Also in December, beauty queen Hoang Huong Ly a Top 5 finisher at the Miss Sea Vietnam 2016 pageant took home the title of Miss Tourism Metropolitan International at the Miss Tourism International 2021 pageant. The contest was held online with the participation of 50 contestants. The finale took place on December 19. Huong Ly said her biggest wish was to promote the beauty of Vietnam and its tourism potential while simultaneously calling on the world to protect nature and the environment. A supplied photo shows Hoang Huong Ly who won the title of Miss Tourism Metropolitan International at the Miss Tourism International 2021 pageant. Two days later, 13-year-old Bella Vu Huyen Dieu was crowned Miss Eco Teen International in Egypt thanks to her impressive singing, piano playing, and catwalk performances. Dieu took part in the 2019 Little Miss Universe pageant in Georgia where she was named Little Miss Charm. A supplied photo shows Bella Vu Huyen Dieu in a national costume at Miss Eco Teen International 2021. Unfortunately, not all of Vietnams beauty queens found success on the pageant stage. Nguyen Thi Van Anh failed to make it into the Top 20 at Miss Earth 2021 in the Philippines, Tran Hoang Ai Nhi failed to make it into the Top 20 Miss Intercontinental 2021 in Egypt, and Nguyen Hoang Kim Duyen failed to make it passed the round of 16 at Miss Universe 2021 in Israel. A collage of two supplied photos shows Ai Nhi (left) and Van Anh who represented Vietnam at the Miss Intercontinental 2021 and Miss Earth 2021 respectively. A photo shows Nguyen Huynh Kim Duyen in a costume inspired by 'banh tet,' a traditional type of glutinous rice cake in Vietnam, at Miss Universe 2021's national costume round, Duyen posted on her verified Facebook page. The country still has high hopes for Do Thi Ha, who had to pause her journey at Miss World 2021 in Puerto Rico after 17 COVID-19 cases were detected. The contest finals night has been pushed back from December 17 to March 16 next year. A supplied photo shows Do Thi Ha who represented Vietnam at the Miss World 2021 in Puerto Rico. Although not technically a beauty pageant queen, Vietnamese model Nguyen Quynh Anh made fans proud with her victory on the sixth season of Supermodel Me (Supermodel Me: Revolution), a modeling competition reality show in Singapore. In the final round on December 13, Anh outperformed her rivals, Nikki from the Philippines and Hannah from Singapore, to secure the top prize as well as the first victory of a Vietnamese model in one Asias biggest fashion competitions. Vietnamese model Nguyen Quynh Anh won the top prize of the Supermodel Me: Revolution modeling contest in Singapore. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnams beauty scene exploded in 2021 thanks to the unparalleled success of its rising pageant stars. In early December, Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien was crowned Miss Grand International 2021 in Thailand after beating out stunning contestants from Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Brazil, and South Africa. In the pageants finale, held on December 4, the 23-year-old beauty queen stole the show with dazzling swimsuit and evening gown performances before impressing both the audiences and judges with her confidence and fluency in both English and Thai while answering tie-breaker questions to secure the crown. Thuy Tiens victory on the Miss Grand International pageant stage is the first for a Vietnamese woman in the events 8-year history. Her pageant resume includes a first runner-up finish in Ho Chi Minh Citys Miss Southern 2017 pageant, a Top 5 finish at Miss Vietnam 2018. Tien also took home the Beauty with a Purpose title at Miss Vietnam 2018. Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien is seen wearing ao dai (Vietnamese traditional costume) and poses in a photo for a peace-themed series she posted on her verified Facebook page. Also in December, beauty queen Hoang Huong Ly a Top 5 finisher at the Miss Sea Vietnam 2016 pageant took home the title of Miss Tourism Metropolitan International at the Miss Tourism International 2021 pageant. The contest was held online with the participation of 50 contestants. The finale took place on December 19. Huong Ly said her biggest wish was to promote the beauty of Vietnam and its tourism potential while simultaneously calling on the world to protect nature and the environment. A supplied photo shows Hoang Huong Ly who won the title of Miss Tourism Metropolitan International at the Miss Tourism International 2021 pageant. Two days later, 13-year-old Bella Vu Huyen Dieu was crowned Miss Eco Teen International in Egypt thanks to her impressive singing, piano playing, and catwalk performances. Dieu took part in the 2019 Little Miss Universe pageant in Georgia where she was named Little Miss Charm. A supplied photo shows Bella Vu Huyen Dieu in a national costume at Miss Eco Teen International 2021. Unfortunately, not all of Vietnams beauty queens found success on the pageant stage. Nguyen Thi Van Anh failed to make it into the Top 20 at Miss Earth 2021 in the Philippines, Tran Hoang Ai Nhi failed to make it into the Top 20 Miss Intercontinental 2021 in Egypt, and Nguyen Hoang Kim Duyen failed to make it passed the round of 16 at Miss Universe 2021 in Israel. A collage of two supplied photos shows Ai Nhi (left) and Van Anh who represented Vietnam at the Miss Intercontinental 2021 and Miss Earth 2021 respectively. A photo shows Nguyen Huynh Kim Duyen in a costume inspired by 'banh tet,' a traditional type of glutinous rice cake in Vietnam, at Miss Universe 2021's national costume round, Duyen posted on her verified Facebook page. The country still has high hopes for Do Thi Ha, who had to pause her journey at Miss World 2021 in Puerto Rico after 17 COVID-19 cases were detected. The contest finals night has been pushed back from December 17 to March 16 next year. A supplied photo shows Do Thi Ha who represented Vietnam at the Miss World 2021 in Puerto Rico. Although not technically a beauty pageant queen, Vietnamese model Nguyen Quynh Anh made fans proud with her victory on the sixth season of Supermodel Me (Supermodel Me: Revolution), a modeling competition reality show in Singapore. In the final round on December 13, Anh outperformed her rivals, Nikki from the Philippines and Hannah from Singapore, to secure the top prize as well as the first victory of a Vietnamese model in one Asias biggest fashion competitions. Vietnamese model Nguyen Quynh Anh won the top prize of the Supermodel Me: Revolution modeling contest in Singapore. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnams beauty scene exploded in 2021 thanks to the unparalleled success of its rising pageant stars. In early December, Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien was crowned Miss Grand International 2021 in Thailand after beating out stunning contestants from Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Brazil, and South Africa. In the pageants finale, held on December 4, the 23-year-old beauty queen stole the show with dazzling swimsuit and evening gown performances before impressing both the audiences and judges with her confidence and fluency in both English and Thai while answering tie-breaker questions to secure the crown. Thuy Tiens victory on the Miss Grand International pageant stage is the first for a Vietnamese woman in the events 8-year history. Her pageant resume includes a first runner-up finish in Ho Chi Minh Citys Miss Southern 2017 pageant, a Top 5 finish at Miss Vietnam 2018. Tien also took home the Beauty with a Purpose title at Miss Vietnam 2018. Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien is seen wearing ao dai (Vietnamese traditional costume) and poses in a photo for a peace-themed series she posted on her verified Facebook page. Also in December, beauty queen Hoang Huong Ly a Top 5 finisher at the Miss Sea Vietnam 2016 pageant took home the title of Miss Tourism Metropolitan International at the Miss Tourism International 2021 pageant. The contest was held online with the participation of 50 contestants. The finale took place on December 19. Huong Ly said her biggest wish was to promote the beauty of Vietnam and its tourism potential while simultaneously calling on the world to protect nature and the environment. A supplied photo shows Hoang Huong Ly who won the title of Miss Tourism Metropolitan International at the Miss Tourism International 2021 pageant. Two days later, 13-year-old Bella Vu Huyen Dieu was crowned Miss Eco Teen International in Egypt thanks to her impressive singing, piano playing, and catwalk performances. Dieu took part in the 2019 Little Miss Universe pageant in Georgia where she was named Little Miss Charm. A supplied photo shows Bella Vu Huyen Dieu in a national costume at Miss Eco Teen International 2021. Unfortunately, not all of Vietnams beauty queens found success on the pageant stage. Nguyen Thi Van Anh failed to make it into the Top 20 at Miss Earth 2021 in the Philippines, Tran Hoang Ai Nhi failed to make it into the Top 20 Miss Intercontinental 2021 in Egypt, and Nguyen Hoang Kim Duyen failed to make it passed the round of 16 at Miss Universe 2021 in Israel. A collage of two supplied photos shows Ai Nhi (left) and Van Anh who represented Vietnam at the Miss Intercontinental 2021 and Miss Earth 2021 respectively. A photo shows Nguyen Huynh Kim Duyen in a costume inspired by 'banh tet,' a traditional type of glutinous rice cake in Vietnam, at Miss Universe 2021's national costume round, Duyen posted on her verified Facebook page. The country still has high hopes for Do Thi Ha, who had to pause her journey at Miss World 2021 in Puerto Rico after 17 COVID-19 cases were detected. The contest finals night has been pushed back from December 17 to March 16 next year. A supplied photo shows Do Thi Ha who represented Vietnam at the Miss World 2021 in Puerto Rico. Although not technically a beauty pageant queen, Vietnamese model Nguyen Quynh Anh made fans proud with her victory on the sixth season of Supermodel Me (Supermodel Me: Revolution), a modeling competition reality show in Singapore. In the final round on December 13, Anh outperformed her rivals, Nikki from the Philippines and Hannah from Singapore, to secure the top prize as well as the first victory of a Vietnamese model in one Asias biggest fashion competitions. Vietnamese model Nguyen Quynh Anh won the top prize of the Supermodel Me: Revolution modeling contest in Singapore. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Bradey Police Lt. Philip Trudeau (L) comforts Bourbonnais Police officer Andy Cox following a ceremonial procession for fallen Bradley Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, in Bourbonnais, Ill., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Tiffany Blanchette/The Daily Journal via AP) Suspect in Shooting of Illinois Officers Arrested in Indiana CHICAGOA man suspected in the shooting of one police officer and wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel has been taken into custody, authorities said Friday. Darius Sullivan, one of two people suspected in the shooting of the two Bradley police officers, was arrested Friday morning at a home in North Manchester, Indiana, Sgt. Glen Fifield of the Indiana State Police said at a news conference. Sullivan, 25, surrendered to a SWAT team that was assisting the U.S. Marshals with a search warrant for the property about 110 miles east of Bradley. Sullivans arrest came a day after Illinois authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The Illinois State Police did not release any updates on the investigation Friday other than a written statement confirming that Sullivan had been arrested and would be taken back to Kankakee County, where the shooting occurred late Wednesday. Fifield said he didnt have any details on the investigation into the shooting. He did name three other men but wouldnt discuss whether their arrests were connected to the officers shootings. Two of the men were arrested after police said they ran from their car during a traffic stop in Fulton County, Indiana. The third was arrested at the home where Sullivan was taken into custody. Fifield said police found weapons and drugs in the car that the two men fled from and at the North Manchester home. Authorities are still searching for 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, of Bradley, who investigators believe was at the hotel when the shootings happened, the Illinois State Police said. The two officers were speaking to people in a room at a Comfort Inn along a highway in Kankakee County when they were shot, according to the county sheriffs office. They were taken to nearby hospitals, where 49-year-old Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic died. The other officeridentified by the Illinois State Police as 27-year-old Tyler J. Baileyunderwent surgery and was listed in critical condition on Thursday, according to the Bradley Police Department. Messages left with the department and Illinois State Police on Friday to update Baileys condition were not immediately returned. The officers were at the hotel to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, the sheriffs office said. They found the room where the vehicles possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, it said. Authorities arrested two other people Thursday on charges alleging they impeded the search for Sullivan and a woman also suspected in the shootings. Nichele Newton-Carroll, 42, and Jelman Sullivan, 21, face charges of obstructing justice/leaving the state, the (Kankakee) Daily Journal reported. Neither had an attorney listed Friday in court or jail records. Kankakee County States Attorney Jim Rowe identified Newton-Carroll as Sullivans mother. Rowe said he is not sure of the connection between Jelman Sullivan and Darius Sullivan. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriffs deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriffs Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputys squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. M. Chaise Gilbert Scientists have often invited the public to see what they see, using everything from engraved woodblocks to electron microscopes to explore the complexity of the scientific enterprise and the beauty of life. Sharing these visions through illustrations, photography and videos has allowed laypeople to explore a range of discoveries, from new bird species to the inner workings of the human cell. As a neuroscience and bioscience researcher, I know that scientists are sometimes pigeonholed as white lab coats obsessed with charts and graphs. What that stereotype misses is their passion for science as a mode of discovery. Thats why scientists frequently turn to awe-inducing visualizations as a way to explain the unexplainable. The BioArt Scientific Image and Video Competition, administered by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, shares images rarely seen outside the laboratory with the public in order to introduce and educate laypeople about the wonder often associated with biological research. BioArt and similar contests reflect the lengthy history of using imagery to elucidate science. A zebrafish embryos developing eye, 72 hours after fertilization. Lynne Nacke The Renaissance, a period in European history between the 14th and 17th centuries, breathed new life into both science and art. It brought together the fledgling discipline of natural historya field of inquiry observing animals, plants and fungi in their ordinary environmentswith artistic illustration. This allowed for wider study and classification of the natural world. Artists and artistic naturalists were also able to advance approaches to the study of nature by illustrating discoveries of early botanists and anatomists. Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens, for example, offered remarkable insight into human anatomy in his famous anatomical drawings. This art-science formula was further democratized in the 17th and 18th centuries as the printing process became more sophisticated and allowed early ornithologists and anatomists to publish and disseminate their elegant drawings. Initial popular entries included John James Audubons Birds of America and Charles Darwins The Origin of the Speciesgroundbreaking at the time for the clarity of their illustrations. Story continues A painting of a cross-section of a small respiratory droplet, like the ones that are thought to transmit the coronavirus. Christine Zardecki Publishers soon followed with well-received field guides and encyclopedias detailing observations of what were seen through early microscopes. For example, a Scottish encyclopedia published in 1859, Chamberss Encyclopaedia: A Dictionary of Universal Knowledge for the People, sought to broadly explain the natural world through woodblock illustrations of mammals, microorganisms, birds and reptiles. These publications responded to the publics demand for more news and views of the natural world. People formed amateur naturalist societies, hunted for fossils, and enjoyed trips to local zoos or menageries. By the 19th century, natural history museums were being constructed around the world to share scientific knowledge through illustrations, models and real-life examples. Exhibits ranged from taxidermied animals to human organs preserved in liquid. What began as hand drawings has morphed over the past 150 years with the help of new technologies. The advent of sophisticated imaging techniques such as X-rays in 1895, electron microscopes in 1931, 3D modeling in the 1960s and magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI in 1973 made it easier for scientists to share what they were seeing in the lab. In fact, Wilhelm Roentgen, a physics professor who first discovered the X-ray, made the first human X-ray image with his wifes hand. Micro-CT density rendering of an embryonic southern cassowary skull superimposed upon the cranial casque of an adult. Todd Green Today, scientific publications including Nature and The Scientist have taken to sharing their favorites with readers. Visualizations, whether through photography or video, are one more method for scientists to document, test and affirm their research. These science visualizations have found their way into classrooms, as K-12 schools add scientific photographs and videos to lesson plans. Art museums, for example, have developed science curricula based on art to give students a glimpse of what science looks like. This can help promote scientific literacy, increasing both their understanding of basic scientific principles and their critical thinking skills. A fluorescent overlay of HeLa cells infected with the fatal food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. You can see the bacteria spreading from cell to cell. Arandeep Dhanda Scientific literacy is especially important now. During a pandemic in which misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccines has been rampant, a better understanding of natural phenomena could help students learn how to make informed decisions about disease risk and transmission. Teaching scientific literacy gives students the skills to evaluate the claims of both scientists and public figures, whether theyre about COVID-19, the common cold or climate change. However, science knowledge appears to be stagnating. The 2019 National Assessment of Education Progress measures the science knowledge and scientific inquiry capabilities of U.S. public school students in grades 4, 8 and 12 from a scale of zero to 300. Scores stagnated for all grades from 2009 to 2019, hovering between 150 to 154. A 3D evaluation of a mouses cardiac lymphatic network. Coraline Heron A survey of K-12 teachers shows that 77 percent of elementary teachers spend under four hours a week on science. And the 2018 National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education found that K-3 students receive an average of only 18 minutes of science instruction per day, compared to 57 minutes in math. Making science more visual may make learning science at an early age easier. It could also help students both understand scientific models and develop skills like teamwork and how to communicate complex concepts. The BioArt Scientific Image and Video Competition was established 10 years ago to both give scientists an outlet to share their latest research and allow a wider audience to view bioscience from the researchers point of view. Whats unique about the BioArt competition is the diversity of submissions over the past decade. After all, bioscience encompasses the wide range of disciplines within the life sciences. The 2021 BioArt contest winners range from a zebrafish embryos developing eye to the shell of a species of 96 million-year-old helochelydrid fossil turtle. I have served as a judge for the BioArt competition over the past five years. My appreciation for the science behind the images is often exceeded by my enjoyment of their beauty and technical skill. For instance, photography using polarized light, which filters light waves so they oscillate in one direction instead of many directions, allows scientists to reveal what the otherwise hidden insides of samples look like. Whether today or in the past, science elucidates the foundation of our world, both in miniature and at scale. Its my hope that visually illuminating scientific processes and concepts can advance scientific literacy and give both students and the general public access to a deeper understanding of the natural world that they need to be informed citizens. That those images and videos are often beautiful is an added benefit. Chris Curran is a neuroscientist at Northern Kentucky University. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Australia is bringing in the new year with some summer sun as temperatures heat up nationwide - but cooler temperatures on the way for Melbourne. Aussies celebrated New Years Day by heading to the beaches with most states reporting sunny weather. Sydneysiders enjoyed a hot and humid day on Saturday with temperatures reaching 29C and fine conditions. The heat will stay for the rest of the week as temperatures are predicted to sit in the comfortable 20s - however on Tuesday the city is expected to see some rain and raised humidity. A woman cooled off after soaking sun the Sydney sun at the beach as temperatures sit comfortably in the twenties People flocked to the beach to cool off from the heat and celebrate the arrival of the new year Swimmers resembled flamingos as they headed to the beach for their first swim of the year Melbourne is finally set to cool down as the heatwave is predicted to ease off in the coming week with a predicted 10C drop on Sunday. Melburnians also flocked for the water on Saturday with temperatures reported up to 37C. However, the rest of the week is looking much cooler with a maximum temperature of 21C expected on Monday. Queensland will bring in the new year with a bang as residents prepare for a cyclone in the state's tropical north. Tropical cyclone Seth (category two) will bring rain to Queensland's coast as it heads southeast at 17 kilometres per hour Revellers chat and hide under an umbrella to escape the rain while celebrating the new year in Sydney #CycloneSeth has formed in the Coral Sea east northeast of Mackay, moving east southeast away from the coast. The tropical cyclone is not expected to directly affect the coastline in the next 48h however it will be directing large waves towards the coast https://t.co/KR9Csbgc1C pic.twitter.com/giCu1jWY5J Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) December 31, 2021 Tropical cyclone Seth (category two) was discovered early Saturday morning 690 km east of Mackay and 570 km east northeast of Yeppoon. The cyclone is moving southeast at 17 kilometres per hour but is not expected to directly affect the coastline. South Australia and the ACT will experience a similar weather pattern to Melbourne - Adelaide will reach 37C on Saturday with only a five per cent chance of any rain. People were seen jumping off the pier at St Kilda beach to cool off during Melbourne's heatwave People flocked to popular beaches to enjoy the sunny weather and bring in the new year Beachgoers were seen swimming and playing games while they soaked up the summer sun Canberra can expect a mostly sunny day and 31C on Saturday as cooler days and a possible shower on Thursday predicted to follow later in the week. Hobart will welcome the new year with a partly cloudy day and maximum of 26C on Saturday with temperatures dropping through the week. In the west, Perth welcomed a more bearable 29C on Saturday and a mostly sunny day, a welcome change after experiencing four consecutive days over 40C at Christmas. It is expected to heat up again, however, with 37C predicted for Monday. A woman went running as people made the most of the sunshine on the celebratory weekend Australia's famous beaches were packed as locals headed to the shores to enjoy the heat The Australian city with the most predictable weather at this time of year, Darwin, reached 33C New Years Day with a possible shower or storm forecast during the day. Australia continues to experience La Nina conditions, combined with effects of the monsoon season, at least in the country's north. That generally means wetter, more changeable weather, despite the stable pattern in Australia's south-east in the coming days. People cooled off in the water from the summer heat and made the most of their local beaches Sleepy celebrations: revellers flocked to the beach to watch the sunrise on New Year's Day thank you for tracking DH's latest updates of India and the world! 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 matter has been referred to the tax rate rationalisation committee and it will be discussed again at the next meeting of the council New Delhi: The Goods and Services Tax Council on Friday decided to defer the hike in GST on textiles from five per cent to 12 per cent that was due to kick in from January 1, 2022. The GST Council, however, decided to retain the status quo, and keep it at five per cent. However, the matter has been referred to the tax rate rationalisation committee and it will be discussed again at the next meeting of the council for the future course of action. Briefing the media after the GST Council meeting, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman told reporters that Fridays meeting was a brief one with only one item on the agenda -- the rate rationalisation on textiles, and it was called under the emergency provision. The meeting was triggered by a notice sent to me by the Gujarat finance minister, who had requested a reconsideration of the September 2021 decision taken in the council, she said. Several other states including West Bengal, Delhi, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan had supported the Gujarat governments demand. The finance minister said a similar demand to suspend the rate hike on footwear was not agreed to by the council. With effect from January 1, 2022, all footwear, irrespective of prices, will attract GST at 12 per cent. A group of state finance ministers which is looking at GST rate rationalisation has been asked to look at the tax rate on textile, the finance minister said, adding that the group has been asked to present the report by February next year. At present the tax rate on manmade fibre (MMF) is 18 per cent and MMF yarn 12 per cent, while fabrics are taxed at five per cent. The GST Council also decided Friday that the 12 per cent uniform GST rate would apply on textile products, except cotton, including readymade garments. Ms Sitharaman said that at the September 2021 Lucknow GST Council meeting, it was decided to make corrections on two inversions, but some states had sought reconsideration of the rate change on textiles. We looked into the fact there are so much complexities in the sector on rates, for which the council has agreed to maintain the status quo, she added. When asked about any extension of the compensation cess, the finance minister said this issue was not on the agenda on Friday. Some state finance ministers did mention the issue of extending compensation cess, however, no discussions were held. At the moment, I have nothing before me in this regard, Ms Sitharaman added. The matter has been referred to the tax rate rationalisation committee and it will be discussed again at the next meeting of the council New Delhi: The Goods and Services Tax Council on Friday decided to defer the hike in GST on textiles from five per cent to 12 per cent that was due to kick in from January 1, 2022. The GST Council, however, decided to retain the status quo, and keep it at five per cent. However, the matter has been referred to the tax rate rationalisation committee and it will be discussed again at the next meeting of the council for the future course of action. Briefing the media after the GST Council meeting, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman told reporters that Fridays meeting was a brief one with only one item on the agenda -- the rate rationalisation on textiles, and it was called under the emergency provision. The meeting was triggered by a notice sent to me by the Gujarat finance minister, who had requested a reconsideration of the September 2021 decision taken in the council, she said. Several other states including West Bengal, Delhi, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan had supported the Gujarat governments demand. The finance minister said a similar demand to suspend the rate hike on footwear was not agreed to by the council. With effect from January 1, 2022, all footwear, irrespective of prices, will attract GST at 12 per cent. A group of state finance ministers which is looking at GST rate rationalisation has been asked to look at the tax rate on textile, the finance minister said, adding that the group has been asked to present the report by February next year. At present the tax rate on manmade fibre (MMF) is 18 per cent and MMF yarn 12 per cent, while fabrics are taxed at five per cent. The GST Council also decided Friday that the 12 per cent uniform GST rate would apply on textile products, except cotton, including readymade garments. Ms Sitharaman said that at the September 2021 Lucknow GST Council meeting, it was decided to make corrections on two inversions, but some states had sought reconsideration of the rate change on textiles. We looked into the fact there are so much complexities in the sector on rates, for which the council has agreed to maintain the status quo, she added. When asked about any extension of the compensation cess, the finance minister said this issue was not on the agenda on Friday. Some state finance ministers did mention the issue of extending compensation cess, however, no discussions were held. At the moment, I have nothing before me in this regard, Ms Sitharaman added. The matter has been referred to the tax rate rationalisation committee and it will be discussed again at the next meeting of the council New Delhi: The Goods and Services Tax Council on Friday decided to defer the hike in GST on textiles from five per cent to 12 per cent that was due to kick in from January 1, 2022. The GST Council, however, decided to retain the status quo, and keep it at five per cent. However, the matter has been referred to the tax rate rationalisation committee and it will be discussed again at the next meeting of the council for the future course of action. Briefing the media after the GST Council meeting, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman told reporters that Fridays meeting was a brief one with only one item on the agenda -- the rate rationalisation on textiles, and it was called under the emergency provision. The meeting was triggered by a notice sent to me by the Gujarat finance minister, who had requested a reconsideration of the September 2021 decision taken in the council, she said. Several other states including West Bengal, Delhi, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan had supported the Gujarat governments demand. The finance minister said a similar demand to suspend the rate hike on footwear was not agreed to by the council. With effect from January 1, 2022, all footwear, irrespective of prices, will attract GST at 12 per cent. A group of state finance ministers which is looking at GST rate rationalisation has been asked to look at the tax rate on textile, the finance minister said, adding that the group has been asked to present the report by February next year. At present the tax rate on manmade fibre (MMF) is 18 per cent and MMF yarn 12 per cent, while fabrics are taxed at five per cent. The GST Council also decided Friday that the 12 per cent uniform GST rate would apply on textile products, except cotton, including readymade garments. Ms Sitharaman said that at the September 2021 Lucknow GST Council meeting, it was decided to make corrections on two inversions, but some states had sought reconsideration of the rate change on textiles. We looked into the fact there are so much complexities in the sector on rates, for which the council has agreed to maintain the status quo, she added. When asked about any extension of the compensation cess, the finance minister said this issue was not on the agenda on Friday. Some state finance ministers did mention the issue of extending compensation cess, however, no discussions were held. At the moment, I have nothing before me in this regard, Ms Sitharaman added. Parks Victoria has closed a stretch of beach at Jarosite Headlands, near Bells Beach, after a man was fatally injured on Friday when a cliff collapsed near the popular Great Ocean Road location. Parks Victoria warned the cliff may continue to move over coming hours and days. In a statement, Parks Victoria said the landslip and rockfall occurred at the Jarosite Headland, near Bells Beach, and the area between Point Addis and Southside beaches was now closed. Parks Victoria has closed a stretch of beach at Jarosite Headlands, near Bells Beach, after a man was fatally injured on Friday when a cliff collapsed near the popular Great Ocean Road location. Parks Victoria warned the cliff may continue to move over coming hours and days. In a statement, Parks Victoria said the landslip and rockfall occurred at the Jarosite Headland, near Bells Beach, and the area between Point Addis and Southside beaches was now closed. Australia is bringing in the new year with some summer sun as temperatures heat up nationwide - but cooler temperatures on the way for Melbourne. Aussies celebrated New Years Day by heading to the beaches with most states reporting sunny weather. Sydneysiders enjoyed a hot and humid day on Saturday with temperatures reaching 29C and fine conditions. The heat will stay for the rest of the week as temperatures are predicted to sit in the comfortable 20s - however on Tuesday the city is expected to see some rain and raised humidity. A woman cooled off after soaking sun the Sydney sun at the beach as temperatures sit comfortably in the twenties People flocked to the beach to cool off from the heat and celebrate the arrival of the new year Swimmers resembled flamingos as they headed to the beach for their first swim of the year Melbourne is finally set to cool down as the heatwave is predicted to ease off in the coming week with a predicted 10C drop on Sunday. Melburnians also flocked for the water on Saturday with temperatures reported up to 37C. However, the rest of the week is looking much cooler with a maximum temperature of 21C expected on Monday. Queensland will bring in the new year with a bang as residents prepare for a cyclone in the state's tropical north. Tropical cyclone Seth (category two) will bring rain to Queensland's coast as it heads southeast at 17 kilometres per hour Revellers chat and hide under an umbrella to escape the rain while celebrating the new year in Sydney #CycloneSeth has formed in the Coral Sea east northeast of Mackay, moving east southeast away from the coast. The tropical cyclone is not expected to directly affect the coastline in the next 48h however it will be directing large waves towards the coast https://t.co/KR9Csbgc1C pic.twitter.com/giCu1jWY5J Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) December 31, 2021 Tropical cyclone Seth (category two) was discovered early Saturday morning 690 km east of Mackay and 570 km east northeast of Yeppoon. The cyclone is moving southeast at 17 kilometres per hour but is not expected to directly affect the coastline. South Australia and the ACT will experience a similar weather pattern to Melbourne - Adelaide will reach 37C on Saturday with only a five per cent chance of any rain. People were seen jumping off the pier at St Kilda beach to cool off during Melbourne's heatwave People flocked to popular beaches to enjoy the sunny weather and bring in the new year Beachgoers were seen swimming and playing games while they soaked up the summer sun Canberra can expect a mostly sunny day and 31C on Saturday as cooler days and a possible shower on Thursday predicted to follow later in the week. Hobart will welcome the new year with a partly cloudy day and maximum of 26C on Saturday with temperatures dropping through the week. In the west, Perth welcomed a more bearable 29C on Saturday and a mostly sunny day, a welcome change after experiencing four consecutive days over 40C at Christmas. It is expected to heat up again, however, with 37C predicted for Monday. A woman went running as people made the most of the sunshine on the celebratory weekend Australia's famous beaches were packed as locals headed to the shores to enjoy the heat The Australian city with the most predictable weather at this time of year, Darwin, reached 33C New Years Day with a possible shower or storm forecast during the day. Australia continues to experience La Nina conditions, combined with effects of the monsoon season, at least in the country's north. That generally means wetter, more changeable weather, despite the stable pattern in Australia's south-east in the coming days. People cooled off in the water from the summer heat and made the most of their local beaches Sleepy celebrations: revellers flocked to the beach to watch the sunrise on New Year's Day Australia is bringing in the new year with some summer sun as temperatures heat up nationwide - but cooler temperatures on the way for Melbourne. Aussies celebrated New Years Day by heading to the beaches with most states reporting sunny weather. Sydneysiders enjoyed a hot and humid day on Saturday with temperatures reaching 29C and fine conditions. The heat will stay for the rest of the week as temperatures are predicted to sit in the comfortable 20s - however on Tuesday the city is expected to see some rain and raised humidity. A woman cooled off after soaking sun the Sydney sun at the beach as temperatures sit comfortably in the twenties People flocked to the beach to cool off from the heat and celebrate the arrival of the new year Swimmers resembled flamingos as they headed to the beach for their first swim of the year Melbourne is finally set to cool down as the heatwave is predicted to ease off in the coming week with a predicted 10C drop on Sunday. Melburnians also flocked for the water on Saturday with temperatures reported up to 37C. However, the rest of the week is looking much cooler with a maximum temperature of 21C expected on Monday. Queensland will bring in the new year with a bang as residents prepare for a cyclone in the state's tropical north. Tropical cyclone Seth (category two) will bring rain to Queensland's coast as it heads southeast at 17 kilometres per hour Revellers chat and hide under an umbrella to escape the rain while celebrating the new year in Sydney #CycloneSeth has formed in the Coral Sea east northeast of Mackay, moving east southeast away from the coast. The tropical cyclone is not expected to directly affect the coastline in the next 48h however it will be directing large waves towards the coast https://t.co/KR9Csbgc1C pic.twitter.com/giCu1jWY5J Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) December 31, 2021 Tropical cyclone Seth (category two) was discovered early Saturday morning 690 km east of Mackay and 570 km east northeast of Yeppoon. The cyclone is moving southeast at 17 kilometres per hour but is not expected to directly affect the coastline. South Australia and the ACT will experience a similar weather pattern to Melbourne - Adelaide will reach 37C on Saturday with only a five per cent chance of any rain. People were seen jumping off the pier at St Kilda beach to cool off during Melbourne's heatwave People flocked to popular beaches to enjoy the sunny weather and bring in the new year Beachgoers were seen swimming and playing games while they soaked up the summer sun Canberra can expect a mostly sunny day and 31C on Saturday as cooler days and a possible shower on Thursday predicted to follow later in the week. Hobart will welcome the new year with a partly cloudy day and maximum of 26C on Saturday with temperatures dropping through the week. In the west, Perth welcomed a more bearable 29C on Saturday and a mostly sunny day, a welcome change after experiencing four consecutive days over 40C at Christmas. It is expected to heat up again, however, with 37C predicted for Monday. A woman went running as people made the most of the sunshine on the celebratory weekend Australia's famous beaches were packed as locals headed to the shores to enjoy the heat The Australian city with the most predictable weather at this time of year, Darwin, reached 33C New Years Day with a possible shower or storm forecast during the day. Australia continues to experience La Nina conditions, combined with effects of the monsoon season, at least in the country's north. That generally means wetter, more changeable weather, despite the stable pattern in Australia's south-east in the coming days. People cooled off in the water from the summer heat and made the most of their local beaches Sleepy celebrations: revellers flocked to the beach to watch the sunrise on New Year's Day Presented by: Oil and Gas Investor If you missed the House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on Oct. 28, dont watch it now. If you must, have a blood pressure monitor and tele-doctor nearby. The day after, Rob Clarke, vice president, upstream research, for Wood Mackenzie tweeted what his followersfolks who make energy, invest in it, write about it, analyze itfelt as well, confirming that (1) the hearing did happen and wasnt a mass hallucination and (2) it was, yes, very disturbing. Clarke typed into a meme of Bart Simpson writing lines on a chalkboard: I will stop watching C-SPAN clips of yesterdays energy hearing. Concurrence was received by many of Clarkes followers, including the CFO of an independent, Permian-focused E&P: I feel you; still irate over here. The producer added, It just bothers me that congressmen can tell outright lies about your companyhurting your shareholders and their investmentand you cant push back. Im pretty sure if Chevron owed $50 billion for environmental disasters (as alleged in the hearing) it would be disclosed in SEC filings. So what happened? And what was learned? The answer to the latter is not what the committee might have sought to learn whatever that may have been. Rather, the committee learned nothing, while viewers learned that a large portion of Congress may be just as uneducated about energy as their constituents. As for what happened: A California congresswoman performed a pre-K show-andtell using a jar of candy, followed by a pre-K case of acting out by pouring rice onto her driveway from the back of her SUV, while yelling questions to Gretchen Watkins, then interrupting Watkins, preventing the Shell Oil Co. president from answering anything. There was more. But, as Clarke suggested, we wont rewatch it. Committee members who understand energyand comport a basic respect of othersended up using their time to apologize to the Btu leaders. Among them was Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida. Story continues A tweeter responded: He made some friends in Midland today, thats for sure. Another: Lets throw him a Midland fundraiser. The day before the hearing, an oil producer had tweeted, I expect a lack of basic energy knowledge, no understanding of economics and a show to win votes. A show it wasa circus. Afterwards, a follower replied, Well, you nailed it. There were pre-show optimists: I want to see AOC [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez] wax poetic on gas lift. A reply: This would be the culmination of my life. In the end, there were two kings left on the board: Nothing gainedat least, in terms of what may have been the point of the hearing. This was all conducted and viewed via electricity-powered phone, laptop or other device in a climate-controlled setting with clean drinking water, while robed in fully or partially poly-based fibers. Altogether, it was just as vague as the point of the committee itself. Its legislative jurisdiction is administrative, including holidays, celebrations, the postal service, the census and municipal matters of the District of Columbia. It further states it has jurisdiction in any matter within the jurisdiction of other House committeeswhich is to say it is redundant. Its an overreach committee. Others testifyingtrying to testify, that iswere Mike Wirth, chairman and CEO, Chevron Corp.; Darren Woods, chairman and CEO, Exxon Mobil Corp.; and Dave Lawler, CEO, BP America. And Neal Crabtree, former welder on the former Keystone XL project. Here was an enlightened highlight. Crabtree, who was able to complete his remarks, uninterrupted, said, Build Back Better shouldnt mean neglect and destruction of the energy infrastructure as we know it There seems to be no thought given to the hundreds of thousands of workers in this industry or the millions of products that we use every single day that are provided by fossil fuels. He admonished, There shouldnt be a fear of a heating shortage this coming winter. But, yet, here we are. Energy shortages in the U.S. arent the result of rising prices; instead, rising prices are a direct result of the lack of infrastructure to get products moved to where they need it most. He concluded, My crisis right now is the mortgage payments I have due every month, the food I need to put on the table and the healthcare I need to provide my family. And instead of demonizing the CEOs and presidents here today, I would like to thank them for the opportunity they provided me and my family and my union to work these past few decades. opened an embassy in Nicaragua on Friday for the first time since 1990, acting just over three weeks since President Daniel Ortega's government broke off relations with . Foreign Minister Denis Moncada said there is an ideological affinity between the two countries. Moncada also thanked for donating one million doses of the Sinopharm coronavirus vaccine. Ortega established relations with in 1985, but after he lost the presidential election in 1990, the government of Nicaragua's new president, Violeta Chamorro, recognized . The Nicaraguan government broke relations with the Taiwanese on December 9 and last week it seized the former embassy and diplomatic offices of Taiwan, saying they belong to China. However, China's new embassy is located elsewhere, and it is unclear what China will do with the building. Before departing a week ago, Taiwanese diplomats attempted to donate the properties to the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Managua. But Ortega's government said that any such donation would be invalid and that the building in an upscale Managua neighbourhood belongs to China. Taiwan's Foreign Relations Ministry condemned the gravely illegal actions of the Ortega regime, saying the Nicaraguan government violated standard procedures by giving Taiwanese diplomats just two weeks to get out of the country. It said Taiwan also condemns the arbitrary obstruction by the Nicaraguan government of the symbolic sale of its property to the Nicaraguan Catholic church. Monsignor Carlos Avils, vicar of the archdiocese of Managua, told the newspaper La Prensa that a Taiwanese diplomat had offered the church the property, but added: I told him there was no problem, but the transfer was still in the legal process. The Central American country said in early December it would officially recognise only China, which claims self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory. The move increased Taiwan's diplomatic isolation on the stage, even as the island has stepped up official exchanges with countries such as Lithuania and Slovakia, which do not formally recognise Taiwan as a country. Taiwan has 14 formal diplomatic allies remaining. China has been poaching Taiwan's diplomatic allies over the past few years, reducing the number of countries that recognise the democratic island as a sovereign nation. China is against Taiwan representing itself in global forums or in diplomacy. Taiwan depicts itself as a defender of democracy, while Ortega was reelected as Nicaragua's leader in November in what the White House called a pantomime election. The arbitrary imprisonment of nearly 40 opposition figures since May, including seven potential presidential candidates, and the blocking of political parties from participation rigged the outcome well before election day, US President Joe Biden said in a statement in November. (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.) opened an embassy in Nicaragua on Friday for the first time since 1990, acting just over three weeks since President Daniel Ortega's government broke off relations with . Foreign Minister Denis Moncada said there is an ideological affinity between the two countries. Moncada also thanked for donating one million doses of the Sinopharm coronavirus vaccine. Ortega established relations with in 1985, but after he lost the presidential election in 1990, the government of Nicaragua's new president, Violeta Chamorro, recognized . The Nicaraguan government broke relations with the Taiwanese on December 9 and last week it seized the former embassy and diplomatic offices of Taiwan, saying they belong to China. However, China's new embassy is located elsewhere, and it is unclear what China will do with the building. Before departing a week ago, Taiwanese diplomats attempted to donate the properties to the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Managua. But Ortega's government said that any such donation would be invalid and that the building in an upscale Managua neighbourhood belongs to China. Taiwan's Foreign Relations Ministry condemned the gravely illegal actions of the Ortega regime, saying the Nicaraguan government violated standard procedures by giving Taiwanese diplomats just two weeks to get out of the country. It said Taiwan also condemns the arbitrary obstruction by the Nicaraguan government of the symbolic sale of its property to the Nicaraguan Catholic church. Monsignor Carlos Avils, vicar of the archdiocese of Managua, told the newspaper La Prensa that a Taiwanese diplomat had offered the church the property, but added: I told him there was no problem, but the transfer was still in the legal process. The Central American country said in early December it would officially recognise only China, which claims self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory. The move increased Taiwan's diplomatic isolation on the stage, even as the island has stepped up official exchanges with countries such as Lithuania and Slovakia, which do not formally recognise Taiwan as a country. Taiwan has 14 formal diplomatic allies remaining. China has been poaching Taiwan's diplomatic allies over the past few years, reducing the number of countries that recognise the democratic island as a sovereign nation. China is against Taiwan representing itself in global forums or in diplomacy. Taiwan depicts itself as a defender of democracy, while Ortega was reelected as Nicaragua's leader in November in what the White House called a pantomime election. The arbitrary imprisonment of nearly 40 opposition figures since May, including seven potential presidential candidates, and the blocking of political parties from participation rigged the outcome well before election day, US President Joe Biden said in a statement in November. (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 young boy has died shortly after he was reported missing from his home in the Northern Territory. Police went searching for the boy after he disappeared from his house in a remote community southwest of Alice Springs on Friday. The boy's family searched for the child for several hours before alerting police. A young boy has been found dead after wandering from his home in the remote Northern Territory Acting Police Commander Kirsten Engels said the search had come to a tragic end during the early hours of Saturday morning. The boy was found alive 'in the community', but he died a few hours later. 'Tragically the child was found in the community early this morning and has subsequently passed away,' he said. 'Police are investigating and a report will be prepared for the Coroner. 'We request that the family's privacy is respected at this time and offer our sincere condolences for their loss.' A police spokeswoman told the Australian Associated Press it was too early to speculate on the cause of death and police would investigate and prepare a report for the coroner. Police would not name the community and would only say the boy was aged under 10. 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 city of Napa is working on a legislative platform for 2022 that would better define the citys priorities to bring in more federal funding to specific areas, such as housing or infrastructure, in the future. The citys suggested priority areas include: preserving and enhancing local control and local revenues; housing opportunities for all income levels, including for those experiencing homelessness; pandemic recovery and economic development; investments in infrastructure; and maintaining a healthy and sustainable environment and community. The list of priority areas was presented to the Napa City Council in December, but the council will vote to approve priority areas at a future meeting. Molly Rattigan, assistant to the city manager, said the list was developed in partnership with consultant Merchant McIntyre & Associates, a federal relations advocacy firm the citys been working with since October 2020. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Special offer: Subscribe for $4.99 for yo This really serves as the guidance on where the city of Napa is putting its legislative capital, for lack of a better word, Rattigan said. Over roughly the past year, the firm has provided federal advocacy and helped the city prepare federal grant applications, Rattigan added. She said that though the firm doesn't provide representation at the state level, the city is actively engaged with the League of California Cities and works closely with its two state representatives, Sen. Bill Dodd and Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry. Katie Peterson, a partner at the firm, highlighted two pending federal grants applications resulting from that work: a $75,000 grant to support the Napa Lighted Arts Festival from the National Endowment for the Arts, and a $100,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for firefighter training and health testing. Peterson added that the firm also worked with Rep. Mike Thompsons office to earmark $1.8 million for police radios, included in the Fiscal Year 2022 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related agencies bill, which passed in July. Peterson said the legislative platform needs to focus on specific areas because it is supposed to clarify the citys priorities to Congress and therefore improve local quality of life. The purpose, the primary directive of the legislative platform, is not to solve or advocate for every issue under the sun on behalf of the city, Peterson said. Its very much to establish key official city positions on clearly stated legislative issues. The Napa councilmembers broadly agreed that the recommended legislative priorities align with city council goals. Councilmember Beth Painter said the specific language of the areas is highly important. Among other suggestions, she recommended the word safe be added to the healthy and sustainable environment and community item because the council has stated the importance of promoting pedestrian and bike safety. Painter also suggested that disaster recovery be added to the pandemic recovery item because the city doesnt know when the next disaster, beyond the pandemic, is going to strike. Napa resident Maureen Trippe an organizer of the local Slow Down Napa movement said shed also like to see some consideration for transportation safety in the platform, which could include such measures as traffic calming, speeding, building safe routes to school or other safety-related categories. Rattigan said the city would still have room to work outside of the legislative platform, if needed, and that needs that go beyond the areas identified in the platform will certainly rise. There are always going to be things that come up that are outside of the scope of the legislative platform, Rattigan said. Like I said, you can never fully predict whats going to be proposed. So we will keep our eye on that as well. If there are issues that may not fall within the scope and they need to come back to the council, theres of course the mechanism to do so if needed. 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. 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. 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 city of Napa is working on a legislative platform for 2022 that would better define the citys priorities to bring in more federal funding to specific areas, such as housing or infrastructure, in the future. The citys suggested priority areas include: preserving and enhancing local control and local revenues; housing opportunities for all income levels, including for those experiencing homelessness; pandemic recovery and economic development; investments in infrastructure; and maintaining a healthy and sustainable environment and community. The list of priority areas was presented to the Napa City Council in December, but the council will vote to approve priority areas at a future meeting. Molly Rattigan, assistant to the city manager, said the list was developed in partnership with consultant Merchant McIntyre & Associates, a federal relations advocacy firm the citys been working with since October 2020. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Special offer: Subscribe for $4.99 for yo This really serves as the guidance on where the city of Napa is putting its legislative capital, for lack of a better word, Rattigan said. Over roughly the past year, the firm has provided federal advocacy and helped the city prepare federal grant applications, Rattigan added. She said that though the firm doesn't provide representation at the state level, the city is actively engaged with the League of California Cities and works closely with its two state representatives, Sen. Bill Dodd and Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry. Katie Peterson, a partner at the firm, highlighted two pending federal grants applications resulting from that work: a $75,000 grant to support the Napa Lighted Arts Festival from the National Endowment for the Arts, and a $100,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for firefighter training and health testing. Peterson added that the firm also worked with Rep. Mike Thompsons office to earmark $1.8 million for police radios, included in the Fiscal Year 2022 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related agencies bill, which passed in July. Peterson said the legislative platform needs to focus on specific areas because it is supposed to clarify the citys priorities to Congress and therefore improve local quality of life. The purpose, the primary directive of the legislative platform, is not to solve or advocate for every issue under the sun on behalf of the city, Peterson said. Its very much to establish key official city positions on clearly stated legislative issues. The Napa councilmembers broadly agreed that the recommended legislative priorities align with city council goals. Councilmember Beth Painter said the specific language of the areas is highly important. Among other suggestions, she recommended the word safe be added to the healthy and sustainable environment and community item because the council has stated the importance of promoting pedestrian and bike safety. Painter also suggested that disaster recovery be added to the pandemic recovery item because the city doesnt know when the next disaster, beyond the pandemic, is going to strike. Napa resident Maureen Trippe an organizer of the local Slow Down Napa movement said shed also like to see some consideration for transportation safety in the platform, which could include such measures as traffic calming, speeding, building safe routes to school or other safety-related categories. Rattigan said the city would still have room to work outside of the legislative platform, if needed, and that needs that go beyond the areas identified in the platform will certainly rise. There are always going to be things that come up that are outside of the scope of the legislative platform, Rattigan said. Like I said, you can never fully predict whats going to be proposed. So we will keep our eye on that as well. If there are issues that may not fall within the scope and they need to come back to the council, theres of course the mechanism to do so if needed. 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. 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 pandemic, it seems, sent certain enterprising music lovers into editing rooms. For those still leery of gathering for a live concert, the 2021 consolation prize was not a slew of ephemeral livestreams, but an outpouring of smart, intent music documentaries that werent afraid to stretch past two hours long. With screen time begging to be filled, it was the year of the deep dive. Those documentaries included a binge-watch of the Beatles at work in Peter Jacksons 'The Beatles: Get Back'; a visual barrage to conjure musical disruption in Todd Haynes 'Velvet Underground'; far-reaching commentary atop ecstatic performances from the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival in Questloves 'Summer of Soul'; and a surprisingly candid chronicle of Billie Eilishs whirlwind career at 16, 17 and 18 years old in RJ Cutlers 'The Worlds a Little Blurry'. The Velvet Underground, in its early days, was simultaneously a soundtrack and a canvas for Andy Warhols Exploding Plastic Inevitable, a multimedia club-sized happening that projected images on the band members as they played. Although the Velvets social set included plenty of artists and filmmakers, apparently no one got the obvious idea of capturing a full-length performance by the Velvets in their prime. What a remarkable missed opportunity. Haynes documentary creatively musters circumstantial evidence instead. There are memories from eyewitnesses. And Haynes fills the lack of concert footage with an overload of contemporaneous images, sometimes blinking wildly in a tiled screen that suggests Windows 10 running amok. Luckily, there was more foresight in 1969, when Hal Tulchin had five video cameras rolling at the Harlem Cultural Festival, which later became known as Black Woodstock. New York City presented a series of six weekly free concerts at Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park) with a lineup that looks almost miraculous now, including Stevie Wonder, Mahalia Jackson, Nina Simone, BB King, Sly and the Family Stone, and Mongo Santamaria, just for starters. Tulchins crew shot more than 40 hours of footage, capturing the eager faces and righteous fashions of the audience along with performers who were knocking themselves out for an almost entirely Black crowd. Yet nearly all of Tulchins material went unseen until Questlove finally assembled 'Summer of Soul' from it. Questloves subtitle and his song choices King singing about slavery, Ray Baretto proudly claiming a multiracial America, Simone declaiming 'Backlash Blues', the Rev Jesse Jackson preaching about Martin Luther King Jrs murder in 1968, even the 5th Dimension finding anguish and redemption in 'Let the Sunshine In' make clear that the performers werent offering escapism or complacency. Cameras were filming constantly during the recording sessions for 'Let It Be', when the Beatles set themselves a peculiar, quixotic challenge in January 1969: to make an album fast, on their own, on camera and with a live show to follow. It was one more way that the Beatles were a harbinger of things to come, as if they had envisioned our digital era, when bands habitually record video while they work and upload work-in-progress updates for their fans. Its results, in 1970, were the 'Let It Be' album, reworked by Phil Spector, and the dour, disjointed 80-minute documentary 'Let It Be' by director Michael Lindsay-Hogg both of them a letdown after the album 'Abbey Road', which was released in 1969 but recorded after the 'Let It Be' sessions. The Beatles had announced their breakup with solo albums. The three-part, eight-hour 'Get Back' may well have been closer to what the Beatles hoped to put on film in 1969. Its a bit overlong though. In 'The Worlds a Little Blurry', Eilish faces some of the same pressures as the Beatles did: songwriting, deadlines, playing live, the press. But shes also dealing with them as a teenage girl, in an era when there are cameras everywhere even under her massage table and the internet multiplies every bit of visibility and every attack vector. In 'The Worlds a Little Blurry', Eilish performs to huge crowds singing along with every word, sweeps the top awards at the 2019 Grammys and gets a hug from her childhood pop idol, Justin Bieber. But as in her songs tuneful, whispery and often nightmarish theres as much trauma as there is triumph. thank you for tracking DH's latest updates of India and the world! thank you for tracking DH's latest updates of India and the world! thank you for tracking DH's latest updates of India and the world! Bradey Police Lt. Philip Trudeau (L) comforts Bourbonnais Police officer Andy Cox following a ceremonial procession for fallen Bradley Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, in Bourbonnais, Ill., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Tiffany Blanchette/The Daily Journal via AP) Suspect in Shooting of Illinois Officers Arrested in Indiana CHICAGOA man suspected in the shooting of one police officer and wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel has been taken into custody, authorities said Friday. Darius Sullivan, one of two people suspected in the shooting of the two Bradley police officers, was arrested Friday morning at a home in North Manchester, Indiana, Sgt. Glen Fifield of the Indiana State Police said at a news conference. Sullivan, 25, surrendered to a SWAT team that was assisting the U.S. Marshals with a search warrant for the property about 110 miles east of Bradley. Sullivans arrest came a day after Illinois authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The Illinois State Police did not release any updates on the investigation Friday other than a written statement confirming that Sullivan had been arrested and would be taken back to Kankakee County, where the shooting occurred late Wednesday. Fifield said he didnt have any details on the investigation into the shooting. He did name three other men but wouldnt discuss whether their arrests were connected to the officers shootings. Two of the men were arrested after police said they ran from their car during a traffic stop in Fulton County, Indiana. The third was arrested at the home where Sullivan was taken into custody. Fifield said police found weapons and drugs in the car that the two men fled from and at the North Manchester home. Authorities are still searching for 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, of Bradley, who investigators believe was at the hotel when the shootings happened, the Illinois State Police said. The two officers were speaking to people in a room at a Comfort Inn along a highway in Kankakee County when they were shot, according to the county sheriffs office. They were taken to nearby hospitals, where 49-year-old Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic died. The other officeridentified by the Illinois State Police as 27-year-old Tyler J. Baileyunderwent surgery and was listed in critical condition on Thursday, according to the Bradley Police Department. Messages left with the department and Illinois State Police on Friday to update Baileys condition were not immediately returned. The officers were at the hotel to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, the sheriffs office said. They found the room where the vehicles possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, it said. Authorities arrested two other people Thursday on charges alleging they impeded the search for Sullivan and a woman also suspected in the shootings. Nichele Newton-Carroll, 42, and Jelman Sullivan, 21, face charges of obstructing justice/leaving the state, the (Kankakee) Daily Journal reported. Neither had an attorney listed Friday in court or jail records. Kankakee County States Attorney Jim Rowe identified Newton-Carroll as Sullivans mother. Rowe said he is not sure of the connection between Jelman Sullivan and Darius Sullivan. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriffs deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriffs Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputys squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. With the Omicron variant leading to rising Covid-19 cases across the world, some Governments are beginning to rethink the isolation period for those infected. With many European countries already reducing the isolation period from 10 to seven days, the Irish Government has also made a change to its guidance around isolation. Meanwhile, in the US the recommended isolation time has been cut to five days. Here is an explanation of the rationale behind making such a change. Why has the US changed the isolation period? This week the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reduced the recommended isolation period for people with asymptomatic Covid to five days, down from 10, after which they are asked to wear masks for an additional five days. The agency cited the extremely rapid spread of Omicron, which could force many more workers across industries to remain home in the coming weeks, even if they are not ill or infectious. Ireland is facing a similar issue with many workplaces seeing a large amount of people out sick with Covid-19, causing staff shortages. What data supports the decision? CDC director Rochelle Walensky said on Wednesday that the decision was based on research showing that up to 90 per cent of Covid transmission occurred within five days of infection. She said the agency balanced that with evidence that only a small minority of people with Covid have been willing to isolate for a full 10 days so far during the pandemic. "We really want to make sure that we had guidance in this moment, where we were going to have a lot of disease, that could be adhered to, that people were willing to adhere to," Walensky said in an interview with CNN. Walensky said in a White House briefing on Wednesday that standard PCR tests cannot be used to determine when a person can leave isolation because they can remain positive for several weeks. New research suggests Omicron is milder but capable of resulting in far more infections, potentially leading to widespread absenteeism across the whole of society. What has the Irish Government decided? Amid a record 20,554 cases recorded on Thursday, the Government made changes to self-isolating advice for those who test positive for Covid-19. Those aged 12 and over, who have had their booster vaccine jabs for at least seven days should self-isolate for seven days, instead of the previous advice of 10 days. Those exiting isolation after seven days should: Limit to the greatest extent possible close contact with other people outside their household, especially in crowded, enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces Wear a face mask in crowded, enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces and where they are in close contact with other people Take an antigen test before entering crowded, enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces and prior to having close contact with other people from outside their household Avoid contact with anyone who is at higher risk of severe illness if infected with Covid-19 Work from home unless it is essential to attend in person Public health officials also made changes to the testing system, which has been put under strain in recent days. Close to half of the latest swabs taken detected the virus, as test positivity rates have soared to record levels. Ireland's seven-day test positivity rate stood at 34.9 per cent on Thursday. Despite tripling in recent weeks, testing capacity is still unable to meet demand as many people struggle to secure prompt PCR tests. Have people criticised the change? Disease experts in the US have said the changes in the isolation period for asymptomatic coronavirus infections lack safeguards and could result in even more infections as the United States faces a record surge driven by the Omicron variant. A major concern voiced by scientists is that the isolation policy fails to distinguish between vaccinated and unvaccinated people, who recover from the virus at different rates. It also does not require testing to confirm that a person is no longer infectious before they go back to work or socialize. "Unvaccinated people take much longer to clear the virus and not be infectious," said Dr Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute. "Some people clear the virus in a day; others take a week or more." He said the policy represented "a new low" for the CDC, saying it flies in the face of the Biden administration's pledge to hew closely to scientific evidence to curb the pandemic. Topol and others said that there was not enough evidence of how Omicron behaves to support the five-day isolation recommendation, the decision to treat vaccinated and unvaccinated cases the same way, and the lack of a testing requirement at the end of that period. Additional reporting: Reuters Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Presented by: Oil and Gas Investor If you missed the House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on Oct. 28, dont watch it now. If you must, have a blood pressure monitor and tele-doctor nearby. The day after, Rob Clarke, vice president, upstream research, for Wood Mackenzie tweeted what his followersfolks who make energy, invest in it, write about it, analyze itfelt as well, confirming that (1) the hearing did happen and wasnt a mass hallucination and (2) it was, yes, very disturbing. Clarke typed into a meme of Bart Simpson writing lines on a chalkboard: I will stop watching C-SPAN clips of yesterdays energy hearing. Concurrence was received by many of Clarkes followers, including the CFO of an independent, Permian-focused E&P: I feel you; still irate over here. The producer added, It just bothers me that congressmen can tell outright lies about your companyhurting your shareholders and their investmentand you cant push back. Im pretty sure if Chevron owed $50 billion for environmental disasters (as alleged in the hearing) it would be disclosed in SEC filings. So what happened? And what was learned? The answer to the latter is not what the committee might have sought to learn whatever that may have been. Rather, the committee learned nothing, while viewers learned that a large portion of Congress may be just as uneducated about energy as their constituents. As for what happened: A California congresswoman performed a pre-K show-andtell using a jar of candy, followed by a pre-K case of acting out by pouring rice onto her driveway from the back of her SUV, while yelling questions to Gretchen Watkins, then interrupting Watkins, preventing the Shell Oil Co. president from answering anything. There was more. But, as Clarke suggested, we wont rewatch it. Committee members who understand energyand comport a basic respect of othersended up using their time to apologize to the Btu leaders. Among them was Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida. Story continues A tweeter responded: He made some friends in Midland today, thats for sure. Another: Lets throw him a Midland fundraiser. The day before the hearing, an oil producer had tweeted, I expect a lack of basic energy knowledge, no understanding of economics and a show to win votes. A show it wasa circus. Afterwards, a follower replied, Well, you nailed it. There were pre-show optimists: I want to see AOC [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez] wax poetic on gas lift. A reply: This would be the culmination of my life. In the end, there were two kings left on the board: Nothing gainedat least, in terms of what may have been the point of the hearing. This was all conducted and viewed via electricity-powered phone, laptop or other device in a climate-controlled setting with clean drinking water, while robed in fully or partially poly-based fibers. Altogether, it was just as vague as the point of the committee itself. Its legislative jurisdiction is administrative, including holidays, celebrations, the postal service, the census and municipal matters of the District of Columbia. It further states it has jurisdiction in any matter within the jurisdiction of other House committeeswhich is to say it is redundant. Its an overreach committee. Others testifyingtrying to testify, that iswere Mike Wirth, chairman and CEO, Chevron Corp.; Darren Woods, chairman and CEO, Exxon Mobil Corp.; and Dave Lawler, CEO, BP America. And Neal Crabtree, former welder on the former Keystone XL project. Here was an enlightened highlight. Crabtree, who was able to complete his remarks, uninterrupted, said, Build Back Better shouldnt mean neglect and destruction of the energy infrastructure as we know it There seems to be no thought given to the hundreds of thousands of workers in this industry or the millions of products that we use every single day that are provided by fossil fuels. He admonished, There shouldnt be a fear of a heating shortage this coming winter. But, yet, here we are. Energy shortages in the U.S. arent the result of rising prices; instead, rising prices are a direct result of the lack of infrastructure to get products moved to where they need it most. He concluded, My crisis right now is the mortgage payments I have due every month, the food I need to put on the table and the healthcare I need to provide my family. And instead of demonizing the CEOs and presidents here today, I would like to thank them for the opportunity they provided me and my family and my union to work these past few decades. opened an embassy in Nicaragua on Friday for the first time since 1990, acting just over three weeks since President Daniel Ortega's government broke off relations with . Foreign Minister Denis Moncada said there is an ideological affinity between the two countries. Moncada also thanked for donating one million doses of the Sinopharm coronavirus vaccine. Ortega established relations with in 1985, but after he lost the presidential election in 1990, the government of Nicaragua's new president, Violeta Chamorro, recognized . The Nicaraguan government broke relations with the Taiwanese on December 9 and last week it seized the former embassy and diplomatic offices of Taiwan, saying they belong to China. However, China's new embassy is located elsewhere, and it is unclear what China will do with the building. Before departing a week ago, Taiwanese diplomats attempted to donate the properties to the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Managua. But Ortega's government said that any such donation would be invalid and that the building in an upscale Managua neighbourhood belongs to China. Taiwan's Foreign Relations Ministry condemned the gravely illegal actions of the Ortega regime, saying the Nicaraguan government violated standard procedures by giving Taiwanese diplomats just two weeks to get out of the country. It said Taiwan also condemns the arbitrary obstruction by the Nicaraguan government of the symbolic sale of its property to the Nicaraguan Catholic church. Monsignor Carlos Avils, vicar of the archdiocese of Managua, told the newspaper La Prensa that a Taiwanese diplomat had offered the church the property, but added: I told him there was no problem, but the transfer was still in the legal process. The Central American country said in early December it would officially recognise only China, which claims self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory. The move increased Taiwan's diplomatic isolation on the stage, even as the island has stepped up official exchanges with countries such as Lithuania and Slovakia, which do not formally recognise Taiwan as a country. Taiwan has 14 formal diplomatic allies remaining. China has been poaching Taiwan's diplomatic allies over the past few years, reducing the number of countries that recognise the democratic island as a sovereign nation. China is against Taiwan representing itself in global forums or in diplomacy. Taiwan depicts itself as a defender of democracy, while Ortega was reelected as Nicaragua's leader in November in what the White House called a pantomime election. The arbitrary imprisonment of nearly 40 opposition figures since May, including seven potential presidential candidates, and the blocking of political parties from participation rigged the outcome well before election day, US President Joe Biden said in a statement in November. (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.) opened an embassy in Nicaragua on Friday for the first time since 1990, acting just over three weeks since President Daniel Ortega's government broke off relations with . Foreign Minister Denis Moncada said there is an ideological affinity between the two countries. Moncada also thanked for donating one million doses of the Sinopharm coronavirus vaccine. Ortega established relations with in 1985, but after he lost the presidential election in 1990, the government of Nicaragua's new president, Violeta Chamorro, recognized . The Nicaraguan government broke relations with the Taiwanese on December 9 and last week it seized the former embassy and diplomatic offices of Taiwan, saying they belong to China. However, China's new embassy is located elsewhere, and it is unclear what China will do with the building. Before departing a week ago, Taiwanese diplomats attempted to donate the properties to the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Managua. But Ortega's government said that any such donation would be invalid and that the building in an upscale Managua neighbourhood belongs to China. Taiwan's Foreign Relations Ministry condemned the gravely illegal actions of the Ortega regime, saying the Nicaraguan government violated standard procedures by giving Taiwanese diplomats just two weeks to get out of the country. It said Taiwan also condemns the arbitrary obstruction by the Nicaraguan government of the symbolic sale of its property to the Nicaraguan Catholic church. Monsignor Carlos Avils, vicar of the archdiocese of Managua, told the newspaper La Prensa that a Taiwanese diplomat had offered the church the property, but added: I told him there was no problem, but the transfer was still in the legal process. The Central American country said in early December it would officially recognise only China, which claims self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory. The move increased Taiwan's diplomatic isolation on the stage, even as the island has stepped up official exchanges with countries such as Lithuania and Slovakia, which do not formally recognise Taiwan as a country. Taiwan has 14 formal diplomatic allies remaining. China has been poaching Taiwan's diplomatic allies over the past few years, reducing the number of countries that recognise the democratic island as a sovereign nation. China is against Taiwan representing itself in global forums or in diplomacy. Taiwan depicts itself as a defender of democracy, while Ortega was reelected as Nicaragua's leader in November in what the White House called a pantomime election. The arbitrary imprisonment of nearly 40 opposition figures since May, including seven potential presidential candidates, and the blocking of political parties from participation rigged the outcome well before election day, US President Joe Biden said in a statement in November. (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.) 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. 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. 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. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The pandemic, it seems, sent certain enterprising music lovers into editing rooms. For those still leery of gathering for a live concert, the 2021 consolation prize was not a slew of ephemeral livestreams, but an outpouring of smart, intent music documentaries that werent afraid to stretch past two hours long. With screen time begging to be filled, it was the year of the deep dive. Those documentaries included a binge-watch of the Beatles at work in Peter Jacksons 'The Beatles: Get Back'; a visual barrage to conjure musical disruption in Todd Haynes 'Velvet Underground'; far-reaching commentary atop ecstatic performances from the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival in Questloves 'Summer of Soul'; and a surprisingly candid chronicle of Billie Eilishs whirlwind career at 16, 17 and 18 years old in RJ Cutlers 'The Worlds a Little Blurry'. The Velvet Underground, in its early days, was simultaneously a soundtrack and a canvas for Andy Warhols Exploding Plastic Inevitable, a multimedia club-sized happening that projected images on the band members as they played. Although the Velvets social set included plenty of artists and filmmakers, apparently no one got the obvious idea of capturing a full-length performance by the Velvets in their prime. What a remarkable missed opportunity. Haynes documentary creatively musters circumstantial evidence instead. There are memories from eyewitnesses. And Haynes fills the lack of concert footage with an overload of contemporaneous images, sometimes blinking wildly in a tiled screen that suggests Windows 10 running amok. Luckily, there was more foresight in 1969, when Hal Tulchin had five video cameras rolling at the Harlem Cultural Festival, which later became known as Black Woodstock. New York City presented a series of six weekly free concerts at Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park) with a lineup that looks almost miraculous now, including Stevie Wonder, Mahalia Jackson, Nina Simone, BB King, Sly and the Family Stone, and Mongo Santamaria, just for starters. Tulchins crew shot more than 40 hours of footage, capturing the eager faces and righteous fashions of the audience along with performers who were knocking themselves out for an almost entirely Black crowd. Yet nearly all of Tulchins material went unseen until Questlove finally assembled 'Summer of Soul' from it. Questloves subtitle and his song choices King singing about slavery, Ray Baretto proudly claiming a multiracial America, Simone declaiming 'Backlash Blues', the Rev Jesse Jackson preaching about Martin Luther King Jrs murder in 1968, even the 5th Dimension finding anguish and redemption in 'Let the Sunshine In' make clear that the performers werent offering escapism or complacency. Cameras were filming constantly during the recording sessions for 'Let It Be', when the Beatles set themselves a peculiar, quixotic challenge in January 1969: to make an album fast, on their own, on camera and with a live show to follow. It was one more way that the Beatles were a harbinger of things to come, as if they had envisioned our digital era, when bands habitually record video while they work and upload work-in-progress updates for their fans. Its results, in 1970, were the 'Let It Be' album, reworked by Phil Spector, and the dour, disjointed 80-minute documentary 'Let It Be' by director Michael Lindsay-Hogg both of them a letdown after the album 'Abbey Road', which was released in 1969 but recorded after the 'Let It Be' sessions. The Beatles had announced their breakup with solo albums. The three-part, eight-hour 'Get Back' may well have been closer to what the Beatles hoped to put on film in 1969. Its a bit overlong though. In 'The Worlds a Little Blurry', Eilish faces some of the same pressures as the Beatles did: songwriting, deadlines, playing live, the press. But shes also dealing with them as a teenage girl, in an era when there are cameras everywhere even under her massage table and the internet multiplies every bit of visibility and every attack vector. In 'The Worlds a Little Blurry', Eilish performs to huge crowds singing along with every word, sweeps the top awards at the 2019 Grammys and gets a hug from her childhood pop idol, Justin Bieber. But as in her songs tuneful, whispery and often nightmarish theres as much trauma as there is triumph. Bradey Police Lt. Philip Trudeau (L) comforts Bourbonnais Police officer Andy Cox following a ceremonial procession for fallen Bradley Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, in Bourbonnais, Ill., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Tiffany Blanchette/The Daily Journal via AP) Suspect in Shooting of Illinois Officers Arrested in Indiana CHICAGOA man suspected in the shooting of one police officer and wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel has been taken into custody, authorities said Friday. Darius Sullivan, one of two people suspected in the shooting of the two Bradley police officers, was arrested Friday morning at a home in North Manchester, Indiana, Sgt. Glen Fifield of the Indiana State Police said at a news conference. Sullivan, 25, surrendered to a SWAT team that was assisting the U.S. Marshals with a search warrant for the property about 110 miles east of Bradley. Sullivans arrest came a day after Illinois authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The Illinois State Police did not release any updates on the investigation Friday other than a written statement confirming that Sullivan had been arrested and would be taken back to Kankakee County, where the shooting occurred late Wednesday. Fifield said he didnt have any details on the investigation into the shooting. He did name three other men but wouldnt discuss whether their arrests were connected to the officers shootings. Two of the men were arrested after police said they ran from their car during a traffic stop in Fulton County, Indiana. The third was arrested at the home where Sullivan was taken into custody. Fifield said police found weapons and drugs in the car that the two men fled from and at the North Manchester home. Authorities are still searching for 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, of Bradley, who investigators believe was at the hotel when the shootings happened, the Illinois State Police said. The two officers were speaking to people in a room at a Comfort Inn along a highway in Kankakee County when they were shot, according to the county sheriffs office. They were taken to nearby hospitals, where 49-year-old Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic died. The other officeridentified by the Illinois State Police as 27-year-old Tyler J. Baileyunderwent surgery and was listed in critical condition on Thursday, according to the Bradley Police Department. Messages left with the department and Illinois State Police on Friday to update Baileys condition were not immediately returned. The officers were at the hotel to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, the sheriffs office said. They found the room where the vehicles possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, it said. Authorities arrested two other people Thursday on charges alleging they impeded the search for Sullivan and a woman also suspected in the shootings. Nichele Newton-Carroll, 42, and Jelman Sullivan, 21, face charges of obstructing justice/leaving the state, the (Kankakee) Daily Journal reported. Neither had an attorney listed Friday in court or jail records. Kankakee County States Attorney Jim Rowe identified Newton-Carroll as Sullivans mother. Rowe said he is not sure of the connection between Jelman Sullivan and Darius Sullivan. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriffs deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriffs Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputys squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close 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 pandemic, it seems, sent certain enterprising music lovers into editing rooms. For those still leery of gathering for a live concert, the 2021 consolation prize was not a slew of ephemeral livestreams, but an outpouring of smart, intent music documentaries that werent afraid to stretch past two hours long. With screen time begging to be filled, it was the year of the deep dive. Those documentaries included a binge-watch of the Beatles at work in Peter Jacksons 'The Beatles: Get Back'; a visual barrage to conjure musical disruption in Todd Haynes 'Velvet Underground'; far-reaching commentary atop ecstatic performances from the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival in Questloves 'Summer of Soul'; and a surprisingly candid chronicle of Billie Eilishs whirlwind career at 16, 17 and 18 years old in RJ Cutlers 'The Worlds a Little Blurry'. The Velvet Underground, in its early days, was simultaneously a soundtrack and a canvas for Andy Warhols Exploding Plastic Inevitable, a multimedia club-sized happening that projected images on the band members as they played. Although the Velvets social set included plenty of artists and filmmakers, apparently no one got the obvious idea of capturing a full-length performance by the Velvets in their prime. What a remarkable missed opportunity. Haynes documentary creatively musters circumstantial evidence instead. There are memories from eyewitnesses. And Haynes fills the lack of concert footage with an overload of contemporaneous images, sometimes blinking wildly in a tiled screen that suggests Windows 10 running amok. Luckily, there was more foresight in 1969, when Hal Tulchin had five video cameras rolling at the Harlem Cultural Festival, which later became known as Black Woodstock. New York City presented a series of six weekly free concerts at Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park) with a lineup that looks almost miraculous now, including Stevie Wonder, Mahalia Jackson, Nina Simone, BB King, Sly and the Family Stone, and Mongo Santamaria, just for starters. Tulchins crew shot more than 40 hours of footage, capturing the eager faces and righteous fashions of the audience along with performers who were knocking themselves out for an almost entirely Black crowd. Yet nearly all of Tulchins material went unseen until Questlove finally assembled 'Summer of Soul' from it. Questloves subtitle and his song choices King singing about slavery, Ray Baretto proudly claiming a multiracial America, Simone declaiming 'Backlash Blues', the Rev Jesse Jackson preaching about Martin Luther King Jrs murder in 1968, even the 5th Dimension finding anguish and redemption in 'Let the Sunshine In' make clear that the performers werent offering escapism or complacency. Cameras were filming constantly during the recording sessions for 'Let It Be', when the Beatles set themselves a peculiar, quixotic challenge in January 1969: to make an album fast, on their own, on camera and with a live show to follow. It was one more way that the Beatles were a harbinger of things to come, as if they had envisioned our digital era, when bands habitually record video while they work and upload work-in-progress updates for their fans. Its results, in 1970, were the 'Let It Be' album, reworked by Phil Spector, and the dour, disjointed 80-minute documentary 'Let It Be' by director Michael Lindsay-Hogg both of them a letdown after the album 'Abbey Road', which was released in 1969 but recorded after the 'Let It Be' sessions. The Beatles had announced their breakup with solo albums. The three-part, eight-hour 'Get Back' may well have been closer to what the Beatles hoped to put on film in 1969. Its a bit overlong though. In 'The Worlds a Little Blurry', Eilish faces some of the same pressures as the Beatles did: songwriting, deadlines, playing live, the press. But shes also dealing with them as a teenage girl, in an era when there are cameras everywhere even under her massage table and the internet multiplies every bit of visibility and every attack vector. In 'The Worlds a Little Blurry', Eilish performs to huge crowds singing along with every word, sweeps the top awards at the 2019 Grammys and gets a hug from her childhood pop idol, Justin Bieber. But as in her songs tuneful, whispery and often nightmarish theres as much trauma as there is triumph. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The recent incidents on the Afghan-Pak border has brought to light the age-old issue of Durand Line that had hoped to resolve with the holding the reins in Kabul. On Friday, the Khaama Press news agency reported a second such incident in the recent past when Taliban's local affiliates said that they stopped the Pakistani military from erecting barbed-wire fences and outposts in Afghanistan. The Pakistani military personnel reportedly wanted to build their outpost on Afghanistan soil in Chahar Burjak district of Nimroz province. The Pakistani military went up to 15 kilometres inside Afghanistan and wanted to build check posts, said eyewitnesses and residents of the bordering district, according to reports. Similarly, on December 22, the Afghan had disrupted the fence constructed by in the Nangahar Province on the Durand Line. A Toronto-based think tank, Forum For Rights And Security (IFFRAS) said that this is an illustration of one festering wound that continues to engage Afghanistan and bilaterally. The fencing of the 2,600-km long Durand Line has remained a contentious issue between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Ashraf Ghani government had objected to the fencing of the border and the Afghan side had even then tried to stop Pakistan from erecting a fence. However, Pakistan went ahead with the fencing. Pakistan media reports say that 90 per cent of the border with Pakistan now stands fenced. "The fencing is part of the border mechanism Pakistan has been working on for years, not just to regulate the movement of people but also to deny terrorists the chance to move across the border freely," IFFRAS said. According to the think tank, the real reason for Pakistan to fence the border is to divide the Pashtuns. The Pashtuns as an ethnic group straddle between the Pak-Afghan border. In Afghanistan, they constitute 42 per cent of the population. Meanwhile, in Pakistan, the population of Pashtuns is 25 per cent. Highlighting the irony of how Pashtuns live on both sides of the border, the think thank argued that Pakistan has chosen to divide these peoples by building a fence across the stretch of the border. "Pakistan has chosen to recognise the Durand Line while Afghanistan, both in the past and currently refuses to recognise it as the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan," IFFRAS said. Earlier in September, the Taliban's position on the Durand Line was expressed by its key spokesperson. While speaking with a Pashto channel in Pakistan, Zabiullah Mujahid had said Afghans opposed the fence erected by Pakistan along the Durand Line. "The new Afghan government will announce its position on this issue. The fencing has separated people and divided families. We want to create a secure and peaceful environment on the border so there is no need to create barriers," Mujahid 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.) Not at all. It just seems like a lot of back-and-forth talk. Yes. I'm growing very worried over what might happen. If it keeps up, I might be a little more concerned. I think there are much larger things to concern us as a country. It's hard to tell; I can't take the leader of either country seriously. Vote View Results Not at all. It just seems like a lot of back-and-forth talk. Yes. I'm growing very worried over what might happen. If it keeps up, I might be a little more concerned. I think there are much larger things to concern us as a country. It's hard to tell; I can't take the leader of either country seriously. Vote View Results Not at all. It just seems like a lot of back-and-forth talk. Yes. I'm growing very worried over what might happen. If it keeps up, I might be a little more concerned. I think there are much larger things to concern us as a country. It's hard to tell; I can't take the leader of either country seriously. Vote View Results Not at all. It just seems like a lot of back-and-forth talk. Yes. I'm growing very worried over what might happen. If it keeps up, I might be a little more concerned. I think there are much larger things to concern us as a country. It's hard to tell; I can't take the leader of either country seriously. Vote View Results Not at all. It just seems like a lot of back-and-forth talk. Yes. I'm growing very worried over what might happen. If it keeps up, I might be a little more concerned. I think there are much larger things to concern us as a country. It's hard to tell; I can't take the leader of either country seriously. Vote View Results Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2021 (265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA More federal prisons are reporting COVID-19 outbreaks, with the surge in new infections affecting not only inmates but also a large number of correctional officers and staff. New outbreaks were reported Friday at fourCorrectional Service Canada facilities: the Atlantic Institution in New Brunswick; Drumheller in Alberta; Stony Mountain in Manitoba; and the Kent Institution in B.C. Those follow outbreaks earlier this week at three other federal institutions. While the new outbreaks have led to dozens of inmates having become infected with COVID-19, the number of cases among prison staff has been much higher. This electron microscope image made available and colour-enhanced by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Integrated Research Facility in Fort Detrick, Md., in 2020, shows Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 virus particles, in orange, isolated from a patient. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-HO-NIAID/National Institutes of Health via AP Correctional Services spokeswoman Marie Pier Lecuyer said Friday a total of 248 staff have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, compared with 107 inmates. The previous day, the agency had reported infections in 160 staff members and 88 inmates. Drumheller alone accounted for 41 of the new staff infections reported Friday, along with 13 inmates. At the Kent Institution in Agassiz, B.C., 18 staff had tested positive for the virus. The latest outbreaks, which have also affected the Nova Scotia Institution for Women, the Warkworth Institution in Ontario, and La Mazaca Institution in Quebec, come as Canada faces a surge in new COVID-19 cases driven by the highly contagious Omicron variant. As the number of cases among inmates and staff continues to grow, Lecuyer said Correctional Services is reviewing staff levels at its institutions to make sure there are enough officers to continue operating in a safe manner. In addition, we have contingency plans, which indicate additional measures that can be taken to address staffing levels issue, such as approving staff overtime and having managers replace correctional officers, as needed, she said. Some provinces have made the difficult decision in recent days to keep essential workers such as police officers, paramedics and hospital workers on the job even after they have tested positive for COVID-19, amid a nationwide explosion in new cases. Lecuyer said while correctional officers are not returning to work until they are fully recovered, the agency does have a protocol in place allowing the return of asymptomatic staff who have completed the majority of their 10-day isolation period. Such staff members will be subject to ongoing rapid testing and other work-isolation measures, she added. Jeff Wilkins, national president of the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers, said it is concerning that federal prison staff are having to deal with COVID-19. However, while the union has been pushing the federal government to instigate hazard pay for correctional officers, Wilkins said he was generally satisfied with the measures put in place to protect them. Of course, nothing can be perfect, but I do believe that the things that we have put in place have managed to keep the numbers as low as they are, he said. Wilkins added there is no one-size-fits-all solution to a staffing shortage, but one solution might be to bring in staff from another institution that is close by and not experiencing an outbreak. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 31, 2021. This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2021 (265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS (AP) Sorrow for the dead and dying, fear of more infections to come and hopes for an end to the coronavirus pandemic were again the bittersweet cocktail with which the world said good riddance to 2021 and ushered in 2022. New Years Eve, which used to be celebrated globally with a free-spirited wildness, felt instead like a case of deja vu, with the fast-spreading omicron variant again filling hospitals. We just need enjoyment, said Karen Page, 53, who was among the fed-up revelers venturing out in London. We have just been in so long. Nurses enjoy a new year's cake during a break in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. Paris region health authorities have instructed hospitals to cancel more non-urgent medical procedures to free up intensive-care beds for the growing influx of people gravely sick with COVID-19. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) The mostly muted New Years Eve celebrations around the world ushered in the fourth calendar year framed by the global pandemic. More than 285 million people have been infected by the coronavirus worldwide since late 2019 and more than 5 million have died. In Paris, officials canceled the fireworks amid surging infections and reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors, an obligation followed by the majority of people who milled about on the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. In Berlin, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert was staged without a live audience. In Madrid, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach to the year-end revelry: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where thousands turned up for a fireworks show on the Strip that was threatened by gusty winds but went off as scheduled. President Joe Biden noted the losses and uncertainty caused by the pandemic but said: Were persevering. Were recovering. Back to work. Back to school. Back to joy, Biden said in a video posted on Twitter. Thats how we made it through this year. And how well embrace the next. Together. In New York, officials allowed just 15,000 people vaccinated and masked inside the perimeter around Times Square, a sliver of the 1 million that typically squeeze in to watch the famed ball drop. Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio, defending the event, said people need to see that New York is open for business. Followers of the Yoruba religion give offerings to Yemanja, a deity celebrated by the African Yoruba religion, at a lake in downtown Brasilia, Brazil on New Years Eve, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. As the year winds down, Brazilian worshippers celebrate Yemanja, goddess of the sea, offering flowers and launching large and small boats into the water in exchange for blessings for the coming year. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) Yet by Thursday, rapper LL Cool J had dropped out of the New York telecast after a positive COVID-19 test and restaurant owners battered by staffing shortages and omicron cancelations throughout the holiday season struggled to stay open. Im really scared for our industry, said New York restaurateur David Rabin, who watched reservations and party bookings disappear this month. No one made any money in December. The fact they may have a good night tonight, it has no impact. Airlines also struggled as the year came to a close, canceling thousands of flights after the virus struck flight crews and other personnel and amid bad weather. The pandemic game-changer of 2021 vaccinations continued apace. Pakistan said it had fully vaccinated 70 million of its 220 million people this year and Britain said it met its goal of offering a vaccine booster shot to all adults by Friday. In Russia, President Vladimir Putin mourned the dead, praised Russians for their strength in difficult times and soberly warned that the pandemic isnt retreating yet. Russias virus task force has reported 308,860 COVID-19 deaths but its state statistics agency says the death toll has been more than double that. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin said in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. Elsewhere, the venue that many chose for New Years celebrations was the same place they became overly familiarly with during lockdowns: their homes. People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. Russia's state coronavirus task force has registered a total of about 10.5 million confirmed infections and 308,860 deaths, but the state statistics agency that uses broader criteria in its tallying system has reported nearly 626,000 virus-linked deaths in Russia since the start of the pandemic. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr) Pope Francis also canceled his New Years Eve tradition of visiting the life-sized manger set up in St. Peters Square, again to avoid a crowd. In an unusual move for Francis, the 85-year-old pontiff donned a surgical mask for a Vespers service of prayer and hymns Friday evening as he sat in an armchair. But he also delivered a homily standing and unmasked. A sense of being lost has grown in the world during the pandemic, Francis told the faithful in St. Peters Basilica. France, Britain, Portugal and Australia were among countries that set new records for COVID-19 infections as 2021 gave way to 2022. In London, the normal fireworks display, which would have attracted tens of thousands of people to the city center and the banks of the Thames, was replaced by a light and drones show broadcast on television. Location details about the spectacle were kept secret in advance to avoid crowds gathering. The last two years have been so difficult for so many people, so many have suffered and there is a point when we need to start coming together finally, said Mira Lluk, 22, a special needs teacher. Frances unprecedented 232,200 new cases Friday marked its third day running above the 200,000 mark. The U.K. was close behind, with 189,846 new cases, also a record. In London, officials said as many as 1 in 15 people were infected with the virus in the week before Christmas. Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in the U.K. rose 68% in the last week, to the highest levels since February. In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. People celebrate during New Year's celebrations at Madrid's Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, early Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Yet boisterous New Years Eve celebrations kicked off in the Serbian capital of Belgrade where, unlike elsewhere in Europe, mass gatherings were allowed despite fears of the omicron variant. One medical expert predicted that Serbia will see thousands of new COVID-19 infections after the holidays. At Expo 2020, the sprawling worlds fair outside Dubai, 26-year-old tourist Lujain Orfi prepared to throw caution to the wind on New Years Eve her first time ever outside Saudi Arabia, where she lives in the holy city of Medina. If you dont celebrate, life will pass you by, she said. Im healthy and took two (vaccine) doses. We just have to enjoy. Australia went ahead with its celebrations despite reporting a record 32,000 new cases. Thousands of fireworks lit up the sky over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at midnight. Yet the crowds were far smaller than in pre-pandemic years. In Japan, writer Naoki Matsuzawa said he would spend the next few days cooking and delivering food to the elderly because some stores would be closed. He said vaccinations had made people less anxious about the pandemic, despite the new variant. A numbness has set in, and we are no longer overly afraid, said Matsuzawa, who lives in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo. Some of us are starting to take for granted that it wont happen to me. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) South Korean authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. In India, millions of people rang in the new year from their homes, with nighttime curfews and other restrictions taking the fizz out of celebrations in New Delhi, Mumbai and other large cities. In mainland China, the Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. In the Philippines, a powerful typhoon two weeks ago wiped out basic necessities for tens of thousands of people ahead of New Years Eve. More than 400 were killed by Typhoon Rai and at least 82 remain missing. Leahmer Singson, a 17-year-old mother, lost her home to a fire last month, and then the typhoon blew away her temporary wooden shack in Cebu city. She will welcome the new year with her husband, who works in a glass and aluminum factory, and her 1-year-old baby in a ramshackle tent in a clearing where hundreds of other families erected small tents from debris, rice sacks and tarpaulins. Asked what she wants for the new year, Singson had a simple wish: I hope we wont get sick. ___ A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) This story has been corrected to show that the fireworks display in Las Vegas went off on time despite the threat of winds. ___ Perry reported from Wellington, New Zealand. Associated Press reporters Daniel Cole in Marseille; Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow; Frances DEmilio in Rome; Sylvia Hui in London; Darko Vojinovic in Belgrade, Serbia; Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo; Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea; Ashok Sharma in New Delhi; Niniek Karmini and Edna Tarigan in Jakarta, Indonesia; Hau Dinh in Hanoi, Vietnam; Zen Soo in Hong Kong; Tassanee Vejpongsa in Bangkok; Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines; Freida Frisaro in Miami; Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia; and AP researcher Chen Si in Shanghai contributed to this report. Not at all. It just seems like a lot of back-and-forth talk. Yes. I'm growing very worried over what might happen. If it keeps up, I might be a little more concerned. I think there are much larger things to concern us as a country. It's hard to tell; I can't take the leader of either country seriously. Vote View Results Not at all. It just seems like a lot of back-and-forth talk. Yes. I'm growing very worried over what might happen. If it keeps up, I might be a little more concerned. I think there are much larger things to concern us as a country. It's hard to tell; I can't take the leader of either country seriously. Vote View Results Not at all. It just seems like a lot of back-and-forth talk. Yes. I'm growing very worried over what might happen. If it keeps up, I might be a little more concerned. I think there are much larger things to concern us as a country. It's hard to tell; I can't take the leader of either country seriously. Vote View Results Not at all. It just seems like a lot of back-and-forth talk. Yes. I'm growing very worried over what might happen. If it keeps up, I might be a little more concerned. I think there are much larger things to concern us as a country. It's hard to tell; I can't take the leader of either country seriously. Vote View Results Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2021 (265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS (AP) Sorrow for the dead and dying, fear of more infections to come and hopes for an end to the coronavirus pandemic were again the bittersweet cocktail with which the world said good riddance to 2021 and ushered in 2022. New Years Eve, which used to be celebrated globally with a free-spirited wildness, felt instead like a case of deja vu, with the fast-spreading omicron variant again filling hospitals. We just need enjoyment, said Karen Page, 53, who was among the fed-up revelers venturing out in London. We have just been in so long. Nurses enjoy a new year's cake during a break in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. Paris region health authorities have instructed hospitals to cancel more non-urgent medical procedures to free up intensive-care beds for the growing influx of people gravely sick with COVID-19. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) The mostly muted New Years Eve celebrations around the world ushered in the fourth calendar year framed by the global pandemic. More than 285 million people have been infected by the coronavirus worldwide since late 2019 and more than 5 million have died. In Paris, officials canceled the fireworks amid surging infections and reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors, an obligation followed by the majority of people who milled about on the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. In Berlin, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert was staged without a live audience. In Madrid, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach to the year-end revelry: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where thousands turned up for a fireworks show on the Strip that was threatened by gusty winds but went off as scheduled. President Joe Biden noted the losses and uncertainty caused by the pandemic but said: Were persevering. Were recovering. Back to work. Back to school. Back to joy, Biden said in a video posted on Twitter. Thats how we made it through this year. And how well embrace the next. Together. In New York, officials allowed just 15,000 people vaccinated and masked inside the perimeter around Times Square, a sliver of the 1 million that typically squeeze in to watch the famed ball drop. Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio, defending the event, said people need to see that New York is open for business. Followers of the Yoruba religion give offerings to Yemanja, a deity celebrated by the African Yoruba religion, at a lake in downtown Brasilia, Brazil on New Years Eve, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. As the year winds down, Brazilian worshippers celebrate Yemanja, goddess of the sea, offering flowers and launching large and small boats into the water in exchange for blessings for the coming year. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) Yet by Thursday, rapper LL Cool J had dropped out of the New York telecast after a positive COVID-19 test and restaurant owners battered by staffing shortages and omicron cancelations throughout the holiday season struggled to stay open. Im really scared for our industry, said New York restaurateur David Rabin, who watched reservations and party bookings disappear this month. No one made any money in December. The fact they may have a good night tonight, it has no impact. Airlines also struggled as the year came to a close, canceling thousands of flights after the virus struck flight crews and other personnel and amid bad weather. The pandemic game-changer of 2021 vaccinations continued apace. Pakistan said it had fully vaccinated 70 million of its 220 million people this year and Britain said it met its goal of offering a vaccine booster shot to all adults by Friday. In Russia, President Vladimir Putin mourned the dead, praised Russians for their strength in difficult times and soberly warned that the pandemic isnt retreating yet. Russias virus task force has reported 308,860 COVID-19 deaths but its state statistics agency says the death toll has been more than double that. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin said in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. Elsewhere, the venue that many chose for New Years celebrations was the same place they became overly familiarly with during lockdowns: their homes. People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. Russia's state coronavirus task force has registered a total of about 10.5 million confirmed infections and 308,860 deaths, but the state statistics agency that uses broader criteria in its tallying system has reported nearly 626,000 virus-linked deaths in Russia since the start of the pandemic. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr) Pope Francis also canceled his New Years Eve tradition of visiting the life-sized manger set up in St. Peters Square, again to avoid a crowd. In an unusual move for Francis, the 85-year-old pontiff donned a surgical mask for a Vespers service of prayer and hymns Friday evening as he sat in an armchair. But he also delivered a homily standing and unmasked. A sense of being lost has grown in the world during the pandemic, Francis told the faithful in St. Peters Basilica. France, Britain, Portugal and Australia were among countries that set new records for COVID-19 infections as 2021 gave way to 2022. In London, the normal fireworks display, which would have attracted tens of thousands of people to the city center and the banks of the Thames, was replaced by a light and drones show broadcast on television. Location details about the spectacle were kept secret in advance to avoid crowds gathering. The last two years have been so difficult for so many people, so many have suffered and there is a point when we need to start coming together finally, said Mira Lluk, 22, a special needs teacher. Frances unprecedented 232,200 new cases Friday marked its third day running above the 200,000 mark. The U.K. was close behind, with 189,846 new cases, also a record. In London, officials said as many as 1 in 15 people were infected with the virus in the week before Christmas. Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in the U.K. rose 68% in the last week, to the highest levels since February. In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. People celebrate during New Year's celebrations at Madrid's Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, early Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Yet boisterous New Years Eve celebrations kicked off in the Serbian capital of Belgrade where, unlike elsewhere in Europe, mass gatherings were allowed despite fears of the omicron variant. One medical expert predicted that Serbia will see thousands of new COVID-19 infections after the holidays. At Expo 2020, the sprawling worlds fair outside Dubai, 26-year-old tourist Lujain Orfi prepared to throw caution to the wind on New Years Eve her first time ever outside Saudi Arabia, where she lives in the holy city of Medina. If you dont celebrate, life will pass you by, she said. Im healthy and took two (vaccine) doses. We just have to enjoy. Australia went ahead with its celebrations despite reporting a record 32,000 new cases. Thousands of fireworks lit up the sky over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at midnight. Yet the crowds were far smaller than in pre-pandemic years. In Japan, writer Naoki Matsuzawa said he would spend the next few days cooking and delivering food to the elderly because some stores would be closed. He said vaccinations had made people less anxious about the pandemic, despite the new variant. A numbness has set in, and we are no longer overly afraid, said Matsuzawa, who lives in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo. Some of us are starting to take for granted that it wont happen to me. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) South Korean authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. In India, millions of people rang in the new year from their homes, with nighttime curfews and other restrictions taking the fizz out of celebrations in New Delhi, Mumbai and other large cities. In mainland China, the Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. In the Philippines, a powerful typhoon two weeks ago wiped out basic necessities for tens of thousands of people ahead of New Years Eve. More than 400 were killed by Typhoon Rai and at least 82 remain missing. Leahmer Singson, a 17-year-old mother, lost her home to a fire last month, and then the typhoon blew away her temporary wooden shack in Cebu city. She will welcome the new year with her husband, who works in a glass and aluminum factory, and her 1-year-old baby in a ramshackle tent in a clearing where hundreds of other families erected small tents from debris, rice sacks and tarpaulins. Asked what she wants for the new year, Singson had a simple wish: I hope we wont get sick. ___ A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) This story has been corrected to show that the fireworks display in Las Vegas went off on time despite the threat of winds. ___ Perry reported from Wellington, New Zealand. Associated Press reporters Daniel Cole in Marseille; Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow; Frances DEmilio in Rome; Sylvia Hui in London; Darko Vojinovic in Belgrade, Serbia; Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo; Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea; Ashok Sharma in New Delhi; Niniek Karmini and Edna Tarigan in Jakarta, Indonesia; Hau Dinh in Hanoi, Vietnam; Zen Soo in Hong Kong; Tassanee Vejpongsa in Bangkok; Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines; Freida Frisaro in Miami; Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia; and AP researcher Chen Si in Shanghai contributed to this report. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2021 (265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS (AP) Sorrow for the dead and dying, fear of more infections to come and hopes for an end to the coronavirus pandemic were again the bittersweet cocktail with which the world said good riddance to 2021 and ushered in 2022. New Years Eve, which used to be celebrated globally with a free-spirited wildness, felt instead like a case of deja vu, with the fast-spreading omicron variant again filling hospitals. We just need enjoyment, said Karen Page, 53, who was among the fed-up revelers venturing out in London. We have just been in so long. Nurses enjoy a new year's cake during a break in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. Paris region health authorities have instructed hospitals to cancel more non-urgent medical procedures to free up intensive-care beds for the growing influx of people gravely sick with COVID-19. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) The mostly muted New Years Eve celebrations around the world ushered in the fourth calendar year framed by the global pandemic. More than 285 million people have been infected by the coronavirus worldwide since late 2019 and more than 5 million have died. In Paris, officials canceled the fireworks amid surging infections and reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors, an obligation followed by the majority of people who milled about on the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. In Berlin, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert was staged without a live audience. In Madrid, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach to the year-end revelry: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where thousands turned up for a fireworks show on the Strip that was threatened by gusty winds but went off as scheduled. President Joe Biden noted the losses and uncertainty caused by the pandemic but said: Were persevering. Were recovering. Back to work. Back to school. Back to joy, Biden said in a video posted on Twitter. Thats how we made it through this year. And how well embrace the next. Together. In New York, officials allowed just 15,000 people vaccinated and masked inside the perimeter around Times Square, a sliver of the 1 million that typically squeeze in to watch the famed ball drop. Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio, defending the event, said people need to see that New York is open for business. Followers of the Yoruba religion give offerings to Yemanja, a deity celebrated by the African Yoruba religion, at a lake in downtown Brasilia, Brazil on New Years Eve, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. As the year winds down, Brazilian worshippers celebrate Yemanja, goddess of the sea, offering flowers and launching large and small boats into the water in exchange for blessings for the coming year. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) Yet by Thursday, rapper LL Cool J had dropped out of the New York telecast after a positive COVID-19 test and restaurant owners battered by staffing shortages and omicron cancelations throughout the holiday season struggled to stay open. Im really scared for our industry, said New York restaurateur David Rabin, who watched reservations and party bookings disappear this month. No one made any money in December. The fact they may have a good night tonight, it has no impact. Airlines also struggled as the year came to a close, canceling thousands of flights after the virus struck flight crews and other personnel and amid bad weather. The pandemic game-changer of 2021 vaccinations continued apace. Pakistan said it had fully vaccinated 70 million of its 220 million people this year and Britain said it met its goal of offering a vaccine booster shot to all adults by Friday. In Russia, President Vladimir Putin mourned the dead, praised Russians for their strength in difficult times and soberly warned that the pandemic isnt retreating yet. Russias virus task force has reported 308,860 COVID-19 deaths but its state statistics agency says the death toll has been more than double that. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin said in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. Elsewhere, the venue that many chose for New Years celebrations was the same place they became overly familiarly with during lockdowns: their homes. People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. Russia's state coronavirus task force has registered a total of about 10.5 million confirmed infections and 308,860 deaths, but the state statistics agency that uses broader criteria in its tallying system has reported nearly 626,000 virus-linked deaths in Russia since the start of the pandemic. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr) Pope Francis also canceled his New Years Eve tradition of visiting the life-sized manger set up in St. Peters Square, again to avoid a crowd. In an unusual move for Francis, the 85-year-old pontiff donned a surgical mask for a Vespers service of prayer and hymns Friday evening as he sat in an armchair. But he also delivered a homily standing and unmasked. A sense of being lost has grown in the world during the pandemic, Francis told the faithful in St. Peters Basilica. France, Britain, Portugal and Australia were among countries that set new records for COVID-19 infections as 2021 gave way to 2022. In London, the normal fireworks display, which would have attracted tens of thousands of people to the city center and the banks of the Thames, was replaced by a light and drones show broadcast on television. Location details about the spectacle were kept secret in advance to avoid crowds gathering. The last two years have been so difficult for so many people, so many have suffered and there is a point when we need to start coming together finally, said Mira Lluk, 22, a special needs teacher. Frances unprecedented 232,200 new cases Friday marked its third day running above the 200,000 mark. The U.K. was close behind, with 189,846 new cases, also a record. In London, officials said as many as 1 in 15 people were infected with the virus in the week before Christmas. Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in the U.K. rose 68% in the last week, to the highest levels since February. In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. People celebrate during New Year's celebrations at Madrid's Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, early Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Yet boisterous New Years Eve celebrations kicked off in the Serbian capital of Belgrade where, unlike elsewhere in Europe, mass gatherings were allowed despite fears of the omicron variant. One medical expert predicted that Serbia will see thousands of new COVID-19 infections after the holidays. At Expo 2020, the sprawling worlds fair outside Dubai, 26-year-old tourist Lujain Orfi prepared to throw caution to the wind on New Years Eve her first time ever outside Saudi Arabia, where she lives in the holy city of Medina. If you dont celebrate, life will pass you by, she said. Im healthy and took two (vaccine) doses. We just have to enjoy. Australia went ahead with its celebrations despite reporting a record 32,000 new cases. Thousands of fireworks lit up the sky over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at midnight. Yet the crowds were far smaller than in pre-pandemic years. In Japan, writer Naoki Matsuzawa said he would spend the next few days cooking and delivering food to the elderly because some stores would be closed. He said vaccinations had made people less anxious about the pandemic, despite the new variant. A numbness has set in, and we are no longer overly afraid, said Matsuzawa, who lives in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo. Some of us are starting to take for granted that it wont happen to me. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) South Korean authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. In India, millions of people rang in the new year from their homes, with nighttime curfews and other restrictions taking the fizz out of celebrations in New Delhi, Mumbai and other large cities. In mainland China, the Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. In the Philippines, a powerful typhoon two weeks ago wiped out basic necessities for tens of thousands of people ahead of New Years Eve. More than 400 were killed by Typhoon Rai and at least 82 remain missing. Leahmer Singson, a 17-year-old mother, lost her home to a fire last month, and then the typhoon blew away her temporary wooden shack in Cebu city. She will welcome the new year with her husband, who works in a glass and aluminum factory, and her 1-year-old baby in a ramshackle tent in a clearing where hundreds of other families erected small tents from debris, rice sacks and tarpaulins. Asked what she wants for the new year, Singson had a simple wish: I hope we wont get sick. ___ A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) This story has been corrected to show that the fireworks display in Las Vegas went off on time despite the threat of winds. ___ Perry reported from Wellington, New Zealand. Associated Press reporters Daniel Cole in Marseille; Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow; Frances DEmilio in Rome; Sylvia Hui in London; Darko Vojinovic in Belgrade, Serbia; Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo; Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea; Ashok Sharma in New Delhi; Niniek Karmini and Edna Tarigan in Jakarta, Indonesia; Hau Dinh in Hanoi, Vietnam; Zen Soo in Hong Kong; Tassanee Vejpongsa in Bangkok; Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines; Freida Frisaro in Miami; Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia; and AP researcher Chen Si in Shanghai contributed to this report. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2021 (265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS (AP) Sorrow for the dead and dying, fear of more infections to come and hopes for an end to the coronavirus pandemic were again the bittersweet cocktail with which the world said good riddance to 2021 and ushered in 2022. New Years Eve, which used to be celebrated globally with a free-spirited wildness, felt instead like a case of deja vu, with the fast-spreading omicron variant again filling hospitals. We just need enjoyment, said Karen Page, 53, who was among the fed-up revelers venturing out in London. We have just been in so long. Nurses enjoy a new year's cake during a break in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. Paris region health authorities have instructed hospitals to cancel more non-urgent medical procedures to free up intensive-care beds for the growing influx of people gravely sick with COVID-19. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) The mostly muted New Years Eve celebrations around the world ushered in the fourth calendar year framed by the global pandemic. More than 285 million people have been infected by the coronavirus worldwide since late 2019 and more than 5 million have died. In Paris, officials canceled the fireworks amid surging infections and reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors, an obligation followed by the majority of people who milled about on the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. In Berlin, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert was staged without a live audience. In Madrid, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach to the year-end revelry: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where thousands turned up for a fireworks show on the Strip that was threatened by gusty winds but went off as scheduled. President Joe Biden noted the losses and uncertainty caused by the pandemic but said: Were persevering. Were recovering. Back to work. Back to school. Back to joy, Biden said in a video posted on Twitter. Thats how we made it through this year. And how well embrace the next. Together. In New York, officials allowed just 15,000 people vaccinated and masked inside the perimeter around Times Square, a sliver of the 1 million that typically squeeze in to watch the famed ball drop. Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio, defending the event, said people need to see that New York is open for business. Followers of the Yoruba religion give offerings to Yemanja, a deity celebrated by the African Yoruba religion, at a lake in downtown Brasilia, Brazil on New Years Eve, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. As the year winds down, Brazilian worshippers celebrate Yemanja, goddess of the sea, offering flowers and launching large and small boats into the water in exchange for blessings for the coming year. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) Yet by Thursday, rapper LL Cool J had dropped out of the New York telecast after a positive COVID-19 test and restaurant owners battered by staffing shortages and omicron cancelations throughout the holiday season struggled to stay open. Im really scared for our industry, said New York restaurateur David Rabin, who watched reservations and party bookings disappear this month. No one made any money in December. The fact they may have a good night tonight, it has no impact. Airlines also struggled as the year came to a close, canceling thousands of flights after the virus struck flight crews and other personnel and amid bad weather. The pandemic game-changer of 2021 vaccinations continued apace. Pakistan said it had fully vaccinated 70 million of its 220 million people this year and Britain said it met its goal of offering a vaccine booster shot to all adults by Friday. In Russia, President Vladimir Putin mourned the dead, praised Russians for their strength in difficult times and soberly warned that the pandemic isnt retreating yet. Russias virus task force has reported 308,860 COVID-19 deaths but its state statistics agency says the death toll has been more than double that. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin said in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. Elsewhere, the venue that many chose for New Years celebrations was the same place they became overly familiarly with during lockdowns: their homes. People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. Russia's state coronavirus task force has registered a total of about 10.5 million confirmed infections and 308,860 deaths, but the state statistics agency that uses broader criteria in its tallying system has reported nearly 626,000 virus-linked deaths in Russia since the start of the pandemic. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr) Pope Francis also canceled his New Years Eve tradition of visiting the life-sized manger set up in St. Peters Square, again to avoid a crowd. In an unusual move for Francis, the 85-year-old pontiff donned a surgical mask for a Vespers service of prayer and hymns Friday evening as he sat in an armchair. But he also delivered a homily standing and unmasked. A sense of being lost has grown in the world during the pandemic, Francis told the faithful in St. Peters Basilica. France, Britain, Portugal and Australia were among countries that set new records for COVID-19 infections as 2021 gave way to 2022. In London, the normal fireworks display, which would have attracted tens of thousands of people to the city center and the banks of the Thames, was replaced by a light and drones show broadcast on television. Location details about the spectacle were kept secret in advance to avoid crowds gathering. The last two years have been so difficult for so many people, so many have suffered and there is a point when we need to start coming together finally, said Mira Lluk, 22, a special needs teacher. Frances unprecedented 232,200 new cases Friday marked its third day running above the 200,000 mark. The U.K. was close behind, with 189,846 new cases, also a record. In London, officials said as many as 1 in 15 people were infected with the virus in the week before Christmas. Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in the U.K. rose 68% in the last week, to the highest levels since February. In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. People celebrate during New Year's celebrations at Madrid's Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, early Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Yet boisterous New Years Eve celebrations kicked off in the Serbian capital of Belgrade where, unlike elsewhere in Europe, mass gatherings were allowed despite fears of the omicron variant. One medical expert predicted that Serbia will see thousands of new COVID-19 infections after the holidays. At Expo 2020, the sprawling worlds fair outside Dubai, 26-year-old tourist Lujain Orfi prepared to throw caution to the wind on New Years Eve her first time ever outside Saudi Arabia, where she lives in the holy city of Medina. If you dont celebrate, life will pass you by, she said. Im healthy and took two (vaccine) doses. We just have to enjoy. Australia went ahead with its celebrations despite reporting a record 32,000 new cases. Thousands of fireworks lit up the sky over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at midnight. Yet the crowds were far smaller than in pre-pandemic years. In Japan, writer Naoki Matsuzawa said he would spend the next few days cooking and delivering food to the elderly because some stores would be closed. He said vaccinations had made people less anxious about the pandemic, despite the new variant. A numbness has set in, and we are no longer overly afraid, said Matsuzawa, who lives in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo. Some of us are starting to take for granted that it wont happen to me. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) South Korean authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. In India, millions of people rang in the new year from their homes, with nighttime curfews and other restrictions taking the fizz out of celebrations in New Delhi, Mumbai and other large cities. In mainland China, the Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. In the Philippines, a powerful typhoon two weeks ago wiped out basic necessities for tens of thousands of people ahead of New Years Eve. More than 400 were killed by Typhoon Rai and at least 82 remain missing. Leahmer Singson, a 17-year-old mother, lost her home to a fire last month, and then the typhoon blew away her temporary wooden shack in Cebu city. She will welcome the new year with her husband, who works in a glass and aluminum factory, and her 1-year-old baby in a ramshackle tent in a clearing where hundreds of other families erected small tents from debris, rice sacks and tarpaulins. Asked what she wants for the new year, Singson had a simple wish: I hope we wont get sick. ___ A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) This story has been corrected to show that the fireworks display in Las Vegas went off on time despite the threat of winds. ___ Perry reported from Wellington, New Zealand. Associated Press reporters Daniel Cole in Marseille; Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow; Frances DEmilio in Rome; Sylvia Hui in London; Darko Vojinovic in Belgrade, Serbia; Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo; Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea; Ashok Sharma in New Delhi; Niniek Karmini and Edna Tarigan in Jakarta, Indonesia; Hau Dinh in Hanoi, Vietnam; Zen Soo in Hong Kong; Tassanee Vejpongsa in Bangkok; Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines; Freida Frisaro in Miami; Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia; and AP researcher Chen Si in Shanghai contributed to this report. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2021 (265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS (AP) Sorrow for the dead and dying, fear of more infections to come and hopes for an end to the coronavirus pandemic were again the bittersweet cocktail with which the world said good riddance to 2021 and ushered in 2022. New Years Eve, which used to be celebrated globally with a free-spirited wildness, felt instead like a case of deja vu, with the fast-spreading omicron variant again filling hospitals. We just need enjoyment, said Karen Page, 53, who was among the fed-up revelers venturing out in London. We have just been in so long. Nurses enjoy a new year's cake during a break in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. Paris region health authorities have instructed hospitals to cancel more non-urgent medical procedures to free up intensive-care beds for the growing influx of people gravely sick with COVID-19. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) The mostly muted New Years Eve celebrations around the world ushered in the fourth calendar year framed by the global pandemic. More than 285 million people have been infected by the coronavirus worldwide since late 2019 and more than 5 million have died. In Paris, officials canceled the fireworks amid surging infections and reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors, an obligation followed by the majority of people who milled about on the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. In Berlin, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert was staged without a live audience. In Madrid, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach to the year-end revelry: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where thousands turned up for a fireworks show on the Strip that was threatened by gusty winds but went off as scheduled. President Joe Biden noted the losses and uncertainty caused by the pandemic but said: Were persevering. Were recovering. Back to work. Back to school. Back to joy, Biden said in a video posted on Twitter. Thats how we made it through this year. And how well embrace the next. Together. In New York, officials allowed just 15,000 people vaccinated and masked inside the perimeter around Times Square, a sliver of the 1 million that typically squeeze in to watch the famed ball drop. Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio, defending the event, said people need to see that New York is open for business. Followers of the Yoruba religion give offerings to Yemanja, a deity celebrated by the African Yoruba religion, at a lake in downtown Brasilia, Brazil on New Years Eve, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. As the year winds down, Brazilian worshippers celebrate Yemanja, goddess of the sea, offering flowers and launching large and small boats into the water in exchange for blessings for the coming year. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) Yet by Thursday, rapper LL Cool J had dropped out of the New York telecast after a positive COVID-19 test and restaurant owners battered by staffing shortages and omicron cancelations throughout the holiday season struggled to stay open. Im really scared for our industry, said New York restaurateur David Rabin, who watched reservations and party bookings disappear this month. No one made any money in December. The fact they may have a good night tonight, it has no impact. Airlines also struggled as the year came to a close, canceling thousands of flights after the virus struck flight crews and other personnel and amid bad weather. The pandemic game-changer of 2021 vaccinations continued apace. Pakistan said it had fully vaccinated 70 million of its 220 million people this year and Britain said it met its goal of offering a vaccine booster shot to all adults by Friday. In Russia, President Vladimir Putin mourned the dead, praised Russians for their strength in difficult times and soberly warned that the pandemic isnt retreating yet. Russias virus task force has reported 308,860 COVID-19 deaths but its state statistics agency says the death toll has been more than double that. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin said in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. Elsewhere, the venue that many chose for New Years celebrations was the same place they became overly familiarly with during lockdowns: their homes. People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. Russia's state coronavirus task force has registered a total of about 10.5 million confirmed infections and 308,860 deaths, but the state statistics agency that uses broader criteria in its tallying system has reported nearly 626,000 virus-linked deaths in Russia since the start of the pandemic. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr) Pope Francis also canceled his New Years Eve tradition of visiting the life-sized manger set up in St. Peters Square, again to avoid a crowd. In an unusual move for Francis, the 85-year-old pontiff donned a surgical mask for a Vespers service of prayer and hymns Friday evening as he sat in an armchair. But he also delivered a homily standing and unmasked. A sense of being lost has grown in the world during the pandemic, Francis told the faithful in St. Peters Basilica. France, Britain, Portugal and Australia were among countries that set new records for COVID-19 infections as 2021 gave way to 2022. In London, the normal fireworks display, which would have attracted tens of thousands of people to the city center and the banks of the Thames, was replaced by a light and drones show broadcast on television. Location details about the spectacle were kept secret in advance to avoid crowds gathering. The last two years have been so difficult for so many people, so many have suffered and there is a point when we need to start coming together finally, said Mira Lluk, 22, a special needs teacher. Frances unprecedented 232,200 new cases Friday marked its third day running above the 200,000 mark. The U.K. was close behind, with 189,846 new cases, also a record. In London, officials said as many as 1 in 15 people were infected with the virus in the week before Christmas. Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in the U.K. rose 68% in the last week, to the highest levels since February. In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. People celebrate during New Year's celebrations at Madrid's Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, early Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Yet boisterous New Years Eve celebrations kicked off in the Serbian capital of Belgrade where, unlike elsewhere in Europe, mass gatherings were allowed despite fears of the omicron variant. One medical expert predicted that Serbia will see thousands of new COVID-19 infections after the holidays. At Expo 2020, the sprawling worlds fair outside Dubai, 26-year-old tourist Lujain Orfi prepared to throw caution to the wind on New Years Eve her first time ever outside Saudi Arabia, where she lives in the holy city of Medina. If you dont celebrate, life will pass you by, she said. Im healthy and took two (vaccine) doses. We just have to enjoy. Australia went ahead with its celebrations despite reporting a record 32,000 new cases. Thousands of fireworks lit up the sky over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at midnight. Yet the crowds were far smaller than in pre-pandemic years. In Japan, writer Naoki Matsuzawa said he would spend the next few days cooking and delivering food to the elderly because some stores would be closed. He said vaccinations had made people less anxious about the pandemic, despite the new variant. A numbness has set in, and we are no longer overly afraid, said Matsuzawa, who lives in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo. Some of us are starting to take for granted that it wont happen to me. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) South Korean authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. In India, millions of people rang in the new year from their homes, with nighttime curfews and other restrictions taking the fizz out of celebrations in New Delhi, Mumbai and other large cities. In mainland China, the Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. In the Philippines, a powerful typhoon two weeks ago wiped out basic necessities for tens of thousands of people ahead of New Years Eve. More than 400 were killed by Typhoon Rai and at least 82 remain missing. Leahmer Singson, a 17-year-old mother, lost her home to a fire last month, and then the typhoon blew away her temporary wooden shack in Cebu city. She will welcome the new year with her husband, who works in a glass and aluminum factory, and her 1-year-old baby in a ramshackle tent in a clearing where hundreds of other families erected small tents from debris, rice sacks and tarpaulins. Asked what she wants for the new year, Singson had a simple wish: I hope we wont get sick. ___ A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) This story has been corrected to show that the fireworks display in Las Vegas went off on time despite the threat of winds. ___ Perry reported from Wellington, New Zealand. Associated Press reporters Daniel Cole in Marseille; Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow; Frances DEmilio in Rome; Sylvia Hui in London; Darko Vojinovic in Belgrade, Serbia; Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo; Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea; Ashok Sharma in New Delhi; Niniek Karmini and Edna Tarigan in Jakarta, Indonesia; Hau Dinh in Hanoi, Vietnam; Zen Soo in Hong Kong; Tassanee Vejpongsa in Bangkok; Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines; Freida Frisaro in Miami; Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia; and AP researcher Chen Si in Shanghai contributed to this report. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2021 (265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS (AP) Sorrow for the dead and dying, fear of more infections to come and hopes for an end to the coronavirus pandemic were again the bittersweet cocktail with which the world said good riddance to 2021 and ushered in 2022. New Years Eve, which used to be celebrated globally with a free-spirited wildness, felt instead like a case of deja vu, with the fast-spreading omicron variant again filling hospitals. We just need enjoyment, said Karen Page, 53, who was among the fed-up revelers venturing out in London. We have just been in so long. Nurses enjoy a new year's cake during a break in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. Paris region health authorities have instructed hospitals to cancel more non-urgent medical procedures to free up intensive-care beds for the growing influx of people gravely sick with COVID-19. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) The mostly muted New Years Eve celebrations around the world ushered in the fourth calendar year framed by the global pandemic. More than 285 million people have been infected by the coronavirus worldwide since late 2019 and more than 5 million have died. In Paris, officials canceled the fireworks amid surging infections and reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors, an obligation followed by the majority of people who milled about on the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. In Berlin, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert was staged without a live audience. In Madrid, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach to the year-end revelry: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where thousands turned up for a fireworks show on the Strip that was threatened by gusty winds but went off as scheduled. President Joe Biden noted the losses and uncertainty caused by the pandemic but said: Were persevering. Were recovering. Back to work. Back to school. Back to joy, Biden said in a video posted on Twitter. Thats how we made it through this year. And how well embrace the next. Together. In New York, officials allowed just 15,000 people vaccinated and masked inside the perimeter around Times Square, a sliver of the 1 million that typically squeeze in to watch the famed ball drop. Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio, defending the event, said people need to see that New York is open for business. Followers of the Yoruba religion give offerings to Yemanja, a deity celebrated by the African Yoruba religion, at a lake in downtown Brasilia, Brazil on New Years Eve, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. As the year winds down, Brazilian worshippers celebrate Yemanja, goddess of the sea, offering flowers and launching large and small boats into the water in exchange for blessings for the coming year. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) Yet by Thursday, rapper LL Cool J had dropped out of the New York telecast after a positive COVID-19 test and restaurant owners battered by staffing shortages and omicron cancelations throughout the holiday season struggled to stay open. Im really scared for our industry, said New York restaurateur David Rabin, who watched reservations and party bookings disappear this month. No one made any money in December. The fact they may have a good night tonight, it has no impact. Airlines also struggled as the year came to a close, canceling thousands of flights after the virus struck flight crews and other personnel and amid bad weather. The pandemic game-changer of 2021 vaccinations continued apace. Pakistan said it had fully vaccinated 70 million of its 220 million people this year and Britain said it met its goal of offering a vaccine booster shot to all adults by Friday. In Russia, President Vladimir Putin mourned the dead, praised Russians for their strength in difficult times and soberly warned that the pandemic isnt retreating yet. Russias virus task force has reported 308,860 COVID-19 deaths but its state statistics agency says the death toll has been more than double that. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin said in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. Elsewhere, the venue that many chose for New Years celebrations was the same place they became overly familiarly with during lockdowns: their homes. People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. Russia's state coronavirus task force has registered a total of about 10.5 million confirmed infections and 308,860 deaths, but the state statistics agency that uses broader criteria in its tallying system has reported nearly 626,000 virus-linked deaths in Russia since the start of the pandemic. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr) Pope Francis also canceled his New Years Eve tradition of visiting the life-sized manger set up in St. Peters Square, again to avoid a crowd. In an unusual move for Francis, the 85-year-old pontiff donned a surgical mask for a Vespers service of prayer and hymns Friday evening as he sat in an armchair. But he also delivered a homily standing and unmasked. A sense of being lost has grown in the world during the pandemic, Francis told the faithful in St. Peters Basilica. France, Britain, Portugal and Australia were among countries that set new records for COVID-19 infections as 2021 gave way to 2022. In London, the normal fireworks display, which would have attracted tens of thousands of people to the city center and the banks of the Thames, was replaced by a light and drones show broadcast on television. Location details about the spectacle were kept secret in advance to avoid crowds gathering. The last two years have been so difficult for so many people, so many have suffered and there is a point when we need to start coming together finally, said Mira Lluk, 22, a special needs teacher. Frances unprecedented 232,200 new cases Friday marked its third day running above the 200,000 mark. The U.K. was close behind, with 189,846 new cases, also a record. In London, officials said as many as 1 in 15 people were infected with the virus in the week before Christmas. Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in the U.K. rose 68% in the last week, to the highest levels since February. In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. People celebrate during New Year's celebrations at Madrid's Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, early Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Yet boisterous New Years Eve celebrations kicked off in the Serbian capital of Belgrade where, unlike elsewhere in Europe, mass gatherings were allowed despite fears of the omicron variant. One medical expert predicted that Serbia will see thousands of new COVID-19 infections after the holidays. At Expo 2020, the sprawling worlds fair outside Dubai, 26-year-old tourist Lujain Orfi prepared to throw caution to the wind on New Years Eve her first time ever outside Saudi Arabia, where she lives in the holy city of Medina. If you dont celebrate, life will pass you by, she said. Im healthy and took two (vaccine) doses. We just have to enjoy. Australia went ahead with its celebrations despite reporting a record 32,000 new cases. Thousands of fireworks lit up the sky over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at midnight. Yet the crowds were far smaller than in pre-pandemic years. In Japan, writer Naoki Matsuzawa said he would spend the next few days cooking and delivering food to the elderly because some stores would be closed. He said vaccinations had made people less anxious about the pandemic, despite the new variant. A numbness has set in, and we are no longer overly afraid, said Matsuzawa, who lives in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo. Some of us are starting to take for granted that it wont happen to me. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) South Korean authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. In India, millions of people rang in the new year from their homes, with nighttime curfews and other restrictions taking the fizz out of celebrations in New Delhi, Mumbai and other large cities. In mainland China, the Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. In the Philippines, a powerful typhoon two weeks ago wiped out basic necessities for tens of thousands of people ahead of New Years Eve. More than 400 were killed by Typhoon Rai and at least 82 remain missing. Leahmer Singson, a 17-year-old mother, lost her home to a fire last month, and then the typhoon blew away her temporary wooden shack in Cebu city. She will welcome the new year with her husband, who works in a glass and aluminum factory, and her 1-year-old baby in a ramshackle tent in a clearing where hundreds of other families erected small tents from debris, rice sacks and tarpaulins. Asked what she wants for the new year, Singson had a simple wish: I hope we wont get sick. ___ A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) This story has been corrected to show that the fireworks display in Las Vegas went off on time despite the threat of winds. ___ Perry reported from Wellington, New Zealand. Associated Press reporters Daniel Cole in Marseille; Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow; Frances DEmilio in Rome; Sylvia Hui in London; Darko Vojinovic in Belgrade, Serbia; Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo; Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea; Ashok Sharma in New Delhi; Niniek Karmini and Edna Tarigan in Jakarta, Indonesia; Hau Dinh in Hanoi, Vietnam; Zen Soo in Hong Kong; Tassanee Vejpongsa in Bangkok; Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines; Freida Frisaro in Miami; Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia; and AP researcher Chen Si in Shanghai contributed to this report. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2021 (265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS (AP) Sorrow for the dead and dying, fear of more infections to come and hopes for an end to the coronavirus pandemic were again the bittersweet cocktail with which the world said good riddance to 2021 and ushered in 2022. New Years Eve, which used to be celebrated globally with a free-spirited wildness, felt instead like a case of deja vu, with the fast-spreading omicron variant again filling hospitals. We just need enjoyment, said Karen Page, 53, who was among the fed-up revelers venturing out in London. We have just been in so long. Nurses enjoy a new year's cake during a break in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. Paris region health authorities have instructed hospitals to cancel more non-urgent medical procedures to free up intensive-care beds for the growing influx of people gravely sick with COVID-19. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) The mostly muted New Years Eve celebrations around the world ushered in the fourth calendar year framed by the global pandemic. More than 285 million people have been infected by the coronavirus worldwide since late 2019 and more than 5 million have died. In Paris, officials canceled the fireworks amid surging infections and reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors, an obligation followed by the majority of people who milled about on the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. In Berlin, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert was staged without a live audience. In Madrid, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach to the year-end revelry: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where thousands turned up for a fireworks show on the Strip that was threatened by gusty winds but went off as scheduled. President Joe Biden noted the losses and uncertainty caused by the pandemic but said: Were persevering. Were recovering. Back to work. Back to school. Back to joy, Biden said in a video posted on Twitter. Thats how we made it through this year. And how well embrace the next. Together. In New York, officials allowed just 15,000 people vaccinated and masked inside the perimeter around Times Square, a sliver of the 1 million that typically squeeze in to watch the famed ball drop. Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio, defending the event, said people need to see that New York is open for business. Followers of the Yoruba religion give offerings to Yemanja, a deity celebrated by the African Yoruba religion, at a lake in downtown Brasilia, Brazil on New Years Eve, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. As the year winds down, Brazilian worshippers celebrate Yemanja, goddess of the sea, offering flowers and launching large and small boats into the water in exchange for blessings for the coming year. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) Yet by Thursday, rapper LL Cool J had dropped out of the New York telecast after a positive COVID-19 test and restaurant owners battered by staffing shortages and omicron cancelations throughout the holiday season struggled to stay open. Im really scared for our industry, said New York restaurateur David Rabin, who watched reservations and party bookings disappear this month. No one made any money in December. The fact they may have a good night tonight, it has no impact. Airlines also struggled as the year came to a close, canceling thousands of flights after the virus struck flight crews and other personnel and amid bad weather. The pandemic game-changer of 2021 vaccinations continued apace. Pakistan said it had fully vaccinated 70 million of its 220 million people this year and Britain said it met its goal of offering a vaccine booster shot to all adults by Friday. In Russia, President Vladimir Putin mourned the dead, praised Russians for their strength in difficult times and soberly warned that the pandemic isnt retreating yet. Russias virus task force has reported 308,860 COVID-19 deaths but its state statistics agency says the death toll has been more than double that. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin said in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. Elsewhere, the venue that many chose for New Years celebrations was the same place they became overly familiarly with during lockdowns: their homes. People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. Russia's state coronavirus task force has registered a total of about 10.5 million confirmed infections and 308,860 deaths, but the state statistics agency that uses broader criteria in its tallying system has reported nearly 626,000 virus-linked deaths in Russia since the start of the pandemic. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr) Pope Francis also canceled his New Years Eve tradition of visiting the life-sized manger set up in St. Peters Square, again to avoid a crowd. In an unusual move for Francis, the 85-year-old pontiff donned a surgical mask for a Vespers service of prayer and hymns Friday evening as he sat in an armchair. But he also delivered a homily standing and unmasked. A sense of being lost has grown in the world during the pandemic, Francis told the faithful in St. Peters Basilica. France, Britain, Portugal and Australia were among countries that set new records for COVID-19 infections as 2021 gave way to 2022. In London, the normal fireworks display, which would have attracted tens of thousands of people to the city center and the banks of the Thames, was replaced by a light and drones show broadcast on television. Location details about the spectacle were kept secret in advance to avoid crowds gathering. The last two years have been so difficult for so many people, so many have suffered and there is a point when we need to start coming together finally, said Mira Lluk, 22, a special needs teacher. Frances unprecedented 232,200 new cases Friday marked its third day running above the 200,000 mark. The U.K. was close behind, with 189,846 new cases, also a record. In London, officials said as many as 1 in 15 people were infected with the virus in the week before Christmas. Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in the U.K. rose 68% in the last week, to the highest levels since February. In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. People celebrate during New Year's celebrations at Madrid's Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, early Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Yet boisterous New Years Eve celebrations kicked off in the Serbian capital of Belgrade where, unlike elsewhere in Europe, mass gatherings were allowed despite fears of the omicron variant. One medical expert predicted that Serbia will see thousands of new COVID-19 infections after the holidays. At Expo 2020, the sprawling worlds fair outside Dubai, 26-year-old tourist Lujain Orfi prepared to throw caution to the wind on New Years Eve her first time ever outside Saudi Arabia, where she lives in the holy city of Medina. If you dont celebrate, life will pass you by, she said. Im healthy and took two (vaccine) doses. We just have to enjoy. Australia went ahead with its celebrations despite reporting a record 32,000 new cases. Thousands of fireworks lit up the sky over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at midnight. Yet the crowds were far smaller than in pre-pandemic years. In Japan, writer Naoki Matsuzawa said he would spend the next few days cooking and delivering food to the elderly because some stores would be closed. He said vaccinations had made people less anxious about the pandemic, despite the new variant. A numbness has set in, and we are no longer overly afraid, said Matsuzawa, who lives in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo. Some of us are starting to take for granted that it wont happen to me. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) South Korean authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. In India, millions of people rang in the new year from their homes, with nighttime curfews and other restrictions taking the fizz out of celebrations in New Delhi, Mumbai and other large cities. In mainland China, the Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. In the Philippines, a powerful typhoon two weeks ago wiped out basic necessities for tens of thousands of people ahead of New Years Eve. More than 400 were killed by Typhoon Rai and at least 82 remain missing. Leahmer Singson, a 17-year-old mother, lost her home to a fire last month, and then the typhoon blew away her temporary wooden shack in Cebu city. She will welcome the new year with her husband, who works in a glass and aluminum factory, and her 1-year-old baby in a ramshackle tent in a clearing where hundreds of other families erected small tents from debris, rice sacks and tarpaulins. Asked what she wants for the new year, Singson had a simple wish: I hope we wont get sick. ___ A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) This story has been corrected to show that the fireworks display in Las Vegas went off on time despite the threat of winds. ___ Perry reported from Wellington, New Zealand. Associated Press reporters Daniel Cole in Marseille; Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow; Frances DEmilio in Rome; Sylvia Hui in London; Darko Vojinovic in Belgrade, Serbia; Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo; Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea; Ashok Sharma in New Delhi; Niniek Karmini and Edna Tarigan in Jakarta, Indonesia; Hau Dinh in Hanoi, Vietnam; Zen Soo in Hong Kong; Tassanee Vejpongsa in Bangkok; Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines; Freida Frisaro in Miami; Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia; and AP researcher Chen Si in Shanghai contributed to this report. Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday (December 31, 2021), a day after several parts of Chennai experienced over 20 cm rainfall, said the Meteorological department usually provided information on the likelihood of rainfall, but they could not forecast Thursday's heavy showers. Torrential rainfall battered Tamil Nadu on Thursday leaving Chennai flooded the next day. CM MK Stalin also reviewed the waterlogging situation on Friday and assured the people that the problem would be resolved. Stalin, who visited waterlogged areas in Chennai`s Tenampet along with the municipality officials on Friday, said, "Yesterday midnight once I reached Chennai from Trichy, I started reviewing the rain situation in the control room of Ripon Building where Chennai corporation officials monitored the situation. The waterlogging issues in Chennai will be resolved by today evening." "The weather department was unable to predict the heavy rains yesterday. We will take up the issue of upgrading weather forecast systems with the Central Government", the Tamil Nadu CM added. On Thursday, several areas of Chennai experienced more than 20 CM rainfall, he said. A weather forecast by the IMD (issued 12.30 hours on December 30) had said: "Thunderstorm with moderate rain is likely to occur at a few places over coastal Tamil Nadu. Thunderstorm with moderate rain is likely to occur at many places over Villupuram, Cuddalore and Delta districts, Puducherry and Karaikal. Light rain is also likely to occur at isolated places over interior Tamil Nadu districts." As the heavy rainfall continued in Chennai and in several suburbs, traffic congestion was also witnessed. Meanwhile, people found themselves in knee-deep water in T. Nagar on Friday morning. Some inundated roads were also closed as their clearing was underway. People were also seen placing sandbags outside to stop rainwater from entering their houses. "As many as 27 cases of tree falling have been reported in Chennai. More than 145 pumps are operating to clear the waterlogging caused by heavy rainfall in the city", said Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi said earlier. Heavy rain caused water logging in Chennai which affected traffic movement at Jemini bridge and Valluvar Kottam, Thyagaraya Nagar (T. Nagar) and Usman road of the city. Antony, a local said, "Yesterday it rained heavily for six hours in our area (T. Nagar). I couldn`t go to my office today as a result of the flooded roads. The Met department has also predicted rain for the next two days. We appeal to the government to come out with a permanent solution so that that there is no water stagnation in our area." Live TV Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2021 (265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA More federal prisons are reporting COVID-19 outbreaks, with the surge in new infections affecting not only inmates but also a large number of correctional officers and staff. New outbreaks were reported Friday at fourCorrectional Service Canada facilities: the Atlantic Institution in New Brunswick; Drumheller in Alberta; Stony Mountain in Manitoba; and the Kent Institution in B.C. Those follow outbreaks earlier this week at three other federal institutions. While the new outbreaks have led to dozens of inmates having become infected with COVID-19, the number of cases among prison staff has been much higher. This electron microscope image made available and colour-enhanced by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Integrated Research Facility in Fort Detrick, Md., in 2020, shows Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 virus particles, in orange, isolated from a patient. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-HO-NIAID/National Institutes of Health via AP Correctional Services spokeswoman Marie Pier Lecuyer said Friday a total of 248 staff have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, compared with 107 inmates. The previous day, the agency had reported infections in 160 staff members and 88 inmates. Drumheller alone accounted for 41 of the new staff infections reported Friday, along with 13 inmates. At the Kent Institution in Agassiz, B.C., 18 staff had tested positive for the virus. The latest outbreaks, which have also affected the Nova Scotia Institution for Women, the Warkworth Institution in Ontario, and La Mazaca Institution in Quebec, come as Canada faces a surge in new COVID-19 cases driven by the highly contagious Omicron variant. As the number of cases among inmates and staff continues to grow, Lecuyer said Correctional Services is reviewing staff levels at its institutions to make sure there are enough officers to continue operating in a safe manner. In addition, we have contingency plans, which indicate additional measures that can be taken to address staffing levels issue, such as approving staff overtime and having managers replace correctional officers, as needed, she said. Some provinces have made the difficult decision in recent days to keep essential workers such as police officers, paramedics and hospital workers on the job even after they have tested positive for COVID-19, amid a nationwide explosion in new cases. Lecuyer said while correctional officers are not returning to work until they are fully recovered, the agency does have a protocol in place allowing the return of asymptomatic staff who have completed the majority of their 10-day isolation period. Such staff members will be subject to ongoing rapid testing and other work-isolation measures, she added. Jeff Wilkins, national president of the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers, said it is concerning that federal prison staff are having to deal with COVID-19. However, while the union has been pushing the federal government to instigate hazard pay for correctional officers, Wilkins said he was generally satisfied with the measures put in place to protect them. Of course, nothing can be perfect, but I do believe that the things that we have put in place have managed to keep the numbers as low as they are, he said. Wilkins added there is no one-size-fits-all solution to a staffing shortage, but one solution might be to bring in staff from another institution that is close by and not experiencing an outbreak. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 31, 2021. This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2021 (265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS (AP) Sorrow for the dead and dying, fear of more infections to come and hopes for an end to the coronavirus pandemic were again the bittersweet cocktail with which the world said good riddance to 2021 and ushered in 2022. New Years Eve, which used to be celebrated globally with a free-spirited wildness, felt instead like a case of deja vu, with the fast-spreading omicron variant again filling hospitals. We just need enjoyment, said Karen Page, 53, who was among the fed-up revelers venturing out in London. We have just been in so long. Nurses enjoy a new year's cake during a break in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. Paris region health authorities have instructed hospitals to cancel more non-urgent medical procedures to free up intensive-care beds for the growing influx of people gravely sick with COVID-19. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) The mostly muted New Years Eve celebrations around the world ushered in the fourth calendar year framed by the global pandemic. More than 285 million people have been infected by the coronavirus worldwide since late 2019 and more than 5 million have died. In Paris, officials canceled the fireworks amid surging infections and reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors, an obligation followed by the majority of people who milled about on the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. In Berlin, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert was staged without a live audience. In Madrid, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach to the year-end revelry: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where thousands turned up for a fireworks show on the Strip that was threatened by gusty winds but went off as scheduled. President Joe Biden noted the losses and uncertainty caused by the pandemic but said: Were persevering. Were recovering. Back to work. Back to school. Back to joy, Biden said in a video posted on Twitter. Thats how we made it through this year. And how well embrace the next. Together. In New York, officials allowed just 15,000 people vaccinated and masked inside the perimeter around Times Square, a sliver of the 1 million that typically squeeze in to watch the famed ball drop. Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio, defending the event, said people need to see that New York is open for business. Followers of the Yoruba religion give offerings to Yemanja, a deity celebrated by the African Yoruba religion, at a lake in downtown Brasilia, Brazil on New Years Eve, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. As the year winds down, Brazilian worshippers celebrate Yemanja, goddess of the sea, offering flowers and launching large and small boats into the water in exchange for blessings for the coming year. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) Yet by Thursday, rapper LL Cool J had dropped out of the New York telecast after a positive COVID-19 test and restaurant owners battered by staffing shortages and omicron cancelations throughout the holiday season struggled to stay open. Im really scared for our industry, said New York restaurateur David Rabin, who watched reservations and party bookings disappear this month. No one made any money in December. The fact they may have a good night tonight, it has no impact. Airlines also struggled as the year came to a close, canceling thousands of flights after the virus struck flight crews and other personnel and amid bad weather. The pandemic game-changer of 2021 vaccinations continued apace. Pakistan said it had fully vaccinated 70 million of its 220 million people this year and Britain said it met its goal of offering a vaccine booster shot to all adults by Friday. In Russia, President Vladimir Putin mourned the dead, praised Russians for their strength in difficult times and soberly warned that the pandemic isnt retreating yet. Russias virus task force has reported 308,860 COVID-19 deaths but its state statistics agency says the death toll has been more than double that. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin said in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. Elsewhere, the venue that many chose for New Years celebrations was the same place they became overly familiarly with during lockdowns: their homes. People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. Russia's state coronavirus task force has registered a total of about 10.5 million confirmed infections and 308,860 deaths, but the state statistics agency that uses broader criteria in its tallying system has reported nearly 626,000 virus-linked deaths in Russia since the start of the pandemic. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr) Pope Francis also canceled his New Years Eve tradition of visiting the life-sized manger set up in St. Peters Square, again to avoid a crowd. In an unusual move for Francis, the 85-year-old pontiff donned a surgical mask for a Vespers service of prayer and hymns Friday evening as he sat in an armchair. But he also delivered a homily standing and unmasked. A sense of being lost has grown in the world during the pandemic, Francis told the faithful in St. Peters Basilica. France, Britain, Portugal and Australia were among countries that set new records for COVID-19 infections as 2021 gave way to 2022. In London, the normal fireworks display, which would have attracted tens of thousands of people to the city center and the banks of the Thames, was replaced by a light and drones show broadcast on television. Location details about the spectacle were kept secret in advance to avoid crowds gathering. The last two years have been so difficult for so many people, so many have suffered and there is a point when we need to start coming together finally, said Mira Lluk, 22, a special needs teacher. Frances unprecedented 232,200 new cases Friday marked its third day running above the 200,000 mark. The U.K. was close behind, with 189,846 new cases, also a record. In London, officials said as many as 1 in 15 people were infected with the virus in the week before Christmas. Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in the U.K. rose 68% in the last week, to the highest levels since February. In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. People celebrate during New Year's celebrations at Madrid's Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, early Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Yet boisterous New Years Eve celebrations kicked off in the Serbian capital of Belgrade where, unlike elsewhere in Europe, mass gatherings were allowed despite fears of the omicron variant. One medical expert predicted that Serbia will see thousands of new COVID-19 infections after the holidays. At Expo 2020, the sprawling worlds fair outside Dubai, 26-year-old tourist Lujain Orfi prepared to throw caution to the wind on New Years Eve her first time ever outside Saudi Arabia, where she lives in the holy city of Medina. If you dont celebrate, life will pass you by, she said. Im healthy and took two (vaccine) doses. We just have to enjoy. Australia went ahead with its celebrations despite reporting a record 32,000 new cases. Thousands of fireworks lit up the sky over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at midnight. Yet the crowds were far smaller than in pre-pandemic years. In Japan, writer Naoki Matsuzawa said he would spend the next few days cooking and delivering food to the elderly because some stores would be closed. He said vaccinations had made people less anxious about the pandemic, despite the new variant. A numbness has set in, and we are no longer overly afraid, said Matsuzawa, who lives in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo. Some of us are starting to take for granted that it wont happen to me. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) South Korean authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. In India, millions of people rang in the new year from their homes, with nighttime curfews and other restrictions taking the fizz out of celebrations in New Delhi, Mumbai and other large cities. In mainland China, the Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. In the Philippines, a powerful typhoon two weeks ago wiped out basic necessities for tens of thousands of people ahead of New Years Eve. More than 400 were killed by Typhoon Rai and at least 82 remain missing. Leahmer Singson, a 17-year-old mother, lost her home to a fire last month, and then the typhoon blew away her temporary wooden shack in Cebu city. She will welcome the new year with her husband, who works in a glass and aluminum factory, and her 1-year-old baby in a ramshackle tent in a clearing where hundreds of other families erected small tents from debris, rice sacks and tarpaulins. Asked what she wants for the new year, Singson had a simple wish: I hope we wont get sick. ___ A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) This story has been corrected to show that the fireworks display in Las Vegas went off on time despite the threat of winds. ___ Perry reported from Wellington, New Zealand. Associated Press reporters Daniel Cole in Marseille; Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow; Frances DEmilio in Rome; Sylvia Hui in London; Darko Vojinovic in Belgrade, Serbia; Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo; Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea; Ashok Sharma in New Delhi; Niniek Karmini and Edna Tarigan in Jakarta, Indonesia; Hau Dinh in Hanoi, Vietnam; Zen Soo in Hong Kong; Tassanee Vejpongsa in Bangkok; Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines; Freida Frisaro in Miami; Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia; and AP researcher Chen Si in Shanghai contributed to this report. KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia reported another 3,573 new COVID-19 infections, as of midnight Friday, bringing the national total to 2,758,086, according to the health ministry. A total of 343 new cases were imported, and 3,230 were local transmissions, data released on the ministry's website showed. Twenty five more deaths were reported, bringing the death toll to 31,487. About 3,988 patients have been released after recovery, bringing the total number of cured and discharged to 2,685,378. There are some 41,221 active cases, 269 are being held in intensive care units and 163 of those are in need of assisted breathing. The country administered 182,020 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, and some 79.6 percent of the population have received at least one dose, 78.4 percent have been fully vaccinated and 19.3 percent have received booster shots. Meanwhile, Malaysia will temporarily suspend its Umrah pilgrimage nationals to Saudi Arabia from heading back to the country from Jan. 8, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said in a statement on Saturday. Khairy explained that the decision was made due to the high number of imported cases from Saudi Arabia over the last 14 days, with a number of these Umrah performers testing positive for the Omicron variant. "Umrah pilgrims are also likely to have been infected while in Saudi Arabia but still in the incubation period of infection-causing screening tests before leaving for Malaysia to turn up negative. "The arrival of a large number of Malaysian Umrah performers, which is about 800 to 1,000 a day (using four special flights) further increases the risk of importation of COVID-19 cases and Omicron variant into the country," the minister said. Enditem Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2021 (265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS (AP) Sorrow for the dead and dying, fear of more infections to come and hopes for an end to the coronavirus pandemic were again the bittersweet cocktail with which the world said good riddance to 2021 and ushered in 2022. New Years Eve, which used to be celebrated globally with a free-spirited wildness, felt instead like a case of deja vu, with the fast-spreading omicron variant again filling hospitals. We just need enjoyment, said Karen Page, 53, who was among the fed-up revelers venturing out in London. We have just been in so long. Nurses enjoy a new year's cake during a break in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. Paris region health authorities have instructed hospitals to cancel more non-urgent medical procedures to free up intensive-care beds for the growing influx of people gravely sick with COVID-19. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) The mostly muted New Years Eve celebrations around the world ushered in the fourth calendar year framed by the global pandemic. More than 285 million people have been infected by the coronavirus worldwide since late 2019 and more than 5 million have died. In Paris, officials canceled the fireworks amid surging infections and reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors, an obligation followed by the majority of people who milled about on the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. In Berlin, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert was staged without a live audience. In Madrid, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach to the year-end revelry: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where thousands turned up for a fireworks show on the Strip that was threatened by gusty winds but went off as scheduled. President Joe Biden noted the losses and uncertainty caused by the pandemic but said: Were persevering. Were recovering. Back to work. Back to school. Back to joy, Biden said in a video posted on Twitter. Thats how we made it through this year. And how well embrace the next. Together. In New York, officials allowed just 15,000 people vaccinated and masked inside the perimeter around Times Square, a sliver of the 1 million that typically squeeze in to watch the famed ball drop. Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio, defending the event, said people need to see that New York is open for business. Followers of the Yoruba religion give offerings to Yemanja, a deity celebrated by the African Yoruba religion, at a lake in downtown Brasilia, Brazil on New Years Eve, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. As the year winds down, Brazilian worshippers celebrate Yemanja, goddess of the sea, offering flowers and launching large and small boats into the water in exchange for blessings for the coming year. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) Yet by Thursday, rapper LL Cool J had dropped out of the New York telecast after a positive COVID-19 test and restaurant owners battered by staffing shortages and omicron cancelations throughout the holiday season struggled to stay open. Im really scared for our industry, said New York restaurateur David Rabin, who watched reservations and party bookings disappear this month. No one made any money in December. The fact they may have a good night tonight, it has no impact. Airlines also struggled as the year came to a close, canceling thousands of flights after the virus struck flight crews and other personnel and amid bad weather. The pandemic game-changer of 2021 vaccinations continued apace. Pakistan said it had fully vaccinated 70 million of its 220 million people this year and Britain said it met its goal of offering a vaccine booster shot to all adults by Friday. In Russia, President Vladimir Putin mourned the dead, praised Russians for their strength in difficult times and soberly warned that the pandemic isnt retreating yet. Russias virus task force has reported 308,860 COVID-19 deaths but its state statistics agency says the death toll has been more than double that. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin said in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. Elsewhere, the venue that many chose for New Years celebrations was the same place they became overly familiarly with during lockdowns: their homes. People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. Russia's state coronavirus task force has registered a total of about 10.5 million confirmed infections and 308,860 deaths, but the state statistics agency that uses broader criteria in its tallying system has reported nearly 626,000 virus-linked deaths in Russia since the start of the pandemic. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr) Pope Francis also canceled his New Years Eve tradition of visiting the life-sized manger set up in St. Peters Square, again to avoid a crowd. In an unusual move for Francis, the 85-year-old pontiff donned a surgical mask for a Vespers service of prayer and hymns Friday evening as he sat in an armchair. But he also delivered a homily standing and unmasked. A sense of being lost has grown in the world during the pandemic, Francis told the faithful in St. Peters Basilica. France, Britain, Portugal and Australia were among countries that set new records for COVID-19 infections as 2021 gave way to 2022. In London, the normal fireworks display, which would have attracted tens of thousands of people to the city center and the banks of the Thames, was replaced by a light and drones show broadcast on television. Location details about the spectacle were kept secret in advance to avoid crowds gathering. The last two years have been so difficult for so many people, so many have suffered and there is a point when we need to start coming together finally, said Mira Lluk, 22, a special needs teacher. Frances unprecedented 232,200 new cases Friday marked its third day running above the 200,000 mark. The U.K. was close behind, with 189,846 new cases, also a record. In London, officials said as many as 1 in 15 people were infected with the virus in the week before Christmas. Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in the U.K. rose 68% in the last week, to the highest levels since February. In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. People celebrate during New Year's celebrations at Madrid's Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, early Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Yet boisterous New Years Eve celebrations kicked off in the Serbian capital of Belgrade where, unlike elsewhere in Europe, mass gatherings were allowed despite fears of the omicron variant. One medical expert predicted that Serbia will see thousands of new COVID-19 infections after the holidays. At Expo 2020, the sprawling worlds fair outside Dubai, 26-year-old tourist Lujain Orfi prepared to throw caution to the wind on New Years Eve her first time ever outside Saudi Arabia, where she lives in the holy city of Medina. If you dont celebrate, life will pass you by, she said. Im healthy and took two (vaccine) doses. We just have to enjoy. Australia went ahead with its celebrations despite reporting a record 32,000 new cases. Thousands of fireworks lit up the sky over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at midnight. Yet the crowds were far smaller than in pre-pandemic years. In Japan, writer Naoki Matsuzawa said he would spend the next few days cooking and delivering food to the elderly because some stores would be closed. He said vaccinations had made people less anxious about the pandemic, despite the new variant. A numbness has set in, and we are no longer overly afraid, said Matsuzawa, who lives in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo. Some of us are starting to take for granted that it wont happen to me. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) South Korean authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. In India, millions of people rang in the new year from their homes, with nighttime curfews and other restrictions taking the fizz out of celebrations in New Delhi, Mumbai and other large cities. In mainland China, the Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. In the Philippines, a powerful typhoon two weeks ago wiped out basic necessities for tens of thousands of people ahead of New Years Eve. More than 400 were killed by Typhoon Rai and at least 82 remain missing. Leahmer Singson, a 17-year-old mother, lost her home to a fire last month, and then the typhoon blew away her temporary wooden shack in Cebu city. She will welcome the new year with her husband, who works in a glass and aluminum factory, and her 1-year-old baby in a ramshackle tent in a clearing where hundreds of other families erected small tents from debris, rice sacks and tarpaulins. Asked what she wants for the new year, Singson had a simple wish: I hope we wont get sick. ___ A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) This story has been corrected to show that the fireworks display in Las Vegas went off on time despite the threat of winds. ___ Perry reported from Wellington, New Zealand. Associated Press reporters Daniel Cole in Marseille; Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow; Frances DEmilio in Rome; Sylvia Hui in London; Darko Vojinovic in Belgrade, Serbia; Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo; Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea; Ashok Sharma in New Delhi; Niniek Karmini and Edna Tarigan in Jakarta, Indonesia; Hau Dinh in Hanoi, Vietnam; Zen Soo in Hong Kong; Tassanee Vejpongsa in Bangkok; Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines; Freida Frisaro in Miami; Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia; and AP researcher Chen Si in Shanghai contributed to this report. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2021 (265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS (AP) Sorrow for the dead and dying, fear of more infections to come and hopes for an end to the coronavirus pandemic were again the bittersweet cocktail with which the world said good riddance to 2021 and ushered in 2022. New Years Eve, which used to be celebrated globally with a free-spirited wildness, felt instead like a case of deja vu, with the fast-spreading omicron variant again filling hospitals. We just need enjoyment, said Karen Page, 53, who was among the fed-up revelers venturing out in London. We have just been in so long. Nurses enjoy a new year's cake during a break in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. Paris region health authorities have instructed hospitals to cancel more non-urgent medical procedures to free up intensive-care beds for the growing influx of people gravely sick with COVID-19. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) The mostly muted New Years Eve celebrations around the world ushered in the fourth calendar year framed by the global pandemic. More than 285 million people have been infected by the coronavirus worldwide since late 2019 and more than 5 million have died. In Paris, officials canceled the fireworks amid surging infections and reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors, an obligation followed by the majority of people who milled about on the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. In Berlin, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert was staged without a live audience. In Madrid, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach to the year-end revelry: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where thousands turned up for a fireworks show on the Strip that was threatened by gusty winds but went off as scheduled. President Joe Biden noted the losses and uncertainty caused by the pandemic but said: Were persevering. Were recovering. Back to work. Back to school. Back to joy, Biden said in a video posted on Twitter. Thats how we made it through this year. And how well embrace the next. Together. In New York, officials allowed just 15,000 people vaccinated and masked inside the perimeter around Times Square, a sliver of the 1 million that typically squeeze in to watch the famed ball drop. Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio, defending the event, said people need to see that New York is open for business. Followers of the Yoruba religion give offerings to Yemanja, a deity celebrated by the African Yoruba religion, at a lake in downtown Brasilia, Brazil on New Years Eve, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. As the year winds down, Brazilian worshippers celebrate Yemanja, goddess of the sea, offering flowers and launching large and small boats into the water in exchange for blessings for the coming year. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) Yet by Thursday, rapper LL Cool J had dropped out of the New York telecast after a positive COVID-19 test and restaurant owners battered by staffing shortages and omicron cancelations throughout the holiday season struggled to stay open. Im really scared for our industry, said New York restaurateur David Rabin, who watched reservations and party bookings disappear this month. No one made any money in December. The fact they may have a good night tonight, it has no impact. Airlines also struggled as the year came to a close, canceling thousands of flights after the virus struck flight crews and other personnel and amid bad weather. The pandemic game-changer of 2021 vaccinations continued apace. Pakistan said it had fully vaccinated 70 million of its 220 million people this year and Britain said it met its goal of offering a vaccine booster shot to all adults by Friday. In Russia, President Vladimir Putin mourned the dead, praised Russians for their strength in difficult times and soberly warned that the pandemic isnt retreating yet. Russias virus task force has reported 308,860 COVID-19 deaths but its state statistics agency says the death toll has been more than double that. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin said in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. Elsewhere, the venue that many chose for New Years celebrations was the same place they became overly familiarly with during lockdowns: their homes. People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. Russia's state coronavirus task force has registered a total of about 10.5 million confirmed infections and 308,860 deaths, but the state statistics agency that uses broader criteria in its tallying system has reported nearly 626,000 virus-linked deaths in Russia since the start of the pandemic. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr) Pope Francis also canceled his New Years Eve tradition of visiting the life-sized manger set up in St. Peters Square, again to avoid a crowd. In an unusual move for Francis, the 85-year-old pontiff donned a surgical mask for a Vespers service of prayer and hymns Friday evening as he sat in an armchair. But he also delivered a homily standing and unmasked. A sense of being lost has grown in the world during the pandemic, Francis told the faithful in St. Peters Basilica. France, Britain, Portugal and Australia were among countries that set new records for COVID-19 infections as 2021 gave way to 2022. In London, the normal fireworks display, which would have attracted tens of thousands of people to the city center and the banks of the Thames, was replaced by a light and drones show broadcast on television. Location details about the spectacle were kept secret in advance to avoid crowds gathering. The last two years have been so difficult for so many people, so many have suffered and there is a point when we need to start coming together finally, said Mira Lluk, 22, a special needs teacher. Frances unprecedented 232,200 new cases Friday marked its third day running above the 200,000 mark. The U.K. was close behind, with 189,846 new cases, also a record. In London, officials said as many as 1 in 15 people were infected with the virus in the week before Christmas. Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in the U.K. rose 68% in the last week, to the highest levels since February. In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. People celebrate during New Year's celebrations at Madrid's Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, early Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Yet boisterous New Years Eve celebrations kicked off in the Serbian capital of Belgrade where, unlike elsewhere in Europe, mass gatherings were allowed despite fears of the omicron variant. One medical expert predicted that Serbia will see thousands of new COVID-19 infections after the holidays. At Expo 2020, the sprawling worlds fair outside Dubai, 26-year-old tourist Lujain Orfi prepared to throw caution to the wind on New Years Eve her first time ever outside Saudi Arabia, where she lives in the holy city of Medina. If you dont celebrate, life will pass you by, she said. Im healthy and took two (vaccine) doses. We just have to enjoy. Australia went ahead with its celebrations despite reporting a record 32,000 new cases. Thousands of fireworks lit up the sky over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at midnight. Yet the crowds were far smaller than in pre-pandemic years. In Japan, writer Naoki Matsuzawa said he would spend the next few days cooking and delivering food to the elderly because some stores would be closed. He said vaccinations had made people less anxious about the pandemic, despite the new variant. A numbness has set in, and we are no longer overly afraid, said Matsuzawa, who lives in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo. Some of us are starting to take for granted that it wont happen to me. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) South Korean authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. In India, millions of people rang in the new year from their homes, with nighttime curfews and other restrictions taking the fizz out of celebrations in New Delhi, Mumbai and other large cities. In mainland China, the Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. In the Philippines, a powerful typhoon two weeks ago wiped out basic necessities for tens of thousands of people ahead of New Years Eve. More than 400 were killed by Typhoon Rai and at least 82 remain missing. Leahmer Singson, a 17-year-old mother, lost her home to a fire last month, and then the typhoon blew away her temporary wooden shack in Cebu city. She will welcome the new year with her husband, who works in a glass and aluminum factory, and her 1-year-old baby in a ramshackle tent in a clearing where hundreds of other families erected small tents from debris, rice sacks and tarpaulins. Asked what she wants for the new year, Singson had a simple wish: I hope we wont get sick. ___ A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) This story has been corrected to show that the fireworks display in Las Vegas went off on time despite the threat of winds. ___ Perry reported from Wellington, New Zealand. Associated Press reporters Daniel Cole in Marseille; Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow; Frances DEmilio in Rome; Sylvia Hui in London; Darko Vojinovic in Belgrade, Serbia; Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo; Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea; Ashok Sharma in New Delhi; Niniek Karmini and Edna Tarigan in Jakarta, Indonesia; Hau Dinh in Hanoi, Vietnam; Zen Soo in Hong Kong; Tassanee Vejpongsa in Bangkok; Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines; Freida Frisaro in Miami; Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia; and AP researcher Chen Si in Shanghai contributed to this report. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2021 (265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS (AP) Sorrow for the dead and dying, fear of more infections to come and hopes for an end to the coronavirus pandemic were again the bittersweet cocktail with which the world said good riddance to 2021 and ushered in 2022. New Years Eve, which used to be celebrated globally with a free-spirited wildness, felt instead like a case of deja vu, with the fast-spreading omicron variant again filling hospitals. We just need enjoyment, said Karen Page, 53, who was among the fed-up revelers venturing out in London. We have just been in so long. Nurses enjoy a new year's cake during a break in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. Paris region health authorities have instructed hospitals to cancel more non-urgent medical procedures to free up intensive-care beds for the growing influx of people gravely sick with COVID-19. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) The mostly muted New Years Eve celebrations around the world ushered in the fourth calendar year framed by the global pandemic. More than 285 million people have been infected by the coronavirus worldwide since late 2019 and more than 5 million have died. In Paris, officials canceled the fireworks amid surging infections and reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors, an obligation followed by the majority of people who milled about on the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. In Berlin, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert was staged without a live audience. In Madrid, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach to the year-end revelry: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where thousands turned up for a fireworks show on the Strip that was threatened by gusty winds but went off as scheduled. President Joe Biden noted the losses and uncertainty caused by the pandemic but said: Were persevering. Were recovering. Back to work. Back to school. Back to joy, Biden said in a video posted on Twitter. Thats how we made it through this year. And how well embrace the next. Together. In New York, officials allowed just 15,000 people vaccinated and masked inside the perimeter around Times Square, a sliver of the 1 million that typically squeeze in to watch the famed ball drop. Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio, defending the event, said people need to see that New York is open for business. Followers of the Yoruba religion give offerings to Yemanja, a deity celebrated by the African Yoruba religion, at a lake in downtown Brasilia, Brazil on New Years Eve, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. As the year winds down, Brazilian worshippers celebrate Yemanja, goddess of the sea, offering flowers and launching large and small boats into the water in exchange for blessings for the coming year. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) Yet by Thursday, rapper LL Cool J had dropped out of the New York telecast after a positive COVID-19 test and restaurant owners battered by staffing shortages and omicron cancelations throughout the holiday season struggled to stay open. Im really scared for our industry, said New York restaurateur David Rabin, who watched reservations and party bookings disappear this month. No one made any money in December. The fact they may have a good night tonight, it has no impact. Airlines also struggled as the year came to a close, canceling thousands of flights after the virus struck flight crews and other personnel and amid bad weather. The pandemic game-changer of 2021 vaccinations continued apace. Pakistan said it had fully vaccinated 70 million of its 220 million people this year and Britain said it met its goal of offering a vaccine booster shot to all adults by Friday. In Russia, President Vladimir Putin mourned the dead, praised Russians for their strength in difficult times and soberly warned that the pandemic isnt retreating yet. Russias virus task force has reported 308,860 COVID-19 deaths but its state statistics agency says the death toll has been more than double that. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin said in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. Elsewhere, the venue that many chose for New Years celebrations was the same place they became overly familiarly with during lockdowns: their homes. People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. Russia's state coronavirus task force has registered a total of about 10.5 million confirmed infections and 308,860 deaths, but the state statistics agency that uses broader criteria in its tallying system has reported nearly 626,000 virus-linked deaths in Russia since the start of the pandemic. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr) Pope Francis also canceled his New Years Eve tradition of visiting the life-sized manger set up in St. Peters Square, again to avoid a crowd. In an unusual move for Francis, the 85-year-old pontiff donned a surgical mask for a Vespers service of prayer and hymns Friday evening as he sat in an armchair. But he also delivered a homily standing and unmasked. A sense of being lost has grown in the world during the pandemic, Francis told the faithful in St. Peters Basilica. France, Britain, Portugal and Australia were among countries that set new records for COVID-19 infections as 2021 gave way to 2022. In London, the normal fireworks display, which would have attracted tens of thousands of people to the city center and the banks of the Thames, was replaced by a light and drones show broadcast on television. Location details about the spectacle were kept secret in advance to avoid crowds gathering. The last two years have been so difficult for so many people, so many have suffered and there is a point when we need to start coming together finally, said Mira Lluk, 22, a special needs teacher. Frances unprecedented 232,200 new cases Friday marked its third day running above the 200,000 mark. The U.K. was close behind, with 189,846 new cases, also a record. In London, officials said as many as 1 in 15 people were infected with the virus in the week before Christmas. Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in the U.K. rose 68% in the last week, to the highest levels since February. In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. People celebrate during New Year's celebrations at Madrid's Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, early Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Yet boisterous New Years Eve celebrations kicked off in the Serbian capital of Belgrade where, unlike elsewhere in Europe, mass gatherings were allowed despite fears of the omicron variant. One medical expert predicted that Serbia will see thousands of new COVID-19 infections after the holidays. At Expo 2020, the sprawling worlds fair outside Dubai, 26-year-old tourist Lujain Orfi prepared to throw caution to the wind on New Years Eve her first time ever outside Saudi Arabia, where she lives in the holy city of Medina. If you dont celebrate, life will pass you by, she said. Im healthy and took two (vaccine) doses. We just have to enjoy. Australia went ahead with its celebrations despite reporting a record 32,000 new cases. Thousands of fireworks lit up the sky over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at midnight. Yet the crowds were far smaller than in pre-pandemic years. In Japan, writer Naoki Matsuzawa said he would spend the next few days cooking and delivering food to the elderly because some stores would be closed. He said vaccinations had made people less anxious about the pandemic, despite the new variant. A numbness has set in, and we are no longer overly afraid, said Matsuzawa, who lives in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo. Some of us are starting to take for granted that it wont happen to me. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) South Korean authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. In India, millions of people rang in the new year from their homes, with nighttime curfews and other restrictions taking the fizz out of celebrations in New Delhi, Mumbai and other large cities. In mainland China, the Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. In the Philippines, a powerful typhoon two weeks ago wiped out basic necessities for tens of thousands of people ahead of New Years Eve. More than 400 were killed by Typhoon Rai and at least 82 remain missing. Leahmer Singson, a 17-year-old mother, lost her home to a fire last month, and then the typhoon blew away her temporary wooden shack in Cebu city. She will welcome the new year with her husband, who works in a glass and aluminum factory, and her 1-year-old baby in a ramshackle tent in a clearing where hundreds of other families erected small tents from debris, rice sacks and tarpaulins. Asked what she wants for the new year, Singson had a simple wish: I hope we wont get sick. ___ A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) This story has been corrected to show that the fireworks display in Las Vegas went off on time despite the threat of winds. ___ Perry reported from Wellington, New Zealand. Associated Press reporters Daniel Cole in Marseille; Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow; Frances DEmilio in Rome; Sylvia Hui in London; Darko Vojinovic in Belgrade, Serbia; Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo; Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea; Ashok Sharma in New Delhi; Niniek Karmini and Edna Tarigan in Jakarta, Indonesia; Hau Dinh in Hanoi, Vietnam; Zen Soo in Hong Kong; Tassanee Vejpongsa in Bangkok; Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines; Freida Frisaro in Miami; Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia; and AP researcher Chen Si in Shanghai contributed to this report. On New Years Eve, a local congressman took to the roads in the role of a pizza delivery driver. But Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, had a mission that went beyond doling out pies. Mrvan picked up Langels Pizza, a hometown favorite of his, and visited five hospitals across Northwest Indiana to show support for medical workers and highlight the importance of going into 2022 a healthier community. Loading up 25 pizzas with help from Rodney Langel, Mrvan drove from Lake County into Porter County with boxes stacked in hand. So first and foremost we have to take care of our medical workers, Mrvan said. Its been two years where theres been great pressure on our healthcare systems. And our medical workers, without them, we dont move forward. Theyve seen a lot over the last two years. Theyve worn it emotionally, theyve been engaged, they have been there with our loved ones and theyve supported our community. And so today on New Years Eve, we are here to show our appreciation to their dedication in making sure we are healthy and safe and moving forward in 2022. Mrvans route went to St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago, Community Hospital in Munster, Franciscan Health Dyer, Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus in Gary and Northwest Health Porter. With each delivery, Mrvan went around the facilities to thank healthcare workers and chat with patients. Staff members described their nights as busy and the flurry of activity was apparent in each hospital. Emergency rooms were teaming with patients and healthcare workers were in constant motion, hurrying from task to task. Mrvan said scenes like these are the reason why he is advocating for people to get vaccinated, to alleviate stress on healthcare workers. Its also an emphasis to talk about the pressure that is on the healthcare system, what we are doing going forward and how important it is to consider being vaccinated for the community, for our schools, for our elderly and for all our populations, Mrvan said. On New Years Eve, a local congressman took to the roads in the role of a pizza delivery driver. But Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, had a mission that went beyond doling out pies. Mrvan picked up Langels Pizza, a hometown favorite of his, and visited five hospitals across Northwest Indiana to show support for medical workers and highlight the importance of going into 2022 a healthier community. Loading up 25 pizzas with help from Rodney Langel, Mrvan drove from Lake County into Porter County with boxes stacked in hand. So first and foremost we have to take care of our medical workers, Mrvan said. Its been two years where theres been great pressure on our healthcare systems. And our medical workers, without them, we dont move forward. Theyve seen a lot over the last two years. Theyve worn it emotionally, theyve been engaged, they have been there with our loved ones and theyve supported our community. And so today on New Years Eve, we are here to show our appreciation to their dedication in making sure we are healthy and safe and moving forward in 2022. Mrvans route went to St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago, Community Hospital in Munster, Franciscan Health Dyer, Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus in Gary and Northwest Health Porter. With each delivery, Mrvan went around the facilities to thank healthcare workers and chat with patients. Staff members described their nights as busy and the flurry of activity was apparent in each hospital. Emergency rooms were teaming with patients and healthcare workers were in constant motion, hurrying from task to task. Mrvan said scenes like these are the reason why he is advocating for people to get vaccinated, to alleviate stress on healthcare workers. Its also an emphasis to talk about the pressure that is on the healthcare system, what we are doing going forward and how important it is to consider being vaccinated for the community, for our schools, for our elderly and for all our populations, Mrvan said. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2021 (265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS (AP) Sorrow for the dead and dying, fear of more infections to come and hopes for an end to the coronavirus pandemic were again the bittersweet cocktail with which the world said good riddance to 2021 and ushered in 2022. New Years Eve, which used to be celebrated globally with a free-spirited wildness, felt instead like a case of deja vu, with the fast-spreading omicron variant again filling hospitals. We just need enjoyment, said Karen Page, 53, who was among the fed-up revelers venturing out in London. We have just been in so long. Nurses enjoy a new year's cake during a break in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. Paris region health authorities have instructed hospitals to cancel more non-urgent medical procedures to free up intensive-care beds for the growing influx of people gravely sick with COVID-19. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) The mostly muted New Years Eve celebrations around the world ushered in the fourth calendar year framed by the global pandemic. More than 285 million people have been infected by the coronavirus worldwide since late 2019 and more than 5 million have died. In Paris, officials canceled the fireworks amid surging infections and reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors, an obligation followed by the majority of people who milled about on the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. In Berlin, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert was staged without a live audience. In Madrid, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach to the year-end revelry: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where thousands turned up for a fireworks show on the Strip that was threatened by gusty winds but went off as scheduled. President Joe Biden noted the losses and uncertainty caused by the pandemic but said: Were persevering. Were recovering. Back to work. Back to school. Back to joy, Biden said in a video posted on Twitter. Thats how we made it through this year. And how well embrace the next. Together. In New York, officials allowed just 15,000 people vaccinated and masked inside the perimeter around Times Square, a sliver of the 1 million that typically squeeze in to watch the famed ball drop. Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio, defending the event, said people need to see that New York is open for business. Followers of the Yoruba religion give offerings to Yemanja, a deity celebrated by the African Yoruba religion, at a lake in downtown Brasilia, Brazil on New Years Eve, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. As the year winds down, Brazilian worshippers celebrate Yemanja, goddess of the sea, offering flowers and launching large and small boats into the water in exchange for blessings for the coming year. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) Yet by Thursday, rapper LL Cool J had dropped out of the New York telecast after a positive COVID-19 test and restaurant owners battered by staffing shortages and omicron cancelations throughout the holiday season struggled to stay open. Im really scared for our industry, said New York restaurateur David Rabin, who watched reservations and party bookings disappear this month. No one made any money in December. The fact they may have a good night tonight, it has no impact. Airlines also struggled as the year came to a close, canceling thousands of flights after the virus struck flight crews and other personnel and amid bad weather. The pandemic game-changer of 2021 vaccinations continued apace. Pakistan said it had fully vaccinated 70 million of its 220 million people this year and Britain said it met its goal of offering a vaccine booster shot to all adults by Friday. In Russia, President Vladimir Putin mourned the dead, praised Russians for their strength in difficult times and soberly warned that the pandemic isnt retreating yet. Russias virus task force has reported 308,860 COVID-19 deaths but its state statistics agency says the death toll has been more than double that. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin said in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. Elsewhere, the venue that many chose for New Years celebrations was the same place they became overly familiarly with during lockdowns: their homes. People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. Russia's state coronavirus task force has registered a total of about 10.5 million confirmed infections and 308,860 deaths, but the state statistics agency that uses broader criteria in its tallying system has reported nearly 626,000 virus-linked deaths in Russia since the start of the pandemic. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr) Pope Francis also canceled his New Years Eve tradition of visiting the life-sized manger set up in St. Peters Square, again to avoid a crowd. In an unusual move for Francis, the 85-year-old pontiff donned a surgical mask for a Vespers service of prayer and hymns Friday evening as he sat in an armchair. But he also delivered a homily standing and unmasked. A sense of being lost has grown in the world during the pandemic, Francis told the faithful in St. Peters Basilica. France, Britain, Portugal and Australia were among countries that set new records for COVID-19 infections as 2021 gave way to 2022. In London, the normal fireworks display, which would have attracted tens of thousands of people to the city center and the banks of the Thames, was replaced by a light and drones show broadcast on television. Location details about the spectacle were kept secret in advance to avoid crowds gathering. The last two years have been so difficult for so many people, so many have suffered and there is a point when we need to start coming together finally, said Mira Lluk, 22, a special needs teacher. Frances unprecedented 232,200 new cases Friday marked its third day running above the 200,000 mark. The U.K. was close behind, with 189,846 new cases, also a record. In London, officials said as many as 1 in 15 people were infected with the virus in the week before Christmas. Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in the U.K. rose 68% in the last week, to the highest levels since February. In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. People celebrate during New Year's celebrations at Madrid's Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, early Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Yet boisterous New Years Eve celebrations kicked off in the Serbian capital of Belgrade where, unlike elsewhere in Europe, mass gatherings were allowed despite fears of the omicron variant. One medical expert predicted that Serbia will see thousands of new COVID-19 infections after the holidays. At Expo 2020, the sprawling worlds fair outside Dubai, 26-year-old tourist Lujain Orfi prepared to throw caution to the wind on New Years Eve her first time ever outside Saudi Arabia, where she lives in the holy city of Medina. If you dont celebrate, life will pass you by, she said. Im healthy and took two (vaccine) doses. We just have to enjoy. Australia went ahead with its celebrations despite reporting a record 32,000 new cases. Thousands of fireworks lit up the sky over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at midnight. Yet the crowds were far smaller than in pre-pandemic years. In Japan, writer Naoki Matsuzawa said he would spend the next few days cooking and delivering food to the elderly because some stores would be closed. He said vaccinations had made people less anxious about the pandemic, despite the new variant. A numbness has set in, and we are no longer overly afraid, said Matsuzawa, who lives in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo. Some of us are starting to take for granted that it wont happen to me. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) South Korean authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. In India, millions of people rang in the new year from their homes, with nighttime curfews and other restrictions taking the fizz out of celebrations in New Delhi, Mumbai and other large cities. In mainland China, the Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. In the Philippines, a powerful typhoon two weeks ago wiped out basic necessities for tens of thousands of people ahead of New Years Eve. More than 400 were killed by Typhoon Rai and at least 82 remain missing. Leahmer Singson, a 17-year-old mother, lost her home to a fire last month, and then the typhoon blew away her temporary wooden shack in Cebu city. She will welcome the new year with her husband, who works in a glass and aluminum factory, and her 1-year-old baby in a ramshackle tent in a clearing where hundreds of other families erected small tents from debris, rice sacks and tarpaulins. Asked what she wants for the new year, Singson had a simple wish: I hope we wont get sick. ___ A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) This story has been corrected to show that the fireworks display in Las Vegas went off on time despite the threat of winds. ___ Perry reported from Wellington, New Zealand. Associated Press reporters Daniel Cole in Marseille; Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow; Frances DEmilio in Rome; Sylvia Hui in London; Darko Vojinovic in Belgrade, Serbia; Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo; Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea; Ashok Sharma in New Delhi; Niniek Karmini and Edna Tarigan in Jakarta, Indonesia; Hau Dinh in Hanoi, Vietnam; Zen Soo in Hong Kong; Tassanee Vejpongsa in Bangkok; Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines; Freida Frisaro in Miami; Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia; and AP researcher Chen Si in Shanghai contributed to this report. Ron McNinch, Ph.D., is chairman of public administration and legal studies at the University of Guams School of Business and Public Administration, and a member of the Guam Education Board. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2021 (265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS (AP) Sorrow for the dead and dying, fear of more infections to come and hopes for an end to the coronavirus pandemic were again the bittersweet cocktail with which the world said good riddance to 2021 and ushered in 2022. New Years Eve, which used to be celebrated globally with a free-spirited wildness, felt instead like a case of deja vu, with the fast-spreading omicron variant again filling hospitals. We just need enjoyment, said Karen Page, 53, who was among the fed-up revelers venturing out in London. We have just been in so long. Nurses enjoy a new year's cake during a break in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. Paris region health authorities have instructed hospitals to cancel more non-urgent medical procedures to free up intensive-care beds for the growing influx of people gravely sick with COVID-19. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) The mostly muted New Years Eve celebrations around the world ushered in the fourth calendar year framed by the global pandemic. More than 285 million people have been infected by the coronavirus worldwide since late 2019 and more than 5 million have died. In Paris, officials canceled the fireworks amid surging infections and reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors, an obligation followed by the majority of people who milled about on the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. In Berlin, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert was staged without a live audience. In Madrid, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach to the year-end revelry: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where thousands turned up for a fireworks show on the Strip that was threatened by gusty winds but went off as scheduled. President Joe Biden noted the losses and uncertainty caused by the pandemic but said: Were persevering. Were recovering. Back to work. Back to school. Back to joy, Biden said in a video posted on Twitter. Thats how we made it through this year. And how well embrace the next. Together. In New York, officials allowed just 15,000 people vaccinated and masked inside the perimeter around Times Square, a sliver of the 1 million that typically squeeze in to watch the famed ball drop. Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio, defending the event, said people need to see that New York is open for business. Followers of the Yoruba religion give offerings to Yemanja, a deity celebrated by the African Yoruba religion, at a lake in downtown Brasilia, Brazil on New Years Eve, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. As the year winds down, Brazilian worshippers celebrate Yemanja, goddess of the sea, offering flowers and launching large and small boats into the water in exchange for blessings for the coming year. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) Yet by Thursday, rapper LL Cool J had dropped out of the New York telecast after a positive COVID-19 test and restaurant owners battered by staffing shortages and omicron cancelations throughout the holiday season struggled to stay open. Im really scared for our industry, said New York restaurateur David Rabin, who watched reservations and party bookings disappear this month. No one made any money in December. The fact they may have a good night tonight, it has no impact. Airlines also struggled as the year came to a close, canceling thousands of flights after the virus struck flight crews and other personnel and amid bad weather. The pandemic game-changer of 2021 vaccinations continued apace. Pakistan said it had fully vaccinated 70 million of its 220 million people this year and Britain said it met its goal of offering a vaccine booster shot to all adults by Friday. In Russia, President Vladimir Putin mourned the dead, praised Russians for their strength in difficult times and soberly warned that the pandemic isnt retreating yet. Russias virus task force has reported 308,860 COVID-19 deaths but its state statistics agency says the death toll has been more than double that. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin said in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. Elsewhere, the venue that many chose for New Years celebrations was the same place they became overly familiarly with during lockdowns: their homes. People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. Russia's state coronavirus task force has registered a total of about 10.5 million confirmed infections and 308,860 deaths, but the state statistics agency that uses broader criteria in its tallying system has reported nearly 626,000 virus-linked deaths in Russia since the start of the pandemic. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr) Pope Francis also canceled his New Years Eve tradition of visiting the life-sized manger set up in St. Peters Square, again to avoid a crowd. In an unusual move for Francis, the 85-year-old pontiff donned a surgical mask for a Vespers service of prayer and hymns Friday evening as he sat in an armchair. But he also delivered a homily standing and unmasked. A sense of being lost has grown in the world during the pandemic, Francis told the faithful in St. Peters Basilica. France, Britain, Portugal and Australia were among countries that set new records for COVID-19 infections as 2021 gave way to 2022. In London, the normal fireworks display, which would have attracted tens of thousands of people to the city center and the banks of the Thames, was replaced by a light and drones show broadcast on television. Location details about the spectacle were kept secret in advance to avoid crowds gathering. The last two years have been so difficult for so many people, so many have suffered and there is a point when we need to start coming together finally, said Mira Lluk, 22, a special needs teacher. Frances unprecedented 232,200 new cases Friday marked its third day running above the 200,000 mark. The U.K. was close behind, with 189,846 new cases, also a record. In London, officials said as many as 1 in 15 people were infected with the virus in the week before Christmas. Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in the U.K. rose 68% in the last week, to the highest levels since February. In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. People celebrate during New Year's celebrations at Madrid's Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, early Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Yet boisterous New Years Eve celebrations kicked off in the Serbian capital of Belgrade where, unlike elsewhere in Europe, mass gatherings were allowed despite fears of the omicron variant. One medical expert predicted that Serbia will see thousands of new COVID-19 infections after the holidays. At Expo 2020, the sprawling worlds fair outside Dubai, 26-year-old tourist Lujain Orfi prepared to throw caution to the wind on New Years Eve her first time ever outside Saudi Arabia, where she lives in the holy city of Medina. If you dont celebrate, life will pass you by, she said. Im healthy and took two (vaccine) doses. We just have to enjoy. Australia went ahead with its celebrations despite reporting a record 32,000 new cases. Thousands of fireworks lit up the sky over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at midnight. Yet the crowds were far smaller than in pre-pandemic years. In Japan, writer Naoki Matsuzawa said he would spend the next few days cooking and delivering food to the elderly because some stores would be closed. He said vaccinations had made people less anxious about the pandemic, despite the new variant. A numbness has set in, and we are no longer overly afraid, said Matsuzawa, who lives in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo. Some of us are starting to take for granted that it wont happen to me. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) South Korean authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. In India, millions of people rang in the new year from their homes, with nighttime curfews and other restrictions taking the fizz out of celebrations in New Delhi, Mumbai and other large cities. In mainland China, the Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. In the Philippines, a powerful typhoon two weeks ago wiped out basic necessities for tens of thousands of people ahead of New Years Eve. More than 400 were killed by Typhoon Rai and at least 82 remain missing. Leahmer Singson, a 17-year-old mother, lost her home to a fire last month, and then the typhoon blew away her temporary wooden shack in Cebu city. She will welcome the new year with her husband, who works in a glass and aluminum factory, and her 1-year-old baby in a ramshackle tent in a clearing where hundreds of other families erected small tents from debris, rice sacks and tarpaulins. Asked what she wants for the new year, Singson had a simple wish: I hope we wont get sick. ___ A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) This story has been corrected to show that the fireworks display in Las Vegas went off on time despite the threat of winds. ___ Perry reported from Wellington, New Zealand. Associated Press reporters Daniel Cole in Marseille; Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow; Frances DEmilio in Rome; Sylvia Hui in London; Darko Vojinovic in Belgrade, Serbia; Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo; Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea; Ashok Sharma in New Delhi; Niniek Karmini and Edna Tarigan in Jakarta, Indonesia; Hau Dinh in Hanoi, Vietnam; Zen Soo in Hong Kong; Tassanee Vejpongsa in Bangkok; Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines; Freida Frisaro in Miami; Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia; and AP researcher Chen Si in Shanghai contributed to this report. We came to Killeigh more than 30 years ago in the early 90s .We were originally from Tipperary, my mother Ellen was from Nenagh and my father Patrick was from Templemore. I was born myself in Nenagh. Most of us were born there, however three of my sisters were born in Portlaoise and my second youngest brother and younger sister born in Limerick. There was atotal of 16 of us; 12 girls Mary, Ellen, Bridget, Theresa, Winnifred, Ann, Elizabeth, Kathleen, Geraldine, Phyllis, Margaret and myself and 4 boys Patrick, Terrance, Micheal and John. My sister Margaret passed away at birth and sadly John took his own life a few years ago, leaving a wife and 9 children behind him. After my eldest brother got married to a girl from Birr, we decided as a family to come down to Offaly and we stayed. However myself and my siblings would go to Ballinasloe in the summer and come back here in the winter. We lived on the side of the road for many years. We had no relations in Ballinasloe but loved going back there every summer and travelling around, we always did it from the early days and loved it. We got use to the people down there and they got use to us, some great memories. We settled quite quickly in Killeigh, we have very good neighbours. The opportunity came when we were living in a caravan on the side of the road for some time. We had been looking to buy a permanent site in Killeigh but there was nothing available. I guess people were anxious on who would use the site but we wanted it only for our family, the McInerneys and it was hard to tell people this. My father had always down through the years only mixed with his own family connections and thats where we are today. We were always brought up on our own, we went into Tullamore for a while after our mother died, but we didnt like it so we moved back to our site in Killeigh . This house where we are living now came up for sale and the council brought if for us through a Travellers grant and we were delighted. The only sad thing is my mother never got to see it, she would have loved it but never got the chance to enjoy it. She died at 61 years of age from lung cancer. I love living now in the house, it was a big transition from moving around. We feel very fortunate to have this house. I know a lot of my relations live in houses in estates but for us living in Killeigh on our own in the countryside is so much better. Six of my sisters are married and three of us are living here or around Tullamore. We love the area and the people are very nice. I remember so well how the local neighbours rallied around us and helped us when Jimmy, my relation fell off the bike at Scrubb Hill on the main road and passed away. It was difficult time for us all but the community helped us in every way and so very grateful to them all. Jimmy lived with us as he was a cousin of my fathers. Mick his other brother also came to live with us and still does, his wife only passed away a year ago, they had no family and his wife had been in a home in Kilkenny for some years. There is only myself, my dad and my sister that live here now along with Mick. Dad will turn 87 years old in June. I am a carer for my dad and wouldnt have it any other way. I got used to it as before my mother passed away she cared for them all. We always helped her growing up and she was our teacher in the home, and taught us everything we know from cooking and cleaning to sewing. We dont travel anymore in the summer, I still long to go as we loved it over the years. My dad is too old now to travel but a few years ago hed be gone, he loved nothing more than to head off for a few weeks but now due to the Covid, it is impossible to go and his health is failing somewhat and his eyesight. His balance is not great and my brothers death took its toll on him as did, of course, the loss of my mother. He also misses his cousin Jimmy as they both would head away together for a few weeks every summer. My father never knew how to read or write, but we all got the opportunity to learn, my mother always made sure no matter where we were located we went to school .In fairness to my parents we never lacked education but we just didnt stay long enough in the one location to stay in the one school. It never held us back and they were the best parents anyone could wish for. We learned to have our own independence more so than the children growing up now. We know how to gather firework, light a fire, feed ourselves and we learned that from a very young age. I myself stayed in school until 6th class and went to Scoil Mhuire in Tullamore. After my confirmation I left and went to Ballinasloe. Ann my sister went in to Fas and continued her education there but I didnt. My younger siblings got better opportunities than I did. Nowadays most children would go on to secondary level education. We still keep the Traveller customs going as regards looking after the horses and the likes. We still have the OTM pride week in Charleville Castle, although it hasnt taken place the last couple of years due to the current pandemic. Both my sisters Ann and Mary are heavily involved in the organising of the event. Its such a great event. It goes back to Travellers' roots where we light fires and the kettle and the pots, the bakers and make the bread. When we were young, I still remember my mother lighting the fire to cook the bread and cook the meat in the griddle baker, boil the onions and make the mash and we would still have them traditions. We also loved the horse fairs down through the years, my father never drove but loved the horse drawn carriages. Its dying out now but the younger generation will not have what we had. We wouldnt think twice of preparing my dads cart and heading off, we would know how to put the tackle on the cart and the cart on the horse, build a tent and survive. Most of the younger generation would have no idea how to do this now. At the Pride event however you would see all this and some of the younger age would get involved or the horse fairs in Ballinasloe maybe. One of my brothers kids love all that, he has three girls and three boys and one of the boys is training to be a Farrier which is great to see. Thats what we did when we were young, helped my father with the horses as there was more girls than boys in the family so we all helped out and loved it. Its no different than living on a farm I guess, everyone helps out with whatever jobs need seeing to . Faith has always been part of our lives and always will, I was very fortunate to get to Medjugorje and Lourdes and Knock over the years but there is something special about Lourdes, it is my favourite and I hope to get back there sometime again. My father up to last year loved going to Killeigh Mass on a Saturday evening but hopefully we will be able to bring him soon again. He misses it terribly. Putting up the May bush was also a tradition and would always be decorated on the 1st day of May. A community centre would be great for the area of Killeigh and I look forward to getting involved in the activities and hopefully get to know more of the local people. I would love nothing more than perhaps joining a knitting or sewing group. Another memory of my mother was sewing aprons and sewing swags out of a bag and who knows maybe I could teach someone that someday. Growing up you learn survival skills and you learn to survive and thats the most important. If you would like to learn more about the development of the proposed Killeigh Community Centre and how you may be able to assist please visit our website www.killeighcommunitycentre.com KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia reported another 3,573 new COVID-19 infections, as of midnight Friday, bringing the national total to 2,758,086, according to the health ministry. A total of 343 new cases were imported, and 3,230 were local transmissions, data released on the ministry's website showed. Twenty five more deaths were reported, bringing the death toll to 31,487. About 3,988 patients have been released after recovery, bringing the total number of cured and discharged to 2,685,378. There are some 41,221 active cases, 269 are being held in intensive care units and 163 of those are in need of assisted breathing. The country administered 182,020 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, and some 79.6 percent of the population have received at least one dose, 78.4 percent have been fully vaccinated and 19.3 percent have received booster shots. Meanwhile, Malaysia will temporarily suspend its Umrah pilgrimage nationals to Saudi Arabia from heading back to the country from Jan. 8, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said in a statement on Saturday. Khairy explained that the decision was made due to the high number of imported cases from Saudi Arabia over the last 14 days, with a number of these Umrah performers testing positive for the Omicron variant. "Umrah pilgrims are also likely to have been infected while in Saudi Arabia but still in the incubation period of infection-causing screening tests before leaving for Malaysia to turn up negative. "The arrival of a large number of Malaysian Umrah performers, which is about 800 to 1,000 a day (using four special flights) further increases the risk of importation of COVID-19 cases and Omicron variant into the country," the minister said. Enditem KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia reported another 3,573 new COVID-19 infections, as of midnight Friday, bringing the national total to 2,758,086, according to the health ministry. A total of 343 new cases were imported, and 3,230 were local transmissions, data released on the ministry's website showed. Twenty five more deaths were reported, bringing the death toll to 31,487. About 3,988 patients have been released after recovery, bringing the total number of cured and discharged to 2,685,378. There are some 41,221 active cases, 269 are being held in intensive care units and 163 of those are in need of assisted breathing. The country administered 182,020 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, and some 79.6 percent of the population have received at least one dose, 78.4 percent have been fully vaccinated and 19.3 percent have received booster shots. Meanwhile, Malaysia will temporarily suspend its Umrah pilgrimage nationals to Saudi Arabia from heading back to the country from Jan. 8, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said in a statement on Saturday. Khairy explained that the decision was made due to the high number of imported cases from Saudi Arabia over the last 14 days, with a number of these Umrah performers testing positive for the Omicron variant. "Umrah pilgrims are also likely to have been infected while in Saudi Arabia but still in the incubation period of infection-causing screening tests before leaving for Malaysia to turn up negative. "The arrival of a large number of Malaysian Umrah performers, which is about 800 to 1,000 a day (using four special flights) further increases the risk of importation of COVID-19 cases and Omicron variant into the country," the minister said. Enditem Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2021 (265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS (AP) Sorrow for the dead and dying, fear of more infections to come and hopes for an end to the coronavirus pandemic were again the bittersweet cocktail with which the world said good riddance to 2021 and ushered in 2022. New Years Eve, which used to be celebrated globally with a free-spirited wildness, felt instead like a case of deja vu, with the fast-spreading omicron variant again filling hospitals. We just need enjoyment, said Karen Page, 53, who was among the fed-up revelers venturing out in London. We have just been in so long. Nurses enjoy a new year's cake during a break in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. Paris region health authorities have instructed hospitals to cancel more non-urgent medical procedures to free up intensive-care beds for the growing influx of people gravely sick with COVID-19. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) The mostly muted New Years Eve celebrations around the world ushered in the fourth calendar year framed by the global pandemic. More than 285 million people have been infected by the coronavirus worldwide since late 2019 and more than 5 million have died. In Paris, officials canceled the fireworks amid surging infections and reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors, an obligation followed by the majority of people who milled about on the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. In Berlin, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert was staged without a live audience. In Madrid, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach to the year-end revelry: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where thousands turned up for a fireworks show on the Strip that was threatened by gusty winds but went off as scheduled. President Joe Biden noted the losses and uncertainty caused by the pandemic but said: Were persevering. Were recovering. Back to work. Back to school. Back to joy, Biden said in a video posted on Twitter. Thats how we made it through this year. And how well embrace the next. Together. In New York, officials allowed just 15,000 people vaccinated and masked inside the perimeter around Times Square, a sliver of the 1 million that typically squeeze in to watch the famed ball drop. Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio, defending the event, said people need to see that New York is open for business. Followers of the Yoruba religion give offerings to Yemanja, a deity celebrated by the African Yoruba religion, at a lake in downtown Brasilia, Brazil on New Years Eve, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. As the year winds down, Brazilian worshippers celebrate Yemanja, goddess of the sea, offering flowers and launching large and small boats into the water in exchange for blessings for the coming year. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) Yet by Thursday, rapper LL Cool J had dropped out of the New York telecast after a positive COVID-19 test and restaurant owners battered by staffing shortages and omicron cancelations throughout the holiday season struggled to stay open. Im really scared for our industry, said New York restaurateur David Rabin, who watched reservations and party bookings disappear this month. No one made any money in December. The fact they may have a good night tonight, it has no impact. Airlines also struggled as the year came to a close, canceling thousands of flights after the virus struck flight crews and other personnel and amid bad weather. The pandemic game-changer of 2021 vaccinations continued apace. Pakistan said it had fully vaccinated 70 million of its 220 million people this year and Britain said it met its goal of offering a vaccine booster shot to all adults by Friday. In Russia, President Vladimir Putin mourned the dead, praised Russians for their strength in difficult times and soberly warned that the pandemic isnt retreating yet. Russias virus task force has reported 308,860 COVID-19 deaths but its state statistics agency says the death toll has been more than double that. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin said in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. Elsewhere, the venue that many chose for New Years celebrations was the same place they became overly familiarly with during lockdowns: their homes. People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. Russia's state coronavirus task force has registered a total of about 10.5 million confirmed infections and 308,860 deaths, but the state statistics agency that uses broader criteria in its tallying system has reported nearly 626,000 virus-linked deaths in Russia since the start of the pandemic. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr) Pope Francis also canceled his New Years Eve tradition of visiting the life-sized manger set up in St. Peters Square, again to avoid a crowd. In an unusual move for Francis, the 85-year-old pontiff donned a surgical mask for a Vespers service of prayer and hymns Friday evening as he sat in an armchair. But he also delivered a homily standing and unmasked. A sense of being lost has grown in the world during the pandemic, Francis told the faithful in St. Peters Basilica. France, Britain, Portugal and Australia were among countries that set new records for COVID-19 infections as 2021 gave way to 2022. In London, the normal fireworks display, which would have attracted tens of thousands of people to the city center and the banks of the Thames, was replaced by a light and drones show broadcast on television. Location details about the spectacle were kept secret in advance to avoid crowds gathering. The last two years have been so difficult for so many people, so many have suffered and there is a point when we need to start coming together finally, said Mira Lluk, 22, a special needs teacher. Frances unprecedented 232,200 new cases Friday marked its third day running above the 200,000 mark. The U.K. was close behind, with 189,846 new cases, also a record. In London, officials said as many as 1 in 15 people were infected with the virus in the week before Christmas. Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in the U.K. rose 68% in the last week, to the highest levels since February. In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. People celebrate during New Year's celebrations at Madrid's Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, early Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Yet boisterous New Years Eve celebrations kicked off in the Serbian capital of Belgrade where, unlike elsewhere in Europe, mass gatherings were allowed despite fears of the omicron variant. One medical expert predicted that Serbia will see thousands of new COVID-19 infections after the holidays. At Expo 2020, the sprawling worlds fair outside Dubai, 26-year-old tourist Lujain Orfi prepared to throw caution to the wind on New Years Eve her first time ever outside Saudi Arabia, where she lives in the holy city of Medina. If you dont celebrate, life will pass you by, she said. Im healthy and took two (vaccine) doses. We just have to enjoy. Australia went ahead with its celebrations despite reporting a record 32,000 new cases. Thousands of fireworks lit up the sky over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at midnight. Yet the crowds were far smaller than in pre-pandemic years. In Japan, writer Naoki Matsuzawa said he would spend the next few days cooking and delivering food to the elderly because some stores would be closed. He said vaccinations had made people less anxious about the pandemic, despite the new variant. A numbness has set in, and we are no longer overly afraid, said Matsuzawa, who lives in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo. Some of us are starting to take for granted that it wont happen to me. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) South Korean authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. In India, millions of people rang in the new year from their homes, with nighttime curfews and other restrictions taking the fizz out of celebrations in New Delhi, Mumbai and other large cities. In mainland China, the Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. In the Philippines, a powerful typhoon two weeks ago wiped out basic necessities for tens of thousands of people ahead of New Years Eve. More than 400 were killed by Typhoon Rai and at least 82 remain missing. Leahmer Singson, a 17-year-old mother, lost her home to a fire last month, and then the typhoon blew away her temporary wooden shack in Cebu city. She will welcome the new year with her husband, who works in a glass and aluminum factory, and her 1-year-old baby in a ramshackle tent in a clearing where hundreds of other families erected small tents from debris, rice sacks and tarpaulins. Asked what she wants for the new year, Singson had a simple wish: I hope we wont get sick. ___ A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) This story has been corrected to show that the fireworks display in Las Vegas went off on time despite the threat of winds. ___ Perry reported from Wellington, New Zealand. Associated Press reporters Daniel Cole in Marseille; Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow; Frances DEmilio in Rome; Sylvia Hui in London; Darko Vojinovic in Belgrade, Serbia; Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo; Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea; Ashok Sharma in New Delhi; Niniek Karmini and Edna Tarigan in Jakarta, Indonesia; Hau Dinh in Hanoi, Vietnam; Zen Soo in Hong Kong; Tassanee Vejpongsa in Bangkok; Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines; Freida Frisaro in Miami; Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia; and AP researcher Chen Si in Shanghai contributed to this report. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2021 (265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS (AP) Sorrow for the dead and dying, fear of more infections to come and hopes for an end to the coronavirus pandemic were again the bittersweet cocktail with which the world said good riddance to 2021 and ushered in 2022. New Years Eve, which used to be celebrated globally with a free-spirited wildness, felt instead like a case of deja vu, with the fast-spreading omicron variant again filling hospitals. We just need enjoyment, said Karen Page, 53, who was among the fed-up revelers venturing out in London. We have just been in so long. Nurses enjoy a new year's cake during a break in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. Paris region health authorities have instructed hospitals to cancel more non-urgent medical procedures to free up intensive-care beds for the growing influx of people gravely sick with COVID-19. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) The mostly muted New Years Eve celebrations around the world ushered in the fourth calendar year framed by the global pandemic. More than 285 million people have been infected by the coronavirus worldwide since late 2019 and more than 5 million have died. In Paris, officials canceled the fireworks amid surging infections and reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors, an obligation followed by the majority of people who milled about on the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. In Berlin, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert was staged without a live audience. In Madrid, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach to the year-end revelry: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where thousands turned up for a fireworks show on the Strip that was threatened by gusty winds but went off as scheduled. President Joe Biden noted the losses and uncertainty caused by the pandemic but said: Were persevering. Were recovering. Back to work. Back to school. Back to joy, Biden said in a video posted on Twitter. Thats how we made it through this year. And how well embrace the next. Together. In New York, officials allowed just 15,000 people vaccinated and masked inside the perimeter around Times Square, a sliver of the 1 million that typically squeeze in to watch the famed ball drop. Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio, defending the event, said people need to see that New York is open for business. Followers of the Yoruba religion give offerings to Yemanja, a deity celebrated by the African Yoruba religion, at a lake in downtown Brasilia, Brazil on New Years Eve, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. As the year winds down, Brazilian worshippers celebrate Yemanja, goddess of the sea, offering flowers and launching large and small boats into the water in exchange for blessings for the coming year. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) Yet by Thursday, rapper LL Cool J had dropped out of the New York telecast after a positive COVID-19 test and restaurant owners battered by staffing shortages and omicron cancelations throughout the holiday season struggled to stay open. Im really scared for our industry, said New York restaurateur David Rabin, who watched reservations and party bookings disappear this month. No one made any money in December. The fact they may have a good night tonight, it has no impact. Airlines also struggled as the year came to a close, canceling thousands of flights after the virus struck flight crews and other personnel and amid bad weather. The pandemic game-changer of 2021 vaccinations continued apace. Pakistan said it had fully vaccinated 70 million of its 220 million people this year and Britain said it met its goal of offering a vaccine booster shot to all adults by Friday. In Russia, President Vladimir Putin mourned the dead, praised Russians for their strength in difficult times and soberly warned that the pandemic isnt retreating yet. Russias virus task force has reported 308,860 COVID-19 deaths but its state statistics agency says the death toll has been more than double that. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin said in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. Elsewhere, the venue that many chose for New Years celebrations was the same place they became overly familiarly with during lockdowns: their homes. People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. Russia's state coronavirus task force has registered a total of about 10.5 million confirmed infections and 308,860 deaths, but the state statistics agency that uses broader criteria in its tallying system has reported nearly 626,000 virus-linked deaths in Russia since the start of the pandemic. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr) Pope Francis also canceled his New Years Eve tradition of visiting the life-sized manger set up in St. Peters Square, again to avoid a crowd. In an unusual move for Francis, the 85-year-old pontiff donned a surgical mask for a Vespers service of prayer and hymns Friday evening as he sat in an armchair. But he also delivered a homily standing and unmasked. A sense of being lost has grown in the world during the pandemic, Francis told the faithful in St. Peters Basilica. France, Britain, Portugal and Australia were among countries that set new records for COVID-19 infections as 2021 gave way to 2022. In London, the normal fireworks display, which would have attracted tens of thousands of people to the city center and the banks of the Thames, was replaced by a light and drones show broadcast on television. Location details about the spectacle were kept secret in advance to avoid crowds gathering. The last two years have been so difficult for so many people, so many have suffered and there is a point when we need to start coming together finally, said Mira Lluk, 22, a special needs teacher. Frances unprecedented 232,200 new cases Friday marked its third day running above the 200,000 mark. The U.K. was close behind, with 189,846 new cases, also a record. In London, officials said as many as 1 in 15 people were infected with the virus in the week before Christmas. Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in the U.K. rose 68% in the last week, to the highest levels since February. In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. People celebrate during New Year's celebrations at Madrid's Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, early Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Yet boisterous New Years Eve celebrations kicked off in the Serbian capital of Belgrade where, unlike elsewhere in Europe, mass gatherings were allowed despite fears of the omicron variant. One medical expert predicted that Serbia will see thousands of new COVID-19 infections after the holidays. At Expo 2020, the sprawling worlds fair outside Dubai, 26-year-old tourist Lujain Orfi prepared to throw caution to the wind on New Years Eve her first time ever outside Saudi Arabia, where she lives in the holy city of Medina. If you dont celebrate, life will pass you by, she said. Im healthy and took two (vaccine) doses. We just have to enjoy. Australia went ahead with its celebrations despite reporting a record 32,000 new cases. Thousands of fireworks lit up the sky over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at midnight. Yet the crowds were far smaller than in pre-pandemic years. In Japan, writer Naoki Matsuzawa said he would spend the next few days cooking and delivering food to the elderly because some stores would be closed. He said vaccinations had made people less anxious about the pandemic, despite the new variant. A numbness has set in, and we are no longer overly afraid, said Matsuzawa, who lives in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo. Some of us are starting to take for granted that it wont happen to me. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) South Korean authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. In India, millions of people rang in the new year from their homes, with nighttime curfews and other restrictions taking the fizz out of celebrations in New Delhi, Mumbai and other large cities. In mainland China, the Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. In the Philippines, a powerful typhoon two weeks ago wiped out basic necessities for tens of thousands of people ahead of New Years Eve. More than 400 were killed by Typhoon Rai and at least 82 remain missing. Leahmer Singson, a 17-year-old mother, lost her home to a fire last month, and then the typhoon blew away her temporary wooden shack in Cebu city. She will welcome the new year with her husband, who works in a glass and aluminum factory, and her 1-year-old baby in a ramshackle tent in a clearing where hundreds of other families erected small tents from debris, rice sacks and tarpaulins. Asked what she wants for the new year, Singson had a simple wish: I hope we wont get sick. ___ A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) This story has been corrected to show that the fireworks display in Las Vegas went off on time despite the threat of winds. ___ Perry reported from Wellington, New Zealand. Associated Press reporters Daniel Cole in Marseille; Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow; Frances DEmilio in Rome; Sylvia Hui in London; Darko Vojinovic in Belgrade, Serbia; Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo; Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea; Ashok Sharma in New Delhi; Niniek Karmini and Edna Tarigan in Jakarta, Indonesia; Hau Dinh in Hanoi, Vietnam; Zen Soo in Hong Kong; Tassanee Vejpongsa in Bangkok; Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines; Freida Frisaro in Miami; Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia; and AP researcher Chen Si in Shanghai contributed to this report. KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia reported another 3,573 new COVID-19 infections, as of midnight Friday, bringing the national total to 2,758,086, according to the health ministry. A total of 343 new cases were imported, and 3,230 were local transmissions, data released on the ministry's website showed. Twenty five more deaths were reported, bringing the death toll to 31,487. About 3,988 patients have been released after recovery, bringing the total number of cured and discharged to 2,685,378. There are some 41,221 active cases, 269 are being held in intensive care units and 163 of those are in need of assisted breathing. The country administered 182,020 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, and some 79.6 percent of the population have received at least one dose, 78.4 percent have been fully vaccinated and 19.3 percent have received booster shots. Meanwhile, Malaysia will temporarily suspend its Umrah pilgrimage nationals to Saudi Arabia from heading back to the country from Jan. 8, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said in a statement on Saturday. Khairy explained that the decision was made due to the high number of imported cases from Saudi Arabia over the last 14 days, with a number of these Umrah performers testing positive for the Omicron variant. "Umrah pilgrims are also likely to have been infected while in Saudi Arabia but still in the incubation period of infection-causing screening tests before leaving for Malaysia to turn up negative. "The arrival of a large number of Malaysian Umrah performers, which is about 800 to 1,000 a day (using four special flights) further increases the risk of importation of COVID-19 cases and Omicron variant into the country," the minister said. Enditem SINGAPORE, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will provide a boost to the trade and business ties between Singapore and the RCEP parties, said Singapore's Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong in a press release published on Friday. He said that many Singapore businesses indicated that they were keen to utilize the RCEP Agreement when it enters into force during outreach events. "That the RCEP agreement is entering into force about a year after it was signed, is testament to the region's determination and commitment to deepening economic integration amidst difficult times," Gan added. According to the press release, businesses will be able to enjoy tariff elimination of about 92 percent for goods traded amongst signatory parties that have ratified the RCEP agreement from Jan. 1, 2022. They will also benefit from additional preferential market access for specific products including mineral fuels, plastics, other chemical products, miscellaneous food preparations and beverages in selected RCEP markets. With streamlined rules of origin and regional cumulation provisions, businesses will have greater flexibility to tap on these preferential market access benefits and be able to take advantage of regional supply chains, the statement said. Businesses stand to benefit from enhanced commitments above existing ASEAN Plus One free trade agreements in some sectors, as well as a more transparent approach that would provide greater certainty for businesses, it added. Enditem What a year for dubious achievements. It started off with a few thousand sore-loser Donald Trump supporters storming the Capitol and appears to be ending with me trying to figure out Melania Trumps announcement that she is launching her own NFT platform and that its first offering is a digital painting of herself. What is an NFT? It means nonfungible token, a form of cryptocurrency that transforms digital works of art and other collectibles into verifiable assets that can be traded on the blockchain. Beyond that, youll have to ask someone wealthier than I to explain it to you. I have a big enough challenge judging my annual list of Dubious Achievement Awards, picking up the fragments of a grand tradition unfortunately abandoned by Esquire magazine. I know Im not all that funny, but, hey, somebodys got to do it after a year so abundant with nominees. Drumroll, please. Proud Girl Top honors or bottom, depending on your perspective go to Jenna Ryan, the Texas real estate agent who was arrested in the Jan. 6 Stop the Steal insurrection at the Capitol. Definitely not going to jail. Sorry, she famously tweeted in March. I have blonde hair white skin a great job a great future and Im not going to jail. Judges, wholly consisting of me, gave her the edge with that self-glorifying tweet. So did U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, who didnt buy her excuse that she was somehow innocently caught up in the excitement. When you chose to leave your hotel room and march down to the Capitol, I think you knew this was no ordinary protest, Cooper said. You knew this because you were watching Fox News in real time. Next case ... Fresh breath, dirty lungs? Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin arched more than a few eyebrows by suggesting during a virtual town hall event that Listerine might help as a good early treatment for COVID-19. Despite more than 200 million people being fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Johnson said there werent enough clinical studies to justify pushing the vaccine to people outside high-risk groups. Of course, experts say there have been no clinical studies that show how well gargling Listerine would stop COVID-19 either, but Im sure it will leave you with fresher breath. Weaker than Listerine Speaking of the pandemic, rapper Nicki Minaj told her millions of Twitter followers in September that she wanted more research before getting vaccinated, arguing that, My cousin in Trinidad wont get the vaccine cuz his friend got it and became impotent. His testicles became swollen. Yikes, said I, which also turns out to be the title of a Minaj single. Trinidad authorities sprang into action, debunked the claim and Dr. Anthony Fauci himself scolded her for the false information. My attempts to reach her cousin in Trinidad were not successful. Honorable mention In contrast to the overly worried Ms. Minaj, honorable mention goes to rap legend Darryl D.M.C. McDaniels of the hip-hop group Run-D.M.C., among many others who have stepped up to educate the public, particularly in Black and brown communities, about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. (Hey, Run-D.M.C., give Nicki a call, please?) Person of the Year Speaking again of the pandemic, my award for Person of the Year goes to the wonderfully generous Dolly Parton, whose $1 million donation to Vanderbilt University Medical Center helped Moderna develop the early stages of its coronavirus vaccine. It also inspired Miss Dolly to satirize her hit song Jolene into a new one titled Vaccine, which I expect now will be stuck in my head for the rest of the day. The Nobody Believes Me Award Who else? Lets give former Empire actor Jussie Smollett his due for staging a ridiculously fake hate crime attack in Chicago that managed to debase real hate crime victims, waste a fortune of the financially struggling citys police funding and leave States Attorney Kim Foxx with a lot of explaining to do for dropping the charges which were then taken up by a special prosecutor. Special mention It has been a delight to watch conservative commentators fall over themselves to lionize comedian Dave Chappelle as a martyr to cancel culture due to the backlash over his mocking views of transgender people in his The Closer monologue, which isnt even close to his best work. He isnt canceled, as a New York Times headline put it. He just likes to talk about it. Thats OK, Dave, just keep rollin in that dough. And Happy New Year to all. What a year for dubious achievements. It started off with a few thousand sore-loser Donald Trump supporters storming the Capitol and appears to be ending with me trying to figure out Melania Trumps announcement that she is launching her own NFT platform and that its first offering is a digital painting of herself. What is an NFT? It means nonfungible token, a form of cryptocurrency that transforms digital works of art and other collectibles into verifiable assets that can be traded on the blockchain. Beyond that, youll have to ask someone wealthier than I to explain it to you. I have a big enough challenge judging my annual list of Dubious Achievement Awards, picking up the fragments of a grand tradition unfortunately abandoned by Esquire magazine. I know Im not all that funny, but, hey, somebodys got to do it after a year so abundant with nominees. Drumroll, please. Proud Girl Top honors or bottom, depending on your perspective go to Jenna Ryan, the Texas real estate agent who was arrested in the Jan. 6 Stop the Steal insurrection at the Capitol. Definitely not going to jail. Sorry, she famously tweeted in March. I have blonde hair white skin a great job a great future and Im not going to jail. Judges, wholly consisting of me, gave her the edge with that self-glorifying tweet. So did U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, who didnt buy her excuse that she was somehow innocently caught up in the excitement. When you chose to leave your hotel room and march down to the Capitol, I think you knew this was no ordinary protest, Cooper said. You knew this because you were watching Fox News in real time. Next case ... Fresh breath, dirty lungs? Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin arched more than a few eyebrows by suggesting during a virtual town hall event that Listerine might help as a good early treatment for COVID-19. Despite more than 200 million people being fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Johnson said there werent enough clinical studies to justify pushing the vaccine to people outside high-risk groups. Of course, experts say there have been no clinical studies that show how well gargling Listerine would stop COVID-19 either, but Im sure it will leave you with fresher breath. Weaker than Listerine Speaking of the pandemic, rapper Nicki Minaj told her millions of Twitter followers in September that she wanted more research before getting vaccinated, arguing that, My cousin in Trinidad wont get the vaccine cuz his friend got it and became impotent. His testicles became swollen. Yikes, said I, which also turns out to be the title of a Minaj single. Trinidad authorities sprang into action, debunked the claim and Dr. Anthony Fauci himself scolded her for the false information. My attempts to reach her cousin in Trinidad were not successful. Honorable mention In contrast to the overly worried Ms. Minaj, honorable mention goes to rap legend Darryl D.M.C. McDaniels of the hip-hop group Run-D.M.C., among many others who have stepped up to educate the public, particularly in Black and brown communities, about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. (Hey, Run-D.M.C., give Nicki a call, please?) Person of the Year Speaking again of the pandemic, my award for Person of the Year goes to the wonderfully generous Dolly Parton, whose $1 million donation to Vanderbilt University Medical Center helped Moderna develop the early stages of its coronavirus vaccine. It also inspired Miss Dolly to satirize her hit song Jolene into a new one titled Vaccine, which I expect now will be stuck in my head for the rest of the day. The Nobody Believes Me Award Who else? Lets give former Empire actor Jussie Smollett his due for staging a ridiculously fake hate crime attack in Chicago that managed to debase real hate crime victims, waste a fortune of the financially struggling citys police funding and leave States Attorney Kim Foxx with a lot of explaining to do for dropping the charges which were then taken up by a special prosecutor. Special mention It has been a delight to watch conservative commentators fall over themselves to lionize comedian Dave Chappelle as a martyr to cancel culture due to the backlash over his mocking views of transgender people in his The Closer monologue, which isnt even close to his best work. He isnt canceled, as a New York Times headline put it. He just likes to talk about it. Thats OK, Dave, just keep rollin in that dough. And Happy New Year to all. What a year for dubious achievements. It started off with a few thousand sore-loser Donald Trump supporters storming the Capitol and appears to be ending with me trying to figure out Melania Trumps announcement that she is launching her own NFT platform and that its first offering is a digital painting of herself. What is an NFT? It means nonfungible token, a form of cryptocurrency that transforms digital works of art and other collectibles into verifiable assets that can be traded on the blockchain. Beyond that, youll have to ask someone wealthier than I to explain it to you. I have a big enough challenge judging my annual list of Dubious Achievement Awards, picking up the fragments of a grand tradition unfortunately abandoned by Esquire magazine. I know Im not all that funny, but, hey, somebodys got to do it after a year so abundant with nominees. Drumroll, please. Proud Girl Top honors or bottom, depending on your perspective go to Jenna Ryan, the Texas real estate agent who was arrested in the Jan. 6 Stop the Steal insurrection at the Capitol. Definitely not going to jail. Sorry, she famously tweeted in March. I have blonde hair white skin a great job a great future and Im not going to jail. Judges, wholly consisting of me, gave her the edge with that self-glorifying tweet. So did U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, who didnt buy her excuse that she was somehow innocently caught up in the excitement. When you chose to leave your hotel room and march down to the Capitol, I think you knew this was no ordinary protest, Cooper said. You knew this because you were watching Fox News in real time. Next case ... Fresh breath, dirty lungs? Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin arched more than a few eyebrows by suggesting during a virtual town hall event that Listerine might help as a good early treatment for COVID-19. Despite more than 200 million people being fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Johnson said there werent enough clinical studies to justify pushing the vaccine to people outside high-risk groups. Of course, experts say there have been no clinical studies that show how well gargling Listerine would stop COVID-19 either, but Im sure it will leave you with fresher breath. Weaker than Listerine Speaking of the pandemic, rapper Nicki Minaj told her millions of Twitter followers in September that she wanted more research before getting vaccinated, arguing that, My cousin in Trinidad wont get the vaccine cuz his friend got it and became impotent. His testicles became swollen. Yikes, said I, which also turns out to be the title of a Minaj single. Trinidad authorities sprang into action, debunked the claim and Dr. Anthony Fauci himself scolded her for the false information. My attempts to reach her cousin in Trinidad were not successful. Honorable mention In contrast to the overly worried Ms. Minaj, honorable mention goes to rap legend Darryl D.M.C. McDaniels of the hip-hop group Run-D.M.C., among many others who have stepped up to educate the public, particularly in Black and brown communities, about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. (Hey, Run-D.M.C., give Nicki a call, please?) Person of the Year Speaking again of the pandemic, my award for Person of the Year goes to the wonderfully generous Dolly Parton, whose $1 million donation to Vanderbilt University Medical Center helped Moderna develop the early stages of its coronavirus vaccine. It also inspired Miss Dolly to satirize her hit song Jolene into a new one titled Vaccine, which I expect now will be stuck in my head for the rest of the day. The Nobody Believes Me Award Who else? Lets give former Empire actor Jussie Smollett his due for staging a ridiculously fake hate crime attack in Chicago that managed to debase real hate crime victims, waste a fortune of the financially struggling citys police funding and leave States Attorney Kim Foxx with a lot of explaining to do for dropping the charges which were then taken up by a special prosecutor. Special mention It has been a delight to watch conservative commentators fall over themselves to lionize comedian Dave Chappelle as a martyr to cancel culture due to the backlash over his mocking views of transgender people in his The Closer monologue, which isnt even close to his best work. He isnt canceled, as a New York Times headline put it. He just likes to talk about it. Thats OK, Dave, just keep rollin in that dough. And Happy New Year to all. On New Years Eve, a local congressman took to the roads in the role of a pizza delivery driver. But Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, had a mission that went beyond doling out pies. Mrvan picked up Langels Pizza, a hometown favorite of his, and visited five hospitals across Northwest Indiana to show support for medical workers and highlight the importance of going into 2022 a healthier community. Loading up 25 pizzas with help from Rodney Langel, Mrvan drove from Lake County into Porter County with boxes stacked in hand. So first and foremost we have to take care of our medical workers, Mrvan said. Its been two years where theres been great pressure on our healthcare systems. And our medical workers, without them, we dont move forward. Theyve seen a lot over the last two years. Theyve worn it emotionally, theyve been engaged, they have been there with our loved ones and theyve supported our community. And so today on New Years Eve, we are here to show our appreciation to their dedication in making sure we are healthy and safe and moving forward in 2022. Mrvans route went to St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago, Community Hospital in Munster, Franciscan Health Dyer, Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus in Gary and Northwest Health Porter. With each delivery, Mrvan went around the facilities to thank healthcare workers and chat with patients. Staff members described their nights as busy and the flurry of activity was apparent in each hospital. Emergency rooms were teaming with patients and healthcare workers were in constant motion, hurrying from task to task. Mrvan said scenes like these are the reason why he is advocating for people to get vaccinated, to alleviate stress on healthcare workers. Its also an emphasis to talk about the pressure that is on the healthcare system, what we are doing going forward and how important it is to consider being vaccinated for the community, for our schools, for our elderly and for all our populations, Mrvan said. On New Years Eve, a local congressman took to the roads in the role of a pizza delivery driver. But Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, had a mission that went beyond doling out pies. Mrvan picked up Langels Pizza, a hometown favorite of his, and visited five hospitals across Northwest Indiana to show support for medical workers and highlight the importance of going into 2022 a healthier community. Loading up 25 pizzas with help from Rodney Langel, Mrvan drove from Lake County into Porter County with boxes stacked in hand. So first and foremost we have to take care of our medical workers, Mrvan said. Its been two years where theres been great pressure on our healthcare systems. And our medical workers, without them, we dont move forward. Theyve seen a lot over the last two years. Theyve worn it emotionally, theyve been engaged, they have been there with our loved ones and theyve supported our community. And so today on New Years Eve, we are here to show our appreciation to their dedication in making sure we are healthy and safe and moving forward in 2022. Mrvans route went to St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago, Community Hospital in Munster, Franciscan Health Dyer, Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus in Gary and Northwest Health Porter. With each delivery, Mrvan went around the facilities to thank healthcare workers and chat with patients. Staff members described their nights as busy and the flurry of activity was apparent in each hospital. Emergency rooms were teaming with patients and healthcare workers were in constant motion, hurrying from task to task. Mrvan said scenes like these are the reason why he is advocating for people to get vaccinated, to alleviate stress on healthcare workers. Its also an emphasis to talk about the pressure that is on the healthcare system, what we are doing going forward and how important it is to consider being vaccinated for the community, for our schools, for our elderly and for all our populations, Mrvan said. On New Years Eve, a local congressman took to the roads in the role of a pizza delivery driver. But Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, had a mission that went beyond doling out pies. Mrvan picked up Langels Pizza, a hometown favorite of his, and visited five hospitals across Northwest Indiana to show support for medical workers and highlight the importance of going into 2022 a healthier community. Loading up 25 pizzas with help from Rodney Langel, Mrvan drove from Lake County into Porter County with boxes stacked in hand. So first and foremost we have to take care of our medical workers, Mrvan said. Its been two years where theres been great pressure on our healthcare systems. And our medical workers, without them, we dont move forward. Theyve seen a lot over the last two years. Theyve worn it emotionally, theyve been engaged, they have been there with our loved ones and theyve supported our community. And so today on New Years Eve, we are here to show our appreciation to their dedication in making sure we are healthy and safe and moving forward in 2022. Mrvans route went to St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago, Community Hospital in Munster, Franciscan Health Dyer, Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus in Gary and Northwest Health Porter. With each delivery, Mrvan went around the facilities to thank healthcare workers and chat with patients. Staff members described their nights as busy and the flurry of activity was apparent in each hospital. Emergency rooms were teaming with patients and healthcare workers were in constant motion, hurrying from task to task. Mrvan said scenes like these are the reason why he is advocating for people to get vaccinated, to alleviate stress on healthcare workers. Its also an emphasis to talk about the pressure that is on the healthcare system, what we are doing going forward and how important it is to consider being vaccinated for the community, for our schools, for our elderly and for all our populations, Mrvan said. On New Years Eve, a local congressman took to the roads in the role of a pizza delivery driver. But Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, had a mission that went beyond doling out pies. Mrvan picked up Langels Pizza, a hometown favorite of his, and visited five hospitals across Northwest Indiana to show support for medical workers and highlight the importance of going into 2022 a healthier community. Loading up 25 pizzas with help from Rodney Langel, Mrvan drove from Lake County into Porter County with boxes stacked in hand. So first and foremost we have to take care of our medical workers, Mrvan said. Its been two years where theres been great pressure on our healthcare systems. And our medical workers, without them, we dont move forward. Theyve seen a lot over the last two years. Theyve worn it emotionally, theyve been engaged, they have been there with our loved ones and theyve supported our community. And so today on New Years Eve, we are here to show our appreciation to their dedication in making sure we are healthy and safe and moving forward in 2022. Mrvans route went to St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago, Community Hospital in Munster, Franciscan Health Dyer, Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus in Gary and Northwest Health Porter. With each delivery, Mrvan went around the facilities to thank healthcare workers and chat with patients. Staff members described their nights as busy and the flurry of activity was apparent in each hospital. Emergency rooms were teaming with patients and healthcare workers were in constant motion, hurrying from task to task. Mrvan said scenes like these are the reason why he is advocating for people to get vaccinated, to alleviate stress on healthcare workers. Its also an emphasis to talk about the pressure that is on the healthcare system, what we are doing going forward and how important it is to consider being vaccinated for the community, for our schools, for our elderly and for all our populations, Mrvan said. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Ron McNinch, Ph.D., is chairman of public administration and legal studies at the University of Guams School of Business and Public Administration, and a member of the Guam Education Board. january 8th 2021: drivers license april 1st 2021: deja vu may 14th 2021: good 4 u may 21st 2021: the release of sour my debut album SOUR is out now!!!! https://t.co/yF3Kncm5Sx Olivia Rodrigo (@oliviarodrigo) May 21, 2021 august 23rd 2021: brutal september 12th 2021: liv's big night at the vmas october 21st 2021: traitor november 23rd 2021: 7 grammy nominations sooooo excited. thank you thank you thank you. @RecordingAcad pic.twitter.com/2j96h75VPJ Olivia Rodrigo (@oliviarodrigo) November 24, 2021 december 6th 2021: sour tour announcement december 9th 2021: time names olivia entertainer of the year I've gotten to do some crazy things this year but this one feels particularly surreal. thank u @TIME !!! entertainer of the year !!!!!!https://t.co/6mjJGRfK3K pic.twitter.com/k2urqaGdNY Olivia Rodrigo (@oliviarodrigo) December 9, 2021 ONTD's breakout star of 2021 was hands down wasand because I have no life I've taken the liberty to highlight her huge moments this year.Thestar would find fame outside the show after her songwent viral on TikTok. For that drama check out this amazing post byIn just one short year Olivia would break multiple records and release her debut album scoring herself 7 Grammy Award nominations in the process.Olivia's debut singlebroke therecord for the most single-day streams for a non-holiday song (achieved on its fourth day of release) after the song went viral onalso topped theand made her the youngest artist ever to debut atop the chart. The song went on to spend eight consecutive weeks at number-one.Next up is, which in comparison to her previous single fizzled a little but definitely did not flop. The song debuted at No. 8 on thewhilecharted at No. 5 in the same week.Despite not actually collaborating on the songandwould later receive royalties and song writing credit for the songs similarityreleased in 2019.Up next is, which debuted at No. 1 on thechart.andofwould also later receive royalties and song writing credit for the songs similarity to the bands hit singlereleased in 2007.After months of anticipation Olivia would release her debut album. The album debuted at No. 1 on theand spent five non-consecutive weeks on the chart.All 11 songs oncharted within the top 40 on thethe week of it's release and it would later become the longest-reigning No. 1 album by a female artist in 2021.Not only did Olivia score 6 nominations at the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards but she also made her debut as a performer on the iconic main stage.She took home the awards for Song of the Year, Best New Artist and Push Performance of the Year.Olivia would wake up to news that she was nominated for 7 Grammy Awards including:Olivia announced the highly anticipatedfeaturing special guestsandThewould ultimately sell out before even hitting the general public courtesy of's (stupid) Verified Fan Presale.alt ontd cover graphic by meadditional xoxo toand others for keeping the tag alive and well. 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Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Bradey Police Lt. Philip Trudeau (L) comforts Bourbonnais Police officer Andy Cox following a ceremonial procession for fallen Bradley Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, in Bourbonnais, Ill., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Tiffany Blanchette/The Daily Journal via AP) Suspect in Shooting of Illinois Officers Arrested in Indiana CHICAGOA man suspected in the shooting of one police officer and wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel has been taken into custody, authorities said Friday. Darius Sullivan, one of two people suspected in the shooting of the two Bradley police officers, was arrested Friday morning at a home in North Manchester, Indiana, Sgt. Glen Fifield of the Indiana State Police said at a news conference. Sullivan, 25, surrendered to a SWAT team that was assisting the U.S. Marshals with a search warrant for the property about 110 miles east of Bradley. Sullivans arrest came a day after Illinois authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The Illinois State Police did not release any updates on the investigation Friday other than a written statement confirming that Sullivan had been arrested and would be taken back to Kankakee County, where the shooting occurred late Wednesday. Fifield said he didnt have any details on the investigation into the shooting. He did name three other men but wouldnt discuss whether their arrests were connected to the officers shootings. Two of the men were arrested after police said they ran from their car during a traffic stop in Fulton County, Indiana. The third was arrested at the home where Sullivan was taken into custody. Fifield said police found weapons and drugs in the car that the two men fled from and at the North Manchester home. Authorities are still searching for 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, of Bradley, who investigators believe was at the hotel when the shootings happened, the Illinois State Police said. The two officers were speaking to people in a room at a Comfort Inn along a highway in Kankakee County when they were shot, according to the county sheriffs office. They were taken to nearby hospitals, where 49-year-old Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic died. The other officeridentified by the Illinois State Police as 27-year-old Tyler J. Baileyunderwent surgery and was listed in critical condition on Thursday, according to the Bradley Police Department. Messages left with the department and Illinois State Police on Friday to update Baileys condition were not immediately returned. The officers were at the hotel to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, the sheriffs office said. They found the room where the vehicles possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, it said. Authorities arrested two other people Thursday on charges alleging they impeded the search for Sullivan and a woman also suspected in the shootings. Nichele Newton-Carroll, 42, and Jelman Sullivan, 21, face charges of obstructing justice/leaving the state, the (Kankakee) Daily Journal reported. Neither had an attorney listed Friday in court or jail records. Kankakee County States Attorney Jim Rowe identified Newton-Carroll as Sullivans mother. Rowe said he is not sure of the connection between Jelman Sullivan and Darius Sullivan. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriffs deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriffs Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputys squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe New Year celebrations held across China Xinhua) 08:51, January 01, 2022 Children hold red lanterns during a New Year celebration at a kindergarten in Suining, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Liu Changsong/Xinhua) Children learn to make New Year decorations with their teacher at a kindergarten in Linyi, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Zhang Chunlei/Xinhua) Students perform lion dance to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Xinhua/Du Yu) Students pose for a group photo to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Xinhua) Students take a selfie with their teacher to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Xinhua) Children participate in a lion dance game to celebrate the New Year at a kindergarten in Xiangyang, central China's Hubei Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Yang Dong/Xinhua) Children perform dragon dance to celebrate the New Year at a kindergarten in Huzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Xie Shangguo/Xinhua) Children hold the Chinese character "Fu", meaning good luck in English, during a New Year celebration at a kindergarten in Neijiang, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Huang Zhenghua/Xinhua) Students show their paper cutting works at an elementary school in Qianxi, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Zhai Peisheng/Xinhua) Students hold red lanterns to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Sun Zhongzhe/Xinhua) Children show their paper cutting works at a kindergarten in Danzhai County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Huang Xiaohai/Xinhua) Students perform lion dance to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Liang Zidong/Xinhua) (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is monitoring the situation following a stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi in Katra, Jammu, in which at least 12 people were killed and several others injured, and has conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved families, said Prime Minister`s Offices official on Saturday (January 1, 2022). "Prime Minister @narendramodi is personally monitoring and keeping track of the tragic situation arising out of stampede at Mata #VaishnoDevi shrine. Prime Minister has conveyed his sympathies to bereaved families and issued instructions to provide all possible medical aid and assistance to the injured," Jitendra Singh tweeted. PM Sh @narendramodi is personally monitoring and keeping track of the tragic situation arising out of stampede at Mata #VaishnoDevi shrine. PM has conveyed his sympathies to bereaved families and issued instructions to provide all possible medical aid & assistance to the injured. Dr Jitendra Singh (@DrJitendraSingh) January 1, 2022 PM Modi also expressed grief over the loss of lives in the stampede that took place early this morning at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Jammu and Kashmir`s Katra. The yatra has been stopped for now. The injured have been moved to the hospital. "Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_ Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSingh Ji, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation," PM Modi tweeted. PM Narendra Modi expresses grief over the deaths in stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Katra, Jammu & Kashmir. pic.twitter.com/W6Rvir1pyM ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2022 The Prime Minister also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi," tweeted the Prime Minister`s Office. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 1, 2022 At least 12 people were killed, while 13 others were injured in a stampede, triggered by heavy rush of devotees on New Year`s Day, at the shrine atop Trikuta hills in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said today. "12 dead, 13 injured in the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Katra. The incident occurred around 2:45 am, and as per initial reports, an argument broke out which resulted in people pushing each other, followed by the stampede," Singh said to ANI. #UPDATE: 12 dead in the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra. Casualties from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and 1 from J&K; more details awaited. Injured being taken to Naraina Hospital after rescue: Gopal Dutt, Block Medical Officer, Community Health Centre pic.twitter.com/5bpPgHlP8Z ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2022 (With agency inputs) Live TV New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is monitoring the situation following a stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi in Katra, Jammu, in which at least 12 people were killed and several others injured, and has conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved families, said Prime Minister`s Offices official on Saturday (January 1, 2022). "Prime Minister @narendramodi is personally monitoring and keeping track of the tragic situation arising out of stampede at Mata #VaishnoDevi shrine. Prime Minister has conveyed his sympathies to bereaved families and issued instructions to provide all possible medical aid and assistance to the injured," Jitendra Singh tweeted. PM Sh @narendramodi is personally monitoring and keeping track of the tragic situation arising out of stampede at Mata #VaishnoDevi shrine. PM has conveyed his sympathies to bereaved families and issued instructions to provide all possible medical aid & assistance to the injured. Dr Jitendra Singh (@DrJitendraSingh) January 1, 2022 PM Modi also expressed grief over the loss of lives in the stampede that took place early this morning at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Jammu and Kashmir`s Katra. The yatra has been stopped for now. The injured have been moved to the hospital. "Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_ Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSingh Ji, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation," PM Modi tweeted. PM Narendra Modi expresses grief over the deaths in stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Katra, Jammu & Kashmir. pic.twitter.com/W6Rvir1pyM ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2022 The Prime Minister also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi," tweeted the Prime Minister`s Office. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 1, 2022 At least 12 people were killed, while 13 others were injured in a stampede, triggered by heavy rush of devotees on New Year`s Day, at the shrine atop Trikuta hills in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said today. "12 dead, 13 injured in the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Katra. The incident occurred around 2:45 am, and as per initial reports, an argument broke out which resulted in people pushing each other, followed by the stampede," Singh said to ANI. #UPDATE: 12 dead in the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra. Casualties from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and 1 from J&K; more details awaited. Injured being taken to Naraina Hospital after rescue: Gopal Dutt, Block Medical Officer, Community Health Centre pic.twitter.com/5bpPgHlP8Z ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2022 (With agency inputs) Live TV New Delhi: In a respite for the common man, the Indian Oil Corporation, on Saturday, January 1, slashed the prices of commercial LPG cylinders. The decision will provide relief to restaurants, hotels and caterers. However, the company hasnt changed the prices of domestic LPG cylinders. This means that customers buying domestic LPG cylinders will have to pay the same price as they were paying in December 2021. Latest revision in Commercial LPG Cylinder Price The price of the 19 Kg commercial cylinder has been reduced by Rs 102.50. With the latest revision, the commercial LPG cylinder price will come down to Rs 2,004 from today (January 1) onwards in Delhi. From January 1 onwards, commercial gas cylinders in Kolkata will now cost Rs 2,074.5. Similarly, the latest price of commercial gas 19 kg cylinder in Mumbai is Rs 1,951. Moreover, the 19 kg commercial gas cylinder in Chennai will now sell at Rs 2,134.50. Also Read: France's cumulative number of COVID-19 cases approaches 10 million-mark How to check the latest LPG cylinder prices? Customers can easily check the latest LPG gas cylinder prices by visiting the official website of Indian Oil. The oil marketing company revises the rates every month. You can also the city-wise rates on the official website of the company. Also Read: Vaishno Devi stampede: PM Narendra Modi monitoring situation closely, expresses grief Live TV Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British 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Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Bradey Police Lt. Philip Trudeau (L) comforts Bourbonnais Police officer Andy Cox following a ceremonial procession for fallen Bradley Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, in Bourbonnais, Ill., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Tiffany Blanchette/The Daily Journal via AP) Suspect in Shooting of Illinois Officers Arrested in Indiana CHICAGOA man suspected in the shooting of one police officer and wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel has been taken into custody, authorities said Friday. Darius Sullivan, one of two people suspected in the shooting of the two Bradley police officers, was arrested Friday morning at a home in North Manchester, Indiana, Sgt. Glen Fifield of the Indiana State Police said at a news conference. Sullivan, 25, surrendered to a SWAT team that was assisting the U.S. Marshals with a search warrant for the property about 110 miles east of Bradley. Sullivans arrest came a day after Illinois authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The Illinois State Police did not release any updates on the investigation Friday other than a written statement confirming that Sullivan had been arrested and would be taken back to Kankakee County, where the shooting occurred late Wednesday. Fifield said he didnt have any details on the investigation into the shooting. He did name three other men but wouldnt discuss whether their arrests were connected to the officers shootings. Two of the men were arrested after police said they ran from their car during a traffic stop in Fulton County, Indiana. The third was arrested at the home where Sullivan was taken into custody. Fifield said police found weapons and drugs in the car that the two men fled from and at the North Manchester home. Authorities are still searching for 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, of Bradley, who investigators believe was at the hotel when the shootings happened, the Illinois State Police said. The two officers were speaking to people in a room at a Comfort Inn along a highway in Kankakee County when they were shot, according to the county sheriffs office. They were taken to nearby hospitals, where 49-year-old Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic died. The other officeridentified by the Illinois State Police as 27-year-old Tyler J. Baileyunderwent surgery and was listed in critical condition on Thursday, according to the Bradley Police Department. Messages left with the department and Illinois State Police on Friday to update Baileys condition were not immediately returned. The officers were at the hotel to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, the sheriffs office said. They found the room where the vehicles possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, it said. Authorities arrested two other people Thursday on charges alleging they impeded the search for Sullivan and a woman also suspected in the shootings. Nichele Newton-Carroll, 42, and Jelman Sullivan, 21, face charges of obstructing justice/leaving the state, the (Kankakee) Daily Journal reported. Neither had an attorney listed Friday in court or jail records. Kankakee County States Attorney Jim Rowe identified Newton-Carroll as Sullivans mother. Rowe said he is not sure of the connection between Jelman Sullivan and Darius Sullivan. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriffs deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriffs Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputys squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market Taapsee Pannu, who was last seen in Rashmi Rocket, is known for her strong female characters on screen. However, in 2017, she was one of the female leads in David Dhawan's Judwaa 2 opposite Varun Dhawan. The actress played a glamorous role in the hit film and was seen donning a bikini as well. Before the release of Judwaa 2 in 2017, Taapsee posted a few bikini pictures in which she was seen posing on a beach wearing a floral two piece. Sharing the pictures with fans on Twitter, she wrote, "When you are against the tide, it's YOU who needs to stand up for yourself...But don't forget the smile". "When you are against the tide, it's YOU who needs to stand up for yourself......But don't forget the smile ?" #Judwaa2 #AaTohSahi pic.twitter.com/qIimdBSkHY taapsee pannu (@taapsee) September 13, 2017 While Taapsee's fans complimented her, trollers attacked the post with some strange comments. A troll in Hindi said, "If our country gives you freedom of expression, then why are you wearing this, take it off. Your brother will feel proud to see that". The comment obviously didnt go well with Taapsee who gave a befitting reply to the troller. She said, "Sorry Bhai hai nahi varna pakka puch kar bataati. Abhi ke liye behan ka answer chalega". Sorry Bhai hai nahi varna pakka puch ke bataati. Abhi ke liye behen ka answer chalega ???? https://t.co/Snv6dlNhWj taapsee pannu (@taapsee) September 13, 2017 Well, that was sassy! Soon, the troller deleted his tweet. He wasn't the only person who got a reaction from the Naam Shabana actress. Even now, she expresses her views on Twitter strongly and without any filter. For the unversed, Judwaa 2 was a sequel to David Dhawan's 1997 hit Judwaa featuring Salman Khan in a double role while Karisma Kapoor and Rambha were the leading ladies. Taapsee wore a bikini in the Judwaa 2 song Aa Toh Sahi. You can watch the song here: Ever since Judwaa 2, Taapsee is yet to play a glamorous part onscreen again. Her lineup includes films like Loop Lapeta, Dobaaraa, Shabaash Mithu, Blurr, and Woh Ladki Hai Kahaan. 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of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market A worker waits for visitors to the China Mobile booth in Beijing, China, on Sept. 5, 2021. (Ng Han Guan/AP Photo) Chinese Telecommunications Company Forced to Leave Canada Due to Security Concerns A Chinese telecommunications company will cease its operations in Canada on Jan. 5 to comply with a federal government order based on security considerations. State-owned China Mobiles service CMLink recently announced its departure to its customers. The company, which has the most subscribers in the world at 942 million, offered mobile plans in Canada but does not have any wireless infrastructure in the country and was relying on Teluss network. CMLink told its customers Telus would be in touch on or after Jan. 5 about porting-in offers; otherwise, their current mobile plan would be available free of charge until March 31, 2022, after which all service will cease. The company is being expelled on national security grounds, with the federal government having ordered the carrier in August to wind up or divest its business. An extension had been granted, but on Dec. 7 the federal court refused to put a hold on the order. Chief Justice Paul Crampton said in a ruling the harms to public interest by China Mobile are significantly greater than the harms the company said it would face if the order wasnt stayed. The federal government had informed the Chinese company in January 2021 its operations were under review since they could be leveraged for foreign interference and compromise critical infrastructure. China Mobile has also encountered trouble south of the border. In May 2019, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) denied China Mobiles application to provide telecommunications services between the United States and foreign destinations. The FCC said that due to control of the company by Beijing, grant of the application would raise substantial and serious national security and law enforcement risks that cannot be addressed through a mitigation agreement between China Mobile and the federal government. The company was also delisted from the New York Stock Exchange earlier this year, along with its peers China Unicom and China Telecom, following an executive order by former U.S. president Donald Trump preventing Chinese companies with ties to the military to sell securities in the United States. Now China Mobile is about to enter the Shanghai Stock Exchange and its initial public offering (IPO) is expected to raise close to $9 billion. As for Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, the Canadian government has yet to announce if it will ban its 5G equipment from Canadas wireless infrastructure. Canadas allies in the Five Eyes have either banned or plan to phase out Huawei from their 5G networks. The Canadian Press contributed to this report. A worker waits for visitors to the China Mobile booth in Beijing, China, on Sept. 5, 2021. (Ng Han Guan/AP Photo) Chinese Telecommunications Company Forced to Leave Canada Due to Security Concerns A Chinese telecommunications company will cease its operations in Canada on Jan. 5 to comply with a federal government order based on security considerations. State-owned China Mobiles service CMLink recently announced its departure to its customers. The company, which has the most subscribers in the world at 942 million, offered mobile plans in Canada but does not have any wireless infrastructure in the country and was relying on Teluss network. CMLink told its customers Telus would be in touch on or after Jan. 5 about porting-in offers; otherwise, their current mobile plan would be available free of charge until March 31, 2022, after which all service will cease. The company is being expelled on national security grounds, with the federal government having ordered the carrier in August to wind up or divest its business. An extension had been granted, but on Dec. 7 the federal court refused to put a hold on the order. Chief Justice Paul Crampton said in a ruling the harms to public interest by China Mobile are significantly greater than the harms the company said it would face if the order wasnt stayed. The federal government had informed the Chinese company in January 2021 its operations were under review since they could be leveraged for foreign interference and compromise critical infrastructure. China Mobile has also encountered trouble south of the border. In May 2019, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) denied China Mobiles application to provide telecommunications services between the United States and foreign destinations. The FCC said that due to control of the company by Beijing, grant of the application would raise substantial and serious national security and law enforcement risks that cannot be addressed through a mitigation agreement between China Mobile and the federal government. The company was also delisted from the New York Stock Exchange earlier this year, along with its peers China Unicom and China Telecom, following an executive order by former U.S. president Donald Trump preventing Chinese companies with ties to the military to sell securities in the United States. Now China Mobile is about to enter the Shanghai Stock Exchange and its initial public offering (IPO) is expected to raise close to $9 billion. As for Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, the Canadian government has yet to announce if it will ban its 5G equipment from Canadas wireless infrastructure. Canadas allies in the Five Eyes have either banned or plan to phase out Huawei from their 5G networks. The Canadian Press contributed to this report. A worker waits for visitors to the China Mobile booth in Beijing, China, on Sept. 5, 2021. (Ng Han Guan/AP Photo) Chinese Telecommunications Company Forced to Leave Canada Due to Security Concerns A Chinese telecommunications company will cease its operations in Canada on Jan. 5 to comply with a federal government order based on security considerations. State-owned China Mobiles service CMLink recently announced its departure to its customers. The company, which has the most subscribers in the world at 942 million, offered mobile plans in Canada but does not have any wireless infrastructure in the country and was relying on Teluss network. CMLink told its customers Telus would be in touch on or after Jan. 5 about porting-in offers; otherwise, their current mobile plan would be available free of charge until March 31, 2022, after which all service will cease. The company is being expelled on national security grounds, with the federal government having ordered the carrier in August to wind up or divest its business. An extension had been granted, but on Dec. 7 the federal court refused to put a hold on the order. Chief Justice Paul Crampton said in a ruling the harms to public interest by China Mobile are significantly greater than the harms the company said it would face if the order wasnt stayed. The federal government had informed the Chinese company in January 2021 its operations were under review since they could be leveraged for foreign interference and compromise critical infrastructure. China Mobile has also encountered trouble south of the border. In May 2019, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) denied China Mobiles application to provide telecommunications services between the United States and foreign destinations. The FCC said that due to control of the company by Beijing, grant of the application would raise substantial and serious national security and law enforcement risks that cannot be addressed through a mitigation agreement between China Mobile and the federal government. The company was also delisted from the New York Stock Exchange earlier this year, along with its peers China Unicom and China Telecom, following an executive order by former U.S. president Donald Trump preventing Chinese companies with ties to the military to sell securities in the United States. Now China Mobile is about to enter the Shanghai Stock Exchange and its initial public offering (IPO) is expected to raise close to $9 billion. As for Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, the Canadian government has yet to announce if it will ban its 5G equipment from Canadas wireless infrastructure. Canadas allies in the Five Eyes have either banned or plan to phase out Huawei from their 5G networks. The Canadian Press contributed to this report. 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market The city of Napa is working on a legislative platform for 2022 that would better define the citys priorities to bring in more federal funding to specific areas, such as housing or infrastructure, in the future. The citys suggested priority areas include: preserving and enhancing local control and local revenues; housing opportunities for all income levels, including for those experiencing homelessness; pandemic recovery and economic development; investments in infrastructure; and maintaining a healthy and sustainable environment and community. The list of priority areas was presented to the Napa City Council in December, but the council will vote to approve priority areas at a future meeting. Molly Rattigan, assistant to the city manager, said the list was developed in partnership with consultant Merchant McIntyre & Associates, a federal relations advocacy firm the citys been working with since October 2020. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Special offer: Subscribe for $4.99 for yo This really serves as the guidance on where the city of Napa is putting its legislative capital, for lack of a better word, Rattigan said. Over roughly the past year, the firm has provided federal advocacy and helped the city prepare federal grant applications, Rattigan added. She said that though the firm doesn't provide representation at the state level, the city is actively engaged with the League of California Cities and works closely with its two state representatives, Sen. Bill Dodd and Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry. Katie Peterson, a partner at the firm, highlighted two pending federal grants applications resulting from that work: a $75,000 grant to support the Napa Lighted Arts Festival from the National Endowment for the Arts, and a $100,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for firefighter training and health testing. Peterson added that the firm also worked with Rep. Mike Thompsons office to earmark $1.8 million for police radios, included in the Fiscal Year 2022 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related agencies bill, which passed in July. Peterson said the legislative platform needs to focus on specific areas because it is supposed to clarify the citys priorities to Congress and therefore improve local quality of life. The purpose, the primary directive of the legislative platform, is not to solve or advocate for every issue under the sun on behalf of the city, Peterson said. Its very much to establish key official city positions on clearly stated legislative issues. The Napa councilmembers broadly agreed that the recommended legislative priorities align with city council goals. Councilmember Beth Painter said the specific language of the areas is highly important. Among other suggestions, she recommended the word safe be added to the healthy and sustainable environment and community item because the council has stated the importance of promoting pedestrian and bike safety. Painter also suggested that disaster recovery be added to the pandemic recovery item because the city doesnt know when the next disaster, beyond the pandemic, is going to strike. Napa resident Maureen Trippe an organizer of the local Slow Down Napa movement said shed also like to see some consideration for transportation safety in the platform, which could include such measures as traffic calming, speeding, building safe routes to school or other safety-related categories. Rattigan said the city would still have room to work outside of the legislative platform, if needed, and that needs that go beyond the areas identified in the platform will certainly rise. There are always going to be things that come up that are outside of the scope of the legislative platform, Rattigan said. Like I said, you can never fully predict whats going to be proposed. So we will keep our eye on that as well. If there are issues that may not fall within the scope and they need to come back to the council, theres of course the mechanism to do so if needed. 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market China releases added value data of patent-intensive industries Xinhua) 10:47, January 01, 2022 BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The added value of China's patent-intensive industries in 2020 reached about 12.13 trillion yuan (about 1.9 trillion U.S. dollars), an increase of 5.8 percent over the previous year. These industries contributed 11.97 percent of the country's gross domestic product, said a joint statement by the National Intellectual Property Administration (NIPA) and the National Bureau of Statistics Thursday. The new equipment manufacturing industry registered over 3.41 trillion yuan in added value, or 28.2 percent of that of all patent-intensive sectors, accounting for the highest proportion. It was followed by the industry of information and communication technology for services, which saw the highest increase among all sectors at 15.7 percent. Driven by the strong demand for epidemic prevention products, the growth of the medical industry accelerated to 10.1 percent, up 4.7 percentage points from 2019. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) A worker waits for visitors to the China Mobile booth in Beijing, China, on Sept. 5, 2021. (Ng Han Guan/AP Photo) Chinese Telecommunications Company Forced to Leave Canada Due to Security Concerns A Chinese telecommunications company will cease its operations in Canada on Jan. 5 to comply with a federal government order based on security considerations. State-owned China Mobiles service CMLink recently announced its departure to its customers. The company, which has the most subscribers in the world at 942 million, offered mobile plans in Canada but does not have any wireless infrastructure in the country and was relying on Teluss network. CMLink told its customers Telus would be in touch on or after Jan. 5 about porting-in offers; otherwise, their current mobile plan would be available free of charge until March 31, 2022, after which all service will cease. The company is being expelled on national security grounds, with the federal government having ordered the carrier in August to wind up or divest its business. An extension had been granted, but on Dec. 7 the federal court refused to put a hold on the order. Chief Justice Paul Crampton said in a ruling the harms to public interest by China Mobile are significantly greater than the harms the company said it would face if the order wasnt stayed. The federal government had informed the Chinese company in January 2021 its operations were under review since they could be leveraged for foreign interference and compromise critical infrastructure. China Mobile has also encountered trouble south of the border. In May 2019, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) denied China Mobiles application to provide telecommunications services between the United States and foreign destinations. The FCC said that due to control of the company by Beijing, grant of the application would raise substantial and serious national security and law enforcement risks that cannot be addressed through a mitigation agreement between China Mobile and the federal government. The company was also delisted from the New York Stock Exchange earlier this year, along with its peers China Unicom and China Telecom, following an executive order by former U.S. president Donald Trump preventing Chinese companies with ties to the military to sell securities in the United States. Now China Mobile is about to enter the Shanghai Stock Exchange and its initial public offering (IPO) is expected to raise close to $9 billion. As for Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, the Canadian government has yet to announce if it will ban its 5G equipment from Canadas wireless infrastructure. Canadas allies in the Five Eyes have either banned or plan to phase out Huawei from their 5G networks. The Canadian Press contributed to this report. 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Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Chinese ambassador pays tribute to fallen Chinese fighters in Cuba Xinhua) 10:44, January 01, 2022 HAVANA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to Cuba Ma Hui on Friday laid a wreath of flowers at the monument to fallen Chinese fighters during Cuba's Independence War in Havana. "Over the past 170 years, the Chinese and Cuban people have forged a friendship that has stood the test of time," Ma said. The diplomat congratulated attendees for the arrival of the new year and highlighted the 63rd anniversary of Cuba's socialist revolution's triumph to be marked on Jan. 1, 2022. "I wish that the updating of the Cuban economic and social model as well as the socialist construction bring more success to the island," he said. The ceremony took place under social distancing guidelines and mask mandates due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Luis Gongora, director-general of Foreign Trade and International Relations at the government of Havana, said that China has provided an extraordinary example to the world in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Chinese ambassador pays tribute to fallen Chinese fighters in Cuba Xinhua) 10:44, January 01, 2022 HAVANA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to Cuba Ma Hui on Friday laid a wreath of flowers at the monument to fallen Chinese fighters during Cuba's Independence War in Havana. "Over the past 170 years, the Chinese and Cuban people have forged a friendship that has stood the test of time," Ma said. The diplomat congratulated attendees for the arrival of the new year and highlighted the 63rd anniversary of Cuba's socialist revolution's triumph to be marked on Jan. 1, 2022. "I wish that the updating of the Cuban economic and social model as well as the socialist construction bring more success to the island," he said. The ceremony took place under social distancing guidelines and mask mandates due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Luis Gongora, director-general of Foreign Trade and International Relations at the government of Havana, said that China has provided an extraordinary example to the world in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Chinese ambassador pays tribute to fallen Chinese fighters in Cuba Xinhua) 10:44, January 01, 2022 HAVANA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to Cuba Ma Hui on Friday laid a wreath of flowers at the monument to fallen Chinese fighters during Cuba's Independence War in Havana. "Over the past 170 years, the Chinese and Cuban people have forged a friendship that has stood the test of time," Ma said. The diplomat congratulated attendees for the arrival of the new year and highlighted the 63rd anniversary of Cuba's socialist revolution's triumph to be marked on Jan. 1, 2022. "I wish that the updating of the Cuban economic and social model as well as the socialist construction bring more success to the island," he said. The ceremony took place under social distancing guidelines and mask mandates due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Luis Gongora, director-general of Foreign Trade and International Relations at the government of Havana, said that China has provided an extraordinary example to the world in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market The city of Napa is working on a legislative platform for 2022 that would better define the citys priorities to bring in more federal funding to specific areas, such as housing or infrastructure, in the future. The citys suggested priority areas include: preserving and enhancing local control and local revenues; housing opportunities for all income levels, including for those experiencing homelessness; pandemic recovery and economic development; investments in infrastructure; and maintaining a healthy and sustainable environment and community. The list of priority areas was presented to the Napa City Council in December, but the council will vote to approve priority areas at a future meeting. Molly Rattigan, assistant to the city manager, said the list was developed in partnership with consultant Merchant McIntyre & Associates, a federal relations advocacy firm the citys been working with since October 2020. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Special offer: Subscribe for $4.99 for yo This really serves as the guidance on where the city of Napa is putting its legislative capital, for lack of a better word, Rattigan said. Over roughly the past year, the firm has provided federal advocacy and helped the city prepare federal grant applications, Rattigan added. She said that though the firm doesn't provide representation at the state level, the city is actively engaged with the League of California Cities and works closely with its two state representatives, Sen. Bill Dodd and Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry. Katie Peterson, a partner at the firm, highlighted two pending federal grants applications resulting from that work: a $75,000 grant to support the Napa Lighted Arts Festival from the National Endowment for the Arts, and a $100,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for firefighter training and health testing. Peterson added that the firm also worked with Rep. Mike Thompsons office to earmark $1.8 million for police radios, included in the Fiscal Year 2022 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related agencies bill, which passed in July. Peterson said the legislative platform needs to focus on specific areas because it is supposed to clarify the citys priorities to Congress and therefore improve local quality of life. The purpose, the primary directive of the legislative platform, is not to solve or advocate for every issue under the sun on behalf of the city, Peterson said. Its very much to establish key official city positions on clearly stated legislative issues. The Napa councilmembers broadly agreed that the recommended legislative priorities align with city council goals. Councilmember Beth Painter said the specific language of the areas is highly important. Among other suggestions, she recommended the word safe be added to the healthy and sustainable environment and community item because the council has stated the importance of promoting pedestrian and bike safety. Painter also suggested that disaster recovery be added to the pandemic recovery item because the city doesnt know when the next disaster, beyond the pandemic, is going to strike. Napa resident Maureen Trippe an organizer of the local Slow Down Napa movement said shed also like to see some consideration for transportation safety in the platform, which could include such measures as traffic calming, speeding, building safe routes to school or other safety-related categories. Rattigan said the city would still have room to work outside of the legislative platform, if needed, and that needs that go beyond the areas identified in the platform will certainly rise. There are always going to be things that come up that are outside of the scope of the legislative platform, Rattigan said. Like I said, you can never fully predict whats going to be proposed. So we will keep our eye on that as well. If there are issues that may not fall within the scope and they need to come back to the council, theres of course the mechanism to do so if needed. 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market SUPERIOR, Colo. With no casualties reported Friday in a flash wildfire that devstated two Colorado towns, Gov. Jared Polis called it a New Years miracle because of how quickly the blaze spread and how little time people had to evacuate. At least seven people were injured, but remarkably, there were no immediate reports of any deaths or anyone missing in the aftermath of the fire that started Thursday outside Denver. But Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said more than 500 homes were destroyed. He and Polis said as many as 1,000 homes may have been lost, though the final figure wont be known until crews can assess the damage. Its unbelievable when you look at the devastation that we dont have a list of 100 missing persons, the sheriff said. Pelle said some communities were reduced to just smoking holes in the ground. He urged residents to wait for the all-clear to go back because of the danger of fire and fallen power lines. The wildfire erupted Thursday in and around Louisville and Superior, neighboring towns about 20 miles northwest of Denver with a combined population of 34,000. Tens of thousands were ordered to flee as the flames swept over drought-stricken neighborhoods with alarming speed, propelled by wind gusts up to 105 mph. At a Costco in Superior, two store employees came running toward the checkout lines, one of them shouting, Everyone evacuate, evacuate, evacuate! said Katrina Peterson, who was inside. A video she made showed dark skies and whirling debris outside. The falling ash filled her ears, and she had to squint to keep it from getting in her eyes. The store was left standing. Officials still have not determined the cause of the fire. Downed power lines were originally suspected of sparking the blaze, but as of Friday afternoon Xcel Energy had inspected all its power lines in the ignition area and found no downed ones, officials said. With some roads still closed Friday, people walked back to their homes to get clothes or medicine, turn the water off to prevent the pipes from freezing, or see if they still had a house. They left carrying backpacks and pulling suitcases or wagons down the sidewalk. Cathy Glaab found that her home in the town of Superior where she lives with her husband had been turned into a pile of charred and twisted debris. It was one of seven houses in a row that burned to the ground. The mailbox is standing, Glaab said, trying to crack a smile through tears. She added sadly, So many memories. Despite the devastation, she said they intend to rebuild the house they had since 1998. They love that the land backs up to a natural space, and they have a view of the mountains from the back. David Marks stood on a hillside overlooking Superior with others, using a pair of binoculars and a long-range camera lens to see if his house, and those of his neighbors, were still there, but he couldnt tell for sure whether his place was OK. He said at least three friends lost their homes. He had watched from the hillside as the neighborhood burned. By the time I got up here, the houses were completely engulfed, he said. I mean, it happened so quickly. Ive never seen anything like that. Just house after house, fences, just stuff flying through the air, just caught on fire. By first light Friday, the towering flames that had lit up the night sky had subsided and the winds had died down. Light snow soon began to fall, and the blaze, which burned at least 9.4 square miles, was no longer considered an immediate threat. During a news conference Friday, Polis called the last 24 hours devastating and said President Joe Biden had approved a major disaster declaration for the area. That means homeowners wont have to wait for official damage estimates before receiving assistance, Polis said. The wildfire broke out unusually late in the year, following an extremely dry fall and amid a winter nearly devoid of snow so far. Sarah Owens, her husband, adult son and their dog got out of their Superior home within 10 minutes of learning about the evacuation from a Facebook post. But as everyone tried leaving by way of the winding streets of the well-to-do Rock Creek neighborhood, it took them 1 hours to go 2 miles. The good news is I think our house may be OK, Owens said. But from now on, she said, she plans to have a bag packed in case of another fire. I never thought a brush fire could cause this kind of destruction, Owens said. I want to stay here. No matter where you live, there are always going to be natural disasters. Mike Guanella and his family were relaxing at their home in Superior and looking forward to celebrating a belated Christmas when reports of a nearby grass fire quickly gave way to an order to leave immediately. Instead of opening presents, Guanella and his wife, their three children and three dogs were staying at a friends house in Denver, hoping that the firefighter friend who told them their home was still standing was right. Those presents are still under the tree right now we hope, he said. The two neighboring towns are filled with middle- and upper-middle-class subdivisions with shopping centers, parks and schools. The area is between Denver and Boulder, home to the University of Colorado. Scientists say climate change is making weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive. Ninety percent of Boulder County is in severe or extreme drought, and it hasnt seen substantial rainfall since mid-summer. Denver set a record for consecutive days without snow before it got a small storm on Dec. 10, its last snowfall before the wildfires broke out. Tribune News Service contributed to this report. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. SUPERIOR, Colo. With no casualties reported Friday in a flash wildfire that devstated two Colorado towns, Gov. Jared Polis called it a New Years miracle because of how quickly the blaze spread and how little time people had to evacuate. At least seven people were injured, but remarkably, there were no immediate reports of any deaths or anyone missing in the aftermath of the fire that started Thursday outside Denver. But Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said more than 500 homes were destroyed. He and Polis said as many as 1,000 homes may have been lost, though the final figure wont be known until crews can assess the damage. Its unbelievable when you look at the devastation that we dont have a list of 100 missing persons, the sheriff said. Pelle said some communities were reduced to just smoking holes in the ground. He urged residents to wait for the all-clear to go back because of the danger of fire and fallen power lines. The wildfire erupted Thursday in and around Louisville and Superior, neighboring towns about 20 miles northwest of Denver with a combined population of 34,000. Tens of thousands were ordered to flee as the flames swept over drought-stricken neighborhoods with alarming speed, propelled by wind gusts up to 105 mph. At a Costco in Superior, two store employees came running toward the checkout lines, one of them shouting, Everyone evacuate, evacuate, evacuate! said Katrina Peterson, who was inside. A video she made showed dark skies and whirling debris outside. The falling ash filled her ears, and she had to squint to keep it from getting in her eyes. The store was left standing. Officials still have not determined the cause of the fire. Downed power lines were originally suspected of sparking the blaze, but as of Friday afternoon Xcel Energy had inspected all its power lines in the ignition area and found no downed ones, officials said. With some roads still closed Friday, people walked back to their homes to get clothes or medicine, turn the water off to prevent the pipes from freezing, or see if they still had a house. They left carrying backpacks and pulling suitcases or wagons down the sidewalk. Cathy Glaab found that her home in the town of Superior where she lives with her husband had been turned into a pile of charred and twisted debris. It was one of seven houses in a row that burned to the ground. The mailbox is standing, Glaab said, trying to crack a smile through tears. She added sadly, So many memories. Despite the devastation, she said they intend to rebuild the house they had since 1998. They love that the land backs up to a natural space, and they have a view of the mountains from the back. David Marks stood on a hillside overlooking Superior with others, using a pair of binoculars and a long-range camera lens to see if his house, and those of his neighbors, were still there, but he couldnt tell for sure whether his place was OK. He said at least three friends lost their homes. He had watched from the hillside as the neighborhood burned. By the time I got up here, the houses were completely engulfed, he said. I mean, it happened so quickly. Ive never seen anything like that. Just house after house, fences, just stuff flying through the air, just caught on fire. By first light Friday, the towering flames that had lit up the night sky had subsided and the winds had died down. Light snow soon began to fall, and the blaze, which burned at least 9.4 square miles, was no longer considered an immediate threat. During a news conference Friday, Polis called the last 24 hours devastating and said President Joe Biden had approved a major disaster declaration for the area. That means homeowners wont have to wait for official damage estimates before receiving assistance, Polis said. The wildfire broke out unusually late in the year, following an extremely dry fall and amid a winter nearly devoid of snow so far. Sarah Owens, her husband, adult son and their dog got out of their Superior home within 10 minutes of learning about the evacuation from a Facebook post. But as everyone tried leaving by way of the winding streets of the well-to-do Rock Creek neighborhood, it took them 1 hours to go 2 miles. The good news is I think our house may be OK, Owens said. But from now on, she said, she plans to have a bag packed in case of another fire. I never thought a brush fire could cause this kind of destruction, Owens said. I want to stay here. No matter where you live, there are always going to be natural disasters. Mike Guanella and his family were relaxing at their home in Superior and looking forward to celebrating a belated Christmas when reports of a nearby grass fire quickly gave way to an order to leave immediately. Instead of opening presents, Guanella and his wife, their three children and three dogs were staying at a friends house in Denver, hoping that the firefighter friend who told them their home was still standing was right. Those presents are still under the tree right now we hope, he said. The two neighboring towns are filled with middle- and upper-middle-class subdivisions with shopping centers, parks and schools. The area is between Denver and Boulder, home to the University of Colorado. Scientists say climate change is making weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive. Ninety percent of Boulder County is in severe or extreme drought, and it hasnt seen substantial rainfall since mid-summer. Denver set a record for consecutive days without snow before it got a small storm on Dec. 10, its last snowfall before the wildfires broke out. Tribune News Service contributed to this report. India is likely to face more challenges at the northern border as implements its new border law from Saturday. Sources said from now on is likely to dig in its heels at the current disputed positions at the Line of Actual Control and will come up with more model border villages -- to be used both for military and civilian purposes. Making a provocative assertion, on December 30, 2021 renamed 15 places of Arunachal Pradesh in their map. Major General Ashok Kumar (Retd) told IANS, "The new land border law is the latest attempt by China to unilaterally delineate and demarcate territorial boundaries with India and Bhutan." Explaining how this law has huge implications for India, Major General Kumar said that by bringing in such a law, and in conjunction with accelerated construction of 624 "Xiaokong" known as model villages along and inside the disputed land boundaries with India, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has created conditions for a 'militarised solution' to the boundary issue. "It is a hybrid unconventional warfare methodology, applied for taking over illegal control of sovereign spaces of other states and gets converted into a legalistic nation-building exercise which brooks no opposition," he said. On October 23, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislative body, passed a new law citing "protection and exploitation of the country's land border areas". The committee had stated that the new law will come into effect from January 1. The law is not meant specifically for the border with India. China shares its 22,457-km land boundary with 14 countries including India, the third longest after the borders with Mongolia and Russia. The new border law has 62 articles and seven chapters. As per the law, the People's Republic of China shall set up boundary markers on all its land borders to clearly mark the border. The type of marker is to be decided in agreement with the relevant neighbouring state. The law further stated that People's Liberation Army (PLA) and Chinese People's Armed Police Force will maintain security along the border. This responsibility includes cooperating with local authorities in combating illegal border crossings. The law prohibits any party from indulging in any activity in the border area which would "endanger national security or affect China's friendly relations with neighbouring countries". It includes construction of any permanent buildings by any person without authorisation from the concerned authority. Further it stated that citizens and local organisations are mandated to protect and defend the border infrastructure, maintain security and stability of borders and co-operate with government agencies in maintaining border security. The law lays the path for the development of the border region. It states that People's Republic of China will take up education and propaganda to "solidify the sense of community of China, to promote the spirit of China, to defend the unity and territorial integrity of the country, strengthen citizens' sense of the country and homeland security, and build a common spiritual home for the Chinese nation" amongst citizens in the border region. The state can take measures "to strengthen border defence, support economic and social development as well as opening-up in border areas, improve public services and infrastructure in such areas, encourage and support people's life and work there, and promote coordination between border defence and social, economic development in border areas". In effect, this suggests a push to settle civilians in the border areas. The law comes amid a border dispute with India. India claims that China has illegally occupied about 38,000 sq km of India's territory in Aksai Chin, which borders eastern Ladakh. Pakistan ceded to China about 5,180 sq km in 1963 from the Indian territory illegally occupied by it. India and China have been engaged in border disputes for the last 20 months and diplomatic and military talks are on to resolve the issues. (Sumit Kumar Singh can be reached at sumit.k@ians.in) --IANS sk/dpb (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market New Delhi: Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan's daughter Ira Khan recently shared an awkward moment online where a netizen asked her if she was related to the actor. Well, the star kid put up the screenshot of the comment on her Instagram story. Ira Khan posted her Christmas 2021 celebration photos with dad Aamir and that's where a user had this weird query. An Instagram user wrote, Why is he close to you? Is he your relative? To this, another user cut him short saying Aamir and Ira were father and daughter. One of the users commented, Dude, she is the daughter of Aamir Khan. You can always check it on Google to confirm. This chain of conversation was joined by another netizen who wrote, Bhai Google jhuth bhi bata sakta hai kitne chance huye hain ki Google pe search kuch karo aur aata kuch or hai." This left Ira Khan amused and she wrote: This is new. But yes, don't believe everything you read on Google. Ira's Christmas celebration with dad was a family affair and the pictures went viral on social media. She is dating Nupur Shikhare, who is a fitness trainer. Ira Khan made her relationship official with her boyfriend on Instagram on the occasion of Promise Day in 2021. Aamir Khan's daughter has been vocal about suffering from depression and opened up on facing mental health issues on social media. Ira Khan is Aamir's daughter with his first wife Reena Dutta, with whom he also has a son named Junaid. Ira Khan stepped into showbiz by making her directorial debut in 2019 with the stage production 'Euripides' Medea'. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge tweeted a photograph from the No Time To Die premiere in September - TWITTER The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have released a candid, unseen photograph of themselves on Friday night as they wished their Twitter followers a Happy New Year. The affectionate image, taken by London-based photographer Alex Bramall, shows the pair clasping hands in their vehicle ahead of the James Bond premiere in September, both beaming from ear to ear. The Duke is dressed in a black tuxedo with a bow tie, while the Duchess is wearing an embellished gold cape dress. The Duke and Duchess scaled back their Christmas plans this year, opting not to go to Sandringham and instead staying in Norfolk where they were joined by members of the Middleton family. The couple welcomed in a busy year for the Royal Family in which the Queen is set to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee. A worker waits for visitors to the China Mobile booth in Beijing, China, on Sept. 5, 2021. (Ng Han Guan/AP Photo) Chinese Telecommunications Company Forced to Leave Canada Due to Security Concerns A Chinese telecommunications company will cease its operations in Canada on Jan. 5 to comply with a federal government order based on security considerations. State-owned China Mobiles service CMLink recently announced its departure to its customers. The company, which has the most subscribers in the world at 942 million, offered mobile plans in Canada but does not have any wireless infrastructure in the country and was relying on Teluss network. CMLink told its customers Telus would be in touch on or after Jan. 5 about porting-in offers; otherwise, their current mobile plan would be available free of charge until March 31, 2022, after which all service will cease. The company is being expelled on national security grounds, with the federal government having ordered the carrier in August to wind up or divest its business. An extension had been granted, but on Dec. 7 the federal court refused to put a hold on the order. Chief Justice Paul Crampton said in a ruling the harms to public interest by China Mobile are significantly greater than the harms the company said it would face if the order wasnt stayed. The federal government had informed the Chinese company in January 2021 its operations were under review since they could be leveraged for foreign interference and compromise critical infrastructure. China Mobile has also encountered trouble south of the border. In May 2019, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) denied China Mobiles application to provide telecommunications services between the United States and foreign destinations. The FCC said that due to control of the company by Beijing, grant of the application would raise substantial and serious national security and law enforcement risks that cannot be addressed through a mitigation agreement between China Mobile and the federal government. The company was also delisted from the New York Stock Exchange earlier this year, along with its peers China Unicom and China Telecom, following an executive order by former U.S. president Donald Trump preventing Chinese companies with ties to the military to sell securities in the United States. Now China Mobile is about to enter the Shanghai Stock Exchange and its initial public offering (IPO) is expected to raise close to $9 billion. As for Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, the Canadian government has yet to announce if it will ban its 5G equipment from Canadas wireless infrastructure. Canadas allies in the Five Eyes have either banned or plan to phase out Huawei from their 5G networks. The Canadian Press contributed to this report. 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market VERO BEACH, Fla., Dec. 31, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach Assisted Living and Memory Care approaches its one-year anniversary of grand opening, Executive Director Kim Haddon prepares to celebrate with her growing community of associates, residents and family members. Haddon was selected to lead the 107-unit luxury senior living community earlier this year, bringing more than twenty years of experience in the healthcare industry. She began her career as a certified nursing assistant and med tech, and successfully advanced into leadership positions in culinary, programming, and mental health management. Most recently, Haddon joyfully served eight years as an Executive Director for assisted living and memory care communities before joining the Watercrest family. The residents and families of Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach sing Kim's praises as an executive director who honors her commitments and builds trust by holding herself and others accountable. Her dedication to teamwork has led to thriving partnerships in the surrounding community of Santa Rosa Beach, a city who greatly supported the development of the luxury senior living community of Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach. "Our days are filled with laughter, smiles and cherished moments with our residents making this extraordinary community their new home," says Kim Haddon, Executive Director of Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach. "We have formed a family here and look forward to amazing accomplishments and unforgettable experiences in 2022!" Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach offers 75 assisted living and 32 memory care apartments with resort-style service and world-class care. Residents enjoy pampering in elegant Spa W, savor private label Watercrest wines at the bistro, and relish the flavors of locally grown, seasonal ingredients and organic fare whether dining outdoors, bistro-style, or in the chef's private dining room. Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach is a newly-constructed senior living development project partnered between Watercrest Senior Living Group and The St. Joe Company. The 92,000 square foot luxury senior living community is conveniently located at 205 West Hewett Road along the Emerald Coast in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. For information, contact the community at 850-660-7130. About Watercrest Senior Living GroupWatercrest Senior Living Group was founded to honor our mothers and fathers, aspiring to become a beacon for quality in senior living by surpassing standards of care, service and associate training. Watercrest senior living communities are recognized for their luxury aesthetic, exceptional amenities, world-class care, and innovative memory care programming offering unparalleled service to seniors living with Alzheimer's and dementia. A certified Great Place to Work, Watercrest specializes in the development and operations of assisted living and memory care communities and the growth of servant leaders. For information, visit www.watercrestseniorliving.com. About The St. Joe CompanyThe St. Joe Company is a real estate development, asset management and operating company with real estate assets and operations in Northwest Florida. The Company intends to use existing assets for residential, hospitality and commercial ventures. St. Joe has significant residential and commercial land-use entitlements. The Company actively seeks higher and better uses for its real estate assets through a range of development activities. More information about the Company can be found on its website at www.joe.com. On a regular basis, the Company releases a video showing progress on projects in development or under construction. See https://www.joe.com/video-gallery for more information. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/watercrest-santa-rosa-beach-assisted-living-and-memory-care-looks-ahead-to-2022-with-executive-director-kim-haddon-301452435.html SOURCE Watercrest Senior Living Group 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market India is likely to face more challenges at the northern border as implements its new border law from Saturday. Sources said from now on is likely to dig in its heels at the current disputed positions at the Line of Actual Control and will come up with more model border villages -- to be used both for military and civilian purposes. Making a provocative assertion, on December 30, 2021 renamed 15 places of Arunachal Pradesh in their map. Major General Ashok Kumar (Retd) told IANS, "The new land border law is the latest attempt by China to unilaterally delineate and demarcate territorial boundaries with India and Bhutan." Explaining how this law has huge implications for India, Major General Kumar said that by bringing in such a law, and in conjunction with accelerated construction of 624 "Xiaokong" known as model villages along and inside the disputed land boundaries with India, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has created conditions for a 'militarised solution' to the boundary issue. "It is a hybrid unconventional warfare methodology, applied for taking over illegal control of sovereign spaces of other states and gets converted into a legalistic nation-building exercise which brooks no opposition," he said. On October 23, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislative body, passed a new law citing "protection and exploitation of the country's land border areas". The committee had stated that the new law will come into effect from January 1. The law is not meant specifically for the border with India. China shares its 22,457-km land boundary with 14 countries including India, the third longest after the borders with Mongolia and Russia. The new border law has 62 articles and seven chapters. As per the law, the People's Republic of China shall set up boundary markers on all its land borders to clearly mark the border. The type of marker is to be decided in agreement with the relevant neighbouring state. The law further stated that People's Liberation Army (PLA) and Chinese People's Armed Police Force will maintain security along the border. This responsibility includes cooperating with local authorities in combating illegal border crossings. The law prohibits any party from indulging in any activity in the border area which would "endanger national security or affect China's friendly relations with neighbouring countries". It includes construction of any permanent buildings by any person without authorisation from the concerned authority. Further it stated that citizens and local organisations are mandated to protect and defend the border infrastructure, maintain security and stability of borders and co-operate with government agencies in maintaining border security. The law lays the path for the development of the border region. It states that People's Republic of China will take up education and propaganda to "solidify the sense of community of China, to promote the spirit of China, to defend the unity and territorial integrity of the country, strengthen citizens' sense of the country and homeland security, and build a common spiritual home for the Chinese nation" amongst citizens in the border region. The state can take measures "to strengthen border defence, support economic and social development as well as opening-up in border areas, improve public services and infrastructure in such areas, encourage and support people's life and work there, and promote coordination between border defence and social, economic development in border areas". In effect, this suggests a push to settle civilians in the border areas. The law comes amid a border dispute with India. India claims that China has illegally occupied about 38,000 sq km of India's territory in Aksai Chin, which borders eastern Ladakh. Pakistan ceded to China about 5,180 sq km in 1963 from the Indian territory illegally occupied by it. India and China have been engaged in border disputes for the last 20 months and diplomatic and military talks are on to resolve the issues. (Sumit Kumar Singh can be reached at sumit.k@ians.in) --IANS sk/dpb (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China in Focus brings you an outlook of China in 2022. We go through the biggest China stories to watch out for in the coming year. One of the most important things for the world to look out for is the slowing down of Chinas economy. It matters so much because the countrys economy has been one of the Communist Partys most effective toolsespecially in proving its legitimacy to rule to the Chinese people and the international community. Its power has proven so strong that concerns over its human rights abuses and lack of political freedom have largely been overlooked overseas. Meanwhile, the Chinese regime is drastically reducing Chinas contact with the rest of the world. They are isolating the country not just physically but also ideologically, and this trend may extend into next year. A big question for 2022 and the following years is whether the Chinese regime will invade Taiwan. But what exactly could a Chinese invasion of Taiwan look like? A recent Reuters investigative report consulted military experts and listed out six potential scenarios. We took a look at each of them. Taiwans Defense Ministry is releasing its latest threat assessment. The report says a full-scale Chinese invasion of Taiwan would be extremely difficult for Beijing to pull off. We look at why thats the case. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more first-hand news from China. For more news and videos, please visit our website and Twitter. BOSTON, Dec. 31, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Kyros Law Offices is alerting investors of Granite Construction Incorporated ( NYSE: GVA) that the deadline in filing claims from the investor lawsuit settlement against the company is fast approaching. The company has agreed to settle a shareholder lawsuit filed against it by investors for over $120 million dollars. Granite Construction Incorporated ( NYSE: GVA) investors that purchased between February 17, 2017 and October 24, 2019 are urged to contact our law firm immediately to protect their rights. Visit our NYSE: GVA Lawsuit Settlement website or call 1-800-934-2921 to speak to someone about your case. Your legal rights will be affected whether you act or do not act. If you do not act, you may permanently forfeit your right to recover on this claim. On July 29, 2019, after the market closed, the Company disclosed that second quarter 2019 financial results were negatively impacted by non-cash charges related to four legacy, unconsolidated heavy civil joint venture projects. As a result, Granite expected to report net loss per diluted share in the range of $2.05 to $2.10 per diluted share. Then on August 2, 2019, before the market opened, the Company announced its second quarter 2019 financial results, reporting revenue of $789.5 million, including $114.2 million in revenue reduction due to the charges disclosed earlier that week, leading to further losses for GVA investors. Granite Construction Incorporated ( NYSE: GVA) investors that purchased between February 17, 2017 and October 24, 2019 are urged to contact our law firm immediately to protect their rights. Visit our NYSE: GVA Lawsuit Settlement website or call 1-800-934-2921 to speak to someone about your case. Receive alerts about potential class action lawsuits that may affect you by visiting the Class Action Lawsuit Center website . Kyros Law specializes in a wide range of complex litigation, mass torts, and corporate governance matters, including the representation of whistleblowers, shareholders and consumers in securities fraud, false claims act and class actions. Our lawyers have been responsible for recovering hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients throughout the United States, Africa, Asia and Europe. Visit our website to learn more about our firm. SOURCE Kyros Law New Delhi: Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan's daughter Ira Khan recently shared an awkward moment online where a netizen asked her if she was related to the actor. Well, the star kid put up the screenshot of the comment on her Instagram story. Ira Khan posted her Christmas 2021 celebration photos with dad Aamir and that's where a user had this weird query. An Instagram user wrote, Why is he close to you? Is he your relative? To this, another user cut him short saying Aamir and Ira were father and daughter. One of the users commented, Dude, she is the daughter of Aamir Khan. You can always check it on Google to confirm. This chain of conversation was joined by another netizen who wrote, Bhai Google jhuth bhi bata sakta hai kitne chance huye hain ki Google pe search kuch karo aur aata kuch or hai." This left Ira Khan amused and she wrote: This is new. But yes, don't believe everything you read on Google. Ira's Christmas celebration with dad was a family affair and the pictures went viral on social media. She is dating Nupur Shikhare, who is a fitness trainer. Ira Khan made her relationship official with her boyfriend on Instagram on the occasion of Promise Day in 2021. Aamir Khan's daughter has been vocal about suffering from depression and opened up on facing mental health issues on social media. Ira Khan is Aamir's daughter with his first wife Reena Dutta, with whom he also has a son named Junaid. Ira Khan stepped into showbiz by making her directorial debut in 2019 with the stage production 'Euripides' Medea'. SUPERIOR, Colo. With no casualties reported Friday in a flash wildfire that devstated two Colorado towns, Gov. Jared Polis called it a New Years miracle because of how quickly the blaze spread and how little time people had to evacuate. At least seven people were injured, but remarkably, there were no immediate reports of any deaths or anyone missing in the aftermath of the fire that started Thursday outside Denver. But Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said more than 500 homes were destroyed. He and Polis said as many as 1,000 homes may have been lost, though the final figure wont be known until crews can assess the damage. Its unbelievable when you look at the devastation that we dont have a list of 100 missing persons, the sheriff said. Pelle said some communities were reduced to just smoking holes in the ground. He urged residents to wait for the all-clear to go back because of the danger of fire and fallen power lines. The wildfire erupted Thursday in and around Louisville and Superior, neighboring towns about 20 miles northwest of Denver with a combined population of 34,000. Tens of thousands were ordered to flee as the flames swept over drought-stricken neighborhoods with alarming speed, propelled by wind gusts up to 105 mph. At a Costco in Superior, two store employees came running toward the checkout lines, one of them shouting, Everyone evacuate, evacuate, evacuate! said Katrina Peterson, who was inside. A video she made showed dark skies and whirling debris outside. The falling ash filled her ears, and she had to squint to keep it from getting in her eyes. The store was left standing. Officials still have not determined the cause of the fire. Downed power lines were originally suspected of sparking the blaze, but as of Friday afternoon Xcel Energy had inspected all its power lines in the ignition area and found no downed ones, officials said. With some roads still closed Friday, people walked back to their homes to get clothes or medicine, turn the water off to prevent the pipes from freezing, or see if they still had a house. They left carrying backpacks and pulling suitcases or wagons down the sidewalk. Cathy Glaab found that her home in the town of Superior where she lives with her husband had been turned into a pile of charred and twisted debris. It was one of seven houses in a row that burned to the ground. The mailbox is standing, Glaab said, trying to crack a smile through tears. She added sadly, So many memories. Despite the devastation, she said they intend to rebuild the house they had since 1998. They love that the land backs up to a natural space, and they have a view of the mountains from the back. David Marks stood on a hillside overlooking Superior with others, using a pair of binoculars and a long-range camera lens to see if his house, and those of his neighbors, were still there, but he couldnt tell for sure whether his place was OK. He said at least three friends lost their homes. He had watched from the hillside as the neighborhood burned. By the time I got up here, the houses were completely engulfed, he said. I mean, it happened so quickly. Ive never seen anything like that. Just house after house, fences, just stuff flying through the air, just caught on fire. By first light Friday, the towering flames that had lit up the night sky had subsided and the winds had died down. Light snow soon began to fall, and the blaze, which burned at least 9.4 square miles, was no longer considered an immediate threat. During a news conference Friday, Polis called the last 24 hours devastating and said President Joe Biden had approved a major disaster declaration for the area. That means homeowners wont have to wait for official damage estimates before receiving assistance, Polis said. The wildfire broke out unusually late in the year, following an extremely dry fall and amid a winter nearly devoid of snow so far. Sarah Owens, her husband, adult son and their dog got out of their Superior home within 10 minutes of learning about the evacuation from a Facebook post. But as everyone tried leaving by way of the winding streets of the well-to-do Rock Creek neighborhood, it took them 1 hours to go 2 miles. The good news is I think our house may be OK, Owens said. But from now on, she said, she plans to have a bag packed in case of another fire. I never thought a brush fire could cause this kind of destruction, Owens said. I want to stay here. No matter where you live, there are always going to be natural disasters. Mike Guanella and his family were relaxing at their home in Superior and looking forward to celebrating a belated Christmas when reports of a nearby grass fire quickly gave way to an order to leave immediately. Instead of opening presents, Guanella and his wife, their three children and three dogs were staying at a friends house in Denver, hoping that the firefighter friend who told them their home was still standing was right. Those presents are still under the tree right now we hope, he said. The two neighboring towns are filled with middle- and upper-middle-class subdivisions with shopping centers, parks and schools. The area is between Denver and Boulder, home to the University of Colorado. Scientists say climate change is making weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive. Ninety percent of Boulder County is in severe or extreme drought, and it hasnt seen substantial rainfall since mid-summer. Denver set a record for consecutive days without snow before it got a small storm on Dec. 10, its last snowfall before the wildfires broke out. Tribune News Service contributed to this report. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. ALAMOGORDO Otero County commissioners have approved a resolution voicing opposition to a proposed plan that will guide forest management practices for the 1.1 million-acre Lincoln National Forest in southern New Mexico for the next 10 to 15 years. The commissioners voted on the resolution earlier this month and approved an official comment letter that stated the draft forest plan and the draft environmental impact statement conflict with county ordinances outlining land use. The letter also notes that federal forest officials failed to address the conflicts and did not request or attempt to coordinate with the county to work out any concerns. A second letter approved by the commissioners was addressed to Lincoln National Forest supervisor Travis Mosley. It complained about the forest administrations failure to communicate with the county regarding the drafting of the plan. Forest officials have pushed back, noting that the county was not only presented the draft plan early and often, but given an extended period to comment. The final plan is expected to be ready by spring 2022, the Alamogordo Daily News reported. Forest spokeswoman Laura Rabon said the U.S. Forest Service had invited the county to participate in the process as far back as 2019. She said forest officials presented the draft plan to the county several times including in October 2021 when the Lincoln National Forest urged the county to submit any comments, questions or concerns by the first comment deadline in November. I want people to know that we really have tried to reach out to the county, Rabon said. We invited them on numerous occasions to participate, to comment, to take the next step and become a cooperating agency and, unfortunately, we havent heard back from them. The U.S. Forest Service even extended the deadline for comments from Nov. 15 to Dec. 15, she said. The recently approved Otero County comment letter was received by the Lincoln National Forest on Dec. 15. Otero County officials said that the proposed wilderness areas listed in the forest plan would encroach on established grazing allotments and that the designations would not be appropriate since some lands fail to meet wilderness qualifications. They pointed to roads, fences, pens, water wells, pipelines and other structures that dot some of the areas. The county commissioners also said they worried about the use of prescribed burns in designated wilderness areas as a wildfire mitigation effort, rather than a regular strategy of forest health. ALAMOGORDO Otero County commissioners have approved a resolution voicing opposition to a proposed plan that will guide forest management practices for the 1.1 million-acre Lincoln National Forest in southern New Mexico for the next 10 to 15 years. The commissioners voted on the resolution earlier this month and approved an official comment letter that stated the draft forest plan and the draft environmental impact statement conflict with county ordinances outlining land use. The letter also notes that federal forest officials failed to address the conflicts and did not request or attempt to coordinate with the county to work out any concerns. A second letter approved by the commissioners was addressed to Lincoln National Forest supervisor Travis Mosley. It complained about the forest administrations failure to communicate with the county regarding the drafting of the plan. Forest officials have pushed back, noting that the county was not only presented the draft plan early and often, but given an extended period to comment. The final plan is expected to be ready by spring 2022, the Alamogordo Daily News reported. Forest spokeswoman Laura Rabon said the U.S. Forest Service had invited the county to participate in the process as far back as 2019. She said forest officials presented the draft plan to the county several times including in October 2021 when the Lincoln National Forest urged the county to submit any comments, questions or concerns by the first comment deadline in November. I want people to know that we really have tried to reach out to the county, Rabon said. We invited them on numerous occasions to participate, to comment, to take the next step and become a cooperating agency and, unfortunately, we havent heard back from them. The U.S. Forest Service even extended the deadline for comments from Nov. 15 to Dec. 15, she said. The recently approved Otero County comment letter was received by the Lincoln National Forest on Dec. 15. Otero County officials said that the proposed wilderness areas listed in the forest plan would encroach on established grazing allotments and that the designations would not be appropriate since some lands fail to meet wilderness qualifications. They pointed to roads, fences, pens, water wells, pipelines and other structures that dot some of the areas. The county commissioners also said they worried about the use of prescribed burns in designated wilderness areas as a wildfire mitigation effort, rather than a regular strategy of forest health. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market ALAMOGORDO Otero County commissioners have approved a resolution voicing opposition to a proposed plan that will guide forest management practices for the 1.1 million-acre Lincoln National Forest in southern New Mexico for the next 10 to 15 years. The commissioners voted on the resolution earlier this month and approved an official comment letter that stated the draft forest plan and the draft environmental impact statement conflict with county ordinances outlining land use. The letter also notes that federal forest officials failed to address the conflicts and did not request or attempt to coordinate with the county to work out any concerns. A second letter approved by the commissioners was addressed to Lincoln National Forest supervisor Travis Mosley. It complained about the forest administrations failure to communicate with the county regarding the drafting of the plan. Forest officials have pushed back, noting that the county was not only presented the draft plan early and often, but given an extended period to comment. The final plan is expected to be ready by spring 2022, the Alamogordo Daily News reported. Forest spokeswoman Laura Rabon said the U.S. Forest Service had invited the county to participate in the process as far back as 2019. She said forest officials presented the draft plan to the county several times including in October 2021 when the Lincoln National Forest urged the county to submit any comments, questions or concerns by the first comment deadline in November. I want people to know that we really have tried to reach out to the county, Rabon said. We invited them on numerous occasions to participate, to comment, to take the next step and become a cooperating agency and, unfortunately, we havent heard back from them. The U.S. Forest Service even extended the deadline for comments from Nov. 15 to Dec. 15, she said. The recently approved Otero County comment letter was received by the Lincoln National Forest on Dec. 15. Otero County officials said that the proposed wilderness areas listed in the forest plan would encroach on established grazing allotments and that the designations would not be appropriate since some lands fail to meet wilderness qualifications. They pointed to roads, fences, pens, water wells, pipelines and other structures that dot some of the areas. The county commissioners also said they worried about the use of prescribed burns in designated wilderness areas as a wildfire mitigation effort, rather than a regular strategy of forest health. 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market 2021 in review 2021 in review in the Yakima Valley: Kids back the classroom, record heat and a surging housing market China in Focus brings you an outlook of China in 2022. We go through the biggest China stories to watch out for in the coming year. One of the most important things for the world to look out for is the slowing down of Chinas economy. It matters so much because the countrys economy has been one of the Communist Partys most effective toolsespecially in proving its legitimacy to rule to the Chinese people and the international community. Its power has proven so strong that concerns over its human rights abuses and lack of political freedom have largely been overlooked overseas. Meanwhile, the Chinese regime is drastically reducing Chinas contact with the rest of the world. They are isolating the country not just physically but also ideologically, and this trend may extend into next year. A big question for 2022 and the following years is whether the Chinese regime will invade Taiwan. But what exactly could a Chinese invasion of Taiwan look like? A recent Reuters investigative report consulted military experts and listed out six potential scenarios. We took a look at each of them. Taiwans Defense Ministry is releasing its latest threat assessment. The report says a full-scale Chinese invasion of Taiwan would be extremely difficult for Beijing to pull off. We look at why thats the case. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more first-hand news from China. For more news and videos, please visit our website and Twitter. China in Focus brings you an outlook of China in 2022. We go through the biggest China stories to watch out for in the coming year. One of the most important things for the world to look out for is the slowing down of Chinas economy. It matters so much because the countrys economy has been one of the Communist Partys most effective toolsespecially in proving its legitimacy to rule to the Chinese people and the international community. Its power has proven so strong that concerns over its human rights abuses and lack of political freedom have largely been overlooked overseas. Meanwhile, the Chinese regime is drastically reducing Chinas contact with the rest of the world. They are isolating the country not just physically but also ideologically, and this trend may extend into next year. A big question for 2022 and the following years is whether the Chinese regime will invade Taiwan. But what exactly could a Chinese invasion of Taiwan look like? A recent Reuters investigative report consulted military experts and listed out six potential scenarios. We took a look at each of them. Taiwans Defense Ministry is releasing its latest threat assessment. The report says a full-scale Chinese invasion of Taiwan would be extremely difficult for Beijing to pull off. We look at why thats the case. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more first-hand news from China. For more news and videos, please visit our website and Twitter. Times Square New Year's Eve 2022 in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Times Square New Years Eve 2022: Peoples Opinion on the Virus MANHATTAN, New YorkThe ritual of the world-famous crystal ball drop in Times Square resumed this year after the first cancellation since 1907 of 2020s New Years Eve due to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Attendance was scaled back, and everyone who was older than 5 had to show vaccination proof to be part of the party. Any unvaccinated child younger than 5 years old had to be accompanied by a vaccinated adult, the mayors office stated. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said last week that everyone had to wear a mask as well, but that was not the casemany people, including police, were not wearing masks. Times Square New Years Eve 2022 in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Mayor-elect Eric Adams praised de Blasios decision last week: The Mayor has made the right move to take precautionary measures as we learn to live with COVID and fight the Omicron variantand New Yorkers and visitors alike can now enjoy Times Square and the rest of our city as we ring in 2022. Doug Stuart and his wife from Colorado werent concerned too much with the new variant, Omicron. Were vaccinated, wearing masks, and there is some distancing, he said, laughing a little bit. His wife said that the staff were doing a great job with crowd control, and they would not have come last year because there was a little too much uncertainty, and we didnt have vaccination, she said. I hope that people get vaccinated and wear masks if necessary and do what it takes to get our world back going, she added. Stuart hopes more people are able to come next year. I hope there are more peaceful endeavors throughout our country and negotiation for peace, he added. Gwen Delfosse from France says that for her children, who were present, it was a dream to be in Times Square during New Years Eve. Delfosse was very concerned about the CCP virus, but life is going on, so we have to live and keep going. I hope next year can be much better, because we had catastrophes and it was not so cool. First-time ball drop viewer Victoria Christensen was very excited to be part of the event, and is looking forward to finishing school next year. As for the virus, she was a little bit concerned, but weve been taking the precautions that the CDC recommended, we got the vaccine, were getting the booster, were getting tested, [we] got our masks. Victoria Christensen celebrates New Years Eve 2022 at Times Square in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Morgan Price said, If I could say one thing about going into 2022, is that everybody should be kinder to each other and have kinder hearts. Last year, she thinks we forgot that were all human and that we all have feelings and emotions. Price believes that there were too many problems related to race, climate change, and politics. We should just be kinder to one another! Austin and Christina Tretter were also witnessing the event for the first time. They are health care workers from Minnesota, and their new year wish is for more staff. They said that theyve had staff shortages during the last two years. People are leaving, its crazy. We dont have enough staff, Austin said. Christina believes the reason for people leaving is that they are burnt out. Not necessarily because of COVID, but because hospitals are overwhelmed, she clarified. Times Square New Years Eve 2022 in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Times Square New Year's Eve 2022 in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Times Square New Years Eve 2022: Peoples Opinion on the Virus MANHATTAN, New YorkThe ritual of the world-famous crystal ball drop in Times Square resumed this year after the first cancellation since 1907 of 2020s New Years Eve due to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Attendance was scaled back, and everyone who was older than 5 had to show vaccination proof to be part of the party. Any unvaccinated child younger than 5 years old had to be accompanied by a vaccinated adult, the mayors office stated. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said last week that everyone had to wear a mask as well, but that was not the casemany people, including police, were not wearing masks. Times Square New Years Eve 2022 in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Mayor-elect Eric Adams praised de Blasios decision last week: The Mayor has made the right move to take precautionary measures as we learn to live with COVID and fight the Omicron variantand New Yorkers and visitors alike can now enjoy Times Square and the rest of our city as we ring in 2022. Doug Stuart and his wife from Colorado werent concerned too much with the new variant, Omicron. Were vaccinated, wearing masks, and there is some distancing, he said, laughing a little bit. His wife said that the staff were doing a great job with crowd control, and they would not have come last year because there was a little too much uncertainty, and we didnt have vaccination, she said. I hope that people get vaccinated and wear masks if necessary and do what it takes to get our world back going, she added. Stuart hopes more people are able to come next year. I hope there are more peaceful endeavors throughout our country and negotiation for peace, he added. Gwen Delfosse from France says that for her children, who were present, it was a dream to be in Times Square during New Years Eve. Delfosse was very concerned about the CCP virus, but life is going on, so we have to live and keep going. I hope next year can be much better, because we had catastrophes and it was not so cool. First-time ball drop viewer Victoria Christensen was very excited to be part of the event, and is looking forward to finishing school next year. As for the virus, she was a little bit concerned, but weve been taking the precautions that the CDC recommended, we got the vaccine, were getting the booster, were getting tested, [we] got our masks. Victoria Christensen celebrates New Years Eve 2022 at Times Square in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Morgan Price said, If I could say one thing about going into 2022, is that everybody should be kinder to each other and have kinder hearts. Last year, she thinks we forgot that were all human and that we all have feelings and emotions. Price believes that there were too many problems related to race, climate change, and politics. We should just be kinder to one another! Austin and Christina Tretter were also witnessing the event for the first time. They are health care workers from Minnesota, and their new year wish is for more staff. They said that theyve had staff shortages during the last two years. People are leaving, its crazy. We dont have enough staff, Austin said. Christina believes the reason for people leaving is that they are burnt out. Not necessarily because of COVID, but because hospitals are overwhelmed, she clarified. Times Square New Years Eve 2022 in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Forget Me Not Cafe: time is forgotten but warmth not By:Wu Qiong, Fan Yicheng | From:english.eastday.com | 2021-12-31 17:08 Grandpa Xiaomin, time to serve. Table three, please. At noon, an elderly man, accompanied by a young volunteer, was serving the table at a restaurant on Yongjia Road in a historical downtown district in Shanghai. Resembling Carl Fredricksen in the movie Up, Li Junhu (nicknamed Grandpa Xiaomin) is liked by many people due to his amiable nature and warm smile. I came here the day when the restaurant opened. I cannot remember the date due to my poor memory, said Li, who goes to work in Forget Me Not Cafe regularly. On January 2021, a variety show named Forget Me Not Cafe opened its first brick-and-mortar store in Shanghai. Participants of the show are elderly people with cognitive impairments. Some of them are Shanghai residents and have decided to keep working here as waiters and waitresses. Li is one of them. Grandpa Feng, who used to travel a lot before the epidemic began, also joined them. As he said, he is happy to be here as there are people of similar ages and young volunteers to help them. (Guests in the cafe take a group photo with Li and Feng.) Both cognitive training and mental healing For people with cognitive impairments, there seems to be an eraser in their minds. As time goes by, things will be slowly forgotten. Once an old friend of Li came to the cafe to see him. But it took a long while for Li to recognize the friend. One example of cognitive impairments is Alzheimer's. With the aging problem becoming more prominent, senile diseases are getting more attention from society. That is why the variety show decided to open a store in reality: it wants to help patients regain the confidence to integrate into society by resorting to non-pharmacological interventions, and help them get rid of social withdrawal. (With the help of a volunteer, Feng serves a table at the cafe.) Currently, there are eight elderly waiters and waitresses. Rather than being salaried workers, they are in a charitable program. And rather than inviting more people to experience the work, the founder of the program wants a more fixed list of participants. With a fixed work frequency, the elderly people come to work in the cafe and talk with the guests, which may help them delay their illness, said Yan Jin, a person in charge of the program. Mr Feng comes to the cafe each Friday, and each time he is happy to see the young volunteers, who treat the elderly with patience and friendliness. For Feng and others, such kind of healing to their mental health is more important. Sustainable charity to benefit society The lovable elderly people in the cafe are accompanied by a group of young volunteers. Dong, a medical student from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, is one of the volunteers. Each time, she tells the table number and dish names to the elderly waiters or waitresses, just in case they forget. They have varying degrees of cognitive impairments, but they look the same as normal old people. They just forget things sometimes. I also chat with them. They are very lovely. During the non-business hours, the cafe hosts educational lectures and charity salons on cognitive impairments, to make the charitable program sustainable and keep benefiting society. Will we see more cafes like this across the country? We do hope there can be a Forget Me Not Cafe in each city and that more people will join us, said Yan Jin. But unlike chain stores or franchise stores, that needs coordination with local charitable organizations and communities. So our priority is exploring a proper model of operation, before considering how to replicate it into more cities. (Photos & Video by Fan Yicheng/Eastday.com) Forget Me Not Cafe: time is forgotten but warmth not By:Wu Qiong, Fan Yicheng | From:english.eastday.com | 2021-12-31 17:08 Grandpa Xiaomin, time to serve. Table three, please. At noon, an elderly man, accompanied by a young volunteer, was serving the table at a restaurant on Yongjia Road in a historical downtown district in Shanghai. Resembling Carl Fredricksen in the movie Up, Li Junhu (nicknamed Grandpa Xiaomin) is liked by many people due to his amiable nature and warm smile. I came here the day when the restaurant opened. I cannot remember the date due to my poor memory, said Li, who goes to work in Forget Me Not Cafe regularly. On January 2021, a variety show named Forget Me Not Cafe opened its first brick-and-mortar store in Shanghai. Participants of the show are elderly people with cognitive impairments. Some of them are Shanghai residents and have decided to keep working here as waiters and waitresses. Li is one of them. Grandpa Feng, who used to travel a lot before the epidemic began, also joined them. As he said, he is happy to be here as there are people of similar ages and young volunteers to help them. (Guests in the cafe take a group photo with Li and Feng.) Both cognitive training and mental healing For people with cognitive impairments, there seems to be an eraser in their minds. As time goes by, things will be slowly forgotten. Once an old friend of Li came to the cafe to see him. But it took a long while for Li to recognize the friend. One example of cognitive impairments is Alzheimer's. With the aging problem becoming more prominent, senile diseases are getting more attention from society. That is why the variety show decided to open a store in reality: it wants to help patients regain the confidence to integrate into society by resorting to non-pharmacological interventions, and help them get rid of social withdrawal. (With the help of a volunteer, Feng serves a table at the cafe.) Currently, there are eight elderly waiters and waitresses. Rather than being salaried workers, they are in a charitable program. And rather than inviting more people to experience the work, the founder of the program wants a more fixed list of participants. With a fixed work frequency, the elderly people come to work in the cafe and talk with the guests, which may help them delay their illness, said Yan Jin, a person in charge of the program. Mr Feng comes to the cafe each Friday, and each time he is happy to see the young volunteers, who treat the elderly with patience and friendliness. For Feng and others, such kind of healing to their mental health is more important. Sustainable charity to benefit society The lovable elderly people in the cafe are accompanied by a group of young volunteers. Dong, a medical student from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, is one of the volunteers. Each time, she tells the table number and dish names to the elderly waiters or waitresses, just in case they forget. They have varying degrees of cognitive impairments, but they look the same as normal old people. They just forget things sometimes. I also chat with them. They are very lovely. During the non-business hours, the cafe hosts educational lectures and charity salons on cognitive impairments, to make the charitable program sustainable and keep benefiting society. Will we see more cafes like this across the country? We do hope there can be a Forget Me Not Cafe in each city and that more people will join us, said Yan Jin. But unlike chain stores or franchise stores, that needs coordination with local charitable organizations and communities. So our priority is exploring a proper model of operation, before considering how to replicate it into more cities. (Photos & Video by Fan Yicheng/Eastday.com) The future of energy will be in solar and wind, and if our (any) Government had our interest The future of energy will be in solar and wind, and if our (any) Government had our interest Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Times Square New Year's Eve 2022 in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Times Square New Years Eve 2022: Peoples Opinion on the Virus MANHATTAN, New YorkThe ritual of the world-famous crystal ball drop in Times Square resumed this year after the first cancellation since 1907 of 2020s New Years Eve due to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Attendance was scaled back, and everyone who was older than 5 had to show vaccination proof to be part of the party. Any unvaccinated child younger than 5 years old had to be accompanied by a vaccinated adult, the mayors office stated. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said last week that everyone had to wear a mask as well, but that was not the casemany people, including police, were not wearing masks. Times Square New Years Eve 2022 in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Mayor-elect Eric Adams praised de Blasios decision last week: The Mayor has made the right move to take precautionary measures as we learn to live with COVID and fight the Omicron variantand New Yorkers and visitors alike can now enjoy Times Square and the rest of our city as we ring in 2022. Doug Stuart and his wife from Colorado werent concerned too much with the new variant, Omicron. Were vaccinated, wearing masks, and there is some distancing, he said, laughing a little bit. His wife said that the staff were doing a great job with crowd control, and they would not have come last year because there was a little too much uncertainty, and we didnt have vaccination, she said. I hope that people get vaccinated and wear masks if necessary and do what it takes to get our world back going, she added. Stuart hopes more people are able to come next year. I hope there are more peaceful endeavors throughout our country and negotiation for peace, he added. Gwen Delfosse from France says that for her children, who were present, it was a dream to be in Times Square during New Years Eve. Delfosse was very concerned about the CCP virus, but life is going on, so we have to live and keep going. I hope next year can be much better, because we had catastrophes and it was not so cool. First-time ball drop viewer Victoria Christensen was very excited to be part of the event, and is looking forward to finishing school next year. As for the virus, she was a little bit concerned, but weve been taking the precautions that the CDC recommended, we got the vaccine, were getting the booster, were getting tested, [we] got our masks. Victoria Christensen celebrates New Years Eve 2022 at Times Square in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Morgan Price said, If I could say one thing about going into 2022, is that everybody should be kinder to each other and have kinder hearts. Last year, she thinks we forgot that were all human and that we all have feelings and emotions. Price believes that there were too many problems related to race, climate change, and politics. We should just be kinder to one another! Austin and Christina Tretter were also witnessing the event for the first time. They are health care workers from Minnesota, and their new year wish is for more staff. They said that theyve had staff shortages during the last two years. People are leaving, its crazy. We dont have enough staff, Austin said. Christina believes the reason for people leaving is that they are burnt out. Not necessarily because of COVID, but because hospitals are overwhelmed, she clarified. Times Square New Years Eve 2022 in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Times Square New Year's Eve 2022 in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Times Square New Years Eve 2022: Peoples Opinion on the Virus MANHATTAN, New YorkThe ritual of the world-famous crystal ball drop in Times Square resumed this year after the first cancellation since 1907 of 2020s New Years Eve due to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Attendance was scaled back, and everyone who was older than 5 had to show vaccination proof to be part of the party. Any unvaccinated child younger than 5 years old had to be accompanied by a vaccinated adult, the mayors office stated. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said last week that everyone had to wear a mask as well, but that was not the casemany people, including police, were not wearing masks. Times Square New Years Eve 2022 in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Mayor-elect Eric Adams praised de Blasios decision last week: The Mayor has made the right move to take precautionary measures as we learn to live with COVID and fight the Omicron variantand New Yorkers and visitors alike can now enjoy Times Square and the rest of our city as we ring in 2022. Doug Stuart and his wife from Colorado werent concerned too much with the new variant, Omicron. Were vaccinated, wearing masks, and there is some distancing, he said, laughing a little bit. His wife said that the staff were doing a great job with crowd control, and they would not have come last year because there was a little too much uncertainty, and we didnt have vaccination, she said. I hope that people get vaccinated and wear masks if necessary and do what it takes to get our world back going, she added. Stuart hopes more people are able to come next year. I hope there are more peaceful endeavors throughout our country and negotiation for peace, he added. Gwen Delfosse from France says that for her children, who were present, it was a dream to be in Times Square during New Years Eve. Delfosse was very concerned about the CCP virus, but life is going on, so we have to live and keep going. I hope next year can be much better, because we had catastrophes and it was not so cool. First-time ball drop viewer Victoria Christensen was very excited to be part of the event, and is looking forward to finishing school next year. As for the virus, she was a little bit concerned, but weve been taking the precautions that the CDC recommended, we got the vaccine, were getting the booster, were getting tested, [we] got our masks. Victoria Christensen celebrates New Years Eve 2022 at Times Square in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Morgan Price said, If I could say one thing about going into 2022, is that everybody should be kinder to each other and have kinder hearts. Last year, she thinks we forgot that were all human and that we all have feelings and emotions. Price believes that there were too many problems related to race, climate change, and politics. We should just be kinder to one another! Austin and Christina Tretter were also witnessing the event for the first time. They are health care workers from Minnesota, and their new year wish is for more staff. They said that theyve had staff shortages during the last two years. People are leaving, its crazy. We dont have enough staff, Austin said. Christina believes the reason for people leaving is that they are burnt out. Not necessarily because of COVID, but because hospitals are overwhelmed, she clarified. Times Square New Years Eve 2022 in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Times Square New Year's Eve 2022 in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Times Square New Years Eve 2022: Peoples Opinion on the Virus MANHATTAN, New YorkThe ritual of the world-famous crystal ball drop in Times Square resumed this year after the first cancellation since 1907 of 2020s New Years Eve due to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Attendance was scaled back, and everyone who was older than 5 had to show vaccination proof to be part of the party. Any unvaccinated child younger than 5 years old had to be accompanied by a vaccinated adult, the mayors office stated. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said last week that everyone had to wear a mask as well, but that was not the casemany people, including police, were not wearing masks. Times Square New Years Eve 2022 in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Mayor-elect Eric Adams praised de Blasios decision last week: The Mayor has made the right move to take precautionary measures as we learn to live with COVID and fight the Omicron variantand New Yorkers and visitors alike can now enjoy Times Square and the rest of our city as we ring in 2022. Doug Stuart and his wife from Colorado werent concerned too much with the new variant, Omicron. Were vaccinated, wearing masks, and there is some distancing, he said, laughing a little bit. His wife said that the staff were doing a great job with crowd control, and they would not have come last year because there was a little too much uncertainty, and we didnt have vaccination, she said. I hope that people get vaccinated and wear masks if necessary and do what it takes to get our world back going, she added. Stuart hopes more people are able to come next year. I hope there are more peaceful endeavors throughout our country and negotiation for peace, he added. Gwen Delfosse from France says that for her children, who were present, it was a dream to be in Times Square during New Years Eve. Delfosse was very concerned about the CCP virus, but life is going on, so we have to live and keep going. I hope next year can be much better, because we had catastrophes and it was not so cool. First-time ball drop viewer Victoria Christensen was very excited to be part of the event, and is looking forward to finishing school next year. As for the virus, she was a little bit concerned, but weve been taking the precautions that the CDC recommended, we got the vaccine, were getting the booster, were getting tested, [we] got our masks. Victoria Christensen celebrates New Years Eve 2022 at Times Square in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Morgan Price said, If I could say one thing about going into 2022, is that everybody should be kinder to each other and have kinder hearts. Last year, she thinks we forgot that were all human and that we all have feelings and emotions. Price believes that there were too many problems related to race, climate change, and politics. We should just be kinder to one another! Austin and Christina Tretter were also witnessing the event for the first time. They are health care workers from Minnesota, and their new year wish is for more staff. They said that theyve had staff shortages during the last two years. People are leaving, its crazy. We dont have enough staff, Austin said. Christina believes the reason for people leaving is that they are burnt out. Not necessarily because of COVID, but because hospitals are overwhelmed, she clarified. Times Square New Years Eve 2022 in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Times Square New Year's Eve 2022 in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Times Square New Years Eve 2022: Peoples Opinion on the Virus MANHATTAN, New YorkThe ritual of the world-famous crystal ball drop in Times Square resumed this year after the first cancellation since 1907 of 2020s New Years Eve due to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Attendance was scaled back, and everyone who was older than 5 had to show vaccination proof to be part of the party. Any unvaccinated child younger than 5 years old had to be accompanied by a vaccinated adult, the mayors office stated. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said last week that everyone had to wear a mask as well, but that was not the casemany people, including police, were not wearing masks. Times Square New Years Eve 2022 in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Mayor-elect Eric Adams praised de Blasios decision last week: The Mayor has made the right move to take precautionary measures as we learn to live with COVID and fight the Omicron variantand New Yorkers and visitors alike can now enjoy Times Square and the rest of our city as we ring in 2022. Doug Stuart and his wife from Colorado werent concerned too much with the new variant, Omicron. Were vaccinated, wearing masks, and there is some distancing, he said, laughing a little bit. His wife said that the staff were doing a great job with crowd control, and they would not have come last year because there was a little too much uncertainty, and we didnt have vaccination, she said. I hope that people get vaccinated and wear masks if necessary and do what it takes to get our world back going, she added. Stuart hopes more people are able to come next year. I hope there are more peaceful endeavors throughout our country and negotiation for peace, he added. Gwen Delfosse from France says that for her children, who were present, it was a dream to be in Times Square during New Years Eve. Delfosse was very concerned about the CCP virus, but life is going on, so we have to live and keep going. I hope next year can be much better, because we had catastrophes and it was not so cool. First-time ball drop viewer Victoria Christensen was very excited to be part of the event, and is looking forward to finishing school next year. As for the virus, she was a little bit concerned, but weve been taking the precautions that the CDC recommended, we got the vaccine, were getting the booster, were getting tested, [we] got our masks. Victoria Christensen celebrates New Years Eve 2022 at Times Square in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Morgan Price said, If I could say one thing about going into 2022, is that everybody should be kinder to each other and have kinder hearts. Last year, she thinks we forgot that were all human and that we all have feelings and emotions. Price believes that there were too many problems related to race, climate change, and politics. We should just be kinder to one another! Austin and Christina Tretter were also witnessing the event for the first time. They are health care workers from Minnesota, and their new year wish is for more staff. They said that theyve had staff shortages during the last two years. People are leaving, its crazy. We dont have enough staff, Austin said. Christina believes the reason for people leaving is that they are burnt out. Not necessarily because of COVID, but because hospitals are overwhelmed, she clarified. Times Square New Years Eve 2022 in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Forget Me Not Cafe: time is forgotten but warmth not By:Wu Qiong, Fan Yicheng | From:english.eastday.com | 2021-12-31 17:08 Grandpa Xiaomin, time to serve. Table three, please. At noon, an elderly man, accompanied by a young volunteer, was serving the table at a restaurant on Yongjia Road in a historical downtown district in Shanghai. Resembling Carl Fredricksen in the movie Up, Li Junhu (nicknamed Grandpa Xiaomin) is liked by many people due to his amiable nature and warm smile. I came here the day when the restaurant opened. I cannot remember the date due to my poor memory, said Li, who goes to work in Forget Me Not Cafe regularly. On January 2021, a variety show named Forget Me Not Cafe opened its first brick-and-mortar store in Shanghai. Participants of the show are elderly people with cognitive impairments. Some of them are Shanghai residents and have decided to keep working here as waiters and waitresses. Li is one of them. Grandpa Feng, who used to travel a lot before the epidemic began, also joined them. As he said, he is happy to be here as there are people of similar ages and young volunteers to help them. (Guests in the cafe take a group photo with Li and Feng.) Both cognitive training and mental healing For people with cognitive impairments, there seems to be an eraser in their minds. As time goes by, things will be slowly forgotten. Once an old friend of Li came to the cafe to see him. But it took a long while for Li to recognize the friend. One example of cognitive impairments is Alzheimer's. With the aging problem becoming more prominent, senile diseases are getting more attention from society. That is why the variety show decided to open a store in reality: it wants to help patients regain the confidence to integrate into society by resorting to non-pharmacological interventions, and help them get rid of social withdrawal. (With the help of a volunteer, Feng serves a table at the cafe.) Currently, there are eight elderly waiters and waitresses. Rather than being salaried workers, they are in a charitable program. And rather than inviting more people to experience the work, the founder of the program wants a more fixed list of participants. With a fixed work frequency, the elderly people come to work in the cafe and talk with the guests, which may help them delay their illness, said Yan Jin, a person in charge of the program. Mr Feng comes to the cafe each Friday, and each time he is happy to see the young volunteers, who treat the elderly with patience and friendliness. For Feng and others, such kind of healing to their mental health is more important. Sustainable charity to benefit society The lovable elderly people in the cafe are accompanied by a group of young volunteers. Dong, a medical student from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, is one of the volunteers. Each time, she tells the table number and dish names to the elderly waiters or waitresses, just in case they forget. They have varying degrees of cognitive impairments, but they look the same as normal old people. They just forget things sometimes. I also chat with them. They are very lovely. During the non-business hours, the cafe hosts educational lectures and charity salons on cognitive impairments, to make the charitable program sustainable and keep benefiting society. Will we see more cafes like this across the country? We do hope there can be a Forget Me Not Cafe in each city and that more people will join us, said Yan Jin. But unlike chain stores or franchise stores, that needs coordination with local charitable organizations and communities. So our priority is exploring a proper model of operation, before considering how to replicate it into more cities. (Photos & Video by Fan Yicheng/Eastday.com) Beijing, Jan 1 : Chinese electronic components producer BOE has started mass production of the 6th generation AMOLED (flexible) display. BOE spent 46.5 billion yuan ($7.3 billion) to build this production line. At present, BOE has deployed 6 key projects in Chongqing, including the 6th generation AMOLED (flexible) production line, reports GizChina. "In the current information and digital age, new application markets such as smart mobile terminals, smart wearable devices, and smart connected cars are showing explosive growth trends. This is increasing the demand for high end display technologies such as flexible displays," BOE President Liu Xiaodong noted. It also has the 8.5th generation TFT-LCD production line, and the BOE Chongqing Smart System Innovation Center. These production lines have a cumulative investment of over 86 billion yuan ($13.5 billion). BOE is doubling down on new-generation display technologies. BOE will continue its investment in research and development of high-end liquid crystal displays, flexible organic light-emitting diodes and mini light-emitting diodes, Xiaodong said recently. BOE's R&D expenditure was nearly 10 billion yuan ($1.6 billion) in 2020, or about 7 per cent of the company's total revenue, he said. BOE's revenue in the first nine months of this year exceeded 163 billion yuan, up 72 per cent year-on-year, generating a net profit of 20 billion yuan, up a staggering 708 per cent year-on-year. FRANKFURT, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The euro, a currency shared by 19 European countries, has won overwhelming support among the 340 million Europeans since it went into circulation 20 years ago. The idea of a single currency for Europe, which originated in 1970 when policy makers in Europe hoped to achieve an economic equilibrium in the region, was still questioned in 2012 when Europe was caught in a debt crisis. There is hardly any doubt about the euro, which has emerged as a mainstay at a time when the European Central Bank (ECB) is striving for economic recovery in the euro area plagued by the pandemic. While the euro enjoys greater appeal as a single currency within the block, it has yet to tap its full potential as an international currency. SYMBOL OF UNITY The plan to develop a single currency for Europe dated back to 1989 in a European Communities report. The roadmap for a single currency was laid out in the Maastricht Treaty in 1992. After 10 years of preparation, the first euro banknotes and coins went into circulation in January 2002. The euro as a currency has brought home people's desire for cohesion in a region that has witnessed a long history of conflicts. A total of 11 countries decided to replace their official currencies with the euro in 1999 and later the number has increased to 19. The adoption of the euro has enabled euro area countries to stabilize prices, lower transaction costs and facilitate cross-border businesses and travel. The euro has been met with overwhelming enthusiasm. Around 80 percent of citizens regard the euro as good for the European Union (EU), the European Council said in a press release on Friday. "On a deeper level, the euro is reflective of a common European identity, symbolic of integration as a guarantor for stability and prosperity in Europe," it said. The euro has proved to be an important tool in propping up the economies in the euro area amid raging COVID-19 pandemic. Among other measures, the ECB rolled out in March 2020 a program called Pandemic Emergency Purchase Program, easing the monetary policy stance and stabilizing financial markets. "For almost 20 years now, euro banknotes have been a tangible symbol of European integration and unity, particularly in times of crisis," ECB President Christine Lagarde said in December. After a pandemic-induced recession in 2020, the euro area economy rebounded in 2021, with an increase of 14.4 percent in the second quarter and 3.9 percent in the third quarter. INT'L POTENTIAL As a young currency, the euro has grown into an important currency in global trade and financial system. The euro became the second most important currency in the world as soon as it was launched. The EU has been trying to promote the international appeal of the euro, yet the currency has yet become a dominant currency. An ECB study released in June found that the global appeal of the euro remained stable at a low level. According to the report, the euro remained the second most important currency in the international monetary system. Nonetheless, the share of the euro across various indicators of international currency use was close to historical lows, averaging around 19 percent. The share of the euro in global official holdings of foreign exchange reserves shrank to 21.2 percent in 2020 when measured at constant exchange rates, trailing the U.S. dollar which had a share of around 59 percent. The share of the euro in the stock of international debt securities remained stable in 2020 at around 23 percent, far below that of the U.S. dollar which stood at 67 percent. The Brussels-based think tank Bruegel noted in a report released in October 2020 that there is no shortcut for the euro to become a dominant currency. The euro area does not meet the criteria for a dominant currency. A sticking point is the stability, which means the durability of the single currency and economic and monetary union in the euro area. The EU should prioritize two issues, namely to boost economic growth and increase the supply of safe assets, if it aims to strengthen the euro's international status, the report said. Enditem Beloved Emmy-winning actress and animal advocate Betty White turned 95 on Tuesday. To mark the occasion, the living legend sat down with Yahoos Katie Couric to share some of her secrets to living a long and fruitful life. I am the luckiest old broad on two feet, she acknowledged. See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Advertisement Snuggle often As a birthday gift, Couric brought White a stuffed sloth, which led to the revelation that the birthday girl has an entire room in her home dedicated to stuffed animals. Im a little strange for stuffed animals, said White. Im a little strange for any kind of animals. Except possibly the two-legged kind, joked White. Invest in a quality alarm clock When asked about a typical day in her life, White said she always gets up early, though in her case, she has a little help via a quick puppy kiss. [My dog] comes over and he lets me know when its 6:30, said White. Keep looking ahead Though married twice before, White got married for the last time in 1963 to television host Allen Ludden. The pair were happily wed until Luddens death from stomach cancer in 1981. Also a widow, having lost her first husband to colon cancer in 1998, Couric asked White if she had advice for women who found themselves in their position. One day at a time, White said, shaking her head. You dont look ahead. And you try not to look back. Of course, she smiled, you cant help that. And did she ever want to get married again? Remarry, no, she said. Fool around, sure! Keep busy White, who still has an active career in Hollywood she even hosted Saturday Night Live in 2010 stressed to Couric the importance of filling your time. Dont focus everything on you, advised White. That wears out pretty fast. Its not hard to find things youre interested in. Enjoy them. Indulge them. Beyond her professional work, White has spent her life committed to being an advocate for animal health and is known for her close relationship with the Los Angeles Zoo. libby.hill@latimes.com @midwestspitfire ALSO In honor of her 95th birthday, watch 10 of Betty Whites golden TV moments GoFundMe campaign warns 2016 to stay away from Betty White Sharing biblical stories and 100 years of life lessons with Kirk Douglas Heres what happens when Jerry Lewis isnt so hostile in an interview Old Hollywoods Lew Ayres served his country as a conscientious objector Times Square New Year's Eve 2022 in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Times Square New Years Eve 2022: Peoples Opinion on the Virus MANHATTAN, New YorkThe ritual of the world-famous crystal ball drop in Times Square resumed this year after the first cancellation since 1907 of 2020s New Years Eve due to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Attendance was scaled back, and everyone who was older than 5 had to show vaccination proof to be part of the party. Any unvaccinated child younger than 5 years old had to be accompanied by a vaccinated adult, the mayors office stated. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said last week that everyone had to wear a mask as well, but that was not the casemany people, including police, were not wearing masks. Times Square New Years Eve 2022 in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Mayor-elect Eric Adams praised de Blasios decision last week: The Mayor has made the right move to take precautionary measures as we learn to live with COVID and fight the Omicron variantand New Yorkers and visitors alike can now enjoy Times Square and the rest of our city as we ring in 2022. Doug Stuart and his wife from Colorado werent concerned too much with the new variant, Omicron. Were vaccinated, wearing masks, and there is some distancing, he said, laughing a little bit. His wife said that the staff were doing a great job with crowd control, and they would not have come last year because there was a little too much uncertainty, and we didnt have vaccination, she said. I hope that people get vaccinated and wear masks if necessary and do what it takes to get our world back going, she added. Stuart hopes more people are able to come next year. I hope there are more peaceful endeavors throughout our country and negotiation for peace, he added. Gwen Delfosse from France says that for her children, who were present, it was a dream to be in Times Square during New Years Eve. Delfosse was very concerned about the CCP virus, but life is going on, so we have to live and keep going. I hope next year can be much better, because we had catastrophes and it was not so cool. First-time ball drop viewer Victoria Christensen was very excited to be part of the event, and is looking forward to finishing school next year. As for the virus, she was a little bit concerned, but weve been taking the precautions that the CDC recommended, we got the vaccine, were getting the booster, were getting tested, [we] got our masks. Victoria Christensen celebrates New Years Eve 2022 at Times Square in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Morgan Price said, If I could say one thing about going into 2022, is that everybody should be kinder to each other and have kinder hearts. Last year, she thinks we forgot that were all human and that we all have feelings and emotions. Price believes that there were too many problems related to race, climate change, and politics. We should just be kinder to one another! Austin and Christina Tretter were also witnessing the event for the first time. They are health care workers from Minnesota, and their new year wish is for more staff. They said that theyve had staff shortages during the last two years. People are leaving, its crazy. We dont have enough staff, Austin said. Christina believes the reason for people leaving is that they are burnt out. Not necessarily because of COVID, but because hospitals are overwhelmed, she clarified. Times Square New Years Eve 2022 in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Lucknow, Jan 1 : No one knows the exact truth but the confusion over letter 'P' has led to a fresh slinging match between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) in Uttar Pradesh which is gearing up for the upcoming Assembly elections. According to top sources, the two Jains - Piyush and Pushpraj - who have been at the centre of the political storm, share the same surname, profession and even the locality where they live in Kannauj. It was this that apparently led to confusion and diverted tax officials to Piyush Jain's house last week and this 'mistake' led to one of the biggest seizures in the history of the country with sacks full of cash, gold, silver and sandalwood. The BJP jumped the gun and announced that Piyush Jain was the same perfumer who had launched the 'Samajwadi Itr' in November and insisted on his links with the SP. As cash tumbled out of walls in Piyush Jain's house, the BJP gleefully questioned SP's role and share in the stashed treasures. Akhilesh waited for two days and after photographs of stacks of recovered currency went viral, he clarified that this 'P Jain' was not the one who belonged to his party. This was Piyush and his was Pushpraj, also known as Pampi. By then even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had linked the 'bad smell of itr' to Piyush Jain's black money while Akhilesh linked it to the failure of demonetisation and claimed that Piyush Jain actually was a BJP supporter. The tax agencies, apparently on the path of course correction, then raided the houses and offices of Pushpraj Jain on Friday. Akhilesh said the BJP wanted to target and ended up raiding the houses and offices of its own supporter. When Pushpraj Jain was raided on Friday, the SP President said that this was an 'election duty' by central agencies. The raids were carried out on locations in Mumbai, Delhi and Gujarat. The IT department has not yet shared any further details but people familiar with developments said the raids were launched after investigators obtained details from the Goods and Services Tax department about possible income tax evasion by perfume business entities and others by allegedly claiming bogus input tax credit. Akhilesh alleged, "Ever since the BJP feared defeat, leaders started coming from Delhi and their allies -- Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Income Tax (IT) started coming. We tied up with small parties and they (BJP) tied up with investigating agencies like CBI, ED and IT." Incidentally Pampi Jain was raided on Friday when Akhilesh was in Kannauj to address a press conference. Meanwhile, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman rejected his allegations. "The person caught red-handed must be his partner or friend that's why the former Chief Minister is shaken," she said. Sitharaman countered the SP Chief, saying the cash recovered from Piyush Jain's house was not "BJP money", and that the raid was at the correct address and not the outcome of mistaken identity. She added that the raids, which were based on actionable intelligence and the recovery, vindicated the action. The future of energy will be in solar and wind, and if our (any) Government had our interest The future of energy will be in solar and wind, and if our (any) Government had our interest The future of energy will be in solar and wind, and if our (any) Government had our interest Though the pandemic is not over, there will be no more weekly news conferences by the Minist Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of lives in a stampede that took place early this morning, resulting in the death of at least 12 persons and injuring 13 others. Shah tweeted in Hindi, "Deeply pained by the tragic accident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple. I have spoken to Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. The administration is working continuously to provide treatment to the injured people. I express my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this accident." Singh tweeted, "The tragedy due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Bhawan is heart-wrenching. Anguished by the loss of lives due to it. My condolences to the bereaved families in this sad hour. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured." The Prime Minister also condoled the deaths in the stampede and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of those who lost their lives. The injured will be given Rs 50,000. As many as 12 people were killed and 13 others injured after a stampede occurred at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine on Saturday morning, Jammu and Kashmir's Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh said. "12 dead, 13 injured in the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Katra. The incident occurred around 2:45 am, and as per initial reports, an argument broke out which resulted in people pushing each other, followed by the stampede," Singh said to ANI. The injured have been taken to Naraina Hospital after the rescue. (ANI) Bradey Police Lt. Philip Trudeau (L) comforts Bourbonnais Police officer Andy Cox following a ceremonial procession for fallen Bradley Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, in Bourbonnais, Ill., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Tiffany Blanchette/The Daily Journal via AP) Suspect in Shooting of Illinois Officers Arrested in Indiana CHICAGOA man suspected in the shooting of one police officer and wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel has been taken into custody, authorities said Friday. Darius Sullivan, one of two people suspected in the shooting of the two Bradley police officers, was arrested Friday morning at a home in North Manchester, Indiana, Sgt. Glen Fifield of the Indiana State Police said at a news conference. Sullivan, 25, surrendered to a SWAT team that was assisting the U.S. Marshals with a search warrant for the property about 110 miles east of Bradley. Sullivans arrest came a day after Illinois authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The Illinois State Police did not release any updates on the investigation Friday other than a written statement confirming that Sullivan had been arrested and would be taken back to Kankakee County, where the shooting occurred late Wednesday. Fifield said he didnt have any details on the investigation into the shooting. He did name three other men but wouldnt discuss whether their arrests were connected to the officers shootings. Two of the men were arrested after police said they ran from their car during a traffic stop in Fulton County, Indiana. The third was arrested at the home where Sullivan was taken into custody. Fifield said police found weapons and drugs in the car that the two men fled from and at the North Manchester home. Authorities are still searching for 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, of Bradley, who investigators believe was at the hotel when the shootings happened, the Illinois State Police said. The two officers were speaking to people in a room at a Comfort Inn along a highway in Kankakee County when they were shot, according to the county sheriffs office. They were taken to nearby hospitals, where 49-year-old Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic died. The other officeridentified by the Illinois State Police as 27-year-old Tyler J. Baileyunderwent surgery and was listed in critical condition on Thursday, according to the Bradley Police Department. Messages left with the department and Illinois State Police on Friday to update Baileys condition were not immediately returned. The officers were at the hotel to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, the sheriffs office said. They found the room where the vehicles possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, it said. Authorities arrested two other people Thursday on charges alleging they impeded the search for Sullivan and a woman also suspected in the shootings. Nichele Newton-Carroll, 42, and Jelman Sullivan, 21, face charges of obstructing justice/leaving the state, the (Kankakee) Daily Journal reported. Neither had an attorney listed Friday in court or jail records. Kankakee County States Attorney Jim Rowe identified Newton-Carroll as Sullivans mother. Rowe said he is not sure of the connection between Jelman Sullivan and Darius Sullivan. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriffs deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriffs Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputys squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. The future of energy will be in solar and wind, and if our (any) Government had our interest The future of energy will be in solar and wind, and if our (any) Government had our interest Jaipur, Jan 1 : The year 2021 was full of challenges for former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje who wasted no time to turn them into opportunities and started her religious yatras to different temples in the state. Raje's posters were removed from the BJP office in the state capital. She also remained absent from campaigning during bypolls held in three places, namely Vallabhnagar, Dhariyawad and Rajsamand. Her absence and staying away from party happenings became the burning topic in the state politics. She neither showed up during campaigning nor marked her presence in significant party meetings. In fact, a parallel team was being run under 'Team Vasundhara Raje 2023'. It released a list of its own district presidents in the state. Further, during the second wave of Covid, while the BJP ran 'Seva hi Sangathan' campaign, the Raje team ran 'Vasundhara Jan Rasoi' where food was served to the needy. When her daughter-in-law was unwell and admitted to a renowned hospital in Gurugram, Raje and her followers were seen conducting special prayers. She continued her religious yatras in different parts of the state (often referred to as political yatras) which undoubtedly attracted a good crowd. She started her visits in the state to sacred places and paid homage to party workers and their relatives who passed away, attracting good gatherings. Her loyalists made all efforts to make these visits successful to give the message to the party that she is still there in the hearts of the people of the state. Meanwhile, by the end of the year, Raje followers were left shocked to see their favourite leader missing from the dias of a mammoth Rajput rally organised in Jaipur in which all Rajput stalwarts were seen, including Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Jaipur princess Diya Kumari but not her. While a few leaders confirmed to IANS that Raje was not invited to the rally, others said that she did not come despite being invited. A few leaders confirmed that a strong message was given to the party via the rally that Raje should not be the CM face, while others remained mum when being asked about the same. Meanwhile, the BJP office-bearers confirmed that it was for the first time that Vasundhara Raje was not on the stage of this Kshatriya rally, which was attended by around 4-5 lakh Rajputs. What went wrong in all these years as Raje, who was involved in rallies and programmes of the Kshatriya Yuva Sangh in the past and had participated in rallies of Kshatriya Yuvak Sangh in Jaipur in 2008 and in Jodhpur in 2017, was missing in this rally remains an unanswered question. Has the queen, who once referred to herself as the daughter of Rajput, lost her charm among the warrior lobby or is she still ruling their hearts? Let's wait for the coming year, says a BJP worker. Srinagar, Jan 1 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi is monitoring the situation following a stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi in Katra, Jammu, and has conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved families, tweeted Jitendra Singh, Minister of State, Prime Minister's Office. "Prime Minister @narendramodi is personally monitoring and keeping track of the tragic situation arising out of stampede at Mata #VaishnoDevi shrine. Prime Minister has conveyed his sympathies to bereaved families and issued instructions to provide all possible medical aid and assistance to the injured," Jitendra Singh tweeted. Top officials have confirmed that 12 pilgrims have died and 14 others were injured during a stampede at Katra in Jammu. The incident took place at the Bhavan where there was a massive rush of pilgrims on the occasion of New year. The yatra has been stopped for now. The injured have been moved to the hospital. Vaishno Devi yatra draws thousands of pilgrims daily to Katra. The rush of pilgrims is particularly high during the Navratras. Jaipur, Jan 1 : The year 2021 was full of challenges for former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje who wasted no time to turn them into opportunities and started her religious yatras to different temples in the state. Raje's posters were removed from the BJP office in the state capital. She also remained absent from campaigning during bypolls held in three places, namely Vallabhnagar, Dhariyawad and Rajsamand. Her absence and staying away from party happenings became the burning topic in the state politics. She neither showed up during campaigning nor marked her presence in significant party meetings. In fact, a parallel team was being run under 'Team Vasundhara Raje 2023'. It released a list of its own district presidents in the state. Further, during the second wave of Covid, while the BJP ran 'Seva hi Sangathan' campaign, the Raje team ran 'Vasundhara Jan Rasoi' where food was served to the needy. When her daughter-in-law was unwell and admitted to a renowned hospital in Gurugram, Raje and her followers were seen conducting special prayers. She continued her religious yatras in different parts of the state (often referred to as political yatras) which undoubtedly attracted a good crowd. She started her visits in the state to sacred places and paid homage to party workers and their relatives who passed away, attracting good gatherings. Her loyalists made all efforts to make these visits successful to give the message to the party that she is still there in the hearts of the people of the state. Meanwhile, by the end of the year, Raje followers were left shocked to see their favourite leader missing from the dias of a mammoth Rajput rally organised in Jaipur in which all Rajput stalwarts were seen, including Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Jaipur princess Diya Kumari but not her. While a few leaders confirmed to IANS that Raje was not invited to the rally, others said that she did not come despite being invited. A few leaders confirmed that a strong message was given to the party via the rally that Raje should not be the CM face, while others remained mum when being asked about the same. Meanwhile, the BJP office-bearers confirmed that it was for the first time that Vasundhara Raje was not on the stage of this Kshatriya rally, which was attended by around 4-5 lakh Rajputs. What went wrong in all these years as Raje, who was involved in rallies and programmes of the Kshatriya Yuva Sangh in the past and had participated in rallies of Kshatriya Yuvak Sangh in Jaipur in 2008 and in Jodhpur in 2017, was missing in this rally remains an unanswered question. Has the queen, who once referred to herself as the daughter of Rajput, lost her charm among the warrior lobby or is she still ruling their hearts? Let's wait for the coming year, says a BJP worker. Jaipur, Jan 1 : The year 2021 was full of challenges for former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje who wasted no time to turn them into opportunities and started her religious yatras to different temples in the state. Raje's posters were removed from the BJP office in the state capital. She also remained absent from campaigning during bypolls held in three places, namely Vallabhnagar, Dhariyawad and Rajsamand. Her absence and staying away from party happenings became the burning topic in the state politics. She neither showed up during campaigning nor marked her presence in significant party meetings. In fact, a parallel team was being run under 'Team Vasundhara Raje 2023'. It released a list of its own district presidents in the state. Further, during the second wave of Covid, while the BJP ran 'Seva hi Sangathan' campaign, the Raje team ran 'Vasundhara Jan Rasoi' where food was served to the needy. When her daughter-in-law was unwell and admitted to a renowned hospital in Gurugram, Raje and her followers were seen conducting special prayers. She continued her religious yatras in different parts of the state (often referred to as political yatras) which undoubtedly attracted a good crowd. She started her visits in the state to sacred places and paid homage to party workers and their relatives who passed away, attracting good gatherings. Her loyalists made all efforts to make these visits successful to give the message to the party that she is still there in the hearts of the people of the state. Meanwhile, by the end of the year, Raje followers were left shocked to see their favourite leader missing from the dias of a mammoth Rajput rally organised in Jaipur in which all Rajput stalwarts were seen, including Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Jaipur princess Diya Kumari but not her. While a few leaders confirmed to IANS that Raje was not invited to the rally, others said that she did not come despite being invited. A few leaders confirmed that a strong message was given to the party via the rally that Raje should not be the CM face, while others remained mum when being asked about the same. Meanwhile, the BJP office-bearers confirmed that it was for the first time that Vasundhara Raje was not on the stage of this Kshatriya rally, which was attended by around 4-5 lakh Rajputs. What went wrong in all these years as Raje, who was involved in rallies and programmes of the Kshatriya Yuva Sangh in the past and had participated in rallies of Kshatriya Yuvak Sangh in Jaipur in 2008 and in Jodhpur in 2017, was missing in this rally remains an unanswered question. Has the queen, who once referred to herself as the daughter of Rajput, lost her charm among the warrior lobby or is she still ruling their hearts? Let's wait for the coming year, says a BJP worker. Offering condolences to those who lost their lives in the Saturday morning stampede incident at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra in which at least 12 people were killed, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he had spoken to Jammu and Kashmir L-G Manoj Sinha on providing treatment to the injured. In a telephonic conversation with Sinha, the Union Home Minister took stock of the situation. "Heart is deeply pained by the tragic accident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple. In this regard, I have spoken to the Lieutenant Governor of J&K Manoj Sinha ji. The administration is working continuously to provide treatment to the injured. I express my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this accident," Amit Shah tweeted. Jammu and Kashmir Police chief Dilbagh Singh told ANI that a total of 12 people were killed and 13 others injured in a stampede at the shrine atop Trikuta hills early this morning. The stampede was triggered by a heavy rush of devotees on New Year's Day. The yatra (pilgrimage) to the holy shrine has been suspended after the incident. The injured have been admitted to various hospitals, including Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, and the condition of many of the injured was stated to be "serious". The cave shrine is situated at an altitude of 5,200 feet in the Reasi district and generally attracts close to a million devotees every year. The operations of the pilgrimage site are managed by the Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, which provides battery car and ropeway services to the pilgrims to reach the top of Trikuta hills for darshan. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir LG announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh for the next of kin of those who died and Rs 2 lakh for the injured. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief at the incident and announced an ex-gratia for the families of those killed. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from Prime Minister National Relief Fund would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Katra, Jammu and Kashmir. The injured would be given Rs 50,000. (ANI) Courtesy Kocomo Casa Sol Penthouse, Tulum, Mexico (Airbnb): Before the Era of Covid began, Tulum was a former hidden gem that was becoming more than a little exposed. Everyone who was anyone was dashing off to the Riviera Maya for some much needed rest and relaxation (capped off by a heavy dose of tequila, we can only assume). But just because Tulum has now firmly taken its place as a hotspot doesnt mean you should skip it, even if you are trying to find somewhere off the beaten path to take a little holiday jaunt amid the never-ending pandemic. Rather than staying at one of the popular hotels on the water, opt for a luxury penthouse like Casa Sol which offers all the sand and sun that Tulum is known for, but with a heavy dose of privacy and comfort. Courtesy Kocomo To quote The Chicks, she needs wide open spaces, which is exactly what this living area offers. The open plan architecture is doubly breezy thanks to sliding glass doors, which extend the living area into the great outdoors of the patio. Courtesy Kocomo The beauty of renting a holiday pad is that you have all the comforts of a home kitchen in which you can whip up your familys meals. But the beauty of renting a luxury holiday house is that you also have the option of asking your host to help you schedule a private Mexican chef to come and cook for your whole crew. May we suggest you opt for the latter option as often as possible. Courtesy Kocomo Everyone who visits the Riviera Maya boasts of ocean views, but only Casa Sol residents (well, okay, not only) look out their window into the treetops of the verdant Mayan jungle. This home is only 10 minutes from the busy beaches of Tulum and only five minutes from the cenotes, or natural swimming caves, that the region is known for. But its all about jungle living after a day splashing around in the water. Courtesy Kocomo The best thing about traveling is embracing everything about the local cultureand here you can do it in style. The space was designed by a leading Mexican architect and was furnished and decorated with only the finest goods created by local craftsmen. We know you might be tempted to pocket a gorgeous giant wall hanging or an expertly crafted rattan chair, but may we implore you to resist the temptation. Story continues Courtesy Kocomo This holiday penthouse is also very on-trend. The only thing more prolific than the COVID babies (according to our entirely unscientific personal observation) are the COVID houses. This one joins the group of brand spankin new structures built in 2021, which means you will be among the first groups to stay in the space. Courtesy Kocomo The Casa Sol penthouse has three cozy bedrooms, but if you want to add a couple extras to your party, you can squeeze two additional guests into the living quarters to sleep a total of 10, otherwise known as a perfectly sized pod. Courtesy Kocomo Four bathrooms also means everyone can get their evening glam on. You may not be hitting the clubs these days, but since weve convinced you that a private chef is a need, not a want, it might be time to dust off your very bored party clothes. Courtesy Kocomo Mexican minimalism is all about adobe-colored walls that let the natural light and natural views spice up the place. Me encanta. Courtesy Kocomo You may think that your penthouse quarters are the tallest thing in the building, but you would be wrong. That honor goes to your own private pool, which is on the roof of the penthouse. Fancy a little sky-high swim? Courtesy Kocomo A hammock is obligatory on any Caribbean vacation, so you wont be surprised to find this swinging beauty here. But Casa Sol gets extra points for putting our favorite napping chair in such a dreamy location. Courtesy Kocomo If you get a little bored of living the life of luxury in your private quarterseat, swim, nap, repeatthere is another nearby option for you to get the full Tulum experience (think massages and yoga) without braving the trendy public beaches. This property is across the street from Holistika Tulum, a wellness hotel that welcomes all Casa Sol guests. Courtesy Kocomo Now is the perfect time for us to remind you of the next line of The Chicks Wide Open Spaces chorusour protagonist needs those breezy expanses so she has room to make her big mistakes. And as everyone knows, most big mistakes start right here, at the (in-home) bar with a bottle of mezcal. Courtesy Kocomo If the past two years have you craving a little more permanence in a chaotic life, then maybe a week-long stay at Casa Sol wont cut it. No worriestheres another option for you. Thanks to the company, Kocomo, this space is also open to new co-owners-cum-investors (think a timeshare) for the paltry sum of a little over $100k. Thats just a dip in the Santa money bucket, right? (We wish!) Courtesy Kocomo With this view, we assume that even the birds will be jealous of your vacation, though maybe not as jealous as all the rest of your friends and family who have been stuck in place for the past two years. You might want to extend that vacay another couple days to make sure you have time to firmly secure your shield against stink eyes before your return. Book Your Stay: Casa Sol, Tulum, Mexico: $1,200/night via Airbnb Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Courtesy Kocomo Casa Sol Penthouse, Tulum, Mexico (Airbnb): Before the Era of Covid began, Tulum was a former hidden gem that was becoming more than a little exposed. Everyone who was anyone was dashing off to the Riviera Maya for some much needed rest and relaxation (capped off by a heavy dose of tequila, we can only assume). But just because Tulum has now firmly taken its place as a hotspot doesnt mean you should skip it, even if you are trying to find somewhere off the beaten path to take a little holiday jaunt amid the never-ending pandemic. Rather than staying at one of the popular hotels on the water, opt for a luxury penthouse like Casa Sol which offers all the sand and sun that Tulum is known for, but with a heavy dose of privacy and comfort. Courtesy Kocomo To quote The Chicks, she needs wide open spaces, which is exactly what this living area offers. The open plan architecture is doubly breezy thanks to sliding glass doors, which extend the living area into the great outdoors of the patio. Courtesy Kocomo The beauty of renting a holiday pad is that you have all the comforts of a home kitchen in which you can whip up your familys meals. But the beauty of renting a luxury holiday house is that you also have the option of asking your host to help you schedule a private Mexican chef to come and cook for your whole crew. May we suggest you opt for the latter option as often as possible. Courtesy Kocomo Everyone who visits the Riviera Maya boasts of ocean views, but only Casa Sol residents (well, okay, not only) look out their window into the treetops of the verdant Mayan jungle. This home is only 10 minutes from the busy beaches of Tulum and only five minutes from the cenotes, or natural swimming caves, that the region is known for. But its all about jungle living after a day splashing around in the water. Courtesy Kocomo The best thing about traveling is embracing everything about the local cultureand here you can do it in style. The space was designed by a leading Mexican architect and was furnished and decorated with only the finest goods created by local craftsmen. We know you might be tempted to pocket a gorgeous giant wall hanging or an expertly crafted rattan chair, but may we implore you to resist the temptation. Story continues Courtesy Kocomo This holiday penthouse is also very on-trend. The only thing more prolific than the COVID babies (according to our entirely unscientific personal observation) are the COVID houses. This one joins the group of brand spankin new structures built in 2021, which means you will be among the first groups to stay in the space. Courtesy Kocomo The Casa Sol penthouse has three cozy bedrooms, but if you want to add a couple extras to your party, you can squeeze two additional guests into the living quarters to sleep a total of 10, otherwise known as a perfectly sized pod. Courtesy Kocomo Four bathrooms also means everyone can get their evening glam on. You may not be hitting the clubs these days, but since weve convinced you that a private chef is a need, not a want, it might be time to dust off your very bored party clothes. Courtesy Kocomo Mexican minimalism is all about adobe-colored walls that let the natural light and natural views spice up the place. Me encanta. Courtesy Kocomo You may think that your penthouse quarters are the tallest thing in the building, but you would be wrong. That honor goes to your own private pool, which is on the roof of the penthouse. Fancy a little sky-high swim? Courtesy Kocomo A hammock is obligatory on any Caribbean vacation, so you wont be surprised to find this swinging beauty here. But Casa Sol gets extra points for putting our favorite napping chair in such a dreamy location. Courtesy Kocomo If you get a little bored of living the life of luxury in your private quarterseat, swim, nap, repeatthere is another nearby option for you to get the full Tulum experience (think massages and yoga) without braving the trendy public beaches. This property is across the street from Holistika Tulum, a wellness hotel that welcomes all Casa Sol guests. Courtesy Kocomo Now is the perfect time for us to remind you of the next line of The Chicks Wide Open Spaces chorusour protagonist needs those breezy expanses so she has room to make her big mistakes. And as everyone knows, most big mistakes start right here, at the (in-home) bar with a bottle of mezcal. Courtesy Kocomo If the past two years have you craving a little more permanence in a chaotic life, then maybe a week-long stay at Casa Sol wont cut it. No worriestheres another option for you. Thanks to the company, Kocomo, this space is also open to new co-owners-cum-investors (think a timeshare) for the paltry sum of a little over $100k. Thats just a dip in the Santa money bucket, right? (We wish!) Courtesy Kocomo With this view, we assume that even the birds will be jealous of your vacation, though maybe not as jealous as all the rest of your friends and family who have been stuck in place for the past two years. You might want to extend that vacay another couple days to make sure you have time to firmly secure your shield against stink eyes before your return. Book Your Stay: Casa Sol, Tulum, Mexico: $1,200/night via Airbnb Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Bradey Police Lt. Philip Trudeau (L) comforts Bourbonnais Police officer Andy Cox following a ceremonial procession for fallen Bradley Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, in Bourbonnais, Ill., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Tiffany Blanchette/The Daily Journal via AP) Suspect in Shooting of Illinois Officers Arrested in Indiana CHICAGOA man suspected in the shooting of one police officer and wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel has been taken into custody, authorities said Friday. Darius Sullivan, one of two people suspected in the shooting of the two Bradley police officers, was arrested Friday morning at a home in North Manchester, Indiana, Sgt. Glen Fifield of the Indiana State Police said at a news conference. Sullivan, 25, surrendered to a SWAT team that was assisting the U.S. Marshals with a search warrant for the property about 110 miles east of Bradley. Sullivans arrest came a day after Illinois authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The Illinois State Police did not release any updates on the investigation Friday other than a written statement confirming that Sullivan had been arrested and would be taken back to Kankakee County, where the shooting occurred late Wednesday. Fifield said he didnt have any details on the investigation into the shooting. He did name three other men but wouldnt discuss whether their arrests were connected to the officers shootings. Two of the men were arrested after police said they ran from their car during a traffic stop in Fulton County, Indiana. The third was arrested at the home where Sullivan was taken into custody. Fifield said police found weapons and drugs in the car that the two men fled from and at the North Manchester home. Authorities are still searching for 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, of Bradley, who investigators believe was at the hotel when the shootings happened, the Illinois State Police said. The two officers were speaking to people in a room at a Comfort Inn along a highway in Kankakee County when they were shot, according to the county sheriffs office. They were taken to nearby hospitals, where 49-year-old Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic died. The other officeridentified by the Illinois State Police as 27-year-old Tyler J. Baileyunderwent surgery and was listed in critical condition on Thursday, according to the Bradley Police Department. Messages left with the department and Illinois State Police on Friday to update Baileys condition were not immediately returned. The officers were at the hotel to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, the sheriffs office said. They found the room where the vehicles possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, it said. Authorities arrested two other people Thursday on charges alleging they impeded the search for Sullivan and a woman also suspected in the shootings. Nichele Newton-Carroll, 42, and Jelman Sullivan, 21, face charges of obstructing justice/leaving the state, the (Kankakee) Daily Journal reported. Neither had an attorney listed Friday in court or jail records. Kankakee County States Attorney Jim Rowe identified Newton-Carroll as Sullivans mother. Rowe said he is not sure of the connection between Jelman Sullivan and Darius Sullivan. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriffs deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriffs Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputys squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. Lucknow, Jan 1 : No one knows the exact truth but the confusion over letter 'P' has led to a fresh slinging match between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) in Uttar Pradesh which is gearing up for the upcoming Assembly elections. According to top sources, the two Jains - Piyush and Pushpraj - who have been at the centre of the political storm, share the same surname, profession and even the locality where they live in Kannauj. It was this that apparently led to confusion and diverted tax officials to Piyush Jain's house last week and this 'mistake' led to one of the biggest seizures in the history of the country with sacks full of cash, gold, silver and sandalwood. The BJP jumped the gun and announced that Piyush Jain was the same perfumer who had launched the 'Samajwadi Itr' in November and insisted on his links with the SP. As cash tumbled out of walls in Piyush Jain's house, the BJP gleefully questioned SP's role and share in the stashed treasures. Akhilesh waited for two days and after photographs of stacks of recovered currency went viral, he clarified that this 'P Jain' was not the one who belonged to his party. This was Piyush and his was Pushpraj, also known as Pampi. By then even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had linked the 'bad smell of itr' to Piyush Jain's black money while Akhilesh linked it to the failure of demonetisation and claimed that Piyush Jain actually was a BJP supporter. The tax agencies, apparently on the path of course correction, then raided the houses and offices of Pushpraj Jain on Friday. Akhilesh said the BJP wanted to target and ended up raiding the houses and offices of its own supporter. When Pushpraj Jain was raided on Friday, the SP President said that this was an 'election duty' by central agencies. The raids were carried out on locations in Mumbai, Delhi and Gujarat. The IT department has not yet shared any further details but people familiar with developments said the raids were launched after investigators obtained details from the Goods and Services Tax department about possible income tax evasion by perfume business entities and others by allegedly claiming bogus input tax credit. Akhilesh alleged, "Ever since the BJP feared defeat, leaders started coming from Delhi and their allies -- Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Income Tax (IT) started coming. We tied up with small parties and they (BJP) tied up with investigating agencies like CBI, ED and IT." Incidentally Pampi Jain was raided on Friday when Akhilesh was in Kannauj to address a press conference. Meanwhile, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman rejected his allegations. "The person caught red-handed must be his partner or friend that's why the former Chief Minister is shaken," she said. Sitharaman countered the SP Chief, saying the cash recovered from Piyush Jain's house was not "BJP money", and that the raid was at the correct address and not the outcome of mistaken identity. She added that the raids, which were based on actionable intelligence and the recovery, vindicated the action. Lucknow, Jan 1 : No one knows the exact truth but the confusion over letter 'P' has led to a fresh slinging match between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) in Uttar Pradesh which is gearing up for the upcoming Assembly elections. According to top sources, the two Jains - Piyush and Pushpraj - who have been at the centre of the political storm, share the same surname, profession and even the locality where they live in Kannauj. It was this that apparently led to confusion and diverted tax officials to Piyush Jain's house last week and this 'mistake' led to one of the biggest seizures in the history of the country with sacks full of cash, gold, silver and sandalwood. The BJP jumped the gun and announced that Piyush Jain was the same perfumer who had launched the 'Samajwadi Itr' in November and insisted on his links with the SP. As cash tumbled out of walls in Piyush Jain's house, the BJP gleefully questioned SP's role and share in the stashed treasures. Akhilesh waited for two days and after photographs of stacks of recovered currency went viral, he clarified that this 'P Jain' was not the one who belonged to his party. This was Piyush and his was Pushpraj, also known as Pampi. By then even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had linked the 'bad smell of itr' to Piyush Jain's black money while Akhilesh linked it to the failure of demonetisation and claimed that Piyush Jain actually was a BJP supporter. The tax agencies, apparently on the path of course correction, then raided the houses and offices of Pushpraj Jain on Friday. Akhilesh said the BJP wanted to target and ended up raiding the houses and offices of its own supporter. When Pushpraj Jain was raided on Friday, the SP President said that this was an 'election duty' by central agencies. The raids were carried out on locations in Mumbai, Delhi and Gujarat. The IT department has not yet shared any further details but people familiar with developments said the raids were launched after investigators obtained details from the Goods and Services Tax department about possible income tax evasion by perfume business entities and others by allegedly claiming bogus input tax credit. Akhilesh alleged, "Ever since the BJP feared defeat, leaders started coming from Delhi and their allies -- Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Income Tax (IT) started coming. We tied up with small parties and they (BJP) tied up with investigating agencies like CBI, ED and IT." Incidentally Pampi Jain was raided on Friday when Akhilesh was in Kannauj to address a press conference. Meanwhile, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman rejected his allegations. "The person caught red-handed must be his partner or friend that's why the former Chief Minister is shaken," she said. Sitharaman countered the SP Chief, saying the cash recovered from Piyush Jain's house was not "BJP money", and that the raid was at the correct address and not the outcome of mistaken identity. She added that the raids, which were based on actionable intelligence and the recovery, vindicated the action. Lucknow, Jan 1 : No one knows the exact truth but the confusion over letter 'P' has led to a fresh slinging match between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) in Uttar Pradesh which is gearing up for the upcoming Assembly elections. According to top sources, the two Jains - Piyush and Pushpraj - who have been at the centre of the political storm, share the same surname, profession and even the locality where they live in Kannauj. It was this that apparently led to confusion and diverted tax officials to Piyush Jain's house last week and this 'mistake' led to one of the biggest seizures in the history of the country with sacks full of cash, gold, silver and sandalwood. The BJP jumped the gun and announced that Piyush Jain was the same perfumer who had launched the 'Samajwadi Itr' in November and insisted on his links with the SP. As cash tumbled out of walls in Piyush Jain's house, the BJP gleefully questioned SP's role and share in the stashed treasures. Akhilesh waited for two days and after photographs of stacks of recovered currency went viral, he clarified that this 'P Jain' was not the one who belonged to his party. This was Piyush and his was Pushpraj, also known as Pampi. By then even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had linked the 'bad smell of itr' to Piyush Jain's black money while Akhilesh linked it to the failure of demonetisation and claimed that Piyush Jain actually was a BJP supporter. The tax agencies, apparently on the path of course correction, then raided the houses and offices of Pushpraj Jain on Friday. Akhilesh said the BJP wanted to target and ended up raiding the houses and offices of its own supporter. When Pushpraj Jain was raided on Friday, the SP President said that this was an 'election duty' by central agencies. The raids were carried out on locations in Mumbai, Delhi and Gujarat. The IT department has not yet shared any further details but people familiar with developments said the raids were launched after investigators obtained details from the Goods and Services Tax department about possible income tax evasion by perfume business entities and others by allegedly claiming bogus input tax credit. Akhilesh alleged, "Ever since the BJP feared defeat, leaders started coming from Delhi and their allies -- Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Income Tax (IT) started coming. We tied up with small parties and they (BJP) tied up with investigating agencies like CBI, ED and IT." Incidentally Pampi Jain was raided on Friday when Akhilesh was in Kannauj to address a press conference. Meanwhile, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman rejected his allegations. "The person caught red-handed must be his partner or friend that's why the former Chief Minister is shaken," she said. Sitharaman countered the SP Chief, saying the cash recovered from Piyush Jain's house was not "BJP money", and that the raid was at the correct address and not the outcome of mistaken identity. She added that the raids, which were based on actionable intelligence and the recovery, vindicated the action. The future of energy will be in solar and wind, and if our (any) Government had our interest Bradey Police Lt. Philip Trudeau (L) comforts Bourbonnais Police officer Andy Cox following a ceremonial procession for fallen Bradley Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, in Bourbonnais, Ill., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Tiffany Blanchette/The Daily Journal via AP) Suspect in Shooting of Illinois Officers Arrested in Indiana CHICAGOA man suspected in the shooting of one police officer and wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel has been taken into custody, authorities said Friday. Darius Sullivan, one of two people suspected in the shooting of the two Bradley police officers, was arrested Friday morning at a home in North Manchester, Indiana, Sgt. Glen Fifield of the Indiana State Police said at a news conference. Sullivan, 25, surrendered to a SWAT team that was assisting the U.S. Marshals with a search warrant for the property about 110 miles east of Bradley. Sullivans arrest came a day after Illinois authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The Illinois State Police did not release any updates on the investigation Friday other than a written statement confirming that Sullivan had been arrested and would be taken back to Kankakee County, where the shooting occurred late Wednesday. Fifield said he didnt have any details on the investigation into the shooting. He did name three other men but wouldnt discuss whether their arrests were connected to the officers shootings. Two of the men were arrested after police said they ran from their car during a traffic stop in Fulton County, Indiana. The third was arrested at the home where Sullivan was taken into custody. Fifield said police found weapons and drugs in the car that the two men fled from and at the North Manchester home. Authorities are still searching for 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, of Bradley, who investigators believe was at the hotel when the shootings happened, the Illinois State Police said. The two officers were speaking to people in a room at a Comfort Inn along a highway in Kankakee County when they were shot, according to the county sheriffs office. They were taken to nearby hospitals, where 49-year-old Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic died. The other officeridentified by the Illinois State Police as 27-year-old Tyler J. Baileyunderwent surgery and was listed in critical condition on Thursday, according to the Bradley Police Department. Messages left with the department and Illinois State Police on Friday to update Baileys condition were not immediately returned. The officers were at the hotel to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, the sheriffs office said. They found the room where the vehicles possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, it said. Authorities arrested two other people Thursday on charges alleging they impeded the search for Sullivan and a woman also suspected in the shootings. Nichele Newton-Carroll, 42, and Jelman Sullivan, 21, face charges of obstructing justice/leaving the state, the (Kankakee) Daily Journal reported. Neither had an attorney listed Friday in court or jail records. Kankakee County States Attorney Jim Rowe identified Newton-Carroll as Sullivans mother. Rowe said he is not sure of the connection between Jelman Sullivan and Darius Sullivan. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriffs deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriffs Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputys squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. The future of energy will be in solar and wind, and if our (any) Government had our interest Courtesy Kocomo Casa Sol Penthouse, Tulum, Mexico (Airbnb): Before the Era of Covid began, Tulum was a former hidden gem that was becoming more than a little exposed. Everyone who was anyone was dashing off to the Riviera Maya for some much needed rest and relaxation (capped off by a heavy dose of tequila, we can only assume). But just because Tulum has now firmly taken its place as a hotspot doesnt mean you should skip it, even if you are trying to find somewhere off the beaten path to take a little holiday jaunt amid the never-ending pandemic. Rather than staying at one of the popular hotels on the water, opt for a luxury penthouse like Casa Sol which offers all the sand and sun that Tulum is known for, but with a heavy dose of privacy and comfort. Courtesy Kocomo To quote The Chicks, she needs wide open spaces, which is exactly what this living area offers. The open plan architecture is doubly breezy thanks to sliding glass doors, which extend the living area into the great outdoors of the patio. Courtesy Kocomo The beauty of renting a holiday pad is that you have all the comforts of a home kitchen in which you can whip up your familys meals. But the beauty of renting a luxury holiday house is that you also have the option of asking your host to help you schedule a private Mexican chef to come and cook for your whole crew. May we suggest you opt for the latter option as often as possible. Courtesy Kocomo Everyone who visits the Riviera Maya boasts of ocean views, but only Casa Sol residents (well, okay, not only) look out their window into the treetops of the verdant Mayan jungle. This home is only 10 minutes from the busy beaches of Tulum and only five minutes from the cenotes, or natural swimming caves, that the region is known for. But its all about jungle living after a day splashing around in the water. Courtesy Kocomo The best thing about traveling is embracing everything about the local cultureand here you can do it in style. The space was designed by a leading Mexican architect and was furnished and decorated with only the finest goods created by local craftsmen. We know you might be tempted to pocket a gorgeous giant wall hanging or an expertly crafted rattan chair, but may we implore you to resist the temptation. Story continues Courtesy Kocomo This holiday penthouse is also very on-trend. The only thing more prolific than the COVID babies (according to our entirely unscientific personal observation) are the COVID houses. This one joins the group of brand spankin new structures built in 2021, which means you will be among the first groups to stay in the space. Courtesy Kocomo The Casa Sol penthouse has three cozy bedrooms, but if you want to add a couple extras to your party, you can squeeze two additional guests into the living quarters to sleep a total of 10, otherwise known as a perfectly sized pod. Courtesy Kocomo Four bathrooms also means everyone can get their evening glam on. You may not be hitting the clubs these days, but since weve convinced you that a private chef is a need, not a want, it might be time to dust off your very bored party clothes. Courtesy Kocomo Mexican minimalism is all about adobe-colored walls that let the natural light and natural views spice up the place. Me encanta. Courtesy Kocomo You may think that your penthouse quarters are the tallest thing in the building, but you would be wrong. That honor goes to your own private pool, which is on the roof of the penthouse. Fancy a little sky-high swim? Courtesy Kocomo A hammock is obligatory on any Caribbean vacation, so you wont be surprised to find this swinging beauty here. But Casa Sol gets extra points for putting our favorite napping chair in such a dreamy location. Courtesy Kocomo If you get a little bored of living the life of luxury in your private quarterseat, swim, nap, repeatthere is another nearby option for you to get the full Tulum experience (think massages and yoga) without braving the trendy public beaches. This property is across the street from Holistika Tulum, a wellness hotel that welcomes all Casa Sol guests. Courtesy Kocomo Now is the perfect time for us to remind you of the next line of The Chicks Wide Open Spaces chorusour protagonist needs those breezy expanses so she has room to make her big mistakes. And as everyone knows, most big mistakes start right here, at the (in-home) bar with a bottle of mezcal. Courtesy Kocomo If the past two years have you craving a little more permanence in a chaotic life, then maybe a week-long stay at Casa Sol wont cut it. No worriestheres another option for you. Thanks to the company, Kocomo, this space is also open to new co-owners-cum-investors (think a timeshare) for the paltry sum of a little over $100k. Thats just a dip in the Santa money bucket, right? (We wish!) Courtesy Kocomo With this view, we assume that even the birds will be jealous of your vacation, though maybe not as jealous as all the rest of your friends and family who have been stuck in place for the past two years. You might want to extend that vacay another couple days to make sure you have time to firmly secure your shield against stink eyes before your return. Book Your Stay: Casa Sol, Tulum, Mexico: $1,200/night via Airbnb Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Courtesy Kocomo Casa Sol Penthouse, Tulum, Mexico (Airbnb): Before the Era of Covid began, Tulum was a former hidden gem that was becoming more than a little exposed. Everyone who was anyone was dashing off to the Riviera Maya for some much needed rest and relaxation (capped off by a heavy dose of tequila, we can only assume). But just because Tulum has now firmly taken its place as a hotspot doesnt mean you should skip it, even if you are trying to find somewhere off the beaten path to take a little holiday jaunt amid the never-ending pandemic. Rather than staying at one of the popular hotels on the water, opt for a luxury penthouse like Casa Sol which offers all the sand and sun that Tulum is known for, but with a heavy dose of privacy and comfort. Courtesy Kocomo To quote The Chicks, she needs wide open spaces, which is exactly what this living area offers. The open plan architecture is doubly breezy thanks to sliding glass doors, which extend the living area into the great outdoors of the patio. Courtesy Kocomo The beauty of renting a holiday pad is that you have all the comforts of a home kitchen in which you can whip up your familys meals. But the beauty of renting a luxury holiday house is that you also have the option of asking your host to help you schedule a private Mexican chef to come and cook for your whole crew. May we suggest you opt for the latter option as often as possible. Courtesy Kocomo Everyone who visits the Riviera Maya boasts of ocean views, but only Casa Sol residents (well, okay, not only) look out their window into the treetops of the verdant Mayan jungle. This home is only 10 minutes from the busy beaches of Tulum and only five minutes from the cenotes, or natural swimming caves, that the region is known for. But its all about jungle living after a day splashing around in the water. Courtesy Kocomo The best thing about traveling is embracing everything about the local cultureand here you can do it in style. The space was designed by a leading Mexican architect and was furnished and decorated with only the finest goods created by local craftsmen. We know you might be tempted to pocket a gorgeous giant wall hanging or an expertly crafted rattan chair, but may we implore you to resist the temptation. Story continues Courtesy Kocomo This holiday penthouse is also very on-trend. The only thing more prolific than the COVID babies (according to our entirely unscientific personal observation) are the COVID houses. This one joins the group of brand spankin new structures built in 2021, which means you will be among the first groups to stay in the space. Courtesy Kocomo The Casa Sol penthouse has three cozy bedrooms, but if you want to add a couple extras to your party, you can squeeze two additional guests into the living quarters to sleep a total of 10, otherwise known as a perfectly sized pod. Courtesy Kocomo Four bathrooms also means everyone can get their evening glam on. You may not be hitting the clubs these days, but since weve convinced you that a private chef is a need, not a want, it might be time to dust off your very bored party clothes. Courtesy Kocomo Mexican minimalism is all about adobe-colored walls that let the natural light and natural views spice up the place. Me encanta. Courtesy Kocomo You may think that your penthouse quarters are the tallest thing in the building, but you would be wrong. That honor goes to your own private pool, which is on the roof of the penthouse. Fancy a little sky-high swim? Courtesy Kocomo A hammock is obligatory on any Caribbean vacation, so you wont be surprised to find this swinging beauty here. But Casa Sol gets extra points for putting our favorite napping chair in such a dreamy location. Courtesy Kocomo If you get a little bored of living the life of luxury in your private quarterseat, swim, nap, repeatthere is another nearby option for you to get the full Tulum experience (think massages and yoga) without braving the trendy public beaches. This property is across the street from Holistika Tulum, a wellness hotel that welcomes all Casa Sol guests. Courtesy Kocomo Now is the perfect time for us to remind you of the next line of The Chicks Wide Open Spaces chorusour protagonist needs those breezy expanses so she has room to make her big mistakes. And as everyone knows, most big mistakes start right here, at the (in-home) bar with a bottle of mezcal. Courtesy Kocomo If the past two years have you craving a little more permanence in a chaotic life, then maybe a week-long stay at Casa Sol wont cut it. No worriestheres another option for you. Thanks to the company, Kocomo, this space is also open to new co-owners-cum-investors (think a timeshare) for the paltry sum of a little over $100k. Thats just a dip in the Santa money bucket, right? (We wish!) Courtesy Kocomo With this view, we assume that even the birds will be jealous of your vacation, though maybe not as jealous as all the rest of your friends and family who have been stuck in place for the past two years. You might want to extend that vacay another couple days to make sure you have time to firmly secure your shield against stink eyes before your return. Book Your Stay: Casa Sol, Tulum, Mexico: $1,200/night via Airbnb Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Pakistan mocks the United Nations concern over enforced disappearances, which continues to be practised with impunity in the country, according to a Canada-based think tank, which says that these practices remain a taint on Islamabad's human rights record. In its report, International Forum for Rights and Security (IFFRAS) said that the rising media scrutiny, protests by human rights workers and interventions by the judiciary have not been able to shake the conscience of Pakistan's government and its deep state-on the issue of the enforced disappearance. The misfortune which was thrust upon the innocent youth from restive areas, majorly from Balochistan during the regime of General Pervez Musharraf has only grown over the years. During its 125th session in September 2021, the Working Group on Forced and Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) under the UN raised concerns on the pitiable state of Pakistan's handling of the issue. The group followed it with a detailed report in December while seeking Pakistan's response on some of the cases in its notice. Pakistan's official response on this report is full of the State's apathy and utter disregard to the UN agency, according to the think tank. Referring to many disappearances as old as 7-8 years, Pakistan simply states that the cases are under investigation. "In others, which it claims to have resolved, it stops short of naming any culprits. The official stance in such cases is that since the abducted person has returned; there is no further need of any inquiry. In many cases, the time taken by such returnees extends to several years. Going by Pakistan's reply in these highlighted cases, the affected families in obscure and unreported cases cannot have any hope of seeing their missing ones again," the think tank said. It further said that to avoid the unwanted gaze of international watchdogs, the Pakistan government is also working towards bringing down the number of complaints. In recent years, prominent human rights groups including Amnesty International have also been appealing to the Pakistani authorities to end the use of this inhuman practice as a policy tool. In November 2021, Amnesty International released a new briefing documenting the effect of such abductions on the families of those who go missing. The briefing, titled "Living Ghosts", is based on interviews with 10 family members of persons "whose fate remains unknown after they were abducted by Pakistan's security services". Pakistan's government and Army, however, do not appear inclined to lose their effective tool for stifling the voice of discriminated youth. (ANI) Pakistan mocks the United Nations concern over enforced disappearances, which continues to be practised with impunity in the country, according to a Canada-based think tank, which says that these practices remain a taint on Islamabad's human rights record. In its report, International Forum for Rights and Security (IFFRAS) said that the rising media scrutiny, protests by human rights workers and interventions by the judiciary have not been able to shake the conscience of Pakistan's government and its deep state-on the issue of the enforced disappearance. The misfortune which was thrust upon the innocent youth from restive areas, majorly from Balochistan during the regime of General Pervez Musharraf has only grown over the years. During its 125th session in September 2021, the Working Group on Forced and Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) under the UN raised concerns on the pitiable state of Pakistan's handling of the issue. The group followed it with a detailed report in December while seeking Pakistan's response on some of the cases in its notice. Pakistan's official response on this report is full of the State's apathy and utter disregard to the UN agency, according to the think tank. Referring to many disappearances as old as 7-8 years, Pakistan simply states that the cases are under investigation. "In others, which it claims to have resolved, it stops short of naming any culprits. The official stance in such cases is that since the abducted person has returned; there is no further need of any inquiry. In many cases, the time taken by such returnees extends to several years. Going by Pakistan's reply in these highlighted cases, the affected families in obscure and unreported cases cannot have any hope of seeing their missing ones again," the think tank said. It further said that to avoid the unwanted gaze of international watchdogs, the Pakistan government is also working towards bringing down the number of complaints. In recent years, prominent human rights groups including Amnesty International have also been appealing to the Pakistani authorities to end the use of this inhuman practice as a policy tool. In November 2021, Amnesty International released a new briefing documenting the effect of such abductions on the families of those who go missing. The briefing, titled "Living Ghosts", is based on interviews with 10 family members of persons "whose fate remains unknown after they were abducted by Pakistan's security services". Pakistan's government and Army, however, do not appear inclined to lose their effective tool for stifling the voice of discriminated youth. (ANI) Pakistan mocks the United Nations concern over enforced disappearances, which continues to be practised with impunity in the country, according to a Canada-based think tank, which says that these practices remain a taint on Islamabad's human rights record. In its report, International Forum for Rights and Security (IFFRAS) said that the rising media scrutiny, protests by human rights workers and interventions by the judiciary have not been able to shake the conscience of Pakistan's government and its deep state-on the issue of the enforced disappearance. The misfortune which was thrust upon the innocent youth from restive areas, majorly from Balochistan during the regime of General Pervez Musharraf has only grown over the years. During its 125th session in September 2021, the Working Group on Forced and Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) under the UN raised concerns on the pitiable state of Pakistan's handling of the issue. The group followed it with a detailed report in December while seeking Pakistan's response on some of the cases in its notice. Pakistan's official response on this report is full of the State's apathy and utter disregard to the UN agency, according to the think tank. Referring to many disappearances as old as 7-8 years, Pakistan simply states that the cases are under investigation. "In others, which it claims to have resolved, it stops short of naming any culprits. The official stance in such cases is that since the abducted person has returned; there is no further need of any inquiry. In many cases, the time taken by such returnees extends to several years. Going by Pakistan's reply in these highlighted cases, the affected families in obscure and unreported cases cannot have any hope of seeing their missing ones again," the think tank said. It further said that to avoid the unwanted gaze of international watchdogs, the Pakistan government is also working towards bringing down the number of complaints. In recent years, prominent human rights groups including Amnesty International have also been appealing to the Pakistani authorities to end the use of this inhuman practice as a policy tool. In November 2021, Amnesty International released a new briefing documenting the effect of such abductions on the families of those who go missing. The briefing, titled "Living Ghosts", is based on interviews with 10 family members of persons "whose fate remains unknown after they were abducted by Pakistan's security services". Pakistan's government and Army, however, do not appear inclined to lose their effective tool for stifling the voice of discriminated youth. (ANI) Pakistan mocks the United Nations concern over enforced disappearances, which continues to be practised with impunity in the country, according to a Canada-based think tank, which says that these practices remain a taint on Islamabad's human rights record. In its report, International Forum for Rights and Security (IFFRAS) said that the rising media scrutiny, protests by human rights workers and interventions by the judiciary have not been able to shake the conscience of Pakistan's government and its deep state-on the issue of the enforced disappearance. The misfortune which was thrust upon the innocent youth from restive areas, majorly from Balochistan during the regime of General Pervez Musharraf has only grown over the years. During its 125th session in September 2021, the Working Group on Forced and Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) under the UN raised concerns on the pitiable state of Pakistan's handling of the issue. The group followed it with a detailed report in December while seeking Pakistan's response on some of the cases in its notice. Pakistan's official response on this report is full of the State's apathy and utter disregard to the UN agency, according to the think tank. Referring to many disappearances as old as 7-8 years, Pakistan simply states that the cases are under investigation. "In others, which it claims to have resolved, it stops short of naming any culprits. The official stance in such cases is that since the abducted person has returned; there is no further need of any inquiry. In many cases, the time taken by such returnees extends to several years. Going by Pakistan's reply in these highlighted cases, the affected families in obscure and unreported cases cannot have any hope of seeing their missing ones again," the think tank said. It further said that to avoid the unwanted gaze of international watchdogs, the Pakistan government is also working towards bringing down the number of complaints. In recent years, prominent human rights groups including Amnesty International have also been appealing to the Pakistani authorities to end the use of this inhuman practice as a policy tool. In November 2021, Amnesty International released a new briefing documenting the effect of such abductions on the families of those who go missing. The briefing, titled "Living Ghosts", is based on interviews with 10 family members of persons "whose fate remains unknown after they were abducted by Pakistan's security services". Pakistan's government and Army, however, do not appear inclined to lose their effective tool for stifling the voice of discriminated youth. (ANI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of lives in a stampede that took place early this morning, resulting in the death of at least 12 persons and injuring 13 others. Shah tweeted in Hindi, "Deeply pained by the tragic accident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple. I have spoken to Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. The administration is working continuously to provide treatment to the injured people. I express my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this accident." Singh tweeted, "The tragedy due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Bhawan is heart-wrenching. Anguished by the loss of lives due to it. My condolences to the bereaved families in this sad hour. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured." The Prime Minister also condoled the deaths in the stampede and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of those who lost their lives. The injured will be given Rs 50,000. As many as 12 people were killed and 13 others injured after a stampede occurred at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine on Saturday morning, Jammu and Kashmir's Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh said. "12 dead, 13 injured in the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Katra. The incident occurred around 2:45 am, and as per initial reports, an argument broke out which resulted in people pushing each other, followed by the stampede," Singh said to ANI. The injured have been taken to Naraina Hospital after the rescue. (ANI) Though the pandemic is not over, there will be no more weekly news conferences by the Minist The future of energy will be in solar and wind, and if our (any) Government had our interest Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The future of energy will be in solar and wind, and if our (any) Government had our interest The future of energy will be in solar and wind, and if our (any) Government had our interest The future of energy will be in solar and wind, and if our (any) Government had our interest Times Square New Year's Eve 2022 in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Times Square New Years Eve 2022: Peoples Opinion on the Virus MANHATTAN, New YorkThe ritual of the world-famous crystal ball drop in Times Square resumed this year after the first cancellation since 1907 of 2020s New Years Eve due to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Attendance was scaled back, and everyone who was older than 5 had to show vaccination proof to be part of the party. Any unvaccinated child younger than 5 years old had to be accompanied by a vaccinated adult, the mayors office stated. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said last week that everyone had to wear a mask as well, but that was not the casemany people, including police, were not wearing masks. Times Square New Years Eve 2022 in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Mayor-elect Eric Adams praised de Blasios decision last week: The Mayor has made the right move to take precautionary measures as we learn to live with COVID and fight the Omicron variantand New Yorkers and visitors alike can now enjoy Times Square and the rest of our city as we ring in 2022. Doug Stuart and his wife from Colorado werent concerned too much with the new variant, Omicron. Were vaccinated, wearing masks, and there is some distancing, he said, laughing a little bit. His wife said that the staff were doing a great job with crowd control, and they would not have come last year because there was a little too much uncertainty, and we didnt have vaccination, she said. I hope that people get vaccinated and wear masks if necessary and do what it takes to get our world back going, she added. Stuart hopes more people are able to come next year. I hope there are more peaceful endeavors throughout our country and negotiation for peace, he added. Gwen Delfosse from France says that for her children, who were present, it was a dream to be in Times Square during New Years Eve. Delfosse was very concerned about the CCP virus, but life is going on, so we have to live and keep going. I hope next year can be much better, because we had catastrophes and it was not so cool. First-time ball drop viewer Victoria Christensen was very excited to be part of the event, and is looking forward to finishing school next year. As for the virus, she was a little bit concerned, but weve been taking the precautions that the CDC recommended, we got the vaccine, were getting the booster, were getting tested, [we] got our masks. Victoria Christensen celebrates New Years Eve 2022 at Times Square in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) Morgan Price said, If I could say one thing about going into 2022, is that everybody should be kinder to each other and have kinder hearts. Last year, she thinks we forgot that were all human and that we all have feelings and emotions. Price believes that there were too many problems related to race, climate change, and politics. We should just be kinder to one another! Austin and Christina Tretter were also witnessing the event for the first time. They are health care workers from Minnesota, and their new year wish is for more staff. They said that theyve had staff shortages during the last two years. People are leaving, its crazy. We dont have enough staff, Austin said. Christina believes the reason for people leaving is that they are burnt out. Not necessarily because of COVID, but because hospitals are overwhelmed, she clarified. Times Square New Years Eve 2022 in New York on Dec. 31, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) The future of energy will be in solar and wind, and if our (any) Government had our interest The city of Napa is working on a legislative platform for 2022 that would better define the citys priorities to bring in more federal funding to specific areas, such as housing or infrastructure, in the future. The citys suggested priority areas include: preserving and enhancing local control and local revenues; housing opportunities for all income levels, including for those experiencing homelessness; pandemic recovery and economic development; investments in infrastructure; and maintaining a healthy and sustainable environment and community. The list of priority areas was presented to the Napa City Council in December, but the council will vote to approve priority areas at a future meeting. Molly Rattigan, assistant to the city manager, said the list was developed in partnership with consultant Merchant McIntyre & Associates, a federal relations advocacy firm the citys been working with since October 2020. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Special offer: Subscribe for $4.99 for yo This really serves as the guidance on where the city of Napa is putting its legislative capital, for lack of a better word, Rattigan said. Over roughly the past year, the firm has provided federal advocacy and helped the city prepare federal grant applications, Rattigan added. She said that though the firm doesn't provide representation at the state level, the city is actively engaged with the League of California Cities and works closely with its two state representatives, Sen. Bill Dodd and Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry. Katie Peterson, a partner at the firm, highlighted two pending federal grants applications resulting from that work: a $75,000 grant to support the Napa Lighted Arts Festival from the National Endowment for the Arts, and a $100,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for firefighter training and health testing. Peterson added that the firm also worked with Rep. Mike Thompsons office to earmark $1.8 million for police radios, included in the Fiscal Year 2022 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related agencies bill, which passed in July. Peterson said the legislative platform needs to focus on specific areas because it is supposed to clarify the citys priorities to Congress and therefore improve local quality of life. The purpose, the primary directive of the legislative platform, is not to solve or advocate for every issue under the sun on behalf of the city, Peterson said. Its very much to establish key official city positions on clearly stated legislative issues. The Napa councilmembers broadly agreed that the recommended legislative priorities align with city council goals. Councilmember Beth Painter said the specific language of the areas is highly important. Among other suggestions, she recommended the word safe be added to the healthy and sustainable environment and community item because the council has stated the importance of promoting pedestrian and bike safety. Painter also suggested that disaster recovery be added to the pandemic recovery item because the city doesnt know when the next disaster, beyond the pandemic, is going to strike. Napa resident Maureen Trippe an organizer of the local Slow Down Napa movement said shed also like to see some consideration for transportation safety in the platform, which could include such measures as traffic calming, speeding, building safe routes to school or other safety-related categories. Rattigan said the city would still have room to work outside of the legislative platform, if needed, and that needs that go beyond the areas identified in the platform will certainly rise. There are always going to be things that come up that are outside of the scope of the legislative platform, Rattigan said. Like I said, you can never fully predict whats going to be proposed. So we will keep our eye on that as well. If there are issues that may not fall within the scope and they need to come back to the council, theres of course the mechanism to do so if needed. Courtesy Kocomo Casa Sol Penthouse, Tulum, Mexico (Airbnb): Before the Era of Covid began, Tulum was a former hidden gem that was becoming more than a little exposed. Everyone who was anyone was dashing off to the Riviera Maya for some much needed rest and relaxation (capped off by a heavy dose of tequila, we can only assume). But just because Tulum has now firmly taken its place as a hotspot doesnt mean you should skip it, even if you are trying to find somewhere off the beaten path to take a little holiday jaunt amid the never-ending pandemic. Rather than staying at one of the popular hotels on the water, opt for a luxury penthouse like Casa Sol which offers all the sand and sun that Tulum is known for, but with a heavy dose of privacy and comfort. Courtesy Kocomo To quote The Chicks, she needs wide open spaces, which is exactly what this living area offers. The open plan architecture is doubly breezy thanks to sliding glass doors, which extend the living area into the great outdoors of the patio. Courtesy Kocomo The beauty of renting a holiday pad is that you have all the comforts of a home kitchen in which you can whip up your familys meals. But the beauty of renting a luxury holiday house is that you also have the option of asking your host to help you schedule a private Mexican chef to come and cook for your whole crew. May we suggest you opt for the latter option as often as possible. Courtesy Kocomo Everyone who visits the Riviera Maya boasts of ocean views, but only Casa Sol residents (well, okay, not only) look out their window into the treetops of the verdant Mayan jungle. This home is only 10 minutes from the busy beaches of Tulum and only five minutes from the cenotes, or natural swimming caves, that the region is known for. But its all about jungle living after a day splashing around in the water. Courtesy Kocomo The best thing about traveling is embracing everything about the local cultureand here you can do it in style. The space was designed by a leading Mexican architect and was furnished and decorated with only the finest goods created by local craftsmen. We know you might be tempted to pocket a gorgeous giant wall hanging or an expertly crafted rattan chair, but may we implore you to resist the temptation. Story continues Courtesy Kocomo This holiday penthouse is also very on-trend. The only thing more prolific than the COVID babies (according to our entirely unscientific personal observation) are the COVID houses. This one joins the group of brand spankin new structures built in 2021, which means you will be among the first groups to stay in the space. Courtesy Kocomo The Casa Sol penthouse has three cozy bedrooms, but if you want to add a couple extras to your party, you can squeeze two additional guests into the living quarters to sleep a total of 10, otherwise known as a perfectly sized pod. Courtesy Kocomo Four bathrooms also means everyone can get their evening glam on. You may not be hitting the clubs these days, but since weve convinced you that a private chef is a need, not a want, it might be time to dust off your very bored party clothes. Courtesy Kocomo Mexican minimalism is all about adobe-colored walls that let the natural light and natural views spice up the place. Me encanta. Courtesy Kocomo You may think that your penthouse quarters are the tallest thing in the building, but you would be wrong. That honor goes to your own private pool, which is on the roof of the penthouse. Fancy a little sky-high swim? Courtesy Kocomo A hammock is obligatory on any Caribbean vacation, so you wont be surprised to find this swinging beauty here. But Casa Sol gets extra points for putting our favorite napping chair in such a dreamy location. Courtesy Kocomo If you get a little bored of living the life of luxury in your private quarterseat, swim, nap, repeatthere is another nearby option for you to get the full Tulum experience (think massages and yoga) without braving the trendy public beaches. This property is across the street from Holistika Tulum, a wellness hotel that welcomes all Casa Sol guests. Courtesy Kocomo Now is the perfect time for us to remind you of the next line of The Chicks Wide Open Spaces chorusour protagonist needs those breezy expanses so she has room to make her big mistakes. And as everyone knows, most big mistakes start right here, at the (in-home) bar with a bottle of mezcal. Courtesy Kocomo If the past two years have you craving a little more permanence in a chaotic life, then maybe a week-long stay at Casa Sol wont cut it. No worriestheres another option for you. Thanks to the company, Kocomo, this space is also open to new co-owners-cum-investors (think a timeshare) for the paltry sum of a little over $100k. Thats just a dip in the Santa money bucket, right? (We wish!) Courtesy Kocomo With this view, we assume that even the birds will be jealous of your vacation, though maybe not as jealous as all the rest of your friends and family who have been stuck in place for the past two years. You might want to extend that vacay another couple days to make sure you have time to firmly secure your shield against stink eyes before your return. Book Your Stay: Casa Sol, Tulum, Mexico: $1,200/night via Airbnb Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Courtesy Kocomo Casa Sol Penthouse, Tulum, Mexico (Airbnb): Before the Era of Covid began, Tulum was a former hidden gem that was becoming more than a little exposed. Everyone who was anyone was dashing off to the Riviera Maya for some much needed rest and relaxation (capped off by a heavy dose of tequila, we can only assume). But just because Tulum has now firmly taken its place as a hotspot doesnt mean you should skip it, even if you are trying to find somewhere off the beaten path to take a little holiday jaunt amid the never-ending pandemic. Rather than staying at one of the popular hotels on the water, opt for a luxury penthouse like Casa Sol which offers all the sand and sun that Tulum is known for, but with a heavy dose of privacy and comfort. Courtesy Kocomo To quote The Chicks, she needs wide open spaces, which is exactly what this living area offers. The open plan architecture is doubly breezy thanks to sliding glass doors, which extend the living area into the great outdoors of the patio. Courtesy Kocomo The beauty of renting a holiday pad is that you have all the comforts of a home kitchen in which you can whip up your familys meals. But the beauty of renting a luxury holiday house is that you also have the option of asking your host to help you schedule a private Mexican chef to come and cook for your whole crew. May we suggest you opt for the latter option as often as possible. Courtesy Kocomo Everyone who visits the Riviera Maya boasts of ocean views, but only Casa Sol residents (well, okay, not only) look out their window into the treetops of the verdant Mayan jungle. This home is only 10 minutes from the busy beaches of Tulum and only five minutes from the cenotes, or natural swimming caves, that the region is known for. But its all about jungle living after a day splashing around in the water. Courtesy Kocomo The best thing about traveling is embracing everything about the local cultureand here you can do it in style. The space was designed by a leading Mexican architect and was furnished and decorated with only the finest goods created by local craftsmen. We know you might be tempted to pocket a gorgeous giant wall hanging or an expertly crafted rattan chair, but may we implore you to resist the temptation. Story continues Courtesy Kocomo This holiday penthouse is also very on-trend. The only thing more prolific than the COVID babies (according to our entirely unscientific personal observation) are the COVID houses. This one joins the group of brand spankin new structures built in 2021, which means you will be among the first groups to stay in the space. Courtesy Kocomo The Casa Sol penthouse has three cozy bedrooms, but if you want to add a couple extras to your party, you can squeeze two additional guests into the living quarters to sleep a total of 10, otherwise known as a perfectly sized pod. Courtesy Kocomo Four bathrooms also means everyone can get their evening glam on. You may not be hitting the clubs these days, but since weve convinced you that a private chef is a need, not a want, it might be time to dust off your very bored party clothes. Courtesy Kocomo Mexican minimalism is all about adobe-colored walls that let the natural light and natural views spice up the place. Me encanta. Courtesy Kocomo You may think that your penthouse quarters are the tallest thing in the building, but you would be wrong. That honor goes to your own private pool, which is on the roof of the penthouse. Fancy a little sky-high swim? Courtesy Kocomo A hammock is obligatory on any Caribbean vacation, so you wont be surprised to find this swinging beauty here. But Casa Sol gets extra points for putting our favorite napping chair in such a dreamy location. Courtesy Kocomo If you get a little bored of living the life of luxury in your private quarterseat, swim, nap, repeatthere is another nearby option for you to get the full Tulum experience (think massages and yoga) without braving the trendy public beaches. This property is across the street from Holistika Tulum, a wellness hotel that welcomes all Casa Sol guests. Courtesy Kocomo Now is the perfect time for us to remind you of the next line of The Chicks Wide Open Spaces chorusour protagonist needs those breezy expanses so she has room to make her big mistakes. And as everyone knows, most big mistakes start right here, at the (in-home) bar with a bottle of mezcal. Courtesy Kocomo If the past two years have you craving a little more permanence in a chaotic life, then maybe a week-long stay at Casa Sol wont cut it. No worriestheres another option for you. Thanks to the company, Kocomo, this space is also open to new co-owners-cum-investors (think a timeshare) for the paltry sum of a little over $100k. Thats just a dip in the Santa money bucket, right? (We wish!) Courtesy Kocomo With this view, we assume that even the birds will be jealous of your vacation, though maybe not as jealous as all the rest of your friends and family who have been stuck in place for the past two years. You might want to extend that vacay another couple days to make sure you have time to firmly secure your shield against stink eyes before your return. Book Your Stay: Casa Sol, Tulum, Mexico: $1,200/night via Airbnb Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. The city of Napa is working on a legislative platform for 2022 that would better define the citys priorities to bring in more federal funding to specific areas, such as housing or infrastructure, in the future. The citys suggested priority areas include: preserving and enhancing local control and local revenues; housing opportunities for all income levels, including for those experiencing homelessness; pandemic recovery and economic development; investments in infrastructure; and maintaining a healthy and sustainable environment and community. The list of priority areas was presented to the Napa City Council in December, but the council will vote to approve priority areas at a future meeting. Molly Rattigan, assistant to the city manager, said the list was developed in partnership with consultant Merchant McIntyre & Associates, a federal relations advocacy firm the citys been working with since October 2020. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Special offer: Subscribe for $4.99 for yo This really serves as the guidance on where the city of Napa is putting its legislative capital, for lack of a better word, Rattigan said. Over roughly the past year, the firm has provided federal advocacy and helped the city prepare federal grant applications, Rattigan added. She said that though the firm doesn't provide representation at the state level, the city is actively engaged with the League of California Cities and works closely with its two state representatives, Sen. Bill Dodd and Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry. Katie Peterson, a partner at the firm, highlighted two pending federal grants applications resulting from that work: a $75,000 grant to support the Napa Lighted Arts Festival from the National Endowment for the Arts, and a $100,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for firefighter training and health testing. Peterson added that the firm also worked with Rep. Mike Thompsons office to earmark $1.8 million for police radios, included in the Fiscal Year 2022 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related agencies bill, which passed in July. Peterson said the legislative platform needs to focus on specific areas because it is supposed to clarify the citys priorities to Congress and therefore improve local quality of life. The purpose, the primary directive of the legislative platform, is not to solve or advocate for every issue under the sun on behalf of the city, Peterson said. Its very much to establish key official city positions on clearly stated legislative issues. The Napa councilmembers broadly agreed that the recommended legislative priorities align with city council goals. Councilmember Beth Painter said the specific language of the areas is highly important. Among other suggestions, she recommended the word safe be added to the healthy and sustainable environment and community item because the council has stated the importance of promoting pedestrian and bike safety. Painter also suggested that disaster recovery be added to the pandemic recovery item because the city doesnt know when the next disaster, beyond the pandemic, is going to strike. Napa resident Maureen Trippe an organizer of the local Slow Down Napa movement said shed also like to see some consideration for transportation safety in the platform, which could include such measures as traffic calming, speeding, building safe routes to school or other safety-related categories. Rattigan said the city would still have room to work outside of the legislative platform, if needed, and that needs that go beyond the areas identified in the platform will certainly rise. There are always going to be things that come up that are outside of the scope of the legislative platform, Rattigan said. Like I said, you can never fully predict whats going to be proposed. So we will keep our eye on that as well. If there are issues that may not fall within the scope and they need to come back to the council, theres of course the mechanism to do so if needed. One of Daniel Andrews' most vocal and mysterious supporters has criticised the Victorian government as the state records a major spike in Covid cases. The anonymous Twitter account PRGuy17 has become a high-profile defender of Mr Andrews throughout the pandemic, even though no one knows who runs it. The account has gained more than 45,000 followers with what has been described by some media outlets as his 'knack for making pro-Dan and anti-Liberal hashtags trend.' But on New Year's Eve, PRGuy17 dramatically broke with Mr Andrews' government - suggesting he would object if the government follows the national cabinet's relaxation of close contact and isolation rules. One of Daniel Andrews' most vocal supporters has criticised the Victorian Premier's government as the state experiences major Covid case spikes and Mr Andrews celebrates his 23rd wedding anniversary (pictured, photo uploaded by Mr Andrews to celebrate his anniversary) Anonymous Twitter account PRGuy17 has been a prolific defender of Mr Andrews throughout the pandemic, gaining more than 45,000 followers with what is described by some media outlets as his 'knack for making pro-Dan and anti-Liberal hashtags trend on Twitter' 'I don't criticise the Victorian Government often, but if Victoria has been consigned to Scott Morrison's lemmings plan to stop people having a reasonable understanding of whether they need to test and isolate, then an explanation is urgently required,' PRGuy tweeted. The definition of a close contact was changed in most states following a national cabinet meeting on Thursday. A close contact is now defined as a person who has spent at least four hours in a household or a care facility with a positive case. Workplaces do not count. As of Friday, close contacts will not need to receive a rapid antigen test on day six, if they are asymptomatic. Later, as a press conference with Health Minister Martin Foley was streamed, PRGuy17 said he was left 'shaking my head.' '(It's the) first time I've felt like serious mistakes are being made.' 'There is a real downbeat mood at this presser. And it feels like good luck and God speed. The change in close contact rules comes as Covid-19 cases continue to surge in Victoria with the state recording 7,442 new infections and nine deaths on Saturday, with case numbers escalating throughout the week. The criticism of Mr Andrews comes as the state Premier sets his sights on a state election, scheduled at the end of this year. Mr Andrews last year faced civil war within his Labor government with rival factions threaten to rip the party apart in the wake of a mass exodus of sitting MPs. A close contact is now defined as a person who has spent at least four hours in a household or a care facility with a positive case. Workplaces do not count The change in definition comes as Covid-19 cases continue to surge in Victoria with the state recording 7,442 new infections and nine deaths on Saturday Seven MPs have confirmed they will be quitting Parliament at the next election, and a redraw of electoral map has created further rifts within the ranks. Bitter rows have broken out as Labor's Left and Right try to cherrypick the best seats for their candidates ahead of pre-selection battles. Others face being unseated by Labor's National Executive in an alleged cull of Mr Andrews' internal enemies ahead of the election. Amid the changing alliances one person has remained a strong supporter of Mr Andrews with his wife Catherine standing by his side throughout the ups and downs. The pair celebrated their 23rd wedding anniversary on the weekend with Mr Andrews posting a loved-up photo of the pair to Twitter on Friday. '23 years ago I said "I do" to the love of my life - and I love her more every day,' Mr Andrews wrote. 'Happy anniversary, Cath.' After public complaints, the Malaysian police closed a Bitcoin mining business and seized 1,720 Bitcoin mining machines in a major power theft crackdown. The police inspected 75 locations around the area, and 30 of them were found to be engaged in illegal bitcoin mining activities and electricity theft. Malaysian authorities shut down Bitcoin mining operations According to local media reports, the Malaysian police cracked down on a major power theft involving Bitcoin mining. Perak State Police Chief Datuk Miofalida Rashwahid said at a press conference at the Manjung District Police Headquarters on Thursday that the crackdown was carried out after complaints from the public. The Chief of Police pointed out that the operation involved the National Energy Corporation (TNB) and Sitiawan Fire and Rescue Station. He explained: This operation is TNBs biggest success this year. He pointed out that according to TNB, the value of the stolen electricity was approximately 2 million ringgit (US$478,870). The police chief explained: The police inspected 75 places around the area and found that 30 of them were engaged in illegal bitcoin mining activities and electricity theft, adding: We seized 1,720 Bitcoin mining machines. In addition, the police also seized 15 monitors, 22 central processing units (CPUs), 16 keyboards, 7 mice, 56 modems and a laptop. He added: A Toyota Hilux, 44 exhaust fans, 5 alarms and 7 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras were also seized. Mior Faridalathrash explained that further investigations are ongoing to determine the mastermind behind the illegal Bitcoin mining activity and how long it lasted. The police also arrested a 28-year-old Ayer Tawar property manager on suspicion of engaging in illegal bitcoin mining activities and stealing electricity. The chief of police pointed out: The arrested man has been remanded for four days and is currently under investigation under Articles 379 and 427 of the Criminal Code and the Electricity Supply Act of 1990. In July, the Malaysian authorities Completely destroyed 1,069 Bitcoin mining machines with road rollers. These coins were confiscated earlier this year. What do you think of this case? Please let us know in the comments section below. Kevin Helms As an Austrian economics student, Kevin discovered Bitcoin in 2011 and has been an evangelist ever since. His interests lie in Bitcoin security, open source systems, network effects, and the intersection of economics and cryptography. Image Source: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wikimedia Commons Disclaimer: This article is for reference only. It is not a direct offer or invitation to buy or sell, nor is it a recommendation or endorsement of any product, service or company. Bitcoin Network Does not provide investment, tax, legal or accounting advice. The company or the author is not directly or indirectly responsible for any damage or loss caused or claimed to be caused by using or relying on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article. Beloved Emmy-winning actress and animal advocate Betty White turned 95 on Tuesday. To mark the occasion, the living legend sat down with Yahoos Katie Couric to share some of her secrets to living a long and fruitful life. I am the luckiest old broad on two feet, she acknowledged. See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Advertisement Snuggle often As a birthday gift, Couric brought White a stuffed sloth, which led to the revelation that the birthday girl has an entire room in her home dedicated to stuffed animals. Im a little strange for stuffed animals, said White. Im a little strange for any kind of animals. Except possibly the two-legged kind, joked White. Invest in a quality alarm clock When asked about a typical day in her life, White said she always gets up early, though in her case, she has a little help via a quick puppy kiss. [My dog] comes over and he lets me know when its 6:30, said White. Keep looking ahead Though married twice before, White got married for the last time in 1963 to television host Allen Ludden. The pair were happily wed until Luddens death from stomach cancer in 1981. Also a widow, having lost her first husband to colon cancer in 1998, Couric asked White if she had advice for women who found themselves in their position. One day at a time, White said, shaking her head. You dont look ahead. And you try not to look back. Of course, she smiled, you cant help that. And did she ever want to get married again? Remarry, no, she said. Fool around, sure! Keep busy White, who still has an active career in Hollywood she even hosted Saturday Night Live in 2010 stressed to Couric the importance of filling your time. Dont focus everything on you, advised White. That wears out pretty fast. Its not hard to find things youre interested in. Enjoy them. Indulge them. Beyond her professional work, White has spent her life committed to being an advocate for animal health and is known for her close relationship with the Los Angeles Zoo. libby.hill@latimes.com @midwestspitfire ALSO In honor of her 95th birthday, watch 10 of Betty Whites golden TV moments GoFundMe campaign warns 2016 to stay away from Betty White Sharing biblical stories and 100 years of life lessons with Kirk Douglas Heres what happens when Jerry Lewis isnt so hostile in an interview Old Hollywoods Lew Ayres served his country as a conscientious objector Ellie Goulding has admitted the last year has been the hardest of my life as she struggled with a kind of panic I didnt know existed. The chart-topping musician, who recently performed at the Duchess of Cambridges Christmas carol concert, said despite being able to escape her anxiety on stage she still felt crippled by it and broken inside. In an emotional and personal post on Instagram she urged those with similar feelings to talk about their struggles, something she described as the hardest, and the best thing you can do. Ive struggled daily, nightly, hourly, with a kind of panic I didnt know existed, she wrote. While the moments of being on stage in front of all of you have been some of the most exhilarating and calming, this year I have been struggling. If I was to think really hard about it, my anxiety has dictated a lot of my life and career, and I feel sad about that. But it has also made me who I am, and sometimes at my most terrified, when I feel that there is no escape from the sheer panic and dread in my heart and brain, I remind myself that I can feel. I feel so much and that is how I have got to this place in my life. The 35 year-old said she had decided to share the personal information on the final day of the year to reply to those who had often asked how she was doing. Ive been too scared to admit that the answer is, not very good, she said. I feel like something is broken inside something that has been echoed deeply by the few I have opened up to. This is something so, so many people have gone through, you may be going through right now, or might go through in future and I just wanted to say, and I have to remind myself all the time, that its not just you, its not just me. Crippled by anxiety. Goulding welcomed her son Arthur with art dealer husband Caspar Jopling in April 2021. On Christmas Eve she sang for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Kates Christmas carol concert, which was broadcast on ITV. She said that these experiences, along with making more music, had also made 2021 the best year of my life, and reminded fans that life is precious. The chart-topping musician recently performed at the Duchess of Cambridges carol concert on Christmas Eve (Ian West/ PA) I know many of you reading this feel this same pain and at the same time many of you wont have experienced it, but will most likely known someone who has struggled, she said. For those that are in this right now, were together and we can get through this most importantly, by talking. Talking and opening up is the hardest, and the best thing you can do. Life is a precious thing andI have so much love and energy for anyone going through this. Signing off she added: 2022 is going to be that bright year. Positive energy. Together. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE Six-term state Rep. Alonzo Baldonado announced his abrupt resignation from the New Mexico state House on Friday, saying it was time to step aside for new blood. Baldonado, a Los Lunas Republican, said he had been thinking about stepping down and almost didnt run for re-election in 2020. He ultimately ran and won, and the two-year term he was elected to runs through 2022. When I first ran in 2011, I knew I kind of had a self-imposed term limit, Baldonado told the Journal. Baldonado was the House GOP whip while Republicans held a majority in the 70-member chamber from 2015 through 2016. But Democrats retook control of the House in the 2016 general election and Baldonado cited frustration with the current party breakdown Democrats outnumber Republicans by a 45-24 margin, with one independent and Republicans inability to halt or help shape Democratic-backed bills. New Mexicos better when its balanced and I hope we get back to better numbers soon, Baldonado said. For now, Baldonado said he plans to focus on his work as a real estate broker. He did not rule out a future run for elected office, but no such campaign is currently in the works. Like some other legislators who have stepped down in recent years, Baldonado also cited the financial burden of serving in the nations only unsalaried Legislature. New Mexico lawmakers do get per diem payments intended to cover food and lodging expenses. Serving in the Legislature, you dont get paid I dont know if a lot of people know that, he said. During his 11 years in the House, Baldonado pushed unsuccessfully for legislation requiring parental notification before a minor could get an abortion. He also sponsored bills dealing with real estate issues, and hunting and fishing rules. Baldonado was also a supporter of Donald Trump even when some Republicans were still publicly wary of his presidential campaign, and helped introduce Trump at a campaign rally in Albuquerque in October 2016. Per the state Constitution, the Valencia County Commission will pick a replacement to serve out the year remaining on Baldonados term representing House District 8. The district stretches from Los Lunas to Belen, primarily along the west side of the Rio Grande. Its boundaries will shift farther east into Peralta under a new House map approved during a special session on redistricting in December. At least three incumbent state House members have also said they do not plan to seek reelection in 2022 Reps. Deborah Armstrong, D-Albuquerque; Daymon Ely, D-Corrales; and Rebecca Dow, R-Truth or Consequences. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE Six-term state Rep. Alonzo Baldonado announced his abrupt resignation from the New Mexico state House on Friday, saying it was time to step aside for new blood. Baldonado, a Los Lunas Republican, said he had been thinking about stepping down and almost didnt run for re-election in 2020. He ultimately ran and won, and the two-year term he was elected to runs through 2022. When I first ran in 2011, I knew I kind of had a self-imposed term limit, Baldonado told the Journal. Baldonado was the House GOP whip while Republicans held a majority in the 70-member chamber from 2015 through 2016. But Democrats retook control of the House in the 2016 general election and Baldonado cited frustration with the current party breakdown Democrats outnumber Republicans by a 45-24 margin, with one independent and Republicans inability to halt or help shape Democratic-backed bills. New Mexicos better when its balanced and I hope we get back to better numbers soon, Baldonado said. For now, Baldonado said he plans to focus on his work as a real estate broker. He did not rule out a future run for elected office, but no such campaign is currently in the works. Like some other legislators who have stepped down in recent years, Baldonado also cited the financial burden of serving in the nations only unsalaried Legislature. New Mexico lawmakers do get per diem payments intended to cover food and lodging expenses. Serving in the Legislature, you dont get paid I dont know if a lot of people know that, he said. During his 11 years in the House, Baldonado pushed unsuccessfully for legislation requiring parental notification before a minor could get an abortion. He also sponsored bills dealing with real estate issues, and hunting and fishing rules. Baldonado was also a supporter of Donald Trump even when some Republicans were still publicly wary of his presidential campaign, and helped introduce Trump at a campaign rally in Albuquerque in October 2016. Per the state Constitution, the Valencia County Commission will pick a replacement to serve out the year remaining on Baldonados term representing House District 8. The district stretches from Los Lunas to Belen, primarily along the west side of the Rio Grande. Its boundaries will shift farther east into Peralta under a new House map approved during a special session on redistricting in December. At least three incumbent state House members have also said they do not plan to seek reelection in 2022 Reps. Deborah Armstrong, D-Albuquerque; Daymon Ely, D-Corrales; and Rebecca Dow, R-Truth or Consequences. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE Six-term state Rep. Alonzo Baldonado announced his abrupt resignation from the New Mexico state House on Friday, saying it was time to step aside for new blood. Baldonado, a Los Lunas Republican, said he had been thinking about stepping down and almost didnt run for re-election in 2020. He ultimately ran and won, and the two-year term he was elected to runs through 2022. When I first ran in 2011, I knew I kind of had a self-imposed term limit, Baldonado told the Journal. Baldonado was the House GOP whip while Republicans held a majority in the 70-member chamber from 2015 through 2016. But Democrats retook control of the House in the 2016 general election and Baldonado cited frustration with the current party breakdown Democrats outnumber Republicans by a 45-24 margin, with one independent and Republicans inability to halt or help shape Democratic-backed bills. New Mexicos better when its balanced and I hope we get back to better numbers soon, Baldonado said. For now, Baldonado said he plans to focus on his work as a real estate broker. He did not rule out a future run for elected office, but no such campaign is currently in the works. Like some other legislators who have stepped down in recent years, Baldonado also cited the financial burden of serving in the nations only unsalaried Legislature. New Mexico lawmakers do get per diem payments intended to cover food and lodging expenses. Serving in the Legislature, you dont get paid I dont know if a lot of people know that, he said. During his 11 years in the House, Baldonado pushed unsuccessfully for legislation requiring parental notification before a minor could get an abortion. He also sponsored bills dealing with real estate issues, and hunting and fishing rules. Baldonado was also a supporter of Donald Trump even when some Republicans were still publicly wary of his presidential campaign, and helped introduce Trump at a campaign rally in Albuquerque in October 2016. Per the state Constitution, the Valencia County Commission will pick a replacement to serve out the year remaining on Baldonados term representing House District 8. The district stretches from Los Lunas to Belen, primarily along the west side of the Rio Grande. Its boundaries will shift farther east into Peralta under a new House map approved during a special session on redistricting in December. At least three incumbent state House members have also said they do not plan to seek reelection in 2022 Reps. Deborah Armstrong, D-Albuquerque; Daymon Ely, D-Corrales; and Rebecca Dow, R-Truth or Consequences. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE Six-term state Rep. Alonzo Baldonado announced his abrupt resignation from the New Mexico state House on Friday, saying it was time to step aside for new blood. Baldonado, a Los Lunas Republican, said he had been thinking about stepping down and almost didnt run for re-election in 2020. He ultimately ran and won, and the two-year term he was elected to runs through 2022. When I first ran in 2011, I knew I kind of had a self-imposed term limit, Baldonado told the Journal. Baldonado was the House GOP whip while Republicans held a majority in the 70-member chamber from 2015 through 2016. But Democrats retook control of the House in the 2016 general election and Baldonado cited frustration with the current party breakdown Democrats outnumber Republicans by a 45-24 margin, with one independent and Republicans inability to halt or help shape Democratic-backed bills. New Mexicos better when its balanced and I hope we get back to better numbers soon, Baldonado said. For now, Baldonado said he plans to focus on his work as a real estate broker. He did not rule out a future run for elected office, but no such campaign is currently in the works. Like some other legislators who have stepped down in recent years, Baldonado also cited the financial burden of serving in the nations only unsalaried Legislature. New Mexico lawmakers do get per diem payments intended to cover food and lodging expenses. Serving in the Legislature, you dont get paid I dont know if a lot of people know that, he said. During his 11 years in the House, Baldonado pushed unsuccessfully for legislation requiring parental notification before a minor could get an abortion. He also sponsored bills dealing with real estate issues, and hunting and fishing rules. Baldonado was also a supporter of Donald Trump even when some Republicans were still publicly wary of his presidential campaign, and helped introduce Trump at a campaign rally in Albuquerque in October 2016. Per the state Constitution, the Valencia County Commission will pick a replacement to serve out the year remaining on Baldonados term representing House District 8. The district stretches from Los Lunas to Belen, primarily along the west side of the Rio Grande. Its boundaries will shift farther east into Peralta under a new House map approved during a special session on redistricting in December. At least three incumbent state House members have also said they do not plan to seek reelection in 2022 Reps. Deborah Armstrong, D-Albuquerque; Daymon Ely, D-Corrales; and Rebecca Dow, R-Truth or Consequences. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE Six-term state Rep. Alonzo Baldonado announced his abrupt resignation from the New Mexico state House on Friday, saying it was time to step aside for new blood. Baldonado, a Los Lunas Republican, said he had been thinking about stepping down and almost didnt run for re-election in 2020. He ultimately ran and won, and the two-year term he was elected to runs through 2022. When I first ran in 2011, I knew I kind of had a self-imposed term limit, Baldonado told the Journal. Baldonado was the House GOP whip while Republicans held a majority in the 70-member chamber from 2015 through 2016. But Democrats retook control of the House in the 2016 general election and Baldonado cited frustration with the current party breakdown Democrats outnumber Republicans by a 45-24 margin, with one independent and Republicans inability to halt or help shape Democratic-backed bills. New Mexicos better when its balanced and I hope we get back to better numbers soon, Baldonado said. For now, Baldonado said he plans to focus on his work as a real estate broker. He did not rule out a future run for elected office, but no such campaign is currently in the works. Like some other legislators who have stepped down in recent years, Baldonado also cited the financial burden of serving in the nations only unsalaried Legislature. New Mexico lawmakers do get per diem payments intended to cover food and lodging expenses. Serving in the Legislature, you dont get paid I dont know if a lot of people know that, he said. During his 11 years in the House, Baldonado pushed unsuccessfully for legislation requiring parental notification before a minor could get an abortion. He also sponsored bills dealing with real estate issues, and hunting and fishing rules. Baldonado was also a supporter of Donald Trump even when some Republicans were still publicly wary of his presidential campaign, and helped introduce Trump at a campaign rally in Albuquerque in October 2016. Per the state Constitution, the Valencia County Commission will pick a replacement to serve out the year remaining on Baldonados term representing House District 8. The district stretches from Los Lunas to Belen, primarily along the west side of the Rio Grande. Its boundaries will shift farther east into Peralta under a new House map approved during a special session on redistricting in December. At least three incumbent state House members have also said they do not plan to seek reelection in 2022 Reps. Deborah Armstrong, D-Albuquerque; Daymon Ely, D-Corrales; and Rebecca Dow, R-Truth or Consequences. Former Afghan president Ashraf Ghani detailed fleeing the Taliban's triumphant march on Kabul on Thursday, saying the decision was made in "minutes" and that he didn't realise he was leaving the nation until he was about to take flight. Ghani told the BBC's "Today" show that he had "no idea" that the morning of August 15, 2021, when Islamists gained control of the city and his own administration came apart, would be his last day in Afghanistan. Security at the presidential palace, however, had "collapsed" by that afternoon, he claimed. "If I take a stand, they'll all be murdered, and they weren't capable of protecting me," Ghani stated in the interview, which was conducted by General Nick Carter, a former UK chief of defence staff. Hamdullah Mohib, his national security advisor, was "actually afraid," according to Ghani. "He didn't even give me two minutes." He said that his initial orders were to fly by helicopter to Khost city's southern outskirts. Khost, on the other hand, had fallen victim to the Islamists' lightning attack, which saw provincial capitals around the country fall in the days leading up to the international forces' planned pullout at the end of August. He also claimed that the eastern city of Jalalabad, on the Pakistani border, had fallen. "I had no idea where we were going," Ghani said. "It wasn't until we took off that we realised we were going." Since then, Ghani has resided in the United Arab Emirates. Afghans currently imprisoned under the Taliban's brutal rule accuse him of abandoning them and of collecting millions of dollars in cash, which he "categorically" refuted on Thursday. In prior statements about his departure, the former World Bank executive admitted that he owed the Afghan people an explanation. His first interview occurred on Thursday. He reiterated that my top priority had been to prevent horrific street fighting in the capital, which was already crowded with tens of thousands of refugees fleeing violence elsewhere in the nation. And he said that leaving was "the toughest thing" he had ever done. "I had to put my life on the line to defend Kabul and expose the situation for what it is: a violent coup rather than a political accord." He added that even if he had stayed, he couldn't have changed the outcome, which saw the Taliban establish their new dictatorship while the country faced one of the greatest humanitarian disasters in history. "Unfortunately, I was completely blacked out," he explained. "It became a national issue in the United States. This isn't an Afghan problem." He stated, "My life's work has been ruined, my ideals have been stomped on, and I've been made a scapegoat." He said that Afghans had "rightly" blamed him. "I absolutely understand your rage since I feel the same way." Taiwan's president warns the China against 'military adventurism' in New Year's address Tamil Nadu commences New Year with fresh COVID-19 restrictions Corona vaccination registration of 15-18 age group to begin today Former Afghan president Ashraf Ghani detailed fleeing the Taliban's triumphant march on Kabul on Thursday, saying the decision was made in "minutes" and that he didn't realise he was leaving the nation until he was about to take flight. Ghani told the BBC's "Today" show that he had "no idea" that the morning of August 15, 2021, when Islamists gained control of the city and his own administration came apart, would be his last day in Afghanistan. Security at the presidential palace, however, had "collapsed" by that afternoon, he claimed. "If I take a stand, they'll all be murdered, and they weren't capable of protecting me," Ghani stated in the interview, which was conducted by General Nick Carter, a former UK chief of defence staff. Hamdullah Mohib, his national security advisor, was "actually afraid," according to Ghani. "He didn't even give me two minutes." He said that his initial orders were to fly by helicopter to Khost city's southern outskirts. Khost, on the other hand, had fallen victim to the Islamists' lightning attack, which saw provincial capitals around the country fall in the days leading up to the international forces' planned pullout at the end of August. He also claimed that the eastern city of Jalalabad, on the Pakistani border, had fallen. "I had no idea where we were going," Ghani said. "It wasn't until we took off that we realised we were going." Since then, Ghani has resided in the United Arab Emirates. Afghans currently imprisoned under the Taliban's brutal rule accuse him of abandoning them and of collecting millions of dollars in cash, which he "categorically" refuted on Thursday. In prior statements about his departure, the former World Bank executive admitted that he owed the Afghan people an explanation. His first interview occurred on Thursday. He reiterated that my top priority had been to prevent horrific street fighting in the capital, which was already crowded with tens of thousands of refugees fleeing violence elsewhere in the nation. And he said that leaving was "the toughest thing" he had ever done. "I had to put my life on the line to defend Kabul and expose the situation for what it is: a violent coup rather than a political accord." He added that even if he had stayed, he couldn't have changed the outcome, which saw the Taliban establish their new dictatorship while the country faced one of the greatest humanitarian disasters in history. "Unfortunately, I was completely blacked out," he explained. "It became a national issue in the United States. This isn't an Afghan problem." He stated, "My life's work has been ruined, my ideals have been stomped on, and I've been made a scapegoat." He said that Afghans had "rightly" blamed him. "I absolutely understand your rage since I feel the same way." Taiwan's president warns the China against 'military adventurism' in New Year's address Tamil Nadu commences New Year with fresh COVID-19 restrictions Corona vaccination registration of 15-18 age group to begin today They were the great train robberies of Omaha and Council Bluffs. Either heist would make for a great movie. One had South Omaha schoolchildren finding the robbers roost and the schools janitors the stash. The other was the biggest mail-train robbery in the United States at the time. It was a Saturday night in May 1909. The Union Pacifics Overland Limited passenger train, which had a mail car, was eastbound to the old Union Station. The railroad was using its relatively new Lane Cut-Off, which Interstate 80 now follows between I-480 and I-680. As the train was approaching 42nd Street in the still-existing deep cut, five bandits stopped it. Two went to the engine cab to control the fireman and engineer and others entered the mail car. When a mail clerk handed one of them a mail sack, which contained nothing of value, the bandit tossed it aside and said, Hell, I dont want that sack. Wheres the Reno sack? How did he know among the seven pouches taken by his gang that some had originated in Reno, Nevada? None were destined for Omaha. There were three Omaha and Ogden, Utah, pouches destined for New York City, Washington and Chicago. The two Reno pouches were for Chicago and New York. There were two Pocatello and Portland pouches for Chicago and that citys northwest terminal. Most of the passengers were unaware of the robbery. The conductor had gone toward the engine as soon as the train stopped, but Youve come far enough and better go back, shouted one of the bandits. He fired a warning shot in the direction of the conductor, who retreated. The conductor then maintained calm by instructing the brakeman and porters that if asked, they were to tell the passengers that the train was tied up by a switch engine. John P. Maurer, however, was in the observation car and was wise to the unexpected stop. Having $486 on him, he jumped off the train and hid in the weeds until daylight and the sheriff took him into town. Several days later, Brown Park School students John Krolik and John Swoboda and 19-year-old Frank Kudrna separately found revolvers in a gulch near the school at 19th and U streets. Police found more evidence. They hid into the night and captured three of the five suspects when they returned to their lair. The next afternoon in the school attic, janitors John Vavra and A.R. Bentz found six large and two small mail sacks and other items stolen in the robbery. Since the haul had been less than $1,000, the bandits likely needed a place to stash the evidence. Those convicted of the robbery were Frank Grigware, Donald W. Woods, Fred Torgensen, Lawrence F. Golden and Bill Matthews. In 2014, the Spokane Spokesman-Review wrote that the five man all had ties to Spokane. They moved as a group to Hot Springs, Arkansas; Memphis; and Kansas City. Golden, Torgensen and Woods often disappeared, and their absences coincided with train robberies. Their last move together was to Omaha just weeks before the train robbery. Golden was four years into a life sentence when he was exonerated. President Wilson pardoned him. Grigwar escaped from federal prison in Leavenworth in 1910 in a jail break that used a hijacked supply train. He avoided capture until 1934, when he was arrested in Alberta for poaching while using the alias of Jim Fahey. The FBIs new international fingerprint exchange turned up a match. But he never was extradited, and he became a school board chairman and a small-town mayor before his death in 1977 at 91. As for the Brown Park preteen sleuths, John Krolik, John Swoboda, Harry Whitaker, John Patach and Anton Kubat (the last three had found an electric flash lantern tied to the crime) received rewards of $2,000 apiece. Krolik also was paid $131 to travel to Boise to assist in the identification of Matthews. Eleven years after the Union Pacific robbery, four men between 17 and 23 from Council Bluffs (and five persons who were accused of being accessories) engaged in a mail-car heist that eventually was reported as $3.5 million. At 6 p.m. Nov. 13, 1920, train number eight moved eastward between the Union Pacific Transfer and the Burlington Station six blocks away. As the train moved slowly through the transfer, three men in work clothes climbed on. Mearl Phillips, 20, a mail piler for the Burlington, knew the engineer, Alonzo Quinby of Creston, Iowa, and entered the cab to start a diversion conversation. Fred Poffenberger, 19, and Orville Phillips, 19, and Mearls brother, entered a storage mail car that had 130 sacks. Behind that car was one occupied by mail clerks. The getaway driver, in a stolen car, was Keith Collins, 23. Poffenberger and the younger Phillips tossed out sacks, which Collins gathered up. The total reached 10 by the time the train reached the station and Collins picked up the two men. But he missed one of the sacks, which railyard workers spotted. Thats how the robbery was discovered as the train continued toward Chicago. That night, the loot of securities (possibly including $500,000 in easily negotiable Liberty bonds) and $50,000 in 50 packages of $10 bills was divvied up. Collins kept five sacks and $25,000. The remaining four sacks and the other $25,000 went to the other three men. The Phillips brothers sacks were said to contain more than $432,000 in canceled securities. No one but Collins knew what his sacks held. They were skittish. They hoped for a few hundred dollars and hit a jackpot. They were desperate to hide the loot. A pack of $20s was dug up in a chicken yard. A handful of diamonds was found in a corner of an old kitchen because the men didnt recognize their value. Money was stashed in an old churn covered over with hogs lard, a secret hiding place under a stairway and in the manger of an old stable. The engineer had a hunch Mearl Phillips had diverted his attention for a reason and when the train reached Creston, Quinby told a Burlington special agent, You get Mearl Phillips. He knows all about that robbery. As most of the very amateurish gang was ratting out each other, Collins left town and a national manhunt began. He turned up at the home of an uncle near Westville, Oklahoma, two weeks after the robbery. His $25,000 was in a frying pan in his Council Bluffs home. Collins went to federal prison on a 25-year sentence. Poffenberger got 20 years, Orville Phillips 13. Eventually all but $2,565 of the $50,000 was recovered. None of the stolen securities turned up and many likely were burned. As for the Liberty bonds, lore has it that they were thrown off the old Douglas Street bridge into the Missouri River. They were the great train robberies of Omaha and Council Bluffs. Either heist would make for a great movie. One had South Omaha schoolchildren finding the robbers roost and the schools janitors the stash. The other was the biggest mail-train robbery in the United States at the time. It was a Saturday night in May 1909. The Union Pacifics Overland Limited passenger train, which had a mail car, was eastbound to the old Union Station. The railroad was using its relatively new Lane Cut-Off, which Interstate 80 now follows between I-480 and I-680. As the train was approaching 42nd Street in the still-existing deep cut, five bandits stopped it. Two went to the engine cab to control the fireman and engineer and others entered the mail car. When a mail clerk handed one of them a mail sack, which contained nothing of value, the bandit tossed it aside and said, Hell, I dont want that sack. Wheres the Reno sack? How did he know among the seven pouches taken by his gang that some had originated in Reno, Nevada? None were destined for Omaha. There were three Omaha and Ogden, Utah, pouches destined for New York City, Washington and Chicago. The two Reno pouches were for Chicago and New York. There were two Pocatello and Portland pouches for Chicago and that citys northwest terminal. Most of the passengers were unaware of the robbery. The conductor had gone toward the engine as soon as the train stopped, but Youve come far enough and better go back, shouted one of the bandits. He fired a warning shot in the direction of the conductor, who retreated. The conductor then maintained calm by instructing the brakeman and porters that if asked, they were to tell the passengers that the train was tied up by a switch engine. John P. Maurer, however, was in the observation car and was wise to the unexpected stop. Having $486 on him, he jumped off the train and hid in the weeds until daylight and the sheriff took him into town. Several days later, Brown Park School students John Krolik and John Swoboda and 19-year-old Frank Kudrna separately found revolvers in a gulch near the school at 19th and U streets. Police found more evidence. They hid into the night and captured three of the five suspects when they returned to their lair. The next afternoon in the school attic, janitors John Vavra and A.R. Bentz found six large and two small mail sacks and other items stolen in the robbery. Since the haul had been less than $1,000, the bandits likely needed a place to stash the evidence. Those convicted of the robbery were Frank Grigware, Donald W. Woods, Fred Torgensen, Lawrence F. Golden and Bill Matthews. In 2014, the Spokane Spokesman-Review wrote that the five man all had ties to Spokane. They moved as a group to Hot Springs, Arkansas; Memphis; and Kansas City. Golden, Torgensen and Woods often disappeared, and their absences coincided with train robberies. Their last move together was to Omaha just weeks before the train robbery. Golden was four years into a life sentence when he was exonerated. President Wilson pardoned him. Grigwar escaped from federal prison in Leavenworth in 1910 in a jail break that used a hijacked supply train. He avoided capture until 1934, when he was arrested in Alberta for poaching while using the alias of Jim Fahey. The FBIs new international fingerprint exchange turned up a match. But he never was extradited, and he became a school board chairman and a small-town mayor before his death in 1977 at 91. As for the Brown Park preteen sleuths, John Krolik, John Swoboda, Harry Whitaker, John Patach and Anton Kubat (the last three had found an electric flash lantern tied to the crime) received rewards of $2,000 apiece. Krolik also was paid $131 to travel to Boise to assist in the identification of Matthews. Eleven years after the Union Pacific robbery, four men between 17 and 23 from Council Bluffs (and five persons who were accused of being accessories) engaged in a mail-car heist that eventually was reported as $3.5 million. At 6 p.m. Nov. 13, 1920, train number eight moved eastward between the Union Pacific Transfer and the Burlington Station six blocks away. As the train moved slowly through the transfer, three men in work clothes climbed on. Mearl Phillips, 20, a mail piler for the Burlington, knew the engineer, Alonzo Quinby of Creston, Iowa, and entered the cab to start a diversion conversation. Fred Poffenberger, 19, and Orville Phillips, 19, and Mearls brother, entered a storage mail car that had 130 sacks. Behind that car was one occupied by mail clerks. The getaway driver, in a stolen car, was Keith Collins, 23. Poffenberger and the younger Phillips tossed out sacks, which Collins gathered up. The total reached 10 by the time the train reached the station and Collins picked up the two men. But he missed one of the sacks, which railyard workers spotted. Thats how the robbery was discovered as the train continued toward Chicago. That night, the loot of securities (possibly including $500,000 in easily negotiable Liberty bonds) and $50,000 in 50 packages of $10 bills was divvied up. Collins kept five sacks and $25,000. The remaining four sacks and the other $25,000 went to the other three men. The Phillips brothers sacks were said to contain more than $432,000 in canceled securities. No one but Collins knew what his sacks held. They were skittish. They hoped for a few hundred dollars and hit a jackpot. They were desperate to hide the loot. A pack of $20s was dug up in a chicken yard. A handful of diamonds was found in a corner of an old kitchen because the men didnt recognize their value. Money was stashed in an old churn covered over with hogs lard, a secret hiding place under a stairway and in the manger of an old stable. The engineer had a hunch Mearl Phillips had diverted his attention for a reason and when the train reached Creston, Quinby told a Burlington special agent, You get Mearl Phillips. He knows all about that robbery. As most of the very amateurish gang was ratting out each other, Collins left town and a national manhunt began. He turned up at the home of an uncle near Westville, Oklahoma, two weeks after the robbery. His $25,000 was in a frying pan in his Council Bluffs home. Collins went to federal prison on a 25-year sentence. Poffenberger got 20 years, Orville Phillips 13. Eventually all but $2,565 of the $50,000 was recovered. None of the stolen securities turned up and many likely were burned. As for the Liberty bonds, lore has it that they were thrown off the old Douglas Street bridge into the Missouri River. RACINE It was a rare year for drownings. Five people died throughout summer and early fall 2021 in Lake Michigan off of Racines shores: 10-year-old girl, a 17-year-old boy, a 14-year-old girl, a 40-year-old man and a 28-year-old man. The Great Lakes Surf Rescue, which tracks deaths in the Great Lakes, reported 83 drownings in 2021 in all of the Great Lakes combined as of Sept. 19. There had been 38 drownings that year in Lake Michigan, which is consistently the deadliest of the five lakes. Drownings are even rarer in public waters like Lake Michigan without a compounding factor, such as an unrelated medical event preceding a drowning. Never in the past four years prior to June has a drowning in Racine County been attributed to a rip current. But rip currents were a factor in at least the first three deaths, which occurred in June, according to the Racine County Medical Examiners Office. Officials have said its practically impossible to be prepared for a rip current since they can seemingly come out of nowhere. Riptides are very unpredictable, Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling said during a press conference June 22 following the first rash of tragedies. From July 2017 through June 2021, there have been 14 drowning deaths in Racine County, according to a report of accidental drownings provided to The Journal Times in June by the Racine County Medical Examiners Office. None of the other 11 drowning deaths in the past four years had been attributed to rip currents. Eisha Figuereo-Colon and Yaadwinder Singh Two youths struggled to stay afloat on the same day at adjacent Racine beaches, and after lifeguards were no longer on duty. The Racine County Communications Center received numerous 911 calls around 6:30 p.m. on June 19, about a 10-year-old girl possibly drowning in Lake Michigan off Zoo Beach. Lifeguard shifts ended at 6 p.m. Police and fire responders were dispatched from multiple agencies within Racine County to assist, including the Racine County Sheriffs Boat Patrol, Racine County Dive Team, Racine Police Department, and Racine Fire Department. At about 6:54 p.m. the child was located, removed from the water, and transported by rescue personnel to an area hospital. The girl, Eisha Nahomey Figuereo-Colon of Racine, died that day at the hospital. She reportedly didnt know how to swim. An obituary described her as a very artistic young lady, she loved drawing, painting, music, and playing the keyboard. She will be remembered fondly for her great smile, outgoing personality, her positive spirit, and her great love for her family." Last week, in trying to make a happier holiday, the Racine Police Department, in partnership with the Blue Bear restaurant, surprised the immediate family members of Figuereo-Colon with gifts and a warm meal for the first Christmas since the loss of their sister and daughter. The day of Figuereo-Colons death, rescue personnel received another report of a possible drowning in Lake Michigan off North Beach at 6:35 p.m. that day. The Racine County Sheriffs Boat Patrol located the 17-year-old boy about 200 yards off the beach. The boy, identified as Yaadwinder Singh, an Oak Creek High School student from Franklin, was transported to the beach where he was assisted by rescue personnel and transported to an area hospital. He was first reported in critical condition but later died during the early-morning hours on June 21 from injuries consistent with drowning. It is with heavy hearts that our OCFSD community mourns the tragic loss of student Yaadwinder Singh, a June statement from the Oak Creek-Franklin School District said. Our sincerest condolences and sympathy go out to the families and friends affected by this tragedy. Trying to save lives In August, local teachers, the union for Racine firefighters and the Racine Founders Rotary Club teamed up, hoping to inspire safety in Racine's waters. Using about $10,000 in raised funds, 150 life preserver vests and 12 throw rings were placed at Racine's beaches. They are held in brightly colored boxes, built by Greg Kiriaki and Joe Pascucci, teachers at Park High School. We just hope that people will use them, Brian Turczynski, a member of the Racine Fire Department's dive team, said of the new life preserver vests. After the first drownings, Schmaling repeatedly called on the city to extend lifeguard hours to increase safety on the beach, while also calling on community members to be more aware of the dangers of the water especially to children. The City of Racine's 2022 budget includes money to pay six more lifeguards on its beaches next summer. As such, for the first time in recent memory, Zoo Beach will be staffed by lifeguards rather than only adjacent North Beach. Lily Limbert The same day Singh was pronounced dead, Lake Michigan claimed another victim. A 14-year-old Milwaukee County girl was pulled from Lake Michigan at North Beach June 21 and was taken to Childrens Hospital in Wauwatosa via Flight for Life for treatment. She died June 29. She was identified as Lily Limbert of Greendale. I think we are all still a little bit in shock and dont want to believe this is happening, Limberts aunt, Leslie Scott, told Patch.com in a July article. Our family has been through a lot, as many families have and do, but this is something I would have never predicted. According to the Racine County Sheriffs Office, Limbert had been pulled by a strong current into deeper water and into the rocks surrounding North Pier preceding her death, marking the third death attributed to rip currents. Thomas J. Walker Later in the summer, a 40-year-old man identified as Thomas J. Walker of Missouri died Aug. 22 after saving two children who were in distress in the water near the pier north of North Beach and Zoo Beach. Walker entered the water to save the children, who were related to him. The children got out of the water thanks to his help, but he was unable to escape. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An August statement from Walkers family said: He was a kind soul and an amazing uncle to his niece and nephews. And how we lost him is a testament to how great an uncle and all-around guy he was. (We) never met a person who didnt like him. He is missed greatly. Aric Michael Lantz On Oct. 6, someone walking along Pershing Park Drive found a body in the water. Racine County Medical Examiner Michael Payne confirmed in October that freshwater drowning was the cause of death and foul play was not suspected. The body was identified as that of Aric Michael Lantz, a 28-year-old man from Racine. Lantz had a young son, Carter Thomas Lantz. He had been missing since Sept. 29, according to a Facebook post from a loved one, and the Racine Police Department first received a report of him being missing on Oct. 2. Initial reports said it appears Lantzs body had been in the water for several days before he was seen by the person walking along Pershing Park Drive. Arics passing was a huge surprise to our entire family, an obituary read. He was a kindhearted individual that only wanted our family to be close. He was very talented and had a mind like no other. RACINE It was a rare year for drownings. Five people died throughout summer and early fall 2021 in Lake Michigan off of Racines shores: 10-year-old girl, a 17-year-old boy, a 14-year-old girl, a 40-year-old man and a 28-year-old man. The Great Lakes Surf Rescue, which tracks deaths in the Great Lakes, reported 83 drownings in 2021 in all of the Great Lakes combined as of Sept. 19. There had been 38 drownings that year in Lake Michigan, which is consistently the deadliest of the five lakes. Drownings are even rarer in public waters like Lake Michigan without a compounding factor, such as an unrelated medical event preceding a drowning. Never in the past four years prior to June has a drowning in Racine County been attributed to a rip current. But rip currents were a factor in at least the first three deaths, which occurred in June, according to the Racine County Medical Examiners Office. Officials have said its practically impossible to be prepared for a rip current since they can seemingly come out of nowhere. Riptides are very unpredictable, Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling said during a press conference June 22 following the first rash of tragedies. From July 2017 through June 2021, there have been 14 drowning deaths in Racine County, according to a report of accidental drownings provided to The Journal Times in June by the Racine County Medical Examiners Office. None of the other 11 drowning deaths in the past four years had been attributed to rip currents. Eisha Figuereo-Colon and Yaadwinder Singh Two youths struggled to stay afloat on the same day at adjacent Racine beaches, and after lifeguards were no longer on duty. The Racine County Communications Center received numerous 911 calls around 6:30 p.m. on June 19, about a 10-year-old girl possibly drowning in Lake Michigan off Zoo Beach. Lifeguard shifts ended at 6 p.m. Police and fire responders were dispatched from multiple agencies within Racine County to assist, including the Racine County Sheriffs Boat Patrol, Racine County Dive Team, Racine Police Department, and Racine Fire Department. At about 6:54 p.m. the child was located, removed from the water, and transported by rescue personnel to an area hospital. The girl, Eisha Nahomey Figuereo-Colon of Racine, died that day at the hospital. She reportedly didnt know how to swim. An obituary described her as a very artistic young lady, she loved drawing, painting, music, and playing the keyboard. She will be remembered fondly for her great smile, outgoing personality, her positive spirit, and her great love for her family." Last week, in trying to make a happier holiday, the Racine Police Department, in partnership with the Blue Bear restaurant, surprised the immediate family members of Figuereo-Colon with gifts and a warm meal for the first Christmas since the loss of their sister and daughter. The day of Figuereo-Colons death, rescue personnel received another report of a possible drowning in Lake Michigan off North Beach at 6:35 p.m. that day. The Racine County Sheriffs Boat Patrol located the 17-year-old boy about 200 yards off the beach. The boy, identified as Yaadwinder Singh, an Oak Creek High School student from Franklin, was transported to the beach where he was assisted by rescue personnel and transported to an area hospital. He was first reported in critical condition but later died during the early-morning hours on June 21 from injuries consistent with drowning. It is with heavy hearts that our OCFSD community mourns the tragic loss of student Yaadwinder Singh, a June statement from the Oak Creek-Franklin School District said. Our sincerest condolences and sympathy go out to the families and friends affected by this tragedy. Trying to save lives In August, local teachers, the union for Racine firefighters and the Racine Founders Rotary Club teamed up, hoping to inspire safety in Racine's waters. Using about $10,000 in raised funds, 150 life preserver vests and 12 throw rings were placed at Racine's beaches. They are held in brightly colored boxes, built by Greg Kiriaki and Joe Pascucci, teachers at Park High School. We just hope that people will use them, Brian Turczynski, a member of the Racine Fire Department's dive team, said of the new life preserver vests. After the first drownings, Schmaling repeatedly called on the city to extend lifeguard hours to increase safety on the beach, while also calling on community members to be more aware of the dangers of the water especially to children. The City of Racine's 2022 budget includes money to pay six more lifeguards on its beaches next summer. As such, for the first time in recent memory, Zoo Beach will be staffed by lifeguards rather than only adjacent North Beach. Lily Limbert The same day Singh was pronounced dead, Lake Michigan claimed another victim. A 14-year-old Milwaukee County girl was pulled from Lake Michigan at North Beach June 21 and was taken to Childrens Hospital in Wauwatosa via Flight for Life for treatment. She died June 29. She was identified as Lily Limbert of Greendale. I think we are all still a little bit in shock and dont want to believe this is happening, Limberts aunt, Leslie Scott, told Patch.com in a July article. Our family has been through a lot, as many families have and do, but this is something I would have never predicted. According to the Racine County Sheriffs Office, Limbert had been pulled by a strong current into deeper water and into the rocks surrounding North Pier preceding her death, marking the third death attributed to rip currents. Thomas J. Walker Later in the summer, a 40-year-old man identified as Thomas J. Walker of Missouri died Aug. 22 after saving two children who were in distress in the water near the pier north of North Beach and Zoo Beach. Walker entered the water to save the children, who were related to him. The children got out of the water thanks to his help, but he was unable to escape. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An August statement from Walkers family said: He was a kind soul and an amazing uncle to his niece and nephews. And how we lost him is a testament to how great an uncle and all-around guy he was. (We) never met a person who didnt like him. He is missed greatly. Aric Michael Lantz On Oct. 6, someone walking along Pershing Park Drive found a body in the water. Racine County Medical Examiner Michael Payne confirmed in October that freshwater drowning was the cause of death and foul play was not suspected. The body was identified as that of Aric Michael Lantz, a 28-year-old man from Racine. Lantz had a young son, Carter Thomas Lantz. He had been missing since Sept. 29, according to a Facebook post from a loved one, and the Racine Police Department first received a report of him being missing on Oct. 2. Initial reports said it appears Lantzs body had been in the water for several days before he was seen by the person walking along Pershing Park Drive. Arics passing was a huge surprise to our entire family, an obituary read. He was a kindhearted individual that only wanted our family to be close. He was very talented and had a mind like no other. They were the great train robberies of Omaha and Council Bluffs. Either heist would make for a great movie. One had South Omaha schoolchildren finding the robbers roost and the schools janitors the stash. The other was the biggest mail-train robbery in the United States at the time. It was a Saturday night in May 1909. The Union Pacifics Overland Limited passenger train, which had a mail car, was eastbound to the old Union Station. The railroad was using its relatively new Lane Cut-Off, which Interstate 80 now follows between I-480 and I-680. As the train was approaching 42nd Street in the still-existing deep cut, five bandits stopped it. Two went to the engine cab to control the fireman and engineer and others entered the mail car. When a mail clerk handed one of them a mail sack, which contained nothing of value, the bandit tossed it aside and said, Hell, I dont want that sack. Wheres the Reno sack? How did he know among the seven pouches taken by his gang that some had originated in Reno, Nevada? None were destined for Omaha. There were three Omaha and Ogden, Utah, pouches destined for New York City, Washington and Chicago. The two Reno pouches were for Chicago and New York. There were two Pocatello and Portland pouches for Chicago and that citys northwest terminal. Most of the passengers were unaware of the robbery. The conductor had gone toward the engine as soon as the train stopped, but Youve come far enough and better go back, shouted one of the bandits. He fired a warning shot in the direction of the conductor, who retreated. The conductor then maintained calm by instructing the brakeman and porters that if asked, they were to tell the passengers that the train was tied up by a switch engine. John P. Maurer, however, was in the observation car and was wise to the unexpected stop. Having $486 on him, he jumped off the train and hid in the weeds until daylight and the sheriff took him into town. Several days later, Brown Park School students John Krolik and John Swoboda and 19-year-old Frank Kudrna separately found revolvers in a gulch near the school at 19th and U streets. Police found more evidence. They hid into the night and captured three of the five suspects when they returned to their lair. The next afternoon in the school attic, janitors John Vavra and A.R. Bentz found six large and two small mail sacks and other items stolen in the robbery. Since the haul had been less than $1,000, the bandits likely needed a place to stash the evidence. Those convicted of the robbery were Frank Grigware, Donald W. Woods, Fred Torgensen, Lawrence F. Golden and Bill Matthews. In 2014, the Spokane Spokesman-Review wrote that the five man all had ties to Spokane. They moved as a group to Hot Springs, Arkansas; Memphis; and Kansas City. Golden, Torgensen and Woods often disappeared, and their absences coincided with train robberies. Their last move together was to Omaha just weeks before the train robbery. Golden was four years into a life sentence when he was exonerated. President Wilson pardoned him. Grigwar escaped from federal prison in Leavenworth in 1910 in a jail break that used a hijacked supply train. He avoided capture until 1934, when he was arrested in Alberta for poaching while using the alias of Jim Fahey. The FBIs new international fingerprint exchange turned up a match. But he never was extradited, and he became a school board chairman and a small-town mayor before his death in 1977 at 91. As for the Brown Park preteen sleuths, John Krolik, John Swoboda, Harry Whitaker, John Patach and Anton Kubat (the last three had found an electric flash lantern tied to the crime) received rewards of $2,000 apiece. Krolik also was paid $131 to travel to Boise to assist in the identification of Matthews. Eleven years after the Union Pacific robbery, four men between 17 and 23 from Council Bluffs (and five persons who were accused of being accessories) engaged in a mail-car heist that eventually was reported as $3.5 million. At 6 p.m. Nov. 13, 1920, train number eight moved eastward between the Union Pacific Transfer and the Burlington Station six blocks away. As the train moved slowly through the transfer, three men in work clothes climbed on. Mearl Phillips, 20, a mail piler for the Burlington, knew the engineer, Alonzo Quinby of Creston, Iowa, and entered the cab to start a diversion conversation. Fred Poffenberger, 19, and Orville Phillips, 19, and Mearls brother, entered a storage mail car that had 130 sacks. Behind that car was one occupied by mail clerks. The getaway driver, in a stolen car, was Keith Collins, 23. Poffenberger and the younger Phillips tossed out sacks, which Collins gathered up. The total reached 10 by the time the train reached the station and Collins picked up the two men. But he missed one of the sacks, which railyard workers spotted. Thats how the robbery was discovered as the train continued toward Chicago. That night, the loot of securities (possibly including $500,000 in easily negotiable Liberty bonds) and $50,000 in 50 packages of $10 bills was divvied up. Collins kept five sacks and $25,000. The remaining four sacks and the other $25,000 went to the other three men. The Phillips brothers sacks were said to contain more than $432,000 in canceled securities. No one but Collins knew what his sacks held. They were skittish. They hoped for a few hundred dollars and hit a jackpot. They were desperate to hide the loot. A pack of $20s was dug up in a chicken yard. A handful of diamonds was found in a corner of an old kitchen because the men didnt recognize their value. Money was stashed in an old churn covered over with hogs lard, a secret hiding place under a stairway and in the manger of an old stable. The engineer had a hunch Mearl Phillips had diverted his attention for a reason and when the train reached Creston, Quinby told a Burlington special agent, You get Mearl Phillips. He knows all about that robbery. As most of the very amateurish gang was ratting out each other, Collins left town and a national manhunt began. He turned up at the home of an uncle near Westville, Oklahoma, two weeks after the robbery. His $25,000 was in a frying pan in his Council Bluffs home. Collins went to federal prison on a 25-year sentence. Poffenberger got 20 years, Orville Phillips 13. Eventually all but $2,565 of the $50,000 was recovered. None of the stolen securities turned up and many likely were burned. As for the Liberty bonds, lore has it that they were thrown off the old Douglas Street bridge into the Missouri River. 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe They were the great train robberies of Omaha and Council Bluffs. Either heist would make for a great movie. One had South Omaha schoolchildren finding the robbers roost and the schools janitors the stash. The other was the biggest mail-train robbery in the United States at the time. It was a Saturday night in May 1909. The Union Pacifics Overland Limited passenger train, which had a mail car, was eastbound to the old Union Station. The railroad was using its relatively new Lane Cut-Off, which Interstate 80 now follows between I-480 and I-680. As the train was approaching 42nd Street in the still-existing deep cut, five bandits stopped it. Two went to the engine cab to control the fireman and engineer and others entered the mail car. When a mail clerk handed one of them a mail sack, which contained nothing of value, the bandit tossed it aside and said, Hell, I dont want that sack. Wheres the Reno sack? How did he know among the seven pouches taken by his gang that some had originated in Reno, Nevada? None were destined for Omaha. There were three Omaha and Ogden, Utah, pouches destined for New York City, Washington and Chicago. The two Reno pouches were for Chicago and New York. There were two Pocatello and Portland pouches for Chicago and that citys northwest terminal. Most of the passengers were unaware of the robbery. The conductor had gone toward the engine as soon as the train stopped, but Youve come far enough and better go back, shouted one of the bandits. He fired a warning shot in the direction of the conductor, who retreated. The conductor then maintained calm by instructing the brakeman and porters that if asked, they were to tell the passengers that the train was tied up by a switch engine. John P. Maurer, however, was in the observation car and was wise to the unexpected stop. Having $486 on him, he jumped off the train and hid in the weeds until daylight and the sheriff took him into town. Several days later, Brown Park School students John Krolik and John Swoboda and 19-year-old Frank Kudrna separately found revolvers in a gulch near the school at 19th and U streets. Police found more evidence. They hid into the night and captured three of the five suspects when they returned to their lair. The next afternoon in the school attic, janitors John Vavra and A.R. Bentz found six large and two small mail sacks and other items stolen in the robbery. Since the haul had been less than $1,000, the bandits likely needed a place to stash the evidence. Those convicted of the robbery were Frank Grigware, Donald W. Woods, Fred Torgensen, Lawrence F. Golden and Bill Matthews. In 2014, the Spokane Spokesman-Review wrote that the five man all had ties to Spokane. They moved as a group to Hot Springs, Arkansas; Memphis; and Kansas City. Golden, Torgensen and Woods often disappeared, and their absences coincided with train robberies. Their last move together was to Omaha just weeks before the train robbery. Golden was four years into a life sentence when he was exonerated. President Wilson pardoned him. Grigwar escaped from federal prison in Leavenworth in 1910 in a jail break that used a hijacked supply train. He avoided capture until 1934, when he was arrested in Alberta for poaching while using the alias of Jim Fahey. The FBIs new international fingerprint exchange turned up a match. But he never was extradited, and he became a school board chairman and a small-town mayor before his death in 1977 at 91. As for the Brown Park preteen sleuths, John Krolik, John Swoboda, Harry Whitaker, John Patach and Anton Kubat (the last three had found an electric flash lantern tied to the crime) received rewards of $2,000 apiece. Krolik also was paid $131 to travel to Boise to assist in the identification of Matthews. Eleven years after the Union Pacific robbery, four men between 17 and 23 from Council Bluffs (and five persons who were accused of being accessories) engaged in a mail-car heist that eventually was reported as $3.5 million. At 6 p.m. Nov. 13, 1920, train number eight moved eastward between the Union Pacific Transfer and the Burlington Station six blocks away. As the train moved slowly through the transfer, three men in work clothes climbed on. Mearl Phillips, 20, a mail piler for the Burlington, knew the engineer, Alonzo Quinby of Creston, Iowa, and entered the cab to start a diversion conversation. Fred Poffenberger, 19, and Orville Phillips, 19, and Mearls brother, entered a storage mail car that had 130 sacks. Behind that car was one occupied by mail clerks. The getaway driver, in a stolen car, was Keith Collins, 23. Poffenberger and the younger Phillips tossed out sacks, which Collins gathered up. The total reached 10 by the time the train reached the station and Collins picked up the two men. But he missed one of the sacks, which railyard workers spotted. Thats how the robbery was discovered as the train continued toward Chicago. That night, the loot of securities (possibly including $500,000 in easily negotiable Liberty bonds) and $50,000 in 50 packages of $10 bills was divvied up. Collins kept five sacks and $25,000. The remaining four sacks and the other $25,000 went to the other three men. The Phillips brothers sacks were said to contain more than $432,000 in canceled securities. No one but Collins knew what his sacks held. They were skittish. They hoped for a few hundred dollars and hit a jackpot. They were desperate to hide the loot. A pack of $20s was dug up in a chicken yard. A handful of diamonds was found in a corner of an old kitchen because the men didnt recognize their value. Money was stashed in an old churn covered over with hogs lard, a secret hiding place under a stairway and in the manger of an old stable. The engineer had a hunch Mearl Phillips had diverted his attention for a reason and when the train reached Creston, Quinby told a Burlington special agent, You get Mearl Phillips. He knows all about that robbery. As most of the very amateurish gang was ratting out each other, Collins left town and a national manhunt began. He turned up at the home of an uncle near Westville, Oklahoma, two weeks after the robbery. His $25,000 was in a frying pan in his Council Bluffs home. Collins went to federal prison on a 25-year sentence. Poffenberger got 20 years, Orville Phillips 13. Eventually all but $2,565 of the $50,000 was recovered. None of the stolen securities turned up and many likely were burned. As for the Liberty bonds, lore has it that they were thrown off the old Douglas Street bridge into the Missouri River. They were the great train robberies of Omaha and Council Bluffs. Either heist would make for a great movie. One had South Omaha schoolchildren finding the robbers roost and the schools janitors the stash. The other was the biggest mail-train robbery in the United States at the time. It was a Saturday night in May 1909. The Union Pacifics Overland Limited passenger train, which had a mail car, was eastbound to the old Union Station. The railroad was using its relatively new Lane Cut-Off, which Interstate 80 now follows between I-480 and I-680. As the train was approaching 42nd Street in the still-existing deep cut, five bandits stopped it. Two went to the engine cab to control the fireman and engineer and others entered the mail car. When a mail clerk handed one of them a mail sack, which contained nothing of value, the bandit tossed it aside and said, Hell, I dont want that sack. Wheres the Reno sack? How did he know among the seven pouches taken by his gang that some had originated in Reno, Nevada? None were destined for Omaha. There were three Omaha and Ogden, Utah, pouches destined for New York City, Washington and Chicago. The two Reno pouches were for Chicago and New York. There were two Pocatello and Portland pouches for Chicago and that citys northwest terminal. Most of the passengers were unaware of the robbery. The conductor had gone toward the engine as soon as the train stopped, but Youve come far enough and better go back, shouted one of the bandits. He fired a warning shot in the direction of the conductor, who retreated. The conductor then maintained calm by instructing the brakeman and porters that if asked, they were to tell the passengers that the train was tied up by a switch engine. John P. Maurer, however, was in the observation car and was wise to the unexpected stop. Having $486 on him, he jumped off the train and hid in the weeds until daylight and the sheriff took him into town. Several days later, Brown Park School students John Krolik and John Swoboda and 19-year-old Frank Kudrna separately found revolvers in a gulch near the school at 19th and U streets. Police found more evidence. They hid into the night and captured three of the five suspects when they returned to their lair. The next afternoon in the school attic, janitors John Vavra and A.R. Bentz found six large and two small mail sacks and other items stolen in the robbery. Since the haul had been less than $1,000, the bandits likely needed a place to stash the evidence. Those convicted of the robbery were Frank Grigware, Donald W. Woods, Fred Torgensen, Lawrence F. Golden and Bill Matthews. In 2014, the Spokane Spokesman-Review wrote that the five man all had ties to Spokane. They moved as a group to Hot Springs, Arkansas; Memphis; and Kansas City. Golden, Torgensen and Woods often disappeared, and their absences coincided with train robberies. Their last move together was to Omaha just weeks before the train robbery. Golden was four years into a life sentence when he was exonerated. President Wilson pardoned him. Grigwar escaped from federal prison in Leavenworth in 1910 in a jail break that used a hijacked supply train. He avoided capture until 1934, when he was arrested in Alberta for poaching while using the alias of Jim Fahey. The FBIs new international fingerprint exchange turned up a match. But he never was extradited, and he became a school board chairman and a small-town mayor before his death in 1977 at 91. As for the Brown Park preteen sleuths, John Krolik, John Swoboda, Harry Whitaker, John Patach and Anton Kubat (the last three had found an electric flash lantern tied to the crime) received rewards of $2,000 apiece. Krolik also was paid $131 to travel to Boise to assist in the identification of Matthews. Eleven years after the Union Pacific robbery, four men between 17 and 23 from Council Bluffs (and five persons who were accused of being accessories) engaged in a mail-car heist that eventually was reported as $3.5 million. At 6 p.m. Nov. 13, 1920, train number eight moved eastward between the Union Pacific Transfer and the Burlington Station six blocks away. As the train moved slowly through the transfer, three men in work clothes climbed on. Mearl Phillips, 20, a mail piler for the Burlington, knew the engineer, Alonzo Quinby of Creston, Iowa, and entered the cab to start a diversion conversation. Fred Poffenberger, 19, and Orville Phillips, 19, and Mearls brother, entered a storage mail car that had 130 sacks. Behind that car was one occupied by mail clerks. The getaway driver, in a stolen car, was Keith Collins, 23. Poffenberger and the younger Phillips tossed out sacks, which Collins gathered up. The total reached 10 by the time the train reached the station and Collins picked up the two men. But he missed one of the sacks, which railyard workers spotted. Thats how the robbery was discovered as the train continued toward Chicago. That night, the loot of securities (possibly including $500,000 in easily negotiable Liberty bonds) and $50,000 in 50 packages of $10 bills was divvied up. Collins kept five sacks and $25,000. The remaining four sacks and the other $25,000 went to the other three men. The Phillips brothers sacks were said to contain more than $432,000 in canceled securities. No one but Collins knew what his sacks held. They were skittish. They hoped for a few hundred dollars and hit a jackpot. They were desperate to hide the loot. A pack of $20s was dug up in a chicken yard. A handful of diamonds was found in a corner of an old kitchen because the men didnt recognize their value. Money was stashed in an old churn covered over with hogs lard, a secret hiding place under a stairway and in the manger of an old stable. The engineer had a hunch Mearl Phillips had diverted his attention for a reason and when the train reached Creston, Quinby told a Burlington special agent, You get Mearl Phillips. He knows all about that robbery. As most of the very amateurish gang was ratting out each other, Collins left town and a national manhunt began. He turned up at the home of an uncle near Westville, Oklahoma, two weeks after the robbery. His $25,000 was in a frying pan in his Council Bluffs home. Collins went to federal prison on a 25-year sentence. Poffenberger got 20 years, Orville Phillips 13. Eventually all but $2,565 of the $50,000 was recovered. None of the stolen securities turned up and many likely were burned. As for the Liberty bonds, lore has it that they were thrown off the old Douglas Street bridge into the Missouri River. They were the great train robberies of Omaha and Council Bluffs. Either heist would make for a great movie. One had South Omaha schoolchildren finding the robbers roost and the schools janitors the stash. The other was the biggest mail-train robbery in the United States at the time. It was a Saturday night in May 1909. The Union Pacifics Overland Limited passenger train, which had a mail car, was eastbound to the old Union Station. The railroad was using its relatively new Lane Cut-Off, which Interstate 80 now follows between I-480 and I-680. As the train was approaching 42nd Street in the still-existing deep cut, five bandits stopped it. Two went to the engine cab to control the fireman and engineer and others entered the mail car. When a mail clerk handed one of them a mail sack, which contained nothing of value, the bandit tossed it aside and said, Hell, I dont want that sack. Wheres the Reno sack? How did he know among the seven pouches taken by his gang that some had originated in Reno, Nevada? None were destined for Omaha. There were three Omaha and Ogden, Utah, pouches destined for New York City, Washington and Chicago. The two Reno pouches were for Chicago and New York. There were two Pocatello and Portland pouches for Chicago and that citys northwest terminal. Most of the passengers were unaware of the robbery. The conductor had gone toward the engine as soon as the train stopped, but Youve come far enough and better go back, shouted one of the bandits. He fired a warning shot in the direction of the conductor, who retreated. The conductor then maintained calm by instructing the brakeman and porters that if asked, they were to tell the passengers that the train was tied up by a switch engine. John P. Maurer, however, was in the observation car and was wise to the unexpected stop. Having $486 on him, he jumped off the train and hid in the weeds until daylight and the sheriff took him into town. Several days later, Brown Park School students John Krolik and John Swoboda and 19-year-old Frank Kudrna separately found revolvers in a gulch near the school at 19th and U streets. Police found more evidence. They hid into the night and captured three of the five suspects when they returned to their lair. The next afternoon in the school attic, janitors John Vavra and A.R. Bentz found six large and two small mail sacks and other items stolen in the robbery. Since the haul had been less than $1,000, the bandits likely needed a place to stash the evidence. Those convicted of the robbery were Frank Grigware, Donald W. Woods, Fred Torgensen, Lawrence F. Golden and Bill Matthews. In 2014, the Spokane Spokesman-Review wrote that the five man all had ties to Spokane. They moved as a group to Hot Springs, Arkansas; Memphis; and Kansas City. Golden, Torgensen and Woods often disappeared, and their absences coincided with train robberies. Their last move together was to Omaha just weeks before the train robbery. Golden was four years into a life sentence when he was exonerated. President Wilson pardoned him. Grigwar escaped from federal prison in Leavenworth in 1910 in a jail break that used a hijacked supply train. He avoided capture until 1934, when he was arrested in Alberta for poaching while using the alias of Jim Fahey. The FBIs new international fingerprint exchange turned up a match. But he never was extradited, and he became a school board chairman and a small-town mayor before his death in 1977 at 91. As for the Brown Park preteen sleuths, John Krolik, John Swoboda, Harry Whitaker, John Patach and Anton Kubat (the last three had found an electric flash lantern tied to the crime) received rewards of $2,000 apiece. Krolik also was paid $131 to travel to Boise to assist in the identification of Matthews. Eleven years after the Union Pacific robbery, four men between 17 and 23 from Council Bluffs (and five persons who were accused of being accessories) engaged in a mail-car heist that eventually was reported as $3.5 million. At 6 p.m. Nov. 13, 1920, train number eight moved eastward between the Union Pacific Transfer and the Burlington Station six blocks away. As the train moved slowly through the transfer, three men in work clothes climbed on. Mearl Phillips, 20, a mail piler for the Burlington, knew the engineer, Alonzo Quinby of Creston, Iowa, and entered the cab to start a diversion conversation. Fred Poffenberger, 19, and Orville Phillips, 19, and Mearls brother, entered a storage mail car that had 130 sacks. Behind that car was one occupied by mail clerks. The getaway driver, in a stolen car, was Keith Collins, 23. Poffenberger and the younger Phillips tossed out sacks, which Collins gathered up. The total reached 10 by the time the train reached the station and Collins picked up the two men. But he missed one of the sacks, which railyard workers spotted. Thats how the robbery was discovered as the train continued toward Chicago. That night, the loot of securities (possibly including $500,000 in easily negotiable Liberty bonds) and $50,000 in 50 packages of $10 bills was divvied up. Collins kept five sacks and $25,000. The remaining four sacks and the other $25,000 went to the other three men. The Phillips brothers sacks were said to contain more than $432,000 in canceled securities. No one but Collins knew what his sacks held. They were skittish. They hoped for a few hundred dollars and hit a jackpot. They were desperate to hide the loot. A pack of $20s was dug up in a chicken yard. A handful of diamonds was found in a corner of an old kitchen because the men didnt recognize their value. Money was stashed in an old churn covered over with hogs lard, a secret hiding place under a stairway and in the manger of an old stable. The engineer had a hunch Mearl Phillips had diverted his attention for a reason and when the train reached Creston, Quinby told a Burlington special agent, You get Mearl Phillips. He knows all about that robbery. As most of the very amateurish gang was ratting out each other, Collins left town and a national manhunt began. He turned up at the home of an uncle near Westville, Oklahoma, two weeks after the robbery. His $25,000 was in a frying pan in his Council Bluffs home. Collins went to federal prison on a 25-year sentence. Poffenberger got 20 years, Orville Phillips 13. Eventually all but $2,565 of the $50,000 was recovered. None of the stolen securities turned up and many likely were burned. As for the Liberty bonds, lore has it that they were thrown off the old Douglas Street bridge into the Missouri River. They were the great train robberies of Omaha and Council Bluffs. Either heist would make for a great movie. One had South Omaha schoolchildren finding the robbers roost and the schools janitors the stash. The other was the biggest mail-train robbery in the United States at the time. It was a Saturday night in May 1909. The Union Pacifics Overland Limited passenger train, which had a mail car, was eastbound to the old Union Station. The railroad was using its relatively new Lane Cut-Off, which Interstate 80 now follows between I-480 and I-680. As the train was approaching 42nd Street in the still-existing deep cut, five bandits stopped it. Two went to the engine cab to control the fireman and engineer and others entered the mail car. When a mail clerk handed one of them a mail sack, which contained nothing of value, the bandit tossed it aside and said, Hell, I dont want that sack. Wheres the Reno sack? How did he know among the seven pouches taken by his gang that some had originated in Reno, Nevada? None were destined for Omaha. There were three Omaha and Ogden, Utah, pouches destined for New York City, Washington and Chicago. The two Reno pouches were for Chicago and New York. There were two Pocatello and Portland pouches for Chicago and that citys northwest terminal. Most of the passengers were unaware of the robbery. The conductor had gone toward the engine as soon as the train stopped, but Youve come far enough and better go back, shouted one of the bandits. He fired a warning shot in the direction of the conductor, who retreated. The conductor then maintained calm by instructing the brakeman and porters that if asked, they were to tell the passengers that the train was tied up by a switch engine. John P. Maurer, however, was in the observation car and was wise to the unexpected stop. Having $486 on him, he jumped off the train and hid in the weeds until daylight and the sheriff took him into town. Several days later, Brown Park School students John Krolik and John Swoboda and 19-year-old Frank Kudrna separately found revolvers in a gulch near the school at 19th and U streets. Police found more evidence. They hid into the night and captured three of the five suspects when they returned to their lair. The next afternoon in the school attic, janitors John Vavra and A.R. Bentz found six large and two small mail sacks and other items stolen in the robbery. Since the haul had been less than $1,000, the bandits likely needed a place to stash the evidence. Those convicted of the robbery were Frank Grigware, Donald W. Woods, Fred Torgensen, Lawrence F. Golden and Bill Matthews. In 2014, the Spokane Spokesman-Review wrote that the five man all had ties to Spokane. They moved as a group to Hot Springs, Arkansas; Memphis; and Kansas City. Golden, Torgensen and Woods often disappeared, and their absences coincided with train robberies. Their last move together was to Omaha just weeks before the train robbery. Golden was four years into a life sentence when he was exonerated. President Wilson pardoned him. Grigwar escaped from federal prison in Leavenworth in 1910 in a jail break that used a hijacked supply train. He avoided capture until 1934, when he was arrested in Alberta for poaching while using the alias of Jim Fahey. The FBIs new international fingerprint exchange turned up a match. But he never was extradited, and he became a school board chairman and a small-town mayor before his death in 1977 at 91. As for the Brown Park preteen sleuths, John Krolik, John Swoboda, Harry Whitaker, John Patach and Anton Kubat (the last three had found an electric flash lantern tied to the crime) received rewards of $2,000 apiece. Krolik also was paid $131 to travel to Boise to assist in the identification of Matthews. Eleven years after the Union Pacific robbery, four men between 17 and 23 from Council Bluffs (and five persons who were accused of being accessories) engaged in a mail-car heist that eventually was reported as $3.5 million. At 6 p.m. Nov. 13, 1920, train number eight moved eastward between the Union Pacific Transfer and the Burlington Station six blocks away. As the train moved slowly through the transfer, three men in work clothes climbed on. Mearl Phillips, 20, a mail piler for the Burlington, knew the engineer, Alonzo Quinby of Creston, Iowa, and entered the cab to start a diversion conversation. Fred Poffenberger, 19, and Orville Phillips, 19, and Mearls brother, entered a storage mail car that had 130 sacks. Behind that car was one occupied by mail clerks. The getaway driver, in a stolen car, was Keith Collins, 23. Poffenberger and the younger Phillips tossed out sacks, which Collins gathered up. The total reached 10 by the time the train reached the station and Collins picked up the two men. But he missed one of the sacks, which railyard workers spotted. Thats how the robbery was discovered as the train continued toward Chicago. That night, the loot of securities (possibly including $500,000 in easily negotiable Liberty bonds) and $50,000 in 50 packages of $10 bills was divvied up. Collins kept five sacks and $25,000. The remaining four sacks and the other $25,000 went to the other three men. The Phillips brothers sacks were said to contain more than $432,000 in canceled securities. No one but Collins knew what his sacks held. They were skittish. They hoped for a few hundred dollars and hit a jackpot. They were desperate to hide the loot. A pack of $20s was dug up in a chicken yard. A handful of diamonds was found in a corner of an old kitchen because the men didnt recognize their value. Money was stashed in an old churn covered over with hogs lard, a secret hiding place under a stairway and in the manger of an old stable. The engineer had a hunch Mearl Phillips had diverted his attention for a reason and when the train reached Creston, Quinby told a Burlington special agent, You get Mearl Phillips. He knows all about that robbery. As most of the very amateurish gang was ratting out each other, Collins left town and a national manhunt began. He turned up at the home of an uncle near Westville, Oklahoma, two weeks after the robbery. His $25,000 was in a frying pan in his Council Bluffs home. Collins went to federal prison on a 25-year sentence. Poffenberger got 20 years, Orville Phillips 13. Eventually all but $2,565 of the $50,000 was recovered. None of the stolen securities turned up and many likely were burned. As for the Liberty bonds, lore has it that they were thrown off the old Douglas Street bridge into the Missouri River. They were the great train robberies of Omaha and Council Bluffs. Either heist would make for a great movie. One had South Omaha schoolchildren finding the robbers roost and the schools janitors the stash. The other was the biggest mail-train robbery in the United States at the time. It was a Saturday night in May 1909. The Union Pacifics Overland Limited passenger train, which had a mail car, was eastbound to the old Union Station. The railroad was using its relatively new Lane Cut-Off, which Interstate 80 now follows between I-480 and I-680. As the train was approaching 42nd Street in the still-existing deep cut, five bandits stopped it. Two went to the engine cab to control the fireman and engineer and others entered the mail car. When a mail clerk handed one of them a mail sack, which contained nothing of value, the bandit tossed it aside and said, Hell, I dont want that sack. Wheres the Reno sack? How did he know among the seven pouches taken by his gang that some had originated in Reno, Nevada? None were destined for Omaha. There were three Omaha and Ogden, Utah, pouches destined for New York City, Washington and Chicago. The two Reno pouches were for Chicago and New York. There were two Pocatello and Portland pouches for Chicago and that citys northwest terminal. Most of the passengers were unaware of the robbery. The conductor had gone toward the engine as soon as the train stopped, but Youve come far enough and better go back, shouted one of the bandits. He fired a warning shot in the direction of the conductor, who retreated. The conductor then maintained calm by instructing the brakeman and porters that if asked, they were to tell the passengers that the train was tied up by a switch engine. John P. Maurer, however, was in the observation car and was wise to the unexpected stop. Having $486 on him, he jumped off the train and hid in the weeds until daylight and the sheriff took him into town. Several days later, Brown Park School students John Krolik and John Swoboda and 19-year-old Frank Kudrna separately found revolvers in a gulch near the school at 19th and U streets. Police found more evidence. They hid into the night and captured three of the five suspects when they returned to their lair. The next afternoon in the school attic, janitors John Vavra and A.R. Bentz found six large and two small mail sacks and other items stolen in the robbery. Since the haul had been less than $1,000, the bandits likely needed a place to stash the evidence. Those convicted of the robbery were Frank Grigware, Donald W. Woods, Fred Torgensen, Lawrence F. Golden and Bill Matthews. In 2014, the Spokane Spokesman-Review wrote that the five man all had ties to Spokane. They moved as a group to Hot Springs, Arkansas; Memphis; and Kansas City. Golden, Torgensen and Woods often disappeared, and their absences coincided with train robberies. Their last move together was to Omaha just weeks before the train robbery. Golden was four years into a life sentence when he was exonerated. President Wilson pardoned him. Grigwar escaped from federal prison in Leavenworth in 1910 in a jail break that used a hijacked supply train. He avoided capture until 1934, when he was arrested in Alberta for poaching while using the alias of Jim Fahey. The FBIs new international fingerprint exchange turned up a match. But he never was extradited, and he became a school board chairman and a small-town mayor before his death in 1977 at 91. As for the Brown Park preteen sleuths, John Krolik, John Swoboda, Harry Whitaker, John Patach and Anton Kubat (the last three had found an electric flash lantern tied to the crime) received rewards of $2,000 apiece. Krolik also was paid $131 to travel to Boise to assist in the identification of Matthews. Eleven years after the Union Pacific robbery, four men between 17 and 23 from Council Bluffs (and five persons who were accused of being accessories) engaged in a mail-car heist that eventually was reported as $3.5 million. At 6 p.m. Nov. 13, 1920, train number eight moved eastward between the Union Pacific Transfer and the Burlington Station six blocks away. As the train moved slowly through the transfer, three men in work clothes climbed on. Mearl Phillips, 20, a mail piler for the Burlington, knew the engineer, Alonzo Quinby of Creston, Iowa, and entered the cab to start a diversion conversation. Fred Poffenberger, 19, and Orville Phillips, 19, and Mearls brother, entered a storage mail car that had 130 sacks. Behind that car was one occupied by mail clerks. The getaway driver, in a stolen car, was Keith Collins, 23. Poffenberger and the younger Phillips tossed out sacks, which Collins gathered up. The total reached 10 by the time the train reached the station and Collins picked up the two men. But he missed one of the sacks, which railyard workers spotted. Thats how the robbery was discovered as the train continued toward Chicago. That night, the loot of securities (possibly including $500,000 in easily negotiable Liberty bonds) and $50,000 in 50 packages of $10 bills was divvied up. Collins kept five sacks and $25,000. The remaining four sacks and the other $25,000 went to the other three men. The Phillips brothers sacks were said to contain more than $432,000 in canceled securities. No one but Collins knew what his sacks held. They were skittish. They hoped for a few hundred dollars and hit a jackpot. They were desperate to hide the loot. A pack of $20s was dug up in a chicken yard. A handful of diamonds was found in a corner of an old kitchen because the men didnt recognize their value. Money was stashed in an old churn covered over with hogs lard, a secret hiding place under a stairway and in the manger of an old stable. The engineer had a hunch Mearl Phillips had diverted his attention for a reason and when the train reached Creston, Quinby told a Burlington special agent, You get Mearl Phillips. He knows all about that robbery. As most of the very amateurish gang was ratting out each other, Collins left town and a national manhunt began. He turned up at the home of an uncle near Westville, Oklahoma, two weeks after the robbery. His $25,000 was in a frying pan in his Council Bluffs home. Collins went to federal prison on a 25-year sentence. Poffenberger got 20 years, Orville Phillips 13. Eventually all but $2,565 of the $50,000 was recovered. None of the stolen securities turned up and many likely were burned. As for the Liberty bonds, lore has it that they were thrown off the old Douglas Street bridge into the Missouri River. They were the great train robberies of Omaha and Council Bluffs. Either heist would make for a great movie. One had South Omaha schoolchildren finding the robbers roost and the schools janitors the stash. The other was the biggest mail-train robbery in the United States at the time. It was a Saturday night in May 1909. The Union Pacifics Overland Limited passenger train, which had a mail car, was eastbound to the old Union Station. The railroad was using its relatively new Lane Cut-Off, which Interstate 80 now follows between I-480 and I-680. As the train was approaching 42nd Street in the still-existing deep cut, five bandits stopped it. Two went to the engine cab to control the fireman and engineer and others entered the mail car. When a mail clerk handed one of them a mail sack, which contained nothing of value, the bandit tossed it aside and said, Hell, I dont want that sack. Wheres the Reno sack? How did he know among the seven pouches taken by his gang that some had originated in Reno, Nevada? None were destined for Omaha. There were three Omaha and Ogden, Utah, pouches destined for New York City, Washington and Chicago. The two Reno pouches were for Chicago and New York. There were two Pocatello and Portland pouches for Chicago and that citys northwest terminal. Most of the passengers were unaware of the robbery. The conductor had gone toward the engine as soon as the train stopped, but Youve come far enough and better go back, shouted one of the bandits. He fired a warning shot in the direction of the conductor, who retreated. The conductor then maintained calm by instructing the brakeman and porters that if asked, they were to tell the passengers that the train was tied up by a switch engine. John P. Maurer, however, was in the observation car and was wise to the unexpected stop. Having $486 on him, he jumped off the train and hid in the weeds until daylight and the sheriff took him into town. Several days later, Brown Park School students John Krolik and John Swoboda and 19-year-old Frank Kudrna separately found revolvers in a gulch near the school at 19th and U streets. Police found more evidence. They hid into the night and captured three of the five suspects when they returned to their lair. The next afternoon in the school attic, janitors John Vavra and A.R. Bentz found six large and two small mail sacks and other items stolen in the robbery. Since the haul had been less than $1,000, the bandits likely needed a place to stash the evidence. Those convicted of the robbery were Frank Grigware, Donald W. Woods, Fred Torgensen, Lawrence F. Golden and Bill Matthews. In 2014, the Spokane Spokesman-Review wrote that the five man all had ties to Spokane. They moved as a group to Hot Springs, Arkansas; Memphis; and Kansas City. Golden, Torgensen and Woods often disappeared, and their absences coincided with train robberies. Their last move together was to Omaha just weeks before the train robbery. Golden was four years into a life sentence when he was exonerated. President Wilson pardoned him. Grigwar escaped from federal prison in Leavenworth in 1910 in a jail break that used a hijacked supply train. He avoided capture until 1934, when he was arrested in Alberta for poaching while using the alias of Jim Fahey. The FBIs new international fingerprint exchange turned up a match. But he never was extradited, and he became a school board chairman and a small-town mayor before his death in 1977 at 91. As for the Brown Park preteen sleuths, John Krolik, John Swoboda, Harry Whitaker, John Patach and Anton Kubat (the last three had found an electric flash lantern tied to the crime) received rewards of $2,000 apiece. Krolik also was paid $131 to travel to Boise to assist in the identification of Matthews. Eleven years after the Union Pacific robbery, four men between 17 and 23 from Council Bluffs (and five persons who were accused of being accessories) engaged in a mail-car heist that eventually was reported as $3.5 million. At 6 p.m. Nov. 13, 1920, train number eight moved eastward between the Union Pacific Transfer and the Burlington Station six blocks away. As the train moved slowly through the transfer, three men in work clothes climbed on. Mearl Phillips, 20, a mail piler for the Burlington, knew the engineer, Alonzo Quinby of Creston, Iowa, and entered the cab to start a diversion conversation. Fred Poffenberger, 19, and Orville Phillips, 19, and Mearls brother, entered a storage mail car that had 130 sacks. Behind that car was one occupied by mail clerks. The getaway driver, in a stolen car, was Keith Collins, 23. Poffenberger and the younger Phillips tossed out sacks, which Collins gathered up. The total reached 10 by the time the train reached the station and Collins picked up the two men. But he missed one of the sacks, which railyard workers spotted. Thats how the robbery was discovered as the train continued toward Chicago. That night, the loot of securities (possibly including $500,000 in easily negotiable Liberty bonds) and $50,000 in 50 packages of $10 bills was divvied up. Collins kept five sacks and $25,000. The remaining four sacks and the other $25,000 went to the other three men. The Phillips brothers sacks were said to contain more than $432,000 in canceled securities. No one but Collins knew what his sacks held. They were skittish. They hoped for a few hundred dollars and hit a jackpot. They were desperate to hide the loot. A pack of $20s was dug up in a chicken yard. A handful of diamonds was found in a corner of an old kitchen because the men didnt recognize their value. Money was stashed in an old churn covered over with hogs lard, a secret hiding place under a stairway and in the manger of an old stable. The engineer had a hunch Mearl Phillips had diverted his attention for a reason and when the train reached Creston, Quinby told a Burlington special agent, You get Mearl Phillips. He knows all about that robbery. As most of the very amateurish gang was ratting out each other, Collins left town and a national manhunt began. He turned up at the home of an uncle near Westville, Oklahoma, two weeks after the robbery. His $25,000 was in a frying pan in his Council Bluffs home. Collins went to federal prison on a 25-year sentence. Poffenberger got 20 years, Orville Phillips 13. Eventually all but $2,565 of the $50,000 was recovered. None of the stolen securities turned up and many likely were burned. As for the Liberty bonds, lore has it that they were thrown off the old Douglas Street bridge into the Missouri River. They were the great train robberies of Omaha and Council Bluffs. Either heist would make for a great movie. One had South Omaha schoolchildren finding the robbers roost and the schools janitors the stash. The other was the biggest mail-train robbery in the United States at the time. It was a Saturday night in May 1909. The Union Pacifics Overland Limited passenger train, which had a mail car, was eastbound to the old Union Station. The railroad was using its relatively new Lane Cut-Off, which Interstate 80 now follows between I-480 and I-680. As the train was approaching 42nd Street in the still-existing deep cut, five bandits stopped it. Two went to the engine cab to control the fireman and engineer and others entered the mail car. When a mail clerk handed one of them a mail sack, which contained nothing of value, the bandit tossed it aside and said, Hell, I dont want that sack. Wheres the Reno sack? How did he know among the seven pouches taken by his gang that some had originated in Reno, Nevada? None were destined for Omaha. There were three Omaha and Ogden, Utah, pouches destined for New York City, Washington and Chicago. The two Reno pouches were for Chicago and New York. There were two Pocatello and Portland pouches for Chicago and that citys northwest terminal. Most of the passengers were unaware of the robbery. The conductor had gone toward the engine as soon as the train stopped, but Youve come far enough and better go back, shouted one of the bandits. He fired a warning shot in the direction of the conductor, who retreated. The conductor then maintained calm by instructing the brakeman and porters that if asked, they were to tell the passengers that the train was tied up by a switch engine. John P. Maurer, however, was in the observation car and was wise to the unexpected stop. Having $486 on him, he jumped off the train and hid in the weeds until daylight and the sheriff took him into town. Several days later, Brown Park School students John Krolik and John Swoboda and 19-year-old Frank Kudrna separately found revolvers in a gulch near the school at 19th and U streets. Police found more evidence. They hid into the night and captured three of the five suspects when they returned to their lair. The next afternoon in the school attic, janitors John Vavra and A.R. Bentz found six large and two small mail sacks and other items stolen in the robbery. Since the haul had been less than $1,000, the bandits likely needed a place to stash the evidence. Those convicted of the robbery were Frank Grigware, Donald W. Woods, Fred Torgensen, Lawrence F. Golden and Bill Matthews. In 2014, the Spokane Spokesman-Review wrote that the five man all had ties to Spokane. They moved as a group to Hot Springs, Arkansas; Memphis; and Kansas City. Golden, Torgensen and Woods often disappeared, and their absences coincided with train robberies. Their last move together was to Omaha just weeks before the train robbery. Golden was four years into a life sentence when he was exonerated. President Wilson pardoned him. Grigwar escaped from federal prison in Leavenworth in 1910 in a jail break that used a hijacked supply train. He avoided capture until 1934, when he was arrested in Alberta for poaching while using the alias of Jim Fahey. The FBIs new international fingerprint exchange turned up a match. But he never was extradited, and he became a school board chairman and a small-town mayor before his death in 1977 at 91. As for the Brown Park preteen sleuths, John Krolik, John Swoboda, Harry Whitaker, John Patach and Anton Kubat (the last three had found an electric flash lantern tied to the crime) received rewards of $2,000 apiece. Krolik also was paid $131 to travel to Boise to assist in the identification of Matthews. Eleven years after the Union Pacific robbery, four men between 17 and 23 from Council Bluffs (and five persons who were accused of being accessories) engaged in a mail-car heist that eventually was reported as $3.5 million. At 6 p.m. Nov. 13, 1920, train number eight moved eastward between the Union Pacific Transfer and the Burlington Station six blocks away. As the train moved slowly through the transfer, three men in work clothes climbed on. Mearl Phillips, 20, a mail piler for the Burlington, knew the engineer, Alonzo Quinby of Creston, Iowa, and entered the cab to start a diversion conversation. Fred Poffenberger, 19, and Orville Phillips, 19, and Mearls brother, entered a storage mail car that had 130 sacks. Behind that car was one occupied by mail clerks. The getaway driver, in a stolen car, was Keith Collins, 23. Poffenberger and the younger Phillips tossed out sacks, which Collins gathered up. The total reached 10 by the time the train reached the station and Collins picked up the two men. But he missed one of the sacks, which railyard workers spotted. Thats how the robbery was discovered as the train continued toward Chicago. That night, the loot of securities (possibly including $500,000 in easily negotiable Liberty bonds) and $50,000 in 50 packages of $10 bills was divvied up. Collins kept five sacks and $25,000. The remaining four sacks and the other $25,000 went to the other three men. The Phillips brothers sacks were said to contain more than $432,000 in canceled securities. No one but Collins knew what his sacks held. They were skittish. They hoped for a few hundred dollars and hit a jackpot. They were desperate to hide the loot. A pack of $20s was dug up in a chicken yard. A handful of diamonds was found in a corner of an old kitchen because the men didnt recognize their value. Money was stashed in an old churn covered over with hogs lard, a secret hiding place under a stairway and in the manger of an old stable. The engineer had a hunch Mearl Phillips had diverted his attention for a reason and when the train reached Creston, Quinby told a Burlington special agent, You get Mearl Phillips. He knows all about that robbery. As most of the very amateurish gang was ratting out each other, Collins left town and a national manhunt began. He turned up at the home of an uncle near Westville, Oklahoma, two weeks after the robbery. His $25,000 was in a frying pan in his Council Bluffs home. Collins went to federal prison on a 25-year sentence. Poffenberger got 20 years, Orville Phillips 13. Eventually all but $2,565 of the $50,000 was recovered. None of the stolen securities turned up and many likely were burned. As for the Liberty bonds, lore has it that they were thrown off the old Douglas Street bridge into the Missouri River. They were the great train robberies of Omaha and Council Bluffs. Either heist would make for a great movie. One had South Omaha schoolchildren finding the robbers roost and the schools janitors the stash. The other was the biggest mail-train robbery in the United States at the time. It was a Saturday night in May 1909. The Union Pacifics Overland Limited passenger train, which had a mail car, was eastbound to the old Union Station. The railroad was using its relatively new Lane Cut-Off, which Interstate 80 now follows between I-480 and I-680. As the train was approaching 42nd Street in the still-existing deep cut, five bandits stopped it. Two went to the engine cab to control the fireman and engineer and others entered the mail car. When a mail clerk handed one of them a mail sack, which contained nothing of value, the bandit tossed it aside and said, Hell, I dont want that sack. Wheres the Reno sack? How did he know among the seven pouches taken by his gang that some had originated in Reno, Nevada? None were destined for Omaha. There were three Omaha and Ogden, Utah, pouches destined for New York City, Washington and Chicago. The two Reno pouches were for Chicago and New York. There were two Pocatello and Portland pouches for Chicago and that citys northwest terminal. Most of the passengers were unaware of the robbery. The conductor had gone toward the engine as soon as the train stopped, but Youve come far enough and better go back, shouted one of the bandits. He fired a warning shot in the direction of the conductor, who retreated. The conductor then maintained calm by instructing the brakeman and porters that if asked, they were to tell the passengers that the train was tied up by a switch engine. John P. Maurer, however, was in the observation car and was wise to the unexpected stop. Having $486 on him, he jumped off the train and hid in the weeds until daylight and the sheriff took him into town. Several days later, Brown Park School students John Krolik and John Swoboda and 19-year-old Frank Kudrna separately found revolvers in a gulch near the school at 19th and U streets. Police found more evidence. They hid into the night and captured three of the five suspects when they returned to their lair. The next afternoon in the school attic, janitors John Vavra and A.R. Bentz found six large and two small mail sacks and other items stolen in the robbery. Since the haul had been less than $1,000, the bandits likely needed a place to stash the evidence. Those convicted of the robbery were Frank Grigware, Donald W. Woods, Fred Torgensen, Lawrence F. Golden and Bill Matthews. In 2014, the Spokane Spokesman-Review wrote that the five man all had ties to Spokane. They moved as a group to Hot Springs, Arkansas; Memphis; and Kansas City. Golden, Torgensen and Woods often disappeared, and their absences coincided with train robberies. Their last move together was to Omaha just weeks before the train robbery. Golden was four years into a life sentence when he was exonerated. President Wilson pardoned him. Grigwar escaped from federal prison in Leavenworth in 1910 in a jail break that used a hijacked supply train. He avoided capture until 1934, when he was arrested in Alberta for poaching while using the alias of Jim Fahey. The FBIs new international fingerprint exchange turned up a match. But he never was extradited, and he became a school board chairman and a small-town mayor before his death in 1977 at 91. As for the Brown Park preteen sleuths, John Krolik, John Swoboda, Harry Whitaker, John Patach and Anton Kubat (the last three had found an electric flash lantern tied to the crime) received rewards of $2,000 apiece. Krolik also was paid $131 to travel to Boise to assist in the identification of Matthews. Eleven years after the Union Pacific robbery, four men between 17 and 23 from Council Bluffs (and five persons who were accused of being accessories) engaged in a mail-car heist that eventually was reported as $3.5 million. At 6 p.m. Nov. 13, 1920, train number eight moved eastward between the Union Pacific Transfer and the Burlington Station six blocks away. As the train moved slowly through the transfer, three men in work clothes climbed on. Mearl Phillips, 20, a mail piler for the Burlington, knew the engineer, Alonzo Quinby of Creston, Iowa, and entered the cab to start a diversion conversation. Fred Poffenberger, 19, and Orville Phillips, 19, and Mearls brother, entered a storage mail car that had 130 sacks. Behind that car was one occupied by mail clerks. The getaway driver, in a stolen car, was Keith Collins, 23. Poffenberger and the younger Phillips tossed out sacks, which Collins gathered up. The total reached 10 by the time the train reached the station and Collins picked up the two men. But he missed one of the sacks, which railyard workers spotted. Thats how the robbery was discovered as the train continued toward Chicago. That night, the loot of securities (possibly including $500,000 in easily negotiable Liberty bonds) and $50,000 in 50 packages of $10 bills was divvied up. Collins kept five sacks and $25,000. The remaining four sacks and the other $25,000 went to the other three men. The Phillips brothers sacks were said to contain more than $432,000 in canceled securities. No one but Collins knew what his sacks held. They were skittish. They hoped for a few hundred dollars and hit a jackpot. They were desperate to hide the loot. A pack of $20s was dug up in a chicken yard. A handful of diamonds was found in a corner of an old kitchen because the men didnt recognize their value. Money was stashed in an old churn covered over with hogs lard, a secret hiding place under a stairway and in the manger of an old stable. The engineer had a hunch Mearl Phillips had diverted his attention for a reason and when the train reached Creston, Quinby told a Burlington special agent, You get Mearl Phillips. He knows all about that robbery. As most of the very amateurish gang was ratting out each other, Collins left town and a national manhunt began. He turned up at the home of an uncle near Westville, Oklahoma, two weeks after the robbery. His $25,000 was in a frying pan in his Council Bluffs home. Collins went to federal prison on a 25-year sentence. Poffenberger got 20 years, Orville Phillips 13. Eventually all but $2,565 of the $50,000 was recovered. None of the stolen securities turned up and many likely were burned. As for the Liberty bonds, lore has it that they were thrown off the old Douglas Street bridge into the Missouri River. They were the great train robberies of Omaha and Council Bluffs. Either heist would make for a great movie. One had South Omaha schoolchildren finding the robbers roost and the schools janitors the stash. The other was the biggest mail-train robbery in the United States at the time. It was a Saturday night in May 1909. The Union Pacifics Overland Limited passenger train, which had a mail car, was eastbound to the old Union Station. The railroad was using its relatively new Lane Cut-Off, which Interstate 80 now follows between I-480 and I-680. As the train was approaching 42nd Street in the still-existing deep cut, five bandits stopped it. Two went to the engine cab to control the fireman and engineer and others entered the mail car. When a mail clerk handed one of them a mail sack, which contained nothing of value, the bandit tossed it aside and said, Hell, I dont want that sack. Wheres the Reno sack? How did he know among the seven pouches taken by his gang that some had originated in Reno, Nevada? None were destined for Omaha. There were three Omaha and Ogden, Utah, pouches destined for New York City, Washington and Chicago. The two Reno pouches were for Chicago and New York. There were two Pocatello and Portland pouches for Chicago and that citys northwest terminal. Most of the passengers were unaware of the robbery. The conductor had gone toward the engine as soon as the train stopped, but Youve come far enough and better go back, shouted one of the bandits. He fired a warning shot in the direction of the conductor, who retreated. The conductor then maintained calm by instructing the brakeman and porters that if asked, they were to tell the passengers that the train was tied up by a switch engine. John P. Maurer, however, was in the observation car and was wise to the unexpected stop. Having $486 on him, he jumped off the train and hid in the weeds until daylight and the sheriff took him into town. Several days later, Brown Park School students John Krolik and John Swoboda and 19-year-old Frank Kudrna separately found revolvers in a gulch near the school at 19th and U streets. Police found more evidence. They hid into the night and captured three of the five suspects when they returned to their lair. The next afternoon in the school attic, janitors John Vavra and A.R. Bentz found six large and two small mail sacks and other items stolen in the robbery. Since the haul had been less than $1,000, the bandits likely needed a place to stash the evidence. Those convicted of the robbery were Frank Grigware, Donald W. Woods, Fred Torgensen, Lawrence F. Golden and Bill Matthews. In 2014, the Spokane Spokesman-Review wrote that the five man all had ties to Spokane. They moved as a group to Hot Springs, Arkansas; Memphis; and Kansas City. Golden, Torgensen and Woods often disappeared, and their absences coincided with train robberies. Their last move together was to Omaha just weeks before the train robbery. Golden was four years into a life sentence when he was exonerated. President Wilson pardoned him. Grigwar escaped from federal prison in Leavenworth in 1910 in a jail break that used a hijacked supply train. He avoided capture until 1934, when he was arrested in Alberta for poaching while using the alias of Jim Fahey. The FBIs new international fingerprint exchange turned up a match. But he never was extradited, and he became a school board chairman and a small-town mayor before his death in 1977 at 91. As for the Brown Park preteen sleuths, John Krolik, John Swoboda, Harry Whitaker, John Patach and Anton Kubat (the last three had found an electric flash lantern tied to the crime) received rewards of $2,000 apiece. Krolik also was paid $131 to travel to Boise to assist in the identification of Matthews. Eleven years after the Union Pacific robbery, four men between 17 and 23 from Council Bluffs (and five persons who were accused of being accessories) engaged in a mail-car heist that eventually was reported as $3.5 million. At 6 p.m. Nov. 13, 1920, train number eight moved eastward between the Union Pacific Transfer and the Burlington Station six blocks away. As the train moved slowly through the transfer, three men in work clothes climbed on. Mearl Phillips, 20, a mail piler for the Burlington, knew the engineer, Alonzo Quinby of Creston, Iowa, and entered the cab to start a diversion conversation. Fred Poffenberger, 19, and Orville Phillips, 19, and Mearls brother, entered a storage mail car that had 130 sacks. Behind that car was one occupied by mail clerks. The getaway driver, in a stolen car, was Keith Collins, 23. Poffenberger and the younger Phillips tossed out sacks, which Collins gathered up. The total reached 10 by the time the train reached the station and Collins picked up the two men. But he missed one of the sacks, which railyard workers spotted. Thats how the robbery was discovered as the train continued toward Chicago. That night, the loot of securities (possibly including $500,000 in easily negotiable Liberty bonds) and $50,000 in 50 packages of $10 bills was divvied up. Collins kept five sacks and $25,000. The remaining four sacks and the other $25,000 went to the other three men. The Phillips brothers sacks were said to contain more than $432,000 in canceled securities. No one but Collins knew what his sacks held. They were skittish. They hoped for a few hundred dollars and hit a jackpot. They were desperate to hide the loot. A pack of $20s was dug up in a chicken yard. A handful of diamonds was found in a corner of an old kitchen because the men didnt recognize their value. Money was stashed in an old churn covered over with hogs lard, a secret hiding place under a stairway and in the manger of an old stable. The engineer had a hunch Mearl Phillips had diverted his attention for a reason and when the train reached Creston, Quinby told a Burlington special agent, You get Mearl Phillips. He knows all about that robbery. As most of the very amateurish gang was ratting out each other, Collins left town and a national manhunt began. He turned up at the home of an uncle near Westville, Oklahoma, two weeks after the robbery. His $25,000 was in a frying pan in his Council Bluffs home. Collins went to federal prison on a 25-year sentence. Poffenberger got 20 years, Orville Phillips 13. Eventually all but $2,565 of the $50,000 was recovered. None of the stolen securities turned up and many likely were burned. As for the Liberty bonds, lore has it that they were thrown off the old Douglas Street bridge into the Missouri River. PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic 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Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe They were the great train robberies of Omaha and Council Bluffs. Either heist would make for a great movie. One had South Omaha schoolchildren finding the robbers roost and the schools janitors the stash. The other was the biggest mail-train robbery in the United States at the time. It was a Saturday night in May 1909. The Union Pacifics Overland Limited passenger train, which had a mail car, was eastbound to the old Union Station. The railroad was using its relatively new Lane Cut-Off, which Interstate 80 now follows between I-480 and I-680. As the train was approaching 42nd Street in the still-existing deep cut, five bandits stopped it. Two went to the engine cab to control the fireman and engineer and others entered the mail car. When a mail clerk handed one of them a mail sack, which contained nothing of value, the bandit tossed it aside and said, Hell, I dont want that sack. Wheres the Reno sack? How did he know among the seven pouches taken by his gang that some had originated in Reno, Nevada? None were destined for Omaha. There were three Omaha and Ogden, Utah, pouches destined for New York City, Washington and Chicago. The two Reno pouches were for Chicago and New York. There were two Pocatello and Portland pouches for Chicago and that citys northwest terminal. Most of the passengers were unaware of the robbery. The conductor had gone toward the engine as soon as the train stopped, but Youve come far enough and better go back, shouted one of the bandits. He fired a warning shot in the direction of the conductor, who retreated. The conductor then maintained calm by instructing the brakeman and porters that if asked, they were to tell the passengers that the train was tied up by a switch engine. John P. Maurer, however, was in the observation car and was wise to the unexpected stop. Having $486 on him, he jumped off the train and hid in the weeds until daylight and the sheriff took him into town. Several days later, Brown Park School students John Krolik and John Swoboda and 19-year-old Frank Kudrna separately found revolvers in a gulch near the school at 19th and U streets. Police found more evidence. They hid into the night and captured three of the five suspects when they returned to their lair. The next afternoon in the school attic, janitors John Vavra and A.R. Bentz found six large and two small mail sacks and other items stolen in the robbery. Since the haul had been less than $1,000, the bandits likely needed a place to stash the evidence. Those convicted of the robbery were Frank Grigware, Donald W. Woods, Fred Torgensen, Lawrence F. Golden and Bill Matthews. In 2014, the Spokane Spokesman-Review wrote that the five man all had ties to Spokane. They moved as a group to Hot Springs, Arkansas; Memphis; and Kansas City. Golden, Torgensen and Woods often disappeared, and their absences coincided with train robberies. Their last move together was to Omaha just weeks before the train robbery. Golden was four years into a life sentence when he was exonerated. President Wilson pardoned him. Grigwar escaped from federal prison in Leavenworth in 1910 in a jail break that used a hijacked supply train. He avoided capture until 1934, when he was arrested in Alberta for poaching while using the alias of Jim Fahey. The FBIs new international fingerprint exchange turned up a match. But he never was extradited, and he became a school board chairman and a small-town mayor before his death in 1977 at 91. As for the Brown Park preteen sleuths, John Krolik, John Swoboda, Harry Whitaker, John Patach and Anton Kubat (the last three had found an electric flash lantern tied to the crime) received rewards of $2,000 apiece. Krolik also was paid $131 to travel to Boise to assist in the identification of Matthews. Eleven years after the Union Pacific robbery, four men between 17 and 23 from Council Bluffs (and five persons who were accused of being accessories) engaged in a mail-car heist that eventually was reported as $3.5 million. At 6 p.m. Nov. 13, 1920, train number eight moved eastward between the Union Pacific Transfer and the Burlington Station six blocks away. As the train moved slowly through the transfer, three men in work clothes climbed on. Mearl Phillips, 20, a mail piler for the Burlington, knew the engineer, Alonzo Quinby of Creston, Iowa, and entered the cab to start a diversion conversation. Fred Poffenberger, 19, and Orville Phillips, 19, and Mearls brother, entered a storage mail car that had 130 sacks. Behind that car was one occupied by mail clerks. The getaway driver, in a stolen car, was Keith Collins, 23. Poffenberger and the younger Phillips tossed out sacks, which Collins gathered up. The total reached 10 by the time the train reached the station and Collins picked up the two men. But he missed one of the sacks, which railyard workers spotted. Thats how the robbery was discovered as the train continued toward Chicago. That night, the loot of securities (possibly including $500,000 in easily negotiable Liberty bonds) and $50,000 in 50 packages of $10 bills was divvied up. Collins kept five sacks and $25,000. The remaining four sacks and the other $25,000 went to the other three men. The Phillips brothers sacks were said to contain more than $432,000 in canceled securities. No one but Collins knew what his sacks held. They were skittish. They hoped for a few hundred dollars and hit a jackpot. They were desperate to hide the loot. A pack of $20s was dug up in a chicken yard. A handful of diamonds was found in a corner of an old kitchen because the men didnt recognize their value. Money was stashed in an old churn covered over with hogs lard, a secret hiding place under a stairway and in the manger of an old stable. The engineer had a hunch Mearl Phillips had diverted his attention for a reason and when the train reached Creston, Quinby told a Burlington special agent, You get Mearl Phillips. He knows all about that robbery. As most of the very amateurish gang was ratting out each other, Collins left town and a national manhunt began. He turned up at the home of an uncle near Westville, Oklahoma, two weeks after the robbery. His $25,000 was in a frying pan in his Council Bluffs home. Collins went to federal prison on a 25-year sentence. Poffenberger got 20 years, Orville Phillips 13. Eventually all but $2,565 of the $50,000 was recovered. None of the stolen securities turned up and many likely were burned. As for the Liberty bonds, lore has it that they were thrown off the old Douglas Street bridge into the Missouri River. RACINE It was a rare year for drownings. Five people died throughout summer and early fall 2021 in Lake Michigan off of Racines shores: 10-year-old girl, a 17-year-old boy, a 14-year-old girl, a 40-year-old man and a 28-year-old man. The Great Lakes Surf Rescue, which tracks deaths in the Great Lakes, reported 83 drownings in 2021 in all of the Great Lakes combined as of Sept. 19. There had been 38 drownings that year in Lake Michigan, which is consistently the deadliest of the five lakes. Drownings are even rarer in public waters like Lake Michigan without a compounding factor, such as an unrelated medical event preceding a drowning. Never in the past four years prior to June has a drowning in Racine County been attributed to a rip current. But rip currents were a factor in at least the first three deaths, which occurred in June, according to the Racine County Medical Examiners Office. Officials have said its practically impossible to be prepared for a rip current since they can seemingly come out of nowhere. Riptides are very unpredictable, Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling said during a press conference June 22 following the first rash of tragedies. From July 2017 through June 2021, there have been 14 drowning deaths in Racine County, according to a report of accidental drownings provided to The Journal Times in June by the Racine County Medical Examiners Office. None of the other 11 drowning deaths in the past four years had been attributed to rip currents. Eisha Figuereo-Colon and Yaadwinder Singh Two youths struggled to stay afloat on the same day at adjacent Racine beaches, and after lifeguards were no longer on duty. The Racine County Communications Center received numerous 911 calls around 6:30 p.m. on June 19, about a 10-year-old girl possibly drowning in Lake Michigan off Zoo Beach. Lifeguard shifts ended at 6 p.m. Police and fire responders were dispatched from multiple agencies within Racine County to assist, including the Racine County Sheriffs Boat Patrol, Racine County Dive Team, Racine Police Department, and Racine Fire Department. At about 6:54 p.m. the child was located, removed from the water, and transported by rescue personnel to an area hospital. The girl, Eisha Nahomey Figuereo-Colon of Racine, died that day at the hospital. She reportedly didnt know how to swim. An obituary described her as a very artistic young lady, she loved drawing, painting, music, and playing the keyboard. She will be remembered fondly for her great smile, outgoing personality, her positive spirit, and her great love for her family." Last week, in trying to make a happier holiday, the Racine Police Department, in partnership with the Blue Bear restaurant, surprised the immediate family members of Figuereo-Colon with gifts and a warm meal for the first Christmas since the loss of their sister and daughter. The day of Figuereo-Colons death, rescue personnel received another report of a possible drowning in Lake Michigan off North Beach at 6:35 p.m. that day. The Racine County Sheriffs Boat Patrol located the 17-year-old boy about 200 yards off the beach. The boy, identified as Yaadwinder Singh, an Oak Creek High School student from Franklin, was transported to the beach where he was assisted by rescue personnel and transported to an area hospital. He was first reported in critical condition but later died during the early-morning hours on June 21 from injuries consistent with drowning. It is with heavy hearts that our OCFSD community mourns the tragic loss of student Yaadwinder Singh, a June statement from the Oak Creek-Franklin School District said. Our sincerest condolences and sympathy go out to the families and friends affected by this tragedy. Trying to save lives In August, local teachers, the union for Racine firefighters and the Racine Founders Rotary Club teamed up, hoping to inspire safety in Racine's waters. Using about $10,000 in raised funds, 150 life preserver vests and 12 throw rings were placed at Racine's beaches. They are held in brightly colored boxes, built by Greg Kiriaki and Joe Pascucci, teachers at Park High School. We just hope that people will use them, Brian Turczynski, a member of the Racine Fire Department's dive team, said of the new life preserver vests. After the first drownings, Schmaling repeatedly called on the city to extend lifeguard hours to increase safety on the beach, while also calling on community members to be more aware of the dangers of the water especially to children. The City of Racine's 2022 budget includes money to pay six more lifeguards on its beaches next summer. As such, for the first time in recent memory, Zoo Beach will be staffed by lifeguards rather than only adjacent North Beach. Lily Limbert The same day Singh was pronounced dead, Lake Michigan claimed another victim. A 14-year-old Milwaukee County girl was pulled from Lake Michigan at North Beach June 21 and was taken to Childrens Hospital in Wauwatosa via Flight for Life for treatment. She died June 29. She was identified as Lily Limbert of Greendale. I think we are all still a little bit in shock and dont want to believe this is happening, Limberts aunt, Leslie Scott, told Patch.com in a July article. Our family has been through a lot, as many families have and do, but this is something I would have never predicted. According to the Racine County Sheriffs Office, Limbert had been pulled by a strong current into deeper water and into the rocks surrounding North Pier preceding her death, marking the third death attributed to rip currents. Thomas J. Walker Later in the summer, a 40-year-old man identified as Thomas J. Walker of Missouri died Aug. 22 after saving two children who were in distress in the water near the pier north of North Beach and Zoo Beach. Walker entered the water to save the children, who were related to him. The children got out of the water thanks to his help, but he was unable to escape. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An August statement from Walkers family said: He was a kind soul and an amazing uncle to his niece and nephews. And how we lost him is a testament to how great an uncle and all-around guy he was. (We) never met a person who didnt like him. He is missed greatly. Aric Michael Lantz On Oct. 6, someone walking along Pershing Park Drive found a body in the water. Racine County Medical Examiner Michael Payne confirmed in October that freshwater drowning was the cause of death and foul play was not suspected. The body was identified as that of Aric Michael Lantz, a 28-year-old man from Racine. Lantz had a young son, Carter Thomas Lantz. He had been missing since Sept. 29, according to a Facebook post from a loved one, and the Racine Police Department first received a report of him being missing on Oct. 2. Initial reports said it appears Lantzs body had been in the water for several days before he was seen by the person walking along Pershing Park Drive. Arics passing was a huge surprise to our entire family, an obituary read. He was a kindhearted individual that only wanted our family to be close. He was very talented and had a mind like no other. KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 10:50 | Sports, Olympics, All The International Olympic Committee and Japan officials have been holding behind-the-scenes talks that could secure Sapporo's bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympics in 2022, multiple sources with knowledge of the matter said Friday. According to the sources, the IOC is currently looking to settle on one host candidate sometime between this summer and winter. Because Sapporo's track record of hosting and managing events is highly regarded, the decision could be decided in the city's favor before this year ends. Sapporo, which staged the 1972 Winter Olympics, will conduct a survey throughout Hokkaido as early as March to study the pros and cons of hosting in 2030. A revised draft of the city's hosting plan in November estimated the cost between 280 and 300 billion yen ($2.4-2.6 billion). Because the IOC is currently feeling a sense of crisis regarding the increasing costs of hosting the Olympics, it is placing great importance on the use of existing facilities and local approval. As such, positive results from Sapporo's survey could affect the IOC's decision. In response to the slackening enthusiasm of cities seeking to host the Olympics, the IOC in 2019 drastically reformed its host-city selection process. Having scrapped its rule that host city selection take place seven years in advance of the Olympics, the IOC's winter and summer Future Host Commissions are engaging with potential hosts cities much earlier. In February 2021, the IOC selected Brisbane, Australia, as its primary candidate to host the 2032 Summer Olympics. That decision was ratified at the IOC session in July prior to last year's Tokyo Olympics, and it seems likely that the same process will happen with Sapporo's bid for 2030. Another city interested in hosting, Salt Lake City, Utah, met with the IOC in December, while Vancouver has begun considering a bid for 2030. Barcelona and Ukraine have also suggested they might want to host without being specific about when. KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 10:50 | Sports, Olympics, All The International Olympic Committee and Japan officials have been holding behind-the-scenes talks that could secure Sapporo's bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympics in 2022, multiple sources with knowledge of the matter said Friday. According to the sources, the IOC is currently looking to settle on one host candidate sometime between this summer and winter. Because Sapporo's track record of hosting and managing events is highly regarded, the decision could be decided in the city's favor before this year ends. Sapporo, which staged the 1972 Winter Olympics, will conduct a survey throughout Hokkaido as early as March to study the pros and cons of hosting in 2030. A revised draft of the city's hosting plan in November estimated the cost between 280 and 300 billion yen ($2.4-2.6 billion). Because the IOC is currently feeling a sense of crisis regarding the increasing costs of hosting the Olympics, it is placing great importance on the use of existing facilities and local approval. As such, positive results from Sapporo's survey could affect the IOC's decision. In response to the slackening enthusiasm of cities seeking to host the Olympics, the IOC in 2019 drastically reformed its host-city selection process. Having scrapped its rule that host city selection take place seven years in advance of the Olympics, the IOC's winter and summer Future Host Commissions are engaging with potential hosts cities much earlier. In February 2021, the IOC selected Brisbane, Australia, as its primary candidate to host the 2032 Summer Olympics. That decision was ratified at the IOC session in July prior to last year's Tokyo Olympics, and it seems likely that the same process will happen with Sapporo's bid for 2030. Another city interested in hosting, Salt Lake City, Utah, met with the IOC in December, while Vancouver has begun considering a bid for 2030. Barcelona and Ukraine have also suggested they might want to host without being specific about when. KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 10:50 | Sports, Olympics, All The International Olympic Committee and Japan officials have been holding behind-the-scenes talks that could secure Sapporo's bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympics in 2022, multiple sources with knowledge of the matter said Friday. According to the sources, the IOC is currently looking to settle on one host candidate sometime between this summer and winter. Because Sapporo's track record of hosting and managing events is highly regarded, the decision could be decided in the city's favor before this year ends. Sapporo, which staged the 1972 Winter Olympics, will conduct a survey throughout Hokkaido as early as March to study the pros and cons of hosting in 2030. A revised draft of the city's hosting plan in November estimated the cost between 280 and 300 billion yen ($2.4-2.6 billion). Because the IOC is currently feeling a sense of crisis regarding the increasing costs of hosting the Olympics, it is placing great importance on the use of existing facilities and local approval. As such, positive results from Sapporo's survey could affect the IOC's decision. In response to the slackening enthusiasm of cities seeking to host the Olympics, the IOC in 2019 drastically reformed its host-city selection process. Having scrapped its rule that host city selection take place seven years in advance of the Olympics, the IOC's winter and summer Future Host Commissions are engaging with potential hosts cities much earlier. In February 2021, the IOC selected Brisbane, Australia, as its primary candidate to host the 2032 Summer Olympics. That decision was ratified at the IOC session in July prior to last year's Tokyo Olympics, and it seems likely that the same process will happen with Sapporo's bid for 2030. Another city interested in hosting, Salt Lake City, Utah, met with the IOC in December, while Vancouver has begun considering a bid for 2030. Barcelona and Ukraine have also suggested they might want to host without being specific about when. KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 10:50 | Sports, Olympics, All The International Olympic Committee and Japan officials have been holding behind-the-scenes talks that could secure Sapporo's bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympics in 2022, multiple sources with knowledge of the matter said Friday. According to the sources, the IOC is currently looking to settle on one host candidate sometime between this summer and winter. Because Sapporo's track record of hosting and managing events is highly regarded, the decision could be decided in the city's favor before this year ends. Sapporo, which staged the 1972 Winter Olympics, will conduct a survey throughout Hokkaido as early as March to study the pros and cons of hosting in 2030. A revised draft of the city's hosting plan in November estimated the cost between 280 and 300 billion yen ($2.4-2.6 billion). Because the IOC is currently feeling a sense of crisis regarding the increasing costs of hosting the Olympics, it is placing great importance on the use of existing facilities and local approval. As such, positive results from Sapporo's survey could affect the IOC's decision. In response to the slackening enthusiasm of cities seeking to host the Olympics, the IOC in 2019 drastically reformed its host-city selection process. Having scrapped its rule that host city selection take place seven years in advance of the Olympics, the IOC's winter and summer Future Host Commissions are engaging with potential hosts cities much earlier. In February 2021, the IOC selected Brisbane, Australia, as its primary candidate to host the 2032 Summer Olympics. That decision was ratified at the IOC session in July prior to last year's Tokyo Olympics, and it seems likely that the same process will happen with Sapporo's bid for 2030. Another city interested in hosting, Salt Lake City, Utah, met with the IOC in December, while Vancouver has begun considering a bid for 2030. Barcelona and Ukraine have also suggested they might want to host without being specific about when. KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 10:50 | Sports, Olympics, All The International Olympic Committee and Japan officials have been holding behind-the-scenes talks that could secure Sapporo's bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympics in 2022, multiple sources with knowledge of the matter said Friday. According to the sources, the IOC is currently looking to settle on one host candidate sometime between this summer and winter. Because Sapporo's track record of hosting and managing events is highly regarded, the decision could be decided in the city's favor before this year ends. Sapporo, which staged the 1972 Winter Olympics, will conduct a survey throughout Hokkaido as early as March to study the pros and cons of hosting in 2030. A revised draft of the city's hosting plan in November estimated the cost between 280 and 300 billion yen ($2.4-2.6 billion). Because the IOC is currently feeling a sense of crisis regarding the increasing costs of hosting the Olympics, it is placing great importance on the use of existing facilities and local approval. As such, positive results from Sapporo's survey could affect the IOC's decision. In response to the slackening enthusiasm of cities seeking to host the Olympics, the IOC in 2019 drastically reformed its host-city selection process. Having scrapped its rule that host city selection take place seven years in advance of the Olympics, the IOC's winter and summer Future Host Commissions are engaging with potential hosts cities much earlier. In February 2021, the IOC selected Brisbane, Australia, as its primary candidate to host the 2032 Summer Olympics. That decision was ratified at the IOC session in July prior to last year's Tokyo Olympics, and it seems likely that the same process will happen with Sapporo's bid for 2030. Another city interested in hosting, Salt Lake City, Utah, met with the IOC in December, while Vancouver has begun considering a bid for 2030. Barcelona and Ukraine have also suggested they might want to host without being specific about when. KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 10:50 | Sports, Olympics, All The International Olympic Committee and Japan officials have been holding behind-the-scenes talks that could secure Sapporo's bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympics in 2022, multiple sources with knowledge of the matter said Friday. According to the sources, the IOC is currently looking to settle on one host candidate sometime between this summer and winter. Because Sapporo's track record of hosting and managing events is highly regarded, the decision could be decided in the city's favor before this year ends. Sapporo, which staged the 1972 Winter Olympics, will conduct a survey throughout Hokkaido as early as March to study the pros and cons of hosting in 2030. A revised draft of the city's hosting plan in November estimated the cost between 280 and 300 billion yen ($2.4-2.6 billion). Because the IOC is currently feeling a sense of crisis regarding the increasing costs of hosting the Olympics, it is placing great importance on the use of existing facilities and local approval. As such, positive results from Sapporo's survey could affect the IOC's decision. In response to the slackening enthusiasm of cities seeking to host the Olympics, the IOC in 2019 drastically reformed its host-city selection process. Having scrapped its rule that host city selection take place seven years in advance of the Olympics, the IOC's winter and summer Future Host Commissions are engaging with potential hosts cities much earlier. In February 2021, the IOC selected Brisbane, Australia, as its primary candidate to host the 2032 Summer Olympics. That decision was ratified at the IOC session in July prior to last year's Tokyo Olympics, and it seems likely that the same process will happen with Sapporo's bid for 2030. Another city interested in hosting, Salt Lake City, Utah, met with the IOC in December, while Vancouver has begun considering a bid for 2030. Barcelona and Ukraine have also suggested they might want to host without being specific about when. Accra, Ghana (PANA) - Ghanaians on Saturday welcomed the New Year with church services and festivities, as government and health officials continued to warn the public to observe COVID-19 protocols to avoid a further spread of the virus They were the great train robberies of Omaha and Council Bluffs. Either heist would make for a great movie. One had South Omaha schoolchildren finding the robbers roost and the schools janitors the stash. The other was the biggest mail-train robbery in the United States at the time. It was a Saturday night in May 1909. The Union Pacifics Overland Limited passenger train, which had a mail car, was eastbound to the old Union Station. The railroad was using its relatively new Lane Cut-Off, which Interstate 80 now follows between I-480 and I-680. As the train was approaching 42nd Street in the still-existing deep cut, five bandits stopped it. Two went to the engine cab to control the fireman and engineer and others entered the mail car. When a mail clerk handed one of them a mail sack, which contained nothing of value, the bandit tossed it aside and said, Hell, I dont want that sack. Wheres the Reno sack? How did he know among the seven pouches taken by his gang that some had originated in Reno, Nevada? None were destined for Omaha. There were three Omaha and Ogden, Utah, pouches destined for New York City, Washington and Chicago. The two Reno pouches were for Chicago and New York. There were two Pocatello and Portland pouches for Chicago and that citys northwest terminal. Most of the passengers were unaware of the robbery. The conductor had gone toward the engine as soon as the train stopped, but Youve come far enough and better go back, shouted one of the bandits. He fired a warning shot in the direction of the conductor, who retreated. The conductor then maintained calm by instructing the brakeman and porters that if asked, they were to tell the passengers that the train was tied up by a switch engine. John P. Maurer, however, was in the observation car and was wise to the unexpected stop. Having $486 on him, he jumped off the train and hid in the weeds until daylight and the sheriff took him into town. Several days later, Brown Park School students John Krolik and John Swoboda and 19-year-old Frank Kudrna separately found revolvers in a gulch near the school at 19th and U streets. Police found more evidence. They hid into the night and captured three of the five suspects when they returned to their lair. The next afternoon in the school attic, janitors John Vavra and A.R. Bentz found six large and two small mail sacks and other items stolen in the robbery. Since the haul had been less than $1,000, the bandits likely needed a place to stash the evidence. Those convicted of the robbery were Frank Grigware, Donald W. Woods, Fred Torgensen, Lawrence F. Golden and Bill Matthews. In 2014, the Spokane Spokesman-Review wrote that the five man all had ties to Spokane. They moved as a group to Hot Springs, Arkansas; Memphis; and Kansas City. Golden, Torgensen and Woods often disappeared, and their absences coincided with train robberies. Their last move together was to Omaha just weeks before the train robbery. Golden was four years into a life sentence when he was exonerated. President Wilson pardoned him. Grigwar escaped from federal prison in Leavenworth in 1910 in a jail break that used a hijacked supply train. He avoided capture until 1934, when he was arrested in Alberta for poaching while using the alias of Jim Fahey. The FBIs new international fingerprint exchange turned up a match. But he never was extradited, and he became a school board chairman and a small-town mayor before his death in 1977 at 91. As for the Brown Park preteen sleuths, John Krolik, John Swoboda, Harry Whitaker, John Patach and Anton Kubat (the last three had found an electric flash lantern tied to the crime) received rewards of $2,000 apiece. Krolik also was paid $131 to travel to Boise to assist in the identification of Matthews. Eleven years after the Union Pacific robbery, four men between 17 and 23 from Council Bluffs (and five persons who were accused of being accessories) engaged in a mail-car heist that eventually was reported as $3.5 million. At 6 p.m. Nov. 13, 1920, train number eight moved eastward between the Union Pacific Transfer and the Burlington Station six blocks away. As the train moved slowly through the transfer, three men in work clothes climbed on. Mearl Phillips, 20, a mail piler for the Burlington, knew the engineer, Alonzo Quinby of Creston, Iowa, and entered the cab to start a diversion conversation. Fred Poffenberger, 19, and Orville Phillips, 19, and Mearls brother, entered a storage mail car that had 130 sacks. Behind that car was one occupied by mail clerks. The getaway driver, in a stolen car, was Keith Collins, 23. Poffenberger and the younger Phillips tossed out sacks, which Collins gathered up. The total reached 10 by the time the train reached the station and Collins picked up the two men. But he missed one of the sacks, which railyard workers spotted. Thats how the robbery was discovered as the train continued toward Chicago. That night, the loot of securities (possibly including $500,000 in easily negotiable Liberty bonds) and $50,000 in 50 packages of $10 bills was divvied up. Collins kept five sacks and $25,000. The remaining four sacks and the other $25,000 went to the other three men. The Phillips brothers sacks were said to contain more than $432,000 in canceled securities. No one but Collins knew what his sacks held. They were skittish. They hoped for a few hundred dollars and hit a jackpot. They were desperate to hide the loot. A pack of $20s was dug up in a chicken yard. A handful of diamonds was found in a corner of an old kitchen because the men didnt recognize their value. Money was stashed in an old churn covered over with hogs lard, a secret hiding place under a stairway and in the manger of an old stable. The engineer had a hunch Mearl Phillips had diverted his attention for a reason and when the train reached Creston, Quinby told a Burlington special agent, You get Mearl Phillips. He knows all about that robbery. As most of the very amateurish gang was ratting out each other, Collins left town and a national manhunt began. He turned up at the home of an uncle near Westville, Oklahoma, two weeks after the robbery. His $25,000 was in a frying pan in his Council Bluffs home. Collins went to federal prison on a 25-year sentence. Poffenberger got 20 years, Orville Phillips 13. Eventually all but $2,565 of the $50,000 was recovered. None of the stolen securities turned up and many likely were burned. As for the Liberty bonds, lore has it that they were thrown off the old Douglas Street bridge into the Missouri River. They were the great train robberies of Omaha and Council Bluffs. Either heist would make for a great movie. One had South Omaha schoolchildren finding the robbers roost and the schools janitors the stash. The other was the biggest mail-train robbery in the United States at the time. It was a Saturday night in May 1909. The Union Pacifics Overland Limited passenger train, which had a mail car, was eastbound to the old Union Station. The railroad was using its relatively new Lane Cut-Off, which Interstate 80 now follows between I-480 and I-680. As the train was approaching 42nd Street in the still-existing deep cut, five bandits stopped it. Two went to the engine cab to control the fireman and engineer and others entered the mail car. When a mail clerk handed one of them a mail sack, which contained nothing of value, the bandit tossed it aside and said, Hell, I dont want that sack. Wheres the Reno sack? How did he know among the seven pouches taken by his gang that some had originated in Reno, Nevada? None were destined for Omaha. There were three Omaha and Ogden, Utah, pouches destined for New York City, Washington and Chicago. The two Reno pouches were for Chicago and New York. There were two Pocatello and Portland pouches for Chicago and that citys northwest terminal. Most of the passengers were unaware of the robbery. The conductor had gone toward the engine as soon as the train stopped, but Youve come far enough and better go back, shouted one of the bandits. He fired a warning shot in the direction of the conductor, who retreated. The conductor then maintained calm by instructing the brakeman and porters that if asked, they were to tell the passengers that the train was tied up by a switch engine. John P. Maurer, however, was in the observation car and was wise to the unexpected stop. Having $486 on him, he jumped off the train and hid in the weeds until daylight and the sheriff took him into town. Several days later, Brown Park School students John Krolik and John Swoboda and 19-year-old Frank Kudrna separately found revolvers in a gulch near the school at 19th and U streets. Police found more evidence. They hid into the night and captured three of the five suspects when they returned to their lair. The next afternoon in the school attic, janitors John Vavra and A.R. Bentz found six large and two small mail sacks and other items stolen in the robbery. Since the haul had been less than $1,000, the bandits likely needed a place to stash the evidence. Those convicted of the robbery were Frank Grigware, Donald W. Woods, Fred Torgensen, Lawrence F. Golden and Bill Matthews. In 2014, the Spokane Spokesman-Review wrote that the five man all had ties to Spokane. They moved as a group to Hot Springs, Arkansas; Memphis; and Kansas City. Golden, Torgensen and Woods often disappeared, and their absences coincided with train robberies. Their last move together was to Omaha just weeks before the train robbery. Golden was four years into a life sentence when he was exonerated. President Wilson pardoned him. Grigwar escaped from federal prison in Leavenworth in 1910 in a jail break that used a hijacked supply train. He avoided capture until 1934, when he was arrested in Alberta for poaching while using the alias of Jim Fahey. The FBIs new international fingerprint exchange turned up a match. But he never was extradited, and he became a school board chairman and a small-town mayor before his death in 1977 at 91. As for the Brown Park preteen sleuths, John Krolik, John Swoboda, Harry Whitaker, John Patach and Anton Kubat (the last three had found an electric flash lantern tied to the crime) received rewards of $2,000 apiece. Krolik also was paid $131 to travel to Boise to assist in the identification of Matthews. Eleven years after the Union Pacific robbery, four men between 17 and 23 from Council Bluffs (and five persons who were accused of being accessories) engaged in a mail-car heist that eventually was reported as $3.5 million. At 6 p.m. Nov. 13, 1920, train number eight moved eastward between the Union Pacific Transfer and the Burlington Station six blocks away. As the train moved slowly through the transfer, three men in work clothes climbed on. Mearl Phillips, 20, a mail piler for the Burlington, knew the engineer, Alonzo Quinby of Creston, Iowa, and entered the cab to start a diversion conversation. Fred Poffenberger, 19, and Orville Phillips, 19, and Mearls brother, entered a storage mail car that had 130 sacks. Behind that car was one occupied by mail clerks. The getaway driver, in a stolen car, was Keith Collins, 23. Poffenberger and the younger Phillips tossed out sacks, which Collins gathered up. The total reached 10 by the time the train reached the station and Collins picked up the two men. But he missed one of the sacks, which railyard workers spotted. Thats how the robbery was discovered as the train continued toward Chicago. That night, the loot of securities (possibly including $500,000 in easily negotiable Liberty bonds) and $50,000 in 50 packages of $10 bills was divvied up. Collins kept five sacks and $25,000. The remaining four sacks and the other $25,000 went to the other three men. The Phillips brothers sacks were said to contain more than $432,000 in canceled securities. No one but Collins knew what his sacks held. They were skittish. They hoped for a few hundred dollars and hit a jackpot. They were desperate to hide the loot. A pack of $20s was dug up in a chicken yard. A handful of diamonds was found in a corner of an old kitchen because the men didnt recognize their value. Money was stashed in an old churn covered over with hogs lard, a secret hiding place under a stairway and in the manger of an old stable. The engineer had a hunch Mearl Phillips had diverted his attention for a reason and when the train reached Creston, Quinby told a Burlington special agent, You get Mearl Phillips. He knows all about that robbery. As most of the very amateurish gang was ratting out each other, Collins left town and a national manhunt began. He turned up at the home of an uncle near Westville, Oklahoma, two weeks after the robbery. His $25,000 was in a frying pan in his Council Bluffs home. Collins went to federal prison on a 25-year sentence. Poffenberger got 20 years, Orville Phillips 13. Eventually all but $2,565 of the $50,000 was recovered. None of the stolen securities turned up and many likely were burned. As for the Liberty bonds, lore has it that they were thrown off the old Douglas Street bridge into the Missouri River. PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem The Daily Beast KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty ImagesVladimir Putins defense minister sent a clear message to the people of Russia on Wednesday: Their country is at war not just with Ukraine, but with the entirety of the West.I cannot but emphasize the fact that today, we are at war not so much with Ukraine and the Ukrainian army as with the collective West, Sergei Shoigu said in a televised speech, according to TASS.At this point, we are really at war with the collective West, with NATO, Shoigu added.Sh PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 10:50 | Sports, Olympics, All The International Olympic Committee and Japan officials have been holding behind-the-scenes talks that could secure Sapporo's bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympics in 2022, multiple sources with knowledge of the matter said Friday. According to the sources, the IOC is currently looking to settle on one host candidate sometime between this summer and winter. Because Sapporo's track record of hosting and managing events is highly regarded, the decision could be decided in the city's favor before this year ends. Sapporo, which staged the 1972 Winter Olympics, will conduct a survey throughout Hokkaido as early as March to study the pros and cons of hosting in 2030. A revised draft of the city's hosting plan in November estimated the cost between 280 and 300 billion yen ($2.4-2.6 billion). Because the IOC is currently feeling a sense of crisis regarding the increasing costs of hosting the Olympics, it is placing great importance on the use of existing facilities and local approval. As such, positive results from Sapporo's survey could affect the IOC's decision. In response to the slackening enthusiasm of cities seeking to host the Olympics, the IOC in 2019 drastically reformed its host-city selection process. Having scrapped its rule that host city selection take place seven years in advance of the Olympics, the IOC's winter and summer Future Host Commissions are engaging with potential hosts cities much earlier. In February 2021, the IOC selected Brisbane, Australia, as its primary candidate to host the 2032 Summer Olympics. That decision was ratified at the IOC session in July prior to last year's Tokyo Olympics, and it seems likely that the same process will happen with Sapporo's bid for 2030. Another city interested in hosting, Salt Lake City, Utah, met with the IOC in December, while Vancouver has begun considering a bid for 2030. Barcelona and Ukraine have also suggested they might want to host without being specific about when. KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 10:50 | Sports, Olympics, All The International Olympic Committee and Japan officials have been holding behind-the-scenes talks that could secure Sapporo's bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympics in 2022, multiple sources with knowledge of the matter said Friday. According to the sources, the IOC is currently looking to settle on one host candidate sometime between this summer and winter. Because Sapporo's track record of hosting and managing events is highly regarded, the decision could be decided in the city's favor before this year ends. Sapporo, which staged the 1972 Winter Olympics, will conduct a survey throughout Hokkaido as early as March to study the pros and cons of hosting in 2030. A revised draft of the city's hosting plan in November estimated the cost between 280 and 300 billion yen ($2.4-2.6 billion). Because the IOC is currently feeling a sense of crisis regarding the increasing costs of hosting the Olympics, it is placing great importance on the use of existing facilities and local approval. As such, positive results from Sapporo's survey could affect the IOC's decision. In response to the slackening enthusiasm of cities seeking to host the Olympics, the IOC in 2019 drastically reformed its host-city selection process. Having scrapped its rule that host city selection take place seven years in advance of the Olympics, the IOC's winter and summer Future Host Commissions are engaging with potential hosts cities much earlier. In February 2021, the IOC selected Brisbane, Australia, as its primary candidate to host the 2032 Summer Olympics. That decision was ratified at the IOC session in July prior to last year's Tokyo Olympics, and it seems likely that the same process will happen with Sapporo's bid for 2030. Another city interested in hosting, Salt Lake City, Utah, met with the IOC in December, while Vancouver has begun considering a bid for 2030. Barcelona and Ukraine have also suggested they might want to host without being specific about when. KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 10:50 | Sports, Olympics, All The International Olympic Committee and Japan officials have been holding behind-the-scenes talks that could secure Sapporo's bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympics in 2022, multiple sources with knowledge of the matter said Friday. According to the sources, the IOC is currently looking to settle on one host candidate sometime between this summer and winter. Because Sapporo's track record of hosting and managing events is highly regarded, the decision could be decided in the city's favor before this year ends. Sapporo, which staged the 1972 Winter Olympics, will conduct a survey throughout Hokkaido as early as March to study the pros and cons of hosting in 2030. A revised draft of the city's hosting plan in November estimated the cost between 280 and 300 billion yen ($2.4-2.6 billion). Because the IOC is currently feeling a sense of crisis regarding the increasing costs of hosting the Olympics, it is placing great importance on the use of existing facilities and local approval. As such, positive results from Sapporo's survey could affect the IOC's decision. In response to the slackening enthusiasm of cities seeking to host the Olympics, the IOC in 2019 drastically reformed its host-city selection process. Having scrapped its rule that host city selection take place seven years in advance of the Olympics, the IOC's winter and summer Future Host Commissions are engaging with potential hosts cities much earlier. In February 2021, the IOC selected Brisbane, Australia, as its primary candidate to host the 2032 Summer Olympics. That decision was ratified at the IOC session in July prior to last year's Tokyo Olympics, and it seems likely that the same process will happen with Sapporo's bid for 2030. Another city interested in hosting, Salt Lake City, Utah, met with the IOC in December, while Vancouver has begun considering a bid for 2030. Barcelona and Ukraine have also suggested they might want to host without being specific about when. KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 10:50 | Sports, Olympics, All The International Olympic Committee and Japan officials have been holding behind-the-scenes talks that could secure Sapporo's bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympics in 2022, multiple sources with knowledge of the matter said Friday. According to the sources, the IOC is currently looking to settle on one host candidate sometime between this summer and winter. Because Sapporo's track record of hosting and managing events is highly regarded, the decision could be decided in the city's favor before this year ends. Sapporo, which staged the 1972 Winter Olympics, will conduct a survey throughout Hokkaido as early as March to study the pros and cons of hosting in 2030. A revised draft of the city's hosting plan in November estimated the cost between 280 and 300 billion yen ($2.4-2.6 billion). Because the IOC is currently feeling a sense of crisis regarding the increasing costs of hosting the Olympics, it is placing great importance on the use of existing facilities and local approval. As such, positive results from Sapporo's survey could affect the IOC's decision. In response to the slackening enthusiasm of cities seeking to host the Olympics, the IOC in 2019 drastically reformed its host-city selection process. Having scrapped its rule that host city selection take place seven years in advance of the Olympics, the IOC's winter and summer Future Host Commissions are engaging with potential hosts cities much earlier. In February 2021, the IOC selected Brisbane, Australia, as its primary candidate to host the 2032 Summer Olympics. That decision was ratified at the IOC session in July prior to last year's Tokyo Olympics, and it seems likely that the same process will happen with Sapporo's bid for 2030. Another city interested in hosting, Salt Lake City, Utah, met with the IOC in December, while Vancouver has begun considering a bid for 2030. Barcelona and Ukraine have also suggested they might want to host without being specific about when. RACINE It was a rare year for drownings. Five people died throughout summer and early fall 2021 in Lake Michigan off of Racines shores: 10-year-old girl, a 17-year-old boy, a 14-year-old girl, a 40-year-old man and a 28-year-old man. The Great Lakes Surf Rescue, which tracks deaths in the Great Lakes, reported 83 drownings in 2021 in all of the Great Lakes combined as of Sept. 19. There had been 38 drownings that year in Lake Michigan, which is consistently the deadliest of the five lakes. Drownings are even rarer in public waters like Lake Michigan without a compounding factor, such as an unrelated medical event preceding a drowning. Never in the past four years prior to June has a drowning in Racine County been attributed to a rip current. But rip currents were a factor in at least the first three deaths, which occurred in June, according to the Racine County Medical Examiners Office. Officials have said its practically impossible to be prepared for a rip current since they can seemingly come out of nowhere. Riptides are very unpredictable, Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling said during a press conference June 22 following the first rash of tragedies. From July 2017 through June 2021, there have been 14 drowning deaths in Racine County, according to a report of accidental drownings provided to The Journal Times in June by the Racine County Medical Examiners Office. None of the other 11 drowning deaths in the past four years had been attributed to rip currents. Eisha Figuereo-Colon and Yaadwinder Singh Two youths struggled to stay afloat on the same day at adjacent Racine beaches, and after lifeguards were no longer on duty. The Racine County Communications Center received numerous 911 calls around 6:30 p.m. on June 19, about a 10-year-old girl possibly drowning in Lake Michigan off Zoo Beach. Lifeguard shifts ended at 6 p.m. Police and fire responders were dispatched from multiple agencies within Racine County to assist, including the Racine County Sheriffs Boat Patrol, Racine County Dive Team, Racine Police Department, and Racine Fire Department. At about 6:54 p.m. the child was located, removed from the water, and transported by rescue personnel to an area hospital. The girl, Eisha Nahomey Figuereo-Colon of Racine, died that day at the hospital. She reportedly didnt know how to swim. An obituary described her as a very artistic young lady, she loved drawing, painting, music, and playing the keyboard. She will be remembered fondly for her great smile, outgoing personality, her positive spirit, and her great love for her family." Last week, in trying to make a happier holiday, the Racine Police Department, in partnership with the Blue Bear restaurant, surprised the immediate family members of Figuereo-Colon with gifts and a warm meal for the first Christmas since the loss of their sister and daughter. The day of Figuereo-Colons death, rescue personnel received another report of a possible drowning in Lake Michigan off North Beach at 6:35 p.m. that day. The Racine County Sheriffs Boat Patrol located the 17-year-old boy about 200 yards off the beach. The boy, identified as Yaadwinder Singh, an Oak Creek High School student from Franklin, was transported to the beach where he was assisted by rescue personnel and transported to an area hospital. He was first reported in critical condition but later died during the early-morning hours on June 21 from injuries consistent with drowning. It is with heavy hearts that our OCFSD community mourns the tragic loss of student Yaadwinder Singh, a June statement from the Oak Creek-Franklin School District said. Our sincerest condolences and sympathy go out to the families and friends affected by this tragedy. Trying to save lives In August, local teachers, the union for Racine firefighters and the Racine Founders Rotary Club teamed up, hoping to inspire safety in Racine's waters. Using about $10,000 in raised funds, 150 life preserver vests and 12 throw rings were placed at Racine's beaches. They are held in brightly colored boxes, built by Greg Kiriaki and Joe Pascucci, teachers at Park High School. We just hope that people will use them, Brian Turczynski, a member of the Racine Fire Department's dive team, said of the new life preserver vests. After the first drownings, Schmaling repeatedly called on the city to extend lifeguard hours to increase safety on the beach, while also calling on community members to be more aware of the dangers of the water especially to children. The City of Racine's 2022 budget includes money to pay six more lifeguards on its beaches next summer. As such, for the first time in recent memory, Zoo Beach will be staffed by lifeguards rather than only adjacent North Beach. Lily Limbert The same day Singh was pronounced dead, Lake Michigan claimed another victim. A 14-year-old Milwaukee County girl was pulled from Lake Michigan at North Beach June 21 and was taken to Childrens Hospital in Wauwatosa via Flight for Life for treatment. She died June 29. She was identified as Lily Limbert of Greendale. I think we are all still a little bit in shock and dont want to believe this is happening, Limberts aunt, Leslie Scott, told Patch.com in a July article. Our family has been through a lot, as many families have and do, but this is something I would have never predicted. According to the Racine County Sheriffs Office, Limbert had been pulled by a strong current into deeper water and into the rocks surrounding North Pier preceding her death, marking the third death attributed to rip currents. Thomas J. Walker Later in the summer, a 40-year-old man identified as Thomas J. Walker of Missouri died Aug. 22 after saving two children who were in distress in the water near the pier north of North Beach and Zoo Beach. Walker entered the water to save the children, who were related to him. The children got out of the water thanks to his help, but he was unable to escape. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An August statement from Walkers family said: He was a kind soul and an amazing uncle to his niece and nephews. And how we lost him is a testament to how great an uncle and all-around guy he was. (We) never met a person who didnt like him. He is missed greatly. Aric Michael Lantz On Oct. 6, someone walking along Pershing Park Drive found a body in the water. Racine County Medical Examiner Michael Payne confirmed in October that freshwater drowning was the cause of death and foul play was not suspected. The body was identified as that of Aric Michael Lantz, a 28-year-old man from Racine. Lantz had a young son, Carter Thomas Lantz. He had been missing since Sept. 29, according to a Facebook post from a loved one, and the Racine Police Department first received a report of him being missing on Oct. 2. Initial reports said it appears Lantzs body had been in the water for several days before he was seen by the person walking along Pershing Park Drive. Arics passing was a huge surprise to our entire family, an obituary read. He was a kindhearted individual that only wanted our family to be close. He was very talented and had a mind like no other. By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and the head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Friday asked AT&T and Verizon Communications to delay the planned Jan. 5 introduction of new 5G wireless service over aviation safety concerns. In a letter Friday seen by Reuters, Buttigieg and FAA Administrator Steve Dickson asked AT&T Chief Executive John Stankey and Verizon Chief Executive Hans Vestberg for a delay of no more than two weeks as part of a "proposal as a near-term solution for advancing the co-existence of 5G deployment in the C-Band and safe flight operations." The aviation industry and FAA have raised concerns about potential interference of 5G with sensitive aircraft electronics like radio altimeters that could disrupt flights. "We ask that your companies continue to pause introducing commercial C-Band service for an additional short period of no more than two weeks beyond the currently scheduled deployment date of January 5," the letter says. Verizon spokesperson Rich Young said it had received the letter and needs time to review it. AT&T did not immediately comment but earlier Friday the two companies accused the aerospace industry of seeking to hold C-Band spectrum deployment "hostage until the wireless industry agrees to cover the costs of upgrading any obsolete altimeters." Buttigieg and Dickson said under the framework "commercial C-band service would begin as planned in January with certain exceptions around priority airports." The FAA and the aviation industry would identify priority airports "where a buffer zone would permit aviation operations to continue safely while the FAA completes its assessments of the interference potential." The government would work to identify "mitigations for all priority airports" to enable most "large commercial aircraft to operate safely in all conditions." That would allow deployment around "priority airports on a rolling basis" -- aiming to ensure activation by March 31 barring unforeseen issues. Story continues The carriers, which won the spectrum in an $80 billion government auction, previously agreed to precautionary measures for six months to limit interference. On Thursday, trade group Airlines for America asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to halt deployment of new 5G wireless service around many airports, warning thousands of flights could be disrupted: "The potential damage to the airline industry alone is staggering." Wireless industry group CTIA said 5G is safe and spectrum is being used in about 40 other countries. House Transportation Committee chair Peter DeFazio Friday backed the airline group petition warning "we cant afford to experiment with aviation safety." (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien and Lisa Shumaker) They were the great train robberies of Omaha and Council Bluffs. Either heist would make for a great movie. One had South Omaha schoolchildren finding the robbers roost and the schools janitors the stash. The other was the biggest mail-train robbery in the United States at the time. It was a Saturday night in May 1909. The Union Pacifics Overland Limited passenger train, which had a mail car, was eastbound to the old Union Station. The railroad was using its relatively new Lane Cut-Off, which Interstate 80 now follows between I-480 and I-680. As the train was approaching 42nd Street in the still-existing deep cut, five bandits stopped it. Two went to the engine cab to control the fireman and engineer and others entered the mail car. When a mail clerk handed one of them a mail sack, which contained nothing of value, the bandit tossed it aside and said, Hell, I dont want that sack. Wheres the Reno sack? How did he know among the seven pouches taken by his gang that some had originated in Reno, Nevada? None were destined for Omaha. There were three Omaha and Ogden, Utah, pouches destined for New York City, Washington and Chicago. The two Reno pouches were for Chicago and New York. There were two Pocatello and Portland pouches for Chicago and that citys northwest terminal. Most of the passengers were unaware of the robbery. The conductor had gone toward the engine as soon as the train stopped, but Youve come far enough and better go back, shouted one of the bandits. He fired a warning shot in the direction of the conductor, who retreated. The conductor then maintained calm by instructing the brakeman and porters that if asked, they were to tell the passengers that the train was tied up by a switch engine. John P. Maurer, however, was in the observation car and was wise to the unexpected stop. Having $486 on him, he jumped off the train and hid in the weeds until daylight and the sheriff took him into town. Several days later, Brown Park School students John Krolik and John Swoboda and 19-year-old Frank Kudrna separately found revolvers in a gulch near the school at 19th and U streets. Police found more evidence. They hid into the night and captured three of the five suspects when they returned to their lair. The next afternoon in the school attic, janitors John Vavra and A.R. Bentz found six large and two small mail sacks and other items stolen in the robbery. Since the haul had been less than $1,000, the bandits likely needed a place to stash the evidence. Those convicted of the robbery were Frank Grigware, Donald W. Woods, Fred Torgensen, Lawrence F. Golden and Bill Matthews. In 2014, the Spokane Spokesman-Review wrote that the five man all had ties to Spokane. They moved as a group to Hot Springs, Arkansas; Memphis; and Kansas City. Golden, Torgensen and Woods often disappeared, and their absences coincided with train robberies. Their last move together was to Omaha just weeks before the train robbery. Golden was four years into a life sentence when he was exonerated. President Wilson pardoned him. Grigwar escaped from federal prison in Leavenworth in 1910 in a jail break that used a hijacked supply train. He avoided capture until 1934, when he was arrested in Alberta for poaching while using the alias of Jim Fahey. The FBIs new international fingerprint exchange turned up a match. But he never was extradited, and he became a school board chairman and a small-town mayor before his death in 1977 at 91. As for the Brown Park preteen sleuths, John Krolik, John Swoboda, Harry Whitaker, John Patach and Anton Kubat (the last three had found an electric flash lantern tied to the crime) received rewards of $2,000 apiece. Krolik also was paid $131 to travel to Boise to assist in the identification of Matthews. Eleven years after the Union Pacific robbery, four men between 17 and 23 from Council Bluffs (and five persons who were accused of being accessories) engaged in a mail-car heist that eventually was reported as $3.5 million. At 6 p.m. Nov. 13, 1920, train number eight moved eastward between the Union Pacific Transfer and the Burlington Station six blocks away. As the train moved slowly through the transfer, three men in work clothes climbed on. Mearl Phillips, 20, a mail piler for the Burlington, knew the engineer, Alonzo Quinby of Creston, Iowa, and entered the cab to start a diversion conversation. Fred Poffenberger, 19, and Orville Phillips, 19, and Mearls brother, entered a storage mail car that had 130 sacks. Behind that car was one occupied by mail clerks. The getaway driver, in a stolen car, was Keith Collins, 23. Poffenberger and the younger Phillips tossed out sacks, which Collins gathered up. The total reached 10 by the time the train reached the station and Collins picked up the two men. But he missed one of the sacks, which railyard workers spotted. Thats how the robbery was discovered as the train continued toward Chicago. That night, the loot of securities (possibly including $500,000 in easily negotiable Liberty bonds) and $50,000 in 50 packages of $10 bills was divvied up. Collins kept five sacks and $25,000. The remaining four sacks and the other $25,000 went to the other three men. The Phillips brothers sacks were said to contain more than $432,000 in canceled securities. No one but Collins knew what his sacks held. They were skittish. They hoped for a few hundred dollars and hit a jackpot. They were desperate to hide the loot. A pack of $20s was dug up in a chicken yard. A handful of diamonds was found in a corner of an old kitchen because the men didnt recognize their value. Money was stashed in an old churn covered over with hogs lard, a secret hiding place under a stairway and in the manger of an old stable. The engineer had a hunch Mearl Phillips had diverted his attention for a reason and when the train reached Creston, Quinby told a Burlington special agent, You get Mearl Phillips. He knows all about that robbery. As most of the very amateurish gang was ratting out each other, Collins left town and a national manhunt began. He turned up at the home of an uncle near Westville, Oklahoma, two weeks after the robbery. His $25,000 was in a frying pan in his Council Bluffs home. Collins went to federal prison on a 25-year sentence. Poffenberger got 20 years, Orville Phillips 13. Eventually all but $2,565 of the $50,000 was recovered. None of the stolen securities turned up and many likely were burned. As for the Liberty bonds, lore has it that they were thrown off the old Douglas Street bridge into the Missouri River. They were the great train robberies of Omaha and Council Bluffs. Either heist would make for a great movie. One had South Omaha schoolchildren finding the robbers roost and the schools janitors the stash. The other was the biggest mail-train robbery in the United States at the time. It was a Saturday night in May 1909. The Union Pacifics Overland Limited passenger train, which had a mail car, was eastbound to the old Union Station. The railroad was using its relatively new Lane Cut-Off, which Interstate 80 now follows between I-480 and I-680. As the train was approaching 42nd Street in the still-existing deep cut, five bandits stopped it. Two went to the engine cab to control the fireman and engineer and others entered the mail car. When a mail clerk handed one of them a mail sack, which contained nothing of value, the bandit tossed it aside and said, Hell, I dont want that sack. Wheres the Reno sack? How did he know among the seven pouches taken by his gang that some had originated in Reno, Nevada? None were destined for Omaha. There were three Omaha and Ogden, Utah, pouches destined for New York City, Washington and Chicago. The two Reno pouches were for Chicago and New York. There were two Pocatello and Portland pouches for Chicago and that citys northwest terminal. Most of the passengers were unaware of the robbery. The conductor had gone toward the engine as soon as the train stopped, but Youve come far enough and better go back, shouted one of the bandits. He fired a warning shot in the direction of the conductor, who retreated. The conductor then maintained calm by instructing the brakeman and porters that if asked, they were to tell the passengers that the train was tied up by a switch engine. John P. Maurer, however, was in the observation car and was wise to the unexpected stop. Having $486 on him, he jumped off the train and hid in the weeds until daylight and the sheriff took him into town. Several days later, Brown Park School students John Krolik and John Swoboda and 19-year-old Frank Kudrna separately found revolvers in a gulch near the school at 19th and U streets. Police found more evidence. They hid into the night and captured three of the five suspects when they returned to their lair. The next afternoon in the school attic, janitors John Vavra and A.R. Bentz found six large and two small mail sacks and other items stolen in the robbery. Since the haul had been less than $1,000, the bandits likely needed a place to stash the evidence. Those convicted of the robbery were Frank Grigware, Donald W. Woods, Fred Torgensen, Lawrence F. Golden and Bill Matthews. In 2014, the Spokane Spokesman-Review wrote that the five man all had ties to Spokane. They moved as a group to Hot Springs, Arkansas; Memphis; and Kansas City. Golden, Torgensen and Woods often disappeared, and their absences coincided with train robberies. Their last move together was to Omaha just weeks before the train robbery. Golden was four years into a life sentence when he was exonerated. President Wilson pardoned him. Grigwar escaped from federal prison in Leavenworth in 1910 in a jail break that used a hijacked supply train. He avoided capture until 1934, when he was arrested in Alberta for poaching while using the alias of Jim Fahey. The FBIs new international fingerprint exchange turned up a match. But he never was extradited, and he became a school board chairman and a small-town mayor before his death in 1977 at 91. As for the Brown Park preteen sleuths, John Krolik, John Swoboda, Harry Whitaker, John Patach and Anton Kubat (the last three had found an electric flash lantern tied to the crime) received rewards of $2,000 apiece. Krolik also was paid $131 to travel to Boise to assist in the identification of Matthews. Eleven years after the Union Pacific robbery, four men between 17 and 23 from Council Bluffs (and five persons who were accused of being accessories) engaged in a mail-car heist that eventually was reported as $3.5 million. At 6 p.m. Nov. 13, 1920, train number eight moved eastward between the Union Pacific Transfer and the Burlington Station six blocks away. As the train moved slowly through the transfer, three men in work clothes climbed on. Mearl Phillips, 20, a mail piler for the Burlington, knew the engineer, Alonzo Quinby of Creston, Iowa, and entered the cab to start a diversion conversation. Fred Poffenberger, 19, and Orville Phillips, 19, and Mearls brother, entered a storage mail car that had 130 sacks. Behind that car was one occupied by mail clerks. The getaway driver, in a stolen car, was Keith Collins, 23. Poffenberger and the younger Phillips tossed out sacks, which Collins gathered up. The total reached 10 by the time the train reached the station and Collins picked up the two men. But he missed one of the sacks, which railyard workers spotted. Thats how the robbery was discovered as the train continued toward Chicago. That night, the loot of securities (possibly including $500,000 in easily negotiable Liberty bonds) and $50,000 in 50 packages of $10 bills was divvied up. Collins kept five sacks and $25,000. The remaining four sacks and the other $25,000 went to the other three men. The Phillips brothers sacks were said to contain more than $432,000 in canceled securities. No one but Collins knew what his sacks held. They were skittish. They hoped for a few hundred dollars and hit a jackpot. They were desperate to hide the loot. A pack of $20s was dug up in a chicken yard. A handful of diamonds was found in a corner of an old kitchen because the men didnt recognize their value. Money was stashed in an old churn covered over with hogs lard, a secret hiding place under a stairway and in the manger of an old stable. The engineer had a hunch Mearl Phillips had diverted his attention for a reason and when the train reached Creston, Quinby told a Burlington special agent, You get Mearl Phillips. He knows all about that robbery. As most of the very amateurish gang was ratting out each other, Collins left town and a national manhunt began. He turned up at the home of an uncle near Westville, Oklahoma, two weeks after the robbery. His $25,000 was in a frying pan in his Council Bluffs home. Collins went to federal prison on a 25-year sentence. Poffenberger got 20 years, Orville Phillips 13. Eventually all but $2,565 of the $50,000 was recovered. None of the stolen securities turned up and many likely were burned. As for the Liberty bonds, lore has it that they were thrown off the old Douglas Street bridge into the Missouri River. RACINE It was a rare year for drownings. Five people died throughout summer and early fall 2021 in Lake Michigan off of Racines shores: 10-year-old girl, a 17-year-old boy, a 14-year-old girl, a 40-year-old man and a 28-year-old man. The Great Lakes Surf Rescue, which tracks deaths in the Great Lakes, reported 83 drownings in 2021 in all of the Great Lakes combined as of Sept. 19. There had been 38 drownings that year in Lake Michigan, which is consistently the deadliest of the five lakes. Drownings are even rarer in public waters like Lake Michigan without a compounding factor, such as an unrelated medical event preceding a drowning. Never in the past four years prior to June has a drowning in Racine County been attributed to a rip current. But rip currents were a factor in at least the first three deaths, which occurred in June, according to the Racine County Medical Examiners Office. Officials have said its practically impossible to be prepared for a rip current since they can seemingly come out of nowhere. Riptides are very unpredictable, Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling said during a press conference June 22 following the first rash of tragedies. From July 2017 through June 2021, there have been 14 drowning deaths in Racine County, according to a report of accidental drownings provided to The Journal Times in June by the Racine County Medical Examiners Office. None of the other 11 drowning deaths in the past four years had been attributed to rip currents. Eisha Figuereo-Colon and Yaadwinder Singh Two youths struggled to stay afloat on the same day at adjacent Racine beaches, and after lifeguards were no longer on duty. The Racine County Communications Center received numerous 911 calls around 6:30 p.m. on June 19, about a 10-year-old girl possibly drowning in Lake Michigan off Zoo Beach. Lifeguard shifts ended at 6 p.m. Police and fire responders were dispatched from multiple agencies within Racine County to assist, including the Racine County Sheriffs Boat Patrol, Racine County Dive Team, Racine Police Department, and Racine Fire Department. At about 6:54 p.m. the child was located, removed from the water, and transported by rescue personnel to an area hospital. The girl, Eisha Nahomey Figuereo-Colon of Racine, died that day at the hospital. She reportedly didnt know how to swim. An obituary described her as a very artistic young lady, she loved drawing, painting, music, and playing the keyboard. She will be remembered fondly for her great smile, outgoing personality, her positive spirit, and her great love for her family." Last week, in trying to make a happier holiday, the Racine Police Department, in partnership with the Blue Bear restaurant, surprised the immediate family members of Figuereo-Colon with gifts and a warm meal for the first Christmas since the loss of their sister and daughter. The day of Figuereo-Colons death, rescue personnel received another report of a possible drowning in Lake Michigan off North Beach at 6:35 p.m. that day. The Racine County Sheriffs Boat Patrol located the 17-year-old boy about 200 yards off the beach. The boy, identified as Yaadwinder Singh, an Oak Creek High School student from Franklin, was transported to the beach where he was assisted by rescue personnel and transported to an area hospital. He was first reported in critical condition but later died during the early-morning hours on June 21 from injuries consistent with drowning. It is with heavy hearts that our OCFSD community mourns the tragic loss of student Yaadwinder Singh, a June statement from the Oak Creek-Franklin School District said. Our sincerest condolences and sympathy go out to the families and friends affected by this tragedy. Trying to save lives In August, local teachers, the union for Racine firefighters and the Racine Founders Rotary Club teamed up, hoping to inspire safety in Racine's waters. Using about $10,000 in raised funds, 150 life preserver vests and 12 throw rings were placed at Racine's beaches. They are held in brightly colored boxes, built by Greg Kiriaki and Joe Pascucci, teachers at Park High School. We just hope that people will use them, Brian Turczynski, a member of the Racine Fire Department's dive team, said of the new life preserver vests. After the first drownings, Schmaling repeatedly called on the city to extend lifeguard hours to increase safety on the beach, while also calling on community members to be more aware of the dangers of the water especially to children. The City of Racine's 2022 budget includes money to pay six more lifeguards on its beaches next summer. As such, for the first time in recent memory, Zoo Beach will be staffed by lifeguards rather than only adjacent North Beach. Lily Limbert The same day Singh was pronounced dead, Lake Michigan claimed another victim. A 14-year-old Milwaukee County girl was pulled from Lake Michigan at North Beach June 21 and was taken to Childrens Hospital in Wauwatosa via Flight for Life for treatment. She died June 29. She was identified as Lily Limbert of Greendale. I think we are all still a little bit in shock and dont want to believe this is happening, Limberts aunt, Leslie Scott, told Patch.com in a July article. Our family has been through a lot, as many families have and do, but this is something I would have never predicted. According to the Racine County Sheriffs Office, Limbert had been pulled by a strong current into deeper water and into the rocks surrounding North Pier preceding her death, marking the third death attributed to rip currents. Thomas J. Walker Later in the summer, a 40-year-old man identified as Thomas J. Walker of Missouri died Aug. 22 after saving two children who were in distress in the water near the pier north of North Beach and Zoo Beach. Walker entered the water to save the children, who were related to him. The children got out of the water thanks to his help, but he was unable to escape. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An August statement from Walkers family said: He was a kind soul and an amazing uncle to his niece and nephews. And how we lost him is a testament to how great an uncle and all-around guy he was. (We) never met a person who didnt like him. He is missed greatly. Aric Michael Lantz On Oct. 6, someone walking along Pershing Park Drive found a body in the water. Racine County Medical Examiner Michael Payne confirmed in October that freshwater drowning was the cause of death and foul play was not suspected. The body was identified as that of Aric Michael Lantz, a 28-year-old man from Racine. Lantz had a young son, Carter Thomas Lantz. He had been missing since Sept. 29, according to a Facebook post from a loved one, and the Racine Police Department first received a report of him being missing on Oct. 2. Initial reports said it appears Lantzs body had been in the water for several days before he was seen by the person walking along Pershing Park Drive. Arics passing was a huge surprise to our entire family, an obituary read. He was a kindhearted individual that only wanted our family to be close. He was very talented and had a mind like no other. The Daily Beast KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty ImagesVladimir Putins defense minister sent a clear message to the people of Russia on Wednesday: Their country is at war not just with Ukraine, but with the entirety of the West.I cannot but emphasize the fact that today, we are at war not so much with Ukraine and the Ukrainian army as with the collective West, Sergei Shoigu said in a televised speech, according to TASS.At this point, we are really at war with the collective West, with NATO, Shoigu added.Sh PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. Enditem Kiev [Ukraine], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has named the end of the war in the eastern region of Donbas his main goal. "Unfortunately, we have not ended the war in the eastern part of our state. This is my main goal. That is why I say 'yet.' Because the next year will be better," Zelensky said in a New Year address to the nation. Also Read | Israel Detects First Case of Florona Disease, Says Report. Kiev launched a military operation against the self-proclaimed republic of Donetsk and Luhansk in 2014 after they refused to recognize the new Ukrainian government and proclaimed independence from the country. A ceasefire deal was signed in Minsk a year later following talks brokered by the leaders of the Normandy Four states. The agreement has not been implemented so far and sporadic clashes still continue. (ANI/Sputnik) Also Read | COVID-19 Now Infecting Thousands of Kids in US Amid Omicron Surge, Says CDC. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) VERO BEACH, Fla., Dec. 31, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach Assisted Living and Memory Care approaches its one-year anniversary of grand opening, Executive Director Kim Haddon prepares to celebrate with her growing community of associates, residents and family members. Haddon was selected to lead the 107-unit luxury senior living community earlier this year, bringing more than twenty years of experience in the healthcare industry. She began her career as a certified nursing assistant and med tech, and successfully advanced into leadership positions in culinary, programming, and mental health management. Most recently, Haddon joyfully served eight years as an Executive Director for assisted living and memory care communities before joining the Watercrest family. The residents and families of Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach sing Kim's praises as an executive director who honors her commitments and builds trust by holding herself and others accountable. Her dedication to teamwork has led to thriving partnerships in the surrounding community of Santa Rosa Beach, a city who greatly supported the development of the luxury senior living community of Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach. "Our days are filled with laughter, smiles and cherished moments with our residents making this extraordinary community their new home," says Kim Haddon, Executive Director of Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach. "We have formed a family here and look forward to amazing accomplishments and unforgettable experiences in 2022!" Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach offers 75 assisted living and 32 memory care apartments with resort-style service and world-class care. Residents enjoy pampering in elegant Spa W, savor private label Watercrest wines at the bistro, and relish the flavors of locally grown, seasonal ingredients and organic fare whether dining outdoors, bistro-style, or in the chef's private dining room. Watercrest Santa Rosa Beach is a newly-constructed senior living development project partnered between Watercrest Senior Living Group and The St. Joe Company. The 92,000 square foot luxury senior living community is conveniently located at 205 West Hewett Road along the Emerald Coast in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. For information, contact the community at 850-660-7130. About Watercrest Senior Living GroupWatercrest Senior Living Group was founded to honor our mothers and fathers, aspiring to become a beacon for quality in senior living by surpassing standards of care, service and associate training. Watercrest senior living communities are recognized for their luxury aesthetic, exceptional amenities, world-class care, and innovative memory care programming offering unparalleled service to seniors living with Alzheimer's and dementia. A certified Great Place to Work, Watercrest specializes in the development and operations of assisted living and memory care communities and the growth of servant leaders. For information, visit www.watercrestseniorliving.com. About The St. Joe CompanyThe St. Joe Company is a real estate development, asset management and operating company with real estate assets and operations in Northwest Florida. The Company intends to use existing assets for residential, hospitality and commercial ventures. St. Joe has significant residential and commercial land-use entitlements. The Company actively seeks higher and better uses for its real estate assets through a range of development activities. More information about the Company can be found on its website at www.joe.com. On a regular basis, the Company releases a video showing progress on projects in development or under construction. See https://www.joe.com/video-gallery for more information. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe New Delhi: The fifth edition of India International Science Festival (IISF) will be held in Kolkata from November 5-8, Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan announced on Tuesday. More than 12,000 participants, including 8,000 students, are expected to attend the event, Department of Science and Technology (DST) Secretary Ashutosh Sharma said. He said 350 students will replicate the experiment of wireless communication conducted by Jagdish Chandra Bose. The DST, Department of Biotechnology, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Indian Council of Medical Research and the Ministry of Earth Sciences are major government sponsoring bodies for the event. It is being organised in collaboration with Vigynana Bharati, an RSS-linked scientific body. The IISF will also hosts 28 different events such as Agriculture Scientists Meet, Vigyan Samagam, Young Scientists Conference, Vigyanika-International Science Literature Festival, International Science Film Festival of India. IISF 2019 will play a crucial role in promoting love and passion for science among students by bringing science outside the lab. It is time to make science a Jan Andolan (mass movement), Vardhan said. The theme for this years festival is RISEN India - Research, Innovation, and Science Empowering the Nation, Vardhan said. IISF is the largest science festival in the world. The focus will be on youth to inspire and motivate them to learn real science in motion. Real science cannot be learned in classroom atmosphere. IISF provides an opportunity to learn science in action and motion, Sharma said. The IISF 2019 is the fifth edition since its inception in 2015. The first and second IISF were held in New Delhi, the third in Chennai and the fourth in Lucknow, which witnessed a widespread participation from over 10 lakh people worldwide. New Delhi: The fifth edition of India International Science Festival (IISF) will be held in Kolkata from November 5-8, Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan announced on Tuesday. More than 12,000 participants, including 8,000 students, are expected to attend the event, Department of Science and Technology (DST) Secretary Ashutosh Sharma said. He said 350 students will replicate the experiment of wireless communication conducted by Jagdish Chandra Bose. The DST, Department of Biotechnology, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Indian Council of Medical Research and the Ministry of Earth Sciences are major government sponsoring bodies for the event. It is being organised in collaboration with Vigynana Bharati, an RSS-linked scientific body. The IISF will also hosts 28 different events such as Agriculture Scientists Meet, Vigyan Samagam, Young Scientists Conference, Vigyanika-International Science Literature Festival, International Science Film Festival of India. IISF 2019 will play a crucial role in promoting love and passion for science among students by bringing science outside the lab. It is time to make science a Jan Andolan (mass movement), Vardhan said. The theme for this years festival is RISEN India - Research, Innovation, and Science Empowering the Nation, Vardhan said. IISF is the largest science festival in the world. The focus will be on youth to inspire and motivate them to learn real science in motion. Real science cannot be learned in classroom atmosphere. IISF provides an opportunity to learn science in action and motion, Sharma said. The IISF 2019 is the fifth edition since its inception in 2015. The first and second IISF were held in New Delhi, the third in Chennai and the fourth in Lucknow, which witnessed a widespread participation from over 10 lakh people worldwide. New Delhi: The fifth edition of India International Science Festival (IISF) will be held in Kolkata from November 5-8, Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan announced on Tuesday. More than 12,000 participants, including 8,000 students, are expected to attend the event, Department of Science and Technology (DST) Secretary Ashutosh Sharma said. He said 350 students will replicate the experiment of wireless communication conducted by Jagdish Chandra Bose. The DST, Department of Biotechnology, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Indian Council of Medical Research and the Ministry of Earth Sciences are major government sponsoring bodies for the event. It is being organised in collaboration with Vigynana Bharati, an RSS-linked scientific body. The IISF will also hosts 28 different events such as Agriculture Scientists Meet, Vigyan Samagam, Young Scientists Conference, Vigyanika-International Science Literature Festival, International Science Film Festival of India. IISF 2019 will play a crucial role in promoting love and passion for science among students by bringing science outside the lab. It is time to make science a Jan Andolan (mass movement), Vardhan said. The theme for this years festival is RISEN India - Research, Innovation, and Science Empowering the Nation, Vardhan said. IISF is the largest science festival in the world. The focus will be on youth to inspire and motivate them to learn real science in motion. Real science cannot be learned in classroom atmosphere. IISF provides an opportunity to learn science in action and motion, Sharma said. The IISF 2019 is the fifth edition since its inception in 2015. The first and second IISF were held in New Delhi, the third in Chennai and the fourth in Lucknow, which witnessed a widespread participation from over 10 lakh people worldwide. Mumbai: Few hours after the ED filed a case against him and others in the MSCB scam case, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday said he would have been "surprised" had there not been such an action against him given the "huge" response he received during his poll campaign in Maharashtra. In a sarcastic comment, Pawar also "thanked" the central agency for naming him in the case relating to the bank of which he "is not a member and was not involved in its decision-making" in any way. The Maharashtra unit of the ruling BJP, however, justified the Enforcement Directorate (ED) action, saying it took the steps as per rules and procedure. "I thank the probe agencies because they have involved my name in a case relating to such a bank of which I am not even a member of, I was not involved in its decision-making," Pawar told reporters in Mumbai. "If they have filed a case against me too, I welcome it. I would have been surprised had such action not been taken against me after the kind of response I receive during my visits to various districts of the state," he added. The former Union minister, however, said he will continue with his campaigning for the October 21 assembly polls in Maharashtra. Pawar, who initially appeared clueless about his name figuring in the ED's case, said he has not received any notice yet. The NCP dismissed it as a politically motivated case. "This is a politically motivated move, aimed at defaming opposition leaders ahead of the polls," NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik alleged. READ | ED Books NCP Chief Sharad Pawar, Nephew Ajit Pawar, Others In MSCB Scam Case Another NCP leader, Dhananjay Munde, criticised the move and said efforts were being made to bedevil Pawar given the huge response he was receiving in the poll-bound state and the same had made the ruling BJP "fidgety". Taking to Twitter, Munde said the "time will change". The Maharashtra Congress, too, hit out at the Modi government, saying the ED is being used to suppress opposition leaders to ensure "totalitarian" regime of the BJP. "The ED is being used to suppress leaders in the opposition; it is clear it is being done to bring the totalitarian rule of the BJP. This establishes the autocracy has arrived in the country," Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said. Shiv Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande pitched for a probe into the matter (MSCB scam) to give justice to the people and called for punishing the guilty. "Common people deposit money in co-operative banks. This matter should be probed. Action should be taken against whoever is guilty irrespective of the parties they belong to," Kayande said. READ | Only Pulwama-Like Incident Can Change Mood Of People In Maharashtra, Says Sharad Pawar Asked about the development, Maharashtra BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhye said the ED took the step as per rules and norms. "If there is a scam, if an FIR is registered in its connection and if the scam is to the tune of more than Rs 100 crore, the ED has to take cognisance of the same. This is the protocol. Case was filed in Mumbai as per the Bombay High Court order...the ED has taken action as per the procedure," Upadhye added. The ED, a specialised financial probe agency, has filed a money laundering case against Pawar, his nephew Ajit Pawar and others in connection with the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) scam case, officials said on Tuesday. They said an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), equivalent to a police FIR, has been registered by the central agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The case is based on a Mumbai Police FIR which had named former chairmen of the bank, ex-deputy chief minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar and 70 former functionaries of the cooperative bank. The registration of the case comes just weeks ahead of polling in the BJP-ruled state. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi knows how to deal with terrorism and the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, United States President Donald Trump said on Tuesday while addressing the media on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Session in New York. Trump made the remarks in response to a query about tackling terrorism from Pakistan. Asked about the heightened conflict between India and Pakistan over the abrogation of Article 370, the President said it will be great if PM Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan can "work out something" on Kashmir, distancing himself from any mediation between the two neighbours. READ | President Donald Trump Calls PM Modi 'Father Of India' On Sidelines Of UNGA Session "It will be great if these two gentlemen can work out something on Kashmir," Trump said, a day after he met Prime Minister Khan and once again offered to mediate between Pakistan and India on the Kashmir issue if both sides agree. This was their fourth meeting. The two leaders earlier met on Sunday in Houston and shared the stage at 'Howdy, Modi' gala event where they displayed a close friendship and a common vision on fighting terrorism. READ | I Think Very Soon We Will Have Trade Deal With India: US President Donald Trump Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. India's action evoked strong reactions from Pakistan which downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi and expelled the Indian Ambassador. Pakistan has been trying to internationalise the Kashmir issue but India has asserted that the abrogation of Article 370 was its "internal matter". New Delhi has also asked Islamabad to accept the reality and stop its anti-India rhetoric. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said his country will soon have a trade deal with India to boost economic ties between the two nations. We are doing very well ... I think very soon we will have a trade deal, Trump told reporters here when asked if there is any trade deal is expected in the talks between India and the US. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session and discussed with him bilateral ties. The two countries are negotiating a trade package to iron out issues and promote the two-way commerce. #WATCH US President: I remember India before was very torn. There was a lot of dissension, fighting&he brought it all together. Like a father would. Maybe he is the Father of India...They love this gentleman to my right. People went crazy, he is like an American version of Elvis. pic.twitter.com/w1ZWYiaOSu ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2019 During the meeting, PM Modi said, I am thankful to Trump that he came to Houston. He is my friend but he is also a good friend of India. US President Donald Trump also said that it will be great if Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan can work out something on Kashmir, distancing himself from any mediation between the two neighbours. Trump made the remarks as he met Prime Minister Modi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session. It will be great if they can work out something on Kashmir, Trump said in response to a question, a day after he met Khan on Monday and once again offered to mediate between Pakistan and India on the Kashmir issue if both sides agree. This was their fourth meeting. The two leaders earlier met on Sunday in Houston and shared the stage at Howdy, Modi gala event where they displayed a close friendship and a common vision on fighting terrorism. Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. Indias action evoked strong reactions from Pakistan which downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi and expelled the Indian Ambassador. Pakistan has been trying to internationalise the Kashmir issue but India has asserted that the abrogation of Article 370 was its internal matter. New Delhi has also asked Islamabad to accept the reality and stop its anti-India rhetoric For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi knows how to deal with terrorism and the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, United States President Donald Trump said on Tuesday while addressing the media on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Session in New York. Trump made the remarks in response to a query about tackling terrorism from Pakistan. Asked about the heightened conflict between India and Pakistan over the abrogation of Article 370, the President said it will be great if PM Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan can "work out something" on Kashmir, distancing himself from any mediation between the two neighbours. READ | President Donald Trump Calls PM Modi 'Father Of India' On Sidelines Of UNGA Session "It will be great if these two gentlemen can work out something on Kashmir," Trump said, a day after he met Prime Minister Khan and once again offered to mediate between Pakistan and India on the Kashmir issue if both sides agree. This was their fourth meeting. The two leaders earlier met on Sunday in Houston and shared the stage at 'Howdy, Modi' gala event where they displayed a close friendship and a common vision on fighting terrorism. READ | I Think Very Soon We Will Have Trade Deal With India: US President Donald Trump Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. India's action evoked strong reactions from Pakistan which downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi and expelled the Indian Ambassador. Pakistan has been trying to internationalise the Kashmir issue but India has asserted that the abrogation of Article 370 was its "internal matter". New Delhi has also asked Islamabad to accept the reality and stop its anti-India rhetoric. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi knows how to deal with terrorism and the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, United States President Donald Trump said on Tuesday while addressing the media on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Session in New York. Trump made the remarks in response to a query about tackling terrorism from Pakistan. Asked about the heightened conflict between India and Pakistan over the abrogation of Article 370, the President said it will be great if PM Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan can "work out something" on Kashmir, distancing himself from any mediation between the two neighbours. READ | President Donald Trump Calls PM Modi 'Father Of India' On Sidelines Of UNGA Session "It will be great if these two gentlemen can work out something on Kashmir," Trump said, a day after he met Prime Minister Khan and once again offered to mediate between Pakistan and India on the Kashmir issue if both sides agree. This was their fourth meeting. The two leaders earlier met on Sunday in Houston and shared the stage at 'Howdy, Modi' gala event where they displayed a close friendship and a common vision on fighting terrorism. READ | I Think Very Soon We Will Have Trade Deal With India: US President Donald Trump Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. India's action evoked strong reactions from Pakistan which downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi and expelled the Indian Ambassador. Pakistan has been trying to internationalise the Kashmir issue but India has asserted that the abrogation of Article 370 was its "internal matter". New Delhi has also asked Islamabad to accept the reality and stop its anti-India rhetoric. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Buenos Aires, , 2022 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Jan, 2022 ) :A jaguar named Jatobazinho was released into a national park in Argentina Friday as part of a program to boost the numbers of this endangered species. This was the eighth jaguar freed this year into Ibera National Park but the first adult male, said the environmental group Rewilding Argentina, which is behind the project. Jatobazinho weighs about 90 kilos (200 Pounds) and has brown fur peppered with black spots. He first appeared at a rural school in 2018 in Brazil, looking skinny and weak after crossing a river from Paraguay. The big cat spent a year in an animal refuge in Brazil until he was sent to a jaguar reintroduction center operating since 2012 in Argentina's northeast Corrientes province, where the species had been extinct for 70 years. Sebastian Di Martino, a biologist with Rewilding Argentina, said that as the jaguar needed to be nice and relaxed as it left its enclosure and entered the wild. "If the animal is stressed it can become disoriented and end up anywhere," he said. He said these jaguars were fed live prey while in captivity because they have to know how to hunt. In the Ibera park, there is plenty of wildlife for them to feed on such as deer. The jaguars are tracked with a GPS device they wear. There are plans now to release a female that was born at the reintroduction center. The park is also awaiting the arrival of three wild jaguars from Paraguay, and two more raised in captivity in Uruguay and Brazil. Jaguars are native to the Americas. It is estimated there were more than 100,000 jaguars when Europeans arrived in the 15th century, their habitat ranging from semi-desert areas of North America to the tropical forests of South America. Conservation groups say the jaguar population of South America has fallen by up to 25 percent over the past 20 years as deforestation eats up their habitat. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Buenos Aires, , 2022 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Jan, 2022 ) :A jaguar named Jatobazinho was released into a national park in Argentina Friday as part of a program to boost the numbers of this endangered species. This was the eighth jaguar freed this year into Ibera National Park but the first adult male, said the environmental group Rewilding Argentina, which is behind the project. Jatobazinho weighs about 90 kilos (200 Pounds) and has brown fur peppered with black spots. He first appeared at a rural school in 2018 in Brazil, looking skinny and weak after crossing a river from Paraguay. The big cat spent a year in an animal refuge in Brazil until he was sent to a jaguar reintroduction center operating since 2012 in Argentina's northeast Corrientes province, where the species had been extinct for 70 years. Sebastian Di Martino, a biologist with Rewilding Argentina, said that as the jaguar needed to be nice and relaxed as it left its enclosure and entered the wild. "If the animal is stressed it can become disoriented and end up anywhere," he said. He said these jaguars were fed live prey while in captivity because they have to know how to hunt. In the Ibera park, there is plenty of wildlife for them to feed on such as deer. The jaguars are tracked with a GPS device they wear. There are plans now to release a female that was born at the reintroduction center. The park is also awaiting the arrival of three wild jaguars from Paraguay, and two more raised in captivity in Uruguay and Brazil. Jaguars are native to the Americas. It is estimated there were more than 100,000 jaguars when Europeans arrived in the 15th century, their habitat ranging from semi-desert areas of North America to the tropical forests of South America. Conservation groups say the jaguar population of South America has fallen by up to 25 percent over the past 20 years as deforestation eats up their habitat. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Buenos Aires, , 2022 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Jan, 2022 ) :A jaguar named Jatobazinho was released into a national park in Argentina Friday as part of a program to boost the numbers of this endangered species. This was the eighth jaguar freed this year into Ibera National Park but the first adult male, said the environmental group Rewilding Argentina, which is behind the project. Jatobazinho weighs about 90 kilos (200 Pounds) and has brown fur peppered with black spots. He first appeared at a rural school in 2018 in Brazil, looking skinny and weak after crossing a river from Paraguay. The big cat spent a year in an animal refuge in Brazil until he was sent to a jaguar reintroduction center operating since 2012 in Argentina's northeast Corrientes province, where the species had been extinct for 70 years. Sebastian Di Martino, a biologist with Rewilding Argentina, said that as the jaguar needed to be nice and relaxed as it left its enclosure and entered the wild. "If the animal is stressed it can become disoriented and end up anywhere," he said. He said these jaguars were fed live prey while in captivity because they have to know how to hunt. In the Ibera park, there is plenty of wildlife for them to feed on such as deer. The jaguars are tracked with a GPS device they wear. There are plans now to release a female that was born at the reintroduction center. The park is also awaiting the arrival of three wild jaguars from Paraguay, and two more raised in captivity in Uruguay and Brazil. Jaguars are native to the Americas. It is estimated there were more than 100,000 jaguars when Europeans arrived in the 15th century, their habitat ranging from semi-desert areas of North America to the tropical forests of South America. Conservation groups say the jaguar population of South America has fallen by up to 25 percent over the past 20 years as deforestation eats up their habitat. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Buenos Aires, , 2022 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Jan, 2022 ) :A jaguar named Jatobazinho was released into a national park in Argentina Friday as part of a program to boost the numbers of this endangered species. This was the eighth jaguar freed this year into Ibera National Park but the first adult male, said the environmental group Rewilding Argentina, which is behind the project. Jatobazinho weighs about 90 kilos (200 Pounds) and has brown fur peppered with black spots. He first appeared at a rural school in 2018 in Brazil, looking skinny and weak after crossing a river from Paraguay. The big cat spent a year in an animal refuge in Brazil until he was sent to a jaguar reintroduction center operating since 2012 in Argentina's northeast Corrientes province, where the species had been extinct for 70 years. Sebastian Di Martino, a biologist with Rewilding Argentina, said that as the jaguar needed to be nice and relaxed as it left its enclosure and entered the wild. "If the animal is stressed it can become disoriented and end up anywhere," he said. He said these jaguars were fed live prey while in captivity because they have to know how to hunt. In the Ibera park, there is plenty of wildlife for them to feed on such as deer. The jaguars are tracked with a GPS device they wear. There are plans now to release a female that was born at the reintroduction center. The park is also awaiting the arrival of three wild jaguars from Paraguay, and two more raised in captivity in Uruguay and Brazil. Jaguars are native to the Americas. It is estimated there were more than 100,000 jaguars when Europeans arrived in the 15th century, their habitat ranging from semi-desert areas of North America to the tropical forests of South America. Conservation groups say the jaguar population of South America has fallen by up to 25 percent over the past 20 years as deforestation eats up their habitat. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 According to a media source, Taiwan is seeing an increase in immigration from Hong Kong, where China has tightened its crackdown under the disputed national security law. As China escalates its assault on opposition, Taiwan sees an increase in immigration from Hong Kong. As China escalates its assault on opposition, Taiwan is seeing an increase in immigration from Hong Kong. According to Radio Free Asia (RFA), Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Commission (MAC) spokesperson Chiu Chui-cheng said on Friday that the number of Hong Kong residents immigrating to Taiwan reached a new high in 2021, according to the latest figures from the Taiwan Immigration Department. Between January and November 2021, Taiwan's Interior Ministry issued 9,772 residence cards to Hong Kong citizens, up from 9,501 in the same time in 2020, according to the journal. In 2021, Taiwan granted permanent residency to 1,572 Hongkongers, up from 1,397 in the previous year's same time. According to Chiu, new draught revisions to the laws have been created in accordance with talent recruiting standards in order to prolong the length of residency, particularly for students, allowing them to stay after obtaining their master's and doctoral degrees. Chiu also expressed optimism that the new draught guidelines will be implemented shortly. Immigration consultant Chang Hsiang-ling stated that more Hongkongers would have applied if Taiwan had not enforced harsh COVID-19 entrance and leave restrictions, and that if they were not in place, more Hongkongers would have applied. Another record-breaking day for the US with 5,80,000 cases Former Afghan president Ghani says the decision to flee Kabul was made in 'minutes' Taiwan's president warns the China against 'military adventurism' in New Year's address According to a media source, Taiwan is seeing an increase in immigration from Hong Kong, where China has tightened its crackdown under the disputed national security law. As China escalates its assault on opposition, Taiwan sees an increase in immigration from Hong Kong. As China escalates its assault on opposition, Taiwan is seeing an increase in immigration from Hong Kong. According to Radio Free Asia (RFA), Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Commission (MAC) spokesperson Chiu Chui-cheng said on Friday that the number of Hong Kong residents immigrating to Taiwan reached a new high in 2021, according to the latest figures from the Taiwan Immigration Department. Between January and November 2021, Taiwan's Interior Ministry issued 9,772 residence cards to Hong Kong citizens, up from 9,501 in the same time in 2020, according to the journal. In 2021, Taiwan granted permanent residency to 1,572 Hongkongers, up from 1,397 in the previous year's same time. According to Chiu, new draught revisions to the laws have been created in accordance with talent recruiting standards in order to prolong the length of residency, particularly for students, allowing them to stay after obtaining their master's and doctoral degrees. Chiu also expressed optimism that the new draught guidelines will be implemented shortly. Immigration consultant Chang Hsiang-ling stated that more Hongkongers would have applied if Taiwan had not enforced harsh COVID-19 entrance and leave restrictions, and that if they were not in place, more Hongkongers would have applied. Another record-breaking day for the US with 5,80,000 cases Former Afghan president Ghani says the decision to flee Kabul was made in 'minutes' Taiwan's president warns the China against 'military adventurism' in New Year's address Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 According to a media source, Taiwan is seeing an increase in immigration from Hong Kong, where China has tightened its crackdown under the disputed national security law. As China escalates its assault on opposition, Taiwan sees an increase in immigration from Hong Kong. As China escalates its assault on opposition, Taiwan is seeing an increase in immigration from Hong Kong. According to Radio Free Asia (RFA), Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Commission (MAC) spokesperson Chiu Chui-cheng said on Friday that the number of Hong Kong residents immigrating to Taiwan reached a new high in 2021, according to the latest figures from the Taiwan Immigration Department. Between January and November 2021, Taiwan's Interior Ministry issued 9,772 residence cards to Hong Kong citizens, up from 9,501 in the same time in 2020, according to the journal. In 2021, Taiwan granted permanent residency to 1,572 Hongkongers, up from 1,397 in the previous year's same time. According to Chiu, new draught revisions to the laws have been created in accordance with talent recruiting standards in order to prolong the length of residency, particularly for students, allowing them to stay after obtaining their master's and doctoral degrees. Chiu also expressed optimism that the new draught guidelines will be implemented shortly. Immigration consultant Chang Hsiang-ling stated that more Hongkongers would have applied if Taiwan had not enforced harsh COVID-19 entrance and leave restrictions, and that if they were not in place, more Hongkongers would have applied. Another record-breaking day for the US with 5,80,000 cases Former Afghan president Ghani says the decision to flee Kabul was made in 'minutes' Taiwan's president warns the China against 'military adventurism' in New Year's address According to a media source, Taiwan is seeing an increase in immigration from Hong Kong, where China has tightened its crackdown under the disputed national security law. As China escalates its assault on opposition, Taiwan sees an increase in immigration from Hong Kong. As China escalates its assault on opposition, Taiwan is seeing an increase in immigration from Hong Kong. According to Radio Free Asia (RFA), Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Commission (MAC) spokesperson Chiu Chui-cheng said on Friday that the number of Hong Kong residents immigrating to Taiwan reached a new high in 2021, according to the latest figures from the Taiwan Immigration Department. Between January and November 2021, Taiwan's Interior Ministry issued 9,772 residence cards to Hong Kong citizens, up from 9,501 in the same time in 2020, according to the journal. In 2021, Taiwan granted permanent residency to 1,572 Hongkongers, up from 1,397 in the previous year's same time. According to Chiu, new draught revisions to the laws have been created in accordance with talent recruiting standards in order to prolong the length of residency, particularly for students, allowing them to stay after obtaining their master's and doctoral degrees. Chiu also expressed optimism that the new draught guidelines will be implemented shortly. Immigration consultant Chang Hsiang-ling stated that more Hongkongers would have applied if Taiwan had not enforced harsh COVID-19 entrance and leave restrictions, and that if they were not in place, more Hongkongers would have applied. Another record-breaking day for the US with 5,80,000 cases Former Afghan president Ghani says the decision to flee Kabul was made in 'minutes' Taiwan's president warns the China against 'military adventurism' in New Year's address According to a media source, Taiwan is seeing an increase in immigration from Hong Kong, where China has tightened its crackdown under the disputed national security law. As China escalates its assault on opposition, Taiwan sees an increase in immigration from Hong Kong. As China escalates its assault on opposition, Taiwan is seeing an increase in immigration from Hong Kong. According to Radio Free Asia (RFA), Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Commission (MAC) spokesperson Chiu Chui-cheng said on Friday that the number of Hong Kong residents immigrating to Taiwan reached a new high in 2021, according to the latest figures from the Taiwan Immigration Department. Between January and November 2021, Taiwan's Interior Ministry issued 9,772 residence cards to Hong Kong citizens, up from 9,501 in the same time in 2020, according to the journal. In 2021, Taiwan granted permanent residency to 1,572 Hongkongers, up from 1,397 in the previous year's same time. According to Chiu, new draught revisions to the laws have been created in accordance with talent recruiting standards in order to prolong the length of residency, particularly for students, allowing them to stay after obtaining their master's and doctoral degrees. Chiu also expressed optimism that the new draught guidelines will be implemented shortly. Immigration consultant Chang Hsiang-ling stated that more Hongkongers would have applied if Taiwan had not enforced harsh COVID-19 entrance and leave restrictions, and that if they were not in place, more Hongkongers would have applied. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe New Delhi: The fifth edition of India International Science Festival (IISF) will be held in Kolkata from November 5-8, Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan announced on Tuesday. More than 12,000 participants, including 8,000 students, are expected to attend the event, Department of Science and Technology (DST) Secretary Ashutosh Sharma said. He said 350 students will replicate the experiment of wireless communication conducted by Jagdish Chandra Bose. The DST, Department of Biotechnology, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Indian Council of Medical Research and the Ministry of Earth Sciences are major government sponsoring bodies for the event. It is being organised in collaboration with Vigynana Bharati, an RSS-linked scientific body. The IISF will also hosts 28 different events such as Agriculture Scientists Meet, Vigyan Samagam, Young Scientists Conference, Vigyanika-International Science Literature Festival, International Science Film Festival of India. IISF 2019 will play a crucial role in promoting love and passion for science among students by bringing science outside the lab. It is time to make science a Jan Andolan (mass movement), Vardhan said. The theme for this years festival is RISEN India - Research, Innovation, and Science Empowering the Nation, Vardhan said. IISF is the largest science festival in the world. The focus will be on youth to inspire and motivate them to learn real science in motion. Real science cannot be learned in classroom atmosphere. IISF provides an opportunity to learn science in action and motion, Sharma said. The IISF 2019 is the fifth edition since its inception in 2015. The first and second IISF were held in New Delhi, the third in Chennai and the fourth in Lucknow, which witnessed a widespread participation from over 10 lakh people worldwide. New Delhi: The fifth edition of India International Science Festival (IISF) will be held in Kolkata from November 5-8, Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan announced on Tuesday. More than 12,000 participants, including 8,000 students, are expected to attend the event, Department of Science and Technology (DST) Secretary Ashutosh Sharma said. He said 350 students will replicate the experiment of wireless communication conducted by Jagdish Chandra Bose. The DST, Department of Biotechnology, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Indian Council of Medical Research and the Ministry of Earth Sciences are major government sponsoring bodies for the event. It is being organised in collaboration with Vigynana Bharati, an RSS-linked scientific body. The IISF will also hosts 28 different events such as Agriculture Scientists Meet, Vigyan Samagam, Young Scientists Conference, Vigyanika-International Science Literature Festival, International Science Film Festival of India. IISF 2019 will play a crucial role in promoting love and passion for science among students by bringing science outside the lab. It is time to make science a Jan Andolan (mass movement), Vardhan said. The theme for this years festival is RISEN India - Research, Innovation, and Science Empowering the Nation, Vardhan said. IISF is the largest science festival in the world. The focus will be on youth to inspire and motivate them to learn real science in motion. Real science cannot be learned in classroom atmosphere. IISF provides an opportunity to learn science in action and motion, Sharma said. The IISF 2019 is the fifth edition since its inception in 2015. The first and second IISF were held in New Delhi, the third in Chennai and the fourth in Lucknow, which witnessed a widespread participation from over 10 lakh people worldwide. New Delhi: The fifth edition of India International Science Festival (IISF) will be held in Kolkata from November 5-8, Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan announced on Tuesday. More than 12,000 participants, including 8,000 students, are expected to attend the event, Department of Science and Technology (DST) Secretary Ashutosh Sharma said. He said 350 students will replicate the experiment of wireless communication conducted by Jagdish Chandra Bose. The DST, Department of Biotechnology, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Indian Council of Medical Research and the Ministry of Earth Sciences are major government sponsoring bodies for the event. It is being organised in collaboration with Vigynana Bharati, an RSS-linked scientific body. The IISF will also hosts 28 different events such as Agriculture Scientists Meet, Vigyan Samagam, Young Scientists Conference, Vigyanika-International Science Literature Festival, International Science Film Festival of India. IISF 2019 will play a crucial role in promoting love and passion for science among students by bringing science outside the lab. It is time to make science a Jan Andolan (mass movement), Vardhan said. The theme for this years festival is RISEN India - Research, Innovation, and Science Empowering the Nation, Vardhan said. IISF is the largest science festival in the world. The focus will be on youth to inspire and motivate them to learn real science in motion. Real science cannot be learned in classroom atmosphere. IISF provides an opportunity to learn science in action and motion, Sharma said. The IISF 2019 is the fifth edition since its inception in 2015. The first and second IISF were held in New Delhi, the third in Chennai and the fourth in Lucknow, which witnessed a widespread participation from over 10 lakh people worldwide. While there are plenty of priorities in Richmond likely to change when Republican Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin takes over for Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam later this month, Virginias commitment to its historically Black colleges and universities appears poised to grow stronger. The importance of those institutions is unquestioned, and they play vital roles in their communities, in the commonwealth and in the lives of their students and loyal alumni. Stronger HBCUs in Virginia raise the quality of higher education for all and boosting investment in those schools is warranted. As part of his Thank you, Virginia tour, preceding his budget announcement and concluding his final month in office, Gov. Ralph Northam last month announced a proposal to dramatically increase the funding for HBCUs in Virginia. Speaking at Norfolk State University, Northam called for a substantial boost for the Tuition Assistance Grant program, which helps students attend HBCUs in the commonwealth, raising the per-student figure to $5,000 from $4,000. He noted that his administration had previously increased that number from $3,400 in the two-year budget plan in 2019. According to the governors office, Virginias two public HBCUsNorfolk State and Virginia Statewill see significant funding increases in his proposal. NSU stands to receive $164 million and $113 million would go to VSU. An additional $40 million, paid over two years, would help make attending those schools more affordable as well. However, Northams plan would also boost funding for two private HBCUs in Virginia: Hampton University and Virginia Union University. Those schools would each see $10 million per year provided as part of a scholarship program, the HBCU Opportunity Fund. If that focus on improving the facilities, affordability and access of HBCUs in Virginia sounds familiar, its because Youngkin made similar, and notable, proposals while on the campaign trail. While running for office, the incoming Republican governor extolled the virtues of our HBCUs and pledged to increase public funding for them if elected. His commitment earned the support of former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, who did not endorse Youngkin but notably and pointedly declined to back his opponent, former Gov. Terry McAuliffe. This summer, Wilder coauthored a letter to Northam and leaders in the General Assembly with Jim Dyke, who served under Wilder as Virginias first Black secretary of education, calling for decisions about the allocation of federal COVID relief funds to include Virginias HBCUs. Wilder and Dyke argued that the money would help offset years of neglect and indifference by state officials in regard to these higher education institutions. Worth noting is Northams 2019 push for spending $293 million to help NSU and VSU level the playing field with their peer institutions, nodding to the unequal appropriations for those schools. In October, Youngkin campaigned at NSU and said if elected, every budget I sign will include direct funding for all five historically Black colleges and universities in Virginia. At the time, Wilder called that commitment unprecedented and contrasted it with the response by Northam and lawmakers who, in his words, did not allocate a dime of the $4.3 billion to HBCUs, not a penny. Hampton Roads is fortunate to be the home of Hampton and NSU, each playing a vital role for our communities. Along with the other colleges and universities here, they help drive research and innovation, fuel our economy, ready of workforce and train the leaders of tomorrow. Wilder is correct that they have been undervalued for too long. It was encouraging to see Northam move to address chronic underfunding during his term, and exciting to see he and the governor-elect commit to continue that work in the coming years. Virginia can say its proud of these schools, that it honors their history and wants them to succeed. But words are an inadequate substitute for funding. The General Assembly should look favorably on this budget proposal and help Youngkin deliver on his promise to sign a budget next year that includes funding for Virginias HBCUs. The VirginianPilot (Norfolk) While there are plenty of priorities in Richmond likely to change when Republican Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin takes over for Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam later this month, Virginias commitment to its historically Black colleges and universities appears poised to grow stronger. The importance of those institutions is unquestioned, and they play vital roles in their communities, in the commonwealth and in the lives of their students and loyal alumni. Stronger HBCUs in Virginia raise the quality of higher education for all and boosting investment in those schools is warranted. As part of his Thank you, Virginia tour, preceding his budget announcement and concluding his final month in office, Gov. Ralph Northam last month announced a proposal to dramatically increase the funding for HBCUs in Virginia. Speaking at Norfolk State University, Northam called for a substantial boost for the Tuition Assistance Grant program, which helps students attend HBCUs in the commonwealth, raising the per-student figure to $5,000 from $4,000. He noted that his administration had previously increased that number from $3,400 in the two-year budget plan in 2019. According to the governors office, Virginias two public HBCUsNorfolk State and Virginia Statewill see significant funding increases in his proposal. NSU stands to receive $164 million and $113 million would go to VSU. An additional $40 million, paid over two years, would help make attending those schools more affordable as well. However, Northams plan would also boost funding for two private HBCUs in Virginia: Hampton University and Virginia Union University. Those schools would each see $10 million per year provided as part of a scholarship program, the HBCU Opportunity Fund. If that focus on improving the facilities, affordability and access of HBCUs in Virginia sounds familiar, its because Youngkin made similar, and notable, proposals while on the campaign trail. While running for office, the incoming Republican governor extolled the virtues of our HBCUs and pledged to increase public funding for them if elected. His commitment earned the support of former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, who did not endorse Youngkin but notably and pointedly declined to back his opponent, former Gov. Terry McAuliffe. This summer, Wilder coauthored a letter to Northam and leaders in the General Assembly with Jim Dyke, who served under Wilder as Virginias first Black secretary of education, calling for decisions about the allocation of federal COVID relief funds to include Virginias HBCUs. Wilder and Dyke argued that the money would help offset years of neglect and indifference by state officials in regard to these higher education institutions. Worth noting is Northams 2019 push for spending $293 million to help NSU and VSU level the playing field with their peer institutions, nodding to the unequal appropriations for those schools. In October, Youngkin campaigned at NSU and said if elected, every budget I sign will include direct funding for all five historically Black colleges and universities in Virginia. At the time, Wilder called that commitment unprecedented and contrasted it with the response by Northam and lawmakers who, in his words, did not allocate a dime of the $4.3 billion to HBCUs, not a penny. Hampton Roads is fortunate to be the home of Hampton and NSU, each playing a vital role for our communities. Along with the other colleges and universities here, they help drive research and innovation, fuel our economy, ready of workforce and train the leaders of tomorrow. Wilder is correct that they have been undervalued for too long. It was encouraging to see Northam move to address chronic underfunding during his term, and exciting to see he and the governor-elect commit to continue that work in the coming years. Virginia can say its proud of these schools, that it honors their history and wants them to succeed. But words are an inadequate substitute for funding. The General Assembly should look favorably on this budget proposal and help Youngkin deliver on his promise to sign a budget next year that includes funding for Virginias HBCUs. The VirginianPilot (Norfolk) New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said his country will soon have a trade deal with India to boost economic ties between the two nations. We are doing very well ... I think very soon we will have a trade deal, Trump told reporters here when asked if there is any trade deal is expected in the talks between India and the US. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session and discussed with him bilateral ties. The two countries are negotiating a trade package to iron out issues and promote the two-way commerce. #WATCH US President: I remember India before was very torn. There was a lot of dissension, fighting&he brought it all together. Like a father would. Maybe he is the Father of India...They love this gentleman to my right. People went crazy, he is like an American version of Elvis. pic.twitter.com/w1ZWYiaOSu ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2019 During the meeting, PM Modi said, I am thankful to Trump that he came to Houston. He is my friend but he is also a good friend of India. US President Donald Trump also said that it will be great if Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan can work out something on Kashmir, distancing himself from any mediation between the two neighbours. Trump made the remarks as he met Prime Minister Modi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session. It will be great if they can work out something on Kashmir, Trump said in response to a question, a day after he met Khan on Monday and once again offered to mediate between Pakistan and India on the Kashmir issue if both sides agree. This was their fourth meeting. The two leaders earlier met on Sunday in Houston and shared the stage at Howdy, Modi gala event where they displayed a close friendship and a common vision on fighting terrorism. Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. Indias action evoked strong reactions from Pakistan which downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi and expelled the Indian Ambassador. Pakistan has been trying to internationalise the Kashmir issue but India has asserted that the abrogation of Article 370 was its internal matter. New Delhi has also asked Islamabad to accept the reality and stop its anti-India rhetoric For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi knows how to deal with terrorism and the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, United States President Donald Trump said on Tuesday while addressing the media on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Session in New York. Trump made the remarks in response to a query about tackling terrorism from Pakistan. Asked about the heightened conflict between India and Pakistan over the abrogation of Article 370, the President said it will be great if PM Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan can "work out something" on Kashmir, distancing himself from any mediation between the two neighbours. READ | President Donald Trump Calls PM Modi 'Father Of India' On Sidelines Of UNGA Session "It will be great if these two gentlemen can work out something on Kashmir," Trump said, a day after he met Prime Minister Khan and once again offered to mediate between Pakistan and India on the Kashmir issue if both sides agree. This was their fourth meeting. The two leaders earlier met on Sunday in Houston and shared the stage at 'Howdy, Modi' gala event where they displayed a close friendship and a common vision on fighting terrorism. READ | I Think Very Soon We Will Have Trade Deal With India: US President Donald Trump Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. India's action evoked strong reactions from Pakistan which downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi and expelled the Indian Ambassador. Pakistan has been trying to internationalise the Kashmir issue but India has asserted that the abrogation of Article 370 was its "internal matter". New Delhi has also asked Islamabad to accept the reality and stop its anti-India rhetoric. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Mumbai: Few hours after the ED filed a case against him and others in the MSCB scam case, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday said he would have been "surprised" had there not been such an action against him given the "huge" response he received during his poll campaign in Maharashtra. In a sarcastic comment, Pawar also "thanked" the central agency for naming him in the case relating to the bank of which he "is not a member and was not involved in its decision-making" in any way. The Maharashtra unit of the ruling BJP, however, justified the Enforcement Directorate (ED) action, saying it took the steps as per rules and procedure. "I thank the probe agencies because they have involved my name in a case relating to such a bank of which I am not even a member of, I was not involved in its decision-making," Pawar told reporters in Mumbai. "If they have filed a case against me too, I welcome it. I would have been surprised had such action not been taken against me after the kind of response I receive during my visits to various districts of the state," he added. The former Union minister, however, said he will continue with his campaigning for the October 21 assembly polls in Maharashtra. Pawar, who initially appeared clueless about his name figuring in the ED's case, said he has not received any notice yet. The NCP dismissed it as a politically motivated case. "This is a politically motivated move, aimed at defaming opposition leaders ahead of the polls," NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik alleged. READ | ED Books NCP Chief Sharad Pawar, Nephew Ajit Pawar, Others In MSCB Scam Case Another NCP leader, Dhananjay Munde, criticised the move and said efforts were being made to bedevil Pawar given the huge response he was receiving in the poll-bound state and the same had made the ruling BJP "fidgety". Taking to Twitter, Munde said the "time will change". The Maharashtra Congress, too, hit out at the Modi government, saying the ED is being used to suppress opposition leaders to ensure "totalitarian" regime of the BJP. "The ED is being used to suppress leaders in the opposition; it is clear it is being done to bring the totalitarian rule of the BJP. This establishes the autocracy has arrived in the country," Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said. Shiv Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande pitched for a probe into the matter (MSCB scam) to give justice to the people and called for punishing the guilty. "Common people deposit money in co-operative banks. This matter should be probed. Action should be taken against whoever is guilty irrespective of the parties they belong to," Kayande said. READ | Only Pulwama-Like Incident Can Change Mood Of People In Maharashtra, Says Sharad Pawar Asked about the development, Maharashtra BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhye said the ED took the step as per rules and norms. "If there is a scam, if an FIR is registered in its connection and if the scam is to the tune of more than Rs 100 crore, the ED has to take cognisance of the same. This is the protocol. Case was filed in Mumbai as per the Bombay High Court order...the ED has taken action as per the procedure," Upadhye added. The ED, a specialised financial probe agency, has filed a money laundering case against Pawar, his nephew Ajit Pawar and others in connection with the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) scam case, officials said on Tuesday. They said an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), equivalent to a police FIR, has been registered by the central agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The case is based on a Mumbai Police FIR which had named former chairmen of the bank, ex-deputy chief minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar and 70 former functionaries of the cooperative bank. The registration of the case comes just weeks ahead of polling in the BJP-ruled state. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Mumbai: Few hours after the ED filed a case against him and others in the MSCB scam case, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday said he would have been "surprised" had there not been such an action against him given the "huge" response he received during his poll campaign in Maharashtra. In a sarcastic comment, Pawar also "thanked" the central agency for naming him in the case relating to the bank of which he "is not a member and was not involved in its decision-making" in any way. The Maharashtra unit of the ruling BJP, however, justified the Enforcement Directorate (ED) action, saying it took the steps as per rules and procedure. "I thank the probe agencies because they have involved my name in a case relating to such a bank of which I am not even a member of, I was not involved in its decision-making," Pawar told reporters in Mumbai. "If they have filed a case against me too, I welcome it. I would have been surprised had such action not been taken against me after the kind of response I receive during my visits to various districts of the state," he added. The former Union minister, however, said he will continue with his campaigning for the October 21 assembly polls in Maharashtra. Pawar, who initially appeared clueless about his name figuring in the ED's case, said he has not received any notice yet. The NCP dismissed it as a politically motivated case. "This is a politically motivated move, aimed at defaming opposition leaders ahead of the polls," NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik alleged. READ | ED Books NCP Chief Sharad Pawar, Nephew Ajit Pawar, Others In MSCB Scam Case Another NCP leader, Dhananjay Munde, criticised the move and said efforts were being made to bedevil Pawar given the huge response he was receiving in the poll-bound state and the same had made the ruling BJP "fidgety". Taking to Twitter, Munde said the "time will change". The Maharashtra Congress, too, hit out at the Modi government, saying the ED is being used to suppress opposition leaders to ensure "totalitarian" regime of the BJP. "The ED is being used to suppress leaders in the opposition; it is clear it is being done to bring the totalitarian rule of the BJP. This establishes the autocracy has arrived in the country," Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said. Shiv Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande pitched for a probe into the matter (MSCB scam) to give justice to the people and called for punishing the guilty. "Common people deposit money in co-operative banks. This matter should be probed. Action should be taken against whoever is guilty irrespective of the parties they belong to," Kayande said. READ | Only Pulwama-Like Incident Can Change Mood Of People In Maharashtra, Says Sharad Pawar Asked about the development, Maharashtra BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhye said the ED took the step as per rules and norms. "If there is a scam, if an FIR is registered in its connection and if the scam is to the tune of more than Rs 100 crore, the ED has to take cognisance of the same. This is the protocol. Case was filed in Mumbai as per the Bombay High Court order...the ED has taken action as per the procedure," Upadhye added. The ED, a specialised financial probe agency, has filed a money laundering case against Pawar, his nephew Ajit Pawar and others in connection with the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) scam case, officials said on Tuesday. They said an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), equivalent to a police FIR, has been registered by the central agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The case is based on a Mumbai Police FIR which had named former chairmen of the bank, ex-deputy chief minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar and 70 former functionaries of the cooperative bank. The registration of the case comes just weeks ahead of polling in the BJP-ruled state. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 In a 288-page report as long and detailed as any Supreme Court ruling, a 34-member, bipartisan presidential commission couldnt reach consensus on whether the nations highest judicial panel should grow from nine, where its been since 1869, to some larger number. It shouldve been easy, especially for a panel so large, to grasp: Of course having a president pack the court wont solve any of its underlying problems. To the contrary, letting the chief executive enlarge the bench that issues the final word on constitutional law and statutory interpretation would snap the final, frayed thread of credibility by which the court now hangs, forcing presidents of each party to retaliate with new lifetime appointments of their own. No doubt, Republicans have been primarily responsible for politicizing the courtbut a move by President Biden to add new liberals now would be like deploying a hydrogen bomb in a fission nuclear war. Three decisions by presidents and Senate majority leaders have produced the courts current six-to-three conservative supermajority, one likely to overrule Roe v. Wade and embrace a radical interpretation of the Second Amendment that nullifies life-saving gun safety laws. Most devious was Mitch McConnells 2016 refusal to give President Obamas moderate pick of Judge Merrick Garland a hearing after Antonin Scalias death early that year. That was followed by the installation of Neil Gorsuch in the seat, capped off by the mad rush to approve President Trumps nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, following the late 2020 death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. It may pain Democrats to refuse to go deeper down the route of politicizing the court, but someone has to be the relative grown-up if one of the nations most important institutions has any hope of surviving a dangerously divisive moment. Generous term limits for justices would help balance the court ideologically rather than incentivizing the appointment of young zealots and leaving so much to when a lifetime appointee happens to die. Dont pack a court on the brink; find a way to bring it back. New York Daily News While there are plenty of priorities in Richmond likely to change when Republican Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin takes over for Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam later this month, Virginias commitment to its historically Black colleges and universities appears poised to grow stronger. The importance of those institutions is unquestioned, and they play vital roles in their communities, in the commonwealth and in the lives of their students and loyal alumni. Stronger HBCUs in Virginia raise the quality of higher education for all and boosting investment in those schools is warranted. As part of his Thank you, Virginia tour, preceding his budget announcement and concluding his final month in office, Gov. Ralph Northam last month announced a proposal to dramatically increase the funding for HBCUs in Virginia. Speaking at Norfolk State University, Northam called for a substantial boost for the Tuition Assistance Grant program, which helps students attend HBCUs in the commonwealth, raising the per-student figure to $5,000 from $4,000. He noted that his administration had previously increased that number from $3,400 in the two-year budget plan in 2019. According to the governors office, Virginias two public HBCUsNorfolk State and Virginia Statewill see significant funding increases in his proposal. NSU stands to receive $164 million and $113 million would go to VSU. An additional $40 million, paid over two years, would help make attending those schools more affordable as well. However, Northams plan would also boost funding for two private HBCUs in Virginia: Hampton University and Virginia Union University. Those schools would each see $10 million per year provided as part of a scholarship program, the HBCU Opportunity Fund. If that focus on improving the facilities, affordability and access of HBCUs in Virginia sounds familiar, its because Youngkin made similar, and notable, proposals while on the campaign trail. While running for office, the incoming Republican governor extolled the virtues of our HBCUs and pledged to increase public funding for them if elected. His commitment earned the support of former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, who did not endorse Youngkin but notably and pointedly declined to back his opponent, former Gov. Terry McAuliffe. This summer, Wilder coauthored a letter to Northam and leaders in the General Assembly with Jim Dyke, who served under Wilder as Virginias first Black secretary of education, calling for decisions about the allocation of federal COVID relief funds to include Virginias HBCUs. Wilder and Dyke argued that the money would help offset years of neglect and indifference by state officials in regard to these higher education institutions. Worth noting is Northams 2019 push for spending $293 million to help NSU and VSU level the playing field with their peer institutions, nodding to the unequal appropriations for those schools. In October, Youngkin campaigned at NSU and said if elected, every budget I sign will include direct funding for all five historically Black colleges and universities in Virginia. At the time, Wilder called that commitment unprecedented and contrasted it with the response by Northam and lawmakers who, in his words, did not allocate a dime of the $4.3 billion to HBCUs, not a penny. Hampton Roads is fortunate to be the home of Hampton and NSU, each playing a vital role for our communities. Along with the other colleges and universities here, they help drive research and innovation, fuel our economy, ready of workforce and train the leaders of tomorrow. Wilder is correct that they have been undervalued for too long. It was encouraging to see Northam move to address chronic underfunding during his term, and exciting to see he and the governor-elect commit to continue that work in the coming years. Virginia can say its proud of these schools, that it honors their history and wants them to succeed. But words are an inadequate substitute for funding. The General Assembly should look favorably on this budget proposal and help Youngkin deliver on his promise to sign a budget next year that includes funding for Virginias HBCUs. The VirginianPilot (Norfolk) While there are plenty of priorities in Richmond likely to change when Republican Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin takes over for Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam later this month, Virginias commitment to its historically Black colleges and universities appears poised to grow stronger. The importance of those institutions is unquestioned, and they play vital roles in their communities, in the commonwealth and in the lives of their students and loyal alumni. Stronger HBCUs in Virginia raise the quality of higher education for all and boosting investment in those schools is warranted. As part of his Thank you, Virginia tour, preceding his budget announcement and concluding his final month in office, Gov. Ralph Northam last month announced a proposal to dramatically increase the funding for HBCUs in Virginia. Speaking at Norfolk State University, Northam called for a substantial boost for the Tuition Assistance Grant program, which helps students attend HBCUs in the commonwealth, raising the per-student figure to $5,000 from $4,000. He noted that his administration had previously increased that number from $3,400 in the two-year budget plan in 2019. According to the governors office, Virginias two public HBCUsNorfolk State and Virginia Statewill see significant funding increases in his proposal. NSU stands to receive $164 million and $113 million would go to VSU. An additional $40 million, paid over two years, would help make attending those schools more affordable as well. However, Northams plan would also boost funding for two private HBCUs in Virginia: Hampton University and Virginia Union University. Those schools would each see $10 million per year provided as part of a scholarship program, the HBCU Opportunity Fund. If that focus on improving the facilities, affordability and access of HBCUs in Virginia sounds familiar, its because Youngkin made similar, and notable, proposals while on the campaign trail. While running for office, the incoming Republican governor extolled the virtues of our HBCUs and pledged to increase public funding for them if elected. His commitment earned the support of former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, who did not endorse Youngkin but notably and pointedly declined to back his opponent, former Gov. Terry McAuliffe. This summer, Wilder coauthored a letter to Northam and leaders in the General Assembly with Jim Dyke, who served under Wilder as Virginias first Black secretary of education, calling for decisions about the allocation of federal COVID relief funds to include Virginias HBCUs. Wilder and Dyke argued that the money would help offset years of neglect and indifference by state officials in regard to these higher education institutions. Worth noting is Northams 2019 push for spending $293 million to help NSU and VSU level the playing field with their peer institutions, nodding to the unequal appropriations for those schools. In October, Youngkin campaigned at NSU and said if elected, every budget I sign will include direct funding for all five historically Black colleges and universities in Virginia. At the time, Wilder called that commitment unprecedented and contrasted it with the response by Northam and lawmakers who, in his words, did not allocate a dime of the $4.3 billion to HBCUs, not a penny. Hampton Roads is fortunate to be the home of Hampton and NSU, each playing a vital role for our communities. Along with the other colleges and universities here, they help drive research and innovation, fuel our economy, ready of workforce and train the leaders of tomorrow. Wilder is correct that they have been undervalued for too long. It was encouraging to see Northam move to address chronic underfunding during his term, and exciting to see he and the governor-elect commit to continue that work in the coming years. Virginia can say its proud of these schools, that it honors their history and wants them to succeed. But words are an inadequate substitute for funding. The General Assembly should look favorably on this budget proposal and help Youngkin deliver on his promise to sign a budget next year that includes funding for Virginias HBCUs. The VirginianPilot (Norfolk) According to a media source, Taiwan is seeing an increase in immigration from Hong Kong, where China has tightened its crackdown under the disputed national security law. As China escalates its assault on opposition, Taiwan sees an increase in immigration from Hong Kong. As China escalates its assault on opposition, Taiwan is seeing an increase in immigration from Hong Kong. According to Radio Free Asia (RFA), Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Commission (MAC) spokesperson Chiu Chui-cheng said on Friday that the number of Hong Kong residents immigrating to Taiwan reached a new high in 2021, according to the latest figures from the Taiwan Immigration Department. Between January and November 2021, Taiwan's Interior Ministry issued 9,772 residence cards to Hong Kong citizens, up from 9,501 in the same time in 2020, according to the journal. In 2021, Taiwan granted permanent residency to 1,572 Hongkongers, up from 1,397 in the previous year's same time. According to Chiu, new draught revisions to the laws have been created in accordance with talent recruiting standards in order to prolong the length of residency, particularly for students, allowing them to stay after obtaining their master's and doctoral degrees. Chiu also expressed optimism that the new draught guidelines will be implemented shortly. Immigration consultant Chang Hsiang-ling stated that more Hongkongers would have applied if Taiwan had not enforced harsh COVID-19 entrance and leave restrictions, and that if they were not in place, more Hongkongers would have applied. Another record-breaking day for the US with 5,80,000 cases Former Afghan president Ghani says the decision to flee Kabul was made in 'minutes' Taiwan's president warns the China against 'military adventurism' in New Year's address Kiev [Ukraine], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has named the end of the war in the eastern region of Donbas his main goal. "Unfortunately, we have not ended the war in the eastern part of our state. This is my main goal. That is why I say 'yet.' Because the next year will be better," Zelensky said in a New Year address to the nation. Also Read | Israel Detects First Case of Florona Disease, Says Report. Kiev launched a military operation against the self-proclaimed republic of Donetsk and Luhansk in 2014 after they refused to recognize the new Ukrainian government and proclaimed independence from the country. A ceasefire deal was signed in Minsk a year later following talks brokered by the leaders of the Normandy Four states. The agreement has not been implemented so far and sporadic clashes still continue. (ANI/Sputnik) Also Read | COVID-19 Now Infecting Thousands of Kids in US Amid Omicron Surge, Says CDC. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said his country will soon have a trade deal with India to boost economic ties between the two nations. We are doing very well ... I think very soon we will have a trade deal, Trump told reporters here when asked if there is any trade deal is expected in the talks between India and the US. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session and discussed with him bilateral ties. The two countries are negotiating a trade package to iron out issues and promote the two-way commerce. #WATCH US President: I remember India before was very torn. There was a lot of dissension, fighting&he brought it all together. Like a father would. Maybe he is the Father of India...They love this gentleman to my right. People went crazy, he is like an American version of Elvis. pic.twitter.com/w1ZWYiaOSu ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2019 During the meeting, PM Modi said, I am thankful to Trump that he came to Houston. He is my friend but he is also a good friend of India. US President Donald Trump also said that it will be great if Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan can work out something on Kashmir, distancing himself from any mediation between the two neighbours. Trump made the remarks as he met Prime Minister Modi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session. It will be great if they can work out something on Kashmir, Trump said in response to a question, a day after he met Khan on Monday and once again offered to mediate between Pakistan and India on the Kashmir issue if both sides agree. This was their fourth meeting. The two leaders earlier met on Sunday in Houston and shared the stage at Howdy, Modi gala event where they displayed a close friendship and a common vision on fighting terrorism. Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. Indias action evoked strong reactions from Pakistan which downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi and expelled the Indian Ambassador. Pakistan has been trying to internationalise the Kashmir issue but India has asserted that the abrogation of Article 370 was its internal matter. New Delhi has also asked Islamabad to accept the reality and stop its anti-India rhetoric For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi knows how to deal with terrorism and the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, United States President Donald Trump said on Tuesday while addressing the media on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Session in New York. Trump made the remarks in response to a query about tackling terrorism from Pakistan. Asked about the heightened conflict between India and Pakistan over the abrogation of Article 370, the President said it will be great if PM Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan can "work out something" on Kashmir, distancing himself from any mediation between the two neighbours. READ | President Donald Trump Calls PM Modi 'Father Of India' On Sidelines Of UNGA Session "It will be great if these two gentlemen can work out something on Kashmir," Trump said, a day after he met Prime Minister Khan and once again offered to mediate between Pakistan and India on the Kashmir issue if both sides agree. This was their fourth meeting. The two leaders earlier met on Sunday in Houston and shared the stage at 'Howdy, Modi' gala event where they displayed a close friendship and a common vision on fighting terrorism. READ | I Think Very Soon We Will Have Trade Deal With India: US President Donald Trump Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. India's action evoked strong reactions from Pakistan which downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi and expelled the Indian Ambassador. Pakistan has been trying to internationalise the Kashmir issue but India has asserted that the abrogation of Article 370 was its "internal matter". New Delhi has also asked Islamabad to accept the reality and stop its anti-India rhetoric. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan's president, rang in the new year with a warning for China: armed confrontation is not the solution. "We must urge the Beijing authorities not to misjudge the situation and to avoid the domestic spread of'military adventurism,'" Tsai said in her live-streamed New Year's address on Saturday. In the last two years, China has upped military and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan to enforce its sovereignty claims. In his New Year's address the day before, Chinese President Xi Jinping claimed that the total reunion of "the motherland" was a desire held by people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan claims independence and has promised to protect its freedom and democracy on several occasions. "The military is not a viable option for resolving cross-strait conflicts. Economic stability would be harmed by military wars "Tsai said. "Maintaining regional peace and stability is a shared obligation between our two sides." Tsai stated that Taiwan's policy has always been "to not surrender when under duress and to not rush forward when getting support." Tsai added that in order to find peaceful solutions to difficulties in the area, both Taipei and Beijing must "work hard to take care of people's livelihoods and soothe the hearts of the people." Tsai also stated that Taiwan would continue to monitor the situation in Hong Kong, noting that interference in the recent legislative election, as well as the arrests of senior staff at the pro-democracy news outlet Stand News this week, "made people worry even more about human rights and freedom of speech in Hong Kong." Taiwan's most essential aim in 2022, according to Tsai, is stable governance. "We will preserve peace and stability in the region by upholding our sovereignty, upholding the ideals of freedom and democracy, defending territorial sovereignty and national security, and upholding our sovereignty." French President optimistic for 2022, warning upcoming few difficult weeks Mexico accounts 28.1 pc growth in International tourism for 2021 Italian president greets citizens for sense of responsibility in New Year speech Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan's president, rang in the new year with a warning for China: armed confrontation is not the solution. "We must urge the Beijing authorities not to misjudge the situation and to avoid the domestic spread of'military adventurism,'" Tsai said in her live-streamed New Year's address on Saturday. In the last two years, China has upped military and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan to enforce its sovereignty claims. In his New Year's address the day before, Chinese President Xi Jinping claimed that the total reunion of "the motherland" was a desire held by people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan claims independence and has promised to protect its freedom and democracy on several occasions. "The military is not a viable option for resolving cross-strait conflicts. Economic stability would be harmed by military wars "Tsai said. "Maintaining regional peace and stability is a shared obligation between our two sides." Tsai stated that Taiwan's policy has always been "to not surrender when under duress and to not rush forward when getting support." Tsai added that in order to find peaceful solutions to difficulties in the area, both Taipei and Beijing must "work hard to take care of people's livelihoods and soothe the hearts of the people." Tsai also stated that Taiwan would continue to monitor the situation in Hong Kong, noting that interference in the recent legislative election, as well as the arrests of senior staff at the pro-democracy news outlet Stand News this week, "made people worry even more about human rights and freedom of speech in Hong Kong." Taiwan's most essential aim in 2022, according to Tsai, is stable governance. "We will preserve peace and stability in the region by upholding our sovereignty, upholding the ideals of freedom and democracy, defending territorial sovereignty and national security, and upholding our sovereignty." French President optimistic for 2022, warning upcoming few difficult weeks Mexico accounts 28.1 pc growth in International tourism for 2021 Italian president greets citizens for sense of responsibility in New Year speech Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan's president, rang in the new year with a warning for China: armed confrontation is not the solution. "We must urge the Beijing authorities not to misjudge the situation and to avoid the domestic spread of'military adventurism,'" Tsai said in her live-streamed New Year's address on Saturday. In the last two years, China has upped military and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan to enforce its sovereignty claims. In his New Year's address the day before, Chinese President Xi Jinping claimed that the total reunion of "the motherland" was a desire held by people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan claims independence and has promised to protect its freedom and democracy on several occasions. "The military is not a viable option for resolving cross-strait conflicts. Economic stability would be harmed by military wars "Tsai said. "Maintaining regional peace and stability is a shared obligation between our two sides." Tsai stated that Taiwan's policy has always been "to not surrender when under duress and to not rush forward when getting support." Tsai added that in order to find peaceful solutions to difficulties in the area, both Taipei and Beijing must "work hard to take care of people's livelihoods and soothe the hearts of the people." Tsai also stated that Taiwan would continue to monitor the situation in Hong Kong, noting that interference in the recent legislative election, as well as the arrests of senior staff at the pro-democracy news outlet Stand News this week, "made people worry even more about human rights and freedom of speech in Hong Kong." Taiwan's most essential aim in 2022, according to Tsai, is stable governance. "We will preserve peace and stability in the region by upholding our sovereignty, upholding the ideals of freedom and democracy, defending territorial sovereignty and national security, and upholding our sovereignty." French President optimistic for 2022, warning upcoming few difficult weeks Mexico accounts 28.1 pc growth in International tourism for 2021 Italian president greets citizens for sense of responsibility in New Year speech Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan's president, rang in the new year with a warning for China: armed confrontation is not the solution. "We must urge the Beijing authorities not to misjudge the situation and to avoid the domestic spread of'military adventurism,'" Tsai said in her live-streamed New Year's address on Saturday. In the last two years, China has upped military and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan to enforce its sovereignty claims. In his New Year's address the day before, Chinese President Xi Jinping claimed that the total reunion of "the motherland" was a desire held by people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan claims independence and has promised to protect its freedom and democracy on several occasions. "The military is not a viable option for resolving cross-strait conflicts. Economic stability would be harmed by military wars "Tsai said. "Maintaining regional peace and stability is a shared obligation between our two sides." Tsai stated that Taiwan's policy has always been "to not surrender when under duress and to not rush forward when getting support." Tsai added that in order to find peaceful solutions to difficulties in the area, both Taipei and Beijing must "work hard to take care of people's livelihoods and soothe the hearts of the people." Tsai also stated that Taiwan would continue to monitor the situation in Hong Kong, noting that interference in the recent legislative election, as well as the arrests of senior staff at the pro-democracy news outlet Stand News this week, "made people worry even more about human rights and freedom of speech in Hong Kong." Taiwan's most essential aim in 2022, according to Tsai, is stable governance. "We will preserve peace and stability in the region by upholding our sovereignty, upholding the ideals of freedom and democracy, defending territorial sovereignty and national security, and upholding our sovereignty." French President optimistic for 2022, warning upcoming few difficult weeks Mexico accounts 28.1 pc growth in International tourism for 2021 Italian president greets citizens for sense of responsibility in New Year speech New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said his country will soon have a trade deal with India to boost economic ties between the two nations. We are doing very well ... I think very soon we will have a trade deal, Trump told reporters here when asked if there is any trade deal is expected in the talks between India and the US. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session and discussed with him bilateral ties. The two countries are negotiating a trade package to iron out issues and promote the two-way commerce. #WATCH US President: I remember India before was very torn. There was a lot of dissension, fighting&he brought it all together. Like a father would. Maybe he is the Father of India...They love this gentleman to my right. People went crazy, he is like an American version of Elvis. pic.twitter.com/w1ZWYiaOSu ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2019 During the meeting, PM Modi said, I am thankful to Trump that he came to Houston. He is my friend but he is also a good friend of India. US President Donald Trump also said that it will be great if Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan can work out something on Kashmir, distancing himself from any mediation between the two neighbours. Trump made the remarks as he met Prime Minister Modi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session. It will be great if they can work out something on Kashmir, Trump said in response to a question, a day after he met Khan on Monday and once again offered to mediate between Pakistan and India on the Kashmir issue if both sides agree. This was their fourth meeting. The two leaders earlier met on Sunday in Houston and shared the stage at Howdy, Modi gala event where they displayed a close friendship and a common vision on fighting terrorism. Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. Indias action evoked strong reactions from Pakistan which downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi and expelled the Indian Ambassador. Pakistan has been trying to internationalise the Kashmir issue but India has asserted that the abrogation of Article 370 was its internal matter. New Delhi has also asked Islamabad to accept the reality and stop its anti-India rhetoric For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi knows how to deal with terrorism and the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, United States President Donald Trump said on Tuesday while addressing the media on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Session in New York. Trump made the remarks in response to a query about tackling terrorism from Pakistan. Asked about the heightened conflict between India and Pakistan over the abrogation of Article 370, the President said it will be great if PM Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan can "work out something" on Kashmir, distancing himself from any mediation between the two neighbours. READ | President Donald Trump Calls PM Modi 'Father Of India' On Sidelines Of UNGA Session "It will be great if these two gentlemen can work out something on Kashmir," Trump said, a day after he met Prime Minister Khan and once again offered to mediate between Pakistan and India on the Kashmir issue if both sides agree. This was their fourth meeting. The two leaders earlier met on Sunday in Houston and shared the stage at 'Howdy, Modi' gala event where they displayed a close friendship and a common vision on fighting terrorism. READ | I Think Very Soon We Will Have Trade Deal With India: US President Donald Trump Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. India's action evoked strong reactions from Pakistan which downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi and expelled the Indian Ambassador. Pakistan has been trying to internationalise the Kashmir issue but India has asserted that the abrogation of Article 370 was its "internal matter". New Delhi has also asked Islamabad to accept the reality and stop its anti-India rhetoric. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi knows how to deal with terrorism and the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, United States President Donald Trump said on Tuesday while addressing the media on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Session in New York. Trump made the remarks in response to a query about tackling terrorism from Pakistan. Asked about the heightened conflict between India and Pakistan over the abrogation of Article 370, the President said it will be great if PM Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan can "work out something" on Kashmir, distancing himself from any mediation between the two neighbours. READ | President Donald Trump Calls PM Modi 'Father Of India' On Sidelines Of UNGA Session "It will be great if these two gentlemen can work out something on Kashmir," Trump said, a day after he met Prime Minister Khan and once again offered to mediate between Pakistan and India on the Kashmir issue if both sides agree. This was their fourth meeting. The two leaders earlier met on Sunday in Houston and shared the stage at 'Howdy, Modi' gala event where they displayed a close friendship and a common vision on fighting terrorism. READ | I Think Very Soon We Will Have Trade Deal With India: US President Donald Trump Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. India's action evoked strong reactions from Pakistan which downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi and expelled the Indian Ambassador. Pakistan has been trying to internationalise the Kashmir issue but India has asserted that the abrogation of Article 370 was its "internal matter". New Delhi has also asked Islamabad to accept the reality and stop its anti-India rhetoric. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Buenos Aires, , 2022 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Jan, 2022 ) :A jaguar named Jatobazinho was released into a national park in Argentina Friday as part of a program to boost the numbers of this endangered species. This was the eighth jaguar freed this year into Ibera National Park but the first adult male, said the environmental group Rewilding Argentina, which is behind the project. Jatobazinho weighs about 90 kilos (200 Pounds) and has brown fur peppered with black spots. He first appeared at a rural school in 2018 in Brazil, looking skinny and weak after crossing a river from Paraguay. The big cat spent a year in an animal refuge in Brazil until he was sent to a jaguar reintroduction center operating since 2012 in Argentina's northeast Corrientes province, where the species had been extinct for 70 years. Sebastian Di Martino, a biologist with Rewilding Argentina, said that as the jaguar needed to be nice and relaxed as it left its enclosure and entered the wild. "If the animal is stressed it can become disoriented and end up anywhere," he said. He said these jaguars were fed live prey while in captivity because they have to know how to hunt. In the Ibera park, there is plenty of wildlife for them to feed on such as deer. The jaguars are tracked with a GPS device they wear. There are plans now to release a female that was born at the reintroduction center. The park is also awaiting the arrival of three wild jaguars from Paraguay, and two more raised in captivity in Uruguay and Brazil. Jaguars are native to the Americas. It is estimated there were more than 100,000 jaguars when Europeans arrived in the 15th century, their habitat ranging from semi-desert areas of North America to the tropical forests of South America. Conservation groups say the jaguar population of South America has fallen by up to 25 percent over the past 20 years as deforestation eats up their habitat. While there are plenty of priorities in Richmond likely to change when Republican Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin takes over for Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam later this month, Virginias commitment to its historically Black colleges and universities appears poised to grow stronger. The importance of those institutions is unquestioned, and they play vital roles in their communities, in the commonwealth and in the lives of their students and loyal alumni. Stronger HBCUs in Virginia raise the quality of higher education for all and boosting investment in those schools is warranted. As part of his Thank you, Virginia tour, preceding his budget announcement and concluding his final month in office, Gov. Ralph Northam last month announced a proposal to dramatically increase the funding for HBCUs in Virginia. Speaking at Norfolk State University, Northam called for a substantial boost for the Tuition Assistance Grant program, which helps students attend HBCUs in the commonwealth, raising the per-student figure to $5,000 from $4,000. He noted that his administration had previously increased that number from $3,400 in the two-year budget plan in 2019. According to the governors office, Virginias two public HBCUsNorfolk State and Virginia Statewill see significant funding increases in his proposal. NSU stands to receive $164 million and $113 million would go to VSU. An additional $40 million, paid over two years, would help make attending those schools more affordable as well. However, Northams plan would also boost funding for two private HBCUs in Virginia: Hampton University and Virginia Union University. Those schools would each see $10 million per year provided as part of a scholarship program, the HBCU Opportunity Fund. If that focus on improving the facilities, affordability and access of HBCUs in Virginia sounds familiar, its because Youngkin made similar, and notable, proposals while on the campaign trail. While running for office, the incoming Republican governor extolled the virtues of our HBCUs and pledged to increase public funding for them if elected. His commitment earned the support of former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, who did not endorse Youngkin but notably and pointedly declined to back his opponent, former Gov. Terry McAuliffe. This summer, Wilder coauthored a letter to Northam and leaders in the General Assembly with Jim Dyke, who served under Wilder as Virginias first Black secretary of education, calling for decisions about the allocation of federal COVID relief funds to include Virginias HBCUs. Wilder and Dyke argued that the money would help offset years of neglect and indifference by state officials in regard to these higher education institutions. Worth noting is Northams 2019 push for spending $293 million to help NSU and VSU level the playing field with their peer institutions, nodding to the unequal appropriations for those schools. In October, Youngkin campaigned at NSU and said if elected, every budget I sign will include direct funding for all five historically Black colleges and universities in Virginia. At the time, Wilder called that commitment unprecedented and contrasted it with the response by Northam and lawmakers who, in his words, did not allocate a dime of the $4.3 billion to HBCUs, not a penny. Hampton Roads is fortunate to be the home of Hampton and NSU, each playing a vital role for our communities. Along with the other colleges and universities here, they help drive research and innovation, fuel our economy, ready of workforce and train the leaders of tomorrow. Wilder is correct that they have been undervalued for too long. It was encouraging to see Northam move to address chronic underfunding during his term, and exciting to see he and the governor-elect commit to continue that work in the coming years. Virginia can say its proud of these schools, that it honors their history and wants them to succeed. But words are an inadequate substitute for funding. The General Assembly should look favorably on this budget proposal and help Youngkin deliver on his promise to sign a budget next year that includes funding for Virginias HBCUs. The VirginianPilot (Norfolk) While there are plenty of priorities in Richmond likely to change when Republican Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin takes over for Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam later this month, Virginias commitment to its historically Black colleges and universities appears poised to grow stronger. The importance of those institutions is unquestioned, and they play vital roles in their communities, in the commonwealth and in the lives of their students and loyal alumni. Stronger HBCUs in Virginia raise the quality of higher education for all and boosting investment in those schools is warranted. As part of his Thank you, Virginia tour, preceding his budget announcement and concluding his final month in office, Gov. Ralph Northam last month announced a proposal to dramatically increase the funding for HBCUs in Virginia. Speaking at Norfolk State University, Northam called for a substantial boost for the Tuition Assistance Grant program, which helps students attend HBCUs in the commonwealth, raising the per-student figure to $5,000 from $4,000. He noted that his administration had previously increased that number from $3,400 in the two-year budget plan in 2019. According to the governors office, Virginias two public HBCUsNorfolk State and Virginia Statewill see significant funding increases in his proposal. NSU stands to receive $164 million and $113 million would go to VSU. An additional $40 million, paid over two years, would help make attending those schools more affordable as well. However, Northams plan would also boost funding for two private HBCUs in Virginia: Hampton University and Virginia Union University. Those schools would each see $10 million per year provided as part of a scholarship program, the HBCU Opportunity Fund. If that focus on improving the facilities, affordability and access of HBCUs in Virginia sounds familiar, its because Youngkin made similar, and notable, proposals while on the campaign trail. While running for office, the incoming Republican governor extolled the virtues of our HBCUs and pledged to increase public funding for them if elected. His commitment earned the support of former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, who did not endorse Youngkin but notably and pointedly declined to back his opponent, former Gov. Terry McAuliffe. This summer, Wilder coauthored a letter to Northam and leaders in the General Assembly with Jim Dyke, who served under Wilder as Virginias first Black secretary of education, calling for decisions about the allocation of federal COVID relief funds to include Virginias HBCUs. Wilder and Dyke argued that the money would help offset years of neglect and indifference by state officials in regard to these higher education institutions. Worth noting is Northams 2019 push for spending $293 million to help NSU and VSU level the playing field with their peer institutions, nodding to the unequal appropriations for those schools. In October, Youngkin campaigned at NSU and said if elected, every budget I sign will include direct funding for all five historically Black colleges and universities in Virginia. At the time, Wilder called that commitment unprecedented and contrasted it with the response by Northam and lawmakers who, in his words, did not allocate a dime of the $4.3 billion to HBCUs, not a penny. Hampton Roads is fortunate to be the home of Hampton and NSU, each playing a vital role for our communities. Along with the other colleges and universities here, they help drive research and innovation, fuel our economy, ready of workforce and train the leaders of tomorrow. Wilder is correct that they have been undervalued for too long. It was encouraging to see Northam move to address chronic underfunding during his term, and exciting to see he and the governor-elect commit to continue that work in the coming years. Virginia can say its proud of these schools, that it honors their history and wants them to succeed. But words are an inadequate substitute for funding. The General Assembly should look favorably on this budget proposal and help Youngkin deliver on his promise to sign a budget next year that includes funding for Virginias HBCUs. The VirginianPilot (Norfolk) While there are plenty of priorities in Richmond likely to change when Republican Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin takes over for Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam later this month, Virginias commitment to its historically Black colleges and universities appears poised to grow stronger. The importance of those institutions is unquestioned, and they play vital roles in their communities, in the commonwealth and in the lives of their students and loyal alumni. Stronger HBCUs in Virginia raise the quality of higher education for all and boosting investment in those schools is warranted. As part of his Thank you, Virginia tour, preceding his budget announcement and concluding his final month in office, Gov. Ralph Northam last month announced a proposal to dramatically increase the funding for HBCUs in Virginia. Speaking at Norfolk State University, Northam called for a substantial boost for the Tuition Assistance Grant program, which helps students attend HBCUs in the commonwealth, raising the per-student figure to $5,000 from $4,000. He noted that his administration had previously increased that number from $3,400 in the two-year budget plan in 2019. According to the governors office, Virginias two public HBCUsNorfolk State and Virginia Statewill see significant funding increases in his proposal. NSU stands to receive $164 million and $113 million would go to VSU. An additional $40 million, paid over two years, would help make attending those schools more affordable as well. However, Northams plan would also boost funding for two private HBCUs in Virginia: Hampton University and Virginia Union University. Those schools would each see $10 million per year provided as part of a scholarship program, the HBCU Opportunity Fund. If that focus on improving the facilities, affordability and access of HBCUs in Virginia sounds familiar, its because Youngkin made similar, and notable, proposals while on the campaign trail. While running for office, the incoming Republican governor extolled the virtues of our HBCUs and pledged to increase public funding for them if elected. His commitment earned the support of former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, who did not endorse Youngkin but notably and pointedly declined to back his opponent, former Gov. Terry McAuliffe. This summer, Wilder coauthored a letter to Northam and leaders in the General Assembly with Jim Dyke, who served under Wilder as Virginias first Black secretary of education, calling for decisions about the allocation of federal COVID relief funds to include Virginias HBCUs. Wilder and Dyke argued that the money would help offset years of neglect and indifference by state officials in regard to these higher education institutions. Worth noting is Northams 2019 push for spending $293 million to help NSU and VSU level the playing field with their peer institutions, nodding to the unequal appropriations for those schools. In October, Youngkin campaigned at NSU and said if elected, every budget I sign will include direct funding for all five historically Black colleges and universities in Virginia. At the time, Wilder called that commitment unprecedented and contrasted it with the response by Northam and lawmakers who, in his words, did not allocate a dime of the $4.3 billion to HBCUs, not a penny. Hampton Roads is fortunate to be the home of Hampton and NSU, each playing a vital role for our communities. Along with the other colleges and universities here, they help drive research and innovation, fuel our economy, ready of workforce and train the leaders of tomorrow. Wilder is correct that they have been undervalued for too long. It was encouraging to see Northam move to address chronic underfunding during his term, and exciting to see he and the governor-elect commit to continue that work in the coming years. Virginia can say its proud of these schools, that it honors their history and wants them to succeed. But words are an inadequate substitute for funding. The General Assembly should look favorably on this budget proposal and help Youngkin deliver on his promise to sign a budget next year that includes funding for Virginias HBCUs. The VirginianPilot (Norfolk) While there are plenty of priorities in Richmond likely to change when Republican Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin takes over for Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam later this month, Virginias commitment to its historically Black colleges and universities appears poised to grow stronger. The importance of those institutions is unquestioned, and they play vital roles in their communities, in the commonwealth and in the lives of their students and loyal alumni. Stronger HBCUs in Virginia raise the quality of higher education for all and boosting investment in those schools is warranted. As part of his Thank you, Virginia tour, preceding his budget announcement and concluding his final month in office, Gov. Ralph Northam last month announced a proposal to dramatically increase the funding for HBCUs in Virginia. Speaking at Norfolk State University, Northam called for a substantial boost for the Tuition Assistance Grant program, which helps students attend HBCUs in the commonwealth, raising the per-student figure to $5,000 from $4,000. He noted that his administration had previously increased that number from $3,400 in the two-year budget plan in 2019. According to the governors office, Virginias two public HBCUsNorfolk State and Virginia Statewill see significant funding increases in his proposal. NSU stands to receive $164 million and $113 million would go to VSU. An additional $40 million, paid over two years, would help make attending those schools more affordable as well. However, Northams plan would also boost funding for two private HBCUs in Virginia: Hampton University and Virginia Union University. Those schools would each see $10 million per year provided as part of a scholarship program, the HBCU Opportunity Fund. If that focus on improving the facilities, affordability and access of HBCUs in Virginia sounds familiar, its because Youngkin made similar, and notable, proposals while on the campaign trail. While running for office, the incoming Republican governor extolled the virtues of our HBCUs and pledged to increase public funding for them if elected. His commitment earned the support of former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, who did not endorse Youngkin but notably and pointedly declined to back his opponent, former Gov. Terry McAuliffe. This summer, Wilder coauthored a letter to Northam and leaders in the General Assembly with Jim Dyke, who served under Wilder as Virginias first Black secretary of education, calling for decisions about the allocation of federal COVID relief funds to include Virginias HBCUs. Wilder and Dyke argued that the money would help offset years of neglect and indifference by state officials in regard to these higher education institutions. Worth noting is Northams 2019 push for spending $293 million to help NSU and VSU level the playing field with their peer institutions, nodding to the unequal appropriations for those schools. In October, Youngkin campaigned at NSU and said if elected, every budget I sign will include direct funding for all five historically Black colleges and universities in Virginia. At the time, Wilder called that commitment unprecedented and contrasted it with the response by Northam and lawmakers who, in his words, did not allocate a dime of the $4.3 billion to HBCUs, not a penny. Hampton Roads is fortunate to be the home of Hampton and NSU, each playing a vital role for our communities. Along with the other colleges and universities here, they help drive research and innovation, fuel our economy, ready of workforce and train the leaders of tomorrow. Wilder is correct that they have been undervalued for too long. It was encouraging to see Northam move to address chronic underfunding during his term, and exciting to see he and the governor-elect commit to continue that work in the coming years. Virginia can say its proud of these schools, that it honors their history and wants them to succeed. But words are an inadequate substitute for funding. The General Assembly should look favorably on this budget proposal and help Youngkin deliver on his promise to sign a budget next year that includes funding for Virginias HBCUs. The VirginianPilot (Norfolk) Karachi reverberated with gunfire and fireworks on Friday night, despite a restriction on celebratory firing, Geo News reported. Though the authorities had warned of attempted murder charges against the violators, the number of casualties this time was higher than the previous year, when only four individuals were injured in the metropolis, said the Pakistani publication. Citing the hospital reports, Geo News reported that a total of 18 people were rushed to hospitals after being struck by stray gunshots. An 11-year-old boy succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment in Khwaja Ajmer Nagar, police said. Six were transferred to the Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Center in Korangi, four to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, three to Civil Hospital, and two to Sindh Government Hospital. Iqra, a 10-year-old girl who was shot and injured by a stray bullet near Kohistan Chowk in North Nazimabad, was among the injured. Haris, 14, was shot near the Ghaas Mandi area in the Napier neighborhood, Geo News reported. Asmatullah sustained injuries in Jauharabad, Farooq sustained injuries in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Ali Akbar sustained injuries in Baldia Town, and Rehan got injured in Malir. Meanwhile, the other incidents occurred in various locations throughout the city, including Azizabad, Ranchore Lane, Guru Mandir, Kala Pull, Saddar, Baldia, Liaquatabad, Korangi, Landhi, and Malir, said the Pakistani publication. According to the police, cases have been registered on complaints of aerial firing, and arrests are likely around Karachi on New Year's Eve for aerial firing, Geo News reported. (ANI) New Delhi: A high-level inquiry has been ordered into the stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in which at least 12 people were killed and around 15 injured on Saturday (January 1, 2022) early morning. Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha informed that the Inquiry Committee will be headed by Principal Secretary (Home) with ADGP, Jammu and Divisional Commissioner, Jammu as members. He also said that he has spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and briefed him about the incident. "Hon'ble Prime minister has assured all the help," the office of the LG tweeted. Ex-gratia of Rs.10 lakh each would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to stampede and Rs.2 lakh to injured. Shrine board to bear the cost of treatment of injured. Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) January 1, 2022 The Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor also announced an ex gratia relief of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 2 lakh to each injured. Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board helpline numbers: 01991234804, 01991234053. District Administration helpline numbers: PCR Katra 01991-232010/ 9419145182, PCR Reasi 01991245076/ 9622856295; DC Reasi Control Room 01991-245763/ 9419839557. According to officials, the stampede occurred around 2:15 AM on Saturday near gate number three outside the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine atop Trikuta hills. It was triggered due to a heavy rush of devotees who had come to pay their obeisance to mark the beginning of the New Year. While the dead bodies of the deceased have been shifted to CHC Katra for further legal formalities, the injured pilgrims were provided first aid at Medical Unit Bhawan, and have now been subsequently shifted to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Super Specialty Hospital in Kakryal for specialized treatment. As per the latest reports, four injured pilgrims have already been discharged and the casualties are from Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. President Ram Nath Kovind, PM Narendra Modi express grief President Ram Nath Kovind said that he was very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed the lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan in Jammu and Kashmir and offered heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. "Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured," Kovind tweeted. Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured. President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 1, 2022 Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief over the loss of lives in the stampede and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured. "Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri Manoj Sinha Ji, Ministers Shri Dr Jitendra Singh Ji, Nityanand Rai Ji and took stock of the situation," PM Modi tweeted. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_ Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSingh Ji, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 1, 2022 Union Minister Jitendra Singh rushes to Katra Union Minister Jitendra Singh has rushed to Katra in Jammu and Kashmir to take stock of the situation. Singh, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), is a Lok Sabha member from Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur constituency. "I'm immediately rushing to Katra to take stock of the situation arising out of the tragedy at Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine. I look forward to have a detailed discussion with the administration and report it back to Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi," he tweeted. In another tweet, Singh said the prime minister is personally monitoring and keeping track of the tragic situation arising out of the stampede at the shrine. "PM has conveyed his sympathies to bereaved families and issued instructions to provide all possible medical aid & assistance to the injured," the minister tweeted. Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board helpline numbers: 01991234804, 01991234053. District Administration helpline numbers: PCR Katra 01991-232010/ 9419145182, PCR Reasi 01991245076/ 9622856295; DC Reasi Control Room 01991-245763/ 9419839557. Live TV New Delhi: A high-level inquiry has been ordered into the stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in which at least 12 people were killed and around 15 injured on Saturday (January 1, 2022) early morning. Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha informed that the Inquiry Committee will be headed by Principal Secretary (Home) with ADGP, Jammu and Divisional Commissioner, Jammu as members. He also said that he has spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and briefed him about the incident. "Hon'ble Prime minister has assured all the help," the office of the LG tweeted. Ex-gratia of Rs.10 lakh each would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to stampede and Rs.2 lakh to injured. Shrine board to bear the cost of treatment of injured. Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) January 1, 2022 The Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor also announced an ex gratia relief of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 2 lakh to each injured. Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board helpline numbers: 01991234804, 01991234053. District Administration helpline numbers: PCR Katra 01991-232010/ 9419145182, PCR Reasi 01991245076/ 9622856295; DC Reasi Control Room 01991-245763/ 9419839557. According to officials, the stampede occurred around 2:15 AM on Saturday near gate number three outside the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine atop Trikuta hills. It was triggered due to a heavy rush of devotees who had come to pay their obeisance to mark the beginning of the New Year. While the dead bodies of the deceased have been shifted to CHC Katra for further legal formalities, the injured pilgrims were provided first aid at Medical Unit Bhawan, and have now been subsequently shifted to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Super Specialty Hospital in Kakryal for specialized treatment. As per the latest reports, four injured pilgrims have already been discharged and the casualties are from Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. President Ram Nath Kovind, PM Narendra Modi express grief President Ram Nath Kovind said that he was very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed the lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan in Jammu and Kashmir and offered heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. "Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured," Kovind tweeted. Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured. President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 1, 2022 Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief over the loss of lives in the stampede and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured. "Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri Manoj Sinha Ji, Ministers Shri Dr Jitendra Singh Ji, Nityanand Rai Ji and took stock of the situation," PM Modi tweeted. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_ Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSingh Ji, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 1, 2022 Union Minister Jitendra Singh rushes to Katra Union Minister Jitendra Singh has rushed to Katra in Jammu and Kashmir to take stock of the situation. Singh, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), is a Lok Sabha member from Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur constituency. "I'm immediately rushing to Katra to take stock of the situation arising out of the tragedy at Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine. I look forward to have a detailed discussion with the administration and report it back to Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi," he tweeted. In another tweet, Singh said the prime minister is personally monitoring and keeping track of the tragic situation arising out of the stampede at the shrine. "PM has conveyed his sympathies to bereaved families and issued instructions to provide all possible medical aid & assistance to the injured," the minister tweeted. Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board helpline numbers: 01991234804, 01991234053. District Administration helpline numbers: PCR Katra 01991-232010/ 9419145182, PCR Reasi 01991245076/ 9622856295; DC Reasi Control Room 01991-245763/ 9419839557. Live TV Beatrice was born during Shanghais heyday. It was a time when the citys status as a self-governing international enclave flourished in the economic boom following the end of the Great War. Beatrice Greaves (far right) and her siblings (left to right) Stanley, Hilda and John in Shanghai. Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive By 1928, Shanghai was the fifth biggest city in the world with a population of three million Chinese. There were also 50,000 foreign residents, about a tenth of whom were Brits. Most of the expatriates lived in either the International Settlement or the adjacent French Concession. The enclaves were surrounded by the much larger Old City, where most of the Chinese lived. The Shanghai of my mothers early childhood was flash and cosmopolitan, but also known for its squalid corners and seedy underbelly. It was a city where you could find your fortune or just as easily lose one. Bea was the youngest of four children born to Elsie Mackenzie and Cecil Keat Greaves, though everyone knew him by his middle name. Both Elsie and Keat were Eurasian, the offspring of European-Chinese relationships. Keats father Alexander Greaves was from Liverpool but he didnt remain in China long enough to see his children grow up. In those times, hybrid children werent exactly viewed as an exotic blend of east and west. They were, as author Vicky Lee described them, a kind of unwanted by-product of a colonial encounter. Loading Other commentaries described the growing number of Eurasians as a social problem that needed special attention. In Shanghai, Eurasians like mums family attended different schools to the British children and went to separate hospitals. In her early life, the stigma of being Eurasian persisted. The expatriates called themselves Shanghailanders. They didnt have to follow Chinese law, they obeyed the laws of their own countries. Shanghailanders lived comfortably in precincts which looked as if they had been transplanted from a fashionable Parisian arrondissement. Rich Chinese and Eurasians could enjoy some of these trappings of entitlement, but the Greaves were not in this league though they were brought into the orbit of another Eurasian family who did manage to break through this bamboo ceiling. Beas father Keat was a bookkeeper for the dispensary A.S. Watson & Company a respectable enough white-collar job, but one that was never going to take him far. The Greaves and Cumine families in Shanghai, October 1923, featuring Bea as a baby on her mothers lap (middle row fourth from left). Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive) But his friend and later, brother-in-law, was another Eurasian called Henry Monsul Cumine who, despite coming from a similar background, was able to build the dream in pre-war Shanghai. Beas Uncle Henry became a real estate magnate, snapping up parcels of land within the French Concession. He designed and built properties which he sold or leased to foreigners and rich Chinese. For his wife Winifred and their seven children he built a 16-room mansion which he named Ferryhill House. It was hidden at the end of a street formerly known as Route de Grouchy. Today its called Yanqing Road. Despite Shanghais construction craze, Uncle Henrys house still stands, though its now divided into apartments and is home to about 10 Chinese families. Lost in Shanghai is built around an amazing collection of family photographs, some of which I have only recently unearthed. The 16-room Shanghai mansion named Ferryhill House, where Bea grew up. Credit:courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive One of those dates from 1923 and shows Beas extended Eurasian clan: the Greaves and the Cumine families together. Beatrice is the baby in the photograph. Shes sitting in her mothers lap. This image is special for me because its the only photo we have of Bea and her mother together. Four years later, Elsie was dead having contracted dysentery from her youngest son, who survived. Elsies death was a major blow from which the family would never recover. It left Keat heartbroken and with four children aged between five and 14. Beas parents Elsie Mackenzie and Keat Greaves. Credit:(courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive) Bea was sent to live at the Cumine mansion and while she was surrounded by many cousins, she remembers this as a miserable time when she was frequently ill. She pined for her family though they lived in the same city. Four years later, Beas father made another life-altering decision. One day, he bundled his then nine-year-old daughter into one of the Cumines chauffeur-driven cars and took her to the passenger wharf at Shanghais waterfront. Keat gave his daughter a gift: a miniature teddy bear with a perfume bottle concealed in the bears chest cavity. Then he left his distraught child in the arms of relatives who were waiting onboard the passenger ship, Empress of Canada. Loading The Empress was bound for Hong Kong. It had been decided that Bea would move to the British colony to live with Keats brother Alfred and his family. Bea never knew why her father made the decision to send her away, twice. She still bears the scars of that forced separation and she doesnt like to speak about it. The story doesnt end there. As my mother approaches her 100th birthday, I marvel at the life she has lived and the setbacks she has overcome. I wanted to tell her story because she is no longer able to do that herself. Beatrice was born during Shanghais heyday. It was a time when the citys status as a self-governing international enclave flourished in the economic boom following the end of the Great War. Beatrice Greaves (far right) and her siblings (left to right) Stanley, Hilda and John in Shanghai. Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive By 1928, Shanghai was the fifth biggest city in the world with a population of three million Chinese. There were also 50,000 foreign residents, about a tenth of whom were Brits. Most of the expatriates lived in either the International Settlement or the adjacent French Concession. The enclaves were surrounded by the much larger Old City, where most of the Chinese lived. The Shanghai of my mothers early childhood was flash and cosmopolitan, but also known for its squalid corners and seedy underbelly. It was a city where you could find your fortune or just as easily lose one. Bea was the youngest of four children born to Elsie Mackenzie and Cecil Keat Greaves, though everyone knew him by his middle name. Both Elsie and Keat were Eurasian, the offspring of European-Chinese relationships. Keats father Alexander Greaves was from Liverpool but he didnt remain in China long enough to see his children grow up. In those times, hybrid children werent exactly viewed as an exotic blend of east and west. They were, as author Vicky Lee described them, a kind of unwanted by-product of a colonial encounter. Loading Other commentaries described the growing number of Eurasians as a social problem that needed special attention. In Shanghai, Eurasians like mums family attended different schools to the British children and went to separate hospitals. In her early life, the stigma of being Eurasian persisted. The expatriates called themselves Shanghailanders. They didnt have to follow Chinese law, they obeyed the laws of their own countries. Shanghailanders lived comfortably in precincts which looked as if they had been transplanted from a fashionable Parisian arrondissement. Rich Chinese and Eurasians could enjoy some of these trappings of entitlement, but the Greaves were not in this league though they were brought into the orbit of another Eurasian family who did manage to break through this bamboo ceiling. Beas father Keat was a bookkeeper for the dispensary A.S. Watson & Company a respectable enough white-collar job, but one that was never going to take him far. The Greaves and Cumine families in Shanghai, October 1923, featuring Bea as a baby on her mothers lap (middle row fourth from left). Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive) But his friend and later, brother-in-law, was another Eurasian called Henry Monsul Cumine who, despite coming from a similar background, was able to build the dream in pre-war Shanghai. Beas Uncle Henry became a real estate magnate, snapping up parcels of land within the French Concession. He designed and built properties which he sold or leased to foreigners and rich Chinese. For his wife Winifred and their seven children he built a 16-room mansion which he named Ferryhill House. It was hidden at the end of a street formerly known as Route de Grouchy. Today its called Yanqing Road. Despite Shanghais construction craze, Uncle Henrys house still stands, though its now divided into apartments and is home to about 10 Chinese families. Lost in Shanghai is built around an amazing collection of family photographs, some of which I have only recently unearthed. The 16-room Shanghai mansion named Ferryhill House, where Bea grew up. Credit:courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive One of those dates from 1923 and shows Beas extended Eurasian clan: the Greaves and the Cumine families together. Beatrice is the baby in the photograph. Shes sitting in her mothers lap. This image is special for me because its the only photo we have of Bea and her mother together. Four years later, Elsie was dead having contracted dysentery from her youngest son, who survived. Elsies death was a major blow from which the family would never recover. It left Keat heartbroken and with four children aged between five and 14. Beas parents Elsie Mackenzie and Keat Greaves. Credit:(courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive) Bea was sent to live at the Cumine mansion and while she was surrounded by many cousins, she remembers this as a miserable time when she was frequently ill. She pined for her family though they lived in the same city. Four years later, Beas father made another life-altering decision. One day, he bundled his then nine-year-old daughter into one of the Cumines chauffeur-driven cars and took her to the passenger wharf at Shanghais waterfront. Keat gave his daughter a gift: a miniature teddy bear with a perfume bottle concealed in the bears chest cavity. Then he left his distraught child in the arms of relatives who were waiting onboard the passenger ship, Empress of Canada. Loading The Empress was bound for Hong Kong. It had been decided that Bea would move to the British colony to live with Keats brother Alfred and his family. Bea never knew why her father made the decision to send her away, twice. She still bears the scars of that forced separation and she doesnt like to speak about it. The story doesnt end there. As my mother approaches her 100th birthday, I marvel at the life she has lived and the setbacks she has overcome. I wanted to tell her story because she is no longer able to do that herself. Beatrice was born during Shanghais heyday. It was a time when the citys status as a self-governing international enclave flourished in the economic boom following the end of the Great War. Beatrice Greaves (far right) and her siblings (left to right) Stanley, Hilda and John in Shanghai. Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive By 1928, Shanghai was the fifth biggest city in the world with a population of three million Chinese. There were also 50,000 foreign residents, about a tenth of whom were Brits. Most of the expatriates lived in either the International Settlement or the adjacent French Concession. The enclaves were surrounded by the much larger Old City, where most of the Chinese lived. The Shanghai of my mothers early childhood was flash and cosmopolitan, but also known for its squalid corners and seedy underbelly. It was a city where you could find your fortune or just as easily lose one. Bea was the youngest of four children born to Elsie Mackenzie and Cecil Keat Greaves, though everyone knew him by his middle name. Both Elsie and Keat were Eurasian, the offspring of European-Chinese relationships. Keats father Alexander Greaves was from Liverpool but he didnt remain in China long enough to see his children grow up. In those times, hybrid children werent exactly viewed as an exotic blend of east and west. They were, as author Vicky Lee described them, a kind of unwanted by-product of a colonial encounter. Loading Other commentaries described the growing number of Eurasians as a social problem that needed special attention. In Shanghai, Eurasians like mums family attended different schools to the British children and went to separate hospitals. In her early life, the stigma of being Eurasian persisted. The expatriates called themselves Shanghailanders. They didnt have to follow Chinese law, they obeyed the laws of their own countries. Shanghailanders lived comfortably in precincts which looked as if they had been transplanted from a fashionable Parisian arrondissement. Rich Chinese and Eurasians could enjoy some of these trappings of entitlement, but the Greaves were not in this league though they were brought into the orbit of another Eurasian family who did manage to break through this bamboo ceiling. Beas father Keat was a bookkeeper for the dispensary A.S. Watson & Company a respectable enough white-collar job, but one that was never going to take him far. The Greaves and Cumine families in Shanghai, October 1923, featuring Bea as a baby on her mothers lap (middle row fourth from left). Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive) But his friend and later, brother-in-law, was another Eurasian called Henry Monsul Cumine who, despite coming from a similar background, was able to build the dream in pre-war Shanghai. Beas Uncle Henry became a real estate magnate, snapping up parcels of land within the French Concession. He designed and built properties which he sold or leased to foreigners and rich Chinese. For his wife Winifred and their seven children he built a 16-room mansion which he named Ferryhill House. It was hidden at the end of a street formerly known as Route de Grouchy. Today its called Yanqing Road. Despite Shanghais construction craze, Uncle Henrys house still stands, though its now divided into apartments and is home to about 10 Chinese families. Lost in Shanghai is built around an amazing collection of family photographs, some of which I have only recently unearthed. The 16-room Shanghai mansion named Ferryhill House, where Bea grew up. Credit:courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive One of those dates from 1923 and shows Beas extended Eurasian clan: the Greaves and the Cumine families together. Beatrice is the baby in the photograph. Shes sitting in her mothers lap. This image is special for me because its the only photo we have of Bea and her mother together. Four years later, Elsie was dead having contracted dysentery from her youngest son, who survived. Elsies death was a major blow from which the family would never recover. It left Keat heartbroken and with four children aged between five and 14. Beas parents Elsie Mackenzie and Keat Greaves. Credit:(courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive) Bea was sent to live at the Cumine mansion and while she was surrounded by many cousins, she remembers this as a miserable time when she was frequently ill. She pined for her family though they lived in the same city. Four years later, Beas father made another life-altering decision. One day, he bundled his then nine-year-old daughter into one of the Cumines chauffeur-driven cars and took her to the passenger wharf at Shanghais waterfront. Keat gave his daughter a gift: a miniature teddy bear with a perfume bottle concealed in the bears chest cavity. Then he left his distraught child in the arms of relatives who were waiting onboard the passenger ship, Empress of Canada. Loading The Empress was bound for Hong Kong. It had been decided that Bea would move to the British colony to live with Keats brother Alfred and his family. Bea never knew why her father made the decision to send her away, twice. She still bears the scars of that forced separation and she doesnt like to speak about it. The story doesnt end there. As my mother approaches her 100th birthday, I marvel at the life she has lived and the setbacks she has overcome. I wanted to tell her story because she is no longer able to do that herself. Beatrice was born during Shanghais heyday. It was a time when the citys status as a self-governing international enclave flourished in the economic boom following the end of the Great War. Beatrice Greaves (far right) and her siblings (left to right) Stanley, Hilda and John in Shanghai. Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive By 1928, Shanghai was the fifth biggest city in the world with a population of three million Chinese. There were also 50,000 foreign residents, about a tenth of whom were Brits. Most of the expatriates lived in either the International Settlement or the adjacent French Concession. The enclaves were surrounded by the much larger Old City, where most of the Chinese lived. The Shanghai of my mothers early childhood was flash and cosmopolitan, but also known for its squalid corners and seedy underbelly. It was a city where you could find your fortune or just as easily lose one. Bea was the youngest of four children born to Elsie Mackenzie and Cecil Keat Greaves, though everyone knew him by his middle name. Both Elsie and Keat were Eurasian, the offspring of European-Chinese relationships. Keats father Alexander Greaves was from Liverpool but he didnt remain in China long enough to see his children grow up. In those times, hybrid children werent exactly viewed as an exotic blend of east and west. They were, as author Vicky Lee described them, a kind of unwanted by-product of a colonial encounter. Loading Other commentaries described the growing number of Eurasians as a social problem that needed special attention. In Shanghai, Eurasians like mums family attended different schools to the British children and went to separate hospitals. In her early life, the stigma of being Eurasian persisted. The expatriates called themselves Shanghailanders. They didnt have to follow Chinese law, they obeyed the laws of their own countries. Shanghailanders lived comfortably in precincts which looked as if they had been transplanted from a fashionable Parisian arrondissement. Rich Chinese and Eurasians could enjoy some of these trappings of entitlement, but the Greaves were not in this league though they were brought into the orbit of another Eurasian family who did manage to break through this bamboo ceiling. Beas father Keat was a bookkeeper for the dispensary A.S. Watson & Company a respectable enough white-collar job, but one that was never going to take him far. The Greaves and Cumine families in Shanghai, October 1923, featuring Bea as a baby on her mothers lap (middle row fourth from left). Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive) But his friend and later, brother-in-law, was another Eurasian called Henry Monsul Cumine who, despite coming from a similar background, was able to build the dream in pre-war Shanghai. Beas Uncle Henry became a real estate magnate, snapping up parcels of land within the French Concession. He designed and built properties which he sold or leased to foreigners and rich Chinese. For his wife Winifred and their seven children he built a 16-room mansion which he named Ferryhill House. It was hidden at the end of a street formerly known as Route de Grouchy. Today its called Yanqing Road. Despite Shanghais construction craze, Uncle Henrys house still stands, though its now divided into apartments and is home to about 10 Chinese families. Lost in Shanghai is built around an amazing collection of family photographs, some of which I have only recently unearthed. The 16-room Shanghai mansion named Ferryhill House, where Bea grew up. Credit:courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive One of those dates from 1923 and shows Beas extended Eurasian clan: the Greaves and the Cumine families together. Beatrice is the baby in the photograph. Shes sitting in her mothers lap. This image is special for me because its the only photo we have of Bea and her mother together. Four years later, Elsie was dead having contracted dysentery from her youngest son, who survived. Elsies death was a major blow from which the family would never recover. It left Keat heartbroken and with four children aged between five and 14. Beas parents Elsie Mackenzie and Keat Greaves. Credit:(courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive) Bea was sent to live at the Cumine mansion and while she was surrounded by many cousins, she remembers this as a miserable time when she was frequently ill. She pined for her family though they lived in the same city. Four years later, Beas father made another life-altering decision. One day, he bundled his then nine-year-old daughter into one of the Cumines chauffeur-driven cars and took her to the passenger wharf at Shanghais waterfront. Keat gave his daughter a gift: a miniature teddy bear with a perfume bottle concealed in the bears chest cavity. Then he left his distraught child in the arms of relatives who were waiting onboard the passenger ship, Empress of Canada. Loading The Empress was bound for Hong Kong. It had been decided that Bea would move to the British colony to live with Keats brother Alfred and his family. Bea never knew why her father made the decision to send her away, twice. She still bears the scars of that forced separation and she doesnt like to speak about it. The story doesnt end there. As my mother approaches her 100th birthday, I marvel at the life she has lived and the setbacks she has overcome. I wanted to tell her story because she is no longer able to do that herself. Beatrice was born during Shanghais heyday. It was a time when the citys status as a self-governing international enclave flourished in the economic boom following the end of the Great War. Beatrice Greaves (far right) and her siblings (left to right) Stanley, Hilda and John in Shanghai. Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive By 1928, Shanghai was the fifth biggest city in the world with a population of three million Chinese. There were also 50,000 foreign residents, about a tenth of whom were Brits. Most of the expatriates lived in either the International Settlement or the adjacent French Concession. The enclaves were surrounded by the much larger Old City, where most of the Chinese lived. The Shanghai of my mothers early childhood was flash and cosmopolitan, but also known for its squalid corners and seedy underbelly. It was a city where you could find your fortune or just as easily lose one. Bea was the youngest of four children born to Elsie Mackenzie and Cecil Keat Greaves, though everyone knew him by his middle name. Both Elsie and Keat were Eurasian, the offspring of European-Chinese relationships. Keats father Alexander Greaves was from Liverpool but he didnt remain in China long enough to see his children grow up. In those times, hybrid children werent exactly viewed as an exotic blend of east and west. They were, as author Vicky Lee described them, a kind of unwanted by-product of a colonial encounter. Loading Other commentaries described the growing number of Eurasians as a social problem that needed special attention. In Shanghai, Eurasians like mums family attended different schools to the British children and went to separate hospitals. In her early life, the stigma of being Eurasian persisted. The expatriates called themselves Shanghailanders. They didnt have to follow Chinese law, they obeyed the laws of their own countries. Shanghailanders lived comfortably in precincts which looked as if they had been transplanted from a fashionable Parisian arrondissement. Rich Chinese and Eurasians could enjoy some of these trappings of entitlement, but the Greaves were not in this league though they were brought into the orbit of another Eurasian family who did manage to break through this bamboo ceiling. Beas father Keat was a bookkeeper for the dispensary A.S. Watson & Company a respectable enough white-collar job, but one that was never going to take him far. The Greaves and Cumine families in Shanghai, October 1923, featuring Bea as a baby on her mothers lap (middle row fourth from left). Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive) But his friend and later, brother-in-law, was another Eurasian called Henry Monsul Cumine who, despite coming from a similar background, was able to build the dream in pre-war Shanghai. Beas Uncle Henry became a real estate magnate, snapping up parcels of land within the French Concession. He designed and built properties which he sold or leased to foreigners and rich Chinese. For his wife Winifred and their seven children he built a 16-room mansion which he named Ferryhill House. It was hidden at the end of a street formerly known as Route de Grouchy. Today its called Yanqing Road. Despite Shanghais construction craze, Uncle Henrys house still stands, though its now divided into apartments and is home to about 10 Chinese families. Lost in Shanghai is built around an amazing collection of family photographs, some of which I have only recently unearthed. The 16-room Shanghai mansion named Ferryhill House, where Bea grew up. Credit:courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive One of those dates from 1923 and shows Beas extended Eurasian clan: the Greaves and the Cumine families together. Beatrice is the baby in the photograph. Shes sitting in her mothers lap. This image is special for me because its the only photo we have of Bea and her mother together. Four years later, Elsie was dead having contracted dysentery from her youngest son, who survived. Elsies death was a major blow from which the family would never recover. It left Keat heartbroken and with four children aged between five and 14. Beas parents Elsie Mackenzie and Keat Greaves. Credit:(courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive) Bea was sent to live at the Cumine mansion and while she was surrounded by many cousins, she remembers this as a miserable time when she was frequently ill. She pined for her family though they lived in the same city. Four years later, Beas father made another life-altering decision. One day, he bundled his then nine-year-old daughter into one of the Cumines chauffeur-driven cars and took her to the passenger wharf at Shanghais waterfront. Keat gave his daughter a gift: a miniature teddy bear with a perfume bottle concealed in the bears chest cavity. Then he left his distraught child in the arms of relatives who were waiting onboard the passenger ship, Empress of Canada. Loading The Empress was bound for Hong Kong. It had been decided that Bea would move to the British colony to live with Keats brother Alfred and his family. Bea never knew why her father made the decision to send her away, twice. She still bears the scars of that forced separation and she doesnt like to speak about it. The story doesnt end there. As my mother approaches her 100th birthday, I marvel at the life she has lived and the setbacks she has overcome. I wanted to tell her story because she is no longer able to do that herself. Beatrice was born during Shanghais heyday. It was a time when the citys status as a self-governing international enclave flourished in the economic boom following the end of the Great War. Beatrice Greaves (far right) and her siblings (left to right) Stanley, Hilda and John in Shanghai. Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive By 1928, Shanghai was the fifth biggest city in the world with a population of three million Chinese. There were also 50,000 foreign residents, about a tenth of whom were Brits. Most of the expatriates lived in either the International Settlement or the adjacent French Concession. The enclaves were surrounded by the much larger Old City, where most of the Chinese lived. The Shanghai of my mothers early childhood was flash and cosmopolitan, but also known for its squalid corners and seedy underbelly. It was a city where you could find your fortune or just as easily lose one. Bea was the youngest of four children born to Elsie Mackenzie and Cecil Keat Greaves, though everyone knew him by his middle name. Both Elsie and Keat were Eurasian, the offspring of European-Chinese relationships. Keats father Alexander Greaves was from Liverpool but he didnt remain in China long enough to see his children grow up. In those times, hybrid children werent exactly viewed as an exotic blend of east and west. They were, as author Vicky Lee described them, a kind of unwanted by-product of a colonial encounter. Loading Other commentaries described the growing number of Eurasians as a social problem that needed special attention. In Shanghai, Eurasians like mums family attended different schools to the British children and went to separate hospitals. In her early life, the stigma of being Eurasian persisted. The expatriates called themselves Shanghailanders. They didnt have to follow Chinese law, they obeyed the laws of their own countries. Shanghailanders lived comfortably in precincts which looked as if they had been transplanted from a fashionable Parisian arrondissement. Rich Chinese and Eurasians could enjoy some of these trappings of entitlement, but the Greaves were not in this league though they were brought into the orbit of another Eurasian family who did manage to break through this bamboo ceiling. Beas father Keat was a bookkeeper for the dispensary A.S. Watson & Company a respectable enough white-collar job, but one that was never going to take him far. The Greaves and Cumine families in Shanghai, October 1923, featuring Bea as a baby on her mothers lap (middle row fourth from left). Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive) But his friend and later, brother-in-law, was another Eurasian called Henry Monsul Cumine who, despite coming from a similar background, was able to build the dream in pre-war Shanghai. Beas Uncle Henry became a real estate magnate, snapping up parcels of land within the French Concession. He designed and built properties which he sold or leased to foreigners and rich Chinese. For his wife Winifred and their seven children he built a 16-room mansion which he named Ferryhill House. It was hidden at the end of a street formerly known as Route de Grouchy. Today its called Yanqing Road. Despite Shanghais construction craze, Uncle Henrys house still stands, though its now divided into apartments and is home to about 10 Chinese families. Lost in Shanghai is built around an amazing collection of family photographs, some of which I have only recently unearthed. The 16-room Shanghai mansion named Ferryhill House, where Bea grew up. Credit:courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive One of those dates from 1923 and shows Beas extended Eurasian clan: the Greaves and the Cumine families together. Beatrice is the baby in the photograph. Shes sitting in her mothers lap. This image is special for me because its the only photo we have of Bea and her mother together. Four years later, Elsie was dead having contracted dysentery from her youngest son, who survived. Elsies death was a major blow from which the family would never recover. It left Keat heartbroken and with four children aged between five and 14. Beas parents Elsie Mackenzie and Keat Greaves. Credit:(courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive) Bea was sent to live at the Cumine mansion and while she was surrounded by many cousins, she remembers this as a miserable time when she was frequently ill. She pined for her family though they lived in the same city. Four years later, Beas father made another life-altering decision. One day, he bundled his then nine-year-old daughter into one of the Cumines chauffeur-driven cars and took her to the passenger wharf at Shanghais waterfront. Keat gave his daughter a gift: a miniature teddy bear with a perfume bottle concealed in the bears chest cavity. Then he left his distraught child in the arms of relatives who were waiting onboard the passenger ship, Empress of Canada. Loading The Empress was bound for Hong Kong. It had been decided that Bea would move to the British colony to live with Keats brother Alfred and his family. Bea never knew why her father made the decision to send her away, twice. She still bears the scars of that forced separation and she doesnt like to speak about it. The story doesnt end there. As my mother approaches her 100th birthday, I marvel at the life she has lived and the setbacks she has overcome. I wanted to tell her story because she is no longer able to do that herself. Beatrice was born during Shanghais heyday. It was a time when the citys status as a self-governing international enclave flourished in the economic boom following the end of the Great War. Beatrice Greaves (far right) and her siblings (left to right) Stanley, Hilda and John in Shanghai. Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive By 1928, Shanghai was the fifth biggest city in the world with a population of three million Chinese. There were also 50,000 foreign residents, about a tenth of whom were Brits. Most of the expatriates lived in either the International Settlement or the adjacent French Concession. The enclaves were surrounded by the much larger Old City, where most of the Chinese lived. The Shanghai of my mothers early childhood was flash and cosmopolitan, but also known for its squalid corners and seedy underbelly. It was a city where you could find your fortune or just as easily lose one. Bea was the youngest of four children born to Elsie Mackenzie and Cecil Keat Greaves, though everyone knew him by his middle name. Both Elsie and Keat were Eurasian, the offspring of European-Chinese relationships. Keats father Alexander Greaves was from Liverpool but he didnt remain in China long enough to see his children grow up. In those times, hybrid children werent exactly viewed as an exotic blend of east and west. They were, as author Vicky Lee described them, a kind of unwanted by-product of a colonial encounter. Loading Other commentaries described the growing number of Eurasians as a social problem that needed special attention. In Shanghai, Eurasians like mums family attended different schools to the British children and went to separate hospitals. In her early life, the stigma of being Eurasian persisted. The expatriates called themselves Shanghailanders. They didnt have to follow Chinese law, they obeyed the laws of their own countries. Shanghailanders lived comfortably in precincts which looked as if they had been transplanted from a fashionable Parisian arrondissement. Rich Chinese and Eurasians could enjoy some of these trappings of entitlement, but the Greaves were not in this league though they were brought into the orbit of another Eurasian family who did manage to break through this bamboo ceiling. Beas father Keat was a bookkeeper for the dispensary A.S. Watson & Company a respectable enough white-collar job, but one that was never going to take him far. The Greaves and Cumine families in Shanghai, October 1923, featuring Bea as a baby on her mothers lap (middle row fourth from left). Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive) But his friend and later, brother-in-law, was another Eurasian called Henry Monsul Cumine who, despite coming from a similar background, was able to build the dream in pre-war Shanghai. Beas Uncle Henry became a real estate magnate, snapping up parcels of land within the French Concession. He designed and built properties which he sold or leased to foreigners and rich Chinese. For his wife Winifred and their seven children he built a 16-room mansion which he named Ferryhill House. It was hidden at the end of a street formerly known as Route de Grouchy. Today its called Yanqing Road. Despite Shanghais construction craze, Uncle Henrys house still stands, though its now divided into apartments and is home to about 10 Chinese families. Lost in Shanghai is built around an amazing collection of family photographs, some of which I have only recently unearthed. The 16-room Shanghai mansion named Ferryhill House, where Bea grew up. Credit:courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive One of those dates from 1923 and shows Beas extended Eurasian clan: the Greaves and the Cumine families together. Beatrice is the baby in the photograph. Shes sitting in her mothers lap. This image is special for me because its the only photo we have of Bea and her mother together. Four years later, Elsie was dead having contracted dysentery from her youngest son, who survived. Elsies death was a major blow from which the family would never recover. It left Keat heartbroken and with four children aged between five and 14. Beas parents Elsie Mackenzie and Keat Greaves. Credit:(courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive) Bea was sent to live at the Cumine mansion and while she was surrounded by many cousins, she remembers this as a miserable time when she was frequently ill. She pined for her family though they lived in the same city. Four years later, Beas father made another life-altering decision. One day, he bundled his then nine-year-old daughter into one of the Cumines chauffeur-driven cars and took her to the passenger wharf at Shanghais waterfront. Keat gave his daughter a gift: a miniature teddy bear with a perfume bottle concealed in the bears chest cavity. Then he left his distraught child in the arms of relatives who were waiting onboard the passenger ship, Empress of Canada. Loading The Empress was bound for Hong Kong. It had been decided that Bea would move to the British colony to live with Keats brother Alfred and his family. Bea never knew why her father made the decision to send her away, twice. She still bears the scars of that forced separation and she doesnt like to speak about it. The story doesnt end there. As my mother approaches her 100th birthday, I marvel at the life she has lived and the setbacks she has overcome. I wanted to tell her story because she is no longer able to do that herself. Beatrice was born during Shanghais heyday. It was a time when the citys status as a self-governing international enclave flourished in the economic boom following the end of the Great War. Beatrice Greaves (far right) and her siblings (left to right) Stanley, Hilda and John in Shanghai. Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive By 1928, Shanghai was the fifth biggest city in the world with a population of three million Chinese. There were also 50,000 foreign residents, about a tenth of whom were Brits. Most of the expatriates lived in either the International Settlement or the adjacent French Concession. The enclaves were surrounded by the much larger Old City, where most of the Chinese lived. The Shanghai of my mothers early childhood was flash and cosmopolitan, but also known for its squalid corners and seedy underbelly. It was a city where you could find your fortune or just as easily lose one. Bea was the youngest of four children born to Elsie Mackenzie and Cecil Keat Greaves, though everyone knew him by his middle name. Both Elsie and Keat were Eurasian, the offspring of European-Chinese relationships. Keats father Alexander Greaves was from Liverpool but he didnt remain in China long enough to see his children grow up. In those times, hybrid children werent exactly viewed as an exotic blend of east and west. They were, as author Vicky Lee described them, a kind of unwanted by-product of a colonial encounter. Loading Other commentaries described the growing number of Eurasians as a social problem that needed special attention. In Shanghai, Eurasians like mums family attended different schools to the British children and went to separate hospitals. In her early life, the stigma of being Eurasian persisted. The expatriates called themselves Shanghailanders. They didnt have to follow Chinese law, they obeyed the laws of their own countries. Shanghailanders lived comfortably in precincts which looked as if they had been transplanted from a fashionable Parisian arrondissement. Rich Chinese and Eurasians could enjoy some of these trappings of entitlement, but the Greaves were not in this league though they were brought into the orbit of another Eurasian family who did manage to break through this bamboo ceiling. Beas father Keat was a bookkeeper for the dispensary A.S. Watson & Company a respectable enough white-collar job, but one that was never going to take him far. The Greaves and Cumine families in Shanghai, October 1923, featuring Bea as a baby on her mothers lap (middle row fourth from left). Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive) But his friend and later, brother-in-law, was another Eurasian called Henry Monsul Cumine who, despite coming from a similar background, was able to build the dream in pre-war Shanghai. Beas Uncle Henry became a real estate magnate, snapping up parcels of land within the French Concession. He designed and built properties which he sold or leased to foreigners and rich Chinese. For his wife Winifred and their seven children he built a 16-room mansion which he named Ferryhill House. It was hidden at the end of a street formerly known as Route de Grouchy. Today its called Yanqing Road. Despite Shanghais construction craze, Uncle Henrys house still stands, though its now divided into apartments and is home to about 10 Chinese families. Lost in Shanghai is built around an amazing collection of family photographs, some of which I have only recently unearthed. The 16-room Shanghai mansion named Ferryhill House, where Bea grew up. Credit:courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive One of those dates from 1923 and shows Beas extended Eurasian clan: the Greaves and the Cumine families together. Beatrice is the baby in the photograph. Shes sitting in her mothers lap. This image is special for me because its the only photo we have of Bea and her mother together. Four years later, Elsie was dead having contracted dysentery from her youngest son, who survived. Elsies death was a major blow from which the family would never recover. It left Keat heartbroken and with four children aged between five and 14. Beas parents Elsie Mackenzie and Keat Greaves. Credit:(courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive) Bea was sent to live at the Cumine mansion and while she was surrounded by many cousins, she remembers this as a miserable time when she was frequently ill. She pined for her family though they lived in the same city. Four years later, Beas father made another life-altering decision. One day, he bundled his then nine-year-old daughter into one of the Cumines chauffeur-driven cars and took her to the passenger wharf at Shanghais waterfront. Keat gave his daughter a gift: a miniature teddy bear with a perfume bottle concealed in the bears chest cavity. Then he left his distraught child in the arms of relatives who were waiting onboard the passenger ship, Empress of Canada. Loading The Empress was bound for Hong Kong. It had been decided that Bea would move to the British colony to live with Keats brother Alfred and his family. Bea never knew why her father made the decision to send her away, twice. She still bears the scars of that forced separation and she doesnt like to speak about it. The story doesnt end there. As my mother approaches her 100th birthday, I marvel at the life she has lived and the setbacks she has overcome. I wanted to tell her story because she is no longer able to do that herself. Beatrice was born during Shanghais heyday. It was a time when the citys status as a self-governing international enclave flourished in the economic boom following the end of the Great War. Beatrice Greaves (far right) and her siblings (left to right) Stanley, Hilda and John in Shanghai. Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive By 1928, Shanghai was the fifth biggest city in the world with a population of three million Chinese. There were also 50,000 foreign residents, about a tenth of whom were Brits. Most of the expatriates lived in either the International Settlement or the adjacent French Concession. The enclaves were surrounded by the much larger Old City, where most of the Chinese lived. The Shanghai of my mothers early childhood was flash and cosmopolitan, but also known for its squalid corners and seedy underbelly. It was a city where you could find your fortune or just as easily lose one. Bea was the youngest of four children born to Elsie Mackenzie and Cecil Keat Greaves, though everyone knew him by his middle name. Both Elsie and Keat were Eurasian, the offspring of European-Chinese relationships. Keats father Alexander Greaves was from Liverpool but he didnt remain in China long enough to see his children grow up. In those times, hybrid children werent exactly viewed as an exotic blend of east and west. They were, as author Vicky Lee described them, a kind of unwanted by-product of a colonial encounter. Loading Other commentaries described the growing number of Eurasians as a social problem that needed special attention. In Shanghai, Eurasians like mums family attended different schools to the British children and went to separate hospitals. In her early life, the stigma of being Eurasian persisted. The expatriates called themselves Shanghailanders. They didnt have to follow Chinese law, they obeyed the laws of their own countries. Shanghailanders lived comfortably in precincts which looked as if they had been transplanted from a fashionable Parisian arrondissement. Rich Chinese and Eurasians could enjoy some of these trappings of entitlement, but the Greaves were not in this league though they were brought into the orbit of another Eurasian family who did manage to break through this bamboo ceiling. Beas father Keat was a bookkeeper for the dispensary A.S. Watson & Company a respectable enough white-collar job, but one that was never going to take him far. The Greaves and Cumine families in Shanghai, October 1923, featuring Bea as a baby on her mothers lap (middle row fourth from left). Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive) But his friend and later, brother-in-law, was another Eurasian called Henry Monsul Cumine who, despite coming from a similar background, was able to build the dream in pre-war Shanghai. Beas Uncle Henry became a real estate magnate, snapping up parcels of land within the French Concession. He designed and built properties which he sold or leased to foreigners and rich Chinese. For his wife Winifred and their seven children he built a 16-room mansion which he named Ferryhill House. It was hidden at the end of a street formerly known as Route de Grouchy. Today its called Yanqing Road. Despite Shanghais construction craze, Uncle Henrys house still stands, though its now divided into apartments and is home to about 10 Chinese families. Lost in Shanghai is built around an amazing collection of family photographs, some of which I have only recently unearthed. The 16-room Shanghai mansion named Ferryhill House, where Bea grew up. Credit:courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive One of those dates from 1923 and shows Beas extended Eurasian clan: the Greaves and the Cumine families together. Beatrice is the baby in the photograph. Shes sitting in her mothers lap. This image is special for me because its the only photo we have of Bea and her mother together. Four years later, Elsie was dead having contracted dysentery from her youngest son, who survived. Elsies death was a major blow from which the family would never recover. It left Keat heartbroken and with four children aged between five and 14. Beas parents Elsie Mackenzie and Keat Greaves. Credit:(courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive) Bea was sent to live at the Cumine mansion and while she was surrounded by many cousins, she remembers this as a miserable time when she was frequently ill. She pined for her family though they lived in the same city. Four years later, Beas father made another life-altering decision. One day, he bundled his then nine-year-old daughter into one of the Cumines chauffeur-driven cars and took her to the passenger wharf at Shanghais waterfront. Keat gave his daughter a gift: a miniature teddy bear with a perfume bottle concealed in the bears chest cavity. Then he left his distraught child in the arms of relatives who were waiting onboard the passenger ship, Empress of Canada. Loading The Empress was bound for Hong Kong. It had been decided that Bea would move to the British colony to live with Keats brother Alfred and his family. Bea never knew why her father made the decision to send her away, twice. She still bears the scars of that forced separation and she doesnt like to speak about it. The story doesnt end there. As my mother approaches her 100th birthday, I marvel at the life she has lived and the setbacks she has overcome. I wanted to tell her story because she is no longer able to do that herself. Beatrice was born during Shanghais heyday. It was a time when the citys status as a self-governing international enclave flourished in the economic boom following the end of the Great War. Beatrice Greaves (far right) and her siblings (left to right) Stanley, Hilda and John in Shanghai. Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive By 1928, Shanghai was the fifth biggest city in the world with a population of three million Chinese. There were also 50,000 foreign residents, about a tenth of whom were Brits. Most of the expatriates lived in either the International Settlement or the adjacent French Concession. The enclaves were surrounded by the much larger Old City, where most of the Chinese lived. The Shanghai of my mothers early childhood was flash and cosmopolitan, but also known for its squalid corners and seedy underbelly. It was a city where you could find your fortune or just as easily lose one. Bea was the youngest of four children born to Elsie Mackenzie and Cecil Keat Greaves, though everyone knew him by his middle name. Both Elsie and Keat were Eurasian, the offspring of European-Chinese relationships. Keats father Alexander Greaves was from Liverpool but he didnt remain in China long enough to see his children grow up. In those times, hybrid children werent exactly viewed as an exotic blend of east and west. They were, as author Vicky Lee described them, a kind of unwanted by-product of a colonial encounter. Loading Other commentaries described the growing number of Eurasians as a social problem that needed special attention. In Shanghai, Eurasians like mums family attended different schools to the British children and went to separate hospitals. In her early life, the stigma of being Eurasian persisted. The expatriates called themselves Shanghailanders. They didnt have to follow Chinese law, they obeyed the laws of their own countries. Shanghailanders lived comfortably in precincts which looked as if they had been transplanted from a fashionable Parisian arrondissement. Rich Chinese and Eurasians could enjoy some of these trappings of entitlement, but the Greaves were not in this league though they were brought into the orbit of another Eurasian family who did manage to break through this bamboo ceiling. Beas father Keat was a bookkeeper for the dispensary A.S. Watson & Company a respectable enough white-collar job, but one that was never going to take him far. The Greaves and Cumine families in Shanghai, October 1923, featuring Bea as a baby on her mothers lap (middle row fourth from left). Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive) But his friend and later, brother-in-law, was another Eurasian called Henry Monsul Cumine who, despite coming from a similar background, was able to build the dream in pre-war Shanghai. Beas Uncle Henry became a real estate magnate, snapping up parcels of land within the French Concession. He designed and built properties which he sold or leased to foreigners and rich Chinese. For his wife Winifred and their seven children he built a 16-room mansion which he named Ferryhill House. It was hidden at the end of a street formerly known as Route de Grouchy. Today its called Yanqing Road. Despite Shanghais construction craze, Uncle Henrys house still stands, though its now divided into apartments and is home to about 10 Chinese families. Lost in Shanghai is built around an amazing collection of family photographs, some of which I have only recently unearthed. The 16-room Shanghai mansion named Ferryhill House, where Bea grew up. Credit:courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive One of those dates from 1923 and shows Beas extended Eurasian clan: the Greaves and the Cumine families together. Beatrice is the baby in the photograph. Shes sitting in her mothers lap. This image is special for me because its the only photo we have of Bea and her mother together. Four years later, Elsie was dead having contracted dysentery from her youngest son, who survived. Elsies death was a major blow from which the family would never recover. It left Keat heartbroken and with four children aged between five and 14. Beas parents Elsie Mackenzie and Keat Greaves. Credit:(courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive) Bea was sent to live at the Cumine mansion and while she was surrounded by many cousins, she remembers this as a miserable time when she was frequently ill. She pined for her family though they lived in the same city. Four years later, Beas father made another life-altering decision. One day, he bundled his then nine-year-old daughter into one of the Cumines chauffeur-driven cars and took her to the passenger wharf at Shanghais waterfront. Keat gave his daughter a gift: a miniature teddy bear with a perfume bottle concealed in the bears chest cavity. Then he left his distraught child in the arms of relatives who were waiting onboard the passenger ship, Empress of Canada. Loading The Empress was bound for Hong Kong. It had been decided that Bea would move to the British colony to live with Keats brother Alfred and his family. Bea never knew why her father made the decision to send her away, twice. She still bears the scars of that forced separation and she doesnt like to speak about it. The story doesnt end there. As my mother approaches her 100th birthday, I marvel at the life she has lived and the setbacks she has overcome. I wanted to tell her story because she is no longer able to do that herself. Beatrice was born during Shanghais heyday. It was a time when the citys status as a self-governing international enclave flourished in the economic boom following the end of the Great War. Beatrice Greaves (far right) and her siblings (left to right) Stanley, Hilda and John in Shanghai. Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive By 1928, Shanghai was the fifth biggest city in the world with a population of three million Chinese. There were also 50,000 foreign residents, about a tenth of whom were Brits. Most of the expatriates lived in either the International Settlement or the adjacent French Concession. The enclaves were surrounded by the much larger Old City, where most of the Chinese lived. The Shanghai of my mothers early childhood was flash and cosmopolitan, but also known for its squalid corners and seedy underbelly. It was a city where you could find your fortune or just as easily lose one. Bea was the youngest of four children born to Elsie Mackenzie and Cecil Keat Greaves, though everyone knew him by his middle name. Both Elsie and Keat were Eurasian, the offspring of European-Chinese relationships. Keats father Alexander Greaves was from Liverpool but he didnt remain in China long enough to see his children grow up. In those times, hybrid children werent exactly viewed as an exotic blend of east and west. They were, as author Vicky Lee described them, a kind of unwanted by-product of a colonial encounter. Loading Other commentaries described the growing number of Eurasians as a social problem that needed special attention. In Shanghai, Eurasians like mums family attended different schools to the British children and went to separate hospitals. In her early life, the stigma of being Eurasian persisted. The expatriates called themselves Shanghailanders. They didnt have to follow Chinese law, they obeyed the laws of their own countries. Shanghailanders lived comfortably in precincts which looked as if they had been transplanted from a fashionable Parisian arrondissement. Rich Chinese and Eurasians could enjoy some of these trappings of entitlement, but the Greaves were not in this league though they were brought into the orbit of another Eurasian family who did manage to break through this bamboo ceiling. Beas father Keat was a bookkeeper for the dispensary A.S. Watson & Company a respectable enough white-collar job, but one that was never going to take him far. The Greaves and Cumine families in Shanghai, October 1923, featuring Bea as a baby on her mothers lap (middle row fourth from left). Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive) But his friend and later, brother-in-law, was another Eurasian called Henry Monsul Cumine who, despite coming from a similar background, was able to build the dream in pre-war Shanghai. Beas Uncle Henry became a real estate magnate, snapping up parcels of land within the French Concession. He designed and built properties which he sold or leased to foreigners and rich Chinese. For his wife Winifred and their seven children he built a 16-room mansion which he named Ferryhill House. It was hidden at the end of a street formerly known as Route de Grouchy. Today its called Yanqing Road. Despite Shanghais construction craze, Uncle Henrys house still stands, though its now divided into apartments and is home to about 10 Chinese families. Lost in Shanghai is built around an amazing collection of family photographs, some of which I have only recently unearthed. The 16-room Shanghai mansion named Ferryhill House, where Bea grew up. Credit:courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive One of those dates from 1923 and shows Beas extended Eurasian clan: the Greaves and the Cumine families together. Beatrice is the baby in the photograph. Shes sitting in her mothers lap. This image is special for me because its the only photo we have of Bea and her mother together. Four years later, Elsie was dead having contracted dysentery from her youngest son, who survived. Elsies death was a major blow from which the family would never recover. It left Keat heartbroken and with four children aged between five and 14. Beas parents Elsie Mackenzie and Keat Greaves. Credit:(courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive) Bea was sent to live at the Cumine mansion and while she was surrounded by many cousins, she remembers this as a miserable time when she was frequently ill. She pined for her family though they lived in the same city. Four years later, Beas father made another life-altering decision. One day, he bundled his then nine-year-old daughter into one of the Cumines chauffeur-driven cars and took her to the passenger wharf at Shanghais waterfront. Keat gave his daughter a gift: a miniature teddy bear with a perfume bottle concealed in the bears chest cavity. Then he left his distraught child in the arms of relatives who were waiting onboard the passenger ship, Empress of Canada. Loading The Empress was bound for Hong Kong. It had been decided that Bea would move to the British colony to live with Keats brother Alfred and his family. Bea never knew why her father made the decision to send her away, twice. She still bears the scars of that forced separation and she doesnt like to speak about it. The story doesnt end there. As my mother approaches her 100th birthday, I marvel at the life she has lived and the setbacks she has overcome. I wanted to tell her story because she is no longer able to do that herself. Beatrice was born during Shanghais heyday. It was a time when the citys status as a self-governing international enclave flourished in the economic boom following the end of the Great War. Beatrice Greaves (far right) and her siblings (left to right) Stanley, Hilda and John in Shanghai. Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive By 1928, Shanghai was the fifth biggest city in the world with a population of three million Chinese. There were also 50,000 foreign residents, about a tenth of whom were Brits. Most of the expatriates lived in either the International Settlement or the adjacent French Concession. The enclaves were surrounded by the much larger Old City, where most of the Chinese lived. The Shanghai of my mothers early childhood was flash and cosmopolitan, but also known for its squalid corners and seedy underbelly. It was a city where you could find your fortune or just as easily lose one. Bea was the youngest of four children born to Elsie Mackenzie and Cecil Keat Greaves, though everyone knew him by his middle name. Both Elsie and Keat were Eurasian, the offspring of European-Chinese relationships. Keats father Alexander Greaves was from Liverpool but he didnt remain in China long enough to see his children grow up. In those times, hybrid children werent exactly viewed as an exotic blend of east and west. They were, as author Vicky Lee described them, a kind of unwanted by-product of a colonial encounter. Loading Other commentaries described the growing number of Eurasians as a social problem that needed special attention. In Shanghai, Eurasians like mums family attended different schools to the British children and went to separate hospitals. In her early life, the stigma of being Eurasian persisted. The expatriates called themselves Shanghailanders. They didnt have to follow Chinese law, they obeyed the laws of their own countries. Shanghailanders lived comfortably in precincts which looked as if they had been transplanted from a fashionable Parisian arrondissement. Rich Chinese and Eurasians could enjoy some of these trappings of entitlement, but the Greaves were not in this league though they were brought into the orbit of another Eurasian family who did manage to break through this bamboo ceiling. Beas father Keat was a bookkeeper for the dispensary A.S. Watson & Company a respectable enough white-collar job, but one that was never going to take him far. The Greaves and Cumine families in Shanghai, October 1923, featuring Bea as a baby on her mothers lap (middle row fourth from left). Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive) But his friend and later, brother-in-law, was another Eurasian called Henry Monsul Cumine who, despite coming from a similar background, was able to build the dream in pre-war Shanghai. Beas Uncle Henry became a real estate magnate, snapping up parcels of land within the French Concession. He designed and built properties which he sold or leased to foreigners and rich Chinese. For his wife Winifred and their seven children he built a 16-room mansion which he named Ferryhill House. It was hidden at the end of a street formerly known as Route de Grouchy. Today its called Yanqing Road. Despite Shanghais construction craze, Uncle Henrys house still stands, though its now divided into apartments and is home to about 10 Chinese families. Lost in Shanghai is built around an amazing collection of family photographs, some of which I have only recently unearthed. The 16-room Shanghai mansion named Ferryhill House, where Bea grew up. Credit:courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive One of those dates from 1923 and shows Beas extended Eurasian clan: the Greaves and the Cumine families together. Beatrice is the baby in the photograph. Shes sitting in her mothers lap. This image is special for me because its the only photo we have of Bea and her mother together. Four years later, Elsie was dead having contracted dysentery from her youngest son, who survived. Elsies death was a major blow from which the family would never recover. It left Keat heartbroken and with four children aged between five and 14. Beas parents Elsie Mackenzie and Keat Greaves. Credit:(courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive) Bea was sent to live at the Cumine mansion and while she was surrounded by many cousins, she remembers this as a miserable time when she was frequently ill. She pined for her family though they lived in the same city. Four years later, Beas father made another life-altering decision. One day, he bundled his then nine-year-old daughter into one of the Cumines chauffeur-driven cars and took her to the passenger wharf at Shanghais waterfront. Keat gave his daughter a gift: a miniature teddy bear with a perfume bottle concealed in the bears chest cavity. Then he left his distraught child in the arms of relatives who were waiting onboard the passenger ship, Empress of Canada. Loading The Empress was bound for Hong Kong. It had been decided that Bea would move to the British colony to live with Keats brother Alfred and his family. Bea never knew why her father made the decision to send her away, twice. She still bears the scars of that forced separation and she doesnt like to speak about it. The story doesnt end there. As my mother approaches her 100th birthday, I marvel at the life she has lived and the setbacks she has overcome. I wanted to tell her story because she is no longer able to do that herself. New Delhi: A high-level inquiry has been ordered into the stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in which at least 12 people were killed and around 15 injured on Saturday (January 1, 2022) early morning. Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha informed that the Inquiry Committee will be headed by Principal Secretary (Home) with ADGP, Jammu and Divisional Commissioner, Jammu as members. He also said that he has spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and briefed him about the incident. "Hon'ble Prime minister has assured all the help," the office of the LG tweeted. Ex-gratia of Rs.10 lakh each would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to stampede and Rs.2 lakh to injured. Shrine board to bear the cost of treatment of injured. Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) January 1, 2022 The Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor also announced an ex gratia relief of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 2 lakh to each injured. Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board helpline numbers: 01991234804, 01991234053. District Administration helpline numbers: PCR Katra 01991-232010/ 9419145182, PCR Reasi 01991245076/ 9622856295; DC Reasi Control Room 01991-245763/ 9419839557. According to officials, the stampede occurred around 2:15 AM on Saturday near gate number three outside the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine atop Trikuta hills. It was triggered due to a heavy rush of devotees who had come to pay their obeisance to mark the beginning of the New Year. While the dead bodies of the deceased have been shifted to CHC Katra for further legal formalities, the injured pilgrims were provided first aid at Medical Unit Bhawan, and have now been subsequently shifted to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Super Specialty Hospital in Kakryal for specialized treatment. As per the latest reports, four injured pilgrims have already been discharged and the casualties are from Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. President Ram Nath Kovind, PM Narendra Modi express grief President Ram Nath Kovind said that he was very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed the lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan in Jammu and Kashmir and offered heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. "Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured," Kovind tweeted. Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured. President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 1, 2022 Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief over the loss of lives in the stampede and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured. "Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri Manoj Sinha Ji, Ministers Shri Dr Jitendra Singh Ji, Nityanand Rai Ji and took stock of the situation," PM Modi tweeted. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_ Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSingh Ji, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 1, 2022 Union Minister Jitendra Singh rushes to Katra Union Minister Jitendra Singh has rushed to Katra in Jammu and Kashmir to take stock of the situation. Singh, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), is a Lok Sabha member from Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur constituency. "I'm immediately rushing to Katra to take stock of the situation arising out of the tragedy at Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine. I look forward to have a detailed discussion with the administration and report it back to Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi," he tweeted. In another tweet, Singh said the prime minister is personally monitoring and keeping track of the tragic situation arising out of the stampede at the shrine. "PM has conveyed his sympathies to bereaved families and issued instructions to provide all possible medical aid & assistance to the injured," the minister tweeted. Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board helpline numbers: 01991234804, 01991234053. District Administration helpline numbers: PCR Katra 01991-232010/ 9419145182, PCR Reasi 01991245076/ 9622856295; DC Reasi Control Room 01991-245763/ 9419839557. Live TV New Delhi: A high-level inquiry has been ordered into the stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in which at least 12 people were killed and around 15 injured on Saturday (January 1, 2022) early morning. Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha informed that the Inquiry Committee will be headed by Principal Secretary (Home) with ADGP, Jammu and Divisional Commissioner, Jammu as members. He also said that he has spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and briefed him about the incident. "Hon'ble Prime minister has assured all the help," the office of the LG tweeted. Ex-gratia of Rs.10 lakh each would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to stampede and Rs.2 lakh to injured. Shrine board to bear the cost of treatment of injured. Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) January 1, 2022 The Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor also announced an ex gratia relief of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 2 lakh to each injured. Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board helpline numbers: 01991234804, 01991234053. District Administration helpline numbers: PCR Katra 01991-232010/ 9419145182, PCR Reasi 01991245076/ 9622856295; DC Reasi Control Room 01991-245763/ 9419839557. According to officials, the stampede occurred around 2:15 AM on Saturday near gate number three outside the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine atop Trikuta hills. It was triggered due to a heavy rush of devotees who had come to pay their obeisance to mark the beginning of the New Year. While the dead bodies of the deceased have been shifted to CHC Katra for further legal formalities, the injured pilgrims were provided first aid at Medical Unit Bhawan, and have now been subsequently shifted to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Super Specialty Hospital in Kakryal for specialized treatment. As per the latest reports, four injured pilgrims have already been discharged and the casualties are from Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. President Ram Nath Kovind, PM Narendra Modi express grief President Ram Nath Kovind said that he was very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed the lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan in Jammu and Kashmir and offered heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. "Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured," Kovind tweeted. Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured. President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 1, 2022 Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief over the loss of lives in the stampede and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured. "Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri Manoj Sinha Ji, Ministers Shri Dr Jitendra Singh Ji, Nityanand Rai Ji and took stock of the situation," PM Modi tweeted. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_ Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSingh Ji, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 1, 2022 Union Minister Jitendra Singh rushes to Katra Union Minister Jitendra Singh has rushed to Katra in Jammu and Kashmir to take stock of the situation. Singh, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), is a Lok Sabha member from Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur constituency. "I'm immediately rushing to Katra to take stock of the situation arising out of the tragedy at Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine. I look forward to have a detailed discussion with the administration and report it back to Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi," he tweeted. In another tweet, Singh said the prime minister is personally monitoring and keeping track of the tragic situation arising out of the stampede at the shrine. "PM has conveyed his sympathies to bereaved families and issued instructions to provide all possible medical aid & assistance to the injured," the minister tweeted. Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board helpline numbers: 01991234804, 01991234053. District Administration helpline numbers: PCR Katra 01991-232010/ 9419145182, PCR Reasi 01991245076/ 9622856295; DC Reasi Control Room 01991-245763/ 9419839557. Live TV New Delhi: A high-level inquiry has been ordered into the stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in which at least 12 people were killed and around 15 injured on Saturday (January 1, 2022) early morning. Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha informed that the Inquiry Committee will be headed by Principal Secretary (Home) with ADGP, Jammu and Divisional Commissioner, Jammu as members. He also said that he has spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and briefed him about the incident. "Hon'ble Prime minister has assured all the help," the office of the LG tweeted. Ex-gratia of Rs.10 lakh each would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to stampede and Rs.2 lakh to injured. Shrine board to bear the cost of treatment of injured. Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) January 1, 2022 The Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor also announced an ex gratia relief of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 2 lakh to each injured. Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board helpline numbers: 01991234804, 01991234053. District Administration helpline numbers: PCR Katra 01991-232010/ 9419145182, PCR Reasi 01991245076/ 9622856295; DC Reasi Control Room 01991-245763/ 9419839557. According to officials, the stampede occurred around 2:15 AM on Saturday near gate number three outside the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine atop Trikuta hills. It was triggered due to a heavy rush of devotees who had come to pay their obeisance to mark the beginning of the New Year. While the dead bodies of the deceased have been shifted to CHC Katra for further legal formalities, the injured pilgrims were provided first aid at Medical Unit Bhawan, and have now been subsequently shifted to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Super Specialty Hospital in Kakryal for specialized treatment. As per the latest reports, four injured pilgrims have already been discharged and the casualties are from Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. President Ram Nath Kovind, PM Narendra Modi express grief President Ram Nath Kovind said that he was very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed the lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan in Jammu and Kashmir and offered heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. "Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured," Kovind tweeted. Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured. President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 1, 2022 Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief over the loss of lives in the stampede and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured. "Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri Manoj Sinha Ji, Ministers Shri Dr Jitendra Singh Ji, Nityanand Rai Ji and took stock of the situation," PM Modi tweeted. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_ Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSingh Ji, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 1, 2022 Union Minister Jitendra Singh rushes to Katra Union Minister Jitendra Singh has rushed to Katra in Jammu and Kashmir to take stock of the situation. Singh, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), is a Lok Sabha member from Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur constituency. "I'm immediately rushing to Katra to take stock of the situation arising out of the tragedy at Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine. I look forward to have a detailed discussion with the administration and report it back to Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi," he tweeted. In another tweet, Singh said the prime minister is personally monitoring and keeping track of the tragic situation arising out of the stampede at the shrine. "PM has conveyed his sympathies to bereaved families and issued instructions to provide all possible medical aid & assistance to the injured," the minister tweeted. Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board helpline numbers: 01991234804, 01991234053. District Administration helpline numbers: PCR Katra 01991-232010/ 9419145182, PCR Reasi 01991245076/ 9622856295; DC Reasi Control Room 01991-245763/ 9419839557. Live TV New Delhi: A high-level inquiry has been ordered into the stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in which at least 12 people were killed and around 15 injured on Saturday (January 1, 2022) early morning. Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha informed that the Inquiry Committee will be headed by Principal Secretary (Home) with ADGP, Jammu and Divisional Commissioner, Jammu as members. He also said that he has spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and briefed him about the incident. "Hon'ble Prime minister has assured all the help," the office of the LG tweeted. Ex-gratia of Rs.10 lakh each would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to stampede and Rs.2 lakh to injured. Shrine board to bear the cost of treatment of injured. Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) January 1, 2022 The Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor also announced an ex gratia relief of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 2 lakh to each injured. Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board helpline numbers: 01991234804, 01991234053. District Administration helpline numbers: PCR Katra 01991-232010/ 9419145182, PCR Reasi 01991245076/ 9622856295; DC Reasi Control Room 01991-245763/ 9419839557. According to officials, the stampede occurred around 2:15 AM on Saturday near gate number three outside the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine atop Trikuta hills. It was triggered due to a heavy rush of devotees who had come to pay their obeisance to mark the beginning of the New Year. While the dead bodies of the deceased have been shifted to CHC Katra for further legal formalities, the injured pilgrims were provided first aid at Medical Unit Bhawan, and have now been subsequently shifted to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Super Specialty Hospital in Kakryal for specialized treatment. As per the latest reports, four injured pilgrims have already been discharged and the casualties are from Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. President Ram Nath Kovind, PM Narendra Modi express grief President Ram Nath Kovind said that he was very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed the lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan in Jammu and Kashmir and offered heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. "Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured," Kovind tweeted. Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured. President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 1, 2022 Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief over the loss of lives in the stampede and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured. "Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri Manoj Sinha Ji, Ministers Shri Dr Jitendra Singh Ji, Nityanand Rai Ji and took stock of the situation," PM Modi tweeted. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_ Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSingh Ji, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 1, 2022 Union Minister Jitendra Singh rushes to Katra Union Minister Jitendra Singh has rushed to Katra in Jammu and Kashmir to take stock of the situation. Singh, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), is a Lok Sabha member from Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur constituency. "I'm immediately rushing to Katra to take stock of the situation arising out of the tragedy at Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine. I look forward to have a detailed discussion with the administration and report it back to Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi," he tweeted. In another tweet, Singh said the prime minister is personally monitoring and keeping track of the tragic situation arising out of the stampede at the shrine. "PM has conveyed his sympathies to bereaved families and issued instructions to provide all possible medical aid & assistance to the injured," the minister tweeted. Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board helpline numbers: 01991234804, 01991234053. District Administration helpline numbers: PCR Katra 01991-232010/ 9419145182, PCR Reasi 01991245076/ 9622856295; DC Reasi Control Room 01991-245763/ 9419839557. Live TV New Delhi: A high-level inquiry has been ordered into the stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in which at least 12 people were killed and around 15 injured on Saturday (January 1, 2022) early morning. Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha informed that the Inquiry Committee will be headed by Principal Secretary (Home) with ADGP, Jammu and Divisional Commissioner, Jammu as members. He also said that he has spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and briefed him about the incident. "Hon'ble Prime minister has assured all the help," the office of the LG tweeted. Ex-gratia of Rs.10 lakh each would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to stampede and Rs.2 lakh to injured. Shrine board to bear the cost of treatment of injured. Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) January 1, 2022 The Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor also announced an ex gratia relief of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 2 lakh to each injured. Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board helpline numbers: 01991234804, 01991234053. District Administration helpline numbers: PCR Katra 01991-232010/ 9419145182, PCR Reasi 01991245076/ 9622856295; DC Reasi Control Room 01991-245763/ 9419839557. According to officials, the stampede occurred around 2:15 AM on Saturday near gate number three outside the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine atop Trikuta hills. It was triggered due to a heavy rush of devotees who had come to pay their obeisance to mark the beginning of the New Year. While the dead bodies of the deceased have been shifted to CHC Katra for further legal formalities, the injured pilgrims were provided first aid at Medical Unit Bhawan, and have now been subsequently shifted to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Super Specialty Hospital in Kakryal for specialized treatment. As per the latest reports, four injured pilgrims have already been discharged and the casualties are from Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. President Ram Nath Kovind, PM Narendra Modi express grief President Ram Nath Kovind said that he was very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed the lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan in Jammu and Kashmir and offered heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. "Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured," Kovind tweeted. Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured. President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 1, 2022 Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief over the loss of lives in the stampede and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured. "Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri Manoj Sinha Ji, Ministers Shri Dr Jitendra Singh Ji, Nityanand Rai Ji and took stock of the situation," PM Modi tweeted. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_ Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSingh Ji, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 1, 2022 Union Minister Jitendra Singh rushes to Katra Union Minister Jitendra Singh has rushed to Katra in Jammu and Kashmir to take stock of the situation. Singh, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), is a Lok Sabha member from Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur constituency. "I'm immediately rushing to Katra to take stock of the situation arising out of the tragedy at Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine. I look forward to have a detailed discussion with the administration and report it back to Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi," he tweeted. In another tweet, Singh said the prime minister is personally monitoring and keeping track of the tragic situation arising out of the stampede at the shrine. "PM has conveyed his sympathies to bereaved families and issued instructions to provide all possible medical aid & assistance to the injured," the minister tweeted. Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board helpline numbers: 01991234804, 01991234053. District Administration helpline numbers: PCR Katra 01991-232010/ 9419145182, PCR Reasi 01991245076/ 9622856295; DC Reasi Control Room 01991-245763/ 9419839557. Live TV Beatrice was born during Shanghais heyday. It was a time when the citys status as a self-governing international enclave flourished in the economic boom following the end of the Great War. Beatrice Greaves (far right) and her siblings (left to right) Stanley, Hilda and John in Shanghai. Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive By 1928, Shanghai was the fifth biggest city in the world with a population of three million Chinese. There were also 50,000 foreign residents, about a tenth of whom were Brits. Most of the expatriates lived in either the International Settlement or the adjacent French Concession. The enclaves were surrounded by the much larger Old City, where most of the Chinese lived. The Shanghai of my mothers early childhood was flash and cosmopolitan, but also known for its squalid corners and seedy underbelly. It was a city where you could find your fortune or just as easily lose one. Bea was the youngest of four children born to Elsie Mackenzie and Cecil Keat Greaves, though everyone knew him by his middle name. Both Elsie and Keat were Eurasian, the offspring of European-Chinese relationships. Keats father Alexander Greaves was from Liverpool but he didnt remain in China long enough to see his children grow up. In those times, hybrid children werent exactly viewed as an exotic blend of east and west. They were, as author Vicky Lee described them, a kind of unwanted by-product of a colonial encounter. Loading Other commentaries described the growing number of Eurasians as a social problem that needed special attention. In Shanghai, Eurasians like mums family attended different schools to the British children and went to separate hospitals. In her early life, the stigma of being Eurasian persisted. The expatriates called themselves Shanghailanders. They didnt have to follow Chinese law, they obeyed the laws of their own countries. Shanghailanders lived comfortably in precincts which looked as if they had been transplanted from a fashionable Parisian arrondissement. Rich Chinese and Eurasians could enjoy some of these trappings of entitlement, but the Greaves were not in this league though they were brought into the orbit of another Eurasian family who did manage to break through this bamboo ceiling. Beas father Keat was a bookkeeper for the dispensary A.S. Watson & Company a respectable enough white-collar job, but one that was never going to take him far. The Greaves and Cumine families in Shanghai, October 1923, featuring Bea as a baby on her mothers lap (middle row fourth from left). Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive) But his friend and later, brother-in-law, was another Eurasian called Henry Monsul Cumine who, despite coming from a similar background, was able to build the dream in pre-war Shanghai. Beas Uncle Henry became a real estate magnate, snapping up parcels of land within the French Concession. He designed and built properties which he sold or leased to foreigners and rich Chinese. For his wife Winifred and their seven children he built a 16-room mansion which he named Ferryhill House. It was hidden at the end of a street formerly known as Route de Grouchy. Today its called Yanqing Road. Despite Shanghais construction craze, Uncle Henrys house still stands, though its now divided into apartments and is home to about 10 Chinese families. Lost in Shanghai is built around an amazing collection of family photographs, some of which I have only recently unearthed. The 16-room Shanghai mansion named Ferryhill House, where Bea grew up. Credit:courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive One of those dates from 1923 and shows Beas extended Eurasian clan: the Greaves and the Cumine families together. Beatrice is the baby in the photograph. Shes sitting in her mothers lap. This image is special for me because its the only photo we have of Bea and her mother together. Four years later, Elsie was dead having contracted dysentery from her youngest son, who survived. Elsies death was a major blow from which the family would never recover. It left Keat heartbroken and with four children aged between five and 14. Beas parents Elsie Mackenzie and Keat Greaves. Credit:(courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive) Bea was sent to live at the Cumine mansion and while she was surrounded by many cousins, she remembers this as a miserable time when she was frequently ill. She pined for her family though they lived in the same city. Four years later, Beas father made another life-altering decision. One day, he bundled his then nine-year-old daughter into one of the Cumines chauffeur-driven cars and took her to the passenger wharf at Shanghais waterfront. Keat gave his daughter a gift: a miniature teddy bear with a perfume bottle concealed in the bears chest cavity. Then he left his distraught child in the arms of relatives who were waiting onboard the passenger ship, Empress of Canada. Loading The Empress was bound for Hong Kong. It had been decided that Bea would move to the British colony to live with Keats brother Alfred and his family. Bea never knew why her father made the decision to send her away, twice. She still bears the scars of that forced separation and she doesnt like to speak about it. The story doesnt end there. As my mother approaches her 100th birthday, I marvel at the life she has lived and the setbacks she has overcome. I wanted to tell her story because she is no longer able to do that herself. Beatrice was born during Shanghais heyday. It was a time when the citys status as a self-governing international enclave flourished in the economic boom following the end of the Great War. Beatrice Greaves (far right) and her siblings (left to right) Stanley, Hilda and John in Shanghai. Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive By 1928, Shanghai was the fifth biggest city in the world with a population of three million Chinese. There were also 50,000 foreign residents, about a tenth of whom were Brits. Most of the expatriates lived in either the International Settlement or the adjacent French Concession. The enclaves were surrounded by the much larger Old City, where most of the Chinese lived. The Shanghai of my mothers early childhood was flash and cosmopolitan, but also known for its squalid corners and seedy underbelly. It was a city where you could find your fortune or just as easily lose one. Bea was the youngest of four children born to Elsie Mackenzie and Cecil Keat Greaves, though everyone knew him by his middle name. Both Elsie and Keat were Eurasian, the offspring of European-Chinese relationships. Keats father Alexander Greaves was from Liverpool but he didnt remain in China long enough to see his children grow up. In those times, hybrid children werent exactly viewed as an exotic blend of east and west. They were, as author Vicky Lee described them, a kind of unwanted by-product of a colonial encounter. Loading Other commentaries described the growing number of Eurasians as a social problem that needed special attention. In Shanghai, Eurasians like mums family attended different schools to the British children and went to separate hospitals. In her early life, the stigma of being Eurasian persisted. The expatriates called themselves Shanghailanders. They didnt have to follow Chinese law, they obeyed the laws of their own countries. Shanghailanders lived comfortably in precincts which looked as if they had been transplanted from a fashionable Parisian arrondissement. Rich Chinese and Eurasians could enjoy some of these trappings of entitlement, but the Greaves were not in this league though they were brought into the orbit of another Eurasian family who did manage to break through this bamboo ceiling. Beas father Keat was a bookkeeper for the dispensary A.S. Watson & Company a respectable enough white-collar job, but one that was never going to take him far. The Greaves and Cumine families in Shanghai, October 1923, featuring Bea as a baby on her mothers lap (middle row fourth from left). Credit:Courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive) But his friend and later, brother-in-law, was another Eurasian called Henry Monsul Cumine who, despite coming from a similar background, was able to build the dream in pre-war Shanghai. Beas Uncle Henry became a real estate magnate, snapping up parcels of land within the French Concession. He designed and built properties which he sold or leased to foreigners and rich Chinese. For his wife Winifred and their seven children he built a 16-room mansion which he named Ferryhill House. It was hidden at the end of a street formerly known as Route de Grouchy. Today its called Yanqing Road. Despite Shanghais construction craze, Uncle Henrys house still stands, though its now divided into apartments and is home to about 10 Chinese families. Lost in Shanghai is built around an amazing collection of family photographs, some of which I have only recently unearthed. The 16-room Shanghai mansion named Ferryhill House, where Bea grew up. Credit:courtesy Greaves/Cumine/Hutcheon archive One of those dates from 1923 and shows Beas extended Eurasian clan: the Greaves and the Cumine families together. Beatrice is the baby in the photograph. Shes sitting in her mothers lap. This image is special for me because its the only photo we have of Bea and her mother together. Four years later, Elsie was dead having contracted dysentery from her youngest son, who survived. Elsies death was a major blow from which the family would never recover. It left Keat heartbroken and with four children aged between five and 14. Beas parents Elsie Mackenzie and Keat Greaves. Credit:(courtesy Greaves/Hutcheon archive) Bea was sent to live at the Cumine mansion and while she was surrounded by many cousins, she remembers this as a miserable time when she was frequently ill. She pined for her family though they lived in the same city. Four years later, Beas father made another life-altering decision. One day, he bundled his then nine-year-old daughter into one of the Cumines chauffeur-driven cars and took her to the passenger wharf at Shanghais waterfront. Keat gave his daughter a gift: a miniature teddy bear with a perfume bottle concealed in the bears chest cavity. Then he left his distraught child in the arms of relatives who were waiting onboard the passenger ship, Empress of Canada. Loading The Empress was bound for Hong Kong. It had been decided that Bea would move to the British colony to live with Keats brother Alfred and his family. Bea never knew why her father made the decision to send her away, twice. She still bears the scars of that forced separation and she doesnt like to speak about it. The story doesnt end there. As my mother approaches her 100th birthday, I marvel at the life she has lived and the setbacks she has overcome. I wanted to tell her story because she is no longer able to do that herself. New Delhi: A high-level inquiry has been ordered into the stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in which at least 12 people were killed and around 15 injured on Saturday (January 1, 2022) early morning. Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha informed that the Inquiry Committee will be headed by Principal Secretary (Home) with ADGP, Jammu and Divisional Commissioner, Jammu as members. He also said that he has spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and briefed him about the incident. "Hon'ble Prime minister has assured all the help," the office of the LG tweeted. Ex-gratia of Rs.10 lakh each would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to stampede and Rs.2 lakh to injured. Shrine board to bear the cost of treatment of injured. Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) January 1, 2022 The Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor also announced an ex gratia relief of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 2 lakh to each injured. Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board helpline numbers: 01991234804, 01991234053. District Administration helpline numbers: PCR Katra 01991-232010/ 9419145182, PCR Reasi 01991245076/ 9622856295; DC Reasi Control Room 01991-245763/ 9419839557. According to officials, the stampede occurred around 2:15 AM on Saturday near gate number three outside the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine atop Trikuta hills. It was triggered due to a heavy rush of devotees who had come to pay their obeisance to mark the beginning of the New Year. While the dead bodies of the deceased have been shifted to CHC Katra for further legal formalities, the injured pilgrims were provided first aid at Medical Unit Bhawan, and have now been subsequently shifted to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Super Specialty Hospital in Kakryal for specialized treatment. As per the latest reports, four injured pilgrims have already been discharged and the casualties are from Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. President Ram Nath Kovind, PM Narendra Modi express grief President Ram Nath Kovind said that he was very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed the lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan in Jammu and Kashmir and offered heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. "Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured," Kovind tweeted. Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured. President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 1, 2022 Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief over the loss of lives in the stampede and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured. "Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri Manoj Sinha Ji, Ministers Shri Dr Jitendra Singh Ji, Nityanand Rai Ji and took stock of the situation," PM Modi tweeted. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_ Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSingh Ji, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 1, 2022 Union Minister Jitendra Singh rushes to Katra Union Minister Jitendra Singh has rushed to Katra in Jammu and Kashmir to take stock of the situation. Singh, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), is a Lok Sabha member from Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur constituency. "I'm immediately rushing to Katra to take stock of the situation arising out of the tragedy at Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine. I look forward to have a detailed discussion with the administration and report it back to Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi," he tweeted. In another tweet, Singh said the prime minister is personally monitoring and keeping track of the tragic situation arising out of the stampede at the shrine. "PM has conveyed his sympathies to bereaved families and issued instructions to provide all possible medical aid & assistance to the injured," the minister tweeted. Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board helpline numbers: 01991234804, 01991234053. District Administration helpline numbers: PCR Katra 01991-232010/ 9419145182, PCR Reasi 01991245076/ 9622856295; DC Reasi Control Room 01991-245763/ 9419839557. Live TV New Delhi: A high-level inquiry has been ordered into the stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in which at least 12 people were killed and around 15 injured on Saturday (January 1, 2022) early morning. Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha informed that the Inquiry Committee will be headed by Principal Secretary (Home) with ADGP, Jammu and Divisional Commissioner, Jammu as members. He also said that he has spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and briefed him about the incident. "Hon'ble Prime minister has assured all the help," the office of the LG tweeted. Ex-gratia of Rs.10 lakh each would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to stampede and Rs.2 lakh to injured. Shrine board to bear the cost of treatment of injured. Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) January 1, 2022 The Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor also announced an ex gratia relief of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 2 lakh to each injured. Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board helpline numbers: 01991234804, 01991234053. District Administration helpline numbers: PCR Katra 01991-232010/ 9419145182, PCR Reasi 01991245076/ 9622856295; DC Reasi Control Room 01991-245763/ 9419839557. According to officials, the stampede occurred around 2:15 AM on Saturday near gate number three outside the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine atop Trikuta hills. It was triggered due to a heavy rush of devotees who had come to pay their obeisance to mark the beginning of the New Year. While the dead bodies of the deceased have been shifted to CHC Katra for further legal formalities, the injured pilgrims were provided first aid at Medical Unit Bhawan, and have now been subsequently shifted to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Super Specialty Hospital in Kakryal for specialized treatment. As per the latest reports, four injured pilgrims have already been discharged and the casualties are from Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. President Ram Nath Kovind, PM Narendra Modi express grief President Ram Nath Kovind said that he was very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed the lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan in Jammu and Kashmir and offered heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. "Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured," Kovind tweeted. Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured. President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 1, 2022 Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief over the loss of lives in the stampede and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured. "Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri Manoj Sinha Ji, Ministers Shri Dr Jitendra Singh Ji, Nityanand Rai Ji and took stock of the situation," PM Modi tweeted. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_ Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSingh Ji, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 1, 2022 Union Minister Jitendra Singh rushes to Katra Union Minister Jitendra Singh has rushed to Katra in Jammu and Kashmir to take stock of the situation. Singh, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), is a Lok Sabha member from Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur constituency. "I'm immediately rushing to Katra to take stock of the situation arising out of the tragedy at Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine. I look forward to have a detailed discussion with the administration and report it back to Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi," he tweeted. In another tweet, Singh said the prime minister is personally monitoring and keeping track of the tragic situation arising out of the stampede at the shrine. "PM has conveyed his sympathies to bereaved families and issued instructions to provide all possible medical aid & assistance to the injured," the minister tweeted. Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board helpline numbers: 01991234804, 01991234053. District Administration helpline numbers: PCR Katra 01991-232010/ 9419145182, PCR Reasi 01991245076/ 9622856295; DC Reasi Control Room 01991-245763/ 9419839557. Live TV Several popular musical productions in Melbourne and Sydney have been forced to cancel shows due to the emergence of Covid outbreaks. Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Disney's Frozen, and a number of other musicals have axed performances this weekend after staff members tested positive for Covid-19. It comes as theatregoers were abruptly told to leave a New Year's Eve matinee of Moulin Rouge mid-show at Melbourne's Regent Theatre on Friday. Dropping the curtain early: Musicals including Moulin Rouge and Frozen have been forced to cancel shows due to Covid outbreaks A spokesperson for the production said to The Age: 'We made the decision to discontinue this afternoon's performance of Moulin Rouge! The Musical after a positive Covid-19 test result within the wider company was made known to us.' They added: 'We will have an update regarding future performances as soon as possible.' Journalist Benedict Brook had tweeted about the performance's cancellation midway through the second half, and later told News.com.au that the audience was first told 'there would be a break in the performance' due to an 'unforeseen incident'. The show WON'T go on: Melbourne theatregoers were told to LEAVE a New Year's Eve performance of Moulin Rouge! The Musical on Friday, midway through the second half, after a staff member tested positive for Covid-19. Pictured: the cast on November 12 in Melbourne A staff member then reportedly told theatregoers five minutes later that 'the show will not be going on'. Moulin Rouge subsequently canned all performances from December 31 to January 2, with affected patrons receiving full refunds from Ticketmaster. Disney's Frozen also terminated all shows this weekend due to similar circumstances. A statement revealed: 'Further breakthrough Covid-19 cases have been detected in the Frozen company at Her Majestys Theatre, Melbourne.' Cancelled: Disney's Frozen musical terminated all shows this weekend after further breakthrough Covid cases were detected Full refunds have been allocated to affected theatregoers for that production via Ticketek. In Sydney, productions of Hamilton, Come From Away, Jagged Little Pill and A Chorus Line were forced to cancel programs after performers and staff also contracted Covid. Hamilton alone was forced to shut down for more than a week due to an outbreak. At least 90 performers have since tested positive to Covid-19 across the separate musicals. Several popular musical productions in Melbourne and Sydney have been forced to cancel shows due to the emergence of Covid outbreaks. Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Disney's Frozen, and a number of other musicals have axed performances this weekend after staff members tested positive for Covid-19. It comes as theatregoers were abruptly told to leave a New Year's Eve matinee of Moulin Rouge mid-show at Melbourne's Regent Theatre on Friday. Dropping the curtain early: Musicals including Moulin Rouge and Frozen have been forced to cancel shows due to Covid outbreaks A spokesperson for the production said to The Age: 'We made the decision to discontinue this afternoon's performance of Moulin Rouge! The Musical after a positive Covid-19 test result within the wider company was made known to us.' They added: 'We will have an update regarding future performances as soon as possible.' Journalist Benedict Brook had tweeted about the performance's cancellation midway through the second half, and later told News.com.au that the audience was first told 'there would be a break in the performance' due to an 'unforeseen incident'. The show WON'T go on: Melbourne theatregoers were told to LEAVE a New Year's Eve performance of Moulin Rouge! The Musical on Friday, midway through the second half, after a staff member tested positive for Covid-19. Pictured: the cast on November 12 in Melbourne A staff member then reportedly told theatregoers five minutes later that 'the show will not be going on'. Moulin Rouge subsequently canned all performances from December 31 to January 2, with affected patrons receiving full refunds from Ticketmaster. Disney's Frozen also terminated all shows this weekend due to similar circumstances. A statement revealed: 'Further breakthrough Covid-19 cases have been detected in the Frozen company at Her Majestys Theatre, Melbourne.' Cancelled: Disney's Frozen musical terminated all shows this weekend after further breakthrough Covid cases were detected Full refunds have been allocated to affected theatregoers for that production via Ticketek. In Sydney, productions of Hamilton, Come From Away, Jagged Little Pill and A Chorus Line were forced to cancel programs after performers and staff also contracted Covid. Hamilton alone was forced to shut down for more than a week due to an outbreak. At least 90 performers have since tested positive to Covid-19 across the separate musicals. Karachi reverberated with gunfire and fireworks on Friday night, despite a restriction on celebratory firing, Geo News reported. Though the authorities had warned of attempted murder charges against the violators, the number of casualties this time was higher than the previous year, when only four individuals were injured in the metropolis, said the Pakistani publication. Citing the hospital reports, Geo News reported that a total of 18 people were rushed to hospitals after being struck by stray gunshots. An 11-year-old boy succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment in Khwaja Ajmer Nagar, police said. Six were transferred to the Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Center in Korangi, four to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, three to Civil Hospital, and two to Sindh Government Hospital. Iqra, a 10-year-old girl who was shot and injured by a stray bullet near Kohistan Chowk in North Nazimabad, was among the injured. Haris, 14, was shot near the Ghaas Mandi area in the Napier neighborhood, Geo News reported. Asmatullah sustained injuries in Jauharabad, Farooq sustained injuries in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Ali Akbar sustained injuries in Baldia Town, and Rehan got injured in Malir. Meanwhile, the other incidents occurred in various locations throughout the city, including Azizabad, Ranchore Lane, Guru Mandir, Kala Pull, Saddar, Baldia, Liaquatabad, Korangi, Landhi, and Malir, said the Pakistani publication. According to the police, cases have been registered on complaints of aerial firing, and arrests are likely around Karachi on New Year's Eve for aerial firing, Geo News reported. (ANI) Karachi reverberated with gunfire and fireworks on Friday night, despite a restriction on celebratory firing, Geo News reported. Though the authorities had warned of attempted murder charges against the violators, the number of casualties this time was higher than the previous year, when only four individuals were injured in the metropolis, said the Pakistani publication. Citing the hospital reports, Geo News reported that a total of 18 people were rushed to hospitals after being struck by stray gunshots. An 11-year-old boy succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment in Khwaja Ajmer Nagar, police said. Six were transferred to the Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Center in Korangi, four to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, three to Civil Hospital, and two to Sindh Government Hospital. Iqra, a 10-year-old girl who was shot and injured by a stray bullet near Kohistan Chowk in North Nazimabad, was among the injured. Haris, 14, was shot near the Ghaas Mandi area in the Napier neighborhood, Geo News reported. Asmatullah sustained injuries in Jauharabad, Farooq sustained injuries in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Ali Akbar sustained injuries in Baldia Town, and Rehan got injured in Malir. Meanwhile, the other incidents occurred in various locations throughout the city, including Azizabad, Ranchore Lane, Guru Mandir, Kala Pull, Saddar, Baldia, Liaquatabad, Korangi, Landhi, and Malir, said the Pakistani publication. According to the police, cases have been registered on complaints of aerial firing, and arrests are likely around Karachi on New Year's Eve for aerial firing, Geo News reported. (ANI) Karachi reverberated with gunfire and fireworks on Friday night, despite a restriction on celebratory firing, Geo News reported. Though the authorities had warned of attempted murder charges against the violators, the number of casualties this time was higher than the previous year, when only four individuals were injured in the metropolis, said the Pakistani publication. Citing the hospital reports, Geo News reported that a total of 18 people were rushed to hospitals after being struck by stray gunshots. An 11-year-old boy succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment in Khwaja Ajmer Nagar, police said. Six were transferred to the Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Center in Korangi, four to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, three to Civil Hospital, and two to Sindh Government Hospital. Iqra, a 10-year-old girl who was shot and injured by a stray bullet near Kohistan Chowk in North Nazimabad, was among the injured. Haris, 14, was shot near the Ghaas Mandi area in the Napier neighborhood, Geo News reported. Asmatullah sustained injuries in Jauharabad, Farooq sustained injuries in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Ali Akbar sustained injuries in Baldia Town, and Rehan got injured in Malir. Meanwhile, the other incidents occurred in various locations throughout the city, including Azizabad, Ranchore Lane, Guru Mandir, Kala Pull, Saddar, Baldia, Liaquatabad, Korangi, Landhi, and Malir, said the Pakistani publication. According to the police, cases have been registered on complaints of aerial firing, and arrests are likely around Karachi on New Year's Eve for aerial firing, Geo News reported. (ANI) Karachi reverberated with gunfire and fireworks on Friday night, despite a restriction on celebratory firing, Geo News reported. Though the authorities had warned of attempted murder charges against the violators, the number of casualties this time was higher than the previous year, when only four individuals were injured in the metropolis, said the Pakistani publication. Citing the hospital reports, Geo News reported that a total of 18 people were rushed to hospitals after being struck by stray gunshots. An 11-year-old boy succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment in Khwaja Ajmer Nagar, police said. Six were transferred to the Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Center in Korangi, four to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, three to Civil Hospital, and two to Sindh Government Hospital. Iqra, a 10-year-old girl who was shot and injured by a stray bullet near Kohistan Chowk in North Nazimabad, was among the injured. Haris, 14, was shot near the Ghaas Mandi area in the Napier neighborhood, Geo News reported. Asmatullah sustained injuries in Jauharabad, Farooq sustained injuries in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Ali Akbar sustained injuries in Baldia Town, and Rehan got injured in Malir. Meanwhile, the other incidents occurred in various locations throughout the city, including Azizabad, Ranchore Lane, Guru Mandir, Kala Pull, Saddar, Baldia, Liaquatabad, Korangi, Landhi, and Malir, said the Pakistani publication. According to the police, cases have been registered on complaints of aerial firing, and arrests are likely around Karachi on New Year's Eve for aerial firing, Geo News reported. (ANI) Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - Reported killings and injuries during peaceful demonstrations in Sudan is a cause for deep concern, said the UN human rights office on Friday (OHCHR) After facing charges that they were acquiescing to radical Islamists, Bangladeshi officials have scrapped plans to establish a separate beach just for women only women after social media backlash. Officials in Cox's Bazar opened a section of the world's longest natural sea beach especially for women and children on Thursday. However, they stated a few hours later that they were abandoning the plan. Officials stated that the decision to separate the beach was made in response to demands from certain conservative ladies. "(The women) sought a separate beach part because they felt uncomfortable and uneasy in a crowded environment," Abu Sufian, a senior official in Cox's Bazar, told the media. The decision to create an exclusive beach comes after the shocking gang rape of a woman in Cox's Bazar last week, which sparked a national uproar about women's safety in the area. The decision, however, sparked outrage on social media, with opponents accusing the administration of caving in to radical Islamists who recently staged enormous protests demanding gender segregation in workplaces and industries. The beach segregation was dubbed "Talibistan" by one critic, referring to the Taliban Islamist organisation, which has recently restricted women's rights in Afghanistan. Cox's Bazar is one of Bangladesh's most popular tourist destinations. Hundreds of thousands of people flock to the city over the holidays, and the tourist industry has exploded in recent years.To provide security to the growing number of tourists, authorities have set up a tourism police unit to patrol beach towns. Covid-19 Tamil Nadu: 33.2 lakh students to be given Covaxin from Jan 3 6 killed in dangerous accident in pickup van-truck Immigration from Hong Kong rises to Taiwan as China cracks down on dissent After facing charges that they were acquiescing to radical Islamists, Bangladeshi officials have scrapped plans to establish a separate beach just for women only women after social media backlash. Officials in Cox's Bazar opened a section of the world's longest natural sea beach especially for women and children on Thursday. However, they stated a few hours later that they were abandoning the plan. Officials stated that the decision to separate the beach was made in response to demands from certain conservative ladies. "(The women) sought a separate beach part because they felt uncomfortable and uneasy in a crowded environment," Abu Sufian, a senior official in Cox's Bazar, told the media. The decision to create an exclusive beach comes after the shocking gang rape of a woman in Cox's Bazar last week, which sparked a national uproar about women's safety in the area. The decision, however, sparked outrage on social media, with opponents accusing the administration of caving in to radical Islamists who recently staged enormous protests demanding gender segregation in workplaces and industries. The beach segregation was dubbed "Talibistan" by one critic, referring to the Taliban Islamist organisation, which has recently restricted women's rights in Afghanistan. Cox's Bazar is one of Bangladesh's most popular tourist destinations. Hundreds of thousands of people flock to the city over the holidays, and the tourist industry has exploded in recent years.To provide security to the growing number of tourists, authorities have set up a tourism police unit to patrol beach towns. Covid-19 Tamil Nadu: 33.2 lakh students to be given Covaxin from Jan 3 6 killed in dangerous accident in pickup van-truck Immigration from Hong Kong rises to Taiwan as China cracks down on dissent What an inspired 80th birthday present it seemed for Boris Johnson's father Stanley a family of beavers for the river on his Exmoor estate. The Johnson siblings had paid for the paperwork, and rewilding conservationist Derek Gow visited Stanley, Boris and sister Rachel to discuss the project. 'Boris is passionate about beavers,' Derek says. 'He was affable, but Stanley decided to wait as the law doesn't allow him to release beavers into the wild at present.' Legally although this is under review beavers can only be released into fenced-off areas, but there are wild populations in Scotland and Devon. Once upon a time, British waterways teemed with beavers, until we hunted them to extinction for their scent glands, fur and meat in the late 17th century. Now Derek, a Devon farmer turned conservationist, has chronicled his decades-long quest to re-establish beavers on our rivers in his book Bringing Back The Beaver. Derek Gow, 56, a Devon farmer turned conservationist, has chronicled his decades-long quest to re-establish beavers (pictured) on our rivers in his book Bringing Back The Beaver For most of us who have never seen wild beavers, they conjure childhood memories of the kindly talking beavers of Narnia with their suppers of fried trout and sticky marmalade roll. Nonsense, Derek says beavers are vegetarian. 'CS Lewis didn't have a strong base of biological reality.' But they are entrancing. 'They are caring creatures,' says Derek. 'They love their babies. Kits are dependent for at least their first year on parents and older siblings, who prevent them from swimming in water they consider hazardous and if they roam too far, carry them back to their lodges. 'They cuddle them, groom them, whisper comfort in their soft, downy ears, and through the first winter warm them in their great snuggled huddle of a communal nest. They protect them from predators, afford a caring home, tolerate their tantrums...' You get the message, he's passionate about beavers. And they are a keystone species that has a dramatic impact on its environment. With their sharp incisors, they gnaw through riverbank trees, leaving stumps like sharpened pencils. But these coppiced trees continue to grow, creating a wetland habitat where other creatures flourish otters and water voles, kingfishers and cormorants. Their complex dam systems then slow the flow of flood water downriver, mitigating the effects of climate change. Derek visited Stanley Johnson (pictured) who was gifted a family of beavers for the river on his Exmoor estate Derek, 56, grew up in the Scottish Borders, where his hero was Gerald Durrell, and a course on breeding endangered species at Durrell's zoo in Jersey transformed his life. His first encounter with European black beavers was in Poland in the mid-90s with a view to obtaining breeding pairs for release back home. Their keeper passed the mother to Derek. 'She settled into my lap with her great leather tail turned beneath. I have never forgotten her. She touched my heart.' But the first beaver Derek imported wasn't so lovable; she was Grumpy. He went to meet her at the quarantine facility at Heathrow. Keen to check she was OK, Derek crawled into the crate and met his nemesis. 'She let out a hissing growl and jumped towards me with her teeth exposed,' he recalls. As Grumpy grabbed his boot, Derek fended her off with a handy brush, but with a single bite she bit off the broomhead and then reduced the broomstick to a stump. In a scene worthy of James Herriot, Derek fell into a seal pool (the facility also dealt with seals) and the beaver jumped in with him. 'When the advantage was completely hers, she decided a relaxing bath was much more appealing.' Derek has since bred wildcats, white storks, stoats and more at his 150-acre farm at Coombeshead, near Dartmoor, but beavers remain closest to his heart. Three families are now thriving there. Derek's next book will be about the history of the wolf in Britain. Bring Back The Big Bad Wolf? He might need a better campaign slogan. Bringing Back The Beaver by Derek Gow (hardback, Chelsea Green, 20; paperback, published on 13 January, 10.99). Visit rewilding coombeshead.co.uk. DECATUR State police have confirmed they are conducting a criminal probe into the actions of the former head of a state agency who was fired after he was judged to have acted improperly in granting a law enforcement training waiver to Decatur-based philanthropist Howard Buffett. The news of the investigation was revealed in a response to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by the Herald & Review. The newspaper had sought copies of all emails sent between Buffetts namesake foundation and Brent Fischer, the former executive director of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, ILETSB. Fischer was terminated Sept. 8 after an investigation carried out by the executive inspector generals office a state government watchdog. It concluded that Fischer should not have granted the waiver to Buffett which allowed him to serve as a sheriffs deputy even though he was short of the 560 hours of training required to be a sworn officer. And the State Police are now also suggesting their criminal probe may go beyond just the actions of Fischer. In a letter to the ILETSB legal counsel John R. Keigher requesting that the newspapers FOIA request be denied (which it was), David Catlin, the State Police Freedom of Information Officer, said: The ISPs investigation will ultimately result in a recommendation on whether the employee (presumably a reference to Fischer) should be criminally charged. The investigation may also result in other individuals being charged with crimes. Thus, releasing any records would interfere with the pending investigation. Asked for comment by the Herald & Review, State Police Chief Public Information Officer Lt. Joseph Hutchins said in an email that the investigation involved employees," plural, of the ILETSB. The Illinois State Police has open and ongoing investigations into former employees of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, to quote his full statement. He did not comment further. Buffett has never been accused of any wrongdoing and has previously said he acted properly at all times. An attempt to reach him for comment for this story was not successful. 'A nonstandard document may have been supplied' When the Herald & Review asked the ILETSB for comment, Keigher said that the boards interim executive director, Keith Calloway, had referred all inquiries on the investigation to the State Police. Asked if such an investigation was unprecedented in ILETSBs 55-year history, Keigher said Calloway had said he wasnt aware of a similar event. The State Police letter to the ILETSB urging denial of the newspapers FOIA request goes on to quote State Police Master Sgt. Matthew Barber, a member of the Division of Criminal Investigation, who described the probe into Fischers actions as an allegation of fraud and official misconduct. According to the allegations, the employee within their official capacity, created and supplied a benefactor with an official document without proper authority, Barber is quoted as saying. Through interviews, it was determined that a nonstandard document may have been supplied to the benefactor from the employee. The details of this document, its creation, its issuance and the documents intention are confidential and currently under investigation. Barber characterized the emails sought by the newspaper as being of evidentiary value and, if released to the public, could taint a jury pool. He also said that, due to the highly publicized nature of the case, any release of the emails could influence the recollection of witnesses and those called to testify. The inspector generals investigation of Fischer that led to his firing noted the Howard G. Buffett Foundation had been a generous backer of ILETSB projects: It had earmarked $15 million to build the Macon County Law Enforcement Training Center, which opened in 2017 in Decatur. The investigation also noted that Buffett had been asked for a $10,000 check to fund canine training equipment and, within hours of acknowledging receipt of the check in January 2019, an emailed letter had been sent from Fischers office granting a request from a supporter of Buffett seeking the waiver of the law enforcement training hours standard. The inspector generals report said: Certification of law enforcement officer status, especially considering the significant public interest in maintaining integrity in that process, should not be minimized nor should it be provided based on someones ability to financially contribute to the law enforcement community. Fischer had later tried to claim that the waiver granted to Buffett was only honorary. But Buffett is quoted as telling the inspector generals office that was news to him. The philanthropist had also emphasized that he had never provided any funds or support in exchange for something to benefit himself. 'It just makes me sick what they are doing with him' Buffett, son of billionaire investor Warren Buffett, was appointed Macon County sheriff in 2017 after the former sheriff, Tom Schneider, had stepped down. (Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway sold its newspaper holdings to Lee Enterprises, the parent company of the Herald & Review, in 2020.) At that time sheriffs only had to be a U.S. citizen, have lived in the county they serve for a year and have no felony records to hold the job. But a police standards overhaul signed into law in March required sheriffs to have completed the standard training course. Buffett, who had said he was going to run as a Republican candidate for Macon County sheriff in the 2022 election, then announced he was dropping those plans in June. The waiver controversy became public in November. Buffett, who has a keen interest in law enforcement, has served as a deputy sheriff and volunteer with various police departments in different parts of the country. Those police agencies include the Christian County Sheriffs Office where Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp believes Buffett has gotten a very raw deal over the waiver issue. I want you to know, it just makes me sick what they are doing with him, said Kettelkamp. Hes being made to look like the bad guy when really he was just doing everything he was told, the sheriff said of the waiver controversy. Howard Buffett did nothing wrong. Decatur man faces charges of throwing rocks at cops Police had found him standing in the middle of an intersection. He said Buffett had been a part-time member of his office since 2019, helping out a law enforcement agency that was often short on manpower. Since hes been with us he never did any enforcement action, he never put handcuffs on anybody, but he was there to help our guys, Kettelkamp said. He helped get people into treatment and he has helped in hostage negotiations when we had an incident over here; hes very knowledgeable and its just a shame whats happened to him. Kettelkamp said Buffett has in fact had extensive training and he had served successfully as Macon County sheriff for some 15 months. And that experience alone gives him more than enough experience to be a part-time deputy, he added. Ive never met a more generous person in my life than Howard Buffett and hes not interested in law enforcement just to put on a badge and a gun on his side; he is into it because he really wants to help people. DECATUR State police have confirmed they are conducting a criminal probe into the actions of the former head of a state agency who was fired after he was judged to have acted improperly in granting a law enforcement training waiver to Decatur-based philanthropist Howard Buffett. The news of the investigation was revealed in a response to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by the Herald & Review. The newspaper had sought copies of all emails sent between Buffetts namesake foundation and Brent Fischer, the former executive director of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, ILETSB. Fischer was terminated Sept. 8 after an investigation carried out by the executive inspector generals office a state government watchdog. It concluded that Fischer should not have granted the waiver to Buffett which allowed him to serve as a sheriffs deputy even though he was short of the 560 hours of training required to be a sworn officer. And the State Police are now also suggesting their criminal probe may go beyond just the actions of Fischer. In a letter to the ILETSB legal counsel John R. Keigher requesting that the newspapers FOIA request be denied (which it was), David Catlin, the State Police Freedom of Information Officer, said: The ISPs investigation will ultimately result in a recommendation on whether the employee (presumably a reference to Fischer) should be criminally charged. The investigation may also result in other individuals being charged with crimes. Thus, releasing any records would interfere with the pending investigation. Asked for comment by the Herald & Review, State Police Chief Public Information Officer Lt. Joseph Hutchins said in an email that the investigation involved employees," plural, of the ILETSB. The Illinois State Police has open and ongoing investigations into former employees of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, to quote his full statement. He did not comment further. Buffett has never been accused of any wrongdoing and has previously said he acted properly at all times. An attempt to reach him for comment for this story was not successful. 'A nonstandard document may have been supplied' When the Herald & Review asked the ILETSB for comment, Keigher said that the boards interim executive director, Keith Calloway, had referred all inquiries on the investigation to the State Police. Asked if such an investigation was unprecedented in ILETSBs 55-year history, Keigher said Calloway had said he wasnt aware of a similar event. The State Police letter to the ILETSB urging denial of the newspapers FOIA request goes on to quote State Police Master Sgt. Matthew Barber, a member of the Division of Criminal Investigation, who described the probe into Fischers actions as an allegation of fraud and official misconduct. According to the allegations, the employee within their official capacity, created and supplied a benefactor with an official document without proper authority, Barber is quoted as saying. Through interviews, it was determined that a nonstandard document may have been supplied to the benefactor from the employee. The details of this document, its creation, its issuance and the documents intention are confidential and currently under investigation. Barber characterized the emails sought by the newspaper as being of evidentiary value and, if released to the public, could taint a jury pool. He also said that, due to the highly publicized nature of the case, any release of the emails could influence the recollection of witnesses and those called to testify. The inspector generals investigation of Fischer that led to his firing noted the Howard G. Buffett Foundation had been a generous backer of ILETSB projects: It had earmarked $15 million to build the Macon County Law Enforcement Training Center, which opened in 2017 in Decatur. The investigation also noted that Buffett had been asked for a $10,000 check to fund canine training equipment and, within hours of acknowledging receipt of the check in January 2019, an emailed letter had been sent from Fischers office granting a request from a supporter of Buffett seeking the waiver of the law enforcement training hours standard. The inspector generals report said: Certification of law enforcement officer status, especially considering the significant public interest in maintaining integrity in that process, should not be minimized nor should it be provided based on someones ability to financially contribute to the law enforcement community. Fischer had later tried to claim that the waiver granted to Buffett was only honorary. But Buffett is quoted as telling the inspector generals office that was news to him. The philanthropist had also emphasized that he had never provided any funds or support in exchange for something to benefit himself. 'It just makes me sick what they are doing with him' Buffett, son of billionaire investor Warren Buffett, was appointed Macon County sheriff in 2017 after the former sheriff, Tom Schneider, had stepped down. (Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway sold its newspaper holdings to Lee Enterprises, the parent company of the Herald & Review, in 2020.) At that time sheriffs only had to be a U.S. citizen, have lived in the county they serve for a year and have no felony records to hold the job. But a police standards overhaul signed into law in March required sheriffs to have completed the standard training course. Buffett, who had said he was going to run as a Republican candidate for Macon County sheriff in the 2022 election, then announced he was dropping those plans in June. The waiver controversy became public in November. Buffett, who has a keen interest in law enforcement, has served as a deputy sheriff and volunteer with various police departments in different parts of the country. Those police agencies include the Christian County Sheriffs Office where Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp believes Buffett has gotten a very raw deal over the waiver issue. I want you to know, it just makes me sick what they are doing with him, said Kettelkamp. Hes being made to look like the bad guy when really he was just doing everything he was told, the sheriff said of the waiver controversy. Howard Buffett did nothing wrong. Decatur man faces charges of throwing rocks at cops Police had found him standing in the middle of an intersection. He said Buffett had been a part-time member of his office since 2019, helping out a law enforcement agency that was often short on manpower. Since hes been with us he never did any enforcement action, he never put handcuffs on anybody, but he was there to help our guys, Kettelkamp said. He helped get people into treatment and he has helped in hostage negotiations when we had an incident over here; hes very knowledgeable and its just a shame whats happened to him. Kettelkamp said Buffett has in fact had extensive training and he had served successfully as Macon County sheriff for some 15 months. And that experience alone gives him more than enough experience to be a part-time deputy, he added. Ive never met a more generous person in my life than Howard Buffett and hes not interested in law enforcement just to put on a badge and a gun on his side; he is into it because he really wants to help people. After facing charges that they were acquiescing to radical Islamists, Bangladeshi officials have scrapped plans to establish a separate beach just for women only women after social media backlash. Officials in Cox's Bazar opened a section of the world's longest natural sea beach especially for women and children on Thursday. However, they stated a few hours later that they were abandoning the plan. Officials stated that the decision to separate the beach was made in response to demands from certain conservative ladies. "(The women) sought a separate beach part because they felt uncomfortable and uneasy in a crowded environment," Abu Sufian, a senior official in Cox's Bazar, told the media. The decision to create an exclusive beach comes after the shocking gang rape of a woman in Cox's Bazar last week, which sparked a national uproar about women's safety in the area. The decision, however, sparked outrage on social media, with opponents accusing the administration of caving in to radical Islamists who recently staged enormous protests demanding gender segregation in workplaces and industries. The beach segregation was dubbed "Talibistan" by one critic, referring to the Taliban Islamist organisation, which has recently restricted women's rights in Afghanistan. Cox's Bazar is one of Bangladesh's most popular tourist destinations. Hundreds of thousands of people flock to the city over the holidays, and the tourist industry has exploded in recent years.To provide security to the growing number of tourists, authorities have set up a tourism police unit to patrol beach towns. Covid-19 Tamil Nadu: 33.2 lakh students to be given Covaxin from Jan 3 6 killed in dangerous accident in pickup van-truck Immigration from Hong Kong rises to Taiwan as China cracks down on dissent This combination photo shows U.S. President Joe Biden, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. AFP-Yonhap President Joe Biden said Friday he told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that a move on Ukraine will draw sanctions and an increased U.S. presence in Europe, where tensions are high after Russia's military buildup at the border. The U.S. and Russian leaders exchanged warnings over Ukraine in a 50-minute call, Thursday, to address Russian military actions. "I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it," Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. Biden says Putin agreed on "three major conferences" next month with senior staff to help find a resolution and said he expected progress from those negotiations. However, he added, "I made it clear that it only could work if he de-escalated." Asked if Moscow faces sanctions if it kept troops on the border, Biden said, "I'm not going to negotiate here in public but we made it clear that he cannot emphasize cannot move on Ukraine." Biden will speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Sunday, a White house official said earlier on Friday. He will reaffirm support for Ukraine, discuss Russia's military buildup and review preparations for diplomatic efforts to calm the situation in the region, the official said. The Biden-Putin exchange set the stage for lower-level engagement between the countries that includes the U.S.-Russia security meeting Jan. 9 and 10, followed by a Russia-NATO session Jan. 12, and a broader conference including Moscow, Washington and other European countries Jan. 13. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken sought to lay the groundwork for those talks Friday in calls with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and others, the State Department said. In conversations with the foreign ministers of Canada and Italy, Blinken discussed a united response to deter further Russian aggression against Ukraine. (Reuters) DECATUR State police have confirmed they are conducting a criminal probe into the actions of the former head of a state agency who was fired after he was judged to have acted improperly in granting a law enforcement training waiver to Decatur-based philanthropist Howard Buffett. The news of the investigation was revealed in a response to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by the Herald & Review. The newspaper had sought copies of all emails sent between Buffetts namesake foundation and Brent Fischer, the former executive director of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, ILETSB. Fischer was terminated Sept. 8 after an investigation carried out by the executive inspector generals office a state government watchdog. It concluded that Fischer should not have granted the waiver to Buffett which allowed him to serve as a sheriffs deputy even though he was short of the 560 hours of training required to be a sworn officer. And the State Police are now also suggesting their criminal probe may go beyond just the actions of Fischer. In a letter to the ILETSB legal counsel John R. Keigher requesting that the newspapers FOIA request be denied (which it was), David Catlin, the State Police Freedom of Information Officer, said: The ISPs investigation will ultimately result in a recommendation on whether the employee (presumably a reference to Fischer) should be criminally charged. The investigation may also result in other individuals being charged with crimes. Thus, releasing any records would interfere with the pending investigation. Asked for comment by the Herald & Review, State Police Chief Public Information Officer Lt. Joseph Hutchins said in an email that the investigation involved employees," plural, of the ILETSB. The Illinois State Police has open and ongoing investigations into former employees of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, to quote his full statement. He did not comment further. Buffett has never been accused of any wrongdoing and has previously said he acted properly at all times. An attempt to reach him for comment for this story was not successful. 'A nonstandard document may have been supplied' When the Herald & Review asked the ILETSB for comment, Keigher said that the boards interim executive director, Keith Calloway, had referred all inquiries on the investigation to the State Police. Asked if such an investigation was unprecedented in ILETSBs 55-year history, Keigher said Calloway had said he wasnt aware of a similar event. The State Police letter to the ILETSB urging denial of the newspapers FOIA request goes on to quote State Police Master Sgt. Matthew Barber, a member of the Division of Criminal Investigation, who described the probe into Fischers actions as an allegation of fraud and official misconduct. According to the allegations, the employee within their official capacity, created and supplied a benefactor with an official document without proper authority, Barber is quoted as saying. Through interviews, it was determined that a nonstandard document may have been supplied to the benefactor from the employee. The details of this document, its creation, its issuance and the documents intention are confidential and currently under investigation. Barber characterized the emails sought by the newspaper as being of evidentiary value and, if released to the public, could taint a jury pool. He also said that, due to the highly publicized nature of the case, any release of the emails could influence the recollection of witnesses and those called to testify. The inspector generals investigation of Fischer that led to his firing noted the Howard G. Buffett Foundation had been a generous backer of ILETSB projects: It had earmarked $15 million to build the Macon County Law Enforcement Training Center, which opened in 2017 in Decatur. The investigation also noted that Buffett had been asked for a $10,000 check to fund canine training equipment and, within hours of acknowledging receipt of the check in January 2019, an emailed letter had been sent from Fischers office granting a request from a supporter of Buffett seeking the waiver of the law enforcement training hours standard. The inspector generals report said: Certification of law enforcement officer status, especially considering the significant public interest in maintaining integrity in that process, should not be minimized nor should it be provided based on someones ability to financially contribute to the law enforcement community. Fischer had later tried to claim that the waiver granted to Buffett was only honorary. But Buffett is quoted as telling the inspector generals office that was news to him. The philanthropist had also emphasized that he had never provided any funds or support in exchange for something to benefit himself. 'It just makes me sick what they are doing with him' Buffett, son of billionaire investor Warren Buffett, was appointed Macon County sheriff in 2017 after the former sheriff, Tom Schneider, had stepped down. (Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway sold its newspaper holdings to Lee Enterprises, the parent company of the Herald & Review, in 2020.) At that time sheriffs only had to be a U.S. citizen, have lived in the county they serve for a year and have no felony records to hold the job. But a police standards overhaul signed into law in March required sheriffs to have completed the standard training course. Buffett, who had said he was going to run as a Republican candidate for Macon County sheriff in the 2022 election, then announced he was dropping those plans in June. The waiver controversy became public in November. Buffett, who has a keen interest in law enforcement, has served as a deputy sheriff and volunteer with various police departments in different parts of the country. Those police agencies include the Christian County Sheriffs Office where Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp believes Buffett has gotten a very raw deal over the waiver issue. I want you to know, it just makes me sick what they are doing with him, said Kettelkamp. Hes being made to look like the bad guy when really he was just doing everything he was told, the sheriff said of the waiver controversy. Howard Buffett did nothing wrong. Decatur man faces charges of throwing rocks at cops Police had found him standing in the middle of an intersection. He said Buffett had been a part-time member of his office since 2019, helping out a law enforcement agency that was often short on manpower. Since hes been with us he never did any enforcement action, he never put handcuffs on anybody, but he was there to help our guys, Kettelkamp said. He helped get people into treatment and he has helped in hostage negotiations when we had an incident over here; hes very knowledgeable and its just a shame whats happened to him. Kettelkamp said Buffett has in fact had extensive training and he had served successfully as Macon County sheriff for some 15 months. And that experience alone gives him more than enough experience to be a part-time deputy, he added. Ive never met a more generous person in my life than Howard Buffett and hes not interested in law enforcement just to put on a badge and a gun on his side; he is into it because he really wants to help people. What an inspired 80th birthday present it seemed for Boris Johnson's father Stanley a family of beavers for the river on his Exmoor estate. The Johnson siblings had paid for the paperwork, and rewilding conservationist Derek Gow visited Stanley, Boris and sister Rachel to discuss the project. 'Boris is passionate about beavers,' Derek says. 'He was affable, but Stanley decided to wait as the law doesn't allow him to release beavers into the wild at present.' Legally although this is under review beavers can only be released into fenced-off areas, but there are wild populations in Scotland and Devon. Once upon a time, British waterways teemed with beavers, until we hunted them to extinction for their scent glands, fur and meat in the late 17th century. Now Derek, a Devon farmer turned conservationist, has chronicled his decades-long quest to re-establish beavers on our rivers in his book Bringing Back The Beaver. Derek Gow, 56, a Devon farmer turned conservationist, has chronicled his decades-long quest to re-establish beavers (pictured) on our rivers in his book Bringing Back The Beaver For most of us who have never seen wild beavers, they conjure childhood memories of the kindly talking beavers of Narnia with their suppers of fried trout and sticky marmalade roll. Nonsense, Derek says beavers are vegetarian. 'CS Lewis didn't have a strong base of biological reality.' But they are entrancing. 'They are caring creatures,' says Derek. 'They love their babies. Kits are dependent for at least their first year on parents and older siblings, who prevent them from swimming in water they consider hazardous and if they roam too far, carry them back to their lodges. 'They cuddle them, groom them, whisper comfort in their soft, downy ears, and through the first winter warm them in their great snuggled huddle of a communal nest. They protect them from predators, afford a caring home, tolerate their tantrums...' You get the message, he's passionate about beavers. And they are a keystone species that has a dramatic impact on its environment. With their sharp incisors, they gnaw through riverbank trees, leaving stumps like sharpened pencils. But these coppiced trees continue to grow, creating a wetland habitat where other creatures flourish otters and water voles, kingfishers and cormorants. Their complex dam systems then slow the flow of flood water downriver, mitigating the effects of climate change. Derek visited Stanley Johnson (pictured) who was gifted a family of beavers for the river on his Exmoor estate Derek, 56, grew up in the Scottish Borders, where his hero was Gerald Durrell, and a course on breeding endangered species at Durrell's zoo in Jersey transformed his life. His first encounter with European black beavers was in Poland in the mid-90s with a view to obtaining breeding pairs for release back home. Their keeper passed the mother to Derek. 'She settled into my lap with her great leather tail turned beneath. I have never forgotten her. She touched my heart.' But the first beaver Derek imported wasn't so lovable; she was Grumpy. He went to meet her at the quarantine facility at Heathrow. Keen to check she was OK, Derek crawled into the crate and met his nemesis. 'She let out a hissing growl and jumped towards me with her teeth exposed,' he recalls. As Grumpy grabbed his boot, Derek fended her off with a handy brush, but with a single bite she bit off the broomhead and then reduced the broomstick to a stump. In a scene worthy of James Herriot, Derek fell into a seal pool (the facility also dealt with seals) and the beaver jumped in with him. 'When the advantage was completely hers, she decided a relaxing bath was much more appealing.' Derek has since bred wildcats, white storks, stoats and more at his 150-acre farm at Coombeshead, near Dartmoor, but beavers remain closest to his heart. Three families are now thriving there. Derek's next book will be about the history of the wolf in Britain. Bring Back The Big Bad Wolf? He might need a better campaign slogan. Bringing Back The Beaver by Derek Gow (hardback, Chelsea Green, 20; paperback, published on 13 January, 10.99). Visit rewilding coombeshead.co.uk. DECATUR State police have confirmed they are conducting a criminal probe into the actions of the former head of a state agency who was fired after he was judged to have acted improperly in granting a law enforcement training waiver to Decatur-based philanthropist Howard Buffett. The news of the investigation was revealed in a response to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by the Herald & Review. The newspaper had sought copies of all emails sent between Buffetts namesake foundation and Brent Fischer, the former executive director of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, ILETSB. Fischer was terminated Sept. 8 after an investigation carried out by the executive inspector generals office a state government watchdog. It concluded that Fischer should not have granted the waiver to Buffett which allowed him to serve as a sheriffs deputy even though he was short of the 560 hours of training required to be a sworn officer. And the State Police are now also suggesting their criminal probe may go beyond just the actions of Fischer. In a letter to the ILETSB legal counsel John R. Keigher requesting that the newspapers FOIA request be denied (which it was), David Catlin, the State Police Freedom of Information Officer, said: The ISPs investigation will ultimately result in a recommendation on whether the employee (presumably a reference to Fischer) should be criminally charged. The investigation may also result in other individuals being charged with crimes. Thus, releasing any records would interfere with the pending investigation. Asked for comment by the Herald & Review, State Police Chief Public Information Officer Lt. Joseph Hutchins said in an email that the investigation involved employees," plural, of the ILETSB. The Illinois State Police has open and ongoing investigations into former employees of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, to quote his full statement. He did not comment further. Buffett has never been accused of any wrongdoing and has previously said he acted properly at all times. An attempt to reach him for comment for this story was not successful. 'A nonstandard document may have been supplied' When the Herald & Review asked the ILETSB for comment, Keigher said that the boards interim executive director, Keith Calloway, had referred all inquiries on the investigation to the State Police. Asked if such an investigation was unprecedented in ILETSBs 55-year history, Keigher said Calloway had said he wasnt aware of a similar event. The State Police letter to the ILETSB urging denial of the newspapers FOIA request goes on to quote State Police Master Sgt. Matthew Barber, a member of the Division of Criminal Investigation, who described the probe into Fischers actions as an allegation of fraud and official misconduct. According to the allegations, the employee within their official capacity, created and supplied a benefactor with an official document without proper authority, Barber is quoted as saying. Through interviews, it was determined that a nonstandard document may have been supplied to the benefactor from the employee. The details of this document, its creation, its issuance and the documents intention are confidential and currently under investigation. Barber characterized the emails sought by the newspaper as being of evidentiary value and, if released to the public, could taint a jury pool. He also said that, due to the highly publicized nature of the case, any release of the emails could influence the recollection of witnesses and those called to testify. The inspector generals investigation of Fischer that led to his firing noted the Howard G. Buffett Foundation had been a generous backer of ILETSB projects: It had earmarked $15 million to build the Macon County Law Enforcement Training Center, which opened in 2017 in Decatur. The investigation also noted that Buffett had been asked for a $10,000 check to fund canine training equipment and, within hours of acknowledging receipt of the check in January 2019, an emailed letter had been sent from Fischers office granting a request from a supporter of Buffett seeking the waiver of the law enforcement training hours standard. The inspector generals report said: Certification of law enforcement officer status, especially considering the significant public interest in maintaining integrity in that process, should not be minimized nor should it be provided based on someones ability to financially contribute to the law enforcement community. Fischer had later tried to claim that the waiver granted to Buffett was only honorary. But Buffett is quoted as telling the inspector generals office that was news to him. The philanthropist had also emphasized that he had never provided any funds or support in exchange for something to benefit himself. 'It just makes me sick what they are doing with him' Buffett, son of billionaire investor Warren Buffett, was appointed Macon County sheriff in 2017 after the former sheriff, Tom Schneider, had stepped down. (Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway sold its newspaper holdings to Lee Enterprises, the parent company of the Herald & Review, in 2020.) At that time sheriffs only had to be a U.S. citizen, have lived in the county they serve for a year and have no felony records to hold the job. But a police standards overhaul signed into law in March required sheriffs to have completed the standard training course. Buffett, who had said he was going to run as a Republican candidate for Macon County sheriff in the 2022 election, then announced he was dropping those plans in June. The waiver controversy became public in November. Buffett, who has a keen interest in law enforcement, has served as a deputy sheriff and volunteer with various police departments in different parts of the country. Those police agencies include the Christian County Sheriffs Office where Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp believes Buffett has gotten a very raw deal over the waiver issue. I want you to know, it just makes me sick what they are doing with him, said Kettelkamp. Hes being made to look like the bad guy when really he was just doing everything he was told, the sheriff said of the waiver controversy. Howard Buffett did nothing wrong. Decatur man faces charges of throwing rocks at cops Police had found him standing in the middle of an intersection. He said Buffett had been a part-time member of his office since 2019, helping out a law enforcement agency that was often short on manpower. Since hes been with us he never did any enforcement action, he never put handcuffs on anybody, but he was there to help our guys, Kettelkamp said. He helped get people into treatment and he has helped in hostage negotiations when we had an incident over here; hes very knowledgeable and its just a shame whats happened to him. Kettelkamp said Buffett has in fact had extensive training and he had served successfully as Macon County sheriff for some 15 months. And that experience alone gives him more than enough experience to be a part-time deputy, he added. Ive never met a more generous person in my life than Howard Buffett and hes not interested in law enforcement just to put on a badge and a gun on his side; he is into it because he really wants to help people. DECATUR State police have confirmed they are conducting a criminal probe into the actions of the former head of a state agency who was fired after he was judged to have acted improperly in granting a law enforcement training waiver to Decatur-based philanthropist Howard Buffett. The news of the investigation was revealed in a response to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by the Herald & Review. The newspaper had sought copies of all emails sent between Buffetts namesake foundation and Brent Fischer, the former executive director of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, ILETSB. Fischer was terminated Sept. 8 after an investigation carried out by the executive inspector generals office a state government watchdog. It concluded that Fischer should not have granted the waiver to Buffett which allowed him to serve as a sheriffs deputy even though he was short of the 560 hours of training required to be a sworn officer. And the State Police are now also suggesting their criminal probe may go beyond just the actions of Fischer. In a letter to the ILETSB legal counsel John R. Keigher requesting that the newspapers FOIA request be denied (which it was), David Catlin, the State Police Freedom of Information Officer, said: The ISPs investigation will ultimately result in a recommendation on whether the employee (presumably a reference to Fischer) should be criminally charged. The investigation may also result in other individuals being charged with crimes. Thus, releasing any records would interfere with the pending investigation. Asked for comment by the Herald & Review, State Police Chief Public Information Officer Lt. Joseph Hutchins said in an email that the investigation involved employees," plural, of the ILETSB. The Illinois State Police has open and ongoing investigations into former employees of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, to quote his full statement. He did not comment further. Buffett has never been accused of any wrongdoing and has previously said he acted properly at all times. An attempt to reach him for comment for this story was not successful. 'A nonstandard document may have been supplied' When the Herald & Review asked the ILETSB for comment, Keigher said that the boards interim executive director, Keith Calloway, had referred all inquiries on the investigation to the State Police. Asked if such an investigation was unprecedented in ILETSBs 55-year history, Keigher said Calloway had said he wasnt aware of a similar event. The State Police letter to the ILETSB urging denial of the newspapers FOIA request goes on to quote State Police Master Sgt. Matthew Barber, a member of the Division of Criminal Investigation, who described the probe into Fischers actions as an allegation of fraud and official misconduct. According to the allegations, the employee within their official capacity, created and supplied a benefactor with an official document without proper authority, Barber is quoted as saying. Through interviews, it was determined that a nonstandard document may have been supplied to the benefactor from the employee. The details of this document, its creation, its issuance and the documents intention are confidential and currently under investigation. Barber characterized the emails sought by the newspaper as being of evidentiary value and, if released to the public, could taint a jury pool. He also said that, due to the highly publicized nature of the case, any release of the emails could influence the recollection of witnesses and those called to testify. The inspector generals investigation of Fischer that led to his firing noted the Howard G. Buffett Foundation had been a generous backer of ILETSB projects: It had earmarked $15 million to build the Macon County Law Enforcement Training Center, which opened in 2017 in Decatur. The investigation also noted that Buffett had been asked for a $10,000 check to fund canine training equipment and, within hours of acknowledging receipt of the check in January 2019, an emailed letter had been sent from Fischers office granting a request from a supporter of Buffett seeking the waiver of the law enforcement training hours standard. The inspector generals report said: Certification of law enforcement officer status, especially considering the significant public interest in maintaining integrity in that process, should not be minimized nor should it be provided based on someones ability to financially contribute to the law enforcement community. Fischer had later tried to claim that the waiver granted to Buffett was only honorary. But Buffett is quoted as telling the inspector generals office that was news to him. The philanthropist had also emphasized that he had never provided any funds or support in exchange for something to benefit himself. 'It just makes me sick what they are doing with him' Buffett, son of billionaire investor Warren Buffett, was appointed Macon County sheriff in 2017 after the former sheriff, Tom Schneider, had stepped down. (Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway sold its newspaper holdings to Lee Enterprises, the parent company of the Herald & Review, in 2020.) At that time sheriffs only had to be a U.S. citizen, have lived in the county they serve for a year and have no felony records to hold the job. But a police standards overhaul signed into law in March required sheriffs to have completed the standard training course. Buffett, who had said he was going to run as a Republican candidate for Macon County sheriff in the 2022 election, then announced he was dropping those plans in June. The waiver controversy became public in November. Buffett, who has a keen interest in law enforcement, has served as a deputy sheriff and volunteer with various police departments in different parts of the country. Those police agencies include the Christian County Sheriffs Office where Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp believes Buffett has gotten a very raw deal over the waiver issue. I want you to know, it just makes me sick what they are doing with him, said Kettelkamp. Hes being made to look like the bad guy when really he was just doing everything he was told, the sheriff said of the waiver controversy. Howard Buffett did nothing wrong. Decatur man faces charges of throwing rocks at cops Police had found him standing in the middle of an intersection. He said Buffett had been a part-time member of his office since 2019, helping out a law enforcement agency that was often short on manpower. Since hes been with us he never did any enforcement action, he never put handcuffs on anybody, but he was there to help our guys, Kettelkamp said. He helped get people into treatment and he has helped in hostage negotiations when we had an incident over here; hes very knowledgeable and its just a shame whats happened to him. Kettelkamp said Buffett has in fact had extensive training and he had served successfully as Macon County sheriff for some 15 months. And that experience alone gives him more than enough experience to be a part-time deputy, he added. Ive never met a more generous person in my life than Howard Buffett and hes not interested in law enforcement just to put on a badge and a gun on his side; he is into it because he really wants to help people. Pune, Jan 1 (PTI) Undeterred by the rising number of COVID-19 cases and the pandemic-related restrictions, thousands of people paid tributes at the Jaystambh military monument in Pune district of Maharashtra on Saturday morning to mark the 204th anniversary of the Koregaon Bhima battle amid tight security. Also Read | New Year 2022 Welcomed in Varanasi in Traditional Manner With Vedic Rituals. Also Read | Stampede at Vaishno Devi Shrine: Union Minister Jitendra Singh Rushes to Katra to Take Stock of Situation. In contrast to the 203rd anniversary of the historical battle last year, which was a low-key affair due to pandemic curbs, many people have paid their tributes at the Jaystambh, which, as per a Dalit narrative is the symbol of the victory over casteism. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, state home minister Dilip Walse Patil, social welfare minister Dhananjay Munde also visited Jaystambh, located near Perne village, this morning. As per the Dalit narrative, the British forces that fought the Peshwas at Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 1818, comprised largely of soldiers from the Dalit Mahar community, who waged a "war for freedom" from 'casteism' of the Peshwas. On January 1 every year, lakhs of people, mainly from the Dalit community, visit the Jaystambh, which was erected by the British in memory of the soldiers who fought against the Peshwas in the Battle of Koregaon Bhima. Violence had broken out near Koregaon Bhima village during the 200th commemoration of the historical battle on January 1, 2018. According to police, "provocative" speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune city a day before had triggered the violence. A senior police officer said on Saturday that the district administration had appealed to people above 60 and children below 10 years to avoid coming to Jaystambh in view of the coronavirus pandemic. Police personnel are deployed in large numbers near the war memorial. Facilities like COVID testing etc are in place, the officer said. As per the order issued by the Pune district administration under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), putting up hoardings or banners in the villages around the memorial, posting content that can spread rumours, create hatred in communities, posting misleading information on social media platforms, has been prohibited. The order came into effect from midnight of December 30 and will remain in force till 6 am on January 2. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Pune, Jan 1 (PTI) Undeterred by the rising number of COVID-19 cases and the pandemic-related restrictions, thousands of people paid tributes at the Jaystambh military monument in Pune district of Maharashtra on Saturday morning to mark the 204th anniversary of the Koregaon Bhima battle amid tight security. Also Read | New Year 2022 Welcomed in Varanasi in Traditional Manner With Vedic Rituals. Also Read | Stampede at Vaishno Devi Shrine: Union Minister Jitendra Singh Rushes to Katra to Take Stock of Situation. In contrast to the 203rd anniversary of the historical battle last year, which was a low-key affair due to pandemic curbs, many people have paid their tributes at the Jaystambh, which, as per a Dalit narrative is the symbol of the victory over casteism. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, state home minister Dilip Walse Patil, social welfare minister Dhananjay Munde also visited Jaystambh, located near Perne village, this morning. As per the Dalit narrative, the British forces that fought the Peshwas at Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 1818, comprised largely of soldiers from the Dalit Mahar community, who waged a "war for freedom" from 'casteism' of the Peshwas. On January 1 every year, lakhs of people, mainly from the Dalit community, visit the Jaystambh, which was erected by the British in memory of the soldiers who fought against the Peshwas in the Battle of Koregaon Bhima. Violence had broken out near Koregaon Bhima village during the 200th commemoration of the historical battle on January 1, 2018. According to police, "provocative" speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune city a day before had triggered the violence. A senior police officer said on Saturday that the district administration had appealed to people above 60 and children below 10 years to avoid coming to Jaystambh in view of the coronavirus pandemic. Police personnel are deployed in large numbers near the war memorial. Facilities like COVID testing etc are in place, the officer said. As per the order issued by the Pune district administration under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), putting up hoardings or banners in the villages around the memorial, posting content that can spread rumours, create hatred in communities, posting misleading information on social media platforms, has been prohibited. The order came into effect from midnight of December 30 and will remain in force till 6 am on January 2. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) DECATUR State police have confirmed they are conducting a criminal probe into the actions of the former head of a state agency who was fired after he was judged to have acted improperly in granting a law enforcement training waiver to Decatur-based philanthropist Howard Buffett. The news of the investigation was revealed in a response to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by the Herald & Review. The newspaper had sought copies of all emails sent between Buffetts namesake foundation and Brent Fischer, the former executive director of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, ILETSB. Fischer was terminated Sept. 8 after an investigation carried out by the executive inspector generals office a state government watchdog. It concluded that Fischer should not have granted the waiver to Buffett which allowed him to serve as a sheriffs deputy even though he was short of the 560 hours of training required to be a sworn officer. And the State Police are now also suggesting their criminal probe may go beyond just the actions of Fischer. In a letter to the ILETSB legal counsel John R. Keigher requesting that the newspapers FOIA request be denied (which it was), David Catlin, the State Police Freedom of Information Officer, said: The ISPs investigation will ultimately result in a recommendation on whether the employee (presumably a reference to Fischer) should be criminally charged. The investigation may also result in other individuals being charged with crimes. Thus, releasing any records would interfere with the pending investigation. Asked for comment by the Herald & Review, State Police Chief Public Information Officer Lt. Joseph Hutchins said in an email that the investigation involved employees," plural, of the ILETSB. The Illinois State Police has open and ongoing investigations into former employees of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, to quote his full statement. He did not comment further. Buffett has never been accused of any wrongdoing and has previously said he acted properly at all times. An attempt to reach him for comment for this story was not successful. 'A nonstandard document may have been supplied' When the Herald & Review asked the ILETSB for comment, Keigher said that the boards interim executive director, Keith Calloway, had referred all inquiries on the investigation to the State Police. Asked if such an investigation was unprecedented in ILETSBs 55-year history, Keigher said Calloway had said he wasnt aware of a similar event. The State Police letter to the ILETSB urging denial of the newspapers FOIA request goes on to quote State Police Master Sgt. Matthew Barber, a member of the Division of Criminal Investigation, who described the probe into Fischers actions as an allegation of fraud and official misconduct. According to the allegations, the employee within their official capacity, created and supplied a benefactor with an official document without proper authority, Barber is quoted as saying. Through interviews, it was determined that a nonstandard document may have been supplied to the benefactor from the employee. The details of this document, its creation, its issuance and the documents intention are confidential and currently under investigation. Barber characterized the emails sought by the newspaper as being of evidentiary value and, if released to the public, could taint a jury pool. He also said that, due to the highly publicized nature of the case, any release of the emails could influence the recollection of witnesses and those called to testify. The inspector generals investigation of Fischer that led to his firing noted the Howard G. Buffett Foundation had been a generous backer of ILETSB projects: It had earmarked $15 million to build the Macon County Law Enforcement Training Center, which opened in 2017 in Decatur. The investigation also noted that Buffett had been asked for a $10,000 check to fund canine training equipment and, within hours of acknowledging receipt of the check in January 2019, an emailed letter had been sent from Fischers office granting a request from a supporter of Buffett seeking the waiver of the law enforcement training hours standard. The inspector generals report said: Certification of law enforcement officer status, especially considering the significant public interest in maintaining integrity in that process, should not be minimized nor should it be provided based on someones ability to financially contribute to the law enforcement community. Fischer had later tried to claim that the waiver granted to Buffett was only honorary. But Buffett is quoted as telling the inspector generals office that was news to him. The philanthropist had also emphasized that he had never provided any funds or support in exchange for something to benefit himself. 'It just makes me sick what they are doing with him' Buffett, son of billionaire investor Warren Buffett, was appointed Macon County sheriff in 2017 after the former sheriff, Tom Schneider, had stepped down. (Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway sold its newspaper holdings to Lee Enterprises, the parent company of the Herald & Review, in 2020.) At that time sheriffs only had to be a U.S. citizen, have lived in the county they serve for a year and have no felony records to hold the job. But a police standards overhaul signed into law in March required sheriffs to have completed the standard training course. Buffett, who had said he was going to run as a Republican candidate for Macon County sheriff in the 2022 election, then announced he was dropping those plans in June. The waiver controversy became public in November. Buffett, who has a keen interest in law enforcement, has served as a deputy sheriff and volunteer with various police departments in different parts of the country. Those police agencies include the Christian County Sheriffs Office where Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp believes Buffett has gotten a very raw deal over the waiver issue. I want you to know, it just makes me sick what they are doing with him, said Kettelkamp. Hes being made to look like the bad guy when really he was just doing everything he was told, the sheriff said of the waiver controversy. Howard Buffett did nothing wrong. Decatur man faces charges of throwing rocks at cops Police had found him standing in the middle of an intersection. He said Buffett had been a part-time member of his office since 2019, helping out a law enforcement agency that was often short on manpower. Since hes been with us he never did any enforcement action, he never put handcuffs on anybody, but he was there to help our guys, Kettelkamp said. He helped get people into treatment and he has helped in hostage negotiations when we had an incident over here; hes very knowledgeable and its just a shame whats happened to him. Kettelkamp said Buffett has in fact had extensive training and he had served successfully as Macon County sheriff for some 15 months. And that experience alone gives him more than enough experience to be a part-time deputy, he added. Ive never met a more generous person in my life than Howard Buffett and hes not interested in law enforcement just to put on a badge and a gun on his side; he is into it because he really wants to help people. DECATUR State police have confirmed they are conducting a criminal probe into the actions of the former head of a state agency who was fired after he was judged to have acted improperly in granting a law enforcement training waiver to Decatur-based philanthropist Howard Buffett. The news of the investigation was revealed in a response to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by the Herald & Review. The newspaper had sought copies of all emails sent between Buffetts namesake foundation and Brent Fischer, the former executive director of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, ILETSB. Fischer was terminated Sept. 8 after an investigation carried out by the executive inspector generals office a state government watchdog. It concluded that Fischer should not have granted the waiver to Buffett which allowed him to serve as a sheriffs deputy even though he was short of the 560 hours of training required to be a sworn officer. And the State Police are now also suggesting their criminal probe may go beyond just the actions of Fischer. In a letter to the ILETSB legal counsel John R. Keigher requesting that the newspapers FOIA request be denied (which it was), David Catlin, the State Police Freedom of Information Officer, said: The ISPs investigation will ultimately result in a recommendation on whether the employee (presumably a reference to Fischer) should be criminally charged. The investigation may also result in other individuals being charged with crimes. Thus, releasing any records would interfere with the pending investigation. Asked for comment by the Herald & Review, State Police Chief Public Information Officer Lt. Joseph Hutchins said in an email that the investigation involved employees," plural, of the ILETSB. The Illinois State Police has open and ongoing investigations into former employees of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, to quote his full statement. He did not comment further. Buffett has never been accused of any wrongdoing and has previously said he acted properly at all times. An attempt to reach him for comment for this story was not successful. 'A nonstandard document may have been supplied' When the Herald & Review asked the ILETSB for comment, Keigher said that the boards interim executive director, Keith Calloway, had referred all inquiries on the investigation to the State Police. Asked if such an investigation was unprecedented in ILETSBs 55-year history, Keigher said Calloway had said he wasnt aware of a similar event. The State Police letter to the ILETSB urging denial of the newspapers FOIA request goes on to quote State Police Master Sgt. Matthew Barber, a member of the Division of Criminal Investigation, who described the probe into Fischers actions as an allegation of fraud and official misconduct. According to the allegations, the employee within their official capacity, created and supplied a benefactor with an official document without proper authority, Barber is quoted as saying. Through interviews, it was determined that a nonstandard document may have been supplied to the benefactor from the employee. The details of this document, its creation, its issuance and the documents intention are confidential and currently under investigation. Barber characterized the emails sought by the newspaper as being of evidentiary value and, if released to the public, could taint a jury pool. He also said that, due to the highly publicized nature of the case, any release of the emails could influence the recollection of witnesses and those called to testify. The inspector generals investigation of Fischer that led to his firing noted the Howard G. Buffett Foundation had been a generous backer of ILETSB projects: It had earmarked $15 million to build the Macon County Law Enforcement Training Center, which opened in 2017 in Decatur. The investigation also noted that Buffett had been asked for a $10,000 check to fund canine training equipment and, within hours of acknowledging receipt of the check in January 2019, an emailed letter had been sent from Fischers office granting a request from a supporter of Buffett seeking the waiver of the law enforcement training hours standard. The inspector generals report said: Certification of law enforcement officer status, especially considering the significant public interest in maintaining integrity in that process, should not be minimized nor should it be provided based on someones ability to financially contribute to the law enforcement community. Fischer had later tried to claim that the waiver granted to Buffett was only honorary. But Buffett is quoted as telling the inspector generals office that was news to him. The philanthropist had also emphasized that he had never provided any funds or support in exchange for something to benefit himself. 'It just makes me sick what they are doing with him' Buffett, son of billionaire investor Warren Buffett, was appointed Macon County sheriff in 2017 after the former sheriff, Tom Schneider, had stepped down. (Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway sold its newspaper holdings to Lee Enterprises, the parent company of the Herald & Review, in 2020.) At that time sheriffs only had to be a U.S. citizen, have lived in the county they serve for a year and have no felony records to hold the job. But a police standards overhaul signed into law in March required sheriffs to have completed the standard training course. Buffett, who had said he was going to run as a Republican candidate for Macon County sheriff in the 2022 election, then announced he was dropping those plans in June. The waiver controversy became public in November. Buffett, who has a keen interest in law enforcement, has served as a deputy sheriff and volunteer with various police departments in different parts of the country. Those police agencies include the Christian County Sheriffs Office where Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp believes Buffett has gotten a very raw deal over the waiver issue. I want you to know, it just makes me sick what they are doing with him, said Kettelkamp. Hes being made to look like the bad guy when really he was just doing everything he was told, the sheriff said of the waiver controversy. Howard Buffett did nothing wrong. Decatur man faces charges of throwing rocks at cops Police had found him standing in the middle of an intersection. He said Buffett had been a part-time member of his office since 2019, helping out a law enforcement agency that was often short on manpower. Since hes been with us he never did any enforcement action, he never put handcuffs on anybody, but he was there to help our guys, Kettelkamp said. He helped get people into treatment and he has helped in hostage negotiations when we had an incident over here; hes very knowledgeable and its just a shame whats happened to him. Kettelkamp said Buffett has in fact had extensive training and he had served successfully as Macon County sheriff for some 15 months. And that experience alone gives him more than enough experience to be a part-time deputy, he added. Ive never met a more generous person in my life than Howard Buffett and hes not interested in law enforcement just to put on a badge and a gun on his side; he is into it because he really wants to help people. DECATUR State police have confirmed they are conducting a criminal probe into the actions of the former head of a state agency who was fired after he was judged to have acted improperly in granting a law enforcement training waiver to Decatur-based philanthropist Howard Buffett. The news of the investigation was revealed in a response to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by the Herald & Review. The newspaper had sought copies of all emails sent between Buffetts namesake foundation and Brent Fischer, the former executive director of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, ILETSB. Fischer was terminated Sept. 8 after an investigation carried out by the executive inspector generals office a state government watchdog. It concluded that Fischer should not have granted the waiver to Buffett which allowed him to serve as a sheriffs deputy even though he was short of the 560 hours of training required to be a sworn officer. And the State Police are now also suggesting their criminal probe may go beyond just the actions of Fischer. In a letter to the ILETSB legal counsel John R. Keigher requesting that the newspapers FOIA request be denied (which it was), David Catlin, the State Police Freedom of Information Officer, said: The ISPs investigation will ultimately result in a recommendation on whether the employee (presumably a reference to Fischer) should be criminally charged. The investigation may also result in other individuals being charged with crimes. Thus, releasing any records would interfere with the pending investigation. Asked for comment by the Herald & Review, State Police Chief Public Information Officer Lt. Joseph Hutchins said in an email that the investigation involved employees," plural, of the ILETSB. The Illinois State Police has open and ongoing investigations into former employees of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, to quote his full statement. He did not comment further. Buffett has never been accused of any wrongdoing and has previously said he acted properly at all times. An attempt to reach him for comment for this story was not successful. 'A nonstandard document may have been supplied' When the Herald & Review asked the ILETSB for comment, Keigher said that the boards interim executive director, Keith Calloway, had referred all inquiries on the investigation to the State Police. Asked if such an investigation was unprecedented in ILETSBs 55-year history, Keigher said Calloway had said he wasnt aware of a similar event. The State Police letter to the ILETSB urging denial of the newspapers FOIA request goes on to quote State Police Master Sgt. Matthew Barber, a member of the Division of Criminal Investigation, who described the probe into Fischers actions as an allegation of fraud and official misconduct. According to the allegations, the employee within their official capacity, created and supplied a benefactor with an official document without proper authority, Barber is quoted as saying. Through interviews, it was determined that a nonstandard document may have been supplied to the benefactor from the employee. The details of this document, its creation, its issuance and the documents intention are confidential and currently under investigation. Barber characterized the emails sought by the newspaper as being of evidentiary value and, if released to the public, could taint a jury pool. He also said that, due to the highly publicized nature of the case, any release of the emails could influence the recollection of witnesses and those called to testify. The inspector generals investigation of Fischer that led to his firing noted the Howard G. Buffett Foundation had been a generous backer of ILETSB projects: It had earmarked $15 million to build the Macon County Law Enforcement Training Center, which opened in 2017 in Decatur. The investigation also noted that Buffett had been asked for a $10,000 check to fund canine training equipment and, within hours of acknowledging receipt of the check in January 2019, an emailed letter had been sent from Fischers office granting a request from a supporter of Buffett seeking the waiver of the law enforcement training hours standard. The inspector generals report said: Certification of law enforcement officer status, especially considering the significant public interest in maintaining integrity in that process, should not be minimized nor should it be provided based on someones ability to financially contribute to the law enforcement community. Fischer had later tried to claim that the waiver granted to Buffett was only honorary. But Buffett is quoted as telling the inspector generals office that was news to him. The philanthropist had also emphasized that he had never provided any funds or support in exchange for something to benefit himself. 'It just makes me sick what they are doing with him' Buffett, son of billionaire investor Warren Buffett, was appointed Macon County sheriff in 2017 after the former sheriff, Tom Schneider, had stepped down. (Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway sold its newspaper holdings to Lee Enterprises, the parent company of the Herald & Review, in 2020.) At that time sheriffs only had to be a U.S. citizen, have lived in the county they serve for a year and have no felony records to hold the job. But a police standards overhaul signed into law in March required sheriffs to have completed the standard training course. Buffett, who had said he was going to run as a Republican candidate for Macon County sheriff in the 2022 election, then announced he was dropping those plans in June. The waiver controversy became public in November. Buffett, who has a keen interest in law enforcement, has served as a deputy sheriff and volunteer with various police departments in different parts of the country. Those police agencies include the Christian County Sheriffs Office where Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp believes Buffett has gotten a very raw deal over the waiver issue. I want you to know, it just makes me sick what they are doing with him, said Kettelkamp. Hes being made to look like the bad guy when really he was just doing everything he was told, the sheriff said of the waiver controversy. Howard Buffett did nothing wrong. Decatur man faces charges of throwing rocks at cops Police had found him standing in the middle of an intersection. He said Buffett had been a part-time member of his office since 2019, helping out a law enforcement agency that was often short on manpower. Since hes been with us he never did any enforcement action, he never put handcuffs on anybody, but he was there to help our guys, Kettelkamp said. He helped get people into treatment and he has helped in hostage negotiations when we had an incident over here; hes very knowledgeable and its just a shame whats happened to him. Kettelkamp said Buffett has in fact had extensive training and he had served successfully as Macon County sheriff for some 15 months. And that experience alone gives him more than enough experience to be a part-time deputy, he added. Ive never met a more generous person in my life than Howard Buffett and hes not interested in law enforcement just to put on a badge and a gun on his side; he is into it because he really wants to help people. Pune, Jan 1 (PTI) Undeterred by the rising number of COVID-19 cases and the pandemic-related restrictions, thousands of people paid tributes at the Jaystambh military monument in Pune district of Maharashtra on Saturday morning to mark the 204th anniversary of the Koregaon Bhima battle amid tight security. Also Read | New Year 2022 Welcomed in Varanasi in Traditional Manner With Vedic Rituals. Also Read | Stampede at Vaishno Devi Shrine: Union Minister Jitendra Singh Rushes to Katra to Take Stock of Situation. In contrast to the 203rd anniversary of the historical battle last year, which was a low-key affair due to pandemic curbs, many people have paid their tributes at the Jaystambh, which, as per a Dalit narrative is the symbol of the victory over casteism. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, state home minister Dilip Walse Patil, social welfare minister Dhananjay Munde also visited Jaystambh, located near Perne village, this morning. As per the Dalit narrative, the British forces that fought the Peshwas at Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 1818, comprised largely of soldiers from the Dalit Mahar community, who waged a "war for freedom" from 'casteism' of the Peshwas. On January 1 every year, lakhs of people, mainly from the Dalit community, visit the Jaystambh, which was erected by the British in memory of the soldiers who fought against the Peshwas in the Battle of Koregaon Bhima. Violence had broken out near Koregaon Bhima village during the 200th commemoration of the historical battle on January 1, 2018. According to police, "provocative" speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune city a day before had triggered the violence. A senior police officer said on Saturday that the district administration had appealed to people above 60 and children below 10 years to avoid coming to Jaystambh in view of the coronavirus pandemic. Police personnel are deployed in large numbers near the war memorial. Facilities like COVID testing etc are in place, the officer said. As per the order issued by the Pune district administration under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), putting up hoardings or banners in the villages around the memorial, posting content that can spread rumours, create hatred in communities, posting misleading information on social media platforms, has been prohibited. The order came into effect from midnight of December 30 and will remain in force till 6 am on January 2. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Eric Leroy Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City early Saturday in a festive but pared-down Times Square ceremony, a signal of the formidable task before him as he begins his term while coronavirus cases are surging anew. Mr. Adams, 61, the son of a house cleaner who was a New York City police captain before entering politics, has called himself the future of the Democratic Party, and pledged to address longstanding inequities as the citys first blue-collar mayor, while simultaneously embracing the business community. Yet not since 2002, when Michael R. Bloomberg took office shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks, has an incoming mayor confronted such daunting challenges in New York City. Even before the latest Omicron-fueled surge, the citys economy was still struggling to recover, with its 9.4 percent unemployment rate more than double the national average. Murders, shootings and some other categories of violent crimes rose early in the pandemic and have remained higher than before the virus began to spread. File photo taken on March 26, 2021 shows Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Dato Lim Jock Hoi working at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia. TO GO WITH "Interview: RCEP to catalyze sustainable economic recovery amid COVID-19, says ASEAN secretary-general" (ASEAN Secretariat/Handout via Xinhua) JAKARTA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement will open up opportunities to catalyze the expansion of regional trade and investment much needed for economic recovery amid COVID-19, said Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Dato Lim Jock Hoi. The ASEAN Secretariat announced in November that the RCEP agreement will enter into force on Jan. 1, 2022, as it has received instruments of ratification from six ASEAN countries, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as from four non-ASEAN signatory states of Australia, China, Japan and New Zealand. In a recent written interview with Xinhua, Lim said RCEP demonstrates the shared commitment of ASEAN, China and other parties to a multilateral trading system. Signed in November 2020, RCEP is currently the largest free trade agreement in the world, connecting ASEAN and major global economies including China, South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Lim noted that RCEP reinforces regional economic integration by expanding common accumulative rules of origin, simplified customs procedures, trade facilitation, and coherent trade rules that provide greater transparency, fairness, and predictability for businesses. "All these will translate into a significant reduction of trade costs and processing time for ASEAN businesses, especially micro, small and medium enterprises," which will have a greater chance of integration into the regional and global supply chains, he said. Lim stressed that after the implementation of the RCEP agreement, each party will have to transform its regulatory framework accordingly, and the business community needs to be equipped with capability, skills and knowledge about how to seize opportunities to enhance their competitiveness. In 2021, China and ASEAN agreed to elevate their bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, which Lim said not only marks an important milestone in ASEAN-China relations, but is expected to shape a new landscape and momentum for economic cooperation in bilateral relations between ASEAN and China in many years to come. With a new landscape in prospect, Lim hoped that ASEAN and China will work more closely together to inject resilience in their economic and trade linkages. He added that both sides should revitalize the new ASEAN-China economic relationship by harnessing the potential of technological advancement as the new driver for growth and joining coordination efforts to address common challenges such as climate change. Enditem Eric Leroy Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City early Saturday in a festive but pared-down Times Square ceremony, a signal of the formidable task before him as he begins his term while coronavirus cases are surging anew. Mr. Adams, 61, the son of a house cleaner who was a New York City police captain before entering politics, has called himself the future of the Democratic Party, and pledged to address longstanding inequities as the citys first blue-collar mayor, while simultaneously embracing the business community. Yet not since 2002, when Michael R. Bloomberg took office shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks, has an incoming mayor confronted such daunting challenges in New York City. Even before the latest Omicron-fueled surge, the citys economy was still struggling to recover, with its 9.4 percent unemployment rate more than double the national average. Murders, shootings and some other categories of violent crimes rose early in the pandemic and have remained higher than before the virus began to spread. Pune, Jan 1 (PTI) Undeterred by the rising number of COVID-19 cases and the pandemic-related restrictions, thousands of people paid tributes at the Jaystambh military monument in Pune district of Maharashtra on Saturday morning to mark the 204th anniversary of the Koregaon Bhima battle amid tight security. Also Read | New Year 2022 Welcomed in Varanasi in Traditional Manner With Vedic Rituals. Also Read | Stampede at Vaishno Devi Shrine: Union Minister Jitendra Singh Rushes to Katra to Take Stock of Situation. In contrast to the 203rd anniversary of the historical battle last year, which was a low-key affair due to pandemic curbs, many people have paid their tributes at the Jaystambh, which, as per a Dalit narrative is the symbol of the victory over casteism. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, state home minister Dilip Walse Patil, social welfare minister Dhananjay Munde also visited Jaystambh, located near Perne village, this morning. As per the Dalit narrative, the British forces that fought the Peshwas at Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 1818, comprised largely of soldiers from the Dalit Mahar community, who waged a "war for freedom" from 'casteism' of the Peshwas. On January 1 every year, lakhs of people, mainly from the Dalit community, visit the Jaystambh, which was erected by the British in memory of the soldiers who fought against the Peshwas in the Battle of Koregaon Bhima. Violence had broken out near Koregaon Bhima village during the 200th commemoration of the historical battle on January 1, 2018. According to police, "provocative" speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune city a day before had triggered the violence. A senior police officer said on Saturday that the district administration had appealed to people above 60 and children below 10 years to avoid coming to Jaystambh in view of the coronavirus pandemic. Police personnel are deployed in large numbers near the war memorial. Facilities like COVID testing etc are in place, the officer said. As per the order issued by the Pune district administration under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), putting up hoardings or banners in the villages around the memorial, posting content that can spread rumours, create hatred in communities, posting misleading information on social media platforms, has been prohibited. The order came into effect from midnight of December 30 and will remain in force till 6 am on January 2. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) This combination photo shows U.S. President Joe Biden, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. AFP-Yonhap President Joe Biden said Friday he told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that a move on Ukraine will draw sanctions and an increased U.S. presence in Europe, where tensions are high after Russia's military buildup at the border. The U.S. and Russian leaders exchanged warnings over Ukraine in a 50-minute call, Thursday, to address Russian military actions. "I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it," Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. Biden says Putin agreed on "three major conferences" next month with senior staff to help find a resolution and said he expected progress from those negotiations. However, he added, "I made it clear that it only could work if he de-escalated." Asked if Moscow faces sanctions if it kept troops on the border, Biden said, "I'm not going to negotiate here in public but we made it clear that he cannot emphasize cannot move on Ukraine." Biden will speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Sunday, a White house official said earlier on Friday. He will reaffirm support for Ukraine, discuss Russia's military buildup and review preparations for diplomatic efforts to calm the situation in the region, the official said. The Biden-Putin exchange set the stage for lower-level engagement between the countries that includes the U.S.-Russia security meeting Jan. 9 and 10, followed by a Russia-NATO session Jan. 12, and a broader conference including Moscow, Washington and other European countries Jan. 13. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken sought to lay the groundwork for those talks Friday in calls with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and others, the State Department said. In conversations with the foreign ministers of Canada and Italy, Blinken discussed a united response to deter further Russian aggression against Ukraine. (Reuters) Access to a popular tourist site in the eastern coastal city of Pohang remained restricted, Dec. 31, due to fears of COVID-19 infections among possible crowds for the first sunrise of 2022. Yonhap New COVID-19 infections stayed below 5,000 for the second day in a row Friday as Korea maintained tough social distancing restrictions to rein in the fast spread of the coronavirus. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 4,416 new cases, including 4,310 local ones, raising the total caseload to 635,253. The daily figure marks a slight decline from 4,875 tallied Thursday. Sixty-two more deaths were also recorded, raising the toll to 5,625, for a fatality rate of 0.89 percent. The number of critically ill COVID-19 patients remained high at 1,049 after reaching an all-time high of 1,151, Wednesday. Critical cases have stayed above 1,000 for 12 consecutive days. Since hitting an all-time record of 7,848, Dec. 15, daily numbers have crept down to around 5,000 as the government temporarily shelved its "Living with COVID-19" strategy and restored tough social distancing restrictions. On Friday, the government announced the extension of those measures, including a four-person cap on private gatherings nationwide and a 9 p.m. business hour curfew on cafes and restaurants, for two more weeks through mid-January to stem the virus upsurge and the Omicron variant. On Saturday, the country reported 220 new Omicron cases, bringing the total to 1,114 among them, 94 were imported and 126 transmitted locally. Of all local cases, 1,429 were in Seoul, 1,359 in the surrounding Gyeonggi Province and 239 in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of the capital. (Yonhap) Access to a popular tourist site in the eastern coastal city of Pohang remained restricted, Dec. 31, due to fears of COVID-19 infections among possible crowds for the first sunrise of 2022. Yonhap New COVID-19 infections stayed below 5,000 for the second day in a row Friday as Korea maintained tough social distancing restrictions to rein in the fast spread of the coronavirus. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 4,416 new cases, including 4,310 local ones, raising the total caseload to 635,253. The daily figure marks a slight decline from 4,875 tallied Thursday. Sixty-two more deaths were also recorded, raising the toll to 5,625, for a fatality rate of 0.89 percent. The number of critically ill COVID-19 patients remained high at 1,049 after reaching an all-time high of 1,151, Wednesday. Critical cases have stayed above 1,000 for 12 consecutive days. Since hitting an all-time record of 7,848, Dec. 15, daily numbers have crept down to around 5,000 as the government temporarily shelved its "Living with COVID-19" strategy and restored tough social distancing restrictions. On Friday, the government announced the extension of those measures, including a four-person cap on private gatherings nationwide and a 9 p.m. business hour curfew on cafes and restaurants, for two more weeks through mid-January to stem the virus upsurge and the Omicron variant. On Saturday, the country reported 220 new Omicron cases, bringing the total to 1,114 among them, 94 were imported and 126 transmitted locally. Of all local cases, 1,429 were in Seoul, 1,359 in the surrounding Gyeonggi Province and 239 in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of the capital. (Yonhap) gettyimagesbank A Seoul court has ordered the government to compensate the family of a mentally ill man who died after being handcuffed by police, court records showed Saturday. The Seoul Central District Court recently ruled that the state must pay 320 million won ($269,160) to the victim's family over the use of excessive force by law enforcement officers. The incident occurred in January 2019, when police and emergency rescue workers were called to a home in the city after the family reported that the man was behaving abnormally. The man who suffered from a mental disorder refused to be taken to a hospital and confronted officers with two or three knives in his hands. Officers used a stun gun to overpower the man and held him down on his stomach on a bed for about 10 minutes, with his hands cuffed behind his back and his ankles tied with bandages. When rescue workers tried to move him, he was unconscious. He was taken to a hospital but died five months later. The court recognized a causal relationship between the police officers' excessive force and his death. "Handcuffing the deceased's hands and tying his feet behind his back while he was no longer in a condition to harm himself or others exceeded the standards and scope of the exercise of physical force allowed by law," the court said. (Yonhap) gettyimagesbank A Seoul court has ordered the government to compensate the family of a mentally ill man who died after being handcuffed by police, court records showed Saturday. The Seoul Central District Court recently ruled that the state must pay 320 million won ($269,160) to the victim's family over the use of excessive force by law enforcement officers. The incident occurred in January 2019, when police and emergency rescue workers were called to a home in the city after the family reported that the man was behaving abnormally. The man who suffered from a mental disorder refused to be taken to a hospital and confronted officers with two or three knives in his hands. Officers used a stun gun to overpower the man and held him down on his stomach on a bed for about 10 minutes, with his hands cuffed behind his back and his ankles tied with bandages. When rescue workers tried to move him, he was unconscious. He was taken to a hospital but died five months later. The court recognized a causal relationship between the police officers' excessive force and his death. "Handcuffing the deceased's hands and tying his feet behind his back while he was no longer in a condition to harm himself or others exceeded the standards and scope of the exercise of physical force allowed by law," the court said. (Yonhap) Ruling Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, right, and his rival Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party attend a roundtable meeting held in Seoul, Dec. 28. Korea Times file Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), leads his rival from the main opposition People Power Party, Yoon Suk-yeol, 34.3 percent to 28.7 percent, a poll showed Saturday. Lee's 5.6 percentage point lead over Yoon in the survey by Hankook Research was within its margin of error of 3.1 percentage points. The poll, commissioned by the Hankook Ilbo daily, was conducted on 1,005 voters nationwide Wednesday and Thursday and has a 95 percent confidence level. Ahn Cheol-soo of the minor opposition People's Party came in third with support of 9 percent, followed by Sim Sang-jeung of the progressive Justice Party at 4.5 percent. Ruling Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, right, and his rival Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party attend a roundtable meeting held in Seoul, Dec. 28. Korea Times file Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), leads his rival from the main opposition People Power Party, Yoon Suk-yeol, 34.3 percent to 28.7 percent, a poll showed Saturday. Lee's 5.6 percentage point lead over Yoon in the survey by Hankook Research was within its margin of error of 3.1 percentage points. The poll, commissioned by the Hankook Ilbo daily, was conducted on 1,005 voters nationwide Wednesday and Thursday and has a 95 percent confidence level. Ahn Cheol-soo of the minor opposition People's Party came in third with support of 9 percent, followed by Sim Sang-jeung of the progressive Justice Party at 4.5 percent. Ruling Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, right, and his rival Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party attend a roundtable meeting held in Seoul, Dec. 28. Korea Times file Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), leads his rival from the main opposition People Power Party, Yoon Suk-yeol, 34.3 percent to 28.7 percent, a poll showed Saturday. Lee's 5.6 percentage point lead over Yoon in the survey by Hankook Research was within its margin of error of 3.1 percentage points. The poll, commissioned by the Hankook Ilbo daily, was conducted on 1,005 voters nationwide Wednesday and Thursday and has a 95 percent confidence level. Ahn Cheol-soo of the minor opposition People's Party came in third with support of 9 percent, followed by Sim Sang-jeung of the progressive Justice Party at 4.5 percent. The report that came to the attention of the United States military in April 2017 relayed devastating news from Iraq: More than 30 people, among them women and children, had been killed when aircraft from the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Mosul struck a neighborhood known as Siha. A civilian casualty cell of the U.S. military, which was charged with assessing reports of civilians killed or wounded in coalition operations, learned of the claim in a Facebook post published on April 11 by the news outlet, the Iraqi Spring Media Center. The Pentagon began an inquiry, but only a week later its assessment officers couldnt confirm whether coalition aircraft had targeted that location, and they dismissed the claim, saying Siha was not among known districts of West Mosul. There would be no further review. Ruling Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, right, and his rival Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party attend a roundtable meeting held in Seoul, Dec. 28. Korea Times file Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), leads his rival from the main opposition People Power Party, Yoon Suk-yeol, 34.3 percent to 28.7 percent, a poll showed Saturday. Lee's 5.6 percentage point lead over Yoon in the survey by Hankook Research was within its margin of error of 3.1 percentage points. The poll, commissioned by the Hankook Ilbo daily, was conducted on 1,005 voters nationwide Wednesday and Thursday and has a 95 percent confidence level. Ahn Cheol-soo of the minor opposition People's Party came in third with support of 9 percent, followed by Sim Sang-jeung of the progressive Justice Party at 4.5 percent. DECATUR State police have confirmed they are conducting a criminal probe into the actions of the former head of a state agency who was fired after he was judged to have acted improperly in granting a law enforcement training waiver to Decatur-based philanthropist Howard Buffett. The news of the investigation was revealed in a response to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by the Herald & Review. The newspaper had sought copies of all emails sent between Buffetts namesake foundation and Brent Fischer, the former executive director of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, ILETSB. Fischer was terminated Sept. 8 after an investigation carried out by the executive inspector generals office a state government watchdog. It concluded that Fischer should not have granted the waiver to Buffett which allowed him to serve as a sheriffs deputy even though he was short of the 560 hours of training required to be a sworn officer. And the State Police are now also suggesting their criminal probe may go beyond just the actions of Fischer. In a letter to the ILETSB legal counsel John R. Keigher requesting that the newspapers FOIA request be denied (which it was), David Catlin, the State Police Freedom of Information Officer, said: The ISPs investigation will ultimately result in a recommendation on whether the employee (presumably a reference to Fischer) should be criminally charged. The investigation may also result in other individuals being charged with crimes. Thus, releasing any records would interfere with the pending investigation. Asked for comment by the Herald & Review, State Police Chief Public Information Officer Lt. Joseph Hutchins said in an email that the investigation involved employees," plural, of the ILETSB. The Illinois State Police has open and ongoing investigations into former employees of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, to quote his full statement. He did not comment further. Buffett has never been accused of any wrongdoing and has previously said he acted properly at all times. An attempt to reach him for comment for this story was not successful. 'A nonstandard document may have been supplied' When the Herald & Review asked the ILETSB for comment, Keigher said that the boards interim executive director, Keith Calloway, had referred all inquiries on the investigation to the State Police. Asked if such an investigation was unprecedented in ILETSBs 55-year history, Keigher said Calloway had said he wasnt aware of a similar event. The State Police letter to the ILETSB urging denial of the newspapers FOIA request goes on to quote State Police Master Sgt. Matthew Barber, a member of the Division of Criminal Investigation, who described the probe into Fischers actions as an allegation of fraud and official misconduct. According to the allegations, the employee within their official capacity, created and supplied a benefactor with an official document without proper authority, Barber is quoted as saying. Through interviews, it was determined that a nonstandard document may have been supplied to the benefactor from the employee. The details of this document, its creation, its issuance and the documents intention are confidential and currently under investigation. Barber characterized the emails sought by the newspaper as being of evidentiary value and, if released to the public, could taint a jury pool. He also said that, due to the highly publicized nature of the case, any release of the emails could influence the recollection of witnesses and those called to testify. The inspector generals investigation of Fischer that led to his firing noted the Howard G. Buffett Foundation had been a generous backer of ILETSB projects: It had earmarked $15 million to build the Macon County Law Enforcement Training Center, which opened in 2017 in Decatur. The investigation also noted that Buffett had been asked for a $10,000 check to fund canine training equipment and, within hours of acknowledging receipt of the check in January 2019, an emailed letter had been sent from Fischers office granting a request from a supporter of Buffett seeking the waiver of the law enforcement training hours standard. The inspector generals report said: Certification of law enforcement officer status, especially considering the significant public interest in maintaining integrity in that process, should not be minimized nor should it be provided based on someones ability to financially contribute to the law enforcement community. Fischer had later tried to claim that the waiver granted to Buffett was only honorary. But Buffett is quoted as telling the inspector generals office that was news to him. The philanthropist had also emphasized that he had never provided any funds or support in exchange for something to benefit himself. 'It just makes me sick what they are doing with him' Buffett, son of billionaire investor Warren Buffett, was appointed Macon County sheriff in 2017 after the former sheriff, Tom Schneider, had stepped down. (Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway sold its newspaper holdings to Lee Enterprises, the parent company of the Herald & Review, in 2020.) At that time sheriffs only had to be a U.S. citizen, have lived in the county they serve for a year and have no felony records to hold the job. But a police standards overhaul signed into law in March required sheriffs to have completed the standard training course. Buffett, who had said he was going to run as a Republican candidate for Macon County sheriff in the 2022 election, then announced he was dropping those plans in June. The waiver controversy became public in November. Buffett, who has a keen interest in law enforcement, has served as a deputy sheriff and volunteer with various police departments in different parts of the country. Those police agencies include the Christian County Sheriffs Office where Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp believes Buffett has gotten a very raw deal over the waiver issue. I want you to know, it just makes me sick what they are doing with him, said Kettelkamp. Hes being made to look like the bad guy when really he was just doing everything he was told, the sheriff said of the waiver controversy. Howard Buffett did nothing wrong. Decatur man faces charges of throwing rocks at cops Police had found him standing in the middle of an intersection. He said Buffett had been a part-time member of his office since 2019, helping out a law enforcement agency that was often short on manpower. Since hes been with us he never did any enforcement action, he never put handcuffs on anybody, but he was there to help our guys, Kettelkamp said. He helped get people into treatment and he has helped in hostage negotiations when we had an incident over here; hes very knowledgeable and its just a shame whats happened to him. Kettelkamp said Buffett has in fact had extensive training and he had served successfully as Macon County sheriff for some 15 months. And that experience alone gives him more than enough experience to be a part-time deputy, he added. Ive never met a more generous person in my life than Howard Buffett and hes not interested in law enforcement just to put on a badge and a gun on his side; he is into it because he really wants to help people. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presides over a plenary session of the central committee of the ruling Workers' Party in Pyongyang, during meetings which ran from Dec. 27 to 31, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. Yonhap North Korean officials noted the "growing instability" of the military situation on the peninsula and emphasized the importance of boosting the country's defense capabilities at Workers' Party plenary sessions held earlier this week, according to Pyongyang's state media Saturday. The North, however, stopped short of providing the outside world with fresh clues to its key policies related to inter-Korean ties and denuclearization talks with the United States. During the five-day 4th Plenary Meeting of the party's 8th Central Committee that concluded Friday, participants described the continued development of advanced weapons systems as a "significant" achievement for 2021. Leader Kim Jong-un attended the meetings. They urged the defense industry to further drive "qualitative change" in the country's military capabilities. "The growing instability of the military situation on the Korean Peninsula and international circumstances are demanding us to more powerfully strengthen the national defense capabilities without a hitch," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a lengthy report. Among other agenda items were key policy directions for inter-Korean relations and foreign affairs in the midst of fast-changing international political situations. But it did not give details on the results of relevant discussions. Beginning a new year, the secretive North has often delivered major messages on inter-Korean ties and relations with the U.S. through state media reports on such a major party meeting or special speeches by Kim. However, he has skipped giving a New Year's Day address for the past two years. The KCNA report on the year-end party session, intended to review last year's policy accomplishments and set the direction of 2022 policies, focused instead on discussions on ways to develop the country's economy and improve the people's livelihoods. The North again picked antivirus efforts as "the most important" national business. Pyongyang has imposed a strict border closure since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and claims to be coronavirus-free. On the economy, the North rolled out a series of measures to develop the country's agricultural sector as part of efforts to tackle chronic food shortages. The North is estimated to be falling short by around 1 million tons of food every year, with the coronavirus-driven border lockdown believed to have taken a toll on the country's already substandard food situation. On the second day of the plenary session, Kim ordered "important revolutionary measures" to address "rural questions," suggesting they are among the most pressing tasks facing the country on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Kim's accession to power Thursday. The leader's influential younger sister, Kim Yo-jong, meanwhile, was not included among newly elected members or alternate members of the ruling party's powerful political bureau. Speculation had been rampant over a possible change in her stature after she was seen standing alongside members of the politburo during a memorial event last month. (Yonhap) North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presides over a plenary session of the central committee of the ruling Workers' Party in Pyongyang, during meetings which ran from Dec. 27 to 31, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. Yonhap North Korean officials noted the "growing instability" of the military situation on the peninsula and emphasized the importance of boosting the country's defense capabilities at Workers' Party plenary sessions held earlier this week, according to Pyongyang's state media Saturday. The North, however, stopped short of providing the outside world with fresh clues to its key policies related to inter-Korean ties and denuclearization talks with the United States. During the five-day 4th Plenary Meeting of the party's 8th Central Committee that concluded Friday, participants described the continued development of advanced weapons systems as a "significant" achievement for 2021. Leader Kim Jong-un attended the meetings. They urged the defense industry to further drive "qualitative change" in the country's military capabilities. "The growing instability of the military situation on the Korean Peninsula and international circumstances are demanding us to more powerfully strengthen the national defense capabilities without a hitch," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a lengthy report. Among other agenda items were key policy directions for inter-Korean relations and foreign affairs in the midst of fast-changing international political situations. But it did not give details on the results of relevant discussions. Beginning a new year, the secretive North has often delivered major messages on inter-Korean ties and relations with the U.S. through state media reports on such a major party meeting or special speeches by Kim. However, he has skipped giving a New Year's Day address for the past two years. The KCNA report on the year-end party session, intended to review last year's policy accomplishments and set the direction of 2022 policies, focused instead on discussions on ways to develop the country's economy and improve the people's livelihoods. The North again picked antivirus efforts as "the most important" national business. Pyongyang has imposed a strict border closure since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and claims to be coronavirus-free. On the economy, the North rolled out a series of measures to develop the country's agricultural sector as part of efforts to tackle chronic food shortages. The North is estimated to be falling short by around 1 million tons of food every year, with the coronavirus-driven border lockdown believed to have taken a toll on the country's already substandard food situation. On the second day of the plenary session, Kim ordered "important revolutionary measures" to address "rural questions," suggesting they are among the most pressing tasks facing the country on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Kim's accession to power Thursday. The leader's influential younger sister, Kim Yo-jong, meanwhile, was not included among newly elected members or alternate members of the ruling party's powerful political bureau. Speculation had been rampant over a possible change in her stature after she was seen standing alongside members of the politburo during a memorial event last month. (Yonhap) Pune, Jan 1 (PTI) Undeterred by the rising number of COVID-19 cases and the pandemic-related restrictions, thousands of people paid tributes at the Jaystambh military monument in Pune district of Maharashtra on Saturday morning to mark the 204th anniversary of the Koregaon Bhima battle amid tight security. Also Read | New Year 2022 Welcomed in Varanasi in Traditional Manner With Vedic Rituals. Also Read | Stampede at Vaishno Devi Shrine: Union Minister Jitendra Singh Rushes to Katra to Take Stock of Situation. In contrast to the 203rd anniversary of the historical battle last year, which was a low-key affair due to pandemic curbs, many people have paid their tributes at the Jaystambh, which, as per a Dalit narrative is the symbol of the victory over casteism. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, state home minister Dilip Walse Patil, social welfare minister Dhananjay Munde also visited Jaystambh, located near Perne village, this morning. As per the Dalit narrative, the British forces that fought the Peshwas at Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 1818, comprised largely of soldiers from the Dalit Mahar community, who waged a "war for freedom" from 'casteism' of the Peshwas. On January 1 every year, lakhs of people, mainly from the Dalit community, visit the Jaystambh, which was erected by the British in memory of the soldiers who fought against the Peshwas in the Battle of Koregaon Bhima. Violence had broken out near Koregaon Bhima village during the 200th commemoration of the historical battle on January 1, 2018. According to police, "provocative" speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune city a day before had triggered the violence. A senior police officer said on Saturday that the district administration had appealed to people above 60 and children below 10 years to avoid coming to Jaystambh in view of the coronavirus pandemic. Police personnel are deployed in large numbers near the war memorial. Facilities like COVID testing etc are in place, the officer said. As per the order issued by the Pune district administration under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), putting up hoardings or banners in the villages around the memorial, posting content that can spread rumours, create hatred in communities, posting misleading information on social media platforms, has been prohibited. The order came into effect from midnight of December 30 and will remain in force till 6 am on January 2. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Pune, Jan 1 (PTI) Undeterred by the rising number of COVID-19 cases and the pandemic-related restrictions, thousands of people paid tributes at the Jaystambh military monument in Pune district of Maharashtra on Saturday morning to mark the 204th anniversary of the Koregaon Bhima battle amid tight security. Also Read | New Year 2022 Welcomed in Varanasi in Traditional Manner With Vedic Rituals. Also Read | Stampede at Vaishno Devi Shrine: Union Minister Jitendra Singh Rushes to Katra to Take Stock of Situation. In contrast to the 203rd anniversary of the historical battle last year, which was a low-key affair due to pandemic curbs, many people have paid their tributes at the Jaystambh, which, as per a Dalit narrative is the symbol of the victory over casteism. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, state home minister Dilip Walse Patil, social welfare minister Dhananjay Munde also visited Jaystambh, located near Perne village, this morning. As per the Dalit narrative, the British forces that fought the Peshwas at Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 1818, comprised largely of soldiers from the Dalit Mahar community, who waged a "war for freedom" from 'casteism' of the Peshwas. On January 1 every year, lakhs of people, mainly from the Dalit community, visit the Jaystambh, which was erected by the British in memory of the soldiers who fought against the Peshwas in the Battle of Koregaon Bhima. Violence had broken out near Koregaon Bhima village during the 200th commemoration of the historical battle on January 1, 2018. According to police, "provocative" speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune city a day before had triggered the violence. A senior police officer said on Saturday that the district administration had appealed to people above 60 and children below 10 years to avoid coming to Jaystambh in view of the coronavirus pandemic. Police personnel are deployed in large numbers near the war memorial. Facilities like COVID testing etc are in place, the officer said. As per the order issued by the Pune district administration under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), putting up hoardings or banners in the villages around the memorial, posting content that can spread rumours, create hatred in communities, posting misleading information on social media platforms, has been prohibited. The order came into effect from midnight of December 30 and will remain in force till 6 am on January 2. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Ruling Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, right, and his rival Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party attend a roundtable meeting held in Seoul, Dec. 28. Korea Times file Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), leads his rival from the main opposition People Power Party, Yoon Suk-yeol, 34.3 percent to 28.7 percent, a poll showed Saturday. Lee's 5.6 percentage point lead over Yoon in the survey by Hankook Research was within its margin of error of 3.1 percentage points. The poll, commissioned by the Hankook Ilbo daily, was conducted on 1,005 voters nationwide Wednesday and Thursday and has a 95 percent confidence level. Ahn Cheol-soo of the minor opposition People's Party came in third with support of 9 percent, followed by Sim Sang-jeung of the progressive Justice Party at 4.5 percent. Ruling Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, right, and his rival Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party attend a roundtable meeting held in Seoul, Dec. 28. Korea Times file Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), leads his rival from the main opposition People Power Party, Yoon Suk-yeol, 34.3 percent to 28.7 percent, a poll showed Saturday. Lee's 5.6 percentage point lead over Yoon in the survey by Hankook Research was within its margin of error of 3.1 percentage points. The poll, commissioned by the Hankook Ilbo daily, was conducted on 1,005 voters nationwide Wednesday and Thursday and has a 95 percent confidence level. Ahn Cheol-soo of the minor opposition People's Party came in third with support of 9 percent, followed by Sim Sang-jeung of the progressive Justice Party at 4.5 percent. Ruling Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, right, and his rival Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party attend a roundtable meeting held in Seoul, Dec. 28. Korea Times file Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), leads his rival from the main opposition People Power Party, Yoon Suk-yeol, 34.3 percent to 28.7 percent, a poll showed Saturday. Lee's 5.6 percentage point lead over Yoon in the survey by Hankook Research was within its margin of error of 3.1 percentage points. The poll, commissioned by the Hankook Ilbo daily, was conducted on 1,005 voters nationwide Wednesday and Thursday and has a 95 percent confidence level. Ahn Cheol-soo of the minor opposition People's Party came in third with support of 9 percent, followed by Sim Sang-jeung of the progressive Justice Party at 4.5 percent. Ruling Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, right, and his rival Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party attend a roundtable meeting held in Seoul, Dec. 28. Korea Times file Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), leads his rival from the main opposition People Power Party, Yoon Suk-yeol, 34.3 percent to 28.7 percent, a poll showed Saturday. Lee's 5.6 percentage point lead over Yoon in the survey by Hankook Research was within its margin of error of 3.1 percentage points. The poll, commissioned by the Hankook Ilbo daily, was conducted on 1,005 voters nationwide Wednesday and Thursday and has a 95 percent confidence level. Ahn Cheol-soo of the minor opposition People's Party came in third with support of 9 percent, followed by Sim Sang-jeung of the progressive Justice Party at 4.5 percent. DES MOINES The county attorney prosecuting the case of two southeast Iowa teens charged with murder in the death of their high school Spanish teacher said in court documents that they surveilled her pattern of life, ambushed her along her daily walk and dragged her into the woods, returning later to better hide her lifeless body. Those additional details of the death of Nohema Graber in early November were revealed in a Dec. 23 filing in the case of Jeremy Goodale, 16, of Fairfield. He is charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder with classmate Willard Miller, also 16. Attorneys for both teens have asked a judge to move their case to juvenile court. Hearings on the requests are scheduled for Jan. 27. In court documents filed Dec. 23, Jefferson County Attorney Chauncy Moulding offered the additional details of Grabers death. Graber, 66, was reported missing Nov. 2 and her remains were found later that day in a park. Authorities earlier confirmed that she had suffered inflicted trauma to the head and that her body was found concealed under a tarp, wheelbarrow and railroad ties at the Chautauqua Park in Fairfield, about 95 miles southeast of Des Moines. Authorities have not released a motive. Both teens attended Grabers Spanish class at Fairfield High School, where she had taught since 2012. Moulding argued that trying Goodale as an adult is the only appropriate plan because he would be released at age 18, less than 24 months, if he is tried and convicted in the juvenile court system. This prosecuting attorney cannot fathom any combination of programming at any Iowa juvenile facility which could appropriately treat or rehabilitate the defendant if adjudicated as a juvenile, he said. Millers attorney has made a similar request, and Moulding resisted for many of the same reasons. Miller and Goodale are being held on $1 million cash bond in juvenile detention facilities awaiting trial. Both have pleaded not guilty. Moulding charged them as adults with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. The sentence in Iowa would be life in prison for first-degree murder as an adult, although a 2016 Iowa Supreme Court ruling requires juveniles to have a chance of release when given life sentences. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presides over a plenary session of the central committee of the ruling Workers' Party in Pyongyang, during meetings which ran from Dec. 27 to 31, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. Yonhap North Korean officials noted the "growing instability" of the military situation on the peninsula and emphasized the importance of boosting the country's defense capabilities at Workers' Party plenary sessions held earlier this week, according to Pyongyang's state media Saturday. The North, however, stopped short of providing the outside world with fresh clues to its key policies related to inter-Korean ties and denuclearization talks with the United States. During the five-day 4th Plenary Meeting of the party's 8th Central Committee that concluded Friday, participants described the continued development of advanced weapons systems as a "significant" achievement for 2021. Leader Kim Jong-un attended the meetings. They urged the defense industry to further drive "qualitative change" in the country's military capabilities. "The growing instability of the military situation on the Korean Peninsula and international circumstances are demanding us to more powerfully strengthen the national defense capabilities without a hitch," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a lengthy report. Among other agenda items were key policy directions for inter-Korean relations and foreign affairs in the midst of fast-changing international political situations. But it did not give details on the results of relevant discussions. Beginning a new year, the secretive North has often delivered major messages on inter-Korean ties and relations with the U.S. through state media reports on such a major party meeting or special speeches by Kim. However, he has skipped giving a New Year's Day address for the past two years. The KCNA report on the year-end party session, intended to review last year's policy accomplishments and set the direction of 2022 policies, focused instead on discussions on ways to develop the country's economy and improve the people's livelihoods. The North again picked antivirus efforts as "the most important" national business. Pyongyang has imposed a strict border closure since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and claims to be coronavirus-free. On the economy, the North rolled out a series of measures to develop the country's agricultural sector as part of efforts to tackle chronic food shortages. The North is estimated to be falling short by around 1 million tons of food every year, with the coronavirus-driven border lockdown believed to have taken a toll on the country's already substandard food situation. On the second day of the plenary session, Kim ordered "important revolutionary measures" to address "rural questions," suggesting they are among the most pressing tasks facing the country on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Kim's accession to power Thursday. The leader's influential younger sister, Kim Yo-jong, meanwhile, was not included among newly elected members or alternate members of the ruling party's powerful political bureau. Speculation had been rampant over a possible change in her stature after she was seen standing alongside members of the politburo during a memorial event last month. (Yonhap) North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presides over a plenary session of the central committee of the ruling Workers' Party in Pyongyang, during meetings which ran from Dec. 27 to 31, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. Yonhap North Korean officials noted the "growing instability" of the military situation on the peninsula and emphasized the importance of boosting the country's defense capabilities at Workers' Party plenary sessions held earlier this week, according to Pyongyang's state media Saturday. The North, however, stopped short of providing the outside world with fresh clues to its key policies related to inter-Korean ties and denuclearization talks with the United States. During the five-day 4th Plenary Meeting of the party's 8th Central Committee that concluded Friday, participants described the continued development of advanced weapons systems as a "significant" achievement for 2021. Leader Kim Jong-un attended the meetings. They urged the defense industry to further drive "qualitative change" in the country's military capabilities. "The growing instability of the military situation on the Korean Peninsula and international circumstances are demanding us to more powerfully strengthen the national defense capabilities without a hitch," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a lengthy report. Among other agenda items were key policy directions for inter-Korean relations and foreign affairs in the midst of fast-changing international political situations. But it did not give details on the results of relevant discussions. Beginning a new year, the secretive North has often delivered major messages on inter-Korean ties and relations with the U.S. through state media reports on such a major party meeting or special speeches by Kim. However, he has skipped giving a New Year's Day address for the past two years. The KCNA report on the year-end party session, intended to review last year's policy accomplishments and set the direction of 2022 policies, focused instead on discussions on ways to develop the country's economy and improve the people's livelihoods. The North again picked antivirus efforts as "the most important" national business. Pyongyang has imposed a strict border closure since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and claims to be coronavirus-free. On the economy, the North rolled out a series of measures to develop the country's agricultural sector as part of efforts to tackle chronic food shortages. The North is estimated to be falling short by around 1 million tons of food every year, with the coronavirus-driven border lockdown believed to have taken a toll on the country's already substandard food situation. On the second day of the plenary session, Kim ordered "important revolutionary measures" to address "rural questions," suggesting they are among the most pressing tasks facing the country on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Kim's accession to power Thursday. The leader's influential younger sister, Kim Yo-jong, meanwhile, was not included among newly elected members or alternate members of the ruling party's powerful political bureau. Speculation had been rampant over a possible change in her stature after she was seen standing alongside members of the politburo during a memorial event last month. (Yonhap) North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presides over a plenary session of the central committee of the ruling Workers' Party in Pyongyang, during meetings which ran from Dec. 27 to 31, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. Yonhap North Korean officials noted the "growing instability" of the military situation on the peninsula and emphasized the importance of boosting the country's defense capabilities at Workers' Party plenary sessions held earlier this week, according to Pyongyang's state media Saturday. The North, however, stopped short of providing the outside world with fresh clues to its key policies related to inter-Korean ties and denuclearization talks with the United States. During the five-day 4th Plenary Meeting of the party's 8th Central Committee that concluded Friday, participants described the continued development of advanced weapons systems as a "significant" achievement for 2021. Leader Kim Jong-un attended the meetings. They urged the defense industry to further drive "qualitative change" in the country's military capabilities. "The growing instability of the military situation on the Korean Peninsula and international circumstances are demanding us to more powerfully strengthen the national defense capabilities without a hitch," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a lengthy report. Among other agenda items were key policy directions for inter-Korean relations and foreign affairs in the midst of fast-changing international political situations. But it did not give details on the results of relevant discussions. Beginning a new year, the secretive North has often delivered major messages on inter-Korean ties and relations with the U.S. through state media reports on such a major party meeting or special speeches by Kim. However, he has skipped giving a New Year's Day address for the past two years. The KCNA report on the year-end party session, intended to review last year's policy accomplishments and set the direction of 2022 policies, focused instead on discussions on ways to develop the country's economy and improve the people's livelihoods. The North again picked antivirus efforts as "the most important" national business. Pyongyang has imposed a strict border closure since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and claims to be coronavirus-free. On the economy, the North rolled out a series of measures to develop the country's agricultural sector as part of efforts to tackle chronic food shortages. The North is estimated to be falling short by around 1 million tons of food every year, with the coronavirus-driven border lockdown believed to have taken a toll on the country's already substandard food situation. On the second day of the plenary session, Kim ordered "important revolutionary measures" to address "rural questions," suggesting they are among the most pressing tasks facing the country on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Kim's accession to power Thursday. The leader's influential younger sister, Kim Yo-jong, meanwhile, was not included among newly elected members or alternate members of the ruling party's powerful political bureau. Speculation had been rampant over a possible change in her stature after she was seen standing alongside members of the politburo during a memorial event last month. (Yonhap) DECATUR State police have confirmed they are conducting a criminal probe into the actions of the former head of a state agency who was fired after he was judged to have acted improperly in granting a law enforcement training waiver to Decatur-based philanthropist Howard Buffett. The news of the investigation was revealed in a response to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by the Herald & Review. The newspaper had sought copies of all emails sent between Buffetts namesake foundation and Brent Fischer, the former executive director of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, ILETSB. Fischer was terminated Sept. 8 after an investigation carried out by the executive inspector generals office a state government watchdog. It concluded that Fischer should not have granted the waiver to Buffett which allowed him to serve as a sheriffs deputy even though he was short of the 560 hours of training required to be a sworn officer. And the State Police are now also suggesting their criminal probe may go beyond just the actions of Fischer. In a letter to the ILETSB legal counsel John R. Keigher requesting that the newspapers FOIA request be denied (which it was), David Catlin, the State Police Freedom of Information Officer, said: The ISPs investigation will ultimately result in a recommendation on whether the employee (presumably a reference to Fischer) should be criminally charged. The investigation may also result in other individuals being charged with crimes. Thus, releasing any records would interfere with the pending investigation. Asked for comment by the Herald & Review, State Police Chief Public Information Officer Lt. Joseph Hutchins said in an email that the investigation involved employees," plural, of the ILETSB. The Illinois State Police has open and ongoing investigations into former employees of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, to quote his full statement. He did not comment further. Buffett has never been accused of any wrongdoing and has previously said he acted properly at all times. An attempt to reach him for comment for this story was not successful. 'A nonstandard document may have been supplied' When the Herald & Review asked the ILETSB for comment, Keigher said that the boards interim executive director, Keith Calloway, had referred all inquiries on the investigation to the State Police. Asked if such an investigation was unprecedented in ILETSBs 55-year history, Keigher said Calloway had said he wasnt aware of a similar event. The State Police letter to the ILETSB urging denial of the newspapers FOIA request goes on to quote State Police Master Sgt. Matthew Barber, a member of the Division of Criminal Investigation, who described the probe into Fischers actions as an allegation of fraud and official misconduct. According to the allegations, the employee within their official capacity, created and supplied a benefactor with an official document without proper authority, Barber is quoted as saying. Through interviews, it was determined that a nonstandard document may have been supplied to the benefactor from the employee. The details of this document, its creation, its issuance and the documents intention are confidential and currently under investigation. Barber characterized the emails sought by the newspaper as being of evidentiary value and, if released to the public, could taint a jury pool. He also said that, due to the highly publicized nature of the case, any release of the emails could influence the recollection of witnesses and those called to testify. The inspector generals investigation of Fischer that led to his firing noted the Howard G. Buffett Foundation had been a generous backer of ILETSB projects: It had earmarked $15 million to build the Macon County Law Enforcement Training Center, which opened in 2017 in Decatur. The investigation also noted that Buffett had been asked for a $10,000 check to fund canine training equipment and, within hours of acknowledging receipt of the check in January 2019, an emailed letter had been sent from Fischers office granting a request from a supporter of Buffett seeking the waiver of the law enforcement training hours standard. The inspector generals report said: Certification of law enforcement officer status, especially considering the significant public interest in maintaining integrity in that process, should not be minimized nor should it be provided based on someones ability to financially contribute to the law enforcement community. Fischer had later tried to claim that the waiver granted to Buffett was only honorary. But Buffett is quoted as telling the inspector generals office that was news to him. The philanthropist had also emphasized that he had never provided any funds or support in exchange for something to benefit himself. 'It just makes me sick what they are doing with him' Buffett, son of billionaire investor Warren Buffett, was appointed Macon County sheriff in 2017 after the former sheriff, Tom Schneider, had stepped down. (Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway sold its newspaper holdings to Lee Enterprises, the parent company of the Herald & Review, in 2020.) At that time sheriffs only had to be a U.S. citizen, have lived in the county they serve for a year and have no felony records to hold the job. But a police standards overhaul signed into law in March required sheriffs to have completed the standard training course. Buffett, who had said he was going to run as a Republican candidate for Macon County sheriff in the 2022 election, then announced he was dropping those plans in June. The waiver controversy became public in November. Buffett, who has a keen interest in law enforcement, has served as a deputy sheriff and volunteer with various police departments in different parts of the country. Those police agencies include the Christian County Sheriffs Office where Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp believes Buffett has gotten a very raw deal over the waiver issue. I want you to know, it just makes me sick what they are doing with him, said Kettelkamp. Hes being made to look like the bad guy when really he was just doing everything he was told, the sheriff said of the waiver controversy. Howard Buffett did nothing wrong. Decatur man faces charges of throwing rocks at cops Police had found him standing in the middle of an intersection. He said Buffett had been a part-time member of his office since 2019, helping out a law enforcement agency that was often short on manpower. Since hes been with us he never did any enforcement action, he never put handcuffs on anybody, but he was there to help our guys, Kettelkamp said. He helped get people into treatment and he has helped in hostage negotiations when we had an incident over here; hes very knowledgeable and its just a shame whats happened to him. Kettelkamp said Buffett has in fact had extensive training and he had served successfully as Macon County sheriff for some 15 months. And that experience alone gives him more than enough experience to be a part-time deputy, he added. Ive never met a more generous person in my life than Howard Buffett and hes not interested in law enforcement just to put on a badge and a gun on his side; he is into it because he really wants to help people. DECATUR State police have confirmed they are conducting a criminal probe into the actions of the former head of a state agency who was fired after he was judged to have acted improperly in granting a law enforcement training waiver to Decatur-based philanthropist Howard Buffett. The news of the investigation was revealed in a response to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by the Herald & Review. The newspaper had sought copies of all emails sent between Buffetts namesake foundation and Brent Fischer, the former executive director of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, ILETSB. Fischer was terminated Sept. 8 after an investigation carried out by the executive inspector generals office a state government watchdog. It concluded that Fischer should not have granted the waiver to Buffett which allowed him to serve as a sheriffs deputy even though he was short of the 560 hours of training required to be a sworn officer. And the State Police are now also suggesting their criminal probe may go beyond just the actions of Fischer. In a letter to the ILETSB legal counsel John R. Keigher requesting that the newspapers FOIA request be denied (which it was), David Catlin, the State Police Freedom of Information Officer, said: The ISPs investigation will ultimately result in a recommendation on whether the employee (presumably a reference to Fischer) should be criminally charged. The investigation may also result in other individuals being charged with crimes. Thus, releasing any records would interfere with the pending investigation. Asked for comment by the Herald & Review, State Police Chief Public Information Officer Lt. Joseph Hutchins said in an email that the investigation involved employees," plural, of the ILETSB. The Illinois State Police has open and ongoing investigations into former employees of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, to quote his full statement. He did not comment further. Buffett has never been accused of any wrongdoing and has previously said he acted properly at all times. An attempt to reach him for comment for this story was not successful. 'A nonstandard document may have been supplied' When the Herald & Review asked the ILETSB for comment, Keigher said that the boards interim executive director, Keith Calloway, had referred all inquiries on the investigation to the State Police. Asked if such an investigation was unprecedented in ILETSBs 55-year history, Keigher said Calloway had said he wasnt aware of a similar event. The State Police letter to the ILETSB urging denial of the newspapers FOIA request goes on to quote State Police Master Sgt. Matthew Barber, a member of the Division of Criminal Investigation, who described the probe into Fischers actions as an allegation of fraud and official misconduct. According to the allegations, the employee within their official capacity, created and supplied a benefactor with an official document without proper authority, Barber is quoted as saying. Through interviews, it was determined that a nonstandard document may have been supplied to the benefactor from the employee. The details of this document, its creation, its issuance and the documents intention are confidential and currently under investigation. Barber characterized the emails sought by the newspaper as being of evidentiary value and, if released to the public, could taint a jury pool. He also said that, due to the highly publicized nature of the case, any release of the emails could influence the recollection of witnesses and those called to testify. The inspector generals investigation of Fischer that led to his firing noted the Howard G. Buffett Foundation had been a generous backer of ILETSB projects: It had earmarked $15 million to build the Macon County Law Enforcement Training Center, which opened in 2017 in Decatur. The investigation also noted that Buffett had been asked for a $10,000 check to fund canine training equipment and, within hours of acknowledging receipt of the check in January 2019, an emailed letter had been sent from Fischers office granting a request from a supporter of Buffett seeking the waiver of the law enforcement training hours standard. The inspector generals report said: Certification of law enforcement officer status, especially considering the significant public interest in maintaining integrity in that process, should not be minimized nor should it be provided based on someones ability to financially contribute to the law enforcement community. Fischer had later tried to claim that the waiver granted to Buffett was only honorary. But Buffett is quoted as telling the inspector generals office that was news to him. The philanthropist had also emphasized that he had never provided any funds or support in exchange for something to benefit himself. 'It just makes me sick what they are doing with him' Buffett, son of billionaire investor Warren Buffett, was appointed Macon County sheriff in 2017 after the former sheriff, Tom Schneider, had stepped down. (Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway sold its newspaper holdings to Lee Enterprises, the parent company of the Herald & Review, in 2020.) At that time sheriffs only had to be a U.S. citizen, have lived in the county they serve for a year and have no felony records to hold the job. But a police standards overhaul signed into law in March required sheriffs to have completed the standard training course. Buffett, who had said he was going to run as a Republican candidate for Macon County sheriff in the 2022 election, then announced he was dropping those plans in June. The waiver controversy became public in November. Buffett, who has a keen interest in law enforcement, has served as a deputy sheriff and volunteer with various police departments in different parts of the country. Those police agencies include the Christian County Sheriffs Office where Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp believes Buffett has gotten a very raw deal over the waiver issue. I want you to know, it just makes me sick what they are doing with him, said Kettelkamp. Hes being made to look like the bad guy when really he was just doing everything he was told, the sheriff said of the waiver controversy. Howard Buffett did nothing wrong. Decatur man faces charges of throwing rocks at cops Police had found him standing in the middle of an intersection. He said Buffett had been a part-time member of his office since 2019, helping out a law enforcement agency that was often short on manpower. Since hes been with us he never did any enforcement action, he never put handcuffs on anybody, but he was there to help our guys, Kettelkamp said. He helped get people into treatment and he has helped in hostage negotiations when we had an incident over here; hes very knowledgeable and its just a shame whats happened to him. Kettelkamp said Buffett has in fact had extensive training and he had served successfully as Macon County sheriff for some 15 months. And that experience alone gives him more than enough experience to be a part-time deputy, he added. Ive never met a more generous person in my life than Howard Buffett and hes not interested in law enforcement just to put on a badge and a gun on his side; he is into it because he really wants to help people. Eric Leroy Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City early Saturday in a festive but pared-down Times Square ceremony, a signal of the formidable task before him as he begins his term while coronavirus cases are surging anew. Mr. Adams, 61, the son of a house cleaner who was a New York City police captain before entering politics, has called himself the future of the Democratic Party, and pledged to address longstanding inequities as the citys first blue-collar mayor, while simultaneously embracing the business community. Yet not since 2002, when Michael R. Bloomberg took office shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks, has an incoming mayor confronted such daunting challenges in New York City. Even before the latest Omicron-fueled surge, the citys economy was still struggling to recover, with its 9.4 percent unemployment rate more than double the national average. Murders, shootings and some other categories of violent crimes rose early in the pandemic and have remained higher than before the virus began to spread. Eric Leroy Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City early Saturday in a festive but pared-down Times Square ceremony, a signal of the formidable task before him as he begins his term while coronavirus cases are surging anew. Mr. Adams, 61, the son of a house cleaner who was a New York City police captain before entering politics, has called himself the future of the Democratic Party, and pledged to address longstanding inequities as the citys first blue-collar mayor, while simultaneously embracing the business community. Yet not since 2002, when Michael R. Bloomberg took office shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks, has an incoming mayor confronted such daunting challenges in New York City. Even before the latest Omicron-fueled surge, the citys economy was still struggling to recover, with its 9.4 percent unemployment rate more than double the national average. Murders, shootings and some other categories of violent crimes rose early in the pandemic and have remained higher than before the virus began to spread. DES MOINES The county attorney prosecuting the case of two southeast Iowa teens charged with murder in the death of their high school Spanish teacher said in court documents that they surveilled her pattern of life, ambushed her along her daily walk and dragged her into the woods, returning later to better hide her lifeless body. Those additional details of the death of Nohema Graber in early November were revealed in a Dec. 23 filing in the case of Jeremy Goodale, 16, of Fairfield. He is charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder with classmate Willard Miller, also 16. Attorneys for both teens have asked a judge to move their case to juvenile court. Hearings on the requests are scheduled for Jan. 27. In court documents filed Dec. 23, Jefferson County Attorney Chauncy Moulding offered the additional details of Grabers death. Graber, 66, was reported missing Nov. 2 and her remains were found later that day in a park. Authorities earlier confirmed that she had suffered inflicted trauma to the head and that her body was found concealed under a tarp, wheelbarrow and railroad ties at the Chautauqua Park in Fairfield, about 95 miles southeast of Des Moines. Authorities have not released a motive. Both teens attended Grabers Spanish class at Fairfield High School, where she had taught since 2012. Moulding argued that trying Goodale as an adult is the only appropriate plan because he would be released at age 18, less than 24 months, if he is tried and convicted in the juvenile court system. This prosecuting attorney cannot fathom any combination of programming at any Iowa juvenile facility which could appropriately treat or rehabilitate the defendant if adjudicated as a juvenile, he said. Millers attorney has made a similar request, and Moulding resisted for many of the same reasons. Miller and Goodale are being held on $1 million cash bond in juvenile detention facilities awaiting trial. Both have pleaded not guilty. Moulding charged them as adults with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. The sentence in Iowa would be life in prison for first-degree murder as an adult, although a 2016 Iowa Supreme Court ruling requires juveniles to have a chance of release when given life sentences. DECATUR State police have confirmed they are conducting a criminal probe into the actions of the former head of a state agency who was fired after he was judged to have acted improperly in granting a law enforcement training waiver to Decatur-based philanthropist Howard Buffett. The news of the investigation was revealed in a response to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by the Herald & Review. The newspaper had sought copies of all emails sent between Buffetts namesake foundation and Brent Fischer, the former executive director of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, ILETSB. Fischer was terminated Sept. 8 after an investigation carried out by the executive inspector generals office a state government watchdog. It concluded that Fischer should not have granted the waiver to Buffett which allowed him to serve as a sheriffs deputy even though he was short of the 560 hours of training required to be a sworn officer. And the State Police are now also suggesting their criminal probe may go beyond just the actions of Fischer. In a letter to the ILETSB legal counsel John R. Keigher requesting that the newspapers FOIA request be denied (which it was), David Catlin, the State Police Freedom of Information Officer, said: The ISPs investigation will ultimately result in a recommendation on whether the employee (presumably a reference to Fischer) should be criminally charged. The investigation may also result in other individuals being charged with crimes. Thus, releasing any records would interfere with the pending investigation. Asked for comment by the Herald & Review, State Police Chief Public Information Officer Lt. Joseph Hutchins said in an email that the investigation involved employees," plural, of the ILETSB. The Illinois State Police has open and ongoing investigations into former employees of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, to quote his full statement. He did not comment further. Buffett has never been accused of any wrongdoing and has previously said he acted properly at all times. An attempt to reach him for comment for this story was not successful. 'A nonstandard document may have been supplied' When the Herald & Review asked the ILETSB for comment, Keigher said that the boards interim executive director, Keith Calloway, had referred all inquiries on the investigation to the State Police. Asked if such an investigation was unprecedented in ILETSBs 55-year history, Keigher said Calloway had said he wasnt aware of a similar event. The State Police letter to the ILETSB urging denial of the newspapers FOIA request goes on to quote State Police Master Sgt. Matthew Barber, a member of the Division of Criminal Investigation, who described the probe into Fischers actions as an allegation of fraud and official misconduct. According to the allegations, the employee within their official capacity, created and supplied a benefactor with an official document without proper authority, Barber is quoted as saying. Through interviews, it was determined that a nonstandard document may have been supplied to the benefactor from the employee. The details of this document, its creation, its issuance and the documents intention are confidential and currently under investigation. Barber characterized the emails sought by the newspaper as being of evidentiary value and, if released to the public, could taint a jury pool. He also said that, due to the highly publicized nature of the case, any release of the emails could influence the recollection of witnesses and those called to testify. The inspector generals investigation of Fischer that led to his firing noted the Howard G. Buffett Foundation had been a generous backer of ILETSB projects: It had earmarked $15 million to build the Macon County Law Enforcement Training Center, which opened in 2017 in Decatur. The investigation also noted that Buffett had been asked for a $10,000 check to fund canine training equipment and, within hours of acknowledging receipt of the check in January 2019, an emailed letter had been sent from Fischers office granting a request from a supporter of Buffett seeking the waiver of the law enforcement training hours standard. The inspector generals report said: Certification of law enforcement officer status, especially considering the significant public interest in maintaining integrity in that process, should not be minimized nor should it be provided based on someones ability to financially contribute to the law enforcement community. Fischer had later tried to claim that the waiver granted to Buffett was only honorary. But Buffett is quoted as telling the inspector generals office that was news to him. The philanthropist had also emphasized that he had never provided any funds or support in exchange for something to benefit himself. 'It just makes me sick what they are doing with him' Buffett, son of billionaire investor Warren Buffett, was appointed Macon County sheriff in 2017 after the former sheriff, Tom Schneider, had stepped down. (Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway sold its newspaper holdings to Lee Enterprises, the parent company of the Herald & Review, in 2020.) At that time sheriffs only had to be a U.S. citizen, have lived in the county they serve for a year and have no felony records to hold the job. But a police standards overhaul signed into law in March required sheriffs to have completed the standard training course. Buffett, who had said he was going to run as a Republican candidate for Macon County sheriff in the 2022 election, then announced he was dropping those plans in June. The waiver controversy became public in November. Buffett, who has a keen interest in law enforcement, has served as a deputy sheriff and volunteer with various police departments in different parts of the country. Those police agencies include the Christian County Sheriffs Office where Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp believes Buffett has gotten a very raw deal over the waiver issue. I want you to know, it just makes me sick what they are doing with him, said Kettelkamp. Hes being made to look like the bad guy when really he was just doing everything he was told, the sheriff said of the waiver controversy. Howard Buffett did nothing wrong. Decatur man faces charges of throwing rocks at cops Police had found him standing in the middle of an intersection. He said Buffett had been a part-time member of his office since 2019, helping out a law enforcement agency that was often short on manpower. Since hes been with us he never did any enforcement action, he never put handcuffs on anybody, but he was there to help our guys, Kettelkamp said. He helped get people into treatment and he has helped in hostage negotiations when we had an incident over here; hes very knowledgeable and its just a shame whats happened to him. Kettelkamp said Buffett has in fact had extensive training and he had served successfully as Macon County sheriff for some 15 months. And that experience alone gives him more than enough experience to be a part-time deputy, he added. Ive never met a more generous person in my life than Howard Buffett and hes not interested in law enforcement just to put on a badge and a gun on his side; he is into it because he really wants to help people. DECATUR State police have confirmed they are conducting a criminal probe into the actions of the former head of a state agency who was fired after he was judged to have acted improperly in granting a law enforcement training waiver to Decatur-based philanthropist Howard Buffett. The news of the investigation was revealed in a response to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by the Herald & Review. The newspaper had sought copies of all emails sent between Buffetts namesake foundation and Brent Fischer, the former executive director of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, ILETSB. Fischer was terminated Sept. 8 after an investigation carried out by the executive inspector generals office a state government watchdog. It concluded that Fischer should not have granted the waiver to Buffett which allowed him to serve as a sheriffs deputy even though he was short of the 560 hours of training required to be a sworn officer. And the State Police are now also suggesting their criminal probe may go beyond just the actions of Fischer. In a letter to the ILETSB legal counsel John R. Keigher requesting that the newspapers FOIA request be denied (which it was), David Catlin, the State Police Freedom of Information Officer, said: The ISPs investigation will ultimately result in a recommendation on whether the employee (presumably a reference to Fischer) should be criminally charged. The investigation may also result in other individuals being charged with crimes. Thus, releasing any records would interfere with the pending investigation. Asked for comment by the Herald & Review, State Police Chief Public Information Officer Lt. Joseph Hutchins said in an email that the investigation involved employees," plural, of the ILETSB. The Illinois State Police has open and ongoing investigations into former employees of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, to quote his full statement. He did not comment further. Buffett has never been accused of any wrongdoing and has previously said he acted properly at all times. An attempt to reach him for comment for this story was not successful. 'A nonstandard document may have been supplied' When the Herald & Review asked the ILETSB for comment, Keigher said that the boards interim executive director, Keith Calloway, had referred all inquiries on the investigation to the State Police. Asked if such an investigation was unprecedented in ILETSBs 55-year history, Keigher said Calloway had said he wasnt aware of a similar event. The State Police letter to the ILETSB urging denial of the newspapers FOIA request goes on to quote State Police Master Sgt. Matthew Barber, a member of the Division of Criminal Investigation, who described the probe into Fischers actions as an allegation of fraud and official misconduct. According to the allegations, the employee within their official capacity, created and supplied a benefactor with an official document without proper authority, Barber is quoted as saying. Through interviews, it was determined that a nonstandard document may have been supplied to the benefactor from the employee. The details of this document, its creation, its issuance and the documents intention are confidential and currently under investigation. Barber characterized the emails sought by the newspaper as being of evidentiary value and, if released to the public, could taint a jury pool. He also said that, due to the highly publicized nature of the case, any release of the emails could influence the recollection of witnesses and those called to testify. The inspector generals investigation of Fischer that led to his firing noted the Howard G. Buffett Foundation had been a generous backer of ILETSB projects: It had earmarked $15 million to build the Macon County Law Enforcement Training Center, which opened in 2017 in Decatur. The investigation also noted that Buffett had been asked for a $10,000 check to fund canine training equipment and, within hours of acknowledging receipt of the check in January 2019, an emailed letter had been sent from Fischers office granting a request from a supporter of Buffett seeking the waiver of the law enforcement training hours standard. The inspector generals report said: Certification of law enforcement officer status, especially considering the significant public interest in maintaining integrity in that process, should not be minimized nor should it be provided based on someones ability to financially contribute to the law enforcement community. Fischer had later tried to claim that the waiver granted to Buffett was only honorary. But Buffett is quoted as telling the inspector generals office that was news to him. The philanthropist had also emphasized that he had never provided any funds or support in exchange for something to benefit himself. 'It just makes me sick what they are doing with him' Buffett, son of billionaire investor Warren Buffett, was appointed Macon County sheriff in 2017 after the former sheriff, Tom Schneider, had stepped down. (Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway sold its newspaper holdings to Lee Enterprises, the parent company of the Herald & Review, in 2020.) At that time sheriffs only had to be a U.S. citizen, have lived in the county they serve for a year and have no felony records to hold the job. But a police standards overhaul signed into law in March required sheriffs to have completed the standard training course. Buffett, who had said he was going to run as a Republican candidate for Macon County sheriff in the 2022 election, then announced he was dropping those plans in June. The waiver controversy became public in November. Buffett, who has a keen interest in law enforcement, has served as a deputy sheriff and volunteer with various police departments in different parts of the country. Those police agencies include the Christian County Sheriffs Office where Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp believes Buffett has gotten a very raw deal over the waiver issue. I want you to know, it just makes me sick what they are doing with him, said Kettelkamp. Hes being made to look like the bad guy when really he was just doing everything he was told, the sheriff said of the waiver controversy. Howard Buffett did nothing wrong. Decatur man faces charges of throwing rocks at cops Police had found him standing in the middle of an intersection. He said Buffett had been a part-time member of his office since 2019, helping out a law enforcement agency that was often short on manpower. Since hes been with us he never did any enforcement action, he never put handcuffs on anybody, but he was there to help our guys, Kettelkamp said. He helped get people into treatment and he has helped in hostage negotiations when we had an incident over here; hes very knowledgeable and its just a shame whats happened to him. Kettelkamp said Buffett has in fact had extensive training and he had served successfully as Macon County sheriff for some 15 months. And that experience alone gives him more than enough experience to be a part-time deputy, he added. Ive never met a more generous person in my life than Howard Buffett and hes not interested in law enforcement just to put on a badge and a gun on his side; he is into it because he really wants to help people. DECATUR State police have confirmed they are conducting a criminal probe into the actions of the former head of a state agency who was fired after he was judged to have acted improperly in granting a law enforcement training waiver to Decatur-based philanthropist Howard Buffett. The news of the investigation was revealed in a response to Freedom of Information Act requests filed by the Herald & Review. The newspaper had sought copies of all emails sent between Buffetts namesake foundation and Brent Fischer, the former executive director of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, ILETSB. Fischer was terminated Sept. 8 after an investigation carried out by the executive inspector generals office a state government watchdog. It concluded that Fischer should not have granted the waiver to Buffett which allowed him to serve as a sheriffs deputy even though he was short of the 560 hours of training required to be a sworn officer. And the State Police are now also suggesting their criminal probe may go beyond just the actions of Fischer. In a letter to the ILETSB legal counsel John R. Keigher requesting that the newspapers FOIA request be denied (which it was), David Catlin, the State Police Freedom of Information Officer, said: The ISPs investigation will ultimately result in a recommendation on whether the employee (presumably a reference to Fischer) should be criminally charged. The investigation may also result in other individuals being charged with crimes. Thus, releasing any records would interfere with the pending investigation. Asked for comment by the Herald & Review, State Police Chief Public Information Officer Lt. Joseph Hutchins said in an email that the investigation involved employees," plural, of the ILETSB. The Illinois State Police has open and ongoing investigations into former employees of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, to quote his full statement. He did not comment further. Buffett has never been accused of any wrongdoing and has previously said he acted properly at all times. An attempt to reach him for comment for this story was not successful. 'A nonstandard document may have been supplied' When the Herald & Review asked the ILETSB for comment, Keigher said that the boards interim executive director, Keith Calloway, had referred all inquiries on the investigation to the State Police. Asked if such an investigation was unprecedented in ILETSBs 55-year history, Keigher said Calloway had said he wasnt aware of a similar event. The State Police letter to the ILETSB urging denial of the newspapers FOIA request goes on to quote State Police Master Sgt. Matthew Barber, a member of the Division of Criminal Investigation, who described the probe into Fischers actions as an allegation of fraud and official misconduct. According to the allegations, the employee within their official capacity, created and supplied a benefactor with an official document without proper authority, Barber is quoted as saying. Through interviews, it was determined that a nonstandard document may have been supplied to the benefactor from the employee. The details of this document, its creation, its issuance and the documents intention are confidential and currently under investigation. Barber characterized the emails sought by the newspaper as being of evidentiary value and, if released to the public, could taint a jury pool. He also said that, due to the highly publicized nature of the case, any release of the emails could influence the recollection of witnesses and those called to testify. The inspector generals investigation of Fischer that led to his firing noted the Howard G. Buffett Foundation had been a generous backer of ILETSB projects: It had earmarked $15 million to build the Macon County Law Enforcement Training Center, which opened in 2017 in Decatur. The investigation also noted that Buffett had been asked for a $10,000 check to fund canine training equipment and, within hours of acknowledging receipt of the check in January 2019, an emailed letter had been sent from Fischers office granting a request from a supporter of Buffett seeking the waiver of the law enforcement training hours standard. The inspector generals report said: Certification of law enforcement officer status, especially considering the significant public interest in maintaining integrity in that process, should not be minimized nor should it be provided based on someones ability to financially contribute to the law enforcement community. Fischer had later tried to claim that the waiver granted to Buffett was only honorary. But Buffett is quoted as telling the inspector generals office that was news to him. The philanthropist had also emphasized that he had never provided any funds or support in exchange for something to benefit himself. 'It just makes me sick what they are doing with him' Buffett, son of billionaire investor Warren Buffett, was appointed Macon County sheriff in 2017 after the former sheriff, Tom Schneider, had stepped down. (Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway sold its newspaper holdings to Lee Enterprises, the parent company of the Herald & Review, in 2020.) At that time sheriffs only had to be a U.S. citizen, have lived in the county they serve for a year and have no felony records to hold the job. But a police standards overhaul signed into law in March required sheriffs to have completed the standard training course. Buffett, who had said he was going to run as a Republican candidate for Macon County sheriff in the 2022 election, then announced he was dropping those plans in June. The waiver controversy became public in November. Buffett, who has a keen interest in law enforcement, has served as a deputy sheriff and volunteer with various police departments in different parts of the country. Those police agencies include the Christian County Sheriffs Office where Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp believes Buffett has gotten a very raw deal over the waiver issue. I want you to know, it just makes me sick what they are doing with him, said Kettelkamp. Hes being made to look like the bad guy when really he was just doing everything he was told, the sheriff said of the waiver controversy. Howard Buffett did nothing wrong. Decatur man faces charges of throwing rocks at cops Police had found him standing in the middle of an intersection. He said Buffett had been a part-time member of his office since 2019, helping out a law enforcement agency that was often short on manpower. Since hes been with us he never did any enforcement action, he never put handcuffs on anybody, but he was there to help our guys, Kettelkamp said. He helped get people into treatment and he has helped in hostage negotiations when we had an incident over here; hes very knowledgeable and its just a shame whats happened to him. Kettelkamp said Buffett has in fact had extensive training and he had served successfully as Macon County sheriff for some 15 months. And that experience alone gives him more than enough experience to be a part-time deputy, he added. Ive never met a more generous person in my life than Howard Buffett and hes not interested in law enforcement just to put on a badge and a gun on his side; he is into it because he really wants to help people. 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. India is likely to face more challenges at the northern border as China implements its new border law from Saturday. Sources said that from now, China is likely to dig in its heels at the current disputed positions at the Line of Actual Control and will come up with more model border villages -- to be used both for military and civilian purposes. Making a provocative assertion, China on December 30, 2021, renamed 15 places of Arunachal Pradesh in their map. Major General Ashok Kumar (Retd) told IANS, "The new land border law is the latest attempt by China to unilaterally delineate and demarcate territorial boundaries with India and Bhutan." Also Read 'Invented' names do not alter status: India rejects Chinese names for areas in Arunachal Pradesh Explaining how this law has huge implications for India, Major General Kumar said that by bringing in such a law, in conjunction with accelerated construction of 624 "Xiaokong" known as model villages along and inside the disputed land boundaries with India, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has created conditions for a 'militarised solution' to the boundary issue. "It is a hybrid unconventional warfare methodology, applied for taking over illegal control of sovereign spaces of other states and gets converted into a legalistic nation-building exercise which brooks no opposition," he said. On October 23, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislative body, passed a new law citing "protection and exploitation of the country's land border areas". The committee had stated that the new law will come into effect on January 1. The law is not meant specifically for the border with India. China shares its 22,457-kilometre land boundary with 14 countries, including India, the third-longest, after the borders with Mongolia and Russia. The new border law has 62 articles and seven chapters. As per the law, the People's Republic of China shall set up boundary markers on all its land borders to clearly mark the border. The type of marker is to be decided in agreement with the relevant neighbouring state. The law further stated that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and Chinese People's Armed Police Force will maintain security along the border. This responsibility includes cooperation with local authorities in combating illegal border crossings. Also Read China's settlements, renaming aimed to gain edge in border talks The law prohibits activities in the border area that could "endanger national security or affect China's friendly relations with neighbouring countries". This includes construction of any permanent buildings without authorisation from the authority concerned. Further, it stated that citizens and local organisations are mandated to protect and defend the border infrastructure, maintain security and stability of borders and cooperate with government agencies in maintaining border security. The law lays the path for the development of the border region. It states that the People's Republic of China will take up education and propaganda to "solidify the sense of community of China, to promote the spirit of China, to defend the unity and territorial integrity of the country, strengthen citizens' sense of the country and homeland security, and build a common spiritual home for the Chinese nation" among citizens in the border region. Also Read India insisted on 'complete disengagement' in all its talks with China on eastern Ladakh row: Centre The state can take measures "to strengthen border defence, support economic and social development as well as opening-up in border areas, improve public services and infrastructure in such areas, encourage and support people's life and work there, and promote coordination between border defence and social, economic development in border areas". In effect, this suggests a push to settle civilians in the border areas. The law comes amid a border dispute with India. India claims that China has illegally occupied about 38,000 square kilometres of India's territory in Aksai Chin, which borders eastern Ladakh. Pakistan ceded to China about 5,180 square kilometres in 1963 from the Indian territory illegally occupied by it. India and China have been engaged in border disputes for the last 20 months and diplomatic and military talks are on to resolve the issues. Watch the latest DH Videos here: A pro-Meghan Markle journalist deleted her Twitter account Friday after making multiple jokes suggesting that Queen Elizabeth should have died instead of Betty White. Nylah Burton, who has written several articles arguing in favour of the Sussexes and critiquing the Royal Family, reacted as many did to the television legend's death but put a bizarre spin on it. 'BETTY WHITE IS DEAD!?! Why couldn't it have been Queen Elizabeth?' Burton tweeted from the now dead account. Despite the outrage, Burton, who describes herself as a 'sexual assault prevention specialist', initially chose to go at it again in a second tweet Friday evening. 'Why not Queen Elizabeth?? The universe took the wrong old white lady smdh,' Burton remarked to a replier who criticized her. Nylah Burton, a writer for Bustle who works as a 'sexual assault prevention specialist,' reacted as many did to Betty White's death but put a bizarre spin on it Chicago-based Burton who has written for Bustle, Vox, Bitch Media and Shondaland set her account to private initially, but eventually took it down completely later Friday. She has previously written articles criticising the monarchy, including one for Elite Daily titled 'Black women are not surprised by how the Royals treated Meghan'. In another piece she criticised Prince Harry and Meghan for using the Queen's nickname Lilibet as their daughter's given name, arguing it endorses the monarchy and shows the couple 'dont want real, revolutionary change'. Commentator Piers Morgan ripped her latest comments about the Queen to shreds, saying: 'Delete this, you disgusting piece of work.' 'What a disgusting thing to say' wrote Caoimhin Thomas. 'Just snuck in as the most vile and offensive tweet of 2021,' tweeted Leigh Keystone. 'Nylah with a tweet of pure nastiness and hate.' 'You have to feel sorry for these people and their supporters that think such tweets are acceptable,' they continued. 'Again the mental illness and hate of leftism strikes.' Burton's work has also been seen in The New York Times, Business Insider, HuffPost, MSN South Africa, The Independent and Yahoo and Refinery29, where she wrote such pieces as 'What We Lose When We Focus On Whiteness in Interracial Relationships.' Her work tends to focus on social justice, identity politics and mental health. 'Shame on you,' wrote Chris Sauve. 'Delete your miserable account.' Dan Wooton chimed in: 'And this. Just for the record she doubled down when I pointed out what an awful thing she'd said (which should have been obvious to any decent human being.' 'Bye bye career,' added Bobby Dazzler. Queen Elizabeth was last seen delivering her Christmas message in the wake of beloved husband Prince Philip's death White, 99, who capped a career of more than 80 years by becoming America's sweetheart after Emmy-winning roles on television sitcoms, is believed to have died of natural causes at her home on Friday morning, law enforcement confirmed Norman Blair called the tweet 'racist' and suggested Vogue needed to comment that 'racists and persons who like to offend have no place in their publications.' Some were even calling for Twitter to take down Burton's account on Friday. 'They will probably say it didn't breach any of their rules,' wrote Goodman Gaming, about a possible Twitter ban. 'It was about a white person.' White, 99, who capped a career of more than 80 years by becoming America's sweetheart after Emmy-winning roles on television sitcoms, is believed to have died of natural causes at her home on Friday morning, law enforcement confirmed. White's biggest role was as batty Rose Nylund in classic sitcom The Golden Girls, and she is the last of the hit show's four leads to die, after saying she'd enjoyed good health throughout her old age. White planned to welcome fans at her 100th birthday party by having it filmed for a documentary titled Betty White: 100 Years Young - A Birthday Celebration. The film was going to follow White in her day-to-day life and was set to screen at 900 theaters nationwide. After the documentary, cinemas would show live footage of her actual birthday party. It is not clear if the screenings will still take place. The Queen was last seen delivering her most emotional Christmas message ever, paying tribute to her beloved late husband Prince Philip and revealing how the Duke of Edinburghs mischievous, enquiring twinkle was as bright at the end as when I first set eyes on him. The monarch described that there was one familiar laugh missing during the festive season this year as she made her most fulsome public tribute to her husband of 73 years and the nations longest-serving consort since his death in April aged 99. Wearing the sapphire brooch she donned on her honeymoon in 1947 and again for her diamond wedding anniversary, the 95-year-old head of state also reached out to families who have lost loved one this year and addressed the Covid crisis. An intensely private woman, the Queen has touched upon her devastating loss on a handful of occasions since Philips death. More than 10 ministers and at least 20 MLAs in Maharashtra have tested positive for coronavirus so far, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said Saturday and added that strict restrictions might be clamped if the new Covid-19 cases continue to rise in the state. Pawar's warning came a day after Maharashtra reported 8,067 new coronavirus positive cases, a number that was around 50 per cent more higher than that of a day before. "We cut short the Assembly session recently. So far, over 10 ministers and over 20 MLAs have tested positive for coronavirus. Everybody wants to be part of the celebrations of New Year, birthdays and other occasions. Keep in mind that the new variant (Omicron) spreads fast and hence caution is needed. PM Narendra Modi has appealed and some states have announced a night curfew. In Maharashtra, cases are increasing in Mumbai and Pune," he told reporters after visiting the Jaystambh military monument in Perne village on the occasion of the 204th anniversary of the Battle of Koregaon Bhima. Also Read Omicron cases in Kerala cross 100, vaccine hesitancy towards second dose poses concern Queried on the possibility of more curbs, Pawar said the state government is keeping a tab on the increasing number of patients. "If the number of patients continues to rise then there will be strict restrictions. To avoid strict restrictions, everybody should follow norms," he said. Maharashtra has seen a sharp rise in new daily coronavirus cases over the past 12 days of 2021. The state government, in fresh guidelines issued Thursday night, capped the attendance at gatherings in open or closed spaces at 50. Mumbai on Friday reported 5,631 new Covid-19 cases, almost 2,000 more than Thursday, which took the caseload in the city on the last day of the year to 785,110, a civic official had said. This was a rise of 53 per cent over 3,671 cases recorded on Thursday. The Covid-19 positivity rate in Pune city touched 5.9 per cent on Friday after 412 cases were detected, raising the tally within civic limits to 510,218, according to officials. Also Read Ashok Gehlot extends Covid health workers' tenure by 3 months in view of rising cases Pawar said the government recently told the state legislature that land may be acquired for the redevelopment of the monument ('Jaystambh') for the convenience of lakhs of people who visit the spot every year to pay tributes on the anniversary of the Koregaon Bhima battle. He said a committee has been formed to take further action. When asked about the Maharashtra government denying permission for organising a bullock cart race and former MP Shivaji Adhalrao Patil announcing to go ahead with the event, Pawar said, "After the meeting (of the Covid-19 task force), Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray directed the state chief secretary to issue orders to all collectors to avoid public gatherings to (stop) another wave of the pandemic. Based on this, the permission might have been denied in the larger interest. Not only Shivaji Adhalrao Patil but those who want to hold the bullock cart race should also consider the looming threat (of the third Covid-19 wave)." Watch the latest DH Videos here: 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. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Cloudy with periods of rain. High 66F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.. Tonight A few clouds. Low near 45F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Advertisement New Year's Day has kicked off with a bang for thousands of concertgoers who have rung in 2022 at the annual Field Day music festival in Sydney. Revellers came prepared to spend a long day under the sun as they dressed in skimpy outfits and barely-there costumes for the annual summer music festival at the Domain on Saturday. The event, which has been running since 2002, is an institution in Sydney, particularly among electronic music lovers, who will often have a quiet New Year's Eve to make the most of the festivities. Police wore face masks and led sniffer dogs around the grounds as they searched concertgoers who were making their way through the front gates of the ticketed event. Bikini tops, fishnet dresses and flashy skirts were the choice of outfit for women while shorts and buttoned summer shirts were the style for men as they made their way into the festival to party to the likes of Allday, Masked Wolf, Golden Features and Hot Dub Time Machine. Some concertgoers opted in for more flashy outfits with one reveller putting a racy twist on a police uniform - pairing what appeared to be a NSW Police Force cap with a bikini top and sheer skirt. Another chose a fluorescent green fishnet dress while others sported denim shorts and loose and breezy summer tops. It marks the first time the summer music festival has been held since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic after the event was cancelled last year. New Years Day celebrations have kicked off with concertgoers ringing in 2022 at the annual Field Day music festival in Sydney New police uniform? Reveller puts a racy twist on an emergency services uniform pairing a police cap with a bikini top and sheer skirt Two revellers colour-coded their outfits impeccably with one choosing a pink gown to match the colour of her hair This reveller chose an all-black ensemble with fish net top and skirt as she joins thousands at the Field Day music festival in Sydney Thousands of partygoers have turned up to mark the first day of 2022 at the Field Day music festival at the Domain in Sydney on Saturday Festivalgoers rocked up to the Domain Park in Sydney on New Year's Day to continue celebrations An array of colourful and zany outfits were on display as Sydneysiders partied at the first music festival of the year A strong police presence was seen at the Domain in Sydney as NSW Police patrolled the area with sniffer dogs A bumbag wearing partygoer accompanies a friend to the Field Day music festival at the Domain in Sydney on Saturday A reveller matches a crocheted skirt and top with a knitted bag as she joins thousands at the Field Day music festival in Sydney Bikini tops, fishnet dresses and flashy skirts were the choice of outfit for women while shorts and unbuttoned t-shirts were the style for the men Concertgoer opts for a beaded outfit while attending the festival at the Domain in Sydney on Saturday afternoon Concertgoer is escorted by police outside the Field Day gates as the summer festival kicked into gear on Saturday Police were on patrol with sniffer dogs and inspecting concertgoers outside the gates to the ticketed event at the Domain in Sydney - these revellers taking a look at the canine as they strolled past Two concertgoers at the Field Day music festival at the Domain in Sydney on Saturday as New Years Day celebrations kicked into gear An officer leads a concertgoer by the hand as police patrolled the outside perimeter of the music festival Pineapple vibes: Reveller wears matching pineapple patterned shorts, shirt and bucket hat to the summer music festival Plenty of sniffer dogs were spotted outside the front entrance of the summer music festival on Saturday afternoon. It's not suggested this dog found anything 4am kisses, sunrise beers in the surf and using the sand as a pillow: Australia wakes up to 2022 after VERY messy scenes on city streets - here's the aftermath Australians have awoken to their first day of 2022 with some nursing sore heads and looking a little worse for wear following a night of wild celebrations to usher in the New Year. Tens of thousands of revellers were undeterred by rapidly rising Omicron case numbers as they staged wild celebrations across the country with some of the biggest crowds forming in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. In Sydney, organisers were determined to hold the biggest NYE display seen anywhere since the pandemic began, with six tonnes of fireworks deployed - around 2,000 individual fireworks - for a midnight celebration watched by millions worldwide. Happy revellers pose for a group selfie on Bondi Beach, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, as they welcomed the first day of the new year Tired partygoers crashed in the Bondi sands in their tracksuits after what may have been a night of intense celebrations A group of friends in fluorescent outfits decide to mark the first day of the new year with a dip in the surf Group of friends wind down celebrations on Bondi Beach with one choosing a unique outfit combination: a tutu and long sleeved shirt Revellers across the nation continued the celebration well into the early hours of the morning with partygoers slowly migrating to Bondi Beach and Surfer's Paradise on the Gold Coast to watch the sun rise on Saturday. Crowds slowly began to grow as the weather warmed up and provided the perfect swimming conditions for beachgoers. Hundreds of other residents have chosen to queue at drive-thru Covid-19 clinics as cases continue to surge with NSW breaking another pandemic record and reporting 22,577 new infections. The wild celebrations took a bigger toll on others with some revellers passing out on the sand as the new dawn rolled in. Thousands of Melburnians watched a spectacular fireworks display on the Yarra River a after a scorching day that reached 38 degrees The crowds were smaller at Circular Quay but that just meant a better view of the world-famous festivities for those who werent daunted by the Covid doomsayers Sydneysiders were in a mood to welcome in 2022 and who could blame them as 2021 didn't produce much to celebrate The best seat in the house! Queues start to form at the Opera Bar directly opposite the Harbour Bridge Where once a million spectators would gather around the water's edge to see the city's world-famous fireworks display, this year's celebrations were low-key. Husband and wife Diana Mosquera, 32, and Omar Campos, 33, enjoyed getting out of their Sydney home Others enjoyed quiet drinks and cigarettes with one couple setting up a picnic of fresh strawberries and champagne. One group of friends decided an early morning dip was the best way to begin the new year as the revellers jumped into the surf while nursing beers. Revellers who accepted the advice that they were far safer from Covid-19 outdoors than indoors were rewarded with light queues and prime viewing positions for the spectacular show. Many of those who took up the best spots had come from interstate - particularly Melbourne - as Sydneysiders made the decision to stay closer to home. Advertisement New Year's Day has kicked off with a bang for thousands of concertgoers who have rung in 2022 at the annual Field Day music festival in Sydney. Revellers came prepared to spend a long day under the sun as they dressed in skimpy outfits and barely-there costumes for the annual summer music festival at the Domain on Saturday. The event, which has been running since 2002, is an institution in Sydney, particularly among electronic music lovers, who will often have a quiet New Year's Eve to make the most of the festivities. Police wore face masks and led sniffer dogs around the grounds as they searched concertgoers who were making their way through the front gates of the ticketed event. Bikini tops, fishnet dresses and flashy skirts were the choice of outfit for women while shorts and buttoned summer shirts were the style for men as they made their way into the festival to party to the likes of Allday, Masked Wolf, Golden Features and Hot Dub Time Machine. Some concertgoers opted in for more flashy outfits with one reveller putting a racy twist on a police uniform - pairing what appeared to be a NSW Police Force cap with a bikini top and sheer skirt. Another chose a fluorescent green fishnet dress while others sported denim shorts and loose and breezy summer tops. It marks the first time the summer music festival has been held since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic after the event was cancelled last year. New Years Day celebrations have kicked off with concertgoers ringing in 2022 at the annual Field Day music festival in Sydney New police uniform? Reveller puts a racy twist on an emergency services uniform pairing a police cap with a bikini top and sheer skirt Two revellers colour-coded their outfits impeccably with one choosing a pink gown to match the colour of her hair This reveller chose an all-black ensemble with fish net top and skirt as she joins thousands at the Field Day music festival in Sydney Thousands of partygoers have turned up to mark the first day of 2022 at the Field Day music festival at the Domain in Sydney on Saturday Festivalgoers rocked up to the Domain Park in Sydney on New Year's Day to continue celebrations An array of colourful and zany outfits were on display as Sydneysiders partied at the first music festival of the year A strong police presence was seen at the Domain in Sydney as NSW Police patrolled the area with sniffer dogs A bumbag wearing partygoer accompanies a friend to the Field Day music festival at the Domain in Sydney on Saturday A reveller matches a crocheted skirt and top with a knitted bag as she joins thousands at the Field Day music festival in Sydney Bikini tops, fishnet dresses and flashy skirts were the choice of outfit for women while shorts and unbuttoned t-shirts were the style for the men Concertgoer opts for a beaded outfit while attending the festival at the Domain in Sydney on Saturday afternoon Concertgoer is escorted by police outside the Field Day gates as the summer festival kicked into gear on Saturday Police were on patrol with sniffer dogs and inspecting concertgoers outside the gates to the ticketed event at the Domain in Sydney - these revellers taking a look at the canine as they strolled past Two concertgoers at the Field Day music festival at the Domain in Sydney on Saturday as New Years Day celebrations kicked into gear An officer leads a concertgoer by the hand as police patrolled the outside perimeter of the music festival Pineapple vibes: Reveller wears matching pineapple patterned shorts, shirt and bucket hat to the summer music festival Plenty of sniffer dogs were spotted outside the front entrance of the summer music festival on Saturday afternoon. It's not suggested this dog found anything 4am kisses, sunrise beers in the surf and using the sand as a pillow: Australia wakes up to 2022 after VERY messy scenes on city streets - here's the aftermath Australians have awoken to their first day of 2022 with some nursing sore heads and looking a little worse for wear following a night of wild celebrations to usher in the New Year. Tens of thousands of revellers were undeterred by rapidly rising Omicron case numbers as they staged wild celebrations across the country with some of the biggest crowds forming in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. In Sydney, organisers were determined to hold the biggest NYE display seen anywhere since the pandemic began, with six tonnes of fireworks deployed - around 2,000 individual fireworks - for a midnight celebration watched by millions worldwide. Happy revellers pose for a group selfie on Bondi Beach, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, as they welcomed the first day of the new year Tired partygoers crashed in the Bondi sands in their tracksuits after what may have been a night of intense celebrations A group of friends in fluorescent outfits decide to mark the first day of the new year with a dip in the surf Group of friends wind down celebrations on Bondi Beach with one choosing a unique outfit combination: a tutu and long sleeved shirt Revellers across the nation continued the celebration well into the early hours of the morning with partygoers slowly migrating to Bondi Beach and Surfer's Paradise on the Gold Coast to watch the sun rise on Saturday. Crowds slowly began to grow as the weather warmed up and provided the perfect swimming conditions for beachgoers. Hundreds of other residents have chosen to queue at drive-thru Covid-19 clinics as cases continue to surge with NSW breaking another pandemic record and reporting 22,577 new infections. The wild celebrations took a bigger toll on others with some revellers passing out on the sand as the new dawn rolled in. Thousands of Melburnians watched a spectacular fireworks display on the Yarra River a after a scorching day that reached 38 degrees The crowds were smaller at Circular Quay but that just meant a better view of the world-famous festivities for those who werent daunted by the Covid doomsayers Sydneysiders were in a mood to welcome in 2022 and who could blame them as 2021 didn't produce much to celebrate The best seat in the house! Queues start to form at the Opera Bar directly opposite the Harbour Bridge Where once a million spectators would gather around the water's edge to see the city's world-famous fireworks display, this year's celebrations were low-key. Husband and wife Diana Mosquera, 32, and Omar Campos, 33, enjoyed getting out of their Sydney home Others enjoyed quiet drinks and cigarettes with one couple setting up a picnic of fresh strawberries and champagne. One group of friends decided an early morning dip was the best way to begin the new year as the revellers jumped into the surf while nursing beers. Revellers who accepted the advice that they were far safer from Covid-19 outdoors than indoors were rewarded with light queues and prime viewing positions for the spectacular show. Many of those who took up the best spots had come from interstate - particularly Melbourne - as Sydneysiders made the decision to stay closer to home. Andy Cohen, appearing on CNN Friday night for his annual New Year's Eve festivities, spoke for many New Yorkers in a rant against outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio. Cohen, who appeared to be losing his voice toward the end of the evening and took shots on air with Cooper, ranted that de Blasio's second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever. 'Watching Mayor de Blasio do his victory lap dance after four years of the crappiest term as the mayor of New York... the only thing Republicans and Democrats can agree on is what a horrible mayor he has been so... sayonara sucker!' Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot. 'I just don't need to see that at the beginning of 2021. Do something with this city! Honestly, get it together!' Cohen finished his rant by saying he's be 'back to Bravo in 20 minutes.' Adams held up a photo of his late mother as he was sworn in next to his son, Jordan Coleman Andy Cohen just dragged Bill DeBlasio up and down 7th Avenue #CNNNYE pic.twitter.com/5m1DEVvZwx Wes Reynolds (@WesReynolds1) January 1, 2022 Andy Cohen, who had been taking shots on-air earlier with CNN co-host Anderson Cooper, ranted that de Blasio second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot Now former New York City First Lady Chirlane McCray and ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City. Adams takes over from Bill de Blasio, who leaves amid a spike in crime and a 10-year high in murders across the five boroughs at the end of his second term. De Blasio's approval rating was as low as 25 percent in September, according to one poll. The former cop - who held up a photo of his late mother while being sworn in - is the second black mayor in the city's history after David Dinkins. Adams defeated Republican Curtis Sliwa by a 40-point margin in November, improving on de Blasio's second term performance but coming up short of his rout in 2013. The ex-borough president tried to strike an optimistic tone despite the crime wave and continued spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. 'Even in the midst of COVID, in the midst of everything that we're going through, this is a country where hope and opportunities is always, ever present,' Adams said earlier during the festivities. 'It's just great when New York shows the entire country of how we come back,' he added. 'We showed the entire globe what we're made of. We're unbelievable. This is an unbelievable city and, trust me, we're ready for a major comeback because this is New York.' Adams spoke with ABC's Ryan Seacrest to begin his first terms. 'This is a resilient city, a resilient country and I wanna bring that energy,' he said. Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City The two mayors transitioned between the mayor's office official Twitter account Saturday with Adams taking the reins Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Cloudy with periods of rain. High 66F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.. Tonight A few clouds. Low near 45F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Speaking from the Elysee to the nation for New Year, Macron on Friday stressed the importance of vaccination against coronavirus. "Vaccination is our most secure asset. It divides the number of severe forms by ten," he added. He urged the 5 million non-vaccinated French citizens to get vaccinated for themselves, for their compatriots and for their country. The President also called on people, vaccinated or not, to continue to respect barrier gestures to curb the rapid spread of the virus, Xinhua news agency reported. Acknowledging the essential role of health staff during the pandemic for the past two years, Macron said he is "optimistic" about a possible end of the pandemic in 2022. Recalling 2021, the President said the government has introduced during the crisis various initiatives to protect spending power, as well as new projects for the young generation, environmental crisis, housing crisis etc. Macron said 2022 will be a year of a European turning point as France is going to hold the presidency of the European Union. He continued to say that 2022 will also be a decisive year for France. "I will act until the last moment of the mandate for which you elected me," said Macron. The Presidential election in France is scheduled for April 2022. --IANS int/khz/ ( 254 Words) 2022-01-01-05:00:04 (IANS) Speaking from the Elysee to the nation for New Year, Macron on Friday stressed the importance of vaccination against coronavirus. "Vaccination is our most secure asset. It divides the number of severe forms by ten," he added. He urged the 5 million non-vaccinated French citizens to get vaccinated for themselves, for their compatriots and for their country. The President also called on people, vaccinated or not, to continue to respect barrier gestures to curb the rapid spread of the virus, Xinhua news agency reported. Acknowledging the essential role of health staff during the pandemic for the past two years, Macron said he is "optimistic" about a possible end of the pandemic in 2022. Recalling 2021, the President said the government has introduced during the crisis various initiatives to protect spending power, as well as new projects for the young generation, environmental crisis, housing crisis etc. Macron said 2022 will be a year of a European turning point as France is going to hold the presidency of the European Union. He continued to say that 2022 will also be a decisive year for France. "I will act until the last moment of the mandate for which you elected me," said Macron. The Presidential election in France is scheduled for April 2022. --IANS int/khz/ ( 254 Words) 2022-01-01-05:00:04 (IANS) The Archbishop of Canterbury has urged the public not to despair over climate change as he said there are real reasons to hope in 2022. The Most Rev Justin Welby used his new years message on BBC 1 to address the issue, following a year in which the UK hosted the UNs climate summit in Glasgow. When it comes to climate change, it is tempting to despair, Mr Welby said in quotes aired on BBC Radio 5. Andy Cohen, appearing on CNN Friday night for his annual New Year's Eve festivities, spoke for many New Yorkers in a rant against outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio. Cohen, who appeared to be losing his voice toward the end of the evening and took shots on air with Cooper, ranted that de Blasio's second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever. 'Watching Mayor de Blasio do his victory lap dance after four years of the crappiest term as the mayor of New York... the only thing Republicans and Democrats can agree on is what a horrible mayor he has been so... sayonara sucker!' Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot. 'I just don't need to see that at the beginning of 2021. Do something with this city! Honestly, get it together!' Cohen finished his rant by saying he's be 'back to Bravo in 20 minutes.' Adams held up a photo of his late mother as he was sworn in next to his son, Jordan Coleman Andy Cohen just dragged Bill DeBlasio up and down 7th Avenue #CNNNYE pic.twitter.com/5m1DEVvZwx Wes Reynolds (@WesReynolds1) January 1, 2022 Andy Cohen, who had been taking shots on-air earlier with CNN co-host Anderson Cooper, ranted that de Blasio second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot Now former New York City First Lady Chirlane McCray and ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City. Adams takes over from Bill de Blasio, who leaves amid a spike in crime and a 10-year high in murders across the five boroughs at the end of his second term. De Blasio's approval rating was as low as 25 percent in September, according to one poll. The former cop - who held up a photo of his late mother while being sworn in - is the second black mayor in the city's history after David Dinkins. Adams defeated Republican Curtis Sliwa by a 40-point margin in November, improving on de Blasio's second term performance but coming up short of his rout in 2013. The ex-borough president tried to strike an optimistic tone despite the crime wave and continued spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. 'Even in the midst of COVID, in the midst of everything that we're going through, this is a country where hope and opportunities is always, ever present,' Adams said earlier during the festivities. 'It's just great when New York shows the entire country of how we come back,' he added. 'We showed the entire globe what we're made of. We're unbelievable. This is an unbelievable city and, trust me, we're ready for a major comeback because this is New York.' Adams spoke with ABC's Ryan Seacrest to begin his first terms. 'This is a resilient city, a resilient country and I wanna bring that energy,' he said. Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City The two mayors transitioned between the mayor's office official Twitter account Saturday with Adams taking the reins Andy Cohen, appearing on CNN Friday night for his annual New Year's Eve festivities, spoke for many New Yorkers in a rant against outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio. Cohen, who appeared to be losing his voice toward the end of the evening and took shots on air with Cooper, ranted that de Blasio's second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever. 'Watching Mayor de Blasio do his victory lap dance after four years of the crappiest term as the mayor of New York... the only thing Republicans and Democrats can agree on is what a horrible mayor he has been so... sayonara sucker!' Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot. 'I just don't need to see that at the beginning of 2021. Do something with this city! Honestly, get it together!' Cohen finished his rant by saying he's be 'back to Bravo in 20 minutes.' Adams held up a photo of his late mother as he was sworn in next to his son, Jordan Coleman Andy Cohen just dragged Bill DeBlasio up and down 7th Avenue #CNNNYE pic.twitter.com/5m1DEVvZwx Wes Reynolds (@WesReynolds1) January 1, 2022 Andy Cohen, who had been taking shots on-air earlier with CNN co-host Anderson Cooper, ranted that de Blasio second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot Now former New York City First Lady Chirlane McCray and ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City. Adams takes over from Bill de Blasio, who leaves amid a spike in crime and a 10-year high in murders across the five boroughs at the end of his second term. De Blasio's approval rating was as low as 25 percent in September, according to one poll. The former cop - who held up a photo of his late mother while being sworn in - is the second black mayor in the city's history after David Dinkins. Adams defeated Republican Curtis Sliwa by a 40-point margin in November, improving on de Blasio's second term performance but coming up short of his rout in 2013. The ex-borough president tried to strike an optimistic tone despite the crime wave and continued spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. 'Even in the midst of COVID, in the midst of everything that we're going through, this is a country where hope and opportunities is always, ever present,' Adams said earlier during the festivities. 'It's just great when New York shows the entire country of how we come back,' he added. 'We showed the entire globe what we're made of. We're unbelievable. This is an unbelievable city and, trust me, we're ready for a major comeback because this is New York.' Adams spoke with ABC's Ryan Seacrest to begin his first terms. 'This is a resilient city, a resilient country and I wanna bring that energy,' he said. Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City The two mayors transitioned between the mayor's office official Twitter account Saturday with Adams taking the reins Andy Cohen, appearing on CNN Friday night for his annual New Year's Eve festivities, spoke for many New Yorkers in a rant against outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio. Cohen, who appeared to be losing his voice toward the end of the evening and took shots on air with Cooper, ranted that de Blasio's second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever. 'Watching Mayor de Blasio do his victory lap dance after four years of the crappiest term as the mayor of New York... the only thing Republicans and Democrats can agree on is what a horrible mayor he has been so... sayonara sucker!' Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot. 'I just don't need to see that at the beginning of 2021. Do something with this city! Honestly, get it together!' Cohen finished his rant by saying he's be 'back to Bravo in 20 minutes.' Adams held up a photo of his late mother as he was sworn in next to his son, Jordan Coleman Andy Cohen just dragged Bill DeBlasio up and down 7th Avenue #CNNNYE pic.twitter.com/5m1DEVvZwx Wes Reynolds (@WesReynolds1) January 1, 2022 Andy Cohen, who had been taking shots on-air earlier with CNN co-host Anderson Cooper, ranted that de Blasio second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot Now former New York City First Lady Chirlane McCray and ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City. Adams takes over from Bill de Blasio, who leaves amid a spike in crime and a 10-year high in murders across the five boroughs at the end of his second term. De Blasio's approval rating was as low as 25 percent in September, according to one poll. The former cop - who held up a photo of his late mother while being sworn in - is the second black mayor in the city's history after David Dinkins. Adams defeated Republican Curtis Sliwa by a 40-point margin in November, improving on de Blasio's second term performance but coming up short of his rout in 2013. The ex-borough president tried to strike an optimistic tone despite the crime wave and continued spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. 'Even in the midst of COVID, in the midst of everything that we're going through, this is a country where hope and opportunities is always, ever present,' Adams said earlier during the festivities. 'It's just great when New York shows the entire country of how we come back,' he added. 'We showed the entire globe what we're made of. We're unbelievable. This is an unbelievable city and, trust me, we're ready for a major comeback because this is New York.' Adams spoke with ABC's Ryan Seacrest to begin his first terms. 'This is a resilient city, a resilient country and I wanna bring that energy,' he said. Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City The two mayors transitioned between the mayor's office official Twitter account Saturday with Adams taking the reins Former President Donald Trump continued to hammer the message that the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters are effective, though he remained resistant to vaccine mandates. Trump appeared on YouTube outlet Right Side Broadcasting Network Thursday night, where he continued to support the inoculations. He noted that the vaccine has 'saved millions of lives. We're very proud of the vaccines.' However, he continued to say he was against President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate. Former President Donald Trump continued to hammer the message that the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters are effective, though he remained resistant to vaccine mandates 'But the mandates, they should not beand they are trying to enforce these mandates, and it's so bad for people and for our country,' Trump said. Trump's candidates have been controversial in conservative circles, with some of his biggest fans questioning his judgement. Conspiracy theorist Wayne Allyn Root appeared on Alex Jones' InfoWars earlier this week where he joined a chorus of fellow Trump supporters who are now turning on the Republican leader over his ardent support for vaccines. 'He needs an intervention from a friend, because he's the greatest president of my lifetime, I love him, I will always love him,' Root said on Tuesday. The radio host, who was the Libertarian Party's vice presidential nominee in 2008, went on to say Trump has been 'right on everything except this issue.' 'He's so horribly wrong on this issue, and the best way to put it -- ironically -- is he's dead wrong, 'cause people are dying left and right,' Root continued, claiming they died of the vaccines. He said Trump's embrace of the jabs amounted to 'political suicide.' Jones, who also criticized Trump for his heel-turn on getting vaccinated, said he felt 'like a woman scorned' by the ex-president. He said Trump's promotion of vaccines made him 'feel like a family member is dying, quite frankly,' a potential sign that his base's dissatisfaction could force them to look to someone else in 2024. Right-wing conspiracy theorist Wayne Allyn Root shared a message for Trump on Alex Jones' show: 'I'm a friend and I love you man, but you need an intervention' Root has been a supporter of Trump's for years and opened for him at two separate Las Vegas rallies, in 2016 and 2018 Root posted this note from Trump on Facebook, which the ex-president sent to congratulate Root on his recent wedding Trump was heckled in Dallas earlier in December for confirming he received his COVID-19 booster shot. Trump appeared onstage with ex-Fox News host Bill O'Reilly for the final stop of their 'History Tour.' 'Both the president and I are vaxxed,' O'Reilly said. 'Did you get the booster?' he asked Trump. Trump answered, 'yes,' to which O'Reilly replied, 'I got it too,' as members of the crowd started to yell. 'Don't, don't, don't, don't ... no, no, no,' Trump responded, wagging his hand at a section of the crowd. 'There's a very tiny group over there,' the ex-president said, pointing. Trump had encouraged the crowd to 'take credit' for the vaccine. 'You're playing right into their hands when you're sort of like 'oh the vaccine,'' the ex-president said. Former President Donald Trump (left) was heckled in Dallas Sunday for confirming he received his COVID-19 booster shot alongside former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly (right) Data shows that Republicans are much more skeptical of the COVID-19 vaccines than their Democratic counterparts. And while Trump has touted his Operation Warp Speed - the public-private partnership his White House spurred for swift COVID-19 vaccine development - he's also allowed anti-vaccination sentiment to fester by giving it some cover. He did so Sunday by telling the audience that they didn't have to get their shots. 'If you don't want to take it you shouldn't be forced to take it,' Trump said. 'No mandates,' he said to cheers. Trump then doubled down on his remarks in an interview with conservative commentator Candace Owens. 'I came up with a vaccine with three vaccines,' Trump told the Daily Wire host, referring to the development of the Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines while he was still president. 'All are very, very good. Came up with three of them in less than nine months. It was supposed to take five to 12 years.' Owens interjected: 'Yet more people have died under COVID this year, by the way, under Joe Biden, then under you and more people took the vaccine this year. So people are questioning how ' But the former president interrupted Owens, assuring: 'Oh no, the vaccine work (sic), but some people aren't the ones. The ones who get very sick and go to the hospital are the ones that don't take the vaccine. But it's still their choice.' 'And if you take the vaccine, you're protected,' he continued. 'Look, the results of the vaccine are very good, and if you do get it, it's a very minor form. People aren't dying when they take the vaccine.' Andy Cohen, appearing on CNN Friday night for his annual New Year's Eve festivities, spoke for many New Yorkers in a rant against outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio. Cohen, who appeared to be losing his voice toward the end of the evening and took shots on air with Cooper, ranted that de Blasio's second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever. 'Watching Mayor de Blasio do his victory lap dance after four years of the crappiest term as the mayor of New York... the only thing Republicans and Democrats can agree on is what a horrible mayor he has been so... sayonara sucker!' Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot. 'I just don't need to see that at the beginning of 2021. Do something with this city! Honestly, get it together!' Cohen finished his rant by saying he's be 'back to Bravo in 20 minutes.' Adams held up a photo of his late mother as he was sworn in next to his son, Jordan Coleman Andy Cohen just dragged Bill DeBlasio up and down 7th Avenue #CNNNYE pic.twitter.com/5m1DEVvZwx Wes Reynolds (@WesReynolds1) January 1, 2022 Andy Cohen, who had been taking shots on-air earlier with CNN co-host Anderson Cooper, ranted that de Blasio second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot Now former New York City First Lady Chirlane McCray and ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City. Adams takes over from Bill de Blasio, who leaves amid a spike in crime and a 10-year high in murders across the five boroughs at the end of his second term. De Blasio's approval rating was as low as 25 percent in September, according to one poll. The former cop - who held up a photo of his late mother while being sworn in - is the second black mayor in the city's history after David Dinkins. Adams defeated Republican Curtis Sliwa by a 40-point margin in November, improving on de Blasio's second term performance but coming up short of his rout in 2013. The ex-borough president tried to strike an optimistic tone despite the crime wave and continued spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. 'Even in the midst of COVID, in the midst of everything that we're going through, this is a country where hope and opportunities is always, ever present,' Adams said earlier during the festivities. 'It's just great when New York shows the entire country of how we come back,' he added. 'We showed the entire globe what we're made of. We're unbelievable. This is an unbelievable city and, trust me, we're ready for a major comeback because this is New York.' Adams spoke with ABC's Ryan Seacrest to begin his first terms. 'This is a resilient city, a resilient country and I wanna bring that energy,' he said. Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City The two mayors transitioned between the mayor's office official Twitter account Saturday with Adams taking the reins Bennington, VT (05201) Today A steady rain this morning. Showers continuing this afternoon. High 64F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies. Low 42F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Bennington, VT (05201) Today A steady rain this morning. Showers continuing this afternoon. High 64F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies. Low 42F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Andy Cohen, appearing on CNN Friday night for his annual New Year's Eve festivities, spoke for many New Yorkers in a rant against outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio. Cohen, who appeared to be losing his voice toward the end of the evening and took shots on air with Cooper, ranted that de Blasio's second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever. 'Watching Mayor de Blasio do his victory lap dance after four years of the crappiest term as the mayor of New York... the only thing Republicans and Democrats can agree on is what a horrible mayor he has been so... sayonara sucker!' Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot. 'I just don't need to see that at the beginning of 2021. Do something with this city! Honestly, get it together!' Cohen finished his rant by saying he's be 'back to Bravo in 20 minutes.' Adams held up a photo of his late mother as he was sworn in next to his son, Jordan Coleman Andy Cohen just dragged Bill DeBlasio up and down 7th Avenue #CNNNYE pic.twitter.com/5m1DEVvZwx Wes Reynolds (@WesReynolds1) January 1, 2022 Andy Cohen, who had been taking shots on-air earlier with CNN co-host Anderson Cooper, ranted that de Blasio second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot Now former New York City First Lady Chirlane McCray and ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City. Adams takes over from Bill de Blasio, who leaves amid a spike in crime and a 10-year high in murders across the five boroughs at the end of his second term. De Blasio's approval rating was as low as 25 percent in September, according to one poll. The former cop - who held up a photo of his late mother while being sworn in - is the second black mayor in the city's history after David Dinkins. Adams defeated Republican Curtis Sliwa by a 40-point margin in November, improving on de Blasio's second term performance but coming up short of his rout in 2013. The ex-borough president tried to strike an optimistic tone despite the crime wave and continued spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. 'Even in the midst of COVID, in the midst of everything that we're going through, this is a country where hope and opportunities is always, ever present,' Adams said earlier during the festivities. 'It's just great when New York shows the entire country of how we come back,' he added. 'We showed the entire globe what we're made of. We're unbelievable. This is an unbelievable city and, trust me, we're ready for a major comeback because this is New York.' Adams spoke with ABC's Ryan Seacrest to begin his first terms. 'This is a resilient city, a resilient country and I wanna bring that energy,' he said. Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City The two mayors transitioned between the mayor's office official Twitter account Saturday with Adams taking the reins The Archbishop of Canterbury has urged the public not to despair over climate change as he said there are real reasons to hope in 2022. The Most Rev Justin Welby used his new years message on BBC 1 to address the issue, following a year in which the UK hosted the UNs climate summit in Glasgow. When it comes to climate change, it is tempting to despair, Mr Welby said in quotes aired on BBC Radio 5. Haryana Police on December 31 got malls, bars and restaurants closed in the wake of the night curfew imposed in the state as COVID-19 Omicron threat loomed large over Delhi and suburbs. "We had ordered the closure of malls and clubs in Gurugram at 10.30 pm so that our police force can vacate the places and implement night curfew by 11 pm", said Maqsood Ahmed, DCP, East Gurugram. The DCP further added that violators of the night curfew and COVID-19 protocols would be dealt with strictly. "Besides the regular force, we have deployed 500 additional forces to ensure COVID-19 protocols are followed," said Maqsood Ahmed, DCP, East Gurugram. "We are sad that we have to leave so early. It is the first time that we are ending our party before 12 pm", said a woman outside a nightclub in Gurugram. (ANI) More than 10 ministers and at least 20 MLAs in Maharashtra have tested positive for coronavirus so far, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said Saturday and added that strict restrictions might be clamped if the new Covid-19 cases continue to rise in the state. Pawar's warning came a day after Maharashtra reported 8,067 new coronavirus positive cases, a number that was around 50 per cent more higher than that of a day before. "We cut short the Assembly session recently. So far, over 10 ministers and over 20 MLAs have tested positive for coronavirus. Everybody wants to be part of the celebrations of New Year, birthdays and other occasions. Keep in mind that the new variant (Omicron) spreads fast and hence caution is needed. PM Narendra Modi has appealed and some states have announced a night curfew. In Maharashtra, cases are increasing in Mumbai and Pune," he told reporters after visiting the Jaystambh military monument in Perne village on the occasion of the 204th anniversary of the Battle of Koregaon Bhima. Also Read Omicron cases in Kerala cross 100, vaccine hesitancy towards second dose poses concern Queried on the possibility of more curbs, Pawar said the state government is keeping a tab on the increasing number of patients. "If the number of patients continues to rise then there will be strict restrictions. To avoid strict restrictions, everybody should follow norms," he said. Maharashtra has seen a sharp rise in new daily coronavirus cases over the past 12 days of 2021. The state government, in fresh guidelines issued Thursday night, capped the attendance at gatherings in open or closed spaces at 50. Mumbai on Friday reported 5,631 new Covid-19 cases, almost 2,000 more than Thursday, which took the caseload in the city on the last day of the year to 785,110, a civic official had said. This was a rise of 53 per cent over 3,671 cases recorded on Thursday. The Covid-19 positivity rate in Pune city touched 5.9 per cent on Friday after 412 cases were detected, raising the tally within civic limits to 510,218, according to officials. Also Read Ashok Gehlot extends Covid health workers' tenure by 3 months in view of rising cases Pawar said the government recently told the state legislature that land may be acquired for the redevelopment of the monument ('Jaystambh') for the convenience of lakhs of people who visit the spot every year to pay tributes on the anniversary of the Koregaon Bhima battle. He said a committee has been formed to take further action. When asked about the Maharashtra government denying permission for organising a bullock cart race and former MP Shivaji Adhalrao Patil announcing to go ahead with the event, Pawar said, "After the meeting (of the Covid-19 task force), Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray directed the state chief secretary to issue orders to all collectors to avoid public gatherings to (stop) another wave of the pandemic. Based on this, the permission might have been denied in the larger interest. Not only Shivaji Adhalrao Patil but those who want to hold the bullock cart race should also consider the looming threat (of the third Covid-19 wave)." Watch the latest DH Videos here: Andy Cohen, appearing on CNN Friday night for his annual New Year's Eve festivities, spoke for many New Yorkers in a rant against outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio. Cohen, who appeared to be losing his voice toward the end of the evening and took shots on air with Cooper, ranted that de Blasio's second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever. 'Watching Mayor de Blasio do his victory lap dance after four years of the crappiest term as the mayor of New York... the only thing Republicans and Democrats can agree on is what a horrible mayor he has been so... sayonara sucker!' Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot. 'I just don't need to see that at the beginning of 2021. Do something with this city! Honestly, get it together!' Cohen finished his rant by saying he's be 'back to Bravo in 20 minutes.' Adams held up a photo of his late mother as he was sworn in next to his son, Jordan Coleman Andy Cohen just dragged Bill DeBlasio up and down 7th Avenue #CNNNYE pic.twitter.com/5m1DEVvZwx Wes Reynolds (@WesReynolds1) January 1, 2022 Andy Cohen, who had been taking shots on-air earlier with CNN co-host Anderson Cooper, ranted that de Blasio second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot Now former New York City First Lady Chirlane McCray and ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City. Adams takes over from Bill de Blasio, who leaves amid a spike in crime and a 10-year high in murders across the five boroughs at the end of his second term. De Blasio's approval rating was as low as 25 percent in September, according to one poll. The former cop - who held up a photo of his late mother while being sworn in - is the second black mayor in the city's history after David Dinkins. Adams defeated Republican Curtis Sliwa by a 40-point margin in November, improving on de Blasio's second term performance but coming up short of his rout in 2013. The ex-borough president tried to strike an optimistic tone despite the crime wave and continued spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. 'Even in the midst of COVID, in the midst of everything that we're going through, this is a country where hope and opportunities is always, ever present,' Adams said earlier during the festivities. 'It's just great when New York shows the entire country of how we come back,' he added. 'We showed the entire globe what we're made of. We're unbelievable. This is an unbelievable city and, trust me, we're ready for a major comeback because this is New York.' Adams spoke with ABC's Ryan Seacrest to begin his first terms. 'This is a resilient city, a resilient country and I wanna bring that energy,' he said. Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City The two mayors transitioned between the mayor's office official Twitter account Saturday with Adams taking the reins Andy Cohen, appearing on CNN Friday night for his annual New Year's Eve festivities, spoke for many New Yorkers in a rant against outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio. Cohen, who appeared to be losing his voice toward the end of the evening and took shots on air with Cooper, ranted that de Blasio's second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever. 'Watching Mayor de Blasio do his victory lap dance after four years of the crappiest term as the mayor of New York... the only thing Republicans and Democrats can agree on is what a horrible mayor he has been so... sayonara sucker!' Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot. 'I just don't need to see that at the beginning of 2021. Do something with this city! Honestly, get it together!' Cohen finished his rant by saying he's be 'back to Bravo in 20 minutes.' Adams held up a photo of his late mother as he was sworn in next to his son, Jordan Coleman Andy Cohen just dragged Bill DeBlasio up and down 7th Avenue #CNNNYE pic.twitter.com/5m1DEVvZwx Wes Reynolds (@WesReynolds1) January 1, 2022 Andy Cohen, who had been taking shots on-air earlier with CNN co-host Anderson Cooper, ranted that de Blasio second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot Now former New York City First Lady Chirlane McCray and ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City. Adams takes over from Bill de Blasio, who leaves amid a spike in crime and a 10-year high in murders across the five boroughs at the end of his second term. De Blasio's approval rating was as low as 25 percent in September, according to one poll. The former cop - who held up a photo of his late mother while being sworn in - is the second black mayor in the city's history after David Dinkins. Adams defeated Republican Curtis Sliwa by a 40-point margin in November, improving on de Blasio's second term performance but coming up short of his rout in 2013. The ex-borough president tried to strike an optimistic tone despite the crime wave and continued spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. 'Even in the midst of COVID, in the midst of everything that we're going through, this is a country where hope and opportunities is always, ever present,' Adams said earlier during the festivities. 'It's just great when New York shows the entire country of how we come back,' he added. 'We showed the entire globe what we're made of. We're unbelievable. This is an unbelievable city and, trust me, we're ready for a major comeback because this is New York.' Adams spoke with ABC's Ryan Seacrest to begin his first terms. 'This is a resilient city, a resilient country and I wanna bring that energy,' he said. Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City The two mayors transitioned between the mayor's office official Twitter account Saturday with Adams taking the reins RACINE Sally Falaschis initial experience with Sew n Save was probably similar to many of the peers she calls her nearest and dearest friends now. Though she has been a regular customer of the store, 3701 Durand Ave., for years now, she wasnt always this way; early on, she would come in a few times to get small materials or repairs made to her machine. But once she retired, she became connected with the shop and the people in it. The people have been so welcoming, and the staff was so friendly. Ive made friends now, she said. The friendships fostered inside Sew n Save could be seen Thursday morning when a reporter visited. Owner Jim Deibler, as well as his other employees, greeted customers by name and asked about not only projects, but New Years plans. Often, the regular customers band together to work on group projects like sewing blankets for Afghan refugees (which they did in October), repurposing wedding dresses to make angel gowns and most recently, delivering 35 quilts and other necessities to the homeless veterans at Veterans Home at Union Grove. A place to sew Deibler often donates the back sewing room in the shop for outside groups to work on projects. For example, Racine Unified School District students on the autism spectrum or with disabilities would come in to make Christmas cards for veterans and sew pillowcases to benefit kids with cancer through Ryans Case for Smiles. They got to keep one, they had to donate one. And it was just the neatest, the neatest thing they used to come every month for a while, Deibler recalled. He couldnt put a number on the core group of sewers because it changes constantly, but the eagerness to give back remains the same. I love seeing the people come in and being willing to spend their time doing what we might think is a good idea, Deibler said. When he makes a Facebook post seeking donations or volunteered time for certain organizations or causes, people come: The sewers are special. When you see the reinforcements coming in, it really helps me want to think of more things to do, Falaschi said. We have a lot of fun together, Deibler said. Deibler doesnt hesitate to lend a helping hand during the group workshops, whether it be providing a sewing machine or simply providing the space to work and chat. Fostering communities Other than the outside groups who come in and use Sew n Saves space or contribute to its many causes, there are also groups of regular customers who call the shop their organizations home base. For example, Falaschi runs Angel Gowns at Sew n Save, a group dedicated to sewing angel gowns, or burial outfits that are provided to grieving parents in the hospital after they lose a baby. The group accepts donations of wedding dresses or time to help create the angel gowns. At one point, Falaschi had the help of 35 different sewers. They have been active for about three years. Though certain groups have slowed down or hit a standstill due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the coolest thing is that people still want to do and they still want to give and they still need interaction with people, Deibler said. And this is a good, safe place to have that happen, he added. During the start of the pandemic, Deibler said the Racine County Sheriffs Office deemed Sew n Save an essential business as it provided people with the materials to make masks. In one instance, the shop was full of sewing machines that needed repairs as sewers mobilized. Both Deibler and Falaschi assured that any sewer or aspiring sewer can come into the shop to get their materials, harvest ideas, seek advice and receive guidance from any of the employees at Sew n Save. Former President Donald Trump continued to hammer the message that the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters are effective, though he remained resistant to vaccine mandates. Trump appeared on YouTube outlet Right Side Broadcasting Network Thursday night, where he continued to support the inoculations. He noted that the vaccine has 'saved millions of lives. We're very proud of the vaccines.' However, he continued to say he was against President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate. Former President Donald Trump continued to hammer the message that the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters are effective, though he remained resistant to vaccine mandates 'But the mandates, they should not beand they are trying to enforce these mandates, and it's so bad for people and for our country,' Trump said. Trump's candidates have been controversial in conservative circles, with some of his biggest fans questioning his judgement. Conspiracy theorist Wayne Allyn Root appeared on Alex Jones' InfoWars earlier this week where he joined a chorus of fellow Trump supporters who are now turning on the Republican leader over his ardent support for vaccines. 'He needs an intervention from a friend, because he's the greatest president of my lifetime, I love him, I will always love him,' Root said on Tuesday. The radio host, who was the Libertarian Party's vice presidential nominee in 2008, went on to say Trump has been 'right on everything except this issue.' 'He's so horribly wrong on this issue, and the best way to put it -- ironically -- is he's dead wrong, 'cause people are dying left and right,' Root continued, claiming they died of the vaccines. He said Trump's embrace of the jabs amounted to 'political suicide.' Jones, who also criticized Trump for his heel-turn on getting vaccinated, said he felt 'like a woman scorned' by the ex-president. He said Trump's promotion of vaccines made him 'feel like a family member is dying, quite frankly,' a potential sign that his base's dissatisfaction could force them to look to someone else in 2024. Right-wing conspiracy theorist Wayne Allyn Root shared a message for Trump on Alex Jones' show: 'I'm a friend and I love you man, but you need an intervention' Root has been a supporter of Trump's for years and opened for him at two separate Las Vegas rallies, in 2016 and 2018 Root posted this note from Trump on Facebook, which the ex-president sent to congratulate Root on his recent wedding Trump was heckled in Dallas earlier in December for confirming he received his COVID-19 booster shot. Trump appeared onstage with ex-Fox News host Bill O'Reilly for the final stop of their 'History Tour.' 'Both the president and I are vaxxed,' O'Reilly said. 'Did you get the booster?' he asked Trump. Trump answered, 'yes,' to which O'Reilly replied, 'I got it too,' as members of the crowd started to yell. 'Don't, don't, don't, don't ... no, no, no,' Trump responded, wagging his hand at a section of the crowd. 'There's a very tiny group over there,' the ex-president said, pointing. Trump had encouraged the crowd to 'take credit' for the vaccine. 'You're playing right into their hands when you're sort of like 'oh the vaccine,'' the ex-president said. Former President Donald Trump (left) was heckled in Dallas Sunday for confirming he received his COVID-19 booster shot alongside former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly (right) Data shows that Republicans are much more skeptical of the COVID-19 vaccines than their Democratic counterparts. And while Trump has touted his Operation Warp Speed - the public-private partnership his White House spurred for swift COVID-19 vaccine development - he's also allowed anti-vaccination sentiment to fester by giving it some cover. He did so Sunday by telling the audience that they didn't have to get their shots. 'If you don't want to take it you shouldn't be forced to take it,' Trump said. 'No mandates,' he said to cheers. Trump then doubled down on his remarks in an interview with conservative commentator Candace Owens. 'I came up with a vaccine with three vaccines,' Trump told the Daily Wire host, referring to the development of the Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines while he was still president. 'All are very, very good. Came up with three of them in less than nine months. It was supposed to take five to 12 years.' Owens interjected: 'Yet more people have died under COVID this year, by the way, under Joe Biden, then under you and more people took the vaccine this year. So people are questioning how ' But the former president interrupted Owens, assuring: 'Oh no, the vaccine work (sic), but some people aren't the ones. The ones who get very sick and go to the hospital are the ones that don't take the vaccine. But it's still their choice.' 'And if you take the vaccine, you're protected,' he continued. 'Look, the results of the vaccine are very good, and if you do get it, it's a very minor form. People aren't dying when they take the vaccine.' Former President Donald Trump continued to hammer the message that the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters are effective, though he remained resistant to vaccine mandates. Trump appeared on YouTube outlet Right Side Broadcasting Network Thursday night, where he continued to support the inoculations. He noted that the vaccine has 'saved millions of lives. We're very proud of the vaccines.' However, he continued to say he was against President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate. Former President Donald Trump continued to hammer the message that the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters are effective, though he remained resistant to vaccine mandates 'But the mandates, they should not beand they are trying to enforce these mandates, and it's so bad for people and for our country,' Trump said. Trump's candidates have been controversial in conservative circles, with some of his biggest fans questioning his judgement. Conspiracy theorist Wayne Allyn Root appeared on Alex Jones' InfoWars earlier this week where he joined a chorus of fellow Trump supporters who are now turning on the Republican leader over his ardent support for vaccines. 'He needs an intervention from a friend, because he's the greatest president of my lifetime, I love him, I will always love him,' Root said on Tuesday. The radio host, who was the Libertarian Party's vice presidential nominee in 2008, went on to say Trump has been 'right on everything except this issue.' 'He's so horribly wrong on this issue, and the best way to put it -- ironically -- is he's dead wrong, 'cause people are dying left and right,' Root continued, claiming they died of the vaccines. He said Trump's embrace of the jabs amounted to 'political suicide.' Jones, who also criticized Trump for his heel-turn on getting vaccinated, said he felt 'like a woman scorned' by the ex-president. He said Trump's promotion of vaccines made him 'feel like a family member is dying, quite frankly,' a potential sign that his base's dissatisfaction could force them to look to someone else in 2024. Right-wing conspiracy theorist Wayne Allyn Root shared a message for Trump on Alex Jones' show: 'I'm a friend and I love you man, but you need an intervention' Root has been a supporter of Trump's for years and opened for him at two separate Las Vegas rallies, in 2016 and 2018 Root posted this note from Trump on Facebook, which the ex-president sent to congratulate Root on his recent wedding Trump was heckled in Dallas earlier in December for confirming he received his COVID-19 booster shot. Trump appeared onstage with ex-Fox News host Bill O'Reilly for the final stop of their 'History Tour.' 'Both the president and I are vaxxed,' O'Reilly said. 'Did you get the booster?' he asked Trump. Trump answered, 'yes,' to which O'Reilly replied, 'I got it too,' as members of the crowd started to yell. 'Don't, don't, don't, don't ... no, no, no,' Trump responded, wagging his hand at a section of the crowd. 'There's a very tiny group over there,' the ex-president said, pointing. Trump had encouraged the crowd to 'take credit' for the vaccine. 'You're playing right into their hands when you're sort of like 'oh the vaccine,'' the ex-president said. Former President Donald Trump (left) was heckled in Dallas Sunday for confirming he received his COVID-19 booster shot alongside former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly (right) Data shows that Republicans are much more skeptical of the COVID-19 vaccines than their Democratic counterparts. And while Trump has touted his Operation Warp Speed - the public-private partnership his White House spurred for swift COVID-19 vaccine development - he's also allowed anti-vaccination sentiment to fester by giving it some cover. He did so Sunday by telling the audience that they didn't have to get their shots. 'If you don't want to take it you shouldn't be forced to take it,' Trump said. 'No mandates,' he said to cheers. Trump then doubled down on his remarks in an interview with conservative commentator Candace Owens. 'I came up with a vaccine with three vaccines,' Trump told the Daily Wire host, referring to the development of the Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines while he was still president. 'All are very, very good. Came up with three of them in less than nine months. It was supposed to take five to 12 years.' Owens interjected: 'Yet more people have died under COVID this year, by the way, under Joe Biden, then under you and more people took the vaccine this year. So people are questioning how ' But the former president interrupted Owens, assuring: 'Oh no, the vaccine work (sic), but some people aren't the ones. The ones who get very sick and go to the hospital are the ones that don't take the vaccine. But it's still their choice.' 'And if you take the vaccine, you're protected,' he continued. 'Look, the results of the vaccine are very good, and if you do get it, it's a very minor form. People aren't dying when they take the vaccine.' Former President Donald Trump continued to hammer the message that the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters are effective, though he remained resistant to vaccine mandates. Trump appeared on YouTube outlet Right Side Broadcasting Network Thursday night, where he continued to support the inoculations. He noted that the vaccine has 'saved millions of lives. We're very proud of the vaccines.' However, he continued to say he was against President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate. Former President Donald Trump continued to hammer the message that the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters are effective, though he remained resistant to vaccine mandates 'But the mandates, they should not beand they are trying to enforce these mandates, and it's so bad for people and for our country,' Trump said. Trump's candidates have been controversial in conservative circles, with some of his biggest fans questioning his judgement. Conspiracy theorist Wayne Allyn Root appeared on Alex Jones' InfoWars earlier this week where he joined a chorus of fellow Trump supporters who are now turning on the Republican leader over his ardent support for vaccines. 'He needs an intervention from a friend, because he's the greatest president of my lifetime, I love him, I will always love him,' Root said on Tuesday. The radio host, who was the Libertarian Party's vice presidential nominee in 2008, went on to say Trump has been 'right on everything except this issue.' 'He's so horribly wrong on this issue, and the best way to put it -- ironically -- is he's dead wrong, 'cause people are dying left and right,' Root continued, claiming they died of the vaccines. He said Trump's embrace of the jabs amounted to 'political suicide.' Jones, who also criticized Trump for his heel-turn on getting vaccinated, said he felt 'like a woman scorned' by the ex-president. He said Trump's promotion of vaccines made him 'feel like a family member is dying, quite frankly,' a potential sign that his base's dissatisfaction could force them to look to someone else in 2024. Right-wing conspiracy theorist Wayne Allyn Root shared a message for Trump on Alex Jones' show: 'I'm a friend and I love you man, but you need an intervention' Root has been a supporter of Trump's for years and opened for him at two separate Las Vegas rallies, in 2016 and 2018 Root posted this note from Trump on Facebook, which the ex-president sent to congratulate Root on his recent wedding Trump was heckled in Dallas earlier in December for confirming he received his COVID-19 booster shot. Trump appeared onstage with ex-Fox News host Bill O'Reilly for the final stop of their 'History Tour.' 'Both the president and I are vaxxed,' O'Reilly said. 'Did you get the booster?' he asked Trump. Trump answered, 'yes,' to which O'Reilly replied, 'I got it too,' as members of the crowd started to yell. 'Don't, don't, don't, don't ... no, no, no,' Trump responded, wagging his hand at a section of the crowd. 'There's a very tiny group over there,' the ex-president said, pointing. Trump had encouraged the crowd to 'take credit' for the vaccine. 'You're playing right into their hands when you're sort of like 'oh the vaccine,'' the ex-president said. Former President Donald Trump (left) was heckled in Dallas Sunday for confirming he received his COVID-19 booster shot alongside former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly (right) Data shows that Republicans are much more skeptical of the COVID-19 vaccines than their Democratic counterparts. And while Trump has touted his Operation Warp Speed - the public-private partnership his White House spurred for swift COVID-19 vaccine development - he's also allowed anti-vaccination sentiment to fester by giving it some cover. He did so Sunday by telling the audience that they didn't have to get their shots. 'If you don't want to take it you shouldn't be forced to take it,' Trump said. 'No mandates,' he said to cheers. Trump then doubled down on his remarks in an interview with conservative commentator Candace Owens. 'I came up with a vaccine with three vaccines,' Trump told the Daily Wire host, referring to the development of the Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines while he was still president. 'All are very, very good. Came up with three of them in less than nine months. It was supposed to take five to 12 years.' Owens interjected: 'Yet more people have died under COVID this year, by the way, under Joe Biden, then under you and more people took the vaccine this year. So people are questioning how ' But the former president interrupted Owens, assuring: 'Oh no, the vaccine work (sic), but some people aren't the ones. The ones who get very sick and go to the hospital are the ones that don't take the vaccine. But it's still their choice.' 'And if you take the vaccine, you're protected,' he continued. 'Look, the results of the vaccine are very good, and if you do get it, it's a very minor form. People aren't dying when they take the vaccine.' 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. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Cloudy with periods of rain. High 66F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.. Tonight A few clouds. Low near 45F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Cloudy with periods of rain. High 66F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.. Tonight A few clouds. Low near 45F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. South Africans took their last opportunity to pay their respects to Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Friday, the eve of the revered anti-apartheid fighters funeral. Since Thursday, nearly 3,000 mourners have filed through Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral before the simple pine casket containing Tutu's remains. Members of Tutu's family hugged and consoled each other as the coffin returned for the second and final day to lie in state while a band, which included a preschooler trumpeter, played in his honor. The archbishop's successor, Thabo Makgoba, waved a chalice of burning incense over the coffin before pallbearers, Anglican vicars, took the coffin from a silver Mercedes SUV hearse. They slowly walked up the stairs into the cathedral where Tutu had preached for a decade. The body will spend the night in the cathedral until the funeral, which will be presided over by President Cyril Ramaphosa. Tutu died peacefully Sunday at age 90. The funeral Tutu had carefully set down details for his funeral, insisting that his coffin be "the cheapest" available, and that it be adorned by a simple bunch of carnations. Mourners are being asked to donate money to his charitable foundations instead of sending flowers, and even the disposal of his remains is being conducted in an eco-friendly way. The dean of the cathedral, Michael Weeder, told AFP that Tutu had asked for "aquamation," a process that supporters say releases one-tenth of climate-altering carbon dioxide gases compared with traditional cremation. In aquamation, bodies are dissolved in a heated solution of water and alkali in a stainless steel vessel, leaving behind the bones, which are then turned to ash by cremation. The ashes are to be interred at the cathedral. The burial "might be Sunday," Weeder said in a text message, adding the "family will decide whether it will be private or open to others." 'Moral compass' Libane Serenji, an artist from Johannesburg, came to pay respects. He painted portraits of Tutu on a canvas and attached them to a tree outside the cathedral. He said it was fitting "to come all the way and paint ... because he played also a significant role in my life like everyone from Africa." Another mourner, Antonia Appels, had come from the capital, Pretoria, to stand in line. Tutu was a "moral compass" who had helped haul country out of the darkness of the apartheid era, she said. South Africa is marking a week of mourning for Tutu, with the country's multicolored flag flying at half-staff nationwide and ceremonies taking place every day. The cathedral's bells have been pealing in his memory for 10 minutes at midday. Tutu was for years the emblem of the struggle to end white-minority rule as Nelson Mandela and other leaders languished behind bars. After apartheid was dismantled and South Africa ushered in its first free elections in 1994, Tutu chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which exposed the horrors of the past in terrible detail. He would later speak out fearlessly against the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for corruption, incompetence and failures to tackle the country's AIDS epidemic. Weakened by advanced age and prostate cancer, Tutu had retired from public life in recent years. He is survived by his wife, Leah; four children; and several grand and great-grandchildren. Ah, the false sense of security of what seemed, in a lull in the pandemics rampage, like freedom from the threat of COVID-19 infection, all too suddenly has been snatched away by the omicron variant and Floridians giddily taking risks. And just in time for Nochebuena, Christmas and New Years Eve. Driven by the highly contagious nature of omicron, infections are again surging in Florida. Last week, the state saw the largest single-day increase of newly reported cases since the pandemic began. Deaths, too, are on the increase, according to a Miami Herald analysis of available state data reported last month to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. With the arrival of the new variant came all the signs of trouble and a not-so-new reality: Hourslong lines for COVID testing in Miami-Dade. Two Royal Caribbean ships and one Carnival ship sailing from Port Miami and Fort Lauderdale reporting coronavirus outbreaks on board and prompting passenger and crew quarantines. And wheres Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis? Stuck in the same place where hes been since the onset of the pandemic. Still not leading the way with sensible policies, or at least words of appropriate guidance for those who most need to hear an endorsement of science over quackery from him the politically reticent to vaccinate. But no chance of that happening. DeSantis is still busy peddling treatment instead of prevention. Hes still spreading lies on Fox News and any conservative right-wing program that will listen to him about Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nations top authority on infectious diseases. The governor calls giving a damn about the science of contamination Faucism, a political talking point to counteract what the rest of us see him doing on voting rights and education, governing with such authoritarianism that he comes perilously close to fascism with every move. So many of us wish he would put politics aside, at least for the coronavirus. It would save lives, in particular those of law-enforcement officers hes always touting matter, as more police in South Florida have died from COVID-19 infection during the pandemic than from actual police work. Throughout the pandemic, the line of fire has been the virus, not criminals with high-powered guns. Hows that for a shocker? Yet, despite all we know now about the coronavirus and its harmful effects, the omicron now dominant in the United States and spreading faster than other variants isnt creating as much of a buzz in vaccine-stagnant, mask-rejecting Florida. We should all be used to this by now, but whos going to listen to commonsense when the states top leader isnt engaged in prevention more than 62,300 coronavirus deaths later? Most probably, only the same science-driven crowd that has vaccinated and boosted up. DeSantis wont even tell the media if he got the booster shot. And he probably will remain mum now that his mentor, former President Donald Trump, got booed recently at a Republican event when he said he got the booster shot. No, omicron wont make a bit of difference in the attitudes of the Trump-DeSantis loving crowd. The charlatan-worshiping crowd DeSantis favors loves to point at people who were vaccinated and still get the virus as proof of their debunked beliefs. Case in point, what has apparently happened on the cruise ships, which did require vaccinations of crew and passengers. But theyre not carting bodies off the ships in yellow bags as we saw in 2020. This time, people have mild symptoms from the quickly spreading omicron variant. Wouldnt you call that success? Science gave us what we needed to stop the wholesale spread of the virus: vaccines. But in the so-touted most advanced country in the world, too many discarded that solution in favor of freedom of choice to become infected. And so, the novel coronavirus easily delivered a new variant to usher us into 2022, yet another year of COVID. Omicron is what happens when we act selfishly and reject that were interconnected with the rest of the world in our common humanity. The me, me, me attitude only heightens our vulnerability to disease. We all (except those with well-founded medical exceptions) need to vaccinate, not only for ourselves, but to do our part for the rest of humanity. Without host bodies, viruses cant survive and mutate. Omicron is the last lesson of 2021. 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. Former President Donald Trump continued to hammer the message that the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters are effective, though he remained resistant to vaccine mandates. Trump appeared on YouTube outlet Right Side Broadcasting Network Thursday night, where he continued to support the inoculations. He noted that the vaccine has 'saved millions of lives. We're very proud of the vaccines.' However, he continued to say he was against President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate. Former President Donald Trump continued to hammer the message that the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters are effective, though he remained resistant to vaccine mandates 'But the mandates, they should not beand they are trying to enforce these mandates, and it's so bad for people and for our country,' Trump said. Trump's candidates have been controversial in conservative circles, with some of his biggest fans questioning his judgement. Conspiracy theorist Wayne Allyn Root appeared on Alex Jones' InfoWars earlier this week where he joined a chorus of fellow Trump supporters who are now turning on the Republican leader over his ardent support for vaccines. 'He needs an intervention from a friend, because he's the greatest president of my lifetime, I love him, I will always love him,' Root said on Tuesday. The radio host, who was the Libertarian Party's vice presidential nominee in 2008, went on to say Trump has been 'right on everything except this issue.' 'He's so horribly wrong on this issue, and the best way to put it -- ironically -- is he's dead wrong, 'cause people are dying left and right,' Root continued, claiming they died of the vaccines. He said Trump's embrace of the jabs amounted to 'political suicide.' Jones, who also criticized Trump for his heel-turn on getting vaccinated, said he felt 'like a woman scorned' by the ex-president. He said Trump's promotion of vaccines made him 'feel like a family member is dying, quite frankly,' a potential sign that his base's dissatisfaction could force them to look to someone else in 2024. Right-wing conspiracy theorist Wayne Allyn Root shared a message for Trump on Alex Jones' show: 'I'm a friend and I love you man, but you need an intervention' Root has been a supporter of Trump's for years and opened for him at two separate Las Vegas rallies, in 2016 and 2018 Root posted this note from Trump on Facebook, which the ex-president sent to congratulate Root on his recent wedding Trump was heckled in Dallas earlier in December for confirming he received his COVID-19 booster shot. Trump appeared onstage with ex-Fox News host Bill O'Reilly for the final stop of their 'History Tour.' 'Both the president and I are vaxxed,' O'Reilly said. 'Did you get the booster?' he asked Trump. Trump answered, 'yes,' to which O'Reilly replied, 'I got it too,' as members of the crowd started to yell. 'Don't, don't, don't, don't ... no, no, no,' Trump responded, wagging his hand at a section of the crowd. 'There's a very tiny group over there,' the ex-president said, pointing. Trump had encouraged the crowd to 'take credit' for the vaccine. 'You're playing right into their hands when you're sort of like 'oh the vaccine,'' the ex-president said. Former President Donald Trump (left) was heckled in Dallas Sunday for confirming he received his COVID-19 booster shot alongside former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly (right) Data shows that Republicans are much more skeptical of the COVID-19 vaccines than their Democratic counterparts. And while Trump has touted his Operation Warp Speed - the public-private partnership his White House spurred for swift COVID-19 vaccine development - he's also allowed anti-vaccination sentiment to fester by giving it some cover. He did so Sunday by telling the audience that they didn't have to get their shots. 'If you don't want to take it you shouldn't be forced to take it,' Trump said. 'No mandates,' he said to cheers. Trump then doubled down on his remarks in an interview with conservative commentator Candace Owens. 'I came up with a vaccine with three vaccines,' Trump told the Daily Wire host, referring to the development of the Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines while he was still president. 'All are very, very good. Came up with three of them in less than nine months. It was supposed to take five to 12 years.' Owens interjected: 'Yet more people have died under COVID this year, by the way, under Joe Biden, then under you and more people took the vaccine this year. So people are questioning how ' But the former president interrupted Owens, assuring: 'Oh no, the vaccine work (sic), but some people aren't the ones. The ones who get very sick and go to the hospital are the ones that don't take the vaccine. But it's still their choice.' 'And if you take the vaccine, you're protected,' he continued. 'Look, the results of the vaccine are very good, and if you do get it, it's a very minor form. People aren't dying when they take the vaccine.' Former President Donald Trump continued to hammer the message that the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters are effective, though he remained resistant to vaccine mandates. Trump appeared on YouTube outlet Right Side Broadcasting Network Thursday night, where he continued to support the inoculations. He noted that the vaccine has 'saved millions of lives. We're very proud of the vaccines.' However, he continued to say he was against President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate. Former President Donald Trump continued to hammer the message that the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters are effective, though he remained resistant to vaccine mandates 'But the mandates, they should not beand they are trying to enforce these mandates, and it's so bad for people and for our country,' Trump said. Trump's candidates have been controversial in conservative circles, with some of his biggest fans questioning his judgement. Conspiracy theorist Wayne Allyn Root appeared on Alex Jones' InfoWars earlier this week where he joined a chorus of fellow Trump supporters who are now turning on the Republican leader over his ardent support for vaccines. 'He needs an intervention from a friend, because he's the greatest president of my lifetime, I love him, I will always love him,' Root said on Tuesday. The radio host, who was the Libertarian Party's vice presidential nominee in 2008, went on to say Trump has been 'right on everything except this issue.' 'He's so horribly wrong on this issue, and the best way to put it -- ironically -- is he's dead wrong, 'cause people are dying left and right,' Root continued, claiming they died of the vaccines. He said Trump's embrace of the jabs amounted to 'political suicide.' Jones, who also criticized Trump for his heel-turn on getting vaccinated, said he felt 'like a woman scorned' by the ex-president. He said Trump's promotion of vaccines made him 'feel like a family member is dying, quite frankly,' a potential sign that his base's dissatisfaction could force them to look to someone else in 2024. Right-wing conspiracy theorist Wayne Allyn Root shared a message for Trump on Alex Jones' show: 'I'm a friend and I love you man, but you need an intervention' Root has been a supporter of Trump's for years and opened for him at two separate Las Vegas rallies, in 2016 and 2018 Root posted this note from Trump on Facebook, which the ex-president sent to congratulate Root on his recent wedding Trump was heckled in Dallas earlier in December for confirming he received his COVID-19 booster shot. Trump appeared onstage with ex-Fox News host Bill O'Reilly for the final stop of their 'History Tour.' 'Both the president and I are vaxxed,' O'Reilly said. 'Did you get the booster?' he asked Trump. Trump answered, 'yes,' to which O'Reilly replied, 'I got it too,' as members of the crowd started to yell. 'Don't, don't, don't, don't ... no, no, no,' Trump responded, wagging his hand at a section of the crowd. 'There's a very tiny group over there,' the ex-president said, pointing. Trump had encouraged the crowd to 'take credit' for the vaccine. 'You're playing right into their hands when you're sort of like 'oh the vaccine,'' the ex-president said. Former President Donald Trump (left) was heckled in Dallas Sunday for confirming he received his COVID-19 booster shot alongside former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly (right) Data shows that Republicans are much more skeptical of the COVID-19 vaccines than their Democratic counterparts. And while Trump has touted his Operation Warp Speed - the public-private partnership his White House spurred for swift COVID-19 vaccine development - he's also allowed anti-vaccination sentiment to fester by giving it some cover. He did so Sunday by telling the audience that they didn't have to get their shots. 'If you don't want to take it you shouldn't be forced to take it,' Trump said. 'No mandates,' he said to cheers. Trump then doubled down on his remarks in an interview with conservative commentator Candace Owens. 'I came up with a vaccine with three vaccines,' Trump told the Daily Wire host, referring to the development of the Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines while he was still president. 'All are very, very good. Came up with three of them in less than nine months. It was supposed to take five to 12 years.' Owens interjected: 'Yet more people have died under COVID this year, by the way, under Joe Biden, then under you and more people took the vaccine this year. So people are questioning how ' But the former president interrupted Owens, assuring: 'Oh no, the vaccine work (sic), but some people aren't the ones. The ones who get very sick and go to the hospital are the ones that don't take the vaccine. But it's still their choice.' 'And if you take the vaccine, you're protected,' he continued. 'Look, the results of the vaccine are very good, and if you do get it, it's a very minor form. People aren't dying when they take the vaccine.' Andy Cohen, appearing on CNN Friday night for his annual New Year's Eve festivities, spoke for many New Yorkers in a rant against outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio. Cohen, who appeared to be losing his voice toward the end of the evening and took shots on air with Cooper, ranted that de Blasio's second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever. 'Watching Mayor de Blasio do his victory lap dance after four years of the crappiest term as the mayor of New York... the only thing Republicans and Democrats can agree on is what a horrible mayor he has been so... sayonara sucker!' Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot. 'I just don't need to see that at the beginning of 2021. Do something with this city! Honestly, get it together!' Cohen finished his rant by saying he's be 'back to Bravo in 20 minutes.' Adams held up a photo of his late mother as he was sworn in next to his son, Jordan Coleman Andy Cohen just dragged Bill DeBlasio up and down 7th Avenue #CNNNYE pic.twitter.com/5m1DEVvZwx Wes Reynolds (@WesReynolds1) January 1, 2022 Andy Cohen, who had been taking shots on-air earlier with CNN co-host Anderson Cooper, ranted that de Blasio second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot Now former New York City First Lady Chirlane McCray and ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City. Adams takes over from Bill de Blasio, who leaves amid a spike in crime and a 10-year high in murders across the five boroughs at the end of his second term. De Blasio's approval rating was as low as 25 percent in September, according to one poll. The former cop - who held up a photo of his late mother while being sworn in - is the second black mayor in the city's history after David Dinkins. Adams defeated Republican Curtis Sliwa by a 40-point margin in November, improving on de Blasio's second term performance but coming up short of his rout in 2013. The ex-borough president tried to strike an optimistic tone despite the crime wave and continued spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. 'Even in the midst of COVID, in the midst of everything that we're going through, this is a country where hope and opportunities is always, ever present,' Adams said earlier during the festivities. 'It's just great when New York shows the entire country of how we come back,' he added. 'We showed the entire globe what we're made of. We're unbelievable. This is an unbelievable city and, trust me, we're ready for a major comeback because this is New York.' Adams spoke with ABC's Ryan Seacrest to begin his first terms. 'This is a resilient city, a resilient country and I wanna bring that energy,' he said. Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City The two mayors transitioned between the mayor's office official Twitter account Saturday with Adams taking the reins South Africans took their last opportunity to pay their respects to Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Friday, the eve of the revered anti-apartheid fighters funeral. Since Thursday, nearly 3,000 mourners have filed through Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral before the simple pine casket containing Tutu's remains. Members of Tutu's family hugged and consoled each other as the coffin returned for the second and final day to lie in state while a band, which included a preschooler trumpeter, played in his honor. The archbishop's successor, Thabo Makgoba, waved a chalice of burning incense over the coffin before pallbearers, Anglican vicars, took the coffin from a silver Mercedes SUV hearse. They slowly walked up the stairs into the cathedral where Tutu had preached for a decade. The body will spend the night in the cathedral until the funeral, which will be presided over by President Cyril Ramaphosa. Tutu died peacefully Sunday at age 90. The funeral Tutu had carefully set down details for his funeral, insisting that his coffin be "the cheapest" available, and that it be adorned by a simple bunch of carnations. Mourners are being asked to donate money to his charitable foundations instead of sending flowers, and even the disposal of his remains is being conducted in an eco-friendly way. The dean of the cathedral, Michael Weeder, told AFP that Tutu had asked for "aquamation," a process that supporters say releases one-tenth of climate-altering carbon dioxide gases compared with traditional cremation. In aquamation, bodies are dissolved in a heated solution of water and alkali in a stainless steel vessel, leaving behind the bones, which are then turned to ash by cremation. The ashes are to be interred at the cathedral. The burial "might be Sunday," Weeder said in a text message, adding the "family will decide whether it will be private or open to others." 'Moral compass' Libane Serenji, an artist from Johannesburg, came to pay respects. He painted portraits of Tutu on a canvas and attached them to a tree outside the cathedral. He said it was fitting "to come all the way and paint ... because he played also a significant role in my life like everyone from Africa." Another mourner, Antonia Appels, had come from the capital, Pretoria, to stand in line. Tutu was a "moral compass" who had helped haul country out of the darkness of the apartheid era, she said. South Africa is marking a week of mourning for Tutu, with the country's multicolored flag flying at half-staff nationwide and ceremonies taking place every day. The cathedral's bells have been pealing in his memory for 10 minutes at midday. Tutu was for years the emblem of the struggle to end white-minority rule as Nelson Mandela and other leaders languished behind bars. After apartheid was dismantled and South Africa ushered in its first free elections in 1994, Tutu chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which exposed the horrors of the past in terrible detail. He would later speak out fearlessly against the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for corruption, incompetence and failures to tackle the country's AIDS epidemic. Weakened by advanced age and prostate cancer, Tutu had retired from public life in recent years. He is survived by his wife, Leah; four children; and several grand and great-grandchildren. Andy Cohen, appearing on CNN Friday night for his annual New Year's Eve festivities, spoke for many New Yorkers in a rant against outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio. Cohen, who appeared to be losing his voice toward the end of the evening and took shots on air with Cooper, ranted that de Blasio's second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever. 'Watching Mayor de Blasio do his victory lap dance after four years of the crappiest term as the mayor of New York... the only thing Republicans and Democrats can agree on is what a horrible mayor he has been so... sayonara sucker!' Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot. 'I just don't need to see that at the beginning of 2021. Do something with this city! Honestly, get it together!' Cohen finished his rant by saying he's be 'back to Bravo in 20 minutes.' Adams held up a photo of his late mother as he was sworn in next to his son, Jordan Coleman Andy Cohen just dragged Bill DeBlasio up and down 7th Avenue #CNNNYE pic.twitter.com/5m1DEVvZwx Wes Reynolds (@WesReynolds1) January 1, 2022 Andy Cohen, who had been taking shots on-air earlier with CNN co-host Anderson Cooper, ranted that de Blasio second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot Now former New York City First Lady Chirlane McCray and ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City. Adams takes over from Bill de Blasio, who leaves amid a spike in crime and a 10-year high in murders across the five boroughs at the end of his second term. De Blasio's approval rating was as low as 25 percent in September, according to one poll. The former cop - who held up a photo of his late mother while being sworn in - is the second black mayor in the city's history after David Dinkins. Adams defeated Republican Curtis Sliwa by a 40-point margin in November, improving on de Blasio's second term performance but coming up short of his rout in 2013. The ex-borough president tried to strike an optimistic tone despite the crime wave and continued spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. 'Even in the midst of COVID, in the midst of everything that we're going through, this is a country where hope and opportunities is always, ever present,' Adams said earlier during the festivities. 'It's just great when New York shows the entire country of how we come back,' he added. 'We showed the entire globe what we're made of. We're unbelievable. This is an unbelievable city and, trust me, we're ready for a major comeback because this is New York.' Adams spoke with ABC's Ryan Seacrest to begin his first terms. 'This is a resilient city, a resilient country and I wanna bring that energy,' he said. Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City The two mayors transitioned between the mayor's office official Twitter account Saturday with Adams taking the reins Andy Cohen, appearing on CNN Friday night for his annual New Year's Eve festivities, spoke for many New Yorkers in a rant against outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio. Cohen, who appeared to be losing his voice toward the end of the evening and took shots on air with Cooper, ranted that de Blasio's second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever. 'Watching Mayor de Blasio do his victory lap dance after four years of the crappiest term as the mayor of New York... the only thing Republicans and Democrats can agree on is what a horrible mayor he has been so... sayonara sucker!' Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot. 'I just don't need to see that at the beginning of 2021. Do something with this city! Honestly, get it together!' Cohen finished his rant by saying he's be 'back to Bravo in 20 minutes.' Adams held up a photo of his late mother as he was sworn in next to his son, Jordan Coleman Andy Cohen just dragged Bill DeBlasio up and down 7th Avenue #CNNNYE pic.twitter.com/5m1DEVvZwx Wes Reynolds (@WesReynolds1) January 1, 2022 Andy Cohen, who had been taking shots on-air earlier with CNN co-host Anderson Cooper, ranted that de Blasio second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot Now former New York City First Lady Chirlane McCray and ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City. Adams takes over from Bill de Blasio, who leaves amid a spike in crime and a 10-year high in murders across the five boroughs at the end of his second term. De Blasio's approval rating was as low as 25 percent in September, according to one poll. The former cop - who held up a photo of his late mother while being sworn in - is the second black mayor in the city's history after David Dinkins. Adams defeated Republican Curtis Sliwa by a 40-point margin in November, improving on de Blasio's second term performance but coming up short of his rout in 2013. The ex-borough president tried to strike an optimistic tone despite the crime wave and continued spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. 'Even in the midst of COVID, in the midst of everything that we're going through, this is a country where hope and opportunities is always, ever present,' Adams said earlier during the festivities. 'It's just great when New York shows the entire country of how we come back,' he added. 'We showed the entire globe what we're made of. We're unbelievable. This is an unbelievable city and, trust me, we're ready for a major comeback because this is New York.' Adams spoke with ABC's Ryan Seacrest to begin his first terms. 'This is a resilient city, a resilient country and I wanna bring that energy,' he said. Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City The two mayors transitioned between the mayor's office official Twitter account Saturday with Adams taking the reins Andy Cohen, appearing on CNN Friday night for his annual New Year's Eve festivities, spoke for many New Yorkers in a rant against outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio. Cohen, who appeared to be losing his voice toward the end of the evening and took shots on air with Cooper, ranted that de Blasio's second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever. 'Watching Mayor de Blasio do his victory lap dance after four years of the crappiest term as the mayor of New York... the only thing Republicans and Democrats can agree on is what a horrible mayor he has been so... sayonara sucker!' Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot. 'I just don't need to see that at the beginning of 2021. Do something with this city! Honestly, get it together!' Cohen finished his rant by saying he's be 'back to Bravo in 20 minutes.' Adams held up a photo of his late mother as he was sworn in next to his son, Jordan Coleman Andy Cohen just dragged Bill DeBlasio up and down 7th Avenue #CNNNYE pic.twitter.com/5m1DEVvZwx Wes Reynolds (@WesReynolds1) January 1, 2022 Andy Cohen, who had been taking shots on-air earlier with CNN co-host Anderson Cooper, ranted that de Blasio second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot Now former New York City First Lady Chirlane McCray and ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City. Adams takes over from Bill de Blasio, who leaves amid a spike in crime and a 10-year high in murders across the five boroughs at the end of his second term. De Blasio's approval rating was as low as 25 percent in September, according to one poll. The former cop - who held up a photo of his late mother while being sworn in - is the second black mayor in the city's history after David Dinkins. Adams defeated Republican Curtis Sliwa by a 40-point margin in November, improving on de Blasio's second term performance but coming up short of his rout in 2013. The ex-borough president tried to strike an optimistic tone despite the crime wave and continued spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. 'Even in the midst of COVID, in the midst of everything that we're going through, this is a country where hope and opportunities is always, ever present,' Adams said earlier during the festivities. 'It's just great when New York shows the entire country of how we come back,' he added. 'We showed the entire globe what we're made of. We're unbelievable. This is an unbelievable city and, trust me, we're ready for a major comeback because this is New York.' Adams spoke with ABC's Ryan Seacrest to begin his first terms. 'This is a resilient city, a resilient country and I wanna bring that energy,' he said. Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City The two mayors transitioned between the mayor's office official Twitter account Saturday with Adams taking the reins Andy Cohen, appearing on CNN Friday night for his annual New Year's Eve festivities, spoke for many New Yorkers in a rant against outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio. Cohen, who appeared to be losing his voice toward the end of the evening and took shots on air with Cooper, ranted that de Blasio's second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever. 'Watching Mayor de Blasio do his victory lap dance after four years of the crappiest term as the mayor of New York... the only thing Republicans and Democrats can agree on is what a horrible mayor he has been so... sayonara sucker!' Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot. 'I just don't need to see that at the beginning of 2021. Do something with this city! Honestly, get it together!' Cohen finished his rant by saying he's be 'back to Bravo in 20 minutes.' Adams held up a photo of his late mother as he was sworn in next to his son, Jordan Coleman Andy Cohen just dragged Bill DeBlasio up and down 7th Avenue #CNNNYE pic.twitter.com/5m1DEVvZwx Wes Reynolds (@WesReynolds1) January 1, 2022 Andy Cohen, who had been taking shots on-air earlier with CNN co-host Anderson Cooper, ranted that de Blasio second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot Now former New York City First Lady Chirlane McCray and ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City. Adams takes over from Bill de Blasio, who leaves amid a spike in crime and a 10-year high in murders across the five boroughs at the end of his second term. De Blasio's approval rating was as low as 25 percent in September, according to one poll. The former cop - who held up a photo of his late mother while being sworn in - is the second black mayor in the city's history after David Dinkins. Adams defeated Republican Curtis Sliwa by a 40-point margin in November, improving on de Blasio's second term performance but coming up short of his rout in 2013. The ex-borough president tried to strike an optimistic tone despite the crime wave and continued spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. 'Even in the midst of COVID, in the midst of everything that we're going through, this is a country where hope and opportunities is always, ever present,' Adams said earlier during the festivities. 'It's just great when New York shows the entire country of how we come back,' he added. 'We showed the entire globe what we're made of. We're unbelievable. This is an unbelievable city and, trust me, we're ready for a major comeback because this is New York.' Adams spoke with ABC's Ryan Seacrest to begin his first terms. 'This is a resilient city, a resilient country and I wanna bring that energy,' he said. Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City The two mayors transitioned between the mayor's office official Twitter account Saturday with Adams taking the reins Andy Cohen, appearing on CNN Friday night for his annual New Year's Eve festivities, spoke for many New Yorkers in a rant against outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio. Cohen, who appeared to be losing his voice toward the end of the evening and took shots on air with Cooper, ranted that de Blasio's second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever. 'Watching Mayor de Blasio do his victory lap dance after four years of the crappiest term as the mayor of New York... the only thing Republicans and Democrats can agree on is what a horrible mayor he has been so... sayonara sucker!' Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot. 'I just don't need to see that at the beginning of 2021. Do something with this city! Honestly, get it together!' Cohen finished his rant by saying he's be 'back to Bravo in 20 minutes.' Adams held up a photo of his late mother as he was sworn in next to his son, Jordan Coleman Andy Cohen just dragged Bill DeBlasio up and down 7th Avenue #CNNNYE pic.twitter.com/5m1DEVvZwx Wes Reynolds (@WesReynolds1) January 1, 2022 Andy Cohen, who had been taking shots on-air earlier with CNN co-host Anderson Cooper, ranted that de Blasio second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot Now former New York City First Lady Chirlane McCray and ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City. Adams takes over from Bill de Blasio, who leaves amid a spike in crime and a 10-year high in murders across the five boroughs at the end of his second term. De Blasio's approval rating was as low as 25 percent in September, according to one poll. The former cop - who held up a photo of his late mother while being sworn in - is the second black mayor in the city's history after David Dinkins. Adams defeated Republican Curtis Sliwa by a 40-point margin in November, improving on de Blasio's second term performance but coming up short of his rout in 2013. The ex-borough president tried to strike an optimistic tone despite the crime wave and continued spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. 'Even in the midst of COVID, in the midst of everything that we're going through, this is a country where hope and opportunities is always, ever present,' Adams said earlier during the festivities. 'It's just great when New York shows the entire country of how we come back,' he added. 'We showed the entire globe what we're made of. We're unbelievable. This is an unbelievable city and, trust me, we're ready for a major comeback because this is New York.' Adams spoke with ABC's Ryan Seacrest to begin his first terms. 'This is a resilient city, a resilient country and I wanna bring that energy,' he said. Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City The two mayors transitioned between the mayor's office official Twitter account Saturday with Adams taking the reins Andy Cohen, appearing on CNN Friday night for his annual New Year's Eve festivities, spoke for many New Yorkers in a rant against outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio. Cohen, who appeared to be losing his voice toward the end of the evening and took shots on air with Cooper, ranted that de Blasio's second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever. 'Watching Mayor de Blasio do his victory lap dance after four years of the crappiest term as the mayor of New York... the only thing Republicans and Democrats can agree on is what a horrible mayor he has been so... sayonara sucker!' Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot. 'I just don't need to see that at the beginning of 2021. Do something with this city! Honestly, get it together!' Cohen finished his rant by saying he's be 'back to Bravo in 20 minutes.' Adams held up a photo of his late mother as he was sworn in next to his son, Jordan Coleman Andy Cohen just dragged Bill DeBlasio up and down 7th Avenue #CNNNYE pic.twitter.com/5m1DEVvZwx Wes Reynolds (@WesReynolds1) January 1, 2022 Andy Cohen, who had been taking shots on-air earlier with CNN co-host Anderson Cooper, ranted that de Blasio second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot Now former New York City First Lady Chirlane McCray and ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City. Adams takes over from Bill de Blasio, who leaves amid a spike in crime and a 10-year high in murders across the five boroughs at the end of his second term. De Blasio's approval rating was as low as 25 percent in September, according to one poll. The former cop - who held up a photo of his late mother while being sworn in - is the second black mayor in the city's history after David Dinkins. Adams defeated Republican Curtis Sliwa by a 40-point margin in November, improving on de Blasio's second term performance but coming up short of his rout in 2013. The ex-borough president tried to strike an optimistic tone despite the crime wave and continued spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. 'Even in the midst of COVID, in the midst of everything that we're going through, this is a country where hope and opportunities is always, ever present,' Adams said earlier during the festivities. 'It's just great when New York shows the entire country of how we come back,' he added. 'We showed the entire globe what we're made of. We're unbelievable. This is an unbelievable city and, trust me, we're ready for a major comeback because this is New York.' Adams spoke with ABC's Ryan Seacrest to begin his first terms. 'This is a resilient city, a resilient country and I wanna bring that energy,' he said. Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City The two mayors transitioned between the mayor's office official Twitter account Saturday with Adams taking the reins Former President Donald Trump continued to hammer the message that the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters are effective, though he remained resistant to vaccine mandates. Trump appeared on YouTube outlet Right Side Broadcasting Network Thursday night, where he continued to support the inoculations. He noted that the vaccine has 'saved millions of lives. We're very proud of the vaccines.' However, he continued to say he was against President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate. Former President Donald Trump continued to hammer the message that the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters are effective, though he remained resistant to vaccine mandates 'But the mandates, they should not beand they are trying to enforce these mandates, and it's so bad for people and for our country,' Trump said. Trump's candidates have been controversial in conservative circles, with some of his biggest fans questioning his judgement. Conspiracy theorist Wayne Allyn Root appeared on Alex Jones' InfoWars earlier this week where he joined a chorus of fellow Trump supporters who are now turning on the Republican leader over his ardent support for vaccines. 'He needs an intervention from a friend, because he's the greatest president of my lifetime, I love him, I will always love him,' Root said on Tuesday. The radio host, who was the Libertarian Party's vice presidential nominee in 2008, went on to say Trump has been 'right on everything except this issue.' 'He's so horribly wrong on this issue, and the best way to put it -- ironically -- is he's dead wrong, 'cause people are dying left and right,' Root continued, claiming they died of the vaccines. He said Trump's embrace of the jabs amounted to 'political suicide.' Jones, who also criticized Trump for his heel-turn on getting vaccinated, said he felt 'like a woman scorned' by the ex-president. He said Trump's promotion of vaccines made him 'feel like a family member is dying, quite frankly,' a potential sign that his base's dissatisfaction could force them to look to someone else in 2024. Right-wing conspiracy theorist Wayne Allyn Root shared a message for Trump on Alex Jones' show: 'I'm a friend and I love you man, but you need an intervention' Root has been a supporter of Trump's for years and opened for him at two separate Las Vegas rallies, in 2016 and 2018 Root posted this note from Trump on Facebook, which the ex-president sent to congratulate Root on his recent wedding Trump was heckled in Dallas earlier in December for confirming he received his COVID-19 booster shot. Trump appeared onstage with ex-Fox News host Bill O'Reilly for the final stop of their 'History Tour.' 'Both the president and I are vaxxed,' O'Reilly said. 'Did you get the booster?' he asked Trump. Trump answered, 'yes,' to which O'Reilly replied, 'I got it too,' as members of the crowd started to yell. 'Don't, don't, don't, don't ... no, no, no,' Trump responded, wagging his hand at a section of the crowd. 'There's a very tiny group over there,' the ex-president said, pointing. Trump had encouraged the crowd to 'take credit' for the vaccine. 'You're playing right into their hands when you're sort of like 'oh the vaccine,'' the ex-president said. Former President Donald Trump (left) was heckled in Dallas Sunday for confirming he received his COVID-19 booster shot alongside former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly (right) Data shows that Republicans are much more skeptical of the COVID-19 vaccines than their Democratic counterparts. And while Trump has touted his Operation Warp Speed - the public-private partnership his White House spurred for swift COVID-19 vaccine development - he's also allowed anti-vaccination sentiment to fester by giving it some cover. He did so Sunday by telling the audience that they didn't have to get their shots. 'If you don't want to take it you shouldn't be forced to take it,' Trump said. 'No mandates,' he said to cheers. Trump then doubled down on his remarks in an interview with conservative commentator Candace Owens. 'I came up with a vaccine with three vaccines,' Trump told the Daily Wire host, referring to the development of the Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines while he was still president. 'All are very, very good. Came up with three of them in less than nine months. It was supposed to take five to 12 years.' Owens interjected: 'Yet more people have died under COVID this year, by the way, under Joe Biden, then under you and more people took the vaccine this year. So people are questioning how ' But the former president interrupted Owens, assuring: 'Oh no, the vaccine work (sic), but some people aren't the ones. The ones who get very sick and go to the hospital are the ones that don't take the vaccine. But it's still their choice.' 'And if you take the vaccine, you're protected,' he continued. 'Look, the results of the vaccine are very good, and if you do get it, it's a very minor form. People aren't dying when they take the vaccine.' Former President Donald Trump continued to hammer the message that the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters are effective, though he remained resistant to vaccine mandates. Trump appeared on YouTube outlet Right Side Broadcasting Network Thursday night, where he continued to support the inoculations. He noted that the vaccine has 'saved millions of lives. We're very proud of the vaccines.' However, he continued to say he was against President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate. Former President Donald Trump continued to hammer the message that the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters are effective, though he remained resistant to vaccine mandates 'But the mandates, they should not beand they are trying to enforce these mandates, and it's so bad for people and for our country,' Trump said. Trump's candidates have been controversial in conservative circles, with some of his biggest fans questioning his judgement. Conspiracy theorist Wayne Allyn Root appeared on Alex Jones' InfoWars earlier this week where he joined a chorus of fellow Trump supporters who are now turning on the Republican leader over his ardent support for vaccines. 'He needs an intervention from a friend, because he's the greatest president of my lifetime, I love him, I will always love him,' Root said on Tuesday. The radio host, who was the Libertarian Party's vice presidential nominee in 2008, went on to say Trump has been 'right on everything except this issue.' 'He's so horribly wrong on this issue, and the best way to put it -- ironically -- is he's dead wrong, 'cause people are dying left and right,' Root continued, claiming they died of the vaccines. He said Trump's embrace of the jabs amounted to 'political suicide.' Jones, who also criticized Trump for his heel-turn on getting vaccinated, said he felt 'like a woman scorned' by the ex-president. He said Trump's promotion of vaccines made him 'feel like a family member is dying, quite frankly,' a potential sign that his base's dissatisfaction could force them to look to someone else in 2024. Right-wing conspiracy theorist Wayne Allyn Root shared a message for Trump on Alex Jones' show: 'I'm a friend and I love you man, but you need an intervention' Root has been a supporter of Trump's for years and opened for him at two separate Las Vegas rallies, in 2016 and 2018 Root posted this note from Trump on Facebook, which the ex-president sent to congratulate Root on his recent wedding Trump was heckled in Dallas earlier in December for confirming he received his COVID-19 booster shot. Trump appeared onstage with ex-Fox News host Bill O'Reilly for the final stop of their 'History Tour.' 'Both the president and I are vaxxed,' O'Reilly said. 'Did you get the booster?' he asked Trump. Trump answered, 'yes,' to which O'Reilly replied, 'I got it too,' as members of the crowd started to yell. 'Don't, don't, don't, don't ... no, no, no,' Trump responded, wagging his hand at a section of the crowd. 'There's a very tiny group over there,' the ex-president said, pointing. Trump had encouraged the crowd to 'take credit' for the vaccine. 'You're playing right into their hands when you're sort of like 'oh the vaccine,'' the ex-president said. Former President Donald Trump (left) was heckled in Dallas Sunday for confirming he received his COVID-19 booster shot alongside former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly (right) Data shows that Republicans are much more skeptical of the COVID-19 vaccines than their Democratic counterparts. And while Trump has touted his Operation Warp Speed - the public-private partnership his White House spurred for swift COVID-19 vaccine development - he's also allowed anti-vaccination sentiment to fester by giving it some cover. He did so Sunday by telling the audience that they didn't have to get their shots. 'If you don't want to take it you shouldn't be forced to take it,' Trump said. 'No mandates,' he said to cheers. Trump then doubled down on his remarks in an interview with conservative commentator Candace Owens. 'I came up with a vaccine with three vaccines,' Trump told the Daily Wire host, referring to the development of the Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines while he was still president. 'All are very, very good. Came up with three of them in less than nine months. It was supposed to take five to 12 years.' Owens interjected: 'Yet more people have died under COVID this year, by the way, under Joe Biden, then under you and more people took the vaccine this year. So people are questioning how ' But the former president interrupted Owens, assuring: 'Oh no, the vaccine work (sic), but some people aren't the ones. The ones who get very sick and go to the hospital are the ones that don't take the vaccine. But it's still their choice.' 'And if you take the vaccine, you're protected,' he continued. 'Look, the results of the vaccine are very good, and if you do get it, it's a very minor form. People aren't dying when they take the vaccine.' Former President Donald Trump continued to hammer the message that the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters are effective, though he remained resistant to vaccine mandates. Trump appeared on YouTube outlet Right Side Broadcasting Network Thursday night, where he continued to support the inoculations. He noted that the vaccine has 'saved millions of lives. We're very proud of the vaccines.' However, he continued to say he was against President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate. Former President Donald Trump continued to hammer the message that the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters are effective, though he remained resistant to vaccine mandates 'But the mandates, they should not beand they are trying to enforce these mandates, and it's so bad for people and for our country,' Trump said. Trump's candidates have been controversial in conservative circles, with some of his biggest fans questioning his judgement. Conspiracy theorist Wayne Allyn Root appeared on Alex Jones' InfoWars earlier this week where he joined a chorus of fellow Trump supporters who are now turning on the Republican leader over his ardent support for vaccines. 'He needs an intervention from a friend, because he's the greatest president of my lifetime, I love him, I will always love him,' Root said on Tuesday. The radio host, who was the Libertarian Party's vice presidential nominee in 2008, went on to say Trump has been 'right on everything except this issue.' 'He's so horribly wrong on this issue, and the best way to put it -- ironically -- is he's dead wrong, 'cause people are dying left and right,' Root continued, claiming they died of the vaccines. He said Trump's embrace of the jabs amounted to 'political suicide.' Jones, who also criticized Trump for his heel-turn on getting vaccinated, said he felt 'like a woman scorned' by the ex-president. He said Trump's promotion of vaccines made him 'feel like a family member is dying, quite frankly,' a potential sign that his base's dissatisfaction could force them to look to someone else in 2024. Right-wing conspiracy theorist Wayne Allyn Root shared a message for Trump on Alex Jones' show: 'I'm a friend and I love you man, but you need an intervention' Root has been a supporter of Trump's for years and opened for him at two separate Las Vegas rallies, in 2016 and 2018 Root posted this note from Trump on Facebook, which the ex-president sent to congratulate Root on his recent wedding Trump was heckled in Dallas earlier in December for confirming he received his COVID-19 booster shot. Trump appeared onstage with ex-Fox News host Bill O'Reilly for the final stop of their 'History Tour.' 'Both the president and I are vaxxed,' O'Reilly said. 'Did you get the booster?' he asked Trump. Trump answered, 'yes,' to which O'Reilly replied, 'I got it too,' as members of the crowd started to yell. 'Don't, don't, don't, don't ... no, no, no,' Trump responded, wagging his hand at a section of the crowd. 'There's a very tiny group over there,' the ex-president said, pointing. Trump had encouraged the crowd to 'take credit' for the vaccine. 'You're playing right into their hands when you're sort of like 'oh the vaccine,'' the ex-president said. Former President Donald Trump (left) was heckled in Dallas Sunday for confirming he received his COVID-19 booster shot alongside former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly (right) Data shows that Republicans are much more skeptical of the COVID-19 vaccines than their Democratic counterparts. And while Trump has touted his Operation Warp Speed - the public-private partnership his White House spurred for swift COVID-19 vaccine development - he's also allowed anti-vaccination sentiment to fester by giving it some cover. He did so Sunday by telling the audience that they didn't have to get their shots. 'If you don't want to take it you shouldn't be forced to take it,' Trump said. 'No mandates,' he said to cheers. Trump then doubled down on his remarks in an interview with conservative commentator Candace Owens. 'I came up with a vaccine with three vaccines,' Trump told the Daily Wire host, referring to the development of the Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines while he was still president. 'All are very, very good. Came up with three of them in less than nine months. It was supposed to take five to 12 years.' Owens interjected: 'Yet more people have died under COVID this year, by the way, under Joe Biden, then under you and more people took the vaccine this year. So people are questioning how ' But the former president interrupted Owens, assuring: 'Oh no, the vaccine work (sic), but some people aren't the ones. The ones who get very sick and go to the hospital are the ones that don't take the vaccine. But it's still their choice.' 'And if you take the vaccine, you're protected,' he continued. 'Look, the results of the vaccine are very good, and if you do get it, it's a very minor form. People aren't dying when they take the vaccine.' Former President Donald Trump continued to hammer the message that the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters are effective, though he remained resistant to vaccine mandates. Trump appeared on YouTube outlet Right Side Broadcasting Network Thursday night, where he continued to support the inoculations. He noted that the vaccine has 'saved millions of lives. We're very proud of the vaccines.' However, he continued to say he was against President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate. Former President Donald Trump continued to hammer the message that the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters are effective, though he remained resistant to vaccine mandates 'But the mandates, they should not beand they are trying to enforce these mandates, and it's so bad for people and for our country,' Trump said. Trump's candidates have been controversial in conservative circles, with some of his biggest fans questioning his judgement. Conspiracy theorist Wayne Allyn Root appeared on Alex Jones' InfoWars earlier this week where he joined a chorus of fellow Trump supporters who are now turning on the Republican leader over his ardent support for vaccines. 'He needs an intervention from a friend, because he's the greatest president of my lifetime, I love him, I will always love him,' Root said on Tuesday. The radio host, who was the Libertarian Party's vice presidential nominee in 2008, went on to say Trump has been 'right on everything except this issue.' 'He's so horribly wrong on this issue, and the best way to put it -- ironically -- is he's dead wrong, 'cause people are dying left and right,' Root continued, claiming they died of the vaccines. He said Trump's embrace of the jabs amounted to 'political suicide.' Jones, who also criticized Trump for his heel-turn on getting vaccinated, said he felt 'like a woman scorned' by the ex-president. He said Trump's promotion of vaccines made him 'feel like a family member is dying, quite frankly,' a potential sign that his base's dissatisfaction could force them to look to someone else in 2024. Right-wing conspiracy theorist Wayne Allyn Root shared a message for Trump on Alex Jones' show: 'I'm a friend and I love you man, but you need an intervention' Root has been a supporter of Trump's for years and opened for him at two separate Las Vegas rallies, in 2016 and 2018 Root posted this note from Trump on Facebook, which the ex-president sent to congratulate Root on his recent wedding Trump was heckled in Dallas earlier in December for confirming he received his COVID-19 booster shot. Trump appeared onstage with ex-Fox News host Bill O'Reilly for the final stop of their 'History Tour.' 'Both the president and I are vaxxed,' O'Reilly said. 'Did you get the booster?' he asked Trump. Trump answered, 'yes,' to which O'Reilly replied, 'I got it too,' as members of the crowd started to yell. 'Don't, don't, don't, don't ... no, no, no,' Trump responded, wagging his hand at a section of the crowd. 'There's a very tiny group over there,' the ex-president said, pointing. Trump had encouraged the crowd to 'take credit' for the vaccine. 'You're playing right into their hands when you're sort of like 'oh the vaccine,'' the ex-president said. Former President Donald Trump (left) was heckled in Dallas Sunday for confirming he received his COVID-19 booster shot alongside former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly (right) Data shows that Republicans are much more skeptical of the COVID-19 vaccines than their Democratic counterparts. And while Trump has touted his Operation Warp Speed - the public-private partnership his White House spurred for swift COVID-19 vaccine development - he's also allowed anti-vaccination sentiment to fester by giving it some cover. He did so Sunday by telling the audience that they didn't have to get their shots. 'If you don't want to take it you shouldn't be forced to take it,' Trump said. 'No mandates,' he said to cheers. Trump then doubled down on his remarks in an interview with conservative commentator Candace Owens. 'I came up with a vaccine with three vaccines,' Trump told the Daily Wire host, referring to the development of the Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines while he was still president. 'All are very, very good. Came up with three of them in less than nine months. It was supposed to take five to 12 years.' Owens interjected: 'Yet more people have died under COVID this year, by the way, under Joe Biden, then under you and more people took the vaccine this year. So people are questioning how ' But the former president interrupted Owens, assuring: 'Oh no, the vaccine work (sic), but some people aren't the ones. The ones who get very sick and go to the hospital are the ones that don't take the vaccine. But it's still their choice.' 'And if you take the vaccine, you're protected,' he continued. 'Look, the results of the vaccine are very good, and if you do get it, it's a very minor form. People aren't dying when they take the vaccine.' Andy Cohen, appearing on CNN Friday night for his annual New Year's Eve festivities, spoke for many New Yorkers in a rant against outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio. Cohen, who appeared to be losing his voice toward the end of the evening and took shots on air with Cooper, ranted that de Blasio's second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever. 'Watching Mayor de Blasio do his victory lap dance after four years of the crappiest term as the mayor of New York... the only thing Republicans and Democrats can agree on is what a horrible mayor he has been so... sayonara sucker!' Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot. 'I just don't need to see that at the beginning of 2021. Do something with this city! Honestly, get it together!' Cohen finished his rant by saying he's be 'back to Bravo in 20 minutes.' Adams held up a photo of his late mother as he was sworn in next to his son, Jordan Coleman Andy Cohen just dragged Bill DeBlasio up and down 7th Avenue #CNNNYE pic.twitter.com/5m1DEVvZwx Wes Reynolds (@WesReynolds1) January 1, 2022 Andy Cohen, who had been taking shots on-air earlier with CNN co-host Anderson Cooper, ranted that de Blasio second term was the city's 'crappiest' ever Cohen also took umbrage with de Blasio's dancing with First Lady Chirlane McCray after the ball dropped in Times Square, comparing it to how he felt after taking a shot Now former New York City First Lady Chirlane McCray and ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City. Adams takes over from Bill de Blasio, who leaves amid a spike in crime and a 10-year high in murders across the five boroughs at the end of his second term. De Blasio's approval rating was as low as 25 percent in September, according to one poll. The former cop - who held up a photo of his late mother while being sworn in - is the second black mayor in the city's history after David Dinkins. Adams defeated Republican Curtis Sliwa by a 40-point margin in November, improving on de Blasio's second term performance but coming up short of his rout in 2013. The ex-borough president tried to strike an optimistic tone despite the crime wave and continued spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. 'Even in the midst of COVID, in the midst of everything that we're going through, this is a country where hope and opportunities is always, ever present,' Adams said earlier during the festivities. 'It's just great when New York shows the entire country of how we come back,' he added. 'We showed the entire globe what we're made of. We're unbelievable. This is an unbelievable city and, trust me, we're ready for a major comeback because this is New York.' Adams spoke with ABC's Ryan Seacrest to begin his first terms. 'This is a resilient city, a resilient country and I wanna bring that energy,' he said. Just after the ball dropped on Saturday, former NYPD officer, state senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City The two mayors transitioned between the mayor's office official Twitter account Saturday with Adams taking the reins Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Cloudy with periods of rain. High 66F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.. Tonight A few clouds. Low near 45F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Cloudy with periods of rain. High 66F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.. Tonight A few clouds. Low near 45F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Cloudy with periods of rain. High 66F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.. Tonight A few clouds. Low near 45F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh on Saturday (January 1) said that a minor dispute between some young men caused the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine that killed 12 people and injured several others. A minor altercation among some young boys led to the stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in which 12 people "unfortunately" died, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said in a statement. According to the preliminary report and information from the scene suggest that there was an altercation among some young boys, and within seconds, there was a stampede situation, Singh added. Talking to PTI, he said the incident was very unfortunate, and police and other officials responded to the situation as soon as the incident occurred. "Police and officials from the civil administration were quick to respond, and the order within the crowd was immediately restored, but by that time, the damage had been done," he said. "Immediately the injured were rushed to nearby hospitals," the police chief said, adding that 15 people were injured. Meanwhile, eminent leaders including PM Modi, Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, expressed their condolences on the loss of lives. PM Modi announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh each for the families of the people who lost their lives in the tragic incident while Rs 50,000 will be granted to the injured. Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha also said that Rs 10 lakh each will be given to the victims of the incident and Rs 2 lakh each for the injured. (With agency inputs) Live TV A large tree has come down on State Highway 2 west of Matata, and is blocking part of the road. The incident near Pikowai Beach was reported to Police around 3.20pm, says a police spokesperson. Traffic heading east is able to pass around the tree but westbound motorists path is blocked for the time being, they say. Contractors are on their way to remove the tree, but the road is expected to be blocked for some time. SunLive will continue to monitor the situation and will update the story when information is available. At the scene? Call 0800 SUNLIVE or email photos to newsroom@thesun.co.nz New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh on Saturday (January 1) said that a minor dispute between some young men caused the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine that killed 12 people and injured several others. A minor altercation among some young boys led to the stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in which 12 people "unfortunately" died, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said in a statement. According to the preliminary report and information from the scene suggest that there was an altercation among some young boys, and within seconds, there was a stampede situation, Singh added. Talking to PTI, he said the incident was very unfortunate, and police and other officials responded to the situation as soon as the incident occurred. "Police and officials from the civil administration were quick to respond, and the order within the crowd was immediately restored, but by that time, the damage had been done," he said. "Immediately the injured were rushed to nearby hospitals," the police chief said, adding that 15 people were injured. Meanwhile, eminent leaders including PM Modi, Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, expressed their condolences on the loss of lives. PM Modi announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh each for the families of the people who lost their lives in the tragic incident while Rs 50,000 will be granted to the injured. Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha also said that Rs 10 lakh each will be given to the victims of the incident and Rs 2 lakh each for the injured. (With agency inputs) Live TV (UPM, Helsinki, 1 January 2022 at 07:30 EET) Members of the Paperworkers Union, the Finnish Electrical Workers Union and the Trade Union Pro have this morning started strikes at UPM mills in Jamsankoski, Kouvola, Lappeenranta, Pietarsaari, Rauma, Tampere and Valkeakoski. According to the unions, the strikes will continue until 6 oclock on 22 January 2022 unless a new collective labour agreement is reached before that. The Paperworkers Union has not excluded any work from the strike, not even tasks critical to the society, such as operating and maintenance of water treatment and power plants. UPM businesses falling under the strikes are UPM Pulp, UPM Biofuels, UPM Communication Papers, UPM Specialty Papers and UPM Raflatac. The strikes do not concern UPM Plywood and UPM Timber, both of which signed business specific collective agreements with the Industrial Union in December. Furthermore, UPM Energy operates as usual, as it complies with the generally applied collective agreements of the energy industry. Previous collective agreements between the Finnish Forest Industries Federation and the Paperworkers Union, the Finnish Electrical Workers Union and the Trade Union Pro expired on 31 December and do not have after-effect, as UPM was not a party in the agreements. Since last spring, UPM has tried to initiate negotiations with the Paperworkers Union with no response. As there has not been opportunities to discuss terms of employment, UPM businesses announced temporary terms of labour to the members of the union in November. These terms are in effect until a new agreement will be reached. UPM businesses under the strike will pay additional fixed-term compensation to those who come to work at mills and do extra work because of the strike. Together, the regular salaries and the fixed-term compensation exceed the salary level of the expired collective agreement. UPMs goal remains the same we want to negotiate business specific collective agreements with the Paperworkers Union as soon as possible. The only way forward is through negotiations, says Jyrki Hollmen, Vice President, Labour Markets, UPM. Story continues UPM businesses differ significantly from each other in terms of products, production processes, markets and revenue models. Therefore, it is vital for their competitiveness to make business specific collective agreements, Hollmen continues. Another goal for UPM is to involve a much larger group of people in the negotiations than before. In addition to the union representatives and business management, local employee representatives would also be involved, bringing much-needed understanding of the business and the everyday work at the mills into the discussions, as was the case in the negotiations between The Industrial Union and UPM Plywood and UPM Timber. UPM aims to be an attractive employer that negotiates win-win agreements enabling UPM businesses to succeed in the future. So far, negotiations have begun only in UPM Biofuels, but they were interrupted by the Paperworkers Union just before Christmas. UPM will service its customers from its mills located outside of Finland to the extent possible. At this point, UPM does not disclose estimates of the economic impacts of the strikes. For further information please contact: Jyrki Hollmen, Vice President, Labour Markets, UPM, tel. +358 40 746 3687 UPM, Media Relations Mon-Fri 9:00-16:00 EET tel. +358 40 588 3284 media@upm.com UPM We deliver renewable and responsible solutions and innovate for a future beyond fossils across six business areas: UPM Biorefining, UPM Energy, UPM Raflatac, UPM Specialty Papers, UPM Communication Papers and UPM Plywood. As the industry leader in responsibility, we are committed to the UN Business Ambition for 1.5C and the science-based targets to mitigate climate change. We employ 18,000 people worldwide and our annual sales are approximately EUR 8.6 billion. Our shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd. UPM Biofore Beyond fossils. www.upm.com Follow UPM on Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram | #UPM #biofore #beyondfossils Bankers are set for a New Year bonus bonanza after raking in record fees over the last year. Financiers who worked on lucrative mergers and acquisitions (M&A), including big names at the likes of Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and Barclays, are in line for huge sums of money following the deal-making boom. In the UK alone, M&A advisers pocketed 2.7billion, according to data from Refinitiv, the most since records began at the turn of the millennium. It is thought that the surge in income could pump up investment banks' total bonus pools by as much as 20 per cent. City slickers: Financiers who worked on lucrative mergers and acquisitions are in line for huge sums of money following the deal-making boom And the rewards offered to M&A departments may climb by 50 per cent, experts have predicted, with the top staff set to pocket tens of millions of pounds. In a sign of windfalls to come: JP Morgan is weighing up a hike of 40 per cent for investment bankers' bonuses; Goldman Sachs has pencilled in a rise of up to 50 per cent; Barclays is thought to be lifting investment bank bonuses by more than 25 per cent; Some staff at Royal Bank of Canada have reported rises of up to 50 per cent. Among those cashing in will be some of the best-known bankers in London. Goldman Sachs' Mark Sorrell, son of the advertising tycoon Sir Martin, worked on deals such as the Advent International-backed takeover of Ultra Electronics by Cobham. His brother, Robert, managing director at investment bank Moelis & Company, was part of the team advising private equity firm Lone Star on its buyout of housebuilder McCarthy & Stone. Robey Warshaw, the London bank which has hired former Chancellor George Osborne, advised the London Stock Exchange on its blockbuster merger with Refinitiv. Its top bankers on the deal, Philip Apostolides and Sir Simon Robey, will be expecting to receive a handsome pay package. Bonus discussions typically begin towards the end of the year as staff try to convince bosses why they deserve a bumper payout. Excitement levels have reached fever pitch after more than 4,500 buyouts of UK firms in 2021, the most on record. Deals involving private equity firms, which tend to entail higher fees for advisers, also hit record levels, meaning many in the City will be feeling extremely flush. A total of 773 British companies, worth 62billion, were snapped up by private equity barons last year. The number of firms floating on the stock market also surged, with more than 100 companies going public. All the listings will have generated work for bankers, as will the fundraising deals for businesses which needed more cash to get through the pandemic. Banker bonuses have tended to be more muted since the heady days leading up to the financial crisis. After the 2008 crash, the EU brought in a rule limiting most banker bonuses to no more than 100 per cent of their salary. But this only applies to the major banks, not the smaller boutiques such as Robey Warshaw, Moelis and Evercore. Douglas McWilliams, deputy chairman of the Centre for Economics and Business Research, said: 'My impression is that the banks themselves pay much lower bonuses these days. 'But quite a few of the deals have involved private equity. And they pay quite large bonuses.' He said there may be 'a few blockbuster individual bonuses'. Phillippa O'Connor, executive pay specialist at accounting firm PwC, said staff at many global banks could be celebrating their 'biggest bonus outcome year since the financial crisis'. She added: 'We anticipate that increases this year of 20 per cent or potentially more in some cases will not be unusual.' New Delhi: Five former chiefs of the armed forces and a number of other prominent citizens including bureaucrats have written a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the recent incidents of hate speeches and urged them to take appropriate measures. In a letter, the group of over 100 people also referred to the communal comments made at an event in Haridwar recently and condemned "in no uncertain terms" such "incitement" to violence. "We cannot allow such incitement to violence together with public expressions of hate - which not only constitute serious breaches of internal security but which could also tear apart the social fabric of our nation," they said in the letter. They further said, "In view of the current situation on our borders, any breach of peace and harmony within the Nation will embolden inimical external forces." "The unity and cohesiveness of our men and women in uniform, including the CAPFs and Police Forces, will be seriously affected by allowing such blatant calls for violence against one or the other community in our diverse and plural society," they added. The signatories included former Navy chiefs Admiral (Retd) L Ramdas, Admiral (retd) Vishnu Bhagwat, Admiral (retd) Arun Prakash and Admiral (retd) RK Dhowan. Live TV New Delhi: Five former chiefs of the armed forces and a number of other prominent citizens including bureaucrats have written a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the recent incidents of hate speeches and urged them to take appropriate measures. In a letter, the group of over 100 people also referred to the communal comments made at an event in Haridwar recently and condemned "in no uncertain terms" such "incitement" to violence. "We cannot allow such incitement to violence together with public expressions of hate - which not only constitute serious breaches of internal security but which could also tear apart the social fabric of our nation," they said in the letter. They further said, "In view of the current situation on our borders, any breach of peace and harmony within the Nation will embolden inimical external forces." "The unity and cohesiveness of our men and women in uniform, including the CAPFs and Police Forces, will be seriously affected by allowing such blatant calls for violence against one or the other community in our diverse and plural society," they added. The signatories included former Navy chiefs Admiral (Retd) L Ramdas, Admiral (retd) Vishnu Bhagwat, Admiral (retd) Arun Prakash and Admiral (retd) RK Dhowan. Live TV New Delhi: Five former chiefs of the armed forces and a number of other prominent citizens including bureaucrats have written a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the recent incidents of hate speeches and urged them to take appropriate measures. In a letter, the group of over 100 people also referred to the communal comments made at an event in Haridwar recently and condemned "in no uncertain terms" such "incitement" to violence. "We cannot allow such incitement to violence together with public expressions of hate - which not only constitute serious breaches of internal security but which could also tear apart the social fabric of our nation," they said in the letter. They further said, "In view of the current situation on our borders, any breach of peace and harmony within the Nation will embolden inimical external forces." "The unity and cohesiveness of our men and women in uniform, including the CAPFs and Police Forces, will be seriously affected by allowing such blatant calls for violence against one or the other community in our diverse and plural society," they added. The signatories included former Navy chiefs Admiral (Retd) L Ramdas, Admiral (retd) Vishnu Bhagwat, Admiral (retd) Arun Prakash and Admiral (retd) RK Dhowan. Live TV Russia safeguards national interests, security in 2021: Putin by IANS | Moscow, Jan 1 (IANS) Russia "firmly and consistently" defended its national interests as well as the security of the country and its citizens in 2021, President Vladimir Putin said in his 2022 New Year address. "We faced colossal challenges, but we learned to live in such harsh conditions to solve complex problems. We were able to do this thanks to our solidarity," Putin said on Friday. "The most important thing is that we overcame all the difficulties of the outgoing year together ... There are still a lot of unsolved problems, but this year we passed with dignity," he added. "Celebrating the New Year, we hope that it will open up new opportunities. We count, of course, on good luck, but we still understand that the achievement of what we have conceived primarily depends on ourselves," he said. The President also expressed condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the Covid-19 pandemic, Xinhua news agency reported. New Delhi: Five former chiefs of the armed forces and a number of other prominent citizens including bureaucrats have written a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the recent incidents of hate speeches and urged them to take appropriate measures. In a letter, the group of over 100 people also referred to the communal comments made at an event in Haridwar recently and condemned "in no uncertain terms" such "incitement" to violence. "We cannot allow such incitement to violence together with public expressions of hate - which not only constitute serious breaches of internal security but which could also tear apart the social fabric of our nation," they said in the letter. They further said, "In view of the current situation on our borders, any breach of peace and harmony within the Nation will embolden inimical external forces." "The unity and cohesiveness of our men and women in uniform, including the CAPFs and Police Forces, will be seriously affected by allowing such blatant calls for violence against one or the other community in our diverse and plural society," they added. The signatories included former Navy chiefs Admiral (Retd) L Ramdas, Admiral (retd) Vishnu Bhagwat, Admiral (retd) Arun Prakash and Admiral (retd) RK Dhowan. Live TV New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh on Saturday (January 1) said that a minor dispute between some young men caused the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine that killed 12 people and injured several others. A minor altercation among some young boys led to the stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in which 12 people "unfortunately" died, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said in a statement. According to the preliminary report and information from the scene suggest that there was an altercation among some young boys, and within seconds, there was a stampede situation, Singh added. Talking to PTI, he said the incident was very unfortunate, and police and other officials responded to the situation as soon as the incident occurred. "Police and officials from the civil administration were quick to respond, and the order within the crowd was immediately restored, but by that time, the damage had been done," he said. "Immediately the injured were rushed to nearby hospitals," the police chief said, adding that 15 people were injured. Meanwhile, eminent leaders including PM Modi, Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, expressed their condolences on the loss of lives. PM Modi announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh each for the families of the people who lost their lives in the tragic incident while Rs 50,000 will be granted to the injured. Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha also said that Rs 10 lakh each will be given to the victims of the incident and Rs 2 lakh each for the injured. (With agency inputs) Live TV New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh on Saturday (January 1) said that a minor dispute between some young men caused the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine that killed 12 people and injured several others. A minor altercation among some young boys led to the stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in which 12 people "unfortunately" died, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said in a statement. According to the preliminary report and information from the scene suggest that there was an altercation among some young boys, and within seconds, there was a stampede situation, Singh added. Talking to PTI, he said the incident was very unfortunate, and police and other officials responded to the situation as soon as the incident occurred. "Police and officials from the civil administration were quick to respond, and the order within the crowd was immediately restored, but by that time, the damage had been done," he said. "Immediately the injured were rushed to nearby hospitals," the police chief said, adding that 15 people were injured. Meanwhile, eminent leaders including PM Modi, Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, expressed their condolences on the loss of lives. PM Modi announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh each for the families of the people who lost their lives in the tragic incident while Rs 50,000 will be granted to the injured. Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha also said that Rs 10 lakh each will be given to the victims of the incident and Rs 2 lakh each for the injured. (With agency inputs) Live TV Oklahomas U.S. Sen. James Inhofe released a statement touting his support for conservative values in the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, which passed in the Senate on Dec. 15. Inhofe bragged about helping to nix a provision that would force women to register for the Selective Service System, stating the NDAA would help make the U.S. more secure while taking care of the men and women who bravely serve our nation. According to Inhofe, the best thing about the NDAA was that it a) boosted defense spending by $25 billion above President Joe Bidens woefully inadequate budget request, b) provides significant funding to defeat Chinese aggression, c) authorizes $300 million in security assistance to Ukraine to deter Russia and d) prioritizes nuclear modernization. Of all these supposed benefits, none promote conservative values, which center on sustaining a fiscally responsible government, reducing unnecessary taxation and respecting tradition. The NDAA uses fabricated national security threats to support a military budget that is more than the next 11 countries combined. Where is the fiscal conservatism in that? Wasnt it George Washington who warned in his farewell address about the danger of foreign entanglements and overgrown military establishments, which under any form of government, are inauspicious to liberty? Inhofe in the past has supported wars of aggression like in Iraq that bred horrendous consequences. He also was a major supporter of the U.S.-UAE-Saudi war on Yemen while profiting from stock ownership in Raytheon, a major weapons-maker that built bombs used to kill Yemeni civilians. The two countries that Inhofe touts as major security threats to the U.S. China and Russia together spend less than half that the U.S. does on its military. Collectively, they possess 22 overseas military bases. Most of those bases are Russian ones, located in the former Soviet Union. China has one based, located in Djibouti. By comparison, the U.S. has over 1,000 foreign military bases. Russias president Vladimir Putin was the first world leader to call the White House to offer sympathy after 9/11, while Chinese leader Xi Jinping has advanced a win-win policy, in which the U.S. would cooperate to advance their mutual interests. The U.S. has antagonized China by a) engaging in a major naval buildup in the South China Seas (Asia Pivot), b) selling high-tech military weaponry to Chinas adversaries (India, Taiwan); c) helping to finance anti-Chinese riots in Hong Kong; and d) supporting secessionist elements in Chinas Xinjiang province. The U.S. has antagonized Russia by a) expanding the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on its borders in violation of a promise made by former Secretary of State James A. Baker, b) backing a 2014 coup in Ukraine overthrowing a pro-Russian leader and triggering a civil war, c) tearing up a major arms control agreement negotiated in the late 1980s (INF Treaty) and d) carrying out provocative military maneuvers in the Baltic states. But you wont hear Inhofe acknowledge any of this. And why should he when the defense and aerospace and oil and gas industries pay so well. Donors from those industries have given him over $650,000 in campaign contributions in the last five years, buying his support for bills like the NDAA, which keep the profits churning. Inhofe claims that the NDAA looks out for Oklahoma by ensuring that its five military installations and the surrounding communities are fully resourced, and by promoting partnerships between universities, industry partners and the Department of Defense. Oklahomans interests are not best looked after in an economy rooted in war; and in which the intellectual independence and integrity of its universities is compromised through partnership with the worlds most destructive military machine. In an article published in the National Catholic Reporter, Art Laffin wrote that the gargantuan military budget championed by Inhofe is an affront to God. The piece quoted Martin Luther King Jr. who said that a nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death. Inhofe may fashion himself a conservative, but in practice he has committed himself to policies that should offend the sensibility of any true conservative and decent human being. Featured video: New Delhi: Five former chiefs of the armed forces and a number of other prominent citizens including bureaucrats have written a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the recent incidents of hate speeches and urged them to take appropriate measures. In a letter, the group of over 100 people also referred to the communal comments made at an event in Haridwar recently and condemned "in no uncertain terms" such "incitement" to violence. "We cannot allow such incitement to violence together with public expressions of hate - which not only constitute serious breaches of internal security but which could also tear apart the social fabric of our nation," they said in the letter. They further said, "In view of the current situation on our borders, any breach of peace and harmony within the Nation will embolden inimical external forces." "The unity and cohesiveness of our men and women in uniform, including the CAPFs and Police Forces, will be seriously affected by allowing such blatant calls for violence against one or the other community in our diverse and plural society," they added. The signatories included former Navy chiefs Admiral (Retd) L Ramdas, Admiral (retd) Vishnu Bhagwat, Admiral (retd) Arun Prakash and Admiral (retd) RK Dhowan. Live TV New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh on Saturday (January 1) said that a minor dispute between some young men caused the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine that killed 12 people and injured several others. A minor altercation among some young boys led to the stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in which 12 people "unfortunately" died, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said in a statement. According to the preliminary report and information from the scene suggest that there was an altercation among some young boys, and within seconds, there was a stampede situation, Singh added. Talking to PTI, he said the incident was very unfortunate, and police and other officials responded to the situation as soon as the incident occurred. "Police and officials from the civil administration were quick to respond, and the order within the crowd was immediately restored, but by that time, the damage had been done," he said. "Immediately the injured were rushed to nearby hospitals," the police chief said, adding that 15 people were injured. Meanwhile, eminent leaders including PM Modi, Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, expressed their condolences on the loss of lives. PM Modi announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh each for the families of the people who lost their lives in the tragic incident while Rs 50,000 will be granted to the injured. Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha also said that Rs 10 lakh each will be given to the victims of the incident and Rs 2 lakh each for the injured. (With agency inputs) Live TV Oklahomas U.S. Sen. James Inhofe released a statement touting his support for conservative values in the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, which passed in the Senate on Dec. 15. Inhofe bragged about helping to nix a provision that would force women to register for the Selective Service System, stating the NDAA would help make the U.S. more secure while taking care of the men and women who bravely serve our nation. According to Inhofe, the best thing about the NDAA was that it a) boosted defense spending by $25 billion above President Joe Bidens woefully inadequate budget request, b) provides significant funding to defeat Chinese aggression, c) authorizes $300 million in security assistance to Ukraine to deter Russia and d) prioritizes nuclear modernization. Of all these supposed benefits, none promote conservative values, which center on sustaining a fiscally responsible government, reducing unnecessary taxation and respecting tradition. The NDAA uses fabricated national security threats to support a military budget that is more than the next 11 countries combined. Where is the fiscal conservatism in that? Wasnt it George Washington who warned in his farewell address about the danger of foreign entanglements and overgrown military establishments, which under any form of government, are inauspicious to liberty? Inhofe in the past has supported wars of aggression like in Iraq that bred horrendous consequences. He also was a major supporter of the U.S.-UAE-Saudi war on Yemen while profiting from stock ownership in Raytheon, a major weapons-maker that built bombs used to kill Yemeni civilians. The two countries that Inhofe touts as major security threats to the U.S. China and Russia together spend less than half that the U.S. does on its military. Collectively, they possess 22 overseas military bases. Most of those bases are Russian ones, located in the former Soviet Union. China has one based, located in Djibouti. By comparison, the U.S. has over 1,000 foreign military bases. Russias president Vladimir Putin was the first world leader to call the White House to offer sympathy after 9/11, while Chinese leader Xi Jinping has advanced a win-win policy, in which the U.S. would cooperate to advance their mutual interests. The U.S. has antagonized China by a) engaging in a major naval buildup in the South China Seas (Asia Pivot), b) selling high-tech military weaponry to Chinas adversaries (India, Taiwan); c) helping to finance anti-Chinese riots in Hong Kong; and d) supporting secessionist elements in Chinas Xinjiang province. The U.S. has antagonized Russia by a) expanding the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on its borders in violation of a promise made by former Secretary of State James A. Baker, b) backing a 2014 coup in Ukraine overthrowing a pro-Russian leader and triggering a civil war, c) tearing up a major arms control agreement negotiated in the late 1980s (INF Treaty) and d) carrying out provocative military maneuvers in the Baltic states. But you wont hear Inhofe acknowledge any of this. And why should he when the defense and aerospace and oil and gas industries pay so well. Donors from those industries have given him over $650,000 in campaign contributions in the last five years, buying his support for bills like the NDAA, which keep the profits churning. Inhofe claims that the NDAA looks out for Oklahoma by ensuring that its five military installations and the surrounding communities are fully resourced, and by promoting partnerships between universities, industry partners and the Department of Defense. Oklahomans interests are not best looked after in an economy rooted in war; and in which the intellectual independence and integrity of its universities is compromised through partnership with the worlds most destructive military machine. In an article published in the National Catholic Reporter, Art Laffin wrote that the gargantuan military budget championed by Inhofe is an affront to God. The piece quoted Martin Luther King Jr. who said that a nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death. Inhofe may fashion himself a conservative, but in practice he has committed himself to policies that should offend the sensibility of any true conservative and decent human being. Featured video: Oklahomas U.S. Sen. James Inhofe released a statement touting his support for conservative values in the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, which passed in the Senate on Dec. 15. Inhofe bragged about helping to nix a provision that would force women to register for the Selective Service System, stating the NDAA would help make the U.S. more secure while taking care of the men and women who bravely serve our nation. According to Inhofe, the best thing about the NDAA was that it a) boosted defense spending by $25 billion above President Joe Bidens woefully inadequate budget request, b) provides significant funding to defeat Chinese aggression, c) authorizes $300 million in security assistance to Ukraine to deter Russia and d) prioritizes nuclear modernization. Of all these supposed benefits, none promote conservative values, which center on sustaining a fiscally responsible government, reducing unnecessary taxation and respecting tradition. The NDAA uses fabricated national security threats to support a military budget that is more than the next 11 countries combined. Where is the fiscal conservatism in that? Wasnt it George Washington who warned in his farewell address about the danger of foreign entanglements and overgrown military establishments, which under any form of government, are inauspicious to liberty? Inhofe in the past has supported wars of aggression like in Iraq that bred horrendous consequences. He also was a major supporter of the U.S.-UAE-Saudi war on Yemen while profiting from stock ownership in Raytheon, a major weapons-maker that built bombs used to kill Yemeni civilians. The two countries that Inhofe touts as major security threats to the U.S. China and Russia together spend less than half that the U.S. does on its military. Collectively, they possess 22 overseas military bases. Most of those bases are Russian ones, located in the former Soviet Union. China has one based, located in Djibouti. By comparison, the U.S. has over 1,000 foreign military bases. Russias president Vladimir Putin was the first world leader to call the White House to offer sympathy after 9/11, while Chinese leader Xi Jinping has advanced a win-win policy, in which the U.S. would cooperate to advance their mutual interests. The U.S. has antagonized China by a) engaging in a major naval buildup in the South China Seas (Asia Pivot), b) selling high-tech military weaponry to Chinas adversaries (India, Taiwan); c) helping to finance anti-Chinese riots in Hong Kong; and d) supporting secessionist elements in Chinas Xinjiang province. The U.S. has antagonized Russia by a) expanding the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on its borders in violation of a promise made by former Secretary of State James A. Baker, b) backing a 2014 coup in Ukraine overthrowing a pro-Russian leader and triggering a civil war, c) tearing up a major arms control agreement negotiated in the late 1980s (INF Treaty) and d) carrying out provocative military maneuvers in the Baltic states. But you wont hear Inhofe acknowledge any of this. And why should he when the defense and aerospace and oil and gas industries pay so well. Donors from those industries have given him over $650,000 in campaign contributions in the last five years, buying his support for bills like the NDAA, which keep the profits churning. Inhofe claims that the NDAA looks out for Oklahoma by ensuring that its five military installations and the surrounding communities are fully resourced, and by promoting partnerships between universities, industry partners and the Department of Defense. Oklahomans interests are not best looked after in an economy rooted in war; and in which the intellectual independence and integrity of its universities is compromised through partnership with the worlds most destructive military machine. In an article published in the National Catholic Reporter, Art Laffin wrote that the gargantuan military budget championed by Inhofe is an affront to God. The piece quoted Martin Luther King Jr. who said that a nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death. Inhofe may fashion himself a conservative, but in practice he has committed himself to policies that should offend the sensibility of any true conservative and decent human being. Featured video: The Daily Beast KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty ImagesVladimir Putins defense minister sent a clear message to the people of Russia on Wednesday: Their country is at war not just with Ukraine, but with the entirety of the West.I cannot but emphasize the fact that today, we are at war not so much with Ukraine and the Ukrainian army as with the collective West, Sergei Shoigu said in a televised speech, according to TASS.At this point, we are really at war with the collective West, with NATO, Shoigu added.Sh Oklahomas U.S. Sen. James Inhofe released a statement touting his support for conservative values in the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, which passed in the Senate on Dec. 15. Inhofe bragged about helping to nix a provision that would force women to register for the Selective Service System, stating the NDAA would help make the U.S. more secure while taking care of the men and women who bravely serve our nation. According to Inhofe, the best thing about the NDAA was that it a) boosted defense spending by $25 billion above President Joe Bidens woefully inadequate budget request, b) provides significant funding to defeat Chinese aggression, c) authorizes $300 million in security assistance to Ukraine to deter Russia and d) prioritizes nuclear modernization. Of all these supposed benefits, none promote conservative values, which center on sustaining a fiscally responsible government, reducing unnecessary taxation and respecting tradition. The NDAA uses fabricated national security threats to support a military budget that is more than the next 11 countries combined. Where is the fiscal conservatism in that? Wasnt it George Washington who warned in his farewell address about the danger of foreign entanglements and overgrown military establishments, which under any form of government, are inauspicious to liberty? Inhofe in the past has supported wars of aggression like in Iraq that bred horrendous consequences. He also was a major supporter of the U.S.-UAE-Saudi war on Yemen while profiting from stock ownership in Raytheon, a major weapons-maker that built bombs used to kill Yemeni civilians. The two countries that Inhofe touts as major security threats to the U.S. China and Russia together spend less than half that the U.S. does on its military. Collectively, they possess 22 overseas military bases. Most of those bases are Russian ones, located in the former Soviet Union. China has one based, located in Djibouti. By comparison, the U.S. has over 1,000 foreign military bases. Russias president Vladimir Putin was the first world leader to call the White House to offer sympathy after 9/11, while Chinese leader Xi Jinping has advanced a win-win policy, in which the U.S. would cooperate to advance their mutual interests. The U.S. has antagonized China by a) engaging in a major naval buildup in the South China Seas (Asia Pivot), b) selling high-tech military weaponry to Chinas adversaries (India, Taiwan); c) helping to finance anti-Chinese riots in Hong Kong; and d) supporting secessionist elements in Chinas Xinjiang province. The U.S. has antagonized Russia by a) expanding the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on its borders in violation of a promise made by former Secretary of State James A. Baker, b) backing a 2014 coup in Ukraine overthrowing a pro-Russian leader and triggering a civil war, c) tearing up a major arms control agreement negotiated in the late 1980s (INF Treaty) and d) carrying out provocative military maneuvers in the Baltic states. But you wont hear Inhofe acknowledge any of this. And why should he when the defense and aerospace and oil and gas industries pay so well. Donors from those industries have given him over $650,000 in campaign contributions in the last five years, buying his support for bills like the NDAA, which keep the profits churning. Inhofe claims that the NDAA looks out for Oklahoma by ensuring that its five military installations and the surrounding communities are fully resourced, and by promoting partnerships between universities, industry partners and the Department of Defense. Oklahomans interests are not best looked after in an economy rooted in war; and in which the intellectual independence and integrity of its universities is compromised through partnership with the worlds most destructive military machine. In an article published in the National Catholic Reporter, Art Laffin wrote that the gargantuan military budget championed by Inhofe is an affront to God. The piece quoted Martin Luther King Jr. who said that a nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death. Inhofe may fashion himself a conservative, but in practice he has committed himself to policies that should offend the sensibility of any true conservative and decent human being. Featured video: Oklahomas U.S. Sen. James Inhofe released a statement touting his support for conservative values in the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, which passed in the Senate on Dec. 15. Inhofe bragged about helping to nix a provision that would force women to register for the Selective Service System, stating the NDAA would help make the U.S. more secure while taking care of the men and women who bravely serve our nation. According to Inhofe, the best thing about the NDAA was that it a) boosted defense spending by $25 billion above President Joe Bidens woefully inadequate budget request, b) provides significant funding to defeat Chinese aggression, c) authorizes $300 million in security assistance to Ukraine to deter Russia and d) prioritizes nuclear modernization. Of all these supposed benefits, none promote conservative values, which center on sustaining a fiscally responsible government, reducing unnecessary taxation and respecting tradition. The NDAA uses fabricated national security threats to support a military budget that is more than the next 11 countries combined. Where is the fiscal conservatism in that? Wasnt it George Washington who warned in his farewell address about the danger of foreign entanglements and overgrown military establishments, which under any form of government, are inauspicious to liberty? Inhofe in the past has supported wars of aggression like in Iraq that bred horrendous consequences. He also was a major supporter of the U.S.-UAE-Saudi war on Yemen while profiting from stock ownership in Raytheon, a major weapons-maker that built bombs used to kill Yemeni civilians. The two countries that Inhofe touts as major security threats to the U.S. China and Russia together spend less than half that the U.S. does on its military. Collectively, they possess 22 overseas military bases. Most of those bases are Russian ones, located in the former Soviet Union. China has one based, located in Djibouti. By comparison, the U.S. has over 1,000 foreign military bases. Russias president Vladimir Putin was the first world leader to call the White House to offer sympathy after 9/11, while Chinese leader Xi Jinping has advanced a win-win policy, in which the U.S. would cooperate to advance their mutual interests. The U.S. has antagonized China by a) engaging in a major naval buildup in the South China Seas (Asia Pivot), b) selling high-tech military weaponry to Chinas adversaries (India, Taiwan); c) helping to finance anti-Chinese riots in Hong Kong; and d) supporting secessionist elements in Chinas Xinjiang province. The U.S. has antagonized Russia by a) expanding the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on its borders in violation of a promise made by former Secretary of State James A. Baker, b) backing a 2014 coup in Ukraine overthrowing a pro-Russian leader and triggering a civil war, c) tearing up a major arms control agreement negotiated in the late 1980s (INF Treaty) and d) carrying out provocative military maneuvers in the Baltic states. But you wont hear Inhofe acknowledge any of this. And why should he when the defense and aerospace and oil and gas industries pay so well. Donors from those industries have given him over $650,000 in campaign contributions in the last five years, buying his support for bills like the NDAA, which keep the profits churning. Inhofe claims that the NDAA looks out for Oklahoma by ensuring that its five military installations and the surrounding communities are fully resourced, and by promoting partnerships between universities, industry partners and the Department of Defense. Oklahomans interests are not best looked after in an economy rooted in war; and in which the intellectual independence and integrity of its universities is compromised through partnership with the worlds most destructive military machine. In an article published in the National Catholic Reporter, Art Laffin wrote that the gargantuan military budget championed by Inhofe is an affront to God. The piece quoted Martin Luther King Jr. who said that a nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death. Inhofe may fashion himself a conservative, but in practice he has committed himself to policies that should offend the sensibility of any true conservative and decent human being. Featured video: Oklahomas U.S. Sen. James Inhofe released a statement touting his support for conservative values in the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, which passed in the Senate on Dec. 15. Inhofe bragged about helping to nix a provision that would force women to register for the Selective Service System, stating the NDAA would help make the U.S. more secure while taking care of the men and women who bravely serve our nation. According to Inhofe, the best thing about the NDAA was that it a) boosted defense spending by $25 billion above President Joe Bidens woefully inadequate budget request, b) provides significant funding to defeat Chinese aggression, c) authorizes $300 million in security assistance to Ukraine to deter Russia and d) prioritizes nuclear modernization. Of all these supposed benefits, none promote conservative values, which center on sustaining a fiscally responsible government, reducing unnecessary taxation and respecting tradition. The NDAA uses fabricated national security threats to support a military budget that is more than the next 11 countries combined. Where is the fiscal conservatism in that? Wasnt it George Washington who warned in his farewell address about the danger of foreign entanglements and overgrown military establishments, which under any form of government, are inauspicious to liberty? Inhofe in the past has supported wars of aggression like in Iraq that bred horrendous consequences. He also was a major supporter of the U.S.-UAE-Saudi war on Yemen while profiting from stock ownership in Raytheon, a major weapons-maker that built bombs used to kill Yemeni civilians. The two countries that Inhofe touts as major security threats to the U.S. China and Russia together spend less than half that the U.S. does on its military. Collectively, they possess 22 overseas military bases. Most of those bases are Russian ones, located in the former Soviet Union. China has one based, located in Djibouti. By comparison, the U.S. has over 1,000 foreign military bases. Russias president Vladimir Putin was the first world leader to call the White House to offer sympathy after 9/11, while Chinese leader Xi Jinping has advanced a win-win policy, in which the U.S. would cooperate to advance their mutual interests. The U.S. has antagonized China by a) engaging in a major naval buildup in the South China Seas (Asia Pivot), b) selling high-tech military weaponry to Chinas adversaries (India, Taiwan); c) helping to finance anti-Chinese riots in Hong Kong; and d) supporting secessionist elements in Chinas Xinjiang province. The U.S. has antagonized Russia by a) expanding the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on its borders in violation of a promise made by former Secretary of State James A. Baker, b) backing a 2014 coup in Ukraine overthrowing a pro-Russian leader and triggering a civil war, c) tearing up a major arms control agreement negotiated in the late 1980s (INF Treaty) and d) carrying out provocative military maneuvers in the Baltic states. But you wont hear Inhofe acknowledge any of this. And why should he when the defense and aerospace and oil and gas industries pay so well. Donors from those industries have given him over $650,000 in campaign contributions in the last five years, buying his support for bills like the NDAA, which keep the profits churning. Inhofe claims that the NDAA looks out for Oklahoma by ensuring that its five military installations and the surrounding communities are fully resourced, and by promoting partnerships between universities, industry partners and the Department of Defense. Oklahomans interests are not best looked after in an economy rooted in war; and in which the intellectual independence and integrity of its universities is compromised through partnership with the worlds most destructive military machine. In an article published in the National Catholic Reporter, Art Laffin wrote that the gargantuan military budget championed by Inhofe is an affront to God. The piece quoted Martin Luther King Jr. who said that a nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death. Inhofe may fashion himself a conservative, but in practice he has committed himself to policies that should offend the sensibility of any true conservative and decent human being. Featured video: The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. Management education in India is offered as a degree by universities and as a postgraduate diploma by the All India Council for Technical Education approved stand-alone institutions. The present work focuses on the challenges of the pedagogy and curriculum adopted by the management institutions offering postgraduate-level programmes. The palpability of localised curriculum with pedagogical innovations cited in the National Education Policy 2020 are critically discussed here. The higher education institutions offering degree or postgraduate diploma in management programmes are segmented into three tiers. The daunting questions and scaling of the mid-tier institutions are the focus of this critical review. Many of us have read the much- acclaimed Pygmaliona play by George Bernard Shawwhere after considerable effort, Henry Higgins manages to make a flower sellerEliza Doolittleproficient in articulation and capable of expressing her views with clarity. Initially, it was a tall order, a challenging mandate, but eventually, Higgins, in the play, came up trumps. The throes that management education in India finds itself in is analogous to the situation that Higgins found himself in transforming the flower seller to a proficient English-speaking person. Offering management education is a task with a multitude of responsibilities. The frontier task, however, is shaping the students to be well-suited to meet the requirements of industry at large and society in turn. To this end, educators engage in formulating and delivering a curriculum whose execution in an envisaged manner will hopefully transform students into critical thinking managers that industry clamours for. Sadly and largely, the mission of management educators to turn out well-rounded managers to grapple with the problems in industry is coming unstuck. The success that Higgins met with seems eluding in the theatre of management education with the given scenario. A glimpse at the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) statistics on management institutions will substantiate the evidence on the issues that the present article would highlight (Table 1). To benefit the farmers green box subsidies may be given. The adverse report of the World Trade Organization (WTO) panel on Indias sugar and sugar cane subsidyin response to the complaints by Brazil, Guatemala, and Australiaobserved that for five consecutive sugar seasons from 201415 to 201819, India provided non-exempt product-specific domestic subsidies to sugar cane growers beyond the permitted level of 10% of the total value of production (the de minimis). They also raised the issue of Indias alleged export subsidies, those under the production assistance and buffer stock schemes, and the marketing and transportation scheme. The WTO asked India to withdraw its prohibited subsidies under the Production Assistance, the Buffer Stock, and the Marketing and Transportation Schemes within 120 days from the adoption of (the) report against which India will appeal. Brazil alleged that the export subsidies on sugar have caused suppression in its global price by 25% approximately and hence a loss of trade for them. The Trade Policy Review by the WTO, in early 2021, also brought India under scrutiny, with many countries complaining that India has not declared its agri-export subsidies for more than eight years. Specifically, the complaint made was along three lines that India provides: (i) domestic agricultural support violating the Agreement on Agriculture (AoA), (ii) export subsidies in excess of the budgetary outlays hence the AoA violation, and (iii) export subsidies support contingent upon export performance and hence violating the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM), particularly the specificity of subsidy and Article XVI (subsidies related to agricultural primary products) of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. Srinagar, Jan 1 (PTI) Political leaders including three former chief ministers were detained ahead of a march by the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) to protest against the recommendations of the Delimitation Commission. "Good morning and welcome to 2022. A new year with the same JK police illegally locking people in their homes and an administration so terrified of normal democratic activity," National Conference vice-president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted. Also Read | Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Stampede: Registration For Darshan Resumes in Katra. "Trucks parked outside our gates to scuttle the peaceful @JKPAGD sit-in protest. Some things never change," he said. Abdullah, whose father and veteran politician Farooq Abdullah heads the PAGD, claimed, "Talk about a lawless police state, the police have even locked the internal gate connecting my father's home to my sister's. Yet our leaders have the cheek to tell the world that India is the largest democracy, hah!!" Also Read | New Year 2022 Welcomed in Varanasi in Traditional Manner With Vedic Rituals. Senior CPI (M) leader M Y Tarigami, who is the spokesperson of the alliance, said it was sad that the Jammu and Kashmir administration was "scared even to allow a peaceful protest". "This is where the situation gets worse when people are not even allowed to express their opinion before the public," he added. Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had also been placed under detention. "A truck is parked outside my house too," she added. The PAGD had proposed to hold a peaceful demonstration in Srinagar on Saturday against the proposal of the Delimitation Commission of increasing six seats in Jammu division and one in Kashmir. With this, the number of seats in Jammu would have gone up to 43 and Kashmir to 47. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for the complete reunification of their motherland that is an aspiration shared by people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, a media report said. "The complete reunification of our motherland is an aspiration shared by people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait," Global Times quoted Xi as saying on Friday night when he delivered his 2022 New Year Address. Emphasising that the "prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao" are always "close to the heart" of the motherland, XI underlined the importance of the sound implementation of the "one country, two systems" model. His remarks on Hong Kong's stability came two days after the city's police raided Stand News outlet and arrested six members of the group. Two of them are in custody as police charged them under sedition and they were denied bail by the court. Notably, the outlet Stand News has suspended operations and its contents were erased as Chinese officials termed them objectionable. Referring to the country's poverty elimination programme, Xi said that he cares for the concerns of the people and their aspirations. "The concerns of the people are what I always care about, and the aspirations of the people are what I always strive for," Global Times quoted Xi as saying, "Having worked in the countryside myself, I know precisely what poverty feels like." Xi also called 2021 a year of exceptional significance. But, during the whole year, the West continuously accused the Chinese Communist Party of extreme human rights abuses in the Xinjiang provinces. (ANI) The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. Description Ring in the new year in Austria at the Musikverein with the Vienna Philharmonic and host Hugh Bonneville in this annual concert of waltzes by Strauss and more under the baton of guest conductor Daniel Barenboim. Great Performances continues its tradition of ringing in the New Year with the Vienna Philharmonic at the world-famous Musikverein. Under the baton of Grammy-winning guest conductor Daniel Barenboim, the Vienna Philharmonic performs a selection of favorite Strauss family waltzes. The concert also features dances from the Vienna State Ballet performing on location at Schonbrunn Palace and its park grounds, as well as a performance by the world-famous Lipizzaner horses from The Spanish Riding School. Great Performances: From Vienna: The New Years Celebration 2022 premieres Saturday, January 1 at 8 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings) and streams the following day at pbs.org/gperf and the PBS Video app. Great Performances: From Vienna: The New Years Celebration 2022 is part of #PBSForTheArts, a multiplatform campaign that celebrates the arts in America. Description Ring in the new year in Austria at the Musikverein with the Vienna Philharmonic and host Hugh Bonneville in this annual concert of waltzes by Strauss and more under the baton of guest conductor Daniel Barenboim. Great Performances continues its tradition of ringing in the New Year with the Vienna Philharmonic at the world-famous Musikverein. Under the baton of Grammy-winning guest conductor Daniel Barenboim, the Vienna Philharmonic performs a selection of favorite Strauss family waltzes. The concert also features dances from the Vienna State Ballet performing on location at Schonbrunn Palace and its park grounds, as well as a performance by the world-famous Lipizzaner horses from The Spanish Riding School. Great Performances: From Vienna: The New Years Celebration 2022 premieres Saturday, January 1 at 8 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings) and streams the following day at pbs.org/gperf and the PBS Video app. Great Performances: From Vienna: The New Years Celebration 2022 is part of #PBSForTheArts, a multiplatform campaign that celebrates the arts in America. Description Ring in the new year in Austria at the Musikverein with the Vienna Philharmonic and host Hugh Bonneville in this annual concert of waltzes by Strauss and more under the baton of guest conductor Daniel Barenboim. Great Performances continues its tradition of ringing in the New Year with the Vienna Philharmonic at the world-famous Musikverein. Under the baton of Grammy-winning guest conductor Daniel Barenboim, the Vienna Philharmonic performs a selection of favorite Strauss family waltzes. The concert also features dances from the Vienna State Ballet performing on location at Schonbrunn Palace and its park grounds, as well as a performance by the world-famous Lipizzaner horses from The Spanish Riding School. Great Performances: From Vienna: The New Years Celebration 2022 premieres Saturday, January 1 at 8 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings) and streams the following day at pbs.org/gperf and the PBS Video app. Great Performances: From Vienna: The New Years Celebration 2022 is part of #PBSForTheArts, a multiplatform campaign that celebrates the arts in America. SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's export kept a record-breaking trend for two months in December owing to the global economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, a government report showed Saturday. Export, which accounts for about half of the export-driven economy, jumped 18.3 percent from a year earlier to hit a new high of 60.74 billion U.S. dollars in December, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. It surpassed the previous high of 60.41 billion dollars in November, continuing to grow for 14 straight months since November 2020. Import surged 37.4 percent to 61.32 billion dollars in December, sending the trade deficit to 0.58 billion dollars. The import maintained double-digit growth for 11 months amid strong demand for commodities and intermediary goods, driven by domestic demand recovery and brisk export. Among 15 major export items, the shipment of 10 products expanded in double figures last month. Semiconductor export advanced 35.1 percent over the year to 12.78 billion dollars in December, keeping an upward trend for 18 months in a row. Petrochemical shipment soared 34.3 percent to 4.77 billion dollars, and general machinery shipment rose 6.2 percent to 5.03 billion dollars. Automotive export grew 17.3 percent to 4.23 billion dollars, and shipment for steel products, computers, textiles and home appliances increased in double digits last month. Export to China, South Korea's biggest trading partner, spiked 20.8 percent over the year to 15.35 billion dollars in December, continuing to rise for 14 straight months. Shipment to the United States and the European Union went up in double digits to 8.8 billion dollars and 5.97 billion dollars respectively, while export to Southeast Asian countries gained 23.2 percent to 11.25 billion dollars. Export to Japan picked up 16.3 percent to 2.71 billion dollars, and those to Latin American countries, India and the Middle East climbed to 2.24 billion dollars, 1.32 billion dollars and 1.67 billion dollars each. Enditem SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's export kept a record-breaking trend for two months in December owing to the global economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, a government report showed Saturday. Export, which accounts for about half of the export-driven economy, jumped 18.3 percent from a year earlier to hit a new high of 60.74 billion U.S. dollars in December, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. It surpassed the previous high of 60.41 billion dollars in November, continuing to grow for 14 straight months since November 2020. Import surged 37.4 percent to 61.32 billion dollars in December, sending the trade deficit to 0.58 billion dollars. The import maintained double-digit growth for 11 months amid strong demand for commodities and intermediary goods, driven by domestic demand recovery and brisk export. Among 15 major export items, the shipment of 10 products expanded in double figures last month. Semiconductor export advanced 35.1 percent over the year to 12.78 billion dollars in December, keeping an upward trend for 18 months in a row. Petrochemical shipment soared 34.3 percent to 4.77 billion dollars, and general machinery shipment rose 6.2 percent to 5.03 billion dollars. Automotive export grew 17.3 percent to 4.23 billion dollars, and shipment for steel products, computers, textiles and home appliances increased in double digits last month. Export to China, South Korea's biggest trading partner, spiked 20.8 percent over the year to 15.35 billion dollars in December, continuing to rise for 14 straight months. Shipment to the United States and the European Union went up in double digits to 8.8 billion dollars and 5.97 billion dollars respectively, while export to Southeast Asian countries gained 23.2 percent to 11.25 billion dollars. Export to Japan picked up 16.3 percent to 2.71 billion dollars, and those to Latin American countries, India and the Middle East climbed to 2.24 billion dollars, 1.32 billion dollars and 1.67 billion dollars each. Enditem Management education in India is offered as a degree by universities and as a postgraduate diploma by the All India Council for Technical Education approved stand-alone institutions. The present work focuses on the challenges of the pedagogy and curriculum adopted by the management institutions offering postgraduate-level programmes. The palpability of localised curriculum with pedagogical innovations cited in the National Education Policy 2020 are critically discussed here. The higher education institutions offering degree or postgraduate diploma in management programmes are segmented into three tiers. The daunting questions and scaling of the mid-tier institutions are the focus of this critical review. Many of us have read the much- acclaimed Pygmaliona play by George Bernard Shawwhere after considerable effort, Henry Higgins manages to make a flower sellerEliza Doolittleproficient in articulation and capable of expressing her views with clarity. Initially, it was a tall order, a challenging mandate, but eventually, Higgins, in the play, came up trumps. The throes that management education in India finds itself in is analogous to the situation that Higgins found himself in transforming the flower seller to a proficient English-speaking person. Offering management education is a task with a multitude of responsibilities. The frontier task, however, is shaping the students to be well-suited to meet the requirements of industry at large and society in turn. To this end, educators engage in formulating and delivering a curriculum whose execution in an envisaged manner will hopefully transform students into critical thinking managers that industry clamours for. Sadly and largely, the mission of management educators to turn out well-rounded managers to grapple with the problems in industry is coming unstuck. The success that Higgins met with seems eluding in the theatre of management education with the given scenario. A glimpse at the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) statistics on management institutions will substantiate the evidence on the issues that the present article would highlight (Table 1). South Africans took their last opportunity to pay their respects to Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Friday, the eve of the revered anti-apartheid fighters funeral. Since Thursday, nearly 3,000 mourners have filed through Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral before the simple pine casket containing Tutu's remains. Members of Tutu's family hugged and consoled each other as the coffin returned for the second and final day to lie in state while a band, which included a preschooler trumpeter, played in his honor. The archbishop's successor, Thabo Makgoba, waved a chalice of burning incense over the coffin before pallbearers, Anglican vicars, took the coffin from a silver Mercedes SUV hearse. They slowly walked up the stairs into the cathedral where Tutu had preached for a decade. The body will spend the night in the cathedral until the funeral, which will be presided over by President Cyril Ramaphosa. Tutu died peacefully Sunday at age 90. The funeral Tutu had carefully set down details for his funeral, insisting that his coffin be "the cheapest" available, and that it be adorned by a simple bunch of carnations. Mourners are being asked to donate money to his charitable foundations instead of sending flowers, and even the disposal of his remains is being conducted in an eco-friendly way. The dean of the cathedral, Michael Weeder, told AFP that Tutu had asked for "aquamation," a process that supporters say releases one-tenth of climate-altering carbon dioxide gases compared with traditional cremation. In aquamation, bodies are dissolved in a heated solution of water and alkali in a stainless steel vessel, leaving behind the bones, which are then turned to ash by cremation. The ashes are to be interred at the cathedral. The burial "might be Sunday," Weeder said in a text message, adding the "family will decide whether it will be private or open to others." 'Moral compass' Libane Serenji, an artist from Johannesburg, came to pay respects. He painted portraits of Tutu on a canvas and attached them to a tree outside the cathedral. He said it was fitting "to come all the way and paint ... because he played also a significant role in my life like everyone from Africa." Another mourner, Antonia Appels, had come from the capital, Pretoria, to stand in line. Tutu was a "moral compass" who had helped haul country out of the darkness of the apartheid era, she said. South Africa is marking a week of mourning for Tutu, with the country's multicolored flag flying at half-staff nationwide and ceremonies taking place every day. The cathedral's bells have been pealing in his memory for 10 minutes at midday. Tutu was for years the emblem of the struggle to end white-minority rule as Nelson Mandela and other leaders languished behind bars. After apartheid was dismantled and South Africa ushered in its first free elections in 1994, Tutu chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which exposed the horrors of the past in terrible detail. He would later speak out fearlessly against the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for corruption, incompetence and failures to tackle the country's AIDS epidemic. Weakened by advanced age and prostate cancer, Tutu had retired from public life in recent years. He is survived by his wife, Leah; four children; and several grand and great-grandchildren. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. is mining Western to equip its military and police with information on foreign targets, according to a new report by The Washington Post. This revelation was made following the review of hundreds of Chinese bidding documents, contracts, and company filings. This new report says that maintains a nationwide network of data surveillance services that were developed over the past decade and are used domestically to warn officials of politically sensitive information online. The software, which targets domestic Internet users and media, also collects data on foreign targets from sources such as Twitter, Facebook, and other Western . The documents accessed by the Washington-based publication also show that Chinese agencies including state media, propaganda departments, police, military and cyber regulators are purchasing new or more sophisticated systems to gather data. The report states that the Chinese state media software program mines Twitter and Facebook to create a database of foreign journalists and academics. The report further reveals that a Beijing police intelligence program analyses Western content on Hong Kong and Taiwan. It also catalogs Uyghur language content abroad. "Now we can better understand the underground network of anti- personnel," said a Beijing-based analyst who works for a unit reporting to China's Central Propaganda Department. The unit was once tasked with producing a data report on how negative content relating to Beijing's senior leadership is spread on Twitter, including profiles of individual academics, politicians, and journalists, according to the report. "They are now reorienting part of that effort outward, and I think that's frankly terrifying, looking at the sheer numbers and sheer scale that this has taken inside China," said Mareike Ohlberg, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund, as quoted by The Washington Post. She added: "It really shows that they now feel it's their responsibility to defend China overseas and fight the public opinion war overseas. (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 change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. South Africans took their last opportunity to pay their respects to Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Friday, the eve of the revered anti-apartheid fighters funeral. Since Thursday, nearly 3,000 mourners have filed through Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral before the simple pine casket containing Tutu's remains. Members of Tutu's family hugged and consoled each other as the coffin returned for the second and final day to lie in state while a band, which included a preschooler trumpeter, played in his honor. The archbishop's successor, Thabo Makgoba, waved a chalice of burning incense over the coffin before pallbearers, Anglican vicars, took the coffin from a silver Mercedes SUV hearse. They slowly walked up the stairs into the cathedral where Tutu had preached for a decade. The body will spend the night in the cathedral until the funeral, which will be presided over by President Cyril Ramaphosa. Tutu died peacefully Sunday at age 90. The funeral Tutu had carefully set down details for his funeral, insisting that his coffin be "the cheapest" available, and that it be adorned by a simple bunch of carnations. Mourners are being asked to donate money to his charitable foundations instead of sending flowers, and even the disposal of his remains is being conducted in an eco-friendly way. The dean of the cathedral, Michael Weeder, told AFP that Tutu had asked for "aquamation," a process that supporters say releases one-tenth of climate-altering carbon dioxide gases compared with traditional cremation. In aquamation, bodies are dissolved in a heated solution of water and alkali in a stainless steel vessel, leaving behind the bones, which are then turned to ash by cremation. The ashes are to be interred at the cathedral. The burial "might be Sunday," Weeder said in a text message, adding the "family will decide whether it will be private or open to others." 'Moral compass' Libane Serenji, an artist from Johannesburg, came to pay respects. He painted portraits of Tutu on a canvas and attached them to a tree outside the cathedral. He said it was fitting "to come all the way and paint ... because he played also a significant role in my life like everyone from Africa." Another mourner, Antonia Appels, had come from the capital, Pretoria, to stand in line. Tutu was a "moral compass" who had helped haul country out of the darkness of the apartheid era, she said. South Africa is marking a week of mourning for Tutu, with the country's multicolored flag flying at half-staff nationwide and ceremonies taking place every day. The cathedral's bells have been pealing in his memory for 10 minutes at midday. Tutu was for years the emblem of the struggle to end white-minority rule as Nelson Mandela and other leaders languished behind bars. After apartheid was dismantled and South Africa ushered in its first free elections in 1994, Tutu chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which exposed the horrors of the past in terrible detail. He would later speak out fearlessly against the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for corruption, incompetence and failures to tackle the country's AIDS epidemic. Weakened by advanced age and prostate cancer, Tutu had retired from public life in recent years. He is survived by his wife, Leah; four children; and several grand and great-grandchildren. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's export kept a record-breaking trend for two months in December owing to the global economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, a government report showed Saturday. Export, which accounts for about half of the export-driven economy, jumped 18.3 percent from a year earlier to hit a new high of 60.74 billion U.S. dollars in December, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. It surpassed the previous high of 60.41 billion dollars in November, continuing to grow for 14 straight months since November 2020. Import surged 37.4 percent to 61.32 billion dollars in December, sending the trade deficit to 0.58 billion dollars. The import maintained double-digit growth for 11 months amid strong demand for commodities and intermediary goods, driven by domestic demand recovery and brisk export. Among 15 major export items, the shipment of 10 products expanded in double figures last month. Semiconductor export advanced 35.1 percent over the year to 12.78 billion dollars in December, keeping an upward trend for 18 months in a row. Petrochemical shipment soared 34.3 percent to 4.77 billion dollars, and general machinery shipment rose 6.2 percent to 5.03 billion dollars. Automotive export grew 17.3 percent to 4.23 billion dollars, and shipment for steel products, computers, textiles and home appliances increased in double digits last month. Export to China, South Korea's biggest trading partner, spiked 20.8 percent over the year to 15.35 billion dollars in December, continuing to rise for 14 straight months. Shipment to the United States and the European Union went up in double digits to 8.8 billion dollars and 5.97 billion dollars respectively, while export to Southeast Asian countries gained 23.2 percent to 11.25 billion dollars. Export to Japan picked up 16.3 percent to 2.71 billion dollars, and those to Latin American countries, India and the Middle East climbed to 2.24 billion dollars, 1.32 billion dollars and 1.67 billion dollars each. Enditem The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Saturday underlined the challenge that the island is facing to uphold its freedom and democracy amid constantly increasing military and diplomatic pressure from China. In her New Year's Day address, President Tsai said, "The pursuit of democracy and freedom is not a crime, and Taiwan's position in support of Hong Kong will not change. Aside from showing our concern, we will cherish our own hard-earned freedom and democracy even more deeply." "We will make Taiwan even better and show the world that democratic Taiwan has the courage to step out from the shadow of authoritarian China, and that we will not bow to pressure," Tsai said. China continues to consider Taiwan a breakaway province even after decades of separate governance. Taipei has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, even as Beijing continues to threaten that "Taiwan's independence" by means of war. Amid the constantly increasing military and diplomatic pressure from China, Taiwan President noted the challenge to uphold its freedom, democracy, and consensus to connect with the world. "Continuing our global engagement, maintaining our economic momentum, strengthening our social security network, and safeguarding our nation's sovereignty are the four pillars of our plan for stable governance in 2022," she was quoted as saying by Taiwan Focus. China on Thursday, in a belligerent tone, had said it sent more than 940 fighters planes for routine drills which are more than what Taiwanese authorities have said. "The PLA dispatched more warplanes to routine drills near Taiwan than the DPP authorities revealed, Chinese Defense Ministry said in response to DPP's recent claims that the mainland conducted 940 warplane sorties near the Taiwan island this year," state media outlet Global Times reported. Taiwan witnessed 950 intrusions by the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military planes into its Air Defence Identification Zone in 2021 so far, a 60 per cent increase from the previous year. Moreover, Taiwanese media reported that the island is anticipating a further rise in the number of intrusions as China has ramped up sorties over the past few years. The number of flights is expected to increase further as tensions rise over major political events on two sides of the Taiwan Strait in 2022, Taiwan News reported. (ANI) is mining Western to equip its military and police with information on foreign targets, according to a new report by The Washington Post. This revelation was made following the review of hundreds of Chinese bidding documents, contracts, and company filings. This new report says that maintains a nationwide network of data surveillance services that were developed over the past decade and are used domestically to warn officials of politically sensitive information online. The software, which targets domestic Internet users and media, also collects data on foreign targets from sources such as Twitter, Facebook, and other Western . The documents accessed by the Washington-based publication also show that Chinese agencies including state media, propaganda departments, police, military and cyber regulators are purchasing new or more sophisticated systems to gather data. The report states that the Chinese state media software program mines Twitter and Facebook to create a database of foreign journalists and academics. The report further reveals that a Beijing police intelligence program analyses Western content on Hong Kong and Taiwan. It also catalogs Uyghur language content abroad. "Now we can better understand the underground network of anti- personnel," said a Beijing-based analyst who works for a unit reporting to China's Central Propaganda Department. The unit was once tasked with producing a data report on how negative content relating to Beijing's senior leadership is spread on Twitter, including profiles of individual academics, politicians, and journalists, according to the report. "They are now reorienting part of that effort outward, and I think that's frankly terrifying, looking at the sheer numbers and sheer scale that this has taken inside China," said Mareike Ohlberg, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund, as quoted by The Washington Post. She added: "It really shows that they now feel it's their responsibility to defend China overseas and fight the public opinion war overseas. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Xi Jinping delivers a New Year speech to ring in 2022 on Friday evening, Dec 31, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua] President Xi Jinping delivered a New Year address to ring in 2022 on Friday. evening. Here are some highlights: Srinagar, Jan 1 (PTI) Political leaders including three former chief ministers were detained ahead of a march by the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) to protest against the recommendations of the Delimitation Commission. "Good morning and welcome to 2022. A new year with the same JK police illegally locking people in their homes and an administration so terrified of normal democratic activity," National Conference vice-president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted. Also Read | Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Stampede: Registration For Darshan Resumes in Katra. "Trucks parked outside our gates to scuttle the peaceful @JKPAGD sit-in protest. Some things never change," he said. Abdullah, whose father and veteran politician Farooq Abdullah heads the PAGD, claimed, "Talk about a lawless police state, the police have even locked the internal gate connecting my father's home to my sister's. Yet our leaders have the cheek to tell the world that India is the largest democracy, hah!!" Also Read | New Year 2022 Welcomed in Varanasi in Traditional Manner With Vedic Rituals. Senior CPI (M) leader M Y Tarigami, who is the spokesperson of the alliance, said it was sad that the Jammu and Kashmir administration was "scared even to allow a peaceful protest". "This is where the situation gets worse when people are not even allowed to express their opinion before the public," he added. Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had also been placed under detention. "A truck is parked outside my house too," she added. The PAGD had proposed to hold a peaceful demonstration in Srinagar on Saturday against the proposal of the Delimitation Commission of increasing six seats in Jammu division and one in Kashmir. With this, the number of seats in Jammu would have gone up to 43 and Kashmir to 47. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Srinagar, Jan 1 (PTI) Political leaders including three former chief ministers were detained ahead of a march by the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) to protest against the recommendations of the Delimitation Commission. "Good morning and welcome to 2022. A new year with the same JK police illegally locking people in their homes and an administration so terrified of normal democratic activity," National Conference vice-president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted. Also Read | Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Stampede: Registration For Darshan Resumes in Katra. "Trucks parked outside our gates to scuttle the peaceful @JKPAGD sit-in protest. Some things never change," he said. Abdullah, whose father and veteran politician Farooq Abdullah heads the PAGD, claimed, "Talk about a lawless police state, the police have even locked the internal gate connecting my father's home to my sister's. Yet our leaders have the cheek to tell the world that India is the largest democracy, hah!!" Also Read | New Year 2022 Welcomed in Varanasi in Traditional Manner With Vedic Rituals. Senior CPI (M) leader M Y Tarigami, who is the spokesperson of the alliance, said it was sad that the Jammu and Kashmir administration was "scared even to allow a peaceful protest". "This is where the situation gets worse when people are not even allowed to express their opinion before the public," he added. Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had also been placed under detention. "A truck is parked outside my house too," she added. The PAGD had proposed to hold a peaceful demonstration in Srinagar on Saturday against the proposal of the Delimitation Commission of increasing six seats in Jammu division and one in Kashmir. With this, the number of seats in Jammu would have gone up to 43 and Kashmir to 47. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Management education in India is offered as a degree by universities and as a postgraduate diploma by the All India Council for Technical Education approved stand-alone institutions. The present work focuses on the challenges of the pedagogy and curriculum adopted by the management institutions offering postgraduate-level programmes. The palpability of localised curriculum with pedagogical innovations cited in the National Education Policy 2020 are critically discussed here. The higher education institutions offering degree or postgraduate diploma in management programmes are segmented into three tiers. The daunting questions and scaling of the mid-tier institutions are the focus of this critical review. Many of us have read the much- acclaimed Pygmaliona play by George Bernard Shawwhere after considerable effort, Henry Higgins manages to make a flower sellerEliza Doolittleproficient in articulation and capable of expressing her views with clarity. Initially, it was a tall order, a challenging mandate, but eventually, Higgins, in the play, came up trumps. The throes that management education in India finds itself in is analogous to the situation that Higgins found himself in transforming the flower seller to a proficient English-speaking person. Offering management education is a task with a multitude of responsibilities. The frontier task, however, is shaping the students to be well-suited to meet the requirements of industry at large and society in turn. To this end, educators engage in formulating and delivering a curriculum whose execution in an envisaged manner will hopefully transform students into critical thinking managers that industry clamours for. Sadly and largely, the mission of management educators to turn out well-rounded managers to grapple with the problems in industry is coming unstuck. The success that Higgins met with seems eluding in the theatre of management education with the given scenario. A glimpse at the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) statistics on management institutions will substantiate the evidence on the issues that the present article would highlight (Table 1). Management education in India is offered as a degree by universities and as a postgraduate diploma by the All India Council for Technical Education approved stand-alone institutions. The present work focuses on the challenges of the pedagogy and curriculum adopted by the management institutions offering postgraduate-level programmes. The palpability of localised curriculum with pedagogical innovations cited in the National Education Policy 2020 are critically discussed here. The higher education institutions offering degree or postgraduate diploma in management programmes are segmented into three tiers. The daunting questions and scaling of the mid-tier institutions are the focus of this critical review. Many of us have read the much- acclaimed Pygmaliona play by George Bernard Shawwhere after considerable effort, Henry Higgins manages to make a flower sellerEliza Doolittleproficient in articulation and capable of expressing her views with clarity. Initially, it was a tall order, a challenging mandate, but eventually, Higgins, in the play, came up trumps. The throes that management education in India finds itself in is analogous to the situation that Higgins found himself in transforming the flower seller to a proficient English-speaking person. Offering management education is a task with a multitude of responsibilities. The frontier task, however, is shaping the students to be well-suited to meet the requirements of industry at large and society in turn. To this end, educators engage in formulating and delivering a curriculum whose execution in an envisaged manner will hopefully transform students into critical thinking managers that industry clamours for. Sadly and largely, the mission of management educators to turn out well-rounded managers to grapple with the problems in industry is coming unstuck. The success that Higgins met with seems eluding in the theatre of management education with the given scenario. A glimpse at the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) statistics on management institutions will substantiate the evidence on the issues that the present article would highlight (Table 1). Management education in India is offered as a degree by universities and as a postgraduate diploma by the All India Council for Technical Education approved stand-alone institutions. The present work focuses on the challenges of the pedagogy and curriculum adopted by the management institutions offering postgraduate-level programmes. The palpability of localised curriculum with pedagogical innovations cited in the National Education Policy 2020 are critically discussed here. The higher education institutions offering degree or postgraduate diploma in management programmes are segmented into three tiers. The daunting questions and scaling of the mid-tier institutions are the focus of this critical review. Many of us have read the much- acclaimed Pygmaliona play by George Bernard Shawwhere after considerable effort, Henry Higgins manages to make a flower sellerEliza Doolittleproficient in articulation and capable of expressing her views with clarity. Initially, it was a tall order, a challenging mandate, but eventually, Higgins, in the play, came up trumps. The throes that management education in India finds itself in is analogous to the situation that Higgins found himself in transforming the flower seller to a proficient English-speaking person. Offering management education is a task with a multitude of responsibilities. The frontier task, however, is shaping the students to be well-suited to meet the requirements of industry at large and society in turn. To this end, educators engage in formulating and delivering a curriculum whose execution in an envisaged manner will hopefully transform students into critical thinking managers that industry clamours for. Sadly and largely, the mission of management educators to turn out well-rounded managers to grapple with the problems in industry is coming unstuck. The success that Higgins met with seems eluding in the theatre of management education with the given scenario. A glimpse at the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) statistics on management institutions will substantiate the evidence on the issues that the present article would highlight (Table 1). To benefit the farmers green box subsidies may be given. The adverse report of the World Trade Organization (WTO) panel on Indias sugar and sugar cane subsidyin response to the complaints by Brazil, Guatemala, and Australiaobserved that for five consecutive sugar seasons from 201415 to 201819, India provided non-exempt product-specific domestic subsidies to sugar cane growers beyond the permitted level of 10% of the total value of production (the de minimis). They also raised the issue of Indias alleged export subsidies, those under the production assistance and buffer stock schemes, and the marketing and transportation scheme. The WTO asked India to withdraw its prohibited subsidies under the Production Assistance, the Buffer Stock, and the Marketing and Transportation Schemes within 120 days from the adoption of (the) report against which India will appeal. Brazil alleged that the export subsidies on sugar have caused suppression in its global price by 25% approximately and hence a loss of trade for them. The Trade Policy Review by the WTO, in early 2021, also brought India under scrutiny, with many countries complaining that India has not declared its agri-export subsidies for more than eight years. Specifically, the complaint made was along three lines that India provides: (i) domestic agricultural support violating the Agreement on Agriculture (AoA), (ii) export subsidies in excess of the budgetary outlays hence the AoA violation, and (iii) export subsidies support contingent upon export performance and hence violating the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM), particularly the specificity of subsidy and Article XVI (subsidies related to agricultural primary products) of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. Srinagar, Jan 1 (PTI) Political leaders including three former chief ministers were detained ahead of a march by the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) to protest against the recommendations of the Delimitation Commission. "Good morning and welcome to 2022. A new year with the same JK police illegally locking people in their homes and an administration so terrified of normal democratic activity," National Conference vice-president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted. Also Read | Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Stampede: Registration For Darshan Resumes in Katra. "Trucks parked outside our gates to scuttle the peaceful @JKPAGD sit-in protest. Some things never change," he said. Abdullah, whose father and veteran politician Farooq Abdullah heads the PAGD, claimed, "Talk about a lawless police state, the police have even locked the internal gate connecting my father's home to my sister's. Yet our leaders have the cheek to tell the world that India is the largest democracy, hah!!" Also Read | New Year 2022 Welcomed in Varanasi in Traditional Manner With Vedic Rituals. Senior CPI (M) leader M Y Tarigami, who is the spokesperson of the alliance, said it was sad that the Jammu and Kashmir administration was "scared even to allow a peaceful protest". "This is where the situation gets worse when people are not even allowed to express their opinion before the public," he added. Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had also been placed under detention. "A truck is parked outside my house too," she added. The PAGD had proposed to hold a peaceful demonstration in Srinagar on Saturday against the proposal of the Delimitation Commission of increasing six seats in Jammu division and one in Kashmir. With this, the number of seats in Jammu would have gone up to 43 and Kashmir to 47. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Srinagar, Jan 1 (PTI) Political leaders including three former chief ministers were detained ahead of a march by the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) to protest against the recommendations of the Delimitation Commission. "Good morning and welcome to 2022. A new year with the same JK police illegally locking people in their homes and an administration so terrified of normal democratic activity," National Conference vice-president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted. Also Read | Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Stampede: Registration For Darshan Resumes in Katra. "Trucks parked outside our gates to scuttle the peaceful @JKPAGD sit-in protest. Some things never change," he said. Abdullah, whose father and veteran politician Farooq Abdullah heads the PAGD, claimed, "Talk about a lawless police state, the police have even locked the internal gate connecting my father's home to my sister's. Yet our leaders have the cheek to tell the world that India is the largest democracy, hah!!" Also Read | New Year 2022 Welcomed in Varanasi in Traditional Manner With Vedic Rituals. Senior CPI (M) leader M Y Tarigami, who is the spokesperson of the alliance, said it was sad that the Jammu and Kashmir administration was "scared even to allow a peaceful protest". "This is where the situation gets worse when people are not even allowed to express their opinion before the public," he added. Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had also been placed under detention. "A truck is parked outside my house too," she added. The PAGD had proposed to hold a peaceful demonstration in Srinagar on Saturday against the proposal of the Delimitation Commission of increasing six seats in Jammu division and one in Kashmir. With this, the number of seats in Jammu would have gone up to 43 and Kashmir to 47. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Srinagar, Jan 1 (PTI) Political leaders including three former chief ministers were detained ahead of a march by the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) to protest against the recommendations of the Delimitation Commission. "Good morning and welcome to 2022. A new year with the same JK police illegally locking people in their homes and an administration so terrified of normal democratic activity," National Conference vice-president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted. Also Read | Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Stampede: Registration For Darshan Resumes in Katra. "Trucks parked outside our gates to scuttle the peaceful @JKPAGD sit-in protest. Some things never change," he said. Abdullah, whose father and veteran politician Farooq Abdullah heads the PAGD, claimed, "Talk about a lawless police state, the police have even locked the internal gate connecting my father's home to my sister's. Yet our leaders have the cheek to tell the world that India is the largest democracy, hah!!" Also Read | New Year 2022 Welcomed in Varanasi in Traditional Manner With Vedic Rituals. Senior CPI (M) leader M Y Tarigami, who is the spokesperson of the alliance, said it was sad that the Jammu and Kashmir administration was "scared even to allow a peaceful protest". "This is where the situation gets worse when people are not even allowed to express their opinion before the public," he added. Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had also been placed under detention. "A truck is parked outside my house too," she added. The PAGD had proposed to hold a peaceful demonstration in Srinagar on Saturday against the proposal of the Delimitation Commission of increasing six seats in Jammu division and one in Kashmir. With this, the number of seats in Jammu would have gone up to 43 and Kashmir to 47. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Srinagar, Jan 1 (PTI) Political leaders including three former chief ministers were detained ahead of a march by the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) to protest against the recommendations of the Delimitation Commission. "Good morning and welcome to 2022. A new year with the same JK police illegally locking people in their homes and an administration so terrified of normal democratic activity," National Conference vice-president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted. Also Read | Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Stampede: Registration For Darshan Resumes in Katra. "Trucks parked outside our gates to scuttle the peaceful @JKPAGD sit-in protest. Some things never change," he said. Abdullah, whose father and veteran politician Farooq Abdullah heads the PAGD, claimed, "Talk about a lawless police state, the police have even locked the internal gate connecting my father's home to my sister's. Yet our leaders have the cheek to tell the world that India is the largest democracy, hah!!" Also Read | New Year 2022 Welcomed in Varanasi in Traditional Manner With Vedic Rituals. Senior CPI (M) leader M Y Tarigami, who is the spokesperson of the alliance, said it was sad that the Jammu and Kashmir administration was "scared even to allow a peaceful protest". "This is where the situation gets worse when people are not even allowed to express their opinion before the public," he added. Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had also been placed under detention. "A truck is parked outside my house too," she added. The PAGD had proposed to hold a peaceful demonstration in Srinagar on Saturday against the proposal of the Delimitation Commission of increasing six seats in Jammu division and one in Kashmir. With this, the number of seats in Jammu would have gone up to 43 and Kashmir to 47. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's export kept a record-breaking trend for two months in December owing to the global economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, a government report showed Saturday. Export, which accounts for about half of the export-driven economy, jumped 18.3 percent from a year earlier to hit a new high of 60.74 billion U.S. dollars in December, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. It surpassed the previous high of 60.41 billion dollars in November, continuing to grow for 14 straight months since November 2020. Import surged 37.4 percent to 61.32 billion dollars in December, sending the trade deficit to 0.58 billion dollars. The import maintained double-digit growth for 11 months amid strong demand for commodities and intermediary goods, driven by domestic demand recovery and brisk export. Among 15 major export items, the shipment of 10 products expanded in double figures last month. Semiconductor export advanced 35.1 percent over the year to 12.78 billion dollars in December, keeping an upward trend for 18 months in a row. Petrochemical shipment soared 34.3 percent to 4.77 billion dollars, and general machinery shipment rose 6.2 percent to 5.03 billion dollars. Automotive export grew 17.3 percent to 4.23 billion dollars, and shipment for steel products, computers, textiles and home appliances increased in double digits last month. Export to China, South Korea's biggest trading partner, spiked 20.8 percent over the year to 15.35 billion dollars in December, continuing to rise for 14 straight months. Shipment to the United States and the European Union went up in double digits to 8.8 billion dollars and 5.97 billion dollars respectively, while export to Southeast Asian countries gained 23.2 percent to 11.25 billion dollars. Export to Japan picked up 16.3 percent to 2.71 billion dollars, and those to Latin American countries, India and the Middle East climbed to 2.24 billion dollars, 1.32 billion dollars and 1.67 billion dollars each. Enditem By linking Aadhaar with electoral roll data, the constitutional essence of universal adult franchise is vitiated. Anupama Roy writes: Parliament passed the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill (ELB), 2021 with a voice vote amidst opposition from a substantial section of its members. The bill amended the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and 1951 by providing for four qualifying dates for enrolment in the electoral roll, changing the meaning of person in the definition of ordinarily resident to make it gender-neutral and linking the electoral data with Aadhaar to authenticate the electoral roll. Linking of the electoral roll with Aadhaar has generated concerns around privacy of personal data and its impact on electoral integrity. To establish the identity of a person applying for inclusion in the electoral roll, an electoral registration officer may require them to furnish the Aadhaar number. Those whose names are already in the roll must also intimate their Aadhaar numbers in such form and manner before a deadline which would be notified by the central government. Normatively, conjoining the electoral roll with Aadhaar raises the problem of conflicting logics that undergird the two identification regimes. The voter ID card is for citizens. The electoral roll based on universal adult franchise, when prepared after independence, represented the unfettering of popular sovereignty from which the future Parliament would draw its legitimacy. Aadhaar is not a proof of citizenship. An identification document fortified by biometric information, it came with the promise of plugging leakages in the states welfare schemes. In the Puttaswamy case, the Supreme Court directed Parliament to install a robust data protection regime to ensure the privacy of persons and stem the indiscriminate use of Aadhaar, except for the purpose of identifying beneficiaries for specified welfare schemes. Despite the Courts caution, Aadhaar has become ubiquitous as an identity card. The bleeding of the Aadhaar into a regime of universal enfranchisement has two serious ramifications for constitutional democracy: it undermines the Election Commission of Indias (ECI) constitutional mandate of regulating the superintendence, direction, and control of the preparation of electoral rolls; and changes the idea of the vote from a right driven by the sovereign power of the people to bring about regime change, into a subsidy, benefit, and service delivered to a targeted population under Aadhaar. This is a far cry from the objective of universal franchise in a parliamentary democracy which ensures accountability and democratic disposition in the government and citizens. The power of Parliament to make laws with respect to elections (Article 327) is subject to constitutional provision (Article 324), which gives the ECI pre-eminent powers to conduct elections. The power of the ECI to prepare the electoral rolls read with the constitutional right to vote is an affirmative power to make franchise universal so that no eligible voter is excluded. The ELB comes with a tendency to constrain franchise by making it dependent on another document. The bill presents the linking of the electoral roll data with the Aadhaar ecosystem as necessary for curbing the menace of multiple enrolment. It describes the process as voluntary, stating that no person will be compelled to furnish Aadhaar. Yet, the inability to furnish will be subject to scrutiny of sufficient cause and the requirement of other alternate documents that may be prescribed. The devil will be in the detailsthe rules determining what explanations for inability will be considered sufficient and what other documents will be construed as adequate. The prescriptions for eligibility in the ELB indicate a nationwide exercise of verification of the electoral roll coinciding and perhaps in tandem with the preparation of the National Population Registeranother mass enumeration regime that has been seeded with Aadhaar. In a context where a personal data protection regime is not in place and is likely to be predisposed to regime protection under the garb of national security, experts have argued that the opening up of the electoral roll to the Aadhaar ecosystem will make citizens vulnerable to manipulation by the regime. In 2015, the ECI had launched the National Electoral Roll Purification and Authentication Programme linking the Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) with Aadhaar numbers. The programme was paused when the Supreme Court put Aadhaar on hold. Reports suggested that by rapidly linking millions of EPICs to Aadhaar numbers, the programme skirted the boundary between responsible data sharing practices and outright violation of privacy and user consent, allowing third parties to access non-biometric identity data stored by the Unique Identification Authority of India. Investigations by journalists revealed that in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, states that were to serve as the template for electoral roll purification and authentication software could have played a role in the elimination of 2.2 million voters from Telanganas electoral rolls. One may ask the question, why the fidelity of the electoral roll, made robust through digitalisation and the EPICs, cannot be reinforced without the documentary regime of Aadhaara regime that raises concerns of privacy of information and preferences of the voter. What makes it imperative to enact a law to reform the preparation of electoral rolls, when it is electoral malpractices during elections and in the intervening period that vitiate the electoral process? The role of money and crime in elections is publicly acknowledged but not addressed. The Supreme Court judgment gave the voter the right to know, reading the casting of the vote into the fundamental right to freedom of expression. The ECI, rather than itself taking radical steps to eliminate the influence of money and crime, appears to be relying on the voter to exercise an informed choice. Anonymous electoral bonds have skewed electoral competition in favour of the ruling party. The overbearing power exercised by the executive through the parliamentary majority has deferred deliberative spaces in Parliament. The Prime Ministers Office has become pre-eminent to the extent that it can summon the chief election commissioner and elections commissioners to join a meeting convened by it. The ecosystem within which reforms in the electoral process are being envisaged represent a configuration of tendencies that is affecting procedures in a way which would impact electoral outcomes. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. By linking Aadhaar with electoral roll data, the constitutional essence of universal adult franchise is vitiated. Anupama Roy writes: Parliament passed the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill (ELB), 2021 with a voice vote amidst opposition from a substantial section of its members. The bill amended the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and 1951 by providing for four qualifying dates for enrolment in the electoral roll, changing the meaning of person in the definition of ordinarily resident to make it gender-neutral and linking the electoral data with Aadhaar to authenticate the electoral roll. Linking of the electoral roll with Aadhaar has generated concerns around privacy of personal data and its impact on electoral integrity. To establish the identity of a person applying for inclusion in the electoral roll, an electoral registration officer may require them to furnish the Aadhaar number. Those whose names are already in the roll must also intimate their Aadhaar numbers in such form and manner before a deadline which would be notified by the central government. Normatively, conjoining the electoral roll with Aadhaar raises the problem of conflicting logics that undergird the two identification regimes. The voter ID card is for citizens. The electoral roll based on universal adult franchise, when prepared after independence, represented the unfettering of popular sovereignty from which the future Parliament would draw its legitimacy. Aadhaar is not a proof of citizenship. An identification document fortified by biometric information, it came with the promise of plugging leakages in the states welfare schemes. In the Puttaswamy case, the Supreme Court directed Parliament to install a robust data protection regime to ensure the privacy of persons and stem the indiscriminate use of Aadhaar, except for the purpose of identifying beneficiaries for specified welfare schemes. Despite the Courts caution, Aadhaar has become ubiquitous as an identity card. The bleeding of the Aadhaar into a regime of universal enfranchisement has two serious ramifications for constitutional democracy: it undermines the Election Commission of Indias (ECI) constitutional mandate of regulating the superintendence, direction, and control of the preparation of electoral rolls; and changes the idea of the vote from a right driven by the sovereign power of the people to bring about regime change, into a subsidy, benefit, and service delivered to a targeted population under Aadhaar. This is a far cry from the objective of universal franchise in a parliamentary democracy which ensures accountability and democratic disposition in the government and citizens. The power of Parliament to make laws with respect to elections (Article 327) is subject to constitutional provision (Article 324), which gives the ECI pre-eminent powers to conduct elections. The power of the ECI to prepare the electoral rolls read with the constitutional right to vote is an affirmative power to make franchise universal so that no eligible voter is excluded. The ELB comes with a tendency to constrain franchise by making it dependent on another document. The bill presents the linking of the electoral roll data with the Aadhaar ecosystem as necessary for curbing the menace of multiple enrolment. It describes the process as voluntary, stating that no person will be compelled to furnish Aadhaar. Yet, the inability to furnish will be subject to scrutiny of sufficient cause and the requirement of other alternate documents that may be prescribed. The devil will be in the detailsthe rules determining what explanations for inability will be considered sufficient and what other documents will be construed as adequate. The prescriptions for eligibility in the ELB indicate a nationwide exercise of verification of the electoral roll coinciding and perhaps in tandem with the preparation of the National Population Registeranother mass enumeration regime that has been seeded with Aadhaar. In a context where a personal data protection regime is not in place and is likely to be predisposed to regime protection under the garb of national security, experts have argued that the opening up of the electoral roll to the Aadhaar ecosystem will make citizens vulnerable to manipulation by the regime. In 2015, the ECI had launched the National Electoral Roll Purification and Authentication Programme linking the Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) with Aadhaar numbers. The programme was paused when the Supreme Court put Aadhaar on hold. Reports suggested that by rapidly linking millions of EPICs to Aadhaar numbers, the programme skirted the boundary between responsible data sharing practices and outright violation of privacy and user consent, allowing third parties to access non-biometric identity data stored by the Unique Identification Authority of India. Investigations by journalists revealed that in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, states that were to serve as the template for electoral roll purification and authentication software could have played a role in the elimination of 2.2 million voters from Telanganas electoral rolls. One may ask the question, why the fidelity of the electoral roll, made robust through digitalisation and the EPICs, cannot be reinforced without the documentary regime of Aadhaara regime that raises concerns of privacy of information and preferences of the voter. What makes it imperative to enact a law to reform the preparation of electoral rolls, when it is electoral malpractices during elections and in the intervening period that vitiate the electoral process? The role of money and crime in elections is publicly acknowledged but not addressed. The Supreme Court judgment gave the voter the right to know, reading the casting of the vote into the fundamental right to freedom of expression. The ECI, rather than itself taking radical steps to eliminate the influence of money and crime, appears to be relying on the voter to exercise an informed choice. Anonymous electoral bonds have skewed electoral competition in favour of the ruling party. The overbearing power exercised by the executive through the parliamentary majority has deferred deliberative spaces in Parliament. The Prime Ministers Office has become pre-eminent to the extent that it can summon the chief election commissioner and elections commissioners to join a meeting convened by it. The ecosystem within which reforms in the electoral process are being envisaged represent a configuration of tendencies that is affecting procedures in a way which would impact electoral outcomes. By linking Aadhaar with electoral roll data, the constitutional essence of universal adult franchise is vitiated. Anupama Roy writes: Parliament passed the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill (ELB), 2021 with a voice vote amidst opposition from a substantial section of its members. The bill amended the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and 1951 by providing for four qualifying dates for enrolment in the electoral roll, changing the meaning of person in the definition of ordinarily resident to make it gender-neutral and linking the electoral data with Aadhaar to authenticate the electoral roll. Linking of the electoral roll with Aadhaar has generated concerns around privacy of personal data and its impact on electoral integrity. To establish the identity of a person applying for inclusion in the electoral roll, an electoral registration officer may require them to furnish the Aadhaar number. Those whose names are already in the roll must also intimate their Aadhaar numbers in such form and manner before a deadline which would be notified by the central government. Normatively, conjoining the electoral roll with Aadhaar raises the problem of conflicting logics that undergird the two identification regimes. The voter ID card is for citizens. The electoral roll based on universal adult franchise, when prepared after independence, represented the unfettering of popular sovereignty from which the future Parliament would draw its legitimacy. Aadhaar is not a proof of citizenship. An identification document fortified by biometric information, it came with the promise of plugging leakages in the states welfare schemes. In the Puttaswamy case, the Supreme Court directed Parliament to install a robust data protection regime to ensure the privacy of persons and stem the indiscriminate use of Aadhaar, except for the purpose of identifying beneficiaries for specified welfare schemes. Despite the Courts caution, Aadhaar has become ubiquitous as an identity card. The bleeding of the Aadhaar into a regime of universal enfranchisement has two serious ramifications for constitutional democracy: it undermines the Election Commission of Indias (ECI) constitutional mandate of regulating the superintendence, direction, and control of the preparation of electoral rolls; and changes the idea of the vote from a right driven by the sovereign power of the people to bring about regime change, into a subsidy, benefit, and service delivered to a targeted population under Aadhaar. This is a far cry from the objective of universal franchise in a parliamentary democracy which ensures accountability and democratic disposition in the government and citizens. The power of Parliament to make laws with respect to elections (Article 327) is subject to constitutional provision (Article 324), which gives the ECI pre-eminent powers to conduct elections. The power of the ECI to prepare the electoral rolls read with the constitutional right to vote is an affirmative power to make franchise universal so that no eligible voter is excluded. The ELB comes with a tendency to constrain franchise by making it dependent on another document. The bill presents the linking of the electoral roll data with the Aadhaar ecosystem as necessary for curbing the menace of multiple enrolment. It describes the process as voluntary, stating that no person will be compelled to furnish Aadhaar. Yet, the inability to furnish will be subject to scrutiny of sufficient cause and the requirement of other alternate documents that may be prescribed. The devil will be in the detailsthe rules determining what explanations for inability will be considered sufficient and what other documents will be construed as adequate. The prescriptions for eligibility in the ELB indicate a nationwide exercise of verification of the electoral roll coinciding and perhaps in tandem with the preparation of the National Population Registeranother mass enumeration regime that has been seeded with Aadhaar. In a context where a personal data protection regime is not in place and is likely to be predisposed to regime protection under the garb of national security, experts have argued that the opening up of the electoral roll to the Aadhaar ecosystem will make citizens vulnerable to manipulation by the regime. In 2015, the ECI had launched the National Electoral Roll Purification and Authentication Programme linking the Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) with Aadhaar numbers. The programme was paused when the Supreme Court put Aadhaar on hold. Reports suggested that by rapidly linking millions of EPICs to Aadhaar numbers, the programme skirted the boundary between responsible data sharing practices and outright violation of privacy and user consent, allowing third parties to access non-biometric identity data stored by the Unique Identification Authority of India. Investigations by journalists revealed that in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, states that were to serve as the template for electoral roll purification and authentication software could have played a role in the elimination of 2.2 million voters from Telanganas electoral rolls. One may ask the question, why the fidelity of the electoral roll, made robust through digitalisation and the EPICs, cannot be reinforced without the documentary regime of Aadhaara regime that raises concerns of privacy of information and preferences of the voter. What makes it imperative to enact a law to reform the preparation of electoral rolls, when it is electoral malpractices during elections and in the intervening period that vitiate the electoral process? The role of money and crime in elections is publicly acknowledged but not addressed. The Supreme Court judgment gave the voter the right to know, reading the casting of the vote into the fundamental right to freedom of expression. The ECI, rather than itself taking radical steps to eliminate the influence of money and crime, appears to be relying on the voter to exercise an informed choice. Anonymous electoral bonds have skewed electoral competition in favour of the ruling party. The overbearing power exercised by the executive through the parliamentary majority has deferred deliberative spaces in Parliament. The Prime Ministers Office has become pre-eminent to the extent that it can summon the chief election commissioner and elections commissioners to join a meeting convened by it. The ecosystem within which reforms in the electoral process are being envisaged represent a configuration of tendencies that is affecting procedures in a way which would impact electoral outcomes. SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's export kept a record-breaking trend for two months in December owing to the global economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, a government report showed Saturday. Export, which accounts for about half of the export-driven economy, jumped 18.3 percent from a year earlier to hit a new high of 60.74 billion U.S. dollars in December, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. It surpassed the previous high of 60.41 billion dollars in November, continuing to grow for 14 straight months since November 2020. Import surged 37.4 percent to 61.32 billion dollars in December, sending the trade deficit to 0.58 billion dollars. The import maintained double-digit growth for 11 months amid strong demand for commodities and intermediary goods, driven by domestic demand recovery and brisk export. Among 15 major export items, the shipment of 10 products expanded in double figures last month. Semiconductor export advanced 35.1 percent over the year to 12.78 billion dollars in December, keeping an upward trend for 18 months in a row. Petrochemical shipment soared 34.3 percent to 4.77 billion dollars, and general machinery shipment rose 6.2 percent to 5.03 billion dollars. Automotive export grew 17.3 percent to 4.23 billion dollars, and shipment for steel products, computers, textiles and home appliances increased in double digits last month. Export to China, South Korea's biggest trading partner, spiked 20.8 percent over the year to 15.35 billion dollars in December, continuing to rise for 14 straight months. Shipment to the United States and the European Union went up in double digits to 8.8 billion dollars and 5.97 billion dollars respectively, while export to Southeast Asian countries gained 23.2 percent to 11.25 billion dollars. Export to Japan picked up 16.3 percent to 2.71 billion dollars, and those to Latin American countries, India and the Middle East climbed to 2.24 billion dollars, 1.32 billion dollars and 1.67 billion dollars each. Enditem By linking Aadhaar with electoral roll data, the constitutional essence of universal adult franchise is vitiated. Anupama Roy writes: Parliament passed the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill (ELB), 2021 with a voice vote amidst opposition from a substantial section of its members. The bill amended the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and 1951 by providing for four qualifying dates for enrolment in the electoral roll, changing the meaning of person in the definition of ordinarily resident to make it gender-neutral and linking the electoral data with Aadhaar to authenticate the electoral roll. Linking of the electoral roll with Aadhaar has generated concerns around privacy of personal data and its impact on electoral integrity. To establish the identity of a person applying for inclusion in the electoral roll, an electoral registration officer may require them to furnish the Aadhaar number. Those whose names are already in the roll must also intimate their Aadhaar numbers in such form and manner before a deadline which would be notified by the central government. Normatively, conjoining the electoral roll with Aadhaar raises the problem of conflicting logics that undergird the two identification regimes. The voter ID card is for citizens. The electoral roll based on universal adult franchise, when prepared after independence, represented the unfettering of popular sovereignty from which the future Parliament would draw its legitimacy. Aadhaar is not a proof of citizenship. An identification document fortified by biometric information, it came with the promise of plugging leakages in the states welfare schemes. In the Puttaswamy case, the Supreme Court directed Parliament to install a robust data protection regime to ensure the privacy of persons and stem the indiscriminate use of Aadhaar, except for the purpose of identifying beneficiaries for specified welfare schemes. Despite the Courts caution, Aadhaar has become ubiquitous as an identity card. The bleeding of the Aadhaar into a regime of universal enfranchisement has two serious ramifications for constitutional democracy: it undermines the Election Commission of Indias (ECI) constitutional mandate of regulating the superintendence, direction, and control of the preparation of electoral rolls; and changes the idea of the vote from a right driven by the sovereign power of the people to bring about regime change, into a subsidy, benefit, and service delivered to a targeted population under Aadhaar. This is a far cry from the objective of universal franchise in a parliamentary democracy which ensures accountability and democratic disposition in the government and citizens. The power of Parliament to make laws with respect to elections (Article 327) is subject to constitutional provision (Article 324), which gives the ECI pre-eminent powers to conduct elections. The power of the ECI to prepare the electoral rolls read with the constitutional right to vote is an affirmative power to make franchise universal so that no eligible voter is excluded. The ELB comes with a tendency to constrain franchise by making it dependent on another document. The bill presents the linking of the electoral roll data with the Aadhaar ecosystem as necessary for curbing the menace of multiple enrolment. It describes the process as voluntary, stating that no person will be compelled to furnish Aadhaar. Yet, the inability to furnish will be subject to scrutiny of sufficient cause and the requirement of other alternate documents that may be prescribed. The devil will be in the detailsthe rules determining what explanations for inability will be considered sufficient and what other documents will be construed as adequate. The prescriptions for eligibility in the ELB indicate a nationwide exercise of verification of the electoral roll coinciding and perhaps in tandem with the preparation of the National Population Registeranother mass enumeration regime that has been seeded with Aadhaar. In a context where a personal data protection regime is not in place and is likely to be predisposed to regime protection under the garb of national security, experts have argued that the opening up of the electoral roll to the Aadhaar ecosystem will make citizens vulnerable to manipulation by the regime. In 2015, the ECI had launched the National Electoral Roll Purification and Authentication Programme linking the Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) with Aadhaar numbers. The programme was paused when the Supreme Court put Aadhaar on hold. Reports suggested that by rapidly linking millions of EPICs to Aadhaar numbers, the programme skirted the boundary between responsible data sharing practices and outright violation of privacy and user consent, allowing third parties to access non-biometric identity data stored by the Unique Identification Authority of India. Investigations by journalists revealed that in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, states that were to serve as the template for electoral roll purification and authentication software could have played a role in the elimination of 2.2 million voters from Telanganas electoral rolls. One may ask the question, why the fidelity of the electoral roll, made robust through digitalisation and the EPICs, cannot be reinforced without the documentary regime of Aadhaara regime that raises concerns of privacy of information and preferences of the voter. What makes it imperative to enact a law to reform the preparation of electoral rolls, when it is electoral malpractices during elections and in the intervening period that vitiate the electoral process? The role of money and crime in elections is publicly acknowledged but not addressed. The Supreme Court judgment gave the voter the right to know, reading the casting of the vote into the fundamental right to freedom of expression. The ECI, rather than itself taking radical steps to eliminate the influence of money and crime, appears to be relying on the voter to exercise an informed choice. Anonymous electoral bonds have skewed electoral competition in favour of the ruling party. The overbearing power exercised by the executive through the parliamentary majority has deferred deliberative spaces in Parliament. The Prime Ministers Office has become pre-eminent to the extent that it can summon the chief election commissioner and elections commissioners to join a meeting convened by it. The ecosystem within which reforms in the electoral process are being envisaged represent a configuration of tendencies that is affecting procedures in a way which would impact electoral outcomes. . The unabeted articulation of anti-minority hate speech that has been frequently produced by hatemongers with thick right-wing leanings occurs basically in two main contexts. First, relevant in an immediate context of electoral mobilisation, such speeches are considered as an effective political means to win over the voters who are otherwise perceived to be slipping away from the political grip of the right-wing party. It obviously means that an affirmative and, hence, decent speech with a constitutional and democratic orientation and content seems to be absent from the normative vocabulary of such a party. Hate speech coupled with violent sentiments results from the desire to first capture temporal power that could thus be used to realise the larger dream of establishing religious domination over other minorities. Hence, the second context underlines the movement of hate culminating into heteronomyof bringing minorities under its social and religious control by capturing formal political power through elections. Obviously, the realisation of the political desire and design to dominate cannot work within the framework of constitutional democracy and a state that is committed to follow the principle of the rule of law. This is because the state, which is committed to follow the constitutional democracy and rule of law, would place top priority to control the use of hate speech that threatens the peace and communal harmony of society. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/what-are-the-major-messages-of-the-2nd-putin-biden-phone-call-ahead-of-the-us-russia-security-talks-1091950166.html What are the Major Messages of the 2nd Putin-Biden Phone Call Ahead of the US-Russia Security Talks? What are the Major Messages of the 2nd Putin-Biden Phone Call Ahead of the US-Russia Security Talks? Russian President Vladimir Putin and his American counterpart Joe Biden had a phone conversation on 30 December ahead of the January Geneva talks on Russia's security proposals. 2022-01-01T05:18+0000 2022-01-01T05:18+0000 2022-01-01T05:18+0000 joe biden world europe us russia ukraine vladimir putin nuclear war hypersonic missiles us military aid /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0c/07/1091334343_0:67:2200:1305_1920x0_80_0_0_186e0f750401baf64614cb86c1a01d1c.jpg During the 50-minute phone conversation on 30 December, Vladimir Putin told Joe Biden about the key principles of the proposed security accords Russia had submitted earlier, stressing that Moscow needs legally binding agreements on security guarantees.The Russian president also warned his interlocutor that the imposition of further punitive sanctions could disrupt US-Russia relations. For his part, the American president asserted to Putin that Washington was not planning to deploy "offensive strike weapons in Ukraine". Biden again threatened Moscow with sanctions and a NATO response in the event that Russia invades Ukraine, an assumption repeatedly shredded by the Kremlin as unfounded and nonsensical.Second Biden-Putin Phone Talk is a 'Good Sign'The second call in a month between Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden signals the beginning of a US-Russia dialogue even though there has not been a breakthrough yet, deems Eurasia Centre Vice President Earl Rasmussen.Doctorow points out that the Thursday phone talk was initiated by the Russians. He surmises that the trigger was the US State Department and particularly National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan's attempt to "change the subject or to put up their own subjects for discussion in Geneva". The American "counterproposals" concern strategic stability through arms control and Ukraine, the analyst explains, adding that in the US media Ukraine - not the Russian security draft is highlighted as the issue driving these talks. According to Doctorow, the Biden administration encourages such an interpretation of the upcoming Geneva talks, "because it's most easily understood by the public, and it is a version of the discussions that makes Biden look strong".Biden's Vow Not to Deploy Missiles in Ukraine & NATO Military Aid to KievBiden promised that the US will not deploy offensive strike weapons in Ukraine and emphasised that a nuclear war must not be started as it cannot be won.The US president's statement that a nuclear war must not be started can be trusted, while his vow not to deploy offensive strike weapons in Ukraine should be taken with a pinch of salt, according to Doctorow.The analyst cites the fact that Ukraine is building naval bases with assistance from the UK. The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), the UKs leading defence and security think tank, revealed in November that the UK has committed to helping Kiev to "enhance [the country's] naval capabilities, focusing on the development of new bases and platforms, delivery of shipborne armaments, and the training of naval personnel". On 23 June, Ukraine and UK signed a Memorandum of Implementation (MOI) envisaging financial aid for construction of missile boats, purchase of two minehunters from the UK and establishment of two naval bases.Meanwhile, the US provided both non-lethal and lethal defensive items to Ukraine and more recently has focused on enhancing Ukraines capacity to counter what RUSI called "the Russian threat in the Black Sea".Earlier this month, the Russian president warned that the potential deployment of hypersonic and other types of missiles on Ukrainian territory poses a security threat to Russia.According to the analyst, the rhetoric of not placing offensive strike weapons was aimed at appealing "to the peace-loving American public". "I wouldn't take it too seriously. I don't believe the Kremlin takes it too seriously," he notes.On 23 December, Vladimir Putin underscored that if the US and NATO don't provide legally binding guarantees of non-expansion and proceed with stationing of weapons on Russia's doorstep, Moscow would resort to a military-technical response.Why US' 'Sanctions from Hell' are Something That's Unlikely to HappenThe major addressee of Biden's anti-Russia sanctions rhetoric was the American public in the first place, Doctorow highlights. These measures, dubbed by Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland "sanctions from hell" are an electoral platform position, because we have midterm elections coming up in less than a year, according to him.On the one hand, there is no looming threat of Russian invasion that is called a precondition for the sanctions; on the other hand, new "sanctions from hell" from Washington against Russia won't have much impact on Russian economy or global politics and because the relations and ties between the two countries are minimal at the present time.If Washington forces the EU to implement similar draconian sanctions on Russia, it will deal a heavy blow to the European bloc's economy and stability, argues Doctorow. For instance, the US cannot force the EU to abandon Russian hydrocarbons, given that the country's share constitutes over 30% of the union's gas purchases. "There is no way that any other country, starting with the United States, can fill that gap if Russia cuts supplies", the analyst highlights. https://sputniknews.com/20211223/russia-is-back-moscow-wont-back-down-ending-era-of-nato-expansion-is-possible-observers-say-1091758619.html https://sputniknews.com/20211231/dialogue-between-us-russia-serves-security-in-central-europe-hungarian-foreign-minister-says-1091939223.html https://sputniknews.com/20211211/did-us-learn-cuban-missile-crisis-lesson-right--could-moscow-and-washington-avert-its-repetition-1091425391.html https://sputniknews.com/20211230/putin-biden-call-came-to-end-kremlin-spokesman-confirms-1091924744.html https://sputniknews.com/20211224/putin-says-efforts-to-block-nord-stream-2-foolish-since-project-would-lower-gas-prices-1091778036.html ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Ekaterina Blinova Ekaterina Blinova News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ekaterina Blinova putin-biden talks, nato non-expansion, ukrainian naval bases, uk-us military assistance to ukraine, nuclear war, hypersonic missiles The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. The change that needs to happen is philosophical and existential, he says. A lot of the world [has been] immersed in a culture that prioritises the ego, the big, the infinite. How do we start to prize the humble, the small, the finite? Loading Stay, he says, is about committing to the places on which we live. It tells the story of the Anglo-Maltese Thwayya (Falzon), who unearths two skeletons from a dry creek bed on her family farm. The farm, owned by her family for five generations, is on Tagalaka Country, a remote stretch of land, around the Gilbert River, in northwest Queensland. Enter Violet, a Tagalaka woman played by dancer and choreographer Jasmin Sheppard. Shes a Tagalaka woman with Irish, Chinese and Hungarian ancestry and an associate writer on stay along with Falzon and Natalie Alexandra Tse, who co-founded SAtheCollective with Andy Chia. There is a battle in the present and past, Shakthi explains. One battle is between Thwayya and Violet. Thwayya is caught up with how difficult it is to keep the farm financially alive. Violet ran away and has to return. Then they uncover the mystery of how the skeletons got there. Stay grapples with the tension, familiar to migrants and refugees, of who is displaced when we put down roots on unceded land. The commitment to a place goes hand in hand with the notion that you dont own it, that you are a caretaker for a certain amount of time, he smiles. Maybe realising that is incredibly liberating. A break in rehearsals for stay at Carriageworks. Credit:Nick Moir It also reckons with the histories of migration that have shaped this continent. Violets great-grandmother Daisy falls in love with An Hoo (Charles Wu), who leaves China for Australia to search for gold. He works on the farm as a cook. Later, we meet his great-granddaughter, Tseut-Cheng (Tse), a high-flying businesswoman who returns from Sydney to Singapore in time for a Chinese ritual called Tomb Sweeping Day. The immigrant quest for a better life, Shakthi says, recurs across generations. As does the cultural obsession with achievement. Tsuet-Cheng is working her butt off to give her family status, he says. But she has to confront the losses that come with that. One of them is an intimate relationship with her son. The other is a false understanding of her familys past. I feel like the worst thing that can happen to middle-class Asian families is shame. Generally speaking, we build strong communities. But we put up the pretence that our families are great and dont like it when something happens to contend with that. Chia, who speaks to me from Singapore with his toddler on his knee, was classically trained in the dizi, an ancient Chinese flute. The music in stay, he says, carries parts of the story that exist beyond words. We are looking at the idea of the pressure we place in society on children, how family ties come together and are broken, he says. We draw on what we have experienced here in Singapore. Stay, he says, was inspired by a spectrum of musical lineages from Indonesian and North Indian to Chinese and Indigenous. We looked at ancestry, heritage about how music can [point to] what is in the stars, says Chia. We wanted to talk about the connections between people and the land, the shared history between Australia and Singapore. A scene from 2019 Sydney Festival hit Counting and Cracking. Credit:Brett Boardman When Chia and Tse, who are married, were working on stay, Australias east coast was ablaze with bushfire. We weaved that into the work, he says. We draw parallels with the burning of effigies here in the Chinese tradition. Shakthi says that when he was researching the show, he was buoyed by the deep relationships that once existed between Chinese and Aboriginal people. The solidarity that emerges in stay between a Singaporean woman, a Maltese-Anglo farmer and an Aboriginal woman returning to Country is one that exists in the society, on the streets, he says. But it isnt recognised or celebrated enough in our public lives. Loading Stays performers dance, act and play music. Forms meld into each other, mirroring the way our present day lives are given shape by those that came before us. Stay is about a sense of love between people, from those that you have not met but in some ways loved you, Chia says. We need to remember we are not alone that we have our whole line of ancestors up there looking over us. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/six-witnesses-reportedly-ready-to-place-prince-andrew-together-with-his-sex-abuse-accuser-1091955512.html Six Witnesses Reportedly Ready 'To Place' Prince Andrew Together With His Sex Abuse Accuser Six Witnesses Reportedly Ready 'To Place' Prince Andrew Together With His Sex Abuse Accuser Prince Andrew can be linked with his sex abuse accuser by four to six witnesses willing to testify in court, according to the legal team of Virginia Roberts Guiffre. 2022-01-01T05:55+0000 2022-01-01T05:55+0000 2022-01-01T05:55+0000 prince andrew virginia roberts giuffre /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/08/08/1083553787_0:161:3069:1887_1920x0_80_0_0_a87f5de43d84dd903b4fe3b0095dae0c.jpg Prince Andrew can be linked with his sex abuse accuser by four to six witnesses willing to testify in court, according to the legal team of Virginia Roberts Guiffre, cited by The Sun.The witnesses, who include Florida hairdresser Johanna Sjoberg and former Jeffrey Epstein employee Steve Scully, would be prepared to state that Prince Andrew and the woman suing the royal for rape had met, according to the lawyers representing Virginia Giuffre.Thus, Sjoberg, 41, has claimed that she met Prince Andrew at Epsteins Manhattan mansion, where the Queen's second son allegedly touched her breast. The incident she refers to also purportedly involved a latex Spitting Image puppet of the Duke that is said to have been used to abuse Virginia Roberts, who now goes under her married name of Giuffre.According to the testimony of Steve Scully, he saw the Duke of York and his now-accuser kissing by a swimming pool on Epstein's 'private island Little Saint James between 2001 and 2004.Furthermore, Giuffres lawyers are cited as saying they may get the youngest victim at Ghislaine Maxwells trial Jane- to testify. The woman, who was 14 when she was groomed by the British socialite and Epsteins former madam, had taken the stand to describe how she had seen Prince Andrew aboard the tycoons private jet, dubbed the Lolita Express.Alleged Epstein sex trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre, 38, filed a civil lawsuit against the Duke of York in September, claiming she was forced into intimate relations with him on three separate occasions when she was a minor under US laws. The first time was purportedly at the London townhouse of Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite and ex-girlfriend of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, found guilty by a US jury on Wednesday of conspiring with the tycoon to groom and sexually abuse underage girls. The second time, in early 2001, was supposedly at Epstein's New York mansion, and the third time was on the billionaires private island in the Caribbean.In his November 2019 so-called car-crash Newsnight interview where he had attempted to explain his relationship with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, Prince Andrew had dismissed all allegations made against him by Virginia Giuffre and claimed he had never even met her. He had also suggested a photo purportedly showing them together might have been doctored. He also claimed in the interview he could not have had sex with Giuffre in 2001 because he was out with his daughter at Pizza Express in Woking. Furthermore, in reference to claims by his accuser that they danced together in a London nightclub and he had been sweating profusely, The Duke of York revealed he had a medical condition after being shot at during the Falklands War left him unable to sweat.The royal has also been urged by Virginia Giuffres legal team to take responsibility for his alleged actions.Referring to the photographic evidence allegedly showing the prince with Giuffre, Boies was quoted as saying:After Ghislaine Maxwell was found guilty on Wednesday on five sex trafficking counts, Boies was cited as saying:Giuffres legal team has lodged legal papers requesting proof of Prince Andrews alleged medical condition of anhidrosis, hypohidrosis, or your inability to sweat.This is just one of eight requests made of the Duke of York.Earlier in the week, the Duke of York's legal team filed a motion seeking to halt proceedings, urging the US court to rule it has no jurisdiction to hear Virginia Giuffre' sex claims against him. The motion stated that the royal and his accuser, who lives in Australia, both resided outside of the US. However, on Friday, a US judge threw out the bid, saying the civil case could continue. https://sputniknews.com/20211231/prince-andrew-seen-visiting-queen-in-windsor-breaking-cover-for-first-time-after-maxwell-verdict-1091951140.html https://sputniknews.com/20211231/virginia-guiffres-lawyers-demand-prince-andrew-prove-his-inability-to-sweat-1091938200.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Svetlana Ekimenko prince andrew virginia giuffre Scranton, PA (18503) Today Rain ending this morning. Breaks of sun in the afternoon. High near 65F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Overcast. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 44F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/what-are-the-major-messages-of-the-2nd-putin-biden-phone-call-ahead-of-the-us-russia-security-talks-1091950166.html What are the Major Messages of the 2nd Putin-Biden Phone Call Ahead of the US-Russia Security Talks? What are the Major Messages of the 2nd Putin-Biden Phone Call Ahead of the US-Russia Security Talks? Russian President Vladimir Putin and his American counterpart Joe Biden had a phone conversation on 30 December ahead of the January Geneva talks on Russia's security proposals. 2022-01-01T05:18+0000 2022-01-01T05:18+0000 2022-01-01T05:18+0000 joe biden world europe us russia ukraine vladimir putin nuclear war hypersonic missiles us military aid /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0c/07/1091334343_0:67:2200:1305_1920x0_80_0_0_186e0f750401baf64614cb86c1a01d1c.jpg During the 50-minute phone conversation on 30 December, Vladimir Putin told Joe Biden about the key principles of the proposed security accords Russia had submitted earlier, stressing that Moscow needs legally binding agreements on security guarantees.The Russian president also warned his interlocutor that the imposition of further punitive sanctions could disrupt US-Russia relations. For his part, the American president asserted to Putin that Washington was not planning to deploy "offensive strike weapons in Ukraine". Biden again threatened Moscow with sanctions and a NATO response in the event that Russia invades Ukraine, an assumption repeatedly shredded by the Kremlin as unfounded and nonsensical.Second Biden-Putin Phone Talk is a 'Good Sign'The second call in a month between Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden signals the beginning of a US-Russia dialogue even though there has not been a breakthrough yet, deems Eurasia Centre Vice President Earl Rasmussen.Doctorow points out that the Thursday phone talk was initiated by the Russians. He surmises that the trigger was the US State Department and particularly National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan's attempt to "change the subject or to put up their own subjects for discussion in Geneva". The American "counterproposals" concern strategic stability through arms control and Ukraine, the analyst explains, adding that in the US media Ukraine - not the Russian security draft is highlighted as the issue driving these talks. According to Doctorow, the Biden administration encourages such an interpretation of the upcoming Geneva talks, "because it's most easily understood by the public, and it is a version of the discussions that makes Biden look strong".Biden's Vow Not to Deploy Missiles in Ukraine & NATO Military Aid to KievBiden promised that the US will not deploy offensive strike weapons in Ukraine and emphasised that a nuclear war must not be started as it cannot be won.The US president's statement that a nuclear war must not be started can be trusted, while his vow not to deploy offensive strike weapons in Ukraine should be taken with a pinch of salt, according to Doctorow.The analyst cites the fact that Ukraine is building naval bases with assistance from the UK. The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), the UKs leading defence and security think tank, revealed in November that the UK has committed to helping Kiev to "enhance [the country's] naval capabilities, focusing on the development of new bases and platforms, delivery of shipborne armaments, and the training of naval personnel". On 23 June, Ukraine and UK signed a Memorandum of Implementation (MOI) envisaging financial aid for construction of missile boats, purchase of two minehunters from the UK and establishment of two naval bases.Meanwhile, the US provided both non-lethal and lethal defensive items to Ukraine and more recently has focused on enhancing Ukraines capacity to counter what RUSI called "the Russian threat in the Black Sea".Earlier this month, the Russian president warned that the potential deployment of hypersonic and other types of missiles on Ukrainian territory poses a security threat to Russia.According to the analyst, the rhetoric of not placing offensive strike weapons was aimed at appealing "to the peace-loving American public". "I wouldn't take it too seriously. I don't believe the Kremlin takes it too seriously," he notes.On 23 December, Vladimir Putin underscored that if the US and NATO don't provide legally binding guarantees of non-expansion and proceed with stationing of weapons on Russia's doorstep, Moscow would resort to a military-technical response.Why US' 'Sanctions from Hell' are Something That's Unlikely to HappenThe major addressee of Biden's anti-Russia sanctions rhetoric was the American public in the first place, Doctorow highlights. These measures, dubbed by Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland "sanctions from hell" are an electoral platform position, because we have midterm elections coming up in less than a year, according to him.On the one hand, there is no looming threat of Russian invasion that is called a precondition for the sanctions; on the other hand, new "sanctions from hell" from Washington against Russia won't have much impact on Russian economy or global politics and because the relations and ties between the two countries are minimal at the present time.If Washington forces the EU to implement similar draconian sanctions on Russia, it will deal a heavy blow to the European bloc's economy and stability, argues Doctorow. For instance, the US cannot force the EU to abandon Russian hydrocarbons, given that the country's share constitutes over 30% of the union's gas purchases. "There is no way that any other country, starting with the United States, can fill that gap if Russia cuts supplies", the analyst highlights. https://sputniknews.com/20211223/russia-is-back-moscow-wont-back-down-ending-era-of-nato-expansion-is-possible-observers-say-1091758619.html https://sputniknews.com/20211231/dialogue-between-us-russia-serves-security-in-central-europe-hungarian-foreign-minister-says-1091939223.html https://sputniknews.com/20211211/did-us-learn-cuban-missile-crisis-lesson-right--could-moscow-and-washington-avert-its-repetition-1091425391.html https://sputniknews.com/20211230/putin-biden-call-came-to-end-kremlin-spokesman-confirms-1091924744.html https://sputniknews.com/20211224/putin-says-efforts-to-block-nord-stream-2-foolish-since-project-would-lower-gas-prices-1091778036.html ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Ekaterina Blinova Ekaterina Blinova News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ekaterina Blinova putin-biden talks, nato non-expansion, ukrainian naval bases, uk-us military assistance to ukraine, nuclear war, hypersonic missiles remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. . An academic in the United States (US) created a stir recently by proposing a radically different way of running the banking system. Saule Omarovaa law professor at Cornell Law School and President Joe Bidens nominee for the powerful post of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, a key banking sector regulatorruffled feathers by proposing, in effect, the nationalisation of a big chunk of banking activity, namely the public deposits. The political backlash was so strong that Omarova had to withdraw her nomination. However, her idea is not as crazy as it sounds to some. We need to understand where Omarova is coming from. Policymakers responded to the financial crisis of 2007 by initiating several reforms, including higher capital norms for banks, more stringent liquidity requirements, improvement in board governance, ensuring executive compensation is better aligned to risk and long-term performance, etc. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/what-are-the-major-messages-of-the-2nd-putin-biden-phone-call-ahead-of-the-us-russia-security-talks-1091950166.html What are the Major Messages of the 2nd Putin-Biden Phone Call Ahead of the US-Russia Security Talks? What are the Major Messages of the 2nd Putin-Biden Phone Call Ahead of the US-Russia Security Talks? Russian President Vladimir Putin and his American counterpart Joe Biden had a phone conversation on 30 December ahead of the January Geneva talks on Russia's security proposals. 2022-01-01T05:18+0000 2022-01-01T05:18+0000 2022-01-01T05:18+0000 joe biden world europe us russia ukraine vladimir putin nuclear war hypersonic missiles us military aid /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0c/07/1091334343_0:67:2200:1305_1920x0_80_0_0_186e0f750401baf64614cb86c1a01d1c.jpg During the 50-minute phone conversation on 30 December, Vladimir Putin told Joe Biden about the key principles of the proposed security accords Russia had submitted earlier, stressing that Moscow needs legally binding agreements on security guarantees.The Russian president also warned his interlocutor that the imposition of further punitive sanctions could disrupt US-Russia relations. For his part, the American president asserted to Putin that Washington was not planning to deploy "offensive strike weapons in Ukraine". Biden again threatened Moscow with sanctions and a NATO response in the event that Russia invades Ukraine, an assumption repeatedly shredded by the Kremlin as unfounded and nonsensical.Second Biden-Putin Phone Talk is a 'Good Sign'The second call in a month between Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden signals the beginning of a US-Russia dialogue even though there has not been a breakthrough yet, deems Eurasia Centre Vice President Earl Rasmussen.Doctorow points out that the Thursday phone talk was initiated by the Russians. He surmises that the trigger was the US State Department and particularly National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan's attempt to "change the subject or to put up their own subjects for discussion in Geneva". The American "counterproposals" concern strategic stability through arms control and Ukraine, the analyst explains, adding that in the US media Ukraine - not the Russian security draft is highlighted as the issue driving these talks. According to Doctorow, the Biden administration encourages such an interpretation of the upcoming Geneva talks, "because it's most easily understood by the public, and it is a version of the discussions that makes Biden look strong".Biden's Vow Not to Deploy Missiles in Ukraine & NATO Military Aid to KievBiden promised that the US will not deploy offensive strike weapons in Ukraine and emphasised that a nuclear war must not be started as it cannot be won.The US president's statement that a nuclear war must not be started can be trusted, while his vow not to deploy offensive strike weapons in Ukraine should be taken with a pinch of salt, according to Doctorow.The analyst cites the fact that Ukraine is building naval bases with assistance from the UK. The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), the UKs leading defence and security think tank, revealed in November that the UK has committed to helping Kiev to "enhance [the country's] naval capabilities, focusing on the development of new bases and platforms, delivery of shipborne armaments, and the training of naval personnel". On 23 June, Ukraine and UK signed a Memorandum of Implementation (MOI) envisaging financial aid for construction of missile boats, purchase of two minehunters from the UK and establishment of two naval bases.Meanwhile, the US provided both non-lethal and lethal defensive items to Ukraine and more recently has focused on enhancing Ukraines capacity to counter what RUSI called "the Russian threat in the Black Sea".Earlier this month, the Russian president warned that the potential deployment of hypersonic and other types of missiles on Ukrainian territory poses a security threat to Russia.According to the analyst, the rhetoric of not placing offensive strike weapons was aimed at appealing "to the peace-loving American public". "I wouldn't take it too seriously. I don't believe the Kremlin takes it too seriously," he notes.On 23 December, Vladimir Putin underscored that if the US and NATO don't provide legally binding guarantees of non-expansion and proceed with stationing of weapons on Russia's doorstep, Moscow would resort to a military-technical response.Why US' 'Sanctions from Hell' are Something That's Unlikely to HappenThe major addressee of Biden's anti-Russia sanctions rhetoric was the American public in the first place, Doctorow highlights. These measures, dubbed by Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland "sanctions from hell" are an electoral platform position, because we have midterm elections coming up in less than a year, according to him.On the one hand, there is no looming threat of Russian invasion that is called a precondition for the sanctions; on the other hand, new "sanctions from hell" from Washington against Russia won't have much impact on Russian economy or global politics and because the relations and ties between the two countries are minimal at the present time.If Washington forces the EU to implement similar draconian sanctions on Russia, it will deal a heavy blow to the European bloc's economy and stability, argues Doctorow. For instance, the US cannot force the EU to abandon Russian hydrocarbons, given that the country's share constitutes over 30% of the union's gas purchases. "There is no way that any other country, starting with the United States, can fill that gap if Russia cuts supplies", the analyst highlights. https://sputniknews.com/20211223/russia-is-back-moscow-wont-back-down-ending-era-of-nato-expansion-is-possible-observers-say-1091758619.html https://sputniknews.com/20211231/dialogue-between-us-russia-serves-security-in-central-europe-hungarian-foreign-minister-says-1091939223.html https://sputniknews.com/20211211/did-us-learn-cuban-missile-crisis-lesson-right--could-moscow-and-washington-avert-its-repetition-1091425391.html https://sputniknews.com/20211230/putin-biden-call-came-to-end-kremlin-spokesman-confirms-1091924744.html https://sputniknews.com/20211224/putin-says-efforts-to-block-nord-stream-2-foolish-since-project-would-lower-gas-prices-1091778036.html ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Ekaterina Blinova Ekaterina Blinova News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ekaterina Blinova putin-biden talks, nato non-expansion, ukrainian naval bases, uk-us military assistance to ukraine, nuclear war, hypersonic missiles https://sputniknews.com/20220101/six-witnesses-reportedly-ready-to-place-prince-andrew-together-with-his-sex-abuse-accuser-1091955512.html Six Witnesses Reportedly Ready 'To Place' Prince Andrew Together With His Sex Abuse Accuser Six Witnesses Reportedly Ready 'To Place' Prince Andrew Together With His Sex Abuse Accuser Prince Andrew can be linked with his sex abuse accuser by four to six witnesses willing to testify in court, according to the legal team of Virginia Roberts Guiffre. 2022-01-01T05:55+0000 2022-01-01T05:55+0000 2022-01-01T05:55+0000 prince andrew virginia roberts giuffre /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/08/08/1083553787_0:161:3069:1887_1920x0_80_0_0_a87f5de43d84dd903b4fe3b0095dae0c.jpg Prince Andrew can be linked with his sex abuse accuser by four to six witnesses willing to testify in court, according to the legal team of Virginia Roberts Guiffre, cited by The Sun.The witnesses, who include Florida hairdresser Johanna Sjoberg and former Jeffrey Epstein employee Steve Scully, would be prepared to state that Prince Andrew and the woman suing the royal for rape had met, according to the lawyers representing Virginia Giuffre.Thus, Sjoberg, 41, has claimed that she met Prince Andrew at Epsteins Manhattan mansion, where the Queen's second son allegedly touched her breast. The incident she refers to also purportedly involved a latex Spitting Image puppet of the Duke that is said to have been used to abuse Virginia Roberts, who now goes under her married name of Giuffre.According to the testimony of Steve Scully, he saw the Duke of York and his now-accuser kissing by a swimming pool on Epstein's 'private island Little Saint James between 2001 and 2004.Furthermore, Giuffres lawyers are cited as saying they may get the youngest victim at Ghislaine Maxwells trial Jane- to testify. The woman, who was 14 when she was groomed by the British socialite and Epsteins former madam, had taken the stand to describe how she had seen Prince Andrew aboard the tycoons private jet, dubbed the Lolita Express.Alleged Epstein sex trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre, 38, filed a civil lawsuit against the Duke of York in September, claiming she was forced into intimate relations with him on three separate occasions when she was a minor under US laws. The first time was purportedly at the London townhouse of Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite and ex-girlfriend of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, found guilty by a US jury on Wednesday of conspiring with the tycoon to groom and sexually abuse underage girls. The second time, in early 2001, was supposedly at Epstein's New York mansion, and the third time was on the billionaires private island in the Caribbean.In his November 2019 so-called car-crash Newsnight interview where he had attempted to explain his relationship with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, Prince Andrew had dismissed all allegations made against him by Virginia Giuffre and claimed he had never even met her. He had also suggested a photo purportedly showing them together might have been doctored. He also claimed in the interview he could not have had sex with Giuffre in 2001 because he was out with his daughter at Pizza Express in Woking. Furthermore, in reference to claims by his accuser that they danced together in a London nightclub and he had been sweating profusely, The Duke of York revealed he had a medical condition after being shot at during the Falklands War left him unable to sweat.The royal has also been urged by Virginia Giuffres legal team to take responsibility for his alleged actions.Referring to the photographic evidence allegedly showing the prince with Giuffre, Boies was quoted as saying:After Ghislaine Maxwell was found guilty on Wednesday on five sex trafficking counts, Boies was cited as saying:Giuffres legal team has lodged legal papers requesting proof of Prince Andrews alleged medical condition of anhidrosis, hypohidrosis, or your inability to sweat.This is just one of eight requests made of the Duke of York.Earlier in the week, the Duke of York's legal team filed a motion seeking to halt proceedings, urging the US court to rule it has no jurisdiction to hear Virginia Giuffre' sex claims against him. The motion stated that the royal and his accuser, who lives in Australia, both resided outside of the US. However, on Friday, a US judge threw out the bid, saying the civil case could continue. https://sputniknews.com/20211231/prince-andrew-seen-visiting-queen-in-windsor-breaking-cover-for-first-time-after-maxwell-verdict-1091951140.html https://sputniknews.com/20211231/virginia-guiffres-lawyers-demand-prince-andrew-prove-his-inability-to-sweat-1091938200.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Svetlana Ekimenko prince andrew virginia giuffre https://sputniknews.com/20220101/six-witnesses-reportedly-ready-to-place-prince-andrew-together-with-his-sex-abuse-accuser-1091955512.html Six Witnesses Reportedly Ready 'To Place' Prince Andrew Together With His Sex Abuse Accuser Six Witnesses Reportedly Ready 'To Place' Prince Andrew Together With His Sex Abuse Accuser Prince Andrew can be linked with his sex abuse accuser by four to six witnesses willing to testify in court, according to the legal team of Virginia Roberts Guiffre. 2022-01-01T05:55+0000 2022-01-01T05:55+0000 2022-01-01T05:55+0000 prince andrew virginia roberts giuffre /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/08/08/1083553787_0:161:3069:1887_1920x0_80_0_0_a87f5de43d84dd903b4fe3b0095dae0c.jpg Prince Andrew can be linked with his sex abuse accuser by four to six witnesses willing to testify in court, according to the legal team of Virginia Roberts Guiffre, cited by The Sun.The witnesses, who include Florida hairdresser Johanna Sjoberg and former Jeffrey Epstein employee Steve Scully, would be prepared to state that Prince Andrew and the woman suing the royal for rape had met, according to the lawyers representing Virginia Giuffre.Thus, Sjoberg, 41, has claimed that she met Prince Andrew at Epsteins Manhattan mansion, where the Queen's second son allegedly touched her breast. The incident she refers to also purportedly involved a latex Spitting Image puppet of the Duke that is said to have been used to abuse Virginia Roberts, who now goes under her married name of Giuffre.According to the testimony of Steve Scully, he saw the Duke of York and his now-accuser kissing by a swimming pool on Epstein's 'private island Little Saint James between 2001 and 2004.Furthermore, Giuffres lawyers are cited as saying they may get the youngest victim at Ghislaine Maxwells trial Jane- to testify. The woman, who was 14 when she was groomed by the British socialite and Epsteins former madam, had taken the stand to describe how she had seen Prince Andrew aboard the tycoons private jet, dubbed the Lolita Express.Alleged Epstein sex trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre, 38, filed a civil lawsuit against the Duke of York in September, claiming she was forced into intimate relations with him on three separate occasions when she was a minor under US laws. The first time was purportedly at the London townhouse of Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite and ex-girlfriend of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, found guilty by a US jury on Wednesday of conspiring with the tycoon to groom and sexually abuse underage girls. The second time, in early 2001, was supposedly at Epstein's New York mansion, and the third time was on the billionaires private island in the Caribbean.In his November 2019 so-called car-crash Newsnight interview where he had attempted to explain his relationship with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, Prince Andrew had dismissed all allegations made against him by Virginia Giuffre and claimed he had never even met her. He had also suggested a photo purportedly showing them together might have been doctored. He also claimed in the interview he could not have had sex with Giuffre in 2001 because he was out with his daughter at Pizza Express in Woking. Furthermore, in reference to claims by his accuser that they danced together in a London nightclub and he had been sweating profusely, The Duke of York revealed he had a medical condition after being shot at during the Falklands War left him unable to sweat.The royal has also been urged by Virginia Giuffres legal team to take responsibility for his alleged actions.Referring to the photographic evidence allegedly showing the prince with Giuffre, Boies was quoted as saying:After Ghislaine Maxwell was found guilty on Wednesday on five sex trafficking counts, Boies was cited as saying:Giuffres legal team has lodged legal papers requesting proof of Prince Andrews alleged medical condition of anhidrosis, hypohidrosis, or your inability to sweat.This is just one of eight requests made of the Duke of York.Earlier in the week, the Duke of York's legal team filed a motion seeking to halt proceedings, urging the US court to rule it has no jurisdiction to hear Virginia Giuffre' sex claims against him. The motion stated that the royal and his accuser, who lives in Australia, both resided outside of the US. However, on Friday, a US judge threw out the bid, saying the civil case could continue. https://sputniknews.com/20211231/prince-andrew-seen-visiting-queen-in-windsor-breaking-cover-for-first-time-after-maxwell-verdict-1091951140.html https://sputniknews.com/20211231/virginia-guiffres-lawyers-demand-prince-andrew-prove-his-inability-to-sweat-1091938200.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Svetlana Ekimenko prince andrew virginia giuffre Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 1 (ANI): On the occasion of the New Year amid the ongoing night curfew imposed in Uttar Pradesh, security was tightened in Lucknow's Hazratganj Chauraha area on Friday as police personnel were ensuring that people follow curfew guidelines. Speaking to ANI, Raghavendra Tripathi, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) said "We ensured that everyone returned home before 11 pm to abide by night curfew guidelines and announcements were made for the same." Also Read | Stampede at Vaishno Devi Shrine: Union Minister Jitendra Singh Rushes to Katra to Take Stock of Situation. Earlier on Friday, last week, the state government decided to impose a night curfew from December 25 following COVID-19 concerns in the country. As per the government's directives, a night curfew was put in place from December 25 from 11 pm-5 am. (ANI) Also Read | New Year 2022 Wishes: PM Narendra Modi Extends New Year Greetings to People. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Cathay Pacific Airways aircrafts line up on the tarmac at the Hong Kong International Airport, in Hong Kong, China, on March 6, 2020. (Kin Cheung/AP Photo) Cathay Pacific Suspends Cargo Flights Due to Virus Controls HONG KONGHong Kongs Cathay Pacific Airlines is suspending cargo flights for a week due to stricter quarantine requirements for air crews, potentially adding to strain on global supply chains. Long-haul flights to Europe, across the Pacific and to Riyadh and Dubai are suspended through Jan. 6, the airline said Thursday. It promised to try to help customers mitigate the disruption. Hong Kong is tightening up virus restrictions after confirming its first cases of community transmission of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus on Friday, tied to a Cathay Pacific crew member who had returned from the United States on Christmas Day. The airlines workforce is stretched thin after the quarantine for Cathay Pacific flight crews who return from abroad was extended to one week in a hotel room from three days. Thursdays announcement gave no details, but The South China Morning Post newspaper said the longer quarantine would leave Cathay without enough pilots for all its flights. The airline earlier asked staff to volunteer for a closed-loop system under which they would work for three-week stints with brief stopovers in Hong Kong, but too few agreed, according to news reports. Cathay said earlier it would reduce its schedule of passenger flights in the first three months of 2022 due to staff shortages. The crew member had lunch at a restaurant two days after returning from the United States, in apparent violation of a three-day self-isolation rule. Two other people eating at the Moon Palace restaurant on Monday were infected: the father of the crew member and a construction worker dining 10 meters (30 feet) away. City leader Carrie Lam expressed her strong dissatisfaction to both the chairman and the CEO of the citys flagship airline, Health Secretary Sophia Chan said at a news conference. Cathay Pacific said in a statement that five crew members had tested positive for Omicron recently, and some had not followed regulations. It apologized and said they would be disciplined. Health officials said there is a high risk of further spread, saying it could lead to what would be a fifth major wave of infections in the city. Hong Kong has recorded 81 omicron cases. The others were among people who had arrived from overseas. Wilkes-Barre, PA (18701) Today Rain ending this morning. Breaks of sun in the afternoon. High 67F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low near 45F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. 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. Wilkes-Barre, PA (18701) Today Rain ending this morning. Breaks of sun in the afternoon. High 67F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low near 45F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. At least a dozen pilgrims died and 15 others were injured after a stampede occurred at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in the Katra area of Jammu and Kashmirs Reasi district on Saturday. The incident occurred at around 2:45 am on the first day of the New Year, when a large number of devotees queued to have darshan (glimpse) of sanctum sanctorum inside the cave shrine on Trikuta hills in Katra, officials said. A minor altercation among some young boys amid a massive rush of devotees triggered the stampede. Twelve pilgrims lost their lives and 15 were injured in the incident, they said and added the rescue operations started immediately and all the injured were shifted to hospitals, where the condition of four among them is stated to be critical. Also read: Jammu and Kashmir's L-G Manoj Sinha orders probe into Vaishno Devi stampede Preliminary information from the scene suggests that a minor altercation among some young boys led to the stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in which 12 people unfortunately died," J&K Police chief Dilbag Singh said. Eight of the 12 people killed in the incident were identified as 26-year-old Dheeraj Kumar, 35-year-old Shweta Singh, 24-year-old Viney Kumar, 24-year-old Sonu Pandey, 38-year-old Mamata, 35-year-old Dharmveer Singh, 38-year-old Vaneet Kumar and 30-year-old Arun Partap Singh. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_ Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSingh Ji, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 1, 2022 Jammu and Kashmir government led by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha ordered a high-level inquiry into the stampede. The inquiry committee headed by J&K Principal Secretary (Home) has been asked to submit its report to the government within a week. The Committee has been asked to point out the lapses and fix the responsibility thereof, besides suggesting the measures to prevent reoccurrence of such incidents in future. While the survivors blamed mismanagement and poor deployment of policemen to regulate pilgrims for the tragedy, the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board denied the charge, saying all necessary arrangements were made given the expected rush of pilgrims. The pilgrimage resumed after a brief suspension and was going on smoothly with strict adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs), including Covid-19 guidelines, officials said. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 1, 2022 J&K government announced an amount of Rs10 lakh and the Center Rs two lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the stampede while the injured will be provided Rs 2.5 lakh. Jitendra Singh, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, visited the shrine to take stock of the situation. We are exploring the possible use of technology to avoid such incidents in the future, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and J&K LG also expressed their condolences. J&K Amit Shah (@AmitShah) January 1, 2022 Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSinghJi, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation, Modi tweeted. Amit Shah in a tweet said: The tragedy due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Bhawan is heart-wrenching. Anguished by the loss of lives due to it. My condolences to the bereaved families in this sad hour. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. Mata Vaishno Devi is a religious pilgrimage atop a hilltop in Katra town of Jammu that attracts millions of devotees from across the world every year. Ex-gratia of Rs.10 lakh each would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to stampede and Rs.2 lakh to injured. Shrine board to bear the cost of treatment of injured. Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) January 1, 2022 Watch the latest DH Videos here: At least a dozen pilgrims died and 15 others were injured after a stampede occurred at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in the Katra area of Jammu and Kashmirs Reasi district on Saturday. The incident occurred at around 2:45 am on the first day of the New Year, when a large number of devotees queued to have darshan (glimpse) of sanctum sanctorum inside the cave shrine on Trikuta hills in Katra, officials said. A minor altercation among some young boys amid a massive rush of devotees triggered the stampede. Twelve pilgrims lost their lives and 15 were injured in the incident, they said and added the rescue operations started immediately and all the injured were shifted to hospitals, where the condition of four among them is stated to be critical. Also read: Jammu and Kashmir's L-G Manoj Sinha orders probe into Vaishno Devi stampede Preliminary information from the scene suggests that a minor altercation among some young boys led to the stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in which 12 people unfortunately died," J&K Police chief Dilbag Singh said. Eight of the 12 people killed in the incident were identified as 26-year-old Dheeraj Kumar, 35-year-old Shweta Singh, 24-year-old Viney Kumar, 24-year-old Sonu Pandey, 38-year-old Mamata, 35-year-old Dharmveer Singh, 38-year-old Vaneet Kumar and 30-year-old Arun Partap Singh. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_ Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSingh Ji, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 1, 2022 Jammu and Kashmir government led by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha ordered a high-level inquiry into the stampede. The inquiry committee headed by J&K Principal Secretary (Home) has been asked to submit its report to the government within a week. The Committee has been asked to point out the lapses and fix the responsibility thereof, besides suggesting the measures to prevent reoccurrence of such incidents in future. While the survivors blamed mismanagement and poor deployment of policemen to regulate pilgrims for the tragedy, the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board denied the charge, saying all necessary arrangements were made given the expected rush of pilgrims. The pilgrimage resumed after a brief suspension and was going on smoothly with strict adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs), including Covid-19 guidelines, officials said. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 1, 2022 J&K government announced an amount of Rs10 lakh and the Center Rs two lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the stampede while the injured will be provided Rs 2.5 lakh. Jitendra Singh, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, visited the shrine to take stock of the situation. We are exploring the possible use of technology to avoid such incidents in the future, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and J&K LG also expressed their condolences. J&K Amit Shah (@AmitShah) January 1, 2022 Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSinghJi, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation, Modi tweeted. Amit Shah in a tweet said: The tragedy due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Bhawan is heart-wrenching. Anguished by the loss of lives due to it. My condolences to the bereaved families in this sad hour. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. Mata Vaishno Devi is a religious pilgrimage atop a hilltop in Katra town of Jammu that attracts millions of devotees from across the world every year. Ex-gratia of Rs.10 lakh each would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to stampede and Rs.2 lakh to injured. Shrine board to bear the cost of treatment of injured. Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) January 1, 2022 Watch the latest DH Videos here: Five former chiefs of the armed forces and other military veterans joined eminent personalities and civil society activists to write to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to curb the menace of hate speeches, like the ones recently delivered in Haridwar and Delhi, which allegedly called for "genocide of Muslims". The Constitution (of India) provides for the free practice of religion across faiths. We strongly deplore such polarisation in the name of religion. We urge you, Mr President and Mr Prime Minister, to take immediate steps to curb such attempts, and urge you to condemn such incitement to violence in no uncertain terms, they wrote in an open letter to Kovind and Modi on Friday. They noted that not only the Muslims but other minorities, including Christians, Dalits and Sikhs, were also being targeted in hate speeches across the country. Also Read Prominent citizens, armed forces veterans write to President, PM on hate speech The signatories of the letter to President and Prime Minister included Admiral L Ramdas, Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat, Admiral Arun Prakash, and Admiral R K Dhowan, four former chiefs of the Indian Navy, Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi, a former chief of the Indian Air Force, and Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi, former Vice Chief of the Army Staff, apart from several other military veterans and civil society activists. They wrote that they were seriously perturbed by the content of speeches made during a three-day religious conclave titled Dharma Sansad of Hindu seers and other leaders, held in Haridwar between December 17 and 19. There were repeated calls for establishing a Hindu Rashtra and, if required, picking up weapons and killing of India's Muslims in the name of protecting Hinduism, wrote the military veterans and civil society activists. They noted that a large number of persons gathered in Delhi around the same time and publicly took an oath resolving to make India a Hindu nation, by fighting and killing if necessary. They pointed out that more such seditious meetings were being organised in other places. Regardless of which persons or parties initiated calls for such genocide, Government of India and the judiciary, at the highest level, need to take urgent action. We cannot allow such incitement to violence together with public expressions of hate, which not only constitute serious breaches of internal security, but which could also tear apart the social fabric of our nation. Also Read Indias leaders are playing with fire They pointed out that one of the speakers at the Haridwar conclave made a call to the army and police to pick up weapons and participate in the cleanliness drive (safai abhiyan). This amounts to asking the army to participate in genocide of our own citizens, and is condemnable and unacceptable. They tacitly referred to the situation along Indias borders with China and Pakistan and warned that any breach of peace and harmony within the nation would embolden inimical external forces. The unity and cohesiveness of our men and women in uniform, including the CAPFs (Central Armed Police Forces) and police forces, will be seriously affected by allowing such blatant calls for violence against one or the other community in our diverse and plural society. They called upon the government, Parliament and the Supreme Court to act with urgency to protect the integrity and security of the country. They also sent copies of the letter to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Justice N V Ramana and the current chiefs of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, Gen M Naravane, Admiral R Harikumar, Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhary. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Withdrawing spl session is 'Black day' in history of India: AAP 22 Sep 2022 | 6:56 PM Chandigarh, Sep 22 (UNI) Condemning the move of the Punjab Governor to withdraw his assent to hold a Special Session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Punjab Finance Minister and AAP leader Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday dubbed it a 'Black day' in the history of Indian politics. see more.. Need to stay mentally fit to prevent heart disease: Expert 22 Sep 2022 | 6:54 PM Jalandhar, Sep 22 (UNI) The untimely death of comedian Raju Srivastav, Singer KK, actor Sidharth Shukla, Kannada superstar Puneeth Rajkumar and many other celebrities recently have brought to light the fact that cardiac diseases are growing in youth. see more.. Gyanvapi: Carbon dating of 'Shivling' other Hindu symbols demanded 22 Sep 2022 | 6:22 PM Varanasi, Sep 22 (UNI) An application seeking carbon dating of the Shivling like Structure, the walls, Maa Shringar Gauri Sthal and other deities was moved in the district court on Thursday on which it issued notice to the Muslim side to file their objections. see more.. Punjab: AAP carries out march to protest cancellation of assembly session 22 Sep 2022 | 6:17 PM Chandigarh, Sep 22 (UNI) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab MLAs on Thursday carried out a march from Vidhan Sabha to Governor's house to protest the cancellation of the special assembly session summoned to bring a confidence motion. see more.. People walk past a signboard reading "Reserved area for women and children as instructed by the district commissioner" along a beach in Cox's Bazar, in this photograph taken Dec. 29, 2021, after authorities in Bangladesh's main resort district scrapped a dedicated beach section for women and children after a social media outcry over gender segregation, officials said Dec. 30, 2021. AFP-Yonhap Bangladesh has shut an exclusive beach zone for women and children following criticism, just hours after it was opened in the southern tourist district of Cox's Bazar. "We are always respectful of visitors' opinion," chief of the district administration Mamunur Rashid said Thursday as he announced the decision to scrap the plan. A nearly 150-metre-long stretch of beach was marked with pink flags and signboards that read "restricted area." Rashid said the move had been inspired by requests from some tourists after a female tourist was reportedly raped in the area two weeks ago. But the decision drew criticism on social media, as some accused the authorities of failing to act more broadly to improve women's safety. According to the Tour Operators' Association of Bangladesh, more than 60 per cent of the country's 6.5 million domestic tourists visit Cox's Bazar every year. The town boasts more than 120 kilometers of sandy natural coastline along the Bay of Bengal. Despite being a predominantly Muslim country, women in Bangladesh are not prohibited from swimming at the beach. Only conservative Muslims generally refrain from doing so. (dpa) Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for the complete reunification of their motherland that is an aspiration shared by people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, a media report said. "The complete reunification of our motherland is an aspiration shared by people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait," Global Times quoted Xi as saying on Friday night when he delivered his 2022 New Year Address. Emphasising that the "prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao" are always "close to the heart" of the motherland, XI underlined the importance of the sound implementation of the "one country, two systems" model. His remarks on Hong Kong's stability came two days after the city's police raided Stand News outlet and arrested six members of the group. Two of them are in custody as police charged them under sedition and they were denied bail by the court. Notably, the outlet Stand News has suspended operations and its contents were erased as Chinese officials termed them objectionable. Referring to the country's poverty elimination programme, Xi said that he cares for the concerns of the people and their aspirations. "The concerns of the people are what I always care about, and the aspirations of the people are what I always strive for," Global Times quoted Xi as saying, "Having worked in the countryside myself, I know precisely what poverty feels like." Xi also called 2021 a year of exceptional significance. But, during the whole year, the West continuously accused the Chinese Communist Party of extreme human rights abuses in the Xinjiang provinces. (ANI) Cathay Pacific Airways aircrafts line up on the tarmac at the Hong Kong International Airport, in Hong Kong, China, on March 6, 2020. (Kin Cheung/AP Photo) Cathay Pacific Suspends Cargo Flights Due to Virus Controls HONG KONGHong Kongs Cathay Pacific Airlines is suspending cargo flights for a week due to stricter quarantine requirements for air crews, potentially adding to strain on global supply chains. Long-haul flights to Europe, across the Pacific and to Riyadh and Dubai are suspended through Jan. 6, the airline said Thursday. It promised to try to help customers mitigate the disruption. Hong Kong is tightening up virus restrictions after confirming its first cases of community transmission of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus on Friday, tied to a Cathay Pacific crew member who had returned from the United States on Christmas Day. The airlines workforce is stretched thin after the quarantine for Cathay Pacific flight crews who return from abroad was extended to one week in a hotel room from three days. Thursdays announcement gave no details, but The South China Morning Post newspaper said the longer quarantine would leave Cathay without enough pilots for all its flights. The airline earlier asked staff to volunteer for a closed-loop system under which they would work for three-week stints with brief stopovers in Hong Kong, but too few agreed, according to news reports. Cathay said earlier it would reduce its schedule of passenger flights in the first three months of 2022 due to staff shortages. The crew member had lunch at a restaurant two days after returning from the United States, in apparent violation of a three-day self-isolation rule. Two other people eating at the Moon Palace restaurant on Monday were infected: the father of the crew member and a construction worker dining 10 meters (30 feet) away. City leader Carrie Lam expressed her strong dissatisfaction to both the chairman and the CEO of the citys flagship airline, Health Secretary Sophia Chan said at a news conference. Cathay Pacific said in a statement that five crew members had tested positive for Omicron recently, and some had not followed regulations. It apologized and said they would be disciplined. Health officials said there is a high risk of further spread, saying it could lead to what would be a fifth major wave of infections in the city. Hong Kong has recorded 81 omicron cases. The others were among people who had arrived from overseas. Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 1 (ANI): On the occasion of the New Year amid the ongoing night curfew imposed in Uttar Pradesh, security was tightened in Lucknow's Hazratganj Chauraha area on Friday as police personnel were ensuring that people follow curfew guidelines. Speaking to ANI, Raghavendra Tripathi, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) said "We ensured that everyone returned home before 11 pm to abide by night curfew guidelines and announcements were made for the same." Also Read | Stampede at Vaishno Devi Shrine: Union Minister Jitendra Singh Rushes to Katra to Take Stock of Situation. Earlier on Friday, last week, the state government decided to impose a night curfew from December 25 following COVID-19 concerns in the country. As per the government's directives, a night curfew was put in place from December 25 from 11 pm-5 am. (ANI) Also Read | New Year 2022 Wishes: PM Narendra Modi Extends New Year Greetings to People. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Wilkes-Barre, PA (18701) Today Rain ending this morning. Breaks of sun in the afternoon. High 67F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low near 45F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. People walk past a signboard reading "Reserved area for women and children as instructed by the district commissioner" along a beach in Cox's Bazar, in this photograph taken Dec. 29, 2021, after authorities in Bangladesh's main resort district scrapped a dedicated beach section for women and children after a social media outcry over gender segregation, officials said Dec. 30, 2021. AFP-Yonhap Bangladesh has shut an exclusive beach zone for women and children following criticism, just hours after it was opened in the southern tourist district of Cox's Bazar. "We are always respectful of visitors' opinion," chief of the district administration Mamunur Rashid said Thursday as he announced the decision to scrap the plan. A nearly 150-metre-long stretch of beach was marked with pink flags and signboards that read "restricted area." Rashid said the move had been inspired by requests from some tourists after a female tourist was reportedly raped in the area two weeks ago. But the decision drew criticism on social media, as some accused the authorities of failing to act more broadly to improve women's safety. According to the Tour Operators' Association of Bangladesh, more than 60 per cent of the country's 6.5 million domestic tourists visit Cox's Bazar every year. The town boasts more than 120 kilometers of sandy natural coastline along the Bay of Bengal. Despite being a predominantly Muslim country, women in Bangladesh are not prohibited from swimming at the beach. Only conservative Muslims generally refrain from doing so. (dpa) The report that came to the attention of the United States military in April 2017 relayed devastating news from Iraq: More than 30 people, among them women and children, had been killed when aircraft from the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Mosul struck a neighborhood known as Siha. A civilian casualty cell of the U.S. military, which was charged with assessing reports of civilians killed or wounded in coalition operations, learned of the claim in a Facebook post published on April 11 by the news outlet, the Iraqi Spring Media Center. The Pentagon began an inquiry, but only a week later its assessment officers couldnt confirm whether coalition aircraft had targeted that location, and they dismissed the claim, saying Siha was not among known districts of West Mosul. There would be no further review. Five former chiefs of the armed forces and other military veterans joined eminent personalities and civil society activists to write to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to curb the menace of hate speeches, like the ones recently delivered in Haridwar and Delhi, which allegedly called for "genocide of Muslims". The Constitution (of India) provides for the free practice of religion across faiths. We strongly deplore such polarisation in the name of religion. We urge you, Mr President and Mr Prime Minister, to take immediate steps to curb such attempts, and urge you to condemn such incitement to violence in no uncertain terms, they wrote in an open letter to Kovind and Modi on Friday. They noted that not only the Muslims but other minorities, including Christians, Dalits and Sikhs, were also being targeted in hate speeches across the country. Also Read Prominent citizens, armed forces veterans write to President, PM on hate speech The signatories of the letter to President and Prime Minister included Admiral L Ramdas, Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat, Admiral Arun Prakash, and Admiral R K Dhowan, four former chiefs of the Indian Navy, Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi, a former chief of the Indian Air Force, and Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi, former Vice Chief of the Army Staff, apart from several other military veterans and civil society activists. They wrote that they were seriously perturbed by the content of speeches made during a three-day religious conclave titled Dharma Sansad of Hindu seers and other leaders, held in Haridwar between December 17 and 19. There were repeated calls for establishing a Hindu Rashtra and, if required, picking up weapons and killing of India's Muslims in the name of protecting Hinduism, wrote the military veterans and civil society activists. They noted that a large number of persons gathered in Delhi around the same time and publicly took an oath resolving to make India a Hindu nation, by fighting and killing if necessary. They pointed out that more such seditious meetings were being organised in other places. Regardless of which persons or parties initiated calls for such genocide, Government of India and the judiciary, at the highest level, need to take urgent action. We cannot allow such incitement to violence together with public expressions of hate, which not only constitute serious breaches of internal security, but which could also tear apart the social fabric of our nation. Also Read Indias leaders are playing with fire They pointed out that one of the speakers at the Haridwar conclave made a call to the army and police to pick up weapons and participate in the cleanliness drive (safai abhiyan). This amounts to asking the army to participate in genocide of our own citizens, and is condemnable and unacceptable. They tacitly referred to the situation along Indias borders with China and Pakistan and warned that any breach of peace and harmony within the nation would embolden inimical external forces. The unity and cohesiveness of our men and women in uniform, including the CAPFs (Central Armed Police Forces) and police forces, will be seriously affected by allowing such blatant calls for violence against one or the other community in our diverse and plural society. They called upon the government, Parliament and the Supreme Court to act with urgency to protect the integrity and security of the country. They also sent copies of the letter to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Justice N V Ramana and the current chiefs of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, Gen M Naravane, Admiral R Harikumar, Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhary. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Five former chiefs of the armed forces and other military veterans joined eminent personalities and civil society activists to write to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to curb the menace of hate speeches, like the ones recently delivered in Haridwar and Delhi, which allegedly called for "genocide of Muslims". The Constitution (of India) provides for the free practice of religion across faiths. We strongly deplore such polarisation in the name of religion. We urge you, Mr President and Mr Prime Minister, to take immediate steps to curb such attempts, and urge you to condemn such incitement to violence in no uncertain terms, they wrote in an open letter to Kovind and Modi on Friday. They noted that not only the Muslims but other minorities, including Christians, Dalits and Sikhs, were also being targeted in hate speeches across the country. Also Read Prominent citizens, armed forces veterans write to President, PM on hate speech The signatories of the letter to President and Prime Minister included Admiral L Ramdas, Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat, Admiral Arun Prakash, and Admiral R K Dhowan, four former chiefs of the Indian Navy, Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi, a former chief of the Indian Air Force, and Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi, former Vice Chief of the Army Staff, apart from several other military veterans and civil society activists. They wrote that they were seriously perturbed by the content of speeches made during a three-day religious conclave titled Dharma Sansad of Hindu seers and other leaders, held in Haridwar between December 17 and 19. There were repeated calls for establishing a Hindu Rashtra and, if required, picking up weapons and killing of India's Muslims in the name of protecting Hinduism, wrote the military veterans and civil society activists. They noted that a large number of persons gathered in Delhi around the same time and publicly took an oath resolving to make India a Hindu nation, by fighting and killing if necessary. They pointed out that more such seditious meetings were being organised in other places. Regardless of which persons or parties initiated calls for such genocide, Government of India and the judiciary, at the highest level, need to take urgent action. We cannot allow such incitement to violence together with public expressions of hate, which not only constitute serious breaches of internal security, but which could also tear apart the social fabric of our nation. Also Read Indias leaders are playing with fire They pointed out that one of the speakers at the Haridwar conclave made a call to the army and police to pick up weapons and participate in the cleanliness drive (safai abhiyan). This amounts to asking the army to participate in genocide of our own citizens, and is condemnable and unacceptable. They tacitly referred to the situation along Indias borders with China and Pakistan and warned that any breach of peace and harmony within the nation would embolden inimical external forces. The unity and cohesiveness of our men and women in uniform, including the CAPFs (Central Armed Police Forces) and police forces, will be seriously affected by allowing such blatant calls for violence against one or the other community in our diverse and plural society. They called upon the government, Parliament and the Supreme Court to act with urgency to protect the integrity and security of the country. They also sent copies of the letter to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Justice N V Ramana and the current chiefs of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, Gen M Naravane, Admiral R Harikumar, Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhary. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Cathay Pacific Airways aircrafts line up on the tarmac at the Hong Kong International Airport, in Hong Kong, China, on March 6, 2020. (Kin Cheung/AP Photo) Cathay Pacific Suspends Cargo Flights Due to Virus Controls HONG KONGHong Kongs Cathay Pacific Airlines is suspending cargo flights for a week due to stricter quarantine requirements for air crews, potentially adding to strain on global supply chains. Long-haul flights to Europe, across the Pacific and to Riyadh and Dubai are suspended through Jan. 6, the airline said Thursday. It promised to try to help customers mitigate the disruption. Hong Kong is tightening up virus restrictions after confirming its first cases of community transmission of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus on Friday, tied to a Cathay Pacific crew member who had returned from the United States on Christmas Day. The airlines workforce is stretched thin after the quarantine for Cathay Pacific flight crews who return from abroad was extended to one week in a hotel room from three days. Thursdays announcement gave no details, but The South China Morning Post newspaper said the longer quarantine would leave Cathay without enough pilots for all its flights. The airline earlier asked staff to volunteer for a closed-loop system under which they would work for three-week stints with brief stopovers in Hong Kong, but too few agreed, according to news reports. Cathay said earlier it would reduce its schedule of passenger flights in the first three months of 2022 due to staff shortages. The crew member had lunch at a restaurant two days after returning from the United States, in apparent violation of a three-day self-isolation rule. Two other people eating at the Moon Palace restaurant on Monday were infected: the father of the crew member and a construction worker dining 10 meters (30 feet) away. City leader Carrie Lam expressed her strong dissatisfaction to both the chairman and the CEO of the citys flagship airline, Health Secretary Sophia Chan said at a news conference. Cathay Pacific said in a statement that five crew members had tested positive for Omicron recently, and some had not followed regulations. It apologized and said they would be disciplined. Health officials said there is a high risk of further spread, saying it could lead to what would be a fifth major wave of infections in the city. Hong Kong has recorded 81 omicron cases. The others were among people who had arrived from overseas. Cathay Pacific Airways aircrafts line up on the tarmac at the Hong Kong International Airport, in Hong Kong, China, on March 6, 2020. (Kin Cheung/AP Photo) Cathay Pacific Suspends Cargo Flights Due to Virus Controls HONG KONGHong Kongs Cathay Pacific Airlines is suspending cargo flights for a week due to stricter quarantine requirements for air crews, potentially adding to strain on global supply chains. Long-haul flights to Europe, across the Pacific and to Riyadh and Dubai are suspended through Jan. 6, the airline said Thursday. It promised to try to help customers mitigate the disruption. Hong Kong is tightening up virus restrictions after confirming its first cases of community transmission of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus on Friday, tied to a Cathay Pacific crew member who had returned from the United States on Christmas Day. The airlines workforce is stretched thin after the quarantine for Cathay Pacific flight crews who return from abroad was extended to one week in a hotel room from three days. Thursdays announcement gave no details, but The South China Morning Post newspaper said the longer quarantine would leave Cathay without enough pilots for all its flights. The airline earlier asked staff to volunteer for a closed-loop system under which they would work for three-week stints with brief stopovers in Hong Kong, but too few agreed, according to news reports. Cathay said earlier it would reduce its schedule of passenger flights in the first three months of 2022 due to staff shortages. The crew member had lunch at a restaurant two days after returning from the United States, in apparent violation of a three-day self-isolation rule. Two other people eating at the Moon Palace restaurant on Monday were infected: the father of the crew member and a construction worker dining 10 meters (30 feet) away. City leader Carrie Lam expressed her strong dissatisfaction to both the chairman and the CEO of the citys flagship airline, Health Secretary Sophia Chan said at a news conference. Cathay Pacific said in a statement that five crew members had tested positive for Omicron recently, and some had not followed regulations. It apologized and said they would be disciplined. Health officials said there is a high risk of further spread, saying it could lead to what would be a fifth major wave of infections in the city. Hong Kong has recorded 81 omicron cases. The others were among people who had arrived from overseas. At least a dozen pilgrims died and 15 others were injured after a stampede occurred at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in the Katra area of Jammu and Kashmirs Reasi district on Saturday. The incident occurred at around 2:45 am on the first day of the New Year, when a large number of devotees queued to have darshan (glimpse) of sanctum sanctorum inside the cave shrine on Trikuta hills in Katra, officials said. A minor altercation among some young boys amid a massive rush of devotees triggered the stampede. Twelve pilgrims lost their lives and 15 were injured in the incident, they said and added the rescue operations started immediately and all the injured were shifted to hospitals, where the condition of four among them is stated to be critical. Also read: Jammu and Kashmir's L-G Manoj Sinha orders probe into Vaishno Devi stampede Preliminary information from the scene suggests that a minor altercation among some young boys led to the stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in which 12 people unfortunately died," J&K Police chief Dilbag Singh said. Eight of the 12 people killed in the incident were identified as 26-year-old Dheeraj Kumar, 35-year-old Shweta Singh, 24-year-old Viney Kumar, 24-year-old Sonu Pandey, 38-year-old Mamata, 35-year-old Dharmveer Singh, 38-year-old Vaneet Kumar and 30-year-old Arun Partap Singh. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_ Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSingh Ji, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 1, 2022 Jammu and Kashmir government led by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha ordered a high-level inquiry into the stampede. The inquiry committee headed by J&K Principal Secretary (Home) has been asked to submit its report to the government within a week. The Committee has been asked to point out the lapses and fix the responsibility thereof, besides suggesting the measures to prevent reoccurrence of such incidents in future. While the survivors blamed mismanagement and poor deployment of policemen to regulate pilgrims for the tragedy, the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board denied the charge, saying all necessary arrangements were made given the expected rush of pilgrims. The pilgrimage resumed after a brief suspension and was going on smoothly with strict adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs), including Covid-19 guidelines, officials said. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 1, 2022 J&K government announced an amount of Rs10 lakh and the Center Rs two lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the stampede while the injured will be provided Rs 2.5 lakh. Jitendra Singh, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, visited the shrine to take stock of the situation. We are exploring the possible use of technology to avoid such incidents in the future, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and J&K LG also expressed their condolences. J&K Amit Shah (@AmitShah) January 1, 2022 Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSinghJi, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation, Modi tweeted. Amit Shah in a tweet said: The tragedy due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Bhawan is heart-wrenching. Anguished by the loss of lives due to it. My condolences to the bereaved families in this sad hour. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. Mata Vaishno Devi is a religious pilgrimage atop a hilltop in Katra town of Jammu that attracts millions of devotees from across the world every year. Ex-gratia of Rs.10 lakh each would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to stampede and Rs.2 lakh to injured. Shrine board to bear the cost of treatment of injured. Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) January 1, 2022 Watch the latest DH Videos here: At least a dozen pilgrims died and 15 others were injured after a stampede occurred at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in the Katra area of Jammu and Kashmirs Reasi district on Saturday. The incident occurred at around 2:45 am on the first day of the New Year, when a large number of devotees queued to have darshan (glimpse) of sanctum sanctorum inside the cave shrine on Trikuta hills in Katra, officials said. A minor altercation among some young boys amid a massive rush of devotees triggered the stampede. Twelve pilgrims lost their lives and 15 were injured in the incident, they said and added the rescue operations started immediately and all the injured were shifted to hospitals, where the condition of four among them is stated to be critical. Also read: Jammu and Kashmir's L-G Manoj Sinha orders probe into Vaishno Devi stampede Preliminary information from the scene suggests that a minor altercation among some young boys led to the stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in which 12 people unfortunately died," J&K Police chief Dilbag Singh said. Eight of the 12 people killed in the incident were identified as 26-year-old Dheeraj Kumar, 35-year-old Shweta Singh, 24-year-old Viney Kumar, 24-year-old Sonu Pandey, 38-year-old Mamata, 35-year-old Dharmveer Singh, 38-year-old Vaneet Kumar and 30-year-old Arun Partap Singh. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_ Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSingh Ji, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 1, 2022 Jammu and Kashmir government led by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha ordered a high-level inquiry into the stampede. The inquiry committee headed by J&K Principal Secretary (Home) has been asked to submit its report to the government within a week. The Committee has been asked to point out the lapses and fix the responsibility thereof, besides suggesting the measures to prevent reoccurrence of such incidents in future. While the survivors blamed mismanagement and poor deployment of policemen to regulate pilgrims for the tragedy, the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board denied the charge, saying all necessary arrangements were made given the expected rush of pilgrims. The pilgrimage resumed after a brief suspension and was going on smoothly with strict adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs), including Covid-19 guidelines, officials said. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 1, 2022 J&K government announced an amount of Rs10 lakh and the Center Rs two lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the stampede while the injured will be provided Rs 2.5 lakh. Jitendra Singh, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, visited the shrine to take stock of the situation. We are exploring the possible use of technology to avoid such incidents in the future, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and J&K LG also expressed their condolences. J&K Amit Shah (@AmitShah) January 1, 2022 Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSinghJi, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation, Modi tweeted. Amit Shah in a tweet said: The tragedy due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Bhawan is heart-wrenching. Anguished by the loss of lives due to it. My condolences to the bereaved families in this sad hour. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. Mata Vaishno Devi is a religious pilgrimage atop a hilltop in Katra town of Jammu that attracts millions of devotees from across the world every year. Ex-gratia of Rs.10 lakh each would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to stampede and Rs.2 lakh to injured. Shrine board to bear the cost of treatment of injured. Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) January 1, 2022 Watch the latest DH Videos here: Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 1 (ANI): On the occasion of the New Year amid the ongoing night curfew imposed in Uttar Pradesh, security was tightened in Lucknow's Hazratganj Chauraha area on Friday as police personnel were ensuring that people follow curfew guidelines. Speaking to ANI, Raghavendra Tripathi, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) said "We ensured that everyone returned home before 11 pm to abide by night curfew guidelines and announcements were made for the same." Also Read | Stampede at Vaishno Devi Shrine: Union Minister Jitendra Singh Rushes to Katra to Take Stock of Situation. Earlier on Friday, last week, the state government decided to impose a night curfew from December 25 following COVID-19 concerns in the country. As per the government's directives, a night curfew was put in place from December 25 from 11 pm-5 am. (ANI) Also Read | New Year 2022 Wishes: PM Narendra Modi Extends New Year Greetings to People. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Five former chiefs of the armed forces and other military veterans joined eminent personalities and civil society activists to write to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to curb the menace of hate speeches, like the ones recently delivered in Haridwar and Delhi, which allegedly called for "genocide of Muslims". The Constitution (of India) provides for the free practice of religion across faiths. We strongly deplore such polarisation in the name of religion. We urge you, Mr President and Mr Prime Minister, to take immediate steps to curb such attempts, and urge you to condemn such incitement to violence in no uncertain terms, they wrote in an open letter to Kovind and Modi on Friday. They noted that not only the Muslims but other minorities, including Christians, Dalits and Sikhs, were also being targeted in hate speeches across the country. Also Read Prominent citizens, armed forces veterans write to President, PM on hate speech The signatories of the letter to President and Prime Minister included Admiral L Ramdas, Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat, Admiral Arun Prakash, and Admiral R K Dhowan, four former chiefs of the Indian Navy, Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi, a former chief of the Indian Air Force, and Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi, former Vice Chief of the Army Staff, apart from several other military veterans and civil society activists. They wrote that they were seriously perturbed by the content of speeches made during a three-day religious conclave titled Dharma Sansad of Hindu seers and other leaders, held in Haridwar between December 17 and 19. There were repeated calls for establishing a Hindu Rashtra and, if required, picking up weapons and killing of India's Muslims in the name of protecting Hinduism, wrote the military veterans and civil society activists. They noted that a large number of persons gathered in Delhi around the same time and publicly took an oath resolving to make India a Hindu nation, by fighting and killing if necessary. They pointed out that more such seditious meetings were being organised in other places. Regardless of which persons or parties initiated calls for such genocide, Government of India and the judiciary, at the highest level, need to take urgent action. We cannot allow such incitement to violence together with public expressions of hate, which not only constitute serious breaches of internal security, but which could also tear apart the social fabric of our nation. Also Read Indias leaders are playing with fire They pointed out that one of the speakers at the Haridwar conclave made a call to the army and police to pick up weapons and participate in the cleanliness drive (safai abhiyan). This amounts to asking the army to participate in genocide of our own citizens, and is condemnable and unacceptable. They tacitly referred to the situation along Indias borders with China and Pakistan and warned that any breach of peace and harmony within the nation would embolden inimical external forces. The unity and cohesiveness of our men and women in uniform, including the CAPFs (Central Armed Police Forces) and police forces, will be seriously affected by allowing such blatant calls for violence against one or the other community in our diverse and plural society. They called upon the government, Parliament and the Supreme Court to act with urgency to protect the integrity and security of the country. They also sent copies of the letter to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Justice N V Ramana and the current chiefs of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, Gen M Naravane, Admiral R Harikumar, Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhary. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Five former chiefs of the armed forces and other military veterans joined eminent personalities and civil society activists to write to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to curb the menace of hate speeches, like the ones recently delivered in Haridwar and Delhi, which allegedly called for "genocide of Muslims". The Constitution (of India) provides for the free practice of religion across faiths. We strongly deplore such polarisation in the name of religion. We urge you, Mr President and Mr Prime Minister, to take immediate steps to curb such attempts, and urge you to condemn such incitement to violence in no uncertain terms, they wrote in an open letter to Kovind and Modi on Friday. They noted that not only the Muslims but other minorities, including Christians, Dalits and Sikhs, were also being targeted in hate speeches across the country. Also Read Prominent citizens, armed forces veterans write to President, PM on hate speech The signatories of the letter to President and Prime Minister included Admiral L Ramdas, Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat, Admiral Arun Prakash, and Admiral R K Dhowan, four former chiefs of the Indian Navy, Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi, a former chief of the Indian Air Force, and Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi, former Vice Chief of the Army Staff, apart from several other military veterans and civil society activists. They wrote that they were seriously perturbed by the content of speeches made during a three-day religious conclave titled Dharma Sansad of Hindu seers and other leaders, held in Haridwar between December 17 and 19. There were repeated calls for establishing a Hindu Rashtra and, if required, picking up weapons and killing of India's Muslims in the name of protecting Hinduism, wrote the military veterans and civil society activists. They noted that a large number of persons gathered in Delhi around the same time and publicly took an oath resolving to make India a Hindu nation, by fighting and killing if necessary. They pointed out that more such seditious meetings were being organised in other places. Regardless of which persons or parties initiated calls for such genocide, Government of India and the judiciary, at the highest level, need to take urgent action. We cannot allow such incitement to violence together with public expressions of hate, which not only constitute serious breaches of internal security, but which could also tear apart the social fabric of our nation. Also Read Indias leaders are playing with fire They pointed out that one of the speakers at the Haridwar conclave made a call to the army and police to pick up weapons and participate in the cleanliness drive (safai abhiyan). This amounts to asking the army to participate in genocide of our own citizens, and is condemnable and unacceptable. They tacitly referred to the situation along Indias borders with China and Pakistan and warned that any breach of peace and harmony within the nation would embolden inimical external forces. The unity and cohesiveness of our men and women in uniform, including the CAPFs (Central Armed Police Forces) and police forces, will be seriously affected by allowing such blatant calls for violence against one or the other community in our diverse and plural society. They called upon the government, Parliament and the Supreme Court to act with urgency to protect the integrity and security of the country. They also sent copies of the letter to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Justice N V Ramana and the current chiefs of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, Gen M Naravane, Admiral R Harikumar, Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhary. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Five former chiefs of the armed forces and other military veterans joined eminent personalities and civil society activists to write to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to curb the menace of hate speeches, like the ones recently delivered in Haridwar and Delhi, which allegedly called for "genocide of Muslims". The Constitution (of India) provides for the free practice of religion across faiths. We strongly deplore such polarisation in the name of religion. We urge you, Mr President and Mr Prime Minister, to take immediate steps to curb such attempts, and urge you to condemn such incitement to violence in no uncertain terms, they wrote in an open letter to Kovind and Modi on Friday. They noted that not only the Muslims but other minorities, including Christians, Dalits and Sikhs, were also being targeted in hate speeches across the country. Also Read Prominent citizens, armed forces veterans write to President, PM on hate speech The signatories of the letter to President and Prime Minister included Admiral L Ramdas, Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat, Admiral Arun Prakash, and Admiral R K Dhowan, four former chiefs of the Indian Navy, Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi, a former chief of the Indian Air Force, and Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi, former Vice Chief of the Army Staff, apart from several other military veterans and civil society activists. They wrote that they were seriously perturbed by the content of speeches made during a three-day religious conclave titled Dharma Sansad of Hindu seers and other leaders, held in Haridwar between December 17 and 19. There were repeated calls for establishing a Hindu Rashtra and, if required, picking up weapons and killing of India's Muslims in the name of protecting Hinduism, wrote the military veterans and civil society activists. They noted that a large number of persons gathered in Delhi around the same time and publicly took an oath resolving to make India a Hindu nation, by fighting and killing if necessary. They pointed out that more such seditious meetings were being organised in other places. Regardless of which persons or parties initiated calls for such genocide, Government of India and the judiciary, at the highest level, need to take urgent action. We cannot allow such incitement to violence together with public expressions of hate, which not only constitute serious breaches of internal security, but which could also tear apart the social fabric of our nation. Also Read Indias leaders are playing with fire They pointed out that one of the speakers at the Haridwar conclave made a call to the army and police to pick up weapons and participate in the cleanliness drive (safai abhiyan). This amounts to asking the army to participate in genocide of our own citizens, and is condemnable and unacceptable. They tacitly referred to the situation along Indias borders with China and Pakistan and warned that any breach of peace and harmony within the nation would embolden inimical external forces. The unity and cohesiveness of our men and women in uniform, including the CAPFs (Central Armed Police Forces) and police forces, will be seriously affected by allowing such blatant calls for violence against one or the other community in our diverse and plural society. They called upon the government, Parliament and the Supreme Court to act with urgency to protect the integrity and security of the country. They also sent copies of the letter to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Justice N V Ramana and the current chiefs of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, Gen M Naravane, Admiral R Harikumar, Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhary. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Five former chiefs of the armed forces and other military veterans joined eminent personalities and civil society activists to write to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to curb the menace of hate speeches, like the ones recently delivered in Haridwar and Delhi, which allegedly called for "genocide of Muslims". The Constitution (of India) provides for the free practice of religion across faiths. We strongly deplore such polarisation in the name of religion. We urge you, Mr President and Mr Prime Minister, to take immediate steps to curb such attempts, and urge you to condemn such incitement to violence in no uncertain terms, they wrote in an open letter to Kovind and Modi on Friday. They noted that not only the Muslims but other minorities, including Christians, Dalits and Sikhs, were also being targeted in hate speeches across the country. Also Read Prominent citizens, armed forces veterans write to President, PM on hate speech The signatories of the letter to President and Prime Minister included Admiral L Ramdas, Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat, Admiral Arun Prakash, and Admiral R K Dhowan, four former chiefs of the Indian Navy, Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi, a former chief of the Indian Air Force, and Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi, former Vice Chief of the Army Staff, apart from several other military veterans and civil society activists. They wrote that they were seriously perturbed by the content of speeches made during a three-day religious conclave titled Dharma Sansad of Hindu seers and other leaders, held in Haridwar between December 17 and 19. There were repeated calls for establishing a Hindu Rashtra and, if required, picking up weapons and killing of India's Muslims in the name of protecting Hinduism, wrote the military veterans and civil society activists. They noted that a large number of persons gathered in Delhi around the same time and publicly took an oath resolving to make India a Hindu nation, by fighting and killing if necessary. They pointed out that more such seditious meetings were being organised in other places. Regardless of which persons or parties initiated calls for such genocide, Government of India and the judiciary, at the highest level, need to take urgent action. We cannot allow such incitement to violence together with public expressions of hate, which not only constitute serious breaches of internal security, but which could also tear apart the social fabric of our nation. Also Read Indias leaders are playing with fire They pointed out that one of the speakers at the Haridwar conclave made a call to the army and police to pick up weapons and participate in the cleanliness drive (safai abhiyan). This amounts to asking the army to participate in genocide of our own citizens, and is condemnable and unacceptable. They tacitly referred to the situation along Indias borders with China and Pakistan and warned that any breach of peace and harmony within the nation would embolden inimical external forces. The unity and cohesiveness of our men and women in uniform, including the CAPFs (Central Armed Police Forces) and police forces, will be seriously affected by allowing such blatant calls for violence against one or the other community in our diverse and plural society. They called upon the government, Parliament and the Supreme Court to act with urgency to protect the integrity and security of the country. They also sent copies of the letter to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Justice N V Ramana and the current chiefs of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, Gen M Naravane, Admiral R Harikumar, Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhary. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Bottles of Moet & Chandon and Veuve Clicquot French champagne are seen in this illustration picture, taken on July 5, 2021. (Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters) EU Records First Drop in Sparkling Wine Exports in Decade as Champagne Loses Its Fizz BRUSSELSThe European Unions exports of sparkling wine to the rest of the world fell last year for the first time in a decade, Eurostat said on Friday, largely because of a massive drop in champagne sales, though prosecco and cava sold well. The COVID-19 pandemic dampened wine trade globally in 2020, the latest year for which data are available, as restaurants and bars remained closed for long periods. Champagne was hit the hardest. Sales outside the EU of the famed French sparkling wine fell over 20 percent by volume to 66 million liters in 2020 from nearly 84 million liters the previous year. That largely contributed to a 6 percent overall drop in EU exports of sparkling wines last year compared to 2019, the Eurostat data showed. EU exports fell from a peak of 528 million liters in 2019 to 494 million liters in 2020still nearly twice the level recorded in 2010. Of the three main categories of sparkling wine exported from the EU, only champagne recorded a significant drop by volume. Prosecco, which is by far the most exported, recorded sales outside the EU of 205 million liters in 2020, compared to nearly 207 million liters in 2019. Cava, which is produced in Spain, bucked the trend by increasing its extra-EU exports by more than 10 percent to 58 million liters in 2020, getting closer to replacing champagne as the second most sold EU sparkling wine outside the 27-nation bloc. Total champagne sales, including in the EU, fell 18 percent last year by volume, producers group CIVC has estimated. Despite the drop in sales by volume, vintage champagnes have proven a lucrative draw for investors this year, outperforming all major financial market assets from Big Tech to bitcoin. Salon le Mesnils 2002 vintage surged more than 80 percent in value in 2021 on online platforms. At least a dozen pilgrims died and 15 others were injured after a stampede occurred at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in the Katra area of Jammu and Kashmirs Reasi district on Saturday. The incident occurred at around 2:45 am on the first day of the New Year, when a large number of devotees queued to have darshan (glimpse) of sanctum sanctorum inside the cave shrine on Trikuta hills in Katra, officials said. A minor altercation among some young boys amid a massive rush of devotees triggered the stampede. Twelve pilgrims lost their lives and 15 were injured in the incident, they said and added the rescue operations started immediately and all the injured were shifted to hospitals, where the condition of four among them is stated to be critical. Also read: Jammu and Kashmir's L-G Manoj Sinha orders probe into Vaishno Devi stampede Preliminary information from the scene suggests that a minor altercation among some young boys led to the stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in which 12 people unfortunately died," J&K Police chief Dilbag Singh said. Eight of the 12 people killed in the incident were identified as 26-year-old Dheeraj Kumar, 35-year-old Shweta Singh, 24-year-old Viney Kumar, 24-year-old Sonu Pandey, 38-year-old Mamata, 35-year-old Dharmveer Singh, 38-year-old Vaneet Kumar and 30-year-old Arun Partap Singh. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_ Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSingh Ji, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 1, 2022 Jammu and Kashmir government led by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha ordered a high-level inquiry into the stampede. The inquiry committee headed by J&K Principal Secretary (Home) has been asked to submit its report to the government within a week. The Committee has been asked to point out the lapses and fix the responsibility thereof, besides suggesting the measures to prevent reoccurrence of such incidents in future. While the survivors blamed mismanagement and poor deployment of policemen to regulate pilgrims for the tragedy, the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board denied the charge, saying all necessary arrangements were made given the expected rush of pilgrims. The pilgrimage resumed after a brief suspension and was going on smoothly with strict adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs), including Covid-19 guidelines, officials said. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 1, 2022 J&K government announced an amount of Rs10 lakh and the Center Rs two lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the stampede while the injured will be provided Rs 2.5 lakh. Jitendra Singh, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, visited the shrine to take stock of the situation. We are exploring the possible use of technology to avoid such incidents in the future, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and J&K LG also expressed their condolences. J&K Amit Shah (@AmitShah) January 1, 2022 Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSinghJi, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation, Modi tweeted. Amit Shah in a tweet said: The tragedy due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Bhawan is heart-wrenching. Anguished by the loss of lives due to it. My condolences to the bereaved families in this sad hour. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. Mata Vaishno Devi is a religious pilgrimage atop a hilltop in Katra town of Jammu that attracts millions of devotees from across the world every year. Ex-gratia of Rs.10 lakh each would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to stampede and Rs.2 lakh to injured. Shrine board to bear the cost of treatment of injured. Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) January 1, 2022 Watch the latest DH Videos here: At least a dozen pilgrims died and 15 others were injured after a stampede occurred at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in the Katra area of Jammu and Kashmirs Reasi district on Saturday. The incident occurred at around 2:45 am on the first day of the New Year, when a large number of devotees queued to have darshan (glimpse) of sanctum sanctorum inside the cave shrine on Trikuta hills in Katra, officials said. A minor altercation among some young boys amid a massive rush of devotees triggered the stampede. Twelve pilgrims lost their lives and 15 were injured in the incident, they said and added the rescue operations started immediately and all the injured were shifted to hospitals, where the condition of four among them is stated to be critical. Also read: Jammu and Kashmir's L-G Manoj Sinha orders probe into Vaishno Devi stampede Preliminary information from the scene suggests that a minor altercation among some young boys led to the stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in which 12 people unfortunately died," J&K Police chief Dilbag Singh said. Eight of the 12 people killed in the incident were identified as 26-year-old Dheeraj Kumar, 35-year-old Shweta Singh, 24-year-old Viney Kumar, 24-year-old Sonu Pandey, 38-year-old Mamata, 35-year-old Dharmveer Singh, 38-year-old Vaneet Kumar and 30-year-old Arun Partap Singh. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_ Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSingh Ji, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 1, 2022 Jammu and Kashmir government led by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha ordered a high-level inquiry into the stampede. The inquiry committee headed by J&K Principal Secretary (Home) has been asked to submit its report to the government within a week. The Committee has been asked to point out the lapses and fix the responsibility thereof, besides suggesting the measures to prevent reoccurrence of such incidents in future. While the survivors blamed mismanagement and poor deployment of policemen to regulate pilgrims for the tragedy, the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board denied the charge, saying all necessary arrangements were made given the expected rush of pilgrims. The pilgrimage resumed after a brief suspension and was going on smoothly with strict adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs), including Covid-19 guidelines, officials said. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 1, 2022 J&K government announced an amount of Rs10 lakh and the Center Rs two lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the stampede while the injured will be provided Rs 2.5 lakh. Jitendra Singh, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, visited the shrine to take stock of the situation. We are exploring the possible use of technology to avoid such incidents in the future, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and J&K LG also expressed their condolences. J&K Amit Shah (@AmitShah) January 1, 2022 Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSinghJi, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation, Modi tweeted. Amit Shah in a tweet said: The tragedy due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Bhawan is heart-wrenching. Anguished by the loss of lives due to it. My condolences to the bereaved families in this sad hour. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. Mata Vaishno Devi is a religious pilgrimage atop a hilltop in Katra town of Jammu that attracts millions of devotees from across the world every year. Ex-gratia of Rs.10 lakh each would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to stampede and Rs.2 lakh to injured. Shrine board to bear the cost of treatment of injured. Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) January 1, 2022 Watch the latest DH Videos here: Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 1 (ANI): On the occasion of the New Year amid the ongoing night curfew imposed in Uttar Pradesh, security was tightened in Lucknow's Hazratganj Chauraha area on Friday as police personnel were ensuring that people follow curfew guidelines. Speaking to ANI, Raghavendra Tripathi, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) said "We ensured that everyone returned home before 11 pm to abide by night curfew guidelines and announcements were made for the same." Also Read | Stampede at Vaishno Devi Shrine: Union Minister Jitendra Singh Rushes to Katra to Take Stock of Situation. Earlier on Friday, last week, the state government decided to impose a night curfew from December 25 following COVID-19 concerns in the country. As per the government's directives, a night curfew was put in place from December 25 from 11 pm-5 am. (ANI) Also Read | New Year 2022 Wishes: PM Narendra Modi Extends New Year Greetings to People. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Cathay Pacific Airways aircrafts line up on the tarmac at the Hong Kong International Airport, in Hong Kong, China, on March 6, 2020. (Kin Cheung/AP Photo) Cathay Pacific Suspends Cargo Flights Due to Virus Controls HONG KONGHong Kongs Cathay Pacific Airlines is suspending cargo flights for a week due to stricter quarantine requirements for air crews, potentially adding to strain on global supply chains. Long-haul flights to Europe, across the Pacific and to Riyadh and Dubai are suspended through Jan. 6, the airline said Thursday. It promised to try to help customers mitigate the disruption. Hong Kong is tightening up virus restrictions after confirming its first cases of community transmission of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus on Friday, tied to a Cathay Pacific crew member who had returned from the United States on Christmas Day. The airlines workforce is stretched thin after the quarantine for Cathay Pacific flight crews who return from abroad was extended to one week in a hotel room from three days. Thursdays announcement gave no details, but The South China Morning Post newspaper said the longer quarantine would leave Cathay without enough pilots for all its flights. The airline earlier asked staff to volunteer for a closed-loop system under which they would work for three-week stints with brief stopovers in Hong Kong, but too few agreed, according to news reports. Cathay said earlier it would reduce its schedule of passenger flights in the first three months of 2022 due to staff shortages. The crew member had lunch at a restaurant two days after returning from the United States, in apparent violation of a three-day self-isolation rule. Two other people eating at the Moon Palace restaurant on Monday were infected: the father of the crew member and a construction worker dining 10 meters (30 feet) away. City leader Carrie Lam expressed her strong dissatisfaction to both the chairman and the CEO of the citys flagship airline, Health Secretary Sophia Chan said at a news conference. Cathay Pacific said in a statement that five crew members had tested positive for Omicron recently, and some had not followed regulations. It apologized and said they would be disciplined. Health officials said there is a high risk of further spread, saying it could lead to what would be a fifth major wave of infections in the city. Hong Kong has recorded 81 omicron cases. The others were among people who had arrived from overseas. Withdrawing spl session is 'Black day' in history of India: AAP 22 Sep 2022 | 6:56 PM Chandigarh, Sep 22 (UNI) Condemning the move of the Punjab Governor to withdraw his assent to hold a Special Session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Punjab Finance Minister and AAP leader Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday dubbed it a 'Black day' in the history of Indian politics. see more.. Need to stay mentally fit to prevent heart disease: Expert 22 Sep 2022 | 6:54 PM Jalandhar, Sep 22 (UNI) The untimely death of comedian Raju Srivastav, Singer KK, actor Sidharth Shukla, Kannada superstar Puneeth Rajkumar and many other celebrities recently have brought to light the fact that cardiac diseases are growing in youth. see more.. Gyanvapi: Carbon dating of 'Shivling' other Hindu symbols demanded 22 Sep 2022 | 6:22 PM Varanasi, Sep 22 (UNI) An application seeking carbon dating of the Shivling like Structure, the walls, Maa Shringar Gauri Sthal and other deities was moved in the district court on Thursday on which it issued notice to the Muslim side to file their objections. see more.. Punjab: AAP carries out march to protest cancellation of assembly session 22 Sep 2022 | 6:17 PM Chandigarh, Sep 22 (UNI) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab MLAs on Thursday carried out a march from Vidhan Sabha to Governor's house to protest the cancellation of the special assembly session summoned to bring a confidence motion. see more.. At least a dozen pilgrims died and 15 others were injured after a stampede occurred at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in the Katra area of Jammu and Kashmirs Reasi district on Saturday. The incident occurred at around 2:45 am on the first day of the New Year, when a large number of devotees queued to have darshan (glimpse) of sanctum sanctorum inside the cave shrine on Trikuta hills in Katra, officials said. A minor altercation among some young boys amid a massive rush of devotees triggered the stampede. Twelve pilgrims lost their lives and 15 were injured in the incident, they said and added the rescue operations started immediately and all the injured were shifted to hospitals, where the condition of four among them is stated to be critical. Also read: Jammu and Kashmir's L-G Manoj Sinha orders probe into Vaishno Devi stampede Preliminary information from the scene suggests that a minor altercation among some young boys led to the stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in which 12 people unfortunately died," J&K Police chief Dilbag Singh said. Eight of the 12 people killed in the incident were identified as 26-year-old Dheeraj Kumar, 35-year-old Shweta Singh, 24-year-old Viney Kumar, 24-year-old Sonu Pandey, 38-year-old Mamata, 35-year-old Dharmveer Singh, 38-year-old Vaneet Kumar and 30-year-old Arun Partap Singh. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_ Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSingh Ji, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 1, 2022 Jammu and Kashmir government led by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha ordered a high-level inquiry into the stampede. The inquiry committee headed by J&K Principal Secretary (Home) has been asked to submit its report to the government within a week. The Committee has been asked to point out the lapses and fix the responsibility thereof, besides suggesting the measures to prevent reoccurrence of such incidents in future. While the survivors blamed mismanagement and poor deployment of policemen to regulate pilgrims for the tragedy, the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board denied the charge, saying all necessary arrangements were made given the expected rush of pilgrims. The pilgrimage resumed after a brief suspension and was going on smoothly with strict adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs), including Covid-19 guidelines, officials said. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 1, 2022 J&K government announced an amount of Rs10 lakh and the Center Rs two lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the stampede while the injured will be provided Rs 2.5 lakh. Jitendra Singh, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, visited the shrine to take stock of the situation. We are exploring the possible use of technology to avoid such incidents in the future, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and J&K LG also expressed their condolences. J&K Amit Shah (@AmitShah) January 1, 2022 Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSinghJi, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation, Modi tweeted. Amit Shah in a tweet said: The tragedy due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Bhawan is heart-wrenching. Anguished by the loss of lives due to it. My condolences to the bereaved families in this sad hour. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. Mata Vaishno Devi is a religious pilgrimage atop a hilltop in Katra town of Jammu that attracts millions of devotees from across the world every year. Ex-gratia of Rs.10 lakh each would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to stampede and Rs.2 lakh to injured. Shrine board to bear the cost of treatment of injured. Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) January 1, 2022 Watch the latest DH Videos here: Wilkes-Barre, PA (18701) Today Rain ending this morning. Breaks of sun in the afternoon. High 67F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low near 45F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Wilkes-Barre, PA (18701) Today Rain ending this morning. Breaks of sun in the afternoon. High 67F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low near 45F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Wilkes-Barre, PA (18701) Today Rain ending this morning. Breaks of sun in the afternoon. High 67F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low near 45F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Cathay Pacific Airways aircrafts line up on the tarmac at the Hong Kong International Airport, in Hong Kong, China, on March 6, 2020. (Kin Cheung/AP Photo) Cathay Pacific Suspends Cargo Flights Due to Virus Controls HONG KONGHong Kongs Cathay Pacific Airlines is suspending cargo flights for a week due to stricter quarantine requirements for air crews, potentially adding to strain on global supply chains. Long-haul flights to Europe, across the Pacific and to Riyadh and Dubai are suspended through Jan. 6, the airline said Thursday. It promised to try to help customers mitigate the disruption. Hong Kong is tightening up virus restrictions after confirming its first cases of community transmission of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus on Friday, tied to a Cathay Pacific crew member who had returned from the United States on Christmas Day. The airlines workforce is stretched thin after the quarantine for Cathay Pacific flight crews who return from abroad was extended to one week in a hotel room from three days. Thursdays announcement gave no details, but The South China Morning Post newspaper said the longer quarantine would leave Cathay without enough pilots for all its flights. The airline earlier asked staff to volunteer for a closed-loop system under which they would work for three-week stints with brief stopovers in Hong Kong, but too few agreed, according to news reports. Cathay said earlier it would reduce its schedule of passenger flights in the first three months of 2022 due to staff shortages. The crew member had lunch at a restaurant two days after returning from the United States, in apparent violation of a three-day self-isolation rule. Two other people eating at the Moon Palace restaurant on Monday were infected: the father of the crew member and a construction worker dining 10 meters (30 feet) away. City leader Carrie Lam expressed her strong dissatisfaction to both the chairman and the CEO of the citys flagship airline, Health Secretary Sophia Chan said at a news conference. Cathay Pacific said in a statement that five crew members had tested positive for Omicron recently, and some had not followed regulations. It apologized and said they would be disciplined. Health officials said there is a high risk of further spread, saying it could lead to what would be a fifth major wave of infections in the city. Hong Kong has recorded 81 omicron cases. The others were among people who had arrived from overseas. Wilkes-Barre, PA (18701) Today Rain ending this morning. Breaks of sun in the afternoon. High 67F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low near 45F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. New Delhi, Jan 1 : More the things change, the more they remain the same, is an old adage applicable to anything and everything, including the government, irrespective of the party in power. In 2011, it was Anna Andolan that had captured the popular imagination of the whole nation. In 2021, it was the farmers' protest that had dominated the discourse even in the pandemic induced lockdown year. In April 2011, social activist Anna Hazare had embarked on a fast unto death demanding passing of the Jan Lokpal Bill. Sensing the popularity of Team Anna, the government agreed for a joint drafting committee; it was formed in April 2011 itself. Few meetings later, when the Ramdev Baba episode at the Ramlila Maidan took place in June, Team Anna members stopped going to the meetings. The Bill was passed in Parliament in December 2013, the same month when Arvind Kejriwal, having parted his ways with Hazare, had formed a party, contested, and won the Delhi Assembly elections. Much water had flown below the bridge, the government at the Centre had changed when Hazare in March 2018 declared to resume his battle for Jan Lokpal Bill. The NDA government brought in an amendment and passed the Bill in both the Houses soon. Since then, nobody has even heard of the Lokpal, in whichever avatar the Bill was passed. Even when the farmers' agitation started in 2020, it was the year 2021 that saw the fruition of their agitation in all respects. The Modi government relented to their demands and in December first week, the three contentious farm Bills were repealed.The farmers were promised that a committee would be formed to discuss the Minimum Support Price (MSP). But more than a month after the Prime Minister's announcement, there is no word about it. And that is where the similarities between the Lokpal and three laws begin. So what happens to the MSP committee? The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on December 9 declared to suspend their 15-month long agitation that had started to protest the three contentious farm laws passed in 2020. The agitation continued even after the three laws -- the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020 -- were repealed by Parliament as the farmers' stuck to their demands vis-a-vis legal backing for minimum support price (MSP) for all farmers being the prime demand after repeal of the three laws. Manisha Priyam, a political analyst based in Delhi, said, "When the protest is at its peak, the government is bound to listen to the people, albeit unwillingly. But after some time, once things go away from the public eye or glare, things change. In 2011, Pranab Mukherjee had called a special session, a 'Sense of House' resolution was passed. It was given that much importance. Today, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is in power itself, but we all know the fate of Lokpal. It remains to be seen what this government does with the MSP committee. "But what I believe is that the agrarian distrust issue is very important and significant. If the government does not take it up seriously, then, the future will not be easy on this matter. Because it is now a matter of livelihood. The government will have to respond on this matter." Nagender Sharma, former journalist and legal affairs analyst, who was also the Delhi Chief Minister's Advisor. Observing that the government now is a different one and the farmers have already won a critical battle, he said, "Chances of outcome of this Committee are very high because farmers are coming on the back of a victory." Priyam added, "Anna Andolan was about political accountability, which is still vague. Here concrete issues of lives of people are involved. I think there will be some kind of binding on the government." But then, what will stop the government from going back? Pat came her reply: "What stops the people from coming back on the streets?" Farmers' next step Indeed, that is a point of debate as to what will the government do next? Whether or not it will abide by its promises. Earlier in December last week, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Narendra Tomar had said at Nagpur, "We had moved a step back and then moved forward (on farm laws). Farmers are the backbone of India." When it was perceived that the government wants to bring back the three laws, Tomar clarified that there is no proposal or plan yet. That would be discussed when the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) will be meeting again to check what all the government has done since the farmers wrapped up their tents from around Delhi's borders. When asked about the government bringing back the Bills again, Rakesh Tikait, prominent farm leaders, told IANS on phone, "We will see as and when it happens. Why ask about it now?" He, however, sounded a lot more cautious about the Committee on MSP. "No names have been sought as yet. Nothing heard from the government. Nothing heard from the government about (withdrawing) cases in Delhi too." "January 15, we have the SKM meeting. We will see then," Tikait said. New Delhi: Twitter has introduced a new 'financial scams policy' aimed at preventing frauds on the micro-blogging platform. The new policy prohibits "use of scam tactics on Twitter to obtain money or private financial information", and bars people from creating accounts, post tweets, or send direct messages that "solicit engagement in such fraudulent schemes". Twitter has warned that in case of violation, it can take a number of actions ranging from requiring deletion of one or more tweets, temporarily locking of account to permanent suspension from the platform. READ | Twitter Closes Thousands Of Accounts Worldwide For Spreading Fake News "...you may not use Twitter's services to deceive others into sending you money or personal financial information via scam tactics, phishing, or otherwise fraudulent or deceptive methods," as per the new policy. Twitter also made it clear that it will not intervene in financial disputes between individuals on its platform. To report such content, users can select 'report Tweet' from the drop-down menu on the app and select "it's a financial scam" option. After choosing the option that best explains how the tweet is suspicious or spreading spam, users can submit their report. READ | Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey's Account Hacked, Offensive Tweets Posted "At Twitter, improving the collective health of the public conversation is our number one priority. We're announcing a policy expansion to prohibit financial scams on Twitter," a Twitter spokesperson said. The spokesperson added that this will enable the company to take effective action against financial scams that deceive others into sending them money or personal financial information. "The Policy is aligned to support the efforts of Government of India to combat online financial frauds," the spokesperson said. New Delhi, Jan 1 : Karachi reverberated with heavy gunfire on New Year's Eve claiming at least one life and leaving more than 15 people injured amid tight security arrangements and warnings from the authorities, Geo News reported. Karachi echoed with gunfire and fireworks on Friday night, despite a restriction on celebratory firing. Though the authorities had warned of attempted murder charges against the violators, the number of casualties this time was higher than the previous year, when only four individuals were injured in the metropolis. According to hospital reports, a total of 18 people were rushed to hospitals after being struck by stray gunshots. An 11-year-old boy succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment in Khwaja Ajmer Nagar, police said. Six were transferred to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center in Korangi, four to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, three to Civil Hospital, and two to Sindh Government Hospital. Iqra, a 10-year-old girl who was shot and injured by a stray bullet near Kohistan Chowk in North Nazimabad, was among the injured. According to the police, cases have been registered on complaints of aerial firing, and arrests are likely around Karachi on New Year's Eve for aerial firing, the report said. New Delhi: At least 10 people died while one was injured after an oil tanker rammed into their autorickshaw near Ramrai village in Jind on Tuesday night. Nine of the victims were returning from an Army recruitment rally, according to police. Some of them were cadets at the military academy. The police have informed the relatives and the academy. The driver of the auto-rickshaw was also killed in the accident, while another man who was part of the group that took part in the recruitment drive was critically injured, they said. The accident took place on Jind-Hisar Road late Tuesday evening, police said. Those killed are in the age group of 20-22 years, they said. A case has been registered in connection with the incident, said an official of the Jind-Sadar police station. White first made an impression on critics and audiences in her starring role on the suburban sitcom Life With Elizabeth, which aired from 1953 to 1955. New York Times television critic Jack Gould called White a talented and immensely personable actress with an intuitive feel for farce. If the role helped propel Whites long career, she later spoke dismissively about what she considered its dated premise. Plotlines centered on Elizabeths biscuits not turning out, she later told The Washington Post. We were trying to be funny. We were more two-dimensional cartoon characters than three-dimensional real people. Her other sitcom work from the period was not much better, but her heart-shaped face and amiable personality won her a great deal of work on other programs, notably such long-running quiz shows as Whats My Line? and Password. She said she was approached by NBC in the early 1960s to be the new girl on the Today morning show but declined because she did not want to live in New York City. They had to make do with Barbara Walters, White told NPR. What can I tell you? Actors from the television series "The " Golden Girls" stand together during a break in taping Dec. 25, 1985 in Hollywood. From left are, Estelle Getty, Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur and Betty White. Credit:AP The Mary Tyler Moore Show provided White with one of her juiciest roles. From 1973 until the show ended in 1977, she portrayed Sue Ann Nivens, the outwardly sweet Happy Homemaker on the fictional Minneapolis station WJM-TV who had a sexually rapacious off-camera personality. Portraying the neighborhood nymphomaniac, White later said, was pivotal in reviving her acting career after years of game-show work. After years of playing that nice lady, she told TV Guide in 1974, it was great fun for them to see that nice ladies sometimes have claws. For me, it was like being born again. She won two Emmy Awards for her supporting role on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and was nominated for another. The Golden Girls, which debuted in 1985 to glowing reviews and ran for seven years on NBC, sealed Whites presence on the small screen. She played ditsy but kindhearted Rose Nylund, a widowed grief counsellor who shares a Miami home with three other senior citizens: the oversexed Southern belle Blanche (Rue McClanahan); the abrasive octogenarian Sophia (Estelle Getty); and Sophias dominating daughter, Dorothy (Bea Arthur). Rose was prone to self-doubt and misinterpreted everything said around her. Sexual innuendo often stumped her, such as Dorothys comment that her ex-husband needed to strip naked to count to 21. Rose came from the Minnesota town of St Olaf, and her rambling reminiscences of its eccentric residents became a running joke. She won the 1986 Emmy for lead actress in a comedy series and was nominated six more times during the shows run. Betty Marion White was born in Oak Park, Illinois., on January 17, 1922. She grew up in Los Angeles, where she showed early interest in theatre and won several acting jobs on radio and stage. Her career stalled after her 1945 marriage to Dick Barker, a World War II pilot who took her back to his familys chicken farm in Ohio. She later called the experience a nightmare. A second marriage, to actor and show-business agent Lane Allan, also ended in divorce. She said Allan was unhappy that she wanted to work. In 1949 and newly single, White joined a Los Angeles TV talk show as the sidekick of Al Jarvis. It was exhausting but exhilarating, White later told the Toronto Star. It was live, five hours a day, six days a week, she said. We did 58 live commercials one day. White succeeded Jarvis as host of the show before she won her first starring role on national television with Life With Elizabeth, with Del Moore playing her husband. She later hosted The Betty White Show, a daytime talk show on NBC, and the domestic comedy Date With the Angels on ABC. Other sitcom efforts starring White fizzled, and she became a freelance celebrity panelist on game shows, through which she met Ludden, a widower, and married him in 1963. He died in 1981. They had no children. Betty White poses for photographers on the red carpet before Comedy Central's "Roast of William Shatner," Sunday, Aug. 13, 2006, in Los Angeles. Betty White, whose saucy, up-for-anything charm made her a television mainstay for more than 60 years, has died. She was 99. Credit:AP White was an animal advocate much of her life. She volunteered with animal welfare organisations, wrote a book about pet care and hosted a series in the early 1970s, The Pet Set, about celebrities and their pets. White first made an impression on critics and audiences in her starring role on the suburban sitcom Life With Elizabeth, which aired from 1953 to 1955. New York Times television critic Jack Gould called White a talented and immensely personable actress with an intuitive feel for farce. If the role helped propel Whites long career, she later spoke dismissively about what she considered its dated premise. Plotlines centered on Elizabeths biscuits not turning out, she later told The Washington Post. We were trying to be funny. We were more two-dimensional cartoon characters than three-dimensional real people. Her other sitcom work from the period was not much better, but her heart-shaped face and amiable personality won her a great deal of work on other programs, notably such long-running quiz shows as Whats My Line? and Password. She said she was approached by NBC in the early 1960s to be the new girl on the Today morning show but declined because she did not want to live in New York City. They had to make do with Barbara Walters, White told NPR. What can I tell you? Actors from the television series "The " Golden Girls" stand together during a break in taping Dec. 25, 1985 in Hollywood. From left are, Estelle Getty, Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur and Betty White. Credit:AP The Mary Tyler Moore Show provided White with one of her juiciest roles. From 1973 until the show ended in 1977, she portrayed Sue Ann Nivens, the outwardly sweet Happy Homemaker on the fictional Minneapolis station WJM-TV who had a sexually rapacious off-camera personality. Portraying the neighborhood nymphomaniac, White later said, was pivotal in reviving her acting career after years of game-show work. After years of playing that nice lady, she told TV Guide in 1974, it was great fun for them to see that nice ladies sometimes have claws. For me, it was like being born again. She won two Emmy Awards for her supporting role on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and was nominated for another. The Golden Girls, which debuted in 1985 to glowing reviews and ran for seven years on NBC, sealed Whites presence on the small screen. She played ditsy but kindhearted Rose Nylund, a widowed grief counsellor who shares a Miami home with three other senior citizens: the oversexed Southern belle Blanche (Rue McClanahan); the abrasive octogenarian Sophia (Estelle Getty); and Sophias dominating daughter, Dorothy (Bea Arthur). Rose was prone to self-doubt and misinterpreted everything said around her. Sexual innuendo often stumped her, such as Dorothys comment that her ex-husband needed to strip naked to count to 21. Rose came from the Minnesota town of St Olaf, and her rambling reminiscences of its eccentric residents became a running joke. She won the 1986 Emmy for lead actress in a comedy series and was nominated six more times during the shows run. Betty Marion White was born in Oak Park, Illinois., on January 17, 1922. She grew up in Los Angeles, where she showed early interest in theatre and won several acting jobs on radio and stage. Her career stalled after her 1945 marriage to Dick Barker, a World War II pilot who took her back to his familys chicken farm in Ohio. She later called the experience a nightmare. A second marriage, to actor and show-business agent Lane Allan, also ended in divorce. She said Allan was unhappy that she wanted to work. In 1949 and newly single, White joined a Los Angeles TV talk show as the sidekick of Al Jarvis. It was exhausting but exhilarating, White later told the Toronto Star. It was live, five hours a day, six days a week, she said. We did 58 live commercials one day. White succeeded Jarvis as host of the show before she won her first starring role on national television with Life With Elizabeth, with Del Moore playing her husband. She later hosted The Betty White Show, a daytime talk show on NBC, and the domestic comedy Date With the Angels on ABC. Other sitcom efforts starring White fizzled, and she became a freelance celebrity panelist on game shows, through which she met Ludden, a widower, and married him in 1963. He died in 1981. They had no children. Betty White poses for photographers on the red carpet before Comedy Central's "Roast of William Shatner," Sunday, Aug. 13, 2006, in Los Angeles. Betty White, whose saucy, up-for-anything charm made her a television mainstay for more than 60 years, has died. She was 99. Credit:AP White was an animal advocate much of her life. She volunteered with animal welfare organisations, wrote a book about pet care and hosted a series in the early 1970s, The Pet Set, about celebrities and their pets. White first made an impression on critics and audiences in her starring role on the suburban sitcom Life With Elizabeth, which aired from 1953 to 1955. New York Times television critic Jack Gould called White a talented and immensely personable actress with an intuitive feel for farce. If the role helped propel Whites long career, she later spoke dismissively about what she considered its dated premise. Plotlines centered on Elizabeths biscuits not turning out, she later told The Washington Post. We were trying to be funny. We were more two-dimensional cartoon characters than three-dimensional real people. Her other sitcom work from the period was not much better, but her heart-shaped face and amiable personality won her a great deal of work on other programs, notably such long-running quiz shows as Whats My Line? and Password. She said she was approached by NBC in the early 1960s to be the new girl on the Today morning show but declined because she did not want to live in New York City. They had to make do with Barbara Walters, White told NPR. What can I tell you? Actors from the television series "The " Golden Girls" stand together during a break in taping Dec. 25, 1985 in Hollywood. From left are, Estelle Getty, Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur and Betty White. Credit:AP The Mary Tyler Moore Show provided White with one of her juiciest roles. From 1973 until the show ended in 1977, she portrayed Sue Ann Nivens, the outwardly sweet Happy Homemaker on the fictional Minneapolis station WJM-TV who had a sexually rapacious off-camera personality. Portraying the neighborhood nymphomaniac, White later said, was pivotal in reviving her acting career after years of game-show work. After years of playing that nice lady, she told TV Guide in 1974, it was great fun for them to see that nice ladies sometimes have claws. For me, it was like being born again. She won two Emmy Awards for her supporting role on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and was nominated for another. The Golden Girls, which debuted in 1985 to glowing reviews and ran for seven years on NBC, sealed Whites presence on the small screen. She played ditsy but kindhearted Rose Nylund, a widowed grief counsellor who shares a Miami home with three other senior citizens: the oversexed Southern belle Blanche (Rue McClanahan); the abrasive octogenarian Sophia (Estelle Getty); and Sophias dominating daughter, Dorothy (Bea Arthur). Rose was prone to self-doubt and misinterpreted everything said around her. Sexual innuendo often stumped her, such as Dorothys comment that her ex-husband needed to strip naked to count to 21. Rose came from the Minnesota town of St Olaf, and her rambling reminiscences of its eccentric residents became a running joke. She won the 1986 Emmy for lead actress in a comedy series and was nominated six more times during the shows run. Betty Marion White was born in Oak Park, Illinois., on January 17, 1922. She grew up in Los Angeles, where she showed early interest in theatre and won several acting jobs on radio and stage. Her career stalled after her 1945 marriage to Dick Barker, a World War II pilot who took her back to his familys chicken farm in Ohio. She later called the experience a nightmare. A second marriage, to actor and show-business agent Lane Allan, also ended in divorce. She said Allan was unhappy that she wanted to work. In 1949 and newly single, White joined a Los Angeles TV talk show as the sidekick of Al Jarvis. It was exhausting but exhilarating, White later told the Toronto Star. It was live, five hours a day, six days a week, she said. We did 58 live commercials one day. White succeeded Jarvis as host of the show before she won her first starring role on national television with Life With Elizabeth, with Del Moore playing her husband. She later hosted The Betty White Show, a daytime talk show on NBC, and the domestic comedy Date With the Angels on ABC. Other sitcom efforts starring White fizzled, and she became a freelance celebrity panelist on game shows, through which she met Ludden, a widower, and married him in 1963. He died in 1981. They had no children. Betty White poses for photographers on the red carpet before Comedy Central's "Roast of William Shatner," Sunday, Aug. 13, 2006, in Los Angeles. Betty White, whose saucy, up-for-anything charm made her a television mainstay for more than 60 years, has died. She was 99. Credit:AP White was an animal advocate much of her life. She volunteered with animal welfare organisations, wrote a book about pet care and hosted a series in the early 1970s, The Pet Set, about celebrities and their pets. Davenport Civil Rights Director Latrice Lacey's 2019 misdemeanor harassment conviction was affirmed by the Iowa State Supreme Court. The court published its 34-page opinion Thursday. The decision to uphold the conviction closes another chapter in a three-year, eight-month case that started with four misdemeanor charges and included three separate trials. Lacey declined to comment on the decision. Lacey's misdemeanor harassment conviction stemmed from an April 30, 2018, confrontation with former boyfriend Clyde Richardson outside a Davenport business. The Scott County Attorney's office argued Lacey threatened bodily harm against Richardson during what became a physical altercation. The Scott County Attorney's office also charged Lacey with three counts of misdemeanor assault. Lacey's first trial ended in a mistrial. During her second trial in September 2019, a jury convicted Lacey, 35, of the second-degree harassment charge, a serious misdemeanor. The second jury, however, could not reach consensus on the counts of assault, and a mistrial was declared. After the second trial, Judge Stuart P. Werling sentenced Lacey in January 2020 to one year in jail, suspended with probation, for the harassment charge, as well as a fine of $315 and court costs. Lacey was found not guilty of all three assault charges in the third trial, held in late September. Lacey attorney Kent Simmons based the appeal of the harassment conviction on three points: There was insufficient evidence to convict Lacey of harassment. The Scott County court erred by not allowing Lacey to present evidence Richardson harassed her and damaged her property in the months leading up to the incident. The Scott County court both "abused its discretion in refusing to continue sentencing," as well as abused "its discretion in imposing a sentence." Justice Christopher McDonald authored the opinion of the court. He was joined by Chief Justice Susan Christensen, and Justices Thomas Waterman, Dana Oxley and Matthew McDermott. Justice Edward Mansfield concurred in part and dissented with a portion of the ruling, and he was joined in concurring and dissenting by Justice Brent Appel. Explaining the court's majority decision, McDonald wrote: "We disagree with Laceys argument and decline to disturb the sentencing courts exercise of discretion. The record is explicit that the court did not consider counts one, two or four (of misdemeanor assault) when sentencing Lacey. Record evidence including Laceys own testimony indicated that Lacey wielded a hammer during the confrontation, and the sentencing court was free to consider this factor, along with others, in fashioning the sentence. "Contrary to Laceys argument, the sentencing court considered additional factors besides her possessing the hammer, including the seriousness of the offense, the fact that she was within arms reach of Richardson during the incident, and the fact that she made a threat of physical harm after she appeared at his workplace. The court also considered Laceys lack of criminal history as a mitigating factor. The record supports the facts upon which the court relied in imposing the sentence, and the court did not limit its consideration to a single factor, contrary to Laceys argument. The district court did not abuse its discretion in sentencing Lacey." Here is the Iowa State Supreme Court opinion. Mansfield and Appel made it clear they agreed with much of the majority's opinion but offered dissent on the issue of Werling's decision to not allow "... many of Clyde Richardson's text messages to Latrice Lacey leading up to the charged harassment." Mansfield wrote: "These cruel, abusive text messages provide substantial support for Lacey's claim that she did not have specific interest to 'threaten, intimidate, or alarm' Richardson but merely to get him off her back." Mansfield said Richardson's absence of testimony during the second trial made the texts "... powerful evidence of how Richardson had been acting toward Lacey," adding a jury " ... couldn't question what Richardson wrote in a text." Mansfield concluded "In my view, none of the majority's justifications for affirming the district court's exclusion of the abusive texts withstands scrutiny." Davenport Civil Rights Director Latrice Lacey's 2019 misdemeanor harassment conviction was affirmed by the Iowa State Supreme Court. The court published its 34-page opinion Thursday. The decision to uphold the conviction closes another chapter in a three-year, eight-month case that started with four misdemeanor charges and included three separate trials. Lacey declined to comment on the decision. Lacey's misdemeanor harassment conviction stemmed from an April 30, 2018, confrontation with former boyfriend Clyde Richardson outside a Davenport business. The Scott County Attorney's office argued Lacey threatened bodily harm against Richardson during what became a physical altercation. The Scott County Attorney's office also charged Lacey with three counts of misdemeanor assault. Lacey's first trial ended in a mistrial. During her second trial in September 2019, a jury convicted Lacey, 35, of the second-degree harassment charge, a serious misdemeanor. The second jury, however, could not reach consensus on the counts of assault, and a mistrial was declared. After the second trial, Judge Stuart P. Werling sentenced Lacey in January 2020 to one year in jail, suspended with probation, for the harassment charge, as well as a fine of $315 and court costs. Lacey was found not guilty of all three assault charges in the third trial, held in late September. Lacey attorney Kent Simmons based the appeal of the harassment conviction on three points: There was insufficient evidence to convict Lacey of harassment. The Scott County court erred by not allowing Lacey to present evidence Richardson harassed her and damaged her property in the months leading up to the incident. The Scott County court both "abused its discretion in refusing to continue sentencing," as well as abused "its discretion in imposing a sentence." Justice Christopher McDonald authored the opinion of the court. He was joined by Chief Justice Susan Christensen, and Justices Thomas Waterman, Dana Oxley and Matthew McDermott. Justice Edward Mansfield concurred in part and dissented with a portion of the ruling, and he was joined in concurring and dissenting by Justice Brent Appel. Explaining the court's majority decision, McDonald wrote: "We disagree with Laceys argument and decline to disturb the sentencing courts exercise of discretion. The record is explicit that the court did not consider counts one, two or four (of misdemeanor assault) when sentencing Lacey. Record evidence including Laceys own testimony indicated that Lacey wielded a hammer during the confrontation, and the sentencing court was free to consider this factor, along with others, in fashioning the sentence. "Contrary to Laceys argument, the sentencing court considered additional factors besides her possessing the hammer, including the seriousness of the offense, the fact that she was within arms reach of Richardson during the incident, and the fact that she made a threat of physical harm after she appeared at his workplace. The court also considered Laceys lack of criminal history as a mitigating factor. The record supports the facts upon which the court relied in imposing the sentence, and the court did not limit its consideration to a single factor, contrary to Laceys argument. The district court did not abuse its discretion in sentencing Lacey." Here is the Iowa State Supreme Court opinion. Mansfield and Appel made it clear they agreed with much of the majority's opinion but offered dissent on the issue of Werling's decision to not allow "... many of Clyde Richardson's text messages to Latrice Lacey leading up to the charged harassment." Mansfield wrote: "These cruel, abusive text messages provide substantial support for Lacey's claim that she did not have specific interest to 'threaten, intimidate, or alarm' Richardson but merely to get him off her back." Mansfield said Richardson's absence of testimony during the second trial made the texts "... powerful evidence of how Richardson had been acting toward Lacey," adding a jury " ... couldn't question what Richardson wrote in a text." Mansfield concluded "In my view, none of the majority's justifications for affirming the district court's exclusion of the abusive texts withstands scrutiny." No fireworks but some Parisians bought tickets to see in the new year on the Champs Elysee. Credit:AP/Thibault Camus In Berlin, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert was staged without a live audience. In Madrid, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revellers. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Back to work. Back to school. Back to joy, President Joe Biden said in a video posted on Twitter. Thats how we made it through this year. And how well embrace the next. Together. In New York, officials allowed just 15,000 people vaccinated and masked inside the perimeter around Times Square, a sliver of the 1 million that typically squeeze in to watch the famed ball drop. The pandemic game-changer of 2021 vaccinations continued apace. Pakistan said it had fully vaccinated 70 million of its 220 million people this year and Britain said it met its goal of offering a vaccine booster shot to all adults by Friday. People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow. Credit:AP/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr In Russia, President Vladimir Putin mourned the dead, praised Russians for their strength in difficult times and soberly warned that the pandemic isnt retreating yet. Russias virus task force has reported 308,860 COVID-19 deaths but its state statistics agency says the death toll has been more than double that. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin said in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. Elsewhere, the venue that many chose for New Years celebrations was the same place they became overly familiarly with during lockdowns: their homes. Pope Francis also cancelled his New Years Eve tradition of visiting the life-sized manger set up in St. Peters Square, again to avoid a crowd. In an unusual move for Francis, the 85-year-old pontiff donned a surgical mask for a Vespers service of prayer and hymns Friday evening as he sat in an armchair. But he also delivered a homily standing and unmasked. A sense of being lost has grown in the world during the pandemic, Francis told the faithful in St. Peters Basilica. In London, the normal fireworks display, which would have attracted tens of thousands of people to the city centre and the banks of the Thames, was replaced by a light and drones show broadcast on television. Location details about the spectacle were kept secret in advance to avoid crowds gathering. Loading Yet boisterous New Years Eve celebrations kicked off in the Serbian capital of Belgrade where, unlike elsewhere in Europe, mass gatherings were allowed despite fears of the omicron variant. One medical expert predicted that Serbia will see thousands of new COVID-19 infections after the holidays. At Expo 2020, the sprawling worlds fair outside Dubai, 26-year-old tourist Lujain Orfi prepared to throw caution to the wind on New Years Eve her first time ever outside Saudi Arabia, where she lives in the holy city of Medina. If you dont celebrate, life will pass you by, she said. Im healthy and took two (vaccine) doses. We just have to enjoy. Security guards held up signs at Tokyos famous Shibuya Crossing to warn off people trying to gather there. Credit:AP In Japan, writer Naoki Matsuzawa said he would spend the next few days cooking and delivering food to the elderly because some stores would be closed. He said vaccinations had made people less anxious about the pandemic, despite the new variant. A numbness has set in, and we are no longer overly afraid, said Matsuzawa, who lives in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo. Some of us are starting to take for granted that it wont happen to me. South Korean authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. In India, millions of people rang in the new year from their homes, with nighttime curfews and other restrictions taking the fizz out of celebrations in New Delhi, Mumbai and other large cities. Loading In mainland China, the Shanghai government cancelled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. In the Philippines, a powerful typhoon two weeks ago wiped out basic necessities for tens of thousands of people ahead of New Years Eve. More than 400 were killed by Typhoon Rai and at least 82 remain missing. Leahmer Singson, a 17-year-old mother, lost her home to a fire last month, and then the typhoon blew away her temporary wooden shack in Cebu city. She will welcome the new year with her husband, who works in a glass and aluminum factory, and her 1-year-old baby in a ramshackle tent in a clearing where hundreds of other families erected small tents from debris, rice sacks and tarpaulins. Asked what she wants for the new year, Singson had a simple wish: I hope we wont get sick. Filipinos saw in the new year from a park in Manila, hoping 2022 offers better prospects. Credit:Getty New Delhi, Jan 1 : More the things change, the more they remain the same, is an old adage applicable to anything and everything, including the government, irrespective of the party in power. In 2011, it was Anna Andolan that had captured the popular imagination of the whole nation. In 2021, it was the farmers' protest that had dominated the discourse even in the pandemic induced lockdown year. In April 2011, social activist Anna Hazare had embarked on a fast unto death demanding passing of the Jan Lokpal Bill. Sensing the popularity of Team Anna, the government agreed for a joint drafting committee; it was formed in April 2011 itself. Few meetings later, when the Ramdev Baba episode at the Ramlila Maidan took place in June, Team Anna members stopped going to the meetings. The Bill was passed in Parliament in December 2013, the same month when Arvind Kejriwal, having parted his ways with Hazare, had formed a party, contested, and won the Delhi Assembly elections. Much water had flown below the bridge, the government at the Centre had changed when Hazare in March 2018 declared to resume his battle for Jan Lokpal Bill. The NDA government brought in an amendment and passed the Bill in both the Houses soon. Since then, nobody has even heard of the Lokpal, in whichever avatar the Bill was passed. Even when the farmers' agitation started in 2020, it was the year 2021 that saw the fruition of their agitation in all respects. The Modi government relented to their demands and in December first week, the three contentious farm Bills were repealed.The farmers were promised that a committee would be formed to discuss the Minimum Support Price (MSP). But more than a month after the Prime Minister's announcement, there is no word about it. And that is where the similarities between the Lokpal and three laws begin. So what happens to the MSP committee? The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on December 9 declared to suspend their 15-month long agitation that had started to protest the three contentious farm laws passed in 2020. The agitation continued even after the three laws -- the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020 -- were repealed by Parliament as the farmers' stuck to their demands vis-a-vis legal backing for minimum support price (MSP) for all farmers being the prime demand after repeal of the three laws. Manisha Priyam, a political analyst based in Delhi, said, "When the protest is at its peak, the government is bound to listen to the people, albeit unwillingly. But after some time, once things go away from the public eye or glare, things change. In 2011, Pranab Mukherjee had called a special session, a 'Sense of House' resolution was passed. It was given that much importance. Today, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is in power itself, but we all know the fate of Lokpal. It remains to be seen what this government does with the MSP committee. "But what I believe is that the agrarian distrust issue is very important and significant. If the government does not take it up seriously, then, the future will not be easy on this matter. Because it is now a matter of livelihood. The government will have to respond on this matter." Nagender Sharma, former journalist and legal affairs analyst, who was also the Delhi Chief Minister's Advisor. Observing that the government now is a different one and the farmers have already won a critical battle, he said, "Chances of outcome of this Committee are very high because farmers are coming on the back of a victory." Priyam added, "Anna Andolan was about political accountability, which is still vague. Here concrete issues of lives of people are involved. I think there will be some kind of binding on the government." But then, what will stop the government from going back? Pat came her reply: "What stops the people from coming back on the streets?" Farmers' next step Indeed, that is a point of debate as to what will the government do next? Whether or not it will abide by its promises. Earlier in December last week, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Narendra Tomar had said at Nagpur, "We had moved a step back and then moved forward (on farm laws). Farmers are the backbone of India." When it was perceived that the government wants to bring back the three laws, Tomar clarified that there is no proposal or plan yet. That would be discussed when the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) will be meeting again to check what all the government has done since the farmers wrapped up their tents from around Delhi's borders. When asked about the government bringing back the Bills again, Rakesh Tikait, prominent farm leaders, told IANS on phone, "We will see as and when it happens. Why ask about it now?" He, however, sounded a lot more cautious about the Committee on MSP. "No names have been sought as yet. Nothing heard from the government. Nothing heard from the government about (withdrawing) cases in Delhi too." "January 15, we have the SKM meeting. We will see then," Tikait said. No fireworks but some Parisians bought tickets to see in the new year on the Champs Elysee. Credit:AP/Thibault Camus In Berlin, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert was staged without a live audience. In Madrid, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revellers. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Back to work. Back to school. Back to joy, President Joe Biden said in a video posted on Twitter. Thats how we made it through this year. And how well embrace the next. Together. In New York, officials allowed just 15,000 people vaccinated and masked inside the perimeter around Times Square, a sliver of the 1 million that typically squeeze in to watch the famed ball drop. The pandemic game-changer of 2021 vaccinations continued apace. Pakistan said it had fully vaccinated 70 million of its 220 million people this year and Britain said it met its goal of offering a vaccine booster shot to all adults by Friday. People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow. Credit:AP/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr In Russia, President Vladimir Putin mourned the dead, praised Russians for their strength in difficult times and soberly warned that the pandemic isnt retreating yet. Russias virus task force has reported 308,860 COVID-19 deaths but its state statistics agency says the death toll has been more than double that. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin said in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. Elsewhere, the venue that many chose for New Years celebrations was the same place they became overly familiarly with during lockdowns: their homes. Pope Francis also cancelled his New Years Eve tradition of visiting the life-sized manger set up in St. Peters Square, again to avoid a crowd. In an unusual move for Francis, the 85-year-old pontiff donned a surgical mask for a Vespers service of prayer and hymns Friday evening as he sat in an armchair. But he also delivered a homily standing and unmasked. A sense of being lost has grown in the world during the pandemic, Francis told the faithful in St. Peters Basilica. In London, the normal fireworks display, which would have attracted tens of thousands of people to the city centre and the banks of the Thames, was replaced by a light and drones show broadcast on television. Location details about the spectacle were kept secret in advance to avoid crowds gathering. Loading Yet boisterous New Years Eve celebrations kicked off in the Serbian capital of Belgrade where, unlike elsewhere in Europe, mass gatherings were allowed despite fears of the omicron variant. One medical expert predicted that Serbia will see thousands of new COVID-19 infections after the holidays. At Expo 2020, the sprawling worlds fair outside Dubai, 26-year-old tourist Lujain Orfi prepared to throw caution to the wind on New Years Eve her first time ever outside Saudi Arabia, where she lives in the holy city of Medina. If you dont celebrate, life will pass you by, she said. Im healthy and took two (vaccine) doses. We just have to enjoy. Security guards held up signs at Tokyos famous Shibuya Crossing to warn off people trying to gather there. Credit:AP In Japan, writer Naoki Matsuzawa said he would spend the next few days cooking and delivering food to the elderly because some stores would be closed. He said vaccinations had made people less anxious about the pandemic, despite the new variant. A numbness has set in, and we are no longer overly afraid, said Matsuzawa, who lives in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo. Some of us are starting to take for granted that it wont happen to me. South Korean authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. In India, millions of people rang in the new year from their homes, with nighttime curfews and other restrictions taking the fizz out of celebrations in New Delhi, Mumbai and other large cities. Loading In mainland China, the Shanghai government cancelled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. In the Philippines, a powerful typhoon two weeks ago wiped out basic necessities for tens of thousands of people ahead of New Years Eve. More than 400 were killed by Typhoon Rai and at least 82 remain missing. Leahmer Singson, a 17-year-old mother, lost her home to a fire last month, and then the typhoon blew away her temporary wooden shack in Cebu city. She will welcome the new year with her husband, who works in a glass and aluminum factory, and her 1-year-old baby in a ramshackle tent in a clearing where hundreds of other families erected small tents from debris, rice sacks and tarpaulins. Asked what she wants for the new year, Singson had a simple wish: I hope we wont get sick. Filipinos saw in the new year from a park in Manila, hoping 2022 offers better prospects. Credit:Getty New Delhi, Jan 1 : A pickup in Centre's infra development activities is expected to raise cement demand in January, said Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd. (MOFSL). According to MOFSL, cement demand has started picking up from the second half of December 2021 after the volume decline in November 2021. "We estimate that sales volume in December 2021 should be up over 20 per cent MoM," the MOFSL said. "There should be a YoY improvement in demand in December 2021 across regions (excluding East India)." As per the report, the demand surge comes after November, when volumes declined due to unseasonal rainfalls, sand availability crisis in East India and a few pockets of Uttar Pradesh and an auspicious marriage season after the Covid-19 outbreak last year. Besides, it said that demand should improve further from January 2022, with a pickup in government infra activities. Historically, cement demand in January has been 4 per cent higher than December. "On a high base of 4QFY21, we expect industry volumes to decline by 3-5 per cent YoY in 4QFY22. Growth in industry volumes in FY22E should be at 8.6 per cent YoY." Furthermore, it said that cement prices have been under pressure in Nov-Dec 2021, led by a steep volume decline in November 2021 and volume push at the year-end by a few key players. Consequently, India's average cement prices fell 6.5 per cent MoM in December 2021. "The industry will be in a better position to implement price hikes from January 2022 onwards as we expect a further uptick in demand going forward." New Delhi: At least 10 people died while one was injured after an oil tanker rammed into their autorickshaw near Ramrai village in Jind on Tuesday night. Nine of the victims were returning from an Army recruitment rally, according to police. Some of them were cadets at the military academy. The police have informed the relatives and the academy. The driver of the auto-rickshaw was also killed in the accident, while another man who was part of the group that took part in the recruitment drive was critically injured, they said. The accident took place on Jind-Hisar Road late Tuesday evening, police said. Those killed are in the age group of 20-22 years, they said. A case has been registered in connection with the incident, said an official of the Jind-Sadar police station. New Delhi: At least 10 people died while one was injured after an oil tanker rammed into their autorickshaw near Ramrai village in Jind on Tuesday night. Nine of the victims were returning from an Army recruitment rally, according to police. Some of them were cadets at the military academy. The police have informed the relatives and the academy. The driver of the auto-rickshaw was also killed in the accident, while another man who was part of the group that took part in the recruitment drive was critically injured, they said. The accident took place on Jind-Hisar Road late Tuesday evening, police said. Those killed are in the age group of 20-22 years, they said. A case has been registered in connection with the incident, said an official of the Jind-Sadar police station. New Delhi: At least 10 people died while one was injured after an oil tanker rammed into their autorickshaw near Ramrai village in Jind on Tuesday night. Nine of the victims were returning from an Army recruitment rally, according to police. Some of them were cadets at the military academy. The police have informed the relatives and the academy. The driver of the auto-rickshaw was also killed in the accident, while another man who was part of the group that took part in the recruitment drive was critically injured, they said. The accident took place on Jind-Hisar Road late Tuesday evening, police said. Those killed are in the age group of 20-22 years, they said. A case has been registered in connection with the incident, said an official of the Jind-Sadar police station. New Delhi: At least 10 people died while one was injured after an oil tanker rammed into their autorickshaw near Ramrai village in Jind on Tuesday night. Nine of the victims were returning from an Army recruitment rally, according to police. Some of them were cadets at the military academy. The police have informed the relatives and the academy. The driver of the auto-rickshaw was also killed in the accident, while another man who was part of the group that took part in the recruitment drive was critically injured, they said. The accident took place on Jind-Hisar Road late Tuesday evening, police said. Those killed are in the age group of 20-22 years, they said. A case has been registered in connection with the incident, said an official of the Jind-Sadar police station. New York, Jan 1 : A series of recently published studies found that the fast-moving Omicron variant may be less severe than other Covid strains because of the way it attacks the lungs, media reports say. According to The New York Times, studies on mice and hamsters have found that Omicron produced less damaging infections to the lungs, and instead was limited largely to the nose, throat, and windpipe. Previous variants would cause scarring in the lungs and serious breathing difficulty, coating NYT, The Times of Israel reported. "It is fair to say that the idea of a disease that manifests itself primarily in the upper respiratory system is emerging," Roland Eils, a computational biologist at the Berlin Institute of Health who has studied how coronaviruses infect the airway was quoted as saying. One of the studies found that the Omicron levels in the lungs were one-tenth or less of the level of other variants, the report said. Several experiments published in recent days all pointed to the conclusion that Omicron is milder than Delta and other earlier versions of the virus, in line with real-world data, it added. The studies were posted online in preprint form, meaning they have yet to be reviewed by other scientists and be published in scientific journals. Omicron was first identified in South Africa and Botswana in late November. It quickly became the dominant strain in South Africa, causing an explosion of infections with a peak of about 26,000 daily cases recorded by mid-December, according to official statistics. The variant is currently present in more than 100 countries, according to the World Health Organisation, and affects vaccinated people as well as those who have already had coronavirus. Many studies suggest Omicron, now the dominant strain in some countries, carries a reduced risk of being admitted to hospital, but the WHO still urged caution. India's Omicron tally on Saturday reportedly has reached 1,431. Immigrant detainees will continue to be held at McHenry and Kankakee county jails temporarily, while a federal court considers the counties appeal to keep imprisoning detainees into the future. The immigrants, charged with violating civil immigration laws, were due to be released by New Years Day, under the Illinois Way Forward Act, which prohibits counties from entering federal contracts to jail them. Advertisement But the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals issued a stay Thursday delaying the law from taking effect until Jan. 13, while it considers the case. McHenry and Kankakee county officials had filed suit, alleging that the law exceeds the states authority by superseding federal law. Both counties have contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, to keep detainees behind bars until their court hearings. In December, U.S. District Judge Philip Reinhard dismissed the suit, ruling in effect that it limited local officials, not the federal government. Advertisement In 2021, McHenry held about 180 detainees a day, and Kankakee about 120, numbers that had been reduced while fewer detainees are being held during the COVID pandemic. Historically, the contracts had brought about $8 million a year to McHenry and $4 million annually to Kankakee. A low security unit housing ICE detainees at the Kankakee County Jail in Kankakee on Oct. 8, 2019. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) ICE Out of McHenry County, a coalition of groups opposing immigrant detention, held a candlelight vigil this week for the detainees, singing, Silent Night/Noche de Paz. The coalition had pushed for McHenry County to end the practice, calling it cruel and unnecessary. But after a heated debate in May, the county board voted to continue the practice. Were very glad to get this stay to preserve our longtime contract with ICE as we argue our case, County Board Chairman Mike Buehler, a Republican from Crystal Lake, said. The Illinois Way Forward Act is an unconstitutional and poorly thought out law that was hastily thrown together by the General Assembly to make a political statement regarding current federal immigration enforcement. We thank the 7th Circuit for their understanding, and we look forward to making our case. Fred Tsao, senior policy counsel for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, emphasized that the court order is a temporary measure. We agree with the district court judge that the law is very clear: The state was fully within its authority to pass the Illinois Way Forward Act and to require the counties to end their contracts with ICE, Tsao wrote in an email. We look forward to the full implementation of Illinois Way Forward and the end of immigration detention in Illinois and throughout this country. The detentions are meant to ensure that detainees show up for court, with federal statistics showing about one-third of immigrants didnt make it to completed cases. But a UCLA analysis that included ongoing cases found that 83% showed up for court. More than 80% had no criminal record, while those that do were handled in separate proceedings in criminal court. rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com New Delhi, Jan 1 : More the things change, the more they remain the same, is an old adage applicable to anything and everything, including the government, irrespective of the party in power. In 2011, it was Anna Andolan that had captured the popular imagination of the whole nation. In 2021, it was the farmers' protest that had dominated the discourse even in the pandemic induced lockdown year. In April 2011, social activist Anna Hazare had embarked on a fast unto death demanding passing of the Jan Lokpal Bill. Sensing the popularity of Team Anna, the government agreed for a joint drafting committee; it was formed in April 2011 itself. Few meetings later, when the Ramdev Baba episode at the Ramlila Maidan took place in June, Team Anna members stopped going to the meetings. The Bill was passed in Parliament in December 2013, the same month when Arvind Kejriwal, having parted his ways with Hazare, had formed a party, contested, and won the Delhi Assembly elections. Much water had flown below the bridge, the government at the Centre had changed when Hazare in March 2018 declared to resume his battle for Jan Lokpal Bill. The NDA government brought in an amendment and passed the Bill in both the Houses soon. Since then, nobody has even heard of the Lokpal, in whichever avatar the Bill was passed. Even when the farmers' agitation started in 2020, it was the year 2021 that saw the fruition of their agitation in all respects. The Modi government relented to their demands and in December first week, the three contentious farm Bills were repealed.The farmers were promised that a committee would be formed to discuss the Minimum Support Price (MSP). But more than a month after the Prime Minister's announcement, there is no word about it. And that is where the similarities between the Lokpal and three laws begin. So what happens to the MSP committee? The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on December 9 declared to suspend their 15-month long agitation that had started to protest the three contentious farm laws passed in 2020. The agitation continued even after the three laws -- the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020 -- were repealed by Parliament as the farmers' stuck to their demands vis-a-vis legal backing for minimum support price (MSP) for all farmers being the prime demand after repeal of the three laws. Manisha Priyam, a political analyst based in Delhi, said, "When the protest is at its peak, the government is bound to listen to the people, albeit unwillingly. But after some time, once things go away from the public eye or glare, things change. In 2011, Pranab Mukherjee had called a special session, a 'Sense of House' resolution was passed. It was given that much importance. Today, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is in power itself, but we all know the fate of Lokpal. It remains to be seen what this government does with the MSP committee. "But what I believe is that the agrarian distrust issue is very important and significant. If the government does not take it up seriously, then, the future will not be easy on this matter. Because it is now a matter of livelihood. The government will have to respond on this matter." Nagender Sharma, former journalist and legal affairs analyst, who was also the Delhi Chief Minister's Advisor. Observing that the government now is a different one and the farmers have already won a critical battle, he said, "Chances of outcome of this Committee are very high because farmers are coming on the back of a victory." Priyam added, "Anna Andolan was about political accountability, which is still vague. Here concrete issues of lives of people are involved. I think there will be some kind of binding on the government." But then, what will stop the government from going back? Pat came her reply: "What stops the people from coming back on the streets?" Farmers' next step Indeed, that is a point of debate as to what will the government do next? Whether or not it will abide by its promises. Earlier in December last week, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Narendra Tomar had said at Nagpur, "We had moved a step back and then moved forward (on farm laws). Farmers are the backbone of India." When it was perceived that the government wants to bring back the three laws, Tomar clarified that there is no proposal or plan yet. That would be discussed when the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) will be meeting again to check what all the government has done since the farmers wrapped up their tents from around Delhi's borders. When asked about the government bringing back the Bills again, Rakesh Tikait, prominent farm leaders, told IANS on phone, "We will see as and when it happens. Why ask about it now?" He, however, sounded a lot more cautious about the Committee on MSP. "No names have been sought as yet. Nothing heard from the government. Nothing heard from the government about (withdrawing) cases in Delhi too." "January 15, we have the SKM meeting. We will see then," Tikait said. Mumbai, Jan 1 : Actress Alia Bhatt celebrated the new year with beau Ranbir Kapoor on a holiday. Taking to her Instagram, Alia posted a series of pictures, one of which even has Ranbir sipping a beverage. The actress captioned the pictures, "Giving 2022 some hakuna matata energy stay safe... smile .. be simple and love more!!!!! happy new year (sic)." The pictures show that the couple spent quality time with nature in the company of big cats. Alia's comment section was flooded by reactions from her friends and family. While Ranbir's mom Neetu Kapoor put up heart emojis, Alia's mother Soni Razdan commented, "Wise words my darling." Arjun Kapoor called the couple, "#nadaanparindeys". Earlier, the couple was papped at the Mumbai airport leaving for their vacation. Chennai, Jan 1 : Director Vignesh Shivan, who has had an exceptionally successful 2021, believes that God will be doubling everybody's blessings and joy this New Year, to compensate for the dullness of the last two years. Taking to social media, Vignesh Shivan, who posted a video clip of actress Nayanthara and him welcoming the New Year, wrote, "Happy new year to each & every beautiful soul out there. 2022 will be more peaceful, happy, successful, blessed & a remarkable year in everyone's lives !! "Because God has a habit of testing his loved ones and then after that he gifts all of them, everyone of them with overwhelming blessings! "For the past two years, He's a little guilty and embarrassed for not being all that super to everyone! Mainly cos of the unexpected, unfortunate pandemic, He's sorry for allowing it! "So in order to compensate for all the dull moments that were passed for the past two years, He's gonna make sure that He doubles all the joy and blessings for everyone of you, me and us as He knows we deserve it. Actually, we badly need it! So, expect all the goodness to engulf you starting from today! "Have a fabulous , prosperous , happy new year ! 2022 ! Wishes from the bottom of our hearts !" Chennai, Jan 1 : Director Vignesh Shivan, who has had an exceptionally successful 2021, believes that God will be doubling everybody's blessings and joy this New Year, to compensate for the dullness of the last two years. Taking to social media, Vignesh Shivan, who posted a video clip of actress Nayanthara and him welcoming the New Year, wrote, "Happy new year to each & every beautiful soul out there. 2022 will be more peaceful, happy, successful, blessed & a remarkable year in everyone's lives !! "Because God has a habit of testing his loved ones and then after that he gifts all of them, everyone of them with overwhelming blessings! "For the past two years, He's a little guilty and embarrassed for not being all that super to everyone! Mainly cos of the unexpected, unfortunate pandemic, He's sorry for allowing it! "So in order to compensate for all the dull moments that were passed for the past two years, He's gonna make sure that He doubles all the joy and blessings for everyone of you, me and us as He knows we deserve it. Actually, we badly need it! So, expect all the goodness to engulf you starting from today! "Have a fabulous , prosperous , happy new year ! 2022 ! Wishes from the bottom of our hearts !" - Advertisement - Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of lives in a stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Katra and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh each for the next of kin of those who died. Deeply pained at the loss of lives due to stampede at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine. My condolences to the families of the deceased and prayers with the injured, Office of Jammu and Kashmir LG said in a tweet. The Lieutenant Governor further also announced Rs 2 lakh to the injured and said that the Shrine board will bear the cost of the treatment of the injured. Ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh each would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to stampede and Rs 2 lakh to the injured. Shrine board to bear the cost of treatment of injured, it said. Sinha also spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and briefed him about the incident. Prime Minister has assured all the help, he added. Spoke to Home Minister Amit Shah ji. Briefed him about the incident. A high-level inquiry has been ordered into todays stampede, he added. He further said that the inquiry committee will be headed by Principal Secretary (Home) with Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Jammu and Divisional Commissioner, Jammu as members. Sinha also shared helpline numbers with people for assistance. Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Helpline numbers: 01991-234804 01991-234053. Other Helpline nos: PCR Katra 01991232010/ 9419145182, PCR Reasi 0199145076/ 9622856295, DC Office Reasi Control room 01991245763/ 9419839557, tweeted the Office of Jammu and Kashmir LG. The Prime Minister also condoled the deaths in the stampede and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Ministers National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of those who lost their lives. The injured will be given Rs 50,000. As many as 12 people were killed and 13 others injured after a stampede occurred at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine on Saturday morning, Jammu and Kashmirs Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh said. 12 dead, 13 injured in the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Katra. The incident occurred around 2:45 am, and as per initial reports, an argument broke out which resulted in people pushing each other, followed by the stampede, Singh said to ANI. The injured have been taken to Naraina Hospital after the rescue. New Delhi: Iran on Tuesday rejected ridiculous allegations that it carried out this months attack on Saudi oil infrastructure, after the leaders of France, Germany and Britain backed US conclusions that Tehran was responsible. These allegations, which lack evidence, are based solely on a ridiculous rationale that there is no other possible explanation, Irans foreign ministry said in a statement. The September 14 blasts at the Abqaiq and Khurais facilities temporarily knocked out half of Saudi Arabias oil production. Abqaiq was struck 18 times while Khurais, 200 kilometres southwest, was hit four times in a raid sparking fires that took five hours to extinguish, Aramco officials said. "Many critical areas of the (Abqaiq) plant were hit," an Aramco official said, declining to be named. A stabilisation column, normally silver, had been charred black with a gaping hole blown in the shaft's base. A separator plant was also badly damaged in the raids and was surrounded by scaffolding. "There are 112 shift workers here in normal times. Now 6,000 workers are involved in restoration work," said Aramco official Khaled al-Ghamdi, pointing at damaged infrastructure. The site visits to both Khurais and Abqaiq gave rare access to the nerve centre of the world's largest oil producer, with Aramco flying in journalists to show the extent of damage and the ongoing clean-up. "We will have production at the same level as before the strike by the end of this month -- we are coming back stronger," asserted Fahad al-Abdulkareem, an Aramco general manager, during the visit to Khurais. Badly warped thick metal piping -- peppered with shrapnel during the aerial strikes -- lay strewn around the area of the Khurais attack. But Abdulkareem said that 30 per cent of the Khurais plant was operational within 24 hours of the initial strikes. Earlier, US President Donald Trump had said it "looks" like Iran was behind the explosive attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities. However, Trump ruled out any military retaliation for now to the strike against a key US Mideast ally. A Saudi-led coalition has been battling the rebels since March 2015. The Iranian-backed Houthis hold Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and other territory in the Arab world's poorest country. The war has become the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The violence has pushed Yemen to the brink of famine and killed more than 90,000 people since 2015, according to the US-based Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, or ACLED, which tracks the conflict. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Iran on Tuesday rejected ridiculous allegations that it carried out this months attack on Saudi oil infrastructure, after the leaders of France, Germany and Britain backed US conclusions that Tehran was responsible. These allegations, which lack evidence, are based solely on a ridiculous rationale that there is no other possible explanation, Irans foreign ministry said in a statement. The September 14 blasts at the Abqaiq and Khurais facilities temporarily knocked out half of Saudi Arabias oil production. Abqaiq was struck 18 times while Khurais, 200 kilometres southwest, was hit four times in a raid sparking fires that took five hours to extinguish, Aramco officials said. "Many critical areas of the (Abqaiq) plant were hit," an Aramco official said, declining to be named. A stabilisation column, normally silver, had been charred black with a gaping hole blown in the shaft's base. A separator plant was also badly damaged in the raids and was surrounded by scaffolding. "There are 112 shift workers here in normal times. Now 6,000 workers are involved in restoration work," said Aramco official Khaled al-Ghamdi, pointing at damaged infrastructure. The site visits to both Khurais and Abqaiq gave rare access to the nerve centre of the world's largest oil producer, with Aramco flying in journalists to show the extent of damage and the ongoing clean-up. "We will have production at the same level as before the strike by the end of this month -- we are coming back stronger," asserted Fahad al-Abdulkareem, an Aramco general manager, during the visit to Khurais. Badly warped thick metal piping -- peppered with shrapnel during the aerial strikes -- lay strewn around the area of the Khurais attack. But Abdulkareem said that 30 per cent of the Khurais plant was operational within 24 hours of the initial strikes. Earlier, US President Donald Trump had said it "looks" like Iran was behind the explosive attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities. However, Trump ruled out any military retaliation for now to the strike against a key US Mideast ally. A Saudi-led coalition has been battling the rebels since March 2015. The Iranian-backed Houthis hold Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and other territory in the Arab world's poorest country. The war has become the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The violence has pushed Yemen to the brink of famine and killed more than 90,000 people since 2015, according to the US-based Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, or ACLED, which tracks the conflict. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Iran on Tuesday rejected ridiculous allegations that it carried out this months attack on Saudi oil infrastructure, after the leaders of France, Germany and Britain backed US conclusions that Tehran was responsible. These allegations, which lack evidence, are based solely on a ridiculous rationale that there is no other possible explanation, Irans foreign ministry said in a statement. The September 14 blasts at the Abqaiq and Khurais facilities temporarily knocked out half of Saudi Arabias oil production. Abqaiq was struck 18 times while Khurais, 200 kilometres southwest, was hit four times in a raid sparking fires that took five hours to extinguish, Aramco officials said. "Many critical areas of the (Abqaiq) plant were hit," an Aramco official said, declining to be named. A stabilisation column, normally silver, had been charred black with a gaping hole blown in the shaft's base. A separator plant was also badly damaged in the raids and was surrounded by scaffolding. "There are 112 shift workers here in normal times. Now 6,000 workers are involved in restoration work," said Aramco official Khaled al-Ghamdi, pointing at damaged infrastructure. The site visits to both Khurais and Abqaiq gave rare access to the nerve centre of the world's largest oil producer, with Aramco flying in journalists to show the extent of damage and the ongoing clean-up. "We will have production at the same level as before the strike by the end of this month -- we are coming back stronger," asserted Fahad al-Abdulkareem, an Aramco general manager, during the visit to Khurais. Badly warped thick metal piping -- peppered with shrapnel during the aerial strikes -- lay strewn around the area of the Khurais attack. But Abdulkareem said that 30 per cent of the Khurais plant was operational within 24 hours of the initial strikes. Earlier, US President Donald Trump had said it "looks" like Iran was behind the explosive attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities. However, Trump ruled out any military retaliation for now to the strike against a key US Mideast ally. A Saudi-led coalition has been battling the rebels since March 2015. The Iranian-backed Houthis hold Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and other territory in the Arab world's poorest country. The war has become the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The violence has pushed Yemen to the brink of famine and killed more than 90,000 people since 2015, according to the US-based Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, or ACLED, which tracks the conflict. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. People stand in a moment of silence remembering the children who've died this year at a community march called, "No Kids Die in the Chi" along 79th Street on Dec. 31, 2021, in Chicago. A coalition of community organizations participated in the peace march in response to an uptick in Chicago violence involving children in 2021. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) A small march on the South Side Friday aimed to draw attention to the growing number of Chicago children who have been shot amid a pandemic surge in gun violence. About 30 people participated in the No Kids Die in the Chi march that ran along 79th Street for about a mile from the Dan Ryan Expressway to Cottage Grove Avenue in the Chatham neighborhood. The demonstration was organized by several community organizations, including Violence Interrupters, House of Hope Foundation and Hug a Child Make a Change. Advertisement The group of peaceful demonstrators chanted Let them live! as children, community organizers and U.S. Rep. Danny Davis marched as passing cars honked in support. People walk in a community march called, "No Kids Die in the Chi" along 79th Street on Dec. 31, 2021, in Chicago. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Shawn Childs, from the House of Hope organization, condemns the increase in violence against children at a news conference before the community march. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Its easy to get behind no more guns, said Shawn Childs, an event organizer. Were here to tell children they do have a future. Advertisement Through Dec. 26, 415 children ages 17 and under had been shot in Chicago this year, a more than 50% increase since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Chicago Police Department statistics. The city was approaching 800 homicides for the year, the most in decades. Through Dec. 25, 793 people had been killed, 106 of them 19 years old or younger. The majority of those younger residents were Black and male. For the most part, they died on the West and South sides. In Chatham alone, four people 19 years old or younger have died this year. Holding neon signs that read, Let me be 12, Wait, we were just walking, and Let us graduate, the marchers drew stares and cellphones recorded from curious passersby. Others came out of nail and hair salons, to wave, nod or just watch. Children learn what they live, Davis said in a news conference before the march, saying stricter gun regulations could stem the flow of illegal guns. Phoenix McCray, 3, stands with her parents, Shalanda McCray, right, and Donald Akins, left, during the community march. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Tio Hardiman, a longtime anti-violence advocate, said the organizers wanted to draw particular attention to the Chatham and Grand Crossing neighborhoods because of the uptick in shootings the neighborhoods have experienced during the pandemic. There have been a lot of shootings and homicides in these areas, said Hardiman, founder and executive director of Violence Interrupters. We are raising our voices right before the new year to get the message out that there can be no more killing of kids in Chicago. Advertisement Vladimir Thompson, with the House of Hope, was among those chanting for peace and calling for an end to children dying in crossfire. I challenge all adults right now. Step up and save your block. Thompson said. Save your next-door neighbor. Jose Martinez said he participated in the march to stand behind the call to action for better role models in the community. Weve got 10, 11-year-olds carjacking, said Martinez, who lives in Humboldt Park and said he lost a 17-year-old son to gang violence more than two decades ago. In the latest bid to stem the citys surging crime, Chicago police Superintendent David Brown told reporters Thursday he plans to increase the number of homicide and violent crime detectives, bringing their too high caseload of about 5.5 each down to three cases per detective. Community organizer Phallon Payton talks about the need for the community to protect kids during a march called, "No Kids Die in the Chi" along 79th Street on Dec. 31, 2021, in Chicago. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Nationwide, gun violence has led to an increasing number of child deaths, with experts pointing to the effects of the pandemic, easy access to guns and disputes ending too often with gunfire. Advertisement In 2019, the U.S. had 991 gun violence deaths among people ages 17 or younger, according to the website Gun Violence Archive, which tracks shootings from more than 7,500 law enforcement, media, government and commercial sources. As of Friday morning, the number of children killed in 2021 stood at 1,523 with more than 4,000 people age 17 or younger injured in incidents of gun violence. In Chicago, 415 children ages 17 and under have been shot in Chicago this year through Dec. 26, up from 367 in 2020, according to statistics kept by the Police Department, which does not include shootings on the citys interstates. So far this year, 55 people ages 17 and under have been killed, according to CPD, the same number as in 2020. In 2019, the number of children ages 17 and under shot was 272 and the number killed was 38, as of late December that year. At one point, Fridays march paused for a moment of silence for the scores of children shot and killed in the city this year. Theres too much death, said Shalanda McCray said, whose sister led the crowd to bow their heads. Too many kids. Advertisement Chicago Tribunes Jeremy Gorner and Bill Ruthhart contributed. creyes@chicagotribune.com New Delhi: Iran on Tuesday rejected ridiculous allegations that it carried out this months attack on Saudi oil infrastructure, after the leaders of France, Germany and Britain backed US conclusions that Tehran was responsible. These allegations, which lack evidence, are based solely on a ridiculous rationale that there is no other possible explanation, Irans foreign ministry said in a statement. The September 14 blasts at the Abqaiq and Khurais facilities temporarily knocked out half of Saudi Arabias oil production. Abqaiq was struck 18 times while Khurais, 200 kilometres southwest, was hit four times in a raid sparking fires that took five hours to extinguish, Aramco officials said. "Many critical areas of the (Abqaiq) plant were hit," an Aramco official said, declining to be named. A stabilisation column, normally silver, had been charred black with a gaping hole blown in the shaft's base. A separator plant was also badly damaged in the raids and was surrounded by scaffolding. "There are 112 shift workers here in normal times. Now 6,000 workers are involved in restoration work," said Aramco official Khaled al-Ghamdi, pointing at damaged infrastructure. The site visits to both Khurais and Abqaiq gave rare access to the nerve centre of the world's largest oil producer, with Aramco flying in journalists to show the extent of damage and the ongoing clean-up. "We will have production at the same level as before the strike by the end of this month -- we are coming back stronger," asserted Fahad al-Abdulkareem, an Aramco general manager, during the visit to Khurais. Badly warped thick metal piping -- peppered with shrapnel during the aerial strikes -- lay strewn around the area of the Khurais attack. But Abdulkareem said that 30 per cent of the Khurais plant was operational within 24 hours of the initial strikes. Earlier, US President Donald Trump had said it "looks" like Iran was behind the explosive attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities. However, Trump ruled out any military retaliation for now to the strike against a key US Mideast ally. A Saudi-led coalition has been battling the rebels since March 2015. The Iranian-backed Houthis hold Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and other territory in the Arab world's poorest country. The war has become the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The violence has pushed Yemen to the brink of famine and killed more than 90,000 people since 2015, according to the US-based Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, or ACLED, which tracks the conflict. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Iran on Tuesday rejected ridiculous allegations that it carried out this months attack on Saudi oil infrastructure, after the leaders of France, Germany and Britain backed US conclusions that Tehran was responsible. These allegations, which lack evidence, are based solely on a ridiculous rationale that there is no other possible explanation, Irans foreign ministry said in a statement. The September 14 blasts at the Abqaiq and Khurais facilities temporarily knocked out half of Saudi Arabias oil production. Abqaiq was struck 18 times while Khurais, 200 kilometres southwest, was hit four times in a raid sparking fires that took five hours to extinguish, Aramco officials said. "Many critical areas of the (Abqaiq) plant were hit," an Aramco official said, declining to be named. A stabilisation column, normally silver, had been charred black with a gaping hole blown in the shaft's base. A separator plant was also badly damaged in the raids and was surrounded by scaffolding. "There are 112 shift workers here in normal times. Now 6,000 workers are involved in restoration work," said Aramco official Khaled al-Ghamdi, pointing at damaged infrastructure. The site visits to both Khurais and Abqaiq gave rare access to the nerve centre of the world's largest oil producer, with Aramco flying in journalists to show the extent of damage and the ongoing clean-up. "We will have production at the same level as before the strike by the end of this month -- we are coming back stronger," asserted Fahad al-Abdulkareem, an Aramco general manager, during the visit to Khurais. Badly warped thick metal piping -- peppered with shrapnel during the aerial strikes -- lay strewn around the area of the Khurais attack. But Abdulkareem said that 30 per cent of the Khurais plant was operational within 24 hours of the initial strikes. Earlier, US President Donald Trump had said it "looks" like Iran was behind the explosive attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities. However, Trump ruled out any military retaliation for now to the strike against a key US Mideast ally. A Saudi-led coalition has been battling the rebels since March 2015. The Iranian-backed Houthis hold Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and other territory in the Arab world's poorest country. The war has become the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The violence has pushed Yemen to the brink of famine and killed more than 90,000 people since 2015, according to the US-based Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, or ACLED, which tracks the conflict. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Iran on Tuesday rejected ridiculous allegations that it carried out this months attack on Saudi oil infrastructure, after the leaders of France, Germany and Britain backed US conclusions that Tehran was responsible. These allegations, which lack evidence, are based solely on a ridiculous rationale that there is no other possible explanation, Irans foreign ministry said in a statement. The September 14 blasts at the Abqaiq and Khurais facilities temporarily knocked out half of Saudi Arabias oil production. Abqaiq was struck 18 times while Khurais, 200 kilometres southwest, was hit four times in a raid sparking fires that took five hours to extinguish, Aramco officials said. "Many critical areas of the (Abqaiq) plant were hit," an Aramco official said, declining to be named. A stabilisation column, normally silver, had been charred black with a gaping hole blown in the shaft's base. A separator plant was also badly damaged in the raids and was surrounded by scaffolding. "There are 112 shift workers here in normal times. Now 6,000 workers are involved in restoration work," said Aramco official Khaled al-Ghamdi, pointing at damaged infrastructure. The site visits to both Khurais and Abqaiq gave rare access to the nerve centre of the world's largest oil producer, with Aramco flying in journalists to show the extent of damage and the ongoing clean-up. "We will have production at the same level as before the strike by the end of this month -- we are coming back stronger," asserted Fahad al-Abdulkareem, an Aramco general manager, during the visit to Khurais. Badly warped thick metal piping -- peppered with shrapnel during the aerial strikes -- lay strewn around the area of the Khurais attack. But Abdulkareem said that 30 per cent of the Khurais plant was operational within 24 hours of the initial strikes. Earlier, US President Donald Trump had said it "looks" like Iran was behind the explosive attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities. However, Trump ruled out any military retaliation for now to the strike against a key US Mideast ally. A Saudi-led coalition has been battling the rebels since March 2015. The Iranian-backed Houthis hold Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and other territory in the Arab world's poorest country. The war has become the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The violence has pushed Yemen to the brink of famine and killed more than 90,000 people since 2015, according to the US-based Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, or ACLED, which tracks the conflict. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Davenport Civil Rights Director Latrice Lacey's 2019 misdemeanor harassment conviction was affirmed by the Iowa State Supreme Court. The court published its 34-page opinion Thursday. The decision to uphold the conviction closes another chapter in a three-year, eight-month case that started with four misdemeanor charges and included three separate trials. Lacey declined to comment on the decision. Lacey's misdemeanor harassment conviction stemmed from an April 30, 2018, confrontation with former boyfriend Clyde Richardson outside a Davenport business. The Scott County Attorney's office argued Lacey threatened bodily harm against Richardson during what became a physical altercation. The Scott County Attorney's office also charged Lacey with three counts of misdemeanor assault. Lacey's first trial ended in a mistrial. During her second trial in September 2019, a jury convicted Lacey, 35, of the second-degree harassment charge, a serious misdemeanor. The second jury, however, could not reach consensus on the counts of assault, and a mistrial was declared. After the second trial, Judge Stuart P. Werling sentenced Lacey in January 2020 to one year in jail, suspended with probation, for the harassment charge, as well as a fine of $315 and court costs. Lacey was found not guilty of all three assault charges in the third trial, held in late September. Lacey attorney Kent Simmons based the appeal of the harassment conviction on three points: There was insufficient evidence to convict Lacey of harassment. The Scott County court erred by not allowing Lacey to present evidence Richardson harassed her and damaged her property in the months leading up to the incident. The Scott County court both "abused its discretion in refusing to continue sentencing," as well as abused "its discretion in imposing a sentence." Justice Christopher McDonald authored the opinion of the court. He was joined by Chief Justice Susan Christensen, and Justices Thomas Waterman, Dana Oxley and Matthew McDermott. Justice Edward Mansfield concurred in part and dissented with a portion of the ruling, and he was joined in concurring and dissenting by Justice Brent Appel. Explaining the court's majority decision, McDonald wrote: "We disagree with Laceys argument and decline to disturb the sentencing courts exercise of discretion. The record is explicit that the court did not consider counts one, two or four (of misdemeanor assault) when sentencing Lacey. Record evidence including Laceys own testimony indicated that Lacey wielded a hammer during the confrontation, and the sentencing court was free to consider this factor, along with others, in fashioning the sentence. "Contrary to Laceys argument, the sentencing court considered additional factors besides her possessing the hammer, including the seriousness of the offense, the fact that she was within arms reach of Richardson during the incident, and the fact that she made a threat of physical harm after she appeared at his workplace. The court also considered Laceys lack of criminal history as a mitigating factor. The record supports the facts upon which the court relied in imposing the sentence, and the court did not limit its consideration to a single factor, contrary to Laceys argument. The district court did not abuse its discretion in sentencing Lacey." Here is the Iowa State Supreme Court opinion. Mansfield and Appel made it clear they agreed with much of the majority's opinion but offered dissent on the issue of Werling's decision to not allow "... many of Clyde Richardson's text messages to Latrice Lacey leading up to the charged harassment." Mansfield wrote: "These cruel, abusive text messages provide substantial support for Lacey's claim that she did not have specific interest to 'threaten, intimidate, or alarm' Richardson but merely to get him off her back." Mansfield said Richardson's absence of testimony during the second trial made the texts "... powerful evidence of how Richardson had been acting toward Lacey," adding a jury " ... couldn't question what Richardson wrote in a text." Mansfield concluded "In my view, none of the majority's justifications for affirming the district court's exclusion of the abusive texts withstands scrutiny." No fireworks but some Parisians bought tickets to see in the new year on the Champs Elysee. Credit:AP/Thibault Camus In Berlin, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert was staged without a live audience. In Madrid, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revellers. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Back to work. Back to school. Back to joy, President Joe Biden said in a video posted on Twitter. Thats how we made it through this year. And how well embrace the next. Together. In New York, officials allowed just 15,000 people vaccinated and masked inside the perimeter around Times Square, a sliver of the 1 million that typically squeeze in to watch the famed ball drop. The pandemic game-changer of 2021 vaccinations continued apace. Pakistan said it had fully vaccinated 70 million of its 220 million people this year and Britain said it met its goal of offering a vaccine booster shot to all adults by Friday. People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow. Credit:AP/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr In Russia, President Vladimir Putin mourned the dead, praised Russians for their strength in difficult times and soberly warned that the pandemic isnt retreating yet. Russias virus task force has reported 308,860 COVID-19 deaths but its state statistics agency says the death toll has been more than double that. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin said in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. Elsewhere, the venue that many chose for New Years celebrations was the same place they became overly familiarly with during lockdowns: their homes. Pope Francis also cancelled his New Years Eve tradition of visiting the life-sized manger set up in St. Peters Square, again to avoid a crowd. In an unusual move for Francis, the 85-year-old pontiff donned a surgical mask for a Vespers service of prayer and hymns Friday evening as he sat in an armchair. But he also delivered a homily standing and unmasked. A sense of being lost has grown in the world during the pandemic, Francis told the faithful in St. Peters Basilica. In London, the normal fireworks display, which would have attracted tens of thousands of people to the city centre and the banks of the Thames, was replaced by a light and drones show broadcast on television. Location details about the spectacle were kept secret in advance to avoid crowds gathering. Loading Yet boisterous New Years Eve celebrations kicked off in the Serbian capital of Belgrade where, unlike elsewhere in Europe, mass gatherings were allowed despite fears of the omicron variant. One medical expert predicted that Serbia will see thousands of new COVID-19 infections after the holidays. At Expo 2020, the sprawling worlds fair outside Dubai, 26-year-old tourist Lujain Orfi prepared to throw caution to the wind on New Years Eve her first time ever outside Saudi Arabia, where she lives in the holy city of Medina. If you dont celebrate, life will pass you by, she said. Im healthy and took two (vaccine) doses. We just have to enjoy. Security guards held up signs at Tokyos famous Shibuya Crossing to warn off people trying to gather there. Credit:AP In Japan, writer Naoki Matsuzawa said he would spend the next few days cooking and delivering food to the elderly because some stores would be closed. He said vaccinations had made people less anxious about the pandemic, despite the new variant. A numbness has set in, and we are no longer overly afraid, said Matsuzawa, who lives in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo. Some of us are starting to take for granted that it wont happen to me. South Korean authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. In India, millions of people rang in the new year from their homes, with nighttime curfews and other restrictions taking the fizz out of celebrations in New Delhi, Mumbai and other large cities. Loading In mainland China, the Shanghai government cancelled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. In the Philippines, a powerful typhoon two weeks ago wiped out basic necessities for tens of thousands of people ahead of New Years Eve. More than 400 were killed by Typhoon Rai and at least 82 remain missing. Leahmer Singson, a 17-year-old mother, lost her home to a fire last month, and then the typhoon blew away her temporary wooden shack in Cebu city. She will welcome the new year with her husband, who works in a glass and aluminum factory, and her 1-year-old baby in a ramshackle tent in a clearing where hundreds of other families erected small tents from debris, rice sacks and tarpaulins. Asked what she wants for the new year, Singson had a simple wish: I hope we wont get sick. Filipinos saw in the new year from a park in Manila, hoping 2022 offers better prospects. Credit:Getty Chennai, Jan 1 : Actor Mohanlal has released the first look of his eagerly-awaited film 'Barroz', which will mark his debut as a dirctor. Taking to social media to release the first look, Mohanlal said, "Here's a toast to another year that rises before us. Wishing all good fortunes and prosperity upon each one of you! May this year turn out to be one of the most treasured time frames of your life! Happy New Year! Barroz First Look!" Mohanlal plays the lead in the film, which is to be shot in 3D and which will feature Spanish actors Paz Vega and Rafael Amargo in important roles. Written by Jijo Punnoose, who is known for having directed India's first 3D film, 'My Dear Kuttichathan', 'Barroz' will have ace cinematographer Santosh Sivan cranking the camera. The ace Malayalam actor will be playing a genie that guards the treasure of Spanish explorer Vasco Da Gama in the film, which is being produced by Anthony Perumbavoor. Chennai, Jan 1 : Actor Mohanlal has released the first look of his eagerly-awaited film 'Barroz', which will mark his debut as a dirctor. Taking to social media to release the first look, Mohanlal said, "Here's a toast to another year that rises before us. Wishing all good fortunes and prosperity upon each one of you! May this year turn out to be one of the most treasured time frames of your life! Happy New Year! Barroz First Look!" Mohanlal plays the lead in the film, which is to be shot in 3D and which will feature Spanish actors Paz Vega and Rafael Amargo in important roles. Written by Jijo Punnoose, who is known for having directed India's first 3D film, 'My Dear Kuttichathan', 'Barroz' will have ace cinematographer Santosh Sivan cranking the camera. The ace Malayalam actor will be playing a genie that guards the treasure of Spanish explorer Vasco Da Gama in the film, which is being produced by Anthony Perumbavoor. White first made an impression on critics and audiences in her starring role on the suburban sitcom Life With Elizabeth, which aired from 1953 to 1955. New York Times television critic Jack Gould called White a talented and immensely personable actress with an intuitive feel for farce. If the role helped propel Whites long career, she later spoke dismissively about what she considered its dated premise. Plotlines centered on Elizabeths biscuits not turning out, she later told The Washington Post. We were trying to be funny. We were more two-dimensional cartoon characters than three-dimensional real people. Her other sitcom work from the period was not much better, but her heart-shaped face and amiable personality won her a great deal of work on other programs, notably such long-running quiz shows as Whats My Line? and Password. She said she was approached by NBC in the early 1960s to be the new girl on the Today morning show but declined because she did not want to live in New York City. They had to make do with Barbara Walters, White told NPR. What can I tell you? Actors from the television series "The " Golden Girls" stand together during a break in taping Dec. 25, 1985 in Hollywood. From left are, Estelle Getty, Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur and Betty White. Credit:AP The Mary Tyler Moore Show provided White with one of her juiciest roles. From 1973 until the show ended in 1977, she portrayed Sue Ann Nivens, the outwardly sweet Happy Homemaker on the fictional Minneapolis station WJM-TV who had a sexually rapacious off-camera personality. Portraying the neighborhood nymphomaniac, White later said, was pivotal in reviving her acting career after years of game-show work. After years of playing that nice lady, she told TV Guide in 1974, it was great fun for them to see that nice ladies sometimes have claws. For me, it was like being born again. She won two Emmy Awards for her supporting role on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and was nominated for another. The Golden Girls, which debuted in 1985 to glowing reviews and ran for seven years on NBC, sealed Whites presence on the small screen. She played ditsy but kindhearted Rose Nylund, a widowed grief counsellor who shares a Miami home with three other senior citizens: the oversexed Southern belle Blanche (Rue McClanahan); the abrasive octogenarian Sophia (Estelle Getty); and Sophias dominating daughter, Dorothy (Bea Arthur). Rose was prone to self-doubt and misinterpreted everything said around her. Sexual innuendo often stumped her, such as Dorothys comment that her ex-husband needed to strip naked to count to 21. Rose came from the Minnesota town of St Olaf, and her rambling reminiscences of its eccentric residents became a running joke. She won the 1986 Emmy for lead actress in a comedy series and was nominated six more times during the shows run. Betty Marion White was born in Oak Park, Illinois., on January 17, 1922. She grew up in Los Angeles, where she showed early interest in theatre and won several acting jobs on radio and stage. Her career stalled after her 1945 marriage to Dick Barker, a World War II pilot who took her back to his familys chicken farm in Ohio. She later called the experience a nightmare. A second marriage, to actor and show-business agent Lane Allan, also ended in divorce. She said Allan was unhappy that she wanted to work. In 1949 and newly single, White joined a Los Angeles TV talk show as the sidekick of Al Jarvis. It was exhausting but exhilarating, White later told the Toronto Star. It was live, five hours a day, six days a week, she said. We did 58 live commercials one day. White succeeded Jarvis as host of the show before she won her first starring role on national television with Life With Elizabeth, with Del Moore playing her husband. She later hosted The Betty White Show, a daytime talk show on NBC, and the domestic comedy Date With the Angels on ABC. Other sitcom efforts starring White fizzled, and she became a freelance celebrity panelist on game shows, through which she met Ludden, a widower, and married him in 1963. He died in 1981. They had no children. Betty White poses for photographers on the red carpet before Comedy Central's "Roast of William Shatner," Sunday, Aug. 13, 2006, in Los Angeles. Betty White, whose saucy, up-for-anything charm made her a television mainstay for more than 60 years, has died. She was 99. Credit:AP White was an animal advocate much of her life. She volunteered with animal welfare organisations, wrote a book about pet care and hosted a series in the early 1970s, The Pet Set, about celebrities and their pets. New Delhi: At least 10 people died while one was injured after an oil tanker rammed into their autorickshaw near Ramrai village in Jind on Tuesday night. Nine of the victims were returning from an Army recruitment rally, according to police. Some of them were cadets at the military academy. The police have informed the relatives and the academy. The driver of the auto-rickshaw was also killed in the accident, while another man who was part of the group that took part in the recruitment drive was critically injured, they said. The accident took place on Jind-Hisar Road late Tuesday evening, police said. Those killed are in the age group of 20-22 years, they said. A case has been registered in connection with the incident, said an official of the Jind-Sadar police station. AYBAK, Afghanistan, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- A total of 300 security personnel have been commissioned to security forces of the establishment after receiving military training in Afghanistan's northern Samangan province, public relations officer of the province, Khair Khaw Samangani said Saturday. "A total of 300 security personnel of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan received training in the training center of 209 Al-Fatah Corps and graduated yesterday," the official said. The newly graduated security personnel are familiar with light and heavy weapons and can serve elsewhere in the country, the official added. Without providing more details, Khair Khaw added that the new administration would continue to provide necessary training to its security personnel. Earlier, Qari Fasihuddin, the army chief of the Taliban-led caretaker administration has emphasized making a capable army to ensure security of the war-torn country. Enditem People stand in a moment of silence remembering the children who've died this year at a community march called, "No Kids Die in the Chi" along 79th Street on Dec. 31, 2021, in Chicago. A coalition of community organizations participated in the peace march in response to an uptick in Chicago violence involving children in 2021. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) A small march on the South Side Friday aimed to draw attention to the growing number of Chicago children who have been shot amid a pandemic surge in gun violence. About 30 people participated in the No Kids Die in the Chi march that ran along 79th Street for about a mile from the Dan Ryan Expressway to Cottage Grove Avenue in the Chatham neighborhood. The demonstration was organized by several community organizations, including Violence Interrupters, House of Hope Foundation and Hug a Child Make a Change. Advertisement The group of peaceful demonstrators chanted Let them live! as children, community organizers and U.S. Rep. Danny Davis marched as passing cars honked in support. People walk in a community march called, "No Kids Die in the Chi" along 79th Street on Dec. 31, 2021, in Chicago. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Shawn Childs, from the House of Hope organization, condemns the increase in violence against children at a news conference before the community march. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Its easy to get behind no more guns, said Shawn Childs, an event organizer. Were here to tell children they do have a future. Advertisement Through Dec. 26, 415 children ages 17 and under had been shot in Chicago this year, a more than 50% increase since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Chicago Police Department statistics. The city was approaching 800 homicides for the year, the most in decades. Through Dec. 25, 793 people had been killed, 106 of them 19 years old or younger. The majority of those younger residents were Black and male. For the most part, they died on the West and South sides. In Chatham alone, four people 19 years old or younger have died this year. Holding neon signs that read, Let me be 12, Wait, we were just walking, and Let us graduate, the marchers drew stares and cellphones recorded from curious passersby. Others came out of nail and hair salons, to wave, nod or just watch. Children learn what they live, Davis said in a news conference before the march, saying stricter gun regulations could stem the flow of illegal guns. Phoenix McCray, 3, stands with her parents, Shalanda McCray, right, and Donald Akins, left, during the community march. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Tio Hardiman, a longtime anti-violence advocate, said the organizers wanted to draw particular attention to the Chatham and Grand Crossing neighborhoods because of the uptick in shootings the neighborhoods have experienced during the pandemic. There have been a lot of shootings and homicides in these areas, said Hardiman, founder and executive director of Violence Interrupters. We are raising our voices right before the new year to get the message out that there can be no more killing of kids in Chicago. Advertisement Vladimir Thompson, with the House of Hope, was among those chanting for peace and calling for an end to children dying in crossfire. I challenge all adults right now. Step up and save your block. Thompson said. Save your next-door neighbor. Jose Martinez said he participated in the march to stand behind the call to action for better role models in the community. Weve got 10, 11-year-olds carjacking, said Martinez, who lives in Humboldt Park and said he lost a 17-year-old son to gang violence more than two decades ago. In the latest bid to stem the citys surging crime, Chicago police Superintendent David Brown told reporters Thursday he plans to increase the number of homicide and violent crime detectives, bringing their too high caseload of about 5.5 each down to three cases per detective. Community organizer Phallon Payton talks about the need for the community to protect kids during a march called, "No Kids Die in the Chi" along 79th Street on Dec. 31, 2021, in Chicago. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Nationwide, gun violence has led to an increasing number of child deaths, with experts pointing to the effects of the pandemic, easy access to guns and disputes ending too often with gunfire. Advertisement In 2019, the U.S. had 991 gun violence deaths among people ages 17 or younger, according to the website Gun Violence Archive, which tracks shootings from more than 7,500 law enforcement, media, government and commercial sources. As of Friday morning, the number of children killed in 2021 stood at 1,523 with more than 4,000 people age 17 or younger injured in incidents of gun violence. In Chicago, 415 children ages 17 and under have been shot in Chicago this year through Dec. 26, up from 367 in 2020, according to statistics kept by the Police Department, which does not include shootings on the citys interstates. So far this year, 55 people ages 17 and under have been killed, according to CPD, the same number as in 2020. In 2019, the number of children ages 17 and under shot was 272 and the number killed was 38, as of late December that year. At one point, Fridays march paused for a moment of silence for the scores of children shot and killed in the city this year. Theres too much death, said Shalanda McCray said, whose sister led the crowd to bow their heads. Too many kids. Advertisement Chicago Tribunes Jeremy Gorner and Bill Ruthhart contributed. creyes@chicagotribune.com New Delhi: At least 10 people died while one was injured after an oil tanker rammed into their autorickshaw near Ramrai village in Jind on Tuesday night. Nine of the victims were returning from an Army recruitment rally, according to police. Some of them were cadets at the military academy. The police have informed the relatives and the academy. The driver of the auto-rickshaw was also killed in the accident, while another man who was part of the group that took part in the recruitment drive was critically injured, they said. The accident took place on Jind-Hisar Road late Tuesday evening, police said. Those killed are in the age group of 20-22 years, they said. A case has been registered in connection with the incident, said an official of the Jind-Sadar police station. After Nicaragua cut off diplomatic ties with Taiwan, China invited the central American nation to join its One Belt and One Road initiative, reported Sputnik. "We invite Nicaragua to actively take part in this initiative and as soon as possible to join the big family of the joint construction of the One Belt, One Road initiative," Sputnik quoted Chinese diplomatic representative to Nicaragua Yu Bo as saying on Friday. China opened its embassy in the Nicaraguan capital Managua on December 31. Emphasising that it is necessary to stick to the multilateral approach, Yu said that it is also required to stand against the foreign interference in the internal affairs of other countries for the sake of the so-called democracy and human rights. The central American nation in December announced the cut off of its diplomatic ties with Taiwan as it maintained that there is only one China in the world which is represented by Beijing, not by Taipei. China's Belt and Road Initiative was introduced in 2013 which Beijing says aims to promote trade cooperation between China and other foreign partners, connecting Asia with Africa and Europe. However, experts have called it a plan prepared by Beijing to trap poor countries into China's massive debts. (ANI) New Delhi, Jan 1 : Karachi reverberated with heavy gunfire on New Year's Eve claiming at least one life and leaving more than 15 people injured amid tight security arrangements and warnings from the authorities, Geo News reported. Karachi echoed with gunfire and fireworks on Friday night, despite a restriction on celebratory firing. Though the authorities had warned of attempted murder charges against the violators, the number of casualties this time was higher than the previous year, when only four individuals were injured in the metropolis. According to hospital reports, a total of 18 people were rushed to hospitals after being struck by stray gunshots. An 11-year-old boy succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment in Khwaja Ajmer Nagar, police said. Six were transferred to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center in Korangi, four to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, three to Civil Hospital, and two to Sindh Government Hospital. Iqra, a 10-year-old girl who was shot and injured by a stray bullet near Kohistan Chowk in North Nazimabad, was among the injured. According to the police, cases have been registered on complaints of aerial firing, and arrests are likely around Karachi on New Year's Eve for aerial firing, the report said. Seoul, Jan 1 : North Korean officials noting the "growing instability" of the military situation on the peninsula, emphasised the importance of boosting the country's defense capabilities, as they had a major Workers' Party plenary earlier this week, according to Pyongyang's state media Saturday. They described the continued development of advanced weapons systems as a "significant" achievement for 2021 during the five-day 4th plenary meeting of the party's 8th Central Committee that concluded in Pyongyang on Friday. Leader Kim Jong-un attended the session. "The growing instability of the military situation on the Korean Peninsula and international circumstances are demanding us to more powerfully push forward with strengthen national defense capabilities without a hitch," Yonhap reported citing Korean Central Broadcasting Station. The North said it has reviewed key policy directions for inter-Korean relations and foreign affairs in response to fast-changing and ever developing international political situations during the party gathering, but did not give further details. "The defense industry should achieve goals for modernisation and scientification... of the industry according to plan to drive qualitative change of the country's defense capabilities," it said. During the session, the North again named anti-virus efforts as "the most important" national business, a move feared to dampen Seoul's hope for the resumption of dialogue and cross-border exchanges. Pyongyang has imposed strict border closure since the start of Covid-19, and claims to be coronavirus-free. On the economic front, the North rolled out a series of measures to develop the country's agricultural sector as part of efforts to tackle chronic food shortages. The North is estimated to be falling short by around 1 million tons of food every year, with the coronavirus-driven border lockdown believed to have taken a toll on North Korea's already substandard food situation.' Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) New Delhi: Iran on Tuesday rejected ridiculous allegations that it carried out this months attack on Saudi oil infrastructure, after the leaders of France, Germany and Britain backed US conclusions that Tehran was responsible. These allegations, which lack evidence, are based solely on a ridiculous rationale that there is no other possible explanation, Irans foreign ministry said in a statement. The September 14 blasts at the Abqaiq and Khurais facilities temporarily knocked out half of Saudi Arabias oil production. Abqaiq was struck 18 times while Khurais, 200 kilometres southwest, was hit four times in a raid sparking fires that took five hours to extinguish, Aramco officials said. "Many critical areas of the (Abqaiq) plant were hit," an Aramco official said, declining to be named. A stabilisation column, normally silver, had been charred black with a gaping hole blown in the shaft's base. A separator plant was also badly damaged in the raids and was surrounded by scaffolding. "There are 112 shift workers here in normal times. Now 6,000 workers are involved in restoration work," said Aramco official Khaled al-Ghamdi, pointing at damaged infrastructure. The site visits to both Khurais and Abqaiq gave rare access to the nerve centre of the world's largest oil producer, with Aramco flying in journalists to show the extent of damage and the ongoing clean-up. "We will have production at the same level as before the strike by the end of this month -- we are coming back stronger," asserted Fahad al-Abdulkareem, an Aramco general manager, during the visit to Khurais. Badly warped thick metal piping -- peppered with shrapnel during the aerial strikes -- lay strewn around the area of the Khurais attack. But Abdulkareem said that 30 per cent of the Khurais plant was operational within 24 hours of the initial strikes. Earlier, US President Donald Trump had said it "looks" like Iran was behind the explosive attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities. However, Trump ruled out any military retaliation for now to the strike against a key US Mideast ally. A Saudi-led coalition has been battling the rebels since March 2015. The Iranian-backed Houthis hold Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and other territory in the Arab world's poorest country. The war has become the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The violence has pushed Yemen to the brink of famine and killed more than 90,000 people since 2015, according to the US-based Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, or ACLED, which tracks the conflict. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Iran on Tuesday rejected ridiculous allegations that it carried out this months attack on Saudi oil infrastructure, after the leaders of France, Germany and Britain backed US conclusions that Tehran was responsible. These allegations, which lack evidence, are based solely on a ridiculous rationale that there is no other possible explanation, Irans foreign ministry said in a statement. The September 14 blasts at the Abqaiq and Khurais facilities temporarily knocked out half of Saudi Arabias oil production. Abqaiq was struck 18 times while Khurais, 200 kilometres southwest, was hit four times in a raid sparking fires that took five hours to extinguish, Aramco officials said. "Many critical areas of the (Abqaiq) plant were hit," an Aramco official said, declining to be named. A stabilisation column, normally silver, had been charred black with a gaping hole blown in the shaft's base. A separator plant was also badly damaged in the raids and was surrounded by scaffolding. "There are 112 shift workers here in normal times. Now 6,000 workers are involved in restoration work," said Aramco official Khaled al-Ghamdi, pointing at damaged infrastructure. The site visits to both Khurais and Abqaiq gave rare access to the nerve centre of the world's largest oil producer, with Aramco flying in journalists to show the extent of damage and the ongoing clean-up. "We will have production at the same level as before the strike by the end of this month -- we are coming back stronger," asserted Fahad al-Abdulkareem, an Aramco general manager, during the visit to Khurais. Badly warped thick metal piping -- peppered with shrapnel during the aerial strikes -- lay strewn around the area of the Khurais attack. But Abdulkareem said that 30 per cent of the Khurais plant was operational within 24 hours of the initial strikes. Earlier, US President Donald Trump had said it "looks" like Iran was behind the explosive attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities. However, Trump ruled out any military retaliation for now to the strike against a key US Mideast ally. A Saudi-led coalition has been battling the rebels since March 2015. The Iranian-backed Houthis hold Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and other territory in the Arab world's poorest country. The war has become the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The violence has pushed Yemen to the brink of famine and killed more than 90,000 people since 2015, according to the US-based Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, or ACLED, which tracks the conflict. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. No fireworks but some Parisians bought tickets to see in the new year on the Champs Elysee. Credit:AP/Thibault Camus In Berlin, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert was staged without a live audience. In Madrid, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revellers. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Back to work. Back to school. Back to joy, President Joe Biden said in a video posted on Twitter. Thats how we made it through this year. And how well embrace the next. Together. In New York, officials allowed just 15,000 people vaccinated and masked inside the perimeter around Times Square, a sliver of the 1 million that typically squeeze in to watch the famed ball drop. The pandemic game-changer of 2021 vaccinations continued apace. Pakistan said it had fully vaccinated 70 million of its 220 million people this year and Britain said it met its goal of offering a vaccine booster shot to all adults by Friday. People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow. Credit:AP/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr In Russia, President Vladimir Putin mourned the dead, praised Russians for their strength in difficult times and soberly warned that the pandemic isnt retreating yet. Russias virus task force has reported 308,860 COVID-19 deaths but its state statistics agency says the death toll has been more than double that. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin said in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. Elsewhere, the venue that many chose for New Years celebrations was the same place they became overly familiarly with during lockdowns: their homes. Pope Francis also cancelled his New Years Eve tradition of visiting the life-sized manger set up in St. Peters Square, again to avoid a crowd. In an unusual move for Francis, the 85-year-old pontiff donned a surgical mask for a Vespers service of prayer and hymns Friday evening as he sat in an armchair. But he also delivered a homily standing and unmasked. A sense of being lost has grown in the world during the pandemic, Francis told the faithful in St. Peters Basilica. In London, the normal fireworks display, which would have attracted tens of thousands of people to the city centre and the banks of the Thames, was replaced by a light and drones show broadcast on television. Location details about the spectacle were kept secret in advance to avoid crowds gathering. Loading Yet boisterous New Years Eve celebrations kicked off in the Serbian capital of Belgrade where, unlike elsewhere in Europe, mass gatherings were allowed despite fears of the omicron variant. One medical expert predicted that Serbia will see thousands of new COVID-19 infections after the holidays. At Expo 2020, the sprawling worlds fair outside Dubai, 26-year-old tourist Lujain Orfi prepared to throw caution to the wind on New Years Eve her first time ever outside Saudi Arabia, where she lives in the holy city of Medina. If you dont celebrate, life will pass you by, she said. Im healthy and took two (vaccine) doses. We just have to enjoy. Security guards held up signs at Tokyos famous Shibuya Crossing to warn off people trying to gather there. Credit:AP In Japan, writer Naoki Matsuzawa said he would spend the next few days cooking and delivering food to the elderly because some stores would be closed. He said vaccinations had made people less anxious about the pandemic, despite the new variant. A numbness has set in, and we are no longer overly afraid, said Matsuzawa, who lives in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo. Some of us are starting to take for granted that it wont happen to me. South Korean authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. In India, millions of people rang in the new year from their homes, with nighttime curfews and other restrictions taking the fizz out of celebrations in New Delhi, Mumbai and other large cities. Loading In mainland China, the Shanghai government cancelled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. In the Philippines, a powerful typhoon two weeks ago wiped out basic necessities for tens of thousands of people ahead of New Years Eve. More than 400 were killed by Typhoon Rai and at least 82 remain missing. Leahmer Singson, a 17-year-old mother, lost her home to a fire last month, and then the typhoon blew away her temporary wooden shack in Cebu city. She will welcome the new year with her husband, who works in a glass and aluminum factory, and her 1-year-old baby in a ramshackle tent in a clearing where hundreds of other families erected small tents from debris, rice sacks and tarpaulins. Asked what she wants for the new year, Singson had a simple wish: I hope we wont get sick. Filipinos saw in the new year from a park in Manila, hoping 2022 offers better prospects. Credit:Getty New Delhi: Iran on Tuesday rejected ridiculous allegations that it carried out this months attack on Saudi oil infrastructure, after the leaders of France, Germany and Britain backed US conclusions that Tehran was responsible. These allegations, which lack evidence, are based solely on a ridiculous rationale that there is no other possible explanation, Irans foreign ministry said in a statement. The September 14 blasts at the Abqaiq and Khurais facilities temporarily knocked out half of Saudi Arabias oil production. Abqaiq was struck 18 times while Khurais, 200 kilometres southwest, was hit four times in a raid sparking fires that took five hours to extinguish, Aramco officials said. "Many critical areas of the (Abqaiq) plant were hit," an Aramco official said, declining to be named. A stabilisation column, normally silver, had been charred black with a gaping hole blown in the shaft's base. A separator plant was also badly damaged in the raids and was surrounded by scaffolding. "There are 112 shift workers here in normal times. Now 6,000 workers are involved in restoration work," said Aramco official Khaled al-Ghamdi, pointing at damaged infrastructure. The site visits to both Khurais and Abqaiq gave rare access to the nerve centre of the world's largest oil producer, with Aramco flying in journalists to show the extent of damage and the ongoing clean-up. "We will have production at the same level as before the strike by the end of this month -- we are coming back stronger," asserted Fahad al-Abdulkareem, an Aramco general manager, during the visit to Khurais. Badly warped thick metal piping -- peppered with shrapnel during the aerial strikes -- lay strewn around the area of the Khurais attack. But Abdulkareem said that 30 per cent of the Khurais plant was operational within 24 hours of the initial strikes. Earlier, US President Donald Trump had said it "looks" like Iran was behind the explosive attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities. However, Trump ruled out any military retaliation for now to the strike against a key US Mideast ally. A Saudi-led coalition has been battling the rebels since March 2015. The Iranian-backed Houthis hold Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and other territory in the Arab world's poorest country. The war has become the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The violence has pushed Yemen to the brink of famine and killed more than 90,000 people since 2015, according to the US-based Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, or ACLED, which tracks the conflict. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Iran on Tuesday rejected ridiculous allegations that it carried out this months attack on Saudi oil infrastructure, after the leaders of France, Germany and Britain backed US conclusions that Tehran was responsible. These allegations, which lack evidence, are based solely on a ridiculous rationale that there is no other possible explanation, Irans foreign ministry said in a statement. The September 14 blasts at the Abqaiq and Khurais facilities temporarily knocked out half of Saudi Arabias oil production. Abqaiq was struck 18 times while Khurais, 200 kilometres southwest, was hit four times in a raid sparking fires that took five hours to extinguish, Aramco officials said. "Many critical areas of the (Abqaiq) plant were hit," an Aramco official said, declining to be named. A stabilisation column, normally silver, had been charred black with a gaping hole blown in the shaft's base. A separator plant was also badly damaged in the raids and was surrounded by scaffolding. "There are 112 shift workers here in normal times. Now 6,000 workers are involved in restoration work," said Aramco official Khaled al-Ghamdi, pointing at damaged infrastructure. The site visits to both Khurais and Abqaiq gave rare access to the nerve centre of the world's largest oil producer, with Aramco flying in journalists to show the extent of damage and the ongoing clean-up. "We will have production at the same level as before the strike by the end of this month -- we are coming back stronger," asserted Fahad al-Abdulkareem, an Aramco general manager, during the visit to Khurais. Badly warped thick metal piping -- peppered with shrapnel during the aerial strikes -- lay strewn around the area of the Khurais attack. But Abdulkareem said that 30 per cent of the Khurais plant was operational within 24 hours of the initial strikes. Earlier, US President Donald Trump had said it "looks" like Iran was behind the explosive attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities. However, Trump ruled out any military retaliation for now to the strike against a key US Mideast ally. A Saudi-led coalition has been battling the rebels since March 2015. The Iranian-backed Houthis hold Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and other territory in the Arab world's poorest country. The war has become the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The violence has pushed Yemen to the brink of famine and killed more than 90,000 people since 2015, according to the US-based Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, or ACLED, which tracks the conflict. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. White first made an impression on critics and audiences in her starring role on the suburban sitcom Life With Elizabeth, which aired from 1953 to 1955. New York Times television critic Jack Gould called White a talented and immensely personable actress with an intuitive feel for farce. If the role helped propel Whites long career, she later spoke dismissively about what she considered its dated premise. Plotlines centered on Elizabeths biscuits not turning out, she later told The Washington Post. We were trying to be funny. We were more two-dimensional cartoon characters than three-dimensional real people. Her other sitcom work from the period was not much better, but her heart-shaped face and amiable personality won her a great deal of work on other programs, notably such long-running quiz shows as Whats My Line? and Password. She said she was approached by NBC in the early 1960s to be the new girl on the Today morning show but declined because she did not want to live in New York City. They had to make do with Barbara Walters, White told NPR. What can I tell you? Actors from the television series "The " Golden Girls" stand together during a break in taping Dec. 25, 1985 in Hollywood. From left are, Estelle Getty, Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur and Betty White. Credit:AP The Mary Tyler Moore Show provided White with one of her juiciest roles. From 1973 until the show ended in 1977, she portrayed Sue Ann Nivens, the outwardly sweet Happy Homemaker on the fictional Minneapolis station WJM-TV who had a sexually rapacious off-camera personality. Portraying the neighborhood nymphomaniac, White later said, was pivotal in reviving her acting career after years of game-show work. After years of playing that nice lady, she told TV Guide in 1974, it was great fun for them to see that nice ladies sometimes have claws. For me, it was like being born again. She won two Emmy Awards for her supporting role on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and was nominated for another. The Golden Girls, which debuted in 1985 to glowing reviews and ran for seven years on NBC, sealed Whites presence on the small screen. She played ditsy but kindhearted Rose Nylund, a widowed grief counsellor who shares a Miami home with three other senior citizens: the oversexed Southern belle Blanche (Rue McClanahan); the abrasive octogenarian Sophia (Estelle Getty); and Sophias dominating daughter, Dorothy (Bea Arthur). Rose was prone to self-doubt and misinterpreted everything said around her. Sexual innuendo often stumped her, such as Dorothys comment that her ex-husband needed to strip naked to count to 21. Rose came from the Minnesota town of St Olaf, and her rambling reminiscences of its eccentric residents became a running joke. She won the 1986 Emmy for lead actress in a comedy series and was nominated six more times during the shows run. Betty Marion White was born in Oak Park, Illinois., on January 17, 1922. She grew up in Los Angeles, where she showed early interest in theatre and won several acting jobs on radio and stage. Her career stalled after her 1945 marriage to Dick Barker, a World War II pilot who took her back to his familys chicken farm in Ohio. She later called the experience a nightmare. A second marriage, to actor and show-business agent Lane Allan, also ended in divorce. She said Allan was unhappy that she wanted to work. In 1949 and newly single, White joined a Los Angeles TV talk show as the sidekick of Al Jarvis. It was exhausting but exhilarating, White later told the Toronto Star. It was live, five hours a day, six days a week, she said. We did 58 live commercials one day. White succeeded Jarvis as host of the show before she won her first starring role on national television with Life With Elizabeth, with Del Moore playing her husband. She later hosted The Betty White Show, a daytime talk show on NBC, and the domestic comedy Date With the Angels on ABC. Other sitcom efforts starring White fizzled, and she became a freelance celebrity panelist on game shows, through which she met Ludden, a widower, and married him in 1963. He died in 1981. They had no children. Betty White poses for photographers on the red carpet before Comedy Central's "Roast of William Shatner," Sunday, Aug. 13, 2006, in Los Angeles. Betty White, whose saucy, up-for-anything charm made her a television mainstay for more than 60 years, has died. She was 99. Credit:AP White was an animal advocate much of her life. She volunteered with animal welfare organisations, wrote a book about pet care and hosted a series in the early 1970s, The Pet Set, about celebrities and their pets. White first made an impression on critics and audiences in her starring role on the suburban sitcom Life With Elizabeth, which aired from 1953 to 1955. New York Times television critic Jack Gould called White a talented and immensely personable actress with an intuitive feel for farce. If the role helped propel Whites long career, she later spoke dismissively about what she considered its dated premise. Plotlines centered on Elizabeths biscuits not turning out, she later told The Washington Post. We were trying to be funny. We were more two-dimensional cartoon characters than three-dimensional real people. Her other sitcom work from the period was not much better, but her heart-shaped face and amiable personality won her a great deal of work on other programs, notably such long-running quiz shows as Whats My Line? and Password. She said she was approached by NBC in the early 1960s to be the new girl on the Today morning show but declined because she did not want to live in New York City. They had to make do with Barbara Walters, White told NPR. What can I tell you? Actors from the television series "The " Golden Girls" stand together during a break in taping Dec. 25, 1985 in Hollywood. From left are, Estelle Getty, Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur and Betty White. Credit:AP The Mary Tyler Moore Show provided White with one of her juiciest roles. From 1973 until the show ended in 1977, she portrayed Sue Ann Nivens, the outwardly sweet Happy Homemaker on the fictional Minneapolis station WJM-TV who had a sexually rapacious off-camera personality. Portraying the neighborhood nymphomaniac, White later said, was pivotal in reviving her acting career after years of game-show work. After years of playing that nice lady, she told TV Guide in 1974, it was great fun for them to see that nice ladies sometimes have claws. For me, it was like being born again. She won two Emmy Awards for her supporting role on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and was nominated for another. The Golden Girls, which debuted in 1985 to glowing reviews and ran for seven years on NBC, sealed Whites presence on the small screen. She played ditsy but kindhearted Rose Nylund, a widowed grief counsellor who shares a Miami home with three other senior citizens: the oversexed Southern belle Blanche (Rue McClanahan); the abrasive octogenarian Sophia (Estelle Getty); and Sophias dominating daughter, Dorothy (Bea Arthur). Rose was prone to self-doubt and misinterpreted everything said around her. Sexual innuendo often stumped her, such as Dorothys comment that her ex-husband needed to strip naked to count to 21. Rose came from the Minnesota town of St Olaf, and her rambling reminiscences of its eccentric residents became a running joke. She won the 1986 Emmy for lead actress in a comedy series and was nominated six more times during the shows run. Betty Marion White was born in Oak Park, Illinois., on January 17, 1922. She grew up in Los Angeles, where she showed early interest in theatre and won several acting jobs on radio and stage. Her career stalled after her 1945 marriage to Dick Barker, a World War II pilot who took her back to his familys chicken farm in Ohio. She later called the experience a nightmare. A second marriage, to actor and show-business agent Lane Allan, also ended in divorce. She said Allan was unhappy that she wanted to work. In 1949 and newly single, White joined a Los Angeles TV talk show as the sidekick of Al Jarvis. It was exhausting but exhilarating, White later told the Toronto Star. It was live, five hours a day, six days a week, she said. We did 58 live commercials one day. White succeeded Jarvis as host of the show before she won her first starring role on national television with Life With Elizabeth, with Del Moore playing her husband. She later hosted The Betty White Show, a daytime talk show on NBC, and the domestic comedy Date With the Angels on ABC. Other sitcom efforts starring White fizzled, and she became a freelance celebrity panelist on game shows, through which she met Ludden, a widower, and married him in 1963. He died in 1981. They had no children. Betty White poses for photographers on the red carpet before Comedy Central's "Roast of William Shatner," Sunday, Aug. 13, 2006, in Los Angeles. Betty White, whose saucy, up-for-anything charm made her a television mainstay for more than 60 years, has died. She was 99. Credit:AP White was an animal advocate much of her life. She volunteered with animal welfare organisations, wrote a book about pet care and hosted a series in the early 1970s, The Pet Set, about celebrities and their pets. Davenport Civil Rights Director Latrice Lacey's 2019 misdemeanor harassment conviction was affirmed by the Iowa State Supreme Court. The court published its 34-page opinion Thursday. The decision to uphold the conviction closes another chapter in a three-year, eight-month case that started with four misdemeanor charges and included three separate trials. Lacey declined to comment on the decision. Lacey's misdemeanor harassment conviction stemmed from an April 30, 2018, confrontation with former boyfriend Clyde Richardson outside a Davenport business. The Scott County Attorney's office argued Lacey threatened bodily harm against Richardson during what became a physical altercation. The Scott County Attorney's office also charged Lacey with three counts of misdemeanor assault. Lacey's first trial ended in a mistrial. During her second trial in September 2019, a jury convicted Lacey, 35, of the second-degree harassment charge, a serious misdemeanor. The second jury, however, could not reach consensus on the counts of assault, and a mistrial was declared. After the second trial, Judge Stuart P. Werling sentenced Lacey in January 2020 to one year in jail, suspended with probation, for the harassment charge, as well as a fine of $315 and court costs. Lacey was found not guilty of all three assault charges in the third trial, held in late September. Lacey attorney Kent Simmons based the appeal of the harassment conviction on three points: There was insufficient evidence to convict Lacey of harassment. The Scott County court erred by not allowing Lacey to present evidence Richardson harassed her and damaged her property in the months leading up to the incident. The Scott County court both "abused its discretion in refusing to continue sentencing," as well as abused "its discretion in imposing a sentence." Justice Christopher McDonald authored the opinion of the court. He was joined by Chief Justice Susan Christensen, and Justices Thomas Waterman, Dana Oxley and Matthew McDermott. Justice Edward Mansfield concurred in part and dissented with a portion of the ruling, and he was joined in concurring and dissenting by Justice Brent Appel. Explaining the court's majority decision, McDonald wrote: "We disagree with Laceys argument and decline to disturb the sentencing courts exercise of discretion. The record is explicit that the court did not consider counts one, two or four (of misdemeanor assault) when sentencing Lacey. Record evidence including Laceys own testimony indicated that Lacey wielded a hammer during the confrontation, and the sentencing court was free to consider this factor, along with others, in fashioning the sentence. "Contrary to Laceys argument, the sentencing court considered additional factors besides her possessing the hammer, including the seriousness of the offense, the fact that she was within arms reach of Richardson during the incident, and the fact that she made a threat of physical harm after she appeared at his workplace. The court also considered Laceys lack of criminal history as a mitigating factor. The record supports the facts upon which the court relied in imposing the sentence, and the court did not limit its consideration to a single factor, contrary to Laceys argument. The district court did not abuse its discretion in sentencing Lacey." Here is the Iowa State Supreme Court opinion. Mansfield and Appel made it clear they agreed with much of the majority's opinion but offered dissent on the issue of Werling's decision to not allow "... many of Clyde Richardson's text messages to Latrice Lacey leading up to the charged harassment." Mansfield wrote: "These cruel, abusive text messages provide substantial support for Lacey's claim that she did not have specific interest to 'threaten, intimidate, or alarm' Richardson but merely to get him off her back." Mansfield said Richardson's absence of testimony during the second trial made the texts "... powerful evidence of how Richardson had been acting toward Lacey," adding a jury " ... couldn't question what Richardson wrote in a text." Mansfield concluded "In my view, none of the majority's justifications for affirming the district court's exclusion of the abusive texts withstands scrutiny." White first made an impression on critics and audiences in her starring role on the suburban sitcom Life With Elizabeth, which aired from 1953 to 1955. New York Times television critic Jack Gould called White a talented and immensely personable actress with an intuitive feel for farce. If the role helped propel Whites long career, she later spoke dismissively about what she considered its dated premise. Plotlines centered on Elizabeths biscuits not turning out, she later told The Washington Post. We were trying to be funny. We were more two-dimensional cartoon characters than three-dimensional real people. Her other sitcom work from the period was not much better, but her heart-shaped face and amiable personality won her a great deal of work on other programs, notably such long-running quiz shows as Whats My Line? and Password. She said she was approached by NBC in the early 1960s to be the new girl on the Today morning show but declined because she did not want to live in New York City. They had to make do with Barbara Walters, White told NPR. What can I tell you? Actors from the television series "The " Golden Girls" stand together during a break in taping Dec. 25, 1985 in Hollywood. From left are, Estelle Getty, Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur and Betty White. Credit:AP The Mary Tyler Moore Show provided White with one of her juiciest roles. From 1973 until the show ended in 1977, she portrayed Sue Ann Nivens, the outwardly sweet Happy Homemaker on the fictional Minneapolis station WJM-TV who had a sexually rapacious off-camera personality. Portraying the neighborhood nymphomaniac, White later said, was pivotal in reviving her acting career after years of game-show work. After years of playing that nice lady, she told TV Guide in 1974, it was great fun for them to see that nice ladies sometimes have claws. For me, it was like being born again. She won two Emmy Awards for her supporting role on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and was nominated for another. The Golden Girls, which debuted in 1985 to glowing reviews and ran for seven years on NBC, sealed Whites presence on the small screen. She played ditsy but kindhearted Rose Nylund, a widowed grief counsellor who shares a Miami home with three other senior citizens: the oversexed Southern belle Blanche (Rue McClanahan); the abrasive octogenarian Sophia (Estelle Getty); and Sophias dominating daughter, Dorothy (Bea Arthur). Rose was prone to self-doubt and misinterpreted everything said around her. Sexual innuendo often stumped her, such as Dorothys comment that her ex-husband needed to strip naked to count to 21. Rose came from the Minnesota town of St Olaf, and her rambling reminiscences of its eccentric residents became a running joke. She won the 1986 Emmy for lead actress in a comedy series and was nominated six more times during the shows run. Betty Marion White was born in Oak Park, Illinois., on January 17, 1922. She grew up in Los Angeles, where she showed early interest in theatre and won several acting jobs on radio and stage. Her career stalled after her 1945 marriage to Dick Barker, a World War II pilot who took her back to his familys chicken farm in Ohio. She later called the experience a nightmare. A second marriage, to actor and show-business agent Lane Allan, also ended in divorce. She said Allan was unhappy that she wanted to work. In 1949 and newly single, White joined a Los Angeles TV talk show as the sidekick of Al Jarvis. It was exhausting but exhilarating, White later told the Toronto Star. It was live, five hours a day, six days a week, she said. We did 58 live commercials one day. White succeeded Jarvis as host of the show before she won her first starring role on national television with Life With Elizabeth, with Del Moore playing her husband. She later hosted The Betty White Show, a daytime talk show on NBC, and the domestic comedy Date With the Angels on ABC. Other sitcom efforts starring White fizzled, and she became a freelance celebrity panelist on game shows, through which she met Ludden, a widower, and married him in 1963. He died in 1981. They had no children. Betty White poses for photographers on the red carpet before Comedy Central's "Roast of William Shatner," Sunday, Aug. 13, 2006, in Los Angeles. Betty White, whose saucy, up-for-anything charm made her a television mainstay for more than 60 years, has died. She was 99. Credit:AP White was an animal advocate much of her life. She volunteered with animal welfare organisations, wrote a book about pet care and hosted a series in the early 1970s, The Pet Set, about celebrities and their pets. White first made an impression on critics and audiences in her starring role on the suburban sitcom Life With Elizabeth, which aired from 1953 to 1955. New York Times television critic Jack Gould called White a talented and immensely personable actress with an intuitive feel for farce. If the role helped propel Whites long career, she later spoke dismissively about what she considered its dated premise. Plotlines centered on Elizabeths biscuits not turning out, she later told The Washington Post. We were trying to be funny. We were more two-dimensional cartoon characters than three-dimensional real people. Her other sitcom work from the period was not much better, but her heart-shaped face and amiable personality won her a great deal of work on other programs, notably such long-running quiz shows as Whats My Line? and Password. She said she was approached by NBC in the early 1960s to be the new girl on the Today morning show but declined because she did not want to live in New York City. They had to make do with Barbara Walters, White told NPR. What can I tell you? Actors from the television series "The " Golden Girls" stand together during a break in taping Dec. 25, 1985 in Hollywood. From left are, Estelle Getty, Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur and Betty White. Credit:AP The Mary Tyler Moore Show provided White with one of her juiciest roles. From 1973 until the show ended in 1977, she portrayed Sue Ann Nivens, the outwardly sweet Happy Homemaker on the fictional Minneapolis station WJM-TV who had a sexually rapacious off-camera personality. Portraying the neighborhood nymphomaniac, White later said, was pivotal in reviving her acting career after years of game-show work. After years of playing that nice lady, she told TV Guide in 1974, it was great fun for them to see that nice ladies sometimes have claws. For me, it was like being born again. She won two Emmy Awards for her supporting role on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and was nominated for another. The Golden Girls, which debuted in 1985 to glowing reviews and ran for seven years on NBC, sealed Whites presence on the small screen. She played ditsy but kindhearted Rose Nylund, a widowed grief counsellor who shares a Miami home with three other senior citizens: the oversexed Southern belle Blanche (Rue McClanahan); the abrasive octogenarian Sophia (Estelle Getty); and Sophias dominating daughter, Dorothy (Bea Arthur). Rose was prone to self-doubt and misinterpreted everything said around her. Sexual innuendo often stumped her, such as Dorothys comment that her ex-husband needed to strip naked to count to 21. Rose came from the Minnesota town of St Olaf, and her rambling reminiscences of its eccentric residents became a running joke. She won the 1986 Emmy for lead actress in a comedy series and was nominated six more times during the shows run. Betty Marion White was born in Oak Park, Illinois., on January 17, 1922. She grew up in Los Angeles, where she showed early interest in theatre and won several acting jobs on radio and stage. Her career stalled after her 1945 marriage to Dick Barker, a World War II pilot who took her back to his familys chicken farm in Ohio. She later called the experience a nightmare. A second marriage, to actor and show-business agent Lane Allan, also ended in divorce. She said Allan was unhappy that she wanted to work. In 1949 and newly single, White joined a Los Angeles TV talk show as the sidekick of Al Jarvis. It was exhausting but exhilarating, White later told the Toronto Star. It was live, five hours a day, six days a week, she said. We did 58 live commercials one day. White succeeded Jarvis as host of the show before she won her first starring role on national television with Life With Elizabeth, with Del Moore playing her husband. She later hosted The Betty White Show, a daytime talk show on NBC, and the domestic comedy Date With the Angels on ABC. Other sitcom efforts starring White fizzled, and she became a freelance celebrity panelist on game shows, through which she met Ludden, a widower, and married him in 1963. He died in 1981. They had no children. Betty White poses for photographers on the red carpet before Comedy Central's "Roast of William Shatner," Sunday, Aug. 13, 2006, in Los Angeles. Betty White, whose saucy, up-for-anything charm made her a television mainstay for more than 60 years, has died. She was 99. Credit:AP White was an animal advocate much of her life. She volunteered with animal welfare organisations, wrote a book about pet care and hosted a series in the early 1970s, The Pet Set, about celebrities and their pets. White first made an impression on critics and audiences in her starring role on the suburban sitcom Life With Elizabeth, which aired from 1953 to 1955. New York Times television critic Jack Gould called White a talented and immensely personable actress with an intuitive feel for farce. If the role helped propel Whites long career, she later spoke dismissively about what she considered its dated premise. Plotlines centered on Elizabeths biscuits not turning out, she later told The Washington Post. We were trying to be funny. We were more two-dimensional cartoon characters than three-dimensional real people. Her other sitcom work from the period was not much better, but her heart-shaped face and amiable personality won her a great deal of work on other programs, notably such long-running quiz shows as Whats My Line? and Password. She said she was approached by NBC in the early 1960s to be the new girl on the Today morning show but declined because she did not want to live in New York City. They had to make do with Barbara Walters, White told NPR. What can I tell you? Actors from the television series "The " Golden Girls" stand together during a break in taping Dec. 25, 1985 in Hollywood. From left are, Estelle Getty, Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur and Betty White. Credit:AP The Mary Tyler Moore Show provided White with one of her juiciest roles. From 1973 until the show ended in 1977, she portrayed Sue Ann Nivens, the outwardly sweet Happy Homemaker on the fictional Minneapolis station WJM-TV who had a sexually rapacious off-camera personality. Portraying the neighborhood nymphomaniac, White later said, was pivotal in reviving her acting career after years of game-show work. After years of playing that nice lady, she told TV Guide in 1974, it was great fun for them to see that nice ladies sometimes have claws. For me, it was like being born again. She won two Emmy Awards for her supporting role on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and was nominated for another. The Golden Girls, which debuted in 1985 to glowing reviews and ran for seven years on NBC, sealed Whites presence on the small screen. She played ditsy but kindhearted Rose Nylund, a widowed grief counsellor who shares a Miami home with three other senior citizens: the oversexed Southern belle Blanche (Rue McClanahan); the abrasive octogenarian Sophia (Estelle Getty); and Sophias dominating daughter, Dorothy (Bea Arthur). Rose was prone to self-doubt and misinterpreted everything said around her. Sexual innuendo often stumped her, such as Dorothys comment that her ex-husband needed to strip naked to count to 21. Rose came from the Minnesota town of St Olaf, and her rambling reminiscences of its eccentric residents became a running joke. She won the 1986 Emmy for lead actress in a comedy series and was nominated six more times during the shows run. Betty Marion White was born in Oak Park, Illinois., on January 17, 1922. She grew up in Los Angeles, where she showed early interest in theatre and won several acting jobs on radio and stage. Her career stalled after her 1945 marriage to Dick Barker, a World War II pilot who took her back to his familys chicken farm in Ohio. She later called the experience a nightmare. A second marriage, to actor and show-business agent Lane Allan, also ended in divorce. She said Allan was unhappy that she wanted to work. In 1949 and newly single, White joined a Los Angeles TV talk show as the sidekick of Al Jarvis. It was exhausting but exhilarating, White later told the Toronto Star. It was live, five hours a day, six days a week, she said. We did 58 live commercials one day. White succeeded Jarvis as host of the show before she won her first starring role on national television with Life With Elizabeth, with Del Moore playing her husband. She later hosted The Betty White Show, a daytime talk show on NBC, and the domestic comedy Date With the Angels on ABC. Other sitcom efforts starring White fizzled, and she became a freelance celebrity panelist on game shows, through which she met Ludden, a widower, and married him in 1963. He died in 1981. They had no children. Betty White poses for photographers on the red carpet before Comedy Central's "Roast of William Shatner," Sunday, Aug. 13, 2006, in Los Angeles. Betty White, whose saucy, up-for-anything charm made her a television mainstay for more than 60 years, has died. She was 99. Credit:AP White was an animal advocate much of her life. She volunteered with animal welfare organisations, wrote a book about pet care and hosted a series in the early 1970s, The Pet Set, about celebrities and their pets. Davenport Civil Rights Director Latrice Lacey's 2019 misdemeanor harassment conviction was affirmed by the Iowa State Supreme Court. The court published its 34-page opinion Thursday. The decision to uphold the conviction closes another chapter in a three-year, eight-month case that started with four misdemeanor charges and included three separate trials. Lacey declined to comment on the decision. Lacey's misdemeanor harassment conviction stemmed from an April 30, 2018, confrontation with former boyfriend Clyde Richardson outside a Davenport business. The Scott County Attorney's office argued Lacey threatened bodily harm against Richardson during what became a physical altercation. The Scott County Attorney's office also charged Lacey with three counts of misdemeanor assault. Lacey's first trial ended in a mistrial. During her second trial in September 2019, a jury convicted Lacey, 35, of the second-degree harassment charge, a serious misdemeanor. The second jury, however, could not reach consensus on the counts of assault, and a mistrial was declared. After the second trial, Judge Stuart P. Werling sentenced Lacey in January 2020 to one year in jail, suspended with probation, for the harassment charge, as well as a fine of $315 and court costs. Lacey was found not guilty of all three assault charges in the third trial, held in late September. Lacey attorney Kent Simmons based the appeal of the harassment conviction on three points: There was insufficient evidence to convict Lacey of harassment. The Scott County court erred by not allowing Lacey to present evidence Richardson harassed her and damaged her property in the months leading up to the incident. The Scott County court both "abused its discretion in refusing to continue sentencing," as well as abused "its discretion in imposing a sentence." Justice Christopher McDonald authored the opinion of the court. He was joined by Chief Justice Susan Christensen, and Justices Thomas Waterman, Dana Oxley and Matthew McDermott. Justice Edward Mansfield concurred in part and dissented with a portion of the ruling, and he was joined in concurring and dissenting by Justice Brent Appel. Explaining the court's majority decision, McDonald wrote: "We disagree with Laceys argument and decline to disturb the sentencing courts exercise of discretion. The record is explicit that the court did not consider counts one, two or four (of misdemeanor assault) when sentencing Lacey. Record evidence including Laceys own testimony indicated that Lacey wielded a hammer during the confrontation, and the sentencing court was free to consider this factor, along with others, in fashioning the sentence. "Contrary to Laceys argument, the sentencing court considered additional factors besides her possessing the hammer, including the seriousness of the offense, the fact that she was within arms reach of Richardson during the incident, and the fact that she made a threat of physical harm after she appeared at his workplace. The court also considered Laceys lack of criminal history as a mitigating factor. The record supports the facts upon which the court relied in imposing the sentence, and the court did not limit its consideration to a single factor, contrary to Laceys argument. The district court did not abuse its discretion in sentencing Lacey." Here is the Iowa State Supreme Court opinion. Mansfield and Appel made it clear they agreed with much of the majority's opinion but offered dissent on the issue of Werling's decision to not allow "... many of Clyde Richardson's text messages to Latrice Lacey leading up to the charged harassment." Mansfield wrote: "These cruel, abusive text messages provide substantial support for Lacey's claim that she did not have specific interest to 'threaten, intimidate, or alarm' Richardson but merely to get him off her back." Mansfield said Richardson's absence of testimony during the second trial made the texts "... powerful evidence of how Richardson had been acting toward Lacey," adding a jury " ... couldn't question what Richardson wrote in a text." Mansfield concluded "In my view, none of the majority's justifications for affirming the district court's exclusion of the abusive texts withstands scrutiny." Davenport Civil Rights Director Latrice Lacey's 2019 misdemeanor harassment conviction was affirmed by the Iowa State Supreme Court. The court published its 34-page opinion Thursday. The decision to uphold the conviction closes another chapter in a three-year, eight-month case that started with four misdemeanor charges and included three separate trials. Lacey declined to comment on the decision. Lacey's misdemeanor harassment conviction stemmed from an April 30, 2018, confrontation with former boyfriend Clyde Richardson outside a Davenport business. The Scott County Attorney's office argued Lacey threatened bodily harm against Richardson during what became a physical altercation. The Scott County Attorney's office also charged Lacey with three counts of misdemeanor assault. Lacey's first trial ended in a mistrial. During her second trial in September 2019, a jury convicted Lacey, 35, of the second-degree harassment charge, a serious misdemeanor. The second jury, however, could not reach consensus on the counts of assault, and a mistrial was declared. After the second trial, Judge Stuart P. Werling sentenced Lacey in January 2020 to one year in jail, suspended with probation, for the harassment charge, as well as a fine of $315 and court costs. Lacey was found not guilty of all three assault charges in the third trial, held in late September. Lacey attorney Kent Simmons based the appeal of the harassment conviction on three points: There was insufficient evidence to convict Lacey of harassment. The Scott County court erred by not allowing Lacey to present evidence Richardson harassed her and damaged her property in the months leading up to the incident. The Scott County court both "abused its discretion in refusing to continue sentencing," as well as abused "its discretion in imposing a sentence." Justice Christopher McDonald authored the opinion of the court. He was joined by Chief Justice Susan Christensen, and Justices Thomas Waterman, Dana Oxley and Matthew McDermott. Justice Edward Mansfield concurred in part and dissented with a portion of the ruling, and he was joined in concurring and dissenting by Justice Brent Appel. Explaining the court's majority decision, McDonald wrote: "We disagree with Laceys argument and decline to disturb the sentencing courts exercise of discretion. The record is explicit that the court did not consider counts one, two or four (of misdemeanor assault) when sentencing Lacey. Record evidence including Laceys own testimony indicated that Lacey wielded a hammer during the confrontation, and the sentencing court was free to consider this factor, along with others, in fashioning the sentence. "Contrary to Laceys argument, the sentencing court considered additional factors besides her possessing the hammer, including the seriousness of the offense, the fact that she was within arms reach of Richardson during the incident, and the fact that she made a threat of physical harm after she appeared at his workplace. The court also considered Laceys lack of criminal history as a mitigating factor. The record supports the facts upon which the court relied in imposing the sentence, and the court did not limit its consideration to a single factor, contrary to Laceys argument. The district court did not abuse its discretion in sentencing Lacey." Here is the Iowa State Supreme Court opinion. Mansfield and Appel made it clear they agreed with much of the majority's opinion but offered dissent on the issue of Werling's decision to not allow "... many of Clyde Richardson's text messages to Latrice Lacey leading up to the charged harassment." Mansfield wrote: "These cruel, abusive text messages provide substantial support for Lacey's claim that she did not have specific interest to 'threaten, intimidate, or alarm' Richardson but merely to get him off her back." Mansfield said Richardson's absence of testimony during the second trial made the texts "... powerful evidence of how Richardson had been acting toward Lacey," adding a jury " ... couldn't question what Richardson wrote in a text." Mansfield concluded "In my view, none of the majority's justifications for affirming the district court's exclusion of the abusive texts withstands scrutiny." Davenport Civil Rights Director Latrice Lacey's 2019 misdemeanor harassment conviction was affirmed by the Iowa State Supreme Court. The court published its 34-page opinion Thursday. The decision to uphold the conviction closes another chapter in a three-year, eight-month case that started with four misdemeanor charges and included three separate trials. Lacey declined to comment on the decision. Lacey's misdemeanor harassment conviction stemmed from an April 30, 2018, confrontation with former boyfriend Clyde Richardson outside a Davenport business. The Scott County Attorney's office argued Lacey threatened bodily harm against Richardson during what became a physical altercation. The Scott County Attorney's office also charged Lacey with three counts of misdemeanor assault. Lacey's first trial ended in a mistrial. During her second trial in September 2019, a jury convicted Lacey, 35, of the second-degree harassment charge, a serious misdemeanor. The second jury, however, could not reach consensus on the counts of assault, and a mistrial was declared. After the second trial, Judge Stuart P. Werling sentenced Lacey in January 2020 to one year in jail, suspended with probation, for the harassment charge, as well as a fine of $315 and court costs. Lacey was found not guilty of all three assault charges in the third trial, held in late September. Lacey attorney Kent Simmons based the appeal of the harassment conviction on three points: There was insufficient evidence to convict Lacey of harassment. The Scott County court erred by not allowing Lacey to present evidence Richardson harassed her and damaged her property in the months leading up to the incident. The Scott County court both "abused its discretion in refusing to continue sentencing," as well as abused "its discretion in imposing a sentence." Justice Christopher McDonald authored the opinion of the court. He was joined by Chief Justice Susan Christensen, and Justices Thomas Waterman, Dana Oxley and Matthew McDermott. Justice Edward Mansfield concurred in part and dissented with a portion of the ruling, and he was joined in concurring and dissenting by Justice Brent Appel. Explaining the court's majority decision, McDonald wrote: "We disagree with Laceys argument and decline to disturb the sentencing courts exercise of discretion. The record is explicit that the court did not consider counts one, two or four (of misdemeanor assault) when sentencing Lacey. Record evidence including Laceys own testimony indicated that Lacey wielded a hammer during the confrontation, and the sentencing court was free to consider this factor, along with others, in fashioning the sentence. "Contrary to Laceys argument, the sentencing court considered additional factors besides her possessing the hammer, including the seriousness of the offense, the fact that she was within arms reach of Richardson during the incident, and the fact that she made a threat of physical harm after she appeared at his workplace. The court also considered Laceys lack of criminal history as a mitigating factor. The record supports the facts upon which the court relied in imposing the sentence, and the court did not limit its consideration to a single factor, contrary to Laceys argument. The district court did not abuse its discretion in sentencing Lacey." Here is the Iowa State Supreme Court opinion. Mansfield and Appel made it clear they agreed with much of the majority's opinion but offered dissent on the issue of Werling's decision to not allow "... many of Clyde Richardson's text messages to Latrice Lacey leading up to the charged harassment." Mansfield wrote: "These cruel, abusive text messages provide substantial support for Lacey's claim that she did not have specific interest to 'threaten, intimidate, or alarm' Richardson but merely to get him off her back." Mansfield said Richardson's absence of testimony during the second trial made the texts "... powerful evidence of how Richardson had been acting toward Lacey," adding a jury " ... couldn't question what Richardson wrote in a text." Mansfield concluded "In my view, none of the majority's justifications for affirming the district court's exclusion of the abusive texts withstands scrutiny." Davenport Civil Rights Director Latrice Lacey's 2019 misdemeanor harassment conviction was affirmed by the Iowa State Supreme Court. The court published its 34-page opinion Thursday. The decision to uphold the conviction closes another chapter in a three-year, eight-month case that started with four misdemeanor charges and included three separate trials. Lacey declined to comment on the decision. Lacey's misdemeanor harassment conviction stemmed from an April 30, 2018, confrontation with former boyfriend Clyde Richardson outside a Davenport business. The Scott County Attorney's office argued Lacey threatened bodily harm against Richardson during what became a physical altercation. The Scott County Attorney's office also charged Lacey with three counts of misdemeanor assault. Lacey's first trial ended in a mistrial. During her second trial in September 2019, a jury convicted Lacey, 35, of the second-degree harassment charge, a serious misdemeanor. The second jury, however, could not reach consensus on the counts of assault, and a mistrial was declared. After the second trial, Judge Stuart P. Werling sentenced Lacey in January 2020 to one year in jail, suspended with probation, for the harassment charge, as well as a fine of $315 and court costs. Lacey was found not guilty of all three assault charges in the third trial, held in late September. Lacey attorney Kent Simmons based the appeal of the harassment conviction on three points: There was insufficient evidence to convict Lacey of harassment. The Scott County court erred by not allowing Lacey to present evidence Richardson harassed her and damaged her property in the months leading up to the incident. The Scott County court both "abused its discretion in refusing to continue sentencing," as well as abused "its discretion in imposing a sentence." Justice Christopher McDonald authored the opinion of the court. He was joined by Chief Justice Susan Christensen, and Justices Thomas Waterman, Dana Oxley and Matthew McDermott. Justice Edward Mansfield concurred in part and dissented with a portion of the ruling, and he was joined in concurring and dissenting by Justice Brent Appel. Explaining the court's majority decision, McDonald wrote: "We disagree with Laceys argument and decline to disturb the sentencing courts exercise of discretion. The record is explicit that the court did not consider counts one, two or four (of misdemeanor assault) when sentencing Lacey. Record evidence including Laceys own testimony indicated that Lacey wielded a hammer during the confrontation, and the sentencing court was free to consider this factor, along with others, in fashioning the sentence. "Contrary to Laceys argument, the sentencing court considered additional factors besides her possessing the hammer, including the seriousness of the offense, the fact that she was within arms reach of Richardson during the incident, and the fact that she made a threat of physical harm after she appeared at his workplace. The court also considered Laceys lack of criminal history as a mitigating factor. The record supports the facts upon which the court relied in imposing the sentence, and the court did not limit its consideration to a single factor, contrary to Laceys argument. The district court did not abuse its discretion in sentencing Lacey." Here is the Iowa State Supreme Court opinion. Mansfield and Appel made it clear they agreed with much of the majority's opinion but offered dissent on the issue of Werling's decision to not allow "... many of Clyde Richardson's text messages to Latrice Lacey leading up to the charged harassment." Mansfield wrote: "These cruel, abusive text messages provide substantial support for Lacey's claim that she did not have specific interest to 'threaten, intimidate, or alarm' Richardson but merely to get him off her back." Mansfield said Richardson's absence of testimony during the second trial made the texts "... powerful evidence of how Richardson had been acting toward Lacey," adding a jury " ... couldn't question what Richardson wrote in a text." Mansfield concluded "In my view, none of the majority's justifications for affirming the district court's exclusion of the abusive texts withstands scrutiny." Davenport Civil Rights Director Latrice Lacey's 2019 misdemeanor harassment conviction was affirmed by the Iowa State Supreme Court. The court published its 34-page opinion Thursday. The decision to uphold the conviction closes another chapter in a three-year, eight-month case that started with four misdemeanor charges and included three separate trials. Lacey declined to comment on the decision. Lacey's misdemeanor harassment conviction stemmed from an April 30, 2018, confrontation with former boyfriend Clyde Richardson outside a Davenport business. The Scott County Attorney's office argued Lacey threatened bodily harm against Richardson during what became a physical altercation. The Scott County Attorney's office also charged Lacey with three counts of misdemeanor assault. Lacey's first trial ended in a mistrial. During her second trial in September 2019, a jury convicted Lacey, 35, of the second-degree harassment charge, a serious misdemeanor. The second jury, however, could not reach consensus on the counts of assault, and a mistrial was declared. After the second trial, Judge Stuart P. Werling sentenced Lacey in January 2020 to one year in jail, suspended with probation, for the harassment charge, as well as a fine of $315 and court costs. Lacey was found not guilty of all three assault charges in the third trial, held in late September. Lacey attorney Kent Simmons based the appeal of the harassment conviction on three points: There was insufficient evidence to convict Lacey of harassment. The Scott County court erred by not allowing Lacey to present evidence Richardson harassed her and damaged her property in the months leading up to the incident. The Scott County court both "abused its discretion in refusing to continue sentencing," as well as abused "its discretion in imposing a sentence." Justice Christopher McDonald authored the opinion of the court. He was joined by Chief Justice Susan Christensen, and Justices Thomas Waterman, Dana Oxley and Matthew McDermott. Justice Edward Mansfield concurred in part and dissented with a portion of the ruling, and he was joined in concurring and dissenting by Justice Brent Appel. Explaining the court's majority decision, McDonald wrote: "We disagree with Laceys argument and decline to disturb the sentencing courts exercise of discretion. The record is explicit that the court did not consider counts one, two or four (of misdemeanor assault) when sentencing Lacey. Record evidence including Laceys own testimony indicated that Lacey wielded a hammer during the confrontation, and the sentencing court was free to consider this factor, along with others, in fashioning the sentence. "Contrary to Laceys argument, the sentencing court considered additional factors besides her possessing the hammer, including the seriousness of the offense, the fact that she was within arms reach of Richardson during the incident, and the fact that she made a threat of physical harm after she appeared at his workplace. The court also considered Laceys lack of criminal history as a mitigating factor. The record supports the facts upon which the court relied in imposing the sentence, and the court did not limit its consideration to a single factor, contrary to Laceys argument. The district court did not abuse its discretion in sentencing Lacey." Here is the Iowa State Supreme Court opinion. Mansfield and Appel made it clear they agreed with much of the majority's opinion but offered dissent on the issue of Werling's decision to not allow "... many of Clyde Richardson's text messages to Latrice Lacey leading up to the charged harassment." Mansfield wrote: "These cruel, abusive text messages provide substantial support for Lacey's claim that she did not have specific interest to 'threaten, intimidate, or alarm' Richardson but merely to get him off her back." Mansfield said Richardson's absence of testimony during the second trial made the texts "... powerful evidence of how Richardson had been acting toward Lacey," adding a jury " ... couldn't question what Richardson wrote in a text." Mansfield concluded "In my view, none of the majority's justifications for affirming the district court's exclusion of the abusive texts withstands scrutiny." Davenport Civil Rights Director Latrice Lacey's 2019 misdemeanor harassment conviction was affirmed by the Iowa State Supreme Court. The court published its 34-page opinion Thursday. The decision to uphold the conviction closes another chapter in a three-year, eight-month case that started with four misdemeanor charges and included three separate trials. Lacey declined to comment on the decision. Lacey's misdemeanor harassment conviction stemmed from an April 30, 2018, confrontation with former boyfriend Clyde Richardson outside a Davenport business. The Scott County Attorney's office argued Lacey threatened bodily harm against Richardson during what became a physical altercation. The Scott County Attorney's office also charged Lacey with three counts of misdemeanor assault. Lacey's first trial ended in a mistrial. During her second trial in September 2019, a jury convicted Lacey, 35, of the second-degree harassment charge, a serious misdemeanor. The second jury, however, could not reach consensus on the counts of assault, and a mistrial was declared. After the second trial, Judge Stuart P. Werling sentenced Lacey in January 2020 to one year in jail, suspended with probation, for the harassment charge, as well as a fine of $315 and court costs. Lacey was found not guilty of all three assault charges in the third trial, held in late September. Lacey attorney Kent Simmons based the appeal of the harassment conviction on three points: There was insufficient evidence to convict Lacey of harassment. The Scott County court erred by not allowing Lacey to present evidence Richardson harassed her and damaged her property in the months leading up to the incident. The Scott County court both "abused its discretion in refusing to continue sentencing," as well as abused "its discretion in imposing a sentence." Justice Christopher McDonald authored the opinion of the court. He was joined by Chief Justice Susan Christensen, and Justices Thomas Waterman, Dana Oxley and Matthew McDermott. Justice Edward Mansfield concurred in part and dissented with a portion of the ruling, and he was joined in concurring and dissenting by Justice Brent Appel. Explaining the court's majority decision, McDonald wrote: "We disagree with Laceys argument and decline to disturb the sentencing courts exercise of discretion. The record is explicit that the court did not consider counts one, two or four (of misdemeanor assault) when sentencing Lacey. Record evidence including Laceys own testimony indicated that Lacey wielded a hammer during the confrontation, and the sentencing court was free to consider this factor, along with others, in fashioning the sentence. "Contrary to Laceys argument, the sentencing court considered additional factors besides her possessing the hammer, including the seriousness of the offense, the fact that she was within arms reach of Richardson during the incident, and the fact that she made a threat of physical harm after she appeared at his workplace. The court also considered Laceys lack of criminal history as a mitigating factor. The record supports the facts upon which the court relied in imposing the sentence, and the court did not limit its consideration to a single factor, contrary to Laceys argument. The district court did not abuse its discretion in sentencing Lacey." Here is the Iowa State Supreme Court opinion. Mansfield and Appel made it clear they agreed with much of the majority's opinion but offered dissent on the issue of Werling's decision to not allow "... many of Clyde Richardson's text messages to Latrice Lacey leading up to the charged harassment." Mansfield wrote: "These cruel, abusive text messages provide substantial support for Lacey's claim that she did not have specific interest to 'threaten, intimidate, or alarm' Richardson but merely to get him off her back." Mansfield said Richardson's absence of testimony during the second trial made the texts "... powerful evidence of how Richardson had been acting toward Lacey," adding a jury " ... couldn't question what Richardson wrote in a text." Mansfield concluded "In my view, none of the majority's justifications for affirming the district court's exclusion of the abusive texts withstands scrutiny." Davenport Civil Rights Director Latrice Lacey's 2019 misdemeanor harassment conviction was affirmed by the Iowa State Supreme Court. The court published its 34-page opinion Thursday. The decision to uphold the conviction closes another chapter in a three-year, eight-month case that started with four misdemeanor charges and included three separate trials. Lacey declined to comment on the decision. Lacey's misdemeanor harassment conviction stemmed from an April 30, 2018, confrontation with former boyfriend Clyde Richardson outside a Davenport business. The Scott County Attorney's office argued Lacey threatened bodily harm against Richardson during what became a physical altercation. The Scott County Attorney's office also charged Lacey with three counts of misdemeanor assault. Lacey's first trial ended in a mistrial. During her second trial in September 2019, a jury convicted Lacey, 35, of the second-degree harassment charge, a serious misdemeanor. The second jury, however, could not reach consensus on the counts of assault, and a mistrial was declared. After the second trial, Judge Stuart P. Werling sentenced Lacey in January 2020 to one year in jail, suspended with probation, for the harassment charge, as well as a fine of $315 and court costs. Lacey was found not guilty of all three assault charges in the third trial, held in late September. Lacey attorney Kent Simmons based the appeal of the harassment conviction on three points: There was insufficient evidence to convict Lacey of harassment. The Scott County court erred by not allowing Lacey to present evidence Richardson harassed her and damaged her property in the months leading up to the incident. The Scott County court both "abused its discretion in refusing to continue sentencing," as well as abused "its discretion in imposing a sentence." Justice Christopher McDonald authored the opinion of the court. He was joined by Chief Justice Susan Christensen, and Justices Thomas Waterman, Dana Oxley and Matthew McDermott. Justice Edward Mansfield concurred in part and dissented with a portion of the ruling, and he was joined in concurring and dissenting by Justice Brent Appel. Explaining the court's majority decision, McDonald wrote: "We disagree with Laceys argument and decline to disturb the sentencing courts exercise of discretion. The record is explicit that the court did not consider counts one, two or four (of misdemeanor assault) when sentencing Lacey. Record evidence including Laceys own testimony indicated that Lacey wielded a hammer during the confrontation, and the sentencing court was free to consider this factor, along with others, in fashioning the sentence. "Contrary to Laceys argument, the sentencing court considered additional factors besides her possessing the hammer, including the seriousness of the offense, the fact that she was within arms reach of Richardson during the incident, and the fact that she made a threat of physical harm after she appeared at his workplace. The court also considered Laceys lack of criminal history as a mitigating factor. The record supports the facts upon which the court relied in imposing the sentence, and the court did not limit its consideration to a single factor, contrary to Laceys argument. The district court did not abuse its discretion in sentencing Lacey." Here is the Iowa State Supreme Court opinion. Mansfield and Appel made it clear they agreed with much of the majority's opinion but offered dissent on the issue of Werling's decision to not allow "... many of Clyde Richardson's text messages to Latrice Lacey leading up to the charged harassment." Mansfield wrote: "These cruel, abusive text messages provide substantial support for Lacey's claim that she did not have specific interest to 'threaten, intimidate, or alarm' Richardson but merely to get him off her back." Mansfield said Richardson's absence of testimony during the second trial made the texts "... powerful evidence of how Richardson had been acting toward Lacey," adding a jury " ... couldn't question what Richardson wrote in a text." Mansfield concluded "In my view, none of the majority's justifications for affirming the district court's exclusion of the abusive texts withstands scrutiny." At a time when Kerala, which is heavily dependent on its tourism sector is struggling to attract visitors due to the prevailing COVID-19 situation, the behaviour of the cops there to a foreign tourist has come under heavy criticism. On Friday, on New Year's eve, cops forced a Swedish tourist to throw away two bottles of liquor he had just purchased since he did not have a bill. The incident was reported from the beach town of Kovalam, in Thiruvananthapuram. Screengrab The Swedish national, identified as Stephen Asberg was returning on a two-wheeler to his hotel room with three bottles of liquor when he was stopped by the police. Kerala Police had stepped up checking along the roads in key areas ahead of the New Year. During the checking, the liquor was found in Asberg's bag and the cops asked him to show its bill. When the tourist said he didn't have the bill with him, as no one at the liquor outlet gave him one and that he was unaware of the requirement, the cops insisted that they won't allow him to take the liquor without the receipt. This was despite some locals, including a person who filmed the entire episode telling the cops it was wrong to harass a foreigner who came to enjoy Kerala. Screengrab After failing to convince the cops, an angry Asberg opened two bottles and poured the liquor into the roadside. Noticeably he kept the two plastic bottles in his bag and did not throw them away. After he threw away two bottles of liquor, the cops 'advised' the 68-year-old he should go back to the liquor shop and ask for a bill. The incident came to light after Sreejan Balakrishnan, a Kerala-based journalist shared the videos of the incident on Facebook. Balakrishnan suggested that if this is how Kerala Police is going to behave with tourists, it is better to shut down Kerala Tourism. The videos went viral on social media and many tagged Kerala Tourism Minister Mohammed Riyas and asked if this is how a tourist coming to the state should be treated. Criticizing the police action, the minister said that it was against the state's tourism policies and expressed hope that action will be taken against the officials. Later speaking to local media, Asberg said that he had been visiting Kerala for four years, and runs a homestay here, but never expected this from the police. Screengrab He also said that after the episode, he in fact went back to the liquor outlet and got the bill, only to show it to the cops. After the video sparked outrage in Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram DCP ordered a probe into the incident. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also sought a report from the police. On Saturday, the Grade SI was suspended by Kerala DGP Anil Kant, over the incident. For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. At a time when Kerala, which is heavily dependent on its tourism sector is struggling to attract visitors due to the prevailing COVID-19 situation, the behaviour of the cops there to a foreign tourist has come under heavy criticism. On Friday, on New Year's eve, cops forced a Swedish tourist to throw away two bottles of liquor he had just purchased since he did not have a bill. The incident was reported from the beach town of Kovalam, in Thiruvananthapuram. Screengrab The Swedish national, identified as Stephen Asberg was returning on a two-wheeler to his hotel room with three bottles of liquor when he was stopped by the police. Kerala Police had stepped up checking along the roads in key areas ahead of the New Year. During the checking, the liquor was found in Asberg's bag and the cops asked him to show its bill. When the tourist said he didn't have the bill with him, as no one at the liquor outlet gave him one and that he was unaware of the requirement, the cops insisted that they won't allow him to take the liquor without the receipt. This was despite some locals, including a person who filmed the entire episode telling the cops it was wrong to harass a foreigner who came to enjoy Kerala. Screengrab After failing to convince the cops, an angry Asberg opened two bottles and poured the liquor into the roadside. Noticeably he kept the two plastic bottles in his bag and did not throw them away. After he threw away two bottles of liquor, the cops 'advised' the 68-year-old he should go back to the liquor shop and ask for a bill. The incident came to light after Sreejan Balakrishnan, a Kerala-based journalist shared the videos of the incident on Facebook. Balakrishnan suggested that if this is how Kerala Police is going to behave with tourists, it is better to shut down Kerala Tourism. The videos went viral on social media and many tagged Kerala Tourism Minister Mohammed Riyas and asked if this is how a tourist coming to the state should be treated. Criticizing the police action, the minister said that it was against the state's tourism policies and expressed hope that action will be taken against the officials. Later speaking to local media, Asberg said that he had been visiting Kerala for four years, and runs a homestay here, but never expected this from the police. Screengrab He also said that after the episode, he in fact went back to the liquor outlet and got the bill, only to show it to the cops. After the video sparked outrage in Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram DCP ordered a probe into the incident. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also sought a report from the police. On Saturday, the Grade SI was suspended by Kerala DGP Anil Kant, over the incident. For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt took a break from their busy schedule for a holiday. The couple welcomed 2022 on an optimistic note as Alia shared pictures and gave fans a closer glimpse at their holiday. Twitter Sharing pictures from the trip, Alia Bhatt captioned the post as: Giving 2022 some Hakuna Matata energy. Stay safe smile... Be simple and love more!!!!! Happy New Year." Alia and Ranbir's holiday pictures hint that the couple spent the last few days of the year in a jungle . Instagram/Alia Bhatt The couple had made a similar trip to Kenya a few years back. Commenting on the post, Arjun Kapoor wrote, #nadaanparindeys, meaning innocent birds, a reference to the song Nadaan Parindey from Ranbirs film Rockstar. Alia and Ranbir's loved ones and fans dropped the sweetest comments for the couple. Screengrab Cupid struck for Ranbir and Alia on the sets of their upcoming movie 'Bramastra' and have been dating ever since. Amidst multiple reports hinting at their wedding, Ranbir and Alia have spent most of their time enjoying vacations together. They also rang in Ranbir's birthday in September in Ranthambore. (To get the latest updates from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.) DES MOINES The county attorney prosecuting the case of two southeast Iowa teens charged with murder in the death of their high school Spanish teacher said in court documents that they surveilled her pattern of life, ambushed her along her daily walk and dragged her into the woods, returning later to better hide her lifeless body. Those additional details of the death of Nohema Graber in early November were revealed in a Dec. 23 filing in the case of Jeremy Goodale, 16, of Fairfield. He is charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder with classmate Willard Miller, also 16. Attorneys for both teens have asked a judge to move their case to juvenile court. Hearings on the requests are scheduled for Jan. 27. In court documents filed Dec. 23, Jefferson County Attorney Chauncy Moulding offered the additional details of Grabers death. Graber, 66, was reported missing Nov. 2 and her remains were found later that day in a park. Authorities earlier confirmed that she had suffered inflicted trauma to the head and that her body was found concealed under a tarp, wheelbarrow and railroad ties at the Chautauqua Park in Fairfield, about 95 miles southeast of Des Moines. Authorities have not released a motive. Both teens attended Grabers Spanish class at Fairfield High School, where she had taught since 2012. Moulding argued that trying Goodale as an adult is the only appropriate plan because he would be released at age 18, less than 24 months, if he is tried and convicted in the juvenile court system. This prosecuting attorney cannot fathom any combination of programming at any Iowa juvenile facility which could appropriately treat or rehabilitate the defendant if adjudicated as a juvenile, he said. Millers attorney has made a similar request, and Moulding resisted for many of the same reasons. Miller and Goodale are being held on $1 million cash bond in juvenile detention facilities awaiting trial. Both have pleaded not guilty. Moulding charged them as adults with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. The sentence in Iowa would be life in prison for first-degree murder as an adult, although a 2016 Iowa Supreme Court ruling requires juveniles to have a chance of release when given life sentences. D2C start-up Mamaearth has raised $52 million in a funding round led by Sequoia at a valuation of $1.2 billion, becoming the first unicorn of 2022. Last year, India gave birth to 43 unicorns in the technology start-up sector. D2C start-up Mamaearth has raised $52 million in a funding round led by Sequoia at a valuation of $1.2 billion, becoming the first unicorn of 2022. Last year, India gave birth to 43 unicorns in the technology start-up sector. Photo taken on Dec. 30, 2021 shows a view of the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia. (Xinhua/Xu Qin) BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade agreement, entered into force on Saturday, injecting vitality into multilateralism and free trade amid the COVID-19 pandemic and global economic recovery. After the agreement takes effect, more than 90 percent of merchandise trade among members that have approved the agreement will eventually be subject to zero tariffs. The RCEP was signed on Nov. 15, 2020 by 15 Asia-Pacific countries -- 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia and New Zealand -- after eight years of negotiations that started in 2012. The deal came into force initially in 10 countries that have submitted instruments of ratification with the ASEAN Secretariat. Covering nearly a third of the world's population and accounting for about 30 percent of the world GDP, the new free trade bloc aims to facilitate trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region, and boost economic globalization. With optimized trade rules among signatories, streamlined procedures and wider opening-up in the sectors of services-trade and investment, the RECP will bring tangible benefits to the member countries. China will fully implement the obligations of the RCEP agreement and guide local governments, industries and enterprises to better seize the opening-up opportunities, according to the Ministry of Commerce. The country will work actively with other members to build the RCEP mechanism into a major platform for economic and trade cooperation in East Asia, the ministry said. The RCEP enables China and Japan to build a direct free trade partnership with tariffs on 86 percent of products from Japan and 88 percent of products from China eventually down to zero. "The RCEP agreement, reached at a difficult time with challenges from COVID-19 and the anti-globalization sentiment, will drive a new round of economic globalization by promoting free trade," said Wei Jianguo, a senior expert with the Beijing-based China Center for International Economic Exchanges. The RCEP agreement can significantly lower the cost of trade in the region, enhance the competitiveness of products, create more business opportunities for enterprises, and provide more choices and benefits to consumers, he said. A study from the Asian Development Bank predicted that the RCEP will significantly contribute to post-pandemic economic recovery in the Asia-Pacific region and worldwide. By 2030, it will increase members' incomes by 0.6 percent, adding 245 billion U.S. dollars annually to regional income and 2.8 million jobs to regional employment, according to the study. Enditem Photo taken on Dec. 30, 2021 shows a view of the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia.(Xinhua/Xu Qin) File photo shows Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Dato Lim Jock Hoi working at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia, Oct. 21, 2021.(ASEAN Secretariat/Handout via Xinhua) At a time when Kerala, which is heavily dependent on its tourism sector is struggling to attract visitors due to the prevailing COVID-19 situation, the behaviour of the cops there to a foreign tourist has come under heavy criticism. On Friday, on New Year's eve, cops forced a Swedish tourist to throw away two bottles of liquor he had just purchased since he did not have a bill. The incident was reported from the beach town of Kovalam, in Thiruvananthapuram. Screengrab The Swedish national, identified as Stephen Asberg was returning on a two-wheeler to his hotel room with three bottles of liquor when he was stopped by the police. Kerala Police had stepped up checking along the roads in key areas ahead of the New Year. During the checking, the liquor was found in Asberg's bag and the cops asked him to show its bill. When the tourist said he didn't have the bill with him, as no one at the liquor outlet gave him one and that he was unaware of the requirement, the cops insisted that they won't allow him to take the liquor without the receipt. This was despite some locals, including a person who filmed the entire episode telling the cops it was wrong to harass a foreigner who came to enjoy Kerala. Screengrab After failing to convince the cops, an angry Asberg opened two bottles and poured the liquor into the roadside. Noticeably he kept the two plastic bottles in his bag and did not throw them away. After he threw away two bottles of liquor, the cops 'advised' the 68-year-old he should go back to the liquor shop and ask for a bill. The incident came to light after Sreejan Balakrishnan, a Kerala-based journalist shared the videos of the incident on Facebook. Balakrishnan suggested that if this is how Kerala Police is going to behave with tourists, it is better to shut down Kerala Tourism. The videos went viral on social media and many tagged Kerala Tourism Minister Mohammed Riyas and asked if this is how a tourist coming to the state should be treated. Criticizing the police action, the minister said that it was against the state's tourism policies and expressed hope that action will be taken against the officials. Later speaking to local media, Asberg said that he had been visiting Kerala for four years, and runs a homestay here, but never expected this from the police. Screengrab He also said that after the episode, he in fact went back to the liquor outlet and got the bill, only to show it to the cops. After the video sparked outrage in Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram DCP ordered a probe into the incident. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also sought a report from the police. On Saturday, the Grade SI was suspended by Kerala DGP Anil Kant, over the incident. For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. At a time when Kerala, which is heavily dependent on its tourism sector is struggling to attract visitors due to the prevailing COVID-19 situation, the behaviour of the cops there to a foreign tourist has come under heavy criticism. On Friday, on New Year's eve, cops forced a Swedish tourist to throw away two bottles of liquor he had just purchased since he did not have a bill. The incident was reported from the beach town of Kovalam, in Thiruvananthapuram. Screengrab The Swedish national, identified as Stephen Asberg was returning on a two-wheeler to his hotel room with three bottles of liquor when he was stopped by the police. Kerala Police had stepped up checking along the roads in key areas ahead of the New Year. During the checking, the liquor was found in Asberg's bag and the cops asked him to show its bill. When the tourist said he didn't have the bill with him, as no one at the liquor outlet gave him one and that he was unaware of the requirement, the cops insisted that they won't allow him to take the liquor without the receipt. This was despite some locals, including a person who filmed the entire episode telling the cops it was wrong to harass a foreigner who came to enjoy Kerala. Screengrab After failing to convince the cops, an angry Asberg opened two bottles and poured the liquor into the roadside. Noticeably he kept the two plastic bottles in his bag and did not throw them away. After he threw away two bottles of liquor, the cops 'advised' the 68-year-old he should go back to the liquor shop and ask for a bill. The incident came to light after Sreejan Balakrishnan, a Kerala-based journalist shared the videos of the incident on Facebook. Balakrishnan suggested that if this is how Kerala Police is going to behave with tourists, it is better to shut down Kerala Tourism. The videos went viral on social media and many tagged Kerala Tourism Minister Mohammed Riyas and asked if this is how a tourist coming to the state should be treated. Criticizing the police action, the minister said that it was against the state's tourism policies and expressed hope that action will be taken against the officials. Later speaking to local media, Asberg said that he had been visiting Kerala for four years, and runs a homestay here, but never expected this from the police. Screengrab He also said that after the episode, he in fact went back to the liquor outlet and got the bill, only to show it to the cops. After the video sparked outrage in Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram DCP ordered a probe into the incident. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also sought a report from the police. On Saturday, the Grade SI was suspended by Kerala DGP Anil Kant, over the incident. For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. Tesla and SpaceX CEO in an interview with artificial intelligence researcher Lex Fridman shared advice for students, such as reading books, avoiding becoming a leader, and helping. When asked what advice he would give to young people who want to do something big, Musk simply responded by saying "try to be useful". Musk mentioned that the young generation should do things that are useful to fellow human beings and to the world. "It's very hard to be useful," Musk stated, urging young people to "contribute more than you consume". He also advised students to read and develop their general knowledge so they know what's going on around the world. Musk also noted that the more you talk to different kinds of people from all over the world, the more your mind will open. "Talk to people from different walks of life and different industries and professions and skills," told Fridman. In a 2014 interview, Musk said he looked for "evidence of exceptional ability" in a potential employee, rather than a degree from a prestigious university. "There is no need even to have a college degree at all, or even high school," Musk said during an interview with the German automotive publication Auto Bild about his hiring preferences more broadly. "If somebody graduated from a great university, that may be an indication that they will be capable of great things, but it's not necessarily the case. If you look at, say, people like Bill Gates or Larry Ellison, Steve Jobs, these guys did not graduate from college, but if you had a chance to hire them, of course that would be a good idea." --IANS wh/shb/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tesla and SpaceX CEO in an interview with artificial intelligence researcher Lex Fridman shared advice for students, such as reading books, avoiding becoming a leader, and helping. When asked what advice he would give to young people who want to do something big, Musk simply responded by saying "try to be useful". Musk mentioned that the young generation should do things that are useful to fellow human beings and to the world. "It's very hard to be useful," Musk stated, urging young people to "contribute more than you consume". He also advised students to read and develop their general knowledge so they know what's going on around the world. Musk also noted that the more you talk to different kinds of people from all over the world, the more your mind will open. "Talk to people from different walks of life and different industries and professions and skills," told Fridman. In a 2014 interview, Musk said he looked for "evidence of exceptional ability" in a potential employee, rather than a degree from a prestigious university. "There is no need even to have a college degree at all, or even high school," Musk said during an interview with the German automotive publication Auto Bild about his hiring preferences more broadly. "If somebody graduated from a great university, that may be an indication that they will be capable of great things, but it's not necessarily the case. If you look at, say, people like Bill Gates or Larry Ellison, Steve Jobs, these guys did not graduate from college, but if you had a chance to hire them, of course that would be a good idea." --IANS wh/shb/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tesla and SpaceX CEO in an interview with artificial intelligence researcher Lex Fridman shared advice for students, such as reading books, avoiding becoming a leader, and helping. When asked what advice he would give to young people who want to do something big, Musk simply responded by saying "try to be useful". Musk mentioned that the young generation should do things that are useful to fellow human beings and to the world. "It's very hard to be useful," Musk stated, urging young people to "contribute more than you consume". He also advised students to read and develop their general knowledge so they know what's going on around the world. Musk also noted that the more you talk to different kinds of people from all over the world, the more your mind will open. "Talk to people from different walks of life and different industries and professions and skills," told Fridman. In a 2014 interview, Musk said he looked for "evidence of exceptional ability" in a potential employee, rather than a degree from a prestigious university. "There is no need even to have a college degree at all, or even high school," Musk said during an interview with the German automotive publication Auto Bild about his hiring preferences more broadly. "If somebody graduated from a great university, that may be an indication that they will be capable of great things, but it's not necessarily the case. If you look at, say, people like Bill Gates or Larry Ellison, Steve Jobs, these guys did not graduate from college, but if you had a chance to hire them, of course that would be a good idea." --IANS wh/shb/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) DES MOINES The county attorney prosecuting the case of two southeast Iowa teens charged with murder in the death of their high school Spanish teacher said in court documents that they surveilled her pattern of life, ambushed her along her daily walk and dragged her into the woods, returning later to better hide her lifeless body. Those additional details of the death of Nohema Graber in early November were revealed in a Dec. 23 filing in the case of Jeremy Goodale, 16, of Fairfield. He is charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder with classmate Willard Miller, also 16. Attorneys for both teens have asked a judge to move their case to juvenile court. Hearings on the requests are scheduled for Jan. 27. In court documents filed Dec. 23, Jefferson County Attorney Chauncy Moulding offered the additional details of Grabers death. Graber, 66, was reported missing Nov. 2 and her remains were found later that day in a park. Authorities earlier confirmed that she had suffered inflicted trauma to the head and that her body was found concealed under a tarp, wheelbarrow and railroad ties at the Chautauqua Park in Fairfield, about 95 miles southeast of Des Moines. Authorities have not released a motive. Both teens attended Grabers Spanish class at Fairfield High School, where she had taught since 2012. Moulding argued that trying Goodale as an adult is the only appropriate plan because he would be released at age 18, less than 24 months, if he is tried and convicted in the juvenile court system. This prosecuting attorney cannot fathom any combination of programming at any Iowa juvenile facility which could appropriately treat or rehabilitate the defendant if adjudicated as a juvenile, he said. Millers attorney has made a similar request, and Moulding resisted for many of the same reasons. Miller and Goodale are being held on $1 million cash bond in juvenile detention facilities awaiting trial. Both have pleaded not guilty. Moulding charged them as adults with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. The sentence in Iowa would be life in prison for first-degree murder as an adult, although a 2016 Iowa Supreme Court ruling requires juveniles to have a chance of release when given life sentences. Photo taken on Dec. 30, 2021 shows a view of the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia. (Xinhua/Xu Qin) BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade agreement, entered into force on Saturday, injecting vitality into multilateralism and free trade amid the COVID-19 pandemic and global economic recovery. After the agreement takes effect, more than 90 percent of merchandise trade among members that have approved the agreement will eventually be subject to zero tariffs. The RCEP was signed on Nov. 15, 2020 by 15 Asia-Pacific countries -- 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia and New Zealand -- after eight years of negotiations that started in 2012. The deal came into force initially in 10 countries that have submitted instruments of ratification with the ASEAN Secretariat. Covering nearly a third of the world's population and accounting for about 30 percent of the world GDP, the new free trade bloc aims to facilitate trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region, and boost economic globalization. With optimized trade rules among signatories, streamlined procedures and wider opening-up in the sectors of services-trade and investment, the RECP will bring tangible benefits to the member countries. China will fully implement the obligations of the RCEP agreement and guide local governments, industries and enterprises to better seize the opening-up opportunities, according to the Ministry of Commerce. The country will work actively with other members to build the RCEP mechanism into a major platform for economic and trade cooperation in East Asia, the ministry said. The RCEP enables China and Japan to build a direct free trade partnership with tariffs on 86 percent of products from Japan and 88 percent of products from China eventually down to zero. "The RCEP agreement, reached at a difficult time with challenges from COVID-19 and the anti-globalization sentiment, will drive a new round of economic globalization by promoting free trade," said Wei Jianguo, a senior expert with the Beijing-based China Center for International Economic Exchanges. The RCEP agreement can significantly lower the cost of trade in the region, enhance the competitiveness of products, create more business opportunities for enterprises, and provide more choices and benefits to consumers, he said. A study from the Asian Development Bank predicted that the RCEP will significantly contribute to post-pandemic economic recovery in the Asia-Pacific region and worldwide. By 2030, it will increase members' incomes by 0.6 percent, adding 245 billion U.S. dollars annually to regional income and 2.8 million jobs to regional employment, according to the study. Enditem Photo taken on Dec. 30, 2021 shows a view of the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia.(Xinhua/Xu Qin) File photo shows Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Dato Lim Jock Hoi working at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia, Oct. 21, 2021.(ASEAN Secretariat/Handout via Xinhua) At a time when Kerala, which is heavily dependent on its tourism sector is struggling to attract visitors due to the prevailing COVID-19 situation, the behaviour of the cops there to a foreign tourist has come under heavy criticism. On Friday, on New Year's eve, cops forced a Swedish tourist to throw away two bottles of liquor he had just purchased since he did not have a bill. The incident was reported from the beach town of Kovalam, in Thiruvananthapuram. Screengrab The Swedish national, identified as Stephen Asberg was returning on a two-wheeler to his hotel room with three bottles of liquor when he was stopped by the police. Kerala Police had stepped up checking along the roads in key areas ahead of the New Year. During the checking, the liquor was found in Asberg's bag and the cops asked him to show its bill. When the tourist said he didn't have the bill with him, as no one at the liquor outlet gave him one and that he was unaware of the requirement, the cops insisted that they won't allow him to take the liquor without the receipt. This was despite some locals, including a person who filmed the entire episode telling the cops it was wrong to harass a foreigner who came to enjoy Kerala. Screengrab After failing to convince the cops, an angry Asberg opened two bottles and poured the liquor into the roadside. Noticeably he kept the two plastic bottles in his bag and did not throw them away. After he threw away two bottles of liquor, the cops 'advised' the 68-year-old he should go back to the liquor shop and ask for a bill. The incident came to light after Sreejan Balakrishnan, a Kerala-based journalist shared the videos of the incident on Facebook. Balakrishnan suggested that if this is how Kerala Police is going to behave with tourists, it is better to shut down Kerala Tourism. The videos went viral on social media and many tagged Kerala Tourism Minister Mohammed Riyas and asked if this is how a tourist coming to the state should be treated. Criticizing the police action, the minister said that it was against the state's tourism policies and expressed hope that action will be taken against the officials. Later speaking to local media, Asberg said that he had been visiting Kerala for four years, and runs a homestay here, but never expected this from the police. Screengrab He also said that after the episode, he in fact went back to the liquor outlet and got the bill, only to show it to the cops. After the video sparked outrage in Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram DCP ordered a probe into the incident. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also sought a report from the police. On Saturday, the Grade SI was suspended by Kerala DGP Anil Kant, over the incident. For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. The government has imposed fresh restrictions against Covid-19 from January 1, 2022. Physical classes for students up to eighth grade will not be held till January 10, Chief Minister's office said in a statement on Friday. Commercial establishments will be permitted entry for only 50 per cent of the capacity and only 100 people will be allowed for marriage functions. The attendance at funerals will be restricted to 50. All kinds of exhibitions will be postponed and social, cultural, and political gatherings will be restricted. Chief Minister in the statement said that dine-in services at restaurants will be allowed with 50 per cent occupancy. Hostels, lodges, gyms can function only with 50 per cent of customers, the statement said. The Department of Public health in a statement on Friday said that has now reported 120 cases. Health minister Ma Subramanian, while speaking to IANS, said: "Of the fresh 74 cases, 63 are in Chengalpattu, one each in Kanniyakumari, Coimbatore, Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvallur, Trichy and Ranipet districts of the state. The health department is monitoring the situation closely and the Chief Minister is taking periodical reviews and if there are more restrictions required, we will have to implement them. The Union health department is also in touch with the state health officials and I have already spoken to the Union health minister and apprised him of the situation in the state." Greater Chennai Corporation would be conducting random tests for students of schools and colleges for early detection of cases to prevent the spread of the disease. A senior official with the State Public Health department said that the community spread of variant is already on and that adequate measures have to be taken to contain it. --IANS aal/shb/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) What an inspired 80th birthday present it seemed for Boris Johnson's father Stanley a family of beavers for the river on his Exmoor estate. The Johnson siblings had paid for the paperwork, and rewilding conservationist Derek Gow visited Stanley, Boris and sister Rachel to discuss the project. 'Boris is passionate about beavers,' Derek says. 'He was affable, but Stanley decided to wait as the law doesn't allow him to release beavers into the wild at present.' Legally although this is under review beavers can only be released into fenced-off areas, but there are wild populations in Scotland and Devon. Once upon a time, British waterways teemed with beavers, until we hunted them to extinction for their scent glands, fur and meat in the late 17th century. Now Derek, a Devon farmer turned conservationist, has chronicled his decades-long quest to re-establish beavers on our rivers in his book Bringing Back The Beaver. Derek Gow, 56, a Devon farmer turned conservationist, has chronicled his decades-long quest to re-establish beavers (pictured) on our rivers in his book Bringing Back The Beaver For most of us who have never seen wild beavers, they conjure childhood memories of the kindly talking beavers of Narnia with their suppers of fried trout and sticky marmalade roll. Nonsense, Derek says beavers are vegetarian. 'CS Lewis didn't have a strong base of biological reality.' But they are entrancing. 'They are caring creatures,' says Derek. 'They love their babies. Kits are dependent for at least their first year on parents and older siblings, who prevent them from swimming in water they consider hazardous and if they roam too far, carry them back to their lodges. 'They cuddle them, groom them, whisper comfort in their soft, downy ears, and through the first winter warm them in their great snuggled huddle of a communal nest. They protect them from predators, afford a caring home, tolerate their tantrums...' You get the message, he's passionate about beavers. And they are a keystone species that has a dramatic impact on its environment. With their sharp incisors, they gnaw through riverbank trees, leaving stumps like sharpened pencils. But these coppiced trees continue to grow, creating a wetland habitat where other creatures flourish otters and water voles, kingfishers and cormorants. Their complex dam systems then slow the flow of flood water downriver, mitigating the effects of climate change. Derek visited Stanley Johnson (pictured) who was gifted a family of beavers for the river on his Exmoor estate Derek, 56, grew up in the Scottish Borders, where his hero was Gerald Durrell, and a course on breeding endangered species at Durrell's zoo in Jersey transformed his life. His first encounter with European black beavers was in Poland in the mid-90s with a view to obtaining breeding pairs for release back home. Their keeper passed the mother to Derek. 'She settled into my lap with her great leather tail turned beneath. I have never forgotten her. She touched my heart.' But the first beaver Derek imported wasn't so lovable; she was Grumpy. He went to meet her at the quarantine facility at Heathrow. Keen to check she was OK, Derek crawled into the crate and met his nemesis. 'She let out a hissing growl and jumped towards me with her teeth exposed,' he recalls. As Grumpy grabbed his boot, Derek fended her off with a handy brush, but with a single bite she bit off the broomhead and then reduced the broomstick to a stump. In a scene worthy of James Herriot, Derek fell into a seal pool (the facility also dealt with seals) and the beaver jumped in with him. 'When the advantage was completely hers, she decided a relaxing bath was much more appealing.' Derek has since bred wildcats, white storks, stoats and more at his 150-acre farm at Coombeshead, near Dartmoor, but beavers remain closest to his heart. Three families are now thriving there. Derek's next book will be about the history of the wolf in Britain. Bring Back The Big Bad Wolf? He might need a better campaign slogan. Bringing Back The Beaver by Derek Gow (hardback, Chelsea Green, 20; paperback, published on 13 January, 10.99). Visit rewilding coombeshead.co.uk. Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt took a break from their busy schedule for a holiday. The couple welcomed 2022 on an optimistic note as Alia shared pictures and gave fans a closer glimpse at their holiday. Twitter Sharing pictures from the trip, Alia Bhatt captioned the post as: Giving 2022 some Hakuna Matata energy. Stay safe smile... Be simple and love more!!!!! Happy New Year." Alia and Ranbir's holiday pictures hint that the couple spent the last few days of the year in a jungle . Instagram/Alia Bhatt The couple had made a similar trip to Kenya a few years back. Commenting on the post, Arjun Kapoor wrote, #nadaanparindeys, meaning innocent birds, a reference to the song Nadaan Parindey from Ranbirs film Rockstar. Alia and Ranbir's loved ones and fans dropped the sweetest comments for the couple. Screengrab Cupid struck for Ranbir and Alia on the sets of their upcoming movie 'Bramastra' and have been dating ever since. Amidst multiple reports hinting at their wedding, Ranbir and Alia have spent most of their time enjoying vacations together. They also rang in Ranbir's birthday in September in Ranthambore. (To get the latest updates from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.) Tesla and SpaceX CEO in an interview with artificial intelligence researcher Lex Fridman shared advice for students, such as reading books, avoiding becoming a leader, and helping. When asked what advice he would give to young people who want to do something big, Musk simply responded by saying "try to be useful". Musk mentioned that the young generation should do things that are useful to fellow human beings and to the world. "It's very hard to be useful," Musk stated, urging young people to "contribute more than you consume". He also advised students to read and develop their general knowledge so they know what's going on around the world. Musk also noted that the more you talk to different kinds of people from all over the world, the more your mind will open. "Talk to people from different walks of life and different industries and professions and skills," told Fridman. In a 2014 interview, Musk said he looked for "evidence of exceptional ability" in a potential employee, rather than a degree from a prestigious university. "There is no need even to have a college degree at all, or even high school," Musk said during an interview with the German automotive publication Auto Bild about his hiring preferences more broadly. "If somebody graduated from a great university, that may be an indication that they will be capable of great things, but it's not necessarily the case. If you look at, say, people like Bill Gates or Larry Ellison, Steve Jobs, these guys did not graduate from college, but if you had a chance to hire them, of course that would be a good idea." --IANS wh/shb/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It is called Oymyakon, and it is a small settlement in Russia , named after the nearby Oymyakon River. The most important road nearby is called Kolyma Highway, which is also known as Road of Bones because of the vast number of people who died while building it, some of whom are buried beneath or just near the road.Four years ago, the population of Oymyakon was estimated at 500 to 900 people, which means it has shrunk from its peak of approximately 2,500. Unofficial estimates place the current population below 500 residents. As some people have joked on the topic, the smartest survival idea in Siberia is moving anywhere else.The climate in Oymyakon is described as "extreme subarctic climate," which means that seeing a thermometer below the freezing point is more commonplace than staying above it. The settlement enjoys extreme weather, which means that they get extremely hot in the summer, while staying freezing in the winter.According to the World Meteorological Organization, Oymyakon's record-high temperature was recorded at 34.6 Celsius (94.3 F) in July, while the record low was clocked in at 67.7 Celsius (-89.9 F). That is so cold that using whiskey as windshield wiper fluid would be an even worse idea than it sounds, as it will freeze.There is even a monument in the town square that commemorates an unofficial reading of 71.2 C (-96.2 F) that was recorded in January 1924, but it is considered unofficial. Years later, in 1933, the local weather station officially recorded 67.7 C (-89.9 F). Despite this, people who reside in the area use cars.You have probably read our winter survival guide , but it has nothing on what it takes to use a car in Oymyakon. At this point, we should underline the fact that Oymyakon is an extreme environment, so measures employed there are only meant to be used as such in that region, with all accompanying risks. In other words, do not try to do this to your car during winter, as it might be something between overkill and just dangerous.For example, some vehicle owners in the region do not turn off the engines of their automobiles once they get to their destination. Instead, they leave the engine running with the key in the ignition but lock the doors with a spare key. Doing so in other countries is illegal, not to mention dangerous. Some residents leave their vehicles running from Autumn all the way to Spring.While the refuel procedure is unclear in this case, it is possible to refuel a vehicle with its engine still running, but it is dangerous at the same time. Others prefer to have an alarm with a remote start function that includes a temperature sensor, which can trigger an engine start if the temperature inside the vehicle goes below a certain point. This method will save a bit of fuel compared to the one previously described, but the vehicle still needs to be covered overnight.Workshops in the area fit an extra windshield over the factory one to prevent it from freezing while driving or when parked overnight. As those who have visited the area can attest, it does not matter how much heat you manage to pump into the interior of a vehicle, the side windows will freeze anyway.Those who live in apartment buildings use extension cords to power various industrial heating devices just to bring the fluids under the hood to a more reasonable temperature before attempting to start the engine.Some residents prefer to take their batteries with them inside and connect them to a trickle charger overnight. Others, who have garages, prefer to plug their cars into a domestic socket to enable the use of an engine block heater, as well as a trickle charger and a fuel filter heater.To enable reliable operation, vehicles in the area use gel batteries or AGM batteries to preserve as much power as possible. Extremely low temperatures are bad for every component of a vehicle, so the automobiles used in Oymyakon go through the worst conditions possible.Another popular solution is to place a cover over a car to help maintain its temperature. Exhaust gas is routed out with an add-on, and the vehicle can be kept a bit warmer if not used for several days in a row.From there, starting it can be done using an industrial plug-in heater, which would raise the temperature of the engine block, the oil, coolant, and even fuel. That is why even fuel filters need to be heated.When temperatures go to extreme lows, drivers place blankets over the engine. Some workshops in the area wrap the exhaust with mineral wool to preserve its heat, while the underbody is usually protected with extra padding made of a material that resembles felt.Do not worry, as there are workshops in the area that specialize in this kind of modification. If you ask us, though, it is advisable to avoid going to the coldest inhabited place on Earth, though.Surprisingly, the area does have a public transport system that functions even in extreme cold, and some buses were upgraded to allow ticket purchases with contactless payment. Taxis are also available in the area, so people are not tied down to vehicle ownership. At a time when Kerala, which is heavily dependent on its tourism sector is struggling to attract visitors due to the prevailing COVID-19 situation, the behaviour of the cops there to a foreign tourist has come under heavy criticism. On Friday, on New Year's eve, cops forced a Swedish tourist to throw away two bottles of liquor he had just purchased since he did not have a bill. The incident was reported from the beach town of Kovalam, in Thiruvananthapuram. Screengrab The Swedish national, identified as Stephen Asberg was returning on a two-wheeler to his hotel room with three bottles of liquor when he was stopped by the police. Kerala Police had stepped up checking along the roads in key areas ahead of the New Year. During the checking, the liquor was found in Asberg's bag and the cops asked him to show its bill. When the tourist said he didn't have the bill with him, as no one at the liquor outlet gave him one and that he was unaware of the requirement, the cops insisted that they won't allow him to take the liquor without the receipt. This was despite some locals, including a person who filmed the entire episode telling the cops it was wrong to harass a foreigner who came to enjoy Kerala. Screengrab After failing to convince the cops, an angry Asberg opened two bottles and poured the liquor into the roadside. Noticeably he kept the two plastic bottles in his bag and did not throw them away. After he threw away two bottles of liquor, the cops 'advised' the 68-year-old he should go back to the liquor shop and ask for a bill. The incident came to light after Sreejan Balakrishnan, a Kerala-based journalist shared the videos of the incident on Facebook. Balakrishnan suggested that if this is how Kerala Police is going to behave with tourists, it is better to shut down Kerala Tourism. The videos went viral on social media and many tagged Kerala Tourism Minister Mohammed Riyas and asked if this is how a tourist coming to the state should be treated. Criticizing the police action, the minister said that it was against the state's tourism policies and expressed hope that action will be taken against the officials. Later speaking to local media, Asberg said that he had been visiting Kerala for four years, and runs a homestay here, but never expected this from the police. Screengrab He also said that after the episode, he in fact went back to the liquor outlet and got the bill, only to show it to the cops. After the video sparked outrage in Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram DCP ordered a probe into the incident. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also sought a report from the police. On Saturday, the Grade SI was suspended by Kerala DGP Anil Kant, over the incident. For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. At a time when Kerala, which is heavily dependent on its tourism sector is struggling to attract visitors due to the prevailing COVID-19 situation, the behaviour of the cops there to a foreign tourist has come under heavy criticism. On Friday, on New Year's eve, cops forced a Swedish tourist to throw away two bottles of liquor he had just purchased since he did not have a bill. The incident was reported from the beach town of Kovalam, in Thiruvananthapuram. Screengrab The Swedish national, identified as Stephen Asberg was returning on a two-wheeler to his hotel room with three bottles of liquor when he was stopped by the police. Kerala Police had stepped up checking along the roads in key areas ahead of the New Year. During the checking, the liquor was found in Asberg's bag and the cops asked him to show its bill. When the tourist said he didn't have the bill with him, as no one at the liquor outlet gave him one and that he was unaware of the requirement, the cops insisted that they won't allow him to take the liquor without the receipt. This was despite some locals, including a person who filmed the entire episode telling the cops it was wrong to harass a foreigner who came to enjoy Kerala. Screengrab After failing to convince the cops, an angry Asberg opened two bottles and poured the liquor into the roadside. Noticeably he kept the two plastic bottles in his bag and did not throw them away. After he threw away two bottles of liquor, the cops 'advised' the 68-year-old he should go back to the liquor shop and ask for a bill. The incident came to light after Sreejan Balakrishnan, a Kerala-based journalist shared the videos of the incident on Facebook. Balakrishnan suggested that if this is how Kerala Police is going to behave with tourists, it is better to shut down Kerala Tourism. The videos went viral on social media and many tagged Kerala Tourism Minister Mohammed Riyas and asked if this is how a tourist coming to the state should be treated. Criticizing the police action, the minister said that it was against the state's tourism policies and expressed hope that action will be taken against the officials. Later speaking to local media, Asberg said that he had been visiting Kerala for four years, and runs a homestay here, but never expected this from the police. Screengrab He also said that after the episode, he in fact went back to the liquor outlet and got the bill, only to show it to the cops. After the video sparked outrage in Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram DCP ordered a probe into the incident. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also sought a report from the police. On Saturday, the Grade SI was suspended by Kerala DGP Anil Kant, over the incident. For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. NEW YORK Let the grind begin. Eric Adams was sworn in as the citys 110th mayor in Times Square early Saturday and hes taking the helm amid an aggressively resurging pandemic with a long policy to-do list and a vow to turn the tide on decades of government dysfunction. Adams, whose campaign mantra was stay focused, no distractions and grind, is the second Black mayor in Big Apple history. Holding up a framed photo of his late mother, Adams recited the oath of office on the main riser in Times Square before thousands of New Years Eve revelers immediately after the ball dropped to ring in 2022. New York is back, Adams said as he walked off stage. Before his swearing-in, the New York native waxed poetic about the unbelievable perseverance his city has shown in the face of COVID-19. Its just great when New York shows the entire country how we come back, said Adams. It may be COVID, but the reality is the resiliency of our city and our country we showed the entire globe what were made of. Were unbelievable. This is an unbelievable city. Foregoing the traditional City Hall inauguration, Adams was initially supposed to be sworn in at an indoor Jan. 1 ceremony at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn. But he relocated to the outdoors Times Square bash over coronavirus concerns as the omicron variant continues to ravage New York and the country. Unlike outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasios swearing-in ceremony on the steps of City Hall in 2014 an event which featured speakers snubbing his predecessor Mayor Michael Bloomberg the Times Square bash had a more upbeat, less combative air to it. Adams family and de Blasio joined him for the unconventional Times Square swearing-in as well as roughly 15,000 revelers there for the quintessential ball drop, giving the new mayor a massive crowd to bask in. But the celebration was dulled by the still-raging pandemic, which Adams will inherit as mayor. Revelers were required to provide proof they were fully vaccinated, wear face masks and maintain social distancing at all times during the New Years Eve bash. Story continues Two headliners for the event LL Cool J and Chloe canceled their performances, with the famous Queens rapper confirming he bowed out after testing positive for COVID-19. And, while the show went on at the Crossroads of the World, other celebrations in other parts of the globe like Toyko, Rome and Paris were canceled because of the highly contagious omicron variant. The Times Square party was nearly canceled as well. Adams touted the fact that it wasnt as a harbinger of hope. Even in the midst of COVID, in the midst of everything were going through, this is a country where hope and opportunity is always ever present, he said in his pre-ball drop remarks. His swearing-in over and done with, Adams has his work as mayor cut out for him. The city is reporting tens of thousands of new COVID-19 infections every day as omicron continues to wreak havoc. Statewide, more than 76,000 people tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday more than 22% of everyone tested in the state that day. Hospitalization and death rates are ticking up in the city as well, and Adams has vowed to make boosting vaccination rates and fighting COVID a top priority to avoid a return to the large-scale shutdowns of 2020. Beyond the pandemic, he will likely focus much of his early agenda on reducing crime, improving the citys quality of life and overhauling the Department of Educations bloated bureaucracy. But he is sure to face obstacles. Adams a former NYPD captain, state senator and Brooklyn borough president has staked out an ambitious and at times a controversial set of policy prescriptions, including reintroducing a plainclothes NYPD unit to crack down on crime, trimming the Education Department budget and rooting out what he repeatedly described on the campaign trail as a festering dysfunctionality across municipal government. But so far, Adams hasnt rolled out a list of objectives for his first 100 days in office, as many of his predecessors did. And his ideological opponents are poised to push back on at least some pieces of his agenda especially when it comes to law enforcement. Some began that effort two weeks ago when more than two dozen incoming City Council members urged him to reconsider his plan to re-institute punitive segregation known more commonly as solitary confinement at Rikers Island. In response, Adams told the lawmakers, where to go. Im going to ignore them, he said at the time. Like it or not, Im the mayor. It will not just be the City Council wholl serve as a check on Adams, though. The citys new comptroller, fellow Brooklynite Brad Lander, will be in place to audit agencies in the citys vast bureaucracy. He will be sworn in Saturday morning in the cupola of the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building, just across the street from City Hall. Adams, a self-professed workaholic who said hed bring a mattress to City Hall so he can keep longer hours, announced several new appointments Friday before his swearing-in. They include Anne Williams-Isom as deputy mayor of health and human services, Manny Castro as commissioner of immigrant affairs, and Kevin Kim as commissioner for small business services. And just hours before his swearing in, he released a busy schedule for the following day. On it, he planned to leave his Bedford-Stuyvesant home at 7:40 a.m. and arrive at City Hall around 8:30. At 9 a.m., he plans to hold a Cabinet meeting and at noon is scheduled to deliver his first speech to the city as its newly-minted mayor. An hour later, he is planning to sign off on executive orders, though he has not yet revealed the content of those orders. And at 3:15 p.m., he plans to give a press briefing outside the 103rd Precinct in Queens. The packed schedule came in spite of the fact that Adams said he would catch some downtime Saturday to recharge before kicking off his administration. Everyone knows that my greatest time of downtime is to take a hot bubble bath with some roses, he said Thursday. Thats what Im going to do on Jan. 1. NEW YORK Let the grind begin. Eric Adams was sworn in as the citys 110th mayor in Times Square early Saturday and hes taking the helm amid an aggressively resurging pandemic with a long policy to-do list and a vow to turn the tide on decades of government dysfunction. Adams, whose campaign mantra was stay focused, no distractions and grind, is the second Black mayor in Big Apple history. Holding up a framed photo of his late mother, Adams recited the oath of office on the main riser in Times Square before thousands of New Years Eve revelers immediately after the ball dropped to ring in 2022. New York is back, Adams said as he walked off stage. Before his swearing-in, the New York native waxed poetic about the unbelievable perseverance his city has shown in the face of COVID-19. Its just great when New York shows the entire country how we come back, said Adams. It may be COVID, but the reality is the resiliency of our city and our country we showed the entire globe what were made of. Were unbelievable. This is an unbelievable city. Foregoing the traditional City Hall inauguration, Adams was initially supposed to be sworn in at an indoor Jan. 1 ceremony at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn. But he relocated to the outdoors Times Square bash over coronavirus concerns as the omicron variant continues to ravage New York and the country. Unlike outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasios swearing-in ceremony on the steps of City Hall in 2014 an event which featured speakers snubbing his predecessor Mayor Michael Bloomberg the Times Square bash had a more upbeat, less combative air to it. Adams family and de Blasio joined him for the unconventional Times Square swearing-in as well as roughly 15,000 revelers there for the quintessential ball drop, giving the new mayor a massive crowd to bask in. But the celebration was dulled by the still-raging pandemic, which Adams will inherit as mayor. Revelers were required to provide proof they were fully vaccinated, wear face masks and maintain social distancing at all times during the New Years Eve bash. Story continues Two headliners for the event LL Cool J and Chloe canceled their performances, with the famous Queens rapper confirming he bowed out after testing positive for COVID-19. And, while the show went on at the Crossroads of the World, other celebrations in other parts of the globe like Toyko, Rome and Paris were canceled because of the highly contagious omicron variant. The Times Square party was nearly canceled as well. Adams touted the fact that it wasnt as a harbinger of hope. Even in the midst of COVID, in the midst of everything were going through, this is a country where hope and opportunity is always ever present, he said in his pre-ball drop remarks. His swearing-in over and done with, Adams has his work as mayor cut out for him. The city is reporting tens of thousands of new COVID-19 infections every day as omicron continues to wreak havoc. Statewide, more than 76,000 people tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday more than 22% of everyone tested in the state that day. Hospitalization and death rates are ticking up in the city as well, and Adams has vowed to make boosting vaccination rates and fighting COVID a top priority to avoid a return to the large-scale shutdowns of 2020. Beyond the pandemic, he will likely focus much of his early agenda on reducing crime, improving the citys quality of life and overhauling the Department of Educations bloated bureaucracy. But he is sure to face obstacles. Adams a former NYPD captain, state senator and Brooklyn borough president has staked out an ambitious and at times a controversial set of policy prescriptions, including reintroducing a plainclothes NYPD unit to crack down on crime, trimming the Education Department budget and rooting out what he repeatedly described on the campaign trail as a festering dysfunctionality across municipal government. But so far, Adams hasnt rolled out a list of objectives for his first 100 days in office, as many of his predecessors did. And his ideological opponents are poised to push back on at least some pieces of his agenda especially when it comes to law enforcement. Some began that effort two weeks ago when more than two dozen incoming City Council members urged him to reconsider his plan to re-institute punitive segregation known more commonly as solitary confinement at Rikers Island. In response, Adams told the lawmakers, where to go. Im going to ignore them, he said at the time. Like it or not, Im the mayor. It will not just be the City Council wholl serve as a check on Adams, though. The citys new comptroller, fellow Brooklynite Brad Lander, will be in place to audit agencies in the citys vast bureaucracy. He will be sworn in Saturday morning in the cupola of the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building, just across the street from City Hall. Adams, a self-professed workaholic who said hed bring a mattress to City Hall so he can keep longer hours, announced several new appointments Friday before his swearing-in. They include Anne Williams-Isom as deputy mayor of health and human services, Manny Castro as commissioner of immigrant affairs, and Kevin Kim as commissioner for small business services. And just hours before his swearing in, he released a busy schedule for the following day. On it, he planned to leave his Bedford-Stuyvesant home at 7:40 a.m. and arrive at City Hall around 8:30. At 9 a.m., he plans to hold a Cabinet meeting and at noon is scheduled to deliver his first speech to the city as its newly-minted mayor. An hour later, he is planning to sign off on executive orders, though he has not yet revealed the content of those orders. And at 3:15 p.m., he plans to give a press briefing outside the 103rd Precinct in Queens. The packed schedule came in spite of the fact that Adams said he would catch some downtime Saturday to recharge before kicking off his administration. Everyone knows that my greatest time of downtime is to take a hot bubble bath with some roses, he said Thursday. Thats what Im going to do on Jan. 1. What an inspired 80th birthday present it seemed for Boris Johnson's father Stanley a family of beavers for the river on his Exmoor estate. The Johnson siblings had paid for the paperwork, and rewilding conservationist Derek Gow visited Stanley, Boris and sister Rachel to discuss the project. 'Boris is passionate about beavers,' Derek says. 'He was affable, but Stanley decided to wait as the law doesn't allow him to release beavers into the wild at present.' Legally although this is under review beavers can only be released into fenced-off areas, but there are wild populations in Scotland and Devon. Once upon a time, British waterways teemed with beavers, until we hunted them to extinction for their scent glands, fur and meat in the late 17th century. Now Derek, a Devon farmer turned conservationist, has chronicled his decades-long quest to re-establish beavers on our rivers in his book Bringing Back The Beaver. Derek Gow, 56, a Devon farmer turned conservationist, has chronicled his decades-long quest to re-establish beavers (pictured) on our rivers in his book Bringing Back The Beaver For most of us who have never seen wild beavers, they conjure childhood memories of the kindly talking beavers of Narnia with their suppers of fried trout and sticky marmalade roll. Nonsense, Derek says beavers are vegetarian. 'CS Lewis didn't have a strong base of biological reality.' But they are entrancing. 'They are caring creatures,' says Derek. 'They love their babies. Kits are dependent for at least their first year on parents and older siblings, who prevent them from swimming in water they consider hazardous and if they roam too far, carry them back to their lodges. 'They cuddle them, groom them, whisper comfort in their soft, downy ears, and through the first winter warm them in their great snuggled huddle of a communal nest. They protect them from predators, afford a caring home, tolerate their tantrums...' You get the message, he's passionate about beavers. And they are a keystone species that has a dramatic impact on its environment. With their sharp incisors, they gnaw through riverbank trees, leaving stumps like sharpened pencils. But these coppiced trees continue to grow, creating a wetland habitat where other creatures flourish otters and water voles, kingfishers and cormorants. Their complex dam systems then slow the flow of flood water downriver, mitigating the effects of climate change. Derek visited Stanley Johnson (pictured) who was gifted a family of beavers for the river on his Exmoor estate Derek, 56, grew up in the Scottish Borders, where his hero was Gerald Durrell, and a course on breeding endangered species at Durrell's zoo in Jersey transformed his life. His first encounter with European black beavers was in Poland in the mid-90s with a view to obtaining breeding pairs for release back home. Their keeper passed the mother to Derek. 'She settled into my lap with her great leather tail turned beneath. I have never forgotten her. She touched my heart.' But the first beaver Derek imported wasn't so lovable; she was Grumpy. He went to meet her at the quarantine facility at Heathrow. Keen to check she was OK, Derek crawled into the crate and met his nemesis. 'She let out a hissing growl and jumped towards me with her teeth exposed,' he recalls. As Grumpy grabbed his boot, Derek fended her off with a handy brush, but with a single bite she bit off the broomhead and then reduced the broomstick to a stump. In a scene worthy of James Herriot, Derek fell into a seal pool (the facility also dealt with seals) and the beaver jumped in with him. 'When the advantage was completely hers, she decided a relaxing bath was much more appealing.' Derek has since bred wildcats, white storks, stoats and more at his 150-acre farm at Coombeshead, near Dartmoor, but beavers remain closest to his heart. Three families are now thriving there. Derek's next book will be about the history of the wolf in Britain. Bring Back The Big Bad Wolf? He might need a better campaign slogan. Bringing Back The Beaver by Derek Gow (hardback, Chelsea Green, 20; paperback, published on 13 January, 10.99). Visit rewilding coombeshead.co.uk. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe What an inspired 80th birthday present it seemed for Boris Johnson's father Stanley a family of beavers for the river on his Exmoor estate. The Johnson siblings had paid for the paperwork, and rewilding conservationist Derek Gow visited Stanley, Boris and sister Rachel to discuss the project. 'Boris is passionate about beavers,' Derek says. 'He was affable, but Stanley decided to wait as the law doesn't allow him to release beavers into the wild at present.' Legally although this is under review beavers can only be released into fenced-off areas, but there are wild populations in Scotland and Devon. Once upon a time, British waterways teemed with beavers, until we hunted them to extinction for their scent glands, fur and meat in the late 17th century. Now Derek, a Devon farmer turned conservationist, has chronicled his decades-long quest to re-establish beavers on our rivers in his book Bringing Back The Beaver. Derek Gow, 56, a Devon farmer turned conservationist, has chronicled his decades-long quest to re-establish beavers (pictured) on our rivers in his book Bringing Back The Beaver For most of us who have never seen wild beavers, they conjure childhood memories of the kindly talking beavers of Narnia with their suppers of fried trout and sticky marmalade roll. Nonsense, Derek says beavers are vegetarian. 'CS Lewis didn't have a strong base of biological reality.' But they are entrancing. 'They are caring creatures,' says Derek. 'They love their babies. Kits are dependent for at least their first year on parents and older siblings, who prevent them from swimming in water they consider hazardous and if they roam too far, carry them back to their lodges. 'They cuddle them, groom them, whisper comfort in their soft, downy ears, and through the first winter warm them in their great snuggled huddle of a communal nest. They protect them from predators, afford a caring home, tolerate their tantrums...' You get the message, he's passionate about beavers. And they are a keystone species that has a dramatic impact on its environment. With their sharp incisors, they gnaw through riverbank trees, leaving stumps like sharpened pencils. But these coppiced trees continue to grow, creating a wetland habitat where other creatures flourish otters and water voles, kingfishers and cormorants. Their complex dam systems then slow the flow of flood water downriver, mitigating the effects of climate change. Derek visited Stanley Johnson (pictured) who was gifted a family of beavers for the river on his Exmoor estate Derek, 56, grew up in the Scottish Borders, where his hero was Gerald Durrell, and a course on breeding endangered species at Durrell's zoo in Jersey transformed his life. His first encounter with European black beavers was in Poland in the mid-90s with a view to obtaining breeding pairs for release back home. Their keeper passed the mother to Derek. 'She settled into my lap with her great leather tail turned beneath. I have never forgotten her. She touched my heart.' But the first beaver Derek imported wasn't so lovable; she was Grumpy. He went to meet her at the quarantine facility at Heathrow. Keen to check she was OK, Derek crawled into the crate and met his nemesis. 'She let out a hissing growl and jumped towards me with her teeth exposed,' he recalls. As Grumpy grabbed his boot, Derek fended her off with a handy brush, but with a single bite she bit off the broomhead and then reduced the broomstick to a stump. In a scene worthy of James Herriot, Derek fell into a seal pool (the facility also dealt with seals) and the beaver jumped in with him. 'When the advantage was completely hers, she decided a relaxing bath was much more appealing.' Derek has since bred wildcats, white storks, stoats and more at his 150-acre farm at Coombeshead, near Dartmoor, but beavers remain closest to his heart. Three families are now thriving there. Derek's next book will be about the history of the wolf in Britain. Bring Back The Big Bad Wolf? He might need a better campaign slogan. Bringing Back The Beaver by Derek Gow (hardback, Chelsea Green, 20; paperback, published on 13 January, 10.99). Visit rewilding coombeshead.co.uk. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Even in royal circles, there is no more exalted honour than being a Knight or a Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. Look at the official title of the Prince of Wales, for example: the first letters after his name are 'KG'. Being a member of the Garter trumps everything else. And from today, anyone writing to the Duchess of Cornwall will need to put 'LG' Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter after her name. Even in royal circles, there is no more exalted honour than being a Knight or a Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. Look at the official title of the Prince of Wales, for example: the first letters after his name are 'KG'. And from today, anyone writing to the Duchess of Cornwall will need to put 'LG' Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter after her name The fact that the Queen has now bestowed it on the Duchess of Cornwall is the greatest recognition to date of the role that the former Camilla Parker Bowles now plays in the life of the monarchy. The honour, after all, even eluded Diana The order goes back to Edward III and the days of knights in shining armour. There are three tiers of membership, starting with the Knights Companion and Ladies Companion: 24 eminent public figures hand-picked by the Sovereign. Then there are 'Extra' Knights and Ladies, an honorary membership for foreign monarchs. Most senior of all are the Royal Knights and Ladies: traditionally restricted to a sprinkling of family who were born royal, plus the Sovereign's consort. The fact that the Queen has now bestowed it on the Duchess of Cornwall is the greatest recognition to date of the role that the former Camilla Parker Bowles now plays in the life of the monarchy. The honour, after all, even eluded Diana. The Queen is making a clear statement. She has been deeply impressed by the good-natured way in which the duchess has supported the Prince of Wales as he has shouldered more duties on the Queen's behalf. The order goes back to Edward III (above) and the days of knights in shining armour. There are three tiers of membership, starting with the Knights Companion and Ladies Companion: 24 eminent public figures hand-picked by the Sovereign. Then there are 'Extra' Knights and Ladies, an honorary membership for foreign monarchs 'It's an indication of the Queen's total confidence in the Duchess of Cornwall,' says Hugo Vickers, author of Royal Orders and an authority on the Garter. The Queen knows how important it is to have a dependable soulmate. She said as much in her Christmas Day tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh. The only person more proud of this award than the duchess will be Prince Charles himself. It also points to a decision that will need to be made sooner or later. For now, the official position is that the duchess will be styled the 'Princess Consort' in the next reign, a position set at her 2005 wedding to Charles. It is an increasingly incongruous title given that the wife of a King is always Queen. The Royal Family do not want to go near this subject since it invokes memories of the prince's divorce from Diana and the dark days after her death. It is an issue for another day. This honour, though, makes it pretty clear what the current Monarch thinks. Assets held by the world's sovereign wealth and public rose to a record $31.9 trillion in 2021 thanks to rising U.S. stock and oil prices, and investments rose to their highest for several years, an annual report released on Saturday showed. The report on state-owned investment vehicles by industry specialist Global SWF found that the assets managed by rose 6% over the year to $10.5 trillion, while those of public jumped 9% to $21.4 trillion. The report also found that state-owned investors had deployed more money, both in number of deals and by volume, than in any of the previous six years. Some $215.6 billion was spent, almost half of it by . Singapore's GIC sovereign wealth fund topped the league, increasing its dealmaking by 75% to $31.1 billion, spread across 109 deals. Over a third of that capital was invested in real estate, especially logistics. Overall, emerging markets fell behind, attracting only 23% of the capital this year, one of the lowest figures in the last six years, Diego Lopez at Global SWF wrote in the report. Venture capital investments make up only a small slice of funds deployed by state-owned vehicles overall, but grew by more than 80% this year to $18.2 billion, with Singapore's Temasek accounting for more than a quarter. "The pandemic provoked a seismic change in strategy, with a shift towards sectors that are set to soar amid the change in lifestyles, consumer behaviour, and public needs," Lopez said, pointing to the healthcare, retail, consumer and technology sectors. The report said investors would continue watching China closely, especially the crackdown on Chinese technology firms. "Despite the geopolitical tensions and regulatory concerns, most (state-owned investors) are bullish on Chinese stocks," it found. Overall assets were lifted by the launch of four new this year. Azerbaijan Investment Holdings (AIH) was the most significant one in terms of assets, having received stakes in leading businesses including the national oil company SOCAR. Bangladesh, Cape Verde and Rio de Janeiro also launched funds, and Israel, Namibia, Bahamas and Mozambique are scheduled to launch SWFs in 2022. The annual report by Global SWF analysed data from 161 sovereign wealth funds and 275 public . (Reporting by Karin Strohecker; Editing by Kevin Liffey) (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.) Assets held by the world's sovereign wealth and public rose to a record $31.9 trillion in 2021 thanks to rising U.S. stock and oil prices, and investments rose to their highest for several years, an annual report released on Saturday showed. The report on state-owned investment vehicles by industry specialist Global SWF found that the assets managed by rose 6% over the year to $10.5 trillion, while those of public jumped 9% to $21.4 trillion. The report also found that state-owned investors had deployed more money, both in number of deals and by volume, than in any of the previous six years. Some $215.6 billion was spent, almost half of it by . Singapore's GIC sovereign wealth fund topped the league, increasing its dealmaking by 75% to $31.1 billion, spread across 109 deals. Over a third of that capital was invested in real estate, especially logistics. Overall, emerging markets fell behind, attracting only 23% of the capital this year, one of the lowest figures in the last six years, Diego Lopez at Global SWF wrote in the report. Venture capital investments make up only a small slice of funds deployed by state-owned vehicles overall, but grew by more than 80% this year to $18.2 billion, with Singapore's Temasek accounting for more than a quarter. "The pandemic provoked a seismic change in strategy, with a shift towards sectors that are set to soar amid the change in lifestyles, consumer behaviour, and public needs," Lopez said, pointing to the healthcare, retail, consumer and technology sectors. The report said investors would continue watching China closely, especially the crackdown on Chinese technology firms. "Despite the geopolitical tensions and regulatory concerns, most (state-owned investors) are bullish on Chinese stocks," it found. Overall assets were lifted by the launch of four new this year. Azerbaijan Investment Holdings (AIH) was the most significant one in terms of assets, having received stakes in leading businesses including the national oil company SOCAR. Bangladesh, Cape Verde and Rio de Janeiro also launched funds, and Israel, Namibia, Bahamas and Mozambique are scheduled to launch SWFs in 2022. The annual report by Global SWF analysed data from 161 sovereign wealth funds and 275 public . (Reporting by Karin Strohecker; Editing by Kevin Liffey) (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.) Assets held by the world's sovereign wealth and public rose to a record $31.9 trillion in 2021 thanks to rising U.S. stock and oil prices, and investments rose to their highest for several years, an annual report released on Saturday showed. The report on state-owned investment vehicles by industry specialist Global SWF found that the assets managed by rose 6% over the year to $10.5 trillion, while those of public jumped 9% to $21.4 trillion. The report also found that state-owned investors had deployed more money, both in number of deals and by volume, than in any of the previous six years. Some $215.6 billion was spent, almost half of it by . Singapore's GIC sovereign wealth fund topped the league, increasing its dealmaking by 75% to $31.1 billion, spread across 109 deals. Over a third of that capital was invested in real estate, especially logistics. Overall, emerging markets fell behind, attracting only 23% of the capital this year, one of the lowest figures in the last six years, Diego Lopez at Global SWF wrote in the report. Venture capital investments make up only a small slice of funds deployed by state-owned vehicles overall, but grew by more than 80% this year to $18.2 billion, with Singapore's Temasek accounting for more than a quarter. "The pandemic provoked a seismic change in strategy, with a shift towards sectors that are set to soar amid the change in lifestyles, consumer behaviour, and public needs," Lopez said, pointing to the healthcare, retail, consumer and technology sectors. The report said investors would continue watching China closely, especially the crackdown on Chinese technology firms. "Despite the geopolitical tensions and regulatory concerns, most (state-owned investors) are bullish on Chinese stocks," it found. Overall assets were lifted by the launch of four new this year. Azerbaijan Investment Holdings (AIH) was the most significant one in terms of assets, having received stakes in leading businesses including the national oil company SOCAR. Bangladesh, Cape Verde and Rio de Janeiro also launched funds, and Israel, Namibia, Bahamas and Mozambique are scheduled to launch SWFs in 2022. The annual report by Global SWF analysed data from 161 sovereign wealth funds and 275 public . (Reporting by Karin Strohecker; Editing by Kevin Liffey) (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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Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Assets held by the world's sovereign wealth and public rose to a record $31.9 trillion in 2021 thanks to rising U.S. stock and oil prices, and investments rose to their highest for several years, an annual report released on Saturday showed. The report on state-owned investment vehicles by industry specialist Global SWF found that the assets managed by rose 6% over the year to $10.5 trillion, while those of public jumped 9% to $21.4 trillion. The report also found that state-owned investors had deployed more money, both in number of deals and by volume, than in any of the previous six years. Some $215.6 billion was spent, almost half of it by . Singapore's GIC sovereign wealth fund topped the league, increasing its dealmaking by 75% to $31.1 billion, spread across 109 deals. Over a third of that capital was invested in real estate, especially logistics. Overall, emerging markets fell behind, attracting only 23% of the capital this year, one of the lowest figures in the last six years, Diego Lopez at Global SWF wrote in the report. Venture capital investments make up only a small slice of funds deployed by state-owned vehicles overall, but grew by more than 80% this year to $18.2 billion, with Singapore's Temasek accounting for more than a quarter. "The pandemic provoked a seismic change in strategy, with a shift towards sectors that are set to soar amid the change in lifestyles, consumer behaviour, and public needs," Lopez said, pointing to the healthcare, retail, consumer and technology sectors. The report said investors would continue watching China closely, especially the crackdown on Chinese technology firms. "Despite the geopolitical tensions and regulatory concerns, most (state-owned investors) are bullish on Chinese stocks," it found. Overall assets were lifted by the launch of four new this year. Azerbaijan Investment Holdings (AIH) was the most significant one in terms of assets, having received stakes in leading businesses including the national oil company SOCAR. Bangladesh, Cape Verde and Rio de Janeiro also launched funds, and Israel, Namibia, Bahamas and Mozambique are scheduled to launch SWFs in 2022. The annual report by Global SWF analysed data from 161 sovereign wealth funds and 275 public . (Reporting by Karin Strohecker; Editing by Kevin Liffey) (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As reports pile up about Russias military mobilization on Ukraines border and the Kremlins diplomatic demands, questions abound. What is going on? What will come next? Will Russia invade? In fact, Russian President Vladimir Putin is following an eight-year-old script. In the fall of 2013, Putins government launched a multifaceted offensive to prevent Ukraine, Moldova, and Armenia from signing free-trade agreements with the European Union. That set off a gradually deepening crisis that would profoundly alter Ukraines domestic politics, Russias position in Europe, and the future of NATO. Less than a year later, Russia annexed Crimea and embarked on a barely disguised effort to dismantle the rest of Ukraine. The Kremlin then launched two more incursions into eastern Ukraine to save the separatist statelets that it had managed to set up there. Since then, 14,000 people have died in this low-level frozen conflict. The EU and the United States regularly renew their sanctions on Russia, and the United Nations General Assembly regularly condemns Russias behavior and reaffirms the sanctity of state borders. Not only did Putin fail to derail the EU-Ukraine free-trade agreement; he also managed to transform Ukraine from a friendly neighbor into a country that regards Russia as dangerous and hostile. Invading other countries is a historically proven way to make lasting enemies. Putin now faces the embarrassing prospect of being remembered as the Russian leader who lost Ukraine. He will have set his country back three centuries, to the time before Peter the Great. Even the collapse of the Soviet Union eventually may come to seem less important than Putins blunders over the past decade. Nonetheless, Putin appears to have spent his Covid-19 isolation reading history. This summer, he produced a remarkable essay effectively calling for a greater Slavic empire. Suggesting that power over Ukraine and Belarus ultimately lies within the Kremlins walls, he made clear that he intends to recover what his previous miscalculations lost. The subsequent evolution of Putins thinking is unknown. But it is plausible that he spotted weakness in the chaotic US exit from Afghanistan, and surmised that America is not keen on yet another foreign entanglement. Whatever Putins reasoning, he has since abandoned further dialogue with Ukraines leaders, sent German and French mediators packing, and concentrated a massive number of tanks in the border region. His goal is to pressure the US to agree to a series of radical demands for restructuring European security; chief among these is that the US rescind its promise, first made in 2008, that Ukraine will someday be invited to join NATO. Putins strategic intent in 2014 to stop the agreement with the EU ultimately failed. Now, his immediate focus is on regional security issues. Russian officials and state media have been issuing shrill warnings and spinning ominous tales about the US placing missiles in Ukraine to strike Moscow. There is talk of genocide against Ukraines Russian-speaking population, and of Ukraines imminent entry into NATO. None of these claims bears the faintest resemblance to the truth. But opinion polls suggest that the propaganda has been effective. Around 39% of Russians believe that war is imminent, and this figure is likely to grow as the Kremlin continues to stoke fear among the population. In the meantime, Putin has tasked his diplomats with securing US and EU agreement to his maximalist formal demands for a new security order. The maneuver is eerily reminiscent of the infamous deal-making done at Yalta in 1945, when the Allied powers discussed how Germany and Europe would be carved up after World War II. Yet while a further expansion of NATO is not in the cards, the Alliance will not accept an arrangement that denies any country the right to shape its own destiny. This issue is bigger than Ukraine. The president of Finland, which shares a long border with Russia, has been vocal in pointing out that the option of applying for NATO membership is key to his countrys security. Though he has no intention of launching a membership bid, nor can he allow any outside power to limit his countrys sovereignty. Likewise, countries across Central and Eastern Europe fear that giving in to one Kremlin demand will only invite more. Is a diplomatic resolution still possible? The path is narrow, and time might be running out. There are proposals to place limits on, and improve the transparency of, conventional forces in Europe. But Russia has rejected many such proposals in the past, and complex arms negotiations would take considerable time. Moreover, these diplomatic options would not satisfy Putins wish to create a Greater Russia, suggesting that the Kremlin will not rule out military options. These come in many shapes and sizes. A full-scale Russian invasion would undoubtedly lead to an open-ended conflict that, whatever the original intention, is bound to spill over Ukraines borders. If that happened, all options would be on the table for NATO. Severe sanctions and other measures would further squeeze Russias already dim economic prospects even if it secures support from China. More to the point, NATO would finally roar forward to Russias border by deepening its presence in its member states that border Russia. Given this foreseeable outcome, an invasion would be folly in the extreme. But this scenario cannot be ruled out. The Kremlin record of profound mistakes in its policy toward Ukraine is long. And while many in Moscow already doubt the rationality of Putins aggressive revisionism, their voices carry no weight. Another more imminent possibility is that the Kremlin will try to provoke Ukraine into doing something that would justify a smaller-scale invasion of the kind we saw in 2014 and 2015. But the escalation risk would be severe, and even a small invasion would expose Russia to severely damaging consequences. Either way, the Kremlin has embarked on a dangerous path. It is not too late to prevent Putins script from becoming a tragedy. Let us hope that he has not been reading Chekhov, who famously advised against introducing a gun in the first act unless it will be used in the second. Putins Ukraine Formula Opinion by Carl Bildt Project Syndicate. The Opinion can be downloaded here Undeterred by the rising number of Covid-19 cases and pandemic-related restrictions, thousands of people paid tributes to martyrs at the 'Jaystambh' military monument in Pune district of Maharashtra on Saturday morning to mark the 204th anniversary of the Koregaon Bhima battle, amid tight security. In contrast, the 203rd anniversary of the historical battle last year was a low-key affair due to pandemic curbs. The 'Jaystambh' (victory pillar), as per a Dalit narrative, is the symbol of victory over casteism. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, state home minister Dilip Walse Patil and social welfare minister Dhananjay Munde were also among the visitors at the Jaystambh, located near Perne village. As per the Dalit narrative, the British forces that fought the Peshwas at Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 1818, comprised largely of soldiers from the Dalit Mahar community, who waged a "war for freedom" from 'casteism' of the Peshwas. On January 1, lakhs of people, mainly from the Dalit community, visit the Jaystambh, which was erected by the British in memory of the soldiers who fought against the Peshwas in the Battle of Koregaon Bhima. Also Read Varavara Rao must go back to prison as other old people also in jail: NIA to Bombay HC Violence had broken out near Koregaon Bhima village during the 200th commemoration of the historical battle on January 1, 2018. According to police, "provocative" speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune a day before had triggered the violence. This year, a senior police officer said that the district administration had appealed to people above 60 years and children below 10 years to avoid visiting the Jaystambh in view of the coronavirus pandemic. Police personnel were deployed in large numbers near the war memorial. Facilities like Covid-19 testing were also in place, the officer said. As per the order issued by the Pune district administration under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), putting up hoardings or banners in villages around the memorial, posting content that can spread rumours, create hatred in communities, posting misleading information on social media platforms, was prohibited. The order came into effect from midnight of December 30 and will remain in force till 6 am on January 2. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Undeterred by the rising number of Covid-19 cases and pandemic-related restrictions, thousands of people paid tributes to martyrs at the 'Jaystambh' military monument in Pune district of Maharashtra on Saturday morning to mark the 204th anniversary of the Koregaon Bhima battle, amid tight security. In contrast, the 203rd anniversary of the historical battle last year was a low-key affair due to pandemic curbs. The 'Jaystambh' (victory pillar), as per a Dalit narrative, is the symbol of victory over casteism. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, state home minister Dilip Walse Patil and social welfare minister Dhananjay Munde were also among the visitors at the Jaystambh, located near Perne village. As per the Dalit narrative, the British forces that fought the Peshwas at Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 1818, comprised largely of soldiers from the Dalit Mahar community, who waged a "war for freedom" from 'casteism' of the Peshwas. On January 1, lakhs of people, mainly from the Dalit community, visit the Jaystambh, which was erected by the British in memory of the soldiers who fought against the Peshwas in the Battle of Koregaon Bhima. Also Read Varavara Rao must go back to prison as other old people also in jail: NIA to Bombay HC Violence had broken out near Koregaon Bhima village during the 200th commemoration of the historical battle on January 1, 2018. According to police, "provocative" speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune a day before had triggered the violence. This year, a senior police officer said that the district administration had appealed to people above 60 years and children below 10 years to avoid visiting the Jaystambh in view of the coronavirus pandemic. Police personnel were deployed in large numbers near the war memorial. Facilities like Covid-19 testing were also in place, the officer said. As per the order issued by the Pune district administration under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), putting up hoardings or banners in villages around the memorial, posting content that can spread rumours, create hatred in communities, posting misleading information on social media platforms, was prohibited. The order came into effect from midnight of December 30 and will remain in force till 6 am on January 2. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Authorities on Saturday disallowed a proposed protest against the delimitation commission in Srinagar by placing three former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir under house detention. The high-security zone, Gupkar Road in Srinagar, where Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar and Mehbooba Mufti all former CMs- reside was sealed off with security trucks deployed outside their residences and no one allowed to enter or exit from there, reports said. Omar tweeted and showed how security trucks have been deployed outside the gates of their home. Good morning & welcome to 2022. A new year with the same J&K police illegally locking people in their homes & an administration so terrified of normal democratic activity. Trucks parked outside our gates to scuttle the peaceful @JKPAGD sit-in protest. Some things never change (sic), he tweeted. Talk about a lawless police state, the police have even locked the internal gate connecting my fathers home to my sisters. Yet our leaders have the cheek to tell the world that India is the largest democracy, hah!! pic.twitter.com/flNICRGk58 Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) January 1, 2022 However, reports said, despite placing the top leadership under house arrest, the second rung leaders and workers of the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) staged protests in Srinagar. Despite the despotic administrations attempts to foil our protests, PDP & NC workers managed to hit the streets in Srinagar today to raise their voice against the illegal revocation of Article 370. I salute their courage & resolve, Mehbooba tweeted. Despite the despotic administrations attempts to foil our protests, PDP & NC workers managed to hit the streets in Srinagar today to raise their voice against the illegal revocation of Article 370. I salute their courage & resolve. pic.twitter.com/yfRa5nSdmg Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) January 1, 2022 The PAGD, a grouping of Kashmir parties led by Farooq Abdullah which was formed in October 2020 to strive for restoration of statehood and special status of J&K, had announced a protest against the recently released draft proposal of Delimitation Commission to allocate six additional Assembly seats to Jammu and only one to Kashmir. The Commissions proposed draft runs contrary to the population ratio of both provinces of the former state as Jammu region has 53.72 lakh and Kashmir division 68.83 lakh population, according to the census of 2011. However, the Commission said that besides population, other considerations like administrative units, area and proximity to the border have been factored in while distributing seats. Check out latest DH videos here Authorities on Saturday disallowed a proposed protest against the delimitation commission in Srinagar by placing three former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir under house detention. The high-security zone, Gupkar Road in Srinagar, where Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar and Mehbooba Mufti all former CMs- reside was sealed off with security trucks deployed outside their residences and no one allowed to enter or exit from there, reports said. Omar tweeted and showed how security trucks have been deployed outside the gates of their home. Good morning & welcome to 2022. A new year with the same J&K police illegally locking people in their homes & an administration so terrified of normal democratic activity. Trucks parked outside our gates to scuttle the peaceful @JKPAGD sit-in protest. Some things never change (sic), he tweeted. Talk about a lawless police state, the police have even locked the internal gate connecting my fathers home to my sisters. Yet our leaders have the cheek to tell the world that India is the largest democracy, hah!! pic.twitter.com/flNICRGk58 Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) January 1, 2022 However, reports said, despite placing the top leadership under house arrest, the second rung leaders and workers of the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) staged protests in Srinagar. Despite the despotic administrations attempts to foil our protests, PDP & NC workers managed to hit the streets in Srinagar today to raise their voice against the illegal revocation of Article 370. I salute their courage & resolve, Mehbooba tweeted. Despite the despotic administrations attempts to foil our protests, PDP & NC workers managed to hit the streets in Srinagar today to raise their voice against the illegal revocation of Article 370. I salute their courage & resolve. pic.twitter.com/yfRa5nSdmg Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) January 1, 2022 The PAGD, a grouping of Kashmir parties led by Farooq Abdullah which was formed in October 2020 to strive for restoration of statehood and special status of J&K, had announced a protest against the recently released draft proposal of Delimitation Commission to allocate six additional Assembly seats to Jammu and only one to Kashmir. The Commissions proposed draft runs contrary to the population ratio of both provinces of the former state as Jammu region has 53.72 lakh and Kashmir division 68.83 lakh population, according to the census of 2011. However, the Commission said that besides population, other considerations like administrative units, area and proximity to the border have been factored in while distributing seats. Check out latest DH videos here Assets held by the world's sovereign wealth and public rose to a record $31.9 trillion in 2021 thanks to rising U.S. stock and oil prices, and investments rose to their highest for several years, an annual report released on Saturday showed. The report on state-owned investment vehicles by industry specialist Global SWF found that the assets managed by rose 6% over the year to $10.5 trillion, while those of public jumped 9% to $21.4 trillion. The report also found that state-owned investors had deployed more money, both in number of deals and by volume, than in any of the previous six years. Some $215.6 billion was spent, almost half of it by . Singapore's GIC sovereign wealth fund topped the league, increasing its dealmaking by 75% to $31.1 billion, spread across 109 deals. Over a third of that capital was invested in real estate, especially logistics. Overall, emerging markets fell behind, attracting only 23% of the capital this year, one of the lowest figures in the last six years, Diego Lopez at Global SWF wrote in the report. Venture capital investments make up only a small slice of funds deployed by state-owned vehicles overall, but grew by more than 80% this year to $18.2 billion, with Singapore's Temasek accounting for more than a quarter. "The pandemic provoked a seismic change in strategy, with a shift towards sectors that are set to soar amid the change in lifestyles, consumer behaviour, and public needs," Lopez said, pointing to the healthcare, retail, consumer and technology sectors. The report said investors would continue watching China closely, especially the crackdown on Chinese technology firms. "Despite the geopolitical tensions and regulatory concerns, most (state-owned investors) are bullish on Chinese stocks," it found. Overall assets were lifted by the launch of four new this year. Azerbaijan Investment Holdings (AIH) was the most significant one in terms of assets, having received stakes in leading businesses including the national oil company SOCAR. Bangladesh, Cape Verde and Rio de Janeiro also launched funds, and Israel, Namibia, Bahamas and Mozambique are scheduled to launch SWFs in 2022. The annual report by Global SWF analysed data from 161 sovereign wealth funds and 275 public . (Reporting by Karin Strohecker; Editing by Kevin Liffey) (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.) Assets held by the world's sovereign wealth and public rose to a record $31.9 trillion in 2021 thanks to rising U.S. stock and oil prices, and investments rose to their highest for several years, an annual report released on Saturday showed. The report on state-owned investment vehicles by industry specialist Global SWF found that the assets managed by rose 6% over the year to $10.5 trillion, while those of public jumped 9% to $21.4 trillion. The report also found that state-owned investors had deployed more money, both in number of deals and by volume, than in any of the previous six years. Some $215.6 billion was spent, almost half of it by . Singapore's GIC sovereign wealth fund topped the league, increasing its dealmaking by 75% to $31.1 billion, spread across 109 deals. Over a third of that capital was invested in real estate, especially logistics. Overall, emerging markets fell behind, attracting only 23% of the capital this year, one of the lowest figures in the last six years, Diego Lopez at Global SWF wrote in the report. Venture capital investments make up only a small slice of funds deployed by state-owned vehicles overall, but grew by more than 80% this year to $18.2 billion, with Singapore's Temasek accounting for more than a quarter. "The pandemic provoked a seismic change in strategy, with a shift towards sectors that are set to soar amid the change in lifestyles, consumer behaviour, and public needs," Lopez said, pointing to the healthcare, retail, consumer and technology sectors. The report said investors would continue watching China closely, especially the crackdown on Chinese technology firms. "Despite the geopolitical tensions and regulatory concerns, most (state-owned investors) are bullish on Chinese stocks," it found. Overall assets were lifted by the launch of four new this year. Azerbaijan Investment Holdings (AIH) was the most significant one in terms of assets, having received stakes in leading businesses including the national oil company SOCAR. Bangladesh, Cape Verde and Rio de Janeiro also launched funds, and Israel, Namibia, Bahamas and Mozambique are scheduled to launch SWFs in 2022. The annual report by Global SWF analysed data from 161 sovereign wealth funds and 275 public . (Reporting by Karin Strohecker; Editing by Kevin Liffey) (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.) Assets held by the world's sovereign wealth and public rose to a record $31.9 trillion in 2021 thanks to rising U.S. stock and oil prices, and investments rose to their highest for several years, an annual report released on Saturday showed. The report on state-owned investment vehicles by industry specialist Global SWF found that the assets managed by rose 6% over the year to $10.5 trillion, while those of public jumped 9% to $21.4 trillion. The report also found that state-owned investors had deployed more money, both in number of deals and by volume, than in any of the previous six years. Some $215.6 billion was spent, almost half of it by . Singapore's GIC sovereign wealth fund topped the league, increasing its dealmaking by 75% to $31.1 billion, spread across 109 deals. Over a third of that capital was invested in real estate, especially logistics. Overall, emerging markets fell behind, attracting only 23% of the capital this year, one of the lowest figures in the last six years, Diego Lopez at Global SWF wrote in the report. Venture capital investments make up only a small slice of funds deployed by state-owned vehicles overall, but grew by more than 80% this year to $18.2 billion, with Singapore's Temasek accounting for more than a quarter. "The pandemic provoked a seismic change in strategy, with a shift towards sectors that are set to soar amid the change in lifestyles, consumer behaviour, and public needs," Lopez said, pointing to the healthcare, retail, consumer and technology sectors. The report said investors would continue watching China closely, especially the crackdown on Chinese technology firms. "Despite the geopolitical tensions and regulatory concerns, most (state-owned investors) are bullish on Chinese stocks," it found. Overall assets were lifted by the launch of four new this year. Azerbaijan Investment Holdings (AIH) was the most significant one in terms of assets, having received stakes in leading businesses including the national oil company SOCAR. Bangladesh, Cape Verde and Rio de Janeiro also launched funds, and Israel, Namibia, Bahamas and Mozambique are scheduled to launch SWFs in 2022. The annual report by Global SWF analysed data from 161 sovereign wealth funds and 275 public . (Reporting by Karin Strohecker; Editing by Kevin Liffey) (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.) Undeterred by the rising number of Covid-19 cases and pandemic-related restrictions, thousands of people paid tributes to martyrs at the 'Jaystambh' military monument in Pune district of Maharashtra on Saturday morning to mark the 204th anniversary of the Koregaon Bhima battle, amid tight security. In contrast, the 203rd anniversary of the historical battle last year was a low-key affair due to pandemic curbs. The 'Jaystambh' (victory pillar), as per a Dalit narrative, is the symbol of victory over casteism. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, state home minister Dilip Walse Patil and social welfare minister Dhananjay Munde were also among the visitors at the Jaystambh, located near Perne village. As per the Dalit narrative, the British forces that fought the Peshwas at Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 1818, comprised largely of soldiers from the Dalit Mahar community, who waged a "war for freedom" from 'casteism' of the Peshwas. On January 1, lakhs of people, mainly from the Dalit community, visit the Jaystambh, which was erected by the British in memory of the soldiers who fought against the Peshwas in the Battle of Koregaon Bhima. Also Read Varavara Rao must go back to prison as other old people also in jail: NIA to Bombay HC Violence had broken out near Koregaon Bhima village during the 200th commemoration of the historical battle on January 1, 2018. According to police, "provocative" speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune a day before had triggered the violence. This year, a senior police officer said that the district administration had appealed to people above 60 years and children below 10 years to avoid visiting the Jaystambh in view of the coronavirus pandemic. Police personnel were deployed in large numbers near the war memorial. Facilities like Covid-19 testing were also in place, the officer said. As per the order issued by the Pune district administration under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), putting up hoardings or banners in villages around the memorial, posting content that can spread rumours, create hatred in communities, posting misleading information on social media platforms, was prohibited. The order came into effect from midnight of December 30 and will remain in force till 6 am on January 2. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe 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. As reports pile up about Russias military mobilization on Ukraines border and the Kremlins diplomatic demands, questions abound. What is going on? What will come next? Will Russia invade? In fact, Russian President Vladimir Putin is following an eight-year-old script. In the fall of 2013, Putins government launched a multifaceted offensive to prevent Ukraine, Moldova, and Armenia from signing free-trade agreements with the European Union. That set off a gradually deepening crisis that would profoundly alter Ukraines domestic politics, Russias position in Europe, and the future of NATO. Less than a year later, Russia annexed Crimea and embarked on a barely disguised effort to dismantle the rest of Ukraine. The Kremlin then launched two more incursions into eastern Ukraine to save the separatist statelets that it had managed to set up there. Since then, 14,000 people have died in this low-level frozen conflict. The EU and the United States regularly renew their sanctions on Russia, and the United Nations General Assembly regularly condemns Russias behavior and reaffirms the sanctity of state borders. Not only did Putin fail to derail the EU-Ukraine free-trade agreement; he also managed to transform Ukraine from a friendly neighbor into a country that regards Russia as dangerous and hostile. Invading other countries is a historically proven way to make lasting enemies. Putin now faces the embarrassing prospect of being remembered as the Russian leader who lost Ukraine. He will have set his country back three centuries, to the time before Peter the Great. Even the collapse of the Soviet Union eventually may come to seem less important than Putins blunders over the past decade. Nonetheless, Putin appears to have spent his Covid-19 isolation reading history. This summer, he produced a remarkable essay effectively calling for a greater Slavic empire. Suggesting that power over Ukraine and Belarus ultimately lies within the Kremlins walls, he made clear that he intends to recover what his previous miscalculations lost. The subsequent evolution of Putins thinking is unknown. But it is plausible that he spotted weakness in the chaotic US exit from Afghanistan, and surmised that America is not keen on yet another foreign entanglement. Whatever Putins reasoning, he has since abandoned further dialogue with Ukraines leaders, sent German and French mediators packing, and concentrated a massive number of tanks in the border region. His goal is to pressure the US to agree to a series of radical demands for restructuring European security; chief among these is that the US rescind its promise, first made in 2008, that Ukraine will someday be invited to join NATO. Putins strategic intent in 2014 to stop the agreement with the EU ultimately failed. Now, his immediate focus is on regional security issues. Russian officials and state media have been issuing shrill warnings and spinning ominous tales about the US placing missiles in Ukraine to strike Moscow. There is talk of genocide against Ukraines Russian-speaking population, and of Ukraines imminent entry into NATO. None of these claims bears the faintest resemblance to the truth. But opinion polls suggest that the propaganda has been effective. Around 39% of Russians believe that war is imminent, and this figure is likely to grow as the Kremlin continues to stoke fear among the population. In the meantime, Putin has tasked his diplomats with securing US and EU agreement to his maximalist formal demands for a new security order. The maneuver is eerily reminiscent of the infamous deal-making done at Yalta in 1945, when the Allied powers discussed how Germany and Europe would be carved up after World War II. Yet while a further expansion of NATO is not in the cards, the Alliance will not accept an arrangement that denies any country the right to shape its own destiny. This issue is bigger than Ukraine. The president of Finland, which shares a long border with Russia, has been vocal in pointing out that the option of applying for NATO membership is key to his countrys security. Though he has no intention of launching a membership bid, nor can he allow any outside power to limit his countrys sovereignty. Likewise, countries across Central and Eastern Europe fear that giving in to one Kremlin demand will only invite more. Is a diplomatic resolution still possible? The path is narrow, and time might be running out. There are proposals to place limits on, and improve the transparency of, conventional forces in Europe. But Russia has rejected many such proposals in the past, and complex arms negotiations would take considerable time. Moreover, these diplomatic options would not satisfy Putins wish to create a Greater Russia, suggesting that the Kremlin will not rule out military options. These come in many shapes and sizes. A full-scale Russian invasion would undoubtedly lead to an open-ended conflict that, whatever the original intention, is bound to spill over Ukraines borders. If that happened, all options would be on the table for NATO. Severe sanctions and other measures would further squeeze Russias already dim economic prospects even if it secures support from China. More to the point, NATO would finally roar forward to Russias border by deepening its presence in its member states that border Russia. Given this foreseeable outcome, an invasion would be folly in the extreme. But this scenario cannot be ruled out. The Kremlin record of profound mistakes in its policy toward Ukraine is long. And while many in Moscow already doubt the rationality of Putins aggressive revisionism, their voices carry no weight. Another more imminent possibility is that the Kremlin will try to provoke Ukraine into doing something that would justify a smaller-scale invasion of the kind we saw in 2014 and 2015. But the escalation risk would be severe, and even a small invasion would expose Russia to severely damaging consequences. Either way, the Kremlin has embarked on a dangerous path. It is not too late to prevent Putins script from becoming a tragedy. Let us hope that he has not been reading Chekhov, who famously advised against introducing a gun in the first act unless it will be used in the second. Putins Ukraine Formula Opinion by Carl Bildt Project Syndicate. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe As reports pile up about Russias military mobilization on Ukraines border and the Kremlins diplomatic demands, questions abound. What is going on? What will come next? Will Russia invade? In fact, Russian President Vladimir Putin is following an eight-year-old script. In the fall of 2013, Putins government launched a multifaceted offensive to prevent Ukraine, Moldova, and Armenia from signing free-trade agreements with the European Union. That set off a gradually deepening crisis that would profoundly alter Ukraines domestic politics, Russias position in Europe, and the future of NATO. Less than a year later, Russia annexed Crimea and embarked on a barely disguised effort to dismantle the rest of Ukraine. The Kremlin then launched two more incursions into eastern Ukraine to save the separatist statelets that it had managed to set up there. Since then, 14,000 people have died in this low-level frozen conflict. The EU and the United States regularly renew their sanctions on Russia, and the United Nations General Assembly regularly condemns Russias behavior and reaffirms the sanctity of state borders. Not only did Putin fail to derail the EU-Ukraine free-trade agreement; he also managed to transform Ukraine from a friendly neighbor into a country that regards Russia as dangerous and hostile. Invading other countries is a historically proven way to make lasting enemies. Putin now faces the embarrassing prospect of being remembered as the Russian leader who lost Ukraine. He will have set his country back three centuries, to the time before Peter the Great. Even the collapse of the Soviet Union eventually may come to seem less important than Putins blunders over the past decade. Nonetheless, Putin appears to have spent his Covid-19 isolation reading history. This summer, he produced a remarkable essay effectively calling for a greater Slavic empire. Suggesting that power over Ukraine and Belarus ultimately lies within the Kremlins walls, he made clear that he intends to recover what his previous miscalculations lost. The subsequent evolution of Putins thinking is unknown. But it is plausible that he spotted weakness in the chaotic US exit from Afghanistan, and surmised that America is not keen on yet another foreign entanglement. Whatever Putins reasoning, he has since abandoned further dialogue with Ukraines leaders, sent German and French mediators packing, and concentrated a massive number of tanks in the border region. His goal is to pressure the US to agree to a series of radical demands for restructuring European security; chief among these is that the US rescind its promise, first made in 2008, that Ukraine will someday be invited to join NATO. Putins strategic intent in 2014 to stop the agreement with the EU ultimately failed. Now, his immediate focus is on regional security issues. Russian officials and state media have been issuing shrill warnings and spinning ominous tales about the US placing missiles in Ukraine to strike Moscow. There is talk of genocide against Ukraines Russian-speaking population, and of Ukraines imminent entry into NATO. None of these claims bears the faintest resemblance to the truth. But opinion polls suggest that the propaganda has been effective. Around 39% of Russians believe that war is imminent, and this figure is likely to grow as the Kremlin continues to stoke fear among the population. In the meantime, Putin has tasked his diplomats with securing US and EU agreement to his maximalist formal demands for a new security order. The maneuver is eerily reminiscent of the infamous deal-making done at Yalta in 1945, when the Allied powers discussed how Germany and Europe would be carved up after World War II. Yet while a further expansion of NATO is not in the cards, the Alliance will not accept an arrangement that denies any country the right to shape its own destiny. This issue is bigger than Ukraine. The president of Finland, which shares a long border with Russia, has been vocal in pointing out that the option of applying for NATO membership is key to his countrys security. Though he has no intention of launching a membership bid, nor can he allow any outside power to limit his countrys sovereignty. Likewise, countries across Central and Eastern Europe fear that giving in to one Kremlin demand will only invite more. Is a diplomatic resolution still possible? The path is narrow, and time might be running out. There are proposals to place limits on, and improve the transparency of, conventional forces in Europe. But Russia has rejected many such proposals in the past, and complex arms negotiations would take considerable time. Moreover, these diplomatic options would not satisfy Putins wish to create a Greater Russia, suggesting that the Kremlin will not rule out military options. These come in many shapes and sizes. A full-scale Russian invasion would undoubtedly lead to an open-ended conflict that, whatever the original intention, is bound to spill over Ukraines borders. If that happened, all options would be on the table for NATO. Severe sanctions and other measures would further squeeze Russias already dim economic prospects even if it secures support from China. More to the point, NATO would finally roar forward to Russias border by deepening its presence in its member states that border Russia. Given this foreseeable outcome, an invasion would be folly in the extreme. But this scenario cannot be ruled out. The Kremlin record of profound mistakes in its policy toward Ukraine is long. And while many in Moscow already doubt the rationality of Putins aggressive revisionism, their voices carry no weight. Another more imminent possibility is that the Kremlin will try to provoke Ukraine into doing something that would justify a smaller-scale invasion of the kind we saw in 2014 and 2015. But the escalation risk would be severe, and even a small invasion would expose Russia to severely damaging consequences. Either way, the Kremlin has embarked on a dangerous path. It is not too late to prevent Putins script from becoming a tragedy. Let us hope that he has not been reading Chekhov, who famously advised against introducing a gun in the first act unless it will be used in the second. Putins Ukraine Formula Opinion by Carl Bildt Project Syndicate. The Opinion can be downloaded here Assets held by the world's sovereign wealth and public rose to a record $31.9 trillion in 2021 thanks to rising U.S. stock and oil prices, and investments rose to their highest for several years, an annual report released on Saturday showed. The report on state-owned investment vehicles by industry specialist Global SWF found that the assets managed by rose 6% over the year to $10.5 trillion, while those of public jumped 9% to $21.4 trillion. The report also found that state-owned investors had deployed more money, both in number of deals and by volume, than in any of the previous six years. Some $215.6 billion was spent, almost half of it by . Singapore's GIC sovereign wealth fund topped the league, increasing its dealmaking by 75% to $31.1 billion, spread across 109 deals. Over a third of that capital was invested in real estate, especially logistics. Overall, emerging markets fell behind, attracting only 23% of the capital this year, one of the lowest figures in the last six years, Diego Lopez at Global SWF wrote in the report. Venture capital investments make up only a small slice of funds deployed by state-owned vehicles overall, but grew by more than 80% this year to $18.2 billion, with Singapore's Temasek accounting for more than a quarter. "The pandemic provoked a seismic change in strategy, with a shift towards sectors that are set to soar amid the change in lifestyles, consumer behaviour, and public needs," Lopez said, pointing to the healthcare, retail, consumer and technology sectors. The report said investors would continue watching China closely, especially the crackdown on Chinese technology firms. "Despite the geopolitical tensions and regulatory concerns, most (state-owned investors) are bullish on Chinese stocks," it found. Overall assets were lifted by the launch of four new this year. Azerbaijan Investment Holdings (AIH) was the most significant one in terms of assets, having received stakes in leading businesses including the national oil company SOCAR. Bangladesh, Cape Verde and Rio de Janeiro also launched funds, and Israel, Namibia, Bahamas and Mozambique are scheduled to launch SWFs in 2022. The annual report by Global SWF analysed data from 161 sovereign wealth funds and 275 public . (Reporting by Karin Strohecker; Editing by Kevin Liffey) (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.) Assets held by the world's sovereign wealth and public rose to a record $31.9 trillion in 2021 thanks to rising U.S. stock and oil prices, and investments rose to their highest for several years, an annual report released on Saturday showed. The report on state-owned investment vehicles by industry specialist Global SWF found that the assets managed by rose 6% over the year to $10.5 trillion, while those of public jumped 9% to $21.4 trillion. The report also found that state-owned investors had deployed more money, both in number of deals and by volume, than in any of the previous six years. Some $215.6 billion was spent, almost half of it by . Singapore's GIC sovereign wealth fund topped the league, increasing its dealmaking by 75% to $31.1 billion, spread across 109 deals. Over a third of that capital was invested in real estate, especially logistics. Overall, emerging markets fell behind, attracting only 23% of the capital this year, one of the lowest figures in the last six years, Diego Lopez at Global SWF wrote in the report. Venture capital investments make up only a small slice of funds deployed by state-owned vehicles overall, but grew by more than 80% this year to $18.2 billion, with Singapore's Temasek accounting for more than a quarter. "The pandemic provoked a seismic change in strategy, with a shift towards sectors that are set to soar amid the change in lifestyles, consumer behaviour, and public needs," Lopez said, pointing to the healthcare, retail, consumer and technology sectors. The report said investors would continue watching China closely, especially the crackdown on Chinese technology firms. "Despite the geopolitical tensions and regulatory concerns, most (state-owned investors) are bullish on Chinese stocks," it found. Overall assets were lifted by the launch of four new this year. Azerbaijan Investment Holdings (AIH) was the most significant one in terms of assets, having received stakes in leading businesses including the national oil company SOCAR. Bangladesh, Cape Verde and Rio de Janeiro also launched funds, and Israel, Namibia, Bahamas and Mozambique are scheduled to launch SWFs in 2022. The annual report by Global SWF analysed data from 161 sovereign wealth funds and 275 public . (Reporting by Karin Strohecker; Editing by Kevin Liffey) (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.) Assets held by the world's sovereign wealth and public rose to a record $31.9 trillion in 2021 thanks to rising U.S. stock and oil prices, and investments rose to their highest for several years, an annual report released on Saturday showed. The report on state-owned investment vehicles by industry specialist Global SWF found that the assets managed by rose 6% over the year to $10.5 trillion, while those of public jumped 9% to $21.4 trillion. The report also found that state-owned investors had deployed more money, both in number of deals and by volume, than in any of the previous six years. Some $215.6 billion was spent, almost half of it by . Singapore's GIC sovereign wealth fund topped the league, increasing its dealmaking by 75% to $31.1 billion, spread across 109 deals. Over a third of that capital was invested in real estate, especially logistics. Overall, emerging markets fell behind, attracting only 23% of the capital this year, one of the lowest figures in the last six years, Diego Lopez at Global SWF wrote in the report. Venture capital investments make up only a small slice of funds deployed by state-owned vehicles overall, but grew by more than 80% this year to $18.2 billion, with Singapore's Temasek accounting for more than a quarter. "The pandemic provoked a seismic change in strategy, with a shift towards sectors that are set to soar amid the change in lifestyles, consumer behaviour, and public needs," Lopez said, pointing to the healthcare, retail, consumer and technology sectors. The report said investors would continue watching China closely, especially the crackdown on Chinese technology firms. "Despite the geopolitical tensions and regulatory concerns, most (state-owned investors) are bullish on Chinese stocks," it found. Overall assets were lifted by the launch of four new this year. Azerbaijan Investment Holdings (AIH) was the most significant one in terms of assets, having received stakes in leading businesses including the national oil company SOCAR. Bangladesh, Cape Verde and Rio de Janeiro also launched funds, and Israel, Namibia, Bahamas and Mozambique are scheduled to launch SWFs in 2022. The annual report by Global SWF analysed data from 161 sovereign wealth funds and 275 public . (Reporting by Karin Strohecker; Editing by Kevin Liffey) (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Muhammadu Buhari has enjoined Nigerians to welcome 2022 with hope, envision a year of continued progress against nations combined challenges arising from security and socio-economic issues. The president stated this in his 2022 New Year message released by the Media Unit of the State House, Abuja, on Friday. President Buhari noted that in spite of the nations challenges in 2021, it was also a year in which his administration executed successfully, key projects, programmes, and initiatives to fulfil the promises made under the Security, Economy Anti-corruption (SEA) agenda. He said: In spite of the challenges we have faced as a Nation, the good news is that we have so far recorded four consecutive quarters of growth after the negative growth rates recorded in Quarter II and Quarter III of 2020 due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. As we welcome 2022, let us, with hope, envision a year of continued progress against our combined challenges arising from security and socio-economic issues. As it is said, the past is but a story told, the future will still be written in gold. Let us be united in our fight to keep our Nation united against all odds and with gratitude, celebrate life in this new epoch. The president revealed that his administration had given greater attention to fighting corruption and other related offences which he said, had been a bane to the growth and prosperity of the nation. According to him, the nation has made major strides and breakthroughs through the innovative use of technology and forensics in the investigative and prosecutorial procedures with commendable results to show that the anti-corruption drive of the administration is succeeding. In the meantime, the accomplishments that have been recorded so far can be traced to the dedication of the Nations anti-corruption Agencies who have received the necessary support needed to effectively prosecute their duties, he added. On security challenges, the president noted that the persistent insecurity in certain parts of the country may have threatened to unravel the incremental gains achieved in the real sectors of the economy and in the administrations overall objective to position the nation on the irreversible trajectory of sustainable growth and progress. He, however, assured that his administration would remain resolute in its commitments towards addressing nations security and socio-economic challenges. The president said: There is no doubt that the issue of Security remains at the front burner of priority areas that this Administration has given utmost attention to. As a follow up to our promise to re-energize and reorganize the security apparatus and personnel of the armed forces and the police, it is on record that this administration has invested heavily in re-equipping our military in line with upgrading the platforms and firepower required to tackle the current challenges being faced in the country. The net results of these efforts have been the number of insurgents and bandits who have willingly surrendered to our Security Forces and continue to do so through various channels and the Safe Corridor created for that purpose. Government, however, realizes that victory on the battlefield is just one aspect of sustainable victory. We know that to fully win this war, we must also win the peace and real security lies in winning the hearts and minds of the affected citizens. To this end, working with our international partners and neighbouring countries, we would be deploying multi-faceted solutions that will be targeted at addressing human security at the grassroots, before it leads to insecurity. President Buhari saluted the gallant military, police officers, and other security agents who had lost their lives in the cause of protecting the territorial integrity of the nation against both internal and external aggressors. He assured their families that their sacrifices would not be in vain. We equally remember and commiserate with Nigerians who have lost loved ones as a result of insecurity in different parts of the country. Every life matters and every single death caused by any form of insecurity is a matter of personal concern to me both as a citizen and as the President of this great country. We remain fully committed to upholding the constitutional provisions that protect all Nigerians from any form of internal and external aggression, he added. The president wished all citizens a very happy and prosperous New Year. (NAN) Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Friday signed the Lagos State 2022 Appropriation Bill of N1.758 trillion christened Budget of Consolidation into law. Governor Sanwo-Olu, while signing the Bill at the Lagos House, Ikeja, said that the capital expenditure stands at N1.166 trillion, representing 66 percent of the budget estimates, while recurrent expenditure is N591 billion, representing 34 per cent, to maintain the 66:34 per cent budget tradition of Lagos State. Speaking after signing the 2022 Appropriation bill, Governor Sanwo-Olu said the budget is to consolidate infrastructural development across the state in line with his administrations T.H.E.M.E.S. developmental agenda to address issues on education, infrastructure, health, technology, social intervention, rail projects and other critical areas. He explained the rationale behind the increase in the 2020 Appropriation Bill from the initial N1.388 trillion budget estimates presented to the Lagos State House of Assembly on November 24. Mr Sanwo-Olu said there is a need to capture all financing options for the Blue and Red line rail projects and other ongoing projects in the Budget of Consolidation. He said: Let me state at this juncture that the difference between the budget amount presented by the Executive and the final amount passed by the Legislature is largely accounted for by the decision to further accelerate already existing infrastructure projects and bring them to substantial levels of completion. We have also decided to capture in the Budget, the financing being deployed towards the Blue Line and the Red Line rail projects by private sector consortia, up to a level that will not put pressure on our cash flow and debt sustainability. In addition, this 2022 Appropriation Bill recognises several other already-funded project transactions that are now being accounted for as corporate transactions. What this means is that we are now choosing to capture in the Budget the significant value already accruing to the State from these projects. As I said during the presentation to the House of Assembly, this will be the last full-year budget in the tenure of this administration. As a result, a major focus of this budget will be ensuring the completion of all ongoing projects that are critical to achieving our desire to build a Greater Lagos in line with the goals and objectives of the T.H.E.M.E.S development agenda. He said the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Sam Egube, would present to the public the full details and breakdown of the budget in due course. Governor Sanwo-Olu also commended the Speaker and members of the Lagos State House of Assembly for their cooperation and support, especially in ensuring the quick consideration and passage of the 2022 Appropriation Bill, which he presented on November 24. The governor also appreciated Lagosians for their support in ensuring the impressive performance in the implementation of the 2021 budget, against all odds, especially the continuous challenge posed by COVID 19. I believe very strongly that we, working together, and with everyone doing their part diligently, will achieve much more in 2022, the governor said. Speaking earlier, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudasiru Obasa, stated that the budget was given expeditious approval with proper scrutiny within five weeks to ensure that all projects are executed. Mr Obasa, who was represented by the Chairman of the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Appropriation, Gbolahan Yishawu, said the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration is heading in the right direction in ensuring that infrastructural projects are put in place across the state in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S. development agenda. He also commended Governor Sanwo-Olu for completing all the projects he inherited and providing funds for all the ongoing projects in different parts of the State. Also speaking, Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr Egube, commended the Lagos State House of Assembly for the speedy passage of the 2022 Appropriation Bill. He said he was excited and grateful to all stakeholders for leading the process to the signing of the biggest States budget. It would be recalled that the Lagos State House of Assembly on Wednesday passed the 2022 budget estimates with a slight increase of the grand total from the initial N1.38 trillion to N1.758 trillion. As reports pile up about Russias military mobilization on Ukraines border and the Kremlins diplomatic demands, questions abound. What is going on? What will come next? Will Russia invade? In fact, Russian President Vladimir Putin is following an eight-year-old script. In the fall of 2013, Putins government launched a multifaceted offensive to prevent Ukraine, Moldova, and Armenia from signing free-trade agreements with the European Union. That set off a gradually deepening crisis that would profoundly alter Ukraines domestic politics, Russias position in Europe, and the future of NATO. Less than a year later, Russia annexed Crimea and embarked on a barely disguised effort to dismantle the rest of Ukraine. The Kremlin then launched two more incursions into eastern Ukraine to save the separatist statelets that it had managed to set up there. Since then, 14,000 people have died in this low-level frozen conflict. The EU and the United States regularly renew their sanctions on Russia, and the United Nations General Assembly regularly condemns Russias behavior and reaffirms the sanctity of state borders. Not only did Putin fail to derail the EU-Ukraine free-trade agreement; he also managed to transform Ukraine from a friendly neighbor into a country that regards Russia as dangerous and hostile. Invading other countries is a historically proven way to make lasting enemies. Putin now faces the embarrassing prospect of being remembered as the Russian leader who lost Ukraine. He will have set his country back three centuries, to the time before Peter the Great. Even the collapse of the Soviet Union eventually may come to seem less important than Putins blunders over the past decade. Nonetheless, Putin appears to have spent his Covid-19 isolation reading history. This summer, he produced a remarkable essay effectively calling for a greater Slavic empire. Suggesting that power over Ukraine and Belarus ultimately lies within the Kremlins walls, he made clear that he intends to recover what his previous miscalculations lost. The subsequent evolution of Putins thinking is unknown. But it is plausible that he spotted weakness in the chaotic US exit from Afghanistan, and surmised that America is not keen on yet another foreign entanglement. Whatever Putins reasoning, he has since abandoned further dialogue with Ukraines leaders, sent German and French mediators packing, and concentrated a massive number of tanks in the border region. His goal is to pressure the US to agree to a series of radical demands for restructuring European security; chief among these is that the US rescind its promise, first made in 2008, that Ukraine will someday be invited to join NATO. Putins strategic intent in 2014 to stop the agreement with the EU ultimately failed. Now, his immediate focus is on regional security issues. Russian officials and state media have been issuing shrill warnings and spinning ominous tales about the US placing missiles in Ukraine to strike Moscow. There is talk of genocide against Ukraines Russian-speaking population, and of Ukraines imminent entry into NATO. None of these claims bears the faintest resemblance to the truth. But opinion polls suggest that the propaganda has been effective. Around 39% of Russians believe that war is imminent, and this figure is likely to grow as the Kremlin continues to stoke fear among the population. In the meantime, Putin has tasked his diplomats with securing US and EU agreement to his maximalist formal demands for a new security order. The maneuver is eerily reminiscent of the infamous deal-making done at Yalta in 1945, when the Allied powers discussed how Germany and Europe would be carved up after World War II. Yet while a further expansion of NATO is not in the cards, the Alliance will not accept an arrangement that denies any country the right to shape its own destiny. This issue is bigger than Ukraine. The president of Finland, which shares a long border with Russia, has been vocal in pointing out that the option of applying for NATO membership is key to his countrys security. Though he has no intention of launching a membership bid, nor can he allow any outside power to limit his countrys sovereignty. Likewise, countries across Central and Eastern Europe fear that giving in to one Kremlin demand will only invite more. Is a diplomatic resolution still possible? The path is narrow, and time might be running out. There are proposals to place limits on, and improve the transparency of, conventional forces in Europe. But Russia has rejected many such proposals in the past, and complex arms negotiations would take considerable time. Moreover, these diplomatic options would not satisfy Putins wish to create a Greater Russia, suggesting that the Kremlin will not rule out military options. These come in many shapes and sizes. A full-scale Russian invasion would undoubtedly lead to an open-ended conflict that, whatever the original intention, is bound to spill over Ukraines borders. If that happened, all options would be on the table for NATO. Severe sanctions and other measures would further squeeze Russias already dim economic prospects even if it secures support from China. More to the point, NATO would finally roar forward to Russias border by deepening its presence in its member states that border Russia. Given this foreseeable outcome, an invasion would be folly in the extreme. But this scenario cannot be ruled out. The Kremlin record of profound mistakes in its policy toward Ukraine is long. And while many in Moscow already doubt the rationality of Putins aggressive revisionism, their voices carry no weight. Another more imminent possibility is that the Kremlin will try to provoke Ukraine into doing something that would justify a smaller-scale invasion of the kind we saw in 2014 and 2015. But the escalation risk would be severe, and even a small invasion would expose Russia to severely damaging consequences. Either way, the Kremlin has embarked on a dangerous path. It is not too late to prevent Putins script from becoming a tragedy. Let us hope that he has not been reading Chekhov, who famously advised against introducing a gun in the first act unless it will be used in the second. Putins Ukraine Formula Opinion by Carl Bildt Project Syndicate. The Opinion can be downloaded here As reports pile up about Russias military mobilization on Ukraines border and the Kremlins diplomatic demands, questions abound. What is going on? What will come next? Will Russia invade? In fact, Russian President Vladimir Putin is following an eight-year-old script. In the fall of 2013, Putins government launched a multifaceted offensive to prevent Ukraine, Moldova, and Armenia from signing free-trade agreements with the European Union. That set off a gradually deepening crisis that would profoundly alter Ukraines domestic politics, Russias position in Europe, and the future of NATO. Less than a year later, Russia annexed Crimea and embarked on a barely disguised effort to dismantle the rest of Ukraine. The Kremlin then launched two more incursions into eastern Ukraine to save the separatist statelets that it had managed to set up there. Since then, 14,000 people have died in this low-level frozen conflict. The EU and the United States regularly renew their sanctions on Russia, and the United Nations General Assembly regularly condemns Russias behavior and reaffirms the sanctity of state borders. Not only did Putin fail to derail the EU-Ukraine free-trade agreement; he also managed to transform Ukraine from a friendly neighbor into a country that regards Russia as dangerous and hostile. Invading other countries is a historically proven way to make lasting enemies. Putin now faces the embarrassing prospect of being remembered as the Russian leader who lost Ukraine. He will have set his country back three centuries, to the time before Peter the Great. Even the collapse of the Soviet Union eventually may come to seem less important than Putins blunders over the past decade. Nonetheless, Putin appears to have spent his Covid-19 isolation reading history. This summer, he produced a remarkable essay effectively calling for a greater Slavic empire. Suggesting that power over Ukraine and Belarus ultimately lies within the Kremlins walls, he made clear that he intends to recover what his previous miscalculations lost. The subsequent evolution of Putins thinking is unknown. But it is plausible that he spotted weakness in the chaotic US exit from Afghanistan, and surmised that America is not keen on yet another foreign entanglement. Whatever Putins reasoning, he has since abandoned further dialogue with Ukraines leaders, sent German and French mediators packing, and concentrated a massive number of tanks in the border region. His goal is to pressure the US to agree to a series of radical demands for restructuring European security; chief among these is that the US rescind its promise, first made in 2008, that Ukraine will someday be invited to join NATO. Putins strategic intent in 2014 to stop the agreement with the EU ultimately failed. Now, his immediate focus is on regional security issues. Russian officials and state media have been issuing shrill warnings and spinning ominous tales about the US placing missiles in Ukraine to strike Moscow. There is talk of genocide against Ukraines Russian-speaking population, and of Ukraines imminent entry into NATO. None of these claims bears the faintest resemblance to the truth. But opinion polls suggest that the propaganda has been effective. Around 39% of Russians believe that war is imminent, and this figure is likely to grow as the Kremlin continues to stoke fear among the population. In the meantime, Putin has tasked his diplomats with securing US and EU agreement to his maximalist formal demands for a new security order. The maneuver is eerily reminiscent of the infamous deal-making done at Yalta in 1945, when the Allied powers discussed how Germany and Europe would be carved up after World War II. Yet while a further expansion of NATO is not in the cards, the Alliance will not accept an arrangement that denies any country the right to shape its own destiny. This issue is bigger than Ukraine. The president of Finland, which shares a long border with Russia, has been vocal in pointing out that the option of applying for NATO membership is key to his countrys security. Though he has no intention of launching a membership bid, nor can he allow any outside power to limit his countrys sovereignty. Likewise, countries across Central and Eastern Europe fear that giving in to one Kremlin demand will only invite more. Is a diplomatic resolution still possible? The path is narrow, and time might be running out. There are proposals to place limits on, and improve the transparency of, conventional forces in Europe. But Russia has rejected many such proposals in the past, and complex arms negotiations would take considerable time. Moreover, these diplomatic options would not satisfy Putins wish to create a Greater Russia, suggesting that the Kremlin will not rule out military options. These come in many shapes and sizes. A full-scale Russian invasion would undoubtedly lead to an open-ended conflict that, whatever the original intention, is bound to spill over Ukraines borders. If that happened, all options would be on the table for NATO. Severe sanctions and other measures would further squeeze Russias already dim economic prospects even if it secures support from China. More to the point, NATO would finally roar forward to Russias border by deepening its presence in its member states that border Russia. Given this foreseeable outcome, an invasion would be folly in the extreme. But this scenario cannot be ruled out. The Kremlin record of profound mistakes in its policy toward Ukraine is long. And while many in Moscow already doubt the rationality of Putins aggressive revisionism, their voices carry no weight. Another more imminent possibility is that the Kremlin will try to provoke Ukraine into doing something that would justify a smaller-scale invasion of the kind we saw in 2014 and 2015. But the escalation risk would be severe, and even a small invasion would expose Russia to severely damaging consequences. Either way, the Kremlin has embarked on a dangerous path. It is not too late to prevent Putins script from becoming a tragedy. Let us hope that he has not been reading Chekhov, who famously advised against introducing a gun in the first act unless it will be used in the second. Putins Ukraine Formula Opinion by Carl Bildt Project Syndicate. The Opinion can be downloaded here As reports pile up about Russias military mobilization on Ukraines border and the Kremlins diplomatic demands, questions abound. What is going on? What will come next? Will Russia invade? In fact, Russian President Vladimir Putin is following an eight-year-old script. In the fall of 2013, Putins government launched a multifaceted offensive to prevent Ukraine, Moldova, and Armenia from signing free-trade agreements with the European Union. That set off a gradually deepening crisis that would profoundly alter Ukraines domestic politics, Russias position in Europe, and the future of NATO. Less than a year later, Russia annexed Crimea and embarked on a barely disguised effort to dismantle the rest of Ukraine. The Kremlin then launched two more incursions into eastern Ukraine to save the separatist statelets that it had managed to set up there. Since then, 14,000 people have died in this low-level frozen conflict. The EU and the United States regularly renew their sanctions on Russia, and the United Nations General Assembly regularly condemns Russias behavior and reaffirms the sanctity of state borders. Not only did Putin fail to derail the EU-Ukraine free-trade agreement; he also managed to transform Ukraine from a friendly neighbor into a country that regards Russia as dangerous and hostile. Invading other countries is a historically proven way to make lasting enemies. Putin now faces the embarrassing prospect of being remembered as the Russian leader who lost Ukraine. He will have set his country back three centuries, to the time before Peter the Great. Even the collapse of the Soviet Union eventually may come to seem less important than Putins blunders over the past decade. Nonetheless, Putin appears to have spent his Covid-19 isolation reading history. This summer, he produced a remarkable essay effectively calling for a greater Slavic empire. Suggesting that power over Ukraine and Belarus ultimately lies within the Kremlins walls, he made clear that he intends to recover what his previous miscalculations lost. The subsequent evolution of Putins thinking is unknown. But it is plausible that he spotted weakness in the chaotic US exit from Afghanistan, and surmised that America is not keen on yet another foreign entanglement. Whatever Putins reasoning, he has since abandoned further dialogue with Ukraines leaders, sent German and French mediators packing, and concentrated a massive number of tanks in the border region. His goal is to pressure the US to agree to a series of radical demands for restructuring European security; chief among these is that the US rescind its promise, first made in 2008, that Ukraine will someday be invited to join NATO. Putins strategic intent in 2014 to stop the agreement with the EU ultimately failed. Now, his immediate focus is on regional security issues. Russian officials and state media have been issuing shrill warnings and spinning ominous tales about the US placing missiles in Ukraine to strike Moscow. There is talk of genocide against Ukraines Russian-speaking population, and of Ukraines imminent entry into NATO. None of these claims bears the faintest resemblance to the truth. But opinion polls suggest that the propaganda has been effective. Around 39% of Russians believe that war is imminent, and this figure is likely to grow as the Kremlin continues to stoke fear among the population. In the meantime, Putin has tasked his diplomats with securing US and EU agreement to his maximalist formal demands for a new security order. The maneuver is eerily reminiscent of the infamous deal-making done at Yalta in 1945, when the Allied powers discussed how Germany and Europe would be carved up after World War II. Yet while a further expansion of NATO is not in the cards, the Alliance will not accept an arrangement that denies any country the right to shape its own destiny. This issue is bigger than Ukraine. The president of Finland, which shares a long border with Russia, has been vocal in pointing out that the option of applying for NATO membership is key to his countrys security. Though he has no intention of launching a membership bid, nor can he allow any outside power to limit his countrys sovereignty. Likewise, countries across Central and Eastern Europe fear that giving in to one Kremlin demand will only invite more. Is a diplomatic resolution still possible? The path is narrow, and time might be running out. There are proposals to place limits on, and improve the transparency of, conventional forces in Europe. But Russia has rejected many such proposals in the past, and complex arms negotiations would take considerable time. Moreover, these diplomatic options would not satisfy Putins wish to create a Greater Russia, suggesting that the Kremlin will not rule out military options. These come in many shapes and sizes. A full-scale Russian invasion would undoubtedly lead to an open-ended conflict that, whatever the original intention, is bound to spill over Ukraines borders. If that happened, all options would be on the table for NATO. Severe sanctions and other measures would further squeeze Russias already dim economic prospects even if it secures support from China. More to the point, NATO would finally roar forward to Russias border by deepening its presence in its member states that border Russia. Given this foreseeable outcome, an invasion would be folly in the extreme. But this scenario cannot be ruled out. The Kremlin record of profound mistakes in its policy toward Ukraine is long. And while many in Moscow already doubt the rationality of Putins aggressive revisionism, their voices carry no weight. Another more imminent possibility is that the Kremlin will try to provoke Ukraine into doing something that would justify a smaller-scale invasion of the kind we saw in 2014 and 2015. But the escalation risk would be severe, and even a small invasion would expose Russia to severely damaging consequences. Either way, the Kremlin has embarked on a dangerous path. It is not too late to prevent Putins script from becoming a tragedy. Let us hope that he has not been reading Chekhov, who famously advised against introducing a gun in the first act unless it will be used in the second. Putins Ukraine Formula Opinion by Carl Bildt Project Syndicate. The Opinion can be downloaded here Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has warned motorists who are flouting the law on use of speed limiting devices in their vehicles. The corps says such disobedience had resulted in the upsurge in speed related accidents. FRSC Corps Marshal Boboye Oyeyemi issued the warning in a statement in Abuja. Such flagrant disobedience to traffic safety rules would no longer be condoned in the new year as enforcement would be total and unwavering, he warned. He also called on Nigerians to improve on the safe road use culture in view of of improved road rehabilitation and constructions going on across the country. He, nonetheless, noted that the corps was pleased with the conduct of most drivers during Christmas and new year celebrations which made the rate and fatalities of road accidents manageable. Every Nigerian must remain committed to tackling the challenges which road safety and COVID-19 pose to the nations health, safety, security and wellbeing by doing what is right at all times, he stated. Mr Oyeyemi commended all the stakeholders that joined the road safety campaigns during the festive periods to make the roads safer. He said that road safety remained a shared responsibility which no single organisation could tackle all alone without support and collaboration of relevant stakeholders. He expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for rendering all necessary moral and logistics support for the success of the campaigns. The FRSC boss also called on all Nigerians to embrace the ongoing safety campaigns to make it an all- round success for quick socio-economic development of the nation. He admonished Nigerians on their personal responsibility to the campaigns to make the roads safer. Mr Oyeyemi further urged the people to remain active by always observing the traffic rules and regulations and reporting road and other emergencies promptly to the FRSC toll free line 122 He also advised the public to report such emergency to the National Traffic Radio-107.1 F.M. by calling 08052998090 or 09067000015 for prompt response. (NAN). Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Friday signed the Lagos State 2022 Appropriation Bill of N1.758 trillion christened Budget of Consolidation into law. Governor Sanwo-Olu, while signing the Bill at the Lagos House, Ikeja, said that the capital expenditure stands at N1.166 trillion, representing 66 percent of the budget estimates, while recurrent expenditure is N591 billion, representing 34 per cent, to maintain the 66:34 per cent budget tradition of Lagos State. Speaking after signing the 2022 Appropriation bill, Governor Sanwo-Olu said the budget is to consolidate infrastructural development across the state in line with his administrations T.H.E.M.E.S. developmental agenda to address issues on education, infrastructure, health, technology, social intervention, rail projects and other critical areas. He explained the rationale behind the increase in the 2020 Appropriation Bill from the initial N1.388 trillion budget estimates presented to the Lagos State House of Assembly on November 24. Mr Sanwo-Olu said there is a need to capture all financing options for the Blue and Red line rail projects and other ongoing projects in the Budget of Consolidation. He said: Let me state at this juncture that the difference between the budget amount presented by the Executive and the final amount passed by the Legislature is largely accounted for by the decision to further accelerate already existing infrastructure projects and bring them to substantial levels of completion. We have also decided to capture in the Budget, the financing being deployed towards the Blue Line and the Red Line rail projects by private sector consortia, up to a level that will not put pressure on our cash flow and debt sustainability. In addition, this 2022 Appropriation Bill recognises several other already-funded project transactions that are now being accounted for as corporate transactions. What this means is that we are now choosing to capture in the Budget the significant value already accruing to the State from these projects. As I said during the presentation to the House of Assembly, this will be the last full-year budget in the tenure of this administration. As a result, a major focus of this budget will be ensuring the completion of all ongoing projects that are critical to achieving our desire to build a Greater Lagos in line with the goals and objectives of the T.H.E.M.E.S development agenda. He said the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Sam Egube, would present to the public the full details and breakdown of the budget in due course. Governor Sanwo-Olu also commended the Speaker and members of the Lagos State House of Assembly for their cooperation and support, especially in ensuring the quick consideration and passage of the 2022 Appropriation Bill, which he presented on November 24. The governor also appreciated Lagosians for their support in ensuring the impressive performance in the implementation of the 2021 budget, against all odds, especially the continuous challenge posed by COVID 19. I believe very strongly that we, working together, and with everyone doing their part diligently, will achieve much more in 2022, the governor said. Speaking earlier, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudasiru Obasa, stated that the budget was given expeditious approval with proper scrutiny within five weeks to ensure that all projects are executed. Mr Obasa, who was represented by the Chairman of the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Appropriation, Gbolahan Yishawu, said the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration is heading in the right direction in ensuring that infrastructural projects are put in place across the state in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S. development agenda. He also commended Governor Sanwo-Olu for completing all the projects he inherited and providing funds for all the ongoing projects in different parts of the State. Also speaking, Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr Egube, commended the Lagos State House of Assembly for the speedy passage of the 2022 Appropriation Bill. He said he was excited and grateful to all stakeholders for leading the process to the signing of the biggest States budget. It would be recalled that the Lagos State House of Assembly on Wednesday passed the 2022 budget estimates with a slight increase of the grand total from the initial N1.38 trillion to N1.758 trillion. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Friday signed the Lagos State 2022 Appropriation Bill of N1.758 trillion christened Budget of Consolidation into law. Governor Sanwo-Olu, while signing the Bill at the Lagos House, Ikeja, said that the capital expenditure stands at N1.166 trillion, representing 66 percent of the budget estimates, while recurrent expenditure is N591 billion, representing 34 per cent, to maintain the 66:34 per cent budget tradition of Lagos State. Speaking after signing the 2022 Appropriation bill, Governor Sanwo-Olu said the budget is to consolidate infrastructural development across the state in line with his administrations T.H.E.M.E.S. developmental agenda to address issues on education, infrastructure, health, technology, social intervention, rail projects and other critical areas. He explained the rationale behind the increase in the 2020 Appropriation Bill from the initial N1.388 trillion budget estimates presented to the Lagos State House of Assembly on November 24. Mr Sanwo-Olu said there is a need to capture all financing options for the Blue and Red line rail projects and other ongoing projects in the Budget of Consolidation. He said: Let me state at this juncture that the difference between the budget amount presented by the Executive and the final amount passed by the Legislature is largely accounted for by the decision to further accelerate already existing infrastructure projects and bring them to substantial levels of completion. We have also decided to capture in the Budget, the financing being deployed towards the Blue Line and the Red Line rail projects by private sector consortia, up to a level that will not put pressure on our cash flow and debt sustainability. In addition, this 2022 Appropriation Bill recognises several other already-funded project transactions that are now being accounted for as corporate transactions. What this means is that we are now choosing to capture in the Budget the significant value already accruing to the State from these projects. As I said during the presentation to the House of Assembly, this will be the last full-year budget in the tenure of this administration. As a result, a major focus of this budget will be ensuring the completion of all ongoing projects that are critical to achieving our desire to build a Greater Lagos in line with the goals and objectives of the T.H.E.M.E.S development agenda. He said the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Sam Egube, would present to the public the full details and breakdown of the budget in due course. Governor Sanwo-Olu also commended the Speaker and members of the Lagos State House of Assembly for their cooperation and support, especially in ensuring the quick consideration and passage of the 2022 Appropriation Bill, which he presented on November 24. The governor also appreciated Lagosians for their support in ensuring the impressive performance in the implementation of the 2021 budget, against all odds, especially the continuous challenge posed by COVID 19. I believe very strongly that we, working together, and with everyone doing their part diligently, will achieve much more in 2022, the governor said. Speaking earlier, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudasiru Obasa, stated that the budget was given expeditious approval with proper scrutiny within five weeks to ensure that all projects are executed. Mr Obasa, who was represented by the Chairman of the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Appropriation, Gbolahan Yishawu, said the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration is heading in the right direction in ensuring that infrastructural projects are put in place across the state in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S. development agenda. He also commended Governor Sanwo-Olu for completing all the projects he inherited and providing funds for all the ongoing projects in different parts of the State. Also speaking, Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr Egube, commended the Lagos State House of Assembly for the speedy passage of the 2022 Appropriation Bill. He said he was excited and grateful to all stakeholders for leading the process to the signing of the biggest States budget. It would be recalled that the Lagos State House of Assembly on Wednesday passed the 2022 budget estimates with a slight increase of the grand total from the initial N1.38 trillion to N1.758 trillion. President Muhammadu Buhari has enjoined Nigerians to welcome 2022 with hope, envision a year of continued progress against nations combined challenges arising from security and socio-economic issues. The president stated this in his 2022 New Year message released by the Media Unit of the State House, Abuja, on Friday. President Buhari noted that in spite of the nations challenges in 2021, it was also a year in which his administration executed successfully, key projects, programmes, and initiatives to fulfil the promises made under the Security, Economy Anti-corruption (SEA) agenda. He said: In spite of the challenges we have faced as a Nation, the good news is that we have so far recorded four consecutive quarters of growth after the negative growth rates recorded in Quarter II and Quarter III of 2020 due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. As we welcome 2022, let us, with hope, envision a year of continued progress against our combined challenges arising from security and socio-economic issues. As it is said, the past is but a story told, the future will still be written in gold. Let us be united in our fight to keep our Nation united against all odds and with gratitude, celebrate life in this new epoch. The president revealed that his administration had given greater attention to fighting corruption and other related offences which he said, had been a bane to the growth and prosperity of the nation. According to him, the nation has made major strides and breakthroughs through the innovative use of technology and forensics in the investigative and prosecutorial procedures with commendable results to show that the anti-corruption drive of the administration is succeeding. In the meantime, the accomplishments that have been recorded so far can be traced to the dedication of the Nations anti-corruption Agencies who have received the necessary support needed to effectively prosecute their duties, he added. On security challenges, the president noted that the persistent insecurity in certain parts of the country may have threatened to unravel the incremental gains achieved in the real sectors of the economy and in the administrations overall objective to position the nation on the irreversible trajectory of sustainable growth and progress. He, however, assured that his administration would remain resolute in its commitments towards addressing nations security and socio-economic challenges. The president said: There is no doubt that the issue of Security remains at the front burner of priority areas that this Administration has given utmost attention to. As a follow up to our promise to re-energize and reorganize the security apparatus and personnel of the armed forces and the police, it is on record that this administration has invested heavily in re-equipping our military in line with upgrading the platforms and firepower required to tackle the current challenges being faced in the country. The net results of these efforts have been the number of insurgents and bandits who have willingly surrendered to our Security Forces and continue to do so through various channels and the Safe Corridor created for that purpose. Government, however, realizes that victory on the battlefield is just one aspect of sustainable victory. We know that to fully win this war, we must also win the peace and real security lies in winning the hearts and minds of the affected citizens. To this end, working with our international partners and neighbouring countries, we would be deploying multi-faceted solutions that will be targeted at addressing human security at the grassroots, before it leads to insecurity. President Buhari saluted the gallant military, police officers, and other security agents who had lost their lives in the cause of protecting the territorial integrity of the nation against both internal and external aggressors. He assured their families that their sacrifices would not be in vain. We equally remember and commiserate with Nigerians who have lost loved ones as a result of insecurity in different parts of the country. Every life matters and every single death caused by any form of insecurity is a matter of personal concern to me both as a citizen and as the President of this great country. We remain fully committed to upholding the constitutional provisions that protect all Nigerians from any form of internal and external aggression, he added. The president wished all citizens a very happy and prosperous New Year. (NAN) Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of 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Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe As reports pile up about Russias military mobilization on Ukraines border and the Kremlins diplomatic demands, questions abound. What is going on? What will come next? Will Russia invade? In fact, Russian President Vladimir Putin is following an eight-year-old script. In the fall of 2013, Putins government launched a multifaceted offensive to prevent Ukraine, Moldova, and Armenia from signing free-trade agreements with the European Union. That set off a gradually deepening crisis that would profoundly alter Ukraines domestic politics, Russias position in Europe, and the future of NATO. Less than a year later, Russia annexed Crimea and embarked on a barely disguised effort to dismantle the rest of Ukraine. The Kremlin then launched two more incursions into eastern Ukraine to save the separatist statelets that it had managed to set up there. Since then, 14,000 people have died in this low-level frozen conflict. The EU and the United States regularly renew their sanctions on Russia, and the United Nations General Assembly regularly condemns Russias behavior and reaffirms the sanctity of state borders. Not only did Putin fail to derail the EU-Ukraine free-trade agreement; he also managed to transform Ukraine from a friendly neighbor into a country that regards Russia as dangerous and hostile. Invading other countries is a historically proven way to make lasting enemies. Putin now faces the embarrassing prospect of being remembered as the Russian leader who lost Ukraine. He will have set his country back three centuries, to the time before Peter the Great. Even the collapse of the Soviet Union eventually may come to seem less important than Putins blunders over the past decade. Nonetheless, Putin appears to have spent his Covid-19 isolation reading history. This summer, he produced a remarkable essay effectively calling for a greater Slavic empire. Suggesting that power over Ukraine and Belarus ultimately lies within the Kremlins walls, he made clear that he intends to recover what his previous miscalculations lost. The subsequent evolution of Putins thinking is unknown. But it is plausible that he spotted weakness in the chaotic US exit from Afghanistan, and surmised that America is not keen on yet another foreign entanglement. Whatever Putins reasoning, he has since abandoned further dialogue with Ukraines leaders, sent German and French mediators packing, and concentrated a massive number of tanks in the border region. His goal is to pressure the US to agree to a series of radical demands for restructuring European security; chief among these is that the US rescind its promise, first made in 2008, that Ukraine will someday be invited to join NATO. Putins strategic intent in 2014 to stop the agreement with the EU ultimately failed. Now, his immediate focus is on regional security issues. Russian officials and state media have been issuing shrill warnings and spinning ominous tales about the US placing missiles in Ukraine to strike Moscow. There is talk of genocide against Ukraines Russian-speaking population, and of Ukraines imminent entry into NATO. None of these claims bears the faintest resemblance to the truth. But opinion polls suggest that the propaganda has been effective. Around 39% of Russians believe that war is imminent, and this figure is likely to grow as the Kremlin continues to stoke fear among the population. In the meantime, Putin has tasked his diplomats with securing US and EU agreement to his maximalist formal demands for a new security order. The maneuver is eerily reminiscent of the infamous deal-making done at Yalta in 1945, when the Allied powers discussed how Germany and Europe would be carved up after World War II. Yet while a further expansion of NATO is not in the cards, the Alliance will not accept an arrangement that denies any country the right to shape its own destiny. This issue is bigger than Ukraine. The president of Finland, which shares a long border with Russia, has been vocal in pointing out that the option of applying for NATO membership is key to his countrys security. Though he has no intention of launching a membership bid, nor can he allow any outside power to limit his countrys sovereignty. Likewise, countries across Central and Eastern Europe fear that giving in to one Kremlin demand will only invite more. Is a diplomatic resolution still possible? The path is narrow, and time might be running out. There are proposals to place limits on, and improve the transparency of, conventional forces in Europe. But Russia has rejected many such proposals in the past, and complex arms negotiations would take considerable time. Moreover, these diplomatic options would not satisfy Putins wish to create a Greater Russia, suggesting that the Kremlin will not rule out military options. These come in many shapes and sizes. A full-scale Russian invasion would undoubtedly lead to an open-ended conflict that, whatever the original intention, is bound to spill over Ukraines borders. If that happened, all options would be on the table for NATO. Severe sanctions and other measures would further squeeze Russias already dim economic prospects even if it secures support from China. More to the point, NATO would finally roar forward to Russias border by deepening its presence in its member states that border Russia. Given this foreseeable outcome, an invasion would be folly in the extreme. But this scenario cannot be ruled out. The Kremlin record of profound mistakes in its policy toward Ukraine is long. And while many in Moscow already doubt the rationality of Putins aggressive revisionism, their voices carry no weight. Another more imminent possibility is that the Kremlin will try to provoke Ukraine into doing something that would justify a smaller-scale invasion of the kind we saw in 2014 and 2015. But the escalation risk would be severe, and even a small invasion would expose Russia to severely damaging consequences. Either way, the Kremlin has embarked on a dangerous path. It is not too late to prevent Putins script from becoming a tragedy. Let us hope that he has not been reading Chekhov, who famously advised against introducing a gun in the first act unless it will be used in the second. Putins Ukraine Formula Opinion by Carl Bildt Project Syndicate. The Opinion can be downloaded here As reports pile up about Russias military mobilization on Ukraines border and the Kremlins diplomatic demands, questions abound. What is going on? What will come next? Will Russia invade? In fact, Russian President Vladimir Putin is following an eight-year-old script. In the fall of 2013, Putins government launched a multifaceted offensive to prevent Ukraine, Moldova, and Armenia from signing free-trade agreements with the European Union. That set off a gradually deepening crisis that would profoundly alter Ukraines domestic politics, Russias position in Europe, and the future of NATO. Less than a year later, Russia annexed Crimea and embarked on a barely disguised effort to dismantle the rest of Ukraine. The Kremlin then launched two more incursions into eastern Ukraine to save the separatist statelets that it had managed to set up there. Since then, 14,000 people have died in this low-level frozen conflict. The EU and the United States regularly renew their sanctions on Russia, and the United Nations General Assembly regularly condemns Russias behavior and reaffirms the sanctity of state borders. Not only did Putin fail to derail the EU-Ukraine free-trade agreement; he also managed to transform Ukraine from a friendly neighbor into a country that regards Russia as dangerous and hostile. Invading other countries is a historically proven way to make lasting enemies. Putin now faces the embarrassing prospect of being remembered as the Russian leader who lost Ukraine. He will have set his country back three centuries, to the time before Peter the Great. Even the collapse of the Soviet Union eventually may come to seem less important than Putins blunders over the past decade. Nonetheless, Putin appears to have spent his Covid-19 isolation reading history. This summer, he produced a remarkable essay effectively calling for a greater Slavic empire. Suggesting that power over Ukraine and Belarus ultimately lies within the Kremlins walls, he made clear that he intends to recover what his previous miscalculations lost. The subsequent evolution of Putins thinking is unknown. But it is plausible that he spotted weakness in the chaotic US exit from Afghanistan, and surmised that America is not keen on yet another foreign entanglement. Whatever Putins reasoning, he has since abandoned further dialogue with Ukraines leaders, sent German and French mediators packing, and concentrated a massive number of tanks in the border region. His goal is to pressure the US to agree to a series of radical demands for restructuring European security; chief among these is that the US rescind its promise, first made in 2008, that Ukraine will someday be invited to join NATO. Putins strategic intent in 2014 to stop the agreement with the EU ultimately failed. Now, his immediate focus is on regional security issues. Russian officials and state media have been issuing shrill warnings and spinning ominous tales about the US placing missiles in Ukraine to strike Moscow. There is talk of genocide against Ukraines Russian-speaking population, and of Ukraines imminent entry into NATO. None of these claims bears the faintest resemblance to the truth. But opinion polls suggest that the propaganda has been effective. Around 39% of Russians believe that war is imminent, and this figure is likely to grow as the Kremlin continues to stoke fear among the population. In the meantime, Putin has tasked his diplomats with securing US and EU agreement to his maximalist formal demands for a new security order. The maneuver is eerily reminiscent of the infamous deal-making done at Yalta in 1945, when the Allied powers discussed how Germany and Europe would be carved up after World War II. Yet while a further expansion of NATO is not in the cards, the Alliance will not accept an arrangement that denies any country the right to shape its own destiny. This issue is bigger than Ukraine. The president of Finland, which shares a long border with Russia, has been vocal in pointing out that the option of applying for NATO membership is key to his countrys security. Though he has no intention of launching a membership bid, nor can he allow any outside power to limit his countrys sovereignty. Likewise, countries across Central and Eastern Europe fear that giving in to one Kremlin demand will only invite more. Is a diplomatic resolution still possible? The path is narrow, and time might be running out. There are proposals to place limits on, and improve the transparency of, conventional forces in Europe. But Russia has rejected many such proposals in the past, and complex arms negotiations would take considerable time. Moreover, these diplomatic options would not satisfy Putins wish to create a Greater Russia, suggesting that the Kremlin will not rule out military options. These come in many shapes and sizes. A full-scale Russian invasion would undoubtedly lead to an open-ended conflict that, whatever the original intention, is bound to spill over Ukraines borders. If that happened, all options would be on the table for NATO. Severe sanctions and other measures would further squeeze Russias already dim economic prospects even if it secures support from China. More to the point, NATO would finally roar forward to Russias border by deepening its presence in its member states that border Russia. Given this foreseeable outcome, an invasion would be folly in the extreme. But this scenario cannot be ruled out. The Kremlin record of profound mistakes in its policy toward Ukraine is long. And while many in Moscow already doubt the rationality of Putins aggressive revisionism, their voices carry no weight. Another more imminent possibility is that the Kremlin will try to provoke Ukraine into doing something that would justify a smaller-scale invasion of the kind we saw in 2014 and 2015. But the escalation risk would be severe, and even a small invasion would expose Russia to severely damaging consequences. Either way, the Kremlin has embarked on a dangerous path. It is not too late to prevent Putins script from becoming a tragedy. Let us hope that he has not been reading Chekhov, who famously advised against introducing a gun in the first act unless it will be used in the second. Putins Ukraine Formula Opinion by Carl Bildt Project Syndicate. The Opinion can be downloaded here As reports pile up about Russias military mobilization on Ukraines border and the Kremlins diplomatic demands, questions abound. What is going on? What will come next? Will Russia invade? In fact, Russian President Vladimir Putin is following an eight-year-old script. In the fall of 2013, Putins government launched a multifaceted offensive to prevent Ukraine, Moldova, and Armenia from signing free-trade agreements with the European Union. That set off a gradually deepening crisis that would profoundly alter Ukraines domestic politics, Russias position in Europe, and the future of NATO. Less than a year later, Russia annexed Crimea and embarked on a barely disguised effort to dismantle the rest of Ukraine. The Kremlin then launched two more incursions into eastern Ukraine to save the separatist statelets that it had managed to set up there. Since then, 14,000 people have died in this low-level frozen conflict. The EU and the United States regularly renew their sanctions on Russia, and the United Nations General Assembly regularly condemns Russias behavior and reaffirms the sanctity of state borders. Not only did Putin fail to derail the EU-Ukraine free-trade agreement; he also managed to transform Ukraine from a friendly neighbor into a country that regards Russia as dangerous and hostile. Invading other countries is a historically proven way to make lasting enemies. Putin now faces the embarrassing prospect of being remembered as the Russian leader who lost Ukraine. He will have set his country back three centuries, to the time before Peter the Great. Even the collapse of the Soviet Union eventually may come to seem less important than Putins blunders over the past decade. Nonetheless, Putin appears to have spent his Covid-19 isolation reading history. This summer, he produced a remarkable essay effectively calling for a greater Slavic empire. Suggesting that power over Ukraine and Belarus ultimately lies within the Kremlins walls, he made clear that he intends to recover what his previous miscalculations lost. The subsequent evolution of Putins thinking is unknown. But it is plausible that he spotted weakness in the chaotic US exit from Afghanistan, and surmised that America is not keen on yet another foreign entanglement. Whatever Putins reasoning, he has since abandoned further dialogue with Ukraines leaders, sent German and French mediators packing, and concentrated a massive number of tanks in the border region. His goal is to pressure the US to agree to a series of radical demands for restructuring European security; chief among these is that the US rescind its promise, first made in 2008, that Ukraine will someday be invited to join NATO. Putins strategic intent in 2014 to stop the agreement with the EU ultimately failed. Now, his immediate focus is on regional security issues. Russian officials and state media have been issuing shrill warnings and spinning ominous tales about the US placing missiles in Ukraine to strike Moscow. There is talk of genocide against Ukraines Russian-speaking population, and of Ukraines imminent entry into NATO. None of these claims bears the faintest resemblance to the truth. But opinion polls suggest that the propaganda has been effective. Around 39% of Russians believe that war is imminent, and this figure is likely to grow as the Kremlin continues to stoke fear among the population. In the meantime, Putin has tasked his diplomats with securing US and EU agreement to his maximalist formal demands for a new security order. The maneuver is eerily reminiscent of the infamous deal-making done at Yalta in 1945, when the Allied powers discussed how Germany and Europe would be carved up after World War II. Yet while a further expansion of NATO is not in the cards, the Alliance will not accept an arrangement that denies any country the right to shape its own destiny. This issue is bigger than Ukraine. The president of Finland, which shares a long border with Russia, has been vocal in pointing out that the option of applying for NATO membership is key to his countrys security. Though he has no intention of launching a membership bid, nor can he allow any outside power to limit his countrys sovereignty. Likewise, countries across Central and Eastern Europe fear that giving in to one Kremlin demand will only invite more. Is a diplomatic resolution still possible? The path is narrow, and time might be running out. There are proposals to place limits on, and improve the transparency of, conventional forces in Europe. But Russia has rejected many such proposals in the past, and complex arms negotiations would take considerable time. Moreover, these diplomatic options would not satisfy Putins wish to create a Greater Russia, suggesting that the Kremlin will not rule out military options. These come in many shapes and sizes. A full-scale Russian invasion would undoubtedly lead to an open-ended conflict that, whatever the original intention, is bound to spill over Ukraines borders. If that happened, all options would be on the table for NATO. Severe sanctions and other measures would further squeeze Russias already dim economic prospects even if it secures support from China. More to the point, NATO would finally roar forward to Russias border by deepening its presence in its member states that border Russia. Given this foreseeable outcome, an invasion would be folly in the extreme. But this scenario cannot be ruled out. The Kremlin record of profound mistakes in its policy toward Ukraine is long. And while many in Moscow already doubt the rationality of Putins aggressive revisionism, their voices carry no weight. Another more imminent possibility is that the Kremlin will try to provoke Ukraine into doing something that would justify a smaller-scale invasion of the kind we saw in 2014 and 2015. But the escalation risk would be severe, and even a small invasion would expose Russia to severely damaging consequences. Either way, the Kremlin has embarked on a dangerous path. It is not too late to prevent Putins script from becoming a tragedy. Let us hope that he has not been reading Chekhov, who famously advised against introducing a gun in the first act unless it will be used in the second. Putins Ukraine Formula Opinion by Carl Bildt Project Syndicate. The Opinion can be downloaded here As reports pile up about Russias military mobilization on Ukraines border and the Kremlins diplomatic demands, questions abound. What is going on? What will come next? Will Russia invade? In fact, Russian President Vladimir Putin is following an eight-year-old script. In the fall of 2013, Putins government launched a multifaceted offensive to prevent Ukraine, Moldova, and Armenia from signing free-trade agreements with the European Union. That set off a gradually deepening crisis that would profoundly alter Ukraines domestic politics, Russias position in Europe, and the future of NATO. Less than a year later, Russia annexed Crimea and embarked on a barely disguised effort to dismantle the rest of Ukraine. The Kremlin then launched two more incursions into eastern Ukraine to save the separatist statelets that it had managed to set up there. Since then, 14,000 people have died in this low-level frozen conflict. The EU and the United States regularly renew their sanctions on Russia, and the United Nations General Assembly regularly condemns Russias behavior and reaffirms the sanctity of state borders. Not only did Putin fail to derail the EU-Ukraine free-trade agreement; he also managed to transform Ukraine from a friendly neighbor into a country that regards Russia as dangerous and hostile. Invading other countries is a historically proven way to make lasting enemies. Putin now faces the embarrassing prospect of being remembered as the Russian leader who lost Ukraine. He will have set his country back three centuries, to the time before Peter the Great. Even the collapse of the Soviet Union eventually may come to seem less important than Putins blunders over the past decade. Nonetheless, Putin appears to have spent his Covid-19 isolation reading history. This summer, he produced a remarkable essay effectively calling for a greater Slavic empire. Suggesting that power over Ukraine and Belarus ultimately lies within the Kremlins walls, he made clear that he intends to recover what his previous miscalculations lost. The subsequent evolution of Putins thinking is unknown. But it is plausible that he spotted weakness in the chaotic US exit from Afghanistan, and surmised that America is not keen on yet another foreign entanglement. Whatever Putins reasoning, he has since abandoned further dialogue with Ukraines leaders, sent German and French mediators packing, and concentrated a massive number of tanks in the border region. His goal is to pressure the US to agree to a series of radical demands for restructuring European security; chief among these is that the US rescind its promise, first made in 2008, that Ukraine will someday be invited to join NATO. Putins strategic intent in 2014 to stop the agreement with the EU ultimately failed. Now, his immediate focus is on regional security issues. Russian officials and state media have been issuing shrill warnings and spinning ominous tales about the US placing missiles in Ukraine to strike Moscow. There is talk of genocide against Ukraines Russian-speaking population, and of Ukraines imminent entry into NATO. None of these claims bears the faintest resemblance to the truth. But opinion polls suggest that the propaganda has been effective. Around 39% of Russians believe that war is imminent, and this figure is likely to grow as the Kremlin continues to stoke fear among the population. In the meantime, Putin has tasked his diplomats with securing US and EU agreement to his maximalist formal demands for a new security order. The maneuver is eerily reminiscent of the infamous deal-making done at Yalta in 1945, when the Allied powers discussed how Germany and Europe would be carved up after World War II. Yet while a further expansion of NATO is not in the cards, the Alliance will not accept an arrangement that denies any country the right to shape its own destiny. This issue is bigger than Ukraine. The president of Finland, which shares a long border with Russia, has been vocal in pointing out that the option of applying for NATO membership is key to his countrys security. Though he has no intention of launching a membership bid, nor can he allow any outside power to limit his countrys sovereignty. Likewise, countries across Central and Eastern Europe fear that giving in to one Kremlin demand will only invite more. Is a diplomatic resolution still possible? The path is narrow, and time might be running out. There are proposals to place limits on, and improve the transparency of, conventional forces in Europe. But Russia has rejected many such proposals in the past, and complex arms negotiations would take considerable time. Moreover, these diplomatic options would not satisfy Putins wish to create a Greater Russia, suggesting that the Kremlin will not rule out military options. These come in many shapes and sizes. A full-scale Russian invasion would undoubtedly lead to an open-ended conflict that, whatever the original intention, is bound to spill over Ukraines borders. If that happened, all options would be on the table for NATO. Severe sanctions and other measures would further squeeze Russias already dim economic prospects even if it secures support from China. More to the point, NATO would finally roar forward to Russias border by deepening its presence in its member states that border Russia. Given this foreseeable outcome, an invasion would be folly in the extreme. But this scenario cannot be ruled out. The Kremlin record of profound mistakes in its policy toward Ukraine is long. And while many in Moscow already doubt the rationality of Putins aggressive revisionism, their voices carry no weight. Another more imminent possibility is that the Kremlin will try to provoke Ukraine into doing something that would justify a smaller-scale invasion of the kind we saw in 2014 and 2015. But the escalation risk would be severe, and even a small invasion would expose Russia to severely damaging consequences. Either way, the Kremlin has embarked on a dangerous path. It is not too late to prevent Putins script from becoming a tragedy. Let us hope that he has not been reading Chekhov, who famously advised against introducing a gun in the first act unless it will be used in the second. Putins Ukraine Formula Opinion by Carl Bildt Project Syndicate. The Opinion can be downloaded here Assets held by the world's sovereign wealth and public rose to a record $31.9 trillion in 2021 thanks to rising U.S. stock and oil prices, and investments rose to their highest for several years, an annual report released on Saturday showed. The report on state-owned investment vehicles by industry specialist Global SWF found that the assets managed by rose 6% over the year to $10.5 trillion, while those of public jumped 9% to $21.4 trillion. The report also found that state-owned investors had deployed more money, both in number of deals and by volume, than in any of the previous six years. Some $215.6 billion was spent, almost half of it by . Singapore's GIC sovereign wealth fund topped the league, increasing its dealmaking by 75% to $31.1 billion, spread across 109 deals. Over a third of that capital was invested in real estate, especially logistics. Overall, emerging markets fell behind, attracting only 23% of the capital this year, one of the lowest figures in the last six years, Diego Lopez at Global SWF wrote in the report. Venture capital investments make up only a small slice of funds deployed by state-owned vehicles overall, but grew by more than 80% this year to $18.2 billion, with Singapore's Temasek accounting for more than a quarter. "The pandemic provoked a seismic change in strategy, with a shift towards sectors that are set to soar amid the change in lifestyles, consumer behaviour, and public needs," Lopez said, pointing to the healthcare, retail, consumer and technology sectors. The report said investors would continue watching China closely, especially the crackdown on Chinese technology firms. "Despite the geopolitical tensions and regulatory concerns, most (state-owned investors) are bullish on Chinese stocks," it found. Overall assets were lifted by the launch of four new this year. Azerbaijan Investment Holdings (AIH) was the most significant one in terms of assets, having received stakes in leading businesses including the national oil company SOCAR. Bangladesh, Cape Verde and Rio de Janeiro also launched funds, and Israel, Namibia, Bahamas and Mozambique are scheduled to launch SWFs in 2022. The annual report by Global SWF analysed data from 161 sovereign wealth funds and 275 public . (Reporting by Karin Strohecker; Editing by Kevin Liffey) (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.) Assets held by the world's sovereign wealth and public rose to a record $31.9 trillion in 2021 thanks to rising U.S. stock and oil prices, and investments rose to their highest for several years, an annual report released on Saturday showed. The report on state-owned investment vehicles by industry specialist Global SWF found that the assets managed by rose 6% over the year to $10.5 trillion, while those of public jumped 9% to $21.4 trillion. The report also found that state-owned investors had deployed more money, both in number of deals and by volume, than in any of the previous six years. Some $215.6 billion was spent, almost half of it by . Singapore's GIC sovereign wealth fund topped the league, increasing its dealmaking by 75% to $31.1 billion, spread across 109 deals. Over a third of that capital was invested in real estate, especially logistics. Overall, emerging markets fell behind, attracting only 23% of the capital this year, one of the lowest figures in the last six years, Diego Lopez at Global SWF wrote in the report. Venture capital investments make up only a small slice of funds deployed by state-owned vehicles overall, but grew by more than 80% this year to $18.2 billion, with Singapore's Temasek accounting for more than a quarter. "The pandemic provoked a seismic change in strategy, with a shift towards sectors that are set to soar amid the change in lifestyles, consumer behaviour, and public needs," Lopez said, pointing to the healthcare, retail, consumer and technology sectors. The report said investors would continue watching China closely, especially the crackdown on Chinese technology firms. "Despite the geopolitical tensions and regulatory concerns, most (state-owned investors) are bullish on Chinese stocks," it found. Overall assets were lifted by the launch of four new this year. Azerbaijan Investment Holdings (AIH) was the most significant one in terms of assets, having received stakes in leading businesses including the national oil company SOCAR. Bangladesh, Cape Verde and Rio de Janeiro also launched funds, and Israel, Namibia, Bahamas and Mozambique are scheduled to launch SWFs in 2022. The annual report by Global SWF analysed data from 161 sovereign wealth funds and 275 public . (Reporting by Karin Strohecker; Editing by Kevin Liffey) (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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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe News featured The stories we'll be watching in 2022 Jeff Woo/DRC file photo Construction crews work on the new Denton High School in May. The new campus, on North Bonnie Brae Street at Riney Road, is set to open in fall 2022. Jeff Woo / Photos by Jeff Woo/DRC file photo People play vintage arcade games at Free Play Denton in 2018. The arcade closed the 505 W. Hickory St. location in 2020, but will reopen its larger new location this year at 101 W. Hickory St. Jeff Woo/DRC file photo Denton resident Liam Gaume-Wakefield speaks about City Council redistricting maps at City Hall on Dec. 7, the last day council members heard public opinion about proposed maps for the coming decade. Jeff Woo/DRC file photo Construction crews work on the new Denton High School in May. The new campus, on North Bonnie Brae Street at Riney Road, is set to open in fall 2022. As we look ahead into 2022, our newsroom calendars are marked with locally important dates such as elections and the first day of school at the brand-new Denton High School campus in the fall. Here are the top stories well continue to monitor in the new year. Open seats for 2022 elections Dozens of candidates spread across all levels of government will be vying for residents votes in the new year. That includes nearly two dozen candidates for spots in the Texas Legislature and the U.S. Congress, as well as candidates for local city councils, school boards and the county Commissioners Court. Races to watch include the Denton City Council at-large seat being vacated by council member Deb Armintor, Dentons mayoral race and Denton Countys newly christened Texas House District 57 seat. District 57 was included in the new redistricting map signed by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2021. Coming off a contentious redistricting process, members of the Republican and Democratic parties will have eyes on this years race for the Precinct 2 seat on Denton Countys Commissioners Court. Criticism from residents and Denton County Democratic Party representatives focused on the population changes to Precinct 2. The precincts race for commissioner was decided by fewer than 400 votes in 2018, making it by far the most competitive of the four. The filing deadline for a place in the party primaries next year already came and went, but filing for municipal races, such as for the Denton City Council, wont come until January. The final fate of the Confederate soldier monument A new exhibit featuring Denton Countys Confederate soldier monument will be moved to the Courthouse-on-the-Square Museum in early 2022 after the plans were announced in April. The monument was surrounded by controversy and protests leading up to its removal from the Courthouse on the Square lawn in June 2020, and much of that debate has stuck around. Officials have stated the new exhibit will not only feature pieces of the monument but commentary on the history of slavery as well; nonetheless, activist Willie Hudspeth, who kept up a decadeslong protest against the statue, has opposed the idea. The exhibit was supposed to have been installed by the end of 2021, but that timeline has been pushed back. Officials have not given a reason for those delays, with the latest update from County Judge Andy Eads being that the move will likely take place sometime in January or February. Redistricting This past year brought local voters more political maps, which means the possibility of changes in political representation on various bodies. Elections in 2022 and throughout the next decade will show the full extent of these changes. The city of Denton was carved up or lumped in with large swaths of distant voters in many of the maps. Progressives have decried maps drawn by state legislators for U.S. House, Texas House and Texas Senate districts as having an inherent bias toward conservative candidates. The same argument has been made against districts redrawn by the Denton County Commissioners Court. The reverse argument that progressive candidates will be unfairly benefited was made by some against the districts passed by the Denton City Council, but a majority of council members rejected those complaints and argued the since-approved map rectifies previous gerrymandering. Sample ballots arent ready yet, but the Denton County Elections Administration website has an online tool that will let you know who to expect on your ballot when elections roll around in the new year. New Denton High School will come online After almost four years of construction, the brand-new Denton High campus on North Bonnie Brae Street is set to welcome students in fall 2022, after construction wraps up. The new campus will be a replacement for the existing campus at 1007 Fulton St., which will eventually become the new Calhoun Middle School. The new Denton High will be a 490,000-square-foot, two-story building with hallways feeding into the cafeteria common area and the library. The campus sits on roughly 150 acres and also will include three competition gyms, a fine arts corridor, an outdoor performance space and several sports fields. Architects designed the campus with a 2,400-student capacity in mind but said there would be room for expansion if needed. The project was able to avoid delays that many construction sites had when the pandemic hit because Denton ISD bought all of the raw materials needed to finish the high school in early 2020, Superintendent Jamie Wilson said. Businesses and apartments on the way While Dentons business landscape saw lots of comings and goings in 2021 with the closure of retail staples like Drug Emporium and downtown eatery J&Js Pizza, next year promises to bring just as much bustle. All eyes are on the Denton Square amid the anticipated reopening of popular retro arcade bar Free Play, which announced in June that it would relocate to the former Abbey Inn building at 101 W. Hickory St. after closing its former location amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The new space will be the North Texas arcade chains biggest location to date, set to house over 100 games, more than 20 pinball machines, two bars and a kitchen. The arcade has not announced an official opening date but has been hiring staff and was hosting a limited preview event on New Years Eve, so all signs point to a full opening in the near future. Denton can also look forward to several new housing developments on and around Loop 288 next year, with construction at Quincy Court Apartments at the southeast corner of Stuart Road and North Loop 288 currently underway and a rental community of 316 single-story homes expected to break ground next year. Denton Grove, a 276-unit apartment complex on South Loop 288 and Duchess Drive, is likewise anticipated to begin construction next year, with a 216-unit complex, Pebblebrook Parkside, also on the horizon for McKinney Street at South Loop 288. The developments will help meet growing demand for housing in North Texas, with 9,500 units needed over the next five years, consultants told the Denton City Council earlier this year. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe The US administration will continue to work with other countries' space programmes on the Space Station (ISS) through 2030, as NASA plans to replace the ISS with one or more commercial space stations by that time-frame. Astronauts have lived and worked onboard the ISS orbiting roughly 250 miles above the Earth's surface for more than 20 years. However, the escalating tensions between the US and Russia have threatened the cooperation required to work together on the ISS. In November, Russia blew up a satellite, creating a dangerous debris cloud in Earth's orbit. "The Space Station is a beacon of peaceful scientific collaboration and for more than 20 years has returned enormous scientific, educational, and technological developments to benefit humanity. I'm pleased that the Joe Biden- administration has committed to continuing station operations through 2030," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement late on Friday. The unique microgravity laboratory has hosted more than 3,000 research investigations from over 4,200 researchers across the world and is returning enormous scientific, educational, and technological developments to benefit people on Earth. Nearly 110 countries and areas have participated in activities aboard the station, including more than 1,500,000 students per year in STEM activities. "The United States' continued participation on the ISS will enhance innovation and competitiveness, as well as advance the research and technology necessary to send the first woman and first person of colour to the Moon under NASA's Artemis programme and pave the way for sending the first humans to Mars," said Nelson. The Artemis mission, aimed at returning humans to the Moon and ultimately landing astronauts on Mars, is not feasible without continued human health research and technology demonstrations being conducted on the ISS and its eventual replacement. The ISS costs about $3 billion a year, roughly a third of NASA's annual human space flight budget, and while current plans call for the Station's retirement in 2024, an extension to 2030 is likely, the US space agency had said in the audit report. Extending operations through 2030 will continue another productive decade of research advancement and enable a seamless transition of capabilities in low-Earth orbit to one or more commercially owned and operated destinations in the late 2020s. --IANS na/dpb (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As reports pile up about Russias military mobilization on Ukraines border and the Kremlins diplomatic demands, questions abound. What is going on? What will come next? Will Russia invade? In fact, Russian President Vladimir Putin is following an eight-year-old script. In the fall of 2013, Putins government launched a multifaceted offensive to prevent Ukraine, Moldova, and Armenia from signing free-trade agreements with the European Union. That set off a gradually deepening crisis that would profoundly alter Ukraines domestic politics, Russias position in Europe, and the future of NATO. Less than a year later, Russia annexed Crimea and embarked on a barely disguised effort to dismantle the rest of Ukraine. The Kremlin then launched two more incursions into eastern Ukraine to save the separatist statelets that it had managed to set up there. Since then, 14,000 people have died in this low-level frozen conflict. The EU and the United States regularly renew their sanctions on Russia, and the United Nations General Assembly regularly condemns Russias behavior and reaffirms the sanctity of state borders. Not only did Putin fail to derail the EU-Ukraine free-trade agreement; he also managed to transform Ukraine from a friendly neighbor into a country that regards Russia as dangerous and hostile. Invading other countries is a historically proven way to make lasting enemies. Putin now faces the embarrassing prospect of being remembered as the Russian leader who lost Ukraine. He will have set his country back three centuries, to the time before Peter the Great. Even the collapse of the Soviet Union eventually may come to seem less important than Putins blunders over the past decade. Nonetheless, Putin appears to have spent his Covid-19 isolation reading history. This summer, he produced a remarkable essay effectively calling for a greater Slavic empire. Suggesting that power over Ukraine and Belarus ultimately lies within the Kremlins walls, he made clear that he intends to recover what his previous miscalculations lost. The subsequent evolution of Putins thinking is unknown. But it is plausible that he spotted weakness in the chaotic US exit from Afghanistan, and surmised that America is not keen on yet another foreign entanglement. Whatever Putins reasoning, he has since abandoned further dialogue with Ukraines leaders, sent German and French mediators packing, and concentrated a massive number of tanks in the border region. His goal is to pressure the US to agree to a series of radical demands for restructuring European security; chief among these is that the US rescind its promise, first made in 2008, that Ukraine will someday be invited to join NATO. Putins strategic intent in 2014 to stop the agreement with the EU ultimately failed. Now, his immediate focus is on regional security issues. Russian officials and state media have been issuing shrill warnings and spinning ominous tales about the US placing missiles in Ukraine to strike Moscow. There is talk of genocide against Ukraines Russian-speaking population, and of Ukraines imminent entry into NATO. None of these claims bears the faintest resemblance to the truth. But opinion polls suggest that the propaganda has been effective. Around 39% of Russians believe that war is imminent, and this figure is likely to grow as the Kremlin continues to stoke fear among the population. In the meantime, Putin has tasked his diplomats with securing US and EU agreement to his maximalist formal demands for a new security order. The maneuver is eerily reminiscent of the infamous deal-making done at Yalta in 1945, when the Allied powers discussed how Germany and Europe would be carved up after World War II. Yet while a further expansion of NATO is not in the cards, the Alliance will not accept an arrangement that denies any country the right to shape its own destiny. This issue is bigger than Ukraine. The president of Finland, which shares a long border with Russia, has been vocal in pointing out that the option of applying for NATO membership is key to his countrys security. Though he has no intention of launching a membership bid, nor can he allow any outside power to limit his countrys sovereignty. Likewise, countries across Central and Eastern Europe fear that giving in to one Kremlin demand will only invite more. Is a diplomatic resolution still possible? The path is narrow, and time might be running out. There are proposals to place limits on, and improve the transparency of, conventional forces in Europe. But Russia has rejected many such proposals in the past, and complex arms negotiations would take considerable time. Moreover, these diplomatic options would not satisfy Putins wish to create a Greater Russia, suggesting that the Kremlin will not rule out military options. These come in many shapes and sizes. A full-scale Russian invasion would undoubtedly lead to an open-ended conflict that, whatever the original intention, is bound to spill over Ukraines borders. If that happened, all options would be on the table for NATO. Severe sanctions and other measures would further squeeze Russias already dim economic prospects even if it secures support from China. More to the point, NATO would finally roar forward to Russias border by deepening its presence in its member states that border Russia. Given this foreseeable outcome, an invasion would be folly in the extreme. But this scenario cannot be ruled out. The Kremlin record of profound mistakes in its policy toward Ukraine is long. And while many in Moscow already doubt the rationality of Putins aggressive revisionism, their voices carry no weight. Another more imminent possibility is that the Kremlin will try to provoke Ukraine into doing something that would justify a smaller-scale invasion of the kind we saw in 2014 and 2015. But the escalation risk would be severe, and even a small invasion would expose Russia to severely damaging consequences. Either way, the Kremlin has embarked on a dangerous path. It is not too late to prevent Putins script from becoming a tragedy. Let us hope that he has not been reading Chekhov, who famously advised against introducing a gun in the first act unless it will be used in the second. Putins Ukraine Formula Opinion by Carl Bildt Project Syndicate. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Thumbs Up ... to the East Moline City Council, which gave the county forest preserve a green light to purchase land in the city for a new forest preserve. The vote was 5-2. The Rock Island County Forest Preserve District asked the city for approval to set aside the land near the I-80/I-88 interchange, which would preserve habitat for threatened species and pave the way for an off-road trail system. The purchase of the land would mostly be paid for by a state grant. Mayor Reggie Freeman has opposed the move, objecting to taking it off the tax rolls and surrendering potential for future development. However, two of the largest landowners said there is little chance for development. And last week, Freeman backed off a threat to veto the council's approval. We understand the mayor's reticence, which was shared by some aldermen. But we think he made the right move by saying he would honor the council's vote. We believe this is a rare opportunity, and it shouldn't be allowed to pass. Thumbs Down ... to the delay in opening the bicycle and pedestrian path on the new Interstate-74 bridge. The path will be ready soon, but officials say they are delaying its opening until spring. The decision to delay was made so that public works crews from Bettendorf and Moline can determine the best way to remove snow and ice from the path without the complications of public access. We understand the desire for more time, and we can't be too critical of the decision. This is a new trail, and it's likely that demand will be great when it finally opens. We also know that waiting a few more months won't be that big a deal. Still, we also know this has been under construction for some time, and we wish planners and the cities had found a way to come up with a plan sooner. Even in the chilly months, we know people can't wait to try it out. Thumbs Up ... to Randy Tweet's 22-year career with the City of Rock Island. Tweet, who retired last month. Hired in 2000 to help implement a software project, he worked his way up the ranks and became city manager in 2016, first on an interim basis then permanently. As Sarah Hayden pointed out in an article about a week ago, the city's financial position has improved since he took the reins. We've also found him to be a pretty straightforward person to deal with. We wish him well in his retirement. Thumbs Down ... to the figures that were reported in the Iowa Department of Education's first-ever report on school violence. As reported by the Iowa Capital Dispatch, the report said there were 1,067 injuries, 663 assaults and 586 property damage incidents during the school year. There were 1,285 students responsible for the incidents, or roughly 3 out of every 1,000 Iowa students. Since this is the first-ever such report by the department, it's not possible to compare it to past years. We just hope that when the second report is released, those numbers are lower. Schools are a place to learn, and we know how difficult that has been over the past year. (The same report also a tally of decreased test scores in a pandemic-affected year.) Above all, though, they need to be safe places, and we're hopeful that by documenting the problems on a statewide basis, policymakers will be motivated to find the trouble spots and fix them. Thumbs Up ... to all those who are giving to the Dispatch-Argus Santa Fund and the Quad-City Times Wish List initiatives. Last we checked, we were very near to our $50,000 goal for the Santa Fund, and we would love to get over the top. Over the last several days, readers have had a chance to get to know the people who are being helped by these campaigns. We've always been grateful to the people who are willing to step up and help those in need, and we'll just offer this gentle reminder that there still is time to help out. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Western Australia has detected two new local COVID-19 cases linked to an infected French backpacker who travelled from Queensland. The new cases are close contacts of another recent infection and are in hotel quarantine, WA Health said on Saturday. This takes the total number of cases linked to the so-called 'backpacker outbreak' to 16, and includes the unvaccinated 25-year-old index case. The development comes as Premier Mark McGowan announced further border restrictions, blocking travellers from Tasmania and the ACT from entering the state without a permit. Many of the cases went to a busy Perth Mess Hall dance party with about 400 other people on December 19 Many of the cases went to a busy Perth Mess Hall dance party with about 400 other people on December 19, many from the traveller community. More than 770 close contacts have been identified, with 18 yet to be tested as police struggle to track down some backpackers who are thought to have left WA or are avoiding testing. One new infection among returned travellers has also been identified. They are in hotel quarantine. There are now growing concerns as Perth's Covid restrictions, including mask mandates, are set to be lifted on January 4. Meanwhile, WA has moved both Tasmania, which jumped from 520 active COVID-19 cases to 938 on New Year's Day, and the ACT, which increased by 448 cases to a total of 1479, from medium risk to high risk. This means that, from Monday, anyone entering the state from the ACT or Tasmania must be fully vaccinated, take a PCR test within 24 hours of arrival and take another test on day 12 of their 14-day self-isolation. They must also use the G2G Now app while in quarantine. More than 92 per cent of Western Australians had received their first COVID-19 vaccination, Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said. There are now 35 active confirmed cases in WA. More than 770 close contacts have been identified stemming from the dance party (pictured) 'Thanks government!' Hostel full of 93 backpackers spend Christmas in a luxurious five-star hotel as they're put into quarantine after they were exposed to Covid by an unvaccinated Frenchman who sparked Perth's outbreak BY PADRAIG COLLINS FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRLALIA Going from a 12-person dormitory room to a five-star hotel is what every backpacker dreams of - and it has come true for 93 of them in Western Australia. The one problem is, they've been moved up in the accommodation world to Perth's Westin hotel because they may all be infected with Covid-19. They are not allowed to leave their rooms and when one walked down the corridor to complain about the room service, he was arrested. Backpackers, such as the woman pictured, were moved from a hostel to a five-star hotel to quarantine after a Covid-19 outbreak Some of the backpackers (pictured) seemed to prefer to stay in the Old Fire Station hostel rather than moved to the five-star Westin hotel for quarantine Another couple wrote 'thanks government' on social media to celebrate their upgraded accommodation, despite not being able to leave it. After their previous digs at Fremantle's Old Fire Station hostel became a Covid hotspot in Perth's coronavirus outbreak, the group of 93 was taken to the Westin in Perth's CBD to quarantine on Christmas Eve. About 100 people staying at the Old Fire Station were at the Perth Mess Hall on December 19, where an unvaccinated French backpacker dined during 11 days he was active in Perth while infected. At least 16 people have since tested positive for Covid from that event, including one backpacker. A close contact of an unvaccinated 25-year-old infectious French backpacker - who sparked the latest Perth outbreak - stayed at the Fremantle hostel. Backpackers (pictured), some of whom were shirtless and maskless, partied on a bus taking them to luxurious hotel quarantine in Perth Some of the backpackers held a 'lockdown Christmas party' before they were taken by bus to the Westin. Chalk messages on the ground of the Old Fire Station demanded authorities 'let us stay', and shared on social media accounts. Other social media postings included videos of the backpackers drinking and dancing as police and WA Health made preparations outside to transport them, some going maskless and shirtless. They kept the party going on the buses to the hotel. One backpacker wrote 'Covid, you won't stop us dancing' in a video from inside the bus. Going from a 12-person dormitory room to a five-star hotel (pictured) is what every backpacker dreams of - and it has come true for 93 of them in Western Australia Western Australia recorded two new Covid infections on Christmas day. Both are linked to the Perth Mess Hall event and are in hotel quarantine. The Old Fire Station hostel's owners said their cleaning team is in isolation and they had no help from WA Health after their guests were taken away on Friday night. 'It's like we've been hit by a bomb,' they told The West Australian. '[The government] has completely walked away from the whole thing.' Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Photo taken on Oct. 20, 2020 shows the U.S. Department of Justice building in Washington D.C., the United States. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Asian-American advocacy groups have increased pressure over the past year on the Biden administration to end the controversial "China Initiative" that unfairly targets scientists of Chinese descent and others, CNBC has reported. Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. However, it has brought "emotional and financial harm" to the families of ethnic Chinese scientists, it said. "The China Initiative impacts Americans, permanent residents, immigrants, international students and visiting scholars," Gisela Kusakawa, an attorney for the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice, was quoted as saying. People take part in a rally against anti-Asian hate crimes in San Mateo, California, the United States, Feb. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling) Thu Nguyen, the executive director of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, said the initiative has created fear that could trigger a brain drain in academia. The growing threat of racial profiling in the United States has already pushed some talented scientists to look for jobs back in China, she said. In August 2021, more than 20 Asian-American advocacy groups jointly sent an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to pause the initiative targeting China. The letter also called for an independent review on whether the program unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ethnicity, urging Biden to "redouble" efforts to combat hate and violence against Asian Americans. A Mall of America shooting left two people injured on Friday with the outlet temporarily locked down as Minnesota police investigated the scene. The suspect shot two men on the third floor of the mall and then fled the scene shortly after. Both men sustained non-life threatening injuries. The first shot was heard at around 5pm with holiday shoppers left scrambling for safety inside stores. The mall remained under lockdown for about 45 minutes before resuming normal operations. The incident began after the first shot was heard by an officer working on the third floor, according to Bloomington Police Department Deputy Chief Kim Clauson. Shoppers were captured scrambling from the mall before the start of the lockdown after the first shots were heard Bloomington Police vehicles park outside the Mall of America in the midst of a shooting that took place on Friday that left two men injured Footage showed the empty Mall of America as shoppers were urged to shelter in place during the incident People wait near an exit to be picked up from the Mall of America that forced shoppers to shelter in place while police investigated the scene As shoppers attempted to flee the area, other officers with the Bloomington Police Department and mall security ran to the scene. Two men were found injured at the scene with one sustaining an injury to the leg and the other grazed by the suspect's bullets. First aid was provided for the man with the leg injury as he was then taken to a local hospital by paramedics for treatment. The other man was treated at the scene and later released. The shooting was suspected to have occurred due to an altercation between the suspect and the two men. No weapons have been recovered from the scene. A police officer carrying a rifle exits the Mall of America following the shooting One of the male victims was captured being carried out on a stretcher The victim was seen conscious after he sustained an injury to the leg The mall resumed normal operations at around 5.45pm after the incident was resolved. Over the course of the shooting, shoppers took to social media and posted live footage of the lockdown. One video captured shoppers frantically leave the mall screaming and scurrying to their vehicles in the parking lot. Others were seen sheltered in stores such as the Nickelodeon Shop as an overhead announcement urged shoppers to find a safe location. The conscious male victim was also seen being carried out by paramedics on a stretcher Shoppers sought shelter in different locations as reports of the shooting circulated around the mall. A statement from the Bloomington Police gave the all clear following the 45 minute lockdown Bloomington Police Department Deputy Chief Kim Clauson reported that the first shot was heard at around 5pm on the third floor of the mall The Mall of America does not allow weapons on the premises but apparently does not enforce security measures such as a metal detector for the largest shopping outlet in the country. However, a spokesman for the location said that lockdown drills are performed every month in case of an emergency. 'We are grateful that nobody was seriously injured this evening,' Dan Jasper, the vice president of communications,' said. 'One thing that Mall of America does do and has done for years now is we practice lockdown every single month.' 'We worked really closely with Bloomington Police to develop this program. It's something we take great pride in and it worked this evening again.' We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Photo taken on Oct. 20, 2020 shows the U.S. Department of Justice building in Washington D.C., the United States. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Asian-American advocacy groups have increased pressure over the past year on the Biden administration to end the controversial "China Initiative" that unfairly targets scientists of Chinese descent and others, CNBC has reported. Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. However, it has brought "emotional and financial harm" to the families of ethnic Chinese scientists, it said. "The China Initiative impacts Americans, permanent residents, immigrants, international students and visiting scholars," Gisela Kusakawa, an attorney for the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice, was quoted as saying. People take part in a rally against anti-Asian hate crimes in San Mateo, California, the United States, Feb. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling) Thu Nguyen, the executive director of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, said the initiative has created fear that could trigger a brain drain in academia. The growing threat of racial profiling in the United States has already pushed some talented scientists to look for jobs back in China, she said. In August 2021, more than 20 Asian-American advocacy groups jointly sent an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to pause the initiative targeting China. The letter also called for an independent review on whether the program unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ethnicity, urging Biden to "redouble" efforts to combat hate and violence against Asian Americans. Photo taken on Oct. 20, 2020 shows the U.S. Department of Justice building in Washington D.C., the United States. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Asian-American advocacy groups have increased pressure over the past year on the Biden administration to end the controversial "China Initiative" that unfairly targets scientists of Chinese descent and others, CNBC has reported. Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. However, it has brought "emotional and financial harm" to the families of ethnic Chinese scientists, it said. "The China Initiative impacts Americans, permanent residents, immigrants, international students and visiting scholars," Gisela Kusakawa, an attorney for the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice, was quoted as saying. People take part in a rally against anti-Asian hate crimes in San Mateo, California, the United States, Feb. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling) Thu Nguyen, the executive director of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, said the initiative has created fear that could trigger a brain drain in academia. The growing threat of racial profiling in the United States has already pushed some talented scientists to look for jobs back in China, she said. In August 2021, more than 20 Asian-American advocacy groups jointly sent an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to pause the initiative targeting China. The letter also called for an independent review on whether the program unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ethnicity, urging Biden to "redouble" efforts to combat hate and violence against Asian Americans. Photo taken on Oct. 20, 2020 shows the U.S. Department of Justice building in Washington D.C., the United States. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Asian-American advocacy groups have increased pressure over the past year on the Biden administration to end the controversial "China Initiative" that unfairly targets scientists of Chinese descent and others, CNBC has reported. Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. However, it has brought "emotional and financial harm" to the families of ethnic Chinese scientists, it said. "The China Initiative impacts Americans, permanent residents, immigrants, international students and visiting scholars," Gisela Kusakawa, an attorney for the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice, was quoted as saying. People take part in a rally against anti-Asian hate crimes in San Mateo, California, the United States, Feb. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling) Thu Nguyen, the executive director of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, said the initiative has created fear that could trigger a brain drain in academia. The growing threat of racial profiling in the United States has already pushed some talented scientists to look for jobs back in China, she said. In August 2021, more than 20 Asian-American advocacy groups jointly sent an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to pause the initiative targeting China. The letter also called for an independent review on whether the program unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ethnicity, urging Biden to "redouble" efforts to combat hate and violence against Asian Americans. Photo taken on Oct. 20, 2020 shows the U.S. Department of Justice building in Washington D.C., the United States. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Asian-American advocacy groups have increased pressure over the past year on the Biden administration to end the controversial "China Initiative" that unfairly targets scientists of Chinese descent and others, CNBC has reported. Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. However, it has brought "emotional and financial harm" to the families of ethnic Chinese scientists, it said. "The China Initiative impacts Americans, permanent residents, immigrants, international students and visiting scholars," Gisela Kusakawa, an attorney for the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice, was quoted as saying. People take part in a rally against anti-Asian hate crimes in San Mateo, California, the United States, Feb. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling) Thu Nguyen, the executive director of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, said the initiative has created fear that could trigger a brain drain in academia. The growing threat of racial profiling in the United States has already pushed some talented scientists to look for jobs back in China, she said. In August 2021, more than 20 Asian-American advocacy groups jointly sent an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to pause the initiative targeting China. The letter also called for an independent review on whether the program unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ethnicity, urging Biden to "redouble" efforts to combat hate and violence against Asian Americans. A Mall of America shooting left two people injured on Friday with the outlet temporarily locked down as Minnesota police investigated the scene. The suspect shot two men on the third floor of the mall and then fled the scene shortly after. Both men sustained non-life threatening injuries. The first shot was heard at around 5pm with holiday shoppers left scrambling for safety inside stores. The mall remained under lockdown for about 45 minutes before resuming normal operations. The incident began after the first shot was heard by an officer working on the third floor, according to Bloomington Police Department Deputy Chief Kim Clauson. Shoppers were captured scrambling from the mall before the start of the lockdown after the first shots were heard Bloomington Police vehicles park outside the Mall of America in the midst of a shooting that took place on Friday that left two men injured Footage showed the empty Mall of America as shoppers were urged to shelter in place during the incident People wait near an exit to be picked up from the Mall of America that forced shoppers to shelter in place while police investigated the scene As shoppers attempted to flee the area, other officers with the Bloomington Police Department and mall security ran to the scene. Two men were found injured at the scene with one sustaining an injury to the leg and the other grazed by the suspect's bullets. First aid was provided for the man with the leg injury as he was then taken to a local hospital by paramedics for treatment. The other man was treated at the scene and later released. The shooting was suspected to have occurred due to an altercation between the suspect and the two men. No weapons have been recovered from the scene. A police officer carrying a rifle exits the Mall of America following the shooting One of the male victims was captured being carried out on a stretcher The victim was seen conscious after he sustained an injury to the leg The mall resumed normal operations at around 5.45pm after the incident was resolved. Over the course of the shooting, shoppers took to social media and posted live footage of the lockdown. One video captured shoppers frantically leave the mall screaming and scurrying to their vehicles in the parking lot. Others were seen sheltered in stores such as the Nickelodeon Shop as an overhead announcement urged shoppers to find a safe location. The conscious male victim was also seen being carried out by paramedics on a stretcher Shoppers sought shelter in different locations as reports of the shooting circulated around the mall. A statement from the Bloomington Police gave the all clear following the 45 minute lockdown Bloomington Police Department Deputy Chief Kim Clauson reported that the first shot was heard at around 5pm on the third floor of the mall The Mall of America does not allow weapons on the premises but apparently does not enforce security measures such as a metal detector for the largest shopping outlet in the country. However, a spokesman for the location said that lockdown drills are performed every month in case of an emergency. 'We are grateful that nobody was seriously injured this evening,' Dan Jasper, the vice president of communications,' said. 'One thing that Mall of America does do and has done for years now is we practice lockdown every single month.' 'We worked really closely with Bloomington Police to develop this program. It's something we take great pride in and it worked this evening again.' Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. NEW YORK: A series of newly published research discovered that the fast-moving Omicron variant may be less severe than other Covid strains due to the manner it assaults the lungs. According to The New York Times, investigations on mice and hamsters revealed that Omicron caused less lungs infections and was mostly limited to the nose, throat, and windpipe. Previous variants might cause lung scarring and severe breathing difficulties, according to The Times of Israel. Roland Eils, a computational biologist at the Berlin Institute of Health who has investigated how coronaviruses infect the airway, was reported as saying, "It is fair to say that the idea of a disease that expresses itself largely in the upper respiratory system is emerging." According to the research, one of the investigations indicated that Omicron levels in the lungs were one-tenth or less than those of other variations. It noted that other recent trials all pointed to the conclusion that Omicron is milder than Delta and other prior variants of the virus, which is consistent with real-world data. The research were made public as preprints, which means they have yet to be peer-reviewed and published in scientific publications. Covid Pandemic will be defeated in 2022: Tedros WHO Mandavia visits RT-PCR test centre at Ahmedabad international airport Study finds Anxiety drugs, antidepressants linked to post-surgery delirium NEW YORK: A series of newly published research discovered that the fast-moving Omicron variant may be less severe than other Covid strains due to the manner it assaults the lungs. According to The New York Times, investigations on mice and hamsters revealed that Omicron caused less lungs infections and was mostly limited to the nose, throat, and windpipe. Previous variants might cause lung scarring and severe breathing difficulties, according to The Times of Israel. Roland Eils, a computational biologist at the Berlin Institute of Health who has investigated how coronaviruses infect the airway, was reported as saying, "It is fair to say that the idea of a disease that expresses itself largely in the upper respiratory system is emerging." According to the research, one of the investigations indicated that Omicron levels in the lungs were one-tenth or less than those of other variations. It noted that other recent trials all pointed to the conclusion that Omicron is milder than Delta and other prior variants of the virus, which is consistent with real-world data. The research were made public as preprints, which means they have yet to be peer-reviewed and published in scientific publications. Covid Pandemic will be defeated in 2022: Tedros WHO Mandavia visits RT-PCR test centre at Ahmedabad international airport Study finds Anxiety drugs, antidepressants linked to post-surgery delirium TOKYO (AP) - Japans Emperor Naruhito offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic, taking to video for the second straight year for his New Years greeting on Saturday, having canceled public palace gatherings to curb coronavirus infections. Sitting before a bonsai tree with his wife Masako, Naruhito praised and thanked doctors and other health care workers, and expressed concern for countries lacking access to vaccines and adequate hospital systems. "By treasuring more than ever the connections among people, sharing our pain and supporting each other, I hope from the bottom of my heart that we will overcome these hard times," he said. Japan has recorded more than 18,000 COVID-19-related deaths, but the pace of deaths has fallen in recent months. Naruhito also voiced worries about the fast-spreading omicron variant. Before the pandemic, the imperial palace in central Tokyo would open at the start of each year to cheering, flag-waving crowds. The emperor does not have political power but he carries symbolic significance for Japan and is fairly popular. Naruhitos father abdicated in 2019. Hirohito, the wartime emperor, was Naruhitos grandfather. In this photo provided by Japan's Imperial Household Agency, Japan's Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) More recently, the imperial couples niece Mako made headlines after marrying her college sweetheart and moving to New York, skipping fancy wedding fanfare. Some disapprove of her spouse, Kei Komuro, who has a job at a law firm and is trying to pass his bar exam in the U.S., primarily because of his mothers past financial disputes. Naruhito in his speech noted the 10th anniversary of the tsunami, earthquake and nuclear disaster in northeastern Japan. The Tokyo Olympic Games, delayed from 2020 due to the pandemic, were one bright spot of "courage and hope," he added. Masako, a commoner and Harvard graduate, offered prayers at the end of Saturdays six-minute video. "May this year be a gentle and fruitful year for us all," she said, before they both bowed. ___ Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama File photo taken on March 26, 2021 shows Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Dato Lim Jock Hoi working at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia. TO GO WITH "Interview: RCEP to catalyze sustainable economic recovery amid COVID-19, says ASEAN secretary-general" (ASEAN Secretariat/Handout via Xinhua) JAKARTA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement will open up opportunities to catalyze the expansion of regional trade and investment much needed for economic recovery amid COVID-19, said Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Dato Lim Jock Hoi. The ASEAN Secretariat announced in November that the RCEP agreement will enter into force on Jan. 1, 2022, as it has received instruments of ratification from six ASEAN countries, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as from four non-ASEAN signatory states of Australia, China, Japan and New Zealand. In a recent written interview with Xinhua, Lim said RCEP demonstrates the shared commitment of ASEAN, China and other parties to a multilateral trading system. Signed in November 2020, RCEP is currently the largest free trade agreement in the world, connecting ASEAN and major global economies including China, South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Lim noted that RCEP reinforces regional economic integration by expanding common accumulative rules of origin, simplified customs procedures, trade facilitation, and coherent trade rules that provide greater transparency, fairness, and predictability for businesses. "All these will translate into a significant reduction of trade costs and processing time for ASEAN businesses, especially micro, small and medium enterprises," which will have a greater chance of integration into the regional and global supply chains, he said. Lim stressed that after the implementation of the RCEP agreement, each party will have to transform its regulatory framework accordingly, and the business community needs to be equipped with capability, skills and knowledge about how to seize opportunities to enhance their competitiveness. In 2021, China and ASEAN agreed to elevate their bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, which Lim said not only marks an important milestone in ASEAN-China relations, but is expected to shape a new landscape and momentum for economic cooperation in bilateral relations between ASEAN and China in many years to come. With a new landscape in prospect, Lim hoped that ASEAN and China will work more closely together to inject resilience in their economic and trade linkages. He added that both sides should revitalize the new ASEAN-China economic relationship by harnessing the potential of technological advancement as the new driver for growth and joining coordination efforts to address common challenges such as climate change. Enditem Photo taken on Oct. 20, 2020 shows the U.S. Department of Justice building in Washington D.C., the United States. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Asian-American advocacy groups have increased pressure over the past year on the Biden administration to end the controversial "China Initiative" that unfairly targets scientists of Chinese descent and others, CNBC has reported. Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. However, it has brought "emotional and financial harm" to the families of ethnic Chinese scientists, it said. "The China Initiative impacts Americans, permanent residents, immigrants, international students and visiting scholars," Gisela Kusakawa, an attorney for the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice, was quoted as saying. People take part in a rally against anti-Asian hate crimes in San Mateo, California, the United States, Feb. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling) Thu Nguyen, the executive director of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, said the initiative has created fear that could trigger a brain drain in academia. The growing threat of racial profiling in the United States has already pushed some talented scientists to look for jobs back in China, she said. In August 2021, more than 20 Asian-American advocacy groups jointly sent an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to pause the initiative targeting China. The letter also called for an independent review on whether the program unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ethnicity, urging Biden to "redouble" efforts to combat hate and violence against Asian Americans. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. A Mall of America shooting left two people injured on Friday with the outlet temporarily locked down as Minnesota police investigated the scene. The suspect shot two men on the third floor of the mall and then fled the scene shortly after. Both men sustained non-life threatening injuries. The first shot was heard at around 5pm with holiday shoppers left scrambling for safety inside stores. The mall remained under lockdown for about 45 minutes before resuming normal operations. The incident began after the first shot was heard by an officer working on the third floor, according to Bloomington Police Department Deputy Chief Kim Clauson. Shoppers were captured scrambling from the mall before the start of the lockdown after the first shots were heard Bloomington Police vehicles park outside the Mall of America in the midst of a shooting that took place on Friday that left two men injured Footage showed the empty Mall of America as shoppers were urged to shelter in place during the incident People wait near an exit to be picked up from the Mall of America that forced shoppers to shelter in place while police investigated the scene As shoppers attempted to flee the area, other officers with the Bloomington Police Department and mall security ran to the scene. Two men were found injured at the scene with one sustaining an injury to the leg and the other grazed by the suspect's bullets. First aid was provided for the man with the leg injury as he was then taken to a local hospital by paramedics for treatment. The other man was treated at the scene and later released. The shooting was suspected to have occurred due to an altercation between the suspect and the two men. No weapons have been recovered from the scene. A police officer carrying a rifle exits the Mall of America following the shooting One of the male victims was captured being carried out on a stretcher The victim was seen conscious after he sustained an injury to the leg The mall resumed normal operations at around 5.45pm after the incident was resolved. Over the course of the shooting, shoppers took to social media and posted live footage of the lockdown. One video captured shoppers frantically leave the mall screaming and scurrying to their vehicles in the parking lot. Others were seen sheltered in stores such as the Nickelodeon Shop as an overhead announcement urged shoppers to find a safe location. The conscious male victim was also seen being carried out by paramedics on a stretcher Shoppers sought shelter in different locations as reports of the shooting circulated around the mall. A statement from the Bloomington Police gave the all clear following the 45 minute lockdown Bloomington Police Department Deputy Chief Kim Clauson reported that the first shot was heard at around 5pm on the third floor of the mall The Mall of America does not allow weapons on the premises but apparently does not enforce security measures such as a metal detector for the largest shopping outlet in the country. However, a spokesman for the location said that lockdown drills are performed every month in case of an emergency. 'We are grateful that nobody was seriously injured this evening,' Dan Jasper, the vice president of communications,' said. 'One thing that Mall of America does do and has done for years now is we practice lockdown every single month.' 'We worked really closely with Bloomington Police to develop this program. It's something we take great pride in and it worked this evening again.' File photo taken on March 26, 2021 shows Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Dato Lim Jock Hoi working at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia. TO GO WITH "Interview: RCEP to catalyze sustainable economic recovery amid COVID-19, says ASEAN secretary-general" (ASEAN Secretariat/Handout via Xinhua) JAKARTA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement will open up opportunities to catalyze the expansion of regional trade and investment much needed for economic recovery amid COVID-19, said Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Dato Lim Jock Hoi. The ASEAN Secretariat announced in November that the RCEP agreement will enter into force on Jan. 1, 2022, as it has received instruments of ratification from six ASEAN countries, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as from four non-ASEAN signatory states of Australia, China, Japan and New Zealand. In a recent written interview with Xinhua, Lim said RCEP demonstrates the shared commitment of ASEAN, China and other parties to a multilateral trading system. Signed in November 2020, RCEP is currently the largest free trade agreement in the world, connecting ASEAN and major global economies including China, South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Lim noted that RCEP reinforces regional economic integration by expanding common accumulative rules of origin, simplified customs procedures, trade facilitation, and coherent trade rules that provide greater transparency, fairness, and predictability for businesses. "All these will translate into a significant reduction of trade costs and processing time for ASEAN businesses, especially micro, small and medium enterprises," which will have a greater chance of integration into the regional and global supply chains, he said. Lim stressed that after the implementation of the RCEP agreement, each party will have to transform its regulatory framework accordingly, and the business community needs to be equipped with capability, skills and knowledge about how to seize opportunities to enhance their competitiveness. In 2021, China and ASEAN agreed to elevate their bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, which Lim said not only marks an important milestone in ASEAN-China relations, but is expected to shape a new landscape and momentum for economic cooperation in bilateral relations between ASEAN and China in many years to come. With a new landscape in prospect, Lim hoped that ASEAN and China will work more closely together to inject resilience in their economic and trade linkages. He added that both sides should revitalize the new ASEAN-China economic relationship by harnessing the potential of technological advancement as the new driver for growth and joining coordination efforts to address common challenges such as climate change. Enditem Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. A Mall of America shooting left two people injured on Friday with the outlet temporarily locked down as Minnesota police investigated the scene. The suspect shot two men on the third floor of the mall and then fled the scene shortly after. Both men sustained non-life threatening injuries. The first shot was heard at around 5pm with holiday shoppers left scrambling for safety inside stores. The mall remained under lockdown for about 45 minutes before resuming normal operations. The incident began after the first shot was heard by an officer working on the third floor, according to Bloomington Police Department Deputy Chief Kim Clauson. Shoppers were captured scrambling from the mall before the start of the lockdown after the first shots were heard Bloomington Police vehicles park outside the Mall of America in the midst of a shooting that took place on Friday that left two men injured Footage showed the empty Mall of America as shoppers were urged to shelter in place during the incident People wait near an exit to be picked up from the Mall of America that forced shoppers to shelter in place while police investigated the scene As shoppers attempted to flee the area, other officers with the Bloomington Police Department and mall security ran to the scene. Two men were found injured at the scene with one sustaining an injury to the leg and the other grazed by the suspect's bullets. First aid was provided for the man with the leg injury as he was then taken to a local hospital by paramedics for treatment. The other man was treated at the scene and later released. The shooting was suspected to have occurred due to an altercation between the suspect and the two men. No weapons have been recovered from the scene. A police officer carrying a rifle exits the Mall of America following the shooting One of the male victims was captured being carried out on a stretcher The victim was seen conscious after he sustained an injury to the leg The mall resumed normal operations at around 5.45pm after the incident was resolved. Over the course of the shooting, shoppers took to social media and posted live footage of the lockdown. One video captured shoppers frantically leave the mall screaming and scurrying to their vehicles in the parking lot. Others were seen sheltered in stores such as the Nickelodeon Shop as an overhead announcement urged shoppers to find a safe location. The conscious male victim was also seen being carried out by paramedics on a stretcher Shoppers sought shelter in different locations as reports of the shooting circulated around the mall. A statement from the Bloomington Police gave the all clear following the 45 minute lockdown Bloomington Police Department Deputy Chief Kim Clauson reported that the first shot was heard at around 5pm on the third floor of the mall The Mall of America does not allow weapons on the premises but apparently does not enforce security measures such as a metal detector for the largest shopping outlet in the country. However, a spokesman for the location said that lockdown drills are performed every month in case of an emergency. 'We are grateful that nobody was seriously injured this evening,' Dan Jasper, the vice president of communications,' said. 'One thing that Mall of America does do and has done for years now is we practice lockdown every single month.' 'We worked really closely with Bloomington Police to develop this program. It's something we take great pride in and it worked this evening again.' Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Photo taken on Oct. 20, 2020 shows the U.S. Department of Justice building in Washington D.C., the United States. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Asian-American advocacy groups have increased pressure over the past year on the Biden administration to end the controversial "China Initiative" that unfairly targets scientists of Chinese descent and others, CNBC has reported. Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. However, it has brought "emotional and financial harm" to the families of ethnic Chinese scientists, it said. "The China Initiative impacts Americans, permanent residents, immigrants, international students and visiting scholars," Gisela Kusakawa, an attorney for the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice, was quoted as saying. People take part in a rally against anti-Asian hate crimes in San Mateo, California, the United States, Feb. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling) Thu Nguyen, the executive director of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, said the initiative has created fear that could trigger a brain drain in academia. The growing threat of racial profiling in the United States has already pushed some talented scientists to look for jobs back in China, she said. In August 2021, more than 20 Asian-American advocacy groups jointly sent an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to pause the initiative targeting China. The letter also called for an independent review on whether the program unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ethnicity, urging Biden to "redouble" efforts to combat hate and violence against Asian Americans. Photo taken on Oct. 20, 2020 shows the U.S. Department of Justice building in Washington D.C., the United States. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Asian-American advocacy groups have increased pressure over the past year on the Biden administration to end the controversial "China Initiative" that unfairly targets scientists of Chinese descent and others, CNBC has reported. Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. However, it has brought "emotional and financial harm" to the families of ethnic Chinese scientists, it said. "The China Initiative impacts Americans, permanent residents, immigrants, international students and visiting scholars," Gisela Kusakawa, an attorney for the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice, was quoted as saying. People take part in a rally against anti-Asian hate crimes in San Mateo, California, the United States, Feb. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling) Thu Nguyen, the executive director of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, said the initiative has created fear that could trigger a brain drain in academia. The growing threat of racial profiling in the United States has already pushed some talented scientists to look for jobs back in China, she said. In August 2021, more than 20 Asian-American advocacy groups jointly sent an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to pause the initiative targeting China. The letter also called for an independent review on whether the program unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ethnicity, urging Biden to "redouble" efforts to combat hate and violence against Asian Americans. Photo taken on Oct. 20, 2020 shows the U.S. Department of Justice building in Washington D.C., the United States. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Asian-American advocacy groups have increased pressure over the past year on the Biden administration to end the controversial "China Initiative" that unfairly targets scientists of Chinese descent and others, CNBC has reported. Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. However, it has brought "emotional and financial harm" to the families of ethnic Chinese scientists, it said. "The China Initiative impacts Americans, permanent residents, immigrants, international students and visiting scholars," Gisela Kusakawa, an attorney for the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice, was quoted as saying. People take part in a rally against anti-Asian hate crimes in San Mateo, California, the United States, Feb. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling) Thu Nguyen, the executive director of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, said the initiative has created fear that could trigger a brain drain in academia. The growing threat of racial profiling in the United States has already pushed some talented scientists to look for jobs back in China, she said. In August 2021, more than 20 Asian-American advocacy groups jointly sent an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to pause the initiative targeting China. The letter also called for an independent review on whether the program unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ethnicity, urging Biden to "redouble" efforts to combat hate and violence against Asian Americans. Photo taken on Oct. 20, 2020 shows the U.S. Department of Justice building in Washington D.C., the United States. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Asian-American advocacy groups have increased pressure over the past year on the Biden administration to end the controversial "China Initiative" that unfairly targets scientists of Chinese descent and others, CNBC has reported. Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. However, it has brought "emotional and financial harm" to the families of ethnic Chinese scientists, it said. "The China Initiative impacts Americans, permanent residents, immigrants, international students and visiting scholars," Gisela Kusakawa, an attorney for the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice, was quoted as saying. People take part in a rally against anti-Asian hate crimes in San Mateo, California, the United States, Feb. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling) Thu Nguyen, the executive director of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, said the initiative has created fear that could trigger a brain drain in academia. The growing threat of racial profiling in the United States has already pushed some talented scientists to look for jobs back in China, she said. In August 2021, more than 20 Asian-American advocacy groups jointly sent an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to pause the initiative targeting China. The letter also called for an independent review on whether the program unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ethnicity, urging Biden to "redouble" efforts to combat hate and violence against Asian Americans. A Mall of America shooting left two people injured on Friday with the outlet temporarily locked down as Minnesota police investigated the scene. The suspect shot two men on the third floor of the mall and then fled the scene shortly after. Both men sustained non-life threatening injuries. The first shot was heard at around 5pm with holiday shoppers left scrambling for safety inside stores. The mall remained under lockdown for about 45 minutes before resuming normal operations. The incident began after the first shot was heard by an officer working on the third floor, according to Bloomington Police Department Deputy Chief Kim Clauson. Shoppers were captured scrambling from the mall before the start of the lockdown after the first shots were heard Bloomington Police vehicles park outside the Mall of America in the midst of a shooting that took place on Friday that left two men injured Footage showed the empty Mall of America as shoppers were urged to shelter in place during the incident People wait near an exit to be picked up from the Mall of America that forced shoppers to shelter in place while police investigated the scene As shoppers attempted to flee the area, other officers with the Bloomington Police Department and mall security ran to the scene. Two men were found injured at the scene with one sustaining an injury to the leg and the other grazed by the suspect's bullets. First aid was provided for the man with the leg injury as he was then taken to a local hospital by paramedics for treatment. The other man was treated at the scene and later released. The shooting was suspected to have occurred due to an altercation between the suspect and the two men. No weapons have been recovered from the scene. A police officer carrying a rifle exits the Mall of America following the shooting One of the male victims was captured being carried out on a stretcher The victim was seen conscious after he sustained an injury to the leg The mall resumed normal operations at around 5.45pm after the incident was resolved. Over the course of the shooting, shoppers took to social media and posted live footage of the lockdown. One video captured shoppers frantically leave the mall screaming and scurrying to their vehicles in the parking lot. Others were seen sheltered in stores such as the Nickelodeon Shop as an overhead announcement urged shoppers to find a safe location. The conscious male victim was also seen being carried out by paramedics on a stretcher Shoppers sought shelter in different locations as reports of the shooting circulated around the mall. A statement from the Bloomington Police gave the all clear following the 45 minute lockdown Bloomington Police Department Deputy Chief Kim Clauson reported that the first shot was heard at around 5pm on the third floor of the mall The Mall of America does not allow weapons on the premises but apparently does not enforce security measures such as a metal detector for the largest shopping outlet in the country. However, a spokesman for the location said that lockdown drills are performed every month in case of an emergency. 'We are grateful that nobody was seriously injured this evening,' Dan Jasper, the vice president of communications,' said. 'One thing that Mall of America does do and has done for years now is we practice lockdown every single month.' 'We worked really closely with Bloomington Police to develop this program. It's something we take great pride in and it worked this evening again.' A Mall of America shooting left two people injured on Friday with the outlet temporarily locked down as Minnesota police investigated the scene. The suspect shot two men on the third floor of the mall and then fled the scene shortly after. Both men sustained non-life threatening injuries. The first shot was heard at around 5pm with holiday shoppers left scrambling for safety inside stores. The mall remained under lockdown for about 45 minutes before resuming normal operations. The incident began after the first shot was heard by an officer working on the third floor, according to Bloomington Police Department Deputy Chief Kim Clauson. Shoppers were captured scrambling from the mall before the start of the lockdown after the first shots were heard Bloomington Police vehicles park outside the Mall of America in the midst of a shooting that took place on Friday that left two men injured Footage showed the empty Mall of America as shoppers were urged to shelter in place during the incident People wait near an exit to be picked up from the Mall of America that forced shoppers to shelter in place while police investigated the scene As shoppers attempted to flee the area, other officers with the Bloomington Police Department and mall security ran to the scene. Two men were found injured at the scene with one sustaining an injury to the leg and the other grazed by the suspect's bullets. First aid was provided for the man with the leg injury as he was then taken to a local hospital by paramedics for treatment. The other man was treated at the scene and later released. The shooting was suspected to have occurred due to an altercation between the suspect and the two men. No weapons have been recovered from the scene. A police officer carrying a rifle exits the Mall of America following the shooting One of the male victims was captured being carried out on a stretcher The victim was seen conscious after he sustained an injury to the leg The mall resumed normal operations at around 5.45pm after the incident was resolved. Over the course of the shooting, shoppers took to social media and posted live footage of the lockdown. One video captured shoppers frantically leave the mall screaming and scurrying to their vehicles in the parking lot. Others were seen sheltered in stores such as the Nickelodeon Shop as an overhead announcement urged shoppers to find a safe location. The conscious male victim was also seen being carried out by paramedics on a stretcher Shoppers sought shelter in different locations as reports of the shooting circulated around the mall. A statement from the Bloomington Police gave the all clear following the 45 minute lockdown Bloomington Police Department Deputy Chief Kim Clauson reported that the first shot was heard at around 5pm on the third floor of the mall The Mall of America does not allow weapons on the premises but apparently does not enforce security measures such as a metal detector for the largest shopping outlet in the country. However, a spokesman for the location said that lockdown drills are performed every month in case of an emergency. 'We are grateful that nobody was seriously injured this evening,' Dan Jasper, the vice president of communications,' said. 'One thing that Mall of America does do and has done for years now is we practice lockdown every single month.' 'We worked really closely with Bloomington Police to develop this program. It's something we take great pride in and it worked this evening again.' A Mall of America shooting left two people injured on Friday with the outlet temporarily locked down as Minnesota police investigated the scene. The suspect shot two men on the third floor of the mall and then fled the scene shortly after. Both men sustained non-life threatening injuries. The first shot was heard at around 5pm with holiday shoppers left scrambling for safety inside stores. The mall remained under lockdown for about 45 minutes before resuming normal operations. The incident began after the first shot was heard by an officer working on the third floor, according to Bloomington Police Department Deputy Chief Kim Clauson. Shoppers were captured scrambling from the mall before the start of the lockdown after the first shots were heard Bloomington Police vehicles park outside the Mall of America in the midst of a shooting that took place on Friday that left two men injured Footage showed the empty Mall of America as shoppers were urged to shelter in place during the incident People wait near an exit to be picked up from the Mall of America that forced shoppers to shelter in place while police investigated the scene As shoppers attempted to flee the area, other officers with the Bloomington Police Department and mall security ran to the scene. Two men were found injured at the scene with one sustaining an injury to the leg and the other grazed by the suspect's bullets. First aid was provided for the man with the leg injury as he was then taken to a local hospital by paramedics for treatment. The other man was treated at the scene and later released. The shooting was suspected to have occurred due to an altercation between the suspect and the two men. No weapons have been recovered from the scene. A police officer carrying a rifle exits the Mall of America following the shooting One of the male victims was captured being carried out on a stretcher The victim was seen conscious after he sustained an injury to the leg The mall resumed normal operations at around 5.45pm after the incident was resolved. Over the course of the shooting, shoppers took to social media and posted live footage of the lockdown. One video captured shoppers frantically leave the mall screaming and scurrying to their vehicles in the parking lot. Others were seen sheltered in stores such as the Nickelodeon Shop as an overhead announcement urged shoppers to find a safe location. The conscious male victim was also seen being carried out by paramedics on a stretcher Shoppers sought shelter in different locations as reports of the shooting circulated around the mall. A statement from the Bloomington Police gave the all clear following the 45 minute lockdown Bloomington Police Department Deputy Chief Kim Clauson reported that the first shot was heard at around 5pm on the third floor of the mall The Mall of America does not allow weapons on the premises but apparently does not enforce security measures such as a metal detector for the largest shopping outlet in the country. However, a spokesman for the location said that lockdown drills are performed every month in case of an emergency. 'We are grateful that nobody was seriously injured this evening,' Dan Jasper, the vice president of communications,' said. 'One thing that Mall of America does do and has done for years now is we practice lockdown every single month.' 'We worked really closely with Bloomington Police to develop this program. It's something we take great pride in and it worked this evening again.' Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Photo taken on Oct. 20, 2020 shows the U.S. Department of Justice building in Washington D.C., the United States. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Asian-American advocacy groups have increased pressure over the past year on the Biden administration to end the controversial "China Initiative" that unfairly targets scientists of Chinese descent and others, CNBC has reported. Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. However, it has brought "emotional and financial harm" to the families of ethnic Chinese scientists, it said. "The China Initiative impacts Americans, permanent residents, immigrants, international students and visiting scholars," Gisela Kusakawa, an attorney for the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice, was quoted as saying. People take part in a rally against anti-Asian hate crimes in San Mateo, California, the United States, Feb. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling) Thu Nguyen, the executive director of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, said the initiative has created fear that could trigger a brain drain in academia. The growing threat of racial profiling in the United States has already pushed some talented scientists to look for jobs back in China, she said. In August 2021, more than 20 Asian-American advocacy groups jointly sent an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to pause the initiative targeting China. The letter also called for an independent review on whether the program unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ethnicity, urging Biden to "redouble" efforts to combat hate and violence against Asian Americans. Photo taken on Oct. 20, 2020 shows the U.S. Department of Justice building in Washington D.C., the United States. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Asian-American advocacy groups have increased pressure over the past year on the Biden administration to end the controversial "China Initiative" that unfairly targets scientists of Chinese descent and others, CNBC has reported. Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. However, it has brought "emotional and financial harm" to the families of ethnic Chinese scientists, it said. "The China Initiative impacts Americans, permanent residents, immigrants, international students and visiting scholars," Gisela Kusakawa, an attorney for the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice, was quoted as saying. People take part in a rally against anti-Asian hate crimes in San Mateo, California, the United States, Feb. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling) Thu Nguyen, the executive director of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, said the initiative has created fear that could trigger a brain drain in academia. The growing threat of racial profiling in the United States has already pushed some talented scientists to look for jobs back in China, she said. In August 2021, more than 20 Asian-American advocacy groups jointly sent an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to pause the initiative targeting China. The letter also called for an independent review on whether the program unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ethnicity, urging Biden to "redouble" efforts to combat hate and violence against Asian Americans. Photo taken on Oct. 20, 2020 shows the U.S. Department of Justice building in Washington D.C., the United States. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Asian-American advocacy groups have increased pressure over the past year on the Biden administration to end the controversial "China Initiative" that unfairly targets scientists of Chinese descent and others, CNBC has reported. Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. However, it has brought "emotional and financial harm" to the families of ethnic Chinese scientists, it said. "The China Initiative impacts Americans, permanent residents, immigrants, international students and visiting scholars," Gisela Kusakawa, an attorney for the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice, was quoted as saying. People take part in a rally against anti-Asian hate crimes in San Mateo, California, the United States, Feb. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling) Thu Nguyen, the executive director of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, said the initiative has created fear that could trigger a brain drain in academia. The growing threat of racial profiling in the United States has already pushed some talented scientists to look for jobs back in China, she said. In August 2021, more than 20 Asian-American advocacy groups jointly sent an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to pause the initiative targeting China. The letter also called for an independent review on whether the program unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ethnicity, urging Biden to "redouble" efforts to combat hate and violence against Asian Americans. Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. A Mall of America shooting left two people injured on Friday with the outlet temporarily locked down as Minnesota police investigated the scene. The suspect shot two men on the third floor of the mall and then fled the scene shortly after. Both men sustained non-life threatening injuries. The first shot was heard at around 5pm with holiday shoppers left scrambling for safety inside stores. The mall remained under lockdown for about 45 minutes before resuming normal operations. The incident began after the first shot was heard by an officer working on the third floor, according to Bloomington Police Department Deputy Chief Kim Clauson. Shoppers were captured scrambling from the mall before the start of the lockdown after the first shots were heard Bloomington Police vehicles park outside the Mall of America in the midst of a shooting that took place on Friday that left two men injured Footage showed the empty Mall of America as shoppers were urged to shelter in place during the incident People wait near an exit to be picked up from the Mall of America that forced shoppers to shelter in place while police investigated the scene As shoppers attempted to flee the area, other officers with the Bloomington Police Department and mall security ran to the scene. Two men were found injured at the scene with one sustaining an injury to the leg and the other grazed by the suspect's bullets. First aid was provided for the man with the leg injury as he was then taken to a local hospital by paramedics for treatment. The other man was treated at the scene and later released. The shooting was suspected to have occurred due to an altercation between the suspect and the two men. No weapons have been recovered from the scene. A police officer carrying a rifle exits the Mall of America following the shooting One of the male victims was captured being carried out on a stretcher The victim was seen conscious after he sustained an injury to the leg The mall resumed normal operations at around 5.45pm after the incident was resolved. Over the course of the shooting, shoppers took to social media and posted live footage of the lockdown. One video captured shoppers frantically leave the mall screaming and scurrying to their vehicles in the parking lot. Others were seen sheltered in stores such as the Nickelodeon Shop as an overhead announcement urged shoppers to find a safe location. The conscious male victim was also seen being carried out by paramedics on a stretcher Shoppers sought shelter in different locations as reports of the shooting circulated around the mall. A statement from the Bloomington Police gave the all clear following the 45 minute lockdown Bloomington Police Department Deputy Chief Kim Clauson reported that the first shot was heard at around 5pm on the third floor of the mall The Mall of America does not allow weapons on the premises but apparently does not enforce security measures such as a metal detector for the largest shopping outlet in the country. However, a spokesman for the location said that lockdown drills are performed every month in case of an emergency. 'We are grateful that nobody was seriously injured this evening,' Dan Jasper, the vice president of communications,' said. 'One thing that Mall of America does do and has done for years now is we practice lockdown every single month.' 'We worked really closely with Bloomington Police to develop this program. It's something we take great pride in and it worked this evening again.' A Mall of America shooting left two people injured on Friday with the outlet temporarily locked down as Minnesota police investigated the scene. The suspect shot two men on the third floor of the mall and then fled the scene shortly after. Both men sustained non-life threatening injuries. The first shot was heard at around 5pm with holiday shoppers left scrambling for safety inside stores. The mall remained under lockdown for about 45 minutes before resuming normal operations. The incident began after the first shot was heard by an officer working on the third floor, according to Bloomington Police Department Deputy Chief Kim Clauson. Shoppers were captured scrambling from the mall before the start of the lockdown after the first shots were heard Bloomington Police vehicles park outside the Mall of America in the midst of a shooting that took place on Friday that left two men injured Footage showed the empty Mall of America as shoppers were urged to shelter in place during the incident People wait near an exit to be picked up from the Mall of America that forced shoppers to shelter in place while police investigated the scene As shoppers attempted to flee the area, other officers with the Bloomington Police Department and mall security ran to the scene. Two men were found injured at the scene with one sustaining an injury to the leg and the other grazed by the suspect's bullets. First aid was provided for the man with the leg injury as he was then taken to a local hospital by paramedics for treatment. The other man was treated at the scene and later released. The shooting was suspected to have occurred due to an altercation between the suspect and the two men. No weapons have been recovered from the scene. A police officer carrying a rifle exits the Mall of America following the shooting One of the male victims was captured being carried out on a stretcher The victim was seen conscious after he sustained an injury to the leg The mall resumed normal operations at around 5.45pm after the incident was resolved. Over the course of the shooting, shoppers took to social media and posted live footage of the lockdown. One video captured shoppers frantically leave the mall screaming and scurrying to their vehicles in the parking lot. Others were seen sheltered in stores such as the Nickelodeon Shop as an overhead announcement urged shoppers to find a safe location. The conscious male victim was also seen being carried out by paramedics on a stretcher Shoppers sought shelter in different locations as reports of the shooting circulated around the mall. A statement from the Bloomington Police gave the all clear following the 45 minute lockdown Bloomington Police Department Deputy Chief Kim Clauson reported that the first shot was heard at around 5pm on the third floor of the mall The Mall of America does not allow weapons on the premises but apparently does not enforce security measures such as a metal detector for the largest shopping outlet in the country. However, a spokesman for the location said that lockdown drills are performed every month in case of an emergency. 'We are grateful that nobody was seriously injured this evening,' Dan Jasper, the vice president of communications,' said. 'One thing that Mall of America does do and has done for years now is we practice lockdown every single month.' 'We worked really closely with Bloomington Police to develop this program. It's something we take great pride in and it worked this evening again.' Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. Advertisement Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat. Sources close to the former president had told DailyMail.com Friday that he was expected to attend this year's black-tie gathering and attendees posted shots of the former first couple at the gala before midnight. Trump was in a tuxedo, with wife Melania in a shimmering silver gown. Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Matt Gaetz - who attended with his new wife Ginger Luckey despite his ongoing sex trafficking investigation - and son Eric, who was with wife Lara and their children. Donald and Melania Trump returned to the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago (pictured) after skipping last year's lavish gala in the wake of his election defeat Former President Trump beams a smile as he greets guests at Mar-a-Lago resort for the gala event Several other Trumpworld favorites were in attendance, including former New York City Mayor and attorney for Trump Rudy Giuliani Eric Trump and his wife Lara say goodbye to their children before attending Eric's father's New Year's Eve gala Matt Gaetz and his new wife Ginger Luckey were in attendance at the gala, despite Gaetz's ongoing sex trafficking investigation Eric and Lara were enjoying the festivities at Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve alongside Eric's father Trump was going to attend last year but changed his mind when he was in Palm Beach for the holiday season and expected to drop by the gala, as he usually does. Instead, in an unusual move, the former first couple opted to return to Washington D.C. on December 31st and skipped the party, where guests had paid up to $1,000 a ticket. They returned to the White House where Trump focused on the upcoming certification of Joe Biden's election victory in Congress, which took place on January 6th after the Capitol was cleared of MAGA supporters who stormed the building in an attempt to disrupt the process. Donald and Melania Trump had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar a Lago last week The former president and first lady had Christmas Eve dinner with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump has her arm around Jared Kushner (left) as President Trump speaks to a guest For Christmas dinner, Melania Trump wore the $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium (above) Donald and Melania Trump are, in a tradition that predates his presidency, spending the cold weather months at his Palm Beach club with its Atlantic Ocean views. The Trumps had Christmas Eve dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where they ate with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The two couples sat alone at a table in the private club's main ballroom. Photos and video posted to social media show the Trumps got a standing ovation as they walked through the ballroom to the table where Jared and Ivanka waited for them. Unlike when he was president, the table was not roped off from the rest of the guests. Former President Trump waved to the crowd as he made his way to his spot. Both Melania and Ivanka wore white dresses for the festive occasion. Melania wore the same $7,450 Elie Saab dress she wore to a July 2018 NATO meeting in Belgium. The New Year's Eve gala comes as Florida, like most areas of the country, sees a massive spike in COVID cases as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant gathers steam. In the past seven days, the state has added 26,537 cases per day on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data. That rolling seven-day case average is the highest it's been since Aug. 23, when it was at 29,334. On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who Trump clashed with during the COVID pandemic, recommended against large New Year's Eve gatherings. 'If your plans are to go to a 40-to-50 person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year? I would strongly recommend that, this year, we do not do that,' Fauci said. The main ballroom of Mar-a-Lago - with its white paneling and gold-plated decor - can hold 700 people and there are smaller ballrooms available to add to the crowd size. Social media postings show the ballroom was crowded with guests for Christmas and nary a face mask in sight. Florida recommends but does not require face masks for the general public. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a close ally of Trump's who has dined multiple times at Mar-a-Lago, has been defiant about recommended COVID restrictions. He issued an executive order on May 3 that barred local governments and school systems from imposing COVID-19 restrictions, including face mask rules. Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives for Christmas dinner Trump gives his signature thumbs' up sign; Jared Kushner is seated at the table behind him Donald and Melania Trump missed last year's New Year's Eve gala, returning to Washington D.C. on Dec. 31, 2020 New Year's 2020: Melania listens as Trump speaks at his New Year's Eve Gala on December 31, 2019 ringing in 2020 The tradition of New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago goes back years for the former president. The black-tie gala is one of the highlights of the private club's social calendar. Trump likes to work the room, talking to guests and posing for selfies. At past New Year's Eve parties, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have attended with their children. Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle typically make an appearance as do Eric Trump and Lara Trump along with Tiffany Trump and her fiance Michael Boulos. Prominent Trump friends like Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Matt Gaetz have also made an appearance. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. NORTH CHARLESTON The city's Police Department is in need of more bilingual officers to cover a population where 11.4 percent of residents identify as Hispanic. They have found a new hiring pool: a university in Puerto Rico. North Charleston police are partnering with the University of Puerto Rico to hire and train at least 10 people next year to serve as bilingual officers. The new hires will be graduates of the universitys public safety program where students can obtain degrees in criminal justice. The department will hire people who are Boricua, or of Puerto Rican descent. As a U.S. territory, residents of Puerto Rico are citizens of the United States. A lot of people from here who are bilingual may not want to be cops, Chief Reggie Burgess said. You have to go where people have the desire. There are 332 officers with the North Charleston Police Department, yet only about 20 officers speak Spanish, according to the department. Burgess said it is crucial for police to bridge communication barriers. A diverse force with more bilingual officers can show people the department cares about their issues, he said. There is no way in any world we can serve the people if we dont be about the people, he said. It's been difficult for North Charleston police to hire officers who are from the Lowcountry. In 2020, the department hired 16 people, none of whom were Hispanic. The department hired 28 people in 2021, including two Hispanic officers. All the while the Hispanic population has been growing in South Carolina, which has seen an increase of 117,156 Hispanic residents between 2010 and 2020. The Hispanic and Latino population in North Charleston alone hovers around 13,100, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The few officers we have now who speak Spanish are overworked because they are always called in to translate, said Rhonda Jerome, a City Council member representing District 2, which has a significant Latino community. Oftentimes the language barrier is so dire that children are burdened with the task of translating for their parents, which is difficult when they are communicating about complex concepts, Jerome said. It also strains bilingual community leaders who are repeatedly asked to translate for officers, said Lydia Cotton, a member of North Charleston's Hispanic community. Cotton said it was difficult for her and others to take on this extra responsibility. Between 2016 and 2020, North Charleston officers made 24,759 arrests, according to a 2021 audit of the department. About 7.5 percent of arrestees are Hispanic, the numbers showed. Recruiting officers from Puerto Rico is seen as a bridge toward increasing the departments number of Latino cops, who might better empathize with aspects of Hispanic culture, said Sharon Rivera-Doublin, a community member working with police to implement the program. People in the community want to see people like them in the department, Rivera-Doublin said. They want to be able to relate to officers, and to tell them something in Spanish without having to worry that it is going to be misinterpreted. There are five officers who identify as Hispanic in the department. Only one employee is Hispanic among the departments additional 58 civilian staff members. The audit found officers lacked training on basic issues specific to immigrants, such as how to obtain a drivers license. The audit also said police should better explain the services North Charleston provides, such as its involvement with deportation. We are not federal employees, Burgess, who is African American, said. We work for the city of North Charleston. I dont have any jurisdiction to say who can be here or not. Hey, my people came in 1619. We werent born here. So how can I tell someone who can be here and who cannot? North Charleston police and other community members will go to Puerto Rico at the beginning of 2022 to promote the program, said Chiquanna Giles, recruitment manager at the North Charleston police. They will return for a week in the spring to assess prospective candidates and make offers from there. Once new officers are hired, the department will help them transition to the Lowcountry, including helping them with their initial food and housing needs. If the Latino community sees more officers like them, perhaps more of the community would want to become officers too, Burgess said. NORTH CHARLESTON The city's Police Department is in need of more bilingual officers to cover a population where 11.4 percent of residents identify as Hispanic. They have found a new hiring pool: a university in Puerto Rico. North Charleston police are partnering with the University of Puerto Rico to hire and train at least 10 people next year to serve as bilingual officers. The new hires will be graduates of the universitys public safety program where students can obtain degrees in criminal justice. The department will hire people who are Boricua, or of Puerto Rican descent. As a U.S. territory, residents of Puerto Rico are citizens of the United States. A lot of people from here who are bilingual may not want to be cops, Chief Reggie Burgess said. You have to go where people have the desire. There are 332 officers with the North Charleston Police Department, yet only about 20 officers speak Spanish, according to the department. Burgess said it is crucial for police to bridge communication barriers. A diverse force with more bilingual officers can show people the department cares about their issues, he said. There is no way in any world we can serve the people if we dont be about the people, he said. It's been difficult for North Charleston police to hire officers who are from the Lowcountry. In 2020, the department hired 16 people, none of whom were Hispanic. The department hired 28 people in 2021, including two Hispanic officers. All the while the Hispanic population has been growing in South Carolina, which has seen an increase of 117,156 Hispanic residents between 2010 and 2020. The Hispanic and Latino population in North Charleston alone hovers around 13,100, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The few officers we have now who speak Spanish are overworked because they are always called in to translate, said Rhonda Jerome, a City Council member representing District 2, which has a significant Latino community. Oftentimes the language barrier is so dire that children are burdened with the task of translating for their parents, which is difficult when they are communicating about complex concepts, Jerome said. It also strains bilingual community leaders who are repeatedly asked to translate for officers, said Lydia Cotton, a member of North Charleston's Hispanic community. Cotton said it was difficult for her and others to take on this extra responsibility. Between 2016 and 2020, North Charleston officers made 24,759 arrests, according to a 2021 audit of the department. About 7.5 percent of arrestees are Hispanic, the numbers showed. Recruiting officers from Puerto Rico is seen as a bridge toward increasing the departments number of Latino cops, who might better empathize with aspects of Hispanic culture, said Sharon Rivera-Doublin, a community member working with police to implement the program. People in the community want to see people like them in the department, Rivera-Doublin said. They want to be able to relate to officers, and to tell them something in Spanish without having to worry that it is going to be misinterpreted. There are five officers who identify as Hispanic in the department. Only one employee is Hispanic among the departments additional 58 civilian staff members. The audit found officers lacked training on basic issues specific to immigrants, such as how to obtain a drivers license. The audit also said police should better explain the services North Charleston provides, such as its involvement with deportation. We are not federal employees, Burgess, who is African American, said. We work for the city of North Charleston. I dont have any jurisdiction to say who can be here or not. Hey, my people came in 1619. We werent born here. So how can I tell someone who can be here and who cannot? North Charleston police and other community members will go to Puerto Rico at the beginning of 2022 to promote the program, said Chiquanna Giles, recruitment manager at the North Charleston police. They will return for a week in the spring to assess prospective candidates and make offers from there. Once new officers are hired, the department will help them transition to the Lowcountry, including helping them with their initial food and housing needs. If the Latino community sees more officers like them, perhaps more of the community would want to become officers too, Burgess said. Thousands living in the Ethiopian diaspora have begun arriving in the Horn of Africa country, responding to the governments call for a great Ethiopian homecoming. Korso Koji looks forward to joining them soon. I have friends who have been abroad for a long time and who believe in the unity of Ethiopia. We will go together," said Korso, 36, who has a trucking business in Columbus, Ohio, and came from the Oromia regions town of Shashamane. Ethiopian leaders hope to draw 1 million diaspora members like Korso to their homeland for celebrations of Orthodox Christmas on January 7 and through the January 19 Feast of the Epiphany and Timkat festivals that commemorate the baptism of Jesus. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who issued the #GreatEthiopianHomeComing challenge in November, greeted diaspora visitors Tuesday with a Twitter post in Amharic reading Welcome, my brothers and sisters, who have returned home in response to the invitation to show your citizenship! Abiys #GreatEthiopianHomeComing challenge came as a rebuke to countries such as the United States, France, Germany and Turkey, which last month urged their respective citizens to leave Ethiopia as yearlong fighting between federal troops and forces of the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front threatened to reach the capital, Addis Ababa. On November 5, the U.S. State Department ordered nonemergency U.S. government employees and their families to leave due to armed conflict, civil unrest and possible supply shortages. Fighting paused after Ethiopian forces reclaimed some ground, and the TPLF announced December 20 that it would pull back its forces to Tigray from the neighboring Amhara and Afar regions, leaving room for negotiations, diplomats and analysts have said. In a statement shared Wednesday by state-owned Ethiopian news media, Abiy encouraged the visitors to check out tourist sites and development work and to witness the atrocities committed by the terrorist TPLF against our people. (In mid-December, the U.N. Human Rights Council voted to set up an international commission to investigate alleged violations by all parties in the Tigray conflict.) Billene Seyoum, spokeswoman for the prime minister, also welcomed diaspora travelers via Twitter this week, saying, When the world said to run from home, your heart knew the truth! Home is indeed where the heart is. Earlier this month, she said the homecoming initiative would demonstrate that Ethiopia prevails and would send a message of unity to the international community. If Tesfahun Kahsay has any message to send, its to oppose the Ethiopian governments appeal. A Tigray native, the 50-year-old moved to the United States 25 years ago and lives in a Maryland suburb of Washington. While the international community is begging for food and medicine to be delivered to people in Tigray, my government is not permitting it, he said, complaining about what rights groups have described as a humanitarian blockade. So, how do I be part of this campaign while my people are sentenced to death? Organizing a group Abiy Gebrehiwot, who lives in Washington and chairs the nonprofit California-based Council for Ethiopian Diaspora Action, told VOA the council last year brought roughly 500 members to Ethiopia to celebrate the holidays and tour the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, a new hydroelectric power plant on the Nile River. He said for the homecoming, he intends to bring as large a diaspora community as possible and engage them in every aspect of the country. The council chairman said one goal was to boost Ethiopias economy, battered by COVID-19 and the Tigray conflict. It had been the regions fastest-growing economy, expanding by an annual average of 9.4% for nine years ending in 2019-2020, according to the World Bank. The poor country, with 112 million people and a per capita income of $850, had ambitions to climb to lower-middle-income status by 2025. The Ethiopian diaspora has sent nearly $9 billion in remittances over the past three years, the foreign affairs state minister said this month. Another goal for the homecoming initiative is to show the world the country is safe and peaceful and to make it an annual event, Abiy Gebrehiwot said. Alebachew Desalegn, a London-based member of the Ethiopian Diaspora Task Force, said diaspora members would be encouraged to help rebuild war-torn infrastructure during their stays. We focus on development, rebuilding the destroyed houses, and helping the homeless, he told VOA. Honoring the call State-owned Ethiopian Airlines has offered discounts of up to 30% on its fares for homecoming travelers. The price drop enticed Korso, who paid $1,200 for a ticket and will leave for Ethiopia on January 10. He plans to bring extra suitcases packed with medicine, protective masks and clothing paid at my own expense, he said, to aid Ethiopians. The group Doctors for Ethiopia has encouraged diaspora travelers to bring medical supplies. Korso said he and his friends want to honor the prime ministers call because I believe the pressure being exerted by Americans and Europeans on Ethiopia is not right." Tesfahun, in rejecting the homecoming appeal, also referenced reports of Tigrayans allegedly being targeted for arrest and detention. If he went to Ethiopia, he said, I might not have the same fate as others because of my [U.S.] citizenship. But those are my people from Tigray who got fired from their jobs and live in detention facilities." On Wednesday, Demeke Mekonnen, deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister, presided over a welcoming ceremony at Wodajinet Park in the capital, Addis Ababa. According to the state-owned Ethiopian News Agency, he called on diaspora members to support the federal governments reconstruction efforts. This report originated in Amharic in VOAs Horn of Africa Service. Carol Guensburg contributed. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. A massive spill of raw sewage in California on Friday forced the city of Long Beach to close all swimming areas at nearby beaches, officials said. Between 2 million and 4 million gallons (7.6 million to 15 million liters) of raw sewage leaked into the Dominguez Channel, which empties into the Los Angeles harbor, it was discovered on Thursday, according to a press release from the City of Long Beach. The leak occurred in the city of Carson and was caused by the failure of a 48-inch sewer main line, the release stated. It was not immediately clear why the line failed. Cabrillo Beach is seen empty after the city of Long Beach closed the beaches due to a report of a spill of between two and four million gallons of untreated sewage into a canal in Carson, in Long Beach, California, U.S. December 31, 2021. Picture taken with a drone. Photo: Reuters City water quality teams from Long Beach are testing the level of pollutants in the affected areas, which includes 7 miles (11 km) of beaches. Swimming in the waters will remain prohibited until the amounts of pollution return to within normal levels. Tourists in the area for New Year's celebrations were disappointed with the news. "You come all this way and you don't get to play in the sand or the ocean? That doesn't seem fair," Sandi Williams, who had traveled from suburban Massachusetts, told the Los Angeles Times. "We were so looking forward to this change in scenery, but like everywhere, there's catastrophe." A sign warns swimmers after the city of Long Beach closed the beaches due to a report of a spill of between two and four million gallons of untreated sewage into a canal in Carson, at Cabrillo Beach in Long Beach, California, U.S. December 31, 2021. Photo: Reuters A sign warns swimmers after the city of Long Beach closed the beaches due to a report of a spill of between two and four million gallons of untreated sewage into a canal in Carson, at Cabrillo Beach in Long Beach, California, U.S. December 31, 2021. Photo: Reuters Cabrillo Beach is seen empty after the city of Long Beach closed the beaches due to a report of a spill of between two and four million gallons of untreated sewage into a canal in Carson, in Long Beach, California, U.S. December 31, 2021. Picture taken with a drone. Photo: Reuters Thousands living in the Ethiopian diaspora have begun arriving in the Horn of Africa country, responding to the governments call for a great Ethiopian homecoming. Korso Koji looks forward to joining them soon. I have friends who have been abroad for a long time and who believe in the unity of Ethiopia. We will go together," said Korso, 36, who has a trucking business in Columbus, Ohio, and came from the Oromia regions town of Shashamane. Ethiopian leaders hope to draw 1 million diaspora members like Korso to their homeland for celebrations of Orthodox Christmas on January 7 and through the January 19 Feast of the Epiphany and Timkat festivals that commemorate the baptism of Jesus. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who issued the #GreatEthiopianHomeComing challenge in November, greeted diaspora visitors Tuesday with a Twitter post in Amharic reading Welcome, my brothers and sisters, who have returned home in response to the invitation to show your citizenship! Abiys #GreatEthiopianHomeComing challenge came as a rebuke to countries such as the United States, France, Germany and Turkey, which last month urged their respective citizens to leave Ethiopia as yearlong fighting between federal troops and forces of the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front threatened to reach the capital, Addis Ababa. On November 5, the U.S. State Department ordered nonemergency U.S. government employees and their families to leave due to armed conflict, civil unrest and possible supply shortages. Fighting paused after Ethiopian forces reclaimed some ground, and the TPLF announced December 20 that it would pull back its forces to Tigray from the neighboring Amhara and Afar regions, leaving room for negotiations, diplomats and analysts have said. In a statement shared Wednesday by state-owned Ethiopian news media, Abiy encouraged the visitors to check out tourist sites and development work and to witness the atrocities committed by the terrorist TPLF against our people. (In mid-December, the U.N. Human Rights Council voted to set up an international commission to investigate alleged violations by all parties in the Tigray conflict.) Billene Seyoum, spokeswoman for the prime minister, also welcomed diaspora travelers via Twitter this week, saying, When the world said to run from home, your heart knew the truth! Home is indeed where the heart is. Earlier this month, she said the homecoming initiative would demonstrate that Ethiopia prevails and would send a message of unity to the international community. If Tesfahun Kahsay has any message to send, its to oppose the Ethiopian governments appeal. A Tigray native, the 50-year-old moved to the United States 25 years ago and lives in a Maryland suburb of Washington. While the international community is begging for food and medicine to be delivered to people in Tigray, my government is not permitting it, he said, complaining about what rights groups have described as a humanitarian blockade. So, how do I be part of this campaign while my people are sentenced to death? Organizing a group Abiy Gebrehiwot, who lives in Washington and chairs the nonprofit California-based Council for Ethiopian Diaspora Action, told VOA the council last year brought roughly 500 members to Ethiopia to celebrate the holidays and tour the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, a new hydroelectric power plant on the Nile River. He said for the homecoming, he intends to bring as large a diaspora community as possible and engage them in every aspect of the country. The council chairman said one goal was to boost Ethiopias economy, battered by COVID-19 and the Tigray conflict. It had been the regions fastest-growing economy, expanding by an annual average of 9.4% for nine years ending in 2019-2020, according to the World Bank. The poor country, with 112 million people and a per capita income of $850, had ambitions to climb to lower-middle-income status by 2025. The Ethiopian diaspora has sent nearly $9 billion in remittances over the past three years, the foreign affairs state minister said this month. Another goal for the homecoming initiative is to show the world the country is safe and peaceful and to make it an annual event, Abiy Gebrehiwot said. Alebachew Desalegn, a London-based member of the Ethiopian Diaspora Task Force, said diaspora members would be encouraged to help rebuild war-torn infrastructure during their stays. We focus on development, rebuilding the destroyed houses, and helping the homeless, he told VOA. Honoring the call State-owned Ethiopian Airlines has offered discounts of up to 30% on its fares for homecoming travelers. The price drop enticed Korso, who paid $1,200 for a ticket and will leave for Ethiopia on January 10. He plans to bring extra suitcases packed with medicine, protective masks and clothing paid at my own expense, he said, to aid Ethiopians. The group Doctors for Ethiopia has encouraged diaspora travelers to bring medical supplies. Korso said he and his friends want to honor the prime ministers call because I believe the pressure being exerted by Americans and Europeans on Ethiopia is not right." Tesfahun, in rejecting the homecoming appeal, also referenced reports of Tigrayans allegedly being targeted for arrest and detention. If he went to Ethiopia, he said, I might not have the same fate as others because of my [U.S.] citizenship. But those are my people from Tigray who got fired from their jobs and live in detention facilities." On Wednesday, Demeke Mekonnen, deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister, presided over a welcoming ceremony at Wodajinet Park in the capital, Addis Ababa. According to the state-owned Ethiopian News Agency, he called on diaspora members to support the federal governments reconstruction efforts. This report originated in Amharic in VOAs Horn of Africa Service. Carol Guensburg contributed. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Hundreds of people celebrating New Years Eve at a private ticketed event at The George in Perths CBD were allegedly caught breaching COVID restrictions. The incident was the most high-profile for police on Friday night, with officers stumbling across the party at 11.30pm. Police Commissioner Chris Dawson has condemned the selfish behaviour and expressed his disappointment in the venue and the partygoers, after viewing footage of the crowd dancing without masks on. He also said he was shocked at the disregard for COVID safety shown by the venue, who had blocked out the windows with black curtains and locked the doors, forcing officers to scale the wall to get inside. There were also no QR codes for the SafeWA app on display. NORTH CHARLESTON The city's Police Department is in need of more bilingual officers to cover a population where 11.4 percent of residents identify as Hispanic. They have found a new hiring pool: a university in Puerto Rico. North Charleston police are partnering with the University of Puerto Rico to hire and train at least 10 people next year to serve as bilingual officers. The new hires will be graduates of the universitys public safety program where students can obtain degrees in criminal justice. The department will hire people who are Boricua, or of Puerto Rican descent. As a U.S. territory, residents of Puerto Rico are citizens of the United States. A lot of people from here who are bilingual may not want to be cops, Chief Reggie Burgess said. You have to go where people have the desire. There are 332 officers with the North Charleston Police Department, yet only about 20 officers speak Spanish, according to the department. Burgess said it is crucial for police to bridge communication barriers. A diverse force with more bilingual officers can show people the department cares about their issues, he said. There is no way in any world we can serve the people if we dont be about the people, he said. It's been difficult for North Charleston police to hire officers who are from the Lowcountry. In 2020, the department hired 16 people, none of whom were Hispanic. The department hired 28 people in 2021, including two Hispanic officers. All the while the Hispanic population has been growing in South Carolina, which has seen an increase of 117,156 Hispanic residents between 2010 and 2020. The Hispanic and Latino population in North Charleston alone hovers around 13,100, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The few officers we have now who speak Spanish are overworked because they are always called in to translate, said Rhonda Jerome, a City Council member representing District 2, which has a significant Latino community. Oftentimes the language barrier is so dire that children are burdened with the task of translating for their parents, which is difficult when they are communicating about complex concepts, Jerome said. It also strains bilingual community leaders who are repeatedly asked to translate for officers, said Lydia Cotton, a member of North Charleston's Hispanic community. Cotton said it was difficult for her and others to take on this extra responsibility. Between 2016 and 2020, North Charleston officers made 24,759 arrests, according to a 2021 audit of the department. About 7.5 percent of arrestees are Hispanic, the numbers showed. Recruiting officers from Puerto Rico is seen as a bridge toward increasing the departments number of Latino cops, who might better empathize with aspects of Hispanic culture, said Sharon Rivera-Doublin, a community member working with police to implement the program. People in the community want to see people like them in the department, Rivera-Doublin said. They want to be able to relate to officers, and to tell them something in Spanish without having to worry that it is going to be misinterpreted. There are five officers who identify as Hispanic in the department. Only one employee is Hispanic among the departments additional 58 civilian staff members. The audit found officers lacked training on basic issues specific to immigrants, such as how to obtain a drivers license. The audit also said police should better explain the services North Charleston provides, such as its involvement with deportation. We are not federal employees, Burgess, who is African American, said. We work for the city of North Charleston. I dont have any jurisdiction to say who can be here or not. Hey, my people came in 1619. We werent born here. So how can I tell someone who can be here and who cannot? North Charleston police and other community members will go to Puerto Rico at the beginning of 2022 to promote the program, said Chiquanna Giles, recruitment manager at the North Charleston police. They will return for a week in the spring to assess prospective candidates and make offers from there. Once new officers are hired, the department will help them transition to the Lowcountry, including helping them with their initial food and housing needs. If the Latino community sees more officers like them, perhaps more of the community would want to become officers too, Burgess said. Hundreds of people celebrating New Years Eve at a private ticketed event at The George in Perths CBD were allegedly caught breaching COVID restrictions. The incident was the most high-profile for police on Friday night, with officers stumbling across the party at 11.30pm. Police Commissioner Chris Dawson has condemned the selfish behaviour and expressed his disappointment in the venue and the partygoers, after viewing footage of the crowd dancing without masks on. He also said he was shocked at the disregard for COVID safety shown by the venue, who had blocked out the windows with black curtains and locked the doors, forcing officers to scale the wall to get inside. There were also no QR codes for the SafeWA app on display. NORTH CHARLESTON The city's Police Department is in need of more bilingual officers to cover a population where 11.4 percent of residents identify as Hispanic. They have found a new hiring pool: a university in Puerto Rico. North Charleston police are partnering with the University of Puerto Rico to hire and train at least 10 people next year to serve as bilingual officers. The new hires will be graduates of the universitys public safety program where students can obtain degrees in criminal justice. The department will hire people who are Boricua, or of Puerto Rican descent. As a U.S. territory, residents of Puerto Rico are citizens of the United States. A lot of people from here who are bilingual may not want to be cops, Chief Reggie Burgess said. You have to go where people have the desire. There are 332 officers with the North Charleston Police Department, yet only about 20 officers speak Spanish, according to the department. Burgess said it is crucial for police to bridge communication barriers. A diverse force with more bilingual officers can show people the department cares about their issues, he said. There is no way in any world we can serve the people if we dont be about the people, he said. It's been difficult for North Charleston police to hire officers who are from the Lowcountry. In 2020, the department hired 16 people, none of whom were Hispanic. The department hired 28 people in 2021, including two Hispanic officers. All the while the Hispanic population has been growing in South Carolina, which has seen an increase of 117,156 Hispanic residents between 2010 and 2020. The Hispanic and Latino population in North Charleston alone hovers around 13,100, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The few officers we have now who speak Spanish are overworked because they are always called in to translate, said Rhonda Jerome, a City Council member representing District 2, which has a significant Latino community. Oftentimes the language barrier is so dire that children are burdened with the task of translating for their parents, which is difficult when they are communicating about complex concepts, Jerome said. It also strains bilingual community leaders who are repeatedly asked to translate for officers, said Lydia Cotton, a member of North Charleston's Hispanic community. Cotton said it was difficult for her and others to take on this extra responsibility. Between 2016 and 2020, North Charleston officers made 24,759 arrests, according to a 2021 audit of the department. About 7.5 percent of arrestees are Hispanic, the numbers showed. Recruiting officers from Puerto Rico is seen as a bridge toward increasing the departments number of Latino cops, who might better empathize with aspects of Hispanic culture, said Sharon Rivera-Doublin, a community member working with police to implement the program. People in the community want to see people like them in the department, Rivera-Doublin said. They want to be able to relate to officers, and to tell them something in Spanish without having to worry that it is going to be misinterpreted. There are five officers who identify as Hispanic in the department. Only one employee is Hispanic among the departments additional 58 civilian staff members. The audit found officers lacked training on basic issues specific to immigrants, such as how to obtain a drivers license. The audit also said police should better explain the services North Charleston provides, such as its involvement with deportation. We are not federal employees, Burgess, who is African American, said. We work for the city of North Charleston. I dont have any jurisdiction to say who can be here or not. Hey, my people came in 1619. We werent born here. So how can I tell someone who can be here and who cannot? North Charleston police and other community members will go to Puerto Rico at the beginning of 2022 to promote the program, said Chiquanna Giles, recruitment manager at the North Charleston police. They will return for a week in the spring to assess prospective candidates and make offers from there. Once new officers are hired, the department will help them transition to the Lowcountry, including helping them with their initial food and housing needs. If the Latino community sees more officers like them, perhaps more of the community would want to become officers too, Burgess said. Hundreds of people celebrating New Years Eve at a private ticketed event at The George in Perths CBD were allegedly caught breaching COVID restrictions. The incident was the most high-profile for police on Friday night, with officers stumbling across the party at 11.30pm. Police Commissioner Chris Dawson has condemned the selfish behaviour and expressed his disappointment in the venue and the partygoers, after viewing footage of the crowd dancing without masks on. He also said he was shocked at the disregard for COVID safety shown by the venue, who had blocked out the windows with black curtains and locked the doors, forcing officers to scale the wall to get inside. There were also no QR codes for the SafeWA app on display. NORTH CHARLESTON The city's Police Department is in need of more bilingual officers to cover a population where 11.4 percent of residents identify as Hispanic. They have found a new hiring pool: a university in Puerto Rico. North Charleston police are partnering with the University of Puerto Rico to hire and train at least 10 people next year to serve as bilingual officers. The new hires will be graduates of the universitys public safety program where students can obtain degrees in criminal justice. The department will hire people who are Boricua, or of Puerto Rican descent. As a U.S. territory, residents of Puerto Rico are citizens of the United States. A lot of people from here who are bilingual may not want to be cops, Chief Reggie Burgess said. You have to go where people have the desire. There are 332 officers with the North Charleston Police Department, yet only about 20 officers speak Spanish, according to the department. Burgess said it is crucial for police to bridge communication barriers. A diverse force with more bilingual officers can show people the department cares about their issues, he said. There is no way in any world we can serve the people if we dont be about the people, he said. It's been difficult for North Charleston police to hire officers who are from the Lowcountry. In 2020, the department hired 16 people, none of whom were Hispanic. The department hired 28 people in 2021, including two Hispanic officers. All the while the Hispanic population has been growing in South Carolina, which has seen an increase of 117,156 Hispanic residents between 2010 and 2020. The Hispanic and Latino population in North Charleston alone hovers around 13,100, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The few officers we have now who speak Spanish are overworked because they are always called in to translate, said Rhonda Jerome, a City Council member representing District 2, which has a significant Latino community. Oftentimes the language barrier is so dire that children are burdened with the task of translating for their parents, which is difficult when they are communicating about complex concepts, Jerome said. It also strains bilingual community leaders who are repeatedly asked to translate for officers, said Lydia Cotton, a member of North Charleston's Hispanic community. Cotton said it was difficult for her and others to take on this extra responsibility. Between 2016 and 2020, North Charleston officers made 24,759 arrests, according to a 2021 audit of the department. About 7.5 percent of arrestees are Hispanic, the numbers showed. Recruiting officers from Puerto Rico is seen as a bridge toward increasing the departments number of Latino cops, who might better empathize with aspects of Hispanic culture, said Sharon Rivera-Doublin, a community member working with police to implement the program. People in the community want to see people like them in the department, Rivera-Doublin said. They want to be able to relate to officers, and to tell them something in Spanish without having to worry that it is going to be misinterpreted. There are five officers who identify as Hispanic in the department. Only one employee is Hispanic among the departments additional 58 civilian staff members. The audit found officers lacked training on basic issues specific to immigrants, such as how to obtain a drivers license. The audit also said police should better explain the services North Charleston provides, such as its involvement with deportation. We are not federal employees, Burgess, who is African American, said. We work for the city of North Charleston. I dont have any jurisdiction to say who can be here or not. Hey, my people came in 1619. We werent born here. So how can I tell someone who can be here and who cannot? North Charleston police and other community members will go to Puerto Rico at the beginning of 2022 to promote the program, said Chiquanna Giles, recruitment manager at the North Charleston police. They will return for a week in the spring to assess prospective candidates and make offers from there. Once new officers are hired, the department will help them transition to the Lowcountry, including helping them with their initial food and housing needs. If the Latino community sees more officers like them, perhaps more of the community would want to become officers too, Burgess said. NORTH CHARLESTON The city's Police Department is in need of more bilingual officers to cover a population where 11.4 percent of residents identify as Hispanic. They have found a new hiring pool: a university in Puerto Rico. North Charleston police are partnering with the University of Puerto Rico to hire and train at least 10 people next year to serve as bilingual officers. The new hires will be graduates of the universitys public safety program where students can obtain degrees in criminal justice. The department will hire people who are Boricua, or of Puerto Rican descent. As a U.S. territory, residents of Puerto Rico are citizens of the United States. A lot of people from here who are bilingual may not want to be cops, Chief Reggie Burgess said. You have to go where people have the desire. There are 332 officers with the North Charleston Police Department, yet only about 20 officers speak Spanish, according to the department. Burgess said it is crucial for police to bridge communication barriers. A diverse force with more bilingual officers can show people the department cares about their issues, he said. There is no way in any world we can serve the people if we dont be about the people, he said. It's been difficult for North Charleston police to hire officers who are from the Lowcountry. In 2020, the department hired 16 people, none of whom were Hispanic. The department hired 28 people in 2021, including two Hispanic officers. All the while the Hispanic population has been growing in South Carolina, which has seen an increase of 117,156 Hispanic residents between 2010 and 2020. The Hispanic and Latino population in North Charleston alone hovers around 13,100, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The few officers we have now who speak Spanish are overworked because they are always called in to translate, said Rhonda Jerome, a City Council member representing District 2, which has a significant Latino community. Oftentimes the language barrier is so dire that children are burdened with the task of translating for their parents, which is difficult when they are communicating about complex concepts, Jerome said. It also strains bilingual community leaders who are repeatedly asked to translate for officers, said Lydia Cotton, a member of North Charleston's Hispanic community. Cotton said it was difficult for her and others to take on this extra responsibility. Between 2016 and 2020, North Charleston officers made 24,759 arrests, according to a 2021 audit of the department. About 7.5 percent of arrestees are Hispanic, the numbers showed. Recruiting officers from Puerto Rico is seen as a bridge toward increasing the departments number of Latino cops, who might better empathize with aspects of Hispanic culture, said Sharon Rivera-Doublin, a community member working with police to implement the program. People in the community want to see people like them in the department, Rivera-Doublin said. They want to be able to relate to officers, and to tell them something in Spanish without having to worry that it is going to be misinterpreted. There are five officers who identify as Hispanic in the department. Only one employee is Hispanic among the departments additional 58 civilian staff members. The audit found officers lacked training on basic issues specific to immigrants, such as how to obtain a drivers license. The audit also said police should better explain the services North Charleston provides, such as its involvement with deportation. We are not federal employees, Burgess, who is African American, said. We work for the city of North Charleston. I dont have any jurisdiction to say who can be here or not. Hey, my people came in 1619. We werent born here. So how can I tell someone who can be here and who cannot? North Charleston police and other community members will go to Puerto Rico at the beginning of 2022 to promote the program, said Chiquanna Giles, recruitment manager at the North Charleston police. They will return for a week in the spring to assess prospective candidates and make offers from there. Once new officers are hired, the department will help them transition to the Lowcountry, including helping them with their initial food and housing needs. If the Latino community sees more officers like them, perhaps more of the community would want to become officers too, Burgess said. The report that came to the attention of the United States military in April 2017 relayed devastating news from Iraq: More than 30 people, among them women and children, had been killed when aircraft from the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Mosul struck a neighborhood known as Siha. A civilian casualty cell of the U.S. military, which was charged with assessing reports of civilians killed or wounded in coalition operations, learned of the claim in a Facebook post published on April 11 by the news outlet, the Iraqi Spring Media Center. The Pentagon began an inquiry, but only a week later its assessment officers couldnt confirm whether coalition aircraft had targeted that location, and they dismissed the claim, saying Siha was not among known districts of West Mosul. There would be no further review. Hundreds of people celebrating New Years Eve at a private ticketed event at The George in Perths CBD were allegedly caught breaching COVID restrictions. The incident was the most high-profile for police on Friday night, with officers stumbling across the party at 11.30pm. Police Commissioner Chris Dawson has condemned the selfish behaviour and expressed his disappointment in the venue and the partygoers, after viewing footage of the crowd dancing without masks on. He also said he was shocked at the disregard for COVID safety shown by the venue, who had blocked out the windows with black curtains and locked the doors, forcing officers to scale the wall to get inside. There were also no QR codes for the SafeWA app on display. A massive spill of raw sewage in California on Friday forced the city of Long Beach to close all swimming areas at nearby beaches, officials said. Between 2 million and 4 million gallons (7.6 million to 15 million liters) of raw sewage leaked into the Dominguez Channel, which empties into the Los Angeles harbor, it was discovered on Thursday, according to a press release from the City of Long Beach. The leak occurred in the city of Carson and was caused by the failure of a 48-inch sewer main line, the release stated. It was not immediately clear why the line failed. Cabrillo Beach is seen empty after the city of Long Beach closed the beaches due to a report of a spill of between two and four million gallons of untreated sewage into a canal in Carson, in Long Beach, California, U.S. December 31, 2021. Picture taken with a drone. Photo: Reuters City water quality teams from Long Beach are testing the level of pollutants in the affected areas, which includes 7 miles (11 km) of beaches. Swimming in the waters will remain prohibited until the amounts of pollution return to within normal levels. Tourists in the area for New Year's celebrations were disappointed with the news. "You come all this way and you don't get to play in the sand or the ocean? That doesn't seem fair," Sandi Williams, who had traveled from suburban Massachusetts, told the Los Angeles Times. "We were so looking forward to this change in scenery, but like everywhere, there's catastrophe." A sign warns swimmers after the city of Long Beach closed the beaches due to a report of a spill of between two and four million gallons of untreated sewage into a canal in Carson, at Cabrillo Beach in Long Beach, California, U.S. December 31, 2021. Photo: Reuters A sign warns swimmers after the city of Long Beach closed the beaches due to a report of a spill of between two and four million gallons of untreated sewage into a canal in Carson, at Cabrillo Beach in Long Beach, California, U.S. December 31, 2021. Photo: Reuters Cabrillo Beach is seen empty after the city of Long Beach closed the beaches due to a report of a spill of between two and four million gallons of untreated sewage into a canal in Carson, in Long Beach, California, U.S. December 31, 2021. Picture taken with a drone. Photo: Reuters A massive spill of raw sewage in California on Friday forced the city of Long Beach to close all swimming areas at nearby beaches, officials said. Between 2 million and 4 million gallons (7.6 million to 15 million liters) of raw sewage leaked into the Dominguez Channel, which empties into the Los Angeles harbor, it was discovered on Thursday, according to a press release from the City of Long Beach. The leak occurred in the city of Carson and was caused by the failure of a 48-inch sewer main line, the release stated. It was not immediately clear why the line failed. Cabrillo Beach is seen empty after the city of Long Beach closed the beaches due to a report of a spill of between two and four million gallons of untreated sewage into a canal in Carson, in Long Beach, California, U.S. December 31, 2021. Picture taken with a drone. Photo: Reuters City water quality teams from Long Beach are testing the level of pollutants in the affected areas, which includes 7 miles (11 km) of beaches. Swimming in the waters will remain prohibited until the amounts of pollution return to within normal levels. Tourists in the area for New Year's celebrations were disappointed with the news. "You come all this way and you don't get to play in the sand or the ocean? That doesn't seem fair," Sandi Williams, who had traveled from suburban Massachusetts, told the Los Angeles Times. "We were so looking forward to this change in scenery, but like everywhere, there's catastrophe." A sign warns swimmers after the city of Long Beach closed the beaches due to a report of a spill of between two and four million gallons of untreated sewage into a canal in Carson, at Cabrillo Beach in Long Beach, California, U.S. December 31, 2021. Photo: Reuters A sign warns swimmers after the city of Long Beach closed the beaches due to a report of a spill of between two and four million gallons of untreated sewage into a canal in Carson, at Cabrillo Beach in Long Beach, California, U.S. December 31, 2021. Photo: Reuters Cabrillo Beach is seen empty after the city of Long Beach closed the beaches due to a report of a spill of between two and four million gallons of untreated sewage into a canal in Carson, in Long Beach, California, U.S. December 31, 2021. Picture taken with a drone. Photo: Reuters NORTH CHARLESTON The city's Police Department is in need of more bilingual officers to cover a population where 11.4 percent of residents identify as Hispanic. They have found a new hiring pool: a university in Puerto Rico. North Charleston police are partnering with the University of Puerto Rico to hire and train at least 10 people next year to serve as bilingual officers. The new hires will be graduates of the universitys public safety program where students can obtain degrees in criminal justice. The department will hire people who are Boricua, or of Puerto Rican descent. As a U.S. territory, residents of Puerto Rico are citizens of the United States. A lot of people from here who are bilingual may not want to be cops, Chief Reggie Burgess said. You have to go where people have the desire. There are 332 officers with the North Charleston Police Department, yet only about 20 officers speak Spanish, according to the department. Burgess said it is crucial for police to bridge communication barriers. A diverse force with more bilingual officers can show people the department cares about their issues, he said. There is no way in any world we can serve the people if we dont be about the people, he said. It's been difficult for North Charleston police to hire officers who are from the Lowcountry. In 2020, the department hired 16 people, none of whom were Hispanic. The department hired 28 people in 2021, including two Hispanic officers. All the while the Hispanic population has been growing in South Carolina, which has seen an increase of 117,156 Hispanic residents between 2010 and 2020. The Hispanic and Latino population in North Charleston alone hovers around 13,100, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The few officers we have now who speak Spanish are overworked because they are always called in to translate, said Rhonda Jerome, a City Council member representing District 2, which has a significant Latino community. Oftentimes the language barrier is so dire that children are burdened with the task of translating for their parents, which is difficult when they are communicating about complex concepts, Jerome said. It also strains bilingual community leaders who are repeatedly asked to translate for officers, said Lydia Cotton, a member of North Charleston's Hispanic community. Cotton said it was difficult for her and others to take on this extra responsibility. Between 2016 and 2020, North Charleston officers made 24,759 arrests, according to a 2021 audit of the department. About 7.5 percent of arrestees are Hispanic, the numbers showed. Recruiting officers from Puerto Rico is seen as a bridge toward increasing the departments number of Latino cops, who might better empathize with aspects of Hispanic culture, said Sharon Rivera-Doublin, a community member working with police to implement the program. People in the community want to see people like them in the department, Rivera-Doublin said. They want to be able to relate to officers, and to tell them something in Spanish without having to worry that it is going to be misinterpreted. There are five officers who identify as Hispanic in the department. Only one employee is Hispanic among the departments additional 58 civilian staff members. The audit found officers lacked training on basic issues specific to immigrants, such as how to obtain a drivers license. The audit also said police should better explain the services North Charleston provides, such as its involvement with deportation. We are not federal employees, Burgess, who is African American, said. We work for the city of North Charleston. I dont have any jurisdiction to say who can be here or not. Hey, my people came in 1619. We werent born here. So how can I tell someone who can be here and who cannot? North Charleston police and other community members will go to Puerto Rico at the beginning of 2022 to promote the program, said Chiquanna Giles, recruitment manager at the North Charleston police. They will return for a week in the spring to assess prospective candidates and make offers from there. Once new officers are hired, the department will help them transition to the Lowcountry, including helping them with their initial food and housing needs. If the Latino community sees more officers like them, perhaps more of the community would want to become officers too, Burgess said. Thousands living in the Ethiopian diaspora have begun arriving in the Horn of Africa country, responding to the governments call for a great Ethiopian homecoming. Korso Koji looks forward to joining them soon. I have friends who have been abroad for a long time and who believe in the unity of Ethiopia. We will go together," said Korso, 36, who has a trucking business in Columbus, Ohio, and came from the Oromia regions town of Shashamane. Ethiopian leaders hope to draw 1 million diaspora members like Korso to their homeland for celebrations of Orthodox Christmas on January 7 and through the January 19 Feast of the Epiphany and Timkat festivals that commemorate the baptism of Jesus. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who issued the #GreatEthiopianHomeComing challenge in November, greeted diaspora visitors Tuesday with a Twitter post in Amharic reading Welcome, my brothers and sisters, who have returned home in response to the invitation to show your citizenship! Abiys #GreatEthiopianHomeComing challenge came as a rebuke to countries such as the United States, France, Germany and Turkey, which last month urged their respective citizens to leave Ethiopia as yearlong fighting between federal troops and forces of the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front threatened to reach the capital, Addis Ababa. On November 5, the U.S. State Department ordered nonemergency U.S. government employees and their families to leave due to armed conflict, civil unrest and possible supply shortages. Fighting paused after Ethiopian forces reclaimed some ground, and the TPLF announced December 20 that it would pull back its forces to Tigray from the neighboring Amhara and Afar regions, leaving room for negotiations, diplomats and analysts have said. In a statement shared Wednesday by state-owned Ethiopian news media, Abiy encouraged the visitors to check out tourist sites and development work and to witness the atrocities committed by the terrorist TPLF against our people. (In mid-December, the U.N. Human Rights Council voted to set up an international commission to investigate alleged violations by all parties in the Tigray conflict.) Billene Seyoum, spokeswoman for the prime minister, also welcomed diaspora travelers via Twitter this week, saying, When the world said to run from home, your heart knew the truth! Home is indeed where the heart is. Earlier this month, she said the homecoming initiative would demonstrate that Ethiopia prevails and would send a message of unity to the international community. If Tesfahun Kahsay has any message to send, its to oppose the Ethiopian governments appeal. A Tigray native, the 50-year-old moved to the United States 25 years ago and lives in a Maryland suburb of Washington. While the international community is begging for food and medicine to be delivered to people in Tigray, my government is not permitting it, he said, complaining about what rights groups have described as a humanitarian blockade. So, how do I be part of this campaign while my people are sentenced to death? Organizing a group Abiy Gebrehiwot, who lives in Washington and chairs the nonprofit California-based Council for Ethiopian Diaspora Action, told VOA the council last year brought roughly 500 members to Ethiopia to celebrate the holidays and tour the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, a new hydroelectric power plant on the Nile River. He said for the homecoming, he intends to bring as large a diaspora community as possible and engage them in every aspect of the country. The council chairman said one goal was to boost Ethiopias economy, battered by COVID-19 and the Tigray conflict. It had been the regions fastest-growing economy, expanding by an annual average of 9.4% for nine years ending in 2019-2020, according to the World Bank. The poor country, with 112 million people and a per capita income of $850, had ambitions to climb to lower-middle-income status by 2025. The Ethiopian diaspora has sent nearly $9 billion in remittances over the past three years, the foreign affairs state minister said this month. Another goal for the homecoming initiative is to show the world the country is safe and peaceful and to make it an annual event, Abiy Gebrehiwot said. Alebachew Desalegn, a London-based member of the Ethiopian Diaspora Task Force, said diaspora members would be encouraged to help rebuild war-torn infrastructure during their stays. We focus on development, rebuilding the destroyed houses, and helping the homeless, he told VOA. Honoring the call State-owned Ethiopian Airlines has offered discounts of up to 30% on its fares for homecoming travelers. The price drop enticed Korso, who paid $1,200 for a ticket and will leave for Ethiopia on January 10. He plans to bring extra suitcases packed with medicine, protective masks and clothing paid at my own expense, he said, to aid Ethiopians. The group Doctors for Ethiopia has encouraged diaspora travelers to bring medical supplies. Korso said he and his friends want to honor the prime ministers call because I believe the pressure being exerted by Americans and Europeans on Ethiopia is not right." Tesfahun, in rejecting the homecoming appeal, also referenced reports of Tigrayans allegedly being targeted for arrest and detention. If he went to Ethiopia, he said, I might not have the same fate as others because of my [U.S.] citizenship. But those are my people from Tigray who got fired from their jobs and live in detention facilities." On Wednesday, Demeke Mekonnen, deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister, presided over a welcoming ceremony at Wodajinet Park in the capital, Addis Ababa. According to the state-owned Ethiopian News Agency, he called on diaspora members to support the federal governments reconstruction efforts. This report originated in Amharic in VOAs Horn of Africa Service. Carol Guensburg contributed. NORTH CHARLESTON The city's Police Department is in need of more bilingual officers to cover a population where 11.4 percent of residents identify as Hispanic. They have found a new hiring pool: a university in Puerto Rico. North Charleston police are partnering with the University of Puerto Rico to hire and train at least 10 people next year to serve as bilingual officers. The new hires will be graduates of the universitys public safety program where students can obtain degrees in criminal justice. The department will hire people who are Boricua, or of Puerto Rican descent. As a U.S. territory, residents of Puerto Rico are citizens of the United States. A lot of people from here who are bilingual may not want to be cops, Chief Reggie Burgess said. You have to go where people have the desire. There are 332 officers with the North Charleston Police Department, yet only about 20 officers speak Spanish, according to the department. Burgess said it is crucial for police to bridge communication barriers. A diverse force with more bilingual officers can show people the department cares about their issues, he said. There is no way in any world we can serve the people if we dont be about the people, he said. It's been difficult for North Charleston police to hire officers who are from the Lowcountry. In 2020, the department hired 16 people, none of whom were Hispanic. The department hired 28 people in 2021, including two Hispanic officers. All the while the Hispanic population has been growing in South Carolina, which has seen an increase of 117,156 Hispanic residents between 2010 and 2020. The Hispanic and Latino population in North Charleston alone hovers around 13,100, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The few officers we have now who speak Spanish are overworked because they are always called in to translate, said Rhonda Jerome, a City Council member representing District 2, which has a significant Latino community. Oftentimes the language barrier is so dire that children are burdened with the task of translating for their parents, which is difficult when they are communicating about complex concepts, Jerome said. It also strains bilingual community leaders who are repeatedly asked to translate for officers, said Lydia Cotton, a member of North Charleston's Hispanic community. Cotton said it was difficult for her and others to take on this extra responsibility. Between 2016 and 2020, North Charleston officers made 24,759 arrests, according to a 2021 audit of the department. About 7.5 percent of arrestees are Hispanic, the numbers showed. Recruiting officers from Puerto Rico is seen as a bridge toward increasing the departments number of Latino cops, who might better empathize with aspects of Hispanic culture, said Sharon Rivera-Doublin, a community member working with police to implement the program. People in the community want to see people like them in the department, Rivera-Doublin said. They want to be able to relate to officers, and to tell them something in Spanish without having to worry that it is going to be misinterpreted. There are five officers who identify as Hispanic in the department. Only one employee is Hispanic among the departments additional 58 civilian staff members. The audit found officers lacked training on basic issues specific to immigrants, such as how to obtain a drivers license. The audit also said police should better explain the services North Charleston provides, such as its involvement with deportation. We are not federal employees, Burgess, who is African American, said. We work for the city of North Charleston. I dont have any jurisdiction to say who can be here or not. Hey, my people came in 1619. We werent born here. So how can I tell someone who can be here and who cannot? North Charleston police and other community members will go to Puerto Rico at the beginning of 2022 to promote the program, said Chiquanna Giles, recruitment manager at the North Charleston police. They will return for a week in the spring to assess prospective candidates and make offers from there. Once new officers are hired, the department will help them transition to the Lowcountry, including helping them with their initial food and housing needs. If the Latino community sees more officers like them, perhaps more of the community would want to become officers too, Burgess said. NORTH CHARLESTON The city's Police Department is in need of more bilingual officers to cover a population where 11.4 percent of residents identify as Hispanic. They have found a new hiring pool: a university in Puerto Rico. North Charleston police are partnering with the University of Puerto Rico to hire and train at least 10 people next year to serve as bilingual officers. The new hires will be graduates of the universitys public safety program where students can obtain degrees in criminal justice. The department will hire people who are Boricua, or of Puerto Rican descent. As a U.S. territory, residents of Puerto Rico are citizens of the United States. A lot of people from here who are bilingual may not want to be cops, Chief Reggie Burgess said. You have to go where people have the desire. There are 332 officers with the North Charleston Police Department, yet only about 20 officers speak Spanish, according to the department. Burgess said it is crucial for police to bridge communication barriers. A diverse force with more bilingual officers can show people the department cares about their issues, he said. There is no way in any world we can serve the people if we dont be about the people, he said. It's been difficult for North Charleston police to hire officers who are from the Lowcountry. In 2020, the department hired 16 people, none of whom were Hispanic. The department hired 28 people in 2021, including two Hispanic officers. All the while the Hispanic population has been growing in South Carolina, which has seen an increase of 117,156 Hispanic residents between 2010 and 2020. The Hispanic and Latino population in North Charleston alone hovers around 13,100, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The few officers we have now who speak Spanish are overworked because they are always called in to translate, said Rhonda Jerome, a City Council member representing District 2, which has a significant Latino community. Oftentimes the language barrier is so dire that children are burdened with the task of translating for their parents, which is difficult when they are communicating about complex concepts, Jerome said. It also strains bilingual community leaders who are repeatedly asked to translate for officers, said Lydia Cotton, a member of North Charleston's Hispanic community. Cotton said it was difficult for her and others to take on this extra responsibility. Between 2016 and 2020, North Charleston officers made 24,759 arrests, according to a 2021 audit of the department. About 7.5 percent of arrestees are Hispanic, the numbers showed. Recruiting officers from Puerto Rico is seen as a bridge toward increasing the departments number of Latino cops, who might better empathize with aspects of Hispanic culture, said Sharon Rivera-Doublin, a community member working with police to implement the program. People in the community want to see people like them in the department, Rivera-Doublin said. They want to be able to relate to officers, and to tell them something in Spanish without having to worry that it is going to be misinterpreted. There are five officers who identify as Hispanic in the department. Only one employee is Hispanic among the departments additional 58 civilian staff members. The audit found officers lacked training on basic issues specific to immigrants, such as how to obtain a drivers license. The audit also said police should better explain the services North Charleston provides, such as its involvement with deportation. We are not federal employees, Burgess, who is African American, said. We work for the city of North Charleston. I dont have any jurisdiction to say who can be here or not. Hey, my people came in 1619. We werent born here. So how can I tell someone who can be here and who cannot? North Charleston police and other community members will go to Puerto Rico at the beginning of 2022 to promote the program, said Chiquanna Giles, recruitment manager at the North Charleston police. They will return for a week in the spring to assess prospective candidates and make offers from there. Once new officers are hired, the department will help them transition to the Lowcountry, including helping them with their initial food and housing needs. If the Latino community sees more officers like them, perhaps more of the community would want to become officers too, Burgess said. NORTH CHARLESTON The city's Police Department is in need of more bilingual officers to cover a population where 11.4 percent of residents identify as Hispanic. They have found a new hiring pool: a university in Puerto Rico. North Charleston police are partnering with the University of Puerto Rico to hire and train at least 10 people next year to serve as bilingual officers. The new hires will be graduates of the universitys public safety program where students can obtain degrees in criminal justice. The department will hire people who are Boricua, or of Puerto Rican descent. As a U.S. territory, residents of Puerto Rico are citizens of the United States. A lot of people from here who are bilingual may not want to be cops, Chief Reggie Burgess said. You have to go where people have the desire. There are 332 officers with the North Charleston Police Department, yet only about 20 officers speak Spanish, according to the department. Burgess said it is crucial for police to bridge communication barriers. A diverse force with more bilingual officers can show people the department cares about their issues, he said. There is no way in any world we can serve the people if we dont be about the people, he said. It's been difficult for North Charleston police to hire officers who are from the Lowcountry. In 2020, the department hired 16 people, none of whom were Hispanic. The department hired 28 people in 2021, including two Hispanic officers. All the while the Hispanic population has been growing in South Carolina, which has seen an increase of 117,156 Hispanic residents between 2010 and 2020. The Hispanic and Latino population in North Charleston alone hovers around 13,100, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The few officers we have now who speak Spanish are overworked because they are always called in to translate, said Rhonda Jerome, a City Council member representing District 2, which has a significant Latino community. Oftentimes the language barrier is so dire that children are burdened with the task of translating for their parents, which is difficult when they are communicating about complex concepts, Jerome said. It also strains bilingual community leaders who are repeatedly asked to translate for officers, said Lydia Cotton, a member of North Charleston's Hispanic community. Cotton said it was difficult for her and others to take on this extra responsibility. Between 2016 and 2020, North Charleston officers made 24,759 arrests, according to a 2021 audit of the department. About 7.5 percent of arrestees are Hispanic, the numbers showed. Recruiting officers from Puerto Rico is seen as a bridge toward increasing the departments number of Latino cops, who might better empathize with aspects of Hispanic culture, said Sharon Rivera-Doublin, a community member working with police to implement the program. People in the community want to see people like them in the department, Rivera-Doublin said. They want to be able to relate to officers, and to tell them something in Spanish without having to worry that it is going to be misinterpreted. There are five officers who identify as Hispanic in the department. Only one employee is Hispanic among the departments additional 58 civilian staff members. The audit found officers lacked training on basic issues specific to immigrants, such as how to obtain a drivers license. The audit also said police should better explain the services North Charleston provides, such as its involvement with deportation. We are not federal employees, Burgess, who is African American, said. We work for the city of North Charleston. I dont have any jurisdiction to say who can be here or not. Hey, my people came in 1619. We werent born here. So how can I tell someone who can be here and who cannot? North Charleston police and other community members will go to Puerto Rico at the beginning of 2022 to promote the program, said Chiquanna Giles, recruitment manager at the North Charleston police. They will return for a week in the spring to assess prospective candidates and make offers from there. Once new officers are hired, the department will help them transition to the Lowcountry, including helping them with their initial food and housing needs. If the Latino community sees more officers like them, perhaps more of the community would want to become officers too, Burgess said. Thousands living in the Ethiopian diaspora have begun arriving in the Horn of Africa country, responding to the governments call for a great Ethiopian homecoming. Korso Koji looks forward to joining them soon. I have friends who have been abroad for a long time and who believe in the unity of Ethiopia. We will go together," said Korso, 36, who has a trucking business in Columbus, Ohio, and came from the Oromia regions town of Shashamane. Ethiopian leaders hope to draw 1 million diaspora members like Korso to their homeland for celebrations of Orthodox Christmas on January 7 and through the January 19 Feast of the Epiphany and Timkat festivals that commemorate the baptism of Jesus. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who issued the #GreatEthiopianHomeComing challenge in November, greeted diaspora visitors Tuesday with a Twitter post in Amharic reading Welcome, my brothers and sisters, who have returned home in response to the invitation to show your citizenship! Abiys #GreatEthiopianHomeComing challenge came as a rebuke to countries such as the United States, France, Germany and Turkey, which last month urged their respective citizens to leave Ethiopia as yearlong fighting between federal troops and forces of the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front threatened to reach the capital, Addis Ababa. On November 5, the U.S. State Department ordered nonemergency U.S. government employees and their families to leave due to armed conflict, civil unrest and possible supply shortages. Fighting paused after Ethiopian forces reclaimed some ground, and the TPLF announced December 20 that it would pull back its forces to Tigray from the neighboring Amhara and Afar regions, leaving room for negotiations, diplomats and analysts have said. In a statement shared Wednesday by state-owned Ethiopian news media, Abiy encouraged the visitors to check out tourist sites and development work and to witness the atrocities committed by the terrorist TPLF against our people. (In mid-December, the U.N. Human Rights Council voted to set up an international commission to investigate alleged violations by all parties in the Tigray conflict.) Billene Seyoum, spokeswoman for the prime minister, also welcomed diaspora travelers via Twitter this week, saying, When the world said to run from home, your heart knew the truth! Home is indeed where the heart is. Earlier this month, she said the homecoming initiative would demonstrate that Ethiopia prevails and would send a message of unity to the international community. If Tesfahun Kahsay has any message to send, its to oppose the Ethiopian governments appeal. A Tigray native, the 50-year-old moved to the United States 25 years ago and lives in a Maryland suburb of Washington. While the international community is begging for food and medicine to be delivered to people in Tigray, my government is not permitting it, he said, complaining about what rights groups have described as a humanitarian blockade. So, how do I be part of this campaign while my people are sentenced to death? Organizing a group Abiy Gebrehiwot, who lives in Washington and chairs the nonprofit California-based Council for Ethiopian Diaspora Action, told VOA the council last year brought roughly 500 members to Ethiopia to celebrate the holidays and tour the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, a new hydroelectric power plant on the Nile River. He said for the homecoming, he intends to bring as large a diaspora community as possible and engage them in every aspect of the country. The council chairman said one goal was to boost Ethiopias economy, battered by COVID-19 and the Tigray conflict. It had been the regions fastest-growing economy, expanding by an annual average of 9.4% for nine years ending in 2019-2020, according to the World Bank. The poor country, with 112 million people and a per capita income of $850, had ambitions to climb to lower-middle-income status by 2025. The Ethiopian diaspora has sent nearly $9 billion in remittances over the past three years, the foreign affairs state minister said this month. Another goal for the homecoming initiative is to show the world the country is safe and peaceful and to make it an annual event, Abiy Gebrehiwot said. Alebachew Desalegn, a London-based member of the Ethiopian Diaspora Task Force, said diaspora members would be encouraged to help rebuild war-torn infrastructure during their stays. We focus on development, rebuilding the destroyed houses, and helping the homeless, he told VOA. Honoring the call State-owned Ethiopian Airlines has offered discounts of up to 30% on its fares for homecoming travelers. The price drop enticed Korso, who paid $1,200 for a ticket and will leave for Ethiopia on January 10. He plans to bring extra suitcases packed with medicine, protective masks and clothing paid at my own expense, he said, to aid Ethiopians. The group Doctors for Ethiopia has encouraged diaspora travelers to bring medical supplies. Korso said he and his friends want to honor the prime ministers call because I believe the pressure being exerted by Americans and Europeans on Ethiopia is not right." Tesfahun, in rejecting the homecoming appeal, also referenced reports of Tigrayans allegedly being targeted for arrest and detention. If he went to Ethiopia, he said, I might not have the same fate as others because of my [U.S.] citizenship. But those are my people from Tigray who got fired from their jobs and live in detention facilities." On Wednesday, Demeke Mekonnen, deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister, presided over a welcoming ceremony at Wodajinet Park in the capital, Addis Ababa. According to the state-owned Ethiopian News Agency, he called on diaspora members to support the federal governments reconstruction efforts. This report originated in Amharic in VOAs Horn of Africa Service. Carol Guensburg contributed. Thousands living in the Ethiopian diaspora have begun arriving in the Horn of Africa country, responding to the governments call for a great Ethiopian homecoming. Korso Koji looks forward to joining them soon. I have friends who have been abroad for a long time and who believe in the unity of Ethiopia. We will go together," said Korso, 36, who has a trucking business in Columbus, Ohio, and came from the Oromia regions town of Shashamane. Ethiopian leaders hope to draw 1 million diaspora members like Korso to their homeland for celebrations of Orthodox Christmas on January 7 and through the January 19 Feast of the Epiphany and Timkat festivals that commemorate the baptism of Jesus. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who issued the #GreatEthiopianHomeComing challenge in November, greeted diaspora visitors Tuesday with a Twitter post in Amharic reading Welcome, my brothers and sisters, who have returned home in response to the invitation to show your citizenship! Abiys #GreatEthiopianHomeComing challenge came as a rebuke to countries such as the United States, France, Germany and Turkey, which last month urged their respective citizens to leave Ethiopia as yearlong fighting between federal troops and forces of the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front threatened to reach the capital, Addis Ababa. On November 5, the U.S. State Department ordered nonemergency U.S. government employees and their families to leave due to armed conflict, civil unrest and possible supply shortages. Fighting paused after Ethiopian forces reclaimed some ground, and the TPLF announced December 20 that it would pull back its forces to Tigray from the neighboring Amhara and Afar regions, leaving room for negotiations, diplomats and analysts have said. In a statement shared Wednesday by state-owned Ethiopian news media, Abiy encouraged the visitors to check out tourist sites and development work and to witness the atrocities committed by the terrorist TPLF against our people. (In mid-December, the U.N. Human Rights Council voted to set up an international commission to investigate alleged violations by all parties in the Tigray conflict.) Billene Seyoum, spokeswoman for the prime minister, also welcomed diaspora travelers via Twitter this week, saying, When the world said to run from home, your heart knew the truth! Home is indeed where the heart is. Earlier this month, she said the homecoming initiative would demonstrate that Ethiopia prevails and would send a message of unity to the international community. If Tesfahun Kahsay has any message to send, its to oppose the Ethiopian governments appeal. A Tigray native, the 50-year-old moved to the United States 25 years ago and lives in a Maryland suburb of Washington. While the international community is begging for food and medicine to be delivered to people in Tigray, my government is not permitting it, he said, complaining about what rights groups have described as a humanitarian blockade. So, how do I be part of this campaign while my people are sentenced to death? Organizing a group Abiy Gebrehiwot, who lives in Washington and chairs the nonprofit California-based Council for Ethiopian Diaspora Action, told VOA the council last year brought roughly 500 members to Ethiopia to celebrate the holidays and tour the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, a new hydroelectric power plant on the Nile River. He said for the homecoming, he intends to bring as large a diaspora community as possible and engage them in every aspect of the country. The council chairman said one goal was to boost Ethiopias economy, battered by COVID-19 and the Tigray conflict. It had been the regions fastest-growing economy, expanding by an annual average of 9.4% for nine years ending in 2019-2020, according to the World Bank. The poor country, with 112 million people and a per capita income of $850, had ambitions to climb to lower-middle-income status by 2025. The Ethiopian diaspora has sent nearly $9 billion in remittances over the past three years, the foreign affairs state minister said this month. Another goal for the homecoming initiative is to show the world the country is safe and peaceful and to make it an annual event, Abiy Gebrehiwot said. Alebachew Desalegn, a London-based member of the Ethiopian Diaspora Task Force, said diaspora members would be encouraged to help rebuild war-torn infrastructure during their stays. We focus on development, rebuilding the destroyed houses, and helping the homeless, he told VOA. Honoring the call State-owned Ethiopian Airlines has offered discounts of up to 30% on its fares for homecoming travelers. The price drop enticed Korso, who paid $1,200 for a ticket and will leave for Ethiopia on January 10. He plans to bring extra suitcases packed with medicine, protective masks and clothing paid at my own expense, he said, to aid Ethiopians. The group Doctors for Ethiopia has encouraged diaspora travelers to bring medical supplies. Korso said he and his friends want to honor the prime ministers call because I believe the pressure being exerted by Americans and Europeans on Ethiopia is not right." Tesfahun, in rejecting the homecoming appeal, also referenced reports of Tigrayans allegedly being targeted for arrest and detention. If he went to Ethiopia, he said, I might not have the same fate as others because of my [U.S.] citizenship. But those are my people from Tigray who got fired from their jobs and live in detention facilities." On Wednesday, Demeke Mekonnen, deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister, presided over a welcoming ceremony at Wodajinet Park in the capital, Addis Ababa. According to the state-owned Ethiopian News Agency, he called on diaspora members to support the federal governments reconstruction efforts. This report originated in Amharic in VOAs Horn of Africa Service. Carol Guensburg contributed. The report that came to the attention of the United States military in April 2017 relayed devastating news from Iraq: More than 30 people, among them women and children, had been killed when aircraft from the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Mosul struck a neighborhood known as Siha. A civilian casualty cell of the U.S. military, which was charged with assessing reports of civilians killed or wounded in coalition operations, learned of the claim in a Facebook post published on April 11 by the news outlet, the Iraqi Spring Media Center. The Pentagon began an inquiry, but only a week later its assessment officers couldnt confirm whether coalition aircraft had targeted that location, and they dismissed the claim, saying Siha was not among known districts of West Mosul. There would be no further review. Thousands living in the Ethiopian diaspora have begun arriving in the Horn of Africa country, responding to the governments call for a great Ethiopian homecoming. Korso Koji looks forward to joining them soon. I have friends who have been abroad for a long time and who believe in the unity of Ethiopia. We will go together," said Korso, 36, who has a trucking business in Columbus, Ohio, and came from the Oromia regions town of Shashamane. Ethiopian leaders hope to draw 1 million diaspora members like Korso to their homeland for celebrations of Orthodox Christmas on January 7 and through the January 19 Feast of the Epiphany and Timkat festivals that commemorate the baptism of Jesus. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who issued the #GreatEthiopianHomeComing challenge in November, greeted diaspora visitors Tuesday with a Twitter post in Amharic reading Welcome, my brothers and sisters, who have returned home in response to the invitation to show your citizenship! Abiys #GreatEthiopianHomeComing challenge came as a rebuke to countries such as the United States, France, Germany and Turkey, which last month urged their respective citizens to leave Ethiopia as yearlong fighting between federal troops and forces of the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front threatened to reach the capital, Addis Ababa. On November 5, the U.S. State Department ordered nonemergency U.S. government employees and their families to leave due to armed conflict, civil unrest and possible supply shortages. Fighting paused after Ethiopian forces reclaimed some ground, and the TPLF announced December 20 that it would pull back its forces to Tigray from the neighboring Amhara and Afar regions, leaving room for negotiations, diplomats and analysts have said. In a statement shared Wednesday by state-owned Ethiopian news media, Abiy encouraged the visitors to check out tourist sites and development work and to witness the atrocities committed by the terrorist TPLF against our people. (In mid-December, the U.N. Human Rights Council voted to set up an international commission to investigate alleged violations by all parties in the Tigray conflict.) Billene Seyoum, spokeswoman for the prime minister, also welcomed diaspora travelers via Twitter this week, saying, When the world said to run from home, your heart knew the truth! Home is indeed where the heart is. Earlier this month, she said the homecoming initiative would demonstrate that Ethiopia prevails and would send a message of unity to the international community. If Tesfahun Kahsay has any message to send, its to oppose the Ethiopian governments appeal. A Tigray native, the 50-year-old moved to the United States 25 years ago and lives in a Maryland suburb of Washington. While the international community is begging for food and medicine to be delivered to people in Tigray, my government is not permitting it, he said, complaining about what rights groups have described as a humanitarian blockade. So, how do I be part of this campaign while my people are sentenced to death? Organizing a group Abiy Gebrehiwot, who lives in Washington and chairs the nonprofit California-based Council for Ethiopian Diaspora Action, told VOA the council last year brought roughly 500 members to Ethiopia to celebrate the holidays and tour the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, a new hydroelectric power plant on the Nile River. He said for the homecoming, he intends to bring as large a diaspora community as possible and engage them in every aspect of the country. The council chairman said one goal was to boost Ethiopias economy, battered by COVID-19 and the Tigray conflict. It had been the regions fastest-growing economy, expanding by an annual average of 9.4% for nine years ending in 2019-2020, according to the World Bank. The poor country, with 112 million people and a per capita income of $850, had ambitions to climb to lower-middle-income status by 2025. The Ethiopian diaspora has sent nearly $9 billion in remittances over the past three years, the foreign affairs state minister said this month. Another goal for the homecoming initiative is to show the world the country is safe and peaceful and to make it an annual event, Abiy Gebrehiwot said. Alebachew Desalegn, a London-based member of the Ethiopian Diaspora Task Force, said diaspora members would be encouraged to help rebuild war-torn infrastructure during their stays. We focus on development, rebuilding the destroyed houses, and helping the homeless, he told VOA. Honoring the call State-owned Ethiopian Airlines has offered discounts of up to 30% on its fares for homecoming travelers. The price drop enticed Korso, who paid $1,200 for a ticket and will leave for Ethiopia on January 10. He plans to bring extra suitcases packed with medicine, protective masks and clothing paid at my own expense, he said, to aid Ethiopians. The group Doctors for Ethiopia has encouraged diaspora travelers to bring medical supplies. Korso said he and his friends want to honor the prime ministers call because I believe the pressure being exerted by Americans and Europeans on Ethiopia is not right." Tesfahun, in rejecting the homecoming appeal, also referenced reports of Tigrayans allegedly being targeted for arrest and detention. If he went to Ethiopia, he said, I might not have the same fate as others because of my [U.S.] citizenship. But those are my people from Tigray who got fired from their jobs and live in detention facilities." On Wednesday, Demeke Mekonnen, deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister, presided over a welcoming ceremony at Wodajinet Park in the capital, Addis Ababa. According to the state-owned Ethiopian News Agency, he called on diaspora members to support the federal governments reconstruction efforts. This report originated in Amharic in VOAs Horn of Africa Service. Carol Guensburg contributed. Thousands living in the Ethiopian diaspora have begun arriving in the Horn of Africa country, responding to the governments call for a great Ethiopian homecoming. Korso Koji looks forward to joining them soon. I have friends who have been abroad for a long time and who believe in the unity of Ethiopia. We will go together," said Korso, 36, who has a trucking business in Columbus, Ohio, and came from the Oromia regions town of Shashamane. Ethiopian leaders hope to draw 1 million diaspora members like Korso to their homeland for celebrations of Orthodox Christmas on January 7 and through the January 19 Feast of the Epiphany and Timkat festivals that commemorate the baptism of Jesus. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who issued the #GreatEthiopianHomeComing challenge in November, greeted diaspora visitors Tuesday with a Twitter post in Amharic reading Welcome, my brothers and sisters, who have returned home in response to the invitation to show your citizenship! Abiys #GreatEthiopianHomeComing challenge came as a rebuke to countries such as the United States, France, Germany and Turkey, which last month urged their respective citizens to leave Ethiopia as yearlong fighting between federal troops and forces of the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front threatened to reach the capital, Addis Ababa. On November 5, the U.S. State Department ordered nonemergency U.S. government employees and their families to leave due to armed conflict, civil unrest and possible supply shortages. Fighting paused after Ethiopian forces reclaimed some ground, and the TPLF announced December 20 that it would pull back its forces to Tigray from the neighboring Amhara and Afar regions, leaving room for negotiations, diplomats and analysts have said. In a statement shared Wednesday by state-owned Ethiopian news media, Abiy encouraged the visitors to check out tourist sites and development work and to witness the atrocities committed by the terrorist TPLF against our people. (In mid-December, the U.N. Human Rights Council voted to set up an international commission to investigate alleged violations by all parties in the Tigray conflict.) Billene Seyoum, spokeswoman for the prime minister, also welcomed diaspora travelers via Twitter this week, saying, When the world said to run from home, your heart knew the truth! Home is indeed where the heart is. Earlier this month, she said the homecoming initiative would demonstrate that Ethiopia prevails and would send a message of unity to the international community. If Tesfahun Kahsay has any message to send, its to oppose the Ethiopian governments appeal. A Tigray native, the 50-year-old moved to the United States 25 years ago and lives in a Maryland suburb of Washington. While the international community is begging for food and medicine to be delivered to people in Tigray, my government is not permitting it, he said, complaining about what rights groups have described as a humanitarian blockade. So, how do I be part of this campaign while my people are sentenced to death? Organizing a group Abiy Gebrehiwot, who lives in Washington and chairs the nonprofit California-based Council for Ethiopian Diaspora Action, told VOA the council last year brought roughly 500 members to Ethiopia to celebrate the holidays and tour the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, a new hydroelectric power plant on the Nile River. He said for the homecoming, he intends to bring as large a diaspora community as possible and engage them in every aspect of the country. The council chairman said one goal was to boost Ethiopias economy, battered by COVID-19 and the Tigray conflict. It had been the regions fastest-growing economy, expanding by an annual average of 9.4% for nine years ending in 2019-2020, according to the World Bank. The poor country, with 112 million people and a per capita income of $850, had ambitions to climb to lower-middle-income status by 2025. The Ethiopian diaspora has sent nearly $9 billion in remittances over the past three years, the foreign affairs state minister said this month. Another goal for the homecoming initiative is to show the world the country is safe and peaceful and to make it an annual event, Abiy Gebrehiwot said. Alebachew Desalegn, a London-based member of the Ethiopian Diaspora Task Force, said diaspora members would be encouraged to help rebuild war-torn infrastructure during their stays. We focus on development, rebuilding the destroyed houses, and helping the homeless, he told VOA. Honoring the call State-owned Ethiopian Airlines has offered discounts of up to 30% on its fares for homecoming travelers. The price drop enticed Korso, who paid $1,200 for a ticket and will leave for Ethiopia on January 10. He plans to bring extra suitcases packed with medicine, protective masks and clothing paid at my own expense, he said, to aid Ethiopians. The group Doctors for Ethiopia has encouraged diaspora travelers to bring medical supplies. Korso said he and his friends want to honor the prime ministers call because I believe the pressure being exerted by Americans and Europeans on Ethiopia is not right." Tesfahun, in rejecting the homecoming appeal, also referenced reports of Tigrayans allegedly being targeted for arrest and detention. If he went to Ethiopia, he said, I might not have the same fate as others because of my [U.S.] citizenship. But those are my people from Tigray who got fired from their jobs and live in detention facilities." On Wednesday, Demeke Mekonnen, deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister, presided over a welcoming ceremony at Wodajinet Park in the capital, Addis Ababa. According to the state-owned Ethiopian News Agency, he called on diaspora members to support the federal governments reconstruction efforts. This report originated in Amharic in VOAs Horn of Africa Service. Carol Guensburg contributed. Senior political leader P G R Sindhia has urged the state government to release statistics on the number of people who converted to other religions in Karnataka in the last 10 years. To a query on the Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill which the state government is planning to pass in the Legislative Council, the former minister said, Before speaking for or against the bill, the state government should place the statistics on the alleged conversion. None are in favour of forceful conversion. A few have been unanimously converted to other religions. However, the ruling party wants to debate on the conversion for the sake of votes. He slammed individual-oriented politics in the state, which he said is favoured over issue-oriented politics. The credibility of politicians should be increased through their actions and utterances, he noted. "Politicians are merely engaged in mudslinging against each other. It looks like the politics in Karnataka revolves around eight to 10 politicians. Owing to the mudslinging, the credibility of politicians is at stake, he said. On CM Basavaraj Bommai's remarks on pension for emergency detainees, Sindhia said, None of the detainees had asked for the pension so far. I do not why the government wants to go for it. If they are planning to implement it, then the government should ensure that it is not misused." Check out DH's latest videos Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Senior political leader P G R Sindhia has urged the state government to release statistics on the number of people who converted to other religions in Karnataka in the last 10 years. To a query on the Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill which the state government is planning to pass in the Legislative Council, the former minister said, Before speaking for or against the bill, the state government should place the statistics on the alleged conversion. None are in favour of forceful conversion. A few have been unanimously converted to other religions. However, the ruling party wants to debate on the conversion for the sake of votes. He slammed individual-oriented politics in the state, which he said is favoured over issue-oriented politics. The credibility of politicians should be increased through their actions and utterances, he noted. "Politicians are merely engaged in mudslinging against each other. It looks like the politics in Karnataka revolves around eight to 10 politicians. Owing to the mudslinging, the credibility of politicians is at stake, he said. On CM Basavaraj Bommai's remarks on pension for emergency detainees, Sindhia said, None of the detainees had asked for the pension so far. I do not why the government wants to go for it. If they are planning to implement it, then the government should ensure that it is not misused." Check out DH's latest videos Thousands living in the Ethiopian diaspora have begun arriving in the Horn of Africa country, responding to the governments call for a great Ethiopian homecoming. Korso Koji looks forward to joining them soon. I have friends who have been abroad for a long time and who believe in the unity of Ethiopia. We will go together," said Korso, 36, who has a trucking business in Columbus, Ohio, and came from the Oromia regions town of Shashamane. Ethiopian leaders hope to draw 1 million diaspora members like Korso to their homeland for celebrations of Orthodox Christmas on January 7 and through the January 19 Feast of the Epiphany and Timkat festivals that commemorate the baptism of Jesus. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who issued the #GreatEthiopianHomeComing challenge in November, greeted diaspora visitors Tuesday with a Twitter post in Amharic reading Welcome, my brothers and sisters, who have returned home in response to the invitation to show your citizenship! Abiys #GreatEthiopianHomeComing challenge came as a rebuke to countries such as the United States, France, Germany and Turkey, which last month urged their respective citizens to leave Ethiopia as yearlong fighting between federal troops and forces of the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front threatened to reach the capital, Addis Ababa. On November 5, the U.S. State Department ordered nonemergency U.S. government employees and their families to leave due to armed conflict, civil unrest and possible supply shortages. Fighting paused after Ethiopian forces reclaimed some ground, and the TPLF announced December 20 that it would pull back its forces to Tigray from the neighboring Amhara and Afar regions, leaving room for negotiations, diplomats and analysts have said. In a statement shared Wednesday by state-owned Ethiopian news media, Abiy encouraged the visitors to check out tourist sites and development work and to witness the atrocities committed by the terrorist TPLF against our people. (In mid-December, the U.N. Human Rights Council voted to set up an international commission to investigate alleged violations by all parties in the Tigray conflict.) Billene Seyoum, spokeswoman for the prime minister, also welcomed diaspora travelers via Twitter this week, saying, When the world said to run from home, your heart knew the truth! Home is indeed where the heart is. Earlier this month, she said the homecoming initiative would demonstrate that Ethiopia prevails and would send a message of unity to the international community. If Tesfahun Kahsay has any message to send, its to oppose the Ethiopian governments appeal. A Tigray native, the 50-year-old moved to the United States 25 years ago and lives in a Maryland suburb of Washington. While the international community is begging for food and medicine to be delivered to people in Tigray, my government is not permitting it, he said, complaining about what rights groups have described as a humanitarian blockade. So, how do I be part of this campaign while my people are sentenced to death? Organizing a group Abiy Gebrehiwot, who lives in Washington and chairs the nonprofit California-based Council for Ethiopian Diaspora Action, told VOA the council last year brought roughly 500 members to Ethiopia to celebrate the holidays and tour the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, a new hydroelectric power plant on the Nile River. He said for the homecoming, he intends to bring as large a diaspora community as possible and engage them in every aspect of the country. The council chairman said one goal was to boost Ethiopias economy, battered by COVID-19 and the Tigray conflict. It had been the regions fastest-growing economy, expanding by an annual average of 9.4% for nine years ending in 2019-2020, according to the World Bank. The poor country, with 112 million people and a per capita income of $850, had ambitions to climb to lower-middle-income status by 2025. The Ethiopian diaspora has sent nearly $9 billion in remittances over the past three years, the foreign affairs state minister said this month. Another goal for the homecoming initiative is to show the world the country is safe and peaceful and to make it an annual event, Abiy Gebrehiwot said. Alebachew Desalegn, a London-based member of the Ethiopian Diaspora Task Force, said diaspora members would be encouraged to help rebuild war-torn infrastructure during their stays. We focus on development, rebuilding the destroyed houses, and helping the homeless, he told VOA. Honoring the call State-owned Ethiopian Airlines has offered discounts of up to 30% on its fares for homecoming travelers. The price drop enticed Korso, who paid $1,200 for a ticket and will leave for Ethiopia on January 10. He plans to bring extra suitcases packed with medicine, protective masks and clothing paid at my own expense, he said, to aid Ethiopians. The group Doctors for Ethiopia has encouraged diaspora travelers to bring medical supplies. Korso said he and his friends want to honor the prime ministers call because I believe the pressure being exerted by Americans and Europeans on Ethiopia is not right." Tesfahun, in rejecting the homecoming appeal, also referenced reports of Tigrayans allegedly being targeted for arrest and detention. If he went to Ethiopia, he said, I might not have the same fate as others because of my [U.S.] citizenship. But those are my people from Tigray who got fired from their jobs and live in detention facilities." On Wednesday, Demeke Mekonnen, deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister, presided over a welcoming ceremony at Wodajinet Park in the capital, Addis Ababa. According to the state-owned Ethiopian News Agency, he called on diaspora members to support the federal governments reconstruction efforts. This report originated in Amharic in VOAs Horn of Africa Service. Carol Guensburg contributed. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. The report that came to the attention of the United States military in April 2017 relayed devastating news from Iraq: More than 30 people, among them women and children, had been killed when aircraft from the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Mosul struck a neighborhood known as Siha. A civilian casualty cell of the U.S. military, which was charged with assessing reports of civilians killed or wounded in coalition operations, learned of the claim in a Facebook post published on April 11 by the news outlet, the Iraqi Spring Media Center. The Pentagon began an inquiry, but only a week later its assessment officers couldnt confirm whether coalition aircraft had targeted that location, and they dismissed the claim, saying Siha was not among known districts of West Mosul. There would be no further review. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Senior political leader P G R Sindhia has urged the state government to release statistics on the number of people who converted to other religions in Karnataka in the last 10 years. To a query on the Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill which the state government is planning to pass in the Legislative Council, the former minister said, Before speaking for or against the bill, the state government should place the statistics on the alleged conversion. None are in favour of forceful conversion. A few have been unanimously converted to other religions. However, the ruling party wants to debate on the conversion for the sake of votes. He slammed individual-oriented politics in the state, which he said is favoured over issue-oriented politics. The credibility of politicians should be increased through their actions and utterances, he noted. "Politicians are merely engaged in mudslinging against each other. It looks like the politics in Karnataka revolves around eight to 10 politicians. Owing to the mudslinging, the credibility of politicians is at stake, he said. On CM Basavaraj Bommai's remarks on pension for emergency detainees, Sindhia said, None of the detainees had asked for the pension so far. I do not why the government wants to go for it. If they are planning to implement it, then the government should ensure that it is not misused." Check out DH's latest videos The New Years holiday in Russia is special. It is far and away the most important holiday of the year and accordingly many traditions are associated with celebrating it. Many of these rituals are quite specific to Russia and differ from how other people around the world celebrate winter holidays. RBTH has collected the top 10 things you need, or else it isnt Russian New Years. Ded Moroz and Snegurochka The West may have Santa Claus, but he can hardly compete with Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost) or his granddaughter, Snegurochka (the Snow Maiden). Unlike Santa Claus, Ded Moroz is not afraid to show his face and often stops by holiday parties with Snegurochka to deliver presents in person. Ded Moroz maintains his residence near the town of Veliky Ustyug (in the Vologda Region); Snegurochka supposedly resides in Kostroma, on the Volga. The yolka Christmas trees were banned shortly after the revolution but were reintroduced as the novogodnaya yolka (New Years tree) in 1935 as a secular holiday symbol. Trees tend to be small and are often made of plastic, but they are still symbolic and important gathering symbols for Russians. Celebrities, Grandfather Frost and steam Many countries have popular traditional holiday films, but few can match up with the song and steam of the Soviet classic, The Irony of Fate or Have a Nice Bath (1975). Zhenya is engaged and plans on spending his New Years Eve with his fiancee. However, he first must go to the sauna, as per tradition with his friends. They all get intoxicated and Zhenya ends up on a plane to Leningrad. He drunkenly tells a taxi driver to take him to Third Builders Street, where he lives in Moscow. Remarkably the building looks the same and his key fits. He passes out in the apartment and is awakened by the unsuspecting Nadya. They fall in love, and Russians still cant get enough of this film. Television shows such as Goluboi Ogonyok (Little Blue Light), Pesnya Goda (Song of the Year; features most top-tier celebrities) and the childrens filmMorozko (Grandfather Frost) are additional holiday staples. Salads New Years just isnt New Years without the salads. Were not taking about light green salads either, but mayonnaise-infused and protein-thick works of art. Russians consume 2.5 kilograms of mayonnaise annually and nowhere is it celebrated more than on the holiday table. Olivier salad is usually made with mayonnaise, potatoes, carrots, pickles, green peas, eggs and chicken or bologna. New Years literally doesnt exist if this salad is not on your table. Selyodka pod Shuboi, or Herring under a Fur Coat is a layered carnival filled with herring, potatoes, carrots, beets, onions and mayonnaise. The beets give the salad its purplish color. Mandarin oranges Supposedly this tradition began back in the reign of Nicholas II. However, it was discontinued for decades due to the Soviet Unions difficulty in growing or importing them. It was revived around the 1970s and remains a staple on every Russian New Years table. Champagne and caviar Nothing said proletarian in the workers paradise more than champagne and caviar. While these items were in shorter supply during the Soviet period, it was then that they became part of the New Years tradition. The champagne is usually the Sovietskoye variety, available everywhere from Kamchatka to Brighton Beach. The caviar is usually red and served on buttered bread. A midnight date with Putin Regardless of their political affiliations, Russians around the world tune in to hear the Russian president offer his wishes for the upcoming year. Once he finishes, the clock tower on Red Square chimes, fireworks burst into the air and the New Year officially begins. Not leaving the house until AFTER midnight to visit friends and walk around the city For Russians, New Years is a family holiday and celebrations take place with close relatives on the evening of Dec. 31 with traditional toasts to say goodbye to the passing year. Phone calls are made to relatives that live far away. It is only after midnight that people begin the real partying. Many clubs only begin their main events at 00:30 or later. Fireworks As one person told me, it isnt New Years if you dont see the equivalent of a small countrys budget blown up in fireworks. The first New Years holiday I spent in Russia, in the industrial city of Tolyatti, involved hours of celebrating at home before going out after midnight with the whole family to see the citizenry declare war on the central square. The fireworks display was intense, loud and bright and is an integral part of any Russian New Years holiday. New Years Eve is just the beginning Perhaps the best part about Russian New Years is that its not back to work the next day or even the day after. In 2015 Russians have until Jan. 12 before they have to report back to the office. Thats 11 days to shake off their hangovers. Click to watch the video: Expectations for Christmas and New Year All rights reserved by Rossiyskaya Gazeta. Thousands living in the Ethiopian diaspora have begun arriving in the Horn of Africa country, responding to the governments call for a great Ethiopian homecoming. Korso Koji looks forward to joining them soon. I have friends who have been abroad for a long time and who believe in the unity of Ethiopia. We will go together," said Korso, 36, who has a trucking business in Columbus, Ohio, and came from the Oromia regions town of Shashamane. Ethiopian leaders hope to draw 1 million diaspora members like Korso to their homeland for celebrations of Orthodox Christmas on January 7 and through the January 19 Feast of the Epiphany and Timkat festivals that commemorate the baptism of Jesus. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who issued the #GreatEthiopianHomeComing challenge in November, greeted diaspora visitors Tuesday with a Twitter post in Amharic reading Welcome, my brothers and sisters, who have returned home in response to the invitation to show your citizenship! Abiys #GreatEthiopianHomeComing challenge came as a rebuke to countries such as the United States, France, Germany and Turkey, which last month urged their respective citizens to leave Ethiopia as yearlong fighting between federal troops and forces of the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front threatened to reach the capital, Addis Ababa. On November 5, the U.S. State Department ordered nonemergency U.S. government employees and their families to leave due to armed conflict, civil unrest and possible supply shortages. Fighting paused after Ethiopian forces reclaimed some ground, and the TPLF announced December 20 that it would pull back its forces to Tigray from the neighboring Amhara and Afar regions, leaving room for negotiations, diplomats and analysts have said. In a statement shared Wednesday by state-owned Ethiopian news media, Abiy encouraged the visitors to check out tourist sites and development work and to witness the atrocities committed by the terrorist TPLF against our people. (In mid-December, the U.N. Human Rights Council voted to set up an international commission to investigate alleged violations by all parties in the Tigray conflict.) Billene Seyoum, spokeswoman for the prime minister, also welcomed diaspora travelers via Twitter this week, saying, When the world said to run from home, your heart knew the truth! Home is indeed where the heart is. Earlier this month, she said the homecoming initiative would demonstrate that Ethiopia prevails and would send a message of unity to the international community. If Tesfahun Kahsay has any message to send, its to oppose the Ethiopian governments appeal. A Tigray native, the 50-year-old moved to the United States 25 years ago and lives in a Maryland suburb of Washington. While the international community is begging for food and medicine to be delivered to people in Tigray, my government is not permitting it, he said, complaining about what rights groups have described as a humanitarian blockade. So, how do I be part of this campaign while my people are sentenced to death? Organizing a group Abiy Gebrehiwot, who lives in Washington and chairs the nonprofit California-based Council for Ethiopian Diaspora Action, told VOA the council last year brought roughly 500 members to Ethiopia to celebrate the holidays and tour the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, a new hydroelectric power plant on the Nile River. He said for the homecoming, he intends to bring as large a diaspora community as possible and engage them in every aspect of the country. The council chairman said one goal was to boost Ethiopias economy, battered by COVID-19 and the Tigray conflict. It had been the regions fastest-growing economy, expanding by an annual average of 9.4% for nine years ending in 2019-2020, according to the World Bank. The poor country, with 112 million people and a per capita income of $850, had ambitions to climb to lower-middle-income status by 2025. The Ethiopian diaspora has sent nearly $9 billion in remittances over the past three years, the foreign affairs state minister said this month. Another goal for the homecoming initiative is to show the world the country is safe and peaceful and to make it an annual event, Abiy Gebrehiwot said. Alebachew Desalegn, a London-based member of the Ethiopian Diaspora Task Force, said diaspora members would be encouraged to help rebuild war-torn infrastructure during their stays. We focus on development, rebuilding the destroyed houses, and helping the homeless, he told VOA. Honoring the call State-owned Ethiopian Airlines has offered discounts of up to 30% on its fares for homecoming travelers. The price drop enticed Korso, who paid $1,200 for a ticket and will leave for Ethiopia on January 10. He plans to bring extra suitcases packed with medicine, protective masks and clothing paid at my own expense, he said, to aid Ethiopians. The group Doctors for Ethiopia has encouraged diaspora travelers to bring medical supplies. Korso said he and his friends want to honor the prime ministers call because I believe the pressure being exerted by Americans and Europeans on Ethiopia is not right." Tesfahun, in rejecting the homecoming appeal, also referenced reports of Tigrayans allegedly being targeted for arrest and detention. If he went to Ethiopia, he said, I might not have the same fate as others because of my [U.S.] citizenship. But those are my people from Tigray who got fired from their jobs and live in detention facilities." On Wednesday, Demeke Mekonnen, deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister, presided over a welcoming ceremony at Wodajinet Park in the capital, Addis Ababa. According to the state-owned Ethiopian News Agency, he called on diaspora members to support the federal governments reconstruction efforts. This report originated in Amharic in VOAs Horn of Africa Service. Carol Guensburg contributed. Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription. Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. The report that came to the attention of the United States military in April 2017 relayed devastating news from Iraq: More than 30 people, among them women and children, had been killed when aircraft from the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Mosul struck a neighborhood known as Siha. A civilian casualty cell of the U.S. military, which was charged with assessing reports of civilians killed or wounded in coalition operations, learned of the claim in a Facebook post published on April 11 by the news outlet, the Iraqi Spring Media Center. The Pentagon began an inquiry, but only a week later its assessment officers couldnt confirm whether coalition aircraft had targeted that location, and they dismissed the claim, saying Siha was not among known districts of West Mosul. There would be no further review. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. OKLAHOMA CITY (Tribune News Service) The adjutant general for the Oklahoma National Guard said Thursday that unvaccinated airmen may not participate in drills after Jan. 1, 2022. In an emailed statement, Adjutant Gen. Thomas Mancino informed members of the Oklahoma Air National Guard that due to the state's loss in court on Tuesday, members must be vaccinated or they cannot participate in the National Guard. The message is an about-face from Wednesday, when a spokesperson for the Guard said unvaccinated airmen would not face repercussions. "The Department of Defense ( DoD) has indicated it will recoup any pay provided to unvaccinated airmen who drill after Jan. 1, 2022," Mancino said in the message. "The Department of Defense controls the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) and can enforce this threat outside of the State of Oklahoma's control ... With no possibility of injunctive relief before Jan. 1, 2022, I have decided to not allow unvaccinated Oklahoma Air National Guard Drill Status Guardsmen, without a medical exemption or religious accommodation request, to participate in any future drill period, except for any airmen wishing to be vaccinated." This new directive only applies to men and women in the Oklahoma Air National Guard, as the deadline for Army National Guard soldiers to be vaccinated is this summer. Mancino said while he does not agree with this decision and "fully supports the governor's authority over the Oklahoma National Guard," his duty is to follow the rule of law, and he "owns" this decision. Thursday's announcement comes after a Tuesday decision from Senior U.S District Judge Stephen P. Friot, who ruled against Gov. Kevin Stitt and said the National Guard is included in a Pentagon directive mandating vaccinations for service members. As reported by The Transcript Wednesday, the Oklahoma National Guard initially said it would continue following Stitt's order not to comply with the federal mandate until it received further guidance. Neither the governor's office nor the Oklahoma National Guard responded to questions Thursday about whether the new direction was a decision from Stitt or Mancino. Mancino's email said the case is not over, as Friot's Tuesday decision rejected a temporary injunction that would have blocked the mandate from going into effect while legal challenges play out. The legal challenge is still ongoing, and the state can appeal the injunction. Although he did not reply to questions, Stitt did say in a statement: "I have done everything in my power under the law to protect the freedoms of Oklahoma Guardsmen. President (Joe) Biden's decision to mandate COVID vaccines will weaken our operational readiness by driving good men and women out of the Guard by violating their personal and religious freedoms." In his ruling Tuesday, Friot pointed out that guard members are already required to receive a number of vaccines, and said the COVID vaccine mandate "should be understood against the backdrop of other military immunization mandates." Earlier this month, Oklahoma National Guard officials said about 11% or 250 servicemen and women out of the 2,280-member Air National Guard remained unvaccinated. The official also said about 60% of the 6,500-member Oklahoma Army National Guard remained unvaccinated ahead of the June 2022 deadline. ___ (c)2021 the Muskogee Phoenix (Muskogee, Okla.) Visit the Muskogee Phoenix (Muskogee, Okla.) at muskogeephoenix.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. NORTH CHARLESTON The city's Police Department is in need of more bilingual officers to cover a population where 11.4 percent of residents identify as Hispanic. They have found a new hiring pool: a university in Puerto Rico. North Charleston police are partnering with the University of Puerto Rico to hire and train at least 10 people next year to serve as bilingual officers. The new hires will be graduates of the universitys public safety program where students can obtain degrees in criminal justice. The department will hire people who are Boricua, or of Puerto Rican descent. As a U.S. territory, residents of Puerto Rico are citizens of the United States. A lot of people from here who are bilingual may not want to be cops, Chief Reggie Burgess said. You have to go where people have the desire. There are 332 officers with the North Charleston Police Department, yet only about 20 officers speak Spanish, according to the department. Burgess said it is crucial for police to bridge communication barriers. A diverse force with more bilingual officers can show people the department cares about their issues, he said. There is no way in any world we can serve the people if we dont be about the people, he said. It's been difficult for North Charleston police to hire officers who are from the Lowcountry. In 2020, the department hired 16 people, none of whom were Hispanic. The department hired 28 people in 2021, including two Hispanic officers. All the while the Hispanic population has been growing in South Carolina, which has seen an increase of 117,156 Hispanic residents between 2010 and 2020. The Hispanic and Latino population in North Charleston alone hovers around 13,100, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The few officers we have now who speak Spanish are overworked because they are always called in to translate, said Rhonda Jerome, a City Council member representing District 2, which has a significant Latino community. Oftentimes the language barrier is so dire that children are burdened with the task of translating for their parents, which is difficult when they are communicating about complex concepts, Jerome said. It also strains bilingual community leaders who are repeatedly asked to translate for officers, said Lydia Cotton, a member of North Charleston's Hispanic community. Cotton said it was difficult for her and others to take on this extra responsibility. Between 2016 and 2020, North Charleston officers made 24,759 arrests, according to a 2021 audit of the department. About 7.5 percent of arrestees are Hispanic, the numbers showed. Recruiting officers from Puerto Rico is seen as a bridge toward increasing the departments number of Latino cops, who might better empathize with aspects of Hispanic culture, said Sharon Rivera-Doublin, a community member working with police to implement the program. People in the community want to see people like them in the department, Rivera-Doublin said. They want to be able to relate to officers, and to tell them something in Spanish without having to worry that it is going to be misinterpreted. There are five officers who identify as Hispanic in the department. Only one employee is Hispanic among the departments additional 58 civilian staff members. The audit found officers lacked training on basic issues specific to immigrants, such as how to obtain a drivers license. The audit also said police should better explain the services North Charleston provides, such as its involvement with deportation. We are not federal employees, Burgess, who is African American, said. We work for the city of North Charleston. I dont have any jurisdiction to say who can be here or not. Hey, my people came in 1619. We werent born here. So how can I tell someone who can be here and who cannot? North Charleston police and other community members will go to Puerto Rico at the beginning of 2022 to promote the program, said Chiquanna Giles, recruitment manager at the North Charleston police. They will return for a week in the spring to assess prospective candidates and make offers from there. Once new officers are hired, the department will help them transition to the Lowcountry, including helping them with their initial food and housing needs. If the Latino community sees more officers like them, perhaps more of the community would want to become officers too, Burgess said. NORTH CHARLESTON The city's Police Department is in need of more bilingual officers to cover a population where 11.4 percent of residents identify as Hispanic. They have found a new hiring pool: a university in Puerto Rico. North Charleston police are partnering with the University of Puerto Rico to hire and train at least 10 people next year to serve as bilingual officers. The new hires will be graduates of the universitys public safety program where students can obtain degrees in criminal justice. The department will hire people who are Boricua, or of Puerto Rican descent. As a U.S. territory, residents of Puerto Rico are citizens of the United States. A lot of people from here who are bilingual may not want to be cops, Chief Reggie Burgess said. You have to go where people have the desire. There are 332 officers with the North Charleston Police Department, yet only about 20 officers speak Spanish, according to the department. Burgess said it is crucial for police to bridge communication barriers. A diverse force with more bilingual officers can show people the department cares about their issues, he said. There is no way in any world we can serve the people if we dont be about the people, he said. It's been difficult for North Charleston police to hire officers who are from the Lowcountry. In 2020, the department hired 16 people, none of whom were Hispanic. The department hired 28 people in 2021, including two Hispanic officers. All the while the Hispanic population has been growing in South Carolina, which has seen an increase of 117,156 Hispanic residents between 2010 and 2020. The Hispanic and Latino population in North Charleston alone hovers around 13,100, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The few officers we have now who speak Spanish are overworked because they are always called in to translate, said Rhonda Jerome, a City Council member representing District 2, which has a significant Latino community. Oftentimes the language barrier is so dire that children are burdened with the task of translating for their parents, which is difficult when they are communicating about complex concepts, Jerome said. It also strains bilingual community leaders who are repeatedly asked to translate for officers, said Lydia Cotton, a member of North Charleston's Hispanic community. Cotton said it was difficult for her and others to take on this extra responsibility. Between 2016 and 2020, North Charleston officers made 24,759 arrests, according to a 2021 audit of the department. About 7.5 percent of arrestees are Hispanic, the numbers showed. Recruiting officers from Puerto Rico is seen as a bridge toward increasing the departments number of Latino cops, who might better empathize with aspects of Hispanic culture, said Sharon Rivera-Doublin, a community member working with police to implement the program. People in the community want to see people like them in the department, Rivera-Doublin said. They want to be able to relate to officers, and to tell them something in Spanish without having to worry that it is going to be misinterpreted. There are five officers who identify as Hispanic in the department. Only one employee is Hispanic among the departments additional 58 civilian staff members. The audit found officers lacked training on basic issues specific to immigrants, such as how to obtain a drivers license. The audit also said police should better explain the services North Charleston provides, such as its involvement with deportation. We are not federal employees, Burgess, who is African American, said. We work for the city of North Charleston. I dont have any jurisdiction to say who can be here or not. Hey, my people came in 1619. We werent born here. So how can I tell someone who can be here and who cannot? North Charleston police and other community members will go to Puerto Rico at the beginning of 2022 to promote the program, said Chiquanna Giles, recruitment manager at the North Charleston police. They will return for a week in the spring to assess prospective candidates and make offers from there. Once new officers are hired, the department will help them transition to the Lowcountry, including helping them with their initial food and housing needs. If the Latino community sees more officers like them, perhaps more of the community would want to become officers too, Burgess said. Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription. Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. The report that came to the attention of the United States military in April 2017 relayed devastating news from Iraq: More than 30 people, among them women and children, had been killed when aircraft from the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Mosul struck a neighborhood known as Siha. A civilian casualty cell of the U.S. military, which was charged with assessing reports of civilians killed or wounded in coalition operations, learned of the claim in a Facebook post published on April 11 by the news outlet, the Iraqi Spring Media Center. The Pentagon began an inquiry, but only a week later its assessment officers couldnt confirm whether coalition aircraft had targeted that location, and they dismissed the claim, saying Siha was not among known districts of West Mosul. There would be no further review. OKLAHOMA CITY (Tribune News Service) The adjutant general for the Oklahoma National Guard said Thursday that unvaccinated airmen may not participate in drills after Jan. 1, 2022. In an emailed statement, Adjutant Gen. Thomas Mancino informed members of the Oklahoma Air National Guard that due to the state's loss in court on Tuesday, members must be vaccinated or they cannot participate in the National Guard. The message is an about-face from Wednesday, when a spokesperson for the Guard said unvaccinated airmen would not face repercussions. "The Department of Defense ( DoD) has indicated it will recoup any pay provided to unvaccinated airmen who drill after Jan. 1, 2022," Mancino said in the message. "The Department of Defense controls the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) and can enforce this threat outside of the State of Oklahoma's control ... With no possibility of injunctive relief before Jan. 1, 2022, I have decided to not allow unvaccinated Oklahoma Air National Guard Drill Status Guardsmen, without a medical exemption or religious accommodation request, to participate in any future drill period, except for any airmen wishing to be vaccinated." This new directive only applies to men and women in the Oklahoma Air National Guard, as the deadline for Army National Guard soldiers to be vaccinated is this summer. Mancino said while he does not agree with this decision and "fully supports the governor's authority over the Oklahoma National Guard," his duty is to follow the rule of law, and he "owns" this decision. Thursday's announcement comes after a Tuesday decision from Senior U.S District Judge Stephen P. Friot, who ruled against Gov. Kevin Stitt and said the National Guard is included in a Pentagon directive mandating vaccinations for service members. As reported by The Transcript Wednesday, the Oklahoma National Guard initially said it would continue following Stitt's order not to comply with the federal mandate until it received further guidance. Neither the governor's office nor the Oklahoma National Guard responded to questions Thursday about whether the new direction was a decision from Stitt or Mancino. Mancino's email said the case is not over, as Friot's Tuesday decision rejected a temporary injunction that would have blocked the mandate from going into effect while legal challenges play out. The legal challenge is still ongoing, and the state can appeal the injunction. Although he did not reply to questions, Stitt did say in a statement: "I have done everything in my power under the law to protect the freedoms of Oklahoma Guardsmen. President (Joe) Biden's decision to mandate COVID vaccines will weaken our operational readiness by driving good men and women out of the Guard by violating their personal and religious freedoms." In his ruling Tuesday, Friot pointed out that guard members are already required to receive a number of vaccines, and said the COVID vaccine mandate "should be understood against the backdrop of other military immunization mandates." Earlier this month, Oklahoma National Guard officials said about 11% or 250 servicemen and women out of the 2,280-member Air National Guard remained unvaccinated. The official also said about 60% of the 6,500-member Oklahoma Army National Guard remained unvaccinated ahead of the June 2022 deadline. ___ (c)2021 the Muskogee Phoenix (Muskogee, Okla.) Visit the Muskogee Phoenix (Muskogee, Okla.) at muskogeephoenix.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. OKLAHOMA CITY (Tribune News Service) The adjutant general for the Oklahoma National Guard said Thursday that unvaccinated airmen may not participate in drills after Jan. 1, 2022. In an emailed statement, Adjutant Gen. Thomas Mancino informed members of the Oklahoma Air National Guard that due to the state's loss in court on Tuesday, members must be vaccinated or they cannot participate in the National Guard. The message is an about-face from Wednesday, when a spokesperson for the Guard said unvaccinated airmen would not face repercussions. "The Department of Defense ( DoD) has indicated it will recoup any pay provided to unvaccinated airmen who drill after Jan. 1, 2022," Mancino said in the message. "The Department of Defense controls the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) and can enforce this threat outside of the State of Oklahoma's control ... With no possibility of injunctive relief before Jan. 1, 2022, I have decided to not allow unvaccinated Oklahoma Air National Guard Drill Status Guardsmen, without a medical exemption or religious accommodation request, to participate in any future drill period, except for any airmen wishing to be vaccinated." This new directive only applies to men and women in the Oklahoma Air National Guard, as the deadline for Army National Guard soldiers to be vaccinated is this summer. Mancino said while he does not agree with this decision and "fully supports the governor's authority over the Oklahoma National Guard," his duty is to follow the rule of law, and he "owns" this decision. Thursday's announcement comes after a Tuesday decision from Senior U.S District Judge Stephen P. Friot, who ruled against Gov. Kevin Stitt and said the National Guard is included in a Pentagon directive mandating vaccinations for service members. As reported by The Transcript Wednesday, the Oklahoma National Guard initially said it would continue following Stitt's order not to comply with the federal mandate until it received further guidance. Neither the governor's office nor the Oklahoma National Guard responded to questions Thursday about whether the new direction was a decision from Stitt or Mancino. Mancino's email said the case is not over, as Friot's Tuesday decision rejected a temporary injunction that would have blocked the mandate from going into effect while legal challenges play out. The legal challenge is still ongoing, and the state can appeal the injunction. Although he did not reply to questions, Stitt did say in a statement: "I have done everything in my power under the law to protect the freedoms of Oklahoma Guardsmen. President (Joe) Biden's decision to mandate COVID vaccines will weaken our operational readiness by driving good men and women out of the Guard by violating their personal and religious freedoms." In his ruling Tuesday, Friot pointed out that guard members are already required to receive a number of vaccines, and said the COVID vaccine mandate "should be understood against the backdrop of other military immunization mandates." Earlier this month, Oklahoma National Guard officials said about 11% or 250 servicemen and women out of the 2,280-member Air National Guard remained unvaccinated. The official also said about 60% of the 6,500-member Oklahoma Army National Guard remained unvaccinated ahead of the June 2022 deadline. ___ (c)2021 the Muskogee Phoenix (Muskogee, Okla.) Visit the Muskogee Phoenix (Muskogee, Okla.) at muskogeephoenix.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. OKLAHOMA CITY (Tribune News Service) The adjutant general for the Oklahoma National Guard said Thursday that unvaccinated airmen may not participate in drills after Jan. 1, 2022. In an emailed statement, Adjutant Gen. Thomas Mancino informed members of the Oklahoma Air National Guard that due to the state's loss in court on Tuesday, members must be vaccinated or they cannot participate in the National Guard. The message is an about-face from Wednesday, when a spokesperson for the Guard said unvaccinated airmen would not face repercussions. "The Department of Defense ( DoD) has indicated it will recoup any pay provided to unvaccinated airmen who drill after Jan. 1, 2022," Mancino said in the message. "The Department of Defense controls the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) and can enforce this threat outside of the State of Oklahoma's control ... With no possibility of injunctive relief before Jan. 1, 2022, I have decided to not allow unvaccinated Oklahoma Air National Guard Drill Status Guardsmen, without a medical exemption or religious accommodation request, to participate in any future drill period, except for any airmen wishing to be vaccinated." This new directive only applies to men and women in the Oklahoma Air National Guard, as the deadline for Army National Guard soldiers to be vaccinated is this summer. Mancino said while he does not agree with this decision and "fully supports the governor's authority over the Oklahoma National Guard," his duty is to follow the rule of law, and he "owns" this decision. Thursday's announcement comes after a Tuesday decision from Senior U.S District Judge Stephen P. Friot, who ruled against Gov. Kevin Stitt and said the National Guard is included in a Pentagon directive mandating vaccinations for service members. As reported by The Transcript Wednesday, the Oklahoma National Guard initially said it would continue following Stitt's order not to comply with the federal mandate until it received further guidance. Neither the governor's office nor the Oklahoma National Guard responded to questions Thursday about whether the new direction was a decision from Stitt or Mancino. Mancino's email said the case is not over, as Friot's Tuesday decision rejected a temporary injunction that would have blocked the mandate from going into effect while legal challenges play out. The legal challenge is still ongoing, and the state can appeal the injunction. Although he did not reply to questions, Stitt did say in a statement: "I have done everything in my power under the law to protect the freedoms of Oklahoma Guardsmen. President (Joe) Biden's decision to mandate COVID vaccines will weaken our operational readiness by driving good men and women out of the Guard by violating their personal and religious freedoms." In his ruling Tuesday, Friot pointed out that guard members are already required to receive a number of vaccines, and said the COVID vaccine mandate "should be understood against the backdrop of other military immunization mandates." Earlier this month, Oklahoma National Guard officials said about 11% or 250 servicemen and women out of the 2,280-member Air National Guard remained unvaccinated. The official also said about 60% of the 6,500-member Oklahoma Army National Guard remained unvaccinated ahead of the June 2022 deadline. ___ (c)2021 the Muskogee Phoenix (Muskogee, Okla.) Visit the Muskogee Phoenix (Muskogee, Okla.) at muskogeephoenix.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. OKLAHOMA CITY (Tribune News Service) The adjutant general for the Oklahoma National Guard said Thursday that unvaccinated airmen may not participate in drills after Jan. 1, 2022. In an emailed statement, Adjutant Gen. Thomas Mancino informed members of the Oklahoma Air National Guard that due to the state's loss in court on Tuesday, members must be vaccinated or they cannot participate in the National Guard. The message is an about-face from Wednesday, when a spokesperson for the Guard said unvaccinated airmen would not face repercussions. "The Department of Defense ( DoD) has indicated it will recoup any pay provided to unvaccinated airmen who drill after Jan. 1, 2022," Mancino said in the message. "The Department of Defense controls the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) and can enforce this threat outside of the State of Oklahoma's control ... With no possibility of injunctive relief before Jan. 1, 2022, I have decided to not allow unvaccinated Oklahoma Air National Guard Drill Status Guardsmen, without a medical exemption or religious accommodation request, to participate in any future drill period, except for any airmen wishing to be vaccinated." This new directive only applies to men and women in the Oklahoma Air National Guard, as the deadline for Army National Guard soldiers to be vaccinated is this summer. Mancino said while he does not agree with this decision and "fully supports the governor's authority over the Oklahoma National Guard," his duty is to follow the rule of law, and he "owns" this decision. Thursday's announcement comes after a Tuesday decision from Senior U.S District Judge Stephen P. Friot, who ruled against Gov. Kevin Stitt and said the National Guard is included in a Pentagon directive mandating vaccinations for service members. As reported by The Transcript Wednesday, the Oklahoma National Guard initially said it would continue following Stitt's order not to comply with the federal mandate until it received further guidance. Neither the governor's office nor the Oklahoma National Guard responded to questions Thursday about whether the new direction was a decision from Stitt or Mancino. Mancino's email said the case is not over, as Friot's Tuesday decision rejected a temporary injunction that would have blocked the mandate from going into effect while legal challenges play out. The legal challenge is still ongoing, and the state can appeal the injunction. Although he did not reply to questions, Stitt did say in a statement: "I have done everything in my power under the law to protect the freedoms of Oklahoma Guardsmen. President (Joe) Biden's decision to mandate COVID vaccines will weaken our operational readiness by driving good men and women out of the Guard by violating their personal and religious freedoms." In his ruling Tuesday, Friot pointed out that guard members are already required to receive a number of vaccines, and said the COVID vaccine mandate "should be understood against the backdrop of other military immunization mandates." Earlier this month, Oklahoma National Guard officials said about 11% or 250 servicemen and women out of the 2,280-member Air National Guard remained unvaccinated. The official also said about 60% of the 6,500-member Oklahoma Army National Guard remained unvaccinated ahead of the June 2022 deadline. ___ (c)2021 the Muskogee Phoenix (Muskogee, Okla.) Visit the Muskogee Phoenix (Muskogee, Okla.) at muskogeephoenix.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. NORTH CHARLESTON The city's Police Department is in need of more bilingual officers to cover a population where 11.4 percent of residents identify as Hispanic. They have found a new hiring pool: a university in Puerto Rico. North Charleston police are partnering with the University of Puerto Rico to hire and train at least 10 people next year to serve as bilingual officers. The new hires will be graduates of the universitys public safety program where students can obtain degrees in criminal justice. The department will hire people who are Boricua, or of Puerto Rican descent. As a U.S. territory, residents of Puerto Rico are citizens of the United States. A lot of people from here who are bilingual may not want to be cops, Chief Reggie Burgess said. You have to go where people have the desire. There are 332 officers with the North Charleston Police Department, yet only about 20 officers speak Spanish, according to the department. Burgess said it is crucial for police to bridge communication barriers. A diverse force with more bilingual officers can show people the department cares about their issues, he said. There is no way in any world we can serve the people if we dont be about the people, he said. It's been difficult for North Charleston police to hire officers who are from the Lowcountry. In 2020, the department hired 16 people, none of whom were Hispanic. The department hired 28 people in 2021, including two Hispanic officers. All the while the Hispanic population has been growing in South Carolina, which has seen an increase of 117,156 Hispanic residents between 2010 and 2020. The Hispanic and Latino population in North Charleston alone hovers around 13,100, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The few officers we have now who speak Spanish are overworked because they are always called in to translate, said Rhonda Jerome, a City Council member representing District 2, which has a significant Latino community. Oftentimes the language barrier is so dire that children are burdened with the task of translating for their parents, which is difficult when they are communicating about complex concepts, Jerome said. It also strains bilingual community leaders who are repeatedly asked to translate for officers, said Lydia Cotton, a member of North Charleston's Hispanic community. Cotton said it was difficult for her and others to take on this extra responsibility. Between 2016 and 2020, North Charleston officers made 24,759 arrests, according to a 2021 audit of the department. About 7.5 percent of arrestees are Hispanic, the numbers showed. Recruiting officers from Puerto Rico is seen as a bridge toward increasing the departments number of Latino cops, who might better empathize with aspects of Hispanic culture, said Sharon Rivera-Doublin, a community member working with police to implement the program. People in the community want to see people like them in the department, Rivera-Doublin said. They want to be able to relate to officers, and to tell them something in Spanish without having to worry that it is going to be misinterpreted. There are five officers who identify as Hispanic in the department. Only one employee is Hispanic among the departments additional 58 civilian staff members. The audit found officers lacked training on basic issues specific to immigrants, such as how to obtain a drivers license. The audit also said police should better explain the services North Charleston provides, such as its involvement with deportation. We are not federal employees, Burgess, who is African American, said. We work for the city of North Charleston. I dont have any jurisdiction to say who can be here or not. Hey, my people came in 1619. We werent born here. So how can I tell someone who can be here and who cannot? North Charleston police and other community members will go to Puerto Rico at the beginning of 2022 to promote the program, said Chiquanna Giles, recruitment manager at the North Charleston police. They will return for a week in the spring to assess prospective candidates and make offers from there. Once new officers are hired, the department will help them transition to the Lowcountry, including helping them with their initial food and housing needs. If the Latino community sees more officers like them, perhaps more of the community would want to become officers too, Burgess said. NORTH CHARLESTON The city's Police Department is in need of more bilingual officers to cover a population where 11.4 percent of residents identify as Hispanic. They have found a new hiring pool: a university in Puerto Rico. North Charleston police are partnering with the University of Puerto Rico to hire and train at least 10 people next year to serve as bilingual officers. The new hires will be graduates of the universitys public safety program where students can obtain degrees in criminal justice. The department will hire people who are Boricua, or of Puerto Rican descent. As a U.S. territory, residents of Puerto Rico are citizens of the United States. A lot of people from here who are bilingual may not want to be cops, Chief Reggie Burgess said. You have to go where people have the desire. There are 332 officers with the North Charleston Police Department, yet only about 20 officers speak Spanish, according to the department. Burgess said it is crucial for police to bridge communication barriers. A diverse force with more bilingual officers can show people the department cares about their issues, he said. There is no way in any world we can serve the people if we dont be about the people, he said. It's been difficult for North Charleston police to hire officers who are from the Lowcountry. In 2020, the department hired 16 people, none of whom were Hispanic. The department hired 28 people in 2021, including two Hispanic officers. All the while the Hispanic population has been growing in South Carolina, which has seen an increase of 117,156 Hispanic residents between 2010 and 2020. The Hispanic and Latino population in North Charleston alone hovers around 13,100, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The few officers we have now who speak Spanish are overworked because they are always called in to translate, said Rhonda Jerome, a City Council member representing District 2, which has a significant Latino community. Oftentimes the language barrier is so dire that children are burdened with the task of translating for their parents, which is difficult when they are communicating about complex concepts, Jerome said. It also strains bilingual community leaders who are repeatedly asked to translate for officers, said Lydia Cotton, a member of North Charleston's Hispanic community. Cotton said it was difficult for her and others to take on this extra responsibility. Between 2016 and 2020, North Charleston officers made 24,759 arrests, according to a 2021 audit of the department. About 7.5 percent of arrestees are Hispanic, the numbers showed. Recruiting officers from Puerto Rico is seen as a bridge toward increasing the departments number of Latino cops, who might better empathize with aspects of Hispanic culture, said Sharon Rivera-Doublin, a community member working with police to implement the program. People in the community want to see people like them in the department, Rivera-Doublin said. They want to be able to relate to officers, and to tell them something in Spanish without having to worry that it is going to be misinterpreted. There are five officers who identify as Hispanic in the department. Only one employee is Hispanic among the departments additional 58 civilian staff members. The audit found officers lacked training on basic issues specific to immigrants, such as how to obtain a drivers license. The audit also said police should better explain the services North Charleston provides, such as its involvement with deportation. We are not federal employees, Burgess, who is African American, said. We work for the city of North Charleston. I dont have any jurisdiction to say who can be here or not. Hey, my people came in 1619. We werent born here. So how can I tell someone who can be here and who cannot? North Charleston police and other community members will go to Puerto Rico at the beginning of 2022 to promote the program, said Chiquanna Giles, recruitment manager at the North Charleston police. They will return for a week in the spring to assess prospective candidates and make offers from there. Once new officers are hired, the department will help them transition to the Lowcountry, including helping them with their initial food and housing needs. If the Latino community sees more officers like them, perhaps more of the community would want to become officers too, Burgess said. NORTH CHARLESTON The city's Police Department is in need of more bilingual officers to cover a population where 11.4 percent of residents identify as Hispanic. They have found a new hiring pool: a university in Puerto Rico. North Charleston police are partnering with the University of Puerto Rico to hire and train at least 10 people next year to serve as bilingual officers. The new hires will be graduates of the universitys public safety program where students can obtain degrees in criminal justice. The department will hire people who are Boricua, or of Puerto Rican descent. As a U.S. territory, residents of Puerto Rico are citizens of the United States. A lot of people from here who are bilingual may not want to be cops, Chief Reggie Burgess said. You have to go where people have the desire. There are 332 officers with the North Charleston Police Department, yet only about 20 officers speak Spanish, according to the department. Burgess said it is crucial for police to bridge communication barriers. A diverse force with more bilingual officers can show people the department cares about their issues, he said. There is no way in any world we can serve the people if we dont be about the people, he said. It's been difficult for North Charleston police to hire officers who are from the Lowcountry. In 2020, the department hired 16 people, none of whom were Hispanic. The department hired 28 people in 2021, including two Hispanic officers. All the while the Hispanic population has been growing in South Carolina, which has seen an increase of 117,156 Hispanic residents between 2010 and 2020. The Hispanic and Latino population in North Charleston alone hovers around 13,100, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The few officers we have now who speak Spanish are overworked because they are always called in to translate, said Rhonda Jerome, a City Council member representing District 2, which has a significant Latino community. Oftentimes the language barrier is so dire that children are burdened with the task of translating for their parents, which is difficult when they are communicating about complex concepts, Jerome said. It also strains bilingual community leaders who are repeatedly asked to translate for officers, said Lydia Cotton, a member of North Charleston's Hispanic community. Cotton said it was difficult for her and others to take on this extra responsibility. Between 2016 and 2020, North Charleston officers made 24,759 arrests, according to a 2021 audit of the department. About 7.5 percent of arrestees are Hispanic, the numbers showed. Recruiting officers from Puerto Rico is seen as a bridge toward increasing the departments number of Latino cops, who might better empathize with aspects of Hispanic culture, said Sharon Rivera-Doublin, a community member working with police to implement the program. People in the community want to see people like them in the department, Rivera-Doublin said. They want to be able to relate to officers, and to tell them something in Spanish without having to worry that it is going to be misinterpreted. There are five officers who identify as Hispanic in the department. Only one employee is Hispanic among the departments additional 58 civilian staff members. The audit found officers lacked training on basic issues specific to immigrants, such as how to obtain a drivers license. The audit also said police should better explain the services North Charleston provides, such as its involvement with deportation. We are not federal employees, Burgess, who is African American, said. We work for the city of North Charleston. I dont have any jurisdiction to say who can be here or not. Hey, my people came in 1619. We werent born here. So how can I tell someone who can be here and who cannot? North Charleston police and other community members will go to Puerto Rico at the beginning of 2022 to promote the program, said Chiquanna Giles, recruitment manager at the North Charleston police. They will return for a week in the spring to assess prospective candidates and make offers from there. Once new officers are hired, the department will help them transition to the Lowcountry, including helping them with their initial food and housing needs. If the Latino community sees more officers like them, perhaps more of the community would want to become officers too, Burgess said. NORTH CHARLESTON The city's Police Department is in need of more bilingual officers to cover a population where 11.4 percent of residents identify as Hispanic. They have found a new hiring pool: a university in Puerto Rico. North Charleston police are partnering with the University of Puerto Rico to hire and train at least 10 people next year to serve as bilingual officers. The new hires will be graduates of the universitys public safety program where students can obtain degrees in criminal justice. The department will hire people who are Boricua, or of Puerto Rican descent. As a U.S. territory, residents of Puerto Rico are citizens of the United States. A lot of people from here who are bilingual may not want to be cops, Chief Reggie Burgess said. You have to go where people have the desire. There are 332 officers with the North Charleston Police Department, yet only about 20 officers speak Spanish, according to the department. Burgess said it is crucial for police to bridge communication barriers. A diverse force with more bilingual officers can show people the department cares about their issues, he said. There is no way in any world we can serve the people if we dont be about the people, he said. It's been difficult for North Charleston police to hire officers who are from the Lowcountry. In 2020, the department hired 16 people, none of whom were Hispanic. The department hired 28 people in 2021, including two Hispanic officers. All the while the Hispanic population has been growing in South Carolina, which has seen an increase of 117,156 Hispanic residents between 2010 and 2020. The Hispanic and Latino population in North Charleston alone hovers around 13,100, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The few officers we have now who speak Spanish are overworked because they are always called in to translate, said Rhonda Jerome, a City Council member representing District 2, which has a significant Latino community. Oftentimes the language barrier is so dire that children are burdened with the task of translating for their parents, which is difficult when they are communicating about complex concepts, Jerome said. It also strains bilingual community leaders who are repeatedly asked to translate for officers, said Lydia Cotton, a member of North Charleston's Hispanic community. Cotton said it was difficult for her and others to take on this extra responsibility. Between 2016 and 2020, North Charleston officers made 24,759 arrests, according to a 2021 audit of the department. About 7.5 percent of arrestees are Hispanic, the numbers showed. Recruiting officers from Puerto Rico is seen as a bridge toward increasing the departments number of Latino cops, who might better empathize with aspects of Hispanic culture, said Sharon Rivera-Doublin, a community member working with police to implement the program. People in the community want to see people like them in the department, Rivera-Doublin said. They want to be able to relate to officers, and to tell them something in Spanish without having to worry that it is going to be misinterpreted. There are five officers who identify as Hispanic in the department. Only one employee is Hispanic among the departments additional 58 civilian staff members. The audit found officers lacked training on basic issues specific to immigrants, such as how to obtain a drivers license. The audit also said police should better explain the services North Charleston provides, such as its involvement with deportation. We are not federal employees, Burgess, who is African American, said. We work for the city of North Charleston. I dont have any jurisdiction to say who can be here or not. Hey, my people came in 1619. We werent born here. So how can I tell someone who can be here and who cannot? North Charleston police and other community members will go to Puerto Rico at the beginning of 2022 to promote the program, said Chiquanna Giles, recruitment manager at the North Charleston police. They will return for a week in the spring to assess prospective candidates and make offers from there. Once new officers are hired, the department will help them transition to the Lowcountry, including helping them with their initial food and housing needs. If the Latino community sees more officers like them, perhaps more of the community would want to become officers too, Burgess said. NORTH CHARLESTON The city's Police Department is in need of more bilingual officers to cover a population where 11.4 percent of residents identify as Hispanic. They have found a new hiring pool: a university in Puerto Rico. North Charleston police are partnering with the University of Puerto Rico to hire and train at least 10 people next year to serve as bilingual officers. The new hires will be graduates of the universitys public safety program where students can obtain degrees in criminal justice. The department will hire people who are Boricua, or of Puerto Rican descent. As a U.S. territory, residents of Puerto Rico are citizens of the United States. A lot of people from here who are bilingual may not want to be cops, Chief Reggie Burgess said. You have to go where people have the desire. There are 332 officers with the North Charleston Police Department, yet only about 20 officers speak Spanish, according to the department. Burgess said it is crucial for police to bridge communication barriers. A diverse force with more bilingual officers can show people the department cares about their issues, he said. There is no way in any world we can serve the people if we dont be about the people, he said. It's been difficult for North Charleston police to hire officers who are from the Lowcountry. In 2020, the department hired 16 people, none of whom were Hispanic. The department hired 28 people in 2021, including two Hispanic officers. All the while the Hispanic population has been growing in South Carolina, which has seen an increase of 117,156 Hispanic residents between 2010 and 2020. The Hispanic and Latino population in North Charleston alone hovers around 13,100, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The few officers we have now who speak Spanish are overworked because they are always called in to translate, said Rhonda Jerome, a City Council member representing District 2, which has a significant Latino community. Oftentimes the language barrier is so dire that children are burdened with the task of translating for their parents, which is difficult when they are communicating about complex concepts, Jerome said. It also strains bilingual community leaders who are repeatedly asked to translate for officers, said Lydia Cotton, a member of North Charleston's Hispanic community. Cotton said it was difficult for her and others to take on this extra responsibility. Between 2016 and 2020, North Charleston officers made 24,759 arrests, according to a 2021 audit of the department. About 7.5 percent of arrestees are Hispanic, the numbers showed. Recruiting officers from Puerto Rico is seen as a bridge toward increasing the departments number of Latino cops, who might better empathize with aspects of Hispanic culture, said Sharon Rivera-Doublin, a community member working with police to implement the program. People in the community want to see people like them in the department, Rivera-Doublin said. They want to be able to relate to officers, and to tell them something in Spanish without having to worry that it is going to be misinterpreted. There are five officers who identify as Hispanic in the department. Only one employee is Hispanic among the departments additional 58 civilian staff members. The audit found officers lacked training on basic issues specific to immigrants, such as how to obtain a drivers license. The audit also said police should better explain the services North Charleston provides, such as its involvement with deportation. We are not federal employees, Burgess, who is African American, said. We work for the city of North Charleston. I dont have any jurisdiction to say who can be here or not. Hey, my people came in 1619. We werent born here. So how can I tell someone who can be here and who cannot? North Charleston police and other community members will go to Puerto Rico at the beginning of 2022 to promote the program, said Chiquanna Giles, recruitment manager at the North Charleston police. They will return for a week in the spring to assess prospective candidates and make offers from there. Once new officers are hired, the department will help them transition to the Lowcountry, including helping them with their initial food and housing needs. If the Latino community sees more officers like them, perhaps more of the community would want to become officers too, Burgess said. The report that came to the attention of the United States military in April 2017 relayed devastating news from Iraq: More than 30 people, among them women and children, had been killed when aircraft from the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Mosul struck a neighborhood known as Siha. A civilian casualty cell of the U.S. military, which was charged with assessing reports of civilians killed or wounded in coalition operations, learned of the claim in a Facebook post published on April 11 by the news outlet, the Iraqi Spring Media Center. The Pentagon began an inquiry, but only a week later its assessment officers couldnt confirm whether coalition aircraft had targeted that location, and they dismissed the claim, saying Siha was not among known districts of West Mosul. There would be no further review. The Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist killed in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district on December 31 last year has been identified as Samir Dar, who was also involved in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, said Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar on Saturday. IGP Kashmir informed that Samir Dar was the last surviving terrorist involved in Pulwama terror attack. "The picture of one of the killed terrorists in Anantnag Encounter on December 30 matches with JeM top commander Samir Dar, who was the last surviving terrorist involved in Lethpora, Pulwama Terror Attack. We are going for DNA sample matching," Kashmir Zone Police quoted IGP Kashmir. Earlier on Wednesday, three terrorists were killed in an encounter that broke out in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district. "Anantnag Encounter Update: Killed terrorists identified as 02 local categorised terrorists and a Pakistani terrorist, affiliated with proscribed terror outfit JeM. They were involved in several terror crimes and civilian atrocities," tweeted Kashmir Zone Police. On February 14, 2019, a terror attack was carried out in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir by a suicide bomber resulting in the death of 40 CRPF personnel. The suicide bomber, identified as Jaish-e-Mohammad's Adil Ahmed Dar, rammed his vehicle into a bus with the CRPF convoy at Lethapora in the Pulwama district. "Ever since he had been responsible to train people in making IEDs and deploying IEDs against security forces. He has also been responsible to recruit young locals by brainwashing them, carrying out selective identification, and radicalizing them, and giving them weapons," General Officer Commanding of Chinar Corps Lieutenant General DP Pandey said on Saturday. (ANI) JK Rowling received just 10 mentions in the Harry Potter reunion, Return To Hogwarts, which hit screens on Saturday morning. The author's appearance on the 20 year anniversary show was widely speculated and discussed in the wake of scandal over her statements on transgender issues which were branded 'transphobic' and resulted in her being 'cancelled'. While it was known ahead of time that she would only appear in archive footage and in discussion with stars and cast, the show's release revealed she received just 10 mentions in the one hour and 42 minute runtime of the HBO Max special. The minimal appearance of the author has come as a shock to fans, who highlighted the franchise would not exist without her seven books. Starring: JK Rowling received just 10 mentions in the Harry Potter reunion, Return To Hogwarts, which hit screens on Saturday morning (pictured in her archived footage) Appearances from JK included director of films one and two Christopher Columbus speaking about how he became involved in the movies. Christopher spoke about why he directed the first two movies in the saga after his daughter forced him to read the books. In the first of few mentions of JK, he says: 'I had to fly to Edinburgh to meet Jo Rowling and I said "This is my vision of the movies" and she said she had the same'. Bonnie Wright, who played Ginny Weasley, then also mentioned JK, saying: 'So many people were falling in love with her writing'. Controversy: The author is pictured with Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), author J.K. Rowling, Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) and Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) attend the world film premiere of Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone in 2001 Highlighted: A point was made of when the footage of the author was shot An archive shot showed the author at a signing for the first book, while Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid, also lauded JK for helping people establish a love of books again during the rise of Potter mania in the early Noughties. The only footage of the author speaking herself as opposed to being discussed is a segment from a 2019 interview which is repeatedly serialised. In the interview she is seen discussing the uphill struggle to find an actor to play Harry when casting the first movie, Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone. Open: Appearances from JK included director of films one and two Christopher Columbus speaking about how he became involved in the movies Reunited: Harry Potter stars Daniel, Emma and Rupert recalled growing up on the 'greatest playground in the world' in scenes released ahead of the reunion special Another clip from the interview sees her discussing seeing the set for the first time: 'The first time I visited the set they walked me through and it was mind-blowing'. Christopher adds in about bringing Quidditch to life: 'Jo Rowling did a quidditch rule book for us', while Prisoner Of Azkaban director Alfonso Cuaron speaks about JK Rowling's depiction of Dementors. She previous discussed how Dementors - the guards of Wizarding Jail who suck prisoners' souls from their bodies - were an embodiment of depression. Two more mentions of the creator came when Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint discussed a writing task while Helena Bonham Carter also recalled a conversation she had with JK about her character Bellatrix Lestrange. Details: Prisoner Of Azkaban director Alfonso Cuaron speaks about JK Rowling's depiction of Dementors Evanna Lynch, who played Luna Lovegood, revealed she was in touch with the author before she got the part - describing her as a pen friend. She said: 'I was writing to JK Rowling from when I was about 11 to say thank you for the books and she was responding to me. I'm one of the few lucky people who can say I had her as a pen friend.' In her final appearance, the author is seen in the 2019 archive, saying: 'I have founded a world that's extraordinary to be involved in and it's a beautiful world.' Prior to the show airing, it was revealed that it was in fact the author herself who opted not to be featured in Return To Hogwarts, not the show's producers. Pal: Evanna Lynch, who played Luna Lovegood, revealed she was in touch with the author before she got the part - describing her as a pen friend The reunion comes after her statements on transgender issues were branded transphobic by some fans, though the writer has claimed that she respects 'every trans person's rights to live any way that feels authentic and comfortable to them.' The 56-year-old author was approached about filming new footage for the reunion, but she and her team determined that the interview shot in 2019 would suffice. Sources close to the decision claim that her statements about gender and transgender individuals didn't factor into the decision to sit out the special. Although Rowling's team reportedly didn't make their decision based on her recent controversies, it's unclear what role they played in how producers determined what footage of her to use in Return To Hogwarts. by Xinhua writer Dong Yue BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- As the global economy falters amid the capricious pandemic and soaring protectionism, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) presents a precious boon for a world thirsty for a steady economic rebound. The world's biggest trade pact, which has taken effect on Saturday in China and nine other countries, will bolster regional integration and aid a bumpy global recovery. The 15 RCEP members are home to roughly 30 percent of the world's gross domestic product and population. With a huge population, a diverse membership and a great potential, the implementation of the RCEP will effectively stabilize the regional supply and industrial chains, revitalize the regional market, and boost international trade and investment, thus creating new growth engines for the sluggish global economic recovery. After the trade deal kicks in, more than 90 percent of merchandise trade between approved members will be eventually subject to zero tariffs. Meanwhile, the RCEP will strongly offset the impact of raging protectionism and unilateralism, bringing free trade and multilateral cooperation back to the fore. In recent years, unilateralism and protectionism have hindered the free flow of goods around the world, and created barriers against world economic growth. By forming this mega free trade zone, RCEP members have demonstrated that win-win cooperation is still the shared pursuit of humankind. Decoupling and beggar-thy-neighbor practices are unable to reverse the trend of economic globalization. As ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi said, the RCEP's expeditious ratification process by its various members is "a true reflection of our strong commitment to a fair and open multilateral trading system for the benefit of the people in the region and the world." Furthermore, the RCEP is expected to facilitate the building of an open global economy and strengthen globalization. Distinct from the West-dominated globalization practices, in which drawbacks including a widening development divide and deficient global governance abound, the RCEP features remarkable openness and inclusiveness, providing an inspiration for future efforts to enrich economic globalization. The pact covers a wide range of areas such as tariff reductions, trade facilitation and the opening-up of services and investment, while taking into account the diverse development stages and economic needs of each member, developed or developing. Last but not least, the RCEP will allow the region and the whole world to better share China's development opportunities. After signing the agreement in 2020, China took the lead in ratifying the deal. In November 2021, China announced it has made every preparation to enforce the RCEP domestically and ensure all obligations are met. The success of the trade agreement rests on a faithful implementation. It is hoped that all parties can see the deal as an opportunity to lead the world out of its current state of distress and mark a shift towards a more open and inclusive global economy that can benefit everyone. Enditem Advertisement Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise. In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by lead actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, as well as a slew of their dazzling co-stars and the brains behind the eight movies. While the stars regaled tales of life on and off screen during their time in one of the biggest movie franchises of all time, notably absent was creator JK Rowling, 56, who only appeared via archive footage in the wake of an ongoing row over her views on transgender issues, which erupted via Twitter earlier this year. Alongside the core trio, who played Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley respectively, the line up includes Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Alfred Enoch (Dean Thomas), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) and Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy). Working it out: Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise, led by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint Nice! In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by the lead actors and a slew of supporting cast members The special opens with sweeping shots of London focusing on the stars opening their invites to the reunion, with Emma seen heading down platform 9 and 3/4 before she meets up with a number of famous faces. The Great Hall - the centre point of the set, which is still in place at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London in Leavesden - is packed with dancers, an orchestra and stars of the movie - all revelling atop a HP20 logo in the floor. Stars of the movies fondly greet each other as they prepare for the eagerly-anticipated reunion. Daniel is then seen treading the path of Diagon Alley before one of the opening lines of Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone is read: ' He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting up in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!' CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived. The opening section of the reunion focused on Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets Back together: The Harry Potter cast reunites in the Great Hall for a Christmas get together CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios. The first section, entitled The Boy Who Lived, looks back on the first two movies from 2001 and 2002. Christopher spoke about why he directed the first two films in the saga after his daughter forced him to read the books. In the first of few mentions of JK Rowling, he says: 'I had to fly to Edinburgh to meet Jo Rowling and I said "This is my vision of the movies" and she said hers was the same'. Bonnie then also mentioned JK, saying: 'So many people were falling in love with her writing', while an archive shot showed the author at a signing for the first book, while Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid also lauded JK and Christopher spoke of the feverish hunt to find an actor to play Harry. Then and now: Daniel was at the helm of the project, having played Harry in all eight films since he was 11 Looking back: The main man himself confessed: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter. My first kiss is connected to someone here, my first girlfriends were here...' Starring: JK Rowling received just 10 mentions in the Harry Potter reunion with repeated clips from an interview she undertook in 2019 at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (pictured in her archive footage) The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books, while it was revealed that Ron just 'jumped off the page' to Rupert - who called the book 'a beautiful, intricate world'. Christopher spoke of seeing David Copperfield on the BBC and realising Daniel was perfect for the role, while archive footage of the 2019 interview with JK showed her speaking of nailing finding Daniel. As Emma, Daniel and Rupert reunited, they began speaking about their own lives in the world of Harry Potter, in what they branded a 'surreal reunion' where 'no time had passed but so much time had passed'. Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age'. Opening up: As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios Reunited: Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint recalled growing up on the 'greatest playground in the world' in scenes released ahead of the reunion special Leading lady: The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books On working with the child stars, Christopher insisted Emma was 'the cleverest person on the whole set', while she herself insisted she 'is Hermione' having connected deeply with the character: 'Hermione made complete sense to me, I felt like I was this girl', and admitted her family feared for her if she didn't get the role. Behind the scenes shots showed filming for the first movie, including the group larking around and playing a slapping game with their hands - which Emma revealed they did 'all the time', to the point their hands were raw. Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Changes: Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age' I'll be back: Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of. Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return: 'I get tears, I still get tears thinking about it'. Introductions are paid to both the Weasley and Malfoy families - showing the stark differences between the good and bad of the wizarding world - and how the group played out the respective families. Star: Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris (second right) worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Open: The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family. On the evil side, Jason explained how he first auditioned for the role of hapless professor and author Gilderoy Lockhart - yet was soon turned to Lucius whose relationship with his son Draco was laid bare. He said: 'I'm convinced I got the role because I didn't want it. I was about to play Captain Hook and I didn't want to play two villains so I read through gritted teeth'. He explained Draco was a 'sadistic bully' due to his father. Happy days: Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age. The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron. Gary explained that having kids pointed him towards the books, while Alfonso noted the movie is a 'coming of age': 'Harry is still a child in the first two... but then he turns 15 and there's a cloud that surrounds him'. Exciting: Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up'. Daniel then spoke to Emma and Rupert about his starstruck moment of meeting Gary and how he demanded his co-stars 'don't mess up' in front of him - although confessed this was more an order of his own. Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars. Tough: Gary and Daniel discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Eerie: Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up' The actor, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 69, famously played the stern Hogwarts professor, who worked as one of Voldemort's Death Eaters. It wasn't until a plot twist in the final installment that fans discovered how Severus had been acting as a double agent in order to protect the series' protagonist. Daniel revealed that Christopher would beg Alan to tell the story, saying 'Why are you doing that like that?' to which the Love Actually star would reply, 'I'll tell you later.' Daniel then voiced a note perfect of the late star. The lead trio then spoke about the thrill of working with director Mike Newell on the fourth movie - noting his kindness and playfulness with the child stars. Daniel said: 'Mike is this excited, loud, passionate man', while Rupert stated: 'I love Mike, he was great, it was almost like he was from the books'. Shock: Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars Fighting it: Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs James and Oliver spoke about when a fight with Mike while he instructed them on fighting in front of the Goblet Of Fire, led to Mike having his ribs broken. Aside from the fun and frolics on stage, the group spoke about how highly charged the hormones were on-set, with Daniel describing the movie as 'peak hormone' for him, as the students are all seen falling for one another for the first time - both on and off screen. Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs. She recalled: Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time - pictured during a tutoring session 'I used to come in every day and look for him': Emma Watson, 31, reveals she remembers the moment she fell in love with Harry Potter co-star Tom Felton, 34, as they share a hug during reunion special - which is set to air on New Year's Day Reunited: Tom flashed a wide smile as Emma hurried over to him before they shared a loving hug Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time. The pair also shared a warm embrace as they hugged with delight while reuniting on camera in The Great Hall for the TV special. Tom was 14 years old when the first Harry Potter movie came out in 2001, while Emma was just 11. They both starred in all eight Harry Potter films. She recalled: 'I walked into the room where we were having tutoring. The assignment that had been given was to draw what you thought God looked like, and Tom had drawn a girl with a backward cap on a skateboard. 'And I just don't know how to say it I just fell in love with him. I used to come in every day and look for his number on the call sheet, it was number seven, and if his name was on the call sheet, it was an extra exciting day.' Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike. Terrifying: Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet. Daniel coyly admitted he had a soft spot for his 55-year old co-star, despite their 23-year age difference. Reading his message aloud for the first time, he said: 'Dear HBC, it was a pleasure being your co-star and coaster in the fact I always ended up holding your coffee. I do love you and I wish Id just been born ten years earlier so I mightve been in with a chance.' Helen and Gary are then seen discussing Bellatrix killing her cousin Sirius and a deleted scene showing a duel. The esteemed stars revealed they went to wand school to hone the choreography of the moves. Meet up: Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet Eww! Helena brought along the teeth she wore to play the terrifying Death Eater On film number four, director David Yates was recruited when things became darker and more grown up. The stars lauded David for helping draw out more intensity and explained that while the world was politicising, he was wanted to draw this into the movies and display that element. Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars. After they were catapulted to stardom following the success of The Philosopher's Stone in 2001, before the pair had even reached their teen years they struggled to adjust to their superstardom. Admitting to writing about being lonely in a diary entry at the time, the Beauty And The Beast star explained how 'the fame thing had finally hit home in a big way'. Hurt: Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars She confessed: 'I think I was scared. I don't know if you ever felt like it got to a tipping point where you were like, "This is kind of forever now."' It was around the time of Order of the Phoenix when things started getting spicy for all of us,' she continued of the 2007 blockbuster which she filmed aged 16. Rupert chimed in: 'I also had sort of similar feelings to Emma, contemplating what life would be like if I called it a day. We never really spoke about it. I guess we were just going through it at our own pace, we were kind of in the moment at the time. It just didn't really occur to us that we were all probably kind of having similar feelings.' Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role. Emma gushed about being 'proud' of Evanna, as well as Bonnie, who played Ginny in the franchise. Sweet: Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 As the franchise drew to a close with the final two movies, the group discussed how things changed for them in their more mature status as actors as well as their storylines intensifying. Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through'. Harry, Emma and Rupert were likened to astronauts by David Yates thanks to their joint experiences in becoming global superstars at the helm of the huge productions. In anticipation of Hermione and Ron becoming romantically involved, Emma and Rupert discussed how they struggled to film their first kiss amid the Battle Of Hogwarts in the final movie. Rupert admitted that the audience were 'desperate' to see the duo kiss. An honour: Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through' Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing'. The cast and crew discussed the final scenes and the 'spiritual' elements of the final battle scene between Harry and Voldemort before a montage of adorable throwbacks shot up. Following their discussions of each film, the group all grew emotional as they rounded out the show. Rupert said: 'I'm very proud to have been part of it, it was weird at the end. I lost track of who I was and who the character was. My name didn't feel like my name and I only knew one thing - to play Ron'. Emma went on: 'It's like we did the most extreme form of method acting. The way it feels for me now - I'm trying not to get emotional - it feels you you're a pillar of my life', while Rupert added that 'they are family'. Eek! Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing' Rupert then said: 'I love you, as a friend - just to be clear'. Throwbacks showed the final scenes being filmed with all the stars weeping and holding each other, in a state of 'utter devastation'. Emma said: 'It was the first time we let ourselves realise we'd made it through'. Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud', while Emma said: 'There's something about Harry Potter that makes life richer. When things get really dark and times are really hard, stories give us places we can go where we can rest and we can be held'. Breaking down in tears, Emma said: 'It was the best most amazing experience and I cant explain they're such good people and they're so kind and they took the responsibility so seriously and I appreciate that so much'. Rupert said: 'They're like family. We're so intrinsically linked and they're incredibly important to me.' Fighting back tears, Daniel added: 'There's people on these films who are foundational to who I am, as a person, as an actor, I am so lucky to have the life I have and be able to work with the people I work with now An honour: Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud' Stars tearfully remember 'magic' Alan Rickman, 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'generous' Richard Griffiths during reunion show in memoriam The actors and cast behind the Harry Potter franchise remembered their late co-stars during an in memoriam section of the Harry Potter Return To Hogwarts reunion, which aired on Saturday. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint led the tributes to the many stars they have lost over the past two decades, since the franchise launched with Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone - including Richard Harris, Alan Rickman and most recently Helen McCrory. Speaking about appearing on the reunion without their late stars, Emma said: 'It's obviously amazing to be back, but so many people we thought would be here for much longer like Helen and Alan and Richard', while Rupert sadly echoed: 'They're like family, just gone too soon'. Speaking about working with such icons, Daniel said: 'I feel really lucky to have some little bit of touch with the people who have passed... I'll be very old one day and say I knew that absolute legend.' An honour: Stars tearfully remembered the late stars of Harry Potter in Saturday's Return To Hogwarts reunion special, including 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'magic' Alan Rickman (left-right) Lost: Helen played the Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 HELEN MCCROY PLAYED: Narcissa Malfoy DIED: April 2021, aged 52 Helen played Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2. She passed away in April this year after a secret 'heroic battle' with cancer, her husband Damian Lewis confirmed at the time. The 'beautiful and mighty' actress died 'peacefully' at home surrounded by friends and family. Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen. Jason said: 'Helen McCroy played my wife. I said I think I've just seen the best actress I've ever seen in my life. I feel lucky to have worked with her and shared so much frankly adolescent laughter on the set. Speaking about his on-screen mum, Tom broke down as he emotionally said: 'She taught me a lot. See I can't even say it. She had this ability to show such empathy in her eyes. It was a real treat to work with her.' An honour: Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen Shock: Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden ALAN RICKMAN PLAYED: Severus Snape DIED: January 2016, aged 69 Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden. He is ultimately killed by his master Lord Voldemort, after Harry discovered the sacrifices he made for him. In August 2015, Alan suffered a minor stroke, which led to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He revealed that he had terminal cancer to only his closest confidants. On 14 January 2016, he died in London at the age of 69. Speaking about working with the acting icon, Emma said: 'Alan Rickman never spoke to me like I was a child. He always took my thoughts and opinions very seriously which I was always very touched by.' Ralph Fiennes meanwhile, who played Voldemort, said: 'Alan was a very dear friend, and we had that final scene, his final scene. I was a little intimidated by his precision and his expert delivery of lines. We sort of went toe to toe in a funny way, Snape and Voldemort. Two actors fencing with each other. Alan was a magician in that way'. Reaching out: Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, and Ralph Fiennes, who played Voldemort, honoured Alan Star: Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets RICHARD HARRIS PLAYED: Albus Dumbledore DIED: October 2002, aged 72 Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets. He famously revealed he was reluctant to take the role, but it was his 11-year-old granddaughter who begged him to reconsider, threatening never to talk to him again if he refused the role. 'What could I do?' moaned Harris. 'I wasn't going to let her down.' After starring in two movies, he passed away in October 2002 at London's University College Hospital, after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease that August. He had reportedly been hospitalised with pneumonia. Speaking about his on-screen legacy and what it was like to work with the legend, Emma said: 'Richard Harris was such a special, warm person. He was so twinkly'. Director Christopher Columbus went on: 'Richard Harris was classic - probably one of the funniest men I've ever met. He was this devilish 11-year-old trapped in a 70 plus year old man's body. He just had this glint in his eye that made him the perfect Dumbledore by the way. He was brutally hilarious.' Evil: Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers RICHARD GRIFFITHS PLAYED: Vernon Dursley DIED: March 2013, aged 65 Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers. The beloved star died aged 65 at University Hospital Coventry on 28 March 2013. His passing came following complications with heart surgery and was met with an outpouring of heartache from the acting world. Speaking about working with the star, producer David Heyman said: 'Richard Griffiths was just delicious as Mr Dursley. He embraced his wickedness with such verve and passion'. Daniel meanwhile grew emotional as he said: 'His passing was the one that effected me the most because he was generous with knowledge and just wanted to share everything with you'. A full list of the cast and crew lost over the past two decades then flashed up, listing: Timothy Bateson, Terence Bayler, Sam Beazley, Sheila Allen, Peter Cartwright, Derek Deadman, Hazel Douglas, Alfred Burke, Salo Gardner, Richard Griffiths, Robert Hardy, Jimmy Gardner, John Hurt, Robert Knox, Dave Legeno, Richard Harris, Margery Mason, Rik M ayall, Roger Lloud Pack, Paul Ritter, David Ryall, Helen McCroy, Alan Rickman, Eric Sykes, Verne Troyer, Mary Selway, Elizabeth Spriggs, Eric Sykes and Christoper Whittingham. KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 15:30 | All, World, Japan, Coronavirus Here is a collection of photos and videos taken during New Year's celebrations around Japan and beyond. Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attend a New Year's ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2022, wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Pool photo)(Kyodo) Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Saturday took a veiled jibe at the BJP leaders saying the money in the exchequer was keeping them warm even in the cold weather. She also said the BSP has its own style of functioning and it does not want to "copy" other parties. The leader was responding to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who said 'Bahanji', apparently referring to Mayawati, was yet to come out of the cold. "Elections are around the corner and she has not come out for campaigning. It seems that she is already afraid," Shah had said during the Jan Vishwas Yatra in Moradabad, Aligarh and Unnao. In her rebuttal, Mayawati told reporters, "When the Congress and BJP are in power, be it at the Centre or in states, they hold public meetings one after the other just a couple of months before the elections. "The money in the government exchequer, meant for the poor, is keeping them warm. But, when these parties are not in power, they are just like us. They do not hold public meetings, attend inaugural ceremonies or lay foundation stones before the elections." Regarding the crowd at rallies being organised by the rival parties, Mayawati said, "Half of them are government employees and the others are ticket seekers. We are seeing this in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab." The BSP chief said her party was of the poor and the oppressed, and not of the capitalists. "I am aware of the fact that if I copy other parties and hold public meetings one after the other, my people will not be able to bear the cost," Mayawati said. "If we copy them (rival parties), there could be losses due to paucity of funds during the elections. Our party has a different style of working as far as elections are concerned. We do not want to change this even if the rival parties ridicule us or the press writes about it. Other parties should not worry about us," she said. Live TV remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. She's reportedly 'obsessed' with her daughter Kim Kardashian's new beau Pete Davidson. But Kris Jenner did seem eager to talk about the lovebirds during a New Year's Eve interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper and his NYE co-host Andy Cohen. Luckily, the 66-year-old Keeping Up With The Kardashians was saved by the bell when her granddaughter Stormi Webster, three, ran in and brought the interview to a screeching halt. Saved by the bell! Kris Jenner, 66, got a welcome interruption on New Year's Eve after Kylie Jenner's daughter Stormi Webster, three, interrupted her when Andy Cohen asked her about Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson Kris was speaking via video chat from Los Angeles, while Anderson and Andy were doing their annual New Year's Eve broadcast from New York City. The Watch What Happens Live host turned the conversation toward Kris' daughter Kim and her Saturday Night Live star boyfriend, but Kris didn't seem eager to talk about the two. 'Everyone is talking about Kim's new relationship with Pete Davidson. Have you had the chance to spend time with them? How are they as a couple?' 'You're always digging in,' Anderson seemed to scold, to which Andy replied, 'Yes, I am!' Separate coasts: Kris was speaking via video chat from Los Angeles, while Anderson and Andy were doing their annual New Year's Eve broadcast from New York City Checking in: 'Everyone is talking about Kim's new relationship with Pete Davidson. Have you had the chance to spend time with them? How are they as a couple?' Andy asked Out of nowhere: But as soon as Andy started to ask his question, a shadow jumped out of a doorway in the back of the room where Kris was recording, which soon turned out to be Stormi But as soon as Andy started to ask his question, a shadowy jumped out of a doorway in the back of the room where Kris was recording, which soon materialized as Stormi. Kylie Jenner's adorable daughter was ready for an early bedtime and was already in her pajamas with her hair tied into pig tails. However, it wasn't clear if her interruption was a genuinely unplanned moment, or if someone sent her into the room once Andy mentioned Kim and Pete. Regardless, Kris was happy to stretch out the interruption as long as possible. Too cute! Kylie Jenner's adorable daughter was ready for an early bedtime and was already in her pajamas with her hair tied into pig tails Nailed it: 'Nice distraction. Good timing, Stormi,' Kris said, ignoring the question about Kim and Pete. 'Perfect. Right on cue!' 'That's little Stormi,' the momager said with a chuckle. 'You sit right here,' she added as she popped her grandchild onto her knee. 'Nice distraction. Good timing, Stormi,' Kris said, ignoring the question about Kim and Pete. 'Perfect. Right on cue!' Andy and Anderson got the message and wrapped up the segment. Andy complimented Kris, who wore a stylish black suit with white stripes, by saying she looked like a 'million bucks.' Kris signed off cordially and mentioned that she goes to bed around 9:00 p.m. Thumbs up: Earlier in December, a source told E! News that she was 'obsessed' with the comedian, and she previously through a birthday party for him Kris has gotten some one-on-one time with Pete, despite her unwillingness to say anything about the funnyman and her daughter. Earlier in December, a source told E! News that she was 'obsessed' with the comedian. 'The whole family is a fan of Petes and would love to spend a holiday with him,' they said. The KardashianJenner matriarch even through a birthday celebration for him last month, which she commemorated with with a photo of the three in matching plaid pajamas, along with Public Enemy hype man Flavor Flav. Moving on: Pete has been dating Kim since October. She announced her divorce from rapper Kanye West in January. The exes share four children: North, eight; Saint, six; Chicago, three; and Psalm, two; seen in February 2020 in Beverly Hills Kim announced her divorce from rapper Kanye West back in January. She and the hitmaker share four young children: North, eight; Saint, six; Chicago, three; and Psalm, two. Since striking up a relationship with Pete in October, Kim and Pete have been flying back and forth between New York where he's based and Los Angeles where she lives with her children. They were previously seen together on Saturday, December 18, when he rented out a screening room at one of his preferred movie theaters on Staten Island for a screening of House Of Gucci. JK Rowling received just 10 mentions in the Harry Potter reunion, Return To Hogwarts, which hit screens on Saturday morning. The author's appearance on the 20 year anniversary show was widely speculated and discussed in the wake of scandal over her statements on transgender issues which were branded 'transphobic' and resulted in her being 'cancelled'. While it was known ahead of time that she would only appear in archive footage and in discussion with stars and cast, the show's release revealed she received just 10 mentions in the one hour and 42 minute runtime of the HBO Max special. The minimal appearance of the author has come as a shock to fans, who highlighted the franchise would not exist without her seven books. Starring: JK Rowling received just 10 mentions in the Harry Potter reunion, Return To Hogwarts, which hit screens on Saturday morning (pictured in her archived footage) Appearances from JK included director of films one and two Christopher Columbus speaking about how he became involved in the movies. Christopher spoke about why he directed the first two movies in the saga after his daughter forced him to read the books. In the first of few mentions of JK, he says: 'I had to fly to Edinburgh to meet Jo Rowling and I said "This is my vision of the movies" and she said she had the same'. Bonnie Wright, who played Ginny Weasley, then also mentioned JK, saying: 'So many people were falling in love with her writing'. Controversy: The author is pictured with Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), author J.K. Rowling, Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) and Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) attend the world film premiere of Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone in 2001 Highlighted: A point was made of when the footage of the author was shot An archive shot showed the author at a signing for the first book, while Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid, also lauded JK for helping people establish a love of books again during the rise of Potter mania in the early Noughties. The only footage of the author speaking herself as opposed to being discussed is a segment from a 2019 interview which is repeatedly serialised. In the interview she is seen discussing the uphill struggle to find an actor to play Harry when casting the first movie, Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone. Open: Appearances from JK included director of films one and two Christopher Columbus speaking about how he became involved in the movies Reunited: Harry Potter stars Daniel, Emma and Rupert recalled growing up on the 'greatest playground in the world' in scenes released ahead of the reunion special Another clip from the interview sees her discussing seeing the set for the first time: 'The first time I visited the set they walked me through and it was mind-blowing'. Christopher adds in about bringing Quidditch to life: 'Jo Rowling did a quidditch rule book for us', while Prisoner Of Azkaban director Alfonso Cuaron speaks about JK Rowling's depiction of Dementors. She previous discussed how Dementors - the guards of Wizarding Jail who suck prisoners' souls from their bodies - were an embodiment of depression. Two more mentions of the creator came when Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint discussed a writing task while Helena Bonham Carter also recalled a conversation she had with JK about her character Bellatrix Lestrange. Details: Prisoner Of Azkaban director Alfonso Cuaron speaks about JK Rowling's depiction of Dementors Evanna Lynch, who played Luna Lovegood, revealed she was in touch with the author before she got the part - describing her as a pen friend. She said: 'I was writing to JK Rowling from when I was about 11 to say thank you for the books and she was responding to me. I'm one of the few lucky people who can say I had her as a pen friend.' In her final appearance, the author is seen in the 2019 archive, saying: 'I have founded a world that's extraordinary to be involved in and it's a beautiful world.' Prior to the show airing, it was revealed that it was in fact the author herself who opted not to be featured in Return To Hogwarts, not the show's producers. Pal: Evanna Lynch, who played Luna Lovegood, revealed she was in touch with the author before she got the part - describing her as a pen friend The reunion comes after her statements on transgender issues were branded transphobic by some fans, though the writer has claimed that she respects 'every trans person's rights to live any way that feels authentic and comfortable to them.' The 56-year-old author was approached about filming new footage for the reunion, but she and her team determined that the interview shot in 2019 would suffice. Sources close to the decision claim that her statements about gender and transgender individuals didn't factor into the decision to sit out the special. Although Rowling's team reportedly didn't make their decision based on her recent controversies, it's unclear what role they played in how producers determined what footage of her to use in Return To Hogwarts. Advertisement Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise. In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by lead actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, as well as a slew of their dazzling co-stars and the brains behind the eight movies. While the stars regaled tales of life on and off screen during their time in one of the biggest movie franchises of all time, notably absent was creator JK Rowling, 56, who only appeared via archive footage in the wake of an ongoing row over her views on transgender issues, which erupted via Twitter earlier this year. Alongside the core trio, who played Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley respectively, the line up includes Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Alfred Enoch (Dean Thomas), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) and Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy). Working it out: Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise, led by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint Nice! In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by the lead actors and a slew of supporting cast members The special opens with sweeping shots of London focusing on the stars opening their invites to the reunion, with Emma seen heading down platform 9 and 3/4 before she meets up with a number of famous faces. The Great Hall - the centre point of the set, which is still in place at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London in Leavesden - is packed with dancers, an orchestra and stars of the movie - all revelling atop a HP20 logo in the floor. Stars of the movies fondly greet each other as they prepare for the eagerly-anticipated reunion. Daniel is then seen treading the path of Diagon Alley before one of the opening lines of Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone is read: ' He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting up in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!' CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived. The opening section of the reunion focused on Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets Back together: The Harry Potter cast reunites in the Great Hall for a Christmas get together CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios. The first section, entitled The Boy Who Lived, looks back on the first two movies from 2001 and 2002. Christopher spoke about why he directed the first two films in the saga after his daughter forced him to read the books. In the first of few mentions of JK Rowling, he says: 'I had to fly to Edinburgh to meet Jo Rowling and I said "This is my vision of the movies" and she said hers was the same'. Bonnie then also mentioned JK, saying: 'So many people were falling in love with her writing', while an archive shot showed the author at a signing for the first book, while Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid also lauded JK and Christopher spoke of the feverish hunt to find an actor to play Harry. Then and now: Daniel was at the helm of the project, having played Harry in all eight films since he was 11 Looking back: The main man himself confessed: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter. My first kiss is connected to someone here, my first girlfriends were here...' Starring: JK Rowling received just 10 mentions in the Harry Potter reunion with repeated clips from an interview she undertook in 2019 at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (pictured in her archive footage) The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books, while it was revealed that Ron just 'jumped off the page' to Rupert - who called the book 'a beautiful, intricate world'. Christopher spoke of seeing David Copperfield on the BBC and realising Daniel was perfect for the role, while archive footage of the 2019 interview with JK showed her speaking of nailing finding Daniel. As Emma, Daniel and Rupert reunited, they began speaking about their own lives in the world of Harry Potter, in what they branded a 'surreal reunion' where 'no time had passed but so much time had passed'. Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age'. Opening up: As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios Reunited: Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint recalled growing up on the 'greatest playground in the world' in scenes released ahead of the reunion special Leading lady: The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books On working with the child stars, Christopher insisted Emma was 'the cleverest person on the whole set', while she herself insisted she 'is Hermione' having connected deeply with the character: 'Hermione made complete sense to me, I felt like I was this girl', and admitted her family feared for her if she didn't get the role. Behind the scenes shots showed filming for the first movie, including the group larking around and playing a slapping game with their hands - which Emma revealed they did 'all the time', to the point their hands were raw. Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Changes: Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age' I'll be back: Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of. Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return: 'I get tears, I still get tears thinking about it'. Introductions are paid to both the Weasley and Malfoy families - showing the stark differences between the good and bad of the wizarding world - and how the group played out the respective families. Star: Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris (second right) worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Open: The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family. On the evil side, Jason explained how he first auditioned for the role of hapless professor and author Gilderoy Lockhart - yet was soon turned to Lucius whose relationship with his son Draco was laid bare. He said: 'I'm convinced I got the role because I didn't want it. I was about to play Captain Hook and I didn't want to play two villains so I read through gritted teeth'. He explained Draco was a 'sadistic bully' due to his father. Happy days: Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age. The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron. Gary explained that having kids pointed him towards the books, while Alfonso noted the movie is a 'coming of age': 'Harry is still a child in the first two... but then he turns 15 and there's a cloud that surrounds him'. Exciting: Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up'. Daniel then spoke to Emma and Rupert about his starstruck moment of meeting Gary and how he demanded his co-stars 'don't mess up' in front of him - although confessed this was more an order of his own. Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars. Tough: Gary and Daniel discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Eerie: Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up' The actor, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 69, famously played the stern Hogwarts professor, who worked as one of Voldemort's Death Eaters. It wasn't until a plot twist in the final installment that fans discovered how Severus had been acting as a double agent in order to protect the series' protagonist. Daniel revealed that Christopher would beg Alan to tell the story, saying 'Why are you doing that like that?' to which the Love Actually star would reply, 'I'll tell you later.' Daniel then voiced a note perfect of the late star. The lead trio then spoke about the thrill of working with director Mike Newell on the fourth movie - noting his kindness and playfulness with the child stars. Daniel said: 'Mike is this excited, loud, passionate man', while Rupert stated: 'I love Mike, he was great, it was almost like he was from the books'. Shock: Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars Fighting it: Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs James and Oliver spoke about when a fight with Mike while he instructed them on fighting in front of the Goblet Of Fire, led to Mike having his ribs broken. Aside from the fun and frolics on stage, the group spoke about how highly charged the hormones were on-set, with Daniel describing the movie as 'peak hormone' for him, as the students are all seen falling for one another for the first time - both on and off screen. Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs. She recalled: Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time - pictured during a tutoring session 'I used to come in every day and look for him': Emma Watson, 31, reveals she remembers the moment she fell in love with Harry Potter co-star Tom Felton, 34, as they share a hug during reunion special - which is set to air on New Year's Day Reunited: Tom flashed a wide smile as Emma hurried over to him before they shared a loving hug Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time. The pair also shared a warm embrace as they hugged with delight while reuniting on camera in The Great Hall for the TV special. Tom was 14 years old when the first Harry Potter movie came out in 2001, while Emma was just 11. They both starred in all eight Harry Potter films. She recalled: 'I walked into the room where we were having tutoring. The assignment that had been given was to draw what you thought God looked like, and Tom had drawn a girl with a backward cap on a skateboard. 'And I just don't know how to say it I just fell in love with him. I used to come in every day and look for his number on the call sheet, it was number seven, and if his name was on the call sheet, it was an extra exciting day.' Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike. Terrifying: Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet. Daniel coyly admitted he had a soft spot for his 55-year old co-star, despite their 23-year age difference. Reading his message aloud for the first time, he said: 'Dear HBC, it was a pleasure being your co-star and coaster in the fact I always ended up holding your coffee. I do love you and I wish Id just been born ten years earlier so I mightve been in with a chance.' Helen and Gary are then seen discussing Bellatrix killing her cousin Sirius and a deleted scene showing a duel. The esteemed stars revealed they went to wand school to hone the choreography of the moves. Meet up: Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet Eww! Helena brought along the teeth she wore to play the terrifying Death Eater On film number four, director David Yates was recruited when things became darker and more grown up. The stars lauded David for helping draw out more intensity and explained that while the world was politicising, he was wanted to draw this into the movies and display that element. Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars. After they were catapulted to stardom following the success of The Philosopher's Stone in 2001, before the pair had even reached their teen years they struggled to adjust to their superstardom. Admitting to writing about being lonely in a diary entry at the time, the Beauty And The Beast star explained how 'the fame thing had finally hit home in a big way'. Hurt: Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars She confessed: 'I think I was scared. I don't know if you ever felt like it got to a tipping point where you were like, "This is kind of forever now."' It was around the time of Order of the Phoenix when things started getting spicy for all of us,' she continued of the 2007 blockbuster which she filmed aged 16. Rupert chimed in: 'I also had sort of similar feelings to Emma, contemplating what life would be like if I called it a day. We never really spoke about it. I guess we were just going through it at our own pace, we were kind of in the moment at the time. It just didn't really occur to us that we were all probably kind of having similar feelings.' Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role. Emma gushed about being 'proud' of Evanna, as well as Bonnie, who played Ginny in the franchise. Sweet: Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 As the franchise drew to a close with the final two movies, the group discussed how things changed for them in their more mature status as actors as well as their storylines intensifying. Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through'. Harry, Emma and Rupert were likened to astronauts by David Yates thanks to their joint experiences in becoming global superstars at the helm of the huge productions. In anticipation of Hermione and Ron becoming romantically involved, Emma and Rupert discussed how they struggled to film their first kiss amid the Battle Of Hogwarts in the final movie. Rupert admitted that the audience were 'desperate' to see the duo kiss. An honour: Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through' Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing'. The cast and crew discussed the final scenes and the 'spiritual' elements of the final battle scene between Harry and Voldemort before a montage of adorable throwbacks shot up. Following their discussions of each film, the group all grew emotional as they rounded out the show. Rupert said: 'I'm very proud to have been part of it, it was weird at the end. I lost track of who I was and who the character was. My name didn't feel like my name and I only knew one thing - to play Ron'. Emma went on: 'It's like we did the most extreme form of method acting. The way it feels for me now - I'm trying not to get emotional - it feels you you're a pillar of my life', while Rupert added that 'they are family'. Eek! Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing' Rupert then said: 'I love you, as a friend - just to be clear'. Throwbacks showed the final scenes being filmed with all the stars weeping and holding each other, in a state of 'utter devastation'. Emma said: 'It was the first time we let ourselves realise we'd made it through'. Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud', while Emma said: 'There's something about Harry Potter that makes life richer. When things get really dark and times are really hard, stories give us places we can go where we can rest and we can be held'. Breaking down in tears, Emma said: 'It was the best most amazing experience and I cant explain they're such good people and they're so kind and they took the responsibility so seriously and I appreciate that so much'. Rupert said: 'They're like family. We're so intrinsically linked and they're incredibly important to me.' Fighting back tears, Daniel added: 'There's people on these films who are foundational to who I am, as a person, as an actor, I am so lucky to have the life I have and be able to work with the people I work with now An honour: Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud' Stars tearfully remember 'magic' Alan Rickman, 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'generous' Richard Griffiths during reunion show in memoriam The actors and cast behind the Harry Potter franchise remembered their late co-stars during an in memoriam section of the Harry Potter Return To Hogwarts reunion, which aired on Saturday. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint led the tributes to the many stars they have lost over the past two decades, since the franchise launched with Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone - including Richard Harris, Alan Rickman and most recently Helen McCrory. Speaking about appearing on the reunion without their late stars, Emma said: 'It's obviously amazing to be back, but so many people we thought would be here for much longer like Helen and Alan and Richard', while Rupert sadly echoed: 'They're like family, just gone too soon'. Speaking about working with such icons, Daniel said: 'I feel really lucky to have some little bit of touch with the people who have passed... I'll be very old one day and say I knew that absolute legend.' An honour: Stars tearfully remembered the late stars of Harry Potter in Saturday's Return To Hogwarts reunion special, including 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'magic' Alan Rickman (left-right) Lost: Helen played the Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 HELEN MCCROY PLAYED: Narcissa Malfoy DIED: April 2021, aged 52 Helen played Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2. She passed away in April this year after a secret 'heroic battle' with cancer, her husband Damian Lewis confirmed at the time. The 'beautiful and mighty' actress died 'peacefully' at home surrounded by friends and family. Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen. Jason said: 'Helen McCroy played my wife. I said I think I've just seen the best actress I've ever seen in my life. I feel lucky to have worked with her and shared so much frankly adolescent laughter on the set. Speaking about his on-screen mum, Tom broke down as he emotionally said: 'She taught me a lot. See I can't even say it. She had this ability to show such empathy in her eyes. It was a real treat to work with her.' An honour: Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen Shock: Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden ALAN RICKMAN PLAYED: Severus Snape DIED: January 2016, aged 69 Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden. He is ultimately killed by his master Lord Voldemort, after Harry discovered the sacrifices he made for him. In August 2015, Alan suffered a minor stroke, which led to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He revealed that he had terminal cancer to only his closest confidants. On 14 January 2016, he died in London at the age of 69. Speaking about working with the acting icon, Emma said: 'Alan Rickman never spoke to me like I was a child. He always took my thoughts and opinions very seriously which I was always very touched by.' Ralph Fiennes meanwhile, who played Voldemort, said: 'Alan was a very dear friend, and we had that final scene, his final scene. I was a little intimidated by his precision and his expert delivery of lines. We sort of went toe to toe in a funny way, Snape and Voldemort. Two actors fencing with each other. Alan was a magician in that way'. Reaching out: Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, and Ralph Fiennes, who played Voldemort, honoured Alan Star: Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets RICHARD HARRIS PLAYED: Albus Dumbledore DIED: October 2002, aged 72 Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets. He famously revealed he was reluctant to take the role, but it was his 11-year-old granddaughter who begged him to reconsider, threatening never to talk to him again if he refused the role. 'What could I do?' moaned Harris. 'I wasn't going to let her down.' After starring in two movies, he passed away in October 2002 at London's University College Hospital, after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease that August. He had reportedly been hospitalised with pneumonia. Speaking about his on-screen legacy and what it was like to work with the legend, Emma said: 'Richard Harris was such a special, warm person. He was so twinkly'. Director Christopher Columbus went on: 'Richard Harris was classic - probably one of the funniest men I've ever met. He was this devilish 11-year-old trapped in a 70 plus year old man's body. He just had this glint in his eye that made him the perfect Dumbledore by the way. He was brutally hilarious.' Evil: Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers RICHARD GRIFFITHS PLAYED: Vernon Dursley DIED: March 2013, aged 65 Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers. The beloved star died aged 65 at University Hospital Coventry on 28 March 2013. His passing came following complications with heart surgery and was met with an outpouring of heartache from the acting world. Speaking about working with the star, producer David Heyman said: 'Richard Griffiths was just delicious as Mr Dursley. He embraced his wickedness with such verve and passion'. Daniel meanwhile grew emotional as he said: 'His passing was the one that effected me the most because he was generous with knowledge and just wanted to share everything with you'. A full list of the cast and crew lost over the past two decades then flashed up, listing: Timothy Bateson, Terence Bayler, Sam Beazley, Sheila Allen, Peter Cartwright, Derek Deadman, Hazel Douglas, Alfred Burke, Salo Gardner, Richard Griffiths, Robert Hardy, Jimmy Gardner, John Hurt, Robert Knox, Dave Legeno, Richard Harris, Margery Mason, Rik M ayall, Roger Lloud Pack, Paul Ritter, David Ryall, Helen McCroy, Alan Rickman, Eric Sykes, Verne Troyer, Mary Selway, Elizabeth Spriggs, Eric Sykes and Christoper Whittingham. The wrong Covid test results have been given out in another part of Australia as Omicron case numbers skyrocket. In South Australia, 11 people were given the wrong PCR results via text message on New Year's Eve. SA Pathology, which is owned by the state government, had the right results only for an IT bungle to send out incorrect ones. The individuals were contacted with an apology. 'A clarification was sent within three hours of the original message being received and we contacted all those affected to explain the situation and apologise for any inconvenience caused,' an SA Health spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia. The wrong Covid test results have been given out in another part of Australia as Omicron case numbers skyrocket. In South Australia, 11 people were given the wrong PCR results via text message on New Year's Eve (pictured is a lab tester at SA Pathology) 'The error was found during our usual quality control processes and while this is the first occurrence in South Australia, we've implemented further measures to avoid a similar incident happening again.' Since Monday, SA Pathology has carried out 134,025 Covid-19 tests. On New Year's Day, South Australia reported 2,108 new daily Covid cases, with 71 people in hospital with four of them in intensive care and one on a ventilator. This marked a marginal increase from the 2,093 the day before. The latest increase takes the state's total Covid cases to 13,178 in a state where 87.9 per cent of the population, aged 12 and over, have had at least two doses of a coronavirus vaccine. The error follows a situation in New South Wales where St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney mistakenly told 1,395 positive cases, they were negative. In NSW, 22,577 new cases were announced on January 1, based on the result for the 24 hours to 8pm on New Year's Eve. So far, 93.6 per cent of the NSW population aged 16 and over is double vaccinated. SA Pathology, which is owned by the state government, had the right results only for an IT bungle to send out incorrect ones (pictured is a drive-through testing clinic in Adelaide) by Xinhua writer Dong Yue BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- As the global economy falters amid the capricious pandemic and soaring protectionism, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) presents a precious boon for a world thirsty for a steady economic rebound. The world's biggest trade pact, which has taken effect on Saturday in China and nine other countries, will bolster regional integration and aid a bumpy global recovery. The 15 RCEP members are home to roughly 30 percent of the world's gross domestic product and population. With a huge population, a diverse membership and a great potential, the implementation of the RCEP will effectively stabilize the regional supply and industrial chains, revitalize the regional market, and boost international trade and investment, thus creating new growth engines for the sluggish global economic recovery. After the trade deal kicks in, more than 90 percent of merchandise trade between approved members will be eventually subject to zero tariffs. Meanwhile, the RCEP will strongly offset the impact of raging protectionism and unilateralism, bringing free trade and multilateral cooperation back to the fore. In recent years, unilateralism and protectionism have hindered the free flow of goods around the world, and created barriers against world economic growth. By forming this mega free trade zone, RCEP members have demonstrated that win-win cooperation is still the shared pursuit of humankind. Decoupling and beggar-thy-neighbor practices are unable to reverse the trend of economic globalization. As ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi said, the RCEP's expeditious ratification process by its various members is "a true reflection of our strong commitment to a fair and open multilateral trading system for the benefit of the people in the region and the world." Furthermore, the RCEP is expected to facilitate the building of an open global economy and strengthen globalization. Distinct from the West-dominated globalization practices, in which drawbacks including a widening development divide and deficient global governance abound, the RCEP features remarkable openness and inclusiveness, providing an inspiration for future efforts to enrich economic globalization. The pact covers a wide range of areas such as tariff reductions, trade facilitation and the opening-up of services and investment, while taking into account the diverse development stages and economic needs of each member, developed or developing. Last but not least, the RCEP will allow the region and the whole world to better share China's development opportunities. After signing the agreement in 2020, China took the lead in ratifying the deal. In November 2021, China announced it has made every preparation to enforce the RCEP domestically and ensure all obligations are met. The success of the trade agreement rests on a faithful implementation. It is hoped that all parties can see the deal as an opportunity to lead the world out of its current state of distress and mark a shift towards a more open and inclusive global economy that can benefit everyone. Enditem The Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist killed in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district on December 31 last year has been identified as Samir Dar, who was also involved in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, said Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar on Saturday. IGP Kashmir informed that Samir Dar was the last surviving terrorist involved in Pulwama terror attack. "The picture of one of the killed terrorists in Anantnag Encounter on December 30 matches with JeM top commander Samir Dar, who was the last surviving terrorist involved in Lethpora, Pulwama Terror Attack. We are going for DNA sample matching," Kashmir Zone Police quoted IGP Kashmir. Earlier on Wednesday, three terrorists were killed in an encounter that broke out in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district. "Anantnag Encounter Update: Killed terrorists identified as 02 local categorised terrorists and a Pakistani terrorist, affiliated with proscribed terror outfit JeM. They were involved in several terror crimes and civilian atrocities," tweeted Kashmir Zone Police. On February 14, 2019, a terror attack was carried out in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir by a suicide bomber resulting in the death of 40 CRPF personnel. The suicide bomber, identified as Jaish-e-Mohammad's Adil Ahmed Dar, rammed his vehicle into a bus with the CRPF convoy at Lethapora in the Pulwama district. "Ever since he had been responsible to train people in making IEDs and deploying IEDs against security forces. He has also been responsible to recruit young locals by brainwashing them, carrying out selective identification, and radicalizing them, and giving them weapons," General Officer Commanding of Chinar Corps Lieutenant General DP Pandey said on Saturday. (ANI) Washington [US], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): A shooting occurred at Mall of America (MOA) in the US city of Bloomington, Minnesota, late on Friday and left two people injured, the local police department said, adding that the suspect fled the scene. "We are on scene of a shooting incident at MOA. The scene is secure, and after a short lockdown, the mall is back to normal operation. 2 injured with non life threatening injuries," the police tweeted. The accident occurred due to an altercation between two men and resulted in one of them getting a gunfire wound to the leg, while a passer-by was grazed by a bullet, Deputy Chief Kim Clausen said during the press conference following the incident. Clausen added that the suspect managed to flee the scene, thus no weapon had been recovered. The MOA tweeted thanks to "guests and tenants who responded quickly and followed security guidance " and added that the lockdown was lifted and the mall would reopen at 10 am on Saturday. (ANI/Sputnik) To anyone who has seen the unnervingly thin Potato Chip Rock jutting into the air, Poway Mayor Steve Vaus announcement Saturday that the iconic formation had broken off seemed plausible, if not inevitable. Which is what made it a perfect April Fools Day joke. It worked into peoples preconceived notions, Vaus said. It took off from there. Advertisement Take off it did. By 3 p.m. Saturday, his Poway Now Facebook page post had 34,000 views. He posted his fake news announcement on other Facebook pages and on his Poway Now website, as well. The website is not a city website. The announcement was accompanied by an altered photo of the rock, tip gone. The rock is one of San Diego Countys more popular hiking destinations atop Mount Woodson, just outside of Poway, and on weekends there is often a line of people waiting to have their photos taken on the gravity-defying stone. A group of friends and family members pose for a photo on Potato Chip Rock in 2015. (Charlie Neuman / UT San Diego/Zuma Press) While the mere thought of Potato Chip Rock breaking off is not far-fetched, the details in Vaus news announcement are pretty eyebrow-raising. Vaus tall tale describes how a 7-foot piece of the rock fell into Lake Poway below. But he assured readers that the tip would be hoisted by helicopter and promptly glued back on in less than an hour. Overseeing the repair will be world renowned adhesive expert Dr. Lirpa Sloof, Chairman Emeritus, School of Viscoelastics, University of Eastern Finland, the story reads. Sloof, inventor of Krazy Glue, says a quick repair can be made. This is simple science. Using the latest acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesives, which actually increase the intensity of their bond over time, the rock will be better than new! Dr. Lirpa Sloof? Try April Fools spelled backwards. Anyone who bothers to read to the end gets tipped off to the gag: And theres no doubt in my mind Potato Chip Rock will be stronger than ever after the repair and ready to welcome visitors for many more April Fools Days to come, it reads. People shared the fake story around social media, and a few asked the parking lot attendant at the trailhead whether the trail was still open, Vaus said. One citizen even emailed Vaus, suggesting the city should lower water rates rather than use funds to fix the rock. When asked if Vaus had any qualms about carrying out such a gag in his role as a trusted public official, he laughed it off. There is no danger. I think its a healthy thing for a public official to have a sense of humor, Vaus said. Frankly we could use more politicians with a sense of humor. Whats the worst thing that could happen, someone decide not to go up there today? 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. To anyone who has seen the unnervingly thin Potato Chip Rock jutting into the air, Poway Mayor Steve Vaus announcement Saturday that the iconic formation had broken off seemed plausible, if not inevitable. Which is what made it a perfect April Fools Day joke. It worked into peoples preconceived notions, Vaus said. It took off from there. Advertisement Take off it did. By 3 p.m. Saturday, his Poway Now Facebook page post had 34,000 views. He posted his fake news announcement on other Facebook pages and on his Poway Now website, as well. The website is not a city website. The announcement was accompanied by an altered photo of the rock, tip gone. The rock is one of San Diego Countys more popular hiking destinations atop Mount Woodson, just outside of Poway, and on weekends there is often a line of people waiting to have their photos taken on the gravity-defying stone. A group of friends and family members pose for a photo on Potato Chip Rock in 2015. (Charlie Neuman / UT San Diego/Zuma Press) While the mere thought of Potato Chip Rock breaking off is not far-fetched, the details in Vaus news announcement are pretty eyebrow-raising. Vaus tall tale describes how a 7-foot piece of the rock fell into Lake Poway below. But he assured readers that the tip would be hoisted by helicopter and promptly glued back on in less than an hour. Overseeing the repair will be world renowned adhesive expert Dr. Lirpa Sloof, Chairman Emeritus, School of Viscoelastics, University of Eastern Finland, the story reads. Sloof, inventor of Krazy Glue, says a quick repair can be made. This is simple science. Using the latest acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesives, which actually increase the intensity of their bond over time, the rock will be better than new! Dr. Lirpa Sloof? Try April Fools spelled backwards. Anyone who bothers to read to the end gets tipped off to the gag: And theres no doubt in my mind Potato Chip Rock will be stronger than ever after the repair and ready to welcome visitors for many more April Fools Days to come, it reads. People shared the fake story around social media, and a few asked the parking lot attendant at the trailhead whether the trail was still open, Vaus said. One citizen even emailed Vaus, suggesting the city should lower water rates rather than use funds to fix the rock. When asked if Vaus had any qualms about carrying out such a gag in his role as a trusted public official, he laughed it off. There is no danger. I think its a healthy thing for a public official to have a sense of humor, Vaus said. Frankly we could use more politicians with a sense of humor. Whats the worst thing that could happen, someone decide not to go up there today? Davis writes for The San Diego Union-Tribune. kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @kristinadavis To anyone who has seen the unnervingly thin Potato Chip Rock jutting into the air, Poway Mayor Steve Vaus announcement Saturday that the iconic formation had broken off seemed plausible, if not inevitable. Which is what made it a perfect April Fools Day joke. It worked into peoples preconceived notions, Vaus said. It took off from there. Advertisement Take off it did. By 3 p.m. Saturday, his Poway Now Facebook page post had 34,000 views. He posted his fake news announcement on other Facebook pages and on his Poway Now website, as well. The website is not a city website. The announcement was accompanied by an altered photo of the rock, tip gone. The rock is one of San Diego Countys more popular hiking destinations atop Mount Woodson, just outside of Poway, and on weekends there is often a line of people waiting to have their photos taken on the gravity-defying stone. A group of friends and family members pose for a photo on Potato Chip Rock in 2015. (Charlie Neuman / UT San Diego/Zuma Press) While the mere thought of Potato Chip Rock breaking off is not far-fetched, the details in Vaus news announcement are pretty eyebrow-raising. Vaus tall tale describes how a 7-foot piece of the rock fell into Lake Poway below. But he assured readers that the tip would be hoisted by helicopter and promptly glued back on in less than an hour. Overseeing the repair will be world renowned adhesive expert Dr. Lirpa Sloof, Chairman Emeritus, School of Viscoelastics, University of Eastern Finland, the story reads. Sloof, inventor of Krazy Glue, says a quick repair can be made. This is simple science. Using the latest acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesives, which actually increase the intensity of their bond over time, the rock will be better than new! Dr. Lirpa Sloof? Try April Fools spelled backwards. Anyone who bothers to read to the end gets tipped off to the gag: And theres no doubt in my mind Potato Chip Rock will be stronger than ever after the repair and ready to welcome visitors for many more April Fools Days to come, it reads. People shared the fake story around social media, and a few asked the parking lot attendant at the trailhead whether the trail was still open, Vaus said. One citizen even emailed Vaus, suggesting the city should lower water rates rather than use funds to fix the rock. When asked if Vaus had any qualms about carrying out such a gag in his role as a trusted public official, he laughed it off. There is no danger. I think its a healthy thing for a public official to have a sense of humor, Vaus said. Frankly we could use more politicians with a sense of humor. Whats the worst thing that could happen, someone decide not to go up there today? Davis writes for The San Diego Union-Tribune. kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @kristinadavis Advertisement Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise. In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by lead actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, as well as a slew of their dazzling co-stars and the brains behind the eight movies. While the stars regaled tales of life on and off screen during their time in one of the biggest movie franchises of all time, notably absent was creator JK Rowling, 56, who only appeared via archive footage in the wake of an ongoing row over her views on transgender issues, which erupted via Twitter earlier this year. Alongside the core trio, who played Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley respectively, the line up includes Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Alfred Enoch (Dean Thomas), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) and Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy). Working it out: Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise, led by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint Nice! In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by the lead actors and a slew of supporting cast members The special opens with sweeping shots of London focusing on the stars opening their invites to the reunion, with Emma seen heading down platform 9 and 3/4 before she meets up with a number of famous faces. The Great Hall - the centre point of the set, which is still in place at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London in Leavesden - is packed with dancers, an orchestra and stars of the movie - all revelling atop a HP20 logo in the floor. Stars of the movies fondly greet each other as they prepare for the eagerly-anticipated reunion. Daniel is then seen treading the path of Diagon Alley before one of the opening lines of Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone is read: ' He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting up in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!' CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived. The opening section of the reunion focused on Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets Back together: The Harry Potter cast reunites in the Great Hall for a Christmas get together CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios. The first section, entitled The Boy Who Lived, looks back on the first two movies from 2001 and 2002. Christopher spoke about why he directed the first two films in the saga after his daughter forced him to read the books. In the first of few mentions of JK Rowling, he says: 'I had to fly to Edinburgh to meet Jo Rowling and I said "This is my vision of the movies" and she said hers was the same'. Bonnie then also mentioned JK, saying: 'So many people were falling in love with her writing', while an archive shot showed the author at a signing for the first book, while Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid also lauded JK and Christopher spoke of the feverish hunt to find an actor to play Harry. Then and now: Daniel was at the helm of the project, having played Harry in all eight films since he was 11 Looking back: The main man himself confessed: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter. My first kiss is connected to someone here, my first girlfriends were here...' Starring: JK Rowling received just 10 mentions in the Harry Potter reunion with repeated clips from an interview she undertook in 2019 at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (pictured in her archive footage) The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books, while it was revealed that Ron just 'jumped off the page' to Rupert - who called the book 'a beautiful, intricate world'. Christopher spoke of seeing David Copperfield on the BBC and realising Daniel was perfect for the role, while archive footage of the 2019 interview with JK showed her speaking of nailing finding Daniel. As Emma, Daniel and Rupert reunited, they began speaking about their own lives in the world of Harry Potter, in what they branded a 'surreal reunion' where 'no time had passed but so much time had passed'. Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age'. Opening up: As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios Reunited: Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint recalled growing up on the 'greatest playground in the world' in scenes released ahead of the reunion special Leading lady: The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books On working with the child stars, Christopher insisted Emma was 'the cleverest person on the whole set', while she herself insisted she 'is Hermione' having connected deeply with the character: 'Hermione made complete sense to me, I felt like I was this girl', and admitted her family feared for her if she didn't get the role. Behind the scenes shots showed filming for the first movie, including the group larking around and playing a slapping game with their hands - which Emma revealed they did 'all the time', to the point their hands were raw. Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Changes: Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age' I'll be back: Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of. Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return: 'I get tears, I still get tears thinking about it'. Introductions are paid to both the Weasley and Malfoy families - showing the stark differences between the good and bad of the wizarding world - and how the group played out the respective families. Star: Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris (second right) worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Open: The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family. On the evil side, Jason explained how he first auditioned for the role of hapless professor and author Gilderoy Lockhart - yet was soon turned to Lucius whose relationship with his son Draco was laid bare. He said: 'I'm convinced I got the role because I didn't want it. I was about to play Captain Hook and I didn't want to play two villains so I read through gritted teeth'. He explained Draco was a 'sadistic bully' due to his father. Happy days: Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age. The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron. Gary explained that having kids pointed him towards the books, while Alfonso noted the movie is a 'coming of age': 'Harry is still a child in the first two... but then he turns 15 and there's a cloud that surrounds him'. Exciting: Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up'. Daniel then spoke to Emma and Rupert about his starstruck moment of meeting Gary and how he demanded his co-stars 'don't mess up' in front of him - although confessed this was more an order of his own. Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars. Tough: Gary and Daniel discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Eerie: Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up' The actor, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 69, famously played the stern Hogwarts professor, who worked as one of Voldemort's Death Eaters. It wasn't until a plot twist in the final installment that fans discovered how Severus had been acting as a double agent in order to protect the series' protagonist. Daniel revealed that Christopher would beg Alan to tell the story, saying 'Why are you doing that like that?' to which the Love Actually star would reply, 'I'll tell you later.' Daniel then voiced a note perfect of the late star. The lead trio then spoke about the thrill of working with director Mike Newell on the fourth movie - noting his kindness and playfulness with the child stars. Daniel said: 'Mike is this excited, loud, passionate man', while Rupert stated: 'I love Mike, he was great, it was almost like he was from the books'. Shock: Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars Fighting it: Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs James and Oliver spoke about when a fight with Mike while he instructed them on fighting in front of the Goblet Of Fire, led to Mike having his ribs broken. Aside from the fun and frolics on stage, the group spoke about how highly charged the hormones were on-set, with Daniel describing the movie as 'peak hormone' for him, as the students are all seen falling for one another for the first time - both on and off screen. Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs. She recalled: Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time - pictured during a tutoring session 'I used to come in every day and look for him': Emma Watson, 31, reveals she remembers the moment she fell in love with Harry Potter co-star Tom Felton, 34, as they share a hug during reunion special - which is set to air on New Year's Day Reunited: Tom flashed a wide smile as Emma hurried over to him before they shared a loving hug Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time. The pair also shared a warm embrace as they hugged with delight while reuniting on camera in The Great Hall for the TV special. Tom was 14 years old when the first Harry Potter movie came out in 2001, while Emma was just 11. They both starred in all eight Harry Potter films. She recalled: 'I walked into the room where we were having tutoring. The assignment that had been given was to draw what you thought God looked like, and Tom had drawn a girl with a backward cap on a skateboard. 'And I just don't know how to say it I just fell in love with him. I used to come in every day and look for his number on the call sheet, it was number seven, and if his name was on the call sheet, it was an extra exciting day.' Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike. Terrifying: Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet. Daniel coyly admitted he had a soft spot for his 55-year old co-star, despite their 23-year age difference. Reading his message aloud for the first time, he said: 'Dear HBC, it was a pleasure being your co-star and coaster in the fact I always ended up holding your coffee. I do love you and I wish Id just been born ten years earlier so I mightve been in with a chance.' Helen and Gary are then seen discussing Bellatrix killing her cousin Sirius and a deleted scene showing a duel. The esteemed stars revealed they went to wand school to hone the choreography of the moves. Meet up: Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet Eww! Helena brought along the teeth she wore to play the terrifying Death Eater On film number four, director David Yates was recruited when things became darker and more grown up. The stars lauded David for helping draw out more intensity and explained that while the world was politicising, he was wanted to draw this into the movies and display that element. Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars. After they were catapulted to stardom following the success of The Philosopher's Stone in 2001, before the pair had even reached their teen years they struggled to adjust to their superstardom. Admitting to writing about being lonely in a diary entry at the time, the Beauty And The Beast star explained how 'the fame thing had finally hit home in a big way'. Hurt: Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars She confessed: 'I think I was scared. I don't know if you ever felt like it got to a tipping point where you were like, "This is kind of forever now."' It was around the time of Order of the Phoenix when things started getting spicy for all of us,' she continued of the 2007 blockbuster which she filmed aged 16. Rupert chimed in: 'I also had sort of similar feelings to Emma, contemplating what life would be like if I called it a day. We never really spoke about it. I guess we were just going through it at our own pace, we were kind of in the moment at the time. It just didn't really occur to us that we were all probably kind of having similar feelings.' Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role. Emma gushed about being 'proud' of Evanna, as well as Bonnie, who played Ginny in the franchise. Sweet: Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 As the franchise drew to a close with the final two movies, the group discussed how things changed for them in their more mature status as actors as well as their storylines intensifying. Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through'. Harry, Emma and Rupert were likened to astronauts by David Yates thanks to their joint experiences in becoming global superstars at the helm of the huge productions. In anticipation of Hermione and Ron becoming romantically involved, Emma and Rupert discussed how they struggled to film their first kiss amid the Battle Of Hogwarts in the final movie. Rupert admitted that the audience were 'desperate' to see the duo kiss. An honour: Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through' Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing'. The cast and crew discussed the final scenes and the 'spiritual' elements of the final battle scene between Harry and Voldemort before a montage of adorable throwbacks shot up. Following their discussions of each film, the group all grew emotional as they rounded out the show. Rupert said: 'I'm very proud to have been part of it, it was weird at the end. I lost track of who I was and who the character was. My name didn't feel like my name and I only knew one thing - to play Ron'. Emma went on: 'It's like we did the most extreme form of method acting. The way it feels for me now - I'm trying not to get emotional - it feels you you're a pillar of my life', while Rupert added that 'they are family'. Eek! Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing' Rupert then said: 'I love you, as a friend - just to be clear'. Throwbacks showed the final scenes being filmed with all the stars weeping and holding each other, in a state of 'utter devastation'. Emma said: 'It was the first time we let ourselves realise we'd made it through'. Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud', while Emma said: 'There's something about Harry Potter that makes life richer. When things get really dark and times are really hard, stories give us places we can go where we can rest and we can be held'. Breaking down in tears, Emma said: 'It was the best most amazing experience and I cant explain they're such good people and they're so kind and they took the responsibility so seriously and I appreciate that so much'. Rupert said: 'They're like family. We're so intrinsically linked and they're incredibly important to me.' Fighting back tears, Daniel added: 'There's people on these films who are foundational to who I am, as a person, as an actor, I am so lucky to have the life I have and be able to work with the people I work with now An honour: Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud' Stars tearfully remember 'magic' Alan Rickman, 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'generous' Richard Griffiths during reunion show in memoriam The actors and cast behind the Harry Potter franchise remembered their late co-stars during an in memoriam section of the Harry Potter Return To Hogwarts reunion, which aired on Saturday. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint led the tributes to the many stars they have lost over the past two decades, since the franchise launched with Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone - including Richard Harris, Alan Rickman and most recently Helen McCrory. Speaking about appearing on the reunion without their late stars, Emma said: 'It's obviously amazing to be back, but so many people we thought would be here for much longer like Helen and Alan and Richard', while Rupert sadly echoed: 'They're like family, just gone too soon'. Speaking about working with such icons, Daniel said: 'I feel really lucky to have some little bit of touch with the people who have passed... I'll be very old one day and say I knew that absolute legend.' An honour: Stars tearfully remembered the late stars of Harry Potter in Saturday's Return To Hogwarts reunion special, including 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'magic' Alan Rickman (left-right) Lost: Helen played the Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 HELEN MCCROY PLAYED: Narcissa Malfoy DIED: April 2021, aged 52 Helen played Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2. She passed away in April this year after a secret 'heroic battle' with cancer, her husband Damian Lewis confirmed at the time. The 'beautiful and mighty' actress died 'peacefully' at home surrounded by friends and family. Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen. Jason said: 'Helen McCroy played my wife. I said I think I've just seen the best actress I've ever seen in my life. I feel lucky to have worked with her and shared so much frankly adolescent laughter on the set. Speaking about his on-screen mum, Tom broke down as he emotionally said: 'She taught me a lot. See I can't even say it. She had this ability to show such empathy in her eyes. It was a real treat to work with her.' An honour: Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen Shock: Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden ALAN RICKMAN PLAYED: Severus Snape DIED: January 2016, aged 69 Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden. He is ultimately killed by his master Lord Voldemort, after Harry discovered the sacrifices he made for him. In August 2015, Alan suffered a minor stroke, which led to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He revealed that he had terminal cancer to only his closest confidants. On 14 January 2016, he died in London at the age of 69. Speaking about working with the acting icon, Emma said: 'Alan Rickman never spoke to me like I was a child. He always took my thoughts and opinions very seriously which I was always very touched by.' Ralph Fiennes meanwhile, who played Voldemort, said: 'Alan was a very dear friend, and we had that final scene, his final scene. I was a little intimidated by his precision and his expert delivery of lines. We sort of went toe to toe in a funny way, Snape and Voldemort. Two actors fencing with each other. Alan was a magician in that way'. Reaching out: Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, and Ralph Fiennes, who played Voldemort, honoured Alan Star: Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets RICHARD HARRIS PLAYED: Albus Dumbledore DIED: October 2002, aged 72 Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets. He famously revealed he was reluctant to take the role, but it was his 11-year-old granddaughter who begged him to reconsider, threatening never to talk to him again if he refused the role. 'What could I do?' moaned Harris. 'I wasn't going to let her down.' After starring in two movies, he passed away in October 2002 at London's University College Hospital, after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease that August. He had reportedly been hospitalised with pneumonia. Speaking about his on-screen legacy and what it was like to work with the legend, Emma said: 'Richard Harris was such a special, warm person. He was so twinkly'. Director Christopher Columbus went on: 'Richard Harris was classic - probably one of the funniest men I've ever met. He was this devilish 11-year-old trapped in a 70 plus year old man's body. He just had this glint in his eye that made him the perfect Dumbledore by the way. He was brutally hilarious.' Evil: Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers RICHARD GRIFFITHS PLAYED: Vernon Dursley DIED: March 2013, aged 65 Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers. The beloved star died aged 65 at University Hospital Coventry on 28 March 2013. His passing came following complications with heart surgery and was met with an outpouring of heartache from the acting world. Speaking about working with the star, producer David Heyman said: 'Richard Griffiths was just delicious as Mr Dursley. He embraced his wickedness with such verve and passion'. Daniel meanwhile grew emotional as he said: 'His passing was the one that effected me the most because he was generous with knowledge and just wanted to share everything with you'. A full list of the cast and crew lost over the past two decades then flashed up, listing: Timothy Bateson, Terence Bayler, Sam Beazley, Sheila Allen, Peter Cartwright, Derek Deadman, Hazel Douglas, Alfred Burke, Salo Gardner, Richard Griffiths, Robert Hardy, Jimmy Gardner, John Hurt, Robert Knox, Dave Legeno, Richard Harris, Margery Mason, Rik M ayall, Roger Lloud Pack, Paul Ritter, David Ryall, Helen McCroy, Alan Rickman, Eric Sykes, Verne Troyer, Mary Selway, Elizabeth Spriggs, Eric Sykes and Christoper Whittingham. Advertisement Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise. In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by lead actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, as well as a slew of their dazzling co-stars and the brains behind the eight movies. While the stars regaled tales of life on and off screen during their time in one of the biggest movie franchises of all time, notably absent was creator JK Rowling, 56, who only appeared via archive footage in the wake of an ongoing row over her views on transgender issues, which erupted via Twitter earlier this year. Alongside the core trio, who played Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley respectively, the line up includes Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Alfred Enoch (Dean Thomas), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) and Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy). Working it out: Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise, led by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint Nice! In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by the lead actors and a slew of supporting cast members The special opens with sweeping shots of London focusing on the stars opening their invites to the reunion, with Emma seen heading down platform 9 and 3/4 before she meets up with a number of famous faces. The Great Hall - the centre point of the set, which is still in place at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London in Leavesden - is packed with dancers, an orchestra and stars of the movie - all revelling atop a HP20 logo in the floor. Stars of the movies fondly greet each other as they prepare for the eagerly-anticipated reunion. Daniel is then seen treading the path of Diagon Alley before one of the opening lines of Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone is read: ' He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting up in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!' CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived. The opening section of the reunion focused on Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets Back together: The Harry Potter cast reunites in the Great Hall for a Christmas get together CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios. The first section, entitled The Boy Who Lived, looks back on the first two movies from 2001 and 2002. Christopher spoke about why he directed the first two films in the saga after his daughter forced him to read the books. In the first of few mentions of JK Rowling, he says: 'I had to fly to Edinburgh to meet Jo Rowling and I said "This is my vision of the movies" and she said hers was the same'. Bonnie then also mentioned JK, saying: 'So many people were falling in love with her writing', while an archive shot showed the author at a signing for the first book, while Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid also lauded JK and Christopher spoke of the feverish hunt to find an actor to play Harry. Then and now: Daniel was at the helm of the project, having played Harry in all eight films since he was 11 Looking back: The main man himself confessed: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter. My first kiss is connected to someone here, my first girlfriends were here...' Starring: JK Rowling received just 10 mentions in the Harry Potter reunion with repeated clips from an interview she undertook in 2019 at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (pictured in her archive footage) The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books, while it was revealed that Ron just 'jumped off the page' to Rupert - who called the book 'a beautiful, intricate world'. Christopher spoke of seeing David Copperfield on the BBC and realising Daniel was perfect for the role, while archive footage of the 2019 interview with JK showed her speaking of nailing finding Daniel. As Emma, Daniel and Rupert reunited, they began speaking about their own lives in the world of Harry Potter, in what they branded a 'surreal reunion' where 'no time had passed but so much time had passed'. Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age'. Opening up: As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios Reunited: Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint recalled growing up on the 'greatest playground in the world' in scenes released ahead of the reunion special Leading lady: The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books On working with the child stars, Christopher insisted Emma was 'the cleverest person on the whole set', while she herself insisted she 'is Hermione' having connected deeply with the character: 'Hermione made complete sense to me, I felt like I was this girl', and admitted her family feared for her if she didn't get the role. Behind the scenes shots showed filming for the first movie, including the group larking around and playing a slapping game with their hands - which Emma revealed they did 'all the time', to the point their hands were raw. Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Changes: Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age' I'll be back: Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of. Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return: 'I get tears, I still get tears thinking about it'. Introductions are paid to both the Weasley and Malfoy families - showing the stark differences between the good and bad of the wizarding world - and how the group played out the respective families. Star: Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris (second right) worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Open: The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family. On the evil side, Jason explained how he first auditioned for the role of hapless professor and author Gilderoy Lockhart - yet was soon turned to Lucius whose relationship with his son Draco was laid bare. He said: 'I'm convinced I got the role because I didn't want it. I was about to play Captain Hook and I didn't want to play two villains so I read through gritted teeth'. He explained Draco was a 'sadistic bully' due to his father. Happy days: Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age. The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron. Gary explained that having kids pointed him towards the books, while Alfonso noted the movie is a 'coming of age': 'Harry is still a child in the first two... but then he turns 15 and there's a cloud that surrounds him'. Exciting: Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up'. Daniel then spoke to Emma and Rupert about his starstruck moment of meeting Gary and how he demanded his co-stars 'don't mess up' in front of him - although confessed this was more an order of his own. Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars. Tough: Gary and Daniel discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Eerie: Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up' The actor, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 69, famously played the stern Hogwarts professor, who worked as one of Voldemort's Death Eaters. It wasn't until a plot twist in the final installment that fans discovered how Severus had been acting as a double agent in order to protect the series' protagonist. Daniel revealed that Christopher would beg Alan to tell the story, saying 'Why are you doing that like that?' to which the Love Actually star would reply, 'I'll tell you later.' Daniel then voiced a note perfect of the late star. The lead trio then spoke about the thrill of working with director Mike Newell on the fourth movie - noting his kindness and playfulness with the child stars. Daniel said: 'Mike is this excited, loud, passionate man', while Rupert stated: 'I love Mike, he was great, it was almost like he was from the books'. Shock: Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars Fighting it: Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs James and Oliver spoke about when a fight with Mike while he instructed them on fighting in front of the Goblet Of Fire, led to Mike having his ribs broken. Aside from the fun and frolics on stage, the group spoke about how highly charged the hormones were on-set, with Daniel describing the movie as 'peak hormone' for him, as the students are all seen falling for one another for the first time - both on and off screen. Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs. She recalled: Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time - pictured during a tutoring session 'I used to come in every day and look for him': Emma Watson, 31, reveals she remembers the moment she fell in love with Harry Potter co-star Tom Felton, 34, as they share a hug during reunion special - which is set to air on New Year's Day Reunited: Tom flashed a wide smile as Emma hurried over to him before they shared a loving hug Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time. The pair also shared a warm embrace as they hugged with delight while reuniting on camera in The Great Hall for the TV special. Tom was 14 years old when the first Harry Potter movie came out in 2001, while Emma was just 11. They both starred in all eight Harry Potter films. She recalled: 'I walked into the room where we were having tutoring. The assignment that had been given was to draw what you thought God looked like, and Tom had drawn a girl with a backward cap on a skateboard. 'And I just don't know how to say it I just fell in love with him. I used to come in every day and look for his number on the call sheet, it was number seven, and if his name was on the call sheet, it was an extra exciting day.' Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike. Terrifying: Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet. Daniel coyly admitted he had a soft spot for his 55-year old co-star, despite their 23-year age difference. Reading his message aloud for the first time, he said: 'Dear HBC, it was a pleasure being your co-star and coaster in the fact I always ended up holding your coffee. I do love you and I wish Id just been born ten years earlier so I mightve been in with a chance.' Helen and Gary are then seen discussing Bellatrix killing her cousin Sirius and a deleted scene showing a duel. The esteemed stars revealed they went to wand school to hone the choreography of the moves. Meet up: Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet Eww! Helena brought along the teeth she wore to play the terrifying Death Eater On film number four, director David Yates was recruited when things became darker and more grown up. The stars lauded David for helping draw out more intensity and explained that while the world was politicising, he was wanted to draw this into the movies and display that element. Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars. After they were catapulted to stardom following the success of The Philosopher's Stone in 2001, before the pair had even reached their teen years they struggled to adjust to their superstardom. Admitting to writing about being lonely in a diary entry at the time, the Beauty And The Beast star explained how 'the fame thing had finally hit home in a big way'. Hurt: Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars She confessed: 'I think I was scared. I don't know if you ever felt like it got to a tipping point where you were like, "This is kind of forever now."' It was around the time of Order of the Phoenix when things started getting spicy for all of us,' she continued of the 2007 blockbuster which she filmed aged 16. Rupert chimed in: 'I also had sort of similar feelings to Emma, contemplating what life would be like if I called it a day. We never really spoke about it. I guess we were just going through it at our own pace, we were kind of in the moment at the time. It just didn't really occur to us that we were all probably kind of having similar feelings.' Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role. Emma gushed about being 'proud' of Evanna, as well as Bonnie, who played Ginny in the franchise. Sweet: Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 As the franchise drew to a close with the final two movies, the group discussed how things changed for them in their more mature status as actors as well as their storylines intensifying. Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through'. Harry, Emma and Rupert were likened to astronauts by David Yates thanks to their joint experiences in becoming global superstars at the helm of the huge productions. In anticipation of Hermione and Ron becoming romantically involved, Emma and Rupert discussed how they struggled to film their first kiss amid the Battle Of Hogwarts in the final movie. Rupert admitted that the audience were 'desperate' to see the duo kiss. An honour: Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through' Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing'. The cast and crew discussed the final scenes and the 'spiritual' elements of the final battle scene between Harry and Voldemort before a montage of adorable throwbacks shot up. Following their discussions of each film, the group all grew emotional as they rounded out the show. Rupert said: 'I'm very proud to have been part of it, it was weird at the end. I lost track of who I was and who the character was. My name didn't feel like my name and I only knew one thing - to play Ron'. Emma went on: 'It's like we did the most extreme form of method acting. The way it feels for me now - I'm trying not to get emotional - it feels you you're a pillar of my life', while Rupert added that 'they are family'. Eek! Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing' Rupert then said: 'I love you, as a friend - just to be clear'. Throwbacks showed the final scenes being filmed with all the stars weeping and holding each other, in a state of 'utter devastation'. Emma said: 'It was the first time we let ourselves realise we'd made it through'. Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud', while Emma said: 'There's something about Harry Potter that makes life richer. When things get really dark and times are really hard, stories give us places we can go where we can rest and we can be held'. Breaking down in tears, Emma said: 'It was the best most amazing experience and I cant explain they're such good people and they're so kind and they took the responsibility so seriously and I appreciate that so much'. Rupert said: 'They're like family. We're so intrinsically linked and they're incredibly important to me.' Fighting back tears, Daniel added: 'There's people on these films who are foundational to who I am, as a person, as an actor, I am so lucky to have the life I have and be able to work with the people I work with now An honour: Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud' Stars tearfully remember 'magic' Alan Rickman, 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'generous' Richard Griffiths during reunion show in memoriam The actors and cast behind the Harry Potter franchise remembered their late co-stars during an in memoriam section of the Harry Potter Return To Hogwarts reunion, which aired on Saturday. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint led the tributes to the many stars they have lost over the past two decades, since the franchise launched with Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone - including Richard Harris, Alan Rickman and most recently Helen McCrory. Speaking about appearing on the reunion without their late stars, Emma said: 'It's obviously amazing to be back, but so many people we thought would be here for much longer like Helen and Alan and Richard', while Rupert sadly echoed: 'They're like family, just gone too soon'. Speaking about working with such icons, Daniel said: 'I feel really lucky to have some little bit of touch with the people who have passed... I'll be very old one day and say I knew that absolute legend.' An honour: Stars tearfully remembered the late stars of Harry Potter in Saturday's Return To Hogwarts reunion special, including 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'magic' Alan Rickman (left-right) Lost: Helen played the Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 HELEN MCCROY PLAYED: Narcissa Malfoy DIED: April 2021, aged 52 Helen played Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2. She passed away in April this year after a secret 'heroic battle' with cancer, her husband Damian Lewis confirmed at the time. The 'beautiful and mighty' actress died 'peacefully' at home surrounded by friends and family. Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen. Jason said: 'Helen McCroy played my wife. I said I think I've just seen the best actress I've ever seen in my life. I feel lucky to have worked with her and shared so much frankly adolescent laughter on the set. Speaking about his on-screen mum, Tom broke down as he emotionally said: 'She taught me a lot. See I can't even say it. She had this ability to show such empathy in her eyes. It was a real treat to work with her.' An honour: Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen Shock: Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden ALAN RICKMAN PLAYED: Severus Snape DIED: January 2016, aged 69 Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden. He is ultimately killed by his master Lord Voldemort, after Harry discovered the sacrifices he made for him. In August 2015, Alan suffered a minor stroke, which led to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He revealed that he had terminal cancer to only his closest confidants. On 14 January 2016, he died in London at the age of 69. Speaking about working with the acting icon, Emma said: 'Alan Rickman never spoke to me like I was a child. He always took my thoughts and opinions very seriously which I was always very touched by.' Ralph Fiennes meanwhile, who played Voldemort, said: 'Alan was a very dear friend, and we had that final scene, his final scene. I was a little intimidated by his precision and his expert delivery of lines. We sort of went toe to toe in a funny way, Snape and Voldemort. Two actors fencing with each other. Alan was a magician in that way'. Reaching out: Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, and Ralph Fiennes, who played Voldemort, honoured Alan Star: Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets RICHARD HARRIS PLAYED: Albus Dumbledore DIED: October 2002, aged 72 Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets. He famously revealed he was reluctant to take the role, but it was his 11-year-old granddaughter who begged him to reconsider, threatening never to talk to him again if he refused the role. 'What could I do?' moaned Harris. 'I wasn't going to let her down.' After starring in two movies, he passed away in October 2002 at London's University College Hospital, after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease that August. He had reportedly been hospitalised with pneumonia. Speaking about his on-screen legacy and what it was like to work with the legend, Emma said: 'Richard Harris was such a special, warm person. He was so twinkly'. Director Christopher Columbus went on: 'Richard Harris was classic - probably one of the funniest men I've ever met. He was this devilish 11-year-old trapped in a 70 plus year old man's body. He just had this glint in his eye that made him the perfect Dumbledore by the way. He was brutally hilarious.' Evil: Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers RICHARD GRIFFITHS PLAYED: Vernon Dursley DIED: March 2013, aged 65 Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers. The beloved star died aged 65 at University Hospital Coventry on 28 March 2013. His passing came following complications with heart surgery and was met with an outpouring of heartache from the acting world. Speaking about working with the star, producer David Heyman said: 'Richard Griffiths was just delicious as Mr Dursley. He embraced his wickedness with such verve and passion'. Daniel meanwhile grew emotional as he said: 'His passing was the one that effected me the most because he was generous with knowledge and just wanted to share everything with you'. A full list of the cast and crew lost over the past two decades then flashed up, listing: Timothy Bateson, Terence Bayler, Sam Beazley, Sheila Allen, Peter Cartwright, Derek Deadman, Hazel Douglas, Alfred Burke, Salo Gardner, Richard Griffiths, Robert Hardy, Jimmy Gardner, John Hurt, Robert Knox, Dave Legeno, Richard Harris, Margery Mason, Rik M ayall, Roger Lloud Pack, Paul Ritter, David Ryall, Helen McCroy, Alan Rickman, Eric Sykes, Verne Troyer, Mary Selway, Elizabeth Spriggs, Eric Sykes and Christoper Whittingham. Advertisement Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise. In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by lead actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, as well as a slew of their dazzling co-stars and the brains behind the eight movies. While the stars regaled tales of life on and off screen during their time in one of the biggest movie franchises of all time, notably absent was creator JK Rowling, 56, who only appeared via archive footage in the wake of an ongoing row over her views on transgender issues, which erupted via Twitter earlier this year. Alongside the core trio, who played Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley respectively, the line up includes Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Alfred Enoch (Dean Thomas), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) and Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy). Working it out: Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise, led by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint Nice! In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by the lead actors and a slew of supporting cast members The special opens with sweeping shots of London focusing on the stars opening their invites to the reunion, with Emma seen heading down platform 9 and 3/4 before she meets up with a number of famous faces. The Great Hall - the centre point of the set, which is still in place at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London in Leavesden - is packed with dancers, an orchestra and stars of the movie - all revelling atop a HP20 logo in the floor. Stars of the movies fondly greet each other as they prepare for the eagerly-anticipated reunion. Daniel is then seen treading the path of Diagon Alley before one of the opening lines of Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone is read: ' He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting up in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!' CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived. The opening section of the reunion focused on Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets Back together: The Harry Potter cast reunites in the Great Hall for a Christmas get together CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios. The first section, entitled The Boy Who Lived, looks back on the first two movies from 2001 and 2002. Christopher spoke about why he directed the first two films in the saga after his daughter forced him to read the books. In the first of few mentions of JK Rowling, he says: 'I had to fly to Edinburgh to meet Jo Rowling and I said "This is my vision of the movies" and she said hers was the same'. Bonnie then also mentioned JK, saying: 'So many people were falling in love with her writing', while an archive shot showed the author at a signing for the first book, while Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid also lauded JK and Christopher spoke of the feverish hunt to find an actor to play Harry. Then and now: Daniel was at the helm of the project, having played Harry in all eight films since he was 11 Looking back: The main man himself confessed: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter. My first kiss is connected to someone here, my first girlfriends were here...' Starring: JK Rowling received just 10 mentions in the Harry Potter reunion with repeated clips from an interview she undertook in 2019 at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (pictured in her archive footage) The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books, while it was revealed that Ron just 'jumped off the page' to Rupert - who called the book 'a beautiful, intricate world'. Christopher spoke of seeing David Copperfield on the BBC and realising Daniel was perfect for the role, while archive footage of the 2019 interview with JK showed her speaking of nailing finding Daniel. As Emma, Daniel and Rupert reunited, they began speaking about their own lives in the world of Harry Potter, in what they branded a 'surreal reunion' where 'no time had passed but so much time had passed'. Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age'. Opening up: As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios Reunited: Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint recalled growing up on the 'greatest playground in the world' in scenes released ahead of the reunion special Leading lady: The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books On working with the child stars, Christopher insisted Emma was 'the cleverest person on the whole set', while she herself insisted she 'is Hermione' having connected deeply with the character: 'Hermione made complete sense to me, I felt like I was this girl', and admitted her family feared for her if she didn't get the role. Behind the scenes shots showed filming for the first movie, including the group larking around and playing a slapping game with their hands - which Emma revealed they did 'all the time', to the point their hands were raw. Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Changes: Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age' I'll be back: Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of. Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return: 'I get tears, I still get tears thinking about it'. Introductions are paid to both the Weasley and Malfoy families - showing the stark differences between the good and bad of the wizarding world - and how the group played out the respective families. Star: Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris (second right) worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Open: The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family. On the evil side, Jason explained how he first auditioned for the role of hapless professor and author Gilderoy Lockhart - yet was soon turned to Lucius whose relationship with his son Draco was laid bare. He said: 'I'm convinced I got the role because I didn't want it. I was about to play Captain Hook and I didn't want to play two villains so I read through gritted teeth'. He explained Draco was a 'sadistic bully' due to his father. Happy days: Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age. The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron. Gary explained that having kids pointed him towards the books, while Alfonso noted the movie is a 'coming of age': 'Harry is still a child in the first two... but then he turns 15 and there's a cloud that surrounds him'. Exciting: Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up'. Daniel then spoke to Emma and Rupert about his starstruck moment of meeting Gary and how he demanded his co-stars 'don't mess up' in front of him - although confessed this was more an order of his own. Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars. Tough: Gary and Daniel discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Eerie: Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up' The actor, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 69, famously played the stern Hogwarts professor, who worked as one of Voldemort's Death Eaters. It wasn't until a plot twist in the final installment that fans discovered how Severus had been acting as a double agent in order to protect the series' protagonist. Daniel revealed that Christopher would beg Alan to tell the story, saying 'Why are you doing that like that?' to which the Love Actually star would reply, 'I'll tell you later.' Daniel then voiced a note perfect of the late star. The lead trio then spoke about the thrill of working with director Mike Newell on the fourth movie - noting his kindness and playfulness with the child stars. Daniel said: 'Mike is this excited, loud, passionate man', while Rupert stated: 'I love Mike, he was great, it was almost like he was from the books'. Shock: Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars Fighting it: Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs James and Oliver spoke about when a fight with Mike while he instructed them on fighting in front of the Goblet Of Fire, led to Mike having his ribs broken. Aside from the fun and frolics on stage, the group spoke about how highly charged the hormones were on-set, with Daniel describing the movie as 'peak hormone' for him, as the students are all seen falling for one another for the first time - both on and off screen. Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs. She recalled: Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time - pictured during a tutoring session 'I used to come in every day and look for him': Emma Watson, 31, reveals she remembers the moment she fell in love with Harry Potter co-star Tom Felton, 34, as they share a hug during reunion special - which is set to air on New Year's Day Reunited: Tom flashed a wide smile as Emma hurried over to him before they shared a loving hug Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time. The pair also shared a warm embrace as they hugged with delight while reuniting on camera in The Great Hall for the TV special. Tom was 14 years old when the first Harry Potter movie came out in 2001, while Emma was just 11. They both starred in all eight Harry Potter films. She recalled: 'I walked into the room where we were having tutoring. The assignment that had been given was to draw what you thought God looked like, and Tom had drawn a girl with a backward cap on a skateboard. 'And I just don't know how to say it I just fell in love with him. I used to come in every day and look for his number on the call sheet, it was number seven, and if his name was on the call sheet, it was an extra exciting day.' Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike. Terrifying: Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet. Daniel coyly admitted he had a soft spot for his 55-year old co-star, despite their 23-year age difference. Reading his message aloud for the first time, he said: 'Dear HBC, it was a pleasure being your co-star and coaster in the fact I always ended up holding your coffee. I do love you and I wish Id just been born ten years earlier so I mightve been in with a chance.' Helen and Gary are then seen discussing Bellatrix killing her cousin Sirius and a deleted scene showing a duel. The esteemed stars revealed they went to wand school to hone the choreography of the moves. Meet up: Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet Eww! Helena brought along the teeth she wore to play the terrifying Death Eater On film number four, director David Yates was recruited when things became darker and more grown up. The stars lauded David for helping draw out more intensity and explained that while the world was politicising, he was wanted to draw this into the movies and display that element. Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars. After they were catapulted to stardom following the success of The Philosopher's Stone in 2001, before the pair had even reached their teen years they struggled to adjust to their superstardom. Admitting to writing about being lonely in a diary entry at the time, the Beauty And The Beast star explained how 'the fame thing had finally hit home in a big way'. Hurt: Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars She confessed: 'I think I was scared. I don't know if you ever felt like it got to a tipping point where you were like, "This is kind of forever now."' It was around the time of Order of the Phoenix when things started getting spicy for all of us,' she continued of the 2007 blockbuster which she filmed aged 16. Rupert chimed in: 'I also had sort of similar feelings to Emma, contemplating what life would be like if I called it a day. We never really spoke about it. I guess we were just going through it at our own pace, we were kind of in the moment at the time. It just didn't really occur to us that we were all probably kind of having similar feelings.' Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role. Emma gushed about being 'proud' of Evanna, as well as Bonnie, who played Ginny in the franchise. Sweet: Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 As the franchise drew to a close with the final two movies, the group discussed how things changed for them in their more mature status as actors as well as their storylines intensifying. Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through'. Harry, Emma and Rupert were likened to astronauts by David Yates thanks to their joint experiences in becoming global superstars at the helm of the huge productions. In anticipation of Hermione and Ron becoming romantically involved, Emma and Rupert discussed how they struggled to film their first kiss amid the Battle Of Hogwarts in the final movie. Rupert admitted that the audience were 'desperate' to see the duo kiss. An honour: Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through' Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing'. The cast and crew discussed the final scenes and the 'spiritual' elements of the final battle scene between Harry and Voldemort before a montage of adorable throwbacks shot up. Following their discussions of each film, the group all grew emotional as they rounded out the show. Rupert said: 'I'm very proud to have been part of it, it was weird at the end. I lost track of who I was and who the character was. My name didn't feel like my name and I only knew one thing - to play Ron'. Emma went on: 'It's like we did the most extreme form of method acting. The way it feels for me now - I'm trying not to get emotional - it feels you you're a pillar of my life', while Rupert added that 'they are family'. Eek! Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing' Rupert then said: 'I love you, as a friend - just to be clear'. Throwbacks showed the final scenes being filmed with all the stars weeping and holding each other, in a state of 'utter devastation'. Emma said: 'It was the first time we let ourselves realise we'd made it through'. Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud', while Emma said: 'There's something about Harry Potter that makes life richer. When things get really dark and times are really hard, stories give us places we can go where we can rest and we can be held'. Breaking down in tears, Emma said: 'It was the best most amazing experience and I cant explain they're such good people and they're so kind and they took the responsibility so seriously and I appreciate that so much'. Rupert said: 'They're like family. We're so intrinsically linked and they're incredibly important to me.' Fighting back tears, Daniel added: 'There's people on these films who are foundational to who I am, as a person, as an actor, I am so lucky to have the life I have and be able to work with the people I work with now An honour: Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud' Stars tearfully remember 'magic' Alan Rickman, 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'generous' Richard Griffiths during reunion show in memoriam The actors and cast behind the Harry Potter franchise remembered their late co-stars during an in memoriam section of the Harry Potter Return To Hogwarts reunion, which aired on Saturday. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint led the tributes to the many stars they have lost over the past two decades, since the franchise launched with Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone - including Richard Harris, Alan Rickman and most recently Helen McCrory. Speaking about appearing on the reunion without their late stars, Emma said: 'It's obviously amazing to be back, but so many people we thought would be here for much longer like Helen and Alan and Richard', while Rupert sadly echoed: 'They're like family, just gone too soon'. Speaking about working with such icons, Daniel said: 'I feel really lucky to have some little bit of touch with the people who have passed... I'll be very old one day and say I knew that absolute legend.' An honour: Stars tearfully remembered the late stars of Harry Potter in Saturday's Return To Hogwarts reunion special, including 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'magic' Alan Rickman (left-right) Lost: Helen played the Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 HELEN MCCROY PLAYED: Narcissa Malfoy DIED: April 2021, aged 52 Helen played Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2. She passed away in April this year after a secret 'heroic battle' with cancer, her husband Damian Lewis confirmed at the time. The 'beautiful and mighty' actress died 'peacefully' at home surrounded by friends and family. Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen. Jason said: 'Helen McCroy played my wife. I said I think I've just seen the best actress I've ever seen in my life. I feel lucky to have worked with her and shared so much frankly adolescent laughter on the set. Speaking about his on-screen mum, Tom broke down as he emotionally said: 'She taught me a lot. See I can't even say it. She had this ability to show such empathy in her eyes. It was a real treat to work with her.' An honour: Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen Shock: Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden ALAN RICKMAN PLAYED: Severus Snape DIED: January 2016, aged 69 Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden. He is ultimately killed by his master Lord Voldemort, after Harry discovered the sacrifices he made for him. In August 2015, Alan suffered a minor stroke, which led to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He revealed that he had terminal cancer to only his closest confidants. On 14 January 2016, he died in London at the age of 69. Speaking about working with the acting icon, Emma said: 'Alan Rickman never spoke to me like I was a child. He always took my thoughts and opinions very seriously which I was always very touched by.' Ralph Fiennes meanwhile, who played Voldemort, said: 'Alan was a very dear friend, and we had that final scene, his final scene. I was a little intimidated by his precision and his expert delivery of lines. We sort of went toe to toe in a funny way, Snape and Voldemort. Two actors fencing with each other. Alan was a magician in that way'. Reaching out: Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, and Ralph Fiennes, who played Voldemort, honoured Alan Star: Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets RICHARD HARRIS PLAYED: Albus Dumbledore DIED: October 2002, aged 72 Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets. He famously revealed he was reluctant to take the role, but it was his 11-year-old granddaughter who begged him to reconsider, threatening never to talk to him again if he refused the role. 'What could I do?' moaned Harris. 'I wasn't going to let her down.' After starring in two movies, he passed away in October 2002 at London's University College Hospital, after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease that August. He had reportedly been hospitalised with pneumonia. Speaking about his on-screen legacy and what it was like to work with the legend, Emma said: 'Richard Harris was such a special, warm person. He was so twinkly'. Director Christopher Columbus went on: 'Richard Harris was classic - probably one of the funniest men I've ever met. He was this devilish 11-year-old trapped in a 70 plus year old man's body. He just had this glint in his eye that made him the perfect Dumbledore by the way. He was brutally hilarious.' Evil: Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers RICHARD GRIFFITHS PLAYED: Vernon Dursley DIED: March 2013, aged 65 Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers. The beloved star died aged 65 at University Hospital Coventry on 28 March 2013. His passing came following complications with heart surgery and was met with an outpouring of heartache from the acting world. Speaking about working with the star, producer David Heyman said: 'Richard Griffiths was just delicious as Mr Dursley. He embraced his wickedness with such verve and passion'. Daniel meanwhile grew emotional as he said: 'His passing was the one that effected me the most because he was generous with knowledge and just wanted to share everything with you'. A full list of the cast and crew lost over the past two decades then flashed up, listing: Timothy Bateson, Terence Bayler, Sam Beazley, Sheila Allen, Peter Cartwright, Derek Deadman, Hazel Douglas, Alfred Burke, Salo Gardner, Richard Griffiths, Robert Hardy, Jimmy Gardner, John Hurt, Robert Knox, Dave Legeno, Richard Harris, Margery Mason, Rik M ayall, Roger Lloud Pack, Paul Ritter, David Ryall, Helen McCroy, Alan Rickman, Eric Sykes, Verne Troyer, Mary Selway, Elizabeth Spriggs, Eric Sykes and Christoper Whittingham. Advertisement Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise. In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by lead actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, as well as a slew of their dazzling co-stars and the brains behind the eight movies. While the stars regaled tales of life on and off screen during their time in one of the biggest movie franchises of all time, notably absent was creator JK Rowling, 56, who only appeared via archive footage in the wake of an ongoing row over her views on transgender issues, which erupted via Twitter earlier this year. Alongside the core trio, who played Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley respectively, the line up includes Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Alfred Enoch (Dean Thomas), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) and Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy). Working it out: Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise, led by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint Nice! In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by the lead actors and a slew of supporting cast members The special opens with sweeping shots of London focusing on the stars opening their invites to the reunion, with Emma seen heading down platform 9 and 3/4 before she meets up with a number of famous faces. The Great Hall - the centre point of the set, which is still in place at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London in Leavesden - is packed with dancers, an orchestra and stars of the movie - all revelling atop a HP20 logo in the floor. Stars of the movies fondly greet each other as they prepare for the eagerly-anticipated reunion. Daniel is then seen treading the path of Diagon Alley before one of the opening lines of Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone is read: ' He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting up in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!' CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived. The opening section of the reunion focused on Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets Back together: The Harry Potter cast reunites in the Great Hall for a Christmas get together CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios. The first section, entitled The Boy Who Lived, looks back on the first two movies from 2001 and 2002. Christopher spoke about why he directed the first two films in the saga after his daughter forced him to read the books. In the first of few mentions of JK Rowling, he says: 'I had to fly to Edinburgh to meet Jo Rowling and I said "This is my vision of the movies" and she said hers was the same'. Bonnie then also mentioned JK, saying: 'So many people were falling in love with her writing', while an archive shot showed the author at a signing for the first book, while Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid also lauded JK and Christopher spoke of the feverish hunt to find an actor to play Harry. Then and now: Daniel was at the helm of the project, having played Harry in all eight films since he was 11 Looking back: The main man himself confessed: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter. My first kiss is connected to someone here, my first girlfriends were here...' Starring: JK Rowling received just 10 mentions in the Harry Potter reunion with repeated clips from an interview she undertook in 2019 at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (pictured in her archive footage) The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books, while it was revealed that Ron just 'jumped off the page' to Rupert - who called the book 'a beautiful, intricate world'. Christopher spoke of seeing David Copperfield on the BBC and realising Daniel was perfect for the role, while archive footage of the 2019 interview with JK showed her speaking of nailing finding Daniel. As Emma, Daniel and Rupert reunited, they began speaking about their own lives in the world of Harry Potter, in what they branded a 'surreal reunion' where 'no time had passed but so much time had passed'. Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age'. Opening up: As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios Reunited: Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint recalled growing up on the 'greatest playground in the world' in scenes released ahead of the reunion special Leading lady: The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books On working with the child stars, Christopher insisted Emma was 'the cleverest person on the whole set', while she herself insisted she 'is Hermione' having connected deeply with the character: 'Hermione made complete sense to me, I felt like I was this girl', and admitted her family feared for her if she didn't get the role. Behind the scenes shots showed filming for the first movie, including the group larking around and playing a slapping game with their hands - which Emma revealed they did 'all the time', to the point their hands were raw. Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Changes: Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age' I'll be back: Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of. Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return: 'I get tears, I still get tears thinking about it'. Introductions are paid to both the Weasley and Malfoy families - showing the stark differences between the good and bad of the wizarding world - and how the group played out the respective families. Star: Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris (second right) worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Open: The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family. On the evil side, Jason explained how he first auditioned for the role of hapless professor and author Gilderoy Lockhart - yet was soon turned to Lucius whose relationship with his son Draco was laid bare. He said: 'I'm convinced I got the role because I didn't want it. I was about to play Captain Hook and I didn't want to play two villains so I read through gritted teeth'. He explained Draco was a 'sadistic bully' due to his father. Happy days: Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age. The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron. Gary explained that having kids pointed him towards the books, while Alfonso noted the movie is a 'coming of age': 'Harry is still a child in the first two... but then he turns 15 and there's a cloud that surrounds him'. Exciting: Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up'. Daniel then spoke to Emma and Rupert about his starstruck moment of meeting Gary and how he demanded his co-stars 'don't mess up' in front of him - although confessed this was more an order of his own. Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars. Tough: Gary and Daniel discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Eerie: Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up' The actor, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 69, famously played the stern Hogwarts professor, who worked as one of Voldemort's Death Eaters. It wasn't until a plot twist in the final installment that fans discovered how Severus had been acting as a double agent in order to protect the series' protagonist. Daniel revealed that Christopher would beg Alan to tell the story, saying 'Why are you doing that like that?' to which the Love Actually star would reply, 'I'll tell you later.' Daniel then voiced a note perfect of the late star. The lead trio then spoke about the thrill of working with director Mike Newell on the fourth movie - noting his kindness and playfulness with the child stars. Daniel said: 'Mike is this excited, loud, passionate man', while Rupert stated: 'I love Mike, he was great, it was almost like he was from the books'. Shock: Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars Fighting it: Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs James and Oliver spoke about when a fight with Mike while he instructed them on fighting in front of the Goblet Of Fire, led to Mike having his ribs broken. Aside from the fun and frolics on stage, the group spoke about how highly charged the hormones were on-set, with Daniel describing the movie as 'peak hormone' for him, as the students are all seen falling for one another for the first time - both on and off screen. Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs. She recalled: Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time - pictured during a tutoring session 'I used to come in every day and look for him': Emma Watson, 31, reveals she remembers the moment she fell in love with Harry Potter co-star Tom Felton, 34, as they share a hug during reunion special - which is set to air on New Year's Day Reunited: Tom flashed a wide smile as Emma hurried over to him before they shared a loving hug Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time. The pair also shared a warm embrace as they hugged with delight while reuniting on camera in The Great Hall for the TV special. Tom was 14 years old when the first Harry Potter movie came out in 2001, while Emma was just 11. They both starred in all eight Harry Potter films. She recalled: 'I walked into the room where we were having tutoring. The assignment that had been given was to draw what you thought God looked like, and Tom had drawn a girl with a backward cap on a skateboard. 'And I just don't know how to say it I just fell in love with him. I used to come in every day and look for his number on the call sheet, it was number seven, and if his name was on the call sheet, it was an extra exciting day.' Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike. Terrifying: Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet. Daniel coyly admitted he had a soft spot for his 55-year old co-star, despite their 23-year age difference. Reading his message aloud for the first time, he said: 'Dear HBC, it was a pleasure being your co-star and coaster in the fact I always ended up holding your coffee. I do love you and I wish Id just been born ten years earlier so I mightve been in with a chance.' Helen and Gary are then seen discussing Bellatrix killing her cousin Sirius and a deleted scene showing a duel. The esteemed stars revealed they went to wand school to hone the choreography of the moves. Meet up: Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet Eww! Helena brought along the teeth she wore to play the terrifying Death Eater On film number four, director David Yates was recruited when things became darker and more grown up. The stars lauded David for helping draw out more intensity and explained that while the world was politicising, he was wanted to draw this into the movies and display that element. Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars. After they were catapulted to stardom following the success of The Philosopher's Stone in 2001, before the pair had even reached their teen years they struggled to adjust to their superstardom. Admitting to writing about being lonely in a diary entry at the time, the Beauty And The Beast star explained how 'the fame thing had finally hit home in a big way'. Hurt: Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars She confessed: 'I think I was scared. I don't know if you ever felt like it got to a tipping point where you were like, "This is kind of forever now."' It was around the time of Order of the Phoenix when things started getting spicy for all of us,' she continued of the 2007 blockbuster which she filmed aged 16. Rupert chimed in: 'I also had sort of similar feelings to Emma, contemplating what life would be like if I called it a day. We never really spoke about it. I guess we were just going through it at our own pace, we were kind of in the moment at the time. It just didn't really occur to us that we were all probably kind of having similar feelings.' Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role. Emma gushed about being 'proud' of Evanna, as well as Bonnie, who played Ginny in the franchise. Sweet: Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 As the franchise drew to a close with the final two movies, the group discussed how things changed for them in their more mature status as actors as well as their storylines intensifying. Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through'. Harry, Emma and Rupert were likened to astronauts by David Yates thanks to their joint experiences in becoming global superstars at the helm of the huge productions. In anticipation of Hermione and Ron becoming romantically involved, Emma and Rupert discussed how they struggled to film their first kiss amid the Battle Of Hogwarts in the final movie. Rupert admitted that the audience were 'desperate' to see the duo kiss. An honour: Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through' Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing'. The cast and crew discussed the final scenes and the 'spiritual' elements of the final battle scene between Harry and Voldemort before a montage of adorable throwbacks shot up. Following their discussions of each film, the group all grew emotional as they rounded out the show. Rupert said: 'I'm very proud to have been part of it, it was weird at the end. I lost track of who I was and who the character was. My name didn't feel like my name and I only knew one thing - to play Ron'. Emma went on: 'It's like we did the most extreme form of method acting. The way it feels for me now - I'm trying not to get emotional - it feels you you're a pillar of my life', while Rupert added that 'they are family'. Eek! Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing' Rupert then said: 'I love you, as a friend - just to be clear'. Throwbacks showed the final scenes being filmed with all the stars weeping and holding each other, in a state of 'utter devastation'. Emma said: 'It was the first time we let ourselves realise we'd made it through'. Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud', while Emma said: 'There's something about Harry Potter that makes life richer. When things get really dark and times are really hard, stories give us places we can go where we can rest and we can be held'. Breaking down in tears, Emma said: 'It was the best most amazing experience and I cant explain they're such good people and they're so kind and they took the responsibility so seriously and I appreciate that so much'. Rupert said: 'They're like family. We're so intrinsically linked and they're incredibly important to me.' Fighting back tears, Daniel added: 'There's people on these films who are foundational to who I am, as a person, as an actor, I am so lucky to have the life I have and be able to work with the people I work with now An honour: Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud' Stars tearfully remember 'magic' Alan Rickman, 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'generous' Richard Griffiths during reunion show in memoriam The actors and cast behind the Harry Potter franchise remembered their late co-stars during an in memoriam section of the Harry Potter Return To Hogwarts reunion, which aired on Saturday. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint led the tributes to the many stars they have lost over the past two decades, since the franchise launched with Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone - including Richard Harris, Alan Rickman and most recently Helen McCrory. Speaking about appearing on the reunion without their late stars, Emma said: 'It's obviously amazing to be back, but so many people we thought would be here for much longer like Helen and Alan and Richard', while Rupert sadly echoed: 'They're like family, just gone too soon'. Speaking about working with such icons, Daniel said: 'I feel really lucky to have some little bit of touch with the people who have passed... I'll be very old one day and say I knew that absolute legend.' An honour: Stars tearfully remembered the late stars of Harry Potter in Saturday's Return To Hogwarts reunion special, including 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'magic' Alan Rickman (left-right) Lost: Helen played the Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 HELEN MCCROY PLAYED: Narcissa Malfoy DIED: April 2021, aged 52 Helen played Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2. She passed away in April this year after a secret 'heroic battle' with cancer, her husband Damian Lewis confirmed at the time. The 'beautiful and mighty' actress died 'peacefully' at home surrounded by friends and family. Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen. Jason said: 'Helen McCroy played my wife. I said I think I've just seen the best actress I've ever seen in my life. I feel lucky to have worked with her and shared so much frankly adolescent laughter on the set. Speaking about his on-screen mum, Tom broke down as he emotionally said: 'She taught me a lot. See I can't even say it. She had this ability to show such empathy in her eyes. It was a real treat to work with her.' An honour: Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen Shock: Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden ALAN RICKMAN PLAYED: Severus Snape DIED: January 2016, aged 69 Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden. He is ultimately killed by his master Lord Voldemort, after Harry discovered the sacrifices he made for him. In August 2015, Alan suffered a minor stroke, which led to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He revealed that he had terminal cancer to only his closest confidants. On 14 January 2016, he died in London at the age of 69. Speaking about working with the acting icon, Emma said: 'Alan Rickman never spoke to me like I was a child. He always took my thoughts and opinions very seriously which I was always very touched by.' Ralph Fiennes meanwhile, who played Voldemort, said: 'Alan was a very dear friend, and we had that final scene, his final scene. I was a little intimidated by his precision and his expert delivery of lines. We sort of went toe to toe in a funny way, Snape and Voldemort. Two actors fencing with each other. Alan was a magician in that way'. Reaching out: Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, and Ralph Fiennes, who played Voldemort, honoured Alan Star: Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets RICHARD HARRIS PLAYED: Albus Dumbledore DIED: October 2002, aged 72 Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets. He famously revealed he was reluctant to take the role, but it was his 11-year-old granddaughter who begged him to reconsider, threatening never to talk to him again if he refused the role. 'What could I do?' moaned Harris. 'I wasn't going to let her down.' After starring in two movies, he passed away in October 2002 at London's University College Hospital, after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease that August. He had reportedly been hospitalised with pneumonia. Speaking about his on-screen legacy and what it was like to work with the legend, Emma said: 'Richard Harris was such a special, warm person. He was so twinkly'. Director Christopher Columbus went on: 'Richard Harris was classic - probably one of the funniest men I've ever met. He was this devilish 11-year-old trapped in a 70 plus year old man's body. He just had this glint in his eye that made him the perfect Dumbledore by the way. He was brutally hilarious.' Evil: Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers RICHARD GRIFFITHS PLAYED: Vernon Dursley DIED: March 2013, aged 65 Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers. The beloved star died aged 65 at University Hospital Coventry on 28 March 2013. His passing came following complications with heart surgery and was met with an outpouring of heartache from the acting world. Speaking about working with the star, producer David Heyman said: 'Richard Griffiths was just delicious as Mr Dursley. He embraced his wickedness with such verve and passion'. Daniel meanwhile grew emotional as he said: 'His passing was the one that effected me the most because he was generous with knowledge and just wanted to share everything with you'. A full list of the cast and crew lost over the past two decades then flashed up, listing: Timothy Bateson, Terence Bayler, Sam Beazley, Sheila Allen, Peter Cartwright, Derek Deadman, Hazel Douglas, Alfred Burke, Salo Gardner, Richard Griffiths, Robert Hardy, Jimmy Gardner, John Hurt, Robert Knox, Dave Legeno, Richard Harris, Margery Mason, Rik M ayall, Roger Lloud Pack, Paul Ritter, David Ryall, Helen McCroy, Alan Rickman, Eric Sykes, Verne Troyer, Mary Selway, Elizabeth Spriggs, Eric Sykes and Christoper Whittingham. Advertisement Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise. In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by lead actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, as well as a slew of their dazzling co-stars and the brains behind the eight movies. While the stars regaled tales of life on and off screen during their time in one of the biggest movie franchises of all time, notably absent was creator JK Rowling, 56, who only appeared via archive footage in the wake of an ongoing row over her views on transgender issues, which erupted via Twitter earlier this year. Alongside the core trio, who played Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley respectively, the line up includes Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Alfred Enoch (Dean Thomas), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) and Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy). Working it out: Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise, led by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint Nice! In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by the lead actors and a slew of supporting cast members The special opens with sweeping shots of London focusing on the stars opening their invites to the reunion, with Emma seen heading down platform 9 and 3/4 before she meets up with a number of famous faces. The Great Hall - the centre point of the set, which is still in place at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London in Leavesden - is packed with dancers, an orchestra and stars of the movie - all revelling atop a HP20 logo in the floor. Stars of the movies fondly greet each other as they prepare for the eagerly-anticipated reunion. Daniel is then seen treading the path of Diagon Alley before one of the opening lines of Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone is read: ' He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting up in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!' CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived. The opening section of the reunion focused on Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets Back together: The Harry Potter cast reunites in the Great Hall for a Christmas get together CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios. The first section, entitled The Boy Who Lived, looks back on the first two movies from 2001 and 2002. Christopher spoke about why he directed the first two films in the saga after his daughter forced him to read the books. In the first of few mentions of JK Rowling, he says: 'I had to fly to Edinburgh to meet Jo Rowling and I said "This is my vision of the movies" and she said hers was the same'. Bonnie then also mentioned JK, saying: 'So many people were falling in love with her writing', while an archive shot showed the author at a signing for the first book, while Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid also lauded JK and Christopher spoke of the feverish hunt to find an actor to play Harry. Then and now: Daniel was at the helm of the project, having played Harry in all eight films since he was 11 Looking back: The main man himself confessed: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter. My first kiss is connected to someone here, my first girlfriends were here...' Starring: JK Rowling received just 10 mentions in the Harry Potter reunion with repeated clips from an interview she undertook in 2019 at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (pictured in her archive footage) The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books, while it was revealed that Ron just 'jumped off the page' to Rupert - who called the book 'a beautiful, intricate world'. Christopher spoke of seeing David Copperfield on the BBC and realising Daniel was perfect for the role, while archive footage of the 2019 interview with JK showed her speaking of nailing finding Daniel. As Emma, Daniel and Rupert reunited, they began speaking about their own lives in the world of Harry Potter, in what they branded a 'surreal reunion' where 'no time had passed but so much time had passed'. Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age'. Opening up: As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios Reunited: Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint recalled growing up on the 'greatest playground in the world' in scenes released ahead of the reunion special Leading lady: The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books On working with the child stars, Christopher insisted Emma was 'the cleverest person on the whole set', while she herself insisted she 'is Hermione' having connected deeply with the character: 'Hermione made complete sense to me, I felt like I was this girl', and admitted her family feared for her if she didn't get the role. Behind the scenes shots showed filming for the first movie, including the group larking around and playing a slapping game with their hands - which Emma revealed they did 'all the time', to the point their hands were raw. Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Changes: Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age' I'll be back: Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of. Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return: 'I get tears, I still get tears thinking about it'. Introductions are paid to both the Weasley and Malfoy families - showing the stark differences between the good and bad of the wizarding world - and how the group played out the respective families. Star: Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris (second right) worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Open: The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family. On the evil side, Jason explained how he first auditioned for the role of hapless professor and author Gilderoy Lockhart - yet was soon turned to Lucius whose relationship with his son Draco was laid bare. He said: 'I'm convinced I got the role because I didn't want it. I was about to play Captain Hook and I didn't want to play two villains so I read through gritted teeth'. He explained Draco was a 'sadistic bully' due to his father. Happy days: Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age. The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron. Gary explained that having kids pointed him towards the books, while Alfonso noted the movie is a 'coming of age': 'Harry is still a child in the first two... but then he turns 15 and there's a cloud that surrounds him'. Exciting: Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up'. Daniel then spoke to Emma and Rupert about his starstruck moment of meeting Gary and how he demanded his co-stars 'don't mess up' in front of him - although confessed this was more an order of his own. Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars. Tough: Gary and Daniel discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Eerie: Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up' The actor, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 69, famously played the stern Hogwarts professor, who worked as one of Voldemort's Death Eaters. It wasn't until a plot twist in the final installment that fans discovered how Severus had been acting as a double agent in order to protect the series' protagonist. Daniel revealed that Christopher would beg Alan to tell the story, saying 'Why are you doing that like that?' to which the Love Actually star would reply, 'I'll tell you later.' Daniel then voiced a note perfect of the late star. The lead trio then spoke about the thrill of working with director Mike Newell on the fourth movie - noting his kindness and playfulness with the child stars. Daniel said: 'Mike is this excited, loud, passionate man', while Rupert stated: 'I love Mike, he was great, it was almost like he was from the books'. Shock: Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars Fighting it: Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs James and Oliver spoke about when a fight with Mike while he instructed them on fighting in front of the Goblet Of Fire, led to Mike having his ribs broken. Aside from the fun and frolics on stage, the group spoke about how highly charged the hormones were on-set, with Daniel describing the movie as 'peak hormone' for him, as the students are all seen falling for one another for the first time - both on and off screen. Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs. She recalled: Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time - pictured during a tutoring session 'I used to come in every day and look for him': Emma Watson, 31, reveals she remembers the moment she fell in love with Harry Potter co-star Tom Felton, 34, as they share a hug during reunion special - which is set to air on New Year's Day Reunited: Tom flashed a wide smile as Emma hurried over to him before they shared a loving hug Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time. The pair also shared a warm embrace as they hugged with delight while reuniting on camera in The Great Hall for the TV special. Tom was 14 years old when the first Harry Potter movie came out in 2001, while Emma was just 11. They both starred in all eight Harry Potter films. She recalled: 'I walked into the room where we were having tutoring. The assignment that had been given was to draw what you thought God looked like, and Tom had drawn a girl with a backward cap on a skateboard. 'And I just don't know how to say it I just fell in love with him. I used to come in every day and look for his number on the call sheet, it was number seven, and if his name was on the call sheet, it was an extra exciting day.' Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike. Terrifying: Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet. Daniel coyly admitted he had a soft spot for his 55-year old co-star, despite their 23-year age difference. Reading his message aloud for the first time, he said: 'Dear HBC, it was a pleasure being your co-star and coaster in the fact I always ended up holding your coffee. I do love you and I wish Id just been born ten years earlier so I mightve been in with a chance.' Helen and Gary are then seen discussing Bellatrix killing her cousin Sirius and a deleted scene showing a duel. The esteemed stars revealed they went to wand school to hone the choreography of the moves. Meet up: Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet Eww! Helena brought along the teeth she wore to play the terrifying Death Eater On film number four, director David Yates was recruited when things became darker and more grown up. The stars lauded David for helping draw out more intensity and explained that while the world was politicising, he was wanted to draw this into the movies and display that element. Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars. After they were catapulted to stardom following the success of The Philosopher's Stone in 2001, before the pair had even reached their teen years they struggled to adjust to their superstardom. Admitting to writing about being lonely in a diary entry at the time, the Beauty And The Beast star explained how 'the fame thing had finally hit home in a big way'. Hurt: Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars She confessed: 'I think I was scared. I don't know if you ever felt like it got to a tipping point where you were like, "This is kind of forever now."' It was around the time of Order of the Phoenix when things started getting spicy for all of us,' she continued of the 2007 blockbuster which she filmed aged 16. Rupert chimed in: 'I also had sort of similar feelings to Emma, contemplating what life would be like if I called it a day. We never really spoke about it. I guess we were just going through it at our own pace, we were kind of in the moment at the time. It just didn't really occur to us that we were all probably kind of having similar feelings.' Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role. Emma gushed about being 'proud' of Evanna, as well as Bonnie, who played Ginny in the franchise. Sweet: Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 As the franchise drew to a close with the final two movies, the group discussed how things changed for them in their more mature status as actors as well as their storylines intensifying. Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through'. Harry, Emma and Rupert were likened to astronauts by David Yates thanks to their joint experiences in becoming global superstars at the helm of the huge productions. In anticipation of Hermione and Ron becoming romantically involved, Emma and Rupert discussed how they struggled to film their first kiss amid the Battle Of Hogwarts in the final movie. Rupert admitted that the audience were 'desperate' to see the duo kiss. An honour: Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through' Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing'. The cast and crew discussed the final scenes and the 'spiritual' elements of the final battle scene between Harry and Voldemort before a montage of adorable throwbacks shot up. Following their discussions of each film, the group all grew emotional as they rounded out the show. Rupert said: 'I'm very proud to have been part of it, it was weird at the end. I lost track of who I was and who the character was. My name didn't feel like my name and I only knew one thing - to play Ron'. Emma went on: 'It's like we did the most extreme form of method acting. The way it feels for me now - I'm trying not to get emotional - it feels you you're a pillar of my life', while Rupert added that 'they are family'. Eek! Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing' Rupert then said: 'I love you, as a friend - just to be clear'. Throwbacks showed the final scenes being filmed with all the stars weeping and holding each other, in a state of 'utter devastation'. Emma said: 'It was the first time we let ourselves realise we'd made it through'. Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud', while Emma said: 'There's something about Harry Potter that makes life richer. When things get really dark and times are really hard, stories give us places we can go where we can rest and we can be held'. Breaking down in tears, Emma said: 'It was the best most amazing experience and I cant explain they're such good people and they're so kind and they took the responsibility so seriously and I appreciate that so much'. Rupert said: 'They're like family. We're so intrinsically linked and they're incredibly important to me.' Fighting back tears, Daniel added: 'There's people on these films who are foundational to who I am, as a person, as an actor, I am so lucky to have the life I have and be able to work with the people I work with now An honour: Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud' Stars tearfully remember 'magic' Alan Rickman, 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'generous' Richard Griffiths during reunion show in memoriam The actors and cast behind the Harry Potter franchise remembered their late co-stars during an in memoriam section of the Harry Potter Return To Hogwarts reunion, which aired on Saturday. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint led the tributes to the many stars they have lost over the past two decades, since the franchise launched with Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone - including Richard Harris, Alan Rickman and most recently Helen McCrory. Speaking about appearing on the reunion without their late stars, Emma said: 'It's obviously amazing to be back, but so many people we thought would be here for much longer like Helen and Alan and Richard', while Rupert sadly echoed: 'They're like family, just gone too soon'. Speaking about working with such icons, Daniel said: 'I feel really lucky to have some little bit of touch with the people who have passed... I'll be very old one day and say I knew that absolute legend.' An honour: Stars tearfully remembered the late stars of Harry Potter in Saturday's Return To Hogwarts reunion special, including 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'magic' Alan Rickman (left-right) Lost: Helen played the Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 HELEN MCCROY PLAYED: Narcissa Malfoy DIED: April 2021, aged 52 Helen played Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2. She passed away in April this year after a secret 'heroic battle' with cancer, her husband Damian Lewis confirmed at the time. The 'beautiful and mighty' actress died 'peacefully' at home surrounded by friends and family. Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen. Jason said: 'Helen McCroy played my wife. I said I think I've just seen the best actress I've ever seen in my life. I feel lucky to have worked with her and shared so much frankly adolescent laughter on the set. Speaking about his on-screen mum, Tom broke down as he emotionally said: 'She taught me a lot. See I can't even say it. She had this ability to show such empathy in her eyes. It was a real treat to work with her.' An honour: Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen Shock: Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden ALAN RICKMAN PLAYED: Severus Snape DIED: January 2016, aged 69 Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden. He is ultimately killed by his master Lord Voldemort, after Harry discovered the sacrifices he made for him. In August 2015, Alan suffered a minor stroke, which led to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He revealed that he had terminal cancer to only his closest confidants. On 14 January 2016, he died in London at the age of 69. Speaking about working with the acting icon, Emma said: 'Alan Rickman never spoke to me like I was a child. He always took my thoughts and opinions very seriously which I was always very touched by.' Ralph Fiennes meanwhile, who played Voldemort, said: 'Alan was a very dear friend, and we had that final scene, his final scene. I was a little intimidated by his precision and his expert delivery of lines. We sort of went toe to toe in a funny way, Snape and Voldemort. Two actors fencing with each other. Alan was a magician in that way'. Reaching out: Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, and Ralph Fiennes, who played Voldemort, honoured Alan Star: Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets RICHARD HARRIS PLAYED: Albus Dumbledore DIED: October 2002, aged 72 Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets. He famously revealed he was reluctant to take the role, but it was his 11-year-old granddaughter who begged him to reconsider, threatening never to talk to him again if he refused the role. 'What could I do?' moaned Harris. 'I wasn't going to let her down.' After starring in two movies, he passed away in October 2002 at London's University College Hospital, after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease that August. He had reportedly been hospitalised with pneumonia. Speaking about his on-screen legacy and what it was like to work with the legend, Emma said: 'Richard Harris was such a special, warm person. He was so twinkly'. Director Christopher Columbus went on: 'Richard Harris was classic - probably one of the funniest men I've ever met. He was this devilish 11-year-old trapped in a 70 plus year old man's body. He just had this glint in his eye that made him the perfect Dumbledore by the way. He was brutally hilarious.' Evil: Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers RICHARD GRIFFITHS PLAYED: Vernon Dursley DIED: March 2013, aged 65 Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers. The beloved star died aged 65 at University Hospital Coventry on 28 March 2013. His passing came following complications with heart surgery and was met with an outpouring of heartache from the acting world. Speaking about working with the star, producer David Heyman said: 'Richard Griffiths was just delicious as Mr Dursley. He embraced his wickedness with such verve and passion'. Daniel meanwhile grew emotional as he said: 'His passing was the one that effected me the most because he was generous with knowledge and just wanted to share everything with you'. A full list of the cast and crew lost over the past two decades then flashed up, listing: Timothy Bateson, Terence Bayler, Sam Beazley, Sheila Allen, Peter Cartwright, Derek Deadman, Hazel Douglas, Alfred Burke, Salo Gardner, Richard Griffiths, Robert Hardy, Jimmy Gardner, John Hurt, Robert Knox, Dave Legeno, Richard Harris, Margery Mason, Rik M ayall, Roger Lloud Pack, Paul Ritter, David Ryall, Helen McCroy, Alan Rickman, Eric Sykes, Verne Troyer, Mary Selway, Elizabeth Spriggs, Eric Sykes and Christoper Whittingham. Advertisement Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise. In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by lead actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, as well as a slew of their dazzling co-stars and the brains behind the eight movies. While the stars regaled tales of life on and off screen during their time in one of the biggest movie franchises of all time, notably absent was creator JK Rowling, 56, who only appeared via archive footage in the wake of an ongoing row over her views on transgender issues, which erupted via Twitter earlier this year. Alongside the core trio, who played Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley respectively, the line up includes Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Alfred Enoch (Dean Thomas), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) and Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy). Working it out: Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise, led by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint Nice! In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by the lead actors and a slew of supporting cast members The special opens with sweeping shots of London focusing on the stars opening their invites to the reunion, with Emma seen heading down platform 9 and 3/4 before she meets up with a number of famous faces. The Great Hall - the centre point of the set, which is still in place at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London in Leavesden - is packed with dancers, an orchestra and stars of the movie - all revelling atop a HP20 logo in the floor. Stars of the movies fondly greet each other as they prepare for the eagerly-anticipated reunion. Daniel is then seen treading the path of Diagon Alley before one of the opening lines of Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone is read: ' He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting up in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!' CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived. The opening section of the reunion focused on Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets Back together: The Harry Potter cast reunites in the Great Hall for a Christmas get together CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios. The first section, entitled The Boy Who Lived, looks back on the first two movies from 2001 and 2002. Christopher spoke about why he directed the first two films in the saga after his daughter forced him to read the books. In the first of few mentions of JK Rowling, he says: 'I had to fly to Edinburgh to meet Jo Rowling and I said "This is my vision of the movies" and she said hers was the same'. Bonnie then also mentioned JK, saying: 'So many people were falling in love with her writing', while an archive shot showed the author at a signing for the first book, while Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid also lauded JK and Christopher spoke of the feverish hunt to find an actor to play Harry. Then and now: Daniel was at the helm of the project, having played Harry in all eight films since he was 11 Looking back: The main man himself confessed: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter. My first kiss is connected to someone here, my first girlfriends were here...' Starring: JK Rowling received just 10 mentions in the Harry Potter reunion with repeated clips from an interview she undertook in 2019 at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (pictured in her archive footage) The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books, while it was revealed that Ron just 'jumped off the page' to Rupert - who called the book 'a beautiful, intricate world'. Christopher spoke of seeing David Copperfield on the BBC and realising Daniel was perfect for the role, while archive footage of the 2019 interview with JK showed her speaking of nailing finding Daniel. As Emma, Daniel and Rupert reunited, they began speaking about their own lives in the world of Harry Potter, in what they branded a 'surreal reunion' where 'no time had passed but so much time had passed'. Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age'. Opening up: As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios Reunited: Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint recalled growing up on the 'greatest playground in the world' in scenes released ahead of the reunion special Leading lady: The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books On working with the child stars, Christopher insisted Emma was 'the cleverest person on the whole set', while she herself insisted she 'is Hermione' having connected deeply with the character: 'Hermione made complete sense to me, I felt like I was this girl', and admitted her family feared for her if she didn't get the role. Behind the scenes shots showed filming for the first movie, including the group larking around and playing a slapping game with their hands - which Emma revealed they did 'all the time', to the point their hands were raw. Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Changes: Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age' I'll be back: Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of. Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return: 'I get tears, I still get tears thinking about it'. Introductions are paid to both the Weasley and Malfoy families - showing the stark differences between the good and bad of the wizarding world - and how the group played out the respective families. Star: Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris (second right) worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Open: The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family. On the evil side, Jason explained how he first auditioned for the role of hapless professor and author Gilderoy Lockhart - yet was soon turned to Lucius whose relationship with his son Draco was laid bare. He said: 'I'm convinced I got the role because I didn't want it. I was about to play Captain Hook and I didn't want to play two villains so I read through gritted teeth'. He explained Draco was a 'sadistic bully' due to his father. Happy days: Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age. The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron. Gary explained that having kids pointed him towards the books, while Alfonso noted the movie is a 'coming of age': 'Harry is still a child in the first two... but then he turns 15 and there's a cloud that surrounds him'. Exciting: Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up'. Daniel then spoke to Emma and Rupert about his starstruck moment of meeting Gary and how he demanded his co-stars 'don't mess up' in front of him - although confessed this was more an order of his own. Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars. Tough: Gary and Daniel discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Eerie: Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up' The actor, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 69, famously played the stern Hogwarts professor, who worked as one of Voldemort's Death Eaters. It wasn't until a plot twist in the final installment that fans discovered how Severus had been acting as a double agent in order to protect the series' protagonist. Daniel revealed that Christopher would beg Alan to tell the story, saying 'Why are you doing that like that?' to which the Love Actually star would reply, 'I'll tell you later.' Daniel then voiced a note perfect of the late star. The lead trio then spoke about the thrill of working with director Mike Newell on the fourth movie - noting his kindness and playfulness with the child stars. Daniel said: 'Mike is this excited, loud, passionate man', while Rupert stated: 'I love Mike, he was great, it was almost like he was from the books'. Shock: Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars Fighting it: Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs James and Oliver spoke about when a fight with Mike while he instructed them on fighting in front of the Goblet Of Fire, led to Mike having his ribs broken. Aside from the fun and frolics on stage, the group spoke about how highly charged the hormones were on-set, with Daniel describing the movie as 'peak hormone' for him, as the students are all seen falling for one another for the first time - both on and off screen. Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs. She recalled: Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time - pictured during a tutoring session 'I used to come in every day and look for him': Emma Watson, 31, reveals she remembers the moment she fell in love with Harry Potter co-star Tom Felton, 34, as they share a hug during reunion special - which is set to air on New Year's Day Reunited: Tom flashed a wide smile as Emma hurried over to him before they shared a loving hug Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time. The pair also shared a warm embrace as they hugged with delight while reuniting on camera in The Great Hall for the TV special. Tom was 14 years old when the first Harry Potter movie came out in 2001, while Emma was just 11. They both starred in all eight Harry Potter films. She recalled: 'I walked into the room where we were having tutoring. The assignment that had been given was to draw what you thought God looked like, and Tom had drawn a girl with a backward cap on a skateboard. 'And I just don't know how to say it I just fell in love with him. I used to come in every day and look for his number on the call sheet, it was number seven, and if his name was on the call sheet, it was an extra exciting day.' Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike. Terrifying: Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet. Daniel coyly admitted he had a soft spot for his 55-year old co-star, despite their 23-year age difference. Reading his message aloud for the first time, he said: 'Dear HBC, it was a pleasure being your co-star and coaster in the fact I always ended up holding your coffee. I do love you and I wish Id just been born ten years earlier so I mightve been in with a chance.' Helen and Gary are then seen discussing Bellatrix killing her cousin Sirius and a deleted scene showing a duel. The esteemed stars revealed they went to wand school to hone the choreography of the moves. Meet up: Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet Eww! Helena brought along the teeth she wore to play the terrifying Death Eater On film number four, director David Yates was recruited when things became darker and more grown up. The stars lauded David for helping draw out more intensity and explained that while the world was politicising, he was wanted to draw this into the movies and display that element. Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars. After they were catapulted to stardom following the success of The Philosopher's Stone in 2001, before the pair had even reached their teen years they struggled to adjust to their superstardom. Admitting to writing about being lonely in a diary entry at the time, the Beauty And The Beast star explained how 'the fame thing had finally hit home in a big way'. Hurt: Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars She confessed: 'I think I was scared. I don't know if you ever felt like it got to a tipping point where you were like, "This is kind of forever now."' It was around the time of Order of the Phoenix when things started getting spicy for all of us,' she continued of the 2007 blockbuster which she filmed aged 16. Rupert chimed in: 'I also had sort of similar feelings to Emma, contemplating what life would be like if I called it a day. We never really spoke about it. I guess we were just going through it at our own pace, we were kind of in the moment at the time. It just didn't really occur to us that we were all probably kind of having similar feelings.' Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role. Emma gushed about being 'proud' of Evanna, as well as Bonnie, who played Ginny in the franchise. Sweet: Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 As the franchise drew to a close with the final two movies, the group discussed how things changed for them in their more mature status as actors as well as their storylines intensifying. Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through'. Harry, Emma and Rupert were likened to astronauts by David Yates thanks to their joint experiences in becoming global superstars at the helm of the huge productions. In anticipation of Hermione and Ron becoming romantically involved, Emma and Rupert discussed how they struggled to film their first kiss amid the Battle Of Hogwarts in the final movie. Rupert admitted that the audience were 'desperate' to see the duo kiss. An honour: Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through' Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing'. The cast and crew discussed the final scenes and the 'spiritual' elements of the final battle scene between Harry and Voldemort before a montage of adorable throwbacks shot up. Following their discussions of each film, the group all grew emotional as they rounded out the show. Rupert said: 'I'm very proud to have been part of it, it was weird at the end. I lost track of who I was and who the character was. My name didn't feel like my name and I only knew one thing - to play Ron'. Emma went on: 'It's like we did the most extreme form of method acting. The way it feels for me now - I'm trying not to get emotional - it feels you you're a pillar of my life', while Rupert added that 'they are family'. Eek! Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing' Rupert then said: 'I love you, as a friend - just to be clear'. Throwbacks showed the final scenes being filmed with all the stars weeping and holding each other, in a state of 'utter devastation'. Emma said: 'It was the first time we let ourselves realise we'd made it through'. Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud', while Emma said: 'There's something about Harry Potter that makes life richer. When things get really dark and times are really hard, stories give us places we can go where we can rest and we can be held'. Breaking down in tears, Emma said: 'It was the best most amazing experience and I cant explain they're such good people and they're so kind and they took the responsibility so seriously and I appreciate that so much'. Rupert said: 'They're like family. We're so intrinsically linked and they're incredibly important to me.' Fighting back tears, Daniel added: 'There's people on these films who are foundational to who I am, as a person, as an actor, I am so lucky to have the life I have and be able to work with the people I work with now An honour: Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud' Stars tearfully remember 'magic' Alan Rickman, 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'generous' Richard Griffiths during reunion show in memoriam The actors and cast behind the Harry Potter franchise remembered their late co-stars during an in memoriam section of the Harry Potter Return To Hogwarts reunion, which aired on Saturday. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint led the tributes to the many stars they have lost over the past two decades, since the franchise launched with Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone - including Richard Harris, Alan Rickman and most recently Helen McCrory. Speaking about appearing on the reunion without their late stars, Emma said: 'It's obviously amazing to be back, but so many people we thought would be here for much longer like Helen and Alan and Richard', while Rupert sadly echoed: 'They're like family, just gone too soon'. Speaking about working with such icons, Daniel said: 'I feel really lucky to have some little bit of touch with the people who have passed... I'll be very old one day and say I knew that absolute legend.' An honour: Stars tearfully remembered the late stars of Harry Potter in Saturday's Return To Hogwarts reunion special, including 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'magic' Alan Rickman (left-right) Lost: Helen played the Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 HELEN MCCROY PLAYED: Narcissa Malfoy DIED: April 2021, aged 52 Helen played Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2. She passed away in April this year after a secret 'heroic battle' with cancer, her husband Damian Lewis confirmed at the time. The 'beautiful and mighty' actress died 'peacefully' at home surrounded by friends and family. Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen. Jason said: 'Helen McCroy played my wife. I said I think I've just seen the best actress I've ever seen in my life. I feel lucky to have worked with her and shared so much frankly adolescent laughter on the set. Speaking about his on-screen mum, Tom broke down as he emotionally said: 'She taught me a lot. See I can't even say it. She had this ability to show such empathy in her eyes. It was a real treat to work with her.' An honour: Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen Shock: Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden ALAN RICKMAN PLAYED: Severus Snape DIED: January 2016, aged 69 Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden. He is ultimately killed by his master Lord Voldemort, after Harry discovered the sacrifices he made for him. In August 2015, Alan suffered a minor stroke, which led to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He revealed that he had terminal cancer to only his closest confidants. On 14 January 2016, he died in London at the age of 69. Speaking about working with the acting icon, Emma said: 'Alan Rickman never spoke to me like I was a child. He always took my thoughts and opinions very seriously which I was always very touched by.' Ralph Fiennes meanwhile, who played Voldemort, said: 'Alan was a very dear friend, and we had that final scene, his final scene. I was a little intimidated by his precision and his expert delivery of lines. We sort of went toe to toe in a funny way, Snape and Voldemort. Two actors fencing with each other. Alan was a magician in that way'. Reaching out: Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, and Ralph Fiennes, who played Voldemort, honoured Alan Star: Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets RICHARD HARRIS PLAYED: Albus Dumbledore DIED: October 2002, aged 72 Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets. He famously revealed he was reluctant to take the role, but it was his 11-year-old granddaughter who begged him to reconsider, threatening never to talk to him again if he refused the role. 'What could I do?' moaned Harris. 'I wasn't going to let her down.' After starring in two movies, he passed away in October 2002 at London's University College Hospital, after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease that August. He had reportedly been hospitalised with pneumonia. Speaking about his on-screen legacy and what it was like to work with the legend, Emma said: 'Richard Harris was such a special, warm person. He was so twinkly'. Director Christopher Columbus went on: 'Richard Harris was classic - probably one of the funniest men I've ever met. He was this devilish 11-year-old trapped in a 70 plus year old man's body. He just had this glint in his eye that made him the perfect Dumbledore by the way. He was brutally hilarious.' Evil: Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers RICHARD GRIFFITHS PLAYED: Vernon Dursley DIED: March 2013, aged 65 Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers. The beloved star died aged 65 at University Hospital Coventry on 28 March 2013. His passing came following complications with heart surgery and was met with an outpouring of heartache from the acting world. Speaking about working with the star, producer David Heyman said: 'Richard Griffiths was just delicious as Mr Dursley. He embraced his wickedness with such verve and passion'. Daniel meanwhile grew emotional as he said: 'His passing was the one that effected me the most because he was generous with knowledge and just wanted to share everything with you'. A full list of the cast and crew lost over the past two decades then flashed up, listing: Timothy Bateson, Terence Bayler, Sam Beazley, Sheila Allen, Peter Cartwright, Derek Deadman, Hazel Douglas, Alfred Burke, Salo Gardner, Richard Griffiths, Robert Hardy, Jimmy Gardner, John Hurt, Robert Knox, Dave Legeno, Richard Harris, Margery Mason, Rik M ayall, Roger Lloud Pack, Paul Ritter, David Ryall, Helen McCroy, Alan Rickman, Eric Sykes, Verne Troyer, Mary Selway, Elizabeth Spriggs, Eric Sykes and Christoper Whittingham. Advertisement Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise. In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by lead actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, as well as a slew of their dazzling co-stars and the brains behind the eight movies. While the stars regaled tales of life on and off screen during their time in one of the biggest movie franchises of all time, notably absent was creator JK Rowling, 56, who only appeared via archive footage in the wake of an ongoing row over her views on transgender issues, which erupted via Twitter earlier this year. Alongside the core trio, who played Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley respectively, the line up includes Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Alfred Enoch (Dean Thomas), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) and Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy). Working it out: Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise, led by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint Nice! In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by the lead actors and a slew of supporting cast members The special opens with sweeping shots of London focusing on the stars opening their invites to the reunion, with Emma seen heading down platform 9 and 3/4 before she meets up with a number of famous faces. The Great Hall - the centre point of the set, which is still in place at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London in Leavesden - is packed with dancers, an orchestra and stars of the movie - all revelling atop a HP20 logo in the floor. Stars of the movies fondly greet each other as they prepare for the eagerly-anticipated reunion. Daniel is then seen treading the path of Diagon Alley before one of the opening lines of Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone is read: ' He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting up in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!' CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived. The opening section of the reunion focused on Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets Back together: The Harry Potter cast reunites in the Great Hall for a Christmas get together CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios. The first section, entitled The Boy Who Lived, looks back on the first two movies from 2001 and 2002. Christopher spoke about why he directed the first two films in the saga after his daughter forced him to read the books. In the first of few mentions of JK Rowling, he says: 'I had to fly to Edinburgh to meet Jo Rowling and I said "This is my vision of the movies" and she said hers was the same'. Bonnie then also mentioned JK, saying: 'So many people were falling in love with her writing', while an archive shot showed the author at a signing for the first book, while Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid also lauded JK and Christopher spoke of the feverish hunt to find an actor to play Harry. Then and now: Daniel was at the helm of the project, having played Harry in all eight films since he was 11 Looking back: The main man himself confessed: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter. My first kiss is connected to someone here, my first girlfriends were here...' Starring: JK Rowling received just 10 mentions in the Harry Potter reunion with repeated clips from an interview she undertook in 2019 at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (pictured in her archive footage) The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books, while it was revealed that Ron just 'jumped off the page' to Rupert - who called the book 'a beautiful, intricate world'. Christopher spoke of seeing David Copperfield on the BBC and realising Daniel was perfect for the role, while archive footage of the 2019 interview with JK showed her speaking of nailing finding Daniel. As Emma, Daniel and Rupert reunited, they began speaking about their own lives in the world of Harry Potter, in what they branded a 'surreal reunion' where 'no time had passed but so much time had passed'. Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age'. Opening up: As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios Reunited: Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint recalled growing up on the 'greatest playground in the world' in scenes released ahead of the reunion special Leading lady: The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books On working with the child stars, Christopher insisted Emma was 'the cleverest person on the whole set', while she herself insisted she 'is Hermione' having connected deeply with the character: 'Hermione made complete sense to me, I felt like I was this girl', and admitted her family feared for her if she didn't get the role. Behind the scenes shots showed filming for the first movie, including the group larking around and playing a slapping game with their hands - which Emma revealed they did 'all the time', to the point their hands were raw. Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Changes: Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age' I'll be back: Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of. Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return: 'I get tears, I still get tears thinking about it'. Introductions are paid to both the Weasley and Malfoy families - showing the stark differences between the good and bad of the wizarding world - and how the group played out the respective families. Star: Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris (second right) worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Open: The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family. On the evil side, Jason explained how he first auditioned for the role of hapless professor and author Gilderoy Lockhart - yet was soon turned to Lucius whose relationship with his son Draco was laid bare. He said: 'I'm convinced I got the role because I didn't want it. I was about to play Captain Hook and I didn't want to play two villains so I read through gritted teeth'. He explained Draco was a 'sadistic bully' due to his father. Happy days: Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age. The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron. Gary explained that having kids pointed him towards the books, while Alfonso noted the movie is a 'coming of age': 'Harry is still a child in the first two... but then he turns 15 and there's a cloud that surrounds him'. Exciting: Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up'. Daniel then spoke to Emma and Rupert about his starstruck moment of meeting Gary and how he demanded his co-stars 'don't mess up' in front of him - although confessed this was more an order of his own. Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars. Tough: Gary and Daniel discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Eerie: Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up' The actor, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 69, famously played the stern Hogwarts professor, who worked as one of Voldemort's Death Eaters. It wasn't until a plot twist in the final installment that fans discovered how Severus had been acting as a double agent in order to protect the series' protagonist. Daniel revealed that Christopher would beg Alan to tell the story, saying 'Why are you doing that like that?' to which the Love Actually star would reply, 'I'll tell you later.' Daniel then voiced a note perfect of the late star. The lead trio then spoke about the thrill of working with director Mike Newell on the fourth movie - noting his kindness and playfulness with the child stars. Daniel said: 'Mike is this excited, loud, passionate man', while Rupert stated: 'I love Mike, he was great, it was almost like he was from the books'. Shock: Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars Fighting it: Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs James and Oliver spoke about when a fight with Mike while he instructed them on fighting in front of the Goblet Of Fire, led to Mike having his ribs broken. Aside from the fun and frolics on stage, the group spoke about how highly charged the hormones were on-set, with Daniel describing the movie as 'peak hormone' for him, as the students are all seen falling for one another for the first time - both on and off screen. Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs. She recalled: Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time - pictured during a tutoring session 'I used to come in every day and look for him': Emma Watson, 31, reveals she remembers the moment she fell in love with Harry Potter co-star Tom Felton, 34, as they share a hug during reunion special - which is set to air on New Year's Day Reunited: Tom flashed a wide smile as Emma hurried over to him before they shared a loving hug Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time. The pair also shared a warm embrace as they hugged with delight while reuniting on camera in The Great Hall for the TV special. Tom was 14 years old when the first Harry Potter movie came out in 2001, while Emma was just 11. They both starred in all eight Harry Potter films. She recalled: 'I walked into the room where we were having tutoring. The assignment that had been given was to draw what you thought God looked like, and Tom had drawn a girl with a backward cap on a skateboard. 'And I just don't know how to say it I just fell in love with him. I used to come in every day and look for his number on the call sheet, it was number seven, and if his name was on the call sheet, it was an extra exciting day.' Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike. Terrifying: Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet. Daniel coyly admitted he had a soft spot for his 55-year old co-star, despite their 23-year age difference. Reading his message aloud for the first time, he said: 'Dear HBC, it was a pleasure being your co-star and coaster in the fact I always ended up holding your coffee. I do love you and I wish Id just been born ten years earlier so I mightve been in with a chance.' Helen and Gary are then seen discussing Bellatrix killing her cousin Sirius and a deleted scene showing a duel. The esteemed stars revealed they went to wand school to hone the choreography of the moves. Meet up: Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet Eww! Helena brought along the teeth she wore to play the terrifying Death Eater On film number four, director David Yates was recruited when things became darker and more grown up. The stars lauded David for helping draw out more intensity and explained that while the world was politicising, he was wanted to draw this into the movies and display that element. Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars. After they were catapulted to stardom following the success of The Philosopher's Stone in 2001, before the pair had even reached their teen years they struggled to adjust to their superstardom. Admitting to writing about being lonely in a diary entry at the time, the Beauty And The Beast star explained how 'the fame thing had finally hit home in a big way'. Hurt: Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars She confessed: 'I think I was scared. I don't know if you ever felt like it got to a tipping point where you were like, "This is kind of forever now."' It was around the time of Order of the Phoenix when things started getting spicy for all of us,' she continued of the 2007 blockbuster which she filmed aged 16. Rupert chimed in: 'I also had sort of similar feelings to Emma, contemplating what life would be like if I called it a day. We never really spoke about it. I guess we were just going through it at our own pace, we were kind of in the moment at the time. It just didn't really occur to us that we were all probably kind of having similar feelings.' Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role. Emma gushed about being 'proud' of Evanna, as well as Bonnie, who played Ginny in the franchise. Sweet: Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 As the franchise drew to a close with the final two movies, the group discussed how things changed for them in their more mature status as actors as well as their storylines intensifying. Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through'. Harry, Emma and Rupert were likened to astronauts by David Yates thanks to their joint experiences in becoming global superstars at the helm of the huge productions. In anticipation of Hermione and Ron becoming romantically involved, Emma and Rupert discussed how they struggled to film their first kiss amid the Battle Of Hogwarts in the final movie. Rupert admitted that the audience were 'desperate' to see the duo kiss. An honour: Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through' Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing'. The cast and crew discussed the final scenes and the 'spiritual' elements of the final battle scene between Harry and Voldemort before a montage of adorable throwbacks shot up. Following their discussions of each film, the group all grew emotional as they rounded out the show. Rupert said: 'I'm very proud to have been part of it, it was weird at the end. I lost track of who I was and who the character was. My name didn't feel like my name and I only knew one thing - to play Ron'. Emma went on: 'It's like we did the most extreme form of method acting. The way it feels for me now - I'm trying not to get emotional - it feels you you're a pillar of my life', while Rupert added that 'they are family'. Eek! Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing' Rupert then said: 'I love you, as a friend - just to be clear'. Throwbacks showed the final scenes being filmed with all the stars weeping and holding each other, in a state of 'utter devastation'. Emma said: 'It was the first time we let ourselves realise we'd made it through'. Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud', while Emma said: 'There's something about Harry Potter that makes life richer. When things get really dark and times are really hard, stories give us places we can go where we can rest and we can be held'. Breaking down in tears, Emma said: 'It was the best most amazing experience and I cant explain they're such good people and they're so kind and they took the responsibility so seriously and I appreciate that so much'. Rupert said: 'They're like family. We're so intrinsically linked and they're incredibly important to me.' Fighting back tears, Daniel added: 'There's people on these films who are foundational to who I am, as a person, as an actor, I am so lucky to have the life I have and be able to work with the people I work with now An honour: Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud' Stars tearfully remember 'magic' Alan Rickman, 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'generous' Richard Griffiths during reunion show in memoriam The actors and cast behind the Harry Potter franchise remembered their late co-stars during an in memoriam section of the Harry Potter Return To Hogwarts reunion, which aired on Saturday. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint led the tributes to the many stars they have lost over the past two decades, since the franchise launched with Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone - including Richard Harris, Alan Rickman and most recently Helen McCrory. Speaking about appearing on the reunion without their late stars, Emma said: 'It's obviously amazing to be back, but so many people we thought would be here for much longer like Helen and Alan and Richard', while Rupert sadly echoed: 'They're like family, just gone too soon'. Speaking about working with such icons, Daniel said: 'I feel really lucky to have some little bit of touch with the people who have passed... I'll be very old one day and say I knew that absolute legend.' An honour: Stars tearfully remembered the late stars of Harry Potter in Saturday's Return To Hogwarts reunion special, including 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'magic' Alan Rickman (left-right) Lost: Helen played the Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 HELEN MCCROY PLAYED: Narcissa Malfoy DIED: April 2021, aged 52 Helen played Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2. She passed away in April this year after a secret 'heroic battle' with cancer, her husband Damian Lewis confirmed at the time. The 'beautiful and mighty' actress died 'peacefully' at home surrounded by friends and family. Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen. Jason said: 'Helen McCroy played my wife. I said I think I've just seen the best actress I've ever seen in my life. I feel lucky to have worked with her and shared so much frankly adolescent laughter on the set. Speaking about his on-screen mum, Tom broke down as he emotionally said: 'She taught me a lot. See I can't even say it. She had this ability to show such empathy in her eyes. It was a real treat to work with her.' An honour: Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen Shock: Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden ALAN RICKMAN PLAYED: Severus Snape DIED: January 2016, aged 69 Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden. He is ultimately killed by his master Lord Voldemort, after Harry discovered the sacrifices he made for him. In August 2015, Alan suffered a minor stroke, which led to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He revealed that he had terminal cancer to only his closest confidants. On 14 January 2016, he died in London at the age of 69. Speaking about working with the acting icon, Emma said: 'Alan Rickman never spoke to me like I was a child. He always took my thoughts and opinions very seriously which I was always very touched by.' Ralph Fiennes meanwhile, who played Voldemort, said: 'Alan was a very dear friend, and we had that final scene, his final scene. I was a little intimidated by his precision and his expert delivery of lines. We sort of went toe to toe in a funny way, Snape and Voldemort. Two actors fencing with each other. Alan was a magician in that way'. Reaching out: Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, and Ralph Fiennes, who played Voldemort, honoured Alan Star: Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets RICHARD HARRIS PLAYED: Albus Dumbledore DIED: October 2002, aged 72 Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets. He famously revealed he was reluctant to take the role, but it was his 11-year-old granddaughter who begged him to reconsider, threatening never to talk to him again if he refused the role. 'What could I do?' moaned Harris. 'I wasn't going to let her down.' After starring in two movies, he passed away in October 2002 at London's University College Hospital, after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease that August. He had reportedly been hospitalised with pneumonia. Speaking about his on-screen legacy and what it was like to work with the legend, Emma said: 'Richard Harris was such a special, warm person. He was so twinkly'. Director Christopher Columbus went on: 'Richard Harris was classic - probably one of the funniest men I've ever met. He was this devilish 11-year-old trapped in a 70 plus year old man's body. He just had this glint in his eye that made him the perfect Dumbledore by the way. He was brutally hilarious.' Evil: Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers RICHARD GRIFFITHS PLAYED: Vernon Dursley DIED: March 2013, aged 65 Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers. The beloved star died aged 65 at University Hospital Coventry on 28 March 2013. His passing came following complications with heart surgery and was met with an outpouring of heartache from the acting world. Speaking about working with the star, producer David Heyman said: 'Richard Griffiths was just delicious as Mr Dursley. He embraced his wickedness with such verve and passion'. Daniel meanwhile grew emotional as he said: 'His passing was the one that effected me the most because he was generous with knowledge and just wanted to share everything with you'. A full list of the cast and crew lost over the past two decades then flashed up, listing: Timothy Bateson, Terence Bayler, Sam Beazley, Sheila Allen, Peter Cartwright, Derek Deadman, Hazel Douglas, Alfred Burke, Salo Gardner, Richard Griffiths, Robert Hardy, Jimmy Gardner, John Hurt, Robert Knox, Dave Legeno, Richard Harris, Margery Mason, Rik M ayall, Roger Lloud Pack, Paul Ritter, David Ryall, Helen McCroy, Alan Rickman, Eric Sykes, Verne Troyer, Mary Selway, Elizabeth Spriggs, Eric Sykes and Christoper Whittingham. The Prime Minister's Office also announced an amount of 2 lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the stampede : Devotees on their way to Vaishno Devi Shrine as 'yatra' resumes after a stampede incident at the shrine triggered by a heavy rush of devotees, at Katra in Reasi district, Saturday, Jan 1, 2022. (PTI) SRINAGAR: The New Year began on a gloomy note as, at least, twelve pilgrims died and fourteen others were injured in a stampede that occurred at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at around 2.45 am on Saturday, sending shock waves across the country and beyond. A report, not confirmed by officials, put the number of the injured at 20. The authorities said that the injured were being treated at Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Hospital at Katra, the basecamp of the revered place of Hindu worship tucked away in Trikuta hills at a height of 11,750 feet above the sea level and 52-km north of Jammu and Kashmirs winter capital Jammu. A medical official and neurologist at the Narayana hospital Dr Gopal Dutt said, Fatal casualties are from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and one from J&K. He added that four of the injured pilgrims are very critical and are on ventilators whereas the condition of the others is stable and three to four of them have already been sent home. Initial reports said that the stampede occurred at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan following an argument broke out over some issue resulting in the people pushing each other. However, another report said that the incident occurred when a huge crowd of devotees, who had come to pay their obeisance to mark the beginning of the New Year, entered the Vaishno Devi Bhawan. J&Ks director general of police, Dilbag Singh, said that the rescue operations started immediately and all the injured were quickly taken to the nearby health facility. He too said that a minor altercation among some young boys led to the stampede. However, some of the pilgrims who escaped unhurt in the stampede blamed the incident on mismanagement by the concerned authorities who, they asserted, were apparently oblivious about the possible rush of pilgrims and allowed them to move towards the Bhawan unhindered. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board SMVDSB) denied the charge, saying all necessary arrangements were made in view of the expected rush on the eve of the New Year. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally monitored and kept track of the situation, J&K lieutenant governor, Manoj Sinha, ordered a high-level inquiry and announced ex-gratia relief of `10 lakh for the kin of each deceased person and `200,000 for the injured. He also said that the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (MVDSB) will bear the cost of treatment of the injured. The Prime Ministers Office also announced an amount of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the stampede and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the Prime Ministers National Relief Fund. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan, said the Prime Minister, sending his condolences to the bereaved families. Mr Sinha tweeted, Spoke to Hon'ble home minister Shri Amit Shah Ji. Briefed him about the incident. A high-level inquiry has been ordered into todays stampede. Later, he also spoke to the Prime Minister to brief him on the incident and the steps taken by the government to deal with the situation arising out of the tragic incident, the sources said. President Ramnath Kovind, defence minister Rajnath Singh, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and a host of other leaders and government functionaries also expressed their shock over the tragic incident and condoled with the bereaved. The President tweeted, Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured. Later during the day, the Vaishno Devi Yatra resumed after remaining suspended for some time in the aftermath of the stampede. The registration of pilgrims at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan at Katra also resumed hours after the tragic incident, the SMVDSB officials said. However, many devotees said that they had to return from Katra without having darshan inside the cave-shrine following the stampede. The Prime Minister's Office also announced an amount of 2 lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the stampede : Devotees on their way to Vaishno Devi Shrine as 'yatra' resumes after a stampede incident at the shrine triggered by a heavy rush of devotees, at Katra in Reasi district, Saturday, Jan 1, 2022. (PTI) SRINAGAR: The New Year began on a gloomy note as, at least, twelve pilgrims died and fourteen others were injured in a stampede that occurred at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at around 2.45 am on Saturday, sending shock waves across the country and beyond. A report, not confirmed by officials, put the number of the injured at 20. The authorities said that the injured were being treated at Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Hospital at Katra, the basecamp of the revered place of Hindu worship tucked away in Trikuta hills at a height of 11,750 feet above the sea level and 52-km north of Jammu and Kashmirs winter capital Jammu. A medical official and neurologist at the Narayana hospital Dr Gopal Dutt said, Fatal casualties are from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and one from J&K. He added that four of the injured pilgrims are very critical and are on ventilators whereas the condition of the others is stable and three to four of them have already been sent home. Initial reports said that the stampede occurred at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan following an argument broke out over some issue resulting in the people pushing each other. However, another report said that the incident occurred when a huge crowd of devotees, who had come to pay their obeisance to mark the beginning of the New Year, entered the Vaishno Devi Bhawan. J&Ks director general of police, Dilbag Singh, said that the rescue operations started immediately and all the injured were quickly taken to the nearby health facility. He too said that a minor altercation among some young boys led to the stampede. However, some of the pilgrims who escaped unhurt in the stampede blamed the incident on mismanagement by the concerned authorities who, they asserted, were apparently oblivious about the possible rush of pilgrims and allowed them to move towards the Bhawan unhindered. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board SMVDSB) denied the charge, saying all necessary arrangements were made in view of the expected rush on the eve of the New Year. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally monitored and kept track of the situation, J&K lieutenant governor, Manoj Sinha, ordered a high-level inquiry and announced ex-gratia relief of `10 lakh for the kin of each deceased person and `200,000 for the injured. He also said that the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (MVDSB) will bear the cost of treatment of the injured. The Prime Ministers Office also announced an amount of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the stampede and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the Prime Ministers National Relief Fund. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan, said the Prime Minister, sending his condolences to the bereaved families. Mr Sinha tweeted, Spoke to Hon'ble home minister Shri Amit Shah Ji. Briefed him about the incident. A high-level inquiry has been ordered into todays stampede. Later, he also spoke to the Prime Minister to brief him on the incident and the steps taken by the government to deal with the situation arising out of the tragic incident, the sources said. President Ramnath Kovind, defence minister Rajnath Singh, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and a host of other leaders and government functionaries also expressed their shock over the tragic incident and condoled with the bereaved. The President tweeted, Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured. Later during the day, the Vaishno Devi Yatra resumed after remaining suspended for some time in the aftermath of the stampede. The registration of pilgrims at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan at Katra also resumed hours after the tragic incident, the SMVDSB officials said. However, many devotees said that they had to return from Katra without having darshan inside the cave-shrine following the stampede. The Prime Minister's Office also announced an amount of 2 lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the stampede : Devotees on their way to Vaishno Devi Shrine as 'yatra' resumes after a stampede incident at the shrine triggered by a heavy rush of devotees, at Katra in Reasi district, Saturday, Jan 1, 2022. (PTI) SRINAGAR: The New Year began on a gloomy note as, at least, twelve pilgrims died and fourteen others were injured in a stampede that occurred at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at around 2.45 am on Saturday, sending shock waves across the country and beyond. A report, not confirmed by officials, put the number of the injured at 20. The authorities said that the injured were being treated at Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Hospital at Katra, the basecamp of the revered place of Hindu worship tucked away in Trikuta hills at a height of 11,750 feet above the sea level and 52-km north of Jammu and Kashmirs winter capital Jammu. A medical official and neurologist at the Narayana hospital Dr Gopal Dutt said, Fatal casualties are from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and one from J&K. He added that four of the injured pilgrims are very critical and are on ventilators whereas the condition of the others is stable and three to four of them have already been sent home. Initial reports said that the stampede occurred at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan following an argument broke out over some issue resulting in the people pushing each other. However, another report said that the incident occurred when a huge crowd of devotees, who had come to pay their obeisance to mark the beginning of the New Year, entered the Vaishno Devi Bhawan. J&Ks director general of police, Dilbag Singh, said that the rescue operations started immediately and all the injured were quickly taken to the nearby health facility. He too said that a minor altercation among some young boys led to the stampede. However, some of the pilgrims who escaped unhurt in the stampede blamed the incident on mismanagement by the concerned authorities who, they asserted, were apparently oblivious about the possible rush of pilgrims and allowed them to move towards the Bhawan unhindered. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board SMVDSB) denied the charge, saying all necessary arrangements were made in view of the expected rush on the eve of the New Year. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally monitored and kept track of the situation, J&K lieutenant governor, Manoj Sinha, ordered a high-level inquiry and announced ex-gratia relief of `10 lakh for the kin of each deceased person and `200,000 for the injured. He also said that the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (MVDSB) will bear the cost of treatment of the injured. The Prime Ministers Office also announced an amount of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the stampede and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the Prime Ministers National Relief Fund. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan, said the Prime Minister, sending his condolences to the bereaved families. Mr Sinha tweeted, Spoke to Hon'ble home minister Shri Amit Shah Ji. Briefed him about the incident. A high-level inquiry has been ordered into todays stampede. Later, he also spoke to the Prime Minister to brief him on the incident and the steps taken by the government to deal with the situation arising out of the tragic incident, the sources said. President Ramnath Kovind, defence minister Rajnath Singh, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and a host of other leaders and government functionaries also expressed their shock over the tragic incident and condoled with the bereaved. The President tweeted, Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured. Later during the day, the Vaishno Devi Yatra resumed after remaining suspended for some time in the aftermath of the stampede. The registration of pilgrims at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan at Katra also resumed hours after the tragic incident, the SMVDSB officials said. However, many devotees said that they had to return from Katra without having darshan inside the cave-shrine following the stampede. The Prime Minister's Office also announced an amount of 2 lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the stampede : Devotees on their way to Vaishno Devi Shrine as 'yatra' resumes after a stampede incident at the shrine triggered by a heavy rush of devotees, at Katra in Reasi district, Saturday, Jan 1, 2022. (PTI) SRINAGAR: The New Year began on a gloomy note as, at least, twelve pilgrims died and fourteen others were injured in a stampede that occurred at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at around 2.45 am on Saturday, sending shock waves across the country and beyond. A report, not confirmed by officials, put the number of the injured at 20. The authorities said that the injured were being treated at Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Hospital at Katra, the basecamp of the revered place of Hindu worship tucked away in Trikuta hills at a height of 11,750 feet above the sea level and 52-km north of Jammu and Kashmirs winter capital Jammu. A medical official and neurologist at the Narayana hospital Dr Gopal Dutt said, Fatal casualties are from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and one from J&K. He added that four of the injured pilgrims are very critical and are on ventilators whereas the condition of the others is stable and three to four of them have already been sent home. Initial reports said that the stampede occurred at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan following an argument broke out over some issue resulting in the people pushing each other. However, another report said that the incident occurred when a huge crowd of devotees, who had come to pay their obeisance to mark the beginning of the New Year, entered the Vaishno Devi Bhawan. J&Ks director general of police, Dilbag Singh, said that the rescue operations started immediately and all the injured were quickly taken to the nearby health facility. He too said that a minor altercation among some young boys led to the stampede. However, some of the pilgrims who escaped unhurt in the stampede blamed the incident on mismanagement by the concerned authorities who, they asserted, were apparently oblivious about the possible rush of pilgrims and allowed them to move towards the Bhawan unhindered. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board SMVDSB) denied the charge, saying all necessary arrangements were made in view of the expected rush on the eve of the New Year. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally monitored and kept track of the situation, J&K lieutenant governor, Manoj Sinha, ordered a high-level inquiry and announced ex-gratia relief of `10 lakh for the kin of each deceased person and `200,000 for the injured. He also said that the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (MVDSB) will bear the cost of treatment of the injured. The Prime Ministers Office also announced an amount of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the stampede and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the Prime Ministers National Relief Fund. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan, said the Prime Minister, sending his condolences to the bereaved families. Mr Sinha tweeted, Spoke to Hon'ble home minister Shri Amit Shah Ji. Briefed him about the incident. A high-level inquiry has been ordered into todays stampede. Later, he also spoke to the Prime Minister to brief him on the incident and the steps taken by the government to deal with the situation arising out of the tragic incident, the sources said. President Ramnath Kovind, defence minister Rajnath Singh, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and a host of other leaders and government functionaries also expressed their shock over the tragic incident and condoled with the bereaved. The President tweeted, Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured. Later during the day, the Vaishno Devi Yatra resumed after remaining suspended for some time in the aftermath of the stampede. The registration of pilgrims at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan at Katra also resumed hours after the tragic incident, the SMVDSB officials said. However, many devotees said that they had to return from Katra without having darshan inside the cave-shrine following the stampede. KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 15:30 | All, World, Japan, Coronavirus Here is a collection of photos and videos taken during New Year's celebrations around Japan and beyond. Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attend a New Year's ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2022, wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Pool photo)(Kyodo) KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 15:30 | All, World, Japan, Coronavirus Here is a collection of photos and videos taken during New Year's celebrations around Japan and beyond. Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attend a New Year's ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2022, wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Pool photo)(Kyodo) KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 15:30 | All, World, Japan, Coronavirus Here is a collection of photos and videos taken during New Year's celebrations around Japan and beyond. Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attend a New Year's ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2022, wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Pool photo)(Kyodo) KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 15:30 | All, World, Japan, Coronavirus Here is a collection of photos and videos taken during New Year's celebrations around Japan and beyond. Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attend a New Year's ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2022, wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Pool photo)(Kyodo) KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 15:30 | All, World, Japan, Coronavirus Here is a collection of photos and videos taken during New Year's celebrations around Japan and beyond. Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attend a New Year's ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2022, wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Pool photo)(Kyodo) KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 15:30 | All, World, Japan, Coronavirus Here is a collection of photos and videos taken during New Year's celebrations around Japan and beyond. Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attend a New Year's ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2022, wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Pool photo)(Kyodo) KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 15:30 | All, World, Japan, Coronavirus Here is a collection of photos and videos taken during New Year's celebrations around Japan and beyond. Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attend a New Year's ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2022, wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Pool photo)(Kyodo) KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 15:30 | All, World, Japan, Coronavirus Here is a collection of photos and videos taken during New Year's celebrations around Japan and beyond. Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attend a New Year's ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2022, wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Pool photo)(Kyodo) KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 15:30 | All, World, Japan, Coronavirus Here is a collection of photos and videos taken during New Year's celebrations around Japan and beyond. Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attend a New Year's ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2022, wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Pool photo)(Kyodo) KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 15:30 | All, World, Japan, Coronavirus Here is a collection of photos and videos taken during New Year's celebrations around Japan and beyond. Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attend a New Year's ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2022, wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Pool photo)(Kyodo) The Prime Minister's Office also announced an amount of 2 lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the stampede : Devotees on their way to Vaishno Devi Shrine as 'yatra' resumes after a stampede incident at the shrine triggered by a heavy rush of devotees, at Katra in Reasi district, Saturday, Jan 1, 2022. (PTI) SRINAGAR: The New Year began on a gloomy note as, at least, twelve pilgrims died and fourteen others were injured in a stampede that occurred at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at around 2.45 am on Saturday, sending shock waves across the country and beyond. A report, not confirmed by officials, put the number of the injured at 20. The authorities said that the injured were being treated at Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Hospital at Katra, the basecamp of the revered place of Hindu worship tucked away in Trikuta hills at a height of 11,750 feet above the sea level and 52-km north of Jammu and Kashmirs winter capital Jammu. A medical official and neurologist at the Narayana hospital Dr Gopal Dutt said, Fatal casualties are from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and one from J&K. He added that four of the injured pilgrims are very critical and are on ventilators whereas the condition of the others is stable and three to four of them have already been sent home. Initial reports said that the stampede occurred at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan following an argument broke out over some issue resulting in the people pushing each other. However, another report said that the incident occurred when a huge crowd of devotees, who had come to pay their obeisance to mark the beginning of the New Year, entered the Vaishno Devi Bhawan. J&Ks director general of police, Dilbag Singh, said that the rescue operations started immediately and all the injured were quickly taken to the nearby health facility. He too said that a minor altercation among some young boys led to the stampede. However, some of the pilgrims who escaped unhurt in the stampede blamed the incident on mismanagement by the concerned authorities who, they asserted, were apparently oblivious about the possible rush of pilgrims and allowed them to move towards the Bhawan unhindered. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board SMVDSB) denied the charge, saying all necessary arrangements were made in view of the expected rush on the eve of the New Year. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally monitored and kept track of the situation, J&K lieutenant governor, Manoj Sinha, ordered a high-level inquiry and announced ex-gratia relief of `10 lakh for the kin of each deceased person and `200,000 for the injured. He also said that the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (MVDSB) will bear the cost of treatment of the injured. The Prime Ministers Office also announced an amount of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the stampede and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the Prime Ministers National Relief Fund. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan, said the Prime Minister, sending his condolences to the bereaved families. Mr Sinha tweeted, Spoke to Hon'ble home minister Shri Amit Shah Ji. Briefed him about the incident. A high-level inquiry has been ordered into todays stampede. Later, he also spoke to the Prime Minister to brief him on the incident and the steps taken by the government to deal with the situation arising out of the tragic incident, the sources said. President Ramnath Kovind, defence minister Rajnath Singh, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and a host of other leaders and government functionaries also expressed their shock over the tragic incident and condoled with the bereaved. The President tweeted, Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured. Later during the day, the Vaishno Devi Yatra resumed after remaining suspended for some time in the aftermath of the stampede. The registration of pilgrims at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan at Katra also resumed hours after the tragic incident, the SMVDSB officials said. However, many devotees said that they had to return from Katra without having darshan inside the cave-shrine following the stampede. Advertisement Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise. In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by lead actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, as well as a slew of their dazzling co-stars and the brains behind the eight movies. While the stars regaled tales of life on and off screen during their time in one of the biggest movie franchises of all time, notably absent was creator JK Rowling, 56, who only appeared via archive footage in the wake of an ongoing row over her views on transgender issues, which erupted via Twitter earlier this year. Alongside the core trio, who played Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley respectively, the line up includes Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Alfred Enoch (Dean Thomas), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) and Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy). Working it out: Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise, led by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint Nice! In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by the lead actors and a slew of supporting cast members The special opens with sweeping shots of London focusing on the stars opening their invites to the reunion, with Emma seen heading down platform 9 and 3/4 before she meets up with a number of famous faces. The Great Hall - the centre point of the set, which is still in place at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London in Leavesden - is packed with dancers, an orchestra and stars of the movie - all revelling atop a HP20 logo in the floor. Stars of the movies fondly greet each other as they prepare for the eagerly-anticipated reunion. Daniel is then seen treading the path of Diagon Alley before one of the opening lines of Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone is read: ' He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting up in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!' CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived. The opening section of the reunion focused on Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets Back together: The Harry Potter cast reunites in the Great Hall for a Christmas get together CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios. The first section, entitled The Boy Who Lived, looks back on the first two movies from 2001 and 2002. Christopher spoke about why he directed the first two films in the saga after his daughter forced him to read the books. In the first of few mentions of JK Rowling, he says: 'I had to fly to Edinburgh to meet Jo Rowling and I said "This is my vision of the movies" and she said hers was the same'. Bonnie then also mentioned JK, saying: 'So many people were falling in love with her writing', while an archive shot showed the author at a signing for the first book, while Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid also lauded JK and Christopher spoke of the feverish hunt to find an actor to play Harry. Then and now: Daniel was at the helm of the project, having played Harry in all eight films since he was 11 Looking back: The main man himself confessed: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter. My first kiss is connected to someone here, my first girlfriends were here...' Starring: JK Rowling received just 10 mentions in the Harry Potter reunion with repeated clips from an interview she undertook in 2019 at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (pictured in her archive footage) The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books, while it was revealed that Ron just 'jumped off the page' to Rupert - who called the book 'a beautiful, intricate world'. Christopher spoke of seeing David Copperfield on the BBC and realising Daniel was perfect for the role, while archive footage of the 2019 interview with JK showed her speaking of nailing finding Daniel. As Emma, Daniel and Rupert reunited, they began speaking about their own lives in the world of Harry Potter, in what they branded a 'surreal reunion' where 'no time had passed but so much time had passed'. Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age'. Opening up: As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios Reunited: Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint recalled growing up on the 'greatest playground in the world' in scenes released ahead of the reunion special Leading lady: The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books On working with the child stars, Christopher insisted Emma was 'the cleverest person on the whole set', while she herself insisted she 'is Hermione' having connected deeply with the character: 'Hermione made complete sense to me, I felt like I was this girl', and admitted her family feared for her if she didn't get the role. Behind the scenes shots showed filming for the first movie, including the group larking around and playing a slapping game with their hands - which Emma revealed they did 'all the time', to the point their hands were raw. Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Changes: Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age' I'll be back: Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of. Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return: 'I get tears, I still get tears thinking about it'. Introductions are paid to both the Weasley and Malfoy families - showing the stark differences between the good and bad of the wizarding world - and how the group played out the respective families. Star: Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris (second right) worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Open: The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family. On the evil side, Jason explained how he first auditioned for the role of hapless professor and author Gilderoy Lockhart - yet was soon turned to Lucius whose relationship with his son Draco was laid bare. He said: 'I'm convinced I got the role because I didn't want it. I was about to play Captain Hook and I didn't want to play two villains so I read through gritted teeth'. He explained Draco was a 'sadistic bully' due to his father. Happy days: Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age. The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron. Gary explained that having kids pointed him towards the books, while Alfonso noted the movie is a 'coming of age': 'Harry is still a child in the first two... but then he turns 15 and there's a cloud that surrounds him'. Exciting: Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up'. Daniel then spoke to Emma and Rupert about his starstruck moment of meeting Gary and how he demanded his co-stars 'don't mess up' in front of him - although confessed this was more an order of his own. Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars. Tough: Gary and Daniel discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Eerie: Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up' The actor, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 69, famously played the stern Hogwarts professor, who worked as one of Voldemort's Death Eaters. It wasn't until a plot twist in the final installment that fans discovered how Severus had been acting as a double agent in order to protect the series' protagonist. Daniel revealed that Christopher would beg Alan to tell the story, saying 'Why are you doing that like that?' to which the Love Actually star would reply, 'I'll tell you later.' Daniel then voiced a note perfect of the late star. The lead trio then spoke about the thrill of working with director Mike Newell on the fourth movie - noting his kindness and playfulness with the child stars. Daniel said: 'Mike is this excited, loud, passionate man', while Rupert stated: 'I love Mike, he was great, it was almost like he was from the books'. Shock: Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars Fighting it: Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs James and Oliver spoke about when a fight with Mike while he instructed them on fighting in front of the Goblet Of Fire, led to Mike having his ribs broken. Aside from the fun and frolics on stage, the group spoke about how highly charged the hormones were on-set, with Daniel describing the movie as 'peak hormone' for him, as the students are all seen falling for one another for the first time - both on and off screen. Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs. She recalled: Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time - pictured during a tutoring session 'I used to come in every day and look for him': Emma Watson, 31, reveals she remembers the moment she fell in love with Harry Potter co-star Tom Felton, 34, as they share a hug during reunion special - which is set to air on New Year's Day Reunited: Tom flashed a wide smile as Emma hurried over to him before they shared a loving hug Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time. The pair also shared a warm embrace as they hugged with delight while reuniting on camera in The Great Hall for the TV special. Tom was 14 years old when the first Harry Potter movie came out in 2001, while Emma was just 11. They both starred in all eight Harry Potter films. She recalled: 'I walked into the room where we were having tutoring. The assignment that had been given was to draw what you thought God looked like, and Tom had drawn a girl with a backward cap on a skateboard. 'And I just don't know how to say it I just fell in love with him. I used to come in every day and look for his number on the call sheet, it was number seven, and if his name was on the call sheet, it was an extra exciting day.' Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike. Terrifying: Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet. Daniel coyly admitted he had a soft spot for his 55-year old co-star, despite their 23-year age difference. Reading his message aloud for the first time, he said: 'Dear HBC, it was a pleasure being your co-star and coaster in the fact I always ended up holding your coffee. I do love you and I wish Id just been born ten years earlier so I mightve been in with a chance.' Helen and Gary are then seen discussing Bellatrix killing her cousin Sirius and a deleted scene showing a duel. The esteemed stars revealed they went to wand school to hone the choreography of the moves. Meet up: Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet Eww! Helena brought along the teeth she wore to play the terrifying Death Eater On film number four, director David Yates was recruited when things became darker and more grown up. The stars lauded David for helping draw out more intensity and explained that while the world was politicising, he was wanted to draw this into the movies and display that element. Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars. After they were catapulted to stardom following the success of The Philosopher's Stone in 2001, before the pair had even reached their teen years they struggled to adjust to their superstardom. Admitting to writing about being lonely in a diary entry at the time, the Beauty And The Beast star explained how 'the fame thing had finally hit home in a big way'. Hurt: Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars She confessed: 'I think I was scared. I don't know if you ever felt like it got to a tipping point where you were like, "This is kind of forever now."' It was around the time of Order of the Phoenix when things started getting spicy for all of us,' she continued of the 2007 blockbuster which she filmed aged 16. Rupert chimed in: 'I also had sort of similar feelings to Emma, contemplating what life would be like if I called it a day. We never really spoke about it. I guess we were just going through it at our own pace, we were kind of in the moment at the time. It just didn't really occur to us that we were all probably kind of having similar feelings.' Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role. Emma gushed about being 'proud' of Evanna, as well as Bonnie, who played Ginny in the franchise. Sweet: Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 As the franchise drew to a close with the final two movies, the group discussed how things changed for them in their more mature status as actors as well as their storylines intensifying. Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through'. Harry, Emma and Rupert were likened to astronauts by David Yates thanks to their joint experiences in becoming global superstars at the helm of the huge productions. In anticipation of Hermione and Ron becoming romantically involved, Emma and Rupert discussed how they struggled to film their first kiss amid the Battle Of Hogwarts in the final movie. Rupert admitted that the audience were 'desperate' to see the duo kiss. An honour: Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through' Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing'. The cast and crew discussed the final scenes and the 'spiritual' elements of the final battle scene between Harry and Voldemort before a montage of adorable throwbacks shot up. Following their discussions of each film, the group all grew emotional as they rounded out the show. Rupert said: 'I'm very proud to have been part of it, it was weird at the end. I lost track of who I was and who the character was. My name didn't feel like my name and I only knew one thing - to play Ron'. Emma went on: 'It's like we did the most extreme form of method acting. The way it feels for me now - I'm trying not to get emotional - it feels you you're a pillar of my life', while Rupert added that 'they are family'. Eek! Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing' Rupert then said: 'I love you, as a friend - just to be clear'. Throwbacks showed the final scenes being filmed with all the stars weeping and holding each other, in a state of 'utter devastation'. Emma said: 'It was the first time we let ourselves realise we'd made it through'. Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud', while Emma said: 'There's something about Harry Potter that makes life richer. When things get really dark and times are really hard, stories give us places we can go where we can rest and we can be held'. Breaking down in tears, Emma said: 'It was the best most amazing experience and I cant explain they're such good people and they're so kind and they took the responsibility so seriously and I appreciate that so much'. Rupert said: 'They're like family. We're so intrinsically linked and they're incredibly important to me.' Fighting back tears, Daniel added: 'There's people on these films who are foundational to who I am, as a person, as an actor, I am so lucky to have the life I have and be able to work with the people I work with now An honour: Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud' Stars tearfully remember 'magic' Alan Rickman, 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'generous' Richard Griffiths during reunion show in memoriam The actors and cast behind the Harry Potter franchise remembered their late co-stars during an in memoriam section of the Harry Potter Return To Hogwarts reunion, which aired on Saturday. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint led the tributes to the many stars they have lost over the past two decades, since the franchise launched with Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone - including Richard Harris, Alan Rickman and most recently Helen McCrory. Speaking about appearing on the reunion without their late stars, Emma said: 'It's obviously amazing to be back, but so many people we thought would be here for much longer like Helen and Alan and Richard', while Rupert sadly echoed: 'They're like family, just gone too soon'. Speaking about working with such icons, Daniel said: 'I feel really lucky to have some little bit of touch with the people who have passed... I'll be very old one day and say I knew that absolute legend.' An honour: Stars tearfully remembered the late stars of Harry Potter in Saturday's Return To Hogwarts reunion special, including 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'magic' Alan Rickman (left-right) Lost: Helen played the Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 HELEN MCCROY PLAYED: Narcissa Malfoy DIED: April 2021, aged 52 Helen played Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2. She passed away in April this year after a secret 'heroic battle' with cancer, her husband Damian Lewis confirmed at the time. The 'beautiful and mighty' actress died 'peacefully' at home surrounded by friends and family. Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen. Jason said: 'Helen McCroy played my wife. I said I think I've just seen the best actress I've ever seen in my life. I feel lucky to have worked with her and shared so much frankly adolescent laughter on the set. Speaking about his on-screen mum, Tom broke down as he emotionally said: 'She taught me a lot. See I can't even say it. She had this ability to show such empathy in her eyes. It was a real treat to work with her.' An honour: Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen Shock: Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden ALAN RICKMAN PLAYED: Severus Snape DIED: January 2016, aged 69 Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden. He is ultimately killed by his master Lord Voldemort, after Harry discovered the sacrifices he made for him. In August 2015, Alan suffered a minor stroke, which led to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He revealed that he had terminal cancer to only his closest confidants. On 14 January 2016, he died in London at the age of 69. Speaking about working with the acting icon, Emma said: 'Alan Rickman never spoke to me like I was a child. He always took my thoughts and opinions very seriously which I was always very touched by.' Ralph Fiennes meanwhile, who played Voldemort, said: 'Alan was a very dear friend, and we had that final scene, his final scene. I was a little intimidated by his precision and his expert delivery of lines. We sort of went toe to toe in a funny way, Snape and Voldemort. Two actors fencing with each other. Alan was a magician in that way'. Reaching out: Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, and Ralph Fiennes, who played Voldemort, honoured Alan Star: Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets RICHARD HARRIS PLAYED: Albus Dumbledore DIED: October 2002, aged 72 Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets. He famously revealed he was reluctant to take the role, but it was his 11-year-old granddaughter who begged him to reconsider, threatening never to talk to him again if he refused the role. 'What could I do?' moaned Harris. 'I wasn't going to let her down.' After starring in two movies, he passed away in October 2002 at London's University College Hospital, after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease that August. He had reportedly been hospitalised with pneumonia. Speaking about his on-screen legacy and what it was like to work with the legend, Emma said: 'Richard Harris was such a special, warm person. He was so twinkly'. Director Christopher Columbus went on: 'Richard Harris was classic - probably one of the funniest men I've ever met. He was this devilish 11-year-old trapped in a 70 plus year old man's body. He just had this glint in his eye that made him the perfect Dumbledore by the way. He was brutally hilarious.' Evil: Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers RICHARD GRIFFITHS PLAYED: Vernon Dursley DIED: March 2013, aged 65 Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers. The beloved star died aged 65 at University Hospital Coventry on 28 March 2013. His passing came following complications with heart surgery and was met with an outpouring of heartache from the acting world. Speaking about working with the star, producer David Heyman said: 'Richard Griffiths was just delicious as Mr Dursley. He embraced his wickedness with such verve and passion'. Daniel meanwhile grew emotional as he said: 'His passing was the one that effected me the most because he was generous with knowledge and just wanted to share everything with you'. A full list of the cast and crew lost over the past two decades then flashed up, listing: Timothy Bateson, Terence Bayler, Sam Beazley, Sheila Allen, Peter Cartwright, Derek Deadman, Hazel Douglas, Alfred Burke, Salo Gardner, Richard Griffiths, Robert Hardy, Jimmy Gardner, John Hurt, Robert Knox, Dave Legeno, Richard Harris, Margery Mason, Rik M ayall, Roger Lloud Pack, Paul Ritter, David Ryall, Helen McCroy, Alan Rickman, Eric Sykes, Verne Troyer, Mary Selway, Elizabeth Spriggs, Eric Sykes and Christoper Whittingham. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of lives in a stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Katra, Jammu, and Kashmir that took place early this morning, resulting in the death of at least 12 persons and injuring 13 others. "The mind is deeply pained by the unfortunate accident that took place in Mata Vaishno Devi Dham. May Maa Adishakti grant peace to the souls of those who died in the accident and speedy recovery to those injured in the accident. My condolences are with the bereaved families. Om Shanti," the Chief Minister tweeted. The registration at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Katra has been resumed hours after the stampede incident. The yatra (pilgrimage) to the holy shrine was suspended after the incident. Jammu and Kashmir Police chief Dilbagh Singh told ANI that a total of 12 people were killed and 13 others injured in a stampede at the shrine atop Trikuta hills early this morning. The stampede was triggered by a heavy rush of devotees on New Year's Day. The injured have been admitted to various hospitals, including Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, and the condition of many of the injured was stated to be "serious". The cave shrine is situated at an altitude of 5,200 feet in the Reasi district and generally attracts close to a million devotees every year. The operations of the pilgrimage site are managed by the Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, which provides battery car and ropeway services to the pilgrims to reach the top of Trikuta hills for darshan. (ANI) Srinagar: Political leaders including three former chief ministers were detained ahead of a march by the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) to protest against the recommendations of the Delimitation Commission. "Good morning and welcome to 2022. A new year with the same JK police illegally locking people in their homes and an administration so terrified of normal democratic activity," National Conference vice-president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted. "Trucks parked outside our gates to scuttle the peaceful @JKPAGD sit-in protest. Some things never change," he said. Abdullah, whose father and veteran politician Farooq Abdullah heads the PAGD, claimed, "Talk about a lawless police state, the police have even locked the internal gate connecting my father's home to my sister's. Yet our leaders have the cheek to tell the world that India is the largest democracy, hah!!" Talk about a lawless police state, the police have even locked the internal gate connecting my fathers home to my sisters. Yet our leaders have the cheek to tell the world that India is the largest democracy, hah!! pic.twitter.com/flNICRGk58 January 1, 2022 Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had also been placed under detention. "A truck is parked outside my house too," she added. GOI trumpets scrapping Article 370 & dismembering J&K throughout the country but is deeply paranoid & intolerant when people of J&K want to protest against its disempowerment. For the umpteenth time, weve been placed under house arrest for trying to organise a peaceful protest Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) January 1, 2022 Senior CPI (M) leader M Y Tarigami, who is the spokesperson of the alliance, said it was sad that the Jammu and Kashmir administration was "scared even to allow a peaceful protest". "This is where the situation gets worse when people are not even allowed to express their opinion before the public," he added. The PAGD had proposed to hold a peaceful demonstration in Srinagar on Saturday against the proposal of the Delimitation Commission of increasing six seats in Jammu division and one in Kashmir. With this, the number of seats in Jammu would have gone up to 43 and Kashmir to 47. KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 15:30 | All, World, Japan, Coronavirus Here is a collection of photos and videos taken during New Year's celebrations around Japan and beyond. Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attend a New Year's ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2022, wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Pool photo)(Kyodo) KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 15:30 | All, World, Japan, Coronavirus Here is a collection of photos and videos taken during New Year's celebrations around Japan and beyond. Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attend a New Year's ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2022, wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Pool photo)(Kyodo) KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 15:30 | All, World, Japan, Coronavirus Here is a collection of photos and videos taken during New Year's celebrations around Japan and beyond. Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attend a New Year's ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2022, wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Pool photo)(Kyodo) KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 15:30 | All, World, Japan, Coronavirus Here is a collection of photos and videos taken during New Year's celebrations around Japan and beyond. Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attend a New Year's ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2022, wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Pool photo)(Kyodo) KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 15:30 | All, World, Japan, Coronavirus Here is a collection of photos and videos taken during New Year's celebrations around Japan and beyond. Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attend a New Year's ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2022, wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Pool photo)(Kyodo) KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 15:30 | All, World, Japan, Coronavirus Here is a collection of photos and videos taken during New Year's celebrations around Japan and beyond. Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attend a New Year's ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2022, wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Pool photo)(Kyodo) KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 15:30 | All, World, Japan, Coronavirus Here is a collection of photos and videos taken during New Year's celebrations around Japan and beyond. Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attend a New Year's ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2022, wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Pool photo)(Kyodo) KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 15:30 | All, World, Japan, Coronavirus Here is a collection of photos and videos taken during New Year's celebrations around Japan and beyond. Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attend a New Year's ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2022, wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Pool photo)(Kyodo) KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 15:30 | All, World, Japan, Coronavirus Here is a collection of photos and videos taken during New Year's celebrations around Japan and beyond. Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attend a New Year's ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2022, wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Pool photo)(Kyodo) Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Saturday took a veiled jibe at the BJP leaders saying the money in the exchequer was keeping them warm even in the cold weather. She also said the BSP has its own style of functioning and it does not want to "copy" other parties. The leader was responding to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who said 'Bahanji', apparently referring to Mayawati, was yet to come out of the cold. "Elections are around the corner and she has not come out for campaigning. It seems that she is already afraid," Shah had said during the Jan Vishwas Yatra in Moradabad, Aligarh and Unnao. In her rebuttal, Mayawati told reporters, "When the Congress and BJP are in power, be it at the Centre or in states, they hold public meetings one after the other just a couple of months before the elections. "The money in the government exchequer, meant for the poor, is keeping them warm. But, when these parties are not in power, they are just like us. They do not hold public meetings, attend inaugural ceremonies or lay foundation stones before the elections." Regarding the crowd at rallies being organised by the rival parties, Mayawati said, "Half of them are government employees and the others are ticket seekers. We are seeing this in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab." The BSP chief said her party was of the poor and the oppressed, and not of the capitalists. "I am aware of the fact that if I copy other parties and hold public meetings one after the other, my people will not be able to bear the cost," Mayawati said. "If we copy them (rival parties), there could be losses due to paucity of funds during the elections. Our party has a different style of working as far as elections are concerned. We do not want to change this even if the rival parties ridicule us or the press writes about it. Other parties should not worry about us," she said. Live TV Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Saturday took a veiled jibe at the BJP leaders saying the money in the exchequer was keeping them warm even in the cold weather. She also said the BSP has its own style of functioning and it does not want to "copy" other parties. The leader was responding to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who said 'Bahanji', apparently referring to Mayawati, was yet to come out of the cold. "Elections are around the corner and she has not come out for campaigning. It seems that she is already afraid," Shah had said during the Jan Vishwas Yatra in Moradabad, Aligarh and Unnao. In her rebuttal, Mayawati told reporters, "When the Congress and BJP are in power, be it at the Centre or in states, they hold public meetings one after the other just a couple of months before the elections. "The money in the government exchequer, meant for the poor, is keeping them warm. But, when these parties are not in power, they are just like us. They do not hold public meetings, attend inaugural ceremonies or lay foundation stones before the elections." Regarding the crowd at rallies being organised by the rival parties, Mayawati said, "Half of them are government employees and the others are ticket seekers. We are seeing this in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab." The BSP chief said her party was of the poor and the oppressed, and not of the capitalists. "I am aware of the fact that if I copy other parties and hold public meetings one after the other, my people will not be able to bear the cost," Mayawati said. "If we copy them (rival parties), there could be losses due to paucity of funds during the elections. Our party has a different style of working as far as elections are concerned. We do not want to change this even if the rival parties ridicule us or the press writes about it. Other parties should not worry about us," she said. Live TV Advertisement Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise. In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by lead actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, as well as a slew of their dazzling co-stars and the brains behind the eight movies. While the stars regaled tales of life on and off screen during their time in one of the biggest movie franchises of all time, notably absent was creator JK Rowling, 56, who only appeared via archive footage in the wake of an ongoing row over her views on transgender issues, which erupted via Twitter earlier this year. Alongside the core trio, who played Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley respectively, the line up includes Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Alfred Enoch (Dean Thomas), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) and Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy). Working it out: Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise, led by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint Nice! In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by the lead actors and a slew of supporting cast members The special opens with sweeping shots of London focusing on the stars opening their invites to the reunion, with Emma seen heading down platform 9 and 3/4 before she meets up with a number of famous faces. The Great Hall - the centre point of the set, which is still in place at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London in Leavesden - is packed with dancers, an orchestra and stars of the movie - all revelling atop a HP20 logo in the floor. Stars of the movies fondly greet each other as they prepare for the eagerly-anticipated reunion. Daniel is then seen treading the path of Diagon Alley before one of the opening lines of Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone is read: ' He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting up in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!' CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived. The opening section of the reunion focused on Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets Back together: The Harry Potter cast reunites in the Great Hall for a Christmas get together CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios. The first section, entitled The Boy Who Lived, looks back on the first two movies from 2001 and 2002. Christopher spoke about why he directed the first two films in the saga after his daughter forced him to read the books. In the first of few mentions of JK Rowling, he says: 'I had to fly to Edinburgh to meet Jo Rowling and I said "This is my vision of the movies" and she said hers was the same'. Bonnie then also mentioned JK, saying: 'So many people were falling in love with her writing', while an archive shot showed the author at a signing for the first book, while Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid also lauded JK and Christopher spoke of the feverish hunt to find an actor to play Harry. Then and now: Daniel was at the helm of the project, having played Harry in all eight films since he was 11 Looking back: The main man himself confessed: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter. My first kiss is connected to someone here, my first girlfriends were here...' Starring: JK Rowling received just 10 mentions in the Harry Potter reunion with repeated clips from an interview she undertook in 2019 at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (pictured in her archive footage) The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books, while it was revealed that Ron just 'jumped off the page' to Rupert - who called the book 'a beautiful, intricate world'. Christopher spoke of seeing David Copperfield on the BBC and realising Daniel was perfect for the role, while archive footage of the 2019 interview with JK showed her speaking of nailing finding Daniel. As Emma, Daniel and Rupert reunited, they began speaking about their own lives in the world of Harry Potter, in what they branded a 'surreal reunion' where 'no time had passed but so much time had passed'. Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age'. Opening up: As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios Reunited: Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint recalled growing up on the 'greatest playground in the world' in scenes released ahead of the reunion special Leading lady: The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books On working with the child stars, Christopher insisted Emma was 'the cleverest person on the whole set', while she herself insisted she 'is Hermione' having connected deeply with the character: 'Hermione made complete sense to me, I felt like I was this girl', and admitted her family feared for her if she didn't get the role. Behind the scenes shots showed filming for the first movie, including the group larking around and playing a slapping game with their hands - which Emma revealed they did 'all the time', to the point their hands were raw. Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Changes: Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age' I'll be back: Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of. Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return: 'I get tears, I still get tears thinking about it'. Introductions are paid to both the Weasley and Malfoy families - showing the stark differences between the good and bad of the wizarding world - and how the group played out the respective families. Star: Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris (second right) worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Open: The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family. On the evil side, Jason explained how he first auditioned for the role of hapless professor and author Gilderoy Lockhart - yet was soon turned to Lucius whose relationship with his son Draco was laid bare. He said: 'I'm convinced I got the role because I didn't want it. I was about to play Captain Hook and I didn't want to play two villains so I read through gritted teeth'. He explained Draco was a 'sadistic bully' due to his father. Happy days: Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age. The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron. Gary explained that having kids pointed him towards the books, while Alfonso noted the movie is a 'coming of age': 'Harry is still a child in the first two... but then he turns 15 and there's a cloud that surrounds him'. Exciting: Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up'. Daniel then spoke to Emma and Rupert about his starstruck moment of meeting Gary and how he demanded his co-stars 'don't mess up' in front of him - although confessed this was more an order of his own. Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars. Tough: Gary and Daniel discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Eerie: Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up' The actor, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 69, famously played the stern Hogwarts professor, who worked as one of Voldemort's Death Eaters. It wasn't until a plot twist in the final installment that fans discovered how Severus had been acting as a double agent in order to protect the series' protagonist. Daniel revealed that Christopher would beg Alan to tell the story, saying 'Why are you doing that like that?' to which the Love Actually star would reply, 'I'll tell you later.' Daniel then voiced a note perfect of the late star. The lead trio then spoke about the thrill of working with director Mike Newell on the fourth movie - noting his kindness and playfulness with the child stars. Daniel said: 'Mike is this excited, loud, passionate man', while Rupert stated: 'I love Mike, he was great, it was almost like he was from the books'. Shock: Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars Fighting it: Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs James and Oliver spoke about when a fight with Mike while he instructed them on fighting in front of the Goblet Of Fire, led to Mike having his ribs broken. Aside from the fun and frolics on stage, the group spoke about how highly charged the hormones were on-set, with Daniel describing the movie as 'peak hormone' for him, as the students are all seen falling for one another for the first time - both on and off screen. Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs. She recalled: Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time - pictured during a tutoring session 'I used to come in every day and look for him': Emma Watson, 31, reveals she remembers the moment she fell in love with Harry Potter co-star Tom Felton, 34, as they share a hug during reunion special - which is set to air on New Year's Day Reunited: Tom flashed a wide smile as Emma hurried over to him before they shared a loving hug Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time. The pair also shared a warm embrace as they hugged with delight while reuniting on camera in The Great Hall for the TV special. Tom was 14 years old when the first Harry Potter movie came out in 2001, while Emma was just 11. They both starred in all eight Harry Potter films. She recalled: 'I walked into the room where we were having tutoring. The assignment that had been given was to draw what you thought God looked like, and Tom had drawn a girl with a backward cap on a skateboard. 'And I just don't know how to say it I just fell in love with him. I used to come in every day and look for his number on the call sheet, it was number seven, and if his name was on the call sheet, it was an extra exciting day.' Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike. Terrifying: Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet. Daniel coyly admitted he had a soft spot for his 55-year old co-star, despite their 23-year age difference. Reading his message aloud for the first time, he said: 'Dear HBC, it was a pleasure being your co-star and coaster in the fact I always ended up holding your coffee. I do love you and I wish Id just been born ten years earlier so I mightve been in with a chance.' Helen and Gary are then seen discussing Bellatrix killing her cousin Sirius and a deleted scene showing a duel. The esteemed stars revealed they went to wand school to hone the choreography of the moves. Meet up: Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet Eww! Helena brought along the teeth she wore to play the terrifying Death Eater On film number four, director David Yates was recruited when things became darker and more grown up. The stars lauded David for helping draw out more intensity and explained that while the world was politicising, he was wanted to draw this into the movies and display that element. Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars. After they were catapulted to stardom following the success of The Philosopher's Stone in 2001, before the pair had even reached their teen years they struggled to adjust to their superstardom. Admitting to writing about being lonely in a diary entry at the time, the Beauty And The Beast star explained how 'the fame thing had finally hit home in a big way'. Hurt: Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars She confessed: 'I think I was scared. I don't know if you ever felt like it got to a tipping point where you were like, "This is kind of forever now."' It was around the time of Order of the Phoenix when things started getting spicy for all of us,' she continued of the 2007 blockbuster which she filmed aged 16. Rupert chimed in: 'I also had sort of similar feelings to Emma, contemplating what life would be like if I called it a day. We never really spoke about it. I guess we were just going through it at our own pace, we were kind of in the moment at the time. It just didn't really occur to us that we were all probably kind of having similar feelings.' Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role. Emma gushed about being 'proud' of Evanna, as well as Bonnie, who played Ginny in the franchise. Sweet: Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 As the franchise drew to a close with the final two movies, the group discussed how things changed for them in their more mature status as actors as well as their storylines intensifying. Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through'. Harry, Emma and Rupert were likened to astronauts by David Yates thanks to their joint experiences in becoming global superstars at the helm of the huge productions. In anticipation of Hermione and Ron becoming romantically involved, Emma and Rupert discussed how they struggled to film their first kiss amid the Battle Of Hogwarts in the final movie. Rupert admitted that the audience were 'desperate' to see the duo kiss. An honour: Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through' Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing'. The cast and crew discussed the final scenes and the 'spiritual' elements of the final battle scene between Harry and Voldemort before a montage of adorable throwbacks shot up. Following their discussions of each film, the group all grew emotional as they rounded out the show. Rupert said: 'I'm very proud to have been part of it, it was weird at the end. I lost track of who I was and who the character was. My name didn't feel like my name and I only knew one thing - to play Ron'. Emma went on: 'It's like we did the most extreme form of method acting. The way it feels for me now - I'm trying not to get emotional - it feels you you're a pillar of my life', while Rupert added that 'they are family'. Eek! Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing' Rupert then said: 'I love you, as a friend - just to be clear'. Throwbacks showed the final scenes being filmed with all the stars weeping and holding each other, in a state of 'utter devastation'. Emma said: 'It was the first time we let ourselves realise we'd made it through'. Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud', while Emma said: 'There's something about Harry Potter that makes life richer. When things get really dark and times are really hard, stories give us places we can go where we can rest and we can be held'. Breaking down in tears, Emma said: 'It was the best most amazing experience and I cant explain they're such good people and they're so kind and they took the responsibility so seriously and I appreciate that so much'. Rupert said: 'They're like family. We're so intrinsically linked and they're incredibly important to me.' Fighting back tears, Daniel added: 'There's people on these films who are foundational to who I am, as a person, as an actor, I am so lucky to have the life I have and be able to work with the people I work with now An honour: Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud' Stars tearfully remember 'magic' Alan Rickman, 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'generous' Richard Griffiths during reunion show in memoriam The actors and cast behind the Harry Potter franchise remembered their late co-stars during an in memoriam section of the Harry Potter Return To Hogwarts reunion, which aired on Saturday. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint led the tributes to the many stars they have lost over the past two decades, since the franchise launched with Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone - including Richard Harris, Alan Rickman and most recently Helen McCrory. Speaking about appearing on the reunion without their late stars, Emma said: 'It's obviously amazing to be back, but so many people we thought would be here for much longer like Helen and Alan and Richard', while Rupert sadly echoed: 'They're like family, just gone too soon'. Speaking about working with such icons, Daniel said: 'I feel really lucky to have some little bit of touch with the people who have passed... I'll be very old one day and say I knew that absolute legend.' An honour: Stars tearfully remembered the late stars of Harry Potter in Saturday's Return To Hogwarts reunion special, including 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'magic' Alan Rickman (left-right) Lost: Helen played the Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 HELEN MCCROY PLAYED: Narcissa Malfoy DIED: April 2021, aged 52 Helen played Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2. She passed away in April this year after a secret 'heroic battle' with cancer, her husband Damian Lewis confirmed at the time. The 'beautiful and mighty' actress died 'peacefully' at home surrounded by friends and family. Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen. Jason said: 'Helen McCroy played my wife. I said I think I've just seen the best actress I've ever seen in my life. I feel lucky to have worked with her and shared so much frankly adolescent laughter on the set. Speaking about his on-screen mum, Tom broke down as he emotionally said: 'She taught me a lot. See I can't even say it. She had this ability to show such empathy in her eyes. It was a real treat to work with her.' An honour: Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen Shock: Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden ALAN RICKMAN PLAYED: Severus Snape DIED: January 2016, aged 69 Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden. He is ultimately killed by his master Lord Voldemort, after Harry discovered the sacrifices he made for him. In August 2015, Alan suffered a minor stroke, which led to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He revealed that he had terminal cancer to only his closest confidants. On 14 January 2016, he died in London at the age of 69. Speaking about working with the acting icon, Emma said: 'Alan Rickman never spoke to me like I was a child. He always took my thoughts and opinions very seriously which I was always very touched by.' Ralph Fiennes meanwhile, who played Voldemort, said: 'Alan was a very dear friend, and we had that final scene, his final scene. I was a little intimidated by his precision and his expert delivery of lines. We sort of went toe to toe in a funny way, Snape and Voldemort. Two actors fencing with each other. Alan was a magician in that way'. Reaching out: Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, and Ralph Fiennes, who played Voldemort, honoured Alan Star: Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets RICHARD HARRIS PLAYED: Albus Dumbledore DIED: October 2002, aged 72 Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets. He famously revealed he was reluctant to take the role, but it was his 11-year-old granddaughter who begged him to reconsider, threatening never to talk to him again if he refused the role. 'What could I do?' moaned Harris. 'I wasn't going to let her down.' After starring in two movies, he passed away in October 2002 at London's University College Hospital, after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease that August. He had reportedly been hospitalised with pneumonia. Speaking about his on-screen legacy and what it was like to work with the legend, Emma said: 'Richard Harris was such a special, warm person. He was so twinkly'. Director Christopher Columbus went on: 'Richard Harris was classic - probably one of the funniest men I've ever met. He was this devilish 11-year-old trapped in a 70 plus year old man's body. He just had this glint in his eye that made him the perfect Dumbledore by the way. He was brutally hilarious.' Evil: Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers RICHARD GRIFFITHS PLAYED: Vernon Dursley DIED: March 2013, aged 65 Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers. The beloved star died aged 65 at University Hospital Coventry on 28 March 2013. His passing came following complications with heart surgery and was met with an outpouring of heartache from the acting world. Speaking about working with the star, producer David Heyman said: 'Richard Griffiths was just delicious as Mr Dursley. He embraced his wickedness with such verve and passion'. Daniel meanwhile grew emotional as he said: 'His passing was the one that effected me the most because he was generous with knowledge and just wanted to share everything with you'. A full list of the cast and crew lost over the past two decades then flashed up, listing: Timothy Bateson, Terence Bayler, Sam Beazley, Sheila Allen, Peter Cartwright, Derek Deadman, Hazel Douglas, Alfred Burke, Salo Gardner, Richard Griffiths, Robert Hardy, Jimmy Gardner, John Hurt, Robert Knox, Dave Legeno, Richard Harris, Margery Mason, Rik M ayall, Roger Lloud Pack, Paul Ritter, David Ryall, Helen McCroy, Alan Rickman, Eric Sykes, Verne Troyer, Mary Selway, Elizabeth Spriggs, Eric Sykes and Christoper Whittingham. Advertisement Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise. In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by lead actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, as well as a slew of their dazzling co-stars and the brains behind the eight movies. While the stars regaled tales of life on and off screen during their time in one of the biggest movie franchises of all time, notably absent was creator JK Rowling, 56, who only appeared via archive footage in the wake of an ongoing row over her views on transgender issues, which erupted via Twitter earlier this year. Alongside the core trio, who played Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley respectively, the line up includes Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Alfred Enoch (Dean Thomas), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) and Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy). Working it out: Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise, led by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint Nice! In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by the lead actors and a slew of supporting cast members The special opens with sweeping shots of London focusing on the stars opening their invites to the reunion, with Emma seen heading down platform 9 and 3/4 before she meets up with a number of famous faces. The Great Hall - the centre point of the set, which is still in place at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London in Leavesden - is packed with dancers, an orchestra and stars of the movie - all revelling atop a HP20 logo in the floor. Stars of the movies fondly greet each other as they prepare for the eagerly-anticipated reunion. Daniel is then seen treading the path of Diagon Alley before one of the opening lines of Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone is read: ' He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting up in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!' CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived. The opening section of the reunion focused on Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets Back together: The Harry Potter cast reunites in the Great Hall for a Christmas get together CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios. The first section, entitled The Boy Who Lived, looks back on the first two movies from 2001 and 2002. Christopher spoke about why he directed the first two films in the saga after his daughter forced him to read the books. In the first of few mentions of JK Rowling, he says: 'I had to fly to Edinburgh to meet Jo Rowling and I said "This is my vision of the movies" and she said hers was the same'. Bonnie then also mentioned JK, saying: 'So many people were falling in love with her writing', while an archive shot showed the author at a signing for the first book, while Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid also lauded JK and Christopher spoke of the feverish hunt to find an actor to play Harry. Then and now: Daniel was at the helm of the project, having played Harry in all eight films since he was 11 Looking back: The main man himself confessed: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter. My first kiss is connected to someone here, my first girlfriends were here...' Starring: JK Rowling received just 10 mentions in the Harry Potter reunion with repeated clips from an interview she undertook in 2019 at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (pictured in her archive footage) The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books, while it was revealed that Ron just 'jumped off the page' to Rupert - who called the book 'a beautiful, intricate world'. Christopher spoke of seeing David Copperfield on the BBC and realising Daniel was perfect for the role, while archive footage of the 2019 interview with JK showed her speaking of nailing finding Daniel. As Emma, Daniel and Rupert reunited, they began speaking about their own lives in the world of Harry Potter, in what they branded a 'surreal reunion' where 'no time had passed but so much time had passed'. Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age'. Opening up: As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios Reunited: Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint recalled growing up on the 'greatest playground in the world' in scenes released ahead of the reunion special Leading lady: The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books On working with the child stars, Christopher insisted Emma was 'the cleverest person on the whole set', while she herself insisted she 'is Hermione' having connected deeply with the character: 'Hermione made complete sense to me, I felt like I was this girl', and admitted her family feared for her if she didn't get the role. Behind the scenes shots showed filming for the first movie, including the group larking around and playing a slapping game with their hands - which Emma revealed they did 'all the time', to the point their hands were raw. Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Changes: Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age' I'll be back: Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of. Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return: 'I get tears, I still get tears thinking about it'. Introductions are paid to both the Weasley and Malfoy families - showing the stark differences between the good and bad of the wizarding world - and how the group played out the respective families. Star: Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris (second right) worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Open: The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family. On the evil side, Jason explained how he first auditioned for the role of hapless professor and author Gilderoy Lockhart - yet was soon turned to Lucius whose relationship with his son Draco was laid bare. He said: 'I'm convinced I got the role because I didn't want it. I was about to play Captain Hook and I didn't want to play two villains so I read through gritted teeth'. He explained Draco was a 'sadistic bully' due to his father. Happy days: Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age. The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron. Gary explained that having kids pointed him towards the books, while Alfonso noted the movie is a 'coming of age': 'Harry is still a child in the first two... but then he turns 15 and there's a cloud that surrounds him'. Exciting: Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up'. Daniel then spoke to Emma and Rupert about his starstruck moment of meeting Gary and how he demanded his co-stars 'don't mess up' in front of him - although confessed this was more an order of his own. Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars. Tough: Gary and Daniel discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Eerie: Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up' The actor, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 69, famously played the stern Hogwarts professor, who worked as one of Voldemort's Death Eaters. It wasn't until a plot twist in the final installment that fans discovered how Severus had been acting as a double agent in order to protect the series' protagonist. Daniel revealed that Christopher would beg Alan to tell the story, saying 'Why are you doing that like that?' to which the Love Actually star would reply, 'I'll tell you later.' Daniel then voiced a note perfect of the late star. The lead trio then spoke about the thrill of working with director Mike Newell on the fourth movie - noting his kindness and playfulness with the child stars. Daniel said: 'Mike is this excited, loud, passionate man', while Rupert stated: 'I love Mike, he was great, it was almost like he was from the books'. Shock: Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars Fighting it: Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs James and Oliver spoke about when a fight with Mike while he instructed them on fighting in front of the Goblet Of Fire, led to Mike having his ribs broken. Aside from the fun and frolics on stage, the group spoke about how highly charged the hormones were on-set, with Daniel describing the movie as 'peak hormone' for him, as the students are all seen falling for one another for the first time - both on and off screen. Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs. She recalled: Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time - pictured during a tutoring session 'I used to come in every day and look for him': Emma Watson, 31, reveals she remembers the moment she fell in love with Harry Potter co-star Tom Felton, 34, as they share a hug during reunion special - which is set to air on New Year's Day Reunited: Tom flashed a wide smile as Emma hurried over to him before they shared a loving hug Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time. The pair also shared a warm embrace as they hugged with delight while reuniting on camera in The Great Hall for the TV special. Tom was 14 years old when the first Harry Potter movie came out in 2001, while Emma was just 11. They both starred in all eight Harry Potter films. She recalled: 'I walked into the room where we were having tutoring. The assignment that had been given was to draw what you thought God looked like, and Tom had drawn a girl with a backward cap on a skateboard. 'And I just don't know how to say it I just fell in love with him. I used to come in every day and look for his number on the call sheet, it was number seven, and if his name was on the call sheet, it was an extra exciting day.' Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike. Terrifying: Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet. Daniel coyly admitted he had a soft spot for his 55-year old co-star, despite their 23-year age difference. Reading his message aloud for the first time, he said: 'Dear HBC, it was a pleasure being your co-star and coaster in the fact I always ended up holding your coffee. I do love you and I wish Id just been born ten years earlier so I mightve been in with a chance.' Helen and Gary are then seen discussing Bellatrix killing her cousin Sirius and a deleted scene showing a duel. The esteemed stars revealed they went to wand school to hone the choreography of the moves. Meet up: Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet Eww! Helena brought along the teeth she wore to play the terrifying Death Eater On film number four, director David Yates was recruited when things became darker and more grown up. The stars lauded David for helping draw out more intensity and explained that while the world was politicising, he was wanted to draw this into the movies and display that element. Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars. After they were catapulted to stardom following the success of The Philosopher's Stone in 2001, before the pair had even reached their teen years they struggled to adjust to their superstardom. Admitting to writing about being lonely in a diary entry at the time, the Beauty And The Beast star explained how 'the fame thing had finally hit home in a big way'. Hurt: Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars She confessed: 'I think I was scared. I don't know if you ever felt like it got to a tipping point where you were like, "This is kind of forever now."' It was around the time of Order of the Phoenix when things started getting spicy for all of us,' she continued of the 2007 blockbuster which she filmed aged 16. Rupert chimed in: 'I also had sort of similar feelings to Emma, contemplating what life would be like if I called it a day. We never really spoke about it. I guess we were just going through it at our own pace, we were kind of in the moment at the time. It just didn't really occur to us that we were all probably kind of having similar feelings.' Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role. Emma gushed about being 'proud' of Evanna, as well as Bonnie, who played Ginny in the franchise. Sweet: Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 As the franchise drew to a close with the final two movies, the group discussed how things changed for them in their more mature status as actors as well as their storylines intensifying. Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through'. Harry, Emma and Rupert were likened to astronauts by David Yates thanks to their joint experiences in becoming global superstars at the helm of the huge productions. In anticipation of Hermione and Ron becoming romantically involved, Emma and Rupert discussed how they struggled to film their first kiss amid the Battle Of Hogwarts in the final movie. Rupert admitted that the audience were 'desperate' to see the duo kiss. An honour: Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through' Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing'. The cast and crew discussed the final scenes and the 'spiritual' elements of the final battle scene between Harry and Voldemort before a montage of adorable throwbacks shot up. Following their discussions of each film, the group all grew emotional as they rounded out the show. Rupert said: 'I'm very proud to have been part of it, it was weird at the end. I lost track of who I was and who the character was. My name didn't feel like my name and I only knew one thing - to play Ron'. Emma went on: 'It's like we did the most extreme form of method acting. The way it feels for me now - I'm trying not to get emotional - it feels you you're a pillar of my life', while Rupert added that 'they are family'. Eek! Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing' Rupert then said: 'I love you, as a friend - just to be clear'. Throwbacks showed the final scenes being filmed with all the stars weeping and holding each other, in a state of 'utter devastation'. Emma said: 'It was the first time we let ourselves realise we'd made it through'. Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud', while Emma said: 'There's something about Harry Potter that makes life richer. When things get really dark and times are really hard, stories give us places we can go where we can rest and we can be held'. Breaking down in tears, Emma said: 'It was the best most amazing experience and I cant explain they're such good people and they're so kind and they took the responsibility so seriously and I appreciate that so much'. Rupert said: 'They're like family. We're so intrinsically linked and they're incredibly important to me.' Fighting back tears, Daniel added: 'There's people on these films who are foundational to who I am, as a person, as an actor, I am so lucky to have the life I have and be able to work with the people I work with now An honour: Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud' Stars tearfully remember 'magic' Alan Rickman, 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'generous' Richard Griffiths during reunion show in memoriam The actors and cast behind the Harry Potter franchise remembered their late co-stars during an in memoriam section of the Harry Potter Return To Hogwarts reunion, which aired on Saturday. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint led the tributes to the many stars they have lost over the past two decades, since the franchise launched with Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone - including Richard Harris, Alan Rickman and most recently Helen McCrory. Speaking about appearing on the reunion without their late stars, Emma said: 'It's obviously amazing to be back, but so many people we thought would be here for much longer like Helen and Alan and Richard', while Rupert sadly echoed: 'They're like family, just gone too soon'. Speaking about working with such icons, Daniel said: 'I feel really lucky to have some little bit of touch with the people who have passed... I'll be very old one day and say I knew that absolute legend.' An honour: Stars tearfully remembered the late stars of Harry Potter in Saturday's Return To Hogwarts reunion special, including 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'magic' Alan Rickman (left-right) Lost: Helen played the Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 HELEN MCCROY PLAYED: Narcissa Malfoy DIED: April 2021, aged 52 Helen played Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2. She passed away in April this year after a secret 'heroic battle' with cancer, her husband Damian Lewis confirmed at the time. The 'beautiful and mighty' actress died 'peacefully' at home surrounded by friends and family. Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen. Jason said: 'Helen McCroy played my wife. I said I think I've just seen the best actress I've ever seen in my life. I feel lucky to have worked with her and shared so much frankly adolescent laughter on the set. Speaking about his on-screen mum, Tom broke down as he emotionally said: 'She taught me a lot. See I can't even say it. She had this ability to show such empathy in her eyes. It was a real treat to work with her.' An honour: Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen Shock: Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden ALAN RICKMAN PLAYED: Severus Snape DIED: January 2016, aged 69 Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden. He is ultimately killed by his master Lord Voldemort, after Harry discovered the sacrifices he made for him. In August 2015, Alan suffered a minor stroke, which led to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He revealed that he had terminal cancer to only his closest confidants. On 14 January 2016, he died in London at the age of 69. Speaking about working with the acting icon, Emma said: 'Alan Rickman never spoke to me like I was a child. He always took my thoughts and opinions very seriously which I was always very touched by.' Ralph Fiennes meanwhile, who played Voldemort, said: 'Alan was a very dear friend, and we had that final scene, his final scene. I was a little intimidated by his precision and his expert delivery of lines. We sort of went toe to toe in a funny way, Snape and Voldemort. Two actors fencing with each other. Alan was a magician in that way'. Reaching out: Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, and Ralph Fiennes, who played Voldemort, honoured Alan Star: Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets RICHARD HARRIS PLAYED: Albus Dumbledore DIED: October 2002, aged 72 Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets. He famously revealed he was reluctant to take the role, but it was his 11-year-old granddaughter who begged him to reconsider, threatening never to talk to him again if he refused the role. 'What could I do?' moaned Harris. 'I wasn't going to let her down.' After starring in two movies, he passed away in October 2002 at London's University College Hospital, after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease that August. He had reportedly been hospitalised with pneumonia. Speaking about his on-screen legacy and what it was like to work with the legend, Emma said: 'Richard Harris was such a special, warm person. He was so twinkly'. Director Christopher Columbus went on: 'Richard Harris was classic - probably one of the funniest men I've ever met. He was this devilish 11-year-old trapped in a 70 plus year old man's body. He just had this glint in his eye that made him the perfect Dumbledore by the way. He was brutally hilarious.' Evil: Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers RICHARD GRIFFITHS PLAYED: Vernon Dursley DIED: March 2013, aged 65 Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers. The beloved star died aged 65 at University Hospital Coventry on 28 March 2013. His passing came following complications with heart surgery and was met with an outpouring of heartache from the acting world. Speaking about working with the star, producer David Heyman said: 'Richard Griffiths was just delicious as Mr Dursley. He embraced his wickedness with such verve and passion'. Daniel meanwhile grew emotional as he said: 'His passing was the one that effected me the most because he was generous with knowledge and just wanted to share everything with you'. A full list of the cast and crew lost over the past two decades then flashed up, listing: Timothy Bateson, Terence Bayler, Sam Beazley, Sheila Allen, Peter Cartwright, Derek Deadman, Hazel Douglas, Alfred Burke, Salo Gardner, Richard Griffiths, Robert Hardy, Jimmy Gardner, John Hurt, Robert Knox, Dave Legeno, Richard Harris, Margery Mason, Rik M ayall, Roger Lloud Pack, Paul Ritter, David Ryall, Helen McCroy, Alan Rickman, Eric Sykes, Verne Troyer, Mary Selway, Elizabeth Spriggs, Eric Sykes and Christoper Whittingham. Advertisement Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise. In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by lead actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, as well as a slew of their dazzling co-stars and the brains behind the eight movies. While the stars regaled tales of life on and off screen during their time in one of the biggest movie franchises of all time, notably absent was creator JK Rowling, 56, who only appeared via archive footage in the wake of an ongoing row over her views on transgender issues, which erupted via Twitter earlier this year. Alongside the core trio, who played Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley respectively, the line up includes Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Alfred Enoch (Dean Thomas), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) and Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy). Working it out: Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise, led by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint Nice! In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by the lead actors and a slew of supporting cast members The special opens with sweeping shots of London focusing on the stars opening their invites to the reunion, with Emma seen heading down platform 9 and 3/4 before she meets up with a number of famous faces. The Great Hall - the centre point of the set, which is still in place at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London in Leavesden - is packed with dancers, an orchestra and stars of the movie - all revelling atop a HP20 logo in the floor. Stars of the movies fondly greet each other as they prepare for the eagerly-anticipated reunion. Daniel is then seen treading the path of Diagon Alley before one of the opening lines of Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone is read: ' He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting up in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!' CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived. The opening section of the reunion focused on Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets Back together: The Harry Potter cast reunites in the Great Hall for a Christmas get together CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios. The first section, entitled The Boy Who Lived, looks back on the first two movies from 2001 and 2002. Christopher spoke about why he directed the first two films in the saga after his daughter forced him to read the books. In the first of few mentions of JK Rowling, he says: 'I had to fly to Edinburgh to meet Jo Rowling and I said "This is my vision of the movies" and she said hers was the same'. Bonnie then also mentioned JK, saying: 'So many people were falling in love with her writing', while an archive shot showed the author at a signing for the first book, while Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid also lauded JK and Christopher spoke of the feverish hunt to find an actor to play Harry. Then and now: Daniel was at the helm of the project, having played Harry in all eight films since he was 11 Looking back: The main man himself confessed: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter. My first kiss is connected to someone here, my first girlfriends were here...' Starring: JK Rowling received just 10 mentions in the Harry Potter reunion with repeated clips from an interview she undertook in 2019 at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (pictured in her archive footage) The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books, while it was revealed that Ron just 'jumped off the page' to Rupert - who called the book 'a beautiful, intricate world'. Christopher spoke of seeing David Copperfield on the BBC and realising Daniel was perfect for the role, while archive footage of the 2019 interview with JK showed her speaking of nailing finding Daniel. As Emma, Daniel and Rupert reunited, they began speaking about their own lives in the world of Harry Potter, in what they branded a 'surreal reunion' where 'no time had passed but so much time had passed'. Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age'. Opening up: As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios Reunited: Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint recalled growing up on the 'greatest playground in the world' in scenes released ahead of the reunion special Leading lady: The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books On working with the child stars, Christopher insisted Emma was 'the cleverest person on the whole set', while she herself insisted she 'is Hermione' having connected deeply with the character: 'Hermione made complete sense to me, I felt like I was this girl', and admitted her family feared for her if she didn't get the role. Behind the scenes shots showed filming for the first movie, including the group larking around and playing a slapping game with their hands - which Emma revealed they did 'all the time', to the point their hands were raw. Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Changes: Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age' I'll be back: Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of. Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return: 'I get tears, I still get tears thinking about it'. Introductions are paid to both the Weasley and Malfoy families - showing the stark differences between the good and bad of the wizarding world - and how the group played out the respective families. Star: Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris (second right) worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Open: The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family. On the evil side, Jason explained how he first auditioned for the role of hapless professor and author Gilderoy Lockhart - yet was soon turned to Lucius whose relationship with his son Draco was laid bare. He said: 'I'm convinced I got the role because I didn't want it. I was about to play Captain Hook and I didn't want to play two villains so I read through gritted teeth'. He explained Draco was a 'sadistic bully' due to his father. Happy days: Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age. The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron. Gary explained that having kids pointed him towards the books, while Alfonso noted the movie is a 'coming of age': 'Harry is still a child in the first two... but then he turns 15 and there's a cloud that surrounds him'. Exciting: Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up'. Daniel then spoke to Emma and Rupert about his starstruck moment of meeting Gary and how he demanded his co-stars 'don't mess up' in front of him - although confessed this was more an order of his own. Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars. Tough: Gary and Daniel discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Eerie: Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up' The actor, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 69, famously played the stern Hogwarts professor, who worked as one of Voldemort's Death Eaters. It wasn't until a plot twist in the final installment that fans discovered how Severus had been acting as a double agent in order to protect the series' protagonist. Daniel revealed that Christopher would beg Alan to tell the story, saying 'Why are you doing that like that?' to which the Love Actually star would reply, 'I'll tell you later.' Daniel then voiced a note perfect of the late star. The lead trio then spoke about the thrill of working with director Mike Newell on the fourth movie - noting his kindness and playfulness with the child stars. Daniel said: 'Mike is this excited, loud, passionate man', while Rupert stated: 'I love Mike, he was great, it was almost like he was from the books'. Shock: Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars Fighting it: Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs James and Oliver spoke about when a fight with Mike while he instructed them on fighting in front of the Goblet Of Fire, led to Mike having his ribs broken. Aside from the fun and frolics on stage, the group spoke about how highly charged the hormones were on-set, with Daniel describing the movie as 'peak hormone' for him, as the students are all seen falling for one another for the first time - both on and off screen. Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs. She recalled: Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time - pictured during a tutoring session 'I used to come in every day and look for him': Emma Watson, 31, reveals she remembers the moment she fell in love with Harry Potter co-star Tom Felton, 34, as they share a hug during reunion special - which is set to air on New Year's Day Reunited: Tom flashed a wide smile as Emma hurried over to him before they shared a loving hug Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time. The pair also shared a warm embrace as they hugged with delight while reuniting on camera in The Great Hall for the TV special. Tom was 14 years old when the first Harry Potter movie came out in 2001, while Emma was just 11. They both starred in all eight Harry Potter films. She recalled: 'I walked into the room where we were having tutoring. The assignment that had been given was to draw what you thought God looked like, and Tom had drawn a girl with a backward cap on a skateboard. 'And I just don't know how to say it I just fell in love with him. I used to come in every day and look for his number on the call sheet, it was number seven, and if his name was on the call sheet, it was an extra exciting day.' Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike. Terrifying: Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet. Daniel coyly admitted he had a soft spot for his 55-year old co-star, despite their 23-year age difference. Reading his message aloud for the first time, he said: 'Dear HBC, it was a pleasure being your co-star and coaster in the fact I always ended up holding your coffee. I do love you and I wish Id just been born ten years earlier so I mightve been in with a chance.' Helen and Gary are then seen discussing Bellatrix killing her cousin Sirius and a deleted scene showing a duel. The esteemed stars revealed they went to wand school to hone the choreography of the moves. Meet up: Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet Eww! Helena brought along the teeth she wore to play the terrifying Death Eater On film number four, director David Yates was recruited when things became darker and more grown up. The stars lauded David for helping draw out more intensity and explained that while the world was politicising, he was wanted to draw this into the movies and display that element. Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars. After they were catapulted to stardom following the success of The Philosopher's Stone in 2001, before the pair had even reached their teen years they struggled to adjust to their superstardom. Admitting to writing about being lonely in a diary entry at the time, the Beauty And The Beast star explained how 'the fame thing had finally hit home in a big way'. Hurt: Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars She confessed: 'I think I was scared. I don't know if you ever felt like it got to a tipping point where you were like, "This is kind of forever now."' It was around the time of Order of the Phoenix when things started getting spicy for all of us,' she continued of the 2007 blockbuster which she filmed aged 16. Rupert chimed in: 'I also had sort of similar feelings to Emma, contemplating what life would be like if I called it a day. We never really spoke about it. I guess we were just going through it at our own pace, we were kind of in the moment at the time. It just didn't really occur to us that we were all probably kind of having similar feelings.' Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role. Emma gushed about being 'proud' of Evanna, as well as Bonnie, who played Ginny in the franchise. Sweet: Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 As the franchise drew to a close with the final two movies, the group discussed how things changed for them in their more mature status as actors as well as their storylines intensifying. Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through'. Harry, Emma and Rupert were likened to astronauts by David Yates thanks to their joint experiences in becoming global superstars at the helm of the huge productions. In anticipation of Hermione and Ron becoming romantically involved, Emma and Rupert discussed how they struggled to film their first kiss amid the Battle Of Hogwarts in the final movie. Rupert admitted that the audience were 'desperate' to see the duo kiss. An honour: Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through' Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing'. The cast and crew discussed the final scenes and the 'spiritual' elements of the final battle scene between Harry and Voldemort before a montage of adorable throwbacks shot up. Following their discussions of each film, the group all grew emotional as they rounded out the show. Rupert said: 'I'm very proud to have been part of it, it was weird at the end. I lost track of who I was and who the character was. My name didn't feel like my name and I only knew one thing - to play Ron'. Emma went on: 'It's like we did the most extreme form of method acting. The way it feels for me now - I'm trying not to get emotional - it feels you you're a pillar of my life', while Rupert added that 'they are family'. Eek! Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing' Rupert then said: 'I love you, as a friend - just to be clear'. Throwbacks showed the final scenes being filmed with all the stars weeping and holding each other, in a state of 'utter devastation'. Emma said: 'It was the first time we let ourselves realise we'd made it through'. Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud', while Emma said: 'There's something about Harry Potter that makes life richer. When things get really dark and times are really hard, stories give us places we can go where we can rest and we can be held'. Breaking down in tears, Emma said: 'It was the best most amazing experience and I cant explain they're such good people and they're so kind and they took the responsibility so seriously and I appreciate that so much'. Rupert said: 'They're like family. We're so intrinsically linked and they're incredibly important to me.' Fighting back tears, Daniel added: 'There's people on these films who are foundational to who I am, as a person, as an actor, I am so lucky to have the life I have and be able to work with the people I work with now An honour: Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud' Stars tearfully remember 'magic' Alan Rickman, 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'generous' Richard Griffiths during reunion show in memoriam The actors and cast behind the Harry Potter franchise remembered their late co-stars during an in memoriam section of the Harry Potter Return To Hogwarts reunion, which aired on Saturday. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint led the tributes to the many stars they have lost over the past two decades, since the franchise launched with Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone - including Richard Harris, Alan Rickman and most recently Helen McCrory. Speaking about appearing on the reunion without their late stars, Emma said: 'It's obviously amazing to be back, but so many people we thought would be here for much longer like Helen and Alan and Richard', while Rupert sadly echoed: 'They're like family, just gone too soon'. Speaking about working with such icons, Daniel said: 'I feel really lucky to have some little bit of touch with the people who have passed... I'll be very old one day and say I knew that absolute legend.' An honour: Stars tearfully remembered the late stars of Harry Potter in Saturday's Return To Hogwarts reunion special, including 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'magic' Alan Rickman (left-right) Lost: Helen played the Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 HELEN MCCROY PLAYED: Narcissa Malfoy DIED: April 2021, aged 52 Helen played Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2. She passed away in April this year after a secret 'heroic battle' with cancer, her husband Damian Lewis confirmed at the time. The 'beautiful and mighty' actress died 'peacefully' at home surrounded by friends and family. Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen. Jason said: 'Helen McCroy played my wife. I said I think I've just seen the best actress I've ever seen in my life. I feel lucky to have worked with her and shared so much frankly adolescent laughter on the set. Speaking about his on-screen mum, Tom broke down as he emotionally said: 'She taught me a lot. See I can't even say it. She had this ability to show such empathy in her eyes. It was a real treat to work with her.' An honour: Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen Shock: Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden ALAN RICKMAN PLAYED: Severus Snape DIED: January 2016, aged 69 Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden. He is ultimately killed by his master Lord Voldemort, after Harry discovered the sacrifices he made for him. In August 2015, Alan suffered a minor stroke, which led to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He revealed that he had terminal cancer to only his closest confidants. On 14 January 2016, he died in London at the age of 69. Speaking about working with the acting icon, Emma said: 'Alan Rickman never spoke to me like I was a child. He always took my thoughts and opinions very seriously which I was always very touched by.' Ralph Fiennes meanwhile, who played Voldemort, said: 'Alan was a very dear friend, and we had that final scene, his final scene. I was a little intimidated by his precision and his expert delivery of lines. We sort of went toe to toe in a funny way, Snape and Voldemort. Two actors fencing with each other. Alan was a magician in that way'. Reaching out: Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, and Ralph Fiennes, who played Voldemort, honoured Alan Star: Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets RICHARD HARRIS PLAYED: Albus Dumbledore DIED: October 2002, aged 72 Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets. He famously revealed he was reluctant to take the role, but it was his 11-year-old granddaughter who begged him to reconsider, threatening never to talk to him again if he refused the role. 'What could I do?' moaned Harris. 'I wasn't going to let her down.' After starring in two movies, he passed away in October 2002 at London's University College Hospital, after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease that August. He had reportedly been hospitalised with pneumonia. Speaking about his on-screen legacy and what it was like to work with the legend, Emma said: 'Richard Harris was such a special, warm person. He was so twinkly'. Director Christopher Columbus went on: 'Richard Harris was classic - probably one of the funniest men I've ever met. He was this devilish 11-year-old trapped in a 70 plus year old man's body. He just had this glint in his eye that made him the perfect Dumbledore by the way. He was brutally hilarious.' Evil: Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers RICHARD GRIFFITHS PLAYED: Vernon Dursley DIED: March 2013, aged 65 Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers. The beloved star died aged 65 at University Hospital Coventry on 28 March 2013. His passing came following complications with heart surgery and was met with an outpouring of heartache from the acting world. Speaking about working with the star, producer David Heyman said: 'Richard Griffiths was just delicious as Mr Dursley. He embraced his wickedness with such verve and passion'. Daniel meanwhile grew emotional as he said: 'His passing was the one that effected me the most because he was generous with knowledge and just wanted to share everything with you'. A full list of the cast and crew lost over the past two decades then flashed up, listing: Timothy Bateson, Terence Bayler, Sam Beazley, Sheila Allen, Peter Cartwright, Derek Deadman, Hazel Douglas, Alfred Burke, Salo Gardner, Richard Griffiths, Robert Hardy, Jimmy Gardner, John Hurt, Robert Knox, Dave Legeno, Richard Harris, Margery Mason, Rik M ayall, Roger Lloud Pack, Paul Ritter, David Ryall, Helen McCroy, Alan Rickman, Eric Sykes, Verne Troyer, Mary Selway, Elizabeth Spriggs, Eric Sykes and Christoper Whittingham. President Muhammadu Buhari has said his administration will deliberately leverage on the potentials of ccplatforms to create more jobs for Nigerians in 2022. Mr Buhari made this remark in his New Year address to Nigerians on Friday in celebration of the new year. In the year 2022 and going forward, our Administration would intentionally leverage ICT platforms to create jobs, while ensuring that the diversification of our economy creates more support to other emerging sectors, the president said. Mr Buhari said he is proud to announce that several foreign investors are taking advantage of Nigerias ranking as one of the leading start-up ecosystems in Africa to invest in its digital economy. Mr Buharis job creation announcement may be good news for an economy in dire need of jobs. Nigerias unemployment rate rose to 33.3 per cent (23.2 million people) early this year from 27.1 per cent, the highest in at least 13 years and the second-highest rate in the world. The countrys unemployment rate has more than quadrupled since 2016 when the economy slipped into a recession. Fighting Corruption Mr Buhari in his speech said,We have given the utmost priority to fighting corruption and other related offences which have been a bane to the growth and prosperity of our dear Nation. He stated that his administration has made major strides and breakthroughs through the innovative use of technology and forensics in the investigative and prosecutorial procedures with commendable results to show that the anti-corruption drive of his administration is succeeding. In the meantime, Mr Buhari said, the accomplishments that have been recorded so far can be traced to the dedication of the nations anti-corruption agencies who have received the necessary support needed to effectively prosecute their duties. Despite our challenges in 2021, it was also a year in which the Administration executed successfully, key projects, programmes, and initiatives to fulfil the promises made under the Security, Economy Anti-corruption (SEA) agenda, he said. Read Mr Buharis full speech below: PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARIS STATEMENT TO THE NATION ON JANUARY 1, 2022 We remain grateful to the Almighty God for yet another Year attained as a country, united by a common destiny and resolute in our determination to overcome the several challenges along the path to build the great and prosperous Nation of our dream. 2. I salute the courage and resilience of all Nigerians, which was evident in 2021 as this nation, like other countries of the world, faced significant challenges that occurred as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the efforts to restore the global economy and social order. 3. The persistent insecurity in certain parts of the country may have threatened to unravel the incremental gains achieved in the real sectors of the economy and in the administrations overall objective to position the nation on the irreversible trajectory of sustainable growth and progress, but I assure you that we will remain resolute in our commitments and shall continue to press ahead with our programmes and plans. 4. The path to nationhood is often fraught with unpredictable difficulties and challenges, and most tried and tested nations have often prevailed through dogged determination, resilience, concerted commitment to unity, and the conviction that the whole of the nation, standing together against all odds, is by far greater and would ultimately be more prosperous and viable than the sum of its distinguishable parts. 5. There is no doubt that the issue of Security remains at the front burner of priority areas that this Administration has given utmost attention to. As a follow up to our promise to re-energize and reorganize the security apparatus and personnel of the armed forces and the police, it is on record that this Administration has invested heavily in re-equipping our military in line with upgrading the platforms and firepower required to tackle the current challenges being faced in the country. 6. The net results of these efforts have been the number of insurgents and bandits who have willingly surrendered to our Security Forces and continue to do so through various channels and the Safe Corridor created for that purpose. 7. Government, however, realizes that victory on the battlefield is just one aspect of sustainable victory. We know that to fully win this war, we must also win the peace and real security lies in winning the hearts and minds of the affected citizens. To this end, working with our international partners and neighbouring countries, we would be deploying multi-faceted solutions that will be targeted at addressing human security at the grassroots, before it leads to insecurity. 8. Once again I would like to take a moment to remember and honour the gallant Military, Police Officers, and other security agents who have lost their lives in the cause of protecting the territorial integrity of this Nation against both internal and external aggressors, assuring their families that their sacrifices would not be in vain. 9. We equally remember and commiserate with Nigerians who have lost loved ones as a result of insecurity in different parts of the country. Every life matters and every single death caused by any form of insecurity is a matter of personal concern to me both as a citizen and as the President of this great country. 10. We remain fully committed to upholding the constitutional provisions that protect all Nigerians from any form of internal and external aggression. 11. On the economy, we have shown a high level of resilience to record some significant achievements despite the turbulence that has characterized our economy and indeed the global economy. The lessons we have learned and keep learning from COVID-19 have encouraged us to intensify efforts to mitigate its socio-economic effects on our Nation. 12. The major wins we have recorded can be clearly seen in Nigerias most recent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The 4.03% growth recorded in the third quarter of 2021 is indicative of the recovery being recorded in our economy and the confidence that is being shown through the policies that our Administration has put in place after the outbreak of the pandemic. 13. We may also recall that this recent growth is closely followed by the 5.1% (year on year) growth in real terms recorded by Nigeria in Quarter 2 of 2021. This growth was one of the best recorded by any nation across Sub-Saharan Africa. The 5.1% growth at that time was and remains the highest growth recorded by the Nigerian economy since 2014. 14. Despite the challenges we have faced as a Nation, the good news is that we have so far recorded four consecutive quarters of growth after the negative growth rates recorded in Quarter 2 and Quarter 3 of 2020 due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. 15. On August 16, 2021 I signed the landmark Petroleum Industry Act into law. The signing of this legacy legislation is a watershed moment in the history of our Nation, considering the massive positive impact the new Act would have on the economy. I would like to sincerely commend the 9th Assembly for the grit they demonstrated, succeeding where others have failed, and the cooperation that led to the completion of this process after almost two decades. 16. Just like I stated during the investment trips and fora that I have attended recently, the legislation is expected to serve as a liberalizing force in the energy industry, and we are optimistic that this law will provide the much-needed legal, governance, regulatory and fiscal framework for the development of the energy sector, the host communities, and Nigeria as a Nation. Our objective to increase Liquefied Natural Gas exports and expand our domestic market is still very much at the forefront of some of the policies we would be pushing in the new year. 17. In year 2022 and going forward, our Administration would intentionally leverage ICT platforms to create jobs, while ensuring that the diversification of our economy creates more support to other emerging sectors. I am proud to announce that several foreign investors are taking advantage of our ranking as one of the leading start-up ecosystems in Africa to invest in our digital economy. 18. We have given the utmost priority to fighting corruption and other related offenses which have been a bane to the growth and prosperity of our dear Nation. We have made major strides and breakthroughs through the innovative use of technology and forensics in the investigative and prosecutorial procedures with commendable results to show that the anti-corruption drive of our Administration is succeeding. 19. In the meantime, the accomplishments that have been recorded so far can be traced to the dedication of the Nations anti-corruption Agencies who have received the necessary support needed to effectively prosecute their duties. 20. Despite our challenges in 2021, it was also a year in which the Administration executed successfully, key projects, programmes, and initiatives to fulfil the promises made under the Security, Economy Anti-corruption (SEA) agenda. 21. As we welcome 2022, let us, with hope, envision a year of continued progress against our combined challenges arising from security and socio-economic issues. 22. As it is said, the past is but a story told, the future will still be written in gold. Let us be united in our fight to keep our Nation united against all odds and with gratitude, celebrate life in this new epoch. 23. I wish you a very happy and prosperous New Year. President Muhammadu Buhari has said his administration will deliberately leverage on the potentials of ccplatforms to create more jobs for Nigerians in 2022. Mr Buhari made this remark in his New Year address to Nigerians on Friday in celebration of the new year. In the year 2022 and going forward, our Administration would intentionally leverage ICT platforms to create jobs, while ensuring that the diversification of our economy creates more support to other emerging sectors, the president said. Mr Buhari said he is proud to announce that several foreign investors are taking advantage of Nigerias ranking as one of the leading start-up ecosystems in Africa to invest in its digital economy. Mr Buharis job creation announcement may be good news for an economy in dire need of jobs. Nigerias unemployment rate rose to 33.3 per cent (23.2 million people) early this year from 27.1 per cent, the highest in at least 13 years and the second-highest rate in the world. The countrys unemployment rate has more than quadrupled since 2016 when the economy slipped into a recession. Fighting Corruption Mr Buhari in his speech said,We have given the utmost priority to fighting corruption and other related offences which have been a bane to the growth and prosperity of our dear Nation. He stated that his administration has made major strides and breakthroughs through the innovative use of technology and forensics in the investigative and prosecutorial procedures with commendable results to show that the anti-corruption drive of his administration is succeeding. In the meantime, Mr Buhari said, the accomplishments that have been recorded so far can be traced to the dedication of the nations anti-corruption agencies who have received the necessary support needed to effectively prosecute their duties. Despite our challenges in 2021, it was also a year in which the Administration executed successfully, key projects, programmes, and initiatives to fulfil the promises made under the Security, Economy Anti-corruption (SEA) agenda, he said. Read Mr Buharis full speech below: PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARIS STATEMENT TO THE NATION ON JANUARY 1, 2022 We remain grateful to the Almighty God for yet another Year attained as a country, united by a common destiny and resolute in our determination to overcome the several challenges along the path to build the great and prosperous Nation of our dream. 2. I salute the courage and resilience of all Nigerians, which was evident in 2021 as this nation, like other countries of the world, faced significant challenges that occurred as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the efforts to restore the global economy and social order. 3. The persistent insecurity in certain parts of the country may have threatened to unravel the incremental gains achieved in the real sectors of the economy and in the administrations overall objective to position the nation on the irreversible trajectory of sustainable growth and progress, but I assure you that we will remain resolute in our commitments and shall continue to press ahead with our programmes and plans. 4. The path to nationhood is often fraught with unpredictable difficulties and challenges, and most tried and tested nations have often prevailed through dogged determination, resilience, concerted commitment to unity, and the conviction that the whole of the nation, standing together against all odds, is by far greater and would ultimately be more prosperous and viable than the sum of its distinguishable parts. 5. There is no doubt that the issue of Security remains at the front burner of priority areas that this Administration has given utmost attention to. As a follow up to our promise to re-energize and reorganize the security apparatus and personnel of the armed forces and the police, it is on record that this Administration has invested heavily in re-equipping our military in line with upgrading the platforms and firepower required to tackle the current challenges being faced in the country. 6. The net results of these efforts have been the number of insurgents and bandits who have willingly surrendered to our Security Forces and continue to do so through various channels and the Safe Corridor created for that purpose. 7. Government, however, realizes that victory on the battlefield is just one aspect of sustainable victory. We know that to fully win this war, we must also win the peace and real security lies in winning the hearts and minds of the affected citizens. To this end, working with our international partners and neighbouring countries, we would be deploying multi-faceted solutions that will be targeted at addressing human security at the grassroots, before it leads to insecurity. 8. Once again I would like to take a moment to remember and honour the gallant Military, Police Officers, and other security agents who have lost their lives in the cause of protecting the territorial integrity of this Nation against both internal and external aggressors, assuring their families that their sacrifices would not be in vain. 9. We equally remember and commiserate with Nigerians who have lost loved ones as a result of insecurity in different parts of the country. Every life matters and every single death caused by any form of insecurity is a matter of personal concern to me both as a citizen and as the President of this great country. 10. We remain fully committed to upholding the constitutional provisions that protect all Nigerians from any form of internal and external aggression. 11. On the economy, we have shown a high level of resilience to record some significant achievements despite the turbulence that has characterized our economy and indeed the global economy. The lessons we have learned and keep learning from COVID-19 have encouraged us to intensify efforts to mitigate its socio-economic effects on our Nation. 12. The major wins we have recorded can be clearly seen in Nigerias most recent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The 4.03% growth recorded in the third quarter of 2021 is indicative of the recovery being recorded in our economy and the confidence that is being shown through the policies that our Administration has put in place after the outbreak of the pandemic. 13. We may also recall that this recent growth is closely followed by the 5.1% (year on year) growth in real terms recorded by Nigeria in Quarter 2 of 2021. This growth was one of the best recorded by any nation across Sub-Saharan Africa. The 5.1% growth at that time was and remains the highest growth recorded by the Nigerian economy since 2014. 14. Despite the challenges we have faced as a Nation, the good news is that we have so far recorded four consecutive quarters of growth after the negative growth rates recorded in Quarter 2 and Quarter 3 of 2020 due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. 15. On August 16, 2021 I signed the landmark Petroleum Industry Act into law. The signing of this legacy legislation is a watershed moment in the history of our Nation, considering the massive positive impact the new Act would have on the economy. I would like to sincerely commend the 9th Assembly for the grit they demonstrated, succeeding where others have failed, and the cooperation that led to the completion of this process after almost two decades. 16. Just like I stated during the investment trips and fora that I have attended recently, the legislation is expected to serve as a liberalizing force in the energy industry, and we are optimistic that this law will provide the much-needed legal, governance, regulatory and fiscal framework for the development of the energy sector, the host communities, and Nigeria as a Nation. Our objective to increase Liquefied Natural Gas exports and expand our domestic market is still very much at the forefront of some of the policies we would be pushing in the new year. 17. In year 2022 and going forward, our Administration would intentionally leverage ICT platforms to create jobs, while ensuring that the diversification of our economy creates more support to other emerging sectors. I am proud to announce that several foreign investors are taking advantage of our ranking as one of the leading start-up ecosystems in Africa to invest in our digital economy. 18. We have given the utmost priority to fighting corruption and other related offenses which have been a bane to the growth and prosperity of our dear Nation. We have made major strides and breakthroughs through the innovative use of technology and forensics in the investigative and prosecutorial procedures with commendable results to show that the anti-corruption drive of our Administration is succeeding. 19. In the meantime, the accomplishments that have been recorded so far can be traced to the dedication of the Nations anti-corruption Agencies who have received the necessary support needed to effectively prosecute their duties. 20. Despite our challenges in 2021, it was also a year in which the Administration executed successfully, key projects, programmes, and initiatives to fulfil the promises made under the Security, Economy Anti-corruption (SEA) agenda. 21. As we welcome 2022, let us, with hope, envision a year of continued progress against our combined challenges arising from security and socio-economic issues. 22. As it is said, the past is but a story told, the future will still be written in gold. Let us be united in our fight to keep our Nation united against all odds and with gratitude, celebrate life in this new epoch. 23. I wish you a very happy and prosperous New Year. President Muhammadu Buhari has said his administration will deliberately leverage on the potentials of ccplatforms to create more jobs for Nigerians in 2022. Mr Buhari made this remark in his New Year address to Nigerians on Friday in celebration of the new year. In the year 2022 and going forward, our Administration would intentionally leverage ICT platforms to create jobs, while ensuring that the diversification of our economy creates more support to other emerging sectors, the president said. Mr Buhari said he is proud to announce that several foreign investors are taking advantage of Nigerias ranking as one of the leading start-up ecosystems in Africa to invest in its digital economy. Mr Buharis job creation announcement may be good news for an economy in dire need of jobs. Nigerias unemployment rate rose to 33.3 per cent (23.2 million people) early this year from 27.1 per cent, the highest in at least 13 years and the second-highest rate in the world. The countrys unemployment rate has more than quadrupled since 2016 when the economy slipped into a recession. Fighting Corruption Mr Buhari in his speech said,We have given the utmost priority to fighting corruption and other related offences which have been a bane to the growth and prosperity of our dear Nation. He stated that his administration has made major strides and breakthroughs through the innovative use of technology and forensics in the investigative and prosecutorial procedures with commendable results to show that the anti-corruption drive of his administration is succeeding. In the meantime, Mr Buhari said, the accomplishments that have been recorded so far can be traced to the dedication of the nations anti-corruption agencies who have received the necessary support needed to effectively prosecute their duties. Despite our challenges in 2021, it was also a year in which the Administration executed successfully, key projects, programmes, and initiatives to fulfil the promises made under the Security, Economy Anti-corruption (SEA) agenda, he said. Read Mr Buharis full speech below: PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARIS STATEMENT TO THE NATION ON JANUARY 1, 2022 We remain grateful to the Almighty God for yet another Year attained as a country, united by a common destiny and resolute in our determination to overcome the several challenges along the path to build the great and prosperous Nation of our dream. 2. I salute the courage and resilience of all Nigerians, which was evident in 2021 as this nation, like other countries of the world, faced significant challenges that occurred as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the efforts to restore the global economy and social order. 3. The persistent insecurity in certain parts of the country may have threatened to unravel the incremental gains achieved in the real sectors of the economy and in the administrations overall objective to position the nation on the irreversible trajectory of sustainable growth and progress, but I assure you that we will remain resolute in our commitments and shall continue to press ahead with our programmes and plans. 4. The path to nationhood is often fraught with unpredictable difficulties and challenges, and most tried and tested nations have often prevailed through dogged determination, resilience, concerted commitment to unity, and the conviction that the whole of the nation, standing together against all odds, is by far greater and would ultimately be more prosperous and viable than the sum of its distinguishable parts. 5. There is no doubt that the issue of Security remains at the front burner of priority areas that this Administration has given utmost attention to. As a follow up to our promise to re-energize and reorganize the security apparatus and personnel of the armed forces and the police, it is on record that this Administration has invested heavily in re-equipping our military in line with upgrading the platforms and firepower required to tackle the current challenges being faced in the country. 6. The net results of these efforts have been the number of insurgents and bandits who have willingly surrendered to our Security Forces and continue to do so through various channels and the Safe Corridor created for that purpose. 7. Government, however, realizes that victory on the battlefield is just one aspect of sustainable victory. We know that to fully win this war, we must also win the peace and real security lies in winning the hearts and minds of the affected citizens. To this end, working with our international partners and neighbouring countries, we would be deploying multi-faceted solutions that will be targeted at addressing human security at the grassroots, before it leads to insecurity. 8. Once again I would like to take a moment to remember and honour the gallant Military, Police Officers, and other security agents who have lost their lives in the cause of protecting the territorial integrity of this Nation against both internal and external aggressors, assuring their families that their sacrifices would not be in vain. 9. We equally remember and commiserate with Nigerians who have lost loved ones as a result of insecurity in different parts of the country. Every life matters and every single death caused by any form of insecurity is a matter of personal concern to me both as a citizen and as the President of this great country. 10. We remain fully committed to upholding the constitutional provisions that protect all Nigerians from any form of internal and external aggression. 11. On the economy, we have shown a high level of resilience to record some significant achievements despite the turbulence that has characterized our economy and indeed the global economy. The lessons we have learned and keep learning from COVID-19 have encouraged us to intensify efforts to mitigate its socio-economic effects on our Nation. 12. The major wins we have recorded can be clearly seen in Nigerias most recent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The 4.03% growth recorded in the third quarter of 2021 is indicative of the recovery being recorded in our economy and the confidence that is being shown through the policies that our Administration has put in place after the outbreak of the pandemic. 13. We may also recall that this recent growth is closely followed by the 5.1% (year on year) growth in real terms recorded by Nigeria in Quarter 2 of 2021. This growth was one of the best recorded by any nation across Sub-Saharan Africa. The 5.1% growth at that time was and remains the highest growth recorded by the Nigerian economy since 2014. 14. Despite the challenges we have faced as a Nation, the good news is that we have so far recorded four consecutive quarters of growth after the negative growth rates recorded in Quarter 2 and Quarter 3 of 2020 due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. 15. On August 16, 2021 I signed the landmark Petroleum Industry Act into law. The signing of this legacy legislation is a watershed moment in the history of our Nation, considering the massive positive impact the new Act would have on the economy. I would like to sincerely commend the 9th Assembly for the grit they demonstrated, succeeding where others have failed, and the cooperation that led to the completion of this process after almost two decades. 16. Just like I stated during the investment trips and fora that I have attended recently, the legislation is expected to serve as a liberalizing force in the energy industry, and we are optimistic that this law will provide the much-needed legal, governance, regulatory and fiscal framework for the development of the energy sector, the host communities, and Nigeria as a Nation. Our objective to increase Liquefied Natural Gas exports and expand our domestic market is still very much at the forefront of some of the policies we would be pushing in the new year. 17. In year 2022 and going forward, our Administration would intentionally leverage ICT platforms to create jobs, while ensuring that the diversification of our economy creates more support to other emerging sectors. I am proud to announce that several foreign investors are taking advantage of our ranking as one of the leading start-up ecosystems in Africa to invest in our digital economy. 18. We have given the utmost priority to fighting corruption and other related offenses which have been a bane to the growth and prosperity of our dear Nation. We have made major strides and breakthroughs through the innovative use of technology and forensics in the investigative and prosecutorial procedures with commendable results to show that the anti-corruption drive of our Administration is succeeding. 19. In the meantime, the accomplishments that have been recorded so far can be traced to the dedication of the Nations anti-corruption Agencies who have received the necessary support needed to effectively prosecute their duties. 20. Despite our challenges in 2021, it was also a year in which the Administration executed successfully, key projects, programmes, and initiatives to fulfil the promises made under the Security, Economy Anti-corruption (SEA) agenda. 21. As we welcome 2022, let us, with hope, envision a year of continued progress against our combined challenges arising from security and socio-economic issues. 22. As it is said, the past is but a story told, the future will still be written in gold. Let us be united in our fight to keep our Nation united against all odds and with gratitude, celebrate life in this new epoch. 23. I wish you a very happy and prosperous New Year. The Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist killed in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district on December 31 last year has been identified as Samir Dar, who was also involved in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, said Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar on Saturday. IGP Kashmir informed that Samir Dar was the last surviving terrorist involved in Pulwama terror attack. "The picture of one of the killed terrorists in Anantnag Encounter on December 30 matches with JeM top commander Samir Dar, who was the last surviving terrorist involved in Lethpora, Pulwama Terror Attack. We are going for DNA sample matching," Kashmir Zone Police quoted IGP Kashmir. Earlier on Wednesday, three terrorists were killed in an encounter that broke out in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district. "Anantnag Encounter Update: Killed terrorists identified as 02 local categorised terrorists and a Pakistani terrorist, affiliated with proscribed terror outfit JeM. They were involved in several terror crimes and civilian atrocities," tweeted Kashmir Zone Police. On February 14, 2019, a terror attack was carried out in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir by a suicide bomber resulting in the death of 40 CRPF personnel. The suicide bomber, identified as Jaish-e-Mohammad's Adil Ahmed Dar, rammed his vehicle into a bus with the CRPF convoy at Lethapora in the Pulwama district. "Ever since he had been responsible to train people in making IEDs and deploying IEDs against security forces. He has also been responsible to recruit young locals by brainwashing them, carrying out selective identification, and radicalizing them, and giving them weapons," General Officer Commanding of Chinar Corps Lieutenant General DP Pandey said on Saturday. (ANI) At least 12 pilgrims died and 13 others sustained injuries in the stampede. Mehbooba Mufti, former chief minister of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state, said, "I am saddened by the tragic accident at Vaishno Devi and neither the administration nor the police is carrying out their duties. Instead, they are engrossed in threatening people into silence. My condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. The Prime Minister also condoled the deaths in the stampede and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of those who lost their lives. The injured will be given Rs 50,000. As many as 12 people were killed and 15 others were left injured after an argument broke out which resulted in people pushing each other, followed by a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine early on Saturday morning, Jammu and Kashmir's Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh told ANI. The injured have been taken to Naraina Hospital after the rescue. (ANI) The Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist killed in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district on December 31 last year has been identified as Samir Dar, who was also involved in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, said Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar on Saturday. IGP Kashmir informed that Samir Dar was the last surviving terrorist involved in Pulwama terror attack. "The picture of one of the killed terrorists in Anantnag Encounter on December 30 matches with JeM top commander Samir Dar, who was the last surviving terrorist involved in Lethpora, Pulwama Terror Attack. We are going for DNA sample matching," Kashmir Zone Police quoted IGP Kashmir. Earlier on Wednesday, three terrorists were killed in an encounter that broke out in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district. "Anantnag Encounter Update: Killed terrorists identified as 02 local categorised terrorists and a Pakistani terrorist, affiliated with proscribed terror outfit JeM. They were involved in several terror crimes and civilian atrocities," tweeted Kashmir Zone Police. On February 14, 2019, a terror attack was carried out in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir by a suicide bomber resulting in the death of 40 CRPF personnel. The suicide bomber, identified as Jaish-e-Mohammad's Adil Ahmed Dar, rammed his vehicle into a bus with the CRPF convoy at Lethapora in the Pulwama district. "Ever since he had been responsible to train people in making IEDs and deploying IEDs against security forces. He has also been responsible to recruit young locals by brainwashing them, carrying out selective identification, and radicalizing them, and giving them weapons," General Officer Commanding of Chinar Corps Lieutenant General DP Pandey said on Saturday. (ANI) She's reportedly 'obsessed' with her daughter Kim Kardashian's new beau Pete Davidson. But Kris Jenner did seem eager to talk about the lovebirds during a New Year's Eve interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper and his NYE co-host Andy Cohen. Luckily, the 66-year-old Keeping Up With The Kardashians was saved by the bell when her granddaughter Stormi Webster, three, ran in and brought the interview to a screeching halt. Saved by the bell! Kris Jenner, 66, got a welcome interruption on New Year's Eve after Kylie Jenner's daughter Stormi Webster, three, interrupted her when Andy Cohen asked her about Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson Kris was speaking via video chat from Los Angeles, while Anderson and Andy were doing their annual New Year's Eve broadcast from New York City. The Watch What Happens Live host turned the conversation toward Kris' daughter Kim and her Saturday Night Live star boyfriend, but Kris didn't seem eager to talk about the two. 'Everyone is talking about Kim's new relationship with Pete Davidson. Have you had the chance to spend time with them? How are they as a couple?' 'You're always digging in,' Anderson seemed to scold, to which Andy replied, 'Yes, I am!' Separate coasts: Kris was speaking via video chat from Los Angeles, while Anderson and Andy were doing their annual New Year's Eve broadcast from New York City Checking in: 'Everyone is talking about Kim's new relationship with Pete Davidson. Have you had the chance to spend time with them? How are they as a couple?' Andy asked Out of nowhere: But as soon as Andy started to ask his question, a shadow jumped out of a doorway in the back of the room where Kris was recording, which soon turned out to be Stormi But as soon as Andy started to ask his question, a shadowy jumped out of a doorway in the back of the room where Kris was recording, which soon materialized as Stormi. Kylie Jenner's adorable daughter was ready for an early bedtime and was already in her pajamas with her hair tied into pig tails. However, it wasn't clear if her interruption was a genuinely unplanned moment, or if someone sent her into the room once Andy mentioned Kim and Pete. Regardless, Kris was happy to stretch out the interruption as long as possible. Too cute! Kylie Jenner's adorable daughter was ready for an early bedtime and was already in her pajamas with her hair tied into pig tails Nailed it: 'Nice distraction. Good timing, Stormi,' Kris said, ignoring the question about Kim and Pete. 'Perfect. Right on cue!' 'That's little Stormi,' the momager said with a chuckle. 'You sit right here,' she added as she popped her grandchild onto her knee. 'Nice distraction. Good timing, Stormi,' Kris said, ignoring the question about Kim and Pete. 'Perfect. Right on cue!' Andy and Anderson got the message and wrapped up the segment. Andy complimented Kris, who wore a stylish black suit with white stripes, by saying she looked like a 'million bucks.' Kris signed off cordially and mentioned that she goes to bed around 9:00 p.m. Thumbs up: Earlier in December, a source told E! News that she was 'obsessed' with the comedian, and she previously through a birthday party for him Kris has gotten some one-on-one time with Pete, despite her unwillingness to say anything about the funnyman and her daughter. Earlier in December, a source told E! News that she was 'obsessed' with the comedian. 'The whole family is a fan of Petes and would love to spend a holiday with him,' they said. The KardashianJenner matriarch even through a birthday celebration for him last month, which she commemorated with with a photo of the three in matching plaid pajamas, along with Public Enemy hype man Flavor Flav. Moving on: Pete has been dating Kim since October. She announced her divorce from rapper Kanye West in January. The exes share four children: North, eight; Saint, six; Chicago, three; and Psalm, two; seen in February 2020 in Beverly Hills Kim announced her divorce from rapper Kanye West back in January. She and the hitmaker share four young children: North, eight; Saint, six; Chicago, three; and Psalm, two. Since striking up a relationship with Pete in October, Kim and Pete have been flying back and forth between New York where he's based and Los Angeles where she lives with her children. They were previously seen together on Saturday, December 18, when he rented out a screening room at one of his preferred movie theaters on Staten Island for a screening of House Of Gucci. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Immigrant detainees will continue to be held at McHenry and Kankakee county jails temporarily, while a federal court considers the counties appeal to keep imprisoning detainees into the future. The immigrants, charged with violating civil immigration laws, were due to be released by New Years Day, under the Illinois Way Forward Act, which prohibits counties from entering federal contracts to jail them. Advertisement But the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals issued a stay Thursday delaying the law from taking effect until Jan. 13, while it considers the case. McHenry and Kankakee county officials had filed suit, alleging that the law exceeds the states authority by superseding federal law. Both counties have contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, to keep detainees behind bars until their court hearings. In December, U.S. District Judge Philip Reinhard dismissed the suit, ruling in effect that it limited local officials, not the federal government. Advertisement In 2021, McHenry held about 180 detainees a day, and Kankakee about 120, numbers that had been reduced while fewer detainees are being held during the COVID pandemic. Historically, the contracts had brought about $8 million a year to McHenry and $4 million annually to Kankakee. A low security unit housing ICE detainees at the Kankakee County Jail in Kankakee on Oct. 8, 2019. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) ICE Out of McHenry County, a coalition of groups opposing immigrant detention, held a candlelight vigil this week for the detainees, singing, Silent Night/Noche de Paz. The coalition had pushed for McHenry County to end the practice, calling it cruel and unnecessary. But after a heated debate in May, the county board voted to continue the practice. Were very glad to get this stay to preserve our longtime contract with ICE as we argue our case, County Board Chairman Mike Buehler, a Republican from Crystal Lake, said. The Illinois Way Forward Act is an unconstitutional and poorly thought out law that was hastily thrown together by the General Assembly to make a political statement regarding current federal immigration enforcement. We thank the 7th Circuit for their understanding, and we look forward to making our case. Fred Tsao, senior policy counsel for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, emphasized that the court order is a temporary measure. We agree with the district court judge that the law is very clear: The state was fully within its authority to pass the Illinois Way Forward Act and to require the counties to end their contracts with ICE, Tsao wrote in an email. We look forward to the full implementation of Illinois Way Forward and the end of immigration detention in Illinois and throughout this country. The detentions are meant to ensure that detainees show up for court, with federal statistics showing about one-third of immigrants didnt make it to completed cases. But a UCLA analysis that included ongoing cases found that 83% showed up for court. More than 80% had no criminal record, while those that do were handled in separate proceedings in criminal court. rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com A 25-year-old Escondido man accused of beating his older sister to death two weeks ago a mother of three small children was also the gang member whose actions instigated a tragic shooting in 2017 that killed a woman on her way home from Bible study, officials say. Minutes before Catherine Kennedy, 55, was struck by a bullet as she drove home from church in Escondido, Jose Enrique Bautista and a fellow Westside gang member had gone to the Pepperwood Apartments to tag a building. Pepperwood was claimed by Westsides longtime rival game, the Diablos, and Bautista and his partner were seen putting graffiti on a wall by Diablos gang member Dionicio Torrez Jr., who leapt from his porch to give chase, according to court testimony. Advertisement Bautista and another gang member jumped into a waiting Prius and drove off as Torrez pulled out a gun and fired 12 rounds. Some hit the Prius, but not its occupants. One stray bullet hit Kennedy. Last October, Torrez was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Meanwhile, Bautista disappeared immediately after the Kennedy shooting, which took place the night of March 7,2017. He was located more than a year later, on the run, in Nebraska. He was eventually extradited back to San Diego County in late 2018. He was jailed on a charge of felony vandalism as well as some lesser charges, including a probation violation. Officials said the law wouldnt allow for him to be charged with crimes directly linked to the Kennedy killing. Bautista, after all, was the intended shooting victim. Its really a sad series of events when you look at how much destruction this individual has caused over a short period of time, said Deputy District Attorney Laurie Hauf, who prosecuted Torrez in the Kennedy murder case and is prosecuting Bautista on the vandalism charge. Unfortunately, you can only hold somebody on felony vandalism for so much (bail and time), she said. In October, Hauf asked Vista Superior Court Judge James E. Simmons Jr. to set Bautistas bail at $75,000, citing his involvement in the Kennedy shooting. He was one of the individuals that precipitated a response, a very deadly response, she said. Normally, bail for a felony vandalism charge would be under $20,000, but the judge set it at $50,000 in part because of past convictions and his gang ties. But a month later, Bautista was able to make bail, and about two months after that, during a family argument, police say he beat his 27-year old sister, Laura Elizabeth Bautista, who died three days later at a hospital from the assault. Bautista has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting his next trial date on charges he murdered his sister. After his most recent arrest, some in law enforcement criticized the legal system that allowed Bautista to be free. Hauf understands. She said her office looked at all charging options in October, but unfortunately the law as it was then, and definitely as it is now, wouldnt permit that type of charging. jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones To anyone who has seen the unnervingly thin Potato Chip Rock jutting into the air, Poway Mayor Steve Vaus announcement Saturday that the iconic formation had broken off seemed plausible, if not inevitable. Which is what made it a perfect April Fools Day joke. It worked into peoples preconceived notions, Vaus said. It took off from there. Advertisement Take off it did. By 3 p.m. Saturday, his Poway Now Facebook page post had 34,000 views. He posted his fake news announcement on other Facebook pages and on his Poway Now website, as well. The website is not a city website. The announcement was accompanied by an altered photo of the rock, tip gone. The rock is one of San Diego Countys more popular hiking destinations atop Mount Woodson, just outside of Poway, and on weekends there is often a line of people waiting to have their photos taken on the gravity-defying stone. A group of friends and family members pose for a photo on Potato Chip Rock in 2015. (Charlie Neuman / UT San Diego/Zuma Press) While the mere thought of Potato Chip Rock breaking off is not far-fetched, the details in Vaus news announcement are pretty eyebrow-raising. Vaus tall tale describes how a 7-foot piece of the rock fell into Lake Poway below. But he assured readers that the tip would be hoisted by helicopter and promptly glued back on in less than an hour. Overseeing the repair will be world renowned adhesive expert Dr. Lirpa Sloof, Chairman Emeritus, School of Viscoelastics, University of Eastern Finland, the story reads. Sloof, inventor of Krazy Glue, says a quick repair can be made. This is simple science. Using the latest acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesives, which actually increase the intensity of their bond over time, the rock will be better than new! Dr. Lirpa Sloof? Try April Fools spelled backwards. Anyone who bothers to read to the end gets tipped off to the gag: And theres no doubt in my mind Potato Chip Rock will be stronger than ever after the repair and ready to welcome visitors for many more April Fools Days to come, it reads. People shared the fake story around social media, and a few asked the parking lot attendant at the trailhead whether the trail was still open, Vaus said. One citizen even emailed Vaus, suggesting the city should lower water rates rather than use funds to fix the rock. When asked if Vaus had any qualms about carrying out such a gag in his role as a trusted public official, he laughed it off. There is no danger. I think its a healthy thing for a public official to have a sense of humor, Vaus said. Frankly we could use more politicians with a sense of humor. Whats the worst thing that could happen, someone decide not to go up there today? Davis writes for The San Diego Union-Tribune. kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @kristinadavis A 25-year-old Escondido man accused of beating his older sister to death two weeks ago a mother of three small children was also the gang member whose actions instigated a tragic shooting in 2017 that killed a woman on her way home from Bible study, officials say. Minutes before Catherine Kennedy, 55, was struck by a bullet as she drove home from church in Escondido, Jose Enrique Bautista and a fellow Westside gang member had gone to the Pepperwood Apartments to tag a building. Pepperwood was claimed by Westsides longtime rival game, the Diablos, and Bautista and his partner were seen putting graffiti on a wall by Diablos gang member Dionicio Torrez Jr., who leapt from his porch to give chase, according to court testimony. Advertisement Bautista and another gang member jumped into a waiting Prius and drove off as Torrez pulled out a gun and fired 12 rounds. Some hit the Prius, but not its occupants. One stray bullet hit Kennedy. Last October, Torrez was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Meanwhile, Bautista disappeared immediately after the Kennedy shooting, which took place the night of March 7,2017. He was located more than a year later, on the run, in Nebraska. He was eventually extradited back to San Diego County in late 2018. He was jailed on a charge of felony vandalism as well as some lesser charges, including a probation violation. Officials said the law wouldnt allow for him to be charged with crimes directly linked to the Kennedy killing. Bautista, after all, was the intended shooting victim. Its really a sad series of events when you look at how much destruction this individual has caused over a short period of time, said Deputy District Attorney Laurie Hauf, who prosecuted Torrez in the Kennedy murder case and is prosecuting Bautista on the vandalism charge. Unfortunately, you can only hold somebody on felony vandalism for so much (bail and time), she said. In October, Hauf asked Vista Superior Court Judge James E. Simmons Jr. to set Bautistas bail at $75,000, citing his involvement in the Kennedy shooting. He was one of the individuals that precipitated a response, a very deadly response, she said. Normally, bail for a felony vandalism charge would be under $20,000, but the judge set it at $50,000 in part because of past convictions and his gang ties. But a month later, Bautista was able to make bail, and about two months after that, during a family argument, police say he beat his 27-year old sister, Laura Elizabeth Bautista, who died three days later at a hospital from the assault. Bautista has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting his next trial date on charges he murdered his sister. After his most recent arrest, some in law enforcement criticized the legal system that allowed Bautista to be free. Hauf understands. She said her office looked at all charging options in October, but unfortunately the law as it was then, and definitely as it is now, wouldnt permit that type of charging. jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones A 25-year-old Escondido man accused of beating his older sister to death two weeks ago a mother of three small children was also the gang member whose actions instigated a tragic shooting in 2017 that killed a woman on her way home from Bible study, officials say. Minutes before Catherine Kennedy, 55, was struck by a bullet as she drove home from church in Escondido, Jose Enrique Bautista and a fellow Westside gang member had gone to the Pepperwood Apartments to tag a building. Pepperwood was claimed by Westsides longtime rival game, the Diablos, and Bautista and his partner were seen putting graffiti on a wall by Diablos gang member Dionicio Torrez Jr., who leapt from his porch to give chase, according to court testimony. Advertisement Bautista and another gang member jumped into a waiting Prius and drove off as Torrez pulled out a gun and fired 12 rounds. Some hit the Prius, but not its occupants. One stray bullet hit Kennedy. Last October, Torrez was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Meanwhile, Bautista disappeared immediately after the Kennedy shooting, which took place the night of March 7,2017. He was located more than a year later, on the run, in Nebraska. He was eventually extradited back to San Diego County in late 2018. He was jailed on a charge of felony vandalism as well as some lesser charges, including a probation violation. Officials said the law wouldnt allow for him to be charged with crimes directly linked to the Kennedy killing. Bautista, after all, was the intended shooting victim. Its really a sad series of events when you look at how much destruction this individual has caused over a short period of time, said Deputy District Attorney Laurie Hauf, who prosecuted Torrez in the Kennedy murder case and is prosecuting Bautista on the vandalism charge. Unfortunately, you can only hold somebody on felony vandalism for so much (bail and time), she said. In October, Hauf asked Vista Superior Court Judge James E. Simmons Jr. to set Bautistas bail at $75,000, citing his involvement in the Kennedy shooting. He was one of the individuals that precipitated a response, a very deadly response, she said. Normally, bail for a felony vandalism charge would be under $20,000, but the judge set it at $50,000 in part because of past convictions and his gang ties. But a month later, Bautista was able to make bail, and about two months after that, during a family argument, police say he beat his 27-year old sister, Laura Elizabeth Bautista, who died three days later at a hospital from the assault. Bautista has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting his next trial date on charges he murdered his sister. After his most recent arrest, some in law enforcement criticized the legal system that allowed Bautista to be free. Hauf understands. She said her office looked at all charging options in October, but unfortunately the law as it was then, and definitely as it is now, wouldnt permit that type of charging. jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Immigrant detainees will continue to be held at McHenry and Kankakee county jails temporarily, while a federal court considers the counties appeal to keep imprisoning detainees into the future. The immigrants, charged with violating civil immigration laws, were due to be released by New Years Day, under the Illinois Way Forward Act, which prohibits counties from entering federal contracts to jail them. Advertisement But the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals issued a stay Thursday delaying the law from taking effect until Jan. 13, while it considers the case. McHenry and Kankakee county officials had filed suit, alleging that the law exceeds the states authority by superseding federal law. Both counties have contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, to keep detainees behind bars until their court hearings. In December, U.S. District Judge Philip Reinhard dismissed the suit, ruling in effect that it limited local officials, not the federal government. Advertisement In 2021, McHenry held about 180 detainees a day, and Kankakee about 120, numbers that had been reduced while fewer detainees are being held during the COVID pandemic. Historically, the contracts had brought about $8 million a year to McHenry and $4 million annually to Kankakee. A low security unit housing ICE detainees at the Kankakee County Jail in Kankakee on Oct. 8, 2019. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) ICE Out of McHenry County, a coalition of groups opposing immigrant detention, held a candlelight vigil this week for the detainees, singing, Silent Night/Noche de Paz. The coalition had pushed for McHenry County to end the practice, calling it cruel and unnecessary. But after a heated debate in May, the county board voted to continue the practice. Were very glad to get this stay to preserve our longtime contract with ICE as we argue our case, County Board Chairman Mike Buehler, a Republican from Crystal Lake, said. The Illinois Way Forward Act is an unconstitutional and poorly thought out law that was hastily thrown together by the General Assembly to make a political statement regarding current federal immigration enforcement. We thank the 7th Circuit for their understanding, and we look forward to making our case. Fred Tsao, senior policy counsel for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, emphasized that the court order is a temporary measure. We agree with the district court judge that the law is very clear: The state was fully within its authority to pass the Illinois Way Forward Act and to require the counties to end their contracts with ICE, Tsao wrote in an email. We look forward to the full implementation of Illinois Way Forward and the end of immigration detention in Illinois and throughout this country. The detentions are meant to ensure that detainees show up for court, with federal statistics showing about one-third of immigrants didnt make it to completed cases. But a UCLA analysis that included ongoing cases found that 83% showed up for court. More than 80% had no criminal record, while those that do were handled in separate proceedings in criminal court. rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com Advertisement Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise. In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by lead actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, as well as a slew of their dazzling co-stars and the brains behind the eight movies. While the stars regaled tales of life on and off screen during their time in one of the biggest movie franchises of all time, notably absent was creator JK Rowling, 56, who only appeared via archive footage in the wake of an ongoing row over her views on transgender issues, which erupted via Twitter earlier this year. Alongside the core trio, who played Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley respectively, the line up includes Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Alfred Enoch (Dean Thomas), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) and Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy). Working it out: Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise, led by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint Nice! In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by the lead actors and a slew of supporting cast members The special opens with sweeping shots of London focusing on the stars opening their invites to the reunion, with Emma seen heading down platform 9 and 3/4 before she meets up with a number of famous faces. The Great Hall - the centre point of the set, which is still in place at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London in Leavesden - is packed with dancers, an orchestra and stars of the movie - all revelling atop a HP20 logo in the floor. Stars of the movies fondly greet each other as they prepare for the eagerly-anticipated reunion. Daniel is then seen treading the path of Diagon Alley before one of the opening lines of Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone is read: ' He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting up in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!' CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived. The opening section of the reunion focused on Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets Back together: The Harry Potter cast reunites in the Great Hall for a Christmas get together CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios. The first section, entitled The Boy Who Lived, looks back on the first two movies from 2001 and 2002. Christopher spoke about why he directed the first two films in the saga after his daughter forced him to read the books. In the first of few mentions of JK Rowling, he says: 'I had to fly to Edinburgh to meet Jo Rowling and I said "This is my vision of the movies" and she said hers was the same'. Bonnie then also mentioned JK, saying: 'So many people were falling in love with her writing', while an archive shot showed the author at a signing for the first book, while Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid also lauded JK and Christopher spoke of the feverish hunt to find an actor to play Harry. Then and now: Daniel was at the helm of the project, having played Harry in all eight films since he was 11 Looking back: The main man himself confessed: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter. My first kiss is connected to someone here, my first girlfriends were here...' Starring: JK Rowling received just 10 mentions in the Harry Potter reunion with repeated clips from an interview she undertook in 2019 at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (pictured in her archive footage) The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books, while it was revealed that Ron just 'jumped off the page' to Rupert - who called the book 'a beautiful, intricate world'. Christopher spoke of seeing David Copperfield on the BBC and realising Daniel was perfect for the role, while archive footage of the 2019 interview with JK showed her speaking of nailing finding Daniel. As Emma, Daniel and Rupert reunited, they began speaking about their own lives in the world of Harry Potter, in what they branded a 'surreal reunion' where 'no time had passed but so much time had passed'. Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age'. Opening up: As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios Reunited: Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint recalled growing up on the 'greatest playground in the world' in scenes released ahead of the reunion special Leading lady: The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books On working with the child stars, Christopher insisted Emma was 'the cleverest person on the whole set', while she herself insisted she 'is Hermione' having connected deeply with the character: 'Hermione made complete sense to me, I felt like I was this girl', and admitted her family feared for her if she didn't get the role. Behind the scenes shots showed filming for the first movie, including the group larking around and playing a slapping game with their hands - which Emma revealed they did 'all the time', to the point their hands were raw. Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Changes: Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age' I'll be back: Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of. Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return: 'I get tears, I still get tears thinking about it'. Introductions are paid to both the Weasley and Malfoy families - showing the stark differences between the good and bad of the wizarding world - and how the group played out the respective families. Star: Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris (second right) worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Open: The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family. On the evil side, Jason explained how he first auditioned for the role of hapless professor and author Gilderoy Lockhart - yet was soon turned to Lucius whose relationship with his son Draco was laid bare. He said: 'I'm convinced I got the role because I didn't want it. I was about to play Captain Hook and I didn't want to play two villains so I read through gritted teeth'. He explained Draco was a 'sadistic bully' due to his father. Happy days: Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age. The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron. Gary explained that having kids pointed him towards the books, while Alfonso noted the movie is a 'coming of age': 'Harry is still a child in the first two... but then he turns 15 and there's a cloud that surrounds him'. Exciting: Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up'. Daniel then spoke to Emma and Rupert about his starstruck moment of meeting Gary and how he demanded his co-stars 'don't mess up' in front of him - although confessed this was more an order of his own. Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars. Tough: Gary and Daniel discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Eerie: Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up' The actor, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 69, famously played the stern Hogwarts professor, who worked as one of Voldemort's Death Eaters. It wasn't until a plot twist in the final installment that fans discovered how Severus had been acting as a double agent in order to protect the series' protagonist. Daniel revealed that Christopher would beg Alan to tell the story, saying 'Why are you doing that like that?' to which the Love Actually star would reply, 'I'll tell you later.' Daniel then voiced a note perfect of the late star. The lead trio then spoke about the thrill of working with director Mike Newell on the fourth movie - noting his kindness and playfulness with the child stars. Daniel said: 'Mike is this excited, loud, passionate man', while Rupert stated: 'I love Mike, he was great, it was almost like he was from the books'. Shock: Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars Fighting it: Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs James and Oliver spoke about when a fight with Mike while he instructed them on fighting in front of the Goblet Of Fire, led to Mike having his ribs broken. Aside from the fun and frolics on stage, the group spoke about how highly charged the hormones were on-set, with Daniel describing the movie as 'peak hormone' for him, as the students are all seen falling for one another for the first time - both on and off screen. Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs. She recalled: Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time - pictured during a tutoring session 'I used to come in every day and look for him': Emma Watson, 31, reveals she remembers the moment she fell in love with Harry Potter co-star Tom Felton, 34, as they share a hug during reunion special - which is set to air on New Year's Day Reunited: Tom flashed a wide smile as Emma hurried over to him before they shared a loving hug Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time. The pair also shared a warm embrace as they hugged with delight while reuniting on camera in The Great Hall for the TV special. Tom was 14 years old when the first Harry Potter movie came out in 2001, while Emma was just 11. They both starred in all eight Harry Potter films. She recalled: 'I walked into the room where we were having tutoring. The assignment that had been given was to draw what you thought God looked like, and Tom had drawn a girl with a backward cap on a skateboard. 'And I just don't know how to say it I just fell in love with him. I used to come in every day and look for his number on the call sheet, it was number seven, and if his name was on the call sheet, it was an extra exciting day.' Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike. Terrifying: Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet. Daniel coyly admitted he had a soft spot for his 55-year old co-star, despite their 23-year age difference. Reading his message aloud for the first time, he said: 'Dear HBC, it was a pleasure being your co-star and coaster in the fact I always ended up holding your coffee. I do love you and I wish Id just been born ten years earlier so I mightve been in with a chance.' Helen and Gary are then seen discussing Bellatrix killing her cousin Sirius and a deleted scene showing a duel. The esteemed stars revealed they went to wand school to hone the choreography of the moves. Meet up: Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet Eww! Helena brought along the teeth she wore to play the terrifying Death Eater On film number four, director David Yates was recruited when things became darker and more grown up. The stars lauded David for helping draw out more intensity and explained that while the world was politicising, he was wanted to draw this into the movies and display that element. Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars. After they were catapulted to stardom following the success of The Philosopher's Stone in 2001, before the pair had even reached their teen years they struggled to adjust to their superstardom. Admitting to writing about being lonely in a diary entry at the time, the Beauty And The Beast star explained how 'the fame thing had finally hit home in a big way'. Hurt: Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars She confessed: 'I think I was scared. I don't know if you ever felt like it got to a tipping point where you were like, "This is kind of forever now."' It was around the time of Order of the Phoenix when things started getting spicy for all of us,' she continued of the 2007 blockbuster which she filmed aged 16. Rupert chimed in: 'I also had sort of similar feelings to Emma, contemplating what life would be like if I called it a day. We never really spoke about it. I guess we were just going through it at our own pace, we were kind of in the moment at the time. It just didn't really occur to us that we were all probably kind of having similar feelings.' Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role. Emma gushed about being 'proud' of Evanna, as well as Bonnie, who played Ginny in the franchise. Sweet: Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 As the franchise drew to a close with the final two movies, the group discussed how things changed for them in their more mature status as actors as well as their storylines intensifying. Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through'. Harry, Emma and Rupert were likened to astronauts by David Yates thanks to their joint experiences in becoming global superstars at the helm of the huge productions. In anticipation of Hermione and Ron becoming romantically involved, Emma and Rupert discussed how they struggled to film their first kiss amid the Battle Of Hogwarts in the final movie. Rupert admitted that the audience were 'desperate' to see the duo kiss. An honour: Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through' Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing'. The cast and crew discussed the final scenes and the 'spiritual' elements of the final battle scene between Harry and Voldemort before a montage of adorable throwbacks shot up. Following their discussions of each film, the group all grew emotional as they rounded out the show. Rupert said: 'I'm very proud to have been part of it, it was weird at the end. I lost track of who I was and who the character was. My name didn't feel like my name and I only knew one thing - to play Ron'. Emma went on: 'It's like we did the most extreme form of method acting. The way it feels for me now - I'm trying not to get emotional - it feels you you're a pillar of my life', while Rupert added that 'they are family'. Eek! Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing' Rupert then said: 'I love you, as a friend - just to be clear'. Throwbacks showed the final scenes being filmed with all the stars weeping and holding each other, in a state of 'utter devastation'. Emma said: 'It was the first time we let ourselves realise we'd made it through'. Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud', while Emma said: 'There's something about Harry Potter that makes life richer. When things get really dark and times are really hard, stories give us places we can go where we can rest and we can be held'. Breaking down in tears, Emma said: 'It was the best most amazing experience and I cant explain they're such good people and they're so kind and they took the responsibility so seriously and I appreciate that so much'. Rupert said: 'They're like family. We're so intrinsically linked and they're incredibly important to me.' Fighting back tears, Daniel added: 'There's people on these films who are foundational to who I am, as a person, as an actor, I am so lucky to have the life I have and be able to work with the people I work with now An honour: Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud' Stars tearfully remember 'magic' Alan Rickman, 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'generous' Richard Griffiths during reunion show in memoriam The actors and cast behind the Harry Potter franchise remembered their late co-stars during an in memoriam section of the Harry Potter Return To Hogwarts reunion, which aired on Saturday. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint led the tributes to the many stars they have lost over the past two decades, since the franchise launched with Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone - including Richard Harris, Alan Rickman and most recently Helen McCrory. Speaking about appearing on the reunion without their late stars, Emma said: 'It's obviously amazing to be back, but so many people we thought would be here for much longer like Helen and Alan and Richard', while Rupert sadly echoed: 'They're like family, just gone too soon'. Speaking about working with such icons, Daniel said: 'I feel really lucky to have some little bit of touch with the people who have passed... I'll be very old one day and say I knew that absolute legend.' An honour: Stars tearfully remembered the late stars of Harry Potter in Saturday's Return To Hogwarts reunion special, including 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'magic' Alan Rickman (left-right) Lost: Helen played the Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 HELEN MCCROY PLAYED: Narcissa Malfoy DIED: April 2021, aged 52 Helen played Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2. She passed away in April this year after a secret 'heroic battle' with cancer, her husband Damian Lewis confirmed at the time. The 'beautiful and mighty' actress died 'peacefully' at home surrounded by friends and family. Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen. Jason said: 'Helen McCroy played my wife. I said I think I've just seen the best actress I've ever seen in my life. I feel lucky to have worked with her and shared so much frankly adolescent laughter on the set. Speaking about his on-screen mum, Tom broke down as he emotionally said: 'She taught me a lot. See I can't even say it. She had this ability to show such empathy in her eyes. It was a real treat to work with her.' An honour: Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen Shock: Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden ALAN RICKMAN PLAYED: Severus Snape DIED: January 2016, aged 69 Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden. He is ultimately killed by his master Lord Voldemort, after Harry discovered the sacrifices he made for him. In August 2015, Alan suffered a minor stroke, which led to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He revealed that he had terminal cancer to only his closest confidants. On 14 January 2016, he died in London at the age of 69. Speaking about working with the acting icon, Emma said: 'Alan Rickman never spoke to me like I was a child. He always took my thoughts and opinions very seriously which I was always very touched by.' Ralph Fiennes meanwhile, who played Voldemort, said: 'Alan was a very dear friend, and we had that final scene, his final scene. I was a little intimidated by his precision and his expert delivery of lines. We sort of went toe to toe in a funny way, Snape and Voldemort. Two actors fencing with each other. Alan was a magician in that way'. Reaching out: Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, and Ralph Fiennes, who played Voldemort, honoured Alan Star: Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets RICHARD HARRIS PLAYED: Albus Dumbledore DIED: October 2002, aged 72 Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets. He famously revealed he was reluctant to take the role, but it was his 11-year-old granddaughter who begged him to reconsider, threatening never to talk to him again if he refused the role. 'What could I do?' moaned Harris. 'I wasn't going to let her down.' After starring in two movies, he passed away in October 2002 at London's University College Hospital, after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease that August. He had reportedly been hospitalised with pneumonia. Speaking about his on-screen legacy and what it was like to work with the legend, Emma said: 'Richard Harris was such a special, warm person. He was so twinkly'. Director Christopher Columbus went on: 'Richard Harris was classic - probably one of the funniest men I've ever met. He was this devilish 11-year-old trapped in a 70 plus year old man's body. He just had this glint in his eye that made him the perfect Dumbledore by the way. He was brutally hilarious.' Evil: Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers RICHARD GRIFFITHS PLAYED: Vernon Dursley DIED: March 2013, aged 65 Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers. The beloved star died aged 65 at University Hospital Coventry on 28 March 2013. His passing came following complications with heart surgery and was met with an outpouring of heartache from the acting world. Speaking about working with the star, producer David Heyman said: 'Richard Griffiths was just delicious as Mr Dursley. He embraced his wickedness with such verve and passion'. Daniel meanwhile grew emotional as he said: 'His passing was the one that effected me the most because he was generous with knowledge and just wanted to share everything with you'. A full list of the cast and crew lost over the past two decades then flashed up, listing: Timothy Bateson, Terence Bayler, Sam Beazley, Sheila Allen, Peter Cartwright, Derek Deadman, Hazel Douglas, Alfred Burke, Salo Gardner, Richard Griffiths, Robert Hardy, Jimmy Gardner, John Hurt, Robert Knox, Dave Legeno, Richard Harris, Margery Mason, Rik M ayall, Roger Lloud Pack, Paul Ritter, David Ryall, Helen McCroy, Alan Rickman, Eric Sykes, Verne Troyer, Mary Selway, Elizabeth Spriggs, Eric Sykes and Christoper Whittingham. Advertisement Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise. In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by lead actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, as well as a slew of their dazzling co-stars and the brains behind the eight movies. While the stars regaled tales of life on and off screen during their time in one of the biggest movie franchises of all time, notably absent was creator JK Rowling, 56, who only appeared via archive footage in the wake of an ongoing row over her views on transgender issues, which erupted via Twitter earlier this year. Alongside the core trio, who played Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley respectively, the line up includes Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Alfred Enoch (Dean Thomas), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) and Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy). Working it out: Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise, led by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint Nice! In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by the lead actors and a slew of supporting cast members The special opens with sweeping shots of London focusing on the stars opening their invites to the reunion, with Emma seen heading down platform 9 and 3/4 before she meets up with a number of famous faces. The Great Hall - the centre point of the set, which is still in place at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London in Leavesden - is packed with dancers, an orchestra and stars of the movie - all revelling atop a HP20 logo in the floor. Stars of the movies fondly greet each other as they prepare for the eagerly-anticipated reunion. Daniel is then seen treading the path of Diagon Alley before one of the opening lines of Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone is read: ' He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting up in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!' CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived. The opening section of the reunion focused on Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets Back together: The Harry Potter cast reunites in the Great Hall for a Christmas get together CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios. The first section, entitled The Boy Who Lived, looks back on the first two movies from 2001 and 2002. Christopher spoke about why he directed the first two films in the saga after his daughter forced him to read the books. In the first of few mentions of JK Rowling, he says: 'I had to fly to Edinburgh to meet Jo Rowling and I said "This is my vision of the movies" and she said hers was the same'. Bonnie then also mentioned JK, saying: 'So many people were falling in love with her writing', while an archive shot showed the author at a signing for the first book, while Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid also lauded JK and Christopher spoke of the feverish hunt to find an actor to play Harry. Then and now: Daniel was at the helm of the project, having played Harry in all eight films since he was 11 Looking back: The main man himself confessed: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter. My first kiss is connected to someone here, my first girlfriends were here...' Starring: JK Rowling received just 10 mentions in the Harry Potter reunion with repeated clips from an interview she undertook in 2019 at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (pictured in her archive footage) The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books, while it was revealed that Ron just 'jumped off the page' to Rupert - who called the book 'a beautiful, intricate world'. Christopher spoke of seeing David Copperfield on the BBC and realising Daniel was perfect for the role, while archive footage of the 2019 interview with JK showed her speaking of nailing finding Daniel. As Emma, Daniel and Rupert reunited, they began speaking about their own lives in the world of Harry Potter, in what they branded a 'surreal reunion' where 'no time had passed but so much time had passed'. Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age'. Opening up: As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios Reunited: Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint recalled growing up on the 'greatest playground in the world' in scenes released ahead of the reunion special Leading lady: The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books On working with the child stars, Christopher insisted Emma was 'the cleverest person on the whole set', while she herself insisted she 'is Hermione' having connected deeply with the character: 'Hermione made complete sense to me, I felt like I was this girl', and admitted her family feared for her if she didn't get the role. Behind the scenes shots showed filming for the first movie, including the group larking around and playing a slapping game with their hands - which Emma revealed they did 'all the time', to the point their hands were raw. Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Changes: Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age' I'll be back: Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of. Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return: 'I get tears, I still get tears thinking about it'. Introductions are paid to both the Weasley and Malfoy families - showing the stark differences between the good and bad of the wizarding world - and how the group played out the respective families. Star: Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris (second right) worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Open: The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family. On the evil side, Jason explained how he first auditioned for the role of hapless professor and author Gilderoy Lockhart - yet was soon turned to Lucius whose relationship with his son Draco was laid bare. He said: 'I'm convinced I got the role because I didn't want it. I was about to play Captain Hook and I didn't want to play two villains so I read through gritted teeth'. He explained Draco was a 'sadistic bully' due to his father. Happy days: Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age. The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron. Gary explained that having kids pointed him towards the books, while Alfonso noted the movie is a 'coming of age': 'Harry is still a child in the first two... but then he turns 15 and there's a cloud that surrounds him'. Exciting: Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up'. Daniel then spoke to Emma and Rupert about his starstruck moment of meeting Gary and how he demanded his co-stars 'don't mess up' in front of him - although confessed this was more an order of his own. Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars. Tough: Gary and Daniel discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Eerie: Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up' The actor, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 69, famously played the stern Hogwarts professor, who worked as one of Voldemort's Death Eaters. It wasn't until a plot twist in the final installment that fans discovered how Severus had been acting as a double agent in order to protect the series' protagonist. Daniel revealed that Christopher would beg Alan to tell the story, saying 'Why are you doing that like that?' to which the Love Actually star would reply, 'I'll tell you later.' Daniel then voiced a note perfect of the late star. The lead trio then spoke about the thrill of working with director Mike Newell on the fourth movie - noting his kindness and playfulness with the child stars. Daniel said: 'Mike is this excited, loud, passionate man', while Rupert stated: 'I love Mike, he was great, it was almost like he was from the books'. Shock: Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars Fighting it: Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs James and Oliver spoke about when a fight with Mike while he instructed them on fighting in front of the Goblet Of Fire, led to Mike having his ribs broken. Aside from the fun and frolics on stage, the group spoke about how highly charged the hormones were on-set, with Daniel describing the movie as 'peak hormone' for him, as the students are all seen falling for one another for the first time - both on and off screen. Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs. She recalled: Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time - pictured during a tutoring session 'I used to come in every day and look for him': Emma Watson, 31, reveals she remembers the moment she fell in love with Harry Potter co-star Tom Felton, 34, as they share a hug during reunion special - which is set to air on New Year's Day Reunited: Tom flashed a wide smile as Emma hurried over to him before they shared a loving hug Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time. The pair also shared a warm embrace as they hugged with delight while reuniting on camera in The Great Hall for the TV special. Tom was 14 years old when the first Harry Potter movie came out in 2001, while Emma was just 11. They both starred in all eight Harry Potter films. She recalled: 'I walked into the room where we were having tutoring. The assignment that had been given was to draw what you thought God looked like, and Tom had drawn a girl with a backward cap on a skateboard. 'And I just don't know how to say it I just fell in love with him. I used to come in every day and look for his number on the call sheet, it was number seven, and if his name was on the call sheet, it was an extra exciting day.' Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike. Terrifying: Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet. Daniel coyly admitted he had a soft spot for his 55-year old co-star, despite their 23-year age difference. Reading his message aloud for the first time, he said: 'Dear HBC, it was a pleasure being your co-star and coaster in the fact I always ended up holding your coffee. I do love you and I wish Id just been born ten years earlier so I mightve been in with a chance.' Helen and Gary are then seen discussing Bellatrix killing her cousin Sirius and a deleted scene showing a duel. The esteemed stars revealed they went to wand school to hone the choreography of the moves. Meet up: Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet Eww! Helena brought along the teeth she wore to play the terrifying Death Eater On film number four, director David Yates was recruited when things became darker and more grown up. The stars lauded David for helping draw out more intensity and explained that while the world was politicising, he was wanted to draw this into the movies and display that element. Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars. After they were catapulted to stardom following the success of The Philosopher's Stone in 2001, before the pair had even reached their teen years they struggled to adjust to their superstardom. Admitting to writing about being lonely in a diary entry at the time, the Beauty And The Beast star explained how 'the fame thing had finally hit home in a big way'. Hurt: Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars She confessed: 'I think I was scared. I don't know if you ever felt like it got to a tipping point where you were like, "This is kind of forever now."' It was around the time of Order of the Phoenix when things started getting spicy for all of us,' she continued of the 2007 blockbuster which she filmed aged 16. Rupert chimed in: 'I also had sort of similar feelings to Emma, contemplating what life would be like if I called it a day. We never really spoke about it. I guess we were just going through it at our own pace, we were kind of in the moment at the time. It just didn't really occur to us that we were all probably kind of having similar feelings.' Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role. Emma gushed about being 'proud' of Evanna, as well as Bonnie, who played Ginny in the franchise. Sweet: Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 As the franchise drew to a close with the final two movies, the group discussed how things changed for them in their more mature status as actors as well as their storylines intensifying. Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through'. Harry, Emma and Rupert were likened to astronauts by David Yates thanks to their joint experiences in becoming global superstars at the helm of the huge productions. In anticipation of Hermione and Ron becoming romantically involved, Emma and Rupert discussed how they struggled to film their first kiss amid the Battle Of Hogwarts in the final movie. Rupert admitted that the audience were 'desperate' to see the duo kiss. An honour: Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through' Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing'. The cast and crew discussed the final scenes and the 'spiritual' elements of the final battle scene between Harry and Voldemort before a montage of adorable throwbacks shot up. Following their discussions of each film, the group all grew emotional as they rounded out the show. Rupert said: 'I'm very proud to have been part of it, it was weird at the end. I lost track of who I was and who the character was. My name didn't feel like my name and I only knew one thing - to play Ron'. Emma went on: 'It's like we did the most extreme form of method acting. The way it feels for me now - I'm trying not to get emotional - it feels you you're a pillar of my life', while Rupert added that 'they are family'. Eek! Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing' Rupert then said: 'I love you, as a friend - just to be clear'. Throwbacks showed the final scenes being filmed with all the stars weeping and holding each other, in a state of 'utter devastation'. Emma said: 'It was the first time we let ourselves realise we'd made it through'. Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud', while Emma said: 'There's something about Harry Potter that makes life richer. When things get really dark and times are really hard, stories give us places we can go where we can rest and we can be held'. Breaking down in tears, Emma said: 'It was the best most amazing experience and I cant explain they're such good people and they're so kind and they took the responsibility so seriously and I appreciate that so much'. Rupert said: 'They're like family. We're so intrinsically linked and they're incredibly important to me.' Fighting back tears, Daniel added: 'There's people on these films who are foundational to who I am, as a person, as an actor, I am so lucky to have the life I have and be able to work with the people I work with now An honour: Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud' Stars tearfully remember 'magic' Alan Rickman, 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'generous' Richard Griffiths during reunion show in memoriam The actors and cast behind the Harry Potter franchise remembered their late co-stars during an in memoriam section of the Harry Potter Return To Hogwarts reunion, which aired on Saturday. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint led the tributes to the many stars they have lost over the past two decades, since the franchise launched with Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone - including Richard Harris, Alan Rickman and most recently Helen McCrory. Speaking about appearing on the reunion without their late stars, Emma said: 'It's obviously amazing to be back, but so many people we thought would be here for much longer like Helen and Alan and Richard', while Rupert sadly echoed: 'They're like family, just gone too soon'. Speaking about working with such icons, Daniel said: 'I feel really lucky to have some little bit of touch with the people who have passed... I'll be very old one day and say I knew that absolute legend.' An honour: Stars tearfully remembered the late stars of Harry Potter in Saturday's Return To Hogwarts reunion special, including 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'magic' Alan Rickman (left-right) Lost: Helen played the Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 HELEN MCCROY PLAYED: Narcissa Malfoy DIED: April 2021, aged 52 Helen played Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2. She passed away in April this year after a secret 'heroic battle' with cancer, her husband Damian Lewis confirmed at the time. The 'beautiful and mighty' actress died 'peacefully' at home surrounded by friends and family. Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen. Jason said: 'Helen McCroy played my wife. I said I think I've just seen the best actress I've ever seen in my life. I feel lucky to have worked with her and shared so much frankly adolescent laughter on the set. Speaking about his on-screen mum, Tom broke down as he emotionally said: 'She taught me a lot. See I can't even say it. She had this ability to show such empathy in her eyes. It was a real treat to work with her.' An honour: Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen Shock: Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden ALAN RICKMAN PLAYED: Severus Snape DIED: January 2016, aged 69 Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden. He is ultimately killed by his master Lord Voldemort, after Harry discovered the sacrifices he made for him. In August 2015, Alan suffered a minor stroke, which led to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He revealed that he had terminal cancer to only his closest confidants. On 14 January 2016, he died in London at the age of 69. Speaking about working with the acting icon, Emma said: 'Alan Rickman never spoke to me like I was a child. He always took my thoughts and opinions very seriously which I was always very touched by.' Ralph Fiennes meanwhile, who played Voldemort, said: 'Alan was a very dear friend, and we had that final scene, his final scene. I was a little intimidated by his precision and his expert delivery of lines. We sort of went toe to toe in a funny way, Snape and Voldemort. Two actors fencing with each other. Alan was a magician in that way'. Reaching out: Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, and Ralph Fiennes, who played Voldemort, honoured Alan Star: Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets RICHARD HARRIS PLAYED: Albus Dumbledore DIED: October 2002, aged 72 Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets. He famously revealed he was reluctant to take the role, but it was his 11-year-old granddaughter who begged him to reconsider, threatening never to talk to him again if he refused the role. 'What could I do?' moaned Harris. 'I wasn't going to let her down.' After starring in two movies, he passed away in October 2002 at London's University College Hospital, after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease that August. He had reportedly been hospitalised with pneumonia. Speaking about his on-screen legacy and what it was like to work with the legend, Emma said: 'Richard Harris was such a special, warm person. He was so twinkly'. Director Christopher Columbus went on: 'Richard Harris was classic - probably one of the funniest men I've ever met. He was this devilish 11-year-old trapped in a 70 plus year old man's body. He just had this glint in his eye that made him the perfect Dumbledore by the way. He was brutally hilarious.' Evil: Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers RICHARD GRIFFITHS PLAYED: Vernon Dursley DIED: March 2013, aged 65 Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers. The beloved star died aged 65 at University Hospital Coventry on 28 March 2013. His passing came following complications with heart surgery and was met with an outpouring of heartache from the acting world. Speaking about working with the star, producer David Heyman said: 'Richard Griffiths was just delicious as Mr Dursley. He embraced his wickedness with such verve and passion'. Daniel meanwhile grew emotional as he said: 'His passing was the one that effected me the most because he was generous with knowledge and just wanted to share everything with you'. A full list of the cast and crew lost over the past two decades then flashed up, listing: Timothy Bateson, Terence Bayler, Sam Beazley, Sheila Allen, Peter Cartwright, Derek Deadman, Hazel Douglas, Alfred Burke, Salo Gardner, Richard Griffiths, Robert Hardy, Jimmy Gardner, John Hurt, Robert Knox, Dave Legeno, Richard Harris, Margery Mason, Rik M ayall, Roger Lloud Pack, Paul Ritter, David Ryall, Helen McCroy, Alan Rickman, Eric Sykes, Verne Troyer, Mary Selway, Elizabeth Spriggs, Eric Sykes and Christoper Whittingham. Advertisement Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise. In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by lead actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, as well as a slew of their dazzling co-stars and the brains behind the eight movies. While the stars regaled tales of life on and off screen during their time in one of the biggest movie franchises of all time, notably absent was creator JK Rowling, 56, who only appeared via archive footage in the wake of an ongoing row over her views on transgender issues, which erupted via Twitter earlier this year. Alongside the core trio, who played Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley respectively, the line up includes Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Alfred Enoch (Dean Thomas), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) and Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy). Working it out: Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise, led by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint Nice! In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by the lead actors and a slew of supporting cast members The special opens with sweeping shots of London focusing on the stars opening their invites to the reunion, with Emma seen heading down platform 9 and 3/4 before she meets up with a number of famous faces. The Great Hall - the centre point of the set, which is still in place at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London in Leavesden - is packed with dancers, an orchestra and stars of the movie - all revelling atop a HP20 logo in the floor. Stars of the movies fondly greet each other as they prepare for the eagerly-anticipated reunion. Daniel is then seen treading the path of Diagon Alley before one of the opening lines of Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone is read: ' He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting up in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!' CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived. The opening section of the reunion focused on Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets Back together: The Harry Potter cast reunites in the Great Hall for a Christmas get together CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios. The first section, entitled The Boy Who Lived, looks back on the first two movies from 2001 and 2002. Christopher spoke about why he directed the first two films in the saga after his daughter forced him to read the books. In the first of few mentions of JK Rowling, he says: 'I had to fly to Edinburgh to meet Jo Rowling and I said "This is my vision of the movies" and she said hers was the same'. Bonnie then also mentioned JK, saying: 'So many people were falling in love with her writing', while an archive shot showed the author at a signing for the first book, while Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid also lauded JK and Christopher spoke of the feverish hunt to find an actor to play Harry. Then and now: Daniel was at the helm of the project, having played Harry in all eight films since he was 11 Looking back: The main man himself confessed: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter. My first kiss is connected to someone here, my first girlfriends were here...' Starring: JK Rowling received just 10 mentions in the Harry Potter reunion with repeated clips from an interview she undertook in 2019 at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (pictured in her archive footage) The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books, while it was revealed that Ron just 'jumped off the page' to Rupert - who called the book 'a beautiful, intricate world'. Christopher spoke of seeing David Copperfield on the BBC and realising Daniel was perfect for the role, while archive footage of the 2019 interview with JK showed her speaking of nailing finding Daniel. As Emma, Daniel and Rupert reunited, they began speaking about their own lives in the world of Harry Potter, in what they branded a 'surreal reunion' where 'no time had passed but so much time had passed'. Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age'. Opening up: As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios Reunited: Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint recalled growing up on the 'greatest playground in the world' in scenes released ahead of the reunion special Leading lady: The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books On working with the child stars, Christopher insisted Emma was 'the cleverest person on the whole set', while she herself insisted she 'is Hermione' having connected deeply with the character: 'Hermione made complete sense to me, I felt like I was this girl', and admitted her family feared for her if she didn't get the role. Behind the scenes shots showed filming for the first movie, including the group larking around and playing a slapping game with their hands - which Emma revealed they did 'all the time', to the point their hands were raw. Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Changes: Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age' I'll be back: Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of. Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return: 'I get tears, I still get tears thinking about it'. Introductions are paid to both the Weasley and Malfoy families - showing the stark differences between the good and bad of the wizarding world - and how the group played out the respective families. Star: Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris (second right) worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Open: The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family. On the evil side, Jason explained how he first auditioned for the role of hapless professor and author Gilderoy Lockhart - yet was soon turned to Lucius whose relationship with his son Draco was laid bare. He said: 'I'm convinced I got the role because I didn't want it. I was about to play Captain Hook and I didn't want to play two villains so I read through gritted teeth'. He explained Draco was a 'sadistic bully' due to his father. Happy days: Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age. The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron. Gary explained that having kids pointed him towards the books, while Alfonso noted the movie is a 'coming of age': 'Harry is still a child in the first two... but then he turns 15 and there's a cloud that surrounds him'. Exciting: Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up'. Daniel then spoke to Emma and Rupert about his starstruck moment of meeting Gary and how he demanded his co-stars 'don't mess up' in front of him - although confessed this was more an order of his own. Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars. Tough: Gary and Daniel discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Eerie: Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up' The actor, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 69, famously played the stern Hogwarts professor, who worked as one of Voldemort's Death Eaters. It wasn't until a plot twist in the final installment that fans discovered how Severus had been acting as a double agent in order to protect the series' protagonist. Daniel revealed that Christopher would beg Alan to tell the story, saying 'Why are you doing that like that?' to which the Love Actually star would reply, 'I'll tell you later.' Daniel then voiced a note perfect of the late star. The lead trio then spoke about the thrill of working with director Mike Newell on the fourth movie - noting his kindness and playfulness with the child stars. Daniel said: 'Mike is this excited, loud, passionate man', while Rupert stated: 'I love Mike, he was great, it was almost like he was from the books'. Shock: Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars Fighting it: Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs James and Oliver spoke about when a fight with Mike while he instructed them on fighting in front of the Goblet Of Fire, led to Mike having his ribs broken. Aside from the fun and frolics on stage, the group spoke about how highly charged the hormones were on-set, with Daniel describing the movie as 'peak hormone' for him, as the students are all seen falling for one another for the first time - both on and off screen. Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs. She recalled: Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time - pictured during a tutoring session 'I used to come in every day and look for him': Emma Watson, 31, reveals she remembers the moment she fell in love with Harry Potter co-star Tom Felton, 34, as they share a hug during reunion special - which is set to air on New Year's Day Reunited: Tom flashed a wide smile as Emma hurried over to him before they shared a loving hug Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time. The pair also shared a warm embrace as they hugged with delight while reuniting on camera in The Great Hall for the TV special. Tom was 14 years old when the first Harry Potter movie came out in 2001, while Emma was just 11. They both starred in all eight Harry Potter films. She recalled: 'I walked into the room where we were having tutoring. The assignment that had been given was to draw what you thought God looked like, and Tom had drawn a girl with a backward cap on a skateboard. 'And I just don't know how to say it I just fell in love with him. I used to come in every day and look for his number on the call sheet, it was number seven, and if his name was on the call sheet, it was an extra exciting day.' Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike. Terrifying: Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet. Daniel coyly admitted he had a soft spot for his 55-year old co-star, despite their 23-year age difference. Reading his message aloud for the first time, he said: 'Dear HBC, it was a pleasure being your co-star and coaster in the fact I always ended up holding your coffee. I do love you and I wish Id just been born ten years earlier so I mightve been in with a chance.' Helen and Gary are then seen discussing Bellatrix killing her cousin Sirius and a deleted scene showing a duel. The esteemed stars revealed they went to wand school to hone the choreography of the moves. Meet up: Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet Eww! Helena brought along the teeth she wore to play the terrifying Death Eater On film number four, director David Yates was recruited when things became darker and more grown up. The stars lauded David for helping draw out more intensity and explained that while the world was politicising, he was wanted to draw this into the movies and display that element. Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars. After they were catapulted to stardom following the success of The Philosopher's Stone in 2001, before the pair had even reached their teen years they struggled to adjust to their superstardom. Admitting to writing about being lonely in a diary entry at the time, the Beauty And The Beast star explained how 'the fame thing had finally hit home in a big way'. Hurt: Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars She confessed: 'I think I was scared. I don't know if you ever felt like it got to a tipping point where you were like, "This is kind of forever now."' It was around the time of Order of the Phoenix when things started getting spicy for all of us,' she continued of the 2007 blockbuster which she filmed aged 16. Rupert chimed in: 'I also had sort of similar feelings to Emma, contemplating what life would be like if I called it a day. We never really spoke about it. I guess we were just going through it at our own pace, we were kind of in the moment at the time. It just didn't really occur to us that we were all probably kind of having similar feelings.' Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role. Emma gushed about being 'proud' of Evanna, as well as Bonnie, who played Ginny in the franchise. Sweet: Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 As the franchise drew to a close with the final two movies, the group discussed how things changed for them in their more mature status as actors as well as their storylines intensifying. Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through'. Harry, Emma and Rupert were likened to astronauts by David Yates thanks to their joint experiences in becoming global superstars at the helm of the huge productions. In anticipation of Hermione and Ron becoming romantically involved, Emma and Rupert discussed how they struggled to film their first kiss amid the Battle Of Hogwarts in the final movie. Rupert admitted that the audience were 'desperate' to see the duo kiss. An honour: Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through' Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing'. The cast and crew discussed the final scenes and the 'spiritual' elements of the final battle scene between Harry and Voldemort before a montage of adorable throwbacks shot up. Following their discussions of each film, the group all grew emotional as they rounded out the show. Rupert said: 'I'm very proud to have been part of it, it was weird at the end. I lost track of who I was and who the character was. My name didn't feel like my name and I only knew one thing - to play Ron'. Emma went on: 'It's like we did the most extreme form of method acting. The way it feels for me now - I'm trying not to get emotional - it feels you you're a pillar of my life', while Rupert added that 'they are family'. Eek! Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing' Rupert then said: 'I love you, as a friend - just to be clear'. Throwbacks showed the final scenes being filmed with all the stars weeping and holding each other, in a state of 'utter devastation'. Emma said: 'It was the first time we let ourselves realise we'd made it through'. Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud', while Emma said: 'There's something about Harry Potter that makes life richer. When things get really dark and times are really hard, stories give us places we can go where we can rest and we can be held'. Breaking down in tears, Emma said: 'It was the best most amazing experience and I cant explain they're such good people and they're so kind and they took the responsibility so seriously and I appreciate that so much'. Rupert said: 'They're like family. We're so intrinsically linked and they're incredibly important to me.' Fighting back tears, Daniel added: 'There's people on these films who are foundational to who I am, as a person, as an actor, I am so lucky to have the life I have and be able to work with the people I work with now An honour: Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud' Stars tearfully remember 'magic' Alan Rickman, 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'generous' Richard Griffiths during reunion show in memoriam The actors and cast behind the Harry Potter franchise remembered their late co-stars during an in memoriam section of the Harry Potter Return To Hogwarts reunion, which aired on Saturday. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint led the tributes to the many stars they have lost over the past two decades, since the franchise launched with Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone - including Richard Harris, Alan Rickman and most recently Helen McCrory. Speaking about appearing on the reunion without their late stars, Emma said: 'It's obviously amazing to be back, but so many people we thought would be here for much longer like Helen and Alan and Richard', while Rupert sadly echoed: 'They're like family, just gone too soon'. Speaking about working with such icons, Daniel said: 'I feel really lucky to have some little bit of touch with the people who have passed... I'll be very old one day and say I knew that absolute legend.' An honour: Stars tearfully remembered the late stars of Harry Potter in Saturday's Return To Hogwarts reunion special, including 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'magic' Alan Rickman (left-right) Lost: Helen played the Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 HELEN MCCROY PLAYED: Narcissa Malfoy DIED: April 2021, aged 52 Helen played Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2. She passed away in April this year after a secret 'heroic battle' with cancer, her husband Damian Lewis confirmed at the time. The 'beautiful and mighty' actress died 'peacefully' at home surrounded by friends and family. Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen. Jason said: 'Helen McCroy played my wife. I said I think I've just seen the best actress I've ever seen in my life. I feel lucky to have worked with her and shared so much frankly adolescent laughter on the set. Speaking about his on-screen mum, Tom broke down as he emotionally said: 'She taught me a lot. See I can't even say it. She had this ability to show such empathy in her eyes. It was a real treat to work with her.' An honour: Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen Shock: Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden ALAN RICKMAN PLAYED: Severus Snape DIED: January 2016, aged 69 Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden. He is ultimately killed by his master Lord Voldemort, after Harry discovered the sacrifices he made for him. In August 2015, Alan suffered a minor stroke, which led to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He revealed that he had terminal cancer to only his closest confidants. On 14 January 2016, he died in London at the age of 69. Speaking about working with the acting icon, Emma said: 'Alan Rickman never spoke to me like I was a child. He always took my thoughts and opinions very seriously which I was always very touched by.' Ralph Fiennes meanwhile, who played Voldemort, said: 'Alan was a very dear friend, and we had that final scene, his final scene. I was a little intimidated by his precision and his expert delivery of lines. We sort of went toe to toe in a funny way, Snape and Voldemort. Two actors fencing with each other. Alan was a magician in that way'. Reaching out: Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, and Ralph Fiennes, who played Voldemort, honoured Alan Star: Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets RICHARD HARRIS PLAYED: Albus Dumbledore DIED: October 2002, aged 72 Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets. He famously revealed he was reluctant to take the role, but it was his 11-year-old granddaughter who begged him to reconsider, threatening never to talk to him again if he refused the role. 'What could I do?' moaned Harris. 'I wasn't going to let her down.' After starring in two movies, he passed away in October 2002 at London's University College Hospital, after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease that August. He had reportedly been hospitalised with pneumonia. Speaking about his on-screen legacy and what it was like to work with the legend, Emma said: 'Richard Harris was such a special, warm person. He was so twinkly'. Director Christopher Columbus went on: 'Richard Harris was classic - probably one of the funniest men I've ever met. He was this devilish 11-year-old trapped in a 70 plus year old man's body. He just had this glint in his eye that made him the perfect Dumbledore by the way. He was brutally hilarious.' Evil: Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers RICHARD GRIFFITHS PLAYED: Vernon Dursley DIED: March 2013, aged 65 Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers. The beloved star died aged 65 at University Hospital Coventry on 28 March 2013. His passing came following complications with heart surgery and was met with an outpouring of heartache from the acting world. Speaking about working with the star, producer David Heyman said: 'Richard Griffiths was just delicious as Mr Dursley. He embraced his wickedness with such verve and passion'. Daniel meanwhile grew emotional as he said: 'His passing was the one that effected me the most because he was generous with knowledge and just wanted to share everything with you'. A full list of the cast and crew lost over the past two decades then flashed up, listing: Timothy Bateson, Terence Bayler, Sam Beazley, Sheila Allen, Peter Cartwright, Derek Deadman, Hazel Douglas, Alfred Burke, Salo Gardner, Richard Griffiths, Robert Hardy, Jimmy Gardner, John Hurt, Robert Knox, Dave Legeno, Richard Harris, Margery Mason, Rik M ayall, Roger Lloud Pack, Paul Ritter, David Ryall, Helen McCroy, Alan Rickman, Eric Sykes, Verne Troyer, Mary Selway, Elizabeth Spriggs, Eric Sykes and Christoper Whittingham. Advertisement Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise. In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by lead actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, as well as a slew of their dazzling co-stars and the brains behind the eight movies. While the stars regaled tales of life on and off screen during their time in one of the biggest movie franchises of all time, notably absent was creator JK Rowling, 56, who only appeared via archive footage in the wake of an ongoing row over her views on transgender issues, which erupted via Twitter earlier this year. Alongside the core trio, who played Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley respectively, the line up includes Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Alfred Enoch (Dean Thomas), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) and Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy). Working it out: Two decades after first hitting screens, the cast and crew of Harry Potter reunited for the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special to deep dive into life behind the wizarding franchise, led by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint Nice! In the special, which debuted on HBO Max, Sky and NOW TV on Saturday, fans are treated to a mosey down memory lane helmed by the lead actors and a slew of supporting cast members The special opens with sweeping shots of London focusing on the stars opening their invites to the reunion, with Emma seen heading down platform 9 and 3/4 before she meets up with a number of famous faces. The Great Hall - the centre point of the set, which is still in place at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London in Leavesden - is packed with dancers, an orchestra and stars of the movie - all revelling atop a HP20 logo in the floor. Stars of the movies fondly greet each other as they prepare for the eagerly-anticipated reunion. Daniel is then seen treading the path of Diagon Alley before one of the opening lines of Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone is read: ' He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting up in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!' CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived. The opening section of the reunion focused on Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets Back together: The Harry Potter cast reunites in the Great Hall for a Christmas get together CHAPTER ONE: The Boy Who Lived Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios. The first section, entitled The Boy Who Lived, looks back on the first two movies from 2001 and 2002. Christopher spoke about why he directed the first two films in the saga after his daughter forced him to read the books. In the first of few mentions of JK Rowling, he says: 'I had to fly to Edinburgh to meet Jo Rowling and I said "This is my vision of the movies" and she said hers was the same'. Bonnie then also mentioned JK, saying: 'So many people were falling in love with her writing', while an archive shot showed the author at a signing for the first book, while Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid also lauded JK and Christopher spoke of the feverish hunt to find an actor to play Harry. Then and now: Daniel was at the helm of the project, having played Harry in all eight films since he was 11 Looking back: The main man himself confessed: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter. My first kiss is connected to someone here, my first girlfriends were here...' Starring: JK Rowling received just 10 mentions in the Harry Potter reunion with repeated clips from an interview she undertook in 2019 at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (pictured in her archive footage) The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books, while it was revealed that Ron just 'jumped off the page' to Rupert - who called the book 'a beautiful, intricate world'. Christopher spoke of seeing David Copperfield on the BBC and realising Daniel was perfect for the role, while archive footage of the 2019 interview with JK showed her speaking of nailing finding Daniel. As Emma, Daniel and Rupert reunited, they began speaking about their own lives in the world of Harry Potter, in what they branded a 'surreal reunion' where 'no time had passed but so much time had passed'. Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age'. Opening up: As the one-off special launches into a deep dive of the world of Harry, Daniel is seen meeting up with director Christopher Columbus in Dumbledore's office, the set at Leavesden Studios Reunited: Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint recalled growing up on the 'greatest playground in the world' in scenes released ahead of the reunion special Leading lady: The lead stars of the show discussed their paths to scooping the roles - with Emma admitted she was obsessed with playing Hermione after it became her 'family's thing' to read the books On working with the child stars, Christopher insisted Emma was 'the cleverest person on the whole set', while she herself insisted she 'is Hermione' having connected deeply with the character: 'Hermione made complete sense to me, I felt like I was this girl', and admitted her family feared for her if she didn't get the role. Behind the scenes shots showed filming for the first movie, including the group larking around and playing a slapping game with their hands - which Emma revealed they did 'all the time', to the point their hands were raw. Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Changes: Reflecting on how they had all aged and time passing, Rupert hilariously mentioned he had both health woes and referred to his baby with Georgia Groome: 'I've had kidney stones and a baby so I'm feeling my age' I'll be back: Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of. Christopher praised Daniel's acting and said he reduced him to tears at the end of Philosopher's Stone, when he bid farewell to Hogwarts but vowed to return: 'I get tears, I still get tears thinking about it'. Introductions are paid to both the Weasley and Malfoy families - showing the stark differences between the good and bad of the wizarding world - and how the group played out the respective families. Star: Tom meanwhile reflected on how the stars were unaware of the calibre of actors alongside them due to their young years, as he said: 'I thought Richard Harris (second right) worked here as a tour guide for a while!' Open: The group admitted they were in the presence of 'the cream of the British acting industry'. Christopher conceded the pre-teens 'did not have the capability' to know who they were in the presence of Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family. On the evil side, Jason explained how he first auditioned for the role of hapless professor and author Gilderoy Lockhart - yet was soon turned to Lucius whose relationship with his son Draco was laid bare. He said: 'I'm convinced I got the role because I didn't want it. I was about to play Captain Hook and I didn't want to play two villains so I read through gritted teeth'. He explained Draco was a 'sadistic bully' due to his father. Happy days: Mark Williams, who played Mr Weasley, sat in the set of The Burrow alongside James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, and Bonnie where they discussed playing the adoring family CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age. The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire CHAPTER TWO: Coming Of Age Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire The stars of the movies then began looking at the grittier side of the franchise, when things took a turn in 2004's Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and 2005's Goblet Of Fire Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron. Gary explained that having kids pointed him towards the books, while Alfonso noted the movie is a 'coming of age': 'Harry is still a child in the first two... but then he turns 15 and there's a cloud that surrounds him'. Exciting: Introducing yet another star into the mix, Daniel met up with Hollywood heavyweight Gary Oldman, who played his godfather Sirius Black, and they discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up'. Daniel then spoke to Emma and Rupert about his starstruck moment of meeting Gary and how he demanded his co-stars 'don't mess up' in front of him - although confessed this was more an order of his own. Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars. Tough: Gary and Daniel discussed working with director Alfonso Cuaron Eerie: Rupert noted that: 'Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like a whole new era, a much darker. It felt a lot more grown up' The actor, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 69, famously played the stern Hogwarts professor, who worked as one of Voldemort's Death Eaters. It wasn't until a plot twist in the final installment that fans discovered how Severus had been acting as a double agent in order to protect the series' protagonist. Daniel revealed that Christopher would beg Alan to tell the story, saying 'Why are you doing that like that?' to which the Love Actually star would reply, 'I'll tell you later.' Daniel then voiced a note perfect of the late star. The lead trio then spoke about the thrill of working with director Mike Newell on the fourth movie - noting his kindness and playfulness with the child stars. Daniel said: 'Mike is this excited, loud, passionate man', while Rupert stated: 'I love Mike, he was great, it was almost like he was from the books'. Shock: Talk turned to the late Alan Rickman, as it was revealed that he he refused to reveal the fate of his Harry Potter character, Severus Snape, to the film's director or to any of his co-stars Fighting it: Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs James and Oliver spoke about when a fight with Mike while he instructed them on fighting in front of the Goblet Of Fire, led to Mike having his ribs broken. Aside from the fun and frolics on stage, the group spoke about how highly charged the hormones were on-set, with Daniel describing the movie as 'peak hormone' for him, as the students are all seen falling for one another for the first time - both on and off screen. Discussing filming the Yule Ball, all the stars admitted they struggled, with Emma saying she battled with having her 'Ugly Duckling moment', meaning she had to be trained by Mike in walking down the stairs. She recalled: Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time - pictured during a tutoring session 'I used to come in every day and look for him': Emma Watson, 31, reveals she remembers the moment she fell in love with Harry Potter co-star Tom Felton, 34, as they share a hug during reunion special - which is set to air on New Year's Day Reunited: Tom flashed a wide smile as Emma hurried over to him before they shared a loving hug Emma was even seen recalling the exact moment that she 'fell in love' with her former co-star Tom during a tutoring session between filming. The actress - reminisced about her crush on Tom and vividly recalled him making her heart skip a beat for the first time. The pair also shared a warm embrace as they hugged with delight while reuniting on camera in The Great Hall for the TV special. Tom was 14 years old when the first Harry Potter movie came out in 2001, while Emma was just 11. They both starred in all eight Harry Potter films. She recalled: 'I walked into the room where we were having tutoring. The assignment that had been given was to draw what you thought God looked like, and Tom had drawn a girl with a backward cap on a skateboard. 'And I just don't know how to say it I just fell in love with him. I used to come in every day and look for his number on the call sheet, it was number seven, and if his name was on the call sheet, it was an extra exciting day.' Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike. Terrifying: Mike spoke about the resurrection of Voldemort and why he cast Ralph Fiennes. Ralph revealed his niece urged him to play the supervillain - who he felt was 'inhuman' and snakelike CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince CHAPTER THREE: The Light And Dark Within Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet. Daniel coyly admitted he had a soft spot for his 55-year old co-star, despite their 23-year age difference. Reading his message aloud for the first time, he said: 'Dear HBC, it was a pleasure being your co-star and coaster in the fact I always ended up holding your coffee. I do love you and I wish Id just been born ten years earlier so I mightve been in with a chance.' Helen and Gary are then seen discussing Bellatrix killing her cousin Sirius and a deleted scene showing a duel. The esteemed stars revealed they went to wand school to hone the choreography of the moves. Meet up: Adding another superstar into the mix, Daniel then meets up with Helena Bonham Carter, who reveals she still has an autograph he signed which she keeps in her toilet Eww! Helena brought along the teeth she wore to play the terrifying Death Eater On film number four, director David Yates was recruited when things became darker and more grown up. The stars lauded David for helping draw out more intensity and explained that while the world was politicising, he was wanted to draw this into the movies and display that element. Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars. After they were catapulted to stardom following the success of The Philosopher's Stone in 2001, before the pair had even reached their teen years they struggled to adjust to their superstardom. Admitting to writing about being lonely in a diary entry at the time, the Beauty And The Beast star explained how 'the fame thing had finally hit home in a big way'. Hurt: Showing the more pained real life side to their time on-screen, Emma and Rupert then revealed they nearly quit their acting roles in the franchise due to struggling with being child stars She confessed: 'I think I was scared. I don't know if you ever felt like it got to a tipping point where you were like, "This is kind of forever now."' It was around the time of Order of the Phoenix when things started getting spicy for all of us,' she continued of the 2007 blockbuster which she filmed aged 16. Rupert chimed in: 'I also had sort of similar feelings to Emma, contemplating what life would be like if I called it a day. We never really spoke about it. I guess we were just going through it at our own pace, we were kind of in the moment at the time. It just didn't really occur to us that we were all probably kind of having similar feelings.' Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role. Emma gushed about being 'proud' of Evanna, as well as Bonnie, who played Ginny in the franchise. Sweet: Talk then turned to 'the outsiders' of the cast, with Evanna, who plays Luna Lovegood, revealing she was a pen friend of JK Rowling's before she attended the open casting call for the role CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 CHAPTER FOUR - Something Worth Fighting For Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 As the franchise drew to a close with the final two movies, the group discussed how things changed for them in their more mature status as actors as well as their storylines intensifying. Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through'. Harry, Emma and Rupert were likened to astronauts by David Yates thanks to their joint experiences in becoming global superstars at the helm of the huge productions. In anticipation of Hermione and Ron becoming romantically involved, Emma and Rupert discussed how they struggled to film their first kiss amid the Battle Of Hogwarts in the final movie. Rupert admitted that the audience were 'desperate' to see the duo kiss. An honour: Rupert said: 'Nobody can understand what we went through' Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing'. The cast and crew discussed the final scenes and the 'spiritual' elements of the final battle scene between Harry and Voldemort before a montage of adorable throwbacks shot up. Following their discussions of each film, the group all grew emotional as they rounded out the show. Rupert said: 'I'm very proud to have been part of it, it was weird at the end. I lost track of who I was and who the character was. My name didn't feel like my name and I only knew one thing - to play Ron'. Emma went on: 'It's like we did the most extreme form of method acting. The way it feels for me now - I'm trying not to get emotional - it feels you you're a pillar of my life', while Rupert added that 'they are family'. Eek! Emma recalled: 'Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because Dan, Rupert and I are so siblings'. She then confessed they kept 'corpsing' - a term for actors ruining scenes by laughing' Rupert then said: 'I love you, as a friend - just to be clear'. Throwbacks showed the final scenes being filmed with all the stars weeping and holding each other, in a state of 'utter devastation'. Emma said: 'It was the first time we let ourselves realise we'd made it through'. Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud', while Emma said: 'There's something about Harry Potter that makes life richer. When things get really dark and times are really hard, stories give us places we can go where we can rest and we can be held'. Breaking down in tears, Emma said: 'It was the best most amazing experience and I cant explain they're such good people and they're so kind and they took the responsibility so seriously and I appreciate that so much'. Rupert said: 'They're like family. We're so intrinsically linked and they're incredibly important to me.' Fighting back tears, Daniel added: 'There's people on these films who are foundational to who I am, as a person, as an actor, I am so lucky to have the life I have and be able to work with the people I work with now An honour: Daniel said: 'Every part of my life is connected to Potter... it makes me proud' Stars tearfully remember 'magic' Alan Rickman, 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'generous' Richard Griffiths during reunion show in memoriam The actors and cast behind the Harry Potter franchise remembered their late co-stars during an in memoriam section of the Harry Potter Return To Hogwarts reunion, which aired on Saturday. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint led the tributes to the many stars they have lost over the past two decades, since the franchise launched with Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone - including Richard Harris, Alan Rickman and most recently Helen McCrory. Speaking about appearing on the reunion without their late stars, Emma said: 'It's obviously amazing to be back, but so many people we thought would be here for much longer like Helen and Alan and Richard', while Rupert sadly echoed: 'They're like family, just gone too soon'. Speaking about working with such icons, Daniel said: 'I feel really lucky to have some little bit of touch with the people who have passed... I'll be very old one day and say I knew that absolute legend.' An honour: Stars tearfully remembered the late stars of Harry Potter in Saturday's Return To Hogwarts reunion special, including 'empathetic' Helen McCrory, 'twinkly' Richard Harris and 'magic' Alan Rickman (left-right) Lost: Helen played the Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 HELEN MCCROY PLAYED: Narcissa Malfoy DIED: April 2021, aged 52 Helen played Draco Malfoy's mother and Lucius' wife in 2009's Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and 2010 and 2011's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2. She passed away in April this year after a secret 'heroic battle' with cancer, her husband Damian Lewis confirmed at the time. The 'beautiful and mighty' actress died 'peacefully' at home surrounded by friends and family. Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen. Jason said: 'Helen McCroy played my wife. I said I think I've just seen the best actress I've ever seen in my life. I feel lucky to have worked with her and shared so much frankly adolescent laughter on the set. Speaking about his on-screen mum, Tom broke down as he emotionally said: 'She taught me a lot. See I can't even say it. She had this ability to show such empathy in her eyes. It was a real treat to work with her.' An honour: Speaking about Helen during the reunion, her on-screen husband and son, played by Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton, lauded the incredibly talented star following their stints with her on-screen Shock: Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden ALAN RICKMAN PLAYED: Severus Snape DIED: January 2016, aged 69 Alan played the cruel yet troubled Professor Snape across all eight movies, inciting fear and later sympathy in students as he kept his love for Harry's mother Lily hidden. He is ultimately killed by his master Lord Voldemort, after Harry discovered the sacrifices he made for him. In August 2015, Alan suffered a minor stroke, which led to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He revealed that he had terminal cancer to only his closest confidants. On 14 January 2016, he died in London at the age of 69. Speaking about working with the acting icon, Emma said: 'Alan Rickman never spoke to me like I was a child. He always took my thoughts and opinions very seriously which I was always very touched by.' Ralph Fiennes meanwhile, who played Voldemort, said: 'Alan was a very dear friend, and we had that final scene, his final scene. I was a little intimidated by his precision and his expert delivery of lines. We sort of went toe to toe in a funny way, Snape and Voldemort. Two actors fencing with each other. Alan was a magician in that way'. Reaching out: Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, and Ralph Fiennes, who played Voldemort, honoured Alan Star: Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets RICHARD HARRIS PLAYED: Albus Dumbledore DIED: October 2002, aged 72 Esteemed actor Richard starred as the Hogwarts headmaster in 2001's Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone and 2002's Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets. He famously revealed he was reluctant to take the role, but it was his 11-year-old granddaughter who begged him to reconsider, threatening never to talk to him again if he refused the role. 'What could I do?' moaned Harris. 'I wasn't going to let her down.' After starring in two movies, he passed away in October 2002 at London's University College Hospital, after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease that August. He had reportedly been hospitalised with pneumonia. Speaking about his on-screen legacy and what it was like to work with the legend, Emma said: 'Richard Harris was such a special, warm person. He was so twinkly'. Director Christopher Columbus went on: 'Richard Harris was classic - probably one of the funniest men I've ever met. He was this devilish 11-year-old trapped in a 70 plus year old man's body. He just had this glint in his eye that made him the perfect Dumbledore by the way. He was brutally hilarious.' Evil: Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers RICHARD GRIFFITHS PLAYED: Vernon Dursley DIED: March 2013, aged 65 Richard played the patriarch of Harry's cruel adoptive family The Dursleys. Starring as Uncle Vernon, he was vile to Harry throughout his upbringing in light of his magic powers. The beloved star died aged 65 at University Hospital Coventry on 28 March 2013. His passing came following complications with heart surgery and was met with an outpouring of heartache from the acting world. Speaking about working with the star, producer David Heyman said: 'Richard Griffiths was just delicious as Mr Dursley. He embraced his wickedness with such verve and passion'. Daniel meanwhile grew emotional as he said: 'His passing was the one that effected me the most because he was generous with knowledge and just wanted to share everything with you'. A full list of the cast and crew lost over the past two decades then flashed up, listing: Timothy Bateson, Terence Bayler, Sam Beazley, Sheila Allen, Peter Cartwright, Derek Deadman, Hazel Douglas, Alfred Burke, Salo Gardner, Richard Griffiths, Robert Hardy, Jimmy Gardner, John Hurt, Robert Knox, Dave Legeno, Richard Harris, Margery Mason, Rik M ayall, Roger Lloud Pack, Paul Ritter, David Ryall, Helen McCroy, Alan Rickman, Eric Sykes, Verne Troyer, Mary Selway, Elizabeth Spriggs, Eric Sykes and Christoper Whittingham. KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 15:30 | All, World, Japan, Coronavirus Here is a collection of photos and videos taken during New Year's celebrations around Japan and beyond. Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attend a New Year's ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2022, wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Pool photo)(Kyodo) KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 15:30 | All, World, Japan, Coronavirus Here is a collection of photos and videos taken during New Year's celebrations around Japan and beyond. Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attend a New Year's ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2022, wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Pool photo)(Kyodo) US President Joe Biden paid a heartfelt tribute to legendary actor-comedian Betty White after her passing. Taking to his Twitter handle, Biden called Betty "a cultural icon" who will be "sorely missed." He wrote, "Betty White brought a smile to the lips of generations of Americans. She's a cultural icon who will be sorely missed. Jill and I are thinking of her family and all those who loved her this New Year's Eve." Michelle Obama, former US first lady, said White "broke barriers, defied expectations, served her country, and pushed us all to laugh." Along with a happy picture of the late actor, Michelle wrote, "Betty White broke barriers, defied expectations, served her country, and pushed us all to laugh. She was also an animal lover and activist, and Bo loved spending time with her." "There was no one quite like her, and Barack and I join so many who will miss the joy she brought to the world. I know our Bo is looking forward to seeing her up in heaven," she added. US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also mourned White's demise and tweeted, "Today, we lost a beloved TV icon. Betty White was a pioneering actress, who blessed generations of Americans with her talent and humor for 8 decades. May it be a comfort to her loved ones and many admirers that so many mourn with them during this sad time." Many other celebrities and political leaders mourned the demise of the icon, who passed away on Friday at the age of 99. White "died peacefully in her sleep at her home early this morning," her agent and close friend Jeff Witjas told People magazine on Friday afternoon. The Emmy Award-winning actor, who was born in 1922, would have turned 100 on January 17 this year. She was widely known for her lead role as Rose Nylund in 'The Golden Girls', which ran from 1985 to 1992. Moreover, White won five primetime Emmy Awards -- including two for 'Mary Tyler Moore,' one for 'Golden Girls' and one for her 1975 'SNL' appearance -- along with Screen Actors Guild Awards, American Comedy Awards and even a 2012 Grammy. (ANI) Larsa Pippen blessed her 3M Instagram followers on Thursday by posting two glamorous photos of herself while promoting the new season of The Real Housewives of Miami. The reality TV star, 47, posed in a transparent blue dress that showed off her legs as she struck her best modeling pose for the camera. The OG housewife captioned the snaps writing, 'New episode of The Real Housewives of Miami is on @peacocktv check it out.' Glamorous: Larsa Pippen, 47, blessed her 3M Instagram followers on Thursday by posting two glamorous photos of herself while promoting the new season of The Real Housewives of Miami In one shot Pippen appeared to be in her spacious walk-in closet, as she pushed her leg forward to reveal the sultry thigh-slit in her dress. Kim Kardashian's former best friend paired the sexy outfit with a pair of white heels. Larsa also accessorized with a chic basket purse. The mom-of-four styled her hair down to perfection, letting it down in loose waves that swept over her shoulder. In another snap Pippen can be seen from up close as her eyes flirt with the camera through a seductive gaze, revealing her smoky evening makeup and long nails. Seductive gaze: The reality TV star wore a diamond necklace as she struck her best modeling pose for the camera The star also opted for a bit of sparkle to go along with her look, wearing large silver hoops and a diamond necklace. Fans were thrilled with the shots, with one commenting, 'hot queen' while another called Larsa 'every man's dream woman.' Larsa has been busy promoting her long awaited return to the Real Housewives of Miami series, which dropped on December 16. She quickly caused controversy on the show by discussing her work on OnlyFans, revealing that she makes $10,000 per day on the platform. Despite the fact that the site is mostly known for hosting X-rated images and videos sold to fans by sex workers and models, Pippen insisted that she made her money by posting regular pictures. Miami stunner: Larsa has been busy promoting her long awaited return to the Real Housewives of Miami series, which dropped on December 16 'I literally post the same things I would post on Instagram,' she said. However, many of the ladies weren't buying Larsa's story. 'If you're making $10,000 a day, you're showing more,' Alexia Echevarria said, implying that Larsa was stripping down on the subscription-based social media platform. Earlier this year Larsa also made an Instagram post stating her OnlyFans was designed to empower women. 'I dont care what anyone says. Every woman can love and live on her own terms. I want to show women all over the world no matter where they are in life they can be sexy and successful!' DES MOINES The county attorney prosecuting the case of two southeast Iowa teens charged with murder in the death of their high school Spanish teacher said in court documents that they surveilled her pattern of life, ambushed her along her daily walk and dragged her into the woods, returning later to better hide her lifeless body. Those additional details of the death of Nohema Graber in early November were revealed in a Dec. 23 filing in the case of Jeremy Goodale, 16, of Fairfield. He is charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder with classmate Willard Miller, also 16. Attorneys for both teens have asked a judge to move their case to juvenile court. Hearings on the requests are scheduled for Jan. 27. In court documents filed Dec. 23, Jefferson County Attorney Chauncy Moulding offered the additional details of Grabers death. Graber, 66, was reported missing Nov. 2 and her remains were found later that day in a park. Authorities earlier confirmed that she had suffered inflicted trauma to the head and that her body was found concealed under a tarp, wheelbarrow and railroad ties at the Chautauqua Park in Fairfield, about 95 miles southeast of Des Moines. Authorities have not released a motive. Both teens attended Grabers Spanish class at Fairfield High School, where she had taught since 2012. Moulding argued that trying Goodale as an adult is the only appropriate plan because he would be released at age 18, less than 24 months, if he is tried and convicted in the juvenile court system. This prosecuting attorney cannot fathom any combination of programming at any Iowa juvenile facility which could appropriately treat or rehabilitate the defendant if adjudicated as a juvenile, he said. Millers attorney has made a similar request, and Moulding resisted for many of the same reasons. Miller and Goodale are being held on $1 million cash bond in juvenile detention facilities awaiting trial. Both have pleaded not guilty. Moulding charged them as adults with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. The sentence in Iowa would be life in prison for first-degree murder as an adult, although a 2016 Iowa Supreme Court ruling requires juveniles to have a chance of release when given life sentences. The wrong Covid test results have been given out in another part of Australia as Omicron case numbers skyrocket. In South Australia, 11 people were given the wrong PCR results via text message on New Year's Eve. SA Pathology, which is owned by the state government, had the right results only for an IT bungle to send out incorrect ones. The individuals were contacted with an apology. 'A clarification was sent within three hours of the original message being received and we contacted all those affected to explain the situation and apologise for any inconvenience caused,' an SA Health spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia. The wrong Covid test results have been given out in another part of Australia as Omicron case numbers skyrocket. In South Australia, 11 people were given the wrong PCR results via text message on New Year's Eve (pictured is a lab tester at SA Pathology) 'The error was found during our usual quality control processes and while this is the first occurrence in South Australia, we've implemented further measures to avoid a similar incident happening again.' Since Monday, SA Pathology has carried out 134,025 Covid-19 tests. On New Year's Day, South Australia reported 2,108 new daily Covid cases, with 71 people in hospital with four of them in intensive care and one on a ventilator. This marked a marginal increase from the 2,093 the day before. The latest increase takes the state's total Covid cases to 13,178 in a state where 87.9 per cent of the population, aged 12 and over, have had at least two doses of a coronavirus vaccine. The error follows a situation in New South Wales where St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney mistakenly told 1,395 positive cases, they were negative. In NSW, 22,577 new cases were announced on January 1, based on the result for the 24 hours to 8pm on New Year's Eve. So far, 93.6 per cent of the NSW population aged 16 and over is double vaccinated. SA Pathology, which is owned by the state government, had the right results only for an IT bungle to send out incorrect ones (pictured is a drive-through testing clinic in Adelaide) The wrong Covid test results have been given out in another part of Australia as Omicron case numbers skyrocket. In South Australia, 11 people were given the wrong PCR results via text message on New Year's Eve. SA Pathology, which is owned by the state government, had the right results only for an IT bungle to send out incorrect ones. The individuals were contacted with an apology. 'A clarification was sent within three hours of the original message being received and we contacted all those affected to explain the situation and apologise for any inconvenience caused,' an SA Health spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia. The wrong Covid test results have been given out in another part of Australia as Omicron case numbers skyrocket. In South Australia, 11 people were given the wrong PCR results via text message on New Year's Eve (pictured is a lab tester at SA Pathology) 'The error was found during our usual quality control processes and while this is the first occurrence in South Australia, we've implemented further measures to avoid a similar incident happening again.' Since Monday, SA Pathology has carried out 134,025 Covid-19 tests. On New Year's Day, South Australia reported 2,108 new daily Covid cases, with 71 people in hospital with four of them in intensive care and one on a ventilator. This marked a marginal increase from the 2,093 the day before. The latest increase takes the state's total Covid cases to 13,178 in a state where 87.9 per cent of the population, aged 12 and over, have had at least two doses of a coronavirus vaccine. The error follows a situation in New South Wales where St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney mistakenly told 1,395 positive cases, they were negative. In NSW, 22,577 new cases were announced on January 1, based on the result for the 24 hours to 8pm on New Year's Eve. So far, 93.6 per cent of the NSW population aged 16 and over is double vaccinated. SA Pathology, which is owned by the state government, had the right results only for an IT bungle to send out incorrect ones (pictured is a drive-through testing clinic in Adelaide) I had never seen a dead body before, but I still vividly remember seeing a body in a coffin for the first time, she said. What struck me for some reason were the hands I dont know exactly why, the way they were resting perhaps, but it was just very different. Ill never forget that. Ms Witten was soon asked to work in the mortuary after a manager realised her talents with hair and makeup would translate perfectly to that setting. When bodies arrive at a funeral home, they often need to be worked on to make them more presentable to mourners, especially if the casket is to be open during the funeral. Having hair and makeup skills is highly desirable in the funeral industry, and Ms Witten has now worked in that capacity for many years. There are obviously aspects that are different, such as embalming, which is more anatomical, but getting people ready for a final presentation is mostly hair and makeup, which is what Ive been doing most of my working life, she said. Caleb Terrill was a long-haul truck driver in New Zealand when he realised he needed a career change. Caleb Terrill was a long-haul truck driver in New Zealand when he made the jump to the funeral industry. Mr Terrills first experience seeing a dead body came a lot earlier than Ms Wittens he lost his best friend in a car accident in New Zealand when he was 10, and the funeral had an open casket. It had a really strong impression on me, about how important funerals are to help people grieve, give them that sense of closure, he said. After getting his start in the funeral industry in New Zealand, Mr Terrill moved to Australia and continued his career, which gave him a unique perspective on a surprising difference between the two countries. Open-casket funerals are very common in New Zealand its almost unusual not to have one whereas when I came to Australia, it struck me that its basically flipped, people have to ask for them specifically, he said. I dont have any insight into why that is, but its a very stark difference in the countries, which I think see themselves as fairly similar. Both Mr Terrill and Ms Witten work for companies owned by InvoCare, one of the largest funeral businesses in Australia. InvoCares Mandy Pengilly, who manages the companys Queensland and northern NSW operations, said it wanted more people to consider a career in the industry. InvoCares Mandy Pengilly is calling for people to join the funeral industry. Ms Pengilly said, historically, the funeral industry had been quite insular and often sold itself as being run by family firms. She said while many small independent operators still existed, that had changed over the past decade, and she encouraged people who may not have considered the industry to look into it. We do have to be robust in our hiring process to make sure were getting people who have very good empathy and people skills, she said. But the thing is, if you have skills around things like event planning, logistics, hair and makeup, even medical training, that can all be used in the funeral industry. The big obstacle for many people, she said, was not just having to deal physically with cadavers but to be around grief and death on a regular basis. But she said many companies were now big enough that people could section off their duties to things they were comfortable with. In her spare time, Sue Witten is a keen roller derby competitor. We have specialised roles, and we have multifaceted roles, so in a lot of city locations, we make sure we have people in specialised roles so they can really focus on giving the best result for the families, she said. A lot of smaller [funeral] operators dont have that ability, but whats great about the industry is there are small, medium and large businesses all operating well in the same space. I had never seen a dead body before, but I still vividly remember seeing a body in a coffin for the first time, she said. What struck me for some reason were the hands I dont know exactly why, the way they were resting perhaps, but it was just very different. Ill never forget that. Ms Witten was soon asked to work in the mortuary after a manager realised her talents with hair and makeup would translate perfectly to that setting. When bodies arrive at a funeral home, they often need to be worked on to make them more presentable to mourners, especially if the casket is to be open during the funeral. Having hair and makeup skills is highly desirable in the funeral industry, and Ms Witten has now worked in that capacity for many years. There are obviously aspects that are different, such as embalming, which is more anatomical, but getting people ready for a final presentation is mostly hair and makeup, which is what Ive been doing most of my working life, she said. Caleb Terrill was a long-haul truck driver in New Zealand when he realised he needed a career change. Caleb Terrill was a long-haul truck driver in New Zealand when he made the jump to the funeral industry. Mr Terrills first experience seeing a dead body came a lot earlier than Ms Wittens he lost his best friend in a car accident in New Zealand when he was 10, and the funeral had an open casket. It had a really strong impression on me, about how important funerals are to help people grieve, give them that sense of closure, he said. After getting his start in the funeral industry in New Zealand, Mr Terrill moved to Australia and continued his career, which gave him a unique perspective on a surprising difference between the two countries. Open-casket funerals are very common in New Zealand its almost unusual not to have one whereas when I came to Australia, it struck me that its basically flipped, people have to ask for them specifically, he said. I dont have any insight into why that is, but its a very stark difference in the countries, which I think see themselves as fairly similar. Both Mr Terrill and Ms Witten work for companies owned by InvoCare, one of the largest funeral businesses in Australia. InvoCares Mandy Pengilly, who manages the companys Queensland and northern NSW operations, said it wanted more people to consider a career in the industry. InvoCares Mandy Pengilly is calling for people to join the funeral industry. Ms Pengilly said, historically, the funeral industry had been quite insular and often sold itself as being run by family firms. She said while many small independent operators still existed, that had changed over the past decade, and she encouraged people who may not have considered the industry to look into it. We do have to be robust in our hiring process to make sure were getting people who have very good empathy and people skills, she said. But the thing is, if you have skills around things like event planning, logistics, hair and makeup, even medical training, that can all be used in the funeral industry. The big obstacle for many people, she said, was not just having to deal physically with cadavers but to be around grief and death on a regular basis. But she said many companies were now big enough that people could section off their duties to things they were comfortable with. In her spare time, Sue Witten is a keen roller derby competitor. We have specialised roles, and we have multifaceted roles, so in a lot of city locations, we make sure we have people in specialised roles so they can really focus on giving the best result for the families, she said. A lot of smaller [funeral] operators dont have that ability, but whats great about the industry is there are small, medium and large businesses all operating well in the same space. The Chief Minister will continue his tours to districts in New Year 2022 to launch various development programmes. He visited Nalgonda on December 29 and made certain promises to develop the town. By arrangement HYDERABAD: The promises being made by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on development programmes as part of his tours to various districts will be executed in 48 hours unlike earlier when people had to wait for months and years to see them happening on the ground. The Chief Ministers promises made in Nalgonda on Wednesday on setting up an IT tower, a new degree college, integrated markets etc, started translating into reality within 48 hours while the required funds and land allotments were made within 36 hours. The Chief Minister will continue his tours to districts in New Year 2022 to launch various development programmes. He visited Nalgonda on December 29 and made certain promises to develop the town. Directions were issued to the departments concerned to execute the Chief Ministers promises within 48 hours. With this, the IT department sprang into action sanctioning Rs 50 crore within 24 hours on December 30 for setting up IT hub. The higher education department issued orders on war footing sanctioning Rs 30 crore for setting up a new degree college. The technical education department issued orders sanctioning 3 acres belonging to polytechnic college in Nalgonda to set up an IT tower with a built-up space of 75,000 sq. ft. (750 seater capacity). The Nalgonda district administration issued orders allotting land for setting up of integrated vegetable and meat markets besides a fruit market. Official sources said the Chief Minister had entrusted the responsibility of executing his promises to respective ministers. The Chief Minister rushed IT minister K.T. Rama Rao to Nalgonda to execute his announcement of IT tower and R&B minister V. Prashanth Reddy to speed up the construction of buildings and laying of roads in Nalgonda. This strategy worked as all the promises made by the Chief Minister could be executed within 48 hours. The Chief Minister wants to continue this strategy to put development works on fast track while undertaking tours to districts in January 2022. The Chief Minister will continue his tours to districts in New Year 2022 to launch various development programmes. He visited Nalgonda on December 29 and made certain promises to develop the town. By arrangement HYDERABAD: The promises being made by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on development programmes as part of his tours to various districts will be executed in 48 hours unlike earlier when people had to wait for months and years to see them happening on the ground. The Chief Ministers promises made in Nalgonda on Wednesday on setting up an IT tower, a new degree college, integrated markets etc, started translating into reality within 48 hours while the required funds and land allotments were made within 36 hours. The Chief Minister will continue his tours to districts in New Year 2022 to launch various development programmes. He visited Nalgonda on December 29 and made certain promises to develop the town. Directions were issued to the departments concerned to execute the Chief Ministers promises within 48 hours. With this, the IT department sprang into action sanctioning Rs 50 crore within 24 hours on December 30 for setting up IT hub. The higher education department issued orders on war footing sanctioning Rs 30 crore for setting up a new degree college. The technical education department issued orders sanctioning 3 acres belonging to polytechnic college in Nalgonda to set up an IT tower with a built-up space of 75,000 sq. ft. (750 seater capacity). The Nalgonda district administration issued orders allotting land for setting up of integrated vegetable and meat markets besides a fruit market. Official sources said the Chief Minister had entrusted the responsibility of executing his promises to respective ministers. The Chief Minister rushed IT minister K.T. Rama Rao to Nalgonda to execute his announcement of IT tower and R&B minister V. Prashanth Reddy to speed up the construction of buildings and laying of roads in Nalgonda. This strategy worked as all the promises made by the Chief Minister could be executed within 48 hours. The Chief Minister wants to continue this strategy to put development works on fast track while undertaking tours to districts in January 2022. The Chief Minister will continue his tours to districts in New Year 2022 to launch various development programmes. He visited Nalgonda on December 29 and made certain promises to develop the town. By arrangement HYDERABAD: The promises being made by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on development programmes as part of his tours to various districts will be executed in 48 hours unlike earlier when people had to wait for months and years to see them happening on the ground. The Chief Ministers promises made in Nalgonda on Wednesday on setting up an IT tower, a new degree college, integrated markets etc, started translating into reality within 48 hours while the required funds and land allotments were made within 36 hours. The Chief Minister will continue his tours to districts in New Year 2022 to launch various development programmes. He visited Nalgonda on December 29 and made certain promises to develop the town. Directions were issued to the departments concerned to execute the Chief Ministers promises within 48 hours. With this, the IT department sprang into action sanctioning Rs 50 crore within 24 hours on December 30 for setting up IT hub. The higher education department issued orders on war footing sanctioning Rs 30 crore for setting up a new degree college. The technical education department issued orders sanctioning 3 acres belonging to polytechnic college in Nalgonda to set up an IT tower with a built-up space of 75,000 sq. ft. (750 seater capacity). The Nalgonda district administration issued orders allotting land for setting up of integrated vegetable and meat markets besides a fruit market. Official sources said the Chief Minister had entrusted the responsibility of executing his promises to respective ministers. The Chief Minister rushed IT minister K.T. Rama Rao to Nalgonda to execute his announcement of IT tower and R&B minister V. Prashanth Reddy to speed up the construction of buildings and laying of roads in Nalgonda. This strategy worked as all the promises made by the Chief Minister could be executed within 48 hours. The Chief Minister wants to continue this strategy to put development works on fast track while undertaking tours to districts in January 2022. Owners of the Golden Ox Diner on Wilson Road weren't looking forward to another restaurant relocation job. The last one started two years ago DES MOINES The county attorney prosecuting the case of two southeast Iowa teens charged with murder in the death of their high school Spanish teacher said in court documents that they surveilled her pattern of life, ambushed her along her daily walk and dragged her into the woods, returning later to better hide her lifeless body. Those additional details of the death of Nohema Graber in early November were revealed in a Dec. 23 filing in the case of Jeremy Goodale, 16, of Fairfield. He is charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder with classmate Willard Miller, also 16. Attorneys for both teens have asked a judge to move their case to juvenile court. Hearings on the requests are scheduled for Jan. 27. In court documents filed Dec. 23, Jefferson County Attorney Chauncy Moulding offered the additional details of Grabers death. Graber, 66, was reported missing Nov. 2 and her remains were found later that day in a park. Authorities earlier confirmed that she had suffered inflicted trauma to the head and that her body was found concealed under a tarp, wheelbarrow and railroad ties at the Chautauqua Park in Fairfield, about 95 miles southeast of Des Moines. Authorities have not released a motive. Both teens attended Grabers Spanish class at Fairfield High School, where she had taught since 2012. Moulding argued that trying Goodale as an adult is the only appropriate plan because he would be released at age 18, less than 24 months, if he is tried and convicted in the juvenile court system. This prosecuting attorney cannot fathom any combination of programming at any Iowa juvenile facility which could appropriately treat or rehabilitate the defendant if adjudicated as a juvenile, he said. Millers attorney has made a similar request, and Moulding resisted for many of the same reasons. Miller and Goodale are being held on $1 million cash bond in juvenile detention facilities awaiting trial. Both have pleaded not guilty. Moulding charged them as adults with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. The sentence in Iowa would be life in prison for first-degree murder as an adult, although a 2016 Iowa Supreme Court ruling requires juveniles to have a chance of release when given life sentences. Advertisement From the hot air balloon to the space shuttle, a new book celebrates the golden era of travel innovation. Extraordinary Voyages, by Francisca Matteoli, tells 50 extraordinary stories of travel from around the world in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, covering a dizzying range of transport, from motorcycles to cruise liners. The period heralded a time of innovation, exploration and the beginning of the democratisation of travel. Distant lands were no longer only accessible to the upper classes and adventurers, the 'ordinary' people eager to see the world could now travel by boat, train, plane and car. The book has been produced in collaboration with French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton, and many of the photographs capture the stylish travellers with the distinctive LV monogrammed luggage in tow. Founded in Paris in 1854, Louis Vuitton started as a trunk maker and has enjoyed a rich and diverse history. Now it is a leading fashion and accessories brand coveted by millions around the world. Extraordinary Voyages is brought to life with more than 300 historical photographs and ephemera from Louis Vuittons official archives, from luggage tags to inventions. Here, FEMAIL shares a selection of just some of the beautiful images... Pioneer! The American actress and aviatrix, Miss Elinor Blevins, in front of her race car, in Washington, D.C in 1915. It is one of the stunning images featured in the stunning photo book Extraordinary Voyages, by Francesca Matteoli for Louis Vuitton All aboard! 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Passengers in swimwear luxuriate on board the SS Rex, a transatlantic ocean liner, in 1934 Into the unknown: group of tourists relax and soak in the sun and take in the amazing views onboard a cruise in the Norwegian fjords in the 1930s Luxury travel: A French Lines shipping company luggage tag, from 192030, which would have been added to bags Seeing the world: A car belonging to French journalist Jean du Taillis, complete with a Louis Vuitton luggage trunk, is loaded onto an improvised ferry bound for Djerba in southern Tunisia, in 1932 Historic: The LZ 129 Hindenburg airship lands after a first test flight in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in May 1936 Invention: A man operating the Vuitton II, a flying device with two propellers, designed by Jean and Pierre Vuitton, circa 1910 Around the world air travel: A Dewoitine D.338 flies over Europe to Hong Kong in the 1930s remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. 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Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Residents shared their New Years resolutions, including plans to travel, spending time with family and setting goals for self-improvement. Jessielene Cura Whitton, 35 originally from Yigo, returned to the island from where she now lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, for the holidays to visit family. My New Years resolution is to do stuff for me and not to consider other people first, just to do it for me, said Whitton. Some things she wants to do: more traveling, working out not to look good for others, but to feel good and to cook what she wants. Whitton is hoping this year to take a few trips to Alaska to appreciate the outdoors and untouched wilderness. She also wants to return to Guam more often in the future. Family Spending more time with family and less time at work is a priority Natasha Mehring-Cruz, 33, of Barrigada, is setting for herself in 2022. She wants to enjoy more moments with those who are close to her, like her newborn and 10-year-old sons, as well as her grandparents. While Mehring-Cruz said that in 2021, because of the pandemic, she was not able to see as many family members or have big gatherings, it caused her to have a greater appreciation for small events and celebrations in the household. Better person I think my New Years resolution is that I want to become a better person than I was last year, said Ioanis Artui, 25, of Yigo. He wants to improve his health and become a better person at work and to his family. Part of his work resolution for 2022 is to launch a clothing branding business, especially for sun shirts for the beach and outdoor activities. Kylendra Osborn, 23 from Yigo, said she doesnt have a New Years resolution this year, or any year, and that she focuses on living life as it is and taking it day by day. Although not a resolution, Osborn intends to travel internationally in 2022 and is in the process of getting her first passport to visit Palau, where she has family. Residents shared their New Years resolutions, including plans to travel, spending time with family and setting goals for self-improvement. Jessielene Cura Whitton, 35 originally from Yigo, returned to the island from where she now lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, for the holidays to visit family. My New Years resolution is to do stuff for me and not to consider other people first, just to do it for me, said Whitton. Some things she wants to do: more traveling, working out not to look good for others, but to feel good and to cook what she wants. Whitton is hoping this year to take a few trips to Alaska to appreciate the outdoors and untouched wilderness. She also wants to return to Guam more often in the future. Family Spending more time with family and less time at work is a priority Natasha Mehring-Cruz, 33, of Barrigada, is setting for herself in 2022. She wants to enjoy more moments with those who are close to her, like her newborn and 10-year-old sons, as well as her grandparents. While Mehring-Cruz said that in 2021, because of the pandemic, she was not able to see as many family members or have big gatherings, it caused her to have a greater appreciation for small events and celebrations in the household. Better person I think my New Years resolution is that I want to become a better person than I was last year, said Ioanis Artui, 25, of Yigo. He wants to improve his health and become a better person at work and to his family. Part of his work resolution for 2022 is to launch a clothing branding business, especially for sun shirts for the beach and outdoor activities. Kylendra Osborn, 23 from Yigo, said she doesnt have a New Years resolution this year, or any year, and that she focuses on living life as it is and taking it day by day. Although not a resolution, Osborn intends to travel internationally in 2022 and is in the process of getting her first passport to visit Palau, where she has family. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Residents shared their New Years resolutions, including plans to travel, spending time with family and setting goals for self-improvement. Jessielene Cura Whitton, 35 originally from Yigo, returned to the island from where she now lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, for the holidays to visit family. My New Years resolution is to do stuff for me and not to consider other people first, just to do it for me, said Whitton. Some things she wants to do: more traveling, working out not to look good for others, but to feel good and to cook what she wants. Whitton is hoping this year to take a few trips to Alaska to appreciate the outdoors and untouched wilderness. She also wants to return to Guam more often in the future. Family Spending more time with family and less time at work is a priority Natasha Mehring-Cruz, 33, of Barrigada, is setting for herself in 2022. She wants to enjoy more moments with those who are close to her, like her newborn and 10-year-old sons, as well as her grandparents. While Mehring-Cruz said that in 2021, because of the pandemic, she was not able to see as many family members or have big gatherings, it caused her to have a greater appreciation for small events and celebrations in the household. Better person I think my New Years resolution is that I want to become a better person than I was last year, said Ioanis Artui, 25, of Yigo. He wants to improve his health and become a better person at work and to his family. Part of his work resolution for 2022 is to launch a clothing branding business, especially for sun shirts for the beach and outdoor activities. Kylendra Osborn, 23 from Yigo, said she doesnt have a New Years resolution this year, or any year, and that she focuses on living life as it is and taking it day by day. Although not a resolution, Osborn intends to travel internationally in 2022 and is in the process of getting her first passport to visit Palau, where she has family. Residents shared their New Years resolutions, including plans to travel, spending time with family and setting goals for self-improvement. Jessielene Cura Whitton, 35 originally from Yigo, returned to the island from where she now lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, for the holidays to visit family. My New Years resolution is to do stuff for me and not to consider other people first, just to do it for me, said Whitton. Some things she wants to do: more traveling, working out not to look good for others, but to feel good and to cook what she wants. Whitton is hoping this year to take a few trips to Alaska to appreciate the outdoors and untouched wilderness. She also wants to return to Guam more often in the future. Family Spending more time with family and less time at work is a priority Natasha Mehring-Cruz, 33, of Barrigada, is setting for herself in 2022. She wants to enjoy more moments with those who are close to her, like her newborn and 10-year-old sons, as well as her grandparents. While Mehring-Cruz said that in 2021, because of the pandemic, she was not able to see as many family members or have big gatherings, it caused her to have a greater appreciation for small events and celebrations in the household. Better person I think my New Years resolution is that I want to become a better person than I was last year, said Ioanis Artui, 25, of Yigo. He wants to improve his health and become a better person at work and to his family. Part of his work resolution for 2022 is to launch a clothing branding business, especially for sun shirts for the beach and outdoor activities. Kylendra Osborn, 23 from Yigo, said she doesnt have a New Years resolution this year, or any year, and that she focuses on living life as it is and taking it day by day. Although not a resolution, Osborn intends to travel internationally in 2022 and is in the process of getting her first passport to visit Palau, where she has family. I had never seen a dead body before, but I still vividly remember seeing a body in a coffin for the first time, she said. What struck me for some reason were the hands I dont know exactly why, the way they were resting perhaps, but it was just very different. Ill never forget that. Ms Witten was soon asked to work in the mortuary after a manager realised her talents with hair and makeup would translate perfectly to that setting. When bodies arrive at a funeral home, they often need to be worked on to make them more presentable to mourners, especially if the casket is to be open during the funeral. Having hair and makeup skills is highly desirable in the funeral industry, and Ms Witten has now worked in that capacity for many years. There are obviously aspects that are different, such as embalming, which is more anatomical, but getting people ready for a final presentation is mostly hair and makeup, which is what Ive been doing most of my working life, she said. Caleb Terrill was a long-haul truck driver in New Zealand when he realised he needed a career change. Caleb Terrill was a long-haul truck driver in New Zealand when he made the jump to the funeral industry. Mr Terrills first experience seeing a dead body came a lot earlier than Ms Wittens he lost his best friend in a car accident in New Zealand when he was 10, and the funeral had an open casket. It had a really strong impression on me, about how important funerals are to help people grieve, give them that sense of closure, he said. After getting his start in the funeral industry in New Zealand, Mr Terrill moved to Australia and continued his career, which gave him a unique perspective on a surprising difference between the two countries. Open-casket funerals are very common in New Zealand its almost unusual not to have one whereas when I came to Australia, it struck me that its basically flipped, people have to ask for them specifically, he said. I dont have any insight into why that is, but its a very stark difference in the countries, which I think see themselves as fairly similar. Both Mr Terrill and Ms Witten work for companies owned by InvoCare, one of the largest funeral businesses in Australia. InvoCares Mandy Pengilly, who manages the companys Queensland and northern NSW operations, said it wanted more people to consider a career in the industry. InvoCares Mandy Pengilly is calling for people to join the funeral industry. Ms Pengilly said, historically, the funeral industry had been quite insular and often sold itself as being run by family firms. She said while many small independent operators still existed, that had changed over the past decade, and she encouraged people who may not have considered the industry to look into it. We do have to be robust in our hiring process to make sure were getting people who have very good empathy and people skills, she said. But the thing is, if you have skills around things like event planning, logistics, hair and makeup, even medical training, that can all be used in the funeral industry. The big obstacle for many people, she said, was not just having to deal physically with cadavers but to be around grief and death on a regular basis. But she said many companies were now big enough that people could section off their duties to things they were comfortable with. In her spare time, Sue Witten is a keen roller derby competitor. We have specialised roles, and we have multifaceted roles, so in a lot of city locations, we make sure we have people in specialised roles so they can really focus on giving the best result for the families, she said. A lot of smaller [funeral] operators dont have that ability, but whats great about the industry is there are small, medium and large businesses all operating well in the same space. I had never seen a dead body before, but I still vividly remember seeing a body in a coffin for the first time, she said. What struck me for some reason were the hands I dont know exactly why, the way they were resting perhaps, but it was just very different. Ill never forget that. Ms Witten was soon asked to work in the mortuary after a manager realised her talents with hair and makeup would translate perfectly to that setting. When bodies arrive at a funeral home, they often need to be worked on to make them more presentable to mourners, especially if the casket is to be open during the funeral. Having hair and makeup skills is highly desirable in the funeral industry, and Ms Witten has now worked in that capacity for many years. There are obviously aspects that are different, such as embalming, which is more anatomical, but getting people ready for a final presentation is mostly hair and makeup, which is what Ive been doing most of my working life, she said. Caleb Terrill was a long-haul truck driver in New Zealand when he realised he needed a career change. Caleb Terrill was a long-haul truck driver in New Zealand when he made the jump to the funeral industry. Mr Terrills first experience seeing a dead body came a lot earlier than Ms Wittens he lost his best friend in a car accident in New Zealand when he was 10, and the funeral had an open casket. It had a really strong impression on me, about how important funerals are to help people grieve, give them that sense of closure, he said. After getting his start in the funeral industry in New Zealand, Mr Terrill moved to Australia and continued his career, which gave him a unique perspective on a surprising difference between the two countries. Open-casket funerals are very common in New Zealand its almost unusual not to have one whereas when I came to Australia, it struck me that its basically flipped, people have to ask for them specifically, he said. I dont have any insight into why that is, but its a very stark difference in the countries, which I think see themselves as fairly similar. Both Mr Terrill and Ms Witten work for companies owned by InvoCare, one of the largest funeral businesses in Australia. InvoCares Mandy Pengilly, who manages the companys Queensland and northern NSW operations, said it wanted more people to consider a career in the industry. InvoCares Mandy Pengilly is calling for people to join the funeral industry. Ms Pengilly said, historically, the funeral industry had been quite insular and often sold itself as being run by family firms. She said while many small independent operators still existed, that had changed over the past decade, and she encouraged people who may not have considered the industry to look into it. We do have to be robust in our hiring process to make sure were getting people who have very good empathy and people skills, she said. But the thing is, if you have skills around things like event planning, logistics, hair and makeup, even medical training, that can all be used in the funeral industry. The big obstacle for many people, she said, was not just having to deal physically with cadavers but to be around grief and death on a regular basis. But she said many companies were now big enough that people could section off their duties to things they were comfortable with. In her spare time, Sue Witten is a keen roller derby competitor. We have specialised roles, and we have multifaceted roles, so in a lot of city locations, we make sure we have people in specialised roles so they can really focus on giving the best result for the families, she said. A lot of smaller [funeral] operators dont have that ability, but whats great about the industry is there are small, medium and large businesses all operating well in the same space. I had never seen a dead body before, but I still vividly remember seeing a body in a coffin for the first time, she said. What struck me for some reason were the hands I dont know exactly why, the way they were resting perhaps, but it was just very different. Ill never forget that. Ms Witten was soon asked to work in the mortuary after a manager realised her talents with hair and makeup would translate perfectly to that setting. When bodies arrive at a funeral home, they often need to be worked on to make them more presentable to mourners, especially if the casket is to be open during the funeral. Having hair and makeup skills is highly desirable in the funeral industry, and Ms Witten has now worked in that capacity for many years. There are obviously aspects that are different, such as embalming, which is more anatomical, but getting people ready for a final presentation is mostly hair and makeup, which is what Ive been doing most of my working life, she said. Caleb Terrill was a long-haul truck driver in New Zealand when he realised he needed a career change. Caleb Terrill was a long-haul truck driver in New Zealand when he made the jump to the funeral industry. Mr Terrills first experience seeing a dead body came a lot earlier than Ms Wittens he lost his best friend in a car accident in New Zealand when he was 10, and the funeral had an open casket. It had a really strong impression on me, about how important funerals are to help people grieve, give them that sense of closure, he said. After getting his start in the funeral industry in New Zealand, Mr Terrill moved to Australia and continued his career, which gave him a unique perspective on a surprising difference between the two countries. Open-casket funerals are very common in New Zealand its almost unusual not to have one whereas when I came to Australia, it struck me that its basically flipped, people have to ask for them specifically, he said. I dont have any insight into why that is, but its a very stark difference in the countries, which I think see themselves as fairly similar. Both Mr Terrill and Ms Witten work for companies owned by InvoCare, one of the largest funeral businesses in Australia. InvoCares Mandy Pengilly, who manages the companys Queensland and northern NSW operations, said it wanted more people to consider a career in the industry. InvoCares Mandy Pengilly is calling for people to join the funeral industry. Ms Pengilly said, historically, the funeral industry had been quite insular and often sold itself as being run by family firms. She said while many small independent operators still existed, that had changed over the past decade, and she encouraged people who may not have considered the industry to look into it. We do have to be robust in our hiring process to make sure were getting people who have very good empathy and people skills, she said. But the thing is, if you have skills around things like event planning, logistics, hair and makeup, even medical training, that can all be used in the funeral industry. The big obstacle for many people, she said, was not just having to deal physically with cadavers but to be around grief and death on a regular basis. But she said many companies were now big enough that people could section off their duties to things they were comfortable with. In her spare time, Sue Witten is a keen roller derby competitor. We have specialised roles, and we have multifaceted roles, so in a lot of city locations, we make sure we have people in specialised roles so they can really focus on giving the best result for the families, she said. A lot of smaller [funeral] operators dont have that ability, but whats great about the industry is there are small, medium and large businesses all operating well in the same space. I had never seen a dead body before, but I still vividly remember seeing a body in a coffin for the first time, she said. What struck me for some reason were the hands I dont know exactly why, the way they were resting perhaps, but it was just very different. Ill never forget that. Ms Witten was soon asked to work in the mortuary after a manager realised her talents with hair and makeup would translate perfectly to that setting. When bodies arrive at a funeral home, they often need to be worked on to make them more presentable to mourners, especially if the casket is to be open during the funeral. Having hair and makeup skills is highly desirable in the funeral industry, and Ms Witten has now worked in that capacity for many years. There are obviously aspects that are different, such as embalming, which is more anatomical, but getting people ready for a final presentation is mostly hair and makeup, which is what Ive been doing most of my working life, she said. Caleb Terrill was a long-haul truck driver in New Zealand when he realised he needed a career change. Caleb Terrill was a long-haul truck driver in New Zealand when he made the jump to the funeral industry. Mr Terrills first experience seeing a dead body came a lot earlier than Ms Wittens he lost his best friend in a car accident in New Zealand when he was 10, and the funeral had an open casket. It had a really strong impression on me, about how important funerals are to help people grieve, give them that sense of closure, he said. After getting his start in the funeral industry in New Zealand, Mr Terrill moved to Australia and continued his career, which gave him a unique perspective on a surprising difference between the two countries. Open-casket funerals are very common in New Zealand its almost unusual not to have one whereas when I came to Australia, it struck me that its basically flipped, people have to ask for them specifically, he said. I dont have any insight into why that is, but its a very stark difference in the countries, which I think see themselves as fairly similar. Both Mr Terrill and Ms Witten work for companies owned by InvoCare, one of the largest funeral businesses in Australia. InvoCares Mandy Pengilly, who manages the companys Queensland and northern NSW operations, said it wanted more people to consider a career in the industry. InvoCares Mandy Pengilly is calling for people to join the funeral industry. Ms Pengilly said, historically, the funeral industry had been quite insular and often sold itself as being run by family firms. She said while many small independent operators still existed, that had changed over the past decade, and she encouraged people who may not have considered the industry to look into it. We do have to be robust in our hiring process to make sure were getting people who have very good empathy and people skills, she said. But the thing is, if you have skills around things like event planning, logistics, hair and makeup, even medical training, that can all be used in the funeral industry. The big obstacle for many people, she said, was not just having to deal physically with cadavers but to be around grief and death on a regular basis. But she said many companies were now big enough that people could section off their duties to things they were comfortable with. In her spare time, Sue Witten is a keen roller derby competitor. We have specialised roles, and we have multifaceted roles, so in a lot of city locations, we make sure we have people in specialised roles so they can really focus on giving the best result for the families, she said. A lot of smaller [funeral] operators dont have that ability, but whats great about the industry is there are small, medium and large businesses all operating well in the same space. I had never seen a dead body before, but I still vividly remember seeing a body in a coffin for the first time, she said. What struck me for some reason were the hands I dont know exactly why, the way they were resting perhaps, but it was just very different. Ill never forget that. Ms Witten was soon asked to work in the mortuary after a manager realised her talents with hair and makeup would translate perfectly to that setting. When bodies arrive at a funeral home, they often need to be worked on to make them more presentable to mourners, especially if the casket is to be open during the funeral. Having hair and makeup skills is highly desirable in the funeral industry, and Ms Witten has now worked in that capacity for many years. There are obviously aspects that are different, such as embalming, which is more anatomical, but getting people ready for a final presentation is mostly hair and makeup, which is what Ive been doing most of my working life, she said. Caleb Terrill was a long-haul truck driver in New Zealand when he realised he needed a career change. Caleb Terrill was a long-haul truck driver in New Zealand when he made the jump to the funeral industry. Mr Terrills first experience seeing a dead body came a lot earlier than Ms Wittens he lost his best friend in a car accident in New Zealand when he was 10, and the funeral had an open casket. It had a really strong impression on me, about how important funerals are to help people grieve, give them that sense of closure, he said. After getting his start in the funeral industry in New Zealand, Mr Terrill moved to Australia and continued his career, which gave him a unique perspective on a surprising difference between the two countries. Open-casket funerals are very common in New Zealand its almost unusual not to have one whereas when I came to Australia, it struck me that its basically flipped, people have to ask for them specifically, he said. I dont have any insight into why that is, but its a very stark difference in the countries, which I think see themselves as fairly similar. Both Mr Terrill and Ms Witten work for companies owned by InvoCare, one of the largest funeral businesses in Australia. InvoCares Mandy Pengilly, who manages the companys Queensland and northern NSW operations, said it wanted more people to consider a career in the industry. InvoCares Mandy Pengilly is calling for people to join the funeral industry. Ms Pengilly said, historically, the funeral industry had been quite insular and often sold itself as being run by family firms. She said while many small independent operators still existed, that had changed over the past decade, and she encouraged people who may not have considered the industry to look into it. We do have to be robust in our hiring process to make sure were getting people who have very good empathy and people skills, she said. But the thing is, if you have skills around things like event planning, logistics, hair and makeup, even medical training, that can all be used in the funeral industry. The big obstacle for many people, she said, was not just having to deal physically with cadavers but to be around grief and death on a regular basis. But she said many companies were now big enough that people could section off their duties to things they were comfortable with. In her spare time, Sue Witten is a keen roller derby competitor. We have specialised roles, and we have multifaceted roles, so in a lot of city locations, we make sure we have people in specialised roles so they can really focus on giving the best result for the families, she said. A lot of smaller [funeral] operators dont have that ability, but whats great about the industry is there are small, medium and large businesses all operating well in the same space. Advertisement From the hot air balloon to the space shuttle, a new book celebrates the golden era of travel innovation. Extraordinary Voyages, by Francisca Matteoli, tells 50 extraordinary stories of travel from around the world in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, covering a dizzying range of transport, from motorcycles to cruise liners. The period heralded a time of innovation, exploration and the beginning of the democratisation of travel. Distant lands were no longer only accessible to the upper classes and adventurers, the 'ordinary' people eager to see the world could now travel by boat, train, plane and car. The book has been produced in collaboration with French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton, and many of the photographs capture the stylish travellers with the distinctive LV monogrammed luggage in tow. Founded in Paris in 1854, Louis Vuitton started as a trunk maker and has enjoyed a rich and diverse history. Now it is a leading fashion and accessories brand coveted by millions around the world. Extraordinary Voyages is brought to life with more than 300 historical photographs and ephemera from Louis Vuittons official archives, from luggage tags to inventions. Here, FEMAIL shares a selection of just some of the beautiful images... Pioneer! The American actress and aviatrix, Miss Elinor Blevins, in front of her race car, in Washington, D.C in 1915. It is one of the stunning images featured in the stunning photo book Extraordinary Voyages, by Francesca Matteoli for Louis Vuitton All aboard! An elegant woman boards a train in Europe in the 1960s with a stack of Louis Vuitton monogrammed luggage Up, up and away! Photographer Therese Bonney snapped this photo of a woman in front of an Imperial Airways London flight in 1927 Sailing the seven seas! Passengers in swimwear luxuriate on board the SS Rex, a transatlantic ocean liner, in 1934 Into the unknown: group of tourists relax and soak in the sun and take in the amazing views onboard a cruise in the Norwegian fjords in the 1930s Luxury travel: A French Lines shipping company luggage tag, from 192030, which would have been added to bags Seeing the world: A car belonging to French journalist Jean du Taillis, complete with a Louis Vuitton luggage trunk, is loaded onto an improvised ferry bound for Djerba in southern Tunisia, in 1932 Historic: The LZ 129 Hindenburg airship lands after a first test flight in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in May 1936 Invention: A man operating the Vuitton II, a flying device with two propellers, designed by Jean and Pierre Vuitton, circa 1910 Around the world air travel: A Dewoitine D.338 flies over Europe to Hong Kong in the 1930s Advertisement From the hot air balloon to the space shuttle, a new book celebrates the golden era of travel innovation. Extraordinary Voyages, by Francisca Matteoli, tells 50 extraordinary stories of travel from around the world in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, covering a dizzying range of transport, from motorcycles to cruise liners. The period heralded a time of innovation, exploration and the beginning of the democratisation of travel. Distant lands were no longer only accessible to the upper classes and adventurers, the 'ordinary' people eager to see the world could now travel by boat, train, plane and car. The book has been produced in collaboration with French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton, and many of the photographs capture the stylish travellers with the distinctive LV monogrammed luggage in tow. Founded in Paris in 1854, Louis Vuitton started as a trunk maker and has enjoyed a rich and diverse history. Now it is a leading fashion and accessories brand coveted by millions around the world. Extraordinary Voyages is brought to life with more than 300 historical photographs and ephemera from Louis Vuittons official archives, from luggage tags to inventions. Here, FEMAIL shares a selection of just some of the beautiful images... Pioneer! The American actress and aviatrix, Miss Elinor Blevins, in front of her race car, in Washington, D.C in 1915. It is one of the stunning images featured in the stunning photo book Extraordinary Voyages, by Francesca Matteoli for Louis Vuitton All aboard! An elegant woman boards a train in Europe in the 1960s with a stack of Louis Vuitton monogrammed luggage Up, up and away! Photographer Therese Bonney snapped this photo of a woman in front of an Imperial Airways London flight in 1927 Sailing the seven seas! Passengers in swimwear luxuriate on board the SS Rex, a transatlantic ocean liner, in 1934 Into the unknown: group of tourists relax and soak in the sun and take in the amazing views onboard a cruise in the Norwegian fjords in the 1930s Luxury travel: A French Lines shipping company luggage tag, from 192030, which would have been added to bags Seeing the world: A car belonging to French journalist Jean du Taillis, complete with a Louis Vuitton luggage trunk, is loaded onto an improvised ferry bound for Djerba in southern Tunisia, in 1932 Historic: The LZ 129 Hindenburg airship lands after a first test flight in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in May 1936 Invention: A man operating the Vuitton II, a flying device with two propellers, designed by Jean and Pierre Vuitton, circa 1910 Around the world air travel: A Dewoitine D.338 flies over Europe to Hong Kong in the 1930s Advertisement From the hot air balloon to the space shuttle, a new book celebrates the golden era of travel innovation. Extraordinary Voyages, by Francisca Matteoli, tells 50 extraordinary stories of travel from around the world in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, covering a dizzying range of transport, from motorcycles to cruise liners. The period heralded a time of innovation, exploration and the beginning of the democratisation of travel. Distant lands were no longer only accessible to the upper classes and adventurers, the 'ordinary' people eager to see the world could now travel by boat, train, plane and car. The book has been produced in collaboration with French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton, and many of the photographs capture the stylish travellers with the distinctive LV monogrammed luggage in tow. Founded in Paris in 1854, Louis Vuitton started as a trunk maker and has enjoyed a rich and diverse history. Now it is a leading fashion and accessories brand coveted by millions around the world. Extraordinary Voyages is brought to life with more than 300 historical photographs and ephemera from Louis Vuittons official archives, from luggage tags to inventions. Here, FEMAIL shares a selection of just some of the beautiful images... Pioneer! The American actress and aviatrix, Miss Elinor Blevins, in front of her race car, in Washington, D.C in 1915. It is one of the stunning images featured in the stunning photo book Extraordinary Voyages, by Francesca Matteoli for Louis Vuitton All aboard! An elegant woman boards a train in Europe in the 1960s with a stack of Louis Vuitton monogrammed luggage Up, up and away! Photographer Therese Bonney snapped this photo of a woman in front of an Imperial Airways London flight in 1927 Sailing the seven seas! Passengers in swimwear luxuriate on board the SS Rex, a transatlantic ocean liner, in 1934 Into the unknown: group of tourists relax and soak in the sun and take in the amazing views onboard a cruise in the Norwegian fjords in the 1930s Luxury travel: A French Lines shipping company luggage tag, from 192030, which would have been added to bags Seeing the world: A car belonging to French journalist Jean du Taillis, complete with a Louis Vuitton luggage trunk, is loaded onto an improvised ferry bound for Djerba in southern Tunisia, in 1932 Historic: The LZ 129 Hindenburg airship lands after a first test flight in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in May 1936 Invention: A man operating the Vuitton II, a flying device with two propellers, designed by Jean and Pierre Vuitton, circa 1910 Around the world air travel: A Dewoitine D.338 flies over Europe to Hong Kong in the 1930s Advertisement From the hot air balloon to the space shuttle, a new book celebrates the golden era of travel innovation. Extraordinary Voyages, by Francisca Matteoli, tells 50 extraordinary stories of travel from around the world in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, covering a dizzying range of transport, from motorcycles to cruise liners. The period heralded a time of innovation, exploration and the beginning of the democratisation of travel. Distant lands were no longer only accessible to the upper classes and adventurers, the 'ordinary' people eager to see the world could now travel by boat, train, plane and car. The book has been produced in collaboration with French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton, and many of the photographs capture the stylish travellers with the distinctive LV monogrammed luggage in tow. Founded in Paris in 1854, Louis Vuitton started as a trunk maker and has enjoyed a rich and diverse history. Now it is a leading fashion and accessories brand coveted by millions around the world. Extraordinary Voyages is brought to life with more than 300 historical photographs and ephemera from Louis Vuittons official archives, from luggage tags to inventions. Here, FEMAIL shares a selection of just some of the beautiful images... Pioneer! The American actress and aviatrix, Miss Elinor Blevins, in front of her race car, in Washington, D.C in 1915. It is one of the stunning images featured in the stunning photo book Extraordinary Voyages, by Francesca Matteoli for Louis Vuitton All aboard! An elegant woman boards a train in Europe in the 1960s with a stack of Louis Vuitton monogrammed luggage Up, up and away! Photographer Therese Bonney snapped this photo of a woman in front of an Imperial Airways London flight in 1927 Sailing the seven seas! Passengers in swimwear luxuriate on board the SS Rex, a transatlantic ocean liner, in 1934 Into the unknown: group of tourists relax and soak in the sun and take in the amazing views onboard a cruise in the Norwegian fjords in the 1930s Luxury travel: A French Lines shipping company luggage tag, from 192030, which would have been added to bags Seeing the world: A car belonging to French journalist Jean du Taillis, complete with a Louis Vuitton luggage trunk, is loaded onto an improvised ferry bound for Djerba in southern Tunisia, in 1932 Historic: The LZ 129 Hindenburg airship lands after a first test flight in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in May 1936 Invention: A man operating the Vuitton II, a flying device with two propellers, designed by Jean and Pierre Vuitton, circa 1910 Around the world air travel: A Dewoitine D.338 flies over Europe to Hong Kong in the 1930s Advertisement From the hot air balloon to the space shuttle, a new book celebrates the golden era of travel innovation. Extraordinary Voyages, by Francisca Matteoli, tells 50 extraordinary stories of travel from around the world in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, covering a dizzying range of transport, from motorcycles to cruise liners. The period heralded a time of innovation, exploration and the beginning of the democratisation of travel. Distant lands were no longer only accessible to the upper classes and adventurers, the 'ordinary' people eager to see the world could now travel by boat, train, plane and car. The book has been produced in collaboration with French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton, and many of the photographs capture the stylish travellers with the distinctive LV monogrammed luggage in tow. Founded in Paris in 1854, Louis Vuitton started as a trunk maker and has enjoyed a rich and diverse history. Now it is a leading fashion and accessories brand coveted by millions around the world. Extraordinary Voyages is brought to life with more than 300 historical photographs and ephemera from Louis Vuittons official archives, from luggage tags to inventions. Here, FEMAIL shares a selection of just some of the beautiful images... Pioneer! The American actress and aviatrix, Miss Elinor Blevins, in front of her race car, in Washington, D.C in 1915. It is one of the stunning images featured in the stunning photo book Extraordinary Voyages, by Francesca Matteoli for Louis Vuitton All aboard! An elegant woman boards a train in Europe in the 1960s with a stack of Louis Vuitton monogrammed luggage Up, up and away! Photographer Therese Bonney snapped this photo of a woman in front of an Imperial Airways London flight in 1927 Sailing the seven seas! Passengers in swimwear luxuriate on board the SS Rex, a transatlantic ocean liner, in 1934 Into the unknown: group of tourists relax and soak in the sun and take in the amazing views onboard a cruise in the Norwegian fjords in the 1930s Luxury travel: A French Lines shipping company luggage tag, from 192030, which would have been added to bags Seeing the world: A car belonging to French journalist Jean du Taillis, complete with a Louis Vuitton luggage trunk, is loaded onto an improvised ferry bound for Djerba in southern Tunisia, in 1932 Historic: The LZ 129 Hindenburg airship lands after a first test flight in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in May 1936 Invention: A man operating the Vuitton II, a flying device with two propellers, designed by Jean and Pierre Vuitton, circa 1910 Around the world air travel: A Dewoitine D.338 flies over Europe to Hong Kong in the 1930s Advertisement From the hot air balloon to the space shuttle, a new book celebrates the golden era of travel innovation. Extraordinary Voyages, by Francisca Matteoli, tells 50 extraordinary stories of travel from around the world in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, covering a dizzying range of transport, from motorcycles to cruise liners. The period heralded a time of innovation, exploration and the beginning of the democratisation of travel. Distant lands were no longer only accessible to the upper classes and adventurers, the 'ordinary' people eager to see the world could now travel by boat, train, plane and car. The book has been produced in collaboration with French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton, and many of the photographs capture the stylish travellers with the distinctive LV monogrammed luggage in tow. Founded in Paris in 1854, Louis Vuitton started as a trunk maker and has enjoyed a rich and diverse history. Now it is a leading fashion and accessories brand coveted by millions around the world. Extraordinary Voyages is brought to life with more than 300 historical photographs and ephemera from Louis Vuittons official archives, from luggage tags to inventions. Here, FEMAIL shares a selection of just some of the beautiful images... Pioneer! The American actress and aviatrix, Miss Elinor Blevins, in front of her race car, in Washington, D.C in 1915. It is one of the stunning images featured in the stunning photo book Extraordinary Voyages, by Francesca Matteoli for Louis Vuitton All aboard! An elegant woman boards a train in Europe in the 1960s with a stack of Louis Vuitton monogrammed luggage Up, up and away! Photographer Therese Bonney snapped this photo of a woman in front of an Imperial Airways London flight in 1927 Sailing the seven seas! Passengers in swimwear luxuriate on board the SS Rex, a transatlantic ocean liner, in 1934 Into the unknown: group of tourists relax and soak in the sun and take in the amazing views onboard a cruise in the Norwegian fjords in the 1930s Luxury travel: A French Lines shipping company luggage tag, from 192030, which would have been added to bags Seeing the world: A car belonging to French journalist Jean du Taillis, complete with a Louis Vuitton luggage trunk, is loaded onto an improvised ferry bound for Djerba in southern Tunisia, in 1932 Historic: The LZ 129 Hindenburg airship lands after a first test flight in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in May 1936 Invention: A man operating the Vuitton II, a flying device with two propellers, designed by Jean and Pierre Vuitton, circa 1910 Around the world air travel: A Dewoitine D.338 flies over Europe to Hong Kong in the 1930s Advertisement From the hot air balloon to the space shuttle, a new book celebrates the golden era of travel innovation. Extraordinary Voyages, by Francisca Matteoli, tells 50 extraordinary stories of travel from around the world in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, covering a dizzying range of transport, from motorcycles to cruise liners. The period heralded a time of innovation, exploration and the beginning of the democratisation of travel. Distant lands were no longer only accessible to the upper classes and adventurers, the 'ordinary' people eager to see the world could now travel by boat, train, plane and car. The book has been produced in collaboration with French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton, and many of the photographs capture the stylish travellers with the distinctive LV monogrammed luggage in tow. Founded in Paris in 1854, Louis Vuitton started as a trunk maker and has enjoyed a rich and diverse history. Now it is a leading fashion and accessories brand coveted by millions around the world. Extraordinary Voyages is brought to life with more than 300 historical photographs and ephemera from Louis Vuittons official archives, from luggage tags to inventions. Here, FEMAIL shares a selection of just some of the beautiful images... Pioneer! The American actress and aviatrix, Miss Elinor Blevins, in front of her race car, in Washington, D.C in 1915. It is one of the stunning images featured in the stunning photo book Extraordinary Voyages, by Francesca Matteoli for Louis Vuitton All aboard! An elegant woman boards a train in Europe in the 1960s with a stack of Louis Vuitton monogrammed luggage Up, up and away! Photographer Therese Bonney snapped this photo of a woman in front of an Imperial Airways London flight in 1927 Sailing the seven seas! Passengers in swimwear luxuriate on board the SS Rex, a transatlantic ocean liner, in 1934 Into the unknown: group of tourists relax and soak in the sun and take in the amazing views onboard a cruise in the Norwegian fjords in the 1930s Luxury travel: A French Lines shipping company luggage tag, from 192030, which would have been added to bags Seeing the world: A car belonging to French journalist Jean du Taillis, complete with a Louis Vuitton luggage trunk, is loaded onto an improvised ferry bound for Djerba in southern Tunisia, in 1932 Historic: The LZ 129 Hindenburg airship lands after a first test flight in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in May 1936 Invention: A man operating the Vuitton II, a flying device with two propellers, designed by Jean and Pierre Vuitton, circa 1910 Around the world air travel: A Dewoitine D.338 flies over Europe to Hong Kong in the 1930s Advertisement From the hot air balloon to the space shuttle, a new book celebrates the golden era of travel innovation. Extraordinary Voyages, by Francisca Matteoli, tells 50 extraordinary stories of travel from around the world in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, covering a dizzying range of transport, from motorcycles to cruise liners. The period heralded a time of innovation, exploration and the beginning of the democratisation of travel. Distant lands were no longer only accessible to the upper classes and adventurers, the 'ordinary' people eager to see the world could now travel by boat, train, plane and car. The book has been produced in collaboration with French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton, and many of the photographs capture the stylish travellers with the distinctive LV monogrammed luggage in tow. Founded in Paris in 1854, Louis Vuitton started as a trunk maker and has enjoyed a rich and diverse history. Now it is a leading fashion and accessories brand coveted by millions around the world. Extraordinary Voyages is brought to life with more than 300 historical photographs and ephemera from Louis Vuittons official archives, from luggage tags to inventions. Here, FEMAIL shares a selection of just some of the beautiful images... Pioneer! The American actress and aviatrix, Miss Elinor Blevins, in front of her race car, in Washington, D.C in 1915. It is one of the stunning images featured in the stunning photo book Extraordinary Voyages, by Francesca Matteoli for Louis Vuitton All aboard! An elegant woman boards a train in Europe in the 1960s with a stack of Louis Vuitton monogrammed luggage Up, up and away! Photographer Therese Bonney snapped this photo of a woman in front of an Imperial Airways London flight in 1927 Sailing the seven seas! Passengers in swimwear luxuriate on board the SS Rex, a transatlantic ocean liner, in 1934 Into the unknown: group of tourists relax and soak in the sun and take in the amazing views onboard a cruise in the Norwegian fjords in the 1930s Luxury travel: A French Lines shipping company luggage tag, from 192030, which would have been added to bags Seeing the world: A car belonging to French journalist Jean du Taillis, complete with a Louis Vuitton luggage trunk, is loaded onto an improvised ferry bound for Djerba in southern Tunisia, in 1932 Historic: The LZ 129 Hindenburg airship lands after a first test flight in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in May 1936 Invention: A man operating the Vuitton II, a flying device with two propellers, designed by Jean and Pierre Vuitton, circa 1910 Around the world air travel: A Dewoitine D.338 flies over Europe to Hong Kong in the 1930s Advertisement From the hot air balloon to the space shuttle, a new book celebrates the golden era of travel innovation. Extraordinary Voyages, by Francisca Matteoli, tells 50 extraordinary stories of travel from around the world in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, covering a dizzying range of transport, from motorcycles to cruise liners. The period heralded a time of innovation, exploration and the beginning of the democratisation of travel. Distant lands were no longer only accessible to the upper classes and adventurers, the 'ordinary' people eager to see the world could now travel by boat, train, plane and car. The book has been produced in collaboration with French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton, and many of the photographs capture the stylish travellers with the distinctive LV monogrammed luggage in tow. Founded in Paris in 1854, Louis Vuitton started as a trunk maker and has enjoyed a rich and diverse history. Now it is a leading fashion and accessories brand coveted by millions around the world. Extraordinary Voyages is brought to life with more than 300 historical photographs and ephemera from Louis Vuittons official archives, from luggage tags to inventions. Here, FEMAIL shares a selection of just some of the beautiful images... Pioneer! The American actress and aviatrix, Miss Elinor Blevins, in front of her race car, in Washington, D.C in 1915. It is one of the stunning images featured in the stunning photo book Extraordinary Voyages, by Francesca Matteoli for Louis Vuitton All aboard! An elegant woman boards a train in Europe in the 1960s with a stack of Louis Vuitton monogrammed luggage Up, up and away! Photographer Therese Bonney snapped this photo of a woman in front of an Imperial Airways London flight in 1927 Sailing the seven seas! Passengers in swimwear luxuriate on board the SS Rex, a transatlantic ocean liner, in 1934 Into the unknown: group of tourists relax and soak in the sun and take in the amazing views onboard a cruise in the Norwegian fjords in the 1930s Luxury travel: A French Lines shipping company luggage tag, from 192030, which would have been added to bags Seeing the world: A car belonging to French journalist Jean du Taillis, complete with a Louis Vuitton luggage trunk, is loaded onto an improvised ferry bound for Djerba in southern Tunisia, in 1932 Historic: The LZ 129 Hindenburg airship lands after a first test flight in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in May 1936 Invention: A man operating the Vuitton II, a flying device with two propellers, designed by Jean and Pierre Vuitton, circa 1910 Around the world air travel: A Dewoitine D.338 flies over Europe to Hong Kong in the 1930s Advertisement From the hot air balloon to the space shuttle, a new book celebrates the golden era of travel innovation. Extraordinary Voyages, by Francisca Matteoli, tells 50 extraordinary stories of travel from around the world in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, covering a dizzying range of transport, from motorcycles to cruise liners. The period heralded a time of innovation, exploration and the beginning of the democratisation of travel. Distant lands were no longer only accessible to the upper classes and adventurers, the 'ordinary' people eager to see the world could now travel by boat, train, plane and car. The book has been produced in collaboration with French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton, and many of the photographs capture the stylish travellers with the distinctive LV monogrammed luggage in tow. Founded in Paris in 1854, Louis Vuitton started as a trunk maker and has enjoyed a rich and diverse history. Now it is a leading fashion and accessories brand coveted by millions around the world. Extraordinary Voyages is brought to life with more than 300 historical photographs and ephemera from Louis Vuittons official archives, from luggage tags to inventions. Here, FEMAIL shares a selection of just some of the beautiful images... Pioneer! The American actress and aviatrix, Miss Elinor Blevins, in front of her race car, in Washington, D.C in 1915. It is one of the stunning images featured in the stunning photo book Extraordinary Voyages, by Francesca Matteoli for Louis Vuitton All aboard! An elegant woman boards a train in Europe in the 1960s with a stack of Louis Vuitton monogrammed luggage Up, up and away! Photographer Therese Bonney snapped this photo of a woman in front of an Imperial Airways London flight in 1927 Sailing the seven seas! Passengers in swimwear luxuriate on board the SS Rex, a transatlantic ocean liner, in 1934 Into the unknown: group of tourists relax and soak in the sun and take in the amazing views onboard a cruise in the Norwegian fjords in the 1930s Luxury travel: A French Lines shipping company luggage tag, from 192030, which would have been added to bags Seeing the world: A car belonging to French journalist Jean du Taillis, complete with a Louis Vuitton luggage trunk, is loaded onto an improvised ferry bound for Djerba in southern Tunisia, in 1932 Historic: The LZ 129 Hindenburg airship lands after a first test flight in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in May 1936 Invention: A man operating the Vuitton II, a flying device with two propellers, designed by Jean and Pierre Vuitton, circa 1910 Around the world air travel: A Dewoitine D.338 flies over Europe to Hong Kong in the 1930s Advertisement From the hot air balloon to the space shuttle, a new book celebrates the golden era of travel innovation. Extraordinary Voyages, by Francisca Matteoli, tells 50 extraordinary stories of travel from around the world in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, covering a dizzying range of transport, from motorcycles to cruise liners. The period heralded a time of innovation, exploration and the beginning of the democratisation of travel. Distant lands were no longer only accessible to the upper classes and adventurers, the 'ordinary' people eager to see the world could now travel by boat, train, plane and car. The book has been produced in collaboration with French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton, and many of the photographs capture the stylish travellers with the distinctive LV monogrammed luggage in tow. Founded in Paris in 1854, Louis Vuitton started as a trunk maker and has enjoyed a rich and diverse history. Now it is a leading fashion and accessories brand coveted by millions around the world. Extraordinary Voyages is brought to life with more than 300 historical photographs and ephemera from Louis Vuittons official archives, from luggage tags to inventions. Here, FEMAIL shares a selection of just some of the beautiful images... Pioneer! The American actress and aviatrix, Miss Elinor Blevins, in front of her race car, in Washington, D.C in 1915. It is one of the stunning images featured in the stunning photo book Extraordinary Voyages, by Francesca Matteoli for Louis Vuitton All aboard! An elegant woman boards a train in Europe in the 1960s with a stack of Louis Vuitton monogrammed luggage Up, up and away! Photographer Therese Bonney snapped this photo of a woman in front of an Imperial Airways London flight in 1927 Sailing the seven seas! Passengers in swimwear luxuriate on board the SS Rex, a transatlantic ocean liner, in 1934 Into the unknown: group of tourists relax and soak in the sun and take in the amazing views onboard a cruise in the Norwegian fjords in the 1930s Luxury travel: A French Lines shipping company luggage tag, from 192030, which would have been added to bags Seeing the world: A car belonging to French journalist Jean du Taillis, complete with a Louis Vuitton luggage trunk, is loaded onto an improvised ferry bound for Djerba in southern Tunisia, in 1932 Historic: The LZ 129 Hindenburg airship lands after a first test flight in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in May 1936 Invention: A man operating the Vuitton II, a flying device with two propellers, designed by Jean and Pierre Vuitton, circa 1910 Around the world air travel: A Dewoitine D.338 flies over Europe to Hong Kong in the 1930s Advertisement From the hot air balloon to the space shuttle, a new book celebrates the golden era of travel innovation. Extraordinary Voyages, by Francisca Matteoli, tells 50 extraordinary stories of travel from around the world in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, covering a dizzying range of transport, from motorcycles to cruise liners. The period heralded a time of innovation, exploration and the beginning of the democratisation of travel. Distant lands were no longer only accessible to the upper classes and adventurers, the 'ordinary' people eager to see the world could now travel by boat, train, plane and car. The book has been produced in collaboration with French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton, and many of the photographs capture the stylish travellers with the distinctive LV monogrammed luggage in tow. Founded in Paris in 1854, Louis Vuitton started as a trunk maker and has enjoyed a rich and diverse history. Now it is a leading fashion and accessories brand coveted by millions around the world. Extraordinary Voyages is brought to life with more than 300 historical photographs and ephemera from Louis Vuittons official archives, from luggage tags to inventions. Here, FEMAIL shares a selection of just some of the beautiful images... Pioneer! The American actress and aviatrix, Miss Elinor Blevins, in front of her race car, in Washington, D.C in 1915. It is one of the stunning images featured in the stunning photo book Extraordinary Voyages, by Francesca Matteoli for Louis Vuitton All aboard! An elegant woman boards a train in Europe in the 1960s with a stack of Louis Vuitton monogrammed luggage Up, up and away! Photographer Therese Bonney snapped this photo of a woman in front of an Imperial Airways London flight in 1927 Sailing the seven seas! Passengers in swimwear luxuriate on board the SS Rex, a transatlantic ocean liner, in 1934 Into the unknown: group of tourists relax and soak in the sun and take in the amazing views onboard a cruise in the Norwegian fjords in the 1930s Luxury travel: A French Lines shipping company luggage tag, from 192030, which would have been added to bags Seeing the world: A car belonging to French journalist Jean du Taillis, complete with a Louis Vuitton luggage trunk, is loaded onto an improvised ferry bound for Djerba in southern Tunisia, in 1932 Historic: The LZ 129 Hindenburg airship lands after a first test flight in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in May 1936 Invention: A man operating the Vuitton II, a flying device with two propellers, designed by Jean and Pierre Vuitton, circa 1910 Around the world air travel: A Dewoitine D.338 flies over Europe to Hong Kong in the 1930s Advertisement From the hot air balloon to the space shuttle, a new book celebrates the golden era of travel innovation. Extraordinary Voyages, by Francisca Matteoli, tells 50 extraordinary stories of travel from around the world in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, covering a dizzying range of transport, from motorcycles to cruise liners. The period heralded a time of innovation, exploration and the beginning of the democratisation of travel. Distant lands were no longer only accessible to the upper classes and adventurers, the 'ordinary' people eager to see the world could now travel by boat, train, plane and car. The book has been produced in collaboration with French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton, and many of the photographs capture the stylish travellers with the distinctive LV monogrammed luggage in tow. Founded in Paris in 1854, Louis Vuitton started as a trunk maker and has enjoyed a rich and diverse history. Now it is a leading fashion and accessories brand coveted by millions around the world. Extraordinary Voyages is brought to life with more than 300 historical photographs and ephemera from Louis Vuittons official archives, from luggage tags to inventions. Here, FEMAIL shares a selection of just some of the beautiful images... Pioneer! The American actress and aviatrix, Miss Elinor Blevins, in front of her race car, in Washington, D.C in 1915. It is one of the stunning images featured in the stunning photo book Extraordinary Voyages, by Francesca Matteoli for Louis Vuitton All aboard! An elegant woman boards a train in Europe in the 1960s with a stack of Louis Vuitton monogrammed luggage Up, up and away! Photographer Therese Bonney snapped this photo of a woman in front of an Imperial Airways London flight in 1927 Sailing the seven seas! Passengers in swimwear luxuriate on board the SS Rex, a transatlantic ocean liner, in 1934 Into the unknown: group of tourists relax and soak in the sun and take in the amazing views onboard a cruise in the Norwegian fjords in the 1930s Luxury travel: A French Lines shipping company luggage tag, from 192030, which would have been added to bags Seeing the world: A car belonging to French journalist Jean du Taillis, complete with a Louis Vuitton luggage trunk, is loaded onto an improvised ferry bound for Djerba in southern Tunisia, in 1932 Historic: The LZ 129 Hindenburg airship lands after a first test flight in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in May 1936 Invention: A man operating the Vuitton II, a flying device with two propellers, designed by Jean and Pierre Vuitton, circa 1910 Around the world air travel: A Dewoitine D.338 flies over Europe to Hong Kong in the 1930s The report that came to the attention of the United States military in April 2017 relayed devastating news from Iraq: More than 30 people, among them women and children, had been killed when aircraft from the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Mosul struck a neighborhood known as Siha. A civilian casualty cell of the U.S. military, which was charged with assessing reports of civilians killed or wounded in coalition operations, learned of the claim in a Facebook post published on April 11 by the news outlet, the Iraqi Spring Media Center. The Pentagon began an inquiry, but only a week later its assessment officers couldnt confirm whether coalition aircraft had targeted that location, and they dismissed the claim, saying Siha was not among known districts of West Mosul. There would be no further review. Advertisement From the hot air balloon to the space shuttle, a new book celebrates the golden era of travel innovation. Extraordinary Voyages, by Francisca Matteoli, tells 50 extraordinary stories of travel from around the world in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, covering a dizzying range of transport, from motorcycles to cruise liners. The period heralded a time of innovation, exploration and the beginning of the democratisation of travel. Distant lands were no longer only accessible to the upper classes and adventurers, the 'ordinary' people eager to see the world could now travel by boat, train, plane and car. The book has been produced in collaboration with French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton, and many of the photographs capture the stylish travellers with the distinctive LV monogrammed luggage in tow. Founded in Paris in 1854, Louis Vuitton started as a trunk maker and has enjoyed a rich and diverse history. Now it is a leading fashion and accessories brand coveted by millions around the world. Extraordinary Voyages is brought to life with more than 300 historical photographs and ephemera from Louis Vuittons official archives, from luggage tags to inventions. Here, FEMAIL shares a selection of just some of the beautiful images... Pioneer! The American actress and aviatrix, Miss Elinor Blevins, in front of her race car, in Washington, D.C in 1915. It is one of the stunning images featured in the stunning photo book Extraordinary Voyages, by Francesca Matteoli for Louis Vuitton All aboard! An elegant woman boards a train in Europe in the 1960s with a stack of Louis Vuitton monogrammed luggage Up, up and away! Photographer Therese Bonney snapped this photo of a woman in front of an Imperial Airways London flight in 1927 Sailing the seven seas! Passengers in swimwear luxuriate on board the SS Rex, a transatlantic ocean liner, in 1934 Into the unknown: group of tourists relax and soak in the sun and take in the amazing views onboard a cruise in the Norwegian fjords in the 1930s Luxury travel: A French Lines shipping company luggage tag, from 192030, which would have been added to bags Seeing the world: A car belonging to French journalist Jean du Taillis, complete with a Louis Vuitton luggage trunk, is loaded onto an improvised ferry bound for Djerba in southern Tunisia, in 1932 Historic: The LZ 129 Hindenburg airship lands after a first test flight in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in May 1936 Invention: A man operating the Vuitton II, a flying device with two propellers, designed by Jean and Pierre Vuitton, circa 1910 Around the world air travel: A Dewoitine D.338 flies over Europe to Hong Kong in the 1930s Advertisement From the hot air balloon to the space shuttle, a new book celebrates the golden era of travel innovation. Extraordinary Voyages, by Francisca Matteoli, tells 50 extraordinary stories of travel from around the world in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, covering a dizzying range of transport, from motorcycles to cruise liners. The period heralded a time of innovation, exploration and the beginning of the democratisation of travel. Distant lands were no longer only accessible to the upper classes and adventurers, the 'ordinary' people eager to see the world could now travel by boat, train, plane and car. The book has been produced in collaboration with French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton, and many of the photographs capture the stylish travellers with the distinctive LV monogrammed luggage in tow. Founded in Paris in 1854, Louis Vuitton started as a trunk maker and has enjoyed a rich and diverse history. Now it is a leading fashion and accessories brand coveted by millions around the world. Extraordinary Voyages is brought to life with more than 300 historical photographs and ephemera from Louis Vuittons official archives, from luggage tags to inventions. Here, FEMAIL shares a selection of just some of the beautiful images... Pioneer! The American actress and aviatrix, Miss Elinor Blevins, in front of her race car, in Washington, D.C in 1915. It is one of the stunning images featured in the stunning photo book Extraordinary Voyages, by Francesca Matteoli for Louis Vuitton All aboard! An elegant woman boards a train in Europe in the 1960s with a stack of Louis Vuitton monogrammed luggage Up, up and away! Photographer Therese Bonney snapped this photo of a woman in front of an Imperial Airways London flight in 1927 Sailing the seven seas! Passengers in swimwear luxuriate on board the SS Rex, a transatlantic ocean liner, in 1934 Into the unknown: group of tourists relax and soak in the sun and take in the amazing views onboard a cruise in the Norwegian fjords in the 1930s Luxury travel: A French Lines shipping company luggage tag, from 192030, which would have been added to bags Seeing the world: A car belonging to French journalist Jean du Taillis, complete with a Louis Vuitton luggage trunk, is loaded onto an improvised ferry bound for Djerba in southern Tunisia, in 1932 Historic: The LZ 129 Hindenburg airship lands after a first test flight in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in May 1936 Invention: A man operating the Vuitton II, a flying device with two propellers, designed by Jean and Pierre Vuitton, circa 1910 Around the world air travel: A Dewoitine D.338 flies over Europe to Hong Kong in the 1930s Advertisement From the hot air balloon to the space shuttle, a new book celebrates the golden era of travel innovation. Extraordinary Voyages, by Francisca Matteoli, tells 50 extraordinary stories of travel from around the world in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, covering a dizzying range of transport, from motorcycles to cruise liners. The period heralded a time of innovation, exploration and the beginning of the democratisation of travel. Distant lands were no longer only accessible to the upper classes and adventurers, the 'ordinary' people eager to see the world could now travel by boat, train, plane and car. The book has been produced in collaboration with French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton, and many of the photographs capture the stylish travellers with the distinctive LV monogrammed luggage in tow. Founded in Paris in 1854, Louis Vuitton started as a trunk maker and has enjoyed a rich and diverse history. Now it is a leading fashion and accessories brand coveted by millions around the world. Extraordinary Voyages is brought to life with more than 300 historical photographs and ephemera from Louis Vuittons official archives, from luggage tags to inventions. Here, FEMAIL shares a selection of just some of the beautiful images... Pioneer! The American actress and aviatrix, Miss Elinor Blevins, in front of her race car, in Washington, D.C in 1915. It is one of the stunning images featured in the stunning photo book Extraordinary Voyages, by Francesca Matteoli for Louis Vuitton All aboard! An elegant woman boards a train in Europe in the 1960s with a stack of Louis Vuitton monogrammed luggage Up, up and away! Photographer Therese Bonney snapped this photo of a woman in front of an Imperial Airways London flight in 1927 Sailing the seven seas! Passengers in swimwear luxuriate on board the SS Rex, a transatlantic ocean liner, in 1934 Into the unknown: group of tourists relax and soak in the sun and take in the amazing views onboard a cruise in the Norwegian fjords in the 1930s Luxury travel: A French Lines shipping company luggage tag, from 192030, which would have been added to bags Seeing the world: A car belonging to French journalist Jean du Taillis, complete with a Louis Vuitton luggage trunk, is loaded onto an improvised ferry bound for Djerba in southern Tunisia, in 1932 Historic: The LZ 129 Hindenburg airship lands after a first test flight in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in May 1936 Invention: A man operating the Vuitton II, a flying device with two propellers, designed by Jean and Pierre Vuitton, circa 1910 Around the world air travel: A Dewoitine D.338 flies over Europe to Hong Kong in the 1930s Heavy downpours and strong winds have demolished more than 20 houses leaving one person dead and some 100 others homeless in Tanzanias northern district of Handeni in the Tanga region, an official said on Friday. The rains and strong winds that hit Kwamatuku village on Thursday also destroyed infrastructure, including electric cables and roads, said Mashaka Mgeta, the Handeni District Administrative Secretary. Mr Mgeta said a girl, who was selected to join secondary education in January 2022, was swept away as she tried to cross over a flooded ravine on her way back from her familys farm. Mr Mgeta, who visited victims of the torrential rains, said the government is assessing the loss caused by the rains before it provides relief supplies to those in dire need. He said the government is also working hard to restore the damaged infrastructure. The Chief Minister will continue his tours to districts in New Year 2022 to launch various development programmes. He visited Nalgonda on December 29 and made certain promises to develop the town. By arrangement HYDERABAD: The promises being made by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on development programmes as part of his tours to various districts will be executed in 48 hours unlike earlier when people had to wait for months and years to see them happening on the ground. The Chief Ministers promises made in Nalgonda on Wednesday on setting up an IT tower, a new degree college, integrated markets etc, started translating into reality within 48 hours while the required funds and land allotments were made within 36 hours. The Chief Minister will continue his tours to districts in New Year 2022 to launch various development programmes. He visited Nalgonda on December 29 and made certain promises to develop the town. Directions were issued to the departments concerned to execute the Chief Ministers promises within 48 hours. With this, the IT department sprang into action sanctioning Rs 50 crore within 24 hours on December 30 for setting up IT hub. The higher education department issued orders on war footing sanctioning Rs 30 crore for setting up a new degree college. The technical education department issued orders sanctioning 3 acres belonging to polytechnic college in Nalgonda to set up an IT tower with a built-up space of 75,000 sq. ft. (750 seater capacity). The Nalgonda district administration issued orders allotting land for setting up of integrated vegetable and meat markets besides a fruit market. Official sources said the Chief Minister had entrusted the responsibility of executing his promises to respective ministers. The Chief Minister rushed IT minister K.T. Rama Rao to Nalgonda to execute his announcement of IT tower and R&B minister V. Prashanth Reddy to speed up the construction of buildings and laying of roads in Nalgonda. This strategy worked as all the promises made by the Chief Minister could be executed within 48 hours. The Chief Minister wants to continue this strategy to put development works on fast track while undertaking tours to districts in January 2022. Hyderabad: The state government received the perfect shot in the arm for welcoming 2022 with the Centre going back on its decision to hike GST on textiles and handlooms on Friday. This is a back-to-back success for the TRS government as it was only three days back that the Union government conceded Telanganas demand to enhance paddy procurement target by six lakh in kharif. Meanwhile, the state government received praise from the Centre for its policy on Covid testing and also in preventing surge in cases and fatalities. The Centre observed that the TS government has effectively implemented the ICMR advisory on Covid testing, which says Based on the earlier experience, it has been observed that if the number of cases rise above a certain threshold, RTPCR-based testing leads to delays in confirming diagnosis. Therefore, it is encouraged to increase testing by widespread use of rapid antigen test (RATs) in such specific situations where RTPCR testing poses challenges. After T.Harish Rao took over as health minister in November, he has been emphasising on test, trace and treatment strategy to contain Covid in the state, which has been showing positive results. It was only on Thursday that IT minister K.T. Rama Rao had had strongly demanded the withdrawal of GST hike on textiles and handlooms in his letters to union ministers Piyush Goyal and Nirmala Sitharaman, a day prior to the GST Council meeting. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. The Chief Minister will continue his tours to districts in New Year 2022 to launch various development programmes. He visited Nalgonda on December 29 and made certain promises to develop the town. By arrangement HYDERABAD: The promises being made by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on development programmes as part of his tours to various districts will be executed in 48 hours unlike earlier when people had to wait for months and years to see them happening on the ground. The Chief Ministers promises made in Nalgonda on Wednesday on setting up an IT tower, a new degree college, integrated markets etc, started translating into reality within 48 hours while the required funds and land allotments were made within 36 hours. The Chief Minister will continue his tours to districts in New Year 2022 to launch various development programmes. He visited Nalgonda on December 29 and made certain promises to develop the town. Directions were issued to the departments concerned to execute the Chief Ministers promises within 48 hours. With this, the IT department sprang into action sanctioning Rs 50 crore within 24 hours on December 30 for setting up IT hub. The higher education department issued orders on war footing sanctioning Rs 30 crore for setting up a new degree college. The technical education department issued orders sanctioning 3 acres belonging to polytechnic college in Nalgonda to set up an IT tower with a built-up space of 75,000 sq. ft. (750 seater capacity). The Nalgonda district administration issued orders allotting land for setting up of integrated vegetable and meat markets besides a fruit market. Official sources said the Chief Minister had entrusted the responsibility of executing his promises to respective ministers. The Chief Minister rushed IT minister K.T. Rama Rao to Nalgonda to execute his announcement of IT tower and R&B minister V. Prashanth Reddy to speed up the construction of buildings and laying of roads in Nalgonda. This strategy worked as all the promises made by the Chief Minister could be executed within 48 hours. The Chief Minister wants to continue this strategy to put development works on fast track while undertaking tours to districts in January 2022. The report that came to the attention of the United States military in April 2017 relayed devastating news from Iraq: More than 30 people, among them women and children, had been killed when aircraft from the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Mosul struck a neighborhood known as Siha. A civilian casualty cell of the U.S. military, which was charged with assessing reports of civilians killed or wounded in coalition operations, learned of the claim in a Facebook post published on April 11 by the news outlet, the Iraqi Spring Media Center. The Pentagon began an inquiry, but only a week later its assessment officers couldnt confirm whether coalition aircraft had targeted that location, and they dismissed the claim, saying Siha was not among known districts of West Mosul. There would be no further review. : Devotees on their way to Vaishno Devi Shrine as 'yatra' resumes after a stampede incident at the shrine triggered by a heavy rush of devotees, at Katra in Reasi district, Saturday, Jan 1, 2022. (PTI) SRINAGAR: The New Year began on a gloomy note as, at least, twelve pilgrims died and fourteen others were injured in a stampede that occurred at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at around 2.45 am on Saturday, sending shock waves across the country and beyond. A report, not confirmed by officials, put the number of the injured at 20. The authorities said that the injured were being treated at Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Hospital at Katra, the basecamp of the revered place of Hindu worship tucked away in Trikuta hills at a height of 11,750 feet above the sea level and 52-km north of Jammu and Kashmirs winter capital Jammu. A medical official and neurologist at the Narayana hospital Dr Gopal Dutt said, Fatal casualties are from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and one from J&K. He added that four of the injured pilgrims are very critical and are on ventilators whereas the condition of the others is stable and three to four of them have already been sent home. Initial reports said that the stampede occurred at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan following an argument broke out over some issue resulting in the people pushing each other. However, another report said that the incident occurred when a huge crowd of devotees, who had come to pay their obeisance to mark the beginning of the New Year, entered the Vaishno Devi Bhawan. J&Ks director general of police, Dilbag Singh, said that the rescue operations started immediately and all the injured were quickly taken to the nearby health facility. He too said that a minor altercation among some young boys led to the stampede. However, some of the pilgrims who escaped unhurt in the stampede blamed the incident on mismanagement by the concerned authorities who, they asserted, were apparently oblivious about the possible rush of pilgrims and allowed them to move towards the Bhawan unhindered. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board SMVDSB) denied the charge, saying all necessary arrangements were made in view of the expected rush on the eve of the New Year. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally monitored and kept track of the situation, J&K lieutenant governor, Manoj Sinha, ordered a high-level inquiry and announced ex-gratia relief of `10 lakh for the kin of each deceased person and `200,000 for the injured. He also said that the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (MVDSB) will bear the cost of treatment of the injured. The Prime Ministers Office also announced an amount of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the stampede and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the Prime Ministers National Relief Fund. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan, said the Prime Minister, sending his condolences to the bereaved families. Mr Sinha tweeted, Spoke to Hon'ble home minister Shri Amit Shah Ji. Briefed him about the incident. A high-level inquiry has been ordered into todays stampede. Later, he also spoke to the Prime Minister to brief him on the incident and the steps taken by the government to deal with the situation arising out of the tragic incident, the sources said. President Ramnath Kovind, defence minister Rajnath Singh, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and a host of other leaders and government functionaries also expressed their shock over the tragic incident and condoled with the bereaved. The President tweeted, Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured. Later during the day, the Vaishno Devi Yatra resumed after remaining suspended for some time in the aftermath of the stampede. The registration of pilgrims at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan at Katra also resumed hours after the tragic incident, the SMVDSB officials said. However, many devotees said that they had to return from Katra without having darshan inside the cave-shrine following the stampede. : Devotees on their way to Vaishno Devi Shrine as 'yatra' resumes after a stampede incident at the shrine triggered by a heavy rush of devotees, at Katra in Reasi district, Saturday, Jan 1, 2022. (PTI) SRINAGAR: The New Year began on a gloomy note as, at least, twelve pilgrims died and fourteen others were injured in a stampede that occurred at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at around 2.45 am on Saturday, sending shock waves across the country and beyond. A report, not confirmed by officials, put the number of the injured at 20. The authorities said that the injured were being treated at Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Hospital at Katra, the basecamp of the revered place of Hindu worship tucked away in Trikuta hills at a height of 11,750 feet above the sea level and 52-km north of Jammu and Kashmirs winter capital Jammu. A medical official and neurologist at the Narayana hospital Dr Gopal Dutt said, Fatal casualties are from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and one from J&K. He added that four of the injured pilgrims are very critical and are on ventilators whereas the condition of the others is stable and three to four of them have already been sent home. Initial reports said that the stampede occurred at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan following an argument broke out over some issue resulting in the people pushing each other. However, another report said that the incident occurred when a huge crowd of devotees, who had come to pay their obeisance to mark the beginning of the New Year, entered the Vaishno Devi Bhawan. J&Ks director general of police, Dilbag Singh, said that the rescue operations started immediately and all the injured were quickly taken to the nearby health facility. He too said that a minor altercation among some young boys led to the stampede. However, some of the pilgrims who escaped unhurt in the stampede blamed the incident on mismanagement by the concerned authorities who, they asserted, were apparently oblivious about the possible rush of pilgrims and allowed them to move towards the Bhawan unhindered. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board SMVDSB) denied the charge, saying all necessary arrangements were made in view of the expected rush on the eve of the New Year. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally monitored and kept track of the situation, J&K lieutenant governor, Manoj Sinha, ordered a high-level inquiry and announced ex-gratia relief of `10 lakh for the kin of each deceased person and `200,000 for the injured. He also said that the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (MVDSB) will bear the cost of treatment of the injured. The Prime Ministers Office also announced an amount of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the stampede and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the Prime Ministers National Relief Fund. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan, said the Prime Minister, sending his condolences to the bereaved families. Mr Sinha tweeted, Spoke to Hon'ble home minister Shri Amit Shah Ji. Briefed him about the incident. A high-level inquiry has been ordered into todays stampede. Later, he also spoke to the Prime Minister to brief him on the incident and the steps taken by the government to deal with the situation arising out of the tragic incident, the sources said. President Ramnath Kovind, defence minister Rajnath Singh, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and a host of other leaders and government functionaries also expressed their shock over the tragic incident and condoled with the bereaved. The President tweeted, Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured. Later during the day, the Vaishno Devi Yatra resumed after remaining suspended for some time in the aftermath of the stampede. The registration of pilgrims at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan at Katra also resumed hours after the tragic incident, the SMVDSB officials said. However, many devotees said that they had to return from Katra without having darshan inside the cave-shrine following the stampede. Residents shared their New Years resolutions, including plans to travel, spending time with family and setting goals for self-improvement. Jessielene Cura Whitton, 35 originally from Yigo, returned to the island from where she now lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, for the holidays to visit family. My New Years resolution is to do stuff for me and not to consider other people first, just to do it for me, said Whitton. Some things she wants to do: more traveling, working out not to look good for others, but to feel good and to cook what she wants. Whitton is hoping this year to take a few trips to Alaska to appreciate the outdoors and untouched wilderness. She also wants to return to Guam more often in the future. Family Spending more time with family and less time at work is a priority Natasha Mehring-Cruz, 33, of Barrigada, is setting for herself in 2022. She wants to enjoy more moments with those who are close to her, like her newborn and 10-year-old sons, as well as her grandparents. While Mehring-Cruz said that in 2021, because of the pandemic, she was not able to see as many family members or have big gatherings, it caused her to have a greater appreciation for small events and celebrations in the household. Better person I think my New Years resolution is that I want to become a better person than I was last year, said Ioanis Artui, 25, of Yigo. He wants to improve his health and become a better person at work and to his family. Part of his work resolution for 2022 is to launch a clothing branding business, especially for sun shirts for the beach and outdoor activities. Kylendra Osborn, 23 from Yigo, said she doesnt have a New Years resolution this year, or any year, and that she focuses on living life as it is and taking it day by day. Although not a resolution, Osborn intends to travel internationally in 2022 and is in the process of getting her first passport to visit Palau, where she has family. Advertisement From the hot air balloon to the space shuttle, a new book celebrates the golden era of travel innovation. Extraordinary Voyages, by Francisca Matteoli, tells 50 extraordinary stories of travel from around the world in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, covering a dizzying range of transport, from motorcycles to cruise liners. The period heralded a time of innovation, exploration and the beginning of the democratisation of travel. Distant lands were no longer only accessible to the upper classes and adventurers, the 'ordinary' people eager to see the world could now travel by boat, train, plane and car. The book has been produced in collaboration with French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton, and many of the photographs capture the stylish travellers with the distinctive LV monogrammed luggage in tow. Founded in Paris in 1854, Louis Vuitton started as a trunk maker and has enjoyed a rich and diverse history. Now it is a leading fashion and accessories brand coveted by millions around the world. Extraordinary Voyages is brought to life with more than 300 historical photographs and ephemera from Louis Vuittons official archives, from luggage tags to inventions. Here, FEMAIL shares a selection of just some of the beautiful images... Pioneer! The American actress and aviatrix, Miss Elinor Blevins, in front of her race car, in Washington, D.C in 1915. It is one of the stunning images featured in the stunning photo book Extraordinary Voyages, by Francesca Matteoli for Louis Vuitton All aboard! An elegant woman boards a train in Europe in the 1960s with a stack of Louis Vuitton monogrammed luggage Up, up and away! Photographer Therese Bonney snapped this photo of a woman in front of an Imperial Airways London flight in 1927 Sailing the seven seas! Passengers in swimwear luxuriate on board the SS Rex, a transatlantic ocean liner, in 1934 Into the unknown: group of tourists relax and soak in the sun and take in the amazing views onboard a cruise in the Norwegian fjords in the 1930s Luxury travel: A French Lines shipping company luggage tag, from 192030, which would have been added to bags Seeing the world: A car belonging to French journalist Jean du Taillis, complete with a Louis Vuitton luggage trunk, is loaded onto an improvised ferry bound for Djerba in southern Tunisia, in 1932 Historic: The LZ 129 Hindenburg airship lands after a first test flight in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in May 1936 Invention: A man operating the Vuitton II, a flying device with two propellers, designed by Jean and Pierre Vuitton, circa 1910 Around the world air travel: A Dewoitine D.338 flies over Europe to Hong Kong in the 1930s Advertisement From the hot air balloon to the space shuttle, a new book celebrates the golden era of travel innovation. Extraordinary Voyages, by Francisca Matteoli, tells 50 extraordinary stories of travel from around the world in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, covering a dizzying range of transport, from motorcycles to cruise liners. The period heralded a time of innovation, exploration and the beginning of the democratisation of travel. Distant lands were no longer only accessible to the upper classes and adventurers, the 'ordinary' people eager to see the world could now travel by boat, train, plane and car. The book has been produced in collaboration with French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton, and many of the photographs capture the stylish travellers with the distinctive LV monogrammed luggage in tow. Founded in Paris in 1854, Louis Vuitton started as a trunk maker and has enjoyed a rich and diverse history. Now it is a leading fashion and accessories brand coveted by millions around the world. Extraordinary Voyages is brought to life with more than 300 historical photographs and ephemera from Louis Vuittons official archives, from luggage tags to inventions. Here, FEMAIL shares a selection of just some of the beautiful images... Pioneer! The American actress and aviatrix, Miss Elinor Blevins, in front of her race car, in Washington, D.C in 1915. It is one of the stunning images featured in the stunning photo book Extraordinary Voyages, by Francesca Matteoli for Louis Vuitton All aboard! An elegant woman boards a train in Europe in the 1960s with a stack of Louis Vuitton monogrammed luggage Up, up and away! Photographer Therese Bonney snapped this photo of a woman in front of an Imperial Airways London flight in 1927 Sailing the seven seas! Passengers in swimwear luxuriate on board the SS Rex, a transatlantic ocean liner, in 1934 Into the unknown: group of tourists relax and soak in the sun and take in the amazing views onboard a cruise in the Norwegian fjords in the 1930s Luxury travel: A French Lines shipping company luggage tag, from 192030, which would have been added to bags Seeing the world: A car belonging to French journalist Jean du Taillis, complete with a Louis Vuitton luggage trunk, is loaded onto an improvised ferry bound for Djerba in southern Tunisia, in 1932 Historic: The LZ 129 Hindenburg airship lands after a first test flight in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in May 1936 Invention: A man operating the Vuitton II, a flying device with two propellers, designed by Jean and Pierre Vuitton, circa 1910 Around the world air travel: A Dewoitine D.338 flies over Europe to Hong Kong in the 1930s Advertisement From the hot air balloon to the space shuttle, a new book celebrates the golden era of travel innovation. Extraordinary Voyages, by Francisca Matteoli, tells 50 extraordinary stories of travel from around the world in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, covering a dizzying range of transport, from motorcycles to cruise liners. The period heralded a time of innovation, exploration and the beginning of the democratisation of travel. Distant lands were no longer only accessible to the upper classes and adventurers, the 'ordinary' people eager to see the world could now travel by boat, train, plane and car. The book has been produced in collaboration with French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton, and many of the photographs capture the stylish travellers with the distinctive LV monogrammed luggage in tow. Founded in Paris in 1854, Louis Vuitton started as a trunk maker and has enjoyed a rich and diverse history. Now it is a leading fashion and accessories brand coveted by millions around the world. Extraordinary Voyages is brought to life with more than 300 historical photographs and ephemera from Louis Vuittons official archives, from luggage tags to inventions. Here, FEMAIL shares a selection of just some of the beautiful images... Pioneer! The American actress and aviatrix, Miss Elinor Blevins, in front of her race car, in Washington, D.C in 1915. It is one of the stunning images featured in the stunning photo book Extraordinary Voyages, by Francesca Matteoli for Louis Vuitton All aboard! An elegant woman boards a train in Europe in the 1960s with a stack of Louis Vuitton monogrammed luggage Up, up and away! Photographer Therese Bonney snapped this photo of a woman in front of an Imperial Airways London flight in 1927 Sailing the seven seas! Passengers in swimwear luxuriate on board the SS Rex, a transatlantic ocean liner, in 1934 Into the unknown: group of tourists relax and soak in the sun and take in the amazing views onboard a cruise in the Norwegian fjords in the 1930s Luxury travel: A French Lines shipping company luggage tag, from 192030, which would have been added to bags Seeing the world: A car belonging to French journalist Jean du Taillis, complete with a Louis Vuitton luggage trunk, is loaded onto an improvised ferry bound for Djerba in southern Tunisia, in 1932 Historic: The LZ 129 Hindenburg airship lands after a first test flight in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in May 1936 Invention: A man operating the Vuitton II, a flying device with two propellers, designed by Jean and Pierre Vuitton, circa 1910 Around the world air travel: A Dewoitine D.338 flies over Europe to Hong Kong in the 1930s The report that came to the attention of the United States military in April 2017 relayed devastating news from Iraq: More than 30 people, among them women and children, had been killed when aircraft from the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Mosul struck a neighborhood known as Siha. A civilian casualty cell of the U.S. military, which was charged with assessing reports of civilians killed or wounded in coalition operations, learned of the claim in a Facebook post published on April 11 by the news outlet, the Iraqi Spring Media Center. The Pentagon began an inquiry, but only a week later its assessment officers couldnt confirm whether coalition aircraft had targeted that location, and they dismissed the claim, saying Siha was not among known districts of West Mosul. There would be no further review. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Residents shared their New Years resolutions, including plans to travel, spending time with family and setting goals for self-improvement. Jessielene Cura Whitton, 35 originally from Yigo, returned to the island from where she now lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, for the holidays to visit family. My New Years resolution is to do stuff for me and not to consider other people first, just to do it for me, said Whitton. Some things she wants to do: more traveling, working out not to look good for others, but to feel good and to cook what she wants. Whitton is hoping this year to take a few trips to Alaska to appreciate the outdoors and untouched wilderness. She also wants to return to Guam more often in the future. Family Spending more time with family and less time at work is a priority Natasha Mehring-Cruz, 33, of Barrigada, is setting for herself in 2022. She wants to enjoy more moments with those who are close to her, like her newborn and 10-year-old sons, as well as her grandparents. While Mehring-Cruz said that in 2021, because of the pandemic, she was not able to see as many family members or have big gatherings, it caused her to have a greater appreciation for small events and celebrations in the household. Better person I think my New Years resolution is that I want to become a better person than I was last year, said Ioanis Artui, 25, of Yigo. He wants to improve his health and become a better person at work and to his family. Part of his work resolution for 2022 is to launch a clothing branding business, especially for sun shirts for the beach and outdoor activities. Kylendra Osborn, 23 from Yigo, said she doesnt have a New Years resolution this year, or any year, and that she focuses on living life as it is and taking it day by day. Although not a resolution, Osborn intends to travel internationally in 2022 and is in the process of getting her first passport to visit Palau, where she has family. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Residents shared their New Years resolutions, including plans to travel, spending time with family and setting goals for self-improvement. Jessielene Cura Whitton, 35 originally from Yigo, returned to the island from where she now lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, for the holidays to visit family. My New Years resolution is to do stuff for me and not to consider other people first, just to do it for me, said Whitton. Some things she wants to do: more traveling, working out not to look good for others, but to feel good and to cook what she wants. Whitton is hoping this year to take a few trips to Alaska to appreciate the outdoors and untouched wilderness. She also wants to return to Guam more often in the future. Family Spending more time with family and less time at work is a priority Natasha Mehring-Cruz, 33, of Barrigada, is setting for herself in 2022. She wants to enjoy more moments with those who are close to her, like her newborn and 10-year-old sons, as well as her grandparents. While Mehring-Cruz said that in 2021, because of the pandemic, she was not able to see as many family members or have big gatherings, it caused her to have a greater appreciation for small events and celebrations in the household. Better person I think my New Years resolution is that I want to become a better person than I was last year, said Ioanis Artui, 25, of Yigo. He wants to improve his health and become a better person at work and to his family. Part of his work resolution for 2022 is to launch a clothing branding business, especially for sun shirts for the beach and outdoor activities. Kylendra Osborn, 23 from Yigo, said she doesnt have a New Years resolution this year, or any year, and that she focuses on living life as it is and taking it day by day. Although not a resolution, Osborn intends to travel internationally in 2022 and is in the process of getting her first passport to visit Palau, where she has family. 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Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Residents shared their New Years resolutions, including plans to travel, spending time with family and setting goals for self-improvement. Jessielene Cura Whitton, 35 originally from Yigo, returned to the island from where she now lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, for the holidays to visit family. My New Years resolution is to do stuff for me and not to consider other people first, just to do it for me, said Whitton. Some things she wants to do: more traveling, working out not to look good for others, but to feel good and to cook what she wants. Whitton is hoping this year to take a few trips to Alaska to appreciate the outdoors and untouched wilderness. She also wants to return to Guam more often in the future. Family Spending more time with family and less time at work is a priority Natasha Mehring-Cruz, 33, of Barrigada, is setting for herself in 2022. She wants to enjoy more moments with those who are close to her, like her newborn and 10-year-old sons, as well as her grandparents. While Mehring-Cruz said that in 2021, because of the pandemic, she was not able to see as many family members or have big gatherings, it caused her to have a greater appreciation for small events and celebrations in the household. Better person I think my New Years resolution is that I want to become a better person than I was last year, said Ioanis Artui, 25, of Yigo. He wants to improve his health and become a better person at work and to his family. Part of his work resolution for 2022 is to launch a clothing branding business, especially for sun shirts for the beach and outdoor activities. Kylendra Osborn, 23 from Yigo, said she doesnt have a New Years resolution this year, or any year, and that she focuses on living life as it is and taking it day by day. Although not a resolution, Osborn intends to travel internationally in 2022 and is in the process of getting her first passport to visit Palau, where she has family. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Residents shared their New Years resolutions, including plans to travel, spending time with family and setting goals for self-improvement. Jessielene Cura Whitton, 35 originally from Yigo, returned to the island from where she now lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, for the holidays to visit family. My New Years resolution is to do stuff for me and not to consider other people first, just to do it for me, said Whitton. Some things she wants to do: more traveling, working out not to look good for others, but to feel good and to cook what she wants. Whitton is hoping this year to take a few trips to Alaska to appreciate the outdoors and untouched wilderness. She also wants to return to Guam more often in the future. Family Spending more time with family and less time at work is a priority Natasha Mehring-Cruz, 33, of Barrigada, is setting for herself in 2022. She wants to enjoy more moments with those who are close to her, like her newborn and 10-year-old sons, as well as her grandparents. While Mehring-Cruz said that in 2021, because of the pandemic, she was not able to see as many family members or have big gatherings, it caused her to have a greater appreciation for small events and celebrations in the household. Better person I think my New Years resolution is that I want to become a better person than I was last year, said Ioanis Artui, 25, of Yigo. He wants to improve his health and become a better person at work and to his family. Part of his work resolution for 2022 is to launch a clothing branding business, especially for sun shirts for the beach and outdoor activities. Kylendra Osborn, 23 from Yigo, said she doesnt have a New Years resolution this year, or any year, and that she focuses on living life as it is and taking it day by day. Although not a resolution, Osborn intends to travel internationally in 2022 and is in the process of getting her first passport to visit Palau, where she has family. Residents shared their New Years resolutions, including plans to travel, spending time with family and setting goals for self-improvement. Jessielene Cura Whitton, 35 originally from Yigo, returned to the island from where she now lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, for the holidays to visit family. My New Years resolution is to do stuff for me and not to consider other people first, just to do it for me, said Whitton. Some things she wants to do: more traveling, working out not to look good for others, but to feel good and to cook what she wants. Whitton is hoping this year to take a few trips to Alaska to appreciate the outdoors and untouched wilderness. She also wants to return to Guam more often in the future. Family Spending more time with family and less time at work is a priority Natasha Mehring-Cruz, 33, of Barrigada, is setting for herself in 2022. She wants to enjoy more moments with those who are close to her, like her newborn and 10-year-old sons, as well as her grandparents. While Mehring-Cruz said that in 2021, because of the pandemic, she was not able to see as many family members or have big gatherings, it caused her to have a greater appreciation for small events and celebrations in the household. Better person I think my New Years resolution is that I want to become a better person than I was last year, said Ioanis Artui, 25, of Yigo. He wants to improve his health and become a better person at work and to his family. Part of his work resolution for 2022 is to launch a clothing branding business, especially for sun shirts for the beach and outdoor activities. Kylendra Osborn, 23 from Yigo, said she doesnt have a New Years resolution this year, or any year, and that she focuses on living life as it is and taking it day by day. Although not a resolution, Osborn intends to travel internationally in 2022 and is in the process of getting her first passport to visit Palau, where she has family. It was a year that started with the vaccination programme crawling as slowly as cars on the to-be-introduced 30 kilometre per hour limit on urban roads and which ended with a final sprint to the line in order to obtain Covid passports. It was stop, stop, go (sort of), with Grant Shapps working the traffic lights' remote control. Our learned friends said no to the curfew in a Balearics style but yes to the passport. Social gathering restrictions were reimposed, then lifted, and the streets were full of drinkers acting in a very social manner and at the same time in a wholly anti-social manner (far too many, far too close and minus masks). The Covid hotel did a roaring trade thanks to Spanish students, who were roaring around the hotel trashing it. Francina Armengol paved the way for four more years, aided by Euromillions that were showering down on her and on islands destined to change shape and become circular while also becoming virtual, courtesy of total digitalisation. Nationally, we said a sad farewell to Pablo Iglesias. The Citizen Smith of the Spanish government left to fight the right in Madrid. The right fought as well - against Communism, so it was said. Pablo lost and ceremoniously cut off the most famous political ponytail in history. Another departure was that of Salvador Illa. Spain's health minister was off to fight the election in Catalonia. (He lost, just like Pablo did.) The minister went in January, almost a year to the day after he had become minister, the most ill-timed appointment any health minister could have wished for. (January 3) "What a relief, eh? It's doubtful that you are familiar with The Fast Show, Salvador, but were you to be, you will know a character called Unlucky Alf and his catchphrase. 'Oh bugger,' you must have been inclined to declare when you realised what you had let yourself in for. Only just sworn in, and there you were - tempted to swear." Temporarily, we lost Princess Leonor. It was announced that she would be off to Wales in September in order to further her education. But what else would she be doing there? The BBC came up with some ideas for the princess to fill her downtime. A Gavin & Stacey tour of Barry Island was one such idea. (February 14) "Has Leonor ever watched Gavin & Stacey? Who can say. But mum and dad may find out when she returns for the hols. 'Lush. Tidy.' " Leonor returned to Spain for the festivities with no Gavin apparently in tow. The family Christmas photo was unveiled, and there was mum with a look that could have been borrowed from Posh Spice. Was Brand Bourbon beginning? It seemed as if we had lost Spain's tourism minister, Reyes Maroto, completely. Unlike Illa, she hadn't vacated her ministerial seat, but she had nevertheless gone AWOL in pursuing the vice-presidency of Madrid. Hers was to be as abortive an attempt as that of Iglesias, and she subsequently needed to be "relaunched" as tourism minister at the presentation for the 'You Deserve Spain' promotional campaign. (May 16) "Could more be done both to promote Spain and to further boost the Reyes relaunch? I would suggest that it can, and so let's hear it for a 2021 Reyes revival of Sylvia's 1974 classic, Y Viva Espana. Perhaps she could duet with Francina, although there would clearly need to be some updating of the lyrics. 'Chat a matador.' 'Meet senoritas by the score.' 'Each time I kissed him behind the castanet, He rattled his maracas close to me.' Yes, reworking would be required, but especially for the line 'I'm taking the Costa Brava plane'. That would be an absolute no-no. Promoting Catalonia above Mallorca for safe, green-listed corridors with the UK (or wherever else)? Definitely not." Someone else who disappeared for a time was the Balearic tourism minister, Iago Negueruela. While the Spanish students' affair was in full controversy, there was no sight nor sound of Iago. Where, oh where, was he? (July 4) "Why was he not pronouncing on tourism of excesses and threatening dire consequences? Was this because the whole business had nothing to do with Magalluf or indeed with drunken Germans causing chaos in the general vicinity of Arenal's Ballermann?" As things turned out, Iago returned, declared that he would prefer to see the back of the students for good and reassumed his governmental ubiquity. Francina's "man of steel", he was also named PSOE's secretary of ideas, whatever these might entail. The year's weirdest story involved events well away from Mallorca. Or did they? In September, the volcanic eruption started on the island of La Palma. And so .... (September 26) "It was bound to happen and it did. Take Mexico's judicial services, for example, or the BAE financial newspaper in Buenos Aires. Being on the other side of the Atlantic was no excuse. There are all the historical ties with Spain, and so one might expect that they would get their geography right. But they didn't. 'Volcano in Palma de Mallorca,' tweeted the Mexicans. 'Residents evacuated because of eruption of a volcano in Palma de Mallorca,' added the Argentines. Closer to home, the Antena 3 TV channel's website managed to have the mayor of Palma, Jose Hila, apparently going to the district of Son Dameto to check on residents' needs 'because of the volcano in the Mallorcan and Balearic capital'." As for getting a news story so completely and utterly wrong, this took some beating. Prize for best media outlet of 2021 therefore goes to Antena 3. It was a year that started with the vaccination programme crawling as slowly as cars on the to-be-introduced 30 kilometre per hour limit on urban roads and which ended with a final sprint to the line in order to obtain Covid passports. It was stop, stop, go (sort of), with Grant Shapps working the traffic lights' remote control. Our learned friends said no to the curfew in a Balearics style but yes to the passport. Social gathering restrictions were reimposed, then lifted, and the streets were full of drinkers acting in a very social manner and at the same time in a wholly anti-social manner (far too many, far too close and minus masks). The Covid hotel did a roaring trade thanks to Spanish students, who were roaring around the hotel trashing it. Francina Armengol paved the way for four more years, aided by Euromillions that were showering down on her and on islands destined to change shape and become circular while also becoming virtual, courtesy of total digitalisation. Nationally, we said a sad farewell to Pablo Iglesias. The Citizen Smith of the Spanish government left to fight the right in Madrid. The right fought as well - against Communism, so it was said. Pablo lost and ceremoniously cut off the most famous political ponytail in history. Another departure was that of Salvador Illa. Spain's health minister was off to fight the election in Catalonia. (He lost, just like Pablo did.) The minister went in January, almost a year to the day after he had become minister, the most ill-timed appointment any health minister could have wished for. (January 3) "What a relief, eh? It's doubtful that you are familiar with The Fast Show, Salvador, but were you to be, you will know a character called Unlucky Alf and his catchphrase. 'Oh bugger,' you must have been inclined to declare when you realised what you had let yourself in for. Only just sworn in, and there you were - tempted to swear." Temporarily, we lost Princess Leonor. It was announced that she would be off to Wales in September in order to further her education. But what else would she be doing there? The BBC came up with some ideas for the princess to fill her downtime. A Gavin & Stacey tour of Barry Island was one such idea. (February 14) "Has Leonor ever watched Gavin & Stacey? Who can say. But mum and dad may find out when she returns for the hols. 'Lush. Tidy.' " Leonor returned to Spain for the festivities with no Gavin apparently in tow. The family Christmas photo was unveiled, and there was mum with a look that could have been borrowed from Posh Spice. Was Brand Bourbon beginning? It seemed as if we had lost Spain's tourism minister, Reyes Maroto, completely. Unlike Illa, she hadn't vacated her ministerial seat, but she had nevertheless gone AWOL in pursuing the vice-presidency of Madrid. Hers was to be as abortive an attempt as that of Iglesias, and she subsequently needed to be "relaunched" as tourism minister at the presentation for the 'You Deserve Spain' promotional campaign. (May 16) "Could more be done both to promote Spain and to further boost the Reyes relaunch? I would suggest that it can, and so let's hear it for a 2021 Reyes revival of Sylvia's 1974 classic, Y Viva Espana. Perhaps she could duet with Francina, although there would clearly need to be some updating of the lyrics. 'Chat a matador.' 'Meet senoritas by the score.' 'Each time I kissed him behind the castanet, He rattled his maracas close to me.' Yes, reworking would be required, but especially for the line 'I'm taking the Costa Brava plane'. That would be an absolute no-no. Promoting Catalonia above Mallorca for safe, green-listed corridors with the UK (or wherever else)? Definitely not." Someone else who disappeared for a time was the Balearic tourism minister, Iago Negueruela. While the Spanish students' affair was in full controversy, there was no sight nor sound of Iago. Where, oh where, was he? (July 4) "Why was he not pronouncing on tourism of excesses and threatening dire consequences? Was this because the whole business had nothing to do with Magalluf or indeed with drunken Germans causing chaos in the general vicinity of Arenal's Ballermann?" As things turned out, Iago returned, declared that he would prefer to see the back of the students for good and reassumed his governmental ubiquity. Francina's "man of steel", he was also named PSOE's secretary of ideas, whatever these might entail. The year's weirdest story involved events well away from Mallorca. Or did they? In September, the volcanic eruption started on the island of La Palma. And so .... (September 26) "It was bound to happen and it did. Take Mexico's judicial services, for example, or the BAE financial newspaper in Buenos Aires. Being on the other side of the Atlantic was no excuse. There are all the historical ties with Spain, and so one might expect that they would get their geography right. But they didn't. 'Volcano in Palma de Mallorca,' tweeted the Mexicans. 'Residents evacuated because of eruption of a volcano in Palma de Mallorca,' added the Argentines. Closer to home, the Antena 3 TV channel's website managed to have the mayor of Palma, Jose Hila, apparently going to the district of Son Dameto to check on residents' needs 'because of the volcano in the Mallorcan and Balearic capital'." As for getting a news story so completely and utterly wrong, this took some beating. Prize for best media outlet of 2021 therefore goes to Antena 3. It was a year that started with the vaccination programme crawling as slowly as cars on the to-be-introduced 30 kilometre per hour limit on urban roads and which ended with a final sprint to the line in order to obtain Covid passports. It was stop, stop, go (sort of), with Grant Shapps working the traffic lights' remote control. Our learned friends said no to the curfew in a Balearics style but yes to the passport. Social gathering restrictions were reimposed, then lifted, and the streets were full of drinkers acting in a very social manner and at the same time in a wholly anti-social manner (far too many, far too close and minus masks). The Covid hotel did a roaring trade thanks to Spanish students, who were roaring around the hotel trashing it. Francina Armengol paved the way for four more years, aided by Euromillions that were showering down on her and on islands destined to change shape and become circular while also becoming virtual, courtesy of total digitalisation. Nationally, we said a sad farewell to Pablo Iglesias. The Citizen Smith of the Spanish government left to fight the right in Madrid. The right fought as well - against Communism, so it was said. Pablo lost and ceremoniously cut off the most famous political ponytail in history. Another departure was that of Salvador Illa. Spain's health minister was off to fight the election in Catalonia. (He lost, just like Pablo did.) The minister went in January, almost a year to the day after he had become minister, the most ill-timed appointment any health minister could have wished for. (January 3) "What a relief, eh? It's doubtful that you are familiar with The Fast Show, Salvador, but were you to be, you will know a character called Unlucky Alf and his catchphrase. 'Oh bugger,' you must have been inclined to declare when you realised what you had let yourself in for. Only just sworn in, and there you were - tempted to swear." Temporarily, we lost Princess Leonor. It was announced that she would be off to Wales in September in order to further her education. But what else would she be doing there? The BBC came up with some ideas for the princess to fill her downtime. A Gavin & Stacey tour of Barry Island was one such idea. (February 14) "Has Leonor ever watched Gavin & Stacey? Who can say. But mum and dad may find out when she returns for the hols. 'Lush. Tidy.' " Leonor returned to Spain for the festivities with no Gavin apparently in tow. The family Christmas photo was unveiled, and there was mum with a look that could have been borrowed from Posh Spice. Was Brand Bourbon beginning? It seemed as if we had lost Spain's tourism minister, Reyes Maroto, completely. Unlike Illa, she hadn't vacated her ministerial seat, but she had nevertheless gone AWOL in pursuing the vice-presidency of Madrid. Hers was to be as abortive an attempt as that of Iglesias, and she subsequently needed to be "relaunched" as tourism minister at the presentation for the 'You Deserve Spain' promotional campaign. (May 16) "Could more be done both to promote Spain and to further boost the Reyes relaunch? I would suggest that it can, and so let's hear it for a 2021 Reyes revival of Sylvia's 1974 classic, Y Viva Espana. Perhaps she could duet with Francina, although there would clearly need to be some updating of the lyrics. 'Chat a matador.' 'Meet senoritas by the score.' 'Each time I kissed him behind the castanet, He rattled his maracas close to me.' Yes, reworking would be required, but especially for the line 'I'm taking the Costa Brava plane'. That would be an absolute no-no. Promoting Catalonia above Mallorca for safe, green-listed corridors with the UK (or wherever else)? Definitely not." Someone else who disappeared for a time was the Balearic tourism minister, Iago Negueruela. While the Spanish students' affair was in full controversy, there was no sight nor sound of Iago. Where, oh where, was he? (July 4) "Why was he not pronouncing on tourism of excesses and threatening dire consequences? Was this because the whole business had nothing to do with Magalluf or indeed with drunken Germans causing chaos in the general vicinity of Arenal's Ballermann?" As things turned out, Iago returned, declared that he would prefer to see the back of the students for good and reassumed his governmental ubiquity. Francina's "man of steel", he was also named PSOE's secretary of ideas, whatever these might entail. The year's weirdest story involved events well away from Mallorca. Or did they? In September, the volcanic eruption started on the island of La Palma. And so .... (September 26) "It was bound to happen and it did. Take Mexico's judicial services, for example, or the BAE financial newspaper in Buenos Aires. Being on the other side of the Atlantic was no excuse. There are all the historical ties with Spain, and so one might expect that they would get their geography right. But they didn't. 'Volcano in Palma de Mallorca,' tweeted the Mexicans. 'Residents evacuated because of eruption of a volcano in Palma de Mallorca,' added the Argentines. Closer to home, the Antena 3 TV channel's website managed to have the mayor of Palma, Jose Hila, apparently going to the district of Son Dameto to check on residents' needs 'because of the volcano in the Mallorcan and Balearic capital'." As for getting a news story so completely and utterly wrong, this took some beating. Prize for best media outlet of 2021 therefore goes to Antena 3. New Delhi [India], January 1 (ANI): Eying the upcoming assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh this year, the four-member committee constituted by the Bharatiya Janata Party on December 26 to woo Brahmin voters of the state within a target of 25 days, has reached out to more than 80 Brahmin organizations that have a strong outreach in their regions, according to the sources. The BJP had constituted a 4-member committee on December 26, 2021. The committee chaired by former Union Minister Shiv Pratap Shukla comprises members Mahesh Sharma, Abhijat Mishra, and Ram Bhai Morakiya. The committee has begun its work. The first meeting was held in Lucknow. The second meeting is scheduled to take place on January 4, said the sources. Also Read | ATM Service Charges Increase, to Cost Rs 21 Per Transaction From Today. Their main task will be to keep the Brahmins of their area informed about the BJP's work towards the welfare of Brahmins, including the work done by the government and their future plans. The BJP has set a target of 25 days to cater to its Brahmin voters. The list of all the assembly constituencies of Uttar Pradesh has been prepared and on the basis of which, work will be done in all the areas. Also Read | Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami to Distribute Free Mobiles, Tablets to Students on Occasion of New Year 2022. Besides the 80 organizations that the party has reached out to so far, it is yet to reach six more organizations that have strong outreach in their community. According to the party sources, from January 6, BJP will prioritize those assembly constituencies where BJP does not have a Brahmin candidate to inform the people about what all it has done for the community since these constituencies do not have a Brahmin face to spread awareness about the party's initiatives towards the community. Speaking to ANI, a committee member, Abhijat Mishra, claiming that the majority of the people are satisfied with the work done by the government, said that the party would reach out to the dissatisfied voters "to end their displeasure". "We have to tell the people about our achievements. The majority of the people are happy with the work done by the BJP government. There may be a possibility that some of them are not pleased, the party will reach out to all the Brahmin voters to end their displeasure," he said. "There are many such voters who vote for BJP and who selflessly work at the time of elections. They also consider themselves a member of the party," Mishra added. The committee member further said that it is not necessary that everyone would like the decisions made by the government, but "Matbhed ho sakta hai, manbhed nahi". "Matbhed ho sakta hai, manbhed nahi. When there is any decision made, it is not necessary that everyone would like it," he said. Mishra also hit out at the Opposition for "spreading confusion among the Brahmin community about them being displeased with the government and said that it is an environment created by them. "The Opposition spread a lot of negativity and confusion. They spread the misinformation that the Brahmin community is displeased with the BJP and has united against our party to defeat us. This is an environment created by them," he said. Uttar Pradesh is slated to go to the Assembly polls early this year. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe New Delhi [India], January 1 (ANI): Eying the upcoming assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh this year, the four-member committee constituted by the Bharatiya Janata Party on December 26 to woo Brahmin voters of the state within a target of 25 days, has reached out to more than 80 Brahmin organizations that have a strong outreach in their regions, according to the sources. The BJP had constituted a 4-member committee on December 26, 2021. The committee chaired by former Union Minister Shiv Pratap Shukla comprises members Mahesh Sharma, Abhijat Mishra, and Ram Bhai Morakiya. The committee has begun its work. The first meeting was held in Lucknow. The second meeting is scheduled to take place on January 4, said the sources. Also Read | ATM Service Charges Increase, to Cost Rs 21 Per Transaction From Today. Their main task will be to keep the Brahmins of their area informed about the BJP's work towards the welfare of Brahmins, including the work done by the government and their future plans. The BJP has set a target of 25 days to cater to its Brahmin voters. The list of all the assembly constituencies of Uttar Pradesh has been prepared and on the basis of which, work will be done in all the areas. Also Read | Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami to Distribute Free Mobiles, Tablets to Students on Occasion of New Year 2022. Besides the 80 organizations that the party has reached out to so far, it is yet to reach six more organizations that have strong outreach in their community. According to the party sources, from January 6, BJP will prioritize those assembly constituencies where BJP does not have a Brahmin candidate to inform the people about what all it has done for the community since these constituencies do not have a Brahmin face to spread awareness about the party's initiatives towards the community. Speaking to ANI, a committee member, Abhijat Mishra, claiming that the majority of the people are satisfied with the work done by the government, said that the party would reach out to the dissatisfied voters "to end their displeasure". "We have to tell the people about our achievements. The majority of the people are happy with the work done by the BJP government. There may be a possibility that some of them are not pleased, the party will reach out to all the Brahmin voters to end their displeasure," he said. "There are many such voters who vote for BJP and who selflessly work at the time of elections. They also consider themselves a member of the party," Mishra added. The committee member further said that it is not necessary that everyone would like the decisions made by the government, but "Matbhed ho sakta hai, manbhed nahi". "Matbhed ho sakta hai, manbhed nahi. When there is any decision made, it is not necessary that everyone would like it," he said. Mishra also hit out at the Opposition for "spreading confusion among the Brahmin community about them being displeased with the government and said that it is an environment created by them. "The Opposition spread a lot of negativity and confusion. They spread the misinformation that the Brahmin community is displeased with the BJP and has united against our party to defeat us. This is an environment created by them," he said. Uttar Pradesh is slated to go to the Assembly polls early this year. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) A photograph of a CH-53 helicopter is pictured at the booth of Sikorsky-Lockheed Martin company during preparation for the ILA Berlin Air Show in Schoenefeld, south of Berlin, Germany, on May 31, 2016. (Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters) Israel Signs Deal to Buy $3.1 Billion in US Helicopters, Tankers JERUSALEMIsrael has signed a deal with the United States to buy 12 Lockheed Martin Corp CH-53K helicopters and two Boeing Co KC-46 refueling planes, the Israeli Defense Ministry said on Friday, estimating the total price at around $3.1 billion. The deal, signed on Thursday, is part of an upgrade of Israels air force capabilities and includes an option to buy six additional helicopters, a ministry statement said. It said the first helicopters were due to arrive in Israel in 2026. Brigadier-General Shimon Tsentsiper, chief of materiel for the air force, told Israels Army Radio on Thursday that the refueling planes on order would not be delivered before 2025. He said Israel was trying to bring forward the delivery of the KC-46s, and eventually wanted a total of four of them. Israeli media have speculated that the refueling planes could be crucial for carrying out a long-threatened air strike on Irans nuclear facilities. Tsentsiper said the air forces current refueling capacities were sufficient for its missions. By Dan Williams The rising number of mostly Haitian migrants arriving at the border town of Mexicali has prompted Mexican authorities to expand their capacity to provide them with temporary housing. On Thursday, the city opened two new shelters adding to the seven shelters already operating. Tomas Diosdado is the coordinator for the Alfa and Omega shelters in Mexicali. He said they were aware that migrants waiting at Mexico's southern town of Tapachula at the border with Guatemala would sooner or later make their way North towards the border with the United States. "What we didn't know is that so many were going to arrive so suddenly," he said. "That's what caught us off guard, but there we go." Standing outside the Melchor Ocampo shelter, Director of the Mexicali's Family Integration Development agency Elba Cornejo Armino watched as a new group of migrants entered. So many pregnant women are arriving at Mexicali that the city decided to make the Melchor Ocampo shelter cater exclusively to families of migrants with expecting mothers. "Baja California is a sanctuary for migrants," she said. 31-year-old Matteo Francois is one of the many Haitian migrants who have decided to stay in Mexico. "Here in Mexicali, it is good because there are plenty of jobs to be able to get work," he said. He is not planning to cross into the United States. "Here I have work, so it is better for me to stay here until I have a normal, good life." In recent days, the city offered 700 jobs for migrants who have regularized their migratory status. As of December 1, more than 47,000 Haitian had applied for asylum in Mexico. Last October, Haitians became the largest nationality group to apply for asylum in Mexico. Diosdado, although aware that their legal status can change in a few years, believes there is an opportunity now. He said Mexico should "as some other countries in the world have done, take advantage of migrations." (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. Chinese lithium carbonate prices soared in 2021, due to a surge in demand for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries in the country, according to the end-of-year analysis by Benchmark Minerals Intelligence. Transacted prices in China began to breach the RMB 200,000/tonne mark in Novembera historical milestone for lithium pricing. Battery-grade lithium carbonate ended the year at an average price of RMB 250,000/tonne ($39,250), well above any previous records. Benchmark added that despite the rise of LFP batteries, nickel prices hit a seven-year high in 2021 as a series of supply curtailments, in tandem with a stronger-than-expected recovery in stainless-steel production and robust growth in the battery sector pushed the market into a deficit. Cobalt prices also hit a three-year high during the year. Finally, Benchmark said, graphite prices are starting to reflect the growth in demand for battery anodes. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. It was a year that started with the vaccination programme crawling as slowly as cars on the to-be-introduced 30 kilometre per hour limit on urban roads and which ended with a final sprint to the line in order to obtain Covid passports. It was stop, stop, go (sort of), with Grant Shapps working the traffic lights' remote control. Our learned friends said no to the curfew in a Balearics style but yes to the passport. Social gathering restrictions were reimposed, then lifted, and the streets were full of drinkers acting in a very social manner and at the same time in a wholly anti-social manner (far too many, far too close and minus masks). The Covid hotel did a roaring trade thanks to Spanish students, who were roaring around the hotel trashing it. Francina Armengol paved the way for four more years, aided by Euromillions that were showering down on her and on islands destined to change shape and become circular while also becoming virtual, courtesy of total digitalisation. Nationally, we said a sad farewell to Pablo Iglesias. The Citizen Smith of the Spanish government left to fight the right in Madrid. The right fought as well - against Communism, so it was said. Pablo lost and ceremoniously cut off the most famous political ponytail in history. Another departure was that of Salvador Illa. Spain's health minister was off to fight the election in Catalonia. (He lost, just like Pablo did.) The minister went in January, almost a year to the day after he had become minister, the most ill-timed appointment any health minister could have wished for. (January 3) "What a relief, eh? It's doubtful that you are familiar with The Fast Show, Salvador, but were you to be, you will know a character called Unlucky Alf and his catchphrase. 'Oh bugger,' you must have been inclined to declare when you realised what you had let yourself in for. Only just sworn in, and there you were - tempted to swear." Temporarily, we lost Princess Leonor. It was announced that she would be off to Wales in September in order to further her education. But what else would she be doing there? The BBC came up with some ideas for the princess to fill her downtime. A Gavin & Stacey tour of Barry Island was one such idea. (February 14) "Has Leonor ever watched Gavin & Stacey? Who can say. But mum and dad may find out when she returns for the hols. 'Lush. Tidy.' " Leonor returned to Spain for the festivities with no Gavin apparently in tow. The family Christmas photo was unveiled, and there was mum with a look that could have been borrowed from Posh Spice. Was Brand Bourbon beginning? It seemed as if we had lost Spain's tourism minister, Reyes Maroto, completely. Unlike Illa, she hadn't vacated her ministerial seat, but she had nevertheless gone AWOL in pursuing the vice-presidency of Madrid. Hers was to be as abortive an attempt as that of Iglesias, and she subsequently needed to be "relaunched" as tourism minister at the presentation for the 'You Deserve Spain' promotional campaign. (May 16) "Could more be done both to promote Spain and to further boost the Reyes relaunch? I would suggest that it can, and so let's hear it for a 2021 Reyes revival of Sylvia's 1974 classic, Y Viva Espana. Perhaps she could duet with Francina, although there would clearly need to be some updating of the lyrics. 'Chat a matador.' 'Meet senoritas by the score.' 'Each time I kissed him behind the castanet, He rattled his maracas close to me.' Yes, reworking would be required, but especially for the line 'I'm taking the Costa Brava plane'. That would be an absolute no-no. Promoting Catalonia above Mallorca for safe, green-listed corridors with the UK (or wherever else)? Definitely not." Someone else who disappeared for a time was the Balearic tourism minister, Iago Negueruela. While the Spanish students' affair was in full controversy, there was no sight nor sound of Iago. Where, oh where, was he? (July 4) "Why was he not pronouncing on tourism of excesses and threatening dire consequences? Was this because the whole business had nothing to do with Magalluf or indeed with drunken Germans causing chaos in the general vicinity of Arenal's Ballermann?" As things turned out, Iago returned, declared that he would prefer to see the back of the students for good and reassumed his governmental ubiquity. Francina's "man of steel", he was also named PSOE's secretary of ideas, whatever these might entail. The year's weirdest story involved events well away from Mallorca. Or did they? In September, the volcanic eruption started on the island of La Palma. And so .... (September 26) "It was bound to happen and it did. Take Mexico's judicial services, for example, or the BAE financial newspaper in Buenos Aires. Being on the other side of the Atlantic was no excuse. There are all the historical ties with Spain, and so one might expect that they would get their geography right. But they didn't. 'Volcano in Palma de Mallorca,' tweeted the Mexicans. 'Residents evacuated because of eruption of a volcano in Palma de Mallorca,' added the Argentines. Closer to home, the Antena 3 TV channel's website managed to have the mayor of Palma, Jose Hila, apparently going to the district of Son Dameto to check on residents' needs 'because of the volcano in the Mallorcan and Balearic capital'." As for getting a news story so completely and utterly wrong, this took some beating. Prize for best media outlet of 2021 therefore goes to Antena 3. The U.N. World Food Program's logo is seen at the agency's headquarters in New York, on Nov. 6, 2017. (Robert Bumstead/AP Photo) UN Food Agency Halts Work in North Darfur, Affects 2 Million CAIROThe World Food Program has suspended its operations across Sudans province of North Darfur following recent attacks on its warehouses, a decision expected to affect about 2 million local people. A statement released by the U.N. food agency Thursday said all three of its warehouses in the area were attacked and looted. More than 5,000 metric tons of food apparently were stolen, the group said. Earlier in the week, the WFP said an unidentified armed group had attacked one of its warehouses in North Darfurs provincial capital of el-Fasher. In response, local authorities imposed a curfew across the province. However, the attacks continued until early Thursday, said the statement. Hundreds of looters have also dismantled warehouse structures, WFP added. This theft has robbed nearly two million people of the food and nutrition support they so desperately need, said WFP Executive Director David Beasley. Not only is this a tremendous setback to our operations across the country, but it endangers our staff, and jeopardizes our ability to meet the needs of the most vulnerable families. The agency said it cannot divert assistance from other parts of the East African country to the looted warehouses without compromising the needs of vulnerable Sudanese living outside the province. Sudan is one of the poorest counties in the world, with nearly 11 million people in need of food security and livelihood assistance in 2022, said the WFP. The agency urged Sudanese authorities to recover the looted stocks and guarantee the security and safety of the WFP operations in North Darfur. On Thursday, the countrys state-run news agency reported that a number of suspects were arrested in el-Fasher after they were seen riding trucks and animal-drawn carts loaded with food stocks that were allegedly stolen from the WFP warehouses. SUNA news agency did not say how many were arrested. The WFP decision comes amid political upheaval that followed the October military coup. On Friday, a doctors group said that five people were killed in anti-coup protests that erupted a day earlier in several provinces across the country. Security forces fired tear gas and live ammunition to disperse thousands of protesters, the group said. With Thursdays fatalities, the total death toll since the coup has risen to 53. Meanwhile, the Sudanese police acknowledged in a statement issued on Friday that four protesters were killed and more than 290 were wounded in the protests. The statement posted on SUNA made no mention of police using tear gas or live ammunition. The police added that more than 40 policemen were wounded in clashes with protesters. By Noha Elhennawy The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The report that came to the attention of the United States military in April 2017 relayed devastating news from Iraq: More than 30 people, among them women and children, had been killed when aircraft from the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Mosul struck a neighborhood known as Siha. A civilian casualty cell of the U.S. military, which was charged with assessing reports of civilians killed or wounded in coalition operations, learned of the claim in a Facebook post published on April 11 by the news outlet, the Iraqi Spring Media Center. The Pentagon began an inquiry, but only a week later its assessment officers couldnt confirm whether coalition aircraft had targeted that location, and they dismissed the claim, saying Siha was not among known districts of West Mosul. There would be no further review. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The U.N. World Food Program's logo is seen at the agency's headquarters in New York, on Nov. 6, 2017. (Robert Bumstead/AP Photo) UN Food Agency Halts Work in North Darfur, Affects 2 Million CAIROThe World Food Program has suspended its operations across Sudans province of North Darfur following recent attacks on its warehouses, a decision expected to affect about 2 million local people. A statement released by the U.N. food agency Thursday said all three of its warehouses in the area were attacked and looted. More than 5,000 metric tons of food apparently were stolen, the group said. Earlier in the week, the WFP said an unidentified armed group had attacked one of its warehouses in North Darfurs provincial capital of el-Fasher. In response, local authorities imposed a curfew across the province. However, the attacks continued until early Thursday, said the statement. Hundreds of looters have also dismantled warehouse structures, WFP added. This theft has robbed nearly two million people of the food and nutrition support they so desperately need, said WFP Executive Director David Beasley. Not only is this a tremendous setback to our operations across the country, but it endangers our staff, and jeopardizes our ability to meet the needs of the most vulnerable families. The agency said it cannot divert assistance from other parts of the East African country to the looted warehouses without compromising the needs of vulnerable Sudanese living outside the province. Sudan is one of the poorest counties in the world, with nearly 11 million people in need of food security and livelihood assistance in 2022, said the WFP. The agency urged Sudanese authorities to recover the looted stocks and guarantee the security and safety of the WFP operations in North Darfur. On Thursday, the countrys state-run news agency reported that a number of suspects were arrested in el-Fasher after they were seen riding trucks and animal-drawn carts loaded with food stocks that were allegedly stolen from the WFP warehouses. SUNA news agency did not say how many were arrested. The WFP decision comes amid political upheaval that followed the October military coup. On Friday, a doctors group said that five people were killed in anti-coup protests that erupted a day earlier in several provinces across the country. Security forces fired tear gas and live ammunition to disperse thousands of protesters, the group said. With Thursdays fatalities, the total death toll since the coup has risen to 53. Meanwhile, the Sudanese police acknowledged in a statement issued on Friday that four protesters were killed and more than 290 were wounded in the protests. The statement posted on SUNA made no mention of police using tear gas or live ammunition. The police added that more than 40 policemen were wounded in clashes with protesters. By Noha Elhennawy Cambodian airport operator, rice exporter expect business rise after RCEP takes effect Xinhua) 15:05, January 01, 2022 PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Cambodian airport operator, rice exporter expect business rise after RCEP takes effect Xinhua) 15:05, January 01, 2022 PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Cambodian airport operator, rice exporter expect business rise after RCEP takes effect Xinhua) 15:05, January 01, 2022 PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) The report that came to the attention of the United States military in April 2017 relayed devastating news from Iraq: More than 30 people, among them women and children, had been killed when aircraft from the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Mosul struck a neighborhood known as Siha. A civilian casualty cell of the U.S. military, which was charged with assessing reports of civilians killed or wounded in coalition operations, learned of the claim in a Facebook post published on April 11 by the news outlet, the Iraqi Spring Media Center. The Pentagon began an inquiry, but only a week later its assessment officers couldnt confirm whether coalition aircraft had targeted that location, and they dismissed the claim, saying Siha was not among known districts of West Mosul. There would be no further review. Cambodian airport operator, rice exporter expect business rise after RCEP takes effect Xinhua) 15:05, January 01, 2022 PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Cambodian airport operator, rice exporter expect business rise after RCEP takes effect Xinhua) 15:05, January 01, 2022 PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. Cambodian airport operator, rice exporter expect business rise after RCEP takes effect Xinhua) 15:05, January 01, 2022 PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Cambodian airport operator, rice exporter expect business rise after RCEP takes effect Xinhua) 15:05, January 01, 2022 PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Cambodian airport operator, rice exporter expect business rise after RCEP takes effect Xinhua) 15:05, January 01, 2022 PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Planes carrying cargoes subsequently landed in Cambodia on Friday, a day before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement enters into force, which is expected to boost air cargo growth in a long term, an airport's cargo supervisor said. One of the freight airlifters touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday afternoon was K-Mile Air flight 8K802 from Bangkok, Thailand. The aircraft carried garments and general goods. Ros Rotha, cargo supervisor at Phnom Penh International Airport, said the airport currently accommodates more than 50 cargo flights per week coming from different countries and regions. Main products air-freighted are garments, spare parts for electronic products and machinery, pharmaceutical products, foodstuff, new cars, and valuable items such as gold, diamonds, jewelry, mobile phones, and watches, he said. "Cargo activities have been crucial amid this challenging time, actually for the last 20 months or so since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged," he told Xinhua. "Our airport teams are very proud to be part of the national effort to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by handling the deliveries of vaccines and also by taking care of inbound and outbound essential goods." Rotha said thanks to the cargoes, the airport has stayed afloat as passenger traffic has been hard hit because of the pandemic. The airport reported a 29.5 percent surge in cargo volume and a 98 percent decrease in passengers during the Jan.-Nov. 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, he said, adding that however, if compared to 2019, the year before the crisis, the cargo traffic was still down by nearly 20 percent. "Because the RCEP free trade agreement simplifies process and lowers customs fees, we are pleased to see this agreement entering into force and feel confident that this will also contribute to increasing air cargo," he said. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega free trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The deal will eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tariffs on goods traded among its signatories over the next 20 years. Song Saran, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said RCEP will ease trade in goods in the region and all participating countries will benefit to varying extents from it. "This is the world's largest free trade area. For me, there's no doubt that it will be a driving force for global and regional economic growth in the post-pandemic era," he told Xinhua. "The agreement provides a greater market access for Cambodia's products, and I think it will attract more foreign investors to invest in various sectors, including in the rice industry, in order to export finished products to those RCEP countries, with tariff concessions," he said. He said when major investors come to Cambodia, they will bring along new capital and sophisticated technologies, which are key for the development of Cambodia's economy. Saran, who is also chief executive officer of Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., said currently, his company exports milled rice to China, Singapore and Australia. Under the RCEP, he hopes to expand his business to other countries in the future. Covering a region with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's undersecretary of state and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said RCEP will facilitate trade and diversify the exports of Cambodian products, especially agricultural ones, to the RCEP participating countries. "RCEP is considered as a victory of multilateralism and free trade and it will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region," he told Xinhua. Under RCEP, it is expected that Cambodia's annual export will increase from 9.4 percent to 18 percent, contributing to the economic growth from 2 percent to 3.8 percent, he said, adding that it will increase annual job opportunities from 3.2 percent to 6.2 percent, and tax revenue from 2 percent to 3.9 percent. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The report that came to the attention of the United States military in April 2017 relayed devastating news from Iraq: More than 30 people, among them women and children, had been killed when aircraft from the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Mosul struck a neighborhood known as Siha. A civilian casualty cell of the U.S. military, which was charged with assessing reports of civilians killed or wounded in coalition operations, learned of the claim in a Facebook post published on April 11 by the news outlet, the Iraqi Spring Media Center. The Pentagon began an inquiry, but only a week later its assessment officers couldnt confirm whether coalition aircraft had targeted that location, and they dismissed the claim, saying Siha was not among known districts of West Mosul. There would be no further review. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The rising number of mostly Haitian migrants arriving at the border town of Mexicali has prompted Mexican authorities to expand their capacity to provide them with temporary housing. On Thursday, the city opened two new shelters adding to the seven shelters already operating. Tomas Diosdado is the coordinator for the Alfa and Omega shelters in Mexicali. He said they were aware that migrants waiting at Mexico's southern town of Tapachula at the border with Guatemala would sooner or later make their way North towards the border with the United States. "What we didn't know is that so many were going to arrive so suddenly," he said. "That's what caught us off guard, but there we go." Standing outside the Melchor Ocampo shelter, Director of the Mexicali's Family Integration Development agency Elba Cornejo Armino watched as a new group of migrants entered. So many pregnant women are arriving at Mexicali that the city decided to make the Melchor Ocampo shelter cater exclusively to families of migrants with expecting mothers. "Baja California is a sanctuary for migrants," she said. 31-year-old Matteo Francois is one of the many Haitian migrants who have decided to stay in Mexico. "Here in Mexicali, it is good because there are plenty of jobs to be able to get work," he said. He is not planning to cross into the United States. "Here I have work, so it is better for me to stay here until I have a normal, good life." In recent days, the city offered 700 jobs for migrants who have regularized their migratory status. As of December 1, more than 47,000 Haitian had applied for asylum in Mexico. Last October, Haitians became the largest nationality group to apply for asylum in Mexico. Diosdado, although aware that their legal status can change in a few years, believes there is an opportunity now. He said Mexico should "as some other countries in the world have done, take advantage of migrations." (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) The rising number of mostly Haitian migrants arriving at the border town of Mexicali has prompted Mexican authorities to expand their capacity to provide them with temporary housing. On Thursday, the city opened two new shelters adding to the seven shelters already operating. Tomas Diosdado is the coordinator for the Alfa and Omega shelters in Mexicali. He said they were aware that migrants waiting at Mexico's southern town of Tapachula at the border with Guatemala would sooner or later make their way North towards the border with the United States. "What we didn't know is that so many were going to arrive so suddenly," he said. "That's what caught us off guard, but there we go." Standing outside the Melchor Ocampo shelter, Director of the Mexicali's Family Integration Development agency Elba Cornejo Armino watched as a new group of migrants entered. So many pregnant women are arriving at Mexicali that the city decided to make the Melchor Ocampo shelter cater exclusively to families of migrants with expecting mothers. "Baja California is a sanctuary for migrants," she said. 31-year-old Matteo Francois is one of the many Haitian migrants who have decided to stay in Mexico. "Here in Mexicali, it is good because there are plenty of jobs to be able to get work," he said. He is not planning to cross into the United States. "Here I have work, so it is better for me to stay here until I have a normal, good life." In recent days, the city offered 700 jobs for migrants who have regularized their migratory status. As of December 1, more than 47,000 Haitian had applied for asylum in Mexico. Last October, Haitians became the largest nationality group to apply for asylum in Mexico. Diosdado, although aware that their legal status can change in a few years, believes there is an opportunity now. He said Mexico should "as some other countries in the world have done, take advantage of migrations." (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) At the party meeting that ended on Friday, Mr. Kim pledged to increase the agricultural production and completely solve the food problem, specifying production goals to be attained phase by phase in the coming 10 years, the Norths Korean Central News Agency said. But Mr. Kim did not appear to introduce any significant agricultural measures, except to forgive all cooperative farms debts to the government. He mainly repeated the partys old exhortations to farmers to use more machines, greenhouses, fertilizers and pesticides. He also said they should grasp the greatness and gratitude for the party, state and the social system and make collectivism dominate their thinking and life. Despite his ambitions to grow North Koreas economy, Mr. Kim has never made the kind of bold, market-oriented changes that China and Vietnam put in place decades ago. Instead, he has kept the country isolated, cracking down on the influence of outside information and imposing tight control on the informal markets that many North Koreans have relied on for survival. Kim Jong-un was never going to be a reformer by Western standards, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. He prioritizes his family interests above national security, prosperity and the rule of law, to say nothing of human rights. At the party meeting that ended on Friday, Mr. Kim pledged to increase the agricultural production and completely solve the food problem, specifying production goals to be attained phase by phase in the coming 10 years, the Norths Korean Central News Agency said. But Mr. Kim did not appear to introduce any significant agricultural measures, except to forgive all cooperative farms debts to the government. He mainly repeated the partys old exhortations to farmers to use more machines, greenhouses, fertilizers and pesticides. He also said they should grasp the greatness and gratitude for the party, state and the social system and make collectivism dominate their thinking and life. Despite his ambitions to grow North Koreas economy, Mr. Kim has never made the kind of bold, market-oriented changes that China and Vietnam put in place decades ago. Instead, he has kept the country isolated, cracking down on the influence of outside information and imposing tight control on the informal markets that many North Koreans have relied on for survival. Kim Jong-un was never going to be a reformer by Western standards, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. He prioritizes his family interests above national security, prosperity and the rule of law, to say nothing of human rights. The report that came to the attention of the United States military in April 2017 relayed devastating news from Iraq: More than 30 people, among them women and children, had been killed when aircraft from the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Mosul struck a neighborhood known as Siha. A civilian casualty cell of the U.S. military, which was charged with assessing reports of civilians killed or wounded in coalition operations, learned of the claim in a Facebook post published on April 11 by the news outlet, the Iraqi Spring Media Center. The Pentagon began an inquiry, but only a week later its assessment officers couldnt confirm whether coalition aircraft had targeted that location, and they dismissed the claim, saying Siha was not among known districts of West Mosul. There would be no further review. New Delhi [India], January 1 (ANI): Eying the upcoming assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh this year, the four-member committee constituted by the Bharatiya Janata Party on December 26 to woo Brahmin voters of the state within a target of 25 days, has reached out to more than 80 Brahmin organizations that have a strong outreach in their regions, according to the sources. The BJP had constituted a 4-member committee on December 26, 2021. The committee chaired by former Union Minister Shiv Pratap Shukla comprises members Mahesh Sharma, Abhijat Mishra, and Ram Bhai Morakiya. The committee has begun its work. The first meeting was held in Lucknow. The second meeting is scheduled to take place on January 4, said the sources. Also Read | ATM Service Charges Increase, to Cost Rs 21 Per Transaction From Today. Their main task will be to keep the Brahmins of their area informed about the BJP's work towards the welfare of Brahmins, including the work done by the government and their future plans. The BJP has set a target of 25 days to cater to its Brahmin voters. The list of all the assembly constituencies of Uttar Pradesh has been prepared and on the basis of which, work will be done in all the areas. Also Read | Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami to Distribute Free Mobiles, Tablets to Students on Occasion of New Year 2022. Besides the 80 organizations that the party has reached out to so far, it is yet to reach six more organizations that have strong outreach in their community. According to the party sources, from January 6, BJP will prioritize those assembly constituencies where BJP does not have a Brahmin candidate to inform the people about what all it has done for the community since these constituencies do not have a Brahmin face to spread awareness about the party's initiatives towards the community. Speaking to ANI, a committee member, Abhijat Mishra, claiming that the majority of the people are satisfied with the work done by the government, said that the party would reach out to the dissatisfied voters "to end their displeasure". "We have to tell the people about our achievements. The majority of the people are happy with the work done by the BJP government. There may be a possibility that some of them are not pleased, the party will reach out to all the Brahmin voters to end their displeasure," he said. "There are many such voters who vote for BJP and who selflessly work at the time of elections. They also consider themselves a member of the party," Mishra added. The committee member further said that it is not necessary that everyone would like the decisions made by the government, but "Matbhed ho sakta hai, manbhed nahi". "Matbhed ho sakta hai, manbhed nahi. When there is any decision made, it is not necessary that everyone would like it," he said. Mishra also hit out at the Opposition for "spreading confusion among the Brahmin community about them being displeased with the government and said that it is an environment created by them. "The Opposition spread a lot of negativity and confusion. They spread the misinformation that the Brahmin community is displeased with the BJP and has united against our party to defeat us. This is an environment created by them," he said. Uttar Pradesh is slated to go to the Assembly polls early this year. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], January 1 (ANI): Eying the upcoming assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh this year, the four-member committee constituted by the Bharatiya Janata Party on December 26 to woo Brahmin voters of the state within a target of 25 days, has reached out to more than 80 Brahmin organizations that have a strong outreach in their regions, according to the sources. The BJP had constituted a 4-member committee on December 26, 2021. The committee chaired by former Union Minister Shiv Pratap Shukla comprises members Mahesh Sharma, Abhijat Mishra, and Ram Bhai Morakiya. The committee has begun its work. The first meeting was held in Lucknow. The second meeting is scheduled to take place on January 4, said the sources. Also Read | ATM Service Charges Increase, to Cost Rs 21 Per Transaction From Today. Their main task will be to keep the Brahmins of their area informed about the BJP's work towards the welfare of Brahmins, including the work done by the government and their future plans. The BJP has set a target of 25 days to cater to its Brahmin voters. The list of all the assembly constituencies of Uttar Pradesh has been prepared and on the basis of which, work will be done in all the areas. Also Read | Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami to Distribute Free Mobiles, Tablets to Students on Occasion of New Year 2022. Besides the 80 organizations that the party has reached out to so far, it is yet to reach six more organizations that have strong outreach in their community. According to the party sources, from January 6, BJP will prioritize those assembly constituencies where BJP does not have a Brahmin candidate to inform the people about what all it has done for the community since these constituencies do not have a Brahmin face to spread awareness about the party's initiatives towards the community. Speaking to ANI, a committee member, Abhijat Mishra, claiming that the majority of the people are satisfied with the work done by the government, said that the party would reach out to the dissatisfied voters "to end their displeasure". "We have to tell the people about our achievements. The majority of the people are happy with the work done by the BJP government. There may be a possibility that some of them are not pleased, the party will reach out to all the Brahmin voters to end their displeasure," he said. "There are many such voters who vote for BJP and who selflessly work at the time of elections. They also consider themselves a member of the party," Mishra added. The committee member further said that it is not necessary that everyone would like the decisions made by the government, but "Matbhed ho sakta hai, manbhed nahi". "Matbhed ho sakta hai, manbhed nahi. When there is any decision made, it is not necessary that everyone would like it," he said. Mishra also hit out at the Opposition for "spreading confusion among the Brahmin community about them being displeased with the government and said that it is an environment created by them. "The Opposition spread a lot of negativity and confusion. They spread the misinformation that the Brahmin community is displeased with the BJP and has united against our party to defeat us. This is an environment created by them," he said. Uttar Pradesh is slated to go to the Assembly polls early this year. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) A photograph of a CH-53 helicopter is pictured at the booth of Sikorsky-Lockheed Martin company during preparation for the ILA Berlin Air Show in Schoenefeld, south of Berlin, Germany, on May 31, 2016. (Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters) Israel Signs Deal to Buy $3.1 Billion in US Helicopters, Tankers JERUSALEMIsrael has signed a deal with the United States to buy 12 Lockheed Martin Corp CH-53K helicopters and two Boeing Co KC-46 refueling planes, the Israeli Defense Ministry said on Friday, estimating the total price at around $3.1 billion. The deal, signed on Thursday, is part of an upgrade of Israels air force capabilities and includes an option to buy six additional helicopters, a ministry statement said. It said the first helicopters were due to arrive in Israel in 2026. Brigadier-General Shimon Tsentsiper, chief of materiel for the air force, told Israels Army Radio on Thursday that the refueling planes on order would not be delivered before 2025. He said Israel was trying to bring forward the delivery of the KC-46s, and eventually wanted a total of four of them. Israeli media have speculated that the refueling planes could be crucial for carrying out a long-threatened air strike on Irans nuclear facilities. Tsentsiper said the air forces current refueling capacities were sufficient for its missions. By Dan Williams A photograph of a CH-53 helicopter is pictured at the booth of Sikorsky-Lockheed Martin company during preparation for the ILA Berlin Air Show in Schoenefeld, south of Berlin, Germany, on May 31, 2016. (Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters) Israel Signs Deal to Buy $3.1 Billion in US Helicopters, Tankers JERUSALEMIsrael has signed a deal with the United States to buy 12 Lockheed Martin Corp CH-53K helicopters and two Boeing Co KC-46 refueling planes, the Israeli Defense Ministry said on Friday, estimating the total price at around $3.1 billion. The deal, signed on Thursday, is part of an upgrade of Israels air force capabilities and includes an option to buy six additional helicopters, a ministry statement said. It said the first helicopters were due to arrive in Israel in 2026. Brigadier-General Shimon Tsentsiper, chief of materiel for the air force, told Israels Army Radio on Thursday that the refueling planes on order would not be delivered before 2025. He said Israel was trying to bring forward the delivery of the KC-46s, and eventually wanted a total of four of them. Israeli media have speculated that the refueling planes could be crucial for carrying out a long-threatened air strike on Irans nuclear facilities. Tsentsiper said the air forces current refueling capacities were sufficient for its missions. By Dan Williams A photograph of a CH-53 helicopter is pictured at the booth of Sikorsky-Lockheed Martin company during preparation for the ILA Berlin Air Show in Schoenefeld, south of Berlin, Germany, on May 31, 2016. (Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters) Israel Signs Deal to Buy $3.1 Billion in US Helicopters, Tankers JERUSALEMIsrael has signed a deal with the United States to buy 12 Lockheed Martin Corp CH-53K helicopters and two Boeing Co KC-46 refueling planes, the Israeli Defense Ministry said on Friday, estimating the total price at around $3.1 billion. The deal, signed on Thursday, is part of an upgrade of Israels air force capabilities and includes an option to buy six additional helicopters, a ministry statement said. It said the first helicopters were due to arrive in Israel in 2026. Brigadier-General Shimon Tsentsiper, chief of materiel for the air force, told Israels Army Radio on Thursday that the refueling planes on order would not be delivered before 2025. He said Israel was trying to bring forward the delivery of the KC-46s, and eventually wanted a total of four of them. Israeli media have speculated that the refueling planes could be crucial for carrying out a long-threatened air strike on Irans nuclear facilities. Tsentsiper said the air forces current refueling capacities were sufficient for its missions. By Dan Williams A photograph of a CH-53 helicopter is pictured at the booth of Sikorsky-Lockheed Martin company during preparation for the ILA Berlin Air Show in Schoenefeld, south of Berlin, Germany, on May 31, 2016. (Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters) Israel Signs Deal to Buy $3.1 Billion in US Helicopters, Tankers JERUSALEMIsrael has signed a deal with the United States to buy 12 Lockheed Martin Corp CH-53K helicopters and two Boeing Co KC-46 refueling planes, the Israeli Defense Ministry said on Friday, estimating the total price at around $3.1 billion. The deal, signed on Thursday, is part of an upgrade of Israels air force capabilities and includes an option to buy six additional helicopters, a ministry statement said. It said the first helicopters were due to arrive in Israel in 2026. Brigadier-General Shimon Tsentsiper, chief of materiel for the air force, told Israels Army Radio on Thursday that the refueling planes on order would not be delivered before 2025. He said Israel was trying to bring forward the delivery of the KC-46s, and eventually wanted a total of four of them. Israeli media have speculated that the refueling planes could be crucial for carrying out a long-threatened air strike on Irans nuclear facilities. Tsentsiper said the air forces current refueling capacities were sufficient for its missions. By Dan Williams A photograph of a CH-53 helicopter is pictured at the booth of Sikorsky-Lockheed Martin company during preparation for the ILA Berlin Air Show in Schoenefeld, south of Berlin, Germany, on May 31, 2016. (Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters) Israel Signs Deal to Buy $3.1 Billion in US Helicopters, Tankers JERUSALEMIsrael has signed a deal with the United States to buy 12 Lockheed Martin Corp CH-53K helicopters and two Boeing Co KC-46 refueling planes, the Israeli Defense Ministry said on Friday, estimating the total price at around $3.1 billion. The deal, signed on Thursday, is part of an upgrade of Israels air force capabilities and includes an option to buy six additional helicopters, a ministry statement said. It said the first helicopters were due to arrive in Israel in 2026. Brigadier-General Shimon Tsentsiper, chief of materiel for the air force, told Israels Army Radio on Thursday that the refueling planes on order would not be delivered before 2025. He said Israel was trying to bring forward the delivery of the KC-46s, and eventually wanted a total of four of them. Israeli media have speculated that the refueling planes could be crucial for carrying out a long-threatened air strike on Irans nuclear facilities. Tsentsiper said the air forces current refueling capacities were sufficient for its missions. By Dan Williams A photograph of a CH-53 helicopter is pictured at the booth of Sikorsky-Lockheed Martin company during preparation for the ILA Berlin Air Show in Schoenefeld, south of Berlin, Germany, on May 31, 2016. (Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters) Israel Signs Deal to Buy $3.1 Billion in US Helicopters, Tankers JERUSALEMIsrael has signed a deal with the United States to buy 12 Lockheed Martin Corp CH-53K helicopters and two Boeing Co KC-46 refueling planes, the Israeli Defense Ministry said on Friday, estimating the total price at around $3.1 billion. The deal, signed on Thursday, is part of an upgrade of Israels air force capabilities and includes an option to buy six additional helicopters, a ministry statement said. It said the first helicopters were due to arrive in Israel in 2026. Brigadier-General Shimon Tsentsiper, chief of materiel for the air force, told Israels Army Radio on Thursday that the refueling planes on order would not be delivered before 2025. He said Israel was trying to bring forward the delivery of the KC-46s, and eventually wanted a total of four of them. Israeli media have speculated that the refueling planes could be crucial for carrying out a long-threatened air strike on Irans nuclear facilities. Tsentsiper said the air forces current refueling capacities were sufficient for its missions. By Dan Williams The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The report that came to the attention of the United States military in April 2017 relayed devastating news from Iraq: More than 30 people, among them women and children, had been killed when aircraft from the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Mosul struck a neighborhood known as Siha. A civilian casualty cell of the U.S. military, which was charged with assessing reports of civilians killed or wounded in coalition operations, learned of the claim in a Facebook post published on April 11 by the news outlet, the Iraqi Spring Media Center. The Pentagon began an inquiry, but only a week later its assessment officers couldnt confirm whether coalition aircraft had targeted that location, and they dismissed the claim, saying Siha was not among known districts of West Mosul. There would be no further review. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. At the party meeting that ended on Friday, Mr. Kim pledged to increase the agricultural production and completely solve the food problem, specifying production goals to be attained phase by phase in the coming 10 years, the Norths Korean Central News Agency said. But Mr. Kim did not appear to introduce any significant agricultural measures, except to forgive all cooperative farms debts to the government. He mainly repeated the partys old exhortations to farmers to use more machines, greenhouses, fertilizers and pesticides. He also said they should grasp the greatness and gratitude for the party, state and the social system and make collectivism dominate their thinking and life. Despite his ambitions to grow North Koreas economy, Mr. Kim has never made the kind of bold, market-oriented changes that China and Vietnam put in place decades ago. Instead, he has kept the country isolated, cracking down on the influence of outside information and imposing tight control on the informal markets that many North Koreans have relied on for survival. Kim Jong-un was never going to be a reformer by Western standards, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. He prioritizes his family interests above national security, prosperity and the rule of law, to say nothing of human rights. Despite increasing tensions with Russia, the Biden administration supports extending the operations of the International Space Station (ISS) through 2030, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said. In a December 31 statement, Nelson said that the Biden administration is committed to working with international partners, including Russia, to continue research being conducted on the orbiting laboratory through the end of the decade. Nelson called the ISS a beacon of peaceful international scientific collaboration and said that it has returned enormous scientific, educational, and technological developments to benefit humanity during its more than two-decade existence. Russia and the United States have had close cooperation aboard the ISS since the first component was launched in 1998. However, relations between the two nations have deteriorated to their lowest point since the early 1990s, raising questions about whether both sides were ready to continue cooperation. The station would operate through 2030 if approved by international partners and funded by the U.S. Congress. Currently, Congress has approved funding through 2024. Nelson said the U.S. commitment to extend its participation in the ISS is critical in light of the growing competition in space. "As more and more nations are active in space, it's more important than ever that the United States continues to lead the world in growing international alliances and modeling rules and norms for the peaceful and responsible use of space," he said. In November, NATO and the United States condemned Russia for conducting a missile test that blew up a defunct Russian satellite, creating a debris cloud that endangered the ISS -- an accusation dismissed by the Kremlin. Nelson called the move "reckless." The rising number of mostly Haitian migrants arriving at the border town of Mexicali has prompted Mexican authorities to expand their capacity to provide them with temporary housing. On Thursday, the city opened two new shelters adding to the seven shelters already operating. Tomas Diosdado is the coordinator for the Alfa and Omega shelters in Mexicali. He said they were aware that migrants waiting at Mexico's southern town of Tapachula at the border with Guatemala would sooner or later make their way North towards the border with the United States. "What we didn't know is that so many were going to arrive so suddenly," he said. "That's what caught us off guard, but there we go." Standing outside the Melchor Ocampo shelter, Director of the Mexicali's Family Integration Development agency Elba Cornejo Armino watched as a new group of migrants entered. So many pregnant women are arriving at Mexicali that the city decided to make the Melchor Ocampo shelter cater exclusively to families of migrants with expecting mothers. "Baja California is a sanctuary for migrants," she said. 31-year-old Matteo Francois is one of the many Haitian migrants who have decided to stay in Mexico. "Here in Mexicali, it is good because there are plenty of jobs to be able to get work," he said. He is not planning to cross into the United States. "Here I have work, so it is better for me to stay here until I have a normal, good life." In recent days, the city offered 700 jobs for migrants who have regularized their migratory status. As of December 1, more than 47,000 Haitian had applied for asylum in Mexico. Last October, Haitians became the largest nationality group to apply for asylum in Mexico. Diosdado, although aware that their legal status can change in a few years, believes there is an opportunity now. He said Mexico should "as some other countries in the world have done, take advantage of migrations." (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) The rising number of mostly Haitian migrants arriving at the border town of Mexicali has prompted Mexican authorities to expand their capacity to provide them with temporary housing. On Thursday, the city opened two new shelters adding to the seven shelters already operating. Tomas Diosdado is the coordinator for the Alfa and Omega shelters in Mexicali. He said they were aware that migrants waiting at Mexico's southern town of Tapachula at the border with Guatemala would sooner or later make their way North towards the border with the United States. "What we didn't know is that so many were going to arrive so suddenly," he said. "That's what caught us off guard, but there we go." Standing outside the Melchor Ocampo shelter, Director of the Mexicali's Family Integration Development agency Elba Cornejo Armino watched as a new group of migrants entered. So many pregnant women are arriving at Mexicali that the city decided to make the Melchor Ocampo shelter cater exclusively to families of migrants with expecting mothers. "Baja California is a sanctuary for migrants," she said. 31-year-old Matteo Francois is one of the many Haitian migrants who have decided to stay in Mexico. "Here in Mexicali, it is good because there are plenty of jobs to be able to get work," he said. He is not planning to cross into the United States. "Here I have work, so it is better for me to stay here until I have a normal, good life." In recent days, the city offered 700 jobs for migrants who have regularized their migratory status. As of December 1, more than 47,000 Haitian had applied for asylum in Mexico. Last October, Haitians became the largest nationality group to apply for asylum in Mexico. Diosdado, although aware that their legal status can change in a few years, believes there is an opportunity now. He said Mexico should "as some other countries in the world have done, take advantage of migrations." (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) A photograph of a CH-53 helicopter is pictured at the booth of Sikorsky-Lockheed Martin company during preparation for the ILA Berlin Air Show in Schoenefeld, south of Berlin, Germany, on May 31, 2016. (Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters) Israel Signs Deal to Buy $3.1 Billion in US Helicopters, Tankers JERUSALEMIsrael has signed a deal with the United States to buy 12 Lockheed Martin Corp CH-53K helicopters and two Boeing Co KC-46 refueling planes, the Israeli Defense Ministry said on Friday, estimating the total price at around $3.1 billion. The deal, signed on Thursday, is part of an upgrade of Israels air force capabilities and includes an option to buy six additional helicopters, a ministry statement said. It said the first helicopters were due to arrive in Israel in 2026. Brigadier-General Shimon Tsentsiper, chief of materiel for the air force, told Israels Army Radio on Thursday that the refueling planes on order would not be delivered before 2025. He said Israel was trying to bring forward the delivery of the KC-46s, and eventually wanted a total of four of them. Israeli media have speculated that the refueling planes could be crucial for carrying out a long-threatened air strike on Irans nuclear facilities. Tsentsiper said the air forces current refueling capacities were sufficient for its missions. By Dan Williams A photograph of a CH-53 helicopter is pictured at the booth of Sikorsky-Lockheed Martin company during preparation for the ILA Berlin Air Show in Schoenefeld, south of Berlin, Germany, on May 31, 2016. (Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters) Israel Signs Deal to Buy $3.1 Billion in US Helicopters, Tankers JERUSALEMIsrael has signed a deal with the United States to buy 12 Lockheed Martin Corp CH-53K helicopters and two Boeing Co KC-46 refueling planes, the Israeli Defense Ministry said on Friday, estimating the total price at around $3.1 billion. The deal, signed on Thursday, is part of an upgrade of Israels air force capabilities and includes an option to buy six additional helicopters, a ministry statement said. It said the first helicopters were due to arrive in Israel in 2026. Brigadier-General Shimon Tsentsiper, chief of materiel for the air force, told Israels Army Radio on Thursday that the refueling planes on order would not be delivered before 2025. He said Israel was trying to bring forward the delivery of the KC-46s, and eventually wanted a total of four of them. Israeli media have speculated that the refueling planes could be crucial for carrying out a long-threatened air strike on Irans nuclear facilities. Tsentsiper said the air forces current refueling capacities were sufficient for its missions. By Dan Williams The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The report that came to the attention of the United States military in April 2017 relayed devastating news from Iraq: More than 30 people, among them women and children, had been killed when aircraft from the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Mosul struck a neighborhood known as Siha. A civilian casualty cell of the U.S. military, which was charged with assessing reports of civilians killed or wounded in coalition operations, learned of the claim in a Facebook post published on April 11 by the news outlet, the Iraqi Spring Media Center. The Pentagon began an inquiry, but only a week later its assessment officers couldnt confirm whether coalition aircraft had targeted that location, and they dismissed the claim, saying Siha was not among known districts of West Mosul. There would be no further review. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. At the party meeting that ended on Friday, Mr. Kim pledged to increase the agricultural production and completely solve the food problem, specifying production goals to be attained phase by phase in the coming 10 years, the Norths Korean Central News Agency said. But Mr. Kim did not appear to introduce any significant agricultural measures, except to forgive all cooperative farms debts to the government. He mainly repeated the partys old exhortations to farmers to use more machines, greenhouses, fertilizers and pesticides. He also said they should grasp the greatness and gratitude for the party, state and the social system and make collectivism dominate their thinking and life. Despite his ambitions to grow North Koreas economy, Mr. Kim has never made the kind of bold, market-oriented changes that China and Vietnam put in place decades ago. Instead, he has kept the country isolated, cracking down on the influence of outside information and imposing tight control on the informal markets that many North Koreans have relied on for survival. Kim Jong-un was never going to be a reformer by Western standards, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. He prioritizes his family interests above national security, prosperity and the rule of law, to say nothing of human rights. At the party meeting that ended on Friday, Mr. Kim pledged to increase the agricultural production and completely solve the food problem, specifying production goals to be attained phase by phase in the coming 10 years, the Norths Korean Central News Agency said. But Mr. Kim did not appear to introduce any significant agricultural measures, except to forgive all cooperative farms debts to the government. He mainly repeated the partys old exhortations to farmers to use more machines, greenhouses, fertilizers and pesticides. He also said they should grasp the greatness and gratitude for the party, state and the social system and make collectivism dominate their thinking and life. Despite his ambitions to grow North Koreas economy, Mr. Kim has never made the kind of bold, market-oriented changes that China and Vietnam put in place decades ago. Instead, he has kept the country isolated, cracking down on the influence of outside information and imposing tight control on the informal markets that many North Koreans have relied on for survival. Kim Jong-un was never going to be a reformer by Western standards, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. He prioritizes his family interests above national security, prosperity and the rule of law, to say nothing of human rights. At the party meeting that ended on Friday, Mr. Kim pledged to increase the agricultural production and completely solve the food problem, specifying production goals to be attained phase by phase in the coming 10 years, the Norths Korean Central News Agency said. But Mr. Kim did not appear to introduce any significant agricultural measures, except to forgive all cooperative farms debts to the government. He mainly repeated the partys old exhortations to farmers to use more machines, greenhouses, fertilizers and pesticides. He also said they should grasp the greatness and gratitude for the party, state and the social system and make collectivism dominate their thinking and life. Despite his ambitions to grow North Koreas economy, Mr. Kim has never made the kind of bold, market-oriented changes that China and Vietnam put in place decades ago. Instead, he has kept the country isolated, cracking down on the influence of outside information and imposing tight control on the informal markets that many North Koreans have relied on for survival. Kim Jong-un was never going to be a reformer by Western standards, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. He prioritizes his family interests above national security, prosperity and the rule of law, to say nothing of human rights. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. Despite increasing tensions with Russia, the Biden administration supports extending the operations of the International Space Station (ISS) through 2030, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said. In a December 31 statement, Nelson said that the Biden administration is committed to working with international partners, including Russia, to continue research being conducted on the orbiting laboratory through the end of the decade. Nelson called the ISS a beacon of peaceful international scientific collaboration and said that it has returned enormous scientific, educational, and technological developments to benefit humanity during its more than two-decade existence. Russia and the United States have had close cooperation aboard the ISS since the first component was launched in 1998. However, relations between the two nations have deteriorated to their lowest point since the early 1990s, raising questions about whether both sides were ready to continue cooperation. The station would operate through 2030 if approved by international partners and funded by the U.S. Congress. Currently, Congress has approved funding through 2024. Nelson said the U.S. commitment to extend its participation in the ISS is critical in light of the growing competition in space. "As more and more nations are active in space, it's more important than ever that the United States continues to lead the world in growing international alliances and modeling rules and norms for the peaceful and responsible use of space," he said. In November, NATO and the United States condemned Russia for conducting a missile test that blew up a defunct Russian satellite, creating a debris cloud that endangered the ISS -- an accusation dismissed by the Kremlin. Nelson called the move "reckless." Despite increasing tensions with Russia, the Biden administration supports extending the operations of the International Space Station (ISS) through 2030, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said. In a December 31 statement, Nelson said that the Biden administration is committed to working with international partners, including Russia, to continue research being conducted on the orbiting laboratory through the end of the decade. Nelson called the ISS a beacon of peaceful international scientific collaboration and said that it has returned enormous scientific, educational, and technological developments to benefit humanity during its more than two-decade existence. Russia and the United States have had close cooperation aboard the ISS since the first component was launched in 1998. However, relations between the two nations have deteriorated to their lowest point since the early 1990s, raising questions about whether both sides were ready to continue cooperation. The station would operate through 2030 if approved by international partners and funded by the U.S. Congress. Currently, Congress has approved funding through 2024. Nelson said the U.S. commitment to extend its participation in the ISS is critical in light of the growing competition in space. "As more and more nations are active in space, it's more important than ever that the United States continues to lead the world in growing international alliances and modeling rules and norms for the peaceful and responsible use of space," he said. In November, NATO and the United States condemned Russia for conducting a missile test that blew up a defunct Russian satellite, creating a debris cloud that endangered the ISS -- an accusation dismissed by the Kremlin. Nelson called the move "reckless." (Getty Images) Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called Republicans who attacked her for taking a trip to Miami, creepy weirdos, and said they were mad they cannot date her. Ms Ocasio-Cortez was photographed with her boyfriend at a restaurant in Miami earlier this week not wearing a mask. At its core, the row is about differing responses to Covid-19. Ms Ocasio-Cortezs homestate of New York has taken an aggressive measures to combat the virus that causes Covid-1 and New York City has a vaccine mandate. Conversely, Florida Gov Ron DeSantis has taken a much more lax approach, opposing mask mandates and keeping businesses mostly open. Hes also signed legislation restricting vaccine mandates. All of this has made him a darling of the right and a potential candidate for president. The conservative National Review noted that Ms Ocasio-Cortezs visit came despite a surge of the Omicron variant in New York, even though Florida has also seen a spike in Covid-19 as well because of travel. In response to the trip, conservatives made #AOCLovesDeSantis trend on Twitter. But Ms Ocasio-Cortez criticised conservatives for their obsession with her. In particularly, she responded to a tweet from former Trump adviser Steve Cortes, who criticised her boyfriend for wearing sandals. Its starting to get old ignoring the very obvious, strange, and deranged sexual frustrations that underpin the Republican fixation on me, women,& LGBT+ people in general. These people clearly need therapy, wont do it, and use politics as their outlet instead. Its really weird Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 31, 2021 If Republicans are mad they cant date me they can just say that instead of projecting their sexual frustrations onto my boyfriends feet, she said. Ya creepy weirdos. Its starting to get old ignoring the very obvious, strange, and deranged sexual frustrations that underpin the Republican fixation on me, women,& LGBT+ people in general. These people clearly need therapy, wont do it, and use politics as their outlet instead. Its really weird Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 31, 2021 She also said that many of the men criticising her need therapy but wont go to it. Its starting to get old ignoring the very obvious, strange, and deranged sexual frustrations that underpin the Republican fixation on me, women,& LGBT+ people in general, she tweeted. Immigrant detainees will continue to be held at McHenry and Kankakee county jails temporarily, while a federal court considers the counties appeal to keep imprisoning detainees into the future. The immigrants, charged with violating civil immigration laws, were due to be released by New Years Day, under the Illinois Way Forward Act, which prohibits counties from entering federal contracts to jail them. Advertisement But the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals issued a stay Thursday delaying the law from taking effect until Jan. 13, while it considers the case. McHenry and Kankakee county officials had filed suit, alleging that the law exceeds the states authority by superseding federal law. Both counties have contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, to keep detainees behind bars until their court hearings. In December, U.S. District Judge Philip Reinhard dismissed the suit, ruling in effect that it limited local officials, not the federal government. Advertisement In 2021, McHenry held about 180 detainees a day, and Kankakee about 120, numbers that had been reduced while fewer detainees are being held during the COVID pandemic. Historically, the contracts had brought about $8 million a year to McHenry and $4 million annually to Kankakee. A low security unit housing ICE detainees at the Kankakee County Jail in Kankakee on Oct. 8, 2019. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) ICE Out of McHenry County, a coalition of groups opposing immigrant detention, held a candlelight vigil this week for the detainees, singing, Silent Night/Noche de Paz. The coalition had pushed for McHenry County to end the practice, calling it cruel and unnecessary. But after a heated debate in May, the county board voted to continue the practice. Were very glad to get this stay to preserve our longtime contract with ICE as we argue our case, County Board Chairman Mike Buehler, a Republican from Crystal Lake, said. The Illinois Way Forward Act is an unconstitutional and poorly thought out law that was hastily thrown together by the General Assembly to make a political statement regarding current federal immigration enforcement. We thank the 7th Circuit for their understanding, and we look forward to making our case. Fred Tsao, senior policy counsel for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, emphasized that the court order is a temporary measure. We agree with the district court judge that the law is very clear: The state was fully within its authority to pass the Illinois Way Forward Act and to require the counties to end their contracts with ICE, Tsao wrote in an email. We look forward to the full implementation of Illinois Way Forward and the end of immigration detention in Illinois and throughout this country. The detentions are meant to ensure that detainees show up for court, with federal statistics showing about one-third of immigrants didnt make it to completed cases. But a UCLA analysis that included ongoing cases found that 83% showed up for court. More than 80% had no criminal record, while those that do were handled in separate proceedings in criminal court. rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. New Delhi [India], January 1 (ANI): Eying the upcoming assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh this year, the four-member committee constituted by the Bharatiya Janata Party on December 26 to woo Brahmin voters of the state within a target of 25 days, has reached out to more than 80 Brahmin organizations that have a strong outreach in their regions, according to the sources. The BJP had constituted a 4-member committee on December 26, 2021. The committee chaired by former Union Minister Shiv Pratap Shukla comprises members Mahesh Sharma, Abhijat Mishra, and Ram Bhai Morakiya. The committee has begun its work. The first meeting was held in Lucknow. The second meeting is scheduled to take place on January 4, said the sources. Also Read | ATM Service Charges Increase, to Cost Rs 21 Per Transaction From Today. Their main task will be to keep the Brahmins of their area informed about the BJP's work towards the welfare of Brahmins, including the work done by the government and their future plans. The BJP has set a target of 25 days to cater to its Brahmin voters. The list of all the assembly constituencies of Uttar Pradesh has been prepared and on the basis of which, work will be done in all the areas. Also Read | Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami to Distribute Free Mobiles, Tablets to Students on Occasion of New Year 2022. Besides the 80 organizations that the party has reached out to so far, it is yet to reach six more organizations that have strong outreach in their community. According to the party sources, from January 6, BJP will prioritize those assembly constituencies where BJP does not have a Brahmin candidate to inform the people about what all it has done for the community since these constituencies do not have a Brahmin face to spread awareness about the party's initiatives towards the community. Speaking to ANI, a committee member, Abhijat Mishra, claiming that the majority of the people are satisfied with the work done by the government, said that the party would reach out to the dissatisfied voters "to end their displeasure". "We have to tell the people about our achievements. The majority of the people are happy with the work done by the BJP government. There may be a possibility that some of them are not pleased, the party will reach out to all the Brahmin voters to end their displeasure," he said. "There are many such voters who vote for BJP and who selflessly work at the time of elections. They also consider themselves a member of the party," Mishra added. The committee member further said that it is not necessary that everyone would like the decisions made by the government, but "Matbhed ho sakta hai, manbhed nahi". "Matbhed ho sakta hai, manbhed nahi. When there is any decision made, it is not necessary that everyone would like it," he said. Mishra also hit out at the Opposition for "spreading confusion among the Brahmin community about them being displeased with the government and said that it is an environment created by them. "The Opposition spread a lot of negativity and confusion. They spread the misinformation that the Brahmin community is displeased with the BJP and has united against our party to defeat us. This is an environment created by them," he said. Uttar Pradesh is slated to go to the Assembly polls early this year. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], January 1 (ANI): Eying the upcoming assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh this year, the four-member committee constituted by the Bharatiya Janata Party on December 26 to woo Brahmin voters of the state within a target of 25 days, has reached out to more than 80 Brahmin organizations that have a strong outreach in their regions, according to the sources. The BJP had constituted a 4-member committee on December 26, 2021. The committee chaired by former Union Minister Shiv Pratap Shukla comprises members Mahesh Sharma, Abhijat Mishra, and Ram Bhai Morakiya. The committee has begun its work. The first meeting was held in Lucknow. The second meeting is scheduled to take place on January 4, said the sources. Also Read | ATM Service Charges Increase, to Cost Rs 21 Per Transaction From Today. Their main task will be to keep the Brahmins of their area informed about the BJP's work towards the welfare of Brahmins, including the work done by the government and their future plans. The BJP has set a target of 25 days to cater to its Brahmin voters. The list of all the assembly constituencies of Uttar Pradesh has been prepared and on the basis of which, work will be done in all the areas. Also Read | Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami to Distribute Free Mobiles, Tablets to Students on Occasion of New Year 2022. Besides the 80 organizations that the party has reached out to so far, it is yet to reach six more organizations that have strong outreach in their community. According to the party sources, from January 6, BJP will prioritize those assembly constituencies where BJP does not have a Brahmin candidate to inform the people about what all it has done for the community since these constituencies do not have a Brahmin face to spread awareness about the party's initiatives towards the community. Speaking to ANI, a committee member, Abhijat Mishra, claiming that the majority of the people are satisfied with the work done by the government, said that the party would reach out to the dissatisfied voters "to end their displeasure". "We have to tell the people about our achievements. The majority of the people are happy with the work done by the BJP government. There may be a possibility that some of them are not pleased, the party will reach out to all the Brahmin voters to end their displeasure," he said. "There are many such voters who vote for BJP and who selflessly work at the time of elections. They also consider themselves a member of the party," Mishra added. The committee member further said that it is not necessary that everyone would like the decisions made by the government, but "Matbhed ho sakta hai, manbhed nahi". "Matbhed ho sakta hai, manbhed nahi. When there is any decision made, it is not necessary that everyone would like it," he said. Mishra also hit out at the Opposition for "spreading confusion among the Brahmin community about them being displeased with the government and said that it is an environment created by them. "The Opposition spread a lot of negativity and confusion. They spread the misinformation that the Brahmin community is displeased with the BJP and has united against our party to defeat us. This is an environment created by them," he said. Uttar Pradesh is slated to go to the Assembly polls early this year. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) The U.N. World Food Program's logo is seen at the agency's headquarters in New York, on Nov. 6, 2017. (Robert Bumstead/AP Photo) UN Food Agency Halts Work in North Darfur, Affects 2 Million CAIROThe World Food Program has suspended its operations across Sudans province of North Darfur following recent attacks on its warehouses, a decision expected to affect about 2 million local people. A statement released by the U.N. food agency Thursday said all three of its warehouses in the area were attacked and looted. More than 5,000 metric tons of food apparently were stolen, the group said. Earlier in the week, the WFP said an unidentified armed group had attacked one of its warehouses in North Darfurs provincial capital of el-Fasher. In response, local authorities imposed a curfew across the province. However, the attacks continued until early Thursday, said the statement. Hundreds of looters have also dismantled warehouse structures, WFP added. This theft has robbed nearly two million people of the food and nutrition support they so desperately need, said WFP Executive Director David Beasley. Not only is this a tremendous setback to our operations across the country, but it endangers our staff, and jeopardizes our ability to meet the needs of the most vulnerable families. The agency said it cannot divert assistance from other parts of the East African country to the looted warehouses without compromising the needs of vulnerable Sudanese living outside the province. Sudan is one of the poorest counties in the world, with nearly 11 million people in need of food security and livelihood assistance in 2022, said the WFP. The agency urged Sudanese authorities to recover the looted stocks and guarantee the security and safety of the WFP operations in North Darfur. On Thursday, the countrys state-run news agency reported that a number of suspects were arrested in el-Fasher after they were seen riding trucks and animal-drawn carts loaded with food stocks that were allegedly stolen from the WFP warehouses. SUNA news agency did not say how many were arrested. The WFP decision comes amid political upheaval that followed the October military coup. On Friday, a doctors group said that five people were killed in anti-coup protests that erupted a day earlier in several provinces across the country. Security forces fired tear gas and live ammunition to disperse thousands of protesters, the group said. With Thursdays fatalities, the total death toll since the coup has risen to 53. Meanwhile, the Sudanese police acknowledged in a statement issued on Friday that four protesters were killed and more than 290 were wounded in the protests. The statement posted on SUNA made no mention of police using tear gas or live ammunition. The police added that more than 40 policemen were wounded in clashes with protesters. By Noha Elhennawy The U.N. World Food Program's logo is seen at the agency's headquarters in New York, on Nov. 6, 2017. (Robert Bumstead/AP Photo) UN Food Agency Halts Work in North Darfur, Affects 2 Million CAIROThe World Food Program has suspended its operations across Sudans province of North Darfur following recent attacks on its warehouses, a decision expected to affect about 2 million local people. A statement released by the U.N. food agency Thursday said all three of its warehouses in the area were attacked and looted. More than 5,000 metric tons of food apparently were stolen, the group said. Earlier in the week, the WFP said an unidentified armed group had attacked one of its warehouses in North Darfurs provincial capital of el-Fasher. In response, local authorities imposed a curfew across the province. However, the attacks continued until early Thursday, said the statement. Hundreds of looters have also dismantled warehouse structures, WFP added. This theft has robbed nearly two million people of the food and nutrition support they so desperately need, said WFP Executive Director David Beasley. Not only is this a tremendous setback to our operations across the country, but it endangers our staff, and jeopardizes our ability to meet the needs of the most vulnerable families. The agency said it cannot divert assistance from other parts of the East African country to the looted warehouses without compromising the needs of vulnerable Sudanese living outside the province. Sudan is one of the poorest counties in the world, with nearly 11 million people in need of food security and livelihood assistance in 2022, said the WFP. The agency urged Sudanese authorities to recover the looted stocks and guarantee the security and safety of the WFP operations in North Darfur. On Thursday, the countrys state-run news agency reported that a number of suspects were arrested in el-Fasher after they were seen riding trucks and animal-drawn carts loaded with food stocks that were allegedly stolen from the WFP warehouses. SUNA news agency did not say how many were arrested. The WFP decision comes amid political upheaval that followed the October military coup. On Friday, a doctors group said that five people were killed in anti-coup protests that erupted a day earlier in several provinces across the country. Security forces fired tear gas and live ammunition to disperse thousands of protesters, the group said. With Thursdays fatalities, the total death toll since the coup has risen to 53. Meanwhile, the Sudanese police acknowledged in a statement issued on Friday that four protesters were killed and more than 290 were wounded in the protests. The statement posted on SUNA made no mention of police using tear gas or live ammunition. The police added that more than 40 policemen were wounded in clashes with protesters. By Noha Elhennawy The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. What an inspired 80th birthday present it seemed for Boris Johnson's father Stanley a family of beavers for the river on his Exmoor estate. The Johnson siblings had paid for the paperwork, and rewilding conservationist Derek Gow visited Stanley, Boris and sister Rachel to discuss the project. 'Boris is passionate about beavers,' Derek says. 'He was affable, but Stanley decided to wait as the law doesn't allow him to release beavers into the wild at present.' Legally although this is under review beavers can only be released into fenced-off areas, but there are wild populations in Scotland and Devon. Once upon a time, British waterways teemed with beavers, until we hunted them to extinction for their scent glands, fur and meat in the late 17th century. Now Derek, a Devon farmer turned conservationist, has chronicled his decades-long quest to re-establish beavers on our rivers in his book Bringing Back The Beaver. Derek Gow, 56, a Devon farmer turned conservationist, has chronicled his decades-long quest to re-establish beavers (pictured) on our rivers in his book Bringing Back The Beaver For most of us who have never seen wild beavers, they conjure childhood memories of the kindly talking beavers of Narnia with their suppers of fried trout and sticky marmalade roll. Nonsense, Derek says beavers are vegetarian. 'CS Lewis didn't have a strong base of biological reality.' But they are entrancing. 'They are caring creatures,' says Derek. 'They love their babies. Kits are dependent for at least their first year on parents and older siblings, who prevent them from swimming in water they consider hazardous and if they roam too far, carry them back to their lodges. 'They cuddle them, groom them, whisper comfort in their soft, downy ears, and through the first winter warm them in their great snuggled huddle of a communal nest. They protect them from predators, afford a caring home, tolerate their tantrums...' You get the message, he's passionate about beavers. And they are a keystone species that has a dramatic impact on its environment. With their sharp incisors, they gnaw through riverbank trees, leaving stumps like sharpened pencils. But these coppiced trees continue to grow, creating a wetland habitat where other creatures flourish otters and water voles, kingfishers and cormorants. Their complex dam systems then slow the flow of flood water downriver, mitigating the effects of climate change. Derek visited Stanley Johnson (pictured) who was gifted a family of beavers for the river on his Exmoor estate Derek, 56, grew up in the Scottish Borders, where his hero was Gerald Durrell, and a course on breeding endangered species at Durrell's zoo in Jersey transformed his life. His first encounter with European black beavers was in Poland in the mid-90s with a view to obtaining breeding pairs for release back home. Their keeper passed the mother to Derek. 'She settled into my lap with her great leather tail turned beneath. I have never forgotten her. She touched my heart.' But the first beaver Derek imported wasn't so lovable; she was Grumpy. He went to meet her at the quarantine facility at Heathrow. Keen to check she was OK, Derek crawled into the crate and met his nemesis. 'She let out a hissing growl and jumped towards me with her teeth exposed,' he recalls. As Grumpy grabbed his boot, Derek fended her off with a handy brush, but with a single bite she bit off the broomhead and then reduced the broomstick to a stump. In a scene worthy of James Herriot, Derek fell into a seal pool (the facility also dealt with seals) and the beaver jumped in with him. 'When the advantage was completely hers, she decided a relaxing bath was much more appealing.' Derek has since bred wildcats, white storks, stoats and more at his 150-acre farm at Coombeshead, near Dartmoor, but beavers remain closest to his heart. Three families are now thriving there. Derek's next book will be about the history of the wolf in Britain. Bring Back The Big Bad Wolf? He might need a better campaign slogan. Bringing Back The Beaver by Derek Gow (hardback, Chelsea Green, 20; paperback, published on 13 January, 10.99). Visit rewilding coombeshead.co.uk. The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2022 - 17:15 | All, World Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen warned Beijing in her New Year's address on Saturday against trying to take Taiwan by force and said that only by upholding peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait can regional tensions be reduced. "We want to remind the Beijing authorities that they should not misjudge the situation, and that they should stop the spread of military adventurism within their ranks," Tsai said. She said the use of military means is "absolutely not an option for resolving the differences between our two sides." "Only by upholding peace and stability...can there be the proper space and atmosphere for our two sides to peacefully and collectively address and seek solutions to the problems we face. Only in this way can we reduce regional tensions." Tsai said Taiwan has been subjected to "constantly increasing military and diplomatic pressure" from the Communist-led government in Beijing, which views the island as a renegade province to be reunited with the mainland, by force if necessary. She was alluding to record-breaking incursions by Chinese military planes into Taiwan's air defense identification zone over the past year, as well as China's undermining of Taiwan's legitimacy on the international stage by pressuring foreign countries to stop treating the self-governed island as a sovereign nation. "These actions by the other side are of no benefit to the preservation of regional peace and stability," she said. Saying that stable governance is her administration's most important priority in the new year, Tsai vowed to uphold Taiwan's sovereignty and its democratic system and "show the world that democratic Taiwan has the courage to step out from the shadow of authoritarian China, and that we will not bow to pressure." The New Year's Eve Ball touches down to mark the beginning of the new year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) New Year in Pictures: World Ushers in 2022 With Scaled Down Celebrations The world welcomed 2022 with largely reduced crowds and fireworks amid the spread of the more contagious, albeit less severe, Omicron variant in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In some regions, events were scaled back or canceled outright. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, has been confirmed in upward of five million people who died since the start of 2020. Governments across the globe have used the CCP virus and new variants as justification to subject people to rounds of lockdowns and restrictions, as well as mask and vaccine mandates, sparking numerous widespread public protests over the past two years. New Years Eve fireworks light up the sky over Sydneys iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show on Jan. 1, 2022. (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images) Australia celebrated the new year with spectacular fireworks and light shows over Sydneys Harbor Bridge and Opera House at 9 p.m. and at the stroke of midnight. New Years Eve in the years prior to the pandemic would normally attract over one million people. Crowds were far smaller this year, with most viewing areas having capacity limits and requiring tickets to access. People in New Zealand were amongst the first in the world to celebrate the arrival of 2022 with a light show in Auckland. (Screenshot from video/Reuters) Neighboring New Zealand had no official fireworks display after authorities canceled the event as a precautionary measure amid the CCP virus pandemic, although there has not been any reported community spread of the Omicron variant. Instead, Auckland hosted a light display that projected onto Aucklands Sky Tower and other landmarks in the city. Across China, cities canceled NYE celebrations, with authorities citing the measures as efforts to lower the risk of new CCP virus cases. Authorities are also discouraging people from traveling for the Lunar New Year at the start of February. People walk in the street to celebrate the new year in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Getty Images) Local authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the CCP virus first emerged in late 2019, for NYE forbid large scale public events in commercial areas. Despite a lack of festivities, large crowds were still seen in Wuhan in the lead up to New Years Day. The Shanghai government canceled an annual light show along the Huangpu River that usually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. There were no plans for public festivities in Beijing, where popular temples have been closed or had limited access since mid-December. Over in Xian, Shaanxi Province, authorities have subjected some 13 million people to strict lockdowns for over a week, causing some starving residents to appeal for help. Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong held a live, open-air concert, although authorities urged people not to attend them. Around 3,000 people attended the concert, which featured local celebrities including Mirror, a local boy band group. It marked the first NYE event since 2018, after events were canceled in 2019 amid political upheaval, and in 2020 due to the pandemic. Fireworks were held over Victoria Harbour, accompanied by a live orchestra. Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Gene Wang/Getty Images) Taiwan held fireworks amid a virtually COVID-free population. The Taipei 101 skyscraper was the centerpiece of the night. Organizers called the building the biggest New Years Eve countdown clock in the world because it lighted up floor by floor starting from the bottom as the countdown to the New Year entered the final moments. Traditional fireworks were canceled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Petronas Towers. Thailand celebrated with stunning fireworks in Bangkok over the Chao Phraya River. Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 1, 2022, (Wason Wanichakorn/AP Photo) South Korea canceled its annual public NYE bell-ringing ceremony for the second year amid rising COVID-19 cases. The country broadcasted a pre-recorded video of the bell-ringing ceremony instead. Authorities closed many beaches and other tourist attractions along the east coast, which usually swarm with people hoping to catch the years first sunrise. North Korea on NYE held fireworks and a concert at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, near the Taedong River. People watch as performers take part in a new year performance on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang late on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) People gather to watch a fireworks display to celebrate the New Year on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Jan. 1, 2022. (Kim Won Jin/AFP via Getty Images) In Japan, the annual countdown event at the iconic Shibuya scramble crossing in Tokyo was canceled. Public gatherings at the imperial palace in Tokyo were also canceled; the palace would normally otherwise open at the start of each year to large crowds. A security guard holds up a sign indicating that there is no countdown event at the famed Shibuya scramble crossing, a popular location for New Years Eve gathering, in Tokyo as people gather to celebrate New Years eve on Dec. 31, 2021. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo) Japanese monarch Naruhito issued a video on New Years Day for the second straight year for his New Years greetings and offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic. Japans Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko pose for a photograph during a family portrait session ahead of the New Year, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP) In India, millions of people celebrated at home amid curfews and other restrictions that prevented large public celebrations. Some places were spared from curfews, including tourist hotspots Goa and Hyderabad. A light show was held in Mumbai at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. In Russia, Moscow and other big cities marked the New Year with fireworks. Moscows Red Square was largely empty because it was closed from 5 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions. But shopping malls were brimming with customers on a holiday buying spree. Fireworks explode in the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral during the New Years celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) People celebrate the New Year in Nikolskaya street near an empty Red Square due to pandemic restrictions during New Year celebrations in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP Photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Russians positive changes in the new year, in a televised address broadcast just before midnight in each of Russias 11 time zones. I would like to express words of sincere support to all those who lost their dear ones, Putin also said. In Ukraine, crowds celebrated in front of the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. Crowds of people celebrate the New Year around the Christmas tree with the St. Sofia Cathedral in the background in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo) Over in Dubai, tourists and locals were treated to a grand fireworks display at the worlds tallest skyscraperthe Burj Khalifa. Fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) There were no fireworks in Turkey. However, Istanbuls Taksim Square was crowded with people ahead of New Years day, reported Daily Sabah. Cape Town in South Africa suddenly lifted a longstanding curfew in time for the New Yearshortly after South Africa became the first country to declare its Omicron wave had passed its peak. In the United States, officials took a mixed approach: nixing the audience at a countdown concert in Los Angeles, scaling it back in New York yet going full speed ahead in Las Vegas, where 300,000 people were expected for a fireworks show on the strip. Confetti flies in the air at Times Square to mark the New Year in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, officials limited the crowd to 15,000 people from the usual capacity of 55,000 inside the perimeter around Times Square. Attendees had to be vaccinated and masked. It still marked a notable upgrade from last years audience of a few dozen. A couple kisses as they celebrate the New Year at Times Square in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said people need to see that New York is open for business. Eric Adams was sworn in as the new mayor shortly after the glittering ball drop. Meanwhile, in Canada, millions faced a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Quebec and had to be home well before midnight on New Years Eve. Its an extreme action to take because the situation is extreme, said Premier Francois Legault at a press conference on Dec. 30. He added that indoor dining at restaurants would also be closed, and private gatherings would be banned. A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Bruna Prado/AP Photo) In Brazil, Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach welcomed a small crowd of a few thousand for 16 minutes of fireworks. Rios New Years bash usually brings more than 2 million people to Copacabana beach. In 2020 there was no celebration due to the pandemic. This year there was music on loudspeakers, but no live concerts like in previous editions. A light display to mark the New Year is seen over St Pauls Cathedral in London, Britain, Jan. 1, 2022. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Over in the United Kingdom, London threw a last-minute party on television. BBC images of the fireworks showed very light vehicle traffic and virtually no in-person spectators. A dazzling light show in London featured the River Thames, the Shard, Greenwich Old Royal Naval College, and St Pauls Cathedral, reported the Daily Mail. Fireworks and a drone light show are seen over the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich to bring in the New Year in London, England, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Rob Pinney/Getty Images) London authorities in October canceled fireworks and a light show for NYE, but announced the spectacle would come to life on the television screen, as Big Ben rang in the New Year for the first time since 2017 following restoration. Greece celebrated the new year with a fireworks display over Athens Acropolis. Fireforks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Years Eve celebrations on Dec. 31, 2021. (Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images) In the Netherlands, where outside groupings of more than four people are banned, police dispersed several thousand people who had defiantly gathered at Amsterdams central Dam Square, ANP news agency reported. Officials in Paris, France, canceled the fireworks following the advice of a scientific panel that declared mass gatherings would be too risky. Officials also reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors. Despite the canceled fireworks, crowds gathered at the Champs-Elysees as the final hours of 2021 ticked away. People celebrate New Years Eve on Champs Elysees avenue, in Paris, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Thibault Camus/AP Photo) In Berlin, Germany, police urged people not to gather near the Brandenburg Gate, where a concert and a light show were staged without a live audience. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Spain, authorities allowed only 7,000 people into the citys Puerta del Sol downtown square, a venue traditionally hosting some 20,000 revelers. People celebrate during New Years celebrations at Madrids Puerta del Sol in downtown Madrid, Spain, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo) The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. The rising number of mostly Haitian migrants arriving at the border town of Mexicali has prompted Mexican authorities to expand their capacity to provide them with temporary housing. On Thursday, the city opened two new shelters adding to the seven shelters already operating. Tomas Diosdado is the coordinator for the Alfa and Omega shelters in Mexicali. He said they were aware that migrants waiting at Mexico's southern town of Tapachula at the border with Guatemala would sooner or later make their way North towards the border with the United States. "What we didn't know is that so many were going to arrive so suddenly," he said. "That's what caught us off guard, but there we go." Standing outside the Melchor Ocampo shelter, Director of the Mexicali's Family Integration Development agency Elba Cornejo Armino watched as a new group of migrants entered. So many pregnant women are arriving at Mexicali that the city decided to make the Melchor Ocampo shelter cater exclusively to families of migrants with expecting mothers. "Baja California is a sanctuary for migrants," she said. 31-year-old Matteo Francois is one of the many Haitian migrants who have decided to stay in Mexico. "Here in Mexicali, it is good because there are plenty of jobs to be able to get work," he said. He is not planning to cross into the United States. "Here I have work, so it is better for me to stay here until I have a normal, good life." In recent days, the city offered 700 jobs for migrants who have regularized their migratory status. As of December 1, more than 47,000 Haitian had applied for asylum in Mexico. Last October, Haitians became the largest nationality group to apply for asylum in Mexico. Diosdado, although aware that their legal status can change in a few years, believes there is an opportunity now. He said Mexico should "as some other countries in the world have done, take advantage of migrations." (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) What an inspired 80th birthday present it seemed for Boris Johnson's father Stanley a family of beavers for the river on his Exmoor estate. The Johnson siblings had paid for the paperwork, and rewilding conservationist Derek Gow visited Stanley, Boris and sister Rachel to discuss the project. 'Boris is passionate about beavers,' Derek says. 'He was affable, but Stanley decided to wait as the law doesn't allow him to release beavers into the wild at present.' Legally although this is under review beavers can only be released into fenced-off areas, but there are wild populations in Scotland and Devon. Once upon a time, British waterways teemed with beavers, until we hunted them to extinction for their scent glands, fur and meat in the late 17th century. Now Derek, a Devon farmer turned conservationist, has chronicled his decades-long quest to re-establish beavers on our rivers in his book Bringing Back The Beaver. Derek Gow, 56, a Devon farmer turned conservationist, has chronicled his decades-long quest to re-establish beavers (pictured) on our rivers in his book Bringing Back The Beaver For most of us who have never seen wild beavers, they conjure childhood memories of the kindly talking beavers of Narnia with their suppers of fried trout and sticky marmalade roll. Nonsense, Derek says beavers are vegetarian. 'CS Lewis didn't have a strong base of biological reality.' But they are entrancing. 'They are caring creatures,' says Derek. 'They love their babies. Kits are dependent for at least their first year on parents and older siblings, who prevent them from swimming in water they consider hazardous and if they roam too far, carry them back to their lodges. 'They cuddle them, groom them, whisper comfort in their soft, downy ears, and through the first winter warm them in their great snuggled huddle of a communal nest. They protect them from predators, afford a caring home, tolerate their tantrums...' You get the message, he's passionate about beavers. And they are a keystone species that has a dramatic impact on its environment. With their sharp incisors, they gnaw through riverbank trees, leaving stumps like sharpened pencils. But these coppiced trees continue to grow, creating a wetland habitat where other creatures flourish otters and water voles, kingfishers and cormorants. Their complex dam systems then slow the flow of flood water downriver, mitigating the effects of climate change. Derek visited Stanley Johnson (pictured) who was gifted a family of beavers for the river on his Exmoor estate Derek, 56, grew up in the Scottish Borders, where his hero was Gerald Durrell, and a course on breeding endangered species at Durrell's zoo in Jersey transformed his life. His first encounter with European black beavers was in Poland in the mid-90s with a view to obtaining breeding pairs for release back home. Their keeper passed the mother to Derek. 'She settled into my lap with her great leather tail turned beneath. I have never forgotten her. She touched my heart.' But the first beaver Derek imported wasn't so lovable; she was Grumpy. He went to meet her at the quarantine facility at Heathrow. Keen to check she was OK, Derek crawled into the crate and met his nemesis. 'She let out a hissing growl and jumped towards me with her teeth exposed,' he recalls. As Grumpy grabbed his boot, Derek fended her off with a handy brush, but with a single bite she bit off the broomhead and then reduced the broomstick to a stump. In a scene worthy of James Herriot, Derek fell into a seal pool (the facility also dealt with seals) and the beaver jumped in with him. 'When the advantage was completely hers, she decided a relaxing bath was much more appealing.' Derek has since bred wildcats, white storks, stoats and more at his 150-acre farm at Coombeshead, near Dartmoor, but beavers remain closest to his heart. Three families are now thriving there. Derek's next book will be about the history of the wolf in Britain. Bring Back The Big Bad Wolf? He might need a better campaign slogan. Bringing Back The Beaver by Derek Gow (hardback, Chelsea Green, 20; paperback, published on 13 January, 10.99). Visit rewilding coombeshead.co.uk. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Peoples Dailys top 10 domestic news events in 2021 People's Daily Online) 18:40, December 31, 2021 A ceremony celebrating the CPCs centenary is held at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing (Xinhua/Li Xiang). A volunteer introduces the spirit of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee to local residents of the Miao ethnic group in Tianba village, Guanba town of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (cpanet.cn/Cao Yonglong) CPC members review the Party admission oath at the memorial of the First National Congress of the CPC in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Liu Ying) Aerial photo shows workers of a power transmission and distribution company in east China's Anhui Province working at a construction site of an ultra-high-voltage (UHV) power transmission project over the Yangtze River in Anhui Province. (cpanet.cn/Zheng Xianlie) A farmer of Liufeng village, Youjiang district, Baise city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region airs out his anise. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun)\ Photo shows a judge of the people's court of Wenxian county, central China's Henan Province participating in a law education activity. (cpanet.cn/Xu Hongxing) Photo shows the scenery of Chinas Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center shows China's Shenzhou-13 astronaut Zhai Zhigang waving his hand after conducting extravehicular activities outside of the space station core module Tianhe. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng) Photo shows an 81MW photovoltaic power project built at the Nanshan Reservoir, Fujia village, Dongjia town, Fengcheng city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (cpanet.cn/Zhan Peilu) Photo shows the first China International Consumer Products Expo held in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan Province. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun) Editors note: The year 2021 marked a milestone in the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese nation. Over the past year, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, solemnly celebrated the centenary of the founding of the CPC, successfully held the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, formulated the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century, and carried out Party history education efforts. Meanwhile, it has united and led the Chinese people in winning the battle against poverty as scheduled, in building a moderately prosperous society, and in embarking on a new journey of turning China into a modern socialist country in an all-round way, signaling a perfect start to the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). Going forward, China is determined to make even greater achievements through dedication and hard work. In 2022, the CPC will convene its 20th National Congress, a significant event for both the Party and the country. As long as it actively takes on its new missions, earnestly learns from its previous experience, and forges ahead courageously, China will certainly witness even greater glories on its new journey in the new era and make the ship of socialism with Chinese characteristics sail smoothly through all the coming waves. 1. Xi Jinping announces realization of first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects at ceremony marking centenary of the CPC A ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC was held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on July 1. During his speech at the ceremony, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee reviewed the CPCs struggle over the past 100 years, spoke highly of the great achievements the Chinese people made under the leadership of the CPC, and announced that China has realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. He summarized the great founding spirit of the Party, which is comprised of the following principles: upholding truth and ideals, staying true to the Partys original aspiration and founding mission, fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice, and remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people. Xi stressed the importance of upholding the firm leadership of the Party, and noted that as the CPC puts conscious effort into learning from history to create a bright future, the Party must unite and lead the Chinese people in working ceaselessly for a better life, continue to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context, uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces, continue working to promote the building of a human community with a shared future, carry out a great struggle with many contemporary features, strengthen the great unity of the Chinese people, and continue to advance the great new project of Party building. He also called on all party members to score even greater achievements on the journey ahead. The awarding ceremony for the July 1 Medal and a meeting on awarding the titles of outstanding Party members, exemplary Party workers, and advanced community-level Party organizations were held before July 1 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. It was the first time the CPC Central Committee presented the July 1 Medal, the highest honor in the Party. It was of great significance for encouraging all party members to bear in mind the founding mission of the Party and forge ahead. 2. CPC issues landmark resolution on Party's achievements, experience over past century The sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee was held from Nov. 8 to 11. At the session, the CPC Central Committee heard and discussed a work report Xi delivered on behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and considered and adopted the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century and the Resolution on the Convocation of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The CPC Central Committee considered it important in both a practical and historical sense to have a comprehensive review of the major achievements and historical experience of the Party over the past century as the CPC celebrates its centenary and the fulfillment of the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and moves on towards the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. The Central Committee believed that this review would help build a broader consensus and stronger unity in will and action among all members and rally and lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in achieving new and great success in building socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. According to the resolution, the Party has established Comrade Xi Jinpings core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This reflects the common will of the Party, the armed forces, and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, and is of decisive significance for advancing the cause of the Party and the country in the new era and for driving forward the historic process of national rejuvenation, the document said. 3. China secures complete victory in fight against poverty, makes solid progress on major livelihood projects On Feb. 25, President Xi Jinping announced that China had secured a complete victory in its fight against poverty at a grand gathering held in Beijing to mark the country's accomplishments in poverty alleviation and to honor its model poverty fighters. The final 98.99 million impoverished rural residents living under the current poverty line have all been lifted out of poverty. All the 832 impoverished counties and 128,000 impoverished villages have been removed from the poverty list. Regional poverty has been eliminated on the whole, and the arduous task of eradicating absolute poverty has been completed, representing yet another miraculous achievement. Remaining committed to the people-centered philosophy of development, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core rolled out a slew of measures to improve peoples livelihood and address their urgent problems, ensuring a strong sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security for them. In July, China introduced a guideline to ease the burdens of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring for students undergoing compulsory education, in a bid to promote the well-rounded and healthy development of students. In the same month, the country released a decision on improving birth policies to promote long-term and balanced population development. Fresh progress was made in ensuring access to medical services, elderly care, housing, and social assistance. Between January and October, China began the rebuilding and renovation of 53,400 old urban residential communities. China conducted three rounds of centralized drug procurement. Sixty-one types of medicines listed in Chinas fifth-round centralized drug-procurement program were made 56 percent cheaper on average. Chinas basic medical insurance schemes covered 1.36 billion people, or 95 percent of the countrys population. The number of people covered by basic old-age insurance nationwide hit 1 billion, with an insured rate of over 90 percent. 4. China ensures good start of 14th Five-Year Plan, maintains leading position in coordinating epidemic control and economic development On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th National Peoples Congress approved the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035. In 2021, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has calmly responded to the profound changes unseen in a century and the COVID-19 pandemic, and united and led all the Chinese people to accomplish the arduous tasks of reform and development, securing a good start to the 14th Five-Year Plan. China has made new strides to foster a new paradigm of development and promote high-quality development, and has continued to lead the world in terms of economic development and epidemic control, with significant progress made in improving its strategic scientific and technological strength, industrial chain resilience, peoples well-being, reform and opening-up, and eco-environmental progress. The countrys GDP expanded 9.8 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters, putting the average growth for the period over the past two years at 5.2 percent. The number of market entities nationwide exceeded 150 million, and total grain output exceeded 650 million metric tons. China, as the worlds second largest economy, second largest consumption market, and largest trader in goods, has maintained a continuous economic recovery and contributed significantly to stabilizing and promoting recovery in the global economy. 5. CPC launches campaign on studying Party history The launching of the Party-wide education campaign was a major strategic decision by the CPC Central Committee to open up new prospects for the cause of the Party and the State from the new starting point of the centenary of the founding of the CPC. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, attended the campaign's launch meeting held in Beijing on Feb. 20, and delivered an important speech. Xi stressed the vital necessity of launching the campaign, urging Party committees at all levels to earnestly implement the arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee regarding the campaign. Over the past year, Party organizations at all levels have conscientiously implemented the arrangements of the Party Central Committee. Through the campaign, the whole Party has notably enhanced its historical consciousness and confidence, and has significantly strengthened its capacity to innovate, unite and fight, thus achieving the goal of studying the Party's history, understanding its theories, doing practical work and making new advances. 6. China introduces targeted reform plans, improves institutional system in all-round way, pushes forward reform and opening up This year, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, China stressed full, accurate and comprehensive implementation of the new development philosophy to strengthen the integration of systems, take targeted measures and continuously further reform and opening up. China issued a guideline on building the eastern province of Zhejiang into a demonstration zone for achieving common prosperity in June. This was a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core, which puts promoting the common prosperity of all people in a more important position. It fully reflects the firm determination of the CPC Central Committee to solve the problem of insufficiencies resulting from development imbalances in China. In July, China issued a guideline to support the high-level reform and opening-up of the Pudong New Area in Shanghai. In September, the country issued a general plan for building a Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, and a plan on deepening the reform and opening-up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone. A number of policy documents such as a negative list on cross-border trade in services for the Hainan Free Trade Port and measures to liberalize and facilitate the trade in goods and services at the Hainan free trade port have been issued and implemented. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has successively set up 21 free trade pilot zones, obtained a large number of high-level institutional innovation achievements, and built a number of world-leading industrial clusters. This year, economic and trade events such as the China International Consumer Products Expo, the China International Fair for Trade in Services, the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) and the China International Import Expo have been successfully held, and China's resolve to open wider at a high standard is obvious to any objective observer. 7. China issues guiding document on advancing rule of law in new era, improves whole-process peoples democracy The CPC Central Committee in January issued a plan on building the rule of law in China (2020-2025). The plan, designed and formulated under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, practically implements the thought in its every aspect. As the first plan on building the rule of law in China, it is a guiding document on comprehensively advancing the rule of law in the new era and is a blueprint, a roadmap and a drawing for coordinated efforts to advance the building of Chinas rule of law during the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period. The plan bears important significance for allowing the rule of law to better play its role as the guarantor for consolidating foundations, stabilizing expectations and bringing long-term benefits, for advancing the modernization of Chinas national governance system and capacity, for adapting to peoples new requirements and expectations regarding such aspects as democracy, rule of law, equity, justice, security and environment, and for achieving the goal of basically building a country, government and society based on the rule of law in 2035. In December, the State Council Information Office issued a white paper titled China: Democracy That Works, which is a comprehensive summary of Chinas remarkable progress made in whole-process peoples democracy. It says, With complete institutions and extensive participation, whole-process people's democracy has evolved from an idea into a system and mechanism of governance that has taken root in the soil of Chinese society and has become part of people's lives. Whole-process peoples democracy has distinctive Chinese characteristics; it also exemplifies common values and contributes Chinas ideas and solutions to the political progress of humanity. 8. Principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, ending chaos, restoring stability of HKSAR On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th NPC adopted a decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Under the new electoral system, elections of the Election Committee of the HKSAR and the seventh-term Legislative Council of the HKSAR were successfully held, with the democratic rights of Hong Kong citizens reflected, the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, and a political landscape featuring wide and balanced participation from all social groups and constituencies established. Practice has proven that the new electoral system is a good system that adheres to the one country, two systems principle, suits Hong Kongs realities, and provides strong institutional support for the steady and sustained development of the one country, two systems principle as well as the long-term prosperity and stability of the HKSAR. In the past year, Hong Kong has constantly consolidated its achievements in ending chaos and restoring stability, and has secured a sound impetus for development. It has achieved notable results in COVID-19 control, gradually recovered its economy and maintained social stability. 9. Chinese astronauts enter Chinas space station for first time China sent into space the Tianhe core module of its space station on April 29, which signaled that the countrys space station construction entered the full implementation stage. On May 15, Chinas Mars probe Tianwen-1 landed on the surface of Mars, leaving the mark of the Chinese nation on the Red Planet. It marked an important step in Chinas interstellar exploration and a leap from the exploration of the Earth-Moon system to interplanetary exploration. On June 17, Chinas Shenzhou-12 manned spaceship completed a fast automated rendezvous and docking with the Tianhe core module, and Chinese astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo entered the orbiting Tianhe module, which marked the first time Chinese astronauts entered their own space station. After completing their three-month mission, including innovative and groundbreaking scientific experiments and space applications, they returned to Earth safely on Sept. 17. China successfully launched the crewed spaceship Shenzhou-13 on Oct. 16, sending three astronauts to its space station core module Tianhe for a six-month mission. 10. China sets clearly-defined timetable, roadmap for achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality while advancing ecological progress In October, China unveiled a guiding document on its work to achieve its carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals under the new development philosophy, setting a clearly-defined timetable and roadmap and laying out specific targets and measures for the coming decades. According to the document, China will peak its carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The document outlines five major tasks, including creating a green, low-carbon and circular economy, improving energy efficiency, increasing the share of non-fossil energy consumption, lowering CO2 emissions and boosting the carbon sink capacity of ecosystems. It calls for resolute efforts to curb the haphazard development of energy-intensive and high-emission projects. Besides, Chinas national carbon market started online trading and secured stable and orderly operations. China made headway in its efforts to protect its blue skies, and to defend its rivers and soil from pollution. A 10-year ban on fishing in key waters of the Yangtze River basin came into force from Jan. 1, 2021. The combined proportion of state-controlled water sections with good-quality surface water increased to 83.6 percent. Chinas total installed capacity using renewable energy exceeded a billion kilowatts. The total area of afforestation across the country hit 54 million mu, or 3.6 million hectares. (Web editor: Du Mingming, Bianji) Peoples Dailys top 10 domestic news events in 2021 People's Daily Online) 18:40, December 31, 2021 A ceremony celebrating the CPCs centenary is held at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing (Xinhua/Li Xiang). A volunteer introduces the spirit of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee to local residents of the Miao ethnic group in Tianba village, Guanba town of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (cpanet.cn/Cao Yonglong) CPC members review the Party admission oath at the memorial of the First National Congress of the CPC in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Liu Ying) Aerial photo shows workers of a power transmission and distribution company in east China's Anhui Province working at a construction site of an ultra-high-voltage (UHV) power transmission project over the Yangtze River in Anhui Province. (cpanet.cn/Zheng Xianlie) A farmer of Liufeng village, Youjiang district, Baise city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region airs out his anise. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun)\ Photo shows a judge of the people's court of Wenxian county, central China's Henan Province participating in a law education activity. (cpanet.cn/Xu Hongxing) Photo shows the scenery of Chinas Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center shows China's Shenzhou-13 astronaut Zhai Zhigang waving his hand after conducting extravehicular activities outside of the space station core module Tianhe. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng) Photo shows an 81MW photovoltaic power project built at the Nanshan Reservoir, Fujia village, Dongjia town, Fengcheng city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (cpanet.cn/Zhan Peilu) Photo shows the first China International Consumer Products Expo held in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan Province. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun) Editors note: The year 2021 marked a milestone in the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese nation. Over the past year, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, solemnly celebrated the centenary of the founding of the CPC, successfully held the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, formulated the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century, and carried out Party history education efforts. Meanwhile, it has united and led the Chinese people in winning the battle against poverty as scheduled, in building a moderately prosperous society, and in embarking on a new journey of turning China into a modern socialist country in an all-round way, signaling a perfect start to the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). Going forward, China is determined to make even greater achievements through dedication and hard work. In 2022, the CPC will convene its 20th National Congress, a significant event for both the Party and the country. As long as it actively takes on its new missions, earnestly learns from its previous experience, and forges ahead courageously, China will certainly witness even greater glories on its new journey in the new era and make the ship of socialism with Chinese characteristics sail smoothly through all the coming waves. 1. Xi Jinping announces realization of first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects at ceremony marking centenary of the CPC A ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC was held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on July 1. During his speech at the ceremony, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee reviewed the CPCs struggle over the past 100 years, spoke highly of the great achievements the Chinese people made under the leadership of the CPC, and announced that China has realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. He summarized the great founding spirit of the Party, which is comprised of the following principles: upholding truth and ideals, staying true to the Partys original aspiration and founding mission, fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice, and remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people. Xi stressed the importance of upholding the firm leadership of the Party, and noted that as the CPC puts conscious effort into learning from history to create a bright future, the Party must unite and lead the Chinese people in working ceaselessly for a better life, continue to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context, uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces, continue working to promote the building of a human community with a shared future, carry out a great struggle with many contemporary features, strengthen the great unity of the Chinese people, and continue to advance the great new project of Party building. He also called on all party members to score even greater achievements on the journey ahead. The awarding ceremony for the July 1 Medal and a meeting on awarding the titles of outstanding Party members, exemplary Party workers, and advanced community-level Party organizations were held before July 1 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. It was the first time the CPC Central Committee presented the July 1 Medal, the highest honor in the Party. It was of great significance for encouraging all party members to bear in mind the founding mission of the Party and forge ahead. 2. CPC issues landmark resolution on Party's achievements, experience over past century The sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee was held from Nov. 8 to 11. At the session, the CPC Central Committee heard and discussed a work report Xi delivered on behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and considered and adopted the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century and the Resolution on the Convocation of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The CPC Central Committee considered it important in both a practical and historical sense to have a comprehensive review of the major achievements and historical experience of the Party over the past century as the CPC celebrates its centenary and the fulfillment of the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and moves on towards the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. The Central Committee believed that this review would help build a broader consensus and stronger unity in will and action among all members and rally and lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in achieving new and great success in building socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. According to the resolution, the Party has established Comrade Xi Jinpings core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This reflects the common will of the Party, the armed forces, and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, and is of decisive significance for advancing the cause of the Party and the country in the new era and for driving forward the historic process of national rejuvenation, the document said. 3. China secures complete victory in fight against poverty, makes solid progress on major livelihood projects On Feb. 25, President Xi Jinping announced that China had secured a complete victory in its fight against poverty at a grand gathering held in Beijing to mark the country's accomplishments in poverty alleviation and to honor its model poverty fighters. The final 98.99 million impoverished rural residents living under the current poverty line have all been lifted out of poverty. All the 832 impoverished counties and 128,000 impoverished villages have been removed from the poverty list. Regional poverty has been eliminated on the whole, and the arduous task of eradicating absolute poverty has been completed, representing yet another miraculous achievement. Remaining committed to the people-centered philosophy of development, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core rolled out a slew of measures to improve peoples livelihood and address their urgent problems, ensuring a strong sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security for them. In July, China introduced a guideline to ease the burdens of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring for students undergoing compulsory education, in a bid to promote the well-rounded and healthy development of students. In the same month, the country released a decision on improving birth policies to promote long-term and balanced population development. Fresh progress was made in ensuring access to medical services, elderly care, housing, and social assistance. Between January and October, China began the rebuilding and renovation of 53,400 old urban residential communities. China conducted three rounds of centralized drug procurement. Sixty-one types of medicines listed in Chinas fifth-round centralized drug-procurement program were made 56 percent cheaper on average. Chinas basic medical insurance schemes covered 1.36 billion people, or 95 percent of the countrys population. The number of people covered by basic old-age insurance nationwide hit 1 billion, with an insured rate of over 90 percent. 4. China ensures good start of 14th Five-Year Plan, maintains leading position in coordinating epidemic control and economic development On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th National Peoples Congress approved the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035. In 2021, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has calmly responded to the profound changes unseen in a century and the COVID-19 pandemic, and united and led all the Chinese people to accomplish the arduous tasks of reform and development, securing a good start to the 14th Five-Year Plan. China has made new strides to foster a new paradigm of development and promote high-quality development, and has continued to lead the world in terms of economic development and epidemic control, with significant progress made in improving its strategic scientific and technological strength, industrial chain resilience, peoples well-being, reform and opening-up, and eco-environmental progress. The countrys GDP expanded 9.8 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters, putting the average growth for the period over the past two years at 5.2 percent. The number of market entities nationwide exceeded 150 million, and total grain output exceeded 650 million metric tons. China, as the worlds second largest economy, second largest consumption market, and largest trader in goods, has maintained a continuous economic recovery and contributed significantly to stabilizing and promoting recovery in the global economy. 5. CPC launches campaign on studying Party history The launching of the Party-wide education campaign was a major strategic decision by the CPC Central Committee to open up new prospects for the cause of the Party and the State from the new starting point of the centenary of the founding of the CPC. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, attended the campaign's launch meeting held in Beijing on Feb. 20, and delivered an important speech. Xi stressed the vital necessity of launching the campaign, urging Party committees at all levels to earnestly implement the arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee regarding the campaign. Over the past year, Party organizations at all levels have conscientiously implemented the arrangements of the Party Central Committee. Through the campaign, the whole Party has notably enhanced its historical consciousness and confidence, and has significantly strengthened its capacity to innovate, unite and fight, thus achieving the goal of studying the Party's history, understanding its theories, doing practical work and making new advances. 6. China introduces targeted reform plans, improves institutional system in all-round way, pushes forward reform and opening up This year, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, China stressed full, accurate and comprehensive implementation of the new development philosophy to strengthen the integration of systems, take targeted measures and continuously further reform and opening up. China issued a guideline on building the eastern province of Zhejiang into a demonstration zone for achieving common prosperity in June. This was a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core, which puts promoting the common prosperity of all people in a more important position. It fully reflects the firm determination of the CPC Central Committee to solve the problem of insufficiencies resulting from development imbalances in China. In July, China issued a guideline to support the high-level reform and opening-up of the Pudong New Area in Shanghai. In September, the country issued a general plan for building a Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, and a plan on deepening the reform and opening-up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone. A number of policy documents such as a negative list on cross-border trade in services for the Hainan Free Trade Port and measures to liberalize and facilitate the trade in goods and services at the Hainan free trade port have been issued and implemented. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has successively set up 21 free trade pilot zones, obtained a large number of high-level institutional innovation achievements, and built a number of world-leading industrial clusters. This year, economic and trade events such as the China International Consumer Products Expo, the China International Fair for Trade in Services, the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) and the China International Import Expo have been successfully held, and China's resolve to open wider at a high standard is obvious to any objective observer. 7. China issues guiding document on advancing rule of law in new era, improves whole-process peoples democracy The CPC Central Committee in January issued a plan on building the rule of law in China (2020-2025). The plan, designed and formulated under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, practically implements the thought in its every aspect. As the first plan on building the rule of law in China, it is a guiding document on comprehensively advancing the rule of law in the new era and is a blueprint, a roadmap and a drawing for coordinated efforts to advance the building of Chinas rule of law during the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period. The plan bears important significance for allowing the rule of law to better play its role as the guarantor for consolidating foundations, stabilizing expectations and bringing long-term benefits, for advancing the modernization of Chinas national governance system and capacity, for adapting to peoples new requirements and expectations regarding such aspects as democracy, rule of law, equity, justice, security and environment, and for achieving the goal of basically building a country, government and society based on the rule of law in 2035. In December, the State Council Information Office issued a white paper titled China: Democracy That Works, which is a comprehensive summary of Chinas remarkable progress made in whole-process peoples democracy. It says, With complete institutions and extensive participation, whole-process people's democracy has evolved from an idea into a system and mechanism of governance that has taken root in the soil of Chinese society and has become part of people's lives. Whole-process peoples democracy has distinctive Chinese characteristics; it also exemplifies common values and contributes Chinas ideas and solutions to the political progress of humanity. 8. Principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, ending chaos, restoring stability of HKSAR On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th NPC adopted a decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Under the new electoral system, elections of the Election Committee of the HKSAR and the seventh-term Legislative Council of the HKSAR were successfully held, with the democratic rights of Hong Kong citizens reflected, the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, and a political landscape featuring wide and balanced participation from all social groups and constituencies established. Practice has proven that the new electoral system is a good system that adheres to the one country, two systems principle, suits Hong Kongs realities, and provides strong institutional support for the steady and sustained development of the one country, two systems principle as well as the long-term prosperity and stability of the HKSAR. In the past year, Hong Kong has constantly consolidated its achievements in ending chaos and restoring stability, and has secured a sound impetus for development. It has achieved notable results in COVID-19 control, gradually recovered its economy and maintained social stability. 9. Chinese astronauts enter Chinas space station for first time China sent into space the Tianhe core module of its space station on April 29, which signaled that the countrys space station construction entered the full implementation stage. On May 15, Chinas Mars probe Tianwen-1 landed on the surface of Mars, leaving the mark of the Chinese nation on the Red Planet. It marked an important step in Chinas interstellar exploration and a leap from the exploration of the Earth-Moon system to interplanetary exploration. On June 17, Chinas Shenzhou-12 manned spaceship completed a fast automated rendezvous and docking with the Tianhe core module, and Chinese astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo entered the orbiting Tianhe module, which marked the first time Chinese astronauts entered their own space station. After completing their three-month mission, including innovative and groundbreaking scientific experiments and space applications, they returned to Earth safely on Sept. 17. China successfully launched the crewed spaceship Shenzhou-13 on Oct. 16, sending three astronauts to its space station core module Tianhe for a six-month mission. 10. China sets clearly-defined timetable, roadmap for achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality while advancing ecological progress In October, China unveiled a guiding document on its work to achieve its carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals under the new development philosophy, setting a clearly-defined timetable and roadmap and laying out specific targets and measures for the coming decades. According to the document, China will peak its carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The document outlines five major tasks, including creating a green, low-carbon and circular economy, improving energy efficiency, increasing the share of non-fossil energy consumption, lowering CO2 emissions and boosting the carbon sink capacity of ecosystems. It calls for resolute efforts to curb the haphazard development of energy-intensive and high-emission projects. Besides, Chinas national carbon market started online trading and secured stable and orderly operations. China made headway in its efforts to protect its blue skies, and to defend its rivers and soil from pollution. A 10-year ban on fishing in key waters of the Yangtze River basin came into force from Jan. 1, 2021. The combined proportion of state-controlled water sections with good-quality surface water increased to 83.6 percent. Chinas total installed capacity using renewable energy exceeded a billion kilowatts. The total area of afforestation across the country hit 54 million mu, or 3.6 million hectares. (Web editor: Du Mingming, Bianji) Chinese mainland reports 175 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases Xinhua) 15:53, January 01, 2022 BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland on Friday reported 175 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said in its daily report on Saturday. Of the new local cases, 174 were reported in the province of Shaanxi, and one in Guizhou, the commission said. Also reported were 56 new imported cases in 12 provincial-level regions, according to the commission. One new suspected case arriving from outside the mainland was reported in Shanghai, and no new deaths from COVID-19 were reported on the day, it added. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the mainland had reached 102,314 by Friday, including 2,886 patients still receiving treatment, of whom 15 were in severe conditions. A total of 94,792 patients had been discharged from hospitals on the mainland, and 4,636 had died as a result of the virus. A total of 38 asymptomatic cases were newly reported Friday, 33 of whom arrived from outside the mainland. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Peoples Dailys top 10 domestic news events in 2021 People's Daily Online) 18:40, December 31, 2021 A ceremony celebrating the CPCs centenary is held at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing (Xinhua/Li Xiang). A volunteer introduces the spirit of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee to local residents of the Miao ethnic group in Tianba village, Guanba town of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (cpanet.cn/Cao Yonglong) CPC members review the Party admission oath at the memorial of the First National Congress of the CPC in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Liu Ying) Aerial photo shows workers of a power transmission and distribution company in east China's Anhui Province working at a construction site of an ultra-high-voltage (UHV) power transmission project over the Yangtze River in Anhui Province. (cpanet.cn/Zheng Xianlie) A farmer of Liufeng village, Youjiang district, Baise city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region airs out his anise. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun)\ Photo shows a judge of the people's court of Wenxian county, central China's Henan Province participating in a law education activity. (cpanet.cn/Xu Hongxing) Photo shows the scenery of Chinas Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center shows China's Shenzhou-13 astronaut Zhai Zhigang waving his hand after conducting extravehicular activities outside of the space station core module Tianhe. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng) Photo shows an 81MW photovoltaic power project built at the Nanshan Reservoir, Fujia village, Dongjia town, Fengcheng city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (cpanet.cn/Zhan Peilu) Photo shows the first China International Consumer Products Expo held in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan Province. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun) Editors note: The year 2021 marked a milestone in the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese nation. Over the past year, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, solemnly celebrated the centenary of the founding of the CPC, successfully held the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, formulated the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century, and carried out Party history education efforts. Meanwhile, it has united and led the Chinese people in winning the battle against poverty as scheduled, in building a moderately prosperous society, and in embarking on a new journey of turning China into a modern socialist country in an all-round way, signaling a perfect start to the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). Going forward, China is determined to make even greater achievements through dedication and hard work. In 2022, the CPC will convene its 20th National Congress, a significant event for both the Party and the country. As long as it actively takes on its new missions, earnestly learns from its previous experience, and forges ahead courageously, China will certainly witness even greater glories on its new journey in the new era and make the ship of socialism with Chinese characteristics sail smoothly through all the coming waves. 1. Xi Jinping announces realization of first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects at ceremony marking centenary of the CPC A ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC was held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on July 1. During his speech at the ceremony, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee reviewed the CPCs struggle over the past 100 years, spoke highly of the great achievements the Chinese people made under the leadership of the CPC, and announced that China has realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. He summarized the great founding spirit of the Party, which is comprised of the following principles: upholding truth and ideals, staying true to the Partys original aspiration and founding mission, fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice, and remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people. Xi stressed the importance of upholding the firm leadership of the Party, and noted that as the CPC puts conscious effort into learning from history to create a bright future, the Party must unite and lead the Chinese people in working ceaselessly for a better life, continue to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context, uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces, continue working to promote the building of a human community with a shared future, carry out a great struggle with many contemporary features, strengthen the great unity of the Chinese people, and continue to advance the great new project of Party building. He also called on all party members to score even greater achievements on the journey ahead. The awarding ceremony for the July 1 Medal and a meeting on awarding the titles of outstanding Party members, exemplary Party workers, and advanced community-level Party organizations were held before July 1 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. It was the first time the CPC Central Committee presented the July 1 Medal, the highest honor in the Party. It was of great significance for encouraging all party members to bear in mind the founding mission of the Party and forge ahead. 2. CPC issues landmark resolution on Party's achievements, experience over past century The sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee was held from Nov. 8 to 11. At the session, the CPC Central Committee heard and discussed a work report Xi delivered on behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and considered and adopted the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century and the Resolution on the Convocation of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The CPC Central Committee considered it important in both a practical and historical sense to have a comprehensive review of the major achievements and historical experience of the Party over the past century as the CPC celebrates its centenary and the fulfillment of the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and moves on towards the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. The Central Committee believed that this review would help build a broader consensus and stronger unity in will and action among all members and rally and lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in achieving new and great success in building socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. According to the resolution, the Party has established Comrade Xi Jinpings core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This reflects the common will of the Party, the armed forces, and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, and is of decisive significance for advancing the cause of the Party and the country in the new era and for driving forward the historic process of national rejuvenation, the document said. 3. China secures complete victory in fight against poverty, makes solid progress on major livelihood projects On Feb. 25, President Xi Jinping announced that China had secured a complete victory in its fight against poverty at a grand gathering held in Beijing to mark the country's accomplishments in poverty alleviation and to honor its model poverty fighters. The final 98.99 million impoverished rural residents living under the current poverty line have all been lifted out of poverty. All the 832 impoverished counties and 128,000 impoverished villages have been removed from the poverty list. Regional poverty has been eliminated on the whole, and the arduous task of eradicating absolute poverty has been completed, representing yet another miraculous achievement. Remaining committed to the people-centered philosophy of development, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core rolled out a slew of measures to improve peoples livelihood and address their urgent problems, ensuring a strong sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security for them. In July, China introduced a guideline to ease the burdens of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring for students undergoing compulsory education, in a bid to promote the well-rounded and healthy development of students. In the same month, the country released a decision on improving birth policies to promote long-term and balanced population development. Fresh progress was made in ensuring access to medical services, elderly care, housing, and social assistance. Between January and October, China began the rebuilding and renovation of 53,400 old urban residential communities. China conducted three rounds of centralized drug procurement. Sixty-one types of medicines listed in Chinas fifth-round centralized drug-procurement program were made 56 percent cheaper on average. Chinas basic medical insurance schemes covered 1.36 billion people, or 95 percent of the countrys population. The number of people covered by basic old-age insurance nationwide hit 1 billion, with an insured rate of over 90 percent. 4. China ensures good start of 14th Five-Year Plan, maintains leading position in coordinating epidemic control and economic development On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th National Peoples Congress approved the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035. In 2021, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has calmly responded to the profound changes unseen in a century and the COVID-19 pandemic, and united and led all the Chinese people to accomplish the arduous tasks of reform and development, securing a good start to the 14th Five-Year Plan. China has made new strides to foster a new paradigm of development and promote high-quality development, and has continued to lead the world in terms of economic development and epidemic control, with significant progress made in improving its strategic scientific and technological strength, industrial chain resilience, peoples well-being, reform and opening-up, and eco-environmental progress. The countrys GDP expanded 9.8 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters, putting the average growth for the period over the past two years at 5.2 percent. The number of market entities nationwide exceeded 150 million, and total grain output exceeded 650 million metric tons. China, as the worlds second largest economy, second largest consumption market, and largest trader in goods, has maintained a continuous economic recovery and contributed significantly to stabilizing and promoting recovery in the global economy. 5. CPC launches campaign on studying Party history The launching of the Party-wide education campaign was a major strategic decision by the CPC Central Committee to open up new prospects for the cause of the Party and the State from the new starting point of the centenary of the founding of the CPC. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, attended the campaign's launch meeting held in Beijing on Feb. 20, and delivered an important speech. Xi stressed the vital necessity of launching the campaign, urging Party committees at all levels to earnestly implement the arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee regarding the campaign. Over the past year, Party organizations at all levels have conscientiously implemented the arrangements of the Party Central Committee. Through the campaign, the whole Party has notably enhanced its historical consciousness and confidence, and has significantly strengthened its capacity to innovate, unite and fight, thus achieving the goal of studying the Party's history, understanding its theories, doing practical work and making new advances. 6. China introduces targeted reform plans, improves institutional system in all-round way, pushes forward reform and opening up This year, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, China stressed full, accurate and comprehensive implementation of the new development philosophy to strengthen the integration of systems, take targeted measures and continuously further reform and opening up. China issued a guideline on building the eastern province of Zhejiang into a demonstration zone for achieving common prosperity in June. This was a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core, which puts promoting the common prosperity of all people in a more important position. It fully reflects the firm determination of the CPC Central Committee to solve the problem of insufficiencies resulting from development imbalances in China. In July, China issued a guideline to support the high-level reform and opening-up of the Pudong New Area in Shanghai. In September, the country issued a general plan for building a Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, and a plan on deepening the reform and opening-up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone. A number of policy documents such as a negative list on cross-border trade in services for the Hainan Free Trade Port and measures to liberalize and facilitate the trade in goods and services at the Hainan free trade port have been issued and implemented. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has successively set up 21 free trade pilot zones, obtained a large number of high-level institutional innovation achievements, and built a number of world-leading industrial clusters. This year, economic and trade events such as the China International Consumer Products Expo, the China International Fair for Trade in Services, the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) and the China International Import Expo have been successfully held, and China's resolve to open wider at a high standard is obvious to any objective observer. 7. China issues guiding document on advancing rule of law in new era, improves whole-process peoples democracy The CPC Central Committee in January issued a plan on building the rule of law in China (2020-2025). The plan, designed and formulated under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, practically implements the thought in its every aspect. As the first plan on building the rule of law in China, it is a guiding document on comprehensively advancing the rule of law in the new era and is a blueprint, a roadmap and a drawing for coordinated efforts to advance the building of Chinas rule of law during the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period. The plan bears important significance for allowing the rule of law to better play its role as the guarantor for consolidating foundations, stabilizing expectations and bringing long-term benefits, for advancing the modernization of Chinas national governance system and capacity, for adapting to peoples new requirements and expectations regarding such aspects as democracy, rule of law, equity, justice, security and environment, and for achieving the goal of basically building a country, government and society based on the rule of law in 2035. In December, the State Council Information Office issued a white paper titled China: Democracy That Works, which is a comprehensive summary of Chinas remarkable progress made in whole-process peoples democracy. It says, With complete institutions and extensive participation, whole-process people's democracy has evolved from an idea into a system and mechanism of governance that has taken root in the soil of Chinese society and has become part of people's lives. Whole-process peoples democracy has distinctive Chinese characteristics; it also exemplifies common values and contributes Chinas ideas and solutions to the political progress of humanity. 8. Principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, ending chaos, restoring stability of HKSAR On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th NPC adopted a decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Under the new electoral system, elections of the Election Committee of the HKSAR and the seventh-term Legislative Council of the HKSAR were successfully held, with the democratic rights of Hong Kong citizens reflected, the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, and a political landscape featuring wide and balanced participation from all social groups and constituencies established. Practice has proven that the new electoral system is a good system that adheres to the one country, two systems principle, suits Hong Kongs realities, and provides strong institutional support for the steady and sustained development of the one country, two systems principle as well as the long-term prosperity and stability of the HKSAR. In the past year, Hong Kong has constantly consolidated its achievements in ending chaos and restoring stability, and has secured a sound impetus for development. It has achieved notable results in COVID-19 control, gradually recovered its economy and maintained social stability. 9. Chinese astronauts enter Chinas space station for first time China sent into space the Tianhe core module of its space station on April 29, which signaled that the countrys space station construction entered the full implementation stage. On May 15, Chinas Mars probe Tianwen-1 landed on the surface of Mars, leaving the mark of the Chinese nation on the Red Planet. It marked an important step in Chinas interstellar exploration and a leap from the exploration of the Earth-Moon system to interplanetary exploration. On June 17, Chinas Shenzhou-12 manned spaceship completed a fast automated rendezvous and docking with the Tianhe core module, and Chinese astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo entered the orbiting Tianhe module, which marked the first time Chinese astronauts entered their own space station. After completing their three-month mission, including innovative and groundbreaking scientific experiments and space applications, they returned to Earth safely on Sept. 17. China successfully launched the crewed spaceship Shenzhou-13 on Oct. 16, sending three astronauts to its space station core module Tianhe for a six-month mission. 10. China sets clearly-defined timetable, roadmap for achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality while advancing ecological progress In October, China unveiled a guiding document on its work to achieve its carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals under the new development philosophy, setting a clearly-defined timetable and roadmap and laying out specific targets and measures for the coming decades. According to the document, China will peak its carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The document outlines five major tasks, including creating a green, low-carbon and circular economy, improving energy efficiency, increasing the share of non-fossil energy consumption, lowering CO2 emissions and boosting the carbon sink capacity of ecosystems. It calls for resolute efforts to curb the haphazard development of energy-intensive and high-emission projects. Besides, Chinas national carbon market started online trading and secured stable and orderly operations. China made headway in its efforts to protect its blue skies, and to defend its rivers and soil from pollution. A 10-year ban on fishing in key waters of the Yangtze River basin came into force from Jan. 1, 2021. The combined proportion of state-controlled water sections with good-quality surface water increased to 83.6 percent. Chinas total installed capacity using renewable energy exceeded a billion kilowatts. The total area of afforestation across the country hit 54 million mu, or 3.6 million hectares. (Web editor: Du Mingming, Bianji) China is turning a major part of its internal Internet data surveillance network outward, mining Western social media, including Facebook and Twitter, to equip its government agencies, military and police with information on foreign targets, according to a Washington Post review of hundreds of Chinese bidding documents, contracts and company filings. China maintains a countrywide network of government data surveillance services - called public opinion analysis software - that were developed over the past decade and are used domestically to warn officials of politically sensitive information online. The software primarily targets Chinas domestic Internet users and media, but a Washington Post review of bidding documents and contracts for over 300 Chinese government projects since the beginning of 2020 include orders for software designed to collect data on foreign targets from sources such as Twitter, Facebook and other Western social media. The documents, publicly accessible through domestic government bidding platforms, also show that agencies including state media, propaganda departments, police, military and cyber regulators are purchasing new or more sophisticated systems to gather data. These include a $320,000 Chinese state media software program that mines Twitter and Facebook to create a database of foreign journalists and academics; a $216,000 Beijing police intelligence program that analyses Western chatter on Hong Kong and Taiwan; and a Xinjiang cybercenter cataloguing Uyghur language content abroad. Now we can better understand the underground network of anti-China personnel, said a Beijing-based analyst who works for a unit reporting to Chinas Central Propaganda Department. The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss their work, said they were once tasked with producing a data report on how negative content relating to Beijings senior leadership is spread on Twitter, including profiles of individual academics, politicians and journalists. These surveillance dragnets are part of a wider drive by Beijing to refine its foreign propaganda efforts through big data and artificial intelligence. They also form a network of warning systems designed to sound real-time alarms for trends that undermine Beijings interests. They are now reorienting part of that effort outward, and I think thats frankly terrifying, looking at the sheer numbers and sheer scale that this has taken inside China, said Mareike Ohlberg, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund who has conducted extensive research on Chinas domestic public opinion network. It really shows that they now feel its their responsibility to defend China overseas and fight the public opinion war overseas, she said. Some of the Chinese governments budgeting includes buying and maintaining foreign social media accounts on behalf of police and propaganda departments. Yet others describe using the targeted analysis to refine Beijings state media coverage abroad. The purchases range in size from small, automated programs to projects costing hundreds of thousands of dollars that are staffed 24 hours a day by teams including English speakers and foreign policy specialists. The documents describe highly customizable programs that can collect real-time social media data from individual social media users. Some describe tracking broad trends on issues including U.S. elections. The Post was not able to review data collected by the systems but spoke to four people based in Beijing who are directly involved in government public opinion analysis and described separate software systems that automatically collect and store Facebook and Twitter data in real time on domestic Chinese servers for analysis. Twitter and Facebook both ban automated collection of data on their services without prior authorization. Twitters policy also expressly bars developers from gathering data used to infer a users political affiliation or ethnic and racial origin. Our API provides real-time access to public data and tweets only, not private information. We prohibit use of our API for surveillance purposes, as per our developer policy and terms, said Katie Rosborough, a Twitter spokesperson, referring to the companys Application Programming Interface (API), which allows developers to retrieve public data from the platform among other functions. Facebook did not respond to requests for comment about whether it is aware of the monitoring or whether several companies, universities and state media firms listed as supplying the software were authorized to collect data on its platform. Chinas Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Public opinion guidance Chinas systems for analyzing domestic public opinion online are a powerful but largely unseen pillar of President Xi Jinpings program to modernize Chinas propaganda apparatus and maintain control over the Internet. The vast data collection and monitoring efforts give officials insight into public opinion, a challenge in a country that does not hold public elections or permit independent media. The services also provide increasingly technical surveillance for Chinas censorship apparatus. And most systems include alarm functions designed to alert officials and police to negative content in real time. These operations are an important function of what Beijing calls public opinion guidance work - a policy of molding public sentiment in favor of the government through targeted propaganda and censorship. The phrase first came to prominence in policymaking after the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy demonstrations, when officials began exploring new ways to preempt popular challenges to the Communist Partys power, and has since become integral to the underlying architecture of Chinas Internet, where users are linked by real name ID, and Internet services are required by law to maintain an internal censorship apparatus. The exact scope of Chinas government public opinion monitoring industry is unclear, but there have been some indications about its size in Chinese state media. In 2014, the state-backed newspaper China Daily said more than 2 million people were working as public opinion analysts. In 2018, the Peoples Daily, another official organ, said the governments online opinion analysis industry was worth tens of billions of yuan, equivalent to billions of dollars, and was growing at a rate of 50% a year. That surveillance network system is expanding to include foreign social media at a time when global perceptions of Beijing are at their lowest in recent history. A Pew Research survey released in June showed that perceptions of China among 17 advanced economies had dipped to near historic lows for a second year in a row in the aftermath of the U.S. trade war, the Xinjiang human rights crisis, Hong Kong and the coronavirus pandemic. In May this year, Xi called on senior officials to portray a more trustworthy, lovable and reliable image of China abroad, calling for the effective development of international public opinion guidance. His comments reflect Beijings growing anxieties over how to control Chinas image abroad. On the back of the Sino-US trade talks and the Hong Kong rioting incident, its becoming clearer day by day that the public opinion news war is arduous and necessary, China Daily said in a July 2020 bidding document for a $300,000 foreign personnel analysis platform. The invitation to tender lays out specifications for a program that mines Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for data on well known Western media journalists and other key personnel from political, business and media circles. We are competing with the US and Western media, the battle for the right to speak has begun, it said. The software should run 24 hours a day, according to the specifications, and map the relationships between target personnel and uncover factions between personnel, measuring their China tendencies and building an alarm system that automatically flags false statements and reports on China. Warning systems like the one outlined in the China Daily document are described in over 90% of tenders that list technical specifications, The Posts review of the documents show. Two people who work as analysts in public opinion analysis units contracted by government agencies in Beijing told The Post that they receive automated alarms via SMS, email and on dedicated computer monitors when sensitive content was detected. Both of the people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to foreign media. Having responsibility for [the monitoring] is a lot of pressure, said one of the people. If we do our work poorly, there are severe repercussions. Highly sensitive viral trends online are reported to a 24-hour hotline maintained by the Cybersecurity Administration of China (CAC), the body that oversees the countrys censorship apparatus, the person said of their unit. The person added that most of the alarms were related to domestic social media but that foreign social media had also been included in the units monitoring since the middle of 2019. The persons account is supported by four bidding documents for unrelated systems that mention direct hotlines to the CAC. In case of major public opinion, directly contact the staff on duty of the CAC by telephone to ensure that notifications are in place through various communication tools, said one December 2020 tender for a $236,000 system purchased by the municipal propaganda department in eastern Chinas Fuzhou city for monitoring Facebook and Twitter alongside domestic social media. It specifies that reports to the CAC should include the details of individual social media users. State media-led data mining Suppliers of the systems vary. The China Daily awarded its contract to Beijings Communications University, one of a half dozen Chinese universities that have launched specialized departments to develop public opinion analysis technology. However, some of the most prolific public opinion monitoring services are provided to police and government agencies by state media themselves. The documents provide insight into the scope of foreign social media data collection done by Chinas major state media outlets, which maintain offices and servers abroad, and their key role in providing Beijing with publicity guidance based on increasingly sophisticated data mining analysis. The growing clout of Beijings propaganda efforts abroad, spearheaded by state media, has triggered alarms in Washington. In 2020, the State Department reclassified the U.S.-based operations of Chinas top state media outlets as foreign missions, increasing reporting requirements and restricting their visa allocations, angering Beijing. The Peoples Daily Online, a unit of the state newspaper the Peoples Daily, which provides one of the countrys largest contract public opinion analysis services, won dozens of projects that include overseas social media data collection services for police, judicial authorities, Communist Party organizations and other clients. The unit, which recorded $330 million in operating income in 2020, up 50% from 2018, says it serves over 200 government agencies, although it is not clear how many request foreign social media data. In one tender won by the Peoples Daily Online, the Beijing Police Intelligence Command Unit purchased a $30,570 service to trawl foreign social media and produce reports on unspecified key personnel and organizations, gathering information on their basic circumstances, background and relationships. It also calls for weekly data reports on Hong Kong, Taiwan and U.S. relations. Issued shortly before the 2020 U.S. presidential election results were ratified on Jan. 6, it also called for special reports on netizens main views related to the election. The international balance of power has been profoundly adjusted, said the request for tenders. Through the collection of public Internet information we can keep a close eye on the international community, analyze sensitivities and hot spots, and maintain the stability of Chinese society. In an April 2020 article, the chief analyst at the Peoples Daily Online Public Opinion Data Center, Liao Canliang, laid out the ultimate goal of public opinion analysis. The ultimate purpose of analysis and prediction is to guide and intervene in public opinion, Canliang wrote. . . . Public data from social network users can be used to analyze the characteristics and preferences of users, and then guide them in a targeted manner. In the article, Liao points to Cambridge Analyticas impact on the 2016 U.S. election as evidence of social medias ability to mold public opinion. The West uses big data to analyze, research and judge public opinion to influence political activities. ... As long as there is a correct grasp on the situation, public opinion can also be guided and interfered with, he wrote. Peoples Daily subsidiary Global Times, a firebrand newspaper known for its biting coverage of Chinas critics, also has a unit gathering foreign social media data for Chinas Foreign Ministry, Beijings Foreign Affairs Office and other government agencies. In late 2019, the Global Times Online won a three-year contract worth $531,000 to provide a China-related foreign media and journalist opinion monitoring system that monitors overseas social media on behalf of Chinas Foreign Ministry and produces comprehensive regular reports, as well as special briefings in urgent circumstances. Documentation accompanying the project says that close to 40% of the Global Times monitoring units staffers are senior Global Times reporters and that the publication maintains large overseas social media monitoring platforms. A description on the website of the Global Timess public opinion research center says the group conducts overseas monitoring and overseas investigation services and provides comprehensive response plans to government and private clients. Both the Peoples Daily and the Global Times were among the outlets designated as foreign missions in the United States. The increase in Chinas monitoring of foreign public opinion on social media coincides with efforts by Beijing to boost its influence on Twitter and other U.S. social media platforms. In June 2020, Twitter suspended 23,000 accounts that it said were linked to the Chinese Communist Party and covertly spreading propaganda to undermine pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. This month, Twitter said it removed a further 2,048 accounts linked to Beijing and producing coordinated content undermining accusations of rights abuses in Xinjiang. Experts say those accounts represent a small fraction of Chinas efforts to boost pro-Beijing messaging on foreign social media. Extreme chilling effect Just under a third of the public opinion analysis systems reviewed by The Post were procured by Chinese police. In 14 instances, the analysis systems included a feature requested by the police that would automatically flag sensitive content related to Uyghurs and other Chinese ethnic minorities. An additional 12 analysis systems included the police-requested capability of monitoring individual content authors over time. It must support information monitoring of overseas social media . . . and provide for targeted collection of designated sites and authors, said one invitation to tender released by the Fuzhou city police in October that lists coverage of Facebook and Twitter as a requirement. The monitoring of social media abroad by local police throughout China could be used in investigating Chinese citizens locally and abroad, as well as in flagging trends that stir domestic dissent, experts say. The public security monitoring is very much about stability maintenance, tracking people down and finding peoples identity, and when they monitor overseas social media, its also often with an eye to monitoring what news could cause trouble at home in China, said the German Marshall Funds Ohlberg. Companies providing overseas public opinion monitoring to police include a mix of private and state-owned firms, including the Peoples Daily Online. Six police contracts awarded since 2020 stated that the Peoples Daily was chosen to conduct monitoring on the basis of its technical ability to gather data abroad. Its the only one in the industry that deploys overseas servers. It is a public opinion service organization that can monitor and collect more than 8,000 overseas media without overturning the wall, said the Guangdong Police Department in a $26,200 contract offer posted in July 2020, referring to the ability of the Peoples Daily unit to collect overseas data outside Chinas Great Firewall. Experts say the increasingly advanced social media surveillance technology available to Chinese police could worsen the targeted harassment of Beijings critics. The Chinese government is one of the worst offenders when it comes to targeting individuals outside of the country, said Adrian Shahbaz, the director for technology and democracy at the think tank Freedom House. It has an extreme chilling effect on how Chinese citizens outside of China are using social media tools, because they know that back home, their information is very easily monitored by Chinese authorities, he said. The China Public Security Bureau did not respond to a request for comment. A police bureau in southern Chinas Nanping city purchased a $42,000 system that supports collection, discovery, and warning functions for ... Twitter and Facebook social media data according to different classifications and keyword groups, as well as overseas information lists, according to bidding documents released in July 2020. Other procurements for public opinion services outline programs purchased by Chinese police and Xinjiang government bodies to track sensitive ethnic language content abroad. (Chinas mainly-Muslim Uyghurs are concentrated in Xinjiang.) A $43,000 system purchased by police in central Chinas Shangnan county included a foreign sensitive information collection system that requested Uyghur and Tibetan staff translators, according to the contracts. Military procurement documents - less detailed than other types - did not offer much detail on the purpose of the foreign data collection but alluded to vague categories of data including key personnel. One heavily redacted June 2020 contract issued by the Peoples Liberation Army described a system that would trawl foreign sites and categorize data on the basis of affiliation, geography and country. Source Data Technology, the Shanghai-based company that won the contract, says on its website that it uses advanced big data mining and artificial intelligence analysis technology to cover more than 90% of social media in the United States, Europe and Chinas neighboring countries. Peoples Dailys top 10 domestic news events in 2021 People's Daily Online) 18:40, December 31, 2021 A ceremony celebrating the CPCs centenary is held at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing (Xinhua/Li Xiang). A volunteer introduces the spirit of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee to local residents of the Miao ethnic group in Tianba village, Guanba town of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (cpanet.cn/Cao Yonglong) CPC members review the Party admission oath at the memorial of the First National Congress of the CPC in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Liu Ying) Aerial photo shows workers of a power transmission and distribution company in east China's Anhui Province working at a construction site of an ultra-high-voltage (UHV) power transmission project over the Yangtze River in Anhui Province. (cpanet.cn/Zheng Xianlie) A farmer of Liufeng village, Youjiang district, Baise city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region airs out his anise. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun)\ Photo shows a judge of the people's court of Wenxian county, central China's Henan Province participating in a law education activity. (cpanet.cn/Xu Hongxing) Photo shows the scenery of Chinas Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center shows China's Shenzhou-13 astronaut Zhai Zhigang waving his hand after conducting extravehicular activities outside of the space station core module Tianhe. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng) Photo shows an 81MW photovoltaic power project built at the Nanshan Reservoir, Fujia village, Dongjia town, Fengcheng city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (cpanet.cn/Zhan Peilu) Photo shows the first China International Consumer Products Expo held in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan Province. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun) Editors note: The year 2021 marked a milestone in the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese nation. Over the past year, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, solemnly celebrated the centenary of the founding of the CPC, successfully held the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, formulated the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century, and carried out Party history education efforts. Meanwhile, it has united and led the Chinese people in winning the battle against poverty as scheduled, in building a moderately prosperous society, and in embarking on a new journey of turning China into a modern socialist country in an all-round way, signaling a perfect start to the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). Going forward, China is determined to make even greater achievements through dedication and hard work. In 2022, the CPC will convene its 20th National Congress, a significant event for both the Party and the country. As long as it actively takes on its new missions, earnestly learns from its previous experience, and forges ahead courageously, China will certainly witness even greater glories on its new journey in the new era and make the ship of socialism with Chinese characteristics sail smoothly through all the coming waves. 1. Xi Jinping announces realization of first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects at ceremony marking centenary of the CPC A ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC was held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on July 1. During his speech at the ceremony, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee reviewed the CPCs struggle over the past 100 years, spoke highly of the great achievements the Chinese people made under the leadership of the CPC, and announced that China has realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. He summarized the great founding spirit of the Party, which is comprised of the following principles: upholding truth and ideals, staying true to the Partys original aspiration and founding mission, fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice, and remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people. Xi stressed the importance of upholding the firm leadership of the Party, and noted that as the CPC puts conscious effort into learning from history to create a bright future, the Party must unite and lead the Chinese people in working ceaselessly for a better life, continue to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context, uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces, continue working to promote the building of a human community with a shared future, carry out a great struggle with many contemporary features, strengthen the great unity of the Chinese people, and continue to advance the great new project of Party building. He also called on all party members to score even greater achievements on the journey ahead. The awarding ceremony for the July 1 Medal and a meeting on awarding the titles of outstanding Party members, exemplary Party workers, and advanced community-level Party organizations were held before July 1 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. It was the first time the CPC Central Committee presented the July 1 Medal, the highest honor in the Party. It was of great significance for encouraging all party members to bear in mind the founding mission of the Party and forge ahead. 2. CPC issues landmark resolution on Party's achievements, experience over past century The sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee was held from Nov. 8 to 11. At the session, the CPC Central Committee heard and discussed a work report Xi delivered on behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and considered and adopted the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century and the Resolution on the Convocation of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The CPC Central Committee considered it important in both a practical and historical sense to have a comprehensive review of the major achievements and historical experience of the Party over the past century as the CPC celebrates its centenary and the fulfillment of the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and moves on towards the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. The Central Committee believed that this review would help build a broader consensus and stronger unity in will and action among all members and rally and lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in achieving new and great success in building socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. According to the resolution, the Party has established Comrade Xi Jinpings core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This reflects the common will of the Party, the armed forces, and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, and is of decisive significance for advancing the cause of the Party and the country in the new era and for driving forward the historic process of national rejuvenation, the document said. 3. China secures complete victory in fight against poverty, makes solid progress on major livelihood projects On Feb. 25, President Xi Jinping announced that China had secured a complete victory in its fight against poverty at a grand gathering held in Beijing to mark the country's accomplishments in poverty alleviation and to honor its model poverty fighters. The final 98.99 million impoverished rural residents living under the current poverty line have all been lifted out of poverty. All the 832 impoverished counties and 128,000 impoverished villages have been removed from the poverty list. Regional poverty has been eliminated on the whole, and the arduous task of eradicating absolute poverty has been completed, representing yet another miraculous achievement. Remaining committed to the people-centered philosophy of development, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core rolled out a slew of measures to improve peoples livelihood and address their urgent problems, ensuring a strong sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security for them. In July, China introduced a guideline to ease the burdens of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring for students undergoing compulsory education, in a bid to promote the well-rounded and healthy development of students. In the same month, the country released a decision on improving birth policies to promote long-term and balanced population development. Fresh progress was made in ensuring access to medical services, elderly care, housing, and social assistance. Between January and October, China began the rebuilding and renovation of 53,400 old urban residential communities. China conducted three rounds of centralized drug procurement. Sixty-one types of medicines listed in Chinas fifth-round centralized drug-procurement program were made 56 percent cheaper on average. Chinas basic medical insurance schemes covered 1.36 billion people, or 95 percent of the countrys population. The number of people covered by basic old-age insurance nationwide hit 1 billion, with an insured rate of over 90 percent. 4. China ensures good start of 14th Five-Year Plan, maintains leading position in coordinating epidemic control and economic development On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th National Peoples Congress approved the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035. In 2021, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has calmly responded to the profound changes unseen in a century and the COVID-19 pandemic, and united and led all the Chinese people to accomplish the arduous tasks of reform and development, securing a good start to the 14th Five-Year Plan. China has made new strides to foster a new paradigm of development and promote high-quality development, and has continued to lead the world in terms of economic development and epidemic control, with significant progress made in improving its strategic scientific and technological strength, industrial chain resilience, peoples well-being, reform and opening-up, and eco-environmental progress. The countrys GDP expanded 9.8 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters, putting the average growth for the period over the past two years at 5.2 percent. The number of market entities nationwide exceeded 150 million, and total grain output exceeded 650 million metric tons. China, as the worlds second largest economy, second largest consumption market, and largest trader in goods, has maintained a continuous economic recovery and contributed significantly to stabilizing and promoting recovery in the global economy. 5. CPC launches campaign on studying Party history The launching of the Party-wide education campaign was a major strategic decision by the CPC Central Committee to open up new prospects for the cause of the Party and the State from the new starting point of the centenary of the founding of the CPC. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, attended the campaign's launch meeting held in Beijing on Feb. 20, and delivered an important speech. Xi stressed the vital necessity of launching the campaign, urging Party committees at all levels to earnestly implement the arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee regarding the campaign. Over the past year, Party organizations at all levels have conscientiously implemented the arrangements of the Party Central Committee. Through the campaign, the whole Party has notably enhanced its historical consciousness and confidence, and has significantly strengthened its capacity to innovate, unite and fight, thus achieving the goal of studying the Party's history, understanding its theories, doing practical work and making new advances. 6. China introduces targeted reform plans, improves institutional system in all-round way, pushes forward reform and opening up This year, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, China stressed full, accurate and comprehensive implementation of the new development philosophy to strengthen the integration of systems, take targeted measures and continuously further reform and opening up. China issued a guideline on building the eastern province of Zhejiang into a demonstration zone for achieving common prosperity in June. This was a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core, which puts promoting the common prosperity of all people in a more important position. It fully reflects the firm determination of the CPC Central Committee to solve the problem of insufficiencies resulting from development imbalances in China. In July, China issued a guideline to support the high-level reform and opening-up of the Pudong New Area in Shanghai. In September, the country issued a general plan for building a Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, and a plan on deepening the reform and opening-up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone. A number of policy documents such as a negative list on cross-border trade in services for the Hainan Free Trade Port and measures to liberalize and facilitate the trade in goods and services at the Hainan free trade port have been issued and implemented. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has successively set up 21 free trade pilot zones, obtained a large number of high-level institutional innovation achievements, and built a number of world-leading industrial clusters. This year, economic and trade events such as the China International Consumer Products Expo, the China International Fair for Trade in Services, the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) and the China International Import Expo have been successfully held, and China's resolve to open wider at a high standard is obvious to any objective observer. 7. China issues guiding document on advancing rule of law in new era, improves whole-process peoples democracy The CPC Central Committee in January issued a plan on building the rule of law in China (2020-2025). The plan, designed and formulated under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, practically implements the thought in its every aspect. As the first plan on building the rule of law in China, it is a guiding document on comprehensively advancing the rule of law in the new era and is a blueprint, a roadmap and a drawing for coordinated efforts to advance the building of Chinas rule of law during the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period. The plan bears important significance for allowing the rule of law to better play its role as the guarantor for consolidating foundations, stabilizing expectations and bringing long-term benefits, for advancing the modernization of Chinas national governance system and capacity, for adapting to peoples new requirements and expectations regarding such aspects as democracy, rule of law, equity, justice, security and environment, and for achieving the goal of basically building a country, government and society based on the rule of law in 2035. In December, the State Council Information Office issued a white paper titled China: Democracy That Works, which is a comprehensive summary of Chinas remarkable progress made in whole-process peoples democracy. It says, With complete institutions and extensive participation, whole-process people's democracy has evolved from an idea into a system and mechanism of governance that has taken root in the soil of Chinese society and has become part of people's lives. Whole-process peoples democracy has distinctive Chinese characteristics; it also exemplifies common values and contributes Chinas ideas and solutions to the political progress of humanity. 8. Principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, ending chaos, restoring stability of HKSAR On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th NPC adopted a decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Under the new electoral system, elections of the Election Committee of the HKSAR and the seventh-term Legislative Council of the HKSAR were successfully held, with the democratic rights of Hong Kong citizens reflected, the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, and a political landscape featuring wide and balanced participation from all social groups and constituencies established. Practice has proven that the new electoral system is a good system that adheres to the one country, two systems principle, suits Hong Kongs realities, and provides strong institutional support for the steady and sustained development of the one country, two systems principle as well as the long-term prosperity and stability of the HKSAR. In the past year, Hong Kong has constantly consolidated its achievements in ending chaos and restoring stability, and has secured a sound impetus for development. It has achieved notable results in COVID-19 control, gradually recovered its economy and maintained social stability. 9. Chinese astronauts enter Chinas space station for first time China sent into space the Tianhe core module of its space station on April 29, which signaled that the countrys space station construction entered the full implementation stage. On May 15, Chinas Mars probe Tianwen-1 landed on the surface of Mars, leaving the mark of the Chinese nation on the Red Planet. It marked an important step in Chinas interstellar exploration and a leap from the exploration of the Earth-Moon system to interplanetary exploration. On June 17, Chinas Shenzhou-12 manned spaceship completed a fast automated rendezvous and docking with the Tianhe core module, and Chinese astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo entered the orbiting Tianhe module, which marked the first time Chinese astronauts entered their own space station. After completing their three-month mission, including innovative and groundbreaking scientific experiments and space applications, they returned to Earth safely on Sept. 17. China successfully launched the crewed spaceship Shenzhou-13 on Oct. 16, sending three astronauts to its space station core module Tianhe for a six-month mission. 10. China sets clearly-defined timetable, roadmap for achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality while advancing ecological progress In October, China unveiled a guiding document on its work to achieve its carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals under the new development philosophy, setting a clearly-defined timetable and roadmap and laying out specific targets and measures for the coming decades. According to the document, China will peak its carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The document outlines five major tasks, including creating a green, low-carbon and circular economy, improving energy efficiency, increasing the share of non-fossil energy consumption, lowering CO2 emissions and boosting the carbon sink capacity of ecosystems. It calls for resolute efforts to curb the haphazard development of energy-intensive and high-emission projects. Besides, Chinas national carbon market started online trading and secured stable and orderly operations. China made headway in its efforts to protect its blue skies, and to defend its rivers and soil from pollution. A 10-year ban on fishing in key waters of the Yangtze River basin came into force from Jan. 1, 2021. The combined proportion of state-controlled water sections with good-quality surface water increased to 83.6 percent. Chinas total installed capacity using renewable energy exceeded a billion kilowatts. The total area of afforestation across the country hit 54 million mu, or 3.6 million hectares. (Web editor: Du Mingming, Bianji) Peoples Dailys top 10 domestic news events in 2021 People's Daily Online) 18:40, December 31, 2021 A ceremony celebrating the CPCs centenary is held at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing (Xinhua/Li Xiang). A volunteer introduces the spirit of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee to local residents of the Miao ethnic group in Tianba village, Guanba town of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (cpanet.cn/Cao Yonglong) CPC members review the Party admission oath at the memorial of the First National Congress of the CPC in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Liu Ying) Aerial photo shows workers of a power transmission and distribution company in east China's Anhui Province working at a construction site of an ultra-high-voltage (UHV) power transmission project over the Yangtze River in Anhui Province. (cpanet.cn/Zheng Xianlie) A farmer of Liufeng village, Youjiang district, Baise city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region airs out his anise. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun)\ Photo shows a judge of the people's court of Wenxian county, central China's Henan Province participating in a law education activity. (cpanet.cn/Xu Hongxing) Photo shows the scenery of Chinas Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center shows China's Shenzhou-13 astronaut Zhai Zhigang waving his hand after conducting extravehicular activities outside of the space station core module Tianhe. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng) Photo shows an 81MW photovoltaic power project built at the Nanshan Reservoir, Fujia village, Dongjia town, Fengcheng city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (cpanet.cn/Zhan Peilu) Photo shows the first China International Consumer Products Expo held in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan Province. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun) Editors note: The year 2021 marked a milestone in the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese nation. Over the past year, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, solemnly celebrated the centenary of the founding of the CPC, successfully held the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, formulated the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century, and carried out Party history education efforts. Meanwhile, it has united and led the Chinese people in winning the battle against poverty as scheduled, in building a moderately prosperous society, and in embarking on a new journey of turning China into a modern socialist country in an all-round way, signaling a perfect start to the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). Going forward, China is determined to make even greater achievements through dedication and hard work. In 2022, the CPC will convene its 20th National Congress, a significant event for both the Party and the country. As long as it actively takes on its new missions, earnestly learns from its previous experience, and forges ahead courageously, China will certainly witness even greater glories on its new journey in the new era and make the ship of socialism with Chinese characteristics sail smoothly through all the coming waves. 1. Xi Jinping announces realization of first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects at ceremony marking centenary of the CPC A ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC was held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on July 1. During his speech at the ceremony, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee reviewed the CPCs struggle over the past 100 years, spoke highly of the great achievements the Chinese people made under the leadership of the CPC, and announced that China has realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. He summarized the great founding spirit of the Party, which is comprised of the following principles: upholding truth and ideals, staying true to the Partys original aspiration and founding mission, fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice, and remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people. Xi stressed the importance of upholding the firm leadership of the Party, and noted that as the CPC puts conscious effort into learning from history to create a bright future, the Party must unite and lead the Chinese people in working ceaselessly for a better life, continue to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context, uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces, continue working to promote the building of a human community with a shared future, carry out a great struggle with many contemporary features, strengthen the great unity of the Chinese people, and continue to advance the great new project of Party building. He also called on all party members to score even greater achievements on the journey ahead. The awarding ceremony for the July 1 Medal and a meeting on awarding the titles of outstanding Party members, exemplary Party workers, and advanced community-level Party organizations were held before July 1 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. It was the first time the CPC Central Committee presented the July 1 Medal, the highest honor in the Party. It was of great significance for encouraging all party members to bear in mind the founding mission of the Party and forge ahead. 2. CPC issues landmark resolution on Party's achievements, experience over past century The sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee was held from Nov. 8 to 11. At the session, the CPC Central Committee heard and discussed a work report Xi delivered on behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and considered and adopted the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century and the Resolution on the Convocation of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The CPC Central Committee considered it important in both a practical and historical sense to have a comprehensive review of the major achievements and historical experience of the Party over the past century as the CPC celebrates its centenary and the fulfillment of the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and moves on towards the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. The Central Committee believed that this review would help build a broader consensus and stronger unity in will and action among all members and rally and lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in achieving new and great success in building socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. According to the resolution, the Party has established Comrade Xi Jinpings core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This reflects the common will of the Party, the armed forces, and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, and is of decisive significance for advancing the cause of the Party and the country in the new era and for driving forward the historic process of national rejuvenation, the document said. 3. China secures complete victory in fight against poverty, makes solid progress on major livelihood projects On Feb. 25, President Xi Jinping announced that China had secured a complete victory in its fight against poverty at a grand gathering held in Beijing to mark the country's accomplishments in poverty alleviation and to honor its model poverty fighters. The final 98.99 million impoverished rural residents living under the current poverty line have all been lifted out of poverty. All the 832 impoverished counties and 128,000 impoverished villages have been removed from the poverty list. Regional poverty has been eliminated on the whole, and the arduous task of eradicating absolute poverty has been completed, representing yet another miraculous achievement. Remaining committed to the people-centered philosophy of development, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core rolled out a slew of measures to improve peoples livelihood and address their urgent problems, ensuring a strong sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security for them. In July, China introduced a guideline to ease the burdens of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring for students undergoing compulsory education, in a bid to promote the well-rounded and healthy development of students. In the same month, the country released a decision on improving birth policies to promote long-term and balanced population development. Fresh progress was made in ensuring access to medical services, elderly care, housing, and social assistance. Between January and October, China began the rebuilding and renovation of 53,400 old urban residential communities. China conducted three rounds of centralized drug procurement. Sixty-one types of medicines listed in Chinas fifth-round centralized drug-procurement program were made 56 percent cheaper on average. Chinas basic medical insurance schemes covered 1.36 billion people, or 95 percent of the countrys population. The number of people covered by basic old-age insurance nationwide hit 1 billion, with an insured rate of over 90 percent. 4. China ensures good start of 14th Five-Year Plan, maintains leading position in coordinating epidemic control and economic development On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th National Peoples Congress approved the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035. In 2021, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has calmly responded to the profound changes unseen in a century and the COVID-19 pandemic, and united and led all the Chinese people to accomplish the arduous tasks of reform and development, securing a good start to the 14th Five-Year Plan. China has made new strides to foster a new paradigm of development and promote high-quality development, and has continued to lead the world in terms of economic development and epidemic control, with significant progress made in improving its strategic scientific and technological strength, industrial chain resilience, peoples well-being, reform and opening-up, and eco-environmental progress. The countrys GDP expanded 9.8 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters, putting the average growth for the period over the past two years at 5.2 percent. The number of market entities nationwide exceeded 150 million, and total grain output exceeded 650 million metric tons. China, as the worlds second largest economy, second largest consumption market, and largest trader in goods, has maintained a continuous economic recovery and contributed significantly to stabilizing and promoting recovery in the global economy. 5. CPC launches campaign on studying Party history The launching of the Party-wide education campaign was a major strategic decision by the CPC Central Committee to open up new prospects for the cause of the Party and the State from the new starting point of the centenary of the founding of the CPC. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, attended the campaign's launch meeting held in Beijing on Feb. 20, and delivered an important speech. Xi stressed the vital necessity of launching the campaign, urging Party committees at all levels to earnestly implement the arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee regarding the campaign. Over the past year, Party organizations at all levels have conscientiously implemented the arrangements of the Party Central Committee. Through the campaign, the whole Party has notably enhanced its historical consciousness and confidence, and has significantly strengthened its capacity to innovate, unite and fight, thus achieving the goal of studying the Party's history, understanding its theories, doing practical work and making new advances. 6. China introduces targeted reform plans, improves institutional system in all-round way, pushes forward reform and opening up This year, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, China stressed full, accurate and comprehensive implementation of the new development philosophy to strengthen the integration of systems, take targeted measures and continuously further reform and opening up. China issued a guideline on building the eastern province of Zhejiang into a demonstration zone for achieving common prosperity in June. This was a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core, which puts promoting the common prosperity of all people in a more important position. It fully reflects the firm determination of the CPC Central Committee to solve the problem of insufficiencies resulting from development imbalances in China. In July, China issued a guideline to support the high-level reform and opening-up of the Pudong New Area in Shanghai. In September, the country issued a general plan for building a Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, and a plan on deepening the reform and opening-up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone. A number of policy documents such as a negative list on cross-border trade in services for the Hainan Free Trade Port and measures to liberalize and facilitate the trade in goods and services at the Hainan free trade port have been issued and implemented. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has successively set up 21 free trade pilot zones, obtained a large number of high-level institutional innovation achievements, and built a number of world-leading industrial clusters. This year, economic and trade events such as the China International Consumer Products Expo, the China International Fair for Trade in Services, the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) and the China International Import Expo have been successfully held, and China's resolve to open wider at a high standard is obvious to any objective observer. 7. China issues guiding document on advancing rule of law in new era, improves whole-process peoples democracy The CPC Central Committee in January issued a plan on building the rule of law in China (2020-2025). The plan, designed and formulated under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, practically implements the thought in its every aspect. As the first plan on building the rule of law in China, it is a guiding document on comprehensively advancing the rule of law in the new era and is a blueprint, a roadmap and a drawing for coordinated efforts to advance the building of Chinas rule of law during the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period. The plan bears important significance for allowing the rule of law to better play its role as the guarantor for consolidating foundations, stabilizing expectations and bringing long-term benefits, for advancing the modernization of Chinas national governance system and capacity, for adapting to peoples new requirements and expectations regarding such aspects as democracy, rule of law, equity, justice, security and environment, and for achieving the goal of basically building a country, government and society based on the rule of law in 2035. In December, the State Council Information Office issued a white paper titled China: Democracy That Works, which is a comprehensive summary of Chinas remarkable progress made in whole-process peoples democracy. It says, With complete institutions and extensive participation, whole-process people's democracy has evolved from an idea into a system and mechanism of governance that has taken root in the soil of Chinese society and has become part of people's lives. Whole-process peoples democracy has distinctive Chinese characteristics; it also exemplifies common values and contributes Chinas ideas and solutions to the political progress of humanity. 8. Principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, ending chaos, restoring stability of HKSAR On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th NPC adopted a decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Under the new electoral system, elections of the Election Committee of the HKSAR and the seventh-term Legislative Council of the HKSAR were successfully held, with the democratic rights of Hong Kong citizens reflected, the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, and a political landscape featuring wide and balanced participation from all social groups and constituencies established. Practice has proven that the new electoral system is a good system that adheres to the one country, two systems principle, suits Hong Kongs realities, and provides strong institutional support for the steady and sustained development of the one country, two systems principle as well as the long-term prosperity and stability of the HKSAR. In the past year, Hong Kong has constantly consolidated its achievements in ending chaos and restoring stability, and has secured a sound impetus for development. It has achieved notable results in COVID-19 control, gradually recovered its economy and maintained social stability. 9. Chinese astronauts enter Chinas space station for first time China sent into space the Tianhe core module of its space station on April 29, which signaled that the countrys space station construction entered the full implementation stage. On May 15, Chinas Mars probe Tianwen-1 landed on the surface of Mars, leaving the mark of the Chinese nation on the Red Planet. It marked an important step in Chinas interstellar exploration and a leap from the exploration of the Earth-Moon system to interplanetary exploration. On June 17, Chinas Shenzhou-12 manned spaceship completed a fast automated rendezvous and docking with the Tianhe core module, and Chinese astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo entered the orbiting Tianhe module, which marked the first time Chinese astronauts entered their own space station. After completing their three-month mission, including innovative and groundbreaking scientific experiments and space applications, they returned to Earth safely on Sept. 17. China successfully launched the crewed spaceship Shenzhou-13 on Oct. 16, sending three astronauts to its space station core module Tianhe for a six-month mission. 10. China sets clearly-defined timetable, roadmap for achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality while advancing ecological progress In October, China unveiled a guiding document on its work to achieve its carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals under the new development philosophy, setting a clearly-defined timetable and roadmap and laying out specific targets and measures for the coming decades. According to the document, China will peak its carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The document outlines five major tasks, including creating a green, low-carbon and circular economy, improving energy efficiency, increasing the share of non-fossil energy consumption, lowering CO2 emissions and boosting the carbon sink capacity of ecosystems. It calls for resolute efforts to curb the haphazard development of energy-intensive and high-emission projects. Besides, Chinas national carbon market started online trading and secured stable and orderly operations. China made headway in its efforts to protect its blue skies, and to defend its rivers and soil from pollution. A 10-year ban on fishing in key waters of the Yangtze River basin came into force from Jan. 1, 2021. The combined proportion of state-controlled water sections with good-quality surface water increased to 83.6 percent. Chinas total installed capacity using renewable energy exceeded a billion kilowatts. The total area of afforestation across the country hit 54 million mu, or 3.6 million hectares. (Web editor: Du Mingming, Bianji) Ive actually seen one Yes, but never seen one Its possible Absolutely not Other Vote View Results Interview: RCEP to catalyze sustainable economic recovery amid COVID-19, says ASEAN secretary-general Xinhua) 15:06, January 01, 2022 File photo taken on March 26, 2021 shows Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Dato Lim Jock Hoi working at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia. (ASEAN Secretariat/Handout via Xinhua) JAKARTA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement will open up opportunities to catalyze the expansion of regional trade and investment much needed for economic recovery amid COVID-19, said Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Dato Lim Jock Hoi. The ASEAN Secretariat announced in November that the RCEP agreement will enter into force on Jan. 1, 2022, as it has received instruments of ratification from six ASEAN countries, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as from four non-ASEAN signatory states of Australia, China, Japan and New Zealand. In a recent written interview with Xinhua, Lim said RCEP demonstrates the shared commitment of ASEAN, China and other parties to a multilateral trading system. Signed in November 2020, RCEP is currently the largest free trade agreement in the world, connecting ASEAN and major global economies including China, South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Lim noted that RCEP reinforces regional economic integration by expanding common accumulative rules of origin, simplified customs procedures, trade facilitation, and coherent trade rules that provide greater transparency, fairness, and predictability for businesses. "All these will translate into a significant reduction of trade costs and processing time for ASEAN businesses, especially micro, small and medium enterprises," which will have a greater chance of integration into the regional and global supply chains, he said. Lim stressed that after the implementation of the RCEP agreement, each party will have to transform its regulatory framework accordingly, and the business community needs to be equipped with capability, skills and knowledge about how to seize opportunities to enhance their competitiveness. In 2021, China and ASEAN agreed to elevate their bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, which Lim said not only marks an important milestone in ASEAN-China relations, but is expected to shape a new landscape and momentum for economic cooperation in bilateral relations between ASEAN and China in many years to come. With a new landscape in prospect, Lim hoped that ASEAN and China will work more closely together to inject resilience in their economic and trade linkages. He added that both sides should revitalize the new ASEAN-China economic relationship by harnessing the potential of technological advancement as the new driver for growth and joining coordination efforts to address common challenges such as climate change. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) The rise in militant attacks in Pakistan reached the highest point in August 2021, according to a study which stated that this spike coincided with the Taliban's offensive that started in May last year. This research, conducted by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Study (PICSS), said that the highest number of attacks in a single month in 2021 was recorded in August when 45 attacks were carried out by militants. The institute said in its report said the overall number of militant attacks could not drop despite a one-month ceasefire from November 10 to December 10, Dawn newspaper reported. The Pakistan publication said that the average number of militant attacks per month in Pakistan rose from 16 in 2020 to 25 in 2021, which was the highest after 2017. The database highlighted that Balochistan is the most turbulent province where 170 deaths were recorded in 103 attacks. According to the report, the highest number of injured were also reported from Balochistan where more than 50 per cent of the total injured were recorded. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the second most affected region next to Balochistan, the report said. A total of 15 militant attacks were recorded in Sindh province in which 23 people were killed and 29 injured. Meanwhile, in Punjab province, militants carried out 10 attacks in which 10 people were killed and 87 injured. Experts are wary of Pakistan's role in Afghanistan, publicly supporting an end to the regional conflict but ultimately undermining any kind of peace that interferes with the self-interest of its leaders. They warn that such an act could backfire on Pakistan, especially on its military and intelligence establishment. (ANI) The rise in militant attacks in Pakistan reached the highest point in August 2021, according to a study which stated that this spike coincided with the Taliban's offensive that started in May last year. This research, conducted by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Study (PICSS), said that the highest number of attacks in a single month in 2021 was recorded in August when 45 attacks were carried out by militants. The institute said in its report said the overall number of militant attacks could not drop despite a one-month ceasefire from November 10 to December 10, Dawn newspaper reported. The Pakistan publication said that the average number of militant attacks per month in Pakistan rose from 16 in 2020 to 25 in 2021, which was the highest after 2017. The database highlighted that Balochistan is the most turbulent province where 170 deaths were recorded in 103 attacks. According to the report, the highest number of injured were also reported from Balochistan where more than 50 per cent of the total injured were recorded. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the second most affected region next to Balochistan, the report said. A total of 15 militant attacks were recorded in Sindh province in which 23 people were killed and 29 injured. Meanwhile, in Punjab province, militants carried out 10 attacks in which 10 people were killed and 87 injured. Experts are wary of Pakistan's role in Afghanistan, publicly supporting an end to the regional conflict but ultimately undermining any kind of peace that interferes with the self-interest of its leaders. They warn that such an act could backfire on Pakistan, especially on its military and intelligence establishment. (ANI) Ive actually seen one Yes, but never seen one Its possible Absolutely not Other Vote View Results Ive actually seen one Yes, but never seen one Its possible Absolutely not Other Vote View Results Ive actually seen one Yes, but never seen one Its possible Absolutely not Other Vote View Results Ive actually seen one Yes, but never seen one Its possible Absolutely not Other Vote View Results Ive actually seen one Yes, but never seen one Its possible Absolutely not Other Vote View Results Ive actually seen one Yes, but never seen one Its possible Absolutely not Other Vote View Results Ive actually seen one Yes, but never seen one Its possible Absolutely not Other Vote View Results Ive actually seen one Yes, but never seen one Its possible Absolutely not Other Vote View Results Aybak, Jan 1 : A total of 300 security personnel have been commissioned to security forces of the establishment after receiving military training in Afghanistan's northern Samangan province, public relations officer of the province, Khair Khaw Samangani said Saturday. "A total of 300 security personnel of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan received training in the training center of 209 Al-Fatah Corps and graduated yesterday," the official said. The newly graduated security personnel are familiar with light and heavy weapons and can serve elsewhere in the country, Xinhua news agency reported. Without providing more details, Khair Khaw added that the new administration would continue to provide necessary training to its security personnel. Earlier, Qari Fasihuddin, the army chief of the Taliban-led caretaker administration has emphasised making a capable army to ensure security of the war-torn country. Amaravati, Jan 1 : A day after the CBI filed a charge sheet against rebel MP of YSR Congress party (YSRCP) K Raghu Rama Krishna Raju, his company Ind-Barath Power (Madras) Limited and 15 others in connection with Rs 947. 71 crore loan fraud, he said on Saturday that he would file his reply to the court on all issues raised in the charge sheet. The MP believes that filing of the charge sheet at this stage augurs well as the matter was pending for the last four years. Stating that entire transactions happened through banks, he said they were informed about the outstanding dues from some companies. He called it a civil dispute between the companies and said he would file a counter with clarity. He remarked there was no need to give any importance to the comments of those who will soon be going to jail. He was apparently referring to the reaction of some YSRCP leaders. The CBI on Friday filed a charge sheet against Raju, then chairman and managing director of Ind-Barath and others for allegedly causing loss of Rs 947.71 crore to a consortium of lenders. Ind-Barath's eight sister companies, then director Madhusudahan Reddy, Sekeo Power Limited, its managing director and two chartered accountants M. Srinivasulu Reddy and Pravin Kumar Jabad were also named in the charge sheet. The Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi police had registered the case in October 2018 against five persons, including a Hyderabad-based company and its directors. The CBI took over the probe into the case in April 2019 on the orders of the central government. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation revealed that Ind-Barath through its chairman and managing director Raju had allegedly availed Rs 947.71 crore from a consortium of lenders led by Power Finance Corporation Limited (PFC) and two other lenders, Rural Electrification Corporation Ltd (REC) and India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL), for setting up a thermal power plant at Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu. However, the company neither completed the project nor complied with the terms and conditions of loan agreements. The accused, including the borrower company, allegedly transferred/diverted the disbursed project funds to create fixed deposits with Bank of India and UCO Bank and to pay advances to contractors. Amaravati, Jan 1 : A day after the CBI filed a charge sheet against rebel MP of YSR Congress party (YSRCP) K Raghu Rama Krishna Raju, his company Ind-Barath Power (Madras) Limited and 15 others in connection with Rs 947. 71 crore loan fraud, he said on Saturday that he would file his reply to the court on all issues raised in the charge sheet. The MP believes that filing of the charge sheet at this stage augurs well as the matter was pending for the last four years. Stating that entire transactions happened through banks, he said they were informed about the outstanding dues from some companies. He called it a civil dispute between the companies and said he would file a counter with clarity. He remarked there was no need to give any importance to the comments of those who will soon be going to jail. He was apparently referring to the reaction of some YSRCP leaders. The CBI on Friday filed a charge sheet against Raju, then chairman and managing director of Ind-Barath and others for allegedly causing loss of Rs 947.71 crore to a consortium of lenders. Ind-Barath's eight sister companies, then director Madhusudahan Reddy, Sekeo Power Limited, its managing director and two chartered accountants M. Srinivasulu Reddy and Pravin Kumar Jabad were also named in the charge sheet. The Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi police had registered the case in October 2018 against five persons, including a Hyderabad-based company and its directors. The CBI took over the probe into the case in April 2019 on the orders of the central government. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation revealed that Ind-Barath through its chairman and managing director Raju had allegedly availed Rs 947.71 crore from a consortium of lenders led by Power Finance Corporation Limited (PFC) and two other lenders, Rural Electrification Corporation Ltd (REC) and India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL), for setting up a thermal power plant at Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu. However, the company neither completed the project nor complied with the terms and conditions of loan agreements. The accused, including the borrower company, allegedly transferred/diverted the disbursed project funds to create fixed deposits with Bank of India and UCO Bank and to pay advances to contractors. New Delhi, Jan 1 : Buoyed by the healthy passenger traffic growth to India, the UK-based Virgin Atlantic now expects to accelerate the recovery process in the coming year by aggressively tapping into the US transit segment. At present, India has entered into 'Air Bubble' agreements with several countries including the UK. In a conversation with IANS, Alex S. McEwan, Country Manager, South Asia for Virgin Atlantic, cited that India operations of the airline are already at pre-Covid levels. "But the growth in our services from the UK to USA will offer even more connectivity and choice to Indian customers when travel restrictions permit," McEwan said. In September, the airline recommended daily services from both Delhi and Mumbai to London. "Since then, we have seen strong load factors, with relaxations in travel restrictions unleashing pent up demand." "In recent weeks, bookings growth has plateaued due to Omicron, but performance continues to be encouraging and traffic is far higher than it was this time last year." According to McEwan, passengers travelling for 'Visiting Friends and Relatives' (VFR) and students have been the core segment since the start of Covid. "We are also seeing 'green shoots' in recovery for other segments like corporate travel too. We have some corporates who have travelled with us throughout Covid even when restrictions were at their tightest because they have in-person projects in the UK." "Corporate and leisure passengers are ready to travel but are more sensitive to travel restrictions than 'VFR' and student travel, two segments which have proved to be the most resilient." However, he pointed out that 'Omicron' has slowed down the growth in bookings. "So far that has not forced us to make many changes to our global schedule. Particularly over the Christmas and New Year period, many passengers remain determined to travel." (Rohit Vaid can be contacted at rohit.v@ians.in) Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) China is turning a major part of its internal Internet data surveillance network outward, mining Western social media, including Facebook and Twitter, to equip its government agencies, military and police with information on foreign targets, according to a Washington Post review of hundreds of Chinese bidding documents, contracts and company filings. China maintains a countrywide network of government data surveillance services - called public opinion analysis software - that were developed over the past decade and are used domestically to warn officials of politically sensitive information online. The software primarily targets Chinas domestic Internet users and media, but a Washington Post review of bidding documents and contracts for over 300 Chinese government projects since the beginning of 2020 include orders for software designed to collect data on foreign targets from sources such as Twitter, Facebook and other Western social media. The documents, publicly accessible through domestic government bidding platforms, also show that agencies including state media, propaganda departments, police, military and cyber regulators are purchasing new or more sophisticated systems to gather data. These include a $320,000 Chinese state media software program that mines Twitter and Facebook to create a database of foreign journalists and academics; a $216,000 Beijing police intelligence program that analyses Western chatter on Hong Kong and Taiwan; and a Xinjiang cybercenter cataloguing Uyghur language content abroad. Now we can better understand the underground network of anti-China personnel, said a Beijing-based analyst who works for a unit reporting to Chinas Central Propaganda Department. The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss their work, said they were once tasked with producing a data report on how negative content relating to Beijings senior leadership is spread on Twitter, including profiles of individual academics, politicians and journalists. These surveillance dragnets are part of a wider drive by Beijing to refine its foreign propaganda efforts through big data and artificial intelligence. They also form a network of warning systems designed to sound real-time alarms for trends that undermine Beijings interests. They are now reorienting part of that effort outward, and I think thats frankly terrifying, looking at the sheer numbers and sheer scale that this has taken inside China, said Mareike Ohlberg, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund who has conducted extensive research on Chinas domestic public opinion network. It really shows that they now feel its their responsibility to defend China overseas and fight the public opinion war overseas, she said. Some of the Chinese governments budgeting includes buying and maintaining foreign social media accounts on behalf of police and propaganda departments. Yet others describe using the targeted analysis to refine Beijings state media coverage abroad. The purchases range in size from small, automated programs to projects costing hundreds of thousands of dollars that are staffed 24 hours a day by teams including English speakers and foreign policy specialists. The documents describe highly customizable programs that can collect real-time social media data from individual social media users. Some describe tracking broad trends on issues including U.S. elections. The Post was not able to review data collected by the systems but spoke to four people based in Beijing who are directly involved in government public opinion analysis and described separate software systems that automatically collect and store Facebook and Twitter data in real time on domestic Chinese servers for analysis. Twitter and Facebook both ban automated collection of data on their services without prior authorization. Twitters policy also expressly bars developers from gathering data used to infer a users political affiliation or ethnic and racial origin. Our API provides real-time access to public data and tweets only, not private information. We prohibit use of our API for surveillance purposes, as per our developer policy and terms, said Katie Rosborough, a Twitter spokesperson, referring to the companys Application Programming Interface (API), which allows developers to retrieve public data from the platform among other functions. Facebook did not respond to requests for comment about whether it is aware of the monitoring or whether several companies, universities and state media firms listed as supplying the software were authorized to collect data on its platform. Chinas Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Public opinion guidance Chinas systems for analyzing domestic public opinion online are a powerful but largely unseen pillar of President Xi Jinpings program to modernize Chinas propaganda apparatus and maintain control over the Internet. The vast data collection and monitoring efforts give officials insight into public opinion, a challenge in a country that does not hold public elections or permit independent media. The services also provide increasingly technical surveillance for Chinas censorship apparatus. And most systems include alarm functions designed to alert officials and police to negative content in real time. These operations are an important function of what Beijing calls public opinion guidance work - a policy of molding public sentiment in favor of the government through targeted propaganda and censorship. The phrase first came to prominence in policymaking after the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy demonstrations, when officials began exploring new ways to preempt popular challenges to the Communist Partys power, and has since become integral to the underlying architecture of Chinas Internet, where users are linked by real name ID, and Internet services are required by law to maintain an internal censorship apparatus. The exact scope of Chinas government public opinion monitoring industry is unclear, but there have been some indications about its size in Chinese state media. In 2014, the state-backed newspaper China Daily said more than 2 million people were working as public opinion analysts. In 2018, the Peoples Daily, another official organ, said the governments online opinion analysis industry was worth tens of billions of yuan, equivalent to billions of dollars, and was growing at a rate of 50% a year. That surveillance network system is expanding to include foreign social media at a time when global perceptions of Beijing are at their lowest in recent history. A Pew Research survey released in June showed that perceptions of China among 17 advanced economies had dipped to near historic lows for a second year in a row in the aftermath of the U.S. trade war, the Xinjiang human rights crisis, Hong Kong and the coronavirus pandemic. In May this year, Xi called on senior officials to portray a more trustworthy, lovable and reliable image of China abroad, calling for the effective development of international public opinion guidance. His comments reflect Beijings growing anxieties over how to control Chinas image abroad. On the back of the Sino-US trade talks and the Hong Kong rioting incident, its becoming clearer day by day that the public opinion news war is arduous and necessary, China Daily said in a July 2020 bidding document for a $300,000 foreign personnel analysis platform. The invitation to tender lays out specifications for a program that mines Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for data on well known Western media journalists and other key personnel from political, business and media circles. We are competing with the US and Western media, the battle for the right to speak has begun, it said. The software should run 24 hours a day, according to the specifications, and map the relationships between target personnel and uncover factions between personnel, measuring their China tendencies and building an alarm system that automatically flags false statements and reports on China. Warning systems like the one outlined in the China Daily document are described in over 90% of tenders that list technical specifications, The Posts review of the documents show. Two people who work as analysts in public opinion analysis units contracted by government agencies in Beijing told The Post that they receive automated alarms via SMS, email and on dedicated computer monitors when sensitive content was detected. Both of the people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to foreign media. Having responsibility for [the monitoring] is a lot of pressure, said one of the people. If we do our work poorly, there are severe repercussions. Highly sensitive viral trends online are reported to a 24-hour hotline maintained by the Cybersecurity Administration of China (CAC), the body that oversees the countrys censorship apparatus, the person said of their unit. The person added that most of the alarms were related to domestic social media but that foreign social media had also been included in the units monitoring since the middle of 2019. The persons account is supported by four bidding documents for unrelated systems that mention direct hotlines to the CAC. In case of major public opinion, directly contact the staff on duty of the CAC by telephone to ensure that notifications are in place through various communication tools, said one December 2020 tender for a $236,000 system purchased by the municipal propaganda department in eastern Chinas Fuzhou city for monitoring Facebook and Twitter alongside domestic social media. It specifies that reports to the CAC should include the details of individual social media users. State media-led data mining Suppliers of the systems vary. The China Daily awarded its contract to Beijings Communications University, one of a half dozen Chinese universities that have launched specialized departments to develop public opinion analysis technology. However, some of the most prolific public opinion monitoring services are provided to police and government agencies by state media themselves. The documents provide insight into the scope of foreign social media data collection done by Chinas major state media outlets, which maintain offices and servers abroad, and their key role in providing Beijing with publicity guidance based on increasingly sophisticated data mining analysis. The growing clout of Beijings propaganda efforts abroad, spearheaded by state media, has triggered alarms in Washington. In 2020, the State Department reclassified the U.S.-based operations of Chinas top state media outlets as foreign missions, increasing reporting requirements and restricting their visa allocations, angering Beijing. The Peoples Daily Online, a unit of the state newspaper the Peoples Daily, which provides one of the countrys largest contract public opinion analysis services, won dozens of projects that include overseas social media data collection services for police, judicial authorities, Communist Party organizations and other clients. The unit, which recorded $330 million in operating income in 2020, up 50% from 2018, says it serves over 200 government agencies, although it is not clear how many request foreign social media data. In one tender won by the Peoples Daily Online, the Beijing Police Intelligence Command Unit purchased a $30,570 service to trawl foreign social media and produce reports on unspecified key personnel and organizations, gathering information on their basic circumstances, background and relationships. It also calls for weekly data reports on Hong Kong, Taiwan and U.S. relations. Issued shortly before the 2020 U.S. presidential election results were ratified on Jan. 6, it also called for special reports on netizens main views related to the election. The international balance of power has been profoundly adjusted, said the request for tenders. Through the collection of public Internet information we can keep a close eye on the international community, analyze sensitivities and hot spots, and maintain the stability of Chinese society. In an April 2020 article, the chief analyst at the Peoples Daily Online Public Opinion Data Center, Liao Canliang, laid out the ultimate goal of public opinion analysis. The ultimate purpose of analysis and prediction is to guide and intervene in public opinion, Canliang wrote. . . . Public data from social network users can be used to analyze the characteristics and preferences of users, and then guide them in a targeted manner. In the article, Liao points to Cambridge Analyticas impact on the 2016 U.S. election as evidence of social medias ability to mold public opinion. The West uses big data to analyze, research and judge public opinion to influence political activities. ... As long as there is a correct grasp on the situation, public opinion can also be guided and interfered with, he wrote. Peoples Daily subsidiary Global Times, a firebrand newspaper known for its biting coverage of Chinas critics, also has a unit gathering foreign social media data for Chinas Foreign Ministry, Beijings Foreign Affairs Office and other government agencies. In late 2019, the Global Times Online won a three-year contract worth $531,000 to provide a China-related foreign media and journalist opinion monitoring system that monitors overseas social media on behalf of Chinas Foreign Ministry and produces comprehensive regular reports, as well as special briefings in urgent circumstances. Documentation accompanying the project says that close to 40% of the Global Times monitoring units staffers are senior Global Times reporters and that the publication maintains large overseas social media monitoring platforms. A description on the website of the Global Timess public opinion research center says the group conducts overseas monitoring and overseas investigation services and provides comprehensive response plans to government and private clients. Both the Peoples Daily and the Global Times were among the outlets designated as foreign missions in the United States. The increase in Chinas monitoring of foreign public opinion on social media coincides with efforts by Beijing to boost its influence on Twitter and other U.S. social media platforms. In June 2020, Twitter suspended 23,000 accounts that it said were linked to the Chinese Communist Party and covertly spreading propaganda to undermine pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. This month, Twitter said it removed a further 2,048 accounts linked to Beijing and producing coordinated content undermining accusations of rights abuses in Xinjiang. Experts say those accounts represent a small fraction of Chinas efforts to boost pro-Beijing messaging on foreign social media. Extreme chilling effect Just under a third of the public opinion analysis systems reviewed by The Post were procured by Chinese police. In 14 instances, the analysis systems included a feature requested by the police that would automatically flag sensitive content related to Uyghurs and other Chinese ethnic minorities. An additional 12 analysis systems included the police-requested capability of monitoring individual content authors over time. It must support information monitoring of overseas social media . . . and provide for targeted collection of designated sites and authors, said one invitation to tender released by the Fuzhou city police in October that lists coverage of Facebook and Twitter as a requirement. The monitoring of social media abroad by local police throughout China could be used in investigating Chinese citizens locally and abroad, as well as in flagging trends that stir domestic dissent, experts say. The public security monitoring is very much about stability maintenance, tracking people down and finding peoples identity, and when they monitor overseas social media, its also often with an eye to monitoring what news could cause trouble at home in China, said the German Marshall Funds Ohlberg. Companies providing overseas public opinion monitoring to police include a mix of private and state-owned firms, including the Peoples Daily Online. Six police contracts awarded since 2020 stated that the Peoples Daily was chosen to conduct monitoring on the basis of its technical ability to gather data abroad. Its the only one in the industry that deploys overseas servers. It is a public opinion service organization that can monitor and collect more than 8,000 overseas media without overturning the wall, said the Guangdong Police Department in a $26,200 contract offer posted in July 2020, referring to the ability of the Peoples Daily unit to collect overseas data outside Chinas Great Firewall. Experts say the increasingly advanced social media surveillance technology available to Chinese police could worsen the targeted harassment of Beijings critics. The Chinese government is one of the worst offenders when it comes to targeting individuals outside of the country, said Adrian Shahbaz, the director for technology and democracy at the think tank Freedom House. It has an extreme chilling effect on how Chinese citizens outside of China are using social media tools, because they know that back home, their information is very easily monitored by Chinese authorities, he said. The China Public Security Bureau did not respond to a request for comment. A police bureau in southern Chinas Nanping city purchased a $42,000 system that supports collection, discovery, and warning functions for ... Twitter and Facebook social media data according to different classifications and keyword groups, as well as overseas information lists, according to bidding documents released in July 2020. Other procurements for public opinion services outline programs purchased by Chinese police and Xinjiang government bodies to track sensitive ethnic language content abroad. (Chinas mainly-Muslim Uyghurs are concentrated in Xinjiang.) A $43,000 system purchased by police in central Chinas Shangnan county included a foreign sensitive information collection system that requested Uyghur and Tibetan staff translators, according to the contracts. Military procurement documents - less detailed than other types - did not offer much detail on the purpose of the foreign data collection but alluded to vague categories of data including key personnel. One heavily redacted June 2020 contract issued by the Peoples Liberation Army described a system that would trawl foreign sites and categorize data on the basis of affiliation, geography and country. Source Data Technology, the Shanghai-based company that won the contract, says on its website that it uses advanced big data mining and artificial intelligence analysis technology to cover more than 90% of social media in the United States, Europe and Chinas neighboring countries. China is turning a major part of its internal Internet data surveillance network outward, mining Western social media, including Facebook and Twitter, to equip its government agencies, military and police with information on foreign targets, according to a Washington Post review of hundreds of Chinese bidding documents, contracts and company filings. China maintains a countrywide network of government data surveillance services - called public opinion analysis software - that were developed over the past decade and are used domestically to warn officials of politically sensitive information online. The software primarily targets Chinas domestic Internet users and media, but a Washington Post review of bidding documents and contracts for over 300 Chinese government projects since the beginning of 2020 include orders for software designed to collect data on foreign targets from sources such as Twitter, Facebook and other Western social media. The documents, publicly accessible through domestic government bidding platforms, also show that agencies including state media, propaganda departments, police, military and cyber regulators are purchasing new or more sophisticated systems to gather data. These include a $320,000 Chinese state media software program that mines Twitter and Facebook to create a database of foreign journalists and academics; a $216,000 Beijing police intelligence program that analyses Western chatter on Hong Kong and Taiwan; and a Xinjiang cybercenter cataloguing Uyghur language content abroad. Now we can better understand the underground network of anti-China personnel, said a Beijing-based analyst who works for a unit reporting to Chinas Central Propaganda Department. The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss their work, said they were once tasked with producing a data report on how negative content relating to Beijings senior leadership is spread on Twitter, including profiles of individual academics, politicians and journalists. These surveillance dragnets are part of a wider drive by Beijing to refine its foreign propaganda efforts through big data and artificial intelligence. They also form a network of warning systems designed to sound real-time alarms for trends that undermine Beijings interests. They are now reorienting part of that effort outward, and I think thats frankly terrifying, looking at the sheer numbers and sheer scale that this has taken inside China, said Mareike Ohlberg, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund who has conducted extensive research on Chinas domestic public opinion network. It really shows that they now feel its their responsibility to defend China overseas and fight the public opinion war overseas, she said. Some of the Chinese governments budgeting includes buying and maintaining foreign social media accounts on behalf of police and propaganda departments. Yet others describe using the targeted analysis to refine Beijings state media coverage abroad. The purchases range in size from small, automated programs to projects costing hundreds of thousands of dollars that are staffed 24 hours a day by teams including English speakers and foreign policy specialists. The documents describe highly customizable programs that can collect real-time social media data from individual social media users. Some describe tracking broad trends on issues including U.S. elections. The Post was not able to review data collected by the systems but spoke to four people based in Beijing who are directly involved in government public opinion analysis and described separate software systems that automatically collect and store Facebook and Twitter data in real time on domestic Chinese servers for analysis. Twitter and Facebook both ban automated collection of data on their services without prior authorization. Twitters policy also expressly bars developers from gathering data used to infer a users political affiliation or ethnic and racial origin. Our API provides real-time access to public data and tweets only, not private information. We prohibit use of our API for surveillance purposes, as per our developer policy and terms, said Katie Rosborough, a Twitter spokesperson, referring to the companys Application Programming Interface (API), which allows developers to retrieve public data from the platform among other functions. Facebook did not respond to requests for comment about whether it is aware of the monitoring or whether several companies, universities and state media firms listed as supplying the software were authorized to collect data on its platform. Chinas Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Public opinion guidance Chinas systems for analyzing domestic public opinion online are a powerful but largely unseen pillar of President Xi Jinpings program to modernize Chinas propaganda apparatus and maintain control over the Internet. The vast data collection and monitoring efforts give officials insight into public opinion, a challenge in a country that does not hold public elections or permit independent media. The services also provide increasingly technical surveillance for Chinas censorship apparatus. And most systems include alarm functions designed to alert officials and police to negative content in real time. These operations are an important function of what Beijing calls public opinion guidance work - a policy of molding public sentiment in favor of the government through targeted propaganda and censorship. The phrase first came to prominence in policymaking after the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy demonstrations, when officials began exploring new ways to preempt popular challenges to the Communist Partys power, and has since become integral to the underlying architecture of Chinas Internet, where users are linked by real name ID, and Internet services are required by law to maintain an internal censorship apparatus. The exact scope of Chinas government public opinion monitoring industry is unclear, but there have been some indications about its size in Chinese state media. In 2014, the state-backed newspaper China Daily said more than 2 million people were working as public opinion analysts. In 2018, the Peoples Daily, another official organ, said the governments online opinion analysis industry was worth tens of billions of yuan, equivalent to billions of dollars, and was growing at a rate of 50% a year. That surveillance network system is expanding to include foreign social media at a time when global perceptions of Beijing are at their lowest in recent history. A Pew Research survey released in June showed that perceptions of China among 17 advanced economies had dipped to near historic lows for a second year in a row in the aftermath of the U.S. trade war, the Xinjiang human rights crisis, Hong Kong and the coronavirus pandemic. In May this year, Xi called on senior officials to portray a more trustworthy, lovable and reliable image of China abroad, calling for the effective development of international public opinion guidance. His comments reflect Beijings growing anxieties over how to control Chinas image abroad. On the back of the Sino-US trade talks and the Hong Kong rioting incident, its becoming clearer day by day that the public opinion news war is arduous and necessary, China Daily said in a July 2020 bidding document for a $300,000 foreign personnel analysis platform. The invitation to tender lays out specifications for a program that mines Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for data on well known Western media journalists and other key personnel from political, business and media circles. We are competing with the US and Western media, the battle for the right to speak has begun, it said. The software should run 24 hours a day, according to the specifications, and map the relationships between target personnel and uncover factions between personnel, measuring their China tendencies and building an alarm system that automatically flags false statements and reports on China. Warning systems like the one outlined in the China Daily document are described in over 90% of tenders that list technical specifications, The Posts review of the documents show. Two people who work as analysts in public opinion analysis units contracted by government agencies in Beijing told The Post that they receive automated alarms via SMS, email and on dedicated computer monitors when sensitive content was detected. Both of the people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to foreign media. Having responsibility for [the monitoring] is a lot of pressure, said one of the people. If we do our work poorly, there are severe repercussions. Highly sensitive viral trends online are reported to a 24-hour hotline maintained by the Cybersecurity Administration of China (CAC), the body that oversees the countrys censorship apparatus, the person said of their unit. The person added that most of the alarms were related to domestic social media but that foreign social media had also been included in the units monitoring since the middle of 2019. The persons account is supported by four bidding documents for unrelated systems that mention direct hotlines to the CAC. In case of major public opinion, directly contact the staff on duty of the CAC by telephone to ensure that notifications are in place through various communication tools, said one December 2020 tender for a $236,000 system purchased by the municipal propaganda department in eastern Chinas Fuzhou city for monitoring Facebook and Twitter alongside domestic social media. It specifies that reports to the CAC should include the details of individual social media users. State media-led data mining Suppliers of the systems vary. The China Daily awarded its contract to Beijings Communications University, one of a half dozen Chinese universities that have launched specialized departments to develop public opinion analysis technology. However, some of the most prolific public opinion monitoring services are provided to police and government agencies by state media themselves. The documents provide insight into the scope of foreign social media data collection done by Chinas major state media outlets, which maintain offices and servers abroad, and their key role in providing Beijing with publicity guidance based on increasingly sophisticated data mining analysis. The growing clout of Beijings propaganda efforts abroad, spearheaded by state media, has triggered alarms in Washington. In 2020, the State Department reclassified the U.S.-based operations of Chinas top state media outlets as foreign missions, increasing reporting requirements and restricting their visa allocations, angering Beijing. The Peoples Daily Online, a unit of the state newspaper the Peoples Daily, which provides one of the countrys largest contract public opinion analysis services, won dozens of projects that include overseas social media data collection services for police, judicial authorities, Communist Party organizations and other clients. The unit, which recorded $330 million in operating income in 2020, up 50% from 2018, says it serves over 200 government agencies, although it is not clear how many request foreign social media data. In one tender won by the Peoples Daily Online, the Beijing Police Intelligence Command Unit purchased a $30,570 service to trawl foreign social media and produce reports on unspecified key personnel and organizations, gathering information on their basic circumstances, background and relationships. It also calls for weekly data reports on Hong Kong, Taiwan and U.S. relations. Issued shortly before the 2020 U.S. presidential election results were ratified on Jan. 6, it also called for special reports on netizens main views related to the election. The international balance of power has been profoundly adjusted, said the request for tenders. Through the collection of public Internet information we can keep a close eye on the international community, analyze sensitivities and hot spots, and maintain the stability of Chinese society. In an April 2020 article, the chief analyst at the Peoples Daily Online Public Opinion Data Center, Liao Canliang, laid out the ultimate goal of public opinion analysis. The ultimate purpose of analysis and prediction is to guide and intervene in public opinion, Canliang wrote. . . . Public data from social network users can be used to analyze the characteristics and preferences of users, and then guide them in a targeted manner. In the article, Liao points to Cambridge Analyticas impact on the 2016 U.S. election as evidence of social medias ability to mold public opinion. The West uses big data to analyze, research and judge public opinion to influence political activities. ... As long as there is a correct grasp on the situation, public opinion can also be guided and interfered with, he wrote. Peoples Daily subsidiary Global Times, a firebrand newspaper known for its biting coverage of Chinas critics, also has a unit gathering foreign social media data for Chinas Foreign Ministry, Beijings Foreign Affairs Office and other government agencies. In late 2019, the Global Times Online won a three-year contract worth $531,000 to provide a China-related foreign media and journalist opinion monitoring system that monitors overseas social media on behalf of Chinas Foreign Ministry and produces comprehensive regular reports, as well as special briefings in urgent circumstances. Documentation accompanying the project says that close to 40% of the Global Times monitoring units staffers are senior Global Times reporters and that the publication maintains large overseas social media monitoring platforms. A description on the website of the Global Timess public opinion research center says the group conducts overseas monitoring and overseas investigation services and provides comprehensive response plans to government and private clients. Both the Peoples Daily and the Global Times were among the outlets designated as foreign missions in the United States. The increase in Chinas monitoring of foreign public opinion on social media coincides with efforts by Beijing to boost its influence on Twitter and other U.S. social media platforms. In June 2020, Twitter suspended 23,000 accounts that it said were linked to the Chinese Communist Party and covertly spreading propaganda to undermine pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. This month, Twitter said it removed a further 2,048 accounts linked to Beijing and producing coordinated content undermining accusations of rights abuses in Xinjiang. Experts say those accounts represent a small fraction of Chinas efforts to boost pro-Beijing messaging on foreign social media. Extreme chilling effect Just under a third of the public opinion analysis systems reviewed by The Post were procured by Chinese police. In 14 instances, the analysis systems included a feature requested by the police that would automatically flag sensitive content related to Uyghurs and other Chinese ethnic minorities. An additional 12 analysis systems included the police-requested capability of monitoring individual content authors over time. It must support information monitoring of overseas social media . . . and provide for targeted collection of designated sites and authors, said one invitation to tender released by the Fuzhou city police in October that lists coverage of Facebook and Twitter as a requirement. The monitoring of social media abroad by local police throughout China could be used in investigating Chinese citizens locally and abroad, as well as in flagging trends that stir domestic dissent, experts say. The public security monitoring is very much about stability maintenance, tracking people down and finding peoples identity, and when they monitor overseas social media, its also often with an eye to monitoring what news could cause trouble at home in China, said the German Marshall Funds Ohlberg. Companies providing overseas public opinion monitoring to police include a mix of private and state-owned firms, including the Peoples Daily Online. Six police contracts awarded since 2020 stated that the Peoples Daily was chosen to conduct monitoring on the basis of its technical ability to gather data abroad. Its the only one in the industry that deploys overseas servers. It is a public opinion service organization that can monitor and collect more than 8,000 overseas media without overturning the wall, said the Guangdong Police Department in a $26,200 contract offer posted in July 2020, referring to the ability of the Peoples Daily unit to collect overseas data outside Chinas Great Firewall. Experts say the increasingly advanced social media surveillance technology available to Chinese police could worsen the targeted harassment of Beijings critics. The Chinese government is one of the worst offenders when it comes to targeting individuals outside of the country, said Adrian Shahbaz, the director for technology and democracy at the think tank Freedom House. It has an extreme chilling effect on how Chinese citizens outside of China are using social media tools, because they know that back home, their information is very easily monitored by Chinese authorities, he said. The China Public Security Bureau did not respond to a request for comment. A police bureau in southern Chinas Nanping city purchased a $42,000 system that supports collection, discovery, and warning functions for ... Twitter and Facebook social media data according to different classifications and keyword groups, as well as overseas information lists, according to bidding documents released in July 2020. Other procurements for public opinion services outline programs purchased by Chinese police and Xinjiang government bodies to track sensitive ethnic language content abroad. (Chinas mainly-Muslim Uyghurs are concentrated in Xinjiang.) A $43,000 system purchased by police in central Chinas Shangnan county included a foreign sensitive information collection system that requested Uyghur and Tibetan staff translators, according to the contracts. Military procurement documents - less detailed than other types - did not offer much detail on the purpose of the foreign data collection but alluded to vague categories of data including key personnel. One heavily redacted June 2020 contract issued by the Peoples Liberation Army described a system that would trawl foreign sites and categorize data on the basis of affiliation, geography and country. Source Data Technology, the Shanghai-based company that won the contract, says on its website that it uses advanced big data mining and artificial intelligence analysis technology to cover more than 90% of social media in the United States, Europe and Chinas neighboring countries. China is turning a major part of its internal Internet data surveillance network outward, mining Western social media, including Facebook and Twitter, to equip its government agencies, military and police with information on foreign targets, according to a Washington Post review of hundreds of Chinese bidding documents, contracts and company filings. China maintains a countrywide network of government data surveillance services - called public opinion analysis software - that were developed over the past decade and are used domestically to warn officials of politically sensitive information online. The software primarily targets Chinas domestic Internet users and media, but a Washington Post review of bidding documents and contracts for over 300 Chinese government projects since the beginning of 2020 include orders for software designed to collect data on foreign targets from sources such as Twitter, Facebook and other Western social media. The documents, publicly accessible through domestic government bidding platforms, also show that agencies including state media, propaganda departments, police, military and cyber regulators are purchasing new or more sophisticated systems to gather data. These include a $320,000 Chinese state media software program that mines Twitter and Facebook to create a database of foreign journalists and academics; a $216,000 Beijing police intelligence program that analyses Western chatter on Hong Kong and Taiwan; and a Xinjiang cybercenter cataloguing Uyghur language content abroad. Now we can better understand the underground network of anti-China personnel, said a Beijing-based analyst who works for a unit reporting to Chinas Central Propaganda Department. The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss their work, said they were once tasked with producing a data report on how negative content relating to Beijings senior leadership is spread on Twitter, including profiles of individual academics, politicians and journalists. These surveillance dragnets are part of a wider drive by Beijing to refine its foreign propaganda efforts through big data and artificial intelligence. They also form a network of warning systems designed to sound real-time alarms for trends that undermine Beijings interests. They are now reorienting part of that effort outward, and I think thats frankly terrifying, looking at the sheer numbers and sheer scale that this has taken inside China, said Mareike Ohlberg, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund who has conducted extensive research on Chinas domestic public opinion network. It really shows that they now feel its their responsibility to defend China overseas and fight the public opinion war overseas, she said. Some of the Chinese governments budgeting includes buying and maintaining foreign social media accounts on behalf of police and propaganda departments. Yet others describe using the targeted analysis to refine Beijings state media coverage abroad. The purchases range in size from small, automated programs to projects costing hundreds of thousands of dollars that are staffed 24 hours a day by teams including English speakers and foreign policy specialists. The documents describe highly customizable programs that can collect real-time social media data from individual social media users. Some describe tracking broad trends on issues including U.S. elections. The Post was not able to review data collected by the systems but spoke to four people based in Beijing who are directly involved in government public opinion analysis and described separate software systems that automatically collect and store Facebook and Twitter data in real time on domestic Chinese servers for analysis. Twitter and Facebook both ban automated collection of data on their services without prior authorization. Twitters policy also expressly bars developers from gathering data used to infer a users political affiliation or ethnic and racial origin. Our API provides real-time access to public data and tweets only, not private information. We prohibit use of our API for surveillance purposes, as per our developer policy and terms, said Katie Rosborough, a Twitter spokesperson, referring to the companys Application Programming Interface (API), which allows developers to retrieve public data from the platform among other functions. Facebook did not respond to requests for comment about whether it is aware of the monitoring or whether several companies, universities and state media firms listed as supplying the software were authorized to collect data on its platform. Chinas Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Public opinion guidance Chinas systems for analyzing domestic public opinion online are a powerful but largely unseen pillar of President Xi Jinpings program to modernize Chinas propaganda apparatus and maintain control over the Internet. The vast data collection and monitoring efforts give officials insight into public opinion, a challenge in a country that does not hold public elections or permit independent media. The services also provide increasingly technical surveillance for Chinas censorship apparatus. And most systems include alarm functions designed to alert officials and police to negative content in real time. These operations are an important function of what Beijing calls public opinion guidance work - a policy of molding public sentiment in favor of the government through targeted propaganda and censorship. The phrase first came to prominence in policymaking after the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy demonstrations, when officials began exploring new ways to preempt popular challenges to the Communist Partys power, and has since become integral to the underlying architecture of Chinas Internet, where users are linked by real name ID, and Internet services are required by law to maintain an internal censorship apparatus. The exact scope of Chinas government public opinion monitoring industry is unclear, but there have been some indications about its size in Chinese state media. In 2014, the state-backed newspaper China Daily said more than 2 million people were working as public opinion analysts. In 2018, the Peoples Daily, another official organ, said the governments online opinion analysis industry was worth tens of billions of yuan, equivalent to billions of dollars, and was growing at a rate of 50% a year. That surveillance network system is expanding to include foreign social media at a time when global perceptions of Beijing are at their lowest in recent history. A Pew Research survey released in June showed that perceptions of China among 17 advanced economies had dipped to near historic lows for a second year in a row in the aftermath of the U.S. trade war, the Xinjiang human rights crisis, Hong Kong and the coronavirus pandemic. In May this year, Xi called on senior officials to portray a more trustworthy, lovable and reliable image of China abroad, calling for the effective development of international public opinion guidance. His comments reflect Beijings growing anxieties over how to control Chinas image abroad. On the back of the Sino-US trade talks and the Hong Kong rioting incident, its becoming clearer day by day that the public opinion news war is arduous and necessary, China Daily said in a July 2020 bidding document for a $300,000 foreign personnel analysis platform. The invitation to tender lays out specifications for a program that mines Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for data on well known Western media journalists and other key personnel from political, business and media circles. We are competing with the US and Western media, the battle for the right to speak has begun, it said. The software should run 24 hours a day, according to the specifications, and map the relationships between target personnel and uncover factions between personnel, measuring their China tendencies and building an alarm system that automatically flags false statements and reports on China. Warning systems like the one outlined in the China Daily document are described in over 90% of tenders that list technical specifications, The Posts review of the documents show. Two people who work as analysts in public opinion analysis units contracted by government agencies in Beijing told The Post that they receive automated alarms via SMS, email and on dedicated computer monitors when sensitive content was detected. Both of the people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to foreign media. Having responsibility for [the monitoring] is a lot of pressure, said one of the people. If we do our work poorly, there are severe repercussions. Highly sensitive viral trends online are reported to a 24-hour hotline maintained by the Cybersecurity Administration of China (CAC), the body that oversees the countrys censorship apparatus, the person said of their unit. The person added that most of the alarms were related to domestic social media but that foreign social media had also been included in the units monitoring since the middle of 2019. The persons account is supported by four bidding documents for unrelated systems that mention direct hotlines to the CAC. In case of major public opinion, directly contact the staff on duty of the CAC by telephone to ensure that notifications are in place through various communication tools, said one December 2020 tender for a $236,000 system purchased by the municipal propaganda department in eastern Chinas Fuzhou city for monitoring Facebook and Twitter alongside domestic social media. It specifies that reports to the CAC should include the details of individual social media users. State media-led data mining Suppliers of the systems vary. The China Daily awarded its contract to Beijings Communications University, one of a half dozen Chinese universities that have launched specialized departments to develop public opinion analysis technology. However, some of the most prolific public opinion monitoring services are provided to police and government agencies by state media themselves. The documents provide insight into the scope of foreign social media data collection done by Chinas major state media outlets, which maintain offices and servers abroad, and their key role in providing Beijing with publicity guidance based on increasingly sophisticated data mining analysis. The growing clout of Beijings propaganda efforts abroad, spearheaded by state media, has triggered alarms in Washington. In 2020, the State Department reclassified the U.S.-based operations of Chinas top state media outlets as foreign missions, increasing reporting requirements and restricting their visa allocations, angering Beijing. The Peoples Daily Online, a unit of the state newspaper the Peoples Daily, which provides one of the countrys largest contract public opinion analysis services, won dozens of projects that include overseas social media data collection services for police, judicial authorities, Communist Party organizations and other clients. The unit, which recorded $330 million in operating income in 2020, up 50% from 2018, says it serves over 200 government agencies, although it is not clear how many request foreign social media data. In one tender won by the Peoples Daily Online, the Beijing Police Intelligence Command Unit purchased a $30,570 service to trawl foreign social media and produce reports on unspecified key personnel and organizations, gathering information on their basic circumstances, background and relationships. It also calls for weekly data reports on Hong Kong, Taiwan and U.S. relations. Issued shortly before the 2020 U.S. presidential election results were ratified on Jan. 6, it also called for special reports on netizens main views related to the election. The international balance of power has been profoundly adjusted, said the request for tenders. Through the collection of public Internet information we can keep a close eye on the international community, analyze sensitivities and hot spots, and maintain the stability of Chinese society. In an April 2020 article, the chief analyst at the Peoples Daily Online Public Opinion Data Center, Liao Canliang, laid out the ultimate goal of public opinion analysis. The ultimate purpose of analysis and prediction is to guide and intervene in public opinion, Canliang wrote. . . . Public data from social network users can be used to analyze the characteristics and preferences of users, and then guide them in a targeted manner. In the article, Liao points to Cambridge Analyticas impact on the 2016 U.S. election as evidence of social medias ability to mold public opinion. The West uses big data to analyze, research and judge public opinion to influence political activities. ... As long as there is a correct grasp on the situation, public opinion can also be guided and interfered with, he wrote. Peoples Daily subsidiary Global Times, a firebrand newspaper known for its biting coverage of Chinas critics, also has a unit gathering foreign social media data for Chinas Foreign Ministry, Beijings Foreign Affairs Office and other government agencies. In late 2019, the Global Times Online won a three-year contract worth $531,000 to provide a China-related foreign media and journalist opinion monitoring system that monitors overseas social media on behalf of Chinas Foreign Ministry and produces comprehensive regular reports, as well as special briefings in urgent circumstances. Documentation accompanying the project says that close to 40% of the Global Times monitoring units staffers are senior Global Times reporters and that the publication maintains large overseas social media monitoring platforms. A description on the website of the Global Timess public opinion research center says the group conducts overseas monitoring and overseas investigation services and provides comprehensive response plans to government and private clients. Both the Peoples Daily and the Global Times were among the outlets designated as foreign missions in the United States. The increase in Chinas monitoring of foreign public opinion on social media coincides with efforts by Beijing to boost its influence on Twitter and other U.S. social media platforms. In June 2020, Twitter suspended 23,000 accounts that it said were linked to the Chinese Communist Party and covertly spreading propaganda to undermine pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. This month, Twitter said it removed a further 2,048 accounts linked to Beijing and producing coordinated content undermining accusations of rights abuses in Xinjiang. Experts say those accounts represent a small fraction of Chinas efforts to boost pro-Beijing messaging on foreign social media. Extreme chilling effect Just under a third of the public opinion analysis systems reviewed by The Post were procured by Chinese police. In 14 instances, the analysis systems included a feature requested by the police that would automatically flag sensitive content related to Uyghurs and other Chinese ethnic minorities. An additional 12 analysis systems included the police-requested capability of monitoring individual content authors over time. It must support information monitoring of overseas social media . . . and provide for targeted collection of designated sites and authors, said one invitation to tender released by the Fuzhou city police in October that lists coverage of Facebook and Twitter as a requirement. The monitoring of social media abroad by local police throughout China could be used in investigating Chinese citizens locally and abroad, as well as in flagging trends that stir domestic dissent, experts say. The public security monitoring is very much about stability maintenance, tracking people down and finding peoples identity, and when they monitor overseas social media, its also often with an eye to monitoring what news could cause trouble at home in China, said the German Marshall Funds Ohlberg. Companies providing overseas public opinion monitoring to police include a mix of private and state-owned firms, including the Peoples Daily Online. Six police contracts awarded since 2020 stated that the Peoples Daily was chosen to conduct monitoring on the basis of its technical ability to gather data abroad. Its the only one in the industry that deploys overseas servers. It is a public opinion service organization that can monitor and collect more than 8,000 overseas media without overturning the wall, said the Guangdong Police Department in a $26,200 contract offer posted in July 2020, referring to the ability of the Peoples Daily unit to collect overseas data outside Chinas Great Firewall. Experts say the increasingly advanced social media surveillance technology available to Chinese police could worsen the targeted harassment of Beijings critics. The Chinese government is one of the worst offenders when it comes to targeting individuals outside of the country, said Adrian Shahbaz, the director for technology and democracy at the think tank Freedom House. It has an extreme chilling effect on how Chinese citizens outside of China are using social media tools, because they know that back home, their information is very easily monitored by Chinese authorities, he said. The China Public Security Bureau did not respond to a request for comment. A police bureau in southern Chinas Nanping city purchased a $42,000 system that supports collection, discovery, and warning functions for ... Twitter and Facebook social media data according to different classifications and keyword groups, as well as overseas information lists, according to bidding documents released in July 2020. Other procurements for public opinion services outline programs purchased by Chinese police and Xinjiang government bodies to track sensitive ethnic language content abroad. (Chinas mainly-Muslim Uyghurs are concentrated in Xinjiang.) A $43,000 system purchased by police in central Chinas Shangnan county included a foreign sensitive information collection system that requested Uyghur and Tibetan staff translators, according to the contracts. Military procurement documents - less detailed than other types - did not offer much detail on the purpose of the foreign data collection but alluded to vague categories of data including key personnel. One heavily redacted June 2020 contract issued by the Peoples Liberation Army described a system that would trawl foreign sites and categorize data on the basis of affiliation, geography and country. Source Data Technology, the Shanghai-based company that won the contract, says on its website that it uses advanced big data mining and artificial intelligence analysis technology to cover more than 90% of social media in the United States, Europe and Chinas neighboring countries. New Delhi, Jan 1 : Buoyed by the healthy passenger traffic growth to India, the UK-based Virgin Atlantic now expects to accelerate the recovery process in the coming year by aggressively tapping into the US transit segment. At present, India has entered into 'Air Bubble' agreements with several countries including the UK. In a conversation with IANS, Alex S. McEwan, Country Manager, South Asia for Virgin Atlantic, cited that India operations of the airline are already at pre-Covid levels. "But the growth in our services from the UK to USA will offer even more connectivity and choice to Indian customers when travel restrictions permit," McEwan said. In September, the airline recommended daily services from both Delhi and Mumbai to London. "Since then, we have seen strong load factors, with relaxations in travel restrictions unleashing pent up demand." "In recent weeks, bookings growth has plateaued due to Omicron, but performance continues to be encouraging and traffic is far higher than it was this time last year." According to McEwan, passengers travelling for 'Visiting Friends and Relatives' (VFR) and students have been the core segment since the start of Covid. "We are also seeing 'green shoots' in recovery for other segments like corporate travel too. We have some corporates who have travelled with us throughout Covid even when restrictions were at their tightest because they have in-person projects in the UK." "Corporate and leisure passengers are ready to travel but are more sensitive to travel restrictions than 'VFR' and student travel, two segments which have proved to be the most resilient." However, he pointed out that 'Omicron' has slowed down the growth in bookings. "So far that has not forced us to make many changes to our global schedule. Particularly over the Christmas and New Year period, many passengers remain determined to travel." (Rohit Vaid can be contacted at rohit.v@ians.in) Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Geneva, Jan 1 : The World Health Organisation (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that he is optimistic that the Covid-19 pandemic will be defeated in 2022, provided countries work together to contain its spread. Ghebreyesus warned against "narrow nationalism and vaccine hoarding" in a new year statement, reports the BBC. His comments come two years since the WHO was first notified of cases of an unknown pneumonia strain in China. He warned that continuing inequity in vaccine distribution was increasing the risk of the virus evolving. "Narrow nationalism and vaccine hoarding by some countries have undermined equity and created the ideal conditions for the emergence of the Omicron variant, and the longer inequity continues, the higher the risks of the virus evolving in ways we can't prevent or predict," he said. "If we end inequity, we end the pandemic," he added. India has registered a substantial spike in daily Covid cases at 22,775 in a span of 24 hours. Also, 406 deaths were reported in the same time span pushing the toll to 4,81,486. However, the active caseload jumped to 1,04,781 which constitute 0.30 per cent of the country's total positive cases. Meanwhile, the Omicron infection tally has increased to 1,431 across the nation. However, of the total cases, 488 have been discharged from hospitals. So far, 23 states have reported Omicron infections. Peoples Dailys top 10 domestic news events in 2021 People's Daily Online) 18:40, December 31, 2021 A ceremony celebrating the CPCs centenary is held at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing (Xinhua/Li Xiang). A volunteer introduces the spirit of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee to local residents of the Miao ethnic group in Tianba village, Guanba town of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (cpanet.cn/Cao Yonglong) CPC members review the Party admission oath at the memorial of the First National Congress of the CPC in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Liu Ying) Aerial photo shows workers of a power transmission and distribution company in east China's Anhui Province working at a construction site of an ultra-high-voltage (UHV) power transmission project over the Yangtze River in Anhui Province. (cpanet.cn/Zheng Xianlie) A farmer of Liufeng village, Youjiang district, Baise city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region airs out his anise. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun)\ Photo shows a judge of the people's court of Wenxian county, central China's Henan Province participating in a law education activity. (cpanet.cn/Xu Hongxing) Photo shows the scenery of Chinas Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center shows China's Shenzhou-13 astronaut Zhai Zhigang waving his hand after conducting extravehicular activities outside of the space station core module Tianhe. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng) Photo shows an 81MW photovoltaic power project built at the Nanshan Reservoir, Fujia village, Dongjia town, Fengcheng city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (cpanet.cn/Zhan Peilu) Photo shows the first China International Consumer Products Expo held in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan Province. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun) Editors note: The year 2021 marked a milestone in the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese nation. Over the past year, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, solemnly celebrated the centenary of the founding of the CPC, successfully held the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, formulated the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century, and carried out Party history education efforts. Meanwhile, it has united and led the Chinese people in winning the battle against poverty as scheduled, in building a moderately prosperous society, and in embarking on a new journey of turning China into a modern socialist country in an all-round way, signaling a perfect start to the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). Going forward, China is determined to make even greater achievements through dedication and hard work. In 2022, the CPC will convene its 20th National Congress, a significant event for both the Party and the country. As long as it actively takes on its new missions, earnestly learns from its previous experience, and forges ahead courageously, China will certainly witness even greater glories on its new journey in the new era and make the ship of socialism with Chinese characteristics sail smoothly through all the coming waves. 1. Xi Jinping announces realization of first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects at ceremony marking centenary of the CPC A ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC was held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on July 1. During his speech at the ceremony, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee reviewed the CPCs struggle over the past 100 years, spoke highly of the great achievements the Chinese people made under the leadership of the CPC, and announced that China has realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. He summarized the great founding spirit of the Party, which is comprised of the following principles: upholding truth and ideals, staying true to the Partys original aspiration and founding mission, fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice, and remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people. Xi stressed the importance of upholding the firm leadership of the Party, and noted that as the CPC puts conscious effort into learning from history to create a bright future, the Party must unite and lead the Chinese people in working ceaselessly for a better life, continue to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context, uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces, continue working to promote the building of a human community with a shared future, carry out a great struggle with many contemporary features, strengthen the great unity of the Chinese people, and continue to advance the great new project of Party building. He also called on all party members to score even greater achievements on the journey ahead. The awarding ceremony for the July 1 Medal and a meeting on awarding the titles of outstanding Party members, exemplary Party workers, and advanced community-level Party organizations were held before July 1 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. It was the first time the CPC Central Committee presented the July 1 Medal, the highest honor in the Party. It was of great significance for encouraging all party members to bear in mind the founding mission of the Party and forge ahead. 2. CPC issues landmark resolution on Party's achievements, experience over past century The sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee was held from Nov. 8 to 11. At the session, the CPC Central Committee heard and discussed a work report Xi delivered on behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and considered and adopted the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century and the Resolution on the Convocation of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The CPC Central Committee considered it important in both a practical and historical sense to have a comprehensive review of the major achievements and historical experience of the Party over the past century as the CPC celebrates its centenary and the fulfillment of the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and moves on towards the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. The Central Committee believed that this review would help build a broader consensus and stronger unity in will and action among all members and rally and lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in achieving new and great success in building socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. According to the resolution, the Party has established Comrade Xi Jinpings core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This reflects the common will of the Party, the armed forces, and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, and is of decisive significance for advancing the cause of the Party and the country in the new era and for driving forward the historic process of national rejuvenation, the document said. 3. China secures complete victory in fight against poverty, makes solid progress on major livelihood projects On Feb. 25, President Xi Jinping announced that China had secured a complete victory in its fight against poverty at a grand gathering held in Beijing to mark the country's accomplishments in poverty alleviation and to honor its model poverty fighters. The final 98.99 million impoverished rural residents living under the current poverty line have all been lifted out of poverty. All the 832 impoverished counties and 128,000 impoverished villages have been removed from the poverty list. Regional poverty has been eliminated on the whole, and the arduous task of eradicating absolute poverty has been completed, representing yet another miraculous achievement. Remaining committed to the people-centered philosophy of development, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core rolled out a slew of measures to improve peoples livelihood and address their urgent problems, ensuring a strong sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security for them. In July, China introduced a guideline to ease the burdens of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring for students undergoing compulsory education, in a bid to promote the well-rounded and healthy development of students. In the same month, the country released a decision on improving birth policies to promote long-term and balanced population development. Fresh progress was made in ensuring access to medical services, elderly care, housing, and social assistance. Between January and October, China began the rebuilding and renovation of 53,400 old urban residential communities. China conducted three rounds of centralized drug procurement. Sixty-one types of medicines listed in Chinas fifth-round centralized drug-procurement program were made 56 percent cheaper on average. Chinas basic medical insurance schemes covered 1.36 billion people, or 95 percent of the countrys population. The number of people covered by basic old-age insurance nationwide hit 1 billion, with an insured rate of over 90 percent. 4. China ensures good start of 14th Five-Year Plan, maintains leading position in coordinating epidemic control and economic development On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th National Peoples Congress approved the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035. In 2021, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has calmly responded to the profound changes unseen in a century and the COVID-19 pandemic, and united and led all the Chinese people to accomplish the arduous tasks of reform and development, securing a good start to the 14th Five-Year Plan. China has made new strides to foster a new paradigm of development and promote high-quality development, and has continued to lead the world in terms of economic development and epidemic control, with significant progress made in improving its strategic scientific and technological strength, industrial chain resilience, peoples well-being, reform and opening-up, and eco-environmental progress. The countrys GDP expanded 9.8 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters, putting the average growth for the period over the past two years at 5.2 percent. The number of market entities nationwide exceeded 150 million, and total grain output exceeded 650 million metric tons. China, as the worlds second largest economy, second largest consumption market, and largest trader in goods, has maintained a continuous economic recovery and contributed significantly to stabilizing and promoting recovery in the global economy. 5. CPC launches campaign on studying Party history The launching of the Party-wide education campaign was a major strategic decision by the CPC Central Committee to open up new prospects for the cause of the Party and the State from the new starting point of the centenary of the founding of the CPC. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, attended the campaign's launch meeting held in Beijing on Feb. 20, and delivered an important speech. Xi stressed the vital necessity of launching the campaign, urging Party committees at all levels to earnestly implement the arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee regarding the campaign. Over the past year, Party organizations at all levels have conscientiously implemented the arrangements of the Party Central Committee. Through the campaign, the whole Party has notably enhanced its historical consciousness and confidence, and has significantly strengthened its capacity to innovate, unite and fight, thus achieving the goal of studying the Party's history, understanding its theories, doing practical work and making new advances. 6. China introduces targeted reform plans, improves institutional system in all-round way, pushes forward reform and opening up This year, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, China stressed full, accurate and comprehensive implementation of the new development philosophy to strengthen the integration of systems, take targeted measures and continuously further reform and opening up. China issued a guideline on building the eastern province of Zhejiang into a demonstration zone for achieving common prosperity in June. This was a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core, which puts promoting the common prosperity of all people in a more important position. It fully reflects the firm determination of the CPC Central Committee to solve the problem of insufficiencies resulting from development imbalances in China. In July, China issued a guideline to support the high-level reform and opening-up of the Pudong New Area in Shanghai. In September, the country issued a general plan for building a Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, and a plan on deepening the reform and opening-up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone. A number of policy documents such as a negative list on cross-border trade in services for the Hainan Free Trade Port and measures to liberalize and facilitate the trade in goods and services at the Hainan free trade port have been issued and implemented. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has successively set up 21 free trade pilot zones, obtained a large number of high-level institutional innovation achievements, and built a number of world-leading industrial clusters. This year, economic and trade events such as the China International Consumer Products Expo, the China International Fair for Trade in Services, the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) and the China International Import Expo have been successfully held, and China's resolve to open wider at a high standard is obvious to any objective observer. 7. China issues guiding document on advancing rule of law in new era, improves whole-process peoples democracy The CPC Central Committee in January issued a plan on building the rule of law in China (2020-2025). The plan, designed and formulated under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, practically implements the thought in its every aspect. As the first plan on building the rule of law in China, it is a guiding document on comprehensively advancing the rule of law in the new era and is a blueprint, a roadmap and a drawing for coordinated efforts to advance the building of Chinas rule of law during the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period. The plan bears important significance for allowing the rule of law to better play its role as the guarantor for consolidating foundations, stabilizing expectations and bringing long-term benefits, for advancing the modernization of Chinas national governance system and capacity, for adapting to peoples new requirements and expectations regarding such aspects as democracy, rule of law, equity, justice, security and environment, and for achieving the goal of basically building a country, government and society based on the rule of law in 2035. In December, the State Council Information Office issued a white paper titled China: Democracy That Works, which is a comprehensive summary of Chinas remarkable progress made in whole-process peoples democracy. It says, With complete institutions and extensive participation, whole-process people's democracy has evolved from an idea into a system and mechanism of governance that has taken root in the soil of Chinese society and has become part of people's lives. Whole-process peoples democracy has distinctive Chinese characteristics; it also exemplifies common values and contributes Chinas ideas and solutions to the political progress of humanity. 8. Principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, ending chaos, restoring stability of HKSAR On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th NPC adopted a decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Under the new electoral system, elections of the Election Committee of the HKSAR and the seventh-term Legislative Council of the HKSAR were successfully held, with the democratic rights of Hong Kong citizens reflected, the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, and a political landscape featuring wide and balanced participation from all social groups and constituencies established. Practice has proven that the new electoral system is a good system that adheres to the one country, two systems principle, suits Hong Kongs realities, and provides strong institutional support for the steady and sustained development of the one country, two systems principle as well as the long-term prosperity and stability of the HKSAR. In the past year, Hong Kong has constantly consolidated its achievements in ending chaos and restoring stability, and has secured a sound impetus for development. It has achieved notable results in COVID-19 control, gradually recovered its economy and maintained social stability. 9. Chinese astronauts enter Chinas space station for first time China sent into space the Tianhe core module of its space station on April 29, which signaled that the countrys space station construction entered the full implementation stage. On May 15, Chinas Mars probe Tianwen-1 landed on the surface of Mars, leaving the mark of the Chinese nation on the Red Planet. It marked an important step in Chinas interstellar exploration and a leap from the exploration of the Earth-Moon system to interplanetary exploration. On June 17, Chinas Shenzhou-12 manned spaceship completed a fast automated rendezvous and docking with the Tianhe core module, and Chinese astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo entered the orbiting Tianhe module, which marked the first time Chinese astronauts entered their own space station. After completing their three-month mission, including innovative and groundbreaking scientific experiments and space applications, they returned to Earth safely on Sept. 17. China successfully launched the crewed spaceship Shenzhou-13 on Oct. 16, sending three astronauts to its space station core module Tianhe for a six-month mission. 10. China sets clearly-defined timetable, roadmap for achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality while advancing ecological progress In October, China unveiled a guiding document on its work to achieve its carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals under the new development philosophy, setting a clearly-defined timetable and roadmap and laying out specific targets and measures for the coming decades. According to the document, China will peak its carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The document outlines five major tasks, including creating a green, low-carbon and circular economy, improving energy efficiency, increasing the share of non-fossil energy consumption, lowering CO2 emissions and boosting the carbon sink capacity of ecosystems. It calls for resolute efforts to curb the haphazard development of energy-intensive and high-emission projects. Besides, Chinas national carbon market started online trading and secured stable and orderly operations. China made headway in its efforts to protect its blue skies, and to defend its rivers and soil from pollution. A 10-year ban on fishing in key waters of the Yangtze River basin came into force from Jan. 1, 2021. The combined proportion of state-controlled water sections with good-quality surface water increased to 83.6 percent. Chinas total installed capacity using renewable energy exceeded a billion kilowatts. The total area of afforestation across the country hit 54 million mu, or 3.6 million hectares. (Web editor: Du Mingming, Bianji) Peoples Dailys top 10 domestic news events in 2021 People's Daily Online) 18:40, December 31, 2021 A ceremony celebrating the CPCs centenary is held at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing (Xinhua/Li Xiang). A volunteer introduces the spirit of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee to local residents of the Miao ethnic group in Tianba village, Guanba town of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (cpanet.cn/Cao Yonglong) CPC members review the Party admission oath at the memorial of the First National Congress of the CPC in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Liu Ying) Aerial photo shows workers of a power transmission and distribution company in east China's Anhui Province working at a construction site of an ultra-high-voltage (UHV) power transmission project over the Yangtze River in Anhui Province. (cpanet.cn/Zheng Xianlie) A farmer of Liufeng village, Youjiang district, Baise city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region airs out his anise. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun)\ Photo shows a judge of the people's court of Wenxian county, central China's Henan Province participating in a law education activity. (cpanet.cn/Xu Hongxing) Photo shows the scenery of Chinas Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center shows China's Shenzhou-13 astronaut Zhai Zhigang waving his hand after conducting extravehicular activities outside of the space station core module Tianhe. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng) Photo shows an 81MW photovoltaic power project built at the Nanshan Reservoir, Fujia village, Dongjia town, Fengcheng city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (cpanet.cn/Zhan Peilu) Photo shows the first China International Consumer Products Expo held in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan Province. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun) Editors note: The year 2021 marked a milestone in the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese nation. Over the past year, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, solemnly celebrated the centenary of the founding of the CPC, successfully held the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, formulated the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century, and carried out Party history education efforts. Meanwhile, it has united and led the Chinese people in winning the battle against poverty as scheduled, in building a moderately prosperous society, and in embarking on a new journey of turning China into a modern socialist country in an all-round way, signaling a perfect start to the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). Going forward, China is determined to make even greater achievements through dedication and hard work. In 2022, the CPC will convene its 20th National Congress, a significant event for both the Party and the country. As long as it actively takes on its new missions, earnestly learns from its previous experience, and forges ahead courageously, China will certainly witness even greater glories on its new journey in the new era and make the ship of socialism with Chinese characteristics sail smoothly through all the coming waves. 1. Xi Jinping announces realization of first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects at ceremony marking centenary of the CPC A ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC was held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on July 1. During his speech at the ceremony, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee reviewed the CPCs struggle over the past 100 years, spoke highly of the great achievements the Chinese people made under the leadership of the CPC, and announced that China has realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. He summarized the great founding spirit of the Party, which is comprised of the following principles: upholding truth and ideals, staying true to the Partys original aspiration and founding mission, fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice, and remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people. Xi stressed the importance of upholding the firm leadership of the Party, and noted that as the CPC puts conscious effort into learning from history to create a bright future, the Party must unite and lead the Chinese people in working ceaselessly for a better life, continue to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context, uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces, continue working to promote the building of a human community with a shared future, carry out a great struggle with many contemporary features, strengthen the great unity of the Chinese people, and continue to advance the great new project of Party building. He also called on all party members to score even greater achievements on the journey ahead. The awarding ceremony for the July 1 Medal and a meeting on awarding the titles of outstanding Party members, exemplary Party workers, and advanced community-level Party organizations were held before July 1 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. It was the first time the CPC Central Committee presented the July 1 Medal, the highest honor in the Party. It was of great significance for encouraging all party members to bear in mind the founding mission of the Party and forge ahead. 2. CPC issues landmark resolution on Party's achievements, experience over past century The sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee was held from Nov. 8 to 11. At the session, the CPC Central Committee heard and discussed a work report Xi delivered on behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and considered and adopted the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century and the Resolution on the Convocation of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The CPC Central Committee considered it important in both a practical and historical sense to have a comprehensive review of the major achievements and historical experience of the Party over the past century as the CPC celebrates its centenary and the fulfillment of the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and moves on towards the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. The Central Committee believed that this review would help build a broader consensus and stronger unity in will and action among all members and rally and lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in achieving new and great success in building socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. According to the resolution, the Party has established Comrade Xi Jinpings core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This reflects the common will of the Party, the armed forces, and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, and is of decisive significance for advancing the cause of the Party and the country in the new era and for driving forward the historic process of national rejuvenation, the document said. 3. China secures complete victory in fight against poverty, makes solid progress on major livelihood projects On Feb. 25, President Xi Jinping announced that China had secured a complete victory in its fight against poverty at a grand gathering held in Beijing to mark the country's accomplishments in poverty alleviation and to honor its model poverty fighters. The final 98.99 million impoverished rural residents living under the current poverty line have all been lifted out of poverty. All the 832 impoverished counties and 128,000 impoverished villages have been removed from the poverty list. Regional poverty has been eliminated on the whole, and the arduous task of eradicating absolute poverty has been completed, representing yet another miraculous achievement. Remaining committed to the people-centered philosophy of development, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core rolled out a slew of measures to improve peoples livelihood and address their urgent problems, ensuring a strong sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security for them. In July, China introduced a guideline to ease the burdens of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring for students undergoing compulsory education, in a bid to promote the well-rounded and healthy development of students. In the same month, the country released a decision on improving birth policies to promote long-term and balanced population development. Fresh progress was made in ensuring access to medical services, elderly care, housing, and social assistance. Between January and October, China began the rebuilding and renovation of 53,400 old urban residential communities. China conducted three rounds of centralized drug procurement. Sixty-one types of medicines listed in Chinas fifth-round centralized drug-procurement program were made 56 percent cheaper on average. Chinas basic medical insurance schemes covered 1.36 billion people, or 95 percent of the countrys population. The number of people covered by basic old-age insurance nationwide hit 1 billion, with an insured rate of over 90 percent. 4. China ensures good start of 14th Five-Year Plan, maintains leading position in coordinating epidemic control and economic development On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th National Peoples Congress approved the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035. In 2021, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has calmly responded to the profound changes unseen in a century and the COVID-19 pandemic, and united and led all the Chinese people to accomplish the arduous tasks of reform and development, securing a good start to the 14th Five-Year Plan. China has made new strides to foster a new paradigm of development and promote high-quality development, and has continued to lead the world in terms of economic development and epidemic control, with significant progress made in improving its strategic scientific and technological strength, industrial chain resilience, peoples well-being, reform and opening-up, and eco-environmental progress. The countrys GDP expanded 9.8 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters, putting the average growth for the period over the past two years at 5.2 percent. The number of market entities nationwide exceeded 150 million, and total grain output exceeded 650 million metric tons. China, as the worlds second largest economy, second largest consumption market, and largest trader in goods, has maintained a continuous economic recovery and contributed significantly to stabilizing and promoting recovery in the global economy. 5. CPC launches campaign on studying Party history The launching of the Party-wide education campaign was a major strategic decision by the CPC Central Committee to open up new prospects for the cause of the Party and the State from the new starting point of the centenary of the founding of the CPC. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, attended the campaign's launch meeting held in Beijing on Feb. 20, and delivered an important speech. Xi stressed the vital necessity of launching the campaign, urging Party committees at all levels to earnestly implement the arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee regarding the campaign. Over the past year, Party organizations at all levels have conscientiously implemented the arrangements of the Party Central Committee. Through the campaign, the whole Party has notably enhanced its historical consciousness and confidence, and has significantly strengthened its capacity to innovate, unite and fight, thus achieving the goal of studying the Party's history, understanding its theories, doing practical work and making new advances. 6. China introduces targeted reform plans, improves institutional system in all-round way, pushes forward reform and opening up This year, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, China stressed full, accurate and comprehensive implementation of the new development philosophy to strengthen the integration of systems, take targeted measures and continuously further reform and opening up. China issued a guideline on building the eastern province of Zhejiang into a demonstration zone for achieving common prosperity in June. This was a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core, which puts promoting the common prosperity of all people in a more important position. It fully reflects the firm determination of the CPC Central Committee to solve the problem of insufficiencies resulting from development imbalances in China. In July, China issued a guideline to support the high-level reform and opening-up of the Pudong New Area in Shanghai. In September, the country issued a general plan for building a Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, and a plan on deepening the reform and opening-up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone. A number of policy documents such as a negative list on cross-border trade in services for the Hainan Free Trade Port and measures to liberalize and facilitate the trade in goods and services at the Hainan free trade port have been issued and implemented. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has successively set up 21 free trade pilot zones, obtained a large number of high-level institutional innovation achievements, and built a number of world-leading industrial clusters. This year, economic and trade events such as the China International Consumer Products Expo, the China International Fair for Trade in Services, the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) and the China International Import Expo have been successfully held, and China's resolve to open wider at a high standard is obvious to any objective observer. 7. China issues guiding document on advancing rule of law in new era, improves whole-process peoples democracy The CPC Central Committee in January issued a plan on building the rule of law in China (2020-2025). The plan, designed and formulated under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, practically implements the thought in its every aspect. As the first plan on building the rule of law in China, it is a guiding document on comprehensively advancing the rule of law in the new era and is a blueprint, a roadmap and a drawing for coordinated efforts to advance the building of Chinas rule of law during the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period. The plan bears important significance for allowing the rule of law to better play its role as the guarantor for consolidating foundations, stabilizing expectations and bringing long-term benefits, for advancing the modernization of Chinas national governance system and capacity, for adapting to peoples new requirements and expectations regarding such aspects as democracy, rule of law, equity, justice, security and environment, and for achieving the goal of basically building a country, government and society based on the rule of law in 2035. In December, the State Council Information Office issued a white paper titled China: Democracy That Works, which is a comprehensive summary of Chinas remarkable progress made in whole-process peoples democracy. It says, With complete institutions and extensive participation, whole-process people's democracy has evolved from an idea into a system and mechanism of governance that has taken root in the soil of Chinese society and has become part of people's lives. Whole-process peoples democracy has distinctive Chinese characteristics; it also exemplifies common values and contributes Chinas ideas and solutions to the political progress of humanity. 8. Principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, ending chaos, restoring stability of HKSAR On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th NPC adopted a decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Under the new electoral system, elections of the Election Committee of the HKSAR and the seventh-term Legislative Council of the HKSAR were successfully held, with the democratic rights of Hong Kong citizens reflected, the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, and a political landscape featuring wide and balanced participation from all social groups and constituencies established. Practice has proven that the new electoral system is a good system that adheres to the one country, two systems principle, suits Hong Kongs realities, and provides strong institutional support for the steady and sustained development of the one country, two systems principle as well as the long-term prosperity and stability of the HKSAR. In the past year, Hong Kong has constantly consolidated its achievements in ending chaos and restoring stability, and has secured a sound impetus for development. It has achieved notable results in COVID-19 control, gradually recovered its economy and maintained social stability. 9. Chinese astronauts enter Chinas space station for first time China sent into space the Tianhe core module of its space station on April 29, which signaled that the countrys space station construction entered the full implementation stage. On May 15, Chinas Mars probe Tianwen-1 landed on the surface of Mars, leaving the mark of the Chinese nation on the Red Planet. It marked an important step in Chinas interstellar exploration and a leap from the exploration of the Earth-Moon system to interplanetary exploration. On June 17, Chinas Shenzhou-12 manned spaceship completed a fast automated rendezvous and docking with the Tianhe core module, and Chinese astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo entered the orbiting Tianhe module, which marked the first time Chinese astronauts entered their own space station. After completing their three-month mission, including innovative and groundbreaking scientific experiments and space applications, they returned to Earth safely on Sept. 17. China successfully launched the crewed spaceship Shenzhou-13 on Oct. 16, sending three astronauts to its space station core module Tianhe for a six-month mission. 10. China sets clearly-defined timetable, roadmap for achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality while advancing ecological progress In October, China unveiled a guiding document on its work to achieve its carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals under the new development philosophy, setting a clearly-defined timetable and roadmap and laying out specific targets and measures for the coming decades. According to the document, China will peak its carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The document outlines five major tasks, including creating a green, low-carbon and circular economy, improving energy efficiency, increasing the share of non-fossil energy consumption, lowering CO2 emissions and boosting the carbon sink capacity of ecosystems. It calls for resolute efforts to curb the haphazard development of energy-intensive and high-emission projects. Besides, Chinas national carbon market started online trading and secured stable and orderly operations. China made headway in its efforts to protect its blue skies, and to defend its rivers and soil from pollution. A 10-year ban on fishing in key waters of the Yangtze River basin came into force from Jan. 1, 2021. The combined proportion of state-controlled water sections with good-quality surface water increased to 83.6 percent. Chinas total installed capacity using renewable energy exceeded a billion kilowatts. The total area of afforestation across the country hit 54 million mu, or 3.6 million hectares. (Web editor: Du Mingming, Bianji) Peoples Dailys top 10 domestic news events in 2021 People's Daily Online) 18:40, December 31, 2021 A ceremony celebrating the CPCs centenary is held at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing (Xinhua/Li Xiang). A volunteer introduces the spirit of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee to local residents of the Miao ethnic group in Tianba village, Guanba town of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (cpanet.cn/Cao Yonglong) CPC members review the Party admission oath at the memorial of the First National Congress of the CPC in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Liu Ying) Aerial photo shows workers of a power transmission and distribution company in east China's Anhui Province working at a construction site of an ultra-high-voltage (UHV) power transmission project over the Yangtze River in Anhui Province. (cpanet.cn/Zheng Xianlie) A farmer of Liufeng village, Youjiang district, Baise city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region airs out his anise. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun)\ Photo shows a judge of the people's court of Wenxian county, central China's Henan Province participating in a law education activity. (cpanet.cn/Xu Hongxing) Photo shows the scenery of Chinas Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center shows China's Shenzhou-13 astronaut Zhai Zhigang waving his hand after conducting extravehicular activities outside of the space station core module Tianhe. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng) Photo shows an 81MW photovoltaic power project built at the Nanshan Reservoir, Fujia village, Dongjia town, Fengcheng city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (cpanet.cn/Zhan Peilu) Photo shows the first China International Consumer Products Expo held in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan Province. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun) Editors note: The year 2021 marked a milestone in the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese nation. Over the past year, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, solemnly celebrated the centenary of the founding of the CPC, successfully held the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, formulated the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century, and carried out Party history education efforts. Meanwhile, it has united and led the Chinese people in winning the battle against poverty as scheduled, in building a moderately prosperous society, and in embarking on a new journey of turning China into a modern socialist country in an all-round way, signaling a perfect start to the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). Going forward, China is determined to make even greater achievements through dedication and hard work. In 2022, the CPC will convene its 20th National Congress, a significant event for both the Party and the country. As long as it actively takes on its new missions, earnestly learns from its previous experience, and forges ahead courageously, China will certainly witness even greater glories on its new journey in the new era and make the ship of socialism with Chinese characteristics sail smoothly through all the coming waves. 1. Xi Jinping announces realization of first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects at ceremony marking centenary of the CPC A ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC was held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on July 1. During his speech at the ceremony, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee reviewed the CPCs struggle over the past 100 years, spoke highly of the great achievements the Chinese people made under the leadership of the CPC, and announced that China has realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. He summarized the great founding spirit of the Party, which is comprised of the following principles: upholding truth and ideals, staying true to the Partys original aspiration and founding mission, fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice, and remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people. Xi stressed the importance of upholding the firm leadership of the Party, and noted that as the CPC puts conscious effort into learning from history to create a bright future, the Party must unite and lead the Chinese people in working ceaselessly for a better life, continue to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context, uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces, continue working to promote the building of a human community with a shared future, carry out a great struggle with many contemporary features, strengthen the great unity of the Chinese people, and continue to advance the great new project of Party building. He also called on all party members to score even greater achievements on the journey ahead. The awarding ceremony for the July 1 Medal and a meeting on awarding the titles of outstanding Party members, exemplary Party workers, and advanced community-level Party organizations were held before July 1 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. It was the first time the CPC Central Committee presented the July 1 Medal, the highest honor in the Party. It was of great significance for encouraging all party members to bear in mind the founding mission of the Party and forge ahead. 2. CPC issues landmark resolution on Party's achievements, experience over past century The sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee was held from Nov. 8 to 11. At the session, the CPC Central Committee heard and discussed a work report Xi delivered on behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and considered and adopted the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century and the Resolution on the Convocation of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The CPC Central Committee considered it important in both a practical and historical sense to have a comprehensive review of the major achievements and historical experience of the Party over the past century as the CPC celebrates its centenary and the fulfillment of the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and moves on towards the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. The Central Committee believed that this review would help build a broader consensus and stronger unity in will and action among all members and rally and lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in achieving new and great success in building socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. According to the resolution, the Party has established Comrade Xi Jinpings core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This reflects the common will of the Party, the armed forces, and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, and is of decisive significance for advancing the cause of the Party and the country in the new era and for driving forward the historic process of national rejuvenation, the document said. 3. China secures complete victory in fight against poverty, makes solid progress on major livelihood projects On Feb. 25, President Xi Jinping announced that China had secured a complete victory in its fight against poverty at a grand gathering held in Beijing to mark the country's accomplishments in poverty alleviation and to honor its model poverty fighters. The final 98.99 million impoverished rural residents living under the current poverty line have all been lifted out of poverty. All the 832 impoverished counties and 128,000 impoverished villages have been removed from the poverty list. Regional poverty has been eliminated on the whole, and the arduous task of eradicating absolute poverty has been completed, representing yet another miraculous achievement. Remaining committed to the people-centered philosophy of development, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core rolled out a slew of measures to improve peoples livelihood and address their urgent problems, ensuring a strong sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security for them. In July, China introduced a guideline to ease the burdens of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring for students undergoing compulsory education, in a bid to promote the well-rounded and healthy development of students. In the same month, the country released a decision on improving birth policies to promote long-term and balanced population development. Fresh progress was made in ensuring access to medical services, elderly care, housing, and social assistance. Between January and October, China began the rebuilding and renovation of 53,400 old urban residential communities. China conducted three rounds of centralized drug procurement. Sixty-one types of medicines listed in Chinas fifth-round centralized drug-procurement program were made 56 percent cheaper on average. Chinas basic medical insurance schemes covered 1.36 billion people, or 95 percent of the countrys population. The number of people covered by basic old-age insurance nationwide hit 1 billion, with an insured rate of over 90 percent. 4. China ensures good start of 14th Five-Year Plan, maintains leading position in coordinating epidemic control and economic development On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th National Peoples Congress approved the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035. In 2021, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has calmly responded to the profound changes unseen in a century and the COVID-19 pandemic, and united and led all the Chinese people to accomplish the arduous tasks of reform and development, securing a good start to the 14th Five-Year Plan. China has made new strides to foster a new paradigm of development and promote high-quality development, and has continued to lead the world in terms of economic development and epidemic control, with significant progress made in improving its strategic scientific and technological strength, industrial chain resilience, peoples well-being, reform and opening-up, and eco-environmental progress. The countrys GDP expanded 9.8 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters, putting the average growth for the period over the past two years at 5.2 percent. The number of market entities nationwide exceeded 150 million, and total grain output exceeded 650 million metric tons. China, as the worlds second largest economy, second largest consumption market, and largest trader in goods, has maintained a continuous economic recovery and contributed significantly to stabilizing and promoting recovery in the global economy. 5. CPC launches campaign on studying Party history The launching of the Party-wide education campaign was a major strategic decision by the CPC Central Committee to open up new prospects for the cause of the Party and the State from the new starting point of the centenary of the founding of the CPC. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, attended the campaign's launch meeting held in Beijing on Feb. 20, and delivered an important speech. Xi stressed the vital necessity of launching the campaign, urging Party committees at all levels to earnestly implement the arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee regarding the campaign. Over the past year, Party organizations at all levels have conscientiously implemented the arrangements of the Party Central Committee. Through the campaign, the whole Party has notably enhanced its historical consciousness and confidence, and has significantly strengthened its capacity to innovate, unite and fight, thus achieving the goal of studying the Party's history, understanding its theories, doing practical work and making new advances. 6. China introduces targeted reform plans, improves institutional system in all-round way, pushes forward reform and opening up This year, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, China stressed full, accurate and comprehensive implementation of the new development philosophy to strengthen the integration of systems, take targeted measures and continuously further reform and opening up. China issued a guideline on building the eastern province of Zhejiang into a demonstration zone for achieving common prosperity in June. This was a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core, which puts promoting the common prosperity of all people in a more important position. It fully reflects the firm determination of the CPC Central Committee to solve the problem of insufficiencies resulting from development imbalances in China. In July, China issued a guideline to support the high-level reform and opening-up of the Pudong New Area in Shanghai. In September, the country issued a general plan for building a Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, and a plan on deepening the reform and opening-up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone. A number of policy documents such as a negative list on cross-border trade in services for the Hainan Free Trade Port and measures to liberalize and facilitate the trade in goods and services at the Hainan free trade port have been issued and implemented. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has successively set up 21 free trade pilot zones, obtained a large number of high-level institutional innovation achievements, and built a number of world-leading industrial clusters. This year, economic and trade events such as the China International Consumer Products Expo, the China International Fair for Trade in Services, the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) and the China International Import Expo have been successfully held, and China's resolve to open wider at a high standard is obvious to any objective observer. 7. China issues guiding document on advancing rule of law in new era, improves whole-process peoples democracy The CPC Central Committee in January issued a plan on building the rule of law in China (2020-2025). The plan, designed and formulated under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, practically implements the thought in its every aspect. As the first plan on building the rule of law in China, it is a guiding document on comprehensively advancing the rule of law in the new era and is a blueprint, a roadmap and a drawing for coordinated efforts to advance the building of Chinas rule of law during the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period. The plan bears important significance for allowing the rule of law to better play its role as the guarantor for consolidating foundations, stabilizing expectations and bringing long-term benefits, for advancing the modernization of Chinas national governance system and capacity, for adapting to peoples new requirements and expectations regarding such aspects as democracy, rule of law, equity, justice, security and environment, and for achieving the goal of basically building a country, government and society based on the rule of law in 2035. In December, the State Council Information Office issued a white paper titled China: Democracy That Works, which is a comprehensive summary of Chinas remarkable progress made in whole-process peoples democracy. It says, With complete institutions and extensive participation, whole-process people's democracy has evolved from an idea into a system and mechanism of governance that has taken root in the soil of Chinese society and has become part of people's lives. Whole-process peoples democracy has distinctive Chinese characteristics; it also exemplifies common values and contributes Chinas ideas and solutions to the political progress of humanity. 8. Principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, ending chaos, restoring stability of HKSAR On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th NPC adopted a decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Under the new electoral system, elections of the Election Committee of the HKSAR and the seventh-term Legislative Council of the HKSAR were successfully held, with the democratic rights of Hong Kong citizens reflected, the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, and a political landscape featuring wide and balanced participation from all social groups and constituencies established. Practice has proven that the new electoral system is a good system that adheres to the one country, two systems principle, suits Hong Kongs realities, and provides strong institutional support for the steady and sustained development of the one country, two systems principle as well as the long-term prosperity and stability of the HKSAR. In the past year, Hong Kong has constantly consolidated its achievements in ending chaos and restoring stability, and has secured a sound impetus for development. It has achieved notable results in COVID-19 control, gradually recovered its economy and maintained social stability. 9. Chinese astronauts enter Chinas space station for first time China sent into space the Tianhe core module of its space station on April 29, which signaled that the countrys space station construction entered the full implementation stage. On May 15, Chinas Mars probe Tianwen-1 landed on the surface of Mars, leaving the mark of the Chinese nation on the Red Planet. It marked an important step in Chinas interstellar exploration and a leap from the exploration of the Earth-Moon system to interplanetary exploration. On June 17, Chinas Shenzhou-12 manned spaceship completed a fast automated rendezvous and docking with the Tianhe core module, and Chinese astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo entered the orbiting Tianhe module, which marked the first time Chinese astronauts entered their own space station. After completing their three-month mission, including innovative and groundbreaking scientific experiments and space applications, they returned to Earth safely on Sept. 17. China successfully launched the crewed spaceship Shenzhou-13 on Oct. 16, sending three astronauts to its space station core module Tianhe for a six-month mission. 10. China sets clearly-defined timetable, roadmap for achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality while advancing ecological progress In October, China unveiled a guiding document on its work to achieve its carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals under the new development philosophy, setting a clearly-defined timetable and roadmap and laying out specific targets and measures for the coming decades. According to the document, China will peak its carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The document outlines five major tasks, including creating a green, low-carbon and circular economy, improving energy efficiency, increasing the share of non-fossil energy consumption, lowering CO2 emissions and boosting the carbon sink capacity of ecosystems. It calls for resolute efforts to curb the haphazard development of energy-intensive and high-emission projects. Besides, Chinas national carbon market started online trading and secured stable and orderly operations. China made headway in its efforts to protect its blue skies, and to defend its rivers and soil from pollution. A 10-year ban on fishing in key waters of the Yangtze River basin came into force from Jan. 1, 2021. The combined proportion of state-controlled water sections with good-quality surface water increased to 83.6 percent. Chinas total installed capacity using renewable energy exceeded a billion kilowatts. The total area of afforestation across the country hit 54 million mu, or 3.6 million hectares. (Web editor: Du Mingming, Bianji) Peoples Dailys top 10 domestic news events in 2021 People's Daily Online) 18:40, December 31, 2021 A ceremony celebrating the CPCs centenary is held at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing (Xinhua/Li Xiang). A volunteer introduces the spirit of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee to local residents of the Miao ethnic group in Tianba village, Guanba town of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (cpanet.cn/Cao Yonglong) CPC members review the Party admission oath at the memorial of the First National Congress of the CPC in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Liu Ying) Aerial photo shows workers of a power transmission and distribution company in east China's Anhui Province working at a construction site of an ultra-high-voltage (UHV) power transmission project over the Yangtze River in Anhui Province. (cpanet.cn/Zheng Xianlie) A farmer of Liufeng village, Youjiang district, Baise city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region airs out his anise. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun)\ Photo shows a judge of the people's court of Wenxian county, central China's Henan Province participating in a law education activity. (cpanet.cn/Xu Hongxing) Photo shows the scenery of Chinas Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center shows China's Shenzhou-13 astronaut Zhai Zhigang waving his hand after conducting extravehicular activities outside of the space station core module Tianhe. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng) Photo shows an 81MW photovoltaic power project built at the Nanshan Reservoir, Fujia village, Dongjia town, Fengcheng city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (cpanet.cn/Zhan Peilu) Photo shows the first China International Consumer Products Expo held in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan Province. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun) Editors note: The year 2021 marked a milestone in the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese nation. Over the past year, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, solemnly celebrated the centenary of the founding of the CPC, successfully held the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, formulated the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century, and carried out Party history education efforts. Meanwhile, it has united and led the Chinese people in winning the battle against poverty as scheduled, in building a moderately prosperous society, and in embarking on a new journey of turning China into a modern socialist country in an all-round way, signaling a perfect start to the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). Going forward, China is determined to make even greater achievements through dedication and hard work. In 2022, the CPC will convene its 20th National Congress, a significant event for both the Party and the country. As long as it actively takes on its new missions, earnestly learns from its previous experience, and forges ahead courageously, China will certainly witness even greater glories on its new journey in the new era and make the ship of socialism with Chinese characteristics sail smoothly through all the coming waves. 1. Xi Jinping announces realization of first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects at ceremony marking centenary of the CPC A ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC was held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on July 1. During his speech at the ceremony, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee reviewed the CPCs struggle over the past 100 years, spoke highly of the great achievements the Chinese people made under the leadership of the CPC, and announced that China has realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. He summarized the great founding spirit of the Party, which is comprised of the following principles: upholding truth and ideals, staying true to the Partys original aspiration and founding mission, fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice, and remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people. Xi stressed the importance of upholding the firm leadership of the Party, and noted that as the CPC puts conscious effort into learning from history to create a bright future, the Party must unite and lead the Chinese people in working ceaselessly for a better life, continue to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context, uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces, continue working to promote the building of a human community with a shared future, carry out a great struggle with many contemporary features, strengthen the great unity of the Chinese people, and continue to advance the great new project of Party building. He also called on all party members to score even greater achievements on the journey ahead. The awarding ceremony for the July 1 Medal and a meeting on awarding the titles of outstanding Party members, exemplary Party workers, and advanced community-level Party organizations were held before July 1 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. It was the first time the CPC Central Committee presented the July 1 Medal, the highest honor in the Party. It was of great significance for encouraging all party members to bear in mind the founding mission of the Party and forge ahead. 2. CPC issues landmark resolution on Party's achievements, experience over past century The sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee was held from Nov. 8 to 11. At the session, the CPC Central Committee heard and discussed a work report Xi delivered on behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and considered and adopted the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century and the Resolution on the Convocation of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The CPC Central Committee considered it important in both a practical and historical sense to have a comprehensive review of the major achievements and historical experience of the Party over the past century as the CPC celebrates its centenary and the fulfillment of the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and moves on towards the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. The Central Committee believed that this review would help build a broader consensus and stronger unity in will and action among all members and rally and lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in achieving new and great success in building socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. According to the resolution, the Party has established Comrade Xi Jinpings core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This reflects the common will of the Party, the armed forces, and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, and is of decisive significance for advancing the cause of the Party and the country in the new era and for driving forward the historic process of national rejuvenation, the document said. 3. China secures complete victory in fight against poverty, makes solid progress on major livelihood projects On Feb. 25, President Xi Jinping announced that China had secured a complete victory in its fight against poverty at a grand gathering held in Beijing to mark the country's accomplishments in poverty alleviation and to honor its model poverty fighters. The final 98.99 million impoverished rural residents living under the current poverty line have all been lifted out of poverty. All the 832 impoverished counties and 128,000 impoverished villages have been removed from the poverty list. Regional poverty has been eliminated on the whole, and the arduous task of eradicating absolute poverty has been completed, representing yet another miraculous achievement. Remaining committed to the people-centered philosophy of development, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core rolled out a slew of measures to improve peoples livelihood and address their urgent problems, ensuring a strong sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security for them. In July, China introduced a guideline to ease the burdens of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring for students undergoing compulsory education, in a bid to promote the well-rounded and healthy development of students. In the same month, the country released a decision on improving birth policies to promote long-term and balanced population development. Fresh progress was made in ensuring access to medical services, elderly care, housing, and social assistance. Between January and October, China began the rebuilding and renovation of 53,400 old urban residential communities. China conducted three rounds of centralized drug procurement. Sixty-one types of medicines listed in Chinas fifth-round centralized drug-procurement program were made 56 percent cheaper on average. Chinas basic medical insurance schemes covered 1.36 billion people, or 95 percent of the countrys population. The number of people covered by basic old-age insurance nationwide hit 1 billion, with an insured rate of over 90 percent. 4. China ensures good start of 14th Five-Year Plan, maintains leading position in coordinating epidemic control and economic development On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th National Peoples Congress approved the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035. In 2021, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has calmly responded to the profound changes unseen in a century and the COVID-19 pandemic, and united and led all the Chinese people to accomplish the arduous tasks of reform and development, securing a good start to the 14th Five-Year Plan. China has made new strides to foster a new paradigm of development and promote high-quality development, and has continued to lead the world in terms of economic development and epidemic control, with significant progress made in improving its strategic scientific and technological strength, industrial chain resilience, peoples well-being, reform and opening-up, and eco-environmental progress. The countrys GDP expanded 9.8 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters, putting the average growth for the period over the past two years at 5.2 percent. The number of market entities nationwide exceeded 150 million, and total grain output exceeded 650 million metric tons. China, as the worlds second largest economy, second largest consumption market, and largest trader in goods, has maintained a continuous economic recovery and contributed significantly to stabilizing and promoting recovery in the global economy. 5. CPC launches campaign on studying Party history The launching of the Party-wide education campaign was a major strategic decision by the CPC Central Committee to open up new prospects for the cause of the Party and the State from the new starting point of the centenary of the founding of the CPC. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, attended the campaign's launch meeting held in Beijing on Feb. 20, and delivered an important speech. Xi stressed the vital necessity of launching the campaign, urging Party committees at all levels to earnestly implement the arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee regarding the campaign. Over the past year, Party organizations at all levels have conscientiously implemented the arrangements of the Party Central Committee. Through the campaign, the whole Party has notably enhanced its historical consciousness and confidence, and has significantly strengthened its capacity to innovate, unite and fight, thus achieving the goal of studying the Party's history, understanding its theories, doing practical work and making new advances. 6. China introduces targeted reform plans, improves institutional system in all-round way, pushes forward reform and opening up This year, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, China stressed full, accurate and comprehensive implementation of the new development philosophy to strengthen the integration of systems, take targeted measures and continuously further reform and opening up. China issued a guideline on building the eastern province of Zhejiang into a demonstration zone for achieving common prosperity in June. This was a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core, which puts promoting the common prosperity of all people in a more important position. It fully reflects the firm determination of the CPC Central Committee to solve the problem of insufficiencies resulting from development imbalances in China. In July, China issued a guideline to support the high-level reform and opening-up of the Pudong New Area in Shanghai. In September, the country issued a general plan for building a Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, and a plan on deepening the reform and opening-up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone. A number of policy documents such as a negative list on cross-border trade in services for the Hainan Free Trade Port and measures to liberalize and facilitate the trade in goods and services at the Hainan free trade port have been issued and implemented. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has successively set up 21 free trade pilot zones, obtained a large number of high-level institutional innovation achievements, and built a number of world-leading industrial clusters. This year, economic and trade events such as the China International Consumer Products Expo, the China International Fair for Trade in Services, the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) and the China International Import Expo have been successfully held, and China's resolve to open wider at a high standard is obvious to any objective observer. 7. China issues guiding document on advancing rule of law in new era, improves whole-process peoples democracy The CPC Central Committee in January issued a plan on building the rule of law in China (2020-2025). The plan, designed and formulated under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, practically implements the thought in its every aspect. As the first plan on building the rule of law in China, it is a guiding document on comprehensively advancing the rule of law in the new era and is a blueprint, a roadmap and a drawing for coordinated efforts to advance the building of Chinas rule of law during the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period. The plan bears important significance for allowing the rule of law to better play its role as the guarantor for consolidating foundations, stabilizing expectations and bringing long-term benefits, for advancing the modernization of Chinas national governance system and capacity, for adapting to peoples new requirements and expectations regarding such aspects as democracy, rule of law, equity, justice, security and environment, and for achieving the goal of basically building a country, government and society based on the rule of law in 2035. In December, the State Council Information Office issued a white paper titled China: Democracy That Works, which is a comprehensive summary of Chinas remarkable progress made in whole-process peoples democracy. It says, With complete institutions and extensive participation, whole-process people's democracy has evolved from an idea into a system and mechanism of governance that has taken root in the soil of Chinese society and has become part of people's lives. Whole-process peoples democracy has distinctive Chinese characteristics; it also exemplifies common values and contributes Chinas ideas and solutions to the political progress of humanity. 8. Principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, ending chaos, restoring stability of HKSAR On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th NPC adopted a decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Under the new electoral system, elections of the Election Committee of the HKSAR and the seventh-term Legislative Council of the HKSAR were successfully held, with the democratic rights of Hong Kong citizens reflected, the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, and a political landscape featuring wide and balanced participation from all social groups and constituencies established. Practice has proven that the new electoral system is a good system that adheres to the one country, two systems principle, suits Hong Kongs realities, and provides strong institutional support for the steady and sustained development of the one country, two systems principle as well as the long-term prosperity and stability of the HKSAR. In the past year, Hong Kong has constantly consolidated its achievements in ending chaos and restoring stability, and has secured a sound impetus for development. It has achieved notable results in COVID-19 control, gradually recovered its economy and maintained social stability. 9. Chinese astronauts enter Chinas space station for first time China sent into space the Tianhe core module of its space station on April 29, which signaled that the countrys space station construction entered the full implementation stage. On May 15, Chinas Mars probe Tianwen-1 landed on the surface of Mars, leaving the mark of the Chinese nation on the Red Planet. It marked an important step in Chinas interstellar exploration and a leap from the exploration of the Earth-Moon system to interplanetary exploration. On June 17, Chinas Shenzhou-12 manned spaceship completed a fast automated rendezvous and docking with the Tianhe core module, and Chinese astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo entered the orbiting Tianhe module, which marked the first time Chinese astronauts entered their own space station. After completing their three-month mission, including innovative and groundbreaking scientific experiments and space applications, they returned to Earth safely on Sept. 17. China successfully launched the crewed spaceship Shenzhou-13 on Oct. 16, sending three astronauts to its space station core module Tianhe for a six-month mission. 10. China sets clearly-defined timetable, roadmap for achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality while advancing ecological progress In October, China unveiled a guiding document on its work to achieve its carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals under the new development philosophy, setting a clearly-defined timetable and roadmap and laying out specific targets and measures for the coming decades. According to the document, China will peak its carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The document outlines five major tasks, including creating a green, low-carbon and circular economy, improving energy efficiency, increasing the share of non-fossil energy consumption, lowering CO2 emissions and boosting the carbon sink capacity of ecosystems. It calls for resolute efforts to curb the haphazard development of energy-intensive and high-emission projects. Besides, Chinas national carbon market started online trading and secured stable and orderly operations. China made headway in its efforts to protect its blue skies, and to defend its rivers and soil from pollution. A 10-year ban on fishing in key waters of the Yangtze River basin came into force from Jan. 1, 2021. The combined proportion of state-controlled water sections with good-quality surface water increased to 83.6 percent. Chinas total installed capacity using renewable energy exceeded a billion kilowatts. The total area of afforestation across the country hit 54 million mu, or 3.6 million hectares. (Web editor: Du Mingming, Bianji) Peoples Dailys top 10 domestic news events in 2021 People's Daily Online) 18:40, December 31, 2021 A ceremony celebrating the CPCs centenary is held at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing (Xinhua/Li Xiang). A volunteer introduces the spirit of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee to local residents of the Miao ethnic group in Tianba village, Guanba town of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (cpanet.cn/Cao Yonglong) CPC members review the Party admission oath at the memorial of the First National Congress of the CPC in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Liu Ying) Aerial photo shows workers of a power transmission and distribution company in east China's Anhui Province working at a construction site of an ultra-high-voltage (UHV) power transmission project over the Yangtze River in Anhui Province. (cpanet.cn/Zheng Xianlie) A farmer of Liufeng village, Youjiang district, Baise city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region airs out his anise. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun)\ Photo shows a judge of the people's court of Wenxian county, central China's Henan Province participating in a law education activity. (cpanet.cn/Xu Hongxing) Photo shows the scenery of Chinas Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center shows China's Shenzhou-13 astronaut Zhai Zhigang waving his hand after conducting extravehicular activities outside of the space station core module Tianhe. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng) Photo shows an 81MW photovoltaic power project built at the Nanshan Reservoir, Fujia village, Dongjia town, Fengcheng city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (cpanet.cn/Zhan Peilu) Photo shows the first China International Consumer Products Expo held in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan Province. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun) Editors note: The year 2021 marked a milestone in the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese nation. Over the past year, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, solemnly celebrated the centenary of the founding of the CPC, successfully held the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, formulated the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century, and carried out Party history education efforts. Meanwhile, it has united and led the Chinese people in winning the battle against poverty as scheduled, in building a moderately prosperous society, and in embarking on a new journey of turning China into a modern socialist country in an all-round way, signaling a perfect start to the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). Going forward, China is determined to make even greater achievements through dedication and hard work. In 2022, the CPC will convene its 20th National Congress, a significant event for both the Party and the country. As long as it actively takes on its new missions, earnestly learns from its previous experience, and forges ahead courageously, China will certainly witness even greater glories on its new journey in the new era and make the ship of socialism with Chinese characteristics sail smoothly through all the coming waves. 1. Xi Jinping announces realization of first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects at ceremony marking centenary of the CPC A ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC was held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on July 1. During his speech at the ceremony, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee reviewed the CPCs struggle over the past 100 years, spoke highly of the great achievements the Chinese people made under the leadership of the CPC, and announced that China has realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. He summarized the great founding spirit of the Party, which is comprised of the following principles: upholding truth and ideals, staying true to the Partys original aspiration and founding mission, fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice, and remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people. Xi stressed the importance of upholding the firm leadership of the Party, and noted that as the CPC puts conscious effort into learning from history to create a bright future, the Party must unite and lead the Chinese people in working ceaselessly for a better life, continue to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context, uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces, continue working to promote the building of a human community with a shared future, carry out a great struggle with many contemporary features, strengthen the great unity of the Chinese people, and continue to advance the great new project of Party building. He also called on all party members to score even greater achievements on the journey ahead. The awarding ceremony for the July 1 Medal and a meeting on awarding the titles of outstanding Party members, exemplary Party workers, and advanced community-level Party organizations were held before July 1 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. It was the first time the CPC Central Committee presented the July 1 Medal, the highest honor in the Party. It was of great significance for encouraging all party members to bear in mind the founding mission of the Party and forge ahead. 2. CPC issues landmark resolution on Party's achievements, experience over past century The sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee was held from Nov. 8 to 11. At the session, the CPC Central Committee heard and discussed a work report Xi delivered on behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and considered and adopted the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century and the Resolution on the Convocation of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The CPC Central Committee considered it important in both a practical and historical sense to have a comprehensive review of the major achievements and historical experience of the Party over the past century as the CPC celebrates its centenary and the fulfillment of the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and moves on towards the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. The Central Committee believed that this review would help build a broader consensus and stronger unity in will and action among all members and rally and lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in achieving new and great success in building socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. According to the resolution, the Party has established Comrade Xi Jinpings core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This reflects the common will of the Party, the armed forces, and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, and is of decisive significance for advancing the cause of the Party and the country in the new era and for driving forward the historic process of national rejuvenation, the document said. 3. China secures complete victory in fight against poverty, makes solid progress on major livelihood projects On Feb. 25, President Xi Jinping announced that China had secured a complete victory in its fight against poverty at a grand gathering held in Beijing to mark the country's accomplishments in poverty alleviation and to honor its model poverty fighters. The final 98.99 million impoverished rural residents living under the current poverty line have all been lifted out of poverty. All the 832 impoverished counties and 128,000 impoverished villages have been removed from the poverty list. Regional poverty has been eliminated on the whole, and the arduous task of eradicating absolute poverty has been completed, representing yet another miraculous achievement. Remaining committed to the people-centered philosophy of development, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core rolled out a slew of measures to improve peoples livelihood and address their urgent problems, ensuring a strong sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security for them. In July, China introduced a guideline to ease the burdens of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring for students undergoing compulsory education, in a bid to promote the well-rounded and healthy development of students. In the same month, the country released a decision on improving birth policies to promote long-term and balanced population development. Fresh progress was made in ensuring access to medical services, elderly care, housing, and social assistance. Between January and October, China began the rebuilding and renovation of 53,400 old urban residential communities. China conducted three rounds of centralized drug procurement. Sixty-one types of medicines listed in Chinas fifth-round centralized drug-procurement program were made 56 percent cheaper on average. Chinas basic medical insurance schemes covered 1.36 billion people, or 95 percent of the countrys population. The number of people covered by basic old-age insurance nationwide hit 1 billion, with an insured rate of over 90 percent. 4. China ensures good start of 14th Five-Year Plan, maintains leading position in coordinating epidemic control and economic development On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th National Peoples Congress approved the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035. In 2021, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has calmly responded to the profound changes unseen in a century and the COVID-19 pandemic, and united and led all the Chinese people to accomplish the arduous tasks of reform and development, securing a good start to the 14th Five-Year Plan. China has made new strides to foster a new paradigm of development and promote high-quality development, and has continued to lead the world in terms of economic development and epidemic control, with significant progress made in improving its strategic scientific and technological strength, industrial chain resilience, peoples well-being, reform and opening-up, and eco-environmental progress. The countrys GDP expanded 9.8 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters, putting the average growth for the period over the past two years at 5.2 percent. The number of market entities nationwide exceeded 150 million, and total grain output exceeded 650 million metric tons. China, as the worlds second largest economy, second largest consumption market, and largest trader in goods, has maintained a continuous economic recovery and contributed significantly to stabilizing and promoting recovery in the global economy. 5. CPC launches campaign on studying Party history The launching of the Party-wide education campaign was a major strategic decision by the CPC Central Committee to open up new prospects for the cause of the Party and the State from the new starting point of the centenary of the founding of the CPC. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, attended the campaign's launch meeting held in Beijing on Feb. 20, and delivered an important speech. Xi stressed the vital necessity of launching the campaign, urging Party committees at all levels to earnestly implement the arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee regarding the campaign. Over the past year, Party organizations at all levels have conscientiously implemented the arrangements of the Party Central Committee. Through the campaign, the whole Party has notably enhanced its historical consciousness and confidence, and has significantly strengthened its capacity to innovate, unite and fight, thus achieving the goal of studying the Party's history, understanding its theories, doing practical work and making new advances. 6. China introduces targeted reform plans, improves institutional system in all-round way, pushes forward reform and opening up This year, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, China stressed full, accurate and comprehensive implementation of the new development philosophy to strengthen the integration of systems, take targeted measures and continuously further reform and opening up. China issued a guideline on building the eastern province of Zhejiang into a demonstration zone for achieving common prosperity in June. This was a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core, which puts promoting the common prosperity of all people in a more important position. It fully reflects the firm determination of the CPC Central Committee to solve the problem of insufficiencies resulting from development imbalances in China. In July, China issued a guideline to support the high-level reform and opening-up of the Pudong New Area in Shanghai. In September, the country issued a general plan for building a Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, and a plan on deepening the reform and opening-up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone. A number of policy documents such as a negative list on cross-border trade in services for the Hainan Free Trade Port and measures to liberalize and facilitate the trade in goods and services at the Hainan free trade port have been issued and implemented. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has successively set up 21 free trade pilot zones, obtained a large number of high-level institutional innovation achievements, and built a number of world-leading industrial clusters. This year, economic and trade events such as the China International Consumer Products Expo, the China International Fair for Trade in Services, the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) and the China International Import Expo have been successfully held, and China's resolve to open wider at a high standard is obvious to any objective observer. 7. China issues guiding document on advancing rule of law in new era, improves whole-process peoples democracy The CPC Central Committee in January issued a plan on building the rule of law in China (2020-2025). The plan, designed and formulated under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, practically implements the thought in its every aspect. As the first plan on building the rule of law in China, it is a guiding document on comprehensively advancing the rule of law in the new era and is a blueprint, a roadmap and a drawing for coordinated efforts to advance the building of Chinas rule of law during the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period. The plan bears important significance for allowing the rule of law to better play its role as the guarantor for consolidating foundations, stabilizing expectations and bringing long-term benefits, for advancing the modernization of Chinas national governance system and capacity, for adapting to peoples new requirements and expectations regarding such aspects as democracy, rule of law, equity, justice, security and environment, and for achieving the goal of basically building a country, government and society based on the rule of law in 2035. In December, the State Council Information Office issued a white paper titled China: Democracy That Works, which is a comprehensive summary of Chinas remarkable progress made in whole-process peoples democracy. It says, With complete institutions and extensive participation, whole-process people's democracy has evolved from an idea into a system and mechanism of governance that has taken root in the soil of Chinese society and has become part of people's lives. Whole-process peoples democracy has distinctive Chinese characteristics; it also exemplifies common values and contributes Chinas ideas and solutions to the political progress of humanity. 8. Principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, ending chaos, restoring stability of HKSAR On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th NPC adopted a decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Under the new electoral system, elections of the Election Committee of the HKSAR and the seventh-term Legislative Council of the HKSAR were successfully held, with the democratic rights of Hong Kong citizens reflected, the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, and a political landscape featuring wide and balanced participation from all social groups and constituencies established. Practice has proven that the new electoral system is a good system that adheres to the one country, two systems principle, suits Hong Kongs realities, and provides strong institutional support for the steady and sustained development of the one country, two systems principle as well as the long-term prosperity and stability of the HKSAR. In the past year, Hong Kong has constantly consolidated its achievements in ending chaos and restoring stability, and has secured a sound impetus for development. It has achieved notable results in COVID-19 control, gradually recovered its economy and maintained social stability. 9. Chinese astronauts enter Chinas space station for first time China sent into space the Tianhe core module of its space station on April 29, which signaled that the countrys space station construction entered the full implementation stage. On May 15, Chinas Mars probe Tianwen-1 landed on the surface of Mars, leaving the mark of the Chinese nation on the Red Planet. It marked an important step in Chinas interstellar exploration and a leap from the exploration of the Earth-Moon system to interplanetary exploration. On June 17, Chinas Shenzhou-12 manned spaceship completed a fast automated rendezvous and docking with the Tianhe core module, and Chinese astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo entered the orbiting Tianhe module, which marked the first time Chinese astronauts entered their own space station. After completing their three-month mission, including innovative and groundbreaking scientific experiments and space applications, they returned to Earth safely on Sept. 17. China successfully launched the crewed spaceship Shenzhou-13 on Oct. 16, sending three astronauts to its space station core module Tianhe for a six-month mission. 10. China sets clearly-defined timetable, roadmap for achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality while advancing ecological progress In October, China unveiled a guiding document on its work to achieve its carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals under the new development philosophy, setting a clearly-defined timetable and roadmap and laying out specific targets and measures for the coming decades. According to the document, China will peak its carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The document outlines five major tasks, including creating a green, low-carbon and circular economy, improving energy efficiency, increasing the share of non-fossil energy consumption, lowering CO2 emissions and boosting the carbon sink capacity of ecosystems. It calls for resolute efforts to curb the haphazard development of energy-intensive and high-emission projects. Besides, Chinas national carbon market started online trading and secured stable and orderly operations. China made headway in its efforts to protect its blue skies, and to defend its rivers and soil from pollution. A 10-year ban on fishing in key waters of the Yangtze River basin came into force from Jan. 1, 2021. The combined proportion of state-controlled water sections with good-quality surface water increased to 83.6 percent. Chinas total installed capacity using renewable energy exceeded a billion kilowatts. The total area of afforestation across the country hit 54 million mu, or 3.6 million hectares. (Web editor: Du Mingming, Bianji) Peoples Dailys top 10 domestic news events in 2021 People's Daily Online) 18:40, December 31, 2021 A ceremony celebrating the CPCs centenary is held at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing (Xinhua/Li Xiang). A volunteer introduces the spirit of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee to local residents of the Miao ethnic group in Tianba village, Guanba town of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (cpanet.cn/Cao Yonglong) CPC members review the Party admission oath at the memorial of the First National Congress of the CPC in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Liu Ying) Aerial photo shows workers of a power transmission and distribution company in east China's Anhui Province working at a construction site of an ultra-high-voltage (UHV) power transmission project over the Yangtze River in Anhui Province. (cpanet.cn/Zheng Xianlie) A farmer of Liufeng village, Youjiang district, Baise city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region airs out his anise. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun)\ Photo shows a judge of the people's court of Wenxian county, central China's Henan Province participating in a law education activity. (cpanet.cn/Xu Hongxing) Photo shows the scenery of Chinas Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center shows China's Shenzhou-13 astronaut Zhai Zhigang waving his hand after conducting extravehicular activities outside of the space station core module Tianhe. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng) Photo shows an 81MW photovoltaic power project built at the Nanshan Reservoir, Fujia village, Dongjia town, Fengcheng city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (cpanet.cn/Zhan Peilu) Photo shows the first China International Consumer Products Expo held in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan Province. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun) Editors note: The year 2021 marked a milestone in the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese nation. Over the past year, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, solemnly celebrated the centenary of the founding of the CPC, successfully held the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, formulated the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century, and carried out Party history education efforts. Meanwhile, it has united and led the Chinese people in winning the battle against poverty as scheduled, in building a moderately prosperous society, and in embarking on a new journey of turning China into a modern socialist country in an all-round way, signaling a perfect start to the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). Going forward, China is determined to make even greater achievements through dedication and hard work. In 2022, the CPC will convene its 20th National Congress, a significant event for both the Party and the country. As long as it actively takes on its new missions, earnestly learns from its previous experience, and forges ahead courageously, China will certainly witness even greater glories on its new journey in the new era and make the ship of socialism with Chinese characteristics sail smoothly through all the coming waves. 1. Xi Jinping announces realization of first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects at ceremony marking centenary of the CPC A ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC was held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on July 1. During his speech at the ceremony, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee reviewed the CPCs struggle over the past 100 years, spoke highly of the great achievements the Chinese people made under the leadership of the CPC, and announced that China has realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. He summarized the great founding spirit of the Party, which is comprised of the following principles: upholding truth and ideals, staying true to the Partys original aspiration and founding mission, fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice, and remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people. Xi stressed the importance of upholding the firm leadership of the Party, and noted that as the CPC puts conscious effort into learning from history to create a bright future, the Party must unite and lead the Chinese people in working ceaselessly for a better life, continue to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context, uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces, continue working to promote the building of a human community with a shared future, carry out a great struggle with many contemporary features, strengthen the great unity of the Chinese people, and continue to advance the great new project of Party building. He also called on all party members to score even greater achievements on the journey ahead. The awarding ceremony for the July 1 Medal and a meeting on awarding the titles of outstanding Party members, exemplary Party workers, and advanced community-level Party organizations were held before July 1 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. It was the first time the CPC Central Committee presented the July 1 Medal, the highest honor in the Party. It was of great significance for encouraging all party members to bear in mind the founding mission of the Party and forge ahead. 2. CPC issues landmark resolution on Party's achievements, experience over past century The sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee was held from Nov. 8 to 11. At the session, the CPC Central Committee heard and discussed a work report Xi delivered on behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and considered and adopted the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century and the Resolution on the Convocation of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The CPC Central Committee considered it important in both a practical and historical sense to have a comprehensive review of the major achievements and historical experience of the Party over the past century as the CPC celebrates its centenary and the fulfillment of the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and moves on towards the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. The Central Committee believed that this review would help build a broader consensus and stronger unity in will and action among all members and rally and lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in achieving new and great success in building socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. According to the resolution, the Party has established Comrade Xi Jinpings core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This reflects the common will of the Party, the armed forces, and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, and is of decisive significance for advancing the cause of the Party and the country in the new era and for driving forward the historic process of national rejuvenation, the document said. 3. China secures complete victory in fight against poverty, makes solid progress on major livelihood projects On Feb. 25, President Xi Jinping announced that China had secured a complete victory in its fight against poverty at a grand gathering held in Beijing to mark the country's accomplishments in poverty alleviation and to honor its model poverty fighters. The final 98.99 million impoverished rural residents living under the current poverty line have all been lifted out of poverty. All the 832 impoverished counties and 128,000 impoverished villages have been removed from the poverty list. Regional poverty has been eliminated on the whole, and the arduous task of eradicating absolute poverty has been completed, representing yet another miraculous achievement. Remaining committed to the people-centered philosophy of development, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core rolled out a slew of measures to improve peoples livelihood and address their urgent problems, ensuring a strong sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security for them. In July, China introduced a guideline to ease the burdens of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring for students undergoing compulsory education, in a bid to promote the well-rounded and healthy development of students. In the same month, the country released a decision on improving birth policies to promote long-term and balanced population development. Fresh progress was made in ensuring access to medical services, elderly care, housing, and social assistance. Between January and October, China began the rebuilding and renovation of 53,400 old urban residential communities. China conducted three rounds of centralized drug procurement. Sixty-one types of medicines listed in Chinas fifth-round centralized drug-procurement program were made 56 percent cheaper on average. Chinas basic medical insurance schemes covered 1.36 billion people, or 95 percent of the countrys population. The number of people covered by basic old-age insurance nationwide hit 1 billion, with an insured rate of over 90 percent. 4. China ensures good start of 14th Five-Year Plan, maintains leading position in coordinating epidemic control and economic development On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th National Peoples Congress approved the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035. In 2021, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has calmly responded to the profound changes unseen in a century and the COVID-19 pandemic, and united and led all the Chinese people to accomplish the arduous tasks of reform and development, securing a good start to the 14th Five-Year Plan. China has made new strides to foster a new paradigm of development and promote high-quality development, and has continued to lead the world in terms of economic development and epidemic control, with significant progress made in improving its strategic scientific and technological strength, industrial chain resilience, peoples well-being, reform and opening-up, and eco-environmental progress. The countrys GDP expanded 9.8 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters, putting the average growth for the period over the past two years at 5.2 percent. The number of market entities nationwide exceeded 150 million, and total grain output exceeded 650 million metric tons. China, as the worlds second largest economy, second largest consumption market, and largest trader in goods, has maintained a continuous economic recovery and contributed significantly to stabilizing and promoting recovery in the global economy. 5. CPC launches campaign on studying Party history The launching of the Party-wide education campaign was a major strategic decision by the CPC Central Committee to open up new prospects for the cause of the Party and the State from the new starting point of the centenary of the founding of the CPC. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, attended the campaign's launch meeting held in Beijing on Feb. 20, and delivered an important speech. Xi stressed the vital necessity of launching the campaign, urging Party committees at all levels to earnestly implement the arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee regarding the campaign. Over the past year, Party organizations at all levels have conscientiously implemented the arrangements of the Party Central Committee. Through the campaign, the whole Party has notably enhanced its historical consciousness and confidence, and has significantly strengthened its capacity to innovate, unite and fight, thus achieving the goal of studying the Party's history, understanding its theories, doing practical work and making new advances. 6. China introduces targeted reform plans, improves institutional system in all-round way, pushes forward reform and opening up This year, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, China stressed full, accurate and comprehensive implementation of the new development philosophy to strengthen the integration of systems, take targeted measures and continuously further reform and opening up. China issued a guideline on building the eastern province of Zhejiang into a demonstration zone for achieving common prosperity in June. This was a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core, which puts promoting the common prosperity of all people in a more important position. It fully reflects the firm determination of the CPC Central Committee to solve the problem of insufficiencies resulting from development imbalances in China. In July, China issued a guideline to support the high-level reform and opening-up of the Pudong New Area in Shanghai. In September, the country issued a general plan for building a Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, and a plan on deepening the reform and opening-up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone. A number of policy documents such as a negative list on cross-border trade in services for the Hainan Free Trade Port and measures to liberalize and facilitate the trade in goods and services at the Hainan free trade port have been issued and implemented. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has successively set up 21 free trade pilot zones, obtained a large number of high-level institutional innovation achievements, and built a number of world-leading industrial clusters. This year, economic and trade events such as the China International Consumer Products Expo, the China International Fair for Trade in Services, the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) and the China International Import Expo have been successfully held, and China's resolve to open wider at a high standard is obvious to any objective observer. 7. China issues guiding document on advancing rule of law in new era, improves whole-process peoples democracy The CPC Central Committee in January issued a plan on building the rule of law in China (2020-2025). The plan, designed and formulated under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, practically implements the thought in its every aspect. As the first plan on building the rule of law in China, it is a guiding document on comprehensively advancing the rule of law in the new era and is a blueprint, a roadmap and a drawing for coordinated efforts to advance the building of Chinas rule of law during the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period. The plan bears important significance for allowing the rule of law to better play its role as the guarantor for consolidating foundations, stabilizing expectations and bringing long-term benefits, for advancing the modernization of Chinas national governance system and capacity, for adapting to peoples new requirements and expectations regarding such aspects as democracy, rule of law, equity, justice, security and environment, and for achieving the goal of basically building a country, government and society based on the rule of law in 2035. In December, the State Council Information Office issued a white paper titled China: Democracy That Works, which is a comprehensive summary of Chinas remarkable progress made in whole-process peoples democracy. It says, With complete institutions and extensive participation, whole-process people's democracy has evolved from an idea into a system and mechanism of governance that has taken root in the soil of Chinese society and has become part of people's lives. Whole-process peoples democracy has distinctive Chinese characteristics; it also exemplifies common values and contributes Chinas ideas and solutions to the political progress of humanity. 8. Principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, ending chaos, restoring stability of HKSAR On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th NPC adopted a decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Under the new electoral system, elections of the Election Committee of the HKSAR and the seventh-term Legislative Council of the HKSAR were successfully held, with the democratic rights of Hong Kong citizens reflected, the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, and a political landscape featuring wide and balanced participation from all social groups and constituencies established. Practice has proven that the new electoral system is a good system that adheres to the one country, two systems principle, suits Hong Kongs realities, and provides strong institutional support for the steady and sustained development of the one country, two systems principle as well as the long-term prosperity and stability of the HKSAR. In the past year, Hong Kong has constantly consolidated its achievements in ending chaos and restoring stability, and has secured a sound impetus for development. It has achieved notable results in COVID-19 control, gradually recovered its economy and maintained social stability. 9. Chinese astronauts enter Chinas space station for first time China sent into space the Tianhe core module of its space station on April 29, which signaled that the countrys space station construction entered the full implementation stage. On May 15, Chinas Mars probe Tianwen-1 landed on the surface of Mars, leaving the mark of the Chinese nation on the Red Planet. It marked an important step in Chinas interstellar exploration and a leap from the exploration of the Earth-Moon system to interplanetary exploration. On June 17, Chinas Shenzhou-12 manned spaceship completed a fast automated rendezvous and docking with the Tianhe core module, and Chinese astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo entered the orbiting Tianhe module, which marked the first time Chinese astronauts entered their own space station. After completing their three-month mission, including innovative and groundbreaking scientific experiments and space applications, they returned to Earth safely on Sept. 17. China successfully launched the crewed spaceship Shenzhou-13 on Oct. 16, sending three astronauts to its space station core module Tianhe for a six-month mission. 10. China sets clearly-defined timetable, roadmap for achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality while advancing ecological progress In October, China unveiled a guiding document on its work to achieve its carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals under the new development philosophy, setting a clearly-defined timetable and roadmap and laying out specific targets and measures for the coming decades. According to the document, China will peak its carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The document outlines five major tasks, including creating a green, low-carbon and circular economy, improving energy efficiency, increasing the share of non-fossil energy consumption, lowering CO2 emissions and boosting the carbon sink capacity of ecosystems. It calls for resolute efforts to curb the haphazard development of energy-intensive and high-emission projects. Besides, Chinas national carbon market started online trading and secured stable and orderly operations. China made headway in its efforts to protect its blue skies, and to defend its rivers and soil from pollution. A 10-year ban on fishing in key waters of the Yangtze River basin came into force from Jan. 1, 2021. The combined proportion of state-controlled water sections with good-quality surface water increased to 83.6 percent. Chinas total installed capacity using renewable energy exceeded a billion kilowatts. The total area of afforestation across the country hit 54 million mu, or 3.6 million hectares. (Web editor: Du Mingming, Bianji) China is turning a major part of its internal Internet data surveillance network outward, mining Western social media, including Facebook and Twitter, to equip its government agencies, military and police with information on foreign targets, according to a Washington Post review of hundreds of Chinese bidding documents, contracts and company filings. China maintains a countrywide network of government data surveillance services - called public opinion analysis software - that were developed over the past decade and are used domestically to warn officials of politically sensitive information online. The software primarily targets Chinas domestic Internet users and media, but a Washington Post review of bidding documents and contracts for over 300 Chinese government projects since the beginning of 2020 include orders for software designed to collect data on foreign targets from sources such as Twitter, Facebook and other Western social media. The documents, publicly accessible through domestic government bidding platforms, also show that agencies including state media, propaganda departments, police, military and cyber regulators are purchasing new or more sophisticated systems to gather data. These include a $320,000 Chinese state media software program that mines Twitter and Facebook to create a database of foreign journalists and academics; a $216,000 Beijing police intelligence program that analyses Western chatter on Hong Kong and Taiwan; and a Xinjiang cybercenter cataloguing Uyghur language content abroad. Now we can better understand the underground network of anti-China personnel, said a Beijing-based analyst who works for a unit reporting to Chinas Central Propaganda Department. The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss their work, said they were once tasked with producing a data report on how negative content relating to Beijings senior leadership is spread on Twitter, including profiles of individual academics, politicians and journalists. These surveillance dragnets are part of a wider drive by Beijing to refine its foreign propaganda efforts through big data and artificial intelligence. They also form a network of warning systems designed to sound real-time alarms for trends that undermine Beijings interests. They are now reorienting part of that effort outward, and I think thats frankly terrifying, looking at the sheer numbers and sheer scale that this has taken inside China, said Mareike Ohlberg, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund who has conducted extensive research on Chinas domestic public opinion network. It really shows that they now feel its their responsibility to defend China overseas and fight the public opinion war overseas, she said. Some of the Chinese governments budgeting includes buying and maintaining foreign social media accounts on behalf of police and propaganda departments. Yet others describe using the targeted analysis to refine Beijings state media coverage abroad. The purchases range in size from small, automated programs to projects costing hundreds of thousands of dollars that are staffed 24 hours a day by teams including English speakers and foreign policy specialists. The documents describe highly customizable programs that can collect real-time social media data from individual social media users. Some describe tracking broad trends on issues including U.S. elections. The Post was not able to review data collected by the systems but spoke to four people based in Beijing who are directly involved in government public opinion analysis and described separate software systems that automatically collect and store Facebook and Twitter data in real time on domestic Chinese servers for analysis. Twitter and Facebook both ban automated collection of data on their services without prior authorization. Twitters policy also expressly bars developers from gathering data used to infer a users political affiliation or ethnic and racial origin. Our API provides real-time access to public data and tweets only, not private information. We prohibit use of our API for surveillance purposes, as per our developer policy and terms, said Katie Rosborough, a Twitter spokesperson, referring to the companys Application Programming Interface (API), which allows developers to retrieve public data from the platform among other functions. Facebook did not respond to requests for comment about whether it is aware of the monitoring or whether several companies, universities and state media firms listed as supplying the software were authorized to collect data on its platform. Chinas Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Public opinion guidance Chinas systems for analyzing domestic public opinion online are a powerful but largely unseen pillar of President Xi Jinpings program to modernize Chinas propaganda apparatus and maintain control over the Internet. The vast data collection and monitoring efforts give officials insight into public opinion, a challenge in a country that does not hold public elections or permit independent media. The services also provide increasingly technical surveillance for Chinas censorship apparatus. And most systems include alarm functions designed to alert officials and police to negative content in real time. These operations are an important function of what Beijing calls public opinion guidance work - a policy of molding public sentiment in favor of the government through targeted propaganda and censorship. The phrase first came to prominence in policymaking after the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy demonstrations, when officials began exploring new ways to preempt popular challenges to the Communist Partys power, and has since become integral to the underlying architecture of Chinas Internet, where users are linked by real name ID, and Internet services are required by law to maintain an internal censorship apparatus. The exact scope of Chinas government public opinion monitoring industry is unclear, but there have been some indications about its size in Chinese state media. In 2014, the state-backed newspaper China Daily said more than 2 million people were working as public opinion analysts. In 2018, the Peoples Daily, another official organ, said the governments online opinion analysis industry was worth tens of billions of yuan, equivalent to billions of dollars, and was growing at a rate of 50% a year. That surveillance network system is expanding to include foreign social media at a time when global perceptions of Beijing are at their lowest in recent history. A Pew Research survey released in June showed that perceptions of China among 17 advanced economies had dipped to near historic lows for a second year in a row in the aftermath of the U.S. trade war, the Xinjiang human rights crisis, Hong Kong and the coronavirus pandemic. In May this year, Xi called on senior officials to portray a more trustworthy, lovable and reliable image of China abroad, calling for the effective development of international public opinion guidance. His comments reflect Beijings growing anxieties over how to control Chinas image abroad. On the back of the Sino-US trade talks and the Hong Kong rioting incident, its becoming clearer day by day that the public opinion news war is arduous and necessary, China Daily said in a July 2020 bidding document for a $300,000 foreign personnel analysis platform. The invitation to tender lays out specifications for a program that mines Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for data on well known Western media journalists and other key personnel from political, business and media circles. We are competing with the US and Western media, the battle for the right to speak has begun, it said. The software should run 24 hours a day, according to the specifications, and map the relationships between target personnel and uncover factions between personnel, measuring their China tendencies and building an alarm system that automatically flags false statements and reports on China. Warning systems like the one outlined in the China Daily document are described in over 90% of tenders that list technical specifications, The Posts review of the documents show. Two people who work as analysts in public opinion analysis units contracted by government agencies in Beijing told The Post that they receive automated alarms via SMS, email and on dedicated computer monitors when sensitive content was detected. Both of the people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to foreign media. Having responsibility for [the monitoring] is a lot of pressure, said one of the people. If we do our work poorly, there are severe repercussions. Highly sensitive viral trends online are reported to a 24-hour hotline maintained by the Cybersecurity Administration of China (CAC), the body that oversees the countrys censorship apparatus, the person said of their unit. The person added that most of the alarms were related to domestic social media but that foreign social media had also been included in the units monitoring since the middle of 2019. The persons account is supported by four bidding documents for unrelated systems that mention direct hotlines to the CAC. In case of major public opinion, directly contact the staff on duty of the CAC by telephone to ensure that notifications are in place through various communication tools, said one December 2020 tender for a $236,000 system purchased by the municipal propaganda department in eastern Chinas Fuzhou city for monitoring Facebook and Twitter alongside domestic social media. It specifies that reports to the CAC should include the details of individual social media users. State media-led data mining Suppliers of the systems vary. The China Daily awarded its contract to Beijings Communications University, one of a half dozen Chinese universities that have launched specialized departments to develop public opinion analysis technology. However, some of the most prolific public opinion monitoring services are provided to police and government agencies by state media themselves. The documents provide insight into the scope of foreign social media data collection done by Chinas major state media outlets, which maintain offices and servers abroad, and their key role in providing Beijing with publicity guidance based on increasingly sophisticated data mining analysis. The growing clout of Beijings propaganda efforts abroad, spearheaded by state media, has triggered alarms in Washington. In 2020, the State Department reclassified the U.S.-based operations of Chinas top state media outlets as foreign missions, increasing reporting requirements and restricting their visa allocations, angering Beijing. The Peoples Daily Online, a unit of the state newspaper the Peoples Daily, which provides one of the countrys largest contract public opinion analysis services, won dozens of projects that include overseas social media data collection services for police, judicial authorities, Communist Party organizations and other clients. The unit, which recorded $330 million in operating income in 2020, up 50% from 2018, says it serves over 200 government agencies, although it is not clear how many request foreign social media data. In one tender won by the Peoples Daily Online, the Beijing Police Intelligence Command Unit purchased a $30,570 service to trawl foreign social media and produce reports on unspecified key personnel and organizations, gathering information on their basic circumstances, background and relationships. It also calls for weekly data reports on Hong Kong, Taiwan and U.S. relations. Issued shortly before the 2020 U.S. presidential election results were ratified on Jan. 6, it also called for special reports on netizens main views related to the election. The international balance of power has been profoundly adjusted, said the request for tenders. Through the collection of public Internet information we can keep a close eye on the international community, analyze sensitivities and hot spots, and maintain the stability of Chinese society. In an April 2020 article, the chief analyst at the Peoples Daily Online Public Opinion Data Center, Liao Canliang, laid out the ultimate goal of public opinion analysis. The ultimate purpose of analysis and prediction is to guide and intervene in public opinion, Canliang wrote. . . . Public data from social network users can be used to analyze the characteristics and preferences of users, and then guide them in a targeted manner. In the article, Liao points to Cambridge Analyticas impact on the 2016 U.S. election as evidence of social medias ability to mold public opinion. The West uses big data to analyze, research and judge public opinion to influence political activities. ... As long as there is a correct grasp on the situation, public opinion can also be guided and interfered with, he wrote. Peoples Daily subsidiary Global Times, a firebrand newspaper known for its biting coverage of Chinas critics, also has a unit gathering foreign social media data for Chinas Foreign Ministry, Beijings Foreign Affairs Office and other government agencies. In late 2019, the Global Times Online won a three-year contract worth $531,000 to provide a China-related foreign media and journalist opinion monitoring system that monitors overseas social media on behalf of Chinas Foreign Ministry and produces comprehensive regular reports, as well as special briefings in urgent circumstances. Documentation accompanying the project says that close to 40% of the Global Times monitoring units staffers are senior Global Times reporters and that the publication maintains large overseas social media monitoring platforms. A description on the website of the Global Timess public opinion research center says the group conducts overseas monitoring and overseas investigation services and provides comprehensive response plans to government and private clients. Both the Peoples Daily and the Global Times were among the outlets designated as foreign missions in the United States. The increase in Chinas monitoring of foreign public opinion on social media coincides with efforts by Beijing to boost its influence on Twitter and other U.S. social media platforms. In June 2020, Twitter suspended 23,000 accounts that it said were linked to the Chinese Communist Party and covertly spreading propaganda to undermine pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. This month, Twitter said it removed a further 2,048 accounts linked to Beijing and producing coordinated content undermining accusations of rights abuses in Xinjiang. Experts say those accounts represent a small fraction of Chinas efforts to boost pro-Beijing messaging on foreign social media. Extreme chilling effect Just under a third of the public opinion analysis systems reviewed by The Post were procured by Chinese police. In 14 instances, the analysis systems included a feature requested by the police that would automatically flag sensitive content related to Uyghurs and other Chinese ethnic minorities. An additional 12 analysis systems included the police-requested capability of monitoring individual content authors over time. It must support information monitoring of overseas social media . . . and provide for targeted collection of designated sites and authors, said one invitation to tender released by the Fuzhou city police in October that lists coverage of Facebook and Twitter as a requirement. The monitoring of social media abroad by local police throughout China could be used in investigating Chinese citizens locally and abroad, as well as in flagging trends that stir domestic dissent, experts say. The public security monitoring is very much about stability maintenance, tracking people down and finding peoples identity, and when they monitor overseas social media, its also often with an eye to monitoring what news could cause trouble at home in China, said the German Marshall Funds Ohlberg. Companies providing overseas public opinion monitoring to police include a mix of private and state-owned firms, including the Peoples Daily Online. Six police contracts awarded since 2020 stated that the Peoples Daily was chosen to conduct monitoring on the basis of its technical ability to gather data abroad. Its the only one in the industry that deploys overseas servers. It is a public opinion service organization that can monitor and collect more than 8,000 overseas media without overturning the wall, said the Guangdong Police Department in a $26,200 contract offer posted in July 2020, referring to the ability of the Peoples Daily unit to collect overseas data outside Chinas Great Firewall. Experts say the increasingly advanced social media surveillance technology available to Chinese police could worsen the targeted harassment of Beijings critics. The Chinese government is one of the worst offenders when it comes to targeting individuals outside of the country, said Adrian Shahbaz, the director for technology and democracy at the think tank Freedom House. It has an extreme chilling effect on how Chinese citizens outside of China are using social media tools, because they know that back home, their information is very easily monitored by Chinese authorities, he said. The China Public Security Bureau did not respond to a request for comment. A police bureau in southern Chinas Nanping city purchased a $42,000 system that supports collection, discovery, and warning functions for ... Twitter and Facebook social media data according to different classifications and keyword groups, as well as overseas information lists, according to bidding documents released in July 2020. Other procurements for public opinion services outline programs purchased by Chinese police and Xinjiang government bodies to track sensitive ethnic language content abroad. (Chinas mainly-Muslim Uyghurs are concentrated in Xinjiang.) A $43,000 system purchased by police in central Chinas Shangnan county included a foreign sensitive information collection system that requested Uyghur and Tibetan staff translators, according to the contracts. Military procurement documents - less detailed than other types - did not offer much detail on the purpose of the foreign data collection but alluded to vague categories of data including key personnel. One heavily redacted June 2020 contract issued by the Peoples Liberation Army described a system that would trawl foreign sites and categorize data on the basis of affiliation, geography and country. Source Data Technology, the Shanghai-based company that won the contract, says on its website that it uses advanced big data mining and artificial intelligence analysis technology to cover more than 90% of social media in the United States, Europe and Chinas neighboring countries. China is turning a major part of its internal Internet data surveillance network outward, mining Western social media, including Facebook and Twitter, to equip its government agencies, military and police with information on foreign targets, according to a Washington Post review of hundreds of Chinese bidding documents, contracts and company filings. China maintains a countrywide network of government data surveillance services - called public opinion analysis software - that were developed over the past decade and are used domestically to warn officials of politically sensitive information online. The software primarily targets Chinas domestic Internet users and media, but a Washington Post review of bidding documents and contracts for over 300 Chinese government projects since the beginning of 2020 include orders for software designed to collect data on foreign targets from sources such as Twitter, Facebook and other Western social media. The documents, publicly accessible through domestic government bidding platforms, also show that agencies including state media, propaganda departments, police, military and cyber regulators are purchasing new or more sophisticated systems to gather data. These include a $320,000 Chinese state media software program that mines Twitter and Facebook to create a database of foreign journalists and academics; a $216,000 Beijing police intelligence program that analyses Western chatter on Hong Kong and Taiwan; and a Xinjiang cybercenter cataloguing Uyghur language content abroad. Now we can better understand the underground network of anti-China personnel, said a Beijing-based analyst who works for a unit reporting to Chinas Central Propaganda Department. The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss their work, said they were once tasked with producing a data report on how negative content relating to Beijings senior leadership is spread on Twitter, including profiles of individual academics, politicians and journalists. These surveillance dragnets are part of a wider drive by Beijing to refine its foreign propaganda efforts through big data and artificial intelligence. They also form a network of warning systems designed to sound real-time alarms for trends that undermine Beijings interests. They are now reorienting part of that effort outward, and I think thats frankly terrifying, looking at the sheer numbers and sheer scale that this has taken inside China, said Mareike Ohlberg, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund who has conducted extensive research on Chinas domestic public opinion network. It really shows that they now feel its their responsibility to defend China overseas and fight the public opinion war overseas, she said. Some of the Chinese governments budgeting includes buying and maintaining foreign social media accounts on behalf of police and propaganda departments. Yet others describe using the targeted analysis to refine Beijings state media coverage abroad. The purchases range in size from small, automated programs to projects costing hundreds of thousands of dollars that are staffed 24 hours a day by teams including English speakers and foreign policy specialists. The documents describe highly customizable programs that can collect real-time social media data from individual social media users. Some describe tracking broad trends on issues including U.S. elections. The Post was not able to review data collected by the systems but spoke to four people based in Beijing who are directly involved in government public opinion analysis and described separate software systems that automatically collect and store Facebook and Twitter data in real time on domestic Chinese servers for analysis. Twitter and Facebook both ban automated collection of data on their services without prior authorization. Twitters policy also expressly bars developers from gathering data used to infer a users political affiliation or ethnic and racial origin. Our API provides real-time access to public data and tweets only, not private information. We prohibit use of our API for surveillance purposes, as per our developer policy and terms, said Katie Rosborough, a Twitter spokesperson, referring to the companys Application Programming Interface (API), which allows developers to retrieve public data from the platform among other functions. Facebook did not respond to requests for comment about whether it is aware of the monitoring or whether several companies, universities and state media firms listed as supplying the software were authorized to collect data on its platform. Chinas Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Public opinion guidance Chinas systems for analyzing domestic public opinion online are a powerful but largely unseen pillar of President Xi Jinpings program to modernize Chinas propaganda apparatus and maintain control over the Internet. The vast data collection and monitoring efforts give officials insight into public opinion, a challenge in a country that does not hold public elections or permit independent media. The services also provide increasingly technical surveillance for Chinas censorship apparatus. And most systems include alarm functions designed to alert officials and police to negative content in real time. These operations are an important function of what Beijing calls public opinion guidance work - a policy of molding public sentiment in favor of the government through targeted propaganda and censorship. The phrase first came to prominence in policymaking after the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy demonstrations, when officials began exploring new ways to preempt popular challenges to the Communist Partys power, and has since become integral to the underlying architecture of Chinas Internet, where users are linked by real name ID, and Internet services are required by law to maintain an internal censorship apparatus. The exact scope of Chinas government public opinion monitoring industry is unclear, but there have been some indications about its size in Chinese state media. In 2014, the state-backed newspaper China Daily said more than 2 million people were working as public opinion analysts. In 2018, the Peoples Daily, another official organ, said the governments online opinion analysis industry was worth tens of billions of yuan, equivalent to billions of dollars, and was growing at a rate of 50% a year. That surveillance network system is expanding to include foreign social media at a time when global perceptions of Beijing are at their lowest in recent history. A Pew Research survey released in June showed that perceptions of China among 17 advanced economies had dipped to near historic lows for a second year in a row in the aftermath of the U.S. trade war, the Xinjiang human rights crisis, Hong Kong and the coronavirus pandemic. In May this year, Xi called on senior officials to portray a more trustworthy, lovable and reliable image of China abroad, calling for the effective development of international public opinion guidance. His comments reflect Beijings growing anxieties over how to control Chinas image abroad. On the back of the Sino-US trade talks and the Hong Kong rioting incident, its becoming clearer day by day that the public opinion news war is arduous and necessary, China Daily said in a July 2020 bidding document for a $300,000 foreign personnel analysis platform. The invitation to tender lays out specifications for a program that mines Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for data on well known Western media journalists and other key personnel from political, business and media circles. We are competing with the US and Western media, the battle for the right to speak has begun, it said. The software should run 24 hours a day, according to the specifications, and map the relationships between target personnel and uncover factions between personnel, measuring their China tendencies and building an alarm system that automatically flags false statements and reports on China. Warning systems like the one outlined in the China Daily document are described in over 90% of tenders that list technical specifications, The Posts review of the documents show. Two people who work as analysts in public opinion analysis units contracted by government agencies in Beijing told The Post that they receive automated alarms via SMS, email and on dedicated computer monitors when sensitive content was detected. Both of the people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to foreign media. Having responsibility for [the monitoring] is a lot of pressure, said one of the people. If we do our work poorly, there are severe repercussions. Highly sensitive viral trends online are reported to a 24-hour hotline maintained by the Cybersecurity Administration of China (CAC), the body that oversees the countrys censorship apparatus, the person said of their unit. The person added that most of the alarms were related to domestic social media but that foreign social media had also been included in the units monitoring since the middle of 2019. The persons account is supported by four bidding documents for unrelated systems that mention direct hotlines to the CAC. In case of major public opinion, directly contact the staff on duty of the CAC by telephone to ensure that notifications are in place through various communication tools, said one December 2020 tender for a $236,000 system purchased by the municipal propaganda department in eastern Chinas Fuzhou city for monitoring Facebook and Twitter alongside domestic social media. It specifies that reports to the CAC should include the details of individual social media users. State media-led data mining Suppliers of the systems vary. The China Daily awarded its contract to Beijings Communications University, one of a half dozen Chinese universities that have launched specialized departments to develop public opinion analysis technology. However, some of the most prolific public opinion monitoring services are provided to police and government agencies by state media themselves. The documents provide insight into the scope of foreign social media data collection done by Chinas major state media outlets, which maintain offices and servers abroad, and their key role in providing Beijing with publicity guidance based on increasingly sophisticated data mining analysis. The growing clout of Beijings propaganda efforts abroad, spearheaded by state media, has triggered alarms in Washington. In 2020, the State Department reclassified the U.S.-based operations of Chinas top state media outlets as foreign missions, increasing reporting requirements and restricting their visa allocations, angering Beijing. The Peoples Daily Online, a unit of the state newspaper the Peoples Daily, which provides one of the countrys largest contract public opinion analysis services, won dozens of projects that include overseas social media data collection services for police, judicial authorities, Communist Party organizations and other clients. The unit, which recorded $330 million in operating income in 2020, up 50% from 2018, says it serves over 200 government agencies, although it is not clear how many request foreign social media data. In one tender won by the Peoples Daily Online, the Beijing Police Intelligence Command Unit purchased a $30,570 service to trawl foreign social media and produce reports on unspecified key personnel and organizations, gathering information on their basic circumstances, background and relationships. It also calls for weekly data reports on Hong Kong, Taiwan and U.S. relations. Issued shortly before the 2020 U.S. presidential election results were ratified on Jan. 6, it also called for special reports on netizens main views related to the election. The international balance of power has been profoundly adjusted, said the request for tenders. Through the collection of public Internet information we can keep a close eye on the international community, analyze sensitivities and hot spots, and maintain the stability of Chinese society. In an April 2020 article, the chief analyst at the Peoples Daily Online Public Opinion Data Center, Liao Canliang, laid out the ultimate goal of public opinion analysis. The ultimate purpose of analysis and prediction is to guide and intervene in public opinion, Canliang wrote. . . . Public data from social network users can be used to analyze the characteristics and preferences of users, and then guide them in a targeted manner. In the article, Liao points to Cambridge Analyticas impact on the 2016 U.S. election as evidence of social medias ability to mold public opinion. The West uses big data to analyze, research and judge public opinion to influence political activities. ... As long as there is a correct grasp on the situation, public opinion can also be guided and interfered with, he wrote. Peoples Daily subsidiary Global Times, a firebrand newspaper known for its biting coverage of Chinas critics, also has a unit gathering foreign social media data for Chinas Foreign Ministry, Beijings Foreign Affairs Office and other government agencies. In late 2019, the Global Times Online won a three-year contract worth $531,000 to provide a China-related foreign media and journalist opinion monitoring system that monitors overseas social media on behalf of Chinas Foreign Ministry and produces comprehensive regular reports, as well as special briefings in urgent circumstances. Documentation accompanying the project says that close to 40% of the Global Times monitoring units staffers are senior Global Times reporters and that the publication maintains large overseas social media monitoring platforms. A description on the website of the Global Timess public opinion research center says the group conducts overseas monitoring and overseas investigation services and provides comprehensive response plans to government and private clients. Both the Peoples Daily and the Global Times were among the outlets designated as foreign missions in the United States. The increase in Chinas monitoring of foreign public opinion on social media coincides with efforts by Beijing to boost its influence on Twitter and other U.S. social media platforms. In June 2020, Twitter suspended 23,000 accounts that it said were linked to the Chinese Communist Party and covertly spreading propaganda to undermine pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. This month, Twitter said it removed a further 2,048 accounts linked to Beijing and producing coordinated content undermining accusations of rights abuses in Xinjiang. Experts say those accounts represent a small fraction of Chinas efforts to boost pro-Beijing messaging on foreign social media. Extreme chilling effect Just under a third of the public opinion analysis systems reviewed by The Post were procured by Chinese police. In 14 instances, the analysis systems included a feature requested by the police that would automatically flag sensitive content related to Uyghurs and other Chinese ethnic minorities. An additional 12 analysis systems included the police-requested capability of monitoring individual content authors over time. It must support information monitoring of overseas social media . . . and provide for targeted collection of designated sites and authors, said one invitation to tender released by the Fuzhou city police in October that lists coverage of Facebook and Twitter as a requirement. The monitoring of social media abroad by local police throughout China could be used in investigating Chinese citizens locally and abroad, as well as in flagging trends that stir domestic dissent, experts say. The public security monitoring is very much about stability maintenance, tracking people down and finding peoples identity, and when they monitor overseas social media, its also often with an eye to monitoring what news could cause trouble at home in China, said the German Marshall Funds Ohlberg. Companies providing overseas public opinion monitoring to police include a mix of private and state-owned firms, including the Peoples Daily Online. Six police contracts awarded since 2020 stated that the Peoples Daily was chosen to conduct monitoring on the basis of its technical ability to gather data abroad. Its the only one in the industry that deploys overseas servers. It is a public opinion service organization that can monitor and collect more than 8,000 overseas media without overturning the wall, said the Guangdong Police Department in a $26,200 contract offer posted in July 2020, referring to the ability of the Peoples Daily unit to collect overseas data outside Chinas Great Firewall. Experts say the increasingly advanced social media surveillance technology available to Chinese police could worsen the targeted harassment of Beijings critics. The Chinese government is one of the worst offenders when it comes to targeting individuals outside of the country, said Adrian Shahbaz, the director for technology and democracy at the think tank Freedom House. It has an extreme chilling effect on how Chinese citizens outside of China are using social media tools, because they know that back home, their information is very easily monitored by Chinese authorities, he said. The China Public Security Bureau did not respond to a request for comment. A police bureau in southern Chinas Nanping city purchased a $42,000 system that supports collection, discovery, and warning functions for ... Twitter and Facebook social media data according to different classifications and keyword groups, as well as overseas information lists, according to bidding documents released in July 2020. Other procurements for public opinion services outline programs purchased by Chinese police and Xinjiang government bodies to track sensitive ethnic language content abroad. (Chinas mainly-Muslim Uyghurs are concentrated in Xinjiang.) A $43,000 system purchased by police in central Chinas Shangnan county included a foreign sensitive information collection system that requested Uyghur and Tibetan staff translators, according to the contracts. Military procurement documents - less detailed than other types - did not offer much detail on the purpose of the foreign data collection but alluded to vague categories of data including key personnel. One heavily redacted June 2020 contract issued by the Peoples Liberation Army described a system that would trawl foreign sites and categorize data on the basis of affiliation, geography and country. Source Data Technology, the Shanghai-based company that won the contract, says on its website that it uses advanced big data mining and artificial intelligence analysis technology to cover more than 90% of social media in the United States, Europe and Chinas neighboring countries. Asian-American groups call for end of controversial "China Initiative": CNBC Xinhua) 13:58, January 01, 2022 NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Asian-American advocacy groups have increased pressure over the past year on the Biden administration to end the controversial "China Initiative" that unfairly targets scientists of Chinese descent and others, CNBC has reported. Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. However, it has brought "emotional and financial harm" to the families of ethnic Chinese scientists, it said. "The China Initiative impacts Americans, permanent residents, immigrants, international students and visiting scholars," Gisela Kusakawa, an attorney for the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice, was quoted as saying. Thu Nguyen, the executive director of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, said the initiative has created fear that could trigger a brain drain in academia. The growing threat of racial profiling in the United States has already pushed some talented scientists to look for jobs back in China, she said. In August 2021, more than 20 Asian-American advocacy groups jointly sent an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to pause the initiative targeting China. The letter also called for an independent review on whether the program unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ethnicity, urging Biden to "redouble" efforts to combat hate and violence against Asian Americans. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Peoples Dailys top 10 domestic news events in 2021 People's Daily Online) 18:40, December 31, 2021 A ceremony celebrating the CPCs centenary is held at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing (Xinhua/Li Xiang). A volunteer introduces the spirit of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee to local residents of the Miao ethnic group in Tianba village, Guanba town of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (cpanet.cn/Cao Yonglong) CPC members review the Party admission oath at the memorial of the First National Congress of the CPC in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Liu Ying) Aerial photo shows workers of a power transmission and distribution company in east China's Anhui Province working at a construction site of an ultra-high-voltage (UHV) power transmission project over the Yangtze River in Anhui Province. (cpanet.cn/Zheng Xianlie) A farmer of Liufeng village, Youjiang district, Baise city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region airs out his anise. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun)\ Photo shows a judge of the people's court of Wenxian county, central China's Henan Province participating in a law education activity. (cpanet.cn/Xu Hongxing) Photo shows the scenery of Chinas Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center shows China's Shenzhou-13 astronaut Zhai Zhigang waving his hand after conducting extravehicular activities outside of the space station core module Tianhe. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng) Photo shows an 81MW photovoltaic power project built at the Nanshan Reservoir, Fujia village, Dongjia town, Fengcheng city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (cpanet.cn/Zhan Peilu) Photo shows the first China International Consumer Products Expo held in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan Province. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun) Editors note: The year 2021 marked a milestone in the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese nation. Over the past year, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, solemnly celebrated the centenary of the founding of the CPC, successfully held the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, formulated the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century, and carried out Party history education efforts. Meanwhile, it has united and led the Chinese people in winning the battle against poverty as scheduled, in building a moderately prosperous society, and in embarking on a new journey of turning China into a modern socialist country in an all-round way, signaling a perfect start to the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). Going forward, China is determined to make even greater achievements through dedication and hard work. In 2022, the CPC will convene its 20th National Congress, a significant event for both the Party and the country. As long as it actively takes on its new missions, earnestly learns from its previous experience, and forges ahead courageously, China will certainly witness even greater glories on its new journey in the new era and make the ship of socialism with Chinese characteristics sail smoothly through all the coming waves. 1. Xi Jinping announces realization of first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects at ceremony marking centenary of the CPC A ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC was held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on July 1. During his speech at the ceremony, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee reviewed the CPCs struggle over the past 100 years, spoke highly of the great achievements the Chinese people made under the leadership of the CPC, and announced that China has realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. He summarized the great founding spirit of the Party, which is comprised of the following principles: upholding truth and ideals, staying true to the Partys original aspiration and founding mission, fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice, and remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people. Xi stressed the importance of upholding the firm leadership of the Party, and noted that as the CPC puts conscious effort into learning from history to create a bright future, the Party must unite and lead the Chinese people in working ceaselessly for a better life, continue to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context, uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces, continue working to promote the building of a human community with a shared future, carry out a great struggle with many contemporary features, strengthen the great unity of the Chinese people, and continue to advance the great new project of Party building. He also called on all party members to score even greater achievements on the journey ahead. The awarding ceremony for the July 1 Medal and a meeting on awarding the titles of outstanding Party members, exemplary Party workers, and advanced community-level Party organizations were held before July 1 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. It was the first time the CPC Central Committee presented the July 1 Medal, the highest honor in the Party. It was of great significance for encouraging all party members to bear in mind the founding mission of the Party and forge ahead. 2. CPC issues landmark resolution on Party's achievements, experience over past century The sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee was held from Nov. 8 to 11. At the session, the CPC Central Committee heard and discussed a work report Xi delivered on behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and considered and adopted the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century and the Resolution on the Convocation of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The CPC Central Committee considered it important in both a practical and historical sense to have a comprehensive review of the major achievements and historical experience of the Party over the past century as the CPC celebrates its centenary and the fulfillment of the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and moves on towards the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. The Central Committee believed that this review would help build a broader consensus and stronger unity in will and action among all members and rally and lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in achieving new and great success in building socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. According to the resolution, the Party has established Comrade Xi Jinpings core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This reflects the common will of the Party, the armed forces, and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, and is of decisive significance for advancing the cause of the Party and the country in the new era and for driving forward the historic process of national rejuvenation, the document said. 3. China secures complete victory in fight against poverty, makes solid progress on major livelihood projects On Feb. 25, President Xi Jinping announced that China had secured a complete victory in its fight against poverty at a grand gathering held in Beijing to mark the country's accomplishments in poverty alleviation and to honor its model poverty fighters. The final 98.99 million impoverished rural residents living under the current poverty line have all been lifted out of poverty. All the 832 impoverished counties and 128,000 impoverished villages have been removed from the poverty list. Regional poverty has been eliminated on the whole, and the arduous task of eradicating absolute poverty has been completed, representing yet another miraculous achievement. Remaining committed to the people-centered philosophy of development, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core rolled out a slew of measures to improve peoples livelihood and address their urgent problems, ensuring a strong sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security for them. In July, China introduced a guideline to ease the burdens of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring for students undergoing compulsory education, in a bid to promote the well-rounded and healthy development of students. In the same month, the country released a decision on improving birth policies to promote long-term and balanced population development. Fresh progress was made in ensuring access to medical services, elderly care, housing, and social assistance. Between January and October, China began the rebuilding and renovation of 53,400 old urban residential communities. China conducted three rounds of centralized drug procurement. Sixty-one types of medicines listed in Chinas fifth-round centralized drug-procurement program were made 56 percent cheaper on average. Chinas basic medical insurance schemes covered 1.36 billion people, or 95 percent of the countrys population. The number of people covered by basic old-age insurance nationwide hit 1 billion, with an insured rate of over 90 percent. 4. China ensures good start of 14th Five-Year Plan, maintains leading position in coordinating epidemic control and economic development On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th National Peoples Congress approved the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035. In 2021, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has calmly responded to the profound changes unseen in a century and the COVID-19 pandemic, and united and led all the Chinese people to accomplish the arduous tasks of reform and development, securing a good start to the 14th Five-Year Plan. China has made new strides to foster a new paradigm of development and promote high-quality development, and has continued to lead the world in terms of economic development and epidemic control, with significant progress made in improving its strategic scientific and technological strength, industrial chain resilience, peoples well-being, reform and opening-up, and eco-environmental progress. The countrys GDP expanded 9.8 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters, putting the average growth for the period over the past two years at 5.2 percent. The number of market entities nationwide exceeded 150 million, and total grain output exceeded 650 million metric tons. China, as the worlds second largest economy, second largest consumption market, and largest trader in goods, has maintained a continuous economic recovery and contributed significantly to stabilizing and promoting recovery in the global economy. 5. CPC launches campaign on studying Party history The launching of the Party-wide education campaign was a major strategic decision by the CPC Central Committee to open up new prospects for the cause of the Party and the State from the new starting point of the centenary of the founding of the CPC. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, attended the campaign's launch meeting held in Beijing on Feb. 20, and delivered an important speech. Xi stressed the vital necessity of launching the campaign, urging Party committees at all levels to earnestly implement the arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee regarding the campaign. Over the past year, Party organizations at all levels have conscientiously implemented the arrangements of the Party Central Committee. Through the campaign, the whole Party has notably enhanced its historical consciousness and confidence, and has significantly strengthened its capacity to innovate, unite and fight, thus achieving the goal of studying the Party's history, understanding its theories, doing practical work and making new advances. 6. China introduces targeted reform plans, improves institutional system in all-round way, pushes forward reform and opening up This year, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, China stressed full, accurate and comprehensive implementation of the new development philosophy to strengthen the integration of systems, take targeted measures and continuously further reform and opening up. China issued a guideline on building the eastern province of Zhejiang into a demonstration zone for achieving common prosperity in June. This was a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core, which puts promoting the common prosperity of all people in a more important position. It fully reflects the firm determination of the CPC Central Committee to solve the problem of insufficiencies resulting from development imbalances in China. In July, China issued a guideline to support the high-level reform and opening-up of the Pudong New Area in Shanghai. In September, the country issued a general plan for building a Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, and a plan on deepening the reform and opening-up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone. A number of policy documents such as a negative list on cross-border trade in services for the Hainan Free Trade Port and measures to liberalize and facilitate the trade in goods and services at the Hainan free trade port have been issued and implemented. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has successively set up 21 free trade pilot zones, obtained a large number of high-level institutional innovation achievements, and built a number of world-leading industrial clusters. This year, economic and trade events such as the China International Consumer Products Expo, the China International Fair for Trade in Services, the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) and the China International Import Expo have been successfully held, and China's resolve to open wider at a high standard is obvious to any objective observer. 7. China issues guiding document on advancing rule of law in new era, improves whole-process peoples democracy The CPC Central Committee in January issued a plan on building the rule of law in China (2020-2025). The plan, designed and formulated under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, practically implements the thought in its every aspect. As the first plan on building the rule of law in China, it is a guiding document on comprehensively advancing the rule of law in the new era and is a blueprint, a roadmap and a drawing for coordinated efforts to advance the building of Chinas rule of law during the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period. The plan bears important significance for allowing the rule of law to better play its role as the guarantor for consolidating foundations, stabilizing expectations and bringing long-term benefits, for advancing the modernization of Chinas national governance system and capacity, for adapting to peoples new requirements and expectations regarding such aspects as democracy, rule of law, equity, justice, security and environment, and for achieving the goal of basically building a country, government and society based on the rule of law in 2035. In December, the State Council Information Office issued a white paper titled China: Democracy That Works, which is a comprehensive summary of Chinas remarkable progress made in whole-process peoples democracy. It says, With complete institutions and extensive participation, whole-process people's democracy has evolved from an idea into a system and mechanism of governance that has taken root in the soil of Chinese society and has become part of people's lives. Whole-process peoples democracy has distinctive Chinese characteristics; it also exemplifies common values and contributes Chinas ideas and solutions to the political progress of humanity. 8. Principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, ending chaos, restoring stability of HKSAR On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th NPC adopted a decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Under the new electoral system, elections of the Election Committee of the HKSAR and the seventh-term Legislative Council of the HKSAR were successfully held, with the democratic rights of Hong Kong citizens reflected, the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, and a political landscape featuring wide and balanced participation from all social groups and constituencies established. Practice has proven that the new electoral system is a good system that adheres to the one country, two systems principle, suits Hong Kongs realities, and provides strong institutional support for the steady and sustained development of the one country, two systems principle as well as the long-term prosperity and stability of the HKSAR. In the past year, Hong Kong has constantly consolidated its achievements in ending chaos and restoring stability, and has secured a sound impetus for development. It has achieved notable results in COVID-19 control, gradually recovered its economy and maintained social stability. 9. Chinese astronauts enter Chinas space station for first time China sent into space the Tianhe core module of its space station on April 29, which signaled that the countrys space station construction entered the full implementation stage. On May 15, Chinas Mars probe Tianwen-1 landed on the surface of Mars, leaving the mark of the Chinese nation on the Red Planet. It marked an important step in Chinas interstellar exploration and a leap from the exploration of the Earth-Moon system to interplanetary exploration. On June 17, Chinas Shenzhou-12 manned spaceship completed a fast automated rendezvous and docking with the Tianhe core module, and Chinese astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo entered the orbiting Tianhe module, which marked the first time Chinese astronauts entered their own space station. After completing their three-month mission, including innovative and groundbreaking scientific experiments and space applications, they returned to Earth safely on Sept. 17. China successfully launched the crewed spaceship Shenzhou-13 on Oct. 16, sending three astronauts to its space station core module Tianhe for a six-month mission. 10. China sets clearly-defined timetable, roadmap for achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality while advancing ecological progress In October, China unveiled a guiding document on its work to achieve its carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals under the new development philosophy, setting a clearly-defined timetable and roadmap and laying out specific targets and measures for the coming decades. According to the document, China will peak its carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The document outlines five major tasks, including creating a green, low-carbon and circular economy, improving energy efficiency, increasing the share of non-fossil energy consumption, lowering CO2 emissions and boosting the carbon sink capacity of ecosystems. It calls for resolute efforts to curb the haphazard development of energy-intensive and high-emission projects. Besides, Chinas national carbon market started online trading and secured stable and orderly operations. China made headway in its efforts to protect its blue skies, and to defend its rivers and soil from pollution. A 10-year ban on fishing in key waters of the Yangtze River basin came into force from Jan. 1, 2021. The combined proportion of state-controlled water sections with good-quality surface water increased to 83.6 percent. Chinas total installed capacity using renewable energy exceeded a billion kilowatts. The total area of afforestation across the country hit 54 million mu, or 3.6 million hectares. (Web editor: Du Mingming, Bianji) China is turning a major part of its internal Internet data surveillance network outward, mining Western social media, including Facebook and Twitter, to equip its government agencies, military and police with information on foreign targets, according to a Washington Post review of hundreds of Chinese bidding documents, contracts and company filings. China maintains a countrywide network of government data surveillance services - called public opinion analysis software - that were developed over the past decade and are used domestically to warn officials of politically sensitive information online. The software primarily targets Chinas domestic Internet users and media, but a Washington Post review of bidding documents and contracts for over 300 Chinese government projects since the beginning of 2020 include orders for software designed to collect data on foreign targets from sources such as Twitter, Facebook and other Western social media. The documents, publicly accessible through domestic government bidding platforms, also show that agencies including state media, propaganda departments, police, military and cyber regulators are purchasing new or more sophisticated systems to gather data. These include a $320,000 Chinese state media software program that mines Twitter and Facebook to create a database of foreign journalists and academics; a $216,000 Beijing police intelligence program that analyses Western chatter on Hong Kong and Taiwan; and a Xinjiang cybercenter cataloguing Uyghur language content abroad. Now we can better understand the underground network of anti-China personnel, said a Beijing-based analyst who works for a unit reporting to Chinas Central Propaganda Department. The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss their work, said they were once tasked with producing a data report on how negative content relating to Beijings senior leadership is spread on Twitter, including profiles of individual academics, politicians and journalists. These surveillance dragnets are part of a wider drive by Beijing to refine its foreign propaganda efforts through big data and artificial intelligence. They also form a network of warning systems designed to sound real-time alarms for trends that undermine Beijings interests. They are now reorienting part of that effort outward, and I think thats frankly terrifying, looking at the sheer numbers and sheer scale that this has taken inside China, said Mareike Ohlberg, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund who has conducted extensive research on Chinas domestic public opinion network. It really shows that they now feel its their responsibility to defend China overseas and fight the public opinion war overseas, she said. Some of the Chinese governments budgeting includes buying and maintaining foreign social media accounts on behalf of police and propaganda departments. Yet others describe using the targeted analysis to refine Beijings state media coverage abroad. The purchases range in size from small, automated programs to projects costing hundreds of thousands of dollars that are staffed 24 hours a day by teams including English speakers and foreign policy specialists. The documents describe highly customizable programs that can collect real-time social media data from individual social media users. Some describe tracking broad trends on issues including U.S. elections. The Post was not able to review data collected by the systems but spoke to four people based in Beijing who are directly involved in government public opinion analysis and described separate software systems that automatically collect and store Facebook and Twitter data in real time on domestic Chinese servers for analysis. Twitter and Facebook both ban automated collection of data on their services without prior authorization. Twitters policy also expressly bars developers from gathering data used to infer a users political affiliation or ethnic and racial origin. Our API provides real-time access to public data and tweets only, not private information. We prohibit use of our API for surveillance purposes, as per our developer policy and terms, said Katie Rosborough, a Twitter spokesperson, referring to the companys Application Programming Interface (API), which allows developers to retrieve public data from the platform among other functions. Facebook did not respond to requests for comment about whether it is aware of the monitoring or whether several companies, universities and state media firms listed as supplying the software were authorized to collect data on its platform. Chinas Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Public opinion guidance Chinas systems for analyzing domestic public opinion online are a powerful but largely unseen pillar of President Xi Jinpings program to modernize Chinas propaganda apparatus and maintain control over the Internet. The vast data collection and monitoring efforts give officials insight into public opinion, a challenge in a country that does not hold public elections or permit independent media. The services also provide increasingly technical surveillance for Chinas censorship apparatus. And most systems include alarm functions designed to alert officials and police to negative content in real time. These operations are an important function of what Beijing calls public opinion guidance work - a policy of molding public sentiment in favor of the government through targeted propaganda and censorship. The phrase first came to prominence in policymaking after the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy demonstrations, when officials began exploring new ways to preempt popular challenges to the Communist Partys power, and has since become integral to the underlying architecture of Chinas Internet, where users are linked by real name ID, and Internet services are required by law to maintain an internal censorship apparatus. The exact scope of Chinas government public opinion monitoring industry is unclear, but there have been some indications about its size in Chinese state media. In 2014, the state-backed newspaper China Daily said more than 2 million people were working as public opinion analysts. In 2018, the Peoples Daily, another official organ, said the governments online opinion analysis industry was worth tens of billions of yuan, equivalent to billions of dollars, and was growing at a rate of 50% a year. That surveillance network system is expanding to include foreign social media at a time when global perceptions of Beijing are at their lowest in recent history. A Pew Research survey released in June showed that perceptions of China among 17 advanced economies had dipped to near historic lows for a second year in a row in the aftermath of the U.S. trade war, the Xinjiang human rights crisis, Hong Kong and the coronavirus pandemic. In May this year, Xi called on senior officials to portray a more trustworthy, lovable and reliable image of China abroad, calling for the effective development of international public opinion guidance. His comments reflect Beijings growing anxieties over how to control Chinas image abroad. On the back of the Sino-US trade talks and the Hong Kong rioting incident, its becoming clearer day by day that the public opinion news war is arduous and necessary, China Daily said in a July 2020 bidding document for a $300,000 foreign personnel analysis platform. The invitation to tender lays out specifications for a program that mines Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for data on well known Western media journalists and other key personnel from political, business and media circles. We are competing with the US and Western media, the battle for the right to speak has begun, it said. The software should run 24 hours a day, according to the specifications, and map the relationships between target personnel and uncover factions between personnel, measuring their China tendencies and building an alarm system that automatically flags false statements and reports on China. Warning systems like the one outlined in the China Daily document are described in over 90% of tenders that list technical specifications, The Posts review of the documents show. Two people who work as analysts in public opinion analysis units contracted by government agencies in Beijing told The Post that they receive automated alarms via SMS, email and on dedicated computer monitors when sensitive content was detected. Both of the people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to foreign media. Having responsibility for [the monitoring] is a lot of pressure, said one of the people. If we do our work poorly, there are severe repercussions. Highly sensitive viral trends online are reported to a 24-hour hotline maintained by the Cybersecurity Administration of China (CAC), the body that oversees the countrys censorship apparatus, the person said of their unit. The person added that most of the alarms were related to domestic social media but that foreign social media had also been included in the units monitoring since the middle of 2019. The persons account is supported by four bidding documents for unrelated systems that mention direct hotlines to the CAC. In case of major public opinion, directly contact the staff on duty of the CAC by telephone to ensure that notifications are in place through various communication tools, said one December 2020 tender for a $236,000 system purchased by the municipal propaganda department in eastern Chinas Fuzhou city for monitoring Facebook and Twitter alongside domestic social media. It specifies that reports to the CAC should include the details of individual social media users. State media-led data mining Suppliers of the systems vary. The China Daily awarded its contract to Beijings Communications University, one of a half dozen Chinese universities that have launched specialized departments to develop public opinion analysis technology. However, some of the most prolific public opinion monitoring services are provided to police and government agencies by state media themselves. The documents provide insight into the scope of foreign social media data collection done by Chinas major state media outlets, which maintain offices and servers abroad, and their key role in providing Beijing with publicity guidance based on increasingly sophisticated data mining analysis. The growing clout of Beijings propaganda efforts abroad, spearheaded by state media, has triggered alarms in Washington. In 2020, the State Department reclassified the U.S.-based operations of Chinas top state media outlets as foreign missions, increasing reporting requirements and restricting their visa allocations, angering Beijing. The Peoples Daily Online, a unit of the state newspaper the Peoples Daily, which provides one of the countrys largest contract public opinion analysis services, won dozens of projects that include overseas social media data collection services for police, judicial authorities, Communist Party organizations and other clients. The unit, which recorded $330 million in operating income in 2020, up 50% from 2018, says it serves over 200 government agencies, although it is not clear how many request foreign social media data. In one tender won by the Peoples Daily Online, the Beijing Police Intelligence Command Unit purchased a $30,570 service to trawl foreign social media and produce reports on unspecified key personnel and organizations, gathering information on their basic circumstances, background and relationships. It also calls for weekly data reports on Hong Kong, Taiwan and U.S. relations. Issued shortly before the 2020 U.S. presidential election results were ratified on Jan. 6, it also called for special reports on netizens main views related to the election. The international balance of power has been profoundly adjusted, said the request for tenders. Through the collection of public Internet information we can keep a close eye on the international community, analyze sensitivities and hot spots, and maintain the stability of Chinese society. In an April 2020 article, the chief analyst at the Peoples Daily Online Public Opinion Data Center, Liao Canliang, laid out the ultimate goal of public opinion analysis. The ultimate purpose of analysis and prediction is to guide and intervene in public opinion, Canliang wrote. . . . Public data from social network users can be used to analyze the characteristics and preferences of users, and then guide them in a targeted manner. In the article, Liao points to Cambridge Analyticas impact on the 2016 U.S. election as evidence of social medias ability to mold public opinion. The West uses big data to analyze, research and judge public opinion to influence political activities. ... As long as there is a correct grasp on the situation, public opinion can also be guided and interfered with, he wrote. Peoples Daily subsidiary Global Times, a firebrand newspaper known for its biting coverage of Chinas critics, also has a unit gathering foreign social media data for Chinas Foreign Ministry, Beijings Foreign Affairs Office and other government agencies. In late 2019, the Global Times Online won a three-year contract worth $531,000 to provide a China-related foreign media and journalist opinion monitoring system that monitors overseas social media on behalf of Chinas Foreign Ministry and produces comprehensive regular reports, as well as special briefings in urgent circumstances. Documentation accompanying the project says that close to 40% of the Global Times monitoring units staffers are senior Global Times reporters and that the publication maintains large overseas social media monitoring platforms. A description on the website of the Global Timess public opinion research center says the group conducts overseas monitoring and overseas investigation services and provides comprehensive response plans to government and private clients. Both the Peoples Daily and the Global Times were among the outlets designated as foreign missions in the United States. The increase in Chinas monitoring of foreign public opinion on social media coincides with efforts by Beijing to boost its influence on Twitter and other U.S. social media platforms. In June 2020, Twitter suspended 23,000 accounts that it said were linked to the Chinese Communist Party and covertly spreading propaganda to undermine pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. This month, Twitter said it removed a further 2,048 accounts linked to Beijing and producing coordinated content undermining accusations of rights abuses in Xinjiang. Experts say those accounts represent a small fraction of Chinas efforts to boost pro-Beijing messaging on foreign social media. Extreme chilling effect Just under a third of the public opinion analysis systems reviewed by The Post were procured by Chinese police. In 14 instances, the analysis systems included a feature requested by the police that would automatically flag sensitive content related to Uyghurs and other Chinese ethnic minorities. An additional 12 analysis systems included the police-requested capability of monitoring individual content authors over time. It must support information monitoring of overseas social media . . . and provide for targeted collection of designated sites and authors, said one invitation to tender released by the Fuzhou city police in October that lists coverage of Facebook and Twitter as a requirement. The monitoring of social media abroad by local police throughout China could be used in investigating Chinese citizens locally and abroad, as well as in flagging trends that stir domestic dissent, experts say. The public security monitoring is very much about stability maintenance, tracking people down and finding peoples identity, and when they monitor overseas social media, its also often with an eye to monitoring what news could cause trouble at home in China, said the German Marshall Funds Ohlberg. Companies providing overseas public opinion monitoring to police include a mix of private and state-owned firms, including the Peoples Daily Online. Six police contracts awarded since 2020 stated that the Peoples Daily was chosen to conduct monitoring on the basis of its technical ability to gather data abroad. Its the only one in the industry that deploys overseas servers. It is a public opinion service organization that can monitor and collect more than 8,000 overseas media without overturning the wall, said the Guangdong Police Department in a $26,200 contract offer posted in July 2020, referring to the ability of the Peoples Daily unit to collect overseas data outside Chinas Great Firewall. Experts say the increasingly advanced social media surveillance technology available to Chinese police could worsen the targeted harassment of Beijings critics. The Chinese government is one of the worst offenders when it comes to targeting individuals outside of the country, said Adrian Shahbaz, the director for technology and democracy at the think tank Freedom House. It has an extreme chilling effect on how Chinese citizens outside of China are using social media tools, because they know that back home, their information is very easily monitored by Chinese authorities, he said. The China Public Security Bureau did not respond to a request for comment. A police bureau in southern Chinas Nanping city purchased a $42,000 system that supports collection, discovery, and warning functions for ... Twitter and Facebook social media data according to different classifications and keyword groups, as well as overseas information lists, according to bidding documents released in July 2020. Other procurements for public opinion services outline programs purchased by Chinese police and Xinjiang government bodies to track sensitive ethnic language content abroad. (Chinas mainly-Muslim Uyghurs are concentrated in Xinjiang.) A $43,000 system purchased by police in central Chinas Shangnan county included a foreign sensitive information collection system that requested Uyghur and Tibetan staff translators, according to the contracts. Military procurement documents - less detailed than other types - did not offer much detail on the purpose of the foreign data collection but alluded to vague categories of data including key personnel. One heavily redacted June 2020 contract issued by the Peoples Liberation Army described a system that would trawl foreign sites and categorize data on the basis of affiliation, geography and country. Source Data Technology, the Shanghai-based company that won the contract, says on its website that it uses advanced big data mining and artificial intelligence analysis technology to cover more than 90% of social media in the United States, Europe and Chinas neighboring countries. China is turning a major part of its internal Internet data surveillance network outward, mining Western social media, including Facebook and Twitter, to equip its government agencies, military and police with information on foreign targets, according to a Washington Post review of hundreds of Chinese bidding documents, contracts and company filings. China maintains a countrywide network of government data surveillance services - called public opinion analysis software - that were developed over the past decade and are used domestically to warn officials of politically sensitive information online. The software primarily targets Chinas domestic Internet users and media, but a Washington Post review of bidding documents and contracts for over 300 Chinese government projects since the beginning of 2020 include orders for software designed to collect data on foreign targets from sources such as Twitter, Facebook and other Western social media. The documents, publicly accessible through domestic government bidding platforms, also show that agencies including state media, propaganda departments, police, military and cyber regulators are purchasing new or more sophisticated systems to gather data. These include a $320,000 Chinese state media software program that mines Twitter and Facebook to create a database of foreign journalists and academics; a $216,000 Beijing police intelligence program that analyses Western chatter on Hong Kong and Taiwan; and a Xinjiang cybercenter cataloguing Uyghur language content abroad. Now we can better understand the underground network of anti-China personnel, said a Beijing-based analyst who works for a unit reporting to Chinas Central Propaganda Department. The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss their work, said they were once tasked with producing a data report on how negative content relating to Beijings senior leadership is spread on Twitter, including profiles of individual academics, politicians and journalists. These surveillance dragnets are part of a wider drive by Beijing to refine its foreign propaganda efforts through big data and artificial intelligence. They also form a network of warning systems designed to sound real-time alarms for trends that undermine Beijings interests. They are now reorienting part of that effort outward, and I think thats frankly terrifying, looking at the sheer numbers and sheer scale that this has taken inside China, said Mareike Ohlberg, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund who has conducted extensive research on Chinas domestic public opinion network. It really shows that they now feel its their responsibility to defend China overseas and fight the public opinion war overseas, she said. Some of the Chinese governments budgeting includes buying and maintaining foreign social media accounts on behalf of police and propaganda departments. Yet others describe using the targeted analysis to refine Beijings state media coverage abroad. The purchases range in size from small, automated programs to projects costing hundreds of thousands of dollars that are staffed 24 hours a day by teams including English speakers and foreign policy specialists. The documents describe highly customizable programs that can collect real-time social media data from individual social media users. Some describe tracking broad trends on issues including U.S. elections. The Post was not able to review data collected by the systems but spoke to four people based in Beijing who are directly involved in government public opinion analysis and described separate software systems that automatically collect and store Facebook and Twitter data in real time on domestic Chinese servers for analysis. Twitter and Facebook both ban automated collection of data on their services without prior authorization. Twitters policy also expressly bars developers from gathering data used to infer a users political affiliation or ethnic and racial origin. Our API provides real-time access to public data and tweets only, not private information. We prohibit use of our API for surveillance purposes, as per our developer policy and terms, said Katie Rosborough, a Twitter spokesperson, referring to the companys Application Programming Interface (API), which allows developers to retrieve public data from the platform among other functions. Facebook did not respond to requests for comment about whether it is aware of the monitoring or whether several companies, universities and state media firms listed as supplying the software were authorized to collect data on its platform. Chinas Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Public opinion guidance Chinas systems for analyzing domestic public opinion online are a powerful but largely unseen pillar of President Xi Jinpings program to modernize Chinas propaganda apparatus and maintain control over the Internet. The vast data collection and monitoring efforts give officials insight into public opinion, a challenge in a country that does not hold public elections or permit independent media. The services also provide increasingly technical surveillance for Chinas censorship apparatus. And most systems include alarm functions designed to alert officials and police to negative content in real time. These operations are an important function of what Beijing calls public opinion guidance work - a policy of molding public sentiment in favor of the government through targeted propaganda and censorship. The phrase first came to prominence in policymaking after the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy demonstrations, when officials began exploring new ways to preempt popular challenges to the Communist Partys power, and has since become integral to the underlying architecture of Chinas Internet, where users are linked by real name ID, and Internet services are required by law to maintain an internal censorship apparatus. The exact scope of Chinas government public opinion monitoring industry is unclear, but there have been some indications about its size in Chinese state media. In 2014, the state-backed newspaper China Daily said more than 2 million people were working as public opinion analysts. In 2018, the Peoples Daily, another official organ, said the governments online opinion analysis industry was worth tens of billions of yuan, equivalent to billions of dollars, and was growing at a rate of 50% a year. That surveillance network system is expanding to include foreign social media at a time when global perceptions of Beijing are at their lowest in recent history. A Pew Research survey released in June showed that perceptions of China among 17 advanced economies had dipped to near historic lows for a second year in a row in the aftermath of the U.S. trade war, the Xinjiang human rights crisis, Hong Kong and the coronavirus pandemic. In May this year, Xi called on senior officials to portray a more trustworthy, lovable and reliable image of China abroad, calling for the effective development of international public opinion guidance. His comments reflect Beijings growing anxieties over how to control Chinas image abroad. On the back of the Sino-US trade talks and the Hong Kong rioting incident, its becoming clearer day by day that the public opinion news war is arduous and necessary, China Daily said in a July 2020 bidding document for a $300,000 foreign personnel analysis platform. The invitation to tender lays out specifications for a program that mines Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for data on well known Western media journalists and other key personnel from political, business and media circles. We are competing with the US and Western media, the battle for the right to speak has begun, it said. The software should run 24 hours a day, according to the specifications, and map the relationships between target personnel and uncover factions between personnel, measuring their China tendencies and building an alarm system that automatically flags false statements and reports on China. Warning systems like the one outlined in the China Daily document are described in over 90% of tenders that list technical specifications, The Posts review of the documents show. Two people who work as analysts in public opinion analysis units contracted by government agencies in Beijing told The Post that they receive automated alarms via SMS, email and on dedicated computer monitors when sensitive content was detected. Both of the people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to foreign media. Having responsibility for [the monitoring] is a lot of pressure, said one of the people. If we do our work poorly, there are severe repercussions. Highly sensitive viral trends online are reported to a 24-hour hotline maintained by the Cybersecurity Administration of China (CAC), the body that oversees the countrys censorship apparatus, the person said of their unit. The person added that most of the alarms were related to domestic social media but that foreign social media had also been included in the units monitoring since the middle of 2019. The persons account is supported by four bidding documents for unrelated systems that mention direct hotlines to the CAC. In case of major public opinion, directly contact the staff on duty of the CAC by telephone to ensure that notifications are in place through various communication tools, said one December 2020 tender for a $236,000 system purchased by the municipal propaganda department in eastern Chinas Fuzhou city for monitoring Facebook and Twitter alongside domestic social media. It specifies that reports to the CAC should include the details of individual social media users. State media-led data mining Suppliers of the systems vary. The China Daily awarded its contract to Beijings Communications University, one of a half dozen Chinese universities that have launched specialized departments to develop public opinion analysis technology. However, some of the most prolific public opinion monitoring services are provided to police and government agencies by state media themselves. The documents provide insight into the scope of foreign social media data collection done by Chinas major state media outlets, which maintain offices and servers abroad, and their key role in providing Beijing with publicity guidance based on increasingly sophisticated data mining analysis. The growing clout of Beijings propaganda efforts abroad, spearheaded by state media, has triggered alarms in Washington. In 2020, the State Department reclassified the U.S.-based operations of Chinas top state media outlets as foreign missions, increasing reporting requirements and restricting their visa allocations, angering Beijing. The Peoples Daily Online, a unit of the state newspaper the Peoples Daily, which provides one of the countrys largest contract public opinion analysis services, won dozens of projects that include overseas social media data collection services for police, judicial authorities, Communist Party organizations and other clients. The unit, which recorded $330 million in operating income in 2020, up 50% from 2018, says it serves over 200 government agencies, although it is not clear how many request foreign social media data. In one tender won by the Peoples Daily Online, the Beijing Police Intelligence Command Unit purchased a $30,570 service to trawl foreign social media and produce reports on unspecified key personnel and organizations, gathering information on their basic circumstances, background and relationships. It also calls for weekly data reports on Hong Kong, Taiwan and U.S. relations. Issued shortly before the 2020 U.S. presidential election results were ratified on Jan. 6, it also called for special reports on netizens main views related to the election. The international balance of power has been profoundly adjusted, said the request for tenders. Through the collection of public Internet information we can keep a close eye on the international community, analyze sensitivities and hot spots, and maintain the stability of Chinese society. In an April 2020 article, the chief analyst at the Peoples Daily Online Public Opinion Data Center, Liao Canliang, laid out the ultimate goal of public opinion analysis. The ultimate purpose of analysis and prediction is to guide and intervene in public opinion, Canliang wrote. . . . Public data from social network users can be used to analyze the characteristics and preferences of users, and then guide them in a targeted manner. In the article, Liao points to Cambridge Analyticas impact on the 2016 U.S. election as evidence of social medias ability to mold public opinion. The West uses big data to analyze, research and judge public opinion to influence political activities. ... As long as there is a correct grasp on the situation, public opinion can also be guided and interfered with, he wrote. Peoples Daily subsidiary Global Times, a firebrand newspaper known for its biting coverage of Chinas critics, also has a unit gathering foreign social media data for Chinas Foreign Ministry, Beijings Foreign Affairs Office and other government agencies. In late 2019, the Global Times Online won a three-year contract worth $531,000 to provide a China-related foreign media and journalist opinion monitoring system that monitors overseas social media on behalf of Chinas Foreign Ministry and produces comprehensive regular reports, as well as special briefings in urgent circumstances. Documentation accompanying the project says that close to 40% of the Global Times monitoring units staffers are senior Global Times reporters and that the publication maintains large overseas social media monitoring platforms. A description on the website of the Global Timess public opinion research center says the group conducts overseas monitoring and overseas investigation services and provides comprehensive response plans to government and private clients. Both the Peoples Daily and the Global Times were among the outlets designated as foreign missions in the United States. The increase in Chinas monitoring of foreign public opinion on social media coincides with efforts by Beijing to boost its influence on Twitter and other U.S. social media platforms. In June 2020, Twitter suspended 23,000 accounts that it said were linked to the Chinese Communist Party and covertly spreading propaganda to undermine pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. This month, Twitter said it removed a further 2,048 accounts linked to Beijing and producing coordinated content undermining accusations of rights abuses in Xinjiang. Experts say those accounts represent a small fraction of Chinas efforts to boost pro-Beijing messaging on foreign social media. Extreme chilling effect Just under a third of the public opinion analysis systems reviewed by The Post were procured by Chinese police. In 14 instances, the analysis systems included a feature requested by the police that would automatically flag sensitive content related to Uyghurs and other Chinese ethnic minorities. An additional 12 analysis systems included the police-requested capability of monitoring individual content authors over time. It must support information monitoring of overseas social media . . . and provide for targeted collection of designated sites and authors, said one invitation to tender released by the Fuzhou city police in October that lists coverage of Facebook and Twitter as a requirement. The monitoring of social media abroad by local police throughout China could be used in investigating Chinese citizens locally and abroad, as well as in flagging trends that stir domestic dissent, experts say. The public security monitoring is very much about stability maintenance, tracking people down and finding peoples identity, and when they monitor overseas social media, its also often with an eye to monitoring what news could cause trouble at home in China, said the German Marshall Funds Ohlberg. Companies providing overseas public opinion monitoring to police include a mix of private and state-owned firms, including the Peoples Daily Online. Six police contracts awarded since 2020 stated that the Peoples Daily was chosen to conduct monitoring on the basis of its technical ability to gather data abroad. Its the only one in the industry that deploys overseas servers. It is a public opinion service organization that can monitor and collect more than 8,000 overseas media without overturning the wall, said the Guangdong Police Department in a $26,200 contract offer posted in July 2020, referring to the ability of the Peoples Daily unit to collect overseas data outside Chinas Great Firewall. Experts say the increasingly advanced social media surveillance technology available to Chinese police could worsen the targeted harassment of Beijings critics. The Chinese government is one of the worst offenders when it comes to targeting individuals outside of the country, said Adrian Shahbaz, the director for technology and democracy at the think tank Freedom House. It has an extreme chilling effect on how Chinese citizens outside of China are using social media tools, because they know that back home, their information is very easily monitored by Chinese authorities, he said. The China Public Security Bureau did not respond to a request for comment. A police bureau in southern Chinas Nanping city purchased a $42,000 system that supports collection, discovery, and warning functions for ... Twitter and Facebook social media data according to different classifications and keyword groups, as well as overseas information lists, according to bidding documents released in July 2020. Other procurements for public opinion services outline programs purchased by Chinese police and Xinjiang government bodies to track sensitive ethnic language content abroad. (Chinas mainly-Muslim Uyghurs are concentrated in Xinjiang.) A $43,000 system purchased by police in central Chinas Shangnan county included a foreign sensitive information collection system that requested Uyghur and Tibetan staff translators, according to the contracts. Military procurement documents - less detailed than other types - did not offer much detail on the purpose of the foreign data collection but alluded to vague categories of data including key personnel. One heavily redacted June 2020 contract issued by the Peoples Liberation Army described a system that would trawl foreign sites and categorize data on the basis of affiliation, geography and country. Source Data Technology, the Shanghai-based company that won the contract, says on its website that it uses advanced big data mining and artificial intelligence analysis technology to cover more than 90% of social media in the United States, Europe and Chinas neighboring countries. Peoples Dailys top 10 domestic news events in 2021 People's Daily Online) 18:40, December 31, 2021 A ceremony celebrating the CPCs centenary is held at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing (Xinhua/Li Xiang). A volunteer introduces the spirit of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee to local residents of the Miao ethnic group in Tianba village, Guanba town of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (cpanet.cn/Cao Yonglong) CPC members review the Party admission oath at the memorial of the First National Congress of the CPC in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Liu Ying) Aerial photo shows workers of a power transmission and distribution company in east China's Anhui Province working at a construction site of an ultra-high-voltage (UHV) power transmission project over the Yangtze River in Anhui Province. (cpanet.cn/Zheng Xianlie) A farmer of Liufeng village, Youjiang district, Baise city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region airs out his anise. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun)\ Photo shows a judge of the people's court of Wenxian county, central China's Henan Province participating in a law education activity. (cpanet.cn/Xu Hongxing) Photo shows the scenery of Chinas Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center shows China's Shenzhou-13 astronaut Zhai Zhigang waving his hand after conducting extravehicular activities outside of the space station core module Tianhe. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng) Photo shows an 81MW photovoltaic power project built at the Nanshan Reservoir, Fujia village, Dongjia town, Fengcheng city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (cpanet.cn/Zhan Peilu) Photo shows the first China International Consumer Products Expo held in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan Province. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun) Editors note: The year 2021 marked a milestone in the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese nation. Over the past year, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, solemnly celebrated the centenary of the founding of the CPC, successfully held the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, formulated the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century, and carried out Party history education efforts. Meanwhile, it has united and led the Chinese people in winning the battle against poverty as scheduled, in building a moderately prosperous society, and in embarking on a new journey of turning China into a modern socialist country in an all-round way, signaling a perfect start to the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). Going forward, China is determined to make even greater achievements through dedication and hard work. In 2022, the CPC will convene its 20th National Congress, a significant event for both the Party and the country. As long as it actively takes on its new missions, earnestly learns from its previous experience, and forges ahead courageously, China will certainly witness even greater glories on its new journey in the new era and make the ship of socialism with Chinese characteristics sail smoothly through all the coming waves. 1. Xi Jinping announces realization of first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects at ceremony marking centenary of the CPC A ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC was held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on July 1. During his speech at the ceremony, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee reviewed the CPCs struggle over the past 100 years, spoke highly of the great achievements the Chinese people made under the leadership of the CPC, and announced that China has realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. He summarized the great founding spirit of the Party, which is comprised of the following principles: upholding truth and ideals, staying true to the Partys original aspiration and founding mission, fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice, and remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people. Xi stressed the importance of upholding the firm leadership of the Party, and noted that as the CPC puts conscious effort into learning from history to create a bright future, the Party must unite and lead the Chinese people in working ceaselessly for a better life, continue to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context, uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces, continue working to promote the building of a human community with a shared future, carry out a great struggle with many contemporary features, strengthen the great unity of the Chinese people, and continue to advance the great new project of Party building. He also called on all party members to score even greater achievements on the journey ahead. The awarding ceremony for the July 1 Medal and a meeting on awarding the titles of outstanding Party members, exemplary Party workers, and advanced community-level Party organizations were held before July 1 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. It was the first time the CPC Central Committee presented the July 1 Medal, the highest honor in the Party. It was of great significance for encouraging all party members to bear in mind the founding mission of the Party and forge ahead. 2. CPC issues landmark resolution on Party's achievements, experience over past century The sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee was held from Nov. 8 to 11. At the session, the CPC Central Committee heard and discussed a work report Xi delivered on behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and considered and adopted the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century and the Resolution on the Convocation of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The CPC Central Committee considered it important in both a practical and historical sense to have a comprehensive review of the major achievements and historical experience of the Party over the past century as the CPC celebrates its centenary and the fulfillment of the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and moves on towards the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. The Central Committee believed that this review would help build a broader consensus and stronger unity in will and action among all members and rally and lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in achieving new and great success in building socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. According to the resolution, the Party has established Comrade Xi Jinpings core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This reflects the common will of the Party, the armed forces, and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, and is of decisive significance for advancing the cause of the Party and the country in the new era and for driving forward the historic process of national rejuvenation, the document said. 3. China secures complete victory in fight against poverty, makes solid progress on major livelihood projects On Feb. 25, President Xi Jinping announced that China had secured a complete victory in its fight against poverty at a grand gathering held in Beijing to mark the country's accomplishments in poverty alleviation and to honor its model poverty fighters. The final 98.99 million impoverished rural residents living under the current poverty line have all been lifted out of poverty. All the 832 impoverished counties and 128,000 impoverished villages have been removed from the poverty list. Regional poverty has been eliminated on the whole, and the arduous task of eradicating absolute poverty has been completed, representing yet another miraculous achievement. Remaining committed to the people-centered philosophy of development, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core rolled out a slew of measures to improve peoples livelihood and address their urgent problems, ensuring a strong sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security for them. In July, China introduced a guideline to ease the burdens of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring for students undergoing compulsory education, in a bid to promote the well-rounded and healthy development of students. In the same month, the country released a decision on improving birth policies to promote long-term and balanced population development. Fresh progress was made in ensuring access to medical services, elderly care, housing, and social assistance. Between January and October, China began the rebuilding and renovation of 53,400 old urban residential communities. China conducted three rounds of centralized drug procurement. Sixty-one types of medicines listed in Chinas fifth-round centralized drug-procurement program were made 56 percent cheaper on average. Chinas basic medical insurance schemes covered 1.36 billion people, or 95 percent of the countrys population. The number of people covered by basic old-age insurance nationwide hit 1 billion, with an insured rate of over 90 percent. 4. China ensures good start of 14th Five-Year Plan, maintains leading position in coordinating epidemic control and economic development On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th National Peoples Congress approved the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035. In 2021, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has calmly responded to the profound changes unseen in a century and the COVID-19 pandemic, and united and led all the Chinese people to accomplish the arduous tasks of reform and development, securing a good start to the 14th Five-Year Plan. China has made new strides to foster a new paradigm of development and promote high-quality development, and has continued to lead the world in terms of economic development and epidemic control, with significant progress made in improving its strategic scientific and technological strength, industrial chain resilience, peoples well-being, reform and opening-up, and eco-environmental progress. The countrys GDP expanded 9.8 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters, putting the average growth for the period over the past two years at 5.2 percent. The number of market entities nationwide exceeded 150 million, and total grain output exceeded 650 million metric tons. China, as the worlds second largest economy, second largest consumption market, and largest trader in goods, has maintained a continuous economic recovery and contributed significantly to stabilizing and promoting recovery in the global economy. 5. CPC launches campaign on studying Party history The launching of the Party-wide education campaign was a major strategic decision by the CPC Central Committee to open up new prospects for the cause of the Party and the State from the new starting point of the centenary of the founding of the CPC. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, attended the campaign's launch meeting held in Beijing on Feb. 20, and delivered an important speech. Xi stressed the vital necessity of launching the campaign, urging Party committees at all levels to earnestly implement the arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee regarding the campaign. Over the past year, Party organizations at all levels have conscientiously implemented the arrangements of the Party Central Committee. Through the campaign, the whole Party has notably enhanced its historical consciousness and confidence, and has significantly strengthened its capacity to innovate, unite and fight, thus achieving the goal of studying the Party's history, understanding its theories, doing practical work and making new advances. 6. China introduces targeted reform plans, improves institutional system in all-round way, pushes forward reform and opening up This year, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, China stressed full, accurate and comprehensive implementation of the new development philosophy to strengthen the integration of systems, take targeted measures and continuously further reform and opening up. China issued a guideline on building the eastern province of Zhejiang into a demonstration zone for achieving common prosperity in June. This was a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core, which puts promoting the common prosperity of all people in a more important position. It fully reflects the firm determination of the CPC Central Committee to solve the problem of insufficiencies resulting from development imbalances in China. In July, China issued a guideline to support the high-level reform and opening-up of the Pudong New Area in Shanghai. In September, the country issued a general plan for building a Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, and a plan on deepening the reform and opening-up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone. A number of policy documents such as a negative list on cross-border trade in services for the Hainan Free Trade Port and measures to liberalize and facilitate the trade in goods and services at the Hainan free trade port have been issued and implemented. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has successively set up 21 free trade pilot zones, obtained a large number of high-level institutional innovation achievements, and built a number of world-leading industrial clusters. This year, economic and trade events such as the China International Consumer Products Expo, the China International Fair for Trade in Services, the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) and the China International Import Expo have been successfully held, and China's resolve to open wider at a high standard is obvious to any objective observer. 7. China issues guiding document on advancing rule of law in new era, improves whole-process peoples democracy The CPC Central Committee in January issued a plan on building the rule of law in China (2020-2025). The plan, designed and formulated under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, practically implements the thought in its every aspect. As the first plan on building the rule of law in China, it is a guiding document on comprehensively advancing the rule of law in the new era and is a blueprint, a roadmap and a drawing for coordinated efforts to advance the building of Chinas rule of law during the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period. The plan bears important significance for allowing the rule of law to better play its role as the guarantor for consolidating foundations, stabilizing expectations and bringing long-term benefits, for advancing the modernization of Chinas national governance system and capacity, for adapting to peoples new requirements and expectations regarding such aspects as democracy, rule of law, equity, justice, security and environment, and for achieving the goal of basically building a country, government and society based on the rule of law in 2035. In December, the State Council Information Office issued a white paper titled China: Democracy That Works, which is a comprehensive summary of Chinas remarkable progress made in whole-process peoples democracy. It says, With complete institutions and extensive participation, whole-process people's democracy has evolved from an idea into a system and mechanism of governance that has taken root in the soil of Chinese society and has become part of people's lives. Whole-process peoples democracy has distinctive Chinese characteristics; it also exemplifies common values and contributes Chinas ideas and solutions to the political progress of humanity. 8. Principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, ending chaos, restoring stability of HKSAR On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th NPC adopted a decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Under the new electoral system, elections of the Election Committee of the HKSAR and the seventh-term Legislative Council of the HKSAR were successfully held, with the democratic rights of Hong Kong citizens reflected, the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, and a political landscape featuring wide and balanced participation from all social groups and constituencies established. Practice has proven that the new electoral system is a good system that adheres to the one country, two systems principle, suits Hong Kongs realities, and provides strong institutional support for the steady and sustained development of the one country, two systems principle as well as the long-term prosperity and stability of the HKSAR. In the past year, Hong Kong has constantly consolidated its achievements in ending chaos and restoring stability, and has secured a sound impetus for development. It has achieved notable results in COVID-19 control, gradually recovered its economy and maintained social stability. 9. Chinese astronauts enter Chinas space station for first time China sent into space the Tianhe core module of its space station on April 29, which signaled that the countrys space station construction entered the full implementation stage. On May 15, Chinas Mars probe Tianwen-1 landed on the surface of Mars, leaving the mark of the Chinese nation on the Red Planet. It marked an important step in Chinas interstellar exploration and a leap from the exploration of the Earth-Moon system to interplanetary exploration. On June 17, Chinas Shenzhou-12 manned spaceship completed a fast automated rendezvous and docking with the Tianhe core module, and Chinese astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo entered the orbiting Tianhe module, which marked the first time Chinese astronauts entered their own space station. After completing their three-month mission, including innovative and groundbreaking scientific experiments and space applications, they returned to Earth safely on Sept. 17. China successfully launched the crewed spaceship Shenzhou-13 on Oct. 16, sending three astronauts to its space station core module Tianhe for a six-month mission. 10. China sets clearly-defined timetable, roadmap for achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality while advancing ecological progress In October, China unveiled a guiding document on its work to achieve its carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals under the new development philosophy, setting a clearly-defined timetable and roadmap and laying out specific targets and measures for the coming decades. According to the document, China will peak its carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The document outlines five major tasks, including creating a green, low-carbon and circular economy, improving energy efficiency, increasing the share of non-fossil energy consumption, lowering CO2 emissions and boosting the carbon sink capacity of ecosystems. It calls for resolute efforts to curb the haphazard development of energy-intensive and high-emission projects. Besides, Chinas national carbon market started online trading and secured stable and orderly operations. China made headway in its efforts to protect its blue skies, and to defend its rivers and soil from pollution. A 10-year ban on fishing in key waters of the Yangtze River basin came into force from Jan. 1, 2021. The combined proportion of state-controlled water sections with good-quality surface water increased to 83.6 percent. Chinas total installed capacity using renewable energy exceeded a billion kilowatts. The total area of afforestation across the country hit 54 million mu, or 3.6 million hectares. (Web editor: Du Mingming, Bianji) Peoples Dailys top 10 domestic news events in 2021 People's Daily Online) 18:40, December 31, 2021 A ceremony celebrating the CPCs centenary is held at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing (Xinhua/Li Xiang). A volunteer introduces the spirit of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee to local residents of the Miao ethnic group in Tianba village, Guanba town of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (cpanet.cn/Cao Yonglong) CPC members review the Party admission oath at the memorial of the First National Congress of the CPC in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Liu Ying) Aerial photo shows workers of a power transmission and distribution company in east China's Anhui Province working at a construction site of an ultra-high-voltage (UHV) power transmission project over the Yangtze River in Anhui Province. (cpanet.cn/Zheng Xianlie) A farmer of Liufeng village, Youjiang district, Baise city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region airs out his anise. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun)\ Photo shows a judge of the people's court of Wenxian county, central China's Henan Province participating in a law education activity. (cpanet.cn/Xu Hongxing) Photo shows the scenery of Chinas Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center shows China's Shenzhou-13 astronaut Zhai Zhigang waving his hand after conducting extravehicular activities outside of the space station core module Tianhe. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng) Photo shows an 81MW photovoltaic power project built at the Nanshan Reservoir, Fujia village, Dongjia town, Fengcheng city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (cpanet.cn/Zhan Peilu) Photo shows the first China International Consumer Products Expo held in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan Province. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun) Editors note: The year 2021 marked a milestone in the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese nation. Over the past year, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, solemnly celebrated the centenary of the founding of the CPC, successfully held the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, formulated the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century, and carried out Party history education efforts. Meanwhile, it has united and led the Chinese people in winning the battle against poverty as scheduled, in building a moderately prosperous society, and in embarking on a new journey of turning China into a modern socialist country in an all-round way, signaling a perfect start to the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). Going forward, China is determined to make even greater achievements through dedication and hard work. In 2022, the CPC will convene its 20th National Congress, a significant event for both the Party and the country. As long as it actively takes on its new missions, earnestly learns from its previous experience, and forges ahead courageously, China will certainly witness even greater glories on its new journey in the new era and make the ship of socialism with Chinese characteristics sail smoothly through all the coming waves. 1. Xi Jinping announces realization of first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects at ceremony marking centenary of the CPC A ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC was held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on July 1. During his speech at the ceremony, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee reviewed the CPCs struggle over the past 100 years, spoke highly of the great achievements the Chinese people made under the leadership of the CPC, and announced that China has realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. He summarized the great founding spirit of the Party, which is comprised of the following principles: upholding truth and ideals, staying true to the Partys original aspiration and founding mission, fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice, and remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people. Xi stressed the importance of upholding the firm leadership of the Party, and noted that as the CPC puts conscious effort into learning from history to create a bright future, the Party must unite and lead the Chinese people in working ceaselessly for a better life, continue to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context, uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces, continue working to promote the building of a human community with a shared future, carry out a great struggle with many contemporary features, strengthen the great unity of the Chinese people, and continue to advance the great new project of Party building. He also called on all party members to score even greater achievements on the journey ahead. The awarding ceremony for the July 1 Medal and a meeting on awarding the titles of outstanding Party members, exemplary Party workers, and advanced community-level Party organizations were held before July 1 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. It was the first time the CPC Central Committee presented the July 1 Medal, the highest honor in the Party. It was of great significance for encouraging all party members to bear in mind the founding mission of the Party and forge ahead. 2. CPC issues landmark resolution on Party's achievements, experience over past century The sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee was held from Nov. 8 to 11. At the session, the CPC Central Committee heard and discussed a work report Xi delivered on behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and considered and adopted the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century and the Resolution on the Convocation of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The CPC Central Committee considered it important in both a practical and historical sense to have a comprehensive review of the major achievements and historical experience of the Party over the past century as the CPC celebrates its centenary and the fulfillment of the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and moves on towards the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. The Central Committee believed that this review would help build a broader consensus and stronger unity in will and action among all members and rally and lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in achieving new and great success in building socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. According to the resolution, the Party has established Comrade Xi Jinpings core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This reflects the common will of the Party, the armed forces, and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, and is of decisive significance for advancing the cause of the Party and the country in the new era and for driving forward the historic process of national rejuvenation, the document said. 3. China secures complete victory in fight against poverty, makes solid progress on major livelihood projects On Feb. 25, President Xi Jinping announced that China had secured a complete victory in its fight against poverty at a grand gathering held in Beijing to mark the country's accomplishments in poverty alleviation and to honor its model poverty fighters. The final 98.99 million impoverished rural residents living under the current poverty line have all been lifted out of poverty. All the 832 impoverished counties and 128,000 impoverished villages have been removed from the poverty list. Regional poverty has been eliminated on the whole, and the arduous task of eradicating absolute poverty has been completed, representing yet another miraculous achievement. Remaining committed to the people-centered philosophy of development, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core rolled out a slew of measures to improve peoples livelihood and address their urgent problems, ensuring a strong sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security for them. In July, China introduced a guideline to ease the burdens of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring for students undergoing compulsory education, in a bid to promote the well-rounded and healthy development of students. In the same month, the country released a decision on improving birth policies to promote long-term and balanced population development. Fresh progress was made in ensuring access to medical services, elderly care, housing, and social assistance. Between January and October, China began the rebuilding and renovation of 53,400 old urban residential communities. China conducted three rounds of centralized drug procurement. Sixty-one types of medicines listed in Chinas fifth-round centralized drug-procurement program were made 56 percent cheaper on average. Chinas basic medical insurance schemes covered 1.36 billion people, or 95 percent of the countrys population. The number of people covered by basic old-age insurance nationwide hit 1 billion, with an insured rate of over 90 percent. 4. China ensures good start of 14th Five-Year Plan, maintains leading position in coordinating epidemic control and economic development On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th National Peoples Congress approved the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035. In 2021, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has calmly responded to the profound changes unseen in a century and the COVID-19 pandemic, and united and led all the Chinese people to accomplish the arduous tasks of reform and development, securing a good start to the 14th Five-Year Plan. China has made new strides to foster a new paradigm of development and promote high-quality development, and has continued to lead the world in terms of economic development and epidemic control, with significant progress made in improving its strategic scientific and technological strength, industrial chain resilience, peoples well-being, reform and opening-up, and eco-environmental progress. The countrys GDP expanded 9.8 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters, putting the average growth for the period over the past two years at 5.2 percent. The number of market entities nationwide exceeded 150 million, and total grain output exceeded 650 million metric tons. China, as the worlds second largest economy, second largest consumption market, and largest trader in goods, has maintained a continuous economic recovery and contributed significantly to stabilizing and promoting recovery in the global economy. 5. CPC launches campaign on studying Party history The launching of the Party-wide education campaign was a major strategic decision by the CPC Central Committee to open up new prospects for the cause of the Party and the State from the new starting point of the centenary of the founding of the CPC. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, attended the campaign's launch meeting held in Beijing on Feb. 20, and delivered an important speech. Xi stressed the vital necessity of launching the campaign, urging Party committees at all levels to earnestly implement the arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee regarding the campaign. Over the past year, Party organizations at all levels have conscientiously implemented the arrangements of the Party Central Committee. Through the campaign, the whole Party has notably enhanced its historical consciousness and confidence, and has significantly strengthened its capacity to innovate, unite and fight, thus achieving the goal of studying the Party's history, understanding its theories, doing practical work and making new advances. 6. China introduces targeted reform plans, improves institutional system in all-round way, pushes forward reform and opening up This year, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, China stressed full, accurate and comprehensive implementation of the new development philosophy to strengthen the integration of systems, take targeted measures and continuously further reform and opening up. China issued a guideline on building the eastern province of Zhejiang into a demonstration zone for achieving common prosperity in June. This was a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core, which puts promoting the common prosperity of all people in a more important position. It fully reflects the firm determination of the CPC Central Committee to solve the problem of insufficiencies resulting from development imbalances in China. In July, China issued a guideline to support the high-level reform and opening-up of the Pudong New Area in Shanghai. In September, the country issued a general plan for building a Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, and a plan on deepening the reform and opening-up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone. A number of policy documents such as a negative list on cross-border trade in services for the Hainan Free Trade Port and measures to liberalize and facilitate the trade in goods and services at the Hainan free trade port have been issued and implemented. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has successively set up 21 free trade pilot zones, obtained a large number of high-level institutional innovation achievements, and built a number of world-leading industrial clusters. This year, economic and trade events such as the China International Consumer Products Expo, the China International Fair for Trade in Services, the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) and the China International Import Expo have been successfully held, and China's resolve to open wider at a high standard is obvious to any objective observer. 7. China issues guiding document on advancing rule of law in new era, improves whole-process peoples democracy The CPC Central Committee in January issued a plan on building the rule of law in China (2020-2025). The plan, designed and formulated under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, practically implements the thought in its every aspect. As the first plan on building the rule of law in China, it is a guiding document on comprehensively advancing the rule of law in the new era and is a blueprint, a roadmap and a drawing for coordinated efforts to advance the building of Chinas rule of law during the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period. The plan bears important significance for allowing the rule of law to better play its role as the guarantor for consolidating foundations, stabilizing expectations and bringing long-term benefits, for advancing the modernization of Chinas national governance system and capacity, for adapting to peoples new requirements and expectations regarding such aspects as democracy, rule of law, equity, justice, security and environment, and for achieving the goal of basically building a country, government and society based on the rule of law in 2035. In December, the State Council Information Office issued a white paper titled China: Democracy That Works, which is a comprehensive summary of Chinas remarkable progress made in whole-process peoples democracy. It says, With complete institutions and extensive participation, whole-process people's democracy has evolved from an idea into a system and mechanism of governance that has taken root in the soil of Chinese society and has become part of people's lives. Whole-process peoples democracy has distinctive Chinese characteristics; it also exemplifies common values and contributes Chinas ideas and solutions to the political progress of humanity. 8. Principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, ending chaos, restoring stability of HKSAR On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th NPC adopted a decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Under the new electoral system, elections of the Election Committee of the HKSAR and the seventh-term Legislative Council of the HKSAR were successfully held, with the democratic rights of Hong Kong citizens reflected, the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, and a political landscape featuring wide and balanced participation from all social groups and constituencies established. Practice has proven that the new electoral system is a good system that adheres to the one country, two systems principle, suits Hong Kongs realities, and provides strong institutional support for the steady and sustained development of the one country, two systems principle as well as the long-term prosperity and stability of the HKSAR. In the past year, Hong Kong has constantly consolidated its achievements in ending chaos and restoring stability, and has secured a sound impetus for development. It has achieved notable results in COVID-19 control, gradually recovered its economy and maintained social stability. 9. Chinese astronauts enter Chinas space station for first time China sent into space the Tianhe core module of its space station on April 29, which signaled that the countrys space station construction entered the full implementation stage. On May 15, Chinas Mars probe Tianwen-1 landed on the surface of Mars, leaving the mark of the Chinese nation on the Red Planet. It marked an important step in Chinas interstellar exploration and a leap from the exploration of the Earth-Moon system to interplanetary exploration. On June 17, Chinas Shenzhou-12 manned spaceship completed a fast automated rendezvous and docking with the Tianhe core module, and Chinese astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo entered the orbiting Tianhe module, which marked the first time Chinese astronauts entered their own space station. After completing their three-month mission, including innovative and groundbreaking scientific experiments and space applications, they returned to Earth safely on Sept. 17. China successfully launched the crewed spaceship Shenzhou-13 on Oct. 16, sending three astronauts to its space station core module Tianhe for a six-month mission. 10. China sets clearly-defined timetable, roadmap for achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality while advancing ecological progress In October, China unveiled a guiding document on its work to achieve its carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals under the new development philosophy, setting a clearly-defined timetable and roadmap and laying out specific targets and measures for the coming decades. According to the document, China will peak its carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The document outlines five major tasks, including creating a green, low-carbon and circular economy, improving energy efficiency, increasing the share of non-fossil energy consumption, lowering CO2 emissions and boosting the carbon sink capacity of ecosystems. It calls for resolute efforts to curb the haphazard development of energy-intensive and high-emission projects. Besides, Chinas national carbon market started online trading and secured stable and orderly operations. China made headway in its efforts to protect its blue skies, and to defend its rivers and soil from pollution. A 10-year ban on fishing in key waters of the Yangtze River basin came into force from Jan. 1, 2021. The combined proportion of state-controlled water sections with good-quality surface water increased to 83.6 percent. Chinas total installed capacity using renewable energy exceeded a billion kilowatts. The total area of afforestation across the country hit 54 million mu, or 3.6 million hectares. (Web editor: Du Mingming, Bianji) Peoples Dailys top 10 domestic news events in 2021 People's Daily Online) 18:40, December 31, 2021 A ceremony celebrating the CPCs centenary is held at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing (Xinhua/Li Xiang). A volunteer introduces the spirit of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee to local residents of the Miao ethnic group in Tianba village, Guanba town of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (cpanet.cn/Cao Yonglong) CPC members review the Party admission oath at the memorial of the First National Congress of the CPC in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Liu Ying) Aerial photo shows workers of a power transmission and distribution company in east China's Anhui Province working at a construction site of an ultra-high-voltage (UHV) power transmission project over the Yangtze River in Anhui Province. (cpanet.cn/Zheng Xianlie) A farmer of Liufeng village, Youjiang district, Baise city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region airs out his anise. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun)\ Photo shows a judge of the people's court of Wenxian county, central China's Henan Province participating in a law education activity. (cpanet.cn/Xu Hongxing) Photo shows the scenery of Chinas Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center shows China's Shenzhou-13 astronaut Zhai Zhigang waving his hand after conducting extravehicular activities outside of the space station core module Tianhe. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng) Photo shows an 81MW photovoltaic power project built at the Nanshan Reservoir, Fujia village, Dongjia town, Fengcheng city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (cpanet.cn/Zhan Peilu) Photo shows the first China International Consumer Products Expo held in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan Province. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun) Editors note: The year 2021 marked a milestone in the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese nation. Over the past year, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, solemnly celebrated the centenary of the founding of the CPC, successfully held the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, formulated the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century, and carried out Party history education efforts. Meanwhile, it has united and led the Chinese people in winning the battle against poverty as scheduled, in building a moderately prosperous society, and in embarking on a new journey of turning China into a modern socialist country in an all-round way, signaling a perfect start to the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). Going forward, China is determined to make even greater achievements through dedication and hard work. In 2022, the CPC will convene its 20th National Congress, a significant event for both the Party and the country. As long as it actively takes on its new missions, earnestly learns from its previous experience, and forges ahead courageously, China will certainly witness even greater glories on its new journey in the new era and make the ship of socialism with Chinese characteristics sail smoothly through all the coming waves. 1. Xi Jinping announces realization of first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects at ceremony marking centenary of the CPC A ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC was held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on July 1. During his speech at the ceremony, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee reviewed the CPCs struggle over the past 100 years, spoke highly of the great achievements the Chinese people made under the leadership of the CPC, and announced that China has realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. He summarized the great founding spirit of the Party, which is comprised of the following principles: upholding truth and ideals, staying true to the Partys original aspiration and founding mission, fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice, and remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people. Xi stressed the importance of upholding the firm leadership of the Party, and noted that as the CPC puts conscious effort into learning from history to create a bright future, the Party must unite and lead the Chinese people in working ceaselessly for a better life, continue to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context, uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces, continue working to promote the building of a human community with a shared future, carry out a great struggle with many contemporary features, strengthen the great unity of the Chinese people, and continue to advance the great new project of Party building. He also called on all party members to score even greater achievements on the journey ahead. The awarding ceremony for the July 1 Medal and a meeting on awarding the titles of outstanding Party members, exemplary Party workers, and advanced community-level Party organizations were held before July 1 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. It was the first time the CPC Central Committee presented the July 1 Medal, the highest honor in the Party. It was of great significance for encouraging all party members to bear in mind the founding mission of the Party and forge ahead. 2. CPC issues landmark resolution on Party's achievements, experience over past century The sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee was held from Nov. 8 to 11. At the session, the CPC Central Committee heard and discussed a work report Xi delivered on behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and considered and adopted the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century and the Resolution on the Convocation of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The CPC Central Committee considered it important in both a practical and historical sense to have a comprehensive review of the major achievements and historical experience of the Party over the past century as the CPC celebrates its centenary and the fulfillment of the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and moves on towards the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. The Central Committee believed that this review would help build a broader consensus and stronger unity in will and action among all members and rally and lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in achieving new and great success in building socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. According to the resolution, the Party has established Comrade Xi Jinpings core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This reflects the common will of the Party, the armed forces, and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, and is of decisive significance for advancing the cause of the Party and the country in the new era and for driving forward the historic process of national rejuvenation, the document said. 3. China secures complete victory in fight against poverty, makes solid progress on major livelihood projects On Feb. 25, President Xi Jinping announced that China had secured a complete victory in its fight against poverty at a grand gathering held in Beijing to mark the country's accomplishments in poverty alleviation and to honor its model poverty fighters. The final 98.99 million impoverished rural residents living under the current poverty line have all been lifted out of poverty. All the 832 impoverished counties and 128,000 impoverished villages have been removed from the poverty list. Regional poverty has been eliminated on the whole, and the arduous task of eradicating absolute poverty has been completed, representing yet another miraculous achievement. Remaining committed to the people-centered philosophy of development, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core rolled out a slew of measures to improve peoples livelihood and address their urgent problems, ensuring a strong sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security for them. In July, China introduced a guideline to ease the burdens of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring for students undergoing compulsory education, in a bid to promote the well-rounded and healthy development of students. In the same month, the country released a decision on improving birth policies to promote long-term and balanced population development. Fresh progress was made in ensuring access to medical services, elderly care, housing, and social assistance. Between January and October, China began the rebuilding and renovation of 53,400 old urban residential communities. China conducted three rounds of centralized drug procurement. Sixty-one types of medicines listed in Chinas fifth-round centralized drug-procurement program were made 56 percent cheaper on average. Chinas basic medical insurance schemes covered 1.36 billion people, or 95 percent of the countrys population. The number of people covered by basic old-age insurance nationwide hit 1 billion, with an insured rate of over 90 percent. 4. China ensures good start of 14th Five-Year Plan, maintains leading position in coordinating epidemic control and economic development On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th National Peoples Congress approved the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035. In 2021, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has calmly responded to the profound changes unseen in a century and the COVID-19 pandemic, and united and led all the Chinese people to accomplish the arduous tasks of reform and development, securing a good start to the 14th Five-Year Plan. China has made new strides to foster a new paradigm of development and promote high-quality development, and has continued to lead the world in terms of economic development and epidemic control, with significant progress made in improving its strategic scientific and technological strength, industrial chain resilience, peoples well-being, reform and opening-up, and eco-environmental progress. The countrys GDP expanded 9.8 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters, putting the average growth for the period over the past two years at 5.2 percent. The number of market entities nationwide exceeded 150 million, and total grain output exceeded 650 million metric tons. China, as the worlds second largest economy, second largest consumption market, and largest trader in goods, has maintained a continuous economic recovery and contributed significantly to stabilizing and promoting recovery in the global economy. 5. CPC launches campaign on studying Party history The launching of the Party-wide education campaign was a major strategic decision by the CPC Central Committee to open up new prospects for the cause of the Party and the State from the new starting point of the centenary of the founding of the CPC. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, attended the campaign's launch meeting held in Beijing on Feb. 20, and delivered an important speech. Xi stressed the vital necessity of launching the campaign, urging Party committees at all levels to earnestly implement the arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee regarding the campaign. Over the past year, Party organizations at all levels have conscientiously implemented the arrangements of the Party Central Committee. Through the campaign, the whole Party has notably enhanced its historical consciousness and confidence, and has significantly strengthened its capacity to innovate, unite and fight, thus achieving the goal of studying the Party's history, understanding its theories, doing practical work and making new advances. 6. China introduces targeted reform plans, improves institutional system in all-round way, pushes forward reform and opening up This year, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, China stressed full, accurate and comprehensive implementation of the new development philosophy to strengthen the integration of systems, take targeted measures and continuously further reform and opening up. China issued a guideline on building the eastern province of Zhejiang into a demonstration zone for achieving common prosperity in June. This was a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core, which puts promoting the common prosperity of all people in a more important position. It fully reflects the firm determination of the CPC Central Committee to solve the problem of insufficiencies resulting from development imbalances in China. In July, China issued a guideline to support the high-level reform and opening-up of the Pudong New Area in Shanghai. In September, the country issued a general plan for building a Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, and a plan on deepening the reform and opening-up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone. A number of policy documents such as a negative list on cross-border trade in services for the Hainan Free Trade Port and measures to liberalize and facilitate the trade in goods and services at the Hainan free trade port have been issued and implemented. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has successively set up 21 free trade pilot zones, obtained a large number of high-level institutional innovation achievements, and built a number of world-leading industrial clusters. This year, economic and trade events such as the China International Consumer Products Expo, the China International Fair for Trade in Services, the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) and the China International Import Expo have been successfully held, and China's resolve to open wider at a high standard is obvious to any objective observer. 7. China issues guiding document on advancing rule of law in new era, improves whole-process peoples democracy The CPC Central Committee in January issued a plan on building the rule of law in China (2020-2025). The plan, designed and formulated under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, practically implements the thought in its every aspect. As the first plan on building the rule of law in China, it is a guiding document on comprehensively advancing the rule of law in the new era and is a blueprint, a roadmap and a drawing for coordinated efforts to advance the building of Chinas rule of law during the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period. The plan bears important significance for allowing the rule of law to better play its role as the guarantor for consolidating foundations, stabilizing expectations and bringing long-term benefits, for advancing the modernization of Chinas national governance system and capacity, for adapting to peoples new requirements and expectations regarding such aspects as democracy, rule of law, equity, justice, security and environment, and for achieving the goal of basically building a country, government and society based on the rule of law in 2035. In December, the State Council Information Office issued a white paper titled China: Democracy That Works, which is a comprehensive summary of Chinas remarkable progress made in whole-process peoples democracy. It says, With complete institutions and extensive participation, whole-process people's democracy has evolved from an idea into a system and mechanism of governance that has taken root in the soil of Chinese society and has become part of people's lives. Whole-process peoples democracy has distinctive Chinese characteristics; it also exemplifies common values and contributes Chinas ideas and solutions to the political progress of humanity. 8. Principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, ending chaos, restoring stability of HKSAR On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th NPC adopted a decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Under the new electoral system, elections of the Election Committee of the HKSAR and the seventh-term Legislative Council of the HKSAR were successfully held, with the democratic rights of Hong Kong citizens reflected, the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, and a political landscape featuring wide and balanced participation from all social groups and constituencies established. Practice has proven that the new electoral system is a good system that adheres to the one country, two systems principle, suits Hong Kongs realities, and provides strong institutional support for the steady and sustained development of the one country, two systems principle as well as the long-term prosperity and stability of the HKSAR. In the past year, Hong Kong has constantly consolidated its achievements in ending chaos and restoring stability, and has secured a sound impetus for development. It has achieved notable results in COVID-19 control, gradually recovered its economy and maintained social stability. 9. Chinese astronauts enter Chinas space station for first time China sent into space the Tianhe core module of its space station on April 29, which signaled that the countrys space station construction entered the full implementation stage. On May 15, Chinas Mars probe Tianwen-1 landed on the surface of Mars, leaving the mark of the Chinese nation on the Red Planet. It marked an important step in Chinas interstellar exploration and a leap from the exploration of the Earth-Moon system to interplanetary exploration. On June 17, Chinas Shenzhou-12 manned spaceship completed a fast automated rendezvous and docking with the Tianhe core module, and Chinese astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo entered the orbiting Tianhe module, which marked the first time Chinese astronauts entered their own space station. After completing their three-month mission, including innovative and groundbreaking scientific experiments and space applications, they returned to Earth safely on Sept. 17. China successfully launched the crewed spaceship Shenzhou-13 on Oct. 16, sending three astronauts to its space station core module Tianhe for a six-month mission. 10. China sets clearly-defined timetable, roadmap for achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality while advancing ecological progress In October, China unveiled a guiding document on its work to achieve its carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals under the new development philosophy, setting a clearly-defined timetable and roadmap and laying out specific targets and measures for the coming decades. According to the document, China will peak its carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The document outlines five major tasks, including creating a green, low-carbon and circular economy, improving energy efficiency, increasing the share of non-fossil energy consumption, lowering CO2 emissions and boosting the carbon sink capacity of ecosystems. It calls for resolute efforts to curb the haphazard development of energy-intensive and high-emission projects. Besides, Chinas national carbon market started online trading and secured stable and orderly operations. China made headway in its efforts to protect its blue skies, and to defend its rivers and soil from pollution. A 10-year ban on fishing in key waters of the Yangtze River basin came into force from Jan. 1, 2021. The combined proportion of state-controlled water sections with good-quality surface water increased to 83.6 percent. Chinas total installed capacity using renewable energy exceeded a billion kilowatts. The total area of afforestation across the country hit 54 million mu, or 3.6 million hectares. (Web editor: Du Mingming, Bianji) Peoples Dailys top 10 domestic news events in 2021 People's Daily Online) 18:40, December 31, 2021 A ceremony celebrating the CPCs centenary is held at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing (Xinhua/Li Xiang). A volunteer introduces the spirit of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee to local residents of the Miao ethnic group in Tianba village, Guanba town of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (cpanet.cn/Cao Yonglong) CPC members review the Party admission oath at the memorial of the First National Congress of the CPC in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Liu Ying) Aerial photo shows workers of a power transmission and distribution company in east China's Anhui Province working at a construction site of an ultra-high-voltage (UHV) power transmission project over the Yangtze River in Anhui Province. (cpanet.cn/Zheng Xianlie) A farmer of Liufeng village, Youjiang district, Baise city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region airs out his anise. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun)\ Photo shows a judge of the people's court of Wenxian county, central China's Henan Province participating in a law education activity. (cpanet.cn/Xu Hongxing) Photo shows the scenery of Chinas Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center shows China's Shenzhou-13 astronaut Zhai Zhigang waving his hand after conducting extravehicular activities outside of the space station core module Tianhe. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng) Photo shows an 81MW photovoltaic power project built at the Nanshan Reservoir, Fujia village, Dongjia town, Fengcheng city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (cpanet.cn/Zhan Peilu) Photo shows the first China International Consumer Products Expo held in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan Province. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun) Editors note: The year 2021 marked a milestone in the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese nation. Over the past year, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, solemnly celebrated the centenary of the founding of the CPC, successfully held the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, formulated the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century, and carried out Party history education efforts. Meanwhile, it has united and led the Chinese people in winning the battle against poverty as scheduled, in building a moderately prosperous society, and in embarking on a new journey of turning China into a modern socialist country in an all-round way, signaling a perfect start to the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). Going forward, China is determined to make even greater achievements through dedication and hard work. In 2022, the CPC will convene its 20th National Congress, a significant event for both the Party and the country. As long as it actively takes on its new missions, earnestly learns from its previous experience, and forges ahead courageously, China will certainly witness even greater glories on its new journey in the new era and make the ship of socialism with Chinese characteristics sail smoothly through all the coming waves. 1. Xi Jinping announces realization of first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects at ceremony marking centenary of the CPC A ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC was held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on July 1. During his speech at the ceremony, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee reviewed the CPCs struggle over the past 100 years, spoke highly of the great achievements the Chinese people made under the leadership of the CPC, and announced that China has realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. He summarized the great founding spirit of the Party, which is comprised of the following principles: upholding truth and ideals, staying true to the Partys original aspiration and founding mission, fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice, and remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people. Xi stressed the importance of upholding the firm leadership of the Party, and noted that as the CPC puts conscious effort into learning from history to create a bright future, the Party must unite and lead the Chinese people in working ceaselessly for a better life, continue to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context, uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces, continue working to promote the building of a human community with a shared future, carry out a great struggle with many contemporary features, strengthen the great unity of the Chinese people, and continue to advance the great new project of Party building. He also called on all party members to score even greater achievements on the journey ahead. The awarding ceremony for the July 1 Medal and a meeting on awarding the titles of outstanding Party members, exemplary Party workers, and advanced community-level Party organizations were held before July 1 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. It was the first time the CPC Central Committee presented the July 1 Medal, the highest honor in the Party. It was of great significance for encouraging all party members to bear in mind the founding mission of the Party and forge ahead. 2. CPC issues landmark resolution on Party's achievements, experience over past century The sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee was held from Nov. 8 to 11. At the session, the CPC Central Committee heard and discussed a work report Xi delivered on behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and considered and adopted the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century and the Resolution on the Convocation of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The CPC Central Committee considered it important in both a practical and historical sense to have a comprehensive review of the major achievements and historical experience of the Party over the past century as the CPC celebrates its centenary and the fulfillment of the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and moves on towards the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. The Central Committee believed that this review would help build a broader consensus and stronger unity in will and action among all members and rally and lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in achieving new and great success in building socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. According to the resolution, the Party has established Comrade Xi Jinpings core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This reflects the common will of the Party, the armed forces, and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, and is of decisive significance for advancing the cause of the Party and the country in the new era and for driving forward the historic process of national rejuvenation, the document said. 3. China secures complete victory in fight against poverty, makes solid progress on major livelihood projects On Feb. 25, President Xi Jinping announced that China had secured a complete victory in its fight against poverty at a grand gathering held in Beijing to mark the country's accomplishments in poverty alleviation and to honor its model poverty fighters. The final 98.99 million impoverished rural residents living under the current poverty line have all been lifted out of poverty. All the 832 impoverished counties and 128,000 impoverished villages have been removed from the poverty list. Regional poverty has been eliminated on the whole, and the arduous task of eradicating absolute poverty has been completed, representing yet another miraculous achievement. Remaining committed to the people-centered philosophy of development, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core rolled out a slew of measures to improve peoples livelihood and address their urgent problems, ensuring a strong sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security for them. In July, China introduced a guideline to ease the burdens of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring for students undergoing compulsory education, in a bid to promote the well-rounded and healthy development of students. In the same month, the country released a decision on improving birth policies to promote long-term and balanced population development. Fresh progress was made in ensuring access to medical services, elderly care, housing, and social assistance. Between January and October, China began the rebuilding and renovation of 53,400 old urban residential communities. China conducted three rounds of centralized drug procurement. Sixty-one types of medicines listed in Chinas fifth-round centralized drug-procurement program were made 56 percent cheaper on average. Chinas basic medical insurance schemes covered 1.36 billion people, or 95 percent of the countrys population. The number of people covered by basic old-age insurance nationwide hit 1 billion, with an insured rate of over 90 percent. 4. China ensures good start of 14th Five-Year Plan, maintains leading position in coordinating epidemic control and economic development On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th National Peoples Congress approved the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035. In 2021, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has calmly responded to the profound changes unseen in a century and the COVID-19 pandemic, and united and led all the Chinese people to accomplish the arduous tasks of reform and development, securing a good start to the 14th Five-Year Plan. China has made new strides to foster a new paradigm of development and promote high-quality development, and has continued to lead the world in terms of economic development and epidemic control, with significant progress made in improving its strategic scientific and technological strength, industrial chain resilience, peoples well-being, reform and opening-up, and eco-environmental progress. The countrys GDP expanded 9.8 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters, putting the average growth for the period over the past two years at 5.2 percent. The number of market entities nationwide exceeded 150 million, and total grain output exceeded 650 million metric tons. China, as the worlds second largest economy, second largest consumption market, and largest trader in goods, has maintained a continuous economic recovery and contributed significantly to stabilizing and promoting recovery in the global economy. 5. CPC launches campaign on studying Party history The launching of the Party-wide education campaign was a major strategic decision by the CPC Central Committee to open up new prospects for the cause of the Party and the State from the new starting point of the centenary of the founding of the CPC. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, attended the campaign's launch meeting held in Beijing on Feb. 20, and delivered an important speech. Xi stressed the vital necessity of launching the campaign, urging Party committees at all levels to earnestly implement the arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee regarding the campaign. Over the past year, Party organizations at all levels have conscientiously implemented the arrangements of the Party Central Committee. Through the campaign, the whole Party has notably enhanced its historical consciousness and confidence, and has significantly strengthened its capacity to innovate, unite and fight, thus achieving the goal of studying the Party's history, understanding its theories, doing practical work and making new advances. 6. China introduces targeted reform plans, improves institutional system in all-round way, pushes forward reform and opening up This year, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, China stressed full, accurate and comprehensive implementation of the new development philosophy to strengthen the integration of systems, take targeted measures and continuously further reform and opening up. China issued a guideline on building the eastern province of Zhejiang into a demonstration zone for achieving common prosperity in June. This was a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core, which puts promoting the common prosperity of all people in a more important position. It fully reflects the firm determination of the CPC Central Committee to solve the problem of insufficiencies resulting from development imbalances in China. In July, China issued a guideline to support the high-level reform and opening-up of the Pudong New Area in Shanghai. In September, the country issued a general plan for building a Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, and a plan on deepening the reform and opening-up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone. A number of policy documents such as a negative list on cross-border trade in services for the Hainan Free Trade Port and measures to liberalize and facilitate the trade in goods and services at the Hainan free trade port have been issued and implemented. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has successively set up 21 free trade pilot zones, obtained a large number of high-level institutional innovation achievements, and built a number of world-leading industrial clusters. This year, economic and trade events such as the China International Consumer Products Expo, the China International Fair for Trade in Services, the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) and the China International Import Expo have been successfully held, and China's resolve to open wider at a high standard is obvious to any objective observer. 7. China issues guiding document on advancing rule of law in new era, improves whole-process peoples democracy The CPC Central Committee in January issued a plan on building the rule of law in China (2020-2025). The plan, designed and formulated under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, practically implements the thought in its every aspect. As the first plan on building the rule of law in China, it is a guiding document on comprehensively advancing the rule of law in the new era and is a blueprint, a roadmap and a drawing for coordinated efforts to advance the building of Chinas rule of law during the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period. The plan bears important significance for allowing the rule of law to better play its role as the guarantor for consolidating foundations, stabilizing expectations and bringing long-term benefits, for advancing the modernization of Chinas national governance system and capacity, for adapting to peoples new requirements and expectations regarding such aspects as democracy, rule of law, equity, justice, security and environment, and for achieving the goal of basically building a country, government and society based on the rule of law in 2035. In December, the State Council Information Office issued a white paper titled China: Democracy That Works, which is a comprehensive summary of Chinas remarkable progress made in whole-process peoples democracy. It says, With complete institutions and extensive participation, whole-process people's democracy has evolved from an idea into a system and mechanism of governance that has taken root in the soil of Chinese society and has become part of people's lives. Whole-process peoples democracy has distinctive Chinese characteristics; it also exemplifies common values and contributes Chinas ideas and solutions to the political progress of humanity. 8. Principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, ending chaos, restoring stability of HKSAR On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th NPC adopted a decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Under the new electoral system, elections of the Election Committee of the HKSAR and the seventh-term Legislative Council of the HKSAR were successfully held, with the democratic rights of Hong Kong citizens reflected, the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, and a political landscape featuring wide and balanced participation from all social groups and constituencies established. Practice has proven that the new electoral system is a good system that adheres to the one country, two systems principle, suits Hong Kongs realities, and provides strong institutional support for the steady and sustained development of the one country, two systems principle as well as the long-term prosperity and stability of the HKSAR. In the past year, Hong Kong has constantly consolidated its achievements in ending chaos and restoring stability, and has secured a sound impetus for development. It has achieved notable results in COVID-19 control, gradually recovered its economy and maintained social stability. 9. Chinese astronauts enter Chinas space station for first time China sent into space the Tianhe core module of its space station on April 29, which signaled that the countrys space station construction entered the full implementation stage. On May 15, Chinas Mars probe Tianwen-1 landed on the surface of Mars, leaving the mark of the Chinese nation on the Red Planet. It marked an important step in Chinas interstellar exploration and a leap from the exploration of the Earth-Moon system to interplanetary exploration. On June 17, Chinas Shenzhou-12 manned spaceship completed a fast automated rendezvous and docking with the Tianhe core module, and Chinese astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo entered the orbiting Tianhe module, which marked the first time Chinese astronauts entered their own space station. After completing their three-month mission, including innovative and groundbreaking scientific experiments and space applications, they returned to Earth safely on Sept. 17. China successfully launched the crewed spaceship Shenzhou-13 on Oct. 16, sending three astronauts to its space station core module Tianhe for a six-month mission. 10. China sets clearly-defined timetable, roadmap for achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality while advancing ecological progress In October, China unveiled a guiding document on its work to achieve its carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals under the new development philosophy, setting a clearly-defined timetable and roadmap and laying out specific targets and measures for the coming decades. According to the document, China will peak its carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The document outlines five major tasks, including creating a green, low-carbon and circular economy, improving energy efficiency, increasing the share of non-fossil energy consumption, lowering CO2 emissions and boosting the carbon sink capacity of ecosystems. It calls for resolute efforts to curb the haphazard development of energy-intensive and high-emission projects. Besides, Chinas national carbon market started online trading and secured stable and orderly operations. China made headway in its efforts to protect its blue skies, and to defend its rivers and soil from pollution. A 10-year ban on fishing in key waters of the Yangtze River basin came into force from Jan. 1, 2021. The combined proportion of state-controlled water sections with good-quality surface water increased to 83.6 percent. Chinas total installed capacity using renewable energy exceeded a billion kilowatts. The total area of afforestation across the country hit 54 million mu, or 3.6 million hectares. (Web editor: Du Mingming, Bianji) Peoples Dailys top 10 domestic news events in 2021 People's Daily Online) 18:40, December 31, 2021 A ceremony celebrating the CPCs centenary is held at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing (Xinhua/Li Xiang). A volunteer introduces the spirit of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee to local residents of the Miao ethnic group in Tianba village, Guanba town of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (cpanet.cn/Cao Yonglong) CPC members review the Party admission oath at the memorial of the First National Congress of the CPC in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Liu Ying) Aerial photo shows workers of a power transmission and distribution company in east China's Anhui Province working at a construction site of an ultra-high-voltage (UHV) power transmission project over the Yangtze River in Anhui Province. (cpanet.cn/Zheng Xianlie) A farmer of Liufeng village, Youjiang district, Baise city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region airs out his anise. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun)\ Photo shows a judge of the people's court of Wenxian county, central China's Henan Province participating in a law education activity. (cpanet.cn/Xu Hongxing) Photo shows the scenery of Chinas Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center shows China's Shenzhou-13 astronaut Zhai Zhigang waving his hand after conducting extravehicular activities outside of the space station core module Tianhe. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng) Photo shows an 81MW photovoltaic power project built at the Nanshan Reservoir, Fujia village, Dongjia town, Fengcheng city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (cpanet.cn/Zhan Peilu) Photo shows the first China International Consumer Products Expo held in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan Province. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun) Editors note: The year 2021 marked a milestone in the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese nation. Over the past year, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, solemnly celebrated the centenary of the founding of the CPC, successfully held the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, formulated the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century, and carried out Party history education efforts. Meanwhile, it has united and led the Chinese people in winning the battle against poverty as scheduled, in building a moderately prosperous society, and in embarking on a new journey of turning China into a modern socialist country in an all-round way, signaling a perfect start to the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). Going forward, China is determined to make even greater achievements through dedication and hard work. In 2022, the CPC will convene its 20th National Congress, a significant event for both the Party and the country. As long as it actively takes on its new missions, earnestly learns from its previous experience, and forges ahead courageously, China will certainly witness even greater glories on its new journey in the new era and make the ship of socialism with Chinese characteristics sail smoothly through all the coming waves. 1. Xi Jinping announces realization of first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects at ceremony marking centenary of the CPC A ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC was held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on July 1. During his speech at the ceremony, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee reviewed the CPCs struggle over the past 100 years, spoke highly of the great achievements the Chinese people made under the leadership of the CPC, and announced that China has realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. He summarized the great founding spirit of the Party, which is comprised of the following principles: upholding truth and ideals, staying true to the Partys original aspiration and founding mission, fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice, and remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people. Xi stressed the importance of upholding the firm leadership of the Party, and noted that as the CPC puts conscious effort into learning from history to create a bright future, the Party must unite and lead the Chinese people in working ceaselessly for a better life, continue to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context, uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces, continue working to promote the building of a human community with a shared future, carry out a great struggle with many contemporary features, strengthen the great unity of the Chinese people, and continue to advance the great new project of Party building. He also called on all party members to score even greater achievements on the journey ahead. The awarding ceremony for the July 1 Medal and a meeting on awarding the titles of outstanding Party members, exemplary Party workers, and advanced community-level Party organizations were held before July 1 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. It was the first time the CPC Central Committee presented the July 1 Medal, the highest honor in the Party. It was of great significance for encouraging all party members to bear in mind the founding mission of the Party and forge ahead. 2. CPC issues landmark resolution on Party's achievements, experience over past century The sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee was held from Nov. 8 to 11. At the session, the CPC Central Committee heard and discussed a work report Xi delivered on behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and considered and adopted the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century and the Resolution on the Convocation of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The CPC Central Committee considered it important in both a practical and historical sense to have a comprehensive review of the major achievements and historical experience of the Party over the past century as the CPC celebrates its centenary and the fulfillment of the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and moves on towards the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. The Central Committee believed that this review would help build a broader consensus and stronger unity in will and action among all members and rally and lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in achieving new and great success in building socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. According to the resolution, the Party has established Comrade Xi Jinpings core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This reflects the common will of the Party, the armed forces, and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, and is of decisive significance for advancing the cause of the Party and the country in the new era and for driving forward the historic process of national rejuvenation, the document said. 3. China secures complete victory in fight against poverty, makes solid progress on major livelihood projects On Feb. 25, President Xi Jinping announced that China had secured a complete victory in its fight against poverty at a grand gathering held in Beijing to mark the country's accomplishments in poverty alleviation and to honor its model poverty fighters. The final 98.99 million impoverished rural residents living under the current poverty line have all been lifted out of poverty. All the 832 impoverished counties and 128,000 impoverished villages have been removed from the poverty list. Regional poverty has been eliminated on the whole, and the arduous task of eradicating absolute poverty has been completed, representing yet another miraculous achievement. Remaining committed to the people-centered philosophy of development, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core rolled out a slew of measures to improve peoples livelihood and address their urgent problems, ensuring a strong sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security for them. In July, China introduced a guideline to ease the burdens of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring for students undergoing compulsory education, in a bid to promote the well-rounded and healthy development of students. In the same month, the country released a decision on improving birth policies to promote long-term and balanced population development. Fresh progress was made in ensuring access to medical services, elderly care, housing, and social assistance. Between January and October, China began the rebuilding and renovation of 53,400 old urban residential communities. China conducted three rounds of centralized drug procurement. Sixty-one types of medicines listed in Chinas fifth-round centralized drug-procurement program were made 56 percent cheaper on average. Chinas basic medical insurance schemes covered 1.36 billion people, or 95 percent of the countrys population. The number of people covered by basic old-age insurance nationwide hit 1 billion, with an insured rate of over 90 percent. 4. China ensures good start of 14th Five-Year Plan, maintains leading position in coordinating epidemic control and economic development On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th National Peoples Congress approved the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035. In 2021, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has calmly responded to the profound changes unseen in a century and the COVID-19 pandemic, and united and led all the Chinese people to accomplish the arduous tasks of reform and development, securing a good start to the 14th Five-Year Plan. China has made new strides to foster a new paradigm of development and promote high-quality development, and has continued to lead the world in terms of economic development and epidemic control, with significant progress made in improving its strategic scientific and technological strength, industrial chain resilience, peoples well-being, reform and opening-up, and eco-environmental progress. The countrys GDP expanded 9.8 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters, putting the average growth for the period over the past two years at 5.2 percent. The number of market entities nationwide exceeded 150 million, and total grain output exceeded 650 million metric tons. China, as the worlds second largest economy, second largest consumption market, and largest trader in goods, has maintained a continuous economic recovery and contributed significantly to stabilizing and promoting recovery in the global economy. 5. CPC launches campaign on studying Party history The launching of the Party-wide education campaign was a major strategic decision by the CPC Central Committee to open up new prospects for the cause of the Party and the State from the new starting point of the centenary of the founding of the CPC. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, attended the campaign's launch meeting held in Beijing on Feb. 20, and delivered an important speech. Xi stressed the vital necessity of launching the campaign, urging Party committees at all levels to earnestly implement the arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee regarding the campaign. Over the past year, Party organizations at all levels have conscientiously implemented the arrangements of the Party Central Committee. Through the campaign, the whole Party has notably enhanced its historical consciousness and confidence, and has significantly strengthened its capacity to innovate, unite and fight, thus achieving the goal of studying the Party's history, understanding its theories, doing practical work and making new advances. 6. China introduces targeted reform plans, improves institutional system in all-round way, pushes forward reform and opening up This year, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, China stressed full, accurate and comprehensive implementation of the new development philosophy to strengthen the integration of systems, take targeted measures and continuously further reform and opening up. China issued a guideline on building the eastern province of Zhejiang into a demonstration zone for achieving common prosperity in June. This was a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core, which puts promoting the common prosperity of all people in a more important position. It fully reflects the firm determination of the CPC Central Committee to solve the problem of insufficiencies resulting from development imbalances in China. In July, China issued a guideline to support the high-level reform and opening-up of the Pudong New Area in Shanghai. In September, the country issued a general plan for building a Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, and a plan on deepening the reform and opening-up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone. A number of policy documents such as a negative list on cross-border trade in services for the Hainan Free Trade Port and measures to liberalize and facilitate the trade in goods and services at the Hainan free trade port have been issued and implemented. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has successively set up 21 free trade pilot zones, obtained a large number of high-level institutional innovation achievements, and built a number of world-leading industrial clusters. This year, economic and trade events such as the China International Consumer Products Expo, the China International Fair for Trade in Services, the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) and the China International Import Expo have been successfully held, and China's resolve to open wider at a high standard is obvious to any objective observer. 7. China issues guiding document on advancing rule of law in new era, improves whole-process peoples democracy The CPC Central Committee in January issued a plan on building the rule of law in China (2020-2025). The plan, designed and formulated under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, practically implements the thought in its every aspect. As the first plan on building the rule of law in China, it is a guiding document on comprehensively advancing the rule of law in the new era and is a blueprint, a roadmap and a drawing for coordinated efforts to advance the building of Chinas rule of law during the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period. The plan bears important significance for allowing the rule of law to better play its role as the guarantor for consolidating foundations, stabilizing expectations and bringing long-term benefits, for advancing the modernization of Chinas national governance system and capacity, for adapting to peoples new requirements and expectations regarding such aspects as democracy, rule of law, equity, justice, security and environment, and for achieving the goal of basically building a country, government and society based on the rule of law in 2035. In December, the State Council Information Office issued a white paper titled China: Democracy That Works, which is a comprehensive summary of Chinas remarkable progress made in whole-process peoples democracy. It says, With complete institutions and extensive participation, whole-process people's democracy has evolved from an idea into a system and mechanism of governance that has taken root in the soil of Chinese society and has become part of people's lives. Whole-process peoples democracy has distinctive Chinese characteristics; it also exemplifies common values and contributes Chinas ideas and solutions to the political progress of humanity. 8. Principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, ending chaos, restoring stability of HKSAR On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th NPC adopted a decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Under the new electoral system, elections of the Election Committee of the HKSAR and the seventh-term Legislative Council of the HKSAR were successfully held, with the democratic rights of Hong Kong citizens reflected, the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, and a political landscape featuring wide and balanced participation from all social groups and constituencies established. Practice has proven that the new electoral system is a good system that adheres to the one country, two systems principle, suits Hong Kongs realities, and provides strong institutional support for the steady and sustained development of the one country, two systems principle as well as the long-term prosperity and stability of the HKSAR. In the past year, Hong Kong has constantly consolidated its achievements in ending chaos and restoring stability, and has secured a sound impetus for development. It has achieved notable results in COVID-19 control, gradually recovered its economy and maintained social stability. 9. Chinese astronauts enter Chinas space station for first time China sent into space the Tianhe core module of its space station on April 29, which signaled that the countrys space station construction entered the full implementation stage. On May 15, Chinas Mars probe Tianwen-1 landed on the surface of Mars, leaving the mark of the Chinese nation on the Red Planet. It marked an important step in Chinas interstellar exploration and a leap from the exploration of the Earth-Moon system to interplanetary exploration. On June 17, Chinas Shenzhou-12 manned spaceship completed a fast automated rendezvous and docking with the Tianhe core module, and Chinese astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo entered the orbiting Tianhe module, which marked the first time Chinese astronauts entered their own space station. After completing their three-month mission, including innovative and groundbreaking scientific experiments and space applications, they returned to Earth safely on Sept. 17. China successfully launched the crewed spaceship Shenzhou-13 on Oct. 16, sending three astronauts to its space station core module Tianhe for a six-month mission. 10. China sets clearly-defined timetable, roadmap for achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality while advancing ecological progress In October, China unveiled a guiding document on its work to achieve its carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals under the new development philosophy, setting a clearly-defined timetable and roadmap and laying out specific targets and measures for the coming decades. According to the document, China will peak its carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The document outlines five major tasks, including creating a green, low-carbon and circular economy, improving energy efficiency, increasing the share of non-fossil energy consumption, lowering CO2 emissions and boosting the carbon sink capacity of ecosystems. It calls for resolute efforts to curb the haphazard development of energy-intensive and high-emission projects. Besides, Chinas national carbon market started online trading and secured stable and orderly operations. China made headway in its efforts to protect its blue skies, and to defend its rivers and soil from pollution. A 10-year ban on fishing in key waters of the Yangtze River basin came into force from Jan. 1, 2021. The combined proportion of state-controlled water sections with good-quality surface water increased to 83.6 percent. Chinas total installed capacity using renewable energy exceeded a billion kilowatts. The total area of afforestation across the country hit 54 million mu, or 3.6 million hectares. (Web editor: Du Mingming, Bianji) China is turning a major part of its internal Internet data surveillance network outward, mining Western social media, including Facebook and Twitter, to equip its government agencies, military and police with information on foreign targets, according to a Washington Post review of hundreds of Chinese bidding documents, contracts and company filings. China maintains a countrywide network of government data surveillance services - called public opinion analysis software - that were developed over the past decade and are used domestically to warn officials of politically sensitive information online. The software primarily targets Chinas domestic Internet users and media, but a Washington Post review of bidding documents and contracts for over 300 Chinese government projects since the beginning of 2020 include orders for software designed to collect data on foreign targets from sources such as Twitter, Facebook and other Western social media. The documents, publicly accessible through domestic government bidding platforms, also show that agencies including state media, propaganda departments, police, military and cyber regulators are purchasing new or more sophisticated systems to gather data. These include a $320,000 Chinese state media software program that mines Twitter and Facebook to create a database of foreign journalists and academics; a $216,000 Beijing police intelligence program that analyses Western chatter on Hong Kong and Taiwan; and a Xinjiang cybercenter cataloguing Uyghur language content abroad. Now we can better understand the underground network of anti-China personnel, said a Beijing-based analyst who works for a unit reporting to Chinas Central Propaganda Department. The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss their work, said they were once tasked with producing a data report on how negative content relating to Beijings senior leadership is spread on Twitter, including profiles of individual academics, politicians and journalists. These surveillance dragnets are part of a wider drive by Beijing to refine its foreign propaganda efforts through big data and artificial intelligence. They also form a network of warning systems designed to sound real-time alarms for trends that undermine Beijings interests. They are now reorienting part of that effort outward, and I think thats frankly terrifying, looking at the sheer numbers and sheer scale that this has taken inside China, said Mareike Ohlberg, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund who has conducted extensive research on Chinas domestic public opinion network. It really shows that they now feel its their responsibility to defend China overseas and fight the public opinion war overseas, she said. Some of the Chinese governments budgeting includes buying and maintaining foreign social media accounts on behalf of police and propaganda departments. Yet others describe using the targeted analysis to refine Beijings state media coverage abroad. The purchases range in size from small, automated programs to projects costing hundreds of thousands of dollars that are staffed 24 hours a day by teams including English speakers and foreign policy specialists. The documents describe highly customizable programs that can collect real-time social media data from individual social media users. Some describe tracking broad trends on issues including U.S. elections. The Post was not able to review data collected by the systems but spoke to four people based in Beijing who are directly involved in government public opinion analysis and described separate software systems that automatically collect and store Facebook and Twitter data in real time on domestic Chinese servers for analysis. Twitter and Facebook both ban automated collection of data on their services without prior authorization. Twitters policy also expressly bars developers from gathering data used to infer a users political affiliation or ethnic and racial origin. Our API provides real-time access to public data and tweets only, not private information. We prohibit use of our API for surveillance purposes, as per our developer policy and terms, said Katie Rosborough, a Twitter spokesperson, referring to the companys Application Programming Interface (API), which allows developers to retrieve public data from the platform among other functions. Facebook did not respond to requests for comment about whether it is aware of the monitoring or whether several companies, universities and state media firms listed as supplying the software were authorized to collect data on its platform. Chinas Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Public opinion guidance Chinas systems for analyzing domestic public opinion online are a powerful but largely unseen pillar of President Xi Jinpings program to modernize Chinas propaganda apparatus and maintain control over the Internet. The vast data collection and monitoring efforts give officials insight into public opinion, a challenge in a country that does not hold public elections or permit independent media. The services also provide increasingly technical surveillance for Chinas censorship apparatus. And most systems include alarm functions designed to alert officials and police to negative content in real time. These operations are an important function of what Beijing calls public opinion guidance work - a policy of molding public sentiment in favor of the government through targeted propaganda and censorship. The phrase first came to prominence in policymaking after the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy demonstrations, when officials began exploring new ways to preempt popular challenges to the Communist Partys power, and has since become integral to the underlying architecture of Chinas Internet, where users are linked by real name ID, and Internet services are required by law to maintain an internal censorship apparatus. The exact scope of Chinas government public opinion monitoring industry is unclear, but there have been some indications about its size in Chinese state media. In 2014, the state-backed newspaper China Daily said more than 2 million people were working as public opinion analysts. In 2018, the Peoples Daily, another official organ, said the governments online opinion analysis industry was worth tens of billions of yuan, equivalent to billions of dollars, and was growing at a rate of 50% a year. That surveillance network system is expanding to include foreign social media at a time when global perceptions of Beijing are at their lowest in recent history. A Pew Research survey released in June showed that perceptions of China among 17 advanced economies had dipped to near historic lows for a second year in a row in the aftermath of the U.S. trade war, the Xinjiang human rights crisis, Hong Kong and the coronavirus pandemic. In May this year, Xi called on senior officials to portray a more trustworthy, lovable and reliable image of China abroad, calling for the effective development of international public opinion guidance. His comments reflect Beijings growing anxieties over how to control Chinas image abroad. On the back of the Sino-US trade talks and the Hong Kong rioting incident, its becoming clearer day by day that the public opinion news war is arduous and necessary, China Daily said in a July 2020 bidding document for a $300,000 foreign personnel analysis platform. The invitation to tender lays out specifications for a program that mines Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for data on well known Western media journalists and other key personnel from political, business and media circles. We are competing with the US and Western media, the battle for the right to speak has begun, it said. The software should run 24 hours a day, according to the specifications, and map the relationships between target personnel and uncover factions between personnel, measuring their China tendencies and building an alarm system that automatically flags false statements and reports on China. Warning systems like the one outlined in the China Daily document are described in over 90% of tenders that list technical specifications, The Posts review of the documents show. Two people who work as analysts in public opinion analysis units contracted by government agencies in Beijing told The Post that they receive automated alarms via SMS, email and on dedicated computer monitors when sensitive content was detected. Both of the people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to foreign media. Having responsibility for [the monitoring] is a lot of pressure, said one of the people. If we do our work poorly, there are severe repercussions. Highly sensitive viral trends online are reported to a 24-hour hotline maintained by the Cybersecurity Administration of China (CAC), the body that oversees the countrys censorship apparatus, the person said of their unit. The person added that most of the alarms were related to domestic social media but that foreign social media had also been included in the units monitoring since the middle of 2019. The persons account is supported by four bidding documents for unrelated systems that mention direct hotlines to the CAC. In case of major public opinion, directly contact the staff on duty of the CAC by telephone to ensure that notifications are in place through various communication tools, said one December 2020 tender for a $236,000 system purchased by the municipal propaganda department in eastern Chinas Fuzhou city for monitoring Facebook and Twitter alongside domestic social media. It specifies that reports to the CAC should include the details of individual social media users. State media-led data mining Suppliers of the systems vary. The China Daily awarded its contract to Beijings Communications University, one of a half dozen Chinese universities that have launched specialized departments to develop public opinion analysis technology. However, some of the most prolific public opinion monitoring services are provided to police and government agencies by state media themselves. The documents provide insight into the scope of foreign social media data collection done by Chinas major state media outlets, which maintain offices and servers abroad, and their key role in providing Beijing with publicity guidance based on increasingly sophisticated data mining analysis. The growing clout of Beijings propaganda efforts abroad, spearheaded by state media, has triggered alarms in Washington. In 2020, the State Department reclassified the U.S.-based operations of Chinas top state media outlets as foreign missions, increasing reporting requirements and restricting their visa allocations, angering Beijing. The Peoples Daily Online, a unit of the state newspaper the Peoples Daily, which provides one of the countrys largest contract public opinion analysis services, won dozens of projects that include overseas social media data collection services for police, judicial authorities, Communist Party organizations and other clients. The unit, which recorded $330 million in operating income in 2020, up 50% from 2018, says it serves over 200 government agencies, although it is not clear how many request foreign social media data. In one tender won by the Peoples Daily Online, the Beijing Police Intelligence Command Unit purchased a $30,570 service to trawl foreign social media and produce reports on unspecified key personnel and organizations, gathering information on their basic circumstances, background and relationships. It also calls for weekly data reports on Hong Kong, Taiwan and U.S. relations. Issued shortly before the 2020 U.S. presidential election results were ratified on Jan. 6, it also called for special reports on netizens main views related to the election. The international balance of power has been profoundly adjusted, said the request for tenders. Through the collection of public Internet information we can keep a close eye on the international community, analyze sensitivities and hot spots, and maintain the stability of Chinese society. In an April 2020 article, the chief analyst at the Peoples Daily Online Public Opinion Data Center, Liao Canliang, laid out the ultimate goal of public opinion analysis. The ultimate purpose of analysis and prediction is to guide and intervene in public opinion, Canliang wrote. . . . Public data from social network users can be used to analyze the characteristics and preferences of users, and then guide them in a targeted manner. In the article, Liao points to Cambridge Analyticas impact on the 2016 U.S. election as evidence of social medias ability to mold public opinion. The West uses big data to analyze, research and judge public opinion to influence political activities. ... As long as there is a correct grasp on the situation, public opinion can also be guided and interfered with, he wrote. Peoples Daily subsidiary Global Times, a firebrand newspaper known for its biting coverage of Chinas critics, also has a unit gathering foreign social media data for Chinas Foreign Ministry, Beijings Foreign Affairs Office and other government agencies. In late 2019, the Global Times Online won a three-year contract worth $531,000 to provide a China-related foreign media and journalist opinion monitoring system that monitors overseas social media on behalf of Chinas Foreign Ministry and produces comprehensive regular reports, as well as special briefings in urgent circumstances. Documentation accompanying the project says that close to 40% of the Global Times monitoring units staffers are senior Global Times reporters and that the publication maintains large overseas social media monitoring platforms. A description on the website of the Global Timess public opinion research center says the group conducts overseas monitoring and overseas investigation services and provides comprehensive response plans to government and private clients. Both the Peoples Daily and the Global Times were among the outlets designated as foreign missions in the United States. The increase in Chinas monitoring of foreign public opinion on social media coincides with efforts by Beijing to boost its influence on Twitter and other U.S. social media platforms. In June 2020, Twitter suspended 23,000 accounts that it said were linked to the Chinese Communist Party and covertly spreading propaganda to undermine pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. This month, Twitter said it removed a further 2,048 accounts linked to Beijing and producing coordinated content undermining accusations of rights abuses in Xinjiang. Experts say those accounts represent a small fraction of Chinas efforts to boost pro-Beijing messaging on foreign social media. Extreme chilling effect Just under a third of the public opinion analysis systems reviewed by The Post were procured by Chinese police. In 14 instances, the analysis systems included a feature requested by the police that would automatically flag sensitive content related to Uyghurs and other Chinese ethnic minorities. An additional 12 analysis systems included the police-requested capability of monitoring individual content authors over time. It must support information monitoring of overseas social media . . . and provide for targeted collection of designated sites and authors, said one invitation to tender released by the Fuzhou city police in October that lists coverage of Facebook and Twitter as a requirement. The monitoring of social media abroad by local police throughout China could be used in investigating Chinese citizens locally and abroad, as well as in flagging trends that stir domestic dissent, experts say. The public security monitoring is very much about stability maintenance, tracking people down and finding peoples identity, and when they monitor overseas social media, its also often with an eye to monitoring what news could cause trouble at home in China, said the German Marshall Funds Ohlberg. Companies providing overseas public opinion monitoring to police include a mix of private and state-owned firms, including the Peoples Daily Online. Six police contracts awarded since 2020 stated that the Peoples Daily was chosen to conduct monitoring on the basis of its technical ability to gather data abroad. Its the only one in the industry that deploys overseas servers. It is a public opinion service organization that can monitor and collect more than 8,000 overseas media without overturning the wall, said the Guangdong Police Department in a $26,200 contract offer posted in July 2020, referring to the ability of the Peoples Daily unit to collect overseas data outside Chinas Great Firewall. Experts say the increasingly advanced social media surveillance technology available to Chinese police could worsen the targeted harassment of Beijings critics. The Chinese government is one of the worst offenders when it comes to targeting individuals outside of the country, said Adrian Shahbaz, the director for technology and democracy at the think tank Freedom House. It has an extreme chilling effect on how Chinese citizens outside of China are using social media tools, because they know that back home, their information is very easily monitored by Chinese authorities, he said. The China Public Security Bureau did not respond to a request for comment. A police bureau in southern Chinas Nanping city purchased a $42,000 system that supports collection, discovery, and warning functions for ... Twitter and Facebook social media data according to different classifications and keyword groups, as well as overseas information lists, according to bidding documents released in July 2020. Other procurements for public opinion services outline programs purchased by Chinese police and Xinjiang government bodies to track sensitive ethnic language content abroad. (Chinas mainly-Muslim Uyghurs are concentrated in Xinjiang.) A $43,000 system purchased by police in central Chinas Shangnan county included a foreign sensitive information collection system that requested Uyghur and Tibetan staff translators, according to the contracts. Military procurement documents - less detailed than other types - did not offer much detail on the purpose of the foreign data collection but alluded to vague categories of data including key personnel. One heavily redacted June 2020 contract issued by the Peoples Liberation Army described a system that would trawl foreign sites and categorize data on the basis of affiliation, geography and country. Source Data Technology, the Shanghai-based company that won the contract, says on its website that it uses advanced big data mining and artificial intelligence analysis technology to cover more than 90% of social media in the United States, Europe and Chinas neighboring countries. Peoples Dailys top 10 domestic news events in 2021 People's Daily Online) 18:40, December 31, 2021 A ceremony celebrating the CPCs centenary is held at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing (Xinhua/Li Xiang). A volunteer introduces the spirit of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee to local residents of the Miao ethnic group in Tianba village, Guanba town of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (cpanet.cn/Cao Yonglong) CPC members review the Party admission oath at the memorial of the First National Congress of the CPC in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Liu Ying) Aerial photo shows workers of a power transmission and distribution company in east China's Anhui Province working at a construction site of an ultra-high-voltage (UHV) power transmission project over the Yangtze River in Anhui Province. (cpanet.cn/Zheng Xianlie) A farmer of Liufeng village, Youjiang district, Baise city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region airs out his anise. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun)\ Photo shows a judge of the people's court of Wenxian county, central China's Henan Province participating in a law education activity. (cpanet.cn/Xu Hongxing) Photo shows the scenery of Chinas Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center shows China's Shenzhou-13 astronaut Zhai Zhigang waving his hand after conducting extravehicular activities outside of the space station core module Tianhe. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng) Photo shows an 81MW photovoltaic power project built at the Nanshan Reservoir, Fujia village, Dongjia town, Fengcheng city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (cpanet.cn/Zhan Peilu) Photo shows the first China International Consumer Products Expo held in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan Province. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun) Editors note: The year 2021 marked a milestone in the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese nation. Over the past year, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, solemnly celebrated the centenary of the founding of the CPC, successfully held the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, formulated the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century, and carried out Party history education efforts. Meanwhile, it has united and led the Chinese people in winning the battle against poverty as scheduled, in building a moderately prosperous society, and in embarking on a new journey of turning China into a modern socialist country in an all-round way, signaling a perfect start to the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). Going forward, China is determined to make even greater achievements through dedication and hard work. In 2022, the CPC will convene its 20th National Congress, a significant event for both the Party and the country. As long as it actively takes on its new missions, earnestly learns from its previous experience, and forges ahead courageously, China will certainly witness even greater glories on its new journey in the new era and make the ship of socialism with Chinese characteristics sail smoothly through all the coming waves. 1. Xi Jinping announces realization of first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects at ceremony marking centenary of the CPC A ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC was held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on July 1. During his speech at the ceremony, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee reviewed the CPCs struggle over the past 100 years, spoke highly of the great achievements the Chinese people made under the leadership of the CPC, and announced that China has realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. He summarized the great founding spirit of the Party, which is comprised of the following principles: upholding truth and ideals, staying true to the Partys original aspiration and founding mission, fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice, and remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people. Xi stressed the importance of upholding the firm leadership of the Party, and noted that as the CPC puts conscious effort into learning from history to create a bright future, the Party must unite and lead the Chinese people in working ceaselessly for a better life, continue to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context, uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces, continue working to promote the building of a human community with a shared future, carry out a great struggle with many contemporary features, strengthen the great unity of the Chinese people, and continue to advance the great new project of Party building. He also called on all party members to score even greater achievements on the journey ahead. The awarding ceremony for the July 1 Medal and a meeting on awarding the titles of outstanding Party members, exemplary Party workers, and advanced community-level Party organizations were held before July 1 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. It was the first time the CPC Central Committee presented the July 1 Medal, the highest honor in the Party. It was of great significance for encouraging all party members to bear in mind the founding mission of the Party and forge ahead. 2. CPC issues landmark resolution on Party's achievements, experience over past century The sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee was held from Nov. 8 to 11. At the session, the CPC Central Committee heard and discussed a work report Xi delivered on behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and considered and adopted the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century and the Resolution on the Convocation of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The CPC Central Committee considered it important in both a practical and historical sense to have a comprehensive review of the major achievements and historical experience of the Party over the past century as the CPC celebrates its centenary and the fulfillment of the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and moves on towards the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. The Central Committee believed that this review would help build a broader consensus and stronger unity in will and action among all members and rally and lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in achieving new and great success in building socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. According to the resolution, the Party has established Comrade Xi Jinpings core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This reflects the common will of the Party, the armed forces, and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, and is of decisive significance for advancing the cause of the Party and the country in the new era and for driving forward the historic process of national rejuvenation, the document said. 3. China secures complete victory in fight against poverty, makes solid progress on major livelihood projects On Feb. 25, President Xi Jinping announced that China had secured a complete victory in its fight against poverty at a grand gathering held in Beijing to mark the country's accomplishments in poverty alleviation and to honor its model poverty fighters. The final 98.99 million impoverished rural residents living under the current poverty line have all been lifted out of poverty. All the 832 impoverished counties and 128,000 impoverished villages have been removed from the poverty list. Regional poverty has been eliminated on the whole, and the arduous task of eradicating absolute poverty has been completed, representing yet another miraculous achievement. Remaining committed to the people-centered philosophy of development, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core rolled out a slew of measures to improve peoples livelihood and address their urgent problems, ensuring a strong sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security for them. In July, China introduced a guideline to ease the burdens of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring for students undergoing compulsory education, in a bid to promote the well-rounded and healthy development of students. In the same month, the country released a decision on improving birth policies to promote long-term and balanced population development. Fresh progress was made in ensuring access to medical services, elderly care, housing, and social assistance. Between January and October, China began the rebuilding and renovation of 53,400 old urban residential communities. China conducted three rounds of centralized drug procurement. Sixty-one types of medicines listed in Chinas fifth-round centralized drug-procurement program were made 56 percent cheaper on average. Chinas basic medical insurance schemes covered 1.36 billion people, or 95 percent of the countrys population. The number of people covered by basic old-age insurance nationwide hit 1 billion, with an insured rate of over 90 percent. 4. China ensures good start of 14th Five-Year Plan, maintains leading position in coordinating epidemic control and economic development On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th National Peoples Congress approved the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035. In 2021, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has calmly responded to the profound changes unseen in a century and the COVID-19 pandemic, and united and led all the Chinese people to accomplish the arduous tasks of reform and development, securing a good start to the 14th Five-Year Plan. China has made new strides to foster a new paradigm of development and promote high-quality development, and has continued to lead the world in terms of economic development and epidemic control, with significant progress made in improving its strategic scientific and technological strength, industrial chain resilience, peoples well-being, reform and opening-up, and eco-environmental progress. The countrys GDP expanded 9.8 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters, putting the average growth for the period over the past two years at 5.2 percent. The number of market entities nationwide exceeded 150 million, and total grain output exceeded 650 million metric tons. China, as the worlds second largest economy, second largest consumption market, and largest trader in goods, has maintained a continuous economic recovery and contributed significantly to stabilizing and promoting recovery in the global economy. 5. CPC launches campaign on studying Party history The launching of the Party-wide education campaign was a major strategic decision by the CPC Central Committee to open up new prospects for the cause of the Party and the State from the new starting point of the centenary of the founding of the CPC. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, attended the campaign's launch meeting held in Beijing on Feb. 20, and delivered an important speech. Xi stressed the vital necessity of launching the campaign, urging Party committees at all levels to earnestly implement the arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee regarding the campaign. Over the past year, Party organizations at all levels have conscientiously implemented the arrangements of the Party Central Committee. Through the campaign, the whole Party has notably enhanced its historical consciousness and confidence, and has significantly strengthened its capacity to innovate, unite and fight, thus achieving the goal of studying the Party's history, understanding its theories, doing practical work and making new advances. 6. China introduces targeted reform plans, improves institutional system in all-round way, pushes forward reform and opening up This year, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, China stressed full, accurate and comprehensive implementation of the new development philosophy to strengthen the integration of systems, take targeted measures and continuously further reform and opening up. China issued a guideline on building the eastern province of Zhejiang into a demonstration zone for achieving common prosperity in June. This was a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core, which puts promoting the common prosperity of all people in a more important position. It fully reflects the firm determination of the CPC Central Committee to solve the problem of insufficiencies resulting from development imbalances in China. In July, China issued a guideline to support the high-level reform and opening-up of the Pudong New Area in Shanghai. In September, the country issued a general plan for building a Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, and a plan on deepening the reform and opening-up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone. A number of policy documents such as a negative list on cross-border trade in services for the Hainan Free Trade Port and measures to liberalize and facilitate the trade in goods and services at the Hainan free trade port have been issued and implemented. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has successively set up 21 free trade pilot zones, obtained a large number of high-level institutional innovation achievements, and built a number of world-leading industrial clusters. This year, economic and trade events such as the China International Consumer Products Expo, the China International Fair for Trade in Services, the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) and the China International Import Expo have been successfully held, and China's resolve to open wider at a high standard is obvious to any objective observer. 7. China issues guiding document on advancing rule of law in new era, improves whole-process peoples democracy The CPC Central Committee in January issued a plan on building the rule of law in China (2020-2025). The plan, designed and formulated under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, practically implements the thought in its every aspect. As the first plan on building the rule of law in China, it is a guiding document on comprehensively advancing the rule of law in the new era and is a blueprint, a roadmap and a drawing for coordinated efforts to advance the building of Chinas rule of law during the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period. The plan bears important significance for allowing the rule of law to better play its role as the guarantor for consolidating foundations, stabilizing expectations and bringing long-term benefits, for advancing the modernization of Chinas national governance system and capacity, for adapting to peoples new requirements and expectations regarding such aspects as democracy, rule of law, equity, justice, security and environment, and for achieving the goal of basically building a country, government and society based on the rule of law in 2035. In December, the State Council Information Office issued a white paper titled China: Democracy That Works, which is a comprehensive summary of Chinas remarkable progress made in whole-process peoples democracy. It says, With complete institutions and extensive participation, whole-process people's democracy has evolved from an idea into a system and mechanism of governance that has taken root in the soil of Chinese society and has become part of people's lives. Whole-process peoples democracy has distinctive Chinese characteristics; it also exemplifies common values and contributes Chinas ideas and solutions to the political progress of humanity. 8. Principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, ending chaos, restoring stability of HKSAR On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th NPC adopted a decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Under the new electoral system, elections of the Election Committee of the HKSAR and the seventh-term Legislative Council of the HKSAR were successfully held, with the democratic rights of Hong Kong citizens reflected, the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, and a political landscape featuring wide and balanced participation from all social groups and constituencies established. Practice has proven that the new electoral system is a good system that adheres to the one country, two systems principle, suits Hong Kongs realities, and provides strong institutional support for the steady and sustained development of the one country, two systems principle as well as the long-term prosperity and stability of the HKSAR. In the past year, Hong Kong has constantly consolidated its achievements in ending chaos and restoring stability, and has secured a sound impetus for development. It has achieved notable results in COVID-19 control, gradually recovered its economy and maintained social stability. 9. Chinese astronauts enter Chinas space station for first time China sent into space the Tianhe core module of its space station on April 29, which signaled that the countrys space station construction entered the full implementation stage. On May 15, Chinas Mars probe Tianwen-1 landed on the surface of Mars, leaving the mark of the Chinese nation on the Red Planet. It marked an important step in Chinas interstellar exploration and a leap from the exploration of the Earth-Moon system to interplanetary exploration. On June 17, Chinas Shenzhou-12 manned spaceship completed a fast automated rendezvous and docking with the Tianhe core module, and Chinese astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo entered the orbiting Tianhe module, which marked the first time Chinese astronauts entered their own space station. After completing their three-month mission, including innovative and groundbreaking scientific experiments and space applications, they returned to Earth safely on Sept. 17. China successfully launched the crewed spaceship Shenzhou-13 on Oct. 16, sending three astronauts to its space station core module Tianhe for a six-month mission. 10. China sets clearly-defined timetable, roadmap for achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality while advancing ecological progress In October, China unveiled a guiding document on its work to achieve its carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals under the new development philosophy, setting a clearly-defined timetable and roadmap and laying out specific targets and measures for the coming decades. According to the document, China will peak its carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The document outlines five major tasks, including creating a green, low-carbon and circular economy, improving energy efficiency, increasing the share of non-fossil energy consumption, lowering CO2 emissions and boosting the carbon sink capacity of ecosystems. It calls for resolute efforts to curb the haphazard development of energy-intensive and high-emission projects. Besides, Chinas national carbon market started online trading and secured stable and orderly operations. China made headway in its efforts to protect its blue skies, and to defend its rivers and soil from pollution. A 10-year ban on fishing in key waters of the Yangtze River basin came into force from Jan. 1, 2021. The combined proportion of state-controlled water sections with good-quality surface water increased to 83.6 percent. Chinas total installed capacity using renewable energy exceeded a billion kilowatts. The total area of afforestation across the country hit 54 million mu, or 3.6 million hectares. (Web editor: Du Mingming, Bianji) Peoples Dailys top 10 domestic news events in 2021 People's Daily Online) 18:40, December 31, 2021 A ceremony celebrating the CPCs centenary is held at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing (Xinhua/Li Xiang). A volunteer introduces the spirit of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee to local residents of the Miao ethnic group in Tianba village, Guanba town of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (cpanet.cn/Cao Yonglong) CPC members review the Party admission oath at the memorial of the First National Congress of the CPC in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Liu Ying) Aerial photo shows workers of a power transmission and distribution company in east China's Anhui Province working at a construction site of an ultra-high-voltage (UHV) power transmission project over the Yangtze River in Anhui Province. (cpanet.cn/Zheng Xianlie) A farmer of Liufeng village, Youjiang district, Baise city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region airs out his anise. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun)\ Photo shows a judge of the people's court of Wenxian county, central China's Henan Province participating in a law education activity. (cpanet.cn/Xu Hongxing) Photo shows the scenery of Chinas Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center shows China's Shenzhou-13 astronaut Zhai Zhigang waving his hand after conducting extravehicular activities outside of the space station core module Tianhe. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng) Photo shows an 81MW photovoltaic power project built at the Nanshan Reservoir, Fujia village, Dongjia town, Fengcheng city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (cpanet.cn/Zhan Peilu) Photo shows the first China International Consumer Products Expo held in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan Province. (Peoples Daily/Zhang Wujun) Editors note: The year 2021 marked a milestone in the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese nation. Over the past year, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, solemnly celebrated the centenary of the founding of the CPC, successfully held the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, formulated the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century, and carried out Party history education efforts. Meanwhile, it has united and led the Chinese people in winning the battle against poverty as scheduled, in building a moderately prosperous society, and in embarking on a new journey of turning China into a modern socialist country in an all-round way, signaling a perfect start to the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). Going forward, China is determined to make even greater achievements through dedication and hard work. In 2022, the CPC will convene its 20th National Congress, a significant event for both the Party and the country. As long as it actively takes on its new missions, earnestly learns from its previous experience, and forges ahead courageously, China will certainly witness even greater glories on its new journey in the new era and make the ship of socialism with Chinese characteristics sail smoothly through all the coming waves. 1. Xi Jinping announces realization of first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects at ceremony marking centenary of the CPC A ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC was held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on July 1. During his speech at the ceremony, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee reviewed the CPCs struggle over the past 100 years, spoke highly of the great achievements the Chinese people made under the leadership of the CPC, and announced that China has realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. He summarized the great founding spirit of the Party, which is comprised of the following principles: upholding truth and ideals, staying true to the Partys original aspiration and founding mission, fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice, and remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people. Xi stressed the importance of upholding the firm leadership of the Party, and noted that as the CPC puts conscious effort into learning from history to create a bright future, the Party must unite and lead the Chinese people in working ceaselessly for a better life, continue to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context, uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces, continue working to promote the building of a human community with a shared future, carry out a great struggle with many contemporary features, strengthen the great unity of the Chinese people, and continue to advance the great new project of Party building. He also called on all party members to score even greater achievements on the journey ahead. The awarding ceremony for the July 1 Medal and a meeting on awarding the titles of outstanding Party members, exemplary Party workers, and advanced community-level Party organizations were held before July 1 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. It was the first time the CPC Central Committee presented the July 1 Medal, the highest honor in the Party. It was of great significance for encouraging all party members to bear in mind the founding mission of the Party and forge ahead. 2. CPC issues landmark resolution on Party's achievements, experience over past century The sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee was held from Nov. 8 to 11. At the session, the CPC Central Committee heard and discussed a work report Xi delivered on behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and considered and adopted the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century and the Resolution on the Convocation of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The CPC Central Committee considered it important in both a practical and historical sense to have a comprehensive review of the major achievements and historical experience of the Party over the past century as the CPC celebrates its centenary and the fulfillment of the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and moves on towards the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. The Central Committee believed that this review would help build a broader consensus and stronger unity in will and action among all members and rally and lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in achieving new and great success in building socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. According to the resolution, the Party has established Comrade Xi Jinpings core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This reflects the common will of the Party, the armed forces, and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, and is of decisive significance for advancing the cause of the Party and the country in the new era and for driving forward the historic process of national rejuvenation, the document said. 3. China secures complete victory in fight against poverty, makes solid progress on major livelihood projects On Feb. 25, President Xi Jinping announced that China had secured a complete victory in its fight against poverty at a grand gathering held in Beijing to mark the country's accomplishments in poverty alleviation and to honor its model poverty fighters. The final 98.99 million impoverished rural residents living under the current poverty line have all been lifted out of poverty. All the 832 impoverished counties and 128,000 impoverished villages have been removed from the poverty list. Regional poverty has been eliminated on the whole, and the arduous task of eradicating absolute poverty has been completed, representing yet another miraculous achievement. Remaining committed to the people-centered philosophy of development, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core rolled out a slew of measures to improve peoples livelihood and address their urgent problems, ensuring a strong sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security for them. In July, China introduced a guideline to ease the burdens of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring for students undergoing compulsory education, in a bid to promote the well-rounded and healthy development of students. In the same month, the country released a decision on improving birth policies to promote long-term and balanced population development. Fresh progress was made in ensuring access to medical services, elderly care, housing, and social assistance. Between January and October, China began the rebuilding and renovation of 53,400 old urban residential communities. China conducted three rounds of centralized drug procurement. Sixty-one types of medicines listed in Chinas fifth-round centralized drug-procurement program were made 56 percent cheaper on average. Chinas basic medical insurance schemes covered 1.36 billion people, or 95 percent of the countrys population. The number of people covered by basic old-age insurance nationwide hit 1 billion, with an insured rate of over 90 percent. 4. China ensures good start of 14th Five-Year Plan, maintains leading position in coordinating epidemic control and economic development On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th National Peoples Congress approved the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035. In 2021, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has calmly responded to the profound changes unseen in a century and the COVID-19 pandemic, and united and led all the Chinese people to accomplish the arduous tasks of reform and development, securing a good start to the 14th Five-Year Plan. China has made new strides to foster a new paradigm of development and promote high-quality development, and has continued to lead the world in terms of economic development and epidemic control, with significant progress made in improving its strategic scientific and technological strength, industrial chain resilience, peoples well-being, reform and opening-up, and eco-environmental progress. The countrys GDP expanded 9.8 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters, putting the average growth for the period over the past two years at 5.2 percent. The number of market entities nationwide exceeded 150 million, and total grain output exceeded 650 million metric tons. China, as the worlds second largest economy, second largest consumption market, and largest trader in goods, has maintained a continuous economic recovery and contributed significantly to stabilizing and promoting recovery in the global economy. 5. CPC launches campaign on studying Party history The launching of the Party-wide education campaign was a major strategic decision by the CPC Central Committee to open up new prospects for the cause of the Party and the State from the new starting point of the centenary of the founding of the CPC. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, attended the campaign's launch meeting held in Beijing on Feb. 20, and delivered an important speech. Xi stressed the vital necessity of launching the campaign, urging Party committees at all levels to earnestly implement the arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee regarding the campaign. Over the past year, Party organizations at all levels have conscientiously implemented the arrangements of the Party Central Committee. Through the campaign, the whole Party has notably enhanced its historical consciousness and confidence, and has significantly strengthened its capacity to innovate, unite and fight, thus achieving the goal of studying the Party's history, understanding its theories, doing practical work and making new advances. 6. China introduces targeted reform plans, improves institutional system in all-round way, pushes forward reform and opening up This year, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, China stressed full, accurate and comprehensive implementation of the new development philosophy to strengthen the integration of systems, take targeted measures and continuously further reform and opening up. China issued a guideline on building the eastern province of Zhejiang into a demonstration zone for achieving common prosperity in June. This was a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core, which puts promoting the common prosperity of all people in a more important position. It fully reflects the firm determination of the CPC Central Committee to solve the problem of insufficiencies resulting from development imbalances in China. In July, China issued a guideline to support the high-level reform and opening-up of the Pudong New Area in Shanghai. In September, the country issued a general plan for building a Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, and a plan on deepening the reform and opening-up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone. A number of policy documents such as a negative list on cross-border trade in services for the Hainan Free Trade Port and measures to liberalize and facilitate the trade in goods and services at the Hainan free trade port have been issued and implemented. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has successively set up 21 free trade pilot zones, obtained a large number of high-level institutional innovation achievements, and built a number of world-leading industrial clusters. This year, economic and trade events such as the China International Consumer Products Expo, the China International Fair for Trade in Services, the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) and the China International Import Expo have been successfully held, and China's resolve to open wider at a high standard is obvious to any objective observer. 7. China issues guiding document on advancing rule of law in new era, improves whole-process peoples democracy The CPC Central Committee in January issued a plan on building the rule of law in China (2020-2025). The plan, designed and formulated under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, practically implements the thought in its every aspect. As the first plan on building the rule of law in China, it is a guiding document on comprehensively advancing the rule of law in the new era and is a blueprint, a roadmap and a drawing for coordinated efforts to advance the building of Chinas rule of law during the countrys 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period. The plan bears important significance for allowing the rule of law to better play its role as the guarantor for consolidating foundations, stabilizing expectations and bringing long-term benefits, for advancing the modernization of Chinas national governance system and capacity, for adapting to peoples new requirements and expectations regarding such aspects as democracy, rule of law, equity, justice, security and environment, and for achieving the goal of basically building a country, government and society based on the rule of law in 2035. In December, the State Council Information Office issued a white paper titled China: Democracy That Works, which is a comprehensive summary of Chinas remarkable progress made in whole-process peoples democracy. It says, With complete institutions and extensive participation, whole-process people's democracy has evolved from an idea into a system and mechanism of governance that has taken root in the soil of Chinese society and has become part of people's lives. Whole-process peoples democracy has distinctive Chinese characteristics; it also exemplifies common values and contributes Chinas ideas and solutions to the political progress of humanity. 8. Principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, ending chaos, restoring stability of HKSAR On March 11, the fourth session of the 13th NPC adopted a decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Under the new electoral system, elections of the Election Committee of the HKSAR and the seventh-term Legislative Council of the HKSAR were successfully held, with the democratic rights of Hong Kong citizens reflected, the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong implemented, and a political landscape featuring wide and balanced participation from all social groups and constituencies established. Practice has proven that the new electoral system is a good system that adheres to the one country, two systems principle, suits Hong Kongs realities, and provides strong institutional support for the steady and sustained development of the one country, two systems principle as well as the long-term prosperity and stability of the HKSAR. In the past year, Hong Kong has constantly consolidated its achievements in ending chaos and restoring stability, and has secured a sound impetus for development. It has achieved notable results in COVID-19 control, gradually recovered its economy and maintained social stability. 9. Chinese astronauts enter Chinas space station for first time China sent into space the Tianhe core module of its space station on April 29, which signaled that the countrys space station construction entered the full implementation stage. On May 15, Chinas Mars probe Tianwen-1 landed on the surface of Mars, leaving the mark of the Chinese nation on the Red Planet. It marked an important step in Chinas interstellar exploration and a leap from the exploration of the Earth-Moon system to interplanetary exploration. On June 17, Chinas Shenzhou-12 manned spaceship completed a fast automated rendezvous and docking with the Tianhe core module, and Chinese astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo entered the orbiting Tianhe module, which marked the first time Chinese astronauts entered their own space station. After completing their three-month mission, including innovative and groundbreaking scientific experiments and space applications, they returned to Earth safely on Sept. 17. China successfully launched the crewed spaceship Shenzhou-13 on Oct. 16, sending three astronauts to its space station core module Tianhe for a six-month mission. 10. China sets clearly-defined timetable, roadmap for achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality while advancing ecological progress In October, China unveiled a guiding document on its work to achieve its carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals under the new development philosophy, setting a clearly-defined timetable and roadmap and laying out specific targets and measures for the coming decades. According to the document, China will peak its carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The document outlines five major tasks, including creating a green, low-carbon and circular economy, improving energy efficiency, increasing the share of non-fossil energy consumption, lowering CO2 emissions and boosting the carbon sink capacity of ecosystems. It calls for resolute efforts to curb the haphazard development of energy-intensive and high-emission projects. Besides, Chinas national carbon market started online trading and secured stable and orderly operations. China made headway in its efforts to protect its blue skies, and to defend its rivers and soil from pollution. A 10-year ban on fishing in key waters of the Yangtze River basin came into force from Jan. 1, 2021. The combined proportion of state-controlled water sections with good-quality surface water increased to 83.6 percent. Chinas total installed capacity using renewable energy exceeded a billion kilowatts. The total area of afforestation across the country hit 54 million mu, or 3.6 million hectares. (Web editor: Du Mingming, Bianji) Ive actually seen one Yes, but never seen one Its possible Absolutely not Other Vote View Results China is turning a major part of its internal Internet data surveillance network outward, mining Western social media, including Facebook and Twitter, to equip its government agencies, military and police with information on foreign targets, according to a Washington Post review of hundreds of Chinese bidding documents, contracts and company filings. China maintains a countrywide network of government data surveillance services - called public opinion analysis software - that were developed over the past decade and are used domestically to warn officials of politically sensitive information online. The software primarily targets Chinas domestic Internet users and media, but a Washington Post review of bidding documents and contracts for over 300 Chinese government projects since the beginning of 2020 include orders for software designed to collect data on foreign targets from sources such as Twitter, Facebook and other Western social media. The documents, publicly accessible through domestic government bidding platforms, also show that agencies including state media, propaganda departments, police, military and cyber regulators are purchasing new or more sophisticated systems to gather data. These include a $320,000 Chinese state media software program that mines Twitter and Facebook to create a database of foreign journalists and academics; a $216,000 Beijing police intelligence program that analyses Western chatter on Hong Kong and Taiwan; and a Xinjiang cybercenter cataloguing Uyghur language content abroad. Now we can better understand the underground network of anti-China personnel, said a Beijing-based analyst who works for a unit reporting to Chinas Central Propaganda Department. The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss their work, said they were once tasked with producing a data report on how negative content relating to Beijings senior leadership is spread on Twitter, including profiles of individual academics, politicians and journalists. These surveillance dragnets are part of a wider drive by Beijing to refine its foreign propaganda efforts through big data and artificial intelligence. They also form a network of warning systems designed to sound real-time alarms for trends that undermine Beijings interests. They are now reorienting part of that effort outward, and I think thats frankly terrifying, looking at the sheer numbers and sheer scale that this has taken inside China, said Mareike Ohlberg, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund who has conducted extensive research on Chinas domestic public opinion network. It really shows that they now feel its their responsibility to defend China overseas and fight the public opinion war overseas, she said. Some of the Chinese governments budgeting includes buying and maintaining foreign social media accounts on behalf of police and propaganda departments. Yet others describe using the targeted analysis to refine Beijings state media coverage abroad. The purchases range in size from small, automated programs to projects costing hundreds of thousands of dollars that are staffed 24 hours a day by teams including English speakers and foreign policy specialists. The documents describe highly customizable programs that can collect real-time social media data from individual social media users. Some describe tracking broad trends on issues including U.S. elections. The Post was not able to review data collected by the systems but spoke to four people based in Beijing who are directly involved in government public opinion analysis and described separate software systems that automatically collect and store Facebook and Twitter data in real time on domestic Chinese servers for analysis. Twitter and Facebook both ban automated collection of data on their services without prior authorization. Twitters policy also expressly bars developers from gathering data used to infer a users political affiliation or ethnic and racial origin. Our API provides real-time access to public data and tweets only, not private information. We prohibit use of our API for surveillance purposes, as per our developer policy and terms, said Katie Rosborough, a Twitter spokesperson, referring to the companys Application Programming Interface (API), which allows developers to retrieve public data from the platform among other functions. Facebook did not respond to requests for comment about whether it is aware of the monitoring or whether several companies, universities and state media firms listed as supplying the software were authorized to collect data on its platform. Chinas Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Public opinion guidance Chinas systems for analyzing domestic public opinion online are a powerful but largely unseen pillar of President Xi Jinpings program to modernize Chinas propaganda apparatus and maintain control over the Internet. The vast data collection and monitoring efforts give officials insight into public opinion, a challenge in a country that does not hold public elections or permit independent media. The services also provide increasingly technical surveillance for Chinas censorship apparatus. And most systems include alarm functions designed to alert officials and police to negative content in real time. These operations are an important function of what Beijing calls public opinion guidance work - a policy of molding public sentiment in favor of the government through targeted propaganda and censorship. The phrase first came to prominence in policymaking after the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy demonstrations, when officials began exploring new ways to preempt popular challenges to the Communist Partys power, and has since become integral to the underlying architecture of Chinas Internet, where users are linked by real name ID, and Internet services are required by law to maintain an internal censorship apparatus. The exact scope of Chinas government public opinion monitoring industry is unclear, but there have been some indications about its size in Chinese state media. In 2014, the state-backed newspaper China Daily said more than 2 million people were working as public opinion analysts. In 2018, the Peoples Daily, another official organ, said the governments online opinion analysis industry was worth tens of billions of yuan, equivalent to billions of dollars, and was growing at a rate of 50% a year. That surveillance network system is expanding to include foreign social media at a time when global perceptions of Beijing are at their lowest in recent history. A Pew Research survey released in June showed that perceptions of China among 17 advanced economies had dipped to near historic lows for a second year in a row in the aftermath of the U.S. trade war, the Xinjiang human rights crisis, Hong Kong and the coronavirus pandemic. In May this year, Xi called on senior officials to portray a more trustworthy, lovable and reliable image of China abroad, calling for the effective development of international public opinion guidance. His comments reflect Beijings growing anxieties over how to control Chinas image abroad. On the back of the Sino-US trade talks and the Hong Kong rioting incident, its becoming clearer day by day that the public opinion news war is arduous and necessary, China Daily said in a July 2020 bidding document for a $300,000 foreign personnel analysis platform. The invitation to tender lays out specifications for a program that mines Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for data on well known Western media journalists and other key personnel from political, business and media circles. We are competing with the US and Western media, the battle for the right to speak has begun, it said. The software should run 24 hours a day, according to the specifications, and map the relationships between target personnel and uncover factions between personnel, measuring their China tendencies and building an alarm system that automatically flags false statements and reports on China. Warning systems like the one outlined in the China Daily document are described in over 90% of tenders that list technical specifications, The Posts review of the documents show. Two people who work as analysts in public opinion analysis units contracted by government agencies in Beijing told The Post that they receive automated alarms via SMS, email and on dedicated computer monitors when sensitive content was detected. Both of the people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to foreign media. Having responsibility for [the monitoring] is a lot of pressure, said one of the people. If we do our work poorly, there are severe repercussions. Highly sensitive viral trends online are reported to a 24-hour hotline maintained by the Cybersecurity Administration of China (CAC), the body that oversees the countrys censorship apparatus, the person said of their unit. The person added that most of the alarms were related to domestic social media but that foreign social media had also been included in the units monitoring since the middle of 2019. The persons account is supported by four bidding documents for unrelated systems that mention direct hotlines to the CAC. In case of major public opinion, directly contact the staff on duty of the CAC by telephone to ensure that notifications are in place through various communication tools, said one December 2020 tender for a $236,000 system purchased by the municipal propaganda department in eastern Chinas Fuzhou city for monitoring Facebook and Twitter alongside domestic social media. It specifies that reports to the CAC should include the details of individual social media users. State media-led data mining Suppliers of the systems vary. The China Daily awarded its contract to Beijings Communications University, one of a half dozen Chinese universities that have launched specialized departments to develop public opinion analysis technology. However, some of the most prolific public opinion monitoring services are provided to police and government agencies by state media themselves. The documents provide insight into the scope of foreign social media data collection done by Chinas major state media outlets, which maintain offices and servers abroad, and their key role in providing Beijing with publicity guidance based on increasingly sophisticated data mining analysis. The growing clout of Beijings propaganda efforts abroad, spearheaded by state media, has triggered alarms in Washington. In 2020, the State Department reclassified the U.S.-based operations of Chinas top state media outlets as foreign missions, increasing reporting requirements and restricting their visa allocations, angering Beijing. The Peoples Daily Online, a unit of the state newspaper the Peoples Daily, which provides one of the countrys largest contract public opinion analysis services, won dozens of projects that include overseas social media data collection services for police, judicial authorities, Communist Party organizations and other clients. The unit, which recorded $330 million in operating income in 2020, up 50% from 2018, says it serves over 200 government agencies, although it is not clear how many request foreign social media data. In one tender won by the Peoples Daily Online, the Beijing Police Intelligence Command Unit purchased a $30,570 service to trawl foreign social media and produce reports on unspecified key personnel and organizations, gathering information on their basic circumstances, background and relationships. It also calls for weekly data reports on Hong Kong, Taiwan and U.S. relations. Issued shortly before the 2020 U.S. presidential election results were ratified on Jan. 6, it also called for special reports on netizens main views related to the election. The international balance of power has been profoundly adjusted, said the request for tenders. Through the collection of public Internet information we can keep a close eye on the international community, analyze sensitivities and hot spots, and maintain the stability of Chinese society. In an April 2020 article, the chief analyst at the Peoples Daily Online Public Opinion Data Center, Liao Canliang, laid out the ultimate goal of public opinion analysis. The ultimate purpose of analysis and prediction is to guide and intervene in public opinion, Canliang wrote. . . . Public data from social network users can be used to analyze the characteristics and preferences of users, and then guide them in a targeted manner. In the article, Liao points to Cambridge Analyticas impact on the 2016 U.S. election as evidence of social medias ability to mold public opinion. The West uses big data to analyze, research and judge public opinion to influence political activities. ... As long as there is a correct grasp on the situation, public opinion can also be guided and interfered with, he wrote. Peoples Daily subsidiary Global Times, a firebrand newspaper known for its biting coverage of Chinas critics, also has a unit gathering foreign social media data for Chinas Foreign Ministry, Beijings Foreign Affairs Office and other government agencies. In late 2019, the Global Times Online won a three-year contract worth $531,000 to provide a China-related foreign media and journalist opinion monitoring system that monitors overseas social media on behalf of Chinas Foreign Ministry and produces comprehensive regular reports, as well as special briefings in urgent circumstances. Documentation accompanying the project says that close to 40% of the Global Times monitoring units staffers are senior Global Times reporters and that the publication maintains large overseas social media monitoring platforms. A description on the website of the Global Timess public opinion research center says the group conducts overseas monitoring and overseas investigation services and provides comprehensive response plans to government and private clients. Both the Peoples Daily and the Global Times were among the outlets designated as foreign missions in the United States. The increase in Chinas monitoring of foreign public opinion on social media coincides with efforts by Beijing to boost its influence on Twitter and other U.S. social media platforms. In June 2020, Twitter suspended 23,000 accounts that it said were linked to the Chinese Communist Party and covertly spreading propaganda to undermine pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. This month, Twitter said it removed a further 2,048 accounts linked to Beijing and producing coordinated content undermining accusations of rights abuses in Xinjiang. Experts say those accounts represent a small fraction of Chinas efforts to boost pro-Beijing messaging on foreign social media. Extreme chilling effect Just under a third of the public opinion analysis systems reviewed by The Post were procured by Chinese police. In 14 instances, the analysis systems included a feature requested by the police that would automatically flag sensitive content related to Uyghurs and other Chinese ethnic minorities. An additional 12 analysis systems included the police-requested capability of monitoring individual content authors over time. It must support information monitoring of overseas social media . . . and provide for targeted collection of designated sites and authors, said one invitation to tender released by the Fuzhou city police in October that lists coverage of Facebook and Twitter as a requirement. The monitoring of social media abroad by local police throughout China could be used in investigating Chinese citizens locally and abroad, as well as in flagging trends that stir domestic dissent, experts say. The public security monitoring is very much about stability maintenance, tracking people down and finding peoples identity, and when they monitor overseas social media, its also often with an eye to monitoring what news could cause trouble at home in China, said the German Marshall Funds Ohlberg. Companies providing overseas public opinion monitoring to police include a mix of private and state-owned firms, including the Peoples Daily Online. Six police contracts awarded since 2020 stated that the Peoples Daily was chosen to conduct monitoring on the basis of its technical ability to gather data abroad. Its the only one in the industry that deploys overseas servers. It is a public opinion service organization that can monitor and collect more than 8,000 overseas media without overturning the wall, said the Guangdong Police Department in a $26,200 contract offer posted in July 2020, referring to the ability of the Peoples Daily unit to collect overseas data outside Chinas Great Firewall. Experts say the increasingly advanced social media surveillance technology available to Chinese police could worsen the targeted harassment of Beijings critics. The Chinese government is one of the worst offenders when it comes to targeting individuals outside of the country, said Adrian Shahbaz, the director for technology and democracy at the think tank Freedom House. It has an extreme chilling effect on how Chinese citizens outside of China are using social media tools, because they know that back home, their information is very easily monitored by Chinese authorities, he said. The China Public Security Bureau did not respond to a request for comment. A police bureau in southern Chinas Nanping city purchased a $42,000 system that supports collection, discovery, and warning functions for ... Twitter and Facebook social media data according to different classifications and keyword groups, as well as overseas information lists, according to bidding documents released in July 2020. Other procurements for public opinion services outline programs purchased by Chinese police and Xinjiang government bodies to track sensitive ethnic language content abroad. (Chinas mainly-Muslim Uyghurs are concentrated in Xinjiang.) A $43,000 system purchased by police in central Chinas Shangnan county included a foreign sensitive information collection system that requested Uyghur and Tibetan staff translators, according to the contracts. Military procurement documents - less detailed than other types - did not offer much detail on the purpose of the foreign data collection but alluded to vague categories of data including key personnel. One heavily redacted June 2020 contract issued by the Peoples Liberation Army described a system that would trawl foreign sites and categorize data on the basis of affiliation, geography and country. Source Data Technology, the Shanghai-based company that won the contract, says on its website that it uses advanced big data mining and artificial intelligence analysis technology to cover more than 90% of social media in the United States, Europe and Chinas neighboring countries. China is turning a major part of its internal Internet data surveillance network outward, mining Western social media, including Facebook and Twitter, to equip its government agencies, military and police with information on foreign targets, according to a Washington Post review of hundreds of Chinese bidding documents, contracts and company filings. China maintains a countrywide network of government data surveillance services - called public opinion analysis software - that were developed over the past decade and are used domestically to warn officials of politically sensitive information online. The software primarily targets Chinas domestic Internet users and media, but a Washington Post review of bidding documents and contracts for over 300 Chinese government projects since the beginning of 2020 include orders for software designed to collect data on foreign targets from sources such as Twitter, Facebook and other Western social media. The documents, publicly accessible through domestic government bidding platforms, also show that agencies including state media, propaganda departments, police, military and cyber regulators are purchasing new or more sophisticated systems to gather data. These include a $320,000 Chinese state media software program that mines Twitter and Facebook to create a database of foreign journalists and academics; a $216,000 Beijing police intelligence program that analyses Western chatter on Hong Kong and Taiwan; and a Xinjiang cybercenter cataloguing Uyghur language content abroad. Now we can better understand the underground network of anti-China personnel, said a Beijing-based analyst who works for a unit reporting to Chinas Central Propaganda Department. The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss their work, said they were once tasked with producing a data report on how negative content relating to Beijings senior leadership is spread on Twitter, including profiles of individual academics, politicians and journalists. These surveillance dragnets are part of a wider drive by Beijing to refine its foreign propaganda efforts through big data and artificial intelligence. They also form a network of warning systems designed to sound real-time alarms for trends that undermine Beijings interests. They are now reorienting part of that effort outward, and I think thats frankly terrifying, looking at the sheer numbers and sheer scale that this has taken inside China, said Mareike Ohlberg, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund who has conducted extensive research on Chinas domestic public opinion network. It really shows that they now feel its their responsibility to defend China overseas and fight the public opinion war overseas, she said. Some of the Chinese governments budgeting includes buying and maintaining foreign social media accounts on behalf of police and propaganda departments. Yet others describe using the targeted analysis to refine Beijings state media coverage abroad. The purchases range in size from small, automated programs to projects costing hundreds of thousands of dollars that are staffed 24 hours a day by teams including English speakers and foreign policy specialists. The documents describe highly customizable programs that can collect real-time social media data from individual social media users. Some describe tracking broad trends on issues including U.S. elections. The Post was not able to review data collected by the systems but spoke to four people based in Beijing who are directly involved in government public opinion analysis and described separate software systems that automatically collect and store Facebook and Twitter data in real time on domestic Chinese servers for analysis. Twitter and Facebook both ban automated collection of data on their services without prior authorization. Twitters policy also expressly bars developers from gathering data used to infer a users political affiliation or ethnic and racial origin. Our API provides real-time access to public data and tweets only, not private information. We prohibit use of our API for surveillance purposes, as per our developer policy and terms, said Katie Rosborough, a Twitter spokesperson, referring to the companys Application Programming Interface (API), which allows developers to retrieve public data from the platform among other functions. Facebook did not respond to requests for comment about whether it is aware of the monitoring or whether several companies, universities and state media firms listed as supplying the software were authorized to collect data on its platform. Chinas Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Public opinion guidance Chinas systems for analyzing domestic public opinion online are a powerful but largely unseen pillar of President Xi Jinpings program to modernize Chinas propaganda apparatus and maintain control over the Internet. The vast data collection and monitoring efforts give officials insight into public opinion, a challenge in a country that does not hold public elections or permit independent media. The services also provide increasingly technical surveillance for Chinas censorship apparatus. And most systems include alarm functions designed to alert officials and police to negative content in real time. These operations are an important function of what Beijing calls public opinion guidance work - a policy of molding public sentiment in favor of the government through targeted propaganda and censorship. The phrase first came to prominence in policymaking after the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy demonstrations, when officials began exploring new ways to preempt popular challenges to the Communist Partys power, and has since become integral to the underlying architecture of Chinas Internet, where users are linked by real name ID, and Internet services are required by law to maintain an internal censorship apparatus. The exact scope of Chinas government public opinion monitoring industry is unclear, but there have been some indications about its size in Chinese state media. In 2014, the state-backed newspaper China Daily said more than 2 million people were working as public opinion analysts. In 2018, the Peoples Daily, another official organ, said the governments online opinion analysis industry was worth tens of billions of yuan, equivalent to billions of dollars, and was growing at a rate of 50% a year. That surveillance network system is expanding to include foreign social media at a time when global perceptions of Beijing are at their lowest in recent history. A Pew Research survey released in June showed that perceptions of China among 17 advanced economies had dipped to near historic lows for a second year in a row in the aftermath of the U.S. trade war, the Xinjiang human rights crisis, Hong Kong and the coronavirus pandemic. In May this year, Xi called on senior officials to portray a more trustworthy, lovable and reliable image of China abroad, calling for the effective development of international public opinion guidance. His comments reflect Beijings growing anxieties over how to control Chinas image abroad. On the back of the Sino-US trade talks and the Hong Kong rioting incident, its becoming clearer day by day that the public opinion news war is arduous and necessary, China Daily said in a July 2020 bidding document for a $300,000 foreign personnel analysis platform. The invitation to tender lays out specifications for a program that mines Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for data on well known Western media journalists and other key personnel from political, business and media circles. We are competing with the US and Western media, the battle for the right to speak has begun, it said. The software should run 24 hours a day, according to the specifications, and map the relationships between target personnel and uncover factions between personnel, measuring their China tendencies and building an alarm system that automatically flags false statements and reports on China. Warning systems like the one outlined in the China Daily document are described in over 90% of tenders that list technical specifications, The Posts review of the documents show. Two people who work as analysts in public opinion analysis units contracted by government agencies in Beijing told The Post that they receive automated alarms via SMS, email and on dedicated computer monitors when sensitive content was detected. Both of the people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to foreign media. Having responsibility for [the monitoring] is a lot of pressure, said one of the people. If we do our work poorly, there are severe repercussions. Highly sensitive viral trends online are reported to a 24-hour hotline maintained by the Cybersecurity Administration of China (CAC), the body that oversees the countrys censorship apparatus, the person said of their unit. The person added that most of the alarms were related to domestic social media but that foreign social media had also been included in the units monitoring since the middle of 2019. The persons account is supported by four bidding documents for unrelated systems that mention direct hotlines to the CAC. In case of major public opinion, directly contact the staff on duty of the CAC by telephone to ensure that notifications are in place through various communication tools, said one December 2020 tender for a $236,000 system purchased by the municipal propaganda department in eastern Chinas Fuzhou city for monitoring Facebook and Twitter alongside domestic social media. It specifies that reports to the CAC should include the details of individual social media users. State media-led data mining Suppliers of the systems vary. The China Daily awarded its contract to Beijings Communications University, one of a half dozen Chinese universities that have launched specialized departments to develop public opinion analysis technology. However, some of the most prolific public opinion monitoring services are provided to police and government agencies by state media themselves. The documents provide insight into the scope of foreign social media data collection done by Chinas major state media outlets, which maintain offices and servers abroad, and their key role in providing Beijing with publicity guidance based on increasingly sophisticated data mining analysis. The growing clout of Beijings propaganda efforts abroad, spearheaded by state media, has triggered alarms in Washington. In 2020, the State Department reclassified the U.S.-based operations of Chinas top state media outlets as foreign missions, increasing reporting requirements and restricting their visa allocations, angering Beijing. The Peoples Daily Online, a unit of the state newspaper the Peoples Daily, which provides one of the countrys largest contract public opinion analysis services, won dozens of projects that include overseas social media data collection services for police, judicial authorities, Communist Party organizations and other clients. The unit, which recorded $330 million in operating income in 2020, up 50% from 2018, says it serves over 200 government agencies, although it is not clear how many request foreign social media data. In one tender won by the Peoples Daily Online, the Beijing Police Intelligence Command Unit purchased a $30,570 service to trawl foreign social media and produce reports on unspecified key personnel and organizations, gathering information on their basic circumstances, background and relationships. It also calls for weekly data reports on Hong Kong, Taiwan and U.S. relations. Issued shortly before the 2020 U.S. presidential election results were ratified on Jan. 6, it also called for special reports on netizens main views related to the election. The international balance of power has been profoundly adjusted, said the request for tenders. Through the collection of public Internet information we can keep a close eye on the international community, analyze sensitivities and hot spots, and maintain the stability of Chinese society. In an April 2020 article, the chief analyst at the Peoples Daily Online Public Opinion Data Center, Liao Canliang, laid out the ultimate goal of public opinion analysis. The ultimate purpose of analysis and prediction is to guide and intervene in public opinion, Canliang wrote. . . . Public data from social network users can be used to analyze the characteristics and preferences of users, and then guide them in a targeted manner. In the article, Liao points to Cambridge Analyticas impact on the 2016 U.S. election as evidence of social medias ability to mold public opinion. The West uses big data to analyze, research and judge public opinion to influence political activities. ... As long as there is a correct grasp on the situation, public opinion can also be guided and interfered with, he wrote. Peoples Daily subsidiary Global Times, a firebrand newspaper known for its biting coverage of Chinas critics, also has a unit gathering foreign social media data for Chinas Foreign Ministry, Beijings Foreign Affairs Office and other government agencies. In late 2019, the Global Times Online won a three-year contract worth $531,000 to provide a China-related foreign media and journalist opinion monitoring system that monitors overseas social media on behalf of Chinas Foreign Ministry and produces comprehensive regular reports, as well as special briefings in urgent circumstances. Documentation accompanying the project says that close to 40% of the Global Times monitoring units staffers are senior Global Times reporters and that the publication maintains large overseas social media monitoring platforms. A description on the website of the Global Timess public opinion research center says the group conducts overseas monitoring and overseas investigation services and provides comprehensive response plans to government and private clients. Both the Peoples Daily and the Global Times were among the outlets designated as foreign missions in the United States. The increase in Chinas monitoring of foreign public opinion on social media coincides with efforts by Beijing to boost its influence on Twitter and other U.S. social media platforms. In June 2020, Twitter suspended 23,000 accounts that it said were linked to the Chinese Communist Party and covertly spreading propaganda to undermine pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. This month, Twitter said it removed a further 2,048 accounts linked to Beijing and producing coordinated content undermining accusations of rights abuses in Xinjiang. Experts say those accounts represent a small fraction of Chinas efforts to boost pro-Beijing messaging on foreign social media. Extreme chilling effect Just under a third of the public opinion analysis systems reviewed by The Post were procured by Chinese police. In 14 instances, the analysis systems included a feature requested by the police that would automatically flag sensitive content related to Uyghurs and other Chinese ethnic minorities. An additional 12 analysis systems included the police-requested capability of monitoring individual content authors over time. It must support information monitoring of overseas social media . . . and provide for targeted collection of designated sites and authors, said one invitation to tender released by the Fuzhou city police in October that lists coverage of Facebook and Twitter as a requirement. The monitoring of social media abroad by local police throughout China could be used in investigating Chinese citizens locally and abroad, as well as in flagging trends that stir domestic dissent, experts say. The public security monitoring is very much about stability maintenance, tracking people down and finding peoples identity, and when they monitor overseas social media, its also often with an eye to monitoring what news could cause trouble at home in China, said the German Marshall Funds Ohlberg. Companies providing overseas public opinion monitoring to police include a mix of private and state-owned firms, including the Peoples Daily Online. Six police contracts awarded since 2020 stated that the Peoples Daily was chosen to conduct monitoring on the basis of its technical ability to gather data abroad. Its the only one in the industry that deploys overseas servers. It is a public opinion service organization that can monitor and collect more than 8,000 overseas media without overturning the wall, said the Guangdong Police Department in a $26,200 contract offer posted in July 2020, referring to the ability of the Peoples Daily unit to collect overseas data outside Chinas Great Firewall. Experts say the increasingly advanced social media surveillance technology available to Chinese police could worsen the targeted harassment of Beijings critics. The Chinese government is one of the worst offenders when it comes to targeting individuals outside of the country, said Adrian Shahbaz, the director for technology and democracy at the think tank Freedom House. It has an extreme chilling effect on how Chinese citizens outside of China are using social media tools, because they know that back home, their information is very easily monitored by Chinese authorities, he said. The China Public Security Bureau did not respond to a request for comment. A police bureau in southern Chinas Nanping city purchased a $42,000 system that supports collection, discovery, and warning functions for ... Twitter and Facebook social media data according to different classifications and keyword groups, as well as overseas information lists, according to bidding documents released in July 2020. Other procurements for public opinion services outline programs purchased by Chinese police and Xinjiang government bodies to track sensitive ethnic language content abroad. (Chinas mainly-Muslim Uyghurs are concentrated in Xinjiang.) A $43,000 system purchased by police in central Chinas Shangnan county included a foreign sensitive information collection system that requested Uyghur and Tibetan staff translators, according to the contracts. Military procurement documents - less detailed than other types - did not offer much detail on the purpose of the foreign data collection but alluded to vague categories of data including key personnel. One heavily redacted June 2020 contract issued by the Peoples Liberation Army described a system that would trawl foreign sites and categorize data on the basis of affiliation, geography and country. Source Data Technology, the Shanghai-based company that won the contract, says on its website that it uses advanced big data mining and artificial intelligence analysis technology to cover more than 90% of social media in the United States, Europe and Chinas neighboring countries. Chennai, Jan 1 : Tamil Nadu Police is on the pursuit of the source of Rs 500 crore worth Emerald Shivalingam that was recovered from a bank locker at Thanjavur. Additional DGP K. Jayanth Murali, who is heading the investigation, told reporters that they are ascertaining from where the person in whose locker the lingam was recovered on Thursday sourced the idol. The police had acted following a tip that antique idols were kept at a house in Thanjavur. They quizzed N.S. Arun, son of octogenarian Samiyappan, the owner of the lingam. However, he said that he did not know anything and that his father had kept an Emerald Lingam at the bank locker. Police found the emerald lingam and experts, including custodians of antique materials like Dharmapuram Adheenam, have confirmed it to be original. Police are investigating whether the lingam was the one that went missing from a Shiva temple at Thirukuvalai in Nagapattinam district in 2016. Jayant Murali told the mediapersons that Samiyappan and Arun are cooperating with the investigation. An emerald Sivalingam idol had gone missing from the Adi Sankara Janmabhoomi in Aluva, Kerala in 2009 and there was no clue as to where it had gone. The Kerala Police had constituted a Temple Theft Special Investigation Team, but the elite team that cracked several other temple theft cases could not crack this case and the idol still remains elusive. Police are investigating whether the idol that was recovered from the bank locker has any connection with the one stolen from Aluva. Puducherry, Jan 1 : Coinciding with the year-end festivities, a band of ecological enthusiasts from University of Hyderabad (UoH)and Pondicherry University (PU) are working to clean up the mess and help marine life, along the Puducherry coast. To create awareness, the World Green Army along with the students for development of the UoH, and PU ABVP unit have embarked on a campaign which began from December 28, and will continue until January first week. Rohit Bondugula, Ph.D. scholar at the University of Hyderabad and founder-member of the World Green Army said: "These clean-up drives will be carried out regularly every week so that our efforts will make sure the beaches are clean and there won't be any harm to the marine animals like sea anemones, barnacles, chitons, crabs, isopods, limpets, mussels, sea stars, snails and turtles which are mostly found in the beaches. We are also running awareness campaigns and are in talks with the local fishermen and coastal area residents for initiating the clean-up drives and maintaining their neighborhood clean." In all, around 60 volunteers from the two universities, are participating in the campaign. With covid restrictions easing over the past few months, tourists and visitor arrivals have seen a rise which has also exposed beaches to pollution. Vishal Agarwal Ph.D. Scholar of Pondicherry University said: "Most of the tourists started visiting the beaches in Pondicherry and several other beaches. However, most of these tourists are not cautious about the marine life of the sea. They dump plastic, glasses, litter around and throw the wastes into the beaches thereby affecting the marine animals." Together, the volunteers have managed to bring about improvement in some of the beaches that the Union Territory of Puducherry is famous for. Sharwananad, Ph.D scholar ABVP Pondicherry University President said: "We have cleaned few beaches such as Chinna Kalapet beach, Soorya beach and Serenity beach and collected lots of waste and garbage dumped by humans." The UoH students, who travelled all the way from Hyderabad and collaborated with the PU students, are looking forward to collaborating with several NGOs to work for sustainable development goals, environmental and climate issues, lake protection and wildlife issues, said Rohit Bondugula. Puducherry, Jan 1 : Coinciding with the year-end festivities, a band of ecological enthusiasts from University of Hyderabad (UoH)and Pondicherry University (PU) are working to clean up the mess and help marine life, along the Puducherry coast. To create awareness, the World Green Army along with the students for development of the UoH, and PU ABVP unit have embarked on a campaign which began from December 28, and will continue until January first week. Rohit Bondugula, Ph.D. scholar at the University of Hyderabad and founder-member of the World Green Army said: "These clean-up drives will be carried out regularly every week so that our efforts will make sure the beaches are clean and there won't be any harm to the marine animals like sea anemones, barnacles, chitons, crabs, isopods, limpets, mussels, sea stars, snails and turtles which are mostly found in the beaches. We are also running awareness campaigns and are in talks with the local fishermen and coastal area residents for initiating the clean-up drives and maintaining their neighborhood clean." In all, around 60 volunteers from the two universities, are participating in the campaign. With covid restrictions easing over the past few months, tourists and visitor arrivals have seen a rise which has also exposed beaches to pollution. Vishal Agarwal Ph.D. Scholar of Pondicherry University said: "Most of the tourists started visiting the beaches in Pondicherry and several other beaches. However, most of these tourists are not cautious about the marine life of the sea. They dump plastic, glasses, litter around and throw the wastes into the beaches thereby affecting the marine animals." Together, the volunteers have managed to bring about improvement in some of the beaches that the Union Territory of Puducherry is famous for. Sharwananad, Ph.D scholar ABVP Pondicherry University President said: "We have cleaned few beaches such as Chinna Kalapet beach, Soorya beach and Serenity beach and collected lots of waste and garbage dumped by humans." The UoH students, who travelled all the way from Hyderabad and collaborated with the PU students, are looking forward to collaborating with several NGOs to work for sustainable development goals, environmental and climate issues, lake protection and wildlife issues, said Rohit Bondugula. Asian-American groups call for end of controversial "China Initiative": CNBC Xinhua) 13:58, January 01, 2022 NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Asian-American advocacy groups have increased pressure over the past year on the Biden administration to end the controversial "China Initiative" that unfairly targets scientists of Chinese descent and others, CNBC has reported. Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. However, it has brought "emotional and financial harm" to the families of ethnic Chinese scientists, it said. "The China Initiative impacts Americans, permanent residents, immigrants, international students and visiting scholars," Gisela Kusakawa, an attorney for the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice, was quoted as saying. Thu Nguyen, the executive director of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, said the initiative has created fear that could trigger a brain drain in academia. The growing threat of racial profiling in the United States has already pushed some talented scientists to look for jobs back in China, she said. In August 2021, more than 20 Asian-American advocacy groups jointly sent an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to pause the initiative targeting China. The letter also called for an independent review on whether the program unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ethnicity, urging Biden to "redouble" efforts to combat hate and violence against Asian Americans. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Asian-American groups call for end of controversial "China Initiative": CNBC Xinhua) 13:58, January 01, 2022 NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Asian-American advocacy groups have increased pressure over the past year on the Biden administration to end the controversial "China Initiative" that unfairly targets scientists of Chinese descent and others, CNBC has reported. Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. However, it has brought "emotional and financial harm" to the families of ethnic Chinese scientists, it said. "The China Initiative impacts Americans, permanent residents, immigrants, international students and visiting scholars," Gisela Kusakawa, an attorney for the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice, was quoted as saying. Thu Nguyen, the executive director of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, said the initiative has created fear that could trigger a brain drain in academia. The growing threat of racial profiling in the United States has already pushed some talented scientists to look for jobs back in China, she said. In August 2021, more than 20 Asian-American advocacy groups jointly sent an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to pause the initiative targeting China. The letter also called for an independent review on whether the program unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ethnicity, urging Biden to "redouble" efforts to combat hate and violence against Asian Americans. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Asian-American groups call for end of controversial "China Initiative": CNBC Xinhua) 13:58, January 01, 2022 NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Asian-American advocacy groups have increased pressure over the past year on the Biden administration to end the controversial "China Initiative" that unfairly targets scientists of Chinese descent and others, CNBC has reported. Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. However, it has brought "emotional and financial harm" to the families of ethnic Chinese scientists, it said. "The China Initiative impacts Americans, permanent residents, immigrants, international students and visiting scholars," Gisela Kusakawa, an attorney for the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice, was quoted as saying. Thu Nguyen, the executive director of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, said the initiative has created fear that could trigger a brain drain in academia. The growing threat of racial profiling in the United States has already pushed some talented scientists to look for jobs back in China, she said. In August 2021, more than 20 Asian-American advocacy groups jointly sent an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to pause the initiative targeting China. The letter also called for an independent review on whether the program unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ethnicity, urging Biden to "redouble" efforts to combat hate and violence against Asian Americans. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Asian-American groups call for end of controversial "China Initiative": CNBC Xinhua) 13:58, January 01, 2022 NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Asian-American advocacy groups have increased pressure over the past year on the Biden administration to end the controversial "China Initiative" that unfairly targets scientists of Chinese descent and others, CNBC has reported. Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. However, it has brought "emotional and financial harm" to the families of ethnic Chinese scientists, it said. "The China Initiative impacts Americans, permanent residents, immigrants, international students and visiting scholars," Gisela Kusakawa, an attorney for the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice, was quoted as saying. Thu Nguyen, the executive director of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, said the initiative has created fear that could trigger a brain drain in academia. The growing threat of racial profiling in the United States has already pushed some talented scientists to look for jobs back in China, she said. In August 2021, more than 20 Asian-American advocacy groups jointly sent an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to pause the initiative targeting China. The letter also called for an independent review on whether the program unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ethnicity, urging Biden to "redouble" efforts to combat hate and violence against Asian Americans. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Jammu, Jan 1 : Yatra at the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine resumed Saturday afternoon after 12 people were killed and 14 injured in a stampede at the shrine in the early hours of Saturday. Divisional Commissioner (Jammu) Raghav Langar told media at Katra (Yatra base camp) that the Yatra, halted for a brief period after the stampede, resumed at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. He said that an inquiry was ordered to ascertain the reasons behind the incident. Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha ordered a high level inquiry into the stampede incident which will be headed by principal secretary home with divisional commissioner Jammu and Additional DGP Jammu as members. Prime Minister Narendra Modi sanctioned Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of those killed in the stampede while the Lt. Governor sanctioned Rs 10 lakh each for survivors of those killed and Rs 2 lakh each for the injured. The stampede occurred when a large number of devotees entered the Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan without permission slips to offer obeisance on the New Year. Interview: RCEP to catalyze sustainable economic recovery amid COVID-19, says ASEAN secretary-general Xinhua) 15:06, January 01, 2022 File photo taken on March 26, 2021 shows Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Dato Lim Jock Hoi working at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia. (ASEAN Secretariat/Handout via Xinhua) JAKARTA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement will open up opportunities to catalyze the expansion of regional trade and investment much needed for economic recovery amid COVID-19, said Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Dato Lim Jock Hoi. The ASEAN Secretariat announced in November that the RCEP agreement will enter into force on Jan. 1, 2022, as it has received instruments of ratification from six ASEAN countries, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as from four non-ASEAN signatory states of Australia, China, Japan and New Zealand. In a recent written interview with Xinhua, Lim said RCEP demonstrates the shared commitment of ASEAN, China and other parties to a multilateral trading system. Signed in November 2020, RCEP is currently the largest free trade agreement in the world, connecting ASEAN and major global economies including China, South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Lim noted that RCEP reinforces regional economic integration by expanding common accumulative rules of origin, simplified customs procedures, trade facilitation, and coherent trade rules that provide greater transparency, fairness, and predictability for businesses. "All these will translate into a significant reduction of trade costs and processing time for ASEAN businesses, especially micro, small and medium enterprises," which will have a greater chance of integration into the regional and global supply chains, he said. Lim stressed that after the implementation of the RCEP agreement, each party will have to transform its regulatory framework accordingly, and the business community needs to be equipped with capability, skills and knowledge about how to seize opportunities to enhance their competitiveness. In 2021, China and ASEAN agreed to elevate their bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, which Lim said not only marks an important milestone in ASEAN-China relations, but is expected to shape a new landscape and momentum for economic cooperation in bilateral relations between ASEAN and China in many years to come. With a new landscape in prospect, Lim hoped that ASEAN and China will work more closely together to inject resilience in their economic and trade linkages. He added that both sides should revitalize the new ASEAN-China economic relationship by harnessing the potential of technological advancement as the new driver for growth and joining coordination efforts to address common challenges such as climate change. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Interview: RCEP to catalyze sustainable economic recovery amid COVID-19, says ASEAN secretary-general Xinhua) 15:06, January 01, 2022 File photo taken on March 26, 2021 shows Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Dato Lim Jock Hoi working at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia. (ASEAN Secretariat/Handout via Xinhua) JAKARTA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement will open up opportunities to catalyze the expansion of regional trade and investment much needed for economic recovery amid COVID-19, said Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Dato Lim Jock Hoi. The ASEAN Secretariat announced in November that the RCEP agreement will enter into force on Jan. 1, 2022, as it has received instruments of ratification from six ASEAN countries, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as from four non-ASEAN signatory states of Australia, China, Japan and New Zealand. In a recent written interview with Xinhua, Lim said RCEP demonstrates the shared commitment of ASEAN, China and other parties to a multilateral trading system. Signed in November 2020, RCEP is currently the largest free trade agreement in the world, connecting ASEAN and major global economies including China, South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Lim noted that RCEP reinforces regional economic integration by expanding common accumulative rules of origin, simplified customs procedures, trade facilitation, and coherent trade rules that provide greater transparency, fairness, and predictability for businesses. "All these will translate into a significant reduction of trade costs and processing time for ASEAN businesses, especially micro, small and medium enterprises," which will have a greater chance of integration into the regional and global supply chains, he said. Lim stressed that after the implementation of the RCEP agreement, each party will have to transform its regulatory framework accordingly, and the business community needs to be equipped with capability, skills and knowledge about how to seize opportunities to enhance their competitiveness. In 2021, China and ASEAN agreed to elevate their bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, which Lim said not only marks an important milestone in ASEAN-China relations, but is expected to shape a new landscape and momentum for economic cooperation in bilateral relations between ASEAN and China in many years to come. With a new landscape in prospect, Lim hoped that ASEAN and China will work more closely together to inject resilience in their economic and trade linkages. He added that both sides should revitalize the new ASEAN-China economic relationship by harnessing the potential of technological advancement as the new driver for growth and joining coordination efforts to address common challenges such as climate change. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) World's largest free trade deal takes effect on first day of 2022 Xinhua) 15:55, January 01, 2022 BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade agreement, entered into force on Saturday, injecting vitality into multilateralism and free trade amid the COVID-19 pandemic and global economic recovery. After the agreement takes effect, more than 90 percent of merchandise trade among members that have approved the agreement will eventually be subject to zero tariffs. The RCEP was signed on Nov. 15, 2020 by 15 Asia-Pacific countries -- 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia and New Zealand -- after eight years of negotiations that started in 2012. The deal came into force initially in 10 countries that have submitted instruments of ratification with the ASEAN Secretariat. Covering nearly a third of the world's population and accounting for about 30 percent of the world GDP, the new free trade bloc aims to facilitate trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region, and boost economic globalization. With optimized trade rules among signatories, streamlined procedures and wider opening-up in the sectors of services-trade and investment, the RECP will bring tangible benefits to the member countries. China will fully implement the obligations of the RCEP agreement and guide local governments, industries and enterprises to better seize the opening-up opportunities, according to the Ministry of Commerce. The country will work actively with other members to build the RCEP mechanism into a major platform for economic and trade cooperation in East Asia, the ministry said. The RCEP enables China and Japan to build a direct free trade partnership with tariffs on 86 percent of products from Japan and 88 percent of products from China eventually down to zero. "The RCEP agreement, reached at a difficult time with challenges from COVID-19 and the anti-globalization sentiment, will drive a new round of economic globalization by promoting free trade," said Wei Jianguo, a senior expert with the Beijing-based China Center for International Economic Exchanges. The RCEP agreement can significantly lower the cost of trade in the region, enhance the competitiveness of products, create more business opportunities for enterprises, and provide more choices and benefits to consumers, he said. A study from the Asian Development Bank predicted that the RCEP will significantly contribute to post-pandemic economic recovery in the Asia-Pacific region and worldwide. By 2030, it will increase members' incomes by 0.6 percent, adding 245 billion U.S. dollars annually to regional income and 2.8 million jobs to regional employment, according to the study. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Puducherry, Jan 1 : Coinciding with the year-end festivities, a band of ecological enthusiasts from University of Hyderabad (UoH)and Pondicherry University (PU) are working to clean up the mess and help marine life, along the Puducherry coast. To create awareness, the World Green Army along with the students for development of the UoH, and PU ABVP unit have embarked on a campaign which began from December 28, and will continue until January first week. Rohit Bondugula, Ph.D. scholar at the University of Hyderabad and founder-member of the World Green Army said: "These clean-up drives will be carried out regularly every week so that our efforts will make sure the beaches are clean and there won't be any harm to the marine animals like sea anemones, barnacles, chitons, crabs, isopods, limpets, mussels, sea stars, snails and turtles which are mostly found in the beaches. We are also running awareness campaigns and are in talks with the local fishermen and coastal area residents for initiating the clean-up drives and maintaining their neighborhood clean." In all, around 60 volunteers from the two universities, are participating in the campaign. With covid restrictions easing over the past few months, tourists and visitor arrivals have seen a rise which has also exposed beaches to pollution. Vishal Agarwal Ph.D. Scholar of Pondicherry University said: "Most of the tourists started visiting the beaches in Pondicherry and several other beaches. However, most of these tourists are not cautious about the marine life of the sea. They dump plastic, glasses, litter around and throw the wastes into the beaches thereby affecting the marine animals." Together, the volunteers have managed to bring about improvement in some of the beaches that the Union Territory of Puducherry is famous for. Sharwananad, Ph.D scholar ABVP Pondicherry University President said: "We have cleaned few beaches such as Chinna Kalapet beach, Soorya beach and Serenity beach and collected lots of waste and garbage dumped by humans." The UoH students, who travelled all the way from Hyderabad and collaborated with the PU students, are looking forward to collaborating with several NGOs to work for sustainable development goals, environmental and climate issues, lake protection and wildlife issues, said Rohit Bondugula. Puducherry, Jan 1 : Coinciding with the year-end festivities, a band of ecological enthusiasts from University of Hyderabad (UoH)and Pondicherry University (PU) are working to clean up the mess and help marine life, along the Puducherry coast. To create awareness, the World Green Army along with the students for development of the UoH, and PU ABVP unit have embarked on a campaign which began from December 28, and will continue until January first week. Rohit Bondugula, Ph.D. scholar at the University of Hyderabad and founder-member of the World Green Army said: "These clean-up drives will be carried out regularly every week so that our efforts will make sure the beaches are clean and there won't be any harm to the marine animals like sea anemones, barnacles, chitons, crabs, isopods, limpets, mussels, sea stars, snails and turtles which are mostly found in the beaches. We are also running awareness campaigns and are in talks with the local fishermen and coastal area residents for initiating the clean-up drives and maintaining their neighborhood clean." In all, around 60 volunteers from the two universities, are participating in the campaign. With covid restrictions easing over the past few months, tourists and visitor arrivals have seen a rise which has also exposed beaches to pollution. Vishal Agarwal Ph.D. Scholar of Pondicherry University said: "Most of the tourists started visiting the beaches in Pondicherry and several other beaches. However, most of these tourists are not cautious about the marine life of the sea. They dump plastic, glasses, litter around and throw the wastes into the beaches thereby affecting the marine animals." Together, the volunteers have managed to bring about improvement in some of the beaches that the Union Territory of Puducherry is famous for. Sharwananad, Ph.D scholar ABVP Pondicherry University President said: "We have cleaned few beaches such as Chinna Kalapet beach, Soorya beach and Serenity beach and collected lots of waste and garbage dumped by humans." The UoH students, who travelled all the way from Hyderabad and collaborated with the PU students, are looking forward to collaborating with several NGOs to work for sustainable development goals, environmental and climate issues, lake protection and wildlife issues, said Rohit Bondugula. Four people who were injured in Saturday morning's stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Katra are currently in serious condition and are on ventilators, according to authorites of the hospital they have been admitted to. "First casualties arrived at our hospital at around 3 am. We received around 15 patients but four of them were in serious condition. They were unconscious when they reached the hospital and they are still in the ICU on ventilators,' said Dr JP Singh, Neurosurgeon at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital. "According to the doctor 11 people are stable and out of which three to four people were discharged after first aid. Around five of them are still under treatment" Jammu and Kashmir's Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh early this morning informed that about 12 people have died in the stampede. "As per initial reports, an argument broke out which resulted in people pushing each other, followed by the stampede," Singh said to ANI. Prime Minister Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives in the stampede and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured. Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh for the next of kin of those who died and Rs 2 lakh for the injured. As per the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board's statement at around 2:15 am a stampede took place near Gate No. 3 at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan, in which a total of 12 pilgrims were killed and 15 pilgrims injured. According to Jammu and Kashmir's DGP Dilbag Singh, an argument broke out which resulted in people pushing each other that resulted in stampede. The injured pilgrims were provided first aid at Medical Unit Bhawan and subsequently shifted to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Super Specialty Hospital, Kakryal for specialized treatment. The cave shrine is situated at an altitude of 5,200 feet in the Reasi district and generally attracts close to a million devotees every year. The operations of the pilgrimage site are managed by the Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, which provides battery car and ropeway services to the pilgrims to reach the top of Trikuta hills for darshan. Vaishno Devi Yatra has also resumed today after being suspended briefly following the stampede incident. (ANI) Bradey Police Lt. Philip Trudeau (L) comforts Bourbonnais Police officer Andy Cox following a ceremonial procession for fallen Bradley Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, in Bourbonnais, Ill., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Tiffany Blanchette/The Daily Journal via AP) Suspect in Shooting of Illinois Officers Arrested in Indiana CHICAGOA man suspected in the shooting of one police officer and wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel has been taken into custody, authorities said Friday. Darius Sullivan, one of two people suspected in the shooting of the two Bradley police officers, was arrested Friday morning at a home in North Manchester, Indiana, Sgt. Glen Fifield of the Indiana State Police said at a news conference. Sullivan, 25, surrendered to a SWAT team that was assisting the U.S. Marshals with a search warrant for the property about 110 miles east of Bradley. Sullivans arrest came a day after Illinois authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The Illinois State Police did not release any updates on the investigation Friday other than a written statement confirming that Sullivan had been arrested and would be taken back to Kankakee County, where the shooting occurred late Wednesday. Fifield said he didnt have any details on the investigation into the shooting. He did name three other men but wouldnt discuss whether their arrests were connected to the officers shootings. Two of the men were arrested after police said they ran from their car during a traffic stop in Fulton County, Indiana. The third was arrested at the home where Sullivan was taken into custody. Fifield said police found weapons and drugs in the car that the two men fled from and at the North Manchester home. Authorities are still searching for 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, of Bradley, who investigators believe was at the hotel when the shootings happened, the Illinois State Police said. The two officers were speaking to people in a room at a Comfort Inn along a highway in Kankakee County when they were shot, according to the county sheriffs office. They were taken to nearby hospitals, where 49-year-old Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic died. The other officeridentified by the Illinois State Police as 27-year-old Tyler J. Baileyunderwent surgery and was listed in critical condition on Thursday, according to the Bradley Police Department. Messages left with the department and Illinois State Police on Friday to update Baileys condition were not immediately returned. The officers were at the hotel to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, the sheriffs office said. They found the room where the vehicles possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, it said. Authorities arrested two other people Thursday on charges alleging they impeded the search for Sullivan and a woman also suspected in the shootings. Nichele Newton-Carroll, 42, and Jelman Sullivan, 21, face charges of obstructing justice/leaving the state, the (Kankakee) Daily Journal reported. Neither had an attorney listed Friday in court or jail records. Kankakee County States Attorney Jim Rowe identified Newton-Carroll as Sullivans mother. Rowe said he is not sure of the connection between Jelman Sullivan and Darius Sullivan. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriffs deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriffs Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputys squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. The following deaths have occurred in the wider Leitrim area: James Maguire, Chapel Road, Arva, Cavan James Maguire , Chapel Road, Arva, Co. Cavan, December 30th, peacefully in the loving care of the staff of Cavan General Hospital. Beloved husband of Margaret and dear father of Enda , Seamus, Grainne Murphy and Aoife, Son-in-law Alan, daughter-in-law Sharon and Aoifes partner Adam, adored grandchildren Emma, Leah, Jake, Grace, brother Vincent and his sisters Helen Clarke, Alice Donohoe, Tess Maguire and Ann Mc Donald (England), his sister-in-law and brothers-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends. Reposing in Lakelands Funeral Home, Dublin Rd., Cavan on Sunday from 6pm to 8pm, removal on Monday morning to Sacred Heart Church, Arva, arriving for 11 am Requiem Mass, interment afterwards in Coronea Cemetery Felix McGovern, Curraghglass, Glangevlin, Cavan Felix McGovern, Curraghglass, Glangevlin, Co. Cavan.Peacefully at Our Lady's Hospital, Manorhamilton. Predeceased by his parents Terence and Mary, his sisters Vera, Annie and Josie. Deeply regretted by his sister Margaret (USA), his brother Tommy (Bristol), nieces, nephews, relations, friends and neighbours. Funeral Mass on Monday, 3rd January 2022, in St. Patrick's Church, Glangevlin at 11am, with interment afterwards in adjoining cemetery. Felix's Funeral Mass can be viewed on https://youtu.be/4p0PGoS70ZU Sean Curneen, Drumdillure, Glencar, Leitrim The death has occurred of Sean Curneen, Drumdillure, Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim, Friday the 31st of December 2021, peacefully at Sligo University Hospital surrounded by his loving family. Predeceased by his parents John and Margaret Curneen. Sean will be sadly missed by his brothers Gerard, Ned and Hugh, his sister Mary, sister-in-law Bridie and all his nieces and nephews as well as his extended family and many friends. Removal to St. Osnats Church Glencar on Sunday evening the 2nd of January to arrive at 6pm. Funeral Mass on Monday at 12 noon followed by burial in Diffreen Cemetery, Glencar. Please adhere to all social distancing guidelines with regard to handshaking and the wearing of masks. Gary Richards, Hillside View, Muckrum, Kinlough, Leitrim Gary Richards, Hillside View, Muckrum, Kinlough, Co. Leitrim, 21st December 2021 peacefully in the loving care of the doctors, nurses and staff of The North West Hospice, The Mall, Sligo. Deeply regretted by his wife Geraldine, son Paul (Hickman), daughter-in-law Breda (Kilkenny, Kinlough), his beloved grandchildren and great grandchildren, and all his relatives in the UK. Reposing at Breslin's Funeral Home, West End, Bundoran on Friday evening 31st Dec from 5pm to 7pm for family, relatives and friends. Removal from the Funeral Home on Saturday 1st Jan to arrive at Lakelands Crematorium, Cavan for Cremation service at 1pm. To view the service please log onto www.lakelandscrematorium.ie click on webcam/live feed, enter password as follows - Lakelandsfuneral2021 May they all Rest in Peace Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 1 : The Kerala police are yet to make any breakthrough in the investigation into the killing of BJP state leader and noted lawyer of Alappuzha bar Ranjith Sreenivasan. Sreenivasan was brutally murdered at his residence in front of his mother, wife, and two daughters on December 19. He was first hit with a hammer on his face by a 12-member assailant team of Social Democratic Party of India, (SDPI).They then attacked him repeatedly with machete and swords killing him instantly. The crime was in retaliation to the killing of SDPI state secretary K.S. Shan who was hacked to death allegedly by RSS men on December 18 night. He was first hit with a vehicle and then hacked to death. Alleging that while 12 people, including senior leaders of the RSS were arrested for Shan's murder, only 4 SDPI men were arrested in the murder of Ranjith Sreenivasan, the BJP claimed that the police and the CPI-M were trying to save the SDPI workers. ADGP of Kerala police Vijay Sakhare admitted that the SDPI criminals were getting support from outside the state and that the killers of Ranjith may be under such support. BJP state president K. Surendran while speaking to IANS, said: "It is a clear case of CPM and the Chief Minister directly supporting the killing squad of SDPI as the Left party had entered into a clandestine political deal with the SDPI during the 2021 Assembly elections and now the CPI-M is reciprocating the SDPI by not arresting the criminals involved in the murder." BJP and RSS are planning mammoth protest marches across the state against the SDPI, CPI-M, Police alliance and to expose this before the people of the state of Kerala. However, political observers have dismissed the claims of BJP and said that both the SDPI and RSS are two sides of the same coin and they thrive because of each other. R. Rajendran, political observer from Kannur, told IANS: "It was earlier the killing fields of Kannur but now the killings have shifted to central Kerala. In Kannur, the killings were mainly between the CPI-M and RSS but the victims were mostly from the OBC, Thiyya community but now the situation is different, it is turning into a Hindu-Muslim communal fight which has to be crushed before it gets out of hands." After criticisms against Kerala police started pouring in, the state police have effected a major shakeup with several police officers losing their positions and new faces replacing them. Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 1 : The Kerala police are yet to make any breakthrough in the investigation into the killing of BJP state leader and noted lawyer of Alappuzha bar Ranjith Sreenivasan. Sreenivasan was brutally murdered at his residence in front of his mother, wife, and two daughters on December 19. He was first hit with a hammer on his face by a 12-member assailant team of Social Democratic Party of India, (SDPI).They then attacked him repeatedly with machete and swords killing him instantly. The crime was in retaliation to the killing of SDPI state secretary K.S. Shan who was hacked to death allegedly by RSS men on December 18 night. He was first hit with a vehicle and then hacked to death. Alleging that while 12 people, including senior leaders of the RSS were arrested for Shan's murder, only 4 SDPI men were arrested in the murder of Ranjith Sreenivasan, the BJP claimed that the police and the CPI-M were trying to save the SDPI workers. ADGP of Kerala police Vijay Sakhare admitted that the SDPI criminals were getting support from outside the state and that the killers of Ranjith may be under such support. BJP state president K. Surendran while speaking to IANS, said: "It is a clear case of CPM and the Chief Minister directly supporting the killing squad of SDPI as the Left party had entered into a clandestine political deal with the SDPI during the 2021 Assembly elections and now the CPI-M is reciprocating the SDPI by not arresting the criminals involved in the murder." BJP and RSS are planning mammoth protest marches across the state against the SDPI, CPI-M, Police alliance and to expose this before the people of the state of Kerala. However, political observers have dismissed the claims of BJP and said that both the SDPI and RSS are two sides of the same coin and they thrive because of each other. R. Rajendran, political observer from Kannur, told IANS: "It was earlier the killing fields of Kannur but now the killings have shifted to central Kerala. In Kannur, the killings were mainly between the CPI-M and RSS but the victims were mostly from the OBC, Thiyya community but now the situation is different, it is turning into a Hindu-Muslim communal fight which has to be crushed before it gets out of hands." After criticisms against Kerala police started pouring in, the state police have effected a major shakeup with several police officers losing their positions and new faces replacing them. Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 1 : The Kerala police are yet to make any breakthrough in the investigation into the killing of BJP state leader and noted lawyer of Alappuzha bar Ranjith Sreenivasan. Sreenivasan was brutally murdered at his residence in front of his mother, wife, and two daughters on December 19. He was first hit with a hammer on his face by a 12-member assailant team of Social Democratic Party of India, (SDPI).They then attacked him repeatedly with machete and swords killing him instantly. The crime was in retaliation to the killing of SDPI state secretary K.S. Shan who was hacked to death allegedly by RSS men on December 18 night. He was first hit with a vehicle and then hacked to death. Alleging that while 12 people, including senior leaders of the RSS were arrested for Shan's murder, only 4 SDPI men were arrested in the murder of Ranjith Sreenivasan, the BJP claimed that the police and the CPI-M were trying to save the SDPI workers. ADGP of Kerala police Vijay Sakhare admitted that the SDPI criminals were getting support from outside the state and that the killers of Ranjith may be under such support. BJP state president K. Surendran while speaking to IANS, said: "It is a clear case of CPM and the Chief Minister directly supporting the killing squad of SDPI as the Left party had entered into a clandestine political deal with the SDPI during the 2021 Assembly elections and now the CPI-M is reciprocating the SDPI by not arresting the criminals involved in the murder." BJP and RSS are planning mammoth protest marches across the state against the SDPI, CPI-M, Police alliance and to expose this before the people of the state of Kerala. However, political observers have dismissed the claims of BJP and said that both the SDPI and RSS are two sides of the same coin and they thrive because of each other. R. Rajendran, political observer from Kannur, told IANS: "It was earlier the killing fields of Kannur but now the killings have shifted to central Kerala. In Kannur, the killings were mainly between the CPI-M and RSS but the victims were mostly from the OBC, Thiyya community but now the situation is different, it is turning into a Hindu-Muslim communal fight which has to be crushed before it gets out of hands." After criticisms against Kerala police started pouring in, the state police have effected a major shakeup with several police officers losing their positions and new faces replacing them. Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 1 : The Kerala police are yet to make any breakthrough in the investigation into the killing of BJP state leader and noted lawyer of Alappuzha bar Ranjith Sreenivasan. Sreenivasan was brutally murdered at his residence in front of his mother, wife, and two daughters on December 19. He was first hit with a hammer on his face by a 12-member assailant team of Social Democratic Party of India, (SDPI).They then attacked him repeatedly with machete and swords killing him instantly. The crime was in retaliation to the killing of SDPI state secretary K.S. Shan who was hacked to death allegedly by RSS men on December 18 night. He was first hit with a vehicle and then hacked to death. Alleging that while 12 people, including senior leaders of the RSS were arrested for Shan's murder, only 4 SDPI men were arrested in the murder of Ranjith Sreenivasan, the BJP claimed that the police and the CPI-M were trying to save the SDPI workers. ADGP of Kerala police Vijay Sakhare admitted that the SDPI criminals were getting support from outside the state and that the killers of Ranjith may be under such support. BJP state president K. Surendran while speaking to IANS, said: "It is a clear case of CPM and the Chief Minister directly supporting the killing squad of SDPI as the Left party had entered into a clandestine political deal with the SDPI during the 2021 Assembly elections and now the CPI-M is reciprocating the SDPI by not arresting the criminals involved in the murder." BJP and RSS are planning mammoth protest marches across the state against the SDPI, CPI-M, Police alliance and to expose this before the people of the state of Kerala. However, political observers have dismissed the claims of BJP and said that both the SDPI and RSS are two sides of the same coin and they thrive because of each other. R. Rajendran, political observer from Kannur, told IANS: "It was earlier the killing fields of Kannur but now the killings have shifted to central Kerala. In Kannur, the killings were mainly between the CPI-M and RSS but the victims were mostly from the OBC, Thiyya community but now the situation is different, it is turning into a Hindu-Muslim communal fight which has to be crushed before it gets out of hands." After criticisms against Kerala police started pouring in, the state police have effected a major shakeup with several police officers losing their positions and new faces replacing them. Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 1 : The Kerala police are yet to make any breakthrough in the investigation into the killing of BJP state leader and noted lawyer of Alappuzha bar Ranjith Sreenivasan. Sreenivasan was brutally murdered at his residence in front of his mother, wife, and two daughters on December 19. He was first hit with a hammer on his face by a 12-member assailant team of Social Democratic Party of India, (SDPI).They then attacked him repeatedly with machete and swords killing him instantly. The crime was in retaliation to the killing of SDPI state secretary K.S. Shan who was hacked to death allegedly by RSS men on December 18 night. He was first hit with a vehicle and then hacked to death. Alleging that while 12 people, including senior leaders of the RSS were arrested for Shan's murder, only 4 SDPI men were arrested in the murder of Ranjith Sreenivasan, the BJP claimed that the police and the CPI-M were trying to save the SDPI workers. ADGP of Kerala police Vijay Sakhare admitted that the SDPI criminals were getting support from outside the state and that the killers of Ranjith may be under such support. BJP state president K. Surendran while speaking to IANS, said: "It is a clear case of CPM and the Chief Minister directly supporting the killing squad of SDPI as the Left party had entered into a clandestine political deal with the SDPI during the 2021 Assembly elections and now the CPI-M is reciprocating the SDPI by not arresting the criminals involved in the murder." BJP and RSS are planning mammoth protest marches across the state against the SDPI, CPI-M, Police alliance and to expose this before the people of the state of Kerala. However, political observers have dismissed the claims of BJP and said that both the SDPI and RSS are two sides of the same coin and they thrive because of each other. R. Rajendran, political observer from Kannur, told IANS: "It was earlier the killing fields of Kannur but now the killings have shifted to central Kerala. In Kannur, the killings were mainly between the CPI-M and RSS but the victims were mostly from the OBC, Thiyya community but now the situation is different, it is turning into a Hindu-Muslim communal fight which has to be crushed before it gets out of hands." After criticisms against Kerala police started pouring in, the state police have effected a major shakeup with several police officers losing their positions and new faces replacing them. Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 1 : The Kerala police are yet to make any breakthrough in the investigation into the killing of BJP state leader and noted lawyer of Alappuzha bar Ranjith Sreenivasan. Sreenivasan was brutally murdered at his residence in front of his mother, wife, and two daughters on December 19. He was first hit with a hammer on his face by a 12-member assailant team of Social Democratic Party of India, (SDPI).They then attacked him repeatedly with machete and swords killing him instantly. The crime was in retaliation to the killing of SDPI state secretary K.S. Shan who was hacked to death allegedly by RSS men on December 18 night. He was first hit with a vehicle and then hacked to death. Alleging that while 12 people, including senior leaders of the RSS were arrested for Shan's murder, only 4 SDPI men were arrested in the murder of Ranjith Sreenivasan, the BJP claimed that the police and the CPI-M were trying to save the SDPI workers. ADGP of Kerala police Vijay Sakhare admitted that the SDPI criminals were getting support from outside the state and that the killers of Ranjith may be under such support. BJP state president K. Surendran while speaking to IANS, said: "It is a clear case of CPM and the Chief Minister directly supporting the killing squad of SDPI as the Left party had entered into a clandestine political deal with the SDPI during the 2021 Assembly elections and now the CPI-M is reciprocating the SDPI by not arresting the criminals involved in the murder." BJP and RSS are planning mammoth protest marches across the state against the SDPI, CPI-M, Police alliance and to expose this before the people of the state of Kerala. However, political observers have dismissed the claims of BJP and said that both the SDPI and RSS are two sides of the same coin and they thrive because of each other. R. Rajendran, political observer from Kannur, told IANS: "It was earlier the killing fields of Kannur but now the killings have shifted to central Kerala. In Kannur, the killings were mainly between the CPI-M and RSS but the victims were mostly from the OBC, Thiyya community but now the situation is different, it is turning into a Hindu-Muslim communal fight which has to be crushed before it gets out of hands." After criticisms against Kerala police started pouring in, the state police have effected a major shakeup with several police officers losing their positions and new faces replacing them. Asian-American groups call for end of controversial "China Initiative": CNBC Xinhua) 13:58, January 01, 2022 NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Asian-American advocacy groups have increased pressure over the past year on the Biden administration to end the controversial "China Initiative" that unfairly targets scientists of Chinese descent and others, CNBC has reported. Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. However, it has brought "emotional and financial harm" to the families of ethnic Chinese scientists, it said. "The China Initiative impacts Americans, permanent residents, immigrants, international students and visiting scholars," Gisela Kusakawa, an attorney for the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice, was quoted as saying. Thu Nguyen, the executive director of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, said the initiative has created fear that could trigger a brain drain in academia. The growing threat of racial profiling in the United States has already pushed some talented scientists to look for jobs back in China, she said. In August 2021, more than 20 Asian-American advocacy groups jointly sent an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to pause the initiative targeting China. The letter also called for an independent review on whether the program unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ethnicity, urging Biden to "redouble" efforts to combat hate and violence against Asian Americans. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Charities face mounting financial, operational and governance pressures, and for some the most difficult times may lie ahead, Charity Commissions CEO said yesterday. Helen Stephenson, chief executive of the Charity Commission, delivered a wide-ranging speech at the regulators annual public meeting yesterday afternoon . She shared some findings from research into the impact of Covid on the charity sector, explained the Commissions position when it comes to culture war issues, and revealed that the regulator will soon begin a review of the data it gathers about charities. No simple way of summing up what Covid has meant for charities Stephenson told the virtual audience that the Commission would soon publish new research into how the pandemic has impacted the sector. Its a complex picture, she said. Such is the diversity of the sector, in terms of charities size, activities and operations, that there is no simple way of summing up what Covid has meant for charities. But the Commission has concluded that there has been a significant impact on most charities with 72% of respondents saying they changed, curtailed or halted work. Stephenson added: Smaller charities in particular saw their services severely impacted one in four paused their activities completely during the first lockdown. The impact of this on those who benefit from their work is harder to measure, but it is likely that it was in some cases significant. However, the Commission has also found evidence of the sectors resilience. Charities rose to the challenge Covid presented, Stephenson said. Many were quick to adapt and take evasive action during the first lockdown and the sudden loss of income that followed. For some charities the most difficult times may lie ahead Stephenson emphasised that the challenges were varied and far from over. For some charities the most difficult times may lie ahead, she said. She explained that as well as the financial and operational issues facing the sector, charities also needed to consider their internal relationships. Stephenson said it was about maintaining good governance and a healthy board dynamic, even where there are differences of opinion about how to shape the charitys work into a future that remains uncertain. She added that the Commission has already seen an increase in disputes in charities. Her advice to charities was to prioritise communication. She said: As you face difficult decisions about how to adapt your charitys work to changing times, be alive to the risk of disagreements escalating. Dont place being right ahead of doing the right thing. Prioritise communication with those you work with, and work for, and with those on whose support you rely. Elsewhere she highlighted that part of the reason for a 75% increase in whistleblowing reports could indicate growing pressures on board dynamics and good governance in charities, linked perhaps to challenges arising during the pandemic. Controversial, sensitive issues Stephenson alluded to recent cases involving Runnymede Trust, Barnardos and the National Trust, where complaints from Conservative MPs about the issues charities have spoken out on, have led to compliance cases. In all three examples the Commission ultimately cleared the charities of any wrongdoing. Stephenson defended the regulators actions. Some have criticised us for opening cases into these matters, she said. They have questioned the motives of those who raised concerns. Let me use this opportunity be absolutely clear: the Commission does not, and must not, examine peoples world views or ideologies before deciding whether they have a right to have their concerns examined by us. She added that if the Commission finds no problems it will say so. Furthermore, Stephenson said that because public debate in our society feels increasingly divided it was vital that regulators like the Commission steer a clear-headed, steady course through sensitive issues. This is also something she urged charities to consider in their own activity. Its also important that charities themselves are alive to the wide range of legitimate views and sensibilities that exist within the public on whose support they ultimately rely, she said. This doesnt mean avoiding controversy or difficult issues. But trustees must ensure their decisions and priorities are driven by their charitys aims. Not by their own world view and outlook. Fundamental review of the data we collect from charities Stephenson told the audience that the Commission must also help charities anticipate risks that they face. To do this the regulator wants to make better use of data. Over the year ahead, we will begin a fundamental review of the data we collect from charities, including through the annual return and charities annual reports and accounts. We will also review and improve how we make that data work once we hold it, she said. Governance & Leadership is a bimonthly publication which helps charity leaders and trustees on their journey from good practice to best practice. Written by leading sector experts each issue is packed with news, in-depth analysis and real-life case studies of best practice in charitable endeavour and charity governance plus advice and guidance straight from the regulator. Find more information here and subscribe today! is a bimonthly publication which helps charity leaders and trustees on their journey from good practice to best practice. Written by leading sector experts each issue is packed with news, in-depth analysis and real-life case studies of best practice in charitable endeavour and charity governance plus advice and guidance straight from the regulator. China eyes closer friendship, cooperation with Nicaragua: FM spokesperson Xinhua) 14:21, January 01, 2022 BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- China looks forward to closer friendship and cooperation with Nicaragua, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Saturday. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks while responding to the reopening of the Chinese Embassy in Nicaragua. On Dec. 31, 2021 local time, the Chinese Embassy in Nicaragua held a solemn reopening ceremony, Zhao said, adding that all Chinese diplomats posted in Nicaragua, Nicaraguan government officials, local eminent figures from various sectors, representatives of local Chinese institutions and communities, and representatives of foreign missions in Nicaragua attended the ceremony. "After the resumption of diplomatic relations between China and Nicaragua, the two sides agreed to establish embassies in each other's country as early as possible," Zhao said. "Thanks to the concerted efforts of the two sides, within less than one month after the resumption of the diplomatic ties, the five-starred red flag of China is once again raised in Nicaragua after 31 years," Zhao said, adding that this again shows that upholding the one-China principle is an overriding trend that represents international justice and enjoys popular support. The resumption of diplomatic ties between China and Nicaragua serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both sides and is welcomed and supported by the two peoples, according to the spokesperson. "China is ready to work with Nicaragua to enhance friendly exchanges, promote practical cooperation in various sectors, open up new prospects in the bilateral relations, and let our friendship take root, blossom and bear fruit to benefit the two countries and two peoples," Zhao said. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Amaravati, Jan 1 : A day after the CBI filed a charge sheet against rebel MP of YSR Congress party (YSRCP) K Raghu Rama Krishna Raju, his company Ind-Barath Power (Madras) Limited and 15 others in connection with Rs 947. 71 crore loan fraud, he said on Saturday that he would file his reply to the court on all issues raised in the charge sheet. The MP believes that filing of the charge sheet at this stage augurs well as the matter was pending for the last four years. Stating that entire transactions happened through banks, he said they were informed about the outstanding dues from some companies. He called it a civil dispute between the companies and said he would file a counter with clarity. He remarked there was no need to give any importance to the comments of those who will soon be going to jail. He was apparently referring to the reaction of some YSRCP leaders. The CBI on Friday filed a charge sheet against Raju, then chairman and managing director of Ind-Barath and others for allegedly causing loss of Rs 947.71 crore to a consortium of lenders. Ind-Barath's eight sister companies, then director Madhusudahan Reddy, Sekeo Power Limited, its managing director and two chartered accountants M. Srinivasulu Reddy and Pravin Kumar Jabad were also named in the charge sheet. The Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi police had registered the case in October 2018 against five persons, including a Hyderabad-based company and its directors. The CBI took over the probe into the case in April 2019 on the orders of the central government. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation revealed that Ind-Barath through its chairman and managing director Raju had allegedly availed Rs 947.71 crore from a consortium of lenders led by Power Finance Corporation Limited (PFC) and two other lenders, Rural Electrification Corporation Ltd (REC) and India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL), for setting up a thermal power plant at Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu. However, the company neither completed the project nor complied with the terms and conditions of loan agreements. The accused, including the borrower company, allegedly transferred/diverted the disbursed project funds to create fixed deposits with Bank of India and UCO Bank and to pay advances to contractors. China is turning a major part of its internal Internet data surveillance network outward, mining Western social media, including Facebook and Twitter, to equip its government agencies, military and police with information on foreign targets, according to a Washington Post review of hundreds of Chinese bidding documents, contracts and company filings. China maintains a countrywide network of government data surveillance services - called public opinion analysis software - that were developed over the past decade and are used domestically to warn officials of politically sensitive information online. The software primarily targets Chinas domestic Internet users and media, but a Washington Post review of bidding documents and contracts for over 300 Chinese government projects since the beginning of 2020 include orders for software designed to collect data on foreign targets from sources such as Twitter, Facebook and other Western social media. The documents, publicly accessible through domestic government bidding platforms, also show that agencies including state media, propaganda departments, police, military and cyber regulators are purchasing new or more sophisticated systems to gather data. These include a $320,000 Chinese state media software program that mines Twitter and Facebook to create a database of foreign journalists and academics; a $216,000 Beijing police intelligence program that analyses Western chatter on Hong Kong and Taiwan; and a Xinjiang cybercenter cataloguing Uyghur language content abroad. Now we can better understand the underground network of anti-China personnel, said a Beijing-based analyst who works for a unit reporting to Chinas Central Propaganda Department. The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss their work, said they were once tasked with producing a data report on how negative content relating to Beijings senior leadership is spread on Twitter, including profiles of individual academics, politicians and journalists. These surveillance dragnets are part of a wider drive by Beijing to refine its foreign propaganda efforts through big data and artificial intelligence. They also form a network of warning systems designed to sound real-time alarms for trends that undermine Beijings interests. They are now reorienting part of that effort outward, and I think thats frankly terrifying, looking at the sheer numbers and sheer scale that this has taken inside China, said Mareike Ohlberg, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund who has conducted extensive research on Chinas domestic public opinion network. It really shows that they now feel its their responsibility to defend China overseas and fight the public opinion war overseas, she said. Some of the Chinese governments budgeting includes buying and maintaining foreign social media accounts on behalf of police and propaganda departments. Yet others describe using the targeted analysis to refine Beijings state media coverage abroad. The purchases range in size from small, automated programs to projects costing hundreds of thousands of dollars that are staffed 24 hours a day by teams including English speakers and foreign policy specialists. The documents describe highly customizable programs that can collect real-time social media data from individual social media users. Some describe tracking broad trends on issues including U.S. elections. The Post was not able to review data collected by the systems but spoke to four people based in Beijing who are directly involved in government public opinion analysis and described separate software systems that automatically collect and store Facebook and Twitter data in real time on domestic Chinese servers for analysis. Twitter and Facebook both ban automated collection of data on their services without prior authorization. Twitters policy also expressly bars developers from gathering data used to infer a users political affiliation or ethnic and racial origin. Our API provides real-time access to public data and tweets only, not private information. We prohibit use of our API for surveillance purposes, as per our developer policy and terms, said Katie Rosborough, a Twitter spokesperson, referring to the companys Application Programming Interface (API), which allows developers to retrieve public data from the platform among other functions. Facebook did not respond to requests for comment about whether it is aware of the monitoring or whether several companies, universities and state media firms listed as supplying the software were authorized to collect data on its platform. Chinas Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Public opinion guidance Chinas systems for analyzing domestic public opinion online are a powerful but largely unseen pillar of President Xi Jinpings program to modernize Chinas propaganda apparatus and maintain control over the Internet. The vast data collection and monitoring efforts give officials insight into public opinion, a challenge in a country that does not hold public elections or permit independent media. The services also provide increasingly technical surveillance for Chinas censorship apparatus. And most systems include alarm functions designed to alert officials and police to negative content in real time. These operations are an important function of what Beijing calls public opinion guidance work - a policy of molding public sentiment in favor of the government through targeted propaganda and censorship. The phrase first came to prominence in policymaking after the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy demonstrations, when officials began exploring new ways to preempt popular challenges to the Communist Partys power, and has since become integral to the underlying architecture of Chinas Internet, where users are linked by real name ID, and Internet services are required by law to maintain an internal censorship apparatus. The exact scope of Chinas government public opinion monitoring industry is unclear, but there have been some indications about its size in Chinese state media. In 2014, the state-backed newspaper China Daily said more than 2 million people were working as public opinion analysts. In 2018, the Peoples Daily, another official organ, said the governments online opinion analysis industry was worth tens of billions of yuan, equivalent to billions of dollars, and was growing at a rate of 50% a year. That surveillance network system is expanding to include foreign social media at a time when global perceptions of Beijing are at their lowest in recent history. A Pew Research survey released in June showed that perceptions of China among 17 advanced economies had dipped to near historic lows for a second year in a row in the aftermath of the U.S. trade war, the Xinjiang human rights crisis, Hong Kong and the coronavirus pandemic. In May this year, Xi called on senior officials to portray a more trustworthy, lovable and reliable image of China abroad, calling for the effective development of international public opinion guidance. His comments reflect Beijings growing anxieties over how to control Chinas image abroad. On the back of the Sino-US trade talks and the Hong Kong rioting incident, its becoming clearer day by day that the public opinion news war is arduous and necessary, China Daily said in a July 2020 bidding document for a $300,000 foreign personnel analysis platform. The invitation to tender lays out specifications for a program that mines Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for data on well known Western media journalists and other key personnel from political, business and media circles. We are competing with the US and Western media, the battle for the right to speak has begun, it said. The software should run 24 hours a day, according to the specifications, and map the relationships between target personnel and uncover factions between personnel, measuring their China tendencies and building an alarm system that automatically flags false statements and reports on China. Warning systems like the one outlined in the China Daily document are described in over 90% of tenders that list technical specifications, The Posts review of the documents show. Two people who work as analysts in public opinion analysis units contracted by government agencies in Beijing told The Post that they receive automated alarms via SMS, email and on dedicated computer monitors when sensitive content was detected. Both of the people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to foreign media. Having responsibility for [the monitoring] is a lot of pressure, said one of the people. If we do our work poorly, there are severe repercussions. Highly sensitive viral trends online are reported to a 24-hour hotline maintained by the Cybersecurity Administration of China (CAC), the body that oversees the countrys censorship apparatus, the person said of their unit. The person added that most of the alarms were related to domestic social media but that foreign social media had also been included in the units monitoring since the middle of 2019. The persons account is supported by four bidding documents for unrelated systems that mention direct hotlines to the CAC. In case of major public opinion, directly contact the staff on duty of the CAC by telephone to ensure that notifications are in place through various communication tools, said one December 2020 tender for a $236,000 system purchased by the municipal propaganda department in eastern Chinas Fuzhou city for monitoring Facebook and Twitter alongside domestic social media. It specifies that reports to the CAC should include the details of individual social media users. State media-led data mining Suppliers of the systems vary. The China Daily awarded its contract to Beijings Communications University, one of a half dozen Chinese universities that have launched specialized departments to develop public opinion analysis technology. However, some of the most prolific public opinion monitoring services are provided to police and government agencies by state media themselves. The documents provide insight into the scope of foreign social media data collection done by Chinas major state media outlets, which maintain offices and servers abroad, and their key role in providing Beijing with publicity guidance based on increasingly sophisticated data mining analysis. The growing clout of Beijings propaganda efforts abroad, spearheaded by state media, has triggered alarms in Washington. In 2020, the State Department reclassified the U.S.-based operations of Chinas top state media outlets as foreign missions, increasing reporting requirements and restricting their visa allocations, angering Beijing. The Peoples Daily Online, a unit of the state newspaper the Peoples Daily, which provides one of the countrys largest contract public opinion analysis services, won dozens of projects that include overseas social media data collection services for police, judicial authorities, Communist Party organizations and other clients. The unit, which recorded $330 million in operating income in 2020, up 50% from 2018, says it serves over 200 government agencies, although it is not clear how many request foreign social media data. In one tender won by the Peoples Daily Online, the Beijing Police Intelligence Command Unit purchased a $30,570 service to trawl foreign social media and produce reports on unspecified key personnel and organizations, gathering information on their basic circumstances, background and relationships. It also calls for weekly data reports on Hong Kong, Taiwan and U.S. relations. Issued shortly before the 2020 U.S. presidential election results were ratified on Jan. 6, it also called for special reports on netizens main views related to the election. The international balance of power has been profoundly adjusted, said the request for tenders. Through the collection of public Internet information we can keep a close eye on the international community, analyze sensitivities and hot spots, and maintain the stability of Chinese society. In an April 2020 article, the chief analyst at the Peoples Daily Online Public Opinion Data Center, Liao Canliang, laid out the ultimate goal of public opinion analysis. The ultimate purpose of analysis and prediction is to guide and intervene in public opinion, Canliang wrote. . . . Public data from social network users can be used to analyze the characteristics and preferences of users, and then guide them in a targeted manner. In the article, Liao points to Cambridge Analyticas impact on the 2016 U.S. election as evidence of social medias ability to mold public opinion. The West uses big data to analyze, research and judge public opinion to influence political activities. ... As long as there is a correct grasp on the situation, public opinion can also be guided and interfered with, he wrote. Peoples Daily subsidiary Global Times, a firebrand newspaper known for its biting coverage of Chinas critics, also has a unit gathering foreign social media data for Chinas Foreign Ministry, Beijings Foreign Affairs Office and other government agencies. In late 2019, the Global Times Online won a three-year contract worth $531,000 to provide a China-related foreign media and journalist opinion monitoring system that monitors overseas social media on behalf of Chinas Foreign Ministry and produces comprehensive regular reports, as well as special briefings in urgent circumstances. Documentation accompanying the project says that close to 40% of the Global Times monitoring units staffers are senior Global Times reporters and that the publication maintains large overseas social media monitoring platforms. A description on the website of the Global Timess public opinion research center says the group conducts overseas monitoring and overseas investigation services and provides comprehensive response plans to government and private clients. Both the Peoples Daily and the Global Times were among the outlets designated as foreign missions in the United States. The increase in Chinas monitoring of foreign public opinion on social media coincides with efforts by Beijing to boost its influence on Twitter and other U.S. social media platforms. In June 2020, Twitter suspended 23,000 accounts that it said were linked to the Chinese Communist Party and covertly spreading propaganda to undermine pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. This month, Twitter said it removed a further 2,048 accounts linked to Beijing and producing coordinated content undermining accusations of rights abuses in Xinjiang. Experts say those accounts represent a small fraction of Chinas efforts to boost pro-Beijing messaging on foreign social media. Extreme chilling effect Just under a third of the public opinion analysis systems reviewed by The Post were procured by Chinese police. In 14 instances, the analysis systems included a feature requested by the police that would automatically flag sensitive content related to Uyghurs and other Chinese ethnic minorities. An additional 12 analysis systems included the police-requested capability of monitoring individual content authors over time. It must support information monitoring of overseas social media . . . and provide for targeted collection of designated sites and authors, said one invitation to tender released by the Fuzhou city police in October that lists coverage of Facebook and Twitter as a requirement. The monitoring of social media abroad by local police throughout China could be used in investigating Chinese citizens locally and abroad, as well as in flagging trends that stir domestic dissent, experts say. The public security monitoring is very much about stability maintenance, tracking people down and finding peoples identity, and when they monitor overseas social media, its also often with an eye to monitoring what news could cause trouble at home in China, said the German Marshall Funds Ohlberg. Companies providing overseas public opinion monitoring to police include a mix of private and state-owned firms, including the Peoples Daily Online. Six police contracts awarded since 2020 stated that the Peoples Daily was chosen to conduct monitoring on the basis of its technical ability to gather data abroad. Its the only one in the industry that deploys overseas servers. It is a public opinion service organization that can monitor and collect more than 8,000 overseas media without overturning the wall, said the Guangdong Police Department in a $26,200 contract offer posted in July 2020, referring to the ability of the Peoples Daily unit to collect overseas data outside Chinas Great Firewall. Experts say the increasingly advanced social media surveillance technology available to Chinese police could worsen the targeted harassment of Beijings critics. The Chinese government is one of the worst offenders when it comes to targeting individuals outside of the country, said Adrian Shahbaz, the director for technology and democracy at the think tank Freedom House. It has an extreme chilling effect on how Chinese citizens outside of China are using social media tools, because they know that back home, their information is very easily monitored by Chinese authorities, he said. The China Public Security Bureau did not respond to a request for comment. A police bureau in southern Chinas Nanping city purchased a $42,000 system that supports collection, discovery, and warning functions for ... Twitter and Facebook social media data according to different classifications and keyword groups, as well as overseas information lists, according to bidding documents released in July 2020. Other procurements for public opinion services outline programs purchased by Chinese police and Xinjiang government bodies to track sensitive ethnic language content abroad. (Chinas mainly-Muslim Uyghurs are concentrated in Xinjiang.) A $43,000 system purchased by police in central Chinas Shangnan county included a foreign sensitive information collection system that requested Uyghur and Tibetan staff translators, according to the contracts. Military procurement documents - less detailed than other types - did not offer much detail on the purpose of the foreign data collection but alluded to vague categories of data including key personnel. One heavily redacted June 2020 contract issued by the Peoples Liberation Army described a system that would trawl foreign sites and categorize data on the basis of affiliation, geography and country. Source Data Technology, the Shanghai-based company that won the contract, says on its website that it uses advanced big data mining and artificial intelligence analysis technology to cover more than 90% of social media in the United States, Europe and Chinas neighboring countries. China is turning a major part of its internal Internet data surveillance network outward, mining Western social media, including Facebook and Twitter, to equip its government agencies, military and police with information on foreign targets, according to a Washington Post review of hundreds of Chinese bidding documents, contracts and company filings. China maintains a countrywide network of government data surveillance services - called public opinion analysis software - that were developed over the past decade and are used domestically to warn officials of politically sensitive information online. The software primarily targets Chinas domestic Internet users and media, but a Washington Post review of bidding documents and contracts for over 300 Chinese government projects since the beginning of 2020 include orders for software designed to collect data on foreign targets from sources such as Twitter, Facebook and other Western social media. The documents, publicly accessible through domestic government bidding platforms, also show that agencies including state media, propaganda departments, police, military and cyber regulators are purchasing new or more sophisticated systems to gather data. These include a $320,000 Chinese state media software program that mines Twitter and Facebook to create a database of foreign journalists and academics; a $216,000 Beijing police intelligence program that analyses Western chatter on Hong Kong and Taiwan; and a Xinjiang cybercenter cataloguing Uyghur language content abroad. Now we can better understand the underground network of anti-China personnel, said a Beijing-based analyst who works for a unit reporting to Chinas Central Propaganda Department. The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss their work, said they were once tasked with producing a data report on how negative content relating to Beijings senior leadership is spread on Twitter, including profiles of individual academics, politicians and journalists. These surveillance dragnets are part of a wider drive by Beijing to refine its foreign propaganda efforts through big data and artificial intelligence. They also form a network of warning systems designed to sound real-time alarms for trends that undermine Beijings interests. They are now reorienting part of that effort outward, and I think thats frankly terrifying, looking at the sheer numbers and sheer scale that this has taken inside China, said Mareike Ohlberg, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund who has conducted extensive research on Chinas domestic public opinion network. It really shows that they now feel its their responsibility to defend China overseas and fight the public opinion war overseas, she said. Some of the Chinese governments budgeting includes buying and maintaining foreign social media accounts on behalf of police and propaganda departments. Yet others describe using the targeted analysis to refine Beijings state media coverage abroad. The purchases range in size from small, automated programs to projects costing hundreds of thousands of dollars that are staffed 24 hours a day by teams including English speakers and foreign policy specialists. The documents describe highly customizable programs that can collect real-time social media data from individual social media users. Some describe tracking broad trends on issues including U.S. elections. The Post was not able to review data collected by the systems but spoke to four people based in Beijing who are directly involved in government public opinion analysis and described separate software systems that automatically collect and store Facebook and Twitter data in real time on domestic Chinese servers for analysis. Twitter and Facebook both ban automated collection of data on their services without prior authorization. Twitters policy also expressly bars developers from gathering data used to infer a users political affiliation or ethnic and racial origin. Our API provides real-time access to public data and tweets only, not private information. We prohibit use of our API for surveillance purposes, as per our developer policy and terms, said Katie Rosborough, a Twitter spokesperson, referring to the companys Application Programming Interface (API), which allows developers to retrieve public data from the platform among other functions. Facebook did not respond to requests for comment about whether it is aware of the monitoring or whether several companies, universities and state media firms listed as supplying the software were authorized to collect data on its platform. Chinas Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Public opinion guidance Chinas systems for analyzing domestic public opinion online are a powerful but largely unseen pillar of President Xi Jinpings program to modernize Chinas propaganda apparatus and maintain control over the Internet. The vast data collection and monitoring efforts give officials insight into public opinion, a challenge in a country that does not hold public elections or permit independent media. The services also provide increasingly technical surveillance for Chinas censorship apparatus. And most systems include alarm functions designed to alert officials and police to negative content in real time. These operations are an important function of what Beijing calls public opinion guidance work - a policy of molding public sentiment in favor of the government through targeted propaganda and censorship. The phrase first came to prominence in policymaking after the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy demonstrations, when officials began exploring new ways to preempt popular challenges to the Communist Partys power, and has since become integral to the underlying architecture of Chinas Internet, where users are linked by real name ID, and Internet services are required by law to maintain an internal censorship apparatus. The exact scope of Chinas government public opinion monitoring industry is unclear, but there have been some indications about its size in Chinese state media. In 2014, the state-backed newspaper China Daily said more than 2 million people were working as public opinion analysts. In 2018, the Peoples Daily, another official organ, said the governments online opinion analysis industry was worth tens of billions of yuan, equivalent to billions of dollars, and was growing at a rate of 50% a year. That surveillance network system is expanding to include foreign social media at a time when global perceptions of Beijing are at their lowest in recent history. A Pew Research survey released in June showed that perceptions of China among 17 advanced economies had dipped to near historic lows for a second year in a row in the aftermath of the U.S. trade war, the Xinjiang human rights crisis, Hong Kong and the coronavirus pandemic. In May this year, Xi called on senior officials to portray a more trustworthy, lovable and reliable image of China abroad, calling for the effective development of international public opinion guidance. His comments reflect Beijings growing anxieties over how to control Chinas image abroad. On the back of the Sino-US trade talks and the Hong Kong rioting incident, its becoming clearer day by day that the public opinion news war is arduous and necessary, China Daily said in a July 2020 bidding document for a $300,000 foreign personnel analysis platform. The invitation to tender lays out specifications for a program that mines Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for data on well known Western media journalists and other key personnel from political, business and media circles. We are competing with the US and Western media, the battle for the right to speak has begun, it said. The software should run 24 hours a day, according to the specifications, and map the relationships between target personnel and uncover factions between personnel, measuring their China tendencies and building an alarm system that automatically flags false statements and reports on China. Warning systems like the one outlined in the China Daily document are described in over 90% of tenders that list technical specifications, The Posts review of the documents show. Two people who work as analysts in public opinion analysis units contracted by government agencies in Beijing told The Post that they receive automated alarms via SMS, email and on dedicated computer monitors when sensitive content was detected. Both of the people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to foreign media. Having responsibility for [the monitoring] is a lot of pressure, said one of the people. If we do our work poorly, there are severe repercussions. Highly sensitive viral trends online are reported to a 24-hour hotline maintained by the Cybersecurity Administration of China (CAC), the body that oversees the countrys censorship apparatus, the person said of their unit. The person added that most of the alarms were related to domestic social media but that foreign social media had also been included in the units monitoring since the middle of 2019. The persons account is supported by four bidding documents for unrelated systems that mention direct hotlines to the CAC. In case of major public opinion, directly contact the staff on duty of the CAC by telephone to ensure that notifications are in place through various communication tools, said one December 2020 tender for a $236,000 system purchased by the municipal propaganda department in eastern Chinas Fuzhou city for monitoring Facebook and Twitter alongside domestic social media. It specifies that reports to the CAC should include the details of individual social media users. State media-led data mining Suppliers of the systems vary. The China Daily awarded its contract to Beijings Communications University, one of a half dozen Chinese universities that have launched specialized departments to develop public opinion analysis technology. However, some of the most prolific public opinion monitoring services are provided to police and government agencies by state media themselves. The documents provide insight into the scope of foreign social media data collection done by Chinas major state media outlets, which maintain offices and servers abroad, and their key role in providing Beijing with publicity guidance based on increasingly sophisticated data mining analysis. The growing clout of Beijings propaganda efforts abroad, spearheaded by state media, has triggered alarms in Washington. In 2020, the State Department reclassified the U.S.-based operations of Chinas top state media outlets as foreign missions, increasing reporting requirements and restricting their visa allocations, angering Beijing. The Peoples Daily Online, a unit of the state newspaper the Peoples Daily, which provides one of the countrys largest contract public opinion analysis services, won dozens of projects that include overseas social media data collection services for police, judicial authorities, Communist Party organizations and other clients. The unit, which recorded $330 million in operating income in 2020, up 50% from 2018, says it serves over 200 government agencies, although it is not clear how many request foreign social media data. In one tender won by the Peoples Daily Online, the Beijing Police Intelligence Command Unit purchased a $30,570 service to trawl foreign social media and produce reports on unspecified key personnel and organizations, gathering information on their basic circumstances, background and relationships. It also calls for weekly data reports on Hong Kong, Taiwan and U.S. relations. Issued shortly before the 2020 U.S. presidential election results were ratified on Jan. 6, it also called for special reports on netizens main views related to the election. The international balance of power has been profoundly adjusted, said the request for tenders. Through the collection of public Internet information we can keep a close eye on the international community, analyze sensitivities and hot spots, and maintain the stability of Chinese society. In an April 2020 article, the chief analyst at the Peoples Daily Online Public Opinion Data Center, Liao Canliang, laid out the ultimate goal of public opinion analysis. The ultimate purpose of analysis and prediction is to guide and intervene in public opinion, Canliang wrote. . . . Public data from social network users can be used to analyze the characteristics and preferences of users, and then guide them in a targeted manner. In the article, Liao points to Cambridge Analyticas impact on the 2016 U.S. election as evidence of social medias ability to mold public opinion. The West uses big data to analyze, research and judge public opinion to influence political activities. ... As long as there is a correct grasp on the situation, public opinion can also be guided and interfered with, he wrote. Peoples Daily subsidiary Global Times, a firebrand newspaper known for its biting coverage of Chinas critics, also has a unit gathering foreign social media data for Chinas Foreign Ministry, Beijings Foreign Affairs Office and other government agencies. In late 2019, the Global Times Online won a three-year contract worth $531,000 to provide a China-related foreign media and journalist opinion monitoring system that monitors overseas social media on behalf of Chinas Foreign Ministry and produces comprehensive regular reports, as well as special briefings in urgent circumstances. Documentation accompanying the project says that close to 40% of the Global Times monitoring units staffers are senior Global Times reporters and that the publication maintains large overseas social media monitoring platforms. A description on the website of the Global Timess public opinion research center says the group conducts overseas monitoring and overseas investigation services and provides comprehensive response plans to government and private clients. Both the Peoples Daily and the Global Times were among the outlets designated as foreign missions in the United States. The increase in Chinas monitoring of foreign public opinion on social media coincides with efforts by Beijing to boost its influence on Twitter and other U.S. social media platforms. In June 2020, Twitter suspended 23,000 accounts that it said were linked to the Chinese Communist Party and covertly spreading propaganda to undermine pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. This month, Twitter said it removed a further 2,048 accounts linked to Beijing and producing coordinated content undermining accusations of rights abuses in Xinjiang. Experts say those accounts represent a small fraction of Chinas efforts to boost pro-Beijing messaging on foreign social media. Extreme chilling effect Just under a third of the public opinion analysis systems reviewed by The Post were procured by Chinese police. In 14 instances, the analysis systems included a feature requested by the police that would automatically flag sensitive content related to Uyghurs and other Chinese ethnic minorities. An additional 12 analysis systems included the police-requested capability of monitoring individual content authors over time. It must support information monitoring of overseas social media . . . and provide for targeted collection of designated sites and authors, said one invitation to tender released by the Fuzhou city police in October that lists coverage of Facebook and Twitter as a requirement. The monitoring of social media abroad by local police throughout China could be used in investigating Chinese citizens locally and abroad, as well as in flagging trends that stir domestic dissent, experts say. The public security monitoring is very much about stability maintenance, tracking people down and finding peoples identity, and when they monitor overseas social media, its also often with an eye to monitoring what news could cause trouble at home in China, said the German Marshall Funds Ohlberg. Companies providing overseas public opinion monitoring to police include a mix of private and state-owned firms, including the Peoples Daily Online. Six police contracts awarded since 2020 stated that the Peoples Daily was chosen to conduct monitoring on the basis of its technical ability to gather data abroad. Its the only one in the industry that deploys overseas servers. It is a public opinion service organization that can monitor and collect more than 8,000 overseas media without overturning the wall, said the Guangdong Police Department in a $26,200 contract offer posted in July 2020, referring to the ability of the Peoples Daily unit to collect overseas data outside Chinas Great Firewall. Experts say the increasingly advanced social media surveillance technology available to Chinese police could worsen the targeted harassment of Beijings critics. The Chinese government is one of the worst offenders when it comes to targeting individuals outside of the country, said Adrian Shahbaz, the director for technology and democracy at the think tank Freedom House. It has an extreme chilling effect on how Chinese citizens outside of China are using social media tools, because they know that back home, their information is very easily monitored by Chinese authorities, he said. The China Public Security Bureau did not respond to a request for comment. A police bureau in southern Chinas Nanping city purchased a $42,000 system that supports collection, discovery, and warning functions for ... Twitter and Facebook social media data according to different classifications and keyword groups, as well as overseas information lists, according to bidding documents released in July 2020. Other procurements for public opinion services outline programs purchased by Chinese police and Xinjiang government bodies to track sensitive ethnic language content abroad. (Chinas mainly-Muslim Uyghurs are concentrated in Xinjiang.) A $43,000 system purchased by police in central Chinas Shangnan county included a foreign sensitive information collection system that requested Uyghur and Tibetan staff translators, according to the contracts. Military procurement documents - less detailed than other types - did not offer much detail on the purpose of the foreign data collection but alluded to vague categories of data including key personnel. One heavily redacted June 2020 contract issued by the Peoples Liberation Army described a system that would trawl foreign sites and categorize data on the basis of affiliation, geography and country. Source Data Technology, the Shanghai-based company that won the contract, says on its website that it uses advanced big data mining and artificial intelligence analysis technology to cover more than 90% of social media in the United States, Europe and Chinas neighboring countries. Aybak, Jan 1 : A total of 300 security personnel have been commissioned to security forces of the establishment after receiving military training in Afghanistan's northern Samangan province, public relations officer of the province, Khair Khaw Samangani said Saturday. "A total of 300 security personnel of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan received training in the training center of 209 Al-Fatah Corps and graduated yesterday," the official said. The newly graduated security personnel are familiar with light and heavy weapons and can serve elsewhere in the country, Xinhua news agency reported. Without providing more details, Khair Khaw added that the new administration would continue to provide necessary training to its security personnel. Earlier, Qari Fasihuddin, the army chief of the Taliban-led caretaker administration has emphasised making a capable army to ensure security of the war-torn country. The rise in militant attacks in Pakistan reached the highest point in August 2021, according to a study which stated that this spike coincided with the Taliban's offensive that started in May last year. This research, conducted by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Study (PICSS), said that the highest number of attacks in a single month in 2021 was recorded in August when 45 attacks were carried out by militants. The institute said in its report said the overall number of militant attacks could not drop despite a one-month ceasefire from November 10 to December 10, Dawn newspaper reported. The Pakistan publication said that the average number of militant attacks per month in Pakistan rose from 16 in 2020 to 25 in 2021, which was the highest after 2017. The database highlighted that Balochistan is the most turbulent province where 170 deaths were recorded in 103 attacks. According to the report, the highest number of injured were also reported from Balochistan where more than 50 per cent of the total injured were recorded. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the second most affected region next to Balochistan, the report said. A total of 15 militant attacks were recorded in Sindh province in which 23 people were killed and 29 injured. Meanwhile, in Punjab province, militants carried out 10 attacks in which 10 people were killed and 87 injured. Experts are wary of Pakistan's role in Afghanistan, publicly supporting an end to the regional conflict but ultimately undermining any kind of peace that interferes with the self-interest of its leaders. They warn that such an act could backfire on Pakistan, especially on its military and intelligence establishment. (ANI) The rise in militant attacks in Pakistan reached the highest point in August 2021, according to a study which stated that this spike coincided with the Taliban's offensive that started in May last year. This research, conducted by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Study (PICSS), said that the highest number of attacks in a single month in 2021 was recorded in August when 45 attacks were carried out by militants. The institute said in its report said the overall number of militant attacks could not drop despite a one-month ceasefire from November 10 to December 10, Dawn newspaper reported. The Pakistan publication said that the average number of militant attacks per month in Pakistan rose from 16 in 2020 to 25 in 2021, which was the highest after 2017. The database highlighted that Balochistan is the most turbulent province where 170 deaths were recorded in 103 attacks. According to the report, the highest number of injured were also reported from Balochistan where more than 50 per cent of the total injured were recorded. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the second most affected region next to Balochistan, the report said. A total of 15 militant attacks were recorded in Sindh province in which 23 people were killed and 29 injured. Meanwhile, in Punjab province, militants carried out 10 attacks in which 10 people were killed and 87 injured. Experts are wary of Pakistan's role in Afghanistan, publicly supporting an end to the regional conflict but ultimately undermining any kind of peace that interferes with the self-interest of its leaders. They warn that such an act could backfire on Pakistan, especially on its military and intelligence establishment. (ANI) New Delhi, Jan 1 : After a consistent decline in militant attacks for the past six years, Pakistan witnessed a 56 per cent increase in the number of terror attacks in 2021, despite a one-month ceasefire with TTP, Friday Times reported. In 2021, militants carried out 294 attacks, killing 388 people and wounding another 606, according to a report compiled by Islamabad-based think tank Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), the report said. The report details the rising frequency, lethality and geographic scope of terror attacks across Pakistan this year. The lethality of terror attacks rose by 46 per cent in 2021 with 388 total deaths of which 184 were civilians. The remaining 192 of those killed were security forces personnel, a 66 per cent increase in the casualties of Pakistani security forces from the year before. Over 600 people were injured in the terror attacks of 2021, including 389 civilians and 217 security forces personnel, the report said. The rise in militant attacks in Pakistan coincided with the Afghan Taliban's military offensive, which started in May 2021 and reached its zenith when the Taliban took over Kabul in August 2021. That same month, 45 militant attacks were reported, the most attacks of any single month in 2021, according to PICSS. Despite a one-month ceasefire with TTP from November 10 to December 10, the overall number of militant attacks did not drop in either month. The report shows that the average number of militant attacks per month in Pakistan increased from 16 attacks per month in 2020 to 25 monthly attacks in 2021, the highest on record since 2017. Militant attacks have not been as deadly since 2018. In 2020, there were 188 militant attacks in which 266 people were killed and 595 injured, Friday Times reported. Balochistan was the most turbulent province this year where the highest number of deaths (170) were recorded in 103 militant attacks. The highest number of injured were also reported in Balochistan, where over 50 per cent of all injuries from militant attacks in the country occurred (331), the PICSS Militancy Database shows. The rise in militant attacks in Pakistan reached the highest point in August 2021, according to a study which stated that this spike coincided with the Taliban's offensive that started in May last year. This research, conducted by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Study (PICSS), said that the highest number of attacks in a single month in 2021 was recorded in August when 45 attacks were carried out by militants. The institute said in its report said the overall number of militant attacks could not drop despite a one-month ceasefire from November 10 to December 10, Dawn newspaper reported. The Pakistan publication said that the average number of militant attacks per month in Pakistan rose from 16 in 2020 to 25 in 2021, which was the highest after 2017. The database highlighted that Balochistan is the most turbulent province where 170 deaths were recorded in 103 attacks. According to the report, the highest number of injured were also reported from Balochistan where more than 50 per cent of the total injured were recorded. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the second most affected region next to Balochistan, the report said. A total of 15 militant attacks were recorded in Sindh province in which 23 people were killed and 29 injured. Meanwhile, in Punjab province, militants carried out 10 attacks in which 10 people were killed and 87 injured. Experts are wary of Pakistan's role in Afghanistan, publicly supporting an end to the regional conflict but ultimately undermining any kind of peace that interferes with the self-interest of its leaders. They warn that such an act could backfire on Pakistan, especially on its military and intelligence establishment. (ANI) China is turning a major part of its internal Internet data surveillance network outward, mining Western social media, including Facebook and Twitter, to equip its government agencies, military and police with information on foreign targets, according to a Washington Post review of hundreds of Chinese bidding documents, contracts and company filings. China maintains a countrywide network of government data surveillance services - called public opinion analysis software - that were developed over the past decade and are used domestically to warn officials of politically sensitive information online. The software primarily targets Chinas domestic Internet users and media, but a Washington Post review of bidding documents and contracts for over 300 Chinese government projects since the beginning of 2020 include orders for software designed to collect data on foreign targets from sources such as Twitter, Facebook and other Western social media. The documents, publicly accessible through domestic government bidding platforms, also show that agencies including state media, propaganda departments, police, military and cyber regulators are purchasing new or more sophisticated systems to gather data. These include a $320,000 Chinese state media software program that mines Twitter and Facebook to create a database of foreign journalists and academics; a $216,000 Beijing police intelligence program that analyses Western chatter on Hong Kong and Taiwan; and a Xinjiang cybercenter cataloguing Uyghur language content abroad. Now we can better understand the underground network of anti-China personnel, said a Beijing-based analyst who works for a unit reporting to Chinas Central Propaganda Department. The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss their work, said they were once tasked with producing a data report on how negative content relating to Beijings senior leadership is spread on Twitter, including profiles of individual academics, politicians and journalists. These surveillance dragnets are part of a wider drive by Beijing to refine its foreign propaganda efforts through big data and artificial intelligence. They also form a network of warning systems designed to sound real-time alarms for trends that undermine Beijings interests. They are now reorienting part of that effort outward, and I think thats frankly terrifying, looking at the sheer numbers and sheer scale that this has taken inside China, said Mareike Ohlberg, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund who has conducted extensive research on Chinas domestic public opinion network. It really shows that they now feel its their responsibility to defend China overseas and fight the public opinion war overseas, she said. Some of the Chinese governments budgeting includes buying and maintaining foreign social media accounts on behalf of police and propaganda departments. Yet others describe using the targeted analysis to refine Beijings state media coverage abroad. The purchases range in size from small, automated programs to projects costing hundreds of thousands of dollars that are staffed 24 hours a day by teams including English speakers and foreign policy specialists. The documents describe highly customizable programs that can collect real-time social media data from individual social media users. Some describe tracking broad trends on issues including U.S. elections. The Post was not able to review data collected by the systems but spoke to four people based in Beijing who are directly involved in government public opinion analysis and described separate software systems that automatically collect and store Facebook and Twitter data in real time on domestic Chinese servers for analysis. Twitter and Facebook both ban automated collection of data on their services without prior authorization. Twitters policy also expressly bars developers from gathering data used to infer a users political affiliation or ethnic and racial origin. Our API provides real-time access to public data and tweets only, not private information. We prohibit use of our API for surveillance purposes, as per our developer policy and terms, said Katie Rosborough, a Twitter spokesperson, referring to the companys Application Programming Interface (API), which allows developers to retrieve public data from the platform among other functions. Facebook did not respond to requests for comment about whether it is aware of the monitoring or whether several companies, universities and state media firms listed as supplying the software were authorized to collect data on its platform. Chinas Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Public opinion guidance Chinas systems for analyzing domestic public opinion online are a powerful but largely unseen pillar of President Xi Jinpings program to modernize Chinas propaganda apparatus and maintain control over the Internet. The vast data collection and monitoring efforts give officials insight into public opinion, a challenge in a country that does not hold public elections or permit independent media. The services also provide increasingly technical surveillance for Chinas censorship apparatus. And most systems include alarm functions designed to alert officials and police to negative content in real time. These operations are an important function of what Beijing calls public opinion guidance work - a policy of molding public sentiment in favor of the government through targeted propaganda and censorship. The phrase first came to prominence in policymaking after the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy demonstrations, when officials began exploring new ways to preempt popular challenges to the Communist Partys power, and has since become integral to the underlying architecture of Chinas Internet, where users are linked by real name ID, and Internet services are required by law to maintain an internal censorship apparatus. The exact scope of Chinas government public opinion monitoring industry is unclear, but there have been some indications about its size in Chinese state media. In 2014, the state-backed newspaper China Daily said more than 2 million people were working as public opinion analysts. In 2018, the Peoples Daily, another official organ, said the governments online opinion analysis industry was worth tens of billions of yuan, equivalent to billions of dollars, and was growing at a rate of 50% a year. That surveillance network system is expanding to include foreign social media at a time when global perceptions of Beijing are at their lowest in recent history. A Pew Research survey released in June showed that perceptions of China among 17 advanced economies had dipped to near historic lows for a second year in a row in the aftermath of the U.S. trade war, the Xinjiang human rights crisis, Hong Kong and the coronavirus pandemic. In May this year, Xi called on senior officials to portray a more trustworthy, lovable and reliable image of China abroad, calling for the effective development of international public opinion guidance. His comments reflect Beijings growing anxieties over how to control Chinas image abroad. On the back of the Sino-US trade talks and the Hong Kong rioting incident, its becoming clearer day by day that the public opinion news war is arduous and necessary, China Daily said in a July 2020 bidding document for a $300,000 foreign personnel analysis platform. The invitation to tender lays out specifications for a program that mines Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for data on well known Western media journalists and other key personnel from political, business and media circles. We are competing with the US and Western media, the battle for the right to speak has begun, it said. The software should run 24 hours a day, according to the specifications, and map the relationships between target personnel and uncover factions between personnel, measuring their China tendencies and building an alarm system that automatically flags false statements and reports on China. Warning systems like the one outlined in the China Daily document are described in over 90% of tenders that list technical specifications, The Posts review of the documents show. Two people who work as analysts in public opinion analysis units contracted by government agencies in Beijing told The Post that they receive automated alarms via SMS, email and on dedicated computer monitors when sensitive content was detected. Both of the people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to foreign media. Having responsibility for [the monitoring] is a lot of pressure, said one of the people. If we do our work poorly, there are severe repercussions. Highly sensitive viral trends online are reported to a 24-hour hotline maintained by the Cybersecurity Administration of China (CAC), the body that oversees the countrys censorship apparatus, the person said of their unit. The person added that most of the alarms were related to domestic social media but that foreign social media had also been included in the units monitoring since the middle of 2019. The persons account is supported by four bidding documents for unrelated systems that mention direct hotlines to the CAC. In case of major public opinion, directly contact the staff on duty of the CAC by telephone to ensure that notifications are in place through various communication tools, said one December 2020 tender for a $236,000 system purchased by the municipal propaganda department in eastern Chinas Fuzhou city for monitoring Facebook and Twitter alongside domestic social media. It specifies that reports to the CAC should include the details of individual social media users. State media-led data mining Suppliers of the systems vary. The China Daily awarded its contract to Beijings Communications University, one of a half dozen Chinese universities that have launched specialized departments to develop public opinion analysis technology. However, some of the most prolific public opinion monitoring services are provided to police and government agencies by state media themselves. The documents provide insight into the scope of foreign social media data collection done by Chinas major state media outlets, which maintain offices and servers abroad, and their key role in providing Beijing with publicity guidance based on increasingly sophisticated data mining analysis. The growing clout of Beijings propaganda efforts abroad, spearheaded by state media, has triggered alarms in Washington. In 2020, the State Department reclassified the U.S.-based operations of Chinas top state media outlets as foreign missions, increasing reporting requirements and restricting their visa allocations, angering Beijing. The Peoples Daily Online, a unit of the state newspaper the Peoples Daily, which provides one of the countrys largest contract public opinion analysis services, won dozens of projects that include overseas social media data collection services for police, judicial authorities, Communist Party organizations and other clients. The unit, which recorded $330 million in operating income in 2020, up 50% from 2018, says it serves over 200 government agencies, although it is not clear how many request foreign social media data. In one tender won by the Peoples Daily Online, the Beijing Police Intelligence Command Unit purchased a $30,570 service to trawl foreign social media and produce reports on unspecified key personnel and organizations, gathering information on their basic circumstances, background and relationships. It also calls for weekly data reports on Hong Kong, Taiwan and U.S. relations. Issued shortly before the 2020 U.S. presidential election results were ratified on Jan. 6, it also called for special reports on netizens main views related to the election. The international balance of power has been profoundly adjusted, said the request for tenders. Through the collection of public Internet information we can keep a close eye on the international community, analyze sensitivities and hot spots, and maintain the stability of Chinese society. In an April 2020 article, the chief analyst at the Peoples Daily Online Public Opinion Data Center, Liao Canliang, laid out the ultimate goal of public opinion analysis. The ultimate purpose of analysis and prediction is to guide and intervene in public opinion, Canliang wrote. . . . Public data from social network users can be used to analyze the characteristics and preferences of users, and then guide them in a targeted manner. In the article, Liao points to Cambridge Analyticas impact on the 2016 U.S. election as evidence of social medias ability to mold public opinion. The West uses big data to analyze, research and judge public opinion to influence political activities. ... As long as there is a correct grasp on the situation, public opinion can also be guided and interfered with, he wrote. Peoples Daily subsidiary Global Times, a firebrand newspaper known for its biting coverage of Chinas critics, also has a unit gathering foreign social media data for Chinas Foreign Ministry, Beijings Foreign Affairs Office and other government agencies. In late 2019, the Global Times Online won a three-year contract worth $531,000 to provide a China-related foreign media and journalist opinion monitoring system that monitors overseas social media on behalf of Chinas Foreign Ministry and produces comprehensive regular reports, as well as special briefings in urgent circumstances. Documentation accompanying the project says that close to 40% of the Global Times monitoring units staffers are senior Global Times reporters and that the publication maintains large overseas social media monitoring platforms. A description on the website of the Global Timess public opinion research center says the group conducts overseas monitoring and overseas investigation services and provides comprehensive response plans to government and private clients. Both the Peoples Daily and the Global Times were among the outlets designated as foreign missions in the United States. The increase in Chinas monitoring of foreign public opinion on social media coincides with efforts by Beijing to boost its influence on Twitter and other U.S. social media platforms. In June 2020, Twitter suspended 23,000 accounts that it said were linked to the Chinese Communist Party and covertly spreading propaganda to undermine pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. This month, Twitter said it removed a further 2,048 accounts linked to Beijing and producing coordinated content undermining accusations of rights abuses in Xinjiang. Experts say those accounts represent a small fraction of Chinas efforts to boost pro-Beijing messaging on foreign social media. Extreme chilling effect Just under a third of the public opinion analysis systems reviewed by The Post were procured by Chinese police. In 14 instances, the analysis systems included a feature requested by the police that would automatically flag sensitive content related to Uyghurs and other Chinese ethnic minorities. An additional 12 analysis systems included the police-requested capability of monitoring individual content authors over time. It must support information monitoring of overseas social media . . . and provide for targeted collection of designated sites and authors, said one invitation to tender released by the Fuzhou city police in October that lists coverage of Facebook and Twitter as a requirement. The monitoring of social media abroad by local police throughout China could be used in investigating Chinese citizens locally and abroad, as well as in flagging trends that stir domestic dissent, experts say. The public security monitoring is very much about stability maintenance, tracking people down and finding peoples identity, and when they monitor overseas social media, its also often with an eye to monitoring what news could cause trouble at home in China, said the German Marshall Funds Ohlberg. Companies providing overseas public opinion monitoring to police include a mix of private and state-owned firms, including the Peoples Daily Online. Six police contracts awarded since 2020 stated that the Peoples Daily was chosen to conduct monitoring on the basis of its technical ability to gather data abroad. Its the only one in the industry that deploys overseas servers. It is a public opinion service organization that can monitor and collect more than 8,000 overseas media without overturning the wall, said the Guangdong Police Department in a $26,200 contract offer posted in July 2020, referring to the ability of the Peoples Daily unit to collect overseas data outside Chinas Great Firewall. Experts say the increasingly advanced social media surveillance technology available to Chinese police could worsen the targeted harassment of Beijings critics. The Chinese government is one of the worst offenders when it comes to targeting individuals outside of the country, said Adrian Shahbaz, the director for technology and democracy at the think tank Freedom House. It has an extreme chilling effect on how Chinese citizens outside of China are using social media tools, because they know that back home, their information is very easily monitored by Chinese authorities, he said. The China Public Security Bureau did not respond to a request for comment. A police bureau in southern Chinas Nanping city purchased a $42,000 system that supports collection, discovery, and warning functions for ... Twitter and Facebook social media data according to different classifications and keyword groups, as well as overseas information lists, according to bidding documents released in July 2020. Other procurements for public opinion services outline programs purchased by Chinese police and Xinjiang government bodies to track sensitive ethnic language content abroad. (Chinas mainly-Muslim Uyghurs are concentrated in Xinjiang.) A $43,000 system purchased by police in central Chinas Shangnan county included a foreign sensitive information collection system that requested Uyghur and Tibetan staff translators, according to the contracts. Military procurement documents - less detailed than other types - did not offer much detail on the purpose of the foreign data collection but alluded to vague categories of data including key personnel. One heavily redacted June 2020 contract issued by the Peoples Liberation Army described a system that would trawl foreign sites and categorize data on the basis of affiliation, geography and country. Source Data Technology, the Shanghai-based company that won the contract, says on its website that it uses advanced big data mining and artificial intelligence analysis technology to cover more than 90% of social media in the United States, Europe and Chinas neighboring countries. China is turning a major part of its internal Internet data surveillance network outward, mining Western social media, including Facebook and Twitter, to equip its government agencies, military and police with information on foreign targets, according to a Washington Post review of hundreds of Chinese bidding documents, contracts and company filings. China maintains a countrywide network of government data surveillance services - called public opinion analysis software - that were developed over the past decade and are used domestically to warn officials of politically sensitive information online. The software primarily targets Chinas domestic Internet users and media, but a Washington Post review of bidding documents and contracts for over 300 Chinese government projects since the beginning of 2020 include orders for software designed to collect data on foreign targets from sources such as Twitter, Facebook and other Western social media. The documents, publicly accessible through domestic government bidding platforms, also show that agencies including state media, propaganda departments, police, military and cyber regulators are purchasing new or more sophisticated systems to gather data. These include a $320,000 Chinese state media software program that mines Twitter and Facebook to create a database of foreign journalists and academics; a $216,000 Beijing police intelligence program that analyses Western chatter on Hong Kong and Taiwan; and a Xinjiang cybercenter cataloguing Uyghur language content abroad. Now we can better understand the underground network of anti-China personnel, said a Beijing-based analyst who works for a unit reporting to Chinas Central Propaganda Department. The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss their work, said they were once tasked with producing a data report on how negative content relating to Beijings senior leadership is spread on Twitter, including profiles of individual academics, politicians and journalists. These surveillance dragnets are part of a wider drive by Beijing to refine its foreign propaganda efforts through big data and artificial intelligence. They also form a network of warning systems designed to sound real-time alarms for trends that undermine Beijings interests. They are now reorienting part of that effort outward, and I think thats frankly terrifying, looking at the sheer numbers and sheer scale that this has taken inside China, said Mareike Ohlberg, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund who has conducted extensive research on Chinas domestic public opinion network. It really shows that they now feel its their responsibility to defend China overseas and fight the public opinion war overseas, she said. Some of the Chinese governments budgeting includes buying and maintaining foreign social media accounts on behalf of police and propaganda departments. Yet others describe using the targeted analysis to refine Beijings state media coverage abroad. The purchases range in size from small, automated programs to projects costing hundreds of thousands of dollars that are staffed 24 hours a day by teams including English speakers and foreign policy specialists. The documents describe highly customizable programs that can collect real-time social media data from individual social media users. Some describe tracking broad trends on issues including U.S. elections. The Post was not able to review data collected by the systems but spoke to four people based in Beijing who are directly involved in government public opinion analysis and described separate software systems that automatically collect and store Facebook and Twitter data in real time on domestic Chinese servers for analysis. Twitter and Facebook both ban automated collection of data on their services without prior authorization. Twitters policy also expressly bars developers from gathering data used to infer a users political affiliation or ethnic and racial origin. Our API provides real-time access to public data and tweets only, not private information. We prohibit use of our API for surveillance purposes, as per our developer policy and terms, said Katie Rosborough, a Twitter spokesperson, referring to the companys Application Programming Interface (API), which allows developers to retrieve public data from the platform among other functions. Facebook did not respond to requests for comment about whether it is aware of the monitoring or whether several companies, universities and state media firms listed as supplying the software were authorized to collect data on its platform. Chinas Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Public opinion guidance Chinas systems for analyzing domestic public opinion online are a powerful but largely unseen pillar of President Xi Jinpings program to modernize Chinas propaganda apparatus and maintain control over the Internet. The vast data collection and monitoring efforts give officials insight into public opinion, a challenge in a country that does not hold public elections or permit independent media. The services also provide increasingly technical surveillance for Chinas censorship apparatus. And most systems include alarm functions designed to alert officials and police to negative content in real time. These operations are an important function of what Beijing calls public opinion guidance work - a policy of molding public sentiment in favor of the government through targeted propaganda and censorship. The phrase first came to prominence in policymaking after the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy demonstrations, when officials began exploring new ways to preempt popular challenges to the Communist Partys power, and has since become integral to the underlying architecture of Chinas Internet, where users are linked by real name ID, and Internet services are required by law to maintain an internal censorship apparatus. The exact scope of Chinas government public opinion monitoring industry is unclear, but there have been some indications about its size in Chinese state media. In 2014, the state-backed newspaper China Daily said more than 2 million people were working as public opinion analysts. In 2018, the Peoples Daily, another official organ, said the governments online opinion analysis industry was worth tens of billions of yuan, equivalent to billions of dollars, and was growing at a rate of 50% a year. That surveillance network system is expanding to include foreign social media at a time when global perceptions of Beijing are at their lowest in recent history. A Pew Research survey released in June showed that perceptions of China among 17 advanced economies had dipped to near historic lows for a second year in a row in the aftermath of the U.S. trade war, the Xinjiang human rights crisis, Hong Kong and the coronavirus pandemic. In May this year, Xi called on senior officials to portray a more trustworthy, lovable and reliable image of China abroad, calling for the effective development of international public opinion guidance. His comments reflect Beijings growing anxieties over how to control Chinas image abroad. On the back of the Sino-US trade talks and the Hong Kong rioting incident, its becoming clearer day by day that the public opinion news war is arduous and necessary, China Daily said in a July 2020 bidding document for a $300,000 foreign personnel analysis platform. The invitation to tender lays out specifications for a program that mines Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for data on well known Western media journalists and other key personnel from political, business and media circles. We are competing with the US and Western media, the battle for the right to speak has begun, it said. The software should run 24 hours a day, according to the specifications, and map the relationships between target personnel and uncover factions between personnel, measuring their China tendencies and building an alarm system that automatically flags false statements and reports on China. Warning systems like the one outlined in the China Daily document are described in over 90% of tenders that list technical specifications, The Posts review of the documents show. Two people who work as analysts in public opinion analysis units contracted by government agencies in Beijing told The Post that they receive automated alarms via SMS, email and on dedicated computer monitors when sensitive content was detected. Both of the people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to foreign media. Having responsibility for [the monitoring] is a lot of pressure, said one of the people. If we do our work poorly, there are severe repercussions. Highly sensitive viral trends online are reported to a 24-hour hotline maintained by the Cybersecurity Administration of China (CAC), the body that oversees the countrys censorship apparatus, the person said of their unit. The person added that most of the alarms were related to domestic social media but that foreign social media had also been included in the units monitoring since the middle of 2019. The persons account is supported by four bidding documents for unrelated systems that mention direct hotlines to the CAC. In case of major public opinion, directly contact the staff on duty of the CAC by telephone to ensure that notifications are in place through various communication tools, said one December 2020 tender for a $236,000 system purchased by the municipal propaganda department in eastern Chinas Fuzhou city for monitoring Facebook and Twitter alongside domestic social media. It specifies that reports to the CAC should include the details of individual social media users. State media-led data mining Suppliers of the systems vary. The China Daily awarded its contract to Beijings Communications University, one of a half dozen Chinese universities that have launched specialized departments to develop public opinion analysis technology. However, some of the most prolific public opinion monitoring services are provided to police and government agencies by state media themselves. The documents provide insight into the scope of foreign social media data collection done by Chinas major state media outlets, which maintain offices and servers abroad, and their key role in providing Beijing with publicity guidance based on increasingly sophisticated data mining analysis. The growing clout of Beijings propaganda efforts abroad, spearheaded by state media, has triggered alarms in Washington. In 2020, the State Department reclassified the U.S.-based operations of Chinas top state media outlets as foreign missions, increasing reporting requirements and restricting their visa allocations, angering Beijing. The Peoples Daily Online, a unit of the state newspaper the Peoples Daily, which provides one of the countrys largest contract public opinion analysis services, won dozens of projects that include overseas social media data collection services for police, judicial authorities, Communist Party organizations and other clients. The unit, which recorded $330 million in operating income in 2020, up 50% from 2018, says it serves over 200 government agencies, although it is not clear how many request foreign social media data. In one tender won by the Peoples Daily Online, the Beijing Police Intelligence Command Unit purchased a $30,570 service to trawl foreign social media and produce reports on unspecified key personnel and organizations, gathering information on their basic circumstances, background and relationships. It also calls for weekly data reports on Hong Kong, Taiwan and U.S. relations. Issued shortly before the 2020 U.S. presidential election results were ratified on Jan. 6, it also called for special reports on netizens main views related to the election. The international balance of power has been profoundly adjusted, said the request for tenders. Through the collection of public Internet information we can keep a close eye on the international community, analyze sensitivities and hot spots, and maintain the stability of Chinese society. In an April 2020 article, the chief analyst at the Peoples Daily Online Public Opinion Data Center, Liao Canliang, laid out the ultimate goal of public opinion analysis. The ultimate purpose of analysis and prediction is to guide and intervene in public opinion, Canliang wrote. . . . Public data from social network users can be used to analyze the characteristics and preferences of users, and then guide them in a targeted manner. In the article, Liao points to Cambridge Analyticas impact on the 2016 U.S. election as evidence of social medias ability to mold public opinion. The West uses big data to analyze, research and judge public opinion to influence political activities. ... As long as there is a correct grasp on the situation, public opinion can also be guided and interfered with, he wrote. Peoples Daily subsidiary Global Times, a firebrand newspaper known for its biting coverage of Chinas critics, also has a unit gathering foreign social media data for Chinas Foreign Ministry, Beijings Foreign Affairs Office and other government agencies. In late 2019, the Global Times Online won a three-year contract worth $531,000 to provide a China-related foreign media and journalist opinion monitoring system that monitors overseas social media on behalf of Chinas Foreign Ministry and produces comprehensive regular reports, as well as special briefings in urgent circumstances. Documentation accompanying the project says that close to 40% of the Global Times monitoring units staffers are senior Global Times reporters and that the publication maintains large overseas social media monitoring platforms. A description on the website of the Global Timess public opinion research center says the group conducts overseas monitoring and overseas investigation services and provides comprehensive response plans to government and private clients. Both the Peoples Daily and the Global Times were among the outlets designated as foreign missions in the United States. The increase in Chinas monitoring of foreign public opinion on social media coincides with efforts by Beijing to boost its influence on Twitter and other U.S. social media platforms. In June 2020, Twitter suspended 23,000 accounts that it said were linked to the Chinese Communist Party and covertly spreading propaganda to undermine pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. This month, Twitter said it removed a further 2,048 accounts linked to Beijing and producing coordinated content undermining accusations of rights abuses in Xinjiang. Experts say those accounts represent a small fraction of Chinas efforts to boost pro-Beijing messaging on foreign social media. Extreme chilling effect Just under a third of the public opinion analysis systems reviewed by The Post were procured by Chinese police. In 14 instances, the analysis systems included a feature requested by the police that would automatically flag sensitive content related to Uyghurs and other Chinese ethnic minorities. An additional 12 analysis systems included the police-requested capability of monitoring individual content authors over time. It must support information monitoring of overseas social media . . . and provide for targeted collection of designated sites and authors, said one invitation to tender released by the Fuzhou city police in October that lists coverage of Facebook and Twitter as a requirement. The monitoring of social media abroad by local police throughout China could be used in investigating Chinese citizens locally and abroad, as well as in flagging trends that stir domestic dissent, experts say. The public security monitoring is very much about stability maintenance, tracking people down and finding peoples identity, and when they monitor overseas social media, its also often with an eye to monitoring what news could cause trouble at home in China, said the German Marshall Funds Ohlberg. Companies providing overseas public opinion monitoring to police include a mix of private and state-owned firms, including the Peoples Daily Online. Six police contracts awarded since 2020 stated that the Peoples Daily was chosen to conduct monitoring on the basis of its technical ability to gather data abroad. Its the only one in the industry that deploys overseas servers. It is a public opinion service organization that can monitor and collect more than 8,000 overseas media without overturning the wall, said the Guangdong Police Department in a $26,200 contract offer posted in July 2020, referring to the ability of the Peoples Daily unit to collect overseas data outside Chinas Great Firewall. Experts say the increasingly advanced social media surveillance technology available to Chinese police could worsen the targeted harassment of Beijings critics. The Chinese government is one of the worst offenders when it comes to targeting individuals outside of the country, said Adrian Shahbaz, the director for technology and democracy at the think tank Freedom House. It has an extreme chilling effect on how Chinese citizens outside of China are using social media tools, because they know that back home, their information is very easily monitored by Chinese authorities, he said. The China Public Security Bureau did not respond to a request for comment. A police bureau in southern Chinas Nanping city purchased a $42,000 system that supports collection, discovery, and warning functions for ... Twitter and Facebook social media data according to different classifications and keyword groups, as well as overseas information lists, according to bidding documents released in July 2020. Other procurements for public opinion services outline programs purchased by Chinese police and Xinjiang government bodies to track sensitive ethnic language content abroad. (Chinas mainly-Muslim Uyghurs are concentrated in Xinjiang.) A $43,000 system purchased by police in central Chinas Shangnan county included a foreign sensitive information collection system that requested Uyghur and Tibetan staff translators, according to the contracts. Military procurement documents - less detailed than other types - did not offer much detail on the purpose of the foreign data collection but alluded to vague categories of data including key personnel. One heavily redacted June 2020 contract issued by the Peoples Liberation Army described a system that would trawl foreign sites and categorize data on the basis of affiliation, geography and country. Source Data Technology, the Shanghai-based company that won the contract, says on its website that it uses advanced big data mining and artificial intelligence analysis technology to cover more than 90% of social media in the United States, Europe and Chinas neighboring countries. The rise in militant attacks in Pakistan reached the highest point in August 2021, according to a study which stated that this spike coincided with the Taliban's offensive that started in May last year. This research, conducted by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Study (PICSS), said that the highest number of attacks in a single month in 2021 was recorded in August when 45 attacks were carried out by militants. The institute said in its report said the overall number of militant attacks could not drop despite a one-month ceasefire from November 10 to December 10, Dawn newspaper reported. The Pakistan publication said that the average number of militant attacks per month in Pakistan rose from 16 in 2020 to 25 in 2021, which was the highest after 2017. The database highlighted that Balochistan is the most turbulent province where 170 deaths were recorded in 103 attacks. According to the report, the highest number of injured were also reported from Balochistan where more than 50 per cent of the total injured were recorded. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the second most affected region next to Balochistan, the report said. A total of 15 militant attacks were recorded in Sindh province in which 23 people were killed and 29 injured. Meanwhile, in Punjab province, militants carried out 10 attacks in which 10 people were killed and 87 injured. Experts are wary of Pakistan's role in Afghanistan, publicly supporting an end to the regional conflict but ultimately undermining any kind of peace that interferes with the self-interest of its leaders. They warn that such an act could backfire on Pakistan, especially on its military and intelligence establishment. (ANI) The rise in militant attacks in Pakistan reached the highest point in August 2021, according to a study which stated that this spike coincided with the Taliban's offensive that started in May last year. This research, conducted by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Study (PICSS), said that the highest number of attacks in a single month in 2021 was recorded in August when 45 attacks were carried out by militants. The institute said in its report said the overall number of militant attacks could not drop despite a one-month ceasefire from November 10 to December 10, Dawn newspaper reported. The Pakistan publication said that the average number of militant attacks per month in Pakistan rose from 16 in 2020 to 25 in 2021, which was the highest after 2017. The database highlighted that Balochistan is the most turbulent province where 170 deaths were recorded in 103 attacks. According to the report, the highest number of injured were also reported from Balochistan where more than 50 per cent of the total injured were recorded. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the second most affected region next to Balochistan, the report said. A total of 15 militant attacks were recorded in Sindh province in which 23 people were killed and 29 injured. Meanwhile, in Punjab province, militants carried out 10 attacks in which 10 people were killed and 87 injured. Experts are wary of Pakistan's role in Afghanistan, publicly supporting an end to the regional conflict but ultimately undermining any kind of peace that interferes with the self-interest of its leaders. They warn that such an act could backfire on Pakistan, especially on its military and intelligence establishment. (ANI) China is turning a major part of its internal Internet data surveillance network outward, mining Western social media, including Facebook and Twitter, to equip its government agencies, military and police with information on foreign targets, according to a Washington Post review of hundreds of Chinese bidding documents, contracts and company filings. China maintains a countrywide network of government data surveillance services - called public opinion analysis software - that were developed over the past decade and are used domestically to warn officials of politically sensitive information online. The software primarily targets Chinas domestic Internet users and media, but a Washington Post review of bidding documents and contracts for over 300 Chinese government projects since the beginning of 2020 include orders for software designed to collect data on foreign targets from sources such as Twitter, Facebook and other Western social media. The documents, publicly accessible through domestic government bidding platforms, also show that agencies including state media, propaganda departments, police, military and cyber regulators are purchasing new or more sophisticated systems to gather data. These include a $320,000 Chinese state media software program that mines Twitter and Facebook to create a database of foreign journalists and academics; a $216,000 Beijing police intelligence program that analyses Western chatter on Hong Kong and Taiwan; and a Xinjiang cybercenter cataloguing Uyghur language content abroad. Now we can better understand the underground network of anti-China personnel, said a Beijing-based analyst who works for a unit reporting to Chinas Central Propaganda Department. The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss their work, said they were once tasked with producing a data report on how negative content relating to Beijings senior leadership is spread on Twitter, including profiles of individual academics, politicians and journalists. These surveillance dragnets are part of a wider drive by Beijing to refine its foreign propaganda efforts through big data and artificial intelligence. They also form a network of warning systems designed to sound real-time alarms for trends that undermine Beijings interests. They are now reorienting part of that effort outward, and I think thats frankly terrifying, looking at the sheer numbers and sheer scale that this has taken inside China, said Mareike Ohlberg, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund who has conducted extensive research on Chinas domestic public opinion network. It really shows that they now feel its their responsibility to defend China overseas and fight the public opinion war overseas, she said. Some of the Chinese governments budgeting includes buying and maintaining foreign social media accounts on behalf of police and propaganda departments. Yet others describe using the targeted analysis to refine Beijings state media coverage abroad. The purchases range in size from small, automated programs to projects costing hundreds of thousands of dollars that are staffed 24 hours a day by teams including English speakers and foreign policy specialists. The documents describe highly customizable programs that can collect real-time social media data from individual social media users. Some describe tracking broad trends on issues including U.S. elections. The Post was not able to review data collected by the systems but spoke to four people based in Beijing who are directly involved in government public opinion analysis and described separate software systems that automatically collect and store Facebook and Twitter data in real time on domestic Chinese servers for analysis. Twitter and Facebook both ban automated collection of data on their services without prior authorization. Twitters policy also expressly bars developers from gathering data used to infer a users political affiliation or ethnic and racial origin. Our API provides real-time access to public data and tweets only, not private information. We prohibit use of our API for surveillance purposes, as per our developer policy and terms, said Katie Rosborough, a Twitter spokesperson, referring to the companys Application Programming Interface (API), which allows developers to retrieve public data from the platform among other functions. Facebook did not respond to requests for comment about whether it is aware of the monitoring or whether several companies, universities and state media firms listed as supplying the software were authorized to collect data on its platform. Chinas Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Public opinion guidance Chinas systems for analyzing domestic public opinion online are a powerful but largely unseen pillar of President Xi Jinpings program to modernize Chinas propaganda apparatus and maintain control over the Internet. The vast data collection and monitoring efforts give officials insight into public opinion, a challenge in a country that does not hold public elections or permit independent media. The services also provide increasingly technical surveillance for Chinas censorship apparatus. And most systems include alarm functions designed to alert officials and police to negative content in real time. These operations are an important function of what Beijing calls public opinion guidance work - a policy of molding public sentiment in favor of the government through targeted propaganda and censorship. The phrase first came to prominence in policymaking after the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy demonstrations, when officials began exploring new ways to preempt popular challenges to the Communist Partys power, and has since become integral to the underlying architecture of Chinas Internet, where users are linked by real name ID, and Internet services are required by law to maintain an internal censorship apparatus. The exact scope of Chinas government public opinion monitoring industry is unclear, but there have been some indications about its size in Chinese state media. In 2014, the state-backed newspaper China Daily said more than 2 million people were working as public opinion analysts. In 2018, the Peoples Daily, another official organ, said the governments online opinion analysis industry was worth tens of billions of yuan, equivalent to billions of dollars, and was growing at a rate of 50% a year. That surveillance network system is expanding to include foreign social media at a time when global perceptions of Beijing are at their lowest in recent history. A Pew Research survey released in June showed that perceptions of China among 17 advanced economies had dipped to near historic lows for a second year in a row in the aftermath of the U.S. trade war, the Xinjiang human rights crisis, Hong Kong and the coronavirus pandemic. In May this year, Xi called on senior officials to portray a more trustworthy, lovable and reliable image of China abroad, calling for the effective development of international public opinion guidance. His comments reflect Beijings growing anxieties over how to control Chinas image abroad. On the back of the Sino-US trade talks and the Hong Kong rioting incident, its becoming clearer day by day that the public opinion news war is arduous and necessary, China Daily said in a July 2020 bidding document for a $300,000 foreign personnel analysis platform. The invitation to tender lays out specifications for a program that mines Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for data on well known Western media journalists and other key personnel from political, business and media circles. We are competing with the US and Western media, the battle for the right to speak has begun, it said. The software should run 24 hours a day, according to the specifications, and map the relationships between target personnel and uncover factions between personnel, measuring their China tendencies and building an alarm system that automatically flags false statements and reports on China. Warning systems like the one outlined in the China Daily document are described in over 90% of tenders that list technical specifications, The Posts review of the documents show. Two people who work as analysts in public opinion analysis units contracted by government agencies in Beijing told The Post that they receive automated alarms via SMS, email and on dedicated computer monitors when sensitive content was detected. Both of the people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to foreign media. Having responsibility for [the monitoring] is a lot of pressure, said one of the people. If we do our work poorly, there are severe repercussions. Highly sensitive viral trends online are reported to a 24-hour hotline maintained by the Cybersecurity Administration of China (CAC), the body that oversees the countrys censorship apparatus, the person said of their unit. The person added that most of the alarms were related to domestic social media but that foreign social media had also been included in the units monitoring since the middle of 2019. The persons account is supported by four bidding documents for unrelated systems that mention direct hotlines to the CAC. In case of major public opinion, directly contact the staff on duty of the CAC by telephone to ensure that notifications are in place through various communication tools, said one December 2020 tender for a $236,000 system purchased by the municipal propaganda department in eastern Chinas Fuzhou city for monitoring Facebook and Twitter alongside domestic social media. It specifies that reports to the CAC should include the details of individual social media users. State media-led data mining Suppliers of the systems vary. The China Daily awarded its contract to Beijings Communications University, one of a half dozen Chinese universities that have launched specialized departments to develop public opinion analysis technology. However, some of the most prolific public opinion monitoring services are provided to police and government agencies by state media themselves. The documents provide insight into the scope of foreign social media data collection done by Chinas major state media outlets, which maintain offices and servers abroad, and their key role in providing Beijing with publicity guidance based on increasingly sophisticated data mining analysis. The growing clout of Beijings propaganda efforts abroad, spearheaded by state media, has triggered alarms in Washington. In 2020, the State Department reclassified the U.S.-based operations of Chinas top state media outlets as foreign missions, increasing reporting requirements and restricting their visa allocations, angering Beijing. The Peoples Daily Online, a unit of the state newspaper the Peoples Daily, which provides one of the countrys largest contract public opinion analysis services, won dozens of projects that include overseas social media data collection services for police, judicial authorities, Communist Party organizations and other clients. The unit, which recorded $330 million in operating income in 2020, up 50% from 2018, says it serves over 200 government agencies, although it is not clear how many request foreign social media data. In one tender won by the Peoples Daily Online, the Beijing Police Intelligence Command Unit purchased a $30,570 service to trawl foreign social media and produce reports on unspecified key personnel and organizations, gathering information on their basic circumstances, background and relationships. It also calls for weekly data reports on Hong Kong, Taiwan and U.S. relations. Issued shortly before the 2020 U.S. presidential election results were ratified on Jan. 6, it also called for special reports on netizens main views related to the election. The international balance of power has been profoundly adjusted, said the request for tenders. Through the collection of public Internet information we can keep a close eye on the international community, analyze sensitivities and hot spots, and maintain the stability of Chinese society. In an April 2020 article, the chief analyst at the Peoples Daily Online Public Opinion Data Center, Liao Canliang, laid out the ultimate goal of public opinion analysis. The ultimate purpose of analysis and prediction is to guide and intervene in public opinion, Canliang wrote. . . . Public data from social network users can be used to analyze the characteristics and preferences of users, and then guide them in a targeted manner. In the article, Liao points to Cambridge Analyticas impact on the 2016 U.S. election as evidence of social medias ability to mold public opinion. The West uses big data to analyze, research and judge public opinion to influence political activities. ... As long as there is a correct grasp on the situation, public opinion can also be guided and interfered with, he wrote. Peoples Daily subsidiary Global Times, a firebrand newspaper known for its biting coverage of Chinas critics, also has a unit gathering foreign social media data for Chinas Foreign Ministry, Beijings Foreign Affairs Office and other government agencies. In late 2019, the Global Times Online won a three-year contract worth $531,000 to provide a China-related foreign media and journalist opinion monitoring system that monitors overseas social media on behalf of Chinas Foreign Ministry and produces comprehensive regular reports, as well as special briefings in urgent circumstances. Documentation accompanying the project says that close to 40% of the Global Times monitoring units staffers are senior Global Times reporters and that the publication maintains large overseas social media monitoring platforms. A description on the website of the Global Timess public opinion research center says the group conducts overseas monitoring and overseas investigation services and provides comprehensive response plans to government and private clients. Both the Peoples Daily and the Global Times were among the outlets designated as foreign missions in the United States. The increase in Chinas monitoring of foreign public opinion on social media coincides with efforts by Beijing to boost its influence on Twitter and other U.S. social media platforms. In June 2020, Twitter suspended 23,000 accounts that it said were linked to the Chinese Communist Party and covertly spreading propaganda to undermine pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. This month, Twitter said it removed a further 2,048 accounts linked to Beijing and producing coordinated content undermining accusations of rights abuses in Xinjiang. Experts say those accounts represent a small fraction of Chinas efforts to boost pro-Beijing messaging on foreign social media. Extreme chilling effect Just under a third of the public opinion analysis systems reviewed by The Post were procured by Chinese police. In 14 instances, the analysis systems included a feature requested by the police that would automatically flag sensitive content related to Uyghurs and other Chinese ethnic minorities. An additional 12 analysis systems included the police-requested capability of monitoring individual content authors over time. It must support information monitoring of overseas social media . . . and provide for targeted collection of designated sites and authors, said one invitation to tender released by the Fuzhou city police in October that lists coverage of Facebook and Twitter as a requirement. The monitoring of social media abroad by local police throughout China could be used in investigating Chinese citizens locally and abroad, as well as in flagging trends that stir domestic dissent, experts say. The public security monitoring is very much about stability maintenance, tracking people down and finding peoples identity, and when they monitor overseas social media, its also often with an eye to monitoring what news could cause trouble at home in China, said the German Marshall Funds Ohlberg. Companies providing overseas public opinion monitoring to police include a mix of private and state-owned firms, including the Peoples Daily Online. Six police contracts awarded since 2020 stated that the Peoples Daily was chosen to conduct monitoring on the basis of its technical ability to gather data abroad. Its the only one in the industry that deploys overseas servers. It is a public opinion service organization that can monitor and collect more than 8,000 overseas media without overturning the wall, said the Guangdong Police Department in a $26,200 contract offer posted in July 2020, referring to the ability of the Peoples Daily unit to collect overseas data outside Chinas Great Firewall. Experts say the increasingly advanced social media surveillance technology available to Chinese police could worsen the targeted harassment of Beijings critics. The Chinese government is one of the worst offenders when it comes to targeting individuals outside of the country, said Adrian Shahbaz, the director for technology and democracy at the think tank Freedom House. It has an extreme chilling effect on how Chinese citizens outside of China are using social media tools, because they know that back home, their information is very easily monitored by Chinese authorities, he said. The China Public Security Bureau did not respond to a request for comment. A police bureau in southern Chinas Nanping city purchased a $42,000 system that supports collection, discovery, and warning functions for ... Twitter and Facebook social media data according to different classifications and keyword groups, as well as overseas information lists, according to bidding documents released in July 2020. Other procurements for public opinion services outline programs purchased by Chinese police and Xinjiang government bodies to track sensitive ethnic language content abroad. (Chinas mainly-Muslim Uyghurs are concentrated in Xinjiang.) A $43,000 system purchased by police in central Chinas Shangnan county included a foreign sensitive information collection system that requested Uyghur and Tibetan staff translators, according to the contracts. Military procurement documents - less detailed than other types - did not offer much detail on the purpose of the foreign data collection but alluded to vague categories of data including key personnel. One heavily redacted June 2020 contract issued by the Peoples Liberation Army described a system that would trawl foreign sites and categorize data on the basis of affiliation, geography and country. Source Data Technology, the Shanghai-based company that won the contract, says on its website that it uses advanced big data mining and artificial intelligence analysis technology to cover more than 90% of social media in the United States, Europe and Chinas neighboring countries. China is turning a major part of its internal Internet data surveillance network outward, mining Western social media, including Facebook and Twitter, to equip its government agencies, military and police with information on foreign targets, according to a Washington Post review of hundreds of Chinese bidding documents, contracts and company filings. China maintains a countrywide network of government data surveillance services - called public opinion analysis software - that were developed over the past decade and are used domestically to warn officials of politically sensitive information online. The software primarily targets Chinas domestic Internet users and media, but a Washington Post review of bidding documents and contracts for over 300 Chinese government projects since the beginning of 2020 include orders for software designed to collect data on foreign targets from sources such as Twitter, Facebook and other Western social media. The documents, publicly accessible through domestic government bidding platforms, also show that agencies including state media, propaganda departments, police, military and cyber regulators are purchasing new or more sophisticated systems to gather data. These include a $320,000 Chinese state media software program that mines Twitter and Facebook to create a database of foreign journalists and academics; a $216,000 Beijing police intelligence program that analyses Western chatter on Hong Kong and Taiwan; and a Xinjiang cybercenter cataloguing Uyghur language content abroad. Now we can better understand the underground network of anti-China personnel, said a Beijing-based analyst who works for a unit reporting to Chinas Central Propaganda Department. The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss their work, said they were once tasked with producing a data report on how negative content relating to Beijings senior leadership is spread on Twitter, including profiles of individual academics, politicians and journalists. These surveillance dragnets are part of a wider drive by Beijing to refine its foreign propaganda efforts through big data and artificial intelligence. They also form a network of warning systems designed to sound real-time alarms for trends that undermine Beijings interests. They are now reorienting part of that effort outward, and I think thats frankly terrifying, looking at the sheer numbers and sheer scale that this has taken inside China, said Mareike Ohlberg, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund who has conducted extensive research on Chinas domestic public opinion network. It really shows that they now feel its their responsibility to defend China overseas and fight the public opinion war overseas, she said. Some of the Chinese governments budgeting includes buying and maintaining foreign social media accounts on behalf of police and propaganda departments. Yet others describe using the targeted analysis to refine Beijings state media coverage abroad. The purchases range in size from small, automated programs to projects costing hundreds of thousands of dollars that are staffed 24 hours a day by teams including English speakers and foreign policy specialists. The documents describe highly customizable programs that can collect real-time social media data from individual social media users. Some describe tracking broad trends on issues including U.S. elections. The Post was not able to review data collected by the systems but spoke to four people based in Beijing who are directly involved in government public opinion analysis and described separate software systems that automatically collect and store Facebook and Twitter data in real time on domestic Chinese servers for analysis. Twitter and Facebook both ban automated collection of data on their services without prior authorization. Twitters policy also expressly bars developers from gathering data used to infer a users political affiliation or ethnic and racial origin. Our API provides real-time access to public data and tweets only, not private information. We prohibit use of our API for surveillance purposes, as per our developer policy and terms, said Katie Rosborough, a Twitter spokesperson, referring to the companys Application Programming Interface (API), which allows developers to retrieve public data from the platform among other functions. Facebook did not respond to requests for comment about whether it is aware of the monitoring or whether several companies, universities and state media firms listed as supplying the software were authorized to collect data on its platform. Chinas Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Public opinion guidance Chinas systems for analyzing domestic public opinion online are a powerful but largely unseen pillar of President Xi Jinpings program to modernize Chinas propaganda apparatus and maintain control over the Internet. The vast data collection and monitoring efforts give officials insight into public opinion, a challenge in a country that does not hold public elections or permit independent media. The services also provide increasingly technical surveillance for Chinas censorship apparatus. And most systems include alarm functions designed to alert officials and police to negative content in real time. These operations are an important function of what Beijing calls public opinion guidance work - a policy of molding public sentiment in favor of the government through targeted propaganda and censorship. The phrase first came to prominence in policymaking after the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy demonstrations, when officials began exploring new ways to preempt popular challenges to the Communist Partys power, and has since become integral to the underlying architecture of Chinas Internet, where users are linked by real name ID, and Internet services are required by law to maintain an internal censorship apparatus. The exact scope of Chinas government public opinion monitoring industry is unclear, but there have been some indications about its size in Chinese state media. In 2014, the state-backed newspaper China Daily said more than 2 million people were working as public opinion analysts. In 2018, the Peoples Daily, another official organ, said the governments online opinion analysis industry was worth tens of billions of yuan, equivalent to billions of dollars, and was growing at a rate of 50% a year. That surveillance network system is expanding to include foreign social media at a time when global perceptions of Beijing are at their lowest in recent history. A Pew Research survey released in June showed that perceptions of China among 17 advanced economies had dipped to near historic lows for a second year in a row in the aftermath of the U.S. trade war, the Xinjiang human rights crisis, Hong Kong and the coronavirus pandemic. In May this year, Xi called on senior officials to portray a more trustworthy, lovable and reliable image of China abroad, calling for the effective development of international public opinion guidance. His comments reflect Beijings growing anxieties over how to control Chinas image abroad. On the back of the Sino-US trade talks and the Hong Kong rioting incident, its becoming clearer day by day that the public opinion news war is arduous and necessary, China Daily said in a July 2020 bidding document for a $300,000 foreign personnel analysis platform. The invitation to tender lays out specifications for a program that mines Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for data on well known Western media journalists and other key personnel from political, business and media circles. We are competing with the US and Western media, the battle for the right to speak has begun, it said. The software should run 24 hours a day, according to the specifications, and map the relationships between target personnel and uncover factions between personnel, measuring their China tendencies and building an alarm system that automatically flags false statements and reports on China. Warning systems like the one outlined in the China Daily document are described in over 90% of tenders that list technical specifications, The Posts review of the documents show. Two people who work as analysts in public opinion analysis units contracted by government agencies in Beijing told The Post that they receive automated alarms via SMS, email and on dedicated computer monitors when sensitive content was detected. Both of the people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to foreign media. Having responsibility for [the monitoring] is a lot of pressure, said one of the people. If we do our work poorly, there are severe repercussions. Highly sensitive viral trends online are reported to a 24-hour hotline maintained by the Cybersecurity Administration of China (CAC), the body that oversees the countrys censorship apparatus, the person said of their unit. The person added that most of the alarms were related to domestic social media but that foreign social media had also been included in the units monitoring since the middle of 2019. The persons account is supported by four bidding documents for unrelated systems that mention direct hotlines to the CAC. In case of major public opinion, directly contact the staff on duty of the CAC by telephone to ensure that notifications are in place through various communication tools, said one December 2020 tender for a $236,000 system purchased by the municipal propaganda department in eastern Chinas Fuzhou city for monitoring Facebook and Twitter alongside domestic social media. It specifies that reports to the CAC should include the details of individual social media users. State media-led data mining Suppliers of the systems vary. The China Daily awarded its contract to Beijings Communications University, one of a half dozen Chinese universities that have launched specialized departments to develop public opinion analysis technology. However, some of the most prolific public opinion monitoring services are provided to police and government agencies by state media themselves. The documents provide insight into the scope of foreign social media data collection done by Chinas major state media outlets, which maintain offices and servers abroad, and their key role in providing Beijing with publicity guidance based on increasingly sophisticated data mining analysis. The growing clout of Beijings propaganda efforts abroad, spearheaded by state media, has triggered alarms in Washington. In 2020, the State Department reclassified the U.S.-based operations of Chinas top state media outlets as foreign missions, increasing reporting requirements and restricting their visa allocations, angering Beijing. The Peoples Daily Online, a unit of the state newspaper the Peoples Daily, which provides one of the countrys largest contract public opinion analysis services, won dozens of projects that include overseas social media data collection services for police, judicial authorities, Communist Party organizations and other clients. The unit, which recorded $330 million in operating income in 2020, up 50% from 2018, says it serves over 200 government agencies, although it is not clear how many request foreign social media data. In one tender won by the Peoples Daily Online, the Beijing Police Intelligence Command Unit purchased a $30,570 service to trawl foreign social media and produce reports on unspecified key personnel and organizations, gathering information on their basic circumstances, background and relationships. It also calls for weekly data reports on Hong Kong, Taiwan and U.S. relations. Issued shortly before the 2020 U.S. presidential election results were ratified on Jan. 6, it also called for special reports on netizens main views related to the election. The international balance of power has been profoundly adjusted, said the request for tenders. Through the collection of public Internet information we can keep a close eye on the international community, analyze sensitivities and hot spots, and maintain the stability of Chinese society. In an April 2020 article, the chief analyst at the Peoples Daily Online Public Opinion Data Center, Liao Canliang, laid out the ultimate goal of public opinion analysis. The ultimate purpose of analysis and prediction is to guide and intervene in public opinion, Canliang wrote. . . . Public data from social network users can be used to analyze the characteristics and preferences of users, and then guide them in a targeted manner. In the article, Liao points to Cambridge Analyticas impact on the 2016 U.S. election as evidence of social medias ability to mold public opinion. The West uses big data to analyze, research and judge public opinion to influence political activities. ... As long as there is a correct grasp on the situation, public opinion can also be guided and interfered with, he wrote. Peoples Daily subsidiary Global Times, a firebrand newspaper known for its biting coverage of Chinas critics, also has a unit gathering foreign social media data for Chinas Foreign Ministry, Beijings Foreign Affairs Office and other government agencies. In late 2019, the Global Times Online won a three-year contract worth $531,000 to provide a China-related foreign media and journalist opinion monitoring system that monitors overseas social media on behalf of Chinas Foreign Ministry and produces comprehensive regular reports, as well as special briefings in urgent circumstances. Documentation accompanying the project says that close to 40% of the Global Times monitoring units staffers are senior Global Times reporters and that the publication maintains large overseas social media monitoring platforms. A description on the website of the Global Timess public opinion research center says the group conducts overseas monitoring and overseas investigation services and provides comprehensive response plans to government and private clients. Both the Peoples Daily and the Global Times were among the outlets designated as foreign missions in the United States. The increase in Chinas monitoring of foreign public opinion on social media coincides with efforts by Beijing to boost its influence on Twitter and other U.S. social media platforms. In June 2020, Twitter suspended 23,000 accounts that it said were linked to the Chinese Communist Party and covertly spreading propaganda to undermine pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. This month, Twitter said it removed a further 2,048 accounts linked to Beijing and producing coordinated content undermining accusations of rights abuses in Xinjiang. Experts say those accounts represent a small fraction of Chinas efforts to boost pro-Beijing messaging on foreign social media. Extreme chilling effect Just under a third of the public opinion analysis systems reviewed by The Post were procured by Chinese police. In 14 instances, the analysis systems included a feature requested by the police that would automatically flag sensitive content related to Uyghurs and other Chinese ethnic minorities. An additional 12 analysis systems included the police-requested capability of monitoring individual content authors over time. It must support information monitoring of overseas social media . . . and provide for targeted collection of designated sites and authors, said one invitation to tender released by the Fuzhou city police in October that lists coverage of Facebook and Twitter as a requirement. The monitoring of social media abroad by local police throughout China could be used in investigating Chinese citizens locally and abroad, as well as in flagging trends that stir domestic dissent, experts say. The public security monitoring is very much about stability maintenance, tracking people down and finding peoples identity, and when they monitor overseas social media, its also often with an eye to monitoring what news could cause trouble at home in China, said the German Marshall Funds Ohlberg. Companies providing overseas public opinion monitoring to police include a mix of private and state-owned firms, including the Peoples Daily Online. Six police contracts awarded since 2020 stated that the Peoples Daily was chosen to conduct monitoring on the basis of its technical ability to gather data abroad. Its the only one in the industry that deploys overseas servers. It is a public opinion service organization that can monitor and collect more than 8,000 overseas media without overturning the wall, said the Guangdong Police Department in a $26,200 contract offer posted in July 2020, referring to the ability of the Peoples Daily unit to collect overseas data outside Chinas Great Firewall. Experts say the increasingly advanced social media surveillance technology available to Chinese police could worsen the targeted harassment of Beijings critics. The Chinese government is one of the worst offenders when it comes to targeting individuals outside of the country, said Adrian Shahbaz, the director for technology and democracy at the think tank Freedom House. It has an extreme chilling effect on how Chinese citizens outside of China are using social media tools, because they know that back home, their information is very easily monitored by Chinese authorities, he said. The China Public Security Bureau did not respond to a request for comment. A police bureau in southern Chinas Nanping city purchased a $42,000 system that supports collection, discovery, and warning functions for ... Twitter and Facebook social media data according to different classifications and keyword groups, as well as overseas information lists, according to bidding documents released in July 2020. Other procurements for public opinion services outline programs purchased by Chinese police and Xinjiang government bodies to track sensitive ethnic language content abroad. (Chinas mainly-Muslim Uyghurs are concentrated in Xinjiang.) A $43,000 system purchased by police in central Chinas Shangnan county included a foreign sensitive information collection system that requested Uyghur and Tibetan staff translators, according to the contracts. Military procurement documents - less detailed than other types - did not offer much detail on the purpose of the foreign data collection but alluded to vague categories of data including key personnel. One heavily redacted June 2020 contract issued by the Peoples Liberation Army described a system that would trawl foreign sites and categorize data on the basis of affiliation, geography and country. Source Data Technology, the Shanghai-based company that won the contract, says on its website that it uses advanced big data mining and artificial intelligence analysis technology to cover more than 90% of social media in the United States, Europe and Chinas neighboring countries. Ive actually seen one Yes, but never seen one Its possible Absolutely not Other Vote View Results Ive actually seen one Yes, but never seen one Its possible Absolutely not Other Vote View Results The report that came to the attention of the United States military in April 2017 relayed devastating news from Iraq: More than 30 people, among them women and children, had been killed when aircraft from the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Mosul struck a neighborhood known as Siha. A civilian casualty cell of the U.S. military, which was charged with assessing reports of civilians killed or wounded in coalition operations, learned of the claim in a Facebook post published on April 11 by the news outlet, the Iraqi Spring Media Center. The Pentagon began an inquiry, but only a week later its assessment officers couldnt confirm whether coalition aircraft had targeted that location, and they dismissed the claim, saying Siha was not among known districts of West Mosul. There would be no further review. Ive actually seen one Yes, but never seen one Its possible Absolutely not Other Vote View Results Ive actually seen one Yes, but never seen one Its possible Absolutely not Other Vote View Results Ive actually seen one Yes, but never seen one Its possible Absolutely not Other Vote View Results Ive actually seen one Yes, but never seen one Its possible Absolutely not Other Vote View Results Ive actually seen one Yes, but never seen one Its possible Absolutely not Other Vote View Results Ive actually seen one Yes, but never seen one Its possible Absolutely not Other Vote View Results Ive actually seen one Yes, but never seen one Its possible Absolutely not Other Vote View Results Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for the complete reunification of their motherland that is an aspiration shared by people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, a media report said. "The complete reunification of our motherland is an aspiration shared by people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait," Global Times quoted Xi as saying on Friday night when he delivered his 2022 New Year Address. Emphasising that the "prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao" are always "close to the heart" of the motherland, XI underlined the importance of the sound implementation of the "one country, two systems" model. His remarks on Hong Kong's stability came two days after the city's police raided Stand News outlet and arrested six members of the group. Two of them are in custody as police charged them under sedition and they were denied bail by the court. Notably, the outlet Stand News has suspended operations and its contents were erased as Chinese officials termed them objectionable. Referring to the country's poverty elimination programme, Xi said that he cares for the concerns of the people and their aspirations. "The concerns of the people are what I always care about, and the aspirations of the people are what I always strive for," Global Times quoted Xi as saying, "Having worked in the countryside myself, I know precisely what poverty feels like." Xi also called 2021 a year of exceptional significance. But, during the whole year, the West continuously accused the Chinese Communist Party of extreme human rights abuses in the Xinjiang provinces. (ANI) Asian-American groups call for end of controversial "China Initiative": CNBC Xinhua) 13:58, January 01, 2022 NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Asian-American advocacy groups have increased pressure over the past year on the Biden administration to end the controversial "China Initiative" that unfairly targets scientists of Chinese descent and others, CNBC has reported. Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. However, it has brought "emotional and financial harm" to the families of ethnic Chinese scientists, it said. "The China Initiative impacts Americans, permanent residents, immigrants, international students and visiting scholars," Gisela Kusakawa, an attorney for the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice, was quoted as saying. Thu Nguyen, the executive director of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, said the initiative has created fear that could trigger a brain drain in academia. The growing threat of racial profiling in the United States has already pushed some talented scientists to look for jobs back in China, she said. In August 2021, more than 20 Asian-American advocacy groups jointly sent an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to pause the initiative targeting China. The letter also called for an independent review on whether the program unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ethnicity, urging Biden to "redouble" efforts to combat hate and violence against Asian Americans. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Asian-American groups call for end of controversial "China Initiative": CNBC Xinhua) 13:58, January 01, 2022 NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Asian-American advocacy groups have increased pressure over the past year on the Biden administration to end the controversial "China Initiative" that unfairly targets scientists of Chinese descent and others, CNBC has reported. Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. However, it has brought "emotional and financial harm" to the families of ethnic Chinese scientists, it said. "The China Initiative impacts Americans, permanent residents, immigrants, international students and visiting scholars," Gisela Kusakawa, an attorney for the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice, was quoted as saying. Thu Nguyen, the executive director of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, said the initiative has created fear that could trigger a brain drain in academia. The growing threat of racial profiling in the United States has already pushed some talented scientists to look for jobs back in China, she said. In August 2021, more than 20 Asian-American advocacy groups jointly sent an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to pause the initiative targeting China. The letter also called for an independent review on whether the program unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ethnicity, urging Biden to "redouble" efforts to combat hate and violence against Asian Americans. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Asian-American groups call for end of controversial "China Initiative": CNBC Xinhua) 13:58, January 01, 2022 NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Asian-American advocacy groups have increased pressure over the past year on the Biden administration to end the controversial "China Initiative" that unfairly targets scientists of Chinese descent and others, CNBC has reported. Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. However, it has brought "emotional and financial harm" to the families of ethnic Chinese scientists, it said. "The China Initiative impacts Americans, permanent residents, immigrants, international students and visiting scholars," Gisela Kusakawa, an attorney for the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice, was quoted as saying. Thu Nguyen, the executive director of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, said the initiative has created fear that could trigger a brain drain in academia. The growing threat of racial profiling in the United States has already pushed some talented scientists to look for jobs back in China, she said. In August 2021, more than 20 Asian-American advocacy groups jointly sent an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to pause the initiative targeting China. The letter also called for an independent review on whether the program unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ethnicity, urging Biden to "redouble" efforts to combat hate and violence against Asian Americans. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Asian-American groups call for end of controversial "China Initiative": CNBC Xinhua) 13:58, January 01, 2022 NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Asian-American advocacy groups have increased pressure over the past year on the Biden administration to end the controversial "China Initiative" that unfairly targets scientists of Chinese descent and others, CNBC has reported. Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. However, it has brought "emotional and financial harm" to the families of ethnic Chinese scientists, it said. "The China Initiative impacts Americans, permanent residents, immigrants, international students and visiting scholars," Gisela Kusakawa, an attorney for the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice, was quoted as saying. Thu Nguyen, the executive director of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, said the initiative has created fear that could trigger a brain drain in academia. The growing threat of racial profiling in the United States has already pushed some talented scientists to look for jobs back in China, she said. In August 2021, more than 20 Asian-American advocacy groups jointly sent an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to pause the initiative targeting China. The letter also called for an independent review on whether the program unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ethnicity, urging Biden to "redouble" efforts to combat hate and violence against Asian Americans. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) The report that came to the attention of the United States military in April 2017 relayed devastating news from Iraq: More than 30 people, among them women and children, had been killed when aircraft from the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Mosul struck a neighborhood known as Siha. A civilian casualty cell of the U.S. military, which was charged with assessing reports of civilians killed or wounded in coalition operations, learned of the claim in a Facebook post published on April 11 by the news outlet, the Iraqi Spring Media Center. The Pentagon began an inquiry, but only a week later its assessment officers couldnt confirm whether coalition aircraft had targeted that location, and they dismissed the claim, saying Siha was not among known districts of West Mosul. There would be no further review. Asian-American groups call for end of controversial "China Initiative": CNBC Xinhua) 13:58, January 01, 2022 NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Asian-American advocacy groups have increased pressure over the past year on the Biden administration to end the controversial "China Initiative" that unfairly targets scientists of Chinese descent and others, CNBC has reported. Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. However, it has brought "emotional and financial harm" to the families of ethnic Chinese scientists, it said. "The China Initiative impacts Americans, permanent residents, immigrants, international students and visiting scholars," Gisela Kusakawa, an attorney for the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice, was quoted as saying. Thu Nguyen, the executive director of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, said the initiative has created fear that could trigger a brain drain in academia. The growing threat of racial profiling in the United States has already pushed some talented scientists to look for jobs back in China, she said. In August 2021, more than 20 Asian-American advocacy groups jointly sent an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to pause the initiative targeting China. The letter also called for an independent review on whether the program unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ethnicity, urging Biden to "redouble" efforts to combat hate and violence against Asian Americans. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Asian-American groups call for end of controversial "China Initiative": CNBC Xinhua) 13:58, January 01, 2022 NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Asian-American advocacy groups have increased pressure over the past year on the Biden administration to end the controversial "China Initiative" that unfairly targets scientists of Chinese descent and others, CNBC has reported. Since it was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2018, the initiative "hasn't found much success catching spies or countering technology theft," said the report. However, it has brought "emotional and financial harm" to the families of ethnic Chinese scientists, it said. "The China Initiative impacts Americans, permanent residents, immigrants, international students and visiting scholars," Gisela Kusakawa, an attorney for the civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice, was quoted as saying. Thu Nguyen, the executive director of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, said the initiative has created fear that could trigger a brain drain in academia. The growing threat of racial profiling in the United States has already pushed some talented scientists to look for jobs back in China, she said. In August 2021, more than 20 Asian-American advocacy groups jointly sent an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to pause the initiative targeting China. The letter also called for an independent review on whether the program unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ethnicity, urging Biden to "redouble" efforts to combat hate and violence against Asian Americans. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) India on Saturday sent 5 lakh doses of the Covaxin doses to Afghanistan as the second consignment of humanitarian aid to the war-torn country, where the Taliban returned to power on August 15 last year. The vaccine doses were handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul. India will also send another consignment of 5,00,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccines to Afghanistan in the coming weeks. The Government of India has committed to providing humanitarian assistance to Afghan people consisting of food grains, one million doses of Covid-19 vaccine and essential life-saving drugs, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, said. India last month delivered 1.6 tons of medical assistance to Afghanistan through the World Health Organization (WHO). In coming weeks, we would be undertaking the supply of wheat and the remaining medical assistance. In this regard, we are in touch with UN agencies and others for finalizing the modalities for transportation, said the MEA spokesperson. Check out latest videos from DH: Even as farmers celebrated their victory by getting the government to repeal its three agriculture laws, parallels with an earlier public protest may point to the future of farmers' demands for minimum support price (MSP) for crops, compensation, etc. In 2011, it was 'Anna Andolan' that had captured the imagination of the whole nation. In 2021, it was the farmers' protest that had dominated the discourse even in a pandemic-induced lockdown year. In April 2011, social activist Anna Hazare had embarked on a fast unto death demanding passage of the Jan Lokpal Bill. Taking into account the popularity of Team Anna, the government agreed to a joint drafting committee, which was formed in April 2011. However, a Few meetings later, when the Ramdev Baba episode at the Ramlila Maidan took place in June, Team Anna members stopped going to the meetings. The bill was passed in Parliament in December 2013, the same month when Arvind Kejriwal, having parted ways with Hazare, had formed a party, contested, and won the Delhi Assembly elections. Also Read UP: BJP struggling to win over farmers despite farm laws repeal Much water had flown below the bridge, the government at the Centre had changed when Hazare in March 2018 declared to resume his battle for Jan Lokpal Bill. The NDA government brought in an amendment and passed the bill in both the Houses soon. Since then, nobody has even heard of the Lokpal, in whichever avatar the bill was passed. Even when the farmers' agitation started in 2020, it was 2021 that saw the fruition of their agitation in all respects. The Modi government relented to their demands and in December first week, the three contentious farm Bills were repealed. The farmers were promised that a committee would be formed to discuss MSP, but more than a month after the Prime Minister's announcement, there is no word about it. And that is where the similarities between the Lokpal and three laws begin. So what happens to the MSP committee? The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella body of protesting farmers, on December 9 decided to suspend its 15-month agitation against the three contentious farm laws passed in 2020. The agitation continued even after the three laws the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020 were repealed by Parliament as the farmers stuck to their demands seeking legal support for MSP. Manisha Priyam, a political analyst based in Delhi, said, "When the protest is at its peak, the government is bound to listen to the people, albeit unwillingly. But after some time, once things go away from the public eye or glare, things change." In a 2011 special session called by Pranab Mukherjee, a 'Sense of the House' resolution was passed and it was given much importance. Currently, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is in power itself, but Lokpal has disappeared from the public eye. Also Read Punjab farmers think new political front could impact fight for MSP: Report It remains to be seen what this government does with the MSP committee. "But what I believe is that the agrarian distrust issue is very important and significant. If the government does not take it up seriously, then, the future will not be easy on this matter. Because it is now a matter of livelihood. The government will have to respond on this matter," Priyam said. Nagender Sharma, a former journalist and legal affairs analyst, who was also the Delhi Chief Minister's advisor said that observing that the government now is a different one and the farmers have already won a critical battle "chances of outcome of this committee are very high because farmers are coming on the back of a victory." Priyam said, "Anna Andolan was about political accountability, which is still vague. Here concrete issues of the lives of people are involved. I think there will be some kind of binding on the government." But then, what will stop the government from going back? "What stops the people from coming back on the streets?," Priyam shot back. Farmers' next step It is a point of debate as to whether it will abide by its promises. Earlier in December last week, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Narendra Tomar had said at Nagpur, "We had moved a step back and then moved forward (on farm laws). Farmers are the backbone of India." When it was perceived that the government wants to bring back the three laws, Tomar clarified that there is no proposal or plan yet. That would be discussed when the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) will be meeting again to check what the government has done since the farmers wrapped up their tents from around Delhi's borders. Also Read Didn't say farm laws will be brought back, Narendra Singh Tomar clarifies When asked about the government bringing back the bills again, Rakesh Tikait, a prominent farm leader, told IANS on phone, "We will see as and when it happens. Why ask about it now?" He, however, sounded a lot more cautious about the committee on MSP. "No names have been sought yet. Nothing has been heard from the government. Nothing heard from the government about (withdrawing) cases in Delhi too." "On January 15, we have the SKM meeting. We will see then," Tikait said. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Competition is expected to soar in India's aviation sector during 2022, as new players enter the industry along with deeper penetration of air transport in the hinterland. Accordingly, a new airline as well as more privately operated airports are expected to increase competition in the sector that has faced the brunt of the ongoing pandemic. Besides, expanding regional and intra-regional presence will continue to widen the scope of the industry. Moreover, passengers will gain from increased competition, Centre from divesting airport assets and the workforce from more professional opportunities in the aviation sector. In terms of airlines, in 2021, Jet Airways and Air India found new owners. "The cherry on the cake was the launch of Akasa Air underpinning the future prospects of this sector in India," said Jagannarayan Padmanabhan, Director and Practice Leader, Transport & Logistics, CRISIL Infrastructure Advisory. Also Read IndiGo signs codeshare pact with Air France-KLM "Competition will continue to be strong across the airlines, it's important that the sector learns from the previous misadventures of undercutting prices to gain or maintain volumes." In the medium term, the sector's growth is expected to come from the tier 2 and tier 3 cities, for which it is necessary to augment capacity as well as open up new regional airports. "While Covid-19 has led to uncertainties in the airport sector, the established regulatory framework, as well as the growth potential in the Indian market over a long term, would continue to attract private developers," said Vishal Kotecha, Director, India Ratings and Research. Notably, there have not been any bids in the airport space over the past two years. However, 2019 saw a significant number of bids in the airport sector with the Adani Group winning six airports, GMR and Zurich airports being awarded one airport each. "There was a significant interest seen from both domestic as well as international players in these bids," said Kotecha. Under the National Monetisation Pipeline, the Centre plans to divest brownfield assets such as airports, thereby increasing competition in this sector. At least 25 additional airports have been identified for monetisation in the next three years. Also Read AirAsia India expects full-traffic recovery in 2022 sans third Covid wave Furthermore, there has been an increased focus on increasing regional connectivity. In terms of the RCS-UDAN scheme, 948 valid routes have been awarded. Of these, 395 routes connecting 63 unserved and underserved airports, including six heliports and two water aerodromes, have been operationalised. As per data, under UDAN 4.1, 168 routes were awarded during the year. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has set a target of operationalising as many as 100 unserved and underserved airports and starting at least 1,000 RCS routes by 2024. "Expect the target of operationalising 100 airports under UDAN by 2026, with a delay of two years from revised schedule (of 2024 from earlier 2019)," said Rajeshwar Burla, Vice President and Group Head, Corporate Ratings, ICRA. "The weak credit profile of some of the domestic airlines is expected to have an impact on the existing routes under UDAN scheme, particularly for smaller airlines given the stretched liquidity position, low utilisation in some of the routes and this will also impact future bidding of routes under the scheme," Burla said. Also Read Aviation and devotion Burla attributed the slow progress of UDAN implementation to delayed upgrade of infrastructure and readiness of airports, lack of adequate right of way, including insufficient runway lengths at some of the RCS airports and delays in securing necessary regulatory approvals. Suman Chowdhury, Chief Analytical Officer, Acuite Ratings & Research, said, "As of 2020, there were 153 operational airports in India which are poised to grow to by another 20-30 by 2030. AAI has a capital expenditure programme of Rs 25,000 crore over the next 4-5 years for the development of new domestic airports as well as the expansion and upgrade the existing ones." In addition, Chowdhury said the private sector is increasingly participating in the development and expansion of international airports in the country to cater to the potential incoming business and leisure traffic. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Scores of activists of the Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took out separate protest marches here on Saturday after authorities allegedly detained top leaders of the parties ahead of a proposed sit-in against the draft proposals of the Delimitation Commission. The protest call was given by the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) an amalgam of various mainstream political parties in including the NC, the PDP, CPI(M), Peoples Movement and Awami Conference. NC activists, including party spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar and youth wing president Salman Sagar, took out a protest march from NC headquarters Nawa-i-Subah here. The party activists tried to move towards Gupkar Road but were stopped by the police outside the party office. We wanted to take out a peaceful protest march against the Delimitation Commission's draft proposals, but were stopped by the police. They did not even allow us to hold a sit-in, Dar said. The NC Spokesperson alleged the police dragged the party activists back to Nawa-i-Subah. activists also took out a protest march demanding restoration of Articles 370 and 35-A which were revoked by the Centre on August 5, 2019. The activists were stopped by the police near GPO and later dispersed peacefully. Meanwhile, NC vice president Omar Abdullah and president Mehbooba Mufti praised their party colleagues for the protests. Well done to my @JKNC_ & @YNCJK colleagues for managing to come out & register our protest about all that is being done to disempower the people, Omar wrote on Twitter. Despite the despotic administration's attempts to foil our protests, PDP & NC workers managed to hit the streets in Srinagar today to raise their voice against the illegal revocation of Article 370. I salute their courage & resolve, Mehbooba said in a tweet. Earlier, authorities foiled the proposed protest march of the PAGD here against the draft proposals of the Delimitation Commission by allegedly detaining prominent leaders of the alliance. Alliance president Farooq Abdullah, who is also the NC chief, PAGD vice president Mehbooba Mufti and spokesperson M Y Tarigami, a senior leader of the CPI(M), were among the leaders who were allegedly prevented from moving out of their residences. Omar Abdullah alleged that police had locked the internal gates of their residence and trucks had been parked outside. He posted pictures of a police vehicle parked on the gates of their residence as well as that of a locked internal gate. Tarigami said he was also put under house arrest and his residence locked. On December 21, the PAGD termed the proposal by the Delimitation Commission of adding six seats to Jammu region against only one to Kashmir valley as "divisive" and said the alliance would stage a protest here on New Year day. Peoples Conference chief Sajad Lone said the right to protest is intrinsic to the concept of a vibrant democracy. Despite the despotic administrations attempts to foil our protests, PDP & NC workers managed to hit the streets in Srinagar today to raise their voice against the illegal revocation of Article 370. I salute their courage & resolve. pic.twitter.com/yfRa5nSdmg Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) January 1, 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.) India on Saturday sent 5 lakh doses of the Covaxin doses to Afghanistan as the second consignment of humanitarian aid to the war-torn country, where the Taliban returned to power on August 15 last year. The vaccine doses were handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul. India will also send another consignment of 5,00,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccines to Afghanistan in the coming weeks. The Government of India has committed to providing humanitarian assistance to Afghan people consisting of food grains, one million doses of Covid-19 vaccine and essential life-saving drugs, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, said. India last month delivered 1.6 tons of medical assistance to Afghanistan through the World Health Organization (WHO). In coming weeks, we would be undertaking the supply of wheat and the remaining medical assistance. In this regard, we are in touch with UN agencies and others for finalizing the modalities for transportation, said the MEA spokesperson. Check out latest videos from DH: India on Saturday sent 5 lakh doses of the Covaxin doses to Afghanistan as the second consignment of humanitarian aid to the war-torn country, where the Taliban returned to power on August 15 last year. The vaccine doses were handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul. India will also send another consignment of 5,00,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccines to Afghanistan in the coming weeks. The Government of India has committed to providing humanitarian assistance to Afghan people consisting of food grains, one million doses of Covid-19 vaccine and essential life-saving drugs, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, said. India last month delivered 1.6 tons of medical assistance to Afghanistan through the World Health Organization (WHO). In coming weeks, we would be undertaking the supply of wheat and the remaining medical assistance. In this regard, we are in touch with UN agencies and others for finalizing the modalities for transportation, said the MEA spokesperson. Check out latest videos from DH: The report that came to the attention of the United States military in April 2017 relayed devastating news from Iraq: More than 30 people, among them women and children, had been killed when aircraft from the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Mosul struck a neighborhood known as Siha. A civilian casualty cell of the U.S. military, which was charged with assessing reports of civilians killed or wounded in coalition operations, learned of the claim in a Facebook post published on April 11 by the news outlet, the Iraqi Spring Media Center. The Pentagon began an inquiry, but only a week later its assessment officers couldnt confirm whether coalition aircraft had targeted that location, and they dismissed the claim, saying Siha was not among known districts of West Mosul. There would be no further review. Even as farmers celebrated their victory by getting the government to repeal its three agriculture laws, parallels with an earlier public protest may point to the future of farmers' demands for minimum support price (MSP) for crops, compensation, etc. In 2011, it was 'Anna Andolan' that had captured the imagination of the whole nation. In 2021, it was the farmers' protest that had dominated the discourse even in a pandemic-induced lockdown year. In April 2011, social activist Anna Hazare had embarked on a fast unto death demanding passage of the Jan Lokpal Bill. Taking into account the popularity of Team Anna, the government agreed to a joint drafting committee, which was formed in April 2011. However, a Few meetings later, when the Ramdev Baba episode at the Ramlila Maidan took place in June, Team Anna members stopped going to the meetings. The bill was passed in Parliament in December 2013, the same month when Arvind Kejriwal, having parted ways with Hazare, had formed a party, contested, and won the Delhi Assembly elections. Also Read UP: BJP struggling to win over farmers despite farm laws repeal Much water had flown below the bridge, the government at the Centre had changed when Hazare in March 2018 declared to resume his battle for Jan Lokpal Bill. The NDA government brought in an amendment and passed the bill in both the Houses soon. Since then, nobody has even heard of the Lokpal, in whichever avatar the bill was passed. Even when the farmers' agitation started in 2020, it was 2021 that saw the fruition of their agitation in all respects. The Modi government relented to their demands and in December first week, the three contentious farm Bills were repealed. The farmers were promised that a committee would be formed to discuss MSP, but more than a month after the Prime Minister's announcement, there is no word about it. And that is where the similarities between the Lokpal and three laws begin. So what happens to the MSP committee? The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella body of protesting farmers, on December 9 decided to suspend its 15-month agitation against the three contentious farm laws passed in 2020. The agitation continued even after the three laws the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020 were repealed by Parliament as the farmers stuck to their demands seeking legal support for MSP. Manisha Priyam, a political analyst based in Delhi, said, "When the protest is at its peak, the government is bound to listen to the people, albeit unwillingly. But after some time, once things go away from the public eye or glare, things change." In a 2011 special session called by Pranab Mukherjee, a 'Sense of the House' resolution was passed and it was given much importance. Currently, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is in power itself, but Lokpal has disappeared from the public eye. Also Read Punjab farmers think new political front could impact fight for MSP: Report It remains to be seen what this government does with the MSP committee. "But what I believe is that the agrarian distrust issue is very important and significant. If the government does not take it up seriously, then, the future will not be easy on this matter. Because it is now a matter of livelihood. The government will have to respond on this matter," Priyam said. Nagender Sharma, a former journalist and legal affairs analyst, who was also the Delhi Chief Minister's advisor said that observing that the government now is a different one and the farmers have already won a critical battle "chances of outcome of this committee are very high because farmers are coming on the back of a victory." Priyam said, "Anna Andolan was about political accountability, which is still vague. Here concrete issues of the lives of people are involved. I think there will be some kind of binding on the government." But then, what will stop the government from going back? "What stops the people from coming back on the streets?," Priyam shot back. Farmers' next step It is a point of debate as to whether it will abide by its promises. Earlier in December last week, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Narendra Tomar had said at Nagpur, "We had moved a step back and then moved forward (on farm laws). Farmers are the backbone of India." When it was perceived that the government wants to bring back the three laws, Tomar clarified that there is no proposal or plan yet. That would be discussed when the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) will be meeting again to check what the government has done since the farmers wrapped up their tents from around Delhi's borders. Also Read Didn't say farm laws will be brought back, Narendra Singh Tomar clarifies When asked about the government bringing back the bills again, Rakesh Tikait, a prominent farm leader, told IANS on phone, "We will see as and when it happens. Why ask about it now?" He, however, sounded a lot more cautious about the committee on MSP. "No names have been sought yet. Nothing has been heard from the government. Nothing heard from the government about (withdrawing) cases in Delhi too." "On January 15, we have the SKM meeting. We will see then," Tikait said. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Even as farmers celebrated their victory by getting the government to repeal its three agriculture laws, parallels with an earlier public protest may point to the future of farmers' demands for minimum support price (MSP) for crops, compensation, etc. In 2011, it was 'Anna Andolan' that had captured the imagination of the whole nation. In 2021, it was the farmers' protest that had dominated the discourse even in a pandemic-induced lockdown year. In April 2011, social activist Anna Hazare had embarked on a fast unto death demanding passage of the Jan Lokpal Bill. Taking into account the popularity of Team Anna, the government agreed to a joint drafting committee, which was formed in April 2011. However, a Few meetings later, when the Ramdev Baba episode at the Ramlila Maidan took place in June, Team Anna members stopped going to the meetings. The bill was passed in Parliament in December 2013, the same month when Arvind Kejriwal, having parted ways with Hazare, had formed a party, contested, and won the Delhi Assembly elections. Also Read UP: BJP struggling to win over farmers despite farm laws repeal Much water had flown below the bridge, the government at the Centre had changed when Hazare in March 2018 declared to resume his battle for Jan Lokpal Bill. The NDA government brought in an amendment and passed the bill in both the Houses soon. Since then, nobody has even heard of the Lokpal, in whichever avatar the bill was passed. Even when the farmers' agitation started in 2020, it was 2021 that saw the fruition of their agitation in all respects. The Modi government relented to their demands and in December first week, the three contentious farm Bills were repealed. The farmers were promised that a committee would be formed to discuss MSP, but more than a month after the Prime Minister's announcement, there is no word about it. And that is where the similarities between the Lokpal and three laws begin. So what happens to the MSP committee? The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella body of protesting farmers, on December 9 decided to suspend its 15-month agitation against the three contentious farm laws passed in 2020. The agitation continued even after the three laws the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020 were repealed by Parliament as the farmers stuck to their demands seeking legal support for MSP. Manisha Priyam, a political analyst based in Delhi, said, "When the protest is at its peak, the government is bound to listen to the people, albeit unwillingly. But after some time, once things go away from the public eye or glare, things change." In a 2011 special session called by Pranab Mukherjee, a 'Sense of the House' resolution was passed and it was given much importance. Currently, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is in power itself, but Lokpal has disappeared from the public eye. Also Read Punjab farmers think new political front could impact fight for MSP: Report It remains to be seen what this government does with the MSP committee. "But what I believe is that the agrarian distrust issue is very important and significant. If the government does not take it up seriously, then, the future will not be easy on this matter. Because it is now a matter of livelihood. The government will have to respond on this matter," Priyam said. Nagender Sharma, a former journalist and legal affairs analyst, who was also the Delhi Chief Minister's advisor said that observing that the government now is a different one and the farmers have already won a critical battle "chances of outcome of this committee are very high because farmers are coming on the back of a victory." Priyam said, "Anna Andolan was about political accountability, which is still vague. Here concrete issues of the lives of people are involved. I think there will be some kind of binding on the government." But then, what will stop the government from going back? "What stops the people from coming back on the streets?," Priyam shot back. Farmers' next step It is a point of debate as to whether it will abide by its promises. Earlier in December last week, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Narendra Tomar had said at Nagpur, "We had moved a step back and then moved forward (on farm laws). Farmers are the backbone of India." When it was perceived that the government wants to bring back the three laws, Tomar clarified that there is no proposal or plan yet. That would be discussed when the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) will be meeting again to check what the government has done since the farmers wrapped up their tents from around Delhi's borders. Also Read Didn't say farm laws will be brought back, Narendra Singh Tomar clarifies When asked about the government bringing back the bills again, Rakesh Tikait, a prominent farm leader, told IANS on phone, "We will see as and when it happens. Why ask about it now?" He, however, sounded a lot more cautious about the committee on MSP. "No names have been sought yet. Nothing has been heard from the government. Nothing heard from the government about (withdrawing) cases in Delhi too." "On January 15, we have the SKM meeting. We will see then," Tikait said. Watch the latest DH Videos here: The World Health Organisation (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that he is optimistic that the Covid-19 pandemic will be defeated in 2022, provided countries work together to contain its spread. Ghebreyesus warned against "narrow nationalism and vaccine hoarding" in a new year statement, reports the BBC. His comments come two years since the WHO was first notified of cases of an unknown pneumonia strain in China. He warned that continuing inequity in vaccine distribution was increasing the risk of the virus evolving. "Narrow nationalism and vaccine hoarding by some countries have undermined equity and created the ideal conditions for the emergence of the Omicron variant, and the longer inequity continues, the higher the risks of the virus evolving in ways we can't prevent or predict," he said. "If we end inequity, we end the pandemic," he added. India has registered a substantial spike in daily Covid cases at 22,775 in a span of 24 hours. Also, 406 deaths were reported in the same time span pushing the toll to 4,81,486. However, the active caseload jumped to 1,04,781 which constitute 0.30 per cent of the country's total positive cases. Meanwhile, the Omicron infection tally has increased to 1,431 across the nation. However, of the total cases, 488 have been discharged from hospitals. So far, 23 states have reported Omicron infections. --IANS vc/shb/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday addressed a gathering organized by the country's top political advisory body to ring in the year 2022. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), delivered an important speech at the gathering of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing. Senior leaders Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the gathering. They were joined by leading officials of China's non-Communist parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, personages with no party affiliation, officials of central Party and government departments, and individuals from various ethnic groups and sectors of society in Beijing. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the CMC, Xi extended New Year's greetings. Noting that the CPC will convene its 20th national congress in 2022, Xi called for more strenuous efforts to foster a stable and healthy economic environment, a clean and upright political environment, and a peaceful and prosperous social environment. Looking back at the past year, Xi hailed 2021 as a year of milestone significance. Faced with arduous domestic tasks and a complex international landscape, China has led the world in economic development and COVID-19 prevention and control, securing a great start for the 14th Five-Year Plan, Xi said. Xi said China has continued to take comprehensive steps to deepen reform. The country has basically completed the 50 major reform tasks set by the central commission for deepening overall reform, along with more than 100 other reforms, Xi said, adding that 216 reform plans have been formulated. China achieved the goal of making systems in all areas notably more mature and better-defined by the time the CPC celebrated its centenary, Xi said. In 2021, efforts were made to support and promote Hong Kong's return to the right track from chaos, and maintain prosperity and stability in Macao, he said. With strong measures to overcome external challenges, China has advanced the peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Strait, Xi said. While advocating true multilateralism, China steadily advanced Belt and Road cooperation and kept its promise to make COVID-19 vaccines global public goods, making contributions to global peace and development, he said. "In the year to come, we should uphold and improve the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC," Xi said, calling for efforts to consolidate and develop the broadest possible patriotic united front. "We should do better in building consensus, and strive to pool extensive wisdom and strength to realize the goals and fulfill the missions of the Party and the state," Xi said. To conclude his speech, Xi called on the Chinese people to strengthen their unity and work together to strive for new and greater victories and glory. Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, presided over the event. Wang called for thorough efforts to study and implement the spirit of Xi's speech, giving full play to CPPCC's role as a special consultative body in state governance, and working tirelessly to build a modern socialist country in all respects and realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. Enditem Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attend the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. The leaders also watched a performance at the gathering. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday addressed a gathering organized by the country's top political advisory body to ring in the year 2022. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), delivered an important speech at the gathering of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing. Senior leaders Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the gathering. They were joined by leading officials of China's non-Communist parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, personages with no party affiliation, officials of central Party and government departments, and individuals from various ethnic groups and sectors of society in Beijing. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the CMC, Xi extended New Year's greetings. Noting that the CPC will convene its 20th national congress in 2022, Xi called for more strenuous efforts to foster a stable and healthy economic environment, a clean and upright political environment, and a peaceful and prosperous social environment. Looking back at the past year, Xi hailed 2021 as a year of milestone significance. Faced with arduous domestic tasks and a complex international landscape, China has led the world in economic development and COVID-19 prevention and control, securing a great start for the 14th Five-Year Plan, Xi said. Xi said China has continued to take comprehensive steps to deepen reform. The country has basically completed the 50 major reform tasks set by the central commission for deepening overall reform, along with more than 100 other reforms, Xi said, adding that 216 reform plans have been formulated. China achieved the goal of making systems in all areas notably more mature and better-defined by the time the CPC celebrated its centenary, Xi said. In 2021, efforts were made to support and promote Hong Kong's return to the right track from chaos, and maintain prosperity and stability in Macao, he said. With strong measures to overcome external challenges, China has advanced the peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Strait, Xi said. While advocating true multilateralism, China steadily advanced Belt and Road cooperation and kept its promise to make COVID-19 vaccines global public goods, making contributions to global peace and development, he said. "In the year to come, we should uphold and improve the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC," Xi said, calling for efforts to consolidate and develop the broadest possible patriotic united front. "We should do better in building consensus, and strive to pool extensive wisdom and strength to realize the goals and fulfill the missions of the Party and the state," Xi said. To conclude his speech, Xi called on the Chinese people to strengthen their unity and work together to strive for new and greater victories and glory. Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, presided over the event. Wang called for thorough efforts to study and implement the spirit of Xi's speech, giving full play to CPPCC's role as a special consultative body in state governance, and working tirelessly to build a modern socialist country in all respects and realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. Enditem Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attend the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. The leaders also watched a performance at the gathering. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday addressed a gathering organized by the country's top political advisory body to ring in the year 2022. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), delivered an important speech at the gathering of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing. Senior leaders Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the gathering. They were joined by leading officials of China's non-Communist parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, personages with no party affiliation, officials of central Party and government departments, and individuals from various ethnic groups and sectors of society in Beijing. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the CMC, Xi extended New Year's greetings. Noting that the CPC will convene its 20th national congress in 2022, Xi called for more strenuous efforts to foster a stable and healthy economic environment, a clean and upright political environment, and a peaceful and prosperous social environment. Looking back at the past year, Xi hailed 2021 as a year of milestone significance. Faced with arduous domestic tasks and a complex international landscape, China has led the world in economic development and COVID-19 prevention and control, securing a great start for the 14th Five-Year Plan, Xi said. Xi said China has continued to take comprehensive steps to deepen reform. The country has basically completed the 50 major reform tasks set by the central commission for deepening overall reform, along with more than 100 other reforms, Xi said, adding that 216 reform plans have been formulated. China achieved the goal of making systems in all areas notably more mature and better-defined by the time the CPC celebrated its centenary, Xi said. In 2021, efforts were made to support and promote Hong Kong's return to the right track from chaos, and maintain prosperity and stability in Macao, he said. With strong measures to overcome external challenges, China has advanced the peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Strait, Xi said. While advocating true multilateralism, China steadily advanced Belt and Road cooperation and kept its promise to make COVID-19 vaccines global public goods, making contributions to global peace and development, he said. "In the year to come, we should uphold and improve the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC," Xi said, calling for efforts to consolidate and develop the broadest possible patriotic united front. "We should do better in building consensus, and strive to pool extensive wisdom and strength to realize the goals and fulfill the missions of the Party and the state," Xi said. To conclude his speech, Xi called on the Chinese people to strengthen their unity and work together to strive for new and greater victories and glory. Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, presided over the event. Wang called for thorough efforts to study and implement the spirit of Xi's speech, giving full play to CPPCC's role as a special consultative body in state governance, and working tirelessly to build a modern socialist country in all respects and realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. Enditem Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attend the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. The leaders also watched a performance at the gathering. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday addressed a gathering organized by the country's top political advisory body to ring in the year 2022. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), delivered an important speech at the gathering of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing. Senior leaders Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the gathering. They were joined by leading officials of China's non-Communist parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, personages with no party affiliation, officials of central Party and government departments, and individuals from various ethnic groups and sectors of society in Beijing. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the CMC, Xi extended New Year's greetings. Noting that the CPC will convene its 20th national congress in 2022, Xi called for more strenuous efforts to foster a stable and healthy economic environment, a clean and upright political environment, and a peaceful and prosperous social environment. Looking back at the past year, Xi hailed 2021 as a year of milestone significance. Faced with arduous domestic tasks and a complex international landscape, China has led the world in economic development and COVID-19 prevention and control, securing a great start for the 14th Five-Year Plan, Xi said. Xi said China has continued to take comprehensive steps to deepen reform. The country has basically completed the 50 major reform tasks set by the central commission for deepening overall reform, along with more than 100 other reforms, Xi said, adding that 216 reform plans have been formulated. China achieved the goal of making systems in all areas notably more mature and better-defined by the time the CPC celebrated its centenary, Xi said. In 2021, efforts were made to support and promote Hong Kong's return to the right track from chaos, and maintain prosperity and stability in Macao, he said. With strong measures to overcome external challenges, China has advanced the peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Strait, Xi said. While advocating true multilateralism, China steadily advanced Belt and Road cooperation and kept its promise to make COVID-19 vaccines global public goods, making contributions to global peace and development, he said. "In the year to come, we should uphold and improve the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC," Xi said, calling for efforts to consolidate and develop the broadest possible patriotic united front. "We should do better in building consensus, and strive to pool extensive wisdom and strength to realize the goals and fulfill the missions of the Party and the state," Xi said. To conclude his speech, Xi called on the Chinese people to strengthen their unity and work together to strive for new and greater victories and glory. Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, presided over the event. Wang called for thorough efforts to study and implement the spirit of Xi's speech, giving full play to CPPCC's role as a special consultative body in state governance, and working tirelessly to build a modern socialist country in all respects and realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. Enditem Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attend the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. The leaders also watched a performance at the gathering. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday addressed a gathering organized by the country's top political advisory body to ring in the year 2022. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), delivered an important speech at the gathering of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing. Senior leaders Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the gathering. They were joined by leading officials of China's non-Communist parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, personages with no party affiliation, officials of central Party and government departments, and individuals from various ethnic groups and sectors of society in Beijing. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the CMC, Xi extended New Year's greetings. Noting that the CPC will convene its 20th national congress in 2022, Xi called for more strenuous efforts to foster a stable and healthy economic environment, a clean and upright political environment, and a peaceful and prosperous social environment. Looking back at the past year, Xi hailed 2021 as a year of milestone significance. Faced with arduous domestic tasks and a complex international landscape, China has led the world in economic development and COVID-19 prevention and control, securing a great start for the 14th Five-Year Plan, Xi said. Xi said China has continued to take comprehensive steps to deepen reform. The country has basically completed the 50 major reform tasks set by the central commission for deepening overall reform, along with more than 100 other reforms, Xi said, adding that 216 reform plans have been formulated. China achieved the goal of making systems in all areas notably more mature and better-defined by the time the CPC celebrated its centenary, Xi said. In 2021, efforts were made to support and promote Hong Kong's return to the right track from chaos, and maintain prosperity and stability in Macao, he said. With strong measures to overcome external challenges, China has advanced the peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Strait, Xi said. While advocating true multilateralism, China steadily advanced Belt and Road cooperation and kept its promise to make COVID-19 vaccines global public goods, making contributions to global peace and development, he said. "In the year to come, we should uphold and improve the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC," Xi said, calling for efforts to consolidate and develop the broadest possible patriotic united front. "We should do better in building consensus, and strive to pool extensive wisdom and strength to realize the goals and fulfill the missions of the Party and the state," Xi said. To conclude his speech, Xi called on the Chinese people to strengthen their unity and work together to strive for new and greater victories and glory. Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, presided over the event. Wang called for thorough efforts to study and implement the spirit of Xi's speech, giving full play to CPPCC's role as a special consultative body in state governance, and working tirelessly to build a modern socialist country in all respects and realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. Enditem Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attend the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. The leaders also watched a performance at the gathering. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday addressed a gathering organized by the country's top political advisory body to ring in the year 2022. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), delivered an important speech at the gathering of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing. Senior leaders Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the gathering. They were joined by leading officials of China's non-Communist parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, personages with no party affiliation, officials of central Party and government departments, and individuals from various ethnic groups and sectors of society in Beijing. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the CMC, Xi extended New Year's greetings. Noting that the CPC will convene its 20th national congress in 2022, Xi called for more strenuous efforts to foster a stable and healthy economic environment, a clean and upright political environment, and a peaceful and prosperous social environment. Looking back at the past year, Xi hailed 2021 as a year of milestone significance. Faced with arduous domestic tasks and a complex international landscape, China has led the world in economic development and COVID-19 prevention and control, securing a great start for the 14th Five-Year Plan, Xi said. Xi said China has continued to take comprehensive steps to deepen reform. The country has basically completed the 50 major reform tasks set by the central commission for deepening overall reform, along with more than 100 other reforms, Xi said, adding that 216 reform plans have been formulated. China achieved the goal of making systems in all areas notably more mature and better-defined by the time the CPC celebrated its centenary, Xi said. In 2021, efforts were made to support and promote Hong Kong's return to the right track from chaos, and maintain prosperity and stability in Macao, he said. With strong measures to overcome external challenges, China has advanced the peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Strait, Xi said. While advocating true multilateralism, China steadily advanced Belt and Road cooperation and kept its promise to make COVID-19 vaccines global public goods, making contributions to global peace and development, he said. "In the year to come, we should uphold and improve the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC," Xi said, calling for efforts to consolidate and develop the broadest possible patriotic united front. "We should do better in building consensus, and strive to pool extensive wisdom and strength to realize the goals and fulfill the missions of the Party and the state," Xi said. To conclude his speech, Xi called on the Chinese people to strengthen their unity and work together to strive for new and greater victories and glory. Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, presided over the event. Wang called for thorough efforts to study and implement the spirit of Xi's speech, giving full play to CPPCC's role as a special consultative body in state governance, and working tirelessly to build a modern socialist country in all respects and realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. Enditem Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attend the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. The leaders also watched a performance at the gathering. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday addressed a gathering organized by the country's top political advisory body to ring in the year 2022. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), delivered an important speech at the gathering of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing. Senior leaders Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the gathering. They were joined by leading officials of China's non-Communist parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, personages with no party affiliation, officials of central Party and government departments, and individuals from various ethnic groups and sectors of society in Beijing. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the CMC, Xi extended New Year's greetings. Noting that the CPC will convene its 20th national congress in 2022, Xi called for more strenuous efforts to foster a stable and healthy economic environment, a clean and upright political environment, and a peaceful and prosperous social environment. Looking back at the past year, Xi hailed 2021 as a year of milestone significance. Faced with arduous domestic tasks and a complex international landscape, China has led the world in economic development and COVID-19 prevention and control, securing a great start for the 14th Five-Year Plan, Xi said. Xi said China has continued to take comprehensive steps to deepen reform. The country has basically completed the 50 major reform tasks set by the central commission for deepening overall reform, along with more than 100 other reforms, Xi said, adding that 216 reform plans have been formulated. China achieved the goal of making systems in all areas notably more mature and better-defined by the time the CPC celebrated its centenary, Xi said. In 2021, efforts were made to support and promote Hong Kong's return to the right track from chaos, and maintain prosperity and stability in Macao, he said. With strong measures to overcome external challenges, China has advanced the peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Strait, Xi said. While advocating true multilateralism, China steadily advanced Belt and Road cooperation and kept its promise to make COVID-19 vaccines global public goods, making contributions to global peace and development, he said. "In the year to come, we should uphold and improve the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC," Xi said, calling for efforts to consolidate and develop the broadest possible patriotic united front. "We should do better in building consensus, and strive to pool extensive wisdom and strength to realize the goals and fulfill the missions of the Party and the state," Xi said. To conclude his speech, Xi called on the Chinese people to strengthen their unity and work together to strive for new and greater victories and glory. Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, presided over the event. Wang called for thorough efforts to study and implement the spirit of Xi's speech, giving full play to CPPCC's role as a special consultative body in state governance, and working tirelessly to build a modern socialist country in all respects and realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. Enditem Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attend the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. The leaders also watched a performance at the gathering. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday addressed a gathering organized by the country's top political advisory body to ring in the year 2022. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), delivered an important speech at the gathering of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing. Senior leaders Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the gathering. They were joined by leading officials of China's non-Communist parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, personages with no party affiliation, officials of central Party and government departments, and individuals from various ethnic groups and sectors of society in Beijing. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the CMC, Xi extended New Year's greetings. Noting that the CPC will convene its 20th national congress in 2022, Xi called for more strenuous efforts to foster a stable and healthy economic environment, a clean and upright political environment, and a peaceful and prosperous social environment. Looking back at the past year, Xi hailed 2021 as a year of milestone significance. Faced with arduous domestic tasks and a complex international landscape, China has led the world in economic development and COVID-19 prevention and control, securing a great start for the 14th Five-Year Plan, Xi said. Xi said China has continued to take comprehensive steps to deepen reform. The country has basically completed the 50 major reform tasks set by the central commission for deepening overall reform, along with more than 100 other reforms, Xi said, adding that 216 reform plans have been formulated. China achieved the goal of making systems in all areas notably more mature and better-defined by the time the CPC celebrated its centenary, Xi said. In 2021, efforts were made to support and promote Hong Kong's return to the right track from chaos, and maintain prosperity and stability in Macao, he said. With strong measures to overcome external challenges, China has advanced the peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Strait, Xi said. While advocating true multilateralism, China steadily advanced Belt and Road cooperation and kept its promise to make COVID-19 vaccines global public goods, making contributions to global peace and development, he said. "In the year to come, we should uphold and improve the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC," Xi said, calling for efforts to consolidate and develop the broadest possible patriotic united front. "We should do better in building consensus, and strive to pool extensive wisdom and strength to realize the goals and fulfill the missions of the Party and the state," Xi said. To conclude his speech, Xi called on the Chinese people to strengthen their unity and work together to strive for new and greater victories and glory. Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, presided over the event. Wang called for thorough efforts to study and implement the spirit of Xi's speech, giving full play to CPPCC's role as a special consultative body in state governance, and working tirelessly to build a modern socialist country in all respects and realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. Enditem Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attend the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. The leaders also watched a performance at the gathering. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday addressed a gathering organized by the country's top political advisory body to ring in the year 2022. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), delivered an important speech at the gathering of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing. Senior leaders Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the gathering. They were joined by leading officials of China's non-Communist parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, personages with no party affiliation, officials of central Party and government departments, and individuals from various ethnic groups and sectors of society in Beijing. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the CMC, Xi extended New Year's greetings. Noting that the CPC will convene its 20th national congress in 2022, Xi called for more strenuous efforts to foster a stable and healthy economic environment, a clean and upright political environment, and a peaceful and prosperous social environment. Looking back at the past year, Xi hailed 2021 as a year of milestone significance. Faced with arduous domestic tasks and a complex international landscape, China has led the world in economic development and COVID-19 prevention and control, securing a great start for the 14th Five-Year Plan, Xi said. Xi said China has continued to take comprehensive steps to deepen reform. The country has basically completed the 50 major reform tasks set by the central commission for deepening overall reform, along with more than 100 other reforms, Xi said, adding that 216 reform plans have been formulated. China achieved the goal of making systems in all areas notably more mature and better-defined by the time the CPC celebrated its centenary, Xi said. In 2021, efforts were made to support and promote Hong Kong's return to the right track from chaos, and maintain prosperity and stability in Macao, he said. With strong measures to overcome external challenges, China has advanced the peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Strait, Xi said. While advocating true multilateralism, China steadily advanced Belt and Road cooperation and kept its promise to make COVID-19 vaccines global public goods, making contributions to global peace and development, he said. "In the year to come, we should uphold and improve the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC," Xi said, calling for efforts to consolidate and develop the broadest possible patriotic united front. "We should do better in building consensus, and strive to pool extensive wisdom and strength to realize the goals and fulfill the missions of the Party and the state," Xi said. To conclude his speech, Xi called on the Chinese people to strengthen their unity and work together to strive for new and greater victories and glory. Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, presided over the event. Wang called for thorough efforts to study and implement the spirit of Xi's speech, giving full play to CPPCC's role as a special consultative body in state governance, and working tirelessly to build a modern socialist country in all respects and realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. Enditem Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attend the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. The leaders also watched a performance at the gathering. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday addressed a gathering organized by the country's top political advisory body to ring in the year 2022. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), delivered an important speech at the gathering of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing. Senior leaders Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the gathering. They were joined by leading officials of China's non-Communist parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, personages with no party affiliation, officials of central Party and government departments, and individuals from various ethnic groups and sectors of society in Beijing. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the CMC, Xi extended New Year's greetings. Noting that the CPC will convene its 20th national congress in 2022, Xi called for more strenuous efforts to foster a stable and healthy economic environment, a clean and upright political environment, and a peaceful and prosperous social environment. Looking back at the past year, Xi hailed 2021 as a year of milestone significance. Faced with arduous domestic tasks and a complex international landscape, China has led the world in economic development and COVID-19 prevention and control, securing a great start for the 14th Five-Year Plan, Xi said. Xi said China has continued to take comprehensive steps to deepen reform. The country has basically completed the 50 major reform tasks set by the central commission for deepening overall reform, along with more than 100 other reforms, Xi said, adding that 216 reform plans have been formulated. China achieved the goal of making systems in all areas notably more mature and better-defined by the time the CPC celebrated its centenary, Xi said. In 2021, efforts were made to support and promote Hong Kong's return to the right track from chaos, and maintain prosperity and stability in Macao, he said. With strong measures to overcome external challenges, China has advanced the peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Strait, Xi said. While advocating true multilateralism, China steadily advanced Belt and Road cooperation and kept its promise to make COVID-19 vaccines global public goods, making contributions to global peace and development, he said. "In the year to come, we should uphold and improve the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC," Xi said, calling for efforts to consolidate and develop the broadest possible patriotic united front. "We should do better in building consensus, and strive to pool extensive wisdom and strength to realize the goals and fulfill the missions of the Party and the state," Xi said. To conclude his speech, Xi called on the Chinese people to strengthen their unity and work together to strive for new and greater victories and glory. Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, presided over the event. Wang called for thorough efforts to study and implement the spirit of Xi's speech, giving full play to CPPCC's role as a special consultative body in state governance, and working tirelessly to build a modern socialist country in all respects and realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. Enditem Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attend the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. The leaders also watched a performance at the gathering. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday addressed a gathering organized by the country's top political advisory body to ring in the year 2022. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), delivered an important speech at the gathering of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing. Senior leaders Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the gathering. They were joined by leading officials of China's non-Communist parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, personages with no party affiliation, officials of central Party and government departments, and individuals from various ethnic groups and sectors of society in Beijing. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the CMC, Xi extended New Year's greetings. Noting that the CPC will convene its 20th national congress in 2022, Xi called for more strenuous efforts to foster a stable and healthy economic environment, a clean and upright political environment, and a peaceful and prosperous social environment. Looking back at the past year, Xi hailed 2021 as a year of milestone significance. Faced with arduous domestic tasks and a complex international landscape, China has led the world in economic development and COVID-19 prevention and control, securing a great start for the 14th Five-Year Plan, Xi said. Xi said China has continued to take comprehensive steps to deepen reform. The country has basically completed the 50 major reform tasks set by the central commission for deepening overall reform, along with more than 100 other reforms, Xi said, adding that 216 reform plans have been formulated. China achieved the goal of making systems in all areas notably more mature and better-defined by the time the CPC celebrated its centenary, Xi said. In 2021, efforts were made to support and promote Hong Kong's return to the right track from chaos, and maintain prosperity and stability in Macao, he said. With strong measures to overcome external challenges, China has advanced the peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Strait, Xi said. While advocating true multilateralism, China steadily advanced Belt and Road cooperation and kept its promise to make COVID-19 vaccines global public goods, making contributions to global peace and development, he said. "In the year to come, we should uphold and improve the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC," Xi said, calling for efforts to consolidate and develop the broadest possible patriotic united front. "We should do better in building consensus, and strive to pool extensive wisdom and strength to realize the goals and fulfill the missions of the Party and the state," Xi said. To conclude his speech, Xi called on the Chinese people to strengthen their unity and work together to strive for new and greater victories and glory. Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, presided over the event. Wang called for thorough efforts to study and implement the spirit of Xi's speech, giving full play to CPPCC's role as a special consultative body in state governance, and working tirelessly to build a modern socialist country in all respects and realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. Enditem Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attend the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. The leaders also watched a performance at the gathering. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday addressed a gathering organized by the country's top political advisory body to ring in the year 2022. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), delivered an important speech at the gathering of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing. Senior leaders Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the gathering. They were joined by leading officials of China's non-Communist parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, personages with no party affiliation, officials of central Party and government departments, and individuals from various ethnic groups and sectors of society in Beijing. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the CMC, Xi extended New Year's greetings. Noting that the CPC will convene its 20th national congress in 2022, Xi called for more strenuous efforts to foster a stable and healthy economic environment, a clean and upright political environment, and a peaceful and prosperous social environment. Looking back at the past year, Xi hailed 2021 as a year of milestone significance. Faced with arduous domestic tasks and a complex international landscape, China has led the world in economic development and COVID-19 prevention and control, securing a great start for the 14th Five-Year Plan, Xi said. Xi said China has continued to take comprehensive steps to deepen reform. The country has basically completed the 50 major reform tasks set by the central commission for deepening overall reform, along with more than 100 other reforms, Xi said, adding that 216 reform plans have been formulated. China achieved the goal of making systems in all areas notably more mature and better-defined by the time the CPC celebrated its centenary, Xi said. In 2021, efforts were made to support and promote Hong Kong's return to the right track from chaos, and maintain prosperity and stability in Macao, he said. With strong measures to overcome external challenges, China has advanced the peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Strait, Xi said. While advocating true multilateralism, China steadily advanced Belt and Road cooperation and kept its promise to make COVID-19 vaccines global public goods, making contributions to global peace and development, he said. "In the year to come, we should uphold and improve the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC," Xi said, calling for efforts to consolidate and develop the broadest possible patriotic united front. "We should do better in building consensus, and strive to pool extensive wisdom and strength to realize the goals and fulfill the missions of the Party and the state," Xi said. To conclude his speech, Xi called on the Chinese people to strengthen their unity and work together to strive for new and greater victories and glory. Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, presided over the event. Wang called for thorough efforts to study and implement the spirit of Xi's speech, giving full play to CPPCC's role as a special consultative body in state governance, and working tirelessly to build a modern socialist country in all respects and realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. Enditem Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attend the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. The leaders also watched a performance at the gathering. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday addressed a gathering organized by the country's top political advisory body to ring in the year 2022. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), delivered an important speech at the gathering of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing. Senior leaders Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the gathering. They were joined by leading officials of China's non-Communist parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, personages with no party affiliation, officials of central Party and government departments, and individuals from various ethnic groups and sectors of society in Beijing. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the CMC, Xi extended New Year's greetings. Noting that the CPC will convene its 20th national congress in 2022, Xi called for more strenuous efforts to foster a stable and healthy economic environment, a clean and upright political environment, and a peaceful and prosperous social environment. Looking back at the past year, Xi hailed 2021 as a year of milestone significance. Faced with arduous domestic tasks and a complex international landscape, China has led the world in economic development and COVID-19 prevention and control, securing a great start for the 14th Five-Year Plan, Xi said. Xi said China has continued to take comprehensive steps to deepen reform. The country has basically completed the 50 major reform tasks set by the central commission for deepening overall reform, along with more than 100 other reforms, Xi said, adding that 216 reform plans have been formulated. China achieved the goal of making systems in all areas notably more mature and better-defined by the time the CPC celebrated its centenary, Xi said. In 2021, efforts were made to support and promote Hong Kong's return to the right track from chaos, and maintain prosperity and stability in Macao, he said. With strong measures to overcome external challenges, China has advanced the peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Strait, Xi said. While advocating true multilateralism, China steadily advanced Belt and Road cooperation and kept its promise to make COVID-19 vaccines global public goods, making contributions to global peace and development, he said. "In the year to come, we should uphold and improve the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC," Xi said, calling for efforts to consolidate and develop the broadest possible patriotic united front. "We should do better in building consensus, and strive to pool extensive wisdom and strength to realize the goals and fulfill the missions of the Party and the state," Xi said. To conclude his speech, Xi called on the Chinese people to strengthen their unity and work together to strive for new and greater victories and glory. Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, presided over the event. Wang called for thorough efforts to study and implement the spirit of Xi's speech, giving full play to CPPCC's role as a special consultative body in state governance, and working tirelessly to build a modern socialist country in all respects and realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. Enditem Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attend the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. The leaders also watched a performance at the gathering. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) A sudden rush of devotees at the Vaishno Devi shrine here to mark the beginning of the New Year triggered the stampede that resulted in the death of 12 people, some of the survivors said, blaming "mismanagement" for the tragedy. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, however, denied the charge, saying all necessary arrangements were made in view of the expected rush, while Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh blamed a minor altercation for the unfortunate incident. "Nothing but mismanagement was the cause for this tragic accident. They were aware of the possible rush but allowed the people in unhindered," a pilgrim from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh said while waiting outside a mortuary to identify a dead body. Also Read | 12 dead in Vaishno Devi stampede; J&K L-G Manoj Sinha orders probe The man, who did not wish to be named, said this situation could have been avoided if the authorities concerned had managed the pilgrimage better. "A similar situation had happened minutes earlier but luckily none was hurt and the situation was controlled. We were part of a group of 10 devotees all neighbours. A heavy rush triggered the stampede as people were going in and out, and everyone was in a hurry," he said. Many people were resting on the floor, instead of heading back, and it caused more rush at the bhawan, he added. Another man, who lost his friend, Arun Pratab Singh (30), said they had come from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. The bhawan was overcrowded, he added. "I had visited the shrine about 10 years ago but was surprised by the heavy rush this time. After the tragedy, we found ourselves helpless and got no help till 6 am," he alleged. Also Read | Jammu and Kashmir's L-G Manoj Sinha orders probe into Vaishno Devi stampede Rani Devi of Bihar's Muzaffarpur said they were fortunate to have escaped death. "I saw many people die on the floor and was heartbroken," she said, blaming it on the "uncontrolled rush" of pilgrims at the bhawan. Aditya Sharma, another devotee, said some people who were sleeping on the floor got crushed in the stampede. Following the incident, many pilgrims were seen leaving Katra, the base camp for the shrine, without paying obeisance. "We are from Pathankot. We returned from the bhawan without 'darshan' due to the stampede," said Rekha, who was accompanied by five other family members, including three children. Prem Singh, from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, said there was a complete mess as neither was the number of pilgrims restricted nor were Covid-19 guidelines in force. Also Read | Kejriwal expresses grief over Vaishno Devi shrine stampede "It was a free-for-all-like situation. Many people were without mandatory face masks," he said, claiming that police personnel on duty at the X-ray checking point surrendered to the heavy rush and were warning people about the possibility of such an accident. However, many people were seen waiting in long queues to visit the shrine as the pilgrimage continued unaffected. "We have been waiting for five hours but nothing is moving," said Navdeep of Karnal in Haryana. Chief executive officer of the shrine board Ramesh Kumar, who was among the first to reach the scene to take stock of the situation and visit the injured at the Narayana hospital, could not be contacted for comment. Another official of the board, who wished not to be named, said adequate arrangements, including security, were in place due to the expected rush of pilgrims. The DGP said preliminary information from the scene suggests there was an altercation among some young boys, and within seconds, there was a stampede situation. "Police and officials from the civil administration were quick to respond, and the order within the crowd was immediately restored, but by that time, the damage had been done," he told PTI. Senior BJP leader and former legislator Devender Singh Rana, who interacted with the pilgrims here to take stock of the situation, said the incident was the first of its kind to take place at the shrine. "It is a tragic incident and a sad moment for all of us. The whole administration is working to ensure the bodies of the deceased are returned to their families and those injured are given adequate treatment," he said. Rana said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also taken note of the incident and the Lieutenant Governor-led administration is doing its best. "This is no time for allegations or counter-allegations. It is a tragedy that has happened and nobody should play politics over it," he added. At least 12 people died and over a dozen were injured in the stampede that occurred around 2:30 am near gate number three outside the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine atop the Trikuta hills, about 50 km from Jammu. Check out the latest videos from DH: KHARTOUM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Sudan is bidding farewell to the year 2021 and ushering in a new year amid difficult throes for a democratic transition and political stabilities following decades of political instability. Political crisis and street protests constituted one of the most prominent features of 2021 in Sudan, and it is likely to continue in 2022 as the root cause which led to the crisis remained unsolved, according to analysts. "It is expected that the revolutionary groups will tend to form a broad-based coalition against the October 25th measures," Abdul-Raziq Ziyada, a Sudanese political analyst, told Xinhua during a recent interview. Sudan has been suffering a political crisis after General Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency on Oct. 25, 2021 and dissolved the sovereign council and government. "It is clear that there is a tendency towards establishing a civil alliance and signing a political declaration to strengthen the position of the civilian forces," Ziyada added. Abdul-Rahim Al-Sunni, an expert on the Sudanese political situation, predicted that the new year in Sudan would be similar to last year. "I expect the resistance on the street demanding civilian government to continue in 2022," Al-Sunni told Xinhua. The last two months of 2021 was marked by multiple large-scale demonstrations in Khartoum and other cities in Sudan, with dozens of protesters dying in clashes with security forces. On Nov. 11, Al-Burhan issued a constitutional decree forming a transitional Sovereign Council. On Nov. 21, he and former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who was later removed, signed a political declaration, which included reinstating Hamdok as prime minister, but the deal has so far failed to bring calm. Enditem remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. KHARTOUM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Sudan is bidding farewell to the year 2021 and ushering in a new year amid difficult throes for a democratic transition and political stabilities following decades of political instability. Political crisis and street protests constituted one of the most prominent features of 2021 in Sudan, and it is likely to continue in 2022 as the root cause which led to the crisis remained unsolved, according to analysts. "It is expected that the revolutionary groups will tend to form a broad-based coalition against the October 25th measures," Abdul-Raziq Ziyada, a Sudanese political analyst, told Xinhua during a recent interview. Sudan has been suffering a political crisis after General Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency on Oct. 25, 2021 and dissolved the sovereign council and government. "It is clear that there is a tendency towards establishing a civil alliance and signing a political declaration to strengthen the position of the civilian forces," Ziyada added. Abdul-Rahim Al-Sunni, an expert on the Sudanese political situation, predicted that the new year in Sudan would be similar to last year. "I expect the resistance on the street demanding civilian government to continue in 2022," Al-Sunni told Xinhua. The last two months of 2021 was marked by multiple large-scale demonstrations in Khartoum and other cities in Sudan, with dozens of protesters dying in clashes with security forces. On Nov. 11, Al-Burhan issued a constitutional decree forming a transitional Sovereign Council. On Nov. 21, he and former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who was later removed, signed a political declaration, which included reinstating Hamdok as prime minister, but the deal has so far failed to bring calm. Enditem KHARTOUM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Sudan is bidding farewell to the year 2021 and ushering in a new year amid difficult throes for a democratic transition and political stabilities following decades of political instability. Political crisis and street protests constituted one of the most prominent features of 2021 in Sudan, and it is likely to continue in 2022 as the root cause which led to the crisis remained unsolved, according to analysts. "It is expected that the revolutionary groups will tend to form a broad-based coalition against the October 25th measures," Abdul-Raziq Ziyada, a Sudanese political analyst, told Xinhua during a recent interview. Sudan has been suffering a political crisis after General Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency on Oct. 25, 2021 and dissolved the sovereign council and government. "It is clear that there is a tendency towards establishing a civil alliance and signing a political declaration to strengthen the position of the civilian forces," Ziyada added. Abdul-Rahim Al-Sunni, an expert on the Sudanese political situation, predicted that the new year in Sudan would be similar to last year. "I expect the resistance on the street demanding civilian government to continue in 2022," Al-Sunni told Xinhua. The last two months of 2021 was marked by multiple large-scale demonstrations in Khartoum and other cities in Sudan, with dozens of protesters dying in clashes with security forces. On Nov. 11, Al-Burhan issued a constitutional decree forming a transitional Sovereign Council. On Nov. 21, he and former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who was later removed, signed a political declaration, which included reinstating Hamdok as prime minister, but the deal has so far failed to bring calm. Enditem Competition is expected to soar in India's aviation sector during 2022, as new players enter the industry along with deeper penetration of air transport in the hinterland. Accordingly, a new airline as well as more privately operated airports are expected to increase competition in the sector that has faced the brunt of the ongoing pandemic. Besides, expanding regional and intra-regional presence will continue to widen the scope of the industry. Moreover, passengers will gain from increased competition, Centre from divesting airport assets and the workforce from more professional opportunities in the aviation sector. In terms of airlines, in 2021, Jet Airways and Air India found new owners. "The cherry on the cake was the launch of Akasa Air underpinning the future prospects of this sector in India," said Jagannarayan Padmanabhan, Director and Practice Leader, Transport & Logistics, CRISIL Infrastructure Advisory. Also Read IndiGo signs codeshare pact with Air France-KLM "Competition will continue to be strong across the airlines, it's important that the sector learns from the previous misadventures of undercutting prices to gain or maintain volumes." In the medium term, the sector's growth is expected to come from the tier 2 and tier 3 cities, for which it is necessary to augment capacity as well as open up new regional airports. "While Covid-19 has led to uncertainties in the airport sector, the established regulatory framework, as well as the growth potential in the Indian market over a long term, would continue to attract private developers," said Vishal Kotecha, Director, India Ratings and Research. Notably, there have not been any bids in the airport space over the past two years. However, 2019 saw a significant number of bids in the airport sector with the Adani Group winning six airports, GMR and Zurich airports being awarded one airport each. "There was a significant interest seen from both domestic as well as international players in these bids," said Kotecha. Under the National Monetisation Pipeline, the Centre plans to divest brownfield assets such as airports, thereby increasing competition in this sector. At least 25 additional airports have been identified for monetisation in the next three years. Also Read AirAsia India expects full-traffic recovery in 2022 sans third Covid wave Furthermore, there has been an increased focus on increasing regional connectivity. In terms of the RCS-UDAN scheme, 948 valid routes have been awarded. Of these, 395 routes connecting 63 unserved and underserved airports, including six heliports and two water aerodromes, have been operationalised. As per data, under UDAN 4.1, 168 routes were awarded during the year. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has set a target of operationalising as many as 100 unserved and underserved airports and starting at least 1,000 RCS routes by 2024. "Expect the target of operationalising 100 airports under UDAN by 2026, with a delay of two years from revised schedule (of 2024 from earlier 2019)," said Rajeshwar Burla, Vice President and Group Head, Corporate Ratings, ICRA. "The weak credit profile of some of the domestic airlines is expected to have an impact on the existing routes under UDAN scheme, particularly for smaller airlines given the stretched liquidity position, low utilisation in some of the routes and this will also impact future bidding of routes under the scheme," Burla said. Also Read Aviation and devotion Burla attributed the slow progress of UDAN implementation to delayed upgrade of infrastructure and readiness of airports, lack of adequate right of way, including insufficient runway lengths at some of the RCS airports and delays in securing necessary regulatory approvals. Suman Chowdhury, Chief Analytical Officer, Acuite Ratings & Research, said, "As of 2020, there were 153 operational airports in India which are poised to grow to by another 20-30 by 2030. AAI has a capital expenditure programme of Rs 25,000 crore over the next 4-5 years for the development of new domestic airports as well as the expansion and upgrade the existing ones." In addition, Chowdhury said the private sector is increasingly participating in the development and expansion of international airports in the country to cater to the potential incoming business and leisure traffic. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Katra (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 1 (ANI): Union Minister Jitendra Singh, who rushed to Katra in Jammu and Kashmir following the stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, in which 12 people were killed and at least 15 injured said they are looking to add some technical solutions to the pilgrimage to the hilltop temple to avoid mishaps in the future. "The condition of people who have been admitted are now stable. We may add some technical solutions for the yatra. Earlier people use to visit the shrine during festivals, nowadays youngsters want to visit shrine on first day of the year, " Singh told reporters after visiting the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital where those injured in the stampede have undergoing treatment. Also Read | Jammu and Kashmir: JeM Terrorist Killed in Anantnag Encounter Identified as Last Surviving Terrorist Involved in 2019 Pulwama Terror Attack. The Union Minister also said that Prime Minister Modi is monitoring the situation. "This is a very unfortunate incident and we can't get back those who lost their lives, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi is closely monitoring and working to ensure people who are in grief get all support," Singh said. Also Read | Delhi: 3, Including Minor Arrested for Sexually Assaulting Woman Inside Gym in Rohini. A three-member high-level probe has been ordered by the government in the stampede. As per an official statement issued by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, the team will be headed by the Principal Secretary Home, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Jammu Zone, and Divisional Commissioner of Jammu. Jitendra Singh also took to Twitter to release a list of the deceased and the injured. According to Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh the incident occurred around 2:45 am, and as per initial reports, an argument broke out which led to people pushing each other and resulted in the stampede. Prime Minister Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives in the stampede and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured. Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh for the next of kin of those who died and Rs 2 lakh for the injured. The cave shrine is situated at an altitude of 5,200 feet in the Reasi district and generally attracts close to a million devotees every year. The operations of the pilgrimage site are managed by the Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, which provides battery car and ropeway services to the pilgrims to reach the top of Trikuta hills for darshan. Meanwhile, Vaishno Devi Yatra resumed after being suspended briefly following the incident. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday released funds to the tune of Rs 20,900 crore under PM-KISAN Yojana and utilised the occasion to issue a report card of his government's achievements in an election year and reach out to farmers in the backdrop of a one-year-long farmer agitation that ended last month. From seeking to give a message of confidence on fighting Covid-19 amid the surging new variant Omicron, Modi in his speech talked at length about the 'consistency" in his government policies, the growth rate of economy and strengthening the cultural heritage with moves on the Ram Mandir, Kashi Vishwanath temple and Kedarnath Dham. Also Read PM Modi transfers about Rs 19,500 crore to over 9.75 crore farmers under PM-KISAN Modi's address through video conferencing was attended by nine chief ministers and a number of ministers from different states. He also interacted with farmers across the countrym including from poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, which has been one of the epicentres of the year-long farm protest. He made a big pitch for natural farming, telling the farmers that it is in their interest and there is a lot of demand for such products in the international market. He released the amount to more than 10.09 crore farmers as the 10th installment of financial aid under the scheme under which a financial benefit of Rs 6,000 per year is given to eligible farmer families in three equal installments. Modi, who also released an equity grant of more than Rs 14 crore to about 351 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), benefiting 1.24 lakh farmers, held a conversation with the beneficiaries. They included farmers from poll-bound UP, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Gujarat. He said that FPO's "small farmers" are feeling the power of collective strength. He pointed out five benefits of FPOs for small farmers. The government has in the past maintained that the farmer agitation had nothing to do with small farmers having less than two acres of land. "Today, our farmers are benefitting from the schemes like One District One Products and markets, both nation and global, are opening for them," he said, projecting a number of initiatives started by the central government with relation to the farm sector. "Confidence of the countrys farmers is the key strength of the country he said. FPO from Gujarat talked about natural farming and how cow-based agriculture can reduce the expense and stress on soil. Modi talked about "milestones" achieved in the agriculture sector in the recent years. Modi said 2021 was also the year of strengthening Indias cultural heritage. He listed moves like beautification and development of Kashi Vishwanath Dham and Kedarnath Dham, Renovation of Samadhi of Aadi Shankaracharya, restoration of stolen idol of goddess Annapoorna, construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and getting World Heritage status for Dholavira and Durga Puja festival as steps that are strengthening Indias heritage and enhancing its tourism and pilgrimage potential. Modi said on many parameters, the Indian economy is looking better than pre-Covid days. He pointed out that today the growth rate of our economy is more than 8%. Record foreign investment has come to India. Our forex reserves have reached record levels. Old records have also been surpassed in GST collection. We have also set new records in the matter of exports, especially in agriculture. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Scores of activists of the Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took out separate protest marches here on Saturday after authorities allegedly detained top leaders of the parties ahead of a proposed sit-in against the draft proposals of the Delimitation Commission. The protest call was given by the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) an amalgam of various mainstream political parties in including the NC, the PDP, CPI(M), Peoples Movement and Awami Conference. NC activists, including party spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar and youth wing president Salman Sagar, took out a protest march from NC headquarters Nawa-i-Subah here. The party activists tried to move towards Gupkar Road but were stopped by the police outside the party office. We wanted to take out a peaceful protest march against the Delimitation Commission's draft proposals, but were stopped by the police. They did not even allow us to hold a sit-in, Dar said. The NC Spokesperson alleged the police dragged the party activists back to Nawa-i-Subah. activists also took out a protest march demanding restoration of Articles 370 and 35-A which were revoked by the Centre on August 5, 2019. The activists were stopped by the police near GPO and later dispersed peacefully. Meanwhile, NC vice president Omar Abdullah and president Mehbooba Mufti praised their party colleagues for the protests. Well done to my @JKNC_ & @YNCJK colleagues for managing to come out & register our protest about all that is being done to disempower the people, Omar wrote on Twitter. Despite the despotic administration's attempts to foil our protests, PDP & NC workers managed to hit the streets in Srinagar today to raise their voice against the illegal revocation of Article 370. I salute their courage & resolve, Mehbooba said in a tweet. Earlier, authorities foiled the proposed protest march of the PAGD here against the draft proposals of the Delimitation Commission by allegedly detaining prominent leaders of the alliance. Alliance president Farooq Abdullah, who is also the NC chief, PAGD vice president Mehbooba Mufti and spokesperson M Y Tarigami, a senior leader of the CPI(M), were among the leaders who were allegedly prevented from moving out of their residences. Omar Abdullah alleged that police had locked the internal gates of their residence and trucks had been parked outside. He posted pictures of a police vehicle parked on the gates of their residence as well as that of a locked internal gate. Tarigami said he was also put under house arrest and his residence locked. On December 21, the PAGD termed the proposal by the Delimitation Commission of adding six seats to Jammu region against only one to Kashmir valley as "divisive" and said the alliance would stage a protest here on New Year day. Peoples Conference chief Sajad Lone said the right to protest is intrinsic to the concept of a vibrant democracy. Despite the despotic administrations attempts to foil our protests, PDP & NC workers managed to hit the streets in Srinagar today to raise their voice against the illegal revocation of Article 370. I salute their courage & resolve. pic.twitter.com/yfRa5nSdmg Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) January 1, 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.) While worry over early marriage is a start in the right direction, legislative action on the subject is equivalent to addressing symptoms rather than the underlying factors. Suchitra | TwoCircles.net Support TwoCircles NEW DELHI The government of India has tabled a law to raise the legal age for marriage for women to 21 years. The Indian governments rationale behind this move is to address issues like maternal mortality, child marriage etc. Although this move is being lauded by many, observers and critics note that it is a very superficial move at best and counterproductive at worst. While worry over early marriage is a start in the right direction, legislative action on the subject is equivalent to addressing symptoms rather than the underlying factors. A variety of causes, including deep-seated gender inequality, regressive societal standards, financial instability, a lack of spending on quality education for women, and career possibilities for women; all contribute to the prevalence of early and forced marriages. The cabinet has also forgone the Jaya Jaitly-led task forces proposals on including sexuality education into the school curriculum, as well as investment in skill development, business training, and livelihood enhancement for women. Indias healthcare systems have always been extremely inaccessible to women, especially women from marginalised sections. Studies show 53% of women in India are anaemic. In 2016, India ranked 170 out of 180 countries where women suffer from anaemia. India spends a dismal 1.6% of its GDP on its healthcare programs. There is virtually no public expenditure or plans by the government to address large-scale nutrition, education and healthcare gender gaps that have grown wider due to the pandemic. The ruling BJP governments flagship scheme Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao has 80% of its funds being used up in advertising, leaving only 20% for actual usage. It is proven that investing in a girl childs education and nutrition is what truly delays marriage. There are very few gender-based social security systems, especially those targeted at health or nutrition. The National Food Security Act (NFSA) demands that pregnant and lactating women must be given a cash transfer of 6,000 annually. The Modi government subverted the NFSA and replaced it with the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana scheme that reduces the amount of this transfer to 5,000. The governments budget for 2020-21 also drastically reduced the amount allotted to the scheme by 48 per cent. Early marriage has societal sanction and is ironically seen as a solution by the communities, not a problem, Poonam Muttreja, Executive Director of Population Foundation of India said. Considering the patriarchal structure of Indian society, early marriage is a symptom and not a root issue. The government should have rather stressed upon better health-care, education and financially empowering women to curb the problem of early marriages than to kill their autonomy whatsoever they happened to achieve after struggling, said Anjali Rai, an anti-caste gender justice activist, who handles communications at National Campaign on Dalit Rights. While we undoubtedly need to work hard to implement laws around child marriage and ensure girls get married post the legal age, we must also work towards addressing the root causes behind early marriages. The way to tackle the menace of early marriage is to provide girls with equal opportunities to fulfil their dreams and aspirations in addition to bringing an attitudinal change among communities, she said. The age of marriage was increased from 16 to 18 in 1978 to provide better opportunities for womens education and improve their health. However, the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS 5 201921) has child marriages at 23%. In a society so stringent about honour, and so strict about caste divides, victims of familial violence in cases of inter-caste or inter-faith marriages have the recourse of justice many times because they arent minors. The women in inter-caste relationships will be affected a lot. In many cases, women after eloping with their respective partners or in cases of domestic violence, are falsely proved minors, thereby rendering their marriages illegal. The act will coerce such women to endure the domestic violence and surrender to the forces that inflict such violence, Anjali comments. As of now, the government is more interested in a carceral brand of policing women rather than a holistic approach, investing in girls education, access to information and services on sexual and reproductive health, mental health and nutrition services for women and girls, especially those from the most marginalized communities. Suchitra is an independent journalist working on social justice, focusing primarily on gender justice. She tweets at @Suchitrawrites Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Saturday he would refocus his efforts on foreign policy and pledged to make 2022 the year of diplomacy, in a New Year statement posted on his website. "The deft handling of diplomatic and security issues and the establishment of a stable administration is crucial, as the international situation surrounding us becomes increasingly difficult and complex," Kishida said. He added that a strong emphasis on universal ideals, as well as efforts to resolve global issues and protect the lives of the people would be the three guiding principles of what he called "a diplomacy of realism for the new era." Also read: Japan, US draw up plan for possible Taiwan emergency A former foreign minister who took office in October and prides himself in his diplomatic skills, Kishida had spoken of his hopes to hold a summit with United States President Joe Biden as early as possible. However, the US administration's efforts to pass a large-scale social bill meant the meeting did not take place in 2021 as Kishida initially hoped. In the New Year's statement, Kishida also promised to prioritise tackling the Covid-19 pandemic as Japan sees a spread of the Omicron variant, and pursue his efforts to close the wealth gap and create a sustainable economy by creating a "new type of capitalism" for the country. Check out latest videos from DH: Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Saturday he would refocus his efforts on foreign policy and pledged to make 2022 the year of diplomacy, in a New Year statement posted on his website. "The deft handling of diplomatic and security issues and the establishment of a stable administration is crucial, as the international situation surrounding us becomes increasingly difficult and complex," Kishida said. He added that a strong emphasis on universal ideals, as well as efforts to resolve global issues and protect the lives of the people would be the three guiding principles of what he called "a diplomacy of realism for the new era." Also read: Japan, US draw up plan for possible Taiwan emergency A former foreign minister who took office in October and prides himself in his diplomatic skills, Kishida had spoken of his hopes to hold a summit with United States President Joe Biden as early as possible. However, the US administration's efforts to pass a large-scale social bill meant the meeting did not take place in 2021 as Kishida initially hoped. In the New Year's statement, Kishida also promised to prioritise tackling the Covid-19 pandemic as Japan sees a spread of the Omicron variant, and pursue his efforts to close the wealth gap and create a sustainable economy by creating a "new type of capitalism" for the country. Check out latest videos from DH: People who think that Donald Trumps influence on the Republican Party has been mostly malign are always looking for signs that it is fading. Matt Lewis, writing in the Daily Beast, sees several such indicators, from the empty seats at recent Trump events to the struggles of some of the candidates he has endorsed. Josh Kraushaar, a columnist for National Journal, thinks Trump has handed his opponents in the party an opportunity by backing former Sen. David Perdues primary challenge to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. If they help Kemp withstand it, they will liberate other Republicans from the need to stay supine before Trump. A lot of anti-Trump Republicans took heart in November, too, from Glenn Youngkins victory in Virginias governors race since it suggested that their party can regain some of the voters Trump repelled from the party while holding on to the ones he recruited to it. The obvious bad news for Trumps opponents something neither Lewis nor Kraushaar denies is that Trump retains great strength in the party and remains its most powerful leader. The less obvious bad news is that he is also stronger than he looks. There are two reasons for this hidden strength. The first has to do with Republican voters interest in winning the 2024 election. Anti-Trump Republicans will seek to persuade them that they will lose to the Democrats if Trump is again the nominee. Trump has been consistently unpopular, he lost reelection, and he has increasingly concentrated on his personal grievances rather than issues of direct concern to most voters. Losing a presidential election, and especially a reelection, typically hurts a candidates political reputation so badly that he cant try a comeback four years later. Trumps nonsense about having won the last campaign in a landslide, only to have it stolen from him, is partly about avoiding an exile to loserdom. But its not just myths about 2020 that will lead Republican voters to think he is a viable candidate for 2024. Theres also the reality that, well, hes a viable candidate for 2024. A Wall Street Journal poll in December put him only one point behind Biden in a rematch. A different poll had Trump ahead by two last month. Of course, it is very early, and Democrats may be at a low ebb. The takeaway from these polls is merely that Trump isnt a sure loser. If Democrats are struggling in 2024, his enthusiastic supporters might again combine with those voters who grudgingly prefer him to the Democrats to give him an electoral majority. The second reason Trump has more power over Republicans than it looks is that his influence depends as much on the depth of his support as on its breadth. Some Republicans who wish Trump would fade away have taken solace in polls that show voters increasingly likely to call themselves primarily Republicans rather than Trump supporters. (In October 2020, Trump-first voters outnumbered Republican-first voters 5930; this month, the split is 4250.) Lets say, though, that the Trump-first number shrinks much further, to 10% of right-leaning voters. If Trump is willing and able to convince that 10% not to vote for Republican candidates he dislikes, Republicans wont be able to win races in a lot of places. And we know hes willing to do it. Jonathan Karl of ABC has reported that on the last day of his presidency, Trump threatened to destroy the Republican Party by starting a new one. That was two weeks after he had cost Republicans two Senate seats and consequently control of the chamber by attacking Georgia Republican officials and casting doubt about whether elections were administered honestly. Since then, Trump has openly talked about how Republican voters wont show up in 2022 or 2024 if Republicans dont solve the Presidential Election Fraud of 2020 which can easily be read as a threat against Republicans who dont indulge his landslide fantasy. If Kemp beats Perdue in the primary, Trump will likely campaign against him in the general election without worrying that a Democrat will profit from it. If Kemp then loses, Republicans looking for lessons about Trump will pay more attention to the end of his governorship than his primary victory. Trump is, in short, well-protected against the electability argument his Republican opponents would most like to make, and he stands apart from his would-be rivals in his indifference to anything but his own self-interest. Like it or not and I really, really dont these are both political assets for him that have a good shot to endure. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday addressed a gathering organized by the country's top political advisory body to ring in the year 2022. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), delivered an important speech at the gathering of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing. Senior leaders Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the gathering. They were joined by leading officials of China's non-Communist parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, personages with no party affiliation, officials of central Party and government departments, and individuals from various ethnic groups and sectors of society in Beijing. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the CMC, Xi extended New Year's greetings. Noting that the CPC will convene its 20th national congress in 2022, Xi called for more strenuous efforts to foster a stable and healthy economic environment, a clean and upright political environment, and a peaceful and prosperous social environment. Looking back at the past year, Xi hailed 2021 as a year of milestone significance. Faced with arduous domestic tasks and a complex international landscape, China has led the world in economic development and COVID-19 prevention and control, securing a great start for the 14th Five-Year Plan, Xi said. Xi said China has continued to take comprehensive steps to deepen reform. The country has basically completed the 50 major reform tasks set by the central commission for deepening overall reform, along with more than 100 other reforms, Xi said, adding that 216 reform plans have been formulated. China achieved the goal of making systems in all areas notably more mature and better-defined by the time the CPC celebrated its centenary, Xi said. In 2021, efforts were made to support and promote Hong Kong's return to the right track from chaos, and maintain prosperity and stability in Macao, he said. With strong measures to overcome external challenges, China has advanced the peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Strait, Xi said. While advocating true multilateralism, China steadily advanced Belt and Road cooperation and kept its promise to make COVID-19 vaccines global public goods, making contributions to global peace and development, he said. "In the year to come, we should uphold and improve the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC," Xi said, calling for efforts to consolidate and develop the broadest possible patriotic united front. "We should do better in building consensus, and strive to pool extensive wisdom and strength to realize the goals and fulfill the missions of the Party and the state," Xi said. To conclude his speech, Xi called on the Chinese people to strengthen their unity and work together to strive for new and greater victories and glory. Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, presided over the event. Wang called for thorough efforts to study and implement the spirit of Xi's speech, giving full play to CPPCC's role as a special consultative body in state governance, and working tirelessly to build a modern socialist country in all respects and realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. Enditem Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attend the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. The leaders also watched a performance at the gathering. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday addressed a gathering organized by the country's top political advisory body to ring in the year 2022. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), delivered an important speech at the gathering of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing. Senior leaders Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the gathering. They were joined by leading officials of China's non-Communist parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, personages with no party affiliation, officials of central Party and government departments, and individuals from various ethnic groups and sectors of society in Beijing. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the CMC, Xi extended New Year's greetings. Noting that the CPC will convene its 20th national congress in 2022, Xi called for more strenuous efforts to foster a stable and healthy economic environment, a clean and upright political environment, and a peaceful and prosperous social environment. Looking back at the past year, Xi hailed 2021 as a year of milestone significance. Faced with arduous domestic tasks and a complex international landscape, China has led the world in economic development and COVID-19 prevention and control, securing a great start for the 14th Five-Year Plan, Xi said. Xi said China has continued to take comprehensive steps to deepen reform. The country has basically completed the 50 major reform tasks set by the central commission for deepening overall reform, along with more than 100 other reforms, Xi said, adding that 216 reform plans have been formulated. China achieved the goal of making systems in all areas notably more mature and better-defined by the time the CPC celebrated its centenary, Xi said. In 2021, efforts were made to support and promote Hong Kong's return to the right track from chaos, and maintain prosperity and stability in Macao, he said. With strong measures to overcome external challenges, China has advanced the peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Strait, Xi said. While advocating true multilateralism, China steadily advanced Belt and Road cooperation and kept its promise to make COVID-19 vaccines global public goods, making contributions to global peace and development, he said. "In the year to come, we should uphold and improve the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC," Xi said, calling for efforts to consolidate and develop the broadest possible patriotic united front. "We should do better in building consensus, and strive to pool extensive wisdom and strength to realize the goals and fulfill the missions of the Party and the state," Xi said. To conclude his speech, Xi called on the Chinese people to strengthen their unity and work together to strive for new and greater victories and glory. Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, presided over the event. Wang called for thorough efforts to study and implement the spirit of Xi's speech, giving full play to CPPCC's role as a special consultative body in state governance, and working tirelessly to build a modern socialist country in all respects and realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. Enditem Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attend the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. The leaders also watched a performance at the gathering. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday addressed a gathering organized by the country's top political advisory body to ring in the year 2022. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), delivered an important speech at the gathering of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing. Senior leaders Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the gathering. They were joined by leading officials of China's non-Communist parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, personages with no party affiliation, officials of central Party and government departments, and individuals from various ethnic groups and sectors of society in Beijing. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the CMC, Xi extended New Year's greetings. Noting that the CPC will convene its 20th national congress in 2022, Xi called for more strenuous efforts to foster a stable and healthy economic environment, a clean and upright political environment, and a peaceful and prosperous social environment. Looking back at the past year, Xi hailed 2021 as a year of milestone significance. Faced with arduous domestic tasks and a complex international landscape, China has led the world in economic development and COVID-19 prevention and control, securing a great start for the 14th Five-Year Plan, Xi said. Xi said China has continued to take comprehensive steps to deepen reform. The country has basically completed the 50 major reform tasks set by the central commission for deepening overall reform, along with more than 100 other reforms, Xi said, adding that 216 reform plans have been formulated. China achieved the goal of making systems in all areas notably more mature and better-defined by the time the CPC celebrated its centenary, Xi said. In 2021, efforts were made to support and promote Hong Kong's return to the right track from chaos, and maintain prosperity and stability in Macao, he said. With strong measures to overcome external challenges, China has advanced the peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Strait, Xi said. While advocating true multilateralism, China steadily advanced Belt and Road cooperation and kept its promise to make COVID-19 vaccines global public goods, making contributions to global peace and development, he said. "In the year to come, we should uphold and improve the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC," Xi said, calling for efforts to consolidate and develop the broadest possible patriotic united front. "We should do better in building consensus, and strive to pool extensive wisdom and strength to realize the goals and fulfill the missions of the Party and the state," Xi said. To conclude his speech, Xi called on the Chinese people to strengthen their unity and work together to strive for new and greater victories and glory. Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, presided over the event. Wang called for thorough efforts to study and implement the spirit of Xi's speech, giving full play to CPPCC's role as a special consultative body in state governance, and working tirelessly to build a modern socialist country in all respects and realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. Enditem Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attend the New Year gathering organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2021. The leaders also watched a performance at the gathering. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Bradey Police Lt. Philip Trudeau (L) comforts Bourbonnais Police officer Andy Cox following a ceremonial procession for fallen Bradley Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, in Bourbonnais, Ill., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Tiffany Blanchette/The Daily Journal via AP) Suspect in Shooting of Illinois Officers Arrested in Indiana CHICAGOA man suspected in the shooting of one police officer and wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel has been taken into custody, authorities said Friday. Darius Sullivan, one of two people suspected in the shooting of the two Bradley police officers, was arrested Friday morning at a home in North Manchester, Indiana, Sgt. Glen Fifield of the Indiana State Police said at a news conference. Sullivan, 25, surrendered to a SWAT team that was assisting the U.S. Marshals with a search warrant for the property about 110 miles east of Bradley. Sullivans arrest came a day after Illinois authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The Illinois State Police did not release any updates on the investigation Friday other than a written statement confirming that Sullivan had been arrested and would be taken back to Kankakee County, where the shooting occurred late Wednesday. Fifield said he didnt have any details on the investigation into the shooting. He did name three other men but wouldnt discuss whether their arrests were connected to the officers shootings. Two of the men were arrested after police said they ran from their car during a traffic stop in Fulton County, Indiana. The third was arrested at the home where Sullivan was taken into custody. Fifield said police found weapons and drugs in the car that the two men fled from and at the North Manchester home. Authorities are still searching for 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, of Bradley, who investigators believe was at the hotel when the shootings happened, the Illinois State Police said. The two officers were speaking to people in a room at a Comfort Inn along a highway in Kankakee County when they were shot, according to the county sheriffs office. They were taken to nearby hospitals, where 49-year-old Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic died. The other officeridentified by the Illinois State Police as 27-year-old Tyler J. Baileyunderwent surgery and was listed in critical condition on Thursday, according to the Bradley Police Department. Messages left with the department and Illinois State Police on Friday to update Baileys condition were not immediately returned. The officers were at the hotel to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, the sheriffs office said. They found the room where the vehicles possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, it said. Authorities arrested two other people Thursday on charges alleging they impeded the search for Sullivan and a woman also suspected in the shootings. Nichele Newton-Carroll, 42, and Jelman Sullivan, 21, face charges of obstructing justice/leaving the state, the (Kankakee) Daily Journal reported. Neither had an attorney listed Friday in court or jail records. Kankakee County States Attorney Jim Rowe identified Newton-Carroll as Sullivans mother. Rowe said he is not sure of the connection between Jelman Sullivan and Darius Sullivan. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriffs deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriffs Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputys squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. MANILA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines' health department on Saturday reported 3,617 new COVID-19 infections, taking its total to 2,847,486. The department also reported 43 more deaths from COVID-19 complications, bringing the country's death toll to 51,545. The number of active cases in the country climbed to 17,374. Analyst Guido David of the OCTA Research Group said the reproduction number in the country has jumped to 3.19, meaning that each person who tests positive for COVID-19 infects three other people. In a social media post, Guido said that the positivity rate, or the percentage of people who test positive for the virus, in Metro Manila has increased to 21 percent. Health department data showed that Metro Manila, home to over 13 million people, is the region with the most active and new cases in the Southeast Asian country. Jonas del Rosario, spokesperson of the Philippine General Hospital, noted an increase in the admission of COVID-19 patients, including children. The Philippines sees a spike in cases due to high mobility and poor compliance with safety health protocols during the holiday season. The health department reported its highest daily caseload on Sept. 11, 2021, with 26,303 cases, as the country grappled with the third wave of infections since January 2020. The Philippines, with a population of around 110 million, has tested more than 23.5 million people since the outbreak of the pandemic. Enditem KHARTOUM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Sudan is bidding farewell to the year 2021 and ushering in a new year amid difficult throes for a democratic transition and political stabilities following decades of political instability. Political crisis and street protests constituted one of the most prominent features of 2021 in Sudan, and it is likely to continue in 2022 as the root cause which led to the crisis remained unsolved, according to analysts. "It is expected that the revolutionary groups will tend to form a broad-based coalition against the October 25th measures," Abdul-Raziq Ziyada, a Sudanese political analyst, told Xinhua during a recent interview. Sudan has been suffering a political crisis after General Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency on Oct. 25, 2021 and dissolved the sovereign council and government. "It is clear that there is a tendency towards establishing a civil alliance and signing a political declaration to strengthen the position of the civilian forces," Ziyada added. Abdul-Rahim Al-Sunni, an expert on the Sudanese political situation, predicted that the new year in Sudan would be similar to last year. "I expect the resistance on the street demanding civilian government to continue in 2022," Al-Sunni told Xinhua. The last two months of 2021 was marked by multiple large-scale demonstrations in Khartoum and other cities in Sudan, with dozens of protesters dying in clashes with security forces. On Nov. 11, Al-Burhan issued a constitutional decree forming a transitional Sovereign Council. On Nov. 21, he and former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who was later removed, signed a political declaration, which included reinstating Hamdok as prime minister, but the deal has so far failed to bring calm. Enditem Some Ugandans welcomed in the New Year with optimism despite an increase in coronavirus cases in the country, spurred by the new omicron variant. The Ugandan police banned public celebrations and the traditional fireworks that have characterized the New Year's festivities across the nation. However, some revelers who managed to sneak out, spoke to the Associated Press about their dreams for the new year, with many saying lockdowns should be lifted and Ugandans allowed to take care of themselves. A nighttime curfew remains in force across the country. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Some Ugandans welcomed in the New Year with optimism despite an increase in coronavirus cases in the country, spurred by the new omicron variant. The Ugandan police banned public celebrations and the traditional fireworks that have characterized the New Year's festivities across the nation. However, some revelers who managed to sneak out, spoke to the Associated Press about their dreams for the new year, with many saying lockdowns should be lifted and Ugandans allowed to take care of themselves. A nighttime curfew remains in force across the country. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Some Ugandans welcomed in the New Year with optimism despite an increase in coronavirus cases in the country, spurred by the new omicron variant. The Ugandan police banned public celebrations and the traditional fireworks that have characterized the New Year's festivities across the nation. However, some revelers who managed to sneak out, spoke to the Associated Press about their dreams for the new year, with many saying lockdowns should be lifted and Ugandans allowed to take care of themselves. A nighttime curfew remains in force across the country. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Some Ugandans welcomed in the New Year with optimism despite an increase in coronavirus cases in the country, spurred by the new omicron variant. The Ugandan police banned public celebrations and the traditional fireworks that have characterized the New Year's festivities across the nation. However, some revelers who managed to sneak out, spoke to the Associated Press about their dreams for the new year, with many saying lockdowns should be lifted and Ugandans allowed to take care of themselves. A nighttime curfew remains in force across the country. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Some Ugandans welcomed in the New Year with optimism despite an increase in coronavirus cases in the country, spurred by the new omicron variant. The Ugandan police banned public celebrations and the traditional fireworks that have characterized the New Year's festivities across the nation. However, some revelers who managed to sneak out, spoke to the Associated Press about their dreams for the new year, with many saying lockdowns should be lifted and Ugandans allowed to take care of themselves. A nighttime curfew remains in force across the country. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Some Ugandans welcomed in the New Year with optimism despite an increase in coronavirus cases in the country, spurred by the new omicron variant. The Ugandan police banned public celebrations and the traditional fireworks that have characterized the New Year's festivities across the nation. However, some revelers who managed to sneak out, spoke to the Associated Press about their dreams for the new year, with many saying lockdowns should be lifted and Ugandans allowed to take care of themselves. A nighttime curfew remains in force across the country. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) People who think that Donald Trumps influence on the Republican Party has been mostly malign are always looking for signs that it is fading. Matt Lewis, writing in the Daily Beast, sees several such indicators, from the empty seats at recent Trump events to the struggles of some of the candidates he has endorsed. Josh Kraushaar, a columnist for National Journal, thinks Trump has handed his opponents in the party an opportunity by backing former Sen. David Perdues primary challenge to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. If they help Kemp withstand it, they will liberate other Republicans from the need to stay supine before Trump. A lot of anti-Trump Republicans took heart in November, too, from Glenn Youngkins victory in Virginias governors race since it suggested that their party can regain some of the voters Trump repelled from the party while holding on to the ones he recruited to it. The obvious bad news for Trumps opponents something neither Lewis nor Kraushaar denies is that Trump retains great strength in the party and remains its most powerful leader. The less obvious bad news is that he is also stronger than he looks. There are two reasons for this hidden strength. The first has to do with Republican voters interest in winning the 2024 election. Anti-Trump Republicans will seek to persuade them that they will lose to the Democrats if Trump is again the nominee. Trump has been consistently unpopular, he lost reelection, and he has increasingly concentrated on his personal grievances rather than issues of direct concern to most voters. Losing a presidential election, and especially a reelection, typically hurts a candidates political reputation so badly that he cant try a comeback four years later. Trumps nonsense about having won the last campaign in a landslide, only to have it stolen from him, is partly about avoiding an exile to loserdom. But its not just myths about 2020 that will lead Republican voters to think he is a viable candidate for 2024. Theres also the reality that, well, hes a viable candidate for 2024. A Wall Street Journal poll in December put him only one point behind Biden in a rematch. A different poll had Trump ahead by two last month. Of course, it is very early, and Democrats may be at a low ebb. The takeaway from these polls is merely that Trump isnt a sure loser. If Democrats are struggling in 2024, his enthusiastic supporters might again combine with those voters who grudgingly prefer him to the Democrats to give him an electoral majority. The second reason Trump has more power over Republicans than it looks is that his influence depends as much on the depth of his support as on its breadth. Some Republicans who wish Trump would fade away have taken solace in polls that show voters increasingly likely to call themselves primarily Republicans rather than Trump supporters. (In October 2020, Trump-first voters outnumbered Republican-first voters 5930; this month, the split is 4250.) Lets say, though, that the Trump-first number shrinks much further, to 10% of right-leaning voters. If Trump is willing and able to convince that 10% not to vote for Republican candidates he dislikes, Republicans wont be able to win races in a lot of places. And we know hes willing to do it. Jonathan Karl of ABC has reported that on the last day of his presidency, Trump threatened to destroy the Republican Party by starting a new one. That was two weeks after he had cost Republicans two Senate seats and consequently control of the chamber by attacking Georgia Republican officials and casting doubt about whether elections were administered honestly. Since then, Trump has openly talked about how Republican voters wont show up in 2022 or 2024 if Republicans dont solve the Presidential Election Fraud of 2020 which can easily be read as a threat against Republicans who dont indulge his landslide fantasy. If Kemp beats Perdue in the primary, Trump will likely campaign against him in the general election without worrying that a Democrat will profit from it. If Kemp then loses, Republicans looking for lessons about Trump will pay more attention to the end of his governorship than his primary victory. Trump is, in short, well-protected against the electability argument his Republican opponents would most like to make, and he stands apart from his would-be rivals in his indifference to anything but his own self-interest. Like it or not and I really, really dont these are both political assets for him that have a good shot to endure. People who think that Donald Trumps influence on the Republican Party has been mostly malign are always looking for signs that it is fading. Matt Lewis, writing in the Daily Beast, sees several such indicators, from the empty seats at recent Trump events to the struggles of some of the candidates he has endorsed. Josh Kraushaar, a columnist for National Journal, thinks Trump has handed his opponents in the party an opportunity by backing former Sen. David Perdues primary challenge to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. If they help Kemp withstand it, they will liberate other Republicans from the need to stay supine before Trump. A lot of anti-Trump Republicans took heart in November, too, from Glenn Youngkins victory in Virginias governors race since it suggested that their party can regain some of the voters Trump repelled from the party while holding on to the ones he recruited to it. The obvious bad news for Trumps opponents something neither Lewis nor Kraushaar denies is that Trump retains great strength in the party and remains its most powerful leader. The less obvious bad news is that he is also stronger than he looks. There are two reasons for this hidden strength. The first has to do with Republican voters interest in winning the 2024 election. Anti-Trump Republicans will seek to persuade them that they will lose to the Democrats if Trump is again the nominee. Trump has been consistently unpopular, he lost reelection, and he has increasingly concentrated on his personal grievances rather than issues of direct concern to most voters. Losing a presidential election, and especially a reelection, typically hurts a candidates political reputation so badly that he cant try a comeback four years later. Trumps nonsense about having won the last campaign in a landslide, only to have it stolen from him, is partly about avoiding an exile to loserdom. But its not just myths about 2020 that will lead Republican voters to think he is a viable candidate for 2024. Theres also the reality that, well, hes a viable candidate for 2024. A Wall Street Journal poll in December put him only one point behind Biden in a rematch. A different poll had Trump ahead by two last month. Of course, it is very early, and Democrats may be at a low ebb. The takeaway from these polls is merely that Trump isnt a sure loser. If Democrats are struggling in 2024, his enthusiastic supporters might again combine with those voters who grudgingly prefer him to the Democrats to give him an electoral majority. The second reason Trump has more power over Republicans than it looks is that his influence depends as much on the depth of his support as on its breadth. Some Republicans who wish Trump would fade away have taken solace in polls that show voters increasingly likely to call themselves primarily Republicans rather than Trump supporters. (In October 2020, Trump-first voters outnumbered Republican-first voters 5930; this month, the split is 4250.) Lets say, though, that the Trump-first number shrinks much further, to 10% of right-leaning voters. If Trump is willing and able to convince that 10% not to vote for Republican candidates he dislikes, Republicans wont be able to win races in a lot of places. And we know hes willing to do it. Jonathan Karl of ABC has reported that on the last day of his presidency, Trump threatened to destroy the Republican Party by starting a new one. That was two weeks after he had cost Republicans two Senate seats and consequently control of the chamber by attacking Georgia Republican officials and casting doubt about whether elections were administered honestly. Since then, Trump has openly talked about how Republican voters wont show up in 2022 or 2024 if Republicans dont solve the Presidential Election Fraud of 2020 which can easily be read as a threat against Republicans who dont indulge his landslide fantasy. If Kemp beats Perdue in the primary, Trump will likely campaign against him in the general election without worrying that a Democrat will profit from it. If Kemp then loses, Republicans looking for lessons about Trump will pay more attention to the end of his governorship than his primary victory. Trump is, in short, well-protected against the electability argument his Republican opponents would most like to make, and he stands apart from his would-be rivals in his indifference to anything but his own self-interest. Like it or not and I really, really dont these are both political assets for him that have a good shot to endure. People who think that Donald Trumps influence on the Republican Party has been mostly malign are always looking for signs that it is fading. Matt Lewis, writing in the Daily Beast, sees several such indicators, from the empty seats at recent Trump events to the struggles of some of the candidates he has endorsed. Josh Kraushaar, a columnist for National Journal, thinks Trump has handed his opponents in the party an opportunity by backing former Sen. David Perdues primary challenge to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. If they help Kemp withstand it, they will liberate other Republicans from the need to stay supine before Trump. A lot of anti-Trump Republicans took heart in November, too, from Glenn Youngkins victory in Virginias governors race since it suggested that their party can regain some of the voters Trump repelled from the party while holding on to the ones he recruited to it. The obvious bad news for Trumps opponents something neither Lewis nor Kraushaar denies is that Trump retains great strength in the party and remains its most powerful leader. The less obvious bad news is that he is also stronger than he looks. There are two reasons for this hidden strength. The first has to do with Republican voters interest in winning the 2024 election. Anti-Trump Republicans will seek to persuade them that they will lose to the Democrats if Trump is again the nominee. Trump has been consistently unpopular, he lost reelection, and he has increasingly concentrated on his personal grievances rather than issues of direct concern to most voters. Losing a presidential election, and especially a reelection, typically hurts a candidates political reputation so badly that he cant try a comeback four years later. Trumps nonsense about having won the last campaign in a landslide, only to have it stolen from him, is partly about avoiding an exile to loserdom. But its not just myths about 2020 that will lead Republican voters to think he is a viable candidate for 2024. Theres also the reality that, well, hes a viable candidate for 2024. A Wall Street Journal poll in December put him only one point behind Biden in a rematch. A different poll had Trump ahead by two last month. Of course, it is very early, and Democrats may be at a low ebb. The takeaway from these polls is merely that Trump isnt a sure loser. If Democrats are struggling in 2024, his enthusiastic supporters might again combine with those voters who grudgingly prefer him to the Democrats to give him an electoral majority. The second reason Trump has more power over Republicans than it looks is that his influence depends as much on the depth of his support as on its breadth. Some Republicans who wish Trump would fade away have taken solace in polls that show voters increasingly likely to call themselves primarily Republicans rather than Trump supporters. (In October 2020, Trump-first voters outnumbered Republican-first voters 5930; this month, the split is 4250.) Lets say, though, that the Trump-first number shrinks much further, to 10% of right-leaning voters. If Trump is willing and able to convince that 10% not to vote for Republican candidates he dislikes, Republicans wont be able to win races in a lot of places. And we know hes willing to do it. Jonathan Karl of ABC has reported that on the last day of his presidency, Trump threatened to destroy the Republican Party by starting a new one. That was two weeks after he had cost Republicans two Senate seats and consequently control of the chamber by attacking Georgia Republican officials and casting doubt about whether elections were administered honestly. Since then, Trump has openly talked about how Republican voters wont show up in 2022 or 2024 if Republicans dont solve the Presidential Election Fraud of 2020 which can easily be read as a threat against Republicans who dont indulge his landslide fantasy. If Kemp beats Perdue in the primary, Trump will likely campaign against him in the general election without worrying that a Democrat will profit from it. If Kemp then loses, Republicans looking for lessons about Trump will pay more attention to the end of his governorship than his primary victory. Trump is, in short, well-protected against the electability argument his Republican opponents would most like to make, and he stands apart from his would-be rivals in his indifference to anything but his own self-interest. Like it or not and I really, really dont these are both political assets for him that have a good shot to endure. Some Ugandans welcomed in the New Year with optimism despite an increase in coronavirus cases in the country, spurred by the new omicron variant. The Ugandan police banned public celebrations and the traditional fireworks that have characterized the New Year's festivities across the nation. However, some revelers who managed to sneak out, spoke to the Associated Press about their dreams for the new year, with many saying lockdowns should be lifted and Ugandans allowed to take care of themselves. A nighttime curfew remains in force across the country. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Police stormed a secretive New Year's Eve celebration for 300 revellers, kicking down the door of a popular pub allegedly in breach of Covid restrictions. Suspicious officers doing a city patrol busted into Perth's The George hotel about 11.30pm on Friday, with dramatic bodycam footage showing how the incident unfolded. Nightclubs and dancing outside of weddings are temporarily banned in Perth under state emergency powers brought in to stop the surge in Omicron cases sweeping Australia. Western Australia's Police Commissioner Chris Dawson alleged the city venue was locked and had black curtains covering the windows and glass doors. 'We are continuing to investigate this matter but I've got to say from the outset I'm very disappointed at what I've been briefed at,' he said. 'Blatant disregard, selfish behaviour, admittedly on the evidence here. Suspicious officers doing a city patrol busted into Perth's The George hotel at about 11:30pm on Friday (pictured), with dramatic bodycam footage showing how the incident unfolded 'On police attending there, they could not gain entry because the doors were locked and the windows had been covered with black curtains obviously obscuring vision from the outside. 'My officers had to climb walls to get inside and eventually get in through other doors.' Mr Dawson said police vision showed hundreds of people at the Georges Terrace bar. 'There appear to be several hundred people that were in The George hotel on a ticketed, licensed event on licensed premises,' he said. The Western Australia Police Force will be alleging that QR codes had been taken down at the posh venue, featuring a marble bar that serves cocktails and finger food on cutting boards. 'They were found scrumbled up behind the bar,' Mr Dawson alleged. 'The entire incident, we consider a blatant disregard of not only the liquor licensing requirements but we're in the middle of a pandemic, this is a state of emergency.' A popular Perth pub has been locked down after the police scaled a wall to find 300 New Year's Eve revellers having a secret party in an alleged breach of Covid rules (pictured is an image of a police officer pulling back a black curtain at The George hotel) Under WA's public health orders which came into effect on December 23, nightclubs are temporarily banned in Perth and the neighbouring Peel region to the south. Dancing is only allowed at weddings as part of restrictions that are continuing until February 5. Under WA's public health orders which came into effect on December 23, nightclubs are temporarily banned in Perth and the neighbouring Peel region to the south (pictured is Premier Mark McGowan) Mr Dawson said the operators of The George were facing 'very serious charges' and questioned whether they were 'fit to hold a licence'. 'What we'll also be alleging is - and I've seen vision of this of patrons not wearing masks, dancing in licensed premises,' he said. The licensee faces a maximum fine of $250,000 for breaching WA's Emergency Management Act and the loss of its liquor licence. WA announced three new cases of Covid on January 1, with two of them linked to an unvaccinated French backpacker in Fremantle and another a returned traveller. WA has moved both Tasmania, which jumped from 520 active Covid cases to 938 on New Year's Day, and the Australian Capital Territory, which increased by 448 cases to a total of 1479, from medium risk to high risk. The Western Australia Police Force will be alleging that QR codes had been taken down at the posh venue featuring a marble bar that serves cocktails and finger food on cutting boards (pictured is a police officer encountering a locked down) This means that, from Monday, anyone entering the state from the ACT or Tasmania must be fully vaccinated, take a PCR test within 24 hours of arrival and take another test on day 12 of their 14-day self-isolation. They must also use the G2G Now app while in quarantine. More than 92 per cent of Western Australians had received their first Covid-19 vaccination. There are now 35 active confirmed cases in WA, while the rest of the country saw 35,326 infections - the highest ever daily total. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to The George hotel for comment. The Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority (KSSQA) on Friday shut down two Islamiyah schools indefinitely over alleged rape of a six-year-old girl and impregnation of another 12-year-old girl. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that one of the schools, Madrasatul Ulumul Deeniya wa Tahfizul Quran, located in Rigasa, was closed over an alleged rape of a six-year-old girl in the school premises. The other Islamiyah school, not named but confirmed by NAN to be located at Tsohon Masallacin Jumaa in Kachia, Kachia Local Government was also closed following an alleged impregnation of a 12-year-old girl by an unnamed 50-year-old teacher at the school. The Overseer of the KSSQA, Idris Aliyu, who shut down the school in Rigasa explained that the six-year-old girl was raped within the school premises and that the school authority allegedly covered it up and claimed ignorance of the incident. Mr Aliyu added that the information before the Ministry of Education showed that the victims grandmother went to the school authority to complain, but was allegedly beaten by students and teachers. He said that Governor Nasir El-Rufai had ordered that the Islamiyah be shut down indefinitely until investigation is concluded and the culprit produced. He added that the headmaster of the school would be held responsible for the act until all persons in the school were profiled and the perpetrator identified by the girl. The individuals responsible for the violence against the grandmother, especially the headmaster, will also be prosecuted. This is in line with the state governments responsibility in protecting the vulnerable population in the state, he said. However, the headteacher of the school, Kabir Abdullahi, denied the allegation, saying it is not a rape. What we gathered is that an unidentified boy injured the girl in her private part with a stick. Mr Abdullahi said that the case was already being investigated by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Rigasa, Abubakar Bauranya. On his part, the DPO confirmed receiving the case and equally aligned with the narrative of the headteacher of the Islamiyah school. But the grandmother of the girl, Batul Gambo, insisted that her grandchild was raped and had been confirmed by Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital Tudun Wada, Kaduna. A medical report signed by A. Raji obtained by NAN also confirmed Gambos claim that the six-year-old was raped. Mr Rajis report attributed the bleeding to virginal bruising of the labia minora, bilaterally periureteral bruising, hematoma of the clitoris and laceration of the hymen. On the rape and impregnation of 12-year-old girl in Kachia, Mr Aliyu said she was six months pregnant. He said that the school was equally closed as directed by Mr El-Rufai, stressing that safety of the pupils could not be guaranteed. He added that the Commissioner of Human Services and Social Development, Hafsat Baba and the Commissioner for Education, Halima Lawal, would work closely with the police to investigate and ensure justice. Meanwhile, the two schools will remain closed until investigations are concluded and the culprit prosecuted in accordance with the law, he said. (NAN) One day in early October, Nicci Smith began experiencing numbness and tingling in her arms, hands and head while at work at a post-acute rehabilitation facility in the Omaha area. A nurse checked her blood pressure, which was high. Smith, 38, called her husband, who drove the Omaha woman to an emergency room. When they couldnt pinpoint a cause, health care providers did an MRI to make sure they hadnt missed anything. But the scan found something Smith wasnt expecting: a large aneurysm, or bulge, in a blood vessel behind her forehead. Later, Dr. Vishal Jani, system stroke and neurointervention director for CHI Health, recommended filling the aneurysm with a device thats relatively new in the United States but has been used in Europe since 2011. Called the WEB device, its a tiny, spherical mesh cage that comes compressed inside a long thin tube called a microcatheter. Its fed through a larger catheter that is snaked through a vein in the groin and up into the brain. Once deployed inside the aneurysm, the device opens like an umbrella. If sized properly, Jani said, it hugs the inside wall of the bulge, blocking off the opening and keeping blood from flowing in. Some 6.5 million Americans have aneurysms, and upward of 30,000 bleed or rupture each year. That can cause stroke, disability and even death. For some time, doctors have been using coils of tiny wires, or a combination of coils and mesh tubes called stents, to fill and block off aneurysms. In the right patient, the technique can be a less-invasive alternative to the other common treatment: surgically opening the skull and placing a small metal clip across the neck of an aneurysm. All are part of an ongoing evolution in the treatment of aneurysms. But Smiths aneurysm was whats known as a wide-necked aneurysm, a type that makes up between 26% and 36% of brain aneurysms, according to a January 2020 review in the Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery. As the name suggests, such aneurysms have a wide opening. Coils literally can fall out, Jani said. Smith, a mother of five, said she knew she also had the option to monitor rather than treat her aneurysm. But it was large enough that not treating it was not the best option, she said. Even during the month and a half between her diagnosis and the procedure, she said, she felt like a ticking time bomb. Her 9-year-old named the bulge Professor Umbridge after the evil, pink-garbed, bureaucrat-turned-headmaster in the Harry Potter series. On Nov. 15, Jani threaded a series of catheters and wires through Smiths veins as she lay prone in a catheterization lab at Omahas Immanuel Medical Center. Jani used three-dimensional X-ray imaging as a guide. He and Dr. Bharathi Jagadeesan, a neurointerventional radiologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School, carefully measured the aneurysm in the images 7 millimeters by 6 millimeters so they could select the correctly sized WEB device. Jagadeesan, one of Janis mentors, has performed the procedure multiple times and served as a proctor for the procedure. Once they had chosen the device, Jani threaded the tip of the microcatheter into the aneurysm and steered the WEB device into it. As he deployed it, the device opened like a flower, expanding to fit the space. Nicely done, Jagadeesan said. You did great. Jani said the process is faster than coiling, which typically involves inserting and placing between four and 10 wires. The longer the procedure, the more likely a patient is to experience complications. He noted, nonetheless, that only a select subset of patients will be eligible for the treatment. He performed a second procedure the same day on a patient with a slightly larger aneurysm. It has to be the right size and the right place to use this device, said Jani, an assistant professor of neurology at Creighton Universitys School of Medicine. Chris Schneider, territory manager and clinical support for device-maker MicroVention, said Jani is the only physician in Nebraska currently performing the procedure. The nearest centers where the device is used regularly are in Kansas City, Iowa City, Minneapolis and Denver. At least we can offer a full spectrum of treatment at our doorstep, Jani said. Dr. William Thorell, a neurosurgeon with Nebraska Medicine, said that health system also has access to the device. Doctors there havent yet seen a case in which the WEB device is the favored treatment. Instead, he said, they use other techniques, including coiling with stents and surgical clipping, which must be done by a neurosurgeon. While the less-invasive inside-the-vein treatments require less recovery time, up to 20% require retreatment with large aneurysms, that increases to 40%. That can be an issue for younger patients. Youve really got to tailor your options to each individual patient, Thorell said. Smith spent a night after the procedure in the intensive care unit at Immanuel. By the next morning, she was feeling good and relieved to have the procedure completed. She also was ready to get home to her children and husband, Chris Smith, a youth pastor at a Papillion church. She said she has had a few mild headaches since the procedure but no other symptoms. Doctors will continue to monitor the aneurysm. A certified nursing assistant and medication aide, Smith said she was surprised at how unaware people are of aneurysms. Most people who have unruptured aneurysms dont know theyre there. Most aneurysms, according to the Cleveland Clinic, are small about inch to nearly an inch and an estimated 50% to 80% of all aneurysms do not rupture. As much as people thought, How could you live knowing you have this, she said, I just feel so blessed that we found out about it. Chennai: The Censor Board has cleared director H. Vinoth's eagerly-awaited action entertainer 'Valimai', featuring actor Ajith Kumar in the lead, with a 'U/A' certificate. The certificate granted to the film, on the last day of 2021, indicates that the film will have a run time of 178 minutes and 35 seconds. Although it was known that the film would release for the Pongal festival, it wasn't clear if it would release on January 13 or January 14. However, the unit has cleared the confusion by putting out advertisements on Saturday that said that the film would be hitting screens on January 13. The official trailer of the film Valimai, which the makers chose to release on Thursday evening, set the Internet on fire with the video garnering a whopping 1.1 lakh views in less than 15 minutes of being released on YouTube and garnering over 12 million views in a day. Ajith plays a cop called Arjun in the explosive action thriller and goes after a team of criminals who believe that their strength gives them the right to take what they want. Twelve people were crushed to death and 17 were injured in a New Year's Eve stampede at a shrine in India after an argument broke out in a crowd. An investigation has been ordered into what caused the stampede at 2.40am this morning at the Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine in Kashmir. Thousands of Hindu devotees had gathered to pay their respects in the hilly town of Katra, near southern Jammu city. Seventeen people with 'serious injuries' were taken to Naraina Hospital after a rescue operation, while the victims were identified at another hospital in the Katra base camp. Shocking footage showed several men clinging onto scaffolding as people scrambled to escape the stampede. Health workers carry the coffin of one of the 12 victims who died in a stampede at the Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine in Kashmir, at a hospital in Katra, India Shocking video footage showed several men clinging onto scaffolding as people scrambled to escape the stampede An investigation has been ordered into what caused the stampede early this morning at the Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine in Kashmir Mahesh, a devotee who gave only one name, said the stampede started near one of the gates where pilgrims entered and left the route to the shrine. 'Something happened near one of the gates and I found myself under a crush of people. I suffocated and fell but somehow managed to stand up,' he said. 'I saw people moving over the bodies. It was a horrifying sight, but I managed to help in rescuing some injured people.' Another devotee named Priyansh said he and 10 friends from New Delhi arrived on Friday night to visit the shrine. He said two of his friends had died in the incident. 'I have never seen anything like this,' he said. Thousands of Hindu devotees had gathered to pay their respects in the hilly town of Katra, near southern Jammu city Thousands of Hindu devotees had gathered to pay their respects in the hilly town of Katra (pictured), near southern Jammu city Eight of the victims were identified as Dheeraj Kumar 26, Sheweta Singh, 35, Viney Kumar, 24, Sonu Pandey, 24, Mamta, 38, Dharmveer Singh, 35, Vaneet Kumar, 38, and Arun Pratap Singh, 30, according to India TV News. Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said there was a 'minor altercation' between a group of young boys before the stampede. He said: 'Police and officials of the civil administration were quick to respond, and the order within the crowd was immediately restored, but by that time, the damage had been done.' Indian Prime Minster Narendra Modi expressed his condolences in a message on Twitter. 'Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede,' he wrote. Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said there was a 'minor altercation' between a group of young boys before the stampede Pilgrims often trek on foot to reach the hilltop temple, which is one of the most visited shrines in northern India. Deadly stampedes are fairly common during Indian religious festivals, as large crowds, sometimes in their millions, gather in small areas with few safety or crowd control measures. In 2013, pilgrims visiting a temple for a popular Hindu festival in India's central Madhya Pradesh state stampeded amid fears that a bridge would collapse, and at least 115 people were crushed to death or died in the river below. More than 100 Hindu devotees died in 2011 in a stampede at a religious festival in the southern Indian state of Kerala. A statement by the MEA stated that the humanitarian assistance was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul. The release said that another batch of additional 500,000 doses would be supplied in the coming weeks. India has committed to provide to Afghan people humanitarian assistance consisting of food grains, one million doses of COVID-19 vaccine and essential life-saving drugs. Earlier last month, India delivered 1.6 tons of medical assistance to Afghanistan through World Health Organization (WHO). "In the coming weeks, we would be undertaking the supply of wheat and the remaining medical assistance. In this regard, we are in touch with UN agencies and others for finalizing the modalities for transportation," the MEA said. The Taliban took over control of Kabul on August 15 and following this the country has been battered by deepening economic, humanitarian and security crisis. A combination of a suspension of foreign aid, the freezing of Afghan government assets, and international sanctions on the Taliban, have plunged a country already suffering from high poverty levels into a full-blown economic crisis. (ANI) India- Afghanistan: The External Affairs Ministry announced on Saturday that India had delivered the next batch of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, consisting of 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin. The humanitarian assistance was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul, according to a statement from the MEA. According to the press statement, another batch of 500,000 dosages will be sent in the next weeks. India has pledged to give food grains, one million doses of COVID-19 vaccination, and life-saving medications to the Afghan people. India donated 1.6 tonnes of medical aid to Afghanistan through the World Health Organization earlier this month (WHO). "We plan to complete the wheat supply and the remaining medical aid in the coming weeks. In this regard, we are in contact with UN agencies and others to finalise transportation arrangements "According to the MEA, On August 15, the Taliban took control of Kabul, and the country has since been wracked by an economic, humanitarian, and security crisis. Covid Pandemic will be defeated in 2022: Tedros WHO French President optimistic for 2022, warning upcoming few difficult weeks Mexico accounts 28.1 pc growth in International tourism for 2021 India- Afghanistan: The External Affairs Ministry announced on Saturday that India had delivered the next batch of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, consisting of 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin. The humanitarian assistance was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul, according to a statement from the MEA. According to the press statement, another batch of 500,000 dosages will be sent in the next weeks. India has pledged to give food grains, one million doses of COVID-19 vaccination, and life-saving medications to the Afghan people. India donated 1.6 tonnes of medical aid to Afghanistan through the World Health Organization earlier this month (WHO). "We plan to complete the wheat supply and the remaining medical aid in the coming weeks. In this regard, we are in contact with UN agencies and others to finalise transportation arrangements "According to the MEA, On August 15, the Taliban took control of Kabul, and the country has since been wracked by an economic, humanitarian, and security crisis. Covid Pandemic will be defeated in 2022: Tedros WHO French President optimistic for 2022, warning upcoming few difficult weeks Mexico accounts 28.1 pc growth in International tourism for 2021 India- Afghanistan: The External Affairs Ministry announced on Saturday that India had delivered the next batch of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, consisting of 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin. The humanitarian assistance was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul, according to a statement from the MEA. According to the press statement, another batch of 500,000 dosages will be sent in the next weeks. India has pledged to give food grains, one million doses of COVID-19 vaccination, and life-saving medications to the Afghan people. India donated 1.6 tonnes of medical aid to Afghanistan through the World Health Organization earlier this month (WHO). "We plan to complete the wheat supply and the remaining medical aid in the coming weeks. In this regard, we are in contact with UN agencies and others to finalise transportation arrangements "According to the MEA, On August 15, the Taliban took control of Kabul, and the country has since been wracked by an economic, humanitarian, and security crisis. Covid Pandemic will be defeated in 2022: Tedros WHO French President optimistic for 2022, warning upcoming few difficult weeks Mexico accounts 28.1 pc growth in International tourism for 2021 India- Afghanistan: The External Affairs Ministry announced on Saturday that India had delivered the next batch of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, consisting of 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin. The humanitarian assistance was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul, according to a statement from the MEA. According to the press statement, another batch of 500,000 dosages will be sent in the next weeks. India has pledged to give food grains, one million doses of COVID-19 vaccination, and life-saving medications to the Afghan people. India donated 1.6 tonnes of medical aid to Afghanistan through the World Health Organization earlier this month (WHO). "We plan to complete the wheat supply and the remaining medical aid in the coming weeks. In this regard, we are in contact with UN agencies and others to finalise transportation arrangements "According to the MEA, On August 15, the Taliban took control of Kabul, and the country has since been wracked by an economic, humanitarian, and security crisis. Covid Pandemic will be defeated in 2022: Tedros WHO French President optimistic for 2022, warning upcoming few difficult weeks Mexico accounts 28.1 pc growth in International tourism for 2021 Police stormed a secretive New Year's Eve celebration for 300 revellers, kicking down the door of a popular pub allegedly in breach of Covid restrictions. Suspicious officers doing a city patrol busted into Perth's The George hotel about 11.30pm on Friday, with dramatic bodycam footage showing how the incident unfolded. Nightclubs and dancing outside of weddings are temporarily banned in Perth under state emergency powers brought in to stop the surge in Omicron cases sweeping Australia. Western Australia's Police Commissioner Chris Dawson alleged the city venue was locked and had black curtains covering the windows and glass doors. 'We are continuing to investigate this matter but I've got to say from the outset I'm very disappointed at what I've been briefed at,' he said. 'Blatant disregard, selfish behaviour, admittedly on the evidence here. Suspicious officers doing a city patrol busted into Perth's The George hotel at about 11:30pm on Friday (pictured), with dramatic bodycam footage showing how the incident unfolded 'On police attending there, they could not gain entry because the doors were locked and the windows had been covered with black curtains obviously obscuring vision from the outside. 'My officers had to climb walls to get inside and eventually get in through other doors.' Mr Dawson said police vision showed hundreds of people at the Georges Terrace bar. 'There appear to be several hundred people that were in The George hotel on a ticketed, licensed event on licensed premises,' he said. The Western Australia Police Force will be alleging that QR codes had been taken down at the posh venue, featuring a marble bar that serves cocktails and finger food on cutting boards. 'They were found scrumbled up behind the bar,' Mr Dawson alleged. 'The entire incident, we consider a blatant disregard of not only the liquor licensing requirements but we're in the middle of a pandemic, this is a state of emergency.' A popular Perth pub has been locked down after the police scaled a wall to find 300 New Year's Eve revellers having a secret party in an alleged breach of Covid rules (pictured is an image of a police officer pulling back a black curtain at The George hotel) Under WA's public health orders which came into effect on December 23, nightclubs are temporarily banned in Perth and the neighbouring Peel region to the south. Dancing is only allowed at weddings as part of restrictions that are continuing until February 5. Under WA's public health orders which came into effect on December 23, nightclubs are temporarily banned in Perth and the neighbouring Peel region to the south (pictured is Premier Mark McGowan) Mr Dawson said the operators of The George were facing 'very serious charges' and questioned whether they were 'fit to hold a licence'. 'What we'll also be alleging is - and I've seen vision of this of patrons not wearing masks, dancing in licensed premises,' he said. The licensee faces a maximum fine of $250,000 for breaching WA's Emergency Management Act and the loss of its liquor licence. WA announced three new cases of Covid on January 1, with two of them linked to an unvaccinated French backpacker in Fremantle and another a returned traveller. WA has moved both Tasmania, which jumped from 520 active Covid cases to 938 on New Year's Day, and the Australian Capital Territory, which increased by 448 cases to a total of 1479, from medium risk to high risk. The Western Australia Police Force will be alleging that QR codes had been taken down at the posh venue featuring a marble bar that serves cocktails and finger food on cutting boards (pictured is a police officer encountering a locked down) This means that, from Monday, anyone entering the state from the ACT or Tasmania must be fully vaccinated, take a PCR test within 24 hours of arrival and take another test on day 12 of their 14-day self-isolation. They must also use the G2G Now app while in quarantine. More than 92 per cent of Western Australians had received their first Covid-19 vaccination. There are now 35 active confirmed cases in WA, while the rest of the country saw 35,326 infections - the highest ever daily total. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to The George hotel for comment. A cleaning business has drawn praise after it delivered the perfect response to a customer who went on a 'racist' rant. The owner of a rental bond cleaning business in Queensland shared a thread of heated messages from an unhappy customer to Facebook on Thursday. The husband and wife duo had recently started the cleaning business when the disgruntled customer complained about the price of an end-of-lease clean. A Queensland cleaning business has drawn praise for its perfect response to a racist customer (stock image) 'Holy s**t $450 for some import to run a dusty cloth over services and then push a vacuum around the place,' the customer began. 'I'm in the wrong business. Assume an eight hour day that's almost $60 per hour for unskilled work you're dreaming right? 'Won't be using your services that's for sure.' However instead of hitting back, the business delivered the perfect comeback, defending its prices and calling out the customer's 'racist' views. 'Thank you for your thoughts, we are in fact Australian not that there is anything wrong with being an 'import' as you say,' the business said. 'A full bond clean is far more than a simple dust and vacuum, it includes the deep cleaning of hard to reach places, wall cleaning, the removal of mould, hard-baked dirt, the light fixtures, window tracks, in and outdoor windows, deep clean of the oven and this is just the basics. 'It takes far longer than you'd expect and is hard, non-stop work, however we are glad you will not be using our services, as we prefer not to service racist individuals.' The businesswoman later took to Facebook to share the exchange before asking social media users if she had responded appropriately. The customer complained about the price of an end-of-lease clean during a 'racist' rant (pictured) The cleaning business shared the exchange (pictured) to Facebook on Thursday after the owner questioned whether they should have responded Me and my husband recently started a business doing bond cleaning, and I'm literally shocked at this response from someone,' she wrote. 'I'm not sure if I've started something or should have responded better? 'Very few people have been unhappy with our prices, and I know many people have different priorities, some need the cheapest they can find. 'But, I feel her response was so uncalled for, and if that's all she thinks is involved in a bond clean, she could simply do it herself?! 'Maybe I could have educated her that we don't quote per hour, or that we have wages to pay and products and insurance to cover, or we could have chosen to ignore her.' The post drew a plethora of support from Facebook users who praised the business owner for their level headed response. 'I think your response is perfect and I couldn't have worded it better myself! I cannot believe the racism she tried to throw around,' wrote one person. 'Whether or not it was a professional response, I say good on you for calling her out! And $450 is more than reasonable,' commented another. 'What a brilliant response! We had a cleaner a few years ago that did an end of lease or pre lease for our neighbour and she vowed that she would never, ever do it ever again! It was gruelling, so much harder and longer than they expected!' added a third. New Delhi: The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) has issued notification for the recruitment of HR Executive and Public Relations Officer posts. The company is looking to fill a total of 21 vacant posts through this recruitment drive. Interested and eligible candidates can apply online on the official website of ONGC at www.ongcindia.com. The registration process for the ONGC Recruitment 2022 has already commenced from December 15, 2021, and will close on January 4, 2022. ONGC Recruitment 2022: Vacancy Details HR Executive: 15 Public Relations Officer: 6 ONGC Recruitment 2022: Age Limit Unreserved/EWS: 30 years OBC (NCL): 33 years SC/ST: 35 years PWBD:40 years ONGC Recruitment 2022: Education Qualification HR Executive post- Candidates must have an MBA with specialization in personnel management/HRD/HRM with a minimum of 60% marks or Post Graduate Degree in Personnel Management/IR/Labour Welfare with a minimum of 60% marks or a minimum of 2 years full-time post-graduate diploma in PMR/Labour Welfare with a minimum of 60% marks or PGDM from IIM with minimum 60% marks. Public Relations Officer post- Candidates must have a Post Graduate Degree/minimum 2 years diploma in Public Relations/Journalism/Mass Communication with a minimum of 60%. ONGC Recruitment 2022: Selection Process Candidates can check the eligibility criteria, selection process and other details of the recruitment drive here- Detailed Notification ONGC Recruitment 2022: Application Fee Unreserved candidates such as General, EWS, and OBC are required to pay Rs 300 as application fee, while candidates belonging to the reserved categories are exempted from this. Apply Online For ONGC Recruitment 2022 Here A cleaning business has drawn praise after it delivered the perfect response to a customer who went on a 'racist' rant. The owner of a rental bond cleaning business in Queensland shared a thread of heated messages from an unhappy customer to Facebook on Thursday. The husband and wife duo had recently started the cleaning business when the disgruntled customer complained about the price of an end-of-lease clean. A Queensland cleaning business has drawn praise for its perfect response to a racist customer (stock image) 'Holy s**t $450 for some import to run a dusty cloth over services and then push a vacuum around the place,' the customer began. 'I'm in the wrong business. Assume an eight hour day that's almost $60 per hour for unskilled work you're dreaming right? 'Won't be using your services that's for sure.' However instead of hitting back, the business delivered the perfect comeback, defending its prices and calling out the customer's 'racist' views. 'Thank you for your thoughts, we are in fact Australian not that there is anything wrong with being an 'import' as you say,' the business said. 'A full bond clean is far more than a simple dust and vacuum, it includes the deep cleaning of hard to reach places, wall cleaning, the removal of mould, hard-baked dirt, the light fixtures, window tracks, in and outdoor windows, deep clean of the oven and this is just the basics. 'It takes far longer than you'd expect and is hard, non-stop work, however we are glad you will not be using our services, as we prefer not to service racist individuals.' The businesswoman later took to Facebook to share the exchange before asking social media users if she had responded appropriately. The customer complained about the price of an end-of-lease clean during a 'racist' rant (pictured) The cleaning business shared the exchange (pictured) to Facebook on Thursday after the owner questioned whether they should have responded Me and my husband recently started a business doing bond cleaning, and I'm literally shocked at this response from someone,' she wrote. 'I'm not sure if I've started something or should have responded better? 'Very few people have been unhappy with our prices, and I know many people have different priorities, some need the cheapest they can find. 'But, I feel her response was so uncalled for, and if that's all she thinks is involved in a bond clean, she could simply do it herself?! 'Maybe I could have educated her that we don't quote per hour, or that we have wages to pay and products and insurance to cover, or we could have chosen to ignore her.' The post drew a plethora of support from Facebook users who praised the business owner for their level headed response. 'I think your response is perfect and I couldn't have worded it better myself! I cannot believe the racism she tried to throw around,' wrote one person. 'Whether or not it was a professional response, I say good on you for calling her out! And $450 is more than reasonable,' commented another. 'What a brilliant response! We had a cleaner a few years ago that did an end of lease or pre lease for our neighbour and she vowed that she would never, ever do it ever again! It was gruelling, so much harder and longer than they expected!' added a third. A cleaning business has drawn praise after it delivered the perfect response to a customer who went on a 'racist' rant. The owner of a rental bond cleaning business in Queensland shared a thread of heated messages from an unhappy customer to Facebook on Thursday. The husband and wife duo had recently started the cleaning business when the disgruntled customer complained about the price of an end-of-lease clean. A Queensland cleaning business has drawn praise for its perfect response to a racist customer (stock image) 'Holy s**t $450 for some import to run a dusty cloth over services and then push a vacuum around the place,' the customer began. 'I'm in the wrong business. Assume an eight hour day that's almost $60 per hour for unskilled work you're dreaming right? 'Won't be using your services that's for sure.' However instead of hitting back, the business delivered the perfect comeback, defending its prices and calling out the customer's 'racist' views. 'Thank you for your thoughts, we are in fact Australian not that there is anything wrong with being an 'import' as you say,' the business said. 'A full bond clean is far more than a simple dust and vacuum, it includes the deep cleaning of hard to reach places, wall cleaning, the removal of mould, hard-baked dirt, the light fixtures, window tracks, in and outdoor windows, deep clean of the oven and this is just the basics. 'It takes far longer than you'd expect and is hard, non-stop work, however we are glad you will not be using our services, as we prefer not to service racist individuals.' The businesswoman later took to Facebook to share the exchange before asking social media users if she had responded appropriately. The customer complained about the price of an end-of-lease clean during a 'racist' rant (pictured) The cleaning business shared the exchange (pictured) to Facebook on Thursday after the owner questioned whether they should have responded Me and my husband recently started a business doing bond cleaning, and I'm literally shocked at this response from someone,' she wrote. 'I'm not sure if I've started something or should have responded better? 'Very few people have been unhappy with our prices, and I know many people have different priorities, some need the cheapest they can find. 'But, I feel her response was so uncalled for, and if that's all she thinks is involved in a bond clean, she could simply do it herself?! 'Maybe I could have educated her that we don't quote per hour, or that we have wages to pay and products and insurance to cover, or we could have chosen to ignore her.' The post drew a plethora of support from Facebook users who praised the business owner for their level headed response. 'I think your response is perfect and I couldn't have worded it better myself! I cannot believe the racism she tried to throw around,' wrote one person. 'Whether or not it was a professional response, I say good on you for calling her out! And $450 is more than reasonable,' commented another. 'What a brilliant response! We had a cleaner a few years ago that did an end of lease or pre lease for our neighbour and she vowed that she would never, ever do it ever again! It was gruelling, so much harder and longer than they expected!' added a third. Police stormed a secretive New Year's Eve celebration for 300 revellers, kicking down the door of a popular pub allegedly in breach of Covid restrictions. Suspicious officers doing a city patrol busted into Perth's The George hotel about 11.30pm on Friday, with dramatic bodycam footage showing how the incident unfolded. Nightclubs and dancing outside of weddings are temporarily banned in Perth under state emergency powers brought in to stop the surge in Omicron cases sweeping Australia. Western Australia's Police Commissioner Chris Dawson alleged the city venue was locked and had black curtains covering the windows and glass doors. 'We are continuing to investigate this matter but I've got to say from the outset I'm very disappointed at what I've been briefed at,' he said. 'Blatant disregard, selfish behaviour, admittedly on the evidence here. Suspicious officers doing a city patrol busted into Perth's The George hotel at about 11:30pm on Friday (pictured), with dramatic bodycam footage showing how the incident unfolded 'On police attending there, they could not gain entry because the doors were locked and the windows had been covered with black curtains obviously obscuring vision from the outside. 'My officers had to climb walls to get inside and eventually get in through other doors.' Mr Dawson said police vision showed hundreds of people at the Georges Terrace bar. 'There appear to be several hundred people that were in The George hotel on a ticketed, licensed event on licensed premises,' he said. The Western Australia Police Force will be alleging that QR codes had been taken down at the posh venue, featuring a marble bar that serves cocktails and finger food on cutting boards. 'They were found scrumbled up behind the bar,' Mr Dawson alleged. 'The entire incident, we consider a blatant disregard of not only the liquor licensing requirements but we're in the middle of a pandemic, this is a state of emergency.' A popular Perth pub has been locked down after the police scaled a wall to find 300 New Year's Eve revellers having a secret party in an alleged breach of Covid rules (pictured is an image of a police officer pulling back a black curtain at The George hotel) Under WA's public health orders which came into effect on December 23, nightclubs are temporarily banned in Perth and the neighbouring Peel region to the south. Dancing is only allowed at weddings as part of restrictions that are continuing until February 5. Under WA's public health orders which came into effect on December 23, nightclubs are temporarily banned in Perth and the neighbouring Peel region to the south (pictured is Premier Mark McGowan) Mr Dawson said the operators of The George were facing 'very serious charges' and questioned whether they were 'fit to hold a licence'. 'What we'll also be alleging is - and I've seen vision of this of patrons not wearing masks, dancing in licensed premises,' he said. The licensee faces a maximum fine of $250,000 for breaching WA's Emergency Management Act and the loss of its liquor licence. WA announced three new cases of Covid on January 1, with two of them linked to an unvaccinated French backpacker in Fremantle and another a returned traveller. WA has moved both Tasmania, which jumped from 520 active Covid cases to 938 on New Year's Day, and the Australian Capital Territory, which increased by 448 cases to a total of 1479, from medium risk to high risk. The Western Australia Police Force will be alleging that QR codes had been taken down at the posh venue featuring a marble bar that serves cocktails and finger food on cutting boards (pictured is a police officer encountering a locked down) This means that, from Monday, anyone entering the state from the ACT or Tasmania must be fully vaccinated, take a PCR test within 24 hours of arrival and take another test on day 12 of their 14-day self-isolation. They must also use the G2G Now app while in quarantine. More than 92 per cent of Western Australians had received their first Covid-19 vaccination. There are now 35 active confirmed cases in WA, while the rest of the country saw 35,326 infections - the highest ever daily total. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to The George hotel for comment. New Delhi: At least two people were killed on Saturday (January 1, 2022) when half a dozen dumper trucks and some machines were buried in a landslide at the Dadam mining zone of Haryana's Bhiwani district. The dead are yet to be identified, Inspector Sukhbir of the Tosham Police Station told PTI news agency and added that rescue operations are underway. Incident of a landslide in a mining quarry took place in Haryana's Bhiwani pic.twitter.com/d7d382RxrC ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2022 Reacting to the incident, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar expressed that he is saddened by the unfortunate landslide accident and that he is in constant touch with the local administration to ensure swift rescue operations and immediate assistance to the injured. Saddened by the unfortunate landslide accident in Dadam mining zone at Bhiwani. I am in constant touch with the local administration to ensure swift rescue operations and immediate assistance to the injured. January 1, 2022 Meanwhile, Haryana Agriculture Minister JP Dalal has also reached the spot and informed that a team of doctors has also arrived. "Some people have died. I cannot provide the exact figures as of now. We will try to save as many people as possible," he told ANI. Live TV Karnataka home minister Araga Jnanendra said he had handed over the case of police atrocities against Koraga community members during a pre-wedding Mehendi ritual at Kota Thattu village to the CID for investigation. Speaking after visiting the victims at the colony, the home minister stated that he and the government are committed to protect the society's most vulnerable community. He stated that he is ashamed of the incident, which has also tarnished the dedication of 1 lakh police officers who work around the clock to maintain law and order and peace in the society. The incident demonstrated how police can be ruthless in their treatment of innocent people. The Minister said that he could never defend or support his department. "I have listened to the unfolding events that upheld the cruelty of police personnel who turned out to be thugs," he said. The minister promised Rs 2 lakh each to the six families who had suffered at the hands of the police. As part of the immediate measures, these families were given Rs 50,000 each on the spot. The minister described the incident as gruesome and claimed that the police went above and beyond their authority. "The incident has hurt me," and added that he has asked the DGP to take immediate action. "The counter-complaint filed by the police constable was done on purpose. The complaint is pointless because the police officer was admitted to the hospital three days after the incident and registered the complaint. Anyone can see that the case is a hoax. He assured the community that the government is on their side and that the case will have no bearing on the people named in the counter-complaint," said the Minister. Further, he said that the PSI was arrogant and didn't think it was necessary to notify the CPI, DySP, or SP before engaging in lathi charge. The action will be taken against the five constables who are currently in the process of being transferred. The police involved will have to pay, and the investigation itself is a severe punishment, said the Minister. The minister later told reporters that the bridegroom and women in the families attending the function were assaulted. Such incidents will not be repeated in the future. The law is equal to all regardless of their status, caste, class, or religion. The government is committed to protect Dalits, the oppressed, and the destitute, he added. Watch latest videos by DH here: Vietnamese Journalist Who Ran as Independent Political Candidate Jailed for 5 Years Vietnamese journalist Le Trong Hung, who campaigned as an independent candidate in the National Assembly election, was sentenced to five years in prison by a Hanoi court on Dec. 31, after he was accused of spreading information opposing the state. Hung was convicted of making, storing, distributing, or disseminating information, documents, and items against the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam under Article 117 of Vietnams Penal Code. He was arrested on March 27 without access to an attorney or his family. The court also sentenced Hung to five years of probation upon the completion of his five-year prison sentence. His attorney, Ha Huy Son, described Hungs conviction as vague and said the prosecution never showed up in court to present the grounds for the anti-state charges, Radio Free Asia reported. Citing the court file, Hungs wife, Do Le Na, said Hung was convicted based on four videos that he posted on Facebook, in which he discussed the 2020 Dong Tam police raid, the courts role in Vietnams political system, and his candidacy for the National Assembly election. I and my family no longer have trust in this legal system. My husband declared at the trial that he will not appeal, and I respect his decision, Na said after the ruling, noting that authorities had also tried to prevent relatives from attending the hearing. Hung, 42, is a former middle school teacher who founded CHTV, a social media channel that debates social and political issues. He reports widely on issues involving activists in Vietnam via social media, and he was also involved in anti-China protests. Prior to his arrest, Hung had announced his intention to run as an independent candidate for the election and published his proposed policies, which called for the amendment of the constitution, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported. Two other people who tried to run as independent candidates in the election, Le Van Dung and Tran Quoc Khanh, were also arrested on the same charge. Despite that, the Communist Party of Vietnam refuted the allegation that Hungs arrest was due to his candidacy, saying that it was due to his long-standing law violations. It claimed that Hung continuously makes speeches that defame the government, oppose the state, and dismiss the leadership role of the Party. HRW called for Hungs immediate release and condemned the move by authorities to prosecute him for challenging the status quo. Imprisoning activists like Le Trong Hung who dare to run as independent candidates for parliament shows what a charade Vietnams elections are, Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at HRW, said in a statement. The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights has also urged Vietnamese authorities to stop violating fundamental freedoms and called for the immediate release of all rights and land activists who were jailed for spreading anti-state propaganda. Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the criminal code under which these charges were brought is overly broad and inconsistent with international human rights norms. All the cases follow similar worrying patterns that raise serious issues concerning the presumption of innocence, the legality of their detention, and the fairness of their trial, Shamdasani said. Vietnamese Journalist Who Ran as Independent Political Candidate Jailed for 5 Years Vietnamese journalist Le Trong Hung, who campaigned as an independent candidate in the National Assembly election, was sentenced to five years in prison by a Hanoi court on Dec. 31, after he was accused of spreading information opposing the state. Hung was convicted of making, storing, distributing, or disseminating information, documents, and items against the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam under Article 117 of Vietnams Penal Code. He was arrested on March 27 without access to an attorney or his family. The court also sentenced Hung to five years of probation upon the completion of his five-year prison sentence. His attorney, Ha Huy Son, described Hungs conviction as vague and said the prosecution never showed up in court to present the grounds for the anti-state charges, Radio Free Asia reported. Citing the court file, Hungs wife, Do Le Na, said Hung was convicted based on four videos that he posted on Facebook, in which he discussed the 2020 Dong Tam police raid, the courts role in Vietnams political system, and his candidacy for the National Assembly election. I and my family no longer have trust in this legal system. My husband declared at the trial that he will not appeal, and I respect his decision, Na said after the ruling, noting that authorities had also tried to prevent relatives from attending the hearing. Hung, 42, is a former middle school teacher who founded CHTV, a social media channel that debates social and political issues. He reports widely on issues involving activists in Vietnam via social media, and he was also involved in anti-China protests. Prior to his arrest, Hung had announced his intention to run as an independent candidate for the election and published his proposed policies, which called for the amendment of the constitution, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported. Two other people who tried to run as independent candidates in the election, Le Van Dung and Tran Quoc Khanh, were also arrested on the same charge. Despite that, the Communist Party of Vietnam refuted the allegation that Hungs arrest was due to his candidacy, saying that it was due to his long-standing law violations. It claimed that Hung continuously makes speeches that defame the government, oppose the state, and dismiss the leadership role of the Party. HRW called for Hungs immediate release and condemned the move by authorities to prosecute him for challenging the status quo. Imprisoning activists like Le Trong Hung who dare to run as independent candidates for parliament shows what a charade Vietnams elections are, Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at HRW, said in a statement. The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights has also urged Vietnamese authorities to stop violating fundamental freedoms and called for the immediate release of all rights and land activists who were jailed for spreading anti-state propaganda. Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the criminal code under which these charges were brought is overly broad and inconsistent with international human rights norms. All the cases follow similar worrying patterns that raise serious issues concerning the presumption of innocence, the legality of their detention, and the fairness of their trial, Shamdasani said. Police stormed a secretive New Year's Eve celebration for 300 revellers, kicking down the door of a popular pub allegedly in breach of Covid restrictions. Suspicious officers doing a city patrol busted into Perth's The George hotel about 11.30pm on Friday, with dramatic bodycam footage showing how the incident unfolded. Nightclubs and dancing outside of weddings are temporarily banned in Perth under state emergency powers brought in to stop the surge in Omicron cases sweeping Australia. Western Australia's Police Commissioner Chris Dawson alleged the city venue was locked and had black curtains covering the windows and glass doors. 'We are continuing to investigate this matter but I've got to say from the outset I'm very disappointed at what I've been briefed at,' he said. 'Blatant disregard, selfish behaviour, admittedly on the evidence here. Suspicious officers doing a city patrol busted into Perth's The George hotel at about 11:30pm on Friday (pictured), with dramatic bodycam footage showing how the incident unfolded 'On police attending there, they could not gain entry because the doors were locked and the windows had been covered with black curtains obviously obscuring vision from the outside. 'My officers had to climb walls to get inside and eventually get in through other doors.' Mr Dawson said police vision showed hundreds of people at the Georges Terrace bar. 'There appear to be several hundred people that were in The George hotel on a ticketed, licensed event on licensed premises,' he said. The Western Australia Police Force will be alleging that QR codes had been taken down at the posh venue, featuring a marble bar that serves cocktails and finger food on cutting boards. 'They were found scrumbled up behind the bar,' Mr Dawson alleged. 'The entire incident, we consider a blatant disregard of not only the liquor licensing requirements but we're in the middle of a pandemic, this is a state of emergency.' A popular Perth pub has been locked down after the police scaled a wall to find 300 New Year's Eve revellers having a secret party in an alleged breach of Covid rules (pictured is an image of a police officer pulling back a black curtain at The George hotel) Under WA's public health orders which came into effect on December 23, nightclubs are temporarily banned in Perth and the neighbouring Peel region to the south. Dancing is only allowed at weddings as part of restrictions that are continuing until February 5. Under WA's public health orders which came into effect on December 23, nightclubs are temporarily banned in Perth and the neighbouring Peel region to the south (pictured is Premier Mark McGowan) Mr Dawson said the operators of The George were facing 'very serious charges' and questioned whether they were 'fit to hold a licence'. 'What we'll also be alleging is - and I've seen vision of this of patrons not wearing masks, dancing in licensed premises,' he said. The licensee faces a maximum fine of $250,000 for breaching WA's Emergency Management Act and the loss of its liquor licence. WA announced three new cases of Covid on January 1, with two of them linked to an unvaccinated French backpacker in Fremantle and another a returned traveller. WA has moved both Tasmania, which jumped from 520 active Covid cases to 938 on New Year's Day, and the Australian Capital Territory, which increased by 448 cases to a total of 1479, from medium risk to high risk. The Western Australia Police Force will be alleging that QR codes had been taken down at the posh venue featuring a marble bar that serves cocktails and finger food on cutting boards (pictured is a police officer encountering a locked down) This means that, from Monday, anyone entering the state from the ACT or Tasmania must be fully vaccinated, take a PCR test within 24 hours of arrival and take another test on day 12 of their 14-day self-isolation. They must also use the G2G Now app while in quarantine. More than 92 per cent of Western Australians had received their first Covid-19 vaccination. There are now 35 active confirmed cases in WA, while the rest of the country saw 35,326 infections - the highest ever daily total. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to The George hotel for comment. New Delhi: At least two people were killed on Saturday (January 1, 2022) when half a dozen dumper trucks and some machines were buried in a landslide at the Dadam mining zone of Haryana's Bhiwani district. The dead are yet to be identified, Inspector Sukhbir of the Tosham Police Station told PTI news agency and added that rescue operations are underway. Incident of a landslide in a mining quarry took place in Haryana's Bhiwani pic.twitter.com/d7d382RxrC ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2022 Reacting to the incident, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar expressed that he is saddened by the unfortunate landslide accident and that he is in constant touch with the local administration to ensure swift rescue operations and immediate assistance to the injured. Saddened by the unfortunate landslide accident in Dadam mining zone at Bhiwani. I am in constant touch with the local administration to ensure swift rescue operations and immediate assistance to the injured. January 1, 2022 Meanwhile, Haryana Agriculture Minister JP Dalal has also reached the spot and informed that a team of doctors has also arrived. "Some people have died. I cannot provide the exact figures as of now. We will try to save as many people as possible," he told ANI. Live TV The Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority (KSSQA) on Friday shut down two Islamiyah schools indefinitely over alleged rape of a six-year-old girl and impregnation of another 12-year-old girl. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that one of the schools, Madrasatul Ulumul Deeniya wa Tahfizul Quran, located in Rigasa, was closed over an alleged rape of a six-year-old girl in the school premises. The other Islamiyah school, not named but confirmed by NAN to be located at Tsohon Masallacin Jumaa in Kachia, Kachia Local Government was also closed following an alleged impregnation of a 12-year-old girl by an unnamed 50-year-old teacher at the school. The Overseer of the KSSQA, Idris Aliyu, who shut down the school in Rigasa explained that the six-year-old girl was raped within the school premises and that the school authority allegedly covered it up and claimed ignorance of the incident. Mr Aliyu added that the information before the Ministry of Education showed that the victims grandmother went to the school authority to complain, but was allegedly beaten by students and teachers. He said that Governor Nasir El-Rufai had ordered that the Islamiyah be shut down indefinitely until investigation is concluded and the culprit produced. He added that the headmaster of the school would be held responsible for the act until all persons in the school were profiled and the perpetrator identified by the girl. The individuals responsible for the violence against the grandmother, especially the headmaster, will also be prosecuted. This is in line with the state governments responsibility in protecting the vulnerable population in the state, he said. However, the headteacher of the school, Kabir Abdullahi, denied the allegation, saying it is not a rape. What we gathered is that an unidentified boy injured the girl in her private part with a stick. Mr Abdullahi said that the case was already being investigated by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Rigasa, Abubakar Bauranya. On his part, the DPO confirmed receiving the case and equally aligned with the narrative of the headteacher of the Islamiyah school. But the grandmother of the girl, Batul Gambo, insisted that her grandchild was raped and had been confirmed by Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital Tudun Wada, Kaduna. A medical report signed by A. Raji obtained by NAN also confirmed Gambos claim that the six-year-old was raped. Mr Rajis report attributed the bleeding to virginal bruising of the labia minora, bilaterally periureteral bruising, hematoma of the clitoris and laceration of the hymen. On the rape and impregnation of 12-year-old girl in Kachia, Mr Aliyu said she was six months pregnant. He said that the school was equally closed as directed by Mr El-Rufai, stressing that safety of the pupils could not be guaranteed. He added that the Commissioner of Human Services and Social Development, Hafsat Baba and the Commissioner for Education, Halima Lawal, would work closely with the police to investigate and ensure justice. Meanwhile, the two schools will remain closed until investigations are concluded and the culprit prosecuted in accordance with the law, he said. (NAN) The Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority (KSSQA) on Friday shut down two Islamiyah schools indefinitely over alleged rape of a six-year-old girl and impregnation of another 12-year-old girl. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that one of the schools, Madrasatul Ulumul Deeniya wa Tahfizul Quran, located in Rigasa, was closed over an alleged rape of a six-year-old girl in the school premises. The other Islamiyah school, not named but confirmed by NAN to be located at Tsohon Masallacin Jumaa in Kachia, Kachia Local Government was also closed following an alleged impregnation of a 12-year-old girl by an unnamed 50-year-old teacher at the school. The Overseer of the KSSQA, Idris Aliyu, who shut down the school in Rigasa explained that the six-year-old girl was raped within the school premises and that the school authority allegedly covered it up and claimed ignorance of the incident. Mr Aliyu added that the information before the Ministry of Education showed that the victims grandmother went to the school authority to complain, but was allegedly beaten by students and teachers. He said that Governor Nasir El-Rufai had ordered that the Islamiyah be shut down indefinitely until investigation is concluded and the culprit produced. He added that the headmaster of the school would be held responsible for the act until all persons in the school were profiled and the perpetrator identified by the girl. The individuals responsible for the violence against the grandmother, especially the headmaster, will also be prosecuted. This is in line with the state governments responsibility in protecting the vulnerable population in the state, he said. However, the headteacher of the school, Kabir Abdullahi, denied the allegation, saying it is not a rape. What we gathered is that an unidentified boy injured the girl in her private part with a stick. Mr Abdullahi said that the case was already being investigated by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Rigasa, Abubakar Bauranya. On his part, the DPO confirmed receiving the case and equally aligned with the narrative of the headteacher of the Islamiyah school. But the grandmother of the girl, Batul Gambo, insisted that her grandchild was raped and had been confirmed by Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital Tudun Wada, Kaduna. A medical report signed by A. Raji obtained by NAN also confirmed Gambos claim that the six-year-old was raped. Mr Rajis report attributed the bleeding to virginal bruising of the labia minora, bilaterally periureteral bruising, hematoma of the clitoris and laceration of the hymen. On the rape and impregnation of 12-year-old girl in Kachia, Mr Aliyu said she was six months pregnant. He said that the school was equally closed as directed by Mr El-Rufai, stressing that safety of the pupils could not be guaranteed. He added that the Commissioner of Human Services and Social Development, Hafsat Baba and the Commissioner for Education, Halima Lawal, would work closely with the police to investigate and ensure justice. Meanwhile, the two schools will remain closed until investigations are concluded and the culprit prosecuted in accordance with the law, he said. (NAN) The Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority (KSSQA) on Friday shut down two Islamiyah schools indefinitely over alleged rape of a six-year-old girl and impregnation of another 12-year-old girl. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that one of the schools, Madrasatul Ulumul Deeniya wa Tahfizul Quran, located in Rigasa, was closed over an alleged rape of a six-year-old girl in the school premises. The other Islamiyah school, not named but confirmed by NAN to be located at Tsohon Masallacin Jumaa in Kachia, Kachia Local Government was also closed following an alleged impregnation of a 12-year-old girl by an unnamed 50-year-old teacher at the school. The Overseer of the KSSQA, Idris Aliyu, who shut down the school in Rigasa explained that the six-year-old girl was raped within the school premises and that the school authority allegedly covered it up and claimed ignorance of the incident. Mr Aliyu added that the information before the Ministry of Education showed that the victims grandmother went to the school authority to complain, but was allegedly beaten by students and teachers. He said that Governor Nasir El-Rufai had ordered that the Islamiyah be shut down indefinitely until investigation is concluded and the culprit produced. He added that the headmaster of the school would be held responsible for the act until all persons in the school were profiled and the perpetrator identified by the girl. The individuals responsible for the violence against the grandmother, especially the headmaster, will also be prosecuted. This is in line with the state governments responsibility in protecting the vulnerable population in the state, he said. However, the headteacher of the school, Kabir Abdullahi, denied the allegation, saying it is not a rape. What we gathered is that an unidentified boy injured the girl in her private part with a stick. Mr Abdullahi said that the case was already being investigated by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Rigasa, Abubakar Bauranya. On his part, the DPO confirmed receiving the case and equally aligned with the narrative of the headteacher of the Islamiyah school. But the grandmother of the girl, Batul Gambo, insisted that her grandchild was raped and had been confirmed by Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital Tudun Wada, Kaduna. A medical report signed by A. Raji obtained by NAN also confirmed Gambos claim that the six-year-old was raped. Mr Rajis report attributed the bleeding to virginal bruising of the labia minora, bilaterally periureteral bruising, hematoma of the clitoris and laceration of the hymen. On the rape and impregnation of 12-year-old girl in Kachia, Mr Aliyu said she was six months pregnant. He said that the school was equally closed as directed by Mr El-Rufai, stressing that safety of the pupils could not be guaranteed. He added that the Commissioner of Human Services and Social Development, Hafsat Baba and the Commissioner for Education, Halima Lawal, would work closely with the police to investigate and ensure justice. Meanwhile, the two schools will remain closed until investigations are concluded and the culprit prosecuted in accordance with the law, he said. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe New Delhi: At least two people were killed on Saturday (January 1, 2022) when half a dozen dumper trucks and some machines were buried in a landslide at the Dadam mining zone of Haryana's Bhiwani district. The dead are yet to be identified, Inspector Sukhbir of the Tosham Police Station told PTI news agency and added that rescue operations are underway. Incident of a landslide in a mining quarry took place in Haryana's Bhiwani pic.twitter.com/d7d382RxrC ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2022 Reacting to the incident, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar expressed that he is saddened by the unfortunate landslide accident and that he is in constant touch with the local administration to ensure swift rescue operations and immediate assistance to the injured. Saddened by the unfortunate landslide accident in Dadam mining zone at Bhiwani. I am in constant touch with the local administration to ensure swift rescue operations and immediate assistance to the injured. January 1, 2022 Meanwhile, Haryana Agriculture Minister JP Dalal has also reached the spot and informed that a team of doctors has also arrived. "Some people have died. I cannot provide the exact figures as of now. We will try to save as many people as possible," he told ANI. Live TV New Delhi: At least two people were killed on Saturday (January 1, 2022) when half a dozen dumper trucks and some machines were buried in a landslide at the Dadam mining zone of Haryana's Bhiwani district. The dead are yet to be identified, Inspector Sukhbir of the Tosham Police Station told PTI news agency and added that rescue operations are underway. Incident of a landslide in a mining quarry took place in Haryana's Bhiwani pic.twitter.com/d7d382RxrC ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2022 Reacting to the incident, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar expressed that he is saddened by the unfortunate landslide accident and that he is in constant touch with the local administration to ensure swift rescue operations and immediate assistance to the injured. Saddened by the unfortunate landslide accident in Dadam mining zone at Bhiwani. I am in constant touch with the local administration to ensure swift rescue operations and immediate assistance to the injured. January 1, 2022 Meanwhile, Haryana Agriculture Minister JP Dalal has also reached the spot and informed that a team of doctors has also arrived. "Some people have died. I cannot provide the exact figures as of now. We will try to save as many people as possible," he told ANI. Live TV The Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority (KSSQA) on Friday shut down two Islamiyah schools indefinitely over alleged rape of a six-year-old girl and impregnation of another 12-year-old girl. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that one of the schools, Madrasatul Ulumul Deeniya wa Tahfizul Quran, located in Rigasa, was closed over an alleged rape of a six-year-old girl in the school premises. The other Islamiyah school, not named but confirmed by NAN to be located at Tsohon Masallacin Jumaa in Kachia, Kachia Local Government was also closed following an alleged impregnation of a 12-year-old girl by an unnamed 50-year-old teacher at the school. The Overseer of the KSSQA, Idris Aliyu, who shut down the school in Rigasa explained that the six-year-old girl was raped within the school premises and that the school authority allegedly covered it up and claimed ignorance of the incident. Mr Aliyu added that the information before the Ministry of Education showed that the victims grandmother went to the school authority to complain, but was allegedly beaten by students and teachers. He said that Governor Nasir El-Rufai had ordered that the Islamiyah be shut down indefinitely until investigation is concluded and the culprit produced. He added that the headmaster of the school would be held responsible for the act until all persons in the school were profiled and the perpetrator identified by the girl. The individuals responsible for the violence against the grandmother, especially the headmaster, will also be prosecuted. This is in line with the state governments responsibility in protecting the vulnerable population in the state, he said. However, the headteacher of the school, Kabir Abdullahi, denied the allegation, saying it is not a rape. What we gathered is that an unidentified boy injured the girl in her private part with a stick. Mr Abdullahi said that the case was already being investigated by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Rigasa, Abubakar Bauranya. On his part, the DPO confirmed receiving the case and equally aligned with the narrative of the headteacher of the Islamiyah school. But the grandmother of the girl, Batul Gambo, insisted that her grandchild was raped and had been confirmed by Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital Tudun Wada, Kaduna. A medical report signed by A. Raji obtained by NAN also confirmed Gambos claim that the six-year-old was raped. Mr Rajis report attributed the bleeding to virginal bruising of the labia minora, bilaterally periureteral bruising, hematoma of the clitoris and laceration of the hymen. On the rape and impregnation of 12-year-old girl in Kachia, Mr Aliyu said she was six months pregnant. He said that the school was equally closed as directed by Mr El-Rufai, stressing that safety of the pupils could not be guaranteed. He added that the Commissioner of Human Services and Social Development, Hafsat Baba and the Commissioner for Education, Halima Lawal, would work closely with the police to investigate and ensure justice. Meanwhile, the two schools will remain closed until investigations are concluded and the culprit prosecuted in accordance with the law, he said. (NAN) The Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority (KSSQA) on Friday shut down two Islamiyah schools indefinitely over alleged rape of a six-year-old girl and impregnation of another 12-year-old girl. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that one of the schools, Madrasatul Ulumul Deeniya wa Tahfizul Quran, located in Rigasa, was closed over an alleged rape of a six-year-old girl in the school premises. The other Islamiyah school, not named but confirmed by NAN to be located at Tsohon Masallacin Jumaa in Kachia, Kachia Local Government was also closed following an alleged impregnation of a 12-year-old girl by an unnamed 50-year-old teacher at the school. The Overseer of the KSSQA, Idris Aliyu, who shut down the school in Rigasa explained that the six-year-old girl was raped within the school premises and that the school authority allegedly covered it up and claimed ignorance of the incident. Mr Aliyu added that the information before the Ministry of Education showed that the victims grandmother went to the school authority to complain, but was allegedly beaten by students and teachers. He said that Governor Nasir El-Rufai had ordered that the Islamiyah be shut down indefinitely until investigation is concluded and the culprit produced. He added that the headmaster of the school would be held responsible for the act until all persons in the school were profiled and the perpetrator identified by the girl. The individuals responsible for the violence against the grandmother, especially the headmaster, will also be prosecuted. This is in line with the state governments responsibility in protecting the vulnerable population in the state, he said. However, the headteacher of the school, Kabir Abdullahi, denied the allegation, saying it is not a rape. What we gathered is that an unidentified boy injured the girl in her private part with a stick. Mr Abdullahi said that the case was already being investigated by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Rigasa, Abubakar Bauranya. On his part, the DPO confirmed receiving the case and equally aligned with the narrative of the headteacher of the Islamiyah school. But the grandmother of the girl, Batul Gambo, insisted that her grandchild was raped and had been confirmed by Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital Tudun Wada, Kaduna. A medical report signed by A. Raji obtained by NAN also confirmed Gambos claim that the six-year-old was raped. Mr Rajis report attributed the bleeding to virginal bruising of the labia minora, bilaterally periureteral bruising, hematoma of the clitoris and laceration of the hymen. On the rape and impregnation of 12-year-old girl in Kachia, Mr Aliyu said she was six months pregnant. He said that the school was equally closed as directed by Mr El-Rufai, stressing that safety of the pupils could not be guaranteed. He added that the Commissioner of Human Services and Social Development, Hafsat Baba and the Commissioner for Education, Halima Lawal, would work closely with the police to investigate and ensure justice. Meanwhile, the two schools will remain closed until investigations are concluded and the culprit prosecuted in accordance with the law, he said. (NAN) Twelve people were crushed to death and 17 were injured in a New Year's Eve stampede at a shrine in India after an argument broke out in a crowd. An investigation has been ordered into what caused the stampede at 2.40am this morning at the Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine in Kashmir. Thousands of Hindu devotees had gathered to pay their respects in the hilly town of Katra, near southern Jammu city. Seventeen people with 'serious injuries' were taken to Naraina Hospital after a rescue operation, while the victims were identified at another hospital in the Katra base camp. Shocking footage showed several men clinging onto scaffolding as people scrambled to escape the stampede. Health workers carry the coffin of one of the 12 victims who died in a stampede at the Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine in Kashmir, at a hospital in Katra, India Shocking video footage showed several men clinging onto scaffolding as people scrambled to escape the stampede An investigation has been ordered into what caused the stampede early this morning at the Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine in Kashmir Mahesh, a devotee who gave only one name, said the stampede started near one of the gates where pilgrims entered and left the route to the shrine. 'Something happened near one of the gates and I found myself under a crush of people. I suffocated and fell but somehow managed to stand up,' he said. 'I saw people moving over the bodies. It was a horrifying sight, but I managed to help in rescuing some injured people.' Another devotee named Priyansh said he and 10 friends from New Delhi arrived on Friday night to visit the shrine. He said two of his friends had died in the incident. 'I have never seen anything like this,' he said. Thousands of Hindu devotees had gathered to pay their respects in the hilly town of Katra, near southern Jammu city Thousands of Hindu devotees had gathered to pay their respects in the hilly town of Katra (pictured), near southern Jammu city Eight of the victims were identified as Dheeraj Kumar 26, Sheweta Singh, 35, Viney Kumar, 24, Sonu Pandey, 24, Mamta, 38, Dharmveer Singh, 35, Vaneet Kumar, 38, and Arun Pratap Singh, 30, according to India TV News. Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said there was a 'minor altercation' between a group of young boys before the stampede. He said: 'Police and officials of the civil administration were quick to respond, and the order within the crowd was immediately restored, but by that time, the damage had been done.' Indian Prime Minster Narendra Modi expressed his condolences in a message on Twitter. 'Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede,' he wrote. Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said there was a 'minor altercation' between a group of young boys before the stampede Pilgrims often trek on foot to reach the hilltop temple, which is one of the most visited shrines in northern India. Deadly stampedes are fairly common during Indian religious festivals, as large crowds, sometimes in their millions, gather in small areas with few safety or crowd control measures. In 2013, pilgrims visiting a temple for a popular Hindu festival in India's central Madhya Pradesh state stampeded amid fears that a bridge would collapse, and at least 115 people were crushed to death or died in the river below. More than 100 Hindu devotees died in 2011 in a stampede at a religious festival in the southern Indian state of Kerala. Twelve people were crushed to death and 17 were injured in a New Year's Eve stampede at a shrine in India after an argument broke out in a crowd. An investigation has been ordered into what caused the stampede at 2.40am this morning at the Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine in Kashmir. Thousands of Hindu devotees had gathered to pay their respects in the hilly town of Katra, near southern Jammu city. Seventeen people with 'serious injuries' were taken to Naraina Hospital after a rescue operation, while the victims were identified at another hospital in the Katra base camp. Shocking footage showed several men clinging onto scaffolding as people scrambled to escape the stampede. Health workers carry the coffin of one of the 12 victims who died in a stampede at the Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine in Kashmir, at a hospital in Katra, India Shocking video footage showed several men clinging onto scaffolding as people scrambled to escape the stampede An investigation has been ordered into what caused the stampede early this morning at the Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine in Kashmir Mahesh, a devotee who gave only one name, said the stampede started near one of the gates where pilgrims entered and left the route to the shrine. 'Something happened near one of the gates and I found myself under a crush of people. I suffocated and fell but somehow managed to stand up,' he said. 'I saw people moving over the bodies. It was a horrifying sight, but I managed to help in rescuing some injured people.' Another devotee named Priyansh said he and 10 friends from New Delhi arrived on Friday night to visit the shrine. He said two of his friends had died in the incident. 'I have never seen anything like this,' he said. Thousands of Hindu devotees had gathered to pay their respects in the hilly town of Katra, near southern Jammu city Thousands of Hindu devotees had gathered to pay their respects in the hilly town of Katra (pictured), near southern Jammu city Eight of the victims were identified as Dheeraj Kumar 26, Sheweta Singh, 35, Viney Kumar, 24, Sonu Pandey, 24, Mamta, 38, Dharmveer Singh, 35, Vaneet Kumar, 38, and Arun Pratap Singh, 30, according to India TV News. Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said there was a 'minor altercation' between a group of young boys before the stampede. He said: 'Police and officials of the civil administration were quick to respond, and the order within the crowd was immediately restored, but by that time, the damage had been done.' Indian Prime Minster Narendra Modi expressed his condolences in a message on Twitter. 'Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede,' he wrote. Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said there was a 'minor altercation' between a group of young boys before the stampede Pilgrims often trek on foot to reach the hilltop temple, which is one of the most visited shrines in northern India. Deadly stampedes are fairly common during Indian religious festivals, as large crowds, sometimes in their millions, gather in small areas with few safety or crowd control measures. In 2013, pilgrims visiting a temple for a popular Hindu festival in India's central Madhya Pradesh state stampeded amid fears that a bridge would collapse, and at least 115 people were crushed to death or died in the river below. More than 100 Hindu devotees died in 2011 in a stampede at a religious festival in the southern Indian state of Kerala. Twelve people were crushed to death and 17 were injured in a New Year's Eve stampede at a shrine in India after an argument broke out in a crowd. An investigation has been ordered into what caused the stampede at 2.40am this morning at the Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine in Kashmir. Thousands of Hindu devotees had gathered to pay their respects in the hilly town of Katra, near southern Jammu city. Seventeen people with 'serious injuries' were taken to Naraina Hospital after a rescue operation, while the victims were identified at another hospital in the Katra base camp. Shocking footage showed several men clinging onto scaffolding as people scrambled to escape the stampede. Health workers carry the coffin of one of the 12 victims who died in a stampede at the Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine in Kashmir, at a hospital in Katra, India Shocking video footage showed several men clinging onto scaffolding as people scrambled to escape the stampede An investigation has been ordered into what caused the stampede early this morning at the Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine in Kashmir Mahesh, a devotee who gave only one name, said the stampede started near one of the gates where pilgrims entered and left the route to the shrine. 'Something happened near one of the gates and I found myself under a crush of people. I suffocated and fell but somehow managed to stand up,' he said. 'I saw people moving over the bodies. It was a horrifying sight, but I managed to help in rescuing some injured people.' Another devotee named Priyansh said he and 10 friends from New Delhi arrived on Friday night to visit the shrine. He said two of his friends had died in the incident. 'I have never seen anything like this,' he said. Thousands of Hindu devotees had gathered to pay their respects in the hilly town of Katra, near southern Jammu city Thousands of Hindu devotees had gathered to pay their respects in the hilly town of Katra (pictured), near southern Jammu city Eight of the victims were identified as Dheeraj Kumar 26, Sheweta Singh, 35, Viney Kumar, 24, Sonu Pandey, 24, Mamta, 38, Dharmveer Singh, 35, Vaneet Kumar, 38, and Arun Pratap Singh, 30, according to India TV News. Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said there was a 'minor altercation' between a group of young boys before the stampede. He said: 'Police and officials of the civil administration were quick to respond, and the order within the crowd was immediately restored, but by that time, the damage had been done.' Indian Prime Minster Narendra Modi expressed his condolences in a message on Twitter. 'Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede,' he wrote. Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said there was a 'minor altercation' between a group of young boys before the stampede Pilgrims often trek on foot to reach the hilltop temple, which is one of the most visited shrines in northern India. Deadly stampedes are fairly common during Indian religious festivals, as large crowds, sometimes in their millions, gather in small areas with few safety or crowd control measures. In 2013, pilgrims visiting a temple for a popular Hindu festival in India's central Madhya Pradesh state stampeded amid fears that a bridge would collapse, and at least 115 people were crushed to death or died in the river below. More than 100 Hindu devotees died in 2011 in a stampede at a religious festival in the southern Indian state of Kerala. New Delhi: At least two people were killed on Saturday (January 1, 2022) when half a dozen dumper trucks and some machines were buried in a landslide at the Dadam mining zone of Haryana's Bhiwani district. The dead are yet to be identified, Inspector Sukhbir of the Tosham Police Station told PTI news agency and added that rescue operations are underway. Incident of a landslide in a mining quarry took place in Haryana's Bhiwani pic.twitter.com/d7d382RxrC ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2022 Reacting to the incident, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar expressed that he is saddened by the unfortunate landslide accident and that he is in constant touch with the local administration to ensure swift rescue operations and immediate assistance to the injured. Saddened by the unfortunate landslide accident in Dadam mining zone at Bhiwani. I am in constant touch with the local administration to ensure swift rescue operations and immediate assistance to the injured. January 1, 2022 Meanwhile, Haryana Agriculture Minister JP Dalal has also reached the spot and informed that a team of doctors has also arrived. "Some people have died. I cannot provide the exact figures as of now. We will try to save as many people as possible," he told ANI. Live TV Karnataka home minister Araga Jnanendra said he had handed over the case of police atrocities against Koraga community members during a pre-wedding Mehendi ritual at Kota Thattu village to the CID for investigation. Speaking after visiting the victims at the colony, the home minister stated that he and the government are committed to protect the society's most vulnerable community. He stated that he is ashamed of the incident, which has also tarnished the dedication of 1 lakh police officers who work around the clock to maintain law and order and peace in the society. The incident demonstrated how police can be ruthless in their treatment of innocent people. The Minister said that he could never defend or support his department. "I have listened to the unfolding events that upheld the cruelty of police personnel who turned out to be thugs," he said. The minister promised Rs 2 lakh each to the six families who had suffered at the hands of the police. As part of the immediate measures, these families were given Rs 50,000 each on the spot. The minister described the incident as gruesome and claimed that the police went above and beyond their authority. "The incident has hurt me," and added that he has asked the DGP to take immediate action. "The counter-complaint filed by the police constable was done on purpose. The complaint is pointless because the police officer was admitted to the hospital three days after the incident and registered the complaint. Anyone can see that the case is a hoax. He assured the community that the government is on their side and that the case will have no bearing on the people named in the counter-complaint," said the Minister. Further, he said that the PSI was arrogant and didn't think it was necessary to notify the CPI, DySP, or SP before engaging in lathi charge. The action will be taken against the five constables who are currently in the process of being transferred. The police involved will have to pay, and the investigation itself is a severe punishment, said the Minister. The minister later told reporters that the bridegroom and women in the families attending the function were assaulted. Such incidents will not be repeated in the future. The law is equal to all regardless of their status, caste, class, or religion. The government is committed to protect Dalits, the oppressed, and the destitute, he added. Watch latest videos by DH here: Karnataka home minister Araga Jnanendra said he had handed over the case of police atrocities against Koraga community members during a pre-wedding Mehendi ritual at Kota Thattu village to the CID for investigation. Speaking after visiting the victims at the colony, the home minister stated that he and the government are committed to protect the society's most vulnerable community. He stated that he is ashamed of the incident, which has also tarnished the dedication of 1 lakh police officers who work around the clock to maintain law and order and peace in the society. The incident demonstrated how police can be ruthless in their treatment of innocent people. The Minister said that he could never defend or support his department. "I have listened to the unfolding events that upheld the cruelty of police personnel who turned out to be thugs," he said. The minister promised Rs 2 lakh each to the six families who had suffered at the hands of the police. As part of the immediate measures, these families were given Rs 50,000 each on the spot. The minister described the incident as gruesome and claimed that the police went above and beyond their authority. "The incident has hurt me," and added that he has asked the DGP to take immediate action. "The counter-complaint filed by the police constable was done on purpose. The complaint is pointless because the police officer was admitted to the hospital three days after the incident and registered the complaint. Anyone can see that the case is a hoax. He assured the community that the government is on their side and that the case will have no bearing on the people named in the counter-complaint," said the Minister. Further, he said that the PSI was arrogant and didn't think it was necessary to notify the CPI, DySP, or SP before engaging in lathi charge. The action will be taken against the five constables who are currently in the process of being transferred. The police involved will have to pay, and the investigation itself is a severe punishment, said the Minister. The minister later told reporters that the bridegroom and women in the families attending the function were assaulted. Such incidents will not be repeated in the future. The law is equal to all regardless of their status, caste, class, or religion. The government is committed to protect Dalits, the oppressed, and the destitute, he added. Watch latest videos by DH here: Italy to have 11 yellow zones from Monday as four more regions leave white zone. The Italian regions of Lazio (Rome), Lombardia (Milan), Piemonte (Turin) and Sicily will be classified as low-moderate risk yellow zones from 3 January, under Italy's four-tiered system of covid-19 restrictions. This will bring the total number of yellow zone regions and autonomous provinces to 11, with the four new 'zone gialle' joining Bolzano, Calabria, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Liguria, Marche, Trento and Veneto. The rest of Italy is in the lowest-risk white zone, with the most relaxed rules, which become progressively stricter under the colour-coded system of yellow, orange (medium-risk) and red (highest-risk) zones. In terms of yellow zone rules, in reality nothing changes for those with the Super Green Pass. The yellow zone obligation to wear masks outdoors is already mandatory throughout Italy. The previous rule of a maximum of four people per restaurant table (unless cohabiting) no longer applies. A Super Green Pass is required to access bars and restaurants, including eating or drinking while standing at the counter, as is the case throughout Italy. To be classified a yellow zone, a region must reach the threshold of 10 per cent in intensive care and 15 per cent in general hospitalisations, with a weekly incident rate of 50 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. News of the four new yellow zones, announced by the health ministry on New Year's Eve, came the same day that Italy registered 144,243 covid infections over the previous 24 hours, the highest daily tally since the pandemic began. During his final New Year address, Italys outgoing president Sergio Mattarella thanked Italians for their "maturity and sense of responsibility" during the two years of the pandemic, paying particular tribute to healthcare workers. Mattarella also berated those who waste the opportunity to receive a covid vaccine, describing it as an offence to all those who didn't have the chance. For official information about the covid-19 situation in Italy (in English) see the health ministry website. Photo credit: Gennaro Leonardi Photos / Shutterstock.com. Vietnamese Journalist Who Ran as Independent Political Candidate Jailed for 5 Years Vietnamese journalist Le Trong Hung, who campaigned as an independent candidate in the National Assembly election, was sentenced to five years in prison by a Hanoi court on Dec. 31, after he was accused of spreading information opposing the state. Hung was convicted of making, storing, distributing, or disseminating information, documents, and items against the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam under Article 117 of Vietnams Penal Code. He was arrested on March 27 without access to an attorney or his family. The court also sentenced Hung to five years of probation upon the completion of his five-year prison sentence. His attorney, Ha Huy Son, described Hungs conviction as vague and said the prosecution never showed up in court to present the grounds for the anti-state charges, Radio Free Asia reported. Citing the court file, Hungs wife, Do Le Na, said Hung was convicted based on four videos that he posted on Facebook, in which he discussed the 2020 Dong Tam police raid, the courts role in Vietnams political system, and his candidacy for the National Assembly election. I and my family no longer have trust in this legal system. My husband declared at the trial that he will not appeal, and I respect his decision, Na said after the ruling, noting that authorities had also tried to prevent relatives from attending the hearing. Hung, 42, is a former middle school teacher who founded CHTV, a social media channel that debates social and political issues. He reports widely on issues involving activists in Vietnam via social media, and he was also involved in anti-China protests. Prior to his arrest, Hung had announced his intention to run as an independent candidate for the election and published his proposed policies, which called for the amendment of the constitution, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported. Two other people who tried to run as independent candidates in the election, Le Van Dung and Tran Quoc Khanh, were also arrested on the same charge. Despite that, the Communist Party of Vietnam refuted the allegation that Hungs arrest was due to his candidacy, saying that it was due to his long-standing law violations. It claimed that Hung continuously makes speeches that defame the government, oppose the state, and dismiss the leadership role of the Party. HRW called for Hungs immediate release and condemned the move by authorities to prosecute him for challenging the status quo. Imprisoning activists like Le Trong Hung who dare to run as independent candidates for parliament shows what a charade Vietnams elections are, Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at HRW, said in a statement. The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights has also urged Vietnamese authorities to stop violating fundamental freedoms and called for the immediate release of all rights and land activists who were jailed for spreading anti-state propaganda. Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the criminal code under which these charges were brought is overly broad and inconsistent with international human rights norms. All the cases follow similar worrying patterns that raise serious issues concerning the presumption of innocence, the legality of their detention, and the fairness of their trial, Shamdasani said. The Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority (KSSQA) on Friday shut down two Islamiyah schools indefinitely over alleged rape of a six-year-old girl and impregnation of another 12-year-old girl. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that one of the schools, Madrasatul Ulumul Deeniya wa Tahfizul Quran, located in Rigasa, was closed over an alleged rape of a six-year-old girl in the school premises. The other Islamiyah school, not named but confirmed by NAN to be located at Tsohon Masallacin Jumaa in Kachia, Kachia Local Government was also closed following an alleged impregnation of a 12-year-old girl by an unnamed 50-year-old teacher at the school. The Overseer of the KSSQA, Idris Aliyu, who shut down the school in Rigasa explained that the six-year-old girl was raped within the school premises and that the school authority allegedly covered it up and claimed ignorance of the incident. Mr Aliyu added that the information before the Ministry of Education showed that the victims grandmother went to the school authority to complain, but was allegedly beaten by students and teachers. He said that Governor Nasir El-Rufai had ordered that the Islamiyah be shut down indefinitely until investigation is concluded and the culprit produced. He added that the headmaster of the school would be held responsible for the act until all persons in the school were profiled and the perpetrator identified by the girl. The individuals responsible for the violence against the grandmother, especially the headmaster, will also be prosecuted. This is in line with the state governments responsibility in protecting the vulnerable population in the state, he said. However, the headteacher of the school, Kabir Abdullahi, denied the allegation, saying it is not a rape. What we gathered is that an unidentified boy injured the girl in her private part with a stick. Mr Abdullahi said that the case was already being investigated by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Rigasa, Abubakar Bauranya. On his part, the DPO confirmed receiving the case and equally aligned with the narrative of the headteacher of the Islamiyah school. But the grandmother of the girl, Batul Gambo, insisted that her grandchild was raped and had been confirmed by Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital Tudun Wada, Kaduna. A medical report signed by A. Raji obtained by NAN also confirmed Gambos claim that the six-year-old was raped. Mr Rajis report attributed the bleeding to virginal bruising of the labia minora, bilaterally periureteral bruising, hematoma of the clitoris and laceration of the hymen. On the rape and impregnation of 12-year-old girl in Kachia, Mr Aliyu said she was six months pregnant. He said that the school was equally closed as directed by Mr El-Rufai, stressing that safety of the pupils could not be guaranteed. He added that the Commissioner of Human Services and Social Development, Hafsat Baba and the Commissioner for Education, Halima Lawal, would work closely with the police to investigate and ensure justice. Meanwhile, the two schools will remain closed until investigations are concluded and the culprit prosecuted in accordance with the law, he said. (NAN) The Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority (KSSQA) on Friday shut down two Islamiyah schools indefinitely over alleged rape of a six-year-old girl and impregnation of another 12-year-old girl. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that one of the schools, Madrasatul Ulumul Deeniya wa Tahfizul Quran, located in Rigasa, was closed over an alleged rape of a six-year-old girl in the school premises. The other Islamiyah school, not named but confirmed by NAN to be located at Tsohon Masallacin Jumaa in Kachia, Kachia Local Government was also closed following an alleged impregnation of a 12-year-old girl by an unnamed 50-year-old teacher at the school. The Overseer of the KSSQA, Idris Aliyu, who shut down the school in Rigasa explained that the six-year-old girl was raped within the school premises and that the school authority allegedly covered it up and claimed ignorance of the incident. Mr Aliyu added that the information before the Ministry of Education showed that the victims grandmother went to the school authority to complain, but was allegedly beaten by students and teachers. He said that Governor Nasir El-Rufai had ordered that the Islamiyah be shut down indefinitely until investigation is concluded and the culprit produced. He added that the headmaster of the school would be held responsible for the act until all persons in the school were profiled and the perpetrator identified by the girl. The individuals responsible for the violence against the grandmother, especially the headmaster, will also be prosecuted. This is in line with the state governments responsibility in protecting the vulnerable population in the state, he said. However, the headteacher of the school, Kabir Abdullahi, denied the allegation, saying it is not a rape. What we gathered is that an unidentified boy injured the girl in her private part with a stick. Mr Abdullahi said that the case was already being investigated by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Rigasa, Abubakar Bauranya. On his part, the DPO confirmed receiving the case and equally aligned with the narrative of the headteacher of the Islamiyah school. But the grandmother of the girl, Batul Gambo, insisted that her grandchild was raped and had been confirmed by Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital Tudun Wada, Kaduna. A medical report signed by A. Raji obtained by NAN also confirmed Gambos claim that the six-year-old was raped. Mr Rajis report attributed the bleeding to virginal bruising of the labia minora, bilaterally periureteral bruising, hematoma of the clitoris and laceration of the hymen. On the rape and impregnation of 12-year-old girl in Kachia, Mr Aliyu said she was six months pregnant. He said that the school was equally closed as directed by Mr El-Rufai, stressing that safety of the pupils could not be guaranteed. He added that the Commissioner of Human Services and Social Development, Hafsat Baba and the Commissioner for Education, Halima Lawal, would work closely with the police to investigate and ensure justice. Meanwhile, the two schools will remain closed until investigations are concluded and the culprit prosecuted in accordance with the law, he said. (NAN) The Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority (KSSQA) on Friday shut down two Islamiyah schools indefinitely over alleged rape of a six-year-old girl and impregnation of another 12-year-old girl. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that one of the schools, Madrasatul Ulumul Deeniya wa Tahfizul Quran, located in Rigasa, was closed over an alleged rape of a six-year-old girl in the school premises. The other Islamiyah school, not named but confirmed by NAN to be located at Tsohon Masallacin Jumaa in Kachia, Kachia Local Government was also closed following an alleged impregnation of a 12-year-old girl by an unnamed 50-year-old teacher at the school. The Overseer of the KSSQA, Idris Aliyu, who shut down the school in Rigasa explained that the six-year-old girl was raped within the school premises and that the school authority allegedly covered it up and claimed ignorance of the incident. Mr Aliyu added that the information before the Ministry of Education showed that the victims grandmother went to the school authority to complain, but was allegedly beaten by students and teachers. He said that Governor Nasir El-Rufai had ordered that the Islamiyah be shut down indefinitely until investigation is concluded and the culprit produced. He added that the headmaster of the school would be held responsible for the act until all persons in the school were profiled and the perpetrator identified by the girl. The individuals responsible for the violence against the grandmother, especially the headmaster, will also be prosecuted. This is in line with the state governments responsibility in protecting the vulnerable population in the state, he said. However, the headteacher of the school, Kabir Abdullahi, denied the allegation, saying it is not a rape. What we gathered is that an unidentified boy injured the girl in her private part with a stick. Mr Abdullahi said that the case was already being investigated by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Rigasa, Abubakar Bauranya. On his part, the DPO confirmed receiving the case and equally aligned with the narrative of the headteacher of the Islamiyah school. But the grandmother of the girl, Batul Gambo, insisted that her grandchild was raped and had been confirmed by Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital Tudun Wada, Kaduna. A medical report signed by A. Raji obtained by NAN also confirmed Gambos claim that the six-year-old was raped. Mr Rajis report attributed the bleeding to virginal bruising of the labia minora, bilaterally periureteral bruising, hematoma of the clitoris and laceration of the hymen. On the rape and impregnation of 12-year-old girl in Kachia, Mr Aliyu said she was six months pregnant. He said that the school was equally closed as directed by Mr El-Rufai, stressing that safety of the pupils could not be guaranteed. He added that the Commissioner of Human Services and Social Development, Hafsat Baba and the Commissioner for Education, Halima Lawal, would work closely with the police to investigate and ensure justice. Meanwhile, the two schools will remain closed until investigations are concluded and the culprit prosecuted in accordance with the law, he said. (NAN) The Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority (KSSQA) on Friday shut down two Islamiyah schools indefinitely over alleged rape of a six-year-old girl and impregnation of another 12-year-old girl. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that one of the schools, Madrasatul Ulumul Deeniya wa Tahfizul Quran, located in Rigasa, was closed over an alleged rape of a six-year-old girl in the school premises. The other Islamiyah school, not named but confirmed by NAN to be located at Tsohon Masallacin Jumaa in Kachia, Kachia Local Government was also closed following an alleged impregnation of a 12-year-old girl by an unnamed 50-year-old teacher at the school. The Overseer of the KSSQA, Idris Aliyu, who shut down the school in Rigasa explained that the six-year-old girl was raped within the school premises and that the school authority allegedly covered it up and claimed ignorance of the incident. Mr Aliyu added that the information before the Ministry of Education showed that the victims grandmother went to the school authority to complain, but was allegedly beaten by students and teachers. He said that Governor Nasir El-Rufai had ordered that the Islamiyah be shut down indefinitely until investigation is concluded and the culprit produced. He added that the headmaster of the school would be held responsible for the act until all persons in the school were profiled and the perpetrator identified by the girl. The individuals responsible for the violence against the grandmother, especially the headmaster, will also be prosecuted. This is in line with the state governments responsibility in protecting the vulnerable population in the state, he said. However, the headteacher of the school, Kabir Abdullahi, denied the allegation, saying it is not a rape. What we gathered is that an unidentified boy injured the girl in her private part with a stick. Mr Abdullahi said that the case was already being investigated by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Rigasa, Abubakar Bauranya. On his part, the DPO confirmed receiving the case and equally aligned with the narrative of the headteacher of the Islamiyah school. But the grandmother of the girl, Batul Gambo, insisted that her grandchild was raped and had been confirmed by Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital Tudun Wada, Kaduna. A medical report signed by A. Raji obtained by NAN also confirmed Gambos claim that the six-year-old was raped. Mr Rajis report attributed the bleeding to virginal bruising of the labia minora, bilaterally periureteral bruising, hematoma of the clitoris and laceration of the hymen. On the rape and impregnation of 12-year-old girl in Kachia, Mr Aliyu said she was six months pregnant. He said that the school was equally closed as directed by Mr El-Rufai, stressing that safety of the pupils could not be guaranteed. He added that the Commissioner of Human Services and Social Development, Hafsat Baba and the Commissioner for Education, Halima Lawal, would work closely with the police to investigate and ensure justice. Meanwhile, the two schools will remain closed until investigations are concluded and the culprit prosecuted in accordance with the law, he said. (NAN) The Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority (KSSQA) on Friday shut down two Islamiyah schools indefinitely over alleged rape of a six-year-old girl and impregnation of another 12-year-old girl. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that one of the schools, Madrasatul Ulumul Deeniya wa Tahfizul Quran, located in Rigasa, was closed over an alleged rape of a six-year-old girl in the school premises. The other Islamiyah school, not named but confirmed by NAN to be located at Tsohon Masallacin Jumaa in Kachia, Kachia Local Government was also closed following an alleged impregnation of a 12-year-old girl by an unnamed 50-year-old teacher at the school. The Overseer of the KSSQA, Idris Aliyu, who shut down the school in Rigasa explained that the six-year-old girl was raped within the school premises and that the school authority allegedly covered it up and claimed ignorance of the incident. Mr Aliyu added that the information before the Ministry of Education showed that the victims grandmother went to the school authority to complain, but was allegedly beaten by students and teachers. He said that Governor Nasir El-Rufai had ordered that the Islamiyah be shut down indefinitely until investigation is concluded and the culprit produced. He added that the headmaster of the school would be held responsible for the act until all persons in the school were profiled and the perpetrator identified by the girl. The individuals responsible for the violence against the grandmother, especially the headmaster, will also be prosecuted. This is in line with the state governments responsibility in protecting the vulnerable population in the state, he said. However, the headteacher of the school, Kabir Abdullahi, denied the allegation, saying it is not a rape. What we gathered is that an unidentified boy injured the girl in her private part with a stick. Mr Abdullahi said that the case was already being investigated by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Rigasa, Abubakar Bauranya. On his part, the DPO confirmed receiving the case and equally aligned with the narrative of the headteacher of the Islamiyah school. But the grandmother of the girl, Batul Gambo, insisted that her grandchild was raped and had been confirmed by Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital Tudun Wada, Kaduna. A medical report signed by A. Raji obtained by NAN also confirmed Gambos claim that the six-year-old was raped. Mr Rajis report attributed the bleeding to virginal bruising of the labia minora, bilaterally periureteral bruising, hematoma of the clitoris and laceration of the hymen. On the rape and impregnation of 12-year-old girl in Kachia, Mr Aliyu said she was six months pregnant. He said that the school was equally closed as directed by Mr El-Rufai, stressing that safety of the pupils could not be guaranteed. He added that the Commissioner of Human Services and Social Development, Hafsat Baba and the Commissioner for Education, Halima Lawal, would work closely with the police to investigate and ensure justice. Meanwhile, the two schools will remain closed until investigations are concluded and the culprit prosecuted in accordance with the law, he said. (NAN) The Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority (KSSQA) on Friday shut down two Islamiyah schools indefinitely over alleged rape of a six-year-old girl and impregnation of another 12-year-old girl. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that one of the schools, Madrasatul Ulumul Deeniya wa Tahfizul Quran, located in Rigasa, was closed over an alleged rape of a six-year-old girl in the school premises. The other Islamiyah school, not named but confirmed by NAN to be located at Tsohon Masallacin Jumaa in Kachia, Kachia Local Government was also closed following an alleged impregnation of a 12-year-old girl by an unnamed 50-year-old teacher at the school. The Overseer of the KSSQA, Idris Aliyu, who shut down the school in Rigasa explained that the six-year-old girl was raped within the school premises and that the school authority allegedly covered it up and claimed ignorance of the incident. Mr Aliyu added that the information before the Ministry of Education showed that the victims grandmother went to the school authority to complain, but was allegedly beaten by students and teachers. He said that Governor Nasir El-Rufai had ordered that the Islamiyah be shut down indefinitely until investigation is concluded and the culprit produced. He added that the headmaster of the school would be held responsible for the act until all persons in the school were profiled and the perpetrator identified by the girl. The individuals responsible for the violence against the grandmother, especially the headmaster, will also be prosecuted. This is in line with the state governments responsibility in protecting the vulnerable population in the state, he said. However, the headteacher of the school, Kabir Abdullahi, denied the allegation, saying it is not a rape. What we gathered is that an unidentified boy injured the girl in her private part with a stick. Mr Abdullahi said that the case was already being investigated by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Rigasa, Abubakar Bauranya. On his part, the DPO confirmed receiving the case and equally aligned with the narrative of the headteacher of the Islamiyah school. But the grandmother of the girl, Batul Gambo, insisted that her grandchild was raped and had been confirmed by Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital Tudun Wada, Kaduna. A medical report signed by A. Raji obtained by NAN also confirmed Gambos claim that the six-year-old was raped. Mr Rajis report attributed the bleeding to virginal bruising of the labia minora, bilaterally periureteral bruising, hematoma of the clitoris and laceration of the hymen. On the rape and impregnation of 12-year-old girl in Kachia, Mr Aliyu said she was six months pregnant. He said that the school was equally closed as directed by Mr El-Rufai, stressing that safety of the pupils could not be guaranteed. He added that the Commissioner of Human Services and Social Development, Hafsat Baba and the Commissioner for Education, Halima Lawal, would work closely with the police to investigate and ensure justice. Meanwhile, the two schools will remain closed until investigations are concluded and the culprit prosecuted in accordance with the law, he said. (NAN) The Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority (KSSQA) on Friday shut down two Islamiyah schools indefinitely over alleged rape of a six-year-old girl and impregnation of another 12-year-old girl. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that one of the schools, Madrasatul Ulumul Deeniya wa Tahfizul Quran, located in Rigasa, was closed over an alleged rape of a six-year-old girl in the school premises. The other Islamiyah school, not named but confirmed by NAN to be located at Tsohon Masallacin Jumaa in Kachia, Kachia Local Government was also closed following an alleged impregnation of a 12-year-old girl by an unnamed 50-year-old teacher at the school. The Overseer of the KSSQA, Idris Aliyu, who shut down the school in Rigasa explained that the six-year-old girl was raped within the school premises and that the school authority allegedly covered it up and claimed ignorance of the incident. Mr Aliyu added that the information before the Ministry of Education showed that the victims grandmother went to the school authority to complain, but was allegedly beaten by students and teachers. He said that Governor Nasir El-Rufai had ordered that the Islamiyah be shut down indefinitely until investigation is concluded and the culprit produced. He added that the headmaster of the school would be held responsible for the act until all persons in the school were profiled and the perpetrator identified by the girl. The individuals responsible for the violence against the grandmother, especially the headmaster, will also be prosecuted. This is in line with the state governments responsibility in protecting the vulnerable population in the state, he said. However, the headteacher of the school, Kabir Abdullahi, denied the allegation, saying it is not a rape. What we gathered is that an unidentified boy injured the girl in her private part with a stick. Mr Abdullahi said that the case was already being investigated by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Rigasa, Abubakar Bauranya. On his part, the DPO confirmed receiving the case and equally aligned with the narrative of the headteacher of the Islamiyah school. But the grandmother of the girl, Batul Gambo, insisted that her grandchild was raped and had been confirmed by Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital Tudun Wada, Kaduna. A medical report signed by A. Raji obtained by NAN also confirmed Gambos claim that the six-year-old was raped. Mr Rajis report attributed the bleeding to virginal bruising of the labia minora, bilaterally periureteral bruising, hematoma of the clitoris and laceration of the hymen. On the rape and impregnation of 12-year-old girl in Kachia, Mr Aliyu said she was six months pregnant. He said that the school was equally closed as directed by Mr El-Rufai, stressing that safety of the pupils could not be guaranteed. He added that the Commissioner of Human Services and Social Development, Hafsat Baba and the Commissioner for Education, Halima Lawal, would work closely with the police to investigate and ensure justice. Meanwhile, the two schools will remain closed until investigations are concluded and the culprit prosecuted in accordance with the law, he said. (NAN) India and Pakistan exchanged the lists of civilian prisoners and fishermen in their custody through diplomatic channels simultaneously at New Delhi and Islamabad, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Saturday. This is in keeping with the provisions of the 2008 Agreement under which such lists are exchanged every year on 1st January and 1st July, MEA said in a statement. India handed over lists of 282 Pakistan civilian prisoners and 73 fishermen in India's custody to Pakistan. Similarly, Pakistan has shared lists of 51 civilian prisoners and 577 fishermen in its custody, who are Indians or are believed to be Indians. "The Government has called for early release and repatriation of civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen, along with their boats, from Pakistan's custody. In this context, Pakistan was asked to expedite the release and repatriation of 02 Indian civilian prisoners and 356 Indian fishermen to India whose nationality has been confirmed and conveyed to Pakistan," MEA said. In addition, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 182 Indian fishermen and 17 civilian prisoners who are in Pakistan's custody and are believed to be Indian. According to the MEA statement, the Government also requested Pakistan to expedite the grant of visas to the members of the medical experts team and facilitate their visit to Pakistan to assess the mental condition of believed-to-be Indian prisoners of unsound mind, lodged in different jails of Pakistan. It was also proposed to organize an early visit of the Joint Judicial Committee to Pakistan. The statement said that India remains committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other's country. "In this context, India has also urged Pakistan to expedite necessary action at its end to confirm the nationality status of 68 Pakistan prisoners, including fishermen, whose repatriation is pending for want of nationality confirmation by Pakistan," MEA said. In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pakistan has been requested to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be Indian civil prisoners and fishermen, the statement added. Separately, India and Pakistan today also exchanged the list of nuclear installations and facilities, under an agreement, which bounds both countries to share the relevant information by January 1 of every year. This list was exchanged under the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations and Facilities between India and Pakistan which was signed on December 31, 1988. (ANI) Islamabad, January 1: At least one was killed and 17 people suffered bullet injuries on New Year's eve during the "celebratory gunfire" in Pakistan's Karachi, local media reported on Saturday. Karachi reverberated with gunfire and fireworks on Friday night, despite a restriction on celebratory firing, Geo News reported. Also Read | Israel Detects First Case of Florona Disease, Says Report. Though the authorities had warned of attempted murder charges against the violators, the number of casualties this time was higher than the previous year, when only four individuals were injured in the metropolis, said the Pakistani publication. Citing the hospital reports, Geo News reported that a total of 18 people were rushed to hospitals after being struck by stray gunshots. Also Read | COVID-19 Now Infecting Thousands of Kids in US Amid Omicron Surge, Says CDC. An 11-year-old boy succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment in Khwaja Ajmer Nagar, police said. Six were transferred to the Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Center in Korangi, four to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, three to Civil Hospital, and two to Sindh Government Hospital. Iqra, a 10-year-old girl who was shot and injured by a stray bullet near Kohistan Chowk in North Nazimabad, was among the injured. Haris, 14, was shot near the Ghaas Mandi area in the Napier neighborhood, Geo News reported. Asmatullah sustained injuries in Jauharabad, Farooq sustained injuries in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Ali Akbar sustained injuries in Baldia Town, and Rehan got injured in Malir. Meanwhile, the other incidents occurred in various locations throughout the city, including Azizabad, Ranchore Lane, Guru Mandir, Kala Pull, Saddar, Baldia, Liaquatabad, Korangi, Landhi, and Malir, said the Pakistani publication. According to the police, cases have been registered on complaints of aerial firing, and arrests are likely around Karachi on New Year's Eve for aerial firing, Geo News reported. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Jan 1 (UNI) President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of lives in a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Cave Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district. In a tweet, the President said, "Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured." "Saddened by the tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple. I express my condolences to the bereaved families," the Vice-President tweeted. Expressing grief over the loss of lives, the PM announced an ex-gratia of Rs two lakh each to the next of kin who lost their loved ones and Rs 50,000 for the injured. "Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to J&K LG Manoj Sinha Ji, Ministers Jitendra Singh Ji, Nityanand Rai Ji and took stock of the situation," Modi said in a tweet. In another tweet, the PM wrote, 'An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF(Prime Minister's National Relief Fund) would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000." Union Home Minister Amit Shah in a tweet wrote, "Deeply pained by the tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple. Spoke to Lieutenant Governor of J&K Manoj Sinha Ji. I express my condolences to the bereaved families." BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda, in a tweet, wrote, "The news of loss of lives in the tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is heart-wrenching. Local administration and BJP administration are engaged in rescue works. My condolences to the bereaved families, and I wish a speedy recovery to those injured." Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi took to twitter and wrote: "The tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is deeply saddening. My condolences to the families who lost their loved ones and I wish a speedy recovery to those injured." At least 12 pilgrims were killed and 13 others were injured early Saturday morning in a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Cave Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Katra town. UNI DS GK Islamabad, January 1: At least one was killed and 17 people suffered bullet injuries on New Year's eve during the "celebratory gunfire" in Pakistan's Karachi, local media reported on Saturday. Karachi reverberated with gunfire and fireworks on Friday night, despite a restriction on celebratory firing, Geo News reported. Also Read | Israel Detects First Case of Florona Disease, Says Report. Though the authorities had warned of attempted murder charges against the violators, the number of casualties this time was higher than the previous year, when only four individuals were injured in the metropolis, said the Pakistani publication. Citing the hospital reports, Geo News reported that a total of 18 people were rushed to hospitals after being struck by stray gunshots. Also Read | COVID-19 Now Infecting Thousands of Kids in US Amid Omicron Surge, Says CDC. An 11-year-old boy succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment in Khwaja Ajmer Nagar, police said. Six were transferred to the Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Center in Korangi, four to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, three to Civil Hospital, and two to Sindh Government Hospital. Iqra, a 10-year-old girl who was shot and injured by a stray bullet near Kohistan Chowk in North Nazimabad, was among the injured. Haris, 14, was shot near the Ghaas Mandi area in the Napier neighborhood, Geo News reported. Asmatullah sustained injuries in Jauharabad, Farooq sustained injuries in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Ali Akbar sustained injuries in Baldia Town, and Rehan got injured in Malir. Meanwhile, the other incidents occurred in various locations throughout the city, including Azizabad, Ranchore Lane, Guru Mandir, Kala Pull, Saddar, Baldia, Liaquatabad, Korangi, Landhi, and Malir, said the Pakistani publication. According to the police, cases have been registered on complaints of aerial firing, and arrests are likely around Karachi on New Year's Eve for aerial firing, Geo News reported. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Jan 1 (UNI) President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of lives in a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Cave Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district. In a tweet, the President said, "Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured." "Saddened by the tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple. I express my condolences to the bereaved families," the Vice-President tweeted. Expressing grief over the loss of lives, the PM announced an ex-gratia of Rs two lakh each to the next of kin who lost their loved ones and Rs 50,000 for the injured. "Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to J&K LG Manoj Sinha Ji, Ministers Jitendra Singh Ji, Nityanand Rai Ji and took stock of the situation," Modi said in a tweet. In another tweet, the PM wrote, 'An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF(Prime Minister's National Relief Fund) would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000." Union Home Minister Amit Shah in a tweet wrote, "Deeply pained by the tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple. Spoke to Lieutenant Governor of J&K Manoj Sinha Ji. I express my condolences to the bereaved families." BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda, in a tweet, wrote, "The news of loss of lives in the tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is heart-wrenching. Local administration and BJP administration are engaged in rescue works. My condolences to the bereaved families, and I wish a speedy recovery to those injured." Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi took to twitter and wrote: "The tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is deeply saddening. My condolences to the families who lost their loved ones and I wish a speedy recovery to those injured." At least 12 pilgrims were killed and 13 others were injured early Saturday morning in a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Cave Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Katra town. UNI DS GK Uranium Energy Corp. (UEC) recently acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of Uranium One Americas (U1A), Inc. for a total purchase price of $112 million in cash together with an additional $2.9 million in estimated working capital (primarily pre-paid insurance and land payments) and the assumption of $19 million in reclamation bonding. Uranium One is the worlds fourth-largest uranium producer and part of Russias State Atomic Energy Corporation, Rosatom. UEC fully funded the acquisition with existing cash on hand. Subsequent to closing, UEC holds approximately $120 million of cash and liquid assets. The U1A portfolio of projects being acquired includes, among other assets, seven projects in the Powder River Basin, three of which are fully permitted, and five in the Great Divide Basin. The portfolio consists of dozens of under-explored, mineralized brownfield projects, backed by detailed databases of historic uranium exploration and development programs, thus greatly enhancing the potential for resource expansion. We are very pleased to have closed this highly accretive transaction for UEC. The acquisition doubles our production capacity in three key categories: total number of permitted US ISR [in-situ recovery] projects, resources, and processing infrastructure. Also, the opportunity to have acquired an advanced asset base of this quality from one of the global leaders in the nuclear energy industry is highly unique. With this acquisition, UECs sector-leading US ISR production profile increases to 6.5 million pounds U 3 O 8 per year based on permitted and installed capacity of our Wyoming and South Texas hub-and-spoke operations. Combined with our physical uranium holdings of 4.1 million pounds of US-warehoused uranium, we now have the unparalleled ability to provide reliable domestic supply to the US Government as well as nuclear utilities while providing our shareholders exposure to the fastest growing, 100% unhedged and pure-play uranium business listed on the NYSE American. Amir Adnani, President and CEO ISR is injected-solution mining that reverses the natural process that deposited the uranium in the sandstones. On-site ground water is fortified with gaseous oxygen and introduced to the uranium ore body through a pattern of injection wells. The solution dissolves the uranium from the sandstone host. The uranium-bearing solution is brought back to surface through production wells where the uranium is concentrated on resin beads for trucking to the companys Hobson Processing Plant to be concentrated further and dried into yellowcake for market. This pattern of injection and recovery wells, plus surrounding monitor wells that serve as a safeguard, is called a wellfield. The U1A assets are primarily situated in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming; the most productive in-situ recovery uranium mining district in the western hemisphere. Other highlights of the acquisition include the following: Largest US uranium mining company . Positions UEC, a US corporation headquartered in Texas, as the largest American uranium mining company. Wyoming Hub and Spoke. Creates Wyoming hub-and-spoke operations for UEC, anchored by U1As Irigaray plant which is one of the largest central processing facilities in the United States with a licensed capacity of 2.5 million pounds U 3 O 8 per year. Production Ready. Incorporates U1As production-ready assets including Christensen Ranch ISR Project with four fully installed wellfields, and six additional permitted or development-stage satellite ISR projects, combining with UECs Reno Creek Project. Reno Creek Synergies. Anticipates significant capital expenditure savings and deep operating synergies with UECs permitted and nearby Reno Creek ISR Project which is 45 miles away from the Irigaray plant. Resource Expansion. Secured approximately 37.6 million pounds U 3 O 8 in historically estimated Measured and Indicated Resources and 4.3 million pounds U 3 O 8 in historically estimated Inferred resources with considerable growth potential based on independent technical reports prepared for U1A. Dominant Land Package. The acquisition added approximately 100,000 acres to UEC current land package in Wyoming, resulting in the company holding about 118,000 acres in Wyomings prolific uranium producing Power River and Great Divide Basins. UEC has outlined several initiatives to integrate the U1A assets into the UEC portfolio. They include: The company plans to complete and submit new technical reports on the advanced stage projects in the U1A portfolio as soon as possible for the purposes of establishing current resources as the U1A historical resources are not treated as current by UEC. Advance technical studies to further develop the Wyoming hub and spoke strategy to capture the significant capital expenditure savings and operating synergies anticipated with its Reno Creek project. The U1A portfolio consists of additional mineralized brownfield projects that UEC intends to develop to generate technical resource reports. Perform an operational review on potential expansion of the Irigaray Central Processing Plant. In addition to Reno Creek, advance the Moore Ranch and Ludeman ISR projects in Wyoming as production satellite facilities along with the companys development plans at Burke Hollow in South Texas. Review and integrate U1s significant tax loss carry-forwards to be applied to offset future income. Uranium Energy Corp is a US-based uranium mining and exploration company that is advancing the next generation of ISR mining uranium projects. In South Texas, the companys hub-and-spoke operations are anchored by the fully-licensed Hobson Processing Facility which is central to the Palangana, Burke Hollow, Goliad and other ISR pipeline projects. In Wyoming, UEC controls the Reno Creek project, which is the largest permitted, pre-construction ISR uranium project in the US. Vancouver, British Columbia and Rehovot, Israel--(Newsfile Corp. - December 30, 2021) - BioHarvest Sciences Inc.(CSE: BHSC) (OTC PINK: CNVCF) ("BioHarvest" or the "Company") is pleased to provide the following year-end shareholder partner letter from CEO Ilan Sobel. Dear friends, It is with great pleasure that I take this opportunity at the end of the year to summarize for our shareholder partners the major accomplishments of what has been an inspiring and transformative first full calendar year for me as CEO of BioHarvest Sciences. I will also include my own forward-looking thoughts for how we are envisioning the year ahead, in which we expect to trigger an acceleration of revenue growth, a game-changing expansion of our product lineup, as well as regulatory work and clinical studies that will provide a clear roadmap to continued global growth. Our vision is to drive human utility value: making a fundamental and positive change to our consumer's overall health and wellness. 2022 will be a year in which we not only open new doors as we further scale and commercialize our products, but also open minds to the significant potential that our platform technology has to drive this fundamental improvement in health and wellness on a global scale. In accordance with BioHarvest's vision and its biotech journey, I am extremely proud to share below the team's 2021 achievements grouped by key areas: Science & Technology, Operations, Sales, Finance and Environmental & Social Governance. 2021 Achievements Science & Technology In August 2021, we announced the historical creation of the Amalgamated Trichomes Coral Structure (ATCS). Why was this so important? Because the way to deliver full spectrum cannabis is to grow the trichomes, which are the mini factories of the cannabis plant where all cannabinoids, flavonoids and terpenes are produced. These trichomes are delicate components of the plant which can be vulnerable to the shear forces applied by the motion of the liquid media in the bioreactors. This new coral structure protects the trichomes during their growth in such a way that has enabled us to move from lab-scale creation of the trichomes towards larger scale bioreactors. We announced on December 8 that we were the first company in the world to grow a significant amount of cannabis biomass "without growing the plant", creating biotech and Cannabis industry history. With three different strains under development, we have now produced over 10 kilograms of biomass. The news has generated significant media interest (which I will detail below), and it has also introduced our science to thousands of new investors, science fans, and cannabis enthusiasts. It has provided a firm launch point for 2022, and there is more to come: I have challenged our marketing team to have the accompanying video viewed 1 million+ times, and we are already at 250,000+, so please stay tuned to our upcoming media placements! Through our continued research, we added a new functionality claim for VINIA, which reduces the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, enabling VINIA to have one more important reason to appeal to the millions of consumers concerned about their cardiovascular health. Operations I am so proud that our new 20 Ton per year production facility was completed on schedule, passing the ISO audits in September 2021, despite significant global supply challenges. We received GMP certification from Israel's Ministry of Health in November and we are currently working hard to execute the biological technology transfer, so we can commence production. Our Science, Advisory and Executive teams are critical for executing our biotech vision. This year we were honored to add both significant brain power and experience to each group with the addition of Colonel Chris Hadfield (space and aeronautics), Dr. Dennis Goodman (cardiology), Steven Lehrer (biotech), and Scott McCune (consumer marketing) to our Advisory Board. David Tsur (pharmaceutical and biotech) has joined the Board of Directors. Kobi Rosenzweig (VP operations) and Jarred Turner (VP of E-commerce) have joined the executive team. Building a world class company requires world class people - I am so pleased that each of these industry experts has joined us on our journey. Sales Israel Sales - This time last year we were energized by the spectacular VINIA Israel ecommerce launch in Q4 2020, which established a sales momentum that we have been able to successfully maintain. Throughout 2021, we continued to grow revenue in this market, at 10% sales growth quarter on quarter, for the first 3 quarters of the year, and accordingly have increased full year guidance on two occasions. VINIA US Market launch - May 2021. While this highlight is only one of many from 2021, it represented a giant leap forward for BioHarvest Sciences. We created entirely new operational units to facilitate the workings of a successful North American e-commerce business, including Marketing, Fulfilment, Customer Success, and global supply. We also added the required thought leadership with committed staff and external partners to bring us their expertise and drive from Launch Day forward. Sales performance in the U.S. pilot program has been extremely encouraging with us crossing the US$100,000 sales orders per month mark very early in the launch, with 89% of sales being subscription packages generating monthly recurring revenue, and an average sales order value of US $80 per transaction. We have been humbled by the feedback from our consumer base - as of this week, new VINIA users have submitted 350+ verified reviews, with a 4.8/5 rating, which is best in class from a performance perspective when benchmarked versus industry norms. We look forward to scaling our US launch as soon as we bring our new 20 Ton per year manufacturing facility online and to adding significant customer count to a base that already exceeds 11,000 customers across USA and Israel. B2B Sales - our Batory sales and distribution partnership continues to add significant value for the business. We have successfully expanded our partnership with "Designs for Health Inc" who in 2021 formulated VINIA into 3 new products which are now commercially available including "NRF2 Modulator", "Senolytic Synergy" and "Bergavin"". We are currently engaged in a number of strategic discussions with giants of industry and look forward to converting additional major B2B partnerships in 2022. Finance Investors have reacted positively to the company's achievements throughout 2021. The share price increased ~130% from the beginning of the year to reflect a recently reached market capitalization of ~$200 million. Strong treasury - In 2021, we raised a total of $9.4 Million CAD in two successful private placements, plus $4.6 Million CAD in exercised warrants. In 2021, we have significantly increased the investor base. As the company continues to perform well against its biotech vision and increases revenues substantially, the prospects remain high for 2022 to further increase that base and to add more institutional investors. Given the 2021 achievements record and the 2022 prospects listed below, we believe that BioHarvest presents a very attractive investment opportunity. Environmental & Social Governance I trust that our community of investor partners understands how deeply we are committed to making BioHarvest Sciences a role model for other companies to follow as it relates to our ESG credentials and delivering continuous improvement across key identified metrics. In July, we became the first Biotechnology company that produces cannabinoids to publish an ESG Sustainability report. This initial report was our first, and there are more to come. As the Globe and Mail reported on Dec 28. 2021, our BioFarming technology can reduce land requirements for nutrient growth by 95%. Investors are welcome to access the complete ESG report here. We are a company committed to diversity in the workplace and understand the power of diversity to help create competitive advantage. We are very proud of the fact that 55% of our workforce is female and that our entire R & D team is female. Importantly, as a company that understands the power of experience, we have more than 45% of our workforce above the age of 50 years old. This provides us with a wealth of brain power, people maturity and a unique sense of drive and commitment to make the world better for our children and grandchildren. Our December media coverage on cannabis R+D has generated a wave of commercial inquiries, which is fantastic, and we are committed to responding to every contact. I want to reassure investors that we will consider every commercial opportunity, but I do want our community to understand that our first priority will be to supply cannabis ingredients for medicinal applications in line with our commitment to be a purpose driven company. We do not envision replacing recreational suppliers, or artisan growers - we will focus on providing fingerprint consistent ingredients for products that require the highest levels of cleanliness and consistency. Media Coverage This year, we partnered with two very established public relations firms (Boldt and Thunder-11) to help introduce us to both Major news media and the cannabis community, and it has paid huge dividends in "earned" media coverage. For the portion of our community that follows early-stage companies, this major media interest will be mind blowing, as small companies will rarely make the news cycle. Our North American news coverage is spiking here at the end of 2021, which establishes a fantastic launching point for the New Year. The Globe and Mail: Dec. 28 - Canadian-Israeli biotech company growing nutrients for Earth and beyond The Houston Chronicle: Dec. 27 - Bowie Singing Astronaut developing protein pills for real space travel CannabisTech.com: Dec. 23 - How to Grow Cannabis Without Growing a Plant The Jerusalem Post: Dec. 29 - An astounding 2021 for Israeli tech could bring pivot Looking Forward to 2022 This coming year will see us "land" and "expand", plus drive further impact in existing programs. We expect to be selling our first cannabis-related products in 2022 upon completion of our final scale up phase and regulatory approvals. For VINIA, we are planning a step up in aggressive US marketing and will continue to push forward on the regulatory approval of VINIA in the EU and UK. As a science-based company, we always want to expand our science-based credentials, so we intend to fund additional clinical trials on VINIA, cannabis, and our olive cell product which is next in our polyphenol/antioxidant pipeline. At some point in the first half of 2022, we will likely announce the next plant-based vertical which we believe we can disrupt with our proprietary platform technology, adding one more significant validation on how we can bring the power of the plant to the people. Investors can also anticipate the 2022 launch of our first cannabis products and the significant scaling of VINIA. I expect these two products to generate market-moving revenues in 2022, but they are just the start. We will also join the space race as the likes of Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Sir Richard Branson work to make "space settlements" something of a reality by 2030. We will work closely with our new advisory board member Colonel Chris Hadfield to start the process to assess how we can use our proprietary platform to help solve two major challenges which exists for space settlements - sustainable food supply and reducing the effects of ionizing radiation on oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Our entire team is so thankful that you have been part of this stage in our growth phase, and we are very proud to partner with you on our biotech journey. We are inspired by your support and the deep sense of "purpose" that you share with us on the BioHarvest Sciences team. That primary purpose is to drive Human Utility Value, and to drive a transformational positive change in the Health and Wellness of hundreds of millions of people. Our team is laser focused on executing the 2022 plan, and we intend to make 2022 a year to remember. For a video reel of this year's major announcements, click here. Happy New Year and may your 2022 be filled with only good health and blessings. Warmest wishes, Ilan Sobel, Chief Executive Officer BioHarvest Sciences Inc. About BioHarvest Sciences Inc. BioHarvest Sciences Inc. (CSE: BHSC) is a fast-growing Biotech firm listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange. BioHarvest has developed a patented bio-cell growth platform technology capable of growing the active and beneficial ingredients in fruit and plants, at industrial scale, without the need to grow the plant itself. This technology is economical, ensures consistency, and avoids the negative environmental impacts associated with traditional agriculture. BioHarvest is currently focused on nutraceuticals and the medicinal cannabis markets. Visit: www.bioharvest.com. For further information, please contact: Dave Ryan, VP Investor Relations & Director Phone: 1 (604) 622-1186 Email: [email protected] Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Youtube Forward-Looking Statements Information set forth in this news release might include forward-looking statements that are based on management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions, and expectations, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. There is no assurance that we will achieve our objective of making our products available in multiple markets including bio-space and exposing our technology to different verticals. In particular, there is no assurance that the Company will be able to leverage its technology platform to successfully provide essential nutrition and active ingredients for space exploration. There is no assurance that the Company will be successful in expanding its technology to broader medical applications or conduct clinical trials to validate the efficacy of the Company's products for new forms of medical treatments. There is no assurance that the ability to produce a commercial sized biomass will result in the Company entering into commercial production of Cannabis. There is no assurance the Company will be able to successfully convert the exiting 2 tons/year VINIA facility to a Cannabis production facility in H1, 2022. There is no assurance we will be able to commercialize our first Cannabis products in the first half of 2022, and there is no assurance the Company will be able to add new verticals or build additional plants elsewhere. Clinical trials are subject to risks of significant cost overruns and lengthy delays with no assurance they will confirm desired results. Even where desired results are obtained government approvals for treatments take considerable time and cannot be guaranteed. There is no assurance the BioFarming technology will make a significant impact on multiple verticals of life -science based businesses in general or in the bio-space industry. There is no assurance that we will achieve our objective of being a leading supplier of Cannabis. There is no assurance that the Israeli market results for Vinia will translate directly into the U.S. markets which may depend on different consumer preferences and more substantial marketing expenditures and resources. There is no assurance that strong sales metrics experienced to date will result in future demand for VINIA. Markets for nutraceuticals are unpredictable and subject to changes in consumer tastes and trends as well as economic factors beyond our control. Delays and cost overruns may result in delays achieving our objectives obtaining market acceptance and regulatory approvals for geographic expansion is subject to risk and cannot be guaranteed. Projected sales of Cannabis will require the company to obtain production and / or export licensing which cannot be assured. There is no assurance we will trigger an acceleration of revenue growth or a game changing expansion of our product lineup. These things are subject to uncertainties including the uncertainty of continuing market acceptance of our products and market acceptance of new products which are subject to changing consumer preference and access to marketplaces. There is no assurance we will achieve additional major B2B partnerships in 2022 as this is subject to acceptance of our products by businesses and their customers. There is no assurance that we will increase our investor base or add new institutional investors as this is subject to our meeting investment criteria of investors and conditions affecting equity markets generally. Continuing outbreaks of Covid variants may cause delays or other impacts to business plans and /or impact equity markets in 2022. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and actual results may be affected by a number of material factors beyond our control. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. BHSC does not intend to update forward-looking statement disclosures other than through our regular management discussion and analysis disclosures. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accept 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/108664 Vancouver, British Columbia and Rehovot, Israel--(Newsfile Corp. - December 30, 2021) - BioHarvest Sciences Inc.(CSE: BHSC) (OTC PINK: CNVCF) ("BioHarvest" or the "Company") is pleased to provide the following year-end shareholder partner letter from CEO Ilan Sobel. Dear friends, It is with great pleasure that I take this opportunity at the end of the year to summarize for our shareholder partners the major accomplishments of what has been an inspiring and transformative first full calendar year for me as CEO of BioHarvest Sciences. I will also include my own forward-looking thoughts for how we are envisioning the year ahead, in which we expect to trigger an acceleration of revenue growth, a game-changing expansion of our product lineup, as well as regulatory work and clinical studies that will provide a clear roadmap to continued global growth. Our vision is to drive human utility value: making a fundamental and positive change to our consumer's overall health and wellness. 2022 will be a year in which we not only open new doors as we further scale and commercialize our products, but also open minds to the significant potential that our platform technology has to drive this fundamental improvement in health and wellness on a global scale. In accordance with BioHarvest's vision and its biotech journey, I am extremely proud to share below the team's 2021 achievements grouped by key areas: Science & Technology, Operations, Sales, Finance and Environmental & Social Governance. 2021 Achievements Science & Technology In August 2021, we announced the historical creation of the Amalgamated Trichomes Coral Structure (ATCS). Why was this so important? Because the way to deliver full spectrum cannabis is to grow the trichomes, which are the mini factories of the cannabis plant where all cannabinoids, flavonoids and terpenes are produced. These trichomes are delicate components of the plant which can be vulnerable to the shear forces applied by the motion of the liquid media in the bioreactors. This new coral structure protects the trichomes during their growth in such a way that has enabled us to move from lab-scale creation of the trichomes towards larger scale bioreactors. We announced on December 8 that we were the first company in the world to grow a significant amount of cannabis biomass "without growing the plant", creating biotech and Cannabis industry history. With three different strains under development, we have now produced over 10 kilograms of biomass. The news has generated significant media interest (which I will detail below), and it has also introduced our science to thousands of new investors, science fans, and cannabis enthusiasts. It has provided a firm launch point for 2022, and there is more to come: I have challenged our marketing team to have the accompanying video viewed 1 million+ times, and we are already at 250,000+, so please stay tuned to our upcoming media placements! Through our continued research, we added a new functionality claim for VINIA, which reduces the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, enabling VINIA to have one more important reason to appeal to the millions of consumers concerned about their cardiovascular health. Operations I am so proud that our new 20 Ton per year production facility was completed on schedule, passing the ISO audits in September 2021, despite significant global supply challenges. We received GMP certification from Israel's Ministry of Health in November and we are currently working hard to execute the biological technology transfer, so we can commence production. Our Science, Advisory and Executive teams are critical for executing our biotech vision. This year we were honored to add both significant brain power and experience to each group with the addition of Colonel Chris Hadfield (space and aeronautics), Dr. Dennis Goodman (cardiology), Steven Lehrer (biotech), and Scott McCune (consumer marketing) to our Advisory Board. David Tsur (pharmaceutical and biotech) has joined the Board of Directors. Kobi Rosenzweig (VP operations) and Jarred Turner (VP of E-commerce) have joined the executive team. Building a world class company requires world class people - I am so pleased that each of these industry experts has joined us on our journey. Sales Israel Sales - This time last year we were energized by the spectacular VINIA Israel ecommerce launch in Q4 2020, which established a sales momentum that we have been able to successfully maintain. Throughout 2021, we continued to grow revenue in this market, at 10% sales growth quarter on quarter, for the first 3 quarters of the year, and accordingly have increased full year guidance on two occasions. VINIA US Market launch - May 2021. While this highlight is only one of many from 2021, it represented a giant leap forward for BioHarvest Sciences. We created entirely new operational units to facilitate the workings of a successful North American e-commerce business, including Marketing, Fulfilment, Customer Success, and global supply. We also added the required thought leadership with committed staff and external partners to bring us their expertise and drive from Launch Day forward. Sales performance in the U.S. pilot program has been extremely encouraging with us crossing the US$100,000 sales orders per month mark very early in the launch, with 89% of sales being subscription packages generating monthly recurring revenue, and an average sales order value of US $80 per transaction. We have been humbled by the feedback from our consumer base - as of this week, new VINIA users have submitted 350+ verified reviews, with a 4.8/5 rating, which is best in class from a performance perspective when benchmarked versus industry norms. We look forward to scaling our US launch as soon as we bring our new 20 Ton per year manufacturing facility online and to adding significant customer count to a base that already exceeds 11,000 customers across USA and Israel. B2B Sales - our Batory sales and distribution partnership continues to add significant value for the business. We have successfully expanded our partnership with "Designs for Health Inc" who in 2021 formulated VINIA into 3 new products which are now commercially available including "NRF2 Modulator", "Senolytic Synergy" and "Bergavin"". We are currently engaged in a number of strategic discussions with giants of industry and look forward to converting additional major B2B partnerships in 2022. Finance Investors have reacted positively to the company's achievements throughout 2021. The share price increased ~130% from the beginning of the year to reflect a recently reached market capitalization of ~$200 million. Strong treasury - In 2021, we raised a total of $9.4 Million CAD in two successful private placements, plus $4.6 Million CAD in exercised warrants. In 2021, we have significantly increased the investor base. As the company continues to perform well against its biotech vision and increases revenues substantially, the prospects remain high for 2022 to further increase that base and to add more institutional investors. Given the 2021 achievements record and the 2022 prospects listed below, we believe that BioHarvest presents a very attractive investment opportunity. Environmental & Social Governance I trust that our community of investor partners understands how deeply we are committed to making BioHarvest Sciences a role model for other companies to follow as it relates to our ESG credentials and delivering continuous improvement across key identified metrics. In July, we became the first Biotechnology company that produces cannabinoids to publish an ESG Sustainability report. This initial report was our first, and there are more to come. As the Globe and Mail reported on Dec 28. 2021, our BioFarming technology can reduce land requirements for nutrient growth by 95%. Investors are welcome to access the complete ESG report here. We are a company committed to diversity in the workplace and understand the power of diversity to help create competitive advantage. We are very proud of the fact that 55% of our workforce is female and that our entire R & D team is female. Importantly, as a company that understands the power of experience, we have more than 45% of our workforce above the age of 50 years old. This provides us with a wealth of brain power, people maturity and a unique sense of drive and commitment to make the world better for our children and grandchildren. Our December media coverage on cannabis R+D has generated a wave of commercial inquiries, which is fantastic, and we are committed to responding to every contact. I want to reassure investors that we will consider every commercial opportunity, but I do want our community to understand that our first priority will be to supply cannabis ingredients for medicinal applications in line with our commitment to be a purpose driven company. We do not envision replacing recreational suppliers, or artisan growers - we will focus on providing fingerprint consistent ingredients for products that require the highest levels of cleanliness and consistency. Media Coverage This year, we partnered with two very established public relations firms (Boldt and Thunder-11) to help introduce us to both Major news media and the cannabis community, and it has paid huge dividends in "earned" media coverage. For the portion of our community that follows early-stage companies, this major media interest will be mind blowing, as small companies will rarely make the news cycle. Our North American news coverage is spiking here at the end of 2021, which establishes a fantastic launching point for the New Year. The Globe and Mail: Dec. 28 - Canadian-Israeli biotech company growing nutrients for Earth and beyond The Houston Chronicle: Dec. 27 - Bowie Singing Astronaut developing protein pills for real space travel CannabisTech.com: Dec. 23 - How to Grow Cannabis Without Growing a Plant The Jerusalem Post: Dec. 29 - An astounding 2021 for Israeli tech could bring pivot Looking Forward to 2022 This coming year will see us "land" and "expand", plus drive further impact in existing programs. We expect to be selling our first cannabis-related products in 2022 upon completion of our final scale up phase and regulatory approvals. For VINIA, we are planning a step up in aggressive US marketing and will continue to push forward on the regulatory approval of VINIA in the EU and UK. As a science-based company, we always want to expand our science-based credentials, so we intend to fund additional clinical trials on VINIA, cannabis, and our olive cell product which is next in our polyphenol/antioxidant pipeline. At some point in the first half of 2022, we will likely announce the next plant-based vertical which we believe we can disrupt with our proprietary platform technology, adding one more significant validation on how we can bring the power of the plant to the people. Investors can also anticipate the 2022 launch of our first cannabis products and the significant scaling of VINIA. I expect these two products to generate market-moving revenues in 2022, but they are just the start. We will also join the space race as the likes of Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Sir Richard Branson work to make "space settlements" something of a reality by 2030. We will work closely with our new advisory board member Colonel Chris Hadfield to start the process to assess how we can use our proprietary platform to help solve two major challenges which exists for space settlements - sustainable food supply and reducing the effects of ionizing radiation on oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Our entire team is so thankful that you have been part of this stage in our growth phase, and we are very proud to partner with you on our biotech journey. We are inspired by your support and the deep sense of "purpose" that you share with us on the BioHarvest Sciences team. That primary purpose is to drive Human Utility Value, and to drive a transformational positive change in the Health and Wellness of hundreds of millions of people. Our team is laser focused on executing the 2022 plan, and we intend to make 2022 a year to remember. For a video reel of this year's major announcements, click here. Happy New Year and may your 2022 be filled with only good health and blessings. Warmest wishes, Ilan Sobel, Chief Executive Officer BioHarvest Sciences Inc. About BioHarvest Sciences Inc. BioHarvest Sciences Inc. (CSE: BHSC) is a fast-growing Biotech firm listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange. BioHarvest has developed a patented bio-cell growth platform technology capable of growing the active and beneficial ingredients in fruit and plants, at industrial scale, without the need to grow the plant itself. This technology is economical, ensures consistency, and avoids the negative environmental impacts associated with traditional agriculture. BioHarvest is currently focused on nutraceuticals and the medicinal cannabis markets. Visit: www.bioharvest.com. For further information, please contact: Dave Ryan, VP Investor Relations & Director Phone: 1 (604) 622-1186 Email: [email protected] Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Youtube Forward-Looking Statements Information set forth in this news release might include forward-looking statements that are based on management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions, and expectations, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. There is no assurance that we will achieve our objective of making our products available in multiple markets including bio-space and exposing our technology to different verticals. In particular, there is no assurance that the Company will be able to leverage its technology platform to successfully provide essential nutrition and active ingredients for space exploration. There is no assurance that the Company will be successful in expanding its technology to broader medical applications or conduct clinical trials to validate the efficacy of the Company's products for new forms of medical treatments. There is no assurance that the ability to produce a commercial sized biomass will result in the Company entering into commercial production of Cannabis. There is no assurance the Company will be able to successfully convert the exiting 2 tons/year VINIA facility to a Cannabis production facility in H1, 2022. There is no assurance we will be able to commercialize our first Cannabis products in the first half of 2022, and there is no assurance the Company will be able to add new verticals or build additional plants elsewhere. Clinical trials are subject to risks of significant cost overruns and lengthy delays with no assurance they will confirm desired results. Even where desired results are obtained government approvals for treatments take considerable time and cannot be guaranteed. There is no assurance the BioFarming technology will make a significant impact on multiple verticals of life -science based businesses in general or in the bio-space industry. There is no assurance that we will achieve our objective of being a leading supplier of Cannabis. There is no assurance that the Israeli market results for Vinia will translate directly into the U.S. markets which may depend on different consumer preferences and more substantial marketing expenditures and resources. There is no assurance that strong sales metrics experienced to date will result in future demand for VINIA. Markets for nutraceuticals are unpredictable and subject to changes in consumer tastes and trends as well as economic factors beyond our control. Delays and cost overruns may result in delays achieving our objectives obtaining market acceptance and regulatory approvals for geographic expansion is subject to risk and cannot be guaranteed. Projected sales of Cannabis will require the company to obtain production and / or export licensing which cannot be assured. There is no assurance we will trigger an acceleration of revenue growth or a game changing expansion of our product lineup. These things are subject to uncertainties including the uncertainty of continuing market acceptance of our products and market acceptance of new products which are subject to changing consumer preference and access to marketplaces. There is no assurance we will achieve additional major B2B partnerships in 2022 as this is subject to acceptance of our products by businesses and their customers. There is no assurance that we will increase our investor base or add new institutional investors as this is subject to our meeting investment criteria of investors and conditions affecting equity markets generally. Continuing outbreaks of Covid variants may cause delays or other impacts to business plans and /or impact equity markets in 2022. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and actual results may be affected by a number of material factors beyond our control. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. BHSC does not intend to update forward-looking statement disclosures other than through our regular management discussion and analysis disclosures. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accept 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/108664 Vancouver, British Columbia and Rehovot, Israel--(Newsfile Corp. - December 30, 2021) - BioHarvest Sciences Inc.(CSE: BHSC) (OTC PINK: CNVCF) ("BioHarvest" or the "Company") is pleased to provide the following year-end shareholder partner letter from CEO Ilan Sobel. Dear friends, It is with great pleasure that I take this opportunity at the end of the year to summarize for our shareholder partners the major accomplishments of what has been an inspiring and transformative first full calendar year for me as CEO of BioHarvest Sciences. I will also include my own forward-looking thoughts for how we are envisioning the year ahead, in which we expect to trigger an acceleration of revenue growth, a game-changing expansion of our product lineup, as well as regulatory work and clinical studies that will provide a clear roadmap to continued global growth. Our vision is to drive human utility value: making a fundamental and positive change to our consumer's overall health and wellness. 2022 will be a year in which we not only open new doors as we further scale and commercialize our products, but also open minds to the significant potential that our platform technology has to drive this fundamental improvement in health and wellness on a global scale. In accordance with BioHarvest's vision and its biotech journey, I am extremely proud to share below the team's 2021 achievements grouped by key areas: Science & Technology, Operations, Sales, Finance and Environmental & Social Governance. 2021 Achievements Science & Technology In August 2021, we announced the historical creation of the Amalgamated Trichomes Coral Structure (ATCS). Why was this so important? Because the way to deliver full spectrum cannabis is to grow the trichomes, which are the mini factories of the cannabis plant where all cannabinoids, flavonoids and terpenes are produced. These trichomes are delicate components of the plant which can be vulnerable to the shear forces applied by the motion of the liquid media in the bioreactors. This new coral structure protects the trichomes during their growth in such a way that has enabled us to move from lab-scale creation of the trichomes towards larger scale bioreactors. We announced on December 8 that we were the first company in the world to grow a significant amount of cannabis biomass "without growing the plant", creating biotech and Cannabis industry history. With three different strains under development, we have now produced over 10 kilograms of biomass. The news has generated significant media interest (which I will detail below), and it has also introduced our science to thousands of new investors, science fans, and cannabis enthusiasts. It has provided a firm launch point for 2022, and there is more to come: I have challenged our marketing team to have the accompanying video viewed 1 million+ times, and we are already at 250,000+, so please stay tuned to our upcoming media placements! Through our continued research, we added a new functionality claim for VINIA, which reduces the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, enabling VINIA to have one more important reason to appeal to the millions of consumers concerned about their cardiovascular health. Operations I am so proud that our new 20 Ton per year production facility was completed on schedule, passing the ISO audits in September 2021, despite significant global supply challenges. We received GMP certification from Israel's Ministry of Health in November and we are currently working hard to execute the biological technology transfer, so we can commence production. Our Science, Advisory and Executive teams are critical for executing our biotech vision. This year we were honored to add both significant brain power and experience to each group with the addition of Colonel Chris Hadfield (space and aeronautics), Dr. Dennis Goodman (cardiology), Steven Lehrer (biotech), and Scott McCune (consumer marketing) to our Advisory Board. David Tsur (pharmaceutical and biotech) has joined the Board of Directors. Kobi Rosenzweig (VP operations) and Jarred Turner (VP of E-commerce) have joined the executive team. Building a world class company requires world class people - I am so pleased that each of these industry experts has joined us on our journey. Sales Israel Sales - This time last year we were energized by the spectacular VINIA Israel ecommerce launch in Q4 2020, which established a sales momentum that we have been able to successfully maintain. Throughout 2021, we continued to grow revenue in this market, at 10% sales growth quarter on quarter, for the first 3 quarters of the year, and accordingly have increased full year guidance on two occasions. VINIA US Market launch - May 2021. While this highlight is only one of many from 2021, it represented a giant leap forward for BioHarvest Sciences. We created entirely new operational units to facilitate the workings of a successful North American e-commerce business, including Marketing, Fulfilment, Customer Success, and global supply. We also added the required thought leadership with committed staff and external partners to bring us their expertise and drive from Launch Day forward. Sales performance in the U.S. pilot program has been extremely encouraging with us crossing the US$100,000 sales orders per month mark very early in the launch, with 89% of sales being subscription packages generating monthly recurring revenue, and an average sales order value of US $80 per transaction. We have been humbled by the feedback from our consumer base - as of this week, new VINIA users have submitted 350+ verified reviews, with a 4.8/5 rating, which is best in class from a performance perspective when benchmarked versus industry norms. We look forward to scaling our US launch as soon as we bring our new 20 Ton per year manufacturing facility online and to adding significant customer count to a base that already exceeds 11,000 customers across USA and Israel. B2B Sales - our Batory sales and distribution partnership continues to add significant value for the business. We have successfully expanded our partnership with "Designs for Health Inc" who in 2021 formulated VINIA into 3 new products which are now commercially available including "NRF2 Modulator", "Senolytic Synergy" and "Bergavin"". We are currently engaged in a number of strategic discussions with giants of industry and look forward to converting additional major B2B partnerships in 2022. Finance Investors have reacted positively to the company's achievements throughout 2021. The share price increased ~130% from the beginning of the year to reflect a recently reached market capitalization of ~$200 million. Strong treasury - In 2021, we raised a total of $9.4 Million CAD in two successful private placements, plus $4.6 Million CAD in exercised warrants. In 2021, we have significantly increased the investor base. As the company continues to perform well against its biotech vision and increases revenues substantially, the prospects remain high for 2022 to further increase that base and to add more institutional investors. Given the 2021 achievements record and the 2022 prospects listed below, we believe that BioHarvest presents a very attractive investment opportunity. Environmental & Social Governance I trust that our community of investor partners understands how deeply we are committed to making BioHarvest Sciences a role model for other companies to follow as it relates to our ESG credentials and delivering continuous improvement across key identified metrics. In July, we became the first Biotechnology company that produces cannabinoids to publish an ESG Sustainability report. This initial report was our first, and there are more to come. As the Globe and Mail reported on Dec 28. 2021, our BioFarming technology can reduce land requirements for nutrient growth by 95%. Investors are welcome to access the complete ESG report here. We are a company committed to diversity in the workplace and understand the power of diversity to help create competitive advantage. We are very proud of the fact that 55% of our workforce is female and that our entire R & D team is female. Importantly, as a company that understands the power of experience, we have more than 45% of our workforce above the age of 50 years old. This provides us with a wealth of brain power, people maturity and a unique sense of drive and commitment to make the world better for our children and grandchildren. Our December media coverage on cannabis R+D has generated a wave of commercial inquiries, which is fantastic, and we are committed to responding to every contact. I want to reassure investors that we will consider every commercial opportunity, but I do want our community to understand that our first priority will be to supply cannabis ingredients for medicinal applications in line with our commitment to be a purpose driven company. We do not envision replacing recreational suppliers, or artisan growers - we will focus on providing fingerprint consistent ingredients for products that require the highest levels of cleanliness and consistency. Media Coverage This year, we partnered with two very established public relations firms (Boldt and Thunder-11) to help introduce us to both Major news media and the cannabis community, and it has paid huge dividends in "earned" media coverage. For the portion of our community that follows early-stage companies, this major media interest will be mind blowing, as small companies will rarely make the news cycle. Our North American news coverage is spiking here at the end of 2021, which establishes a fantastic launching point for the New Year. The Globe and Mail: Dec. 28 - Canadian-Israeli biotech company growing nutrients for Earth and beyond The Houston Chronicle: Dec. 27 - Bowie Singing Astronaut developing protein pills for real space travel CannabisTech.com: Dec. 23 - How to Grow Cannabis Without Growing a Plant The Jerusalem Post: Dec. 29 - An astounding 2021 for Israeli tech could bring pivot Looking Forward to 2022 This coming year will see us "land" and "expand", plus drive further impact in existing programs. We expect to be selling our first cannabis-related products in 2022 upon completion of our final scale up phase and regulatory approvals. For VINIA, we are planning a step up in aggressive US marketing and will continue to push forward on the regulatory approval of VINIA in the EU and UK. As a science-based company, we always want to expand our science-based credentials, so we intend to fund additional clinical trials on VINIA, cannabis, and our olive cell product which is next in our polyphenol/antioxidant pipeline. At some point in the first half of 2022, we will likely announce the next plant-based vertical which we believe we can disrupt with our proprietary platform technology, adding one more significant validation on how we can bring the power of the plant to the people. Investors can also anticipate the 2022 launch of our first cannabis products and the significant scaling of VINIA. I expect these two products to generate market-moving revenues in 2022, but they are just the start. We will also join the space race as the likes of Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Sir Richard Branson work to make "space settlements" something of a reality by 2030. We will work closely with our new advisory board member Colonel Chris Hadfield to start the process to assess how we can use our proprietary platform to help solve two major challenges which exists for space settlements - sustainable food supply and reducing the effects of ionizing radiation on oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Our entire team is so thankful that you have been part of this stage in our growth phase, and we are very proud to partner with you on our biotech journey. We are inspired by your support and the deep sense of "purpose" that you share with us on the BioHarvest Sciences team. That primary purpose is to drive Human Utility Value, and to drive a transformational positive change in the Health and Wellness of hundreds of millions of people. Our team is laser focused on executing the 2022 plan, and we intend to make 2022 a year to remember. For a video reel of this year's major announcements, click here. Happy New Year and may your 2022 be filled with only good health and blessings. Warmest wishes, Ilan Sobel, Chief Executive Officer BioHarvest Sciences Inc. About BioHarvest Sciences Inc. BioHarvest Sciences Inc. (CSE: BHSC) is a fast-growing Biotech firm listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange. BioHarvest has developed a patented bio-cell growth platform technology capable of growing the active and beneficial ingredients in fruit and plants, at industrial scale, without the need to grow the plant itself. This technology is economical, ensures consistency, and avoids the negative environmental impacts associated with traditional agriculture. BioHarvest is currently focused on nutraceuticals and the medicinal cannabis markets. Visit: www.bioharvest.com. For further information, please contact: Dave Ryan, VP Investor Relations & Director Phone: 1 (604) 622-1186 Email: [email protected] Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Youtube Forward-Looking Statements Information set forth in this news release might include forward-looking statements that are based on management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions, and expectations, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. There is no assurance that we will achieve our objective of making our products available in multiple markets including bio-space and exposing our technology to different verticals. In particular, there is no assurance that the Company will be able to leverage its technology platform to successfully provide essential nutrition and active ingredients for space exploration. There is no assurance that the Company will be successful in expanding its technology to broader medical applications or conduct clinical trials to validate the efficacy of the Company's products for new forms of medical treatments. There is no assurance that the ability to produce a commercial sized biomass will result in the Company entering into commercial production of Cannabis. There is no assurance the Company will be able to successfully convert the exiting 2 tons/year VINIA facility to a Cannabis production facility in H1, 2022. There is no assurance we will be able to commercialize our first Cannabis products in the first half of 2022, and there is no assurance the Company will be able to add new verticals or build additional plants elsewhere. Clinical trials are subject to risks of significant cost overruns and lengthy delays with no assurance they will confirm desired results. Even where desired results are obtained government approvals for treatments take considerable time and cannot be guaranteed. There is no assurance the BioFarming technology will make a significant impact on multiple verticals of life -science based businesses in general or in the bio-space industry. There is no assurance that we will achieve our objective of being a leading supplier of Cannabis. There is no assurance that the Israeli market results for Vinia will translate directly into the U.S. markets which may depend on different consumer preferences and more substantial marketing expenditures and resources. There is no assurance that strong sales metrics experienced to date will result in future demand for VINIA. Markets for nutraceuticals are unpredictable and subject to changes in consumer tastes and trends as well as economic factors beyond our control. Delays and cost overruns may result in delays achieving our objectives obtaining market acceptance and regulatory approvals for geographic expansion is subject to risk and cannot be guaranteed. Projected sales of Cannabis will require the company to obtain production and / or export licensing which cannot be assured. There is no assurance we will trigger an acceleration of revenue growth or a game changing expansion of our product lineup. These things are subject to uncertainties including the uncertainty of continuing market acceptance of our products and market acceptance of new products which are subject to changing consumer preference and access to marketplaces. There is no assurance we will achieve additional major B2B partnerships in 2022 as this is subject to acceptance of our products by businesses and their customers. There is no assurance that we will increase our investor base or add new institutional investors as this is subject to our meeting investment criteria of investors and conditions affecting equity markets generally. Continuing outbreaks of Covid variants may cause delays or other impacts to business plans and /or impact equity markets in 2022. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and actual results may be affected by a number of material factors beyond our control. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. BHSC does not intend to update forward-looking statement disclosures other than through our regular management discussion and analysis disclosures. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accept 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/108664 Vancouver, British Columbia and Rehovot, Israel--(Newsfile Corp. - December 30, 2021) - BioHarvest Sciences Inc.(CSE: BHSC) (OTC PINK: CNVCF) ("BioHarvest" or the "Company") is pleased to provide the following year-end shareholder partner letter from CEO Ilan Sobel. Dear friends, It is with great pleasure that I take this opportunity at the end of the year to summarize for our shareholder partners the major accomplishments of what has been an inspiring and transformative first full calendar year for me as CEO of BioHarvest Sciences. I will also include my own forward-looking thoughts for how we are envisioning the year ahead, in which we expect to trigger an acceleration of revenue growth, a game-changing expansion of our product lineup, as well as regulatory work and clinical studies that will provide a clear roadmap to continued global growth. Our vision is to drive human utility value: making a fundamental and positive change to our consumer's overall health and wellness. 2022 will be a year in which we not only open new doors as we further scale and commercialize our products, but also open minds to the significant potential that our platform technology has to drive this fundamental improvement in health and wellness on a global scale. In accordance with BioHarvest's vision and its biotech journey, I am extremely proud to share below the team's 2021 achievements grouped by key areas: Science & Technology, Operations, Sales, Finance and Environmental & Social Governance. 2021 Achievements Science & Technology In August 2021, we announced the historical creation of the Amalgamated Trichomes Coral Structure (ATCS). Why was this so important? Because the way to deliver full spectrum cannabis is to grow the trichomes, which are the mini factories of the cannabis plant where all cannabinoids, flavonoids and terpenes are produced. These trichomes are delicate components of the plant which can be vulnerable to the shear forces applied by the motion of the liquid media in the bioreactors. This new coral structure protects the trichomes during their growth in such a way that has enabled us to move from lab-scale creation of the trichomes towards larger scale bioreactors. We announced on December 8 that we were the first company in the world to grow a significant amount of cannabis biomass "without growing the plant", creating biotech and Cannabis industry history. With three different strains under development, we have now produced over 10 kilograms of biomass. The news has generated significant media interest (which I will detail below), and it has also introduced our science to thousands of new investors, science fans, and cannabis enthusiasts. It has provided a firm launch point for 2022, and there is more to come: I have challenged our marketing team to have the accompanying video viewed 1 million+ times, and we are already at 250,000+, so please stay tuned to our upcoming media placements! Through our continued research, we added a new functionality claim for VINIA, which reduces the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, enabling VINIA to have one more important reason to appeal to the millions of consumers concerned about their cardiovascular health. Operations I am so proud that our new 20 Ton per year production facility was completed on schedule, passing the ISO audits in September 2021, despite significant global supply challenges. We received GMP certification from Israel's Ministry of Health in November and we are currently working hard to execute the biological technology transfer, so we can commence production. Our Science, Advisory and Executive teams are critical for executing our biotech vision. This year we were honored to add both significant brain power and experience to each group with the addition of Colonel Chris Hadfield (space and aeronautics), Dr. Dennis Goodman (cardiology), Steven Lehrer (biotech), and Scott McCune (consumer marketing) to our Advisory Board. David Tsur (pharmaceutical and biotech) has joined the Board of Directors. Kobi Rosenzweig (VP operations) and Jarred Turner (VP of E-commerce) have joined the executive team. Building a world class company requires world class people - I am so pleased that each of these industry experts has joined us on our journey. Sales Israel Sales - This time last year we were energized by the spectacular VINIA Israel ecommerce launch in Q4 2020, which established a sales momentum that we have been able to successfully maintain. Throughout 2021, we continued to grow revenue in this market, at 10% sales growth quarter on quarter, for the first 3 quarters of the year, and accordingly have increased full year guidance on two occasions. VINIA US Market launch - May 2021. While this highlight is only one of many from 2021, it represented a giant leap forward for BioHarvest Sciences. We created entirely new operational units to facilitate the workings of a successful North American e-commerce business, including Marketing, Fulfilment, Customer Success, and global supply. We also added the required thought leadership with committed staff and external partners to bring us their expertise and drive from Launch Day forward. Sales performance in the U.S. pilot program has been extremely encouraging with us crossing the US$100,000 sales orders per month mark very early in the launch, with 89% of sales being subscription packages generating monthly recurring revenue, and an average sales order value of US $80 per transaction. We have been humbled by the feedback from our consumer base - as of this week, new VINIA users have submitted 350+ verified reviews, with a 4.8/5 rating, which is best in class from a performance perspective when benchmarked versus industry norms. We look forward to scaling our US launch as soon as we bring our new 20 Ton per year manufacturing facility online and to adding significant customer count to a base that already exceeds 11,000 customers across USA and Israel. B2B Sales - our Batory sales and distribution partnership continues to add significant value for the business. We have successfully expanded our partnership with "Designs for Health Inc" who in 2021 formulated VINIA into 3 new products which are now commercially available including "NRF2 Modulator", "Senolytic Synergy" and "Bergavin"". We are currently engaged in a number of strategic discussions with giants of industry and look forward to converting additional major B2B partnerships in 2022. Finance Investors have reacted positively to the company's achievements throughout 2021. The share price increased ~130% from the beginning of the year to reflect a recently reached market capitalization of ~$200 million. Strong treasury - In 2021, we raised a total of $9.4 Million CAD in two successful private placements, plus $4.6 Million CAD in exercised warrants. In 2021, we have significantly increased the investor base. As the company continues to perform well against its biotech vision and increases revenues substantially, the prospects remain high for 2022 to further increase that base and to add more institutional investors. Given the 2021 achievements record and the 2022 prospects listed below, we believe that BioHarvest presents a very attractive investment opportunity. Environmental & Social Governance I trust that our community of investor partners understands how deeply we are committed to making BioHarvest Sciences a role model for other companies to follow as it relates to our ESG credentials and delivering continuous improvement across key identified metrics. In July, we became the first Biotechnology company that produces cannabinoids to publish an ESG Sustainability report. This initial report was our first, and there are more to come. As the Globe and Mail reported on Dec 28. 2021, our BioFarming technology can reduce land requirements for nutrient growth by 95%. Investors are welcome to access the complete ESG report here. We are a company committed to diversity in the workplace and understand the power of diversity to help create competitive advantage. We are very proud of the fact that 55% of our workforce is female and that our entire R & D team is female. Importantly, as a company that understands the power of experience, we have more than 45% of our workforce above the age of 50 years old. This provides us with a wealth of brain power, people maturity and a unique sense of drive and commitment to make the world better for our children and grandchildren. Our December media coverage on cannabis R+D has generated a wave of commercial inquiries, which is fantastic, and we are committed to responding to every contact. I want to reassure investors that we will consider every commercial opportunity, but I do want our community to understand that our first priority will be to supply cannabis ingredients for medicinal applications in line with our commitment to be a purpose driven company. We do not envision replacing recreational suppliers, or artisan growers - we will focus on providing fingerprint consistent ingredients for products that require the highest levels of cleanliness and consistency. Media Coverage This year, we partnered with two very established public relations firms (Boldt and Thunder-11) to help introduce us to both Major news media and the cannabis community, and it has paid huge dividends in "earned" media coverage. For the portion of our community that follows early-stage companies, this major media interest will be mind blowing, as small companies will rarely make the news cycle. Our North American news coverage is spiking here at the end of 2021, which establishes a fantastic launching point for the New Year. The Globe and Mail: Dec. 28 - Canadian-Israeli biotech company growing nutrients for Earth and beyond The Houston Chronicle: Dec. 27 - Bowie Singing Astronaut developing protein pills for real space travel CannabisTech.com: Dec. 23 - How to Grow Cannabis Without Growing a Plant The Jerusalem Post: Dec. 29 - An astounding 2021 for Israeli tech could bring pivot Looking Forward to 2022 This coming year will see us "land" and "expand", plus drive further impact in existing programs. We expect to be selling our first cannabis-related products in 2022 upon completion of our final scale up phase and regulatory approvals. For VINIA, we are planning a step up in aggressive US marketing and will continue to push forward on the regulatory approval of VINIA in the EU and UK. As a science-based company, we always want to expand our science-based credentials, so we intend to fund additional clinical trials on VINIA, cannabis, and our olive cell product which is next in our polyphenol/antioxidant pipeline. At some point in the first half of 2022, we will likely announce the next plant-based vertical which we believe we can disrupt with our proprietary platform technology, adding one more significant validation on how we can bring the power of the plant to the people. Investors can also anticipate the 2022 launch of our first cannabis products and the significant scaling of VINIA. I expect these two products to generate market-moving revenues in 2022, but they are just the start. We will also join the space race as the likes of Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Sir Richard Branson work to make "space settlements" something of a reality by 2030. We will work closely with our new advisory board member Colonel Chris Hadfield to start the process to assess how we can use our proprietary platform to help solve two major challenges which exists for space settlements - sustainable food supply and reducing the effects of ionizing radiation on oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Our entire team is so thankful that you have been part of this stage in our growth phase, and we are very proud to partner with you on our biotech journey. We are inspired by your support and the deep sense of "purpose" that you share with us on the BioHarvest Sciences team. That primary purpose is to drive Human Utility Value, and to drive a transformational positive change in the Health and Wellness of hundreds of millions of people. Our team is laser focused on executing the 2022 plan, and we intend to make 2022 a year to remember. For a video reel of this year's major announcements, click here. Happy New Year and may your 2022 be filled with only good health and blessings. Warmest wishes, Ilan Sobel, Chief Executive Officer BioHarvest Sciences Inc. About BioHarvest Sciences Inc. BioHarvest Sciences Inc. (CSE: BHSC) is a fast-growing Biotech firm listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange. BioHarvest has developed a patented bio-cell growth platform technology capable of growing the active and beneficial ingredients in fruit and plants, at industrial scale, without the need to grow the plant itself. This technology is economical, ensures consistency, and avoids the negative environmental impacts associated with traditional agriculture. BioHarvest is currently focused on nutraceuticals and the medicinal cannabis markets. Visit: www.bioharvest.com. For further information, please contact: Dave Ryan, VP Investor Relations & Director Phone: 1 (604) 622-1186 Email: [email protected] Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Youtube Forward-Looking Statements Information set forth in this news release might include forward-looking statements that are based on management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions, and expectations, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. There is no assurance that we will achieve our objective of making our products available in multiple markets including bio-space and exposing our technology to different verticals. In particular, there is no assurance that the Company will be able to leverage its technology platform to successfully provide essential nutrition and active ingredients for space exploration. There is no assurance that the Company will be successful in expanding its technology to broader medical applications or conduct clinical trials to validate the efficacy of the Company's products for new forms of medical treatments. There is no assurance that the ability to produce a commercial sized biomass will result in the Company entering into commercial production of Cannabis. There is no assurance the Company will be able to successfully convert the exiting 2 tons/year VINIA facility to a Cannabis production facility in H1, 2022. There is no assurance we will be able to commercialize our first Cannabis products in the first half of 2022, and there is no assurance the Company will be able to add new verticals or build additional plants elsewhere. Clinical trials are subject to risks of significant cost overruns and lengthy delays with no assurance they will confirm desired results. Even where desired results are obtained government approvals for treatments take considerable time and cannot be guaranteed. There is no assurance the BioFarming technology will make a significant impact on multiple verticals of life -science based businesses in general or in the bio-space industry. There is no assurance that we will achieve our objective of being a leading supplier of Cannabis. There is no assurance that the Israeli market results for Vinia will translate directly into the U.S. markets which may depend on different consumer preferences and more substantial marketing expenditures and resources. There is no assurance that strong sales metrics experienced to date will result in future demand for VINIA. Markets for nutraceuticals are unpredictable and subject to changes in consumer tastes and trends as well as economic factors beyond our control. Delays and cost overruns may result in delays achieving our objectives obtaining market acceptance and regulatory approvals for geographic expansion is subject to risk and cannot be guaranteed. Projected sales of Cannabis will require the company to obtain production and / or export licensing which cannot be assured. There is no assurance we will trigger an acceleration of revenue growth or a game changing expansion of our product lineup. These things are subject to uncertainties including the uncertainty of continuing market acceptance of our products and market acceptance of new products which are subject to changing consumer preference and access to marketplaces. There is no assurance we will achieve additional major B2B partnerships in 2022 as this is subject to acceptance of our products by businesses and their customers. There is no assurance that we will increase our investor base or add new institutional investors as this is subject to our meeting investment criteria of investors and conditions affecting equity markets generally. Continuing outbreaks of Covid variants may cause delays or other impacts to business plans and /or impact equity markets in 2022. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and actual results may be affected by a number of material factors beyond our control. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. BHSC does not intend to update forward-looking statement disclosures other than through our regular management discussion and analysis disclosures. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accept 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/108664 Uranium Energy Corp. (UEC) recently acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of Uranium One Americas (U1A), Inc. for a total purchase price of $112 million in cash together with an additional $2.9 million in estimated working capital (primarily pre-paid insurance and land payments) and the assumption of $19 million in reclamation bonding. Uranium One is the worlds fourth-largest uranium producer and part of Russias State Atomic Energy Corporation, Rosatom. UEC fully funded the acquisition with existing cash on hand. Subsequent to closing, UEC holds approximately $120 million of cash and liquid assets. The U1A portfolio of projects being acquired includes, among other assets, seven projects in the Powder River Basin, three of which are fully permitted, and five in the Great Divide Basin. The portfolio consists of dozens of under-explored, mineralized brownfield projects, backed by detailed databases of historic uranium exploration and development programs, thus greatly enhancing the potential for resource expansion. We are very pleased to have closed this highly accretive transaction for UEC. The acquisition doubles our production capacity in three key categories: total number of permitted US ISR [in-situ recovery] projects, resources, and processing infrastructure. Also, the opportunity to have acquired an advanced asset base of this quality from one of the global leaders in the nuclear energy industry is highly unique. With this acquisition, UECs sector-leading US ISR production profile increases to 6.5 million pounds U 3 O 8 per year based on permitted and installed capacity of our Wyoming and South Texas hub-and-spoke operations. Combined with our physical uranium holdings of 4.1 million pounds of US-warehoused uranium, we now have the unparalleled ability to provide reliable domestic supply to the US Government as well as nuclear utilities while providing our shareholders exposure to the fastest growing, 100% unhedged and pure-play uranium business listed on the NYSE American. Amir Adnani, President and CEO ISR is injected-solution mining that reverses the natural process that deposited the uranium in the sandstones. On-site ground water is fortified with gaseous oxygen and introduced to the uranium ore body through a pattern of injection wells. The solution dissolves the uranium from the sandstone host. The uranium-bearing solution is brought back to surface through production wells where the uranium is concentrated on resin beads for trucking to the companys Hobson Processing Plant to be concentrated further and dried into yellowcake for market. This pattern of injection and recovery wells, plus surrounding monitor wells that serve as a safeguard, is called a wellfield. The U1A assets are primarily situated in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming; the most productive in-situ recovery uranium mining district in the western hemisphere. Other highlights of the acquisition include the following: Largest US uranium mining company . Positions UEC, a US corporation headquartered in Texas, as the largest American uranium mining company. Wyoming Hub and Spoke. Creates Wyoming hub-and-spoke operations for UEC, anchored by U1As Irigaray plant which is one of the largest central processing facilities in the United States with a licensed capacity of 2.5 million pounds U 3 O 8 per year. Production Ready. Incorporates U1As production-ready assets including Christensen Ranch ISR Project with four fully installed wellfields, and six additional permitted or development-stage satellite ISR projects, combining with UECs Reno Creek Project. Reno Creek Synergies. Anticipates significant capital expenditure savings and deep operating synergies with UECs permitted and nearby Reno Creek ISR Project which is 45 miles away from the Irigaray plant. Resource Expansion. Secured approximately 37.6 million pounds U 3 O 8 in historically estimated Measured and Indicated Resources and 4.3 million pounds U 3 O 8 in historically estimated Inferred resources with considerable growth potential based on independent technical reports prepared for U1A. Dominant Land Package. The acquisition added approximately 100,000 acres to UEC current land package in Wyoming, resulting in the company holding about 118,000 acres in Wyomings prolific uranium producing Power River and Great Divide Basins. UEC has outlined several initiatives to integrate the U1A assets into the UEC portfolio. They include: The company plans to complete and submit new technical reports on the advanced stage projects in the U1A portfolio as soon as possible for the purposes of establishing current resources as the U1A historical resources are not treated as current by UEC. Advance technical studies to further develop the Wyoming hub and spoke strategy to capture the significant capital expenditure savings and operating synergies anticipated with its Reno Creek project. The U1A portfolio consists of additional mineralized brownfield projects that UEC intends to develop to generate technical resource reports. Perform an operational review on potential expansion of the Irigaray Central Processing Plant. In addition to Reno Creek, advance the Moore Ranch and Ludeman ISR projects in Wyoming as production satellite facilities along with the companys development plans at Burke Hollow in South Texas. Review and integrate U1s significant tax loss carry-forwards to be applied to offset future income. Uranium Energy Corp is a US-based uranium mining and exploration company that is advancing the next generation of ISR mining uranium projects. In South Texas, the companys hub-and-spoke operations are anchored by the fully-licensed Hobson Processing Facility which is central to the Palangana, Burke Hollow, Goliad and other ISR pipeline projects. In Wyoming, UEC controls the Reno Creek project, which is the largest permitted, pre-construction ISR uranium project in the US. Uranium Energy Corp. (UEC) recently acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of Uranium One Americas (U1A), Inc. for a total purchase price of $112 million in cash together with an additional $2.9 million in estimated working capital (primarily pre-paid insurance and land payments) and the assumption of $19 million in reclamation bonding. Uranium One is the worlds fourth-largest uranium producer and part of Russias State Atomic Energy Corporation, Rosatom. UEC fully funded the acquisition with existing cash on hand. Subsequent to closing, UEC holds approximately $120 million of cash and liquid assets. The U1A portfolio of projects being acquired includes, among other assets, seven projects in the Powder River Basin, three of which are fully permitted, and five in the Great Divide Basin. The portfolio consists of dozens of under-explored, mineralized brownfield projects, backed by detailed databases of historic uranium exploration and development programs, thus greatly enhancing the potential for resource expansion. We are very pleased to have closed this highly accretive transaction for UEC. The acquisition doubles our production capacity in three key categories: total number of permitted US ISR [in-situ recovery] projects, resources, and processing infrastructure. Also, the opportunity to have acquired an advanced asset base of this quality from one of the global leaders in the nuclear energy industry is highly unique. With this acquisition, UECs sector-leading US ISR production profile increases to 6.5 million pounds U 3 O 8 per year based on permitted and installed capacity of our Wyoming and South Texas hub-and-spoke operations. Combined with our physical uranium holdings of 4.1 million pounds of US-warehoused uranium, we now have the unparalleled ability to provide reliable domestic supply to the US Government as well as nuclear utilities while providing our shareholders exposure to the fastest growing, 100% unhedged and pure-play uranium business listed on the NYSE American. Amir Adnani, President and CEO ISR is injected-solution mining that reverses the natural process that deposited the uranium in the sandstones. On-site ground water is fortified with gaseous oxygen and introduced to the uranium ore body through a pattern of injection wells. The solution dissolves the uranium from the sandstone host. The uranium-bearing solution is brought back to surface through production wells where the uranium is concentrated on resin beads for trucking to the companys Hobson Processing Plant to be concentrated further and dried into yellowcake for market. This pattern of injection and recovery wells, plus surrounding monitor wells that serve as a safeguard, is called a wellfield. The U1A assets are primarily situated in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming; the most productive in-situ recovery uranium mining district in the western hemisphere. Other highlights of the acquisition include the following: Largest US uranium mining company . Positions UEC, a US corporation headquartered in Texas, as the largest American uranium mining company. Wyoming Hub and Spoke. Creates Wyoming hub-and-spoke operations for UEC, anchored by U1As Irigaray plant which is one of the largest central processing facilities in the United States with a licensed capacity of 2.5 million pounds U 3 O 8 per year. Production Ready. Incorporates U1As production-ready assets including Christensen Ranch ISR Project with four fully installed wellfields, and six additional permitted or development-stage satellite ISR projects, combining with UECs Reno Creek Project. Reno Creek Synergies. Anticipates significant capital expenditure savings and deep operating synergies with UECs permitted and nearby Reno Creek ISR Project which is 45 miles away from the Irigaray plant. Resource Expansion. Secured approximately 37.6 million pounds U 3 O 8 in historically estimated Measured and Indicated Resources and 4.3 million pounds U 3 O 8 in historically estimated Inferred resources with considerable growth potential based on independent technical reports prepared for U1A. Dominant Land Package. The acquisition added approximately 100,000 acres to UEC current land package in Wyoming, resulting in the company holding about 118,000 acres in Wyomings prolific uranium producing Power River and Great Divide Basins. UEC has outlined several initiatives to integrate the U1A assets into the UEC portfolio. They include: The company plans to complete and submit new technical reports on the advanced stage projects in the U1A portfolio as soon as possible for the purposes of establishing current resources as the U1A historical resources are not treated as current by UEC. Advance technical studies to further develop the Wyoming hub and spoke strategy to capture the significant capital expenditure savings and operating synergies anticipated with its Reno Creek project. The U1A portfolio consists of additional mineralized brownfield projects that UEC intends to develop to generate technical resource reports. Perform an operational review on potential expansion of the Irigaray Central Processing Plant. In addition to Reno Creek, advance the Moore Ranch and Ludeman ISR projects in Wyoming as production satellite facilities along with the companys development plans at Burke Hollow in South Texas. Review and integrate U1s significant tax loss carry-forwards to be applied to offset future income. Uranium Energy Corp is a US-based uranium mining and exploration company that is advancing the next generation of ISR mining uranium projects. In South Texas, the companys hub-and-spoke operations are anchored by the fully-licensed Hobson Processing Facility which is central to the Palangana, Burke Hollow, Goliad and other ISR pipeline projects. In Wyoming, UEC controls the Reno Creek project, which is the largest permitted, pre-construction ISR uranium project in the US. The body of a teenage girl who fell off a houseboat into the Murray River on New Year's Eve has been found. The 17-year-old was discovered south of Swan Reach in South Australia on Saturday after an extensive aerial, land and water search. The teenager fell into the river about 9.15pm on Friday and the alarm was raised when she did not resurface after the fall, police say. Police, PolAir and the SES assisted with the search along with members of the public but the girl could not be located. Police divers have recovered the body of a 17-year-old girl who fell into the Murray River in South Australia on New Year's Eve (pictured, SA Police search for a missing teen who plunged into the Murray river on Friday evening) The search resumed on Saturday morning, with police recovering the Adelaide Hills girl's body about 2pm near where she had fallen in. Nearby Residents and holiday-makers told The ABC they heard two helicopters in the area last night. Boater William Hoddle, warned the river contained debris and that the area in which the teenage girl fell was 'quite a dangerous spot'. 'That's why you've always got to wear your life jacket,' he said. New Delhi: The families of Indian citizens and fishermen lodged in Pakistan and Indian jails are once waking up to their hopes of being released. In fact, on New Year's Eve, the two countries have handed each other a list of civil prisoners and fishermen who are imprisoned in each other's jails and have been waiting for their release for a long time. According to the Ministry of Indian Affairs, Pakistan has handed over the list of 51 civilian prisoners and 577 fishermen to India on The New Year. All of them are Indians and are lodged in Pakistani jails. Similarly, India has given a list of 282 Pakistani civilian prisoners and 73 fishermen. All of them are Pakistanis and are lodged in Indian jails. An agreement was signed in 2008 between India and Pakistan to share information about people and fishermen imprisoned in each other's jails, under which the two countries hand over such lists to each other twice a year. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on January 1 and July 1 every year, the two countries hand over the list of citizens and fishermen to each other. On New Year's Eve, India and Pakistan have exchanged a list of civilian prisoners and fishermen through diplomatic channels in Delhi and Islamabad together. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed that all the names of civil prisoners and fishermen in the list are Indians and are either considered Indian. India's FOREX reserves decline by USD587 Million Shivraj government's gift to public, will get this benefit with ration India dispatches next batch of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan Welcome Guest! You Are Here: New Delhi: The families of Indian citizens and fishermen lodged in Pakistan and Indian jails are once waking up to their hopes of being released. In fact, on New Year's Eve, the two countries have handed each other a list of civil prisoners and fishermen who are imprisoned in each other's jails and have been waiting for their release for a long time. According to the Ministry of Indian Affairs, Pakistan has handed over the list of 51 civilian prisoners and 577 fishermen to India on The New Year. All of them are Indians and are lodged in Pakistani jails. Similarly, India has given a list of 282 Pakistani civilian prisoners and 73 fishermen. All of them are Pakistanis and are lodged in Indian jails. An agreement was signed in 2008 between India and Pakistan to share information about people and fishermen imprisoned in each other's jails, under which the two countries hand over such lists to each other twice a year. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on January 1 and July 1 every year, the two countries hand over the list of citizens and fishermen to each other. On New Year's Eve, India and Pakistan have exchanged a list of civilian prisoners and fishermen through diplomatic channels in Delhi and Islamabad together. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed that all the names of civil prisoners and fishermen in the list are Indians and are either considered Indian. India's FOREX reserves decline by USD587 Million Shivraj government's gift to public, will get this benefit with ration India dispatches next batch of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan ATLANTA, GA, Jan. 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI), an online child care training provider dedicated exclusively to the early care and education workforce, offers SOC112: Reducing Exclusionary Discipline in Early Childhood Education as a no-cost trial course to new CCEI users January 1-31, 2022. It has been well established for many years that quality early childhood education benefits young childrens cognitive (thinking), social (human relationships), and emotional (feelings) development. However, sometimes young children in child care and preschool programs behave in ways that are difficult for educators to manage. These behaviors may even be unsafe to the student and others. Disciplining young students and improving their behavior requires specialized training and skills. Exclusionary discipline refers to common practices in early childhood education, such as removing children from their classrooms, sending them home from school early, suspension, and expulsion. This course will explore the harmful nature of these practices and explore how exclusionary discipline impacts different populations of students. The course will also identify strategies early childhood professionals can take to reduce the incidence of exclusionary discipline within early learning environments. Years of research have shown that early childhood education helps students to reach critical developmental milestones. High-quality early childhood education also helps to prepare young students to begin their elementary education years ready to learn. This belief is especially true for students who experience poverty. With students of color being more likely to live in poverty than their white peers, students of color are also most likely to need and benefit from early childhood education yet lack access to it. Exclusionary discipline further prevents access to education. Reduced access to education means less access to the additional support services schools offer and how educators refer to students and families in need. Examples include mental health services and social services (e.g., assistance with meeting food security, housing, and medical needs). Students with disabilities and developmental delays are more likely to receive the services they need while in school. Services such as speech and language therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy are often performed in early learning environments as part of early intervention services. When families in need receive these types of services, children experience more success in school as the challenges they are facing can be addressed before growing into more significant issues. When schools exclude students, even in the name of discipline, they send the message to students that they are not wanted, says Maria C. Taylor, President and CEO of CCEI. Having a deep understanding of child development provides teachers with the capacity to plan how they can effectively respond to childrens behaviors, for instance, by using language they will understand. It may seem overwhelming for individual teachers to carry out effective, unbiased discipline given all the systemic challenges. Indeed, when an entire school works cooperatively to support student behavior in unbiased ways, the best outcomes for students occur. And, teachers are an essential part of these efforts. Even if a school has not committed to this work school-wide, teachers can do much to make their classrooms more supportive of all students, including those who struggle with undesirable or unsafe behaviors. SOC112: Reducing Exclusionary Discipline in Early Childhood Education is a two-hour, intermediate-level course and grants 0.2 IACET CEU upon successful completion. Current CCEI users with active, unlimited annual subscriptions can register for professional development courses at no additional cost when logged in to their CCEI account. Users without subscriptions can purchase child care training courses as block hours through CCEI online enrollment. For more information, visit www.cceionline.edu or call 1.800.499.9907, prompt 3, Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. EDT ChildCare Education Institute, LLC ChildCare Education Institute, a division of Excelligence Learning Corporation, provides high-quality, distance education certificates and child care training programs in an array of child care settings, including preschool centers, family child care, prekindergarten classrooms, nanny care, online daycare training and more. Over 150 English and Spanish child care training courses are available online to meet licensing, recognition program, and Head Start Requirements. CCEI also has online certification programs that provide the coursework requirement for national credentials including the CDA, Director and Early Childhood Credentials. CCEI, a Council for Professional Recognition CDA Gold Standard training provider, is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and is accredited as an Authorized Provider by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). Attachments New Delhi, Jan 1 (UNI) President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of lives in a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Cave Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district. In a tweet, the President said, "Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured." "Saddened by the tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple. I express my condolences to the bereaved families," the Vice-President tweeted. Expressing grief over the loss of lives, the PM announced an ex-gratia of Rs two lakh each to the next of kin who lost their loved ones and Rs 50,000 for the injured. "Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to J&K LG Manoj Sinha Ji, Ministers Jitendra Singh Ji, Nityanand Rai Ji and took stock of the situation," Modi said in a tweet. In another tweet, the PM wrote, 'An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF(Prime Minister's National Relief Fund) would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000." Union Home Minister Amit Shah in a tweet wrote, "Deeply pained by the tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple. Spoke to Lieutenant Governor of J&K Manoj Sinha Ji. I express my condolences to the bereaved families." BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda, in a tweet, wrote, "The news of loss of lives in the tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is heart-wrenching. Local administration and BJP administration are engaged in rescue works. My condolences to the bereaved families, and I wish a speedy recovery to those injured." Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi took to twitter and wrote: "The tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is deeply saddening. My condolences to the families who lost their loved ones and I wish a speedy recovery to those injured." At least 12 pilgrims were killed and 13 others were injured early Saturday morning in a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Cave Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Katra town. UNI DS GK Photo taken on April 10, 2021 shows a night view of the Lahore converter station of the 660kV Matiari-Lahore high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Pakistan's eastern Punjab Province. (SGCC/Handout via Xinhua) The CPEC, an important pilot project of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, has created 75,000 jobs in Pakistan since its launch in 2013, with more to come in the second phase. by Misbah Saba Malik ISLAMABAD, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Fazal Rahim has been working on Port Qasim Power Plant project for six years. The plant is part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). During his time at the plant, Rahim has witnessed immense growth on both professional and personal levels. "I was a fresh graduate when I started here, and now, six years later, I am a deputy director of a department. I was well trained by Chinese staff who provided me with plenty of opportunities to excel." Port Qasim created almost 10,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction. The operational phase employs about 600 local people. "I know many people who found it hard to make the ends meet, but after finding work at the plant they are leading pretty good lives. Their kids go to nice schools and they eat better food. Some of them have even built houses. I can help my parents, and I pay for my younger brothers' education. I am financially stable and they get to study in good universities. Their future prospects are very promising," he said. Rahim and 26 other employees were given awards for their outstanding contributions to the CPEC by the Chinese Embassy to Pakistan recently. Investment has started pouring in CPEC to special economic zones and employment opportunities in sectors ranging from agriculture and IT are following, with the potential to offer a large number of new jobs to Pakistani youth. Photo taken on Nov. 19, 2021 shows a view of the powerhouse of the Karot Hydropower Project in Pakistan's eastern Punjab province. (Xinhua/Li Hao) According to the embassy, the CPEC, an important pilot project of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, has created 75,000 jobs in Pakistani since its launch in 2013, with more to come in the second phase. Asad Umar, Pakistani minister for planning, development and special initiatives, said that the second phase of CPEC was broadening. "We have added agriculture, and we have added science and technology - actual acceleration will be seen in phase two," Umar said. Pakistani staff say they are living the dream of working in world-class companies, learning every day from world-class Chinese colleagues who are always ready to share their knowledge. The CPEC has greatly eased Pakistan's energy crisis and employed large numbers of people. The second phase holds promising prospects for a prosperous future. "I have been working with the Chinese for seven years, and I have learned a lot about time management, scheduling and planning - important if we are going to get whatever we are working on completed in time," said Arsalan Khan, who won an award for his work at the Karot Hydropower Project. New Delhi: The families of Indian citizens and fishermen lodged in Pakistan and Indian jails are once waking up to their hopes of being released. In fact, on New Year's Eve, the two countries have handed each other a list of civil prisoners and fishermen who are imprisoned in each other's jails and have been waiting for their release for a long time. According to the Ministry of Indian Affairs, Pakistan has handed over the list of 51 civilian prisoners and 577 fishermen to India on The New Year. All of them are Indians and are lodged in Pakistani jails. Similarly, India has given a list of 282 Pakistani civilian prisoners and 73 fishermen. All of them are Pakistanis and are lodged in Indian jails. An agreement was signed in 2008 between India and Pakistan to share information about people and fishermen imprisoned in each other's jails, under which the two countries hand over such lists to each other twice a year. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on January 1 and July 1 every year, the two countries hand over the list of citizens and fishermen to each other. On New Year's Eve, India and Pakistan have exchanged a list of civilian prisoners and fishermen through diplomatic channels in Delhi and Islamabad together. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed that all the names of civil prisoners and fishermen in the list are Indians and are either considered Indian. India's FOREX reserves decline by USD587 Million Shivraj government's gift to public, will get this benefit with ration India dispatches next batch of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan New Delhi: The families of Indian citizens and fishermen lodged in Pakistan and Indian jails are once waking up to their hopes of being released. In fact, on New Year's Eve, the two countries have handed each other a list of civil prisoners and fishermen who are imprisoned in each other's jails and have been waiting for their release for a long time. According to the Ministry of Indian Affairs, Pakistan has handed over the list of 51 civilian prisoners and 577 fishermen to India on The New Year. All of them are Indians and are lodged in Pakistani jails. Similarly, India has given a list of 282 Pakistani civilian prisoners and 73 fishermen. All of them are Pakistanis and are lodged in Indian jails. An agreement was signed in 2008 between India and Pakistan to share information about people and fishermen imprisoned in each other's jails, under which the two countries hand over such lists to each other twice a year. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on January 1 and July 1 every year, the two countries hand over the list of citizens and fishermen to each other. On New Year's Eve, India and Pakistan have exchanged a list of civilian prisoners and fishermen through diplomatic channels in Delhi and Islamabad together. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed that all the names of civil prisoners and fishermen in the list are Indians and are either considered Indian. India's FOREX reserves decline by USD587 Million Shivraj government's gift to public, will get this benefit with ration India dispatches next batch of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan New Delhi: The families of Indian citizens and fishermen lodged in Pakistan and Indian jails are once waking up to their hopes of being released. In fact, on New Year's Eve, the two countries have handed each other a list of civil prisoners and fishermen who are imprisoned in each other's jails and have been waiting for their release for a long time. According to the Ministry of Indian Affairs, Pakistan has handed over the list of 51 civilian prisoners and 577 fishermen to India on The New Year. All of them are Indians and are lodged in Pakistani jails. Similarly, India has given a list of 282 Pakistani civilian prisoners and 73 fishermen. All of them are Pakistanis and are lodged in Indian jails. An agreement was signed in 2008 between India and Pakistan to share information about people and fishermen imprisoned in each other's jails, under which the two countries hand over such lists to each other twice a year. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on January 1 and July 1 every year, the two countries hand over the list of citizens and fishermen to each other. On New Year's Eve, India and Pakistan have exchanged a list of civilian prisoners and fishermen through diplomatic channels in Delhi and Islamabad together. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed that all the names of civil prisoners and fishermen in the list are Indians and are either considered Indian. India's FOREX reserves decline by USD587 Million Shivraj government's gift to public, will get this benefit with ration India dispatches next batch of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan Bradey Police Lt. Philip Trudeau (L) comforts Bourbonnais Police officer Andy Cox following a ceremonial procession for fallen Bradley Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, in Bourbonnais, Ill., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Tiffany Blanchette/The Daily Journal via AP) Suspect in Shooting of Illinois Officers Arrested in Indiana CHICAGOA man suspected in the shooting of one police officer and wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel has been taken into custody, authorities said Friday. Darius Sullivan, one of two people suspected in the shooting of the two Bradley police officers, was arrested Friday morning at a home in North Manchester, Indiana, Sgt. Glen Fifield of the Indiana State Police said at a news conference. Sullivan, 25, surrendered to a SWAT team that was assisting the U.S. Marshals with a search warrant for the property about 110 miles east of Bradley. Sullivans arrest came a day after Illinois authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The Illinois State Police did not release any updates on the investigation Friday other than a written statement confirming that Sullivan had been arrested and would be taken back to Kankakee County, where the shooting occurred late Wednesday. Fifield said he didnt have any details on the investigation into the shooting. He did name three other men but wouldnt discuss whether their arrests were connected to the officers shootings. Two of the men were arrested after police said they ran from their car during a traffic stop in Fulton County, Indiana. The third was arrested at the home where Sullivan was taken into custody. Fifield said police found weapons and drugs in the car that the two men fled from and at the North Manchester home. Authorities are still searching for 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, of Bradley, who investigators believe was at the hotel when the shootings happened, the Illinois State Police said. The two officers were speaking to people in a room at a Comfort Inn along a highway in Kankakee County when they were shot, according to the county sheriffs office. They were taken to nearby hospitals, where 49-year-old Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic died. The other officeridentified by the Illinois State Police as 27-year-old Tyler J. Baileyunderwent surgery and was listed in critical condition on Thursday, according to the Bradley Police Department. Messages left with the department and Illinois State Police on Friday to update Baileys condition were not immediately returned. The officers were at the hotel to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, the sheriffs office said. They found the room where the vehicles possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, it said. Authorities arrested two other people Thursday on charges alleging they impeded the search for Sullivan and a woman also suspected in the shootings. Nichele Newton-Carroll, 42, and Jelman Sullivan, 21, face charges of obstructing justice/leaving the state, the (Kankakee) Daily Journal reported. Neither had an attorney listed Friday in court or jail records. Kankakee County States Attorney Jim Rowe identified Newton-Carroll as Sullivans mother. Rowe said he is not sure of the connection between Jelman Sullivan and Darius Sullivan. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriffs deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriffs Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputys squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. New Delhi: The families of Indian citizens and fishermen lodged in Pakistan and Indian jails are once waking up to their hopes of being released. In fact, on New Year's Eve, the two countries have handed each other a list of civil prisoners and fishermen who are imprisoned in each other's jails and have been waiting for their release for a long time. According to the Ministry of Indian Affairs, Pakistan has handed over the list of 51 civilian prisoners and 577 fishermen to India on The New Year. All of them are Indians and are lodged in Pakistani jails. Similarly, India has given a list of 282 Pakistani civilian prisoners and 73 fishermen. All of them are Pakistanis and are lodged in Indian jails. An agreement was signed in 2008 between India and Pakistan to share information about people and fishermen imprisoned in each other's jails, under which the two countries hand over such lists to each other twice a year. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on January 1 and July 1 every year, the two countries hand over the list of citizens and fishermen to each other. On New Year's Eve, India and Pakistan have exchanged a list of civilian prisoners and fishermen through diplomatic channels in Delhi and Islamabad together. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed that all the names of civil prisoners and fishermen in the list are Indians and are either considered Indian. India's FOREX reserves decline by USD587 Million Shivraj government's gift to public, will get this benefit with ration India dispatches next batch of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan New Delhi, Jan 1 (UNI) President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of lives in a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Cave Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district. In a tweet, the President said, "Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured." "Saddened by the tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple. I express my condolences to the bereaved families," the Vice-President tweeted. Expressing grief over the loss of lives, the PM announced an ex-gratia of Rs two lakh each to the next of kin who lost their loved ones and Rs 50,000 for the injured. "Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to J&K LG Manoj Sinha Ji, Ministers Jitendra Singh Ji, Nityanand Rai Ji and took stock of the situation," Modi said in a tweet. In another tweet, the PM wrote, 'An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF(Prime Minister's National Relief Fund) would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000." Union Home Minister Amit Shah in a tweet wrote, "Deeply pained by the tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple. Spoke to Lieutenant Governor of J&K Manoj Sinha Ji. I express my condolences to the bereaved families." BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda, in a tweet, wrote, "The news of loss of lives in the tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is heart-wrenching. Local administration and BJP administration are engaged in rescue works. My condolences to the bereaved families, and I wish a speedy recovery to those injured." Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi took to twitter and wrote: "The tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is deeply saddening. My condolences to the families who lost their loved ones and I wish a speedy recovery to those injured." At least 12 pilgrims were killed and 13 others were injured early Saturday morning in a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Cave Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Katra town. UNI DS GK New Delhi, Jan 1 (UNI) President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of lives in a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Cave Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district. In a tweet, the President said, "Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured." "Saddened by the tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple. I express my condolences to the bereaved families," the Vice-President tweeted. Expressing grief over the loss of lives, the PM announced an ex-gratia of Rs two lakh each to the next of kin who lost their loved ones and Rs 50,000 for the injured. "Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to J&K LG Manoj Sinha Ji, Ministers Jitendra Singh Ji, Nityanand Rai Ji and took stock of the situation," Modi said in a tweet. In another tweet, the PM wrote, 'An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF(Prime Minister's National Relief Fund) would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000." Union Home Minister Amit Shah in a tweet wrote, "Deeply pained by the tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple. Spoke to Lieutenant Governor of J&K Manoj Sinha Ji. I express my condolences to the bereaved families." BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda, in a tweet, wrote, "The news of loss of lives in the tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is heart-wrenching. Local administration and BJP administration are engaged in rescue works. My condolences to the bereaved families, and I wish a speedy recovery to those injured." Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi took to twitter and wrote: "The tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is deeply saddening. My condolences to the families who lost their loved ones and I wish a speedy recovery to those injured." At least 12 pilgrims were killed and 13 others were injured early Saturday morning in a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Cave Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Katra town. UNI DS GK New Delhi, Jan 1 (UNI) President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of lives in a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Cave Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district. In a tweet, the President said, "Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured." "Saddened by the tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple. I express my condolences to the bereaved families," the Vice-President tweeted. Expressing grief over the loss of lives, the PM announced an ex-gratia of Rs two lakh each to the next of kin who lost their loved ones and Rs 50,000 for the injured. "Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to J&K LG Manoj Sinha Ji, Ministers Jitendra Singh Ji, Nityanand Rai Ji and took stock of the situation," Modi said in a tweet. In another tweet, the PM wrote, 'An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF(Prime Minister's National Relief Fund) would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000." Union Home Minister Amit Shah in a tweet wrote, "Deeply pained by the tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple. Spoke to Lieutenant Governor of J&K Manoj Sinha Ji. I express my condolences to the bereaved families." BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda, in a tweet, wrote, "The news of loss of lives in the tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is heart-wrenching. Local administration and BJP administration are engaged in rescue works. My condolences to the bereaved families, and I wish a speedy recovery to those injured." Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi took to twitter and wrote: "The tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is deeply saddening. My condolences to the families who lost their loved ones and I wish a speedy recovery to those injured." At least 12 pilgrims were killed and 13 others were injured early Saturday morning in a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Cave Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Katra town. UNI DS GK Photo taken on April 10, 2021 shows a night view of the Lahore converter station of the 660kV Matiari-Lahore high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Pakistan's eastern Punjab Province. (SGCC/Handout via Xinhua) The CPEC, an important pilot project of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, has created 75,000 jobs in Pakistan since its launch in 2013, with more to come in the second phase. by Misbah Saba Malik ISLAMABAD, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Fazal Rahim has been working on Port Qasim Power Plant project for six years. The plant is part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). During his time at the plant, Rahim has witnessed immense growth on both professional and personal levels. "I was a fresh graduate when I started here, and now, six years later, I am a deputy director of a department. I was well trained by Chinese staff who provided me with plenty of opportunities to excel." Port Qasim created almost 10,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction. The operational phase employs about 600 local people. "I know many people who found it hard to make the ends meet, but after finding work at the plant they are leading pretty good lives. Their kids go to nice schools and they eat better food. Some of them have even built houses. I can help my parents, and I pay for my younger brothers' education. I am financially stable and they get to study in good universities. Their future prospects are very promising," he said. Rahim and 26 other employees were given awards for their outstanding contributions to the CPEC by the Chinese Embassy to Pakistan recently. Investment has started pouring in CPEC to special economic zones and employment opportunities in sectors ranging from agriculture and IT are following, with the potential to offer a large number of new jobs to Pakistani youth. Photo taken on Nov. 19, 2021 shows a view of the powerhouse of the Karot Hydropower Project in Pakistan's eastern Punjab province. (Xinhua/Li Hao) According to the embassy, the CPEC, an important pilot project of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, has created 75,000 jobs in Pakistani since its launch in 2013, with more to come in the second phase. Asad Umar, Pakistani minister for planning, development and special initiatives, said that the second phase of CPEC was broadening. "We have added agriculture, and we have added science and technology - actual acceleration will be seen in phase two," Umar said. Pakistani staff say they are living the dream of working in world-class companies, learning every day from world-class Chinese colleagues who are always ready to share their knowledge. The CPEC has greatly eased Pakistan's energy crisis and employed large numbers of people. The second phase holds promising prospects for a prosperous future. "I have been working with the Chinese for seven years, and I have learned a lot about time management, scheduling and planning - important if we are going to get whatever we are working on completed in time," said Arsalan Khan, who won an award for his work at the Karot Hydropower Project. Photo taken on April 10, 2021 shows a night view of the Lahore converter station of the 660kV Matiari-Lahore high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Pakistan's eastern Punjab Province. (SGCC/Handout via Xinhua) The CPEC, an important pilot project of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, has created 75,000 jobs in Pakistan since its launch in 2013, with more to come in the second phase. by Misbah Saba Malik ISLAMABAD, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Fazal Rahim has been working on Port Qasim Power Plant project for six years. The plant is part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). During his time at the plant, Rahim has witnessed immense growth on both professional and personal levels. "I was a fresh graduate when I started here, and now, six years later, I am a deputy director of a department. I was well trained by Chinese staff who provided me with plenty of opportunities to excel." Port Qasim created almost 10,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction. The operational phase employs about 600 local people. "I know many people who found it hard to make the ends meet, but after finding work at the plant they are leading pretty good lives. Their kids go to nice schools and they eat better food. Some of them have even built houses. I can help my parents, and I pay for my younger brothers' education. I am financially stable and they get to study in good universities. Their future prospects are very promising," he said. Rahim and 26 other employees were given awards for their outstanding contributions to the CPEC by the Chinese Embassy to Pakistan recently. Investment has started pouring in CPEC to special economic zones and employment opportunities in sectors ranging from agriculture and IT are following, with the potential to offer a large number of new jobs to Pakistani youth. Photo taken on Nov. 19, 2021 shows a view of the powerhouse of the Karot Hydropower Project in Pakistan's eastern Punjab province. (Xinhua/Li Hao) According to the embassy, the CPEC, an important pilot project of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, has created 75,000 jobs in Pakistani since its launch in 2013, with more to come in the second phase. Asad Umar, Pakistani minister for planning, development and special initiatives, said that the second phase of CPEC was broadening. "We have added agriculture, and we have added science and technology - actual acceleration will be seen in phase two," Umar said. Pakistani staff say they are living the dream of working in world-class companies, learning every day from world-class Chinese colleagues who are always ready to share their knowledge. The CPEC has greatly eased Pakistan's energy crisis and employed large numbers of people. The second phase holds promising prospects for a prosperous future. "I have been working with the Chinese for seven years, and I have learned a lot about time management, scheduling and planning - important if we are going to get whatever we are working on completed in time," said Arsalan Khan, who won an award for his work at the Karot Hydropower Project. Photo taken on April 10, 2021 shows a night view of the Lahore converter station of the 660kV Matiari-Lahore high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Pakistan's eastern Punjab Province. (SGCC/Handout via Xinhua) The CPEC, an important pilot project of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, has created 75,000 jobs in Pakistan since its launch in 2013, with more to come in the second phase. by Misbah Saba Malik ISLAMABAD, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Fazal Rahim has been working on Port Qasim Power Plant project for six years. The plant is part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). During his time at the plant, Rahim has witnessed immense growth on both professional and personal levels. "I was a fresh graduate when I started here, and now, six years later, I am a deputy director of a department. I was well trained by Chinese staff who provided me with plenty of opportunities to excel." Port Qasim created almost 10,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction. The operational phase employs about 600 local people. "I know many people who found it hard to make the ends meet, but after finding work at the plant they are leading pretty good lives. Their kids go to nice schools and they eat better food. Some of them have even built houses. I can help my parents, and I pay for my younger brothers' education. I am financially stable and they get to study in good universities. Their future prospects are very promising," he said. Rahim and 26 other employees were given awards for their outstanding contributions to the CPEC by the Chinese Embassy to Pakistan recently. Investment has started pouring in CPEC to special economic zones and employment opportunities in sectors ranging from agriculture and IT are following, with the potential to offer a large number of new jobs to Pakistani youth. Photo taken on Nov. 19, 2021 shows a view of the powerhouse of the Karot Hydropower Project in Pakistan's eastern Punjab province. (Xinhua/Li Hao) According to the embassy, the CPEC, an important pilot project of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, has created 75,000 jobs in Pakistani since its launch in 2013, with more to come in the second phase. Asad Umar, Pakistani minister for planning, development and special initiatives, said that the second phase of CPEC was broadening. "We have added agriculture, and we have added science and technology - actual acceleration will be seen in phase two," Umar said. Pakistani staff say they are living the dream of working in world-class companies, learning every day from world-class Chinese colleagues who are always ready to share their knowledge. The CPEC has greatly eased Pakistan's energy crisis and employed large numbers of people. The second phase holds promising prospects for a prosperous future. "I have been working with the Chinese for seven years, and I have learned a lot about time management, scheduling and planning - important if we are going to get whatever we are working on completed in time," said Arsalan Khan, who won an award for his work at the Karot Hydropower Project. South Korean Congressman Lee Kwang-jae recently stated that he will start accepting cryptocurrency donations from mid-January 2022. According to the politician, the plan represents his attempt to raise Koreans awareness of cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens. Donations will be converted to Korean won South Korean Congressman Lee Kwang-jae stated that he will start accepting cryptocurrency donations sometime in mid-January 2022. According to the congressman, anyone who wants to sponsor his campaign can directly transfer funds to his office. wallet. As explained by The Korea Times ReportOnce received, the donated cryptocurrency will be converted into Korean won and then deposited into his sponsorship account. The report also shows that receipts for such donations will be issued in the form of non-fungible tokens (NFT) and sent to the corresponding donors email address. In explaining why he chose to accept digital currency donations, Kwang-jae, a member of the ruling Korean Democratic Party, claimed that this decision will help raise awareness of crypto assets and NFTs. He explained: What I deeply regret is that at a critical moment when the blockchain technology used for cryptocurrency, NFT and Metaverse is developing rapidly day after day, the politicians views on digital assets are outdated. The congressman also said that now may be the right time to conduct innovative experiments to improve Korean politicians understanding of future technologies. According to the report, legislators hope that such experiments may eventually help change the perception of digital currencies and NFTs. However, the report pointed out that since accepting crypto donations has not yet been institutionalized, Guangzai can only receive a maximum of US$8,420 or 10 million won. On the other hand, sponsors can only donate digital assets with a value of no more than US$842. Criticism of South Koreas encryption regulations is increasing As the South Korean government exerts greater regulatory pressure on the cryptocurrency industry, Kuang Jae plans to become one of the first legislators in South Korea to accept cryptocurrency donations. At the same time, before lawmakers decided to accept cryptocurrency donations, there were reports that stakeholders in the local cryptocurrency industry had been increasing criticism of financial regulators. Stakeholders criticized South Koreas overly strict regulatory system mentioned in the report, claiming that such a regulatory system will continue to prevent the country from becoming one of the leading countries in this emerging financial sector. What is your opinion on the plan of lawmakers to accept cryptocurrency donations? Tell us what you think in the comments section below. Terence Zinwara Terence Zimwara is an award-winning journalist, writer and writer from Zimbabwe. He has written a lot of articles about the economic difficulties of some African countries and how digital currencies can provide a way out for Africans. Image Source: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wikimedia Commons Disclaimer: This article is for reference only. It is not a direct offer or invitation to buy or sell, nor is it a recommendation or endorsement of any product, service or company. Bitcoin Network Does not provide investment, tax, legal or accounting advice. The company or the author is not directly or indirectly responsible for any damage or loss caused or claimed to be caused by using or relying on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article. Scan the headline of the Dec. 24 story in this newspaper, the bottom story on Page One. Then study the first and second paragraphs. Youve just been manipulated. Hows it feel? The headline establishes race as the crucial focus, the story simply fuels the fire. You already know that. Now look over the rest of the issue. See this again? No emphasis on the A2 story by Tom Geyer. Hardly anyone denies the need to expunge racial prejudice, the reference to skin color as a behavioral definition. The effort has gained substantial ground in my lifetime. Is it really helpful to use print rhetoric to establish skin color as a fundamental motive to crime? I see nothing in the trial coverage that proves this. Is it not obvious that the Associated Press writers fully intended to enrage the public on the most antagonistic level? Is that what weve come to expect from the press? When the First Amendment was passed, journalism was a respected, even revered institution. They professed and adhered to ethical standards. Those ethics justified the specific promise of "freedom of the press". In our time, that freedom is being abused, blatantly and universally, while being excused by us. The solution lies where it always does. We people who pay taxes, who produce, who have ethics, who think, must loudly and unequivocally protest the inevitably destructive goal of the media to pit ethnic groups against each other. Bill Wohlford Bettendorf New Delhi, Jan 1 (UNI) President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of lives in a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Cave Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district. In a tweet, the President said, "Very distressed to know that an unfortunate stampede claimed lives of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured." "Saddened by the tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple. I express my condolences to the bereaved families," the Vice-President tweeted. Expressing grief over the loss of lives, the PM announced an ex-gratia of Rs two lakh each to the next of kin who lost their loved ones and Rs 50,000 for the injured. "Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to J&K LG Manoj Sinha Ji, Ministers Jitendra Singh Ji, Nityanand Rai Ji and took stock of the situation," Modi said in a tweet. In another tweet, the PM wrote, 'An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF(Prime Minister's National Relief Fund) would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000." Union Home Minister Amit Shah in a tweet wrote, "Deeply pained by the tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple. Spoke to Lieutenant Governor of J&K Manoj Sinha Ji. I express my condolences to the bereaved families." BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda, in a tweet, wrote, "The news of loss of lives in the tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is heart-wrenching. Local administration and BJP administration are engaged in rescue works. My condolences to the bereaved families, and I wish a speedy recovery to those injured." Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi took to twitter and wrote: "The tragic incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is deeply saddening. My condolences to the families who lost their loved ones and I wish a speedy recovery to those injured." At least 12 pilgrims were killed and 13 others were injured early Saturday morning in a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Cave Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Katra town. UNI DS GK Islamabad, January 1: At least one was killed and 17 people suffered bullet injuries on New Year's eve during the "celebratory gunfire" in Pakistan's Karachi, local media reported on Saturday. Karachi reverberated with gunfire and fireworks on Friday night, despite a restriction on celebratory firing, Geo News reported. Also Read | Israel Detects First Case of Florona Disease, Says Report. Though the authorities had warned of attempted murder charges against the violators, the number of casualties this time was higher than the previous year, when only four individuals were injured in the metropolis, said the Pakistani publication. Citing the hospital reports, Geo News reported that a total of 18 people were rushed to hospitals after being struck by stray gunshots. Also Read | COVID-19 Now Infecting Thousands of Kids in US Amid Omicron Surge, Says CDC. An 11-year-old boy succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment in Khwaja Ajmer Nagar, police said. Six were transferred to the Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Center in Korangi, four to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, three to Civil Hospital, and two to Sindh Government Hospital. Iqra, a 10-year-old girl who was shot and injured by a stray bullet near Kohistan Chowk in North Nazimabad, was among the injured. Haris, 14, was shot near the Ghaas Mandi area in the Napier neighborhood, Geo News reported. Asmatullah sustained injuries in Jauharabad, Farooq sustained injuries in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Ali Akbar sustained injuries in Baldia Town, and Rehan got injured in Malir. Meanwhile, the other incidents occurred in various locations throughout the city, including Azizabad, Ranchore Lane, Guru Mandir, Kala Pull, Saddar, Baldia, Liaquatabad, Korangi, Landhi, and Malir, said the Pakistani publication. According to the police, cases have been registered on complaints of aerial firing, and arrests are likely around Karachi on New Year's Eve for aerial firing, Geo News reported. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi: The families of Indian citizens and fishermen lodged in Pakistan and Indian jails are once waking up to their hopes of being released. In fact, on New Year's Eve, the two countries have handed each other a list of civil prisoners and fishermen who are imprisoned in each other's jails and have been waiting for their release for a long time. According to the Ministry of Indian Affairs, Pakistan has handed over the list of 51 civilian prisoners and 577 fishermen to India on The New Year. All of them are Indians and are lodged in Pakistani jails. Similarly, India has given a list of 282 Pakistani civilian prisoners and 73 fishermen. All of them are Pakistanis and are lodged in Indian jails. An agreement was signed in 2008 between India and Pakistan to share information about people and fishermen imprisoned in each other's jails, under which the two countries hand over such lists to each other twice a year. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on January 1 and July 1 every year, the two countries hand over the list of citizens and fishermen to each other. On New Year's Eve, India and Pakistan have exchanged a list of civilian prisoners and fishermen through diplomatic channels in Delhi and Islamabad together. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed that all the names of civil prisoners and fishermen in the list are Indians and are either considered Indian. India's FOREX reserves decline by USD587 Million Shivraj government's gift to public, will get this benefit with ration India dispatches next batch of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan Uranium Energy Corp. (UEC) recently acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of Uranium One Americas (U1A), Inc. for a total purchase price of $112 million in cash together with an additional $2.9 million in estimated working capital (primarily pre-paid insurance and land payments) and the assumption of $19 million in reclamation bonding. Uranium One is the worlds fourth-largest uranium producer and part of Russias State Atomic Energy Corporation, Rosatom. UEC fully funded the acquisition with existing cash on hand. Subsequent to closing, UEC holds approximately $120 million of cash and liquid assets. The U1A portfolio of projects being acquired includes, among other assets, seven projects in the Powder River Basin, three of which are fully permitted, and five in the Great Divide Basin. The portfolio consists of dozens of under-explored, mineralized brownfield projects, backed by detailed databases of historic uranium exploration and development programs, thus greatly enhancing the potential for resource expansion. We are very pleased to have closed this highly accretive transaction for UEC. The acquisition doubles our production capacity in three key categories: total number of permitted US ISR [in-situ recovery] projects, resources, and processing infrastructure. Also, the opportunity to have acquired an advanced asset base of this quality from one of the global leaders in the nuclear energy industry is highly unique. With this acquisition, UECs sector-leading US ISR production profile increases to 6.5 million pounds U 3 O 8 per year based on permitted and installed capacity of our Wyoming and South Texas hub-and-spoke operations. Combined with our physical uranium holdings of 4.1 million pounds of US-warehoused uranium, we now have the unparalleled ability to provide reliable domestic supply to the US Government as well as nuclear utilities while providing our shareholders exposure to the fastest growing, 100% unhedged and pure-play uranium business listed on the NYSE American. Amir Adnani, President and CEO ISR is injected-solution mining that reverses the natural process that deposited the uranium in the sandstones. On-site ground water is fortified with gaseous oxygen and introduced to the uranium ore body through a pattern of injection wells. The solution dissolves the uranium from the sandstone host. The uranium-bearing solution is brought back to surface through production wells where the uranium is concentrated on resin beads for trucking to the companys Hobson Processing Plant to be concentrated further and dried into yellowcake for market. This pattern of injection and recovery wells, plus surrounding monitor wells that serve as a safeguard, is called a wellfield. The U1A assets are primarily situated in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming; the most productive in-situ recovery uranium mining district in the western hemisphere. Other highlights of the acquisition include the following: Largest US uranium mining company . Positions UEC, a US corporation headquartered in Texas, as the largest American uranium mining company. Wyoming Hub and Spoke. Creates Wyoming hub-and-spoke operations for UEC, anchored by U1As Irigaray plant which is one of the largest central processing facilities in the United States with a licensed capacity of 2.5 million pounds U 3 O 8 per year. Production Ready. Incorporates U1As production-ready assets including Christensen Ranch ISR Project with four fully installed wellfields, and six additional permitted or development-stage satellite ISR projects, combining with UECs Reno Creek Project. Reno Creek Synergies. Anticipates significant capital expenditure savings and deep operating synergies with UECs permitted and nearby Reno Creek ISR Project which is 45 miles away from the Irigaray plant. Resource Expansion. Secured approximately 37.6 million pounds U 3 O 8 in historically estimated Measured and Indicated Resources and 4.3 million pounds U 3 O 8 in historically estimated Inferred resources with considerable growth potential based on independent technical reports prepared for U1A. Dominant Land Package. The acquisition added approximately 100,000 acres to UEC current land package in Wyoming, resulting in the company holding about 118,000 acres in Wyomings prolific uranium producing Power River and Great Divide Basins. UEC has outlined several initiatives to integrate the U1A assets into the UEC portfolio. They include: The company plans to complete and submit new technical reports on the advanced stage projects in the U1A portfolio as soon as possible for the purposes of establishing current resources as the U1A historical resources are not treated as current by UEC. Advance technical studies to further develop the Wyoming hub and spoke strategy to capture the significant capital expenditure savings and operating synergies anticipated with its Reno Creek project. The U1A portfolio consists of additional mineralized brownfield projects that UEC intends to develop to generate technical resource reports. Perform an operational review on potential expansion of the Irigaray Central Processing Plant. In addition to Reno Creek, advance the Moore Ranch and Ludeman ISR projects in Wyoming as production satellite facilities along with the companys development plans at Burke Hollow in South Texas. Review and integrate U1s significant tax loss carry-forwards to be applied to offset future income. Uranium Energy Corp is a US-based uranium mining and exploration company that is advancing the next generation of ISR mining uranium projects. In South Texas, the companys hub-and-spoke operations are anchored by the fully-licensed Hobson Processing Facility which is central to the Palangana, Burke Hollow, Goliad and other ISR pipeline projects. In Wyoming, UEC controls the Reno Creek project, which is the largest permitted, pre-construction ISR uranium project in the US. One day in early October, Nicci Smith began experiencing numbness and tingling in her arms, hands and head while at work at a post-acute rehabilitation facility in the Omaha area. A nurse checked her blood pressure, which was high. Smith, 38, called her husband, who drove the Omaha woman to an emergency room. When they couldnt pinpoint a cause, health care providers did an MRI to make sure they hadnt missed anything. But the scan found something Smith wasnt expecting: a large aneurysm, or bulge, in a blood vessel behind her forehead. Later, Dr. Vishal Jani, system stroke and neurointervention director for CHI Health, recommended filling the aneurysm with a device thats relatively new in the United States but has been used in Europe since 2011. Called the WEB device, its a tiny, spherical mesh cage that comes compressed inside a long thin tube called a microcatheter. Its fed through a larger catheter that is snaked through a vein in the groin and up into the brain. Once deployed inside the aneurysm, the device opens like an umbrella. If sized properly, Jani said, it hugs the inside wall of the bulge, blocking off the opening and keeping blood from flowing in. Some 6.5 million Americans have aneurysms, and upward of 30,000 bleed or rupture each year. That can cause stroke, disability and even death. For some time, doctors have been using coils of tiny wires, or a combination of coils and mesh tubes called stents, to fill and block off aneurysms. In the right patient, the technique can be a less-invasive alternative to the other common treatment: surgically opening the skull and placing a small metal clip across the neck of an aneurysm. All are part of an ongoing evolution in the treatment of aneurysms. But Smiths aneurysm was whats known as a wide-necked aneurysm, a type that makes up between 26% and 36% of brain aneurysms, according to a January 2020 review in the Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery. As the name suggests, such aneurysms have a wide opening. Coils literally can fall out, Jani said. Smith, a mother of five, said she knew she also had the option to monitor rather than treat her aneurysm. But it was large enough that not treating it was not the best option, she said. Even during the month and a half between her diagnosis and the procedure, she said, she felt like a ticking time bomb. Her 9-year-old named the bulge Professor Umbridge after the evil, pink-garbed, bureaucrat-turned-headmaster in the Harry Potter series. On Nov. 15, Jani threaded a series of catheters and wires through Smiths veins as she lay prone in a catheterization lab at Omahas Immanuel Medical Center. Jani used three-dimensional X-ray imaging as a guide. He and Dr. Bharathi Jagadeesan, a neurointerventional radiologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School, carefully measured the aneurysm in the images 7 millimeters by 6 millimeters so they could select the correctly sized WEB device. Jagadeesan, one of Janis mentors, has performed the procedure multiple times and served as a proctor for the procedure. Once they had chosen the device, Jani threaded the tip of the microcatheter into the aneurysm and steered the WEB device into it. As he deployed it, the device opened like a flower, expanding to fit the space. Nicely done, Jagadeesan said. You did great. Jani said the process is faster than coiling, which typically involves inserting and placing between four and 10 wires. The longer the procedure, the more likely a patient is to experience complications. He noted, nonetheless, that only a select subset of patients will be eligible for the treatment. He performed a second procedure the same day on a patient with a slightly larger aneurysm. It has to be the right size and the right place to use this device, said Jani, an assistant professor of neurology at Creighton Universitys School of Medicine. Chris Schneider, territory manager and clinical support for device-maker MicroVention, said Jani is the only physician in Nebraska currently performing the procedure. The nearest centers where the device is used regularly are in Kansas City, Iowa City, Minneapolis and Denver. At least we can offer a full spectrum of treatment at our doorstep, Jani said. Dr. William Thorell, a neurosurgeon with Nebraska Medicine, said that health system also has access to the device. Doctors there havent yet seen a case in which the WEB device is the favored treatment. Instead, he said, they use other techniques, including coiling with stents and surgical clipping, which must be done by a neurosurgeon. While the less-invasive inside-the-vein treatments require less recovery time, up to 20% require retreatment with large aneurysms, that increases to 40%. That can be an issue for younger patients. Youve really got to tailor your options to each individual patient, Thorell said. Smith spent a night after the procedure in the intensive care unit at Immanuel. By the next morning, she was feeling good and relieved to have the procedure completed. She also was ready to get home to her children and husband, Chris Smith, a youth pastor at a Papillion church. She said she has had a few mild headaches since the procedure but no other symptoms. Doctors will continue to monitor the aneurysm. A certified nursing assistant and medication aide, Smith said she was surprised at how unaware people are of aneurysms. Most people who have unruptured aneurysms dont know theyre there. Most aneurysms, according to the Cleveland Clinic, are small about inch to nearly an inch and an estimated 50% to 80% of all aneurysms do not rupture. As much as people thought, How could you live knowing you have this, she said, I just feel so blessed that we found out about it. Uranium Energy Corp. (UEC) recently acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of Uranium One Americas (U1A), Inc. for a total purchase price of $112 million in cash together with an additional $2.9 million in estimated working capital (primarily pre-paid insurance and land payments) and the assumption of $19 million in reclamation bonding. Uranium One is the worlds fourth-largest uranium producer and part of Russias State Atomic Energy Corporation, Rosatom. UEC fully funded the acquisition with existing cash on hand. Subsequent to closing, UEC holds approximately $120 million of cash and liquid assets. The U1A portfolio of projects being acquired includes, among other assets, seven projects in the Powder River Basin, three of which are fully permitted, and five in the Great Divide Basin. The portfolio consists of dozens of under-explored, mineralized brownfield projects, backed by detailed databases of historic uranium exploration and development programs, thus greatly enhancing the potential for resource expansion. We are very pleased to have closed this highly accretive transaction for UEC. The acquisition doubles our production capacity in three key categories: total number of permitted US ISR [in-situ recovery] projects, resources, and processing infrastructure. Also, the opportunity to have acquired an advanced asset base of this quality from one of the global leaders in the nuclear energy industry is highly unique. With this acquisition, UECs sector-leading US ISR production profile increases to 6.5 million pounds U 3 O 8 per year based on permitted and installed capacity of our Wyoming and South Texas hub-and-spoke operations. Combined with our physical uranium holdings of 4.1 million pounds of US-warehoused uranium, we now have the unparalleled ability to provide reliable domestic supply to the US Government as well as nuclear utilities while providing our shareholders exposure to the fastest growing, 100% unhedged and pure-play uranium business listed on the NYSE American. Amir Adnani, President and CEO ISR is injected-solution mining that reverses the natural process that deposited the uranium in the sandstones. On-site ground water is fortified with gaseous oxygen and introduced to the uranium ore body through a pattern of injection wells. The solution dissolves the uranium from the sandstone host. The uranium-bearing solution is brought back to surface through production wells where the uranium is concentrated on resin beads for trucking to the companys Hobson Processing Plant to be concentrated further and dried into yellowcake for market. This pattern of injection and recovery wells, plus surrounding monitor wells that serve as a safeguard, is called a wellfield. The U1A assets are primarily situated in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming; the most productive in-situ recovery uranium mining district in the western hemisphere. Other highlights of the acquisition include the following: Largest US uranium mining company . Positions UEC, a US corporation headquartered in Texas, as the largest American uranium mining company. Wyoming Hub and Spoke. Creates Wyoming hub-and-spoke operations for UEC, anchored by U1As Irigaray plant which is one of the largest central processing facilities in the United States with a licensed capacity of 2.5 million pounds U 3 O 8 per year. Production Ready. Incorporates U1As production-ready assets including Christensen Ranch ISR Project with four fully installed wellfields, and six additional permitted or development-stage satellite ISR projects, combining with UECs Reno Creek Project. Reno Creek Synergies. Anticipates significant capital expenditure savings and deep operating synergies with UECs permitted and nearby Reno Creek ISR Project which is 45 miles away from the Irigaray plant. Resource Expansion. Secured approximately 37.6 million pounds U 3 O 8 in historically estimated Measured and Indicated Resources and 4.3 million pounds U 3 O 8 in historically estimated Inferred resources with considerable growth potential based on independent technical reports prepared for U1A. Dominant Land Package. The acquisition added approximately 100,000 acres to UEC current land package in Wyoming, resulting in the company holding about 118,000 acres in Wyomings prolific uranium producing Power River and Great Divide Basins. UEC has outlined several initiatives to integrate the U1A assets into the UEC portfolio. They include: The company plans to complete and submit new technical reports on the advanced stage projects in the U1A portfolio as soon as possible for the purposes of establishing current resources as the U1A historical resources are not treated as current by UEC. Advance technical studies to further develop the Wyoming hub and spoke strategy to capture the significant capital expenditure savings and operating synergies anticipated with its Reno Creek project. The U1A portfolio consists of additional mineralized brownfield projects that UEC intends to develop to generate technical resource reports. Perform an operational review on potential expansion of the Irigaray Central Processing Plant. In addition to Reno Creek, advance the Moore Ranch and Ludeman ISR projects in Wyoming as production satellite facilities along with the companys development plans at Burke Hollow in South Texas. Review and integrate U1s significant tax loss carry-forwards to be applied to offset future income. Uranium Energy Corp is a US-based uranium mining and exploration company that is advancing the next generation of ISR mining uranium projects. In South Texas, the companys hub-and-spoke operations are anchored by the fully-licensed Hobson Processing Facility which is central to the Palangana, Burke Hollow, Goliad and other ISR pipeline projects. In Wyoming, UEC controls the Reno Creek project, which is the largest permitted, pre-construction ISR uranium project in the US. A total of 45 reporters and media workers were killed doing their jobs over the last year, the highest number among them in strife-torn Afghanistan, the worlds largest organization of journalists said Friday. The figure represents one of the lowest death tolls in 30 years, since the International Federation of Journalists first began publishing annual reports in 1991 on journalists killed in incidents related to their work. Sixty-five deaths were recorded in 2020. But the IFJ said the numbers in 2021 confirm a trend showing that media staff are most often killed for exposing corruption, crime and abuse of power in their communities, cities and countries. These 45 colleagues we lost to violence this year remind us of the terrible sacrifice journalists across the world continue to pay for serving the public interest and we remain in the debt to them and thousands of others who paid the ultimate price," said IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger. Bellanger said that the only tribute fit for the cause to which they gave their lives should be unrelenting pursuit for justice. The IFJ, which represents around 600,000 media professionals across the globe, said that the 45 journalists and media workers were killed in 20 countries. Of those, 33 died in targeted attacks. Nine were killed in Afghanistan, eight in Mexico, four in India and three in neighboring Pakistan. The organization said that 2,721 journalists have been killed around the world since 1991. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) A total of 45 reporters and media workers were killed doing their jobs over the last year, the highest number among them in strife-torn Afghanistan, the worlds largest organization of journalists said Friday. The figure represents one of the lowest death tolls in 30 years, since the International Federation of Journalists first began publishing annual reports in 1991 on journalists killed in incidents related to their work. Sixty-five deaths were recorded in 2020. But the IFJ said the numbers in 2021 confirm a trend showing that media staff are most often killed for exposing corruption, crime and abuse of power in their communities, cities and countries. These 45 colleagues we lost to violence this year remind us of the terrible sacrifice journalists across the world continue to pay for serving the public interest and we remain in the debt to them and thousands of others who paid the ultimate price," said IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger. Bellanger said that the only tribute fit for the cause to which they gave their lives should be unrelenting pursuit for justice. The IFJ, which represents around 600,000 media professionals across the globe, said that the 45 journalists and media workers were killed in 20 countries. Of those, 33 died in targeted attacks. Nine were killed in Afghanistan, eight in Mexico, four in India and three in neighboring Pakistan. The organization said that 2,721 journalists have been killed around the world since 1991. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) One day in early October, Nicci Smith began experiencing numbness and tingling in her arms, hands and head while at work at a post-acute rehabilitation facility in the Omaha area. A nurse checked her blood pressure, which was high. Smith, 38, called her husband, who drove the Omaha woman to an emergency room. When they couldnt pinpoint a cause, health care providers did an MRI to make sure they hadnt missed anything. But the scan found something Smith wasnt expecting: a large aneurysm, or bulge, in a blood vessel behind her forehead. Later, Dr. Vishal Jani, system stroke and neurointervention director for CHI Health, recommended filling the aneurysm with a device thats relatively new in the United States but has been used in Europe since 2011. Called the WEB device, its a tiny, spherical mesh cage that comes compressed inside a long thin tube called a microcatheter. Its fed through a larger catheter that is snaked through a vein in the groin and up into the brain. Once deployed inside the aneurysm, the device opens like an umbrella. If sized properly, Jani said, it hugs the inside wall of the bulge, blocking off the opening and keeping blood from flowing in. Some 6.5 million Americans have aneurysms, and upward of 30,000 bleed or rupture each year. That can cause stroke, disability and even death. For some time, doctors have been using coils of tiny wires, or a combination of coils and mesh tubes called stents, to fill and block off aneurysms. In the right patient, the technique can be a less-invasive alternative to the other common treatment: surgically opening the skull and placing a small metal clip across the neck of an aneurysm. All are part of an ongoing evolution in the treatment of aneurysms. But Smiths aneurysm was whats known as a wide-necked aneurysm, a type that makes up between 26% and 36% of brain aneurysms, according to a January 2020 review in the Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery. As the name suggests, such aneurysms have a wide opening. Coils literally can fall out, Jani said. Smith, a mother of five, said she knew she also had the option to monitor rather than treat her aneurysm. But it was large enough that not treating it was not the best option, she said. Even during the month and a half between her diagnosis and the procedure, she said, she felt like a ticking time bomb. Her 9-year-old named the bulge Professor Umbridge after the evil, pink-garbed, bureaucrat-turned-headmaster in the Harry Potter series. On Nov. 15, Jani threaded a series of catheters and wires through Smiths veins as she lay prone in a catheterization lab at Omahas Immanuel Medical Center. Jani used three-dimensional X-ray imaging as a guide. He and Dr. Bharathi Jagadeesan, a neurointerventional radiologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School, carefully measured the aneurysm in the images 7 millimeters by 6 millimeters so they could select the correctly sized WEB device. Jagadeesan, one of Janis mentors, has performed the procedure multiple times and served as a proctor for the procedure. Once they had chosen the device, Jani threaded the tip of the microcatheter into the aneurysm and steered the WEB device into it. As he deployed it, the device opened like a flower, expanding to fit the space. Nicely done, Jagadeesan said. You did great. Jani said the process is faster than coiling, which typically involves inserting and placing between four and 10 wires. The longer the procedure, the more likely a patient is to experience complications. He noted, nonetheless, that only a select subset of patients will be eligible for the treatment. He performed a second procedure the same day on a patient with a slightly larger aneurysm. It has to be the right size and the right place to use this device, said Jani, an assistant professor of neurology at Creighton Universitys School of Medicine. Chris Schneider, territory manager and clinical support for device-maker MicroVention, said Jani is the only physician in Nebraska currently performing the procedure. The nearest centers where the device is used regularly are in Kansas City, Iowa City, Minneapolis and Denver. At least we can offer a full spectrum of treatment at our doorstep, Jani said. Dr. William Thorell, a neurosurgeon with Nebraska Medicine, said that health system also has access to the device. Doctors there havent yet seen a case in which the WEB device is the favored treatment. Instead, he said, they use other techniques, including coiling with stents and surgical clipping, which must be done by a neurosurgeon. While the less-invasive inside-the-vein treatments require less recovery time, up to 20% require retreatment with large aneurysms, that increases to 40%. That can be an issue for younger patients. Youve really got to tailor your options to each individual patient, Thorell said. Smith spent a night after the procedure in the intensive care unit at Immanuel. By the next morning, she was feeling good and relieved to have the procedure completed. She also was ready to get home to her children and husband, Chris Smith, a youth pastor at a Papillion church. She said she has had a few mild headaches since the procedure but no other symptoms. Doctors will continue to monitor the aneurysm. A certified nursing assistant and medication aide, Smith said she was surprised at how unaware people are of aneurysms. Most people who have unruptured aneurysms dont know theyre there. Most aneurysms, according to the Cleveland Clinic, are small about inch to nearly an inch and an estimated 50% to 80% of all aneurysms do not rupture. As much as people thought, How could you live knowing you have this, she said, I just feel so blessed that we found out about it. A total of 45 reporters and media workers were killed doing their jobs over the last year, the highest number among them in strife-torn Afghanistan, the worlds largest organization of journalists said Friday. The figure represents one of the lowest death tolls in 30 years, since the International Federation of Journalists first began publishing annual reports in 1991 on journalists killed in incidents related to their work. Sixty-five deaths were recorded in 2020. But the IFJ said the numbers in 2021 confirm a trend showing that media staff are most often killed for exposing corruption, crime and abuse of power in their communities, cities and countries. These 45 colleagues we lost to violence this year remind us of the terrible sacrifice journalists across the world continue to pay for serving the public interest and we remain in the debt to them and thousands of others who paid the ultimate price," said IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger. Bellanger said that the only tribute fit for the cause to which they gave their lives should be unrelenting pursuit for justice. The IFJ, which represents around 600,000 media professionals across the globe, said that the 45 journalists and media workers were killed in 20 countries. Of those, 33 died in targeted attacks. Nine were killed in Afghanistan, eight in Mexico, four in India and three in neighboring Pakistan. The organization said that 2,721 journalists have been killed around the world since 1991. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) A total of 45 reporters and media workers were killed doing their jobs over the last year, the highest number among them in strife-torn Afghanistan, the worlds largest organization of journalists said Friday. The figure represents one of the lowest death tolls in 30 years, since the International Federation of Journalists first began publishing annual reports in 1991 on journalists killed in incidents related to their work. Sixty-five deaths were recorded in 2020. But the IFJ said the numbers in 2021 confirm a trend showing that media staff are most often killed for exposing corruption, crime and abuse of power in their communities, cities and countries. These 45 colleagues we lost to violence this year remind us of the terrible sacrifice journalists across the world continue to pay for serving the public interest and we remain in the debt to them and thousands of others who paid the ultimate price," said IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger. Bellanger said that the only tribute fit for the cause to which they gave their lives should be unrelenting pursuit for justice. The IFJ, which represents around 600,000 media professionals across the globe, said that the 45 journalists and media workers were killed in 20 countries. Of those, 33 died in targeted attacks. Nine were killed in Afghanistan, eight in Mexico, four in India and three in neighboring Pakistan. The organization said that 2,721 journalists have been killed around the world since 1991. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Summary Part III, Love in the Big City (135) begins with Chapter 1. Young and his boyfriend Gyu-ho were planning to go to Japan, but Young realized his passport was expired. He told Gyu-ho to go without him and Have a million affairs (136). Gyu-ho and Young had not had sex for a long time. The two met at a gay club in Itaewon. Young was at the club with his younger friends. One friend, Ji-yeon, tried to fight with the DJ, and accidentally hit Young in the lip instead. Gyu-ho, the club's bartender, held a bottle of water to Young's lip and Young kissed him. He then worried because some of his blood went into Gyu-ho's mouth. Years earlier, when Young was on leave from military service, he went to a motel and had sex with his then-boyfriend. He later discovered he had contracted HIV from... India on Saturday asked Pakistan to protect its citizens currently incarcerated in the jails of the neighbouring country from Covid-19. Islamabad informed New Delhi that 628 Indians or believed-to-be Indians 577 fishermen and 51 others were at present incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. New Delhi asked Islamabad to release and repatriate 358 prisoners 356 fishermen and two others currently jailed in Pakistan, but confirmed to be citizens of India. Besides, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 182 Indian fishermen and 17 other civilian prisoners, who are in the jails in the country, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). New Delhi asked Islamabad to expeditiously grant visas to the psychiatrists it wanted to send to assess the mental condition of the psychologically challenged prisoners incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. Islamabad had in early 2018 conveyed to New Delhi that it had identified altogether 27 prisoners, who had been psychologically challenged. New Delhi had proposed to send a team of psychiatrists to visit the jails in Pakistan and meet the psychologically challenged prisoners. Islamabad too had on March 7, 2018, agreed to allow the team of psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan. Read | India, Pak armies exchange sweets on New Year along LoC But, although almost four years passed since then, Islamabad so far did not grant visas to the psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan, notwithstanding several reminders by New Delhi. New Delhi on Saturday also handed over a list of 355 Pakistani citizens incarcerated in the jails in India. The list included 73 Pakistani fishermen, who were caught by the Indian Coast Guard after they crossed the maritime boundary while fishing in the Arabian Sea. India remains committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other's country, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the MEA, said in New Delhi. In this context, India has also urged Pakistan to expedite necessary action at its end to confirm the nationality status of 68 Pakistan prisoners, including fishermen, whose repatriation is pending for want of nationality confirmation by Pakistan. The two sides exchanged the lists of each other's citizens held in each other's prisons on Saturday, in keeping with a 2008 bilateral agreement. The agreement provides for exchange of such lists twice a year, on January 1 and July 1. New Delhi called upon Islamabad for early release and repatriation of Indian civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen, along with their boats, from the custody of Pakistan. India also proposed to organise an early visit of the Joint Judicial Committee to Pakistan to visit the jails in the neighbouring country. In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, Pakistan has been requested to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be Indian civil prisoners and fishermen, said the MEA spokesperson. India and Pakistan on Saturday also exchanged the lists of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the bilateral Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations. The agreement, which was signed on December 31, 1988 and entered into force on January 27, 1991 provides that India and Pakistan would inform each other of the nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the pact on January 1 every year. This is the 31th consecutive exchange of such a list between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 01, 1992, the MEA stated. Watch latest videos by DH here: India on Saturday asked Pakistan to protect its citizens currently incarcerated in the jails of the neighbouring country from Covid-19. Islamabad informed New Delhi that 628 Indians or believed-to-be Indians 577 fishermen and 51 others were at present incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. New Delhi asked Islamabad to release and repatriate 358 prisoners 356 fishermen and two others currently jailed in Pakistan, but confirmed to be citizens of India. Besides, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 182 Indian fishermen and 17 other civilian prisoners, who are in the jails in the country, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). New Delhi asked Islamabad to expeditiously grant visas to the psychiatrists it wanted to send to assess the mental condition of the psychologically challenged prisoners incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. Islamabad had in early 2018 conveyed to New Delhi that it had identified altogether 27 prisoners, who had been psychologically challenged. New Delhi had proposed to send a team of psychiatrists to visit the jails in Pakistan and meet the psychologically challenged prisoners. Islamabad too had on March 7, 2018, agreed to allow the team of psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan. Read | India, Pak armies exchange sweets on New Year along LoC But, although almost four years passed since then, Islamabad so far did not grant visas to the psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan, notwithstanding several reminders by New Delhi. New Delhi on Saturday also handed over a list of 355 Pakistani citizens incarcerated in the jails in India. The list included 73 Pakistani fishermen, who were caught by the Indian Coast Guard after they crossed the maritime boundary while fishing in the Arabian Sea. India remains committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other's country, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the MEA, said in New Delhi. In this context, India has also urged Pakistan to expedite necessary action at its end to confirm the nationality status of 68 Pakistan prisoners, including fishermen, whose repatriation is pending for want of nationality confirmation by Pakistan. The two sides exchanged the lists of each other's citizens held in each other's prisons on Saturday, in keeping with a 2008 bilateral agreement. The agreement provides for exchange of such lists twice a year, on January 1 and July 1. New Delhi called upon Islamabad for early release and repatriation of Indian civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen, along with their boats, from the custody of Pakistan. India also proposed to organise an early visit of the Joint Judicial Committee to Pakistan to visit the jails in the neighbouring country. In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, Pakistan has been requested to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be Indian civil prisoners and fishermen, said the MEA spokesperson. India and Pakistan on Saturday also exchanged the lists of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the bilateral Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations. The agreement, which was signed on December 31, 1988 and entered into force on January 27, 1991 provides that India and Pakistan would inform each other of the nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the pact on January 1 every year. This is the 31th consecutive exchange of such a list between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 01, 1992, the MEA stated. Watch latest videos by DH here: India on Saturday asked Pakistan to protect its citizens currently incarcerated in the jails of the neighbouring country from Covid-19. Islamabad informed New Delhi that 628 Indians or believed-to-be Indians 577 fishermen and 51 others were at present incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. New Delhi asked Islamabad to release and repatriate 358 prisoners 356 fishermen and two others currently jailed in Pakistan, but confirmed to be citizens of India. Besides, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 182 Indian fishermen and 17 other civilian prisoners, who are in the jails in the country, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). New Delhi asked Islamabad to expeditiously grant visas to the psychiatrists it wanted to send to assess the mental condition of the psychologically challenged prisoners incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. Islamabad had in early 2018 conveyed to New Delhi that it had identified altogether 27 prisoners, who had been psychologically challenged. New Delhi had proposed to send a team of psychiatrists to visit the jails in Pakistan and meet the psychologically challenged prisoners. Islamabad too had on March 7, 2018, agreed to allow the team of psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan. Read | India, Pak armies exchange sweets on New Year along LoC But, although almost four years passed since then, Islamabad so far did not grant visas to the psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan, notwithstanding several reminders by New Delhi. New Delhi on Saturday also handed over a list of 355 Pakistani citizens incarcerated in the jails in India. The list included 73 Pakistani fishermen, who were caught by the Indian Coast Guard after they crossed the maritime boundary while fishing in the Arabian Sea. India remains committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other's country, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the MEA, said in New Delhi. In this context, India has also urged Pakistan to expedite necessary action at its end to confirm the nationality status of 68 Pakistan prisoners, including fishermen, whose repatriation is pending for want of nationality confirmation by Pakistan. The two sides exchanged the lists of each other's citizens held in each other's prisons on Saturday, in keeping with a 2008 bilateral agreement. The agreement provides for exchange of such lists twice a year, on January 1 and July 1. New Delhi called upon Islamabad for early release and repatriation of Indian civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen, along with their boats, from the custody of Pakistan. India also proposed to organise an early visit of the Joint Judicial Committee to Pakistan to visit the jails in the neighbouring country. In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, Pakistan has been requested to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be Indian civil prisoners and fishermen, said the MEA spokesperson. India and Pakistan on Saturday also exchanged the lists of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the bilateral Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations. The agreement, which was signed on December 31, 1988 and entered into force on January 27, 1991 provides that India and Pakistan would inform each other of the nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the pact on January 1 every year. This is the 31th consecutive exchange of such a list between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 01, 1992, the MEA stated. Watch latest videos by DH here: Summary In Part IV, Late Day Rainy Season (189), Chapter 1, Young arrived at the Bangkok Park Hyatt Hotel to meet an older man named Habibi. The proprietor of the hotel recognized him from his earlier trip and asked about Gyu-ho. When Gyu-ho and Young broke up, Young threw away Gyu-ho's mattress, which had been lying in the apartment next to his own. He also quit his job and found it difficult to get out of bed. Then, he went to Thailand to see Habibi, who he had met on Tinder in Seoul. He refers to Habibi as A body in a suit (195). On their date in Seoul, they had wandered into a protest, and Young translated the demonstrators' slogan for Habibi: Get rid of old, evil practices (197). Young recalled arriving at the Bangkok Park Hyatt with Gyu-ho. The concierge invited them to a party on... India on Saturday supplied 5,00,000 doses of the Covaxin vaccine to Afghanistan, the second tranche of humanitarian aid to the war-torn country after its takeover by the Taliban. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the consignment of vaccine doses was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul. It said another batch of additional 5,00,000 doses of the vaccine would be supplied to Afghanistan in the coming weeks. "Today, India supplied the next batch of humanitarian assistance consisting of 5,00,000 doses of COVID vaccine (COVAXIN) to Afghanistan. The same was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital, Kabul," the MEA said in a statement. "Another batch of additional 5,00,000 doses would be supplied in coming weeks," it said. The MEA said India has committed to providing to Afghan people humanitarian assistance consisting of food grains, one million doses of COVID-19 vaccine and essential life-saving drugs. "In coming weeks, we would be undertaking the supply of wheat and the remaining medical assistance. In this regard, we are in touch with UN agencies and others for finalising the modalities for transportation," it said. India has already announced that it will send 50,000 tonnes of wheat and medicines to Afghanistan by road transport through Pakistan. India and Pakistan are now finalising the modalities for transportation of the consignments. India has been pitching for providing unimpeded humanitarian aid to Afghanistan to address the unfolding humanitarian crisis in the country. India has not recognised the new regime in Afghanistan and has been pitching for the formation of a truly inclusive government in Kabul besides insisting that Afghan soil must not be used for any terrorist activities against any country. India has been concerned over the recent developments in Afghanistan. It hosted a regional dialogue on Afghanistan on November 10 that was attended by NSAs of Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The participating countries vowed to work towards ensuring that Afghanistan does not become a safe haven for global terrorism and called for the formation of an "open and truly inclusive" government in Kabul with representation from all sections of Afghan society. A declaration released at the end of the Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan said Afghan territory should not be used for sheltering, training, planning or financing any terrorist acts and that officials lent strong support for a peaceful, secure and stable Afghanistan. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) India on Saturday supplied 5,00,000 doses of the Covaxin vaccine to Afghanistan, the second tranche of humanitarian aid to the war-torn country after its takeover by the Taliban. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the consignment of vaccine doses was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul. It said another batch of additional 5,00,000 doses of the vaccine would be supplied to Afghanistan in the coming weeks. "Today, India supplied the next batch of humanitarian assistance consisting of 5,00,000 doses of COVID vaccine (COVAXIN) to Afghanistan. The same was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital, Kabul," the MEA said in a statement. "Another batch of additional 5,00,000 doses would be supplied in coming weeks," it said. The MEA said India has committed to providing to Afghan people humanitarian assistance consisting of food grains, one million doses of COVID-19 vaccine and essential life-saving drugs. "In coming weeks, we would be undertaking the supply of wheat and the remaining medical assistance. In this regard, we are in touch with UN agencies and others for finalising the modalities for transportation," it said. India has already announced that it will send 50,000 tonnes of wheat and medicines to Afghanistan by road transport through Pakistan. India and Pakistan are now finalising the modalities for transportation of the consignments. India has been pitching for providing unimpeded humanitarian aid to Afghanistan to address the unfolding humanitarian crisis in the country. India has not recognised the new regime in Afghanistan and has been pitching for the formation of a truly inclusive government in Kabul besides insisting that Afghan soil must not be used for any terrorist activities against any country. India has been concerned over the recent developments in Afghanistan. It hosted a regional dialogue on Afghanistan on November 10 that was attended by NSAs of Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The participating countries vowed to work towards ensuring that Afghanistan does not become a safe haven for global terrorism and called for the formation of an "open and truly inclusive" government in Kabul with representation from all sections of Afghan society. A declaration released at the end of the Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan said Afghan territory should not be used for sheltering, training, planning or financing any terrorist acts and that officials lent strong support for a peaceful, secure and stable Afghanistan. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) India on Saturday supplied 5,00,000 doses of the Covaxin vaccine to Afghanistan, the second tranche of humanitarian aid to the war-torn country after its takeover by the Taliban. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the consignment of vaccine doses was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul. It said another batch of additional 5,00,000 doses of the vaccine would be supplied to Afghanistan in the coming weeks. "Today, India supplied the next batch of humanitarian assistance consisting of 5,00,000 doses of COVID vaccine (COVAXIN) to Afghanistan. The same was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital, Kabul," the MEA said in a statement. "Another batch of additional 5,00,000 doses would be supplied in coming weeks," it said. The MEA said India has committed to providing to Afghan people humanitarian assistance consisting of food grains, one million doses of COVID-19 vaccine and essential life-saving drugs. "In coming weeks, we would be undertaking the supply of wheat and the remaining medical assistance. In this regard, we are in touch with UN agencies and others for finalising the modalities for transportation," it said. India has already announced that it will send 50,000 tonnes of wheat and medicines to Afghanistan by road transport through Pakistan. India and Pakistan are now finalising the modalities for transportation of the consignments. India has been pitching for providing unimpeded humanitarian aid to Afghanistan to address the unfolding humanitarian crisis in the country. India has not recognised the new regime in Afghanistan and has been pitching for the formation of a truly inclusive government in Kabul besides insisting that Afghan soil must not be used for any terrorist activities against any country. India has been concerned over the recent developments in Afghanistan. It hosted a regional dialogue on Afghanistan on November 10 that was attended by NSAs of Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The participating countries vowed to work towards ensuring that Afghanistan does not become a safe haven for global terrorism and called for the formation of an "open and truly inclusive" government in Kabul with representation from all sections of Afghan society. A declaration released at the end of the Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan said Afghan territory should not be used for sheltering, training, planning or financing any terrorist acts and that officials lent strong support for a peaceful, secure and stable Afghanistan. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) A Belgium-based media watchdog has condemned the detention of Haji Arif Noori, owner of the independent Noorin Television station, and called on the Taliban to cease its attacks on press freedom and allow freedom of expression. On December 26, the Taliban detained Noori and raided his Kabul home before releasing him two days later. A group of Taliban-affiliated militia raided and searched Noori's home in Kabul's Karte Parwan area before taking him to an unknown location, said the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). The armed group identified themselves as members of the militia affiliated with the Taliban and operated without a warrant, according to Noori's family members. The Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) confirmed that Noori was freed on December 28, after pressure mounted for his release. Despite providing no alternate reasons for Noori's arrest, chief Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid insisted that the incident was not related to his role as a journalist. Noorin Television is a leading Afghan television network which covers domestic security concerns and openly supports the Jamiat-e-Islami party, an anti-Taliban group. Following the Taliban's takeover in mid-August, more than 257 media outlets have shut down and, according to research by the Afghanistan National Journalists Union (ANJU), at least 67 per cent of journalists and media workers have been rendered jobless, according to IFJ. Noori's detention is the latest in a series of attacks against journalists and media workers in Afghanistan led by the Taliban. On December 11, Sayed Rashed Kashefi, a reporter with the Kabul Times and Rasa TV, was beaten and detained for over six hours for covering a fight at an aid distribution site in Kabul's 5th district. The IFJ said: "The IFJ welcomes the release of Haji Arif Noori, whose detainment is yet another attempt by the Taliban to curb freedom of expression. The IFJ condemns the Taliban's ongoing hostility towards independent media and urges the Taliban to allow media and journalists to work freely." (ANI) A Belgium-based media watchdog has condemned the detention of Haji Arif Noori, owner of the independent Noorin Television station, and called on the Taliban to cease its attacks on press freedom and allow freedom of expression. On December 26, the Taliban detained Noori and raided his Kabul home before releasing him two days later. A group of Taliban-affiliated militia raided and searched Noori's home in Kabul's Karte Parwan area before taking him to an unknown location, said the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). The armed group identified themselves as members of the militia affiliated with the Taliban and operated without a warrant, according to Noori's family members. The Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) confirmed that Noori was freed on December 28, after pressure mounted for his release. Despite providing no alternate reasons for Noori's arrest, chief Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid insisted that the incident was not related to his role as a journalist. Noorin Television is a leading Afghan television network which covers domestic security concerns and openly supports the Jamiat-e-Islami party, an anti-Taliban group. Following the Taliban's takeover in mid-August, more than 257 media outlets have shut down and, according to research by the Afghanistan National Journalists Union (ANJU), at least 67 per cent of journalists and media workers have been rendered jobless, according to IFJ. Noori's detention is the latest in a series of attacks against journalists and media workers in Afghanistan led by the Taliban. On December 11, Sayed Rashed Kashefi, a reporter with the Kabul Times and Rasa TV, was beaten and detained for over six hours for covering a fight at an aid distribution site in Kabul's 5th district. The IFJ said: "The IFJ welcomes the release of Haji Arif Noori, whose detainment is yet another attempt by the Taliban to curb freedom of expression. The IFJ condemns the Taliban's ongoing hostility towards independent media and urges the Taliban to allow media and journalists to work freely." (ANI) A Belgium-based media watchdog has condemned the detention of Haji Arif Noori, owner of the independent Noorin Television station, and called on the Taliban to cease its attacks on press freedom and allow freedom of expression. On December 26, the Taliban detained Noori and raided his Kabul home before releasing him two days later. A group of Taliban-affiliated militia raided and searched Noori's home in Kabul's Karte Parwan area before taking him to an unknown location, said the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). The armed group identified themselves as members of the militia affiliated with the Taliban and operated without a warrant, according to Noori's family members. The Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) confirmed that Noori was freed on December 28, after pressure mounted for his release. Despite providing no alternate reasons for Noori's arrest, chief Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid insisted that the incident was not related to his role as a journalist. Noorin Television is a leading Afghan television network which covers domestic security concerns and openly supports the Jamiat-e-Islami party, an anti-Taliban group. Following the Taliban's takeover in mid-August, more than 257 media outlets have shut down and, according to research by the Afghanistan National Journalists Union (ANJU), at least 67 per cent of journalists and media workers have been rendered jobless, according to IFJ. Noori's detention is the latest in a series of attacks against journalists and media workers in Afghanistan led by the Taliban. On December 11, Sayed Rashed Kashefi, a reporter with the Kabul Times and Rasa TV, was beaten and detained for over six hours for covering a fight at an aid distribution site in Kabul's 5th district. The IFJ said: "The IFJ welcomes the release of Haji Arif Noori, whose detainment is yet another attempt by the Taliban to curb freedom of expression. The IFJ condemns the Taliban's ongoing hostility towards independent media and urges the Taliban to allow media and journalists to work freely." (ANI) A Belgium-based media watchdog has condemned the detention of Haji Arif Noori, owner of the independent Noorin Television station, and called on the Taliban to cease its attacks on press freedom and allow freedom of expression. On December 26, the Taliban detained Noori and raided his Kabul home before releasing him two days later. A group of Taliban-affiliated militia raided and searched Noori's home in Kabul's Karte Parwan area before taking him to an unknown location, said the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). The armed group identified themselves as members of the militia affiliated with the Taliban and operated without a warrant, according to Noori's family members. The Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) confirmed that Noori was freed on December 28, after pressure mounted for his release. Despite providing no alternate reasons for Noori's arrest, chief Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid insisted that the incident was not related to his role as a journalist. Noorin Television is a leading Afghan television network which covers domestic security concerns and openly supports the Jamiat-e-Islami party, an anti-Taliban group. Following the Taliban's takeover in mid-August, more than 257 media outlets have shut down and, according to research by the Afghanistan National Journalists Union (ANJU), at least 67 per cent of journalists and media workers have been rendered jobless, according to IFJ. Noori's detention is the latest in a series of attacks against journalists and media workers in Afghanistan led by the Taliban. On December 11, Sayed Rashed Kashefi, a reporter with the Kabul Times and Rasa TV, was beaten and detained for over six hours for covering a fight at an aid distribution site in Kabul's 5th district. The IFJ said: "The IFJ welcomes the release of Haji Arif Noori, whose detainment is yet another attempt by the Taliban to curb freedom of expression. The IFJ condemns the Taliban's ongoing hostility towards independent media and urges the Taliban to allow media and journalists to work freely." (ANI) A Belgium-based media watchdog has condemned the detention of Haji Arif Noori, owner of the independent Noorin Television station, and called on the Taliban to cease its attacks on press freedom and allow freedom of expression. On December 26, the Taliban detained Noori and raided his Kabul home before releasing him two days later. A group of Taliban-affiliated militia raided and searched Noori's home in Kabul's Karte Parwan area before taking him to an unknown location, said the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). The armed group identified themselves as members of the militia affiliated with the Taliban and operated without a warrant, according to Noori's family members. The Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) confirmed that Noori was freed on December 28, after pressure mounted for his release. Despite providing no alternate reasons for Noori's arrest, chief Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid insisted that the incident was not related to his role as a journalist. Noorin Television is a leading Afghan television network which covers domestic security concerns and openly supports the Jamiat-e-Islami party, an anti-Taliban group. Following the Taliban's takeover in mid-August, more than 257 media outlets have shut down and, according to research by the Afghanistan National Journalists Union (ANJU), at least 67 per cent of journalists and media workers have been rendered jobless, according to IFJ. Noori's detention is the latest in a series of attacks against journalists and media workers in Afghanistan led by the Taliban. On December 11, Sayed Rashed Kashefi, a reporter with the Kabul Times and Rasa TV, was beaten and detained for over six hours for covering a fight at an aid distribution site in Kabul's 5th district. The IFJ said: "The IFJ welcomes the release of Haji Arif Noori, whose detainment is yet another attempt by the Taliban to curb freedom of expression. The IFJ condemns the Taliban's ongoing hostility towards independent media and urges the Taliban to allow media and journalists to work freely." (ANI) A Belgium-based media watchdog has condemned the detention of Haji Arif Noori, owner of the independent Noorin Television station, and called on the Taliban to cease its attacks on press freedom and allow freedom of expression. On December 26, the Taliban detained Noori and raided his Kabul home before releasing him two days later. A group of Taliban-affiliated militia raided and searched Noori's home in Kabul's Karte Parwan area before taking him to an unknown location, said the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). The armed group identified themselves as members of the militia affiliated with the Taliban and operated without a warrant, according to Noori's family members. The Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) confirmed that Noori was freed on December 28, after pressure mounted for his release. Despite providing no alternate reasons for Noori's arrest, chief Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid insisted that the incident was not related to his role as a journalist. Noorin Television is a leading Afghan television network which covers domestic security concerns and openly supports the Jamiat-e-Islami party, an anti-Taliban group. Following the Taliban's takeover in mid-August, more than 257 media outlets have shut down and, according to research by the Afghanistan National Journalists Union (ANJU), at least 67 per cent of journalists and media workers have been rendered jobless, according to IFJ. Noori's detention is the latest in a series of attacks against journalists and media workers in Afghanistan led by the Taliban. On December 11, Sayed Rashed Kashefi, a reporter with the Kabul Times and Rasa TV, was beaten and detained for over six hours for covering a fight at an aid distribution site in Kabul's 5th district. The IFJ said: "The IFJ welcomes the release of Haji Arif Noori, whose detainment is yet another attempt by the Taliban to curb freedom of expression. The IFJ condemns the Taliban's ongoing hostility towards independent media and urges the Taliban to allow media and journalists to work freely." (ANI) A Belgium-based media watchdog has condemned the detention of Haji Arif Noori, owner of the independent Noorin Television station, and called on the Taliban to cease its attacks on press freedom and allow freedom of expression. On December 26, the Taliban detained Noori and raided his Kabul home before releasing him two days later. A group of Taliban-affiliated militia raided and searched Noori's home in Kabul's Karte Parwan area before taking him to an unknown location, said the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). The armed group identified themselves as members of the militia affiliated with the Taliban and operated without a warrant, according to Noori's family members. The Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) confirmed that Noori was freed on December 28, after pressure mounted for his release. Despite providing no alternate reasons for Noori's arrest, chief Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid insisted that the incident was not related to his role as a journalist. Noorin Television is a leading Afghan television network which covers domestic security concerns and openly supports the Jamiat-e-Islami party, an anti-Taliban group. Following the Taliban's takeover in mid-August, more than 257 media outlets have shut down and, according to research by the Afghanistan National Journalists Union (ANJU), at least 67 per cent of journalists and media workers have been rendered jobless, according to IFJ. Noori's detention is the latest in a series of attacks against journalists and media workers in Afghanistan led by the Taliban. On December 11, Sayed Rashed Kashefi, a reporter with the Kabul Times and Rasa TV, was beaten and detained for over six hours for covering a fight at an aid distribution site in Kabul's 5th district. The IFJ said: "The IFJ welcomes the release of Haji Arif Noori, whose detainment is yet another attempt by the Taliban to curb freedom of expression. The IFJ condemns the Taliban's ongoing hostility towards independent media and urges the Taliban to allow media and journalists to work freely." (ANI) People stand in a moment of silence remembering the children who've died this year at a community march called, "No Kids Die in the Chi" along 79th Street on Dec. 31, 2021, in Chicago. A coalition of community organizations participated in the peace march in response to an uptick in Chicago violence involving children in 2021. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) A small march on the South Side Friday aimed to draw attention to the growing number of Chicago children who have been shot amid a pandemic surge in gun violence. About 30 people participated in the No Kids Die in the Chi march that ran along 79th Street for about a mile from the Dan Ryan Expressway to Cottage Grove Avenue in the Chatham neighborhood. The demonstration was organized by several community organizations, including Violence Interrupters, House of Hope Foundation and Hug a Child Make a Change. Advertisement The group of peaceful demonstrators chanted Let them live! as children, community organizers and U.S. Rep. Danny Davis marched as passing cars honked in support. People walk in a community march called, "No Kids Die in the Chi" along 79th Street on Dec. 31, 2021, in Chicago. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Shawn Childs, from the House of Hope organization, condemns the increase in violence against children at a news conference before the community march. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Its easy to get behind no more guns, said Shawn Childs, an event organizer. Were here to tell children they do have a future. Advertisement Through Dec. 26, 415 children ages 17 and under had been shot in Chicago this year, a more than 50% increase since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Chicago Police Department statistics. The city was approaching 800 homicides for the year, the most in decades. Through Dec. 25, 793 people had been killed, 106 of them 19 years old or younger. The majority of those younger residents were Black and male. For the most part, they died on the West and South sides. In Chatham alone, four people 19 years old or younger have died this year. Holding neon signs that read, Let me be 12, Wait, we were just walking, and Let us graduate, the marchers drew stares and cellphones recorded from curious passersby. Others came out of nail and hair salons, to wave, nod or just watch. Children learn what they live, Davis said in a news conference before the march, saying stricter gun regulations could stem the flow of illegal guns. Phoenix McCray, 3, stands with her parents, Shalanda McCray, right, and Donald Akins, left, during the community march. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Tio Hardiman, a longtime anti-violence advocate, said the organizers wanted to draw particular attention to the Chatham and Grand Crossing neighborhoods because of the uptick in shootings the neighborhoods have experienced during the pandemic. There have been a lot of shootings and homicides in these areas, said Hardiman, founder and executive director of Violence Interrupters. We are raising our voices right before the new year to get the message out that there can be no more killing of kids in Chicago. Advertisement Vladimir Thompson, with the House of Hope, was among those chanting for peace and calling for an end to children dying in crossfire. I challenge all adults right now. Step up and save your block. Thompson said. Save your next-door neighbor. Jose Martinez said he participated in the march to stand behind the call to action for better role models in the community. Weve got 10, 11-year-olds carjacking, said Martinez, who lives in Humboldt Park and said he lost a 17-year-old son to gang violence more than two decades ago. In the latest bid to stem the citys surging crime, Chicago police Superintendent David Brown told reporters Thursday he plans to increase the number of homicide and violent crime detectives, bringing their too high caseload of about 5.5 each down to three cases per detective. Community organizer Phallon Payton talks about the need for the community to protect kids during a march called, "No Kids Die in the Chi" along 79th Street on Dec. 31, 2021, in Chicago. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Nationwide, gun violence has led to an increasing number of child deaths, with experts pointing to the effects of the pandemic, easy access to guns and disputes ending too often with gunfire. Advertisement In 2019, the U.S. had 991 gun violence deaths among people ages 17 or younger, according to the website Gun Violence Archive, which tracks shootings from more than 7,500 law enforcement, media, government and commercial sources. As of Friday morning, the number of children killed in 2021 stood at 1,523 with more than 4,000 people age 17 or younger injured in incidents of gun violence. In Chicago, 415 children ages 17 and under have been shot in Chicago this year through Dec. 26, up from 367 in 2020, according to statistics kept by the Police Department, which does not include shootings on the citys interstates. So far this year, 55 people ages 17 and under have been killed, according to CPD, the same number as in 2020. In 2019, the number of children ages 17 and under shot was 272 and the number killed was 38, as of late December that year. At one point, Fridays march paused for a moment of silence for the scores of children shot and killed in the city this year. Theres too much death, said Shalanda McCray said, whose sister led the crowd to bow their heads. Too many kids. Advertisement Chicago Tribunes Jeremy Gorner and Bill Ruthhart contributed. creyes@chicagotribune.com What an inspired 80th birthday present it seemed for Boris Johnson's father Stanley a family of beavers for the river on his Exmoor estate. The Johnson siblings had paid for the paperwork, and rewilding conservationist Derek Gow visited Stanley, Boris and sister Rachel to discuss the project. 'Boris is passionate about beavers,' Derek says. 'He was affable, but Stanley decided to wait as the law doesn't allow him to release beavers into the wild at present.' Legally although this is under review beavers can only be released into fenced-off areas, but there are wild populations in Scotland and Devon. Once upon a time, British waterways teemed with beavers, until we hunted them to extinction for their scent glands, fur and meat in the late 17th century. Now Derek, a Devon farmer turned conservationist, has chronicled his decades-long quest to re-establish beavers on our rivers in his book Bringing Back The Beaver. Derek Gow, 56, a Devon farmer turned conservationist, has chronicled his decades-long quest to re-establish beavers (pictured) on our rivers in his book Bringing Back The Beaver For most of us who have never seen wild beavers, they conjure childhood memories of the kindly talking beavers of Narnia with their suppers of fried trout and sticky marmalade roll. Nonsense, Derek says beavers are vegetarian. 'CS Lewis didn't have a strong base of biological reality.' But they are entrancing. 'They are caring creatures,' says Derek. 'They love their babies. Kits are dependent for at least their first year on parents and older siblings, who prevent them from swimming in water they consider hazardous and if they roam too far, carry them back to their lodges. 'They cuddle them, groom them, whisper comfort in their soft, downy ears, and through the first winter warm them in their great snuggled huddle of a communal nest. They protect them from predators, afford a caring home, tolerate their tantrums...' You get the message, he's passionate about beavers. And they are a keystone species that has a dramatic impact on its environment. With their sharp incisors, they gnaw through riverbank trees, leaving stumps like sharpened pencils. But these coppiced trees continue to grow, creating a wetland habitat where other creatures flourish otters and water voles, kingfishers and cormorants. Their complex dam systems then slow the flow of flood water downriver, mitigating the effects of climate change. Derek visited Stanley Johnson (pictured) who was gifted a family of beavers for the river on his Exmoor estate Derek, 56, grew up in the Scottish Borders, where his hero was Gerald Durrell, and a course on breeding endangered species at Durrell's zoo in Jersey transformed his life. His first encounter with European black beavers was in Poland in the mid-90s with a view to obtaining breeding pairs for release back home. Their keeper passed the mother to Derek. 'She settled into my lap with her great leather tail turned beneath. I have never forgotten her. She touched my heart.' But the first beaver Derek imported wasn't so lovable; she was Grumpy. He went to meet her at the quarantine facility at Heathrow. Keen to check she was OK, Derek crawled into the crate and met his nemesis. 'She let out a hissing growl and jumped towards me with her teeth exposed,' he recalls. As Grumpy grabbed his boot, Derek fended her off with a handy brush, but with a single bite she bit off the broomhead and then reduced the broomstick to a stump. In a scene worthy of James Herriot, Derek fell into a seal pool (the facility also dealt with seals) and the beaver jumped in with him. 'When the advantage was completely hers, she decided a relaxing bath was much more appealing.' Derek has since bred wildcats, white storks, stoats and more at his 150-acre farm at Coombeshead, near Dartmoor, but beavers remain closest to his heart. Three families are now thriving there. Derek's next book will be about the history of the wolf in Britain. Bring Back The Big Bad Wolf? He might need a better campaign slogan. Bringing Back The Beaver by Derek Gow (hardback, Chelsea Green, 20; paperback, published on 13 January, 10.99). Visit rewilding coombeshead.co.uk. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (January 1) exuded confidence that India will fight the COVID-19 pandemic with full caution and vigilance. His statement comes as the country has once again been witnessing a worrying rise in daily coronavirus cases for the past few days, which has stoked the fear of a third wave. Speaking at a virtual event to release the 10th installment under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme, Modi also hailed India's achievement in providing over 145 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine so far, PTI reported. He added that "Corona cannot stop India's pace". India will fight the Covid-19 pandemic with full caution and vigilance and will also protect its national interests, Modi said. Further, the PM stressed on the achievements made by the country in 2021 across various sectors, including health, defence and agriculture. He said during the pandemic, the central government provided additional food grains for free to over 80 crore beneficiaries, which cost around Rs 2.6 lakh crore to the exchequer. Meanwhile, India recorded 22,775 new COVID-19 cases and 406 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per the Ministry of Health on Saturday. With 161 fresh Omicron infections, the total tally of these cases claimed to 1,431. (With agency inputs) Live TV https://sputniknews.com/20220101/india-accuses-pakistan-of-being-non-transparent-in-selection-of-hindu-pilgrims-bound-for-peshawar-1091956836.html India Accuses Pakistan of Being 'Non-Transparent' in Selection of Hindu Pilgrims Bound For Peshawar India Accuses Pakistan of Being 'Non-Transparent' in Selection of Hindu Pilgrims Bound For Peshawar The Teri Temple near Peshawar is dedicated to a Hindu saint: Paramhans Dayal. The Pakistani Hindu community organised a massive event to mark the Diwali... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T09:16+0000 2022-01-01T09:16+0000 2022-08-06T14:40+0000 karachi peshawar air india pakistan kashmir /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/19/1080567072_0:59:1280:779_1920x0_80_0_0_b5c993f5d392bb60a94e8ba600ef3e5a.jpg India has slammed Pakistan for extending an invite to a "select group" of people to visit a famed Hindu temple in Peshawar, claiming that the selection process by Islamabad was carried out in a non-transparent manner.Pakistani parliamentarian Ramesh Vankvani, who also heads the Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC), has said that another batch of Hindu pilgrims will also be arriving in Pakistan from Dubai.The Hindu pilgrims will be in Pakistan for four days and will visit the Hindu religious sites of Teri Temple near Peshawar (in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province) and the Hinglaj Mata Temple in Balochistan during their visit, as per Vankvani.He also claimed that from next month onwards, the Indian pilgrims will be able to fly straight to Peshawar and Karachi from Indian cities rather than crossing the border on foot and then taking a connecting flight from Lahore, around 30 kilometres from the Wagah border.Vankvani further said that the PHC will also organise a visit of Pakistani citizens, including parliamentarians, after 20 January to the renowned Muslim religious shrines located in the Indian cities of Ajmer and New Delhi.He said that these visits will boost people-to-people ties between the two subcontinental neighbours.Ties between Pakistan and India have been particularly strained since New Delhis decision to scrap the semi-autonomous status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019. In response, Islamabad, which controls a part of Jammu and Kashmir, rejected New Delhis move and downgraded diplomatic ties with its eastern neighbour.Prime Minister Imran Khans government has said that it wont resume a formal dialogue with New Delhi until it rolls back its August 2019 decisions, which also included bifurcating the former state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories.New Delhi has rejected Islamabads criticism and consistently maintained that anything that has to do with Jammu and Kashmir remains Indias internal matter. https://sputniknews.com/20201231/arson-at-hindu-temple-in-pakistans-khyber-pakhtunkhwa-triggers-communal-tension---video-1081618118.html https://sputniknews.com/20210621/pakistani-pm-imran-khan-slams-western-hypocrisy-for-ignoring-kashmir-focusing-on-uyghurs-in-china-1083197024.html karachi peshawar kashmir Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Dhairya Maheshwari Dhairya Maheshwari News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Dhairya Maheshwari karachi, peshawar, air india, pakistan, kashmir https://sputniknews.com/20220101/india-accuses-pakistan-of-being-non-transparent-in-selection-of-hindu-pilgrims-bound-for-peshawar-1091956836.html India Accuses Pakistan of Being 'Non-Transparent' in Selection of Hindu Pilgrims Bound For Peshawar India Accuses Pakistan of Being 'Non-Transparent' in Selection of Hindu Pilgrims Bound For Peshawar The Teri Temple near Peshawar is dedicated to a Hindu saint: Paramhans Dayal. The Pakistani Hindu community organised a massive event to mark the Diwali... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T09:16+0000 2022-01-01T09:16+0000 2022-08-06T14:40+0000 karachi peshawar air india pakistan kashmir /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/19/1080567072_0:59:1280:779_1920x0_80_0_0_b5c993f5d392bb60a94e8ba600ef3e5a.jpg India has slammed Pakistan for extending an invite to a "select group" of people to visit a famed Hindu temple in Peshawar, claiming that the selection process by Islamabad was carried out in a non-transparent manner.Pakistani parliamentarian Ramesh Vankvani, who also heads the Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC), has said that another batch of Hindu pilgrims will also be arriving in Pakistan from Dubai.The Hindu pilgrims will be in Pakistan for four days and will visit the Hindu religious sites of Teri Temple near Peshawar (in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province) and the Hinglaj Mata Temple in Balochistan during their visit, as per Vankvani.He also claimed that from next month onwards, the Indian pilgrims will be able to fly straight to Peshawar and Karachi from Indian cities rather than crossing the border on foot and then taking a connecting flight from Lahore, around 30 kilometres from the Wagah border.Vankvani further said that the PHC will also organise a visit of Pakistani citizens, including parliamentarians, after 20 January to the renowned Muslim religious shrines located in the Indian cities of Ajmer and New Delhi.He said that these visits will boost people-to-people ties between the two subcontinental neighbours.Ties between Pakistan and India have been particularly strained since New Delhis decision to scrap the semi-autonomous status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019. In response, Islamabad, which controls a part of Jammu and Kashmir, rejected New Delhis move and downgraded diplomatic ties with its eastern neighbour.Prime Minister Imran Khans government has said that it wont resume a formal dialogue with New Delhi until it rolls back its August 2019 decisions, which also included bifurcating the former state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories.New Delhi has rejected Islamabads criticism and consistently maintained that anything that has to do with Jammu and Kashmir remains Indias internal matter. https://sputniknews.com/20201231/arson-at-hindu-temple-in-pakistans-khyber-pakhtunkhwa-triggers-communal-tension---video-1081618118.html https://sputniknews.com/20210621/pakistani-pm-imran-khan-slams-western-hypocrisy-for-ignoring-kashmir-focusing-on-uyghurs-in-china-1083197024.html karachi peshawar kashmir Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Dhairya Maheshwari Dhairya Maheshwari News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Dhairya Maheshwari karachi, peshawar, air india, pakistan, kashmir https://sputniknews.com/20220101/india-accuses-pakistan-of-being-non-transparent-in-selection-of-hindu-pilgrims-bound-for-peshawar-1091956836.html India Accuses Pakistan of Being 'Non-Transparent' in Selection of Hindu Pilgrims Bound For Peshawar India Accuses Pakistan of Being 'Non-Transparent' in Selection of Hindu Pilgrims Bound For Peshawar The Teri Temple near Peshawar is dedicated to a Hindu saint: Paramhans Dayal. The Pakistani Hindu community organised a massive event to mark the Diwali... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T09:16+0000 2022-01-01T09:16+0000 2022-08-06T14:40+0000 karachi peshawar air india pakistan kashmir /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/19/1080567072_0:59:1280:779_1920x0_80_0_0_b5c993f5d392bb60a94e8ba600ef3e5a.jpg India has slammed Pakistan for extending an invite to a "select group" of people to visit a famed Hindu temple in Peshawar, claiming that the selection process by Islamabad was carried out in a non-transparent manner.Pakistani parliamentarian Ramesh Vankvani, who also heads the Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC), has said that another batch of Hindu pilgrims will also be arriving in Pakistan from Dubai.The Hindu pilgrims will be in Pakistan for four days and will visit the Hindu religious sites of Teri Temple near Peshawar (in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province) and the Hinglaj Mata Temple in Balochistan during their visit, as per Vankvani.He also claimed that from next month onwards, the Indian pilgrims will be able to fly straight to Peshawar and Karachi from Indian cities rather than crossing the border on foot and then taking a connecting flight from Lahore, around 30 kilometres from the Wagah border.Vankvani further said that the PHC will also organise a visit of Pakistani citizens, including parliamentarians, after 20 January to the renowned Muslim religious shrines located in the Indian cities of Ajmer and New Delhi.He said that these visits will boost people-to-people ties between the two subcontinental neighbours.Ties between Pakistan and India have been particularly strained since New Delhis decision to scrap the semi-autonomous status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019. In response, Islamabad, which controls a part of Jammu and Kashmir, rejected New Delhis move and downgraded diplomatic ties with its eastern neighbour.Prime Minister Imran Khans government has said that it wont resume a formal dialogue with New Delhi until it rolls back its August 2019 decisions, which also included bifurcating the former state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories.New Delhi has rejected Islamabads criticism and consistently maintained that anything that has to do with Jammu and Kashmir remains Indias internal matter. https://sputniknews.com/20201231/arson-at-hindu-temple-in-pakistans-khyber-pakhtunkhwa-triggers-communal-tension---video-1081618118.html https://sputniknews.com/20210621/pakistani-pm-imran-khan-slams-western-hypocrisy-for-ignoring-kashmir-focusing-on-uyghurs-in-china-1083197024.html karachi peshawar kashmir Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Dhairya Maheshwari Dhairya Maheshwari News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Dhairya Maheshwari karachi, peshawar, air india, pakistan, kashmir https://sputniknews.com/20220101/india-accuses-pakistan-of-being-non-transparent-in-selection-of-hindu-pilgrims-bound-for-peshawar-1091956836.html India Accuses Pakistan of Being 'Non-Transparent' in Selection of Hindu Pilgrims Bound For Peshawar India Accuses Pakistan of Being 'Non-Transparent' in Selection of Hindu Pilgrims Bound For Peshawar The Teri Temple near Peshawar is dedicated to a Hindu saint: Paramhans Dayal. The Pakistani Hindu community organised a massive event to mark the Diwali... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T09:16+0000 2022-01-01T09:16+0000 2022-08-06T14:40+0000 karachi peshawar air india pakistan kashmir /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/19/1080567072_0:59:1280:779_1920x0_80_0_0_b5c993f5d392bb60a94e8ba600ef3e5a.jpg India has slammed Pakistan for extending an invite to a "select group" of people to visit a famed Hindu temple in Peshawar, claiming that the selection process by Islamabad was carried out in a non-transparent manner.Pakistani parliamentarian Ramesh Vankvani, who also heads the Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC), has said that another batch of Hindu pilgrims will also be arriving in Pakistan from Dubai.The Hindu pilgrims will be in Pakistan for four days and will visit the Hindu religious sites of Teri Temple near Peshawar (in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province) and the Hinglaj Mata Temple in Balochistan during their visit, as per Vankvani.He also claimed that from next month onwards, the Indian pilgrims will be able to fly straight to Peshawar and Karachi from Indian cities rather than crossing the border on foot and then taking a connecting flight from Lahore, around 30 kilometres from the Wagah border.Vankvani further said that the PHC will also organise a visit of Pakistani citizens, including parliamentarians, after 20 January to the renowned Muslim religious shrines located in the Indian cities of Ajmer and New Delhi.He said that these visits will boost people-to-people ties between the two subcontinental neighbours.Ties between Pakistan and India have been particularly strained since New Delhis decision to scrap the semi-autonomous status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019. In response, Islamabad, which controls a part of Jammu and Kashmir, rejected New Delhis move and downgraded diplomatic ties with its eastern neighbour.Prime Minister Imran Khans government has said that it wont resume a formal dialogue with New Delhi until it rolls back its August 2019 decisions, which also included bifurcating the former state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories.New Delhi has rejected Islamabads criticism and consistently maintained that anything that has to do with Jammu and Kashmir remains Indias internal matter. https://sputniknews.com/20201231/arson-at-hindu-temple-in-pakistans-khyber-pakhtunkhwa-triggers-communal-tension---video-1081618118.html https://sputniknews.com/20210621/pakistani-pm-imran-khan-slams-western-hypocrisy-for-ignoring-kashmir-focusing-on-uyghurs-in-china-1083197024.html karachi peshawar kashmir Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Dhairya Maheshwari Dhairya Maheshwari News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Dhairya Maheshwari karachi, peshawar, air india, pakistan, kashmir What an inspired 80th birthday present it seemed for Boris Johnson's father Stanley a family of beavers for the river on his Exmoor estate. The Johnson siblings had paid for the paperwork, and rewilding conservationist Derek Gow visited Stanley, Boris and sister Rachel to discuss the project. 'Boris is passionate about beavers,' Derek says. 'He was affable, but Stanley decided to wait as the law doesn't allow him to release beavers into the wild at present.' Legally although this is under review beavers can only be released into fenced-off areas, but there are wild populations in Scotland and Devon. Once upon a time, British waterways teemed with beavers, until we hunted them to extinction for their scent glands, fur and meat in the late 17th century. Now Derek, a Devon farmer turned conservationist, has chronicled his decades-long quest to re-establish beavers on our rivers in his book Bringing Back The Beaver. Derek Gow, 56, a Devon farmer turned conservationist, has chronicled his decades-long quest to re-establish beavers (pictured) on our rivers in his book Bringing Back The Beaver For most of us who have never seen wild beavers, they conjure childhood memories of the kindly talking beavers of Narnia with their suppers of fried trout and sticky marmalade roll. Nonsense, Derek says beavers are vegetarian. 'CS Lewis didn't have a strong base of biological reality.' But they are entrancing. 'They are caring creatures,' says Derek. 'They love their babies. Kits are dependent for at least their first year on parents and older siblings, who prevent them from swimming in water they consider hazardous and if they roam too far, carry them back to their lodges. 'They cuddle them, groom them, whisper comfort in their soft, downy ears, and through the first winter warm them in their great snuggled huddle of a communal nest. They protect them from predators, afford a caring home, tolerate their tantrums...' You get the message, he's passionate about beavers. And they are a keystone species that has a dramatic impact on its environment. With their sharp incisors, they gnaw through riverbank trees, leaving stumps like sharpened pencils. But these coppiced trees continue to grow, creating a wetland habitat where other creatures flourish otters and water voles, kingfishers and cormorants. Their complex dam systems then slow the flow of flood water downriver, mitigating the effects of climate change. Derek visited Stanley Johnson (pictured) who was gifted a family of beavers for the river on his Exmoor estate Derek, 56, grew up in the Scottish Borders, where his hero was Gerald Durrell, and a course on breeding endangered species at Durrell's zoo in Jersey transformed his life. His first encounter with European black beavers was in Poland in the mid-90s with a view to obtaining breeding pairs for release back home. Their keeper passed the mother to Derek. 'She settled into my lap with her great leather tail turned beneath. I have never forgotten her. She touched my heart.' But the first beaver Derek imported wasn't so lovable; she was Grumpy. He went to meet her at the quarantine facility at Heathrow. Keen to check she was OK, Derek crawled into the crate and met his nemesis. 'She let out a hissing growl and jumped towards me with her teeth exposed,' he recalls. As Grumpy grabbed his boot, Derek fended her off with a handy brush, but with a single bite she bit off the broomhead and then reduced the broomstick to a stump. In a scene worthy of James Herriot, Derek fell into a seal pool (the facility also dealt with seals) and the beaver jumped in with him. 'When the advantage was completely hers, she decided a relaxing bath was much more appealing.' Derek has since bred wildcats, white storks, stoats and more at his 150-acre farm at Coombeshead, near Dartmoor, but beavers remain closest to his heart. Three families are now thriving there. Derek's next book will be about the history of the wolf in Britain. Bring Back The Big Bad Wolf? He might need a better campaign slogan. Bringing Back The Beaver by Derek Gow (hardback, Chelsea Green, 20; paperback, published on 13 January, 10.99). Visit rewilding coombeshead.co.uk. India on Saturday asked Pakistan to protect its citizens currently incarcerated in the jails of the neighbouring country from Covid-19. Islamabad informed New Delhi that 628 Indians or believed-to-be Indians 577 fishermen and 51 others were at present incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. New Delhi asked Islamabad to release and repatriate 358 prisoners 356 fishermen and two others currently jailed in Pakistan, but confirmed to be citizens of India. Besides, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 182 Indian fishermen and 17 other civilian prisoners, who are in the jails in the country, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). New Delhi asked Islamabad to expeditiously grant visas to the psychiatrists it wanted to send to assess the mental condition of the psychologically challenged prisoners incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. Islamabad had in early 2018 conveyed to New Delhi that it had identified altogether 27 prisoners, who had been psychologically challenged. New Delhi had proposed to send a team of psychiatrists to visit the jails in Pakistan and meet the psychologically challenged prisoners. Islamabad too had on March 7, 2018, agreed to allow the team of psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan. Read | India, Pak armies exchange sweets on New Year along LoC But, although almost four years passed since then, Islamabad so far did not grant visas to the psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan, notwithstanding several reminders by New Delhi. New Delhi on Saturday also handed over a list of 355 Pakistani citizens incarcerated in the jails in India. The list included 73 Pakistani fishermen, who were caught by the Indian Coast Guard after they crossed the maritime boundary while fishing in the Arabian Sea. India remains committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other's country, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the MEA, said in New Delhi. In this context, India has also urged Pakistan to expedite necessary action at its end to confirm the nationality status of 68 Pakistan prisoners, including fishermen, whose repatriation is pending for want of nationality confirmation by Pakistan. The two sides exchanged the lists of each other's citizens held in each other's prisons on Saturday, in keeping with a 2008 bilateral agreement. The agreement provides for exchange of such lists twice a year, on January 1 and July 1. New Delhi called upon Islamabad for early release and repatriation of Indian civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen, along with their boats, from the custody of Pakistan. India also proposed to organise an early visit of the Joint Judicial Committee to Pakistan to visit the jails in the neighbouring country. In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, Pakistan has been requested to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be Indian civil prisoners and fishermen, said the MEA spokesperson. India and Pakistan on Saturday also exchanged the lists of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the bilateral Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations. The agreement, which was signed on December 31, 1988 and entered into force on January 27, 1991 provides that India and Pakistan would inform each other of the nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the pact on January 1 every year. This is the 31th consecutive exchange of such a list between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 01, 1992, the MEA stated. Watch latest videos by DH here: New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (January 1) exuded confidence that India will fight the COVID-19 pandemic with full caution and vigilance. His statement comes as the country has once again been witnessing a worrying rise in daily coronavirus cases for the past few days, which has stoked the fear of a third wave. Speaking at a virtual event to release the 10th installment under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme, Modi also hailed India's achievement in providing over 145 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine so far, PTI reported. He added that "Corona cannot stop India's pace". India will fight the Covid-19 pandemic with full caution and vigilance and will also protect its national interests, Modi said. Further, the PM stressed on the achievements made by the country in 2021 across various sectors, including health, defence and agriculture. He said during the pandemic, the central government provided additional food grains for free to over 80 crore beneficiaries, which cost around Rs 2.6 lakh crore to the exchequer. Meanwhile, India recorded 22,775 new COVID-19 cases and 406 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per the Ministry of Health on Saturday. With 161 fresh Omicron infections, the total tally of these cases claimed to 1,431. (With agency inputs) Live TV New Delhi: Yoga Guru Sadhguru on Saturday (December 31) urged people to dedicate the year 2022 to raising human consciousness and creating a more aware planet adding that it is the most important thing to be done in the world right now. The guru also told that this movement seeks to show governments of all nations that their citizens want a policy to revitalize soil and ecology. Lets dedicate 2022 to creating a Conscious Planet. Creating a Conscious Planet is possible only by raising human consciousness. If we create a wave of consciousness in the world, saving the planet will be a natural consequence. Lets make it happen, Sadhguru said at a Satsang on the night of December 31. In his appeal to people and millions of Isha volunteers and meditators who had joined the Satsang online and in-person, the guru said, In 2022, lets commit to leaving the world a much better place than the way it is right now. Sadhguru returned to India after over two months of intense and activities in the West, particularly in the United States of America. Referring to the severe degradation of soil around the world, Sadhguru said, In trying to fix the world for our comfort, we have come to a point where we are destroying the very source of our existence. Speaking about the significance of New Year, Sadhguru said, The ceaseless mill of time is rolling on without a footprint. Time is rolling away means life is rolling away. I would like you to see every day as the beginning of a new year. Every day is a new beginning. Every day begins in such a glorious way that it's worthy of celebration, he added. Speaking about the oft-discussed New Year resolutions, Sadhguru said, Instead of New Year resolutions, just do a simple thing. On a daily basis, keep an account of what youre doing to yourself as life. In 2022, address this fundamental aspect: Are you living to be free, to be liberated, or are you living just to establish more and more bondages in your life? Live TV The year 2021 was full of challenges for former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje who wasted no time to turn them into opportunities and started her religious yatras to different temples in the state. Raje's posters were removed from the BJP office in the state capital. She also remained absent from campaigning during bypolls held in three places, namely Vallabhnagar, Dhariyawad and Rajsamand. Her absence and staying away from party happenings became the burning topic in the state politics. She neither showed up during campaigning nor marked her presence in significant party meetings. In fact, a parallel team was being run under 'Team Vasundhara Raje 2023'. It released a list of its own district presidents in the state. Further, during the second wave of Covid, while the BJP ran 'Seva hi Sangathan' campaign, the Raje team ran 'Vasundhara Jan Rasoi' where food was served to the needy. When her daughter-in-law was unwell and admitted to a renowned hospital in Gurugram, Raje and her followers were seen conducting special prayers. She continued her religious yatras in different parts of the state (often referred to as political yatras) which undoubtedly attracted a good crowd. She started her visits in the state to sacred places and paid homage to party workers and their relatives who passed away, attracting good gatherings. Her loyalists made all efforts to make these visits successful to give the message to the party that she is still there in the hearts of the people of the state. Meanwhile, by the end of the year, Raje followers were left shocked to see their favourite leader missing from the dias of a mammoth Rajput rally organised in Jaipur in which all Rajput stalwarts were seen, including Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Jaipur princess Diya Kumari but not her. While a few leaders confirmed to IANS that Raje was not invited to the rally, others said that she did not come despite being invited. A few leaders confirmed that a strong message was given to the party via the rally that Raje should not be the CM face, while others remained mum when being asked about the same. Meanwhile, the BJP office-bearers confirmed that it was for the first time that Vasundhara Raje was not on the stage of this Kshatriya rally, which was attended by around 4-5 lakh Rajputs. What went wrong in all these years as Raje, who was involved in rallies and programmes of the Kshatriya Yuva Sangh in the past and had participated in rallies of Kshatriya Yuvak Sangh in Jaipur in 2008 and in Jodhpur in 2017, was missing in this rally remains an unanswered question. Has the queen, who once referred to herself as the daughter of Rajput, lost her charm among the warrior lobby or is she still ruling their hearts? Let's wait for the coming year, says a BJP worker. --IANS arc/dpb ( 496 Words) 2022-01-01-09:24:02 (IANS) The year 2021 was full of challenges for former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje who wasted no time to turn them into opportunities and started her religious yatras to different temples in the state. Raje's posters were removed from the BJP office in the state capital. She also remained absent from campaigning during bypolls held in three places, namely Vallabhnagar, Dhariyawad and Rajsamand. Her absence and staying away from party happenings became the burning topic in the state politics. She neither showed up during campaigning nor marked her presence in significant party meetings. In fact, a parallel team was being run under 'Team Vasundhara Raje 2023'. It released a list of its own district presidents in the state. Further, during the second wave of Covid, while the BJP ran 'Seva hi Sangathan' campaign, the Raje team ran 'Vasundhara Jan Rasoi' where food was served to the needy. When her daughter-in-law was unwell and admitted to a renowned hospital in Gurugram, Raje and her followers were seen conducting special prayers. She continued her religious yatras in different parts of the state (often referred to as political yatras) which undoubtedly attracted a good crowd. She started her visits in the state to sacred places and paid homage to party workers and their relatives who passed away, attracting good gatherings. Her loyalists made all efforts to make these visits successful to give the message to the party that she is still there in the hearts of the people of the state. Meanwhile, by the end of the year, Raje followers were left shocked to see their favourite leader missing from the dias of a mammoth Rajput rally organised in Jaipur in which all Rajput stalwarts were seen, including Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Jaipur princess Diya Kumari but not her. While a few leaders confirmed to IANS that Raje was not invited to the rally, others said that she did not come despite being invited. A few leaders confirmed that a strong message was given to the party via the rally that Raje should not be the CM face, while others remained mum when being asked about the same. Meanwhile, the BJP office-bearers confirmed that it was for the first time that Vasundhara Raje was not on the stage of this Kshatriya rally, which was attended by around 4-5 lakh Rajputs. What went wrong in all these years as Raje, who was involved in rallies and programmes of the Kshatriya Yuva Sangh in the past and had participated in rallies of Kshatriya Yuvak Sangh in Jaipur in 2008 and in Jodhpur in 2017, was missing in this rally remains an unanswered question. Has the queen, who once referred to herself as the daughter of Rajput, lost her charm among the warrior lobby or is she still ruling their hearts? Let's wait for the coming year, says a BJP worker. --IANS arc/dpb ( 496 Words) 2022-01-01-09:24:02 (IANS) India on Saturday asked Pakistan to protect its citizens currently incarcerated in the jails of the neighbouring country from Covid-19. Islamabad informed New Delhi that 628 Indians or believed-to-be Indians 577 fishermen and 51 others were at present incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. New Delhi asked Islamabad to release and repatriate 358 prisoners 356 fishermen and two others currently jailed in Pakistan, but confirmed to be citizens of India. Besides, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 182 Indian fishermen and 17 other civilian prisoners, who are in the jails in the country, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). New Delhi asked Islamabad to expeditiously grant visas to the psychiatrists it wanted to send to assess the mental condition of the psychologically challenged prisoners incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. Islamabad had in early 2018 conveyed to New Delhi that it had identified altogether 27 prisoners, who had been psychologically challenged. New Delhi had proposed to send a team of psychiatrists to visit the jails in Pakistan and meet the psychologically challenged prisoners. Islamabad too had on March 7, 2018, agreed to allow the team of psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan. Read | India, Pak armies exchange sweets on New Year along LoC But, although almost four years passed since then, Islamabad so far did not grant visas to the psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan, notwithstanding several reminders by New Delhi. New Delhi on Saturday also handed over a list of 355 Pakistani citizens incarcerated in the jails in India. The list included 73 Pakistani fishermen, who were caught by the Indian Coast Guard after they crossed the maritime boundary while fishing in the Arabian Sea. India remains committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other's country, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the MEA, said in New Delhi. In this context, India has also urged Pakistan to expedite necessary action at its end to confirm the nationality status of 68 Pakistan prisoners, including fishermen, whose repatriation is pending for want of nationality confirmation by Pakistan. The two sides exchanged the lists of each other's citizens held in each other's prisons on Saturday, in keeping with a 2008 bilateral agreement. The agreement provides for exchange of such lists twice a year, on January 1 and July 1. New Delhi called upon Islamabad for early release and repatriation of Indian civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen, along with their boats, from the custody of Pakistan. India also proposed to organise an early visit of the Joint Judicial Committee to Pakistan to visit the jails in the neighbouring country. In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, Pakistan has been requested to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be Indian civil prisoners and fishermen, said the MEA spokesperson. India and Pakistan on Saturday also exchanged the lists of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the bilateral Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations. The agreement, which was signed on December 31, 1988 and entered into force on January 27, 1991 provides that India and Pakistan would inform each other of the nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the pact on January 1 every year. This is the 31th consecutive exchange of such a list between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 01, 1992, the MEA stated. Watch latest videos by DH here: India on Saturday asked Pakistan to protect its citizens currently incarcerated in the jails of the neighbouring country from Covid-19. Islamabad informed New Delhi that 628 Indians or believed-to-be Indians 577 fishermen and 51 others were at present incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. New Delhi asked Islamabad to release and repatriate 358 prisoners 356 fishermen and two others currently jailed in Pakistan, but confirmed to be citizens of India. Besides, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 182 Indian fishermen and 17 other civilian prisoners, who are in the jails in the country, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). New Delhi asked Islamabad to expeditiously grant visas to the psychiatrists it wanted to send to assess the mental condition of the psychologically challenged prisoners incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. Islamabad had in early 2018 conveyed to New Delhi that it had identified altogether 27 prisoners, who had been psychologically challenged. New Delhi had proposed to send a team of psychiatrists to visit the jails in Pakistan and meet the psychologically challenged prisoners. Islamabad too had on March 7, 2018, agreed to allow the team of psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan. Read | India, Pak armies exchange sweets on New Year along LoC But, although almost four years passed since then, Islamabad so far did not grant visas to the psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan, notwithstanding several reminders by New Delhi. New Delhi on Saturday also handed over a list of 355 Pakistani citizens incarcerated in the jails in India. The list included 73 Pakistani fishermen, who were caught by the Indian Coast Guard after they crossed the maritime boundary while fishing in the Arabian Sea. India remains committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other's country, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the MEA, said in New Delhi. In this context, India has also urged Pakistan to expedite necessary action at its end to confirm the nationality status of 68 Pakistan prisoners, including fishermen, whose repatriation is pending for want of nationality confirmation by Pakistan. The two sides exchanged the lists of each other's citizens held in each other's prisons on Saturday, in keeping with a 2008 bilateral agreement. The agreement provides for exchange of such lists twice a year, on January 1 and July 1. New Delhi called upon Islamabad for early release and repatriation of Indian civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen, along with their boats, from the custody of Pakistan. India also proposed to organise an early visit of the Joint Judicial Committee to Pakistan to visit the jails in the neighbouring country. In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, Pakistan has been requested to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be Indian civil prisoners and fishermen, said the MEA spokesperson. India and Pakistan on Saturday also exchanged the lists of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the bilateral Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations. The agreement, which was signed on December 31, 1988 and entered into force on January 27, 1991 provides that India and Pakistan would inform each other of the nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the pact on January 1 every year. This is the 31th consecutive exchange of such a list between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 01, 1992, the MEA stated. Watch latest videos by DH here: India on Saturday asked Pakistan to protect its citizens currently incarcerated in the jails of the neighbouring country from Covid-19. Islamabad informed New Delhi that 628 Indians or believed-to-be Indians 577 fishermen and 51 others were at present incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. New Delhi asked Islamabad to release and repatriate 358 prisoners 356 fishermen and two others currently jailed in Pakistan, but confirmed to be citizens of India. Besides, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 182 Indian fishermen and 17 other civilian prisoners, who are in the jails in the country, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). New Delhi asked Islamabad to expeditiously grant visas to the psychiatrists it wanted to send to assess the mental condition of the psychologically challenged prisoners incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. Islamabad had in early 2018 conveyed to New Delhi that it had identified altogether 27 prisoners, who had been psychologically challenged. New Delhi had proposed to send a team of psychiatrists to visit the jails in Pakistan and meet the psychologically challenged prisoners. Islamabad too had on March 7, 2018, agreed to allow the team of psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan. Read | India, Pak armies exchange sweets on New Year along LoC But, although almost four years passed since then, Islamabad so far did not grant visas to the psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan, notwithstanding several reminders by New Delhi. New Delhi on Saturday also handed over a list of 355 Pakistani citizens incarcerated in the jails in India. The list included 73 Pakistani fishermen, who were caught by the Indian Coast Guard after they crossed the maritime boundary while fishing in the Arabian Sea. India remains committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other's country, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the MEA, said in New Delhi. In this context, India has also urged Pakistan to expedite necessary action at its end to confirm the nationality status of 68 Pakistan prisoners, including fishermen, whose repatriation is pending for want of nationality confirmation by Pakistan. The two sides exchanged the lists of each other's citizens held in each other's prisons on Saturday, in keeping with a 2008 bilateral agreement. The agreement provides for exchange of such lists twice a year, on January 1 and July 1. New Delhi called upon Islamabad for early release and repatriation of Indian civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen, along with their boats, from the custody of Pakistan. India also proposed to organise an early visit of the Joint Judicial Committee to Pakistan to visit the jails in the neighbouring country. In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, Pakistan has been requested to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be Indian civil prisoners and fishermen, said the MEA spokesperson. India and Pakistan on Saturday also exchanged the lists of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the bilateral Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations. The agreement, which was signed on December 31, 1988 and entered into force on January 27, 1991 provides that India and Pakistan would inform each other of the nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the pact on January 1 every year. This is the 31th consecutive exchange of such a list between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 01, 1992, the MEA stated. Watch latest videos by DH here: India on Saturday asked Pakistan to protect its citizens currently incarcerated in the jails of the neighbouring country from Covid-19. Islamabad informed New Delhi that 628 Indians or believed-to-be Indians 577 fishermen and 51 others were at present incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. New Delhi asked Islamabad to release and repatriate 358 prisoners 356 fishermen and two others currently jailed in Pakistan, but confirmed to be citizens of India. Besides, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 182 Indian fishermen and 17 other civilian prisoners, who are in the jails in the country, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). New Delhi asked Islamabad to expeditiously grant visas to the psychiatrists it wanted to send to assess the mental condition of the psychologically challenged prisoners incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. Islamabad had in early 2018 conveyed to New Delhi that it had identified altogether 27 prisoners, who had been psychologically challenged. New Delhi had proposed to send a team of psychiatrists to visit the jails in Pakistan and meet the psychologically challenged prisoners. Islamabad too had on March 7, 2018, agreed to allow the team of psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan. Read | India, Pak armies exchange sweets on New Year along LoC But, although almost four years passed since then, Islamabad so far did not grant visas to the psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan, notwithstanding several reminders by New Delhi. New Delhi on Saturday also handed over a list of 355 Pakistani citizens incarcerated in the jails in India. The list included 73 Pakistani fishermen, who were caught by the Indian Coast Guard after they crossed the maritime boundary while fishing in the Arabian Sea. India remains committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other's country, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the MEA, said in New Delhi. In this context, India has also urged Pakistan to expedite necessary action at its end to confirm the nationality status of 68 Pakistan prisoners, including fishermen, whose repatriation is pending for want of nationality confirmation by Pakistan. The two sides exchanged the lists of each other's citizens held in each other's prisons on Saturday, in keeping with a 2008 bilateral agreement. The agreement provides for exchange of such lists twice a year, on January 1 and July 1. New Delhi called upon Islamabad for early release and repatriation of Indian civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen, along with their boats, from the custody of Pakistan. India also proposed to organise an early visit of the Joint Judicial Committee to Pakistan to visit the jails in the neighbouring country. In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, Pakistan has been requested to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be Indian civil prisoners and fishermen, said the MEA spokesperson. India and Pakistan on Saturday also exchanged the lists of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the bilateral Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations. The agreement, which was signed on December 31, 1988 and entered into force on January 27, 1991 provides that India and Pakistan would inform each other of the nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the pact on January 1 every year. This is the 31th consecutive exchange of such a list between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 01, 1992, the MEA stated. Watch latest videos by DH here: India on Saturday asked Pakistan to protect its citizens currently incarcerated in the jails of the neighbouring country from Covid-19. Islamabad informed New Delhi that 628 Indians or believed-to-be Indians 577 fishermen and 51 others were at present incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. New Delhi asked Islamabad to release and repatriate 358 prisoners 356 fishermen and two others currently jailed in Pakistan, but confirmed to be citizens of India. Besides, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 182 Indian fishermen and 17 other civilian prisoners, who are in the jails in the country, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). New Delhi asked Islamabad to expeditiously grant visas to the psychiatrists it wanted to send to assess the mental condition of the psychologically challenged prisoners incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. Islamabad had in early 2018 conveyed to New Delhi that it had identified altogether 27 prisoners, who had been psychologically challenged. New Delhi had proposed to send a team of psychiatrists to visit the jails in Pakistan and meet the psychologically challenged prisoners. Islamabad too had on March 7, 2018, agreed to allow the team of psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan. Read | India, Pak armies exchange sweets on New Year along LoC But, although almost four years passed since then, Islamabad so far did not grant visas to the psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan, notwithstanding several reminders by New Delhi. New Delhi on Saturday also handed over a list of 355 Pakistani citizens incarcerated in the jails in India. The list included 73 Pakistani fishermen, who were caught by the Indian Coast Guard after they crossed the maritime boundary while fishing in the Arabian Sea. India remains committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other's country, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the MEA, said in New Delhi. In this context, India has also urged Pakistan to expedite necessary action at its end to confirm the nationality status of 68 Pakistan prisoners, including fishermen, whose repatriation is pending for want of nationality confirmation by Pakistan. The two sides exchanged the lists of each other's citizens held in each other's prisons on Saturday, in keeping with a 2008 bilateral agreement. The agreement provides for exchange of such lists twice a year, on January 1 and July 1. New Delhi called upon Islamabad for early release and repatriation of Indian civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen, along with their boats, from the custody of Pakistan. India also proposed to organise an early visit of the Joint Judicial Committee to Pakistan to visit the jails in the neighbouring country. In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, Pakistan has been requested to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be Indian civil prisoners and fishermen, said the MEA spokesperson. India and Pakistan on Saturday also exchanged the lists of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the bilateral Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations. The agreement, which was signed on December 31, 1988 and entered into force on January 27, 1991 provides that India and Pakistan would inform each other of the nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the pact on January 1 every year. This is the 31th consecutive exchange of such a list between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 01, 1992, the MEA stated. Watch latest videos by DH here: People stand in a moment of silence remembering the children who've died this year at a community march called, "No Kids Die in the Chi" along 79th Street on Dec. 31, 2021, in Chicago. A coalition of community organizations participated in the peace march in response to an uptick in Chicago violence involving children in 2021. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) A small march on the South Side Friday aimed to draw attention to the growing number of Chicago children who have been shot amid a pandemic surge in gun violence. About 30 people participated in the No Kids Die in the Chi march that ran along 79th Street for about a mile from the Dan Ryan Expressway to Cottage Grove Avenue in the Chatham neighborhood. The demonstration was organized by several community organizations, including Violence Interrupters, House of Hope Foundation and Hug a Child Make a Change. Advertisement The group of peaceful demonstrators chanted Let them live! as children, community organizers and U.S. Rep. Danny Davis marched as passing cars honked in support. People walk in a community march called, "No Kids Die in the Chi" along 79th Street on Dec. 31, 2021, in Chicago. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Shawn Childs, from the House of Hope organization, condemns the increase in violence against children at a news conference before the community march. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Its easy to get behind no more guns, said Shawn Childs, an event organizer. Were here to tell children they do have a future. Advertisement Through Dec. 26, 415 children ages 17 and under had been shot in Chicago this year, a more than 50% increase since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Chicago Police Department statistics. The city was approaching 800 homicides for the year, the most in decades. Through Dec. 25, 793 people had been killed, 106 of them 19 years old or younger. The majority of those younger residents were Black and male. For the most part, they died on the West and South sides. In Chatham alone, four people 19 years old or younger have died this year. Holding neon signs that read, Let me be 12, Wait, we were just walking, and Let us graduate, the marchers drew stares and cellphones recorded from curious passersby. Others came out of nail and hair salons, to wave, nod or just watch. Children learn what they live, Davis said in a news conference before the march, saying stricter gun regulations could stem the flow of illegal guns. Phoenix McCray, 3, stands with her parents, Shalanda McCray, right, and Donald Akins, left, during the community march. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Tio Hardiman, a longtime anti-violence advocate, said the organizers wanted to draw particular attention to the Chatham and Grand Crossing neighborhoods because of the uptick in shootings the neighborhoods have experienced during the pandemic. There have been a lot of shootings and homicides in these areas, said Hardiman, founder and executive director of Violence Interrupters. We are raising our voices right before the new year to get the message out that there can be no more killing of kids in Chicago. Advertisement Vladimir Thompson, with the House of Hope, was among those chanting for peace and calling for an end to children dying in crossfire. I challenge all adults right now. Step up and save your block. Thompson said. Save your next-door neighbor. Jose Martinez said he participated in the march to stand behind the call to action for better role models in the community. Weve got 10, 11-year-olds carjacking, said Martinez, who lives in Humboldt Park and said he lost a 17-year-old son to gang violence more than two decades ago. In the latest bid to stem the citys surging crime, Chicago police Superintendent David Brown told reporters Thursday he plans to increase the number of homicide and violent crime detectives, bringing their too high caseload of about 5.5 each down to three cases per detective. Community organizer Phallon Payton talks about the need for the community to protect kids during a march called, "No Kids Die in the Chi" along 79th Street on Dec. 31, 2021, in Chicago. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Nationwide, gun violence has led to an increasing number of child deaths, with experts pointing to the effects of the pandemic, easy access to guns and disputes ending too often with gunfire. Advertisement In 2019, the U.S. had 991 gun violence deaths among people ages 17 or younger, according to the website Gun Violence Archive, which tracks shootings from more than 7,500 law enforcement, media, government and commercial sources. As of Friday morning, the number of children killed in 2021 stood at 1,523 with more than 4,000 people age 17 or younger injured in incidents of gun violence. In Chicago, 415 children ages 17 and under have been shot in Chicago this year through Dec. 26, up from 367 in 2020, according to statistics kept by the Police Department, which does not include shootings on the citys interstates. So far this year, 55 people ages 17 and under have been killed, according to CPD, the same number as in 2020. In 2019, the number of children ages 17 and under shot was 272 and the number killed was 38, as of late December that year. At one point, Fridays march paused for a moment of silence for the scores of children shot and killed in the city this year. Theres too much death, said Shalanda McCray said, whose sister led the crowd to bow their heads. Too many kids. Advertisement Chicago Tribunes Jeremy Gorner and Bill Ruthhart contributed. creyes@chicagotribune.com The LG reported that the administration is providing treatment and medical aid to the injured. Sinha also informed that a high-level inquiry has been ordered into the incident. The inquiry committee will be headed by Principal Secretary(Home) with Additional Director General of Police, Jammu and Divisional Commissioner of Jammu as members. At least 12 people were killed and around 20 others injured in the stampede. Shah, expressing grief and anguish over the stampede, said that he was deeply pained by the tragic accident at Vaishno Devi temple. "I have spoken to the Lieutenant Governor of J&K Manoj Sinha. The Administration is working continuously to provide treatment to the injured. I also express my condolences to the families whose kin lost their life in this stampede", Shah tweeted. Meanwhile, Union Minister of State Dr Jitendra Singh said that he is immediately rushing to Katra to take stock of the situation at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. "I look forward toA have a detail discussion with the administration and report it back to Hon'ble PM@NarendraModi," he tweeted. --IANS ams/shb/ ( 219 Words) 2022-01-01-09:26:04 (IANS) A total of 45 reporters and media workers were killed doing their jobs over the last year, the highest number among them in strife-torn Afghanistan, the worlds largest organization of journalists said Friday. The figure represents one of the lowest death tolls in 30 years, since the International Federation of Journalists first began publishing annual reports in 1991 on journalists killed in incidents related to their work. Sixty-five deaths were recorded in 2020. But the IFJ said the numbers in 2021 confirm a trend showing that media staff are most often killed for exposing corruption, crime and abuse of power in their communities, cities and countries. These 45 colleagues we lost to violence this year remind us of the terrible sacrifice journalists across the world continue to pay for serving the public interest and we remain in the debt to them and thousands of others who paid the ultimate price," said IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger. Bellanger said that the only tribute fit for the cause to which they gave their lives should be unrelenting pursuit for justice. The IFJ, which represents around 600,000 media professionals across the globe, said that the 45 journalists and media workers were killed in 20 countries. Of those, 33 died in targeted attacks. Nine were killed in Afghanistan, eight in Mexico, four in India and three in neighboring Pakistan. The organization said that 2,721 journalists have been killed around the world since 1991. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) A total of 45 reporters and media workers were killed doing their jobs over the last year, the highest number among them in strife-torn Afghanistan, the worlds largest organization of journalists said Friday. The figure represents one of the lowest death tolls in 30 years, since the International Federation of Journalists first began publishing annual reports in 1991 on journalists killed in incidents related to their work. Sixty-five deaths were recorded in 2020. But the IFJ said the numbers in 2021 confirm a trend showing that media staff are most often killed for exposing corruption, crime and abuse of power in their communities, cities and countries. These 45 colleagues we lost to violence this year remind us of the terrible sacrifice journalists across the world continue to pay for serving the public interest and we remain in the debt to them and thousands of others who paid the ultimate price," said IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger. Bellanger said that the only tribute fit for the cause to which they gave their lives should be unrelenting pursuit for justice. The IFJ, which represents around 600,000 media professionals across the globe, said that the 45 journalists and media workers were killed in 20 countries. Of those, 33 died in targeted attacks. Nine were killed in Afghanistan, eight in Mexico, four in India and three in neighboring Pakistan. The organization said that 2,721 journalists have been killed around the world since 1991. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Summary Part III, Love in the Big City (135) begins with Chapter 1. Young and his boyfriend Gyu-ho were planning to go to Japan, but Young realized his passport was expired. He told Gyu-ho to go without him and Have a million affairs (136). Gyu-ho and Young had not had sex for a long time. The two met at a gay club in Itaewon. Young was at the club with his younger friends. One friend, Ji-yeon, tried to fight with the DJ, and accidentally hit Young in the lip instead. Gyu-ho, the club's bartender, held a bottle of water to Young's lip and Young kissed him. He then worried because some of his blood went into Gyu-ho's mouth. Years earlier, when Young was on leave from military service, he went to a motel and had sex with his then-boyfriend. He later discovered he had contracted HIV from... India on Saturday asked Pakistan to protect its citizens currently incarcerated in the jails of the neighbouring country from Covid-19. Islamabad informed New Delhi that 628 Indians or believed-to-be Indians 577 fishermen and 51 others were at present incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. New Delhi asked Islamabad to release and repatriate 358 prisoners 356 fishermen and two others currently jailed in Pakistan, but confirmed to be citizens of India. Besides, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 182 Indian fishermen and 17 other civilian prisoners, who are in the jails in the country, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). New Delhi asked Islamabad to expeditiously grant visas to the psychiatrists it wanted to send to assess the mental condition of the psychologically challenged prisoners incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. Islamabad had in early 2018 conveyed to New Delhi that it had identified altogether 27 prisoners, who had been psychologically challenged. New Delhi had proposed to send a team of psychiatrists to visit the jails in Pakistan and meet the psychologically challenged prisoners. Islamabad too had on March 7, 2018, agreed to allow the team of psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan. Read | India, Pak armies exchange sweets on New Year along LoC But, although almost four years passed since then, Islamabad so far did not grant visas to the psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan, notwithstanding several reminders by New Delhi. New Delhi on Saturday also handed over a list of 355 Pakistani citizens incarcerated in the jails in India. The list included 73 Pakistani fishermen, who were caught by the Indian Coast Guard after they crossed the maritime boundary while fishing in the Arabian Sea. India remains committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other's country, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the MEA, said in New Delhi. In this context, India has also urged Pakistan to expedite necessary action at its end to confirm the nationality status of 68 Pakistan prisoners, including fishermen, whose repatriation is pending for want of nationality confirmation by Pakistan. The two sides exchanged the lists of each other's citizens held in each other's prisons on Saturday, in keeping with a 2008 bilateral agreement. The agreement provides for exchange of such lists twice a year, on January 1 and July 1. New Delhi called upon Islamabad for early release and repatriation of Indian civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen, along with their boats, from the custody of Pakistan. India also proposed to organise an early visit of the Joint Judicial Committee to Pakistan to visit the jails in the neighbouring country. In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, Pakistan has been requested to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be Indian civil prisoners and fishermen, said the MEA spokesperson. India and Pakistan on Saturday also exchanged the lists of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the bilateral Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations. The agreement, which was signed on December 31, 1988 and entered into force on January 27, 1991 provides that India and Pakistan would inform each other of the nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the pact on January 1 every year. This is the 31th consecutive exchange of such a list between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 01, 1992, the MEA stated. Watch latest videos by DH here: The LG reported that the administration is providing treatment and medical aid to the injured. Sinha also informed that a high-level inquiry has been ordered into the incident. The inquiry committee will be headed by Principal Secretary(Home) with Additional Director General of Police, Jammu and Divisional Commissioner of Jammu as members. At least 12 people were killed and around 20 others injured in the stampede. Shah, expressing grief and anguish over the stampede, said that he was deeply pained by the tragic accident at Vaishno Devi temple. "I have spoken to the Lieutenant Governor of J&K Manoj Sinha. The Administration is working continuously to provide treatment to the injured. I also express my condolences to the families whose kin lost their life in this stampede", Shah tweeted. Meanwhile, Union Minister of State Dr Jitendra Singh said that he is immediately rushing to Katra to take stock of the situation at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. "I look forward toA have a detail discussion with the administration and report it back to Hon'ble PM@NarendraModi," he tweeted. --IANS ams/shb/ ( 219 Words) 2022-01-01-09:26:04 (IANS) India on Saturday asked Pakistan to protect its citizens currently incarcerated in the jails of the neighbouring country from Covid-19. Islamabad informed New Delhi that 628 Indians or believed-to-be Indians 577 fishermen and 51 others were at present incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. New Delhi asked Islamabad to release and repatriate 358 prisoners 356 fishermen and two others currently jailed in Pakistan, but confirmed to be citizens of India. Besides, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 182 Indian fishermen and 17 other civilian prisoners, who are in the jails in the country, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). New Delhi asked Islamabad to expeditiously grant visas to the psychiatrists it wanted to send to assess the mental condition of the psychologically challenged prisoners incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. Islamabad had in early 2018 conveyed to New Delhi that it had identified altogether 27 prisoners, who had been psychologically challenged. New Delhi had proposed to send a team of psychiatrists to visit the jails in Pakistan and meet the psychologically challenged prisoners. Islamabad too had on March 7, 2018, agreed to allow the team of psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan. Read | India, Pak armies exchange sweets on New Year along LoC But, although almost four years passed since then, Islamabad so far did not grant visas to the psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan, notwithstanding several reminders by New Delhi. New Delhi on Saturday also handed over a list of 355 Pakistani citizens incarcerated in the jails in India. The list included 73 Pakistani fishermen, who were caught by the Indian Coast Guard after they crossed the maritime boundary while fishing in the Arabian Sea. India remains committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other's country, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the MEA, said in New Delhi. In this context, India has also urged Pakistan to expedite necessary action at its end to confirm the nationality status of 68 Pakistan prisoners, including fishermen, whose repatriation is pending for want of nationality confirmation by Pakistan. The two sides exchanged the lists of each other's citizens held in each other's prisons on Saturday, in keeping with a 2008 bilateral agreement. The agreement provides for exchange of such lists twice a year, on January 1 and July 1. New Delhi called upon Islamabad for early release and repatriation of Indian civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen, along with their boats, from the custody of Pakistan. India also proposed to organise an early visit of the Joint Judicial Committee to Pakistan to visit the jails in the neighbouring country. In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, Pakistan has been requested to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be Indian civil prisoners and fishermen, said the MEA spokesperson. India and Pakistan on Saturday also exchanged the lists of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the bilateral Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations. The agreement, which was signed on December 31, 1988 and entered into force on January 27, 1991 provides that India and Pakistan would inform each other of the nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the pact on January 1 every year. This is the 31th consecutive exchange of such a list between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 01, 1992, the MEA stated. Watch latest videos by DH here: India on Saturday asked Pakistan to protect its citizens currently incarcerated in the jails of the neighbouring country from Covid-19. Islamabad informed New Delhi that 628 Indians or believed-to-be Indians 577 fishermen and 51 others were at present incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. New Delhi asked Islamabad to release and repatriate 358 prisoners 356 fishermen and two others currently jailed in Pakistan, but confirmed to be citizens of India. Besides, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 182 Indian fishermen and 17 other civilian prisoners, who are in the jails in the country, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). New Delhi asked Islamabad to expeditiously grant visas to the psychiatrists it wanted to send to assess the mental condition of the psychologically challenged prisoners incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. Islamabad had in early 2018 conveyed to New Delhi that it had identified altogether 27 prisoners, who had been psychologically challenged. New Delhi had proposed to send a team of psychiatrists to visit the jails in Pakistan and meet the psychologically challenged prisoners. Islamabad too had on March 7, 2018, agreed to allow the team of psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan. Read | India, Pak armies exchange sweets on New Year along LoC But, although almost four years passed since then, Islamabad so far did not grant visas to the psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan, notwithstanding several reminders by New Delhi. New Delhi on Saturday also handed over a list of 355 Pakistani citizens incarcerated in the jails in India. The list included 73 Pakistani fishermen, who were caught by the Indian Coast Guard after they crossed the maritime boundary while fishing in the Arabian Sea. India remains committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other's country, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the MEA, said in New Delhi. In this context, India has also urged Pakistan to expedite necessary action at its end to confirm the nationality status of 68 Pakistan prisoners, including fishermen, whose repatriation is pending for want of nationality confirmation by Pakistan. The two sides exchanged the lists of each other's citizens held in each other's prisons on Saturday, in keeping with a 2008 bilateral agreement. The agreement provides for exchange of such lists twice a year, on January 1 and July 1. New Delhi called upon Islamabad for early release and repatriation of Indian civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen, along with their boats, from the custody of Pakistan. India also proposed to organise an early visit of the Joint Judicial Committee to Pakistan to visit the jails in the neighbouring country. In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, Pakistan has been requested to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be Indian civil prisoners and fishermen, said the MEA spokesperson. India and Pakistan on Saturday also exchanged the lists of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the bilateral Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations. The agreement, which was signed on December 31, 1988 and entered into force on January 27, 1991 provides that India and Pakistan would inform each other of the nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the pact on January 1 every year. This is the 31th consecutive exchange of such a list between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 01, 1992, the MEA stated. Watch latest videos by DH here: India on Saturday asked Pakistan to protect its citizens currently incarcerated in the jails of the neighbouring country from Covid-19. Islamabad informed New Delhi that 628 Indians or believed-to-be Indians 577 fishermen and 51 others were at present incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. New Delhi asked Islamabad to release and repatriate 358 prisoners 356 fishermen and two others currently jailed in Pakistan, but confirmed to be citizens of India. Besides, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 182 Indian fishermen and 17 other civilian prisoners, who are in the jails in the country, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). New Delhi asked Islamabad to expeditiously grant visas to the psychiatrists it wanted to send to assess the mental condition of the psychologically challenged prisoners incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. Islamabad had in early 2018 conveyed to New Delhi that it had identified altogether 27 prisoners, who had been psychologically challenged. New Delhi had proposed to send a team of psychiatrists to visit the jails in Pakistan and meet the psychologically challenged prisoners. Islamabad too had on March 7, 2018, agreed to allow the team of psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan. Read | India, Pak armies exchange sweets on New Year along LoC But, although almost four years passed since then, Islamabad so far did not grant visas to the psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan, notwithstanding several reminders by New Delhi. New Delhi on Saturday also handed over a list of 355 Pakistani citizens incarcerated in the jails in India. The list included 73 Pakistani fishermen, who were caught by the Indian Coast Guard after they crossed the maritime boundary while fishing in the Arabian Sea. India remains committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other's country, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the MEA, said in New Delhi. In this context, India has also urged Pakistan to expedite necessary action at its end to confirm the nationality status of 68 Pakistan prisoners, including fishermen, whose repatriation is pending for want of nationality confirmation by Pakistan. The two sides exchanged the lists of each other's citizens held in each other's prisons on Saturday, in keeping with a 2008 bilateral agreement. The agreement provides for exchange of such lists twice a year, on January 1 and July 1. New Delhi called upon Islamabad for early release and repatriation of Indian civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen, along with their boats, from the custody of Pakistan. India also proposed to organise an early visit of the Joint Judicial Committee to Pakistan to visit the jails in the neighbouring country. In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, Pakistan has been requested to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be Indian civil prisoners and fishermen, said the MEA spokesperson. India and Pakistan on Saturday also exchanged the lists of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the bilateral Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations. The agreement, which was signed on December 31, 1988 and entered into force on January 27, 1991 provides that India and Pakistan would inform each other of the nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the pact on January 1 every year. This is the 31th consecutive exchange of such a list between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 01, 1992, the MEA stated. Watch latest videos by DH here: India on Saturday asked Pakistan to protect its citizens currently incarcerated in the jails of the neighbouring country from Covid-19. Islamabad informed New Delhi that 628 Indians or believed-to-be Indians 577 fishermen and 51 others were at present incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. New Delhi asked Islamabad to release and repatriate 358 prisoners 356 fishermen and two others currently jailed in Pakistan, but confirmed to be citizens of India. Besides, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 182 Indian fishermen and 17 other civilian prisoners, who are in the jails in the country, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). New Delhi asked Islamabad to expeditiously grant visas to the psychiatrists it wanted to send to assess the mental condition of the psychologically challenged prisoners incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. Islamabad had in early 2018 conveyed to New Delhi that it had identified altogether 27 prisoners, who had been psychologically challenged. New Delhi had proposed to send a team of psychiatrists to visit the jails in Pakistan and meet the psychologically challenged prisoners. Islamabad too had on March 7, 2018, agreed to allow the team of psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan. Read | India, Pak armies exchange sweets on New Year along LoC But, although almost four years passed since then, Islamabad so far did not grant visas to the psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan, notwithstanding several reminders by New Delhi. New Delhi on Saturday also handed over a list of 355 Pakistani citizens incarcerated in the jails in India. The list included 73 Pakistani fishermen, who were caught by the Indian Coast Guard after they crossed the maritime boundary while fishing in the Arabian Sea. India remains committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other's country, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the MEA, said in New Delhi. In this context, India has also urged Pakistan to expedite necessary action at its end to confirm the nationality status of 68 Pakistan prisoners, including fishermen, whose repatriation is pending for want of nationality confirmation by Pakistan. The two sides exchanged the lists of each other's citizens held in each other's prisons on Saturday, in keeping with a 2008 bilateral agreement. The agreement provides for exchange of such lists twice a year, on January 1 and July 1. New Delhi called upon Islamabad for early release and repatriation of Indian civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen, along with their boats, from the custody of Pakistan. India also proposed to organise an early visit of the Joint Judicial Committee to Pakistan to visit the jails in the neighbouring country. In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, Pakistan has been requested to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be Indian civil prisoners and fishermen, said the MEA spokesperson. India and Pakistan on Saturday also exchanged the lists of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the bilateral Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations. The agreement, which was signed on December 31, 1988 and entered into force on January 27, 1991 provides that India and Pakistan would inform each other of the nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the pact on January 1 every year. This is the 31th consecutive exchange of such a list between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 01, 1992, the MEA stated. Watch latest videos by DH here: India on Saturday asked Pakistan to protect its citizens currently incarcerated in the jails of the neighbouring country from Covid-19. Islamabad informed New Delhi that 628 Indians or believed-to-be Indians 577 fishermen and 51 others were at present incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. New Delhi asked Islamabad to release and repatriate 358 prisoners 356 fishermen and two others currently jailed in Pakistan, but confirmed to be citizens of India. Besides, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 182 Indian fishermen and 17 other civilian prisoners, who are in the jails in the country, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). New Delhi asked Islamabad to expeditiously grant visas to the psychiatrists it wanted to send to assess the mental condition of the psychologically challenged prisoners incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. Islamabad had in early 2018 conveyed to New Delhi that it had identified altogether 27 prisoners, who had been psychologically challenged. New Delhi had proposed to send a team of psychiatrists to visit the jails in Pakistan and meet the psychologically challenged prisoners. Islamabad too had on March 7, 2018, agreed to allow the team of psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan. Read | India, Pak armies exchange sweets on New Year along LoC But, although almost four years passed since then, Islamabad so far did not grant visas to the psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan, notwithstanding several reminders by New Delhi. New Delhi on Saturday also handed over a list of 355 Pakistani citizens incarcerated in the jails in India. The list included 73 Pakistani fishermen, who were caught by the Indian Coast Guard after they crossed the maritime boundary while fishing in the Arabian Sea. India remains committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other's country, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the MEA, said in New Delhi. In this context, India has also urged Pakistan to expedite necessary action at its end to confirm the nationality status of 68 Pakistan prisoners, including fishermen, whose repatriation is pending for want of nationality confirmation by Pakistan. The two sides exchanged the lists of each other's citizens held in each other's prisons on Saturday, in keeping with a 2008 bilateral agreement. The agreement provides for exchange of such lists twice a year, on January 1 and July 1. New Delhi called upon Islamabad for early release and repatriation of Indian civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen, along with their boats, from the custody of Pakistan. India also proposed to organise an early visit of the Joint Judicial Committee to Pakistan to visit the jails in the neighbouring country. In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, Pakistan has been requested to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be Indian civil prisoners and fishermen, said the MEA spokesperson. India and Pakistan on Saturday also exchanged the lists of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the bilateral Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations. The agreement, which was signed on December 31, 1988 and entered into force on January 27, 1991 provides that India and Pakistan would inform each other of the nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the pact on January 1 every year. This is the 31th consecutive exchange of such a list between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 01, 1992, the MEA stated. Watch latest videos by DH here: India on Saturday asked Pakistan to protect its citizens currently incarcerated in the jails of the neighbouring country from Covid-19. Islamabad informed New Delhi that 628 Indians or believed-to-be Indians 577 fishermen and 51 others were at present incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. New Delhi asked Islamabad to release and repatriate 358 prisoners 356 fishermen and two others currently jailed in Pakistan, but confirmed to be citizens of India. Besides, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 182 Indian fishermen and 17 other civilian prisoners, who are in the jails in the country, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). New Delhi asked Islamabad to expeditiously grant visas to the psychiatrists it wanted to send to assess the mental condition of the psychologically challenged prisoners incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. Islamabad had in early 2018 conveyed to New Delhi that it had identified altogether 27 prisoners, who had been psychologically challenged. New Delhi had proposed to send a team of psychiatrists to visit the jails in Pakistan and meet the psychologically challenged prisoners. Islamabad too had on March 7, 2018, agreed to allow the team of psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan. Read | India, Pak armies exchange sweets on New Year along LoC But, although almost four years passed since then, Islamabad so far did not grant visas to the psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan, notwithstanding several reminders by New Delhi. New Delhi on Saturday also handed over a list of 355 Pakistani citizens incarcerated in the jails in India. The list included 73 Pakistani fishermen, who were caught by the Indian Coast Guard after they crossed the maritime boundary while fishing in the Arabian Sea. India remains committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other's country, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the MEA, said in New Delhi. In this context, India has also urged Pakistan to expedite necessary action at its end to confirm the nationality status of 68 Pakistan prisoners, including fishermen, whose repatriation is pending for want of nationality confirmation by Pakistan. The two sides exchanged the lists of each other's citizens held in each other's prisons on Saturday, in keeping with a 2008 bilateral agreement. The agreement provides for exchange of such lists twice a year, on January 1 and July 1. New Delhi called upon Islamabad for early release and repatriation of Indian civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen, along with their boats, from the custody of Pakistan. India also proposed to organise an early visit of the Joint Judicial Committee to Pakistan to visit the jails in the neighbouring country. In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, Pakistan has been requested to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be Indian civil prisoners and fishermen, said the MEA spokesperson. India and Pakistan on Saturday also exchanged the lists of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the bilateral Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations. The agreement, which was signed on December 31, 1988 and entered into force on January 27, 1991 provides that India and Pakistan would inform each other of the nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the pact on January 1 every year. This is the 31th consecutive exchange of such a list between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 01, 1992, the MEA stated. Watch latest videos by DH here: remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/india-accuses-pakistan-of-being-non-transparent-in-selection-of-hindu-pilgrims-bound-for-peshawar-1091956836.html India Accuses Pakistan of Being 'Non-Transparent' in Selection of Hindu Pilgrims Bound For Peshawar India Accuses Pakistan of Being 'Non-Transparent' in Selection of Hindu Pilgrims Bound For Peshawar The Teri Temple near Peshawar is dedicated to a Hindu saint: Paramhans Dayal. The Pakistani Hindu community organised a massive event to mark the Diwali... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T09:16+0000 2022-01-01T09:16+0000 2022-08-06T14:40+0000 karachi peshawar air india pakistan kashmir /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/19/1080567072_0:59:1280:779_1920x0_80_0_0_b5c993f5d392bb60a94e8ba600ef3e5a.jpg India has slammed Pakistan for extending an invite to a "select group" of people to visit a famed Hindu temple in Peshawar, claiming that the selection process by Islamabad was carried out in a non-transparent manner.Pakistani parliamentarian Ramesh Vankvani, who also heads the Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC), has said that another batch of Hindu pilgrims will also be arriving in Pakistan from Dubai.The Hindu pilgrims will be in Pakistan for four days and will visit the Hindu religious sites of Teri Temple near Peshawar (in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province) and the Hinglaj Mata Temple in Balochistan during their visit, as per Vankvani.He also claimed that from next month onwards, the Indian pilgrims will be able to fly straight to Peshawar and Karachi from Indian cities rather than crossing the border on foot and then taking a connecting flight from Lahore, around 30 kilometres from the Wagah border.Vankvani further said that the PHC will also organise a visit of Pakistani citizens, including parliamentarians, after 20 January to the renowned Muslim religious shrines located in the Indian cities of Ajmer and New Delhi.He said that these visits will boost people-to-people ties between the two subcontinental neighbours.Ties between Pakistan and India have been particularly strained since New Delhis decision to scrap the semi-autonomous status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019. In response, Islamabad, which controls a part of Jammu and Kashmir, rejected New Delhis move and downgraded diplomatic ties with its eastern neighbour.Prime Minister Imran Khans government has said that it wont resume a formal dialogue with New Delhi until it rolls back its August 2019 decisions, which also included bifurcating the former state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories.New Delhi has rejected Islamabads criticism and consistently maintained that anything that has to do with Jammu and Kashmir remains Indias internal matter. https://sputniknews.com/20201231/arson-at-hindu-temple-in-pakistans-khyber-pakhtunkhwa-triggers-communal-tension---video-1081618118.html https://sputniknews.com/20210621/pakistani-pm-imran-khan-slams-western-hypocrisy-for-ignoring-kashmir-focusing-on-uyghurs-in-china-1083197024.html karachi peshawar kashmir Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Dhairya Maheshwari Dhairya Maheshwari News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Dhairya Maheshwari karachi, peshawar, air india, pakistan, kashmir The armies of India and Pakistan exchanged sweets with each other on Saturday to mark the New Year on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. A defence ministry statement said, "At the beginning of the year 2022, to promote mutual trust and tranquility, Indian Army exchanged sweets and greetings with Pakistan Army at Poonch and Mendhar Crossing Points." "Considering the ongoing ceasefire along the India-Pakistan border, this gesture is aimed at further enhancing peace and harmony in Jammu & Kashmir." Check out the latest videos from DH: India on Saturday asked Pakistan to protect its citizens currently incarcerated in the jails of the neighbouring country from Covid-19. Islamabad informed New Delhi that 628 Indians or believed-to-be Indians 577 fishermen and 51 others were at present incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. New Delhi asked Islamabad to release and repatriate 358 prisoners 356 fishermen and two others currently jailed in Pakistan, but confirmed to be citizens of India. Besides, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 182 Indian fishermen and 17 other civilian prisoners, who are in the jails in the country, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). New Delhi asked Islamabad to expeditiously grant visas to the psychiatrists it wanted to send to assess the mental condition of the psychologically challenged prisoners incarcerated in the jails in Pakistan. Islamabad had in early 2018 conveyed to New Delhi that it had identified altogether 27 prisoners, who had been psychologically challenged. New Delhi had proposed to send a team of psychiatrists to visit the jails in Pakistan and meet the psychologically challenged prisoners. Islamabad too had on March 7, 2018, agreed to allow the team of psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan. Read | India, Pak armies exchange sweets on New Year along LoC But, although almost four years passed since then, Islamabad so far did not grant visas to the psychiatrists from India to visit Pakistan, notwithstanding several reminders by New Delhi. New Delhi on Saturday also handed over a list of 355 Pakistani citizens incarcerated in the jails in India. The list included 73 Pakistani fishermen, who were caught by the Indian Coast Guard after they crossed the maritime boundary while fishing in the Arabian Sea. India remains committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other's country, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the MEA, said in New Delhi. In this context, India has also urged Pakistan to expedite necessary action at its end to confirm the nationality status of 68 Pakistan prisoners, including fishermen, whose repatriation is pending for want of nationality confirmation by Pakistan. The two sides exchanged the lists of each other's citizens held in each other's prisons on Saturday, in keeping with a 2008 bilateral agreement. The agreement provides for exchange of such lists twice a year, on January 1 and July 1. New Delhi called upon Islamabad for early release and repatriation of Indian civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen, along with their boats, from the custody of Pakistan. India also proposed to organise an early visit of the Joint Judicial Committee to Pakistan to visit the jails in the neighbouring country. In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, Pakistan has been requested to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be Indian civil prisoners and fishermen, said the MEA spokesperson. India and Pakistan on Saturday also exchanged the lists of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the bilateral Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations. The agreement, which was signed on December 31, 1988 and entered into force on January 27, 1991 provides that India and Pakistan would inform each other of the nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the pact on January 1 every year. This is the 31th consecutive exchange of such a list between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 01, 1992, the MEA stated. Watch latest videos by DH here: Summary In Part IV, Late Day Rainy Season (189), Chapter 1, Young arrived at the Bangkok Park Hyatt Hotel to meet an older man named Habibi. The proprietor of the hotel recognized him from his earlier trip and asked about Gyu-ho. When Gyu-ho and Young broke up, Young threw away Gyu-ho's mattress, which had been lying in the apartment next to his own. He also quit his job and found it difficult to get out of bed. Then, he went to Thailand to see Habibi, who he had met on Tinder in Seoul. He refers to Habibi as A body in a suit (195). On their date in Seoul, they had wandered into a protest, and Young translated the demonstrators' slogan for Habibi: Get rid of old, evil practices (197). Young recalled arriving at the Bangkok Park Hyatt with Gyu-ho. The concierge invited them to a party on... Summary In Part IV, Late Day Rainy Season (189), Chapter 1, Young arrived at the Bangkok Park Hyatt Hotel to meet an older man named Habibi. The proprietor of the hotel recognized him from his earlier trip and asked about Gyu-ho. When Gyu-ho and Young broke up, Young threw away Gyu-ho's mattress, which had been lying in the apartment next to his own. He also quit his job and found it difficult to get out of bed. Then, he went to Thailand to see Habibi, who he had met on Tinder in Seoul. He refers to Habibi as A body in a suit (195). On their date in Seoul, they had wandered into a protest, and Young translated the demonstrators' slogan for Habibi: Get rid of old, evil practices (197). Young recalled arriving at the Bangkok Park Hyatt with Gyu-ho. The concierge invited them to a party on... remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Hollywood celebrities are mourning the loss of actor and comedian Betty White, who died at the age of 99, nearly three weeks before her 100th birthday. Celebrities began to flood social media with tributes for the icon, who died at her home on Friday. Stars such as Sandra Bullock, Reese Witherspoon, Viola Davis, Debra Messing and Diane Kruger paid their respects. Bullock, White's co-star in 'The Proposal', shared a statement with Variety. "I don't drink vodka ... but I will tonight, on ice, with a slice of lemon with a hot dog on the other side and just be ok being sad. I'll have to buy some rose-coloured glasses because Betty was that for all of us," the actor said. Witherspoon took to Twitter and wrote, "So sad to hear about Betty White passing. I loved watching her characters that brought so much joy. Thank you, Betty, for making us all laugh!" Davis also mourned the iconic actor's death and tweeted, "RIP Betty White! Man did I think you would live forever. You blew a huge hole in this world that will inspire generations. Rest in glorious peace....you've earned your wings." Messing also paid her respects to the late star, writing, "Betty White. Oh noooooooo. I grew up watching and being delighted by her. She was playful and daring and smart. We all knew this day would come but it doesn't take away the feeling of loss. A national treasure, indeed. Fly with the Angels." Ellen DeGeneres also tweeted, "What an exceptional life. I'm grateful for every second I got to spend with Betty White. Sending love to her family, friends and all of us." Dionne Warwick, who appeared with White on several shows in the '70s, tweeted, "Another brilliant talent has made her transition. I had the pleasure of getting to know Betty White and shared a few giggles with her. May she rest in well-earned peace." Several other celebrities including Kathy Griffin, Kerry Washington, Conan O'Brien, Cher, William Shatner, Andy Cohen, Henry Winkler, Valerie Bertinelli, Seth Meyers also mourned the demise of White. White "died peacefully in her sleep at her home early this morning," her agent and close friend Jeff Witjas told People magazine on Friday afternoon. The Emmy Award-winning actor, who was born in 1922, would have turned 100 on January 17 this year. She was widely known for her lead role as Rose Nylund in 'The Golden Girls', which ran from 1985 to 1992. Moreover, White won five primetime Emmy Awards -- including two for 'Mary Tyler Moore,' one for 'Golden Girls' and one for her 1975 'SNL' appearance -- along with Screen Actors Guild Awards, American Comedy Awards and even a 2012 Grammy. (ANI) Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. New Delhi: To fuel terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, authorities in Punjab have confirmed at least eight drone sorties, carrying 80 kg of weapons that were sent across the border into Punjab by revived Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) outufit backed by Pakistan and Germany-based terror group. Five people have so far been arrested by Punjab Police in connection with the drone drops, according to Hindustan Times report. The deliveries were made on the intervening nights of September 6/7, 9/10 and the last one on 15/16. The last drone crashed at Rajoke Village, Khalra police station, in Tarn Taran, near a border drain which is 2km from the fencing on the international border with Pakistan, the report added. It has also been revealed that such deliveries took place on four different dates, mostly between 9.30 pm and 10.30 pm with the drone making two sorties within an hour, said a senior Punjab Police official. Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has decided to hand over further investigations in the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to ensure that the entire conspiracy is unravelled. With initial investigations revealing the use of drones to deliver terrorists weapons and communication hardware across the border, the chief minister has also urged the Central government to direct the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Border Security Force (BSF) to launch necessary counter-measures to check any further threat from drones to the border state of Punjab. According to DGP Dinkar Gupta, the weapons were suspected to have been delivered recently across the Indo-Pak border from Pakistan over drones launched by the Pak establishment, the ISI, and the state-sponsored Jihadi and pro-Khalistani terrorist outfits working under its command. Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to withdraw Jammu and Kashmirs special status and bifurcated it into two Union Territories, evoking strong reactions from Pakistan. Pakistan downgraded diplomatic relations and suspended bilateral trade with India. Islamabad had demanded that the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) set up a commission to look into what it termed as Indian brutality" in the region. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. 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. Drivers check fruits quality near the border gate with China in Vietnam's Lang Son Province on December 16, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade has requested China's Guangxi region to reopen its border gates with Vietnam and extend customs clearance hours to resolve the container congestion. Guangxi's "zero Covid" measures, including shutting the border and suspending the imports of certain fruits, were unnecessary, senior trade ministry officials told Guangxi trade officials Friday. The policy has disrupted the supply chain and caused negative impacts on bilateral trade development, resulting in big losses for businesses and people of both countries, the Vietnamese officials said. The ministry proposed that Guangxi recruits more drivers and workers on its side to deal with the staff shortage. It also suggested that fully vaccinated Vietnamese be sent across the border to work. It wants Guangxi to facilitate shipment via trains and ships; as also resume importing Vietnamese dragon fruits. Guangxi trade officials said that they would increase the duration of customs clearance based on the agreement between the local authorities of the border gates. They will forward other proposals to higher authorities, Guangxi officials said. Thousands of container trucks have been stuck at the border for over a month after China tightened its Covid-19 preventive measures. On Friday 2,945 container trucks were stuck at the border in Vietnams Lang Son Province, down 191 from a day earlier. Many trucks have had to turn around and distribute their produce locally for a loss as the fruits were beginning to rot. Of the three major borders gates in Lang Son, two are operating with limited capacity while one is still shut. Lang Son authorities estimate that it would take more than a month to resolve the container jam at current speed. Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has sent four letters to the Chinas Ministry of Commerce, China Customs and secretaries of the two localities - GuangXi and Yunnan - requesting the agencies intervention in resolving the issues. Drivers check fruits quality near the border gate with China in Vietnam's Lang Son Province on December 16, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade has requested China's Guangxi region to reopen its border gates with Vietnam and extend customs clearance hours to resolve the container congestion. Guangxi's "zero Covid" measures, including shutting the border and suspending the imports of certain fruits, were unnecessary, senior trade ministry officials told Guangxi trade officials Friday. The policy has disrupted the supply chain and caused negative impacts on bilateral trade development, resulting in big losses for businesses and people of both countries, the Vietnamese officials said. The ministry proposed that Guangxi recruits more drivers and workers on its side to deal with the staff shortage. It also suggested that fully vaccinated Vietnamese be sent across the border to work. It wants Guangxi to facilitate shipment via trains and ships; as also resume importing Vietnamese dragon fruits. Guangxi trade officials said that they would increase the duration of customs clearance based on the agreement between the local authorities of the border gates. They will forward other proposals to higher authorities, Guangxi officials said. Thousands of container trucks have been stuck at the border for over a month after China tightened its Covid-19 preventive measures. On Friday 2,945 container trucks were stuck at the border in Vietnams Lang Son Province, down 191 from a day earlier. Many trucks have had to turn around and distribute their produce locally for a loss as the fruits were beginning to rot. Of the three major borders gates in Lang Son, two are operating with limited capacity while one is still shut. Lang Son authorities estimate that it would take more than a month to resolve the container jam at current speed. Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has sent four letters to the Chinas Ministry of Commerce, China Customs and secretaries of the two localities - GuangXi and Yunnan - requesting the agencies intervention in resolving the issues. New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday attended the commissioning ceremony of Indian Coast Guard's offshore patrol vessel Varaha in Chennai. Varaha is an offshore patrol vehicle developed by a private agency in accordance with a contract signed with the Defence Ministry. The Union Defence Ministry had awarded the contract to Larsen and Turbo in March 2015 for construction of seven Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs). The firm is to build seven offshore patrol vehicles as part of this contract out of which the first two have already been delivered and commissioned in the Indian navy. In a tweet from its official Twitter handle, Ministry of Defence announced- Today, as Varaha joins the Indian Coast Guard fleet, I wish the Commanding Officer and the crew all the very best and may "Lord Varuna" always bestow his blessings on them for contributing effectively towards the Nation's Maritime Interest, keeping our flag flying high: RM aaaAAAaa aaaaAAAaa aaaaAAAaaaa/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) September 25, 2019 Varaha has state of the art technology, navigation and communication equipment, designed to carry one twin engine light helicopter and also has capabilities of flying in night. ICGS Varaha has been planned to be based at New Mangalore. This ship carries limited oil spill equipment to contain oil spills. Howver, Rajnath Singh recently became the first defence minister to fly in the indigenously-built light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas. The Defence Minister took off in the Tejas fighter aircraft from the HAL airport in Bengaluru for a sortie which lasted for around 30 minutes. Wearing a G suit, holding his helmet under his arms and sporting aviator glasses, Singh looked every inch a fighter pilot. He was accompanied by Air Vice Marshal N Tiwari, who is also the Project Director, National Flight Test Centre, ADA (Aeronautical Development Agency) in Bengaluru. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday attended the commissioning ceremony of Indian Coast Guard's offshore patrol vessel Varaha in Chennai. Varaha is an offshore patrol vehicle developed by a private agency in accordance with a contract signed with the Defence Ministry. The Union Defence Ministry had awarded the contract to Larsen and Turbo in March 2015 for construction of seven Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs). The firm is to build seven offshore patrol vehicles as part of this contract out of which the first two have already been delivered and commissioned in the Indian navy. In a tweet from its official Twitter handle, Ministry of Defence announced- Today, as Varaha joins the Indian Coast Guard fleet, I wish the Commanding Officer and the crew all the very best and may "Lord Varuna" always bestow his blessings on them for contributing effectively towards the Nation's Maritime Interest, keeping our flag flying high: RM aaaAAAaa aaaaAAAaa aaaaAAAaaaa/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) September 25, 2019 Varaha has state of the art technology, navigation and communication equipment, designed to carry one twin engine light helicopter and also has capabilities of flying in night. ICGS Varaha has been planned to be based at New Mangalore. This ship carries limited oil spill equipment to contain oil spills. Howver, Rajnath Singh recently became the first defence minister to fly in the indigenously-built light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas. The Defence Minister took off in the Tejas fighter aircraft from the HAL airport in Bengaluru for a sortie which lasted for around 30 minutes. Wearing a G suit, holding his helmet under his arms and sporting aviator glasses, Singh looked every inch a fighter pilot. He was accompanied by Air Vice Marshal N Tiwari, who is also the Project Director, National Flight Test Centre, ADA (Aeronautical Development Agency) in Bengaluru. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The Mumbai Income Tax team, which is conducting raids at the premises of Uttar Pradesh businessmen Pushapraj Pampi Jain, Anup Jain, Mahavir Prasad, Faizan Malik, and Malik Mian, have collected a lot of evidence against them and are examining the balance sheets of FY 2016-2021. The raids, which started in the early morning of December 31, are still going on at various places belonging to these five perfume businessmen. On the first day of the new year, perfume businessman Faizan Malik's house was raided. The sources have claimed that gold was found at the house and questioning was going on to know whether tax was paid on the purchase or not. The Income Tax officials are taking the help of local police, which are assisting them in the raid. A large number of police personnel was deployed outside the house of Faizan Malik to avoid any untoward incident. "Mahavir Prasad is a close associate of Pampi Jain. He has an office on Express Road in Kanpur. One Anup Jain's Anand Nagar situated office was also searched by the I-T team," said an official. Pampi Jain's house was closed from inside when the raid was going on and the window panes were covered to prevent outsiders from peeping inside or recording anything from outside. A police team was present inside the room. On Saturday the I-T department called the Chartered Accountants (CA) of Pampi Jain's company. The I-T team wants to gather information regarding the business partner of Pampi Jain with whom he has deals. They will also question the money transactions. Sources have claimed that they have recovered a few incriminating documents, including a pen drive. Another team of Income Tax was present at the Pragati Aroma factory of Pampi Jain which is situated near his house where he makes perfumery compounds. The I-T team, which started the raid on Friday morning, was continuing its action on Saturday as it was going through a lot of documents to get proof against Pampi on tax evasion. Raids were also going on at the premises of Malik Mian who also deals in the perfumery business. An I-T official said on the condition of anonymity that they were checking the balance sheets between FY 2016 and 2021. The official said that once the raid, which was also going on also in Surat, is over, then only they will be able to comment on the entire matter. Check out the latest videos from DH: New Delhi: India has dubbed reports as baseless claiming Pakistan Air Force (PAF) flying Rafale fighter jets. Islamabad-based newspaper had claimed that PAF pilots got the training to operate Rafale fighter jets. The Pakistani media report, according to Times Now had stated: "(The aircraft) ... has reportedly been undermined by recent reports that Pakistani pilots were given access to the aircraft and trained to operate them in France... The Pakistani military is likely aware of the exact specifications of the fighters has dealt a serious blow to the platform's potential viability in Indian hands." "While the primary pretext link for Rafale acquisition has been to counter Pakistan, particularly in light of recent skirmishes in the air between the two countries in late February 2019, news that the Pakistani military is likely aware of the exact specifications of the fighters has dealt a serious blow to the platform's potential viability in Indian hands.... Pakistani pilots under the Qatari Air Force were dispatched to France to train on the Rafales," it added. Indian Air Force officials told news agency IANS that such claims were baseless. After a long wait, the Indian Air Force (IAF) on September 20 received its first acceptance Rafale combat aircraft from Dassault Aviation in France. The Indian Air Force is looking forward to Rafale jets as they would help in plugging the fleet crunch. Experts say that the IAF has just 31 fighter squadrons as opposed to the required strength of 42. Case of two-front battle will be a Herculean task for India in current scenario. The IAF has already completed preparations, including readying required infrastructure and training of pilots, to welcome the fighter aircraft. The sources said the first squadron of the aircraft will be deployed at the Ambala Air Force Station, considered one of the most strategically located bases of the IAF. The Indo-Pak border is around 220 km from there. RKS Bhadauria, the Indian Air Force chief, was instrumental in steering the Rafale jet deal between India and France. He was among the first officials to fly the French aircraft. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Perhaps you have felt it yourself, your emotions at war with your better nature. A surge of anger when you enter your local pharmacy, suffering from Covid-y symptoms, only to find that it is out of thermometers, never mind antigen tests. A burst of annoyance at the elaborate rules around vaccine cards and IDs at restaurants rules you yourself agree with! because you have to wait outside, and it is cold, and you left your wallet in the car. A feeling of nearly homicidal rage at the credit card company representative who has just informed you that, having failed to correctly answer the security questions, you have been locked out of your own account. (Note to self: Adopting a tone of haughty sarcasm is not a good way to solve this problem.) People are just I hate to say it because there are a lot of really nice people but when theyre mean, theyre a heck of a lot meaner, said Sue Miller, who works in a nonprofit trade association in Madison, Wis. Its like, instead of saying, This really inconvenienced me, they say, What the hell is wrong with you? Its a different scale of mean. The meanness of the public has forced many public-facing industries to rethink what used to be an article of faith: that the customer is always right. If employees are now having to take on many unexpected roles therapist, cop, conflict-resolution negotiator then workplace managers are acting as security guards and bouncers to protect their employees. The report that came to the attention of the United States military in April 2017 relayed devastating news from Iraq: More than 30 people, among them women and children, had been killed when aircraft from the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Mosul struck a neighborhood known as Siha. A civilian casualty cell of the U.S. military, which was charged with assessing reports of civilians killed or wounded in coalition operations, learned of the claim in a Facebook post published on April 11 by the news outlet, the Iraqi Spring Media Center. The Pentagon began an inquiry, but only a week later its assessment officers couldnt confirm whether coalition aircraft had targeted that location, and they dismissed the claim, saying Siha was not among known districts of West Mosul. There would be no further review. Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. What a difference a year can make. Already feeling triumphant from its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic at home, China marked a geopolitical win by signing a massive trade deal with the European Union in late December 2020 that sent a powerful message to U.S. President Joe Bidens incoming administration. But 2021 had other plans for Beijing. The investment deal was sidelined indefinitely in May following tit-for-tat sanctions between China and the EU over Beijing's abuses of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in its western Xinjiang Province. Since then, Taiwan has improved its ties across Europe, with Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu launching a landmark tour of several Central European countries in October. Lithuania, a small Baltic country of 2.7 million people, has also been at the center of Chinese-European ties, withdrawing from a Beijing-led diplomatic format in February and then navigating a prolonged spat over its ties to Taipei that has seen China launch a fierce propaganda campaign, economic sanctions, and a diplomatic dispute that led to Vilnius leaving its embassy in Beijing on December 15. While Europe still lacks a cohesive plan for dealing with China, the events of 2021 have emboldened officials and governments from the bloc to call for a harder line toward Beijing. The entire episode represents the wider mix of diplomatic opportunities and strategic missteps that defined Chinese policy from Central Europe to South Asia this past year. Looking ahead to 2022, China is poised to continue its uneven rise across Eurasia. Tensions between Russia and the West have helped fuel even warmer ties between the Kremlin and Beijing, and the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Talibans return to power has opened the door for opportunities, while also bringing new risks. Meanwhile, the coming year will see a key moment in modern Chinese history as President Xi Jinping is predicted by many to abandon term limits and seek one-man rule. With a new year of globe-spanning developments on the horizon, here are five big trends to watch as China deepens its influence throughout Eurasia. 1. China's Security Footprint Cautiously Expands Concerns over border security, extremist groups, and the security of Chinese personnel across Central and South Asia grew this year following the Talibans August takeover and a spate of attacks on Chinese nationals working in Pakistan. Beijing has long worried about terrorism in the region, particularly from Uyghur extremist groups, and it has moved to build up security relationships with all its neighbors -- from Central Asian governments to the Taliban -- that link Chinas internal security apparatus to foreign counterparts. So far, [Beijing] has demonstrated that it views its security interests narrowly to things that it fears can impact China directly [at home], Raffaello Pantucci, a senior associate fellow at London's Royal United Services Institute, told RFE/RL. Many of these partnerships continued to grow in 2021. In October, it was announced that China would fund and build a police base in Tajikistan for Tajik personnel, while an RFE/RL investigation showed that Chinas presence at a base along the Afghan-Tajik border continues to grow, with Chinese personnel even patrolling stretches of the border. China has shown that it prefers a light touch and would like to focus on building relationships [with local governments] to address security concerns, said Pantucci. The big question is whether Chinese interests being targeted more and more leads to Beijing thinking it needs to have a different kind of presence on the ground. In the meantime, those links look set to grow with law enforcement and security agencies across the region for the year ahead. Beijing continues to invest in training for many of its neighbors, and China has reportedly signed 59 extradition treaties with foreign countries in recent years. 2. A New Era For Beijing And Moscow? Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed their increasingly close ties on December 15 during a 90-minute video call in which they sought to display a unified front amid Western pressure on both China and Russia. Moscow and Beijing are not formally allied, but during the call, Putin said that a new model of cooperation between our countries has formed on principles such as noninterference in internal affairs and respecting each others interests, while Xi thanked his counterpart for his strong support of Chinas efforts to protect its key international interests. Their ties are getting closer as their rivalries with the United States intensify, conducting joint military exercises and even offering political support for each other on a range of issues, from Putin criticizing the AUKUS military alliance (composed of Australia, the United States, and Britain) to Xi supporting Moscows demand for security guarantees to limit the Wests influence across the former Soviet Union. They are getting closer, and while they dont want to formalize an alliance, [theyre] increasingly willing to support each other on issues that don't affect the other, said Pantucci. How close this relationship will progress remains to be seen, especially as Russia anxiously watches Chinas security and political influence grow across Central Asia and each countrys regional economic model -- the Moscow-led Eurasian Union and Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) -- faces high tariffs and coordination problems, despite the rosy rhetoric. But with tensions only set to grow with the West in 2022, expect Putin and Xi to lean on each other even more in the future. We are seeing this relationship transform in real time, said Pantucci. We need to update our thinking, as this dynamic continues to change and potentially becomes something more durable. 3. Polishing The Belt And Road In less than 10 years, the BRI has positioned China at the center of the international system, with new railroads and bridges, fiber-optic cables and 5G networks, pipelines and ports that have helped expand Beijings financial, technological, and political influence through hundreds of billions of dollars in investment and projects from Latin America to Southeast Asia. But the foreign policy project has hit plenty of speed bumps lately, including debt concerns linked to Chinese projects and allegations of corruption, shoddy construction, poor labor practices, and disregard for the environment. Investment levels have also declined steadily since 2016, and the BRI has begun to shift focus to new areas, such as arts and culture, e-payment systems, and satellites. This backlash has also opened the door for new competing initiatives from Japan, the United States, and the European Union. By design, its meant to be abstract and vague. The point was that any Chinese stakeholder could come in and do any project and that could be called part of BRI, Niva Yau, a senior researcher at the OSCE academy in Bishkek, told RFE/RL. We need to stop thinking of it as one thing. Its always changing and is ultimately about China increasing its influence in all aspects globally. Looking to 2022, Xis signature project will continue to evolve, and Yau says China is already putting a greater emphasis on soft power and courting public opinion through aid, medical assistance, exporting Chinese culture, and creating local jobs rather than only winning over political elites. [BRI] is targeting the public more and more. Of course, this isn't always effective, but that isnt really what matters right now, she said. If they continue to invest in soft power and devote resources towards it, that will eventually see some results. 4. 'Wolf Warriors' Are Here To Stay But while the BRI continues to search for new ways to boost Chinas global influence, Beijing will have to deal with an increasingly negative global view of the country that has hurt both Chinese soft power and diplomacy over the past year. A Pew survey in June of mostly Western, developed countries found that unfavorable views of China have reached new heights, with only a majority of respondents from Greece and Singapore showing a favorable view of Chinese policies. It's undeniable that China's image is in a poor state and looks unlikely to improve substantially any time soon, Charles Dunst, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told RFE/RL. Beijings COVID-19 diplomacy, which had some small victories early in the pandemic in countries like Serbia and Italy, has since faded. The countrys so-called wolf warrior diplomats, who have adopted an aggressive style of targeting and coercing governments, companies, and individuals that criticized China, are here to stay and even threatened to cut off aid or access to vaccines and personal protective equipment (PPE) in some cases. Many also spread disinformation about the origins of the coronavirus, and Beijing went on to place restrictions and tariffs on some of Australias most popular exports after Canberra called for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19. Countries around the world are worried most about Beijing's willingness to wield economic ties for political purposes, he said. It's hard to see China reversing this trend in 2022, given both [Xis] clear preference for foreign policy aggressiveness and popular Chinese nationalism. 5. The Limits Of Trading With COVID-Zero China China is one of the last countries in the world to continue with a strict "zero-COVID-19" strategy, which sometimes entails locking down entire cities if a single case is detected. Now, with the spread of the omicron variant, it looks like that policy is here to stay. Thats bad news for many across Central Asia who rely on cross-border trade, which has seen a precipitous drop over the course of the pandemic due to rigid border controls and restrictions on the types of people and goods that have been allowed to come into China. China and Central Asia will have many difficulties in their trade relations not only in the upcoming year but well into the future, depending on how the pandemic develops, Temur Umarov, an expert on China in Central Asia at the Carnegie Moscow Center, told RFE/RL. The vast majority of Chinese trade with the region is focused on natural resources, especially oil and gas, but the pressures on freight trade brought by Chinas border restrictions have become a political issue in some countries. The Kyrgyz government has said that restarting some version of pre-pandemic trade is a priority, and officials from Bishkek have held talks with their Chinese counterparts and even proposed a new system for cargo trucks to better comply with Chinese COVID-19 regulations. With new variants of the virus continuing to emerge, Umarov says, this remains the only option on the table for local governments. Of course, this will frustrate Central Asia, he said. But at the same time, they need China economically, and that is why they will have to go and take these additional steps and negotiate what they can for cross-border traffic. What a difference a year can make. Already feeling triumphant from its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic at home, China marked a geopolitical win by signing a massive trade deal with the European Union in late December 2020 that sent a powerful message to U.S. President Joe Bidens incoming administration. But 2021 had other plans for Beijing. The investment deal was sidelined indefinitely in May following tit-for-tat sanctions between China and the EU over Beijing's abuses of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in its western Xinjiang Province. Since then, Taiwan has improved its ties across Europe, with Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu launching a landmark tour of several Central European countries in October. Lithuania, a small Baltic country of 2.7 million people, has also been at the center of Chinese-European ties, withdrawing from a Beijing-led diplomatic format in February and then navigating a prolonged spat over its ties to Taipei that has seen China launch a fierce propaganda campaign, economic sanctions, and a diplomatic dispute that led to Vilnius leaving its embassy in Beijing on December 15. While Europe still lacks a cohesive plan for dealing with China, the events of 2021 have emboldened officials and governments from the bloc to call for a harder line toward Beijing. The entire episode represents the wider mix of diplomatic opportunities and strategic missteps that defined Chinese policy from Central Europe to South Asia this past year. Looking ahead to 2022, China is poised to continue its uneven rise across Eurasia. Tensions between Russia and the West have helped fuel even warmer ties between the Kremlin and Beijing, and the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Talibans return to power has opened the door for opportunities, while also bringing new risks. Meanwhile, the coming year will see a key moment in modern Chinese history as President Xi Jinping is predicted by many to abandon term limits and seek one-man rule. With a new year of globe-spanning developments on the horizon, here are five big trends to watch as China deepens its influence throughout Eurasia. 1. China's Security Footprint Cautiously Expands Concerns over border security, extremist groups, and the security of Chinese personnel across Central and South Asia grew this year following the Talibans August takeover and a spate of attacks on Chinese nationals working in Pakistan. Beijing has long worried about terrorism in the region, particularly from Uyghur extremist groups, and it has moved to build up security relationships with all its neighbors -- from Central Asian governments to the Taliban -- that link Chinas internal security apparatus to foreign counterparts. So far, [Beijing] has demonstrated that it views its security interests narrowly to things that it fears can impact China directly [at home], Raffaello Pantucci, a senior associate fellow at London's Royal United Services Institute, told RFE/RL. Many of these partnerships continued to grow in 2021. In October, it was announced that China would fund and build a police base in Tajikistan for Tajik personnel, while an RFE/RL investigation showed that Chinas presence at a base along the Afghan-Tajik border continues to grow, with Chinese personnel even patrolling stretches of the border. China has shown that it prefers a light touch and would like to focus on building relationships [with local governments] to address security concerns, said Pantucci. The big question is whether Chinese interests being targeted more and more leads to Beijing thinking it needs to have a different kind of presence on the ground. In the meantime, those links look set to grow with law enforcement and security agencies across the region for the year ahead. Beijing continues to invest in training for many of its neighbors, and China has reportedly signed 59 extradition treaties with foreign countries in recent years. 2. A New Era For Beijing And Moscow? Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed their increasingly close ties on December 15 during a 90-minute video call in which they sought to display a unified front amid Western pressure on both China and Russia. Moscow and Beijing are not formally allied, but during the call, Putin said that a new model of cooperation between our countries has formed on principles such as noninterference in internal affairs and respecting each others interests, while Xi thanked his counterpart for his strong support of Chinas efforts to protect its key international interests. Their ties are getting closer as their rivalries with the United States intensify, conducting joint military exercises and even offering political support for each other on a range of issues, from Putin criticizing the AUKUS military alliance (composed of Australia, the United States, and Britain) to Xi supporting Moscows demand for security guarantees to limit the Wests influence across the former Soviet Union. They are getting closer, and while they dont want to formalize an alliance, [theyre] increasingly willing to support each other on issues that don't affect the other, said Pantucci. How close this relationship will progress remains to be seen, especially as Russia anxiously watches Chinas security and political influence grow across Central Asia and each countrys regional economic model -- the Moscow-led Eurasian Union and Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) -- faces high tariffs and coordination problems, despite the rosy rhetoric. But with tensions only set to grow with the West in 2022, expect Putin and Xi to lean on each other even more in the future. We are seeing this relationship transform in real time, said Pantucci. We need to update our thinking, as this dynamic continues to change and potentially becomes something more durable. 3. Polishing The Belt And Road In less than 10 years, the BRI has positioned China at the center of the international system, with new railroads and bridges, fiber-optic cables and 5G networks, pipelines and ports that have helped expand Beijings financial, technological, and political influence through hundreds of billions of dollars in investment and projects from Latin America to Southeast Asia. But the foreign policy project has hit plenty of speed bumps lately, including debt concerns linked to Chinese projects and allegations of corruption, shoddy construction, poor labor practices, and disregard for the environment. Investment levels have also declined steadily since 2016, and the BRI has begun to shift focus to new areas, such as arts and culture, e-payment systems, and satellites. This backlash has also opened the door for new competing initiatives from Japan, the United States, and the European Union. By design, its meant to be abstract and vague. The point was that any Chinese stakeholder could come in and do any project and that could be called part of BRI, Niva Yau, a senior researcher at the OSCE academy in Bishkek, told RFE/RL. We need to stop thinking of it as one thing. Its always changing and is ultimately about China increasing its influence in all aspects globally. Looking to 2022, Xis signature project will continue to evolve, and Yau says China is already putting a greater emphasis on soft power and courting public opinion through aid, medical assistance, exporting Chinese culture, and creating local jobs rather than only winning over political elites. [BRI] is targeting the public more and more. Of course, this isn't always effective, but that isnt really what matters right now, she said. If they continue to invest in soft power and devote resources towards it, that will eventually see some results. 4. 'Wolf Warriors' Are Here To Stay But while the BRI continues to search for new ways to boost Chinas global influence, Beijing will have to deal with an increasingly negative global view of the country that has hurt both Chinese soft power and diplomacy over the past year. A Pew survey in June of mostly Western, developed countries found that unfavorable views of China have reached new heights, with only a majority of respondents from Greece and Singapore showing a favorable view of Chinese policies. It's undeniable that China's image is in a poor state and looks unlikely to improve substantially any time soon, Charles Dunst, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told RFE/RL. Beijings COVID-19 diplomacy, which had some small victories early in the pandemic in countries like Serbia and Italy, has since faded. The countrys so-called wolf warrior diplomats, who have adopted an aggressive style of targeting and coercing governments, companies, and individuals that criticized China, are here to stay and even threatened to cut off aid or access to vaccines and personal protective equipment (PPE) in some cases. Many also spread disinformation about the origins of the coronavirus, and Beijing went on to place restrictions and tariffs on some of Australias most popular exports after Canberra called for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19. Countries around the world are worried most about Beijing's willingness to wield economic ties for political purposes, he said. It's hard to see China reversing this trend in 2022, given both [Xis] clear preference for foreign policy aggressiveness and popular Chinese nationalism. 5. The Limits Of Trading With COVID-Zero China China is one of the last countries in the world to continue with a strict "zero-COVID-19" strategy, which sometimes entails locking down entire cities if a single case is detected. Now, with the spread of the omicron variant, it looks like that policy is here to stay. Thats bad news for many across Central Asia who rely on cross-border trade, which has seen a precipitous drop over the course of the pandemic due to rigid border controls and restrictions on the types of people and goods that have been allowed to come into China. China and Central Asia will have many difficulties in their trade relations not only in the upcoming year but well into the future, depending on how the pandemic develops, Temur Umarov, an expert on China in Central Asia at the Carnegie Moscow Center, told RFE/RL. The vast majority of Chinese trade with the region is focused on natural resources, especially oil and gas, but the pressures on freight trade brought by Chinas border restrictions have become a political issue in some countries. The Kyrgyz government has said that restarting some version of pre-pandemic trade is a priority, and officials from Bishkek have held talks with their Chinese counterparts and even proposed a new system for cargo trucks to better comply with Chinese COVID-19 regulations. With new variants of the virus continuing to emerge, Umarov says, this remains the only option on the table for local governments. Of course, this will frustrate Central Asia, he said. But at the same time, they need China economically, and that is why they will have to go and take these additional steps and negotiate what they can for cross-border traffic. Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. Immigrant detainees will continue to be held at McHenry and Kankakee county jails temporarily, while a federal court considers the counties appeal to keep imprisoning detainees into the future. The immigrants, charged with violating civil immigration laws, were due to be released by New Years Day, under the Illinois Way Forward Act, which prohibits counties from entering federal contracts to jail them. Advertisement But the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals issued a stay Thursday delaying the law from taking effect until Jan. 13, while it considers the case. McHenry and Kankakee county officials had filed suit, alleging that the law exceeds the states authority by superseding federal law. Both counties have contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, to keep detainees behind bars until their court hearings. In December, U.S. District Judge Philip Reinhard dismissed the suit, ruling in effect that it limited local officials, not the federal government. Advertisement In 2021, McHenry held about 180 detainees a day, and Kankakee about 120, numbers that had been reduced while fewer detainees are being held during the COVID pandemic. Historically, the contracts had brought about $8 million a year to McHenry and $4 million annually to Kankakee. A low security unit housing ICE detainees at the Kankakee County Jail in Kankakee on Oct. 8, 2019. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) ICE Out of McHenry County, a coalition of groups opposing immigrant detention, held a candlelight vigil this week for the detainees, singing, Silent Night/Noche de Paz. The coalition had pushed for McHenry County to end the practice, calling it cruel and unnecessary. But after a heated debate in May, the county board voted to continue the practice. Were very glad to get this stay to preserve our longtime contract with ICE as we argue our case, County Board Chairman Mike Buehler, a Republican from Crystal Lake, said. The Illinois Way Forward Act is an unconstitutional and poorly thought out law that was hastily thrown together by the General Assembly to make a political statement regarding current federal immigration enforcement. We thank the 7th Circuit for their understanding, and we look forward to making our case. Fred Tsao, senior policy counsel for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, emphasized that the court order is a temporary measure. We agree with the district court judge that the law is very clear: The state was fully within its authority to pass the Illinois Way Forward Act and to require the counties to end their contracts with ICE, Tsao wrote in an email. We look forward to the full implementation of Illinois Way Forward and the end of immigration detention in Illinois and throughout this country. The detentions are meant to ensure that detainees show up for court, with federal statistics showing about one-third of immigrants didnt make it to completed cases. But a UCLA analysis that included ongoing cases found that 83% showed up for court. More than 80% had no criminal record, while those that do were handled in separate proceedings in criminal court. rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com South Africa: SA bids farewell to Archbishop Tutu This story has been published on: 2022-01-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Members of the public can pay their last respects to Anglican Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu as his body lies in state at the St Georges Cathedral in Cape Town. The body of Archbishop Tutu will lie in state on Thursday and Friday, ahead of his funeral this weekend. He passed away on Sunday, 26 December 2021, aged 90, after a long il... See more Perhaps you have felt it yourself, your emotions at war with your better nature. A surge of anger when you enter your local pharmacy, suffering from Covid-y symptoms, only to find that it is out of thermometers, never mind antigen tests. A burst of annoyance at the elaborate rules around vaccine cards and IDs at restaurants rules you yourself agree with! because you have to wait outside, and it is cold, and you left your wallet in the car. A feeling of nearly homicidal rage at the credit card company representative who has just informed you that, having failed to correctly answer the security questions, you have been locked out of your own account. (Note to self: Adopting a tone of haughty sarcasm is not a good way to solve this problem.) People are just I hate to say it because there are a lot of really nice people but when theyre mean, theyre a heck of a lot meaner, said Sue Miller, who works in a nonprofit trade association in Madison, Wis. Its like, instead of saying, This really inconvenienced me, they say, What the hell is wrong with you? Its a different scale of mean. The meanness of the public has forced many public-facing industries to rethink what used to be an article of faith: that the customer is always right. If employees are now having to take on many unexpected roles therapist, cop, conflict-resolution negotiator then workplace managers are acting as security guards and bouncers to protect their employees. Perhaps you have felt it yourself, your emotions at war with your better nature. A surge of anger when you enter your local pharmacy, suffering from Covid-y symptoms, only to find that it is out of thermometers, never mind antigen tests. A burst of annoyance at the elaborate rules around vaccine cards and IDs at restaurants rules you yourself agree with! because you have to wait outside, and it is cold, and you left your wallet in the car. A feeling of nearly homicidal rage at the credit card company representative who has just informed you that, having failed to correctly answer the security questions, you have been locked out of your own account. (Note to self: Adopting a tone of haughty sarcasm is not a good way to solve this problem.) People are just I hate to say it because there are a lot of really nice people but when theyre mean, theyre a heck of a lot meaner, said Sue Miller, who works in a nonprofit trade association in Madison, Wis. Its like, instead of saying, This really inconvenienced me, they say, What the hell is wrong with you? Its a different scale of mean. The meanness of the public has forced many public-facing industries to rethink what used to be an article of faith: that the customer is always right. If employees are now having to take on many unexpected roles therapist, cop, conflict-resolution negotiator then workplace managers are acting as security guards and bouncers to protect their employees. Perhaps you have felt it yourself, your emotions at war with your better nature. A surge of anger when you enter your local pharmacy, suffering from Covid-y symptoms, only to find that it is out of thermometers, never mind antigen tests. A burst of annoyance at the elaborate rules around vaccine cards and IDs at restaurants rules you yourself agree with! because you have to wait outside, and it is cold, and you left your wallet in the car. A feeling of nearly homicidal rage at the credit card company representative who has just informed you that, having failed to correctly answer the security questions, you have been locked out of your own account. (Note to self: Adopting a tone of haughty sarcasm is not a good way to solve this problem.) People are just I hate to say it because there are a lot of really nice people but when theyre mean, theyre a heck of a lot meaner, said Sue Miller, who works in a nonprofit trade association in Madison, Wis. Its like, instead of saying, This really inconvenienced me, they say, What the hell is wrong with you? Its a different scale of mean. The meanness of the public has forced many public-facing industries to rethink what used to be an article of faith: that the customer is always right. If employees are now having to take on many unexpected roles therapist, cop, conflict-resolution negotiator then workplace managers are acting as security guards and bouncers to protect their employees. People stand in a moment of silence remembering the children who've died this year at a community march called, "No Kids Die in the Chi" along 79th Street on Dec. 31, 2021, in Chicago. A coalition of community organizations participated in the peace march in response to an uptick in Chicago violence involving children in 2021. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) A small march on the South Side Friday aimed to draw attention to the growing number of Chicago children who have been shot amid a pandemic surge in gun violence. About 30 people participated in the No Kids Die in the Chi march that ran along 79th Street for about a mile from the Dan Ryan Expressway to Cottage Grove Avenue in the Chatham neighborhood. The demonstration was organized by several community organizations, including Violence Interrupters, House of Hope Foundation and Hug a Child Make a Change. Advertisement The group of peaceful demonstrators chanted Let them live! as children, community organizers and U.S. Rep. Danny Davis marched as passing cars honked in support. People walk in a community march called, "No Kids Die in the Chi" along 79th Street on Dec. 31, 2021, in Chicago. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Shawn Childs, from the House of Hope organization, condemns the increase in violence against children at a news conference before the community march. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Its easy to get behind no more guns, said Shawn Childs, an event organizer. Were here to tell children they do have a future. Advertisement Through Dec. 26, 415 children ages 17 and under had been shot in Chicago this year, a more than 50% increase since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Chicago Police Department statistics. The city was approaching 800 homicides for the year, the most in decades. Through Dec. 25, 793 people had been killed, 106 of them 19 years old or younger. The majority of those younger residents were Black and male. For the most part, they died on the West and South sides. In Chatham alone, four people 19 years old or younger have died this year. Holding neon signs that read, Let me be 12, Wait, we were just walking, and Let us graduate, the marchers drew stares and cellphones recorded from curious passersby. Others came out of nail and hair salons, to wave, nod or just watch. Children learn what they live, Davis said in a news conference before the march, saying stricter gun regulations could stem the flow of illegal guns. Phoenix McCray, 3, stands with her parents, Shalanda McCray, right, and Donald Akins, left, during the community march. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Tio Hardiman, a longtime anti-violence advocate, said the organizers wanted to draw particular attention to the Chatham and Grand Crossing neighborhoods because of the uptick in shootings the neighborhoods have experienced during the pandemic. There have been a lot of shootings and homicides in these areas, said Hardiman, founder and executive director of Violence Interrupters. We are raising our voices right before the new year to get the message out that there can be no more killing of kids in Chicago. Advertisement Vladimir Thompson, with the House of Hope, was among those chanting for peace and calling for an end to children dying in crossfire. I challenge all adults right now. Step up and save your block. Thompson said. Save your next-door neighbor. Jose Martinez said he participated in the march to stand behind the call to action for better role models in the community. Weve got 10, 11-year-olds carjacking, said Martinez, who lives in Humboldt Park and said he lost a 17-year-old son to gang violence more than two decades ago. In the latest bid to stem the citys surging crime, Chicago police Superintendent David Brown told reporters Thursday he plans to increase the number of homicide and violent crime detectives, bringing their too high caseload of about 5.5 each down to three cases per detective. Community organizer Phallon Payton talks about the need for the community to protect kids during a march called, "No Kids Die in the Chi" along 79th Street on Dec. 31, 2021, in Chicago. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Nationwide, gun violence has led to an increasing number of child deaths, with experts pointing to the effects of the pandemic, easy access to guns and disputes ending too often with gunfire. Advertisement In 2019, the U.S. had 991 gun violence deaths among people ages 17 or younger, according to the website Gun Violence Archive, which tracks shootings from more than 7,500 law enforcement, media, government and commercial sources. As of Friday morning, the number of children killed in 2021 stood at 1,523 with more than 4,000 people age 17 or younger injured in incidents of gun violence. In Chicago, 415 children ages 17 and under have been shot in Chicago this year through Dec. 26, up from 367 in 2020, according to statistics kept by the Police Department, which does not include shootings on the citys interstates. So far this year, 55 people ages 17 and under have been killed, according to CPD, the same number as in 2020. In 2019, the number of children ages 17 and under shot was 272 and the number killed was 38, as of late December that year. At one point, Fridays march paused for a moment of silence for the scores of children shot and killed in the city this year. Theres too much death, said Shalanda McCray said, whose sister led the crowd to bow their heads. Too many kids. Advertisement Chicago Tribunes Jeremy Gorner and Bill Ruthhart contributed. creyes@chicagotribune.com Perhaps you have felt it yourself, your emotions at war with your better nature. A surge of anger when you enter your local pharmacy, suffering from Covid-y symptoms, only to find that it is out of thermometers, never mind antigen tests. A burst of annoyance at the elaborate rules around vaccine cards and IDs at restaurants rules you yourself agree with! because you have to wait outside, and it is cold, and you left your wallet in the car. A feeling of nearly homicidal rage at the credit card company representative who has just informed you that, having failed to correctly answer the security questions, you have been locked out of your own account. (Note to self: Adopting a tone of haughty sarcasm is not a good way to solve this problem.) People are just I hate to say it because there are a lot of really nice people but when theyre mean, theyre a heck of a lot meaner, said Sue Miller, who works in a nonprofit trade association in Madison, Wis. Its like, instead of saying, This really inconvenienced me, they say, What the hell is wrong with you? Its a different scale of mean. The meanness of the public has forced many public-facing industries to rethink what used to be an article of faith: that the customer is always right. If employees are now having to take on many unexpected roles therapist, cop, conflict-resolution negotiator then workplace managers are acting as security guards and bouncers to protect their employees. Perhaps you have felt it yourself, your emotions at war with your better nature. A surge of anger when you enter your local pharmacy, suffering from Covid-y symptoms, only to find that it is out of thermometers, never mind antigen tests. A burst of annoyance at the elaborate rules around vaccine cards and IDs at restaurants rules you yourself agree with! because you have to wait outside, and it is cold, and you left your wallet in the car. A feeling of nearly homicidal rage at the credit card company representative who has just informed you that, having failed to correctly answer the security questions, you have been locked out of your own account. (Note to self: Adopting a tone of haughty sarcasm is not a good way to solve this problem.) People are just I hate to say it because there are a lot of really nice people but when theyre mean, theyre a heck of a lot meaner, said Sue Miller, who works in a nonprofit trade association in Madison, Wis. Its like, instead of saying, This really inconvenienced me, they say, What the hell is wrong with you? Its a different scale of mean. The meanness of the public has forced many public-facing industries to rethink what used to be an article of faith: that the customer is always right. If employees are now having to take on many unexpected roles therapist, cop, conflict-resolution negotiator then workplace managers are acting as security guards and bouncers to protect their employees. Perhaps you have felt it yourself, your emotions at war with your better nature. A surge of anger when you enter your local pharmacy, suffering from Covid-y symptoms, only to find that it is out of thermometers, never mind antigen tests. A burst of annoyance at the elaborate rules around vaccine cards and IDs at restaurants rules you yourself agree with! because you have to wait outside, and it is cold, and you left your wallet in the car. A feeling of nearly homicidal rage at the credit card company representative who has just informed you that, having failed to correctly answer the security questions, you have been locked out of your own account. (Note to self: Adopting a tone of haughty sarcasm is not a good way to solve this problem.) People are just I hate to say it because there are a lot of really nice people but when theyre mean, theyre a heck of a lot meaner, said Sue Miller, who works in a nonprofit trade association in Madison, Wis. Its like, instead of saying, This really inconvenienced me, they say, What the hell is wrong with you? Its a different scale of mean. The meanness of the public has forced many public-facing industries to rethink what used to be an article of faith: that the customer is always right. If employees are now having to take on many unexpected roles therapist, cop, conflict-resolution negotiator then workplace managers are acting as security guards and bouncers to protect their employees. What a difference a year can make. Already feeling triumphant from its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic at home, China marked a geopolitical win by signing a massive trade deal with the European Union in late December 2020 that sent a powerful message to U.S. President Joe Bidens incoming administration. But 2021 had other plans for Beijing. The investment deal was sidelined indefinitely in May following tit-for-tat sanctions between China and the EU over Beijing's abuses of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in its western Xinjiang Province. Since then, Taiwan has improved its ties across Europe, with Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu launching a landmark tour of several Central European countries in October. Lithuania, a small Baltic country of 2.7 million people, has also been at the center of Chinese-European ties, withdrawing from a Beijing-led diplomatic format in February and then navigating a prolonged spat over its ties to Taipei that has seen China launch a fierce propaganda campaign, economic sanctions, and a diplomatic dispute that led to Vilnius leaving its embassy in Beijing on December 15. While Europe still lacks a cohesive plan for dealing with China, the events of 2021 have emboldened officials and governments from the bloc to call for a harder line toward Beijing. The entire episode represents the wider mix of diplomatic opportunities and strategic missteps that defined Chinese policy from Central Europe to South Asia this past year. Looking ahead to 2022, China is poised to continue its uneven rise across Eurasia. Tensions between Russia and the West have helped fuel even warmer ties between the Kremlin and Beijing, and the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Talibans return to power has opened the door for opportunities, while also bringing new risks. Meanwhile, the coming year will see a key moment in modern Chinese history as President Xi Jinping is predicted by many to abandon term limits and seek one-man rule. With a new year of globe-spanning developments on the horizon, here are five big trends to watch as China deepens its influence throughout Eurasia. 1. China's Security Footprint Cautiously Expands Concerns over border security, extremist groups, and the security of Chinese personnel across Central and South Asia grew this year following the Talibans August takeover and a spate of attacks on Chinese nationals working in Pakistan. Beijing has long worried about terrorism in the region, particularly from Uyghur extremist groups, and it has moved to build up security relationships with all its neighbors -- from Central Asian governments to the Taliban -- that link Chinas internal security apparatus to foreign counterparts. So far, [Beijing] has demonstrated that it views its security interests narrowly to things that it fears can impact China directly [at home], Raffaello Pantucci, a senior associate fellow at London's Royal United Services Institute, told RFE/RL. Many of these partnerships continued to grow in 2021. In October, it was announced that China would fund and build a police base in Tajikistan for Tajik personnel, while an RFE/RL investigation showed that Chinas presence at a base along the Afghan-Tajik border continues to grow, with Chinese personnel even patrolling stretches of the border. China has shown that it prefers a light touch and would like to focus on building relationships [with local governments] to address security concerns, said Pantucci. The big question is whether Chinese interests being targeted more and more leads to Beijing thinking it needs to have a different kind of presence on the ground. In the meantime, those links look set to grow with law enforcement and security agencies across the region for the year ahead. Beijing continues to invest in training for many of its neighbors, and China has reportedly signed 59 extradition treaties with foreign countries in recent years. 2. A New Era For Beijing And Moscow? Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed their increasingly close ties on December 15 during a 90-minute video call in which they sought to display a unified front amid Western pressure on both China and Russia. Moscow and Beijing are not formally allied, but during the call, Putin said that a new model of cooperation between our countries has formed on principles such as noninterference in internal affairs and respecting each others interests, while Xi thanked his counterpart for his strong support of Chinas efforts to protect its key international interests. Their ties are getting closer as their rivalries with the United States intensify, conducting joint military exercises and even offering political support for each other on a range of issues, from Putin criticizing the AUKUS military alliance (composed of Australia, the United States, and Britain) to Xi supporting Moscows demand for security guarantees to limit the Wests influence across the former Soviet Union. They are getting closer, and while they dont want to formalize an alliance, [theyre] increasingly willing to support each other on issues that don't affect the other, said Pantucci. How close this relationship will progress remains to be seen, especially as Russia anxiously watches Chinas security and political influence grow across Central Asia and each countrys regional economic model -- the Moscow-led Eurasian Union and Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) -- faces high tariffs and coordination problems, despite the rosy rhetoric. But with tensions only set to grow with the West in 2022, expect Putin and Xi to lean on each other even more in the future. We are seeing this relationship transform in real time, said Pantucci. We need to update our thinking, as this dynamic continues to change and potentially becomes something more durable. 3. Polishing The Belt And Road In less than 10 years, the BRI has positioned China at the center of the international system, with new railroads and bridges, fiber-optic cables and 5G networks, pipelines and ports that have helped expand Beijings financial, technological, and political influence through hundreds of billions of dollars in investment and projects from Latin America to Southeast Asia. But the foreign policy project has hit plenty of speed bumps lately, including debt concerns linked to Chinese projects and allegations of corruption, shoddy construction, poor labor practices, and disregard for the environment. Investment levels have also declined steadily since 2016, and the BRI has begun to shift focus to new areas, such as arts and culture, e-payment systems, and satellites. This backlash has also opened the door for new competing initiatives from Japan, the United States, and the European Union. By design, its meant to be abstract and vague. The point was that any Chinese stakeholder could come in and do any project and that could be called part of BRI, Niva Yau, a senior researcher at the OSCE academy in Bishkek, told RFE/RL. We need to stop thinking of it as one thing. Its always changing and is ultimately about China increasing its influence in all aspects globally. Looking to 2022, Xis signature project will continue to evolve, and Yau says China is already putting a greater emphasis on soft power and courting public opinion through aid, medical assistance, exporting Chinese culture, and creating local jobs rather than only winning over political elites. [BRI] is targeting the public more and more. Of course, this isn't always effective, but that isnt really what matters right now, she said. If they continue to invest in soft power and devote resources towards it, that will eventually see some results. 4. 'Wolf Warriors' Are Here To Stay But while the BRI continues to search for new ways to boost Chinas global influence, Beijing will have to deal with an increasingly negative global view of the country that has hurt both Chinese soft power and diplomacy over the past year. A Pew survey in June of mostly Western, developed countries found that unfavorable views of China have reached new heights, with only a majority of respondents from Greece and Singapore showing a favorable view of Chinese policies. It's undeniable that China's image is in a poor state and looks unlikely to improve substantially any time soon, Charles Dunst, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told RFE/RL. Beijings COVID-19 diplomacy, which had some small victories early in the pandemic in countries like Serbia and Italy, has since faded. The countrys so-called wolf warrior diplomats, who have adopted an aggressive style of targeting and coercing governments, companies, and individuals that criticized China, are here to stay and even threatened to cut off aid or access to vaccines and personal protective equipment (PPE) in some cases. Many also spread disinformation about the origins of the coronavirus, and Beijing went on to place restrictions and tariffs on some of Australias most popular exports after Canberra called for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19. Countries around the world are worried most about Beijing's willingness to wield economic ties for political purposes, he said. It's hard to see China reversing this trend in 2022, given both [Xis] clear preference for foreign policy aggressiveness and popular Chinese nationalism. 5. The Limits Of Trading With COVID-Zero China China is one of the last countries in the world to continue with a strict "zero-COVID-19" strategy, which sometimes entails locking down entire cities if a single case is detected. Now, with the spread of the omicron variant, it looks like that policy is here to stay. Thats bad news for many across Central Asia who rely on cross-border trade, which has seen a precipitous drop over the course of the pandemic due to rigid border controls and restrictions on the types of people and goods that have been allowed to come into China. China and Central Asia will have many difficulties in their trade relations not only in the upcoming year but well into the future, depending on how the pandemic develops, Temur Umarov, an expert on China in Central Asia at the Carnegie Moscow Center, told RFE/RL. The vast majority of Chinese trade with the region is focused on natural resources, especially oil and gas, but the pressures on freight trade brought by Chinas border restrictions have become a political issue in some countries. The Kyrgyz government has said that restarting some version of pre-pandemic trade is a priority, and officials from Bishkek have held talks with their Chinese counterparts and even proposed a new system for cargo trucks to better comply with Chinese COVID-19 regulations. With new variants of the virus continuing to emerge, Umarov says, this remains the only option on the table for local governments. Of course, this will frustrate Central Asia, he said. But at the same time, they need China economically, and that is why they will have to go and take these additional steps and negotiate what they can for cross-border traffic. Drivers check fruits quality near the border gate with China in Vietnam's Lang Son Province on December 16, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade has requested China's Guangxi region to reopen its border gates with Vietnam and extend customs clearance hours to resolve the container congestion. Guangxi's "zero Covid" measures, including shutting the border and suspending the imports of certain fruits, were unnecessary, senior trade ministry officials told Guangxi trade officials Friday. The policy has disrupted the supply chain and caused negative impacts on bilateral trade development, resulting in big losses for businesses and people of both countries, the Vietnamese officials said. The ministry proposed that Guangxi recruits more drivers and workers on its side to deal with the staff shortage. It also suggested that fully vaccinated Vietnamese be sent across the border to work. It wants Guangxi to facilitate shipment via trains and ships; as also resume importing Vietnamese dragon fruits. Guangxi trade officials said that they would increase the duration of customs clearance based on the agreement between the local authorities of the border gates. They will forward other proposals to higher authorities, Guangxi officials said. Thousands of container trucks have been stuck at the border for over a month after China tightened its Covid-19 preventive measures. On Friday 2,945 container trucks were stuck at the border in Vietnams Lang Son Province, down 191 from a day earlier. Many trucks have had to turn around and distribute their produce locally for a loss as the fruits were beginning to rot. Of the three major borders gates in Lang Son, two are operating with limited capacity while one is still shut. Lang Son authorities estimate that it would take more than a month to resolve the container jam at current speed. Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has sent four letters to the Chinas Ministry of Commerce, China Customs and secretaries of the two localities - GuangXi and Yunnan - requesting the agencies intervention in resolving the issues. Drivers check fruits quality near the border gate with China in Vietnam's Lang Son Province on December 16, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade has requested China's Guangxi region to reopen its border gates with Vietnam and extend customs clearance hours to resolve the container congestion. Guangxi's "zero Covid" measures, including shutting the border and suspending the imports of certain fruits, were unnecessary, senior trade ministry officials told Guangxi trade officials Friday. The policy has disrupted the supply chain and caused negative impacts on bilateral trade development, resulting in big losses for businesses and people of both countries, the Vietnamese officials said. The ministry proposed that Guangxi recruits more drivers and workers on its side to deal with the staff shortage. It also suggested that fully vaccinated Vietnamese be sent across the border to work. It wants Guangxi to facilitate shipment via trains and ships; as also resume importing Vietnamese dragon fruits. Guangxi trade officials said that they would increase the duration of customs clearance based on the agreement between the local authorities of the border gates. They will forward other proposals to higher authorities, Guangxi officials said. Thousands of container trucks have been stuck at the border for over a month after China tightened its Covid-19 preventive measures. On Friday 2,945 container trucks were stuck at the border in Vietnams Lang Son Province, down 191 from a day earlier. Many trucks have had to turn around and distribute their produce locally for a loss as the fruits were beginning to rot. Of the three major borders gates in Lang Son, two are operating with limited capacity while one is still shut. Lang Son authorities estimate that it would take more than a month to resolve the container jam at current speed. Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has sent four letters to the Chinas Ministry of Commerce, China Customs and secretaries of the two localities - GuangXi and Yunnan - requesting the agencies intervention in resolving the issues. What a difference a year can make. Already feeling triumphant from its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic at home, China marked a geopolitical win by signing a massive trade deal with the European Union in late December 2020 that sent a powerful message to U.S. President Joe Bidens incoming administration. But 2021 had other plans for Beijing. The investment deal was sidelined indefinitely in May following tit-for-tat sanctions between China and the EU over Beijing's abuses of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in its western Xinjiang Province. Since then, Taiwan has improved its ties across Europe, with Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu launching a landmark tour of several Central European countries in October. Lithuania, a small Baltic country of 2.7 million people, has also been at the center of Chinese-European ties, withdrawing from a Beijing-led diplomatic format in February and then navigating a prolonged spat over its ties to Taipei that has seen China launch a fierce propaganda campaign, economic sanctions, and a diplomatic dispute that led to Vilnius leaving its embassy in Beijing on December 15. While Europe still lacks a cohesive plan for dealing with China, the events of 2021 have emboldened officials and governments from the bloc to call for a harder line toward Beijing. The entire episode represents the wider mix of diplomatic opportunities and strategic missteps that defined Chinese policy from Central Europe to South Asia this past year. Looking ahead to 2022, China is poised to continue its uneven rise across Eurasia. Tensions between Russia and the West have helped fuel even warmer ties between the Kremlin and Beijing, and the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Talibans return to power has opened the door for opportunities, while also bringing new risks. Meanwhile, the coming year will see a key moment in modern Chinese history as President Xi Jinping is predicted by many to abandon term limits and seek one-man rule. With a new year of globe-spanning developments on the horizon, here are five big trends to watch as China deepens its influence throughout Eurasia. 1. China's Security Footprint Cautiously Expands Concerns over border security, extremist groups, and the security of Chinese personnel across Central and South Asia grew this year following the Talibans August takeover and a spate of attacks on Chinese nationals working in Pakistan. Beijing has long worried about terrorism in the region, particularly from Uyghur extremist groups, and it has moved to build up security relationships with all its neighbors -- from Central Asian governments to the Taliban -- that link Chinas internal security apparatus to foreign counterparts. So far, [Beijing] has demonstrated that it views its security interests narrowly to things that it fears can impact China directly [at home], Raffaello Pantucci, a senior associate fellow at London's Royal United Services Institute, told RFE/RL. Many of these partnerships continued to grow in 2021. In October, it was announced that China would fund and build a police base in Tajikistan for Tajik personnel, while an RFE/RL investigation showed that Chinas presence at a base along the Afghan-Tajik border continues to grow, with Chinese personnel even patrolling stretches of the border. China has shown that it prefers a light touch and would like to focus on building relationships [with local governments] to address security concerns, said Pantucci. The big question is whether Chinese interests being targeted more and more leads to Beijing thinking it needs to have a different kind of presence on the ground. In the meantime, those links look set to grow with law enforcement and security agencies across the region for the year ahead. Beijing continues to invest in training for many of its neighbors, and China has reportedly signed 59 extradition treaties with foreign countries in recent years. 2. A New Era For Beijing And Moscow? Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed their increasingly close ties on December 15 during a 90-minute video call in which they sought to display a unified front amid Western pressure on both China and Russia. Moscow and Beijing are not formally allied, but during the call, Putin said that a new model of cooperation between our countries has formed on principles such as noninterference in internal affairs and respecting each others interests, while Xi thanked his counterpart for his strong support of Chinas efforts to protect its key international interests. Their ties are getting closer as their rivalries with the United States intensify, conducting joint military exercises and even offering political support for each other on a range of issues, from Putin criticizing the AUKUS military alliance (composed of Australia, the United States, and Britain) to Xi supporting Moscows demand for security guarantees to limit the Wests influence across the former Soviet Union. They are getting closer, and while they dont want to formalize an alliance, [theyre] increasingly willing to support each other on issues that don't affect the other, said Pantucci. How close this relationship will progress remains to be seen, especially as Russia anxiously watches Chinas security and political influence grow across Central Asia and each countrys regional economic model -- the Moscow-led Eurasian Union and Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) -- faces high tariffs and coordination problems, despite the rosy rhetoric. But with tensions only set to grow with the West in 2022, expect Putin and Xi to lean on each other even more in the future. We are seeing this relationship transform in real time, said Pantucci. We need to update our thinking, as this dynamic continues to change and potentially becomes something more durable. 3. Polishing The Belt And Road In less than 10 years, the BRI has positioned China at the center of the international system, with new railroads and bridges, fiber-optic cables and 5G networks, pipelines and ports that have helped expand Beijings financial, technological, and political influence through hundreds of billions of dollars in investment and projects from Latin America to Southeast Asia. But the foreign policy project has hit plenty of speed bumps lately, including debt concerns linked to Chinese projects and allegations of corruption, shoddy construction, poor labor practices, and disregard for the environment. Investment levels have also declined steadily since 2016, and the BRI has begun to shift focus to new areas, such as arts and culture, e-payment systems, and satellites. This backlash has also opened the door for new competing initiatives from Japan, the United States, and the European Union. By design, its meant to be abstract and vague. The point was that any Chinese stakeholder could come in and do any project and that could be called part of BRI, Niva Yau, a senior researcher at the OSCE academy in Bishkek, told RFE/RL. We need to stop thinking of it as one thing. Its always changing and is ultimately about China increasing its influence in all aspects globally. Looking to 2022, Xis signature project will continue to evolve, and Yau says China is already putting a greater emphasis on soft power and courting public opinion through aid, medical assistance, exporting Chinese culture, and creating local jobs rather than only winning over political elites. [BRI] is targeting the public more and more. Of course, this isn't always effective, but that isnt really what matters right now, she said. If they continue to invest in soft power and devote resources towards it, that will eventually see some results. 4. 'Wolf Warriors' Are Here To Stay But while the BRI continues to search for new ways to boost Chinas global influence, Beijing will have to deal with an increasingly negative global view of the country that has hurt both Chinese soft power and diplomacy over the past year. A Pew survey in June of mostly Western, developed countries found that unfavorable views of China have reached new heights, with only a majority of respondents from Greece and Singapore showing a favorable view of Chinese policies. It's undeniable that China's image is in a poor state and looks unlikely to improve substantially any time soon, Charles Dunst, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told RFE/RL. Beijings COVID-19 diplomacy, which had some small victories early in the pandemic in countries like Serbia and Italy, has since faded. The countrys so-called wolf warrior diplomats, who have adopted an aggressive style of targeting and coercing governments, companies, and individuals that criticized China, are here to stay and even threatened to cut off aid or access to vaccines and personal protective equipment (PPE) in some cases. Many also spread disinformation about the origins of the coronavirus, and Beijing went on to place restrictions and tariffs on some of Australias most popular exports after Canberra called for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19. Countries around the world are worried most about Beijing's willingness to wield economic ties for political purposes, he said. It's hard to see China reversing this trend in 2022, given both [Xis] clear preference for foreign policy aggressiveness and popular Chinese nationalism. 5. The Limits Of Trading With COVID-Zero China China is one of the last countries in the world to continue with a strict "zero-COVID-19" strategy, which sometimes entails locking down entire cities if a single case is detected. Now, with the spread of the omicron variant, it looks like that policy is here to stay. Thats bad news for many across Central Asia who rely on cross-border trade, which has seen a precipitous drop over the course of the pandemic due to rigid border controls and restrictions on the types of people and goods that have been allowed to come into China. China and Central Asia will have many difficulties in their trade relations not only in the upcoming year but well into the future, depending on how the pandemic develops, Temur Umarov, an expert on China in Central Asia at the Carnegie Moscow Center, told RFE/RL. The vast majority of Chinese trade with the region is focused on natural resources, especially oil and gas, but the pressures on freight trade brought by Chinas border restrictions have become a political issue in some countries. The Kyrgyz government has said that restarting some version of pre-pandemic trade is a priority, and officials from Bishkek have held talks with their Chinese counterparts and even proposed a new system for cargo trucks to better comply with Chinese COVID-19 regulations. With new variants of the virus continuing to emerge, Umarov says, this remains the only option on the table for local governments. Of course, this will frustrate Central Asia, he said. But at the same time, they need China economically, and that is why they will have to go and take these additional steps and negotiate what they can for cross-border traffic. What a difference a year can make. Already feeling triumphant from its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic at home, China marked a geopolitical win by signing a massive trade deal with the European Union in late December 2020 that sent a powerful message to U.S. President Joe Bidens incoming administration. But 2021 had other plans for Beijing. The investment deal was sidelined indefinitely in May following tit-for-tat sanctions between China and the EU over Beijing's abuses of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in its western Xinjiang Province. Since then, Taiwan has improved its ties across Europe, with Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu launching a landmark tour of several Central European countries in October. Lithuania, a small Baltic country of 2.7 million people, has also been at the center of Chinese-European ties, withdrawing from a Beijing-led diplomatic format in February and then navigating a prolonged spat over its ties to Taipei that has seen China launch a fierce propaganda campaign, economic sanctions, and a diplomatic dispute that led to Vilnius leaving its embassy in Beijing on December 15. While Europe still lacks a cohesive plan for dealing with China, the events of 2021 have emboldened officials and governments from the bloc to call for a harder line toward Beijing. The entire episode represents the wider mix of diplomatic opportunities and strategic missteps that defined Chinese policy from Central Europe to South Asia this past year. Looking ahead to 2022, China is poised to continue its uneven rise across Eurasia. Tensions between Russia and the West have helped fuel even warmer ties between the Kremlin and Beijing, and the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Talibans return to power has opened the door for opportunities, while also bringing new risks. Meanwhile, the coming year will see a key moment in modern Chinese history as President Xi Jinping is predicted by many to abandon term limits and seek one-man rule. With a new year of globe-spanning developments on the horizon, here are five big trends to watch as China deepens its influence throughout Eurasia. 1. China's Security Footprint Cautiously Expands Concerns over border security, extremist groups, and the security of Chinese personnel across Central and South Asia grew this year following the Talibans August takeover and a spate of attacks on Chinese nationals working in Pakistan. Beijing has long worried about terrorism in the region, particularly from Uyghur extremist groups, and it has moved to build up security relationships with all its neighbors -- from Central Asian governments to the Taliban -- that link Chinas internal security apparatus to foreign counterparts. So far, [Beijing] has demonstrated that it views its security interests narrowly to things that it fears can impact China directly [at home], Raffaello Pantucci, a senior associate fellow at London's Royal United Services Institute, told RFE/RL. Many of these partnerships continued to grow in 2021. In October, it was announced that China would fund and build a police base in Tajikistan for Tajik personnel, while an RFE/RL investigation showed that Chinas presence at a base along the Afghan-Tajik border continues to grow, with Chinese personnel even patrolling stretches of the border. China has shown that it prefers a light touch and would like to focus on building relationships [with local governments] to address security concerns, said Pantucci. The big question is whether Chinese interests being targeted more and more leads to Beijing thinking it needs to have a different kind of presence on the ground. In the meantime, those links look set to grow with law enforcement and security agencies across the region for the year ahead. Beijing continues to invest in training for many of its neighbors, and China has reportedly signed 59 extradition treaties with foreign countries in recent years. 2. A New Era For Beijing And Moscow? Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed their increasingly close ties on December 15 during a 90-minute video call in which they sought to display a unified front amid Western pressure on both China and Russia. Moscow and Beijing are not formally allied, but during the call, Putin said that a new model of cooperation between our countries has formed on principles such as noninterference in internal affairs and respecting each others interests, while Xi thanked his counterpart for his strong support of Chinas efforts to protect its key international interests. Their ties are getting closer as their rivalries with the United States intensify, conducting joint military exercises and even offering political support for each other on a range of issues, from Putin criticizing the AUKUS military alliance (composed of Australia, the United States, and Britain) to Xi supporting Moscows demand for security guarantees to limit the Wests influence across the former Soviet Union. They are getting closer, and while they dont want to formalize an alliance, [theyre] increasingly willing to support each other on issues that don't affect the other, said Pantucci. How close this relationship will progress remains to be seen, especially as Russia anxiously watches Chinas security and political influence grow across Central Asia and each countrys regional economic model -- the Moscow-led Eurasian Union and Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) -- faces high tariffs and coordination problems, despite the rosy rhetoric. But with tensions only set to grow with the West in 2022, expect Putin and Xi to lean on each other even more in the future. We are seeing this relationship transform in real time, said Pantucci. We need to update our thinking, as this dynamic continues to change and potentially becomes something more durable. 3. Polishing The Belt And Road In less than 10 years, the BRI has positioned China at the center of the international system, with new railroads and bridges, fiber-optic cables and 5G networks, pipelines and ports that have helped expand Beijings financial, technological, and political influence through hundreds of billions of dollars in investment and projects from Latin America to Southeast Asia. But the foreign policy project has hit plenty of speed bumps lately, including debt concerns linked to Chinese projects and allegations of corruption, shoddy construction, poor labor practices, and disregard for the environment. Investment levels have also declined steadily since 2016, and the BRI has begun to shift focus to new areas, such as arts and culture, e-payment systems, and satellites. This backlash has also opened the door for new competing initiatives from Japan, the United States, and the European Union. By design, its meant to be abstract and vague. The point was that any Chinese stakeholder could come in and do any project and that could be called part of BRI, Niva Yau, a senior researcher at the OSCE academy in Bishkek, told RFE/RL. We need to stop thinking of it as one thing. Its always changing and is ultimately about China increasing its influence in all aspects globally. Looking to 2022, Xis signature project will continue to evolve, and Yau says China is already putting a greater emphasis on soft power and courting public opinion through aid, medical assistance, exporting Chinese culture, and creating local jobs rather than only winning over political elites. [BRI] is targeting the public more and more. Of course, this isn't always effective, but that isnt really what matters right now, she said. If they continue to invest in soft power and devote resources towards it, that will eventually see some results. 4. 'Wolf Warriors' Are Here To Stay But while the BRI continues to search for new ways to boost Chinas global influence, Beijing will have to deal with an increasingly negative global view of the country that has hurt both Chinese soft power and diplomacy over the past year. A Pew survey in June of mostly Western, developed countries found that unfavorable views of China have reached new heights, with only a majority of respondents from Greece and Singapore showing a favorable view of Chinese policies. It's undeniable that China's image is in a poor state and looks unlikely to improve substantially any time soon, Charles Dunst, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told RFE/RL. Beijings COVID-19 diplomacy, which had some small victories early in the pandemic in countries like Serbia and Italy, has since faded. The countrys so-called wolf warrior diplomats, who have adopted an aggressive style of targeting and coercing governments, companies, and individuals that criticized China, are here to stay and even threatened to cut off aid or access to vaccines and personal protective equipment (PPE) in some cases. Many also spread disinformation about the origins of the coronavirus, and Beijing went on to place restrictions and tariffs on some of Australias most popular exports after Canberra called for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19. Countries around the world are worried most about Beijing's willingness to wield economic ties for political purposes, he said. It's hard to see China reversing this trend in 2022, given both [Xis] clear preference for foreign policy aggressiveness and popular Chinese nationalism. 5. The Limits Of Trading With COVID-Zero China China is one of the last countries in the world to continue with a strict "zero-COVID-19" strategy, which sometimes entails locking down entire cities if a single case is detected. Now, with the spread of the omicron variant, it looks like that policy is here to stay. Thats bad news for many across Central Asia who rely on cross-border trade, which has seen a precipitous drop over the course of the pandemic due to rigid border controls and restrictions on the types of people and goods that have been allowed to come into China. China and Central Asia will have many difficulties in their trade relations not only in the upcoming year but well into the future, depending on how the pandemic develops, Temur Umarov, an expert on China in Central Asia at the Carnegie Moscow Center, told RFE/RL. The vast majority of Chinese trade with the region is focused on natural resources, especially oil and gas, but the pressures on freight trade brought by Chinas border restrictions have become a political issue in some countries. The Kyrgyz government has said that restarting some version of pre-pandemic trade is a priority, and officials from Bishkek have held talks with their Chinese counterparts and even proposed a new system for cargo trucks to better comply with Chinese COVID-19 regulations. With new variants of the virus continuing to emerge, Umarov says, this remains the only option on the table for local governments. Of course, this will frustrate Central Asia, he said. But at the same time, they need China economically, and that is why they will have to go and take these additional steps and negotiate what they can for cross-border traffic. What a difference a year can make. Already feeling triumphant from its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic at home, China marked a geopolitical win by signing a massive trade deal with the European Union in late December 2020 that sent a powerful message to U.S. President Joe Bidens incoming administration. But 2021 had other plans for Beijing. The investment deal was sidelined indefinitely in May following tit-for-tat sanctions between China and the EU over Beijing's abuses of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in its western Xinjiang Province. Since then, Taiwan has improved its ties across Europe, with Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu launching a landmark tour of several Central European countries in October. Lithuania, a small Baltic country of 2.7 million people, has also been at the center of Chinese-European ties, withdrawing from a Beijing-led diplomatic format in February and then navigating a prolonged spat over its ties to Taipei that has seen China launch a fierce propaganda campaign, economic sanctions, and a diplomatic dispute that led to Vilnius leaving its embassy in Beijing on December 15. While Europe still lacks a cohesive plan for dealing with China, the events of 2021 have emboldened officials and governments from the bloc to call for a harder line toward Beijing. The entire episode represents the wider mix of diplomatic opportunities and strategic missteps that defined Chinese policy from Central Europe to South Asia this past year. Looking ahead to 2022, China is poised to continue its uneven rise across Eurasia. Tensions between Russia and the West have helped fuel even warmer ties between the Kremlin and Beijing, and the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Talibans return to power has opened the door for opportunities, while also bringing new risks. Meanwhile, the coming year will see a key moment in modern Chinese history as President Xi Jinping is predicted by many to abandon term limits and seek one-man rule. With a new year of globe-spanning developments on the horizon, here are five big trends to watch as China deepens its influence throughout Eurasia. 1. China's Security Footprint Cautiously Expands Concerns over border security, extremist groups, and the security of Chinese personnel across Central and South Asia grew this year following the Talibans August takeover and a spate of attacks on Chinese nationals working in Pakistan. Beijing has long worried about terrorism in the region, particularly from Uyghur extremist groups, and it has moved to build up security relationships with all its neighbors -- from Central Asian governments to the Taliban -- that link Chinas internal security apparatus to foreign counterparts. So far, [Beijing] has demonstrated that it views its security interests narrowly to things that it fears can impact China directly [at home], Raffaello Pantucci, a senior associate fellow at London's Royal United Services Institute, told RFE/RL. Many of these partnerships continued to grow in 2021. In October, it was announced that China would fund and build a police base in Tajikistan for Tajik personnel, while an RFE/RL investigation showed that Chinas presence at a base along the Afghan-Tajik border continues to grow, with Chinese personnel even patrolling stretches of the border. China has shown that it prefers a light touch and would like to focus on building relationships [with local governments] to address security concerns, said Pantucci. The big question is whether Chinese interests being targeted more and more leads to Beijing thinking it needs to have a different kind of presence on the ground. In the meantime, those links look set to grow with law enforcement and security agencies across the region for the year ahead. Beijing continues to invest in training for many of its neighbors, and China has reportedly signed 59 extradition treaties with foreign countries in recent years. 2. A New Era For Beijing And Moscow? Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed their increasingly close ties on December 15 during a 90-minute video call in which they sought to display a unified front amid Western pressure on both China and Russia. Moscow and Beijing are not formally allied, but during the call, Putin said that a new model of cooperation between our countries has formed on principles such as noninterference in internal affairs and respecting each others interests, while Xi thanked his counterpart for his strong support of Chinas efforts to protect its key international interests. Their ties are getting closer as their rivalries with the United States intensify, conducting joint military exercises and even offering political support for each other on a range of issues, from Putin criticizing the AUKUS military alliance (composed of Australia, the United States, and Britain) to Xi supporting Moscows demand for security guarantees to limit the Wests influence across the former Soviet Union. They are getting closer, and while they dont want to formalize an alliance, [theyre] increasingly willing to support each other on issues that don't affect the other, said Pantucci. How close this relationship will progress remains to be seen, especially as Russia anxiously watches Chinas security and political influence grow across Central Asia and each countrys regional economic model -- the Moscow-led Eurasian Union and Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) -- faces high tariffs and coordination problems, despite the rosy rhetoric. But with tensions only set to grow with the West in 2022, expect Putin and Xi to lean on each other even more in the future. We are seeing this relationship transform in real time, said Pantucci. We need to update our thinking, as this dynamic continues to change and potentially becomes something more durable. 3. Polishing The Belt And Road In less than 10 years, the BRI has positioned China at the center of the international system, with new railroads and bridges, fiber-optic cables and 5G networks, pipelines and ports that have helped expand Beijings financial, technological, and political influence through hundreds of billions of dollars in investment and projects from Latin America to Southeast Asia. But the foreign policy project has hit plenty of speed bumps lately, including debt concerns linked to Chinese projects and allegations of corruption, shoddy construction, poor labor practices, and disregard for the environment. Investment levels have also declined steadily since 2016, and the BRI has begun to shift focus to new areas, such as arts and culture, e-payment systems, and satellites. This backlash has also opened the door for new competing initiatives from Japan, the United States, and the European Union. By design, its meant to be abstract and vague. The point was that any Chinese stakeholder could come in and do any project and that could be called part of BRI, Niva Yau, a senior researcher at the OSCE academy in Bishkek, told RFE/RL. We need to stop thinking of it as one thing. Its always changing and is ultimately about China increasing its influence in all aspects globally. Looking to 2022, Xis signature project will continue to evolve, and Yau says China is already putting a greater emphasis on soft power and courting public opinion through aid, medical assistance, exporting Chinese culture, and creating local jobs rather than only winning over political elites. [BRI] is targeting the public more and more. Of course, this isn't always effective, but that isnt really what matters right now, she said. If they continue to invest in soft power and devote resources towards it, that will eventually see some results. 4. 'Wolf Warriors' Are Here To Stay But while the BRI continues to search for new ways to boost Chinas global influence, Beijing will have to deal with an increasingly negative global view of the country that has hurt both Chinese soft power and diplomacy over the past year. A Pew survey in June of mostly Western, developed countries found that unfavorable views of China have reached new heights, with only a majority of respondents from Greece and Singapore showing a favorable view of Chinese policies. It's undeniable that China's image is in a poor state and looks unlikely to improve substantially any time soon, Charles Dunst, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told RFE/RL. Beijings COVID-19 diplomacy, which had some small victories early in the pandemic in countries like Serbia and Italy, has since faded. The countrys so-called wolf warrior diplomats, who have adopted an aggressive style of targeting and coercing governments, companies, and individuals that criticized China, are here to stay and even threatened to cut off aid or access to vaccines and personal protective equipment (PPE) in some cases. Many also spread disinformation about the origins of the coronavirus, and Beijing went on to place restrictions and tariffs on some of Australias most popular exports after Canberra called for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19. Countries around the world are worried most about Beijing's willingness to wield economic ties for political purposes, he said. It's hard to see China reversing this trend in 2022, given both [Xis] clear preference for foreign policy aggressiveness and popular Chinese nationalism. 5. The Limits Of Trading With COVID-Zero China China is one of the last countries in the world to continue with a strict "zero-COVID-19" strategy, which sometimes entails locking down entire cities if a single case is detected. Now, with the spread of the omicron variant, it looks like that policy is here to stay. Thats bad news for many across Central Asia who rely on cross-border trade, which has seen a precipitous drop over the course of the pandemic due to rigid border controls and restrictions on the types of people and goods that have been allowed to come into China. China and Central Asia will have many difficulties in their trade relations not only in the upcoming year but well into the future, depending on how the pandemic develops, Temur Umarov, an expert on China in Central Asia at the Carnegie Moscow Center, told RFE/RL. The vast majority of Chinese trade with the region is focused on natural resources, especially oil and gas, but the pressures on freight trade brought by Chinas border restrictions have become a political issue in some countries. The Kyrgyz government has said that restarting some version of pre-pandemic trade is a priority, and officials from Bishkek have held talks with their Chinese counterparts and even proposed a new system for cargo trucks to better comply with Chinese COVID-19 regulations. With new variants of the virus continuing to emerge, Umarov says, this remains the only option on the table for local governments. Of course, this will frustrate Central Asia, he said. But at the same time, they need China economically, and that is why they will have to go and take these additional steps and negotiate what they can for cross-border traffic. What a difference a year can make. Already feeling triumphant from its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic at home, China marked a geopolitical win by signing a massive trade deal with the European Union in late December 2020 that sent a powerful message to U.S. President Joe Bidens incoming administration. But 2021 had other plans for Beijing. The investment deal was sidelined indefinitely in May following tit-for-tat sanctions between China and the EU over Beijing's abuses of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in its western Xinjiang Province. Since then, Taiwan has improved its ties across Europe, with Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu launching a landmark tour of several Central European countries in October. Lithuania, a small Baltic country of 2.7 million people, has also been at the center of Chinese-European ties, withdrawing from a Beijing-led diplomatic format in February and then navigating a prolonged spat over its ties to Taipei that has seen China launch a fierce propaganda campaign, economic sanctions, and a diplomatic dispute that led to Vilnius leaving its embassy in Beijing on December 15. While Europe still lacks a cohesive plan for dealing with China, the events of 2021 have emboldened officials and governments from the bloc to call for a harder line toward Beijing. The entire episode represents the wider mix of diplomatic opportunities and strategic missteps that defined Chinese policy from Central Europe to South Asia this past year. Looking ahead to 2022, China is poised to continue its uneven rise across Eurasia. Tensions between Russia and the West have helped fuel even warmer ties between the Kremlin and Beijing, and the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Talibans return to power has opened the door for opportunities, while also bringing new risks. Meanwhile, the coming year will see a key moment in modern Chinese history as President Xi Jinping is predicted by many to abandon term limits and seek one-man rule. With a new year of globe-spanning developments on the horizon, here are five big trends to watch as China deepens its influence throughout Eurasia. 1. China's Security Footprint Cautiously Expands Concerns over border security, extremist groups, and the security of Chinese personnel across Central and South Asia grew this year following the Talibans August takeover and a spate of attacks on Chinese nationals working in Pakistan. Beijing has long worried about terrorism in the region, particularly from Uyghur extremist groups, and it has moved to build up security relationships with all its neighbors -- from Central Asian governments to the Taliban -- that link Chinas internal security apparatus to foreign counterparts. So far, [Beijing] has demonstrated that it views its security interests narrowly to things that it fears can impact China directly [at home], Raffaello Pantucci, a senior associate fellow at London's Royal United Services Institute, told RFE/RL. Many of these partnerships continued to grow in 2021. In October, it was announced that China would fund and build a police base in Tajikistan for Tajik personnel, while an RFE/RL investigation showed that Chinas presence at a base along the Afghan-Tajik border continues to grow, with Chinese personnel even patrolling stretches of the border. China has shown that it prefers a light touch and would like to focus on building relationships [with local governments] to address security concerns, said Pantucci. The big question is whether Chinese interests being targeted more and more leads to Beijing thinking it needs to have a different kind of presence on the ground. In the meantime, those links look set to grow with law enforcement and security agencies across the region for the year ahead. Beijing continues to invest in training for many of its neighbors, and China has reportedly signed 59 extradition treaties with foreign countries in recent years. 2. A New Era For Beijing And Moscow? Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed their increasingly close ties on December 15 during a 90-minute video call in which they sought to display a unified front amid Western pressure on both China and Russia. Moscow and Beijing are not formally allied, but during the call, Putin said that a new model of cooperation between our countries has formed on principles such as noninterference in internal affairs and respecting each others interests, while Xi thanked his counterpart for his strong support of Chinas efforts to protect its key international interests. Their ties are getting closer as their rivalries with the United States intensify, conducting joint military exercises and even offering political support for each other on a range of issues, from Putin criticizing the AUKUS military alliance (composed of Australia, the United States, and Britain) to Xi supporting Moscows demand for security guarantees to limit the Wests influence across the former Soviet Union. They are getting closer, and while they dont want to formalize an alliance, [theyre] increasingly willing to support each other on issues that don't affect the other, said Pantucci. How close this relationship will progress remains to be seen, especially as Russia anxiously watches Chinas security and political influence grow across Central Asia and each countrys regional economic model -- the Moscow-led Eurasian Union and Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) -- faces high tariffs and coordination problems, despite the rosy rhetoric. But with tensions only set to grow with the West in 2022, expect Putin and Xi to lean on each other even more in the future. We are seeing this relationship transform in real time, said Pantucci. We need to update our thinking, as this dynamic continues to change and potentially becomes something more durable. 3. Polishing The Belt And Road In less than 10 years, the BRI has positioned China at the center of the international system, with new railroads and bridges, fiber-optic cables and 5G networks, pipelines and ports that have helped expand Beijings financial, technological, and political influence through hundreds of billions of dollars in investment and projects from Latin America to Southeast Asia. But the foreign policy project has hit plenty of speed bumps lately, including debt concerns linked to Chinese projects and allegations of corruption, shoddy construction, poor labor practices, and disregard for the environment. Investment levels have also declined steadily since 2016, and the BRI has begun to shift focus to new areas, such as arts and culture, e-payment systems, and satellites. This backlash has also opened the door for new competing initiatives from Japan, the United States, and the European Union. By design, its meant to be abstract and vague. The point was that any Chinese stakeholder could come in and do any project and that could be called part of BRI, Niva Yau, a senior researcher at the OSCE academy in Bishkek, told RFE/RL. We need to stop thinking of it as one thing. Its always changing and is ultimately about China increasing its influence in all aspects globally. Looking to 2022, Xis signature project will continue to evolve, and Yau says China is already putting a greater emphasis on soft power and courting public opinion through aid, medical assistance, exporting Chinese culture, and creating local jobs rather than only winning over political elites. [BRI] is targeting the public more and more. Of course, this isn't always effective, but that isnt really what matters right now, she said. If they continue to invest in soft power and devote resources towards it, that will eventually see some results. 4. 'Wolf Warriors' Are Here To Stay But while the BRI continues to search for new ways to boost Chinas global influence, Beijing will have to deal with an increasingly negative global view of the country that has hurt both Chinese soft power and diplomacy over the past year. A Pew survey in June of mostly Western, developed countries found that unfavorable views of China have reached new heights, with only a majority of respondents from Greece and Singapore showing a favorable view of Chinese policies. It's undeniable that China's image is in a poor state and looks unlikely to improve substantially any time soon, Charles Dunst, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told RFE/RL. Beijings COVID-19 diplomacy, which had some small victories early in the pandemic in countries like Serbia and Italy, has since faded. The countrys so-called wolf warrior diplomats, who have adopted an aggressive style of targeting and coercing governments, companies, and individuals that criticized China, are here to stay and even threatened to cut off aid or access to vaccines and personal protective equipment (PPE) in some cases. Many also spread disinformation about the origins of the coronavirus, and Beijing went on to place restrictions and tariffs on some of Australias most popular exports after Canberra called for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19. Countries around the world are worried most about Beijing's willingness to wield economic ties for political purposes, he said. It's hard to see China reversing this trend in 2022, given both [Xis] clear preference for foreign policy aggressiveness and popular Chinese nationalism. 5. The Limits Of Trading With COVID-Zero China China is one of the last countries in the world to continue with a strict "zero-COVID-19" strategy, which sometimes entails locking down entire cities if a single case is detected. Now, with the spread of the omicron variant, it looks like that policy is here to stay. Thats bad news for many across Central Asia who rely on cross-border trade, which has seen a precipitous drop over the course of the pandemic due to rigid border controls and restrictions on the types of people and goods that have been allowed to come into China. China and Central Asia will have many difficulties in their trade relations not only in the upcoming year but well into the future, depending on how the pandemic develops, Temur Umarov, an expert on China in Central Asia at the Carnegie Moscow Center, told RFE/RL. The vast majority of Chinese trade with the region is focused on natural resources, especially oil and gas, but the pressures on freight trade brought by Chinas border restrictions have become a political issue in some countries. The Kyrgyz government has said that restarting some version of pre-pandemic trade is a priority, and officials from Bishkek have held talks with their Chinese counterparts and even proposed a new system for cargo trucks to better comply with Chinese COVID-19 regulations. With new variants of the virus continuing to emerge, Umarov says, this remains the only option on the table for local governments. Of course, this will frustrate Central Asia, he said. But at the same time, they need China economically, and that is why they will have to go and take these additional steps and negotiate what they can for cross-border traffic. What a difference a year can make. Already feeling triumphant from its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic at home, China marked a geopolitical win by signing a massive trade deal with the European Union in late December 2020 that sent a powerful message to U.S. President Joe Bidens incoming administration. But 2021 had other plans for Beijing. The investment deal was sidelined indefinitely in May following tit-for-tat sanctions between China and the EU over Beijing's abuses of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in its western Xinjiang Province. Since then, Taiwan has improved its ties across Europe, with Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu launching a landmark tour of several Central European countries in October. Lithuania, a small Baltic country of 2.7 million people, has also been at the center of Chinese-European ties, withdrawing from a Beijing-led diplomatic format in February and then navigating a prolonged spat over its ties to Taipei that has seen China launch a fierce propaganda campaign, economic sanctions, and a diplomatic dispute that led to Vilnius leaving its embassy in Beijing on December 15. While Europe still lacks a cohesive plan for dealing with China, the events of 2021 have emboldened officials and governments from the bloc to call for a harder line toward Beijing. The entire episode represents the wider mix of diplomatic opportunities and strategic missteps that defined Chinese policy from Central Europe to South Asia this past year. Looking ahead to 2022, China is poised to continue its uneven rise across Eurasia. Tensions between Russia and the West have helped fuel even warmer ties between the Kremlin and Beijing, and the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Talibans return to power has opened the door for opportunities, while also bringing new risks. Meanwhile, the coming year will see a key moment in modern Chinese history as President Xi Jinping is predicted by many to abandon term limits and seek one-man rule. With a new year of globe-spanning developments on the horizon, here are five big trends to watch as China deepens its influence throughout Eurasia. 1. China's Security Footprint Cautiously Expands Concerns over border security, extremist groups, and the security of Chinese personnel across Central and South Asia grew this year following the Talibans August takeover and a spate of attacks on Chinese nationals working in Pakistan. Beijing has long worried about terrorism in the region, particularly from Uyghur extremist groups, and it has moved to build up security relationships with all its neighbors -- from Central Asian governments to the Taliban -- that link Chinas internal security apparatus to foreign counterparts. So far, [Beijing] has demonstrated that it views its security interests narrowly to things that it fears can impact China directly [at home], Raffaello Pantucci, a senior associate fellow at London's Royal United Services Institute, told RFE/RL. Many of these partnerships continued to grow in 2021. In October, it was announced that China would fund and build a police base in Tajikistan for Tajik personnel, while an RFE/RL investigation showed that Chinas presence at a base along the Afghan-Tajik border continues to grow, with Chinese personnel even patrolling stretches of the border. China has shown that it prefers a light touch and would like to focus on building relationships [with local governments] to address security concerns, said Pantucci. The big question is whether Chinese interests being targeted more and more leads to Beijing thinking it needs to have a different kind of presence on the ground. In the meantime, those links look set to grow with law enforcement and security agencies across the region for the year ahead. Beijing continues to invest in training for many of its neighbors, and China has reportedly signed 59 extradition treaties with foreign countries in recent years. 2. A New Era For Beijing And Moscow? Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed their increasingly close ties on December 15 during a 90-minute video call in which they sought to display a unified front amid Western pressure on both China and Russia. Moscow and Beijing are not formally allied, but during the call, Putin said that a new model of cooperation between our countries has formed on principles such as noninterference in internal affairs and respecting each others interests, while Xi thanked his counterpart for his strong support of Chinas efforts to protect its key international interests. Their ties are getting closer as their rivalries with the United States intensify, conducting joint military exercises and even offering political support for each other on a range of issues, from Putin criticizing the AUKUS military alliance (composed of Australia, the United States, and Britain) to Xi supporting Moscows demand for security guarantees to limit the Wests influence across the former Soviet Union. They are getting closer, and while they dont want to formalize an alliance, [theyre] increasingly willing to support each other on issues that don't affect the other, said Pantucci. How close this relationship will progress remains to be seen, especially as Russia anxiously watches Chinas security and political influence grow across Central Asia and each countrys regional economic model -- the Moscow-led Eurasian Union and Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) -- faces high tariffs and coordination problems, despite the rosy rhetoric. But with tensions only set to grow with the West in 2022, expect Putin and Xi to lean on each other even more in the future. We are seeing this relationship transform in real time, said Pantucci. We need to update our thinking, as this dynamic continues to change and potentially becomes something more durable. 3. Polishing The Belt And Road In less than 10 years, the BRI has positioned China at the center of the international system, with new railroads and bridges, fiber-optic cables and 5G networks, pipelines and ports that have helped expand Beijings financial, technological, and political influence through hundreds of billions of dollars in investment and projects from Latin America to Southeast Asia. But the foreign policy project has hit plenty of speed bumps lately, including debt concerns linked to Chinese projects and allegations of corruption, shoddy construction, poor labor practices, and disregard for the environment. Investment levels have also declined steadily since 2016, and the BRI has begun to shift focus to new areas, such as arts and culture, e-payment systems, and satellites. This backlash has also opened the door for new competing initiatives from Japan, the United States, and the European Union. By design, its meant to be abstract and vague. The point was that any Chinese stakeholder could come in and do any project and that could be called part of BRI, Niva Yau, a senior researcher at the OSCE academy in Bishkek, told RFE/RL. We need to stop thinking of it as one thing. Its always changing and is ultimately about China increasing its influence in all aspects globally. Looking to 2022, Xis signature project will continue to evolve, and Yau says China is already putting a greater emphasis on soft power and courting public opinion through aid, medical assistance, exporting Chinese culture, and creating local jobs rather than only winning over political elites. [BRI] is targeting the public more and more. Of course, this isn't always effective, but that isnt really what matters right now, she said. If they continue to invest in soft power and devote resources towards it, that will eventually see some results. 4. 'Wolf Warriors' Are Here To Stay But while the BRI continues to search for new ways to boost Chinas global influence, Beijing will have to deal with an increasingly negative global view of the country that has hurt both Chinese soft power and diplomacy over the past year. A Pew survey in June of mostly Western, developed countries found that unfavorable views of China have reached new heights, with only a majority of respondents from Greece and Singapore showing a favorable view of Chinese policies. It's undeniable that China's image is in a poor state and looks unlikely to improve substantially any time soon, Charles Dunst, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told RFE/RL. Beijings COVID-19 diplomacy, which had some small victories early in the pandemic in countries like Serbia and Italy, has since faded. The countrys so-called wolf warrior diplomats, who have adopted an aggressive style of targeting and coercing governments, companies, and individuals that criticized China, are here to stay and even threatened to cut off aid or access to vaccines and personal protective equipment (PPE) in some cases. Many also spread disinformation about the origins of the coronavirus, and Beijing went on to place restrictions and tariffs on some of Australias most popular exports after Canberra called for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19. Countries around the world are worried most about Beijing's willingness to wield economic ties for political purposes, he said. It's hard to see China reversing this trend in 2022, given both [Xis] clear preference for foreign policy aggressiveness and popular Chinese nationalism. 5. The Limits Of Trading With COVID-Zero China China is one of the last countries in the world to continue with a strict "zero-COVID-19" strategy, which sometimes entails locking down entire cities if a single case is detected. Now, with the spread of the omicron variant, it looks like that policy is here to stay. Thats bad news for many across Central Asia who rely on cross-border trade, which has seen a precipitous drop over the course of the pandemic due to rigid border controls and restrictions on the types of people and goods that have been allowed to come into China. China and Central Asia will have many difficulties in their trade relations not only in the upcoming year but well into the future, depending on how the pandemic develops, Temur Umarov, an expert on China in Central Asia at the Carnegie Moscow Center, told RFE/RL. The vast majority of Chinese trade with the region is focused on natural resources, especially oil and gas, but the pressures on freight trade brought by Chinas border restrictions have become a political issue in some countries. The Kyrgyz government has said that restarting some version of pre-pandemic trade is a priority, and officials from Bishkek have held talks with their Chinese counterparts and even proposed a new system for cargo trucks to better comply with Chinese COVID-19 regulations. With new variants of the virus continuing to emerge, Umarov says, this remains the only option on the table for local governments. Of course, this will frustrate Central Asia, he said. But at the same time, they need China economically, and that is why they will have to go and take these additional steps and negotiate what they can for cross-border traffic. What a difference a year can make. Already feeling triumphant from its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic at home, China marked a geopolitical win by signing a massive trade deal with the European Union in late December 2020 that sent a powerful message to U.S. President Joe Bidens incoming administration. But 2021 had other plans for Beijing. The investment deal was sidelined indefinitely in May following tit-for-tat sanctions between China and the EU over Beijing's abuses of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in its western Xinjiang Province. Since then, Taiwan has improved its ties across Europe, with Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu launching a landmark tour of several Central European countries in October. Lithuania, a small Baltic country of 2.7 million people, has also been at the center of Chinese-European ties, withdrawing from a Beijing-led diplomatic format in February and then navigating a prolonged spat over its ties to Taipei that has seen China launch a fierce propaganda campaign, economic sanctions, and a diplomatic dispute that led to Vilnius leaving its embassy in Beijing on December 15. While Europe still lacks a cohesive plan for dealing with China, the events of 2021 have emboldened officials and governments from the bloc to call for a harder line toward Beijing. The entire episode represents the wider mix of diplomatic opportunities and strategic missteps that defined Chinese policy from Central Europe to South Asia this past year. Looking ahead to 2022, China is poised to continue its uneven rise across Eurasia. Tensions between Russia and the West have helped fuel even warmer ties between the Kremlin and Beijing, and the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Talibans return to power has opened the door for opportunities, while also bringing new risks. Meanwhile, the coming year will see a key moment in modern Chinese history as President Xi Jinping is predicted by many to abandon term limits and seek one-man rule. With a new year of globe-spanning developments on the horizon, here are five big trends to watch as China deepens its influence throughout Eurasia. 1. China's Security Footprint Cautiously Expands Concerns over border security, extremist groups, and the security of Chinese personnel across Central and South Asia grew this year following the Talibans August takeover and a spate of attacks on Chinese nationals working in Pakistan. Beijing has long worried about terrorism in the region, particularly from Uyghur extremist groups, and it has moved to build up security relationships with all its neighbors -- from Central Asian governments to the Taliban -- that link Chinas internal security apparatus to foreign counterparts. So far, [Beijing] has demonstrated that it views its security interests narrowly to things that it fears can impact China directly [at home], Raffaello Pantucci, a senior associate fellow at London's Royal United Services Institute, told RFE/RL. Many of these partnerships continued to grow in 2021. In October, it was announced that China would fund and build a police base in Tajikistan for Tajik personnel, while an RFE/RL investigation showed that Chinas presence at a base along the Afghan-Tajik border continues to grow, with Chinese personnel even patrolling stretches of the border. China has shown that it prefers a light touch and would like to focus on building relationships [with local governments] to address security concerns, said Pantucci. The big question is whether Chinese interests being targeted more and more leads to Beijing thinking it needs to have a different kind of presence on the ground. In the meantime, those links look set to grow with law enforcement and security agencies across the region for the year ahead. Beijing continues to invest in training for many of its neighbors, and China has reportedly signed 59 extradition treaties with foreign countries in recent years. 2. A New Era For Beijing And Moscow? Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed their increasingly close ties on December 15 during a 90-minute video call in which they sought to display a unified front amid Western pressure on both China and Russia. Moscow and Beijing are not formally allied, but during the call, Putin said that a new model of cooperation between our countries has formed on principles such as noninterference in internal affairs and respecting each others interests, while Xi thanked his counterpart for his strong support of Chinas efforts to protect its key international interests. Their ties are getting closer as their rivalries with the United States intensify, conducting joint military exercises and even offering political support for each other on a range of issues, from Putin criticizing the AUKUS military alliance (composed of Australia, the United States, and Britain) to Xi supporting Moscows demand for security guarantees to limit the Wests influence across the former Soviet Union. They are getting closer, and while they dont want to formalize an alliance, [theyre] increasingly willing to support each other on issues that don't affect the other, said Pantucci. How close this relationship will progress remains to be seen, especially as Russia anxiously watches Chinas security and political influence grow across Central Asia and each countrys regional economic model -- the Moscow-led Eurasian Union and Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) -- faces high tariffs and coordination problems, despite the rosy rhetoric. But with tensions only set to grow with the West in 2022, expect Putin and Xi to lean on each other even more in the future. We are seeing this relationship transform in real time, said Pantucci. We need to update our thinking, as this dynamic continues to change and potentially becomes something more durable. 3. Polishing The Belt And Road In less than 10 years, the BRI has positioned China at the center of the international system, with new railroads and bridges, fiber-optic cables and 5G networks, pipelines and ports that have helped expand Beijings financial, technological, and political influence through hundreds of billions of dollars in investment and projects from Latin America to Southeast Asia. But the foreign policy project has hit plenty of speed bumps lately, including debt concerns linked to Chinese projects and allegations of corruption, shoddy construction, poor labor practices, and disregard for the environment. Investment levels have also declined steadily since 2016, and the BRI has begun to shift focus to new areas, such as arts and culture, e-payment systems, and satellites. This backlash has also opened the door for new competing initiatives from Japan, the United States, and the European Union. By design, its meant to be abstract and vague. The point was that any Chinese stakeholder could come in and do any project and that could be called part of BRI, Niva Yau, a senior researcher at the OSCE academy in Bishkek, told RFE/RL. We need to stop thinking of it as one thing. Its always changing and is ultimately about China increasing its influence in all aspects globally. Looking to 2022, Xis signature project will continue to evolve, and Yau says China is already putting a greater emphasis on soft power and courting public opinion through aid, medical assistance, exporting Chinese culture, and creating local jobs rather than only winning over political elites. [BRI] is targeting the public more and more. Of course, this isn't always effective, but that isnt really what matters right now, she said. If they continue to invest in soft power and devote resources towards it, that will eventually see some results. 4. 'Wolf Warriors' Are Here To Stay But while the BRI continues to search for new ways to boost Chinas global influence, Beijing will have to deal with an increasingly negative global view of the country that has hurt both Chinese soft power and diplomacy over the past year. A Pew survey in June of mostly Western, developed countries found that unfavorable views of China have reached new heights, with only a majority of respondents from Greece and Singapore showing a favorable view of Chinese policies. It's undeniable that China's image is in a poor state and looks unlikely to improve substantially any time soon, Charles Dunst, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told RFE/RL. Beijings COVID-19 diplomacy, which had some small victories early in the pandemic in countries like Serbia and Italy, has since faded. The countrys so-called wolf warrior diplomats, who have adopted an aggressive style of targeting and coercing governments, companies, and individuals that criticized China, are here to stay and even threatened to cut off aid or access to vaccines and personal protective equipment (PPE) in some cases. Many also spread disinformation about the origins of the coronavirus, and Beijing went on to place restrictions and tariffs on some of Australias most popular exports after Canberra called for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19. Countries around the world are worried most about Beijing's willingness to wield economic ties for political purposes, he said. It's hard to see China reversing this trend in 2022, given both [Xis] clear preference for foreign policy aggressiveness and popular Chinese nationalism. 5. The Limits Of Trading With COVID-Zero China China is one of the last countries in the world to continue with a strict "zero-COVID-19" strategy, which sometimes entails locking down entire cities if a single case is detected. Now, with the spread of the omicron variant, it looks like that policy is here to stay. Thats bad news for many across Central Asia who rely on cross-border trade, which has seen a precipitous drop over the course of the pandemic due to rigid border controls and restrictions on the types of people and goods that have been allowed to come into China. China and Central Asia will have many difficulties in their trade relations not only in the upcoming year but well into the future, depending on how the pandemic develops, Temur Umarov, an expert on China in Central Asia at the Carnegie Moscow Center, told RFE/RL. The vast majority of Chinese trade with the region is focused on natural resources, especially oil and gas, but the pressures on freight trade brought by Chinas border restrictions have become a political issue in some countries. The Kyrgyz government has said that restarting some version of pre-pandemic trade is a priority, and officials from Bishkek have held talks with their Chinese counterparts and even proposed a new system for cargo trucks to better comply with Chinese COVID-19 regulations. With new variants of the virus continuing to emerge, Umarov says, this remains the only option on the table for local governments. Of course, this will frustrate Central Asia, he said. But at the same time, they need China economically, and that is why they will have to go and take these additional steps and negotiate what they can for cross-border traffic. What a difference a year can make. Already feeling triumphant from its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic at home, China marked a geopolitical win by signing a massive trade deal with the European Union in late December 2020 that sent a powerful message to U.S. President Joe Bidens incoming administration. But 2021 had other plans for Beijing. The investment deal was sidelined indefinitely in May following tit-for-tat sanctions between China and the EU over Beijing's abuses of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in its western Xinjiang Province. Since then, Taiwan has improved its ties across Europe, with Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu launching a landmark tour of several Central European countries in October. Lithuania, a small Baltic country of 2.7 million people, has also been at the center of Chinese-European ties, withdrawing from a Beijing-led diplomatic format in February and then navigating a prolonged spat over its ties to Taipei that has seen China launch a fierce propaganda campaign, economic sanctions, and a diplomatic dispute that led to Vilnius leaving its embassy in Beijing on December 15. While Europe still lacks a cohesive plan for dealing with China, the events of 2021 have emboldened officials and governments from the bloc to call for a harder line toward Beijing. The entire episode represents the wider mix of diplomatic opportunities and strategic missteps that defined Chinese policy from Central Europe to South Asia this past year. Looking ahead to 2022, China is poised to continue its uneven rise across Eurasia. Tensions between Russia and the West have helped fuel even warmer ties between the Kremlin and Beijing, and the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Talibans return to power has opened the door for opportunities, while also bringing new risks. Meanwhile, the coming year will see a key moment in modern Chinese history as President Xi Jinping is predicted by many to abandon term limits and seek one-man rule. With a new year of globe-spanning developments on the horizon, here are five big trends to watch as China deepens its influence throughout Eurasia. 1. China's Security Footprint Cautiously Expands Concerns over border security, extremist groups, and the security of Chinese personnel across Central and South Asia grew this year following the Talibans August takeover and a spate of attacks on Chinese nationals working in Pakistan. Beijing has long worried about terrorism in the region, particularly from Uyghur extremist groups, and it has moved to build up security relationships with all its neighbors -- from Central Asian governments to the Taliban -- that link Chinas internal security apparatus to foreign counterparts. So far, [Beijing] has demonstrated that it views its security interests narrowly to things that it fears can impact China directly [at home], Raffaello Pantucci, a senior associate fellow at London's Royal United Services Institute, told RFE/RL. Many of these partnerships continued to grow in 2021. In October, it was announced that China would fund and build a police base in Tajikistan for Tajik personnel, while an RFE/RL investigation showed that Chinas presence at a base along the Afghan-Tajik border continues to grow, with Chinese personnel even patrolling stretches of the border. China has shown that it prefers a light touch and would like to focus on building relationships [with local governments] to address security concerns, said Pantucci. The big question is whether Chinese interests being targeted more and more leads to Beijing thinking it needs to have a different kind of presence on the ground. In the meantime, those links look set to grow with law enforcement and security agencies across the region for the year ahead. Beijing continues to invest in training for many of its neighbors, and China has reportedly signed 59 extradition treaties with foreign countries in recent years. 2. A New Era For Beijing And Moscow? Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed their increasingly close ties on December 15 during a 90-minute video call in which they sought to display a unified front amid Western pressure on both China and Russia. Moscow and Beijing are not formally allied, but during the call, Putin said that a new model of cooperation between our countries has formed on principles such as noninterference in internal affairs and respecting each others interests, while Xi thanked his counterpart for his strong support of Chinas efforts to protect its key international interests. Their ties are getting closer as their rivalries with the United States intensify, conducting joint military exercises and even offering political support for each other on a range of issues, from Putin criticizing the AUKUS military alliance (composed of Australia, the United States, and Britain) to Xi supporting Moscows demand for security guarantees to limit the Wests influence across the former Soviet Union. They are getting closer, and while they dont want to formalize an alliance, [theyre] increasingly willing to support each other on issues that don't affect the other, said Pantucci. How close this relationship will progress remains to be seen, especially as Russia anxiously watches Chinas security and political influence grow across Central Asia and each countrys regional economic model -- the Moscow-led Eurasian Union and Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) -- faces high tariffs and coordination problems, despite the rosy rhetoric. But with tensions only set to grow with the West in 2022, expect Putin and Xi to lean on each other even more in the future. We are seeing this relationship transform in real time, said Pantucci. We need to update our thinking, as this dynamic continues to change and potentially becomes something more durable. 3. Polishing The Belt And Road In less than 10 years, the BRI has positioned China at the center of the international system, with new railroads and bridges, fiber-optic cables and 5G networks, pipelines and ports that have helped expand Beijings financial, technological, and political influence through hundreds of billions of dollars in investment and projects from Latin America to Southeast Asia. But the foreign policy project has hit plenty of speed bumps lately, including debt concerns linked to Chinese projects and allegations of corruption, shoddy construction, poor labor practices, and disregard for the environment. Investment levels have also declined steadily since 2016, and the BRI has begun to shift focus to new areas, such as arts and culture, e-payment systems, and satellites. This backlash has also opened the door for new competing initiatives from Japan, the United States, and the European Union. By design, its meant to be abstract and vague. The point was that any Chinese stakeholder could come in and do any project and that could be called part of BRI, Niva Yau, a senior researcher at the OSCE academy in Bishkek, told RFE/RL. We need to stop thinking of it as one thing. Its always changing and is ultimately about China increasing its influence in all aspects globally. Looking to 2022, Xis signature project will continue to evolve, and Yau says China is already putting a greater emphasis on soft power and courting public opinion through aid, medical assistance, exporting Chinese culture, and creating local jobs rather than only winning over political elites. [BRI] is targeting the public more and more. Of course, this isn't always effective, but that isnt really what matters right now, she said. If they continue to invest in soft power and devote resources towards it, that will eventually see some results. 4. 'Wolf Warriors' Are Here To Stay But while the BRI continues to search for new ways to boost Chinas global influence, Beijing will have to deal with an increasingly negative global view of the country that has hurt both Chinese soft power and diplomacy over the past year. A Pew survey in June of mostly Western, developed countries found that unfavorable views of China have reached new heights, with only a majority of respondents from Greece and Singapore showing a favorable view of Chinese policies. It's undeniable that China's image is in a poor state and looks unlikely to improve substantially any time soon, Charles Dunst, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told RFE/RL. Beijings COVID-19 diplomacy, which had some small victories early in the pandemic in countries like Serbia and Italy, has since faded. The countrys so-called wolf warrior diplomats, who have adopted an aggressive style of targeting and coercing governments, companies, and individuals that criticized China, are here to stay and even threatened to cut off aid or access to vaccines and personal protective equipment (PPE) in some cases. Many also spread disinformation about the origins of the coronavirus, and Beijing went on to place restrictions and tariffs on some of Australias most popular exports after Canberra called for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19. Countries around the world are worried most about Beijing's willingness to wield economic ties for political purposes, he said. It's hard to see China reversing this trend in 2022, given both [Xis] clear preference for foreign policy aggressiveness and popular Chinese nationalism. 5. The Limits Of Trading With COVID-Zero China China is one of the last countries in the world to continue with a strict "zero-COVID-19" strategy, which sometimes entails locking down entire cities if a single case is detected. Now, with the spread of the omicron variant, it looks like that policy is here to stay. Thats bad news for many across Central Asia who rely on cross-border trade, which has seen a precipitous drop over the course of the pandemic due to rigid border controls and restrictions on the types of people and goods that have been allowed to come into China. China and Central Asia will have many difficulties in their trade relations not only in the upcoming year but well into the future, depending on how the pandemic develops, Temur Umarov, an expert on China in Central Asia at the Carnegie Moscow Center, told RFE/RL. The vast majority of Chinese trade with the region is focused on natural resources, especially oil and gas, but the pressures on freight trade brought by Chinas border restrictions have become a political issue in some countries. The Kyrgyz government has said that restarting some version of pre-pandemic trade is a priority, and officials from Bishkek have held talks with their Chinese counterparts and even proposed a new system for cargo trucks to better comply with Chinese COVID-19 regulations. With new variants of the virus continuing to emerge, Umarov says, this remains the only option on the table for local governments. Of course, this will frustrate Central Asia, he said. But at the same time, they need China economically, and that is why they will have to go and take these additional steps and negotiate what they can for cross-border traffic. What a difference a year can make. Already feeling triumphant from its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic at home, China marked a geopolitical win by signing a massive trade deal with the European Union in late December 2020 that sent a powerful message to U.S. President Joe Bidens incoming administration. But 2021 had other plans for Beijing. The investment deal was sidelined indefinitely in May following tit-for-tat sanctions between China and the EU over Beijing's abuses of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in its western Xinjiang Province. Since then, Taiwan has improved its ties across Europe, with Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu launching a landmark tour of several Central European countries in October. Lithuania, a small Baltic country of 2.7 million people, has also been at the center of Chinese-European ties, withdrawing from a Beijing-led diplomatic format in February and then navigating a prolonged spat over its ties to Taipei that has seen China launch a fierce propaganda campaign, economic sanctions, and a diplomatic dispute that led to Vilnius leaving its embassy in Beijing on December 15. While Europe still lacks a cohesive plan for dealing with China, the events of 2021 have emboldened officials and governments from the bloc to call for a harder line toward Beijing. The entire episode represents the wider mix of diplomatic opportunities and strategic missteps that defined Chinese policy from Central Europe to South Asia this past year. Looking ahead to 2022, China is poised to continue its uneven rise across Eurasia. Tensions between Russia and the West have helped fuel even warmer ties between the Kremlin and Beijing, and the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Talibans return to power has opened the door for opportunities, while also bringing new risks. Meanwhile, the coming year will see a key moment in modern Chinese history as President Xi Jinping is predicted by many to abandon term limits and seek one-man rule. With a new year of globe-spanning developments on the horizon, here are five big trends to watch as China deepens its influence throughout Eurasia. 1. China's Security Footprint Cautiously Expands Concerns over border security, extremist groups, and the security of Chinese personnel across Central and South Asia grew this year following the Talibans August takeover and a spate of attacks on Chinese nationals working in Pakistan. Beijing has long worried about terrorism in the region, particularly from Uyghur extremist groups, and it has moved to build up security relationships with all its neighbors -- from Central Asian governments to the Taliban -- that link Chinas internal security apparatus to foreign counterparts. So far, [Beijing] has demonstrated that it views its security interests narrowly to things that it fears can impact China directly [at home], Raffaello Pantucci, a senior associate fellow at London's Royal United Services Institute, told RFE/RL. Many of these partnerships continued to grow in 2021. In October, it was announced that China would fund and build a police base in Tajikistan for Tajik personnel, while an RFE/RL investigation showed that Chinas presence at a base along the Afghan-Tajik border continues to grow, with Chinese personnel even patrolling stretches of the border. China has shown that it prefers a light touch and would like to focus on building relationships [with local governments] to address security concerns, said Pantucci. The big question is whether Chinese interests being targeted more and more leads to Beijing thinking it needs to have a different kind of presence on the ground. In the meantime, those links look set to grow with law enforcement and security agencies across the region for the year ahead. Beijing continues to invest in training for many of its neighbors, and China has reportedly signed 59 extradition treaties with foreign countries in recent years. 2. A New Era For Beijing And Moscow? Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed their increasingly close ties on December 15 during a 90-minute video call in which they sought to display a unified front amid Western pressure on both China and Russia. Moscow and Beijing are not formally allied, but during the call, Putin said that a new model of cooperation between our countries has formed on principles such as noninterference in internal affairs and respecting each others interests, while Xi thanked his counterpart for his strong support of Chinas efforts to protect its key international interests. Their ties are getting closer as their rivalries with the United States intensify, conducting joint military exercises and even offering political support for each other on a range of issues, from Putin criticizing the AUKUS military alliance (composed of Australia, the United States, and Britain) to Xi supporting Moscows demand for security guarantees to limit the Wests influence across the former Soviet Union. They are getting closer, and while they dont want to formalize an alliance, [theyre] increasingly willing to support each other on issues that don't affect the other, said Pantucci. How close this relationship will progress remains to be seen, especially as Russia anxiously watches Chinas security and political influence grow across Central Asia and each countrys regional economic model -- the Moscow-led Eurasian Union and Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) -- faces high tariffs and coordination problems, despite the rosy rhetoric. But with tensions only set to grow with the West in 2022, expect Putin and Xi to lean on each other even more in the future. We are seeing this relationship transform in real time, said Pantucci. We need to update our thinking, as this dynamic continues to change and potentially becomes something more durable. 3. Polishing The Belt And Road In less than 10 years, the BRI has positioned China at the center of the international system, with new railroads and bridges, fiber-optic cables and 5G networks, pipelines and ports that have helped expand Beijings financial, technological, and political influence through hundreds of billions of dollars in investment and projects from Latin America to Southeast Asia. But the foreign policy project has hit plenty of speed bumps lately, including debt concerns linked to Chinese projects and allegations of corruption, shoddy construction, poor labor practices, and disregard for the environment. Investment levels have also declined steadily since 2016, and the BRI has begun to shift focus to new areas, such as arts and culture, e-payment systems, and satellites. This backlash has also opened the door for new competing initiatives from Japan, the United States, and the European Union. By design, its meant to be abstract and vague. The point was that any Chinese stakeholder could come in and do any project and that could be called part of BRI, Niva Yau, a senior researcher at the OSCE academy in Bishkek, told RFE/RL. We need to stop thinking of it as one thing. Its always changing and is ultimately about China increasing its influence in all aspects globally. Looking to 2022, Xis signature project will continue to evolve, and Yau says China is already putting a greater emphasis on soft power and courting public opinion through aid, medical assistance, exporting Chinese culture, and creating local jobs rather than only winning over political elites. [BRI] is targeting the public more and more. Of course, this isn't always effective, but that isnt really what matters right now, she said. If they continue to invest in soft power and devote resources towards it, that will eventually see some results. 4. 'Wolf Warriors' Are Here To Stay But while the BRI continues to search for new ways to boost Chinas global influence, Beijing will have to deal with an increasingly negative global view of the country that has hurt both Chinese soft power and diplomacy over the past year. A Pew survey in June of mostly Western, developed countries found that unfavorable views of China have reached new heights, with only a majority of respondents from Greece and Singapore showing a favorable view of Chinese policies. It's undeniable that China's image is in a poor state and looks unlikely to improve substantially any time soon, Charles Dunst, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told RFE/RL. Beijings COVID-19 diplomacy, which had some small victories early in the pandemic in countries like Serbia and Italy, has since faded. The countrys so-called wolf warrior diplomats, who have adopted an aggressive style of targeting and coercing governments, companies, and individuals that criticized China, are here to stay and even threatened to cut off aid or access to vaccines and personal protective equipment (PPE) in some cases. Many also spread disinformation about the origins of the coronavirus, and Beijing went on to place restrictions and tariffs on some of Australias most popular exports after Canberra called for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19. Countries around the world are worried most about Beijing's willingness to wield economic ties for political purposes, he said. It's hard to see China reversing this trend in 2022, given both [Xis] clear preference for foreign policy aggressiveness and popular Chinese nationalism. 5. The Limits Of Trading With COVID-Zero China China is one of the last countries in the world to continue with a strict "zero-COVID-19" strategy, which sometimes entails locking down entire cities if a single case is detected. Now, with the spread of the omicron variant, it looks like that policy is here to stay. Thats bad news for many across Central Asia who rely on cross-border trade, which has seen a precipitous drop over the course of the pandemic due to rigid border controls and restrictions on the types of people and goods that have been allowed to come into China. China and Central Asia will have many difficulties in their trade relations not only in the upcoming year but well into the future, depending on how the pandemic develops, Temur Umarov, an expert on China in Central Asia at the Carnegie Moscow Center, told RFE/RL. The vast majority of Chinese trade with the region is focused on natural resources, especially oil and gas, but the pressures on freight trade brought by Chinas border restrictions have become a political issue in some countries. The Kyrgyz government has said that restarting some version of pre-pandemic trade is a priority, and officials from Bishkek have held talks with their Chinese counterparts and even proposed a new system for cargo trucks to better comply with Chinese COVID-19 regulations. With new variants of the virus continuing to emerge, Umarov says, this remains the only option on the table for local governments. Of course, this will frustrate Central Asia, he said. But at the same time, they need China economically, and that is why they will have to go and take these additional steps and negotiate what they can for cross-border traffic. Drivers check fruits quality near the border gate with China in Vietnam's Lang Son Province on December 16, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade has requested China's Guangxi region to reopen its border gates with Vietnam and extend customs clearance hours to resolve the container congestion. Guangxi's "zero Covid" measures, including shutting the border and suspending the imports of certain fruits, were unnecessary, senior trade ministry officials told Guangxi trade officials Friday. The policy has disrupted the supply chain and caused negative impacts on bilateral trade development, resulting in big losses for businesses and people of both countries, the Vietnamese officials said. The ministry proposed that Guangxi recruits more drivers and workers on its side to deal with the staff shortage. It also suggested that fully vaccinated Vietnamese be sent across the border to work. It wants Guangxi to facilitate shipment via trains and ships; as also resume importing Vietnamese dragon fruits. Guangxi trade officials said that they would increase the duration of customs clearance based on the agreement between the local authorities of the border gates. They will forward other proposals to higher authorities, Guangxi officials said. Thousands of container trucks have been stuck at the border for over a month after China tightened its Covid-19 preventive measures. On Friday 2,945 container trucks were stuck at the border in Vietnams Lang Son Province, down 191 from a day earlier. Many trucks have had to turn around and distribute their produce locally for a loss as the fruits were beginning to rot. Of the three major borders gates in Lang Son, two are operating with limited capacity while one is still shut. Lang Son authorities estimate that it would take more than a month to resolve the container jam at current speed. Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has sent four letters to the Chinas Ministry of Commerce, China Customs and secretaries of the two localities - GuangXi and Yunnan - requesting the agencies intervention in resolving the issues. Drivers check fruits quality near the border gate with China in Vietnam's Lang Son Province on December 16, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade has requested China's Guangxi region to reopen its border gates with Vietnam and extend customs clearance hours to resolve the container congestion. Guangxi's "zero Covid" measures, including shutting the border and suspending the imports of certain fruits, were unnecessary, senior trade ministry officials told Guangxi trade officials Friday. The policy has disrupted the supply chain and caused negative impacts on bilateral trade development, resulting in big losses for businesses and people of both countries, the Vietnamese officials said. The ministry proposed that Guangxi recruits more drivers and workers on its side to deal with the staff shortage. It also suggested that fully vaccinated Vietnamese be sent across the border to work. It wants Guangxi to facilitate shipment via trains and ships; as also resume importing Vietnamese dragon fruits. Guangxi trade officials said that they would increase the duration of customs clearance based on the agreement between the local authorities of the border gates. They will forward other proposals to higher authorities, Guangxi officials said. Thousands of container trucks have been stuck at the border for over a month after China tightened its Covid-19 preventive measures. On Friday 2,945 container trucks were stuck at the border in Vietnams Lang Son Province, down 191 from a day earlier. Many trucks have had to turn around and distribute their produce locally for a loss as the fruits were beginning to rot. Of the three major borders gates in Lang Son, two are operating with limited capacity while one is still shut. Lang Son authorities estimate that it would take more than a month to resolve the container jam at current speed. Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has sent four letters to the Chinas Ministry of Commerce, China Customs and secretaries of the two localities - GuangXi and Yunnan - requesting the agencies intervention in resolving the issues. Drivers check fruits quality near the border gate with China in Vietnam's Lang Son Province on December 16, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade has requested China's Guangxi region to reopen its border gates with Vietnam and extend customs clearance hours to resolve the container congestion. Guangxi's "zero Covid" measures, including shutting the border and suspending the imports of certain fruits, were unnecessary, senior trade ministry officials told Guangxi trade officials Friday. The policy has disrupted the supply chain and caused negative impacts on bilateral trade development, resulting in big losses for businesses and people of both countries, the Vietnamese officials said. The ministry proposed that Guangxi recruits more drivers and workers on its side to deal with the staff shortage. It also suggested that fully vaccinated Vietnamese be sent across the border to work. It wants Guangxi to facilitate shipment via trains and ships; as also resume importing Vietnamese dragon fruits. Guangxi trade officials said that they would increase the duration of customs clearance based on the agreement between the local authorities of the border gates. They will forward other proposals to higher authorities, Guangxi officials said. Thousands of container trucks have been stuck at the border for over a month after China tightened its Covid-19 preventive measures. On Friday 2,945 container trucks were stuck at the border in Vietnams Lang Son Province, down 191 from a day earlier. Many trucks have had to turn around and distribute their produce locally for a loss as the fruits were beginning to rot. Of the three major borders gates in Lang Son, two are operating with limited capacity while one is still shut. Lang Son authorities estimate that it would take more than a month to resolve the container jam at current speed. Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has sent four letters to the Chinas Ministry of Commerce, China Customs and secretaries of the two localities - GuangXi and Yunnan - requesting the agencies intervention in resolving the issues. Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. Perhaps you have felt it yourself, your emotions at war with your better nature. A surge of anger when you enter your local pharmacy, suffering from Covid-y symptoms, only to find that it is out of thermometers, never mind antigen tests. A burst of annoyance at the elaborate rules around vaccine cards and IDs at restaurants rules you yourself agree with! because you have to wait outside, and it is cold, and you left your wallet in the car. A feeling of nearly homicidal rage at the credit card company representative who has just informed you that, having failed to correctly answer the security questions, you have been locked out of your own account. (Note to self: Adopting a tone of haughty sarcasm is not a good way to solve this problem.) People are just I hate to say it because there are a lot of really nice people but when theyre mean, theyre a heck of a lot meaner, said Sue Miller, who works in a nonprofit trade association in Madison, Wis. Its like, instead of saying, This really inconvenienced me, they say, What the hell is wrong with you? Its a different scale of mean. The meanness of the public has forced many public-facing industries to rethink what used to be an article of faith: that the customer is always right. If employees are now having to take on many unexpected roles therapist, cop, conflict-resolution negotiator then workplace managers are acting as security guards and bouncers to protect their employees. Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. Perhaps you have felt it yourself, your emotions at war with your better nature. A surge of anger when you enter your local pharmacy, suffering from Covid-y symptoms, only to find that it is out of thermometers, never mind antigen tests. A burst of annoyance at the elaborate rules around vaccine cards and IDs at restaurants rules you yourself agree with! because you have to wait outside, and it is cold, and you left your wallet in the car. A feeling of nearly homicidal rage at the credit card company representative who has just informed you that, having failed to correctly answer the security questions, you have been locked out of your own account. (Note to self: Adopting a tone of haughty sarcasm is not a good way to solve this problem.) People are just I hate to say it because there are a lot of really nice people but when theyre mean, theyre a heck of a lot meaner, said Sue Miller, who works in a nonprofit trade association in Madison, Wis. Its like, instead of saying, This really inconvenienced me, they say, What the hell is wrong with you? Its a different scale of mean. The meanness of the public has forced many public-facing industries to rethink what used to be an article of faith: that the customer is always right. If employees are now having to take on many unexpected roles therapist, cop, conflict-resolution negotiator then workplace managers are acting as security guards and bouncers to protect their employees. As we start a year full of promise, we are excited to be realizing a long-term goal the opening of Appalachian State Universitys Hickory campus and eager to work with community leaders in the months ahead to determine how App State can best serve the citizens of the Hickory, Lenoir and Morganton areas. Finding a Mountaineer home in Hickory In November, the university finalized the purchase of the former Corning Optical Communications building on Highway 321, an expansive five-story building on nearly 16 acres that will be the future home of the App State Hickory Campus. Hickory is a vibrant, growing city, and local leaders are focused on equipping the local workforce for the jobs of tomorrow. Hickory is also the largest metropolitan area in the state that, until now, did not have a major, public university campus. Leroy Lail, founder of the Hickory Furniture Mart, has been a longtime advocate of educational expansion in Hickory, particularly during his time on the UNC System Board of Governors. When I arrived at App State in 2014, Leroy immediately initiated conversations with me about the possibilities for our university in Hickory, and he and I have been working together to bring an App State campus here ever since. We look forward to offering new educational avenues and to contributing to the Greater Hickory community. As the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast, App State consistently receives national recognition for academic excellence and overall value. We are known for small class sizes that allow for high quality student and faculty interaction, for excellent undergraduate research opportunities and for service to our local and regional communities. Our retention and graduation rates exceed the national averages and our graduates have college debt rates that are far below the national average. Increasing access to high-quality, affordable education Our future Hickory campus will allow App State to continue the mission we have had since 1899 to increase access to education for the citizens of North Carolina. State leaders are focused on increasing the number of North Carolinians with a high-quality credential or postsecondary degree to 2 million by 2030 and App State is a proud partner in achieving this goal for our state. Catawba County has recognized this important need as well, with the establishment in 2017 of the K-64 initiative, which brings education, business and government together to connect people of all ages with the skills needed to fill jobs and build careers. At App State, we continue to increase the number of critical workforce credentials in the fields of health professions, teacher education, science, technology, engineering and math. Our mission to increase access to a high-quality, affordable education has led us to focus our recent efforts on increasing the number of rural and first-generation students who attend and graduate from App State, while also increasing the diversity of our university population. About one-third of our undergraduate students are first-generation college students and about one-third come from rural areas. Three nearby institutions Catawba Valley Community College, Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute and Western Piedmont Community College participate in the Aspire Appalachian Co-Admission Program, which provides a seamless pathway for students enrolled at partner community colleges to complete their degrees at App State. Looking ahead Before significant building renovations can begin, App State will seek additional input from the Hickory community and from the universitys academic leaders to determine the best options for program offerings and utilization of this much-needed space. In early 2022, a Hickory Task Force consisting largely of local community members will be convened to share input on the areas needs and the plans for the App State Hickory Campus. I want to thank the City of Hickory and Mayor Hank Guess for a warm welcome, and on behalf of App State, we look forward to working with your community in the year ahead and the years to come. 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. 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. Bennington, VT (05201) Today Cloudy with periods of rain. High 66F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies. Low 42F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. The Prince of Wales has called on the world to remember those 'standing up for freedom and human rights' in places like Syria and Afghanistan. In a New Year message released on the first day of 2022, Charles also paid tribute to the 'brave individuals, local communities and international organisations' who are 'responding to great needs by providing vital assistance'. The heir to the throne recently visited Jordan and learnt first hand how the Middle East country has for decades been a haven for people fleeing conflict in the region including Syria. The prince said in his message: 'As we start a New Year, we might take a moment to remember the many people around the world who are standing up for freedom and human rights. The Prince of Wales has called on the world to remember those 'standing up for freedom and human rights' in places like Syria and Afghanistan 'In places such as Afghanistan, Syria and Myanmar, among others, the threats and reality of political and religious persecution and insecurity are coupled with an increasingly dire humanitarian situation. 'In the face of such adversity, incredibly brave individuals, local communities and international organizations are responding to great needs by providing vital assistance. 'I pray for peaceful resolutions to these conflicts and that we might all be blessed with the courage to support those in need, wherever they may be.' After the Afghanistan capital Kabul fell to the Taliban many people decided to flee their desperately poor homeland despite the billions of international money poured in over the 20 years the US-backed governments had been in power. The heir to the throne recently visited Jordan and learnt first hand how the Middle East country has for decades been a haven for people fleeing conflict in the region including Syria (pictured with the Duchess in November) More than 8,000 former Afghan staff and their family members eligible under the Afghan relocations and assistance policy were among the 15,000-plus people evacuated by the UK. But thousands of Afghans who helped British efforts in the nation and their relatives, as well as other vulnerable civilians, were feared left behind and humanitarian conditions are said to have deteriorated. His message comes after the royal spent New Year's Eve in Scotland alongside the Duchess of Cornwall. The heir, 73, and his wife, 74, flew via private jet from RAF Northolt in west London on Wednesday, which is near The Queen's Windsor's home where they spent Christmas. The royals are believed to have spent New Year at Birkhall, their private estate on Balmoral. Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall were spotted leaving Aberdeen airport last week as they arrived in Scotland to celebrate New Year The couple spent Christmas at Windsor Castle - where they came under threat from a crossbow-wielding man threatening to assassinate the Queen in revenge for 1919 Amritsar massacre. They are pictured on their way to St George's Chapel It follows muted Christmas celebrations which the Queen was forced to tone down due to rising levels of Covid-19. Instead of the usual grand Christmas at Sandringham, Her Majesty - celebrating the first festive period since the death of Prince Philip - was joined by Charles, Camilla Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex for a muted affair in Berkshire. It was on Christmas Day they came under threat from a crossbow-wielding man threatening to assassinate the Queen in revenge for 1919 Amritsar massacre. Jaswant Singh Chail, 19, who has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act, uploaded a pre-recorded video to Snapchat vowing revenge for the 1919 Amritsar, or Jallianwala Bagh, massacre, when British troops killed hundreds of Indian protesters. Drivers check fruits quality near the border gate with China in Vietnam's Lang Son Province on December 16, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade has requested China's Guangxi region to reopen its border gates with Vietnam and extend customs clearance hours to resolve the container congestion. Guangxi's "zero Covid" measures, including shutting the border and suspending the imports of certain fruits, were unnecessary, senior trade ministry officials told Guangxi trade officials Friday. The policy has disrupted the supply chain and caused negative impacts on bilateral trade development, resulting in big losses for businesses and people of both countries, the Vietnamese officials said. The ministry proposed that Guangxi recruits more drivers and workers on its side to deal with the staff shortage. It also suggested that fully vaccinated Vietnamese be sent across the border to work. It wants Guangxi to facilitate shipment via trains and ships; as also resume importing Vietnamese dragon fruits. Guangxi trade officials said that they would increase the duration of customs clearance based on the agreement between the local authorities of the border gates. They will forward other proposals to higher authorities, Guangxi officials said. Thousands of container trucks have been stuck at the border for over a month after China tightened its Covid-19 preventive measures. On Friday 2,945 container trucks were stuck at the border in Vietnams Lang Son Province, down 191 from a day earlier. Many trucks have had to turn around and distribute their produce locally for a loss as the fruits were beginning to rot. Of the three major borders gates in Lang Son, two are operating with limited capacity while one is still shut. Lang Son authorities estimate that it would take more than a month to resolve the container jam at current speed. Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has sent four letters to the Chinas Ministry of Commerce, China Customs and secretaries of the two localities - GuangXi and Yunnan - requesting the agencies intervention in resolving the issues. Drivers check fruits quality near the border gate with China in Vietnam's Lang Son Province on December 16, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade has requested China's Guangxi region to reopen its border gates with Vietnam and extend customs clearance hours to resolve the container congestion. Guangxi's "zero Covid" measures, including shutting the border and suspending the imports of certain fruits, were unnecessary, senior trade ministry officials told Guangxi trade officials Friday. The policy has disrupted the supply chain and caused negative impacts on bilateral trade development, resulting in big losses for businesses and people of both countries, the Vietnamese officials said. The ministry proposed that Guangxi recruits more drivers and workers on its side to deal with the staff shortage. It also suggested that fully vaccinated Vietnamese be sent across the border to work. It wants Guangxi to facilitate shipment via trains and ships; as also resume importing Vietnamese dragon fruits. Guangxi trade officials said that they would increase the duration of customs clearance based on the agreement between the local authorities of the border gates. They will forward other proposals to higher authorities, Guangxi officials said. Thousands of container trucks have been stuck at the border for over a month after China tightened its Covid-19 preventive measures. On Friday 2,945 container trucks were stuck at the border in Vietnams Lang Son Province, down 191 from a day earlier. Many trucks have had to turn around and distribute their produce locally for a loss as the fruits were beginning to rot. Of the three major borders gates in Lang Son, two are operating with limited capacity while one is still shut. Lang Son authorities estimate that it would take more than a month to resolve the container jam at current speed. Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has sent four letters to the Chinas Ministry of Commerce, China Customs and secretaries of the two localities - GuangXi and Yunnan - requesting the agencies intervention in resolving the issues. Drivers check fruits quality near the border gate with China in Vietnam's Lang Son Province on December 16, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade has requested China's Guangxi region to reopen its border gates with Vietnam and extend customs clearance hours to resolve the container congestion. Guangxi's "zero Covid" measures, including shutting the border and suspending the imports of certain fruits, were unnecessary, senior trade ministry officials told Guangxi trade officials Friday. The policy has disrupted the supply chain and caused negative impacts on bilateral trade development, resulting in big losses for businesses and people of both countries, the Vietnamese officials said. The ministry proposed that Guangxi recruits more drivers and workers on its side to deal with the staff shortage. It also suggested that fully vaccinated Vietnamese be sent across the border to work. It wants Guangxi to facilitate shipment via trains and ships; as also resume importing Vietnamese dragon fruits. Guangxi trade officials said that they would increase the duration of customs clearance based on the agreement between the local authorities of the border gates. They will forward other proposals to higher authorities, Guangxi officials said. Thousands of container trucks have been stuck at the border for over a month after China tightened its Covid-19 preventive measures. On Friday 2,945 container trucks were stuck at the border in Vietnams Lang Son Province, down 191 from a day earlier. Many trucks have had to turn around and distribute their produce locally for a loss as the fruits were beginning to rot. Of the three major borders gates in Lang Son, two are operating with limited capacity while one is still shut. Lang Son authorities estimate that it would take more than a month to resolve the container jam at current speed. Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has sent four letters to the Chinas Ministry of Commerce, China Customs and secretaries of the two localities - GuangXi and Yunnan - requesting the agencies intervention in resolving the issues. Drivers check fruits quality near the border gate with China in Vietnam's Lang Son Province on December 16, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade has requested China's Guangxi region to reopen its border gates with Vietnam and extend customs clearance hours to resolve the container congestion. Guangxi's "zero Covid" measures, including shutting the border and suspending the imports of certain fruits, were unnecessary, senior trade ministry officials told Guangxi trade officials Friday. The policy has disrupted the supply chain and caused negative impacts on bilateral trade development, resulting in big losses for businesses and people of both countries, the Vietnamese officials said. The ministry proposed that Guangxi recruits more drivers and workers on its side to deal with the staff shortage. It also suggested that fully vaccinated Vietnamese be sent across the border to work. It wants Guangxi to facilitate shipment via trains and ships; as also resume importing Vietnamese dragon fruits. Guangxi trade officials said that they would increase the duration of customs clearance based on the agreement between the local authorities of the border gates. They will forward other proposals to higher authorities, Guangxi officials said. Thousands of container trucks have been stuck at the border for over a month after China tightened its Covid-19 preventive measures. On Friday 2,945 container trucks were stuck at the border in Vietnams Lang Son Province, down 191 from a day earlier. Many trucks have had to turn around and distribute their produce locally for a loss as the fruits were beginning to rot. Of the three major borders gates in Lang Son, two are operating with limited capacity while one is still shut. Lang Son authorities estimate that it would take more than a month to resolve the container jam at current speed. Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has sent four letters to the Chinas Ministry of Commerce, China Customs and secretaries of the two localities - GuangXi and Yunnan - requesting the agencies intervention in resolving the issues. New Delhi: The UP law student, who accused BJP leader Chinmayanand of sexual assault, has been arrested on a charge of extortion by the special team probing the case. The 23-year-old had moved a local court for protection against arrest but did not get any immediate relief. The court had posted the hearing for Wednesday. Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police, OP Singh confirmed that the woman has been arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for allegedly trying to extort money from Chinmayanand. The SIT had arrested Chinmayanand last week on a complaint from the law student. She has accused the BJP leader of rape and blackmail. The 72-year-old politician was arrested in Shahjahanpur on Friday and remanded to judicial custody for 14 days. The same day three men were also arrested on extortion charges filed by the BJP leader. The law student was also booked under the same charge. SIT has linked the woman to the three men, pointing out that the law student had been in constant touch with one of the accused. The special team had counted 4200 phone calls between the two this year. Meanwhile, doctors said Chinmayanad's medical condition has improved. On Monday, he was admitted at Lucknow's Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, complaining of chest pain, and remains there under observation. Chinmayanand, sent to judicial custody after his arrest, was booked under section 376C of the IPC, which is usually applied in cases where a person abuses his position to "induce or seduce" a woman under his charge to have "sexual intercourse not amounting to the offence of rape". This is a lesser charge than section 376, under which a rape convict faces a maximum punishment of life imprisonment. The punishment under section 376C is between five and 10 years in jail. He was also booked under sections 354 D (stalking), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. The woman had claimed that the police were trying to weaken the case against the ruling party politician. (With Agency Inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Drivers check fruits quality near the border gate with China in Vietnam's Lang Son Province on December 16, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade has requested China's Guangxi region to reopen its border gates with Vietnam and extend customs clearance hours to resolve the container congestion. Guangxi's "zero Covid" measures, including shutting the border and suspending the imports of certain fruits, were unnecessary, senior trade ministry officials told Guangxi trade officials Friday. The policy has disrupted the supply chain and caused negative impacts on bilateral trade development, resulting in big losses for businesses and people of both countries, the Vietnamese officials said. The ministry proposed that Guangxi recruits more drivers and workers on its side to deal with the staff shortage. It also suggested that fully vaccinated Vietnamese be sent across the border to work. It wants Guangxi to facilitate shipment via trains and ships; as also resume importing Vietnamese dragon fruits. Guangxi trade officials said that they would increase the duration of customs clearance based on the agreement between the local authorities of the border gates. They will forward other proposals to higher authorities, Guangxi officials said. Thousands of container trucks have been stuck at the border for over a month after China tightened its Covid-19 preventive measures. On Friday 2,945 container trucks were stuck at the border in Vietnams Lang Son Province, down 191 from a day earlier. Many trucks have had to turn around and distribute their produce locally for a loss as the fruits were beginning to rot. Of the three major borders gates in Lang Son, two are operating with limited capacity while one is still shut. Lang Son authorities estimate that it would take more than a month to resolve the container jam at current speed. Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has sent four letters to the Chinas Ministry of Commerce, China Customs and secretaries of the two localities - GuangXi and Yunnan - requesting the agencies intervention in resolving the issues. Drivers check fruits quality near the border gate with China in Vietnam's Lang Son Province on December 16, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade has requested China's Guangxi region to reopen its border gates with Vietnam and extend customs clearance hours to resolve the container congestion. Guangxi's "zero Covid" measures, including shutting the border and suspending the imports of certain fruits, were unnecessary, senior trade ministry officials told Guangxi trade officials Friday. The policy has disrupted the supply chain and caused negative impacts on bilateral trade development, resulting in big losses for businesses and people of both countries, the Vietnamese officials said. The ministry proposed that Guangxi recruits more drivers and workers on its side to deal with the staff shortage. It also suggested that fully vaccinated Vietnamese be sent across the border to work. It wants Guangxi to facilitate shipment via trains and ships; as also resume importing Vietnamese dragon fruits. Guangxi trade officials said that they would increase the duration of customs clearance based on the agreement between the local authorities of the border gates. They will forward other proposals to higher authorities, Guangxi officials said. Thousands of container trucks have been stuck at the border for over a month after China tightened its Covid-19 preventive measures. On Friday 2,945 container trucks were stuck at the border in Vietnams Lang Son Province, down 191 from a day earlier. Many trucks have had to turn around and distribute their produce locally for a loss as the fruits were beginning to rot. Of the three major borders gates in Lang Son, two are operating with limited capacity while one is still shut. Lang Son authorities estimate that it would take more than a month to resolve the container jam at current speed. Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has sent four letters to the Chinas Ministry of Commerce, China Customs and secretaries of the two localities - GuangXi and Yunnan - requesting the agencies intervention in resolving the issues. 2 Killed When Train Hits Car Going Around Crossing Gate AVENTURA, Fla.Two people died when a higher speed commuter train hit their car as the driver tried to make it around the crossing gate, police said. The crossing gates lights were flashing and bells were ringing to signal an approaching train on Thursday morning when the car tried to make it through, police and Brightline train officials said. The blue Toyota was left mangled on the other side of the street after the crash. Officials said no one on the train was injured. This was a tragic event and the direct result of an individual driving around the gates which were down, flashing and bells ringing, signaling an approaching train, Brightline said in a statement. Caesar Tavares, who lives nearby in Aventura, told WSVN he heard the crash. I knew right away the train hit somebody because it was real loud. The car was rolling. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Then all of a sudden it stopped, he said. Tavares told the television station that he frequently sees people trying to get around the gates. The train comes here every 15 minutes and people are always stopping on the tracks, he said. I knew it was bound to happen. The trains only recently started running again after being shut down at the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020. A man who was walking on the tracks in North Miami Beach died when he was struck by a Brightline train earlier this month. It was at least the 49th involving a Brightline train since the Miami to West Palm Beach line launched in mid-2017. An Associated Press examination of federal records shows that Brightline has more fatalities per mile than any U.S. railroad, one about every 31,000 miles. Since 2018, an average of about 1,200 people are fatally struck by trains annually in the United States. None of the deaths involving Brightline have been blamed on its equipment or crews. Investigations showed most victims were either suicidal, intoxicated, mentally ill or had gone around barriers at an intersection in an attempt to beat the trains, which travel up to 79 mph through densely populated areas. A pedestrian was killed by a commuter rail train in downtown Orlando on Thursday. Police were investigating the cause of that crash, news outlets reported. Drivers check fruits quality near the border gate with China in Vietnam's Lang Son Province on December 16, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade has requested China's Guangxi region to reopen its border gates with Vietnam and extend customs clearance hours to resolve the container congestion. Guangxi's "zero Covid" measures, including shutting the border and suspending the imports of certain fruits, were unnecessary, senior trade ministry officials told Guangxi trade officials Friday. The policy has disrupted the supply chain and caused negative impacts on bilateral trade development, resulting in big losses for businesses and people of both countries, the Vietnamese officials said. The ministry proposed that Guangxi recruits more drivers and workers on its side to deal with the staff shortage. It also suggested that fully vaccinated Vietnamese be sent across the border to work. It wants Guangxi to facilitate shipment via trains and ships; as also resume importing Vietnamese dragon fruits. Guangxi trade officials said that they would increase the duration of customs clearance based on the agreement between the local authorities of the border gates. They will forward other proposals to higher authorities, Guangxi officials said. Thousands of container trucks have been stuck at the border for over a month after China tightened its Covid-19 preventive measures. On Friday 2,945 container trucks were stuck at the border in Vietnams Lang Son Province, down 191 from a day earlier. Many trucks have had to turn around and distribute their produce locally for a loss as the fruits were beginning to rot. Of the three major borders gates in Lang Son, two are operating with limited capacity while one is still shut. Lang Son authorities estimate that it would take more than a month to resolve the container jam at current speed. Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has sent four letters to the Chinas Ministry of Commerce, China Customs and secretaries of the two localities - GuangXi and Yunnan - requesting the agencies intervention in resolving the issues. New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday attended the commissioning ceremony of Indian Coast Guard's offshore patrol vessel Varaha in Chennai. Varaha is an offshore patrol vehicle developed by a private agency in accordance with a contract signed with the Defence Ministry. The Union Defence Ministry had awarded the contract to Larsen and Turbo in March 2015 for construction of seven Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs). The firm is to build seven offshore patrol vehicles as part of this contract out of which the first two have already been delivered and commissioned in the Indian navy. In a tweet from its official Twitter handle, Ministry of Defence announced- Today, as Varaha joins the Indian Coast Guard fleet, I wish the Commanding Officer and the crew all the very best and may "Lord Varuna" always bestow his blessings on them for contributing effectively towards the Nation's Maritime Interest, keeping our flag flying high: RM aaaAAAaa aaaaAAAaa aaaaAAAaaaa/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) September 25, 2019 Varaha has state of the art technology, navigation and communication equipment, designed to carry one twin engine light helicopter and also has capabilities of flying in night. ICGS Varaha has been planned to be based at New Mangalore. This ship carries limited oil spill equipment to contain oil spills. Howver, Rajnath Singh recently became the first defence minister to fly in the indigenously-built light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas. The Defence Minister took off in the Tejas fighter aircraft from the HAL airport in Bengaluru for a sortie which lasted for around 30 minutes. Wearing a G suit, holding his helmet under his arms and sporting aviator glasses, Singh looked every inch a fighter pilot. He was accompanied by Air Vice Marshal N Tiwari, who is also the Project Director, National Flight Test Centre, ADA (Aeronautical Development Agency) in Bengaluru. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday attended the commissioning ceremony of Indian Coast Guard's offshore patrol vessel Varaha in Chennai. Varaha is an offshore patrol vehicle developed by a private agency in accordance with a contract signed with the Defence Ministry. The Union Defence Ministry had awarded the contract to Larsen and Turbo in March 2015 for construction of seven Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs). The firm is to build seven offshore patrol vehicles as part of this contract out of which the first two have already been delivered and commissioned in the Indian navy. In a tweet from its official Twitter handle, Ministry of Defence announced- Today, as Varaha joins the Indian Coast Guard fleet, I wish the Commanding Officer and the crew all the very best and may "Lord Varuna" always bestow his blessings on them for contributing effectively towards the Nation's Maritime Interest, keeping our flag flying high: RM aaaAAAaa aaaaAAAaa aaaaAAAaaaa/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) September 25, 2019 Varaha has state of the art technology, navigation and communication equipment, designed to carry one twin engine light helicopter and also has capabilities of flying in night. ICGS Varaha has been planned to be based at New Mangalore. This ship carries limited oil spill equipment to contain oil spills. Howver, Rajnath Singh recently became the first defence minister to fly in the indigenously-built light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas. The Defence Minister took off in the Tejas fighter aircraft from the HAL airport in Bengaluru for a sortie which lasted for around 30 minutes. Wearing a G suit, holding his helmet under his arms and sporting aviator glasses, Singh looked every inch a fighter pilot. He was accompanied by Air Vice Marshal N Tiwari, who is also the Project Director, National Flight Test Centre, ADA (Aeronautical Development Agency) in Bengaluru. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday attended the commissioning ceremony of Indian Coast Guard's offshore patrol vessel Varaha in Chennai. Varaha is an offshore patrol vehicle developed by a private agency in accordance with a contract signed with the Defence Ministry. The Union Defence Ministry had awarded the contract to Larsen and Turbo in March 2015 for construction of seven Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs). The firm is to build seven offshore patrol vehicles as part of this contract out of which the first two have already been delivered and commissioned in the Indian navy. In a tweet from its official Twitter handle, Ministry of Defence announced- Today, as Varaha joins the Indian Coast Guard fleet, I wish the Commanding Officer and the crew all the very best and may "Lord Varuna" always bestow his blessings on them for contributing effectively towards the Nation's Maritime Interest, keeping our flag flying high: RM aaaAAAaa aaaaAAAaa aaaaAAAaaaa/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) September 25, 2019 Varaha has state of the art technology, navigation and communication equipment, designed to carry one twin engine light helicopter and also has capabilities of flying in night. ICGS Varaha has been planned to be based at New Mangalore. This ship carries limited oil spill equipment to contain oil spills. Howver, Rajnath Singh recently became the first defence minister to fly in the indigenously-built light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas. The Defence Minister took off in the Tejas fighter aircraft from the HAL airport in Bengaluru for a sortie which lasted for around 30 minutes. Wearing a G suit, holding his helmet under his arms and sporting aviator glasses, Singh looked every inch a fighter pilot. He was accompanied by Air Vice Marshal N Tiwari, who is also the Project Director, National Flight Test Centre, ADA (Aeronautical Development Agency) in Bengaluru. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday attended the commissioning ceremony of Indian Coast Guard's offshore patrol vessel Varaha in Chennai. Varaha is an offshore patrol vehicle developed by a private agency in accordance with a contract signed with the Defence Ministry. The Union Defence Ministry had awarded the contract to Larsen and Turbo in March 2015 for construction of seven Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs). The firm is to build seven offshore patrol vehicles as part of this contract out of which the first two have already been delivered and commissioned in the Indian navy. In a tweet from its official Twitter handle, Ministry of Defence announced- Today, as Varaha joins the Indian Coast Guard fleet, I wish the Commanding Officer and the crew all the very best and may "Lord Varuna" always bestow his blessings on them for contributing effectively towards the Nation's Maritime Interest, keeping our flag flying high: RM aaaAAAaa aaaaAAAaa aaaaAAAaaaa/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) September 25, 2019 Varaha has state of the art technology, navigation and communication equipment, designed to carry one twin engine light helicopter and also has capabilities of flying in night. ICGS Varaha has been planned to be based at New Mangalore. This ship carries limited oil spill equipment to contain oil spills. Howver, Rajnath Singh recently became the first defence minister to fly in the indigenously-built light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas. The Defence Minister took off in the Tejas fighter aircraft from the HAL airport in Bengaluru for a sortie which lasted for around 30 minutes. Wearing a G suit, holding his helmet under his arms and sporting aviator glasses, Singh looked every inch a fighter pilot. He was accompanied by Air Vice Marshal N Tiwari, who is also the Project Director, National Flight Test Centre, ADA (Aeronautical Development Agency) in Bengaluru. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday attended the commissioning ceremony of Indian Coast Guard's offshore patrol vessel Varaha in Chennai. Varaha is an offshore patrol vehicle developed by a private agency in accordance with a contract signed with the Defence Ministry. The Union Defence Ministry had awarded the contract to Larsen and Turbo in March 2015 for construction of seven Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs). The firm is to build seven offshore patrol vehicles as part of this contract out of which the first two have already been delivered and commissioned in the Indian navy. In a tweet from its official Twitter handle, Ministry of Defence announced- Today, as Varaha joins the Indian Coast Guard fleet, I wish the Commanding Officer and the crew all the very best and may "Lord Varuna" always bestow his blessings on them for contributing effectively towards the Nation's Maritime Interest, keeping our flag flying high: RM aaaAAAaa aaaaAAAaa aaaaAAAaaaa/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) September 25, 2019 Varaha has state of the art technology, navigation and communication equipment, designed to carry one twin engine light helicopter and also has capabilities of flying in night. ICGS Varaha has been planned to be based at New Mangalore. This ship carries limited oil spill equipment to contain oil spills. Howver, Rajnath Singh recently became the first defence minister to fly in the indigenously-built light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas. The Defence Minister took off in the Tejas fighter aircraft from the HAL airport in Bengaluru for a sortie which lasted for around 30 minutes. Wearing a G suit, holding his helmet under his arms and sporting aviator glasses, Singh looked every inch a fighter pilot. He was accompanied by Air Vice Marshal N Tiwari, who is also the Project Director, National Flight Test Centre, ADA (Aeronautical Development Agency) in Bengaluru. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. What a difference a year can make. Already feeling triumphant from its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic at home, China marked a geopolitical win by signing a massive trade deal with the European Union in late December 2020 that sent a powerful message to U.S. President Joe Bidens incoming administration. But 2021 had other plans for Beijing. The investment deal was sidelined indefinitely in May following tit-for-tat sanctions between China and the EU over Beijing's abuses of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in its western Xinjiang Province. Since then, Taiwan has improved its ties across Europe, with Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu launching a landmark tour of several Central European countries in October. Lithuania, a small Baltic country of 2.7 million people, has also been at the center of Chinese-European ties, withdrawing from a Beijing-led diplomatic format in February and then navigating a prolonged spat over its ties to Taipei that has seen China launch a fierce propaganda campaign, economic sanctions, and a diplomatic dispute that led to Vilnius leaving its embassy in Beijing on December 15. While Europe still lacks a cohesive plan for dealing with China, the events of 2021 have emboldened officials and governments from the bloc to call for a harder line toward Beijing. The entire episode represents the wider mix of diplomatic opportunities and strategic missteps that defined Chinese policy from Central Europe to South Asia this past year. Looking ahead to 2022, China is poised to continue its uneven rise across Eurasia. Tensions between Russia and the West have helped fuel even warmer ties between the Kremlin and Beijing, and the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Talibans return to power has opened the door for opportunities, while also bringing new risks. Meanwhile, the coming year will see a key moment in modern Chinese history as President Xi Jinping is predicted by many to abandon term limits and seek one-man rule. With a new year of globe-spanning developments on the horizon, here are five big trends to watch as China deepens its influence throughout Eurasia. 1. China's Security Footprint Cautiously Expands Concerns over border security, extremist groups, and the security of Chinese personnel across Central and South Asia grew this year following the Talibans August takeover and a spate of attacks on Chinese nationals working in Pakistan. Beijing has long worried about terrorism in the region, particularly from Uyghur extremist groups, and it has moved to build up security relationships with all its neighbors -- from Central Asian governments to the Taliban -- that link Chinas internal security apparatus to foreign counterparts. So far, [Beijing] has demonstrated that it views its security interests narrowly to things that it fears can impact China directly [at home], Raffaello Pantucci, a senior associate fellow at London's Royal United Services Institute, told RFE/RL. Many of these partnerships continued to grow in 2021. In October, it was announced that China would fund and build a police base in Tajikistan for Tajik personnel, while an RFE/RL investigation showed that Chinas presence at a base along the Afghan-Tajik border continues to grow, with Chinese personnel even patrolling stretches of the border. China has shown that it prefers a light touch and would like to focus on building relationships [with local governments] to address security concerns, said Pantucci. The big question is whether Chinese interests being targeted more and more leads to Beijing thinking it needs to have a different kind of presence on the ground. In the meantime, those links look set to grow with law enforcement and security agencies across the region for the year ahead. Beijing continues to invest in training for many of its neighbors, and China has reportedly signed 59 extradition treaties with foreign countries in recent years. 2. A New Era For Beijing And Moscow? Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed their increasingly close ties on December 15 during a 90-minute video call in which they sought to display a unified front amid Western pressure on both China and Russia. Moscow and Beijing are not formally allied, but during the call, Putin said that a new model of cooperation between our countries has formed on principles such as noninterference in internal affairs and respecting each others interests, while Xi thanked his counterpart for his strong support of Chinas efforts to protect its key international interests. Their ties are getting closer as their rivalries with the United States intensify, conducting joint military exercises and even offering political support for each other on a range of issues, from Putin criticizing the AUKUS military alliance (composed of Australia, the United States, and Britain) to Xi supporting Moscows demand for security guarantees to limit the Wests influence across the former Soviet Union. They are getting closer, and while they dont want to formalize an alliance, [theyre] increasingly willing to support each other on issues that don't affect the other, said Pantucci. How close this relationship will progress remains to be seen, especially as Russia anxiously watches Chinas security and political influence grow across Central Asia and each countrys regional economic model -- the Moscow-led Eurasian Union and Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) -- faces high tariffs and coordination problems, despite the rosy rhetoric. But with tensions only set to grow with the West in 2022, expect Putin and Xi to lean on each other even more in the future. We are seeing this relationship transform in real time, said Pantucci. We need to update our thinking, as this dynamic continues to change and potentially becomes something more durable. 3. Polishing The Belt And Road In less than 10 years, the BRI has positioned China at the center of the international system, with new railroads and bridges, fiber-optic cables and 5G networks, pipelines and ports that have helped expand Beijings financial, technological, and political influence through hundreds of billions of dollars in investment and projects from Latin America to Southeast Asia. But the foreign policy project has hit plenty of speed bumps lately, including debt concerns linked to Chinese projects and allegations of corruption, shoddy construction, poor labor practices, and disregard for the environment. Investment levels have also declined steadily since 2016, and the BRI has begun to shift focus to new areas, such as arts and culture, e-payment systems, and satellites. This backlash has also opened the door for new competing initiatives from Japan, the United States, and the European Union. By design, its meant to be abstract and vague. The point was that any Chinese stakeholder could come in and do any project and that could be called part of BRI, Niva Yau, a senior researcher at the OSCE academy in Bishkek, told RFE/RL. We need to stop thinking of it as one thing. Its always changing and is ultimately about China increasing its influence in all aspects globally. Looking to 2022, Xis signature project will continue to evolve, and Yau says China is already putting a greater emphasis on soft power and courting public opinion through aid, medical assistance, exporting Chinese culture, and creating local jobs rather than only winning over political elites. [BRI] is targeting the public more and more. Of course, this isn't always effective, but that isnt really what matters right now, she said. If they continue to invest in soft power and devote resources towards it, that will eventually see some results. 4. 'Wolf Warriors' Are Here To Stay But while the BRI continues to search for new ways to boost Chinas global influence, Beijing will have to deal with an increasingly negative global view of the country that has hurt both Chinese soft power and diplomacy over the past year. A Pew survey in June of mostly Western, developed countries found that unfavorable views of China have reached new heights, with only a majority of respondents from Greece and Singapore showing a favorable view of Chinese policies. It's undeniable that China's image is in a poor state and looks unlikely to improve substantially any time soon, Charles Dunst, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told RFE/RL. Beijings COVID-19 diplomacy, which had some small victories early in the pandemic in countries like Serbia and Italy, has since faded. The countrys so-called wolf warrior diplomats, who have adopted an aggressive style of targeting and coercing governments, companies, and individuals that criticized China, are here to stay and even threatened to cut off aid or access to vaccines and personal protective equipment (PPE) in some cases. Many also spread disinformation about the origins of the coronavirus, and Beijing went on to place restrictions and tariffs on some of Australias most popular exports after Canberra called for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19. Countries around the world are worried most about Beijing's willingness to wield economic ties for political purposes, he said. It's hard to see China reversing this trend in 2022, given both [Xis] clear preference for foreign policy aggressiveness and popular Chinese nationalism. 5. The Limits Of Trading With COVID-Zero China China is one of the last countries in the world to continue with a strict "zero-COVID-19" strategy, which sometimes entails locking down entire cities if a single case is detected. Now, with the spread of the omicron variant, it looks like that policy is here to stay. Thats bad news for many across Central Asia who rely on cross-border trade, which has seen a precipitous drop over the course of the pandemic due to rigid border controls and restrictions on the types of people and goods that have been allowed to come into China. China and Central Asia will have many difficulties in their trade relations not only in the upcoming year but well into the future, depending on how the pandemic develops, Temur Umarov, an expert on China in Central Asia at the Carnegie Moscow Center, told RFE/RL. The vast majority of Chinese trade with the region is focused on natural resources, especially oil and gas, but the pressures on freight trade brought by Chinas border restrictions have become a political issue in some countries. The Kyrgyz government has said that restarting some version of pre-pandemic trade is a priority, and officials from Bishkek have held talks with their Chinese counterparts and even proposed a new system for cargo trucks to better comply with Chinese COVID-19 regulations. With new variants of the virus continuing to emerge, Umarov says, this remains the only option on the table for local governments. Of course, this will frustrate Central Asia, he said. But at the same time, they need China economically, and that is why they will have to go and take these additional steps and negotiate what they can for cross-border traffic. New Delhi: The UP law student, who accused BJP leader Chinmayanand of sexual assault, has been arrested on a charge of extortion by the special team probing the case. The 23-year-old had moved a local court for protection against arrest but did not get any immediate relief. The court had posted the hearing for Wednesday. Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police, OP Singh confirmed that the woman has been arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for allegedly trying to extort money from Chinmayanand. The SIT had arrested Chinmayanand last week on a complaint from the law student. She has accused the BJP leader of rape and blackmail. The 72-year-old politician was arrested in Shahjahanpur on Friday and remanded to judicial custody for 14 days. The same day three men were also arrested on extortion charges filed by the BJP leader. The law student was also booked under the same charge. SIT has linked the woman to the three men, pointing out that the law student had been in constant touch with one of the accused. The special team had counted 4200 phone calls between the two this year. Meanwhile, doctors said Chinmayanad's medical condition has improved. On Monday, he was admitted at Lucknow's Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, complaining of chest pain, and remains there under observation. Chinmayanand, sent to judicial custody after his arrest, was booked under section 376C of the IPC, which is usually applied in cases where a person abuses his position to "induce or seduce" a woman under his charge to have "sexual intercourse not amounting to the offence of rape". This is a lesser charge than section 376, under which a rape convict faces a maximum punishment of life imprisonment. The punishment under section 376C is between five and 10 years in jail. He was also booked under sections 354 D (stalking), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. The woman had claimed that the police were trying to weaken the case against the ruling party politician. (With Agency Inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The Prince of Wales has called on the world to remember those 'standing up for freedom and human rights' in places like Syria and Afghanistan. In a New Year message released on the first day of 2022, Charles also paid tribute to the 'brave individuals, local communities and international organisations' who are 'responding to great needs by providing vital assistance'. The heir to the throne recently visited Jordan and learnt first hand how the Middle East country has for decades been a haven for people fleeing conflict in the region including Syria. The prince said in his message: 'As we start a New Year, we might take a moment to remember the many people around the world who are standing up for freedom and human rights. The Prince of Wales has called on the world to remember those 'standing up for freedom and human rights' in places like Syria and Afghanistan 'In places such as Afghanistan, Syria and Myanmar, among others, the threats and reality of political and religious persecution and insecurity are coupled with an increasingly dire humanitarian situation. 'In the face of such adversity, incredibly brave individuals, local communities and international organizations are responding to great needs by providing vital assistance. 'I pray for peaceful resolutions to these conflicts and that we might all be blessed with the courage to support those in need, wherever they may be.' After the Afghanistan capital Kabul fell to the Taliban many people decided to flee their desperately poor homeland despite the billions of international money poured in over the 20 years the US-backed governments had been in power. The heir to the throne recently visited Jordan and learnt first hand how the Middle East country has for decades been a haven for people fleeing conflict in the region including Syria (pictured with the Duchess in November) More than 8,000 former Afghan staff and their family members eligible under the Afghan relocations and assistance policy were among the 15,000-plus people evacuated by the UK. But thousands of Afghans who helped British efforts in the nation and their relatives, as well as other vulnerable civilians, were feared left behind and humanitarian conditions are said to have deteriorated. His message comes after the royal spent New Year's Eve in Scotland alongside the Duchess of Cornwall. The heir, 73, and his wife, 74, flew via private jet from RAF Northolt in west London on Wednesday, which is near The Queen's Windsor's home where they spent Christmas. The royals are believed to have spent New Year at Birkhall, their private estate on Balmoral. Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall were spotted leaving Aberdeen airport last week as they arrived in Scotland to celebrate New Year The couple spent Christmas at Windsor Castle - where they came under threat from a crossbow-wielding man threatening to assassinate the Queen in revenge for 1919 Amritsar massacre. They are pictured on their way to St George's Chapel It follows muted Christmas celebrations which the Queen was forced to tone down due to rising levels of Covid-19. Instead of the usual grand Christmas at Sandringham, Her Majesty - celebrating the first festive period since the death of Prince Philip - was joined by Charles, Camilla Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex for a muted affair in Berkshire. It was on Christmas Day they came under threat from a crossbow-wielding man threatening to assassinate the Queen in revenge for 1919 Amritsar massacre. Jaswant Singh Chail, 19, who has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act, uploaded a pre-recorded video to Snapchat vowing revenge for the 1919 Amritsar, or Jallianwala Bagh, massacre, when British troops killed hundreds of Indian protesters. New Delhi: The UP law student, who accused BJP leader Chinmayanand of sexual assault, has been arrested on a charge of extortion by the special team probing the case. The 23-year-old had moved a local court for protection against arrest but did not get any immediate relief. The court had posted the hearing for Wednesday. Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police, OP Singh confirmed that the woman has been arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for allegedly trying to extort money from Chinmayanand. The SIT had arrested Chinmayanand last week on a complaint from the law student. She has accused the BJP leader of rape and blackmail. The 72-year-old politician was arrested in Shahjahanpur on Friday and remanded to judicial custody for 14 days. The same day three men were also arrested on extortion charges filed by the BJP leader. The law student was also booked under the same charge. SIT has linked the woman to the three men, pointing out that the law student had been in constant touch with one of the accused. The special team had counted 4200 phone calls between the two this year. Meanwhile, doctors said Chinmayanad's medical condition has improved. On Monday, he was admitted at Lucknow's Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, complaining of chest pain, and remains there under observation. Chinmayanand, sent to judicial custody after his arrest, was booked under section 376C of the IPC, which is usually applied in cases where a person abuses his position to "induce or seduce" a woman under his charge to have "sexual intercourse not amounting to the offence of rape". This is a lesser charge than section 376, under which a rape convict faces a maximum punishment of life imprisonment. The punishment under section 376C is between five and 10 years in jail. He was also booked under sections 354 D (stalking), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. The woman had claimed that the police were trying to weaken the case against the ruling party politician. (With Agency Inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The Prince of Wales has called on the world to remember those 'standing up for freedom and human rights' in places like Syria and Afghanistan. In a New Year message released on the first day of 2022, Charles also paid tribute to the 'brave individuals, local communities and international organisations' who are 'responding to great needs by providing vital assistance'. The heir to the throne recently visited Jordan and learnt first hand how the Middle East country has for decades been a haven for people fleeing conflict in the region including Syria. The prince said in his message: 'As we start a New Year, we might take a moment to remember the many people around the world who are standing up for freedom and human rights. The Prince of Wales has called on the world to remember those 'standing up for freedom and human rights' in places like Syria and Afghanistan 'In places such as Afghanistan, Syria and Myanmar, among others, the threats and reality of political and religious persecution and insecurity are coupled with an increasingly dire humanitarian situation. 'In the face of such adversity, incredibly brave individuals, local communities and international organizations are responding to great needs by providing vital assistance. 'I pray for peaceful resolutions to these conflicts and that we might all be blessed with the courage to support those in need, wherever they may be.' After the Afghanistan capital Kabul fell to the Taliban many people decided to flee their desperately poor homeland despite the billions of international money poured in over the 20 years the US-backed governments had been in power. The heir to the throne recently visited Jordan and learnt first hand how the Middle East country has for decades been a haven for people fleeing conflict in the region including Syria (pictured with the Duchess in November) More than 8,000 former Afghan staff and their family members eligible under the Afghan relocations and assistance policy were among the 15,000-plus people evacuated by the UK. But thousands of Afghans who helped British efforts in the nation and their relatives, as well as other vulnerable civilians, were feared left behind and humanitarian conditions are said to have deteriorated. His message comes after the royal spent New Year's Eve in Scotland alongside the Duchess of Cornwall. The heir, 73, and his wife, 74, flew via private jet from RAF Northolt in west London on Wednesday, which is near The Queen's Windsor's home where they spent Christmas. The royals are believed to have spent New Year at Birkhall, their private estate on Balmoral. Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall were spotted leaving Aberdeen airport last week as they arrived in Scotland to celebrate New Year The couple spent Christmas at Windsor Castle - where they came under threat from a crossbow-wielding man threatening to assassinate the Queen in revenge for 1919 Amritsar massacre. They are pictured on their way to St George's Chapel It follows muted Christmas celebrations which the Queen was forced to tone down due to rising levels of Covid-19. Instead of the usual grand Christmas at Sandringham, Her Majesty - celebrating the first festive period since the death of Prince Philip - was joined by Charles, Camilla Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex for a muted affair in Berkshire. It was on Christmas Day they came under threat from a crossbow-wielding man threatening to assassinate the Queen in revenge for 1919 Amritsar massacre. Jaswant Singh Chail, 19, who has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act, uploaded a pre-recorded video to Snapchat vowing revenge for the 1919 Amritsar, or Jallianwala Bagh, massacre, when British troops killed hundreds of Indian protesters. New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday attended the commissioning ceremony of Indian Coast Guard's offshore patrol vessel Varaha in Chennai. Varaha is an offshore patrol vehicle developed by a private agency in accordance with a contract signed with the Defence Ministry. The Union Defence Ministry had awarded the contract to Larsen and Turbo in March 2015 for construction of seven Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs). The firm is to build seven offshore patrol vehicles as part of this contract out of which the first two have already been delivered and commissioned in the Indian navy. In a tweet from its official Twitter handle, Ministry of Defence announced- Today, as Varaha joins the Indian Coast Guard fleet, I wish the Commanding Officer and the crew all the very best and may "Lord Varuna" always bestow his blessings on them for contributing effectively towards the Nation's Maritime Interest, keeping our flag flying high: RM aaaAAAaa aaaaAAAaa aaaaAAAaaaa/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) September 25, 2019 Varaha has state of the art technology, navigation and communication equipment, designed to carry one twin engine light helicopter and also has capabilities of flying in night. ICGS Varaha has been planned to be based at New Mangalore. This ship carries limited oil spill equipment to contain oil spills. Howver, Rajnath Singh recently became the first defence minister to fly in the indigenously-built light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas. The Defence Minister took off in the Tejas fighter aircraft from the HAL airport in Bengaluru for a sortie which lasted for around 30 minutes. Wearing a G suit, holding his helmet under his arms and sporting aviator glasses, Singh looked every inch a fighter pilot. He was accompanied by Air Vice Marshal N Tiwari, who is also the Project Director, National Flight Test Centre, ADA (Aeronautical Development Agency) in Bengaluru. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday attended the commissioning ceremony of Indian Coast Guard's offshore patrol vessel Varaha in Chennai. Varaha is an offshore patrol vehicle developed by a private agency in accordance with a contract signed with the Defence Ministry. The Union Defence Ministry had awarded the contract to Larsen and Turbo in March 2015 for construction of seven Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs). The firm is to build seven offshore patrol vehicles as part of this contract out of which the first two have already been delivered and commissioned in the Indian navy. In a tweet from its official Twitter handle, Ministry of Defence announced- Today, as Varaha joins the Indian Coast Guard fleet, I wish the Commanding Officer and the crew all the very best and may "Lord Varuna" always bestow his blessings on them for contributing effectively towards the Nation's Maritime Interest, keeping our flag flying high: RM aaaAAAaa aaaaAAAaa aaaaAAAaaaa/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) September 25, 2019 Varaha has state of the art technology, navigation and communication equipment, designed to carry one twin engine light helicopter and also has capabilities of flying in night. ICGS Varaha has been planned to be based at New Mangalore. This ship carries limited oil spill equipment to contain oil spills. Howver, Rajnath Singh recently became the first defence minister to fly in the indigenously-built light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas. The Defence Minister took off in the Tejas fighter aircraft from the HAL airport in Bengaluru for a sortie which lasted for around 30 minutes. Wearing a G suit, holding his helmet under his arms and sporting aviator glasses, Singh looked every inch a fighter pilot. He was accompanied by Air Vice Marshal N Tiwari, who is also the Project Director, National Flight Test Centre, ADA (Aeronautical Development Agency) in Bengaluru. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The Prince of Wales has called on the world to remember those 'standing up for freedom and human rights' in places like Syria and Afghanistan. In a New Year message released on the first day of 2022, Charles also paid tribute to the 'brave individuals, local communities and international organisations' who are 'responding to great needs by providing vital assistance'. The heir to the throne recently visited Jordan and learnt first hand how the Middle East country has for decades been a haven for people fleeing conflict in the region including Syria. The prince said in his message: 'As we start a New Year, we might take a moment to remember the many people around the world who are standing up for freedom and human rights. The Prince of Wales has called on the world to remember those 'standing up for freedom and human rights' in places like Syria and Afghanistan 'In places such as Afghanistan, Syria and Myanmar, among others, the threats and reality of political and religious persecution and insecurity are coupled with an increasingly dire humanitarian situation. 'In the face of such adversity, incredibly brave individuals, local communities and international organizations are responding to great needs by providing vital assistance. 'I pray for peaceful resolutions to these conflicts and that we might all be blessed with the courage to support those in need, wherever they may be.' After the Afghanistan capital Kabul fell to the Taliban many people decided to flee their desperately poor homeland despite the billions of international money poured in over the 20 years the US-backed governments had been in power. The heir to the throne recently visited Jordan and learnt first hand how the Middle East country has for decades been a haven for people fleeing conflict in the region including Syria (pictured with the Duchess in November) More than 8,000 former Afghan staff and their family members eligible under the Afghan relocations and assistance policy were among the 15,000-plus people evacuated by the UK. But thousands of Afghans who helped British efforts in the nation and their relatives, as well as other vulnerable civilians, were feared left behind and humanitarian conditions are said to have deteriorated. His message comes after the royal spent New Year's Eve in Scotland alongside the Duchess of Cornwall. The heir, 73, and his wife, 74, flew via private jet from RAF Northolt in west London on Wednesday, which is near The Queen's Windsor's home where they spent Christmas. The royals are believed to have spent New Year at Birkhall, their private estate on Balmoral. Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall were spotted leaving Aberdeen airport last week as they arrived in Scotland to celebrate New Year The couple spent Christmas at Windsor Castle - where they came under threat from a crossbow-wielding man threatening to assassinate the Queen in revenge for 1919 Amritsar massacre. They are pictured on their way to St George's Chapel It follows muted Christmas celebrations which the Queen was forced to tone down due to rising levels of Covid-19. Instead of the usual grand Christmas at Sandringham, Her Majesty - celebrating the first festive period since the death of Prince Philip - was joined by Charles, Camilla Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex for a muted affair in Berkshire. It was on Christmas Day they came under threat from a crossbow-wielding man threatening to assassinate the Queen in revenge for 1919 Amritsar massacre. Jaswant Singh Chail, 19, who has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act, uploaded a pre-recorded video to Snapchat vowing revenge for the 1919 Amritsar, or Jallianwala Bagh, massacre, when British troops killed hundreds of Indian protesters. New Delhi: The UP law student, who accused BJP leader Chinmayanand of sexual assault, has been arrested on a charge of extortion by the special team probing the case. The 23-year-old had moved a local court for protection against arrest but did not get any immediate relief. The court had posted the hearing for Wednesday. Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police, OP Singh confirmed that the woman has been arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for allegedly trying to extort money from Chinmayanand. The SIT had arrested Chinmayanand last week on a complaint from the law student. She has accused the BJP leader of rape and blackmail. The 72-year-old politician was arrested in Shahjahanpur on Friday and remanded to judicial custody for 14 days. The same day three men were also arrested on extortion charges filed by the BJP leader. The law student was also booked under the same charge. SIT has linked the woman to the three men, pointing out that the law student had been in constant touch with one of the accused. The special team had counted 4200 phone calls between the two this year. Meanwhile, doctors said Chinmayanad's medical condition has improved. On Monday, he was admitted at Lucknow's Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, complaining of chest pain, and remains there under observation. Chinmayanand, sent to judicial custody after his arrest, was booked under section 376C of the IPC, which is usually applied in cases where a person abuses his position to "induce or seduce" a woman under his charge to have "sexual intercourse not amounting to the offence of rape". This is a lesser charge than section 376, under which a rape convict faces a maximum punishment of life imprisonment. The punishment under section 376C is between five and 10 years in jail. He was also booked under sections 354 D (stalking), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. The woman had claimed that the police were trying to weaken the case against the ruling party politician. (With Agency Inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The Prince of Wales has called on the world to remember those 'standing up for freedom and human rights' in places like Syria and Afghanistan. In a New Year message released on the first day of 2022, Charles also paid tribute to the 'brave individuals, local communities and international organisations' who are 'responding to great needs by providing vital assistance'. The heir to the throne recently visited Jordan and learnt first hand how the Middle East country has for decades been a haven for people fleeing conflict in the region including Syria. The prince said in his message: 'As we start a New Year, we might take a moment to remember the many people around the world who are standing up for freedom and human rights. The Prince of Wales has called on the world to remember those 'standing up for freedom and human rights' in places like Syria and Afghanistan 'In places such as Afghanistan, Syria and Myanmar, among others, the threats and reality of political and religious persecution and insecurity are coupled with an increasingly dire humanitarian situation. 'In the face of such adversity, incredibly brave individuals, local communities and international organizations are responding to great needs by providing vital assistance. 'I pray for peaceful resolutions to these conflicts and that we might all be blessed with the courage to support those in need, wherever they may be.' After the Afghanistan capital Kabul fell to the Taliban many people decided to flee their desperately poor homeland despite the billions of international money poured in over the 20 years the US-backed governments had been in power. The heir to the throne recently visited Jordan and learnt first hand how the Middle East country has for decades been a haven for people fleeing conflict in the region including Syria (pictured with the Duchess in November) More than 8,000 former Afghan staff and their family members eligible under the Afghan relocations and assistance policy were among the 15,000-plus people evacuated by the UK. But thousands of Afghans who helped British efforts in the nation and their relatives, as well as other vulnerable civilians, were feared left behind and humanitarian conditions are said to have deteriorated. His message comes after the royal spent New Year's Eve in Scotland alongside the Duchess of Cornwall. The heir, 73, and his wife, 74, flew via private jet from RAF Northolt in west London on Wednesday, which is near The Queen's Windsor's home where they spent Christmas. The royals are believed to have spent New Year at Birkhall, their private estate on Balmoral. Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall were spotted leaving Aberdeen airport last week as they arrived in Scotland to celebrate New Year The couple spent Christmas at Windsor Castle - where they came under threat from a crossbow-wielding man threatening to assassinate the Queen in revenge for 1919 Amritsar massacre. They are pictured on their way to St George's Chapel It follows muted Christmas celebrations which the Queen was forced to tone down due to rising levels of Covid-19. Instead of the usual grand Christmas at Sandringham, Her Majesty - celebrating the first festive period since the death of Prince Philip - was joined by Charles, Camilla Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex for a muted affair in Berkshire. It was on Christmas Day they came under threat from a crossbow-wielding man threatening to assassinate the Queen in revenge for 1919 Amritsar massacre. Jaswant Singh Chail, 19, who has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act, uploaded a pre-recorded video to Snapchat vowing revenge for the 1919 Amritsar, or Jallianwala Bagh, massacre, when British troops killed hundreds of Indian protesters. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Immigrant detainees will continue to be held at McHenry and Kankakee county jails temporarily, while a federal court considers the counties appeal to keep imprisoning detainees into the future. The immigrants, charged with violating civil immigration laws, were due to be released by New Years Day, under the Illinois Way Forward Act, which prohibits counties from entering federal contracts to jail them. Advertisement But the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals issued a stay Thursday delaying the law from taking effect until Jan. 13, while it considers the case. McHenry and Kankakee county officials had filed suit, alleging that the law exceeds the states authority by superseding federal law. Both counties have contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, to keep detainees behind bars until their court hearings. In December, U.S. District Judge Philip Reinhard dismissed the suit, ruling in effect that it limited local officials, not the federal government. Advertisement In 2021, McHenry held about 180 detainees a day, and Kankakee about 120, numbers that had been reduced while fewer detainees are being held during the COVID pandemic. Historically, the contracts had brought about $8 million a year to McHenry and $4 million annually to Kankakee. A low security unit housing ICE detainees at the Kankakee County Jail in Kankakee on Oct. 8, 2019. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) ICE Out of McHenry County, a coalition of groups opposing immigrant detention, held a candlelight vigil this week for the detainees, singing, Silent Night/Noche de Paz. The coalition had pushed for McHenry County to end the practice, calling it cruel and unnecessary. But after a heated debate in May, the county board voted to continue the practice. Were very glad to get this stay to preserve our longtime contract with ICE as we argue our case, County Board Chairman Mike Buehler, a Republican from Crystal Lake, said. The Illinois Way Forward Act is an unconstitutional and poorly thought out law that was hastily thrown together by the General Assembly to make a political statement regarding current federal immigration enforcement. We thank the 7th Circuit for their understanding, and we look forward to making our case. Fred Tsao, senior policy counsel for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, emphasized that the court order is a temporary measure. We agree with the district court judge that the law is very clear: The state was fully within its authority to pass the Illinois Way Forward Act and to require the counties to end their contracts with ICE, Tsao wrote in an email. We look forward to the full implementation of Illinois Way Forward and the end of immigration detention in Illinois and throughout this country. The detentions are meant to ensure that detainees show up for court, with federal statistics showing about one-third of immigrants didnt make it to completed cases. But a UCLA analysis that included ongoing cases found that 83% showed up for court. More than 80% had no criminal record, while those that do were handled in separate proceedings in criminal court. rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Immigrant detainees will continue to be held at McHenry and Kankakee county jails temporarily, while a federal court considers the counties appeal to keep imprisoning detainees into the future. The immigrants, charged with violating civil immigration laws, were due to be released by New Years Day, under the Illinois Way Forward Act, which prohibits counties from entering federal contracts to jail them. Advertisement But the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals issued a stay Thursday delaying the law from taking effect until Jan. 13, while it considers the case. McHenry and Kankakee county officials had filed suit, alleging that the law exceeds the states authority by superseding federal law. Both counties have contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, to keep detainees behind bars until their court hearings. In December, U.S. District Judge Philip Reinhard dismissed the suit, ruling in effect that it limited local officials, not the federal government. Advertisement In 2021, McHenry held about 180 detainees a day, and Kankakee about 120, numbers that had been reduced while fewer detainees are being held during the COVID pandemic. Historically, the contracts had brought about $8 million a year to McHenry and $4 million annually to Kankakee. A low security unit housing ICE detainees at the Kankakee County Jail in Kankakee on Oct. 8, 2019. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) ICE Out of McHenry County, a coalition of groups opposing immigrant detention, held a candlelight vigil this week for the detainees, singing, Silent Night/Noche de Paz. The coalition had pushed for McHenry County to end the practice, calling it cruel and unnecessary. But after a heated debate in May, the county board voted to continue the practice. Were very glad to get this stay to preserve our longtime contract with ICE as we argue our case, County Board Chairman Mike Buehler, a Republican from Crystal Lake, said. The Illinois Way Forward Act is an unconstitutional and poorly thought out law that was hastily thrown together by the General Assembly to make a political statement regarding current federal immigration enforcement. We thank the 7th Circuit for their understanding, and we look forward to making our case. Fred Tsao, senior policy counsel for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, emphasized that the court order is a temporary measure. We agree with the district court judge that the law is very clear: The state was fully within its authority to pass the Illinois Way Forward Act and to require the counties to end their contracts with ICE, Tsao wrote in an email. We look forward to the full implementation of Illinois Way Forward and the end of immigration detention in Illinois and throughout this country. The detentions are meant to ensure that detainees show up for court, with federal statistics showing about one-third of immigrants didnt make it to completed cases. But a UCLA analysis that included ongoing cases found that 83% showed up for court. More than 80% had no criminal record, while those that do were handled in separate proceedings in criminal court. rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com Perhaps you have felt it yourself, your emotions at war with your better nature. A surge of anger when you enter your local pharmacy, suffering from Covid-y symptoms, only to find that it is out of thermometers, never mind antigen tests. A burst of annoyance at the elaborate rules around vaccine cards and IDs at restaurants rules you yourself agree with! because you have to wait outside, and it is cold, and you left your wallet in the car. A feeling of nearly homicidal rage at the credit card company representative who has just informed you that, having failed to correctly answer the security questions, you have been locked out of your own account. (Note to self: Adopting a tone of haughty sarcasm is not a good way to solve this problem.) People are just I hate to say it because there are a lot of really nice people but when theyre mean, theyre a heck of a lot meaner, said Sue Miller, who works in a nonprofit trade association in Madison, Wis. Its like, instead of saying, This really inconvenienced me, they say, What the hell is wrong with you? Its a different scale of mean. The meanness of the public has forced many public-facing industries to rethink what used to be an article of faith: that the customer is always right. If employees are now having to take on many unexpected roles therapist, cop, conflict-resolution negotiator then workplace managers are acting as security guards and bouncers to protect their employees. Perhaps you have felt it yourself, your emotions at war with your better nature. A surge of anger when you enter your local pharmacy, suffering from Covid-y symptoms, only to find that it is out of thermometers, never mind antigen tests. A burst of annoyance at the elaborate rules around vaccine cards and IDs at restaurants rules you yourself agree with! because you have to wait outside, and it is cold, and you left your wallet in the car. A feeling of nearly homicidal rage at the credit card company representative who has just informed you that, having failed to correctly answer the security questions, you have been locked out of your own account. (Note to self: Adopting a tone of haughty sarcasm is not a good way to solve this problem.) People are just I hate to say it because there are a lot of really nice people but when theyre mean, theyre a heck of a lot meaner, said Sue Miller, who works in a nonprofit trade association in Madison, Wis. Its like, instead of saying, This really inconvenienced me, they say, What the hell is wrong with you? Its a different scale of mean. The meanness of the public has forced many public-facing industries to rethink what used to be an article of faith: that the customer is always right. If employees are now having to take on many unexpected roles therapist, cop, conflict-resolution negotiator then workplace managers are acting as security guards and bouncers to protect their employees. Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. New Delhi: India has dubbed reports as baseless claiming Pakistan Air Force (PAF) flying Rafale fighter jets. Islamabad-based newspaper had claimed that PAF pilots got the training to operate Rafale fighter jets. The Pakistani media report, according to Times Now had stated: "(The aircraft) ... has reportedly been undermined by recent reports that Pakistani pilots were given access to the aircraft and trained to operate them in France... The Pakistani military is likely aware of the exact specifications of the fighters has dealt a serious blow to the platform's potential viability in Indian hands." "While the primary pretext link for Rafale acquisition has been to counter Pakistan, particularly in light of recent skirmishes in the air between the two countries in late February 2019, news that the Pakistani military is likely aware of the exact specifications of the fighters has dealt a serious blow to the platform's potential viability in Indian hands.... Pakistani pilots under the Qatari Air Force were dispatched to France to train on the Rafales," it added. Indian Air Force officials told news agency IANS that such claims were baseless. After a long wait, the Indian Air Force (IAF) on September 20 received its first acceptance Rafale combat aircraft from Dassault Aviation in France. The Indian Air Force is looking forward to Rafale jets as they would help in plugging the fleet crunch. Experts say that the IAF has just 31 fighter squadrons as opposed to the required strength of 42. Case of two-front battle will be a Herculean task for India in current scenario. The IAF has already completed preparations, including readying required infrastructure and training of pilots, to welcome the fighter aircraft. The sources said the first squadron of the aircraft will be deployed at the Ambala Air Force Station, considered one of the most strategically located bases of the IAF. The Indo-Pak border is around 220 km from there. RKS Bhadauria, the Indian Air Force chief, was instrumental in steering the Rafale jet deal between India and France. He was among the first officials to fly the French aircraft. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. MOUNT PLEASANT At about 2 a.m. Friday, a Racine man was arrested after he allegedly fled from Mount Pleasant police and backed his Jeep Grand Cherokee into a squad car. The suspect has been identified as Quatrion L. Morens, 26. According to the Mount Pleasant Police Department, an officer attempted to make a traffic stop on the SUV near the intersection of 21st and Howe streets near the Racine-Mount Pleasant border at about 1:40 a.m. on New Years Eve. The vehicle fled, speeding up, went through several stop signs, and made abrupt turns in attempt to flee from the officer, according to a release. The officer reported catching up to the fleeing vehicle, at which point the driver allegedly stopped, put the car in reverse, then fled on foot into a nearby home, with the vehicle backing up into the squad car. The extent of the damage was not stated in the release. Officers said they immediately heard screaming coming from inside the residence where the driver/suspect ran in to. Officers quickly made entry to that residence to ensure no one was in danger, and subsequently took the suspect into custody. A second person identified as Morens older brother, Richard Q. Morens, 28, of Racine was taken into custody for allegedly resisting arrest and attempting to impede the investigation. Police reported that they found a handgun and a large amount of marijuana that Quatrion Morens allegedly dropped when he ran out of the vehicle. The Mount Pleasant Police Department is requesting charges of fleeing/eluding an officer, hit-and-run causing property damage, possession of a firearm by a felon, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and resisting/obstructing an officer for Quatrion Morens. The release did not state Quatrion Morens prior felony conviction or convictions; no felony convictions for him appear in Wisconsins publicly available online court documents, which does not include out-of-state convictions. For Richard Morens, the MPPD is asking for charges of resisting/obstructing causing soft tissue damage to an officer. The news release did not state why the initial traffic stop was attempted, nor did it say where the arrests were made. The Racine Police Department also responded to the incident. New Delhi: India has dubbed reports as baseless claiming Pakistan Air Force (PAF) flying Rafale fighter jets. Islamabad-based newspaper had claimed that PAF pilots got the training to operate Rafale fighter jets. The Pakistani media report, according to Times Now had stated: "(The aircraft) ... has reportedly been undermined by recent reports that Pakistani pilots were given access to the aircraft and trained to operate them in France... The Pakistani military is likely aware of the exact specifications of the fighters has dealt a serious blow to the platform's potential viability in Indian hands." "While the primary pretext link for Rafale acquisition has been to counter Pakistan, particularly in light of recent skirmishes in the air between the two countries in late February 2019, news that the Pakistani military is likely aware of the exact specifications of the fighters has dealt a serious blow to the platform's potential viability in Indian hands.... Pakistani pilots under the Qatari Air Force were dispatched to France to train on the Rafales," it added. Indian Air Force officials told news agency IANS that such claims were baseless. After a long wait, the Indian Air Force (IAF) on September 20 received its first acceptance Rafale combat aircraft from Dassault Aviation in France. The Indian Air Force is looking forward to Rafale jets as they would help in plugging the fleet crunch. Experts say that the IAF has just 31 fighter squadrons as opposed to the required strength of 42. Case of two-front battle will be a Herculean task for India in current scenario. The IAF has already completed preparations, including readying required infrastructure and training of pilots, to welcome the fighter aircraft. The sources said the first squadron of the aircraft will be deployed at the Ambala Air Force Station, considered one of the most strategically located bases of the IAF. The Indo-Pak border is around 220 km from there. RKS Bhadauria, the Indian Air Force chief, was instrumental in steering the Rafale jet deal between India and France. He was among the first officials to fly the French aircraft. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. New Delhi: India has dubbed reports as baseless claiming Pakistan Air Force (PAF) flying Rafale fighter jets. Islamabad-based newspaper had claimed that PAF pilots got the training to operate Rafale fighter jets. The Pakistani media report, according to Times Now had stated: "(The aircraft) ... has reportedly been undermined by recent reports that Pakistani pilots were given access to the aircraft and trained to operate them in France... The Pakistani military is likely aware of the exact specifications of the fighters has dealt a serious blow to the platform's potential viability in Indian hands." "While the primary pretext link for Rafale acquisition has been to counter Pakistan, particularly in light of recent skirmishes in the air between the two countries in late February 2019, news that the Pakistani military is likely aware of the exact specifications of the fighters has dealt a serious blow to the platform's potential viability in Indian hands.... Pakistani pilots under the Qatari Air Force were dispatched to France to train on the Rafales," it added. Indian Air Force officials told news agency IANS that such claims were baseless. After a long wait, the Indian Air Force (IAF) on September 20 received its first acceptance Rafale combat aircraft from Dassault Aviation in France. The Indian Air Force is looking forward to Rafale jets as they would help in plugging the fleet crunch. Experts say that the IAF has just 31 fighter squadrons as opposed to the required strength of 42. Case of two-front battle will be a Herculean task for India in current scenario. The IAF has already completed preparations, including readying required infrastructure and training of pilots, to welcome the fighter aircraft. The sources said the first squadron of the aircraft will be deployed at the Ambala Air Force Station, considered one of the most strategically located bases of the IAF. The Indo-Pak border is around 220 km from there. RKS Bhadauria, the Indian Air Force chief, was instrumental in steering the Rafale jet deal between India and France. He was among the first officials to fly the French aircraft. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A special squad of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists are planning to carry out suicide attacks on Air Force bases in and around Jammu and Kashmir, according to top government sources. Jaish is also readying the squad to target PM Narendra Modi and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval as retaliation to the government's move to revoke provisions of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, said another report in Times of India. According to the TOI report, Indian agencies have got an input in this regard from a foreign intelligene agency. Intelligence agencies have issued warning against a module of 8 to 10 terrorists which will possibly try to carry out a suicide attack against Air Force bases in and around Jammu and Kashmir, according to top government sources. The Indian Air Force bases in Srinagar, Awantipora, Jammu, Pathankot, Hindon have been put on high alert at orange level, reported ANI quoting these sources. It also said that senior officers are reviewing security arrangements round the clock to tackle the threat. The sources said that the alert has emanated after agencies monitored movements of Jaish terrorists. The TOI report, quoting an intelligence officer, said that the input comes via an intercepted communication between Pakistan-based JeM operative Shamsher Wani and his handler in the form of a handwritten note. An alert has been issued to police in 30 vulnerable cities including Jammu, Amritsar, Pathankot, Jaipur, Gandhinagar, Kanpur and Lucknow. The report added that Pakistans ISI, is helping Jaish in planning and executing this attack. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday attended the commissioning ceremony of Indian Coast Guard's offshore patrol vessel Varaha in Chennai. Varaha is an offshore patrol vehicle developed by a private agency in accordance with a contract signed with the Defence Ministry. The Union Defence Ministry had awarded the contract to Larsen and Turbo in March 2015 for construction of seven Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs). The firm is to build seven offshore patrol vehicles as part of this contract out of which the first two have already been delivered and commissioned in the Indian navy. In a tweet from its official Twitter handle, Ministry of Defence announced- Today, as Varaha joins the Indian Coast Guard fleet, I wish the Commanding Officer and the crew all the very best and may "Lord Varuna" always bestow his blessings on them for contributing effectively towards the Nation's Maritime Interest, keeping our flag flying high: RM aaaAAAaa aaaaAAAaa aaaaAAAaaaa/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) September 25, 2019 Varaha has state of the art technology, navigation and communication equipment, designed to carry one twin engine light helicopter and also has capabilities of flying in night. ICGS Varaha has been planned to be based at New Mangalore. This ship carries limited oil spill equipment to contain oil spills. Howver, Rajnath Singh recently became the first defence minister to fly in the indigenously-built light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas. The Defence Minister took off in the Tejas fighter aircraft from the HAL airport in Bengaluru for a sortie which lasted for around 30 minutes. Wearing a G suit, holding his helmet under his arms and sporting aviator glasses, Singh looked every inch a fighter pilot. He was accompanied by Air Vice Marshal N Tiwari, who is also the Project Director, National Flight Test Centre, ADA (Aeronautical Development Agency) in Bengaluru. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday attended the commissioning ceremony of Indian Coast Guard's offshore patrol vessel Varaha in Chennai. Varaha is an offshore patrol vehicle developed by a private agency in accordance with a contract signed with the Defence Ministry. The Union Defence Ministry had awarded the contract to Larsen and Turbo in March 2015 for construction of seven Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs). The firm is to build seven offshore patrol vehicles as part of this contract out of which the first two have already been delivered and commissioned in the Indian navy. In a tweet from its official Twitter handle, Ministry of Defence announced- Today, as Varaha joins the Indian Coast Guard fleet, I wish the Commanding Officer and the crew all the very best and may "Lord Varuna" always bestow his blessings on them for contributing effectively towards the Nation's Maritime Interest, keeping our flag flying high: RM aaaAAAaa aaaaAAAaa aaaaAAAaaaa/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) September 25, 2019 Varaha has state of the art technology, navigation and communication equipment, designed to carry one twin engine light helicopter and also has capabilities of flying in night. ICGS Varaha has been planned to be based at New Mangalore. This ship carries limited oil spill equipment to contain oil spills. Howver, Rajnath Singh recently became the first defence minister to fly in the indigenously-built light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas. The Defence Minister took off in the Tejas fighter aircraft from the HAL airport in Bengaluru for a sortie which lasted for around 30 minutes. Wearing a G suit, holding his helmet under his arms and sporting aviator glasses, Singh looked every inch a fighter pilot. He was accompanied by Air Vice Marshal N Tiwari, who is also the Project Director, National Flight Test Centre, ADA (Aeronautical Development Agency) in Bengaluru. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A special squad of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists are planning to carry out suicide attacks on Air Force bases in and around Jammu and Kashmir, according to top government sources. Jaish is also readying the squad to target PM Narendra Modi and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval as retaliation to the government's move to revoke provisions of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, said another report in Times of India. According to the TOI report, Indian agencies have got an input in this regard from a foreign intelligene agency. Intelligence agencies have issued warning against a module of 8 to 10 terrorists which will possibly try to carry out a suicide attack against Air Force bases in and around Jammu and Kashmir, according to top government sources. The Indian Air Force bases in Srinagar, Awantipora, Jammu, Pathankot, Hindon have been put on high alert at orange level, reported ANI quoting these sources. It also said that senior officers are reviewing security arrangements round the clock to tackle the threat. The sources said that the alert has emanated after agencies monitored movements of Jaish terrorists. The TOI report, quoting an intelligence officer, said that the input comes via an intercepted communication between Pakistan-based JeM operative Shamsher Wani and his handler in the form of a handwritten note. An alert has been issued to police in 30 vulnerable cities including Jammu, Amritsar, Pathankot, Jaipur, Gandhinagar, Kanpur and Lucknow. The report added that Pakistans ISI, is helping Jaish in planning and executing this attack. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: India has dubbed reports as baseless claiming Pakistan Air Force (PAF) flying Rafale fighter jets. Islamabad-based newspaper had claimed that PAF pilots got the training to operate Rafale fighter jets. The Pakistani media report, according to Times Now had stated: "(The aircraft) ... has reportedly been undermined by recent reports that Pakistani pilots were given access to the aircraft and trained to operate them in France... The Pakistani military is likely aware of the exact specifications of the fighters has dealt a serious blow to the platform's potential viability in Indian hands." "While the primary pretext link for Rafale acquisition has been to counter Pakistan, particularly in light of recent skirmishes in the air between the two countries in late February 2019, news that the Pakistani military is likely aware of the exact specifications of the fighters has dealt a serious blow to the platform's potential viability in Indian hands.... Pakistani pilots under the Qatari Air Force were dispatched to France to train on the Rafales," it added. Indian Air Force officials told news agency IANS that such claims were baseless. After a long wait, the Indian Air Force (IAF) on September 20 received its first acceptance Rafale combat aircraft from Dassault Aviation in France. The Indian Air Force is looking forward to Rafale jets as they would help in plugging the fleet crunch. Experts say that the IAF has just 31 fighter squadrons as opposed to the required strength of 42. Case of two-front battle will be a Herculean task for India in current scenario. The IAF has already completed preparations, including readying required infrastructure and training of pilots, to welcome the fighter aircraft. The sources said the first squadron of the aircraft will be deployed at the Ambala Air Force Station, considered one of the most strategically located bases of the IAF. The Indo-Pak border is around 220 km from there. RKS Bhadauria, the Indian Air Force chief, was instrumental in steering the Rafale jet deal between India and France. He was among the first officials to fly the French aircraft. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: To fuel terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, authorities in Punjab have confirmed at least eight drone sorties, carrying 80 kg of weapons that were sent across the border into Punjab by revived Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) outufit backed by Pakistan and Germany-based terror group. Five people have so far been arrested by Punjab Police in connection with the drone drops, according to Hindustan Times report. The deliveries were made on the intervening nights of September 6/7, 9/10 and the last one on 15/16. The last drone crashed at Rajoke Village, Khalra police station, in Tarn Taran, near a border drain which is 2km from the fencing on the international border with Pakistan, the report added. It has also been revealed that such deliveries took place on four different dates, mostly between 9.30 pm and 10.30 pm with the drone making two sorties within an hour, said a senior Punjab Police official. Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has decided to hand over further investigations in the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to ensure that the entire conspiracy is unravelled. With initial investigations revealing the use of drones to deliver terrorists weapons and communication hardware across the border, the chief minister has also urged the Central government to direct the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Border Security Force (BSF) to launch necessary counter-measures to check any further threat from drones to the border state of Punjab. According to DGP Dinkar Gupta, the weapons were suspected to have been delivered recently across the Indo-Pak border from Pakistan over drones launched by the Pak establishment, the ISI, and the state-sponsored Jihadi and pro-Khalistani terrorist outfits working under its command. Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to withdraw Jammu and Kashmirs special status and bifurcated it into two Union Territories, evoking strong reactions from Pakistan. Pakistan downgraded diplomatic relations and suspended bilateral trade with India. Islamabad had demanded that the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) set up a commission to look into what it termed as Indian brutality" in the region. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. MOUNT PLEASANT At about 2 a.m. Friday, a Racine man was arrested after he allegedly fled from Mount Pleasant police and backed his Jeep Grand Cherokee into a squad car. The suspect has been identified as Quatrion L. Morens, 26. According to the Mount Pleasant Police Department, an officer attempted to make a traffic stop on the SUV near the intersection of 21st and Howe streets near the Racine-Mount Pleasant border at about 1:40 a.m. on New Years Eve. The vehicle fled, speeding up, went through several stop signs, and made abrupt turns in attempt to flee from the officer, according to a release. The officer reported catching up to the fleeing vehicle, at which point the driver allegedly stopped, put the car in reverse, then fled on foot into a nearby home, with the vehicle backing up into the squad car. The extent of the damage was not stated in the release. Officers said they immediately heard screaming coming from inside the residence where the driver/suspect ran in to. Officers quickly made entry to that residence to ensure no one was in danger, and subsequently took the suspect into custody. A second person identified as Morens older brother, Richard Q. Morens, 28, of Racine was taken into custody for allegedly resisting arrest and attempting to impede the investigation. Police reported that they found a handgun and a large amount of marijuana that Quatrion Morens allegedly dropped when he ran out of the vehicle. The Mount Pleasant Police Department is requesting charges of fleeing/eluding an officer, hit-and-run causing property damage, possession of a firearm by a felon, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and resisting/obstructing an officer for Quatrion Morens. The release did not state Quatrion Morens prior felony conviction or convictions; no felony convictions for him appear in Wisconsins publicly available online court documents, which does not include out-of-state convictions. For Richard Morens, the MPPD is asking for charges of resisting/obstructing causing soft tissue damage to an officer. The news release did not state why the initial traffic stop was attempted, nor did it say where the arrests were made. The Racine Police Department also responded to the incident. New Delhi: To fuel terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, authorities in Punjab have confirmed at least eight drone sorties, carrying 80 kg of weapons that were sent across the border into Punjab by revived Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) outufit backed by Pakistan and Germany-based terror group. Five people have so far been arrested by Punjab Police in connection with the drone drops, according to Hindustan Times report. The deliveries were made on the intervening nights of September 6/7, 9/10 and the last one on 15/16. The last drone crashed at Rajoke Village, Khalra police station, in Tarn Taran, near a border drain which is 2km from the fencing on the international border with Pakistan, the report added. It has also been revealed that such deliveries took place on four different dates, mostly between 9.30 pm and 10.30 pm with the drone making two sorties within an hour, said a senior Punjab Police official. Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has decided to hand over further investigations in the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to ensure that the entire conspiracy is unravelled. With initial investigations revealing the use of drones to deliver terrorists weapons and communication hardware across the border, the chief minister has also urged the Central government to direct the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Border Security Force (BSF) to launch necessary counter-measures to check any further threat from drones to the border state of Punjab. According to DGP Dinkar Gupta, the weapons were suspected to have been delivered recently across the Indo-Pak border from Pakistan over drones launched by the Pak establishment, the ISI, and the state-sponsored Jihadi and pro-Khalistani terrorist outfits working under its command. Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to withdraw Jammu and Kashmirs special status and bifurcated it into two Union Territories, evoking strong reactions from Pakistan. Pakistan downgraded diplomatic relations and suspended bilateral trade with India. Islamabad had demanded that the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) set up a commission to look into what it termed as Indian brutality" in the region. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: To fuel terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, authorities in Punjab have confirmed at least eight drone sorties, carrying 80 kg of weapons that were sent across the border into Punjab by revived Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) outufit backed by Pakistan and Germany-based terror group. Five people have so far been arrested by Punjab Police in connection with the drone drops, according to Hindustan Times report. The deliveries were made on the intervening nights of September 6/7, 9/10 and the last one on 15/16. The last drone crashed at Rajoke Village, Khalra police station, in Tarn Taran, near a border drain which is 2km from the fencing on the international border with Pakistan, the report added. It has also been revealed that such deliveries took place on four different dates, mostly between 9.30 pm and 10.30 pm with the drone making two sorties within an hour, said a senior Punjab Police official. Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has decided to hand over further investigations in the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to ensure that the entire conspiracy is unravelled. With initial investigations revealing the use of drones to deliver terrorists weapons and communication hardware across the border, the chief minister has also urged the Central government to direct the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Border Security Force (BSF) to launch necessary counter-measures to check any further threat from drones to the border state of Punjab. According to DGP Dinkar Gupta, the weapons were suspected to have been delivered recently across the Indo-Pak border from Pakistan over drones launched by the Pak establishment, the ISI, and the state-sponsored Jihadi and pro-Khalistani terrorist outfits working under its command. Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to withdraw Jammu and Kashmirs special status and bifurcated it into two Union Territories, evoking strong reactions from Pakistan. Pakistan downgraded diplomatic relations and suspended bilateral trade with India. Islamabad had demanded that the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) set up a commission to look into what it termed as Indian brutality" in the region. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: To fuel terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, authorities in Punjab have confirmed at least eight drone sorties, carrying 80 kg of weapons that were sent across the border into Punjab by revived Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) outufit backed by Pakistan and Germany-based terror group. Five people have so far been arrested by Punjab Police in connection with the drone drops, according to Hindustan Times report. The deliveries were made on the intervening nights of September 6/7, 9/10 and the last one on 15/16. The last drone crashed at Rajoke Village, Khalra police station, in Tarn Taran, near a border drain which is 2km from the fencing on the international border with Pakistan, the report added. It has also been revealed that such deliveries took place on four different dates, mostly between 9.30 pm and 10.30 pm with the drone making two sorties within an hour, said a senior Punjab Police official. Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has decided to hand over further investigations in the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to ensure that the entire conspiracy is unravelled. With initial investigations revealing the use of drones to deliver terrorists weapons and communication hardware across the border, the chief minister has also urged the Central government to direct the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Border Security Force (BSF) to launch necessary counter-measures to check any further threat from drones to the border state of Punjab. According to DGP Dinkar Gupta, the weapons were suspected to have been delivered recently across the Indo-Pak border from Pakistan over drones launched by the Pak establishment, the ISI, and the state-sponsored Jihadi and pro-Khalistani terrorist outfits working under its command. Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to withdraw Jammu and Kashmirs special status and bifurcated it into two Union Territories, evoking strong reactions from Pakistan. Pakistan downgraded diplomatic relations and suspended bilateral trade with India. Islamabad had demanded that the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) set up a commission to look into what it termed as Indian brutality" in the region. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. What a difference a year can make. Already feeling triumphant from its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic at home, China marked a geopolitical win by signing a massive trade deal with the European Union in late December 2020 that sent a powerful message to U.S. President Joe Bidens incoming administration. But 2021 had other plans for Beijing. The investment deal was sidelined indefinitely in May following tit-for-tat sanctions between China and the EU over Beijing's abuses of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in its western Xinjiang Province. Since then, Taiwan has improved its ties across Europe, with Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu launching a landmark tour of several Central European countries in October. Lithuania, a small Baltic country of 2.7 million people, has also been at the center of Chinese-European ties, withdrawing from a Beijing-led diplomatic format in February and then navigating a prolonged spat over its ties to Taipei that has seen China launch a fierce propaganda campaign, economic sanctions, and a diplomatic dispute that led to Vilnius leaving its embassy in Beijing on December 15. While Europe still lacks a cohesive plan for dealing with China, the events of 2021 have emboldened officials and governments from the bloc to call for a harder line toward Beijing. The entire episode represents the wider mix of diplomatic opportunities and strategic missteps that defined Chinese policy from Central Europe to South Asia this past year. Looking ahead to 2022, China is poised to continue its uneven rise across Eurasia. Tensions between Russia and the West have helped fuel even warmer ties between the Kremlin and Beijing, and the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Talibans return to power has opened the door for opportunities, while also bringing new risks. Meanwhile, the coming year will see a key moment in modern Chinese history as President Xi Jinping is predicted by many to abandon term limits and seek one-man rule. With a new year of globe-spanning developments on the horizon, here are five big trends to watch as China deepens its influence throughout Eurasia. 1. China's Security Footprint Cautiously Expands Concerns over border security, extremist groups, and the security of Chinese personnel across Central and South Asia grew this year following the Talibans August takeover and a spate of attacks on Chinese nationals working in Pakistan. Beijing has long worried about terrorism in the region, particularly from Uyghur extremist groups, and it has moved to build up security relationships with all its neighbors -- from Central Asian governments to the Taliban -- that link Chinas internal security apparatus to foreign counterparts. So far, [Beijing] has demonstrated that it views its security interests narrowly to things that it fears can impact China directly [at home], Raffaello Pantucci, a senior associate fellow at London's Royal United Services Institute, told RFE/RL. Many of these partnerships continued to grow in 2021. In October, it was announced that China would fund and build a police base in Tajikistan for Tajik personnel, while an RFE/RL investigation showed that Chinas presence at a base along the Afghan-Tajik border continues to grow, with Chinese personnel even patrolling stretches of the border. China has shown that it prefers a light touch and would like to focus on building relationships [with local governments] to address security concerns, said Pantucci. The big question is whether Chinese interests being targeted more and more leads to Beijing thinking it needs to have a different kind of presence on the ground. In the meantime, those links look set to grow with law enforcement and security agencies across the region for the year ahead. Beijing continues to invest in training for many of its neighbors, and China has reportedly signed 59 extradition treaties with foreign countries in recent years. 2. A New Era For Beijing And Moscow? Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed their increasingly close ties on December 15 during a 90-minute video call in which they sought to display a unified front amid Western pressure on both China and Russia. Moscow and Beijing are not formally allied, but during the call, Putin said that a new model of cooperation between our countries has formed on principles such as noninterference in internal affairs and respecting each others interests, while Xi thanked his counterpart for his strong support of Chinas efforts to protect its key international interests. Their ties are getting closer as their rivalries with the United States intensify, conducting joint military exercises and even offering political support for each other on a range of issues, from Putin criticizing the AUKUS military alliance (composed of Australia, the United States, and Britain) to Xi supporting Moscows demand for security guarantees to limit the Wests influence across the former Soviet Union. They are getting closer, and while they dont want to formalize an alliance, [theyre] increasingly willing to support each other on issues that don't affect the other, said Pantucci. How close this relationship will progress remains to be seen, especially as Russia anxiously watches Chinas security and political influence grow across Central Asia and each countrys regional economic model -- the Moscow-led Eurasian Union and Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) -- faces high tariffs and coordination problems, despite the rosy rhetoric. But with tensions only set to grow with the West in 2022, expect Putin and Xi to lean on each other even more in the future. We are seeing this relationship transform in real time, said Pantucci. We need to update our thinking, as this dynamic continues to change and potentially becomes something more durable. 3. Polishing The Belt And Road In less than 10 years, the BRI has positioned China at the center of the international system, with new railroads and bridges, fiber-optic cables and 5G networks, pipelines and ports that have helped expand Beijings financial, technological, and political influence through hundreds of billions of dollars in investment and projects from Latin America to Southeast Asia. But the foreign policy project has hit plenty of speed bumps lately, including debt concerns linked to Chinese projects and allegations of corruption, shoddy construction, poor labor practices, and disregard for the environment. Investment levels have also declined steadily since 2016, and the BRI has begun to shift focus to new areas, such as arts and culture, e-payment systems, and satellites. This backlash has also opened the door for new competing initiatives from Japan, the United States, and the European Union. By design, its meant to be abstract and vague. The point was that any Chinese stakeholder could come in and do any project and that could be called part of BRI, Niva Yau, a senior researcher at the OSCE academy in Bishkek, told RFE/RL. We need to stop thinking of it as one thing. Its always changing and is ultimately about China increasing its influence in all aspects globally. Looking to 2022, Xis signature project will continue to evolve, and Yau says China is already putting a greater emphasis on soft power and courting public opinion through aid, medical assistance, exporting Chinese culture, and creating local jobs rather than only winning over political elites. [BRI] is targeting the public more and more. Of course, this isn't always effective, but that isnt really what matters right now, she said. If they continue to invest in soft power and devote resources towards it, that will eventually see some results. 4. 'Wolf Warriors' Are Here To Stay But while the BRI continues to search for new ways to boost Chinas global influence, Beijing will have to deal with an increasingly negative global view of the country that has hurt both Chinese soft power and diplomacy over the past year. A Pew survey in June of mostly Western, developed countries found that unfavorable views of China have reached new heights, with only a majority of respondents from Greece and Singapore showing a favorable view of Chinese policies. It's undeniable that China's image is in a poor state and looks unlikely to improve substantially any time soon, Charles Dunst, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told RFE/RL. Beijings COVID-19 diplomacy, which had some small victories early in the pandemic in countries like Serbia and Italy, has since faded. The countrys so-called wolf warrior diplomats, who have adopted an aggressive style of targeting and coercing governments, companies, and individuals that criticized China, are here to stay and even threatened to cut off aid or access to vaccines and personal protective equipment (PPE) in some cases. Many also spread disinformation about the origins of the coronavirus, and Beijing went on to place restrictions and tariffs on some of Australias most popular exports after Canberra called for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19. Countries around the world are worried most about Beijing's willingness to wield economic ties for political purposes, he said. It's hard to see China reversing this trend in 2022, given both [Xis] clear preference for foreign policy aggressiveness and popular Chinese nationalism. 5. The Limits Of Trading With COVID-Zero China China is one of the last countries in the world to continue with a strict "zero-COVID-19" strategy, which sometimes entails locking down entire cities if a single case is detected. Now, with the spread of the omicron variant, it looks like that policy is here to stay. Thats bad news for many across Central Asia who rely on cross-border trade, which has seen a precipitous drop over the course of the pandemic due to rigid border controls and restrictions on the types of people and goods that have been allowed to come into China. China and Central Asia will have many difficulties in their trade relations not only in the upcoming year but well into the future, depending on how the pandemic develops, Temur Umarov, an expert on China in Central Asia at the Carnegie Moscow Center, told RFE/RL. The vast majority of Chinese trade with the region is focused on natural resources, especially oil and gas, but the pressures on freight trade brought by Chinas border restrictions have become a political issue in some countries. The Kyrgyz government has said that restarting some version of pre-pandemic trade is a priority, and officials from Bishkek have held talks with their Chinese counterparts and even proposed a new system for cargo trucks to better comply with Chinese COVID-19 regulations. With new variants of the virus continuing to emerge, Umarov says, this remains the only option on the table for local governments. Of course, this will frustrate Central Asia, he said. But at the same time, they need China economically, and that is why they will have to go and take these additional steps and negotiate what they can for cross-border traffic. New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday attended the commissioning ceremony of Indian Coast Guard's offshore patrol vessel Varaha in Chennai. Varaha is an offshore patrol vehicle developed by a private agency in accordance with a contract signed with the Defence Ministry. The Union Defence Ministry had awarded the contract to Larsen and Turbo in March 2015 for construction of seven Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs). The firm is to build seven offshore patrol vehicles as part of this contract out of which the first two have already been delivered and commissioned in the Indian navy. In a tweet from its official Twitter handle, Ministry of Defence announced- Today, as Varaha joins the Indian Coast Guard fleet, I wish the Commanding Officer and the crew all the very best and may "Lord Varuna" always bestow his blessings on them for contributing effectively towards the Nation's Maritime Interest, keeping our flag flying high: RM aaaAAAaa aaaaAAAaa aaaaAAAaaaa/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) September 25, 2019 Varaha has state of the art technology, navigation and communication equipment, designed to carry one twin engine light helicopter and also has capabilities of flying in night. ICGS Varaha has been planned to be based at New Mangalore. This ship carries limited oil spill equipment to contain oil spills. Howver, Rajnath Singh recently became the first defence minister to fly in the indigenously-built light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas. The Defence Minister took off in the Tejas fighter aircraft from the HAL airport in Bengaluru for a sortie which lasted for around 30 minutes. Wearing a G suit, holding his helmet under his arms and sporting aviator glasses, Singh looked every inch a fighter pilot. He was accompanied by Air Vice Marshal N Tiwari, who is also the Project Director, National Flight Test Centre, ADA (Aeronautical Development Agency) in Bengaluru. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Perhaps you have felt it yourself, your emotions at war with your better nature. A surge of anger when you enter your local pharmacy, suffering from Covid-y symptoms, only to find that it is out of thermometers, never mind antigen tests. A burst of annoyance at the elaborate rules around vaccine cards and IDs at restaurants rules you yourself agree with! because you have to wait outside, and it is cold, and you left your wallet in the car. A feeling of nearly homicidal rage at the credit card company representative who has just informed you that, having failed to correctly answer the security questions, you have been locked out of your own account. (Note to self: Adopting a tone of haughty sarcasm is not a good way to solve this problem.) People are just I hate to say it because there are a lot of really nice people but when theyre mean, theyre a heck of a lot meaner, said Sue Miller, who works in a nonprofit trade association in Madison, Wis. Its like, instead of saying, This really inconvenienced me, they say, What the hell is wrong with you? Its a different scale of mean. The meanness of the public has forced many public-facing industries to rethink what used to be an article of faith: that the customer is always right. If employees are now having to take on many unexpected roles therapist, cop, conflict-resolution negotiator then workplace managers are acting as security guards and bouncers to protect their employees. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. Perhaps you have felt it yourself, your emotions at war with your better nature. A surge of anger when you enter your local pharmacy, suffering from Covid-y symptoms, only to find that it is out of thermometers, never mind antigen tests. A burst of annoyance at the elaborate rules around vaccine cards and IDs at restaurants rules you yourself agree with! because you have to wait outside, and it is cold, and you left your wallet in the car. A feeling of nearly homicidal rage at the credit card company representative who has just informed you that, having failed to correctly answer the security questions, you have been locked out of your own account. (Note to self: Adopting a tone of haughty sarcasm is not a good way to solve this problem.) People are just I hate to say it because there are a lot of really nice people but when theyre mean, theyre a heck of a lot meaner, said Sue Miller, who works in a nonprofit trade association in Madison, Wis. Its like, instead of saying, This really inconvenienced me, they say, What the hell is wrong with you? Its a different scale of mean. The meanness of the public has forced many public-facing industries to rethink what used to be an article of faith: that the customer is always right. If employees are now having to take on many unexpected roles therapist, cop, conflict-resolution negotiator then workplace managers are acting as security guards and bouncers to protect their employees. 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. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Perhaps you have felt it yourself, your emotions at war with your better nature. A surge of anger when you enter your local pharmacy, suffering from Covid-y symptoms, only to find that it is out of thermometers, never mind antigen tests. A burst of annoyance at the elaborate rules around vaccine cards and IDs at restaurants rules you yourself agree with! because you have to wait outside, and it is cold, and you left your wallet in the car. A feeling of nearly homicidal rage at the credit card company representative who has just informed you that, having failed to correctly answer the security questions, you have been locked out of your own account. (Note to self: Adopting a tone of haughty sarcasm is not a good way to solve this problem.) People are just I hate to say it because there are a lot of really nice people but when theyre mean, theyre a heck of a lot meaner, said Sue Miller, who works in a nonprofit trade association in Madison, Wis. Its like, instead of saying, This really inconvenienced me, they say, What the hell is wrong with you? Its a different scale of mean. The meanness of the public has forced many public-facing industries to rethink what used to be an article of faith: that the customer is always right. If employees are now having to take on many unexpected roles therapist, cop, conflict-resolution negotiator then workplace managers are acting as security guards and bouncers to protect their employees. Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. Perhaps you have felt it yourself, your emotions at war with your better nature. A surge of anger when you enter your local pharmacy, suffering from Covid-y symptoms, only to find that it is out of thermometers, never mind antigen tests. A burst of annoyance at the elaborate rules around vaccine cards and IDs at restaurants rules you yourself agree with! because you have to wait outside, and it is cold, and you left your wallet in the car. A feeling of nearly homicidal rage at the credit card company representative who has just informed you that, having failed to correctly answer the security questions, you have been locked out of your own account. (Note to self: Adopting a tone of haughty sarcasm is not a good way to solve this problem.) People are just I hate to say it because there are a lot of really nice people but when theyre mean, theyre a heck of a lot meaner, said Sue Miller, who works in a nonprofit trade association in Madison, Wis. Its like, instead of saying, This really inconvenienced me, they say, What the hell is wrong with you? Its a different scale of mean. The meanness of the public has forced many public-facing industries to rethink what used to be an article of faith: that the customer is always right. If employees are now having to take on many unexpected roles therapist, cop, conflict-resolution negotiator then workplace managers are acting as security guards and bouncers to protect their employees. Perhaps you have felt it yourself, your emotions at war with your better nature. A surge of anger when you enter your local pharmacy, suffering from Covid-y symptoms, only to find that it is out of thermometers, never mind antigen tests. A burst of annoyance at the elaborate rules around vaccine cards and IDs at restaurants rules you yourself agree with! because you have to wait outside, and it is cold, and you left your wallet in the car. A feeling of nearly homicidal rage at the credit card company representative who has just informed you that, having failed to correctly answer the security questions, you have been locked out of your own account. (Note to self: Adopting a tone of haughty sarcasm is not a good way to solve this problem.) People are just I hate to say it because there are a lot of really nice people but when theyre mean, theyre a heck of a lot meaner, said Sue Miller, who works in a nonprofit trade association in Madison, Wis. Its like, instead of saying, This really inconvenienced me, they say, What the hell is wrong with you? Its a different scale of mean. The meanness of the public has forced many public-facing industries to rethink what used to be an article of faith: that the customer is always right. If employees are now having to take on many unexpected roles therapist, cop, conflict-resolution negotiator then workplace managers are acting as security guards and bouncers to protect their employees. What a difference a year can make. Already feeling triumphant from its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic at home, China marked a geopolitical win by signing a massive trade deal with the European Union in late December 2020 that sent a powerful message to U.S. President Joe Bidens incoming administration. But 2021 had other plans for Beijing. The investment deal was sidelined indefinitely in May following tit-for-tat sanctions between China and the EU over Beijing's abuses of Uyghurs and other minority Muslims in its western Xinjiang Province. Since then, Taiwan has improved its ties across Europe, with Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu launching a landmark tour of several Central European countries in October. Lithuania, a small Baltic country of 2.7 million people, has also been at the center of Chinese-European ties, withdrawing from a Beijing-led diplomatic format in February and then navigating a prolonged spat over its ties to Taipei that has seen China launch a fierce propaganda campaign, economic sanctions, and a diplomatic dispute that led to Vilnius leaving its embassy in Beijing on December 15. While Europe still lacks a cohesive plan for dealing with China, the events of 2021 have emboldened officials and governments from the bloc to call for a harder line toward Beijing. The entire episode represents the wider mix of diplomatic opportunities and strategic missteps that defined Chinese policy from Central Europe to South Asia this past year. Looking ahead to 2022, China is poised to continue its uneven rise across Eurasia. Tensions between Russia and the West have helped fuel even warmer ties between the Kremlin and Beijing, and the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Talibans return to power has opened the door for opportunities, while also bringing new risks. Meanwhile, the coming year will see a key moment in modern Chinese history as President Xi Jinping is predicted by many to abandon term limits and seek one-man rule. With a new year of globe-spanning developments on the horizon, here are five big trends to watch as China deepens its influence throughout Eurasia. 1. China's Security Footprint Cautiously Expands Concerns over border security, extremist groups, and the security of Chinese personnel across Central and South Asia grew this year following the Talibans August takeover and a spate of attacks on Chinese nationals working in Pakistan. Beijing has long worried about terrorism in the region, particularly from Uyghur extremist groups, and it has moved to build up security relationships with all its neighbors -- from Central Asian governments to the Taliban -- that link Chinas internal security apparatus to foreign counterparts. So far, [Beijing] has demonstrated that it views its security interests narrowly to things that it fears can impact China directly [at home], Raffaello Pantucci, a senior associate fellow at London's Royal United Services Institute, told RFE/RL. Many of these partnerships continued to grow in 2021. In October, it was announced that China would fund and build a police base in Tajikistan for Tajik personnel, while an RFE/RL investigation showed that Chinas presence at a base along the Afghan-Tajik border continues to grow, with Chinese personnel even patrolling stretches of the border. China has shown that it prefers a light touch and would like to focus on building relationships [with local governments] to address security concerns, said Pantucci. The big question is whether Chinese interests being targeted more and more leads to Beijing thinking it needs to have a different kind of presence on the ground. In the meantime, those links look set to grow with law enforcement and security agencies across the region for the year ahead. Beijing continues to invest in training for many of its neighbors, and China has reportedly signed 59 extradition treaties with foreign countries in recent years. 2. A New Era For Beijing And Moscow? Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed their increasingly close ties on December 15 during a 90-minute video call in which they sought to display a unified front amid Western pressure on both China and Russia. Moscow and Beijing are not formally allied, but during the call, Putin said that a new model of cooperation between our countries has formed on principles such as noninterference in internal affairs and respecting each others interests, while Xi thanked his counterpart for his strong support of Chinas efforts to protect its key international interests. Their ties are getting closer as their rivalries with the United States intensify, conducting joint military exercises and even offering political support for each other on a range of issues, from Putin criticizing the AUKUS military alliance (composed of Australia, the United States, and Britain) to Xi supporting Moscows demand for security guarantees to limit the Wests influence across the former Soviet Union. They are getting closer, and while they dont want to formalize an alliance, [theyre] increasingly willing to support each other on issues that don't affect the other, said Pantucci. How close this relationship will progress remains to be seen, especially as Russia anxiously watches Chinas security and political influence grow across Central Asia and each countrys regional economic model -- the Moscow-led Eurasian Union and Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) -- faces high tariffs and coordination problems, despite the rosy rhetoric. But with tensions only set to grow with the West in 2022, expect Putin and Xi to lean on each other even more in the future. We are seeing this relationship transform in real time, said Pantucci. We need to update our thinking, as this dynamic continues to change and potentially becomes something more durable. 3. Polishing The Belt And Road In less than 10 years, the BRI has positioned China at the center of the international system, with new railroads and bridges, fiber-optic cables and 5G networks, pipelines and ports that have helped expand Beijings financial, technological, and political influence through hundreds of billions of dollars in investment and projects from Latin America to Southeast Asia. But the foreign policy project has hit plenty of speed bumps lately, including debt concerns linked to Chinese projects and allegations of corruption, shoddy construction, poor labor practices, and disregard for the environment. Investment levels have also declined steadily since 2016, and the BRI has begun to shift focus to new areas, such as arts and culture, e-payment systems, and satellites. This backlash has also opened the door for new competing initiatives from Japan, the United States, and the European Union. By design, its meant to be abstract and vague. The point was that any Chinese stakeholder could come in and do any project and that could be called part of BRI, Niva Yau, a senior researcher at the OSCE academy in Bishkek, told RFE/RL. We need to stop thinking of it as one thing. Its always changing and is ultimately about China increasing its influence in all aspects globally. Looking to 2022, Xis signature project will continue to evolve, and Yau says China is already putting a greater emphasis on soft power and courting public opinion through aid, medical assistance, exporting Chinese culture, and creating local jobs rather than only winning over political elites. [BRI] is targeting the public more and more. Of course, this isn't always effective, but that isnt really what matters right now, she said. If they continue to invest in soft power and devote resources towards it, that will eventually see some results. 4. 'Wolf Warriors' Are Here To Stay But while the BRI continues to search for new ways to boost Chinas global influence, Beijing will have to deal with an increasingly negative global view of the country that has hurt both Chinese soft power and diplomacy over the past year. A Pew survey in June of mostly Western, developed countries found that unfavorable views of China have reached new heights, with only a majority of respondents from Greece and Singapore showing a favorable view of Chinese policies. It's undeniable that China's image is in a poor state and looks unlikely to improve substantially any time soon, Charles Dunst, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told RFE/RL. Beijings COVID-19 diplomacy, which had some small victories early in the pandemic in countries like Serbia and Italy, has since faded. The countrys so-called wolf warrior diplomats, who have adopted an aggressive style of targeting and coercing governments, companies, and individuals that criticized China, are here to stay and even threatened to cut off aid or access to vaccines and personal protective equipment (PPE) in some cases. Many also spread disinformation about the origins of the coronavirus, and Beijing went on to place restrictions and tariffs on some of Australias most popular exports after Canberra called for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19. Countries around the world are worried most about Beijing's willingness to wield economic ties for political purposes, he said. It's hard to see China reversing this trend in 2022, given both [Xis] clear preference for foreign policy aggressiveness and popular Chinese nationalism. 5. The Limits Of Trading With COVID-Zero China China is one of the last countries in the world to continue with a strict "zero-COVID-19" strategy, which sometimes entails locking down entire cities if a single case is detected. Now, with the spread of the omicron variant, it looks like that policy is here to stay. Thats bad news for many across Central Asia who rely on cross-border trade, which has seen a precipitous drop over the course of the pandemic due to rigid border controls and restrictions on the types of people and goods that have been allowed to come into China. China and Central Asia will have many difficulties in their trade relations not only in the upcoming year but well into the future, depending on how the pandemic develops, Temur Umarov, an expert on China in Central Asia at the Carnegie Moscow Center, told RFE/RL. The vast majority of Chinese trade with the region is focused on natural resources, especially oil and gas, but the pressures on freight trade brought by Chinas border restrictions have become a political issue in some countries. The Kyrgyz government has said that restarting some version of pre-pandemic trade is a priority, and officials from Bishkek have held talks with their Chinese counterparts and even proposed a new system for cargo trucks to better comply with Chinese COVID-19 regulations. With new variants of the virus continuing to emerge, Umarov says, this remains the only option on the table for local governments. Of course, this will frustrate Central Asia, he said. But at the same time, they need China economically, and that is why they will have to go and take these additional steps and negotiate what they can for cross-border traffic. New Delhi: A pair of deadly asteroids (space rocks) dubbed as 1998 FF14 and 2019 SW1 zip past the Earth on Tuesday. Yes, you read it right. Earth had a very close encounter with two massive asteroids and our planet narrowly escaped the collision. If these two asteroids would have hit the Earth, massive casualties would have occurred. Luckily, they failed. It is to be noted that asteroids are small, rocky objects that orbit the Sun. Although asteroids orbit the Sun like planets, they are much smaller than planets. The celestial bodies can bring tsunamis, shock waves and flattening winds that could be catastrophic. The space rocks approach towards the Earth due to the gravitational forces that affect them. It is said that one day, all life on Earth will extinct and an asteroid could be the possible reason. Shocked to hear that? However, a car-sized asteroid slams into the Earth's atmosphere about once in a year. On the other hand, an asteroid large enough to threaten the existence of life on Earth arrives once in every few million years. Coming back to asteroid 1998 FF14, is classified as potentially hazardous by NASA and it was taller than the Empire State Building. The 1,410ft (430m) space rock had zip past the Earth on Tuesday at around 1 pm (IST) at the breakneck speed of 49,794mph (80,136kph). Also Read: Asteroid Bennu 101955 To Zoom Past Earth Today, Warns NASA, INEVITABLE Hit Likely In 2135 Also READ: Warning! Asteroid 1998 FF14 Moving Towards Earth At Speed Of 80,136 KPH During its closest approach, asteroid 1998 FF14 was 0.02780 astronomical units (au) away from Earth. Importantly, space materials are considered as near-Earth objects if they pass within 1.3 astronomical units of Earth. An astronomical unit is the distance from Earth to the sun, or 149.6 million km. Asteroid 1998 FF14 will visit Earths vicinity on September 28, 2026. Then, the space rock will visit again in 2033, 2040, 2043 and will continue to fly by at least until 2196. Importantly, NASA does not expect the asteroid to hit Earth on any of those occasions. Also Read: Asteroid Terror: A 3,248-Feet Space Rock Dangerously Approaching Earth, Will It Collide With Earth? Also Read: Asteroid Alert: These 4 Deadly Space Rocks Pose Serious Threat To Earth, Details Inside Also Read: In Pics: 4 Supergiant Asteroids That May Hit Earth In Near Future On the other hand, the second asteroid that had zoom past the Earth on Tuesday was identified as 2019 SW1. The asteroid had approached Earth at a speed of 28,300 miles per hour. It had an estimated diameter of 69 feet. Fortunately, the space rock failed to collide with our planet. For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Its hard to explain what the thinking was in letting out people who were a threat to the Taliban, Edmund Fitton-Brown, a senior U.N. counterterrorism official, said at a recent security conference in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Logari was not unknown to the Americans. In 2017, the C.I.A. tipped off Indian intelligence agents that he was plotting a suicide bombing in New Delhi, U.S. officials said. Indian authorities foiled the attack and turned Mr. Logari over to the C.I.A., which sent him to Afghanistan to serve time at the Parwan prison at Bagram Air Base. He remained there until he was freed amid the chaos after Kabul fell. Eleven days later, on Aug. 26 at 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under his clothing, walked up to a group of American troops who were frisking those hoping to enter Hamid Karzai International Airport. He waited, military officials said, until he was about to be searched before detonating the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and nearly 200 others. The attack raised ISIS-Ks international profile, and positioned it both as a major threat to the Talibans ability to govern the country and, according to American officials, as the most imminent terrorist risk to the United States coming out of Afghanistan. Drivers check fruits quality near the border gate with China in Vietnam's Lang Son Province on December 16, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade has requested China's Guangxi region to reopen its border gates with Vietnam and extend customs clearance hours to resolve the container congestion. Guangxi's "zero Covid" measures, including shutting the border and suspending the imports of certain fruits, were unnecessary, senior trade ministry officials told Guangxi trade officials Friday. The policy has disrupted the supply chain and caused negative impacts on bilateral trade development, resulting in big losses for businesses and people of both countries, the Vietnamese officials said. The ministry proposed that Guangxi recruits more drivers and workers on its side to deal with the staff shortage. It also suggested that fully vaccinated Vietnamese be sent across the border to work. It wants Guangxi to facilitate shipment via trains and ships; as also resume importing Vietnamese dragon fruits. Guangxi trade officials said that they would increase the duration of customs clearance based on the agreement between the local authorities of the border gates. They will forward other proposals to higher authorities, Guangxi officials said. Thousands of container trucks have been stuck at the border for over a month after China tightened its Covid-19 preventive measures. On Friday 2,945 container trucks were stuck at the border in Vietnams Lang Son Province, down 191 from a day earlier. Many trucks have had to turn around and distribute their produce locally for a loss as the fruits were beginning to rot. Of the three major borders gates in Lang Son, two are operating with limited capacity while one is still shut. Lang Son authorities estimate that it would take more than a month to resolve the container jam at current speed. Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has sent four letters to the Chinas Ministry of Commerce, China Customs and secretaries of the two localities - GuangXi and Yunnan - requesting the agencies intervention in resolving the issues. Drivers check fruits quality near the border gate with China in Vietnam's Lang Son Province on December 16, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade has requested China's Guangxi region to reopen its border gates with Vietnam and extend customs clearance hours to resolve the container congestion. Guangxi's "zero Covid" measures, including shutting the border and suspending the imports of certain fruits, were unnecessary, senior trade ministry officials told Guangxi trade officials Friday. The policy has disrupted the supply chain and caused negative impacts on bilateral trade development, resulting in big losses for businesses and people of both countries, the Vietnamese officials said. The ministry proposed that Guangxi recruits more drivers and workers on its side to deal with the staff shortage. It also suggested that fully vaccinated Vietnamese be sent across the border to work. It wants Guangxi to facilitate shipment via trains and ships; as also resume importing Vietnamese dragon fruits. Guangxi trade officials said that they would increase the duration of customs clearance based on the agreement between the local authorities of the border gates. They will forward other proposals to higher authorities, Guangxi officials said. Thousands of container trucks have been stuck at the border for over a month after China tightened its Covid-19 preventive measures. On Friday 2,945 container trucks were stuck at the border in Vietnams Lang Son Province, down 191 from a day earlier. Many trucks have had to turn around and distribute their produce locally for a loss as the fruits were beginning to rot. Of the three major borders gates in Lang Son, two are operating with limited capacity while one is still shut. Lang Son authorities estimate that it would take more than a month to resolve the container jam at current speed. Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has sent four letters to the Chinas Ministry of Commerce, China Customs and secretaries of the two localities - GuangXi and Yunnan - requesting the agencies intervention in resolving the issues. Drivers check fruits quality near the border gate with China in Vietnam's Lang Son Province on December 16, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade has requested China's Guangxi region to reopen its border gates with Vietnam and extend customs clearance hours to resolve the container congestion. Guangxi's "zero Covid" measures, including shutting the border and suspending the imports of certain fruits, were unnecessary, senior trade ministry officials told Guangxi trade officials Friday. The policy has disrupted the supply chain and caused negative impacts on bilateral trade development, resulting in big losses for businesses and people of both countries, the Vietnamese officials said. The ministry proposed that Guangxi recruits more drivers and workers on its side to deal with the staff shortage. It also suggested that fully vaccinated Vietnamese be sent across the border to work. It wants Guangxi to facilitate shipment via trains and ships; as also resume importing Vietnamese dragon fruits. Guangxi trade officials said that they would increase the duration of customs clearance based on the agreement between the local authorities of the border gates. They will forward other proposals to higher authorities, Guangxi officials said. Thousands of container trucks have been stuck at the border for over a month after China tightened its Covid-19 preventive measures. On Friday 2,945 container trucks were stuck at the border in Vietnams Lang Son Province, down 191 from a day earlier. Many trucks have had to turn around and distribute their produce locally for a loss as the fruits were beginning to rot. Of the three major borders gates in Lang Son, two are operating with limited capacity while one is still shut. Lang Son authorities estimate that it would take more than a month to resolve the container jam at current speed. Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has sent four letters to the Chinas Ministry of Commerce, China Customs and secretaries of the two localities - GuangXi and Yunnan - requesting the agencies intervention in resolving the issues. Drivers check fruits quality near the border gate with China in Vietnam's Lang Son Province on December 16, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade has requested China's Guangxi region to reopen its border gates with Vietnam and extend customs clearance hours to resolve the container congestion. Guangxi's "zero Covid" measures, including shutting the border and suspending the imports of certain fruits, were unnecessary, senior trade ministry officials told Guangxi trade officials Friday. The policy has disrupted the supply chain and caused negative impacts on bilateral trade development, resulting in big losses for businesses and people of both countries, the Vietnamese officials said. The ministry proposed that Guangxi recruits more drivers and workers on its side to deal with the staff shortage. It also suggested that fully vaccinated Vietnamese be sent across the border to work. It wants Guangxi to facilitate shipment via trains and ships; as also resume importing Vietnamese dragon fruits. Guangxi trade officials said that they would increase the duration of customs clearance based on the agreement between the local authorities of the border gates. They will forward other proposals to higher authorities, Guangxi officials said. Thousands of container trucks have been stuck at the border for over a month after China tightened its Covid-19 preventive measures. On Friday 2,945 container trucks were stuck at the border in Vietnams Lang Son Province, down 191 from a day earlier. Many trucks have had to turn around and distribute their produce locally for a loss as the fruits were beginning to rot. Of the three major borders gates in Lang Son, two are operating with limited capacity while one is still shut. Lang Son authorities estimate that it would take more than a month to resolve the container jam at current speed. Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has sent four letters to the Chinas Ministry of Commerce, China Customs and secretaries of the two localities - GuangXi and Yunnan - requesting the agencies intervention in resolving the issues. Aizawl, Jan 1 : The security forces have recovered a large cache of explosives and war-like stores in Saiha district bordering Myanmar in southern Mizoram, officials said on Saturday. Defence and police sources said that acting on secret information, the Assam Rifles troopers and the police in a joint operation made the recovery from an abandoned location near the Mawhre village in Saiha district late on Friday evening. The recovered explosives include 81 kgs of liquid explosives, 94 kgs of Belox granular explosives, 395 kgs of Gelatin sticks, 356 rounds of 12-gauge, large cache of 70 mm cartridges, one Improvised Explosive Device, Lead acid batteries, two detonators and other stores, including foreign origin communication equipment. The recovered explosives and other stores have been handed over to the police for further legal proceedings. No one has yet been arrested in connection with the recovery. A defence statement said that the ongoing smuggling of explosives, weapons and war-like stores is a major cause of concern for the state of Mizoram, especially along the India-Myanmar Border. The security forces are in relentless pursuit to ensure peace and harmony in the region by negating any nefarious design of the insurgents, the statement said. Police officials suspect that the explosives were smuggled from Myanmar, which shares 510 km unfenced and mountainous border with Mizoram, which also shares 318 km unfenced border with Bangladesh. London, Jan 1 : Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has confirmed three new positive COVID-19 cases in his squad but the number is not big enough to impact their visit to Chelsea on Sunday night. "We have three new COVID cases in the team and a few more in the staff, so 't's not so cool at the moment," Klopp said, confirming the new cases during his pre-match press conference on Friday. "I'm not [able to reveal the names] because we still have to make the whole processes, getting a proper PCR and all these kind of things, but you will see the day after tomorrow on the teamsheet. It will be pretty clear then who is affected or infec"ed," Klopp was quoted as saying by Liverpool's official website. Asked whether the situation could force Liverpool to seek a postponement of the fixture at Chelsea, Klopp replied: "Not yet, but we don't know. "We never had this kind of proper outbreak where 10, 15, 20 players had it, for us, it's more every day another one. Staff happens now more and more often, so as I said before it feels like a lottery in the morning when you stand there and you wait for the result. It was now pretty much day by day always one case - today another one. "We have to wait, the boys are not even in yet, so we have to wait. At this moment, probably not but we don't know how it will look in a few hours." Klopp declined to name the trio as they were still awaiting PCR test confirmations but those affected, plus Thiago Alcantara and Takumi Minamino, will be missing at Stamford Bridge. Thiago and Takumi were absent from the midweek clash with Leicester City due to muscle soreness. "I would say Taki is probably closer, he is running outside," said Klopp. "Thiago, not yet. It means for him, it might take a little bit longer. It's a hip issue which we don't have an idea where it's coming from, so we have to be a little bit patient with that." The match against title rivals Chelsea is a crucial one for Liverpool with leaders Manchester City threatening to pull away at the top of the table. IANS bsk Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Maqbool Bhat has been given the title of 'shaheed' or 'martyr' in Pakistan. Maqbool Bhat was hanged in Tihar Jail in Delhi on February 11, 1984. He was the founder of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), which was instrumental in facilitating the early influx of jihadi terrorists in Kashmir. Maqbool Bhat was born into a peasant household on February 18, 1938 in Trehgam, a village, in Kupwara district. At a young age he was influenced by the Jamaat-e-Islami, which was active in South Kashmir. Later he crossed the border with his uncle Aziz Bhat and entered Pakistan. He was admitted to the Peshawar University where he completed his Masters in Urdu literature. During a meeting held by 'Mahaz Rai Shumari' or the Plebiscite Front on July 12, 1965 in Mirpur in Pakistan occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK), Maqbool Bhat proposed to raise arms against India. It was unanimously rejected. Later, on August 13, 1965, Maqbool Bhat formed a secret militant organisation and named it the 'National Liberation Movement'. It's initial meeting was held at the residence of Pakistani army officer Major Amar Ulla in Peshawar. This is the first link that establishes Bhat's links with the Pakistan Army. On June 10, 1965 Bhat along with his three companions -- Tahir Aurangzeb, Mir Ahmed and Kala Khan -- crossed over into the Indian territory of Jammu & Kashmir. Their aim was to recruit young men for terrorist operations in the Valley. My question is whether it was his individual will or a task handed over to him by the Pakistan Army. Later events that led to the infiltration of Jihadists whom the JKLF smuggled over from Pakistan and the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits that was conducted in January 1990 and still goes on, in which JKLF played a major part, tend to confirm my suspicion that Bhat was not acting alone during the 1960s, 70s and early part of the 80s. Thanks to a Kashmiri who had managed to infiltrate Bhat's inner circle, Bhat's hideout was busted and an encounter took place in which Tahir Aurangzeb and an Indian CID officer Amar Chand were killed. Bhat was arrested, tried for the murder of an Indian officer and on August 6, 1968 Bhat was sentenced to death by hanging. However, on December 2, 1968 Bhat along with his two accomplices managed to escape through a 38-foot long tunnel that they had dug out. Once out of prison Bhat reappears in Muzaffarabad in PoJK. The question is why did he head for Muzaffarabad if he was fighting for the 'liberation' of the whole state of Jammu and Kashmir? Obviously, he ignored the fact that it was Pakistan and not India who had caused the breakup of the state of J&K by conducting an attack on October 22, 1947. How could he not know this fact? This fundamental omission from his political road map creates suspicion about the whole affair of 'Azadi' and further confirms my doubt that he was acting on instructions of the Pakistan military. On January 30, 1971 an Indian airliner flying from Srinagar to Jammu was hijacked and forced to fly to Lahore airport. The hijackers are Hashim Qureshi, who now lives in Srinagar, and another person. They both claim Bhat to be their leader and say that they belong to the JKLF of which Bhat was now the supreme leader. Why did Pakistan not deliver them to India when the hijacking was over and Maqbool Bhat along with both hijackers were already in Pakistan's custody? And how, then, did Maqbool Bhat manage to cross the border and enter India for a second time? In 1976, Bhat was arrested in Srinagar while attempting to rob a bank. His previous death sentence was still valid and he made a clemency appeal to the then President of India Shri Giani Zail Singh. For 9 years no decision was taken regarding Bhat's clemency appeal. Then, on February 3, 1984 Indian diplomat Shri Ravindra Mhatre was kidnapped in Birmingham in England and a demand by an unknown organisation that called itself 'Kashmir Liberation Army' made demands to the Indian government for the release of Maqbool Bhat. However, on February 6 they executed Mhatre. Bhat was hanged five days later in the Tihar Jail in Delhi. Ever Since Maqbool Bhat has been hailed as a 'hero' by the stooges of the Pakistan military establishment and presented as the Che Guevara of Kashmir, which cements my doubts about him being a tiny, yet poisonous, proponent of the British sponsored Pakistani occupation of Jammu & Kashmir since October 22, 1947. (Dr Amjad Ayub Mirza is an author and a human rights activist from Mirpur in PoJK. He currently lives in exile in the UK.) Immigrant detainees will continue to be held at McHenry and Kankakee county jails temporarily, while a federal court considers the counties appeal to keep imprisoning detainees into the future. The immigrants, charged with violating civil immigration laws, were due to be released by New Years Day, under the Illinois Way Forward Act, which prohibits counties from entering federal contracts to jail them. Advertisement But the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals issued a stay Thursday delaying the law from taking effect until Jan. 13, while it considers the case. McHenry and Kankakee county officials had filed suit, alleging that the law exceeds the states authority by superseding federal law. Both counties have contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, to keep detainees behind bars until their court hearings. In December, U.S. District Judge Philip Reinhard dismissed the suit, ruling in effect that it limited local officials, not the federal government. Advertisement In 2021, McHenry held about 180 detainees a day, and Kankakee about 120, numbers that had been reduced while fewer detainees are being held during the COVID pandemic. Historically, the contracts had brought about $8 million a year to McHenry and $4 million annually to Kankakee. A low security unit housing ICE detainees at the Kankakee County Jail in Kankakee on Oct. 8, 2019. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) ICE Out of McHenry County, a coalition of groups opposing immigrant detention, held a candlelight vigil this week for the detainees, singing, Silent Night/Noche de Paz. The coalition had pushed for McHenry County to end the practice, calling it cruel and unnecessary. But after a heated debate in May, the county board voted to continue the practice. Were very glad to get this stay to preserve our longtime contract with ICE as we argue our case, County Board Chairman Mike Buehler, a Republican from Crystal Lake, said. The Illinois Way Forward Act is an unconstitutional and poorly thought out law that was hastily thrown together by the General Assembly to make a political statement regarding current federal immigration enforcement. We thank the 7th Circuit for their understanding, and we look forward to making our case. Fred Tsao, senior policy counsel for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, emphasized that the court order is a temporary measure. We agree with the district court judge that the law is very clear: The state was fully within its authority to pass the Illinois Way Forward Act and to require the counties to end their contracts with ICE, Tsao wrote in an email. We look forward to the full implementation of Illinois Way Forward and the end of immigration detention in Illinois and throughout this country. The detentions are meant to ensure that detainees show up for court, with federal statistics showing about one-third of immigrants didnt make it to completed cases. But a UCLA analysis that included ongoing cases found that 83% showed up for court. More than 80% had no criminal record, while those that do were handled in separate proceedings in criminal court. rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com New Delhi, Jan 1 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday released the 10th instalment of over Rs 20,900 crore of financial benefit to over 10 crore farmers under the 'PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana'. Under the scheme, Rs 6,000 per annum is provided to each eligible farmer family in three instalments. In a virtual programme wherein tens of hundreds of farmers joined in from across India, the Prime Minister also released over Rs 14 crore equity grants to 351 Farmers' Producer Companies (FPOs). The formation and promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) Scheme in February 2020 is aimed at empowering farmers and provided for a budget of Rs 6,866 crore for the same till 2027-28. The Prime Minister said the FPOs help the small farmers in five ways: Better bargaining power, increase to large scale trade, innovation, better risk management and making changes and bringing around changes according to the market demand. "Our farmers are benefiting from the FPOs in organic, bamboo, honey etc production. But we still import a lot of things that are in demand in the country. For example edible oil which needs a lot of foreign exchange. With an aim to help the local farmers, we have embarked on the National Palm Oil Mission, which will not just make us 'atmanirbhar' but also help our farmers earn more," he said. Modi also listed the achievements of his government in the year 2021 and said, the world saw how major achievements are possible when all Indians come together. Among the achievements listed were 1.45 crore vaccination doses, Olympic performances by Indian sportspersons, formation of startups and India's role as a global leader when it comes to climate change. Modi urged all the farmers to turn to natural farming. He also reiterated the 'vocal for local' slogan that will benefit Indians and give a global identity to Indian products and services. "In this new year, and in the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, it is the innovation that will help us tide over the difficult times," the Prime Minister said and appealed to people to keep their surroundings clean. Modi also used Sanskrit slokas and mantras in his speech and also explained their meaning in Hindi. Before his speech, the Prime Minister interacted with representatives of FPOs from Punjab, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. The highlight of this was the interaction with Veer Pandi Kalanjiyam Jeevit FPO from Tamil Nadu which is run entirely by women. Two short films - one on FPOs and another on Natural Farming - were also shown during the programme. Earlier, Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar termed Modi as modern day Bhagirath, who brought water to parched Gujarat. Tomar also mentioned how being a chief minister for 13 years helped Modi appreciate the difficulties that state has while dealing with the Centre and how that helped him plan schemes better when he became the Prime Minister. New Delhi, Jan 1 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday released the 10th instalment of over Rs 20,900 crore of financial benefit to over 10 crore farmers under the 'PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana'. Under the scheme, Rs 6,000 per annum is provided to each eligible farmer family in three instalments. In a virtual programme wherein tens of hundreds of farmers joined in from across India, the Prime Minister also released over Rs 14 crore equity grants to 351 Farmers' Producer Companies (FPOs). The formation and promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) Scheme in February 2020 is aimed at empowering farmers and provided for a budget of Rs 6,866 crore for the same till 2027-28. The Prime Minister said the FPOs help the small farmers in five ways: Better bargaining power, increase to large scale trade, innovation, better risk management and making changes and bringing around changes according to the market demand. "Our farmers are benefiting from the FPOs in organic, bamboo, honey etc production. But we still import a lot of things that are in demand in the country. For example edible oil which needs a lot of foreign exchange. With an aim to help the local farmers, we have embarked on the National Palm Oil Mission, which will not just make us 'atmanirbhar' but also help our farmers earn more," he said. Modi also listed the achievements of his government in the year 2021 and said, the world saw how major achievements are possible when all Indians come together. Among the achievements listed were 1.45 crore vaccination doses, Olympic performances by Indian sportspersons, formation of startups and India's role as a global leader when it comes to climate change. Modi urged all the farmers to turn to natural farming. He also reiterated the 'vocal for local' slogan that will benefit Indians and give a global identity to Indian products and services. "In this new year, and in the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, it is the innovation that will help us tide over the difficult times," the Prime Minister said and appealed to people to keep their surroundings clean. Modi also used Sanskrit slokas and mantras in his speech and also explained their meaning in Hindi. Before his speech, the Prime Minister interacted with representatives of FPOs from Punjab, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. The highlight of this was the interaction with Veer Pandi Kalanjiyam Jeevit FPO from Tamil Nadu which is run entirely by women. Two short films - one on FPOs and another on Natural Farming - were also shown during the programme. Earlier, Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar termed Modi as modern day Bhagirath, who brought water to parched Gujarat. Tomar also mentioned how being a chief minister for 13 years helped Modi appreciate the difficulties that state has while dealing with the Centre and how that helped him plan schemes better when he became the Prime Minister. Erdogan will hold meeting on Russian 'Mir' cards and possible sanctions Iran demonstrates new long-range ballistic missiles for first time Two servicemen of Armenian Armed Forces are out of encirclement after 9 days Karekin II to meet today with Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan Trump: Conflict in Ukraine can lead to World War III Russia's budget deficit in 2022 will amount to 1.3 trillion rubles One of Armenia civilians wounded in recent Azerbaijan military aggression dies France says it will continue helping Ukraine with arms UN Armenia office team visits Gegharkunik Province communities affected by Azerbaijan shootings (PHOTOS) Dollar increases slightly, euro drops considerably in Armenia Armenia ombudswoman briefs EU envoy on closed part of her ad hoc report on recent Azerbaijan attack State assistance being provided to Armenia brandy businesses to be extended by one year Bloomberg: UK intends to sign agreement on LNG supplies from U.S. for up to 20 years China's former justice minister sentenced to death Jermuk: Changes in Jermuk resort town after Azerbaijani attack (photo report) Jermuk-Yerevan-Jermuk shuttle service already operating Armenian Genocide Memorials Memory Ally area to be expanded Biden to Pashinyan: We remain committed to promote peaceful resolution to conflict, including for people of Karabakh Internal investigation underway into police actions at Yerevan military pantheon on Independence Day anniversary Aggression-affected IDPs from Gegharkunik, Syunik and Vayots Dzor to be provided with financial assistance Peskov declines to comment on his son's refusal to report to military registration and enlistment office Belgian parliamentary delegation visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Missing, captured Armenian civilians families to get financial support for another month Turkish lira hits new historic low Peskov comments on reports of agitation at airports and checkpoints Russia air carrier to conduct additional flights to Armenia, Turkey Kazakhstan parliament passes law to exclude Day of First President from state holidays US Congressman Schiff: These atrocities will continue until international community condemns Aliyev Jim Costa talks Azerbaijani attack on Armenia: It was an attack on sovereign territory Greece official: Azerbaijan war against Armenia not on newspapers front pages as it is in Ukraine case Senator: the U.S. must stop providing security assistance to Azerbaijan Armenia, Finland FMs discuss Karabakh conflict settlement process CSTO Secretary General, Armenia army chief discuss situation on border with Azerbaijan Moscow agrees to appointing Lynne Tracy as new US envoy to Russia Armenia FM to Red Cross president: Azerbaijan crimes impunity makes aggressor more reckless (PHOTOS) Greece politician condemns Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia Iran, Russia and China to hold joint naval drills Iran army chief: We will not allow changes in borders in region Parliament speaker: We expect our Belgian colleagues to continue efforts for Armenian POWs return from Azerbaijan Karabakh FM discusses Artsakh foreign policy with group of US Congress members, senators Relatives of those who died and those who were injured in Yerevan market explosion to get one-time financial aid Copper rises in price Truss says Russia is not threatened by anyone Crime report is sent to Armenia Prosecutor General regarding recent harassment toward reporters in parliament Armenia FM to International Crisis Group head: Azerbaijan trying to achieve its maximalist demands by using force Gold prices fall below $1670 per ounce Borrell announces new sanctions on Russia because of referendums Oil prices move to some growth Blinken says US will continue to support Ukraine Newspaper: Armenia 3 ex-presidents, Catholicos to meet soon Armenia FM in New York, meets with UN Secretary General special adviser on genocide prevention Russian soldiers are exchanged with 215 Ukrainian POWs Newspaper: PM urges political teammates not to do anything drastic regarding topic of Armenia leaving CSTO Bulgaria gets closer to buying the second batch of eight new F-16s Armenia FM to Sweden counterpart: International community must restrain Azerbaijan military aggression FM briefs Nicaragua colleague on consequences of Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia 2 of 3 injured in Yerevan market damaged building collapse discharged from hospital Britain decides to revise its defense and security plan Iranian parliament says border violation due to aggravation between Armenia and Azerbaijan unacceptable Pashinyan leaves for New York Biden not to restrict imports of neodymium magnets from China No threat to life of serviceman wounded by Azerbaijani Armed Forces shelling EU's desire for independence from Russian gas will lead to slowdown of economy, rising inflation and fall of euro Biden to release 10 million barrels of oil ahead of EU ban on Russian oil Earthquake in Iran felt in Armenia Armenian Defense Ministry: Azerbaijan opens fire at Armenian positions, one wounded EU begins to develop new sanctions against Russia Canada is committed to further deepening bilateral relations and supporting strengthening of democracy in Armenia MEPs investigating use of spyware by EU governments criticize Poland and Israel Union of Armenians of Russia plans to send help to Armenia, Ara Abrahamyan holds meetings with Russian leadership Armenian FM meets with USAID Director Germany, Slovenia sign agreement for Slovenia to send 28 Soviet tanks to Ukraine Azerbaijani president makes aggressive statements about Armenia Greece extends subsidies for energy bills ahead of 'winter battle' Iset Tower in Yekaterinburg is painted in colors of Armenian flag NEWS.am digest: Azerbaijan violates ceasefire, Russia announces mobilization U.S. supports increasing number of permanent and non-permanent members of UN Security Council Biden accuses Russia of violating basic principles of UN membership Germany nationalizes energy giant Uniper CSTO foreign ministers hold working meeting under coordination of Armenian foreign minister European governments spend half trillion euros to fight energy crisis Cavusoglu: Announcement of partial mobilization in Russia is indicator of situation's seriousness Ebrahim Raisi: Iran is ready for comprehensive deepening of relations with Armenia, using common historical border 3 people hospitalized in Yerevan amid collapse of Surmalu shopping center's building subject to demolition NATO should view Beijing as a security threat Is West starting to insist on opening of so-called Zangezur corridor? Forest fire breaks out and fire helicopter crashes in Turkish city of Marmaris Wall of building subject to demolition collapses on territory of burnt-out Surmalu shopping center Queen of Denmark tests positive for COVID-19 after Elizabeth II's funeral Price of air ticket from Moscow to Yerevan is approaching $5,000 NATO Secretary General: Partial mobilization in Russia will lead to escalation of conflict Bloomberg: Qatar wants to supply energy to Europe under long-term contracts Yeghishe Kirakosyan tells US Congress about war crimes committed by Azerbaijanis Putin's speech sends pound to new 37-year low Ombudswoman has interview with Italys TEMPI periodical, speaks about Armenian soldiers torture by Azerbaijan Israeli PM meets Turkish President for first time in 14 years Xi Jinping calls for focus on preparing for wars Armenia has 1 wounded after Tuesdays shootings by Azerbaijan toward Srashen village Turkey supplies 20 attack UAVs to UAE UN recommends its staff to give up Russian helicopters Erdogan will hold meeting on Russian 'Mir' cards and possible sanctions Iran demonstrates new long-range ballistic missiles for first time Two servicemen of Armenian Armed Forces are out of encirclement after 9 days Karekin II to meet today with Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan Trump: Conflict in Ukraine can lead to World War III Russia's budget deficit in 2022 will amount to 1.3 trillion rubles One of Armenia civilians wounded in recent Azerbaijan military aggression dies France says it will continue helping Ukraine with arms UN Armenia office team visits Gegharkunik Province communities affected by Azerbaijan shootings (PHOTOS) Dollar increases slightly, euro drops considerably in Armenia Armenia ombudswoman briefs EU envoy on closed part of her ad hoc report on recent Azerbaijan attack State assistance being provided to Armenia brandy businesses to be extended by one year Bloomberg: UK intends to sign agreement on LNG supplies from U.S. for up to 20 years China's former justice minister sentenced to death Jermuk: Changes in Jermuk resort town after Azerbaijani attack (photo report) Jermuk-Yerevan-Jermuk shuttle service already operating Armenian Genocide Memorials Memory Ally area to be expanded Biden to Pashinyan: We remain committed to promote peaceful resolution to conflict, including for people of Karabakh Internal investigation underway into police actions at Yerevan military pantheon on Independence Day anniversary Aggression-affected IDPs from Gegharkunik, Syunik and Vayots Dzor to be provided with financial assistance Peskov declines to comment on his son's refusal to report to military registration and enlistment office Belgian parliamentary delegation visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Missing, captured Armenian civilians families to get financial support for another month Turkish lira hits new historic low Peskov comments on reports of agitation at airports and checkpoints Russia air carrier to conduct additional flights to Armenia, Turkey Kazakhstan parliament passes law to exclude Day of First President from state holidays US Congressman Schiff: These atrocities will continue until international community condemns Aliyev Jim Costa talks Azerbaijani attack on Armenia: It was an attack on sovereign territory Greece official: Azerbaijan war against Armenia not on newspapers front pages as it is in Ukraine case Senator: the U.S. must stop providing security assistance to Azerbaijan Armenia, Finland FMs discuss Karabakh conflict settlement process CSTO Secretary General, Armenia army chief discuss situation on border with Azerbaijan Moscow agrees to appointing Lynne Tracy as new US envoy to Russia Armenia FM to Red Cross president: Azerbaijan crimes impunity makes aggressor more reckless (PHOTOS) Greece politician condemns Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia Iran, Russia and China to hold joint naval drills Iran army chief: We will not allow changes in borders in region Parliament speaker: We expect our Belgian colleagues to continue efforts for Armenian POWs return from Azerbaijan Karabakh FM discusses Artsakh foreign policy with group of US Congress members, senators Relatives of those who died and those who were injured in Yerevan market explosion to get one-time financial aid Copper rises in price Truss says Russia is not threatened by anyone Crime report is sent to Armenia Prosecutor General regarding recent harassment toward reporters in parliament Armenia FM to International Crisis Group head: Azerbaijan trying to achieve its maximalist demands by using force Gold prices fall below $1670 per ounce Borrell announces new sanctions on Russia because of referendums Oil prices move to some growth Blinken says US will continue to support Ukraine Newspaper: Armenia 3 ex-presidents, Catholicos to meet soon Armenia FM in New York, meets with UN Secretary General special adviser on genocide prevention Russian soldiers are exchanged with 215 Ukrainian POWs Newspaper: PM urges political teammates not to do anything drastic regarding topic of Armenia leaving CSTO Bulgaria gets closer to buying the second batch of eight new F-16s Armenia FM to Sweden counterpart: International community must restrain Azerbaijan military aggression FM briefs Nicaragua colleague on consequences of Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia 2 of 3 injured in Yerevan market damaged building collapse discharged from hospital Britain decides to revise its defense and security plan Iranian parliament says border violation due to aggravation between Armenia and Azerbaijan unacceptable Pashinyan leaves for New York Biden not to restrict imports of neodymium magnets from China No threat to life of serviceman wounded by Azerbaijani Armed Forces shelling EU's desire for independence from Russian gas will lead to slowdown of economy, rising inflation and fall of euro Biden to release 10 million barrels of oil ahead of EU ban on Russian oil Earthquake in Iran felt in Armenia Armenian Defense Ministry: Azerbaijan opens fire at Armenian positions, one wounded EU begins to develop new sanctions against Russia Canada is committed to further deepening bilateral relations and supporting strengthening of democracy in Armenia MEPs investigating use of spyware by EU governments criticize Poland and Israel Union of Armenians of Russia plans to send help to Armenia, Ara Abrahamyan holds meetings with Russian leadership Armenian FM meets with USAID Director Germany, Slovenia sign agreement for Slovenia to send 28 Soviet tanks to Ukraine Azerbaijani president makes aggressive statements about Armenia Greece extends subsidies for energy bills ahead of 'winter battle' Iset Tower in Yekaterinburg is painted in colors of Armenian flag NEWS.am digest: Azerbaijan violates ceasefire, Russia announces mobilization U.S. supports increasing number of permanent and non-permanent members of UN Security Council Biden accuses Russia of violating basic principles of UN membership Germany nationalizes energy giant Uniper CSTO foreign ministers hold working meeting under coordination of Armenian foreign minister European governments spend half trillion euros to fight energy crisis Cavusoglu: Announcement of partial mobilization in Russia is indicator of situation's seriousness Ebrahim Raisi: Iran is ready for comprehensive deepening of relations with Armenia, using common historical border 3 people hospitalized in Yerevan amid collapse of Surmalu shopping center's building subject to demolition NATO should view Beijing as a security threat Is West starting to insist on opening of so-called Zangezur corridor? Forest fire breaks out and fire helicopter crashes in Turkish city of Marmaris Wall of building subject to demolition collapses on territory of burnt-out Surmalu shopping center Queen of Denmark tests positive for COVID-19 after Elizabeth II's funeral Price of air ticket from Moscow to Yerevan is approaching $5,000 NATO Secretary General: Partial mobilization in Russia will lead to escalation of conflict Bloomberg: Qatar wants to supply energy to Europe under long-term contracts Yeghishe Kirakosyan tells US Congress about war crimes committed by Azerbaijanis Putin's speech sends pound to new 37-year low Ombudswoman has interview with Italys TEMPI periodical, speaks about Armenian soldiers torture by Azerbaijan Israeli PM meets Turkish President for first time in 14 years Xi Jinping calls for focus on preparing for wars Armenia has 1 wounded after Tuesdays shootings by Azerbaijan toward Srashen village Turkey supplies 20 attack UAVs to UAE UN recommends its staff to give up Russian helicopters NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- A six-minute performance featuring Chinese Kung Fu and Chinese folk dances amazed thousands of people at New York City (NYC)'s Times Square Friday night by kicking off one of the most famous New Year's Eve countdowns around the globe. Co-organized by the Sino-American Friendship Association and the Times Square Alliance, the performance brought traditional Chinese culture alive with flowing moves of Taijiquan blending firmness with softness, the magnificence of Shaolin Kung Fu and the charm of the fan dance. "The martial art also looks like a dance, so it's cool," Victoria Christensen, 19, who had traveled from the U.S. state of Nebraska, told Xinhua, after watching the show. "The martial art demonstration was great, and the dancing was my favorite," said Adela Magallanes, a reveler from the U.S. state of California, who had traveled to New York with her husband specifically for the New Year's Eve celebration. Magallanes, a pharmacy technician who works with a lot of Chinese people and also a fan of Chinese desserts, said the cultural elements at the event help her understand more about China. Chinese Consul General in New York Huang Ping, who made brief remarks before the show, wished everyone a happy new year both in English and Chinese. Huang said that he sincerely invites the world to visit China and enjoy the splendid landscapes and rich culture. A video on various LED screens atop the square displayed the scenery of China such as the Songshan Mountain, the archaeological site of Yin Xu, and Longmen Grottoes, in central China's Henan Province, as well as the Yellow River. The hours-long event culminated in the 60-second countdown to the new year. Cheers and confetti filled the square when the traditional midnight drop of a multi-colored crystal ball signaled the start of 2022. The history of New Year's Eve countdown at Times Square goes back more than 100 years. After banning visitors from the event a year ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Big Apple rang in 2022 with a scaled-back bash as COVID-19 infections continue to surge in the city and around the nation. A 15,000-person cap on Friday night's event was well short of the 58,000 people who typically attend. New York City reported a record number of almost 44,000 new confirmed cases on Thursday, according to New York state figures. The current seven-day average daily increase of cases in the United States reached more than 316,000, a 293.4-percent spike from a month ago, fueled by a rapid spread of the Omicron variant, showed latest statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Peace, health and happiness for the world, no more Covid, said Magallanes, sharing with Xinhua her new year's wishes. New York City's new mayor, Eric Adams, took the oath of office in Times Square early Saturday shortly after the ball dropped. He detailed a six-pillar plan for battling COVID-19 to start 2022 on Thursday. Enditem Erdogan will hold meeting on Russian 'Mir' cards and possible sanctions Iran demonstrates new long-range ballistic missiles for first time Two servicemen of Armenian Armed Forces are out of encirclement after 9 days Karekin II to meet today with Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan Trump: Conflict in Ukraine can lead to World War III Russia's budget deficit in 2022 will amount to 1.3 trillion rubles One of Armenia civilians wounded in recent Azerbaijan military aggression dies France says it will continue helping Ukraine with arms UN Armenia office team visits Gegharkunik Province communities affected by Azerbaijan shootings (PHOTOS) Dollar increases slightly, euro drops considerably in Armenia Armenia ombudswoman briefs EU envoy on closed part of her ad hoc report on recent Azerbaijan attack State assistance being provided to Armenia brandy businesses to be extended by one year Bloomberg: UK intends to sign agreement on LNG supplies from U.S. for up to 20 years China's former justice minister sentenced to death Jermuk: Changes in Jermuk resort town after Azerbaijani attack (photo report) Jermuk-Yerevan-Jermuk shuttle service already operating Armenian Genocide Memorials Memory Ally area to be expanded Biden to Pashinyan: We remain committed to promote peaceful resolution to conflict, including for people of Karabakh Internal investigation underway into police actions at Yerevan military pantheon on Independence Day anniversary Aggression-affected IDPs from Gegharkunik, Syunik and Vayots Dzor to be provided with financial assistance Peskov declines to comment on his son's refusal to report to military registration and enlistment office Belgian parliamentary delegation visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Missing, captured Armenian civilians families to get financial support for another month Turkish lira hits new historic low Peskov comments on reports of agitation at airports and checkpoints Russia air carrier to conduct additional flights to Armenia, Turkey Kazakhstan parliament passes law to exclude Day of First President from state holidays US Congressman Schiff: These atrocities will continue until international community condemns Aliyev Jim Costa talks Azerbaijani attack on Armenia: It was an attack on sovereign territory Greece official: Azerbaijan war against Armenia not on newspapers front pages as it is in Ukraine case Senator: the U.S. must stop providing security assistance to Azerbaijan Armenia, Finland FMs discuss Karabakh conflict settlement process CSTO Secretary General, Armenia army chief discuss situation on border with Azerbaijan Moscow agrees to appointing Lynne Tracy as new US envoy to Russia Armenia FM to Red Cross president: Azerbaijan crimes impunity makes aggressor more reckless (PHOTOS) Greece politician condemns Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia Iran, Russia and China to hold joint naval drills Iran army chief: We will not allow changes in borders in region Parliament speaker: We expect our Belgian colleagues to continue efforts for Armenian POWs return from Azerbaijan Karabakh FM discusses Artsakh foreign policy with group of US Congress members, senators Relatives of those who died and those who were injured in Yerevan market explosion to get one-time financial aid Copper rises in price Truss says Russia is not threatened by anyone Crime report is sent to Armenia Prosecutor General regarding recent harassment toward reporters in parliament Armenia FM to International Crisis Group head: Azerbaijan trying to achieve its maximalist demands by using force Gold prices fall below $1670 per ounce Borrell announces new sanctions on Russia because of referendums Oil prices move to some growth Blinken says US will continue to support Ukraine Newspaper: Armenia 3 ex-presidents, Catholicos to meet soon Armenia FM in New York, meets with UN Secretary General special adviser on genocide prevention Russian soldiers are exchanged with 215 Ukrainian POWs Newspaper: PM urges political teammates not to do anything drastic regarding topic of Armenia leaving CSTO Bulgaria gets closer to buying the second batch of eight new F-16s Armenia FM to Sweden counterpart: International community must restrain Azerbaijan military aggression FM briefs Nicaragua colleague on consequences of Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia 2 of 3 injured in Yerevan market damaged building collapse discharged from hospital Britain decides to revise its defense and security plan Iranian parliament says border violation due to aggravation between Armenia and Azerbaijan unacceptable Pashinyan leaves for New York Biden not to restrict imports of neodymium magnets from China No threat to life of serviceman wounded by Azerbaijani Armed Forces shelling EU's desire for independence from Russian gas will lead to slowdown of economy, rising inflation and fall of euro Biden to release 10 million barrels of oil ahead of EU ban on Russian oil Earthquake in Iran felt in Armenia Armenian Defense Ministry: Azerbaijan opens fire at Armenian positions, one wounded EU begins to develop new sanctions against Russia Canada is committed to further deepening bilateral relations and supporting strengthening of democracy in Armenia MEPs investigating use of spyware by EU governments criticize Poland and Israel Union of Armenians of Russia plans to send help to Armenia, Ara Abrahamyan holds meetings with Russian leadership Armenian FM meets with USAID Director Germany, Slovenia sign agreement for Slovenia to send 28 Soviet tanks to Ukraine Azerbaijani president makes aggressive statements about Armenia Greece extends subsidies for energy bills ahead of 'winter battle' Iset Tower in Yekaterinburg is painted in colors of Armenian flag NEWS.am digest: Azerbaijan violates ceasefire, Russia announces mobilization U.S. supports increasing number of permanent and non-permanent members of UN Security Council Biden accuses Russia of violating basic principles of UN membership Germany nationalizes energy giant Uniper CSTO foreign ministers hold working meeting under coordination of Armenian foreign minister European governments spend half trillion euros to fight energy crisis Cavusoglu: Announcement of partial mobilization in Russia is indicator of situation's seriousness Ebrahim Raisi: Iran is ready for comprehensive deepening of relations with Armenia, using common historical border 3 people hospitalized in Yerevan amid collapse of Surmalu shopping center's building subject to demolition NATO should view Beijing as a security threat Is West starting to insist on opening of so-called Zangezur corridor? Forest fire breaks out and fire helicopter crashes in Turkish city of Marmaris Wall of building subject to demolition collapses on territory of burnt-out Surmalu shopping center Queen of Denmark tests positive for COVID-19 after Elizabeth II's funeral Price of air ticket from Moscow to Yerevan is approaching $5,000 NATO Secretary General: Partial mobilization in Russia will lead to escalation of conflict Bloomberg: Qatar wants to supply energy to Europe under long-term contracts Yeghishe Kirakosyan tells US Congress about war crimes committed by Azerbaijanis Putin's speech sends pound to new 37-year low Ombudswoman has interview with Italys TEMPI periodical, speaks about Armenian soldiers torture by Azerbaijan Israeli PM meets Turkish President for first time in 14 years Xi Jinping calls for focus on preparing for wars Armenia has 1 wounded after Tuesdays shootings by Azerbaijan toward Srashen village Turkey supplies 20 attack UAVs to UAE UN recommends its staff to give up Russian helicopters By Trend From today, the salaries of employees of the State Customs Committee with a special rank have been increased in Azerbaijan, Trend reports. According to a decree signed by President Ilham Aliyev, monthly salaries of employees with a special rank of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan will be increased by 20 percent. The monthly salaries of non-civil servants of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan will be increased by an average of 20 percent. This Decree came into force on January 1, 2022. By Trend From today, the salaries of employees of the State Customs Committee with a special rank have been increased in Azerbaijan, Trend reports. According to a decree signed by President Ilham Aliyev, monthly salaries of employees with a special rank of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan will be increased by 20 percent. The monthly salaries of non-civil servants of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan will be increased by an average of 20 percent. This Decree came into force on January 1, 2022. Dhaka, Jan 1 : The High Commissioner of India in Bangladesh Vikram Doraiswami has said that India has offered the use of its inland waterways system up to Varanasi, which can help in trade using the India-Nepal connectivity. India is already providing Bangladesh transit access by rail for its trade with Nepal at zero extra cost and facilitation for goods trade between Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan. "We are still awaiting entry into force of the agreement on the use of Chattogram and Mongla Ports, for which the Standard Operating Procedures (SoP) were finalised over two years ago," he said, adding that a trial run was also conducted 18 months ago during Covid and yet there has been no progress. Highlighting the importance of rail connectivity, Doraiswami said that it will be a gamechanger for Bangladesh just as it is for the entire region. Using Bangladesh's extensive river network, India could also ship goods to Tripura and further afield from there. He mentioned that sub-region connectivity is in the interests of all countries in the sub-region. Speaking to a prominent local daily of Bangladesh, the High Commissioner cited the World Bank study which projects that seamless connectivity between India and Bangladesh could boost its national income by 17 per cent, while India's national income would also rise by 8 per cent and boost its exports almost three times. Calling for opening up more land ports for unrestricted trade, the High Commissioner said that the monopoly of one border crossing for trade works as the biggest non-tariff barrier to trade on both sides. Without opening more land ports to unrestricted trade, improving multi-modal connectivity using road, rail, and waterways, new customs facilities, warehouses, and ICD, the two-way trade and investment will be limited, he stated. Mumbai, Jan 1 : In the recent episode of 'Bigg Boss 15', Rakhi Sawant asked Rashami Desai about the reason behind her divorce from Nandish Sandhu, which left Rashami in tears. During a conversation, Rakhi enquired about Rashami's married life and Rashami said she is not comfortable discussing it. She said: "If my words can harm someone (Nandish), I would not do that." Rakhi replied: "Okay something wrong will happen?" Later, Rashami cried sitting at the poolside and Rakhi was unhappy with Rashami's response. She told Abhijit Bichukale and Umar Riaz that Rashami is always interested to know about Rakhi's life but never shared anything about her own life. Umar Riaz went to console Rashami and she told him that discussing anything about Nandish still hurts her and she never wants to talk about him. She also told Umar that she is scared of him. Rashami got married to her 'Uttaran' co-actor Nandish Sandhu in 2012, but they divorced in 2015. In 'Bigg Boss 13' she came close to Arhaan Khan, who proposed to her but later Salman Khan revealed that he is already married and had a kid which he kept secret from her. After coming out from 'Bigg Boss 13' house, she broke up with him in 2020. Latest updates on Bigg Boss Season 15 Across the country, workers were steeling themselves for months of disruptions to come. Ive been working through most of the pandemic, and I hadnt tested positive before Omicron, said Amelia Smoak, 29, who works at a restaurant and bar in Manhattans East Village neighborhood. She is fully vaccinated but recently recovered from a mild case of Covid. She added that business has gotten far slower as case counts rise: Tips have been stable, but head count went down drastically. Scientists are projecting that the countrys sharp increase in cases will crest by the middle of January. But much about the new variant remains uncertain, and experts remain worried that hospitals might be overwhelmed. The number of cases in New York continues to rise steeply, yet city school officials have vowed to keep schools open, embracing increased testing as an alternative to closing classrooms. Schools in Chicago, Washington and most other major cities have announced they also plan to reopen this week, many with increased testing regimens. But some districts including public schools in Cleveland; Prince Georges County, Md., a suburb of Washington, D.C.; Newark, N.J.; Mt. Vernon, N.Y.; and Jersey City, N.J. will transition to remote learning for one week or more in January. In Chicago, where businesses have remained open as cases have spiked to their highest levels of the pandemic, public school leaders said they planned to return to class as scheduled on Monday despite concerns from the citys powerful teachers union about safety precautions. If they shut down the restaurants, they shut down all the events, every component of the city and state, then hey, Im not going to put my families at risk, Im not going to force them to take their children to school, said Pedro Martinez, the chief executive of Chicago Public Schools. He added: But short of that, what is the logic of thinking that somehow shutting down schools is going to help this pandemic? I dont see the logic. SYED SAAD AZIZ, File No. 2021-35 TORONTO, Dec. 31, 2021 /CNW/ - Following a hearing held in writing, the Commission issued an Order in the above named matter approving the Settlement Agreement reached between Staff of the Commission and Syed Saad Aziz. A copy of the Order dated December 31, 2021, Settlement Agreement dated December 21, 2021 and Reasons and Decision for Approval of a Settlement dated December 31, 2021 are available at www.osc.ca OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY GRACE KNAKOWSKI SECRETARY TO THE COMMISSION SOURCE Ontario Securities Commission For further information: For Media Inquiries: [email protected]; For General Inquiries: 1-877-785-1555 (Toll Free), [email protected] Related Links https://www.osc.ca/ MANAGUA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday officially reopened its embassy in Nicaragua after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. The ceremony, held at the new location of the embassy in the capital Managua, was inaugurated by Yu Bo, representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada. In his speech, Yu said that the one-China principle is the consensus of the international community and a universally recognized norm governing international relations. It shows an overriding trend that represents international justice and enjoys popular support. Nicaragua's decision to resume diplomatic relations with China not only conforms to the historical trend and the trend of the times, but also fully serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries, said Yu. China welcomes the Nicaraguan side to actively participate in the Global Development Initiative and join the Belt and Road Initiative at an early date, said Yu, adding that China stands ready to work with Nicaragua and Latin American countries to build China-Latin America relations characterized by equality, mutual benefit, innovation, opening-up, and benefit for the people in a new era, and advance the joint building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future. For his part, Moncada expressed his gratitude to the Chinese leaders, government and people for a brotherly friendship with Nicaragua. He said the resumption of diplomatic ties between Nicaragua and China is supported by the overwhelming majority of the two peoples. Nicaragua will adhere to the one-China principle and join forces with China to move towards a new international order featuring multi-polarization, peace, social justice and equity as well as the realization of human development and progress, the foreign minister said. After the resumption of diplomatic ties, Nicaragua and China have entered a new stage of diplomacy, friendship and cooperative relations, in which the two sides will carry out cooperation in various fields such as trade, science and technology, education, health, culture and art, sports, media and information technology, Moncada added. Presidential Advisor Laureano Ortega Murillo said Nicaragua fully recognizes the Chinese values of people-oriented, solidarity and friendliness in China's realization of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, poverty alleviation and cooperation in fighting against COVID-19. The two sides will jointly formulate an agenda for developing Nicaragua-China ties, strengthen bilateral exchanges, enhance brotherhood and strengthen mutually beneficial relations, to take a path of common progress and development, he added. More than 200 people attended the ceremony, including the president of Nicaragua's National Assembly, central and local government officials, military and police officials, representatives of foreign missions and international organizations in Nicaragua, and representatives of Chinese companies and overseas Chinese in Nicaragua. On Dec. 10, China and Nicaragua signed the joint communique on the resumption of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Nicaragua. The two governments have decided to recognize each other and resume diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, effective from the date of signature of this communique. Enditem MANAGUA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday officially reopened its embassy in Nicaragua after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. The ceremony, held at the new location of the embassy in the capital Managua, was inaugurated by Yu Bo, representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada. In his speech, Yu said that the one-China principle is the consensus of the international community and a universally recognized norm governing international relations. It shows an overriding trend that represents international justice and enjoys popular support. Nicaragua's decision to resume diplomatic relations with China not only conforms to the historical trend and the trend of the times, but also fully serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries, said Yu. China welcomes the Nicaraguan side to actively participate in the Global Development Initiative and join the Belt and Road Initiative at an early date, said Yu, adding that China stands ready to work with Nicaragua and Latin American countries to build China-Latin America relations characterized by equality, mutual benefit, innovation, opening-up, and benefit for the people in a new era, and advance the joint building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future. For his part, Moncada expressed his gratitude to the Chinese leaders, government and people for a brotherly friendship with Nicaragua. He said the resumption of diplomatic ties between Nicaragua and China is supported by the overwhelming majority of the two peoples. Nicaragua will adhere to the one-China principle and join forces with China to move towards a new international order featuring multi-polarization, peace, social justice and equity as well as the realization of human development and progress, the foreign minister said. After the resumption of diplomatic ties, Nicaragua and China have entered a new stage of diplomacy, friendship and cooperative relations, in which the two sides will carry out cooperation in various fields such as trade, science and technology, education, health, culture and art, sports, media and information technology, Moncada added. Presidential Advisor Laureano Ortega Murillo said Nicaragua fully recognizes the Chinese values of people-oriented, solidarity and friendliness in China's realization of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, poverty alleviation and cooperation in fighting against COVID-19. The two sides will jointly formulate an agenda for developing Nicaragua-China ties, strengthen bilateral exchanges, enhance brotherhood and strengthen mutually beneficial relations, to take a path of common progress and development, he added. More than 200 people attended the ceremony, including the president of Nicaragua's National Assembly, central and local government officials, military and police officials, representatives of foreign missions and international organizations in Nicaragua, and representatives of Chinese companies and overseas Chinese in Nicaragua. On Dec. 10, China and Nicaragua signed the joint communique on the resumption of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Nicaragua. The two governments have decided to recognize each other and resume diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, effective from the date of signature of this communique. Enditem MANAGUA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday officially reopened its embassy in Nicaragua after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. The ceremony, held at the new location of the embassy in the capital Managua, was inaugurated by Yu Bo, representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada. In his speech, Yu said that the one-China principle is the consensus of the international community and a universally recognized norm governing international relations. It shows an overriding trend that represents international justice and enjoys popular support. Nicaragua's decision to resume diplomatic relations with China not only conforms to the historical trend and the trend of the times, but also fully serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries, said Yu. China welcomes the Nicaraguan side to actively participate in the Global Development Initiative and join the Belt and Road Initiative at an early date, said Yu, adding that China stands ready to work with Nicaragua and Latin American countries to build China-Latin America relations characterized by equality, mutual benefit, innovation, opening-up, and benefit for the people in a new era, and advance the joint building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future. For his part, Moncada expressed his gratitude to the Chinese leaders, government and people for a brotherly friendship with Nicaragua. He said the resumption of diplomatic ties between Nicaragua and China is supported by the overwhelming majority of the two peoples. Nicaragua will adhere to the one-China principle and join forces with China to move towards a new international order featuring multi-polarization, peace, social justice and equity as well as the realization of human development and progress, the foreign minister said. After the resumption of diplomatic ties, Nicaragua and China have entered a new stage of diplomacy, friendship and cooperative relations, in which the two sides will carry out cooperation in various fields such as trade, science and technology, education, health, culture and art, sports, media and information technology, Moncada added. Presidential Advisor Laureano Ortega Murillo said Nicaragua fully recognizes the Chinese values of people-oriented, solidarity and friendliness in China's realization of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, poverty alleviation and cooperation in fighting against COVID-19. The two sides will jointly formulate an agenda for developing Nicaragua-China ties, strengthen bilateral exchanges, enhance brotherhood and strengthen mutually beneficial relations, to take a path of common progress and development, he added. More than 200 people attended the ceremony, including the president of Nicaragua's National Assembly, central and local government officials, military and police officials, representatives of foreign missions and international organizations in Nicaragua, and representatives of Chinese companies and overseas Chinese in Nicaragua. On Dec. 10, China and Nicaragua signed the joint communique on the resumption of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Nicaragua. The two governments have decided to recognize each other and resume diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, effective from the date of signature of this communique. Enditem This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. SYED SAAD AZIZ, File No. 2021-35 TORONTO, Dec. 31, 2021 /CNW/ - Following a hearing held in writing, the Commission issued an Order in the above named matter approving the Settlement Agreement reached between Staff of the Commission and Syed Saad Aziz. A copy of the Order dated December 31, 2021, Settlement Agreement dated December 21, 2021 and Reasons and Decision for Approval of a Settlement dated December 31, 2021 are available at www.osc.ca OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY GRACE KNAKOWSKI SECRETARY TO THE COMMISSION SOURCE Ontario Securities Commission For further information: For Media Inquiries: [email protected]; For General Inquiries: 1-877-785-1555 (Toll Free), [email protected] Related Links https://www.osc.ca/ Across the country, workers were steeling themselves for months of disruptions to come. Ive been working through most of the pandemic, and I hadnt tested positive before Omicron, said Amelia Smoak, 29, who works at a restaurant and bar in Manhattans East Village neighborhood. She is fully vaccinated but recently recovered from a mild case of Covid. She added that business has gotten far slower as case counts rise: Tips have been stable, but head count went down drastically. Scientists are projecting that the countrys sharp increase in cases will crest by the middle of January. But much about the new variant remains uncertain, and experts remain worried that hospitals might be overwhelmed. The number of cases in New York continues to rise steeply, yet city school officials have vowed to keep schools open, embracing increased testing as an alternative to closing classrooms. Schools in Chicago, Washington and most other major cities have announced they also plan to reopen this week, many with increased testing regimens. But some districts including public schools in Cleveland; Prince Georges County, Md., a suburb of Washington, D.C.; Newark, N.J.; Mt. Vernon, N.Y.; and Jersey City, N.J. will transition to remote learning for one week or more in January. In Chicago, where businesses have remained open as cases have spiked to their highest levels of the pandemic, public school leaders said they planned to return to class as scheduled on Monday despite concerns from the citys powerful teachers union about safety precautions. If they shut down the restaurants, they shut down all the events, every component of the city and state, then hey, Im not going to put my families at risk, Im not going to force them to take their children to school, said Pedro Martinez, the chief executive of Chicago Public Schools. He added: But short of that, what is the logic of thinking that somehow shutting down schools is going to help this pandemic? I dont see the logic. Across the country, workers were steeling themselves for months of disruptions to come. Ive been working through most of the pandemic, and I hadnt tested positive before Omicron, said Amelia Smoak, 29, who works at a restaurant and bar in Manhattans East Village neighborhood. She is fully vaccinated but recently recovered from a mild case of Covid. She added that business has gotten far slower as case counts rise: Tips have been stable, but head count went down drastically. Scientists are projecting that the countrys sharp increase in cases will crest by the middle of January. But much about the new variant remains uncertain, and experts remain worried that hospitals might be overwhelmed. The number of cases in New York continues to rise steeply, yet city school officials have vowed to keep schools open, embracing increased testing as an alternative to closing classrooms. Schools in Chicago, Washington and most other major cities have announced they also plan to reopen this week, many with increased testing regimens. But some districts including public schools in Cleveland; Prince Georges County, Md., a suburb of Washington, D.C.; Newark, N.J.; Mt. Vernon, N.Y.; and Jersey City, N.J. will transition to remote learning for one week or more in January. In Chicago, where businesses have remained open as cases have spiked to their highest levels of the pandemic, public school leaders said they planned to return to class as scheduled on Monday despite concerns from the citys powerful teachers union about safety precautions. If they shut down the restaurants, they shut down all the events, every component of the city and state, then hey, Im not going to put my families at risk, Im not going to force them to take their children to school, said Pedro Martinez, the chief executive of Chicago Public Schools. He added: But short of that, what is the logic of thinking that somehow shutting down schools is going to help this pandemic? I dont see the logic. Across the country, workers were steeling themselves for months of disruptions to come. Ive been working through most of the pandemic, and I hadnt tested positive before Omicron, said Amelia Smoak, 29, who works at a restaurant and bar in Manhattans East Village neighborhood. She is fully vaccinated but recently recovered from a mild case of Covid. She added that business has gotten far slower as case counts rise: Tips have been stable, but head count went down drastically. Scientists are projecting that the countrys sharp increase in cases will crest by the middle of January. But much about the new variant remains uncertain, and experts remain worried that hospitals might be overwhelmed. The number of cases in New York continues to rise steeply, yet city school officials have vowed to keep schools open, embracing increased testing as an alternative to closing classrooms. Schools in Chicago, Washington and most other major cities have announced they also plan to reopen this week, many with increased testing regimens. But some districts including public schools in Cleveland; Prince Georges County, Md., a suburb of Washington, D.C.; Newark, N.J.; Mt. Vernon, N.Y.; and Jersey City, N.J. will transition to remote learning for one week or more in January. In Chicago, where businesses have remained open as cases have spiked to their highest levels of the pandemic, public school leaders said they planned to return to class as scheduled on Monday despite concerns from the citys powerful teachers union about safety precautions. If they shut down the restaurants, they shut down all the events, every component of the city and state, then hey, Im not going to put my families at risk, Im not going to force them to take their children to school, said Pedro Martinez, the chief executive of Chicago Public Schools. He added: But short of that, what is the logic of thinking that somehow shutting down schools is going to help this pandemic? I dont see the logic. Across the country, workers were steeling themselves for months of disruptions to come. Ive been working through most of the pandemic, and I hadnt tested positive before Omicron, said Amelia Smoak, 29, who works at a restaurant and bar in Manhattans East Village neighborhood. She is fully vaccinated but recently recovered from a mild case of Covid. She added that business has gotten far slower as case counts rise: Tips have been stable, but head count went down drastically. Scientists are projecting that the countrys sharp increase in cases will crest by the middle of January. But much about the new variant remains uncertain, and experts remain worried that hospitals might be overwhelmed. The number of cases in New York continues to rise steeply, yet city school officials have vowed to keep schools open, embracing increased testing as an alternative to closing classrooms. Schools in Chicago, Washington and most other major cities have announced they also plan to reopen this week, many with increased testing regimens. But some districts including public schools in Cleveland; Prince Georges County, Md., a suburb of Washington, D.C.; Newark, N.J.; Mt. Vernon, N.Y.; and Jersey City, N.J. will transition to remote learning for one week or more in January. In Chicago, where businesses have remained open as cases have spiked to their highest levels of the pandemic, public school leaders said they planned to return to class as scheduled on Monday despite concerns from the citys powerful teachers union about safety precautions. If they shut down the restaurants, they shut down all the events, every component of the city and state, then hey, Im not going to put my families at risk, Im not going to force them to take their children to school, said Pedro Martinez, the chief executive of Chicago Public Schools. He added: But short of that, what is the logic of thinking that somehow shutting down schools is going to help this pandemic? I dont see the logic. Across the country, workers were steeling themselves for months of disruptions to come. Ive been working through most of the pandemic, and I hadnt tested positive before Omicron, said Amelia Smoak, 29, who works at a restaurant and bar in Manhattans East Village neighborhood. She is fully vaccinated but recently recovered from a mild case of Covid. She added that business has gotten far slower as case counts rise: Tips have been stable, but head count went down drastically. Scientists are projecting that the countrys sharp increase in cases will crest by the middle of January. But much about the new variant remains uncertain, and experts remain worried that hospitals might be overwhelmed. The number of cases in New York continues to rise steeply, yet city school officials have vowed to keep schools open, embracing increased testing as an alternative to closing classrooms. Schools in Chicago, Washington and most other major cities have announced they also plan to reopen this week, many with increased testing regimens. But some districts including public schools in Cleveland; Prince Georges County, Md., a suburb of Washington, D.C.; Newark, N.J.; Mt. Vernon, N.Y.; and Jersey City, N.J. will transition to remote learning for one week or more in January. In Chicago, where businesses have remained open as cases have spiked to their highest levels of the pandemic, public school leaders said they planned to return to class as scheduled on Monday despite concerns from the citys powerful teachers union about safety precautions. If they shut down the restaurants, they shut down all the events, every component of the city and state, then hey, Im not going to put my families at risk, Im not going to force them to take their children to school, said Pedro Martinez, the chief executive of Chicago Public Schools. He added: But short of that, what is the logic of thinking that somehow shutting down schools is going to help this pandemic? I dont see the logic. Real Madrid are not in the running to sign Paul Pogba as their priority is to secure a free deal for Kylian Mbappe next summer, according to reports in France. Pogba, 28, has entered the final six months of his current deal at Manchester United and does not appear close to an extension. Sportsmail revealed back in November that United have only made one formal extension offer to their 89million midfielder, which he subsequently rejected. Real Madrid are no longer in the running to sign Paul Pogba when his Man United deal expires Madrid are instead hellbent on snapping up out-of-contract PSG star Kylian Mbappe But he is still waiting on a second offer to be put on the table, meaning a summer departure is currently on the cards. Madrid have been heavily linked with Pogba in recent years, with the Bernabeu appearing his most likely destination should he depart Old Trafford. However, French newspaper Le Parisien claim the Spanish giants are no longer in contention to sign him - because they want to focus their efforts on signing Mbappe. The latter is in a similar predicament to France team-mate Pogba, as his contract at PSG is set to expire in the summer. Pogba is now likely to head to either PSG or Juventus when his United deal is up this summer It is believed Mbappe is weighing up his options now that he is eligible to negotiate a free move elsewhere, yet Real are seemingly the frontrunners to snap him up in July. As a result, Florentino Perez and co do not have any immediate ambitions to sign Pogba, who collects a 300,000-a-week wage. The United ace is therefore likely to join either PSG or ex-club Juventus if he leaves Manchester as expected this summer. Pogba has spent the last five years at United after sealing a return to the club, registering 38 goals and 51 assists in 212 appearances. Real Madrid are not in the running to sign Paul Pogba as their priority is to secure a free deal for Kylian Mbappe next summer, according to reports in France. Pogba, 28, has entered the final six months of his current deal at Manchester United and does not appear close to an extension. Sportsmail revealed back in November that United have only made one formal extension offer to their 89million midfielder, which he subsequently rejected. Real Madrid are no longer in the running to sign Paul Pogba when his Man United deal expires Madrid are instead hellbent on snapping up out-of-contract PSG star Kylian Mbappe But he is still waiting on a second offer to be put on the table, meaning a summer departure is currently on the cards. Madrid have been heavily linked with Pogba in recent years, with the Bernabeu appearing his most likely destination should he depart Old Trafford. However, French newspaper Le Parisien claim the Spanish giants are no longer in contention to sign him - because they want to focus their efforts on signing Mbappe. The latter is in a similar predicament to France team-mate Pogba, as his contract at PSG is set to expire in the summer. Pogba is now likely to head to either PSG or Juventus when his United deal is up this summer It is believed Mbappe is weighing up his options now that he is eligible to negotiate a free move elsewhere, yet Real are seemingly the frontrunners to snap him up in July. As a result, Florentino Perez and co do not have any immediate ambitions to sign Pogba, who collects a 300,000-a-week wage. The United ace is therefore likely to join either PSG or ex-club Juventus if he leaves Manchester as expected this summer. Pogba has spent the last five years at United after sealing a return to the club, registering 38 goals and 51 assists in 212 appearances. Real Madrid are not in the running to sign Paul Pogba as their priority is to secure a free deal for Kylian Mbappe next summer, according to reports in France. Pogba, 28, has entered the final six months of his current deal at Manchester United and does not appear close to an extension. Sportsmail revealed back in November that United have only made one formal extension offer to their 89million midfielder, which he subsequently rejected. Real Madrid are no longer in the running to sign Paul Pogba when his Man United deal expires Madrid are instead hellbent on snapping up out-of-contract PSG star Kylian Mbappe But he is still waiting on a second offer to be put on the table, meaning a summer departure is currently on the cards. Madrid have been heavily linked with Pogba in recent years, with the Bernabeu appearing his most likely destination should he depart Old Trafford. However, French newspaper Le Parisien claim the Spanish giants are no longer in contention to sign him - because they want to focus their efforts on signing Mbappe. The latter is in a similar predicament to France team-mate Pogba, as his contract at PSG is set to expire in the summer. Pogba is now likely to head to either PSG or Juventus when his United deal is up this summer It is believed Mbappe is weighing up his options now that he is eligible to negotiate a free move elsewhere, yet Real are seemingly the frontrunners to snap him up in July. As a result, Florentino Perez and co do not have any immediate ambitions to sign Pogba, who collects a 300,000-a-week wage. The United ace is therefore likely to join either PSG or ex-club Juventus if he leaves Manchester as expected this summer. Pogba has spent the last five years at United after sealing a return to the club, registering 38 goals and 51 assists in 212 appearances. Erdogan will hold meeting on Russian 'Mir' cards and possible sanctions Iran demonstrates new long-range ballistic missiles for first time Two servicemen of Armenian Armed Forces are out of encirclement after 9 days Karekin II to meet today with Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan Trump: Conflict in Ukraine can lead to World War III Russia's budget deficit in 2022 will amount to 1.3 trillion rubles One of Armenia civilians wounded in recent Azerbaijan military aggression dies France says it will continue helping Ukraine with arms UN Armenia office team visits Gegharkunik Province communities affected by Azerbaijan shootings (PHOTOS) Dollar increases slightly, euro drops considerably in Armenia Armenia ombudswoman briefs EU envoy on closed part of her ad hoc report on recent Azerbaijan attack State assistance being provided to Armenia brandy businesses to be extended by one year Bloomberg: UK intends to sign agreement on LNG supplies from U.S. for up to 20 years China's former justice minister sentenced to death Jermuk: Changes in Jermuk resort town after Azerbaijani attack (photo report) Jermuk-Yerevan-Jermuk shuttle service already operating Armenian Genocide Memorials Memory Ally area to be expanded Biden to Pashinyan: We remain committed to promote peaceful resolution to conflict, including for people of Karabakh Internal investigation underway into police actions at Yerevan military pantheon on Independence Day anniversary Aggression-affected IDPs from Gegharkunik, Syunik and Vayots Dzor to be provided with financial assistance Peskov declines to comment on his son's refusal to report to military registration and enlistment office Belgian parliamentary delegation visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Missing, captured Armenian civilians families to get financial support for another month Turkish lira hits new historic low Peskov comments on reports of agitation at airports and checkpoints Russia air carrier to conduct additional flights to Armenia, Turkey Kazakhstan parliament passes law to exclude Day of First President from state holidays US Congressman Schiff: These atrocities will continue until international community condemns Aliyev Jim Costa talks Azerbaijani attack on Armenia: It was an attack on sovereign territory Greece official: Azerbaijan war against Armenia not on newspapers front pages as it is in Ukraine case Senator: the U.S. must stop providing security assistance to Azerbaijan Armenia, Finland FMs discuss Karabakh conflict settlement process CSTO Secretary General, Armenia army chief discuss situation on border with Azerbaijan Moscow agrees to appointing Lynne Tracy as new US envoy to Russia Armenia FM to Red Cross president: Azerbaijan crimes impunity makes aggressor more reckless (PHOTOS) Greece politician condemns Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia Iran, Russia and China to hold joint naval drills Iran army chief: We will not allow changes in borders in region Parliament speaker: We expect our Belgian colleagues to continue efforts for Armenian POWs return from Azerbaijan Karabakh FM discusses Artsakh foreign policy with group of US Congress members, senators Relatives of those who died and those who were injured in Yerevan market explosion to get one-time financial aid Copper rises in price Truss says Russia is not threatened by anyone Crime report is sent to Armenia Prosecutor General regarding recent harassment toward reporters in parliament Armenia FM to International Crisis Group head: Azerbaijan trying to achieve its maximalist demands by using force Gold prices fall below $1670 per ounce Borrell announces new sanctions on Russia because of referendums Oil prices move to some growth Blinken says US will continue to support Ukraine Newspaper: Armenia 3 ex-presidents, Catholicos to meet soon Armenia FM in New York, meets with UN Secretary General special adviser on genocide prevention Russian soldiers are exchanged with 215 Ukrainian POWs Newspaper: PM urges political teammates not to do anything drastic regarding topic of Armenia leaving CSTO Bulgaria gets closer to buying the second batch of eight new F-16s Armenia FM to Sweden counterpart: International community must restrain Azerbaijan military aggression FM briefs Nicaragua colleague on consequences of Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia 2 of 3 injured in Yerevan market damaged building collapse discharged from hospital Britain decides to revise its defense and security plan Iranian parliament says border violation due to aggravation between Armenia and Azerbaijan unacceptable Pashinyan leaves for New York Biden not to restrict imports of neodymium magnets from China No threat to life of serviceman wounded by Azerbaijani Armed Forces shelling EU's desire for independence from Russian gas will lead to slowdown of economy, rising inflation and fall of euro Biden to release 10 million barrels of oil ahead of EU ban on Russian oil Earthquake in Iran felt in Armenia Armenian Defense Ministry: Azerbaijan opens fire at Armenian positions, one wounded EU begins to develop new sanctions against Russia Canada is committed to further deepening bilateral relations and supporting strengthening of democracy in Armenia MEPs investigating use of spyware by EU governments criticize Poland and Israel Union of Armenians of Russia plans to send help to Armenia, Ara Abrahamyan holds meetings with Russian leadership Armenian FM meets with USAID Director Germany, Slovenia sign agreement for Slovenia to send 28 Soviet tanks to Ukraine Azerbaijani president makes aggressive statements about Armenia Greece extends subsidies for energy bills ahead of 'winter battle' Iset Tower in Yekaterinburg is painted in colors of Armenian flag NEWS.am digest: Azerbaijan violates ceasefire, Russia announces mobilization U.S. supports increasing number of permanent and non-permanent members of UN Security Council Biden accuses Russia of violating basic principles of UN membership Germany nationalizes energy giant Uniper CSTO foreign ministers hold working meeting under coordination of Armenian foreign minister European governments spend half trillion euros to fight energy crisis Cavusoglu: Announcement of partial mobilization in Russia is indicator of situation's seriousness Ebrahim Raisi: Iran is ready for comprehensive deepening of relations with Armenia, using common historical border 3 people hospitalized in Yerevan amid collapse of Surmalu shopping center's building subject to demolition NATO should view Beijing as a security threat Is West starting to insist on opening of so-called Zangezur corridor? Forest fire breaks out and fire helicopter crashes in Turkish city of Marmaris Wall of building subject to demolition collapses on territory of burnt-out Surmalu shopping center Queen of Denmark tests positive for COVID-19 after Elizabeth II's funeral Price of air ticket from Moscow to Yerevan is approaching $5,000 NATO Secretary General: Partial mobilization in Russia will lead to escalation of conflict Bloomberg: Qatar wants to supply energy to Europe under long-term contracts Yeghishe Kirakosyan tells US Congress about war crimes committed by Azerbaijanis Putin's speech sends pound to new 37-year low Ombudswoman has interview with Italys TEMPI periodical, speaks about Armenian soldiers torture by Azerbaijan Israeli PM meets Turkish President for first time in 14 years Xi Jinping calls for focus on preparing for wars Armenia has 1 wounded after Tuesdays shootings by Azerbaijan toward Srashen village Turkey supplies 20 attack UAVs to UAE UN recommends its staff to give up Russian helicopters Erdogan will hold meeting on Russian 'Mir' cards and possible sanctions Iran demonstrates new long-range ballistic missiles for first time Two servicemen of Armenian Armed Forces are out of encirclement after 9 days Karekin II to meet today with Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan Trump: Conflict in Ukraine can lead to World War III Russia's budget deficit in 2022 will amount to 1.3 trillion rubles One of Armenia civilians wounded in recent Azerbaijan military aggression dies France says it will continue helping Ukraine with arms UN Armenia office team visits Gegharkunik Province communities affected by Azerbaijan shootings (PHOTOS) Dollar increases slightly, euro drops considerably in Armenia Armenia ombudswoman briefs EU envoy on closed part of her ad hoc report on recent Azerbaijan attack State assistance being provided to Armenia brandy businesses to be extended by one year Bloomberg: UK intends to sign agreement on LNG supplies from U.S. for up to 20 years China's former justice minister sentenced to death Jermuk: Changes in Jermuk resort town after Azerbaijani attack (photo report) Jermuk-Yerevan-Jermuk shuttle service already operating Armenian Genocide Memorials Memory Ally area to be expanded Biden to Pashinyan: We remain committed to promote peaceful resolution to conflict, including for people of Karabakh Internal investigation underway into police actions at Yerevan military pantheon on Independence Day anniversary Aggression-affected IDPs from Gegharkunik, Syunik and Vayots Dzor to be provided with financial assistance Peskov declines to comment on his son's refusal to report to military registration and enlistment office Belgian parliamentary delegation visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Missing, captured Armenian civilians families to get financial support for another month Turkish lira hits new historic low Peskov comments on reports of agitation at airports and checkpoints Russia air carrier to conduct additional flights to Armenia, Turkey Kazakhstan parliament passes law to exclude Day of First President from state holidays US Congressman Schiff: These atrocities will continue until international community condemns Aliyev Jim Costa talks Azerbaijani attack on Armenia: It was an attack on sovereign territory Greece official: Azerbaijan war against Armenia not on newspapers front pages as it is in Ukraine case Senator: the U.S. must stop providing security assistance to Azerbaijan Armenia, Finland FMs discuss Karabakh conflict settlement process CSTO Secretary General, Armenia army chief discuss situation on border with Azerbaijan Moscow agrees to appointing Lynne Tracy as new US envoy to Russia Armenia FM to Red Cross president: Azerbaijan crimes impunity makes aggressor more reckless (PHOTOS) Greece politician condemns Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia Iran, Russia and China to hold joint naval drills Iran army chief: We will not allow changes in borders in region Parliament speaker: We expect our Belgian colleagues to continue efforts for Armenian POWs return from Azerbaijan Karabakh FM discusses Artsakh foreign policy with group of US Congress members, senators Relatives of those who died and those who were injured in Yerevan market explosion to get one-time financial aid Copper rises in price Truss says Russia is not threatened by anyone Crime report is sent to Armenia Prosecutor General regarding recent harassment toward reporters in parliament Armenia FM to International Crisis Group head: Azerbaijan trying to achieve its maximalist demands by using force Gold prices fall below $1670 per ounce Borrell announces new sanctions on Russia because of referendums Oil prices move to some growth Blinken says US will continue to support Ukraine Newspaper: Armenia 3 ex-presidents, Catholicos to meet soon Armenia FM in New York, meets with UN Secretary General special adviser on genocide prevention Russian soldiers are exchanged with 215 Ukrainian POWs Newspaper: PM urges political teammates not to do anything drastic regarding topic of Armenia leaving CSTO Bulgaria gets closer to buying the second batch of eight new F-16s Armenia FM to Sweden counterpart: International community must restrain Azerbaijan military aggression FM briefs Nicaragua colleague on consequences of Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia 2 of 3 injured in Yerevan market damaged building collapse discharged from hospital Britain decides to revise its defense and security plan Iranian parliament says border violation due to aggravation between Armenia and Azerbaijan unacceptable Pashinyan leaves for New York Biden not to restrict imports of neodymium magnets from China No threat to life of serviceman wounded by Azerbaijani Armed Forces shelling EU's desire for independence from Russian gas will lead to slowdown of economy, rising inflation and fall of euro Biden to release 10 million barrels of oil ahead of EU ban on Russian oil Earthquake in Iran felt in Armenia Armenian Defense Ministry: Azerbaijan opens fire at Armenian positions, one wounded EU begins to develop new sanctions against Russia Canada is committed to further deepening bilateral relations and supporting strengthening of democracy in Armenia MEPs investigating use of spyware by EU governments criticize Poland and Israel Union of Armenians of Russia plans to send help to Armenia, Ara Abrahamyan holds meetings with Russian leadership Armenian FM meets with USAID Director Germany, Slovenia sign agreement for Slovenia to send 28 Soviet tanks to Ukraine Azerbaijani president makes aggressive statements about Armenia Greece extends subsidies for energy bills ahead of 'winter battle' Iset Tower in Yekaterinburg is painted in colors of Armenian flag NEWS.am digest: Azerbaijan violates ceasefire, Russia announces mobilization U.S. supports increasing number of permanent and non-permanent members of UN Security Council Biden accuses Russia of violating basic principles of UN membership Germany nationalizes energy giant Uniper CSTO foreign ministers hold working meeting under coordination of Armenian foreign minister European governments spend half trillion euros to fight energy crisis Cavusoglu: Announcement of partial mobilization in Russia is indicator of situation's seriousness Ebrahim Raisi: Iran is ready for comprehensive deepening of relations with Armenia, using common historical border 3 people hospitalized in Yerevan amid collapse of Surmalu shopping center's building subject to demolition NATO should view Beijing as a security threat Is West starting to insist on opening of so-called Zangezur corridor? Forest fire breaks out and fire helicopter crashes in Turkish city of Marmaris Wall of building subject to demolition collapses on territory of burnt-out Surmalu shopping center Queen of Denmark tests positive for COVID-19 after Elizabeth II's funeral Price of air ticket from Moscow to Yerevan is approaching $5,000 NATO Secretary General: Partial mobilization in Russia will lead to escalation of conflict Bloomberg: Qatar wants to supply energy to Europe under long-term contracts Yeghishe Kirakosyan tells US Congress about war crimes committed by Azerbaijanis Putin's speech sends pound to new 37-year low Ombudswoman has interview with Italys TEMPI periodical, speaks about Armenian soldiers torture by Azerbaijan Israeli PM meets Turkish President for first time in 14 years Xi Jinping calls for focus on preparing for wars Armenia has 1 wounded after Tuesdays shootings by Azerbaijan toward Srashen village Turkey supplies 20 attack UAVs to UAE UN recommends its staff to give up Russian helicopters Erdogan will hold meeting on Russian 'Mir' cards and possible sanctions Iran demonstrates new long-range ballistic missiles for first time Two servicemen of Armenian Armed Forces are out of encirclement after 9 days Karekin II to meet today with Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan Trump: Conflict in Ukraine can lead to World War III Russia's budget deficit in 2022 will amount to 1.3 trillion rubles One of Armenia civilians wounded in recent Azerbaijan military aggression dies France says it will continue helping Ukraine with arms UN Armenia office team visits Gegharkunik Province communities affected by Azerbaijan shootings (PHOTOS) Dollar increases slightly, euro drops considerably in Armenia Armenia ombudswoman briefs EU envoy on closed part of her ad hoc report on recent Azerbaijan attack State assistance being provided to Armenia brandy businesses to be extended by one year Bloomberg: UK intends to sign agreement on LNG supplies from U.S. for up to 20 years China's former justice minister sentenced to death Jermuk: Changes in Jermuk resort town after Azerbaijani attack (photo report) Jermuk-Yerevan-Jermuk shuttle service already operating Armenian Genocide Memorials Memory Ally area to be expanded Biden to Pashinyan: We remain committed to promote peaceful resolution to conflict, including for people of Karabakh Internal investigation underway into police actions at Yerevan military pantheon on Independence Day anniversary Aggression-affected IDPs from Gegharkunik, Syunik and Vayots Dzor to be provided with financial assistance Peskov declines to comment on his son's refusal to report to military registration and enlistment office Belgian parliamentary delegation visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Missing, captured Armenian civilians families to get financial support for another month Turkish lira hits new historic low Peskov comments on reports of agitation at airports and checkpoints Russia air carrier to conduct additional flights to Armenia, Turkey Kazakhstan parliament passes law to exclude Day of First President from state holidays US Congressman Schiff: These atrocities will continue until international community condemns Aliyev Jim Costa talks Azerbaijani attack on Armenia: It was an attack on sovereign territory Greece official: Azerbaijan war against Armenia not on newspapers front pages as it is in Ukraine case Senator: the U.S. must stop providing security assistance to Azerbaijan Armenia, Finland FMs discuss Karabakh conflict settlement process CSTO Secretary General, Armenia army chief discuss situation on border with Azerbaijan Moscow agrees to appointing Lynne Tracy as new US envoy to Russia Armenia FM to Red Cross president: Azerbaijan crimes impunity makes aggressor more reckless (PHOTOS) Greece politician condemns Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia Iran, Russia and China to hold joint naval drills Iran army chief: We will not allow changes in borders in region Parliament speaker: We expect our Belgian colleagues to continue efforts for Armenian POWs return from Azerbaijan Karabakh FM discusses Artsakh foreign policy with group of US Congress members, senators Relatives of those who died and those who were injured in Yerevan market explosion to get one-time financial aid Copper rises in price Truss says Russia is not threatened by anyone Crime report is sent to Armenia Prosecutor General regarding recent harassment toward reporters in parliament Armenia FM to International Crisis Group head: Azerbaijan trying to achieve its maximalist demands by using force Gold prices fall below $1670 per ounce Borrell announces new sanctions on Russia because of referendums Oil prices move to some growth Blinken says US will continue to support Ukraine Newspaper: Armenia 3 ex-presidents, Catholicos to meet soon Armenia FM in New York, meets with UN Secretary General special adviser on genocide prevention Russian soldiers are exchanged with 215 Ukrainian POWs Newspaper: PM urges political teammates not to do anything drastic regarding topic of Armenia leaving CSTO Bulgaria gets closer to buying the second batch of eight new F-16s Armenia FM to Sweden counterpart: International community must restrain Azerbaijan military aggression FM briefs Nicaragua colleague on consequences of Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia 2 of 3 injured in Yerevan market damaged building collapse discharged from hospital Britain decides to revise its defense and security plan Iranian parliament says border violation due to aggravation between Armenia and Azerbaijan unacceptable Pashinyan leaves for New York Biden not to restrict imports of neodymium magnets from China No threat to life of serviceman wounded by Azerbaijani Armed Forces shelling EU's desire for independence from Russian gas will lead to slowdown of economy, rising inflation and fall of euro Biden to release 10 million barrels of oil ahead of EU ban on Russian oil Earthquake in Iran felt in Armenia Armenian Defense Ministry: Azerbaijan opens fire at Armenian positions, one wounded EU begins to develop new sanctions against Russia Canada is committed to further deepening bilateral relations and supporting strengthening of democracy in Armenia MEPs investigating use of spyware by EU governments criticize Poland and Israel Union of Armenians of Russia plans to send help to Armenia, Ara Abrahamyan holds meetings with Russian leadership Armenian FM meets with USAID Director Germany, Slovenia sign agreement for Slovenia to send 28 Soviet tanks to Ukraine Azerbaijani president makes aggressive statements about Armenia Greece extends subsidies for energy bills ahead of 'winter battle' Iset Tower in Yekaterinburg is painted in colors of Armenian flag NEWS.am digest: Azerbaijan violates ceasefire, Russia announces mobilization U.S. supports increasing number of permanent and non-permanent members of UN Security Council Biden accuses Russia of violating basic principles of UN membership Germany nationalizes energy giant Uniper CSTO foreign ministers hold working meeting under coordination of Armenian foreign minister European governments spend half trillion euros to fight energy crisis Cavusoglu: Announcement of partial mobilization in Russia is indicator of situation's seriousness Ebrahim Raisi: Iran is ready for comprehensive deepening of relations with Armenia, using common historical border 3 people hospitalized in Yerevan amid collapse of Surmalu shopping center's building subject to demolition NATO should view Beijing as a security threat Is West starting to insist on opening of so-called Zangezur corridor? Forest fire breaks out and fire helicopter crashes in Turkish city of Marmaris Wall of building subject to demolition collapses on territory of burnt-out Surmalu shopping center Queen of Denmark tests positive for COVID-19 after Elizabeth II's funeral Price of air ticket from Moscow to Yerevan is approaching $5,000 NATO Secretary General: Partial mobilization in Russia will lead to escalation of conflict Bloomberg: Qatar wants to supply energy to Europe under long-term contracts Yeghishe Kirakosyan tells US Congress about war crimes committed by Azerbaijanis Putin's speech sends pound to new 37-year low Ombudswoman has interview with Italys TEMPI periodical, speaks about Armenian soldiers torture by Azerbaijan Israeli PM meets Turkish President for first time in 14 years Xi Jinping calls for focus on preparing for wars Armenia has 1 wounded after Tuesdays shootings by Azerbaijan toward Srashen village Turkey supplies 20 attack UAVs to UAE UN recommends its staff to give up Russian helicopters Erdogan will hold meeting on Russian 'Mir' cards and possible sanctions Iran demonstrates new long-range ballistic missiles for first time Two servicemen of Armenian Armed Forces are out of encirclement after 9 days Karekin II to meet today with Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan Trump: Conflict in Ukraine can lead to World War III Russia's budget deficit in 2022 will amount to 1.3 trillion rubles One of Armenia civilians wounded in recent Azerbaijan military aggression dies France says it will continue helping Ukraine with arms UN Armenia office team visits Gegharkunik Province communities affected by Azerbaijan shootings (PHOTOS) Dollar increases slightly, euro drops considerably in Armenia Armenia ombudswoman briefs EU envoy on closed part of her ad hoc report on recent Azerbaijan attack State assistance being provided to Armenia brandy businesses to be extended by one year Bloomberg: UK intends to sign agreement on LNG supplies from U.S. for up to 20 years China's former justice minister sentenced to death Jermuk: Changes in Jermuk resort town after Azerbaijani attack (photo report) Jermuk-Yerevan-Jermuk shuttle service already operating Armenian Genocide Memorials Memory Ally area to be expanded Biden to Pashinyan: We remain committed to promote peaceful resolution to conflict, including for people of Karabakh Internal investigation underway into police actions at Yerevan military pantheon on Independence Day anniversary Aggression-affected IDPs from Gegharkunik, Syunik and Vayots Dzor to be provided with financial assistance Peskov declines to comment on his son's refusal to report to military registration and enlistment office Belgian parliamentary delegation visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Missing, captured Armenian civilians families to get financial support for another month Turkish lira hits new historic low Peskov comments on reports of agitation at airports and checkpoints Russia air carrier to conduct additional flights to Armenia, Turkey Kazakhstan parliament passes law to exclude Day of First President from state holidays US Congressman Schiff: These atrocities will continue until international community condemns Aliyev Jim Costa talks Azerbaijani attack on Armenia: It was an attack on sovereign territory Greece official: Azerbaijan war against Armenia not on newspapers front pages as it is in Ukraine case Senator: the U.S. must stop providing security assistance to Azerbaijan Armenia, Finland FMs discuss Karabakh conflict settlement process CSTO Secretary General, Armenia army chief discuss situation on border with Azerbaijan Moscow agrees to appointing Lynne Tracy as new US envoy to Russia Armenia FM to Red Cross president: Azerbaijan crimes impunity makes aggressor more reckless (PHOTOS) Greece politician condemns Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia Iran, Russia and China to hold joint naval drills Iran army chief: We will not allow changes in borders in region Parliament speaker: We expect our Belgian colleagues to continue efforts for Armenian POWs return from Azerbaijan Karabakh FM discusses Artsakh foreign policy with group of US Congress members, senators Relatives of those who died and those who were injured in Yerevan market explosion to get one-time financial aid Copper rises in price Truss says Russia is not threatened by anyone Crime report is sent to Armenia Prosecutor General regarding recent harassment toward reporters in parliament Armenia FM to International Crisis Group head: Azerbaijan trying to achieve its maximalist demands by using force Gold prices fall below $1670 per ounce Borrell announces new sanctions on Russia because of referendums Oil prices move to some growth Blinken says US will continue to support Ukraine Newspaper: Armenia 3 ex-presidents, Catholicos to meet soon Armenia FM in New York, meets with UN Secretary General special adviser on genocide prevention Russian soldiers are exchanged with 215 Ukrainian POWs Newspaper: PM urges political teammates not to do anything drastic regarding topic of Armenia leaving CSTO Bulgaria gets closer to buying the second batch of eight new F-16s Armenia FM to Sweden counterpart: International community must restrain Azerbaijan military aggression FM briefs Nicaragua colleague on consequences of Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia 2 of 3 injured in Yerevan market damaged building collapse discharged from hospital Britain decides to revise its defense and security plan Iranian parliament says border violation due to aggravation between Armenia and Azerbaijan unacceptable Pashinyan leaves for New York Biden not to restrict imports of neodymium magnets from China No threat to life of serviceman wounded by Azerbaijani Armed Forces shelling EU's desire for independence from Russian gas will lead to slowdown of economy, rising inflation and fall of euro Biden to release 10 million barrels of oil ahead of EU ban on Russian oil Earthquake in Iran felt in Armenia Armenian Defense Ministry: Azerbaijan opens fire at Armenian positions, one wounded EU begins to develop new sanctions against Russia Canada is committed to further deepening bilateral relations and supporting strengthening of democracy in Armenia MEPs investigating use of spyware by EU governments criticize Poland and Israel Union of Armenians of Russia plans to send help to Armenia, Ara Abrahamyan holds meetings with Russian leadership Armenian FM meets with USAID Director Germany, Slovenia sign agreement for Slovenia to send 28 Soviet tanks to Ukraine Azerbaijani president makes aggressive statements about Armenia Greece extends subsidies for energy bills ahead of 'winter battle' Iset Tower in Yekaterinburg is painted in colors of Armenian flag NEWS.am digest: Azerbaijan violates ceasefire, Russia announces mobilization U.S. supports increasing number of permanent and non-permanent members of UN Security Council Biden accuses Russia of violating basic principles of UN membership Germany nationalizes energy giant Uniper CSTO foreign ministers hold working meeting under coordination of Armenian foreign minister European governments spend half trillion euros to fight energy crisis Cavusoglu: Announcement of partial mobilization in Russia is indicator of situation's seriousness Ebrahim Raisi: Iran is ready for comprehensive deepening of relations with Armenia, using common historical border 3 people hospitalized in Yerevan amid collapse of Surmalu shopping center's building subject to demolition NATO should view Beijing as a security threat Is West starting to insist on opening of so-called Zangezur corridor? Forest fire breaks out and fire helicopter crashes in Turkish city of Marmaris Wall of building subject to demolition collapses on territory of burnt-out Surmalu shopping center Queen of Denmark tests positive for COVID-19 after Elizabeth II's funeral Price of air ticket from Moscow to Yerevan is approaching $5,000 NATO Secretary General: Partial mobilization in Russia will lead to escalation of conflict Bloomberg: Qatar wants to supply energy to Europe under long-term contracts Yeghishe Kirakosyan tells US Congress about war crimes committed by Azerbaijanis Putin's speech sends pound to new 37-year low Ombudswoman has interview with Italys TEMPI periodical, speaks about Armenian soldiers torture by Azerbaijan Israeli PM meets Turkish President for first time in 14 years Xi Jinping calls for focus on preparing for wars Armenia has 1 wounded after Tuesdays shootings by Azerbaijan toward Srashen village Turkey supplies 20 attack UAVs to UAE UN recommends its staff to give up Russian helicopters London, Jan 1 : Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has confirmed three new positive COVID-19 cases in his squad but the number is not big enough to impact their visit to Chelsea on Sunday night. "We have three new COVID cases in the team and a few more in the staff, so 't's not so cool at the moment," Klopp said, confirming the new cases during his pre-match press conference on Friday. "I'm not [able to reveal the names] because we still have to make the whole processes, getting a proper PCR and all these kind of things, but you will see the day after tomorrow on the teamsheet. It will be pretty clear then who is affected or infec"ed," Klopp was quoted as saying by Liverpool's official website. Asked whether the situation could force Liverpool to seek a postponement of the fixture at Chelsea, Klopp replied: "Not yet, but we don't know. "We never had this kind of proper outbreak where 10, 15, 20 players had it, for us, it's more every day another one. Staff happens now more and more often, so as I said before it feels like a lottery in the morning when you stand there and you wait for the result. It was now pretty much day by day always one case - today another one. "We have to wait, the boys are not even in yet, so we have to wait. At this moment, probably not but we don't know how it will look in a few hours." Klopp declined to name the trio as they were still awaiting PCR test confirmations but those affected, plus Thiago Alcantara and Takumi Minamino, will be missing at Stamford Bridge. Thiago and Takumi were absent from the midweek clash with Leicester City due to muscle soreness. "I would say Taki is probably closer, he is running outside," said Klopp. "Thiago, not yet. It means for him, it might take a little bit longer. It's a hip issue which we don't have an idea where it's coming from, so we have to be a little bit patient with that." The match against title rivals Chelsea is a crucial one for Liverpool with leaders Manchester City threatening to pull away at the top of the table. IANS bsk Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) London, Jan 1 : Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has confirmed three new positive COVID-19 cases in his squad but the number is not big enough to impact their visit to Chelsea on Sunday night. "We have three new COVID cases in the team and a few more in the staff, so 't's not so cool at the moment," Klopp said, confirming the new cases during his pre-match press conference on Friday. "I'm not [able to reveal the names] because we still have to make the whole processes, getting a proper PCR and all these kind of things, but you will see the day after tomorrow on the teamsheet. It will be pretty clear then who is affected or infec"ed," Klopp was quoted as saying by Liverpool's official website. Asked whether the situation could force Liverpool to seek a postponement of the fixture at Chelsea, Klopp replied: "Not yet, but we don't know. "We never had this kind of proper outbreak where 10, 15, 20 players had it, for us, it's more every day another one. Staff happens now more and more often, so as I said before it feels like a lottery in the morning when you stand there and you wait for the result. It was now pretty much day by day always one case - today another one. "We have to wait, the boys are not even in yet, so we have to wait. At this moment, probably not but we don't know how it will look in a few hours." Klopp declined to name the trio as they were still awaiting PCR test confirmations but those affected, plus Thiago Alcantara and Takumi Minamino, will be missing at Stamford Bridge. Thiago and Takumi were absent from the midweek clash with Leicester City due to muscle soreness. "I would say Taki is probably closer, he is running outside," said Klopp. "Thiago, not yet. It means for him, it might take a little bit longer. It's a hip issue which we don't have an idea where it's coming from, so we have to be a little bit patient with that." The match against title rivals Chelsea is a crucial one for Liverpool with leaders Manchester City threatening to pull away at the top of the table. IANS bsk Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) London, Jan 1 : Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has confirmed three new positive COVID-19 cases in his squad but the number is not big enough to impact their visit to Chelsea on Sunday night. "We have three new COVID cases in the team and a few more in the staff, so 't's not so cool at the moment," Klopp said, confirming the new cases during his pre-match press conference on Friday. "I'm not [able to reveal the names] because we still have to make the whole processes, getting a proper PCR and all these kind of things, but you will see the day after tomorrow on the teamsheet. It will be pretty clear then who is affected or infec"ed," Klopp was quoted as saying by Liverpool's official website. Asked whether the situation could force Liverpool to seek a postponement of the fixture at Chelsea, Klopp replied: "Not yet, but we don't know. "We never had this kind of proper outbreak where 10, 15, 20 players had it, for us, it's more every day another one. Staff happens now more and more often, so as I said before it feels like a lottery in the morning when you stand there and you wait for the result. It was now pretty much day by day always one case - today another one. "We have to wait, the boys are not even in yet, so we have to wait. At this moment, probably not but we don't know how it will look in a few hours." Klopp declined to name the trio as they were still awaiting PCR test confirmations but those affected, plus Thiago Alcantara and Takumi Minamino, will be missing at Stamford Bridge. Thiago and Takumi were absent from the midweek clash with Leicester City due to muscle soreness. "I would say Taki is probably closer, he is running outside," said Klopp. "Thiago, not yet. It means for him, it might take a little bit longer. It's a hip issue which we don't have an idea where it's coming from, so we have to be a little bit patient with that." The match against title rivals Chelsea is a crucial one for Liverpool with leaders Manchester City threatening to pull away at the top of the table. IANS bsk Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Maqbool Bhat has been given the title of 'shaheed' or 'martyr' in Pakistan. Maqbool Bhat was hanged in Tihar Jail in Delhi on February 11, 1984. He was the founder of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), which was instrumental in facilitating the early influx of jihadi terrorists in Kashmir. Maqbool Bhat was born into a peasant household on February 18, 1938 in Trehgam, a village, in Kupwara district. At a young age he was influenced by the Jamaat-e-Islami, which was active in South Kashmir. Later he crossed the border with his uncle Aziz Bhat and entered Pakistan. He was admitted to the Peshawar University where he completed his Masters in Urdu literature. During a meeting held by 'Mahaz Rai Shumari' or the Plebiscite Front on July 12, 1965 in Mirpur in Pakistan occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK), Maqbool Bhat proposed to raise arms against India. It was unanimously rejected. Later, on August 13, 1965, Maqbool Bhat formed a secret militant organisation and named it the 'National Liberation Movement'. It's initial meeting was held at the residence of Pakistani army officer Major Amar Ulla in Peshawar. This is the first link that establishes Bhat's links with the Pakistan Army. On June 10, 1965 Bhat along with his three companions -- Tahir Aurangzeb, Mir Ahmed and Kala Khan -- crossed over into the Indian territory of Jammu & Kashmir. Their aim was to recruit young men for terrorist operations in the Valley. My question is whether it was his individual will or a task handed over to him by the Pakistan Army. Later events that led to the infiltration of Jihadists whom the JKLF smuggled over from Pakistan and the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits that was conducted in January 1990 and still goes on, in which JKLF played a major part, tend to confirm my suspicion that Bhat was not acting alone during the 1960s, 70s and early part of the 80s. Thanks to a Kashmiri who had managed to infiltrate Bhat's inner circle, Bhat's hideout was busted and an encounter took place in which Tahir Aurangzeb and an Indian CID officer Amar Chand were killed. Bhat was arrested, tried for the murder of an Indian officer and on August 6, 1968 Bhat was sentenced to death by hanging. However, on December 2, 1968 Bhat along with his two accomplices managed to escape through a 38-foot long tunnel that they had dug out. Once out of prison Bhat reappears in Muzaffarabad in PoJK. The question is why did he head for Muzaffarabad if he was fighting for the 'liberation' of the whole state of Jammu and Kashmir? Obviously, he ignored the fact that it was Pakistan and not India who had caused the breakup of the state of J&K by conducting an attack on October 22, 1947. How could he not know this fact? This fundamental omission from his political road map creates suspicion about the whole affair of 'Azadi' and further confirms my doubt that he was acting on instructions of the Pakistan military. On January 30, 1971 an Indian airliner flying from Srinagar to Jammu was hijacked and forced to fly to Lahore airport. The hijackers are Hashim Qureshi, who now lives in Srinagar, and another person. They both claim Bhat to be their leader and say that they belong to the JKLF of which Bhat was now the supreme leader. Why did Pakistan not deliver them to India when the hijacking was over and Maqbool Bhat along with both hijackers were already in Pakistan's custody? And how, then, did Maqbool Bhat manage to cross the border and enter India for a second time? In 1976, Bhat was arrested in Srinagar while attempting to rob a bank. His previous death sentence was still valid and he made a clemency appeal to the then President of India Shri Giani Zail Singh. For 9 years no decision was taken regarding Bhat's clemency appeal. Then, on February 3, 1984 Indian diplomat Shri Ravindra Mhatre was kidnapped in Birmingham in England and a demand by an unknown organisation that called itself 'Kashmir Liberation Army' made demands to the Indian government for the release of Maqbool Bhat. However, on February 6 they executed Mhatre. Bhat was hanged five days later in the Tihar Jail in Delhi. Ever Since Maqbool Bhat has been hailed as a 'hero' by the stooges of the Pakistan military establishment and presented as the Che Guevara of Kashmir, which cements my doubts about him being a tiny, yet poisonous, proponent of the British sponsored Pakistani occupation of Jammu & Kashmir since October 22, 1947. (Dr Amjad Ayub Mirza is an author and a human rights activist from Mirpur in PoJK. He currently lives in exile in the UK.) This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. Bokaro, Jan 1 : During their younger days, Khirodhar Mahto and Jodha Mahto, residents of the Upar Ghat area of the Bokaro district in Jharkhand, were deeply troubled by the gradual decline of thick forest cover around their village. They felt that the diminishing green canopy signalled a silent threat to their existence and that of their village. Prompted into action, they rallied together like-minded conservationists among their fellow villagers and started a campaign to save the forests. Today, both Khirodhar and Jodha (52 and 55 years old, respectively) witness the fruits of their activism, as they are surrounded by lush and dense forests that benefit both the environment and the community. Khirodhar Mahato is now the chairman of the local forest conservation committee consisting of 11 members and also the convener of the Bokaro District Forest Conservation Committee. He recalled, "The movement gained traction in 1981-1982. When we organised ourselves to salvage and rejuvenate the forests, it brought awareness and sensitivity among the common people." His companion, Jodha Mahto, added, "At that time, the dense forests were fading. Many trees had become stunted, making us aware of the severity of the situation. We realised that if our forests disappeared, then our fields would also become barren, and in turn, our livelihoods would also suffer." Unfettered mining and heavy industry endanger forests Gulab Chandra, a prominent environmental activist of Bokaro district and convenor of the Damodar Bachao Abhiyan, told 101Reporters, "These forests are adjacent to some of the country's major power and coal-producing industrial units -- namely the power generation unit of Bokaro Thermal and coal mining projects of Central Coalfields Limited (CCL). So protecting the biodiversity of the forest land becomes more challenging and necessary." Chandra said that in the 90s, through the Sanjeevani Rath, they started a campaign to distribute tree saplings and inspired people to plant them. Under the banner of the Chotanagpur Central Forest Protection Committee, they also encouraged people to plant trees to celebrate the birth of every girl child, thereby reducing female foeticide. In due course, the trees would provide the parents with financial benefits at the time of their daughter's wedding. The tree became her 'brother and protector' and symbolic rakhis were tied to them. This Van Raksha Bandhan movement, popularised by prominent environmentalist Mahadev Mahato, was adopted to safeguard the forests in Pilpilo. The activist's visit to the village had motivated the people here, who started tying protective threads on the branches of trees and bushes. "We take a pledge once a year to protect the trees and take out a procession in which women are also equally involved," said Pushpa Devi (40) from Kanjakiro. Meena Devi (30), her fellow villager, said, "We stop anyone from chopping trees and make them understand that it will disturb the environmental balance." Devi is associated with self-help groups of the Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS) and is the chairperson of the village organisation. The Sakhus of Upar Ghat Upar Ghat is a sprawling collection of many isolated forests which mainly fall in the Nawadih block area. Until recently, this zone was still a stronghold of Naxalites with numerous instances of unrest. Though not completely eradicated, their presence is receding, with the violence on the ebb for the time being. Nawadih was also in the news when the Bokaro forest division under the Vanvardhan, Afforestation and Land Conservation Scheme for 2020-21 planted 5.9 lakh native tree saplings in 616 hectares of forest land. Other prominent villages in Upar Ghat are the villages of Pilpilo, Kanjakiro and Pipradih in the Kanjakiro Panchayat limits. People of Kurmi, Adivasi and Turi communities reside in these areas. The Pipilo forest boasts more than 150 types of trees. Communities in the area benefit by collecting and selling fruits, greens and mushroom varieties from the forests in nearby markets. When 101Reporters visited Pilpilo, Khirodhar proved a valuable guide, providing thorough information about the flora of the land. "Worshipped by the tribal communities, almost 90 per cent of the trees here are Sakhua. It absorbs water during the monsoons and slowly discharges it during the summers, replenishing groundwater sources. Therefore, a significantly large number of trees would alleviate any future water shortage," he said, emphasising that the water-retaining properties of Sakhua is well-known among the locals. He said that there are many evergreen springs in the forests of Lugu and Parasnath adjoining Upar Ghat and attributes it to the abundance of Sakhua trees. Dr M.S. Malik, Dean of the Department of Forestry at Birsa Agricultural University, said there haven't been studies on the Sakhua's capacity for water harvesting but said that they grow on very less water and are prolific across Jharkhand because of the favourable acidic soil. "If you dig a pit next to the tree, it retains water and doesn't dry up," he said. The Sakhua matures over 40-60 years and has medicinal value. Mahto knows all about the medicinal value of these native trees; it's committed to a sharp memory. Oil is produced from the fruit of the Kusum tree, and lacquer is also made from it. The fruits of the Kanaud kaur and Sayam core trees are edible. The fruit of the Koraiya tree is used to treat diabetes, while the Bandarlore and Rohan trees have medicinal properties. During the monsoons, khukri/khukdi or futka (mushroom varieties) are found in the forest, foraged and sold at high prices, almost at Rs 400 per kg. At constant vigilance In 2020, many trees were felled when the power line was installed through the Teharwa forest adjacent to the Pilpilo forest. Also, stones for the construction of the power units were sourced from the Upar Ghat forests, the quarrying of which caused significant damage to the woodlands, according to Gulab Chandra, the convener of Damodar Bachao Abhiyan. There were no public consultations about any of this, said Khirodhar Mahto. This pushed Chandra and local activists to raise public awareness against the plundering of natural resources and habitats. The incident had rattled many people. On the condition of anonymity, a former Forest Department official said that if there are government or private industrial activities within the forest limits it is bound to cause damage, then, as a rule, the concerned authorities must make provision for uprooting and transplanting trees that are in the line of destruction in an alternative area. However, no such conservationist endeavours have been recorded in Pilpilo. He also added that there was also much pressure to open the ecologically endangered zones of Upar Ghat to the tourism sector. Attempts to contact A.K. Singh, Bokaro's Divisional Forest Officer via phone and email have been unsuccessful. (The author is a Jharkhand-based freelance journalist and a member of 101Reporters, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters.) Bokaro, Jan 1 : During their younger days, Khirodhar Mahto and Jodha Mahto, residents of the Upar Ghat area of the Bokaro district in Jharkhand, were deeply troubled by the gradual decline of thick forest cover around their village. They felt that the diminishing green canopy signalled a silent threat to their existence and that of their village. Prompted into action, they rallied together like-minded conservationists among their fellow villagers and started a campaign to save the forests. Today, both Khirodhar and Jodha (52 and 55 years old, respectively) witness the fruits of their activism, as they are surrounded by lush and dense forests that benefit both the environment and the community. Khirodhar Mahato is now the chairman of the local forest conservation committee consisting of 11 members and also the convener of the Bokaro District Forest Conservation Committee. He recalled, "The movement gained traction in 1981-1982. When we organised ourselves to salvage and rejuvenate the forests, it brought awareness and sensitivity among the common people." His companion, Jodha Mahto, added, "At that time, the dense forests were fading. Many trees had become stunted, making us aware of the severity of the situation. We realised that if our forests disappeared, then our fields would also become barren, and in turn, our livelihoods would also suffer." Unfettered mining and heavy industry endanger forests Gulab Chandra, a prominent environmental activist of Bokaro district and convenor of the Damodar Bachao Abhiyan, told 101Reporters, "These forests are adjacent to some of the country's major power and coal-producing industrial units -- namely the power generation unit of Bokaro Thermal and coal mining projects of Central Coalfields Limited (CCL). So protecting the biodiversity of the forest land becomes more challenging and necessary." Chandra said that in the 90s, through the Sanjeevani Rath, they started a campaign to distribute tree saplings and inspired people to plant them. Under the banner of the Chotanagpur Central Forest Protection Committee, they also encouraged people to plant trees to celebrate the birth of every girl child, thereby reducing female foeticide. In due course, the trees would provide the parents with financial benefits at the time of their daughter's wedding. The tree became her 'brother and protector' and symbolic rakhis were tied to them. This Van Raksha Bandhan movement, popularised by prominent environmentalist Mahadev Mahato, was adopted to safeguard the forests in Pilpilo. The activist's visit to the village had motivated the people here, who started tying protective threads on the branches of trees and bushes. "We take a pledge once a year to protect the trees and take out a procession in which women are also equally involved," said Pushpa Devi (40) from Kanjakiro. Meena Devi (30), her fellow villager, said, "We stop anyone from chopping trees and make them understand that it will disturb the environmental balance." Devi is associated with self-help groups of the Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS) and is the chairperson of the village organisation. The Sakhus of Upar Ghat Upar Ghat is a sprawling collection of many isolated forests which mainly fall in the Nawadih block area. Until recently, this zone was still a stronghold of Naxalites with numerous instances of unrest. Though not completely eradicated, their presence is receding, with the violence on the ebb for the time being. Nawadih was also in the news when the Bokaro forest division under the Vanvardhan, Afforestation and Land Conservation Scheme for 2020-21 planted 5.9 lakh native tree saplings in 616 hectares of forest land. Other prominent villages in Upar Ghat are the villages of Pilpilo, Kanjakiro and Pipradih in the Kanjakiro Panchayat limits. People of Kurmi, Adivasi and Turi communities reside in these areas. The Pipilo forest boasts more than 150 types of trees. Communities in the area benefit by collecting and selling fruits, greens and mushroom varieties from the forests in nearby markets. When 101Reporters visited Pilpilo, Khirodhar proved a valuable guide, providing thorough information about the flora of the land. "Worshipped by the tribal communities, almost 90 per cent of the trees here are Sakhua. It absorbs water during the monsoons and slowly discharges it during the summers, replenishing groundwater sources. Therefore, a significantly large number of trees would alleviate any future water shortage," he said, emphasising that the water-retaining properties of Sakhua is well-known among the locals. He said that there are many evergreen springs in the forests of Lugu and Parasnath adjoining Upar Ghat and attributes it to the abundance of Sakhua trees. Dr M.S. Malik, Dean of the Department of Forestry at Birsa Agricultural University, said there haven't been studies on the Sakhua's capacity for water harvesting but said that they grow on very less water and are prolific across Jharkhand because of the favourable acidic soil. "If you dig a pit next to the tree, it retains water and doesn't dry up," he said. The Sakhua matures over 40-60 years and has medicinal value. Mahto knows all about the medicinal value of these native trees; it's committed to a sharp memory. Oil is produced from the fruit of the Kusum tree, and lacquer is also made from it. The fruits of the Kanaud kaur and Sayam core trees are edible. The fruit of the Koraiya tree is used to treat diabetes, while the Bandarlore and Rohan trees have medicinal properties. During the monsoons, khukri/khukdi or futka (mushroom varieties) are found in the forest, foraged and sold at high prices, almost at Rs 400 per kg. At constant vigilance In 2020, many trees were felled when the power line was installed through the Teharwa forest adjacent to the Pilpilo forest. Also, stones for the construction of the power units were sourced from the Upar Ghat forests, the quarrying of which caused significant damage to the woodlands, according to Gulab Chandra, the convener of Damodar Bachao Abhiyan. There were no public consultations about any of this, said Khirodhar Mahto. This pushed Chandra and local activists to raise public awareness against the plundering of natural resources and habitats. The incident had rattled many people. On the condition of anonymity, a former Forest Department official said that if there are government or private industrial activities within the forest limits it is bound to cause damage, then, as a rule, the concerned authorities must make provision for uprooting and transplanting trees that are in the line of destruction in an alternative area. However, no such conservationist endeavours have been recorded in Pilpilo. He also added that there was also much pressure to open the ecologically endangered zones of Upar Ghat to the tourism sector. Attempts to contact A.K. Singh, Bokaro's Divisional Forest Officer via phone and email have been unsuccessful. (The author is a Jharkhand-based freelance journalist and a member of 101Reporters, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters.) Erdogan will hold meeting on Russian 'Mir' cards and possible sanctions Iran demonstrates new long-range ballistic missiles for first time Two servicemen of Armenian Armed Forces are out of encirclement after 9 days Karekin II to meet today with Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan Trump: Conflict in Ukraine can lead to World War III Russia's budget deficit in 2022 will amount to 1.3 trillion rubles One of Armenia civilians wounded in recent Azerbaijan military aggression dies France says it will continue helping Ukraine with arms UN Armenia office team visits Gegharkunik Province communities affected by Azerbaijan shootings (PHOTOS) Dollar increases slightly, euro drops considerably in Armenia Armenia ombudswoman briefs EU envoy on closed part of her ad hoc report on recent Azerbaijan attack State assistance being provided to Armenia brandy businesses to be extended by one year Bloomberg: UK intends to sign agreement on LNG supplies from U.S. for up to 20 years China's former justice minister sentenced to death Jermuk: Changes in Jermuk resort town after Azerbaijani attack (photo report) Jermuk-Yerevan-Jermuk shuttle service already operating Armenian Genocide Memorials Memory Ally area to be expanded Biden to Pashinyan: We remain committed to promote peaceful resolution to conflict, including for people of Karabakh Internal investigation underway into police actions at Yerevan military pantheon on Independence Day anniversary Aggression-affected IDPs from Gegharkunik, Syunik and Vayots Dzor to be provided with financial assistance Peskov declines to comment on his son's refusal to report to military registration and enlistment office Belgian parliamentary delegation visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Missing, captured Armenian civilians families to get financial support for another month Turkish lira hits new historic low Peskov comments on reports of agitation at airports and checkpoints Russia air carrier to conduct additional flights to Armenia, Turkey Kazakhstan parliament passes law to exclude Day of First President from state holidays US Congressman Schiff: These atrocities will continue until international community condemns Aliyev Jim Costa talks Azerbaijani attack on Armenia: It was an attack on sovereign territory Greece official: Azerbaijan war against Armenia not on newspapers front pages as it is in Ukraine case Senator: the U.S. must stop providing security assistance to Azerbaijan Armenia, Finland FMs discuss Karabakh conflict settlement process CSTO Secretary General, Armenia army chief discuss situation on border with Azerbaijan Moscow agrees to appointing Lynne Tracy as new US envoy to Russia Armenia FM to Red Cross president: Azerbaijan crimes impunity makes aggressor more reckless (PHOTOS) Greece politician condemns Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia Iran, Russia and China to hold joint naval drills Iran army chief: We will not allow changes in borders in region Parliament speaker: We expect our Belgian colleagues to continue efforts for Armenian POWs return from Azerbaijan Karabakh FM discusses Artsakh foreign policy with group of US Congress members, senators Relatives of those who died and those who were injured in Yerevan market explosion to get one-time financial aid Copper rises in price Truss says Russia is not threatened by anyone Crime report is sent to Armenia Prosecutor General regarding recent harassment toward reporters in parliament Armenia FM to International Crisis Group head: Azerbaijan trying to achieve its maximalist demands by using force Gold prices fall below $1670 per ounce Borrell announces new sanctions on Russia because of referendums Oil prices move to some growth Blinken says US will continue to support Ukraine Newspaper: Armenia 3 ex-presidents, Catholicos to meet soon Armenia FM in New York, meets with UN Secretary General special adviser on genocide prevention Russian soldiers are exchanged with 215 Ukrainian POWs Newspaper: PM urges political teammates not to do anything drastic regarding topic of Armenia leaving CSTO Bulgaria gets closer to buying the second batch of eight new F-16s Armenia FM to Sweden counterpart: International community must restrain Azerbaijan military aggression FM briefs Nicaragua colleague on consequences of Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia 2 of 3 injured in Yerevan market damaged building collapse discharged from hospital Britain decides to revise its defense and security plan Iranian parliament says border violation due to aggravation between Armenia and Azerbaijan unacceptable Pashinyan leaves for New York Biden not to restrict imports of neodymium magnets from China No threat to life of serviceman wounded by Azerbaijani Armed Forces shelling EU's desire for independence from Russian gas will lead to slowdown of economy, rising inflation and fall of euro Biden to release 10 million barrels of oil ahead of EU ban on Russian oil Earthquake in Iran felt in Armenia Armenian Defense Ministry: Azerbaijan opens fire at Armenian positions, one wounded EU begins to develop new sanctions against Russia Canada is committed to further deepening bilateral relations and supporting strengthening of democracy in Armenia MEPs investigating use of spyware by EU governments criticize Poland and Israel Union of Armenians of Russia plans to send help to Armenia, Ara Abrahamyan holds meetings with Russian leadership Armenian FM meets with USAID Director Germany, Slovenia sign agreement for Slovenia to send 28 Soviet tanks to Ukraine Azerbaijani president makes aggressive statements about Armenia Greece extends subsidies for energy bills ahead of 'winter battle' Iset Tower in Yekaterinburg is painted in colors of Armenian flag NEWS.am digest: Azerbaijan violates ceasefire, Russia announces mobilization U.S. supports increasing number of permanent and non-permanent members of UN Security Council Biden accuses Russia of violating basic principles of UN membership Germany nationalizes energy giant Uniper CSTO foreign ministers hold working meeting under coordination of Armenian foreign minister European governments spend half trillion euros to fight energy crisis Cavusoglu: Announcement of partial mobilization in Russia is indicator of situation's seriousness Ebrahim Raisi: Iran is ready for comprehensive deepening of relations with Armenia, using common historical border 3 people hospitalized in Yerevan amid collapse of Surmalu shopping center's building subject to demolition NATO should view Beijing as a security threat Is West starting to insist on opening of so-called Zangezur corridor? Forest fire breaks out and fire helicopter crashes in Turkish city of Marmaris Wall of building subject to demolition collapses on territory of burnt-out Surmalu shopping center Queen of Denmark tests positive for COVID-19 after Elizabeth II's funeral Price of air ticket from Moscow to Yerevan is approaching $5,000 NATO Secretary General: Partial mobilization in Russia will lead to escalation of conflict Bloomberg: Qatar wants to supply energy to Europe under long-term contracts Yeghishe Kirakosyan tells US Congress about war crimes committed by Azerbaijanis Putin's speech sends pound to new 37-year low Ombudswoman has interview with Italys TEMPI periodical, speaks about Armenian soldiers torture by Azerbaijan Israeli PM meets Turkish President for first time in 14 years Xi Jinping calls for focus on preparing for wars Armenia has 1 wounded after Tuesdays shootings by Azerbaijan toward Srashen village Turkey supplies 20 attack UAVs to UAE UN recommends its staff to give up Russian helicopters This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. South Africans took their last opportunity to pay their respects to Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Friday, the eve of the revered anti-apartheid fighters funeral. Since Thursday, nearly 3,000 mourners have filed through Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral before the simple pine casket containing Tutu's remains. Members of Tutu's family hugged and consoled each other as the coffin returned for the second and final day to lie in state while a band, which included a preschooler trumpeter, played in his honor. The archbishop's successor, Thabo Makgoba, waved a chalice of burning incense over the coffin before pallbearers, Anglican vicars, took the coffin from a silver Mercedes SUV hearse. They slowly walked up the stairs into the cathedral where Tutu had preached for a decade. The body will spend the night in the cathedral until the funeral, which will be presided over by President Cyril Ramaphosa. Tutu died peacefully Sunday at age 90. The funeral Tutu had carefully set down details for his funeral, insisting that his coffin be "the cheapest" available, and that it be adorned by a simple bunch of carnations. Mourners are being asked to donate money to his charitable foundations instead of sending flowers, and even the disposal of his remains is being conducted in an eco-friendly way. The dean of the cathedral, Michael Weeder, told AFP that Tutu had asked for "aquamation," a process that supporters say releases one-tenth of climate-altering carbon dioxide gases compared with traditional cremation. In aquamation, bodies are dissolved in a heated solution of water and alkali in a stainless steel vessel, leaving behind the bones, which are then turned to ash by cremation. The ashes are to be interred at the cathedral. The burial "might be Sunday," Weeder said in a text message, adding the "family will decide whether it will be private or open to others." 'Moral compass' Libane Serenji, an artist from Johannesburg, came to pay respects. He painted portraits of Tutu on a canvas and attached them to a tree outside the cathedral. He said it was fitting "to come all the way and paint ... because he played also a significant role in my life like everyone from Africa." Another mourner, Antonia Appels, had come from the capital, Pretoria, to stand in line. Tutu was a "moral compass" who had helped haul country out of the darkness of the apartheid era, she said. South Africa is marking a week of mourning for Tutu, with the country's multicolored flag flying at half-staff nationwide and ceremonies taking place every day. The cathedral's bells have been pealing in his memory for 10 minutes at midday. Tutu was for years the emblem of the struggle to end white-minority rule as Nelson Mandela and other leaders languished behind bars. After apartheid was dismantled and South Africa ushered in its first free elections in 1994, Tutu chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which exposed the horrors of the past in terrible detail. He would later speak out fearlessly against the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for corruption, incompetence and failures to tackle the country's AIDS epidemic. Weakened by advanced age and prostate cancer, Tutu had retired from public life in recent years. He is survived by his wife, Leah; four children; and several grand and great-grandchildren. London, Jan 1 : Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has confirmed three new positive COVID-19 cases in his squad but the number is not big enough to impact their visit to Chelsea on Sunday night. "We have three new COVID cases in the team and a few more in the staff, so 't's not so cool at the moment," Klopp said, confirming the new cases during his pre-match press conference on Friday. "I'm not [able to reveal the names] because we still have to make the whole processes, getting a proper PCR and all these kind of things, but you will see the day after tomorrow on the teamsheet. It will be pretty clear then who is affected or infec"ed," Klopp was quoted as saying by Liverpool's official website. Asked whether the situation could force Liverpool to seek a postponement of the fixture at Chelsea, Klopp replied: "Not yet, but we don't know. "We never had this kind of proper outbreak where 10, 15, 20 players had it, for us, it's more every day another one. Staff happens now more and more often, so as I said before it feels like a lottery in the morning when you stand there and you wait for the result. It was now pretty much day by day always one case - today another one. "We have to wait, the boys are not even in yet, so we have to wait. At this moment, probably not but we don't know how it will look in a few hours." Klopp declined to name the trio as they were still awaiting PCR test confirmations but those affected, plus Thiago Alcantara and Takumi Minamino, will be missing at Stamford Bridge. Thiago and Takumi were absent from the midweek clash with Leicester City due to muscle soreness. "I would say Taki is probably closer, he is running outside," said Klopp. "Thiago, not yet. It means for him, it might take a little bit longer. It's a hip issue which we don't have an idea where it's coming from, so we have to be a little bit patient with that." The match against title rivals Chelsea is a crucial one for Liverpool with leaders Manchester City threatening to pull away at the top of the table. IANS bsk Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) MANAGUA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday officially reopened its embassy in Nicaragua after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. The ceremony, held at the new location of the embassy in the capital Managua, was inaugurated by Yu Bo, representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada. In his speech, Yu said that the one-China principle is the consensus of the international community and a universally recognized norm governing international relations. It shows an overriding trend that represents international justice and enjoys popular support. Nicaragua's decision to resume diplomatic relations with China not only conforms to the historical trend and the trend of the times, but also fully serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries, said Yu. China welcomes the Nicaraguan side to actively participate in the Global Development Initiative and join the Belt and Road Initiative at an early date, said Yu, adding that China stands ready to work with Nicaragua and Latin American countries to build China-Latin America relations characterized by equality, mutual benefit, innovation, opening-up, and benefit for the people in a new era, and advance the joint building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future. For his part, Moncada expressed his gratitude to the Chinese leaders, government and people for a brotherly friendship with Nicaragua. He said the resumption of diplomatic ties between Nicaragua and China is supported by the overwhelming majority of the two peoples. Nicaragua will adhere to the one-China principle and join forces with China to move towards a new international order featuring multi-polarization, peace, social justice and equity as well as the realization of human development and progress, the foreign minister said. After the resumption of diplomatic ties, Nicaragua and China have entered a new stage of diplomacy, friendship and cooperative relations, in which the two sides will carry out cooperation in various fields such as trade, science and technology, education, health, culture and art, sports, media and information technology, Moncada added. Presidential Advisor Laureano Ortega Murillo said Nicaragua fully recognizes the Chinese values of people-oriented, solidarity and friendliness in China's realization of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, poverty alleviation and cooperation in fighting against COVID-19. The two sides will jointly formulate an agenda for developing Nicaragua-China ties, strengthen bilateral exchanges, enhance brotherhood and strengthen mutually beneficial relations, to take a path of common progress and development, he added. More than 200 people attended the ceremony, including the president of Nicaragua's National Assembly, central and local government officials, military and police officials, representatives of foreign missions and international organizations in Nicaragua, and representatives of Chinese companies and overseas Chinese in Nicaragua. On Dec. 10, China and Nicaragua signed the joint communique on the resumption of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Nicaragua. The two governments have decided to recognize each other and resume diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, effective from the date of signature of this communique. Enditem MANAGUA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday officially reopened its embassy in Nicaragua after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. The ceremony, held at the new location of the embassy in the capital Managua, was inaugurated by Yu Bo, representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada. In his speech, Yu said that the one-China principle is the consensus of the international community and a universally recognized norm governing international relations. It shows an overriding trend that represents international justice and enjoys popular support. Nicaragua's decision to resume diplomatic relations with China not only conforms to the historical trend and the trend of the times, but also fully serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries, said Yu. China welcomes the Nicaraguan side to actively participate in the Global Development Initiative and join the Belt and Road Initiative at an early date, said Yu, adding that China stands ready to work with Nicaragua and Latin American countries to build China-Latin America relations characterized by equality, mutual benefit, innovation, opening-up, and benefit for the people in a new era, and advance the joint building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future. For his part, Moncada expressed his gratitude to the Chinese leaders, government and people for a brotherly friendship with Nicaragua. He said the resumption of diplomatic ties between Nicaragua and China is supported by the overwhelming majority of the two peoples. Nicaragua will adhere to the one-China principle and join forces with China to move towards a new international order featuring multi-polarization, peace, social justice and equity as well as the realization of human development and progress, the foreign minister said. After the resumption of diplomatic ties, Nicaragua and China have entered a new stage of diplomacy, friendship and cooperative relations, in which the two sides will carry out cooperation in various fields such as trade, science and technology, education, health, culture and art, sports, media and information technology, Moncada added. Presidential Advisor Laureano Ortega Murillo said Nicaragua fully recognizes the Chinese values of people-oriented, solidarity and friendliness in China's realization of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, poverty alleviation and cooperation in fighting against COVID-19. The two sides will jointly formulate an agenda for developing Nicaragua-China ties, strengthen bilateral exchanges, enhance brotherhood and strengthen mutually beneficial relations, to take a path of common progress and development, he added. More than 200 people attended the ceremony, including the president of Nicaragua's National Assembly, central and local government officials, military and police officials, representatives of foreign missions and international organizations in Nicaragua, and representatives of Chinese companies and overseas Chinese in Nicaragua. On Dec. 10, China and Nicaragua signed the joint communique on the resumption of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Nicaragua. The two governments have decided to recognize each other and resume diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, effective from the date of signature of this communique. Enditem MANAGUA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday officially reopened its embassy in Nicaragua after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. The ceremony, held at the new location of the embassy in the capital Managua, was inaugurated by Yu Bo, representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada. In his speech, Yu said that the one-China principle is the consensus of the international community and a universally recognized norm governing international relations. It shows an overriding trend that represents international justice and enjoys popular support. Nicaragua's decision to resume diplomatic relations with China not only conforms to the historical trend and the trend of the times, but also fully serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries, said Yu. China welcomes the Nicaraguan side to actively participate in the Global Development Initiative and join the Belt and Road Initiative at an early date, said Yu, adding that China stands ready to work with Nicaragua and Latin American countries to build China-Latin America relations characterized by equality, mutual benefit, innovation, opening-up, and benefit for the people in a new era, and advance the joint building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future. For his part, Moncada expressed his gratitude to the Chinese leaders, government and people for a brotherly friendship with Nicaragua. He said the resumption of diplomatic ties between Nicaragua and China is supported by the overwhelming majority of the two peoples. Nicaragua will adhere to the one-China principle and join forces with China to move towards a new international order featuring multi-polarization, peace, social justice and equity as well as the realization of human development and progress, the foreign minister said. After the resumption of diplomatic ties, Nicaragua and China have entered a new stage of diplomacy, friendship and cooperative relations, in which the two sides will carry out cooperation in various fields such as trade, science and technology, education, health, culture and art, sports, media and information technology, Moncada added. Presidential Advisor Laureano Ortega Murillo said Nicaragua fully recognizes the Chinese values of people-oriented, solidarity and friendliness in China's realization of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, poverty alleviation and cooperation in fighting against COVID-19. The two sides will jointly formulate an agenda for developing Nicaragua-China ties, strengthen bilateral exchanges, enhance brotherhood and strengthen mutually beneficial relations, to take a path of common progress and development, he added. More than 200 people attended the ceremony, including the president of Nicaragua's National Assembly, central and local government officials, military and police officials, representatives of foreign missions and international organizations in Nicaragua, and representatives of Chinese companies and overseas Chinese in Nicaragua. On Dec. 10, China and Nicaragua signed the joint communique on the resumption of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Nicaragua. The two governments have decided to recognize each other and resume diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, effective from the date of signature of this communique. Enditem MANAGUA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday officially reopened its embassy in Nicaragua after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. The ceremony, held at the new location of the embassy in the capital Managua, was inaugurated by Yu Bo, representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada. In his speech, Yu said that the one-China principle is the consensus of the international community and a universally recognized norm governing international relations. It shows an overriding trend that represents international justice and enjoys popular support. Nicaragua's decision to resume diplomatic relations with China not only conforms to the historical trend and the trend of the times, but also fully serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries, said Yu. China welcomes the Nicaraguan side to actively participate in the Global Development Initiative and join the Belt and Road Initiative at an early date, said Yu, adding that China stands ready to work with Nicaragua and Latin American countries to build China-Latin America relations characterized by equality, mutual benefit, innovation, opening-up, and benefit for the people in a new era, and advance the joint building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future. For his part, Moncada expressed his gratitude to the Chinese leaders, government and people for a brotherly friendship with Nicaragua. He said the resumption of diplomatic ties between Nicaragua and China is supported by the overwhelming majority of the two peoples. Nicaragua will adhere to the one-China principle and join forces with China to move towards a new international order featuring multi-polarization, peace, social justice and equity as well as the realization of human development and progress, the foreign minister said. After the resumption of diplomatic ties, Nicaragua and China have entered a new stage of diplomacy, friendship and cooperative relations, in which the two sides will carry out cooperation in various fields such as trade, science and technology, education, health, culture and art, sports, media and information technology, Moncada added. Presidential Advisor Laureano Ortega Murillo said Nicaragua fully recognizes the Chinese values of people-oriented, solidarity and friendliness in China's realization of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, poverty alleviation and cooperation in fighting against COVID-19. The two sides will jointly formulate an agenda for developing Nicaragua-China ties, strengthen bilateral exchanges, enhance brotherhood and strengthen mutually beneficial relations, to take a path of common progress and development, he added. More than 200 people attended the ceremony, including the president of Nicaragua's National Assembly, central and local government officials, military and police officials, representatives of foreign missions and international organizations in Nicaragua, and representatives of Chinese companies and overseas Chinese in Nicaragua. On Dec. 10, China and Nicaragua signed the joint communique on the resumption of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Nicaragua. The two governments have decided to recognize each other and resume diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, effective from the date of signature of this communique. Enditem Maqbool Bhat has been given the title of 'shaheed' or 'martyr' in Pakistan. Maqbool Bhat was hanged in Tihar Jail in Delhi on February 11, 1984. He was the founder of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), which was instrumental in facilitating the early influx of jihadi terrorists in Kashmir. Maqbool Bhat was born into a peasant household on February 18, 1938 in Trehgam, a village, in Kupwara district. At a young age he was influenced by the Jamaat-e-Islami, which was active in South Kashmir. Later he crossed the border with his uncle Aziz Bhat and entered Pakistan. He was admitted to the Peshawar University where he completed his Masters in Urdu literature. During a meeting held by 'Mahaz Rai Shumari' or the Plebiscite Front on July 12, 1965 in Mirpur in Pakistan occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK), Maqbool Bhat proposed to raise arms against India. It was unanimously rejected. Later, on August 13, 1965, Maqbool Bhat formed a secret militant organisation and named it the 'National Liberation Movement'. It's initial meeting was held at the residence of Pakistani army officer Major Amar Ulla in Peshawar. This is the first link that establishes Bhat's links with the Pakistan Army. On June 10, 1965 Bhat along with his three companions -- Tahir Aurangzeb, Mir Ahmed and Kala Khan -- crossed over into the Indian territory of Jammu & Kashmir. Their aim was to recruit young men for terrorist operations in the Valley. My question is whether it was his individual will or a task handed over to him by the Pakistan Army. Later events that led to the infiltration of Jihadists whom the JKLF smuggled over from Pakistan and the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits that was conducted in January 1990 and still goes on, in which JKLF played a major part, tend to confirm my suspicion that Bhat was not acting alone during the 1960s, 70s and early part of the 80s. Thanks to a Kashmiri who had managed to infiltrate Bhat's inner circle, Bhat's hideout was busted and an encounter took place in which Tahir Aurangzeb and an Indian CID officer Amar Chand were killed. Bhat was arrested, tried for the murder of an Indian officer and on August 6, 1968 Bhat was sentenced to death by hanging. However, on December 2, 1968 Bhat along with his two accomplices managed to escape through a 38-foot long tunnel that they had dug out. Once out of prison Bhat reappears in Muzaffarabad in PoJK. The question is why did he head for Muzaffarabad if he was fighting for the 'liberation' of the whole state of Jammu and Kashmir? Obviously, he ignored the fact that it was Pakistan and not India who had caused the breakup of the state of J&K by conducting an attack on October 22, 1947. How could he not know this fact? This fundamental omission from his political road map creates suspicion about the whole affair of 'Azadi' and further confirms my doubt that he was acting on instructions of the Pakistan military. On January 30, 1971 an Indian airliner flying from Srinagar to Jammu was hijacked and forced to fly to Lahore airport. The hijackers are Hashim Qureshi, who now lives in Srinagar, and another person. They both claim Bhat to be their leader and say that they belong to the JKLF of which Bhat was now the supreme leader. Why did Pakistan not deliver them to India when the hijacking was over and Maqbool Bhat along with both hijackers were already in Pakistan's custody? And how, then, did Maqbool Bhat manage to cross the border and enter India for a second time? In 1976, Bhat was arrested in Srinagar while attempting to rob a bank. His previous death sentence was still valid and he made a clemency appeal to the then President of India Shri Giani Zail Singh. For 9 years no decision was taken regarding Bhat's clemency appeal. Then, on February 3, 1984 Indian diplomat Shri Ravindra Mhatre was kidnapped in Birmingham in England and a demand by an unknown organisation that called itself 'Kashmir Liberation Army' made demands to the Indian government for the release of Maqbool Bhat. However, on February 6 they executed Mhatre. Bhat was hanged five days later in the Tihar Jail in Delhi. Ever Since Maqbool Bhat has been hailed as a 'hero' by the stooges of the Pakistan military establishment and presented as the Che Guevara of Kashmir, which cements my doubts about him being a tiny, yet poisonous, proponent of the British sponsored Pakistani occupation of Jammu & Kashmir since October 22, 1947. (Dr Amjad Ayub Mirza is an author and a human rights activist from Mirpur in PoJK. He currently lives in exile in the UK.) Maqbool Bhat has been given the title of 'shaheed' or 'martyr' in Pakistan. Maqbool Bhat was hanged in Tihar Jail in Delhi on February 11, 1984. He was the founder of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), which was instrumental in facilitating the early influx of jihadi terrorists in Kashmir. Maqbool Bhat was born into a peasant household on February 18, 1938 in Trehgam, a village, in Kupwara district. At a young age he was influenced by the Jamaat-e-Islami, which was active in South Kashmir. Later he crossed the border with his uncle Aziz Bhat and entered Pakistan. He was admitted to the Peshawar University where he completed his Masters in Urdu literature. During a meeting held by 'Mahaz Rai Shumari' or the Plebiscite Front on July 12, 1965 in Mirpur in Pakistan occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK), Maqbool Bhat proposed to raise arms against India. It was unanimously rejected. Later, on August 13, 1965, Maqbool Bhat formed a secret militant organisation and named it the 'National Liberation Movement'. It's initial meeting was held at the residence of Pakistani army officer Major Amar Ulla in Peshawar. This is the first link that establishes Bhat's links with the Pakistan Army. On June 10, 1965 Bhat along with his three companions -- Tahir Aurangzeb, Mir Ahmed and Kala Khan -- crossed over into the Indian territory of Jammu & Kashmir. Their aim was to recruit young men for terrorist operations in the Valley. My question is whether it was his individual will or a task handed over to him by the Pakistan Army. Later events that led to the infiltration of Jihadists whom the JKLF smuggled over from Pakistan and the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits that was conducted in January 1990 and still goes on, in which JKLF played a major part, tend to confirm my suspicion that Bhat was not acting alone during the 1960s, 70s and early part of the 80s. Thanks to a Kashmiri who had managed to infiltrate Bhat's inner circle, Bhat's hideout was busted and an encounter took place in which Tahir Aurangzeb and an Indian CID officer Amar Chand were killed. Bhat was arrested, tried for the murder of an Indian officer and on August 6, 1968 Bhat was sentenced to death by hanging. However, on December 2, 1968 Bhat along with his two accomplices managed to escape through a 38-foot long tunnel that they had dug out. Once out of prison Bhat reappears in Muzaffarabad in PoJK. The question is why did he head for Muzaffarabad if he was fighting for the 'liberation' of the whole state of Jammu and Kashmir? Obviously, he ignored the fact that it was Pakistan and not India who had caused the breakup of the state of J&K by conducting an attack on October 22, 1947. How could he not know this fact? This fundamental omission from his political road map creates suspicion about the whole affair of 'Azadi' and further confirms my doubt that he was acting on instructions of the Pakistan military. On January 30, 1971 an Indian airliner flying from Srinagar to Jammu was hijacked and forced to fly to Lahore airport. The hijackers are Hashim Qureshi, who now lives in Srinagar, and another person. They both claim Bhat to be their leader and say that they belong to the JKLF of which Bhat was now the supreme leader. Why did Pakistan not deliver them to India when the hijacking was over and Maqbool Bhat along with both hijackers were already in Pakistan's custody? And how, then, did Maqbool Bhat manage to cross the border and enter India for a second time? In 1976, Bhat was arrested in Srinagar while attempting to rob a bank. His previous death sentence was still valid and he made a clemency appeal to the then President of India Shri Giani Zail Singh. For 9 years no decision was taken regarding Bhat's clemency appeal. Then, on February 3, 1984 Indian diplomat Shri Ravindra Mhatre was kidnapped in Birmingham in England and a demand by an unknown organisation that called itself 'Kashmir Liberation Army' made demands to the Indian government for the release of Maqbool Bhat. However, on February 6 they executed Mhatre. Bhat was hanged five days later in the Tihar Jail in Delhi. Ever Since Maqbool Bhat has been hailed as a 'hero' by the stooges of the Pakistan military establishment and presented as the Che Guevara of Kashmir, which cements my doubts about him being a tiny, yet poisonous, proponent of the British sponsored Pakistani occupation of Jammu & Kashmir since October 22, 1947. (Dr Amjad Ayub Mirza is an author and a human rights activist from Mirpur in PoJK. He currently lives in exile in the UK.) Erdogan will hold meeting on Russian 'Mir' cards and possible sanctions Iran demonstrates new long-range ballistic missiles for first time Two servicemen of Armenian Armed Forces are out of encirclement after 9 days Karekin II to meet today with Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan Trump: Conflict in Ukraine can lead to World War III Russia's budget deficit in 2022 will amount to 1.3 trillion rubles One of Armenia civilians wounded in recent Azerbaijan military aggression dies France says it will continue helping Ukraine with arms UN Armenia office team visits Gegharkunik Province communities affected by Azerbaijan shootings (PHOTOS) Dollar increases slightly, euro drops considerably in Armenia Armenia ombudswoman briefs EU envoy on closed part of her ad hoc report on recent Azerbaijan attack State assistance being provided to Armenia brandy businesses to be extended by one year Bloomberg: UK intends to sign agreement on LNG supplies from U.S. for up to 20 years China's former justice minister sentenced to death Jermuk: Changes in Jermuk resort town after Azerbaijani attack (photo report) Jermuk-Yerevan-Jermuk shuttle service already operating Armenian Genocide Memorials Memory Ally area to be expanded Biden to Pashinyan: We remain committed to promote peaceful resolution to conflict, including for people of Karabakh Internal investigation underway into police actions at Yerevan military pantheon on Independence Day anniversary Aggression-affected IDPs from Gegharkunik, Syunik and Vayots Dzor to be provided with financial assistance Peskov declines to comment on his son's refusal to report to military registration and enlistment office Belgian parliamentary delegation visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Missing, captured Armenian civilians families to get financial support for another month Turkish lira hits new historic low Peskov comments on reports of agitation at airports and checkpoints Russia air carrier to conduct additional flights to Armenia, Turkey Kazakhstan parliament passes law to exclude Day of First President from state holidays US Congressman Schiff: These atrocities will continue until international community condemns Aliyev Jim Costa talks Azerbaijani attack on Armenia: It was an attack on sovereign territory Greece official: Azerbaijan war against Armenia not on newspapers front pages as it is in Ukraine case Senator: the U.S. must stop providing security assistance to Azerbaijan Armenia, Finland FMs discuss Karabakh conflict settlement process CSTO Secretary General, Armenia army chief discuss situation on border with Azerbaijan Moscow agrees to appointing Lynne Tracy as new US envoy to Russia Armenia FM to Red Cross president: Azerbaijan crimes impunity makes aggressor more reckless (PHOTOS) Greece politician condemns Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia Iran, Russia and China to hold joint naval drills Iran army chief: We will not allow changes in borders in region Parliament speaker: We 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political teammates not to do anything drastic regarding topic of Armenia leaving CSTO Bulgaria gets closer to buying the second batch of eight new F-16s Armenia FM to Sweden counterpart: International community must restrain Azerbaijan military aggression FM briefs Nicaragua colleague on consequences of Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia 2 of 3 injured in Yerevan market damaged building collapse discharged from hospital Britain decides to revise its defense and security plan Iranian parliament says border violation due to aggravation between Armenia and Azerbaijan unacceptable Pashinyan leaves for New York Biden not to restrict imports of neodymium magnets from China No threat to life of serviceman wounded by Azerbaijani Armed Forces shelling EU's desire for independence from Russian gas will lead to slowdown of economy, rising inflation and fall of euro Biden to release 10 million barrels of oil ahead of EU ban on Russian oil Earthquake in Iran felt in Armenia Armenian Defense Ministry: Azerbaijan opens fire at Armenian positions, one wounded EU begins to develop new sanctions against Russia Canada is committed to further deepening bilateral relations and supporting strengthening of democracy in Armenia MEPs investigating use of spyware by EU governments criticize Poland and Israel Union of Armenians of Russia plans to send help to Armenia, Ara Abrahamyan holds meetings with Russian leadership Armenian FM meets with USAID Director Germany, Slovenia sign agreement for Slovenia to send 28 Soviet tanks to Ukraine Azerbaijani president makes aggressive statements about Armenia Greece extends subsidies for energy bills ahead of 'winter battle' Iset Tower in Yekaterinburg is painted in colors of Armenian flag NEWS.am digest: Azerbaijan violates ceasefire, Russia announces mobilization U.S. supports increasing number of permanent and non-permanent members of UN Security Council Biden accuses Russia of violating basic principles of UN membership Germany nationalizes energy giant Uniper CSTO foreign ministers hold working meeting under coordination of Armenian foreign minister European governments spend half trillion euros to fight energy crisis Cavusoglu: Announcement of partial mobilization in Russia is indicator of situation's seriousness Ebrahim Raisi: Iran is ready for comprehensive deepening of relations with Armenia, using common historical border 3 people hospitalized in Yerevan amid collapse of Surmalu shopping center's building subject to demolition NATO should view Beijing as a security threat Is West starting to insist on opening of so-called Zangezur corridor? Forest fire breaks out and fire helicopter crashes in Turkish city of Marmaris Wall of building subject to demolition collapses on territory of burnt-out Surmalu shopping center Queen of Denmark tests positive for COVID-19 after Elizabeth II's funeral Price of air ticket from Moscow to Yerevan is approaching $5,000 NATO Secretary General: Partial mobilization in Russia will lead to escalation of conflict Bloomberg: Qatar wants to supply energy to Europe under long-term contracts Yeghishe Kirakosyan tells US Congress about war crimes committed by Azerbaijanis Putin's speech sends pound to new 37-year low Ombudswoman has interview with Italys TEMPI periodical, speaks about Armenian soldiers torture by Azerbaijan Israeli PM meets Turkish President for first time in 14 years Xi Jinping calls for focus on preparing for wars Armenia has 1 wounded after Tuesdays shootings by Azerbaijan toward Srashen village Turkey supplies 20 attack UAVs to UAE UN recommends its staff to give up Russian helicopters South Africans took their last opportunity to pay their respects to Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Friday, the eve of the revered anti-apartheid fighters funeral. Since Thursday, nearly 3,000 mourners have filed through Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral before the simple pine casket containing Tutu's remains. Members of Tutu's family hugged and consoled each other as the coffin returned for the second and final day to lie in state while a band, which included a preschooler trumpeter, played in his honor. The archbishop's successor, Thabo Makgoba, waved a chalice of burning incense over the coffin before pallbearers, Anglican vicars, took the coffin from a silver Mercedes SUV hearse. They slowly walked up the stairs into the cathedral where Tutu had preached for a decade. The body will spend the night in the cathedral until the funeral, which will be presided over by President Cyril Ramaphosa. Tutu died peacefully Sunday at age 90. The funeral Tutu had carefully set down details for his funeral, insisting that his coffin be "the cheapest" available, and that it be adorned by a simple bunch of carnations. Mourners are being asked to donate money to his charitable foundations instead of sending flowers, and even the disposal of his remains is being conducted in an eco-friendly way. The dean of the cathedral, Michael Weeder, told AFP that Tutu had asked for "aquamation," a process that supporters say releases one-tenth of climate-altering carbon dioxide gases compared with traditional cremation. In aquamation, bodies are dissolved in a heated solution of water and alkali in a stainless steel vessel, leaving behind the bones, which are then turned to ash by cremation. The ashes are to be interred at the cathedral. The burial "might be Sunday," Weeder said in a text message, adding the "family will decide whether it will be private or open to others." 'Moral compass' Libane Serenji, an artist from Johannesburg, came to pay respects. He painted portraits of Tutu on a canvas and attached them to a tree outside the cathedral. He said it was fitting "to come all the way and paint ... because he played also a significant role in my life like everyone from Africa." Another mourner, Antonia Appels, had come from the capital, Pretoria, to stand in line. Tutu was a "moral compass" who had helped haul country out of the darkness of the apartheid era, she said. South Africa is marking a week of mourning for Tutu, with the country's multicolored flag flying at half-staff nationwide and ceremonies taking place every day. The cathedral's bells have been pealing in his memory for 10 minutes at midday. Tutu was for years the emblem of the struggle to end white-minority rule as Nelson Mandela and other leaders languished behind bars. After apartheid was dismantled and South Africa ushered in its first free elections in 1994, Tutu chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which exposed the horrors of the past in terrible detail. He would later speak out fearlessly against the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for corruption, incompetence and failures to tackle the country's AIDS epidemic. Weakened by advanced age and prostate cancer, Tutu had retired from public life in recent years. He is survived by his wife, Leah; four children; and several grand and great-grandchildren. NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- A six-minute performance featuring Chinese Kung Fu and Chinese folk dances amazed thousands of people at New York City (NYC)'s Times Square Friday night by kicking off one of the most famous New Year's Eve countdowns around the globe. Co-organized by the Sino-American Friendship Association and the Times Square Alliance, the performance brought traditional Chinese culture alive with flowing moves of Taijiquan blending firmness with softness, the magnificence of Shaolin Kung Fu and the charm of the fan dance. "The martial art also looks like a dance, so it's cool," Victoria Christensen, 19, who had traveled from the U.S. state of Nebraska, told Xinhua, after watching the show. "The martial art demonstration was great, and the dancing was my favorite," said Adela Magallanes, a reveler from the U.S. state of California, who had traveled to New York with her husband specifically for the New Year's Eve celebration. Magallanes, a pharmacy technician who works with a lot of Chinese people and also a fan of Chinese desserts, said the cultural elements at the event help her understand more about China. Chinese Consul General in New York Huang Ping, who made brief remarks before the show, wished everyone a happy new year both in English and Chinese. Huang said that he sincerely invites the world to visit China and enjoy the splendid landscapes and rich culture. A video on various LED screens atop the square displayed the scenery of China such as the Songshan Mountain, the archaeological site of Yin Xu, and Longmen Grottoes, in central China's Henan Province, as well as the Yellow River. The hours-long event culminated in the 60-second countdown to the new year. Cheers and confetti filled the square when the traditional midnight drop of a multi-colored crystal ball signaled the start of 2022. The history of New Year's Eve countdown at Times Square goes back more than 100 years. After banning visitors from the event a year ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Big Apple rang in 2022 with a scaled-back bash as COVID-19 infections continue to surge in the city and around the nation. A 15,000-person cap on Friday night's event was well short of the 58,000 people who typically attend. New York City reported a record number of almost 44,000 new confirmed cases on Thursday, according to New York state figures. The current seven-day average daily increase of cases in the United States reached more than 316,000, a 293.4-percent spike from a month ago, fueled by a rapid spread of the Omicron variant, showed latest statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Peace, health and happiness for the world, no more Covid, said Magallanes, sharing with Xinhua her new year's wishes. New York City's new mayor, Eric Adams, took the oath of office in Times Square early Saturday shortly after the ball dropped. He detailed a six-pillar plan for battling COVID-19 to start 2022 on Thursday. Enditem Across the country, workers were steeling themselves for months of disruptions to come. Ive been working through most of the pandemic, and I hadnt tested positive before Omicron, said Amelia Smoak, 29, who works at a restaurant and bar in Manhattans East Village neighborhood. She is fully vaccinated but recently recovered from a mild case of Covid. She added that business has gotten far slower as case counts rise: Tips have been stable, but head count went down drastically. Scientists are projecting that the countrys sharp increase in cases will crest by the middle of January. But much about the new variant remains uncertain, and experts remain worried that hospitals might be overwhelmed. The number of cases in New York continues to rise steeply, yet city school officials have vowed to keep schools open, embracing increased testing as an alternative to closing classrooms. Schools in Chicago, Washington and most other major cities have announced they also plan to reopen this week, many with increased testing regimens. But some districts including public schools in Cleveland; Prince Georges County, Md., a suburb of Washington, D.C.; Newark, N.J.; Mt. Vernon, N.Y.; and Jersey City, N.J. will transition to remote learning for one week or more in January. In Chicago, where businesses have remained open as cases have spiked to their highest levels of the pandemic, public school leaders said they planned to return to class as scheduled on Monday despite concerns from the citys powerful teachers union about safety precautions. If they shut down the restaurants, they shut down all the events, every component of the city and state, then hey, Im not going to put my families at risk, Im not going to force them to take their children to school, said Pedro Martinez, the chief executive of Chicago Public Schools. He added: But short of that, what is the logic of thinking that somehow shutting down schools is going to help this pandemic? I dont see the logic. Across the country, workers were steeling themselves for months of disruptions to come. Ive been working through most of the pandemic, and I hadnt tested positive before Omicron, said Amelia Smoak, 29, who works at a restaurant and bar in Manhattans East Village neighborhood. She is fully vaccinated but recently recovered from a mild case of Covid. She added that business has gotten far slower as case counts rise: Tips have been stable, but head count went down drastically. Scientists are projecting that the countrys sharp increase in cases will crest by the middle of January. But much about the new variant remains uncertain, and experts remain worried that hospitals might be overwhelmed. The number of cases in New York continues to rise steeply, yet city school officials have vowed to keep schools open, embracing increased testing as an alternative to closing classrooms. Schools in Chicago, Washington and most other major cities have announced they also plan to reopen this week, many with increased testing regimens. But some districts including public schools in Cleveland; Prince Georges County, Md., a suburb of Washington, D.C.; Newark, N.J.; Mt. Vernon, N.Y.; and Jersey City, N.J. will transition to remote learning for one week or more in January. In Chicago, where businesses have remained open as cases have spiked to their highest levels of the pandemic, public school leaders said they planned to return to class as scheduled on Monday despite concerns from the citys powerful teachers union about safety precautions. If they shut down the restaurants, they shut down all the events, every component of the city and state, then hey, Im not going to put my families at risk, Im not going to force them to take their children to school, said Pedro Martinez, the chief executive of Chicago Public Schools. He added: But short of that, what is the logic of thinking that somehow shutting down schools is going to help this pandemic? I dont see the logic. Across the country, workers were steeling themselves for months of disruptions to come. Ive been working through most of the pandemic, and I hadnt tested positive before Omicron, said Amelia Smoak, 29, who works at a restaurant and bar in Manhattans East Village neighborhood. She is fully vaccinated but recently recovered from a mild case of Covid. She added that business has gotten far slower as case counts rise: Tips have been stable, but head count went down drastically. Scientists are projecting that the countrys sharp increase in cases will crest by the middle of January. But much about the new variant remains uncertain, and experts remain worried that hospitals might be overwhelmed. The number of cases in New York continues to rise steeply, yet city school officials have vowed to keep schools open, embracing increased testing as an alternative to closing classrooms. Schools in Chicago, Washington and most other major cities have announced they also plan to reopen this week, many with increased testing regimens. But some districts including public schools in Cleveland; Prince Georges County, Md., a suburb of Washington, D.C.; Newark, N.J.; Mt. Vernon, N.Y.; and Jersey City, N.J. will transition to remote learning for one week or more in January. In Chicago, where businesses have remained open as cases have spiked to their highest levels of the pandemic, public school leaders said they planned to return to class as scheduled on Monday despite concerns from the citys powerful teachers union about safety precautions. If they shut down the restaurants, they shut down all the events, every component of the city and state, then hey, Im not going to put my families at risk, Im not going to force them to take their children to school, said Pedro Martinez, the chief executive of Chicago Public Schools. He added: But short of that, what is the logic of thinking that somehow shutting down schools is going to help this pandemic? I dont see the logic. Across the country, workers were steeling themselves for months of disruptions to come. Ive been working through most of the pandemic, and I hadnt tested positive before Omicron, said Amelia Smoak, 29, who works at a restaurant and bar in Manhattans East Village neighborhood. She is fully vaccinated but recently recovered from a mild case of Covid. She added that business has gotten far slower as case counts rise: Tips have been stable, but head count went down drastically. Scientists are projecting that the countrys sharp increase in cases will crest by the middle of January. But much about the new variant remains uncertain, and experts remain worried that hospitals might be overwhelmed. The number of cases in New York continues to rise steeply, yet city school officials have vowed to keep schools open, embracing increased testing as an alternative to closing classrooms. Schools in Chicago, Washington and most other major cities have announced they also plan to reopen this week, many with increased testing regimens. But some districts including public schools in Cleveland; Prince Georges County, Md., a suburb of Washington, D.C.; Newark, N.J.; Mt. Vernon, N.Y.; and Jersey City, N.J. will transition to remote learning for one week or more in January. In Chicago, where businesses have remained open as cases have spiked to their highest levels of the pandemic, public school leaders said they planned to return to class as scheduled on Monday despite concerns from the citys powerful teachers union about safety precautions. If they shut down the restaurants, they shut down all the events, every component of the city and state, then hey, Im not going to put my families at risk, Im not going to force them to take their children to school, said Pedro Martinez, the chief executive of Chicago Public Schools. He added: But short of that, what is the logic of thinking that somehow shutting down schools is going to help this pandemic? I dont see the logic. Across the country, workers were steeling themselves for months of disruptions to come. Ive been working through most of the pandemic, and I hadnt tested positive before Omicron, said Amelia Smoak, 29, who works at a restaurant and bar in Manhattans East Village neighborhood. She is fully vaccinated but recently recovered from a mild case of Covid. She added that business has gotten far slower as case counts rise: Tips have been stable, but head count went down drastically. Scientists are projecting that the countrys sharp increase in cases will crest by the middle of January. But much about the new variant remains uncertain, and experts remain worried that hospitals might be overwhelmed. The number of cases in New York continues to rise steeply, yet city school officials have vowed to keep schools open, embracing increased testing as an alternative to closing classrooms. Schools in Chicago, Washington and most other major cities have announced they also plan to reopen this week, many with increased testing regimens. But some districts including public schools in Cleveland; Prince Georges County, Md., a suburb of Washington, D.C.; Newark, N.J.; Mt. Vernon, N.Y.; and Jersey City, N.J. will transition to remote learning for one week or more in January. In Chicago, where businesses have remained open as cases have spiked to their highest levels of the pandemic, public school leaders said they planned to return to class as scheduled on Monday despite concerns from the citys powerful teachers union about safety precautions. If they shut down the restaurants, they shut down all the events, every component of the city and state, then hey, Im not going to put my families at risk, Im not going to force them to take their children to school, said Pedro Martinez, the chief executive of Chicago Public Schools. He added: But short of that, what is the logic of thinking that somehow shutting down schools is going to help this pandemic? I dont see the logic. Dozens of civilians have been reportedly killed over the past week in a barrage of air strikes in Ethiopia's northernmost Tigray region - the highest casualties recorded since October. Last week, the Ethiopian government said that its troops would not advance further into Tigray, signalling a potential pause in fighting even as Tigrayan rebels accuse the military of carrying out several air strikes in the region this month. The claims by the Tigray People's Liberation Front rebel group could not be independently confirmed. On Thursday, the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that air strikes between 19th to 24th December had "reportedly led to mass civilian casualties, including dozens of people reportedly killed, making this the most intense series of air attacks and casualties reported since October." According to OCHA, the strikes reportedly hit several towns across southern Tigray, with one destroying an electrical substation in the regional capital Mekele. 'Tense and unpredictble" The agency added "Due to limited access and insecurity in the area, humanitarian partners could not verify the exact number of casualties yet." The TPLF announced a retreat to Tigray last week, marking a turning point in the war which has left thousands of people dead and pushed many more into famine. OCHA said the situation in northern Ethiopia remains "tense and unpredictable" with aid workers struggling to get crucial supplies to those in need. "No trucks with humanitarian aid cargo have entered Tigray since 14 December," the agency said, citing security issues. The fighting in Africa's second most populous nation has displaced more than two million people and more than nine million are in need of food aid, according to UN estimates. The war broke out in November last year when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray to topple the TPLF, accusing its fighters of attacking army camps. A swift victory was elusive, as the TPLF mounted a shock counter-attack, recapturing most of Tigray by June before advancing into neighbouring Afar and Amhara. Across the country, workers were steeling themselves for months of disruptions to come. Ive been working through most of the pandemic, and I hadnt tested positive before Omicron, said Amelia Smoak, 29, who works at a restaurant and bar in Manhattans East Village neighborhood. She is fully vaccinated but recently recovered from a mild case of Covid. She added that business has gotten far slower as case counts rise: Tips have been stable, but head count went down drastically. Scientists are projecting that the countrys sharp increase in cases will crest by the middle of January. But much about the new variant remains uncertain, and experts remain worried that hospitals might be overwhelmed. The number of cases in New York continues to rise steeply, yet city school officials have vowed to keep schools open, embracing increased testing as an alternative to closing classrooms. Schools in Chicago, Washington and most other major cities have announced they also plan to reopen this week, many with increased testing regimens. But some districts including public schools in Cleveland; Prince Georges County, Md., a suburb of Washington, D.C.; Newark, N.J.; Mt. Vernon, N.Y.; and Jersey City, N.J. will transition to remote learning for one week or more in January. In Chicago, where businesses have remained open as cases have spiked to their highest levels of the pandemic, public school leaders said they planned to return to class as scheduled on Monday despite concerns from the citys powerful teachers union about safety precautions. If they shut down the restaurants, they shut down all the events, every component of the city and state, then hey, Im not going to put my families at risk, Im not going to force them to take their children to school, said Pedro Martinez, the chief executive of Chicago Public Schools. He added: But short of that, what is the logic of thinking that somehow shutting down schools is going to help this pandemic? I dont see the logic. Taking to her Instagram handle, Kareena shared a still of the late actor from her 1985 much-loved sitcom 'The Golden Girls'. The picture also captures White's late co-actors Bea Arthur and Rue McClanahan. Sharing the picture, Bebo wrote, "The Golden Girl Forever. Betty White," with a red heart emoticon. Many other celebrities from across the globe and political leaders mourned the demise of the icon, who passed away at the age of 99. White "died peacefully in her sleep at her home early this morning," her agent and close friend Jeff Witjas told People magazine on Friday afternoon. The Emmy Award-winning actor, who was born in 1922, would have turned 100 on January 17 this year. She was widely known for her lead role as Rose Nylund in 'The Golden Girls', which ran from 1985 to 1992. Moreover, White won five primetime Emmy Awards -- including two for 'Mary Tyler Moore,' one for 'Golden Girls' and one for her 1975 'SNL' appearance -- along with Screen Actors Guild Awards, American Comedy Awards and even a 2012 Grammy. (ANI) This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's rice export to China surpassed 300,000 tons for the first time in 2021, marking another historic milestone in the rice sector between the two countries, according to a report from the China Certification & Inspection Group (CCIC)'s Cambodia branch on Saturday. The southeast Asian nation exported 306,222 tons of milled rice to China last year, an increase of 22.8 percent from 249,322 tons in a year earlier, Chen Qisheng, general manager of CCIC's Cambodia branch said. Chen said the growth has subsequently increased from about 5,000 tons in 2012 to more than 300,000 tons last year, the highest first time ever in a year. "With strong support from China, Cambodia's rice production and processing industry has made great progress," he told Xinhua. Chen said apart from rice, Cambodia first exported fresh bananas and fresh mangoes to China in 2019 and 2021, respectively, and the two countries have been working together to enable the export of Cambodian longan fruit to China in the near future. As the China-Cambodia Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) entered into force on Saturday, Chen believed that the two pacts will further boost Cambodia's socio-economic development, especially the development of agriculture. "These agreements will provide tremendous benefits to import and export enterprises in Cambodia, especially the agricultural ones," he said. "With the two agreements, in addition to the export to China, Cambodia's high-quality agricultural products such as rice, bananas, mangoes, fragrant coconuts, and cashews can also be exported to Japan, South Korea, Singapore, etc., which will effectively promote enterprises to improve efficiency and sustainable development," Chen added. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's rice export to China surpassed 300,000 tons for the first time in 2021, marking another historic milestone in the rice sector between the two countries, according to a report from the China Certification & Inspection Group (CCIC)'s Cambodia branch on Saturday. The southeast Asian nation exported 306,222 tons of milled rice to China last year, an increase of 22.8 percent from 249,322 tons in a year earlier, Chen Qisheng, general manager of CCIC's Cambodia branch said. Chen said the growth has subsequently increased from about 5,000 tons in 2012 to more than 300,000 tons last year, the highest first time ever in a year. "With strong support from China, Cambodia's rice production and processing industry has made great progress," he told Xinhua. Chen said apart from rice, Cambodia first exported fresh bananas and fresh mangoes to China in 2019 and 2021, respectively, and the two countries have been working together to enable the export of Cambodian longan fruit to China in the near future. As the China-Cambodia Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) entered into force on Saturday, Chen believed that the two pacts will further boost Cambodia's socio-economic development, especially the development of agriculture. "These agreements will provide tremendous benefits to import and export enterprises in Cambodia, especially the agricultural ones," he said. "With the two agreements, in addition to the export to China, Cambodia's high-quality agricultural products such as rice, bananas, mangoes, fragrant coconuts, and cashews can also be exported to Japan, South Korea, Singapore, etc., which will effectively promote enterprises to improve efficiency and sustainable development," Chen added. Enditem Dozens of civilians have been reportedly killed over the past week in a barrage of air strikes in Ethiopia's northernmost Tigray region - the highest casualties recorded since October. Last week, the Ethiopian government said that its troops would not advance further into Tigray, signalling a potential pause in fighting even as Tigrayan rebels accuse the military of carrying out several air strikes in the region this month. The claims by the Tigray People's Liberation Front rebel group could not be independently confirmed. On Thursday, the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that air strikes between 19th to 24th December had "reportedly led to mass civilian casualties, including dozens of people reportedly killed, making this the most intense series of air attacks and casualties reported since October." According to OCHA, the strikes reportedly hit several towns across southern Tigray, with one destroying an electrical substation in the regional capital Mekele. 'Tense and unpredictble" The agency added "Due to limited access and insecurity in the area, humanitarian partners could not verify the exact number of casualties yet." The TPLF announced a retreat to Tigray last week, marking a turning point in the war which has left thousands of people dead and pushed many more into famine. OCHA said the situation in northern Ethiopia remains "tense and unpredictable" with aid workers struggling to get crucial supplies to those in need. "No trucks with humanitarian aid cargo have entered Tigray since 14 December," the agency said, citing security issues. The fighting in Africa's second most populous nation has displaced more than two million people and more than nine million are in need of food aid, according to UN estimates. The war broke out in November last year when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray to topple the TPLF, accusing its fighters of attacking army camps. A swift victory was elusive, as the TPLF mounted a shock counter-attack, recapturing most of Tigray by June before advancing into neighbouring Afar and Amhara. PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's rice export to China surpassed 300,000 tons for the first time in 2021, marking another historic milestone in the rice sector between the two countries, according to a report from the China Certification & Inspection Group (CCIC)'s Cambodia branch on Saturday. The southeast Asian nation exported 306,222 tons of milled rice to China last year, an increase of 22.8 percent from 249,322 tons in a year earlier, Chen Qisheng, general manager of CCIC's Cambodia branch said. Chen said the growth has subsequently increased from about 5,000 tons in 2012 to more than 300,000 tons last year, the highest first time ever in a year. "With strong support from China, Cambodia's rice production and processing industry has made great progress," he told Xinhua. Chen said apart from rice, Cambodia first exported fresh bananas and fresh mangoes to China in 2019 and 2021, respectively, and the two countries have been working together to enable the export of Cambodian longan fruit to China in the near future. As the China-Cambodia Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) entered into force on Saturday, Chen believed that the two pacts will further boost Cambodia's socio-economic development, especially the development of agriculture. "These agreements will provide tremendous benefits to import and export enterprises in Cambodia, especially the agricultural ones," he said. "With the two agreements, in addition to the export to China, Cambodia's high-quality agricultural products such as rice, bananas, mangoes, fragrant coconuts, and cashews can also be exported to Japan, South Korea, Singapore, etc., which will effectively promote enterprises to improve efficiency and sustainable development," Chen added. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's rice export to China surpassed 300,000 tons for the first time in 2021, marking another historic milestone in the rice sector between the two countries, according to a report from the China Certification & Inspection Group (CCIC)'s Cambodia branch on Saturday. The southeast Asian nation exported 306,222 tons of milled rice to China last year, an increase of 22.8 percent from 249,322 tons in a year earlier, Chen Qisheng, general manager of CCIC's Cambodia branch said. Chen said the growth has subsequently increased from about 5,000 tons in 2012 to more than 300,000 tons last year, the highest first time ever in a year. "With strong support from China, Cambodia's rice production and processing industry has made great progress," he told Xinhua. Chen said apart from rice, Cambodia first exported fresh bananas and fresh mangoes to China in 2019 and 2021, respectively, and the two countries have been working together to enable the export of Cambodian longan fruit to China in the near future. As the China-Cambodia Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) entered into force on Saturday, Chen believed that the two pacts will further boost Cambodia's socio-economic development, especially the development of agriculture. "These agreements will provide tremendous benefits to import and export enterprises in Cambodia, especially the agricultural ones," he said. "With the two agreements, in addition to the export to China, Cambodia's high-quality agricultural products such as rice, bananas, mangoes, fragrant coconuts, and cashews can also be exported to Japan, South Korea, Singapore, etc., which will effectively promote enterprises to improve efficiency and sustainable development," Chen added. Enditem By Trend From January 1, the salaries of employees of the Presidential Security Service have been increased, Trend reports. According to a decree signed by President Ilham Aliyev, to the monthly official salaries of active military servicemen of the Presidential Security Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan (with the exception of military personnel of active active military service), a supplement is established in the amount of 20 percent of this salary. The monthly official (tariff) salaries of civil workers of the Presidential Security Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan, who are not state employees, increase by an average of 20 percent. This Decree came into force on January 1, 2022. As world leaders rely on public health specialists to inform their decisions about whether and how to vaccinate children against the coronavirus, Brazil's government is asking the online public for guidance. In recent weeks, President Jair Bolsonaro has staked out a position against immunizing kids aged between 5 and 11, and his administration took the unusual step of creating a platform that could validate a stance that is widely opposed by experts. Since his government on Dec. 23 unveiled its online questionnaire on the issue, the president's supporters have been highly engaged on messaging apps trying to pressure parents to swing the results. One widely shared post Wednesday on the Telegram group Bolsonaro Army, which has about 37,000 members, said the vaccine is experimental and suggested that receiving shots could be more harmful than getting infected, although several studies have shown the opposite is true. It also included a link to the governments survey, which other people were posting along with instructions to relay to friends and family. The rally for resistance resembles online behavior observed earlier this month, which catapulted Bolsonaro to the top of the heap in TIME magazines readers poll for Person of the Year , David Nemer, an expert on Brazils far-right groups on messaging apps, told The Associated Press. Bolsonaro garnered about one-quarter of the more than 9 million votes nearly triple that of the runner-up, former U.S. President Donald Trump. The magazine's editors instead chose Elon Musk as 2021 Person of the Year. This time, however, online efforts are aimed at something far more significant than bestowing an honorific on the president. The survey, which concludes Jan. 2, stands to shape vaccination policy in Latin Americas most populous nation, home to 20 million kids aged 5 to 11. Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga has said they will soon be eligible for vaccination, but survey results will help determine guidelines including whether shots could only be administered with parental consent and a doctors prescription. This is a tool of democracy, it widens the discussion on the topic and it will bring more ease for parents so they can take their children to immunize against COVID-19, Queiroga said Wednesday. Health experts, for their part, are aghast. Some Brazilian states health secretariats have already pledged to ignore any health ministry guidelines on childhood vaccination if based on the public consultation. Gonzalo Vecina, founder and director of Brazils health regulator between 1999 and 2003, says public consultation on vaccines is unprecedented. Bolsonaro is against the vaccine and his employee, the health minister, believes that health is a matter of public opinion. It is a spurious and nonsensical approach, Vecina told the AP. If only deniers send their opinion in the public consultation, is the government going to say that the vaccine doesn't have to be used? Denialism from the top in Brazil is a bit of deja vu. Even as COVID-19 exploded, driving the nation's death toll to the second highest in the world, Bolsonaro spent months sowing doubts about vaccines and was obstinate in his refusal to get a shot. He has cited the fact he contracted the coronavirus in 2020 to claim, incorrectly, that he is already immune, and routinely characterizes vaccination as an issue of personal choice rather than a means for ensuring the common good. So when Brazils health regulator authorized use of Pfizer's shot for children on Dec. 16, Bolsonaro was stunned. Kids are something very serious, he said the same night in his weekly live broadcast on social media. We dont know about possible adverse future effects. Its unbelievable Im sorry what the agency did. Unbelievable. A study released Thursday by U.S. health authorities confirmed that serious side effects from the Pfizer vaccine in children ages 5 to 11 are rare. The findings were based on approximately 8 million doses dispensed to youngsters in that age group. Bolsonaro added that he would name and expose the public servants who issued the approval, prompting a union representing health agency workers to express concern about online abuse or even physical attacks. Despite fervent support among his base, Bolsonaros anti-vaccine stance hasnt gained as much traction in Brazil which has a proud history of inoculation campaigns as in the U.S. More than two-thirds of Brazilians are fully vaccinated, as compared to 63% in the U.S., according to Johns Hopkins University's vaccination tracker , though American children have been eligible for shots since early November. In neighboring Argentina, the government has allowed kids 12 years and older to be vaccinated since August, and more recently began giving shots to children as young as 3. In the face of subsequent criticism, the nations health ministry cited the recommendation of the nations association of pediatricians. In Chile, two-thirds of kids aged between 3 and 17 have already received both their shots, after the nations health regulator analyzed an immunization study of 100 million children. For the time being, Mexico isnt vaccinating children except those 12 years or older with illnesses that put them at greater risk. Mexicos point man for the pandemic, Hugo Lopez-Gatell, said Tuesday the World Health Organization hasnt recommended vaccinating children aged 5 to 11, and that countries with ample vaccine coverage, like Mexico, shouldnt vaccinate kids until developing nations with limited coverage can raise their adult vaccination rates. In Brazil, Mauro Paulino, general director of prominent pollster Datafolha, said one problem with the Bolsonaro government's survey is the way questions are framed, repeatedly asking interviewees, Do you agree that...? Such failure to present questions neutrally can induce responses. Datafolha always gives the two possible alternatives: whether the interviewee agrees or disagrees with the statement, he said. "Both sides of the question are necessary." Bolsonaro told supporters on Tuesday that pressure to inoculate kids stems from the vaccine lobby a veiled reference to pharmaceutical companies. Many Bolsonaro supporters the next day were sharing a post from the Telegram group Doctors for life, which has more than 60,000 followers and frequently echoes the presidents unscientific COVID-19 advice. One Telegram post with more than 200,000 shares said no child should be a guinea pig for the pharmaceutical industry. Tens of millions of doses have been administered to children around the world, with rare serious side effects. While few children die from COVID-19, vaccinating them can minimize the virus spread in society. Bolsonaro also said this week he won't allow the vaccination of his 11-year-old daughter. Meantime, his wife and politician sons received their shots, along with at least 16 of his 22 ministers including Health Minister Queiroga. Politicians from the party Bolsonaro joined to run for re-election in 2022 have advocated not only for vaccination, but also requiring proof of vaccination to enter certain places another supposed infringement on personal liberties Bolsonaro opposes . His chaotic management of the pandemic since its onset has been roundly criticized, and a Senate investigative committee recommended he face criminal charges. But the president and his die-hard supporters on Telegram and WhatsApp arent backing down. Many interpreted his comments regarding his daughter in particular as a directive to reject the immunization of kids. There are a lot of messages about the dangers of vaccines, studies that arent true, said Nemer, the expert on far-right groups, and an assistant professor of media studies at the University of Virginia. Theyre bringing a lot of disinformation about vaccinating kids to motivate the base. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Dozens of civilians have been reportedly killed over the past week in a barrage of air strikes in Ethiopia's northernmost Tigray region - the highest casualties recorded since October. Last week, the Ethiopian government said that its troops would not advance further into Tigray, signalling a potential pause in fighting even as Tigrayan rebels accuse the military of carrying out several air strikes in the region this month. The claims by the Tigray People's Liberation Front rebel group could not be independently confirmed. On Thursday, the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that air strikes between 19th to 24th December had "reportedly led to mass civilian casualties, including dozens of people reportedly killed, making this the most intense series of air attacks and casualties reported since October." According to OCHA, the strikes reportedly hit several towns across southern Tigray, with one destroying an electrical substation in the regional capital Mekele. 'Tense and unpredictble" The agency added "Due to limited access and insecurity in the area, humanitarian partners could not verify the exact number of casualties yet." The TPLF announced a retreat to Tigray last week, marking a turning point in the war which has left thousands of people dead and pushed many more into famine. OCHA said the situation in northern Ethiopia remains "tense and unpredictable" with aid workers struggling to get crucial supplies to those in need. "No trucks with humanitarian aid cargo have entered Tigray since 14 December," the agency said, citing security issues. The fighting in Africa's second most populous nation has displaced more than two million people and more than nine million are in need of food aid, according to UN estimates. The war broke out in November last year when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray to topple the TPLF, accusing its fighters of attacking army camps. A swift victory was elusive, as the TPLF mounted a shock counter-attack, recapturing most of Tigray by June before advancing into neighbouring Afar and Amhara. PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's rice export to China surpassed 300,000 tons for the first time in 2021, marking another historic milestone in the rice sector between the two countries, according to a report from the China Certification & Inspection Group (CCIC)'s Cambodia branch on Saturday. The southeast Asian nation exported 306,222 tons of milled rice to China last year, an increase of 22.8 percent from 249,322 tons in a year earlier, Chen Qisheng, general manager of CCIC's Cambodia branch said. Chen said the growth has subsequently increased from about 5,000 tons in 2012 to more than 300,000 tons last year, the highest first time ever in a year. "With strong support from China, Cambodia's rice production and processing industry has made great progress," he told Xinhua. Chen said apart from rice, Cambodia first exported fresh bananas and fresh mangoes to China in 2019 and 2021, respectively, and the two countries have been working together to enable the export of Cambodian longan fruit to China in the near future. As the China-Cambodia Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) entered into force on Saturday, Chen believed that the two pacts will further boost Cambodia's socio-economic development, especially the development of agriculture. "These agreements will provide tremendous benefits to import and export enterprises in Cambodia, especially the agricultural ones," he said. "With the two agreements, in addition to the export to China, Cambodia's high-quality agricultural products such as rice, bananas, mangoes, fragrant coconuts, and cashews can also be exported to Japan, South Korea, Singapore, etc., which will effectively promote enterprises to improve efficiency and sustainable development," Chen added. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's rice export to China surpassed 300,000 tons for the first time in 2021, marking another historic milestone in the rice sector between the two countries, according to a report from the China Certification & Inspection Group (CCIC)'s Cambodia branch on Saturday. The southeast Asian nation exported 306,222 tons of milled rice to China last year, an increase of 22.8 percent from 249,322 tons in a year earlier, Chen Qisheng, general manager of CCIC's Cambodia branch said. Chen said the growth has subsequently increased from about 5,000 tons in 2012 to more than 300,000 tons last year, the highest first time ever in a year. "With strong support from China, Cambodia's rice production and processing industry has made great progress," he told Xinhua. Chen said apart from rice, Cambodia first exported fresh bananas and fresh mangoes to China in 2019 and 2021, respectively, and the two countries have been working together to enable the export of Cambodian longan fruit to China in the near future. As the China-Cambodia Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) entered into force on Saturday, Chen believed that the two pacts will further boost Cambodia's socio-economic development, especially the development of agriculture. "These agreements will provide tremendous benefits to import and export enterprises in Cambodia, especially the agricultural ones," he said. "With the two agreements, in addition to the export to China, Cambodia's high-quality agricultural products such as rice, bananas, mangoes, fragrant coconuts, and cashews can also be exported to Japan, South Korea, Singapore, etc., which will effectively promote enterprises to improve efficiency and sustainable development," Chen added. Enditem Dozens of civilians have been reportedly killed over the past week in a barrage of air strikes in Ethiopia's northernmost Tigray region - the highest casualties recorded since October. Last week, the Ethiopian government said that its troops would not advance further into Tigray, signalling a potential pause in fighting even as Tigrayan rebels accuse the military of carrying out several air strikes in the region this month. The claims by the Tigray People's Liberation Front rebel group could not be independently confirmed. On Thursday, the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that air strikes between 19th to 24th December had "reportedly led to mass civilian casualties, including dozens of people reportedly killed, making this the most intense series of air attacks and casualties reported since October." According to OCHA, the strikes reportedly hit several towns across southern Tigray, with one destroying an electrical substation in the regional capital Mekele. 'Tense and unpredictble" The agency added "Due to limited access and insecurity in the area, humanitarian partners could not verify the exact number of casualties yet." The TPLF announced a retreat to Tigray last week, marking a turning point in the war which has left thousands of people dead and pushed many more into famine. OCHA said the situation in northern Ethiopia remains "tense and unpredictable" with aid workers struggling to get crucial supplies to those in need. "No trucks with humanitarian aid cargo have entered Tigray since 14 December," the agency said, citing security issues. The fighting in Africa's second most populous nation has displaced more than two million people and more than nine million are in need of food aid, according to UN estimates. The war broke out in November last year when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray to topple the TPLF, accusing its fighters of attacking army camps. A swift victory was elusive, as the TPLF mounted a shock counter-attack, recapturing most of Tigray by June before advancing into neighbouring Afar and Amhara. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the talks scheduled for Sunday, January 2, with U.S. President Joseph Biden, to discuss security issues. "As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner - USA, nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. Look forward to talking again with the U.S. President this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe," Zelensky wrote on Twitter Friday evening. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the talks scheduled for Sunday, January 2, with U.S. President Joseph Biden, to discuss security issues. "As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner - USA, nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. Look forward to talking again with the U.S. President this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe," Zelensky wrote on Twitter Friday evening. PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's rice export to China surpassed 300,000 tons for the first time in 2021, marking another historic milestone in the rice sector between the two countries, according to a report from the China Certification & Inspection Group (CCIC)'s Cambodia branch on Saturday. The southeast Asian nation exported 306,222 tons of milled rice to China last year, an increase of 22.8 percent from 249,322 tons in a year earlier, Chen Qisheng, general manager of CCIC's Cambodia branch said. Chen said the growth has subsequently increased from about 5,000 tons in 2012 to more than 300,000 tons last year, the highest first time ever in a year. "With strong support from China, Cambodia's rice production and processing industry has made great progress," he told Xinhua. Chen said apart from rice, Cambodia first exported fresh bananas and fresh mangoes to China in 2019 and 2021, respectively, and the two countries have been working together to enable the export of Cambodian longan fruit to China in the near future. As the China-Cambodia Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) entered into force on Saturday, Chen believed that the two pacts will further boost Cambodia's socio-economic development, especially the development of agriculture. "These agreements will provide tremendous benefits to import and export enterprises in Cambodia, especially the agricultural ones," he said. "With the two agreements, in addition to the export to China, Cambodia's high-quality agricultural products such as rice, bananas, mangoes, fragrant coconuts, and cashews can also be exported to Japan, South Korea, Singapore, etc., which will effectively promote enterprises to improve efficiency and sustainable development," Chen added. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's rice export to China surpassed 300,000 tons for the first time in 2021, marking another historic milestone in the rice sector between the two countries, according to a report from the China Certification & Inspection Group (CCIC)'s Cambodia branch on Saturday. The southeast Asian nation exported 306,222 tons of milled rice to China last year, an increase of 22.8 percent from 249,322 tons in a year earlier, Chen Qisheng, general manager of CCIC's Cambodia branch said. Chen said the growth has subsequently increased from about 5,000 tons in 2012 to more than 300,000 tons last year, the highest first time ever in a year. "With strong support from China, Cambodia's rice production and processing industry has made great progress," he told Xinhua. Chen said apart from rice, Cambodia first exported fresh bananas and fresh mangoes to China in 2019 and 2021, respectively, and the two countries have been working together to enable the export of Cambodian longan fruit to China in the near future. As the China-Cambodia Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) entered into force on Saturday, Chen believed that the two pacts will further boost Cambodia's socio-economic development, especially the development of agriculture. "These agreements will provide tremendous benefits to import and export enterprises in Cambodia, especially the agricultural ones," he said. "With the two agreements, in addition to the export to China, Cambodia's high-quality agricultural products such as rice, bananas, mangoes, fragrant coconuts, and cashews can also be exported to Japan, South Korea, Singapore, etc., which will effectively promote enterprises to improve efficiency and sustainable development," Chen added. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's rice export to China surpassed 300,000 tons for the first time in 2021, marking another historic milestone in the rice sector between the two countries, according to a report from the China Certification & Inspection Group (CCIC)'s Cambodia branch on Saturday. The southeast Asian nation exported 306,222 tons of milled rice to China last year, an increase of 22.8 percent from 249,322 tons in a year earlier, Chen Qisheng, general manager of CCIC's Cambodia branch said. Chen said the growth has subsequently increased from about 5,000 tons in 2012 to more than 300,000 tons last year, the highest first time ever in a year. "With strong support from China, Cambodia's rice production and processing industry has made great progress," he told Xinhua. Chen said apart from rice, Cambodia first exported fresh bananas and fresh mangoes to China in 2019 and 2021, respectively, and the two countries have been working together to enable the export of Cambodian longan fruit to China in the near future. As the China-Cambodia Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) entered into force on Saturday, Chen believed that the two pacts will further boost Cambodia's socio-economic development, especially the development of agriculture. "These agreements will provide tremendous benefits to import and export enterprises in Cambodia, especially the agricultural ones," he said. "With the two agreements, in addition to the export to China, Cambodia's high-quality agricultural products such as rice, bananas, mangoes, fragrant coconuts, and cashews can also be exported to Japan, South Korea, Singapore, etc., which will effectively promote enterprises to improve efficiency and sustainable development," Chen added. Enditem Children hold red lanterns during a New Year celebration at a kindergarten in Suining, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Liu Changsong/Xinhua) Children learn to make New Year decorations with their teacher at a kindergarten in Linyi, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Zhang Chunlei/Xinhua) Students perform lion dance to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Xinhua/Du Yu) Students pose for a group photo to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Xinhua) Students take a selfie with their teacher to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Xinhua) Children participate in a lion dance game to celebrate the New Year at a kindergarten in Xiangyang, central China's Hubei Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Yang Dong/Xinhua) Children perform dragon dance to celebrate the New Year at a kindergarten in Huzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Xie Shangguo/Xinhua) Children hold the Chinese character "Fu", meaning good luck in English, during a New Year celebration at a kindergarten in Neijiang, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Huang Zhenghua/Xinhua) Students show their paper cutting works at an elementary school in Qianxi, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Zhai Peisheng/Xinhua) Students hold red lanterns to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Sun Zhongzhe/Xinhua) Children show their paper cutting works at a kindergarten in Danzhai County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Huang Xiaohai/Xinhua) Students perform lion dance to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Liang Zidong/Xinhua) By Trend From January 1, the salaries of employees of the Presidential Security Service have been increased, Trend reports. According to a decree signed by President Ilham Aliyev, to the monthly official salaries of active military servicemen of the Presidential Security Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan (with the exception of military personnel of active active military service), a supplement is established in the amount of 20 percent of this salary. The monthly official (tariff) salaries of civil workers of the Presidential Security Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan, who are not state employees, increase by an average of 20 percent. This Decree came into force on January 1, 2022. As world leaders rely on public health specialists to inform their decisions about whether and how to vaccinate children against the coronavirus, Brazil's government is asking the online public for guidance. In recent weeks, President Jair Bolsonaro has staked out a position against immunizing kids aged between 5 and 11, and his administration took the unusual step of creating a platform that could validate a stance that is widely opposed by experts. Since his government on Dec. 23 unveiled its online questionnaire on the issue, the president's supporters have been highly engaged on messaging apps trying to pressure parents to swing the results. One widely shared post Wednesday on the Telegram group Bolsonaro Army, which has about 37,000 members, said the vaccine is experimental and suggested that receiving shots could be more harmful than getting infected, although several studies have shown the opposite is true. It also included a link to the governments survey, which other people were posting along with instructions to relay to friends and family. The rally for resistance resembles online behavior observed earlier this month, which catapulted Bolsonaro to the top of the heap in TIME magazines readers poll for Person of the Year , David Nemer, an expert on Brazils far-right groups on messaging apps, told The Associated Press. Bolsonaro garnered about one-quarter of the more than 9 million votes nearly triple that of the runner-up, former U.S. President Donald Trump. The magazine's editors instead chose Elon Musk as 2021 Person of the Year. This time, however, online efforts are aimed at something far more significant than bestowing an honorific on the president. The survey, which concludes Jan. 2, stands to shape vaccination policy in Latin Americas most populous nation, home to 20 million kids aged 5 to 11. Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga has said they will soon be eligible for vaccination, but survey results will help determine guidelines including whether shots could only be administered with parental consent and a doctors prescription. This is a tool of democracy, it widens the discussion on the topic and it will bring more ease for parents so they can take their children to immunize against COVID-19, Queiroga said Wednesday. Health experts, for their part, are aghast. Some Brazilian states health secretariats have already pledged to ignore any health ministry guidelines on childhood vaccination if based on the public consultation. Gonzalo Vecina, founder and director of Brazils health regulator between 1999 and 2003, says public consultation on vaccines is unprecedented. Bolsonaro is against the vaccine and his employee, the health minister, believes that health is a matter of public opinion. It is a spurious and nonsensical approach, Vecina told the AP. If only deniers send their opinion in the public consultation, is the government going to say that the vaccine doesn't have to be used? Denialism from the top in Brazil is a bit of deja vu. Even as COVID-19 exploded, driving the nation's death toll to the second highest in the world, Bolsonaro spent months sowing doubts about vaccines and was obstinate in his refusal to get a shot. He has cited the fact he contracted the coronavirus in 2020 to claim, incorrectly, that he is already immune, and routinely characterizes vaccination as an issue of personal choice rather than a means for ensuring the common good. So when Brazils health regulator authorized use of Pfizer's shot for children on Dec. 16, Bolsonaro was stunned. Kids are something very serious, he said the same night in his weekly live broadcast on social media. We dont know about possible adverse future effects. Its unbelievable Im sorry what the agency did. Unbelievable. A study released Thursday by U.S. health authorities confirmed that serious side effects from the Pfizer vaccine in children ages 5 to 11 are rare. The findings were based on approximately 8 million doses dispensed to youngsters in that age group. Bolsonaro added that he would name and expose the public servants who issued the approval, prompting a union representing health agency workers to express concern about online abuse or even physical attacks. Despite fervent support among his base, Bolsonaros anti-vaccine stance hasnt gained as much traction in Brazil which has a proud history of inoculation campaigns as in the U.S. More than two-thirds of Brazilians are fully vaccinated, as compared to 63% in the U.S., according to Johns Hopkins University's vaccination tracker , though American children have been eligible for shots since early November. In neighboring Argentina, the government has allowed kids 12 years and older to be vaccinated since August, and more recently began giving shots to children as young as 3. In the face of subsequent criticism, the nations health ministry cited the recommendation of the nations association of pediatricians. In Chile, two-thirds of kids aged between 3 and 17 have already received both their shots, after the nations health regulator analyzed an immunization study of 100 million children. For the time being, Mexico isnt vaccinating children except those 12 years or older with illnesses that put them at greater risk. Mexicos point man for the pandemic, Hugo Lopez-Gatell, said Tuesday the World Health Organization hasnt recommended vaccinating children aged 5 to 11, and that countries with ample vaccine coverage, like Mexico, shouldnt vaccinate kids until developing nations with limited coverage can raise their adult vaccination rates. In Brazil, Mauro Paulino, general director of prominent pollster Datafolha, said one problem with the Bolsonaro government's survey is the way questions are framed, repeatedly asking interviewees, Do you agree that...? Such failure to present questions neutrally can induce responses. Datafolha always gives the two possible alternatives: whether the interviewee agrees or disagrees with the statement, he said. "Both sides of the question are necessary." Bolsonaro told supporters on Tuesday that pressure to inoculate kids stems from the vaccine lobby a veiled reference to pharmaceutical companies. Many Bolsonaro supporters the next day were sharing a post from the Telegram group Doctors for life, which has more than 60,000 followers and frequently echoes the presidents unscientific COVID-19 advice. One Telegram post with more than 200,000 shares said no child should be a guinea pig for the pharmaceutical industry. Tens of millions of doses have been administered to children around the world, with rare serious side effects. While few children die from COVID-19, vaccinating them can minimize the virus spread in society. Bolsonaro also said this week he won't allow the vaccination of his 11-year-old daughter. Meantime, his wife and politician sons received their shots, along with at least 16 of his 22 ministers including Health Minister Queiroga. Politicians from the party Bolsonaro joined to run for re-election in 2022 have advocated not only for vaccination, but also requiring proof of vaccination to enter certain places another supposed infringement on personal liberties Bolsonaro opposes . His chaotic management of the pandemic since its onset has been roundly criticized, and a Senate investigative committee recommended he face criminal charges. But the president and his die-hard supporters on Telegram and WhatsApp arent backing down. Many interpreted his comments regarding his daughter in particular as a directive to reject the immunization of kids. There are a lot of messages about the dangers of vaccines, studies that arent true, said Nemer, the expert on far-right groups, and an assistant professor of media studies at the University of Virginia. Theyre bringing a lot of disinformation about vaccinating kids to motivate the base. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's rice export to China surpassed 300,000 tons for the first time in 2021, marking another historic milestone in the rice sector between the two countries, according to a report from the China Certification & Inspection Group (CCIC)'s Cambodia branch on Saturday. The southeast Asian nation exported 306,222 tons of milled rice to China last year, an increase of 22.8 percent from 249,322 tons in a year earlier, Chen Qisheng, general manager of CCIC's Cambodia branch said. Chen said the growth has subsequently increased from about 5,000 tons in 2012 to more than 300,000 tons last year, the highest first time ever in a year. "With strong support from China, Cambodia's rice production and processing industry has made great progress," he told Xinhua. Chen said apart from rice, Cambodia first exported fresh bananas and fresh mangoes to China in 2019 and 2021, respectively, and the two countries have been working together to enable the export of Cambodian longan fruit to China in the near future. As the China-Cambodia Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) entered into force on Saturday, Chen believed that the two pacts will further boost Cambodia's socio-economic development, especially the development of agriculture. "These agreements will provide tremendous benefits to import and export enterprises in Cambodia, especially the agricultural ones," he said. "With the two agreements, in addition to the export to China, Cambodia's high-quality agricultural products such as rice, bananas, mangoes, fragrant coconuts, and cashews can also be exported to Japan, South Korea, Singapore, etc., which will effectively promote enterprises to improve efficiency and sustainable development," Chen added. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's rice export to China surpassed 300,000 tons for the first time in 2021, marking another historic milestone in the rice sector between the two countries, according to a report from the China Certification & Inspection Group (CCIC)'s Cambodia branch on Saturday. The southeast Asian nation exported 306,222 tons of milled rice to China last year, an increase of 22.8 percent from 249,322 tons in a year earlier, Chen Qisheng, general manager of CCIC's Cambodia branch said. Chen said the growth has subsequently increased from about 5,000 tons in 2012 to more than 300,000 tons last year, the highest first time ever in a year. "With strong support from China, Cambodia's rice production and processing industry has made great progress," he told Xinhua. Chen said apart from rice, Cambodia first exported fresh bananas and fresh mangoes to China in 2019 and 2021, respectively, and the two countries have been working together to enable the export of Cambodian longan fruit to China in the near future. As the China-Cambodia Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) entered into force on Saturday, Chen believed that the two pacts will further boost Cambodia's socio-economic development, especially the development of agriculture. "These agreements will provide tremendous benefits to import and export enterprises in Cambodia, especially the agricultural ones," he said. "With the two agreements, in addition to the export to China, Cambodia's high-quality agricultural products such as rice, bananas, mangoes, fragrant coconuts, and cashews can also be exported to Japan, South Korea, Singapore, etc., which will effectively promote enterprises to improve efficiency and sustainable development," Chen added. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's rice export to China surpassed 300,000 tons for the first time in 2021, marking another historic milestone in the rice sector between the two countries, according to a report from the China Certification & Inspection Group (CCIC)'s Cambodia branch on Saturday. The southeast Asian nation exported 306,222 tons of milled rice to China last year, an increase of 22.8 percent from 249,322 tons in a year earlier, Chen Qisheng, general manager of CCIC's Cambodia branch said. Chen said the growth has subsequently increased from about 5,000 tons in 2012 to more than 300,000 tons last year, the highest first time ever in a year. "With strong support from China, Cambodia's rice production and processing industry has made great progress," he told Xinhua. Chen said apart from rice, Cambodia first exported fresh bananas and fresh mangoes to China in 2019 and 2021, respectively, and the two countries have been working together to enable the export of Cambodian longan fruit to China in the near future. As the China-Cambodia Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) entered into force on Saturday, Chen believed that the two pacts will further boost Cambodia's socio-economic development, especially the development of agriculture. "These agreements will provide tremendous benefits to import and export enterprises in Cambodia, especially the agricultural ones," he said. "With the two agreements, in addition to the export to China, Cambodia's high-quality agricultural products such as rice, bananas, mangoes, fragrant coconuts, and cashews can also be exported to Japan, South Korea, Singapore, etc., which will effectively promote enterprises to improve efficiency and sustainable development," Chen added. Enditem Children hold red lanterns during a New Year celebration at a kindergarten in Suining, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Liu Changsong/Xinhua) Children learn to make New Year decorations with their teacher at a kindergarten in Linyi, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Zhang Chunlei/Xinhua) Students perform lion dance to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Xinhua/Du Yu) Students pose for a group photo to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Xinhua) Students take a selfie with their teacher to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Xinhua) Children participate in a lion dance game to celebrate the New Year at a kindergarten in Xiangyang, central China's Hubei Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Yang Dong/Xinhua) Children perform dragon dance to celebrate the New Year at a kindergarten in Huzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Xie Shangguo/Xinhua) Children hold the Chinese character "Fu", meaning good luck in English, during a New Year celebration at a kindergarten in Neijiang, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Huang Zhenghua/Xinhua) Students show their paper cutting works at an elementary school in Qianxi, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Zhai Peisheng/Xinhua) Students hold red lanterns to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Sun Zhongzhe/Xinhua) Children show their paper cutting works at a kindergarten in Danzhai County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Huang Xiaohai/Xinhua) Students perform lion dance to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Liang Zidong/Xinhua) President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the talks scheduled for Sunday, January 2, with U.S. President Joseph Biden, to discuss security issues. "As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner - USA, nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. Look forward to talking again with the U.S. President this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe," Zelensky wrote on Twitter Friday evening. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the talks scheduled for Sunday, January 2, with U.S. President Joseph Biden, to discuss security issues. "As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner - USA, nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. Look forward to talking again with the U.S. President this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe," Zelensky wrote on Twitter Friday evening. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the talks scheduled for Sunday, January 2, with U.S. President Joseph Biden, to discuss security issues. "As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner - USA, nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. Look forward to talking again with the U.S. President this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe," Zelensky wrote on Twitter Friday evening. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the talks scheduled for Sunday, January 2, with U.S. President Joseph Biden, to discuss security issues. "As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner - USA, nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. Look forward to talking again with the U.S. President this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe," Zelensky wrote on Twitter Friday evening. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the talks scheduled for Sunday, January 2, with U.S. President Joseph Biden, to discuss security issues. "As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner - USA, nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. Look forward to talking again with the U.S. President this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe," Zelensky wrote on Twitter Friday evening. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the talks scheduled for Sunday, January 2, with U.S. President Joseph Biden, to discuss security issues. "As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner - USA, nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. Look forward to talking again with the U.S. President this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe," Zelensky wrote on Twitter Friday evening. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the talks scheduled for Sunday, January 2, with U.S. President Joseph Biden, to discuss security issues. "As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner - USA, nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. Look forward to talking again with the U.S. President this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe," Zelensky wrote on Twitter Friday evening. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the talks scheduled for Sunday, January 2, with U.S. President Joseph Biden, to discuss security issues. "As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner - USA, nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. Look forward to talking again with the U.S. President this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe," Zelensky wrote on Twitter Friday evening. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the talks scheduled for Sunday, January 2, with U.S. President Joseph Biden, to discuss security issues. "As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner - USA, nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. Look forward to talking again with the U.S. President this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe," Zelensky wrote on Twitter Friday evening. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the talks scheduled for Sunday, January 2, with U.S. President Joseph Biden, to discuss security issues. "As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner - USA, nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. Look forward to talking again with the U.S. President this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe," Zelensky wrote on Twitter Friday evening. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the talks scheduled for Sunday, January 2, with U.S. President Joseph Biden, to discuss security issues. "As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner - USA, nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. Look forward to talking again with the U.S. President this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe," Zelensky wrote on Twitter Friday evening. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the talks scheduled for Sunday, January 2, with U.S. President Joseph Biden, to discuss security issues. "As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner - USA, nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. Look forward to talking again with the U.S. President this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe," Zelensky wrote on Twitter Friday evening. Matt Dillon plays "Mr. Sophistication," the serial killer at the center of Lars von Trier's "The House That Jack Built." Uma Thurman and Riley Keogh play two of many victims. (Curzon Film World Ltd.) The Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier has coped with depression, alcohol abuse and a fairly justifiable persecution complex for years now. In 2011 he shot his mouth off at the Cannes Film Festival, joking about Hitler and Nazis and Jews, and was promptly declared persona non grata by festival officials. He returned to Cannes last year with his latest work, The House that Jack Built, a tedious picture about a remorseless serial killer, played by Matt Dillon. We watch this man, trained as an engineer and an architect, going through life wearing Robin Williams untrustworthy eyeglasses from One Hour Photo. His explanation of self is divided into five discrete incidents, separate and grisly killings. Advertisement In voiceover, and then after the characters emerge on screen, we listen to Jack debate matters of artistic temperament and the existence of hell with Verge (Bruno Ganz), an incarnation of the poet Virgil. They are in hell. The narrative periodically brakes for snippets of archival footage of Glenn Gould at the piano. In one flashback incident, Uma Thurman plays a royally pushy stranded motorist, just begging to be murdered. In another, Riley Keough is Jacks lover, Simple, whose breasts Jack admires, and then mutilates. The bodies of Jacks victims pile up in a refrigerated warehouse. The House That Jack Built grinds on, and it may be the dullest film about serial killing in the history of dull movies about serial killers. Advertisement Jack treats each new murder scenario as performance art, an artistic creation coming from a strong, if psychopathic, artistic impulse. He slaughters a mother and two children in a field in one sequence, echoing The Most Dangerous Game. After the killing, he arranges the corpses just so and photographs his victims. Hes a control-freak of a filmmaker, in other words. Periodically Jack is seen in riffs on Bob Dylans Subterranean Homesick Blues music video. He signs his photos of the murder scenes Mr. Sophistication. Verge, the Virgil stand-in, confronts Jack in the underworld, but Jack is wily; his imagination may be lazily sadistic, but he can talk his way out of most rhetorical corners. (He gasses on and on; the films theatrical cut, which is rated R, runs a tick over two-and-a-half-hours.) Up until now, Ive had a wildly conflicted relationship to von Triers work, which isnt all like The House That Jack Built. The first half of Antichrist, prior to the outlandishly explicit and aggressively stupid half (far rougher than anything here), is some kind of masterwork a subversive satiric allegory about a smug man who believes he can cure his wifes problems, and who learns better. The classically paced grandeur of Melancholia, von Triers end-of-the-world picture, lays a series of beautiful shrouds onto its narrative frame. Dancer in the Dark is a brutal musical, to say the least, crudely punishing, but also a true and anguished experience. The Boss of It All is remarkably funny, a bleaker version of The Office with a temperament all its own. Dogville, a couple of others you may resist or even detest them, but theyre not dismissable. The House That Jack Built is dismissible. Its hardly anything, signifying nothing. It sees the world as a pitiless charnel house and, in that, it resembles dozens or hundreds of other films, some of them brilliant, all of them made by other filmmakers. Jack equates the Holocaust death camps with perverse, ghoulish performance art, and at that point, when historical footage of the shoveled, piled bodies flashed on screen, I thought: This is banal as well as offensive. Its the banality of offensiveness, unrelated to seriousness. Filmed in Sweden, set somewhere in the American northwest, The House That Jack Built looks to me like some kind of last testament, von Trier told an interviewer last year. As written, von Triers protagonist is a heinous but honest soul, with an exacting eye and a fearless devotion to craft. Hes just not very interesting, and thats the warmest possible thing you can say about the film itself. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic. Advertisement mjphillips@chicagotribune.com Twitter @phillipstribune.com The House That Jack Built 1 star MPAA rating: R (for strong disturbing violence/sadistic behavior, grisly images, language, and nudity) Advertisement Running time: 2:31 Playing: 10:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday only, Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave.; musicboxtheatre.com. [ MORE COVERAGE: Tribune review of Lars von Trier's end-of-the-world movie, 'Melancholia' ] [ Directors Guild nominees include Peter Farrelly for 'Green Book,' which is pretty dumb ] Matt Dillon plays "Mr. Sophistication," the serial killer at the center of Lars von Trier's "The House That Jack Built." Uma Thurman and Riley Keogh play two of many victims. (Curzon Film World Ltd.) The Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier has coped with depression, alcohol abuse and a fairly justifiable persecution complex for years now. In 2011 he shot his mouth off at the Cannes Film Festival, joking about Hitler and Nazis and Jews, and was promptly declared persona non grata by festival officials. He returned to Cannes last year with his latest work, The House that Jack Built, a tedious picture about a remorseless serial killer, played by Matt Dillon. We watch this man, trained as an engineer and an architect, going through life wearing Robin Williams untrustworthy eyeglasses from One Hour Photo. His explanation of self is divided into five discrete incidents, separate and grisly killings. Advertisement In voiceover, and then after the characters emerge on screen, we listen to Jack debate matters of artistic temperament and the existence of hell with Verge (Bruno Ganz), an incarnation of the poet Virgil. They are in hell. The narrative periodically brakes for snippets of archival footage of Glenn Gould at the piano. In one flashback incident, Uma Thurman plays a royally pushy stranded motorist, just begging to be murdered. In another, Riley Keough is Jacks lover, Simple, whose breasts Jack admires, and then mutilates. The bodies of Jacks victims pile up in a refrigerated warehouse. The House That Jack Built grinds on, and it may be the dullest film about serial killing in the history of dull movies about serial killers. Advertisement Jack treats each new murder scenario as performance art, an artistic creation coming from a strong, if psychopathic, artistic impulse. He slaughters a mother and two children in a field in one sequence, echoing The Most Dangerous Game. After the killing, he arranges the corpses just so and photographs his victims. Hes a control-freak of a filmmaker, in other words. Periodically Jack is seen in riffs on Bob Dylans Subterranean Homesick Blues music video. He signs his photos of the murder scenes Mr. Sophistication. Verge, the Virgil stand-in, confronts Jack in the underworld, but Jack is wily; his imagination may be lazily sadistic, but he can talk his way out of most rhetorical corners. (He gasses on and on; the films theatrical cut, which is rated R, runs a tick over two-and-a-half-hours.) Up until now, Ive had a wildly conflicted relationship to von Triers work, which isnt all like The House That Jack Built. The first half of Antichrist, prior to the outlandishly explicit and aggressively stupid half (far rougher than anything here), is some kind of masterwork a subversive satiric allegory about a smug man who believes he can cure his wifes problems, and who learns better. The classically paced grandeur of Melancholia, von Triers end-of-the-world picture, lays a series of beautiful shrouds onto its narrative frame. Dancer in the Dark is a brutal musical, to say the least, crudely punishing, but also a true and anguished experience. The Boss of It All is remarkably funny, a bleaker version of The Office with a temperament all its own. Dogville, a couple of others you may resist or even detest them, but theyre not dismissable. The House That Jack Built is dismissible. Its hardly anything, signifying nothing. It sees the world as a pitiless charnel house and, in that, it resembles dozens or hundreds of other films, some of them brilliant, all of them made by other filmmakers. Jack equates the Holocaust death camps with perverse, ghoulish performance art, and at that point, when historical footage of the shoveled, piled bodies flashed on screen, I thought: This is banal as well as offensive. Its the banality of offensiveness, unrelated to seriousness. Filmed in Sweden, set somewhere in the American northwest, The House That Jack Built looks to me like some kind of last testament, von Trier told an interviewer last year. As written, von Triers protagonist is a heinous but honest soul, with an exacting eye and a fearless devotion to craft. Hes just not very interesting, and thats the warmest possible thing you can say about the film itself. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic. Advertisement mjphillips@chicagotribune.com Twitter @phillipstribune.com The House That Jack Built 1 star MPAA rating: R (for strong disturbing violence/sadistic behavior, grisly images, language, and nudity) Advertisement Running time: 2:31 Playing: 10:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday only, Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave.; musicboxtheatre.com. [ MORE COVERAGE: Tribune review of Lars von Trier's end-of-the-world movie, 'Melancholia' ] [ Directors Guild nominees include Peter Farrelly for 'Green Book,' which is pretty dumb ] Matt Dillon plays "Mr. Sophistication," the serial killer at the center of Lars von Trier's "The House That Jack Built." Uma Thurman and Riley Keogh play two of many victims. (Curzon Film World Ltd.) The Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier has coped with depression, alcohol abuse and a fairly justifiable persecution complex for years now. In 2011 he shot his mouth off at the Cannes Film Festival, joking about Hitler and Nazis and Jews, and was promptly declared persona non grata by festival officials. He returned to Cannes last year with his latest work, The House that Jack Built, a tedious picture about a remorseless serial killer, played by Matt Dillon. We watch this man, trained as an engineer and an architect, going through life wearing Robin Williams untrustworthy eyeglasses from One Hour Photo. His explanation of self is divided into five discrete incidents, separate and grisly killings. Advertisement In voiceover, and then after the characters emerge on screen, we listen to Jack debate matters of artistic temperament and the existence of hell with Verge (Bruno Ganz), an incarnation of the poet Virgil. They are in hell. The narrative periodically brakes for snippets of archival footage of Glenn Gould at the piano. In one flashback incident, Uma Thurman plays a royally pushy stranded motorist, just begging to be murdered. In another, Riley Keough is Jacks lover, Simple, whose breasts Jack admires, and then mutilates. The bodies of Jacks victims pile up in a refrigerated warehouse. The House That Jack Built grinds on, and it may be the dullest film about serial killing in the history of dull movies about serial killers. Advertisement Jack treats each new murder scenario as performance art, an artistic creation coming from a strong, if psychopathic, artistic impulse. He slaughters a mother and two children in a field in one sequence, echoing The Most Dangerous Game. After the killing, he arranges the corpses just so and photographs his victims. Hes a control-freak of a filmmaker, in other words. Periodically Jack is seen in riffs on Bob Dylans Subterranean Homesick Blues music video. He signs his photos of the murder scenes Mr. Sophistication. Verge, the Virgil stand-in, confronts Jack in the underworld, but Jack is wily; his imagination may be lazily sadistic, but he can talk his way out of most rhetorical corners. (He gasses on and on; the films theatrical cut, which is rated R, runs a tick over two-and-a-half-hours.) Up until now, Ive had a wildly conflicted relationship to von Triers work, which isnt all like The House That Jack Built. The first half of Antichrist, prior to the outlandishly explicit and aggressively stupid half (far rougher than anything here), is some kind of masterwork a subversive satiric allegory about a smug man who believes he can cure his wifes problems, and who learns better. The classically paced grandeur of Melancholia, von Triers end-of-the-world picture, lays a series of beautiful shrouds onto its narrative frame. Dancer in the Dark is a brutal musical, to say the least, crudely punishing, but also a true and anguished experience. The Boss of It All is remarkably funny, a bleaker version of The Office with a temperament all its own. Dogville, a couple of others you may resist or even detest them, but theyre not dismissable. The House That Jack Built is dismissible. Its hardly anything, signifying nothing. It sees the world as a pitiless charnel house and, in that, it resembles dozens or hundreds of other films, some of them brilliant, all of them made by other filmmakers. Jack equates the Holocaust death camps with perverse, ghoulish performance art, and at that point, when historical footage of the shoveled, piled bodies flashed on screen, I thought: This is banal as well as offensive. Its the banality of offensiveness, unrelated to seriousness. Filmed in Sweden, set somewhere in the American northwest, The House That Jack Built looks to me like some kind of last testament, von Trier told an interviewer last year. As written, von Triers protagonist is a heinous but honest soul, with an exacting eye and a fearless devotion to craft. Hes just not very interesting, and thats the warmest possible thing you can say about the film itself. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic. Advertisement mjphillips@chicagotribune.com Twitter @phillipstribune.com The House That Jack Built 1 star MPAA rating: R (for strong disturbing violence/sadistic behavior, grisly images, language, and nudity) Advertisement Running time: 2:31 Playing: 10:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday only, Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave.; musicboxtheatre.com. [ MORE COVERAGE: Tribune review of Lars von Trier's end-of-the-world movie, 'Melancholia' ] [ Directors Guild nominees include Peter Farrelly for 'Green Book,' which is pretty dumb ] NEW YORK, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Travel disruptions are slated to persist in the New Year, as heavy holiday traffic in air and on ground overlapped with a spike in coronavirus cases in the United States, and airlines, train companies and even their regulators grapple with staff unavailability as a result of the pandemic's ever more contagious variants of Omicron and Delta. The United States set a new record high of over 640,000 daily COVID-19 cases on Friday, according to latest data of Johns Hopkins University. A total of 647,067 new cases and 1,409 new deaths were reported across the nation on Friday. The single-day increase of cases has set a new record since the onset of the pandemic in the country. FLIGHTS CANCELLED Heading into the New Year's weekend, when return flights will produce another crest in air travel, airlines have been canceling more than 1,000 flights a day to, from or within the United States. "Carriers and their employees say the latest chapter of the pandemic, the Omicron variant, has cut deeply into the ability to staff flights, even though a vast majority of crew members are vaccinated," reported New York Times on Thursday. JetBlue has been one of the airlines hardest hit, canceling 17 percent of its flights on Thursday, according to the air travel data site FlightAware. The carrier said on Wednesday that it would cut about 1,280 flights through mid-January, citing the rise in virus cases in the Northeast, where its operations and crews are concentrated. As many as 10 million people may fly from Thursday through Monday, according to Transportation Security Administration estimates. For months, airlines have been preparing reserves of workers for the holiday crush, but "those measures were inadequate in a fast-changing situation, and many passengers were frustrated," said the report. Out of the ongoing difficulty of staff shortage, Spirit Airlines flight attendants are receiving triple pay on any work through Jan. 4, their union said, as the budget carrier scrambles to keep its schedules intact after U.S. airlines were hammered by a week of mass cancellations. "All flight attendants, regardless of how you have obtained your pairing, will be receiving 200% pay for any pairing that touches Dec. 28 through Jan. 4," the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA said in a statement. The union represented about 4,000 flights attendants at Spirit Airlines, according to the carrier's latest annual filing. Spirit Airlines is an American ultra-low-cost carrier headquartered in Miramar, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. Spirit operates scheduled flights throughout the United States and in the Caribbean and Latin America. Spirit was the fourth largest passenger carrier in North America as of 2020, as well as the largest ultra-low-cost carrier in North America. To make things worse, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Friday that an "increased number" of its own employees are testing positive for the virus, which could force it to implement health and cleaning procedures that reduce the number of flights the system can handle. "To maintain safety, traffic volume at some facilities could be reduced, which might result in delays during busy periods," the FAA said, noting that airlines canceled more than 11,000 flights since Christmas Eve, including more than 1,000 already scrapped from Saturday and Sunday schedules, but none of those were the result of FAA issues. Meanwhile, CNN quoted the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) as saying on Thursday that it has "adequate staff to cover flight schedules and passenger volumes." The TSA expects 10 million more people to pass through airport screening between now and the end of the day Monday. TRAINS SLASHED Amtrak, a passenger railroad service that provides medium and long-distance inter-city rail service in the contiguous United States and to nine cities in Canada, said on Thursday that it will reduce its schedule between New Year's Eve and Jan. 6 as it battles bad weather in some parts of the country and a surge in coronavirus cases among its employees. About two dozen trains on both its Northeast Corridor and long-distance routes will be affected. The reductions are about 1.5 percent of Amtrak's trains that were scheduled for the week. "Amtrak regrets any inconvenience," the railroad said in a statement. "We are continuing to monitor changing conditions and will make any further adjustments as required." "The trimmed train schedule mirrors thousands of canceled airline flights since Christmas Eve and disruptions to local transit services as the fast-spreading Omicron variant drives case counts to their highest levels of the pandemic," reported The Washington Post. Earlier on Tuesday, multiple lines on New Jersey Transit had to cancel trains as the transit agency dealt with what it called "crew availability" difficulties, while New York City Transit said it had to suspend three lines for the same reason. "Like everyone in New York, we've been affected by the COVID surge. We're running as much train service as we can with the operators we have available," said the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the New York City metropolitan area of the U.S. state of New York. The W line was suspended all of Wednesday, which had an effect on riders, many of whom said that their commutes were impacted. Its suspension continued on Thursday and the B and Z services were also cut. The MTA suggested straphangers use the Q trains in Brooklyn and D trains in Manhattan and Bronx. Enditem Matt Dillon plays "Mr. Sophistication," the serial killer at the center of Lars von Trier's "The House That Jack Built." Uma Thurman and Riley Keogh play two of many victims. (Curzon Film World Ltd.) The Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier has coped with depression, alcohol abuse and a fairly justifiable persecution complex for years now. In 2011 he shot his mouth off at the Cannes Film Festival, joking about Hitler and Nazis and Jews, and was promptly declared persona non grata by festival officials. He returned to Cannes last year with his latest work, The House that Jack Built, a tedious picture about a remorseless serial killer, played by Matt Dillon. We watch this man, trained as an engineer and an architect, going through life wearing Robin Williams untrustworthy eyeglasses from One Hour Photo. His explanation of self is divided into five discrete incidents, separate and grisly killings. Advertisement In voiceover, and then after the characters emerge on screen, we listen to Jack debate matters of artistic temperament and the existence of hell with Verge (Bruno Ganz), an incarnation of the poet Virgil. They are in hell. The narrative periodically brakes for snippets of archival footage of Glenn Gould at the piano. In one flashback incident, Uma Thurman plays a royally pushy stranded motorist, just begging to be murdered. In another, Riley Keough is Jacks lover, Simple, whose breasts Jack admires, and then mutilates. The bodies of Jacks victims pile up in a refrigerated warehouse. The House That Jack Built grinds on, and it may be the dullest film about serial killing in the history of dull movies about serial killers. Advertisement Jack treats each new murder scenario as performance art, an artistic creation coming from a strong, if psychopathic, artistic impulse. He slaughters a mother and two children in a field in one sequence, echoing The Most Dangerous Game. After the killing, he arranges the corpses just so and photographs his victims. Hes a control-freak of a filmmaker, in other words. Periodically Jack is seen in riffs on Bob Dylans Subterranean Homesick Blues music video. He signs his photos of the murder scenes Mr. Sophistication. Verge, the Virgil stand-in, confronts Jack in the underworld, but Jack is wily; his imagination may be lazily sadistic, but he can talk his way out of most rhetorical corners. (He gasses on and on; the films theatrical cut, which is rated R, runs a tick over two-and-a-half-hours.) Up until now, Ive had a wildly conflicted relationship to von Triers work, which isnt all like The House That Jack Built. The first half of Antichrist, prior to the outlandishly explicit and aggressively stupid half (far rougher than anything here), is some kind of masterwork a subversive satiric allegory about a smug man who believes he can cure his wifes problems, and who learns better. The classically paced grandeur of Melancholia, von Triers end-of-the-world picture, lays a series of beautiful shrouds onto its narrative frame. Dancer in the Dark is a brutal musical, to say the least, crudely punishing, but also a true and anguished experience. The Boss of It All is remarkably funny, a bleaker version of The Office with a temperament all its own. Dogville, a couple of others you may resist or even detest them, but theyre not dismissable. The House That Jack Built is dismissible. Its hardly anything, signifying nothing. It sees the world as a pitiless charnel house and, in that, it resembles dozens or hundreds of other films, some of them brilliant, all of them made by other filmmakers. Jack equates the Holocaust death camps with perverse, ghoulish performance art, and at that point, when historical footage of the shoveled, piled bodies flashed on screen, I thought: This is banal as well as offensive. Its the banality of offensiveness, unrelated to seriousness. Filmed in Sweden, set somewhere in the American northwest, The House That Jack Built looks to me like some kind of last testament, von Trier told an interviewer last year. As written, von Triers protagonist is a heinous but honest soul, with an exacting eye and a fearless devotion to craft. Hes just not very interesting, and thats the warmest possible thing you can say about the film itself. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic. Advertisement mjphillips@chicagotribune.com Twitter @phillipstribune.com The House That Jack Built 1 star MPAA rating: R (for strong disturbing violence/sadistic behavior, grisly images, language, and nudity) Advertisement Running time: 2:31 Playing: 10:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday only, Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave.; musicboxtheatre.com. [ MORE COVERAGE: Tribune review of Lars von Trier's end-of-the-world movie, 'Melancholia' ] [ Directors Guild nominees include Peter Farrelly for 'Green Book,' which is pretty dumb ] Matt Dillon plays "Mr. Sophistication," the serial killer at the center of Lars von Trier's "The House That Jack Built." Uma Thurman and Riley Keogh play two of many victims. (Curzon Film World Ltd.) The Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier has coped with depression, alcohol abuse and a fairly justifiable persecution complex for years now. In 2011 he shot his mouth off at the Cannes Film Festival, joking about Hitler and Nazis and Jews, and was promptly declared persona non grata by festival officials. He returned to Cannes last year with his latest work, The House that Jack Built, a tedious picture about a remorseless serial killer, played by Matt Dillon. We watch this man, trained as an engineer and an architect, going through life wearing Robin Williams untrustworthy eyeglasses from One Hour Photo. His explanation of self is divided into five discrete incidents, separate and grisly killings. Advertisement In voiceover, and then after the characters emerge on screen, we listen to Jack debate matters of artistic temperament and the existence of hell with Verge (Bruno Ganz), an incarnation of the poet Virgil. They are in hell. The narrative periodically brakes for snippets of archival footage of Glenn Gould at the piano. In one flashback incident, Uma Thurman plays a royally pushy stranded motorist, just begging to be murdered. In another, Riley Keough is Jacks lover, Simple, whose breasts Jack admires, and then mutilates. The bodies of Jacks victims pile up in a refrigerated warehouse. The House That Jack Built grinds on, and it may be the dullest film about serial killing in the history of dull movies about serial killers. Advertisement Jack treats each new murder scenario as performance art, an artistic creation coming from a strong, if psychopathic, artistic impulse. He slaughters a mother and two children in a field in one sequence, echoing The Most Dangerous Game. After the killing, he arranges the corpses just so and photographs his victims. Hes a control-freak of a filmmaker, in other words. Periodically Jack is seen in riffs on Bob Dylans Subterranean Homesick Blues music video. He signs his photos of the murder scenes Mr. Sophistication. Verge, the Virgil stand-in, confronts Jack in the underworld, but Jack is wily; his imagination may be lazily sadistic, but he can talk his way out of most rhetorical corners. (He gasses on and on; the films theatrical cut, which is rated R, runs a tick over two-and-a-half-hours.) Up until now, Ive had a wildly conflicted relationship to von Triers work, which isnt all like The House That Jack Built. The first half of Antichrist, prior to the outlandishly explicit and aggressively stupid half (far rougher than anything here), is some kind of masterwork a subversive satiric allegory about a smug man who believes he can cure his wifes problems, and who learns better. The classically paced grandeur of Melancholia, von Triers end-of-the-world picture, lays a series of beautiful shrouds onto its narrative frame. Dancer in the Dark is a brutal musical, to say the least, crudely punishing, but also a true and anguished experience. The Boss of It All is remarkably funny, a bleaker version of The Office with a temperament all its own. Dogville, a couple of others you may resist or even detest them, but theyre not dismissable. The House That Jack Built is dismissible. Its hardly anything, signifying nothing. It sees the world as a pitiless charnel house and, in that, it resembles dozens or hundreds of other films, some of them brilliant, all of them made by other filmmakers. Jack equates the Holocaust death camps with perverse, ghoulish performance art, and at that point, when historical footage of the shoveled, piled bodies flashed on screen, I thought: This is banal as well as offensive. Its the banality of offensiveness, unrelated to seriousness. Filmed in Sweden, set somewhere in the American northwest, The House That Jack Built looks to me like some kind of last testament, von Trier told an interviewer last year. As written, von Triers protagonist is a heinous but honest soul, with an exacting eye and a fearless devotion to craft. Hes just not very interesting, and thats the warmest possible thing you can say about the film itself. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic. Advertisement mjphillips@chicagotribune.com Twitter @phillipstribune.com The House That Jack Built 1 star MPAA rating: R (for strong disturbing violence/sadistic behavior, grisly images, language, and nudity) Advertisement Running time: 2:31 Playing: 10:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday only, Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave.; musicboxtheatre.com. [ MORE COVERAGE: Tribune review of Lars von Trier's end-of-the-world movie, 'Melancholia' ] [ Directors Guild nominees include Peter Farrelly for 'Green Book,' which is pretty dumb ] Matt Dillon plays "Mr. Sophistication," the serial killer at the center of Lars von Trier's "The House That Jack Built." Uma Thurman and Riley Keogh play two of many victims. (Curzon Film World Ltd.) The Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier has coped with depression, alcohol abuse and a fairly justifiable persecution complex for years now. In 2011 he shot his mouth off at the Cannes Film Festival, joking about Hitler and Nazis and Jews, and was promptly declared persona non grata by festival officials. He returned to Cannes last year with his latest work, The House that Jack Built, a tedious picture about a remorseless serial killer, played by Matt Dillon. We watch this man, trained as an engineer and an architect, going through life wearing Robin Williams untrustworthy eyeglasses from One Hour Photo. His explanation of self is divided into five discrete incidents, separate and grisly killings. Advertisement In voiceover, and then after the characters emerge on screen, we listen to Jack debate matters of artistic temperament and the existence of hell with Verge (Bruno Ganz), an incarnation of the poet Virgil. They are in hell. The narrative periodically brakes for snippets of archival footage of Glenn Gould at the piano. In one flashback incident, Uma Thurman plays a royally pushy stranded motorist, just begging to be murdered. In another, Riley Keough is Jacks lover, Simple, whose breasts Jack admires, and then mutilates. The bodies of Jacks victims pile up in a refrigerated warehouse. The House That Jack Built grinds on, and it may be the dullest film about serial killing in the history of dull movies about serial killers. Advertisement Jack treats each new murder scenario as performance art, an artistic creation coming from a strong, if psychopathic, artistic impulse. He slaughters a mother and two children in a field in one sequence, echoing The Most Dangerous Game. After the killing, he arranges the corpses just so and photographs his victims. Hes a control-freak of a filmmaker, in other words. Periodically Jack is seen in riffs on Bob Dylans Subterranean Homesick Blues music video. He signs his photos of the murder scenes Mr. Sophistication. Verge, the Virgil stand-in, confronts Jack in the underworld, but Jack is wily; his imagination may be lazily sadistic, but he can talk his way out of most rhetorical corners. (He gasses on and on; the films theatrical cut, which is rated R, runs a tick over two-and-a-half-hours.) Up until now, Ive had a wildly conflicted relationship to von Triers work, which isnt all like The House That Jack Built. The first half of Antichrist, prior to the outlandishly explicit and aggressively stupid half (far rougher than anything here), is some kind of masterwork a subversive satiric allegory about a smug man who believes he can cure his wifes problems, and who learns better. The classically paced grandeur of Melancholia, von Triers end-of-the-world picture, lays a series of beautiful shrouds onto its narrative frame. Dancer in the Dark is a brutal musical, to say the least, crudely punishing, but also a true and anguished experience. The Boss of It All is remarkably funny, a bleaker version of The Office with a temperament all its own. Dogville, a couple of others you may resist or even detest them, but theyre not dismissable. The House That Jack Built is dismissible. Its hardly anything, signifying nothing. It sees the world as a pitiless charnel house and, in that, it resembles dozens or hundreds of other films, some of them brilliant, all of them made by other filmmakers. Jack equates the Holocaust death camps with perverse, ghoulish performance art, and at that point, when historical footage of the shoveled, piled bodies flashed on screen, I thought: This is banal as well as offensive. Its the banality of offensiveness, unrelated to seriousness. Filmed in Sweden, set somewhere in the American northwest, The House That Jack Built looks to me like some kind of last testament, von Trier told an interviewer last year. As written, von Triers protagonist is a heinous but honest soul, with an exacting eye and a fearless devotion to craft. Hes just not very interesting, and thats the warmest possible thing you can say about the film itself. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic. Advertisement mjphillips@chicagotribune.com Twitter @phillipstribune.com The House That Jack Built 1 star MPAA rating: R (for strong disturbing violence/sadistic behavior, grisly images, language, and nudity) Advertisement Running time: 2:31 Playing: 10:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday only, Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave.; musicboxtheatre.com. [ MORE COVERAGE: Tribune review of Lars von Trier's end-of-the-world movie, 'Melancholia' ] [ Directors Guild nominees include Peter Farrelly for 'Green Book,' which is pretty dumb ] A man has set himself and his car on fire in front of horrified diners while screaming about Victoria's Covid-19 vaccine mandates. The man emerged from a silver MG3 hatchback engulfed in flames near Church St in Richmond about 8pm on Saturday. Police officers and firefighters doused the man with water to extinguish the blaze with the help of about five witnesses. A man has set himself and his MG3 hatch on fire in Richmond while screaming about Victoria's Covid-19 mandates on Saturday (pictured) The bystanders helped restrain the man before police officers pinned him to the ground. He was then taken into an ambulance and rushed to hospital. Police said he had suffered life-threatening injuries. One witness who helped restrain the man said his flesh was burning before the flames were put out with water. The man had set himself and his car alight on Church St (pictured) in front of horrified diners at about 8pm on Saturday 'His skin was burning. He was on fire. His skin is stuck to [my] shirt,' she told The Herald Sun. 'He was off his face screaming about the mandates.' Lydia O'Connor was having dinner at a nearby restaurant when she heard the man screaming. 'He poured gas on himself and on his car. It was on purpose,' Ms O'Connor told the publication. 'He was screaming about mandates. He was screaming "no vax ID" and throwing books.' Victoria police and about five witnesses restrained the man who appeared 'off his face' while screaming about vaccine mandates Police cordoned off the area near the intersection of Church and Swan Street while customers at surrounding businesses were told to stay indoors. Bystanders said they initially saw black smoke coming from the vehicle, which was left with a charred driver's side door. Forensic police were then seen examining the area. Victoria Police said it was called to the intersection after reports of a man self-harming. The man was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries. The incident caused disruptions to trams which run along Route 70 and Route 78 while the investigation continues. New Delhi: India on Saturday (January 1) called on Pakistan to release and repatriate 356 Indian fishermen and two civilian prisoners whose nationality has already been confirmed and conveyed to Pakistani authorities. In addition, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 182 Indian fishermen and 17 civilian prisoners who are in Pakistan's custody and are believed to be Indian, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. India made the request in the context of the exchange of the lists of civilian prisoners and fishermen by both the countries as part of a practice to do so on January 1 and July 1 of every calendar year under the framework of a 2008 agreement. The MEA said India handed over a list of 282 Pakistan civilian prisoners and 73 fishermen in India's custody to Pakistan. Similarly, Pakistan has shared lists of 51 civilian prisoners and 577 fishermen in its custody, who are Indians or are believed to be Indians. It said India has called for early release and repatriation of civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen, along with their boats, by Pakistan. "In this context, Pakistan was asked to expedite the release and repatriation of two Indian civilian prisoners and 356 Indian fishermen to India whose nationality has been confirmed and conveyed to Pakistan," the MEA said in a statement. In addition, it said, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 182 Indian fishermen and 17 civilian prisoners who are in Pakistan's custody and are believed to be Indians. "The government also requested Pakistan to expedite the grant of visas to the members of the medical experts' team and facilitate their visit to Pakistan to assess the mental condition of believed-to-be Indian prisoners of unsound mind, lodged in different jails of Pakistan," the MEA said. "It was also proposed to organise an early visit of the Joint Judicial Committee to Pakistan," it said. The MEA said India remained committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other's country. "In this context, India has also urged Pakistan to expedite necessary action at its end to confirm the nationality status of 68 Pakistan prisoners, including fishermen, whose repatriation is pending for want of nationality confirmation by Pakistan," the MEA said. "In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pakistan has been requested to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be Indian civil prisoners and fishermen," it said. Live TV A new study by the University of Queensland has found that a commonly available pesticide is linked to an increased risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The research has been published in the 'International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health'. Researchers analysed links between pesticide exposure and the risk of kidney dysfunction in 41,847 people, using data from the USA National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). School of Public Health Associate Professor, Nicholas Osborne said that the study found people exposed to higher amounts of the insecticide Malathion, known as Maldison in Australia, had a 25 per cent higher risk of kidney dysfunction. "Nearly one in 10 people in high-income countries show signs of CKD, which is permanent kidney damage and loss of renal function," Dr Osborne said. Risk factors of developing CKD included age, hypertension and diabetes. Dr Osborne said that CKD with no known cause was rising in low-to-middle income countries such as India, Sri Lanka and Mesoamerica. "Initially, it was suspected the condition was associated with agricultural workplaces through exposure to heat stress, dehydration, pesticide spraying, heavy metals and agrochemicals," Dr Osborne said. "However, environmental contamination, pesticide residues and herbal medicines potentially containing heavy metals may also be contributing to CKD," he added. The cause of increased CKD remains unknown but spraying pesticides without personal protective equipment (PPE) and working with contaminated soil have been suggested as likely exposure pathways. Dr Osborne said that the UQ study was the first to provide evidence linking Malathion with the risk of poor kidney health in humans. "The findings suggest we should limit our exposure to pesticides, even in very small doses, as chronic exposure may lead to negative health outcomes," Dr Osborne said. "We will continue to investigate if other pesticides may be involved and are planning to collect data on Sri Lankan farmer behaviours to examine their level of exposure when using pesticides in the field," he added. Malathion is licensed for use in agriculture, domestic and public recreation areas as part of mosquito and fruit fly eradication programs, and can also be found in some topical head lice treatments. (ANI) A man has set himself and his car on fire in front of horrified diners while screaming about Victoria's Covid-19 vaccine mandates. The man emerged from a silver MG3 hatchback engulfed in flames near Church St in Richmond about 8pm on Saturday. Police officers and firefighters doused the man with water to extinguish the blaze with the help of about five witnesses. A man has set himself and his MG3 hatch on fire in Richmond while screaming about Victoria's Covid-19 mandates on Saturday (pictured) The bystanders helped restrain the man before police officers pinned him to the ground. He was then taken into an ambulance and rushed to hospital. Police said he had suffered life-threatening injuries. One witness who helped restrain the man said his flesh was burning before the flames were put out with water. The man had set himself and his car alight on Church St (pictured) in front of horrified diners at about 8pm on Saturday 'His skin was burning. He was on fire. His skin is stuck to [my] shirt,' she told The Herald Sun. 'He was off his face screaming about the mandates.' Lydia O'Connor was having dinner at a nearby restaurant when she heard the man screaming. 'He poured gas on himself and on his car. It was on purpose,' Ms O'Connor told the publication. 'He was screaming about mandates. He was screaming "no vax ID" and throwing books.' Victoria police and about five witnesses restrained the man who appeared 'off his face' while screaming about vaccine mandates Police cordoned off the area near the intersection of Church and Swan Street while customers at surrounding businesses were told to stay indoors. Bystanders said they initially saw black smoke coming from the vehicle, which was left with a charred driver's side door. Forensic police were then seen examining the area. Victoria Police said it was called to the intersection after reports of a man self-harming. The man was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries. The incident caused disruptions to trams which run along Route 70 and Route 78 while the investigation continues. Ping Coombes has said winning MasterChef Champion of Champions brought back so many good memories and it makes me feel alive. The 40-year-old won MasterChef in 2014 with Malaysian-inspired dishes including coconut and pandan rice with sambal lemongrass prawns. On December 31, she returned to the kitchen alongside other former champions Tim Anderson (2011), Saliha Mahmood Ahmed (2017), Kenny Tutt (2018) and Irini Tzortzoglou (2019) where she won the MasterChef plate again. Ping Coombes with the trophy (BBC/PA) She said: Being back in the MasterChef kitchen brings back so many good memories and it makes me feel alive. Everything is the same as it was and its all happening again. I am so relieved. You are putting yourself out there again, open to criticism, so to get those comments was out of this world. I cant really believe it all its like a dream. Im really, really happy. During one of the challenges, Coombes made Malaysian claypot chicken and her version of an ais kacang, which featured shards of rose-flavoured meringue and salted sweetcorn mousse. Judge Gregg Wallace took a particular liking to her dessert and said it was absolutely delicious. Fellow judge John Torode said: You see two sides of Ping in her food the first is the very serious, very technical side, the other is the fun one. Her food today was delicious, no two ways about it. After winning MasterChef in 2014, Coombes wrote cookbook Malaysia in 2016 and appeared in John Torodes Malaysian Adventure that same year. The pandemic hasnt been easy for consumers or service workers. While consumers have faced increased prices, shortages and long delays to receive goods and services, workers have had to deal with angry clients and to fill-in for sick co-workers, all while risking their own health. In mid-December, The New York Times asked readers to tell us about their experience as customers and employees in the service industry during the pandemic. Many readers said that, while the quality of service that they experienced might have declined, they had developed more empathy for the overworked people on the other side of the register or phone line. People working in the service industry expressed frustration that they were often in the difficult position of enforcing masking rules with noncompliant customers, whether in a grocery store or the cabin of an airplane. For many, enduring verbal abuse has become just another aspect of the job. China's Covid cases have hit their highest level since the country tamed its first wave of the pandemic nearly two years ago. The country recorded some 1,151 infections over the last seven days, subduing business despite it being under some of the world's toughest Covid measures. The National Health Commission reported on Saturday 175 new community infections with confirmed clinical symptoms for December 31. China's surge has been driven mostly by an outbreak in the northwestern industrial and tech hub of Xian. The city of 13million which has been under such a strict lockdown citizens have been left surviving on a bowl of porridge a day, despite Beijing insisting there are 'sufficient' food supplies. The deepening outbreak in Xian will likely firm authorities' resolve to curb transmissions quickly as and when cases emerge. China's Covid cases have hit their highest level since the country tamed its first wave of the pandemic nearly two years ago. Pictured: People wear masks as they pray for the New Year at the Guiyuan temple in Wuhan, where the pandemic first started The surge has been driven mostly by an outbreak in the northwestern industrial and tech hub of Xian, a city of 13million which has been under such a strict lockdown citizens have been left surviving on a bowl of porridge a day despite Beijing insisting there are 'sufficient' food supplies. Pictured: A Xian citizen tests for Covid on Thursday A worker prepares food supplies to be delivered to residents of a residential compound under lockdown in Xian, China China has recorded some 1,151 infections over the last seven days, subduing business despite it being under some of the world's toughest Covid measures 'Starving' residents survive on a bowl of porridge a day in locked down Chinese city 'Starving' residents in the locked-down Chinese city of Xian are surviving on a bowl of porridge a day despite Beijing insisting there are 'sufficient' food supplies. Thirteen million residents in northern Xian are in their tenth day of home confinement, and national health officials have called for measures to be strengthened further as China battles its worst virus surge in months. Xian's inhabitants have been complaining of food shortages on social media but while officials admitted that there had been trouble providing essential supplies, they said 'the total supply of daily necessities in Xian is sufficient'. One resident surnamed Wang said: 'I live on.... a bowl of porridge every day, just to keep alive. 'I heard friends in other districts got their food delivered, but not here in Weiyang district.' One woman said: 'I didn't get any food delivered to me. I managed to order something from our convenience store downstairs two days ago, but not today.' 'I have rice at home... I have several eggs left - one per meal, one meal per day,' she said. Another resident who didn't want to be named said she only had enough food because she had persuaded the community manager at the gate to let her slip out to the supermarket for half an hour to get supplies. Supplies were low and the vegetables were not fresh, she said, adding that by Thursday police had been stationed outside the block. Beijing has followed a strict 'zero Covid' strategy involving tight border restrictions and targeted lockdowns since the virus first surfaced in Wuhan in late 2019. But officials admitted at a press conference on Wednesday that 'low staff attendance and difficulties in logistics and distribution' had led to trouble providing essential supplies as the country faces a resurgence in infections. Advertisement The city, under lockdown for 10 days as of Saturday, has reported 1,451 local symptomatic cases since December 9, the highest tally for any Chinese city in 2021. While China's case count is tiny compared to many outbreaks elsewhere in the world, forestalling major flare-ups in 2022 will be important. Beijing will be hosting the Winter Olympic Games in February, and the ruling Communist Party will hold a once-every-five-years congress, expected in the fall, where President Xi Jinping will likely secure a third term as party secretary. The emergence of the highly transmissible Omicron variant will also drive Beijing to stick to its high vigilance against the virus. China has reported a handful of imported Omicron cases and at least one locally transmitted case. Since August, China has tried to get any outbreak under control within about two weeks, much shorter than the four to six weeks in earlier battles against sporadic flare-ups following the initial nationwide epidemic, according to the National Health Commission. Cities along China's borders are at higher virus risk, either due to the presence of overland transport links or entry of infected travellers from other countries. Some were hit by Delta outbreaks that resulted in harsh travel curbs last year. Yunnan, which shares a border with Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam, reported new local symptomatic cases on 92 out of 365 days last year, or 25 per cent of the time, more often than any other province, autonomous region or municipality. The Xian outbreak, which led to cases in other cities including Beijing, could be traced back to a flight arriving from Pakistan, but it was unclear how it spread to local communities. Many people have been forbidden from leaving their residential compounds, but a city government official said on Friday curbs would be loosened in less risky compounds when the time was right. Postgraduate student Li Jiaxin, 23, said nobody can leave the campus of her university. She spent New Year's Eve with her three room mates and was unable to meet with her boyfriend and family. 'I may be what you would consider a person with a strong sense of ritual, so I still feel a little sad that we are not together at this time,' she said. China's tough epidemic policies have helped stop its sprawling industrial sector from sliding into prolonged shutdowns, reaping important export gains as other pillars of growth weakened. But unpredictable disruptions have shaken consumer sentiment and hammered the catering, hospitality and tourism sectors. An employee surnamed Wang at a traditional teahouse in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan, said her company's revenues had been halved compared with pre-pandemic levels. 'Many guests from other provinces had came to our teahouse specially for a taste of Yunnan's pu'er tea, but now there are fewer of them,' Wang said. 'My salary hasn't been cut, but I feel I may lose my job at any time.' Stock image A Maple Heights man who crashed into a Highland Avenue home in Cambridge earlier this year while being pursued by local law enforcement, was sentenced to 10 years in prison Wednesday during a hearing in the Guernsey County Common Pleas Court. Juvis R. Montgomery, 46, was sentenced to three years apiece on convictions for attempted felonious assault, failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and vehicular assault, all third-degree felonies. Judge Daniel G. Padden also terminated Montgomery's post release control from an unrelated crime and imposed a one-year prison sentence with all four terms to be served consecutively resulting in the 10-year sentence. A female resident inside the home struck by the sport-utility vehicle Montgomery was driving was injured and required treatment at Southeastern Ohio Regional Medical Center. The impact reportedly knocked the woman off a couch where she was lying and onto the floor where she struck her head. She was transported to the Cambridge hospital by United Ambulance. She was reportedly released from the hospital after being treated in the emergency department. The initial indictment returned against Montgomery charged him with felonious assault, a first-degree felony, that was later amended as part of the negotiated plea agreement by the Guernsey County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. More: Driver charged in pursuit that ended with SUV striking a house Montgomery was being pursued by State Highway Patrol troopers from the Cambridge post and Guernsey County sheriff's deputies when he crashed on Highland Avenue approximately a mile east of the downtown area. According to law enforcement, the incidents leading up to the pursuit started just before noon on March 24 when a trooper stopped an Infinity on Interstate 77 for an improper lane change. After no contraband was found during a probable cause search, Montgomery and an unidentified female were allowed to return to the SUV. Story continues Troopers were reportedly preparing to let the pair leave when Montgomery, who had switched to the driver's seat, sped away, turning west onto Ohio 541 near Kimbolton. The start of the pursuit was reported at 1:16 p.m. The Infinity stopped briefly at a gas station on Ohio 541 and Montgomery entered the business. He returned to the vehicle a short time later and sped away on back toward southbound I-77. With troopers preparing to deploy stop spikes on I-77, Montgomery exited the highway at the U.S. 22 (Cadiz Road)/Cambridge exit and traveled west on Cadiz Road toward the city. Still traveling at a high rate of speed while entering Cambridge on Highland Avenue, Montgomery failed to negotiate the curve at the intersection with Stewart Avenue and slid off the left side of the roadway into the house. Tire tracks through a gravel parking area and yard along Highland Avenue show the path an Infinity sport-utility vehicle took just before crashing into a house and injuring a 71-year-old resident. The SUV driven by Maple Heights resident Juvis Montgomery was fleeing from local law enforcement when the crash occurred. Montgomery was reportedly trying to back the Infinity from the heavily-damaged home when Guernsey County Sheriff Jeff Paden parked his cruiser behind the SUV. Neither Montgomery nor the 28-year-old female passenger from Cleveland were injured. Both were taken into custody at the crash scene, but the woman was later released after being questioned by authorities without being charged. Highland Avenue was closed for approximately 45 minutes. In April, Montgomery failed to appear for his initial preliminary hearing in Cambridge Municipal Court and a warrant was issued for his arrest. More: Driver in high-speed chase fails to appear for preliminary hearing He later surrendered to sheriff's deputies and was again taken into custody. More: Pursuit driver surrenders to authorities after missing hearing Padden cited Montgomery's significant prior felony record for the 10-year prison sentence. A life-time driver's license suspension was imposed for the failure to comply conviction. Montgomery was remanded into the custody of the sheriff's office for transport to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections to begin serving his sentence. This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Montgomery sentenced to prison for pursuit, crash that injured woman New Delhi: India on Saturday (January 1) called on Pakistan to release and repatriate 356 Indian fishermen and two civilian prisoners whose nationality has already been confirmed and conveyed to Pakistani authorities. In addition, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 182 Indian fishermen and 17 civilian prisoners who are in Pakistan's custody and are believed to be Indian, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. India made the request in the context of the exchange of the lists of civilian prisoners and fishermen by both the countries as part of a practice to do so on January 1 and July 1 of every calendar year under the framework of a 2008 agreement. The MEA said India handed over a list of 282 Pakistan civilian prisoners and 73 fishermen in India's custody to Pakistan. Similarly, Pakistan has shared lists of 51 civilian prisoners and 577 fishermen in its custody, who are Indians or are believed to be Indians. It said India has called for early release and repatriation of civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen, along with their boats, by Pakistan. "In this context, Pakistan was asked to expedite the release and repatriation of two Indian civilian prisoners and 356 Indian fishermen to India whose nationality has been confirmed and conveyed to Pakistan," the MEA said in a statement. In addition, it said, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 182 Indian fishermen and 17 civilian prisoners who are in Pakistan's custody and are believed to be Indians. "The government also requested Pakistan to expedite the grant of visas to the members of the medical experts' team and facilitate their visit to Pakistan to assess the mental condition of believed-to-be Indian prisoners of unsound mind, lodged in different jails of Pakistan," the MEA said. "It was also proposed to organise an early visit of the Joint Judicial Committee to Pakistan," it said. The MEA said India remained committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other's country. "In this context, India has also urged Pakistan to expedite necessary action at its end to confirm the nationality status of 68 Pakistan prisoners, including fishermen, whose repatriation is pending for want of nationality confirmation by Pakistan," the MEA said. "In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pakistan has been requested to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be Indian civil prisoners and fishermen," it said. Live TV New Delhi: India on Saturday (January 1) called on Pakistan to release and repatriate 356 Indian fishermen and two civilian prisoners whose nationality has already been confirmed and conveyed to Pakistani authorities. In addition, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 182 Indian fishermen and 17 civilian prisoners who are in Pakistan's custody and are believed to be Indian, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. India made the request in the context of the exchange of the lists of civilian prisoners and fishermen by both the countries as part of a practice to do so on January 1 and July 1 of every calendar year under the framework of a 2008 agreement. The MEA said India handed over a list of 282 Pakistan civilian prisoners and 73 fishermen in India's custody to Pakistan. Similarly, Pakistan has shared lists of 51 civilian prisoners and 577 fishermen in its custody, who are Indians or are believed to be Indians. It said India has called for early release and repatriation of civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen, along with their boats, by Pakistan. "In this context, Pakistan was asked to expedite the release and repatriation of two Indian civilian prisoners and 356 Indian fishermen to India whose nationality has been confirmed and conveyed to Pakistan," the MEA said in a statement. In addition, it said, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 182 Indian fishermen and 17 civilian prisoners who are in Pakistan's custody and are believed to be Indians. "The government also requested Pakistan to expedite the grant of visas to the members of the medical experts' team and facilitate their visit to Pakistan to assess the mental condition of believed-to-be Indian prisoners of unsound mind, lodged in different jails of Pakistan," the MEA said. "It was also proposed to organise an early visit of the Joint Judicial Committee to Pakistan," it said. The MEA said India remained committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other's country. "In this context, India has also urged Pakistan to expedite necessary action at its end to confirm the nationality status of 68 Pakistan prisoners, including fishermen, whose repatriation is pending for want of nationality confirmation by Pakistan," the MEA said. "In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pakistan has been requested to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be Indian civil prisoners and fishermen," it said. Live TV The pandemic hasnt been easy for consumers or service workers. While consumers have faced increased prices, shortages and long delays to receive goods and services, workers have had to deal with angry clients and to fill-in for sick co-workers, all while risking their own health. In mid-December, The New York Times asked readers to tell us about their experience as customers and employees in the service industry during the pandemic. Many readers said that, while the quality of service that they experienced might have declined, they had developed more empathy for the overworked people on the other side of the register or phone line. People working in the service industry expressed frustration that they were often in the difficult position of enforcing masking rules with noncompliant customers, whether in a grocery store or the cabin of an airplane. For many, enduring verbal abuse has become just another aspect of the job. Stock image A Maple Heights man who crashed into a Highland Avenue home in Cambridge earlier this year while being pursued by local law enforcement, was sentenced to 10 years in prison Wednesday during a hearing in the Guernsey County Common Pleas Court. Juvis R. Montgomery, 46, was sentenced to three years apiece on convictions for attempted felonious assault, failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and vehicular assault, all third-degree felonies. Judge Daniel G. Padden also terminated Montgomery's post release control from an unrelated crime and imposed a one-year prison sentence with all four terms to be served consecutively resulting in the 10-year sentence. A female resident inside the home struck by the sport-utility vehicle Montgomery was driving was injured and required treatment at Southeastern Ohio Regional Medical Center. The impact reportedly knocked the woman off a couch where she was lying and onto the floor where she struck her head. She was transported to the Cambridge hospital by United Ambulance. She was reportedly released from the hospital after being treated in the emergency department. The initial indictment returned against Montgomery charged him with felonious assault, a first-degree felony, that was later amended as part of the negotiated plea agreement by the Guernsey County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. More: Driver charged in pursuit that ended with SUV striking a house Montgomery was being pursued by State Highway Patrol troopers from the Cambridge post and Guernsey County sheriff's deputies when he crashed on Highland Avenue approximately a mile east of the downtown area. According to law enforcement, the incidents leading up to the pursuit started just before noon on March 24 when a trooper stopped an Infinity on Interstate 77 for an improper lane change. After no contraband was found during a probable cause search, Montgomery and an unidentified female were allowed to return to the SUV. Story continues Troopers were reportedly preparing to let the pair leave when Montgomery, who had switched to the driver's seat, sped away, turning west onto Ohio 541 near Kimbolton. The start of the pursuit was reported at 1:16 p.m. The Infinity stopped briefly at a gas station on Ohio 541 and Montgomery entered the business. He returned to the vehicle a short time later and sped away on back toward southbound I-77. With troopers preparing to deploy stop spikes on I-77, Montgomery exited the highway at the U.S. 22 (Cadiz Road)/Cambridge exit and traveled west on Cadiz Road toward the city. Still traveling at a high rate of speed while entering Cambridge on Highland Avenue, Montgomery failed to negotiate the curve at the intersection with Stewart Avenue and slid off the left side of the roadway into the house. Tire tracks through a gravel parking area and yard along Highland Avenue show the path an Infinity sport-utility vehicle took just before crashing into a house and injuring a 71-year-old resident. The SUV driven by Maple Heights resident Juvis Montgomery was fleeing from local law enforcement when the crash occurred. Montgomery was reportedly trying to back the Infinity from the heavily-damaged home when Guernsey County Sheriff Jeff Paden parked his cruiser behind the SUV. Neither Montgomery nor the 28-year-old female passenger from Cleveland were injured. Both were taken into custody at the crash scene, but the woman was later released after being questioned by authorities without being charged. Highland Avenue was closed for approximately 45 minutes. In April, Montgomery failed to appear for his initial preliminary hearing in Cambridge Municipal Court and a warrant was issued for his arrest. More: Driver in high-speed chase fails to appear for preliminary hearing He later surrendered to sheriff's deputies and was again taken into custody. More: Pursuit driver surrenders to authorities after missing hearing Padden cited Montgomery's significant prior felony record for the 10-year prison sentence. A life-time driver's license suspension was imposed for the failure to comply conviction. Montgomery was remanded into the custody of the sheriff's office for transport to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections to begin serving his sentence. This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Montgomery sentenced to prison for pursuit, crash that injured woman Stock image A Maple Heights man who crashed into a Highland Avenue home in Cambridge earlier this year while being pursued by local law enforcement, was sentenced to 10 years in prison Wednesday during a hearing in the Guernsey County Common Pleas Court. Juvis R. Montgomery, 46, was sentenced to three years apiece on convictions for attempted felonious assault, failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and vehicular assault, all third-degree felonies. Judge Daniel G. Padden also terminated Montgomery's post release control from an unrelated crime and imposed a one-year prison sentence with all four terms to be served consecutively resulting in the 10-year sentence. A female resident inside the home struck by the sport-utility vehicle Montgomery was driving was injured and required treatment at Southeastern Ohio Regional Medical Center. The impact reportedly knocked the woman off a couch where she was lying and onto the floor where she struck her head. She was transported to the Cambridge hospital by United Ambulance. She was reportedly released from the hospital after being treated in the emergency department. The initial indictment returned against Montgomery charged him with felonious assault, a first-degree felony, that was later amended as part of the negotiated plea agreement by the Guernsey County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. More: Driver charged in pursuit that ended with SUV striking a house Montgomery was being pursued by State Highway Patrol troopers from the Cambridge post and Guernsey County sheriff's deputies when he crashed on Highland Avenue approximately a mile east of the downtown area. According to law enforcement, the incidents leading up to the pursuit started just before noon on March 24 when a trooper stopped an Infinity on Interstate 77 for an improper lane change. After no contraband was found during a probable cause search, Montgomery and an unidentified female were allowed to return to the SUV. Story continues Troopers were reportedly preparing to let the pair leave when Montgomery, who had switched to the driver's seat, sped away, turning west onto Ohio 541 near Kimbolton. The start of the pursuit was reported at 1:16 p.m. The Infinity stopped briefly at a gas station on Ohio 541 and Montgomery entered the business. He returned to the vehicle a short time later and sped away on back toward southbound I-77. With troopers preparing to deploy stop spikes on I-77, Montgomery exited the highway at the U.S. 22 (Cadiz Road)/Cambridge exit and traveled west on Cadiz Road toward the city. Still traveling at a high rate of speed while entering Cambridge on Highland Avenue, Montgomery failed to negotiate the curve at the intersection with Stewart Avenue and slid off the left side of the roadway into the house. Tire tracks through a gravel parking area and yard along Highland Avenue show the path an Infinity sport-utility vehicle took just before crashing into a house and injuring a 71-year-old resident. The SUV driven by Maple Heights resident Juvis Montgomery was fleeing from local law enforcement when the crash occurred. Montgomery was reportedly trying to back the Infinity from the heavily-damaged home when Guernsey County Sheriff Jeff Paden parked his cruiser behind the SUV. Neither Montgomery nor the 28-year-old female passenger from Cleveland were injured. Both were taken into custody at the crash scene, but the woman was later released after being questioned by authorities without being charged. Highland Avenue was closed for approximately 45 minutes. In April, Montgomery failed to appear for his initial preliminary hearing in Cambridge Municipal Court and a warrant was issued for his arrest. More: Driver in high-speed chase fails to appear for preliminary hearing He later surrendered to sheriff's deputies and was again taken into custody. More: Pursuit driver surrenders to authorities after missing hearing Padden cited Montgomery's significant prior felony record for the 10-year prison sentence. A life-time driver's license suspension was imposed for the failure to comply conviction. Montgomery was remanded into the custody of the sheriff's office for transport to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections to begin serving his sentence. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Stock image A Maple Heights man who crashed into a Highland Avenue home in Cambridge earlier this year while being pursued by local law enforcement, was sentenced to 10 years in prison Wednesday during a hearing in the Guernsey County Common Pleas Court. Juvis R. Montgomery, 46, was sentenced to three years apiece on convictions for attempted felonious assault, failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and vehicular assault, all third-degree felonies. Judge Daniel G. Padden also terminated Montgomery's post release control from an unrelated crime and imposed a one-year prison sentence with all four terms to be served consecutively resulting in the 10-year sentence. A female resident inside the home struck by the sport-utility vehicle Montgomery was driving was injured and required treatment at Southeastern Ohio Regional Medical Center. The impact reportedly knocked the woman off a couch where she was lying and onto the floor where she struck her head. She was transported to the Cambridge hospital by United Ambulance. She was reportedly released from the hospital after being treated in the emergency department. The initial indictment returned against Montgomery charged him with felonious assault, a first-degree felony, that was later amended as part of the negotiated plea agreement by the Guernsey County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. More: Driver charged in pursuit that ended with SUV striking a house Montgomery was being pursued by State Highway Patrol troopers from the Cambridge post and Guernsey County sheriff's deputies when he crashed on Highland Avenue approximately a mile east of the downtown area. According to law enforcement, the incidents leading up to the pursuit started just before noon on March 24 when a trooper stopped an Infinity on Interstate 77 for an improper lane change. After no contraband was found during a probable cause search, Montgomery and an unidentified female were allowed to return to the SUV. Story continues Troopers were reportedly preparing to let the pair leave when Montgomery, who had switched to the driver's seat, sped away, turning west onto Ohio 541 near Kimbolton. The start of the pursuit was reported at 1:16 p.m. The Infinity stopped briefly at a gas station on Ohio 541 and Montgomery entered the business. He returned to the vehicle a short time later and sped away on back toward southbound I-77. With troopers preparing to deploy stop spikes on I-77, Montgomery exited the highway at the U.S. 22 (Cadiz Road)/Cambridge exit and traveled west on Cadiz Road toward the city. Still traveling at a high rate of speed while entering Cambridge on Highland Avenue, Montgomery failed to negotiate the curve at the intersection with Stewart Avenue and slid off the left side of the roadway into the house. Tire tracks through a gravel parking area and yard along Highland Avenue show the path an Infinity sport-utility vehicle took just before crashing into a house and injuring a 71-year-old resident. The SUV driven by Maple Heights resident Juvis Montgomery was fleeing from local law enforcement when the crash occurred. Montgomery was reportedly trying to back the Infinity from the heavily-damaged home when Guernsey County Sheriff Jeff Paden parked his cruiser behind the SUV. Neither Montgomery nor the 28-year-old female passenger from Cleveland were injured. Both were taken into custody at the crash scene, but the woman was later released after being questioned by authorities without being charged. Highland Avenue was closed for approximately 45 minutes. In April, Montgomery failed to appear for his initial preliminary hearing in Cambridge Municipal Court and a warrant was issued for his arrest. More: Driver in high-speed chase fails to appear for preliminary hearing He later surrendered to sheriff's deputies and was again taken into custody. More: Pursuit driver surrenders to authorities after missing hearing Padden cited Montgomery's significant prior felony record for the 10-year prison sentence. A life-time driver's license suspension was imposed for the failure to comply conviction. Montgomery was remanded into the custody of the sheriff's office for transport to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections to begin serving his sentence. This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Montgomery sentenced to prison for pursuit, crash that injured woman Just Transition Commissioner Kieran Mulvey has stepped down from his role, effective from the end of December, it has been announced. Mr Mulvey was appointed a couple of years ago by the government to help ease the transition for the people of Offaly and further afield while the peat industry was being wound down to be replaced by more environmentally friendly energy industries. Director of Services Stephane Duclot told the December meeting of Offaly County Council that Mr Mulvey was now stepping down from his position after two years in the role. A replacement for Mr Mulvey has not been announced. The Minister for the Environment appointed Mr Mulvey as Just Transition Commissioner in November 2019 with the remit of engaging with stakeholders in the Midlands region and recommending the essential elements of a just transition. The government said the appointment was made in response to the fact that the wider Midlands was the first region in Ireland to experience a concentrated transition away from carbon intensive activities, during which jobs in peat were making way for jobs in renewable energy, bog rehabilitation and other new business opportunities; a process which is still ongoing. The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications established a National Just Transition Fund in 2019 to ensure that workers and the Midlands as a community are fully supported. Three progress reports were published by Mr Mulvey over the last couple of years, each report providing an update on the Just Transition programme in the Midlands. The reports were published in May 2020, November 2020 and July 2021, each report giving an update on the implementation of the Just Transition programme across the region. Throughout the process many of the councillors in Offaly County Council praised Kieran Mulvey for his hard work ethic and his obvious sincerity. However they repeatedly strongly criticised Just Transition for being big in ambition but weak in delivery. The Councillors have also repeatedly pointed out that Bord na Mona used to employ 8,000 people but there have been thousands of job losses since then, dropping down to about 2,000 employees now. The councillors argue that replacing all those lost jobs will require much more than what Just Transition has so far delivered. In October the government said it was rolling back on its commitment to set up a statutory office for the role of a Just Transition Commissioner, an office which would have helped workers and communities impacted by industry changes as a result of the climate crisis. The Programme for Government (PfG) had committed to establishing a Just Transition statutory office with appropriate staffing and resources, but this has now been reneged upon. Minister Eamon Ryan said the focus has now shifted to embedding the Just Transition Programme into an all climate policy instead of a stand-alone statutory commission. The Social Democrats climate spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore described the government's move as very disappointing and worrying to be going back on a promise made under the Programme for Government. In 2019, the then Environment Minister Richard Bruton said the commissioners job was to be the person on the ground who would feed back ideas to the government as part of the just transition plan. In October a spokesperson said the Department of the Environment is currently working on a plan to set out the supports for regions and activities from the 77 million funding Ireland received under the EUs Just Transition Fund. The spokesperson added that Mr Mulvey was appointed as commissioner in November 2019 to facilitate discussions and engagement with stakeholders to develop, mobilise and deliver opportunities for the midlands, for both the workers directly affected and the wider community. The Commissioner, through his three progress reports, has made a number of recommendations to help achieve a just transition in the Midlands. The spokesperson pointed out that these recommendations have been taken forward through a number of strands, including the Just Transition Fund, the Bord na Mona Enhanced Peatlands Rehabilitation Scheme, and the re-configuration of the Midlands Regional Transition Team. Just Transition Commissioner Kieran Mulvey has stepped down from his role, effective from the end of December, it has been announced. Mr Mulvey was appointed a couple of years ago by the government to help ease the transition for the people of Offaly and further afield while the peat industry was being wound down to be replaced by more environmentally friendly energy industries. Director of Services Stephane Duclot told the December meeting of Offaly County Council that Mr Mulvey was now stepping down from his position after two years in the role. A replacement for Mr Mulvey has not been announced. The Minister for the Environment appointed Mr Mulvey as Just Transition Commissioner in November 2019 with the remit of engaging with stakeholders in the Midlands region and recommending the essential elements of a just transition. The government said the appointment was made in response to the fact that the wider Midlands was the first region in Ireland to experience a concentrated transition away from carbon intensive activities, during which jobs in peat were making way for jobs in renewable energy, bog rehabilitation and other new business opportunities; a process which is still ongoing. The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications established a National Just Transition Fund in 2019 to ensure that workers and the Midlands as a community are fully supported. Three progress reports were published by Mr Mulvey over the last couple of years, each report providing an update on the Just Transition programme in the Midlands. The reports were published in May 2020, November 2020 and July 2021, each report giving an update on the implementation of the Just Transition programme across the region. Throughout the process many of the councillors in Offaly County Council praised Kieran Mulvey for his hard work ethic and his obvious sincerity. However they repeatedly strongly criticised Just Transition for being big in ambition but weak in delivery. The Councillors have also repeatedly pointed out that Bord na Mona used to employ 8,000 people but there have been thousands of job losses since then, dropping down to about 2,000 employees now. The councillors argue that replacing all those lost jobs will require much more than what Just Transition has so far delivered. In October the government said it was rolling back on its commitment to set up a statutory office for the role of a Just Transition Commissioner, an office which would have helped workers and communities impacted by industry changes as a result of the climate crisis. The Programme for Government (PfG) had committed to establishing a Just Transition statutory office with appropriate staffing and resources, but this has now been reneged upon. Minister Eamon Ryan said the focus has now shifted to embedding the Just Transition Programme into an all climate policy instead of a stand-alone statutory commission. The Social Democrats climate spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore described the government's move as very disappointing and worrying to be going back on a promise made under the Programme for Government. In 2019, the then Environment Minister Richard Bruton said the commissioners job was to be the person on the ground who would feed back ideas to the government as part of the just transition plan. In October a spokesperson said the Department of the Environment is currently working on a plan to set out the supports for regions and activities from the 77 million funding Ireland received under the EUs Just Transition Fund. The spokesperson added that Mr Mulvey was appointed as commissioner in November 2019 to facilitate discussions and engagement with stakeholders to develop, mobilise and deliver opportunities for the midlands, for both the workers directly affected and the wider community. The Commissioner, through his three progress reports, has made a number of recommendations to help achieve a just transition in the Midlands. The spokesperson pointed out that these recommendations have been taken forward through a number of strands, including the Just Transition Fund, the Bord na Mona Enhanced Peatlands Rehabilitation Scheme, and the re-configuration of the Midlands Regional Transition Team. A man has set himself and his car on fire in front of horrified diners while screaming about Victoria's Covid-19 vaccine mandates. The man emerged from a silver MG3 hatchback engulfed in flames near Church St in Richmond about 8pm on Saturday. Police officers and firefighters doused the man with water to extinguish the blaze with the help of about five witnesses. A man has set himself and his MG3 hatch on fire in Richmond while screaming about Victoria's Covid-19 mandates on Saturday (pictured) The bystanders helped restrain the man before police officers pinned him to the ground. He was then taken into an ambulance and rushed to hospital. Police said he had suffered life-threatening injuries. One witness who helped restrain the man said his flesh was burning before the flames were put out with water. The man had set himself and his car alight on Church St (pictured) in front of horrified diners at about 8pm on Saturday 'His skin was burning. He was on fire. His skin is stuck to [my] shirt,' she told The Herald Sun. 'He was off his face screaming about the mandates.' Lydia O'Connor was having dinner at a nearby restaurant when she heard the man screaming. 'He poured gas on himself and on his car. It was on purpose,' Ms O'Connor told the publication. 'He was screaming about mandates. He was screaming "no vax ID" and throwing books.' Victoria police and about five witnesses restrained the man who appeared 'off his face' while screaming about vaccine mandates Police cordoned off the area near the intersection of Church and Swan Street while customers at surrounding businesses were told to stay indoors. Bystanders said they initially saw black smoke coming from the vehicle, which was left with a charred driver's side door. Forensic police were then seen examining the area. Victoria Police said it was called to the intersection after reports of a man self-harming. The man was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries. The incident caused disruptions to trams which run along Route 70 and Route 78 while the investigation continues. New Delhi: India on Saturday (January 1) called on Pakistan to release and repatriate 356 Indian fishermen and two civilian prisoners whose nationality has already been confirmed and conveyed to Pakistani authorities. In addition, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 182 Indian fishermen and 17 civilian prisoners who are in Pakistan's custody and are believed to be Indian, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. India made the request in the context of the exchange of the lists of civilian prisoners and fishermen by both the countries as part of a practice to do so on January 1 and July 1 of every calendar year under the framework of a 2008 agreement. The MEA said India handed over a list of 282 Pakistan civilian prisoners and 73 fishermen in India's custody to Pakistan. Similarly, Pakistan has shared lists of 51 civilian prisoners and 577 fishermen in its custody, who are Indians or are believed to be Indians. It said India has called for early release and repatriation of civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen, along with their boats, by Pakistan. "In this context, Pakistan was asked to expedite the release and repatriation of two Indian civilian prisoners and 356 Indian fishermen to India whose nationality has been confirmed and conveyed to Pakistan," the MEA said in a statement. In addition, it said, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 182 Indian fishermen and 17 civilian prisoners who are in Pakistan's custody and are believed to be Indians. "The government also requested Pakistan to expedite the grant of visas to the members of the medical experts' team and facilitate their visit to Pakistan to assess the mental condition of believed-to-be Indian prisoners of unsound mind, lodged in different jails of Pakistan," the MEA said. "It was also proposed to organise an early visit of the Joint Judicial Committee to Pakistan," it said. The MEA said India remained committed to addressing, on priority, all humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other's country. "In this context, India has also urged Pakistan to expedite necessary action at its end to confirm the nationality status of 68 Pakistan prisoners, including fishermen, whose repatriation is pending for want of nationality confirmation by Pakistan," the MEA said. "In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pakistan has been requested to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be Indian civil prisoners and fishermen," it said. Live TV Just Transition Commissioner Kieran Mulvey has stepped down from his role, effective from the end of December, it has been announced. Mr Mulvey was appointed a couple of years ago by the government to help ease the transition for the people of Offaly and further afield while the peat industry was being wound down to be replaced by more environmentally friendly energy industries. Director of Services Stephane Duclot told the December meeting of Offaly County Council that Mr Mulvey was now stepping down from his position after two years in the role. A replacement for Mr Mulvey has not been announced. The Minister for the Environment appointed Mr Mulvey as Just Transition Commissioner in November 2019 with the remit of engaging with stakeholders in the Midlands region and recommending the essential elements of a just transition. The government said the appointment was made in response to the fact that the wider Midlands was the first region in Ireland to experience a concentrated transition away from carbon intensive activities, during which jobs in peat were making way for jobs in renewable energy, bog rehabilitation and other new business opportunities; a process which is still ongoing. The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications established a National Just Transition Fund in 2019 to ensure that workers and the Midlands as a community are fully supported. Three progress reports were published by Mr Mulvey over the last couple of years, each report providing an update on the Just Transition programme in the Midlands. The reports were published in May 2020, November 2020 and July 2021, each report giving an update on the implementation of the Just Transition programme across the region. Throughout the process many of the councillors in Offaly County Council praised Kieran Mulvey for his hard work ethic and his obvious sincerity. However they repeatedly strongly criticised Just Transition for being big in ambition but weak in delivery. The Councillors have also repeatedly pointed out that Bord na Mona used to employ 8,000 people but there have been thousands of job losses since then, dropping down to about 2,000 employees now. The councillors argue that replacing all those lost jobs will require much more than what Just Transition has so far delivered. In October the government said it was rolling back on its commitment to set up a statutory office for the role of a Just Transition Commissioner, an office which would have helped workers and communities impacted by industry changes as a result of the climate crisis. The Programme for Government (PfG) had committed to establishing a Just Transition statutory office with appropriate staffing and resources, but this has now been reneged upon. Minister Eamon Ryan said the focus has now shifted to embedding the Just Transition Programme into an all climate policy instead of a stand-alone statutory commission. The Social Democrats climate spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore described the government's move as very disappointing and worrying to be going back on a promise made under the Programme for Government. In 2019, the then Environment Minister Richard Bruton said the commissioners job was to be the person on the ground who would feed back ideas to the government as part of the just transition plan. In October a spokesperson said the Department of the Environment is currently working on a plan to set out the supports for regions and activities from the 77 million funding Ireland received under the EUs Just Transition Fund. The spokesperson added that Mr Mulvey was appointed as commissioner in November 2019 to facilitate discussions and engagement with stakeholders to develop, mobilise and deliver opportunities for the midlands, for both the workers directly affected and the wider community. The Commissioner, through his three progress reports, has made a number of recommendations to help achieve a just transition in the Midlands. The spokesperson pointed out that these recommendations have been taken forward through a number of strands, including the Just Transition Fund, the Bord na Mona Enhanced Peatlands Rehabilitation Scheme, and the re-configuration of the Midlands Regional Transition Team. Just Transition Commissioner Kieran Mulvey has stepped down from his role, effective from the end of December, it has been announced. Mr Mulvey was appointed a couple of years ago by the government to help ease the transition for the people of Offaly and further afield while the peat industry was being wound down to be replaced by more environmentally friendly energy industries. Director of Services Stephane Duclot told the December meeting of Offaly County Council that Mr Mulvey was now stepping down from his position after two years in the role. A replacement for Mr Mulvey has not been announced. The Minister for the Environment appointed Mr Mulvey as Just Transition Commissioner in November 2019 with the remit of engaging with stakeholders in the Midlands region and recommending the essential elements of a just transition. The government said the appointment was made in response to the fact that the wider Midlands was the first region in Ireland to experience a concentrated transition away from carbon intensive activities, during which jobs in peat were making way for jobs in renewable energy, bog rehabilitation and other new business opportunities; a process which is still ongoing. The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications established a National Just Transition Fund in 2019 to ensure that workers and the Midlands as a community are fully supported. Three progress reports were published by Mr Mulvey over the last couple of years, each report providing an update on the Just Transition programme in the Midlands. The reports were published in May 2020, November 2020 and July 2021, each report giving an update on the implementation of the Just Transition programme across the region. Throughout the process many of the councillors in Offaly County Council praised Kieran Mulvey for his hard work ethic and his obvious sincerity. However they repeatedly strongly criticised Just Transition for being big in ambition but weak in delivery. The Councillors have also repeatedly pointed out that Bord na Mona used to employ 8,000 people but there have been thousands of job losses since then, dropping down to about 2,000 employees now. The councillors argue that replacing all those lost jobs will require much more than what Just Transition has so far delivered. In October the government said it was rolling back on its commitment to set up a statutory office for the role of a Just Transition Commissioner, an office which would have helped workers and communities impacted by industry changes as a result of the climate crisis. The Programme for Government (PfG) had committed to establishing a Just Transition statutory office with appropriate staffing and resources, but this has now been reneged upon. Minister Eamon Ryan said the focus has now shifted to embedding the Just Transition Programme into an all climate policy instead of a stand-alone statutory commission. The Social Democrats climate spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore described the government's move as very disappointing and worrying to be going back on a promise made under the Programme for Government. In 2019, the then Environment Minister Richard Bruton said the commissioners job was to be the person on the ground who would feed back ideas to the government as part of the just transition plan. In October a spokesperson said the Department of the Environment is currently working on a plan to set out the supports for regions and activities from the 77 million funding Ireland received under the EUs Just Transition Fund. The spokesperson added that Mr Mulvey was appointed as commissioner in November 2019 to facilitate discussions and engagement with stakeholders to develop, mobilise and deliver opportunities for the midlands, for both the workers directly affected and the wider community. The Commissioner, through his three progress reports, has made a number of recommendations to help achieve a just transition in the Midlands. The spokesperson pointed out that these recommendations have been taken forward through a number of strands, including the Just Transition Fund, the Bord na Mona Enhanced Peatlands Rehabilitation Scheme, and the re-configuration of the Midlands Regional Transition Team. Just Transition Commissioner Kieran Mulvey has stepped down from his role, effective from the end of December, it has been announced. Mr Mulvey was appointed a couple of years ago by the government to help ease the transition for the people of Offaly and further afield while the peat industry was being wound down to be replaced by more environmentally friendly energy industries. Director of Services Stephane Duclot told the December meeting of Offaly County Council that Mr Mulvey was now stepping down from his position after two years in the role. A replacement for Mr Mulvey has not been announced. The Minister for the Environment appointed Mr Mulvey as Just Transition Commissioner in November 2019 with the remit of engaging with stakeholders in the Midlands region and recommending the essential elements of a just transition. The government said the appointment was made in response to the fact that the wider Midlands was the first region in Ireland to experience a concentrated transition away from carbon intensive activities, during which jobs in peat were making way for jobs in renewable energy, bog rehabilitation and other new business opportunities; a process which is still ongoing. The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications established a National Just Transition Fund in 2019 to ensure that workers and the Midlands as a community are fully supported. Three progress reports were published by Mr Mulvey over the last couple of years, each report providing an update on the Just Transition programme in the Midlands. The reports were published in May 2020, November 2020 and July 2021, each report giving an update on the implementation of the Just Transition programme across the region. Throughout the process many of the councillors in Offaly County Council praised Kieran Mulvey for his hard work ethic and his obvious sincerity. However they repeatedly strongly criticised Just Transition for being big in ambition but weak in delivery. The Councillors have also repeatedly pointed out that Bord na Mona used to employ 8,000 people but there have been thousands of job losses since then, dropping down to about 2,000 employees now. The councillors argue that replacing all those lost jobs will require much more than what Just Transition has so far delivered. In October the government said it was rolling back on its commitment to set up a statutory office for the role of a Just Transition Commissioner, an office which would have helped workers and communities impacted by industry changes as a result of the climate crisis. The Programme for Government (PfG) had committed to establishing a Just Transition statutory office with appropriate staffing and resources, but this has now been reneged upon. Minister Eamon Ryan said the focus has now shifted to embedding the Just Transition Programme into an all climate policy instead of a stand-alone statutory commission. The Social Democrats climate spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore described the government's move as very disappointing and worrying to be going back on a promise made under the Programme for Government. In 2019, the then Environment Minister Richard Bruton said the commissioners job was to be the person on the ground who would feed back ideas to the government as part of the just transition plan. In October a spokesperson said the Department of the Environment is currently working on a plan to set out the supports for regions and activities from the 77 million funding Ireland received under the EUs Just Transition Fund. The spokesperson added that Mr Mulvey was appointed as commissioner in November 2019 to facilitate discussions and engagement with stakeholders to develop, mobilise and deliver opportunities for the midlands, for both the workers directly affected and the wider community. The Commissioner, through his three progress reports, has made a number of recommendations to help achieve a just transition in the Midlands. The spokesperson pointed out that these recommendations have been taken forward through a number of strands, including the Just Transition Fund, the Bord na Mona Enhanced Peatlands Rehabilitation Scheme, and the re-configuration of the Midlands Regional Transition Team. Just Transition Commissioner Kieran Mulvey has stepped down from his role, effective from the end of December, it has been announced. Mr Mulvey was appointed a couple of years ago by the government to help ease the transition for the people of Offaly and further afield while the peat industry was being wound down to be replaced by more environmentally friendly energy industries. Director of Services Stephane Duclot told the December meeting of Offaly County Council that Mr Mulvey was now stepping down from his position after two years in the role. A replacement for Mr Mulvey has not been announced. The Minister for the Environment appointed Mr Mulvey as Just Transition Commissioner in November 2019 with the remit of engaging with stakeholders in the Midlands region and recommending the essential elements of a just transition. The government said the appointment was made in response to the fact that the wider Midlands was the first region in Ireland to experience a concentrated transition away from carbon intensive activities, during which jobs in peat were making way for jobs in renewable energy, bog rehabilitation and other new business opportunities; a process which is still ongoing. The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications established a National Just Transition Fund in 2019 to ensure that workers and the Midlands as a community are fully supported. Three progress reports were published by Mr Mulvey over the last couple of years, each report providing an update on the Just Transition programme in the Midlands. The reports were published in May 2020, November 2020 and July 2021, each report giving an update on the implementation of the Just Transition programme across the region. Throughout the process many of the councillors in Offaly County Council praised Kieran Mulvey for his hard work ethic and his obvious sincerity. However they repeatedly strongly criticised Just Transition for being big in ambition but weak in delivery. The Councillors have also repeatedly pointed out that Bord na Mona used to employ 8,000 people but there have been thousands of job losses since then, dropping down to about 2,000 employees now. The councillors argue that replacing all those lost jobs will require much more than what Just Transition has so far delivered. In October the government said it was rolling back on its commitment to set up a statutory office for the role of a Just Transition Commissioner, an office which would have helped workers and communities impacted by industry changes as a result of the climate crisis. The Programme for Government (PfG) had committed to establishing a Just Transition statutory office with appropriate staffing and resources, but this has now been reneged upon. Minister Eamon Ryan said the focus has now shifted to embedding the Just Transition Programme into an all climate policy instead of a stand-alone statutory commission. The Social Democrats climate spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore described the government's move as very disappointing and worrying to be going back on a promise made under the Programme for Government. In 2019, the then Environment Minister Richard Bruton said the commissioners job was to be the person on the ground who would feed back ideas to the government as part of the just transition plan. In October a spokesperson said the Department of the Environment is currently working on a plan to set out the supports for regions and activities from the 77 million funding Ireland received under the EUs Just Transition Fund. The spokesperson added that Mr Mulvey was appointed as commissioner in November 2019 to facilitate discussions and engagement with stakeholders to develop, mobilise and deliver opportunities for the midlands, for both the workers directly affected and the wider community. The Commissioner, through his three progress reports, has made a number of recommendations to help achieve a just transition in the Midlands. The spokesperson pointed out that these recommendations have been taken forward through a number of strands, including the Just Transition Fund, the Bord na Mona Enhanced Peatlands Rehabilitation Scheme, and the re-configuration of the Midlands Regional Transition Team. The first case of "florona" disease, reportedly a double infection of COVID-19 and influenza, has been recorded Israel. Taking to social media, Arab News tweeted,"#Israel records first case of #florona disease, a double infection of #COVID19 and influenza." What is Florona? Earlier this week, a pregnant woman was infected with Florona, becoming the first person to report the disease. According to Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, as quoted by Hindusthan Times, the young woman was not vaccinated. At a time when Covid-19 surge is once again being witnessed in India and globally, and at a time when Omicron - a new Covid-19 variant that was first detected in South Africa in November 2021 - is spreading rapidly, the news of Florona had caused some misgivings among people. But health experts have so far said that this disease is not a new variant, but it is having flu and COVID-19 at the same time. Israel has been witnessing a number of influenza cases in recent times and doctors in the country say that they are studying the disease. Fourth Covid-19 dose in Israel Meanwhile, Israel's national health providers began administering fourth vaccine shots against COVID-19 on Friday to individuals with compromised immune systems. The Health Ministry's Director-General Nachman Ash today okayed the boosters for immuno-suppressed people due to the Omicron infection wave, so long as at least four months have passed since their third shot, Time of Israel reported. On Friday (December 31) morning Ash also approved vaccines for elderly patients at geriatric facilities. The ministry said this was done "due to concerns of outbreaks at such facilities, and the risk to the health and lives of residents," the publication said. Israel is reported a continuous rise in COVID-19 cases. The Delmicron debate A couple of weeks back, the debate in India over a new Coronavirus strain being called 'Delmicron' saw leading health experts advising people not to pay heed to rumours and wait for the global health agencies like the World Health Organisation (WHO) or US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to confirm or deny the presence of such Covid variant. There is no such Covid variant as of now, and there is no information either on another mutation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus after Omicron, which is spreading wildly worldwide. Neither the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) nor the Indian national Covid-19 task force has spoken about the presence of so-called 'Delmicron'. Touted to be a combination of Delta and Omicron variants, some reports suggested it may have caused the surge in the US and Europe. However, it's again not a new "variant", but rather two strains of Covid-19 attacking together. Live TV JERUSALEM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Two rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip toward central Israel but fell short in the sea, the Israeli army said in a statement on Saturday morning. The rockets were sent from the Gaza Strip toward the Mediterranean, a military spokesperson said in a statement, adding they "fell off the coast of Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area." No sirens were triggered, and no interceptions were made, according to the statement. Residents in Tel Aviv said they heard loud explosion sounds, the Hebrew-language Ynet news website reported. The rocket launch came four days after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz held a meeting in Israel. On Wednesday, Israeli tanks fired into the Gaza Strip after gunfire from the coastal Palestinian enclave mildly injured an Israeli worker doing routine maintenance at the border barrier between Israel and Gaza. Enditem JERUSALEM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Two rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip toward central Israel but fell short in the sea, the Israeli army said in a statement on Saturday morning. The rockets were sent from the Gaza Strip toward the Mediterranean, a military spokesperson said in a statement, adding they "fell off the coast of Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area." No sirens were triggered, and no interceptions were made, according to the statement. Residents in Tel Aviv said they heard loud explosion sounds, the Hebrew-language Ynet news website reported. The rocket launch came four days after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz held a meeting in Israel. On Wednesday, Israeli tanks fired into the Gaza Strip after gunfire from the coastal Palestinian enclave mildly injured an Israeli worker doing routine maintenance at the border barrier between Israel and Gaza. Enditem JERUSALEM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Two rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip toward central Israel but fell short in the sea, the Israeli army said in a statement on Saturday morning. The rockets were sent from the Gaza Strip toward the Mediterranean, a military spokesperson said in a statement, adding they "fell off the coast of Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area." No sirens were triggered, and no interceptions were made, according to the statement. Residents in Tel Aviv said they heard loud explosion sounds, the Hebrew-language Ynet news website reported. The rocket launch came four days after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz held a meeting in Israel. On Wednesday, Israeli tanks fired into the Gaza Strip after gunfire from the coastal Palestinian enclave mildly injured an Israeli worker doing routine maintenance at the border barrier between Israel and Gaza. Enditem JERUSALEM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Two rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip toward central Israel but fell short in the sea, the Israeli army said in a statement on Saturday morning. The rockets were sent from the Gaza Strip toward the Mediterranean, a military spokesperson said in a statement, adding they "fell off the coast of Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area." No sirens were triggered, and no interceptions were made, according to the statement. Residents in Tel Aviv said they heard loud explosion sounds, the Hebrew-language Ynet news website reported. The rocket launch came four days after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz held a meeting in Israel. On Wednesday, Israeli tanks fired into the Gaza Strip after gunfire from the coastal Palestinian enclave mildly injured an Israeli worker doing routine maintenance at the border barrier between Israel and Gaza. Enditem JERUSALEM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Two rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip toward central Israel but fell short in the sea, the Israeli army said in a statement on Saturday morning. The rockets were sent from the Gaza Strip toward the Mediterranean, a military spokesperson said in a statement, adding they "fell off the coast of Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area." No sirens were triggered, and no interceptions were made, according to the statement. Residents in Tel Aviv said they heard loud explosion sounds, the Hebrew-language Ynet news website reported. The rocket launch came four days after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz held a meeting in Israel. On Wednesday, Israeli tanks fired into the Gaza Strip after gunfire from the coastal Palestinian enclave mildly injured an Israeli worker doing routine maintenance at the border barrier between Israel and Gaza. Enditem JERUSALEM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Two rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip toward central Israel but fell short in the sea, the Israeli army said in a statement on Saturday morning. The rockets were sent from the Gaza Strip toward the Mediterranean, a military spokesperson said in a statement, adding they "fell off the coast of Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area." No sirens were triggered, and no interceptions were made, according to the statement. Residents in Tel Aviv said they heard loud explosion sounds, the Hebrew-language Ynet news website reported. The rocket launch came four days after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz held a meeting in Israel. On Wednesday, Israeli tanks fired into the Gaza Strip after gunfire from the coastal Palestinian enclave mildly injured an Israeli worker doing routine maintenance at the border barrier between Israel and Gaza. Enditem JERUSALEM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Two rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip toward central Israel but fell short in the sea, the Israeli army said in a statement on Saturday morning. The rockets were sent from the Gaza Strip toward the Mediterranean, a military spokesperson said in a statement, adding they "fell off the coast of Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area." No sirens were triggered, and no interceptions were made, according to the statement. Residents in Tel Aviv said they heard loud explosion sounds, the Hebrew-language Ynet news website reported. The rocket launch came four days after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz held a meeting in Israel. On Wednesday, Israeli tanks fired into the Gaza Strip after gunfire from the coastal Palestinian enclave mildly injured an Israeli worker doing routine maintenance at the border barrier between Israel and Gaza. Enditem The first case of "florona" disease, reportedly a double infection of COVID-19 and influenza, has been recorded Israel. Taking to social media, Arab News tweeted,"#Israel records first case of #florona disease, a double infection of #COVID19 and influenza." What is Florona? Earlier this week, a pregnant woman was infected with Florona, becoming the first person to report the disease. According to Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, as quoted by Hindusthan Times, the young woman was not vaccinated. At a time when Covid-19 surge is once again being witnessed in India and globally, and at a time when Omicron - a new Covid-19 variant that was first detected in South Africa in November 2021 - is spreading rapidly, the news of Florona had caused some misgivings among people. But health experts have so far said that this disease is not a new variant, but it is having flu and COVID-19 at the same time. Israel has been witnessing a number of influenza cases in recent times and doctors in the country say that they are studying the disease. Fourth Covid-19 dose in Israel Meanwhile, Israel's national health providers began administering fourth vaccine shots against COVID-19 on Friday to individuals with compromised immune systems. The Health Ministry's Director-General Nachman Ash today okayed the boosters for immuno-suppressed people due to the Omicron infection wave, so long as at least four months have passed since their third shot, Time of Israel reported. On Friday (December 31) morning Ash also approved vaccines for elderly patients at geriatric facilities. The ministry said this was done "due to concerns of outbreaks at such facilities, and the risk to the health and lives of residents," the publication said. Israel is reported a continuous rise in COVID-19 cases. The Delmicron debate A couple of weeks back, the debate in India over a new Coronavirus strain being called 'Delmicron' saw leading health experts advising people not to pay heed to rumours and wait for the global health agencies like the World Health Organisation (WHO) or US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to confirm or deny the presence of such Covid variant. There is no such Covid variant as of now, and there is no information either on another mutation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus after Omicron, which is spreading wildly worldwide. Neither the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) nor the Indian national Covid-19 task force has spoken about the presence of so-called 'Delmicron'. Touted to be a combination of Delta and Omicron variants, some reports suggested it may have caused the surge in the US and Europe. However, it's again not a new "variant", but rather two strains of Covid-19 attacking together. Live TV Stock image A Maple Heights man who crashed into a Highland Avenue home in Cambridge earlier this year while being pursued by local law enforcement, was sentenced to 10 years in prison Wednesday during a hearing in the Guernsey County Common Pleas Court. Juvis R. Montgomery, 46, was sentenced to three years apiece on convictions for attempted felonious assault, failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and vehicular assault, all third-degree felonies. Judge Daniel G. Padden also terminated Montgomery's post release control from an unrelated crime and imposed a one-year prison sentence with all four terms to be served consecutively resulting in the 10-year sentence. A female resident inside the home struck by the sport-utility vehicle Montgomery was driving was injured and required treatment at Southeastern Ohio Regional Medical Center. The impact reportedly knocked the woman off a couch where she was lying and onto the floor where she struck her head. She was transported to the Cambridge hospital by United Ambulance. She was reportedly released from the hospital after being treated in the emergency department. The initial indictment returned against Montgomery charged him with felonious assault, a first-degree felony, that was later amended as part of the negotiated plea agreement by the Guernsey County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. More: Driver charged in pursuit that ended with SUV striking a house Montgomery was being pursued by State Highway Patrol troopers from the Cambridge post and Guernsey County sheriff's deputies when he crashed on Highland Avenue approximately a mile east of the downtown area. According to law enforcement, the incidents leading up to the pursuit started just before noon on March 24 when a trooper stopped an Infinity on Interstate 77 for an improper lane change. After no contraband was found during a probable cause search, Montgomery and an unidentified female were allowed to return to the SUV. Story continues Troopers were reportedly preparing to let the pair leave when Montgomery, who had switched to the driver's seat, sped away, turning west onto Ohio 541 near Kimbolton. The start of the pursuit was reported at 1:16 p.m. The Infinity stopped briefly at a gas station on Ohio 541 and Montgomery entered the business. He returned to the vehicle a short time later and sped away on back toward southbound I-77. With troopers preparing to deploy stop spikes on I-77, Montgomery exited the highway at the U.S. 22 (Cadiz Road)/Cambridge exit and traveled west on Cadiz Road toward the city. Still traveling at a high rate of speed while entering Cambridge on Highland Avenue, Montgomery failed to negotiate the curve at the intersection with Stewart Avenue and slid off the left side of the roadway into the house. Tire tracks through a gravel parking area and yard along Highland Avenue show the path an Infinity sport-utility vehicle took just before crashing into a house and injuring a 71-year-old resident. The SUV driven by Maple Heights resident Juvis Montgomery was fleeing from local law enforcement when the crash occurred. Montgomery was reportedly trying to back the Infinity from the heavily-damaged home when Guernsey County Sheriff Jeff Paden parked his cruiser behind the SUV. Neither Montgomery nor the 28-year-old female passenger from Cleveland were injured. Both were taken into custody at the crash scene, but the woman was later released after being questioned by authorities without being charged. Highland Avenue was closed for approximately 45 minutes. In April, Montgomery failed to appear for his initial preliminary hearing in Cambridge Municipal Court and a warrant was issued for his arrest. More: Driver in high-speed chase fails to appear for preliminary hearing He later surrendered to sheriff's deputies and was again taken into custody. More: Pursuit driver surrenders to authorities after missing hearing Padden cited Montgomery's significant prior felony record for the 10-year prison sentence. A life-time driver's license suspension was imposed for the failure to comply conviction. Montgomery was remanded into the custody of the sheriff's office for transport to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections to begin serving his sentence. This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Montgomery sentenced to prison for pursuit, crash that injured woman The end of 2021 brings some welcome news, finally, with the Flying Leathernecks Aviation Museum announcing that it has earned a reprieve from the permanent closure mooted in February. Located on the grounds of Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar in San Diego, California for the past twenty years, this well-regarded museum will be be moving back to Great Park in Irvine, site of the now-shuttered MCAS El Toro (ironically, the museums previous home until the bases closure in 1999). Following the decision by MCAS Miramars commanding officer, Col Charles Dockery, to close the Flying Leathernecks Aviation Museum (for budgetary reasons) this February, a number of the institutions prominent exhibits found new homes elsewhere. This included sole-surviving Douglas SBD-1 Dauntless (BuNo.1612) which is now at the Air Zoo Flight Discovery Center in Kalamazoo, Michigan, FM-2 Wildcat (BuNo.16278) which is now with the Hickory Aviation Museum in Hickory, North Carolina, and Northrop F-5E Tiger II (BuNo.741564) which is now at the Pima Air & Space Museum near Tucson, Arizona. Thankfully, the rest of the collection now seems likely to remain as a whole, and will eventually make the 75 mile journey up the coast to Irvine sometime in the coming year or so. More details are available in the museums press release below The target date to reopen to the public is August 2023. All the aircraft and artifacts owned by the Marine Corps will remain at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar until they can be moved to their new home. In a Letter of Intent to the City of Irvine, Headquarters Marine Corps has just announced that it will keep the collection of aircraft and artifacts hosted by the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum intact. The Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum Foundation anticipates a Memorandum of Agreement from the Marine Corps stating that the full collection will be loaned to the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum at Great Park. Members of the Foundations Advisory Board are already meeting to plan the relocation and reopening of the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum. The Board will be working with the City of Irvine to restore and refurbish the former Marine Air Group 46 (MAG-46) hangars (pictured), the future home of the museum. The Foundation Advisory Board is comprised of retired Marines, business, legal, and museum professionals who will plan and guide the Museum to opening day and beyond. Brigadier General Michael Aguilar (USMC retired), CEO of the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum, has indicated that the first task of the board is to raise funds required to prepare the hangar and move the aircraft and artifacts to Irvine. General Aguilar also expressed his deep appreciation to the thousands of individuals from around the nation and the world who signed petitions and contacted their representatives about the museum. Their actions helped keep the collection intact and save the museum. To support the expenses associated with the move of the collection and artifacts, people can donate HERE. Stock image A Maple Heights man who crashed into a Highland Avenue home in Cambridge earlier this year while being pursued by local law enforcement, was sentenced to 10 years in prison Wednesday during a hearing in the Guernsey County Common Pleas Court. Juvis R. Montgomery, 46, was sentenced to three years apiece on convictions for attempted felonious assault, failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and vehicular assault, all third-degree felonies. Judge Daniel G. Padden also terminated Montgomery's post release control from an unrelated crime and imposed a one-year prison sentence with all four terms to be served consecutively resulting in the 10-year sentence. A female resident inside the home struck by the sport-utility vehicle Montgomery was driving was injured and required treatment at Southeastern Ohio Regional Medical Center. The impact reportedly knocked the woman off a couch where she was lying and onto the floor where she struck her head. She was transported to the Cambridge hospital by United Ambulance. She was reportedly released from the hospital after being treated in the emergency department. The initial indictment returned against Montgomery charged him with felonious assault, a first-degree felony, that was later amended as part of the negotiated plea agreement by the Guernsey County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. More: Driver charged in pursuit that ended with SUV striking a house Montgomery was being pursued by State Highway Patrol troopers from the Cambridge post and Guernsey County sheriff's deputies when he crashed on Highland Avenue approximately a mile east of the downtown area. According to law enforcement, the incidents leading up to the pursuit started just before noon on March 24 when a trooper stopped an Infinity on Interstate 77 for an improper lane change. After no contraband was found during a probable cause search, Montgomery and an unidentified female were allowed to return to the SUV. Story continues Troopers were reportedly preparing to let the pair leave when Montgomery, who had switched to the driver's seat, sped away, turning west onto Ohio 541 near Kimbolton. The start of the pursuit was reported at 1:16 p.m. The Infinity stopped briefly at a gas station on Ohio 541 and Montgomery entered the business. He returned to the vehicle a short time later and sped away on back toward southbound I-77. With troopers preparing to deploy stop spikes on I-77, Montgomery exited the highway at the U.S. 22 (Cadiz Road)/Cambridge exit and traveled west on Cadiz Road toward the city. Still traveling at a high rate of speed while entering Cambridge on Highland Avenue, Montgomery failed to negotiate the curve at the intersection with Stewart Avenue and slid off the left side of the roadway into the house. Tire tracks through a gravel parking area and yard along Highland Avenue show the path an Infinity sport-utility vehicle took just before crashing into a house and injuring a 71-year-old resident. The SUV driven by Maple Heights resident Juvis Montgomery was fleeing from local law enforcement when the crash occurred. Montgomery was reportedly trying to back the Infinity from the heavily-damaged home when Guernsey County Sheriff Jeff Paden parked his cruiser behind the SUV. Neither Montgomery nor the 28-year-old female passenger from Cleveland were injured. Both were taken into custody at the crash scene, but the woman was later released after being questioned by authorities without being charged. Highland Avenue was closed for approximately 45 minutes. In April, Montgomery failed to appear for his initial preliminary hearing in Cambridge Municipal Court and a warrant was issued for his arrest. More: Driver in high-speed chase fails to appear for preliminary hearing He later surrendered to sheriff's deputies and was again taken into custody. More: Pursuit driver surrenders to authorities after missing hearing Padden cited Montgomery's significant prior felony record for the 10-year prison sentence. A life-time driver's license suspension was imposed for the failure to comply conviction. Montgomery was remanded into the custody of the sheriff's office for transport to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections to begin serving his sentence. This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Montgomery sentenced to prison for pursuit, crash that injured woman If you're reading this around the start of the new year we wish you the very best and we thank you for sticking with our blog community through plague, homicides spikes and all manner of human misery. As always we remain dedicated to upholding our little corner of the Kansas City discourse for as long as humanly possible. Funny enough . . . While we were a bit disappointed with our blogging efforts last year BUT it turns out that more people read our siblings in recent months than ever before . . . We don't plan to change much and, as always, we hope to take things slow & steady and to the best of our (meager) ability. Again, more than anything . . . HAPPY NEW YEAR KANSAS CITY!!! We hope that 2022 brings our blog community health, happiness, big booty white women and whatever else you want . . . In abundance. Peace, Tony In Boston, levels measured in wastewater are spiking to more than quadruple last winters surge. In Miami, more than a quarter of people are testing positive for Covid. And a San Francisco medical leader estimates that, based on his hospitals tests, one of every 12 people in the city with no Covid symptoms actually has the virus. In Boston, levels measured in wastewater are spiking to more than quadruple last winters surge. In Miami, more than a quarter of people are testing positive for Covid. And a San Francisco medical leader estimates that, based on his hospitals tests, one of every 12 people in the city with no Covid symptoms actually has the virus. JERUSALEM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Two rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip toward central Israel but fell short in the sea, the Israeli army said in a statement on Saturday morning. The rockets were sent from the Gaza Strip toward the Mediterranean, a military spokesperson said in a statement, adding they "fell off the coast of Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area." No sirens were triggered, and no interceptions were made, according to the statement. Residents in Tel Aviv said they heard loud explosion sounds, the Hebrew-language Ynet news website reported. The rocket launch came four days after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz held a meeting in Israel. On Wednesday, Israeli tanks fired into the Gaza Strip after gunfire from the coastal Palestinian enclave mildly injured an Israeli worker doing routine maintenance at the border barrier between Israel and Gaza. Enditem JERUSALEM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Two rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip toward central Israel but fell short in the sea, the Israeli army said in a statement on Saturday morning. The rockets were sent from the Gaza Strip toward the Mediterranean, a military spokesperson said in a statement, adding they "fell off the coast of Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area." No sirens were triggered, and no interceptions were made, according to the statement. Residents in Tel Aviv said they heard loud explosion sounds, the Hebrew-language Ynet news website reported. The rocket launch came four days after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz held a meeting in Israel. On Wednesday, Israeli tanks fired into the Gaza Strip after gunfire from the coastal Palestinian enclave mildly injured an Israeli worker doing routine maintenance at the border barrier between Israel and Gaza. Enditem JERUSALEM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Two rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip toward central Israel but fell short in the sea, the Israeli army said in a statement on Saturday morning. The rockets were sent from the Gaza Strip toward the Mediterranean, a military spokesperson said in a statement, adding they "fell off the coast of Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area." No sirens were triggered, and no interceptions were made, according to the statement. Residents in Tel Aviv said they heard loud explosion sounds, the Hebrew-language Ynet news website reported. The rocket launch came four days after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz held a meeting in Israel. On Wednesday, Israeli tanks fired into the Gaza Strip after gunfire from the coastal Palestinian enclave mildly injured an Israeli worker doing routine maintenance at the border barrier between Israel and Gaza. Enditem JERUSALEM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Two rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip toward central Israel but fell short in the sea, the Israeli army said in a statement on Saturday morning. The rockets were sent from the Gaza Strip toward the Mediterranean, a military spokesperson said in a statement, adding they "fell off the coast of Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area." No sirens were triggered, and no interceptions were made, according to the statement. Residents in Tel Aviv said they heard loud explosion sounds, the Hebrew-language Ynet news website reported. The rocket launch came four days after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz held a meeting in Israel. On Wednesday, Israeli tanks fired into the Gaza Strip after gunfire from the coastal Palestinian enclave mildly injured an Israeli worker doing routine maintenance at the border barrier between Israel and Gaza. Enditem JERUSALEM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Two rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip toward central Israel but fell short in the sea, the Israeli army said in a statement on Saturday morning. The rockets were sent from the Gaza Strip toward the Mediterranean, a military spokesperson said in a statement, adding they "fell off the coast of Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area." No sirens were triggered, and no interceptions were made, according to the statement. Residents in Tel Aviv said they heard loud explosion sounds, the Hebrew-language Ynet news website reported. The rocket launch came four days after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz held a meeting in Israel. On Wednesday, Israeli tanks fired into the Gaza Strip after gunfire from the coastal Palestinian enclave mildly injured an Israeli worker doing routine maintenance at the border barrier between Israel and Gaza. Enditem JERUSALEM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Two rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip toward central Israel but fell short in the sea, the Israeli army said in a statement on Saturday morning. The rockets were sent from the Gaza Strip toward the Mediterranean, a military spokesperson said in a statement, adding they "fell off the coast of Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area." No sirens were triggered, and no interceptions were made, according to the statement. Residents in Tel Aviv said they heard loud explosion sounds, the Hebrew-language Ynet news website reported. The rocket launch came four days after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz held a meeting in Israel. On Wednesday, Israeli tanks fired into the Gaza Strip after gunfire from the coastal Palestinian enclave mildly injured an Israeli worker doing routine maintenance at the border barrier between Israel and Gaza. Enditem JERUSALEM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Two rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip toward central Israel but fell short in the sea, the Israeli army said in a statement on Saturday morning. The rockets were sent from the Gaza Strip toward the Mediterranean, a military spokesperson said in a statement, adding they "fell off the coast of Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area." No sirens were triggered, and no interceptions were made, according to the statement. Residents in Tel Aviv said they heard loud explosion sounds, the Hebrew-language Ynet news website reported. The rocket launch came four days after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz held a meeting in Israel. On Wednesday, Israeli tanks fired into the Gaza Strip after gunfire from the coastal Palestinian enclave mildly injured an Israeli worker doing routine maintenance at the border barrier between Israel and Gaza. Enditem JERUSALEM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Two rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip toward central Israel but fell short in the sea, the Israeli army said in a statement on Saturday morning. The rockets were sent from the Gaza Strip toward the Mediterranean, a military spokesperson said in a statement, adding they "fell off the coast of Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area." No sirens were triggered, and no interceptions were made, according to the statement. Residents in Tel Aviv said they heard loud explosion sounds, the Hebrew-language Ynet news website reported. The rocket launch came four days after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz held a meeting in Israel. On Wednesday, Israeli tanks fired into the Gaza Strip after gunfire from the coastal Palestinian enclave mildly injured an Israeli worker doing routine maintenance at the border barrier between Israel and Gaza. Enditem JERUSALEM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Two rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip toward central Israel but fell short in the sea, the Israeli army said in a statement on Saturday morning. The rockets were sent from the Gaza Strip toward the Mediterranean, a military spokesperson said in a statement, adding they "fell off the coast of Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area." No sirens were triggered, and no interceptions were made, according to the statement. Residents in Tel Aviv said they heard loud explosion sounds, the Hebrew-language Ynet news website reported. The rocket launch came four days after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz held a meeting in Israel. On Wednesday, Israeli tanks fired into the Gaza Strip after gunfire from the coastal Palestinian enclave mildly injured an Israeli worker doing routine maintenance at the border barrier between Israel and Gaza. Enditem JERUSALEM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Two rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip toward central Israel but fell short in the sea, the Israeli army said in a statement on Saturday morning. The rockets were sent from the Gaza Strip toward the Mediterranean, a military spokesperson said in a statement, adding they "fell off the coast of Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area." No sirens were triggered, and no interceptions were made, according to the statement. Residents in Tel Aviv said they heard loud explosion sounds, the Hebrew-language Ynet news website reported. The rocket launch came four days after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz held a meeting in Israel. On Wednesday, Israeli tanks fired into the Gaza Strip after gunfire from the coastal Palestinian enclave mildly injured an Israeli worker doing routine maintenance at the border barrier between Israel and Gaza. Enditem Stock image A Maple Heights man who crashed into a Highland Avenue home in Cambridge earlier this year while being pursued by local law enforcement, was sentenced to 10 years in prison Wednesday during a hearing in the Guernsey County Common Pleas Court. Juvis R. Montgomery, 46, was sentenced to three years apiece on convictions for attempted felonious assault, failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and vehicular assault, all third-degree felonies. Judge Daniel G. Padden also terminated Montgomery's post release control from an unrelated crime and imposed a one-year prison sentence with all four terms to be served consecutively resulting in the 10-year sentence. A female resident inside the home struck by the sport-utility vehicle Montgomery was driving was injured and required treatment at Southeastern Ohio Regional Medical Center. The impact reportedly knocked the woman off a couch where she was lying and onto the floor where she struck her head. She was transported to the Cambridge hospital by United Ambulance. She was reportedly released from the hospital after being treated in the emergency department. The initial indictment returned against Montgomery charged him with felonious assault, a first-degree felony, that was later amended as part of the negotiated plea agreement by the Guernsey County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. More: Driver charged in pursuit that ended with SUV striking a house Montgomery was being pursued by State Highway Patrol troopers from the Cambridge post and Guernsey County sheriff's deputies when he crashed on Highland Avenue approximately a mile east of the downtown area. According to law enforcement, the incidents leading up to the pursuit started just before noon on March 24 when a trooper stopped an Infinity on Interstate 77 for an improper lane change. After no contraband was found during a probable cause search, Montgomery and an unidentified female were allowed to return to the SUV. Story continues Troopers were reportedly preparing to let the pair leave when Montgomery, who had switched to the driver's seat, sped away, turning west onto Ohio 541 near Kimbolton. The start of the pursuit was reported at 1:16 p.m. The Infinity stopped briefly at a gas station on Ohio 541 and Montgomery entered the business. He returned to the vehicle a short time later and sped away on back toward southbound I-77. With troopers preparing to deploy stop spikes on I-77, Montgomery exited the highway at the U.S. 22 (Cadiz Road)/Cambridge exit and traveled west on Cadiz Road toward the city. Still traveling at a high rate of speed while entering Cambridge on Highland Avenue, Montgomery failed to negotiate the curve at the intersection with Stewart Avenue and slid off the left side of the roadway into the house. Tire tracks through a gravel parking area and yard along Highland Avenue show the path an Infinity sport-utility vehicle took just before crashing into a house and injuring a 71-year-old resident. The SUV driven by Maple Heights resident Juvis Montgomery was fleeing from local law enforcement when the crash occurred. Montgomery was reportedly trying to back the Infinity from the heavily-damaged home when Guernsey County Sheriff Jeff Paden parked his cruiser behind the SUV. Neither Montgomery nor the 28-year-old female passenger from Cleveland were injured. Both were taken into custody at the crash scene, but the woman was later released after being questioned by authorities without being charged. Highland Avenue was closed for approximately 45 minutes. In April, Montgomery failed to appear for his initial preliminary hearing in Cambridge Municipal Court and a warrant was issued for his arrest. More: Driver in high-speed chase fails to appear for preliminary hearing He later surrendered to sheriff's deputies and was again taken into custody. More: Pursuit driver surrenders to authorities after missing hearing Padden cited Montgomery's significant prior felony record for the 10-year prison sentence. A life-time driver's license suspension was imposed for the failure to comply conviction. Montgomery was remanded into the custody of the sheriff's office for transport to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections to begin serving his sentence. This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Montgomery sentenced to prison for pursuit, crash that injured woman Stock image A Maple Heights man who crashed into a Highland Avenue home in Cambridge earlier this year while being pursued by local law enforcement, was sentenced to 10 years in prison Wednesday during a hearing in the Guernsey County Common Pleas Court. Juvis R. Montgomery, 46, was sentenced to three years apiece on convictions for attempted felonious assault, failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and vehicular assault, all third-degree felonies. Judge Daniel G. Padden also terminated Montgomery's post release control from an unrelated crime and imposed a one-year prison sentence with all four terms to be served consecutively resulting in the 10-year sentence. A female resident inside the home struck by the sport-utility vehicle Montgomery was driving was injured and required treatment at Southeastern Ohio Regional Medical Center. The impact reportedly knocked the woman off a couch where she was lying and onto the floor where she struck her head. She was transported to the Cambridge hospital by United Ambulance. She was reportedly released from the hospital after being treated in the emergency department. The initial indictment returned against Montgomery charged him with felonious assault, a first-degree felony, that was later amended as part of the negotiated plea agreement by the Guernsey County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. More: Driver charged in pursuit that ended with SUV striking a house Montgomery was being pursued by State Highway Patrol troopers from the Cambridge post and Guernsey County sheriff's deputies when he crashed on Highland Avenue approximately a mile east of the downtown area. According to law enforcement, the incidents leading up to the pursuit started just before noon on March 24 when a trooper stopped an Infinity on Interstate 77 for an improper lane change. After no contraband was found during a probable cause search, Montgomery and an unidentified female were allowed to return to the SUV. Story continues Troopers were reportedly preparing to let the pair leave when Montgomery, who had switched to the driver's seat, sped away, turning west onto Ohio 541 near Kimbolton. The start of the pursuit was reported at 1:16 p.m. The Infinity stopped briefly at a gas station on Ohio 541 and Montgomery entered the business. He returned to the vehicle a short time later and sped away on back toward southbound I-77. With troopers preparing to deploy stop spikes on I-77, Montgomery exited the highway at the U.S. 22 (Cadiz Road)/Cambridge exit and traveled west on Cadiz Road toward the city. Still traveling at a high rate of speed while entering Cambridge on Highland Avenue, Montgomery failed to negotiate the curve at the intersection with Stewart Avenue and slid off the left side of the roadway into the house. Tire tracks through a gravel parking area and yard along Highland Avenue show the path an Infinity sport-utility vehicle took just before crashing into a house and injuring a 71-year-old resident. The SUV driven by Maple Heights resident Juvis Montgomery was fleeing from local law enforcement when the crash occurred. Montgomery was reportedly trying to back the Infinity from the heavily-damaged home when Guernsey County Sheriff Jeff Paden parked his cruiser behind the SUV. Neither Montgomery nor the 28-year-old female passenger from Cleveland were injured. Both were taken into custody at the crash scene, but the woman was later released after being questioned by authorities without being charged. Highland Avenue was closed for approximately 45 minutes. In April, Montgomery failed to appear for his initial preliminary hearing in Cambridge Municipal Court and a warrant was issued for his arrest. More: Driver in high-speed chase fails to appear for preliminary hearing He later surrendered to sheriff's deputies and was again taken into custody. More: Pursuit driver surrenders to authorities after missing hearing Padden cited Montgomery's significant prior felony record for the 10-year prison sentence. A life-time driver's license suspension was imposed for the failure to comply conviction. Montgomery was remanded into the custody of the sheriff's office for transport to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections to begin serving his sentence. This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Montgomery sentenced to prison for pursuit, crash that injured woman Stock image A Maple Heights man who crashed into a Highland Avenue home in Cambridge earlier this year while being pursued by local law enforcement, was sentenced to 10 years in prison Wednesday during a hearing in the Guernsey County Common Pleas Court. Juvis R. Montgomery, 46, was sentenced to three years apiece on convictions for attempted felonious assault, failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and vehicular assault, all third-degree felonies. Judge Daniel G. Padden also terminated Montgomery's post release control from an unrelated crime and imposed a one-year prison sentence with all four terms to be served consecutively resulting in the 10-year sentence. A female resident inside the home struck by the sport-utility vehicle Montgomery was driving was injured and required treatment at Southeastern Ohio Regional Medical Center. The impact reportedly knocked the woman off a couch where she was lying and onto the floor where she struck her head. She was transported to the Cambridge hospital by United Ambulance. She was reportedly released from the hospital after being treated in the emergency department. The initial indictment returned against Montgomery charged him with felonious assault, a first-degree felony, that was later amended as part of the negotiated plea agreement by the Guernsey County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. More: Driver charged in pursuit that ended with SUV striking a house Montgomery was being pursued by State Highway Patrol troopers from the Cambridge post and Guernsey County sheriff's deputies when he crashed on Highland Avenue approximately a mile east of the downtown area. According to law enforcement, the incidents leading up to the pursuit started just before noon on March 24 when a trooper stopped an Infinity on Interstate 77 for an improper lane change. After no contraband was found during a probable cause search, Montgomery and an unidentified female were allowed to return to the SUV. Story continues Troopers were reportedly preparing to let the pair leave when Montgomery, who had switched to the driver's seat, sped away, turning west onto Ohio 541 near Kimbolton. The start of the pursuit was reported at 1:16 p.m. The Infinity stopped briefly at a gas station on Ohio 541 and Montgomery entered the business. He returned to the vehicle a short time later and sped away on back toward southbound I-77. With troopers preparing to deploy stop spikes on I-77, Montgomery exited the highway at the U.S. 22 (Cadiz Road)/Cambridge exit and traveled west on Cadiz Road toward the city. Still traveling at a high rate of speed while entering Cambridge on Highland Avenue, Montgomery failed to negotiate the curve at the intersection with Stewart Avenue and slid off the left side of the roadway into the house. Tire tracks through a gravel parking area and yard along Highland Avenue show the path an Infinity sport-utility vehicle took just before crashing into a house and injuring a 71-year-old resident. The SUV driven by Maple Heights resident Juvis Montgomery was fleeing from local law enforcement when the crash occurred. Montgomery was reportedly trying to back the Infinity from the heavily-damaged home when Guernsey County Sheriff Jeff Paden parked his cruiser behind the SUV. Neither Montgomery nor the 28-year-old female passenger from Cleveland were injured. Both were taken into custody at the crash scene, but the woman was later released after being questioned by authorities without being charged. Highland Avenue was closed for approximately 45 minutes. In April, Montgomery failed to appear for his initial preliminary hearing in Cambridge Municipal Court and a warrant was issued for his arrest. More: Driver in high-speed chase fails to appear for preliminary hearing He later surrendered to sheriff's deputies and was again taken into custody. More: Pursuit driver surrenders to authorities after missing hearing Padden cited Montgomery's significant prior felony record for the 10-year prison sentence. A life-time driver's license suspension was imposed for the failure to comply conviction. Montgomery was remanded into the custody of the sheriff's office for transport to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections to begin serving his sentence. This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Montgomery sentenced to prison for pursuit, crash that injured woman Cape Town: The state funeral for Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a hero of the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, began on Saturday in St Georges Cathedral, Cape Town, where for years he preached against racial injustice. President Cyril Ramaphosa was delivering the main eulogy for Tutu, who was awarded the Nobel Peace prize in 1984 for his non-violent opposition to white minority rule. His death on Sunday aged 90 triggered an outpouring of tributes from around the world. Archbishop Desmond Tutu has been remembered as a moral compass at his funeral in Cape Town. Credit:Getty Images Tutus widow Nomalizo Leah, known as Mama Leah, sat in a wheelchair in the front row of the congregation, draped in a purple scarf, the colour of her husbands clerical robes. Ramaphosa wore a matching necktie. Small in physical stature, he was a giant among us morally and spiritually, said retired Bishop Michael Nuttall, who served as Tutus deputy for many years. A prevailing concern has been an unevenness in reaping the benefits of growth. The Nashville Scene, the citys alternative newspaper, started selling a T-shirt declaring RIP Old Nashville with a lengthy lineup of music venues and beloved haunts that have not survived. Second Avenue has not been immune: One fixture, B.B. Kings Blues Club, is not returning. Old Spaghetti Factory, a restaurant that opened there in 1979, had its lease terminated by its landlord. Im not totally sure we can afford to be downtown, said Dean Griffith, the president of the company. Its really expensive right now. Mayor Cooper said that affordable housing has been a priority. Tens of millions of dollars have been allocated to build or improve affordable housing developments, much of it located in the citys core. Activists have been advocating for more, as rampant gentrification and a soaring cost of living has had a disproportionate impact on working class and minority communities. Even as Nashvilles population has climbed, surpassing Memphis as Tennessees most populous city as it reached about 700,000 residents, the African American population has spiraled downward by 20 percentage points or more in some historically Black neighborhoods. Black people are not sharing in the prosperity, said Jessica Williams, the communications director for the Equity Alliance, an organization advocating for more opportunity and a better quality of life. In North Nashville, her neighborhood and a cultural hub for Black life in the city, she has seen new houses cropping up that are too expensive for most residents already in the neighborhood. Many of the newcomers she sees are white. A prevailing concern has been an unevenness in reaping the benefits of growth. The Nashville Scene, the citys alternative newspaper, started selling a T-shirt declaring RIP Old Nashville with a lengthy lineup of music venues and beloved haunts that have not survived. Second Avenue has not been immune: One fixture, B.B. Kings Blues Club, is not returning. Old Spaghetti Factory, a restaurant that opened there in 1979, had its lease terminated by its landlord. Im not totally sure we can afford to be downtown, said Dean Griffith, the president of the company. Its really expensive right now. Mayor Cooper said that affordable housing has been a priority. Tens of millions of dollars have been allocated to build or improve affordable housing developments, much of it located in the citys core. Activists have been advocating for more, as rampant gentrification and a soaring cost of living has had a disproportionate impact on working class and minority communities. Even as Nashvilles population has climbed, surpassing Memphis as Tennessees most populous city as it reached about 700,000 residents, the African American population has spiraled downward by 20 percentage points or more in some historically Black neighborhoods. Black people are not sharing in the prosperity, said Jessica Williams, the communications director for the Equity Alliance, an organization advocating for more opportunity and a better quality of life. In North Nashville, her neighborhood and a cultural hub for Black life in the city, she has seen new houses cropping up that are too expensive for most residents already in the neighborhood. Many of the newcomers she sees are white. A prevailing concern has been an unevenness in reaping the benefits of growth. The Nashville Scene, the citys alternative newspaper, started selling a T-shirt declaring RIP Old Nashville with a lengthy lineup of music venues and beloved haunts that have not survived. Second Avenue has not been immune: One fixture, B.B. Kings Blues Club, is not returning. Old Spaghetti Factory, a restaurant that opened there in 1979, had its lease terminated by its landlord. Im not totally sure we can afford to be downtown, said Dean Griffith, the president of the company. Its really expensive right now. Mayor Cooper said that affordable housing has been a priority. Tens of millions of dollars have been allocated to build or improve affordable housing developments, much of it located in the citys core. Activists have been advocating for more, as rampant gentrification and a soaring cost of living has had a disproportionate impact on working class and minority communities. Even as Nashvilles population has climbed, surpassing Memphis as Tennessees most populous city as it reached about 700,000 residents, the African American population has spiraled downward by 20 percentage points or more in some historically Black neighborhoods. Black people are not sharing in the prosperity, said Jessica Williams, the communications director for the Equity Alliance, an organization advocating for more opportunity and a better quality of life. In North Nashville, her neighborhood and a cultural hub for Black life in the city, she has seen new houses cropping up that are too expensive for most residents already in the neighborhood. Many of the newcomers she sees are white. France has taken over from Turkey in heading up Nato's highest-readiness military task force. The change at the helm comes at a time of heightened concern that Russia may be preparing to invade Ukraine. France will head up the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) as of 1 January, for one year. "I thank France for leading Natos rapid reaction force in 2022, said Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in a press statement. "The Very High Readiness Joint Task Force is a substantial contribution to our collective defense, and France's leadership is a strong display of commitment and capabilities. "At a time of unprecedented security challenges, there must be no misunderstanding about Nato's resolve: We stand together to defend and protect all allies," Stoltenberg added. The VJTF is the highest-readiness element of Nato's 40,000-strong Response Force. The unit was created in 2014 to respond to crises in the Middle East and Russian aggression against Ukraine. The leadership of the VJTF rotates between Nato members every year, and several countries provide troops for the multi-national force. In 2022, a 3,500-strong Franco-German brigade will serve as the core of the force, drawing on the 1st Infantry Regiment and the 3rd Hussar Regiment. Spain, Portugal and Poland will also provide personnel. Germany will lead the unit in 2023. Pia Whitesell has enjoyed a lavish New Year's Eve with her husband, Patrick Whitesell. The former Home and Away star, and her multimillionaire Hollywood agent partner, headed out to Nobu in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where they are holidaying. The actress, 38, and her husband, 56, first did Covid tests, which Pia explained in her Instagram Stories had come back negative. Fun! Pia Whitesell has enjoyed a lavish New Year's Eve with her husband, Patrick Whitesell. The former Home and Away star, and her multimillionaire Hollywood agent partner, headed out to Nobu in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where they are holidaying. Both pictured She then showed off their delicious upmarket sushi dish, which the pair consumed on the deck of the trendy restaurant. The couple cuddled up for a sweet photo as they sat at a table with a seaside view in the background. Pia captioned that image with a simple, 'Happy New Year'. Negative: The actress, 38, and her husband, 56, first did Covid tests, which Pia explained in her Instagram Stories had come back negative Party island: Pia captioned that image with a simple, 'Happy New Year' Tasty! She then showed off their delicious upmarket sushi dish, which the pair consumed on the deck of the trendy restaurant While enjoying her vacation with Patrick, Pia stripped down to a tiny bikini to lap up the sun on Wednesday. The soap opera star looked sensational in her black bikini top and ribbed lilac bottoms. She captioned the post with red, white and green love heart emojis, the same colours as the Mexican flag. Swim fan: While enjoying her vacation with Patrick, Pia stripped down to a tiny bikini to lap up the sun on Wednesday Family: Her mother Angelica, brother Jesus and sister-in-law, Stephanie Loyola are also holidaying with Pia and Patrick in Cabo Her mother Angelica, brother Jesus and sister-in-law, Stephanie Loyola are also holidaying with Pia and Patrick in Cabo. Pia relocated from Sydney to Los Angeles to be with Patrick earlier this year. Pia, who played police officer Kat Chapman on Aussie soap opera Home and Away from 2015 and 2018, married Patrick in May. Omicron Disrupts Royal Caribbean Cruise Liner Operations Royal Caribbean Group has announced that the company has experienced a decline in bookings along with an uptick of cancellations in a statement published Thursday as the tourism industry continues to grapple with staff shortages and business disruptions. Omicron, the latest variant, now seen in more than 90 countries, is highly-transmissible and anyone infected can spread the virus to others, even if they are vaccinated or dont have symptoms, according to recent observations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Omicron is having a big short-term impact on everyone, but many observers see this as a major step towards COVID-19 becoming endemic rather than epidemic, said Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO, in a press release. We dont like to see even one case, but our experience is a fraction of the comparable statistics of virtually any other comparable location or industry. Omicron has been found to cause milder symptoms than other variants and result in fewer hospitalizations. The recent experience on Royal Caribbean Group ships is consistent with these observations. The numbers indicate an increase in people testing positive without a corresponding increase in people becoming ill. Cruising had restarted in June 2021, and since then, the Royal Caribbean Group (RCB), with a global fleet of 60 ships, has carried 1.1 million guests, out of which, 1,745 people have tested COVID-19 positive. The company reported that the vast majority of those cases had no symptoms or only mild symptoms, with only 41 people needing hospitalization. None of the Omicron cases have been severe or needed to be taken to a hospital. However, the labor-intensive tourism sector has been badly disrupted with many staffers calling in sick and carriers unable to provide services with crippling shortages. The company added: Such disruptions are particularly impactful during the holiday season as the need increases and the labor supply is impacted by the current spike in cases. Similar issues are impacting the companys onboard service capabilities. The cruise company has canceled or severely modified 16 destination calls out of 331, owing to service disruptions, which RCB expects to continue through 2022 and stabilize only by the next year. After the Cyber weekend boost in sales, bookings dropped drastically but not as much as when the Delta variant was first discovered, according to RCB. Even though the short-term outlook looks bleak, sailings for the second half of 2022 continue to be booked within historical ranges, at higher prices with and without Future Cruise Credits (FCCs), with strong demand from the critical U.S. market. Any crew member or guest who gets infected while traveling quarantines immediately in a cabin, and gets tested daily. The medical team onboard provides the required medical assistance. As a higher number of fully vaccinated individuals started getting infected, cruise liners like RCB and Norwegian Cruise Line had reinstated the indoor mask mandate for all guests in December. Traveling to more than 800 destinations around the world, Royal Caribbean Group operates three cruise brands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises. RCB share price has dropped over three percent since the announcement, but the company has increased 8.74 percent in value from the beginning of the year. Omicron Disrupts Royal Caribbean Cruise Liner Operations Royal Caribbean Group has announced that the company has experienced a decline in bookings along with an uptick of cancellations in a statement published Thursday as the tourism industry continues to grapple with staff shortages and business disruptions. Omicron, the latest variant, now seen in more than 90 countries, is highly-transmissible and anyone infected can spread the virus to others, even if they are vaccinated or dont have symptoms, according to recent observations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Omicron is having a big short-term impact on everyone, but many observers see this as a major step towards COVID-19 becoming endemic rather than epidemic, said Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO, in a press release. We dont like to see even one case, but our experience is a fraction of the comparable statistics of virtually any other comparable location or industry. Omicron has been found to cause milder symptoms than other variants and result in fewer hospitalizations. The recent experience on Royal Caribbean Group ships is consistent with these observations. The numbers indicate an increase in people testing positive without a corresponding increase in people becoming ill. Cruising had restarted in June 2021, and since then, the Royal Caribbean Group (RCB), with a global fleet of 60 ships, has carried 1.1 million guests, out of which, 1,745 people have tested COVID-19 positive. The company reported that the vast majority of those cases had no symptoms or only mild symptoms, with only 41 people needing hospitalization. None of the Omicron cases have been severe or needed to be taken to a hospital. However, the labor-intensive tourism sector has been badly disrupted with many staffers calling in sick and carriers unable to provide services with crippling shortages. The company added: Such disruptions are particularly impactful during the holiday season as the need increases and the labor supply is impacted by the current spike in cases. Similar issues are impacting the companys onboard service capabilities. The cruise company has canceled or severely modified 16 destination calls out of 331, owing to service disruptions, which RCB expects to continue through 2022 and stabilize only by the next year. After the Cyber weekend boost in sales, bookings dropped drastically but not as much as when the Delta variant was first discovered, according to RCB. Even though the short-term outlook looks bleak, sailings for the second half of 2022 continue to be booked within historical ranges, at higher prices with and without Future Cruise Credits (FCCs), with strong demand from the critical U.S. market. Any crew member or guest who gets infected while traveling quarantines immediately in a cabin, and gets tested daily. The medical team onboard provides the required medical assistance. As a higher number of fully vaccinated individuals started getting infected, cruise liners like RCB and Norwegian Cruise Line had reinstated the indoor mask mandate for all guests in December. Traveling to more than 800 destinations around the world, Royal Caribbean Group operates three cruise brands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises. RCB share price has dropped over three percent since the announcement, but the company has increased 8.74 percent in value from the beginning of the year. In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. You are the owner of this article. You are the owner of this article. We can all agree that 2021 was a doozy. The second year of the COVID-19 pandemic brought us more lockdowns and border closures, resulting in family separations, cancelled plans and heartache for business owners trying to stay afloat. Add to that the unprecedented stress of working from home and managing kids remote learning, many of us have been left depleted and burnt out, says Dr Grant Blashki, lead clinical adviser at Beyond Blue. Theres no sugarcoating it its been pretty hard. Swap your smartphone screen for a page-turning paperback. Credit:iStock Robert Sams is executive director and volunteer crisis supporter at Lifeline Australia, where calls to the helpline peaked at 3600 a day. In August and September this year, we broke records eight times in a row, says Sams. An ongoing thread was anxiety all the way through. So after an exhausting two-year marathon of upheaval, Blashki says the summer months offer a rare opportunity to take time off to refill our cup Omicron outbreak notwithstanding. Three experts share their tips for making the most of a summer break to face 2022 as recharged and refreshed as possible. Rob Mills is engaged to Georgie Tunny, after three years of dating. The former Australian Idol contestant announced the happy news on his Instagram on New Year's Eve. The 39-year-old shared a photo of the pair together at a beach, with his 30-year-old ABC TV presenter partner showing off her diamond ring. Ring on it! Rob Mills is engaged to Georgie Tunny, after three years of dating. He announced the news on his Instagram on New Year's Eve. The 39-year-old shared a photo of the pair together at a beach, with his 30-year-old partner showing off her diamond ring. Both pictured He wrote in his caption: 'Best road trip of my life. I asked this girl to be my wife Happy New Year everyone.' He continued: 'Hope you learnt some new skills throughout the last few years. Went deeper. Loved harder. Listened more. It's worth it. 'Had a few beers with a mate the other day. He offered up some advice about marriage 'Give.' That was it. Simple. I'm gonna give it a go. Cause she's worth it.' Happy days: Rob additionally posted a photo of the road trip the pair took together in the lead up to the New Year, during which he proposed Georgie shared the same image to her own social media, writing: 'Honestly, gtfo 2021... although, you did finish with a bang'. Rob additionally posted a photo of the road trip the pair took together in the lead up to the New Year, during which he proposed. The Dancing With The Stars All-Stars contestant has been dating Georgie since 2018. He wrote in his caption: 'Best road trip of my life. I asked this girl to be my wife Happy New Year everyone' While attending Melbourne's Derby Day in October, Rob told Daily Mail Australia that 'things are going really well' with Georgie. At the time, he stayed mum when asked if an engagement is on the cards, instead repeating how things are 'going well'. Rob said that it was an honour to have experienced Melbourne's gruelling 18-month lockdown with Georgie. Long-term love: Rob has been dating ABC presenter Georgie Tunny since 2018 'Lockdown was fine for me, I live with my wonderful partner,' he proudly said. In August, the musical theatre performer revealed how he convinced her to go on a date with him. Rob explained to The Sydney Morning Herald that he first became enamoured with the journalist when he saw her on TV. 'I flicked on the television to ABC News Breakfast and went, ''Who is that?!'' She was beautiful and articulate. I needed to know her,' he said at the time. Well indeed: While attending Melbourne 's Derby Day in October (pictured), Rob told Daily Mail Australia that 'things are going really well' with Georgie 'I sent her a direct message on Instagram, which opened with, "I promise I'm not crazy". Although Georgie was initially unsure if the message was actually from Rob, it didn't take much to convince her to go on a date. The television presenter was a 'massive fan' of Australian Idol when Rob was a contestant. The couple took another next step forward in their relationship a year ago, with Georgie moving into Rob's place in early 2020. They have been romantically linked since February. And, Alessandra Ambrosio, 40, as if things were only getting better with her boyfriend, Richard Lee at her house in Florianopolis, Brazil, on Friday. The supermodel stunned in a silver sequin maxi dress which showed off every inch of her frane as she put on a PDA packed display with her love. Stunning: Alessandra Ambrosio, 40, flashed her bronzed legs in a thigh split sequin dress as she rang in the New Year with a kiss for her beau Richard Lee in Brazil Alessandra flashed her bronzed legs in the glitzy number that featured a dramatic thigh-high leg slit and plunging neckline. She added a pair of matching metallic sandals and carried a basket style bag with circular handles to perfect the elegant evening look. Her brunette tresses cascaded down in a loose wave for the ultimate effortless beachy hair style. Wow! The Victoria's Secret angel gave a glimpse of her pert derriere as she turned around and worked her best angles for the camera Glowing: The supermodel stunned in a silver sequin maxi dress as she put on a PDA packed display with her love The Victoria's Secret angel gave a glimpse of her pert derriere as she turned around and worked her best angles for the camera. She accessorised with a selection of bangles and a drop diamante earrings. The couple put on a amorous display as they stopped for a smooch and Alessandra held her lover's face. Sweet: The couple stopped for a smooch and Alessandra held her lovers face They reportedly arrived in Brazil on Monday after celebrating the holidays in California. Alessandra hosted a family gathering at her Los Angeles home along with her two children, daughter Anja, 13, and son Noah, nine. 'Feliz Natal Wishing you all a Merry Christmas' wrote the Brazilian beauty, who shared several smile-filled snaps for the get together on her Instagram. She posed lovingly between Anja and Noah before getting her entire family in on the photo fun by the towering Christmas tree. The GAL Floripa swimwear founder shares her two kids with ex Jamie Mazur, 40. They have been romantically linked since February. And, Alessandra Ambrosio, 40, as if things were only getting better with her boyfriend, Richard Lee at her house in Florianopolis, Brazil, on Friday. The supermodel stunned in a silver sequin maxi dress which showed off every inch of her frane as she put on a PDA packed display with her love. Stunning: Alessandra Ambrosio, 40, flashed her bronzed legs in a thigh split sequin dress as she rang in the New Year with a kiss for her beau Richard Lee in Brazil Alessandra flashed her bronzed legs in the glitzy number that featured a dramatic thigh-high leg slit and plunging neckline. She added a pair of matching metallic sandals and carried a basket style bag with circular handles to perfect the elegant evening look. Her brunette tresses cascaded down in a loose wave for the ultimate effortless beachy hair style. Wow! The Victoria's Secret angel gave a glimpse of her pert derriere as she turned around and worked her best angles for the camera Glowing: The supermodel stunned in a silver sequin maxi dress as she put on a PDA packed display with her love The Victoria's Secret angel gave a glimpse of her pert derriere as she turned around and worked her best angles for the camera. She accessorised with a selection of bangles and a drop diamante earrings. The couple put on a amorous display as they stopped for a smooch and Alessandra held her lover's face. Sweet: The couple stopped for a smooch and Alessandra held her lovers face They reportedly arrived in Brazil on Monday after celebrating the holidays in California. Alessandra hosted a family gathering at her Los Angeles home along with her two children, daughter Anja, 13, and son Noah, nine. 'Feliz Natal Wishing you all a Merry Christmas' wrote the Brazilian beauty, who shared several smile-filled snaps for the get together on her Instagram. She posed lovingly between Anja and Noah before getting her entire family in on the photo fun by the towering Christmas tree. The GAL Floripa swimwear founder shares her two kids with ex Jamie Mazur, 40. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/north-koreas-leader-reportedly-says-2022-to-be-year-of-great-struggle-1091959846.html Kim Jong-un Warns 2022 Will Be Year of 'Great Life-And-Death Struggle' Kim Jong-un Warns 2022 Will Be Year of 'Great Life-And-Death Struggle' In his closing speech of the year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called 2021 the year of a great victory of his compatriots, adding that 2022 will be the year of a "life-and-death" struggle. 2022-01-01T10:36+0000 2022-01-01T10:36+0000 2022-01-01T11:16+0000 north korea struggle kim jong-un /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/08/14/1083670902_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_ca6a7652fb743234ac9ab8e6cd0f0182.jpg North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's lack of focus on the United States, South Korea and nuclear weapons in a speech delivered on New Year's Eve has triggered speculations. Speaking at the end of the fourth plenary session of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of North Korea (WPK) of the eighth convocation, held from 27 to 31 December, Kim Jong-un focused on the domestic agenda, including a plan for rural development, tractor factories, school uniforms and the need to crack down on "non-socialist practices", according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KSNA). According to KSNA, the WPK discussed the country's budget for 2022, the results of 2021 and plans for the coming year, agriculture, and changes in the WPK charter.The speech, which came as the nation marked the North Korean leaders 10th year in power after his father Kim Jong Ils death in 2011, is said to have laid out the countrys main goals for 2022 as boosting economic development and improving people's lives in the face of a "great life-and-death struggle".While previously Kim Jong Un had used such end-of-year addresses for delivering major policy announcements, this time no specific mention of the US was made.Talks between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled since 2019, with the US calling for North Korea to step away from its nuclear programme but reluctant to first offer sanctions relief, causing the deal to fall apart.Only passing mention in Kims latest speech was made of inter-Korean relations or South Koreas push for a declaration to formally end the 1950-1953 Korean War as a way to restart negotiations, added the official media of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).Last month marked an important development for the Korean peninsula. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in December that his country, China, North Korea, and the United States had agreed in principle to a declaration putting an end to the Korean War, which de facto ended in 1953. This occurred after the US and Democratic People's Republic of Korea ratified an armistice without signing a peace treaty. However, the Korean peninsula is still formally in a state of war until a peace treaty is signed.It was domestic challenges the speech targeted, where North Koreas self-imposed anti-pandemic border lockdown back in January 2020 to prevent the spread of Covid-19 from China left the nation ever more isolated. The United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization, other international aid groups have been warning of possible food shortages and a humanitarian crisis in North Korea.Military issues were highlighted in Kims speech by Saturday's state media as well. Thus, they cited development of "one ultra-modern weapon system after another" in the course of 2021, as the North Korean leader called for production of powerful, modern weapons systems to improve the military forces. Kim also urged the military's "absolute loyalty and allegiance" to the ruling party led by him, according to KCNA.The tractor factory mentioned by Kim was speculated by foreign analysts as being likely used to build launch vehicles for missiles.The United States earlier said it is ready to engage in dialogue with North Korea regarding denuclearisation without preconditions. Kim, for his part, outlined in June that his country must be ready for "both dialogue and confrontation" with Washington.Nuclear talks between the US and North Korea were launched by ex-President Donald Trump, yet failed to materialise in a deal in 2019. Throughout 2021 Pyongyang has occasionally tested new weapons systems that were said to include long-range cruise missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads to all of South Korea and most of Japan, along with a new submarine-launched ballistic missile. Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International north korea, new year, struggle, kim jong un's speech https://sputniknews.com/20220101/north-koreas-leader-reportedly-says-2022-to-be-year-of-great-struggle-1091959846.html Kim Jong-un Warns 2022 Will Be Year of 'Great Life-And-Death Struggle' Kim Jong-un Warns 2022 Will Be Year of 'Great Life-And-Death Struggle' In his closing speech of the year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called 2021 the year of a great victory of his compatriots, adding that 2022 will be the year of a "life-and-death" struggle. 2022-01-01T10:36+0000 2022-01-01T10:36+0000 2022-01-01T11:16+0000 north korea struggle kim jong-un /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/08/14/1083670902_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_ca6a7652fb743234ac9ab8e6cd0f0182.jpg North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's lack of focus on the United States, South Korea and nuclear weapons in a speech delivered on New Year's Eve has triggered speculations. Speaking at the end of the fourth plenary session of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of North Korea (WPK) of the eighth convocation, held from 27 to 31 December, Kim Jong-un focused on the domestic agenda, including a plan for rural development, tractor factories, school uniforms and the need to crack down on "non-socialist practices", according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KSNA). According to KSNA, the WPK discussed the country's budget for 2022, the results of 2021 and plans for the coming year, agriculture, and changes in the WPK charter.The speech, which came as the nation marked the North Korean leaders 10th year in power after his father Kim Jong Ils death in 2011, is said to have laid out the countrys main goals for 2022 as boosting economic development and improving people's lives in the face of a "great life-and-death struggle".While previously Kim Jong Un had used such end-of-year addresses for delivering major policy announcements, this time no specific mention of the US was made.Talks between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled since 2019, with the US calling for North Korea to step away from its nuclear programme but reluctant to first offer sanctions relief, causing the deal to fall apart.Only passing mention in Kims latest speech was made of inter-Korean relations or South Koreas push for a declaration to formally end the 1950-1953 Korean War as a way to restart negotiations, added the official media of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).Last month marked an important development for the Korean peninsula. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in December that his country, China, North Korea, and the United States had agreed in principle to a declaration putting an end to the Korean War, which de facto ended in 1953. This occurred after the US and Democratic People's Republic of Korea ratified an armistice without signing a peace treaty. However, the Korean peninsula is still formally in a state of war until a peace treaty is signed.It was domestic challenges the speech targeted, where North Koreas self-imposed anti-pandemic border lockdown back in January 2020 to prevent the spread of Covid-19 from China left the nation ever more isolated. The United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization, other international aid groups have been warning of possible food shortages and a humanitarian crisis in North Korea.Military issues were highlighted in Kims speech by Saturday's state media as well. Thus, they cited development of "one ultra-modern weapon system after another" in the course of 2021, as the North Korean leader called for production of powerful, modern weapons systems to improve the military forces. Kim also urged the military's "absolute loyalty and allegiance" to the ruling party led by him, according to KCNA.The tractor factory mentioned by Kim was speculated by foreign analysts as being likely used to build launch vehicles for missiles.The United States earlier said it is ready to engage in dialogue with North Korea regarding denuclearisation without preconditions. Kim, for his part, outlined in June that his country must be ready for "both dialogue and confrontation" with Washington.Nuclear talks between the US and North Korea were launched by ex-President Donald Trump, yet failed to materialise in a deal in 2019. Throughout 2021 Pyongyang has occasionally tested new weapons systems that were said to include long-range cruise missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads to all of South Korea and most of Japan, along with a new submarine-launched ballistic missile. Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International north korea, new year, struggle, kim jong un's speech Sharon Varnado left her Little Woods neighborhood in New Orleans East three years ago, and she hasn't looked back. The sound of gunshots had grown familiar; so too, had reports of carjackings. And when burglars broke into a neighbor's house two blocks down, police took hours to respond to the call for help, as had been their norm for nonviolent crimes in that area. In short, her sliver of the East looked nothing like it did when she moved in nearly 50 years ago. Now, she lives in a gated community in Slidell. "It's totally different," Varnado said. "Don't get me wrong. Crime is everywhere. But I feel more at ease... like I might could go out of my house at night." An analysis of crime trends shows that carjackings and fatal shootings in the East have skyrocketed since 2018, causing concern for Varnado and other former and current residents, and complicating the East's prospects for economic development. Armed robberies there have also routinely outpaced the rest of the city, though they appear to be trending downward; residential break-ins, meanwhile, dropped recently to match the city's average after a 2014 peak. Meanwhile, residents say the understaffed New Orleans Police Department's slow response to calls for service in the East has emboldened the area's criminals. Indeed, an analysis of 911 calls by The Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate shows it takes NOPD twice as long to respond to emergency calls there than it does in the rest of the city. For nonemergencies such as non-life-threatening crimes that have already occurred residents of the East wait almost three times as long as the rest of the city waits. Crime-weary residents also blame an influx of lower-income residents to the area after Hurricane Katrina, and what residents describe as a half-hearted effort by city leaders to address the East's problems. The embattled NOPD, meanwhile, has said its struggle to find new officers has impacted all of its districts. The 7th District, which polices all of New Orleans East, faces special challenges because of its size, as a small crew of officers must cover a large area, Superintendent Shaun Ferguson acknowledged at a recent public hearing. City officials have offered no shortage of solutions to try and fill the gap: everything from empowering other city agencies to make arrests for small-time offenses, to tapping civilian counselors to respond to mental health calls, to carving up the 7th District so that officers have a smaller area to manage, an idea that hasn't yet gained traction. Pockets of crime To be sure, the East doesn't have a monopoly on crime in New Orleans. Even as there are neighborhoods where residents feel unsafe, there are posh subdivisions that ring man-made lakes and that are protected by private security. If police and journalists were more specific when describing crimes, "people will understand that the crimes that we do have and the excessive homicides that we do have are occurring in certain neighborhoods, just like in other sections of New Orleans," said Mtumishi St. Julien, a resident of the well-to-do Lake Bullard subdivision. It's true that in an area as large as New Orleans East, not all neighborhoods are experiencing similar crime rates. In any given year, at least a third of the area's carjackings occur in Little Woods. That neighborhood also typically accounts for between 30% and 40% of the fatal shootings in the East, with Pines Village making up another 15%. There's a similar concentration around Little Woods when it comes to armed robberies and burglaries. "I feel very safe living in the East, and I don't think the data really reflects the quality of life here," said City Council member Cyndi Nguyen, who represents the East and the Lower 9th Ward. Nguyen's father was the victim of a carjacking in 2019. But regardless of what's happening at the block level, an analysis that accounts for population size shows that the East when considered as a single area has an outsized share of the city's carjackings and fatal shootings. In this year alone, there have been roughly 13 carjackings for every 10,000 people. That's more than double the rate in the rest of the city, which saw about 5 incidents per 10,000 people, NOPD data show. The rate of carjackings in the East has more than tripled since 2018, when only four carjackings per 10,000 people occurred. For serious crimes other than carjackings, the disparities between the East and the rest of the city are not as glaring. So far this year, there have been about five fatal shootings for every 10,000 people, which is down from a 2020 peak of more than six. The rest of the city saw fewer than four fatal shootings for every 10,000 residents. Residential break-ins in the East have been on par with the rest of the city for at least the past two years. And while the East's armed robberies spiked in 2018 before falling dramatically in 2019 and 2020, a person is still more likely to get robbed there than they are in other parts of the city. Driving factors Experts say the high crime rates could owe to any number of factors. "A lot of it is kids trying to figure out who they are. And trying to get economic opportunities, but also trying to figure out their masculinity," said Michael Barton, an LSU associate professor of sociology and criminology. Carjackers, in particular, can be driven by a desire to improve their financial situations, or simply by rage, he said. But others say the area's anemic police presence has sparked a rise in criminal activity. "Because there is so much land to be policed, there were never enough officers to begin with," said Anthony Jackson, the president of the 7th District's Police Community Advisory Board. The East contains two-thirds of the city's land mass, though a great deal of it is undeveloped swampland and wilderness. Nguyen, who lost her bid for reelection to former council member Oliver Thomas last month, has urged NOPD to consider assigning more officers to the 7th District. She's also raised the idea of dividing the district into smaller pieces. +7 In New Orleans City Council District E race, candidates vow to bring economic development east New Orleans City Councilmember Cyndi Nguyen will face five contenders in a District E race that has showcased the need for economic developmen Ferguson, the police chief, said at a November hearing that the Industrial Canal complicates that idea, because officers tasked with patrolling both sides of the canal would be delayed in responding to calls for service. He also said the NOPD has added more recruits to the district in recent years. The force has struggled to mount a timely response, even with the 7th District intact. The median response time for emergency calls from the East is about 16 minutes, compared to eight minutes elsewhere in the city, an analysis of response data shows. For nonemergencies, residents wait about an hour for an officer to respond almost three times longer than the rest of the city. Demographic shifts blamed Some residents suspect the East's shifting demographics have influenced its crime trends. Today, the area's 27,500 households earn a median income of $33,000 per year, well below the city's $41,000 average. In 2003, the reverse was true: The East had a slightly higher median income than that of the rest of the city, $32,772 compared to $27,133. Put another way, the median income in the East hasn't changed in nearly two decades, while in the rest of the city, it's up by more than half. Of the area's nine main neighborhoods, five contain mostly renters, according to Census estimates compiled by the Data Center. In 2000, only three such neighborhoods were dominated by rentals. And after the city's largest public housing projects were converted to mixed-income apartments after Katrina, participation swelled in the Housing Authority of New Orleans' Section 8 program, which grants low-income residents vouchers to live in homes of their choice. Those holding vouchers often ended up in the East, residents point out. "We have the most subsidized housing out here, in the apartments," said Dawn Hebert, the president of the East New Orleans Neighborhood Advisory Commission, a coalition of eastern New Orleans neighborhoods. "It's unfortunate, because it's bringing our median income down when developers want to come to our community... and we do believe it contributes to the crime rate." While poverty can be a factor, residential turnover is perhaps an even larger driver, said Barton, the LSU criminologist. "When you have a strong sense of community, and people living in an area for longer, they are less likely to commit crimes in that area," he said. The debate over whether poverty equals criminality, and the not-in-my-backyard sentiments that it tends to inspire, has been raging in New Orleans East since at least the late 1980s, when HANO and the federal government increased the number of subsidized rentals. Many poorer residents moved eastward, according to a 1991 Times-Picayune article. No easy solutions Jackson, the police community board president, said police should forge better connections with the East's youngest residents to deter them from crime. Security personnel and other civilians should be allowed to make small-time arrests so that police don't have to, he said. The city has already begun moving in the latter direction, with the council pondering an ordinance would empower some city employees to exercise police powers in NOPD's absence. The council has also laid the groundwork for mental health professionals to eventually respond to calls for service from people experiencing mental health crises, tapping a task force this summer to study how best to accomplish that. Of the 70 new crime cameras installed across the city this year to help police stop and solve crimes, 22 were mounted in the East. Varnado, who lost her 47-year-old son, Shawn Brock, in January after he was shot near Crowder Boulevard and Interstate 10, said all of that is only valuable if it leads to a better police response. "I started feeling like, 'Y'all don't care about the East anymore?' Things are happening, but it's like, 'We will get to them when we get to them.'" Staff writer Jeff Adelson contributed to this story. This story is part of an occasional series chronicling efforts to bring new investment to New Orleans East. Sharon Varnado left her Little Woods neighborhood in New Orleans East three years ago, and she hasn't looked back. The sound of gunshots had grown familiar; so too, had reports of carjackings. And when burglars broke into a neighbor's house two blocks down, police took hours to respond to the call for help, as had been their norm for nonviolent crimes in that area. In short, her sliver of the East looked nothing like it did when she moved in nearly 50 years ago. Now, she lives in a gated community in Slidell. "It's totally different," Varnado said. "Don't get me wrong. Crime is everywhere. But I feel more at ease... like I might could go out of my house at night." An analysis of crime trends shows that carjackings and fatal shootings in the East have skyrocketed since 2018, causing concern for Varnado and other former and current residents, and complicating the East's prospects for economic development. Armed robberies there have also routinely outpaced the rest of the city, though they appear to be trending downward; residential break-ins, meanwhile, dropped recently to match the city's average after a 2014 peak. Meanwhile, residents say the understaffed New Orleans Police Department's slow response to calls for service in the East has emboldened the area's criminals. Indeed, an analysis of 911 calls by The Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate shows it takes NOPD twice as long to respond to emergency calls there than it does in the rest of the city. For nonemergencies such as non-life-threatening crimes that have already occurred residents of the East wait almost three times as long as the rest of the city waits. Crime-weary residents also blame an influx of lower-income residents to the area after Hurricane Katrina, and what residents describe as a half-hearted effort by city leaders to address the East's problems. The embattled NOPD, meanwhile, has said its struggle to find new officers has impacted all of its districts. The 7th District, which polices all of New Orleans East, faces special challenges because of its size, as a small crew of officers must cover a large area, Superintendent Shaun Ferguson acknowledged at a recent public hearing. City officials have offered no shortage of solutions to try and fill the gap: everything from empowering other city agencies to make arrests for small-time offenses, to tapping civilian counselors to respond to mental health calls, to carving up the 7th District so that officers have a smaller area to manage, an idea that hasn't yet gained traction. Pockets of crime To be sure, the East doesn't have a monopoly on crime in New Orleans. Even as there are neighborhoods where residents feel unsafe, there are posh subdivisions that ring man-made lakes and that are protected by private security. If police and journalists were more specific when describing crimes, "people will understand that the crimes that we do have and the excessive homicides that we do have are occurring in certain neighborhoods, just like in other sections of New Orleans," said Mtumishi St. Julien, a resident of the well-to-do Lake Bullard subdivision. It's true that in an area as large as New Orleans East, not all neighborhoods are experiencing similar crime rates. In any given year, at least a third of the area's carjackings occur in Little Woods. That neighborhood also typically accounts for between 30% and 40% of the fatal shootings in the East, with Pines Village making up another 15%. There's a similar concentration around Little Woods when it comes to armed robberies and burglaries. "I feel very safe living in the East, and I don't think the data really reflects the quality of life here," said City Council member Cyndi Nguyen, who represents the East and the Lower 9th Ward. Nguyen's father was the victim of a carjacking in 2019. But regardless of what's happening at the block level, an analysis that accounts for population size shows that the East when considered as a single area has an outsized share of the city's carjackings and fatal shootings. In this year alone, there have been roughly 13 carjackings for every 10,000 people. That's more than double the rate in the rest of the city, which saw about 5 incidents per 10,000 people, NOPD data show. The rate of carjackings in the East has more than tripled since 2018, when only four carjackings per 10,000 people occurred. For serious crimes other than carjackings, the disparities between the East and the rest of the city are not as glaring. So far this year, there have been about five fatal shootings for every 10,000 people, which is down from a 2020 peak of more than six. The rest of the city saw fewer than four fatal shootings for every 10,000 residents. Residential break-ins in the East have been on par with the rest of the city for at least the past two years. And while the East's armed robberies spiked in 2018 before falling dramatically in 2019 and 2020, a person is still more likely to get robbed there than they are in other parts of the city. Driving factors Experts say the high crime rates could owe to any number of factors. "A lot of it is kids trying to figure out who they are. And trying to get economic opportunities, but also trying to figure out their masculinity," said Michael Barton, an LSU associate professor of sociology and criminology. Carjackers, in particular, can be driven by a desire to improve their financial situations, or simply by rage, he said. But others say the area's anemic police presence has sparked a rise in criminal activity. "Because there is so much land to be policed, there were never enough officers to begin with," said Anthony Jackson, the president of the 7th District's Police Community Advisory Board. The East contains two-thirds of the city's land mass, though a great deal of it is undeveloped swampland and wilderness. Nguyen, who lost her bid for reelection to former council member Oliver Thomas last month, has urged NOPD to consider assigning more officers to the 7th District. She's also raised the idea of dividing the district into smaller pieces. +7 In New Orleans City Council District E race, candidates vow to bring economic development east New Orleans City Councilmember Cyndi Nguyen will face five contenders in a District E race that has showcased the need for economic developmen Ferguson, the police chief, said at a November hearing that the Industrial Canal complicates that idea, because officers tasked with patrolling both sides of the canal would be delayed in responding to calls for service. He also said the NOPD has added more recruits to the district in recent years. The force has struggled to mount a timely response, even with the 7th District intact. The median response time for emergency calls from the East is about 16 minutes, compared to eight minutes elsewhere in the city, an analysis of response data shows. For nonemergencies, residents wait about an hour for an officer to respond almost three times longer than the rest of the city. Demographic shifts blamed Some residents suspect the East's shifting demographics have influenced its crime trends. Today, the area's 27,500 households earn a median income of $33,000 per year, well below the city's $41,000 average. In 2003, the reverse was true: The East had a slightly higher median income than that of the rest of the city, $32,772 compared to $27,133. Put another way, the median income in the East hasn't changed in nearly two decades, while in the rest of the city, it's up by more than half. Of the area's nine main neighborhoods, five contain mostly renters, according to Census estimates compiled by the Data Center. In 2000, only three such neighborhoods were dominated by rentals. And after the city's largest public housing projects were converted to mixed-income apartments after Katrina, participation swelled in the Housing Authority of New Orleans' Section 8 program, which grants low-income residents vouchers to live in homes of their choice. Those holding vouchers often ended up in the East, residents point out. "We have the most subsidized housing out here, in the apartments," said Dawn Hebert, the president of the East New Orleans Neighborhood Advisory Commission, a coalition of eastern New Orleans neighborhoods. "It's unfortunate, because it's bringing our median income down when developers want to come to our community... and we do believe it contributes to the crime rate." While poverty can be a factor, residential turnover is perhaps an even larger driver, said Barton, the LSU criminologist. "When you have a strong sense of community, and people living in an area for longer, they are less likely to commit crimes in that area," he said. The debate over whether poverty equals criminality, and the not-in-my-backyard sentiments that it tends to inspire, has been raging in New Orleans East since at least the late 1980s, when HANO and the federal government increased the number of subsidized rentals. Many poorer residents moved eastward, according to a 1991 Times-Picayune article. No easy solutions Jackson, the police community board president, said police should forge better connections with the East's youngest residents to deter them from crime. Security personnel and other civilians should be allowed to make small-time arrests so that police don't have to, he said. The city has already begun moving in the latter direction, with the council pondering an ordinance would empower some city employees to exercise police powers in NOPD's absence. The council has also laid the groundwork for mental health professionals to eventually respond to calls for service from people experiencing mental health crises, tapping a task force this summer to study how best to accomplish that. Of the 70 new crime cameras installed across the city this year to help police stop and solve crimes, 22 were mounted in the East. Varnado, who lost her 47-year-old son, Shawn Brock, in January after he was shot near Crowder Boulevard and Interstate 10, said all of that is only valuable if it leads to a better police response. "I started feeling like, 'Y'all don't care about the East anymore?' Things are happening, but it's like, 'We will get to them when we get to them.'" Staff writer Jeff Adelson contributed to this story. This story is part of an occasional series chronicling efforts to bring new investment to New Orleans East. Children hold red lanterns during a New Year celebration at a kindergarten in Suining, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Liu Changsong/Xinhua) Children learn to make New Year decorations with their teacher at a kindergarten in Linyi, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Zhang Chunlei/Xinhua) Students perform lion dance to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Xinhua/Du Yu) Students pose for a group photo to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Xinhua) Students take a selfie with their teacher to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Xinhua) Children participate in a lion dance game to celebrate the New Year at a kindergarten in Xiangyang, central China's Hubei Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Yang Dong/Xinhua) Children perform dragon dance to celebrate the New Year at a kindergarten in Huzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Xie Shangguo/Xinhua) Children hold the Chinese character "Fu", meaning good luck in English, during a New Year celebration at a kindergarten in Neijiang, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Huang Zhenghua/Xinhua) Students show their paper cutting works at an elementary school in Qianxi, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Zhai Peisheng/Xinhua) Students hold red lanterns to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Sun Zhongzhe/Xinhua) Children show their paper cutting works at a kindergarten in Danzhai County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Huang Xiaohai/Xinhua) Students perform lion dance to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Liang Zidong/Xinhua) A prevailing concern has been an unevenness in reaping the benefits of growth. The Nashville Scene, the citys alternative newspaper, started selling a T-shirt declaring RIP Old Nashville with a lengthy lineup of music venues and beloved haunts that have not survived. Second Avenue has not been immune: One fixture, B.B. Kings Blues Club, is not returning. Old Spaghetti Factory, a restaurant that opened there in 1979, had its lease terminated by its landlord. Im not totally sure we can afford to be downtown, said Dean Griffith, the president of the company. Its really expensive right now. Mayor Cooper said that affordable housing has been a priority. Tens of millions of dollars have been allocated to build or improve affordable housing developments, much of it located in the citys core. Activists have been advocating for more, as rampant gentrification and a soaring cost of living has had a disproportionate impact on working class and minority communities. Even as Nashvilles population has climbed, surpassing Memphis as Tennessees most populous city as it reached about 700,000 residents, the African American population has spiraled downward by 20 percentage points or more in some historically Black neighborhoods. Black people are not sharing in the prosperity, said Jessica Williams, the communications director for the Equity Alliance, an organization advocating for more opportunity and a better quality of life. In North Nashville, her neighborhood and a cultural hub for Black life in the city, she has seen new houses cropping up that are too expensive for most residents already in the neighborhood. Many of the newcomers she sees are white. Sharon Varnado left her Little Woods neighborhood in New Orleans East three years ago, and she hasn't looked back. The sound of gunshots had grown familiar; so too, had reports of carjackings. And when burglars broke into a neighbor's house two blocks down, police took hours to respond to the call for help, as had been their norm for nonviolent crimes in that area. In short, her sliver of the East looked nothing like it did when she moved in nearly 50 years ago. Now, she lives in a gated community in Slidell. "It's totally different," Varnado said. "Don't get me wrong. Crime is everywhere. But I feel more at ease... like I might could go out of my house at night." An analysis of crime trends shows that carjackings and fatal shootings in the East have skyrocketed since 2018, causing concern for Varnado and other former and current residents, and complicating the East's prospects for economic development. Armed robberies there have also routinely outpaced the rest of the city, though they appear to be trending downward; residential break-ins, meanwhile, dropped recently to match the city's average after a 2014 peak. Meanwhile, residents say the understaffed New Orleans Police Department's slow response to calls for service in the East has emboldened the area's criminals. Indeed, an analysis of 911 calls by The Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate shows it takes NOPD twice as long to respond to emergency calls there than it does in the rest of the city. For nonemergencies such as non-life-threatening crimes that have already occurred residents of the East wait almost three times as long as the rest of the city waits. Crime-weary residents also blame an influx of lower-income residents to the area after Hurricane Katrina, and what residents describe as a half-hearted effort by city leaders to address the East's problems. The embattled NOPD, meanwhile, has said its struggle to find new officers has impacted all of its districts. The 7th District, which polices all of New Orleans East, faces special challenges because of its size, as a small crew of officers must cover a large area, Superintendent Shaun Ferguson acknowledged at a recent public hearing. City officials have offered no shortage of solutions to try and fill the gap: everything from empowering other city agencies to make arrests for small-time offenses, to tapping civilian counselors to respond to mental health calls, to carving up the 7th District so that officers have a smaller area to manage, an idea that hasn't yet gained traction. Pockets of crime To be sure, the East doesn't have a monopoly on crime in New Orleans. Even as there are neighborhoods where residents feel unsafe, there are posh subdivisions that ring man-made lakes and that are protected by private security. If police and journalists were more specific when describing crimes, "people will understand that the crimes that we do have and the excessive homicides that we do have are occurring in certain neighborhoods, just like in other sections of New Orleans," said Mtumishi St. Julien, a resident of the well-to-do Lake Bullard subdivision. It's true that in an area as large as New Orleans East, not all neighborhoods are experiencing similar crime rates. In any given year, at least a third of the area's carjackings occur in Little Woods. That neighborhood also typically accounts for between 30% and 40% of the fatal shootings in the East, with Pines Village making up another 15%. There's a similar concentration around Little Woods when it comes to armed robberies and burglaries. "I feel very safe living in the East, and I don't think the data really reflects the quality of life here," said City Council member Cyndi Nguyen, who represents the East and the Lower 9th Ward. Nguyen's father was the victim of a carjacking in 2019. But regardless of what's happening at the block level, an analysis that accounts for population size shows that the East when considered as a single area has an outsized share of the city's carjackings and fatal shootings. In this year alone, there have been roughly 13 carjackings for every 10,000 people. That's more than double the rate in the rest of the city, which saw about 5 incidents per 10,000 people, NOPD data show. The rate of carjackings in the East has more than tripled since 2018, when only four carjackings per 10,000 people occurred. For serious crimes other than carjackings, the disparities between the East and the rest of the city are not as glaring. So far this year, there have been about five fatal shootings for every 10,000 people, which is down from a 2020 peak of more than six. The rest of the city saw fewer than four fatal shootings for every 10,000 residents. Residential break-ins in the East have been on par with the rest of the city for at least the past two years. And while the East's armed robberies spiked in 2018 before falling dramatically in 2019 and 2020, a person is still more likely to get robbed there than they are in other parts of the city. Driving factors Experts say the high crime rates could owe to any number of factors. "A lot of it is kids trying to figure out who they are. And trying to get economic opportunities, but also trying to figure out their masculinity," said Michael Barton, an LSU associate professor of sociology and criminology. Carjackers, in particular, can be driven by a desire to improve their financial situations, or simply by rage, he said. But others say the area's anemic police presence has sparked a rise in criminal activity. "Because there is so much land to be policed, there were never enough officers to begin with," said Anthony Jackson, the president of the 7th District's Police Community Advisory Board. The East contains two-thirds of the city's land mass, though a great deal of it is undeveloped swampland and wilderness. Nguyen, who lost her bid for reelection to former council member Oliver Thomas last month, has urged NOPD to consider assigning more officers to the 7th District. She's also raised the idea of dividing the district into smaller pieces. +7 In New Orleans City Council District E race, candidates vow to bring economic development east New Orleans City Councilmember Cyndi Nguyen will face five contenders in a District E race that has showcased the need for economic developmen Ferguson, the police chief, said at a November hearing that the Industrial Canal complicates that idea, because officers tasked with patrolling both sides of the canal would be delayed in responding to calls for service. He also said the NOPD has added more recruits to the district in recent years. The force has struggled to mount a timely response, even with the 7th District intact. The median response time for emergency calls from the East is about 16 minutes, compared to eight minutes elsewhere in the city, an analysis of response data shows. For nonemergencies, residents wait about an hour for an officer to respond almost three times longer than the rest of the city. Demographic shifts blamed Some residents suspect the East's shifting demographics have influenced its crime trends. Today, the area's 27,500 households earn a median income of $33,000 per year, well below the city's $41,000 average. In 2003, the reverse was true: The East had a slightly higher median income than that of the rest of the city, $32,772 compared to $27,133. Put another way, the median income in the East hasn't changed in nearly two decades, while in the rest of the city, it's up by more than half. Of the area's nine main neighborhoods, five contain mostly renters, according to Census estimates compiled by the Data Center. In 2000, only three such neighborhoods were dominated by rentals. And after the city's largest public housing projects were converted to mixed-income apartments after Katrina, participation swelled in the Housing Authority of New Orleans' Section 8 program, which grants low-income residents vouchers to live in homes of their choice. Those holding vouchers often ended up in the East, residents point out. "We have the most subsidized housing out here, in the apartments," said Dawn Hebert, the president of the East New Orleans Neighborhood Advisory Commission, a coalition of eastern New Orleans neighborhoods. "It's unfortunate, because it's bringing our median income down when developers want to come to our community... and we do believe it contributes to the crime rate." While poverty can be a factor, residential turnover is perhaps an even larger driver, said Barton, the LSU criminologist. "When you have a strong sense of community, and people living in an area for longer, they are less likely to commit crimes in that area," he said. The debate over whether poverty equals criminality, and the not-in-my-backyard sentiments that it tends to inspire, has been raging in New Orleans East since at least the late 1980s, when HANO and the federal government increased the number of subsidized rentals. Many poorer residents moved eastward, according to a 1991 Times-Picayune article. No easy solutions Jackson, the police community board president, said police should forge better connections with the East's youngest residents to deter them from crime. Security personnel and other civilians should be allowed to make small-time arrests so that police don't have to, he said. The city has already begun moving in the latter direction, with the council pondering an ordinance would empower some city employees to exercise police powers in NOPD's absence. The council has also laid the groundwork for mental health professionals to eventually respond to calls for service from people experiencing mental health crises, tapping a task force this summer to study how best to accomplish that. Of the 70 new crime cameras installed across the city this year to help police stop and solve crimes, 22 were mounted in the East. Varnado, who lost her 47-year-old son, Shawn Brock, in January after he was shot near Crowder Boulevard and Interstate 10, said all of that is only valuable if it leads to a better police response. "I started feeling like, 'Y'all don't care about the East anymore?' Things are happening, but it's like, 'We will get to them when we get to them.'" Staff writer Jeff Adelson contributed to this story. This story is part of an occasional series chronicling efforts to bring new investment to New Orleans East. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe A new study has found that infection with coronavirus can trigger an immune response that lasts well beyond the initial infection and recovery, whether the symptoms are mild or asymptomatic. The research has been published in the 'Journal of Translational Medicine'. When people are infected with a virus or other pathogen, their bodies unleash proteins called antibodies that detect foreign substances and keep them from invading cells. In some cases, however, people produce autoantibodies that can attack the body's own organs and tissues over time. The Cedars-Sinai investigators found that people with prior infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, have a wide variety of autoantibodies up to six months after they have fully recovered. Prior to this study, researchers knew that severe cases of COVID-19 can stress the immune system so much that autoantibodies are produced. This study is the first to report not only the presence of elevated autoantibodies after mild or asymptomatic infection but their persistence over time. "These findings help to explain what makes COVID-19 an especially unique disease," said Justyna Fert-Bober, PhD, a research scientist in the Department of Cardiology at the Smidt Heart Institute and co-senior author of the study. "These patterns of immune dysregulation could be underlying the different types of persistent symptoms we see in people who go on to develop the condition now referred to as long COVID-19," Fert-Bober added. To conduct their study, the Cedars-Sinai research team recruited 177 people with confirmed evidence of a previous infection with SARS-CoV-2. They compared blood samples from these individuals with samples taken from healthy people prior to the pandemic. All those with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection had elevated levels of autoantibodies. Some of the autoantibodies also have been found in people with diseases in which the immune system attacks its own healthy cells, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. "We found signals of autoantibody activity that are usually linked to chronic inflammation and injury involving specific organ systems and tissues such as the joints, skin and nervous system," said Susan Cheng, MD, MPH, MMSc, director of the Institute for Research on Healthy Aging in the Department of Cardiology at the Smidt Heart Institute and co-senior author of the study. Some of the autoantibodies have been linked to autoimmune diseases that typically affect women more often than men. In this study, however, men had a higher number of elevated autoantibodies than women. "On the one hand, this finding is paradoxical given that autoimmune conditions are usually more common in females," Fert-Bober said. "On the other hand, it is also somewhat expected given all that we know about males being more vulnerable to the most severe forms of COVID-19," Fert-Bober added. The research team is interested in expanding the study to look for the types of autoantibodies that may be present and persist in people with long-haul COVID-19 symptoms. Because this study was in people infected before the advent of vaccines, the researchers will also examine whether autoantibodies are similarly generated in people with breakthrough infections. "If we can better understand these autoantibody responses, and how it is that SARS-CoV-2 infection triggers and drives these variable responses, then we can get one step closer to identifying ways to treat and even prevent these effects from developing in people at risk," Cheng said. (ANI) France has taken over from Turkey in heading up Nato's highest-readiness military task force. The change at the helm comes at a time of heightened concern that Russia may be preparing to invade Ukraine. France will head up the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) as of 1 January, for one year. "I thank France for leading Natos rapid reaction force in 2022, said Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in a press statement. "The Very High Readiness Joint Task Force is a substantial contribution to our collective defense, and France's leadership is a strong display of commitment and capabilities. "At a time of unprecedented security challenges, there must be no misunderstanding about Nato's resolve: We stand together to defend and protect all allies," Stoltenberg added. The VJTF is the highest-readiness element of Nato's 40,000-strong Response Force. The unit was created in 2014 to respond to crises in the Middle East and Russian aggression against Ukraine. The leadership of the VJTF rotates between Nato members every year, and several countries provide troops for the multi-national force. In 2022, a 3,500-strong Franco-German brigade will serve as the core of the force, drawing on the 1st Infantry Regiment and the 3rd Hussar Regiment. Spain, Portugal and Poland will also provide personnel. Germany will lead the unit in 2023. Children hold red lanterns during a New Year celebration at a kindergarten in Suining, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Liu Changsong/Xinhua) Children learn to make New Year decorations with their teacher at a kindergarten in Linyi, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Zhang Chunlei/Xinhua) Students perform lion dance to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Xinhua/Du Yu) Students pose for a group photo to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Xinhua) Students take a selfie with their teacher to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Xinhua) Children participate in a lion dance game to celebrate the New Year at a kindergarten in Xiangyang, central China's Hubei Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Yang Dong/Xinhua) Children perform dragon dance to celebrate the New Year at a kindergarten in Huzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Xie Shangguo/Xinhua) Children hold the Chinese character "Fu", meaning good luck in English, during a New Year celebration at a kindergarten in Neijiang, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Huang Zhenghua/Xinhua) Students show their paper cutting works at an elementary school in Qianxi, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Zhai Peisheng/Xinhua) Students hold red lanterns to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Sun Zhongzhe/Xinhua) Children show their paper cutting works at a kindergarten in Danzhai County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Huang Xiaohai/Xinhua) Students perform lion dance to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Liang Zidong/Xinhua) Staycations, workations and homestays emerged as the sector watchwords in 2021 as tourists preferred safety and functionality over luxury in their post-Covid holiday destinations with the sector struggling to recover from the blow of 2020. With the threat of Omicron looming large in the horizon, fears of a bleak 2022 have come to haunt the stakeholders. Financial situation: In 2019, the Indian and travel ecosystem had supported almost 50 million jobs and nearly USD 200 bn gross domestic output directly and indirectly. While 2020 was almost a complete washout, 2021 saw pockets of recovery but only in very select parts of hospitality and restaurants in some parts of the country. For tours and travel agents 2021 continued to be another year of despair without business. Aashish Gupta, consulting CEO, FAITH, the policy federation of all the national associations representing the complete tourism, travel and hospitality industry of India, said that the sector was eagerly looking forward to the resumption of flights in December in 2021 to see some business traction. Since March 2020, the inbound has been shut and the flights resumption as was earlier announced was one ray of hope, he said. "This has been the worst ever two years for the tourism industry and all support to tourism businesses is vital," said Gupta. He said that the earnings from the Indian inbound tourists were almost USD 30 billion pre-pandemic. The period between October and March which is the main season was fully lost in 2020 and half of this season lost in 2021. "In 2022, to salvage some business and have some cash flows to support tourism employment this sector will look forward to a very early review of this decision of extension of flights , if hopefully the variant omicron doesn't pose a serious threat. "Almost all countries would now be competing afresh for inbound tourism and thus it is also critical to restart our global tourism marketing campaign to start creating awareness. Additionally it is also important to create a comprehensive package of export incentives in the upcoming foreign trade policy for foreign earning members of Indian tourism industry," Gupta said. However, some reinvention from the sector has worked wonders, although it is not clear if it has really worked enough in terms of revenue generation. According to OYO's fourth year-end annual index - OYO Travelopedia 2021, 65 per cent of respondents in India have travelled in the past six months and a majority of them visited their loved ones, while some went for a getaway from their daily routines and travelled for leisure. Nearly 27 per cent took a month-long workcation. Hill stations ranked top on the list of spots for these work and travel trips, followed by many who visited their hometowns and beach destinations. In fact the tourism ministry is tailoring its promotional campaigns to highlight staycations, focusing on homestays offering personal care and local experience to tourists post the COVID-19 pandemic, according to officials in the ministry. ''While we saw a demand for such homestays just before the pandemic, now, it is through the roof. We are tailoring our promotional campaigns to promote homestays. Tourists don't want big hotels anymore. They want big open spaces, personalised care and want to experience the local flavour. We are also promoting staycations," Rupinder Brar, Additional Director General in the ministry had told PTI on the sidelines of the Tourism Mart held in Nagaland recently. Demands from the government: In its pre-budget recommendations to the finance ministry, the sector has requested that the industry be allowed to carry forward business losses from the existing eight years to 12 years and to avail the Service Exports from India Scheme/ Export Promotion Capital Goods (SEIS/EPCG) benefits without any capping and rate reductions. It has also urged the government to provide extension on the timeline for export obligation under EPCG scheme and grant export status to the industry, to include hotels and tourism-related sectors in the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP), and offer special emphasis for promoting meetings and conferences at hotels. They have also pushed for the long standing demand for granting infrastructure status to the hospitality industry, and provide special tax incentives for domestic travel. The association has also requested the Centre to review its decision to introduce LTC cash vouchers in lieu of LTC fare to government employees for boosting domestic travel and helping the hospitality industry in its path to recovery. What the Tourism Ministry has done: The Ministry of Tourism has been routinely organising promotional activities and campaigns with special focus on social media across states and abroad to revive and support tourism, officials said. A round-the-clock multilingual tourist helpline, e-visa facilities for 156 countries, training for creating a pool of certified tourist facilitators and new regional routes for better air connectivity are among steps being taken to boost the tourism sector, which helps in employment creation. Market development Assistance (MDA) guidelines to promote lndia as a tourist destination have been revised to benefit a larger number of tourism stakeholders, the House was informed. The ministry has also launched the Dekho Apna Desh initiative, encouraging domestic tourism. The ministry has also been organising webinars, quizzes, discussions and roadshows to keep connected with the stakeholders and to encourage citizens to travel within the country. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Staycations, workations and homestays emerged as the sector watchwords in 2021 as tourists preferred safety and functionality over luxury in their post-Covid holiday destinations with the sector struggling to recover from the blow of 2020. With the threat of Omicron looming large in the horizon, fears of a bleak 2022 have come to haunt the stakeholders. Financial situation: In 2019, the Indian and travel ecosystem had supported almost 50 million jobs and nearly USD 200 bn gross domestic output directly and indirectly. While 2020 was almost a complete washout, 2021 saw pockets of recovery but only in very select parts of hospitality and restaurants in some parts of the country. For tours and travel agents 2021 continued to be another year of despair without business. Aashish Gupta, consulting CEO, FAITH, the policy federation of all the national associations representing the complete tourism, travel and hospitality industry of India, said that the sector was eagerly looking forward to the resumption of flights in December in 2021 to see some business traction. Since March 2020, the inbound has been shut and the flights resumption as was earlier announced was one ray of hope, he said. "This has been the worst ever two years for the tourism industry and all support to tourism businesses is vital," said Gupta. He said that the earnings from the Indian inbound tourists were almost USD 30 billion pre-pandemic. The period between October and March which is the main season was fully lost in 2020 and half of this season lost in 2021. "In 2022, to salvage some business and have some cash flows to support tourism employment this sector will look forward to a very early review of this decision of extension of flights , if hopefully the variant omicron doesn't pose a serious threat. "Almost all countries would now be competing afresh for inbound tourism and thus it is also critical to restart our global tourism marketing campaign to start creating awareness. Additionally it is also important to create a comprehensive package of export incentives in the upcoming foreign trade policy for foreign earning members of Indian tourism industry," Gupta said. However, some reinvention from the sector has worked wonders, although it is not clear if it has really worked enough in terms of revenue generation. According to OYO's fourth year-end annual index - OYO Travelopedia 2021, 65 per cent of respondents in India have travelled in the past six months and a majority of them visited their loved ones, while some went for a getaway from their daily routines and travelled for leisure. Nearly 27 per cent took a month-long workcation. Hill stations ranked top on the list of spots for these work and travel trips, followed by many who visited their hometowns and beach destinations. In fact the tourism ministry is tailoring its promotional campaigns to highlight staycations, focusing on homestays offering personal care and local experience to tourists post the COVID-19 pandemic, according to officials in the ministry. ''While we saw a demand for such homestays just before the pandemic, now, it is through the roof. We are tailoring our promotional campaigns to promote homestays. Tourists don't want big hotels anymore. They want big open spaces, personalised care and want to experience the local flavour. We are also promoting staycations," Rupinder Brar, Additional Director General in the ministry had told PTI on the sidelines of the Tourism Mart held in Nagaland recently. Demands from the government: In its pre-budget recommendations to the finance ministry, the sector has requested that the industry be allowed to carry forward business losses from the existing eight years to 12 years and to avail the Service Exports from India Scheme/ Export Promotion Capital Goods (SEIS/EPCG) benefits without any capping and rate reductions. It has also urged the government to provide extension on the timeline for export obligation under EPCG scheme and grant export status to the industry, to include hotels and tourism-related sectors in the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP), and offer special emphasis for promoting meetings and conferences at hotels. They have also pushed for the long standing demand for granting infrastructure status to the hospitality industry, and provide special tax incentives for domestic travel. The association has also requested the Centre to review its decision to introduce LTC cash vouchers in lieu of LTC fare to government employees for boosting domestic travel and helping the hospitality industry in its path to recovery. What the Tourism Ministry has done: The Ministry of Tourism has been routinely organising promotional activities and campaigns with special focus on social media across states and abroad to revive and support tourism, officials said. A round-the-clock multilingual tourist helpline, e-visa facilities for 156 countries, training for creating a pool of certified tourist facilitators and new regional routes for better air connectivity are among steps being taken to boost the tourism sector, which helps in employment creation. Market development Assistance (MDA) guidelines to promote lndia as a tourist destination have been revised to benefit a larger number of tourism stakeholders, the House was informed. The ministry has also launched the Dekho Apna Desh initiative, encouraging domestic tourism. The ministry has also been organising webinars, quizzes, discussions and roadshows to keep connected with the stakeholders and to encourage citizens to travel within the country. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bhiwani (Haryana) [India], January 1 (ANI): Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday expressed grief over the landslide that occurred in Haryana's Bhiwani and assured that he is in constant touch with the local administration to ensure rescue operations and immediate assistance to the injured. "Saddened by the unfortunate landslide accident in Dadam mining zone at Bhiwani. I am in constant touch with the local administration to ensure swift rescue operations and immediate assistance to the injured," Khttar tweeted. Also Read | GST Revenue Collection Surges to Rs 1.29 Lakh Crore in December 2021. Haryana Agriculture Minister JP Dalal also reached the spot of landslide. "Some people have died. I cannot provide the exact figures as of now. A team of doctors has arrived. We will try to save as many people as possible," Dalal said. Also Read | PM-KISAN Scheme: Over Rs 1.8 Lakh Crore Transferred Directly to Accounts of Farmers, Says PM Narendra Modi. According to Haryana police, at least two people were injured and several were missing after a landslide in a mining quarry took place in Haryana's Bhiwani on Saturday. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bhiwani (Haryana) [India], January 1 (ANI): Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday expressed grief over the landslide that occurred in Haryana's Bhiwani and assured that he is in constant touch with the local administration to ensure rescue operations and immediate assistance to the injured. "Saddened by the unfortunate landslide accident in Dadam mining zone at Bhiwani. I am in constant touch with the local administration to ensure swift rescue operations and immediate assistance to the injured," Khttar tweeted. Also Read | GST Revenue Collection Surges to Rs 1.29 Lakh Crore in December 2021. Haryana Agriculture Minister JP Dalal also reached the spot of landslide. "Some people have died. I cannot provide the exact figures as of now. A team of doctors has arrived. We will try to save as many people as possible," Dalal said. Also Read | PM-KISAN Scheme: Over Rs 1.8 Lakh Crore Transferred Directly to Accounts of Farmers, Says PM Narendra Modi. According to Haryana police, at least two people were injured and several were missing after a landslide in a mining quarry took place in Haryana's Bhiwani on Saturday. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) The unprecedented shutdown of economic activities led to a colossal loss of livelihoods. To understand the impact of this national lockdown on rural households income, the paper empirically examines the determinants of reduction in their income, and the effectiveness of governments response in mitigating their economic hardships. The study is based on a comprehensive telephonic survey of 2,599 rural households from five eastern statesBihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal conducted during the lockdown period, JuneJuly 2020. The econometric results highlight that (i) a number of socio-economic and demographic factors influenced income loss of rural households during the lockdown, (ii) the impact was relatively higher on the migrant labour, though it differed across the eastern states, and (iii) government cash and in-kind assistance under various social protection schemes were timely but requires expansion in both coverage and outreach. India announced the worlds largest lockdown on 23 March 2020 to contain the spread of COVID-19-induced pandemic. An unprecedented shutdown of economic activities for about months across the country led to a huge loss of employment and income. The unemployment rate at the national level was at its peak (24%) during the periods of May and June 2020 (CMIE 2020) and the estimated economic growth was negative (23%) in the first quarter of the year (National Statistical Survey Office 2021; RBI 2021). Informal workers and migrant labourers were the worst affected by the closure of construction and other business activities, which led to a mass movement of labour back to their native places (Srivastava 2020). Although the centre and various state governments were prompt to provide free foodgrains, deposit cash transfers under the flagship programmesthe Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY) and initiate other relief measures to the poor, the crises were beyond comprehension. Various non-governmental organisations, religious institutions and individuals also came forward to extend all possible help to the affected people. But the poor seems to have borne the maximum brunt of an overall contraction in their wages and income. Literature on the impact of pandemic-induced lockdown is limited. But it provides evidence on the agony and hardships that COVID-19 has inflicted on people in terms of physical and psychological health, inequality in access to medical and educational facilities, and expenditure exceeding their income. Singh et al (2021) reported that 59% households faced loss in income, 38% lost jobs, 83% had difficulties in accessing healthcare and 28% reduced consumption of fruits and vegetables. Among others, Mathias (2020) and Modak et al (2020) reported that the COVID-19-induced lockdown not only reduced the income, consumption and food security of households but also severely affected their mental state. The lockdown along with the social distancing norms dried up jobs and posed serious challenges of meeting day-to-day expenditures and ensuring adequate nutrition and health (Khanna 2020). Small businesses such as those under the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) faced severe financial crunch, leading to a closure of several units and job loss to many workers (Chaudhary et al 2020). In November 2020, Basole et al (2021) found that the pandemic affected the salaried and lower-middle-class workers as well as the poor and that nearly 20% of households reported no improvement in food intake since the lockdown. This was despite the provision of additional food to a large section of population and financial support by the government under various flagship programmes of the PMGKY. Staycations, workations and homestays emerged as the sector watchwords in 2021 as tourists preferred safety and functionality over luxury in their post-Covid holiday destinations with the sector struggling to recover from the blow of 2020. With the threat of Omicron looming large in the horizon, fears of a bleak 2022 have come to haunt the stakeholders. Financial situation: In 2019, the Indian and travel ecosystem had supported almost 50 million jobs and nearly USD 200 bn gross domestic output directly and indirectly. While 2020 was almost a complete washout, 2021 saw pockets of recovery but only in very select parts of hospitality and restaurants in some parts of the country. For tours and travel agents 2021 continued to be another year of despair without business. Aashish Gupta, consulting CEO, FAITH, the policy federation of all the national associations representing the complete tourism, travel and hospitality industry of India, said that the sector was eagerly looking forward to the resumption of flights in December in 2021 to see some business traction. Since March 2020, the inbound has been shut and the flights resumption as was earlier announced was one ray of hope, he said. "This has been the worst ever two years for the tourism industry and all support to tourism businesses is vital," said Gupta. He said that the earnings from the Indian inbound tourists were almost USD 30 billion pre-pandemic. The period between October and March which is the main season was fully lost in 2020 and half of this season lost in 2021. "In 2022, to salvage some business and have some cash flows to support tourism employment this sector will look forward to a very early review of this decision of extension of flights , if hopefully the variant omicron doesn't pose a serious threat. "Almost all countries would now be competing afresh for inbound tourism and thus it is also critical to restart our global tourism marketing campaign to start creating awareness. Additionally it is also important to create a comprehensive package of export incentives in the upcoming foreign trade policy for foreign earning members of Indian tourism industry," Gupta said. However, some reinvention from the sector has worked wonders, although it is not clear if it has really worked enough in terms of revenue generation. According to OYO's fourth year-end annual index - OYO Travelopedia 2021, 65 per cent of respondents in India have travelled in the past six months and a majority of them visited their loved ones, while some went for a getaway from their daily routines and travelled for leisure. Nearly 27 per cent took a month-long workcation. Hill stations ranked top on the list of spots for these work and travel trips, followed by many who visited their hometowns and beach destinations. In fact the tourism ministry is tailoring its promotional campaigns to highlight staycations, focusing on homestays offering personal care and local experience to tourists post the COVID-19 pandemic, according to officials in the ministry. ''While we saw a demand for such homestays just before the pandemic, now, it is through the roof. We are tailoring our promotional campaigns to promote homestays. Tourists don't want big hotels anymore. They want big open spaces, personalised care and want to experience the local flavour. We are also promoting staycations," Rupinder Brar, Additional Director General in the ministry had told PTI on the sidelines of the Tourism Mart held in Nagaland recently. Demands from the government: In its pre-budget recommendations to the finance ministry, the sector has requested that the industry be allowed to carry forward business losses from the existing eight years to 12 years and to avail the Service Exports from India Scheme/ Export Promotion Capital Goods (SEIS/EPCG) benefits without any capping and rate reductions. It has also urged the government to provide extension on the timeline for export obligation under EPCG scheme and grant export status to the industry, to include hotels and tourism-related sectors in the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP), and offer special emphasis for promoting meetings and conferences at hotels. They have also pushed for the long standing demand for granting infrastructure status to the hospitality industry, and provide special tax incentives for domestic travel. The association has also requested the Centre to review its decision to introduce LTC cash vouchers in lieu of LTC fare to government employees for boosting domestic travel and helping the hospitality industry in its path to recovery. What the Tourism Ministry has done: The Ministry of Tourism has been routinely organising promotional activities and campaigns with special focus on social media across states and abroad to revive and support tourism, officials said. A round-the-clock multilingual tourist helpline, e-visa facilities for 156 countries, training for creating a pool of certified tourist facilitators and new regional routes for better air connectivity are among steps being taken to boost the tourism sector, which helps in employment creation. Market development Assistance (MDA) guidelines to promote lndia as a tourist destination have been revised to benefit a larger number of tourism stakeholders, the House was informed. The ministry has also launched the Dekho Apna Desh initiative, encouraging domestic tourism. The ministry has also been organising webinars, quizzes, discussions and roadshows to keep connected with the stakeholders and to encourage citizens to travel within the country. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The deadly second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc in early last year, snuffing out many lives, burdening hospitals and doctors beyond their capacities even as the vaccination exercise injected some degree of confidence in a bid to bring life back on track. However, just when the country and the capital city may have thought that they had put their worst behind them, fear of an imminent third wave now looms large with a surge in new infections of Covid, and cases of the new Omicron variant of the virus, which is highly transmissible, might derail the recovery made in the last few months. India has recorded over 1,400 cases of the Omicron variant of so far, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday. Maharashtra has recorded the maximum number of 454 Omicron cases followed by (351), Kerala (118) and Gujarat (115). About 38 per cent of the total samples analysed at various genome sequencing laboratories in from December 21-28, have been detected with Omicron variant, according to official documents. Of the 468 samples analysed during this period, the Delta variant of has been detected in 31 per cent of these samples, and rest 30 per cent constituted other variants, according to the documents. A senior doctor here, on the condition of anonymity, has claimed that Omicron variant of Covid has "begun to spread in the community" as its carriers are mostly asymptomatic. The sharp spike in cases of COVID-19 and of Omicron variant particularly and ensuing restrictions imposed by the government, is serving as a cruel reminder of the second wave of the pandemic in the country when beds scarcity, oxygen shortage and a huge number of deaths, had given sleepless nights to people and government authorities alike. Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain, however, has asserted that Delhi is fully prepared to deal with the Covid situation. The second wave had begun from April, 2021 and following a massive spike in cases, lockdown was imposed in the national capital to curb the spread of infection with Delta variant being dreaded more then. Daily cases jumped into the range of several thousands as the wave took a more brutal turn with each passing day. On April 1, the cumulative death toll due to coronavirus infection in Delhi had stood at 11,036, which more than doubled to 24,299 by June 1, according to official data. Since April 19, both daily cases and single-day deaths count had spiralled up, with over 28,000 cases and 277 deaths recorded on April 20; rising to 306 fatalities on April 22. On May 3, the city registered a record 448 deaths, according to official figures. And now with daily cases count registering a huge spike in the past few days, and positivity rate rising faster, the government has again brought in restrictions under the 'yellow alert' category of its graded response action plan. Delhi on Friday recorded 1,796 fresh Covid cases, the highest single-day rise since May 22, and zero death while the positivity rate mounted to 2.44 per cent, according to data shared by the city health department. On Thursday, 1,313 cases were recorded with a positivity rate of 1.73 per cent, as per officials figures. The daily cases count had breached the 1000-mark after a gap of seven months. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had on December 28 declared 'yellow alert' under which schools, colleges, cinemas and gyms shall be closed, shops dealing in non-essential items will open on odd-even basis, and metro trains and buses will run with 50 per cent of seating capacity in the city. The spike in daily cases has come, months after the Dusshera and Diwali festivities, and days ahead of the New Year. Till restrictions were imposed, people continued to throng markets and held big gatherings, despite health experts cautioning them to not lower their guard. Doctors treating Covid patients at leading government and private facilities in the city have already been saying that a "sense of complacency" has again crept in among a large section of citizens despite witnessing the "horrors of the second wave" of Covid. Health experts have also urged to expedite vaccination and that people who are not yet inoculated against Covid, to get their shots at the earliest. The nationwide vaccination exercise had begun from January 16. Doctors reckon that the vaccination has given some sort of protective layer to people, and though Omicron variant is highly transmissible, most of the cases are asymptomatic, and not needing much hospital admission. First dose of Covid vaccine has been administered to all people eligible for vaccination in Delhi, Kejriwal had said on December 24, as he hailed the healthcare and frontline workers who have been in the forefront of the fight against the pandemic. However, towards the fag end of the year, a large number of these healthcare workers -- resident doctors at various hospitals here -- have been protesting by boycotting work for the last two weeks, demanding expediting of the NEET PG counselling process, which has affected patient care services, amid the Omicron scare. (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 deadly second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc in early last year, snuffing out many lives, burdening hospitals and doctors beyond their capacities even as the vaccination exercise injected some degree of confidence in a bid to bring life back on track. However, just when the country and the capital city may have thought that they had put their worst behind them, fear of an imminent third wave now looms large with a surge in new infections of Covid, and cases of the new Omicron variant of the virus, which is highly transmissible, might derail the recovery made in the last few months. India has recorded over 1,400 cases of the Omicron variant of so far, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday. Maharashtra has recorded the maximum number of 454 Omicron cases followed by (351), Kerala (118) and Gujarat (115). About 38 per cent of the total samples analysed at various genome sequencing laboratories in from December 21-28, have been detected with Omicron variant, according to official documents. Of the 468 samples analysed during this period, the Delta variant of has been detected in 31 per cent of these samples, and rest 30 per cent constituted other variants, according to the documents. A senior doctor here, on the condition of anonymity, has claimed that Omicron variant of Covid has "begun to spread in the community" as its carriers are mostly asymptomatic. The sharp spike in cases of COVID-19 and of Omicron variant particularly and ensuing restrictions imposed by the government, is serving as a cruel reminder of the second wave of the pandemic in the country when beds scarcity, oxygen shortage and a huge number of deaths, had given sleepless nights to people and government authorities alike. Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain, however, has asserted that Delhi is fully prepared to deal with the Covid situation. The second wave had begun from April, 2021 and following a massive spike in cases, lockdown was imposed in the national capital to curb the spread of infection with Delta variant being dreaded more then. Daily cases jumped into the range of several thousands as the wave took a more brutal turn with each passing day. On April 1, the cumulative death toll due to coronavirus infection in Delhi had stood at 11,036, which more than doubled to 24,299 by June 1, according to official data. Since April 19, both daily cases and single-day deaths count had spiralled up, with over 28,000 cases and 277 deaths recorded on April 20; rising to 306 fatalities on April 22. On May 3, the city registered a record 448 deaths, according to official figures. And now with daily cases count registering a huge spike in the past few days, and positivity rate rising faster, the government has again brought in restrictions under the 'yellow alert' category of its graded response action plan. Delhi on Friday recorded 1,796 fresh Covid cases, the highest single-day rise since May 22, and zero death while the positivity rate mounted to 2.44 per cent, according to data shared by the city health department. On Thursday, 1,313 cases were recorded with a positivity rate of 1.73 per cent, as per officials figures. The daily cases count had breached the 1000-mark after a gap of seven months. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had on December 28 declared 'yellow alert' under which schools, colleges, cinemas and gyms shall be closed, shops dealing in non-essential items will open on odd-even basis, and metro trains and buses will run with 50 per cent of seating capacity in the city. The spike in daily cases has come, months after the Dusshera and Diwali festivities, and days ahead of the New Year. Till restrictions were imposed, people continued to throng markets and held big gatherings, despite health experts cautioning them to not lower their guard. Doctors treating Covid patients at leading government and private facilities in the city have already been saying that a "sense of complacency" has again crept in among a large section of citizens despite witnessing the "horrors of the second wave" of Covid. Health experts have also urged to expedite vaccination and that people who are not yet inoculated against Covid, to get their shots at the earliest. The nationwide vaccination exercise had begun from January 16. Doctors reckon that the vaccination has given some sort of protective layer to people, and though Omicron variant is highly transmissible, most of the cases are asymptomatic, and not needing much hospital admission. First dose of Covid vaccine has been administered to all people eligible for vaccination in Delhi, Kejriwal had said on December 24, as he hailed the healthcare and frontline workers who have been in the forefront of the fight against the pandemic. However, towards the fag end of the year, a large number of these healthcare workers -- resident doctors at various hospitals here -- have been protesting by boycotting work for the last two weeks, demanding expediting of the NEET PG counselling process, which has affected patient care services, amid the Omicron scare. (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.) Local featured Sex assault a common crime, yet one most commonly unreported FERGUSON CARTWRIGHT HODGE EDITORS NOTE: This story contains graphic language. This is the first story in a series on crimes against women. A registered sex offender from Lufkin recently was indicted on three counts of sexual assault. He is one of 123 county residents awaiting trial for some form of sex crime. Ira Cartwright, 49, was indicted for a second time, this time by the latest grand jury on three counts of sexual assault and assault of a family or household member by impeding their breath or circulation. He was already one of Angelina Countys 335 registered sex offenders after he raped a 19-year-old woman in 2002. He was given a 15-year parole with mandatory supervision and was rated a low risk. On Feb. 21, 2020, a woman told Angelina County Sheriffs Office deputies Cartwright had been aggressive toward her earlier that day and she wanted him to leave her alone. She told detectives Cartwright does not ask for sex he takes it, an affidavit filed by the sheriffs office states. Cartwright was accused of choking the woman, forcing sex upon her and degrading her by using feces, the affidavit states. Deputies arrested Cartwright after the woman showed detectives injuries she reportedly sustained after the incident with Cartwright. A grand jury handed up an indictment just a few days later, in March 2020. The case was reevaluated and presented to the grand jury in December, when he was reindicted. Of the women the Janelle Grum Family Crisis Center of East Texas assisted in 2020, 36% were victims of some form of sexual assault, according to executive director Whitney Burran. The agency helped 37 individuals undergo a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners or SANE exam. According to the Texas Criminal Code, a person commits the offense of sexual assault if that person intentionally or knowingly causes: The penetration of an individuals anus or sexual organ without consent. The penetration of an individuals mouth with a sexual organ without consent. A persons sexual organ to contact or penetrate the mouth, anus or sexual organ of another person without consent. The same definition is applied for sex crimes against children. But these crimes also include anything related to child pornography and the solicitation of a minor. Consent cannot be obtained by the use of physical force, violence or coercion, according to state law. Consent cannot be obtained from people who are unable to understand the act is happening to them, whether they are drugged or mentally unable to grasp the situation, the law states. The World Health Organization, quoting a 2021 Landmark report, said globally: 1 in 3 women have experienced or do experience physical or sexual violence. Nearly 1 in 5 women have experienced completed or attempted rape in their lifetime. 1 in 3 experienced it between 11 and 17 years old; and 1 in 8 reported it occurred before they turned 10. The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network estimates that an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds. One in 6 American women have been the victim of attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. One in 33 men have experienced attempted or completed rape in his lifetime. A majority of child victims in the United States are between 12 and 17 years old. The Angelina County District Attorneys Office has 86 active indecency or sexual assault of a child cases listed in the latest Office of Court Administration report that was issued in November; 16 of the 86 were from 2021. It did not include two of Decembers indictments, which were for assaults against children. On Oct. 25, 2021, a 12-year-old Huntington child made an outcry to their mother about a sexual assault, according to an arrest affidavit issued by Justice of the Peace Pat Grimes Grubbs. The child told Huntington police that Keith Miles Ferguson, 34, of Lufkin, penetrated the child three different times between September 2020 and September 2021, the affidavit states. The child was scared to make an outcry because they were worried Ferguson would hurt their mother, police said. On Oct. 23, 2021, Ferguson also was accused of aggravated sexual assault of a child a neighborhood friend who was 13 at the time, according to another arrest affidavit issued by Grimes as a result of work by the Huntington Police Department. Ferguson was indicted by Decembers grand jury for continued sexual assault of a child and aggravated sexual assault of a child. The other was Gerald Hodge, 54, of Diboll, for the continuous sexual abuse of a child victim under 14, aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child by sexual contact. Lufkin police had been notified of 60 sex-related incidents in 2021 as of Dec. 17, 2021, 36 of which involved children, according to city of Lufkin communications director Jessica Pebsworth. Five of the 60 cases were found to be unfounded. Three cases were refused by a prosecutor and five were refused by the complainant. A vast majority of the outcries in District Attorney Janet Cassels experience are not false, she said. There are certainly occasions where the allegations may be questionable, Cassels said. I would say that for anybody who has to deal with that, whether it be in law enforcement or whether it be someone in prosecution, it is a valid inquiry. Everyone who is accused is not necessarily guilty. But outcries go through several hands; the police will review the situation, as can a SANE nurse and potentially a forensic interviewer before it is brought to prosecution. Twenty-six of the 60 cases are inactive or closed; inactive means no judgment has been entered but the defendant is not available for adjudication and the court cannot take further action, according to the Texas Judicial Branch website. There is no current case activity or investigative avenue (on the 26), but should new information arise, then the case would be revisited, Pebsworth said. Twenty-one of the 60 cases are active, pending investigation, cleared by arrest, have a warrant issued or were referred to another agency, Pebsworth said. The Angelina County District Attorneys office is working to prosecute 33 active sexual assault of an adult cases. Six of the 33 cases, including Cartwrights, were from 2021. For as many reports as have been made in Angelina County, and which are currently awaiting trial, many more are likely to have gone unreported. The Brennan Center in 2018, quoting a 2016 U.S. Justice Department analysis of violent crime, said nearly 80% of rapes and sexual assaults go unreported. If it is reported, victims will take years sometimes to report an incident, the New York Times also reported in connection with its coverage of Justice Brett Kavanaughs Senate Hearings ahead of his appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. Cassels made this point, too: Sometimes women are assaulted or abused in their relationships and they let it go on because they are dependent on their abuser. Children will struggle to come forward because of fear or because they dont know what to do about the situation in general, she said. Sometimes parents will fail to catch it or act because they, too, were abused and it goes on in a cycle, she said. This is a problem Cassels and her prosecutors have faced when attempting to push a case forward; even if women have made reports, a lot of times they will back off later. And while prosecutors may still move forward in those cases, even with victims who are unwilling to go through the case, it becomes much more difficult to prosecute, Cassels said. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/north-koreas-leader-reportedly-says-2022-to-be-year-of-great-struggle-1091959846.html Kim Jong-un Warns 2022 Will Be Year of 'Great Life-And-Death Struggle' Kim Jong-un Warns 2022 Will Be Year of 'Great Life-And-Death Struggle' In his closing speech of the year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called 2021 the year of a great victory of his compatriots, adding that 2022 will be the year of a "life-and-death" struggle. 2022-01-01T10:36+0000 2022-01-01T10:36+0000 2022-01-01T11:16+0000 north korea struggle kim jong-un /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/08/14/1083670902_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_ca6a7652fb743234ac9ab8e6cd0f0182.jpg North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's lack of focus on the United States, South Korea and nuclear weapons in a speech delivered on New Year's Eve has triggered speculations. Speaking at the end of the fourth plenary session of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of North Korea (WPK) of the eighth convocation, held from 27 to 31 December, Kim Jong-un focused on the domestic agenda, including a plan for rural development, tractor factories, school uniforms and the need to crack down on "non-socialist practices", according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KSNA). According to KSNA, the WPK discussed the country's budget for 2022, the results of 2021 and plans for the coming year, agriculture, and changes in the WPK charter.The speech, which came as the nation marked the North Korean leaders 10th year in power after his father Kim Jong Ils death in 2011, is said to have laid out the countrys main goals for 2022 as boosting economic development and improving people's lives in the face of a "great life-and-death struggle".While previously Kim Jong Un had used such end-of-year addresses for delivering major policy announcements, this time no specific mention of the US was made.Talks between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled since 2019, with the US calling for North Korea to step away from its nuclear programme but reluctant to first offer sanctions relief, causing the deal to fall apart.Only passing mention in Kims latest speech was made of inter-Korean relations or South Koreas push for a declaration to formally end the 1950-1953 Korean War as a way to restart negotiations, added the official media of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).Last month marked an important development for the Korean peninsula. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in December that his country, China, North Korea, and the United States had agreed in principle to a declaration putting an end to the Korean War, which de facto ended in 1953. This occurred after the US and Democratic People's Republic of Korea ratified an armistice without signing a peace treaty. However, the Korean peninsula is still formally in a state of war until a peace treaty is signed.It was domestic challenges the speech targeted, where North Koreas self-imposed anti-pandemic border lockdown back in January 2020 to prevent the spread of Covid-19 from China left the nation ever more isolated. The United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization, other international aid groups have been warning of possible food shortages and a humanitarian crisis in North Korea.Military issues were highlighted in Kims speech by Saturday's state media as well. Thus, they cited development of "one ultra-modern weapon system after another" in the course of 2021, as the North Korean leader called for production of powerful, modern weapons systems to improve the military forces. Kim also urged the military's "absolute loyalty and allegiance" to the ruling party led by him, according to KCNA.The tractor factory mentioned by Kim was speculated by foreign analysts as being likely used to build launch vehicles for missiles.The United States earlier said it is ready to engage in dialogue with North Korea regarding denuclearisation without preconditions. Kim, for his part, outlined in June that his country must be ready for "both dialogue and confrontation" with Washington.Nuclear talks between the US and North Korea were launched by ex-President Donald Trump, yet failed to materialise in a deal in 2019. Throughout 2021 Pyongyang has occasionally tested new weapons systems that were said to include long-range cruise missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads to all of South Korea and most of Japan, along with a new submarine-launched ballistic missile. Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International north korea, new year, struggle, kim jong un's speech https://sputniknews.com/20220101/north-koreas-leader-reportedly-says-2022-to-be-year-of-great-struggle-1091959846.html Kim Jong-un Warns 2022 Will Be Year of 'Great Life-And-Death Struggle' Kim Jong-un Warns 2022 Will Be Year of 'Great Life-And-Death Struggle' In his closing speech of the year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called 2021 the year of a great victory of his compatriots, adding that 2022 will be the year of a "life-and-death" struggle. 2022-01-01T10:36+0000 2022-01-01T10:36+0000 2022-01-01T11:16+0000 north korea struggle kim jong-un /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/08/14/1083670902_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_ca6a7652fb743234ac9ab8e6cd0f0182.jpg North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's lack of focus on the United States, South Korea and nuclear weapons in a speech delivered on New Year's Eve has triggered speculations. Speaking at the end of the fourth plenary session of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of North Korea (WPK) of the eighth convocation, held from 27 to 31 December, Kim Jong-un focused on the domestic agenda, including a plan for rural development, tractor factories, school uniforms and the need to crack down on "non-socialist practices", according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KSNA). According to KSNA, the WPK discussed the country's budget for 2022, the results of 2021 and plans for the coming year, agriculture, and changes in the WPK charter.The speech, which came as the nation marked the North Korean leaders 10th year in power after his father Kim Jong Ils death in 2011, is said to have laid out the countrys main goals for 2022 as boosting economic development and improving people's lives in the face of a "great life-and-death struggle".While previously Kim Jong Un had used such end-of-year addresses for delivering major policy announcements, this time no specific mention of the US was made.Talks between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled since 2019, with the US calling for North Korea to step away from its nuclear programme but reluctant to first offer sanctions relief, causing the deal to fall apart.Only passing mention in Kims latest speech was made of inter-Korean relations or South Koreas push for a declaration to formally end the 1950-1953 Korean War as a way to restart negotiations, added the official media of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).Last month marked an important development for the Korean peninsula. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in December that his country, China, North Korea, and the United States had agreed in principle to a declaration putting an end to the Korean War, which de facto ended in 1953. This occurred after the US and Democratic People's Republic of Korea ratified an armistice without signing a peace treaty. However, the Korean peninsula is still formally in a state of war until a peace treaty is signed.It was domestic challenges the speech targeted, where North Koreas self-imposed anti-pandemic border lockdown back in January 2020 to prevent the spread of Covid-19 from China left the nation ever more isolated. The United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization, other international aid groups have been warning of possible food shortages and a humanitarian crisis in North Korea.Military issues were highlighted in Kims speech by Saturday's state media as well. Thus, they cited development of "one ultra-modern weapon system after another" in the course of 2021, as the North Korean leader called for production of powerful, modern weapons systems to improve the military forces. Kim also urged the military's "absolute loyalty and allegiance" to the ruling party led by him, according to KCNA.The tractor factory mentioned by Kim was speculated by foreign analysts as being likely used to build launch vehicles for missiles.The United States earlier said it is ready to engage in dialogue with North Korea regarding denuclearisation without preconditions. Kim, for his part, outlined in June that his country must be ready for "both dialogue and confrontation" with Washington.Nuclear talks between the US and North Korea were launched by ex-President Donald Trump, yet failed to materialise in a deal in 2019. Throughout 2021 Pyongyang has occasionally tested new weapons systems that were said to include long-range cruise missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads to all of South Korea and most of Japan, along with a new submarine-launched ballistic missile. Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International north korea, new year, struggle, kim jong un's speech https://sputniknews.com/20220101/north-koreas-leader-reportedly-says-2022-to-be-year-of-great-struggle-1091959846.html Kim Jong-un Warns 2022 Will Be Year of 'Great Life-And-Death Struggle' Kim Jong-un Warns 2022 Will Be Year of 'Great Life-And-Death Struggle' In his closing speech of the year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called 2021 the year of a great victory of his compatriots, adding that 2022 will be the year of a "life-and-death" struggle. 2022-01-01T10:36+0000 2022-01-01T10:36+0000 2022-01-01T11:16+0000 north korea struggle kim jong-un /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/08/14/1083670902_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_ca6a7652fb743234ac9ab8e6cd0f0182.jpg North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's lack of focus on the United States, South Korea and nuclear weapons in a speech delivered on New Year's Eve has triggered speculations. Speaking at the end of the fourth plenary session of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of North Korea (WPK) of the eighth convocation, held from 27 to 31 December, Kim Jong-un focused on the domestic agenda, including a plan for rural development, tractor factories, school uniforms and the need to crack down on "non-socialist practices", according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KSNA). According to KSNA, the WPK discussed the country's budget for 2022, the results of 2021 and plans for the coming year, agriculture, and changes in the WPK charter.The speech, which came as the nation marked the North Korean leaders 10th year in power after his father Kim Jong Ils death in 2011, is said to have laid out the countrys main goals for 2022 as boosting economic development and improving people's lives in the face of a "great life-and-death struggle".While previously Kim Jong Un had used such end-of-year addresses for delivering major policy announcements, this time no specific mention of the US was made.Talks between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled since 2019, with the US calling for North Korea to step away from its nuclear programme but reluctant to first offer sanctions relief, causing the deal to fall apart.Only passing mention in Kims latest speech was made of inter-Korean relations or South Koreas push for a declaration to formally end the 1950-1953 Korean War as a way to restart negotiations, added the official media of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).Last month marked an important development for the Korean peninsula. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in December that his country, China, North Korea, and the United States had agreed in principle to a declaration putting an end to the Korean War, which de facto ended in 1953. This occurred after the US and Democratic People's Republic of Korea ratified an armistice without signing a peace treaty. However, the Korean peninsula is still formally in a state of war until a peace treaty is signed.It was domestic challenges the speech targeted, where North Koreas self-imposed anti-pandemic border lockdown back in January 2020 to prevent the spread of Covid-19 from China left the nation ever more isolated. The United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization, other international aid groups have been warning of possible food shortages and a humanitarian crisis in North Korea.Military issues were highlighted in Kims speech by Saturday's state media as well. Thus, they cited development of "one ultra-modern weapon system after another" in the course of 2021, as the North Korean leader called for production of powerful, modern weapons systems to improve the military forces. Kim also urged the military's "absolute loyalty and allegiance" to the ruling party led by him, according to KCNA.The tractor factory mentioned by Kim was speculated by foreign analysts as being likely used to build launch vehicles for missiles.The United States earlier said it is ready to engage in dialogue with North Korea regarding denuclearisation without preconditions. Kim, for his part, outlined in June that his country must be ready for "both dialogue and confrontation" with Washington.Nuclear talks between the US and North Korea were launched by ex-President Donald Trump, yet failed to materialise in a deal in 2019. Throughout 2021 Pyongyang has occasionally tested new weapons systems that were said to include long-range cruise missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads to all of South Korea and most of Japan, along with a new submarine-launched ballistic missile. Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International north korea, new year, struggle, kim jong un's speech https://sputniknews.com/20220101/north-koreas-leader-reportedly-says-2022-to-be-year-of-great-struggle-1091959846.html Kim Jong-un Warns 2022 Will Be Year of 'Great Life-And-Death Struggle' Kim Jong-un Warns 2022 Will Be Year of 'Great Life-And-Death Struggle' In his closing speech of the year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called 2021 the year of a great victory of his compatriots, adding that 2022 will be the year of a "life-and-death" struggle. 2022-01-01T10:36+0000 2022-01-01T10:36+0000 2022-01-01T11:16+0000 north korea struggle kim jong-un /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/08/14/1083670902_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_ca6a7652fb743234ac9ab8e6cd0f0182.jpg North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's lack of focus on the United States, South Korea and nuclear weapons in a speech delivered on New Year's Eve has triggered speculations. Speaking at the end of the fourth plenary session of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of North Korea (WPK) of the eighth convocation, held from 27 to 31 December, Kim Jong-un focused on the domestic agenda, including a plan for rural development, tractor factories, school uniforms and the need to crack down on "non-socialist practices", according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KSNA). According to KSNA, the WPK discussed the country's budget for 2022, the results of 2021 and plans for the coming year, agriculture, and changes in the WPK charter.The speech, which came as the nation marked the North Korean leaders 10th year in power after his father Kim Jong Ils death in 2011, is said to have laid out the countrys main goals for 2022 as boosting economic development and improving people's lives in the face of a "great life-and-death struggle".While previously Kim Jong Un had used such end-of-year addresses for delivering major policy announcements, this time no specific mention of the US was made.Talks between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled since 2019, with the US calling for North Korea to step away from its nuclear programme but reluctant to first offer sanctions relief, causing the deal to fall apart.Only passing mention in Kims latest speech was made of inter-Korean relations or South Koreas push for a declaration to formally end the 1950-1953 Korean War as a way to restart negotiations, added the official media of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).Last month marked an important development for the Korean peninsula. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in December that his country, China, North Korea, and the United States had agreed in principle to a declaration putting an end to the Korean War, which de facto ended in 1953. This occurred after the US and Democratic People's Republic of Korea ratified an armistice without signing a peace treaty. However, the Korean peninsula is still formally in a state of war until a peace treaty is signed.It was domestic challenges the speech targeted, where North Koreas self-imposed anti-pandemic border lockdown back in January 2020 to prevent the spread of Covid-19 from China left the nation ever more isolated. The United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization, other international aid groups have been warning of possible food shortages and a humanitarian crisis in North Korea.Military issues were highlighted in Kims speech by Saturday's state media as well. Thus, they cited development of "one ultra-modern weapon system after another" in the course of 2021, as the North Korean leader called for production of powerful, modern weapons systems to improve the military forces. Kim also urged the military's "absolute loyalty and allegiance" to the ruling party led by him, according to KCNA.The tractor factory mentioned by Kim was speculated by foreign analysts as being likely used to build launch vehicles for missiles.The United States earlier said it is ready to engage in dialogue with North Korea regarding denuclearisation without preconditions. Kim, for his part, outlined in June that his country must be ready for "both dialogue and confrontation" with Washington.Nuclear talks between the US and North Korea were launched by ex-President Donald Trump, yet failed to materialise in a deal in 2019. Throughout 2021 Pyongyang has occasionally tested new weapons systems that were said to include long-range cruise missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads to all of South Korea and most of Japan, along with a new submarine-launched ballistic missile. Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International north korea, new year, struggle, kim jong un's speech Pia Whitesell has enjoyed a lavish New Year's Eve with her husband, Patrick Whitesell. The former Home and Away star, and her multimillionaire Hollywood agent partner, headed out to Nobu in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where they are holidaying. The actress, 38, and her husband, 56, first did Covid tests, which Pia explained in her Instagram Stories had come back negative. Fun! Pia Whitesell has enjoyed a lavish New Year's Eve with her husband, Patrick Whitesell. The former Home and Away star, and her multimillionaire Hollywood agent partner, headed out to Nobu in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where they are holidaying. Both pictured She then showed off their delicious upmarket sushi dish, which the pair consumed on the deck of the trendy restaurant. The couple cuddled up for a sweet photo as they sat at a table with a seaside view in the background. Pia captioned that image with a simple, 'Happy New Year'. Negative: The actress, 38, and her husband, 56, first did Covid tests, which Pia explained in her Instagram Stories had come back negative Party island: Pia captioned that image with a simple, 'Happy New Year' Tasty! She then showed off their delicious upmarket sushi dish, which the pair consumed on the deck of the trendy restaurant While enjoying her vacation with Patrick, Pia stripped down to a tiny bikini to lap up the sun on Wednesday. The soap opera star looked sensational in her black bikini top and ribbed lilac bottoms. She captioned the post with red, white and green love heart emojis, the same colours as the Mexican flag. Swim fan: While enjoying her vacation with Patrick, Pia stripped down to a tiny bikini to lap up the sun on Wednesday Family: Her mother Angelica, brother Jesus and sister-in-law, Stephanie Loyola are also holidaying with Pia and Patrick in Cabo Her mother Angelica, brother Jesus and sister-in-law, Stephanie Loyola are also holidaying with Pia and Patrick in Cabo. Pia relocated from Sydney to Los Angeles to be with Patrick earlier this year. Pia, who played police officer Kat Chapman on Aussie soap opera Home and Away from 2015 and 2018, married Patrick in May. Pia Whitesell has enjoyed a lavish New Year's Eve with her husband, Patrick Whitesell. The former Home and Away star, and her multimillionaire Hollywood agent partner, headed out to Nobu in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where they are holidaying. The actress, 38, and her husband, 56, first did Covid tests, which Pia explained in her Instagram Stories had come back negative. Fun! Pia Whitesell has enjoyed a lavish New Year's Eve with her husband, Patrick Whitesell. The former Home and Away star, and her multimillionaire Hollywood agent partner, headed out to Nobu in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where they are holidaying. Both pictured She then showed off their delicious upmarket sushi dish, which the pair consumed on the deck of the trendy restaurant. The couple cuddled up for a sweet photo as they sat at a table with a seaside view in the background. Pia captioned that image with a simple, 'Happy New Year'. Negative: The actress, 38, and her husband, 56, first did Covid tests, which Pia explained in her Instagram Stories had come back negative Party island: Pia captioned that image with a simple, 'Happy New Year' Tasty! She then showed off their delicious upmarket sushi dish, which the pair consumed on the deck of the trendy restaurant While enjoying her vacation with Patrick, Pia stripped down to a tiny bikini to lap up the sun on Wednesday. The soap opera star looked sensational in her black bikini top and ribbed lilac bottoms. She captioned the post with red, white and green love heart emojis, the same colours as the Mexican flag. Swim fan: While enjoying her vacation with Patrick, Pia stripped down to a tiny bikini to lap up the sun on Wednesday Family: Her mother Angelica, brother Jesus and sister-in-law, Stephanie Loyola are also holidaying with Pia and Patrick in Cabo Her mother Angelica, brother Jesus and sister-in-law, Stephanie Loyola are also holidaying with Pia and Patrick in Cabo. Pia relocated from Sydney to Los Angeles to be with Patrick earlier this year. Pia, who played police officer Kat Chapman on Aussie soap opera Home and Away from 2015 and 2018, married Patrick in May. Pia Whitesell has enjoyed a lavish New Year's Eve with her husband, Patrick Whitesell. The former Home and Away star, and her multimillionaire Hollywood agent partner, headed out to Nobu in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where they are holidaying. The actress, 38, and her husband, 56, first did Covid tests, which Pia explained in her Instagram Stories had come back negative. Fun! Pia Whitesell has enjoyed a lavish New Year's Eve with her husband, Patrick Whitesell. The former Home and Away star, and her multimillionaire Hollywood agent partner, headed out to Nobu in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where they are holidaying. Both pictured She then showed off their delicious upmarket sushi dish, which the pair consumed on the deck of the trendy restaurant. The couple cuddled up for a sweet photo as they sat at a table with a seaside view in the background. Pia captioned that image with a simple, 'Happy New Year'. Negative: The actress, 38, and her husband, 56, first did Covid tests, which Pia explained in her Instagram Stories had come back negative Party island: Pia captioned that image with a simple, 'Happy New Year' Tasty! She then showed off their delicious upmarket sushi dish, which the pair consumed on the deck of the trendy restaurant While enjoying her vacation with Patrick, Pia stripped down to a tiny bikini to lap up the sun on Wednesday. The soap opera star looked sensational in her black bikini top and ribbed lilac bottoms. She captioned the post with red, white and green love heart emojis, the same colours as the Mexican flag. Swim fan: While enjoying her vacation with Patrick, Pia stripped down to a tiny bikini to lap up the sun on Wednesday Family: Her mother Angelica, brother Jesus and sister-in-law, Stephanie Loyola are also holidaying with Pia and Patrick in Cabo Her mother Angelica, brother Jesus and sister-in-law, Stephanie Loyola are also holidaying with Pia and Patrick in Cabo. Pia relocated from Sydney to Los Angeles to be with Patrick earlier this year. Pia, who played police officer Kat Chapman on Aussie soap opera Home and Away from 2015 and 2018, married Patrick in May. Pia Whitesell has enjoyed a lavish New Year's Eve with her husband, Patrick Whitesell. The former Home and Away star, and her multimillionaire Hollywood agent partner, headed out to Nobu in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where they are holidaying. The actress, 38, and her husband, 56, first did Covid tests, which Pia explained in her Instagram Stories had come back negative. Fun! Pia Whitesell has enjoyed a lavish New Year's Eve with her husband, Patrick Whitesell. The former Home and Away star, and her multimillionaire Hollywood agent partner, headed out to Nobu in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where they are holidaying. Both pictured She then showed off their delicious upmarket sushi dish, which the pair consumed on the deck of the trendy restaurant. The couple cuddled up for a sweet photo as they sat at a table with a seaside view in the background. Pia captioned that image with a simple, 'Happy New Year'. Negative: The actress, 38, and her husband, 56, first did Covid tests, which Pia explained in her Instagram Stories had come back negative Party island: Pia captioned that image with a simple, 'Happy New Year' Tasty! She then showed off their delicious upmarket sushi dish, which the pair consumed on the deck of the trendy restaurant While enjoying her vacation with Patrick, Pia stripped down to a tiny bikini to lap up the sun on Wednesday. The soap opera star looked sensational in her black bikini top and ribbed lilac bottoms. She captioned the post with red, white and green love heart emojis, the same colours as the Mexican flag. Swim fan: While enjoying her vacation with Patrick, Pia stripped down to a tiny bikini to lap up the sun on Wednesday Family: Her mother Angelica, brother Jesus and sister-in-law, Stephanie Loyola are also holidaying with Pia and Patrick in Cabo Her mother Angelica, brother Jesus and sister-in-law, Stephanie Loyola are also holidaying with Pia and Patrick in Cabo. Pia relocated from Sydney to Los Angeles to be with Patrick earlier this year. Pia, who played police officer Kat Chapman on Aussie soap opera Home and Away from 2015 and 2018, married Patrick in May. Pia Whitesell has enjoyed a lavish New Year's Eve with her husband, Patrick Whitesell. The former Home and Away star, and her multimillionaire Hollywood agent partner, headed out to Nobu in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where they are holidaying. The actress, 38, and her husband, 56, first did Covid tests, which Pia explained in her Instagram Stories had come back negative. Fun! Pia Whitesell has enjoyed a lavish New Year's Eve with her husband, Patrick Whitesell. The former Home and Away star, and her multimillionaire Hollywood agent partner, headed out to Nobu in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where they are holidaying. Both pictured She then showed off their delicious upmarket sushi dish, which the pair consumed on the deck of the trendy restaurant. The couple cuddled up for a sweet photo as they sat at a table with a seaside view in the background. Pia captioned that image with a simple, 'Happy New Year'. Negative: The actress, 38, and her husband, 56, first did Covid tests, which Pia explained in her Instagram Stories had come back negative Party island: Pia captioned that image with a simple, 'Happy New Year' Tasty! She then showed off their delicious upmarket sushi dish, which the pair consumed on the deck of the trendy restaurant While enjoying her vacation with Patrick, Pia stripped down to a tiny bikini to lap up the sun on Wednesday. The soap opera star looked sensational in her black bikini top and ribbed lilac bottoms. She captioned the post with red, white and green love heart emojis, the same colours as the Mexican flag. Swim fan: While enjoying her vacation with Patrick, Pia stripped down to a tiny bikini to lap up the sun on Wednesday Family: Her mother Angelica, brother Jesus and sister-in-law, Stephanie Loyola are also holidaying with Pia and Patrick in Cabo Her mother Angelica, brother Jesus and sister-in-law, Stephanie Loyola are also holidaying with Pia and Patrick in Cabo. Pia relocated from Sydney to Los Angeles to be with Patrick earlier this year. Pia, who played police officer Kat Chapman on Aussie soap opera Home and Away from 2015 and 2018, married Patrick in May. Sharon Varnado left her Little Woods neighborhood in New Orleans East three years ago, and she hasn't looked back. The sound of gunshots had grown familiar; so too, had reports of carjackings. And when burglars broke into a neighbor's house two blocks down, police took hours to respond to the call for help, as had been their norm for nonviolent crimes in that area. In short, her sliver of the East looked nothing like it did when she moved in nearly 50 years ago. Now, she lives in a gated community in Slidell. "It's totally different," Varnado said. "Don't get me wrong. Crime is everywhere. But I feel more at ease... like I might could go out of my house at night." An analysis of crime trends shows that carjackings and fatal shootings in the East have skyrocketed since 2018, causing concern for Varnado and other former and current residents, and complicating the East's prospects for economic development. Armed robberies there have also routinely outpaced the rest of the city, though they appear to be trending downward; residential break-ins, meanwhile, dropped recently to match the city's average after a 2014 peak. Meanwhile, residents say the understaffed New Orleans Police Department's slow response to calls for service in the East has emboldened the area's criminals. Indeed, an analysis of 911 calls by The Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate shows it takes NOPD twice as long to respond to emergency calls there than it does in the rest of the city. For nonemergencies such as non-life-threatening crimes that have already occurred residents of the East wait almost three times as long as the rest of the city waits. Crime-weary residents also blame an influx of lower-income residents to the area after Hurricane Katrina, and what residents describe as a half-hearted effort by city leaders to address the East's problems. The embattled NOPD, meanwhile, has said its struggle to find new officers has impacted all of its districts. The 7th District, which polices all of New Orleans East, faces special challenges because of its size, as a small crew of officers must cover a large area, Superintendent Shaun Ferguson acknowledged at a recent public hearing. City officials have offered no shortage of solutions to try and fill the gap: everything from empowering other city agencies to make arrests for small-time offenses, to tapping civilian counselors to respond to mental health calls, to carving up the 7th District so that officers have a smaller area to manage, an idea that hasn't yet gained traction. Pockets of crime To be sure, the East doesn't have a monopoly on crime in New Orleans. Even as there are neighborhoods where residents feel unsafe, there are posh subdivisions that ring man-made lakes and that are protected by private security. If police and journalists were more specific when describing crimes, "people will understand that the crimes that we do have and the excessive homicides that we do have are occurring in certain neighborhoods, just like in other sections of New Orleans," said Mtumishi St. Julien, a resident of the well-to-do Lake Bullard subdivision. It's true that in an area as large as New Orleans East, not all neighborhoods are experiencing similar crime rates. In any given year, at least a third of the area's carjackings occur in Little Woods. That neighborhood also typically accounts for between 30% and 40% of the fatal shootings in the East, with Pines Village making up another 15%. There's a similar concentration around Little Woods when it comes to armed robberies and burglaries. "I feel very safe living in the East, and I don't think the data really reflects the quality of life here," said City Council member Cyndi Nguyen, who represents the East and the Lower 9th Ward. Nguyen's father was the victim of a carjacking in 2019. But regardless of what's happening at the block level, an analysis that accounts for population size shows that the East when considered as a single area has an outsized share of the city's carjackings and fatal shootings. In this year alone, there have been roughly 13 carjackings for every 10,000 people. That's more than double the rate in the rest of the city, which saw about 5 incidents per 10,000 people, NOPD data show. The rate of carjackings in the East has more than tripled since 2018, when only four carjackings per 10,000 people occurred. For serious crimes other than carjackings, the disparities between the East and the rest of the city are not as glaring. So far this year, there have been about five fatal shootings for every 10,000 people, which is down from a 2020 peak of more than six. The rest of the city saw fewer than four fatal shootings for every 10,000 residents. Residential break-ins in the East have been on par with the rest of the city for at least the past two years. And while the East's armed robberies spiked in 2018 before falling dramatically in 2019 and 2020, a person is still more likely to get robbed there than they are in other parts of the city. Driving factors Experts say the high crime rates could owe to any number of factors. "A lot of it is kids trying to figure out who they are. And trying to get economic opportunities, but also trying to figure out their masculinity," said Michael Barton, an LSU associate professor of sociology and criminology. Carjackers, in particular, can be driven by a desire to improve their financial situations, or simply by rage, he said. But others say the area's anemic police presence has sparked a rise in criminal activity. "Because there is so much land to be policed, there were never enough officers to begin with," said Anthony Jackson, the president of the 7th District's Police Community Advisory Board. The East contains two-thirds of the city's land mass, though a great deal of it is undeveloped swampland and wilderness. Nguyen, who lost her bid for reelection to former council member Oliver Thomas last month, has urged NOPD to consider assigning more officers to the 7th District. She's also raised the idea of dividing the district into smaller pieces. +7 In New Orleans City Council District E race, candidates vow to bring economic development east New Orleans City Councilmember Cyndi Nguyen will face five contenders in a District E race that has showcased the need for economic developmen Ferguson, the police chief, said at a November hearing that the Industrial Canal complicates that idea, because officers tasked with patrolling both sides of the canal would be delayed in responding to calls for service. He also said the NOPD has added more recruits to the district in recent years. The force has struggled to mount a timely response, even with the 7th District intact. The median response time for emergency calls from the East is about 16 minutes, compared to eight minutes elsewhere in the city, an analysis of response data shows. For nonemergencies, residents wait about an hour for an officer to respond almost three times longer than the rest of the city. Demographic shifts blamed Some residents suspect the East's shifting demographics have influenced its crime trends. Today, the area's 27,500 households earn a median income of $33,000 per year, well below the city's $41,000 average. In 2003, the reverse was true: The East had a slightly higher median income than that of the rest of the city, $32,772 compared to $27,133. Put another way, the median income in the East hasn't changed in nearly two decades, while in the rest of the city, it's up by more than half. Of the area's nine main neighborhoods, five contain mostly renters, according to Census estimates compiled by the Data Center. In 2000, only three such neighborhoods were dominated by rentals. And after the city's largest public housing projects were converted to mixed-income apartments after Katrina, participation swelled in the Housing Authority of New Orleans' Section 8 program, which grants low-income residents vouchers to live in homes of their choice. Those holding vouchers often ended up in the East, residents point out. "We have the most subsidized housing out here, in the apartments," said Dawn Hebert, the president of the East New Orleans Neighborhood Advisory Commission, a coalition of eastern New Orleans neighborhoods. "It's unfortunate, because it's bringing our median income down when developers want to come to our community... and we do believe it contributes to the crime rate." While poverty can be a factor, residential turnover is perhaps an even larger driver, said Barton, the LSU criminologist. "When you have a strong sense of community, and people living in an area for longer, they are less likely to commit crimes in that area," he said. The debate over whether poverty equals criminality, and the not-in-my-backyard sentiments that it tends to inspire, has been raging in New Orleans East since at least the late 1980s, when HANO and the federal government increased the number of subsidized rentals. Many poorer residents moved eastward, according to a 1991 Times-Picayune article. No easy solutions Jackson, the police community board president, said police should forge better connections with the East's youngest residents to deter them from crime. Security personnel and other civilians should be allowed to make small-time arrests so that police don't have to, he said. The city has already begun moving in the latter direction, with the council pondering an ordinance would empower some city employees to exercise police powers in NOPD's absence. The council has also laid the groundwork for mental health professionals to eventually respond to calls for service from people experiencing mental health crises, tapping a task force this summer to study how best to accomplish that. Of the 70 new crime cameras installed across the city this year to help police stop and solve crimes, 22 were mounted in the East. Varnado, who lost her 47-year-old son, Shawn Brock, in January after he was shot near Crowder Boulevard and Interstate 10, said all of that is only valuable if it leads to a better police response. "I started feeling like, 'Y'all don't care about the East anymore?' Things are happening, but it's like, 'We will get to them when we get to them.'" Staff writer Jeff Adelson contributed to this story. This story is part of an occasional series chronicling efforts to bring new investment to New Orleans East. Omicron Disrupts Royal Caribbean Cruise Liner Operations Royal Caribbean Group has announced that the company has experienced a decline in bookings along with an uptick of cancellations in a statement published Thursday as the tourism industry continues to grapple with staff shortages and business disruptions. Omicron, the latest variant, now seen in more than 90 countries, is highly-transmissible and anyone infected can spread the virus to others, even if they are vaccinated or dont have symptoms, according to recent observations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Omicron is having a big short-term impact on everyone, but many observers see this as a major step towards COVID-19 becoming endemic rather than epidemic, said Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO, in a press release. We dont like to see even one case, but our experience is a fraction of the comparable statistics of virtually any other comparable location or industry. Omicron has been found to cause milder symptoms than other variants and result in fewer hospitalizations. The recent experience on Royal Caribbean Group ships is consistent with these observations. The numbers indicate an increase in people testing positive without a corresponding increase in people becoming ill. Cruising had restarted in June 2021, and since then, the Royal Caribbean Group (RCB), with a global fleet of 60 ships, has carried 1.1 million guests, out of which, 1,745 people have tested COVID-19 positive. The company reported that the vast majority of those cases had no symptoms or only mild symptoms, with only 41 people needing hospitalization. None of the Omicron cases have been severe or needed to be taken to a hospital. However, the labor-intensive tourism sector has been badly disrupted with many staffers calling in sick and carriers unable to provide services with crippling shortages. The company added: Such disruptions are particularly impactful during the holiday season as the need increases and the labor supply is impacted by the current spike in cases. Similar issues are impacting the companys onboard service capabilities. The cruise company has canceled or severely modified 16 destination calls out of 331, owing to service disruptions, which RCB expects to continue through 2022 and stabilize only by the next year. After the Cyber weekend boost in sales, bookings dropped drastically but not as much as when the Delta variant was first discovered, according to RCB. Even though the short-term outlook looks bleak, sailings for the second half of 2022 continue to be booked within historical ranges, at higher prices with and without Future Cruise Credits (FCCs), with strong demand from the critical U.S. market. Any crew member or guest who gets infected while traveling quarantines immediately in a cabin, and gets tested daily. The medical team onboard provides the required medical assistance. As a higher number of fully vaccinated individuals started getting infected, cruise liners like RCB and Norwegian Cruise Line had reinstated the indoor mask mandate for all guests in December. Traveling to more than 800 destinations around the world, Royal Caribbean Group operates three cruise brands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises. RCB share price has dropped over three percent since the announcement, but the company has increased 8.74 percent in value from the beginning of the year. Omicron Disrupts Royal Caribbean Cruise Liner Operations Royal Caribbean Group has announced that the company has experienced a decline in bookings along with an uptick of cancellations in a statement published Thursday as the tourism industry continues to grapple with staff shortages and business disruptions. Omicron, the latest variant, now seen in more than 90 countries, is highly-transmissible and anyone infected can spread the virus to others, even if they are vaccinated or dont have symptoms, according to recent observations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Omicron is having a big short-term impact on everyone, but many observers see this as a major step towards COVID-19 becoming endemic rather than epidemic, said Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO, in a press release. We dont like to see even one case, but our experience is a fraction of the comparable statistics of virtually any other comparable location or industry. Omicron has been found to cause milder symptoms than other variants and result in fewer hospitalizations. The recent experience on Royal Caribbean Group ships is consistent with these observations. The numbers indicate an increase in people testing positive without a corresponding increase in people becoming ill. Cruising had restarted in June 2021, and since then, the Royal Caribbean Group (RCB), with a global fleet of 60 ships, has carried 1.1 million guests, out of which, 1,745 people have tested COVID-19 positive. The company reported that the vast majority of those cases had no symptoms or only mild symptoms, with only 41 people needing hospitalization. None of the Omicron cases have been severe or needed to be taken to a hospital. However, the labor-intensive tourism sector has been badly disrupted with many staffers calling in sick and carriers unable to provide services with crippling shortages. The company added: Such disruptions are particularly impactful during the holiday season as the need increases and the labor supply is impacted by the current spike in cases. Similar issues are impacting the companys onboard service capabilities. The cruise company has canceled or severely modified 16 destination calls out of 331, owing to service disruptions, which RCB expects to continue through 2022 and stabilize only by the next year. After the Cyber weekend boost in sales, bookings dropped drastically but not as much as when the Delta variant was first discovered, according to RCB. Even though the short-term outlook looks bleak, sailings for the second half of 2022 continue to be booked within historical ranges, at higher prices with and without Future Cruise Credits (FCCs), with strong demand from the critical U.S. market. Any crew member or guest who gets infected while traveling quarantines immediately in a cabin, and gets tested daily. The medical team onboard provides the required medical assistance. As a higher number of fully vaccinated individuals started getting infected, cruise liners like RCB and Norwegian Cruise Line had reinstated the indoor mask mandate for all guests in December. Traveling to more than 800 destinations around the world, Royal Caribbean Group operates three cruise brands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises. RCB share price has dropped over three percent since the announcement, but the company has increased 8.74 percent in value from the beginning of the year. Sudanese security forces have released two journalists from Saudi Arabia's Asharq television channel, a day after detaining them as deadly violence flared during renewed protests against the military government, the station said Friday. During Thursday's protests in and near Khartoum, "five uniformed security officers" held journalists Maha al-Talb and Sally Othman and their teams in their office for several hours, the channel said. Sudan has been gripped by turmoil since military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan launched a coup on October 25 and detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Hamdok was reinstated on November 21, but mass protests have continued as demonstrators distrust Burhan's promises of seeking to guide the country toward full democracy. Protesters charge that the deal simply aims to give the cloak of legitimacy to the generals, whom they accuse of trying to continue the regime built by former autocratic president Omar al-Bashir, who was toppled in 2019 following mass protests. In the worst street clashes since Hamdok's return, five demonstrators were killed and dozens wounded by bullets on Thursday, said the independent Doctors' Committee, which is part of the pro-democracy movement. Authorities also cut phone lines and the internet and cracked down on media, also including the Saudi-funded satellite channel Al-Arabiya. Othman was interrupted by security forces in the middle of a live broadcast and can be heard saying in a clip shared widely on social networks: "I will not be able to continue, the authorities are now forbidding me to continue with you". Sudanese police blamed the incident on "reprehensible individual actions" which would be investigated. The Doctors' Committee charged that "crimes against humanity" were committed in Omdurman, twin city of the capital Khartoum, on Thursday. It said five demonstrators were killed by bullets to the head or chest, and that ambulances were blocked and at least one seriously injured person was forcibly removed from an ambulance by the security forces. A police spokesman said four people died in Thursday's unrest and 297 people were injured, "including 49 police officers". He also said "three police vans were set on fire" and accused protest "leaders clearly hostile to the security forces" of having sought to "turn a peaceful march into violence and confrontations with the security forces". Street clashes since the October coup have claimed 53 lives and left hundreds wounded, and supporters of civilian rule in Sudan have continued to call for protests. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/watch-iraqi-protesters-burn-down-model-of-us-embassy-as-soleimani-assassination-anniversary-nears-1091960256.html Watch Iraqi Protesters Burn Down Model of US Embassy as Soleimani Assassination Anniversary Nears Watch Iraqi Protesters Burn Down Model of US Embassy as Soleimani Assassination Anniversary Nears Iranian anti-terror commander Qasem Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike on 3 January 2020. Tehran has vowed to punish those responsible, warning... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T10:56+0000 2022-01-01T10:56+0000 2022-01-01T11:19+0000 baghdad america iraq embassy abu mahdi muhandis qasem soleimani /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091960136_0:205:936:732_1920x0_80_0_0_fbcf0c983382d12fcac61a9593ffee04.jpg Demonstrators gathered outside Baghdads Green Zone which includes the sprawling US Embassy compound, on Friday to commemorate Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Iraqi anti-Daesh (ISIS)* commander who was killed with him two years ago, and to express outrage at the American great devil.Protesters erected a model of the US Embassy, spraying it with graffiti and setting it alight while waving Iraqi flags and chanting the slogan Your time is up! in reference to the US troop presence.Fridays demonstration was organised by the Popular Mobilization Forces the 128,000 troop-strong Baghdad-allied militia force created in 2014 to combat Daesh, which received assistance from Soleimani while he was alive.The Iraqi government has had a difficult time balancing the conflicting interests of the mostly Shia PMF whose member militias have demanded the immediate and complete exit of all US forces from the country, and Washington, which recently announced an end to its counter-terrorism combat mission in Iraq, but has kept troops in the country under the pretext of training and advisory support.The late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of the PMF, and his January 2020 killing alongside Soleimani enraged militia leaders and prompted them to warn that they would not stop rocket strikes on US military facilities and roadside bomb attacks against American logistics convoys until all US troops were out.Even peaceful demonstrations can turn confrontational and escalate into violence, the mission warned.Local media have reported that Iraqi security forces have been deployed around the US Embassy, and that US C-RAM counter rocket, artillery and mortar systems have been activated.Soleimani and al-Muhandis were killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad International Airport on 3 January 2020, with US officials first claiming that the Iranian counter-terror commander was planning attacks on US forces, but later admitting that he was merely saying bad things about America and that there was no specific intelligence pointing to any Soleimani plots.The assassination prompted Iran to launch over a dozen ballistic missiles at two US bases in Iraq, leaving over 100 American troops with traumatic brain injuries and putting Tehran and Washington on the brink of war. President Donald Trump reportedly called off US strikes inside Iran after being urged to do so by Tucker Carlson, his favourite Fox News host.Iran has said repeatedly that it will continue to seek to prosecute those it holds responsible for Soleimanis death, including Trump, with Iranian and Iraqi judges issuing arrest warrants against the former president. Interpol has refused to assist, citing the cases political character.On Friday, Irans Foreign Ministry reiterated that the US holds definitive international responsibility for Soleimanis death, and said that the Biden administration is now ultimately answerable for the terrorist attack that was orchestrated and carried out in an organized manner by its predecessor.Trump has expressed no signs of being concerned about Irans legal efforts, and has bragged about taking out Soleimani, claiming that the anti-terror commander was bigger by many, many times than the late al-Qaeda* leader Osama bin Laden.* A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries. https://sputniknews.com/20211108/iraqi-security-forces-ask-why-us-defences-in-baghdad-werent-working-during-uav-attack-on-pms-home-1090574011.html https://sputniknews.com/20211231/iran-says-current-us-administration-bears-responsibility-for-general-qassem-soleimanis-killing-1091948626.html baghdad Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov baghdad, america, iraq, embassy, abu mahdi muhandis, qasem soleimani https://sputniknews.com/20220101/watch-iraqi-protesters-burn-down-model-of-us-embassy-as-soleimani-assassination-anniversary-nears-1091960256.html Watch Iraqi Protesters Burn Down Model of US Embassy as Soleimani Assassination Anniversary Nears Watch Iraqi Protesters Burn Down Model of US Embassy as Soleimani Assassination Anniversary Nears Iranian anti-terror commander Qasem Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike on 3 January 2020. Tehran has vowed to punish those responsible, warning... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T10:56+0000 2022-01-01T10:56+0000 2022-01-01T11:19+0000 baghdad america iraq embassy abu mahdi muhandis qasem soleimani /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091960136_0:205:936:732_1920x0_80_0_0_fbcf0c983382d12fcac61a9593ffee04.jpg Demonstrators gathered outside Baghdads Green Zone which includes the sprawling US Embassy compound, on Friday to commemorate Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Iraqi anti-Daesh (ISIS)* commander who was killed with him two years ago, and to express outrage at the American great devil.Protesters erected a model of the US Embassy, spraying it with graffiti and setting it alight while waving Iraqi flags and chanting the slogan Your time is up! in reference to the US troop presence.Fridays demonstration was organised by the Popular Mobilization Forces the 128,000 troop-strong Baghdad-allied militia force created in 2014 to combat Daesh, which received assistance from Soleimani while he was alive.The Iraqi government has had a difficult time balancing the conflicting interests of the mostly Shia PMF whose member militias have demanded the immediate and complete exit of all US forces from the country, and Washington, which recently announced an end to its counter-terrorism combat mission in Iraq, but has kept troops in the country under the pretext of training and advisory support.The late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of the PMF, and his January 2020 killing alongside Soleimani enraged militia leaders and prompted them to warn that they would not stop rocket strikes on US military facilities and roadside bomb attacks against American logistics convoys until all US troops were out.Even peaceful demonstrations can turn confrontational and escalate into violence, the mission warned.Local media have reported that Iraqi security forces have been deployed around the US Embassy, and that US C-RAM counter rocket, artillery and mortar systems have been activated.Soleimani and al-Muhandis were killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad International Airport on 3 January 2020, with US officials first claiming that the Iranian counter-terror commander was planning attacks on US forces, but later admitting that he was merely saying bad things about America and that there was no specific intelligence pointing to any Soleimani plots.The assassination prompted Iran to launch over a dozen ballistic missiles at two US bases in Iraq, leaving over 100 American troops with traumatic brain injuries and putting Tehran and Washington on the brink of war. President Donald Trump reportedly called off US strikes inside Iran after being urged to do so by Tucker Carlson, his favourite Fox News host.Iran has said repeatedly that it will continue to seek to prosecute those it holds responsible for Soleimanis death, including Trump, with Iranian and Iraqi judges issuing arrest warrants against the former president. Interpol has refused to assist, citing the cases political character.On Friday, Irans Foreign Ministry reiterated that the US holds definitive international responsibility for Soleimanis death, and said that the Biden administration is now ultimately answerable for the terrorist attack that was orchestrated and carried out in an organized manner by its predecessor.Trump has expressed no signs of being concerned about Irans legal efforts, and has bragged about taking out Soleimani, claiming that the anti-terror commander was bigger by many, many times than the late al-Qaeda* leader Osama bin Laden.* A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries. https://sputniknews.com/20211108/iraqi-security-forces-ask-why-us-defences-in-baghdad-werent-working-during-uav-attack-on-pms-home-1090574011.html https://sputniknews.com/20211231/iran-says-current-us-administration-bears-responsibility-for-general-qassem-soleimanis-killing-1091948626.html baghdad Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov baghdad, america, iraq, embassy, abu mahdi muhandis, qasem soleimani https://sputniknews.com/20220101/watch-iraqi-protesters-burn-down-model-of-us-embassy-as-soleimani-assassination-anniversary-nears-1091960256.html Watch Iraqi Protesters Burn Down Model of US Embassy as Soleimani Assassination Anniversary Nears Watch Iraqi Protesters Burn Down Model of US Embassy as Soleimani Assassination Anniversary Nears Iranian anti-terror commander Qasem Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike on 3 January 2020. Tehran has vowed to punish those responsible, warning... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T10:56+0000 2022-01-01T10:56+0000 2022-01-01T11:19+0000 baghdad america iraq embassy abu mahdi muhandis qasem soleimani /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091960136_0:205:936:732_1920x0_80_0_0_fbcf0c983382d12fcac61a9593ffee04.jpg Demonstrators gathered outside Baghdads Green Zone which includes the sprawling US Embassy compound, on Friday to commemorate Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Iraqi anti-Daesh (ISIS)* commander who was killed with him two years ago, and to express outrage at the American great devil.Protesters erected a model of the US Embassy, spraying it with graffiti and setting it alight while waving Iraqi flags and chanting the slogan Your time is up! in reference to the US troop presence.Fridays demonstration was organised by the Popular Mobilization Forces the 128,000 troop-strong Baghdad-allied militia force created in 2014 to combat Daesh, which received assistance from Soleimani while he was alive.The Iraqi government has had a difficult time balancing the conflicting interests of the mostly Shia PMF whose member militias have demanded the immediate and complete exit of all US forces from the country, and Washington, which recently announced an end to its counter-terrorism combat mission in Iraq, but has kept troops in the country under the pretext of training and advisory support.The late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of the PMF, and his January 2020 killing alongside Soleimani enraged militia leaders and prompted them to warn that they would not stop rocket strikes on US military facilities and roadside bomb attacks against American logistics convoys until all US troops were out.Even peaceful demonstrations can turn confrontational and escalate into violence, the mission warned.Local media have reported that Iraqi security forces have been deployed around the US Embassy, and that US C-RAM counter rocket, artillery and mortar systems have been activated.Soleimani and al-Muhandis were killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad International Airport on 3 January 2020, with US officials first claiming that the Iranian counter-terror commander was planning attacks on US forces, but later admitting that he was merely saying bad things about America and that there was no specific intelligence pointing to any Soleimani plots.The assassination prompted Iran to launch over a dozen ballistic missiles at two US bases in Iraq, leaving over 100 American troops with traumatic brain injuries and putting Tehran and Washington on the brink of war. President Donald Trump reportedly called off US strikes inside Iran after being urged to do so by Tucker Carlson, his favourite Fox News host.Iran has said repeatedly that it will continue to seek to prosecute those it holds responsible for Soleimanis death, including Trump, with Iranian and Iraqi judges issuing arrest warrants against the former president. Interpol has refused to assist, citing the cases political character.On Friday, Irans Foreign Ministry reiterated that the US holds definitive international responsibility for Soleimanis death, and said that the Biden administration is now ultimately answerable for the terrorist attack that was orchestrated and carried out in an organized manner by its predecessor.Trump has expressed no signs of being concerned about Irans legal efforts, and has bragged about taking out Soleimani, claiming that the anti-terror commander was bigger by many, many times than the late al-Qaeda* leader Osama bin Laden.* A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries. https://sputniknews.com/20211108/iraqi-security-forces-ask-why-us-defences-in-baghdad-werent-working-during-uav-attack-on-pms-home-1090574011.html https://sputniknews.com/20211231/iran-says-current-us-administration-bears-responsibility-for-general-qassem-soleimanis-killing-1091948626.html baghdad Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov baghdad, america, iraq, embassy, abu mahdi muhandis, qasem soleimani https://sputniknews.com/20220101/watch-iraqi-protesters-burn-down-model-of-us-embassy-as-soleimani-assassination-anniversary-nears-1091960256.html Watch Iraqi Protesters Burn Down Model of US Embassy as Soleimani Assassination Anniversary Nears Watch Iraqi Protesters Burn Down Model of US Embassy as Soleimani Assassination Anniversary Nears Iranian anti-terror commander Qasem Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike on 3 January 2020. Tehran has vowed to punish those responsible, warning... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T10:56+0000 2022-01-01T10:56+0000 2022-01-01T11:19+0000 baghdad america iraq embassy abu mahdi muhandis qasem soleimani /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091960136_0:205:936:732_1920x0_80_0_0_fbcf0c983382d12fcac61a9593ffee04.jpg Demonstrators gathered outside Baghdads Green Zone which includes the sprawling US Embassy compound, on Friday to commemorate Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Iraqi anti-Daesh (ISIS)* commander who was killed with him two years ago, and to express outrage at the American great devil.Protesters erected a model of the US Embassy, spraying it with graffiti and setting it alight while waving Iraqi flags and chanting the slogan Your time is up! in reference to the US troop presence.Fridays demonstration was organised by the Popular Mobilization Forces the 128,000 troop-strong Baghdad-allied militia force created in 2014 to combat Daesh, which received assistance from Soleimani while he was alive.The Iraqi government has had a difficult time balancing the conflicting interests of the mostly Shia PMF whose member militias have demanded the immediate and complete exit of all US forces from the country, and Washington, which recently announced an end to its counter-terrorism combat mission in Iraq, but has kept troops in the country under the pretext of training and advisory support.The late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of the PMF, and his January 2020 killing alongside Soleimani enraged militia leaders and prompted them to warn that they would not stop rocket strikes on US military facilities and roadside bomb attacks against American logistics convoys until all US troops were out.Even peaceful demonstrations can turn confrontational and escalate into violence, the mission warned.Local media have reported that Iraqi security forces have been deployed around the US Embassy, and that US C-RAM counter rocket, artillery and mortar systems have been activated.Soleimani and al-Muhandis were killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad International Airport on 3 January 2020, with US officials first claiming that the Iranian counter-terror commander was planning attacks on US forces, but later admitting that he was merely saying bad things about America and that there was no specific intelligence pointing to any Soleimani plots.The assassination prompted Iran to launch over a dozen ballistic missiles at two US bases in Iraq, leaving over 100 American troops with traumatic brain injuries and putting Tehran and Washington on the brink of war. President Donald Trump reportedly called off US strikes inside Iran after being urged to do so by Tucker Carlson, his favourite Fox News host.Iran has said repeatedly that it will continue to seek to prosecute those it holds responsible for Soleimanis death, including Trump, with Iranian and Iraqi judges issuing arrest warrants against the former president. Interpol has refused to assist, citing the cases political character.On Friday, Irans Foreign Ministry reiterated that the US holds definitive international responsibility for Soleimanis death, and said that the Biden administration is now ultimately answerable for the terrorist attack that was orchestrated and carried out in an organized manner by its predecessor.Trump has expressed no signs of being concerned about Irans legal efforts, and has bragged about taking out Soleimani, claiming that the anti-terror commander was bigger by many, many times than the late al-Qaeda* leader Osama bin Laden.* A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries. https://sputniknews.com/20211108/iraqi-security-forces-ask-why-us-defences-in-baghdad-werent-working-during-uav-attack-on-pms-home-1090574011.html https://sputniknews.com/20211231/iran-says-current-us-administration-bears-responsibility-for-general-qassem-soleimanis-killing-1091948626.html baghdad Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov baghdad, america, iraq, embassy, abu mahdi muhandis, qasem soleimani https://sputniknews.com/20220101/watch-iraqi-protesters-burn-down-model-of-us-embassy-as-soleimani-assassination-anniversary-nears-1091960256.html Watch Iraqi Protesters Burn Down Model of US Embassy as Soleimani Assassination Anniversary Nears Watch Iraqi Protesters Burn Down Model of US Embassy as Soleimani Assassination Anniversary Nears Iranian anti-terror commander Qasem Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike on 3 January 2020. Tehran has vowed to punish those responsible, warning... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T10:56+0000 2022-01-01T10:56+0000 2022-01-01T11:19+0000 baghdad america iraq embassy abu mahdi muhandis qasem soleimani /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091960136_0:205:936:732_1920x0_80_0_0_fbcf0c983382d12fcac61a9593ffee04.jpg Demonstrators gathered outside Baghdads Green Zone which includes the sprawling US Embassy compound, on Friday to commemorate Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Iraqi anti-Daesh (ISIS)* commander who was killed with him two years ago, and to express outrage at the American great devil.Protesters erected a model of the US Embassy, spraying it with graffiti and setting it alight while waving Iraqi flags and chanting the slogan Your time is up! in reference to the US troop presence.Fridays demonstration was organised by the Popular Mobilization Forces the 128,000 troop-strong Baghdad-allied militia force created in 2014 to combat Daesh, which received assistance from Soleimani while he was alive.The Iraqi government has had a difficult time balancing the conflicting interests of the mostly Shia PMF whose member militias have demanded the immediate and complete exit of all US forces from the country, and Washington, which recently announced an end to its counter-terrorism combat mission in Iraq, but has kept troops in the country under the pretext of training and advisory support.The late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of the PMF, and his January 2020 killing alongside Soleimani enraged militia leaders and prompted them to warn that they would not stop rocket strikes on US military facilities and roadside bomb attacks against American logistics convoys until all US troops were out.Even peaceful demonstrations can turn confrontational and escalate into violence, the mission warned.Local media have reported that Iraqi security forces have been deployed around the US Embassy, and that US C-RAM counter rocket, artillery and mortar systems have been activated.Soleimani and al-Muhandis were killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad International Airport on 3 January 2020, with US officials first claiming that the Iranian counter-terror commander was planning attacks on US forces, but later admitting that he was merely saying bad things about America and that there was no specific intelligence pointing to any Soleimani plots.The assassination prompted Iran to launch over a dozen ballistic missiles at two US bases in Iraq, leaving over 100 American troops with traumatic brain injuries and putting Tehran and Washington on the brink of war. President Donald Trump reportedly called off US strikes inside Iran after being urged to do so by Tucker Carlson, his favourite Fox News host.Iran has said repeatedly that it will continue to seek to prosecute those it holds responsible for Soleimanis death, including Trump, with Iranian and Iraqi judges issuing arrest warrants against the former president. Interpol has refused to assist, citing the cases political character.On Friday, Irans Foreign Ministry reiterated that the US holds definitive international responsibility for Soleimanis death, and said that the Biden administration is now ultimately answerable for the terrorist attack that was orchestrated and carried out in an organized manner by its predecessor.Trump has expressed no signs of being concerned about Irans legal efforts, and has bragged about taking out Soleimani, claiming that the anti-terror commander was bigger by many, many times than the late al-Qaeda* leader Osama bin Laden.* A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries. https://sputniknews.com/20211108/iraqi-security-forces-ask-why-us-defences-in-baghdad-werent-working-during-uav-attack-on-pms-home-1090574011.html https://sputniknews.com/20211231/iran-says-current-us-administration-bears-responsibility-for-general-qassem-soleimanis-killing-1091948626.html baghdad Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov baghdad, america, iraq, embassy, abu mahdi muhandis, qasem soleimani https://sputniknews.com/20220101/watch-iraqi-protesters-burn-down-model-of-us-embassy-as-soleimani-assassination-anniversary-nears-1091960256.html Watch Iraqi Protesters Burn Down Model of US Embassy as Soleimani Assassination Anniversary Nears Watch Iraqi Protesters Burn Down Model of US Embassy as Soleimani Assassination Anniversary Nears Iranian anti-terror commander Qasem Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike on 3 January 2020. Tehran has vowed to punish those responsible, warning... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T10:56+0000 2022-01-01T10:56+0000 2022-01-01T11:19+0000 baghdad america iraq embassy abu mahdi muhandis qasem soleimani /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091960136_0:205:936:732_1920x0_80_0_0_fbcf0c983382d12fcac61a9593ffee04.jpg Demonstrators gathered outside Baghdads Green Zone which includes the sprawling US Embassy compound, on Friday to commemorate Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Iraqi anti-Daesh (ISIS)* commander who was killed with him two years ago, and to express outrage at the American great devil.Protesters erected a model of the US Embassy, spraying it with graffiti and setting it alight while waving Iraqi flags and chanting the slogan Your time is up! in reference to the US troop presence.Fridays demonstration was organised by the Popular Mobilization Forces the 128,000 troop-strong Baghdad-allied militia force created in 2014 to combat Daesh, which received assistance from Soleimani while he was alive.The Iraqi government has had a difficult time balancing the conflicting interests of the mostly Shia PMF whose member militias have demanded the immediate and complete exit of all US forces from the country, and Washington, which recently announced an end to its counter-terrorism combat mission in Iraq, but has kept troops in the country under the pretext of training and advisory support.The late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of the PMF, and his January 2020 killing alongside Soleimani enraged militia leaders and prompted them to warn that they would not stop rocket strikes on US military facilities and roadside bomb attacks against American logistics convoys until all US troops were out.Even peaceful demonstrations can turn confrontational and escalate into violence, the mission warned.Local media have reported that Iraqi security forces have been deployed around the US Embassy, and that US C-RAM counter rocket, artillery and mortar systems have been activated.Soleimani and al-Muhandis were killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad International Airport on 3 January 2020, with US officials first claiming that the Iranian counter-terror commander was planning attacks on US forces, but later admitting that he was merely saying bad things about America and that there was no specific intelligence pointing to any Soleimani plots.The assassination prompted Iran to launch over a dozen ballistic missiles at two US bases in Iraq, leaving over 100 American troops with traumatic brain injuries and putting Tehran and Washington on the brink of war. President Donald Trump reportedly called off US strikes inside Iran after being urged to do so by Tucker Carlson, his favourite Fox News host.Iran has said repeatedly that it will continue to seek to prosecute those it holds responsible for Soleimanis death, including Trump, with Iranian and Iraqi judges issuing arrest warrants against the former president. Interpol has refused to assist, citing the cases political character.On Friday, Irans Foreign Ministry reiterated that the US holds definitive international responsibility for Soleimanis death, and said that the Biden administration is now ultimately answerable for the terrorist attack that was orchestrated and carried out in an organized manner by its predecessor.Trump has expressed no signs of being concerned about Irans legal efforts, and has bragged about taking out Soleimani, claiming that the anti-terror commander was bigger by many, many times than the late al-Qaeda* leader Osama bin Laden.* A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries. https://sputniknews.com/20211108/iraqi-security-forces-ask-why-us-defences-in-baghdad-werent-working-during-uav-attack-on-pms-home-1090574011.html https://sputniknews.com/20211231/iran-says-current-us-administration-bears-responsibility-for-general-qassem-soleimanis-killing-1091948626.html baghdad Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov baghdad, america, iraq, embassy, abu mahdi muhandis, qasem soleimani https://sputniknews.com/20220101/watch-iraqi-protesters-burn-down-model-of-us-embassy-as-soleimani-assassination-anniversary-nears-1091960256.html Watch Iraqi Protesters Burn Down Model of US Embassy as Soleimani Assassination Anniversary Nears Watch Iraqi Protesters Burn Down Model of US Embassy as Soleimani Assassination Anniversary Nears Iranian anti-terror commander Qasem Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike on 3 January 2020. Tehran has vowed to punish those responsible, warning... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T10:56+0000 2022-01-01T10:56+0000 2022-01-01T11:19+0000 baghdad america iraq embassy abu mahdi muhandis qasem soleimani /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091960136_0:205:936:732_1920x0_80_0_0_fbcf0c983382d12fcac61a9593ffee04.jpg Demonstrators gathered outside Baghdads Green Zone which includes the sprawling US Embassy compound, on Friday to commemorate Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Iraqi anti-Daesh (ISIS)* commander who was killed with him two years ago, and to express outrage at the American great devil.Protesters erected a model of the US Embassy, spraying it with graffiti and setting it alight while waving Iraqi flags and chanting the slogan Your time is up! in reference to the US troop presence.Fridays demonstration was organised by the Popular Mobilization Forces the 128,000 troop-strong Baghdad-allied militia force created in 2014 to combat Daesh, which received assistance from Soleimani while he was alive.The Iraqi government has had a difficult time balancing the conflicting interests of the mostly Shia PMF whose member militias have demanded the immediate and complete exit of all US forces from the country, and Washington, which recently announced an end to its counter-terrorism combat mission in Iraq, but has kept troops in the country under the pretext of training and advisory support.The late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of the PMF, and his January 2020 killing alongside Soleimani enraged militia leaders and prompted them to warn that they would not stop rocket strikes on US military facilities and roadside bomb attacks against American logistics convoys until all US troops were out.Even peaceful demonstrations can turn confrontational and escalate into violence, the mission warned.Local media have reported that Iraqi security forces have been deployed around the US Embassy, and that US C-RAM counter rocket, artillery and mortar systems have been activated.Soleimani and al-Muhandis were killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad International Airport on 3 January 2020, with US officials first claiming that the Iranian counter-terror commander was planning attacks on US forces, but later admitting that he was merely saying bad things about America and that there was no specific intelligence pointing to any Soleimani plots.The assassination prompted Iran to launch over a dozen ballistic missiles at two US bases in Iraq, leaving over 100 American troops with traumatic brain injuries and putting Tehran and Washington on the brink of war. President Donald Trump reportedly called off US strikes inside Iran after being urged to do so by Tucker Carlson, his favourite Fox News host.Iran has said repeatedly that it will continue to seek to prosecute those it holds responsible for Soleimanis death, including Trump, with Iranian and Iraqi judges issuing arrest warrants against the former president. Interpol has refused to assist, citing the cases political character.On Friday, Irans Foreign Ministry reiterated that the US holds definitive international responsibility for Soleimanis death, and said that the Biden administration is now ultimately answerable for the terrorist attack that was orchestrated and carried out in an organized manner by its predecessor.Trump has expressed no signs of being concerned about Irans legal efforts, and has bragged about taking out Soleimani, claiming that the anti-terror commander was bigger by many, many times than the late al-Qaeda* leader Osama bin Laden.* A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries. https://sputniknews.com/20211108/iraqi-security-forces-ask-why-us-defences-in-baghdad-werent-working-during-uav-attack-on-pms-home-1090574011.html https://sputniknews.com/20211231/iran-says-current-us-administration-bears-responsibility-for-general-qassem-soleimanis-killing-1091948626.html baghdad Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov baghdad, america, iraq, embassy, abu mahdi muhandis, qasem soleimani https://sputniknews.com/20220101/watch-iraqi-protesters-burn-down-model-of-us-embassy-as-soleimani-assassination-anniversary-nears-1091960256.html Watch Iraqi Protesters Burn Down Model of US Embassy as Soleimani Assassination Anniversary Nears Watch Iraqi Protesters Burn Down Model of US Embassy as Soleimani Assassination Anniversary Nears Iranian anti-terror commander Qasem Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike on 3 January 2020. Tehran has vowed to punish those responsible, warning... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T10:56+0000 2022-01-01T10:56+0000 2022-01-01T11:19+0000 baghdad america iraq embassy abu mahdi muhandis qasem soleimani /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091960136_0:205:936:732_1920x0_80_0_0_fbcf0c983382d12fcac61a9593ffee04.jpg Demonstrators gathered outside Baghdads Green Zone which includes the sprawling US Embassy compound, on Friday to commemorate Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Iraqi anti-Daesh (ISIS)* commander who was killed with him two years ago, and to express outrage at the American great devil.Protesters erected a model of the US Embassy, spraying it with graffiti and setting it alight while waving Iraqi flags and chanting the slogan Your time is up! in reference to the US troop presence.Fridays demonstration was organised by the Popular Mobilization Forces the 128,000 troop-strong Baghdad-allied militia force created in 2014 to combat Daesh, which received assistance from Soleimani while he was alive.The Iraqi government has had a difficult time balancing the conflicting interests of the mostly Shia PMF whose member militias have demanded the immediate and complete exit of all US forces from the country, and Washington, which recently announced an end to its counter-terrorism combat mission in Iraq, but has kept troops in the country under the pretext of training and advisory support.The late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of the PMF, and his January 2020 killing alongside Soleimani enraged militia leaders and prompted them to warn that they would not stop rocket strikes on US military facilities and roadside bomb attacks against American logistics convoys until all US troops were out.Even peaceful demonstrations can turn confrontational and escalate into violence, the mission warned.Local media have reported that Iraqi security forces have been deployed around the US Embassy, and that US C-RAM counter rocket, artillery and mortar systems have been activated.Soleimani and al-Muhandis were killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad International Airport on 3 January 2020, with US officials first claiming that the Iranian counter-terror commander was planning attacks on US forces, but later admitting that he was merely saying bad things about America and that there was no specific intelligence pointing to any Soleimani plots.The assassination prompted Iran to launch over a dozen ballistic missiles at two US bases in Iraq, leaving over 100 American troops with traumatic brain injuries and putting Tehran and Washington on the brink of war. President Donald Trump reportedly called off US strikes inside Iran after being urged to do so by Tucker Carlson, his favourite Fox News host.Iran has said repeatedly that it will continue to seek to prosecute those it holds responsible for Soleimanis death, including Trump, with Iranian and Iraqi judges issuing arrest warrants against the former president. Interpol has refused to assist, citing the cases political character.On Friday, Irans Foreign Ministry reiterated that the US holds definitive international responsibility for Soleimanis death, and said that the Biden administration is now ultimately answerable for the terrorist attack that was orchestrated and carried out in an organized manner by its predecessor.Trump has expressed no signs of being concerned about Irans legal efforts, and has bragged about taking out Soleimani, claiming that the anti-terror commander was bigger by many, many times than the late al-Qaeda* leader Osama bin Laden.* A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries. https://sputniknews.com/20211108/iraqi-security-forces-ask-why-us-defences-in-baghdad-werent-working-during-uav-attack-on-pms-home-1090574011.html https://sputniknews.com/20211231/iran-says-current-us-administration-bears-responsibility-for-general-qassem-soleimanis-killing-1091948626.html baghdad Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov baghdad, america, iraq, embassy, abu mahdi muhandis, qasem soleimani https://sputniknews.com/20220101/north-koreas-leader-reportedly-says-2022-to-be-year-of-great-struggle-1091959846.html Kim Jong-un Warns 2022 Will Be Year of 'Great Life-And-Death Struggle' Kim Jong-un Warns 2022 Will Be Year of 'Great Life-And-Death Struggle' In his closing speech of the year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called 2021 the year of a great victory of his compatriots, adding that 2022 will be the year of a "life-and-death" struggle. 2022-01-01T10:36+0000 2022-01-01T10:36+0000 2022-01-01T11:16+0000 north korea struggle kim jong-un /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/08/14/1083670902_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_ca6a7652fb743234ac9ab8e6cd0f0182.jpg North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's lack of focus on the United States, South Korea and nuclear weapons in a speech delivered on New Year's Eve has triggered speculations. Speaking at the end of the fourth plenary session of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of North Korea (WPK) of the eighth convocation, held from 27 to 31 December, Kim Jong-un focused on the domestic agenda, including a plan for rural development, tractor factories, school uniforms and the need to crack down on "non-socialist practices", according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KSNA). According to KSNA, the WPK discussed the country's budget for 2022, the results of 2021 and plans for the coming year, agriculture, and changes in the WPK charter.The speech, which came as the nation marked the North Korean leaders 10th year in power after his father Kim Jong Ils death in 2011, is said to have laid out the countrys main goals for 2022 as boosting economic development and improving people's lives in the face of a "great life-and-death struggle".While previously Kim Jong Un had used such end-of-year addresses for delivering major policy announcements, this time no specific mention of the US was made.Talks between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled since 2019, with the US calling for North Korea to step away from its nuclear programme but reluctant to first offer sanctions relief, causing the deal to fall apart.Only passing mention in Kims latest speech was made of inter-Korean relations or South Koreas push for a declaration to formally end the 1950-1953 Korean War as a way to restart negotiations, added the official media of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).Last month marked an important development for the Korean peninsula. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in December that his country, China, North Korea, and the United States had agreed in principle to a declaration putting an end to the Korean War, which de facto ended in 1953. This occurred after the US and Democratic People's Republic of Korea ratified an armistice without signing a peace treaty. However, the Korean peninsula is still formally in a state of war until a peace treaty is signed.It was domestic challenges the speech targeted, where North Koreas self-imposed anti-pandemic border lockdown back in January 2020 to prevent the spread of Covid-19 from China left the nation ever more isolated. The United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization, other international aid groups have been warning of possible food shortages and a humanitarian crisis in North Korea.Military issues were highlighted in Kims speech by Saturday's state media as well. Thus, they cited development of "one ultra-modern weapon system after another" in the course of 2021, as the North Korean leader called for production of powerful, modern weapons systems to improve the military forces. Kim also urged the military's "absolute loyalty and allegiance" to the ruling party led by him, according to KCNA.The tractor factory mentioned by Kim was speculated by foreign analysts as being likely used to build launch vehicles for missiles.The United States earlier said it is ready to engage in dialogue with North Korea regarding denuclearisation without preconditions. Kim, for his part, outlined in June that his country must be ready for "both dialogue and confrontation" with Washington.Nuclear talks between the US and North Korea were launched by ex-President Donald Trump, yet failed to materialise in a deal in 2019. Throughout 2021 Pyongyang has occasionally tested new weapons systems that were said to include long-range cruise missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads to all of South Korea and most of Japan, along with a new submarine-launched ballistic missile. Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International north korea, new year, struggle, kim jong un's speech https://sputniknews.com/20220101/north-koreas-leader-reportedly-says-2022-to-be-year-of-great-struggle-1091959846.html Kim Jong-un Warns 2022 Will Be Year of 'Great Life-And-Death Struggle' Kim Jong-un Warns 2022 Will Be Year of 'Great Life-And-Death Struggle' In his closing speech of the year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called 2021 the year of a great victory of his compatriots, adding that 2022 will be the year of a "life-and-death" struggle. 2022-01-01T10:36+0000 2022-01-01T10:36+0000 2022-01-01T11:16+0000 north korea struggle kim jong-un /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/08/14/1083670902_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_ca6a7652fb743234ac9ab8e6cd0f0182.jpg North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's lack of focus on the United States, South Korea and nuclear weapons in a speech delivered on New Year's Eve has triggered speculations. Speaking at the end of the fourth plenary session of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of North Korea (WPK) of the eighth convocation, held from 27 to 31 December, Kim Jong-un focused on the domestic agenda, including a plan for rural development, tractor factories, school uniforms and the need to crack down on "non-socialist practices", according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KSNA). According to KSNA, the WPK discussed the country's budget for 2022, the results of 2021 and plans for the coming year, agriculture, and changes in the WPK charter.The speech, which came as the nation marked the North Korean leaders 10th year in power after his father Kim Jong Ils death in 2011, is said to have laid out the countrys main goals for 2022 as boosting economic development and improving people's lives in the face of a "great life-and-death struggle".While previously Kim Jong Un had used such end-of-year addresses for delivering major policy announcements, this time no specific mention of the US was made.Talks between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled since 2019, with the US calling for North Korea to step away from its nuclear programme but reluctant to first offer sanctions relief, causing the deal to fall apart.Only passing mention in Kims latest speech was made of inter-Korean relations or South Koreas push for a declaration to formally end the 1950-1953 Korean War as a way to restart negotiations, added the official media of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).Last month marked an important development for the Korean peninsula. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in December that his country, China, North Korea, and the United States had agreed in principle to a declaration putting an end to the Korean War, which de facto ended in 1953. This occurred after the US and Democratic People's Republic of Korea ratified an armistice without signing a peace treaty. However, the Korean peninsula is still formally in a state of war until a peace treaty is signed.It was domestic challenges the speech targeted, where North Koreas self-imposed anti-pandemic border lockdown back in January 2020 to prevent the spread of Covid-19 from China left the nation ever more isolated. The United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization, other international aid groups have been warning of possible food shortages and a humanitarian crisis in North Korea.Military issues were highlighted in Kims speech by Saturday's state media as well. Thus, they cited development of "one ultra-modern weapon system after another" in the course of 2021, as the North Korean leader called for production of powerful, modern weapons systems to improve the military forces. Kim also urged the military's "absolute loyalty and allegiance" to the ruling party led by him, according to KCNA.The tractor factory mentioned by Kim was speculated by foreign analysts as being likely used to build launch vehicles for missiles.The United States earlier said it is ready to engage in dialogue with North Korea regarding denuclearisation without preconditions. Kim, for his part, outlined in June that his country must be ready for "both dialogue and confrontation" with Washington.Nuclear talks between the US and North Korea were launched by ex-President Donald Trump, yet failed to materialise in a deal in 2019. Throughout 2021 Pyongyang has occasionally tested new weapons systems that were said to include long-range cruise missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads to all of South Korea and most of Japan, along with a new submarine-launched ballistic missile. Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International north korea, new year, struggle, kim jong un's speech https://sputniknews.com/20220101/north-koreas-leader-reportedly-says-2022-to-be-year-of-great-struggle-1091959846.html Kim Jong-un Warns 2022 Will Be Year of 'Great Life-And-Death Struggle' Kim Jong-un Warns 2022 Will Be Year of 'Great Life-And-Death Struggle' In his closing speech of the year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called 2021 the year of a great victory of his compatriots, adding that 2022 will be the year of a "life-and-death" struggle. 2022-01-01T10:36+0000 2022-01-01T10:36+0000 2022-01-01T11:16+0000 north korea struggle kim jong-un /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/08/14/1083670902_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_ca6a7652fb743234ac9ab8e6cd0f0182.jpg North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's lack of focus on the United States, South Korea and nuclear weapons in a speech delivered on New Year's Eve has triggered speculations. Speaking at the end of the fourth plenary session of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of North Korea (WPK) of the eighth convocation, held from 27 to 31 December, Kim Jong-un focused on the domestic agenda, including a plan for rural development, tractor factories, school uniforms and the need to crack down on "non-socialist practices", according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KSNA). According to KSNA, the WPK discussed the country's budget for 2022, the results of 2021 and plans for the coming year, agriculture, and changes in the WPK charter.The speech, which came as the nation marked the North Korean leaders 10th year in power after his father Kim Jong Ils death in 2011, is said to have laid out the countrys main goals for 2022 as boosting economic development and improving people's lives in the face of a "great life-and-death struggle".While previously Kim Jong Un had used such end-of-year addresses for delivering major policy announcements, this time no specific mention of the US was made.Talks between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled since 2019, with the US calling for North Korea to step away from its nuclear programme but reluctant to first offer sanctions relief, causing the deal to fall apart.Only passing mention in Kims latest speech was made of inter-Korean relations or South Koreas push for a declaration to formally end the 1950-1953 Korean War as a way to restart negotiations, added the official media of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).Last month marked an important development for the Korean peninsula. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in December that his country, China, North Korea, and the United States had agreed in principle to a declaration putting an end to the Korean War, which de facto ended in 1953. This occurred after the US and Democratic People's Republic of Korea ratified an armistice without signing a peace treaty. However, the Korean peninsula is still formally in a state of war until a peace treaty is signed.It was domestic challenges the speech targeted, where North Koreas self-imposed anti-pandemic border lockdown back in January 2020 to prevent the spread of Covid-19 from China left the nation ever more isolated. The United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization, other international aid groups have been warning of possible food shortages and a humanitarian crisis in North Korea.Military issues were highlighted in Kims speech by Saturday's state media as well. Thus, they cited development of "one ultra-modern weapon system after another" in the course of 2021, as the North Korean leader called for production of powerful, modern weapons systems to improve the military forces. Kim also urged the military's "absolute loyalty and allegiance" to the ruling party led by him, according to KCNA.The tractor factory mentioned by Kim was speculated by foreign analysts as being likely used to build launch vehicles for missiles.The United States earlier said it is ready to engage in dialogue with North Korea regarding denuclearisation without preconditions. Kim, for his part, outlined in June that his country must be ready for "both dialogue and confrontation" with Washington.Nuclear talks between the US and North Korea were launched by ex-President Donald Trump, yet failed to materialise in a deal in 2019. Throughout 2021 Pyongyang has occasionally tested new weapons systems that were said to include long-range cruise missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads to all of South Korea and most of Japan, along with a new submarine-launched ballistic missile. Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International north korea, new year, struggle, kim jong un's speech In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. Sharon Varnado left her Little Woods neighborhood in New Orleans East three years ago, and she hasn't looked back. The sound of gunshots had grown familiar; so too, had reports of carjackings. And when burglars broke into a neighbor's house two blocks down, police took hours to respond to the call for help, as had been their norm for nonviolent crimes in that area. In short, her sliver of the East looked nothing like it did when she moved in nearly 50 years ago. Now, she lives in a gated community in Slidell. "It's totally different," Varnado said. "Don't get me wrong. Crime is everywhere. But I feel more at ease... like I might could go out of my house at night." An analysis of crime trends shows that carjackings and fatal shootings in the East have skyrocketed since 2018, causing concern for Varnado and other former and current residents, and complicating the East's prospects for economic development. Armed robberies there have also routinely outpaced the rest of the city, though they appear to be trending downward; residential break-ins, meanwhile, dropped recently to match the city's average after a 2014 peak. Meanwhile, residents say the understaffed New Orleans Police Department's slow response to calls for service in the East has emboldened the area's criminals. Indeed, an analysis of 911 calls by The Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate shows it takes NOPD twice as long to respond to emergency calls there than it does in the rest of the city. For nonemergencies such as non-life-threatening crimes that have already occurred residents of the East wait almost three times as long as the rest of the city waits. Crime-weary residents also blame an influx of lower-income residents to the area after Hurricane Katrina, and what residents describe as a half-hearted effort by city leaders to address the East's problems. The embattled NOPD, meanwhile, has said its struggle to find new officers has impacted all of its districts. The 7th District, which polices all of New Orleans East, faces special challenges because of its size, as a small crew of officers must cover a large area, Superintendent Shaun Ferguson acknowledged at a recent public hearing. City officials have offered no shortage of solutions to try and fill the gap: everything from empowering other city agencies to make arrests for small-time offenses, to tapping civilian counselors to respond to mental health calls, to carving up the 7th District so that officers have a smaller area to manage, an idea that hasn't yet gained traction. Pockets of crime To be sure, the East doesn't have a monopoly on crime in New Orleans. Even as there are neighborhoods where residents feel unsafe, there are posh subdivisions that ring man-made lakes and that are protected by private security. If police and journalists were more specific when describing crimes, "people will understand that the crimes that we do have and the excessive homicides that we do have are occurring in certain neighborhoods, just like in other sections of New Orleans," said Mtumishi St. Julien, a resident of the well-to-do Lake Bullard subdivision. It's true that in an area as large as New Orleans East, not all neighborhoods are experiencing similar crime rates. In any given year, at least a third of the area's carjackings occur in Little Woods. That neighborhood also typically accounts for between 30% and 40% of the fatal shootings in the East, with Pines Village making up another 15%. There's a similar concentration around Little Woods when it comes to armed robberies and burglaries. "I feel very safe living in the East, and I don't think the data really reflects the quality of life here," said City Council member Cyndi Nguyen, who represents the East and the Lower 9th Ward. Nguyen's father was the victim of a carjacking in 2019. But regardless of what's happening at the block level, an analysis that accounts for population size shows that the East when considered as a single area has an outsized share of the city's carjackings and fatal shootings. In this year alone, there have been roughly 13 carjackings for every 10,000 people. That's more than double the rate in the rest of the city, which saw about 5 incidents per 10,000 people, NOPD data show. The rate of carjackings in the East has more than tripled since 2018, when only four carjackings per 10,000 people occurred. For serious crimes other than carjackings, the disparities between the East and the rest of the city are not as glaring. So far this year, there have been about five fatal shootings for every 10,000 people, which is down from a 2020 peak of more than six. The rest of the city saw fewer than four fatal shootings for every 10,000 residents. Residential break-ins in the East have been on par with the rest of the city for at least the past two years. And while the East's armed robberies spiked in 2018 before falling dramatically in 2019 and 2020, a person is still more likely to get robbed there than they are in other parts of the city. Driving factors Experts say the high crime rates could owe to any number of factors. "A lot of it is kids trying to figure out who they are. And trying to get economic opportunities, but also trying to figure out their masculinity," said Michael Barton, an LSU associate professor of sociology and criminology. Carjackers, in particular, can be driven by a desire to improve their financial situations, or simply by rage, he said. But others say the area's anemic police presence has sparked a rise in criminal activity. "Because there is so much land to be policed, there were never enough officers to begin with," said Anthony Jackson, the president of the 7th District's Police Community Advisory Board. The East contains two-thirds of the city's land mass, though a great deal of it is undeveloped swampland and wilderness. Nguyen, who lost her bid for reelection to former council member Oliver Thomas last month, has urged NOPD to consider assigning more officers to the 7th District. She's also raised the idea of dividing the district into smaller pieces. +7 In New Orleans City Council District E race, candidates vow to bring economic development east New Orleans City Councilmember Cyndi Nguyen will face five contenders in a District E race that has showcased the need for economic developmen Ferguson, the police chief, said at a November hearing that the Industrial Canal complicates that idea, because officers tasked with patrolling both sides of the canal would be delayed in responding to calls for service. He also said the NOPD has added more recruits to the district in recent years. The force has struggled to mount a timely response, even with the 7th District intact. The median response time for emergency calls from the East is about 16 minutes, compared to eight minutes elsewhere in the city, an analysis of response data shows. For nonemergencies, residents wait about an hour for an officer to respond almost three times longer than the rest of the city. Demographic shifts blamed Some residents suspect the East's shifting demographics have influenced its crime trends. Today, the area's 27,500 households earn a median income of $33,000 per year, well below the city's $41,000 average. In 2003, the reverse was true: The East had a slightly higher median income than that of the rest of the city, $32,772 compared to $27,133. Put another way, the median income in the East hasn't changed in nearly two decades, while in the rest of the city, it's up by more than half. Of the area's nine main neighborhoods, five contain mostly renters, according to Census estimates compiled by the Data Center. In 2000, only three such neighborhoods were dominated by rentals. And after the city's largest public housing projects were converted to mixed-income apartments after Katrina, participation swelled in the Housing Authority of New Orleans' Section 8 program, which grants low-income residents vouchers to live in homes of their choice. Those holding vouchers often ended up in the East, residents point out. "We have the most subsidized housing out here, in the apartments," said Dawn Hebert, the president of the East New Orleans Neighborhood Advisory Commission, a coalition of eastern New Orleans neighborhoods. "It's unfortunate, because it's bringing our median income down when developers want to come to our community... and we do believe it contributes to the crime rate." While poverty can be a factor, residential turnover is perhaps an even larger driver, said Barton, the LSU criminologist. "When you have a strong sense of community, and people living in an area for longer, they are less likely to commit crimes in that area," he said. The debate over whether poverty equals criminality, and the not-in-my-backyard sentiments that it tends to inspire, has been raging in New Orleans East since at least the late 1980s, when HANO and the federal government increased the number of subsidized rentals. Many poorer residents moved eastward, according to a 1991 Times-Picayune article. No easy solutions Jackson, the police community board president, said police should forge better connections with the East's youngest residents to deter them from crime. Security personnel and other civilians should be allowed to make small-time arrests so that police don't have to, he said. The city has already begun moving in the latter direction, with the council pondering an ordinance would empower some city employees to exercise police powers in NOPD's absence. The council has also laid the groundwork for mental health professionals to eventually respond to calls for service from people experiencing mental health crises, tapping a task force this summer to study how best to accomplish that. Of the 70 new crime cameras installed across the city this year to help police stop and solve crimes, 22 were mounted in the East. Varnado, who lost her 47-year-old son, Shawn Brock, in January after he was shot near Crowder Boulevard and Interstate 10, said all of that is only valuable if it leads to a better police response. "I started feeling like, 'Y'all don't care about the East anymore?' Things are happening, but it's like, 'We will get to them when we get to them.'" Staff writer Jeff Adelson contributed to this story. This story is part of an occasional series chronicling efforts to bring new investment to New Orleans East. Local featured Sex assault a common crime, yet one most commonly unreported FERGUSON CARTWRIGHT HODGE EDITORS NOTE: This story contains graphic language. This is the first story in a series on crimes against women. A registered sex offender from Lufkin recently was indicted on three counts of sexual assault. He is one of 123 county residents awaiting trial for some form of sex crime. Ira Cartwright, 49, was indicted for a second time, this time by the latest grand jury on three counts of sexual assault and assault of a family or household member by impeding their breath or circulation. He was already one of Angelina Countys 335 registered sex offenders after he raped a 19-year-old woman in 2002. He was given a 15-year parole with mandatory supervision and was rated a low risk. On Feb. 21, 2020, a woman told Angelina County Sheriffs Office deputies Cartwright had been aggressive toward her earlier that day and she wanted him to leave her alone. She told detectives Cartwright does not ask for sex he takes it, an affidavit filed by the sheriffs office states. Cartwright was accused of choking the woman, forcing sex upon her and degrading her by using feces, the affidavit states. Deputies arrested Cartwright after the woman showed detectives injuries she reportedly sustained after the incident with Cartwright. A grand jury handed up an indictment just a few days later, in March 2020. The case was reevaluated and presented to the grand jury in December, when he was reindicted. Of the women the Janelle Grum Family Crisis Center of East Texas assisted in 2020, 36% were victims of some form of sexual assault, according to executive director Whitney Burran. The agency helped 37 individuals undergo a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners or SANE exam. According to the Texas Criminal Code, a person commits the offense of sexual assault if that person intentionally or knowingly causes: The penetration of an individuals anus or sexual organ without consent. The penetration of an individuals mouth with a sexual organ without consent. A persons sexual organ to contact or penetrate the mouth, anus or sexual organ of another person without consent. The same definition is applied for sex crimes against children. But these crimes also include anything related to child pornography and the solicitation of a minor. Consent cannot be obtained by the use of physical force, violence or coercion, according to state law. Consent cannot be obtained from people who are unable to understand the act is happening to them, whether they are drugged or mentally unable to grasp the situation, the law states. The World Health Organization, quoting a 2021 Landmark report, said globally: 1 in 3 women have experienced or do experience physical or sexual violence. Nearly 1 in 5 women have experienced completed or attempted rape in their lifetime. 1 in 3 experienced it between 11 and 17 years old; and 1 in 8 reported it occurred before they turned 10. The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network estimates that an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds. One in 6 American women have been the victim of attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. One in 33 men have experienced attempted or completed rape in his lifetime. A majority of child victims in the United States are between 12 and 17 years old. The Angelina County District Attorneys Office has 86 active indecency or sexual assault of a child cases listed in the latest Office of Court Administration report that was issued in November; 16 of the 86 were from 2021. It did not include two of Decembers indictments, which were for assaults against children. On Oct. 25, 2021, a 12-year-old Huntington child made an outcry to their mother about a sexual assault, according to an arrest affidavit issued by Justice of the Peace Pat Grimes Grubbs. The child told Huntington police that Keith Miles Ferguson, 34, of Lufkin, penetrated the child three different times between September 2020 and September 2021, the affidavit states. The child was scared to make an outcry because they were worried Ferguson would hurt their mother, police said. On Oct. 23, 2021, Ferguson also was accused of aggravated sexual assault of a child a neighborhood friend who was 13 at the time, according to another arrest affidavit issued by Grimes as a result of work by the Huntington Police Department. Ferguson was indicted by Decembers grand jury for continued sexual assault of a child and aggravated sexual assault of a child. The other was Gerald Hodge, 54, of Diboll, for the continuous sexual abuse of a child victim under 14, aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child by sexual contact. Lufkin police had been notified of 60 sex-related incidents in 2021 as of Dec. 17, 2021, 36 of which involved children, according to city of Lufkin communications director Jessica Pebsworth. Five of the 60 cases were found to be unfounded. Three cases were refused by a prosecutor and five were refused by the complainant. A vast majority of the outcries in District Attorney Janet Cassels experience are not false, she said. There are certainly occasions where the allegations may be questionable, Cassels said. I would say that for anybody who has to deal with that, whether it be in law enforcement or whether it be someone in prosecution, it is a valid inquiry. Everyone who is accused is not necessarily guilty. But outcries go through several hands; the police will review the situation, as can a SANE nurse and potentially a forensic interviewer before it is brought to prosecution. Twenty-six of the 60 cases are inactive or closed; inactive means no judgment has been entered but the defendant is not available for adjudication and the court cannot take further action, according to the Texas Judicial Branch website. There is no current case activity or investigative avenue (on the 26), but should new information arise, then the case would be revisited, Pebsworth said. Twenty-one of the 60 cases are active, pending investigation, cleared by arrest, have a warrant issued or were referred to another agency, Pebsworth said. The Angelina County District Attorneys office is working to prosecute 33 active sexual assault of an adult cases. Six of the 33 cases, including Cartwrights, were from 2021. For as many reports as have been made in Angelina County, and which are currently awaiting trial, many more are likely to have gone unreported. The Brennan Center in 2018, quoting a 2016 U.S. Justice Department analysis of violent crime, said nearly 80% of rapes and sexual assaults go unreported. If it is reported, victims will take years sometimes to report an incident, the New York Times also reported in connection with its coverage of Justice Brett Kavanaughs Senate Hearings ahead of his appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. Cassels made this point, too: Sometimes women are assaulted or abused in their relationships and they let it go on because they are dependent on their abuser. Children will struggle to come forward because of fear or because they dont know what to do about the situation in general, she said. Sometimes parents will fail to catch it or act because they, too, were abused and it goes on in a cycle, she said. This is a problem Cassels and her prosecutors have faced when attempting to push a case forward; even if women have made reports, a lot of times they will back off later. And while prosecutors may still move forward in those cases, even with victims who are unwilling to go through the case, it becomes much more difficult to prosecute, Cassels said. In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. A fireworks show sponsored by Krazy Kaplans will ring in 2022 after the countdown and the pierogi falls into the boiling pot. "The first year we did it it was pretty much all local," he said. "It blew the doors off when it hit 40 degrees the next year." Attendance generally grows every year, especially after it first aired on ABC 7, but varies widely depending on the weather. Only a few hundred people showed up when it was 5 degrees one year. "It's unique," Dybel said. "You don't have to spend a lot of money like at the balls in Chicago. It's reasonable and fun. There's also not a whole lot to do for New Year's Eve in Northwest Indiana. The Holiday Star used to have the Oak Ridge Boys. It's somewhere you can come to blow off 2021, come for the fireworks and get ready for the New Year's." Dybel hoped people would make a night of it in downtown Whiting, visiting restaurants and bars both before and after the festivities. The event also will have food trucks selling pizza, tacos and Polish food. "It's going to be a better show," he said. "We try to add to it every year." Local featured Sex assault a common crime, yet one most commonly unreported FERGUSON CARTWRIGHT HODGE EDITORS NOTE: This story contains graphic language. This is the first story in a series on crimes against women. A registered sex offender from Lufkin recently was indicted on three counts of sexual assault. He is one of 123 county residents awaiting trial for some form of sex crime. Ira Cartwright, 49, was indicted for a second time, this time by the latest grand jury on three counts of sexual assault and assault of a family or household member by impeding their breath or circulation. He was already one of Angelina Countys 335 registered sex offenders after he raped a 19-year-old woman in 2002. He was given a 15-year parole with mandatory supervision and was rated a low risk. On Feb. 21, 2020, a woman told Angelina County Sheriffs Office deputies Cartwright had been aggressive toward her earlier that day and she wanted him to leave her alone. She told detectives Cartwright does not ask for sex he takes it, an affidavit filed by the sheriffs office states. Cartwright was accused of choking the woman, forcing sex upon her and degrading her by using feces, the affidavit states. Deputies arrested Cartwright after the woman showed detectives injuries she reportedly sustained after the incident with Cartwright. A grand jury handed up an indictment just a few days later, in March 2020. The case was reevaluated and presented to the grand jury in December, when he was reindicted. Of the women the Janelle Grum Family Crisis Center of East Texas assisted in 2020, 36% were victims of some form of sexual assault, according to executive director Whitney Burran. The agency helped 37 individuals undergo a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners or SANE exam. According to the Texas Criminal Code, a person commits the offense of sexual assault if that person intentionally or knowingly causes: The penetration of an individuals anus or sexual organ without consent. The penetration of an individuals mouth with a sexual organ without consent. A persons sexual organ to contact or penetrate the mouth, anus or sexual organ of another person without consent. The same definition is applied for sex crimes against children. But these crimes also include anything related to child pornography and the solicitation of a minor. Consent cannot be obtained by the use of physical force, violence or coercion, according to state law. Consent cannot be obtained from people who are unable to understand the act is happening to them, whether they are drugged or mentally unable to grasp the situation, the law states. The World Health Organization, quoting a 2021 Landmark report, said globally: 1 in 3 women have experienced or do experience physical or sexual violence. Nearly 1 in 5 women have experienced completed or attempted rape in their lifetime. 1 in 3 experienced it between 11 and 17 years old; and 1 in 8 reported it occurred before they turned 10. The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network estimates that an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds. One in 6 American women have been the victim of attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. One in 33 men have experienced attempted or completed rape in his lifetime. A majority of child victims in the United States are between 12 and 17 years old. The Angelina County District Attorneys Office has 86 active indecency or sexual assault of a child cases listed in the latest Office of Court Administration report that was issued in November; 16 of the 86 were from 2021. It did not include two of Decembers indictments, which were for assaults against children. On Oct. 25, 2021, a 12-year-old Huntington child made an outcry to their mother about a sexual assault, according to an arrest affidavit issued by Justice of the Peace Pat Grimes Grubbs. The child told Huntington police that Keith Miles Ferguson, 34, of Lufkin, penetrated the child three different times between September 2020 and September 2021, the affidavit states. The child was scared to make an outcry because they were worried Ferguson would hurt their mother, police said. On Oct. 23, 2021, Ferguson also was accused of aggravated sexual assault of a child a neighborhood friend who was 13 at the time, according to another arrest affidavit issued by Grimes as a result of work by the Huntington Police Department. Ferguson was indicted by Decembers grand jury for continued sexual assault of a child and aggravated sexual assault of a child. The other was Gerald Hodge, 54, of Diboll, for the continuous sexual abuse of a child victim under 14, aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child by sexual contact. Lufkin police had been notified of 60 sex-related incidents in 2021 as of Dec. 17, 2021, 36 of which involved children, according to city of Lufkin communications director Jessica Pebsworth. Five of the 60 cases were found to be unfounded. Three cases were refused by a prosecutor and five were refused by the complainant. A vast majority of the outcries in District Attorney Janet Cassels experience are not false, she said. There are certainly occasions where the allegations may be questionable, Cassels said. I would say that for anybody who has to deal with that, whether it be in law enforcement or whether it be someone in prosecution, it is a valid inquiry. Everyone who is accused is not necessarily guilty. But outcries go through several hands; the police will review the situation, as can a SANE nurse and potentially a forensic interviewer before it is brought to prosecution. Twenty-six of the 60 cases are inactive or closed; inactive means no judgment has been entered but the defendant is not available for adjudication and the court cannot take further action, according to the Texas Judicial Branch website. There is no current case activity or investigative avenue (on the 26), but should new information arise, then the case would be revisited, Pebsworth said. Twenty-one of the 60 cases are active, pending investigation, cleared by arrest, have a warrant issued or were referred to another agency, Pebsworth said. The Angelina County District Attorneys office is working to prosecute 33 active sexual assault of an adult cases. Six of the 33 cases, including Cartwrights, were from 2021. For as many reports as have been made in Angelina County, and which are currently awaiting trial, many more are likely to have gone unreported. The Brennan Center in 2018, quoting a 2016 U.S. Justice Department analysis of violent crime, said nearly 80% of rapes and sexual assaults go unreported. If it is reported, victims will take years sometimes to report an incident, the New York Times also reported in connection with its coverage of Justice Brett Kavanaughs Senate Hearings ahead of his appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. Cassels made this point, too: Sometimes women are assaulted or abused in their relationships and they let it go on because they are dependent on their abuser. Children will struggle to come forward because of fear or because they dont know what to do about the situation in general, she said. Sometimes parents will fail to catch it or act because they, too, were abused and it goes on in a cycle, she said. This is a problem Cassels and her prosecutors have faced when attempting to push a case forward; even if women have made reports, a lot of times they will back off later. And while prosecutors may still move forward in those cases, even with victims who are unwilling to go through the case, it becomes much more difficult to prosecute, Cassels said. Local featured Sex assault a common crime, yet one most commonly unreported FERGUSON CARTWRIGHT HODGE EDITORS NOTE: This story contains graphic language. This is the first story in a series on crimes against women. A registered sex offender from Lufkin recently was indicted on three counts of sexual assault. He is one of 123 county residents awaiting trial for some form of sex crime. Ira Cartwright, 49, was indicted for a second time, this time by the latest grand jury on three counts of sexual assault and assault of a family or household member by impeding their breath or circulation. He was already one of Angelina Countys 335 registered sex offenders after he raped a 19-year-old woman in 2002. He was given a 15-year parole with mandatory supervision and was rated a low risk. On Feb. 21, 2020, a woman told Angelina County Sheriffs Office deputies Cartwright had been aggressive toward her earlier that day and she wanted him to leave her alone. She told detectives Cartwright does not ask for sex he takes it, an affidavit filed by the sheriffs office states. Cartwright was accused of choking the woman, forcing sex upon her and degrading her by using feces, the affidavit states. Deputies arrested Cartwright after the woman showed detectives injuries she reportedly sustained after the incident with Cartwright. A grand jury handed up an indictment just a few days later, in March 2020. The case was reevaluated and presented to the grand jury in December, when he was reindicted. Of the women the Janelle Grum Family Crisis Center of East Texas assisted in 2020, 36% were victims of some form of sexual assault, according to executive director Whitney Burran. The agency helped 37 individuals undergo a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners or SANE exam. According to the Texas Criminal Code, a person commits the offense of sexual assault if that person intentionally or knowingly causes: The penetration of an individuals anus or sexual organ without consent. The penetration of an individuals mouth with a sexual organ without consent. A persons sexual organ to contact or penetrate the mouth, anus or sexual organ of another person without consent. The same definition is applied for sex crimes against children. But these crimes also include anything related to child pornography and the solicitation of a minor. Consent cannot be obtained by the use of physical force, violence or coercion, according to state law. Consent cannot be obtained from people who are unable to understand the act is happening to them, whether they are drugged or mentally unable to grasp the situation, the law states. The World Health Organization, quoting a 2021 Landmark report, said globally: 1 in 3 women have experienced or do experience physical or sexual violence. Nearly 1 in 5 women have experienced completed or attempted rape in their lifetime. 1 in 3 experienced it between 11 and 17 years old; and 1 in 8 reported it occurred before they turned 10. The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network estimates that an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds. One in 6 American women have been the victim of attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. One in 33 men have experienced attempted or completed rape in his lifetime. A majority of child victims in the United States are between 12 and 17 years old. The Angelina County District Attorneys Office has 86 active indecency or sexual assault of a child cases listed in the latest Office of Court Administration report that was issued in November; 16 of the 86 were from 2021. It did not include two of Decembers indictments, which were for assaults against children. On Oct. 25, 2021, a 12-year-old Huntington child made an outcry to their mother about a sexual assault, according to an arrest affidavit issued by Justice of the Peace Pat Grimes Grubbs. The child told Huntington police that Keith Miles Ferguson, 34, of Lufkin, penetrated the child three different times between September 2020 and September 2021, the affidavit states. The child was scared to make an outcry because they were worried Ferguson would hurt their mother, police said. On Oct. 23, 2021, Ferguson also was accused of aggravated sexual assault of a child a neighborhood friend who was 13 at the time, according to another arrest affidavit issued by Grimes as a result of work by the Huntington Police Department. Ferguson was indicted by Decembers grand jury for continued sexual assault of a child and aggravated sexual assault of a child. The other was Gerald Hodge, 54, of Diboll, for the continuous sexual abuse of a child victim under 14, aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child by sexual contact. Lufkin police had been notified of 60 sex-related incidents in 2021 as of Dec. 17, 2021, 36 of which involved children, according to city of Lufkin communications director Jessica Pebsworth. Five of the 60 cases were found to be unfounded. Three cases were refused by a prosecutor and five were refused by the complainant. A vast majority of the outcries in District Attorney Janet Cassels experience are not false, she said. There are certainly occasions where the allegations may be questionable, Cassels said. I would say that for anybody who has to deal with that, whether it be in law enforcement or whether it be someone in prosecution, it is a valid inquiry. Everyone who is accused is not necessarily guilty. But outcries go through several hands; the police will review the situation, as can a SANE nurse and potentially a forensic interviewer before it is brought to prosecution. Twenty-six of the 60 cases are inactive or closed; inactive means no judgment has been entered but the defendant is not available for adjudication and the court cannot take further action, according to the Texas Judicial Branch website. There is no current case activity or investigative avenue (on the 26), but should new information arise, then the case would be revisited, Pebsworth said. Twenty-one of the 60 cases are active, pending investigation, cleared by arrest, have a warrant issued or were referred to another agency, Pebsworth said. The Angelina County District Attorneys office is working to prosecute 33 active sexual assault of an adult cases. Six of the 33 cases, including Cartwrights, were from 2021. For as many reports as have been made in Angelina County, and which are currently awaiting trial, many more are likely to have gone unreported. The Brennan Center in 2018, quoting a 2016 U.S. Justice Department analysis of violent crime, said nearly 80% of rapes and sexual assaults go unreported. If it is reported, victims will take years sometimes to report an incident, the New York Times also reported in connection with its coverage of Justice Brett Kavanaughs Senate Hearings ahead of his appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. Cassels made this point, too: Sometimes women are assaulted or abused in their relationships and they let it go on because they are dependent on their abuser. Children will struggle to come forward because of fear or because they dont know what to do about the situation in general, she said. Sometimes parents will fail to catch it or act because they, too, were abused and it goes on in a cycle, she said. This is a problem Cassels and her prosecutors have faced when attempting to push a case forward; even if women have made reports, a lot of times they will back off later. And while prosecutors may still move forward in those cases, even with victims who are unwilling to go through the case, it becomes much more difficult to prosecute, Cassels said. Local featured Sex assault a common crime, yet one most commonly unreported FERGUSON CARTWRIGHT HODGE EDITORS NOTE: This story contains graphic language. This is the first story in a series on crimes against women. A registered sex offender from Lufkin recently was indicted on three counts of sexual assault. He is one of 123 county residents awaiting trial for some form of sex crime. Ira Cartwright, 49, was indicted for a second time, this time by the latest grand jury on three counts of sexual assault and assault of a family or household member by impeding their breath or circulation. He was already one of Angelina Countys 335 registered sex offenders after he raped a 19-year-old woman in 2002. He was given a 15-year parole with mandatory supervision and was rated a low risk. On Feb. 21, 2020, a woman told Angelina County Sheriffs Office deputies Cartwright had been aggressive toward her earlier that day and she wanted him to leave her alone. She told detectives Cartwright does not ask for sex he takes it, an affidavit filed by the sheriffs office states. Cartwright was accused of choking the woman, forcing sex upon her and degrading her by using feces, the affidavit states. Deputies arrested Cartwright after the woman showed detectives injuries she reportedly sustained after the incident with Cartwright. A grand jury handed up an indictment just a few days later, in March 2020. The case was reevaluated and presented to the grand jury in December, when he was reindicted. Of the women the Janelle Grum Family Crisis Center of East Texas assisted in 2020, 36% were victims of some form of sexual assault, according to executive director Whitney Burran. The agency helped 37 individuals undergo a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners or SANE exam. According to the Texas Criminal Code, a person commits the offense of sexual assault if that person intentionally or knowingly causes: The penetration of an individuals anus or sexual organ without consent. The penetration of an individuals mouth with a sexual organ without consent. A persons sexual organ to contact or penetrate the mouth, anus or sexual organ of another person without consent. The same definition is applied for sex crimes against children. But these crimes also include anything related to child pornography and the solicitation of a minor. Consent cannot be obtained by the use of physical force, violence or coercion, according to state law. Consent cannot be obtained from people who are unable to understand the act is happening to them, whether they are drugged or mentally unable to grasp the situation, the law states. The World Health Organization, quoting a 2021 Landmark report, said globally: 1 in 3 women have experienced or do experience physical or sexual violence. Nearly 1 in 5 women have experienced completed or attempted rape in their lifetime. 1 in 3 experienced it between 11 and 17 years old; and 1 in 8 reported it occurred before they turned 10. The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network estimates that an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds. One in 6 American women have been the victim of attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. One in 33 men have experienced attempted or completed rape in his lifetime. A majority of child victims in the United States are between 12 and 17 years old. The Angelina County District Attorneys Office has 86 active indecency or sexual assault of a child cases listed in the latest Office of Court Administration report that was issued in November; 16 of the 86 were from 2021. It did not include two of Decembers indictments, which were for assaults against children. On Oct. 25, 2021, a 12-year-old Huntington child made an outcry to their mother about a sexual assault, according to an arrest affidavit issued by Justice of the Peace Pat Grimes Grubbs. The child told Huntington police that Keith Miles Ferguson, 34, of Lufkin, penetrated the child three different times between September 2020 and September 2021, the affidavit states. The child was scared to make an outcry because they were worried Ferguson would hurt their mother, police said. On Oct. 23, 2021, Ferguson also was accused of aggravated sexual assault of a child a neighborhood friend who was 13 at the time, according to another arrest affidavit issued by Grimes as a result of work by the Huntington Police Department. Ferguson was indicted by Decembers grand jury for continued sexual assault of a child and aggravated sexual assault of a child. The other was Gerald Hodge, 54, of Diboll, for the continuous sexual abuse of a child victim under 14, aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child by sexual contact. Lufkin police had been notified of 60 sex-related incidents in 2021 as of Dec. 17, 2021, 36 of which involved children, according to city of Lufkin communications director Jessica Pebsworth. Five of the 60 cases were found to be unfounded. Three cases were refused by a prosecutor and five were refused by the complainant. A vast majority of the outcries in District Attorney Janet Cassels experience are not false, she said. There are certainly occasions where the allegations may be questionable, Cassels said. I would say that for anybody who has to deal with that, whether it be in law enforcement or whether it be someone in prosecution, it is a valid inquiry. Everyone who is accused is not necessarily guilty. But outcries go through several hands; the police will review the situation, as can a SANE nurse and potentially a forensic interviewer before it is brought to prosecution. Twenty-six of the 60 cases are inactive or closed; inactive means no judgment has been entered but the defendant is not available for adjudication and the court cannot take further action, according to the Texas Judicial Branch website. There is no current case activity or investigative avenue (on the 26), but should new information arise, then the case would be revisited, Pebsworth said. Twenty-one of the 60 cases are active, pending investigation, cleared by arrest, have a warrant issued or were referred to another agency, Pebsworth said. The Angelina County District Attorneys office is working to prosecute 33 active sexual assault of an adult cases. Six of the 33 cases, including Cartwrights, were from 2021. For as many reports as have been made in Angelina County, and which are currently awaiting trial, many more are likely to have gone unreported. The Brennan Center in 2018, quoting a 2016 U.S. Justice Department analysis of violent crime, said nearly 80% of rapes and sexual assaults go unreported. If it is reported, victims will take years sometimes to report an incident, the New York Times also reported in connection with its coverage of Justice Brett Kavanaughs Senate Hearings ahead of his appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. Cassels made this point, too: Sometimes women are assaulted or abused in their relationships and they let it go on because they are dependent on their abuser. Children will struggle to come forward because of fear or because they dont know what to do about the situation in general, she said. Sometimes parents will fail to catch it or act because they, too, were abused and it goes on in a cycle, she said. This is a problem Cassels and her prosecutors have faced when attempting to push a case forward; even if women have made reports, a lot of times they will back off later. And while prosecutors may still move forward in those cases, even with victims who are unwilling to go through the case, it becomes much more difficult to prosecute, Cassels said. Local featured Sex assault a common crime, yet one most commonly unreported FERGUSON CARTWRIGHT HODGE EDITORS NOTE: This story contains graphic language. This is the first story in a series on crimes against women. A registered sex offender from Lufkin recently was indicted on three counts of sexual assault. He is one of 123 county residents awaiting trial for some form of sex crime. Ira Cartwright, 49, was indicted for a second time, this time by the latest grand jury on three counts of sexual assault and assault of a family or household member by impeding their breath or circulation. He was already one of Angelina Countys 335 registered sex offenders after he raped a 19-year-old woman in 2002. He was given a 15-year parole with mandatory supervision and was rated a low risk. On Feb. 21, 2020, a woman told Angelina County Sheriffs Office deputies Cartwright had been aggressive toward her earlier that day and she wanted him to leave her alone. She told detectives Cartwright does not ask for sex he takes it, an affidavit filed by the sheriffs office states. Cartwright was accused of choking the woman, forcing sex upon her and degrading her by using feces, the affidavit states. Deputies arrested Cartwright after the woman showed detectives injuries she reportedly sustained after the incident with Cartwright. A grand jury handed up an indictment just a few days later, in March 2020. The case was reevaluated and presented to the grand jury in December, when he was reindicted. Of the women the Janelle Grum Family Crisis Center of East Texas assisted in 2020, 36% were victims of some form of sexual assault, according to executive director Whitney Burran. The agency helped 37 individuals undergo a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners or SANE exam. According to the Texas Criminal Code, a person commits the offense of sexual assault if that person intentionally or knowingly causes: The penetration of an individuals anus or sexual organ without consent. The penetration of an individuals mouth with a sexual organ without consent. A persons sexual organ to contact or penetrate the mouth, anus or sexual organ of another person without consent. The same definition is applied for sex crimes against children. But these crimes also include anything related to child pornography and the solicitation of a minor. Consent cannot be obtained by the use of physical force, violence or coercion, according to state law. Consent cannot be obtained from people who are unable to understand the act is happening to them, whether they are drugged or mentally unable to grasp the situation, the law states. The World Health Organization, quoting a 2021 Landmark report, said globally: 1 in 3 women have experienced or do experience physical or sexual violence. Nearly 1 in 5 women have experienced completed or attempted rape in their lifetime. 1 in 3 experienced it between 11 and 17 years old; and 1 in 8 reported it occurred before they turned 10. The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network estimates that an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds. One in 6 American women have been the victim of attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. One in 33 men have experienced attempted or completed rape in his lifetime. A majority of child victims in the United States are between 12 and 17 years old. The Angelina County District Attorneys Office has 86 active indecency or sexual assault of a child cases listed in the latest Office of Court Administration report that was issued in November; 16 of the 86 were from 2021. It did not include two of Decembers indictments, which were for assaults against children. On Oct. 25, 2021, a 12-year-old Huntington child made an outcry to their mother about a sexual assault, according to an arrest affidavit issued by Justice of the Peace Pat Grimes Grubbs. The child told Huntington police that Keith Miles Ferguson, 34, of Lufkin, penetrated the child three different times between September 2020 and September 2021, the affidavit states. The child was scared to make an outcry because they were worried Ferguson would hurt their mother, police said. On Oct. 23, 2021, Ferguson also was accused of aggravated sexual assault of a child a neighborhood friend who was 13 at the time, according to another arrest affidavit issued by Grimes as a result of work by the Huntington Police Department. Ferguson was indicted by Decembers grand jury for continued sexual assault of a child and aggravated sexual assault of a child. The other was Gerald Hodge, 54, of Diboll, for the continuous sexual abuse of a child victim under 14, aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child by sexual contact. Lufkin police had been notified of 60 sex-related incidents in 2021 as of Dec. 17, 2021, 36 of which involved children, according to city of Lufkin communications director Jessica Pebsworth. Five of the 60 cases were found to be unfounded. Three cases were refused by a prosecutor and five were refused by the complainant. A vast majority of the outcries in District Attorney Janet Cassels experience are not false, she said. There are certainly occasions where the allegations may be questionable, Cassels said. I would say that for anybody who has to deal with that, whether it be in law enforcement or whether it be someone in prosecution, it is a valid inquiry. Everyone who is accused is not necessarily guilty. But outcries go through several hands; the police will review the situation, as can a SANE nurse and potentially a forensic interviewer before it is brought to prosecution. Twenty-six of the 60 cases are inactive or closed; inactive means no judgment has been entered but the defendant is not available for adjudication and the court cannot take further action, according to the Texas Judicial Branch website. There is no current case activity or investigative avenue (on the 26), but should new information arise, then the case would be revisited, Pebsworth said. Twenty-one of the 60 cases are active, pending investigation, cleared by arrest, have a warrant issued or were referred to another agency, Pebsworth said. The Angelina County District Attorneys office is working to prosecute 33 active sexual assault of an adult cases. Six of the 33 cases, including Cartwrights, were from 2021. For as many reports as have been made in Angelina County, and which are currently awaiting trial, many more are likely to have gone unreported. The Brennan Center in 2018, quoting a 2016 U.S. Justice Department analysis of violent crime, said nearly 80% of rapes and sexual assaults go unreported. If it is reported, victims will take years sometimes to report an incident, the New York Times also reported in connection with its coverage of Justice Brett Kavanaughs Senate Hearings ahead of his appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. Cassels made this point, too: Sometimes women are assaulted or abused in their relationships and they let it go on because they are dependent on their abuser. Children will struggle to come forward because of fear or because they dont know what to do about the situation in general, she said. Sometimes parents will fail to catch it or act because they, too, were abused and it goes on in a cycle, she said. This is a problem Cassels and her prosecutors have faced when attempting to push a case forward; even if women have made reports, a lot of times they will back off later. And while prosecutors may still move forward in those cases, even with victims who are unwilling to go through the case, it becomes much more difficult to prosecute, Cassels said. They have been romantically linked since February. And, Alessandra Ambrosio, 40, as if things were only getting better with her boyfriend, Richard Lee at her house in Florianopolis, Brazil, on Friday. The supermodel stunned in a silver sequin maxi dress which showed off every inch of her frane as she put on a PDA packed display with her love. Stunning: Alessandra Ambrosio, 40, flashed her bronzed legs in a thigh split sequin dress as she rang in the New Year with a kiss for her beau Richard Lee in Brazil Alessandra flashed her bronzed legs in the glitzy number that featured a dramatic thigh-high leg slit and plunging neckline. She added a pair of matching metallic sandals and carried a basket style bag with circular handles to perfect the elegant evening look. Her brunette tresses cascaded down in a loose wave for the ultimate effortless beachy hair style. Wow! The Victoria's Secret angel gave a glimpse of her pert derriere as she turned around and worked her best angles for the camera Glowing: The supermodel stunned in a silver sequin maxi dress as she put on a PDA packed display with her love The Victoria's Secret angel gave a glimpse of her pert derriere as she turned around and worked her best angles for the camera. She accessorised with a selection of bangles and a drop diamante earrings. The couple put on a amorous display as they stopped for a smooch and Alessandra held her lover's face. Sweet: The couple stopped for a smooch and Alessandra held her lovers face They reportedly arrived in Brazil on Monday after celebrating the holidays in California. Alessandra hosted a family gathering at her Los Angeles home along with her two children, daughter Anja, 13, and son Noah, nine. 'Feliz Natal Wishing you all a Merry Christmas' wrote the Brazilian beauty, who shared several smile-filled snaps for the get together on her Instagram. She posed lovingly between Anja and Noah before getting her entire family in on the photo fun by the towering Christmas tree. The GAL Floripa swimwear founder shares her two kids with ex Jamie Mazur, 40. They have been romantically linked since February. And, Alessandra Ambrosio, 40, as if things were only getting better with her boyfriend, Richard Lee at her house in Florianopolis, Brazil, on Friday. The supermodel stunned in a silver sequin maxi dress which showed off every inch of her frane as she put on a PDA packed display with her love. Stunning: Alessandra Ambrosio, 40, flashed her bronzed legs in a thigh split sequin dress as she rang in the New Year with a kiss for her beau Richard Lee in Brazil Alessandra flashed her bronzed legs in the glitzy number that featured a dramatic thigh-high leg slit and plunging neckline. She added a pair of matching metallic sandals and carried a basket style bag with circular handles to perfect the elegant evening look. Her brunette tresses cascaded down in a loose wave for the ultimate effortless beachy hair style. Wow! The Victoria's Secret angel gave a glimpse of her pert derriere as she turned around and worked her best angles for the camera Glowing: The supermodel stunned in a silver sequin maxi dress as she put on a PDA packed display with her love The Victoria's Secret angel gave a glimpse of her pert derriere as she turned around and worked her best angles for the camera. She accessorised with a selection of bangles and a drop diamante earrings. The couple put on a amorous display as they stopped for a smooch and Alessandra held her lover's face. Sweet: The couple stopped for a smooch and Alessandra held her lovers face They reportedly arrived in Brazil on Monday after celebrating the holidays in California. Alessandra hosted a family gathering at her Los Angeles home along with her two children, daughter Anja, 13, and son Noah, nine. 'Feliz Natal Wishing you all a Merry Christmas' wrote the Brazilian beauty, who shared several smile-filled snaps for the get together on her Instagram. She posed lovingly between Anja and Noah before getting her entire family in on the photo fun by the towering Christmas tree. The GAL Floripa swimwear founder shares her two kids with ex Jamie Mazur, 40. They have been romantically linked since February. And, Alessandra Ambrosio, 40, as if things were only getting better with her boyfriend, Richard Lee at her house in Florianopolis, Brazil, on Friday. The supermodel stunned in a silver sequin maxi dress which showed off every inch of her frane as she put on a PDA packed display with her love. Stunning: Alessandra Ambrosio, 40, flashed her bronzed legs in a thigh split sequin dress as she rang in the New Year with a kiss for her beau Richard Lee in Brazil Alessandra flashed her bronzed legs in the glitzy number that featured a dramatic thigh-high leg slit and plunging neckline. She added a pair of matching metallic sandals and carried a basket style bag with circular handles to perfect the elegant evening look. Her brunette tresses cascaded down in a loose wave for the ultimate effortless beachy hair style. Wow! The Victoria's Secret angel gave a glimpse of her pert derriere as she turned around and worked her best angles for the camera Glowing: The supermodel stunned in a silver sequin maxi dress as she put on a PDA packed display with her love The Victoria's Secret angel gave a glimpse of her pert derriere as she turned around and worked her best angles for the camera. She accessorised with a selection of bangles and a drop diamante earrings. The couple put on a amorous display as they stopped for a smooch and Alessandra held her lover's face. Sweet: The couple stopped for a smooch and Alessandra held her lovers face They reportedly arrived in Brazil on Monday after celebrating the holidays in California. Alessandra hosted a family gathering at her Los Angeles home along with her two children, daughter Anja, 13, and son Noah, nine. 'Feliz Natal Wishing you all a Merry Christmas' wrote the Brazilian beauty, who shared several smile-filled snaps for the get together on her Instagram. She posed lovingly between Anja and Noah before getting her entire family in on the photo fun by the towering Christmas tree. The GAL Floripa swimwear founder shares her two kids with ex Jamie Mazur, 40. They have been romantically linked since February. And, Alessandra Ambrosio, 40, as if things were only getting better with her boyfriend, Richard Lee at her house in Florianopolis, Brazil, on Friday. The supermodel stunned in a silver sequin maxi dress which showed off every inch of her frane as she put on a PDA packed display with her love. Stunning: Alessandra Ambrosio, 40, flashed her bronzed legs in a thigh split sequin dress as she rang in the New Year with a kiss for her beau Richard Lee in Brazil Alessandra flashed her bronzed legs in the glitzy number that featured a dramatic thigh-high leg slit and plunging neckline. She added a pair of matching metallic sandals and carried a basket style bag with circular handles to perfect the elegant evening look. Her brunette tresses cascaded down in a loose wave for the ultimate effortless beachy hair style. Wow! The Victoria's Secret angel gave a glimpse of her pert derriere as she turned around and worked her best angles for the camera Glowing: The supermodel stunned in a silver sequin maxi dress as she put on a PDA packed display with her love The Victoria's Secret angel gave a glimpse of her pert derriere as she turned around and worked her best angles for the camera. She accessorised with a selection of bangles and a drop diamante earrings. The couple put on a amorous display as they stopped for a smooch and Alessandra held her lover's face. Sweet: The couple stopped for a smooch and Alessandra held her lovers face They reportedly arrived in Brazil on Monday after celebrating the holidays in California. Alessandra hosted a family gathering at her Los Angeles home along with her two children, daughter Anja, 13, and son Noah, nine. 'Feliz Natal Wishing you all a Merry Christmas' wrote the Brazilian beauty, who shared several smile-filled snaps for the get together on her Instagram. She posed lovingly between Anja and Noah before getting her entire family in on the photo fun by the towering Christmas tree. The GAL Floripa swimwear founder shares her two kids with ex Jamie Mazur, 40. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/north-koreas-leader-reportedly-says-2022-to-be-year-of-great-struggle-1091959846.html Kim Jong-un Warns 2022 Will Be Year of 'Great Life-And-Death Struggle' Kim Jong-un Warns 2022 Will Be Year of 'Great Life-And-Death Struggle' In his closing speech of the year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called 2021 the year of a great victory of his compatriots, adding that 2022 will be the year of a "life-and-death" struggle. 2022-01-01T10:36+0000 2022-01-01T10:36+0000 2022-01-01T11:16+0000 north korea struggle kim jong-un /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/08/14/1083670902_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_ca6a7652fb743234ac9ab8e6cd0f0182.jpg North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's lack of focus on the United States, South Korea and nuclear weapons in a speech delivered on New Year's Eve has triggered speculations. Speaking at the end of the fourth plenary session of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of North Korea (WPK) of the eighth convocation, held from 27 to 31 December, Kim Jong-un focused on the domestic agenda, including a plan for rural development, tractor factories, school uniforms and the need to crack down on "non-socialist practices", according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KSNA). According to KSNA, the WPK discussed the country's budget for 2022, the results of 2021 and plans for the coming year, agriculture, and changes in the WPK charter.The speech, which came as the nation marked the North Korean leaders 10th year in power after his father Kim Jong Ils death in 2011, is said to have laid out the countrys main goals for 2022 as boosting economic development and improving people's lives in the face of a "great life-and-death struggle".While previously Kim Jong Un had used such end-of-year addresses for delivering major policy announcements, this time no specific mention of the US was made.Talks between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled since 2019, with the US calling for North Korea to step away from its nuclear programme but reluctant to first offer sanctions relief, causing the deal to fall apart.Only passing mention in Kims latest speech was made of inter-Korean relations or South Koreas push for a declaration to formally end the 1950-1953 Korean War as a way to restart negotiations, added the official media of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).Last month marked an important development for the Korean peninsula. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in December that his country, China, North Korea, and the United States had agreed in principle to a declaration putting an end to the Korean War, which de facto ended in 1953. This occurred after the US and Democratic People's Republic of Korea ratified an armistice without signing a peace treaty. However, the Korean peninsula is still formally in a state of war until a peace treaty is signed.It was domestic challenges the speech targeted, where North Koreas self-imposed anti-pandemic border lockdown back in January 2020 to prevent the spread of Covid-19 from China left the nation ever more isolated. The United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization, other international aid groups have been warning of possible food shortages and a humanitarian crisis in North Korea.Military issues were highlighted in Kims speech by Saturday's state media as well. Thus, they cited development of "one ultra-modern weapon system after another" in the course of 2021, as the North Korean leader called for production of powerful, modern weapons systems to improve the military forces. Kim also urged the military's "absolute loyalty and allegiance" to the ruling party led by him, according to KCNA.The tractor factory mentioned by Kim was speculated by foreign analysts as being likely used to build launch vehicles for missiles.The United States earlier said it is ready to engage in dialogue with North Korea regarding denuclearisation without preconditions. Kim, for his part, outlined in June that his country must be ready for "both dialogue and confrontation" with Washington.Nuclear talks between the US and North Korea were launched by ex-President Donald Trump, yet failed to materialise in a deal in 2019. Throughout 2021 Pyongyang has occasionally tested new weapons systems that were said to include long-range cruise missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads to all of South Korea and most of Japan, along with a new submarine-launched ballistic missile. Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International north korea, new year, struggle, kim jong un's speech A prevailing concern has been an unevenness in reaping the benefits of growth. The Nashville Scene, the citys alternative newspaper, started selling a T-shirt declaring RIP Old Nashville with a lengthy lineup of music venues and beloved haunts that have not survived. Second Avenue has not been immune: One fixture, B.B. Kings Blues Club, is not returning. Old Spaghetti Factory, a restaurant that opened there in 1979, had its lease terminated by its landlord. Im not totally sure we can afford to be downtown, said Dean Griffith, the president of the company. Its really expensive right now. Mayor Cooper said that affordable housing has been a priority. Tens of millions of dollars have been allocated to build or improve affordable housing developments, much of it located in the citys core. Activists have been advocating for more, as rampant gentrification and a soaring cost of living has had a disproportionate impact on working class and minority communities. Even as Nashvilles population has climbed, surpassing Memphis as Tennessees most populous city as it reached about 700,000 residents, the African American population has spiraled downward by 20 percentage points or more in some historically Black neighborhoods. Black people are not sharing in the prosperity, said Jessica Williams, the communications director for the Equity Alliance, an organization advocating for more opportunity and a better quality of life. In North Nashville, her neighborhood and a cultural hub for Black life in the city, she has seen new houses cropping up that are too expensive for most residents already in the neighborhood. Many of the newcomers she sees are white. KEARNEY COVID-19. Again. That was the top story in the health and wellness category in 2021. When vaccines were introduced to the public in January, many expected COVID-19 to fade, but after the initial rush by front-line health care workers and people over age 65, interest in vaccines waned. Even though vaccines Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson were deemed safe and effective by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, skeptics remained. Misinformation spread rapidly and randomly on social media. Some sites predicted that people who got vaccinated would be dead in three years. Others labeled vaccines a ploy invented for political purposes. For 14 weeks, from Sept. 24 through Dec. 24, the Two Rivers Public Health Departments COVID-19 risk dial sat in the highest pandemic level. Deaths climbed, too, from 100 at the start of the year to 175 as of Dec. 22, 2021. By years end, roughly half of the 90,000 population in the seven-county Two Rivers region, and 60% of those over age 18, were fully vaccinated as the new omicron variant of COVID-19 was spreading rapidly across the nation and had been confirmed here. Vaccines at last January dawned bright and promising in the COVID arena. Vaccines arrived in Kearney on Dec. 15, 2020, and by January, Two Rivers announced a plan for distribution, based on peoples ages and occupation. Vaccines were not yet available for anyone under 18. Front-line health care workers were at the top of the list, followed by people over age 65, and then fire and safety workers, food service workers, and people in retail and others who regularly deal with the public. With high demand, Two Rivers set up mass vaccination clinics at the Peterson Senior Activity Center and Viaero Center. It started mobile clinics that made the rounds of smaller communities in its seven-county region every three weeks. Two Rivers also gave vaccinations every Tuesday afternoon at its offices here at 516 W. 11th St. In the spring, COVID vaccinations became available at pharmacies and medical offices. By mid-summer, COVID cases dropped remarkably. For the week of July 15, the weekly risk dial fell to its lowest level. But by August, it began creeping up again. By Aug. 19, it climbed into the elevated level and inched upward weekly until reaching the highest pandemic level Sept. 23. It remained there stubbornly until this week when the needle retreated into the orange elevated level. Hospitals remained overwhelmed periodically, and many nurses left because of exhaustion. Kearney Regional Medical Center created a special COVID unit, took it down, then created it again this fall when cases soared. Risk dials, masks Cases soared, but vaccinations did not. As of July 13, just 38% of the Two Rivers total population had been fully vaccinated. As of Nov. 23, that figure slogged up to 47.8%, with almost 60% of people over age 18 fully vaccinated. Those figures are far from the 80% health experts say is needed to reach herd immunity. Late in the summer, the Pfizer vaccine became available for children aged 5-11, but few took advantage of that. Booster shots for fully vaccinated adults became available in early fall. In the spring of 2020, Gov. Pete Ricketts set up privately-financed TestNebraska test sites throughout the state, but as COVID-19 cases eased in the spring of 2021, those sites quietly closed due to lack of demand. As COVID cases began to rise again this fall, Two Rivers opened a small mobile COVID-19 testing clinic two mornings a week at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds. In late August, as the new school year began, some parents pleaded with the Kearney School Board to implement a mask mandate, but the school board rejected that idea. Tension over the issue was palpable throughout autumn as cases climbed, but no mandate was issued. Two Rivers expands Just 16 months after moving to new offices at 516 W. 11th St., Two Rivers Public Health Department began expanding there, due to a growing staff and the demands of COVID-19. It is adding 1,700 square feet to its 3,569 square feet and moving into offices vacated by AeroCare, a medical supply company that moved to Third Avenue. Planned are five new offices, an expanded lobby and reception area, a second conference room and a second restroom, and more storage. Target completion date was Dec. 31. Other worthy events on the health and social services front in 2021: - In March, United Way of the Kearney Area surpassed its 2020-21 campaign goal by $5,000, raising $455,358 to benefit 21 social services agencies. On Dec. 4, its executive director, Nikki Erickson, resigned. A search is under way for her replacement. - In July, the CHI Health Good Samaritan Wellness Center was renovated. - In August, the Kearney Family YMCA launched the Healthier Tomorrow campaign to raise the final $2.8 million for its $8.8 million renovation project. The 26,000-square-feet expansion will include new workout facilities, meeting rooms, a new entrance and much more. Groundbreaking is tentatively scheduled for this spring. Construction will take 16-18 months. - On Aug. 27, Mike Schnieders, president of CHI Health Good Samaritan for 11 years, announced that he plans to retire in early February 2022. - On Oct. 26, Kearney Regional Medical Center announced plans to affiliate with Bryan Health in Omaha sometime in 2022. KRMCs name will not change, but it will be branded as a Bryan Health system. Under the plan, KRMCs 850 employees would become Bryan Health employees, and the move could result in additional jobs at KRMC, CEO Bill Calhoun said. Since opening in May 2014, KRMC has experienced phenomenal growth. It opened with 22 beds and now has 93. It opened a maternity unit in 2017. - Hot Meals U.S.A. announced it will build its first permanent facility, an 80- X 100-square-foot building. The non-profit was launched in 2018 to feed victims and emergency workers after natural disasters. It also helped serve people this year who were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and it will again serve free Christmas dinners. - Kearney Area Concerned Citizens resumed its free Thanksgiving dinner in Nov. 25, but it was carryout only due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. - On Oct. 22, Crossroads Mission Avenue, the homeless facility at 1409 E. 39th St., began work on The Lodge, a $3 million project that will create transitional housing in a building formerly used by Just for Ladies fitness center. The project will create 16 dormitory beds and 15 efficiency apartments for women coming out of its four-step program to move people from homelessness to jobs and self-sufficiency. - Also in November, Cindy Richter was named executive director of the Good Samaritan Foundation. She replaces Randy DeFreece, who retired after 20 years. Lisa Guthrie became executive director at the HelpCare Clinic, replacing Becky Kraenow, who took a job in Minnesota. - On Dec, 2, the ninth annual 24-hour Give Where You Live event sponsored by the Kearney Area Community Foundation raised a record $1.4 million, benefiting 186 non-profits in Buffalo and Kearney counties. Local featured Sex assault a common crime, yet one most commonly unreported FERGUSON CARTWRIGHT HODGE EDITORS NOTE: This story contains graphic language. This is the first story in a series on crimes against women. A registered sex offender from Lufkin recently was indicted on three counts of sexual assault. He is one of 123 county residents awaiting trial for some form of sex crime. Ira Cartwright, 49, was indicted for a second time, this time by the latest grand jury on three counts of sexual assault and assault of a family or household member by impeding their breath or circulation. He was already one of Angelina Countys 335 registered sex offenders after he raped a 19-year-old woman in 2002. He was given a 15-year parole with mandatory supervision and was rated a low risk. On Feb. 21, 2020, a woman told Angelina County Sheriffs Office deputies Cartwright had been aggressive toward her earlier that day and she wanted him to leave her alone. She told detectives Cartwright does not ask for sex he takes it, an affidavit filed by the sheriffs office states. Cartwright was accused of choking the woman, forcing sex upon her and degrading her by using feces, the affidavit states. Deputies arrested Cartwright after the woman showed detectives injuries she reportedly sustained after the incident with Cartwright. A grand jury handed up an indictment just a few days later, in March 2020. The case was reevaluated and presented to the grand jury in December, when he was reindicted. Of the women the Janelle Grum Family Crisis Center of East Texas assisted in 2020, 36% were victims of some form of sexual assault, according to executive director Whitney Burran. The agency helped 37 individuals undergo a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners or SANE exam. According to the Texas Criminal Code, a person commits the offense of sexual assault if that person intentionally or knowingly causes: The penetration of an individuals anus or sexual organ without consent. The penetration of an individuals mouth with a sexual organ without consent. A persons sexual organ to contact or penetrate the mouth, anus or sexual organ of another person without consent. The same definition is applied for sex crimes against children. But these crimes also include anything related to child pornography and the solicitation of a minor. Consent cannot be obtained by the use of physical force, violence or coercion, according to state law. Consent cannot be obtained from people who are unable to understand the act is happening to them, whether they are drugged or mentally unable to grasp the situation, the law states. The World Health Organization, quoting a 2021 Landmark report, said globally: 1 in 3 women have experienced or do experience physical or sexual violence. Nearly 1 in 5 women have experienced completed or attempted rape in their lifetime. 1 in 3 experienced it between 11 and 17 years old; and 1 in 8 reported it occurred before they turned 10. The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network estimates that an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds. One in 6 American women have been the victim of attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. One in 33 men have experienced attempted or completed rape in his lifetime. A majority of child victims in the United States are between 12 and 17 years old. The Angelina County District Attorneys Office has 86 active indecency or sexual assault of a child cases listed in the latest Office of Court Administration report that was issued in November; 16 of the 86 were from 2021. It did not include two of Decembers indictments, which were for assaults against children. On Oct. 25, 2021, a 12-year-old Huntington child made an outcry to their mother about a sexual assault, according to an arrest affidavit issued by Justice of the Peace Pat Grimes Grubbs. The child told Huntington police that Keith Miles Ferguson, 34, of Lufkin, penetrated the child three different times between September 2020 and September 2021, the affidavit states. The child was scared to make an outcry because they were worried Ferguson would hurt their mother, police said. On Oct. 23, 2021, Ferguson also was accused of aggravated sexual assault of a child a neighborhood friend who was 13 at the time, according to another arrest affidavit issued by Grimes as a result of work by the Huntington Police Department. Ferguson was indicted by Decembers grand jury for continued sexual assault of a child and aggravated sexual assault of a child. The other was Gerald Hodge, 54, of Diboll, for the continuous sexual abuse of a child victim under 14, aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child by sexual contact. Lufkin police had been notified of 60 sex-related incidents in 2021 as of Dec. 17, 2021, 36 of which involved children, according to city of Lufkin communications director Jessica Pebsworth. Five of the 60 cases were found to be unfounded. Three cases were refused by a prosecutor and five were refused by the complainant. A vast majority of the outcries in District Attorney Janet Cassels experience are not false, she said. There are certainly occasions where the allegations may be questionable, Cassels said. I would say that for anybody who has to deal with that, whether it be in law enforcement or whether it be someone in prosecution, it is a valid inquiry. Everyone who is accused is not necessarily guilty. But outcries go through several hands; the police will review the situation, as can a SANE nurse and potentially a forensic interviewer before it is brought to prosecution. Twenty-six of the 60 cases are inactive or closed; inactive means no judgment has been entered but the defendant is not available for adjudication and the court cannot take further action, according to the Texas Judicial Branch website. There is no current case activity or investigative avenue (on the 26), but should new information arise, then the case would be revisited, Pebsworth said. Twenty-one of the 60 cases are active, pending investigation, cleared by arrest, have a warrant issued or were referred to another agency, Pebsworth said. The Angelina County District Attorneys office is working to prosecute 33 active sexual assault of an adult cases. Six of the 33 cases, including Cartwrights, were from 2021. For as many reports as have been made in Angelina County, and which are currently awaiting trial, many more are likely to have gone unreported. The Brennan Center in 2018, quoting a 2016 U.S. Justice Department analysis of violent crime, said nearly 80% of rapes and sexual assaults go unreported. If it is reported, victims will take years sometimes to report an incident, the New York Times also reported in connection with its coverage of Justice Brett Kavanaughs Senate Hearings ahead of his appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. Cassels made this point, too: Sometimes women are assaulted or abused in their relationships and they let it go on because they are dependent on their abuser. Children will struggle to come forward because of fear or because they dont know what to do about the situation in general, she said. Sometimes parents will fail to catch it or act because they, too, were abused and it goes on in a cycle, she said. This is a problem Cassels and her prosecutors have faced when attempting to push a case forward; even if women have made reports, a lot of times they will back off later. And while prosecutors may still move forward in those cases, even with victims who are unwilling to go through the case, it becomes much more difficult to prosecute, Cassels said. Local featured Sex assault a common crime, yet one most commonly unreported FERGUSON CARTWRIGHT HODGE EDITORS NOTE: This story contains graphic language. This is the first story in a series on crimes against women. A registered sex offender from Lufkin recently was indicted on three counts of sexual assault. He is one of 123 county residents awaiting trial for some form of sex crime. Ira Cartwright, 49, was indicted for a second time, this time by the latest grand jury on three counts of sexual assault and assault of a family or household member by impeding their breath or circulation. He was already one of Angelina Countys 335 registered sex offenders after he raped a 19-year-old woman in 2002. He was given a 15-year parole with mandatory supervision and was rated a low risk. On Feb. 21, 2020, a woman told Angelina County Sheriffs Office deputies Cartwright had been aggressive toward her earlier that day and she wanted him to leave her alone. She told detectives Cartwright does not ask for sex he takes it, an affidavit filed by the sheriffs office states. Cartwright was accused of choking the woman, forcing sex upon her and degrading her by using feces, the affidavit states. Deputies arrested Cartwright after the woman showed detectives injuries she reportedly sustained after the incident with Cartwright. A grand jury handed up an indictment just a few days later, in March 2020. The case was reevaluated and presented to the grand jury in December, when he was reindicted. Of the women the Janelle Grum Family Crisis Center of East Texas assisted in 2020, 36% were victims of some form of sexual assault, according to executive director Whitney Burran. The agency helped 37 individuals undergo a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners or SANE exam. According to the Texas Criminal Code, a person commits the offense of sexual assault if that person intentionally or knowingly causes: The penetration of an individuals anus or sexual organ without consent. The penetration of an individuals mouth with a sexual organ without consent. A persons sexual organ to contact or penetrate the mouth, anus or sexual organ of another person without consent. The same definition is applied for sex crimes against children. But these crimes also include anything related to child pornography and the solicitation of a minor. Consent cannot be obtained by the use of physical force, violence or coercion, according to state law. Consent cannot be obtained from people who are unable to understand the act is happening to them, whether they are drugged or mentally unable to grasp the situation, the law states. The World Health Organization, quoting a 2021 Landmark report, said globally: 1 in 3 women have experienced or do experience physical or sexual violence. Nearly 1 in 5 women have experienced completed or attempted rape in their lifetime. 1 in 3 experienced it between 11 and 17 years old; and 1 in 8 reported it occurred before they turned 10. The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network estimates that an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds. One in 6 American women have been the victim of attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. One in 33 men have experienced attempted or completed rape in his lifetime. A majority of child victims in the United States are between 12 and 17 years old. The Angelina County District Attorneys Office has 86 active indecency or sexual assault of a child cases listed in the latest Office of Court Administration report that was issued in November; 16 of the 86 were from 2021. It did not include two of Decembers indictments, which were for assaults against children. On Oct. 25, 2021, a 12-year-old Huntington child made an outcry to their mother about a sexual assault, according to an arrest affidavit issued by Justice of the Peace Pat Grimes Grubbs. The child told Huntington police that Keith Miles Ferguson, 34, of Lufkin, penetrated the child three different times between September 2020 and September 2021, the affidavit states. The child was scared to make an outcry because they were worried Ferguson would hurt their mother, police said. On Oct. 23, 2021, Ferguson also was accused of aggravated sexual assault of a child a neighborhood friend who was 13 at the time, according to another arrest affidavit issued by Grimes as a result of work by the Huntington Police Department. Ferguson was indicted by Decembers grand jury for continued sexual assault of a child and aggravated sexual assault of a child. The other was Gerald Hodge, 54, of Diboll, for the continuous sexual abuse of a child victim under 14, aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child by sexual contact. Lufkin police had been notified of 60 sex-related incidents in 2021 as of Dec. 17, 2021, 36 of which involved children, according to city of Lufkin communications director Jessica Pebsworth. Five of the 60 cases were found to be unfounded. Three cases were refused by a prosecutor and five were refused by the complainant. A vast majority of the outcries in District Attorney Janet Cassels experience are not false, she said. There are certainly occasions where the allegations may be questionable, Cassels said. I would say that for anybody who has to deal with that, whether it be in law enforcement or whether it be someone in prosecution, it is a valid inquiry. Everyone who is accused is not necessarily guilty. But outcries go through several hands; the police will review the situation, as can a SANE nurse and potentially a forensic interviewer before it is brought to prosecution. Twenty-six of the 60 cases are inactive or closed; inactive means no judgment has been entered but the defendant is not available for adjudication and the court cannot take further action, according to the Texas Judicial Branch website. There is no current case activity or investigative avenue (on the 26), but should new information arise, then the case would be revisited, Pebsworth said. Twenty-one of the 60 cases are active, pending investigation, cleared by arrest, have a warrant issued or were referred to another agency, Pebsworth said. The Angelina County District Attorneys office is working to prosecute 33 active sexual assault of an adult cases. Six of the 33 cases, including Cartwrights, were from 2021. For as many reports as have been made in Angelina County, and which are currently awaiting trial, many more are likely to have gone unreported. The Brennan Center in 2018, quoting a 2016 U.S. Justice Department analysis of violent crime, said nearly 80% of rapes and sexual assaults go unreported. If it is reported, victims will take years sometimes to report an incident, the New York Times also reported in connection with its coverage of Justice Brett Kavanaughs Senate Hearings ahead of his appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. Cassels made this point, too: Sometimes women are assaulted or abused in their relationships and they let it go on because they are dependent on their abuser. Children will struggle to come forward because of fear or because they dont know what to do about the situation in general, she said. Sometimes parents will fail to catch it or act because they, too, were abused and it goes on in a cycle, she said. This is a problem Cassels and her prosecutors have faced when attempting to push a case forward; even if women have made reports, a lot of times they will back off later. And while prosecutors may still move forward in those cases, even with victims who are unwilling to go through the case, it becomes much more difficult to prosecute, Cassels said. Local featured Sex assault a common crime, yet one most commonly unreported FERGUSON CARTWRIGHT HODGE EDITORS NOTE: This story contains graphic language. This is the first story in a series on crimes against women. A registered sex offender from Lufkin recently was indicted on three counts of sexual assault. He is one of 123 county residents awaiting trial for some form of sex crime. Ira Cartwright, 49, was indicted for a second time, this time by the latest grand jury on three counts of sexual assault and assault of a family or household member by impeding their breath or circulation. He was already one of Angelina Countys 335 registered sex offenders after he raped a 19-year-old woman in 2002. He was given a 15-year parole with mandatory supervision and was rated a low risk. On Feb. 21, 2020, a woman told Angelina County Sheriffs Office deputies Cartwright had been aggressive toward her earlier that day and she wanted him to leave her alone. She told detectives Cartwright does not ask for sex he takes it, an affidavit filed by the sheriffs office states. Cartwright was accused of choking the woman, forcing sex upon her and degrading her by using feces, the affidavit states. Deputies arrested Cartwright after the woman showed detectives injuries she reportedly sustained after the incident with Cartwright. A grand jury handed up an indictment just a few days later, in March 2020. The case was reevaluated and presented to the grand jury in December, when he was reindicted. Of the women the Janelle Grum Family Crisis Center of East Texas assisted in 2020, 36% were victims of some form of sexual assault, according to executive director Whitney Burran. The agency helped 37 individuals undergo a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners or SANE exam. According to the Texas Criminal Code, a person commits the offense of sexual assault if that person intentionally or knowingly causes: The penetration of an individuals anus or sexual organ without consent. The penetration of an individuals mouth with a sexual organ without consent. A persons sexual organ to contact or penetrate the mouth, anus or sexual organ of another person without consent. The same definition is applied for sex crimes against children. But these crimes also include anything related to child pornography and the solicitation of a minor. Consent cannot be obtained by the use of physical force, violence or coercion, according to state law. Consent cannot be obtained from people who are unable to understand the act is happening to them, whether they are drugged or mentally unable to grasp the situation, the law states. The World Health Organization, quoting a 2021 Landmark report, said globally: 1 in 3 women have experienced or do experience physical or sexual violence. Nearly 1 in 5 women have experienced completed or attempted rape in their lifetime. 1 in 3 experienced it between 11 and 17 years old; and 1 in 8 reported it occurred before they turned 10. The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network estimates that an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds. One in 6 American women have been the victim of attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. One in 33 men have experienced attempted or completed rape in his lifetime. A majority of child victims in the United States are between 12 and 17 years old. The Angelina County District Attorneys Office has 86 active indecency or sexual assault of a child cases listed in the latest Office of Court Administration report that was issued in November; 16 of the 86 were from 2021. It did not include two of Decembers indictments, which were for assaults against children. On Oct. 25, 2021, a 12-year-old Huntington child made an outcry to their mother about a sexual assault, according to an arrest affidavit issued by Justice of the Peace Pat Grimes Grubbs. The child told Huntington police that Keith Miles Ferguson, 34, of Lufkin, penetrated the child three different times between September 2020 and September 2021, the affidavit states. The child was scared to make an outcry because they were worried Ferguson would hurt their mother, police said. On Oct. 23, 2021, Ferguson also was accused of aggravated sexual assault of a child a neighborhood friend who was 13 at the time, according to another arrest affidavit issued by Grimes as a result of work by the Huntington Police Department. Ferguson was indicted by Decembers grand jury for continued sexual assault of a child and aggravated sexual assault of a child. The other was Gerald Hodge, 54, of Diboll, for the continuous sexual abuse of a child victim under 14, aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child by sexual contact. Lufkin police had been notified of 60 sex-related incidents in 2021 as of Dec. 17, 2021, 36 of which involved children, according to city of Lufkin communications director Jessica Pebsworth. Five of the 60 cases were found to be unfounded. Three cases were refused by a prosecutor and five were refused by the complainant. A vast majority of the outcries in District Attorney Janet Cassels experience are not false, she said. There are certainly occasions where the allegations may be questionable, Cassels said. I would say that for anybody who has to deal with that, whether it be in law enforcement or whether it be someone in prosecution, it is a valid inquiry. Everyone who is accused is not necessarily guilty. But outcries go through several hands; the police will review the situation, as can a SANE nurse and potentially a forensic interviewer before it is brought to prosecution. Twenty-six of the 60 cases are inactive or closed; inactive means no judgment has been entered but the defendant is not available for adjudication and the court cannot take further action, according to the Texas Judicial Branch website. There is no current case activity or investigative avenue (on the 26), but should new information arise, then the case would be revisited, Pebsworth said. Twenty-one of the 60 cases are active, pending investigation, cleared by arrest, have a warrant issued or were referred to another agency, Pebsworth said. The Angelina County District Attorneys office is working to prosecute 33 active sexual assault of an adult cases. Six of the 33 cases, including Cartwrights, were from 2021. For as many reports as have been made in Angelina County, and which are currently awaiting trial, many more are likely to have gone unreported. The Brennan Center in 2018, quoting a 2016 U.S. Justice Department analysis of violent crime, said nearly 80% of rapes and sexual assaults go unreported. If it is reported, victims will take years sometimes to report an incident, the New York Times also reported in connection with its coverage of Justice Brett Kavanaughs Senate Hearings ahead of his appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. Cassels made this point, too: Sometimes women are assaulted or abused in their relationships and they let it go on because they are dependent on their abuser. Children will struggle to come forward because of fear or because they dont know what to do about the situation in general, she said. Sometimes parents will fail to catch it or act because they, too, were abused and it goes on in a cycle, she said. This is a problem Cassels and her prosecutors have faced when attempting to push a case forward; even if women have made reports, a lot of times they will back off later. And while prosecutors may still move forward in those cases, even with victims who are unwilling to go through the case, it becomes much more difficult to prosecute, Cassels said. Local featured Sex assault a common crime, yet one most commonly unreported FERGUSON CARTWRIGHT HODGE EDITORS NOTE: This story contains graphic language. This is the first story in a series on crimes against women. A registered sex offender from Lufkin recently was indicted on three counts of sexual assault. He is one of 123 county residents awaiting trial for some form of sex crime. Ira Cartwright, 49, was indicted for a second time, this time by the latest grand jury on three counts of sexual assault and assault of a family or household member by impeding their breath or circulation. He was already one of Angelina Countys 335 registered sex offenders after he raped a 19-year-old woman in 2002. He was given a 15-year parole with mandatory supervision and was rated a low risk. On Feb. 21, 2020, a woman told Angelina County Sheriffs Office deputies Cartwright had been aggressive toward her earlier that day and she wanted him to leave her alone. She told detectives Cartwright does not ask for sex he takes it, an affidavit filed by the sheriffs office states. Cartwright was accused of choking the woman, forcing sex upon her and degrading her by using feces, the affidavit states. Deputies arrested Cartwright after the woman showed detectives injuries she reportedly sustained after the incident with Cartwright. A grand jury handed up an indictment just a few days later, in March 2020. The case was reevaluated and presented to the grand jury in December, when he was reindicted. Of the women the Janelle Grum Family Crisis Center of East Texas assisted in 2020, 36% were victims of some form of sexual assault, according to executive director Whitney Burran. The agency helped 37 individuals undergo a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners or SANE exam. According to the Texas Criminal Code, a person commits the offense of sexual assault if that person intentionally or knowingly causes: The penetration of an individuals anus or sexual organ without consent. The penetration of an individuals mouth with a sexual organ without consent. A persons sexual organ to contact or penetrate the mouth, anus or sexual organ of another person without consent. The same definition is applied for sex crimes against children. But these crimes also include anything related to child pornography and the solicitation of a minor. Consent cannot be obtained by the use of physical force, violence or coercion, according to state law. Consent cannot be obtained from people who are unable to understand the act is happening to them, whether they are drugged or mentally unable to grasp the situation, the law states. The World Health Organization, quoting a 2021 Landmark report, said globally: 1 in 3 women have experienced or do experience physical or sexual violence. Nearly 1 in 5 women have experienced completed or attempted rape in their lifetime. 1 in 3 experienced it between 11 and 17 years old; and 1 in 8 reported it occurred before they turned 10. The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network estimates that an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds. One in 6 American women have been the victim of attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. One in 33 men have experienced attempted or completed rape in his lifetime. A majority of child victims in the United States are between 12 and 17 years old. The Angelina County District Attorneys Office has 86 active indecency or sexual assault of a child cases listed in the latest Office of Court Administration report that was issued in November; 16 of the 86 were from 2021. It did not include two of Decembers indictments, which were for assaults against children. On Oct. 25, 2021, a 12-year-old Huntington child made an outcry to their mother about a sexual assault, according to an arrest affidavit issued by Justice of the Peace Pat Grimes Grubbs. The child told Huntington police that Keith Miles Ferguson, 34, of Lufkin, penetrated the child three different times between September 2020 and September 2021, the affidavit states. The child was scared to make an outcry because they were worried Ferguson would hurt their mother, police said. On Oct. 23, 2021, Ferguson also was accused of aggravated sexual assault of a child a neighborhood friend who was 13 at the time, according to another arrest affidavit issued by Grimes as a result of work by the Huntington Police Department. Ferguson was indicted by Decembers grand jury for continued sexual assault of a child and aggravated sexual assault of a child. The other was Gerald Hodge, 54, of Diboll, for the continuous sexual abuse of a child victim under 14, aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child by sexual contact. Lufkin police had been notified of 60 sex-related incidents in 2021 as of Dec. 17, 2021, 36 of which involved children, according to city of Lufkin communications director Jessica Pebsworth. Five of the 60 cases were found to be unfounded. Three cases were refused by a prosecutor and five were refused by the complainant. A vast majority of the outcries in District Attorney Janet Cassels experience are not false, she said. There are certainly occasions where the allegations may be questionable, Cassels said. I would say that for anybody who has to deal with that, whether it be in law enforcement or whether it be someone in prosecution, it is a valid inquiry. Everyone who is accused is not necessarily guilty. But outcries go through several hands; the police will review the situation, as can a SANE nurse and potentially a forensic interviewer before it is brought to prosecution. Twenty-six of the 60 cases are inactive or closed; inactive means no judgment has been entered but the defendant is not available for adjudication and the court cannot take further action, according to the Texas Judicial Branch website. There is no current case activity or investigative avenue (on the 26), but should new information arise, then the case would be revisited, Pebsworth said. Twenty-one of the 60 cases are active, pending investigation, cleared by arrest, have a warrant issued or were referred to another agency, Pebsworth said. The Angelina County District Attorneys office is working to prosecute 33 active sexual assault of an adult cases. Six of the 33 cases, including Cartwrights, were from 2021. For as many reports as have been made in Angelina County, and which are currently awaiting trial, many more are likely to have gone unreported. The Brennan Center in 2018, quoting a 2016 U.S. Justice Department analysis of violent crime, said nearly 80% of rapes and sexual assaults go unreported. If it is reported, victims will take years sometimes to report an incident, the New York Times also reported in connection with its coverage of Justice Brett Kavanaughs Senate Hearings ahead of his appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. Cassels made this point, too: Sometimes women are assaulted or abused in their relationships and they let it go on because they are dependent on their abuser. Children will struggle to come forward because of fear or because they dont know what to do about the situation in general, she said. Sometimes parents will fail to catch it or act because they, too, were abused and it goes on in a cycle, she said. This is a problem Cassels and her prosecutors have faced when attempting to push a case forward; even if women have made reports, a lot of times they will back off later. And while prosecutors may still move forward in those cases, even with victims who are unwilling to go through the case, it becomes much more difficult to prosecute, Cassels said. Sharon Varnado left her Little Woods neighborhood in New Orleans East three years ago, and she hasn't looked back. The sound of gunshots had grown familiar; so too, had reports of carjackings. And when burglars broke into a neighbor's house two blocks down, police took hours to respond to the call for help, as had been their norm for nonviolent crimes in that area. In short, her sliver of the East looked nothing like it did when she moved in nearly 50 years ago. Now, she lives in a gated community in Slidell. "It's totally different," Varnado said. "Don't get me wrong. Crime is everywhere. But I feel more at ease... like I might could go out of my house at night." An analysis of crime trends shows that carjackings and fatal shootings in the East have skyrocketed since 2018, causing concern for Varnado and other former and current residents, and complicating the East's prospects for economic development. Armed robberies there have also routinely outpaced the rest of the city, though they appear to be trending downward; residential break-ins, meanwhile, dropped recently to match the city's average after a 2014 peak. Meanwhile, residents say the understaffed New Orleans Police Department's slow response to calls for service in the East has emboldened the area's criminals. Indeed, an analysis of 911 calls by The Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate shows it takes NOPD twice as long to respond to emergency calls there than it does in the rest of the city. For nonemergencies such as non-life-threatening crimes that have already occurred residents of the East wait almost three times as long as the rest of the city waits. Crime-weary residents also blame an influx of lower-income residents to the area after Hurricane Katrina, and what residents describe as a half-hearted effort by city leaders to address the East's problems. The embattled NOPD, meanwhile, has said its struggle to find new officers has impacted all of its districts. The 7th District, which polices all of New Orleans East, faces special challenges because of its size, as a small crew of officers must cover a large area, Superintendent Shaun Ferguson acknowledged at a recent public hearing. City officials have offered no shortage of solutions to try and fill the gap: everything from empowering other city agencies to make arrests for small-time offenses, to tapping civilian counselors to respond to mental health calls, to carving up the 7th District so that officers have a smaller area to manage, an idea that hasn't yet gained traction. Pockets of crime To be sure, the East doesn't have a monopoly on crime in New Orleans. Even as there are neighborhoods where residents feel unsafe, there are posh subdivisions that ring man-made lakes and that are protected by private security. If police and journalists were more specific when describing crimes, "people will understand that the crimes that we do have and the excessive homicides that we do have are occurring in certain neighborhoods, just like in other sections of New Orleans," said Mtumishi St. Julien, a resident of the well-to-do Lake Bullard subdivision. It's true that in an area as large as New Orleans East, not all neighborhoods are experiencing similar crime rates. In any given year, at least a third of the area's carjackings occur in Little Woods. That neighborhood also typically accounts for between 30% and 40% of the fatal shootings in the East, with Pines Village making up another 15%. There's a similar concentration around Little Woods when it comes to armed robberies and burglaries. "I feel very safe living in the East, and I don't think the data really reflects the quality of life here," said City Council member Cyndi Nguyen, who represents the East and the Lower 9th Ward. Nguyen's father was the victim of a carjacking in 2019. But regardless of what's happening at the block level, an analysis that accounts for population size shows that the East when considered as a single area has an outsized share of the city's carjackings and fatal shootings. In this year alone, there have been roughly 13 carjackings for every 10,000 people. That's more than double the rate in the rest of the city, which saw about 5 incidents per 10,000 people, NOPD data show. The rate of carjackings in the East has more than tripled since 2018, when only four carjackings per 10,000 people occurred. For serious crimes other than carjackings, the disparities between the East and the rest of the city are not as glaring. So far this year, there have been about five fatal shootings for every 10,000 people, which is down from a 2020 peak of more than six. The rest of the city saw fewer than four fatal shootings for every 10,000 residents. Residential break-ins in the East have been on par with the rest of the city for at least the past two years. And while the East's armed robberies spiked in 2018 before falling dramatically in 2019 and 2020, a person is still more likely to get robbed there than they are in other parts of the city. Driving factors Experts say the high crime rates could owe to any number of factors. "A lot of it is kids trying to figure out who they are. And trying to get economic opportunities, but also trying to figure out their masculinity," said Michael Barton, an LSU associate professor of sociology and criminology. Carjackers, in particular, can be driven by a desire to improve their financial situations, or simply by rage, he said. But others say the area's anemic police presence has sparked a rise in criminal activity. "Because there is so much land to be policed, there were never enough officers to begin with," said Anthony Jackson, the president of the 7th District's Police Community Advisory Board. The East contains two-thirds of the city's land mass, though a great deal of it is undeveloped swampland and wilderness. Nguyen, who lost her bid for reelection to former council member Oliver Thomas last month, has urged NOPD to consider assigning more officers to the 7th District. She's also raised the idea of dividing the district into smaller pieces. +7 In New Orleans City Council District E race, candidates vow to bring economic development east New Orleans City Councilmember Cyndi Nguyen will face five contenders in a District E race that has showcased the need for economic developmen Ferguson, the police chief, said at a November hearing that the Industrial Canal complicates that idea, because officers tasked with patrolling both sides of the canal would be delayed in responding to calls for service. He also said the NOPD has added more recruits to the district in recent years. The force has struggled to mount a timely response, even with the 7th District intact. The median response time for emergency calls from the East is about 16 minutes, compared to eight minutes elsewhere in the city, an analysis of response data shows. For nonemergencies, residents wait about an hour for an officer to respond almost three times longer than the rest of the city. Demographic shifts blamed Some residents suspect the East's shifting demographics have influenced its crime trends. Today, the area's 27,500 households earn a median income of $33,000 per year, well below the city's $41,000 average. In 2003, the reverse was true: The East had a slightly higher median income than that of the rest of the city, $32,772 compared to $27,133. Put another way, the median income in the East hasn't changed in nearly two decades, while in the rest of the city, it's up by more than half. Of the area's nine main neighborhoods, five contain mostly renters, according to Census estimates compiled by the Data Center. In 2000, only three such neighborhoods were dominated by rentals. And after the city's largest public housing projects were converted to mixed-income apartments after Katrina, participation swelled in the Housing Authority of New Orleans' Section 8 program, which grants low-income residents vouchers to live in homes of their choice. Those holding vouchers often ended up in the East, residents point out. "We have the most subsidized housing out here, in the apartments," said Dawn Hebert, the president of the East New Orleans Neighborhood Advisory Commission, a coalition of eastern New Orleans neighborhoods. "It's unfortunate, because it's bringing our median income down when developers want to come to our community... and we do believe it contributes to the crime rate." While poverty can be a factor, residential turnover is perhaps an even larger driver, said Barton, the LSU criminologist. "When you have a strong sense of community, and people living in an area for longer, they are less likely to commit crimes in that area," he said. The debate over whether poverty equals criminality, and the not-in-my-backyard sentiments that it tends to inspire, has been raging in New Orleans East since at least the late 1980s, when HANO and the federal government increased the number of subsidized rentals. Many poorer residents moved eastward, according to a 1991 Times-Picayune article. No easy solutions Jackson, the police community board president, said police should forge better connections with the East's youngest residents to deter them from crime. Security personnel and other civilians should be allowed to make small-time arrests so that police don't have to, he said. The city has already begun moving in the latter direction, with the council pondering an ordinance would empower some city employees to exercise police powers in NOPD's absence. The council has also laid the groundwork for mental health professionals to eventually respond to calls for service from people experiencing mental health crises, tapping a task force this summer to study how best to accomplish that. Of the 70 new crime cameras installed across the city this year to help police stop and solve crimes, 22 were mounted in the East. Varnado, who lost her 47-year-old son, Shawn Brock, in January after he was shot near Crowder Boulevard and Interstate 10, said all of that is only valuable if it leads to a better police response. "I started feeling like, 'Y'all don't care about the East anymore?' Things are happening, but it's like, 'We will get to them when we get to them.'" Staff writer Jeff Adelson contributed to this story. This story is part of an occasional series chronicling efforts to bring new investment to New Orleans East. Children hold red lanterns during a New Year celebration at a kindergarten in Suining, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Liu Changsong/Xinhua) Children learn to make New Year decorations with their teacher at a kindergarten in Linyi, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Zhang Chunlei/Xinhua) Students perform lion dance to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Xinhua/Du Yu) Students pose for a group photo to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Xinhua) Students take a selfie with their teacher to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Xinhua) Children participate in a lion dance game to celebrate the New Year at a kindergarten in Xiangyang, central China's Hubei Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Yang Dong/Xinhua) Children perform dragon dance to celebrate the New Year at a kindergarten in Huzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Xie Shangguo/Xinhua) Children hold the Chinese character "Fu", meaning good luck in English, during a New Year celebration at a kindergarten in Neijiang, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Huang Zhenghua/Xinhua) Students show their paper cutting works at an elementary school in Qianxi, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Zhai Peisheng/Xinhua) Students hold red lanterns to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Sun Zhongzhe/Xinhua) Children show their paper cutting works at a kindergarten in Danzhai County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Huang Xiaohai/Xinhua) Students perform lion dance to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Liang Zidong/Xinhua) Pia Whitesell has enjoyed a lavish New Year's Eve with her husband, Patrick Whitesell. The former Home and Away star, and her multimillionaire Hollywood agent partner, headed out to Nobu in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where they are holidaying. The actress, 38, and her husband, 56, first did Covid tests, which Pia explained in her Instagram Stories had come back negative. Fun! Pia Whitesell has enjoyed a lavish New Year's Eve with her husband, Patrick Whitesell. The former Home and Away star, and her multimillionaire Hollywood agent partner, headed out to Nobu in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where they are holidaying. Both pictured She then showed off their delicious upmarket sushi dish, which the pair consumed on the deck of the trendy restaurant. The couple cuddled up for a sweet photo as they sat at a table with a seaside view in the background. Pia captioned that image with a simple, 'Happy New Year'. Negative: The actress, 38, and her husband, 56, first did Covid tests, which Pia explained in her Instagram Stories had come back negative Party island: Pia captioned that image with a simple, 'Happy New Year' Tasty! She then showed off their delicious upmarket sushi dish, which the pair consumed on the deck of the trendy restaurant While enjoying her vacation with Patrick, Pia stripped down to a tiny bikini to lap up the sun on Wednesday. The soap opera star looked sensational in her black bikini top and ribbed lilac bottoms. She captioned the post with red, white and green love heart emojis, the same colours as the Mexican flag. Swim fan: While enjoying her vacation with Patrick, Pia stripped down to a tiny bikini to lap up the sun on Wednesday Family: Her mother Angelica, brother Jesus and sister-in-law, Stephanie Loyola are also holidaying with Pia and Patrick in Cabo Her mother Angelica, brother Jesus and sister-in-law, Stephanie Loyola are also holidaying with Pia and Patrick in Cabo. Pia relocated from Sydney to Los Angeles to be with Patrick earlier this year. Pia, who played police officer Kat Chapman on Aussie soap opera Home and Away from 2015 and 2018, married Patrick in May. Pia Whitesell has enjoyed a lavish New Year's Eve with her husband, Patrick Whitesell. The former Home and Away star, and her multimillionaire Hollywood agent partner, headed out to Nobu in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where they are holidaying. The actress, 38, and her husband, 56, first did Covid tests, which Pia explained in her Instagram Stories had come back negative. Fun! Pia Whitesell has enjoyed a lavish New Year's Eve with her husband, Patrick Whitesell. The former Home and Away star, and her multimillionaire Hollywood agent partner, headed out to Nobu in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where they are holidaying. Both pictured She then showed off their delicious upmarket sushi dish, which the pair consumed on the deck of the trendy restaurant. The couple cuddled up for a sweet photo as they sat at a table with a seaside view in the background. Pia captioned that image with a simple, 'Happy New Year'. Negative: The actress, 38, and her husband, 56, first did Covid tests, which Pia explained in her Instagram Stories had come back negative Party island: Pia captioned that image with a simple, 'Happy New Year' Tasty! She then showed off their delicious upmarket sushi dish, which the pair consumed on the deck of the trendy restaurant While enjoying her vacation with Patrick, Pia stripped down to a tiny bikini to lap up the sun on Wednesday. The soap opera star looked sensational in her black bikini top and ribbed lilac bottoms. She captioned the post with red, white and green love heart emojis, the same colours as the Mexican flag. Swim fan: While enjoying her vacation with Patrick, Pia stripped down to a tiny bikini to lap up the sun on Wednesday Family: Her mother Angelica, brother Jesus and sister-in-law, Stephanie Loyola are also holidaying with Pia and Patrick in Cabo Her mother Angelica, brother Jesus and sister-in-law, Stephanie Loyola are also holidaying with Pia and Patrick in Cabo. Pia relocated from Sydney to Los Angeles to be with Patrick earlier this year. Pia, who played police officer Kat Chapman on Aussie soap opera Home and Away from 2015 and 2018, married Patrick in May. Pia Whitesell has enjoyed a lavish New Year's Eve with her husband, Patrick Whitesell. The former Home and Away star, and her multimillionaire Hollywood agent partner, headed out to Nobu in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where they are holidaying. The actress, 38, and her husband, 56, first did Covid tests, which Pia explained in her Instagram Stories had come back negative. Fun! Pia Whitesell has enjoyed a lavish New Year's Eve with her husband, Patrick Whitesell. The former Home and Away star, and her multimillionaire Hollywood agent partner, headed out to Nobu in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where they are holidaying. Both pictured She then showed off their delicious upmarket sushi dish, which the pair consumed on the deck of the trendy restaurant. The couple cuddled up for a sweet photo as they sat at a table with a seaside view in the background. Pia captioned that image with a simple, 'Happy New Year'. Negative: The actress, 38, and her husband, 56, first did Covid tests, which Pia explained in her Instagram Stories had come back negative Party island: Pia captioned that image with a simple, 'Happy New Year' Tasty! She then showed off their delicious upmarket sushi dish, which the pair consumed on the deck of the trendy restaurant While enjoying her vacation with Patrick, Pia stripped down to a tiny bikini to lap up the sun on Wednesday. The soap opera star looked sensational in her black bikini top and ribbed lilac bottoms. She captioned the post with red, white and green love heart emojis, the same colours as the Mexican flag. Swim fan: While enjoying her vacation with Patrick, Pia stripped down to a tiny bikini to lap up the sun on Wednesday Family: Her mother Angelica, brother Jesus and sister-in-law, Stephanie Loyola are also holidaying with Pia and Patrick in Cabo Her mother Angelica, brother Jesus and sister-in-law, Stephanie Loyola are also holidaying with Pia and Patrick in Cabo. Pia relocated from Sydney to Los Angeles to be with Patrick earlier this year. Pia, who played police officer Kat Chapman on Aussie soap opera Home and Away from 2015 and 2018, married Patrick in May. Pia Whitesell has enjoyed a lavish New Year's Eve with her husband, Patrick Whitesell. The former Home and Away star, and her multimillionaire Hollywood agent partner, headed out to Nobu in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where they are holidaying. The actress, 38, and her husband, 56, first did Covid tests, which Pia explained in her Instagram Stories had come back negative. Fun! Pia Whitesell has enjoyed a lavish New Year's Eve with her husband, Patrick Whitesell. The former Home and Away star, and her multimillionaire Hollywood agent partner, headed out to Nobu in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where they are holidaying. Both pictured She then showed off their delicious upmarket sushi dish, which the pair consumed on the deck of the trendy restaurant. The couple cuddled up for a sweet photo as they sat at a table with a seaside view in the background. Pia captioned that image with a simple, 'Happy New Year'. Negative: The actress, 38, and her husband, 56, first did Covid tests, which Pia explained in her Instagram Stories had come back negative Party island: Pia captioned that image with a simple, 'Happy New Year' Tasty! She then showed off their delicious upmarket sushi dish, which the pair consumed on the deck of the trendy restaurant While enjoying her vacation with Patrick, Pia stripped down to a tiny bikini to lap up the sun on Wednesday. The soap opera star looked sensational in her black bikini top and ribbed lilac bottoms. She captioned the post with red, white and green love heart emojis, the same colours as the Mexican flag. Swim fan: While enjoying her vacation with Patrick, Pia stripped down to a tiny bikini to lap up the sun on Wednesday Family: Her mother Angelica, brother Jesus and sister-in-law, Stephanie Loyola are also holidaying with Pia and Patrick in Cabo Her mother Angelica, brother Jesus and sister-in-law, Stephanie Loyola are also holidaying with Pia and Patrick in Cabo. Pia relocated from Sydney to Los Angeles to be with Patrick earlier this year. Pia, who played police officer Kat Chapman on Aussie soap opera Home and Away from 2015 and 2018, married Patrick in May. Sharon Varnado left her Little Woods neighborhood in New Orleans East three years ago, and she hasn't looked back. The sound of gunshots had grown familiar; so too, had reports of carjackings. And when burglars broke into a neighbor's house two blocks down, police took hours to respond to the call for help, as had been their norm for nonviolent crimes in that area. In short, her sliver of the East looked nothing like it did when she moved in nearly 50 years ago. Now, she lives in a gated community in Slidell. "It's totally different," Varnado said. "Don't get me wrong. Crime is everywhere. But I feel more at ease... like I might could go out of my house at night." An analysis of crime trends shows that carjackings and fatal shootings in the East have skyrocketed since 2018, causing concern for Varnado and other former and current residents, and complicating the East's prospects for economic development. Armed robberies there have also routinely outpaced the rest of the city, though they appear to be trending downward; residential break-ins, meanwhile, dropped recently to match the city's average after a 2014 peak. Meanwhile, residents say the understaffed New Orleans Police Department's slow response to calls for service in the East has emboldened the area's criminals. Indeed, an analysis of 911 calls by The Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate shows it takes NOPD twice as long to respond to emergency calls there than it does in the rest of the city. For nonemergencies such as non-life-threatening crimes that have already occurred residents of the East wait almost three times as long as the rest of the city waits. Crime-weary residents also blame an influx of lower-income residents to the area after Hurricane Katrina, and what residents describe as a half-hearted effort by city leaders to address the East's problems. The embattled NOPD, meanwhile, has said its struggle to find new officers has impacted all of its districts. The 7th District, which polices all of New Orleans East, faces special challenges because of its size, as a small crew of officers must cover a large area, Superintendent Shaun Ferguson acknowledged at a recent public hearing. City officials have offered no shortage of solutions to try and fill the gap: everything from empowering other city agencies to make arrests for small-time offenses, to tapping civilian counselors to respond to mental health calls, to carving up the 7th District so that officers have a smaller area to manage, an idea that hasn't yet gained traction. Pockets of crime To be sure, the East doesn't have a monopoly on crime in New Orleans. Even as there are neighborhoods where residents feel unsafe, there are posh subdivisions that ring man-made lakes and that are protected by private security. If police and journalists were more specific when describing crimes, "people will understand that the crimes that we do have and the excessive homicides that we do have are occurring in certain neighborhoods, just like in other sections of New Orleans," said Mtumishi St. Julien, a resident of the well-to-do Lake Bullard subdivision. It's true that in an area as large as New Orleans East, not all neighborhoods are experiencing similar crime rates. In any given year, at least a third of the area's carjackings occur in Little Woods. That neighborhood also typically accounts for between 30% and 40% of the fatal shootings in the East, with Pines Village making up another 15%. There's a similar concentration around Little Woods when it comes to armed robberies and burglaries. "I feel very safe living in the East, and I don't think the data really reflects the quality of life here," said City Council member Cyndi Nguyen, who represents the East and the Lower 9th Ward. Nguyen's father was the victim of a carjacking in 2019. But regardless of what's happening at the block level, an analysis that accounts for population size shows that the East when considered as a single area has an outsized share of the city's carjackings and fatal shootings. In this year alone, there have been roughly 13 carjackings for every 10,000 people. That's more than double the rate in the rest of the city, which saw about 5 incidents per 10,000 people, NOPD data show. The rate of carjackings in the East has more than tripled since 2018, when only four carjackings per 10,000 people occurred. For serious crimes other than carjackings, the disparities between the East and the rest of the city are not as glaring. So far this year, there have been about five fatal shootings for every 10,000 people, which is down from a 2020 peak of more than six. The rest of the city saw fewer than four fatal shootings for every 10,000 residents. Residential break-ins in the East have been on par with the rest of the city for at least the past two years. And while the East's armed robberies spiked in 2018 before falling dramatically in 2019 and 2020, a person is still more likely to get robbed there than they are in other parts of the city. Driving factors Experts say the high crime rates could owe to any number of factors. "A lot of it is kids trying to figure out who they are. And trying to get economic opportunities, but also trying to figure out their masculinity," said Michael Barton, an LSU associate professor of sociology and criminology. Carjackers, in particular, can be driven by a desire to improve their financial situations, or simply by rage, he said. But others say the area's anemic police presence has sparked a rise in criminal activity. "Because there is so much land to be policed, there were never enough officers to begin with," said Anthony Jackson, the president of the 7th District's Police Community Advisory Board. The East contains two-thirds of the city's land mass, though a great deal of it is undeveloped swampland and wilderness. Nguyen, who lost her bid for reelection to former council member Oliver Thomas last month, has urged NOPD to consider assigning more officers to the 7th District. She's also raised the idea of dividing the district into smaller pieces. +7 In New Orleans City Council District E race, candidates vow to bring economic development east New Orleans City Councilmember Cyndi Nguyen will face five contenders in a District E race that has showcased the need for economic developmen Ferguson, the police chief, said at a November hearing that the Industrial Canal complicates that idea, because officers tasked with patrolling both sides of the canal would be delayed in responding to calls for service. He also said the NOPD has added more recruits to the district in recent years. The force has struggled to mount a timely response, even with the 7th District intact. The median response time for emergency calls from the East is about 16 minutes, compared to eight minutes elsewhere in the city, an analysis of response data shows. For nonemergencies, residents wait about an hour for an officer to respond almost three times longer than the rest of the city. Demographic shifts blamed Some residents suspect the East's shifting demographics have influenced its crime trends. Today, the area's 27,500 households earn a median income of $33,000 per year, well below the city's $41,000 average. In 2003, the reverse was true: The East had a slightly higher median income than that of the rest of the city, $32,772 compared to $27,133. Put another way, the median income in the East hasn't changed in nearly two decades, while in the rest of the city, it's up by more than half. Of the area's nine main neighborhoods, five contain mostly renters, according to Census estimates compiled by the Data Center. In 2000, only three such neighborhoods were dominated by rentals. And after the city's largest public housing projects were converted to mixed-income apartments after Katrina, participation swelled in the Housing Authority of New Orleans' Section 8 program, which grants low-income residents vouchers to live in homes of their choice. Those holding vouchers often ended up in the East, residents point out. "We have the most subsidized housing out here, in the apartments," said Dawn Hebert, the president of the East New Orleans Neighborhood Advisory Commission, a coalition of eastern New Orleans neighborhoods. "It's unfortunate, because it's bringing our median income down when developers want to come to our community... and we do believe it contributes to the crime rate." While poverty can be a factor, residential turnover is perhaps an even larger driver, said Barton, the LSU criminologist. "When you have a strong sense of community, and people living in an area for longer, they are less likely to commit crimes in that area," he said. The debate over whether poverty equals criminality, and the not-in-my-backyard sentiments that it tends to inspire, has been raging in New Orleans East since at least the late 1980s, when HANO and the federal government increased the number of subsidized rentals. Many poorer residents moved eastward, according to a 1991 Times-Picayune article. No easy solutions Jackson, the police community board president, said police should forge better connections with the East's youngest residents to deter them from crime. Security personnel and other civilians should be allowed to make small-time arrests so that police don't have to, he said. The city has already begun moving in the latter direction, with the council pondering an ordinance would empower some city employees to exercise police powers in NOPD's absence. The council has also laid the groundwork for mental health professionals to eventually respond to calls for service from people experiencing mental health crises, tapping a task force this summer to study how best to accomplish that. Of the 70 new crime cameras installed across the city this year to help police stop and solve crimes, 22 were mounted in the East. Varnado, who lost her 47-year-old son, Shawn Brock, in January after he was shot near Crowder Boulevard and Interstate 10, said all of that is only valuable if it leads to a better police response. "I started feeling like, 'Y'all don't care about the East anymore?' Things are happening, but it's like, 'We will get to them when we get to them.'" Staff writer Jeff Adelson contributed to this story. This story is part of an occasional series chronicling efforts to bring new investment to New Orleans East. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/north-koreas-leader-reportedly-says-2022-to-be-year-of-great-struggle-1091959846.html Kim Jong-un Warns 2022 Will Be Year of 'Great Life-And-Death Struggle' Kim Jong-un Warns 2022 Will Be Year of 'Great Life-And-Death Struggle' In his closing speech of the year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called 2021 the year of a great victory of his compatriots, adding that 2022 will be the year of a "life-and-death" struggle. 2022-01-01T10:36+0000 2022-01-01T10:36+0000 2022-01-01T11:16+0000 north korea struggle kim jong-un /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/08/14/1083670902_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_ca6a7652fb743234ac9ab8e6cd0f0182.jpg North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's lack of focus on the United States, South Korea and nuclear weapons in a speech delivered on New Year's Eve has triggered speculations. Speaking at the end of the fourth plenary session of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of North Korea (WPK) of the eighth convocation, held from 27 to 31 December, Kim Jong-un focused on the domestic agenda, including a plan for rural development, tractor factories, school uniforms and the need to crack down on "non-socialist practices", according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KSNA). According to KSNA, the WPK discussed the country's budget for 2022, the results of 2021 and plans for the coming year, agriculture, and changes in the WPK charter.The speech, which came as the nation marked the North Korean leaders 10th year in power after his father Kim Jong Ils death in 2011, is said to have laid out the countrys main goals for 2022 as boosting economic development and improving people's lives in the face of a "great life-and-death struggle".While previously Kim Jong Un had used such end-of-year addresses for delivering major policy announcements, this time no specific mention of the US was made.Talks between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled since 2019, with the US calling for North Korea to step away from its nuclear programme but reluctant to first offer sanctions relief, causing the deal to fall apart.Only passing mention in Kims latest speech was made of inter-Korean relations or South Koreas push for a declaration to formally end the 1950-1953 Korean War as a way to restart negotiations, added the official media of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).Last month marked an important development for the Korean peninsula. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in December that his country, China, North Korea, and the United States had agreed in principle to a declaration putting an end to the Korean War, which de facto ended in 1953. This occurred after the US and Democratic People's Republic of Korea ratified an armistice without signing a peace treaty. However, the Korean peninsula is still formally in a state of war until a peace treaty is signed.It was domestic challenges the speech targeted, where North Koreas self-imposed anti-pandemic border lockdown back in January 2020 to prevent the spread of Covid-19 from China left the nation ever more isolated. The United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization, other international aid groups have been warning of possible food shortages and a humanitarian crisis in North Korea.Military issues were highlighted in Kims speech by Saturday's state media as well. Thus, they cited development of "one ultra-modern weapon system after another" in the course of 2021, as the North Korean leader called for production of powerful, modern weapons systems to improve the military forces. Kim also urged the military's "absolute loyalty and allegiance" to the ruling party led by him, according to KCNA.The tractor factory mentioned by Kim was speculated by foreign analysts as being likely used to build launch vehicles for missiles.The United States earlier said it is ready to engage in dialogue with North Korea regarding denuclearisation without preconditions. Kim, for his part, outlined in June that his country must be ready for "both dialogue and confrontation" with Washington.Nuclear talks between the US and North Korea were launched by ex-President Donald Trump, yet failed to materialise in a deal in 2019. Throughout 2021 Pyongyang has occasionally tested new weapons systems that were said to include long-range cruise missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads to all of South Korea and most of Japan, along with a new submarine-launched ballistic missile. Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International north korea, new year, struggle, kim jong un's speech In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. Children hold red lanterns during a New Year celebration at a kindergarten in Suining, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Liu Changsong/Xinhua) Children learn to make New Year decorations with their teacher at a kindergarten in Linyi, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Zhang Chunlei/Xinhua) Students perform lion dance to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Xinhua/Du Yu) Students pose for a group photo to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Xinhua) Students take a selfie with their teacher to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Xinhua) Children participate in a lion dance game to celebrate the New Year at a kindergarten in Xiangyang, central China's Hubei Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Yang Dong/Xinhua) Children perform dragon dance to celebrate the New Year at a kindergarten in Huzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Xie Shangguo/Xinhua) Children hold the Chinese character "Fu", meaning good luck in English, during a New Year celebration at a kindergarten in Neijiang, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Huang Zhenghua/Xinhua) Students show their paper cutting works at an elementary school in Qianxi, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Zhai Peisheng/Xinhua) Students hold red lanterns to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Sun Zhongzhe/Xinhua) Children show their paper cutting works at a kindergarten in Danzhai County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Huang Xiaohai/Xinhua) Students perform lion dance to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Liang Zidong/Xinhua) In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. Local featured Sex assault a common crime, yet one most commonly unreported FERGUSON CARTWRIGHT HODGE EDITORS NOTE: This story contains graphic language. This is the first story in a series on crimes against women. A registered sex offender from Lufkin recently was indicted on three counts of sexual assault. He is one of 123 county residents awaiting trial for some form of sex crime. Ira Cartwright, 49, was indicted for a second time, this time by the latest grand jury on three counts of sexual assault and assault of a family or household member by impeding their breath or circulation. He was already one of Angelina Countys 335 registered sex offenders after he raped a 19-year-old woman in 2002. He was given a 15-year parole with mandatory supervision and was rated a low risk. On Feb. 21, 2020, a woman told Angelina County Sheriffs Office deputies Cartwright had been aggressive toward her earlier that day and she wanted him to leave her alone. She told detectives Cartwright does not ask for sex he takes it, an affidavit filed by the sheriffs office states. Cartwright was accused of choking the woman, forcing sex upon her and degrading her by using feces, the affidavit states. Deputies arrested Cartwright after the woman showed detectives injuries she reportedly sustained after the incident with Cartwright. A grand jury handed up an indictment just a few days later, in March 2020. The case was reevaluated and presented to the grand jury in December, when he was reindicted. Of the women the Janelle Grum Family Crisis Center of East Texas assisted in 2020, 36% were victims of some form of sexual assault, according to executive director Whitney Burran. The agency helped 37 individuals undergo a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners or SANE exam. According to the Texas Criminal Code, a person commits the offense of sexual assault if that person intentionally or knowingly causes: The penetration of an individuals anus or sexual organ without consent. The penetration of an individuals mouth with a sexual organ without consent. A persons sexual organ to contact or penetrate the mouth, anus or sexual organ of another person without consent. The same definition is applied for sex crimes against children. But these crimes also include anything related to child pornography and the solicitation of a minor. Consent cannot be obtained by the use of physical force, violence or coercion, according to state law. Consent cannot be obtained from people who are unable to understand the act is happening to them, whether they are drugged or mentally unable to grasp the situation, the law states. The World Health Organization, quoting a 2021 Landmark report, said globally: 1 in 3 women have experienced or do experience physical or sexual violence. Nearly 1 in 5 women have experienced completed or attempted rape in their lifetime. 1 in 3 experienced it between 11 and 17 years old; and 1 in 8 reported it occurred before they turned 10. The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network estimates that an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds. One in 6 American women have been the victim of attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. One in 33 men have experienced attempted or completed rape in his lifetime. A majority of child victims in the United States are between 12 and 17 years old. The Angelina County District Attorneys Office has 86 active indecency or sexual assault of a child cases listed in the latest Office of Court Administration report that was issued in November; 16 of the 86 were from 2021. It did not include two of Decembers indictments, which were for assaults against children. On Oct. 25, 2021, a 12-year-old Huntington child made an outcry to their mother about a sexual assault, according to an arrest affidavit issued by Justice of the Peace Pat Grimes Grubbs. The child told Huntington police that Keith Miles Ferguson, 34, of Lufkin, penetrated the child three different times between September 2020 and September 2021, the affidavit states. The child was scared to make an outcry because they were worried Ferguson would hurt their mother, police said. On Oct. 23, 2021, Ferguson also was accused of aggravated sexual assault of a child a neighborhood friend who was 13 at the time, according to another arrest affidavit issued by Grimes as a result of work by the Huntington Police Department. Ferguson was indicted by Decembers grand jury for continued sexual assault of a child and aggravated sexual assault of a child. The other was Gerald Hodge, 54, of Diboll, for the continuous sexual abuse of a child victim under 14, aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child by sexual contact. Lufkin police had been notified of 60 sex-related incidents in 2021 as of Dec. 17, 2021, 36 of which involved children, according to city of Lufkin communications director Jessica Pebsworth. Five of the 60 cases were found to be unfounded. Three cases were refused by a prosecutor and five were refused by the complainant. A vast majority of the outcries in District Attorney Janet Cassels experience are not false, she said. There are certainly occasions where the allegations may be questionable, Cassels said. I would say that for anybody who has to deal with that, whether it be in law enforcement or whether it be someone in prosecution, it is a valid inquiry. Everyone who is accused is not necessarily guilty. But outcries go through several hands; the police will review the situation, as can a SANE nurse and potentially a forensic interviewer before it is brought to prosecution. Twenty-six of the 60 cases are inactive or closed; inactive means no judgment has been entered but the defendant is not available for adjudication and the court cannot take further action, according to the Texas Judicial Branch website. There is no current case activity or investigative avenue (on the 26), but should new information arise, then the case would be revisited, Pebsworth said. Twenty-one of the 60 cases are active, pending investigation, cleared by arrest, have a warrant issued or were referred to another agency, Pebsworth said. The Angelina County District Attorneys office is working to prosecute 33 active sexual assault of an adult cases. Six of the 33 cases, including Cartwrights, were from 2021. For as many reports as have been made in Angelina County, and which are currently awaiting trial, many more are likely to have gone unreported. The Brennan Center in 2018, quoting a 2016 U.S. Justice Department analysis of violent crime, said nearly 80% of rapes and sexual assaults go unreported. If it is reported, victims will take years sometimes to report an incident, the New York Times also reported in connection with its coverage of Justice Brett Kavanaughs Senate Hearings ahead of his appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. Cassels made this point, too: Sometimes women are assaulted or abused in their relationships and they let it go on because they are dependent on their abuser. Children will struggle to come forward because of fear or because they dont know what to do about the situation in general, she said. Sometimes parents will fail to catch it or act because they, too, were abused and it goes on in a cycle, she said. This is a problem Cassels and her prosecutors have faced when attempting to push a case forward; even if women have made reports, a lot of times they will back off later. And while prosecutors may still move forward in those cases, even with victims who are unwilling to go through the case, it becomes much more difficult to prosecute, Cassels said. Local featured Sex assault a common crime, yet one most commonly unreported FERGUSON CARTWRIGHT HODGE EDITORS NOTE: This story contains graphic language. This is the first story in a series on crimes against women. A registered sex offender from Lufkin recently was indicted on three counts of sexual assault. He is one of 123 county residents awaiting trial for some form of sex crime. Ira Cartwright, 49, was indicted for a second time, this time by the latest grand jury on three counts of sexual assault and assault of a family or household member by impeding their breath or circulation. He was already one of Angelina Countys 335 registered sex offenders after he raped a 19-year-old woman in 2002. He was given a 15-year parole with mandatory supervision and was rated a low risk. On Feb. 21, 2020, a woman told Angelina County Sheriffs Office deputies Cartwright had been aggressive toward her earlier that day and she wanted him to leave her alone. She told detectives Cartwright does not ask for sex he takes it, an affidavit filed by the sheriffs office states. Cartwright was accused of choking the woman, forcing sex upon her and degrading her by using feces, the affidavit states. Deputies arrested Cartwright after the woman showed detectives injuries she reportedly sustained after the incident with Cartwright. A grand jury handed up an indictment just a few days later, in March 2020. The case was reevaluated and presented to the grand jury in December, when he was reindicted. Of the women the Janelle Grum Family Crisis Center of East Texas assisted in 2020, 36% were victims of some form of sexual assault, according to executive director Whitney Burran. The agency helped 37 individuals undergo a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners or SANE exam. According to the Texas Criminal Code, a person commits the offense of sexual assault if that person intentionally or knowingly causes: The penetration of an individuals anus or sexual organ without consent. The penetration of an individuals mouth with a sexual organ without consent. A persons sexual organ to contact or penetrate the mouth, anus or sexual organ of another person without consent. The same definition is applied for sex crimes against children. But these crimes also include anything related to child pornography and the solicitation of a minor. Consent cannot be obtained by the use of physical force, violence or coercion, according to state law. Consent cannot be obtained from people who are unable to understand the act is happening to them, whether they are drugged or mentally unable to grasp the situation, the law states. The World Health Organization, quoting a 2021 Landmark report, said globally: 1 in 3 women have experienced or do experience physical or sexual violence. Nearly 1 in 5 women have experienced completed or attempted rape in their lifetime. 1 in 3 experienced it between 11 and 17 years old; and 1 in 8 reported it occurred before they turned 10. The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network estimates that an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds. One in 6 American women have been the victim of attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. One in 33 men have experienced attempted or completed rape in his lifetime. A majority of child victims in the United States are between 12 and 17 years old. The Angelina County District Attorneys Office has 86 active indecency or sexual assault of a child cases listed in the latest Office of Court Administration report that was issued in November; 16 of the 86 were from 2021. It did not include two of Decembers indictments, which were for assaults against children. On Oct. 25, 2021, a 12-year-old Huntington child made an outcry to their mother about a sexual assault, according to an arrest affidavit issued by Justice of the Peace Pat Grimes Grubbs. The child told Huntington police that Keith Miles Ferguson, 34, of Lufkin, penetrated the child three different times between September 2020 and September 2021, the affidavit states. The child was scared to make an outcry because they were worried Ferguson would hurt their mother, police said. On Oct. 23, 2021, Ferguson also was accused of aggravated sexual assault of a child a neighborhood friend who was 13 at the time, according to another arrest affidavit issued by Grimes as a result of work by the Huntington Police Department. Ferguson was indicted by Decembers grand jury for continued sexual assault of a child and aggravated sexual assault of a child. The other was Gerald Hodge, 54, of Diboll, for the continuous sexual abuse of a child victim under 14, aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child by sexual contact. Lufkin police had been notified of 60 sex-related incidents in 2021 as of Dec. 17, 2021, 36 of which involved children, according to city of Lufkin communications director Jessica Pebsworth. Five of the 60 cases were found to be unfounded. Three cases were refused by a prosecutor and five were refused by the complainant. A vast majority of the outcries in District Attorney Janet Cassels experience are not false, she said. There are certainly occasions where the allegations may be questionable, Cassels said. I would say that for anybody who has to deal with that, whether it be in law enforcement or whether it be someone in prosecution, it is a valid inquiry. Everyone who is accused is not necessarily guilty. But outcries go through several hands; the police will review the situation, as can a SANE nurse and potentially a forensic interviewer before it is brought to prosecution. Twenty-six of the 60 cases are inactive or closed; inactive means no judgment has been entered but the defendant is not available for adjudication and the court cannot take further action, according to the Texas Judicial Branch website. There is no current case activity or investigative avenue (on the 26), but should new information arise, then the case would be revisited, Pebsworth said. Twenty-one of the 60 cases are active, pending investigation, cleared by arrest, have a warrant issued or were referred to another agency, Pebsworth said. The Angelina County District Attorneys office is working to prosecute 33 active sexual assault of an adult cases. Six of the 33 cases, including Cartwrights, were from 2021. For as many reports as have been made in Angelina County, and which are currently awaiting trial, many more are likely to have gone unreported. The Brennan Center in 2018, quoting a 2016 U.S. Justice Department analysis of violent crime, said nearly 80% of rapes and sexual assaults go unreported. If it is reported, victims will take years sometimes to report an incident, the New York Times also reported in connection with its coverage of Justice Brett Kavanaughs Senate Hearings ahead of his appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. Cassels made this point, too: Sometimes women are assaulted or abused in their relationships and they let it go on because they are dependent on their abuser. Children will struggle to come forward because of fear or because they dont know what to do about the situation in general, she said. Sometimes parents will fail to catch it or act because they, too, were abused and it goes on in a cycle, she said. This is a problem Cassels and her prosecutors have faced when attempting to push a case forward; even if women have made reports, a lot of times they will back off later. And while prosecutors may still move forward in those cases, even with victims who are unwilling to go through the case, it becomes much more difficult to prosecute, Cassels said. Local featured Sex assault a common crime, yet one most commonly unreported FERGUSON CARTWRIGHT HODGE EDITORS NOTE: This story contains graphic language. This is the first story in a series on crimes against women. A registered sex offender from Lufkin recently was indicted on three counts of sexual assault. He is one of 123 county residents awaiting trial for some form of sex crime. Ira Cartwright, 49, was indicted for a second time, this time by the latest grand jury on three counts of sexual assault and assault of a family or household member by impeding their breath or circulation. He was already one of Angelina Countys 335 registered sex offenders after he raped a 19-year-old woman in 2002. He was given a 15-year parole with mandatory supervision and was rated a low risk. On Feb. 21, 2020, a woman told Angelina County Sheriffs Office deputies Cartwright had been aggressive toward her earlier that day and she wanted him to leave her alone. She told detectives Cartwright does not ask for sex he takes it, an affidavit filed by the sheriffs office states. Cartwright was accused of choking the woman, forcing sex upon her and degrading her by using feces, the affidavit states. Deputies arrested Cartwright after the woman showed detectives injuries she reportedly sustained after the incident with Cartwright. A grand jury handed up an indictment just a few days later, in March 2020. The case was reevaluated and presented to the grand jury in December, when he was reindicted. Of the women the Janelle Grum Family Crisis Center of East Texas assisted in 2020, 36% were victims of some form of sexual assault, according to executive director Whitney Burran. The agency helped 37 individuals undergo a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners or SANE exam. According to the Texas Criminal Code, a person commits the offense of sexual assault if that person intentionally or knowingly causes: The penetration of an individuals anus or sexual organ without consent. The penetration of an individuals mouth with a sexual organ without consent. A persons sexual organ to contact or penetrate the mouth, anus or sexual organ of another person without consent. The same definition is applied for sex crimes against children. But these crimes also include anything related to child pornography and the solicitation of a minor. Consent cannot be obtained by the use of physical force, violence or coercion, according to state law. Consent cannot be obtained from people who are unable to understand the act is happening to them, whether they are drugged or mentally unable to grasp the situation, the law states. The World Health Organization, quoting a 2021 Landmark report, said globally: 1 in 3 women have experienced or do experience physical or sexual violence. Nearly 1 in 5 women have experienced completed or attempted rape in their lifetime. 1 in 3 experienced it between 11 and 17 years old; and 1 in 8 reported it occurred before they turned 10. The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network estimates that an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds. One in 6 American women have been the victim of attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. One in 33 men have experienced attempted or completed rape in his lifetime. A majority of child victims in the United States are between 12 and 17 years old. The Angelina County District Attorneys Office has 86 active indecency or sexual assault of a child cases listed in the latest Office of Court Administration report that was issued in November; 16 of the 86 were from 2021. It did not include two of Decembers indictments, which were for assaults against children. On Oct. 25, 2021, a 12-year-old Huntington child made an outcry to their mother about a sexual assault, according to an arrest affidavit issued by Justice of the Peace Pat Grimes Grubbs. The child told Huntington police that Keith Miles Ferguson, 34, of Lufkin, penetrated the child three different times between September 2020 and September 2021, the affidavit states. The child was scared to make an outcry because they were worried Ferguson would hurt their mother, police said. On Oct. 23, 2021, Ferguson also was accused of aggravated sexual assault of a child a neighborhood friend who was 13 at the time, according to another arrest affidavit issued by Grimes as a result of work by the Huntington Police Department. Ferguson was indicted by Decembers grand jury for continued sexual assault of a child and aggravated sexual assault of a child. The other was Gerald Hodge, 54, of Diboll, for the continuous sexual abuse of a child victim under 14, aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child by sexual contact. Lufkin police had been notified of 60 sex-related incidents in 2021 as of Dec. 17, 2021, 36 of which involved children, according to city of Lufkin communications director Jessica Pebsworth. Five of the 60 cases were found to be unfounded. Three cases were refused by a prosecutor and five were refused by the complainant. A vast majority of the outcries in District Attorney Janet Cassels experience are not false, she said. There are certainly occasions where the allegations may be questionable, Cassels said. I would say that for anybody who has to deal with that, whether it be in law enforcement or whether it be someone in prosecution, it is a valid inquiry. Everyone who is accused is not necessarily guilty. But outcries go through several hands; the police will review the situation, as can a SANE nurse and potentially a forensic interviewer before it is brought to prosecution. Twenty-six of the 60 cases are inactive or closed; inactive means no judgment has been entered but the defendant is not available for adjudication and the court cannot take further action, according to the Texas Judicial Branch website. There is no current case activity or investigative avenue (on the 26), but should new information arise, then the case would be revisited, Pebsworth said. Twenty-one of the 60 cases are active, pending investigation, cleared by arrest, have a warrant issued or were referred to another agency, Pebsworth said. The Angelina County District Attorneys office is working to prosecute 33 active sexual assault of an adult cases. Six of the 33 cases, including Cartwrights, were from 2021. For as many reports as have been made in Angelina County, and which are currently awaiting trial, many more are likely to have gone unreported. The Brennan Center in 2018, quoting a 2016 U.S. Justice Department analysis of violent crime, said nearly 80% of rapes and sexual assaults go unreported. If it is reported, victims will take years sometimes to report an incident, the New York Times also reported in connection with its coverage of Justice Brett Kavanaughs Senate Hearings ahead of his appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. Cassels made this point, too: Sometimes women are assaulted or abused in their relationships and they let it go on because they are dependent on their abuser. Children will struggle to come forward because of fear or because they dont know what to do about the situation in general, she said. Sometimes parents will fail to catch it or act because they, too, were abused and it goes on in a cycle, she said. This is a problem Cassels and her prosecutors have faced when attempting to push a case forward; even if women have made reports, a lot of times they will back off later. And while prosecutors may still move forward in those cases, even with victims who are unwilling to go through the case, it becomes much more difficult to prosecute, Cassels said. In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. In this image provided by The White House, President Joe Biden speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone from his private residence in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP) Senior Leaders Will Lead Geneva Talks Following USRussia Escalation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will lead security talks between the two nations in Geneva on Jan. 10 as international pressure mounts on Russia to deescalate tensions along the Ukraine border. On Dec. 30, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation following Moscows request to constructively resolve issues based on mutual national interests. Russia has amassed 60,000 to 90,000 troops along the Ukraine border, alarming European powers and the NATO alliance. Putin is seeking legally binding security guarantees from NATO regarding weapons deployment and other expansions along its eastern border. During the talks, we will seek firm legal guarantees on Russias security from the U.S. side, namely that NATO will not move eastwards and that weapons systems threatening Russia will not be deployed near our borders, Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a briefing on Dec. 30. Meanwhile, during the recent 50-minute talk, Biden warned Putin that he may invoke sanctions along with an escalation of a U.S. presence if an attack is made on Ukraine. Moscow, which annexed the Crimea region in Ukraine in 2014, supports pro-Russian separatist forces within Ukraine who have been waging an almost eight-year-old war against Kyivs forces. I made clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves, if he goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe, with our NATO allies, and there will be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters as he left a Wilmington, Delaware, restaurant. More talks are expected in January and the leaders are looking for ways to solve the current predicament. Both leaders acknowledged that there were likely to be areas where we could make meaningful progress as well as areas where agreements may be impossible, a senior administration official told Reuters. The upcoming talks would determine more precisely the contours of each of those categories. Putin has made it clear that any sanctions that could include cutting Russia off the global financial system would receive an immediate response, and could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Biden was to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 2; officials said they would discuss the border crisis along with territorial integrity and preparations for possible engagements with Russia. As we have agreed with our Strategic Partner [the United States], nothing about [Ukraine] without [Ukraine]. Look forward to talking again with [Biden] this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe, Zelensky wrote in a tweet on Dec. 31. While Ukraine wants to join NATO, the alliance claims the country has a long way to go before gaining membership, including internal reforms and implementing the rule of law. In addition, NATO would be stretched thin, and further resources would be needed to maintain security along Ukraines borders. Russia will hold a session with NATO on Jan. 12 and a more comprehensive meeting including the United States, Ukraine, and other European nations on Jan. 13 in Vienna. Children hold red lanterns during a New Year celebration at a kindergarten in Suining, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Liu Changsong/Xinhua) Children learn to make New Year decorations with their teacher at a kindergarten in Linyi, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Zhang Chunlei/Xinhua) Students perform lion dance to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Xinhua/Du Yu) Students pose for a group photo to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Xinhua) Students take a selfie with their teacher to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Xinhua) Children participate in a lion dance game to celebrate the New Year at a kindergarten in Xiangyang, central China's Hubei Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Yang Dong/Xinhua) Children perform dragon dance to celebrate the New Year at a kindergarten in Huzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Xie Shangguo/Xinhua) Children hold the Chinese character "Fu", meaning good luck in English, during a New Year celebration at a kindergarten in Neijiang, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Huang Zhenghua/Xinhua) Students show their paper cutting works at an elementary school in Qianxi, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Zhai Peisheng/Xinhua) Students hold red lanterns to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Sun Zhongzhe/Xinhua) Children show their paper cutting works at a kindergarten in Danzhai County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Huang Xiaohai/Xinhua) Students perform lion dance to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Liang Zidong/Xinhua) A prevailing concern has been an unevenness in reaping the benefits of growth. The Nashville Scene, the citys alternative newspaper, started selling a T-shirt declaring RIP Old Nashville with a lengthy lineup of music venues and beloved haunts that have not survived. Second Avenue has not been immune: One fixture, B.B. Kings Blues Club, is not returning. Old Spaghetti Factory, a restaurant that opened there in 1979, had its lease terminated by its landlord. Im not totally sure we can afford to be downtown, said Dean Griffith, the president of the company. Its really expensive right now. Mayor Cooper said that affordable housing has been a priority. Tens of millions of dollars have been allocated to build or improve affordable housing developments, much of it located in the citys core. Activists have been advocating for more, as rampant gentrification and a soaring cost of living has had a disproportionate impact on working class and minority communities. Even as Nashvilles population has climbed, surpassing Memphis as Tennessees most populous city as it reached about 700,000 residents, the African American population has spiraled downward by 20 percentage points or more in some historically Black neighborhoods. Black people are not sharing in the prosperity, said Jessica Williams, the communications director for the Equity Alliance, an organization advocating for more opportunity and a better quality of life. In North Nashville, her neighborhood and a cultural hub for Black life in the city, she has seen new houses cropping up that are too expensive for most residents already in the neighborhood. Many of the newcomers she sees are white. New Delhi, Jan 1 : During the peak of the pandemic last year, while revisiting his archives, and going through his work of more than half a decade, he chanced upon numerous photographs of filmmaker Satyajit Ray who he had shot extensively in Kolkata. For photographer Raghu Rai, it was a revelation of kinds, seeing the many unused pictures of Ray in different moods, shades and tones. It was also the great filmmaker's centenary year. When Rai showed these photographs to his writer and art curator friend Ina Puri, who was visiting, she said that it called for a book. And thus was born the recently released book 'Satyajit Ray'. Puri also wrote the book's introduction. "Also, many unused photographs that I took of Satyajit Ray in his house were underexposed and underdeveloped as well. But thanks to digital technology, as long as you have an image, it can be brought to life. It was an amazing experience -- seeing the enigmatic Ray 'emerging' in so many shades," he tells IANS. Rai had met Ray in Delhi twice before he decided to shoot him in Calcutta, but he remembers his encounter with him during the National Awards ceremony, where the filmmaker was carrying several awards. "I asked him if he needed help carrying so many things. He laughed - 'Well, not in this case.'" Though Rai had could spend just two days with Ray in Calcutta, shooting him at a film set, he could manage enough material for more than one book. "Even today, I am an extremely hungry photographer. When I am shooting, taking a meal break is also a waste of time," says the photographer. Remembering the evening spent on the ghats of Ganga with him, Rai recalls, "He got ready in his usual attire. As we were on the location, an idol of Durga surfaced. Now it was not the pujo time. So you see, all you have to do is ask the universe for the extraordinary." Rai, who has shot and produced books on Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa and major Indian classical musicians, among others, insists that one does not have to be gifted to produce remarkable pictures of such people. "How can I give myself credit when such personalities have an incredible persona and an aura that is almost divine.." Talk to him about the 'internal preparation' before shooting great masters, and he laughs, "It is all about going by your instinct. For me - to perceive, receive and respond articulately is a language. Sometimes people look at some of my important works and ask me what I was thinking at the time of taking those pictures. I say I wasn't thinking. I only feel and respond. Thinking is what politicians do. An artist can begin with an idea or a concept, but things evolve, the thinking goes away and the divine energy completes the process. So this is what is good about creativity. You wait for the energy to give you darshan." Rai feels that in contemporary times, "everybody has become a photographer" and digital technology, despite its advantages can also be very dangerous. "All you have to do is put the camera in auto-focus. Even mobile phone cameras have become sophisticated. It is not tough to take a beautiful photograph anymore... but where is the soul, the spirit in the picture?" Rai, who still makes it a point to go on the ground and capture major events like the CAA protests and the farmers' agitation stresses that it is important to be concerned and involved. "When Indira Gandhi lost and I captured an important photograph, some people asked me where my loyalties lay, after all, she gave me the Padma Shri. But then, I was given the award for my work during the 1971 war. My only dharma is to capture the truth." Currently working on a book on global warming, on which he also plans to hold an exhibition, Rai says, "I have worked on cyclones and floods. and so much more. Besides, my archives have thrown up material for more than 10 books." Ina Puri adds about the book 'Satyajit Ray', "For a writer, what could be more satisfying than chronicling Raghu Rai's experience as he shot Ray, his favourite filmmaker. I feel privileged to be part of the project." (Sukant Deepak can be contacted at sukant.d@ians.in) BEIJING, Jan. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Back in the 1980s, China allowed some people to get rich first to help others gradually achieve the national goal of common prosperity. Now common prosperity is the priority route to delivering happiness to all the people. In 2021, China realized the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects (known as "Xiaokang" in Chinese) and got off to a good start during the 14th Five-Year Plan (FYP) period (2021-2025). Seeking happiness for the people: China's journey to common prosperity "To ensure that everyone leads a better life, we must never rest on what we have achieved, and there is still a long way to go," Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his New Year address on Friday. Following the blueprint In the first year of the 14th FYP period, China implemented the blueprint with a focus on the people-centered philosophy and prioritized efforts to foster a new development paradigm, strengthen the role of innovation, and advance the green transformation of the social and economic development. The people-centered philosophy has been the key to China's remarkable achievements in the past decades and will guide the country toward common prosperity. After eliminating extreme poverty across the country and accomplishing the "Xiaokang" goal, China embarked on a new journey toward socialist modernization and national rejuvenation. "On the journey ahead, we must rely closely on the people to create history," Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said in a speech at a gathering marking the centenary of the CPC on July 1. He vowed that the CPC would address the people's concerns and promote common prosperity for all. Chinese leaders have stressed the importance of creating and accumulating social wealth on the one hand, and preventing polarization on the other. First, all Chinese people need to work together to make the "cake" bigger and better; then efforts should be made to divide the "cake" well through proper institutional arrangements, according to a statement released after the Central Economic Work Conference in December. While putting more emphasis on the domestic market, China also reiterated its pledge to open wider and share development opportunities with the world. Putting innovation at the center of its modernization drive, China made various scientific and technological breakthroughs such as the launch of the crewed spaceship Shenzhou-13, the landing of the Mars probe Tianwen-1 on the red planet, advancement in the chipmaking industry and leaps in quantum computing. As green development becomes a priority, China repeatedly stressed its pledges to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, and released a series of policies to realize the goals. In 2021, the country saw an odyssey of Asian elephants that caught global attention, pledged more investment to protect biodiversity, launched wind power and photovoltaic projects in desert areas, and reiterated its commitment to fighting climate change. Xi's top concerns in domestic tours President Xi made 11 inspection tours around China during the past year, leaving his footprints in dozens of places. There were a number of key issues that Xi highlighted at these stops, which reflected some priority areas of the country's development in the 14th FYP period and beyond. From the 2022 Winter Olympics venues and remote villages to nature reserves and small companies, his visits demonstrated China's commitment to advancing ecological progress and pursuing innovative, green and high-quality development. "People," "ecology," "innovation," "high-quality," "security," "culture," "service," "education," "technology" and "rural areas" are among the top words and phrases Xi mentioned during his visits in 2021, according to CGTN analysis. In each of his visits, Xi showed deep concern towards the people. He went to old revolutionary bases, ethnic minority regions, and places with poor infrastructure, fragile environmental conditions and victims of frequent natural disasters. He visited the poor, talked with local officials, inspected the conditions and reviewed the poverty alleviation work. When visiting Guizhou Province in southwest China in February, he emphasized the importance of blazing a new path that prioritizes ecological conservation and green development. He also highlighted protection of biodiversity on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the ecological environment in the Yellow River basin and Saihanba the once barren land located in north China's Hebei Province that has turned into one of the world's largest man-made forests during his visits to Qinghai, Henan, Shandong and Hebei provinces and the Tibet Autonomous Region. Amid an increasingly complex external environment, he called for efforts to deepen supply-side structural reform, build a new development paradigm and advance high-quality development on many occasions. https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-01-01/Seeking-happiness-for-the-people-China-s-journey-to-common-prosperity-16sKtHFJZ8k/index.html SOURCE CGTN Not less than 7 people lost their lives on Friday evening, with several others sustaining injuries in an accident along the Rivers State axi... Not less than 7 people lost their lives on Friday evening, with several others sustaining injuries in an accident along the Rivers State axis of the East west road. The tragedy occurred along Evekwu Oduoha in Emohua Local Government Area of the State. A truck driver conveying heavy duty gas pipes was said to have lost control which caused the pipes to fall on nearby vehicles. An eyewitness said about seven occupants of the affected vehicles were crushed to death. The chairman of the community Development committee of Evekwu where the incident took place, Alabo Monday said the truck was on its way to Port Harcourt when the tragedy struck. He said some police officers arrived the scene and rushed others who sustained serious injuries to the hospital. Men of the Federal Road Safety Coors also arrived the scene later to ensure free flow of traffic. The Rivers State Police Command was yet to issue an official statement on the accident at the time of this report. New Delhi, Jan 1 : During the peak of the pandemic last year, while revisiting his archives, and going through his work of more than half a decade, he chanced upon numerous photographs of filmmaker Satyajit Ray who he had shot extensively in Kolkata. For photographer Raghu Rai, it was a revelation of kinds, seeing the many unused pictures of Ray in different moods, shades and tones. It was also the great filmmaker's centenary year. When Rai showed these photographs to his writer and art curator friend Ina Puri, who was visiting, she said that it called for a book. And thus was born the recently released book 'Satyajit Ray'. Puri also wrote the book's introduction. "Also, many unused photographs that I took of Satyajit Ray in his house were underexposed and underdeveloped as well. But thanks to digital technology, as long as you have an image, it can be brought to life. It was an amazing experience -- seeing the enigmatic Ray 'emerging' in so many shades," he tells IANS. Rai had met Ray in Delhi twice before he decided to shoot him in Calcutta, but he remembers his encounter with him during the National Awards ceremony, where the filmmaker was carrying several awards. "I asked him if he needed help carrying so many things. He laughed - 'Well, not in this case.'" Though Rai had could spend just two days with Ray in Calcutta, shooting him at a film set, he could manage enough material for more than one book. "Even today, I am an extremely hungry photographer. When I am shooting, taking a meal break is also a waste of time," says the photographer. Remembering the evening spent on the ghats of Ganga with him, Rai recalls, "He got ready in his usual attire. As we were on the location, an idol of Durga surfaced. Now it was not the pujo time. So you see, all you have to do is ask the universe for the extraordinary." Rai, who has shot and produced books on Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa and major Indian classical musicians, among others, insists that one does not have to be gifted to produce remarkable pictures of such people. "How can I give myself credit when such personalities have an incredible persona and an aura that is almost divine.." Talk to him about the 'internal preparation' before shooting great masters, and he laughs, "It is all about going by your instinct. For me - to perceive, receive and respond articulately is a language. Sometimes people look at some of my important works and ask me what I was thinking at the time of taking those pictures. I say I wasn't thinking. I only feel and respond. Thinking is what politicians do. An artist can begin with an idea or a concept, but things evolve, the thinking goes away and the divine energy completes the process. So this is what is good about creativity. You wait for the energy to give you darshan." Rai feels that in contemporary times, "everybody has become a photographer" and digital technology, despite its advantages can also be very dangerous. "All you have to do is put the camera in auto-focus. Even mobile phone cameras have become sophisticated. It is not tough to take a beautiful photograph anymore... but where is the soul, the spirit in the picture?" Rai, who still makes it a point to go on the ground and capture major events like the CAA protests and the farmers' agitation stresses that it is important to be concerned and involved. "When Indira Gandhi lost and I captured an important photograph, some people asked me where my loyalties lay, after all, she gave me the Padma Shri. But then, I was given the award for my work during the 1971 war. My only dharma is to capture the truth." Currently working on a book on global warming, on which he also plans to hold an exhibition, Rai says, "I have worked on cyclones and floods. and so much more. Besides, my archives have thrown up material for more than 10 books." Ina Puri adds about the book 'Satyajit Ray', "For a writer, what could be more satisfying than chronicling Raghu Rai's experience as he shot Ray, his favourite filmmaker. I feel privileged to be part of the project." (Sukant Deepak can be contacted at sukant.d@ians.in) New Delhi, Jan 1 : During the peak of the pandemic last year, while revisiting his archives, and going through his work of more than half a decade, he chanced upon numerous photographs of filmmaker Satyajit Ray who he had shot extensively in Kolkata. For photographer Raghu Rai, it was a revelation of kinds, seeing the many unused pictures of Ray in different moods, shades and tones. It was also the great filmmaker's centenary year. When Rai showed these photographs to his writer and art curator friend Ina Puri, who was visiting, she said that it called for a book. And thus was born the recently released book 'Satyajit Ray'. Puri also wrote the book's introduction. "Also, many unused photographs that I took of Satyajit Ray in his house were underexposed and underdeveloped as well. But thanks to digital technology, as long as you have an image, it can be brought to life. It was an amazing experience -- seeing the enigmatic Ray 'emerging' in so many shades," he tells IANS. Rai had met Ray in Delhi twice before he decided to shoot him in Calcutta, but he remembers his encounter with him during the National Awards ceremony, where the filmmaker was carrying several awards. "I asked him if he needed help carrying so many things. He laughed - 'Well, not in this case.'" Though Rai had could spend just two days with Ray in Calcutta, shooting him at a film set, he could manage enough material for more than one book. "Even today, I am an extremely hungry photographer. When I am shooting, taking a meal break is also a waste of time," says the photographer. Remembering the evening spent on the ghats of Ganga with him, Rai recalls, "He got ready in his usual attire. As we were on the location, an idol of Durga surfaced. Now it was not the pujo time. So you see, all you have to do is ask the universe for the extraordinary." Rai, who has shot and produced books on Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa and major Indian classical musicians, among others, insists that one does not have to be gifted to produce remarkable pictures of such people. "How can I give myself credit when such personalities have an incredible persona and an aura that is almost divine.." Talk to him about the 'internal preparation' before shooting great masters, and he laughs, "It is all about going by your instinct. For me - to perceive, receive and respond articulately is a language. Sometimes people look at some of my important works and ask me what I was thinking at the time of taking those pictures. I say I wasn't thinking. I only feel and respond. Thinking is what politicians do. An artist can begin with an idea or a concept, but things evolve, the thinking goes away and the divine energy completes the process. So this is what is good about creativity. You wait for the energy to give you darshan." Rai feels that in contemporary times, "everybody has become a photographer" and digital technology, despite its advantages can also be very dangerous. "All you have to do is put the camera in auto-focus. Even mobile phone cameras have become sophisticated. It is not tough to take a beautiful photograph anymore... but where is the soul, the spirit in the picture?" Rai, who still makes it a point to go on the ground and capture major events like the CAA protests and the farmers' agitation stresses that it is important to be concerned and involved. "When Indira Gandhi lost and I captured an important photograph, some people asked me where my loyalties lay, after all, she gave me the Padma Shri. But then, I was given the award for my work during the 1971 war. My only dharma is to capture the truth." Currently working on a book on global warming, on which he also plans to hold an exhibition, Rai says, "I have worked on cyclones and floods. and so much more. Besides, my archives have thrown up material for more than 10 books." Ina Puri adds about the book 'Satyajit Ray', "For a writer, what could be more satisfying than chronicling Raghu Rai's experience as he shot Ray, his favourite filmmaker. I feel privileged to be part of the project." (Sukant Deepak can be contacted at sukant.d@ians.in) A 33-year-old man was arrested for allegedly posting private pictures of a woman on social media, police said on Saturday. The accused has been identified as Rajesh Singh Suman, a resident of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, they said. According to police, a woman lodged a complaint at the Dwarka South Police Station alleging that Suman was stalking, blackmailing, and threatening her. She said that she came in contact with the accused through matrimonial a website, met him a couple of times, and later shared her private photographs with him, a senior police officer said. However, their marriage got cancelled, following which the accused started blackmailing and threatening the complainant that he would post the photos on social media platforms and with acquaintances, the officer said. The woman alleged that he made fake Facebook and Instagram accounts in her name and started posting her pictures on them, police said. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Shankar Choudhary said the accused was arrested from Aligarh and his phone was also seized. He said Suman was arrested earlier in a similar case lodged at Welcome Police Station in northeast Delhi. Police claimed Suman confessed that he had committed a number of such offenses involving different women and the same were being analysed from his mobile phone data. Check out the latest videos from DH: A 33-year-old man was arrested for allegedly posting private pictures of a woman on social media, police said on Saturday. The accused has been identified as Rajesh Singh Suman, a resident of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, they said. According to police, a woman lodged a complaint at the Dwarka South Police Station alleging that Suman was stalking, blackmailing, and threatening her. She said that she came in contact with the accused through matrimonial a website, met him a couple of times, and later shared her private photographs with him, a senior police officer said. However, their marriage got cancelled, following which the accused started blackmailing and threatening the complainant that he would post the photos on social media platforms and with acquaintances, the officer said. The woman alleged that he made fake Facebook and Instagram accounts in her name and started posting her pictures on them, police said. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Shankar Choudhary said the accused was arrested from Aligarh and his phone was also seized. He said Suman was arrested earlier in a similar case lodged at Welcome Police Station in northeast Delhi. Police claimed Suman confessed that he had committed a number of such offenses involving different women and the same were being analysed from his mobile phone data. Check out the latest videos from DH: A 33-year-old man was arrested for allegedly posting private pictures of a woman on social media, police said on Saturday. The accused has been identified as Rajesh Singh Suman, a resident of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, they said. According to police, a woman lodged a complaint at the Dwarka South Police Station alleging that Suman was stalking, blackmailing, and threatening her. She said that she came in contact with the accused through matrimonial a website, met him a couple of times, and later shared her private photographs with him, a senior police officer said. However, their marriage got cancelled, following which the accused started blackmailing and threatening the complainant that he would post the photos on social media platforms and with acquaintances, the officer said. The woman alleged that he made fake Facebook and Instagram accounts in her name and started posting her pictures on them, police said. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Shankar Choudhary said the accused was arrested from Aligarh and his phone was also seized. He said Suman was arrested earlier in a similar case lodged at Welcome Police Station in northeast Delhi. Police claimed Suman confessed that he had committed a number of such offenses involving different women and the same were being analysed from his mobile phone data. Check out the latest videos from DH: Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen during her New Year address at the presidential office in Taipei on Saturday called on China to resolve their differences peacefully, saying Beijing should curb the spread of "military adventurism." Tsai strongly protested against China's "military incursions," which she said "are of no benefit to the preservation of regional peace and stability," reported NHK World. Reiterating Taiwan's position she said that it was consistent and that it "will neither bow to pressure nor act rashly when we have support." Tsai said Chinese authorities "should not misjudge the situation, and that they should stop the spread of military adventurism within their ranks," reported NHK World. Tsai added that "the use of military means is absolutely not an option" for resolving the differences between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. She warned that military clashes would deal a blow to economic stability. Further, Tsai also brought up the recent arrests of people in Hong Kong in connection with an online media outlet known for its critical stance against the Hong Kong government. Tsai said the pursuit of democracy and freedom is not a crime, and that Taiwan's position in support of Hong Kong will not change, reported NHK World. She said Taiwan will cherish its "own hard-earned freedom and democracy even more deeply." She expressed resolve to "show the world that democratic Taiwan has the courage to step out from the shadow of authoritarian China." China continues to consider Taiwan a breakaway province even after decades of separate governance. Taipei has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, even as Beijing continues to threaten that "Taiwan's independence" by means of war. Amid the constantly increasing military and diplomatic pressure from China, Taiwan President noted the challenge to uphold its freedom, democracy, and consensus to connect with the world. Taiwan witnessed 950 intrusions by the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military planes into its Air Defence Identification Zone in 2021 so far, a 60 per cent increase from the previous year. Moreover, Taiwanese media reported that the island is anticipating a further rise in the number of intrusions as China has ramped up sorties over the past few years. (ANI) Children hold red lanterns during a New Year celebration at a kindergarten in Suining, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Liu Changsong/Xinhua) Children learn to make New Year decorations with their teacher at a kindergarten in Linyi, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Zhang Chunlei/Xinhua) Students perform lion dance to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Xinhua/Du Yu) Students pose for a group photo to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Xinhua) Students take a selfie with their teacher to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Xinhua) Children participate in a lion dance game to celebrate the New Year at a kindergarten in Xiangyang, central China's Hubei Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Yang Dong/Xinhua) Children perform dragon dance to celebrate the New Year at a kindergarten in Huzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Xie Shangguo/Xinhua) Children hold the Chinese character "Fu", meaning good luck in English, during a New Year celebration at a kindergarten in Neijiang, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Huang Zhenghua/Xinhua) Students show their paper cutting works at an elementary school in Qianxi, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Zhai Peisheng/Xinhua) Students hold red lanterns to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Sun Zhongzhe/Xinhua) Children show their paper cutting works at a kindergarten in Danzhai County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Huang Xiaohai/Xinhua) Students perform lion dance to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Liang Zidong/Xinhua) Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen during her New Year address at the presidential office in Taipei on Saturday called on China to resolve their differences peacefully, saying Beijing should curb the spread of "military adventurism." Tsai strongly protested against China's "military incursions," which she said "are of no benefit to the preservation of regional peace and stability," reported NHK World. Reiterating Taiwan's position she said that it was consistent and that it "will neither bow to pressure nor act rashly when we have support." Tsai said Chinese authorities "should not misjudge the situation, and that they should stop the spread of military adventurism within their ranks," reported NHK World. Tsai added that "the use of military means is absolutely not an option" for resolving the differences between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. She warned that military clashes would deal a blow to economic stability. Further, Tsai also brought up the recent arrests of people in Hong Kong in connection with an online media outlet known for its critical stance against the Hong Kong government. Tsai said the pursuit of democracy and freedom is not a crime, and that Taiwan's position in support of Hong Kong will not change, reported NHK World. She said Taiwan will cherish its "own hard-earned freedom and democracy even more deeply." She expressed resolve to "show the world that democratic Taiwan has the courage to step out from the shadow of authoritarian China." China continues to consider Taiwan a breakaway province even after decades of separate governance. Taipei has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, even as Beijing continues to threaten that "Taiwan's independence" by means of war. Amid the constantly increasing military and diplomatic pressure from China, Taiwan President noted the challenge to uphold its freedom, democracy, and consensus to connect with the world. Taiwan witnessed 950 intrusions by the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military planes into its Air Defence Identification Zone in 2021 so far, a 60 per cent increase from the previous year. Moreover, Taiwanese media reported that the island is anticipating a further rise in the number of intrusions as China has ramped up sorties over the past few years. (ANI) Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. A family displaced by fighting in Herat province sold their ten-year-old daughter to rescue other family members from malnutrition. The money was given to the father in exchange for the minor girl's name being given to another family. Azizagul, the daughter's mother, was unaware that her daughter had been handed to someone else in exchange for money. The daughter would be married off to the family. "I requested my husband to bring food since my five children were hungry, and he agreed to do it on a daily basis." When I questioned him where he got the food, he said a family gives him food on a daily basis in exchange for their ten-year-old daughter." Azizagul said. The story of Afghan families selling their children has become common in Afghanistan, with more than half of the population malnourished as international aid froze and millions of people left unemployed. Residents of northern Badakhshan province stopped a guy from selling his two children due to great poverty on Friday, December 31, 2021. Elon Musk's wealth decreased by $3 billion on first day of New Year, Ambani's wealth increased Covid Pandemic will be defeated in 2022: Tedros WHO S.Korea: Moon expects March presidential election to bring hope for future The spokesperson of the Immigration Minister of Canada said that the country will resettle female Afghan judges who are now living in limbo in Greece after they were evacuated from Afghanistan, reported The Khaama Press. As per the spokesperson, a total of 230 people including family members of the judges will be resettled. In addition, the ministry is also willing to resettle unspecified numbers of gay, lesbian, transgender, bisexual, queer who had been referred by a third-party aid organization, reported The Khaama Press. Though the specific date of taking in the people is not clear, it is said that the judges along with their family members will be resettled in 2022. Canada has so far resettled 3,915 Afghans in connection with the Canadian government and 2,535 others on humanitarian grounds, reported Tolo News. The country has pledged to take in up to 40,000 Afghan refugees but the exact date has not been given yet. Afghan women judges, who handed out jail sentences to murderers and other criminals, went into hiding and left Afghanistan fearing retribution from the convicts who were among the thousands of criminals freed by the Taliban after their takeover of the country. Tens of thousands of Afghan people fled their country after the Taliban recaptured power in mid-August. (ANI) The spokesperson of the Immigration Minister of Canada said that the country will resettle female Afghan judges who are now living in limbo in Greece after they were evacuated from Afghanistan, reported The Khaama Press. As per the spokesperson, a total of 230 people including family members of the judges will be resettled. In addition, the ministry is also willing to resettle unspecified numbers of gay, lesbian, transgender, bisexual, queer who had been referred by a third-party aid organization, reported The Khaama Press. Though the specific date of taking in the people is not clear, it is said that the judges along with their family members will be resettled in 2022. Canada has so far resettled 3,915 Afghans in connection with the Canadian government and 2,535 others on humanitarian grounds, reported Tolo News. The country has pledged to take in up to 40,000 Afghan refugees but the exact date has not been given yet. Afghan women judges, who handed out jail sentences to murderers and other criminals, went into hiding and left Afghanistan fearing retribution from the convicts who were among the thousands of criminals freed by the Taliban after their takeover of the country. Tens of thousands of Afghan people fled their country after the Taliban recaptured power in mid-August. (ANI) BEIJING, Jan. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Back in the 1980s, China allowed some people to get rich first to help others gradually achieve the national goal of common prosperity. Now common prosperity is the priority route to delivering happiness to all the people. In 2021, China realized the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects (known as "Xiaokang" in Chinese) and got off to a good start during the 14th Five-Year Plan (FYP) period (2021-2025). Seeking happiness for the people: China's journey to common prosperity "To ensure that everyone leads a better life, we must never rest on what we have achieved, and there is still a long way to go," Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his New Year address on Friday. Following the blueprint In the first year of the 14th FYP period, China implemented the blueprint with a focus on the people-centered philosophy and prioritized efforts to foster a new development paradigm, strengthen the role of innovation, and advance the green transformation of the social and economic development. The people-centered philosophy has been the key to China's remarkable achievements in the past decades and will guide the country toward common prosperity. After eliminating extreme poverty across the country and accomplishing the "Xiaokang" goal, China embarked on a new journey toward socialist modernization and national rejuvenation. "On the journey ahead, we must rely closely on the people to create history," Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said in a speech at a gathering marking the centenary of the CPC on July 1. He vowed that the CPC would address the people's concerns and promote common prosperity for all. Chinese leaders have stressed the importance of creating and accumulating social wealth on the one hand, and preventing polarization on the other. First, all Chinese people need to work together to make the "cake" bigger and better; then efforts should be made to divide the "cake" well through proper institutional arrangements, according to a statement released after the Central Economic Work Conference in December. While putting more emphasis on the domestic market, China also reiterated its pledge to open wider and share development opportunities with the world. Putting innovation at the center of its modernization drive, China made various scientific and technological breakthroughs such as the launch of the crewed spaceship Shenzhou-13, the landing of the Mars probe Tianwen-1 on the red planet, advancement in the chipmaking industry and leaps in quantum computing. As green development becomes a priority, China repeatedly stressed its pledges to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, and released a series of policies to realize the goals. In 2021, the country saw an odyssey of Asian elephants that caught global attention, pledged more investment to protect biodiversity, launched wind power and photovoltaic projects in desert areas, and reiterated its commitment to fighting climate change. Xi's top concerns in domestic tours President Xi made 11 inspection tours around China during the past year, leaving his footprints in dozens of places. There were a number of key issues that Xi highlighted at these stops, which reflected some priority areas of the country's development in the 14th FYP period and beyond. From the 2022 Winter Olympics venues and remote villages to nature reserves and small companies, his visits demonstrated China's commitment to advancing ecological progress and pursuing innovative, green and high-quality development. "People," "ecology," "innovation," "high-quality," "security," "culture," "service," "education," "technology" and "rural areas" are among the top words and phrases Xi mentioned during his visits in 2021, according to CGTN analysis. In each of his visits, Xi showed deep concern towards the people. He went to old revolutionary bases, ethnic minority regions, and places with poor infrastructure, fragile environmental conditions and victims of frequent natural disasters. He visited the poor, talked with local officials, inspected the conditions and reviewed the poverty alleviation work. When visiting Guizhou Province in southwest China in February, he emphasized the importance of blazing a new path that prioritizes ecological conservation and green development. He also highlighted protection of biodiversity on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the ecological environment in the Yellow River basin and Saihanba the once barren land located in north China's Hebei Province that has turned into one of the world's largest man-made forests during his visits to Qinghai, Henan, Shandong and Hebei provinces and the Tibet Autonomous Region. Amid an increasingly complex external environment, he called for efforts to deepen supply-side structural reform, build a new development paradigm and advance high-quality development on many occasions. https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-01-01/Seeking-happiness-for-the-people-China-s-journey-to-common-prosperity-16sKtHFJZ8k/index.html SOURCE CGTN Beijing, Jan 1 : Smartphone brand Xiaomi, which has recently unveiled its Xiaomi 12 series, is now likely to unveil a new smartphone -- Xiaomi 12 Ultra -- in February. According to GizmoChina, a tipster has confirmed that the device may launch after the Chinese Spring festival. Xiaomi 12 Ultra will initially get released in China and may have a global release later in the future. The report said that the Xiaomi 12 Ultra carrying the codename L1 will have major camera highlights. One of them would be the periscope super-telephoto lens. In addition to this information, a previous leak revealed the device may come with Leica-powered camera sensors. Recently, Leica ended its partnership with Huawei which may result in a new collaboration and it could be with Xiaomi. The smartphone was previously tipped to come with a quad-camera system at the rear. It will boast a 50MP main Samsung GN5 primary lens, a 48MP 2x zoom lens, a 48MP lens with 5x zooming capability and lastly a 48MP sensor with 10x zoom. Apart from the cameras, the Xiaomi 12 Ultra is expected to come with a display that is around 6.5 to 6.6-inch in size and will have a 2k screen resolution. This is similar to the recently launched Xiaomi 12 Pro's display. Under the hood, Xiaomi 12 Ultra will come powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC and is expected to have an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner. The phone may come with fast charging support similar to the Xiaomi 12 Pro's 120W rapid charging. Children hold red lanterns during a New Year celebration at a kindergarten in Suining, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Liu Changsong/Xinhua) Children learn to make New Year decorations with their teacher at a kindergarten in Linyi, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Zhang Chunlei/Xinhua) Students perform lion dance to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Xinhua/Du Yu) Students pose for a group photo to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Xinhua) Students take a selfie with their teacher to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Xinhua) Children participate in a lion dance game to celebrate the New Year at a kindergarten in Xiangyang, central China's Hubei Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Yang Dong/Xinhua) Children perform dragon dance to celebrate the New Year at a kindergarten in Huzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Xie Shangguo/Xinhua) Children hold the Chinese character "Fu", meaning good luck in English, during a New Year celebration at a kindergarten in Neijiang, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Huang Zhenghua/Xinhua) Students show their paper cutting works at an elementary school in Qianxi, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Zhai Peisheng/Xinhua) Students hold red lanterns to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Sun Zhongzhe/Xinhua) Children show their paper cutting works at a kindergarten in Danzhai County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Huang Xiaohai/Xinhua) Students perform lion dance to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Liang Zidong/Xinhua) Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen during her New Year address at the presidential office in Taipei on Saturday called on China to resolve their differences peacefully, saying Beijing should curb the spread of "military adventurism." Tsai strongly protested against China's "military incursions," which she said "are of no benefit to the preservation of regional peace and stability," reported NHK World. Reiterating Taiwan's position she said that it was consistent and that it "will neither bow to pressure nor act rashly when we have support." Tsai said Chinese authorities "should not misjudge the situation, and that they should stop the spread of military adventurism within their ranks," reported NHK World. Tsai added that "the use of military means is absolutely not an option" for resolving the differences between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. She warned that military clashes would deal a blow to economic stability. Further, Tsai also brought up the recent arrests of people in Hong Kong in connection with an online media outlet known for its critical stance against the Hong Kong government. Tsai said the pursuit of democracy and freedom is not a crime, and that Taiwan's position in support of Hong Kong will not change, reported NHK World. She said Taiwan will cherish its "own hard-earned freedom and democracy even more deeply." She expressed resolve to "show the world that democratic Taiwan has the courage to step out from the shadow of authoritarian China." China continues to consider Taiwan a breakaway province even after decades of separate governance. Taipei has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, even as Beijing continues to threaten that "Taiwan's independence" by means of war. Amid the constantly increasing military and diplomatic pressure from China, Taiwan President noted the challenge to uphold its freedom, democracy, and consensus to connect with the world. Taiwan witnessed 950 intrusions by the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military planes into its Air Defence Identification Zone in 2021 so far, a 60 per cent increase from the previous year. Moreover, Taiwanese media reported that the island is anticipating a further rise in the number of intrusions as China has ramped up sorties over the past few years. (ANI) Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen had a New Year message for China on Saturday: military conflict is not the answer, but Beijing responded with a stern warning that if Taiwan crossed any red line it would lead to profound catastrophe. China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has increased military and diplomatic pressure in the past two years to assert its sovereignty claims. We must remind the Beijing authorities to not misjudge the situation and to prevent the internal expansion of military adventurism, Tsai said on Saturday in her New Years speech, broadcast live on Facebook. Taiwan says it is an independent country and has repeatedly vowed to defend its freedom and democracy. Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his New Year address on Friday that the complete unification of the motherland was an aspiration shared by people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. On Saturday, after Tsais speech, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing, said: We are willing to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification. But if Taiwan independence separatist forces continue to provoke and coerce, or even cross any red line, we will have to take decisive measures. The pursuit of independence will only throw Taiwan into a deep chasm and bring about profound catastrophe, Zhu added. In recent months, Beijing has sent repeated air missions over the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan has said it will not give in to threats. The military is definitely not an option for solving cross-strait disagreements. Military conflicts would impact economic stability, Tsai said. To ease tension in the region, both Taipei and Beijing must work hard to take care of peoples livelihoods and calm the hearts of the people in order to find peaceful solutions to problems together, she said. Tsai also said Taiwan would continue to monitor the situation in Hong Kong, adding that interference in the recent legislative election and the arrests this week of senior staff at the pro-democracy media outlet Stand News made people worry even more about human rights and freedom of speech in Hong Kong. We will hold fast to our sovereignty, uphold the values of freedom and democracy, defend territorial sovereignty and national security, and maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, Tsai said. SOURCE: REUTERS Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen had a New Year message for China on Saturday: military conflict is not the answer, but Beijing responded with a stern warning that if Taiwan crossed any red line it would lead to profound catastrophe. China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has increased military and diplomatic pressure in the past two years to assert its sovereignty claims. We must remind the Beijing authorities to not misjudge the situation and to prevent the internal expansion of military adventurism, Tsai said on Saturday in her New Years speech, broadcast live on Facebook. Taiwan says it is an independent country and has repeatedly vowed to defend its freedom and democracy. Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his New Year address on Friday that the complete unification of the motherland was an aspiration shared by people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. On Saturday, after Tsais speech, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing, said: We are willing to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification. But if Taiwan independence separatist forces continue to provoke and coerce, or even cross any red line, we will have to take decisive measures. The pursuit of independence will only throw Taiwan into a deep chasm and bring about profound catastrophe, Zhu added. In recent months, Beijing has sent repeated air missions over the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan has said it will not give in to threats. The military is definitely not an option for solving cross-strait disagreements. Military conflicts would impact economic stability, Tsai said. To ease tension in the region, both Taipei and Beijing must work hard to take care of peoples livelihoods and calm the hearts of the people in order to find peaceful solutions to problems together, she said. Tsai also said Taiwan would continue to monitor the situation in Hong Kong, adding that interference in the recent legislative election and the arrests this week of senior staff at the pro-democracy media outlet Stand News made people worry even more about human rights and freedom of speech in Hong Kong. We will hold fast to our sovereignty, uphold the values of freedom and democracy, defend territorial sovereignty and national security, and maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, Tsai said. SOURCE: REUTERS Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen had a New Year message for China on Saturday: military conflict is not the answer, but Beijing responded with a stern warning that if Taiwan crossed any red line it would lead to profound catastrophe. China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has increased military and diplomatic pressure in the past two years to assert its sovereignty claims. We must remind the Beijing authorities to not misjudge the situation and to prevent the internal expansion of military adventurism, Tsai said on Saturday in her New Years speech, broadcast live on Facebook. Taiwan says it is an independent country and has repeatedly vowed to defend its freedom and democracy. Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his New Year address on Friday that the complete unification of the motherland was an aspiration shared by people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. On Saturday, after Tsais speech, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing, said: We are willing to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification. But if Taiwan independence separatist forces continue to provoke and coerce, or even cross any red line, we will have to take decisive measures. The pursuit of independence will only throw Taiwan into a deep chasm and bring about profound catastrophe, Zhu added. In recent months, Beijing has sent repeated air missions over the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan has said it will not give in to threats. The military is definitely not an option for solving cross-strait disagreements. Military conflicts would impact economic stability, Tsai said. To ease tension in the region, both Taipei and Beijing must work hard to take care of peoples livelihoods and calm the hearts of the people in order to find peaceful solutions to problems together, she said. Tsai also said Taiwan would continue to monitor the situation in Hong Kong, adding that interference in the recent legislative election and the arrests this week of senior staff at the pro-democracy media outlet Stand News made people worry even more about human rights and freedom of speech in Hong Kong. We will hold fast to our sovereignty, uphold the values of freedom and democracy, defend territorial sovereignty and national security, and maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, Tsai said. SOURCE: REUTERS Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen during her New Year address at the presidential office in Taipei on Saturday called on China to resolve their differences peacefully, saying Beijing should curb the spread of "military adventurism." Tsai strongly protested against China's "military incursions," which she said "are of no benefit to the preservation of regional peace and stability," reported NHK World. Reiterating Taiwan's position she said that it was consistent and that it "will neither bow to pressure nor act rashly when we have support." Tsai said Chinese authorities "should not misjudge the situation, and that they should stop the spread of military adventurism within their ranks," reported NHK World. Tsai added that "the use of military means is absolutely not an option" for resolving the differences between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. She warned that military clashes would deal a blow to economic stability. Further, Tsai also brought up the recent arrests of people in Hong Kong in connection with an online media outlet known for its critical stance against the Hong Kong government. Tsai said the pursuit of democracy and freedom is not a crime, and that Taiwan's position in support of Hong Kong will not change, reported NHK World. She said Taiwan will cherish its "own hard-earned freedom and democracy even more deeply." She expressed resolve to "show the world that democratic Taiwan has the courage to step out from the shadow of authoritarian China." China continues to consider Taiwan a breakaway province even after decades of separate governance. Taipei has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, even as Beijing continues to threaten that "Taiwan's independence" by means of war. Amid the constantly increasing military and diplomatic pressure from China, Taiwan President noted the challenge to uphold its freedom, democracy, and consensus to connect with the world. Taiwan witnessed 950 intrusions by the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military planes into its Air Defence Identification Zone in 2021 so far, a 60 per cent increase from the previous year. Moreover, Taiwanese media reported that the island is anticipating a further rise in the number of intrusions as China has ramped up sorties over the past few years. (ANI) Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen during her New Year address at the presidential office in Taipei on Saturday called on China to resolve their differences peacefully, saying Beijing should curb the spread of "military adventurism." Tsai strongly protested against China's "military incursions," which she said "are of no benefit to the preservation of regional peace and stability," reported NHK World. Reiterating Taiwan's position she said that it was consistent and that it "will neither bow to pressure nor act rashly when we have support." Tsai said Chinese authorities "should not misjudge the situation, and that they should stop the spread of military adventurism within their ranks," reported NHK World. Tsai added that "the use of military means is absolutely not an option" for resolving the differences between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. She warned that military clashes would deal a blow to economic stability. Further, Tsai also brought up the recent arrests of people in Hong Kong in connection with an online media outlet known for its critical stance against the Hong Kong government. Tsai said the pursuit of democracy and freedom is not a crime, and that Taiwan's position in support of Hong Kong will not change, reported NHK World. She said Taiwan will cherish its "own hard-earned freedom and democracy even more deeply." She expressed resolve to "show the world that democratic Taiwan has the courage to step out from the shadow of authoritarian China." China continues to consider Taiwan a breakaway province even after decades of separate governance. Taipei has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, even as Beijing continues to threaten that "Taiwan's independence" by means of war. Amid the constantly increasing military and diplomatic pressure from China, Taiwan President noted the challenge to uphold its freedom, democracy, and consensus to connect with the world. Taiwan witnessed 950 intrusions by the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military planes into its Air Defence Identification Zone in 2021 so far, a 60 per cent increase from the previous year. Moreover, Taiwanese media reported that the island is anticipating a further rise in the number of intrusions as China has ramped up sorties over the past few years. (ANI) Children hold red lanterns during a New Year celebration at a kindergarten in Suining, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Liu Changsong/Xinhua) Children learn to make New Year decorations with their teacher at a kindergarten in Linyi, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Zhang Chunlei/Xinhua) Students perform lion dance to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Xinhua/Du Yu) Students pose for a group photo to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Xinhua) Students take a selfie with their teacher to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Xinhua) Children participate in a lion dance game to celebrate the New Year at a kindergarten in Xiangyang, central China's Hubei Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Yang Dong/Xinhua) Children perform dragon dance to celebrate the New Year at a kindergarten in Huzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Xie Shangguo/Xinhua) Children hold the Chinese character "Fu", meaning good luck in English, during a New Year celebration at a kindergarten in Neijiang, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Huang Zhenghua/Xinhua) Students show their paper cutting works at an elementary school in Qianxi, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Zhai Peisheng/Xinhua) Students hold red lanterns to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Sun Zhongzhe/Xinhua) Children show their paper cutting works at a kindergarten in Danzhai County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Huang Xiaohai/Xinhua) Students perform lion dance to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Liang Zidong/Xinhua) Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. Not less than 7 people lost their lives on Friday evening, with several others sustaining injuries in an accident along the Rivers State axi... Not less than 7 people lost their lives on Friday evening, with several others sustaining injuries in an accident along the Rivers State axis of the East west road. The tragedy occurred along Evekwu Oduoha in Emohua Local Government Area of the State. A truck driver conveying heavy duty gas pipes was said to have lost control which caused the pipes to fall on nearby vehicles. An eyewitness said about seven occupants of the affected vehicles were crushed to death. The chairman of the community Development committee of Evekwu where the incident took place, Alabo Monday said the truck was on its way to Port Harcourt when the tragedy struck. He said some police officers arrived the scene and rushed others who sustained serious injuries to the hospital. Men of the Federal Road Safety Coors also arrived the scene later to ensure free flow of traffic. The Rivers State Police Command was yet to issue an official statement on the accident at the time of this report. A 33-year-old man was arrested for allegedly posting private pictures of a woman on social media, police said on Saturday. The accused has been identified as Rajesh Singh Suman, a resident of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, they said. According to police, a woman lodged a complaint at the Dwarka South Police Station alleging that Suman was stalking, blackmailing, and threatening her. She said that she came in contact with the accused through matrimonial a website, met him a couple of times, and later shared her private photographs with him, a senior police officer said. However, their marriage got cancelled, following which the accused started blackmailing and threatening the complainant that he would post the photos on social media platforms and with acquaintances, the officer said. The woman alleged that he made fake Facebook and Instagram accounts in her name and started posting her pictures on them, police said. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Shankar Choudhary said the accused was arrested from Aligarh and his phone was also seized. He said Suman was arrested earlier in a similar case lodged at Welcome Police Station in northeast Delhi. Police claimed Suman confessed that he had committed a number of such offenses involving different women and the same were being analysed from his mobile phone data. Check out the latest videos from DH: Twelve people were crushed to death in a stampede at an Indian religious shrine in the early hours of Saturday as tens of thousands of pil... Twelve people were crushed to death in a stampede at an Indian religious shrine in the early hours of Saturday as tens of thousands of pilgrims massed to offer prayers, officials said. The disaster unfolded in darkness at around 3:00 am (2130 GMT) on the packed route to the Vaishno Devi shrine in Indian-administered Kashmir, visited by millions every year as one of Hinduisms most revered sites. People fell over each other It was difficult to figure out whose leg or arms were tangled with whose, survivor Ravinder told AFP. I helped pick up eight bodies by the time ambulances arrived after about half an hour. I feel lucky to be alive but am still shaking with memory of what I saw, he said. Video footage showed terrified pilgrims clinging onto metal rafters to escape the rush and the blue lights of small minivan ambulances flashing in the darkness as they tried to rush to hospitals through huge crowds. Officials sought to blame an alleged altercation between two groups of youths and a rush of people for New Years Day. Police and officials were quick to respond (after the altercation), and the order within the crowd was immediately restored, local police chief Dilbag Singh told the Press Trust of India news agency. But by that time, the damage had been done, he said. But witnesses said that the authorities were badly organised, something denied by the shrines management. Around a dozen people were also injured. Millions of shrines dot Hindu-majority Indias cities, towns and villages as well as remote sites in the Himalayas and jungles in the south. Some are hugely important pilgrimage sites, and Prime Minister Narendra Modis Hindu nationalist government has invested heavily in improving infrastructure to ease access. Before the pandemic, every day about 100,000 devotees would trek up a steep winding track to the narrow cave containing the shrine to Vaishno Devi. Authorities had capped the daily number to 25,000 but witnesses and press reports said that this may have been exceeded several times over. There were at least 100,000 people there. No one was checking registration slips of the devotees, said Ravinder, who only gave one name. I have been there many times but (I have) never seen such a rush of people, he said. It was only when some of us managed to lift a dead body up with our hands that people could see (what was happening) and made space for moving the bodies out. Another witness who came from Ghaziabad outside New Delhi with a group of around 10 people said there was clearly mismanagement. If (they had known) that so much crowding was happening, they should have stopped the people, the man said without giving his name. In 2008, two stampedes in as many months in India left more than 370 Hindus dead. Others in Kerala in 2011 and in Madhya Pradesh two years later each killed more than 100. The shrine to Vaishno Devi, a manifestation of Hindu goddess Vaishnavi, is in the hills some 60 kilometres from the city of Jammu. It saw 8.5 million visitors in 2018. People travel to the nearby busy town of Katra and then trek upwards for around 15 kilometres on foot or by pony there is also a helicopter service along a winding track lined with stalls as well as monkeys. Once they have reached the cave entrance they often have to wait for hours. Modi, wearing a saffron scarf, rode a pony up to the shrine shortly before being elected in 2014. He said on Twitter that he was extremely saddened by the tragedy. AFP Children hold red lanterns during a New Year celebration at a kindergarten in Suining, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Liu Changsong/Xinhua) Children learn to make New Year decorations with their teacher at a kindergarten in Linyi, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Zhang Chunlei/Xinhua) Students perform lion dance to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Xinhua/Du Yu) Students pose for a group photo to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Xinhua) Students take a selfie with their teacher to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Xinhua) Children participate in a lion dance game to celebrate the New Year at a kindergarten in Xiangyang, central China's Hubei Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Yang Dong/Xinhua) Children perform dragon dance to celebrate the New Year at a kindergarten in Huzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Xie Shangguo/Xinhua) Children hold the Chinese character "Fu", meaning good luck in English, during a New Year celebration at a kindergarten in Neijiang, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Huang Zhenghua/Xinhua) Students show their paper cutting works at an elementary school in Qianxi, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Zhai Peisheng/Xinhua) Students hold red lanterns to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Sun Zhongzhe/Xinhua) Children show their paper cutting works at a kindergarten in Danzhai County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Huang Xiaohai/Xinhua) Students perform lion dance to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Liang Zidong/Xinhua) The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] BEIJING, Jan. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Back in the 1980s, China allowed some people to get rich first to help others gradually achieve the national goal of common prosperity. Now common prosperity is the priority route to delivering happiness to all the people. In 2021, China realized the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects (known as "Xiaokang" in Chinese) and got off to a good start during the 14th Five-Year Plan (FYP) period (2021-2025). Seeking happiness for the people: China's journey to common prosperity "To ensure that everyone leads a better life, we must never rest on what we have achieved, and there is still a long way to go," Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his New Year address on Friday. Following the blueprint In the first year of the 14th FYP period, China implemented the blueprint with a focus on the people-centered philosophy and prioritized efforts to foster a new development paradigm, strengthen the role of innovation, and advance the green transformation of the social and economic development. The people-centered philosophy has been the key to China's remarkable achievements in the past decades and will guide the country toward common prosperity. After eliminating extreme poverty across the country and accomplishing the "Xiaokang" goal, China embarked on a new journey toward socialist modernization and national rejuvenation. "On the journey ahead, we must rely closely on the people to create history," Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said in a speech at a gathering marking the centenary of the CPC on July 1. He vowed that the CPC would address the people's concerns and promote common prosperity for all. Chinese leaders have stressed the importance of creating and accumulating social wealth on the one hand, and preventing polarization on the other. First, all Chinese people need to work together to make the "cake" bigger and better; then efforts should be made to divide the "cake" well through proper institutional arrangements, according to a statement released after the Central Economic Work Conference in December. While putting more emphasis on the domestic market, China also reiterated its pledge to open wider and share development opportunities with the world. Putting innovation at the center of its modernization drive, China made various scientific and technological breakthroughs such as the launch of the crewed spaceship Shenzhou-13, the landing of the Mars probe Tianwen-1 on the red planet, advancement in the chipmaking industry and leaps in quantum computing. As green development becomes a priority, China repeatedly stressed its pledges to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, and released a series of policies to realize the goals. In 2021, the country saw an odyssey of Asian elephants that caught global attention, pledged more investment to protect biodiversity, launched wind power and photovoltaic projects in desert areas, and reiterated its commitment to fighting climate change. Xi's top concerns in domestic tours President Xi made 11 inspection tours around China during the past year, leaving his footprints in dozens of places. There were a number of key issues that Xi highlighted at these stops, which reflected some priority areas of the country's development in the 14th FYP period and beyond. From the 2022 Winter Olympics venues and remote villages to nature reserves and small companies, his visits demonstrated China's commitment to advancing ecological progress and pursuing innovative, green and high-quality development. "People," "ecology," "innovation," "high-quality," "security," "culture," "service," "education," "technology" and "rural areas" are among the top words and phrases Xi mentioned during his visits in 2021, according to CGTN analysis. In each of his visits, Xi showed deep concern towards the people. He went to old revolutionary bases, ethnic minority regions, and places with poor infrastructure, fragile environmental conditions and victims of frequent natural disasters. He visited the poor, talked with local officials, inspected the conditions and reviewed the poverty alleviation work. When visiting Guizhou Province in southwest China in February, he emphasized the importance of blazing a new path that prioritizes ecological conservation and green development. He also highlighted protection of biodiversity on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the ecological environment in the Yellow River basin and Saihanba the once barren land located in north China's Hebei Province that has turned into one of the world's largest man-made forests during his visits to Qinghai, Henan, Shandong and Hebei provinces and the Tibet Autonomous Region. Amid an increasingly complex external environment, he called for efforts to deepen supply-side structural reform, build a new development paradigm and advance high-quality development on many occasions. https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-01-01/Seeking-happiness-for-the-people-China-s-journey-to-common-prosperity-16sKtHFJZ8k/index.html SOURCE CGTN Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has lauded himself for ensuring that workers in the State does not experience a bleak Yuletid... Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has lauded himself for ensuring that workers in the State does not experience a bleak Yuletide. Akeredolu who assured the workers in his New Year message of commitment to their welfare, stated that he will not relent towards ensuring that the backlog of salaries are cleared. Civil servants in the State who were been owed salaries had been receiving percentage salaries since early 2021. With August salary paid on December 30, 2021, Akeredolu in a statement issued by his Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Donald Ojogo, stated that with the payment, the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, in the State has been able to beat the record of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2016. According to Ojogo, the immediate-past administration under PDP in the State abandoned the workforce in the face of excruciating economic hardship, in preference for hasty personal exit plans by principal actors in that Government. In the statement, Ojogo added that the balance of 35 percent of June salary, as well as 100 percent for July were at once. While adding that the workers received 100 percent of August salary, he maintained that the corresponding payments of leave bonuses has also been paid in three tranches. More than ever, we were determined to confine to their (PDP) time, the unenviable record of 2016 when workers in the State had the most horrendous season since the creation of the State. Workers spent their Yuletide season in hunger and pains. Some died along the line, he said. Children hold red lanterns during a New Year celebration at a kindergarten in Suining, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Liu Changsong/Xinhua) Children learn to make New Year decorations with their teacher at a kindergarten in Linyi, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Zhang Chunlei/Xinhua) Students perform lion dance to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Xinhua/Du Yu) Students pose for a group photo to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Xinhua) Students take a selfie with their teacher to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Xinhua) Children participate in a lion dance game to celebrate the New Year at a kindergarten in Xiangyang, central China's Hubei Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Yang Dong/Xinhua) Children perform dragon dance to celebrate the New Year at a kindergarten in Huzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Xie Shangguo/Xinhua) Children hold the Chinese character "Fu", meaning good luck in English, during a New Year celebration at a kindergarten in Neijiang, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Huang Zhenghua/Xinhua) Students show their paper cutting works at an elementary school in Qianxi, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Zhai Peisheng/Xinhua) Students hold red lanterns to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Sun Zhongzhe/Xinhua) Children show their paper cutting works at a kindergarten in Danzhai County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Huang Xiaohai/Xinhua) Students perform lion dance to celebrate the New Year at an elementary school in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Dec. 31, 2021. People across China organize various kinds of activities to greet the upcoming New Year. (Photo by Liang Zidong/Xinhua) Chandigarh, Jan 1 : At least two people were killed and several others trapped following a landslide in a mining zone in Haryana's Bhiwani district on Saturday, police said. A rescue operation at the Dadam mining zone in Bhiwani's Tosham block is underway to locate the trapped people. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, in a tweet, said he is in constant touch with the local administration to ensure swift rescue operations and immediate assistance to the injured. Agriculture Minister J.P. Dalal, who visited the spot, told the media that a few people lost their lives and three were hospitalised. Three to four people were travelling to another site when the landslide occurred and they got trapped in their vehicles, said the police. Not less than 7 people lost their lives on Friday evening, with several others sustaining injuries in an accident along the Rivers State axi... Not less than 7 people lost their lives on Friday evening, with several others sustaining injuries in an accident along the Rivers State axis of the East west road. The tragedy occurred along Evekwu Oduoha in Emohua Local Government Area of the State. A truck driver conveying heavy duty gas pipes was said to have lost control which caused the pipes to fall on nearby vehicles. An eyewitness said about seven occupants of the affected vehicles were crushed to death. The chairman of the community Development committee of Evekwu where the incident took place, Alabo Monday said the truck was on its way to Port Harcourt when the tragedy struck. He said some police officers arrived the scene and rushed others who sustained serious injuries to the hospital. Men of the Federal Road Safety Coors also arrived the scene later to ensure free flow of traffic. The Rivers State Police Command was yet to issue an official statement on the accident at the time of this report. Not less than 7 people lost their lives on Friday evening, with several others sustaining injuries in an accident along the Rivers State axi... Not less than 7 people lost their lives on Friday evening, with several others sustaining injuries in an accident along the Rivers State axis of the East west road. The tragedy occurred along Evekwu Oduoha in Emohua Local Government Area of the State. A truck driver conveying heavy duty gas pipes was said to have lost control which caused the pipes to fall on nearby vehicles. An eyewitness said about seven occupants of the affected vehicles were crushed to death. The chairman of the community Development committee of Evekwu where the incident took place, Alabo Monday said the truck was on its way to Port Harcourt when the tragedy struck. He said some police officers arrived the scene and rushed others who sustained serious injuries to the hospital. Men of the Federal Road Safety Coors also arrived the scene later to ensure free flow of traffic. The Rivers State Police Command was yet to issue an official statement on the accident at the time of this report. The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] New Delhi, Jan 1 : During the peak of the pandemic last year, while revisiting his archives, and going through his work of more than half a decade, he chanced upon numerous photographs of filmmaker Satyajit Ray who he had shot extensively in Kolkata. For photographer Raghu Rai, it was a revelation of kinds, seeing the many unused pictures of Ray in different moods, shades and tones. It was also the great filmmaker's centenary year. When Rai showed these photographs to his writer and art curator friend Ina Puri, who was visiting, she said that it called for a book. And thus was born the recently released book 'Satyajit Ray'. Puri also wrote the book's introduction. "Also, many unused photographs that I took of Satyajit Ray in his house were underexposed and underdeveloped as well. But thanks to digital technology, as long as you have an image, it can be brought to life. It was an amazing experience -- seeing the enigmatic Ray 'emerging' in so many shades," he tells IANS. Rai had met Ray in Delhi twice before he decided to shoot him in Calcutta, but he remembers his encounter with him during the National Awards ceremony, where the filmmaker was carrying several awards. "I asked him if he needed help carrying so many things. He laughed - 'Well, not in this case.'" Though Rai had could spend just two days with Ray in Calcutta, shooting him at a film set, he could manage enough material for more than one book. "Even today, I am an extremely hungry photographer. When I am shooting, taking a meal break is also a waste of time," says the photographer. Remembering the evening spent on the ghats of Ganga with him, Rai recalls, "He got ready in his usual attire. As we were on the location, an idol of Durga surfaced. Now it was not the pujo time. So you see, all you have to do is ask the universe for the extraordinary." Rai, who has shot and produced books on Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa and major Indian classical musicians, among others, insists that one does not have to be gifted to produce remarkable pictures of such people. "How can I give myself credit when such personalities have an incredible persona and an aura that is almost divine.." Talk to him about the 'internal preparation' before shooting great masters, and he laughs, "It is all about going by your instinct. For me - to perceive, receive and respond articulately is a language. Sometimes people look at some of my important works and ask me what I was thinking at the time of taking those pictures. I say I wasn't thinking. I only feel and respond. Thinking is what politicians do. An artist can begin with an idea or a concept, but things evolve, the thinking goes away and the divine energy completes the process. So this is what is good about creativity. You wait for the energy to give you darshan." Rai feels that in contemporary times, "everybody has become a photographer" and digital technology, despite its advantages can also be very dangerous. "All you have to do is put the camera in auto-focus. Even mobile phone cameras have become sophisticated. It is not tough to take a beautiful photograph anymore... but where is the soul, the spirit in the picture?" Rai, who still makes it a point to go on the ground and capture major events like the CAA protests and the farmers' agitation stresses that it is important to be concerned and involved. "When Indira Gandhi lost and I captured an important photograph, some people asked me where my loyalties lay, after all, she gave me the Padma Shri. But then, I was given the award for my work during the 1971 war. My only dharma is to capture the truth." Currently working on a book on global warming, on which he also plans to hold an exhibition, Rai says, "I have worked on cyclones and floods. and so much more. Besides, my archives have thrown up material for more than 10 books." Ina Puri adds about the book 'Satyajit Ray', "For a writer, what could be more satisfying than chronicling Raghu Rai's experience as he shot Ray, his favourite filmmaker. I feel privileged to be part of the project." (Sukant Deepak can be contacted at sukant.d@ians.in) New Delhi, Jan 1 : During the peak of the pandemic last year, while revisiting his archives, and going through his work of more than half a decade, he chanced upon numerous photographs of filmmaker Satyajit Ray who he had shot extensively in Kolkata. For photographer Raghu Rai, it was a revelation of kinds, seeing the many unused pictures of Ray in different moods, shades and tones. It was also the great filmmaker's centenary year. When Rai showed these photographs to his writer and art curator friend Ina Puri, who was visiting, she said that it called for a book. And thus was born the recently released book 'Satyajit Ray'. Puri also wrote the book's introduction. "Also, many unused photographs that I took of Satyajit Ray in his house were underexposed and underdeveloped as well. But thanks to digital technology, as long as you have an image, it can be brought to life. It was an amazing experience -- seeing the enigmatic Ray 'emerging' in so many shades," he tells IANS. Rai had met Ray in Delhi twice before he decided to shoot him in Calcutta, but he remembers his encounter with him during the National Awards ceremony, where the filmmaker was carrying several awards. "I asked him if he needed help carrying so many things. He laughed - 'Well, not in this case.'" Though Rai had could spend just two days with Ray in Calcutta, shooting him at a film set, he could manage enough material for more than one book. "Even today, I am an extremely hungry photographer. When I am shooting, taking a meal break is also a waste of time," says the photographer. Remembering the evening spent on the ghats of Ganga with him, Rai recalls, "He got ready in his usual attire. As we were on the location, an idol of Durga surfaced. Now it was not the pujo time. So you see, all you have to do is ask the universe for the extraordinary." Rai, who has shot and produced books on Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa and major Indian classical musicians, among others, insists that one does not have to be gifted to produce remarkable pictures of such people. "How can I give myself credit when such personalities have an incredible persona and an aura that is almost divine.." Talk to him about the 'internal preparation' before shooting great masters, and he laughs, "It is all about going by your instinct. For me - to perceive, receive and respond articulately is a language. Sometimes people look at some of my important works and ask me what I was thinking at the time of taking those pictures. I say I wasn't thinking. I only feel and respond. Thinking is what politicians do. An artist can begin with an idea or a concept, but things evolve, the thinking goes away and the divine energy completes the process. So this is what is good about creativity. You wait for the energy to give you darshan." Rai feels that in contemporary times, "everybody has become a photographer" and digital technology, despite its advantages can also be very dangerous. "All you have to do is put the camera in auto-focus. Even mobile phone cameras have become sophisticated. It is not tough to take a beautiful photograph anymore... but where is the soul, the spirit in the picture?" Rai, who still makes it a point to go on the ground and capture major events like the CAA protests and the farmers' agitation stresses that it is important to be concerned and involved. "When Indira Gandhi lost and I captured an important photograph, some people asked me where my loyalties lay, after all, she gave me the Padma Shri. But then, I was given the award for my work during the 1971 war. My only dharma is to capture the truth." Currently working on a book on global warming, on which he also plans to hold an exhibition, Rai says, "I have worked on cyclones and floods. and so much more. Besides, my archives have thrown up material for more than 10 books." Ina Puri adds about the book 'Satyajit Ray', "For a writer, what could be more satisfying than chronicling Raghu Rai's experience as he shot Ray, his favourite filmmaker. I feel privileged to be part of the project." (Sukant Deepak can be contacted at sukant.d@ians.in) New Delhi, Jan 1 : During the peak of the pandemic last year, while revisiting his archives, and going through his work of more than half a decade, he chanced upon numerous photographs of filmmaker Satyajit Ray who he had shot extensively in Kolkata. For photographer Raghu Rai, it was a revelation of kinds, seeing the many unused pictures of Ray in different moods, shades and tones. It was also the great filmmaker's centenary year. When Rai showed these photographs to his writer and art curator friend Ina Puri, who was visiting, she said that it called for a book. And thus was born the recently released book 'Satyajit Ray'. Puri also wrote the book's introduction. "Also, many unused photographs that I took of Satyajit Ray in his house were underexposed and underdeveloped as well. But thanks to digital technology, as long as you have an image, it can be brought to life. It was an amazing experience -- seeing the enigmatic Ray 'emerging' in so many shades," he tells IANS. Rai had met Ray in Delhi twice before he decided to shoot him in Calcutta, but he remembers his encounter with him during the National Awards ceremony, where the filmmaker was carrying several awards. "I asked him if he needed help carrying so many things. He laughed - 'Well, not in this case.'" Though Rai had could spend just two days with Ray in Calcutta, shooting him at a film set, he could manage enough material for more than one book. "Even today, I am an extremely hungry photographer. When I am shooting, taking a meal break is also a waste of time," says the photographer. Remembering the evening spent on the ghats of Ganga with him, Rai recalls, "He got ready in his usual attire. As we were on the location, an idol of Durga surfaced. Now it was not the pujo time. So you see, all you have to do is ask the universe for the extraordinary." Rai, who has shot and produced books on Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa and major Indian classical musicians, among others, insists that one does not have to be gifted to produce remarkable pictures of such people. "How can I give myself credit when such personalities have an incredible persona and an aura that is almost divine.." Talk to him about the 'internal preparation' before shooting great masters, and he laughs, "It is all about going by your instinct. For me - to perceive, receive and respond articulately is a language. Sometimes people look at some of my important works and ask me what I was thinking at the time of taking those pictures. I say I wasn't thinking. I only feel and respond. Thinking is what politicians do. An artist can begin with an idea or a concept, but things evolve, the thinking goes away and the divine energy completes the process. So this is what is good about creativity. You wait for the energy to give you darshan." Rai feels that in contemporary times, "everybody has become a photographer" and digital technology, despite its advantages can also be very dangerous. "All you have to do is put the camera in auto-focus. Even mobile phone cameras have become sophisticated. It is not tough to take a beautiful photograph anymore... but where is the soul, the spirit in the picture?" Rai, who still makes it a point to go on the ground and capture major events like the CAA protests and the farmers' agitation stresses that it is important to be concerned and involved. "When Indira Gandhi lost and I captured an important photograph, some people asked me where my loyalties lay, after all, she gave me the Padma Shri. But then, I was given the award for my work during the 1971 war. My only dharma is to capture the truth." Currently working on a book on global warming, on which he also plans to hold an exhibition, Rai says, "I have worked on cyclones and floods. and so much more. Besides, my archives have thrown up material for more than 10 books." Ina Puri adds about the book 'Satyajit Ray', "For a writer, what could be more satisfying than chronicling Raghu Rai's experience as he shot Ray, his favourite filmmaker. I feel privileged to be part of the project." (Sukant Deepak can be contacted at sukant.d@ians.in) NEW DELHI, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- New Delhi and Islamabad Saturday exchanged a list of civilian prisoners and fishermen languishing in each other's jails, Indian's foreign ministry said. The exchange was carried out through diplomatic channels simultaneously at New Delhi and Islamabad, the ministry said in a statement. "India handed over lists of 282 Pakistan civilian prisoners and 73 fishermen in India's custody to Pakistan. Similarly, Pakistan has shared lists of 51 civilian prisoners and 577 fishermen in its custody, who are Indians or are believed to be Indians," it said. According to India's foreign ministry, the exchange was done in keeping with the provisions of the 2008 agreement under which such lists are exchanged every year on Jan. 1 and July 1. Enditem NEW DELHI, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- New Delhi and Islamabad Saturday exchanged a list of civilian prisoners and fishermen languishing in each other's jails, Indian's foreign ministry said. The exchange was carried out through diplomatic channels simultaneously at New Delhi and Islamabad, the ministry said in a statement. "India handed over lists of 282 Pakistan civilian prisoners and 73 fishermen in India's custody to Pakistan. Similarly, Pakistan has shared lists of 51 civilian prisoners and 577 fishermen in its custody, who are Indians or are believed to be Indians," it said. According to India's foreign ministry, the exchange was done in keeping with the provisions of the 2008 agreement under which such lists are exchanged every year on Jan. 1 and July 1. Enditem Dozens of civilians have been reportedly killed over the past week in a barrage of air strikes in Ethiopia's northernmost Tigray region - the highest casualties recorded since October. Last week, the Ethiopian government said that its troops would not advance further into Tigray, signalling a potential pause in fighting even as Tigrayan rebels accuse the military of carrying out several air strikes in the region this month. The claims by the Tigray People's Liberation Front rebel group could not be independently confirmed. On Thursday, the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that air strikes between 19th to 24th December had "reportedly led to mass civilian casualties, including dozens of people reportedly killed, making this the most intense series of air attacks and casualties reported since October." According to OCHA, the strikes reportedly hit several towns across southern Tigray, with one destroying an electrical substation in the regional capital Mekele. 'Tense and unpredictble" The agency added "Due to limited access and insecurity in the area, humanitarian partners could not verify the exact number of casualties yet." The TPLF announced a retreat to Tigray last week, marking a turning point in the war which has left thousands of people dead and pushed many more into famine. OCHA said the situation in northern Ethiopia remains "tense and unpredictable" with aid workers struggling to get crucial supplies to those in need. "No trucks with humanitarian aid cargo have entered Tigray since 14 December," the agency said, citing security issues. The fighting in Africa's second most populous nation has displaced more than two million people and more than nine million are in need of food aid, according to UN estimates. The war broke out in November last year when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray to topple the TPLF, accusing its fighters of attacking army camps. A swift victory was elusive, as the TPLF mounted a shock counter-attack, recapturing most of Tigray by June before advancing into neighbouring Afar and Amhara. Speaking on Friday, the Iranian President said that security in Afghanistan will ensure security in Iran and that insecurity in Kabul is equal to insecurity in Tehran, Khaama Press reported. Earlier, Raisi's special representative to Afghani Hosein Kazemi Qomi had said that they are ready to mediate talks between the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and other factions in Afghanistan to reach an agreement and ultimately form an inclusive government. In November last year, Islamic Emirate acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi had said that the Taliban have already constituted an inclusive government that included representatives from all ethnic groups across the country, as per Pakistani media. During a program hosted by an Islamabad-based think-tank, Taliban official had said that no state has the authority to force them to accept former governments' representatives into the governance system. No country has yet recognized the Taliban rule in Afghanistan. (ANI) Speaking on Friday, the Iranian President said that security in Afghanistan will ensure security in Iran and that insecurity in Kabul is equal to insecurity in Tehran, Khaama Press reported. Earlier, Raisi's special representative to Afghani Hosein Kazemi Qomi had said that they are ready to mediate talks between the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and other factions in Afghanistan to reach an agreement and ultimately form an inclusive government. In November last year, Islamic Emirate acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi had said that the Taliban have already constituted an inclusive government that included representatives from all ethnic groups across the country, as per Pakistani media. During a program hosted by an Islamabad-based think-tank, Taliban official had said that no state has the authority to force them to accept former governments' representatives into the governance system. No country has yet recognized the Taliban rule in Afghanistan. (ANI) Young activists hailed Archbishop Desmond Tutu as a role model for fighting global injustice as they waited in line on Friday to pay their last respects to the anti-apartheid hero whose body lay in state at St Georges Cathedral in Cape Town. Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize winner widely revered across racial and cultural divides in South Africa for his moral rectitude and principled fight against white-minority rule, died on Sunday aged 90. read more We as young activists believe the Arch stood for the same values that we want to aspire to in society, Irfaan Mangera, a pro-Palestinian South African activist, told Reuters as he waited in the long queue, draped in the Palestinian keffiyeh. Using Tutus nickname, Mangera added: The Arch was one of the figures who continuously united us against oppressive systems globally, locally and we want to continue in that path as young South African activists who emulate the values of non-racialism and non-sexism. TEARS AND CELEBRATIONS Among the many mourners was Mandla Mandela, a grandson of South Africas first Black president, Nelson Mandela, who had been a friend and ally of Tutu. People like Arch were able to lead protests and marches right here in the Cape and this is why, when we look back at his life, we are celebrating today and particularly with his support for oppressed nations across the globe, he said. Earlier, members of the clergy and church wardens lined the street as a guard of honour, awaiting the arrival of the simple pine coffin with rope handles, as the cathedrals marching band filled the air with the sound of drums, flutes and trumpets. A teary Thandeka Tutu, the eldest daughter, hugged her sisters after climbing out of the hearse. Six black-robed pall bearers then carried the closed coffin to an inner sanctuary of the cathedral amid a cloud of incense from an Anglican thurible. Tutus body began lying in state on Thursday. A requiem mass funeral service will take place on Saturday and President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to deliver the main eulogy. The cathedrals dean, Father Michael Weeder, told news broadcaster eNCA that Tutus body would continue to lie in state through the night into Saturday after the public viewing ends at 5 p.m. (1500 GMT). Since Sunday, church bells across South Africa have been rung every day in Tutus honour. Churches around the country continued to hold thanksgiving services for him on Friday. Tutu, who requested the cheapest coffin and did not want any lavish funeral expense, will be cremated and his remains interred behind the cathedral pulpit, from which he often used to preach against racial injustice. SOURCE: REUTERS The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] NEW YORK, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Travel disruptions are slated to persist in the New Year, as heavy holiday traffic in air and on ground overlapped with a spike in coronavirus cases in the United States, and airlines, train companies and even their regulators grapple with staff unavailability as a result of the pandemic's ever more contagious variants of Omicron and Delta. The United States set a new record high of over 640,000 daily COVID-19 cases on Friday, according to latest data of Johns Hopkins University. A total of 647,067 new cases and 1,409 new deaths were reported across the nation on Friday. The single-day increase of cases has set a new record since the onset of the pandemic in the country. FLIGHTS CANCELLED Heading into the New Year's weekend, when return flights will produce another crest in air travel, airlines have been canceling more than 1,000 flights a day to, from or within the United States. "Carriers and their employees say the latest chapter of the pandemic, the Omicron variant, has cut deeply into the ability to staff flights, even though a vast majority of crew members are vaccinated," reported New York Times on Thursday. JetBlue has been one of the airlines hardest hit, canceling 17 percent of its flights on Thursday, according to the air travel data site FlightAware. The carrier said on Wednesday that it would cut about 1,280 flights through mid-January, citing the rise in virus cases in the Northeast, where its operations and crews are concentrated. As many as 10 million people may fly from Thursday through Monday, according to Transportation Security Administration estimates. For months, airlines have been preparing reserves of workers for the holiday crush, but "those measures were inadequate in a fast-changing situation, and many passengers were frustrated," said the report. Out of the ongoing difficulty of staff shortage, Spirit Airlines flight attendants are receiving triple pay on any work through Jan. 4, their union said, as the budget carrier scrambles to keep its schedules intact after U.S. airlines were hammered by a week of mass cancellations. "All flight attendants, regardless of how you have obtained your pairing, will be receiving 200% pay for any pairing that touches Dec. 28 through Jan. 4," the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA said in a statement. The union represented about 4,000 flights attendants at Spirit Airlines, according to the carrier's latest annual filing. Spirit Airlines is an American ultra-low-cost carrier headquartered in Miramar, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. Spirit operates scheduled flights throughout the United States and in the Caribbean and Latin America. Spirit was the fourth largest passenger carrier in North America as of 2020, as well as the largest ultra-low-cost carrier in North America. To make things worse, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Friday that an "increased number" of its own employees are testing positive for the virus, which could force it to implement health and cleaning procedures that reduce the number of flights the system can handle. "To maintain safety, traffic volume at some facilities could be reduced, which might result in delays during busy periods," the FAA said, noting that airlines canceled more than 11,000 flights since Christmas Eve, including more than 1,000 already scrapped from Saturday and Sunday schedules, but none of those were the result of FAA issues. Meanwhile, CNN quoted the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) as saying on Thursday that it has "adequate staff to cover flight schedules and passenger volumes." The TSA expects 10 million more people to pass through airport screening between now and the end of the day Monday. TRAINS SLASHED Amtrak, a passenger railroad service that provides medium and long-distance inter-city rail service in the contiguous United States and to nine cities in Canada, said on Thursday that it will reduce its schedule between New Year's Eve and Jan. 6 as it battles bad weather in some parts of the country and a surge in coronavirus cases among its employees. About two dozen trains on both its Northeast Corridor and long-distance routes will be affected. The reductions are about 1.5 percent of Amtrak's trains that were scheduled for the week. "Amtrak regrets any inconvenience," the railroad said in a statement. "We are continuing to monitor changing conditions and will make any further adjustments as required." "The trimmed train schedule mirrors thousands of canceled airline flights since Christmas Eve and disruptions to local transit services as the fast-spreading Omicron variant drives case counts to their highest levels of the pandemic," reported The Washington Post. Earlier on Tuesday, multiple lines on New Jersey Transit had to cancel trains as the transit agency dealt with what it called "crew availability" difficulties, while New York City Transit said it had to suspend three lines for the same reason. "Like everyone in New York, we've been affected by the COVID surge. We're running as much train service as we can with the operators we have available," said the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the New York City metropolitan area of the U.S. state of New York. The W line was suspended all of Wednesday, which had an effect on riders, many of whom said that their commutes were impacted. Its suspension continued on Thursday and the B and Z services were also cut. The MTA suggested straphangers use the Q trains in Brooklyn and D trains in Manhattan and Bronx. Enditem NEW YORK, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Travel disruptions are slated to persist in the New Year, as heavy holiday traffic in air and on ground overlapped with a spike in coronavirus cases in the United States, and airlines, train companies and even their regulators grapple with staff unavailability as a result of the pandemic's ever more contagious variants of Omicron and Delta. The United States set a new record high of over 640,000 daily COVID-19 cases on Friday, according to latest data of Johns Hopkins University. A total of 647,067 new cases and 1,409 new deaths were reported across the nation on Friday. The single-day increase of cases has set a new record since the onset of the pandemic in the country. FLIGHTS CANCELLED Heading into the New Year's weekend, when return flights will produce another crest in air travel, airlines have been canceling more than 1,000 flights a day to, from or within the United States. "Carriers and their employees say the latest chapter of the pandemic, the Omicron variant, has cut deeply into the ability to staff flights, even though a vast majority of crew members are vaccinated," reported New York Times on Thursday. JetBlue has been one of the airlines hardest hit, canceling 17 percent of its flights on Thursday, according to the air travel data site FlightAware. The carrier said on Wednesday that it would cut about 1,280 flights through mid-January, citing the rise in virus cases in the Northeast, where its operations and crews are concentrated. As many as 10 million people may fly from Thursday through Monday, according to Transportation Security Administration estimates. For months, airlines have been preparing reserves of workers for the holiday crush, but "those measures were inadequate in a fast-changing situation, and many passengers were frustrated," said the report. Out of the ongoing difficulty of staff shortage, Spirit Airlines flight attendants are receiving triple pay on any work through Jan. 4, their union said, as the budget carrier scrambles to keep its schedules intact after U.S. airlines were hammered by a week of mass cancellations. "All flight attendants, regardless of how you have obtained your pairing, will be receiving 200% pay for any pairing that touches Dec. 28 through Jan. 4," the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA said in a statement. The union represented about 4,000 flights attendants at Spirit Airlines, according to the carrier's latest annual filing. Spirit Airlines is an American ultra-low-cost carrier headquartered in Miramar, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. Spirit operates scheduled flights throughout the United States and in the Caribbean and Latin America. Spirit was the fourth largest passenger carrier in North America as of 2020, as well as the largest ultra-low-cost carrier in North America. To make things worse, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Friday that an "increased number" of its own employees are testing positive for the virus, which could force it to implement health and cleaning procedures that reduce the number of flights the system can handle. "To maintain safety, traffic volume at some facilities could be reduced, which might result in delays during busy periods," the FAA said, noting that airlines canceled more than 11,000 flights since Christmas Eve, including more than 1,000 already scrapped from Saturday and Sunday schedules, but none of those were the result of FAA issues. Meanwhile, CNN quoted the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) as saying on Thursday that it has "adequate staff to cover flight schedules and passenger volumes." The TSA expects 10 million more people to pass through airport screening between now and the end of the day Monday. TRAINS SLASHED Amtrak, a passenger railroad service that provides medium and long-distance inter-city rail service in the contiguous United States and to nine cities in Canada, said on Thursday that it will reduce its schedule between New Year's Eve and Jan. 6 as it battles bad weather in some parts of the country and a surge in coronavirus cases among its employees. About two dozen trains on both its Northeast Corridor and long-distance routes will be affected. The reductions are about 1.5 percent of Amtrak's trains that were scheduled for the week. "Amtrak regrets any inconvenience," the railroad said in a statement. "We are continuing to monitor changing conditions and will make any further adjustments as required." "The trimmed train schedule mirrors thousands of canceled airline flights since Christmas Eve and disruptions to local transit services as the fast-spreading Omicron variant drives case counts to their highest levels of the pandemic," reported The Washington Post. Earlier on Tuesday, multiple lines on New Jersey Transit had to cancel trains as the transit agency dealt with what it called "crew availability" difficulties, while New York City Transit said it had to suspend three lines for the same reason. "Like everyone in New York, we've been affected by the COVID surge. We're running as much train service as we can with the operators we have available," said the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the New York City metropolitan area of the U.S. state of New York. The W line was suspended all of Wednesday, which had an effect on riders, many of whom said that their commutes were impacted. Its suspension continued on Thursday and the B and Z services were also cut. The MTA suggested straphangers use the Q trains in Brooklyn and D trains in Manhattan and Bronx. Enditem Dozens of civilians have been reportedly killed over the past week in a barrage of air strikes in Ethiopia's northernmost Tigray region - the highest casualties recorded since October. Last week, the Ethiopian government said that its troops would not advance further into Tigray, signalling a potential pause in fighting even as Tigrayan rebels accuse the military of carrying out several air strikes in the region this month. The claims by the Tigray People's Liberation Front rebel group could not be independently confirmed. On Thursday, the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that air strikes between 19th to 24th December had "reportedly led to mass civilian casualties, including dozens of people reportedly killed, making this the most intense series of air attacks and casualties reported since October." According to OCHA, the strikes reportedly hit several towns across southern Tigray, with one destroying an electrical substation in the regional capital Mekele. 'Tense and unpredictble" The agency added "Due to limited access and insecurity in the area, humanitarian partners could not verify the exact number of casualties yet." The TPLF announced a retreat to Tigray last week, marking a turning point in the war which has left thousands of people dead and pushed many more into famine. OCHA said the situation in northern Ethiopia remains "tense and unpredictable" with aid workers struggling to get crucial supplies to those in need. "No trucks with humanitarian aid cargo have entered Tigray since 14 December," the agency said, citing security issues. The fighting in Africa's second most populous nation has displaced more than two million people and more than nine million are in need of food aid, according to UN estimates. The war broke out in November last year when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray to topple the TPLF, accusing its fighters of attacking army camps. A swift victory was elusive, as the TPLF mounted a shock counter-attack, recapturing most of Tigray by June before advancing into neighbouring Afar and Amhara. The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] Philippine Airlines says it has emerged from bankruptcy after a US court approved its plan to slash up to $2 billion in debt and obtain additional capital. Philippine Airlines has said it has emerged from bankruptcy after a US court approved its plan to slash up to $2 billion in debt and obtain additional capital. The national carrier of the Philippines had filed for bankruptcy in the United States in September, seeking relief from creditors as it tried to survive the devastation unleashed on the airline industry by the coronavirus pandemic. Its court-approved reorganisation plan includes a $2 billion debt reduction and additional liquidity of $505 million from its main shareholder, PAL said in a statement Friday. It also has the option to obtain up to $150 million in additional financing from new investors. "PAL has streamlined operations with a reorganised fleet and is now better capitalised for future growth," the airline added. Air travel in the Philippines collapsed by more than 75 percent in 2020 due to travel restrictions imposed to contain the coronavirus, according to government data. From 60 million domestic and international passengers in 2019, traffic plunged to just over 13 million in 2020. PAL said in September it had cancelled more than 80,000 flights, wiping out $2 billion in revenue, and let go of more than 2,000 employees. As borders reopen and travel restrictions ease, the airline said it will resume regular flights, including to cities in mainland China and Australia. Explore further Philippine Airlines files for bankruptcy 2022 AFP The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] Dozens of civilians have been reportedly killed over the past week in a barrage of air strikes in Ethiopia's northernmost Tigray region - the highest casualties recorded since October. Last week, the Ethiopian government said that its troops would not advance further into Tigray, signalling a potential pause in fighting even as Tigrayan rebels accuse the military of carrying out several air strikes in the region this month. The claims by the Tigray People's Liberation Front rebel group could not be independently confirmed. On Thursday, the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that air strikes between 19th to 24th December had "reportedly led to mass civilian casualties, including dozens of people reportedly killed, making this the most intense series of air attacks and casualties reported since October." According to OCHA, the strikes reportedly hit several towns across southern Tigray, with one destroying an electrical substation in the regional capital Mekele. 'Tense and unpredictble" The agency added "Due to limited access and insecurity in the area, humanitarian partners could not verify the exact number of casualties yet." The TPLF announced a retreat to Tigray last week, marking a turning point in the war which has left thousands of people dead and pushed many more into famine. OCHA said the situation in northern Ethiopia remains "tense and unpredictable" with aid workers struggling to get crucial supplies to those in need. "No trucks with humanitarian aid cargo have entered Tigray since 14 December," the agency said, citing security issues. The fighting in Africa's second most populous nation has displaced more than two million people and more than nine million are in need of food aid, according to UN estimates. The war broke out in November last year when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray to topple the TPLF, accusing its fighters of attacking army camps. A swift victory was elusive, as the TPLF mounted a shock counter-attack, recapturing most of Tigray by June before advancing into neighbouring Afar and Amhara. New Delhi, Jan 1 : During the peak of the pandemic last year, while revisiting his archives, and going through his work of more than half a decade, he chanced upon numerous photographs of filmmaker Satyajit Ray who he had shot extensively in Kolkata. For photographer Raghu Rai, it was a revelation of kinds, seeing the many unused pictures of Ray in different moods, shades and tones. It was also the great filmmaker's centenary year. When Rai showed these photographs to his writer and art curator friend Ina Puri, who was visiting, she said that it called for a book. And thus was born the recently released book 'Satyajit Ray'. Puri also wrote the book's introduction. "Also, many unused photographs that I took of Satyajit Ray in his house were underexposed and underdeveloped as well. But thanks to digital technology, as long as you have an image, it can be brought to life. It was an amazing experience -- seeing the enigmatic Ray 'emerging' in so many shades," he tells IANS. Rai had met Ray in Delhi twice before he decided to shoot him in Calcutta, but he remembers his encounter with him during the National Awards ceremony, where the filmmaker was carrying several awards. "I asked him if he needed help carrying so many things. He laughed - 'Well, not in this case.'" Though Rai had could spend just two days with Ray in Calcutta, shooting him at a film set, he could manage enough material for more than one book. "Even today, I am an extremely hungry photographer. When I am shooting, taking a meal break is also a waste of time," says the photographer. Remembering the evening spent on the ghats of Ganga with him, Rai recalls, "He got ready in his usual attire. As we were on the location, an idol of Durga surfaced. Now it was not the pujo time. So you see, all you have to do is ask the universe for the extraordinary." Rai, who has shot and produced books on Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa and major Indian classical musicians, among others, insists that one does not have to be gifted to produce remarkable pictures of such people. "How can I give myself credit when such personalities have an incredible persona and an aura that is almost divine.." Talk to him about the 'internal preparation' before shooting great masters, and he laughs, "It is all about going by your instinct. For me - to perceive, receive and respond articulately is a language. Sometimes people look at some of my important works and ask me what I was thinking at the time of taking those pictures. I say I wasn't thinking. I only feel and respond. Thinking is what politicians do. An artist can begin with an idea or a concept, but things evolve, the thinking goes away and the divine energy completes the process. So this is what is good about creativity. You wait for the energy to give you darshan." Rai feels that in contemporary times, "everybody has become a photographer" and digital technology, despite its advantages can also be very dangerous. "All you have to do is put the camera in auto-focus. Even mobile phone cameras have become sophisticated. It is not tough to take a beautiful photograph anymore... but where is the soul, the spirit in the picture?" Rai, who still makes it a point to go on the ground and capture major events like the CAA protests and the farmers' agitation stresses that it is important to be concerned and involved. "When Indira Gandhi lost and I captured an important photograph, some people asked me where my loyalties lay, after all, she gave me the Padma Shri. But then, I was given the award for my work during the 1971 war. My only dharma is to capture the truth." Currently working on a book on global warming, on which he also plans to hold an exhibition, Rai says, "I have worked on cyclones and floods. and so much more. Besides, my archives have thrown up material for more than 10 books." Ina Puri adds about the book 'Satyajit Ray', "For a writer, what could be more satisfying than chronicling Raghu Rai's experience as he shot Ray, his favourite filmmaker. I feel privileged to be part of the project." (Sukant Deepak can be contacted at sukant.d@ians.in) New Delhi, Jan 1 : During the peak of the pandemic last year, while revisiting his archives, and going through his work of more than half a decade, he chanced upon numerous photographs of filmmaker Satyajit Ray who he had shot extensively in Kolkata. For photographer Raghu Rai, it was a revelation of kinds, seeing the many unused pictures of Ray in different moods, shades and tones. It was also the great filmmaker's centenary year. When Rai showed these photographs to his writer and art curator friend Ina Puri, who was visiting, she said that it called for a book. And thus was born the recently released book 'Satyajit Ray'. Puri also wrote the book's introduction. "Also, many unused photographs that I took of Satyajit Ray in his house were underexposed and underdeveloped as well. But thanks to digital technology, as long as you have an image, it can be brought to life. It was an amazing experience -- seeing the enigmatic Ray 'emerging' in so many shades," he tells IANS. Rai had met Ray in Delhi twice before he decided to shoot him in Calcutta, but he remembers his encounter with him during the National Awards ceremony, where the filmmaker was carrying several awards. "I asked him if he needed help carrying so many things. He laughed - 'Well, not in this case.'" Though Rai had could spend just two days with Ray in Calcutta, shooting him at a film set, he could manage enough material for more than one book. "Even today, I am an extremely hungry photographer. When I am shooting, taking a meal break is also a waste of time," says the photographer. Remembering the evening spent on the ghats of Ganga with him, Rai recalls, "He got ready in his usual attire. As we were on the location, an idol of Durga surfaced. Now it was not the pujo time. So you see, all you have to do is ask the universe for the extraordinary." Rai, who has shot and produced books on Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa and major Indian classical musicians, among others, insists that one does not have to be gifted to produce remarkable pictures of such people. "How can I give myself credit when such personalities have an incredible persona and an aura that is almost divine.." Talk to him about the 'internal preparation' before shooting great masters, and he laughs, "It is all about going by your instinct. For me - to perceive, receive and respond articulately is a language. Sometimes people look at some of my important works and ask me what I was thinking at the time of taking those pictures. I say I wasn't thinking. I only feel and respond. Thinking is what politicians do. An artist can begin with an idea or a concept, but things evolve, the thinking goes away and the divine energy completes the process. So this is what is good about creativity. You wait for the energy to give you darshan." Rai feels that in contemporary times, "everybody has become a photographer" and digital technology, despite its advantages can also be very dangerous. "All you have to do is put the camera in auto-focus. Even mobile phone cameras have become sophisticated. It is not tough to take a beautiful photograph anymore... but where is the soul, the spirit in the picture?" Rai, who still makes it a point to go on the ground and capture major events like the CAA protests and the farmers' agitation stresses that it is important to be concerned and involved. "When Indira Gandhi lost and I captured an important photograph, some people asked me where my loyalties lay, after all, she gave me the Padma Shri. But then, I was given the award for my work during the 1971 war. My only dharma is to capture the truth." Currently working on a book on global warming, on which he also plans to hold an exhibition, Rai says, "I have worked on cyclones and floods. and so much more. Besides, my archives have thrown up material for more than 10 books." Ina Puri adds about the book 'Satyajit Ray', "For a writer, what could be more satisfying than chronicling Raghu Rai's experience as he shot Ray, his favourite filmmaker. I feel privileged to be part of the project." (Sukant Deepak can be contacted at sukant.d@ians.in) New Delhi, Jan 1 : During the peak of the pandemic last year, while revisiting his archives, and going through his work of more than half a decade, he chanced upon numerous photographs of filmmaker Satyajit Ray who he had shot extensively in Kolkata. For photographer Raghu Rai, it was a revelation of kinds, seeing the many unused pictures of Ray in different moods, shades and tones. It was also the great filmmaker's centenary year. When Rai showed these photographs to his writer and art curator friend Ina Puri, who was visiting, she said that it called for a book. And thus was born the recently released book 'Satyajit Ray'. Puri also wrote the book's introduction. "Also, many unused photographs that I took of Satyajit Ray in his house were underexposed and underdeveloped as well. But thanks to digital technology, as long as you have an image, it can be brought to life. It was an amazing experience -- seeing the enigmatic Ray 'emerging' in so many shades," he tells IANS. Rai had met Ray in Delhi twice before he decided to shoot him in Calcutta, but he remembers his encounter with him during the National Awards ceremony, where the filmmaker was carrying several awards. "I asked him if he needed help carrying so many things. He laughed - 'Well, not in this case.'" Though Rai had could spend just two days with Ray in Calcutta, shooting him at a film set, he could manage enough material for more than one book. "Even today, I am an extremely hungry photographer. When I am shooting, taking a meal break is also a waste of time," says the photographer. Remembering the evening spent on the ghats of Ganga with him, Rai recalls, "He got ready in his usual attire. As we were on the location, an idol of Durga surfaced. Now it was not the pujo time. So you see, all you have to do is ask the universe for the extraordinary." Rai, who has shot and produced books on Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa and major Indian classical musicians, among others, insists that one does not have to be gifted to produce remarkable pictures of such people. "How can I give myself credit when such personalities have an incredible persona and an aura that is almost divine.." Talk to him about the 'internal preparation' before shooting great masters, and he laughs, "It is all about going by your instinct. For me - to perceive, receive and respond articulately is a language. Sometimes people look at some of my important works and ask me what I was thinking at the time of taking those pictures. I say I wasn't thinking. I only feel and respond. Thinking is what politicians do. An artist can begin with an idea or a concept, but things evolve, the thinking goes away and the divine energy completes the process. So this is what is good about creativity. You wait for the energy to give you darshan." Rai feels that in contemporary times, "everybody has become a photographer" and digital technology, despite its advantages can also be very dangerous. "All you have to do is put the camera in auto-focus. Even mobile phone cameras have become sophisticated. It is not tough to take a beautiful photograph anymore... but where is the soul, the spirit in the picture?" Rai, who still makes it a point to go on the ground and capture major events like the CAA protests and the farmers' agitation stresses that it is important to be concerned and involved. "When Indira Gandhi lost and I captured an important photograph, some people asked me where my loyalties lay, after all, she gave me the Padma Shri. But then, I was given the award for my work during the 1971 war. My only dharma is to capture the truth." Currently working on a book on global warming, on which he also plans to hold an exhibition, Rai says, "I have worked on cyclones and floods. and so much more. Besides, my archives have thrown up material for more than 10 books." Ina Puri adds about the book 'Satyajit Ray', "For a writer, what could be more satisfying than chronicling Raghu Rai's experience as he shot Ray, his favourite filmmaker. I feel privileged to be part of the project." (Sukant Deepak can be contacted at sukant.d@ians.in) The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen had a New Year message for China on Saturday: military conflict is not the answer, but Beijing responded with a stern warning that if Taiwan crossed any red line it would lead to profound catastrophe. China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has increased military and diplomatic pressure in the past two years to assert its sovereignty claims. We must remind the Beijing authorities to not misjudge the situation and to prevent the internal expansion of military adventurism, Tsai said on Saturday in her New Years speech, broadcast live on Facebook. Taiwan says it is an independent country and has repeatedly vowed to defend its freedom and democracy. Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his New Year address on Friday that the complete unification of the motherland was an aspiration shared by people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. On Saturday, after Tsais speech, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing, said: We are willing to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification. But if Taiwan independence separatist forces continue to provoke and coerce, or even cross any red line, we will have to take decisive measures. The pursuit of independence will only throw Taiwan into a deep chasm and bring about profound catastrophe, Zhu added. In recent months, Beijing has sent repeated air missions over the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan has said it will not give in to threats. The military is definitely not an option for solving cross-strait disagreements. Military conflicts would impact economic stability, Tsai said. To ease tension in the region, both Taipei and Beijing must work hard to take care of peoples livelihoods and calm the hearts of the people in order to find peaceful solutions to problems together, she said. Tsai also said Taiwan would continue to monitor the situation in Hong Kong, adding that interference in the recent legislative election and the arrests this week of senior staff at the pro-democracy media outlet Stand News made people worry even more about human rights and freedom of speech in Hong Kong. We will hold fast to our sovereignty, uphold the values of freedom and democracy, defend territorial sovereignty and national security, and maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, Tsai said. SOURCE: REUTERS Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen had a New Year message for China on Saturday: military conflict is not the answer, but Beijing responded with a stern warning that if Taiwan crossed any red line it would lead to profound catastrophe. China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has increased military and diplomatic pressure in the past two years to assert its sovereignty claims. We must remind the Beijing authorities to not misjudge the situation and to prevent the internal expansion of military adventurism, Tsai said on Saturday in her New Years speech, broadcast live on Facebook. Taiwan says it is an independent country and has repeatedly vowed to defend its freedom and democracy. Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his New Year address on Friday that the complete unification of the motherland was an aspiration shared by people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. On Saturday, after Tsais speech, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing, said: We are willing to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification. But if Taiwan independence separatist forces continue to provoke and coerce, or even cross any red line, we will have to take decisive measures. The pursuit of independence will only throw Taiwan into a deep chasm and bring about profound catastrophe, Zhu added. In recent months, Beijing has sent repeated air missions over the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan has said it will not give in to threats. The military is definitely not an option for solving cross-strait disagreements. Military conflicts would impact economic stability, Tsai said. To ease tension in the region, both Taipei and Beijing must work hard to take care of peoples livelihoods and calm the hearts of the people in order to find peaceful solutions to problems together, she said. Tsai also said Taiwan would continue to monitor the situation in Hong Kong, adding that interference in the recent legislative election and the arrests this week of senior staff at the pro-democracy media outlet Stand News made people worry even more about human rights and freedom of speech in Hong Kong. We will hold fast to our sovereignty, uphold the values of freedom and democracy, defend territorial sovereignty and national security, and maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, Tsai said. SOURCE: REUTERS Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen had a New Year message for China on Saturday: military conflict is not the answer, but Beijing responded with a stern warning that if Taiwan crossed any red line it would lead to profound catastrophe. China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has increased military and diplomatic pressure in the past two years to assert its sovereignty claims. We must remind the Beijing authorities to not misjudge the situation and to prevent the internal expansion of military adventurism, Tsai said on Saturday in her New Years speech, broadcast live on Facebook. Taiwan says it is an independent country and has repeatedly vowed to defend its freedom and democracy. Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his New Year address on Friday that the complete unification of the motherland was an aspiration shared by people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. On Saturday, after Tsais speech, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing, said: We are willing to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification. But if Taiwan independence separatist forces continue to provoke and coerce, or even cross any red line, we will have to take decisive measures. The pursuit of independence will only throw Taiwan into a deep chasm and bring about profound catastrophe, Zhu added. In recent months, Beijing has sent repeated air missions over the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan has said it will not give in to threats. The military is definitely not an option for solving cross-strait disagreements. Military conflicts would impact economic stability, Tsai said. To ease tension in the region, both Taipei and Beijing must work hard to take care of peoples livelihoods and calm the hearts of the people in order to find peaceful solutions to problems together, she said. Tsai also said Taiwan would continue to monitor the situation in Hong Kong, adding that interference in the recent legislative election and the arrests this week of senior staff at the pro-democracy media outlet Stand News made people worry even more about human rights and freedom of speech in Hong Kong. We will hold fast to our sovereignty, uphold the values of freedom and democracy, defend territorial sovereignty and national security, and maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, Tsai said. SOURCE: REUTERS Dozens of civilians have been reportedly killed over the past week in a barrage of air strikes in Ethiopia's northernmost Tigray region - the highest casualties recorded since October. Last week, the Ethiopian government said that its troops would not advance further into Tigray, signalling a potential pause in fighting even as Tigrayan rebels accuse the military of carrying out several air strikes in the region this month. The claims by the Tigray People's Liberation Front rebel group could not be independently confirmed. On Thursday, the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that air strikes between 19th to 24th December had "reportedly led to mass civilian casualties, including dozens of people reportedly killed, making this the most intense series of air attacks and casualties reported since October." According to OCHA, the strikes reportedly hit several towns across southern Tigray, with one destroying an electrical substation in the regional capital Mekele. 'Tense and unpredictble" The agency added "Due to limited access and insecurity in the area, humanitarian partners could not verify the exact number of casualties yet." The TPLF announced a retreat to Tigray last week, marking a turning point in the war which has left thousands of people dead and pushed many more into famine. OCHA said the situation in northern Ethiopia remains "tense and unpredictable" with aid workers struggling to get crucial supplies to those in need. "No trucks with humanitarian aid cargo have entered Tigray since 14 December," the agency said, citing security issues. The fighting in Africa's second most populous nation has displaced more than two million people and more than nine million are in need of food aid, according to UN estimates. The war broke out in November last year when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray to topple the TPLF, accusing its fighters of attacking army camps. A swift victory was elusive, as the TPLF mounted a shock counter-attack, recapturing most of Tigray by June before advancing into neighbouring Afar and Amhara. Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has lauded himself for ensuring that workers in the State does not experience a bleak Yuletid... Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has lauded himself for ensuring that workers in the State does not experience a bleak Yuletide. Akeredolu who assured the workers in his New Year message of commitment to their welfare, stated that he will not relent towards ensuring that the backlog of salaries are cleared. Civil servants in the State who were been owed salaries had been receiving percentage salaries since early 2021. With August salary paid on December 30, 2021, Akeredolu in a statement issued by his Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Donald Ojogo, stated that with the payment, the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, in the State has been able to beat the record of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2016. According to Ojogo, the immediate-past administration under PDP in the State abandoned the workforce in the face of excruciating economic hardship, in preference for hasty personal exit plans by principal actors in that Government. In the statement, Ojogo added that the balance of 35 percent of June salary, as well as 100 percent for July were at once. While adding that the workers received 100 percent of August salary, he maintained that the corresponding payments of leave bonuses has also been paid in three tranches. More than ever, we were determined to confine to their (PDP) time, the unenviable record of 2016 when workers in the State had the most horrendous season since the creation of the State. Workers spent their Yuletide season in hunger and pains. Some died along the line, he said. Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has lauded himself for ensuring that workers in the State does not experience a bleak Yuletid... Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has lauded himself for ensuring that workers in the State does not experience a bleak Yuletide. Akeredolu who assured the workers in his New Year message of commitment to their welfare, stated that he will not relent towards ensuring that the backlog of salaries are cleared. Civil servants in the State who were been owed salaries had been receiving percentage salaries since early 2021. With August salary paid on December 30, 2021, Akeredolu in a statement issued by his Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Donald Ojogo, stated that with the payment, the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, in the State has been able to beat the record of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2016. According to Ojogo, the immediate-past administration under PDP in the State abandoned the workforce in the face of excruciating economic hardship, in preference for hasty personal exit plans by principal actors in that Government. In the statement, Ojogo added that the balance of 35 percent of June salary, as well as 100 percent for July were at once. While adding that the workers received 100 percent of August salary, he maintained that the corresponding payments of leave bonuses has also been paid in three tranches. More than ever, we were determined to confine to their (PDP) time, the unenviable record of 2016 when workers in the State had the most horrendous season since the creation of the State. Workers spent their Yuletide season in hunger and pains. Some died along the line, he said. The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] Not less than 7 people lost their lives on Friday evening, with several others sustaining injuries in an accident along the Rivers State axi... Not less than 7 people lost their lives on Friday evening, with several others sustaining injuries in an accident along the Rivers State axis of the East west road. The tragedy occurred along Evekwu Oduoha in Emohua Local Government Area of the State. A truck driver conveying heavy duty gas pipes was said to have lost control which caused the pipes to fall on nearby vehicles. An eyewitness said about seven occupants of the affected vehicles were crushed to death. The chairman of the community Development committee of Evekwu where the incident took place, Alabo Monday said the truck was on its way to Port Harcourt when the tragedy struck. He said some police officers arrived the scene and rushed others who sustained serious injuries to the hospital. Men of the Federal Road Safety Coors also arrived the scene later to ensure free flow of traffic. The Rivers State Police Command was yet to issue an official statement on the accident at the time of this report. Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has lauded himself for ensuring that workers in the State does not experience a bleak Yuletid... Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has lauded himself for ensuring that workers in the State does not experience a bleak Yuletide. Akeredolu who assured the workers in his New Year message of commitment to their welfare, stated that he will not relent towards ensuring that the backlog of salaries are cleared. Civil servants in the State who were been owed salaries had been receiving percentage salaries since early 2021. With August salary paid on December 30, 2021, Akeredolu in a statement issued by his Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Donald Ojogo, stated that with the payment, the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, in the State has been able to beat the record of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2016. According to Ojogo, the immediate-past administration under PDP in the State abandoned the workforce in the face of excruciating economic hardship, in preference for hasty personal exit plans by principal actors in that Government. In the statement, Ojogo added that the balance of 35 percent of June salary, as well as 100 percent for July were at once. While adding that the workers received 100 percent of August salary, he maintained that the corresponding payments of leave bonuses has also been paid in three tranches. More than ever, we were determined to confine to their (PDP) time, the unenviable record of 2016 when workers in the State had the most horrendous season since the creation of the State. Workers spent their Yuletide season in hunger and pains. Some died along the line, he said. Young activists hailed Archbishop Desmond Tutu as a role model for fighting global injustice as they waited in line on Friday to pay their last respects to the anti-apartheid hero whose body lay in state at St Georges Cathedral in Cape Town. Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize winner widely revered across racial and cultural divides in South Africa for his moral rectitude and principled fight against white-minority rule, died on Sunday aged 90. read more We as young activists believe the Arch stood for the same values that we want to aspire to in society, Irfaan Mangera, a pro-Palestinian South African activist, told Reuters as he waited in the long queue, draped in the Palestinian keffiyeh. Using Tutus nickname, Mangera added: The Arch was one of the figures who continuously united us against oppressive systems globally, locally and we want to continue in that path as young South African activists who emulate the values of non-racialism and non-sexism. TEARS AND CELEBRATIONS Among the many mourners was Mandla Mandela, a grandson of South Africas first Black president, Nelson Mandela, who had been a friend and ally of Tutu. People like Arch were able to lead protests and marches right here in the Cape and this is why, when we look back at his life, we are celebrating today and particularly with his support for oppressed nations across the globe, he said. Earlier, members of the clergy and church wardens lined the street as a guard of honour, awaiting the arrival of the simple pine coffin with rope handles, as the cathedrals marching band filled the air with the sound of drums, flutes and trumpets. A teary Thandeka Tutu, the eldest daughter, hugged her sisters after climbing out of the hearse. Six black-robed pall bearers then carried the closed coffin to an inner sanctuary of the cathedral amid a cloud of incense from an Anglican thurible. Tutus body began lying in state on Thursday. A requiem mass funeral service will take place on Saturday and President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to deliver the main eulogy. The cathedrals dean, Father Michael Weeder, told news broadcaster eNCA that Tutus body would continue to lie in state through the night into Saturday after the public viewing ends at 5 p.m. (1500 GMT). Since Sunday, church bells across South Africa have been rung every day in Tutus honour. Churches around the country continued to hold thanksgiving services for him on Friday. Tutu, who requested the cheapest coffin and did not want any lavish funeral expense, will be cremated and his remains interred behind the cathedral pulpit, from which he often used to preach against racial injustice. 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of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Young activists hailed Archbishop Desmond Tutu as a role model for fighting global injustice as they waited in line on Friday to pay their last respects to the anti-apartheid hero whose body lay in state at St Georges Cathedral in Cape Town. Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize winner widely revered across racial and cultural divides in South Africa for his moral rectitude and principled fight against white-minority rule, died on Sunday aged 90. read more We as young activists believe the Arch stood for the same values that we want to aspire to in society, Irfaan Mangera, a pro-Palestinian South African activist, told Reuters as he waited in the long queue, draped in the Palestinian keffiyeh. Using Tutus nickname, Mangera added: The Arch was one of the figures who continuously united us against oppressive systems globally, locally and we want to continue in that path as young South African activists who emulate the values of non-racialism and non-sexism. TEARS AND CELEBRATIONS Among the many mourners was Mandla Mandela, a grandson of South Africas first Black president, Nelson Mandela, who had been a friend and ally of Tutu. People like Arch were able to lead protests and marches right here in the Cape and this is why, when we look back at his life, we are celebrating today and particularly with his support for oppressed nations across the globe, he said. Earlier, members of the clergy and church wardens lined the street as a guard of honour, awaiting the arrival of the simple pine coffin with rope handles, as the cathedrals marching band filled the air with the sound of drums, flutes and trumpets. A teary Thandeka Tutu, the eldest daughter, hugged her sisters after climbing out of the hearse. Six black-robed pall bearers then carried the closed coffin to an inner sanctuary of the cathedral amid a cloud of incense from an Anglican thurible. Tutus body began lying in state on Thursday. A requiem mass funeral service will take place on Saturday and President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to deliver the main eulogy. The cathedrals dean, Father Michael Weeder, told news broadcaster eNCA that Tutus body would continue to lie in state through the night into Saturday after the public viewing ends at 5 p.m. (1500 GMT). Since Sunday, church bells across South Africa have been rung every day in Tutus honour. Churches around the country continued to hold thanksgiving services for him on Friday. Tutu, who requested the cheapest coffin and did not want any lavish funeral expense, will be cremated and his remains interred behind the cathedral pulpit, from which he often used to preach against racial injustice. SOURCE: REUTERS NEW DELHI, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- New Delhi and Islamabad Saturday exchanged a list of civilian prisoners and fishermen languishing in each other's jails, Indian's foreign ministry said. The exchange was carried out through diplomatic channels simultaneously at New Delhi and Islamabad, the ministry said in a statement. "India handed over lists of 282 Pakistan civilian prisoners and 73 fishermen in India's custody to Pakistan. Similarly, Pakistan has shared lists of 51 civilian prisoners and 577 fishermen in its custody, who are Indians or are believed to be Indians," it said. According to India's foreign ministry, the exchange was done in keeping with the provisions of the 2008 agreement under which such lists are exchanged every year on Jan. 1 and July 1. Enditem NEW DELHI, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- New Delhi and Islamabad Saturday exchanged a list of civilian prisoners and fishermen languishing in each other's jails, Indian's foreign ministry said. The exchange was carried out through diplomatic channels simultaneously at New Delhi and Islamabad, the ministry said in a statement. "India handed over lists of 282 Pakistan civilian prisoners and 73 fishermen in India's custody to Pakistan. Similarly, Pakistan has shared lists of 51 civilian prisoners and 577 fishermen in its custody, who are Indians or are believed to be Indians," it said. According to India's foreign ministry, the exchange was done in keeping with the provisions of the 2008 agreement under which such lists are exchanged every year on Jan. 1 and July 1. Enditem Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen during her New Year address at the presidential office in Taipei on Saturday called on China to resolve their differences peacefully, saying Beijing should curb the spread of "military adventurism." Tsai strongly protested against China's "military incursions," which she said "are of no benefit to the preservation of regional peace and stability," reported NHK World. Reiterating Taiwan's position she said that it was consistent and that it "will neither bow to pressure nor act rashly when we have support." Tsai said Chinese authorities "should not misjudge the situation, and that they should stop the spread of military adventurism within their ranks," reported NHK World. Tsai added that "the use of military means is absolutely not an option" for resolving the differences between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. She warned that military clashes would deal a blow to economic stability. Further, Tsai also brought up the recent arrests of people in Hong Kong in connection with an online media outlet known for its critical stance against the Hong Kong government. Tsai said the pursuit of democracy and freedom is not a crime, and that Taiwan's position in support of Hong Kong will not change, reported NHK World. She said Taiwan will cherish its "own hard-earned freedom and democracy even more deeply." She expressed resolve to "show the world that democratic Taiwan has the courage to step out from the shadow of authoritarian China." China continues to consider Taiwan a breakaway province even after decades of separate governance. Taipei has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, even as Beijing continues to threaten that "Taiwan's independence" by means of war. Amid the constantly increasing military and diplomatic pressure from China, Taiwan President noted the challenge to uphold its freedom, democracy, and consensus to connect with the world. Taiwan witnessed 950 intrusions by the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military planes into its Air Defence Identification Zone in 2021 so far, a 60 per cent increase from the previous year. Moreover, Taiwanese media reported that the island is anticipating a further rise in the number of intrusions as China has ramped up sorties over the past few years. (ANI) Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen during her New Year address at the presidential office in Taipei on Saturday called on China to resolve their differences peacefully, saying Beijing should curb the spread of "military adventurism." Tsai strongly protested against China's "military incursions," which she said "are of no benefit to the preservation of regional peace and stability," reported NHK World. Reiterating Taiwan's position she said that it was consistent and that it "will neither bow to pressure nor act rashly when we have support." Tsai said Chinese authorities "should not misjudge the situation, and that they should stop the spread of military adventurism within their ranks," reported NHK World. Tsai added that "the use of military means is absolutely not an option" for resolving the differences between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. She warned that military clashes would deal a blow to economic stability. Further, Tsai also brought up the recent arrests of people in Hong Kong in connection with an online media outlet known for its critical stance against the Hong Kong government. Tsai said the pursuit of democracy and freedom is not a crime, and that Taiwan's position in support of Hong Kong will not change, reported NHK World. She said Taiwan will cherish its "own hard-earned freedom and democracy even more deeply." She expressed resolve to "show the world that democratic Taiwan has the courage to step out from the shadow of authoritarian China." China continues to consider Taiwan a breakaway province even after decades of separate governance. Taipei has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, even as Beijing continues to threaten that "Taiwan's independence" by means of war. Amid the constantly increasing military and diplomatic pressure from China, Taiwan President noted the challenge to uphold its freedom, democracy, and consensus to connect with the world. Taiwan witnessed 950 intrusions by the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military planes into its Air Defence Identification Zone in 2021 so far, a 60 per cent increase from the previous year. Moreover, Taiwanese media reported that the island is anticipating a further rise in the number of intrusions as China has ramped up sorties over the past few years. (ANI) Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen during her New Year address at the presidential office in Taipei on Saturday called on China to resolve their differences peacefully, saying Beijing should curb the spread of "military adventurism." Tsai strongly protested against China's "military incursions," which she said "are of no benefit to the preservation of regional peace and stability," reported NHK World. Reiterating Taiwan's position she said that it was consistent and that it "will neither bow to pressure nor act rashly when we have support." Tsai said Chinese authorities "should not misjudge the situation, and that they should stop the spread of military adventurism within their ranks," reported NHK World. Tsai added that "the use of military means is absolutely not an option" for resolving the differences between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. She warned that military clashes would deal a blow to economic stability. Further, Tsai also brought up the recent arrests of people in Hong Kong in connection with an online media outlet known for its critical stance against the Hong Kong government. Tsai said the pursuit of democracy and freedom is not a crime, and that Taiwan's position in support of Hong Kong will not change, reported NHK World. She said Taiwan will cherish its "own hard-earned freedom and democracy even more deeply." She expressed resolve to "show the world that democratic Taiwan has the courage to step out from the shadow of authoritarian China." China continues to consider Taiwan a breakaway province even after decades of separate governance. Taipei has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, even as Beijing continues to threaten that "Taiwan's independence" by means of war. Amid the constantly increasing military and diplomatic pressure from China, Taiwan President noted the challenge to uphold its freedom, democracy, and consensus to connect with the world. Taiwan witnessed 950 intrusions by the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military planes into its Air Defence Identification Zone in 2021 so far, a 60 per cent increase from the previous year. Moreover, Taiwanese media reported that the island is anticipating a further rise in the number of intrusions as China has ramped up sorties over the past few years. (ANI) Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen during her New Year address at the presidential office in Taipei on Saturday called on China to resolve their differences peacefully, saying Beijing should curb the spread of "military adventurism." Tsai strongly protested against China's "military incursions," which she said "are of no benefit to the preservation of regional peace and stability," reported NHK World. Reiterating Taiwan's position she said that it was consistent and that it "will neither bow to pressure nor act rashly when we have support." Tsai said Chinese authorities "should not misjudge the situation, and that they should stop the spread of military adventurism within their ranks," reported NHK World. Tsai added that "the use of military means is absolutely not an option" for resolving the differences between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. She warned that military clashes would deal a blow to economic stability. Further, Tsai also brought up the recent arrests of people in Hong Kong in connection with an online media outlet known for its critical stance against the Hong Kong government. Tsai said the pursuit of democracy and freedom is not a crime, and that Taiwan's position in support of Hong Kong will not change, reported NHK World. She said Taiwan will cherish its "own hard-earned freedom and democracy even more deeply." She expressed resolve to "show the world that democratic Taiwan has the courage to step out from the shadow of authoritarian China." China continues to consider Taiwan a breakaway province even after decades of separate governance. Taipei has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, even as Beijing continues to threaten that "Taiwan's independence" by means of war. Amid the constantly increasing military and diplomatic pressure from China, Taiwan President noted the challenge to uphold its freedom, democracy, and consensus to connect with the world. Taiwan witnessed 950 intrusions by the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military planes into its Air Defence Identification Zone in 2021 so far, a 60 per cent increase from the previous year. Moreover, Taiwanese media reported that the island is anticipating a further rise in the number of intrusions as China has ramped up sorties over the past few years. 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. Former President John Dramani Mahama has said only a poor leader like President Akufo-Addo will keep blaming his predecessor for his (Akufo-Addos) failings five years into his presidency. Speaking at the National Democratic Congress 40th-anniversary commemoration of the 31st December Revolution in Accra on Friday, the 2020 flag bearer of the NDC said: Leadership is about responsibility, insisting: It is only a poor leader who shirks responsibilities and shifts blames. Demonstrating the difference between his leadership and that of Mr Akufo-Addo, Mr Mahama said: We had power crisis dumsor in this country because of lack of investment in generation for many years, and, so, we were consuming more power than we generated. That was the situation I met and yet, I did not say it is not my fault. I went to Parliament, took responsibility for it and promised to fix it, which we did. Today, somebody [President Akufo-Addo] claims he inherited a weak economy, which he hasnt been able to be responsible for 5 years on. Its always about Mahama and NDC. If he [Nana Akufo-Addo] cannot do the job, he should give way for the NDC to do it for you. classfmonline.com The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] Former President John Dramani Mahama has said only a poor leader like President Akufo-Addo will keep blaming his predecessor for his (Akufo-Addos) failings five years into his presidency. Speaking at the National Democratic Congress 40th-anniversary commemoration of the 31st December Revolution in Accra on Friday, the 2020 flag bearer of the NDC said: Leadership is about responsibility, insisting: It is only a poor leader who shirks responsibilities and shifts blames. Demonstrating the difference between his leadership and that of Mr Akufo-Addo, Mr Mahama said: We had power crisis dumsor in this country because of lack of investment in generation for many years, and, so, we were consuming more power than we generated. That was the situation I met and yet, I did not say it is not my fault. I went to Parliament, took responsibility for it and promised to fix it, which we did. Today, somebody [President Akufo-Addo] claims he inherited a weak economy, which he hasnt been able to be responsible for 5 years on. Its always about Mahama and NDC. If he [Nana Akufo-Addo] cannot do the job, he should give way for the NDC to do it for you. classfmonline.com The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. Pearl S. Buck Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892-March 6, 1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in China. Pearl Sydenstricker was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries who traveled to China soon after their marriage but returned to the United States for Pearls birth. Being only five months old, Pearl and her parents moved back to China. Pearl recalled in her memoir that she lived in several worlds, one a small, white, clean Presbyterian world of my parents, and the other the big, loving merry not-too-clean Chinese world. She stated there was no communication between the two environments. In 1911, Pearl left China to attend Randolph-Macon Womans College, graduating in 1914. She had not intended to follow the careers of her parents, yet she applied to the Presbyterian Board and from 1914 to 1932, served as a Presbyterian missionary. Pearls worldly views became highly controversial during the Fundamentalist Modernist period, thus leading to her resignation. Pearl always had a talent for writing, and upon her return to the United States she continued writing and became a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups. She especially became well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption. In 1914, Pearl returned to China and married John Buck on May 30, 1917. John was an agricultural economist missionary. While married to John Buck, she wrote her famous novel, "The Good Earth." In 1920, the Bucks had a daughter, Carol. About this period of time both of Pearls parents died. Upon their death the Bucks returned to the United States, where Pearl earned her masters degree from Cornell University. In 1925, the Bucks adopted Janice. The following autumn, they returned to China. During this period, there was a conflict between the Nationalist troops under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces. In 1935, the Bucks divorced in Reno, Nevada, and she married Richard Walsh that same day. Richard would offer her advice and affection which, her biographer concludes, helped make Pearls prodigious activity possible. The couple lived in Pennsylvania until his death in 1960. During Chinas Cultural Revolution, Buck as a prominent American writer of Chinese village life, was denounced as an American cultural imperialist. Buck wanted to visit China with Richard Nixon in 1972, but was denied the trip. Her novel "Satan never Sleeps" described the Communist tyranny in China. Following the Communist Revolution in 1949, Buck was refused entry to China by the new government. Buck would write on a diversity of issues including novels, short stories, fiction, childrens stories, and the biographies of her parents. The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The justice system in any democracy is premised on the conception that rich and poor are treated equally. But today, in Nigeria especially, access to justice is based on how much a person can pay, who they know and selective justice. Nigerian people must not allow the Judiciary, the supreme court specially to become caught in the psychology of judicial activism especially on a negative level. As it could lead to undemocratic conducts, allow judges and justices to become judicial activists. Judicial activism also relates to pursuing personal bias, subjective thinking, and going along with other private, social, and political agendas. I remember in a criminal law class my professor said the courts for the most part can avoid the negatives of judicial activism if it exercises mainly its judicial powers. This means that justices and judges may interpret the law only through the resolution of real legal disputes, meaning a court cannot attempt to correct a problem on its own initiative unless it has to do with the rules governing the court systems. When the supreme court justices are invoking their own interpretations of what the law is, it shows lack of judicial restraint. On a positive note, if the court should become involved in judicial activism as it relates to the criminal justice agencies, it should be to allow Law enforcement bodies like EFCC investigate and prosecute not just the average Nigerian but equally investigate persons in authority. No judge or justice should be injecting his or her own preferences into legal proceedings by saying what type of financial crime or bribe should be investigated. No jurist should be allowed to tell criminal investigative agencies like EFCC, who and where one can be probed and prosecuted for bribery. I always thought no body is above the law and that we are all equal before the law. Nigeria cannot be different and remain dusting in backwardness. Lets discuss the current tug of war between the EFCC and the judiciary in terms of the supreme court's over stretching its power. In 2018, a Lagos State High Court found Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), guilty for paying money to judges and exchanging telephone messages with court officials to influence the assignment and hearing of his cases. The case was upheld by an appeal court in Lagos state but now the Supreme Court nullified the conviction of Nwobike on the grounds that the Lagos State criminal law on which charges were made against him, did not clearly define what constitutes attempt to pervert the course of justice. Well, from the angle of public morality and legal psychology, deliberately bribing public officials like judges is perverting the course of justice, and by common sense and the legislative mandate given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it clearly has a role across the country to pursue interstate and intra state public officials or private contractors involved in financial wrongdoings. The panel of five Supreme court justices told the EFCC to focus on what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes as captured by the UN convention on fighting corruption, to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. Really? This type of adverse judicial activism by the supreme court, calls for the need for the judiciary to be totally overhauled in terms letting it know its limits. Now lets look as to how the real criminal justice works from the angle of law enforcement. I still remember in April of 2009, when United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that El Paso Criminal District Court Judge Manuel Joseph Barraza, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services, mail fraud and the deprivation of honest services and making false statements. I still recall when in April 2013, Malcolm Anthony Smith, a New York Senator was arrested on federal corruption charges followed by a conviction. I still giggle over a North Carolina Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II who was charged with trying to bribe an FBI agent to collect text messages, in the indictment Jones is alleged to have offered "a couple of cases of beer" to the FBI agent in return for the text messages. There is the case of an embattled City Court judge Leticia Astacio who in 2017 in New York was charged with drunken-driving and was escorted from judicial chambers in handcuffs. In 2018, a Texas state district court judge Rodolfo Rudy Delgado was arrested on allegations he accepted approximately $6,000 in cash bribes. Just this November, a Michigan Oakland County's chief probate judge, Kathleen Ryan, was charged with one count of domestic assault and battery. Well, the last time I looked at the Nigerian Constitution, although defective, and imposed on the people by the armed forces, it is an American-styled constitution. And the law enforcement agencies that arrested bad American public officials are akin to Nigerian law enforcement agencies, for example, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). That generally functions like the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Today, in Nigeria, we see adverse type judicial activism and policymaking at its worse from the supreme bench of Nigeria. For far too long, the Nigerian judiciary keep aborting the democratic process by violating the separation of powers. Members of the supreme court are now acting as unelected legislators who are imposing legislation on the people. In the case of EFCC. The judicial attitude exhibited by the supreme court, in terms of the speaking on functions of law enforcement bodies like the EFCC and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) remain odd. The EFCC, like the FBI has different functions to the public. These functions include areas such as tackling bank frauds, dealing with fraudulent economic governance, advance fee fraud, general investigation. The EFCC functions also include investigation of corruptions relating to finance as well as economical fund wherever it is occurring in the country and beyond. Just like the FBI, the EFCC by virtue of the Act is charged to investigate crimes relating to defrauding of the economy by public officials including governors and judges. I remember this period last year, ICPC, a counter path of EFCC, informed the global media about the following: Lawyers gave N9.4bn bribes to judges in three years Wow!!! Psychologically, this national report about the Nigerian judiciary finally found itself in the world stage. It was a huge psychological blow to members of the bench. Could it be that our upper jurists are now exhibiting what is psychologically known as indirect anger at the law enforcement agencies especially the likes of EFCC. For far too long, these upper jurists and their allies have lived in what is known as Denial, a form of defense mechanisms which occurs when one refuse to accept reality or facts. These upper jurists could also be seen as engaged in Repression, meaning experiencing unsavory thoughts that can upset them. Could they be engaged in what is called Projection, meaning thoughts or feelings they could have about themselves which they transfer to persons like the criminal investigators who are making these jurists uncomfortable. It appears that these upper jurists could be experiencing Displacement, meaning directing strong emotions and frustrations toward persons like the EFCC officials. These upper jurists could be engaged in Rationalization, meaning explaining their undesirable behaviors with their own set of facts just to feel comfortable and protect its shameful system. The Nigeria judiciary especially, the members of the supreme court feel stabbed in the heart. Now the supreme court in its state of judicial activism in a Subliminal way, are redirecting strong feelings into an object like EFCC that is safe to use up. Just a few days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Section 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act should be interpreted within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the precursor to the establishment of the EFCC to prevent illicit financial outflow from Nigeria. It is like the American Supreme court telling the American people that the FBI ACT should be explained only within the narrow confines of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. That is just the Nigerian supreme court making a fool out of itself. In a deeply corrupt society like Nigeria, the world sees the Nigeria police force and the judiciary as morally and systematically soiled along with some media bodies in compromised situations. In October of 2016, the media showed the following title, How the Nigerian National Judicial Council Shields Corrupt Judges. The National Judicial Council (NJC), the body charged with monitoring and disciplining has sometimes made it practically impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute judges, even after the judges have been found guilty of serious offenses by the same disciplinary body. Ethically and morally, judiciary is that entity that has no other power base except the one of public confidence anchored on impartiality, integrity, and competence in performing the work and duties assigned to it by the people, supposedly. From the customary courts to the supreme courts in Nigeria, how independent and honorable is the judiciary, and how indispensable to justice is it in our society? There is ongoing discussion about the endemic judicial corruption that involved morally stained judges and lawyers. I recently read in the media, some lawyers discussing issues around the criminal justice, and corruption in judicial circles. Robert Clarke, octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria asked, Can the EFCC go to the Army barracks and arrest a Major General when the constitution provides that under the Army law, this is the duty of a court martial? Any officer that walks into the Army barracks to arrest a military man will find himself thrown into the prison there because there is a rule of law, that if a military officer does anything wrong, the first body to discipline him is the military tribunal. I should say that this type of response may only apply to an environment that unequally approach rule of law Nigeria. Recently, I recalled in America from whom we adapted our 1979/1999 constitution, a 40-year-old active-duty Marine major was arrested after federal police said he violently broke into the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, 2021, pushing through a line of police officers and positioning himself inside a doorway to pull others into the building with him. So, Mr. Clarke, democratically, the answer is yes. Clarke, further said, Its the same thing with judges. The constitution says all judges are under the control of the NJC. All the discipline of judges is under the NJC, thats what the constitution says. And the constitution interpreted what misconduct is. So, why should the government go and carry a judicial officer who is still in service. Theres separation of powers. I will tell Clarke only in a stained democracy will his type of response holds. Likewise, 92-year-old legal titan, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), regarding a raid on a judges homes by the DSS in October 2016, said, I am of the view that the Constitution requires that any infraction by judges be firstly investigated and resolved by the NJC to the exclusion of any other body or authority. But Babalola needs to understand that NJC is not a police body. Active judges get arrested when the need arises especially in a healthy democratic society. In a more rational manner, 81-year-old Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), contends that corruption cases against the judges fail because judges shield their colleagues. Sagay, reminds us of the pathology of judicial corruption when he rebuked the Court of Appeals decision in Hyeladzira Nganjiwas case, What the judiciary did was the most terrible thing. Money was found in the home of some of them and it was reported. Some had even admitted to the offence, but suddenly they (judges) devised a new principle of law that before you can try any member of the bench, he or she has to be reported to the NJC. That means if the matter has not gone to the NJC, no matter how guilty that person is, you cannot touch them, so they were all discharged on the grounds that the report was not first made to the NJC. I dont think that would help at all. I dare say that a case like this point to judicial suicide in the Nigerian premise. It is essential to understand that anybody in Nigeria, including military, police officers and judges in active duty can be investigated. As thats the law. In healthy societies, even presidents and prime ministers get prosecuted. The Supreme court in its state of protect me I protect you continue to dim our democracy. A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in a recent lecture on electoral practices, presented during the 2021 Law Week of Ibadan NBA, stated that cash and carry judgments had become a feature in the country. I still remember in 2019, Senate President Ahmad Lawan advocating for open support for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he described as the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Senate President while declaring open the third EFCC National Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) further said, The best we can continue to do in our circumstance is to encourage anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC discharge their mandate very wellThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the leading government agencies in anti-corruption war. The Lawan parliamentary system must not be wishy-washy like the judiciary on the wide societal anti-corruption works as it relate to the EFCC and the ICPC, especially in the areas of public treasury and corporate financial crimes. The supreme court and its loyalists who generally concentrate on their judicial protectionism, would like the likes of EFCC to only engage in what I call Atlantic Ocean type financial crimes. Democratic voices like those of Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) should continue to expose the judiciary, the supreme court especially. As in how sons and daughters of retired and serving judges and justices are nominated by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. As in letting some corrupt governors and senior lawyers skip conviction by the courts dependence on technicalities rather than public interest and justice. From the angle of legal psychology, members of the supreme court and other courts must not be allowed to abuse their powers. The Nigerian people through peaceful protests should be staging civil unrest and various social media protest to push back the supreme courts direct and indirect efforts, to shave down the work of the countrys anti-graft agencies like EFCC. The Supreme Court and other courts could reduce the effects of judicial pathology by being open and nonresistant to what I call the Falana/Sagay Institutional Therapy as noted in this writing. At the end the will of the people will prevail, and through a peoples-oriented legislature, the Supreme court must not be allowed to become too powerful and anti-democratic. In the words of the French philosopher, De Tocqueville, I hope the Nigerian citizens themselves hold the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked. As noted by de Tocqueville about democracy. I hope Nigeria becomes a society made up of equal citizens, where the majority is always on top. John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Benin of Republic. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] If you still doubt that our COVID nightmare is being fully orchestrated by the evilest cabal of miscreants ever assembled in America, look no farther than the latest stories that have just come over the wire featuring the almighty Fauci and some of his minions. How convenient for the perps to let the cat out of the bag on a Friday New Year's Eve when most people are trying to forget the never-ending horror show that was the year of Our Lord 2021 and, therefore, are not paying attention to the news. In what many are saying should be the end of the COVID Crisis, King Fauci made the most stunning admission of his career, live on MSNBC: that all of the illegal and unconstitutional mandates that are being forced on us are based on fake numbers and phony statistics. It really is quite incredible, as you can see for yourself. The Evil Midget is saying the quiet part out loud: there is a difference between getting hospitalized (or presumably even dying) "with" COVID and "because" of COVID. Isn't that what some of us have been saying all along? But the other important thing is that if you look at the children who are hospitalized, many of them are hospitalized with COVID as opposed to or because of COVID. And what we mean by that if a child goes in the hospital, they automatically get tested for COVID. And they get counted as a COVID-hospitalized individual. When in fact, they may go in for a broken leg or appendicitis or something like that. So, it's overcounting the number of children who are, quote, hospitalized with COVID, as opposed to because of COVID. In other words, we who have the misfortune of living in blue states like New York are being forced to wear muzzle masks, get injections we don't want or need, and comply with often conflicting rules and regulations, all of which are based on inaccurate information. After all, Fauci finally admitted the con of conflating "with COVID" with "from COVID" when it comes to COVID case numbers, hospitalizations, and even deaths. All this misinformation has prevented us from even trying to live a halfway normal life. You know, like the lives we had back in 2019. Image: Fauci (edited in befunky). YouTube screen grab. But it gets better, and why not? As Hitler, the biggest liar of all, explained, if you tell a lie big enough and often enough, people will find it impossible to believe that you're lying. That is precisely what has happened in the last twenty months or so and continues even as we begin the new year. When it comes to COVID, it turns out that, once again, the corruptocrats who run New York have learned their lessons well from Master Fauci and have doubled down on their mendacity. They have gotten so bold that they now admit to using overblown claims about the number of children who were ostensibly hospitalized for COVID. You see, they needed to "scare" parents into getting the shots because many of them are now questioning whether it's a good idea to inject their children with an Emergency Use gene therapy that they probably don't need based on their age and low levels of transmission. In a press conference Monday alongside Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, Bassett who came down with the virus last week despite being fully vaccinated against it effectively acknowledged that the state health department's misleadingly framed the numbers to scare parents. "The numbers that we gave on pediatric admissions weren't intended to make it seem that children were having an epidemic of infection, these were small numbers," Bassett admitted regarding the alert. "That was based on 50 hospitalizations, and I've now given you some larger numbers, but they're still small numbers." "It really was to motivate pediatricians and families to seek the protection of vaccination," she then stated. Finally, if we thought that our un-elected governor would perhaps show us some mercy for being such good and obedient vassals, it turns out that Empress Hochul had other ideas. Despite the admissions of Lord Fauci and her own Health Department consigliere, Hochul declared that CUNY and SUNY students will be required to get their COVID-19 boosters by next semester, and our state's "Vax or Mask" mandate for businesses is now extended 'til February 1. So there you have it. The truth bomb we all have been waiting for: the stunning admission that the Wuhan virus isn't really infecting and killing all those millions of people that we've been told as our liberties and freedom have been stripped from us. We have lost so much our children, grandchildren, aged parents, businesses, jobs, friendships...in short, everything that makes life worth living, and all because federal and blue-state bureaucrats were overcounting the cases and deaths. Why aren't there headlines about this? Will there be next week? Will this affect the Supreme Court cases? I don't know. Let's just say I am not going to throw away all my "FJB/Let's Go Brandon" muzzle masks just yet. Irene Heron is a pseudonym. If you still doubt that our COVID nightmare is being fully orchestrated by the evilest cabal of miscreants ever assembled in America, look no farther than the latest stories that have just come over the wire featuring the almighty Fauci and some of his minions. How convenient for the perps to let the cat out of the bag on a Friday New Year's Eve when most people are trying to forget the never-ending horror show that was the year of Our Lord 2021 and, therefore, are not paying attention to the news. In what many are saying should be the end of the COVID Crisis, King Fauci made the most stunning admission of his career, live on MSNBC: that all of the illegal and unconstitutional mandates that are being forced on us are based on fake numbers and phony statistics. It really is quite incredible, as you can see for yourself. The Evil Midget is saying the quiet part out loud: there is a difference between getting hospitalized (or presumably even dying) "with" COVID and "because" of COVID. Isn't that what some of us have been saying all along? But the other important thing is that if you look at the children who are hospitalized, many of them are hospitalized with COVID as opposed to or because of COVID. And what we mean by that if a child goes in the hospital, they automatically get tested for COVID. And they get counted as a COVID-hospitalized individual. When in fact, they may go in for a broken leg or appendicitis or something like that. So, it's overcounting the number of children who are, quote, hospitalized with COVID, as opposed to because of COVID. In other words, we who have the misfortune of living in blue states like New York are being forced to wear muzzle masks, get injections we don't want or need, and comply with often conflicting rules and regulations, all of which are based on inaccurate information. After all, Fauci finally admitted the con of conflating "with COVID" with "from COVID" when it comes to COVID case numbers, hospitalizations, and even deaths. All this misinformation has prevented us from even trying to live a halfway normal life. You know, like the lives we had back in 2019. Image: Fauci (edited in befunky). YouTube screen grab. But it gets better, and why not? As Hitler, the biggest liar of all, explained, if you tell a lie big enough and often enough, people will find it impossible to believe that you're lying. That is precisely what has happened in the last twenty months or so and continues even as we begin the new year. When it comes to COVID, it turns out that, once again, the corruptocrats who run New York have learned their lessons well from Master Fauci and have doubled down on their mendacity. They have gotten so bold that they now admit to using overblown claims about the number of children who were ostensibly hospitalized for COVID. You see, they needed to "scare" parents into getting the shots because many of them are now questioning whether it's a good idea to inject their children with an Emergency Use gene therapy that they probably don't need based on their age and low levels of transmission. In a press conference Monday alongside Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, Bassett who came down with the virus last week despite being fully vaccinated against it effectively acknowledged that the state health department's misleadingly framed the numbers to scare parents. "The numbers that we gave on pediatric admissions weren't intended to make it seem that children were having an epidemic of infection, these were small numbers," Bassett admitted regarding the alert. "That was based on 50 hospitalizations, and I've now given you some larger numbers, but they're still small numbers." "It really was to motivate pediatricians and families to seek the protection of vaccination," she then stated. Finally, if we thought that our un-elected governor would perhaps show us some mercy for being such good and obedient vassals, it turns out that Empress Hochul had other ideas. Despite the admissions of Lord Fauci and her own Health Department consigliere, Hochul declared that CUNY and SUNY students will be required to get their COVID-19 boosters by next semester, and our state's "Vax or Mask" mandate for businesses is now extended 'til February 1. So there you have it. The truth bomb we all have been waiting for: the stunning admission that the Wuhan virus isn't really infecting and killing all those millions of people that we've been told as our liberties and freedom have been stripped from us. We have lost so much our children, grandchildren, aged parents, businesses, jobs, friendships...in short, everything that makes life worth living, and all because federal and blue-state bureaucrats were overcounting the cases and deaths. Why aren't there headlines about this? Will there be next week? Will this affect the Supreme Court cases? I don't know. Let's just say I am not going to throw away all my "FJB/Let's Go Brandon" muzzle masks just yet. Irene Heron is a pseudonym. I had never seen a dead body before, but I still vividly remember seeing a body in a coffin for the first time, she said. What struck me for some reason were the hands I dont know exactly why, the way they were resting perhaps, but it was just very different. Ill never forget that. Ms Witten was soon asked to work in the mortuary after a manager realised her talents with hair and makeup would translate perfectly to that setting. When bodies arrive at a funeral home, they often need to be worked on to make them more presentable to mourners, especially if the casket is to be open during the funeral. Having hair and makeup skills is highly desirable in the funeral industry, and Ms Witten has now worked in that capacity for many years. There are obviously aspects that are different, such as embalming, which is more anatomical, but getting people ready for a final presentation is mostly hair and makeup, which is what Ive been doing most of my working life, she said. Caleb Terrill was a long-haul truck driver in New Zealand when he realised he needed a career change. Caleb Terrill was a long-haul truck driver in New Zealand when he made the jump to the funeral industry. Mr Terrills first experience seeing a dead body came a lot earlier than Ms Wittens he lost his best friend in a car accident in New Zealand when he was 10, and the funeral had an open casket. It had a really strong impression on me, about how important funerals are to help people grieve, give them that sense of closure, he said. After getting his start in the funeral industry in New Zealand, Mr Terrill moved to Australia and continued his career, which gave him a unique perspective on a surprising difference between the two countries. Open-casket funerals are very common in New Zealand its almost unusual not to have one whereas when I came to Australia, it struck me that its basically flipped, people have to ask for them specifically, he said. I dont have any insight into why that is, but its a very stark difference in the countries, which I think see themselves as fairly similar. Both Mr Terrill and Ms Witten work for companies owned by InvoCare, one of the largest funeral businesses in Australia. InvoCares Mandy Pengilly, who manages the companys Queensland and northern NSW operations, said it wanted more people to consider a career in the industry. InvoCares Mandy Pengilly is calling for people to join the funeral industry. Ms Pengilly said, historically, the funeral industry had been quite insular and often sold itself as being run by family firms. She said while many small independent operators still existed, that had changed over the past decade, and she encouraged people who may not have considered the industry to look into it. We do have to be robust in our hiring process to make sure were getting people who have very good empathy and people skills, she said. But the thing is, if you have skills around things like event planning, logistics, hair and makeup, even medical training, that can all be used in the funeral industry. The big obstacle for many people, she said, was not just having to deal physically with cadavers but to be around grief and death on a regular basis. But she said many companies were now big enough that people could section off their duties to things they were comfortable with. In her spare time, Sue Witten is a keen roller derby competitor. We have specialised roles, and we have multifaceted roles, so in a lot of city locations, we make sure we have people in specialised roles so they can really focus on giving the best result for the families, she said. A lot of smaller [funeral] operators dont have that ability, but whats great about the industry is there are small, medium and large businesses all operating well in the same space. Mothers, no doubt, have an undeniable influence on their sons. The bond between a mother and son is as strong as it gets. Unfortunately, in some cases, this connection can be a little too much. This is the premise upon which a Nigerian filmmaker, Sola Osifisan, shot Over Her Dead Body a comedy-drama about mothers, sons, and the unlucky women who come between them. Over Her Dead Body was recorded at choice locations in Lagos in February 2020. Packaged by Pen Pusher Productions, a film and television content company based in Lagos, Over Her Dead Body is being released by Genesis, a Nollywood movie distribution company. The movie (and tickets) will be available in all major cinema houses across Nigeria from January 7, 2022. Storyline In Over Her Dead Body, bluntly reminded of her mortality by an armed robbery attack in faraway Ibadan, Zaras mother-in-law, Mama, arrives unexpectedly on an extended stay. She has one mission resulting from that near-death experience; to embrace her grandchildren before she dies. Unfortunately, she has none. Mama decides it is taking too long for her only son and his wife of many years to deliver. To hasten the process, Mama bullies and mistreats her daughter-in-law, and deploys all kinds of schemes to get to her intended goal. And then, Zara, the henpecked daughter-in-law, decides to fight back. Cast Award-winning actress Nse Ikpe-Etim, (recently seen in Netflixs King of Boys) plays Zara in the movie. Mama is played by veteran actress Binta Ayo Mogaji. A host of outstanding actors also feature in the movie, including veteran Uche Mac-Auley, Patrick Rico Swavey Fakoya, Gregory Ojefua, Taiwo Solanke, Onyeka Fiaka, Adenike Ayodele, etc. Written, produced, and directed by Sola Osofisan, Over Her Dead Body is a refreshingly hilarious spin on the mother-in-law vs daughter-in-law story. Check out the movie trailer below The armies of India and Pakistan exchanged sweets with each other on Saturday to mark the New Year on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. A defence ministry statement said, "At the beginning of the year 2022, to promote mutual trust and tranquility, Indian Army exchanged sweets and greetings with Pakistan Army at Poonch and Mendhar Crossing Points. "Considering the ongoing ceasefire along the India-Pakistan border, this gesture is aimed at further enhancing peace and harmony in Jammu & Kashmir." Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) The United Nations has called on Sudanese to overcome the mistrust that has reigned among political actors and frustrated a return to the process that would lead to a democratically-elected government I had never seen a dead body before, but I still vividly remember seeing a body in a coffin for the first time, she said. What struck me for some reason were the hands I dont know exactly why, the way they were resting perhaps, but it was just very different. Ill never forget that. Ms Witten was soon asked to work in the mortuary after a manager realised her talents with hair and makeup would translate perfectly to that setting. When bodies arrive at a funeral home, they often need to be worked on to make them more presentable to mourners, especially if the casket is to be open during the funeral. Having hair and makeup skills is highly desirable in the funeral industry, and Ms Witten has now worked in that capacity for many years. There are obviously aspects that are different, such as embalming, which is more anatomical, but getting people ready for a final presentation is mostly hair and makeup, which is what Ive been doing most of my working life, she said. Caleb Terrill was a long-haul truck driver in New Zealand when he realised he needed a career change. Caleb Terrill was a long-haul truck driver in New Zealand when he made the jump to the funeral industry. Mr Terrills first experience seeing a dead body came a lot earlier than Ms Wittens he lost his best friend in a car accident in New Zealand when he was 10, and the funeral had an open casket. It had a really strong impression on me, about how important funerals are to help people grieve, give them that sense of closure, he said. After getting his start in the funeral industry in New Zealand, Mr Terrill moved to Australia and continued his career, which gave him a unique perspective on a surprising difference between the two countries. Open-casket funerals are very common in New Zealand its almost unusual not to have one whereas when I came to Australia, it struck me that its basically flipped, people have to ask for them specifically, he said. I dont have any insight into why that is, but its a very stark difference in the countries, which I think see themselves as fairly similar. Both Mr Terrill and Ms Witten work for companies owned by InvoCare, one of the largest funeral businesses in Australia. InvoCares Mandy Pengilly, who manages the companys Queensland and northern NSW operations, said it wanted more people to consider a career in the industry. InvoCares Mandy Pengilly is calling for people to join the funeral industry. Ms Pengilly said, historically, the funeral industry had been quite insular and often sold itself as being run by family firms. She said while many small independent operators still existed, that had changed over the past decade, and she encouraged people who may not have considered the industry to look into it. We do have to be robust in our hiring process to make sure were getting people who have very good empathy and people skills, she said. But the thing is, if you have skills around things like event planning, logistics, hair and makeup, even medical training, that can all be used in the funeral industry. The big obstacle for many people, she said, was not just having to deal physically with cadavers but to be around grief and death on a regular basis. But she said many companies were now big enough that people could section off their duties to things they were comfortable with. In her spare time, Sue Witten is a keen roller derby competitor. We have specialised roles, and we have multifaceted roles, so in a lot of city locations, we make sure we have people in specialised roles so they can really focus on giving the best result for the families, she said. A lot of smaller [funeral] operators dont have that ability, but whats great about the industry is there are small, medium and large businesses all operating well in the same space. Sudanese security forces have released two journalists from Saudi Arabia's Asharq television channel, a day after detaining them as deadly violence flared during renewed protests against the military government, the station said Friday. During Thursday's protests in and near Khartoum, "five uniformed security officers" held journalists Maha al-Talb and Sally Othman and their teams in their office for several hours, the channel said. Sudan has been gripped by turmoil since military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan launched a coup on October 25 and detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Hamdok was reinstated on November 21, but mass protests have continued as demonstrators distrust Burhan's promises of seeking to guide the country toward full democracy. Protesters charge that the deal simply aims to give the cloak of legitimacy to the generals, whom they accuse of trying to continue the regime built by former autocratic president Omar al-Bashir, who was toppled in 2019 following mass protests. In the worst street clashes since Hamdok's return, five demonstrators were killed and dozens wounded by bullets on Thursday, said the independent Doctors' Committee, which is part of the pro-democracy movement. Authorities also cut phone lines and the internet and cracked down on media, also including the Saudi-funded satellite channel Al-Arabiya. Othman was interrupted by security forces in the middle of a live broadcast and can be heard saying in a clip shared widely on social networks: "I will not be able to continue, the authorities are now forbidding me to continue with you". Sudanese police blamed the incident on "reprehensible individual actions" which would be investigated. The Doctors' Committee charged that "crimes against humanity" were committed in Omdurman, twin city of the capital Khartoum, on Thursday. It said five demonstrators were killed by bullets to the head or chest, and that ambulances were blocked and at least one seriously injured person was forcibly removed from an ambulance by the security forces. A police spokesman said four people died in Thursday's unrest and 297 people were injured, "including 49 police officers". He also said "three police vans were set on fire" and accused protest "leaders clearly hostile to the security forces" of having sought to "turn a peaceful march into violence and confrontations with the security forces". Street clashes since the October coup have claimed 53 lives and left hundreds wounded, and supporters of civilian rule in Sudan have continued to call for protests. I had never seen a dead body before, but I still vividly remember seeing a body in a coffin for the first time, she said. What struck me for some reason were the hands I dont know exactly why, the way they were resting perhaps, but it was just very different. Ill never forget that. Ms Witten was soon asked to work in the mortuary after a manager realised her talents with hair and makeup would translate perfectly to that setting. When bodies arrive at a funeral home, they often need to be worked on to make them more presentable to mourners, especially if the casket is to be open during the funeral. Having hair and makeup skills is highly desirable in the funeral industry, and Ms Witten has now worked in that capacity for many years. There are obviously aspects that are different, such as embalming, which is more anatomical, but getting people ready for a final presentation is mostly hair and makeup, which is what Ive been doing most of my working life, she said. Caleb Terrill was a long-haul truck driver in New Zealand when he realised he needed a career change. Caleb Terrill was a long-haul truck driver in New Zealand when he made the jump to the funeral industry. Mr Terrills first experience seeing a dead body came a lot earlier than Ms Wittens he lost his best friend in a car accident in New Zealand when he was 10, and the funeral had an open casket. It had a really strong impression on me, about how important funerals are to help people grieve, give them that sense of closure, he said. After getting his start in the funeral industry in New Zealand, Mr Terrill moved to Australia and continued his career, which gave him a unique perspective on a surprising difference between the two countries. Open-casket funerals are very common in New Zealand its almost unusual not to have one whereas when I came to Australia, it struck me that its basically flipped, people have to ask for them specifically, he said. I dont have any insight into why that is, but its a very stark difference in the countries, which I think see themselves as fairly similar. Both Mr Terrill and Ms Witten work for companies owned by InvoCare, one of the largest funeral businesses in Australia. InvoCares Mandy Pengilly, who manages the companys Queensland and northern NSW operations, said it wanted more people to consider a career in the industry. InvoCares Mandy Pengilly is calling for people to join the funeral industry. Ms Pengilly said, historically, the funeral industry had been quite insular and often sold itself as being run by family firms. She said while many small independent operators still existed, that had changed over the past decade, and she encouraged people who may not have considered the industry to look into it. We do have to be robust in our hiring process to make sure were getting people who have very good empathy and people skills, she said. But the thing is, if you have skills around things like event planning, logistics, hair and makeup, even medical training, that can all be used in the funeral industry. The big obstacle for many people, she said, was not just having to deal physically with cadavers but to be around grief and death on a regular basis. But she said many companies were now big enough that people could section off their duties to things they were comfortable with. In her spare time, Sue Witten is a keen roller derby competitor. We have specialised roles, and we have multifaceted roles, so in a lot of city locations, we make sure we have people in specialised roles so they can really focus on giving the best result for the families, she said. A lot of smaller [funeral] operators dont have that ability, but whats great about the industry is there are small, medium and large businesses all operating well in the same space. I had never seen a dead body before, but I still vividly remember seeing a body in a coffin for the first time, she said. What struck me for some reason were the hands I dont know exactly why, the way they were resting perhaps, but it was just very different. Ill never forget that. Ms Witten was soon asked to work in the mortuary after a manager realised her talents with hair and makeup would translate perfectly to that setting. When bodies arrive at a funeral home, they often need to be worked on to make them more presentable to mourners, especially if the casket is to be open during the funeral. Having hair and makeup skills is highly desirable in the funeral industry, and Ms Witten has now worked in that capacity for many years. There are obviously aspects that are different, such as embalming, which is more anatomical, but getting people ready for a final presentation is mostly hair and makeup, which is what Ive been doing most of my working life, she said. Caleb Terrill was a long-haul truck driver in New Zealand when he realised he needed a career change. Caleb Terrill was a long-haul truck driver in New Zealand when he made the jump to the funeral industry. Mr Terrills first experience seeing a dead body came a lot earlier than Ms Wittens he lost his best friend in a car accident in New Zealand when he was 10, and the funeral had an open casket. It had a really strong impression on me, about how important funerals are to help people grieve, give them that sense of closure, he said. After getting his start in the funeral industry in New Zealand, Mr Terrill moved to Australia and continued his career, which gave him a unique perspective on a surprising difference between the two countries. Open-casket funerals are very common in New Zealand its almost unusual not to have one whereas when I came to Australia, it struck me that its basically flipped, people have to ask for them specifically, he said. I dont have any insight into why that is, but its a very stark difference in the countries, which I think see themselves as fairly similar. Both Mr Terrill and Ms Witten work for companies owned by InvoCare, one of the largest funeral businesses in Australia. InvoCares Mandy Pengilly, who manages the companys Queensland and northern NSW operations, said it wanted more people to consider a career in the industry. InvoCares Mandy Pengilly is calling for people to join the funeral industry. Ms Pengilly said, historically, the funeral industry had been quite insular and often sold itself as being run by family firms. She said while many small independent operators still existed, that had changed over the past decade, and she encouraged people who may not have considered the industry to look into it. We do have to be robust in our hiring process to make sure were getting people who have very good empathy and people skills, she said. But the thing is, if you have skills around things like event planning, logistics, hair and makeup, even medical training, that can all be used in the funeral industry. The big obstacle for many people, she said, was not just having to deal physically with cadavers but to be around grief and death on a regular basis. But she said many companies were now big enough that people could section off their duties to things they were comfortable with. In her spare time, Sue Witten is a keen roller derby competitor. We have specialised roles, and we have multifaceted roles, so in a lot of city locations, we make sure we have people in specialised roles so they can really focus on giving the best result for the families, she said. A lot of smaller [funeral] operators dont have that ability, but whats great about the industry is there are small, medium and large businesses all operating well in the same space. I had never seen a dead body before, but I still vividly remember seeing a body in a coffin for the first time, she said. What struck me for some reason were the hands I dont know exactly why, the way they were resting perhaps, but it was just very different. Ill never forget that. Ms Witten was soon asked to work in the mortuary after a manager realised her talents with hair and makeup would translate perfectly to that setting. When bodies arrive at a funeral home, they often need to be worked on to make them more presentable to mourners, especially if the casket is to be open during the funeral. Having hair and makeup skills is highly desirable in the funeral industry, and Ms Witten has now worked in that capacity for many years. There are obviously aspects that are different, such as embalming, which is more anatomical, but getting people ready for a final presentation is mostly hair and makeup, which is what Ive been doing most of my working life, she said. Caleb Terrill was a long-haul truck driver in New Zealand when he realised he needed a career change. Caleb Terrill was a long-haul truck driver in New Zealand when he made the jump to the funeral industry. Mr Terrills first experience seeing a dead body came a lot earlier than Ms Wittens he lost his best friend in a car accident in New Zealand when he was 10, and the funeral had an open casket. It had a really strong impression on me, about how important funerals are to help people grieve, give them that sense of closure, he said. After getting his start in the funeral industry in New Zealand, Mr Terrill moved to Australia and continued his career, which gave him a unique perspective on a surprising difference between the two countries. Open-casket funerals are very common in New Zealand its almost unusual not to have one whereas when I came to Australia, it struck me that its basically flipped, people have to ask for them specifically, he said. I dont have any insight into why that is, but its a very stark difference in the countries, which I think see themselves as fairly similar. Both Mr Terrill and Ms Witten work for companies owned by InvoCare, one of the largest funeral businesses in Australia. InvoCares Mandy Pengilly, who manages the companys Queensland and northern NSW operations, said it wanted more people to consider a career in the industry. InvoCares Mandy Pengilly is calling for people to join the funeral industry. Ms Pengilly said, historically, the funeral industry had been quite insular and often sold itself as being run by family firms. She said while many small independent operators still existed, that had changed over the past decade, and she encouraged people who may not have considered the industry to look into it. We do have to be robust in our hiring process to make sure were getting people who have very good empathy and people skills, she said. But the thing is, if you have skills around things like event planning, logistics, hair and makeup, even medical training, that can all be used in the funeral industry. The big obstacle for many people, she said, was not just having to deal physically with cadavers but to be around grief and death on a regular basis. But she said many companies were now big enough that people could section off their duties to things they were comfortable with. In her spare time, Sue Witten is a keen roller derby competitor. We have specialised roles, and we have multifaceted roles, so in a lot of city locations, we make sure we have people in specialised roles so they can really focus on giving the best result for the families, she said. A lot of smaller [funeral] operators dont have that ability, but whats great about the industry is there are small, medium and large businesses all operating well in the same space. Let's take a moment and celebrate the thirty-year anniversary of the fall of the USSR officially ending thirty years ago yesterday, December 31, 1991. It was the end of a socialist regime that murdered 20 million of its citizens for political purposes and killed far more through the inefficiencies of its economic system. Socialism resulted in mass starvation and abject poverty killing a total estimated 60 million people in Russia alone. We must never forget. Ronald Reagan's strategy for defeating this ideological cancer was simple: "We win. They lose." Further explanation was unnecessary. It was self-evident that socialism was a scourge on the Earth responsible for the brutal subjugation of hundreds of millions of people. John F. Kennedy likewise knew that socialism was an evil that needed to be put down an ideology that ran directly counter to freedom, to prosperity, and to individual rights. He knew this intuitively, well before Mao's cultural revolution of 1966 ran its course and resulted in an estimated 80 million deaths in China again through political murder and economic inefficiencies resulting in mass starvation. It wasn't until Deng Xiaoping introduced free market principles to China decades later that things turned around. So why today are some young people again discussing the virtues of socialism? Why do people like Sean Penn and Michael Moore hold up Venezuela's Chavez as a hero for reintroducing socialism only to watch the inevitable decline, the spiral into starvation, and the need for totalitarian control as the population erupts into civil unrest? How many more examples do we need to prove the failure of the system? How many times can people fall for utopian promises of "equity for all"? We don't need people like Bernie Sanders spreading lies about how Nordic countries are in fact socialist or "Democratic Socialist" when those countries are actually more free-market in many respects than the United States. Even the Nordic leaders chastise Sanders for telling these lies. When Sweden gave socialism a chance in the 1960s, that country went from having the highest level of individual prosperity in Europe to failure bankruptcy within a few short decades. Since then, these countries have rejected socialism. When are we going to stand up to socialism the way Reagan did, and the way that Kennedy did? We are in an ideological battle. It's time we put our foot down and say "enough!" And that is especially true when people try to push it here within the United States through the teachings of critical theory. The goal of Marxism is always to indoctrinate the vulnerable and uninformed, to spread hate and resentment, to divide people into groups, and to turn these groups against each other all with the goal of tearing down society's institutions and creating a new order with these learned socialists on top. Instead, we should focus on teaching our youth facts about freedom and free market principles. Freedom and free markets brought more people out of poverty than any other system or ideology in the history of the world it's not even close. Image via Libreshot. China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) MANAGUA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday officially reopened its embassy in Nicaragua after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. The ceremony, held at the new location of the embassy in the capital Managua, was inaugurated by Yu Bo, representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada. In his speech, Yu said that the one-China principle is the consensus of the international community and a universally recognized norm governing international relations. It shows an overriding trend that represents international justice and enjoys popular support. Nicaragua's decision to resume diplomatic relations with China not only conforms to the historical trend and the trend of the times, but also fully serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries, said Yu. China welcomes the Nicaraguan side to actively participate in the Global Development Initiative and join the Belt and Road Initiative at an early date, said Yu, adding that China stands ready to work with Nicaragua and Latin American countries to build China-Latin America relations characterized by equality, mutual benefit, innovation, opening-up, and benefit for the people in a new era, and advance the joint building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future. For his part, Moncada expressed his gratitude to the Chinese leaders, government and people for a brotherly friendship with Nicaragua. He said the resumption of diplomatic ties between Nicaragua and China is supported by the overwhelming majority of the two peoples. Nicaragua will adhere to the one-China principle and join forces with China to move towards a new international order featuring multi-polarization, peace, social justice and equity as well as the realization of human development and progress, the foreign minister said. After the resumption of diplomatic ties, Nicaragua and China have entered a new stage of diplomacy, friendship and cooperative relations, in which the two sides will carry out cooperation in various fields such as trade, science and technology, education, health, culture and art, sports, media and information technology, Moncada added. Presidential Advisor Laureano Ortega Murillo said Nicaragua fully recognizes the Chinese values of people-oriented, solidarity and friendliness in China's realization of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, poverty alleviation and cooperation in fighting against COVID-19. The two sides will jointly formulate an agenda for developing Nicaragua-China ties, strengthen bilateral exchanges, enhance brotherhood and strengthen mutually beneficial relations, to take a path of common progress and development, he added. More than 200 people attended the ceremony, including the president of Nicaragua's National Assembly, central and local government officials, military and police officials, representatives of foreign missions and international organizations in Nicaragua, and representatives of Chinese companies and overseas Chinese in Nicaragua. On Dec. 10, China and Nicaragua signed the joint communique on the resumption of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Nicaragua. The two governments have decided to recognize each other and resume diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, effective from the date of signature of this communique. Enditem China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) MANAGUA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday officially reopened its embassy in Nicaragua after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. The ceremony, held at the new location of the embassy in the capital Managua, was inaugurated by Yu Bo, representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada. In his speech, Yu said that the one-China principle is the consensus of the international community and a universally recognized norm governing international relations. It shows an overriding trend that represents international justice and enjoys popular support. Nicaragua's decision to resume diplomatic relations with China not only conforms to the historical trend and the trend of the times, but also fully serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries, said Yu. China welcomes the Nicaraguan side to actively participate in the Global Development Initiative and join the Belt and Road Initiative at an early date, said Yu, adding that China stands ready to work with Nicaragua and Latin American countries to build China-Latin America relations characterized by equality, mutual benefit, innovation, opening-up, and benefit for the people in a new era, and advance the joint building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future. For his part, Moncada expressed his gratitude to the Chinese leaders, government and people for a brotherly friendship with Nicaragua. He said the resumption of diplomatic ties between Nicaragua and China is supported by the overwhelming majority of the two peoples. Nicaragua will adhere to the one-China principle and join forces with China to move towards a new international order featuring multi-polarization, peace, social justice and equity as well as the realization of human development and progress, the foreign minister said. After the resumption of diplomatic ties, Nicaragua and China have entered a new stage of diplomacy, friendship and cooperative relations, in which the two sides will carry out cooperation in various fields such as trade, science and technology, education, health, culture and art, sports, media and information technology, Moncada added. Presidential Advisor Laureano Ortega Murillo said Nicaragua fully recognizes the Chinese values of people-oriented, solidarity and friendliness in China's realization of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, poverty alleviation and cooperation in fighting against COVID-19. The two sides will jointly formulate an agenda for developing Nicaragua-China ties, strengthen bilateral exchanges, enhance brotherhood and strengthen mutually beneficial relations, to take a path of common progress and development, he added. More than 200 people attended the ceremony, including the president of Nicaragua's National Assembly, central and local government officials, military and police officials, representatives of foreign missions and international organizations in Nicaragua, and representatives of Chinese companies and overseas Chinese in Nicaragua. On Dec. 10, China and Nicaragua signed the joint communique on the resumption of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Nicaragua. The two governments have decided to recognize each other and resume diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, effective from the date of signature of this communique. Enditem China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) MANAGUA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday officially reopened its embassy in Nicaragua after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. The ceremony, held at the new location of the embassy in the capital Managua, was inaugurated by Yu Bo, representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada. In his speech, Yu said that the one-China principle is the consensus of the international community and a universally recognized norm governing international relations. It shows an overriding trend that represents international justice and enjoys popular support. Nicaragua's decision to resume diplomatic relations with China not only conforms to the historical trend and the trend of the times, but also fully serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries, said Yu. China welcomes the Nicaraguan side to actively participate in the Global Development Initiative and join the Belt and Road Initiative at an early date, said Yu, adding that China stands ready to work with Nicaragua and Latin American countries to build China-Latin America relations characterized by equality, mutual benefit, innovation, opening-up, and benefit for the people in a new era, and advance the joint building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future. For his part, Moncada expressed his gratitude to the Chinese leaders, government and people for a brotherly friendship with Nicaragua. He said the resumption of diplomatic ties between Nicaragua and China is supported by the overwhelming majority of the two peoples. Nicaragua will adhere to the one-China principle and join forces with China to move towards a new international order featuring multi-polarization, peace, social justice and equity as well as the realization of human development and progress, the foreign minister said. After the resumption of diplomatic ties, Nicaragua and China have entered a new stage of diplomacy, friendship and cooperative relations, in which the two sides will carry out cooperation in various fields such as trade, science and technology, education, health, culture and art, sports, media and information technology, Moncada added. Presidential Advisor Laureano Ortega Murillo said Nicaragua fully recognizes the Chinese values of people-oriented, solidarity and friendliness in China's realization of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, poverty alleviation and cooperation in fighting against COVID-19. The two sides will jointly formulate an agenda for developing Nicaragua-China ties, strengthen bilateral exchanges, enhance brotherhood and strengthen mutually beneficial relations, to take a path of common progress and development, he added. More than 200 people attended the ceremony, including the president of Nicaragua's National Assembly, central and local government officials, military and police officials, representatives of foreign missions and international organizations in Nicaragua, and representatives of Chinese companies and overseas Chinese in Nicaragua. On Dec. 10, China and Nicaragua signed the joint communique on the resumption of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Nicaragua. The two governments have decided to recognize each other and resume diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, effective from the date of signature of this communique. Enditem China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) MANAGUA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday officially reopened its embassy in Nicaragua after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. The ceremony, held at the new location of the embassy in the capital Managua, was inaugurated by Yu Bo, representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada. In his speech, Yu said that the one-China principle is the consensus of the international community and a universally recognized norm governing international relations. It shows an overriding trend that represents international justice and enjoys popular support. Nicaragua's decision to resume diplomatic relations with China not only conforms to the historical trend and the trend of the times, but also fully serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries, said Yu. China welcomes the Nicaraguan side to actively participate in the Global Development Initiative and join the Belt and Road Initiative at an early date, said Yu, adding that China stands ready to work with Nicaragua and Latin American countries to build China-Latin America relations characterized by equality, mutual benefit, innovation, opening-up, and benefit for the people in a new era, and advance the joint building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future. For his part, Moncada expressed his gratitude to the Chinese leaders, government and people for a brotherly friendship with Nicaragua. He said the resumption of diplomatic ties between Nicaragua and China is supported by the overwhelming majority of the two peoples. Nicaragua will adhere to the one-China principle and join forces with China to move towards a new international order featuring multi-polarization, peace, social justice and equity as well as the realization of human development and progress, the foreign minister said. After the resumption of diplomatic ties, Nicaragua and China have entered a new stage of diplomacy, friendship and cooperative relations, in which the two sides will carry out cooperation in various fields such as trade, science and technology, education, health, culture and art, sports, media and information technology, Moncada added. Presidential Advisor Laureano Ortega Murillo said Nicaragua fully recognizes the Chinese values of people-oriented, solidarity and friendliness in China's realization of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, poverty alleviation and cooperation in fighting against COVID-19. The two sides will jointly formulate an agenda for developing Nicaragua-China ties, strengthen bilateral exchanges, enhance brotherhood and strengthen mutually beneficial relations, to take a path of common progress and development, he added. More than 200 people attended the ceremony, including the president of Nicaragua's National Assembly, central and local government officials, military and police officials, representatives of foreign missions and international organizations in Nicaragua, and representatives of Chinese companies and overseas Chinese in Nicaragua. On Dec. 10, China and Nicaragua signed the joint communique on the resumption of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Nicaragua. The two governments have decided to recognize each other and resume diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, effective from the date of signature of this communique. Enditem China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) MANAGUA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday officially reopened its embassy in Nicaragua after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. The ceremony, held at the new location of the embassy in the capital Managua, was inaugurated by Yu Bo, representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada. In his speech, Yu said that the one-China principle is the consensus of the international community and a universally recognized norm governing international relations. It shows an overriding trend that represents international justice and enjoys popular support. Nicaragua's decision to resume diplomatic relations with China not only conforms to the historical trend and the trend of the times, but also fully serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries, said Yu. China welcomes the Nicaraguan side to actively participate in the Global Development Initiative and join the Belt and Road Initiative at an early date, said Yu, adding that China stands ready to work with Nicaragua and Latin American countries to build China-Latin America relations characterized by equality, mutual benefit, innovation, opening-up, and benefit for the people in a new era, and advance the joint building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future. For his part, Moncada expressed his gratitude to the Chinese leaders, government and people for a brotherly friendship with Nicaragua. He said the resumption of diplomatic ties between Nicaragua and China is supported by the overwhelming majority of the two peoples. Nicaragua will adhere to the one-China principle and join forces with China to move towards a new international order featuring multi-polarization, peace, social justice and equity as well as the realization of human development and progress, the foreign minister said. After the resumption of diplomatic ties, Nicaragua and China have entered a new stage of diplomacy, friendship and cooperative relations, in which the two sides will carry out cooperation in various fields such as trade, science and technology, education, health, culture and art, sports, media and information technology, Moncada added. Presidential Advisor Laureano Ortega Murillo said Nicaragua fully recognizes the Chinese values of people-oriented, solidarity and friendliness in China's realization of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, poverty alleviation and cooperation in fighting against COVID-19. The two sides will jointly formulate an agenda for developing Nicaragua-China ties, strengthen bilateral exchanges, enhance brotherhood and strengthen mutually beneficial relations, to take a path of common progress and development, he added. More than 200 people attended the ceremony, including the president of Nicaragua's National Assembly, central and local government officials, military and police officials, representatives of foreign missions and international organizations in Nicaragua, and representatives of Chinese companies and overseas Chinese in Nicaragua. On Dec. 10, China and Nicaragua signed the joint communique on the resumption of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Nicaragua. The two governments have decided to recognize each other and resume diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, effective from the date of signature of this communique. Enditem China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) NEW YORK, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Travel disruptions are slated to persist in the New Year, as heavy holiday traffic in air and on ground overlapped with a spike in coronavirus cases in the United States, and airlines, train companies and even their regulators grapple with staff unavailability as a result of the pandemic's ever more contagious variants of Omicron and Delta. The United States set a new record high of over 640,000 daily COVID-19 cases on Friday, according to latest data of Johns Hopkins University. A total of 647,067 new cases and 1,409 new deaths were reported across the nation on Friday. The single-day increase of cases has set a new record since the onset of the pandemic in the country. FLIGHTS CANCELLED Heading into the New Year's weekend, when return flights will produce another crest in air travel, airlines have been canceling more than 1,000 flights a day to, from or within the United States. "Carriers and their employees say the latest chapter of the pandemic, the Omicron variant, has cut deeply into the ability to staff flights, even though a vast majority of crew members are vaccinated," reported New York Times on Thursday. JetBlue has been one of the airlines hardest hit, canceling 17 percent of its flights on Thursday, according to the air travel data site FlightAware. The carrier said on Wednesday that it would cut about 1,280 flights through mid-January, citing the rise in virus cases in the Northeast, where its operations and crews are concentrated. As many as 10 million people may fly from Thursday through Monday, according to Transportation Security Administration estimates. For months, airlines have been preparing reserves of workers for the holiday crush, but "those measures were inadequate in a fast-changing situation, and many passengers were frustrated," said the report. Out of the ongoing difficulty of staff shortage, Spirit Airlines flight attendants are receiving triple pay on any work through Jan. 4, their union said, as the budget carrier scrambles to keep its schedules intact after U.S. airlines were hammered by a week of mass cancellations. "All flight attendants, regardless of how you have obtained your pairing, will be receiving 200% pay for any pairing that touches Dec. 28 through Jan. 4," the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA said in a statement. The union represented about 4,000 flights attendants at Spirit Airlines, according to the carrier's latest annual filing. Spirit Airlines is an American ultra-low-cost carrier headquartered in Miramar, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. Spirit operates scheduled flights throughout the United States and in the Caribbean and Latin America. Spirit was the fourth largest passenger carrier in North America as of 2020, as well as the largest ultra-low-cost carrier in North America. To make things worse, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Friday that an "increased number" of its own employees are testing positive for the virus, which could force it to implement health and cleaning procedures that reduce the number of flights the system can handle. "To maintain safety, traffic volume at some facilities could be reduced, which might result in delays during busy periods," the FAA said, noting that airlines canceled more than 11,000 flights since Christmas Eve, including more than 1,000 already scrapped from Saturday and Sunday schedules, but none of those were the result of FAA issues. Meanwhile, CNN quoted the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) as saying on Thursday that it has "adequate staff to cover flight schedules and passenger volumes." The TSA expects 10 million more people to pass through airport screening between now and the end of the day Monday. TRAINS SLASHED Amtrak, a passenger railroad service that provides medium and long-distance inter-city rail service in the contiguous United States and to nine cities in Canada, said on Thursday that it will reduce its schedule between New Year's Eve and Jan. 6 as it battles bad weather in some parts of the country and a surge in coronavirus cases among its employees. About two dozen trains on both its Northeast Corridor and long-distance routes will be affected. The reductions are about 1.5 percent of Amtrak's trains that were scheduled for the week. "Amtrak regrets any inconvenience," the railroad said in a statement. "We are continuing to monitor changing conditions and will make any further adjustments as required." "The trimmed train schedule mirrors thousands of canceled airline flights since Christmas Eve and disruptions to local transit services as the fast-spreading Omicron variant drives case counts to their highest levels of the pandemic," reported The Washington Post. Earlier on Tuesday, multiple lines on New Jersey Transit had to cancel trains as the transit agency dealt with what it called "crew availability" difficulties, while New York City Transit said it had to suspend three lines for the same reason. "Like everyone in New York, we've been affected by the COVID surge. We're running as much train service as we can with the operators we have available," said the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the New York City metropolitan area of the U.S. state of New York. The W line was suspended all of Wednesday, which had an effect on riders, many of whom said that their commutes were impacted. Its suspension continued on Thursday and the B and Z services were also cut. The MTA suggested straphangers use the Q trains in Brooklyn and D trains in Manhattan and Bronx. Enditem China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) MANAGUA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday officially reopened its embassy in Nicaragua after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. The ceremony, held at the new location of the embassy in the capital Managua, was inaugurated by Yu Bo, representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada. In his speech, Yu said that the one-China principle is the consensus of the international community and a universally recognized norm governing international relations. It shows an overriding trend that represents international justice and enjoys popular support. Nicaragua's decision to resume diplomatic relations with China not only conforms to the historical trend and the trend of the times, but also fully serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries, said Yu. China welcomes the Nicaraguan side to actively participate in the Global Development Initiative and join the Belt and Road Initiative at an early date, said Yu, adding that China stands ready to work with Nicaragua and Latin American countries to build China-Latin America relations characterized by equality, mutual benefit, innovation, opening-up, and benefit for the people in a new era, and advance the joint building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future. For his part, Moncada expressed his gratitude to the Chinese leaders, government and people for a brotherly friendship with Nicaragua. He said the resumption of diplomatic ties between Nicaragua and China is supported by the overwhelming majority of the two peoples. Nicaragua will adhere to the one-China principle and join forces with China to move towards a new international order featuring multi-polarization, peace, social justice and equity as well as the realization of human development and progress, the foreign minister said. After the resumption of diplomatic ties, Nicaragua and China have entered a new stage of diplomacy, friendship and cooperative relations, in which the two sides will carry out cooperation in various fields such as trade, science and technology, education, health, culture and art, sports, media and information technology, Moncada added. Presidential Advisor Laureano Ortega Murillo said Nicaragua fully recognizes the Chinese values of people-oriented, solidarity and friendliness in China's realization of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, poverty alleviation and cooperation in fighting against COVID-19. The two sides will jointly formulate an agenda for developing Nicaragua-China ties, strengthen bilateral exchanges, enhance brotherhood and strengthen mutually beneficial relations, to take a path of common progress and development, he added. More than 200 people attended the ceremony, including the president of Nicaragua's National Assembly, central and local government officials, military and police officials, representatives of foreign missions and international organizations in Nicaragua, and representatives of Chinese companies and overseas Chinese in Nicaragua. On Dec. 10, China and Nicaragua signed the joint communique on the resumption of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Nicaragua. The two governments have decided to recognize each other and resume diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, effective from the date of signature of this communique. Enditem China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) MANAGUA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday officially reopened its embassy in Nicaragua after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. The ceremony, held at the new location of the embassy in the capital Managua, was inaugurated by Yu Bo, representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada. In his speech, Yu said that the one-China principle is the consensus of the international community and a universally recognized norm governing international relations. It shows an overriding trend that represents international justice and enjoys popular support. Nicaragua's decision to resume diplomatic relations with China not only conforms to the historical trend and the trend of the times, but also fully serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries, said Yu. China welcomes the Nicaraguan side to actively participate in the Global Development Initiative and join the Belt and Road Initiative at an early date, said Yu, adding that China stands ready to work with Nicaragua and Latin American countries to build China-Latin America relations characterized by equality, mutual benefit, innovation, opening-up, and benefit for the people in a new era, and advance the joint building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future. For his part, Moncada expressed his gratitude to the Chinese leaders, government and people for a brotherly friendship with Nicaragua. He said the resumption of diplomatic ties between Nicaragua and China is supported by the overwhelming majority of the two peoples. Nicaragua will adhere to the one-China principle and join forces with China to move towards a new international order featuring multi-polarization, peace, social justice and equity as well as the realization of human development and progress, the foreign minister said. After the resumption of diplomatic ties, Nicaragua and China have entered a new stage of diplomacy, friendship and cooperative relations, in which the two sides will carry out cooperation in various fields such as trade, science and technology, education, health, culture and art, sports, media and information technology, Moncada added. Presidential Advisor Laureano Ortega Murillo said Nicaragua fully recognizes the Chinese values of people-oriented, solidarity and friendliness in China's realization of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, poverty alleviation and cooperation in fighting against COVID-19. The two sides will jointly formulate an agenda for developing Nicaragua-China ties, strengthen bilateral exchanges, enhance brotherhood and strengthen mutually beneficial relations, to take a path of common progress and development, he added. More than 200 people attended the ceremony, including the president of Nicaragua's National Assembly, central and local government officials, military and police officials, representatives of foreign missions and international organizations in Nicaragua, and representatives of Chinese companies and overseas Chinese in Nicaragua. On Dec. 10, China and Nicaragua signed the joint communique on the resumption of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Nicaragua. The two governments have decided to recognize each other and resume diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, effective from the date of signature of this communique. Enditem China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) MANAGUA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday officially reopened its embassy in Nicaragua after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. The ceremony, held at the new location of the embassy in the capital Managua, was inaugurated by Yu Bo, representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada. In his speech, Yu said that the one-China principle is the consensus of the international community and a universally recognized norm governing international relations. It shows an overriding trend that represents international justice and enjoys popular support. Nicaragua's decision to resume diplomatic relations with China not only conforms to the historical trend and the trend of the times, but also fully serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries, said Yu. China welcomes the Nicaraguan side to actively participate in the Global Development Initiative and join the Belt and Road Initiative at an early date, said Yu, adding that China stands ready to work with Nicaragua and Latin American countries to build China-Latin America relations characterized by equality, mutual benefit, innovation, opening-up, and benefit for the people in a new era, and advance the joint building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future. For his part, Moncada expressed his gratitude to the Chinese leaders, government and people for a brotherly friendship with Nicaragua. He said the resumption of diplomatic ties between Nicaragua and China is supported by the overwhelming majority of the two peoples. Nicaragua will adhere to the one-China principle and join forces with China to move towards a new international order featuring multi-polarization, peace, social justice and equity as well as the realization of human development and progress, the foreign minister said. After the resumption of diplomatic ties, Nicaragua and China have entered a new stage of diplomacy, friendship and cooperative relations, in which the two sides will carry out cooperation in various fields such as trade, science and technology, education, health, culture and art, sports, media and information technology, Moncada added. Presidential Advisor Laureano Ortega Murillo said Nicaragua fully recognizes the Chinese values of people-oriented, solidarity and friendliness in China's realization of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, poverty alleviation and cooperation in fighting against COVID-19. The two sides will jointly formulate an agenda for developing Nicaragua-China ties, strengthen bilateral exchanges, enhance brotherhood and strengthen mutually beneficial relations, to take a path of common progress and development, he added. More than 200 people attended the ceremony, including the president of Nicaragua's National Assembly, central and local government officials, military and police officials, representatives of foreign missions and international organizations in Nicaragua, and representatives of Chinese companies and overseas Chinese in Nicaragua. On Dec. 10, China and Nicaragua signed the joint communique on the resumption of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Nicaragua. The two governments have decided to recognize each other and resume diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, effective from the date of signature of this communique. Enditem China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) MANAGUA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday officially reopened its embassy in Nicaragua after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. The ceremony, held at the new location of the embassy in the capital Managua, was inaugurated by Yu Bo, representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada. In his speech, Yu said that the one-China principle is the consensus of the international community and a universally recognized norm governing international relations. It shows an overriding trend that represents international justice and enjoys popular support. Nicaragua's decision to resume diplomatic relations with China not only conforms to the historical trend and the trend of the times, but also fully serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries, said Yu. China welcomes the Nicaraguan side to actively participate in the Global Development Initiative and join the Belt and Road Initiative at an early date, said Yu, adding that China stands ready to work with Nicaragua and Latin American countries to build China-Latin America relations characterized by equality, mutual benefit, innovation, opening-up, and benefit for the people in a new era, and advance the joint building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future. For his part, Moncada expressed his gratitude to the Chinese leaders, government and people for a brotherly friendship with Nicaragua. He said the resumption of diplomatic ties between Nicaragua and China is supported by the overwhelming majority of the two peoples. Nicaragua will adhere to the one-China principle and join forces with China to move towards a new international order featuring multi-polarization, peace, social justice and equity as well as the realization of human development and progress, the foreign minister said. After the resumption of diplomatic ties, Nicaragua and China have entered a new stage of diplomacy, friendship and cooperative relations, in which the two sides will carry out cooperation in various fields such as trade, science and technology, education, health, culture and art, sports, media and information technology, Moncada added. Presidential Advisor Laureano Ortega Murillo said Nicaragua fully recognizes the Chinese values of people-oriented, solidarity and friendliness in China's realization of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, poverty alleviation and cooperation in fighting against COVID-19. The two sides will jointly formulate an agenda for developing Nicaragua-China ties, strengthen bilateral exchanges, enhance brotherhood and strengthen mutually beneficial relations, to take a path of common progress and development, he added. More than 200 people attended the ceremony, including the president of Nicaragua's National Assembly, central and local government officials, military and police officials, representatives of foreign missions and international organizations in Nicaragua, and representatives of Chinese companies and overseas Chinese in Nicaragua. On Dec. 10, China and Nicaragua signed the joint communique on the resumption of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Nicaragua. The two governments have decided to recognize each other and resume diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, effective from the date of signature of this communique. Enditem China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) MANAGUA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday officially reopened its embassy in Nicaragua after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. The ceremony, held at the new location of the embassy in the capital Managua, was inaugurated by Yu Bo, representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada. In his speech, Yu said that the one-China principle is the consensus of the international community and a universally recognized norm governing international relations. It shows an overriding trend that represents international justice and enjoys popular support. Nicaragua's decision to resume diplomatic relations with China not only conforms to the historical trend and the trend of the times, but also fully serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries, said Yu. China welcomes the Nicaraguan side to actively participate in the Global Development Initiative and join the Belt and Road Initiative at an early date, said Yu, adding that China stands ready to work with Nicaragua and Latin American countries to build China-Latin America relations characterized by equality, mutual benefit, innovation, opening-up, and benefit for the people in a new era, and advance the joint building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future. For his part, Moncada expressed his gratitude to the Chinese leaders, government and people for a brotherly friendship with Nicaragua. He said the resumption of diplomatic ties between Nicaragua and China is supported by the overwhelming majority of the two peoples. Nicaragua will adhere to the one-China principle and join forces with China to move towards a new international order featuring multi-polarization, peace, social justice and equity as well as the realization of human development and progress, the foreign minister said. After the resumption of diplomatic ties, Nicaragua and China have entered a new stage of diplomacy, friendship and cooperative relations, in which the two sides will carry out cooperation in various fields such as trade, science and technology, education, health, culture and art, sports, media and information technology, Moncada added. Presidential Advisor Laureano Ortega Murillo said Nicaragua fully recognizes the Chinese values of people-oriented, solidarity and friendliness in China's realization of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, poverty alleviation and cooperation in fighting against COVID-19. The two sides will jointly formulate an agenda for developing Nicaragua-China ties, strengthen bilateral exchanges, enhance brotherhood and strengthen mutually beneficial relations, to take a path of common progress and development, he added. More than 200 people attended the ceremony, including the president of Nicaragua's National Assembly, central and local government officials, military and police officials, representatives of foreign missions and international organizations in Nicaragua, and representatives of Chinese companies and overseas Chinese in Nicaragua. On Dec. 10, China and Nicaragua signed the joint communique on the resumption of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Nicaragua. The two governments have decided to recognize each other and resume diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, effective from the date of signature of this communique. Enditem China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) MANAGUA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday officially reopened its embassy in Nicaragua after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. The ceremony, held at the new location of the embassy in the capital Managua, was inaugurated by Yu Bo, representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada. In his speech, Yu said that the one-China principle is the consensus of the international community and a universally recognized norm governing international relations. It shows an overriding trend that represents international justice and enjoys popular support. Nicaragua's decision to resume diplomatic relations with China not only conforms to the historical trend and the trend of the times, but also fully serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries, said Yu. China welcomes the Nicaraguan side to actively participate in the Global Development Initiative and join the Belt and Road Initiative at an early date, said Yu, adding that China stands ready to work with Nicaragua and Latin American countries to build China-Latin America relations characterized by equality, mutual benefit, innovation, opening-up, and benefit for the people in a new era, and advance the joint building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future. For his part, Moncada expressed his gratitude to the Chinese leaders, government and people for a brotherly friendship with Nicaragua. He said the resumption of diplomatic ties between Nicaragua and China is supported by the overwhelming majority of the two peoples. Nicaragua will adhere to the one-China principle and join forces with China to move towards a new international order featuring multi-polarization, peace, social justice and equity as well as the realization of human development and progress, the foreign minister said. After the resumption of diplomatic ties, Nicaragua and China have entered a new stage of diplomacy, friendship and cooperative relations, in which the two sides will carry out cooperation in various fields such as trade, science and technology, education, health, culture and art, sports, media and information technology, Moncada added. Presidential Advisor Laureano Ortega Murillo said Nicaragua fully recognizes the Chinese values of people-oriented, solidarity and friendliness in China's realization of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, poverty alleviation and cooperation in fighting against COVID-19. The two sides will jointly formulate an agenda for developing Nicaragua-China ties, strengthen bilateral exchanges, enhance brotherhood and strengthen mutually beneficial relations, to take a path of common progress and development, he added. More than 200 people attended the ceremony, including the president of Nicaragua's National Assembly, central and local government officials, military and police officials, representatives of foreign missions and international organizations in Nicaragua, and representatives of Chinese companies and overseas Chinese in Nicaragua. On Dec. 10, China and Nicaragua signed the joint communique on the resumption of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Nicaragua. The two governments have decided to recognize each other and resume diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, effective from the date of signature of this communique. Enditem China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) As China continues to breach Taiwanese borders, Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen on Saturday emphasised the island's struggle to maintain its freedom and democracy in the face of Chinese pressure. President Tsai said that the pursuit of democracy and freedom is not a crime, AP reported. Apart from expressing their concern about China's pressure, the Taiwanese President stated that they will treasure their own hard-won freedom and democracy even more and their support for Hong Kong will remain unwavering. She promised that they will make Taiwan even better and demonstrate to the world that democratic Taiwan has the courage to emerge out from under the shadow of authoritarian China and that they will not surrender to coercion. Even after decades of Taipei establishing its self-government, China still considers Taiwan a breakaway province. Taipei has responded to Chinese aggression by strengthening strategic connections with democracies such as the United States, even as Beijing continues to threaten Taiwan's independence. Beijing has also criticised the US to make relations with Taiwan. China's ever-increasing military and diplomatic pressure In the face of China's ever-increasing military and diplomatic pressure, Taiwan's President emphasised the difficulty of preserving its freedom, democracy and consensus in order to connect with the rest of the world. According to a report Taiwan Focus, President Tsai stated that the four pillars of their plan for a stable government in 2022 are continuing the global involvement, sustaining the economic momentum, developing their social security network, and safeguarding the nation's sovereignty. Taiwan has also accused China of dispatching 940 fighter jets to their side. China, on the other hand, announced on Thursday that it sent more than 940 fighter jets for routine training, AP reported. The Chinese Defense Ministry said in response to Taiwan's assertions the PLA dispatched more aeroplanes to routine drills near Taiwan. Taiwan witnessed 950 intrusions by China In 2021, Taiwan saw 950 intrusions by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military jets into its Air Defence Identification Zone - a 60% increase from the previous year. Furthermore, Taiwanese media said that the island is expecting an increase in the number of invasions as China has increased sorties in recent years, AP reported. Taiwan's defence ministry warned back in October that military tensions with China had reached their highest point in the last four years. (With inputs from ANI, Image: AP) As China continues to breach Taiwanese borders, Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen on Saturday emphasised the island's struggle to maintain its freedom and democracy in the face of Chinese pressure. President Tsai said that the pursuit of democracy and freedom is not a crime, AP reported. Apart from expressing their concern about China's pressure, the Taiwanese President stated that they will treasure their own hard-won freedom and democracy even more and their support for Hong Kong will remain unwavering. She promised that they will make Taiwan even better and demonstrate to the world that democratic Taiwan has the courage to emerge out from under the shadow of authoritarian China and that they will not surrender to coercion. Even after decades of Taipei establishing its self-government, China still considers Taiwan a breakaway province. Taipei has responded to Chinese aggression by strengthening strategic connections with democracies such as the United States, even as Beijing continues to threaten Taiwan's independence. Beijing has also criticised the US to make relations with Taiwan. China's ever-increasing military and diplomatic pressure In the face of China's ever-increasing military and diplomatic pressure, Taiwan's President emphasised the difficulty of preserving its freedom, democracy and consensus in order to connect with the rest of the world. According to a report Taiwan Focus, President Tsai stated that the four pillars of their plan for a stable government in 2022 are continuing the global involvement, sustaining the economic momentum, developing their social security network, and safeguarding the nation's sovereignty. Taiwan has also accused China of dispatching 940 fighter jets to their side. China, on the other hand, announced on Thursday that it sent more than 940 fighter jets for routine training, AP reported. The Chinese Defense Ministry said in response to Taiwan's assertions the PLA dispatched more aeroplanes to routine drills near Taiwan. Taiwan witnessed 950 intrusions by China In 2021, Taiwan saw 950 intrusions by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military jets into its Air Defence Identification Zone - a 60% increase from the previous year. Furthermore, Taiwanese media said that the island is expecting an increase in the number of invasions as China has increased sorties in recent years, AP reported. Taiwan's defence ministry warned back in October that military tensions with China had reached their highest point in the last four years. (With inputs from ANI, Image: AP) As China continues to breach Taiwanese borders, Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen on Saturday emphasised the island's struggle to maintain its freedom and democracy in the face of Chinese pressure. President Tsai said that the pursuit of democracy and freedom is not a crime, AP reported. Apart from expressing their concern about China's pressure, the Taiwanese President stated that they will treasure their own hard-won freedom and democracy even more and their support for Hong Kong will remain unwavering. She promised that they will make Taiwan even better and demonstrate to the world that democratic Taiwan has the courage to emerge out from under the shadow of authoritarian China and that they will not surrender to coercion. Even after decades of Taipei establishing its self-government, China still considers Taiwan a breakaway province. Taipei has responded to Chinese aggression by strengthening strategic connections with democracies such as the United States, even as Beijing continues to threaten Taiwan's independence. Beijing has also criticised the US to make relations with Taiwan. China's ever-increasing military and diplomatic pressure In the face of China's ever-increasing military and diplomatic pressure, Taiwan's President emphasised the difficulty of preserving its freedom, democracy and consensus in order to connect with the rest of the world. According to a report Taiwan Focus, President Tsai stated that the four pillars of their plan for a stable government in 2022 are continuing the global involvement, sustaining the economic momentum, developing their social security network, and safeguarding the nation's sovereignty. Taiwan has also accused China of dispatching 940 fighter jets to their side. China, on the other hand, announced on Thursday that it sent more than 940 fighter jets for routine training, AP reported. The Chinese Defense Ministry said in response to Taiwan's assertions the PLA dispatched more aeroplanes to routine drills near Taiwan. Taiwan witnessed 950 intrusions by China In 2021, Taiwan saw 950 intrusions by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military jets into its Air Defence Identification Zone - a 60% increase from the previous year. Furthermore, Taiwanese media said that the island is expecting an increase in the number of invasions as China has increased sorties in recent years, AP reported. Taiwan's defence ministry warned back in October that military tensions with China had reached their highest point in the last four years. (With inputs from ANI, Image: AP) As China continues to breach Taiwanese borders, Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen on Saturday emphasised the island's struggle to maintain its freedom and democracy in the face of Chinese pressure. President Tsai said that the pursuit of democracy and freedom is not a crime, AP reported. Apart from expressing their concern about China's pressure, the Taiwanese President stated that they will treasure their own hard-won freedom and democracy even more and their support for Hong Kong will remain unwavering. She promised that they will make Taiwan even better and demonstrate to the world that democratic Taiwan has the courage to emerge out from under the shadow of authoritarian China and that they will not surrender to coercion. Even after decades of Taipei establishing its self-government, China still considers Taiwan a breakaway province. Taipei has responded to Chinese aggression by strengthening strategic connections with democracies such as the United States, even as Beijing continues to threaten Taiwan's independence. Beijing has also criticised the US to make relations with Taiwan. China's ever-increasing military and diplomatic pressure In the face of China's ever-increasing military and diplomatic pressure, Taiwan's President emphasised the difficulty of preserving its freedom, democracy and consensus in order to connect with the rest of the world. According to a report Taiwan Focus, President Tsai stated that the four pillars of their plan for a stable government in 2022 are continuing the global involvement, sustaining the economic momentum, developing their social security network, and safeguarding the nation's sovereignty. Taiwan has also accused China of dispatching 940 fighter jets to their side. China, on the other hand, announced on Thursday that it sent more than 940 fighter jets for routine training, AP reported. The Chinese Defense Ministry said in response to Taiwan's assertions the PLA dispatched more aeroplanes to routine drills near Taiwan. Taiwan witnessed 950 intrusions by China In 2021, Taiwan saw 950 intrusions by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military jets into its Air Defence Identification Zone - a 60% increase from the previous year. Furthermore, Taiwanese media said that the island is expecting an increase in the number of invasions as China has increased sorties in recent years, AP reported. Taiwan's defence ministry warned back in October that military tensions with China had reached their highest point in the last four years. (With inputs from ANI, Image: AP) Welcome New Year's Day. As 2021 closes its eyes in farewell, we are launching hopeful resolutions, resuming work and school schedules, and wrapping up Christmas memories. Grateful gatherings of family and friends rebounded in 2021 compared to 2020, back when many if not most of us had to suspend plans as loved ones were separated in fear and loss from the COVID virus. The option to celebrate went missing. Celebrations are central to the fabric of our lives, identity, and spirit so important, yet easily taken for granted. One thing I learned from COVID is to stop taking things for granted. Opportunities you always assumed would be there for you are not. Before COVID, missing out was often a product of circumstances within your orbit, overlapping with "I can do that later" or "we will see you soon" rhetoric. The pandemic snatched the decision-center wheel from our grasp, and kicked us to the side of the road. It was shocking, frustrating, and painful. Two weeks to flatten the curve turned into nearly a two-year roller coaster ride of capricious, authoritarian rule-making and control over our choices, customs, and liberties. The worst part was when we realized that too much was surrendered for the benefit of power-hungry global elites and their minions and masters. Their Marxist long game is to transform America by gutting the Constitution. Those saving America must realize what those against America already know. We become what we celebrate. This is a message as powerful as it is concise. I first read about this idea in Mathew Kelly's book Rediscover Catholicism. As Christians, as Catholics, as a Church, and as citizens, we should always take time to check and adjust the compass that guides us. To do this, we must ask ourselves soul-searching questions and courageously seek answers. "What are we celebrating?" is one of those questions, because you can be certain that we are becoming whatever it is we are celebrating. We must ask this question of ourselves, of our Church, of our nation, and of our culture. And we would be wise to listen attentively to the answers, because these answers will utter prophetic truths about our future. We become what we celebrate. If you want to fight for America, celebrate our traditions and holidays. Celebrate your family and friends. Celebrate our country, freedoms, and life. What we cease to recognize, we cease to have. Our traditions and freedoms will be erased over time if we take them for granted. COVID crackdowns took away weddings, funerals, birthdays, baptisms, graduations, concerts, parades, fireworks, festivals, and religious services. We began to resurface only to confront ongoing fear-mongering curtailing gatherings for the new year, and berating families for joining together for Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas. The left has long been at war with Christmas. COVID provides the perfect pretext for their march against our other holidays. Celebration is rooted in joy recognizing birth, family, religion, history, and patriots. It is referred to in marriage and the Christian church as in celebrating holy matrimony, celebrating the Mass, and celebration of the Eucharist. Its Latin origin means to frequent and honor. Celebration is central to home, family, and ties to one's country. Life markers crystallize the fundamental importance and meaning of celebration. When we are young, it means fun. As we age, it means to treasure and preserve. When we move, not only do we leave special memories in a place and town we called home, but every touchstone brings forth a sense of celebration. Our lives are magnified and immortalized in the joy of celebration. Happy memories are married to special occasions and annual events we play to and play with through the years. Without celebration, a home is just a house. A hometown is just a town. Lifetime memories are anchored by places, events, and people brought together in the homes and towns of family and friends. Overly restrictive COVID lockdowns and mandates have squelched gatherings and shamed people for coming together as if superfluous to the human condition. Places, events, and people are not deemed dependent on each other, isolated so as to suffocate celebration. It is a triple play by the radical left resulting in a shut-out for American tradition. It's not a game or an inconvenience anymore. It never was. It's about anti-American forces erasing the things we value by dissolving the celebrations we use to frequent and honor their importance. Have a blessed new year. Become what you celebrate. Make the most of every holiday and special occasion in 2022. Pass tradition and memories on to the next generation. Fight for America by celebrating what we love and hold dear. Have a good time, too. Image: Alexandra Koch for Pixabay, Pixabay License. Welcome New Year's Day. As 2021 closes its eyes in farewell, we are launching hopeful resolutions, resuming work and school schedules, and wrapping up Christmas memories. Grateful gatherings of family and friends rebounded in 2021 compared to 2020, back when many if not most of us had to suspend plans as loved ones were separated in fear and loss from the COVID virus. The option to celebrate went missing. Celebrations are central to the fabric of our lives, identity, and spirit so important, yet easily taken for granted. One thing I learned from COVID is to stop taking things for granted. Opportunities you always assumed would be there for you are not. Before COVID, missing out was often a product of circumstances within your orbit, overlapping with "I can do that later" or "we will see you soon" rhetoric. The pandemic snatched the decision-center wheel from our grasp, and kicked us to the side of the road. It was shocking, frustrating, and painful. Two weeks to flatten the curve turned into nearly a two-year roller coaster ride of capricious, authoritarian rule-making and control over our choices, customs, and liberties. The worst part was when we realized that too much was surrendered for the benefit of power-hungry global elites and their minions and masters. Their Marxist long game is to transform America by gutting the Constitution. Those saving America must realize what those against America already know. We become what we celebrate. This is a message as powerful as it is concise. I first read about this idea in Mathew Kelly's book Rediscover Catholicism. As Christians, as Catholics, as a Church, and as citizens, we should always take time to check and adjust the compass that guides us. To do this, we must ask ourselves soul-searching questions and courageously seek answers. "What are we celebrating?" is one of those questions, because you can be certain that we are becoming whatever it is we are celebrating. We must ask this question of ourselves, of our Church, of our nation, and of our culture. And we would be wise to listen attentively to the answers, because these answers will utter prophetic truths about our future. We become what we celebrate. If you want to fight for America, celebrate our traditions and holidays. Celebrate your family and friends. Celebrate our country, freedoms, and life. What we cease to recognize, we cease to have. Our traditions and freedoms will be erased over time if we take them for granted. COVID crackdowns took away weddings, funerals, birthdays, baptisms, graduations, concerts, parades, fireworks, festivals, and religious services. We began to resurface only to confront ongoing fear-mongering curtailing gatherings for the new year, and berating families for joining together for Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas. The left has long been at war with Christmas. COVID provides the perfect pretext for their march against our other holidays. Celebration is rooted in joy recognizing birth, family, religion, history, and patriots. It is referred to in marriage and the Christian church as in celebrating holy matrimony, celebrating the Mass, and celebration of the Eucharist. Its Latin origin means to frequent and honor. Celebration is central to home, family, and ties to one's country. Life markers crystallize the fundamental importance and meaning of celebration. When we are young, it means fun. As we age, it means to treasure and preserve. When we move, not only do we leave special memories in a place and town we called home, but every touchstone brings forth a sense of celebration. Our lives are magnified and immortalized in the joy of celebration. Happy memories are married to special occasions and annual events we play to and play with through the years. Without celebration, a home is just a house. A hometown is just a town. Lifetime memories are anchored by places, events, and people brought together in the homes and towns of family and friends. Overly restrictive COVID lockdowns and mandates have squelched gatherings and shamed people for coming together as if superfluous to the human condition. Places, events, and people are not deemed dependent on each other, isolated so as to suffocate celebration. It is a triple play by the radical left resulting in a shut-out for American tradition. It's not a game or an inconvenience anymore. It never was. It's about anti-American forces erasing the things we value by dissolving the celebrations we use to frequent and honor their importance. Have a blessed new year. Become what you celebrate. Make the most of every holiday and special occasion in 2022. Pass tradition and memories on to the next generation. Fight for America by celebrating what we love and hold dear. Have a good time, too. Image: Alexandra Koch for Pixabay, Pixabay License. Ghislaine Maxwell has been convicted of 5 of 6 criminal counts in her federal trial on charges arising from sex-trafficking underage girls for Jeffrey Epstein and unidentified other figures, believed to include rich and powerful men. Shortly after the trial's end and Maxwell's return to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, federal prosecutors on Thursday "asked a judge to dismiss claims against Tova Noel and Michael Thomas," the two Bureau of Prisons guards who falsified records and slept on the job when Jeffrey Epstein allegedly committed suicide, "after both complied with the six-month deferred prosecution agreements they agreed to in May." So far as the public has been told, Ghislaine Maxwell has not offered any evidence against the other men who had illicit sex with the underage girls she procured for Epstein's stable of sex slaves. If we are to believe that some of the rich, famous, and powerful people known to have associated with Epstein in his various residences, including "Orgy Island," could be implicated by Maxwell in a plea bargain agreement to reduce her sentence, then she has every reason to fear for her safety in federal custody. The message being sent by the light punishment for the prison guards whose negligence enabled Epstein's death is pretty clear. If Maxwell were to "commit suicide" or "have an accident," any guards implicated in negligence permitting such a death may face minimal consequences. Oddly, none of the articles on the prison guards escaping serious punishment in the major media and press services that I examined specified the federal prosecutors agreeing to the wrist slap. But since the federal trial took place in Manhattan, I have to assume they work for the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, Cyrus Vance, Jr., a hereditary Democrat elite federal functionary. I wish Ms. Maxwell a long life in federal custody. In my dreams, she would name names of those who participated in Epstein's alleged orgies. I find the lack of interest by prosecutors and most media in identifying these presumed criminals to be quite telling. Photo credit: I. Maxwell, CC BY-SA 4.0 license. I do not write this article for the typical American Thinker reader. Like me, the typical reader already recoils in revulsion and fear about the direction this country and world are heading. I write instead for the Leftist sappers and monitors who watch what comes out in American Thinker either to pounce on it in trolling comments or simply report back to their overseers. I want us all to engage in a New Years Day mental exercise and extrapolate where we will benot as a country but as a culturein 20 years. In that span, patriot conservatives may win a midterm election or two, and perhaps even a presidential election, but the culture will continue its 70-year trend. Why? Because presidents and senators dont (really) determine what is taught to your kids, what messaging is being spewed forth by the Mainstream Media, what poisonous social engineering projects corporate and foundation boards are wasting their (and our) money on, what morality is currently being wafted from pulpits. So here are 10 predictions for 2040, though all bets are off if China and Russia fully realize just how broken we are, and militarily call our bluff. Their probable involvement in what is described below will, however, likely stay their hand, since theyd be fools to interfere with a foe who is intent on self-immolation. The states of Texas and/or Florida go blue in 2026. This is what the undeclared open borders policy was all about. Well, it worked. Once either or both of these states fell (permanently, by the way) into the Democrat camp, it was over, governmentally for the United States. We then had a one-party government as far as one could see. The conservative camp was kept around as a window decoration of democracy, but it served no legislative function. In terms of laws, these were now crafted by closed-door discussions between centrist leftists and radical leftists. In 2027, we began to be very cold in the winter and very, very hot in the summer. In fact, heat was now used as a weapon against the conservative South. Think brownouts. Lots of them. And targeted ones. The Beijing-directed climate farce went smoothly into the 9th inning as US energy production and, by extension, its industrial base were further castrated to the point where the power grid ground to a dystopian halt, as the myth of wind and solar bore their sterile harvest. American coal, natural gas, and oil were all directed west across the Pacific. In the winter in the Northeast and Midwest, one could no longer find any kindling on forest floors as citizens scavenged mountainsides to keep their apartments warm the old-fashioned wayuntil in 2036 wood burning was banned. The centrally corrosive doctrine of moral relativism as applied to sexuality bore its ultimate fruit. What we once termed pedophilia was mainstreamed and codified in 2037. Jeffrey Epstein was merely ahead of his time. It used to be that, once you survived in utero, you were home free. Not anymore. The Vatican issued a cautionary statement, but given its history in the matter, Her Holiness refrained from any outright condemnation, forwarding the issue to a Synod of bishops representing all genders for further study. Anti-abortion laws were not only struck down but the U.S. One Child Policy became enshrined into law in 2030, with compulsory abortion when and where needed. Exemptions were granted only to ethnic minorities, though it became less clear what was actually a minority by 2031. Image: A dead America (edited in befunky). Piqsels. What were once called Christmas Lights were banned in 2033 to decrease stress on the power grid and to appease the rapidly growing Muslim population in the U.S. Street fighting between Muslim and Hispanic towns and enclaves became ever more frequent. The Great Cholera Epidemic of 2029 reduced the populations of the major U.S. cities by 10% as shipments of antibiotics from Asia and Iran failed to meet the demand and reports of defective drugs were rumored. Deaths from a defective flu vaccine in 2036 had exceeded the deaths due to flu itself that year, with the latter even being exceptionally high due to winter fuel shortages in the Northeast. Media reports of increasing bridge/tunnel collapses and major air crashes became heavily censored by 2035, as the Department of Citizen Contentment expanded its role. In the third year of the 2034 Five Year Grain Plan, importing grain from Argentina and Russia marked the first-ever need for corn, wheat, and soybean imported to the United States. Food rioting became an increasingly common event on the East and Gulf Coasts. In 2036, the first re-education camps were built, one in southern Louisiana for climate deniers and one in Wyoming for those found guilty of attempted escape to Latin America as well as religious traditionalists, nationalists, and those arrested for homeschooling. Reports of construction of very large facilities by multinational Big Tech/Pharma companies just outside the Wyoming camps were rumored to be for purposes of expansive clinical trials. In 2040, the states of Massachusetts, Columbia, New York, and Vermont made a formal petition at UN headquarters in Hong Kong to dissolve the United States into four autonomous regions as a means of segregating its increasingly fractious ethnic populations and reducing the need for UN military involvement on the erstwhile U.S. mainland. When you are done having a good laugh, ask yourself what the reactions would be of your grandparents coming home to the U.S. in 1945 and finding a sitting senile US President, a possibly stolen presidential election, forced vaccination of Americans (loss of employment equals force, by the way), a likely worldwide pandemic from a man-made virus, mass education of American youth in a culture of American historical criminality, empty churches, the joyous embrace of transgenderism (or else). Just ask how a U.S. Army, Navy, Marine, or Air Force veteran returning home from Europe or the Far East would respond. You will be the last generation of Americans ever to be able to reach back to that thought. To those who monitor American Thinker for the Left, how exactly do you feel about your participation now in the events that will bring us the future described above? When you yourself (or those you profess to love) are engulfed (and drowned) in the waves of social change you engender, will there be any final regrets? No, I didnt think so, either. Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) The United Nations has called on Sudanese to overcome the mistrust that has reigned among political actors and frustrated a return to the process that would lead to a democratically-elected government Once again, Florida's Ron DeSantis was in the news, and, once again, he made Democrats look bad and, in this case, very, very small. Several of them attacked DeSantis for a low-key public presence during the holiday season, with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez being exceptionally nasty to cover for her relaxing mask-free in the Miami sun while her constituents suffer through New York's endless winter of masks and despair. These Democrats were, or ought to have been, covered with shame when it emerged that DeSantis was keeping a low profile to support his wife during her cancer treatments. In the leftist media swamp, there were a lot of sinister theories regarding Ron DeSantis's low-profile week (and of course, all the theories revolved around the obsession with Florida's COVID count, which is negligible compared to New York's). It began with the Democrat mayor of Orange County, Florida, who snarked that people in Florida "should be outraged" that DeSantis wasn't out and about on December 29. The usual suspects took it from there: The absence of the generic Chief Executive Working photo of DeSantis over the past week plus suggests that he is in fact ill, and such a simple photo can't be taken. Something is really off here. Shocking they were not able to swat this away today. https://t.co/4nQ5J2qvg1 Simon Rosenberg (@SimonWDC) December 30, 2021 But seriously, where is Ron DiSantis? How does the Governor of one of our largest states just check out during a surge in a pandemic? Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) December 31, 2021 Logic would suggest that he caught Covid. And very possibly a bad case. Norman Ornstein (@NormOrnstein) December 31, 2021 Joy Reid piled on, too: A governor, not governing during a crisis; and sunning his belly on vacation instead. @GovRonDeSantis is the Nero of Ted Cruzes. https://t.co/JaVTNdPbBh Joy-Ann (Pro-Democracy) Reid (@JoyAnnReid) December 30, 2021 Christina Pushaw quickly set Reid right about the facts: Have you ever considered that youre one of the reasons nobody trusts the media? pic.twitter.com/nyiqzstZhT Christina Pushaw (@ChristinaPushaw) December 30, 2021 Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez came into the attempted beat-down on DeSantis, because she was seen hanging out mask-free in Miami: P.S. We recommend the Rock Shrimp Roll and the Aoki Tai the next time you decide to dine in Miami. Cheers! Team DeSantis (@teamrondesantis) December 31, 2021 I'll say this for AOC she believes that the best defense is to be incredibly offensive. She came out swinging, with an attack against DeSantis: Id also be happy to share some notes from @GovKathyHochuls work in NY since he seems to be in need of tips! Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 31, 2021 Julie Kelly took some of the wind out of AOC's sails by reminding this healthy, multi-vaxxed young woman that she keeps appointing proxies to vote for her in Congress: "I continue to be unable to physically attend proceedings in the House Chamber due to the ongoing public health emergency ..." The coup de grace, though, was the real reason that DeSantis, who has indeed worked through the holidays, nevertheless kept a low profile: he was busy supporting his wife through her cancer treatments: Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis accompanied his wife to her cancer treatment while critics were accusing the governor of taking a vacation as coronavirus cases spiked, Fox News has learned. A DeSantis spokesperson said the governor accompanied wife Casey to cancer treatment Dec. 29, the day several left-wing critics accused the governor of "missing." DeSantis' announced in October that his wife had been diagnosed with breast cancer, telling Fox News at the time that as "the mother of three young children, Casey is the centerpiece of our family and has made an impact on the lives of countless Floridians through her initiatives as first lady." We wish Casey DeSantis as easy a passage as possible through the unpleasantness of being treated for breast cancer and a swift and complete recovery. And we applaud leftists for continuing to attack Governor DeSantis because, every time they do, he comes out smelling of roses while they come out smelling of...something else. Image: Ron and Casey DeSantis. Public Domain. Once again, Florida's Ron DeSantis was in the news, and, once again, he made Democrats look bad and, in this case, very, very small. Several of them attacked DeSantis for a low-key public presence during the holiday season, with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez being exceptionally nasty to cover for her relaxing mask-free in the Miami sun while her constituents suffer through New York's endless winter of masks and despair. These Democrats were, or ought to have been, covered with shame when it emerged that DeSantis was keeping a low profile to support his wife during her cancer treatments. In the leftist media swamp, there were a lot of sinister theories regarding Ron DeSantis's low-profile week (and of course, all the theories revolved around the obsession with Florida's COVID count, which is negligible compared to New York's). It began with the Democrat mayor of Orange County, Florida, who snarked that people in Florida "should be outraged" that DeSantis wasn't out and about on December 29. The usual suspects took it from there: The absence of the generic Chief Executive Working photo of DeSantis over the past week plus suggests that he is in fact ill, and such a simple photo can't be taken. Something is really off here. Shocking they were not able to swat this away today. https://t.co/4nQ5J2qvg1 Simon Rosenberg (@SimonWDC) December 30, 2021 But seriously, where is Ron DiSantis? How does the Governor of one of our largest states just check out during a surge in a pandemic? Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) December 31, 2021 Logic would suggest that he caught Covid. And very possibly a bad case. Norman Ornstein (@NormOrnstein) December 31, 2021 Joy Reid piled on, too: A governor, not governing during a crisis; and sunning his belly on vacation instead. @GovRonDeSantis is the Nero of Ted Cruzes. https://t.co/JaVTNdPbBh Joy-Ann (Pro-Democracy) Reid (@JoyAnnReid) December 30, 2021 Christina Pushaw quickly set Reid right about the facts: Have you ever considered that youre one of the reasons nobody trusts the media? pic.twitter.com/nyiqzstZhT Christina Pushaw (@ChristinaPushaw) December 30, 2021 Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez came into the attempted beat-down on DeSantis, because she was seen hanging out mask-free in Miami: P.S. We recommend the Rock Shrimp Roll and the Aoki Tai the next time you decide to dine in Miami. Cheers! Team DeSantis (@teamrondesantis) December 31, 2021 I'll say this for AOC she believes that the best defense is to be incredibly offensive. She came out swinging, with an attack against DeSantis: Id also be happy to share some notes from @GovKathyHochuls work in NY since he seems to be in need of tips! Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 31, 2021 Julie Kelly took some of the wind out of AOC's sails by reminding this healthy, multi-vaxxed young woman that she keeps appointing proxies to vote for her in Congress: "I continue to be unable to physically attend proceedings in the House Chamber due to the ongoing public health emergency ..." The coup de grace, though, was the real reason that DeSantis, who has indeed worked through the holidays, nevertheless kept a low profile: he was busy supporting his wife through her cancer treatments: Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis accompanied his wife to her cancer treatment while critics were accusing the governor of taking a vacation as coronavirus cases spiked, Fox News has learned. A DeSantis spokesperson said the governor accompanied wife Casey to cancer treatment Dec. 29, the day several left-wing critics accused the governor of "missing." DeSantis' announced in October that his wife had been diagnosed with breast cancer, telling Fox News at the time that as "the mother of three young children, Casey is the centerpiece of our family and has made an impact on the lives of countless Floridians through her initiatives as first lady." We wish Casey DeSantis as easy a passage as possible through the unpleasantness of being treated for breast cancer and a swift and complete recovery. And we applaud leftists for continuing to attack Governor DeSantis because, every time they do, he comes out smelling of roses while they come out smelling of...something else. Image: Ron and Casey DeSantis. Public Domain. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Defense Minister Suh Wook, center, inspects South Korea's combat readiness aboard a Peace Eye aircraft during a 140-minute patrol mission, Jan. 1. Yonhap South Korea's defense chief flew on an airborne early warning and control aircraft, and inspected the country's defense posture on New Year's Day as North Korea noted the "growing instability" of the military situation on the peninsula. Defense Minister Suh Wook flew over South Korea's territorial waters for about 140 minutes aboard the E-737 Peace Eye aircraft, which took off from Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, just outside the capital, early Saturday. During the flight, Suh told the aircrew to maintain their military readiness as he held talks with commanders of major Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps combat units. On Saturday, North Korea called for the bolstering of its defense capabilities as it announced the results of a key meeting of the ruling Workers' Party. (Yonhap) Defense Minister Suh Wook, center, inspects South Korea's combat readiness aboard a Peace Eye aircraft during a 140-minute patrol mission, Jan. 1. Yonhap South Korea's defense chief flew on an airborne early warning and control aircraft, and inspected the country's defense posture on New Year's Day as North Korea noted the "growing instability" of the military situation on the peninsula. Defense Minister Suh Wook flew over South Korea's territorial waters for about 140 minutes aboard the E-737 Peace Eye aircraft, which took off from Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, just outside the capital, early Saturday. During the flight, Suh told the aircrew to maintain their military readiness as he held talks with commanders of major Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps combat units. On Saturday, North Korea called for the bolstering of its defense capabilities as it announced the results of a key meeting of the ruling Workers' Party. (Yonhap) Defense Minister Suh Wook, center, inspects South Korea's combat readiness aboard a Peace Eye aircraft during a 140-minute patrol mission, Jan. 1. Yonhap South Korea's defense chief flew on an airborne early warning and control aircraft, and inspected the country's defense posture on New Year's Day as North Korea noted the "growing instability" of the military situation on the peninsula. Defense Minister Suh Wook flew over South Korea's territorial waters for about 140 minutes aboard the E-737 Peace Eye aircraft, which took off from Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, just outside the capital, early Saturday. During the flight, Suh told the aircrew to maintain their military readiness as he held talks with commanders of major Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps combat units. On Saturday, North Korea called for the bolstering of its defense capabilities as it announced the results of a key meeting of the ruling Workers' Party. (Yonhap) Israel detected the first case of "florona" disease, a double infection of COVID-19 and influenza, said Arab News said on Friday. An Israeli newspaper reported that the case of double infection was found in a woman who entered the Rabin Medical Center this week to give birth. What is florona? The disease is not a new variant but it is having flu and COVID-19 at the same time. Israeli doctors said Florona is being studied as Isreal has seen a surge in influenza cases in the last few weeks. Dr Nahla Abdel Wahab, a doctor at Cairo University Hospital, told Israeli media that Florona may indicate a major breakdown of the immunity system as two viruses are entering the human body at the same time. This comes at a time when the entire world is battling with the surge of Omicron variant of COVID-19. The tally of coronavirus variant Omicron has reached 1,431 today up from 1270 on Friday in India showing a rise of more than 32% . Israel detected the first case of "florona" disease, a double infection of COVID-19 and influenza, said Arab News said on Friday. An Israeli newspaper reported that the case of double infection was found in a woman who entered the Rabin Medical Center this week to give birth. What is florona? The disease is not a new variant but it is having flu and COVID-19 at the same time. Israeli doctors said Florona is being studied as Isreal has seen a surge in influenza cases in the last few weeks. Dr Nahla Abdel Wahab, a doctor at Cairo University Hospital, told Israeli media that Florona may indicate a major breakdown of the immunity system as two viruses are entering the human body at the same time. This comes at a time when the entire world is battling with the surge of Omicron variant of COVID-19. The tally of coronavirus variant Omicron has reached 1,431 today up from 1270 on Friday in India showing a rise of more than 32% . Israel detected the first case of "florona" disease, a double infection of COVID-19 and influenza, said Arab News said on Friday. An Israeli newspaper reported that the case of double infection was found in a woman who entered the Rabin Medical Center this week to give birth. What is florona? The disease is not a new variant but it is having flu and COVID-19 at the same time. Israeli doctors said Florona is being studied as Isreal has seen a surge in influenza cases in the last few weeks. Dr Nahla Abdel Wahab, a doctor at Cairo University Hospital, told Israeli media that Florona may indicate a major breakdown of the immunity system as two viruses are entering the human body at the same time. This comes at a time when the entire world is battling with the surge of Omicron variant of COVID-19. The tally of coronavirus variant Omicron has reached 1,431 today up from 1270 on Friday in India showing a rise of more than 32% . One worker was killed and at least two injured after a portion of stone mine crashed down on them in Haryana, Bhiwani's Dadam mining area in Tosham Tehsil on Saturday. The incident believed to have taken place due to a landslide, news agency ANI reported. More than half a dozen vehicles and four to five people are trapped and rescue operation is going on. "Saddened by the unfortunate landslide accident in Dadam mining zone at Bhiwani. I am in constant touch with the local administration to ensure swift rescue operations and immediate assistance to the injured," chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar said on Twitter. Israel detected the first case of "florona" disease, a double infection of COVID-19 and influenza, said Arab News said on Friday. An Israeli newspaper reported that the case of double infection was found in a woman who entered the Rabin Medical Center this week to give birth. What is florona? The disease is not a new variant but it is having flu and COVID-19 at the same time. Israeli doctors said Florona is being studied as Isreal has seen a surge in influenza cases in the last few weeks. Dr Nahla Abdel Wahab, a doctor at Cairo University Hospital, told Israeli media that Florona may indicate a major breakdown of the immunity system as two viruses are entering the human body at the same time. This comes at a time when the entire world is battling with the surge of Omicron variant of COVID-19. The tally of coronavirus variant Omicron has reached 1,431 today up from 1270 on Friday in India showing a rise of more than 32% . Israel detected the first case of "florona" disease, a double infection of COVID-19 and influenza, said Arab News said on Friday. An Israeli newspaper reported that the case of double infection was found in a woman who entered the Rabin Medical Center this week to give birth. What is florona? The disease is not a new variant but it is having flu and COVID-19 at the same time. Israeli doctors said Florona is being studied as Isreal has seen a surge in influenza cases in the last few weeks. Dr Nahla Abdel Wahab, a doctor at Cairo University Hospital, told Israeli media that Florona may indicate a major breakdown of the immunity system as two viruses are entering the human body at the same time. This comes at a time when the entire world is battling with the surge of Omicron variant of COVID-19. The tally of coronavirus variant Omicron has reached 1,431 today up from 1270 on Friday in India showing a rise of more than 32% . Defense Minister Suh Wook, center, inspects South Korea's combat readiness aboard a Peace Eye aircraft during a 140-minute patrol mission, Jan. 1. Yonhap South Korea's defense chief flew on an airborne early warning and control aircraft, and inspected the country's defense posture on New Year's Day as North Korea noted the "growing instability" of the military situation on the peninsula. Defense Minister Suh Wook flew over South Korea's territorial waters for about 140 minutes aboard the E-737 Peace Eye aircraft, which took off from Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, just outside the capital, early Saturday. During the flight, Suh told the aircrew to maintain their military readiness as he held talks with commanders of major Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps combat units. On Saturday, North Korea called for the bolstering of its defense capabilities as it announced the results of a key meeting of the ruling Workers' Party. (Yonhap) Rome, Jan 1 : In what was due to be his last New Year speech as the country's President, Sergio Mattarella has thanked Italians for their "maturity and sense of responsibility" during the two years of the coronavirus pandemic. Mattarella, 80, was elected Italy's 12th President on January 31, 2015, and his seven-year mandate will end in January 2022. He repeatedly made clear he would not be available for re-election. "In these days, I have been going over what we have lived together in the last two years: the time of a pandemic that shocked the world and our lives," he said on Friday in a 15-minute speech broadcast live from the Quirinale Presidential palace. Mattarella stressed -- "as an invaluable heritage of humanity" -- the self-sacrifice of physicians, healthcare workers and all those who have committed themselves to fight the coronavirus, Xinhua news agency reported. Then, he thanked common people who put their trust in science, followed the recommended anti-pandemic rules and chose to be vaccinated against Covid-19. "This means almost all Italians, which I want to thank for their maturity and sense of responsibility," he noted. On December 31, as the new Omicron virus variant is pushing up infections, Italy registered over 144,000 cases, the largest daily increase since the pandemic began. Yet, some 85.8 per cent of the population over 12 years has completed the vaccination cycle. This has so far allowed the country to largely contain the most serious cases of the disease and the number of people in need of hospitalisation and emergency care. "The vaccines are a valuable tool, not because they ensure invulnerability but because they allow us to reduce damages and risks for ourselves and for the others," he noted. Finally, recalling that Italy has shown tangible signs of economic recovery in 2021, and has managed the pandemic in a way that drew appreciation from other European major countries, Mattarella said. "My wishes for you are more intense than ever because -- along with the need to look at the New Year with confidence and hope -- I feel the need to thank each and everyone of you for having shown Italy's true face: hard-working, creative, and supportive," he added. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Defense Minister Suh Wook, center, inspects South Korea's combat readiness aboard a Peace Eye aircraft during a 140-minute patrol mission, Jan. 1. Yonhap South Korea's defense chief flew on an airborne early warning and control aircraft, and inspected the country's defense posture on New Year's Day as North Korea noted the "growing instability" of the military situation on the peninsula. Defense Minister Suh Wook flew over South Korea's territorial waters for about 140 minutes aboard the E-737 Peace Eye aircraft, which took off from Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, just outside the capital, early Saturday. During the flight, Suh told the aircrew to maintain their military readiness as he held talks with commanders of major Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps combat units. On Saturday, North Korea called for the bolstering of its defense capabilities as it announced the results of a key meeting of the ruling Workers' Party. (Yonhap) Defense Minister Suh Wook, center, inspects South Korea's combat readiness aboard a Peace Eye aircraft during a 140-minute patrol mission, Jan. 1. Yonhap South Korea's defense chief flew on an airborne early warning and control aircraft, and inspected the country's defense posture on New Year's Day as North Korea noted the "growing instability" of the military situation on the peninsula. Defense Minister Suh Wook flew over South Korea's territorial waters for about 140 minutes aboard the E-737 Peace Eye aircraft, which took off from Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, just outside the capital, early Saturday. During the flight, Suh told the aircrew to maintain their military readiness as he held talks with commanders of major Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps combat units. On Saturday, North Korea called for the bolstering of its defense capabilities as it announced the results of a key meeting of the ruling Workers' Party. (Yonhap) I do not write this article for the typical American Thinker reader. Like me, the typical reader already recoils in revulsion and fear about the direction this country and world are heading. I write instead for the Leftist sappers and monitors who watch what comes out in American Thinker either to pounce on it in trolling comments or simply report back to their overseers. I want us all to engage in a New Years Day mental exercise and extrapolate where we will benot as a country but as a culturein 20 years. In that span, patriot conservatives may win a midterm election or two, and perhaps even a presidential election, but the culture will continue its 70-year trend. Why? Because presidents and senators dont (really) determine what is taught to your kids, what messaging is being spewed forth by the Mainstream Media, what poisonous social engineering projects corporate and foundation boards are wasting their (and our) money on, what morality is currently being wafted from pulpits. So here are 10 predictions for 2040, though all bets are off if China and Russia fully realize just how broken we are, and militarily call our bluff. Their probable involvement in what is described below will, however, likely stay their hand, since theyd be fools to interfere with a foe who is intent on self-immolation. The states of Texas and/or Florida go blue in 2026. This is what the undeclared open borders policy was all about. Well, it worked. Once either or both of these states fell (permanently, by the way) into the Democrat camp, it was over, governmentally for the United States. We then had a one-party government as far as one could see. The conservative camp was kept around as a window decoration of democracy, but it served no legislative function. In terms of laws, these were now crafted by closed-door discussions between centrist leftists and radical leftists. In 2027, we began to be very cold in the winter and very, very hot in the summer. In fact, heat was now used as a weapon against the conservative South. Think brownouts. Lots of them. And targeted ones. The Beijing-directed climate farce went smoothly into the 9th inning as US energy production and, by extension, its industrial base were further castrated to the point where the power grid ground to a dystopian halt, as the myth of wind and solar bore their sterile harvest. American coal, natural gas, and oil were all directed west across the Pacific. In the winter in the Northeast and Midwest, one could no longer find any kindling on forest floors as citizens scavenged mountainsides to keep their apartments warm the old-fashioned wayuntil in 2036 wood burning was banned. The centrally corrosive doctrine of moral relativism as applied to sexuality bore its ultimate fruit. What we once termed pedophilia was mainstreamed and codified in 2037. Jeffrey Epstein was merely ahead of his time. It used to be that, once you survived in utero, you were home free. Not anymore. The Vatican issued a cautionary statement, but given its history in the matter, Her Holiness refrained from any outright condemnation, forwarding the issue to a Synod of bishops representing all genders for further study. Anti-abortion laws were not only struck down but the U.S. One Child Policy became enshrined into law in 2030, with compulsory abortion when and where needed. Exemptions were granted only to ethnic minorities, though it became less clear what was actually a minority by 2031. Image: A dead America (edited in befunky). Piqsels. What were once called Christmas Lights were banned in 2033 to decrease stress on the power grid and to appease the rapidly growing Muslim population in the U.S. Street fighting between Muslim and Hispanic towns and enclaves became ever more frequent. The Great Cholera Epidemic of 2029 reduced the populations of the major U.S. cities by 10% as shipments of antibiotics from Asia and Iran failed to meet the demand and reports of defective drugs were rumored. Deaths from a defective flu vaccine in 2036 had exceeded the deaths due to flu itself that year, with the latter even being exceptionally high due to winter fuel shortages in the Northeast. Media reports of increasing bridge/tunnel collapses and major air crashes became heavily censored by 2035, as the Department of Citizen Contentment expanded its role. In the third year of the 2034 Five Year Grain Plan, importing grain from Argentina and Russia marked the first-ever need for corn, wheat, and soybean imported to the United States. Food rioting became an increasingly common event on the East and Gulf Coasts. In 2036, the first re-education camps were built, one in southern Louisiana for climate deniers and one in Wyoming for those found guilty of attempted escape to Latin America as well as religious traditionalists, nationalists, and those arrested for homeschooling. Reports of construction of very large facilities by multinational Big Tech/Pharma companies just outside the Wyoming camps were rumored to be for purposes of expansive clinical trials. In 2040, the states of Massachusetts, Columbia, New York, and Vermont made a formal petition at UN headquarters in Hong Kong to dissolve the United States into four autonomous regions as a means of segregating its increasingly fractious ethnic populations and reducing the need for UN military involvement on the erstwhile U.S. mainland. When you are done having a good laugh, ask yourself what the reactions would be of your grandparents coming home to the U.S. in 1945 and finding a sitting senile US President, a possibly stolen presidential election, forced vaccination of Americans (loss of employment equals force, by the way), a likely worldwide pandemic from a man-made virus, mass education of American youth in a culture of American historical criminality, empty churches, the joyous embrace of transgenderism (or else). Just ask how a U.S. Army, Navy, Marine, or Air Force veteran returning home from Europe or the Far East would respond. You will be the last generation of Americans ever to be able to reach back to that thought. To those who monitor American Thinker for the Left, how exactly do you feel about your participation now in the events that will bring us the future described above? When you yourself (or those you profess to love) are engulfed (and drowned) in the waves of social change you engender, will there be any final regrets? No, I didnt think so, either. Mothers, no doubt, have an undeniable influence on their sons. The bond between a mother and son is as strong as it gets. Unfortunately, in some cases, this connection can be a little too much. This is the premise upon which a Nigerian filmmaker, Sola Osifisan, shot Over Her Dead Body a comedy-drama about mothers, sons, and the unlucky women who come between them. Over Her Dead Body was recorded at choice locations in Lagos in February 2020. Packaged by Pen Pusher Productions, a film and television content company based in Lagos, Over Her Dead Body is being released by Genesis, a Nollywood movie distribution company. The movie (and tickets) will be available in all major cinema houses across Nigeria from January 7, 2022. Storyline In Over Her Dead Body, bluntly reminded of her mortality by an armed robbery attack in faraway Ibadan, Zaras mother-in-law, Mama, arrives unexpectedly on an extended stay. She has one mission resulting from that near-death experience; to embrace her grandchildren before she dies. Unfortunately, she has none. Mama decides it is taking too long for her only son and his wife of many years to deliver. To hasten the process, Mama bullies and mistreats her daughter-in-law, and deploys all kinds of schemes to get to her intended goal. And then, Zara, the henpecked daughter-in-law, decides to fight back. Cast Award-winning actress Nse Ikpe-Etim, (recently seen in Netflixs King of Boys) plays Zara in the movie. Mama is played by veteran actress Binta Ayo Mogaji. A host of outstanding actors also feature in the movie, including veteran Uche Mac-Auley, Patrick Rico Swavey Fakoya, Gregory Ojefua, Taiwo Solanke, Onyeka Fiaka, Adenike Ayodele, etc. Written, produced, and directed by Sola Osofisan, Over Her Dead Body is a refreshingly hilarious spin on the mother-in-law vs daughter-in-law story. Check out the movie trailer below China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) MANAGUA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday officially reopened its embassy in Nicaragua after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. The ceremony, held at the new location of the embassy in the capital Managua, was inaugurated by Yu Bo, representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada. In his speech, Yu said that the one-China principle is the consensus of the international community and a universally recognized norm governing international relations. It shows an overriding trend that represents international justice and enjoys popular support. Nicaragua's decision to resume diplomatic relations with China not only conforms to the historical trend and the trend of the times, but also fully serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries, said Yu. China welcomes the Nicaraguan side to actively participate in the Global Development Initiative and join the Belt and Road Initiative at an early date, said Yu, adding that China stands ready to work with Nicaragua and Latin American countries to build China-Latin America relations characterized by equality, mutual benefit, innovation, opening-up, and benefit for the people in a new era, and advance the joint building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future. For his part, Moncada expressed his gratitude to the Chinese leaders, government and people for a brotherly friendship with Nicaragua. He said the resumption of diplomatic ties between Nicaragua and China is supported by the overwhelming majority of the two peoples. Nicaragua will adhere to the one-China principle and join forces with China to move towards a new international order featuring multi-polarization, peace, social justice and equity as well as the realization of human development and progress, the foreign minister said. After the resumption of diplomatic ties, Nicaragua and China have entered a new stage of diplomacy, friendship and cooperative relations, in which the two sides will carry out cooperation in various fields such as trade, science and technology, education, health, culture and art, sports, media and information technology, Moncada added. Presidential Advisor Laureano Ortega Murillo said Nicaragua fully recognizes the Chinese values of people-oriented, solidarity and friendliness in China's realization of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, poverty alleviation and cooperation in fighting against COVID-19. The two sides will jointly formulate an agenda for developing Nicaragua-China ties, strengthen bilateral exchanges, enhance brotherhood and strengthen mutually beneficial relations, to take a path of common progress and development, he added. More than 200 people attended the ceremony, including the president of Nicaragua's National Assembly, central and local government officials, military and police officials, representatives of foreign missions and international organizations in Nicaragua, and representatives of Chinese companies and overseas Chinese in Nicaragua. On Dec. 10, China and Nicaragua signed the joint communique on the resumption of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Nicaragua. The two governments have decided to recognize each other and resume diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, effective from the date of signature of this communique. Enditem China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) China officially reopens its embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, Dec. 31, 2021, after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations on Dec. 10. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei) Handout picture released by Rewilding Argentina Foundation showing a five-year-old jaguar named Jatobazinhoafter he was released back into the wild at Ibera National Park, in Corrientes, on December 31, 2021. A jaguar named Jatobazinho was released into a national park in Argentina Friday as part of a program to boost the numbers of this endangered species. This was the eighth jaguar freed this year into Ibera National Park but the first adult male, said the environmental group Rewilding Argentina, which is behind the project. Jatobazinho weighs about 90 kilos (200 pounds) and has brown fur peppered with black spots. He first appeared at a rural school in 2018 in Brazil, looking skinny and weak after crossing a river from Paraguay. The big cat spent a year in an animal refuge in Brazil until he was sent to a jaguar reintroduction center operating since 2012 in Argentina's northeast Corrientes province, where the species had been extinct for 70 years. Sebastian Di Martino, a biologist with Rewilding Argentina, said that as the jaguar needed to be nice and relaxed as it left its enclosure and entered the wild. "If the animal is stressed it can become disoriented and end up anywhere," he said. He said these jaguars were fed live prey while in captivity because they have to know how to hunt. In the Ibera park, there is plenty of wildlife for them to feed on such as deer. The jaguars are tracked with a GPS device they wear. There are plans now to release a female that was born at the reintroduction center. The park is also awaiting the arrival of three wild jaguars from Paraguay, and two more raised in captivity in Uruguay and Brazil. Jaguars are native to the Americas. It is estimated there were more than 100,000 jaguars when Europeans arrived in the 15th century, their habitat ranging from semi-desert areas of North America to the tropical forests of South America. Conservation groups say the jaguar population of South America has fallen by up to 25 percent over the past 20 years as deforestation eats up their habitat. Explore further The destructive impact of hydropower plants on jaguars and tiger habitats 2022 AFP Defense Minister Suh Wook, center, inspects South Korea's combat readiness aboard a Peace Eye aircraft during a 140-minute patrol mission, Jan. 1. Yonhap South Korea's defense chief flew on an airborne early warning and control aircraft, and inspected the country's defense posture on New Year's Day as North Korea noted the "growing instability" of the military situation on the peninsula. Defense Minister Suh Wook flew over South Korea's territorial waters for about 140 minutes aboard the E-737 Peace Eye aircraft, which took off from Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, just outside the capital, early Saturday. During the flight, Suh told the aircrew to maintain their military readiness as he held talks with commanders of major Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps combat units. On Saturday, North Korea called for the bolstering of its defense capabilities as it announced the results of a key meeting of the ruling Workers' Party. (Yonhap) I do not write this article for the typical American Thinker reader. Like me, the typical reader already recoils in revulsion and fear about the direction this country and world are heading. I write instead for the Leftist sappers and monitors who watch what comes out in American Thinker either to pounce on it in trolling comments or simply report back to their overseers. I want us all to engage in a New Years Day mental exercise and extrapolate where we will benot as a country but as a culturein 20 years. In that span, patriot conservatives may win a midterm election or two, and perhaps even a presidential election, but the culture will continue its 70-year trend. Why? Because presidents and senators dont (really) determine what is taught to your kids, what messaging is being spewed forth by the Mainstream Media, what poisonous social engineering projects corporate and foundation boards are wasting their (and our) money on, what morality is currently being wafted from pulpits. So here are 10 predictions for 2040, though all bets are off if China and Russia fully realize just how broken we are, and militarily call our bluff. Their probable involvement in what is described below will, however, likely stay their hand, since theyd be fools to interfere with a foe who is intent on self-immolation. The states of Texas and/or Florida go blue in 2026. This is what the undeclared open borders policy was all about. Well, it worked. Once either or both of these states fell (permanently, by the way) into the Democrat camp, it was over, governmentally for the United States. We then had a one-party government as far as one could see. The conservative camp was kept around as a window decoration of democracy, but it served no legislative function. In terms of laws, these were now crafted by closed-door discussions between centrist leftists and radical leftists. In 2027, we began to be very cold in the winter and very, very hot in the summer. In fact, heat was now used as a weapon against the conservative South. Think brownouts. Lots of them. And targeted ones. The Beijing-directed climate farce went smoothly into the 9th inning as US energy production and, by extension, its industrial base were further castrated to the point where the power grid ground to a dystopian halt, as the myth of wind and solar bore their sterile harvest. American coal, natural gas, and oil were all directed west across the Pacific. In the winter in the Northeast and Midwest, one could no longer find any kindling on forest floors as citizens scavenged mountainsides to keep their apartments warm the old-fashioned wayuntil in 2036 wood burning was banned. The centrally corrosive doctrine of moral relativism as applied to sexuality bore its ultimate fruit. What we once termed pedophilia was mainstreamed and codified in 2037. Jeffrey Epstein was merely ahead of his time. It used to be that, once you survived in utero, you were home free. Not anymore. The Vatican issued a cautionary statement, but given its history in the matter, Her Holiness refrained from any outright condemnation, forwarding the issue to a Synod of bishops representing all genders for further study. Anti-abortion laws were not only struck down but the U.S. One Child Policy became enshrined into law in 2030, with compulsory abortion when and where needed. Exemptions were granted only to ethnic minorities, though it became less clear what was actually a minority by 2031. Image: A dead America (edited in befunky). Piqsels. What were once called Christmas Lights were banned in 2033 to decrease stress on the power grid and to appease the rapidly growing Muslim population in the U.S. Street fighting between Muslim and Hispanic towns and enclaves became ever more frequent. The Great Cholera Epidemic of 2029 reduced the populations of the major U.S. cities by 10% as shipments of antibiotics from Asia and Iran failed to meet the demand and reports of defective drugs were rumored. Deaths from a defective flu vaccine in 2036 had exceeded the deaths due to flu itself that year, with the latter even being exceptionally high due to winter fuel shortages in the Northeast. Media reports of increasing bridge/tunnel collapses and major air crashes became heavily censored by 2035, as the Department of Citizen Contentment expanded its role. In the third year of the 2034 Five Year Grain Plan, importing grain from Argentina and Russia marked the first-ever need for corn, wheat, and soybean imported to the United States. Food rioting became an increasingly common event on the East and Gulf Coasts. In 2036, the first re-education camps were built, one in southern Louisiana for climate deniers and one in Wyoming for those found guilty of attempted escape to Latin America as well as religious traditionalists, nationalists, and those arrested for homeschooling. Reports of construction of very large facilities by multinational Big Tech/Pharma companies just outside the Wyoming camps were rumored to be for purposes of expansive clinical trials. In 2040, the states of Massachusetts, Columbia, New York, and Vermont made a formal petition at UN headquarters in Hong Kong to dissolve the United States into four autonomous regions as a means of segregating its increasingly fractious ethnic populations and reducing the need for UN military involvement on the erstwhile U.S. mainland. When you are done having a good laugh, ask yourself what the reactions would be of your grandparents coming home to the U.S. in 1945 and finding a sitting senile US President, a possibly stolen presidential election, forced vaccination of Americans (loss of employment equals force, by the way), a likely worldwide pandemic from a man-made virus, mass education of American youth in a culture of American historical criminality, empty churches, the joyous embrace of transgenderism (or else). Just ask how a U.S. Army, Navy, Marine, or Air Force veteran returning home from Europe or the Far East would respond. You will be the last generation of Americans ever to be able to reach back to that thought. To those who monitor American Thinker for the Left, how exactly do you feel about your participation now in the events that will bring us the future described above? When you yourself (or those you profess to love) are engulfed (and drowned) in the waves of social change you engender, will there be any final regrets? No, I didnt think so, either. As China continues to breach Taiwanese borders, Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen on Saturday emphasised the island's struggle to maintain its freedom and democracy in the face of Chinese pressure. President Tsai said that the pursuit of democracy and freedom is not a crime, AP reported. Apart from expressing their concern about China's pressure, the Taiwanese President stated that they will treasure their own hard-won freedom and democracy even more and their support for Hong Kong will remain unwavering. She promised that they will make Taiwan even better and demonstrate to the world that democratic Taiwan has the courage to emerge out from under the shadow of authoritarian China and that they will not surrender to coercion. Even after decades of Taipei establishing its self-government, China still considers Taiwan a breakaway province. Taipei has responded to Chinese aggression by strengthening strategic connections with democracies such as the United States, even as Beijing continues to threaten Taiwan's independence. Beijing has also criticised the US to make relations with Taiwan. China's ever-increasing military and diplomatic pressure In the face of China's ever-increasing military and diplomatic pressure, Taiwan's President emphasised the difficulty of preserving its freedom, democracy and consensus in order to connect with the rest of the world. According to a report Taiwan Focus, President Tsai stated that the four pillars of their plan for a stable government in 2022 are continuing the global involvement, sustaining the economic momentum, developing their social security network, and safeguarding the nation's sovereignty. Taiwan has also accused China of dispatching 940 fighter jets to their side. China, on the other hand, announced on Thursday that it sent more than 940 fighter jets for routine training, AP reported. The Chinese Defense Ministry said in response to Taiwan's assertions the PLA dispatched more aeroplanes to routine drills near Taiwan. Taiwan witnessed 950 intrusions by China In 2021, Taiwan saw 950 intrusions by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military jets into its Air Defence Identification Zone - a 60% increase from the previous year. Furthermore, Taiwanese media said that the island is expecting an increase in the number of invasions as China has increased sorties in recent years, AP reported. Taiwan's defence ministry warned back in October that military tensions with China had reached their highest point in the last four years. (With inputs from ANI, Image: AP) As China continues to breach Taiwanese borders, Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen on Saturday emphasised the island's struggle to maintain its freedom and democracy in the face of Chinese pressure. President Tsai said that the pursuit of democracy and freedom is not a crime, AP reported. Apart from expressing their concern about China's pressure, the Taiwanese President stated that they will treasure their own hard-won freedom and democracy even more and their support for Hong Kong will remain unwavering. She promised that they will make Taiwan even better and demonstrate to the world that democratic Taiwan has the courage to emerge out from under the shadow of authoritarian China and that they will not surrender to coercion. Even after decades of Taipei establishing its self-government, China still considers Taiwan a breakaway province. Taipei has responded to Chinese aggression by strengthening strategic connections with democracies such as the United States, even as Beijing continues to threaten Taiwan's independence. Beijing has also criticised the US to make relations with Taiwan. China's ever-increasing military and diplomatic pressure In the face of China's ever-increasing military and diplomatic pressure, Taiwan's President emphasised the difficulty of preserving its freedom, democracy and consensus in order to connect with the rest of the world. According to a report Taiwan Focus, President Tsai stated that the four pillars of their plan for a stable government in 2022 are continuing the global involvement, sustaining the economic momentum, developing their social security network, and safeguarding the nation's sovereignty. Taiwan has also accused China of dispatching 940 fighter jets to their side. China, on the other hand, announced on Thursday that it sent more than 940 fighter jets for routine training, AP reported. The Chinese Defense Ministry said in response to Taiwan's assertions the PLA dispatched more aeroplanes to routine drills near Taiwan. Taiwan witnessed 950 intrusions by China In 2021, Taiwan saw 950 intrusions by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military jets into its Air Defence Identification Zone - a 60% increase from the previous year. Furthermore, Taiwanese media said that the island is expecting an increase in the number of invasions as China has increased sorties in recent years, AP reported. Taiwan's defence ministry warned back in October that military tensions with China had reached their highest point in the last four years. (With inputs from ANI, Image: AP) Rome, Jan 1 : In what was due to be his last New Year speech as the country's President, Sergio Mattarella has thanked Italians for their "maturity and sense of responsibility" during the two years of the coronavirus pandemic. Mattarella, 80, was elected Italy's 12th President on January 31, 2015, and his seven-year mandate will end in January 2022. He repeatedly made clear he would not be available for re-election. "In these days, I have been going over what we have lived together in the last two years: the time of a pandemic that shocked the world and our lives," he said on Friday in a 15-minute speech broadcast live from the Quirinale Presidential palace. Mattarella stressed -- "as an invaluable heritage of humanity" -- the self-sacrifice of physicians, healthcare workers and all those who have committed themselves to fight the coronavirus, Xinhua news agency reported. Then, he thanked common people who put their trust in science, followed the recommended anti-pandemic rules and chose to be vaccinated against Covid-19. "This means almost all Italians, which I want to thank for their maturity and sense of responsibility," he noted. On December 31, as the new Omicron virus variant is pushing up infections, Italy registered over 144,000 cases, the largest daily increase since the pandemic began. Yet, some 85.8 per cent of the population over 12 years has completed the vaccination cycle. This has so far allowed the country to largely contain the most serious cases of the disease and the number of people in need of hospitalisation and emergency care. "The vaccines are a valuable tool, not because they ensure invulnerability but because they allow us to reduce damages and risks for ourselves and for the others," he noted. Finally, recalling that Italy has shown tangible signs of economic recovery in 2021, and has managed the pandemic in a way that drew appreciation from other European major countries, Mattarella said. "My wishes for you are more intense than ever because -- along with the need to look at the New Year with confidence and hope -- I feel the need to thank each and everyone of you for having shown Italy's true face: hard-working, creative, and supportive," he added. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) As China continues to breach Taiwanese borders, Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen on Saturday emphasised the island's struggle to maintain its freedom and democracy in the face of Chinese pressure. President Tsai said that the pursuit of democracy and freedom is not a crime, AP reported. Apart from expressing their concern about China's pressure, the Taiwanese President stated that they will treasure their own hard-won freedom and democracy even more and their support for Hong Kong will remain unwavering. She promised that they will make Taiwan even better and demonstrate to the world that democratic Taiwan has the courage to emerge out from under the shadow of authoritarian China and that they will not surrender to coercion. Even after decades of Taipei establishing its self-government, China still considers Taiwan a breakaway province. Taipei has responded to Chinese aggression by strengthening strategic connections with democracies such as the United States, even as Beijing continues to threaten Taiwan's independence. Beijing has also criticised the US to make relations with Taiwan. China's ever-increasing military and diplomatic pressure In the face of China's ever-increasing military and diplomatic pressure, Taiwan's President emphasised the difficulty of preserving its freedom, democracy and consensus in order to connect with the rest of the world. According to a report Taiwan Focus, President Tsai stated that the four pillars of their plan for a stable government in 2022 are continuing the global involvement, sustaining the economic momentum, developing their social security network, and safeguarding the nation's sovereignty. Taiwan has also accused China of dispatching 940 fighter jets to their side. China, on the other hand, announced on Thursday that it sent more than 940 fighter jets for routine training, AP reported. The Chinese Defense Ministry said in response to Taiwan's assertions the PLA dispatched more aeroplanes to routine drills near Taiwan. Taiwan witnessed 950 intrusions by China In 2021, Taiwan saw 950 intrusions by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military jets into its Air Defence Identification Zone - a 60% increase from the previous year. Furthermore, Taiwanese media said that the island is expecting an increase in the number of invasions as China has increased sorties in recent years, AP reported. Taiwan's defence ministry warned back in October that military tensions with China had reached their highest point in the last four years. (With inputs from ANI, Image: AP) As China continues to breach Taiwanese borders, Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen on Saturday emphasised the island's struggle to maintain its freedom and democracy in the face of Chinese pressure. President Tsai said that the pursuit of democracy and freedom is not a crime, AP reported. Apart from expressing their concern about China's pressure, the Taiwanese President stated that they will treasure their own hard-won freedom and democracy even more and their support for Hong Kong will remain unwavering. She promised that they will make Taiwan even better and demonstrate to the world that democratic Taiwan has the courage to emerge out from under the shadow of authoritarian China and that they will not surrender to coercion. Even after decades of Taipei establishing its self-government, China still considers Taiwan a breakaway province. Taipei has responded to Chinese aggression by strengthening strategic connections with democracies such as the United States, even as Beijing continues to threaten Taiwan's independence. Beijing has also criticised the US to make relations with Taiwan. China's ever-increasing military and diplomatic pressure In the face of China's ever-increasing military and diplomatic pressure, Taiwan's President emphasised the difficulty of preserving its freedom, democracy and consensus in order to connect with the rest of the world. According to a report Taiwan Focus, President Tsai stated that the four pillars of their plan for a stable government in 2022 are continuing the global involvement, sustaining the economic momentum, developing their social security network, and safeguarding the nation's sovereignty. Taiwan has also accused China of dispatching 940 fighter jets to their side. China, on the other hand, announced on Thursday that it sent more than 940 fighter jets for routine training, AP reported. The Chinese Defense Ministry said in response to Taiwan's assertions the PLA dispatched more aeroplanes to routine drills near Taiwan. Taiwan witnessed 950 intrusions by China In 2021, Taiwan saw 950 intrusions by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military jets into its Air Defence Identification Zone - a 60% increase from the previous year. Furthermore, Taiwanese media said that the island is expecting an increase in the number of invasions as China has increased sorties in recent years, AP reported. Taiwan's defence ministry warned back in October that military tensions with China had reached their highest point in the last four years. (With inputs from ANI, Image: AP) As China continues to breach Taiwanese borders, Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen on Saturday emphasised the island's struggle to maintain its freedom and democracy in the face of Chinese pressure. President Tsai said that the pursuit of democracy and freedom is not a crime, AP reported. Apart from expressing their concern about China's pressure, the Taiwanese President stated that they will treasure their own hard-won freedom and democracy even more and their support for Hong Kong will remain unwavering. She promised that they will make Taiwan even better and demonstrate to the world that democratic Taiwan has the courage to emerge out from under the shadow of authoritarian China and that they will not surrender to coercion. Even after decades of Taipei establishing its self-government, China still considers Taiwan a breakaway province. Taipei has responded to Chinese aggression by strengthening strategic connections with democracies such as the United States, even as Beijing continues to threaten Taiwan's independence. Beijing has also criticised the US to make relations with Taiwan. China's ever-increasing military and diplomatic pressure In the face of China's ever-increasing military and diplomatic pressure, Taiwan's President emphasised the difficulty of preserving its freedom, democracy and consensus in order to connect with the rest of the world. According to a report Taiwan Focus, President Tsai stated that the four pillars of their plan for a stable government in 2022 are continuing the global involvement, sustaining the economic momentum, developing their social security network, and safeguarding the nation's sovereignty. Taiwan has also accused China of dispatching 940 fighter jets to their side. China, on the other hand, announced on Thursday that it sent more than 940 fighter jets for routine training, AP reported. The Chinese Defense Ministry said in response to Taiwan's assertions the PLA dispatched more aeroplanes to routine drills near Taiwan. Taiwan witnessed 950 intrusions by China In 2021, Taiwan saw 950 intrusions by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military jets into its Air Defence Identification Zone - a 60% increase from the previous year. Furthermore, Taiwanese media said that the island is expecting an increase in the number of invasions as China has increased sorties in recent years, AP reported. Taiwan's defence ministry warned back in October that military tensions with China had reached their highest point in the last four years. (With inputs from ANI, Image: AP) As China continues to breach Taiwanese borders, Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen on Saturday emphasised the island's struggle to maintain its freedom and democracy in the face of Chinese pressure. President Tsai said that the pursuit of democracy and freedom is not a crime, AP reported. Apart from expressing their concern about China's pressure, the Taiwanese President stated that they will treasure their own hard-won freedom and democracy even more and their support for Hong Kong will remain unwavering. She promised that they will make Taiwan even better and demonstrate to the world that democratic Taiwan has the courage to emerge out from under the shadow of authoritarian China and that they will not surrender to coercion. Even after decades of Taipei establishing its self-government, China still considers Taiwan a breakaway province. Taipei has responded to Chinese aggression by strengthening strategic connections with democracies such as the United States, even as Beijing continues to threaten Taiwan's independence. Beijing has also criticised the US to make relations with Taiwan. China's ever-increasing military and diplomatic pressure In the face of China's ever-increasing military and diplomatic pressure, Taiwan's President emphasised the difficulty of preserving its freedom, democracy and consensus in order to connect with the rest of the world. According to a report Taiwan Focus, President Tsai stated that the four pillars of their plan for a stable government in 2022 are continuing the global involvement, sustaining the economic momentum, developing their social security network, and safeguarding the nation's sovereignty. Taiwan has also accused China of dispatching 940 fighter jets to their side. China, on the other hand, announced on Thursday that it sent more than 940 fighter jets for routine training, AP reported. The Chinese Defense Ministry said in response to Taiwan's assertions the PLA dispatched more aeroplanes to routine drills near Taiwan. Taiwan witnessed 950 intrusions by China In 2021, Taiwan saw 950 intrusions by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military jets into its Air Defence Identification Zone - a 60% increase from the previous year. Furthermore, Taiwanese media said that the island is expecting an increase in the number of invasions as China has increased sorties in recent years, AP reported. Taiwan's defence ministry warned back in October that military tensions with China had reached their highest point in the last four years. (With inputs from ANI, Image: AP) COVID-19 is a dream come true for every Marxist and would-be globalist aristocrat throughout the world. The governments of all freedom-loving democracies have been transformed, virtually overnight, into oppressive authoritarian regimes, seemingly while we slept. Evidence, however, that the COVID pandemic may not have been just an unfortunate set of circumstances is starting to accumulate. Six months ago, it was revealed that a scientist with connections to the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the Peoples Liberation Army, may have been trying to develop a vaccine long before the COVID virus escaped the confines of the institute. According to a June 4th article in the New York Post: A Chinese Communist Party military scientist who got funding from the National Institutes of Health filed a patent for a COVID-19 vaccine in February last year raising fears the shot was being studied even before the pandemic became public, according to a new report. Zhou Yusen, a decorated military scientist for the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) who worked alongside the Wuhan Institute of Virology as well as US scientists, filed a patent on Feb. 24 2020, according to documents obtained by The Australian. Zhou died under mysterious circumstances a short time later. Add to that what weve recently learned about the NIH providing grant money to facilitate gain of function research on coronaviruses at the Wuhan lab and you certainly come up with a strange mix of coincidences. Its bad enough that were funding the Chinese military through interest payments on our debt, but now were directly sending them grant money from the NIH? Whatever the truth turns out to be, it cant be good. Creating a dangerous virus and perhaps a vaccine to prevent the infection calls to mind several possible scenarios and almost all of them are sinister. At the top of the list would be the conspiracy theory that the CCP was developing a bioweapon and the means to protect themselves from it. Image: Police, complete with zip-tie handcuffs, preparing to check diners vaccine papers in New York (edited in befunky). YouTube screen grab. Perhaps the CCP had not yet finished working on the vaccine when the pathogen broke containment. To deflect suspicion away from themselves as the virus spread, the CCP had to fabricate a story that became the wet market saga and anyone who said otherwise was quickly made to disappear. That they were abetted in this deception by the WHO, the US media, and a good size chunk of the US government is appalling. As we began to recognize that COVID does not share aspects of its ancestry with other coronaviruses and that it has other tell-tale signs of having been created in a lab, an apparent mainstream media blackout about that information was also begun. Additionally, a predisposition to absolve the Chinese government of any wrongdoing and even attribute their motives to altruism continues to this day. You must have an agenda to go that far out on a limb to defend the actions of the CCP. Even those who will now admit that there is something not quite right about the virus have difficulty making the leap from Chinese civilian blunders to reckless military schemes. In China, there is no blurred line between what is a civilian enterprise and what is the province of the Peoples Liberation Army because there is no line to blur. What happened in the Wuhan lab was always under the watchful eye, if not the full control, of the CCP and its army. We must understand that communism can only survive through fear, cruelty, and coercion. COVIDs death toll pales in comparison to the purges of Mao, Stalin, and Pol Pot, just to name a few. The nature of communism is no different today than it was twenty, fifty, or a hundred years ago. Its resurgence is due, at least in part, to American debt. If there was no wrongdoing at the Wuhan lab, the players involved would open their books and welcome the scrutiny of the international community. That is clearly not happening and even with Joe Bidens new commitment to investigate, there seems to be very little interest, within the United States government, in finding out what really occurred. Maybe thats because they already know. Frank Liberato is a pseudonym. COVID-19 is a dream come true for every Marxist and would-be globalist aristocrat throughout the world. The governments of all freedom-loving democracies have been transformed, virtually overnight, into oppressive authoritarian regimes, seemingly while we slept. Evidence, however, that the COVID pandemic may not have been just an unfortunate set of circumstances is starting to accumulate. Six months ago, it was revealed that a scientist with connections to the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the Peoples Liberation Army, may have been trying to develop a vaccine long before the COVID virus escaped the confines of the institute. According to a June 4th article in the New York Post: A Chinese Communist Party military scientist who got funding from the National Institutes of Health filed a patent for a COVID-19 vaccine in February last year raising fears the shot was being studied even before the pandemic became public, according to a new report. Zhou Yusen, a decorated military scientist for the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) who worked alongside the Wuhan Institute of Virology as well as US scientists, filed a patent on Feb. 24 2020, according to documents obtained by The Australian. Zhou died under mysterious circumstances a short time later. Add to that what weve recently learned about the NIH providing grant money to facilitate gain of function research on coronaviruses at the Wuhan lab and you certainly come up with a strange mix of coincidences. Its bad enough that were funding the Chinese military through interest payments on our debt, but now were directly sending them grant money from the NIH? Whatever the truth turns out to be, it cant be good. Creating a dangerous virus and perhaps a vaccine to prevent the infection calls to mind several possible scenarios and almost all of them are sinister. At the top of the list would be the conspiracy theory that the CCP was developing a bioweapon and the means to protect themselves from it. Image: Police, complete with zip-tie handcuffs, preparing to check diners vaccine papers in New York (edited in befunky). YouTube screen grab. Perhaps the CCP had not yet finished working on the vaccine when the pathogen broke containment. To deflect suspicion away from themselves as the virus spread, the CCP had to fabricate a story that became the wet market saga and anyone who said otherwise was quickly made to disappear. That they were abetted in this deception by the WHO, the US media, and a good size chunk of the US government is appalling. As we began to recognize that COVID does not share aspects of its ancestry with other coronaviruses and that it has other tell-tale signs of having been created in a lab, an apparent mainstream media blackout about that information was also begun. Additionally, a predisposition to absolve the Chinese government of any wrongdoing and even attribute their motives to altruism continues to this day. You must have an agenda to go that far out on a limb to defend the actions of the CCP. Even those who will now admit that there is something not quite right about the virus have difficulty making the leap from Chinese civilian blunders to reckless military schemes. In China, there is no blurred line between what is a civilian enterprise and what is the province of the Peoples Liberation Army because there is no line to blur. What happened in the Wuhan lab was always under the watchful eye, if not the full control, of the CCP and its army. We must understand that communism can only survive through fear, cruelty, and coercion. COVIDs death toll pales in comparison to the purges of Mao, Stalin, and Pol Pot, just to name a few. The nature of communism is no different today than it was twenty, fifty, or a hundred years ago. Its resurgence is due, at least in part, to American debt. If there was no wrongdoing at the Wuhan lab, the players involved would open their books and welcome the scrutiny of the international community. That is clearly not happening and even with Joe Bidens new commitment to investigate, there seems to be very little interest, within the United States government, in finding out what really occurred. Maybe thats because they already know. Frank Liberato is a pseudonym. COVID-19 is a dream come true for every Marxist and would-be globalist aristocrat throughout the world. The governments of all freedom-loving democracies have been transformed, virtually overnight, into oppressive authoritarian regimes, seemingly while we slept. Evidence, however, that the COVID pandemic may not have been just an unfortunate set of circumstances is starting to accumulate. Six months ago, it was revealed that a scientist with connections to the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the Peoples Liberation Army, may have been trying to develop a vaccine long before the COVID virus escaped the confines of the institute. According to a June 4th article in the New York Post: A Chinese Communist Party military scientist who got funding from the National Institutes of Health filed a patent for a COVID-19 vaccine in February last year raising fears the shot was being studied even before the pandemic became public, according to a new report. Zhou Yusen, a decorated military scientist for the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) who worked alongside the Wuhan Institute of Virology as well as US scientists, filed a patent on Feb. 24 2020, according to documents obtained by The Australian. Zhou died under mysterious circumstances a short time later. Add to that what weve recently learned about the NIH providing grant money to facilitate gain of function research on coronaviruses at the Wuhan lab and you certainly come up with a strange mix of coincidences. Its bad enough that were funding the Chinese military through interest payments on our debt, but now were directly sending them grant money from the NIH? Whatever the truth turns out to be, it cant be good. Creating a dangerous virus and perhaps a vaccine to prevent the infection calls to mind several possible scenarios and almost all of them are sinister. At the top of the list would be the conspiracy theory that the CCP was developing a bioweapon and the means to protect themselves from it. Image: Police, complete with zip-tie handcuffs, preparing to check diners vaccine papers in New York (edited in befunky). YouTube screen grab. Perhaps the CCP had not yet finished working on the vaccine when the pathogen broke containment. To deflect suspicion away from themselves as the virus spread, the CCP had to fabricate a story that became the wet market saga and anyone who said otherwise was quickly made to disappear. That they were abetted in this deception by the WHO, the US media, and a good size chunk of the US government is appalling. As we began to recognize that COVID does not share aspects of its ancestry with other coronaviruses and that it has other tell-tale signs of having been created in a lab, an apparent mainstream media blackout about that information was also begun. Additionally, a predisposition to absolve the Chinese government of any wrongdoing and even attribute their motives to altruism continues to this day. You must have an agenda to go that far out on a limb to defend the actions of the CCP. Even those who will now admit that there is something not quite right about the virus have difficulty making the leap from Chinese civilian blunders to reckless military schemes. In China, there is no blurred line between what is a civilian enterprise and what is the province of the Peoples Liberation Army because there is no line to blur. What happened in the Wuhan lab was always under the watchful eye, if not the full control, of the CCP and its army. We must understand that communism can only survive through fear, cruelty, and coercion. COVIDs death toll pales in comparison to the purges of Mao, Stalin, and Pol Pot, just to name a few. The nature of communism is no different today than it was twenty, fifty, or a hundred years ago. Its resurgence is due, at least in part, to American debt. If there was no wrongdoing at the Wuhan lab, the players involved would open their books and welcome the scrutiny of the international community. That is clearly not happening and even with Joe Bidens new commitment to investigate, there seems to be very little interest, within the United States government, in finding out what really occurred. Maybe thats because they already know. Frank Liberato is a pseudonym. I do not write this article for the typical American Thinker reader. Like me, the typical reader already recoils in revulsion and fear about the direction this country and world are heading. I write instead for the Leftist sappers and monitors who watch what comes out in American Thinker either to pounce on it in trolling comments or simply report back to their overseers. I want us all to engage in a New Years Day mental exercise and extrapolate where we will benot as a country but as a culturein 20 years. In that span, patriot conservatives may win a midterm election or two, and perhaps even a presidential election, but the culture will continue its 70-year trend. Why? Because presidents and senators dont (really) determine what is taught to your kids, what messaging is being spewed forth by the Mainstream Media, what poisonous social engineering projects corporate and foundation boards are wasting their (and our) money on, what morality is currently being wafted from pulpits. So here are 10 predictions for 2040, though all bets are off if China and Russia fully realize just how broken we are, and militarily call our bluff. Their probable involvement in what is described below will, however, likely stay their hand, since theyd be fools to interfere with a foe who is intent on self-immolation. The states of Texas and/or Florida go blue in 2026. This is what the undeclared open borders policy was all about. Well, it worked. Once either or both of these states fell (permanently, by the way) into the Democrat camp, it was over, governmentally for the United States. We then had a one-party government as far as one could see. The conservative camp was kept around as a window decoration of democracy, but it served no legislative function. In terms of laws, these were now crafted by closed-door discussions between centrist leftists and radical leftists. In 2027, we began to be very cold in the winter and very, very hot in the summer. In fact, heat was now used as a weapon against the conservative South. Think brownouts. Lots of them. And targeted ones. The Beijing-directed climate farce went smoothly into the 9th inning as US energy production and, by extension, its industrial base were further castrated to the point where the power grid ground to a dystopian halt, as the myth of wind and solar bore their sterile harvest. American coal, natural gas, and oil were all directed west across the Pacific. In the winter in the Northeast and Midwest, one could no longer find any kindling on forest floors as citizens scavenged mountainsides to keep their apartments warm the old-fashioned wayuntil in 2036 wood burning was banned. The centrally corrosive doctrine of moral relativism as applied to sexuality bore its ultimate fruit. What we once termed pedophilia was mainstreamed and codified in 2037. Jeffrey Epstein was merely ahead of his time. It used to be that, once you survived in utero, you were home free. Not anymore. The Vatican issued a cautionary statement, but given its history in the matter, Her Holiness refrained from any outright condemnation, forwarding the issue to a Synod of bishops representing all genders for further study. Anti-abortion laws were not only struck down but the U.S. One Child Policy became enshrined into law in 2030, with compulsory abortion when and where needed. Exemptions were granted only to ethnic minorities, though it became less clear what was actually a minority by 2031. Image: A dead America (edited in befunky). Piqsels. What were once called Christmas Lights were banned in 2033 to decrease stress on the power grid and to appease the rapidly growing Muslim population in the U.S. Street fighting between Muslim and Hispanic towns and enclaves became ever more frequent. The Great Cholera Epidemic of 2029 reduced the populations of the major U.S. cities by 10% as shipments of antibiotics from Asia and Iran failed to meet the demand and reports of defective drugs were rumored. Deaths from a defective flu vaccine in 2036 had exceeded the deaths due to flu itself that year, with the latter even being exceptionally high due to winter fuel shortages in the Northeast. Media reports of increasing bridge/tunnel collapses and major air crashes became heavily censored by 2035, as the Department of Citizen Contentment expanded its role. In the third year of the 2034 Five Year Grain Plan, importing grain from Argentina and Russia marked the first-ever need for corn, wheat, and soybean imported to the United States. Food rioting became an increasingly common event on the East and Gulf Coasts. In 2036, the first re-education camps were built, one in southern Louisiana for climate deniers and one in Wyoming for those found guilty of attempted escape to Latin America as well as religious traditionalists, nationalists, and those arrested for homeschooling. Reports of construction of very large facilities by multinational Big Tech/Pharma companies just outside the Wyoming camps were rumored to be for purposes of expansive clinical trials. In 2040, the states of Massachusetts, Columbia, New York, and Vermont made a formal petition at UN headquarters in Hong Kong to dissolve the United States into four autonomous regions as a means of segregating its increasingly fractious ethnic populations and reducing the need for UN military involvement on the erstwhile U.S. mainland. When you are done having a good laugh, ask yourself what the reactions would be of your grandparents coming home to the U.S. in 1945 and finding a sitting senile US President, a possibly stolen presidential election, forced vaccination of Americans (loss of employment equals force, by the way), a likely worldwide pandemic from a man-made virus, mass education of American youth in a culture of American historical criminality, empty churches, the joyous embrace of transgenderism (or else). Just ask how a U.S. Army, Navy, Marine, or Air Force veteran returning home from Europe or the Far East would respond. You will be the last generation of Americans ever to be able to reach back to that thought. To those who monitor American Thinker for the Left, how exactly do you feel about your participation now in the events that will bring us the future described above? When you yourself (or those you profess to love) are engulfed (and drowned) in the waves of social change you engender, will there be any final regrets? No, I didnt think so, either. Handout picture released by Rewilding Argentina Foundation showing a five-year-old jaguar named Jatobazinhoafter he was released back into the wild at Ibera National Park, in Corrientes, on December 31, 2021. A jaguar named Jatobazinho was released into a national park in Argentina Friday as part of a program to boost the numbers of this endangered species. This was the eighth jaguar freed this year into Ibera National Park but the first adult male, said the environmental group Rewilding Argentina, which is behind the project. Jatobazinho weighs about 90 kilos (200 pounds) and has brown fur peppered with black spots. He first appeared at a rural school in 2018 in Brazil, looking skinny and weak after crossing a river from Paraguay. The big cat spent a year in an animal refuge in Brazil until he was sent to a jaguar reintroduction center operating since 2012 in Argentina's northeast Corrientes province, where the species had been extinct for 70 years. Sebastian Di Martino, a biologist with Rewilding Argentina, said that as the jaguar needed to be nice and relaxed as it left its enclosure and entered the wild. "If the animal is stressed it can become disoriented and end up anywhere," he said. He said these jaguars were fed live prey while in captivity because they have to know how to hunt. In the Ibera park, there is plenty of wildlife for them to feed on such as deer. The jaguars are tracked with a GPS device they wear. There are plans now to release a female that was born at the reintroduction center. The park is also awaiting the arrival of three wild jaguars from Paraguay, and two more raised in captivity in Uruguay and Brazil. Jaguars are native to the Americas. It is estimated there were more than 100,000 jaguars when Europeans arrived in the 15th century, their habitat ranging from semi-desert areas of North America to the tropical forests of South America. Conservation groups say the jaguar population of South America has fallen by up to 25 percent over the past 20 years as deforestation eats up their habitat. Explore further The destructive impact of hydropower plants on jaguars and tiger habitats 2022 AFP Beirut [Lebanon], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): A US military base in the northeastern Syrian province of Al-Hasakah has come under mortar fire, the Syrian state television reported. The incident reportedly took place in the town of Ash Shaddadi. Air raid sirens sounded at the base, the alert level has been raised. The Syrian government sees the US presence on its soil as a violation of national sovereignty and an attempt to seize its natural resources. (ANI/Sputnik) Violence against women is insulting to God, Pope Francis said in his New Year's message yesterday. Francis, 85, called for 'greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' as he celebrated a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on the day the Roman Catholic Church marks both the solemnity of Holy Mary Mother of God as well as its annual World Day of Peace. The pope has ardently spoken out against domestic violence since the pandemic began, last month telling a woman who had been beaten by her ex-husband that men who commit such acts engage in something that is 'almost satanic' during an Italian television programme. Violence against women is insulting to God, Pope Francis said in his New Year's message yesterday In the text of his Message for the World Day of Peace, Francis (pictured yesterday) said nations should 'invert the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry' He said in his homily: 'And since mothers bestow life, and women keep the world (together), let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women. 'How much violence is directed against women! Enough! 'To hurt a woman is to insult God, who from a woman took on our humanity.' Europe has seen a deadly resurgence of violence against women since the pandemic began. The pope, pictured yesterday, has ardently spoken out against domestic violence since the pandemic began The pope had called for 'greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' Last June it was reported that in Spain one woman was being killed every three days since the state of emergency ended in May, compared with an average of one a week before. NGO figures from the summer also showed that in Belgium, 13 women had died from violence since the end of April to June compared with 24 in the whole of 2020. In the text of his Message for the World Day of Peace, issued last month, Francis also said nations should 'invert the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry' and put more into social care. Pope Francis said in his homily: 'And since mothers bestow life, and women keep the world (together), let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' Yesterday the pope the entire length of the central aisle of basilica, following an unexplained incident on New Year's Eve where Francis attended a service but at the last minute did not preside over it as he had been expected to. He had emerged from a side entrance close to the altar and watched from the sidelines. The pope suffers from a sciatica condition that causes pain in the legs, and sometimes a flare up prevents him from standing for long periods. Violence against women is insulting to God, Pope Francis said in his New Year's message yesterday. Francis, 85, called for 'greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' as he celebrated a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on the day the Roman Catholic Church marks both the solemnity of Holy Mary Mother of God as well as its annual World Day of Peace. The pope has ardently spoken out against domestic violence since the pandemic began, last month telling a woman who had been beaten by her ex-husband that men who commit such acts engage in something that is 'almost satanic' during an Italian television programme. Violence against women is insulting to God, Pope Francis said in his New Year's message yesterday In the text of his Message for the World Day of Peace, Francis (pictured yesterday) said nations should 'invert the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry' He said in his homily: 'And since mothers bestow life, and women keep the world (together), let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women. 'How much violence is directed against women! Enough! 'To hurt a woman is to insult God, who from a woman took on our humanity.' Europe has seen a deadly resurgence of violence against women since the pandemic began. The pope, pictured yesterday, has ardently spoken out against domestic violence since the pandemic began The pope had called for 'greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' Last June it was reported that in Spain one woman was being killed every three days since the state of emergency ended in May, compared with an average of one a week before. NGO figures from the summer also showed that in Belgium, 13 women had died from violence since the end of April to June compared with 24 in the whole of 2020. In the text of his Message for the World Day of Peace, issued last month, Francis also said nations should 'invert the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry' and put more into social care. Pope Francis said in his homily: 'And since mothers bestow life, and women keep the world (together), let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' Yesterday the pope the entire length of the central aisle of basilica, following an unexplained incident on New Year's Eve where Francis attended a service but at the last minute did not preside over it as he had been expected to. He had emerged from a side entrance close to the altar and watched from the sidelines. The pope suffers from a sciatica condition that causes pain in the legs, and sometimes a flare up prevents him from standing for long periods. Violence against women is insulting to God, Pope Francis said in his New Year's message yesterday. Francis, 85, called for 'greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' as he celebrated a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on the day the Roman Catholic Church marks both the solemnity of Holy Mary Mother of God as well as its annual World Day of Peace. The pope has ardently spoken out against domestic violence since the pandemic began, last month telling a woman who had been beaten by her ex-husband that men who commit such acts engage in something that is 'almost satanic' during an Italian television programme. Violence against women is insulting to God, Pope Francis said in his New Year's message yesterday In the text of his Message for the World Day of Peace, Francis (pictured yesterday) said nations should 'invert the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry' He said in his homily: 'And since mothers bestow life, and women keep the world (together), let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women. 'How much violence is directed against women! Enough! 'To hurt a woman is to insult God, who from a woman took on our humanity.' Europe has seen a deadly resurgence of violence against women since the pandemic began. The pope, pictured yesterday, has ardently spoken out against domestic violence since the pandemic began The pope had called for 'greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' Last June it was reported that in Spain one woman was being killed every three days since the state of emergency ended in May, compared with an average of one a week before. NGO figures from the summer also showed that in Belgium, 13 women had died from violence since the end of April to June compared with 24 in the whole of 2020. In the text of his Message for the World Day of Peace, issued last month, Francis also said nations should 'invert the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry' and put more into social care. Pope Francis said in his homily: 'And since mothers bestow life, and women keep the world (together), let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' Yesterday the pope the entire length of the central aisle of basilica, following an unexplained incident on New Year's Eve where Francis attended a service but at the last minute did not preside over it as he had been expected to. He had emerged from a side entrance close to the altar and watched from the sidelines. The pope suffers from a sciatica condition that causes pain in the legs, and sometimes a flare up prevents him from standing for long periods. Violence against women is insulting to God, Pope Francis said in his New Year's message yesterday. Francis, 85, called for 'greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' as he celebrated a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on the day the Roman Catholic Church marks both the solemnity of Holy Mary Mother of God as well as its annual World Day of Peace. The pope has ardently spoken out against domestic violence since the pandemic began, last month telling a woman who had been beaten by her ex-husband that men who commit such acts engage in something that is 'almost satanic' during an Italian television programme. Violence against women is insulting to God, Pope Francis said in his New Year's message yesterday In the text of his Message for the World Day of Peace, Francis (pictured yesterday) said nations should 'invert the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry' He said in his homily: 'And since mothers bestow life, and women keep the world (together), let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women. 'How much violence is directed against women! Enough! 'To hurt a woman is to insult God, who from a woman took on our humanity.' Europe has seen a deadly resurgence of violence against women since the pandemic began. The pope, pictured yesterday, has ardently spoken out against domestic violence since the pandemic began The pope had called for 'greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' Last June it was reported that in Spain one woman was being killed every three days since the state of emergency ended in May, compared with an average of one a week before. NGO figures from the summer also showed that in Belgium, 13 women had died from violence since the end of April to June compared with 24 in the whole of 2020. In the text of his Message for the World Day of Peace, issued last month, Francis also said nations should 'invert the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry' and put more into social care. Pope Francis said in his homily: 'And since mothers bestow life, and women keep the world (together), let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' Yesterday the pope the entire length of the central aisle of basilica, following an unexplained incident on New Year's Eve where Francis attended a service but at the last minute did not preside over it as he had been expected to. He had emerged from a side entrance close to the altar and watched from the sidelines. The pope suffers from a sciatica condition that causes pain in the legs, and sometimes a flare up prevents him from standing for long periods. Violence against women is insulting to God, Pope Francis said in his New Year's message yesterday. Francis, 85, called for 'greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' as he celebrated a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on the day the Roman Catholic Church marks both the solemnity of Holy Mary Mother of God as well as its annual World Day of Peace. The pope has ardently spoken out against domestic violence since the pandemic began, last month telling a woman who had been beaten by her ex-husband that men who commit such acts engage in something that is 'almost satanic' during an Italian television programme. Violence against women is insulting to God, Pope Francis said in his New Year's message yesterday In the text of his Message for the World Day of Peace, Francis (pictured yesterday) said nations should 'invert the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry' He said in his homily: 'And since mothers bestow life, and women keep the world (together), let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women. 'How much violence is directed against women! Enough! 'To hurt a woman is to insult God, who from a woman took on our humanity.' Europe has seen a deadly resurgence of violence against women since the pandemic began. The pope, pictured yesterday, has ardently spoken out against domestic violence since the pandemic began The pope had called for 'greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' Last June it was reported that in Spain one woman was being killed every three days since the state of emergency ended in May, compared with an average of one a week before. NGO figures from the summer also showed that in Belgium, 13 women had died from violence since the end of April to June compared with 24 in the whole of 2020. In the text of his Message for the World Day of Peace, issued last month, Francis also said nations should 'invert the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry' and put more into social care. Pope Francis said in his homily: 'And since mothers bestow life, and women keep the world (together), let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' Yesterday the pope the entire length of the central aisle of basilica, following an unexplained incident on New Year's Eve where Francis attended a service but at the last minute did not preside over it as he had been expected to. He had emerged from a side entrance close to the altar and watched from the sidelines. The pope suffers from a sciatica condition that causes pain in the legs, and sometimes a flare up prevents him from standing for long periods. Violence against women is insulting to God, Pope Francis said in his New Year's message yesterday. Francis, 85, called for 'greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' as he celebrated a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on the day the Roman Catholic Church marks both the solemnity of Holy Mary Mother of God as well as its annual World Day of Peace. The pope has ardently spoken out against domestic violence since the pandemic began, last month telling a woman who had been beaten by her ex-husband that men who commit such acts engage in something that is 'almost satanic' during an Italian television programme. Violence against women is insulting to God, Pope Francis said in his New Year's message yesterday In the text of his Message for the World Day of Peace, Francis (pictured yesterday) said nations should 'invert the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry' He said in his homily: 'And since mothers bestow life, and women keep the world (together), let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women. 'How much violence is directed against women! Enough! 'To hurt a woman is to insult God, who from a woman took on our humanity.' Europe has seen a deadly resurgence of violence against women since the pandemic began. The pope, pictured yesterday, has ardently spoken out against domestic violence since the pandemic began The pope had called for 'greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' Last June it was reported that in Spain one woman was being killed every three days since the state of emergency ended in May, compared with an average of one a week before. NGO figures from the summer also showed that in Belgium, 13 women had died from violence since the end of April to June compared with 24 in the whole of 2020. In the text of his Message for the World Day of Peace, issued last month, Francis also said nations should 'invert the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry' and put more into social care. Pope Francis said in his homily: 'And since mothers bestow life, and women keep the world (together), let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' Yesterday the pope the entire length of the central aisle of basilica, following an unexplained incident on New Year's Eve where Francis attended a service but at the last minute did not preside over it as he had been expected to. He had emerged from a side entrance close to the altar and watched from the sidelines. The pope suffers from a sciatica condition that causes pain in the legs, and sometimes a flare up prevents him from standing for long periods. Violence against women is insulting to God, Pope Francis said in his New Year's message yesterday. Francis, 85, called for 'greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' as he celebrated a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on the day the Roman Catholic Church marks both the solemnity of Holy Mary Mother of God as well as its annual World Day of Peace. The pope has ardently spoken out against domestic violence since the pandemic began, last month telling a woman who had been beaten by her ex-husband that men who commit such acts engage in something that is 'almost satanic' during an Italian television programme. Violence against women is insulting to God, Pope Francis said in his New Year's message yesterday In the text of his Message for the World Day of Peace, Francis (pictured yesterday) said nations should 'invert the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry' He said in his homily: 'And since mothers bestow life, and women keep the world (together), let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women. 'How much violence is directed against women! Enough! 'To hurt a woman is to insult God, who from a woman took on our humanity.' Europe has seen a deadly resurgence of violence against women since the pandemic began. The pope, pictured yesterday, has ardently spoken out against domestic violence since the pandemic began The pope had called for 'greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' Last June it was reported that in Spain one woman was being killed every three days since the state of emergency ended in May, compared with an average of one a week before. NGO figures from the summer also showed that in Belgium, 13 women had died from violence since the end of April to June compared with 24 in the whole of 2020. In the text of his Message for the World Day of Peace, issued last month, Francis also said nations should 'invert the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry' and put more into social care. Pope Francis said in his homily: 'And since mothers bestow life, and women keep the world (together), let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' Yesterday the pope the entire length of the central aisle of basilica, following an unexplained incident on New Year's Eve where Francis attended a service but at the last minute did not preside over it as he had been expected to. He had emerged from a side entrance close to the altar and watched from the sidelines. The pope suffers from a sciatica condition that causes pain in the legs, and sometimes a flare up prevents him from standing for long periods. Violence against women is insulting to God, Pope Francis said in his New Year's message yesterday. Francis, 85, called for 'greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' as he celebrated a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on the day the Roman Catholic Church marks both the solemnity of Holy Mary Mother of God as well as its annual World Day of Peace. The pope has ardently spoken out against domestic violence since the pandemic began, last month telling a woman who had been beaten by her ex-husband that men who commit such acts engage in something that is 'almost satanic' during an Italian television programme. Violence against women is insulting to God, Pope Francis said in his New Year's message yesterday In the text of his Message for the World Day of Peace, Francis (pictured yesterday) said nations should 'invert the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry' He said in his homily: 'And since mothers bestow life, and women keep the world (together), let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women. 'How much violence is directed against women! Enough! 'To hurt a woman is to insult God, who from a woman took on our humanity.' Europe has seen a deadly resurgence of violence against women since the pandemic began. The pope, pictured yesterday, has ardently spoken out against domestic violence since the pandemic began The pope had called for 'greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' Last June it was reported that in Spain one woman was being killed every three days since the state of emergency ended in May, compared with an average of one a week before. NGO figures from the summer also showed that in Belgium, 13 women had died from violence since the end of April to June compared with 24 in the whole of 2020. In the text of his Message for the World Day of Peace, issued last month, Francis also said nations should 'invert the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry' and put more into social care. Pope Francis said in his homily: 'And since mothers bestow life, and women keep the world (together), let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' Yesterday the pope the entire length of the central aisle of basilica, following an unexplained incident on New Year's Eve where Francis attended a service but at the last minute did not preside over it as he had been expected to. He had emerged from a side entrance close to the altar and watched from the sidelines. The pope suffers from a sciatica condition that causes pain in the legs, and sometimes a flare up prevents him from standing for long periods. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Violence against women is insulting to God, Pope Francis said in his New Year's message yesterday. Francis, 85, called for 'greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' as he celebrated a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on the day the Roman Catholic Church marks both the solemnity of Holy Mary Mother of God as well as its annual World Day of Peace. The pope has ardently spoken out against domestic violence since the pandemic began, last month telling a woman who had been beaten by her ex-husband that men who commit such acts engage in something that is 'almost satanic' during an Italian television programme. Violence against women is insulting to God, Pope Francis said in his New Year's message yesterday In the text of his Message for the World Day of Peace, Francis (pictured yesterday) said nations should 'invert the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry' He said in his homily: 'And since mothers bestow life, and women keep the world (together), let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women. 'How much violence is directed against women! Enough! 'To hurt a woman is to insult God, who from a woman took on our humanity.' Europe has seen a deadly resurgence of violence against women since the pandemic began. The pope, pictured yesterday, has ardently spoken out against domestic violence since the pandemic began The pope had called for 'greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' Last June it was reported that in Spain one woman was being killed every three days since the state of emergency ended in May, compared with an average of one a week before. NGO figures from the summer also showed that in Belgium, 13 women had died from violence since the end of April to June compared with 24 in the whole of 2020. In the text of his Message for the World Day of Peace, issued last month, Francis also said nations should 'invert the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry' and put more into social care. Pope Francis said in his homily: 'And since mothers bestow life, and women keep the world (together), let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' Yesterday the pope the entire length of the central aisle of basilica, following an unexplained incident on New Year's Eve where Francis attended a service but at the last minute did not preside over it as he had been expected to. He had emerged from a side entrance close to the altar and watched from the sidelines. The pope suffers from a sciatica condition that causes pain in the legs, and sometimes a flare up prevents him from standing for long periods. Former Sen. Ben Nelson, who developed a close working relationship with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid during lengthy private negotiations that led to Nelson's decisive 2009 vote that saved the Affordable Care Act, praised Reid on Wednesday as a skilled Democratic leader and close friend. "My voting record would not have endeared me to any Democratic leader," the generally conservative former Nebraska Democratic senator said during a telephone interview. "But he saw how my record reflected Nebraska," Nelson said, "and he understood." Reid died Tuesday of pancreatic cancer at age 82. Nelson said that "Harry and I became close personal friends" and were able to "work our way through the issues on Obamacare" in a way that cleared the way for Nelson to cast the decisive 60th vote that was required for Senate passage of the signature health care reform package on the day before Christmas in 2009. A key requirement for Nelson's decisive vote was to remove a proposed public health care insurance option from the bill. Other negotiated agreements helped secure a state opt-out provision for Medicaid expansion and an assurance that no federal funds would be used for elective abortions. "He gave me wide latitude and a lot of flexibility," Nelson said. During the negotiations, Reid proposed an amendment that would provide full federal funding of the cost of Medicaid expansion in Nebraska, subsequently igniting a political firestorm that gave birth nationally to the term "Cornhusker Kickback." Nelson said he had viewed that idea as "a place-holder" for subsequent negotiation of an acceptable opt-out provision for all states. "I didn't have a closer friend," Nebraska's former two-term U.S. senator and two-term governor said in saluting Reid. A fond memory, he said, is the day he was sitting on a tractor in Nebraska when the phone rang and it was Reid, with whom he "chatted for 20 minutes." "He was a very direct person," Nelson said. "He didn't suffer fools. His word was always good. He didn't play games." Seeing the announcement of his death Tuesday night on TV in Omaha was "a gut punch," Nelson said. Reid praised Nelson's action in providing the decisive vote for the Affordable Care Act in the face of strong political opposition to the bill in Nebraska in a passage in Nelson's recent book, "Death of the Senate." "I have no one I worked with in the Senate that I ever worked with more legislatively courageous than Ben Nelson," Reid wrote. "The Affordable Care Act wouldn't have happened without Ben Nelson. "I want that in the book, that's for damn sure." Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan on Saturday said that the United Democratic Front (UDF) will not allow SilverLine project (semi high-speed rail) in the state as it is only for the elite class. "The state government even did not hold discussion over the project. We will not allow it. CPIM central committee had taken a strong stand against the Ahmedabad bullet train project. Even, CPIM general secretary said it is an elite project and will not help the poor. If the government is concentrating on the megaproject then the CPIM must clear their stand on the Centre's bullet train project," said Satheesan. There are protests against the Kerala government's ambitious semi high-speed railway project SilverLine. It is believed to be one of the biggest infrastructure projects of the Pinarayi Vijayan government. The proposed 529.45-km railway line will cover 11 districts of the state connecting Thiruvananthapuram in the south to Kasaragod in the north just in four hours. (ANI) Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan on Saturday said that the United Democratic Front (UDF) will not allow SilverLine project (semi high-speed rail) in the state as it is only for the elite class. "The state government even did not hold discussion over the project. We will not allow it. CPIM central committee had taken a strong stand against the Ahmedabad bullet train project. Even, CPIM general secretary said it is an elite project and will not help the poor. If the government is concentrating on the megaproject then the CPIM must clear their stand on the Centre's bullet train project," said Satheesan. There are protests against the Kerala government's ambitious semi high-speed railway project SilverLine. It is believed to be one of the biggest infrastructure projects of the Pinarayi Vijayan government. The proposed 529.45-km railway line will cover 11 districts of the state connecting Thiruvananthapuram in the south to Kasaragod in the north just in four hours. (ANI) Chennai: Four workers of a firecracker unit near Sivakasi died in an explosion on Saturday (January 1) as work was underway to mix chemicals within the factory premises. The factory is understood to have been performing the customary ritual of starting work on New Years Day. Residents in the vicinity had alerted the Police and Fire and rescue department on having heard an explosion. Up to eight others were also injured as a result of this explosion, and are undergoing treatment at the Sivakasi government hospital. Nearly three rooms in the factory were reduced to rubble as a result of the blast impact. Police and district officials are conducting a probe to ascertain details about the incident. Local residents and first responders seen in the vicinity of the blast site at the firecracker factory near Sivakasi.. On hearing the loud explosion, local residents had alerted police, fire & rescue to rush to the spot.. pic.twitter.com/WMvvyvGga6 Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) January 1, 2022 Videos from the site showed public gathered around the factory in large numbers and earthmovers clearing the rubble. Rescue personnel was also seen at work, preparing an ambulance bed to rescue those who were involved in the unfortunate accident. Rescue personnell seen preparing an ambulance bed to carey the firecracker factory blast victims to the nearest hospital... pic.twitter.com/nG2r5jFlQw Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) January 1, 2022 Similar tragic blasts at firecracker units are common occurrences and repeat multiple times a year, despite stern warnings from Courts that such units must be regulated, inspected by authorities and made to follow adequate precautions. Live TV Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan on Saturday said that the United Democratic Front (UDF) will not allow SilverLine project (semi high-speed rail) in the state as it is only for the elite class. "The state government even did not hold discussion over the project. We will not allow it. CPIM central committee had taken a strong stand against the Ahmedabad bullet train project. Even, CPIM general secretary said it is an elite project and will not help the poor. If the government is concentrating on the megaproject then the CPIM must clear their stand on the Centre's bullet train project," said Satheesan. There are protests against the Kerala government's ambitious semi high-speed railway project SilverLine. It is believed to be one of the biggest infrastructure projects of the Pinarayi Vijayan government. The proposed 529.45-km railway line will cover 11 districts of the state connecting Thiruvananthapuram in the south to Kasaragod in the north just in four hours. (ANI) From his early days as a profound comic actor and satirist on television to his days as a people's politician, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Bhagwant Mann has come of age. The Modi juggernaut was unstoppable in 2014 Lok Sabha elections and offered a massive mandate to the saffron party but alongside, a rookie party that until then had no tangible footprints on the national electoral politics left its mark blunting the Modi wave in border state Punjab. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) then won four MP seats in the country, all from Punjab. Ever since, if theres one person who withstood much of the opposition onslaught and offered wings to the AAP in Punjab, its Bhagwant Mann alias Jugnu. A former Punjabi comic actor, Mann has proved his mettle as a politician connecting with people at the grassroots. In 2019, Mann yet again won his MP seat from Punjab. Also Read | Congress leaders fighting for CM's chair, 'weak govt' needs to be shunned, says Arvind Kejriwal As Punjab goes to polls shortly, AAP is seen as a formidable challenger to mainstream political parties. Mann (48), who is also president of the AAP's Punjab unit, will play a decisive role and will be eying the chief ministerial post if his party comes to power. It has so far resisted naming the CM face. MP Bhagwant Mann has been the one to call a spade a spade, even if it has meant expressing displeasure against his party national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. In 2018, Mann resigned from the post of party president after Arvind Kejriwal apologised to former Punjab minister and Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia for allegations against him for his involvement in drug trade. Mann then tweeted saying, I am resigning as a president of AAP Punjab ...but my fight against drug mafia and all kinds of corruption in Punjab will continue as an Aam Aadmi of Punjab. Mann stands vindicated today with the state crime branch booking Majithia in a drug case. In the run to the assembly polls, Kejriwals apology, that Mann protested then, has now offered fodder to the opposition parties. Mann has had his share of controversies in politics. He has been targeted as an alcoholic and has often been accused of reeking of alcohol, even as Mann claims to be only a social drinker. Visuals of an MP getting close to Mann to smell him of alcohol while he was speaking in the Lok Sabha had left many amused. Perhaps realising the extent of damage the label was doing to him, his party and his political prospects, Mann in 2019 vowed not to drink and claimed to have turned into a teetotaler, what Kejriwal called "a great sacrifice for the people of Punjab". Also Read | Sukhbir Badal dares Congress to name CM candidate The MP from Sangrur successfully runs an NGO Lok Lehar Foundation that is aimed at helping kids prey to physical deformities resulting from pollution of groundwater in the border areas of Punjab. Mann had earned applause for helping Punjabi youth stranded in Iraq and other parts of the world when he had facilitated their return. The recent spectacular debut of the AAP in capital city Chandigarh municipal corporation elections, where it won a majority of seats, has buoyed hopes of the AAP in Punjab. The party has 20 MLAs in Punjab. Before he jumped into politics, Mann was a popular name in Punjab, especially in the hinterland, for his side-splitting comic acts. His quick-witted jibes and satirical postscripts targeted at his opponents are a crowd favourite. Mann, a college dropout, became famous through a popular television comedy contest where he competed with fellow comedian Kapil Sharma. After prolonged estranged bouts in his marriage, Mann and his wife Inderpreet Kaur separated in 2015. He has two children. MP Bhagwant Mann, who is also the president of the Punjab unit of the AAP, has been the one to call a spade a spade, even if it has meant expressing displeasure against his party national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. In 2018, Mann resigned from the post of the party president following an apology by Arvind Kejriwal to former Punjab minister and Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia for levelling allegations of his involvement in the drug trade. Mann then tweeted saying, I am resigning as a president of AAP Punjab ...but my fight against drug mafia and all kinds of corruption in Punjab will continue as an Aam Aadmi of Punjab. Mann stands vindicated today with the state crime branch booking Majithia in a drug case. In the run to the assembly polls, Kejriwals apology, that Mann protested then, has now offered fodder to the opposition parties. Mann has had his share of controversies in politics. He has been targeted as an alcoholic, even as Mann claims to be only a social drinker. He has often been accused of reeking alcohol. Visuals of an MP getting close to Mann to smell him of alcohol while he was speaking in the Lok Sabha had left many amused. Perhaps realizing the extent of the damage he was doing to himself, his party and his political prospects, Mann in 2019 vowed not to drink and claimed to have turned into a teetotaler, something that Kejriwal commented saying it was a great sacrifice for the people of Punjab. The MP from Sangrur successfully runs an NGO Lok Lehar Foundation that is aimed at helping kids with physical deformities, essentially as a result of pollution of groundwater in the border areas of Punjab. Mann had earned applause from people for helping Punjabi youth stranded in Iraq and other parts of the world. He had facilitated their return to Punjab. The recent spectacular debut of the AAP in capital city Chandigarh municipal corporation elections, where it won a majority of seats, has buoyed hopes of the AAP in Punjab. The party has 20 MLA in Punjab. Bhagwant Manns image as a leader has remained free of the taint of corruption. His lifestyle sans any ostentation and flamboyance makes him a mass leader. In 2014, Mann won his seat with the highest margin. His narrative and public posturing remain simple, straightforward and appealing to the people. Check out DH's latest videos From his early days as a profound comic actor and satirist on television to his days as a people's politician, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Bhagwant Mann has come of age. The Modi juggernaut was unstoppable in 2014 Lok Sabha elections and offered a massive mandate to the saffron party but alongside, a rookie party that until then had no tangible footprints on the national electoral politics left its mark blunting the Modi wave in border state Punjab. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) then won four MP seats in the country, all from Punjab. Ever since, if theres one person who withstood much of the opposition onslaught and offered wings to the AAP in Punjab, its Bhagwant Mann alias Jugnu. A former Punjabi comic actor, Mann has proved his mettle as a politician connecting with people at the grassroots. In 2019, Mann yet again won his MP seat from Punjab. Also Read | Congress leaders fighting for CM's chair, 'weak govt' needs to be shunned, says Arvind Kejriwal As Punjab goes to polls shortly, AAP is seen as a formidable challenger to mainstream political parties. Mann (48), who is also president of the AAP's Punjab unit, will play a decisive role and will be eying the chief ministerial post if his party comes to power. It has so far resisted naming the CM face. MP Bhagwant Mann has been the one to call a spade a spade, even if it has meant expressing displeasure against his party national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. In 2018, Mann resigned from the post of party president after Arvind Kejriwal apologised to former Punjab minister and Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia for allegations against him for his involvement in drug trade. Mann then tweeted saying, I am resigning as a president of AAP Punjab ...but my fight against drug mafia and all kinds of corruption in Punjab will continue as an Aam Aadmi of Punjab. Mann stands vindicated today with the state crime branch booking Majithia in a drug case. In the run to the assembly polls, Kejriwals apology, that Mann protested then, has now offered fodder to the opposition parties. Mann has had his share of controversies in politics. He has been targeted as an alcoholic and has often been accused of reeking of alcohol, even as Mann claims to be only a social drinker. Visuals of an MP getting close to Mann to smell him of alcohol while he was speaking in the Lok Sabha had left many amused. Perhaps realising the extent of damage the label was doing to him, his party and his political prospects, Mann in 2019 vowed not to drink and claimed to have turned into a teetotaler, what Kejriwal called "a great sacrifice for the people of Punjab". Also Read | Sukhbir Badal dares Congress to name CM candidate The MP from Sangrur successfully runs an NGO Lok Lehar Foundation that is aimed at helping kids prey to physical deformities resulting from pollution of groundwater in the border areas of Punjab. Mann had earned applause for helping Punjabi youth stranded in Iraq and other parts of the world when he had facilitated their return. The recent spectacular debut of the AAP in capital city Chandigarh municipal corporation elections, where it won a majority of seats, has buoyed hopes of the AAP in Punjab. The party has 20 MLAs in Punjab. Before he jumped into politics, Mann was a popular name in Punjab, especially in the hinterland, for his side-splitting comic acts. His quick-witted jibes and satirical postscripts targeted at his opponents are a crowd favourite. Mann, a college dropout, became famous through a popular television comedy contest where he competed with fellow comedian Kapil Sharma. After prolonged estranged bouts in his marriage, Mann and his wife Inderpreet Kaur separated in 2015. He has two children. MP Bhagwant Mann, who is also the president of the Punjab unit of the AAP, has been the one to call a spade a spade, even if it has meant expressing displeasure against his party national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. In 2018, Mann resigned from the post of the party president following an apology by Arvind Kejriwal to former Punjab minister and Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia for levelling allegations of his involvement in the drug trade. Mann then tweeted saying, I am resigning as a president of AAP Punjab ...but my fight against drug mafia and all kinds of corruption in Punjab will continue as an Aam Aadmi of Punjab. Mann stands vindicated today with the state crime branch booking Majithia in a drug case. In the run to the assembly polls, Kejriwals apology, that Mann protested then, has now offered fodder to the opposition parties. Mann has had his share of controversies in politics. He has been targeted as an alcoholic, even as Mann claims to be only a social drinker. He has often been accused of reeking alcohol. Visuals of an MP getting close to Mann to smell him of alcohol while he was speaking in the Lok Sabha had left many amused. Perhaps realizing the extent of the damage he was doing to himself, his party and his political prospects, Mann in 2019 vowed not to drink and claimed to have turned into a teetotaler, something that Kejriwal commented saying it was a great sacrifice for the people of Punjab. The MP from Sangrur successfully runs an NGO Lok Lehar Foundation that is aimed at helping kids with physical deformities, essentially as a result of pollution of groundwater in the border areas of Punjab. Mann had earned applause from people for helping Punjabi youth stranded in Iraq and other parts of the world. He had facilitated their return to Punjab. The recent spectacular debut of the AAP in capital city Chandigarh municipal corporation elections, where it won a majority of seats, has buoyed hopes of the AAP in Punjab. The party has 20 MLA in Punjab. Bhagwant Manns image as a leader has remained free of the taint of corruption. His lifestyle sans any ostentation and flamboyance makes him a mass leader. In 2014, Mann won his seat with the highest margin. His narrative and public posturing remain simple, straightforward and appealing to the people. 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe At least 500 homes were thought to have been destroyed as a blaze took hold of the town of Superior, just outside Colorado's biggest city Denver. A fast-spreading wildfire that tore through several Colorado townslaying waste to entire neighborhoods "in the blink of an eye," according to the governorhad largely burned itself out Friday, with heavy snow expected to douse any remaining embers. At least 500 homes were thought to have been destroyed as the blaze took hold of the town of Superior, just outside the state's biggest city Denver, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee but there were no deaths reported so far. Shocking aerial footage showed whole streets as little more than piles of smoking ash, destruction that appeared almost total but somehow left one or two homes incongruously untouched. "This was a disaster in fast motion... over the course of half a day. Many families having minutes to get whatever they couldtheir pets, their kidsinto the car and leave," state Governor Jared Polis said. "Just as in the blink of an eye." Downed power lines are believed to have sparked grassfires in the tinder-dry landscape that were then fanned by winds gusting at more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) an hour on Thursday. At least 33,000 people in the towns of Superior and Louisville were told to flee, many doing so with little more than the clothes on their backs. Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle told a press conference on Friday that he had seen swathes of the town utterly destroyed, while other areas had been spared. This handout black and white WorldView-1 satellite image released by Maxar Technologies shows homes and shopping center engulfed in smoke in Superior, Colorado. "We won't have final numbers until late tonight or tomorrow, but we are fully expecting this to be 500 or more homes that were lost," he said. "I would not be surprised if it's 1,000." 'Mosaic' fire Pelle said the fire had burned in a "mosaic," leapfrogging some streets but laying waste to others. It "devastated some neighborhoods and some blocks," and left others "untouched," he added. Pelle, who said Thursday he expected injuries and deaths as a result of the wildfires, praised the community response in quickly heeding evacuation orders, which he said had saved lives. "It's unbelievable when you look at the devastation that we don't have a list of 100 missing persons, but we don't," he said. "I am hoping that's a miracle because it would be given the circumstances." A powerful storm system bringing heavy snowfall was blowing into Colorado on Friday. Strong winds and an extremely dry landscape fueled a dangerous fire in Colorado. Up to a foot (30 centimeters) of snow is expected in some parts of the state, in a blizzard that should help to extinguish the fires, which have largely burned themselves out through lack of available fuel now that the winds have dropped. "There's still areas burning inside the fire zone, around homes and shrubbery, but we're not expecting to see any growth of the fire," Pelle said. "I think we're pretty well contained." Around 6,000 acres (2,400 hectares) were affected, much of it in urban and suburban areas. Homes, shopping centers and hotels were impacted. Colorado media outlets reported a handful of people had been treated for burn injuries, but there were no reports of any deaths. The area's infrastructure remained under strain, with residents ordered to boil water before drinking it. President Joe Biden has declared that a major disaster was underway in Colorado and ordered federal aid be provided to the state, the White House said. Map locating Boulder County in the US state of Colorado where hundreds of homes are feared to have been destroyed in fast-moving wildfires on December 30. Flames engulf homes as the Marshall Fire spreads through a neighborhood in the town of Superior, Colorado. Drought fuelling blazes Like much of the American West, Colorado is in the grip of a years-long drought that has left the area parched and vulnerable to wildfire. Although fires are a natural part of the climate cycle and help to clear dead brush, their scale and intensity are increasing. Scientists say a warming climate, chiefly caused by human activities such as the unchecked burning of fossil fuels, is altering weather patterns. This prolongs droughts in some areas and provokes unseasonably large storms in other places. Daniel Swain, a meteorologist at the University of California, tweeted that it was "hard to believe" these fires were taking hold in December, usually a quieter time for blazes. "But take a record warm & dry fall, only 1 inch of snow so far this season, & add an extreme (100mph+) downslope windstorm...and extremely fast moving/dangerous fires are the result," he said. Explore further Heavy snows to hit Colorado after wildfires destroyed hundreds of homes 2022 AFP At least 500 homes were thought to have been destroyed as a blaze took hold of the town of Superior, just outside Colorado's biggest city Denver. A fast-spreading wildfire that tore through several Colorado townslaying waste to entire neighborhoods "in the blink of an eye," according to the governorhad largely burned itself out Friday, with heavy snow expected to douse any remaining embers. At least 500 homes were thought to have been destroyed as the blaze took hold of the town of Superior, just outside the state's biggest city Denver, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee but there were no deaths reported so far. Shocking aerial footage showed whole streets as little more than piles of smoking ash, destruction that appeared almost total but somehow left one or two homes incongruously untouched. "This was a disaster in fast motion... over the course of half a day. Many families having minutes to get whatever they couldtheir pets, their kidsinto the car and leave," state Governor Jared Polis said. "Just as in the blink of an eye." Downed power lines are believed to have sparked grassfires in the tinder-dry landscape that were then fanned by winds gusting at more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) an hour on Thursday. At least 33,000 people in the towns of Superior and Louisville were told to flee, many doing so with little more than the clothes on their backs. Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle told a press conference on Friday that he had seen swathes of the town utterly destroyed, while other areas had been spared. This handout black and white WorldView-1 satellite image released by Maxar Technologies shows homes and shopping center engulfed in smoke in Superior, Colorado. "We won't have final numbers until late tonight or tomorrow, but we are fully expecting this to be 500 or more homes that were lost," he said. "I would not be surprised if it's 1,000." 'Mosaic' fire Pelle said the fire had burned in a "mosaic," leapfrogging some streets but laying waste to others. It "devastated some neighborhoods and some blocks," and left others "untouched," he added. Pelle, who said Thursday he expected injuries and deaths as a result of the wildfires, praised the community response in quickly heeding evacuation orders, which he said had saved lives. "It's unbelievable when you look at the devastation that we don't have a list of 100 missing persons, but we don't," he said. "I am hoping that's a miracle because it would be given the circumstances." A powerful storm system bringing heavy snowfall was blowing into Colorado on Friday. Strong winds and an extremely dry landscape fueled a dangerous fire in Colorado. Up to a foot (30 centimeters) of snow is expected in some parts of the state, in a blizzard that should help to extinguish the fires, which have largely burned themselves out through lack of available fuel now that the winds have dropped. "There's still areas burning inside the fire zone, around homes and shrubbery, but we're not expecting to see any growth of the fire," Pelle said. "I think we're pretty well contained." Around 6,000 acres (2,400 hectares) were affected, much of it in urban and suburban areas. Homes, shopping centers and hotels were impacted. Colorado media outlets reported a handful of people had been treated for burn injuries, but there were no reports of any deaths. The area's infrastructure remained under strain, with residents ordered to boil water before drinking it. President Joe Biden has declared that a major disaster was underway in Colorado and ordered federal aid be provided to the state, the White House said. Map locating Boulder County in the US state of Colorado where hundreds of homes are feared to have been destroyed in fast-moving wildfires on December 30. Flames engulf homes as the Marshall Fire spreads through a neighborhood in the town of Superior, Colorado. Drought fuelling blazes Like much of the American West, Colorado is in the grip of a years-long drought that has left the area parched and vulnerable to wildfire. Although fires are a natural part of the climate cycle and help to clear dead brush, their scale and intensity are increasing. Scientists say a warming climate, chiefly caused by human activities such as the unchecked burning of fossil fuels, is altering weather patterns. This prolongs droughts in some areas and provokes unseasonably large storms in other places. Daniel Swain, a meteorologist at the University of California, tweeted that it was "hard to believe" these fires were taking hold in December, usually a quieter time for blazes. "But take a record warm & dry fall, only 1 inch of snow so far this season, & add an extreme (100mph+) downslope windstorm...and extremely fast moving/dangerous fires are the result," he said. Explore further Heavy snows to hit Colorado after wildfires destroyed hundreds of homes 2022 AFP Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) Sudanese security forces have released two journalists from Saudi Arabia's Asharq television channel, a day after detaining them as deadly violence flared during renewed protests against the military government, the station said Friday. During Thursday's protests in and near Khartoum, "five uniformed security officers" held journalists Maha al-Talb and Sally Othman and their teams in their office for several hours, the channel said. Sudan has been gripped by turmoil since military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan launched a coup on October 25 and detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Hamdok was reinstated on November 21, but mass protests have continued as demonstrators distrust Burhan's promises of seeking to guide the country toward full democracy. Protesters charge that the deal simply aims to give the cloak of legitimacy to the generals, whom they accuse of trying to continue the regime built by former autocratic president Omar al-Bashir, who was toppled in 2019 following mass protests. In the worst street clashes since Hamdok's return, five demonstrators were killed and dozens wounded by bullets on Thursday, said the independent Doctors' Committee, which is part of the pro-democracy movement. Authorities also cut phone lines and the internet and cracked down on media, also including the Saudi-funded satellite channel Al-Arabiya. Othman was interrupted by security forces in the middle of a live broadcast and can be heard saying in a clip shared widely on social networks: "I will not be able to continue, the authorities are now forbidding me to continue with you". Sudanese police blamed the incident on "reprehensible individual actions" which would be investigated. The Doctors' Committee charged that "crimes against humanity" were committed in Omdurman, twin city of the capital Khartoum, on Thursday. It said five demonstrators were killed by bullets to the head or chest, and that ambulances were blocked and at least one seriously injured person was forcibly removed from an ambulance by the security forces. A police spokesman said four people died in Thursday's unrest and 297 people were injured, "including 49 police officers". He also said "three police vans were set on fire" and accused protest "leaders clearly hostile to the security forces" of having sought to "turn a peaceful march into violence and confrontations with the security forces". Street clashes since the October coup have claimed 53 lives and left hundreds wounded, and supporters of civilian rule in Sudan have continued to call for protests. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) Ioan Gruffudd's ex Alice Evans has accused the actor's girlfriend of editing her new bikini snap, which she shared on New Year's Eve to reflect on 2021. The Australian actress, 29, posted a snap of her in a black bikini and a romantic beach shot of her and who is presumed to be Ioan, 48, among other pictures as she looked back on 2021 which had 'the highest highs and the lowest lows.' The 'lowest lows' is perhaps in reference to the fallout from the reveal of her relationship with the Welsh actor in October and the backlash faced from his estranged wife Alice , 53, who claimed Bianca had 'ruined her life'. Taking to Twitter after Bianca posted the snap, Alice penned: 'It's ok Bianca. We believe you. Your "instas" are gorgeous. Which filter is it by the way? I NEED it!' Looking good: Ioan Gruffudd 's ex Alice Evans has accused the actor's girlfriend of editing her new bikini snap, which she shared on New Year's Eve to reflect on 2021 Eek: Taking to Twitter after Bianca posted the snap, Alice penned: 'It's ok Bianca. We believe you. Your "instas" are gorgeous. Which filter is it by the way? I NEED it!' Bianca flashed a radiant smile as she showed off her toned figure in a black two-piece while posing at an idyllic beach setting. While another shot showed two shadows, presumed to be herself and Ioan, holding hands on a beach in Nice, with Ioan having been spotted filming in the South of France in November. Other images showed Bianca posing for fun, smiley snaps in various locations, including on of her posing topless with a towel on her head. While another saw her showing a glimpse of her taut midriff in a white crop top. Couple: The Australian actress, 29, posted a snap of her in a black bikini and a romantic beach shot of her and who is presumed to be Ioan, 48, among other pictures as she looked back on 2021 which had 'the highest highs and the lowest lows' Drama: The 'lowest lows' is perhaps in reference to the fallout from the reveal of her relationship with the Welsh actor in October and the backlash faced from his estranged wife Alice Evans, 53, who claimed Bianca had 'ruined her life' Captioning her post, Bianca wrote: '2021! A balancing act of a year with the lowest of lows and the highest of highs. 'I am going with what I always say on NYE. As long as you try your best, lead & live life with your heart and never give up on yourself, then that is all that matters. 'Onwards and upwards for 2022.' A look back: Other images showed Bianca posing for fun, smiley snaps in various locations, including on of her posing topless with a towel on her head Stunner: While another saw her showing a glimpse of her taut midriff in a white crop top It follows in the wake of the scorn she faced from her boyfriend's estranged wife Alice, who initially lashed out at their romance and called Bianca 'a b***h who manifested Ioan away from their daughters.' However, she's since appeared to have changed her tune and recently stated she 'needs to accept' that her estranged husband and his girlfriend 'are besotted' with one another. The actress has made her split from Ioan extremely public, after their 14-year marriage broke down in January last year, with tensions only further rising when the actor stepped out with Bianca in November. What a year: Bianca looked happy and content in the plethora of images as she summed up her 2021 Reflections: Captioning her post, Bianca wrote: '2021! A balancing act of a year with the lowest of lows and the highest of highs' In the wake of their appearance together, Alice, who is in a custody battle over her and Ioan's daughters Ella, 12, and Elsie, eight, took to Instagram once again to send her regards and also reveal she was seeing a rise in her own popularity. Following the release of images of the couple making their first public outing together, Alice then reflected on how she felt about the shots in a kind message. In her post, Alice penned: 'Ive been so careful for 20 years. because I wanted a private life. so I looked at them, felt a little embarrassed, also a little warm... 'If theyre that in love then lets try to make it work for them. and I deliberately did not post or mention anything. and no longer intend to... Acceptance: Alice appears to have changed her tune and recently stated she 'needs to accept' that her estranged husband and his girlfriend 'are besotted' with one another. 'Theyre clearly besotted with each other abs i need to accept that. ( Besides, ive never had so many hot guys ask me out on DM Im quite overwhelmed!!!' Evans is now adjusting to life on her own after he publicly confirmed a new relationship with his Harrow co-star on Instagram, a move she described as 'every woman's nightmare.' Ioan filed for divorce in March, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason behind their split. Bitter: The actress has made her split from Ioan extremely public, after their 14-year marriage broke down in January, with tensions only further rising when the actor stepped out with Bianca in November Warmed up: In the wake of their appearance together, Alice, who is in a custody battle over her and Ioan's daughters Ella, 12, and Elsie, eight, took to Instagram once again to send her regards and also reveal she was seeing a rise in her own popularity In November, Alice claimed Bianca 'ruined her life' in a scathing social media post. Hitting back at trolls claiming they're defending the actress, the star took to Instagram to share a playful snap, along with a caption claiming Bianca was 'a b***h who manifested Ioan away from their daughters.' Alice claimed the pair had been embroiled in a three-year affair - which has been denied by a friend of the couple. Evans and Gruffudd met on the set of 102 Dalmatians in 2000, when Alice was in a relationship with Pablo Picasso's grandson Olivier. The former couple became engaged six years later after she gave him an ultimatum about their relationship, and they tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in Mexico in September 2007. Gruffudd hasn't publicly addressed the couple's divorce. Ioan Gruffudd's ex Alice Evans has accused the actor's girlfriend of editing her new bikini snap, which she shared on New Year's Eve to reflect on 2021. The Australian actress, 29, posted a snap of her in a black bikini and a romantic beach shot of her and who is presumed to be Ioan, 48, among other pictures as she looked back on 2021 which had 'the highest highs and the lowest lows.' The 'lowest lows' is perhaps in reference to the fallout from the reveal of her relationship with the Welsh actor in October and the backlash faced from his estranged wife Alice , 53, who claimed Bianca had 'ruined her life'. Taking to Twitter after Bianca posted the snap, Alice penned: 'It's ok Bianca. We believe you. Your "instas" are gorgeous. Which filter is it by the way? I NEED it!' Looking good: Ioan Gruffudd 's ex Alice Evans has accused the actor's girlfriend of editing her new bikini snap, which she shared on New Year's Eve to reflect on 2021 Eek: Taking to Twitter after Bianca posted the snap, Alice penned: 'It's ok Bianca. We believe you. Your "instas" are gorgeous. Which filter is it by the way? I NEED it!' Bianca flashed a radiant smile as she showed off her toned figure in a black two-piece while posing at an idyllic beach setting. While another shot showed two shadows, presumed to be herself and Ioan, holding hands on a beach in Nice, with Ioan having been spotted filming in the South of France in November. Other images showed Bianca posing for fun, smiley snaps in various locations, including on of her posing topless with a towel on her head. While another saw her showing a glimpse of her taut midriff in a white crop top. Couple: The Australian actress, 29, posted a snap of her in a black bikini and a romantic beach shot of her and who is presumed to be Ioan, 48, among other pictures as she looked back on 2021 which had 'the highest highs and the lowest lows' Drama: The 'lowest lows' is perhaps in reference to the fallout from the reveal of her relationship with the Welsh actor in October and the backlash faced from his estranged wife Alice Evans, 53, who claimed Bianca had 'ruined her life' Captioning her post, Bianca wrote: '2021! A balancing act of a year with the lowest of lows and the highest of highs. 'I am going with what I always say on NYE. As long as you try your best, lead & live life with your heart and never give up on yourself, then that is all that matters. 'Onwards and upwards for 2022.' A look back: Other images showed Bianca posing for fun, smiley snaps in various locations, including on of her posing topless with a towel on her head Stunner: While another saw her showing a glimpse of her taut midriff in a white crop top It follows in the wake of the scorn she faced from her boyfriend's estranged wife Alice, who initially lashed out at their romance and called Bianca 'a b***h who manifested Ioan away from their daughters.' However, she's since appeared to have changed her tune and recently stated she 'needs to accept' that her estranged husband and his girlfriend 'are besotted' with one another. The actress has made her split from Ioan extremely public, after their 14-year marriage broke down in January last year, with tensions only further rising when the actor stepped out with Bianca in November. What a year: Bianca looked happy and content in the plethora of images as she summed up her 2021 Reflections: Captioning her post, Bianca wrote: '2021! A balancing act of a year with the lowest of lows and the highest of highs' In the wake of their appearance together, Alice, who is in a custody battle over her and Ioan's daughters Ella, 12, and Elsie, eight, took to Instagram once again to send her regards and also reveal she was seeing a rise in her own popularity. Following the release of images of the couple making their first public outing together, Alice then reflected on how she felt about the shots in a kind message. In her post, Alice penned: 'Ive been so careful for 20 years. because I wanted a private life. so I looked at them, felt a little embarrassed, also a little warm... 'If theyre that in love then lets try to make it work for them. and I deliberately did not post or mention anything. and no longer intend to... Acceptance: Alice appears to have changed her tune and recently stated she 'needs to accept' that her estranged husband and his girlfriend 'are besotted' with one another. 'Theyre clearly besotted with each other abs i need to accept that. ( Besides, ive never had so many hot guys ask me out on DM Im quite overwhelmed!!!' Evans is now adjusting to life on her own after he publicly confirmed a new relationship with his Harrow co-star on Instagram, a move she described as 'every woman's nightmare.' Ioan filed for divorce in March, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason behind their split. Bitter: The actress has made her split from Ioan extremely public, after their 14-year marriage broke down in January, with tensions only further rising when the actor stepped out with Bianca in November Warmed up: In the wake of their appearance together, Alice, who is in a custody battle over her and Ioan's daughters Ella, 12, and Elsie, eight, took to Instagram once again to send her regards and also reveal she was seeing a rise in her own popularity In November, Alice claimed Bianca 'ruined her life' in a scathing social media post. Hitting back at trolls claiming they're defending the actress, the star took to Instagram to share a playful snap, along with a caption claiming Bianca was 'a b***h who manifested Ioan away from their daughters.' Alice claimed the pair had been embroiled in a three-year affair - which has been denied by a friend of the couple. Evans and Gruffudd met on the set of 102 Dalmatians in 2000, when Alice was in a relationship with Pablo Picasso's grandson Olivier. The former couple became engaged six years later after she gave him an ultimatum about their relationship, and they tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in Mexico in September 2007. Gruffudd hasn't publicly addressed the couple's divorce. Ioan Gruffudd's ex Alice Evans has accused the actor's girlfriend of editing her new bikini snap, which she shared on New Year's Eve to reflect on 2021. The Australian actress, 29, posted a snap of her in a black bikini and a romantic beach shot of her and who is presumed to be Ioan, 48, among other pictures as she looked back on 2021 which had 'the highest highs and the lowest lows.' The 'lowest lows' is perhaps in reference to the fallout from the reveal of her relationship with the Welsh actor in October and the backlash faced from his estranged wife Alice , 53, who claimed Bianca had 'ruined her life'. Taking to Twitter after Bianca posted the snap, Alice penned: 'It's ok Bianca. We believe you. Your "instas" are gorgeous. Which filter is it by the way? I NEED it!' Looking good: Ioan Gruffudd 's ex Alice Evans has accused the actor's girlfriend of editing her new bikini snap, which she shared on New Year's Eve to reflect on 2021 Eek: Taking to Twitter after Bianca posted the snap, Alice penned: 'It's ok Bianca. We believe you. Your "instas" are gorgeous. Which filter is it by the way? I NEED it!' Bianca flashed a radiant smile as she showed off her toned figure in a black two-piece while posing at an idyllic beach setting. While another shot showed two shadows, presumed to be herself and Ioan, holding hands on a beach in Nice, with Ioan having been spotted filming in the South of France in November. Other images showed Bianca posing for fun, smiley snaps in various locations, including on of her posing topless with a towel on her head. While another saw her showing a glimpse of her taut midriff in a white crop top. Couple: The Australian actress, 29, posted a snap of her in a black bikini and a romantic beach shot of her and who is presumed to be Ioan, 48, among other pictures as she looked back on 2021 which had 'the highest highs and the lowest lows' Drama: The 'lowest lows' is perhaps in reference to the fallout from the reveal of her relationship with the Welsh actor in October and the backlash faced from his estranged wife Alice Evans, 53, who claimed Bianca had 'ruined her life' Captioning her post, Bianca wrote: '2021! A balancing act of a year with the lowest of lows and the highest of highs. 'I am going with what I always say on NYE. As long as you try your best, lead & live life with your heart and never give up on yourself, then that is all that matters. 'Onwards and upwards for 2022.' A look back: Other images showed Bianca posing for fun, smiley snaps in various locations, including on of her posing topless with a towel on her head Stunner: While another saw her showing a glimpse of her taut midriff in a white crop top It follows in the wake of the scorn she faced from her boyfriend's estranged wife Alice, who initially lashed out at their romance and called Bianca 'a b***h who manifested Ioan away from their daughters.' However, she's since appeared to have changed her tune and recently stated she 'needs to accept' that her estranged husband and his girlfriend 'are besotted' with one another. The actress has made her split from Ioan extremely public, after their 14-year marriage broke down in January last year, with tensions only further rising when the actor stepped out with Bianca in November. What a year: Bianca looked happy and content in the plethora of images as she summed up her 2021 Reflections: Captioning her post, Bianca wrote: '2021! A balancing act of a year with the lowest of lows and the highest of highs' In the wake of their appearance together, Alice, who is in a custody battle over her and Ioan's daughters Ella, 12, and Elsie, eight, took to Instagram once again to send her regards and also reveal she was seeing a rise in her own popularity. Following the release of images of the couple making their first public outing together, Alice then reflected on how she felt about the shots in a kind message. In her post, Alice penned: 'Ive been so careful for 20 years. because I wanted a private life. so I looked at them, felt a little embarrassed, also a little warm... 'If theyre that in love then lets try to make it work for them. and I deliberately did not post or mention anything. and no longer intend to... Acceptance: Alice appears to have changed her tune and recently stated she 'needs to accept' that her estranged husband and his girlfriend 'are besotted' with one another. 'Theyre clearly besotted with each other abs i need to accept that. ( Besides, ive never had so many hot guys ask me out on DM Im quite overwhelmed!!!' Evans is now adjusting to life on her own after he publicly confirmed a new relationship with his Harrow co-star on Instagram, a move she described as 'every woman's nightmare.' Ioan filed for divorce in March, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason behind their split. Bitter: The actress has made her split from Ioan extremely public, after their 14-year marriage broke down in January, with tensions only further rising when the actor stepped out with Bianca in November Warmed up: In the wake of their appearance together, Alice, who is in a custody battle over her and Ioan's daughters Ella, 12, and Elsie, eight, took to Instagram once again to send her regards and also reveal she was seeing a rise in her own popularity In November, Alice claimed Bianca 'ruined her life' in a scathing social media post. Hitting back at trolls claiming they're defending the actress, the star took to Instagram to share a playful snap, along with a caption claiming Bianca was 'a b***h who manifested Ioan away from their daughters.' Alice claimed the pair had been embroiled in a three-year affair - which has been denied by a friend of the couple. Evans and Gruffudd met on the set of 102 Dalmatians in 2000, when Alice was in a relationship with Pablo Picasso's grandson Olivier. The former couple became engaged six years later after she gave him an ultimatum about their relationship, and they tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in Mexico in September 2007. Gruffudd hasn't publicly addressed the couple's divorce. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Sudanese security forces have released two journalists from Saudi Arabia's Asharq television channel, a day after detaining them as deadly violence flared during renewed protests against the military government, the station said Friday. During Thursday's protests in and near Khartoum, "five uniformed security officers" held journalists Maha al-Talb and Sally Othman and their teams in their office for several hours, the channel said. Sudan has been gripped by turmoil since military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan launched a coup on October 25 and detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Hamdok was reinstated on November 21, but mass protests have continued as demonstrators distrust Burhan's promises of seeking to guide the country toward full democracy. Protesters charge that the deal simply aims to give the cloak of legitimacy to the generals, whom they accuse of trying to continue the regime built by former autocratic president Omar al-Bashir, who was toppled in 2019 following mass protests. In the worst street clashes since Hamdok's return, five demonstrators were killed and dozens wounded by bullets on Thursday, said the independent Doctors' Committee, which is part of the pro-democracy movement. Authorities also cut phone lines and the internet and cracked down on media, also including the Saudi-funded satellite channel Al-Arabiya. Othman was interrupted by security forces in the middle of a live broadcast and can be heard saying in a clip shared widely on social networks: "I will not be able to continue, the authorities are now forbidding me to continue with you". Sudanese police blamed the incident on "reprehensible individual actions" which would be investigated. The Doctors' Committee charged that "crimes against humanity" were committed in Omdurman, twin city of the capital Khartoum, on Thursday. It said five demonstrators were killed by bullets to the head or chest, and that ambulances were blocked and at least one seriously injured person was forcibly removed from an ambulance by the security forces. A police spokesman said four people died in Thursday's unrest and 297 people were injured, "including 49 police officers". He also said "three police vans were set on fire" and accused protest "leaders clearly hostile to the security forces" of having sought to "turn a peaceful march into violence and confrontations with the security forces". Street clashes since the October coup have claimed 53 lives and left hundreds wounded, and supporters of civilian rule in Sudan have continued to call for protests. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Violence against women is insulting to God, Pope Francis said in his New Year's message yesterday. Francis, 85, called for 'greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' as he celebrated a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on the day the Roman Catholic Church marks both the solemnity of Holy Mary Mother of God as well as its annual World Day of Peace. The pope has ardently spoken out against domestic violence since the pandemic began, last month telling a woman who had been beaten by her ex-husband that men who commit such acts engage in something that is 'almost satanic' during an Italian television programme. Violence against women is insulting to God, Pope Francis said in his New Year's message yesterday In the text of his Message for the World Day of Peace, Francis (pictured yesterday) said nations should 'invert the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry' He said in his homily: 'And since mothers bestow life, and women keep the world (together), let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women. 'How much violence is directed against women! Enough! 'To hurt a woman is to insult God, who from a woman took on our humanity.' Europe has seen a deadly resurgence of violence against women since the pandemic began. The pope, pictured yesterday, has ardently spoken out against domestic violence since the pandemic began The pope had called for 'greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' Last June it was reported that in Spain one woman was being killed every three days since the state of emergency ended in May, compared with an average of one a week before. NGO figures from the summer also showed that in Belgium, 13 women had died from violence since the end of April to June compared with 24 in the whole of 2020. In the text of his Message for the World Day of Peace, issued last month, Francis also said nations should 'invert the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry' and put more into social care. Pope Francis said in his homily: 'And since mothers bestow life, and women keep the world (together), let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' Yesterday the pope the entire length of the central aisle of basilica, following an unexplained incident on New Year's Eve where Francis attended a service but at the last minute did not preside over it as he had been expected to. He had emerged from a side entrance close to the altar and watched from the sidelines. The pope suffers from a sciatica condition that causes pain in the legs, and sometimes a flare up prevents him from standing for long periods. Violence against women is insulting to God, Pope Francis said in his New Year's message yesterday. Francis, 85, called for 'greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' as he celebrated a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on the day the Roman Catholic Church marks both the solemnity of Holy Mary Mother of God as well as its annual World Day of Peace. The pope has ardently spoken out against domestic violence since the pandemic began, last month telling a woman who had been beaten by her ex-husband that men who commit such acts engage in something that is 'almost satanic' during an Italian television programme. Violence against women is insulting to God, Pope Francis said in his New Year's message yesterday In the text of his Message for the World Day of Peace, Francis (pictured yesterday) said nations should 'invert the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry' He said in his homily: 'And since mothers bestow life, and women keep the world (together), let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women. 'How much violence is directed against women! Enough! 'To hurt a woman is to insult God, who from a woman took on our humanity.' Europe has seen a deadly resurgence of violence against women since the pandemic began. The pope, pictured yesterday, has ardently spoken out against domestic violence since the pandemic began The pope had called for 'greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' Last June it was reported that in Spain one woman was being killed every three days since the state of emergency ended in May, compared with an average of one a week before. NGO figures from the summer also showed that in Belgium, 13 women had died from violence since the end of April to June compared with 24 in the whole of 2020. In the text of his Message for the World Day of Peace, issued last month, Francis also said nations should 'invert the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry' and put more into social care. Pope Francis said in his homily: 'And since mothers bestow life, and women keep the world (together), let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' Yesterday the pope the entire length of the central aisle of basilica, following an unexplained incident on New Year's Eve where Francis attended a service but at the last minute did not preside over it as he had been expected to. He had emerged from a side entrance close to the altar and watched from the sidelines. The pope suffers from a sciatica condition that causes pain in the legs, and sometimes a flare up prevents him from standing for long periods. The city of Napa is working on a legislative platform for 2022 that would better define the citys priorities to bring in more federal funding to specific areas, such as housing or infrastructure, in the future. The citys suggested priority areas include: preserving and enhancing local control and local revenues; housing opportunities for all income levels, including for those experiencing homelessness; pandemic recovery and economic development; investments in infrastructure; and maintaining a healthy and sustainable environment and community. The list of priority areas was presented to the Napa City Council in December, but the council will vote to approve priority areas at a future meeting. Molly Rattigan, assistant to the city manager, said the list was developed in partnership with consultant Merchant McIntyre & Associates, a federal relations advocacy firm the citys been working with since October 2020. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Special offer: Subscribe for $4.99 for yo This really serves as the guidance on where the city of Napa is putting its legislative capital, for lack of a better word, Rattigan said. Over roughly the past year, the firm has provided federal advocacy and helped the city prepare federal grant applications, Rattigan added. She said that though the firm doesn't provide representation at the state level, the city is actively engaged with the League of California Cities and works closely with its two state representatives, Sen. Bill Dodd and Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry. Katie Peterson, a partner at the firm, highlighted two pending federal grants applications resulting from that work: a $75,000 grant to support the Napa Lighted Arts Festival from the National Endowment for the Arts, and a $100,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for firefighter training and health testing. Peterson added that the firm also worked with Rep. Mike Thompsons office to earmark $1.8 million for police radios, included in the Fiscal Year 2022 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related agencies bill, which passed in July. Peterson said the legislative platform needs to focus on specific areas because it is supposed to clarify the citys priorities to Congress and therefore improve local quality of life. The purpose, the primary directive of the legislative platform, is not to solve or advocate for every issue under the sun on behalf of the city, Peterson said. Its very much to establish key official city positions on clearly stated legislative issues. The Napa councilmembers broadly agreed that the recommended legislative priorities align with city council goals. Councilmember Beth Painter said the specific language of the areas is highly important. Among other suggestions, she recommended the word safe be added to the healthy and sustainable environment and community item because the council has stated the importance of promoting pedestrian and bike safety. Painter also suggested that disaster recovery be added to the pandemic recovery item because the city doesnt know when the next disaster, beyond the pandemic, is going to strike. Napa resident Maureen Trippe an organizer of the local Slow Down Napa movement said shed also like to see some consideration for transportation safety in the platform, which could include such measures as traffic calming, speeding, building safe routes to school or other safety-related categories. Rattigan said the city would still have room to work outside of the legislative platform, if needed, and that needs that go beyond the areas identified in the platform will certainly rise. There are always going to be things that come up that are outside of the scope of the legislative platform, Rattigan said. Like I said, you can never fully predict whats going to be proposed. So we will keep our eye on that as well. If there are issues that may not fall within the scope and they need to come back to the council, theres of course the mechanism to do so if needed. Sudanese security forces have released two journalists from Saudi Arabia's Asharq television channel, a day after detaining them as deadly violence flared during renewed protests against the military government, the station said Friday. During Thursday's protests in and near Khartoum, "five uniformed security officers" held journalists Maha al-Talb and Sally Othman and their teams in their office for several hours, the channel said. Sudan has been gripped by turmoil since military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan launched a coup on October 25 and detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Hamdok was reinstated on November 21, but mass protests have continued as demonstrators distrust Burhan's promises of seeking to guide the country toward full democracy. Protesters charge that the deal simply aims to give the cloak of legitimacy to the generals, whom they accuse of trying to continue the regime built by former autocratic president Omar al-Bashir, who was toppled in 2019 following mass protests. In the worst street clashes since Hamdok's return, five demonstrators were killed and dozens wounded by bullets on Thursday, said the independent Doctors' Committee, which is part of the pro-democracy movement. Authorities also cut phone lines and the internet and cracked down on media, also including the Saudi-funded satellite channel Al-Arabiya. Othman was interrupted by security forces in the middle of a live broadcast and can be heard saying in a clip shared widely on social networks: "I will not be able to continue, the authorities are now forbidding me to continue with you". Sudanese police blamed the incident on "reprehensible individual actions" which would be investigated. The Doctors' Committee charged that "crimes against humanity" were committed in Omdurman, twin city of the capital Khartoum, on Thursday. It said five demonstrators were killed by bullets to the head or chest, and that ambulances were blocked and at least one seriously injured person was forcibly removed from an ambulance by the security forces. A police spokesman said four people died in Thursday's unrest and 297 people were injured, "including 49 police officers". He also said "three police vans were set on fire" and accused protest "leaders clearly hostile to the security forces" of having sought to "turn a peaceful march into violence and confrontations with the security forces". Street clashes since the October coup have claimed 53 lives and left hundreds wounded, and supporters of civilian rule in Sudan have continued to call for protests. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) Advertisement The decision to make Tony Blair a Sir has been met with anger by many on social media, as the former Prime Minister was branded a 'war criminal', with more than 25,000 signing a petition to block the award. Sir Tony has long faced a backlash over his decision to lead the UK into Iraq and Afghanistan, which cost the lives of 179 British personnel as well as many more civilians. But it was announced last night that he had been appointed to the Order of the Garter as a Knight Companion. Angus Scott launched the petition on Change.org shortly after news of the award was published. In an explanation in his petition, Mr Scott wrote: 'Tony Blair caused irreparable damage to both the constitution of the United Kingdom and to the very fabric of the nation's society. He was personally responsible for causing the death of countless innocent, civilian lives and servicement in various conflicts. For this alone he should be held accountable for war crimes.' All but one of the prime ministers before him were appointed a few years after leaving office. But Sir Tony waited over 14 years. It had been suggested that the Queen's strained relationship with him during his ten years in power may have contributed to the 'snub'. Current Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer MP, said: 'The last Labour government delivered enduring change from the national minimum wage to the peace process in Northern Ireland. My congratulations to Tony Blair on this recognition for his public service to our country.' On Twitter today, many made their feelings clear following the ennobling. Political commentator Liam Young wrote: 'The man should be in the dock of The Hague. What a shameful day.' Another said: 'The contempt in which Britain's elite holds the public has never been more eloquently expressed than in the decision to award Tony Blair the highest order of knighthood. One million Iraqis dead, three million dispossessed, a trail of blood to 7/7. Rise Sir Tony!' Many others demanded an overhaul of the honours system, with one user describing it as the 'favour for a friend' list. Sir Tony has faced years of criticism over the Iraq War, culminating in the devastating report by Sir John Chilcot in 2016, which found that the former prime minister overplayed evidence about Saddam Hussein's weaponry and ignored peaceful means to send troops into the country. In a devastating set of conclusions, Sir John found Blair presented the case for war with 'a certainty which was not justified' based on 'flawed' intelligence about Iraq's supposed weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The decision to make Tony Blair a Sir was met with anger by many on social media, as the former Prime Minister was branded a 'war criminal' Sir Tony has long faced a backlash over his decision to lead the UK into Iraq and Afghanistan, which cost the lives of 179 British personnel as well as many more civilians Blair then said he would 'take the same decision' to invade Iraq again if he was presented with the same intelligence as he set out a defiant defence after being savaged by the Chilcot report. The former prime minister put on a bullish performance as he responded to the long-awaited report and although he made a grovelling apology for the bloody consequences of the Iraq War, he attempted to shift the blame by saying the intelligence was not his responsibility. In a remarkable performance of self-defence at a special press conference that lasted for nearly two hours, the visibly humbled former prime minister described the decision to take military action to remove Hussein in 2003 as the 'hardest, most momentous, most agonising' of his 10 years in office. What are the different ranks of honours awarded by the Queen? Order of the Garter Founded in 1348, it is the most senior order of knighthood, outranked only by the Victoria Cross and the George Cross. Membership, granted for public service or service to the sovereign, is limited to 24 living people plus the Queen and the Prince of Wales. Companions of Honour (CH) The Order of the Companions of Honour was founded on June 4 1917 by George V and it limited to just 65 members at any one time. Appointments go to those who have made a long-standing contribution to arts, science, medicine or government. Two have been named in the latest list - former Labour MP and peer Frank Field, for public and political service, and Sir Paul Nurse, director of the Francis Crick Institute. Order of the Bath (DCB/KCB/CB) This recognises the work of senior military officials and civil servants. England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty (KCB) and chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance (KCB) were honoured in the New Year Honours list. - Order of St Michael and St George (Knight/GCMG/KCMG/DCMG/CMG) This recognises service in a foreign country, or in relation to foreign and Commonwealth affairs, such as the work of diplomats overseas. James Bond star Daniel Craig, was made a Companion of the Order, which is equivalent to a CBE and means he can use the post-nominals CMG, following his final outing as 007 in No Time To Die. Knighthood and damehood (Knight/DBE) These are usually bestowed on people who have made a major contribution at national level, who can use the titles Dame and Sir. England's deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam, Wales' chief medical officer Frank Atherton and Scotland's chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith were made knights. There were also damehoods for UK Health Security Agency chief Dr Jenny Harries and Dr June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) People are recognised under this honour if they have have a prominent but lesser role at national level, or a leading role at regional level. It also goes to those who make a distinguished, innovative contribution to any area. James Bond franchise producer Barbara Broccoli was among those made a CBE. Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) People are made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire if they have a major local role in any activity, including people whose work has made them known nationally. Among the 253 who were honoured in this way were Olympians Adam Peaty and Tom Daley. Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) This rank recognises outstanding achievements or service to the community which have had a long-term significant impact. A total of 508 people were made Members of the Order of the British Empire in the latest list, including tennis star Emma Raducanu, Diversity member Ashley Banjo and former Spice Girl Mel B. British Empire Medal (BEM) The BEM was reintroduced in 2012 by then prime minister David Cameron as part of his bid to make the honours system "classless", saying too few people making a difference in their areas were made MBEs. The medal went to 361 people in the New Year Honours. Advertisement At several points during his speech at Admiralty House in Whitehall he appeared to be close to tears as he accepted the 'serious criticisms' made of him and his government in the run up and aftermath of the Iraq War and said he accepted 'full responsibility, without exception, without excuse'. Responding to the publication of the Iraq War report, his voice cracked as he said: 'For all of this I express more sorrow, regret and apology than you may ever know or can believe.' He added later: 'The decisions I made I have carried with me for 13 years and will do so for the rest of my days. 'There will not be a day of my life where I do not relive and rethink what happened. But he claimed the Iraq Inquiry proved 'there were no lies' from him over the justification for invading Iraq in March 2003 and showed neither Parliament nor Cabinet were misled. And in the most extraordinary moment of his lengthy speech, Mr Blair insisted: 'If I was back in the same place, with the same information I would take the same decision because obviously that was the decision I believe was right. 'All I'm saying today, because obviously some of the intelligence has turned out to be wrong, the planning wasn't done properly, I have to accept those criticisims, I accept responsibility for them.' In another criticism on social media, John Smith the son of Second World War veteran and writer Harry Leslie Smith said the decision suggested it was 'okay' to kill people in their 'hundreds of thousands.' Sir Tony, who held the keys to Number 10 between 1997 and 2007, is appointed a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior British Order of Chivalry. The appointment, which is made by the Queen, has regularly been bestowed upon past prime ministers, with Sir John Major, Sir Tony's predecessor, the last to receive the honour. Sir Tony, a former Labour leader, said: 'It is an immense honour to be appointed Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, and I am deeply grateful to Her Majesty the Queen. 'It was a great privilege to serve as prime minister and I would like to thank all those who served alongside me, in politics, public service and all parts of our society, for their dedication and commitment to our country.' Sir Tony led New Labour to a landslide victory in 1997, winning two subsequent general elections before quitting Westminster a decade later, paving the way for his chancellor Gordon Brown to take over as prime minister. The 68-year-old famously branded Diana, Princess of Wales, the 'people's princess' after her death and was the UK leader during Allied military invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. The former barrister became a Middle East envoy and set up his own non-for-profit group, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, after leaving politics. Each year, Royal Knights and Ladies of the Order of the Garter gather at St George's Chapel in Windsor for a colourful procession and ceremony. Watched by crowds of onlookers, they walk down the hill to the chapel from the State Apartments, dressed in blue velvet mantles, red velvet hoods, black velvet hats and white ostrich plumes. Sir Tony, who left Downing Street more than 14 years ago, is one of three new appointments announced by the palace. Appointments to the Garter are in the Queen's gift and made without prime ministerial advice, and are usually announced on St George's Day, April 23, but the monarch can do so at any time, and has chosen to coincide with the New Year's Honours. They are for life unless a Knight or Lady Companion offends against certain 'points of reproach'. Founded in 1348 by Edward III, the Garter is awarded by the sovereign for outstanding public service and achievement. It is said to have been inspired by events at a ball in northern France, attended by the king and Joan, Countess of Salisbury. The countess is believed to have dropped her garter, causing laughter and some embarrassment. The chivalrous king, however, picked it up and wore it on his own leg, uttering the phrase 'Honi soit qui mal y pense' - 'Shame on him who thinks this evil' - now the Order's motto. The Order's emblem is a blue ribbon or garter worn by men below the left knee and by women on the left arm. There are now 21 non-royal companions in the order out of a maximum of 24. The decision to ennoble the former prime minister or Sir Tony, as he will now be known has been much debated in recent years. It had been suggested that the Queen's strained relationship with him during his ten years in power may have contributed to the 'snub'. (He is pictured with the Queen in 2005) Seven Chilcot allegations and seven Tony Blair denials: How the defiant former Prime Minister attempted to save his reputation 1). Chilcot: The intelligence justifying the invasion of Iraq was wrong. Tony Blair accepted the intelligence he based his decision has since turned out to be wrong but in a defiance performance he attempted to shift the blame by saying the intelligence was not his responsibility. 'The intelligence statements made at the time of going to war turned out to be wrong,' Blair said. 'The aftermath turned out more hostile, protracted and bloody than we ever imagined. 'The Coalition planned for one set of ground facts and encountered another. A nation whose people we wanted to see free and secure from the evil of Saddam became instead victim of sectarian terrorism. For all of this I express more sorrow, regret and apology and in greater measure than you can know or may believe. 2) Chilcot: Going to war in Iraq was 'not a last resort'. Blair again disagreed, insisting he had not rushed to war and said all other avenues had been exhausted. 'Given the impasse at the UN and the insistence of the USA for reasons I completely understood and with hundreds of thousands of troops in theatre which could not be kept in situ indefinitely it was the last moment of decision for us, as the report accepts. By then, the US was going to move with us or without us.' 3) Chilcot said Britain and the USA undermined the UN's authority by rushing to war without a second resolution. Blair's response: 'The reality is that we Britain had continually tried to act with the authority of the UN. I successfully convinced the Americans to go back to the UN in November 2002 to secure resolution 1441.' 4) Chilcot: Britain could have refused to support George W Bush Blair said Britain had been America's 'core partner' in the post-9/11 era and standing side-by-side the USA was 'a vital national interest'. He said: '9/11 was an event like no other in US history. I considered it an attack on all the free world. I believed that Britain as America's strongest ally should be with them in tackling this new and unprecedented security challenge. I believed it important that America was not alone but part of a wider coalition. In the end, a majority even of the European Union nations supported action in Iraq. 'I do not believe we would have had that coalition or persuaded the Bush Administration to go down the UN route without our commitment to be alongside America.' 5) Chicot: Blair's government was warned that removing Saddam Hussein without an adequate plan for the aftermath could lead to Iraq's weapons and capabilities falling into the hands of terrorists. Blair's response: 'I profoundly disagree. Saddam was himself a wellspring of terror, a continuing threat to peace and to his own people. 'Had he been left in power in 2003, then I believe, for the detailed reasons I shall give, he would once again have threatened world peace, and when the Arab revolutions of 2011 began, he would have clung to power with the same deadly consequences as we see in the carnage of Syria; whereas at least in Iraq, for all its challenges, we have today a Government, recognised as legitimate, fighting terrorism with the international community in support of it.' 6) Chilcot: Blair was warned of sectarian infighting and bloodletting after ousting Saddam Hussein. Blair's response: 'I accept that but would point out that nowhere were these highlighted as the main risk and in any event what we faced was not the anticipated internal bloodletting but an all-out insurgency stimulated by external arms and money.' 7) Chilcot: The Ministry of Defence, Britain's Armed Forces and the intelligence services were also to blame for leaving servicemen overstretched, humiliated and under deadly attack due to a serious shortage of vital equipment Responding to this claim, Blair was at his most contrite, insisting he took full responsibility. 'I do not think it is fair or accurate to criticise the Armed Forces, Intelligence Services, or civil service. It was my decision they were acting upon,' he said. 'The Armed Forces in particular did an extraordinary job throughout our engagement in Iraq in the incredibly difficult mission we gave them. I pay tribute to them. Any faults derive from my decisions and should not attach to them. They are people of enormous dedication and courage and the country should be very proud of them.' Advertisement Arise, Sir Covid!: Government scientific advisers Chris Whitty and Jonathan Van-Tam are knighted and rewards for Kate Garraway, Sir Patrick Vallance and public health chief Dr Jenny Harries for 'Covid-related services' in the 2022 New Year's Honours list Britain's Covid heroes are recognised in the New Year Honours today, with top gongs for Government scientific advisers Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance and an MBE for Kate Garraway. The scientists were among hundreds who were awarded for 'Covid-related service', which accounted for nearly a fifth of all those recognised. Meanwhile TV presenter Miss Garraway, 54, received her honour for services to broadcasting after documenting husband Derek Draper's battle with the illness. Britain's Covid heroes are recognised in the New Year Honours today, with top gongs for Government scientific advisers Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance Meanwhile TV presenter Kate Garraway, 54, received her MBE honour for services to broadcasting after documenting husband Derek Draper's battle with the illness Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick (left), 61, will get an upgrade to become a knight commander of the Order of the Bath. Chief medical officer Professor Whitty (right) , 55, is also made a knight commander of the Order of the Bath Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: 'It has been a privilege to work with such dedicated professionals who have worked relentlessly throughout the pandemic providing expert advice so we can keep people safe. 'This year the Honours List rightly recognises those whose efforts have helped us deliver world-leading testing and vaccination programmes, and I am deeply grateful for their hard work.' Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick, 61, will get an upgrade to become a knight commander of the Order of the Bath. Professor Whitty's deputy, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, 57, becomes a knight bachelor Dr Jenny Harries (left), 63, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, will become a dame for services to health. Damehoods also go to NHS England vaccine deployment lead Dr Emily Lawson and Dr June Raine (right), chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency Scottish chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith (pictured) and his Welsh counterpart Dr Frank Atherton were also knighted for services to public health He was already a knight bachelor the standard level of knighthood after being honoured in 2019. He said last night he was 'pleased to see so many outstanding scientists and engineers recognised'. Chief medical officer Professor Whitty, 55, is also made a knight commander of the Order of the Bath. Sir Trevor, the equalities tsar Trvor Phillips, 62, was the founding chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and was previously the head of the Commission for Racial Equality Broadcaster and former government equalities tsar Trevor Phillips has been knighted for services to human rights. Mr Phillips, 62, was the founding chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and was previously the head of the Commission for Racial Equality. The presenter who has fronted Sky News' Sunday morning programme while Sophy Ridge is on maternity leave has highlighted the lack of diversity at the highest levels of politics, business and the media. Advertisement His deputy, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, 57, becomes a knight bachelor. Dr Jenny Harries, 63, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, will become a dame for services to health. Damehoods also go to NHS England vaccine deployment lead Dr Emily Lawson and Dr June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Scottish chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith and his Welsh counterpart Dr Frank Atherton were also knighted for services to public health. The pandemic dominated the list, with 207 people honoured for services 'during Covid-19' and 17 specifically for 'services to the Covid-19 response'. Vaccine developers around the world were also rewarded in the overseas and international list for helping give Britain one of best jab rollouts on the planet. American Pfizer chief development officer Rod MacKenzie and German BioNTech chief business and commercial officer Sean Marett are both made Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George for services to vaccine development and distribution. Moderna chief development officer Melanie Ivarsson, who is also American, receives an OBE. In Britain, Mohammed Aziz, Boots director of healthcare services, is awarded an OBE for providing testing for Covid. Major supermarket chiefs were awarded for keeping supply chains running. Former Asda chief executive Roger Burnley, 55, and Co-Op chief executive Steven Murrells, 56, both received CBEs, while Morrisons supply chain manager Angela Johnson got an MBE. Nobel Prize-winning geneticist Sir Paul Nurse, 72, who is made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour, said this year's honours list was a 'recognition of the importance' of science. Away from the pandemic, former Labour MP Frank Field, 79, joined Sir Paul in being appointed to the Order of the Companions of Honour. Lord Field of Birkenhead, who has been a politician for 40 years, said: 'It's a terrific privilege.' Tory former ministers Robert Buckland and Caroline Dinenage are also in line for honours. Ex-justice secretary Mr Buckland, who was sacked in Boris Johnson's reshuffle in September to make way for Dominic Raab, is made a knight. Gosport MP Miss Dinenage, who was ousted as minister of state for digital and culture, is made a dame. Government sources insisted the honours were for their ministerial service, rather than a consolation for being sacked. Major supermarket chiefs were awarded for keeping supply chains running. Former Asda chief executive Roger Burnley (left), 55, and Co-Op chief executive Steven Murrells (right), 56, both received CBEs, while Morrisons supply chain manager Angela Johnson got an MBE Away from the pandemic, former Labour MP Frank Field (above), 79, joined Sir Paul in being appointed to the Order of the Companions of Honour. Lord Field of Birkenhead, who has been a politician for 40 years, said: 'It's a terrific privilege' Tory former ministers Robert Buckland (left) and Caroline Dinenage (right) are also in line for honours. Ex-justice secretary Mr Buckland, who was sacked in Boris Johnson's reshuffle in September to make way for Dominic Raab, is made a knight. Gosport MP Miss Dinenage, who was ousted as minister of state for digital and culture, is made a dame Regarded as one of the greatest actresses of her generation, the 84-year-old has become Dame Vanessa in recognition of her services to drama At 84, Vanessa Redgrave decides there's nothing like a damehood By ELEANOR SHARPLES for the Daily Mail She is a lifelong socialist and turned down a damehood in 1999 as she objected to any honour linked to the 'British Empire'. But Vanessa Redgrave appears to have overcome her qualms as she today accepts the award in the New Year Honours List. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses of her generation, the 84-year-old has become Dame Vanessa in recognition of her services to drama. Other actors honoured today include former Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley, who has also been made a dame. Dame Vanessa, who won an Oscar for her role in the 1977 film Julia, was previously honoured in 1967 when she was given a CBE. Questioned about reports that she had turned down a damehood, she said in 2002: 'My difficulty is in receiving anything that says British Empire because I am a Unicef special representative at the service of children from any country. If there were no mention of the British Empire, I would be as honoured as anybody. ' At a press conference at the Venice Film Festival in 2018, the actress claimed that she had declined the damehood in protest at the Iraq War and former prime minister Tony Blair. But the Iraq War did not start until 2003. Dame Vanessa said at the time that she would 'never say I refused an honour from the Queen'. But she added: 'But I could not and would not accept any honour from Mr Blair, when he has taken our country, and so many people, to war on the basis of a lie.' Dame Joanna, 75, who was awarded an OBE in 1995, has been honoured for her services to drama, entertainment and charitable causes. She said: 'I am astonished and thrilled and touched beyond words...' The actress, known for roles in The New Avengers and as the boozy Patsy Stone in Absolutely Fabulous, has also made a name for herself fighting for the rights of Gurkhas to settle in the UK. Meanwhile, actor Daniel Craig, 53, whose final film as 007, No Time to Die, was released this autumn, was given the rare honour of being made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) the same award given to Bond in Ian Fleming's novels. A CMG is normally given to those who have performed extraordinary services abroad. Other actors honoured today include former Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley (left), who has also been made a dame. Elsewhere, Melanie Brown (right), 46, of the Spice Girls, better known as Mel B, has been made an MBE for her work with domestic violence charity Women's Aid Actor Daniel Craig, 53, whose final film as 007, No Time to Die, was released this autumn, was given the rare honour of being made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) the same award given to Bond in Ian Fleming's novels. A CMG is normally given to those who have performed extraordinary services abroad The movies' producer, Barbara Broccoli, 61, was awarded a CBE for services to film, as was her half-brother, Bond producer and scriptwriter Michael Wilson, 79. There were also CBEs for film director Paul Greengrass, 66, who created the rival Jason Bourne movies, and author Anthony Horowitz, also 66, who has written three Bond novels. Other stars to be recognised include newsreader Moira Stuart, who has been given a CBE. Sir Elton John's lyricist, Bernie Taupin, 71, was also awarded a CBE in the overseas and international list for his work in music. Coronation Street's William Roache, 89, who appeared in the show's very first episode as Ken Barlow in December 1960, has been awarded an OBE for his services to drama and charity. Cherylee Houston, 47, who played wheelchair user Izzy Armstrong in the soap, has been given an MBE for her work in drama and for people with disabilities. Coronation Street's William Roache (left), 89, who appeared in the show's very first episode as Ken Barlow in December 1960, has been awarded an OBE for his services to drama and charity. Sir Elton John's lyricist, Bernie Taupin (right), 71, was also awarded a CBE in the overseas and international list for his work in music Former EastEnders stars June Brown, 94, who played Dot Cotton, and Nitin Ganatra, 54, who appeared as Masood Ahmed, were both given OBEs. Elsewhere, Melanie Brown, 46, of the Spice Girls, better known as Mel B, has been made an MBE for her work with domestic violence charity Women's Aid. Film director John Boorman, 88, whose movies include 1967's Point Blank, is knighted, while Alistair Spalding, 64, boss of Sadler's Wells Theatre, has also received one for his work in dance. Ashley Banjo, 33, of Britain's Got Talent-winning dance troupe Diversity, was also awarded an MBE for services to dance. Television presenter Katie Piper, 38, who survived an acid attack in 2008 and went on to found The Katie Piper Foundation, is awarded an OBE for her services to charity and victims of disfigurement injuries. Australian comedian Adam Hills, 51, who hosts Channel 4's The Last Leg, is made an MBE for services to Paralympic sport and disability awareness. And Pauline Black, 68, lead singer of two-tone band The Selecter, has been made an OBE for services to entertainment. Youngest awarded at 11... and the oldest at 102 The youngest ever recipient of a New Year Honour said he was 'chuffed to bits' and cannot wait to pick up his award. Tobias Weller, 11, who has cerebral palsy and autism, was inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore to start raising money during the pandemic. He raised over 157,000 by completing three challenges. After receiving his British Empire Medal, Tobias, of Sheffield, said: 'My mum told me about the honour on Christmas Day and I thought, 'Wow, I'm actually going to get an honour from Her Majesty the Queen'.' Meanwhile, Henry Lewis was the oldest on the list at 102. The honorary vice president of magician's society The Magic Circle received an MBE for services to fundraising and charitable causes. The youngest ever recipient of a New Year Honour said he was 'chuffed to bits' and cannot wait to pick up his award. Tobias Weller, 11, who has cerebral palsy and autism, was inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore to start raising money during the pandemic Henry Lewis was the oldest on the list at 102. The honorary vice president of magician's society The Magic Circle received an MBE for services to fundraising and charitable causes Advertisement Another first for golden couple Laura and Jason By ANDY JEHRING for the Daily Mail Olympic champions Laura and Jason Kenny are the first husband and wife ever to be made knight and dame in the same honours list while an MBE completes a fairytale year for Emma Raducanu. The Kennys now have another accolade to add to their Olympic titles after receiving the awards for services to cycling. Kenny, 33, drew level with Sir Bradley Wiggins' record of eight medals when he picked up a silver in the team sprint at Tokyo this summer. He now has six gold and two silver medals, while his wife, 29, has five gold medals and one silver. Olympic champions Laura and Jason Kenny are the first husband and wife ever to be made knight and dame in the same honours list The Kennys now have another accolade to add to their Olympic titles after receiving the awards for services to cycling The couple, who have a four-year-old son, Albie, said they were 'humbled and also very proud' last night, and thanked the 'whole team of people behind us'. Tennis sensation Miss Raducanu, 19, caps off a dazzling breakthrough year with an MBE to add to her BBC Sports Personality of the Year and US Open win in New York. 'It makes me immensely proud and grateful,' she said. 'This year has been full of amazing surprises for me so to end 2021 with this appointment is very special.' Diver Tom Daley, 27, picks up an OBE for services to LGBTQ+ rights, while fellow swimmer and Strictly Come Dancing star Adam Peaty, also 27, also got an OBE. Paralympian Lauren Steadman, 29, another Strictly star, is awarded an MBE while seven-time Paralympic sprint champion Hannah Cockcroft, 29, is made an OBE. They are among 78 athletes honoured following their success at Tokyo 2020. Tennis sensation Emma Raducanu, 19, caps off a dazzling breakthrough year with an MBE to add to her BBC Sports Personality of the Year and US Open win in New York Paralympian Lauren Steadman, 29, another Strictly star, is awarded an MBE Diver Tom Daley, 27, picks up an OBE for services to LGBTQ+ rights Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis receives a CBE Consumer champion Martin Lewis has been made a CBE in the latest New Year Honours list for services to broadcasting and consumer rights Consumer champion Martin Lewis has been made a CBE in the latest New Year Honours list for services to broadcasting and consumer rights. But the finance expert said he almost missed out after Buckingham Palace sent his nomination to an old address. He said: 'I was genuinely very surprised. I knew some people had nominated me but it was way past the time when you're supposed to receive a letter. 'I then found out they had sent the letter to an old address and when I hadn't responded they got in touch, so I was properly gobsmacked.' The founder of the Money Saving Expert website added: 'The timing of this is pertinent and I'm not surprised because it's been a difficult couple of years for everyone.' It comes after a period in which he got to grips with helping households and businesses navigate the pandemic and ensuring people could claim what they were entitled to under various Government support schemes. He said: 'I had to learn quite a lot in a short time in helping to communicate to the public what help they could get and where they needed to seek it, along with communicating with the Government to point out the holes in what they were offering, and, let's be clear, there are holes.' Asked whether he thinks the latest honour, which follows an OBE in 2014, will lead him to be less critical of the Government, he said he will not let up his campaigning. 'Whilst I do not have an axe to grind with any political party, I will grind my axe over specific issues. I was grinding my axe after I got my OBE in 2014 and I hope to be grinding my axe until my hair is white.' The broadcaster added: 'Now my hope is all our lives soon return to normal, and my little girl, who was just a baby when I got presented (with) the OBE, can this time join my wife and I, when I get to receive this priceless honour.' Mr Lewis is also founder of the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute charity, and presenter of the Martin Lewis Money Show on ITV. Advertisement Camilla wins the highest approval the Queen can bestow: Duchess of Cornwall joins the elite Order of the Garter 'for services to the sovereign' after years of loyalty and discretion By REBECCA ENGLISH for the Daily Mail The Queen is personally awarding the Duchess of Cornwall the highest honour possible thanks to her 'service to the sovereign', it was announced last night. Camilla is to be made a Royal Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior of the Orders of Chivalry in Britain, Buckingham Palace said. The appointment will be seen as a royal seal of approval for the loyalty and discretion Camilla has shown since her marriage to the Prince of Wales in 2005. The Queen is personally awarding the Duchess of Cornwall the highest honour possible thanks to her 'service to the sovereign', it was announced last night Camilla is to be made a Royal Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior of the Orders of Chivalry in Britain, Buckingham Palace said. The appointment will be seen as a royal seal of approval for the loyalty and discretion Camilla has shown since her marriage to the Prince of Wales (above) in 2005 It will spark renewed speculation that the 95-year-old monarch may yet endorse Camilla to be Queen when she dies and Prince Charles accedes to the throne Clarence House says the 'intention' is for the duchess to become Princess Consort, showing sensitivity to previously negative public opinion over Camilla's role in the breakdown of Charles and Diana's marriage It will spark renewed speculation that the 95-year-old monarch may yet endorse Camilla to be Queen when she dies and Prince Charles accedes to the throne. Clarence House says the 'intention' is for the duchess to become Princess Consort, showing sensitivity to previously negative public opinion over Camilla's role in the breakdown of Charles and Diana's marriage. But Charles has never made any secret of his desire for Camilla to become queen by his side. And it is known that the Queen has been impressed by the way in which her daughter-in-law has embraced her public role and shown quiet and respectful dedication to both her husband and the institution of the monarchy. It was also revealed that Baroness Amos is to be made a Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter the first person from an ethnic minority to be appointed. She is a Labour politician and diplomat who has served as UN Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs and British High Commissioner to Australia. It was also revealed that Baroness Amos (above) is to be made a Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter the first person from an ethnic minority to be appointed. She is a Labour politician and diplomat who has served as UN Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs and British High Commissioner to Australia She was also Leader of the House of Lords and the chief executive of the Equal Opportunities Commission. The Order of the Garter was established by King Edward III in 1348 after he was inspired by the tales of King Arthur and the chivalry of the Knights of the Round Table. The number of Knights and Ladies Companion is limited to 24 in total at any one time. There is no limit to the number of royal members, however. Initially, the order's members were limited to the aristocracy but they are now men and women chosen from a variety of backgrounds, in recognition for their public service, their contribution to national life, or their personal service to the sovereign. The honour is personally bestowed by the monarch, with no interference from the Government. The patron saint of the order is St George and the spiritual home is St George's Chapel at Windsor. Its motto is 'Honi soit qui mal y pense', Old French for 'shame on him who thinks evil of it'. Vacancies are announced on St George's Day and only occasionally at New Year. It is thought that the Queen wanted this year's announcement to tie in with the New Year's Honours. Prince Philip was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Garter by King George VI in 1947 and it is believed that the Queen also wanted to ensure that both her son and his wife were members before her own change of reign. A Garter Day procession is held each June before a short service in St George's Chapel, at which any new companions are installed. Advertisement The decision to make Tony Blair a Sir has been met with anger by many on social media, as the former Prime Minister was branded a 'war criminal', with more than 25,000 signing a petition to block the award. Sir Tony has long faced a backlash over his decision to lead the UK into Iraq and Afghanistan, which cost the lives of 179 British personnel as well as many more civilians. But it was announced last night that he had been appointed to the Order of the Garter as a Knight Companion. Angus Scott launched the petition on Change.org shortly after news of the award was published. In an explanation in his petition, Mr Scott wrote: 'Tony Blair caused irreparable damage to both the constitution of the United Kingdom and to the very fabric of the nation's society. He was personally responsible for causing the death of countless innocent, civilian lives and servicement in various conflicts. For this alone he should be held accountable for war crimes.' All but one of the prime ministers before him were appointed a few years after leaving office. But Sir Tony waited over 14 years. It had been suggested that the Queen's strained relationship with him during his ten years in power may have contributed to the 'snub'. Current Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer MP, said: 'The last Labour government delivered enduring change from the national minimum wage to the peace process in Northern Ireland. My congratulations to Tony Blair on this recognition for his public service to our country.' On Twitter today, many made their feelings clear following the ennobling. Political commentator Liam Young wrote: 'The man should be in the dock of The Hague. What a shameful day.' Another said: 'The contempt in which Britain's elite holds the public has never been more eloquently expressed than in the decision to award Tony Blair the highest order of knighthood. One million Iraqis dead, three million dispossessed, a trail of blood to 7/7. Rise Sir Tony!' Many others demanded an overhaul of the honours system, with one user describing it as the 'favour for a friend' list. Sir Tony has faced years of criticism over the Iraq War, culminating in the devastating report by Sir John Chilcot in 2016, which found that the former prime minister overplayed evidence about Saddam Hussein's weaponry and ignored peaceful means to send troops into the country. In a devastating set of conclusions, Sir John found Blair presented the case for war with 'a certainty which was not justified' based on 'flawed' intelligence about Iraq's supposed weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The decision to make Tony Blair a Sir was met with anger by many on social media, as the former Prime Minister was branded a 'war criminal' Sir Tony has long faced a backlash over his decision to lead the UK into Iraq and Afghanistan, which cost the lives of 179 British personnel as well as many more civilians Blair then said he would 'take the same decision' to invade Iraq again if he was presented with the same intelligence as he set out a defiant defence after being savaged by the Chilcot report. The former prime minister put on a bullish performance as he responded to the long-awaited report and although he made a grovelling apology for the bloody consequences of the Iraq War, he attempted to shift the blame by saying the intelligence was not his responsibility. In a remarkable performance of self-defence at a special press conference that lasted for nearly two hours, the visibly humbled former prime minister described the decision to take military action to remove Hussein in 2003 as the 'hardest, most momentous, most agonising' of his 10 years in office. What are the different ranks of honours awarded by the Queen? Order of the Garter Founded in 1348, it is the most senior order of knighthood, outranked only by the Victoria Cross and the George Cross. Membership, granted for public service or service to the sovereign, is limited to 24 living people plus the Queen and the Prince of Wales. Companions of Honour (CH) The Order of the Companions of Honour was founded on June 4 1917 by George V and it limited to just 65 members at any one time. Appointments go to those who have made a long-standing contribution to arts, science, medicine or government. Two have been named in the latest list - former Labour MP and peer Frank Field, for public and political service, and Sir Paul Nurse, director of the Francis Crick Institute. Order of the Bath (DCB/KCB/CB) This recognises the work of senior military officials and civil servants. England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty (KCB) and chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance (KCB) were honoured in the New Year Honours list. - Order of St Michael and St George (Knight/GCMG/KCMG/DCMG/CMG) This recognises service in a foreign country, or in relation to foreign and Commonwealth affairs, such as the work of diplomats overseas. James Bond star Daniel Craig, was made a Companion of the Order, which is equivalent to a CBE and means he can use the post-nominals CMG, following his final outing as 007 in No Time To Die. Knighthood and damehood (Knight/DBE) These are usually bestowed on people who have made a major contribution at national level, who can use the titles Dame and Sir. England's deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam, Wales' chief medical officer Frank Atherton and Scotland's chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith were made knights. There were also damehoods for UK Health Security Agency chief Dr Jenny Harries and Dr June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) People are recognised under this honour if they have have a prominent but lesser role at national level, or a leading role at regional level. It also goes to those who make a distinguished, innovative contribution to any area. James Bond franchise producer Barbara Broccoli was among those made a CBE. Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) People are made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire if they have a major local role in any activity, including people whose work has made them known nationally. Among the 253 who were honoured in this way were Olympians Adam Peaty and Tom Daley. Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) This rank recognises outstanding achievements or service to the community which have had a long-term significant impact. A total of 508 people were made Members of the Order of the British Empire in the latest list, including tennis star Emma Raducanu, Diversity member Ashley Banjo and former Spice Girl Mel B. British Empire Medal (BEM) The BEM was reintroduced in 2012 by then prime minister David Cameron as part of his bid to make the honours system "classless", saying too few people making a difference in their areas were made MBEs. The medal went to 361 people in the New Year Honours. Advertisement At several points during his speech at Admiralty House in Whitehall he appeared to be close to tears as he accepted the 'serious criticisms' made of him and his government in the run up and aftermath of the Iraq War and said he accepted 'full responsibility, without exception, without excuse'. Responding to the publication of the Iraq War report, his voice cracked as he said: 'For all of this I express more sorrow, regret and apology than you may ever know or can believe.' He added later: 'The decisions I made I have carried with me for 13 years and will do so for the rest of my days. 'There will not be a day of my life where I do not relive and rethink what happened. But he claimed the Iraq Inquiry proved 'there were no lies' from him over the justification for invading Iraq in March 2003 and showed neither Parliament nor Cabinet were misled. And in the most extraordinary moment of his lengthy speech, Mr Blair insisted: 'If I was back in the same place, with the same information I would take the same decision because obviously that was the decision I believe was right. 'All I'm saying today, because obviously some of the intelligence has turned out to be wrong, the planning wasn't done properly, I have to accept those criticisims, I accept responsibility for them.' In another criticism on social media, John Smith the son of Second World War veteran and writer Harry Leslie Smith said the decision suggested it was 'okay' to kill people in their 'hundreds of thousands.' Sir Tony, who held the keys to Number 10 between 1997 and 2007, is appointed a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior British Order of Chivalry. The appointment, which is made by the Queen, has regularly been bestowed upon past prime ministers, with Sir John Major, Sir Tony's predecessor, the last to receive the honour. Sir Tony, a former Labour leader, said: 'It is an immense honour to be appointed Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, and I am deeply grateful to Her Majesty the Queen. 'It was a great privilege to serve as prime minister and I would like to thank all those who served alongside me, in politics, public service and all parts of our society, for their dedication and commitment to our country.' Sir Tony led New Labour to a landslide victory in 1997, winning two subsequent general elections before quitting Westminster a decade later, paving the way for his chancellor Gordon Brown to take over as prime minister. The 68-year-old famously branded Diana, Princess of Wales, the 'people's princess' after her death and was the UK leader during Allied military invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. The former barrister became a Middle East envoy and set up his own non-for-profit group, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, after leaving politics. Each year, Royal Knights and Ladies of the Order of the Garter gather at St George's Chapel in Windsor for a colourful procession and ceremony. Watched by crowds of onlookers, they walk down the hill to the chapel from the State Apartments, dressed in blue velvet mantles, red velvet hoods, black velvet hats and white ostrich plumes. Sir Tony, who left Downing Street more than 14 years ago, is one of three new appointments announced by the palace. Appointments to the Garter are in the Queen's gift and made without prime ministerial advice, and are usually announced on St George's Day, April 23, but the monarch can do so at any time, and has chosen to coincide with the New Year's Honours. They are for life unless a Knight or Lady Companion offends against certain 'points of reproach'. Founded in 1348 by Edward III, the Garter is awarded by the sovereign for outstanding public service and achievement. It is said to have been inspired by events at a ball in northern France, attended by the king and Joan, Countess of Salisbury. The countess is believed to have dropped her garter, causing laughter and some embarrassment. The chivalrous king, however, picked it up and wore it on his own leg, uttering the phrase 'Honi soit qui mal y pense' - 'Shame on him who thinks this evil' - now the Order's motto. The Order's emblem is a blue ribbon or garter worn by men below the left knee and by women on the left arm. There are now 21 non-royal companions in the order out of a maximum of 24. The decision to ennoble the former prime minister or Sir Tony, as he will now be known has been much debated in recent years. It had been suggested that the Queen's strained relationship with him during his ten years in power may have contributed to the 'snub'. (He is pictured with the Queen in 2005) Seven Chilcot allegations and seven Tony Blair denials: How the defiant former Prime Minister attempted to save his reputation 1). Chilcot: The intelligence justifying the invasion of Iraq was wrong. Tony Blair accepted the intelligence he based his decision has since turned out to be wrong but in a defiance performance he attempted to shift the blame by saying the intelligence was not his responsibility. 'The intelligence statements made at the time of going to war turned out to be wrong,' Blair said. 'The aftermath turned out more hostile, protracted and bloody than we ever imagined. 'The Coalition planned for one set of ground facts and encountered another. A nation whose people we wanted to see free and secure from the evil of Saddam became instead victim of sectarian terrorism. For all of this I express more sorrow, regret and apology and in greater measure than you can know or may believe. 2) Chilcot: Going to war in Iraq was 'not a last resort'. Blair again disagreed, insisting he had not rushed to war and said all other avenues had been exhausted. 'Given the impasse at the UN and the insistence of the USA for reasons I completely understood and with hundreds of thousands of troops in theatre which could not be kept in situ indefinitely it was the last moment of decision for us, as the report accepts. By then, the US was going to move with us or without us.' 3) Chilcot said Britain and the USA undermined the UN's authority by rushing to war without a second resolution. Blair's response: 'The reality is that we Britain had continually tried to act with the authority of the UN. I successfully convinced the Americans to go back to the UN in November 2002 to secure resolution 1441.' 4) Chilcot: Britain could have refused to support George W Bush Blair said Britain had been America's 'core partner' in the post-9/11 era and standing side-by-side the USA was 'a vital national interest'. He said: '9/11 was an event like no other in US history. I considered it an attack on all the free world. I believed that Britain as America's strongest ally should be with them in tackling this new and unprecedented security challenge. I believed it important that America was not alone but part of a wider coalition. In the end, a majority even of the European Union nations supported action in Iraq. 'I do not believe we would have had that coalition or persuaded the Bush Administration to go down the UN route without our commitment to be alongside America.' 5) Chicot: Blair's government was warned that removing Saddam Hussein without an adequate plan for the aftermath could lead to Iraq's weapons and capabilities falling into the hands of terrorists. Blair's response: 'I profoundly disagree. Saddam was himself a wellspring of terror, a continuing threat to peace and to his own people. 'Had he been left in power in 2003, then I believe, for the detailed reasons I shall give, he would once again have threatened world peace, and when the Arab revolutions of 2011 began, he would have clung to power with the same deadly consequences as we see in the carnage of Syria; whereas at least in Iraq, for all its challenges, we have today a Government, recognised as legitimate, fighting terrorism with the international community in support of it.' 6) Chilcot: Blair was warned of sectarian infighting and bloodletting after ousting Saddam Hussein. Blair's response: 'I accept that but would point out that nowhere were these highlighted as the main risk and in any event what we faced was not the anticipated internal bloodletting but an all-out insurgency stimulated by external arms and money.' 7) Chilcot: The Ministry of Defence, Britain's Armed Forces and the intelligence services were also to blame for leaving servicemen overstretched, humiliated and under deadly attack due to a serious shortage of vital equipment Responding to this claim, Blair was at his most contrite, insisting he took full responsibility. 'I do not think it is fair or accurate to criticise the Armed Forces, Intelligence Services, or civil service. It was my decision they were acting upon,' he said. 'The Armed Forces in particular did an extraordinary job throughout our engagement in Iraq in the incredibly difficult mission we gave them. I pay tribute to them. Any faults derive from my decisions and should not attach to them. They are people of enormous dedication and courage and the country should be very proud of them.' Advertisement Arise, Sir Covid!: Government scientific advisers Chris Whitty and Jonathan Van-Tam are knighted and rewards for Kate Garraway, Sir Patrick Vallance and public health chief Dr Jenny Harries for 'Covid-related services' in the 2022 New Year's Honours list Britain's Covid heroes are recognised in the New Year Honours today, with top gongs for Government scientific advisers Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance and an MBE for Kate Garraway. The scientists were among hundreds who were awarded for 'Covid-related service', which accounted for nearly a fifth of all those recognised. Meanwhile TV presenter Miss Garraway, 54, received her honour for services to broadcasting after documenting husband Derek Draper's battle with the illness. Britain's Covid heroes are recognised in the New Year Honours today, with top gongs for Government scientific advisers Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance Meanwhile TV presenter Kate Garraway, 54, received her MBE honour for services to broadcasting after documenting husband Derek Draper's battle with the illness Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick (left), 61, will get an upgrade to become a knight commander of the Order of the Bath. Chief medical officer Professor Whitty (right) , 55, is also made a knight commander of the Order of the Bath Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: 'It has been a privilege to work with such dedicated professionals who have worked relentlessly throughout the pandemic providing expert advice so we can keep people safe. 'This year the Honours List rightly recognises those whose efforts have helped us deliver world-leading testing and vaccination programmes, and I am deeply grateful for their hard work.' Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick, 61, will get an upgrade to become a knight commander of the Order of the Bath. Professor Whitty's deputy, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, 57, becomes a knight bachelor Dr Jenny Harries (left), 63, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, will become a dame for services to health. Damehoods also go to NHS England vaccine deployment lead Dr Emily Lawson and Dr June Raine (right), chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency Scottish chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith (pictured) and his Welsh counterpart Dr Frank Atherton were also knighted for services to public health He was already a knight bachelor the standard level of knighthood after being honoured in 2019. He said last night he was 'pleased to see so many outstanding scientists and engineers recognised'. Chief medical officer Professor Whitty, 55, is also made a knight commander of the Order of the Bath. Sir Trevor, the equalities tsar Trvor Phillips, 62, was the founding chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and was previously the head of the Commission for Racial Equality Broadcaster and former government equalities tsar Trevor Phillips has been knighted for services to human rights. Mr Phillips, 62, was the founding chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and was previously the head of the Commission for Racial Equality. The presenter who has fronted Sky News' Sunday morning programme while Sophy Ridge is on maternity leave has highlighted the lack of diversity at the highest levels of politics, business and the media. Advertisement His deputy, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, 57, becomes a knight bachelor. Dr Jenny Harries, 63, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, will become a dame for services to health. Damehoods also go to NHS England vaccine deployment lead Dr Emily Lawson and Dr June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Scottish chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith and his Welsh counterpart Dr Frank Atherton were also knighted for services to public health. The pandemic dominated the list, with 207 people honoured for services 'during Covid-19' and 17 specifically for 'services to the Covid-19 response'. Vaccine developers around the world were also rewarded in the overseas and international list for helping give Britain one of best jab rollouts on the planet. American Pfizer chief development officer Rod MacKenzie and German BioNTech chief business and commercial officer Sean Marett are both made Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George for services to vaccine development and distribution. Moderna chief development officer Melanie Ivarsson, who is also American, receives an OBE. In Britain, Mohammed Aziz, Boots director of healthcare services, is awarded an OBE for providing testing for Covid. Major supermarket chiefs were awarded for keeping supply chains running. Former Asda chief executive Roger Burnley, 55, and Co-Op chief executive Steven Murrells, 56, both received CBEs, while Morrisons supply chain manager Angela Johnson got an MBE. Nobel Prize-winning geneticist Sir Paul Nurse, 72, who is made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour, said this year's honours list was a 'recognition of the importance' of science. Away from the pandemic, former Labour MP Frank Field, 79, joined Sir Paul in being appointed to the Order of the Companions of Honour. Lord Field of Birkenhead, who has been a politician for 40 years, said: 'It's a terrific privilege.' Tory former ministers Robert Buckland and Caroline Dinenage are also in line for honours. Ex-justice secretary Mr Buckland, who was sacked in Boris Johnson's reshuffle in September to make way for Dominic Raab, is made a knight. Gosport MP Miss Dinenage, who was ousted as minister of state for digital and culture, is made a dame. Government sources insisted the honours were for their ministerial service, rather than a consolation for being sacked. Major supermarket chiefs were awarded for keeping supply chains running. Former Asda chief executive Roger Burnley (left), 55, and Co-Op chief executive Steven Murrells (right), 56, both received CBEs, while Morrisons supply chain manager Angela Johnson got an MBE Away from the pandemic, former Labour MP Frank Field (above), 79, joined Sir Paul in being appointed to the Order of the Companions of Honour. Lord Field of Birkenhead, who has been a politician for 40 years, said: 'It's a terrific privilege' Tory former ministers Robert Buckland (left) and Caroline Dinenage (right) are also in line for honours. Ex-justice secretary Mr Buckland, who was sacked in Boris Johnson's reshuffle in September to make way for Dominic Raab, is made a knight. Gosport MP Miss Dinenage, who was ousted as minister of state for digital and culture, is made a dame Regarded as one of the greatest actresses of her generation, the 84-year-old has become Dame Vanessa in recognition of her services to drama At 84, Vanessa Redgrave decides there's nothing like a damehood By ELEANOR SHARPLES for the Daily Mail She is a lifelong socialist and turned down a damehood in 1999 as she objected to any honour linked to the 'British Empire'. But Vanessa Redgrave appears to have overcome her qualms as she today accepts the award in the New Year Honours List. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses of her generation, the 84-year-old has become Dame Vanessa in recognition of her services to drama. Other actors honoured today include former Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley, who has also been made a dame. Dame Vanessa, who won an Oscar for her role in the 1977 film Julia, was previously honoured in 1967 when she was given a CBE. Questioned about reports that she had turned down a damehood, she said in 2002: 'My difficulty is in receiving anything that says British Empire because I am a Unicef special representative at the service of children from any country. If there were no mention of the British Empire, I would be as honoured as anybody. ' At a press conference at the Venice Film Festival in 2018, the actress claimed that she had declined the damehood in protest at the Iraq War and former prime minister Tony Blair. But the Iraq War did not start until 2003. Dame Vanessa said at the time that she would 'never say I refused an honour from the Queen'. But she added: 'But I could not and would not accept any honour from Mr Blair, when he has taken our country, and so many people, to war on the basis of a lie.' Dame Joanna, 75, who was awarded an OBE in 1995, has been honoured for her services to drama, entertainment and charitable causes. She said: 'I am astonished and thrilled and touched beyond words...' The actress, known for roles in The New Avengers and as the boozy Patsy Stone in Absolutely Fabulous, has also made a name for herself fighting for the rights of Gurkhas to settle in the UK. Meanwhile, actor Daniel Craig, 53, whose final film as 007, No Time to Die, was released this autumn, was given the rare honour of being made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) the same award given to Bond in Ian Fleming's novels. A CMG is normally given to those who have performed extraordinary services abroad. Other actors honoured today include former Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley (left), who has also been made a dame. Elsewhere, Melanie Brown (right), 46, of the Spice Girls, better known as Mel B, has been made an MBE for her work with domestic violence charity Women's Aid Actor Daniel Craig, 53, whose final film as 007, No Time to Die, was released this autumn, was given the rare honour of being made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) the same award given to Bond in Ian Fleming's novels. A CMG is normally given to those who have performed extraordinary services abroad The movies' producer, Barbara Broccoli, 61, was awarded a CBE for services to film, as was her half-brother, Bond producer and scriptwriter Michael Wilson, 79. There were also CBEs for film director Paul Greengrass, 66, who created the rival Jason Bourne movies, and author Anthony Horowitz, also 66, who has written three Bond novels. Other stars to be recognised include newsreader Moira Stuart, who has been given a CBE. Sir Elton John's lyricist, Bernie Taupin, 71, was also awarded a CBE in the overseas and international list for his work in music. Coronation Street's William Roache, 89, who appeared in the show's very first episode as Ken Barlow in December 1960, has been awarded an OBE for his services to drama and charity. Cherylee Houston, 47, who played wheelchair user Izzy Armstrong in the soap, has been given an MBE for her work in drama and for people with disabilities. Coronation Street's William Roache (left), 89, who appeared in the show's very first episode as Ken Barlow in December 1960, has been awarded an OBE for his services to drama and charity. Sir Elton John's lyricist, Bernie Taupin (right), 71, was also awarded a CBE in the overseas and international list for his work in music Former EastEnders stars June Brown, 94, who played Dot Cotton, and Nitin Ganatra, 54, who appeared as Masood Ahmed, were both given OBEs. Elsewhere, Melanie Brown, 46, of the Spice Girls, better known as Mel B, has been made an MBE for her work with domestic violence charity Women's Aid. Film director John Boorman, 88, whose movies include 1967's Point Blank, is knighted, while Alistair Spalding, 64, boss of Sadler's Wells Theatre, has also received one for his work in dance. Ashley Banjo, 33, of Britain's Got Talent-winning dance troupe Diversity, was also awarded an MBE for services to dance. Television presenter Katie Piper, 38, who survived an acid attack in 2008 and went on to found The Katie Piper Foundation, is awarded an OBE for her services to charity and victims of disfigurement injuries. Australian comedian Adam Hills, 51, who hosts Channel 4's The Last Leg, is made an MBE for services to Paralympic sport and disability awareness. And Pauline Black, 68, lead singer of two-tone band The Selecter, has been made an OBE for services to entertainment. Youngest awarded at 11... and the oldest at 102 The youngest ever recipient of a New Year Honour said he was 'chuffed to bits' and cannot wait to pick up his award. Tobias Weller, 11, who has cerebral palsy and autism, was inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore to start raising money during the pandemic. He raised over 157,000 by completing three challenges. After receiving his British Empire Medal, Tobias, of Sheffield, said: 'My mum told me about the honour on Christmas Day and I thought, 'Wow, I'm actually going to get an honour from Her Majesty the Queen'.' Meanwhile, Henry Lewis was the oldest on the list at 102. The honorary vice president of magician's society The Magic Circle received an MBE for services to fundraising and charitable causes. The youngest ever recipient of a New Year Honour said he was 'chuffed to bits' and cannot wait to pick up his award. Tobias Weller, 11, who has cerebral palsy and autism, was inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore to start raising money during the pandemic Henry Lewis was the oldest on the list at 102. The honorary vice president of magician's society The Magic Circle received an MBE for services to fundraising and charitable causes Advertisement Another first for golden couple Laura and Jason By ANDY JEHRING for the Daily Mail Olympic champions Laura and Jason Kenny are the first husband and wife ever to be made knight and dame in the same honours list while an MBE completes a fairytale year for Emma Raducanu. The Kennys now have another accolade to add to their Olympic titles after receiving the awards for services to cycling. Kenny, 33, drew level with Sir Bradley Wiggins' record of eight medals when he picked up a silver in the team sprint at Tokyo this summer. He now has six gold and two silver medals, while his wife, 29, has five gold medals and one silver. Olympic champions Laura and Jason Kenny are the first husband and wife ever to be made knight and dame in the same honours list The Kennys now have another accolade to add to their Olympic titles after receiving the awards for services to cycling The couple, who have a four-year-old son, Albie, said they were 'humbled and also very proud' last night, and thanked the 'whole team of people behind us'. Tennis sensation Miss Raducanu, 19, caps off a dazzling breakthrough year with an MBE to add to her BBC Sports Personality of the Year and US Open win in New York. 'It makes me immensely proud and grateful,' she said. 'This year has been full of amazing surprises for me so to end 2021 with this appointment is very special.' Diver Tom Daley, 27, picks up an OBE for services to LGBTQ+ rights, while fellow swimmer and Strictly Come Dancing star Adam Peaty, also 27, also got an OBE. Paralympian Lauren Steadman, 29, another Strictly star, is awarded an MBE while seven-time Paralympic sprint champion Hannah Cockcroft, 29, is made an OBE. They are among 78 athletes honoured following their success at Tokyo 2020. Tennis sensation Emma Raducanu, 19, caps off a dazzling breakthrough year with an MBE to add to her BBC Sports Personality of the Year and US Open win in New York Paralympian Lauren Steadman, 29, another Strictly star, is awarded an MBE Diver Tom Daley, 27, picks up an OBE for services to LGBTQ+ rights Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis receives a CBE Consumer champion Martin Lewis has been made a CBE in the latest New Year Honours list for services to broadcasting and consumer rights Consumer champion Martin Lewis has been made a CBE in the latest New Year Honours list for services to broadcasting and consumer rights. But the finance expert said he almost missed out after Buckingham Palace sent his nomination to an old address. He said: 'I was genuinely very surprised. I knew some people had nominated me but it was way past the time when you're supposed to receive a letter. 'I then found out they had sent the letter to an old address and when I hadn't responded they got in touch, so I was properly gobsmacked.' The founder of the Money Saving Expert website added: 'The timing of this is pertinent and I'm not surprised because it's been a difficult couple of years for everyone.' It comes after a period in which he got to grips with helping households and businesses navigate the pandemic and ensuring people could claim what they were entitled to under various Government support schemes. He said: 'I had to learn quite a lot in a short time in helping to communicate to the public what help they could get and where they needed to seek it, along with communicating with the Government to point out the holes in what they were offering, and, let's be clear, there are holes.' Asked whether he thinks the latest honour, which follows an OBE in 2014, will lead him to be less critical of the Government, he said he will not let up his campaigning. 'Whilst I do not have an axe to grind with any political party, I will grind my axe over specific issues. I was grinding my axe after I got my OBE in 2014 and I hope to be grinding my axe until my hair is white.' The broadcaster added: 'Now my hope is all our lives soon return to normal, and my little girl, who was just a baby when I got presented (with) the OBE, can this time join my wife and I, when I get to receive this priceless honour.' Mr Lewis is also founder of the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute charity, and presenter of the Martin Lewis Money Show on ITV. Advertisement Camilla wins the highest approval the Queen can bestow: Duchess of Cornwall joins the elite Order of the Garter 'for services to the sovereign' after years of loyalty and discretion By REBECCA ENGLISH for the Daily Mail The Queen is personally awarding the Duchess of Cornwall the highest honour possible thanks to her 'service to the sovereign', it was announced last night. Camilla is to be made a Royal Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior of the Orders of Chivalry in Britain, Buckingham Palace said. The appointment will be seen as a royal seal of approval for the loyalty and discretion Camilla has shown since her marriage to the Prince of Wales in 2005. The Queen is personally awarding the Duchess of Cornwall the highest honour possible thanks to her 'service to the sovereign', it was announced last night Camilla is to be made a Royal Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior of the Orders of Chivalry in Britain, Buckingham Palace said. The appointment will be seen as a royal seal of approval for the loyalty and discretion Camilla has shown since her marriage to the Prince of Wales (above) in 2005 It will spark renewed speculation that the 95-year-old monarch may yet endorse Camilla to be Queen when she dies and Prince Charles accedes to the throne Clarence House says the 'intention' is for the duchess to become Princess Consort, showing sensitivity to previously negative public opinion over Camilla's role in the breakdown of Charles and Diana's marriage It will spark renewed speculation that the 95-year-old monarch may yet endorse Camilla to be Queen when she dies and Prince Charles accedes to the throne. Clarence House says the 'intention' is for the duchess to become Princess Consort, showing sensitivity to previously negative public opinion over Camilla's role in the breakdown of Charles and Diana's marriage. But Charles has never made any secret of his desire for Camilla to become queen by his side. And it is known that the Queen has been impressed by the way in which her daughter-in-law has embraced her public role and shown quiet and respectful dedication to both her husband and the institution of the monarchy. It was also revealed that Baroness Amos is to be made a Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter the first person from an ethnic minority to be appointed. She is a Labour politician and diplomat who has served as UN Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs and British High Commissioner to Australia. It was also revealed that Baroness Amos (above) is to be made a Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter the first person from an ethnic minority to be appointed. She is a Labour politician and diplomat who has served as UN Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs and British High Commissioner to Australia She was also Leader of the House of Lords and the chief executive of the Equal Opportunities Commission. The Order of the Garter was established by King Edward III in 1348 after he was inspired by the tales of King Arthur and the chivalry of the Knights of the Round Table. The number of Knights and Ladies Companion is limited to 24 in total at any one time. There is no limit to the number of royal members, however. Initially, the order's members were limited to the aristocracy but they are now men and women chosen from a variety of backgrounds, in recognition for their public service, their contribution to national life, or their personal service to the sovereign. The honour is personally bestowed by the monarch, with no interference from the Government. The patron saint of the order is St George and the spiritual home is St George's Chapel at Windsor. Its motto is 'Honi soit qui mal y pense', Old French for 'shame on him who thinks evil of it'. Vacancies are announced on St George's Day and only occasionally at New Year. It is thought that the Queen wanted this year's announcement to tie in with the New Year's Honours. Prince Philip was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Garter by King George VI in 1947 and it is believed that the Queen also wanted to ensure that both her son and his wife were members before her own change of reign. A Garter Day procession is held each June before a short service in St George's Chapel, at which any new companions are installed. Advertisement The decision to make Tony Blair a Sir has been met with anger by many on social media, as the former Prime Minister was branded a 'war criminal', with more than 25,000 signing a petition to block the award. Sir Tony has long faced a backlash over his decision to lead the UK into Iraq and Afghanistan, which cost the lives of 179 British personnel as well as many more civilians. But it was announced last night that he had been appointed to the Order of the Garter as a Knight Companion. Angus Scott launched the petition on Change.org shortly after news of the award was published. In an explanation in his petition, Mr Scott wrote: 'Tony Blair caused irreparable damage to both the constitution of the United Kingdom and to the very fabric of the nation's society. He was personally responsible for causing the death of countless innocent, civilian lives and servicement in various conflicts. For this alone he should be held accountable for war crimes.' All but one of the prime ministers before him were appointed a few years after leaving office. But Sir Tony waited over 14 years. It had been suggested that the Queen's strained relationship with him during his ten years in power may have contributed to the 'snub'. Current Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer MP, said: 'The last Labour government delivered enduring change from the national minimum wage to the peace process in Northern Ireland. My congratulations to Tony Blair on this recognition for his public service to our country.' On Twitter today, many made their feelings clear following the ennobling. Political commentator Liam Young wrote: 'The man should be in the dock of The Hague. What a shameful day.' Another said: 'The contempt in which Britain's elite holds the public has never been more eloquently expressed than in the decision to award Tony Blair the highest order of knighthood. One million Iraqis dead, three million dispossessed, a trail of blood to 7/7. Rise Sir Tony!' Many others demanded an overhaul of the honours system, with one user describing it as the 'favour for a friend' list. Sir Tony has faced years of criticism over the Iraq War, culminating in the devastating report by Sir John Chilcot in 2016, which found that the former prime minister overplayed evidence about Saddam Hussein's weaponry and ignored peaceful means to send troops into the country. In a devastating set of conclusions, Sir John found Blair presented the case for war with 'a certainty which was not justified' based on 'flawed' intelligence about Iraq's supposed weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The decision to make Tony Blair a Sir was met with anger by many on social media, as the former Prime Minister was branded a 'war criminal' Sir Tony has long faced a backlash over his decision to lead the UK into Iraq and Afghanistan, which cost the lives of 179 British personnel as well as many more civilians Blair then said he would 'take the same decision' to invade Iraq again if he was presented with the same intelligence as he set out a defiant defence after being savaged by the Chilcot report. The former prime minister put on a bullish performance as he responded to the long-awaited report and although he made a grovelling apology for the bloody consequences of the Iraq War, he attempted to shift the blame by saying the intelligence was not his responsibility. In a remarkable performance of self-defence at a special press conference that lasted for nearly two hours, the visibly humbled former prime minister described the decision to take military action to remove Hussein in 2003 as the 'hardest, most momentous, most agonising' of his 10 years in office. What are the different ranks of honours awarded by the Queen? Order of the Garter Founded in 1348, it is the most senior order of knighthood, outranked only by the Victoria Cross and the George Cross. Membership, granted for public service or service to the sovereign, is limited to 24 living people plus the Queen and the Prince of Wales. Companions of Honour (CH) The Order of the Companions of Honour was founded on June 4 1917 by George V and it limited to just 65 members at any one time. Appointments go to those who have made a long-standing contribution to arts, science, medicine or government. Two have been named in the latest list - former Labour MP and peer Frank Field, for public and political service, and Sir Paul Nurse, director of the Francis Crick Institute. Order of the Bath (DCB/KCB/CB) This recognises the work of senior military officials and civil servants. England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty (KCB) and chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance (KCB) were honoured in the New Year Honours list. - Order of St Michael and St George (Knight/GCMG/KCMG/DCMG/CMG) This recognises service in a foreign country, or in relation to foreign and Commonwealth affairs, such as the work of diplomats overseas. James Bond star Daniel Craig, was made a Companion of the Order, which is equivalent to a CBE and means he can use the post-nominals CMG, following his final outing as 007 in No Time To Die. Knighthood and damehood (Knight/DBE) These are usually bestowed on people who have made a major contribution at national level, who can use the titles Dame and Sir. England's deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam, Wales' chief medical officer Frank Atherton and Scotland's chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith were made knights. There were also damehoods for UK Health Security Agency chief Dr Jenny Harries and Dr June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) People are recognised under this honour if they have have a prominent but lesser role at national level, or a leading role at regional level. It also goes to those who make a distinguished, innovative contribution to any area. James Bond franchise producer Barbara Broccoli was among those made a CBE. Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) People are made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire if they have a major local role in any activity, including people whose work has made them known nationally. Among the 253 who were honoured in this way were Olympians Adam Peaty and Tom Daley. Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) This rank recognises outstanding achievements or service to the community which have had a long-term significant impact. A total of 508 people were made Members of the Order of the British Empire in the latest list, including tennis star Emma Raducanu, Diversity member Ashley Banjo and former Spice Girl Mel B. British Empire Medal (BEM) The BEM was reintroduced in 2012 by then prime minister David Cameron as part of his bid to make the honours system "classless", saying too few people making a difference in their areas were made MBEs. The medal went to 361 people in the New Year Honours. Advertisement At several points during his speech at Admiralty House in Whitehall he appeared to be close to tears as he accepted the 'serious criticisms' made of him and his government in the run up and aftermath of the Iraq War and said he accepted 'full responsibility, without exception, without excuse'. Responding to the publication of the Iraq War report, his voice cracked as he said: 'For all of this I express more sorrow, regret and apology than you may ever know or can believe.' He added later: 'The decisions I made I have carried with me for 13 years and will do so for the rest of my days. 'There will not be a day of my life where I do not relive and rethink what happened. But he claimed the Iraq Inquiry proved 'there were no lies' from him over the justification for invading Iraq in March 2003 and showed neither Parliament nor Cabinet were misled. And in the most extraordinary moment of his lengthy speech, Mr Blair insisted: 'If I was back in the same place, with the same information I would take the same decision because obviously that was the decision I believe was right. 'All I'm saying today, because obviously some of the intelligence has turned out to be wrong, the planning wasn't done properly, I have to accept those criticisims, I accept responsibility for them.' In another criticism on social media, John Smith the son of Second World War veteran and writer Harry Leslie Smith said the decision suggested it was 'okay' to kill people in their 'hundreds of thousands.' Sir Tony, who held the keys to Number 10 between 1997 and 2007, is appointed a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior British Order of Chivalry. The appointment, which is made by the Queen, has regularly been bestowed upon past prime ministers, with Sir John Major, Sir Tony's predecessor, the last to receive the honour. Sir Tony, a former Labour leader, said: 'It is an immense honour to be appointed Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, and I am deeply grateful to Her Majesty the Queen. 'It was a great privilege to serve as prime minister and I would like to thank all those who served alongside me, in politics, public service and all parts of our society, for their dedication and commitment to our country.' Sir Tony led New Labour to a landslide victory in 1997, winning two subsequent general elections before quitting Westminster a decade later, paving the way for his chancellor Gordon Brown to take over as prime minister. The 68-year-old famously branded Diana, Princess of Wales, the 'people's princess' after her death and was the UK leader during Allied military invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. The former barrister became a Middle East envoy and set up his own non-for-profit group, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, after leaving politics. Each year, Royal Knights and Ladies of the Order of the Garter gather at St George's Chapel in Windsor for a colourful procession and ceremony. Watched by crowds of onlookers, they walk down the hill to the chapel from the State Apartments, dressed in blue velvet mantles, red velvet hoods, black velvet hats and white ostrich plumes. Sir Tony, who left Downing Street more than 14 years ago, is one of three new appointments announced by the palace. Appointments to the Garter are in the Queen's gift and made without prime ministerial advice, and are usually announced on St George's Day, April 23, but the monarch can do so at any time, and has chosen to coincide with the New Year's Honours. They are for life unless a Knight or Lady Companion offends against certain 'points of reproach'. Founded in 1348 by Edward III, the Garter is awarded by the sovereign for outstanding public service and achievement. It is said to have been inspired by events at a ball in northern France, attended by the king and Joan, Countess of Salisbury. The countess is believed to have dropped her garter, causing laughter and some embarrassment. The chivalrous king, however, picked it up and wore it on his own leg, uttering the phrase 'Honi soit qui mal y pense' - 'Shame on him who thinks this evil' - now the Order's motto. The Order's emblem is a blue ribbon or garter worn by men below the left knee and by women on the left arm. There are now 21 non-royal companions in the order out of a maximum of 24. The decision to ennoble the former prime minister or Sir Tony, as he will now be known has been much debated in recent years. It had been suggested that the Queen's strained relationship with him during his ten years in power may have contributed to the 'snub'. (He is pictured with the Queen in 2005) Seven Chilcot allegations and seven Tony Blair denials: How the defiant former Prime Minister attempted to save his reputation 1). Chilcot: The intelligence justifying the invasion of Iraq was wrong. Tony Blair accepted the intelligence he based his decision has since turned out to be wrong but in a defiance performance he attempted to shift the blame by saying the intelligence was not his responsibility. 'The intelligence statements made at the time of going to war turned out to be wrong,' Blair said. 'The aftermath turned out more hostile, protracted and bloody than we ever imagined. 'The Coalition planned for one set of ground facts and encountered another. A nation whose people we wanted to see free and secure from the evil of Saddam became instead victim of sectarian terrorism. For all of this I express more sorrow, regret and apology and in greater measure than you can know or may believe. 2) Chilcot: Going to war in Iraq was 'not a last resort'. Blair again disagreed, insisting he had not rushed to war and said all other avenues had been exhausted. 'Given the impasse at the UN and the insistence of the USA for reasons I completely understood and with hundreds of thousands of troops in theatre which could not be kept in situ indefinitely it was the last moment of decision for us, as the report accepts. By then, the US was going to move with us or without us.' 3) Chilcot said Britain and the USA undermined the UN's authority by rushing to war without a second resolution. Blair's response: 'The reality is that we Britain had continually tried to act with the authority of the UN. I successfully convinced the Americans to go back to the UN in November 2002 to secure resolution 1441.' 4) Chilcot: Britain could have refused to support George W Bush Blair said Britain had been America's 'core partner' in the post-9/11 era and standing side-by-side the USA was 'a vital national interest'. He said: '9/11 was an event like no other in US history. I considered it an attack on all the free world. I believed that Britain as America's strongest ally should be with them in tackling this new and unprecedented security challenge. I believed it important that America was not alone but part of a wider coalition. In the end, a majority even of the European Union nations supported action in Iraq. 'I do not believe we would have had that coalition or persuaded the Bush Administration to go down the UN route without our commitment to be alongside America.' 5) Chicot: Blair's government was warned that removing Saddam Hussein without an adequate plan for the aftermath could lead to Iraq's weapons and capabilities falling into the hands of terrorists. Blair's response: 'I profoundly disagree. Saddam was himself a wellspring of terror, a continuing threat to peace and to his own people. 'Had he been left in power in 2003, then I believe, for the detailed reasons I shall give, he would once again have threatened world peace, and when the Arab revolutions of 2011 began, he would have clung to power with the same deadly consequences as we see in the carnage of Syria; whereas at least in Iraq, for all its challenges, we have today a Government, recognised as legitimate, fighting terrorism with the international community in support of it.' 6) Chilcot: Blair was warned of sectarian infighting and bloodletting after ousting Saddam Hussein. Blair's response: 'I accept that but would point out that nowhere were these highlighted as the main risk and in any event what we faced was not the anticipated internal bloodletting but an all-out insurgency stimulated by external arms and money.' 7) Chilcot: The Ministry of Defence, Britain's Armed Forces and the intelligence services were also to blame for leaving servicemen overstretched, humiliated and under deadly attack due to a serious shortage of vital equipment Responding to this claim, Blair was at his most contrite, insisting he took full responsibility. 'I do not think it is fair or accurate to criticise the Armed Forces, Intelligence Services, or civil service. It was my decision they were acting upon,' he said. 'The Armed Forces in particular did an extraordinary job throughout our engagement in Iraq in the incredibly difficult mission we gave them. I pay tribute to them. Any faults derive from my decisions and should not attach to them. They are people of enormous dedication and courage and the country should be very proud of them.' Advertisement Arise, Sir Covid!: Government scientific advisers Chris Whitty and Jonathan Van-Tam are knighted and rewards for Kate Garraway, Sir Patrick Vallance and public health chief Dr Jenny Harries for 'Covid-related services' in the 2022 New Year's Honours list Britain's Covid heroes are recognised in the New Year Honours today, with top gongs for Government scientific advisers Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance and an MBE for Kate Garraway. The scientists were among hundreds who were awarded for 'Covid-related service', which accounted for nearly a fifth of all those recognised. Meanwhile TV presenter Miss Garraway, 54, received her honour for services to broadcasting after documenting husband Derek Draper's battle with the illness. Britain's Covid heroes are recognised in the New Year Honours today, with top gongs for Government scientific advisers Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance Meanwhile TV presenter Kate Garraway, 54, received her MBE honour for services to broadcasting after documenting husband Derek Draper's battle with the illness Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick (left), 61, will get an upgrade to become a knight commander of the Order of the Bath. Chief medical officer Professor Whitty (right) , 55, is also made a knight commander of the Order of the Bath Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: 'It has been a privilege to work with such dedicated professionals who have worked relentlessly throughout the pandemic providing expert advice so we can keep people safe. 'This year the Honours List rightly recognises those whose efforts have helped us deliver world-leading testing and vaccination programmes, and I am deeply grateful for their hard work.' Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick, 61, will get an upgrade to become a knight commander of the Order of the Bath. Professor Whitty's deputy, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, 57, becomes a knight bachelor Dr Jenny Harries (left), 63, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, will become a dame for services to health. Damehoods also go to NHS England vaccine deployment lead Dr Emily Lawson and Dr June Raine (right), chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency Scottish chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith (pictured) and his Welsh counterpart Dr Frank Atherton were also knighted for services to public health He was already a knight bachelor the standard level of knighthood after being honoured in 2019. He said last night he was 'pleased to see so many outstanding scientists and engineers recognised'. Chief medical officer Professor Whitty, 55, is also made a knight commander of the Order of the Bath. Sir Trevor, the equalities tsar Trvor Phillips, 62, was the founding chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and was previously the head of the Commission for Racial Equality Broadcaster and former government equalities tsar Trevor Phillips has been knighted for services to human rights. Mr Phillips, 62, was the founding chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and was previously the head of the Commission for Racial Equality. The presenter who has fronted Sky News' Sunday morning programme while Sophy Ridge is on maternity leave has highlighted the lack of diversity at the highest levels of politics, business and the media. Advertisement His deputy, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, 57, becomes a knight bachelor. Dr Jenny Harries, 63, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, will become a dame for services to health. Damehoods also go to NHS England vaccine deployment lead Dr Emily Lawson and Dr June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Scottish chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith and his Welsh counterpart Dr Frank Atherton were also knighted for services to public health. The pandemic dominated the list, with 207 people honoured for services 'during Covid-19' and 17 specifically for 'services to the Covid-19 response'. Vaccine developers around the world were also rewarded in the overseas and international list for helping give Britain one of best jab rollouts on the planet. American Pfizer chief development officer Rod MacKenzie and German BioNTech chief business and commercial officer Sean Marett are both made Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George for services to vaccine development and distribution. Moderna chief development officer Melanie Ivarsson, who is also American, receives an OBE. In Britain, Mohammed Aziz, Boots director of healthcare services, is awarded an OBE for providing testing for Covid. Major supermarket chiefs were awarded for keeping supply chains running. Former Asda chief executive Roger Burnley, 55, and Co-Op chief executive Steven Murrells, 56, both received CBEs, while Morrisons supply chain manager Angela Johnson got an MBE. Nobel Prize-winning geneticist Sir Paul Nurse, 72, who is made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour, said this year's honours list was a 'recognition of the importance' of science. Away from the pandemic, former Labour MP Frank Field, 79, joined Sir Paul in being appointed to the Order of the Companions of Honour. Lord Field of Birkenhead, who has been a politician for 40 years, said: 'It's a terrific privilege.' Tory former ministers Robert Buckland and Caroline Dinenage are also in line for honours. Ex-justice secretary Mr Buckland, who was sacked in Boris Johnson's reshuffle in September to make way for Dominic Raab, is made a knight. Gosport MP Miss Dinenage, who was ousted as minister of state for digital and culture, is made a dame. Government sources insisted the honours were for their ministerial service, rather than a consolation for being sacked. Major supermarket chiefs were awarded for keeping supply chains running. Former Asda chief executive Roger Burnley (left), 55, and Co-Op chief executive Steven Murrells (right), 56, both received CBEs, while Morrisons supply chain manager Angela Johnson got an MBE Away from the pandemic, former Labour MP Frank Field (above), 79, joined Sir Paul in being appointed to the Order of the Companions of Honour. Lord Field of Birkenhead, who has been a politician for 40 years, said: 'It's a terrific privilege' Tory former ministers Robert Buckland (left) and Caroline Dinenage (right) are also in line for honours. Ex-justice secretary Mr Buckland, who was sacked in Boris Johnson's reshuffle in September to make way for Dominic Raab, is made a knight. Gosport MP Miss Dinenage, who was ousted as minister of state for digital and culture, is made a dame Regarded as one of the greatest actresses of her generation, the 84-year-old has become Dame Vanessa in recognition of her services to drama At 84, Vanessa Redgrave decides there's nothing like a damehood By ELEANOR SHARPLES for the Daily Mail She is a lifelong socialist and turned down a damehood in 1999 as she objected to any honour linked to the 'British Empire'. But Vanessa Redgrave appears to have overcome her qualms as she today accepts the award in the New Year Honours List. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses of her generation, the 84-year-old has become Dame Vanessa in recognition of her services to drama. Other actors honoured today include former Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley, who has also been made a dame. Dame Vanessa, who won an Oscar for her role in the 1977 film Julia, was previously honoured in 1967 when she was given a CBE. Questioned about reports that she had turned down a damehood, she said in 2002: 'My difficulty is in receiving anything that says British Empire because I am a Unicef special representative at the service of children from any country. If there were no mention of the British Empire, I would be as honoured as anybody. ' At a press conference at the Venice Film Festival in 2018, the actress claimed that she had declined the damehood in protest at the Iraq War and former prime minister Tony Blair. But the Iraq War did not start until 2003. Dame Vanessa said at the time that she would 'never say I refused an honour from the Queen'. But she added: 'But I could not and would not accept any honour from Mr Blair, when he has taken our country, and so many people, to war on the basis of a lie.' Dame Joanna, 75, who was awarded an OBE in 1995, has been honoured for her services to drama, entertainment and charitable causes. She said: 'I am astonished and thrilled and touched beyond words...' The actress, known for roles in The New Avengers and as the boozy Patsy Stone in Absolutely Fabulous, has also made a name for herself fighting for the rights of Gurkhas to settle in the UK. Meanwhile, actor Daniel Craig, 53, whose final film as 007, No Time to Die, was released this autumn, was given the rare honour of being made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) the same award given to Bond in Ian Fleming's novels. A CMG is normally given to those who have performed extraordinary services abroad. Other actors honoured today include former Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley (left), who has also been made a dame. Elsewhere, Melanie Brown (right), 46, of the Spice Girls, better known as Mel B, has been made an MBE for her work with domestic violence charity Women's Aid Actor Daniel Craig, 53, whose final film as 007, No Time to Die, was released this autumn, was given the rare honour of being made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) the same award given to Bond in Ian Fleming's novels. A CMG is normally given to those who have performed extraordinary services abroad The movies' producer, Barbara Broccoli, 61, was awarded a CBE for services to film, as was her half-brother, Bond producer and scriptwriter Michael Wilson, 79. There were also CBEs for film director Paul Greengrass, 66, who created the rival Jason Bourne movies, and author Anthony Horowitz, also 66, who has written three Bond novels. Other stars to be recognised include newsreader Moira Stuart, who has been given a CBE. Sir Elton John's lyricist, Bernie Taupin, 71, was also awarded a CBE in the overseas and international list for his work in music. Coronation Street's William Roache, 89, who appeared in the show's very first episode as Ken Barlow in December 1960, has been awarded an OBE for his services to drama and charity. Cherylee Houston, 47, who played wheelchair user Izzy Armstrong in the soap, has been given an MBE for her work in drama and for people with disabilities. Coronation Street's William Roache (left), 89, who appeared in the show's very first episode as Ken Barlow in December 1960, has been awarded an OBE for his services to drama and charity. Sir Elton John's lyricist, Bernie Taupin (right), 71, was also awarded a CBE in the overseas and international list for his work in music Former EastEnders stars June Brown, 94, who played Dot Cotton, and Nitin Ganatra, 54, who appeared as Masood Ahmed, were both given OBEs. Elsewhere, Melanie Brown, 46, of the Spice Girls, better known as Mel B, has been made an MBE for her work with domestic violence charity Women's Aid. Film director John Boorman, 88, whose movies include 1967's Point Blank, is knighted, while Alistair Spalding, 64, boss of Sadler's Wells Theatre, has also received one for his work in dance. Ashley Banjo, 33, of Britain's Got Talent-winning dance troupe Diversity, was also awarded an MBE for services to dance. Television presenter Katie Piper, 38, who survived an acid attack in 2008 and went on to found The Katie Piper Foundation, is awarded an OBE for her services to charity and victims of disfigurement injuries. Australian comedian Adam Hills, 51, who hosts Channel 4's The Last Leg, is made an MBE for services to Paralympic sport and disability awareness. And Pauline Black, 68, lead singer of two-tone band The Selecter, has been made an OBE for services to entertainment. Youngest awarded at 11... and the oldest at 102 The youngest ever recipient of a New Year Honour said he was 'chuffed to bits' and cannot wait to pick up his award. Tobias Weller, 11, who has cerebral palsy and autism, was inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore to start raising money during the pandemic. He raised over 157,000 by completing three challenges. After receiving his British Empire Medal, Tobias, of Sheffield, said: 'My mum told me about the honour on Christmas Day and I thought, 'Wow, I'm actually going to get an honour from Her Majesty the Queen'.' Meanwhile, Henry Lewis was the oldest on the list at 102. The honorary vice president of magician's society The Magic Circle received an MBE for services to fundraising and charitable causes. The youngest ever recipient of a New Year Honour said he was 'chuffed to bits' and cannot wait to pick up his award. Tobias Weller, 11, who has cerebral palsy and autism, was inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore to start raising money during the pandemic Henry Lewis was the oldest on the list at 102. The honorary vice president of magician's society The Magic Circle received an MBE for services to fundraising and charitable causes Advertisement Another first for golden couple Laura and Jason By ANDY JEHRING for the Daily Mail Olympic champions Laura and Jason Kenny are the first husband and wife ever to be made knight and dame in the same honours list while an MBE completes a fairytale year for Emma Raducanu. The Kennys now have another accolade to add to their Olympic titles after receiving the awards for services to cycling. Kenny, 33, drew level with Sir Bradley Wiggins' record of eight medals when he picked up a silver in the team sprint at Tokyo this summer. He now has six gold and two silver medals, while his wife, 29, has five gold medals and one silver. Olympic champions Laura and Jason Kenny are the first husband and wife ever to be made knight and dame in the same honours list The Kennys now have another accolade to add to their Olympic titles after receiving the awards for services to cycling The couple, who have a four-year-old son, Albie, said they were 'humbled and also very proud' last night, and thanked the 'whole team of people behind us'. Tennis sensation Miss Raducanu, 19, caps off a dazzling breakthrough year with an MBE to add to her BBC Sports Personality of the Year and US Open win in New York. 'It makes me immensely proud and grateful,' she said. 'This year has been full of amazing surprises for me so to end 2021 with this appointment is very special.' Diver Tom Daley, 27, picks up an OBE for services to LGBTQ+ rights, while fellow swimmer and Strictly Come Dancing star Adam Peaty, also 27, also got an OBE. Paralympian Lauren Steadman, 29, another Strictly star, is awarded an MBE while seven-time Paralympic sprint champion Hannah Cockcroft, 29, is made an OBE. They are among 78 athletes honoured following their success at Tokyo 2020. Tennis sensation Emma Raducanu, 19, caps off a dazzling breakthrough year with an MBE to add to her BBC Sports Personality of the Year and US Open win in New York Paralympian Lauren Steadman, 29, another Strictly star, is awarded an MBE Diver Tom Daley, 27, picks up an OBE for services to LGBTQ+ rights Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis receives a CBE Consumer champion Martin Lewis has been made a CBE in the latest New Year Honours list for services to broadcasting and consumer rights Consumer champion Martin Lewis has been made a CBE in the latest New Year Honours list for services to broadcasting and consumer rights. But the finance expert said he almost missed out after Buckingham Palace sent his nomination to an old address. He said: 'I was genuinely very surprised. I knew some people had nominated me but it was way past the time when you're supposed to receive a letter. 'I then found out they had sent the letter to an old address and when I hadn't responded they got in touch, so I was properly gobsmacked.' The founder of the Money Saving Expert website added: 'The timing of this is pertinent and I'm not surprised because it's been a difficult couple of years for everyone.' It comes after a period in which he got to grips with helping households and businesses navigate the pandemic and ensuring people could claim what they were entitled to under various Government support schemes. He said: 'I had to learn quite a lot in a short time in helping to communicate to the public what help they could get and where they needed to seek it, along with communicating with the Government to point out the holes in what they were offering, and, let's be clear, there are holes.' Asked whether he thinks the latest honour, which follows an OBE in 2014, will lead him to be less critical of the Government, he said he will not let up his campaigning. 'Whilst I do not have an axe to grind with any political party, I will grind my axe over specific issues. I was grinding my axe after I got my OBE in 2014 and I hope to be grinding my axe until my hair is white.' The broadcaster added: 'Now my hope is all our lives soon return to normal, and my little girl, who was just a baby when I got presented (with) the OBE, can this time join my wife and I, when I get to receive this priceless honour.' Mr Lewis is also founder of the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute charity, and presenter of the Martin Lewis Money Show on ITV. Advertisement Camilla wins the highest approval the Queen can bestow: Duchess of Cornwall joins the elite Order of the Garter 'for services to the sovereign' after years of loyalty and discretion By REBECCA ENGLISH for the Daily Mail The Queen is personally awarding the Duchess of Cornwall the highest honour possible thanks to her 'service to the sovereign', it was announced last night. Camilla is to be made a Royal Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior of the Orders of Chivalry in Britain, Buckingham Palace said. The appointment will be seen as a royal seal of approval for the loyalty and discretion Camilla has shown since her marriage to the Prince of Wales in 2005. The Queen is personally awarding the Duchess of Cornwall the highest honour possible thanks to her 'service to the sovereign', it was announced last night Camilla is to be made a Royal Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior of the Orders of Chivalry in Britain, Buckingham Palace said. The appointment will be seen as a royal seal of approval for the loyalty and discretion Camilla has shown since her marriage to the Prince of Wales (above) in 2005 It will spark renewed speculation that the 95-year-old monarch may yet endorse Camilla to be Queen when she dies and Prince Charles accedes to the throne Clarence House says the 'intention' is for the duchess to become Princess Consort, showing sensitivity to previously negative public opinion over Camilla's role in the breakdown of Charles and Diana's marriage It will spark renewed speculation that the 95-year-old monarch may yet endorse Camilla to be Queen when she dies and Prince Charles accedes to the throne. Clarence House says the 'intention' is for the duchess to become Princess Consort, showing sensitivity to previously negative public opinion over Camilla's role in the breakdown of Charles and Diana's marriage. But Charles has never made any secret of his desire for Camilla to become queen by his side. And it is known that the Queen has been impressed by the way in which her daughter-in-law has embraced her public role and shown quiet and respectful dedication to both her husband and the institution of the monarchy. It was also revealed that Baroness Amos is to be made a Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter the first person from an ethnic minority to be appointed. She is a Labour politician and diplomat who has served as UN Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs and British High Commissioner to Australia. It was also revealed that Baroness Amos (above) is to be made a Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter the first person from an ethnic minority to be appointed. She is a Labour politician and diplomat who has served as UN Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs and British High Commissioner to Australia She was also Leader of the House of Lords and the chief executive of the Equal Opportunities Commission. The Order of the Garter was established by King Edward III in 1348 after he was inspired by the tales of King Arthur and the chivalry of the Knights of the Round Table. The number of Knights and Ladies Companion is limited to 24 in total at any one time. There is no limit to the number of royal members, however. Initially, the order's members were limited to the aristocracy but they are now men and women chosen from a variety of backgrounds, in recognition for their public service, their contribution to national life, or their personal service to the sovereign. The honour is personally bestowed by the monarch, with no interference from the Government. The patron saint of the order is St George and the spiritual home is St George's Chapel at Windsor. Its motto is 'Honi soit qui mal y pense', Old French for 'shame on him who thinks evil of it'. Vacancies are announced on St George's Day and only occasionally at New Year. It is thought that the Queen wanted this year's announcement to tie in with the New Year's Honours. Prince Philip was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Garter by King George VI in 1947 and it is believed that the Queen also wanted to ensure that both her son and his wife were members before her own change of reign. A Garter Day procession is held each June before a short service in St George's Chapel, at which any new companions are installed. Advertisement The decision to make Tony Blair a Sir has been met with anger by many on social media, as the former Prime Minister was branded a 'war criminal', with more than 25,000 signing a petition to block the award. Sir Tony has long faced a backlash over his decision to lead the UK into Iraq and Afghanistan, which cost the lives of 179 British personnel as well as many more civilians. But it was announced last night that he had been appointed to the Order of the Garter as a Knight Companion. Angus Scott launched the petition on Change.org shortly after news of the award was published. In an explanation in his petition, Mr Scott wrote: 'Tony Blair caused irreparable damage to both the constitution of the United Kingdom and to the very fabric of the nation's society. He was personally responsible for causing the death of countless innocent, civilian lives and servicement in various conflicts. For this alone he should be held accountable for war crimes.' All but one of the prime ministers before him were appointed a few years after leaving office. But Sir Tony waited over 14 years. It had been suggested that the Queen's strained relationship with him during his ten years in power may have contributed to the 'snub'. Current Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer MP, said: 'The last Labour government delivered enduring change from the national minimum wage to the peace process in Northern Ireland. My congratulations to Tony Blair on this recognition for his public service to our country.' On Twitter today, many made their feelings clear following the ennobling. Political commentator Liam Young wrote: 'The man should be in the dock of The Hague. What a shameful day.' Another said: 'The contempt in which Britain's elite holds the public has never been more eloquently expressed than in the decision to award Tony Blair the highest order of knighthood. One million Iraqis dead, three million dispossessed, a trail of blood to 7/7. Rise Sir Tony!' Many others demanded an overhaul of the honours system, with one user describing it as the 'favour for a friend' list. Sir Tony has faced years of criticism over the Iraq War, culminating in the devastating report by Sir John Chilcot in 2016, which found that the former prime minister overplayed evidence about Saddam Hussein's weaponry and ignored peaceful means to send troops into the country. In a devastating set of conclusions, Sir John found Blair presented the case for war with 'a certainty which was not justified' based on 'flawed' intelligence about Iraq's supposed weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The decision to make Tony Blair a Sir was met with anger by many on social media, as the former Prime Minister was branded a 'war criminal' Sir Tony has long faced a backlash over his decision to lead the UK into Iraq and Afghanistan, which cost the lives of 179 British personnel as well as many more civilians Blair then said he would 'take the same decision' to invade Iraq again if he was presented with the same intelligence as he set out a defiant defence after being savaged by the Chilcot report. The former prime minister put on a bullish performance as he responded to the long-awaited report and although he made a grovelling apology for the bloody consequences of the Iraq War, he attempted to shift the blame by saying the intelligence was not his responsibility. In a remarkable performance of self-defence at a special press conference that lasted for nearly two hours, the visibly humbled former prime minister described the decision to take military action to remove Hussein in 2003 as the 'hardest, most momentous, most agonising' of his 10 years in office. What are the different ranks of honours awarded by the Queen? Order of the Garter Founded in 1348, it is the most senior order of knighthood, outranked only by the Victoria Cross and the George Cross. Membership, granted for public service or service to the sovereign, is limited to 24 living people plus the Queen and the Prince of Wales. Companions of Honour (CH) The Order of the Companions of Honour was founded on June 4 1917 by George V and it limited to just 65 members at any one time. Appointments go to those who have made a long-standing contribution to arts, science, medicine or government. Two have been named in the latest list - former Labour MP and peer Frank Field, for public and political service, and Sir Paul Nurse, director of the Francis Crick Institute. Order of the Bath (DCB/KCB/CB) This recognises the work of senior military officials and civil servants. England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty (KCB) and chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance (KCB) were honoured in the New Year Honours list. - Order of St Michael and St George (Knight/GCMG/KCMG/DCMG/CMG) This recognises service in a foreign country, or in relation to foreign and Commonwealth affairs, such as the work of diplomats overseas. James Bond star Daniel Craig, was made a Companion of the Order, which is equivalent to a CBE and means he can use the post-nominals CMG, following his final outing as 007 in No Time To Die. Knighthood and damehood (Knight/DBE) These are usually bestowed on people who have made a major contribution at national level, who can use the titles Dame and Sir. England's deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam, Wales' chief medical officer Frank Atherton and Scotland's chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith were made knights. There were also damehoods for UK Health Security Agency chief Dr Jenny Harries and Dr June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) People are recognised under this honour if they have have a prominent but lesser role at national level, or a leading role at regional level. It also goes to those who make a distinguished, innovative contribution to any area. James Bond franchise producer Barbara Broccoli was among those made a CBE. Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) People are made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire if they have a major local role in any activity, including people whose work has made them known nationally. Among the 253 who were honoured in this way were Olympians Adam Peaty and Tom Daley. Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) This rank recognises outstanding achievements or service to the community which have had a long-term significant impact. A total of 508 people were made Members of the Order of the British Empire in the latest list, including tennis star Emma Raducanu, Diversity member Ashley Banjo and former Spice Girl Mel B. British Empire Medal (BEM) The BEM was reintroduced in 2012 by then prime minister David Cameron as part of his bid to make the honours system "classless", saying too few people making a difference in their areas were made MBEs. The medal went to 361 people in the New Year Honours. Advertisement At several points during his speech at Admiralty House in Whitehall he appeared to be close to tears as he accepted the 'serious criticisms' made of him and his government in the run up and aftermath of the Iraq War and said he accepted 'full responsibility, without exception, without excuse'. Responding to the publication of the Iraq War report, his voice cracked as he said: 'For all of this I express more sorrow, regret and apology than you may ever know or can believe.' He added later: 'The decisions I made I have carried with me for 13 years and will do so for the rest of my days. 'There will not be a day of my life where I do not relive and rethink what happened. But he claimed the Iraq Inquiry proved 'there were no lies' from him over the justification for invading Iraq in March 2003 and showed neither Parliament nor Cabinet were misled. And in the most extraordinary moment of his lengthy speech, Mr Blair insisted: 'If I was back in the same place, with the same information I would take the same decision because obviously that was the decision I believe was right. 'All I'm saying today, because obviously some of the intelligence has turned out to be wrong, the planning wasn't done properly, I have to accept those criticisims, I accept responsibility for them.' In another criticism on social media, John Smith the son of Second World War veteran and writer Harry Leslie Smith said the decision suggested it was 'okay' to kill people in their 'hundreds of thousands.' Sir Tony, who held the keys to Number 10 between 1997 and 2007, is appointed a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior British Order of Chivalry. The appointment, which is made by the Queen, has regularly been bestowed upon past prime ministers, with Sir John Major, Sir Tony's predecessor, the last to receive the honour. Sir Tony, a former Labour leader, said: 'It is an immense honour to be appointed Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, and I am deeply grateful to Her Majesty the Queen. 'It was a great privilege to serve as prime minister and I would like to thank all those who served alongside me, in politics, public service and all parts of our society, for their dedication and commitment to our country.' Sir Tony led New Labour to a landslide victory in 1997, winning two subsequent general elections before quitting Westminster a decade later, paving the way for his chancellor Gordon Brown to take over as prime minister. The 68-year-old famously branded Diana, Princess of Wales, the 'people's princess' after her death and was the UK leader during Allied military invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. The former barrister became a Middle East envoy and set up his own non-for-profit group, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, after leaving politics. Each year, Royal Knights and Ladies of the Order of the Garter gather at St George's Chapel in Windsor for a colourful procession and ceremony. Watched by crowds of onlookers, they walk down the hill to the chapel from the State Apartments, dressed in blue velvet mantles, red velvet hoods, black velvet hats and white ostrich plumes. Sir Tony, who left Downing Street more than 14 years ago, is one of three new appointments announced by the palace. Appointments to the Garter are in the Queen's gift and made without prime ministerial advice, and are usually announced on St George's Day, April 23, but the monarch can do so at any time, and has chosen to coincide with the New Year's Honours. They are for life unless a Knight or Lady Companion offends against certain 'points of reproach'. Founded in 1348 by Edward III, the Garter is awarded by the sovereign for outstanding public service and achievement. It is said to have been inspired by events at a ball in northern France, attended by the king and Joan, Countess of Salisbury. The countess is believed to have dropped her garter, causing laughter and some embarrassment. The chivalrous king, however, picked it up and wore it on his own leg, uttering the phrase 'Honi soit qui mal y pense' - 'Shame on him who thinks this evil' - now the Order's motto. The Order's emblem is a blue ribbon or garter worn by men below the left knee and by women on the left arm. There are now 21 non-royal companions in the order out of a maximum of 24. The decision to ennoble the former prime minister or Sir Tony, as he will now be known has been much debated in recent years. It had been suggested that the Queen's strained relationship with him during his ten years in power may have contributed to the 'snub'. (He is pictured with the Queen in 2005) Seven Chilcot allegations and seven Tony Blair denials: How the defiant former Prime Minister attempted to save his reputation 1). Chilcot: The intelligence justifying the invasion of Iraq was wrong. Tony Blair accepted the intelligence he based his decision has since turned out to be wrong but in a defiance performance he attempted to shift the blame by saying the intelligence was not his responsibility. 'The intelligence statements made at the time of going to war turned out to be wrong,' Blair said. 'The aftermath turned out more hostile, protracted and bloody than we ever imagined. 'The Coalition planned for one set of ground facts and encountered another. A nation whose people we wanted to see free and secure from the evil of Saddam became instead victim of sectarian terrorism. For all of this I express more sorrow, regret and apology and in greater measure than you can know or may believe. 2) Chilcot: Going to war in Iraq was 'not a last resort'. Blair again disagreed, insisting he had not rushed to war and said all other avenues had been exhausted. 'Given the impasse at the UN and the insistence of the USA for reasons I completely understood and with hundreds of thousands of troops in theatre which could not be kept in situ indefinitely it was the last moment of decision for us, as the report accepts. By then, the US was going to move with us or without us.' 3) Chilcot said Britain and the USA undermined the UN's authority by rushing to war without a second resolution. Blair's response: 'The reality is that we Britain had continually tried to act with the authority of the UN. I successfully convinced the Americans to go back to the UN in November 2002 to secure resolution 1441.' 4) Chilcot: Britain could have refused to support George W Bush Blair said Britain had been America's 'core partner' in the post-9/11 era and standing side-by-side the USA was 'a vital national interest'. He said: '9/11 was an event like no other in US history. I considered it an attack on all the free world. I believed that Britain as America's strongest ally should be with them in tackling this new and unprecedented security challenge. I believed it important that America was not alone but part of a wider coalition. In the end, a majority even of the European Union nations supported action in Iraq. 'I do not believe we would have had that coalition or persuaded the Bush Administration to go down the UN route without our commitment to be alongside America.' 5) Chicot: Blair's government was warned that removing Saddam Hussein without an adequate plan for the aftermath could lead to Iraq's weapons and capabilities falling into the hands of terrorists. Blair's response: 'I profoundly disagree. Saddam was himself a wellspring of terror, a continuing threat to peace and to his own people. 'Had he been left in power in 2003, then I believe, for the detailed reasons I shall give, he would once again have threatened world peace, and when the Arab revolutions of 2011 began, he would have clung to power with the same deadly consequences as we see in the carnage of Syria; whereas at least in Iraq, for all its challenges, we have today a Government, recognised as legitimate, fighting terrorism with the international community in support of it.' 6) Chilcot: Blair was warned of sectarian infighting and bloodletting after ousting Saddam Hussein. Blair's response: 'I accept that but would point out that nowhere were these highlighted as the main risk and in any event what we faced was not the anticipated internal bloodletting but an all-out insurgency stimulated by external arms and money.' 7) Chilcot: The Ministry of Defence, Britain's Armed Forces and the intelligence services were also to blame for leaving servicemen overstretched, humiliated and under deadly attack due to a serious shortage of vital equipment Responding to this claim, Blair was at his most contrite, insisting he took full responsibility. 'I do not think it is fair or accurate to criticise the Armed Forces, Intelligence Services, or civil service. It was my decision they were acting upon,' he said. 'The Armed Forces in particular did an extraordinary job throughout our engagement in Iraq in the incredibly difficult mission we gave them. I pay tribute to them. Any faults derive from my decisions and should not attach to them. They are people of enormous dedication and courage and the country should be very proud of them.' Advertisement Arise, Sir Covid!: Government scientific advisers Chris Whitty and Jonathan Van-Tam are knighted and rewards for Kate Garraway, Sir Patrick Vallance and public health chief Dr Jenny Harries for 'Covid-related services' in the 2022 New Year's Honours list Britain's Covid heroes are recognised in the New Year Honours today, with top gongs for Government scientific advisers Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance and an MBE for Kate Garraway. The scientists were among hundreds who were awarded for 'Covid-related service', which accounted for nearly a fifth of all those recognised. Meanwhile TV presenter Miss Garraway, 54, received her honour for services to broadcasting after documenting husband Derek Draper's battle with the illness. Britain's Covid heroes are recognised in the New Year Honours today, with top gongs for Government scientific advisers Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance Meanwhile TV presenter Kate Garraway, 54, received her MBE honour for services to broadcasting after documenting husband Derek Draper's battle with the illness Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick (left), 61, will get an upgrade to become a knight commander of the Order of the Bath. Chief medical officer Professor Whitty (right) , 55, is also made a knight commander of the Order of the Bath Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: 'It has been a privilege to work with such dedicated professionals who have worked relentlessly throughout the pandemic providing expert advice so we can keep people safe. 'This year the Honours List rightly recognises those whose efforts have helped us deliver world-leading testing and vaccination programmes, and I am deeply grateful for their hard work.' Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick, 61, will get an upgrade to become a knight commander of the Order of the Bath. Professor Whitty's deputy, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, 57, becomes a knight bachelor Dr Jenny Harries (left), 63, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, will become a dame for services to health. Damehoods also go to NHS England vaccine deployment lead Dr Emily Lawson and Dr June Raine (right), chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency Scottish chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith (pictured) and his Welsh counterpart Dr Frank Atherton were also knighted for services to public health He was already a knight bachelor the standard level of knighthood after being honoured in 2019. He said last night he was 'pleased to see so many outstanding scientists and engineers recognised'. Chief medical officer Professor Whitty, 55, is also made a knight commander of the Order of the Bath. Sir Trevor, the equalities tsar Trvor Phillips, 62, was the founding chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and was previously the head of the Commission for Racial Equality Broadcaster and former government equalities tsar Trevor Phillips has been knighted for services to human rights. Mr Phillips, 62, was the founding chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and was previously the head of the Commission for Racial Equality. The presenter who has fronted Sky News' Sunday morning programme while Sophy Ridge is on maternity leave has highlighted the lack of diversity at the highest levels of politics, business and the media. Advertisement His deputy, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, 57, becomes a knight bachelor. Dr Jenny Harries, 63, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, will become a dame for services to health. Damehoods also go to NHS England vaccine deployment lead Dr Emily Lawson and Dr June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Scottish chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith and his Welsh counterpart Dr Frank Atherton were also knighted for services to public health. The pandemic dominated the list, with 207 people honoured for services 'during Covid-19' and 17 specifically for 'services to the Covid-19 response'. Vaccine developers around the world were also rewarded in the overseas and international list for helping give Britain one of best jab rollouts on the planet. American Pfizer chief development officer Rod MacKenzie and German BioNTech chief business and commercial officer Sean Marett are both made Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George for services to vaccine development and distribution. Moderna chief development officer Melanie Ivarsson, who is also American, receives an OBE. In Britain, Mohammed Aziz, Boots director of healthcare services, is awarded an OBE for providing testing for Covid. Major supermarket chiefs were awarded for keeping supply chains running. Former Asda chief executive Roger Burnley, 55, and Co-Op chief executive Steven Murrells, 56, both received CBEs, while Morrisons supply chain manager Angela Johnson got an MBE. Nobel Prize-winning geneticist Sir Paul Nurse, 72, who is made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour, said this year's honours list was a 'recognition of the importance' of science. Away from the pandemic, former Labour MP Frank Field, 79, joined Sir Paul in being appointed to the Order of the Companions of Honour. Lord Field of Birkenhead, who has been a politician for 40 years, said: 'It's a terrific privilege.' Tory former ministers Robert Buckland and Caroline Dinenage are also in line for honours. Ex-justice secretary Mr Buckland, who was sacked in Boris Johnson's reshuffle in September to make way for Dominic Raab, is made a knight. Gosport MP Miss Dinenage, who was ousted as minister of state for digital and culture, is made a dame. Government sources insisted the honours were for their ministerial service, rather than a consolation for being sacked. Major supermarket chiefs were awarded for keeping supply chains running. Former Asda chief executive Roger Burnley (left), 55, and Co-Op chief executive Steven Murrells (right), 56, both received CBEs, while Morrisons supply chain manager Angela Johnson got an MBE Away from the pandemic, former Labour MP Frank Field (above), 79, joined Sir Paul in being appointed to the Order of the Companions of Honour. Lord Field of Birkenhead, who has been a politician for 40 years, said: 'It's a terrific privilege' Tory former ministers Robert Buckland (left) and Caroline Dinenage (right) are also in line for honours. Ex-justice secretary Mr Buckland, who was sacked in Boris Johnson's reshuffle in September to make way for Dominic Raab, is made a knight. Gosport MP Miss Dinenage, who was ousted as minister of state for digital and culture, is made a dame Regarded as one of the greatest actresses of her generation, the 84-year-old has become Dame Vanessa in recognition of her services to drama At 84, Vanessa Redgrave decides there's nothing like a damehood By ELEANOR SHARPLES for the Daily Mail She is a lifelong socialist and turned down a damehood in 1999 as she objected to any honour linked to the 'British Empire'. But Vanessa Redgrave appears to have overcome her qualms as she today accepts the award in the New Year Honours List. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses of her generation, the 84-year-old has become Dame Vanessa in recognition of her services to drama. Other actors honoured today include former Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley, who has also been made a dame. Dame Vanessa, who won an Oscar for her role in the 1977 film Julia, was previously honoured in 1967 when she was given a CBE. Questioned about reports that she had turned down a damehood, she said in 2002: 'My difficulty is in receiving anything that says British Empire because I am a Unicef special representative at the service of children from any country. If there were no mention of the British Empire, I would be as honoured as anybody. ' At a press conference at the Venice Film Festival in 2018, the actress claimed that she had declined the damehood in protest at the Iraq War and former prime minister Tony Blair. But the Iraq War did not start until 2003. Dame Vanessa said at the time that she would 'never say I refused an honour from the Queen'. But she added: 'But I could not and would not accept any honour from Mr Blair, when he has taken our country, and so many people, to war on the basis of a lie.' Dame Joanna, 75, who was awarded an OBE in 1995, has been honoured for her services to drama, entertainment and charitable causes. She said: 'I am astonished and thrilled and touched beyond words...' The actress, known for roles in The New Avengers and as the boozy Patsy Stone in Absolutely Fabulous, has also made a name for herself fighting for the rights of Gurkhas to settle in the UK. Meanwhile, actor Daniel Craig, 53, whose final film as 007, No Time to Die, was released this autumn, was given the rare honour of being made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) the same award given to Bond in Ian Fleming's novels. A CMG is normally given to those who have performed extraordinary services abroad. Other actors honoured today include former Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley (left), who has also been made a dame. Elsewhere, Melanie Brown (right), 46, of the Spice Girls, better known as Mel B, has been made an MBE for her work with domestic violence charity Women's Aid Actor Daniel Craig, 53, whose final film as 007, No Time to Die, was released this autumn, was given the rare honour of being made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) the same award given to Bond in Ian Fleming's novels. A CMG is normally given to those who have performed extraordinary services abroad The movies' producer, Barbara Broccoli, 61, was awarded a CBE for services to film, as was her half-brother, Bond producer and scriptwriter Michael Wilson, 79. There were also CBEs for film director Paul Greengrass, 66, who created the rival Jason Bourne movies, and author Anthony Horowitz, also 66, who has written three Bond novels. Other stars to be recognised include newsreader Moira Stuart, who has been given a CBE. Sir Elton John's lyricist, Bernie Taupin, 71, was also awarded a CBE in the overseas and international list for his work in music. Coronation Street's William Roache, 89, who appeared in the show's very first episode as Ken Barlow in December 1960, has been awarded an OBE for his services to drama and charity. Cherylee Houston, 47, who played wheelchair user Izzy Armstrong in the soap, has been given an MBE for her work in drama and for people with disabilities. Coronation Street's William Roache (left), 89, who appeared in the show's very first episode as Ken Barlow in December 1960, has been awarded an OBE for his services to drama and charity. Sir Elton John's lyricist, Bernie Taupin (right), 71, was also awarded a CBE in the overseas and international list for his work in music Former EastEnders stars June Brown, 94, who played Dot Cotton, and Nitin Ganatra, 54, who appeared as Masood Ahmed, were both given OBEs. Elsewhere, Melanie Brown, 46, of the Spice Girls, better known as Mel B, has been made an MBE for her work with domestic violence charity Women's Aid. Film director John Boorman, 88, whose movies include 1967's Point Blank, is knighted, while Alistair Spalding, 64, boss of Sadler's Wells Theatre, has also received one for his work in dance. Ashley Banjo, 33, of Britain's Got Talent-winning dance troupe Diversity, was also awarded an MBE for services to dance. Television presenter Katie Piper, 38, who survived an acid attack in 2008 and went on to found The Katie Piper Foundation, is awarded an OBE for her services to charity and victims of disfigurement injuries. Australian comedian Adam Hills, 51, who hosts Channel 4's The Last Leg, is made an MBE for services to Paralympic sport and disability awareness. And Pauline Black, 68, lead singer of two-tone band The Selecter, has been made an OBE for services to entertainment. Youngest awarded at 11... and the oldest at 102 The youngest ever recipient of a New Year Honour said he was 'chuffed to bits' and cannot wait to pick up his award. Tobias Weller, 11, who has cerebral palsy and autism, was inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore to start raising money during the pandemic. He raised over 157,000 by completing three challenges. After receiving his British Empire Medal, Tobias, of Sheffield, said: 'My mum told me about the honour on Christmas Day and I thought, 'Wow, I'm actually going to get an honour from Her Majesty the Queen'.' Meanwhile, Henry Lewis was the oldest on the list at 102. The honorary vice president of magician's society The Magic Circle received an MBE for services to fundraising and charitable causes. The youngest ever recipient of a New Year Honour said he was 'chuffed to bits' and cannot wait to pick up his award. Tobias Weller, 11, who has cerebral palsy and autism, was inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore to start raising money during the pandemic Henry Lewis was the oldest on the list at 102. The honorary vice president of magician's society The Magic Circle received an MBE for services to fundraising and charitable causes Advertisement Another first for golden couple Laura and Jason By ANDY JEHRING for the Daily Mail Olympic champions Laura and Jason Kenny are the first husband and wife ever to be made knight and dame in the same honours list while an MBE completes a fairytale year for Emma Raducanu. The Kennys now have another accolade to add to their Olympic titles after receiving the awards for services to cycling. Kenny, 33, drew level with Sir Bradley Wiggins' record of eight medals when he picked up a silver in the team sprint at Tokyo this summer. He now has six gold and two silver medals, while his wife, 29, has five gold medals and one silver. Olympic champions Laura and Jason Kenny are the first husband and wife ever to be made knight and dame in the same honours list The Kennys now have another accolade to add to their Olympic titles after receiving the awards for services to cycling The couple, who have a four-year-old son, Albie, said they were 'humbled and also very proud' last night, and thanked the 'whole team of people behind us'. Tennis sensation Miss Raducanu, 19, caps off a dazzling breakthrough year with an MBE to add to her BBC Sports Personality of the Year and US Open win in New York. 'It makes me immensely proud and grateful,' she said. 'This year has been full of amazing surprises for me so to end 2021 with this appointment is very special.' Diver Tom Daley, 27, picks up an OBE for services to LGBTQ+ rights, while fellow swimmer and Strictly Come Dancing star Adam Peaty, also 27, also got an OBE. Paralympian Lauren Steadman, 29, another Strictly star, is awarded an MBE while seven-time Paralympic sprint champion Hannah Cockcroft, 29, is made an OBE. They are among 78 athletes honoured following their success at Tokyo 2020. Tennis sensation Emma Raducanu, 19, caps off a dazzling breakthrough year with an MBE to add to her BBC Sports Personality of the Year and US Open win in New York Paralympian Lauren Steadman, 29, another Strictly star, is awarded an MBE Diver Tom Daley, 27, picks up an OBE for services to LGBTQ+ rights Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis receives a CBE Consumer champion Martin Lewis has been made a CBE in the latest New Year Honours list for services to broadcasting and consumer rights Consumer champion Martin Lewis has been made a CBE in the latest New Year Honours list for services to broadcasting and consumer rights. But the finance expert said he almost missed out after Buckingham Palace sent his nomination to an old address. He said: 'I was genuinely very surprised. I knew some people had nominated me but it was way past the time when you're supposed to receive a letter. 'I then found out they had sent the letter to an old address and when I hadn't responded they got in touch, so I was properly gobsmacked.' The founder of the Money Saving Expert website added: 'The timing of this is pertinent and I'm not surprised because it's been a difficult couple of years for everyone.' It comes after a period in which he got to grips with helping households and businesses navigate the pandemic and ensuring people could claim what they were entitled to under various Government support schemes. He said: 'I had to learn quite a lot in a short time in helping to communicate to the public what help they could get and where they needed to seek it, along with communicating with the Government to point out the holes in what they were offering, and, let's be clear, there are holes.' Asked whether he thinks the latest honour, which follows an OBE in 2014, will lead him to be less critical of the Government, he said he will not let up his campaigning. 'Whilst I do not have an axe to grind with any political party, I will grind my axe over specific issues. I was grinding my axe after I got my OBE in 2014 and I hope to be grinding my axe until my hair is white.' The broadcaster added: 'Now my hope is all our lives soon return to normal, and my little girl, who was just a baby when I got presented (with) the OBE, can this time join my wife and I, when I get to receive this priceless honour.' Mr Lewis is also founder of the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute charity, and presenter of the Martin Lewis Money Show on ITV. Advertisement Camilla wins the highest approval the Queen can bestow: Duchess of Cornwall joins the elite Order of the Garter 'for services to the sovereign' after years of loyalty and discretion By REBECCA ENGLISH for the Daily Mail The Queen is personally awarding the Duchess of Cornwall the highest honour possible thanks to her 'service to the sovereign', it was announced last night. Camilla is to be made a Royal Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior of the Orders of Chivalry in Britain, Buckingham Palace said. The appointment will be seen as a royal seal of approval for the loyalty and discretion Camilla has shown since her marriage to the Prince of Wales in 2005. The Queen is personally awarding the Duchess of Cornwall the highest honour possible thanks to her 'service to the sovereign', it was announced last night Camilla is to be made a Royal Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior of the Orders of Chivalry in Britain, Buckingham Palace said. The appointment will be seen as a royal seal of approval for the loyalty and discretion Camilla has shown since her marriage to the Prince of Wales (above) in 2005 It will spark renewed speculation that the 95-year-old monarch may yet endorse Camilla to be Queen when she dies and Prince Charles accedes to the throne Clarence House says the 'intention' is for the duchess to become Princess Consort, showing sensitivity to previously negative public opinion over Camilla's role in the breakdown of Charles and Diana's marriage It will spark renewed speculation that the 95-year-old monarch may yet endorse Camilla to be Queen when she dies and Prince Charles accedes to the throne. Clarence House says the 'intention' is for the duchess to become Princess Consort, showing sensitivity to previously negative public opinion over Camilla's role in the breakdown of Charles and Diana's marriage. But Charles has never made any secret of his desire for Camilla to become queen by his side. And it is known that the Queen has been impressed by the way in which her daughter-in-law has embraced her public role and shown quiet and respectful dedication to both her husband and the institution of the monarchy. It was also revealed that Baroness Amos is to be made a Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter the first person from an ethnic minority to be appointed. She is a Labour politician and diplomat who has served as UN Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs and British High Commissioner to Australia. It was also revealed that Baroness Amos (above) is to be made a Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter the first person from an ethnic minority to be appointed. She is a Labour politician and diplomat who has served as UN Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs and British High Commissioner to Australia She was also Leader of the House of Lords and the chief executive of the Equal Opportunities Commission. The Order of the Garter was established by King Edward III in 1348 after he was inspired by the tales of King Arthur and the chivalry of the Knights of the Round Table. The number of Knights and Ladies Companion is limited to 24 in total at any one time. There is no limit to the number of royal members, however. Initially, the order's members were limited to the aristocracy but they are now men and women chosen from a variety of backgrounds, in recognition for their public service, their contribution to national life, or their personal service to the sovereign. The honour is personally bestowed by the monarch, with no interference from the Government. The patron saint of the order is St George and the spiritual home is St George's Chapel at Windsor. Its motto is 'Honi soit qui mal y pense', Old French for 'shame on him who thinks evil of it'. Vacancies are announced on St George's Day and only occasionally at New Year. It is thought that the Queen wanted this year's announcement to tie in with the New Year's Honours. Prince Philip was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Garter by King George VI in 1947 and it is believed that the Queen also wanted to ensure that both her son and his wife were members before her own change of reign. A Garter Day procession is held each June before a short service in St George's Chapel, at which any new companions are installed. Beirut [Lebanon], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): A US military base in the northeastern Syrian province of Al-Hasakah has come under mortar fire, the Syrian state television reported. The incident reportedly took place in the town of Ash Shaddadi. Air raid sirens sounded at the base, the alert level has been raised. The Syrian government sees the US presence on its soil as a violation of national sovereignty and an attempt to seize its natural resources. (ANI/Sputnik) Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan on Saturday said that the United Democratic Front (UDF) will not allow SilverLine project (semi high-speed rail) in the state as it is only for the elite class. "The state government even did not hold discussion over the project. We will not allow it. CPIM central committee had taken a strong stand against the Ahmedabad bullet train project. Even, CPIM general secretary said it is an elite project and will not help the poor. If the government is concentrating on the megaproject then the CPIM must clear their stand on the Centre's bullet train project," said Satheesan. There are protests against the Kerala government's ambitious semi high-speed railway project SilverLine. It is believed to be one of the biggest infrastructure projects of the Pinarayi Vijayan government. The proposed 529.45-km railway line will cover 11 districts of the state connecting Thiruvananthapuram in the south to Kasaragod in the north just in four hours. (ANI) Director General of India Meteorological Department (IMD) Mrutyunjay Mohapatra on Saturday said that under the influence of an active western disturbance approaching north-west India, there could be rainfall or snowfall at most places over the western Himalayan region like Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand between January 4 and 7. "A western disturbance is impacting Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, region. Under its influence, we are expecting scattered rainfall or snowfall over the region in the next 48 hours. From January 4, an active western disturbance will approach northwest India. Under its influence from January 4-7, there could be rainfall or snowfall at most places over the western Himalayan region like J-K, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. It will cause light to moderate rain or thundershower over plains of northwest India including Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, west Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh," Mohapatra told ANI. He further informed that this western disturbance will move eastwards and its intensity will decrease but rainfall activity will expand towards eastern India. "As the western disturbance approaches north east India, the temperature rises. Therefore, the cold wave conditions that we are experiencing in some places over northwest India, will gradually abate. From January 4, the temperature in the planes of the country will be normal or above normal," the senior IMD official said. (ANI) From his early days as a profound comic actor and satirist on television to his days as a people's politician, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Bhagwant Mann has come of age. The Modi juggernaut was unstoppable in 2014 Lok Sabha elections and offered a massive mandate to the saffron party but alongside, a rookie party that until then had no tangible footprints on the national electoral politics left its mark blunting the Modi wave in border state Punjab. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) then won four MP seats in the country, all from Punjab. Ever since, if theres one person who withstood much of the opposition onslaught and offered wings to the AAP in Punjab, its Bhagwant Mann alias Jugnu. A former Punjabi comic actor, Mann has proved his mettle as a politician connecting with people at the grassroots. In 2019, Mann yet again won his MP seat from Punjab. Also Read | Congress leaders fighting for CM's chair, 'weak govt' needs to be shunned, says Arvind Kejriwal As Punjab goes to polls shortly, AAP is seen as a formidable challenger to mainstream political parties. Mann (48), who is also president of the AAP's Punjab unit, will play a decisive role and will be eying the chief ministerial post if his party comes to power. It has so far resisted naming the CM face. MP Bhagwant Mann has been the one to call a spade a spade, even if it has meant expressing displeasure against his party national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. In 2018, Mann resigned from the post of party president after Arvind Kejriwal apologised to former Punjab minister and Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia for allegations against him for his involvement in drug trade. Mann then tweeted saying, I am resigning as a president of AAP Punjab ...but my fight against drug mafia and all kinds of corruption in Punjab will continue as an Aam Aadmi of Punjab. Mann stands vindicated today with the state crime branch booking Majithia in a drug case. In the run to the assembly polls, Kejriwals apology, that Mann protested then, has now offered fodder to the opposition parties. Mann has had his share of controversies in politics. He has been targeted as an alcoholic and has often been accused of reeking of alcohol, even as Mann claims to be only a social drinker. Visuals of an MP getting close to Mann to smell him of alcohol while he was speaking in the Lok Sabha had left many amused. Perhaps realising the extent of damage the label was doing to him, his party and his political prospects, Mann in 2019 vowed not to drink and claimed to have turned into a teetotaler, what Kejriwal called "a great sacrifice for the people of Punjab". Also Read | Sukhbir Badal dares Congress to name CM candidate The MP from Sangrur successfully runs an NGO Lok Lehar Foundation that is aimed at helping kids prey to physical deformities resulting from pollution of groundwater in the border areas of Punjab. Mann had earned applause for helping Punjabi youth stranded in Iraq and other parts of the world when he had facilitated their return. The recent spectacular debut of the AAP in capital city Chandigarh municipal corporation elections, where it won a majority of seats, has buoyed hopes of the AAP in Punjab. The party has 20 MLAs in Punjab. Before he jumped into politics, Mann was a popular name in Punjab, especially in the hinterland, for his side-splitting comic acts. His quick-witted jibes and satirical postscripts targeted at his opponents are a crowd favourite. Mann, a college dropout, became famous through a popular television comedy contest where he competed with fellow comedian Kapil Sharma. After prolonged estranged bouts in his marriage, Mann and his wife Inderpreet Kaur separated in 2015. He has two children. MP Bhagwant Mann, who is also the president of the Punjab unit of the AAP, has been the one to call a spade a spade, even if it has meant expressing displeasure against his party national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. In 2018, Mann resigned from the post of the party president following an apology by Arvind Kejriwal to former Punjab minister and Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia for levelling allegations of his involvement in the drug trade. Mann then tweeted saying, I am resigning as a president of AAP Punjab ...but my fight against drug mafia and all kinds of corruption in Punjab will continue as an Aam Aadmi of Punjab. Mann stands vindicated today with the state crime branch booking Majithia in a drug case. In the run to the assembly polls, Kejriwals apology, that Mann protested then, has now offered fodder to the opposition parties. Mann has had his share of controversies in politics. He has been targeted as an alcoholic, even as Mann claims to be only a social drinker. He has often been accused of reeking alcohol. Visuals of an MP getting close to Mann to smell him of alcohol while he was speaking in the Lok Sabha had left many amused. Perhaps realizing the extent of the damage he was doing to himself, his party and his political prospects, Mann in 2019 vowed not to drink and claimed to have turned into a teetotaler, something that Kejriwal commented saying it was a great sacrifice for the people of Punjab. The MP from Sangrur successfully runs an NGO Lok Lehar Foundation that is aimed at helping kids with physical deformities, essentially as a result of pollution of groundwater in the border areas of Punjab. Mann had earned applause from people for helping Punjabi youth stranded in Iraq and other parts of the world. He had facilitated their return to Punjab. The recent spectacular debut of the AAP in capital city Chandigarh municipal corporation elections, where it won a majority of seats, has buoyed hopes of the AAP in Punjab. The party has 20 MLA in Punjab. Bhagwant Manns image as a leader has remained free of the taint of corruption. His lifestyle sans any ostentation and flamboyance makes him a mass leader. In 2014, Mann won his seat with the highest margin. His narrative and public posturing remain simple, straightforward and appealing to the people. Check out DH's latest videos From his early days as a profound comic actor and satirist on television to his days as a people's politician, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Bhagwant Mann has come of age. The Modi juggernaut was unstoppable in 2014 Lok Sabha elections and offered a massive mandate to the saffron party but alongside, a rookie party that until then had no tangible footprints on the national electoral politics left its mark blunting the Modi wave in border state Punjab. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) then won four MP seats in the country, all from Punjab. Ever since, if theres one person who withstood much of the opposition onslaught and offered wings to the AAP in Punjab, its Bhagwant Mann alias Jugnu. A former Punjabi comic actor, Mann has proved his mettle as a politician connecting with people at the grassroots. In 2019, Mann yet again won his MP seat from Punjab. Also Read | Congress leaders fighting for CM's chair, 'weak govt' needs to be shunned, says Arvind Kejriwal As Punjab goes to polls shortly, AAP is seen as a formidable challenger to mainstream political parties. Mann (48), who is also president of the AAP's Punjab unit, will play a decisive role and will be eying the chief ministerial post if his party comes to power. It has so far resisted naming the CM face. MP Bhagwant Mann has been the one to call a spade a spade, even if it has meant expressing displeasure against his party national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. In 2018, Mann resigned from the post of party president after Arvind Kejriwal apologised to former Punjab minister and Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia for allegations against him for his involvement in drug trade. Mann then tweeted saying, I am resigning as a president of AAP Punjab ...but my fight against drug mafia and all kinds of corruption in Punjab will continue as an Aam Aadmi of Punjab. Mann stands vindicated today with the state crime branch booking Majithia in a drug case. In the run to the assembly polls, Kejriwals apology, that Mann protested then, has now offered fodder to the opposition parties. Mann has had his share of controversies in politics. He has been targeted as an alcoholic and has often been accused of reeking of alcohol, even as Mann claims to be only a social drinker. Visuals of an MP getting close to Mann to smell him of alcohol while he was speaking in the Lok Sabha had left many amused. Perhaps realising the extent of damage the label was doing to him, his party and his political prospects, Mann in 2019 vowed not to drink and claimed to have turned into a teetotaler, what Kejriwal called "a great sacrifice for the people of Punjab". Also Read | Sukhbir Badal dares Congress to name CM candidate The MP from Sangrur successfully runs an NGO Lok Lehar Foundation that is aimed at helping kids prey to physical deformities resulting from pollution of groundwater in the border areas of Punjab. Mann had earned applause for helping Punjabi youth stranded in Iraq and other parts of the world when he had facilitated their return. The recent spectacular debut of the AAP in capital city Chandigarh municipal corporation elections, where it won a majority of seats, has buoyed hopes of the AAP in Punjab. The party has 20 MLAs in Punjab. Before he jumped into politics, Mann was a popular name in Punjab, especially in the hinterland, for his side-splitting comic acts. His quick-witted jibes and satirical postscripts targeted at his opponents are a crowd favourite. Mann, a college dropout, became famous through a popular television comedy contest where he competed with fellow comedian Kapil Sharma. After prolonged estranged bouts in his marriage, Mann and his wife Inderpreet Kaur separated in 2015. He has two children. MP Bhagwant Mann, who is also the president of the Punjab unit of the AAP, has been the one to call a spade a spade, even if it has meant expressing displeasure against his party national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. In 2018, Mann resigned from the post of the party president following an apology by Arvind Kejriwal to former Punjab minister and Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia for levelling allegations of his involvement in the drug trade. Mann then tweeted saying, I am resigning as a president of AAP Punjab ...but my fight against drug mafia and all kinds of corruption in Punjab will continue as an Aam Aadmi of Punjab. Mann stands vindicated today with the state crime branch booking Majithia in a drug case. In the run to the assembly polls, Kejriwals apology, that Mann protested then, has now offered fodder to the opposition parties. Mann has had his share of controversies in politics. He has been targeted as an alcoholic, even as Mann claims to be only a social drinker. He has often been accused of reeking alcohol. Visuals of an MP getting close to Mann to smell him of alcohol while he was speaking in the Lok Sabha had left many amused. Perhaps realizing the extent of the damage he was doing to himself, his party and his political prospects, Mann in 2019 vowed not to drink and claimed to have turned into a teetotaler, something that Kejriwal commented saying it was a great sacrifice for the people of Punjab. The MP from Sangrur successfully runs an NGO Lok Lehar Foundation that is aimed at helping kids with physical deformities, essentially as a result of pollution of groundwater in the border areas of Punjab. Mann had earned applause from people for helping Punjabi youth stranded in Iraq and other parts of the world. He had facilitated their return to Punjab. The recent spectacular debut of the AAP in capital city Chandigarh municipal corporation elections, where it won a majority of seats, has buoyed hopes of the AAP in Punjab. The party has 20 MLA in Punjab. Bhagwant Manns image as a leader has remained free of the taint of corruption. His lifestyle sans any ostentation and flamboyance makes him a mass leader. In 2014, Mann won his seat with the highest margin. His narrative and public posturing remain simple, straightforward and appealing to the people. Check out DH's latest videos From his early days as a profound comic actor and satirist on television to his days as a people's politician, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Bhagwant Mann has come of age. The Modi juggernaut was unstoppable in 2014 Lok Sabha elections and offered a massive mandate to the saffron party but alongside, a rookie party that until then had no tangible footprints on the national electoral politics left its mark blunting the Modi wave in border state Punjab. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) then won four MP seats in the country, all from Punjab. Ever since, if theres one person who withstood much of the opposition onslaught and offered wings to the AAP in Punjab, its Bhagwant Mann alias Jugnu. A former Punjabi comic actor, Mann has proved his mettle as a politician connecting with people at the grassroots. In 2019, Mann yet again won his MP seat from Punjab. Also Read | Congress leaders fighting for CM's chair, 'weak govt' needs to be shunned, says Arvind Kejriwal As Punjab goes to polls shortly, AAP is seen as a formidable challenger to mainstream political parties. Mann (48), who is also president of the AAP's Punjab unit, will play a decisive role and will be eying the chief ministerial post if his party comes to power. It has so far resisted naming the CM face. MP Bhagwant Mann has been the one to call a spade a spade, even if it has meant expressing displeasure against his party national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. In 2018, Mann resigned from the post of party president after Arvind Kejriwal apologised to former Punjab minister and Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia for allegations against him for his involvement in drug trade. Mann then tweeted saying, I am resigning as a president of AAP Punjab ...but my fight against drug mafia and all kinds of corruption in Punjab will continue as an Aam Aadmi of Punjab. Mann stands vindicated today with the state crime branch booking Majithia in a drug case. In the run to the assembly polls, Kejriwals apology, that Mann protested then, has now offered fodder to the opposition parties. Mann has had his share of controversies in politics. He has been targeted as an alcoholic and has often been accused of reeking of alcohol, even as Mann claims to be only a social drinker. Visuals of an MP getting close to Mann to smell him of alcohol while he was speaking in the Lok Sabha had left many amused. Perhaps realising the extent of damage the label was doing to him, his party and his political prospects, Mann in 2019 vowed not to drink and claimed to have turned into a teetotaler, what Kejriwal called "a great sacrifice for the people of Punjab". Also Read | Sukhbir Badal dares Congress to name CM candidate The MP from Sangrur successfully runs an NGO Lok Lehar Foundation that is aimed at helping kids prey to physical deformities resulting from pollution of groundwater in the border areas of Punjab. Mann had earned applause for helping Punjabi youth stranded in Iraq and other parts of the world when he had facilitated their return. The recent spectacular debut of the AAP in capital city Chandigarh municipal corporation elections, where it won a majority of seats, has buoyed hopes of the AAP in Punjab. The party has 20 MLAs in Punjab. Before he jumped into politics, Mann was a popular name in Punjab, especially in the hinterland, for his side-splitting comic acts. His quick-witted jibes and satirical postscripts targeted at his opponents are a crowd favourite. Mann, a college dropout, became famous through a popular television comedy contest where he competed with fellow comedian Kapil Sharma. After prolonged estranged bouts in his marriage, Mann and his wife Inderpreet Kaur separated in 2015. He has two children. MP Bhagwant Mann, who is also the president of the Punjab unit of the AAP, has been the one to call a spade a spade, even if it has meant expressing displeasure against his party national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. In 2018, Mann resigned from the post of the party president following an apology by Arvind Kejriwal to former Punjab minister and Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia for levelling allegations of his involvement in the drug trade. Mann then tweeted saying, I am resigning as a president of AAP Punjab ...but my fight against drug mafia and all kinds of corruption in Punjab will continue as an Aam Aadmi of Punjab. Mann stands vindicated today with the state crime branch booking Majithia in a drug case. In the run to the assembly polls, Kejriwals apology, that Mann protested then, has now offered fodder to the opposition parties. Mann has had his share of controversies in politics. He has been targeted as an alcoholic, even as Mann claims to be only a social drinker. He has often been accused of reeking alcohol. Visuals of an MP getting close to Mann to smell him of alcohol while he was speaking in the Lok Sabha had left many amused. Perhaps realizing the extent of the damage he was doing to himself, his party and his political prospects, Mann in 2019 vowed not to drink and claimed to have turned into a teetotaler, something that Kejriwal commented saying it was a great sacrifice for the people of Punjab. The MP from Sangrur successfully runs an NGO Lok Lehar Foundation that is aimed at helping kids with physical deformities, essentially as a result of pollution of groundwater in the border areas of Punjab. Mann had earned applause from people for helping Punjabi youth stranded in Iraq and other parts of the world. He had facilitated their return to Punjab. The recent spectacular debut of the AAP in capital city Chandigarh municipal corporation elections, where it won a majority of seats, has buoyed hopes of the AAP in Punjab. The party has 20 MLA in Punjab. Bhagwant Manns image as a leader has remained free of the taint of corruption. His lifestyle sans any ostentation and flamboyance makes him a mass leader. In 2014, Mann won his seat with the highest margin. His narrative and public posturing remain simple, straightforward and appealing to the people. Check out DH's latest videos Violence against women is insulting to God, Pope Francis said in his New Year's message yesterday. Francis, 85, called for 'greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' as he celebrated a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on the day the Roman Catholic Church marks both the solemnity of Holy Mary Mother of God as well as its annual World Day of Peace. The pope has ardently spoken out against domestic violence since the pandemic began, last month telling a woman who had been beaten by her ex-husband that men who commit such acts engage in something that is 'almost satanic' during an Italian television programme. Violence against women is insulting to God, Pope Francis said in his New Year's message yesterday In the text of his Message for the World Day of Peace, Francis (pictured yesterday) said nations should 'invert the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry' He said in his homily: 'And since mothers bestow life, and women keep the world (together), let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women. 'How much violence is directed against women! Enough! 'To hurt a woman is to insult God, who from a woman took on our humanity.' Europe has seen a deadly resurgence of violence against women since the pandemic began. The pope, pictured yesterday, has ardently spoken out against domestic violence since the pandemic began The pope had called for 'greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' Last June it was reported that in Spain one woman was being killed every three days since the state of emergency ended in May, compared with an average of one a week before. NGO figures from the summer also showed that in Belgium, 13 women had died from violence since the end of April to June compared with 24 in the whole of 2020. In the text of his Message for the World Day of Peace, issued last month, Francis also said nations should 'invert the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry' and put more into social care. Pope Francis said in his homily: 'And since mothers bestow life, and women keep the world (together), let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women' Yesterday the pope the entire length of the central aisle of basilica, following an unexplained incident on New Year's Eve where Francis attended a service but at the last minute did not preside over it as he had been expected to. He had emerged from a side entrance close to the altar and watched from the sidelines. The pope suffers from a sciatica condition that causes pain in the legs, and sometimes a flare up prevents him from standing for long periods. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) Ping Coombes has said winning MasterChef Champion of Champions brought back so many good memories and it makes me feel alive. The 40-year-old won MasterChef in 2014 with Malaysian-inspired dishes including coconut and pandan rice with sambal lemongrass prawns. On December 31, she returned to the kitchen alongside other former champions Tim Anderson (2011), Saliha Mahmood Ahmed (2017), Kenny Tutt (2018) and Irini Tzortzoglou (2019) where she won the MasterChef plate again. Ping Coombes with the trophy (BBC/PA) She said: Being back in the MasterChef kitchen brings back so many good memories and it makes me feel alive. Everything is the same as it was and its all happening again. I am so relieved. You are putting yourself out there again, open to criticism, so to get those comments was out of this world. I cant really believe it all its like a dream. Im really, really happy. During one of the challenges, Coombes made Malaysian claypot chicken and her version of an ais kacang, which featured shards of rose-flavoured meringue and salted sweetcorn mousse. Judge Gregg Wallace took a particular liking to her dessert and said it was absolutely delicious. Fellow judge John Torode said: You see two sides of Ping in her food the first is the very serious, very technical side, the other is the fun one. Her food today was delicious, no two ways about it. After winning MasterChef in 2014, Coombes wrote cookbook Malaysia in 2016 and appeared in John Torodes Malaysian Adventure that same year. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) Congress leader Deepender Hooda on Saturday demanded compensation for the victims of Haryana's Bhiwani landslide tragedy and also asked for an independent inquiry by a High court or Supreme Court sitting judge. "We asked not only for compensation and relief, we asked for justice and for justice an independent inquiry should be ordered as any inquiry within Haryana or under Haryana government or under state police will not suffice so, but inquiry monitored by a sitting judge of either high court or Supreme Court also is the need and we press this demand and we hope that the government will answer soon," Hooda told ANI here in the national capital. The Congress MP paid his condolences to the victims of the tragedy and alleged that mining activities were going on in contravention of all guidelines. Hooda also alleged that a lot of high profile people are involved in the above-mentioned mining and linked to certain people who occupy top posts in the government. "First of all, I would like to pay condolences to all those who have lost their lives. May God give their family time and near one's strength to face this circumstance and we are with the administration in efforts to provide relief to all the ones who are still trapped, various estimates are coming in," he said. "At the same time, the government should quickly announce a relief package to all those who have lost their lives and to the injured. But that would not be sufficient. Khattar government has to answer who's responsible for the loss of lives, " he further said. "News is coming in that mining was going on and breaking all the laws, regulations, and in contravention of all the laid down guidelines, this mining activity was going on. The news is coming in that a lot of high profile people are involved in this mining and those who are somewhere linked to certain people who are occupying top posts in such a scenario people would like to know the truth," he added. According to Haryana police, at least two people were injured and several were missing after a landslide in a mining quarry took place in Haryana's Bhiwani on Saturday. The district administration has launched a rescue operation at the Dadam mining zone in Tosham block. The workers were reportedly travelling to another site when the landslide took place and they got trapped in their vehicles. Meanwhile, Khattar took to Twitter to express grief and said, "Saddened by the unfortunate landslide accident in Dadam mining zone at Bhiwani. I am in constant touch with the local administration to ensure swift rescue operations and immediate assistance to the injured." Agriculture Minister JP Dalal reached the site to oversee the rescue operation. "Some people have died. I cannot provide the exact figures as of now. A team of doctors has arrived. We will try to save as many people as possible," Dalal said. (ANI) In the run-up to the 2022 UP Elections, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi addressed a rally in Saharanpur on Saturday vowing to revive 'Indian nationalism' in the country. Hitting out at Congress, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj, and others, the barrister alleged that all these parties had spoken about 'ending' nationalism. "Be it Congress, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj or old Lok Dal, these parties have spoken about ending Indian Nationalism. But today Asaduddin Owaisi asserts that we have worked towards upholding Indian nationalism and will continue to do so. I just request everyone to support AIMIM," he said. "This is Saharanpur, every part of this region has marks of the sacrifice given by our elders. Today, we are seeing the colours of the work done by our elders," he added. The AIMIM supremo also launched an attack at the recent Dharam Sansad organized in Raipur last week alleging that 'words of hatred' were being spread under the garb of the event. "In this country, anyone fanning the waves of hatred, those wishing ill on Muslims, we will give a befitting reply to them. Those claiming my party spreads words of hatred, I just want to ask them about what was being said in the name of Dharam Sansad," he stated. A Magistrate court on Friday remanded Hindu seer Kalicharan who made derogatory remarks against Mahatma Gandhi to judicial custody till January 13. Invited to deliver a speech at a Dharam Sansad held in Raipur last week, Kalicharan Maharaj hit out at Mahatma Gandhi and hailed Nathuram Godse for killing him. He claimed that it was Gandhi who had aided Muslims to capture countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh through politics. Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022 For the 2022 polls, BJP is fighting under the leadership of its incumbent CM Yogi Adityanath. On the other hand, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav has ruled out any alliance with Congress and BSP, he has hinted at allying with his uncle Shivpal Yadav. So far, his party has announced a tie-up with Mahan Dal, Rajbhar's SBSP, and the Apna Dal faction of Krishna Patel. RLD is also likely to be allocated 30-35 seats for the 2022 UP polls in this alliance. Congress has aggressively campaigned under the leadership of Priyanka Gandhi in the state, eyeing its solo return. Meanwhile, AIMIM will contest 100 seats in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. In the run-up to the 2022 UP Elections, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi addressed a rally in Saharanpur on Saturday vowing to revive 'Indian nationalism' in the country. Hitting out at Congress, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj, and others, the barrister alleged that all these parties had spoken about 'ending' nationalism. "Be it Congress, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj or old Lok Dal, these parties have spoken about ending Indian Nationalism. But today Asaduddin Owaisi asserts that we have worked towards upholding Indian nationalism and will continue to do so. I just request everyone to support AIMIM," he said. "This is Saharanpur, every part of this region has marks of the sacrifice given by our elders. Today, we are seeing the colours of the work done by our elders," he added. The AIMIM supremo also launched an attack at the recent Dharam Sansad organized in Raipur last week alleging that 'words of hatred' were being spread under the garb of the event. "In this country, anyone fanning the waves of hatred, those wishing ill on Muslims, we will give a befitting reply to them. Those claiming my party spreads words of hatred, I just want to ask them about what was being said in the name of Dharam Sansad," he stated. A Magistrate court on Friday remanded Hindu seer Kalicharan who made derogatory remarks against Mahatma Gandhi to judicial custody till January 13. Invited to deliver a speech at a Dharam Sansad held in Raipur last week, Kalicharan Maharaj hit out at Mahatma Gandhi and hailed Nathuram Godse for killing him. He claimed that it was Gandhi who had aided Muslims to capture countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh through politics. Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022 For the 2022 polls, BJP is fighting under the leadership of its incumbent CM Yogi Adityanath. On the other hand, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav has ruled out any alliance with Congress and BSP, he has hinted at allying with his uncle Shivpal Yadav. So far, his party has announced a tie-up with Mahan Dal, Rajbhar's SBSP, and the Apna Dal faction of Krishna Patel. RLD is also likely to be allocated 30-35 seats for the 2022 UP polls in this alliance. Congress has aggressively campaigned under the leadership of Priyanka Gandhi in the state, eyeing its solo return. Meanwhile, AIMIM will contest 100 seats in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. Advertisement The decision to make Tony Blair a Sir has been met with anger by many on social media, as the former Prime Minister was branded a 'war criminal', with more than 25,000 signing a petition to block the award. Sir Tony has long faced a backlash over his decision to lead the UK into Iraq and Afghanistan, which cost the lives of 179 British personnel as well as many more civilians. But it was announced last night that he had been appointed to the Order of the Garter as a Knight Companion. Angus Scott launched the petition on Change.org shortly after news of the award was published. In an explanation in his petition, Mr Scott wrote: 'Tony Blair caused irreparable damage to both the constitution of the United Kingdom and to the very fabric of the nation's society. He was personally responsible for causing the death of countless innocent, civilian lives and servicement in various conflicts. For this alone he should be held accountable for war crimes.' All but one of the prime ministers before him were appointed a few years after leaving office. But Sir Tony waited over 14 years. It had been suggested that the Queen's strained relationship with him during his ten years in power may have contributed to the 'snub'. Current Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer MP, said: 'The last Labour government delivered enduring change from the national minimum wage to the peace process in Northern Ireland. My congratulations to Tony Blair on this recognition for his public service to our country.' On Twitter today, many made their feelings clear following the ennobling. Political commentator Liam Young wrote: 'The man should be in the dock of The Hague. What a shameful day.' Another said: 'The contempt in which Britain's elite holds the public has never been more eloquently expressed than in the decision to award Tony Blair the highest order of knighthood. One million Iraqis dead, three million dispossessed, a trail of blood to 7/7. Rise Sir Tony!' Many others demanded an overhaul of the honours system, with one user describing it as the 'favour for a friend' list. Sir Tony has faced years of criticism over the Iraq War, culminating in the devastating report by Sir John Chilcot in 2016, which found that the former prime minister overplayed evidence about Saddam Hussein's weaponry and ignored peaceful means to send troops into the country. In a devastating set of conclusions, Sir John found Blair presented the case for war with 'a certainty which was not justified' based on 'flawed' intelligence about Iraq's supposed weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The decision to make Tony Blair a Sir was met with anger by many on social media, as the former Prime Minister was branded a 'war criminal' Sir Tony has long faced a backlash over his decision to lead the UK into Iraq and Afghanistan, which cost the lives of 179 British personnel as well as many more civilians Blair then said he would 'take the same decision' to invade Iraq again if he was presented with the same intelligence as he set out a defiant defence after being savaged by the Chilcot report. The former prime minister put on a bullish performance as he responded to the long-awaited report and although he made a grovelling apology for the bloody consequences of the Iraq War, he attempted to shift the blame by saying the intelligence was not his responsibility. In a remarkable performance of self-defence at a special press conference that lasted for nearly two hours, the visibly humbled former prime minister described the decision to take military action to remove Hussein in 2003 as the 'hardest, most momentous, most agonising' of his 10 years in office. What are the different ranks of honours awarded by the Queen? Order of the Garter Founded in 1348, it is the most senior order of knighthood, outranked only by the Victoria Cross and the George Cross. Membership, granted for public service or service to the sovereign, is limited to 24 living people plus the Queen and the Prince of Wales. Companions of Honour (CH) The Order of the Companions of Honour was founded on June 4 1917 by George V and it limited to just 65 members at any one time. Appointments go to those who have made a long-standing contribution to arts, science, medicine or government. Two have been named in the latest list - former Labour MP and peer Frank Field, for public and political service, and Sir Paul Nurse, director of the Francis Crick Institute. Order of the Bath (DCB/KCB/CB) This recognises the work of senior military officials and civil servants. England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty (KCB) and chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance (KCB) were honoured in the New Year Honours list. - Order of St Michael and St George (Knight/GCMG/KCMG/DCMG/CMG) This recognises service in a foreign country, or in relation to foreign and Commonwealth affairs, such as the work of diplomats overseas. James Bond star Daniel Craig, was made a Companion of the Order, which is equivalent to a CBE and means he can use the post-nominals CMG, following his final outing as 007 in No Time To Die. Knighthood and damehood (Knight/DBE) These are usually bestowed on people who have made a major contribution at national level, who can use the titles Dame and Sir. England's deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam, Wales' chief medical officer Frank Atherton and Scotland's chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith were made knights. There were also damehoods for UK Health Security Agency chief Dr Jenny Harries and Dr June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) People are recognised under this honour if they have have a prominent but lesser role at national level, or a leading role at regional level. It also goes to those who make a distinguished, innovative contribution to any area. James Bond franchise producer Barbara Broccoli was among those made a CBE. Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) People are made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire if they have a major local role in any activity, including people whose work has made them known nationally. Among the 253 who were honoured in this way were Olympians Adam Peaty and Tom Daley. Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) This rank recognises outstanding achievements or service to the community which have had a long-term significant impact. A total of 508 people were made Members of the Order of the British Empire in the latest list, including tennis star Emma Raducanu, Diversity member Ashley Banjo and former Spice Girl Mel B. British Empire Medal (BEM) The BEM was reintroduced in 2012 by then prime minister David Cameron as part of his bid to make the honours system "classless", saying too few people making a difference in their areas were made MBEs. The medal went to 361 people in the New Year Honours. Advertisement At several points during his speech at Admiralty House in Whitehall he appeared to be close to tears as he accepted the 'serious criticisms' made of him and his government in the run up and aftermath of the Iraq War and said he accepted 'full responsibility, without exception, without excuse'. Responding to the publication of the Iraq War report, his voice cracked as he said: 'For all of this I express more sorrow, regret and apology than you may ever know or can believe.' He added later: 'The decisions I made I have carried with me for 13 years and will do so for the rest of my days. 'There will not be a day of my life where I do not relive and rethink what happened. But he claimed the Iraq Inquiry proved 'there were no lies' from him over the justification for invading Iraq in March 2003 and showed neither Parliament nor Cabinet were misled. And in the most extraordinary moment of his lengthy speech, Mr Blair insisted: 'If I was back in the same place, with the same information I would take the same decision because obviously that was the decision I believe was right. 'All I'm saying today, because obviously some of the intelligence has turned out to be wrong, the planning wasn't done properly, I have to accept those criticisims, I accept responsibility for them.' In another criticism on social media, John Smith the son of Second World War veteran and writer Harry Leslie Smith said the decision suggested it was 'okay' to kill people in their 'hundreds of thousands.' Sir Tony, who held the keys to Number 10 between 1997 and 2007, is appointed a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior British Order of Chivalry. The appointment, which is made by the Queen, has regularly been bestowed upon past prime ministers, with Sir John Major, Sir Tony's predecessor, the last to receive the honour. Sir Tony, a former Labour leader, said: 'It is an immense honour to be appointed Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, and I am deeply grateful to Her Majesty the Queen. 'It was a great privilege to serve as prime minister and I would like to thank all those who served alongside me, in politics, public service and all parts of our society, for their dedication and commitment to our country.' Sir Tony led New Labour to a landslide victory in 1997, winning two subsequent general elections before quitting Westminster a decade later, paving the way for his chancellor Gordon Brown to take over as prime minister. The 68-year-old famously branded Diana, Princess of Wales, the 'people's princess' after her death and was the UK leader during Allied military invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. The former barrister became a Middle East envoy and set up his own non-for-profit group, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, after leaving politics. Each year, Royal Knights and Ladies of the Order of the Garter gather at St George's Chapel in Windsor for a colourful procession and ceremony. Watched by crowds of onlookers, they walk down the hill to the chapel from the State Apartments, dressed in blue velvet mantles, red velvet hoods, black velvet hats and white ostrich plumes. Sir Tony, who left Downing Street more than 14 years ago, is one of three new appointments announced by the palace. Appointments to the Garter are in the Queen's gift and made without prime ministerial advice, and are usually announced on St George's Day, April 23, but the monarch can do so at any time, and has chosen to coincide with the New Year's Honours. They are for life unless a Knight or Lady Companion offends against certain 'points of reproach'. Founded in 1348 by Edward III, the Garter is awarded by the sovereign for outstanding public service and achievement. It is said to have been inspired by events at a ball in northern France, attended by the king and Joan, Countess of Salisbury. The countess is believed to have dropped her garter, causing laughter and some embarrassment. The chivalrous king, however, picked it up and wore it on his own leg, uttering the phrase 'Honi soit qui mal y pense' - 'Shame on him who thinks this evil' - now the Order's motto. The Order's emblem is a blue ribbon or garter worn by men below the left knee and by women on the left arm. There are now 21 non-royal companions in the order out of a maximum of 24. The decision to ennoble the former prime minister or Sir Tony, as he will now be known has been much debated in recent years. It had been suggested that the Queen's strained relationship with him during his ten years in power may have contributed to the 'snub'. (He is pictured with the Queen in 2005) Seven Chilcot allegations and seven Tony Blair denials: How the defiant former Prime Minister attempted to save his reputation 1). Chilcot: The intelligence justifying the invasion of Iraq was wrong. Tony Blair accepted the intelligence he based his decision has since turned out to be wrong but in a defiance performance he attempted to shift the blame by saying the intelligence was not his responsibility. 'The intelligence statements made at the time of going to war turned out to be wrong,' Blair said. 'The aftermath turned out more hostile, protracted and bloody than we ever imagined. 'The Coalition planned for one set of ground facts and encountered another. A nation whose people we wanted to see free and secure from the evil of Saddam became instead victim of sectarian terrorism. For all of this I express more sorrow, regret and apology and in greater measure than you can know or may believe. 2) Chilcot: Going to war in Iraq was 'not a last resort'. Blair again disagreed, insisting he had not rushed to war and said all other avenues had been exhausted. 'Given the impasse at the UN and the insistence of the USA for reasons I completely understood and with hundreds of thousands of troops in theatre which could not be kept in situ indefinitely it was the last moment of decision for us, as the report accepts. By then, the US was going to move with us or without us.' 3) Chilcot said Britain and the USA undermined the UN's authority by rushing to war without a second resolution. Blair's response: 'The reality is that we Britain had continually tried to act with the authority of the UN. I successfully convinced the Americans to go back to the UN in November 2002 to secure resolution 1441.' 4) Chilcot: Britain could have refused to support George W Bush Blair said Britain had been America's 'core partner' in the post-9/11 era and standing side-by-side the USA was 'a vital national interest'. He said: '9/11 was an event like no other in US history. I considered it an attack on all the free world. I believed that Britain as America's strongest ally should be with them in tackling this new and unprecedented security challenge. I believed it important that America was not alone but part of a wider coalition. In the end, a majority even of the European Union nations supported action in Iraq. 'I do not believe we would have had that coalition or persuaded the Bush Administration to go down the UN route without our commitment to be alongside America.' 5) Chicot: Blair's government was warned that removing Saddam Hussein without an adequate plan for the aftermath could lead to Iraq's weapons and capabilities falling into the hands of terrorists. Blair's response: 'I profoundly disagree. Saddam was himself a wellspring of terror, a continuing threat to peace and to his own people. 'Had he been left in power in 2003, then I believe, for the detailed reasons I shall give, he would once again have threatened world peace, and when the Arab revolutions of 2011 began, he would have clung to power with the same deadly consequences as we see in the carnage of Syria; whereas at least in Iraq, for all its challenges, we have today a Government, recognised as legitimate, fighting terrorism with the international community in support of it.' 6) Chilcot: Blair was warned of sectarian infighting and bloodletting after ousting Saddam Hussein. Blair's response: 'I accept that but would point out that nowhere were these highlighted as the main risk and in any event what we faced was not the anticipated internal bloodletting but an all-out insurgency stimulated by external arms and money.' 7) Chilcot: The Ministry of Defence, Britain's Armed Forces and the intelligence services were also to blame for leaving servicemen overstretched, humiliated and under deadly attack due to a serious shortage of vital equipment Responding to this claim, Blair was at his most contrite, insisting he took full responsibility. 'I do not think it is fair or accurate to criticise the Armed Forces, Intelligence Services, or civil service. It was my decision they were acting upon,' he said. 'The Armed Forces in particular did an extraordinary job throughout our engagement in Iraq in the incredibly difficult mission we gave them. I pay tribute to them. Any faults derive from my decisions and should not attach to them. They are people of enormous dedication and courage and the country should be very proud of them.' Advertisement Arise, Sir Covid!: Government scientific advisers Chris Whitty and Jonathan Van-Tam are knighted and rewards for Kate Garraway, Sir Patrick Vallance and public health chief Dr Jenny Harries for 'Covid-related services' in the 2022 New Year's Honours list Britain's Covid heroes are recognised in the New Year Honours today, with top gongs for Government scientific advisers Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance and an MBE for Kate Garraway. The scientists were among hundreds who were awarded for 'Covid-related service', which accounted for nearly a fifth of all those recognised. Meanwhile TV presenter Miss Garraway, 54, received her honour for services to broadcasting after documenting husband Derek Draper's battle with the illness. Britain's Covid heroes are recognised in the New Year Honours today, with top gongs for Government scientific advisers Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance Meanwhile TV presenter Kate Garraway, 54, received her MBE honour for services to broadcasting after documenting husband Derek Draper's battle with the illness Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick (left), 61, will get an upgrade to become a knight commander of the Order of the Bath. Chief medical officer Professor Whitty (right) , 55, is also made a knight commander of the Order of the Bath Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: 'It has been a privilege to work with such dedicated professionals who have worked relentlessly throughout the pandemic providing expert advice so we can keep people safe. 'This year the Honours List rightly recognises those whose efforts have helped us deliver world-leading testing and vaccination programmes, and I am deeply grateful for their hard work.' Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick, 61, will get an upgrade to become a knight commander of the Order of the Bath. Professor Whitty's deputy, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, 57, becomes a knight bachelor Dr Jenny Harries (left), 63, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, will become a dame for services to health. Damehoods also go to NHS England vaccine deployment lead Dr Emily Lawson and Dr June Raine (right), chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency Scottish chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith (pictured) and his Welsh counterpart Dr Frank Atherton were also knighted for services to public health He was already a knight bachelor the standard level of knighthood after being honoured in 2019. He said last night he was 'pleased to see so many outstanding scientists and engineers recognised'. Chief medical officer Professor Whitty, 55, is also made a knight commander of the Order of the Bath. Sir Trevor, the equalities tsar Trvor Phillips, 62, was the founding chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and was previously the head of the Commission for Racial Equality Broadcaster and former government equalities tsar Trevor Phillips has been knighted for services to human rights. Mr Phillips, 62, was the founding chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and was previously the head of the Commission for Racial Equality. The presenter who has fronted Sky News' Sunday morning programme while Sophy Ridge is on maternity leave has highlighted the lack of diversity at the highest levels of politics, business and the media. Advertisement His deputy, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, 57, becomes a knight bachelor. Dr Jenny Harries, 63, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, will become a dame for services to health. Damehoods also go to NHS England vaccine deployment lead Dr Emily Lawson and Dr June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Scottish chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith and his Welsh counterpart Dr Frank Atherton were also knighted for services to public health. The pandemic dominated the list, with 207 people honoured for services 'during Covid-19' and 17 specifically for 'services to the Covid-19 response'. Vaccine developers around the world were also rewarded in the overseas and international list for helping give Britain one of best jab rollouts on the planet. American Pfizer chief development officer Rod MacKenzie and German BioNTech chief business and commercial officer Sean Marett are both made Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George for services to vaccine development and distribution. Moderna chief development officer Melanie Ivarsson, who is also American, receives an OBE. In Britain, Mohammed Aziz, Boots director of healthcare services, is awarded an OBE for providing testing for Covid. Major supermarket chiefs were awarded for keeping supply chains running. Former Asda chief executive Roger Burnley, 55, and Co-Op chief executive Steven Murrells, 56, both received CBEs, while Morrisons supply chain manager Angela Johnson got an MBE. Nobel Prize-winning geneticist Sir Paul Nurse, 72, who is made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour, said this year's honours list was a 'recognition of the importance' of science. Away from the pandemic, former Labour MP Frank Field, 79, joined Sir Paul in being appointed to the Order of the Companions of Honour. Lord Field of Birkenhead, who has been a politician for 40 years, said: 'It's a terrific privilege.' Tory former ministers Robert Buckland and Caroline Dinenage are also in line for honours. Ex-justice secretary Mr Buckland, who was sacked in Boris Johnson's reshuffle in September to make way for Dominic Raab, is made a knight. Gosport MP Miss Dinenage, who was ousted as minister of state for digital and culture, is made a dame. Government sources insisted the honours were for their ministerial service, rather than a consolation for being sacked. Major supermarket chiefs were awarded for keeping supply chains running. Former Asda chief executive Roger Burnley (left), 55, and Co-Op chief executive Steven Murrells (right), 56, both received CBEs, while Morrisons supply chain manager Angela Johnson got an MBE Away from the pandemic, former Labour MP Frank Field (above), 79, joined Sir Paul in being appointed to the Order of the Companions of Honour. Lord Field of Birkenhead, who has been a politician for 40 years, said: 'It's a terrific privilege' Tory former ministers Robert Buckland (left) and Caroline Dinenage (right) are also in line for honours. Ex-justice secretary Mr Buckland, who was sacked in Boris Johnson's reshuffle in September to make way for Dominic Raab, is made a knight. Gosport MP Miss Dinenage, who was ousted as minister of state for digital and culture, is made a dame Regarded as one of the greatest actresses of her generation, the 84-year-old has become Dame Vanessa in recognition of her services to drama At 84, Vanessa Redgrave decides there's nothing like a damehood By ELEANOR SHARPLES for the Daily Mail She is a lifelong socialist and turned down a damehood in 1999 as she objected to any honour linked to the 'British Empire'. But Vanessa Redgrave appears to have overcome her qualms as she today accepts the award in the New Year Honours List. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses of her generation, the 84-year-old has become Dame Vanessa in recognition of her services to drama. Other actors honoured today include former Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley, who has also been made a dame. Dame Vanessa, who won an Oscar for her role in the 1977 film Julia, was previously honoured in 1967 when she was given a CBE. Questioned about reports that she had turned down a damehood, she said in 2002: 'My difficulty is in receiving anything that says British Empire because I am a Unicef special representative at the service of children from any country. If there were no mention of the British Empire, I would be as honoured as anybody. ' At a press conference at the Venice Film Festival in 2018, the actress claimed that she had declined the damehood in protest at the Iraq War and former prime minister Tony Blair. But the Iraq War did not start until 2003. Dame Vanessa said at the time that she would 'never say I refused an honour from the Queen'. But she added: 'But I could not and would not accept any honour from Mr Blair, when he has taken our country, and so many people, to war on the basis of a lie.' Dame Joanna, 75, who was awarded an OBE in 1995, has been honoured for her services to drama, entertainment and charitable causes. She said: 'I am astonished and thrilled and touched beyond words...' The actress, known for roles in The New Avengers and as the boozy Patsy Stone in Absolutely Fabulous, has also made a name for herself fighting for the rights of Gurkhas to settle in the UK. Meanwhile, actor Daniel Craig, 53, whose final film as 007, No Time to Die, was released this autumn, was given the rare honour of being made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) the same award given to Bond in Ian Fleming's novels. A CMG is normally given to those who have performed extraordinary services abroad. Other actors honoured today include former Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley (left), who has also been made a dame. Elsewhere, Melanie Brown (right), 46, of the Spice Girls, better known as Mel B, has been made an MBE for her work with domestic violence charity Women's Aid Actor Daniel Craig, 53, whose final film as 007, No Time to Die, was released this autumn, was given the rare honour of being made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) the same award given to Bond in Ian Fleming's novels. A CMG is normally given to those who have performed extraordinary services abroad The movies' producer, Barbara Broccoli, 61, was awarded a CBE for services to film, as was her half-brother, Bond producer and scriptwriter Michael Wilson, 79. There were also CBEs for film director Paul Greengrass, 66, who created the rival Jason Bourne movies, and author Anthony Horowitz, also 66, who has written three Bond novels. Other stars to be recognised include newsreader Moira Stuart, who has been given a CBE. Sir Elton John's lyricist, Bernie Taupin, 71, was also awarded a CBE in the overseas and international list for his work in music. Coronation Street's William Roache, 89, who appeared in the show's very first episode as Ken Barlow in December 1960, has been awarded an OBE for his services to drama and charity. Cherylee Houston, 47, who played wheelchair user Izzy Armstrong in the soap, has been given an MBE for her work in drama and for people with disabilities. Coronation Street's William Roache (left), 89, who appeared in the show's very first episode as Ken Barlow in December 1960, has been awarded an OBE for his services to drama and charity. Sir Elton John's lyricist, Bernie Taupin (right), 71, was also awarded a CBE in the overseas and international list for his work in music Former EastEnders stars June Brown, 94, who played Dot Cotton, and Nitin Ganatra, 54, who appeared as Masood Ahmed, were both given OBEs. Elsewhere, Melanie Brown, 46, of the Spice Girls, better known as Mel B, has been made an MBE for her work with domestic violence charity Women's Aid. Film director John Boorman, 88, whose movies include 1967's Point Blank, is knighted, while Alistair Spalding, 64, boss of Sadler's Wells Theatre, has also received one for his work in dance. Ashley Banjo, 33, of Britain's Got Talent-winning dance troupe Diversity, was also awarded an MBE for services to dance. Television presenter Katie Piper, 38, who survived an acid attack in 2008 and went on to found The Katie Piper Foundation, is awarded an OBE for her services to charity and victims of disfigurement injuries. Australian comedian Adam Hills, 51, who hosts Channel 4's The Last Leg, is made an MBE for services to Paralympic sport and disability awareness. And Pauline Black, 68, lead singer of two-tone band The Selecter, has been made an OBE for services to entertainment. Youngest awarded at 11... and the oldest at 102 The youngest ever recipient of a New Year Honour said he was 'chuffed to bits' and cannot wait to pick up his award. Tobias Weller, 11, who has cerebral palsy and autism, was inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore to start raising money during the pandemic. He raised over 157,000 by completing three challenges. After receiving his British Empire Medal, Tobias, of Sheffield, said: 'My mum told me about the honour on Christmas Day and I thought, 'Wow, I'm actually going to get an honour from Her Majesty the Queen'.' Meanwhile, Henry Lewis was the oldest on the list at 102. The honorary vice president of magician's society The Magic Circle received an MBE for services to fundraising and charitable causes. The youngest ever recipient of a New Year Honour said he was 'chuffed to bits' and cannot wait to pick up his award. Tobias Weller, 11, who has cerebral palsy and autism, was inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore to start raising money during the pandemic Henry Lewis was the oldest on the list at 102. The honorary vice president of magician's society The Magic Circle received an MBE for services to fundraising and charitable causes Advertisement Another first for golden couple Laura and Jason By ANDY JEHRING for the Daily Mail Olympic champions Laura and Jason Kenny are the first husband and wife ever to be made knight and dame in the same honours list while an MBE completes a fairytale year for Emma Raducanu. The Kennys now have another accolade to add to their Olympic titles after receiving the awards for services to cycling. Kenny, 33, drew level with Sir Bradley Wiggins' record of eight medals when he picked up a silver in the team sprint at Tokyo this summer. He now has six gold and two silver medals, while his wife, 29, has five gold medals and one silver. Olympic champions Laura and Jason Kenny are the first husband and wife ever to be made knight and dame in the same honours list The Kennys now have another accolade to add to their Olympic titles after receiving the awards for services to cycling The couple, who have a four-year-old son, Albie, said they were 'humbled and also very proud' last night, and thanked the 'whole team of people behind us'. Tennis sensation Miss Raducanu, 19, caps off a dazzling breakthrough year with an MBE to add to her BBC Sports Personality of the Year and US Open win in New York. 'It makes me immensely proud and grateful,' she said. 'This year has been full of amazing surprises for me so to end 2021 with this appointment is very special.' Diver Tom Daley, 27, picks up an OBE for services to LGBTQ+ rights, while fellow swimmer and Strictly Come Dancing star Adam Peaty, also 27, also got an OBE. Paralympian Lauren Steadman, 29, another Strictly star, is awarded an MBE while seven-time Paralympic sprint champion Hannah Cockcroft, 29, is made an OBE. They are among 78 athletes honoured following their success at Tokyo 2020. Tennis sensation Emma Raducanu, 19, caps off a dazzling breakthrough year with an MBE to add to her BBC Sports Personality of the Year and US Open win in New York Paralympian Lauren Steadman, 29, another Strictly star, is awarded an MBE Diver Tom Daley, 27, picks up an OBE for services to LGBTQ+ rights Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis receives a CBE Consumer champion Martin Lewis has been made a CBE in the latest New Year Honours list for services to broadcasting and consumer rights Consumer champion Martin Lewis has been made a CBE in the latest New Year Honours list for services to broadcasting and consumer rights. But the finance expert said he almost missed out after Buckingham Palace sent his nomination to an old address. He said: 'I was genuinely very surprised. I knew some people had nominated me but it was way past the time when you're supposed to receive a letter. 'I then found out they had sent the letter to an old address and when I hadn't responded they got in touch, so I was properly gobsmacked.' The founder of the Money Saving Expert website added: 'The timing of this is pertinent and I'm not surprised because it's been a difficult couple of years for everyone.' It comes after a period in which he got to grips with helping households and businesses navigate the pandemic and ensuring people could claim what they were entitled to under various Government support schemes. He said: 'I had to learn quite a lot in a short time in helping to communicate to the public what help they could get and where they needed to seek it, along with communicating with the Government to point out the holes in what they were offering, and, let's be clear, there are holes.' Asked whether he thinks the latest honour, which follows an OBE in 2014, will lead him to be less critical of the Government, he said he will not let up his campaigning. 'Whilst I do not have an axe to grind with any political party, I will grind my axe over specific issues. I was grinding my axe after I got my OBE in 2014 and I hope to be grinding my axe until my hair is white.' The broadcaster added: 'Now my hope is all our lives soon return to normal, and my little girl, who was just a baby when I got presented (with) the OBE, can this time join my wife and I, when I get to receive this priceless honour.' Mr Lewis is also founder of the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute charity, and presenter of the Martin Lewis Money Show on ITV. Advertisement Camilla wins the highest approval the Queen can bestow: Duchess of Cornwall joins the elite Order of the Garter 'for services to the sovereign' after years of loyalty and discretion By REBECCA ENGLISH for the Daily Mail The Queen is personally awarding the Duchess of Cornwall the highest honour possible thanks to her 'service to the sovereign', it was announced last night. Camilla is to be made a Royal Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior of the Orders of Chivalry in Britain, Buckingham Palace said. The appointment will be seen as a royal seal of approval for the loyalty and discretion Camilla has shown since her marriage to the Prince of Wales in 2005. The Queen is personally awarding the Duchess of Cornwall the highest honour possible thanks to her 'service to the sovereign', it was announced last night Camilla is to be made a Royal Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior of the Orders of Chivalry in Britain, Buckingham Palace said. The appointment will be seen as a royal seal of approval for the loyalty and discretion Camilla has shown since her marriage to the Prince of Wales (above) in 2005 It will spark renewed speculation that the 95-year-old monarch may yet endorse Camilla to be Queen when she dies and Prince Charles accedes to the throne Clarence House says the 'intention' is for the duchess to become Princess Consort, showing sensitivity to previously negative public opinion over Camilla's role in the breakdown of Charles and Diana's marriage It will spark renewed speculation that the 95-year-old monarch may yet endorse Camilla to be Queen when she dies and Prince Charles accedes to the throne. Clarence House says the 'intention' is for the duchess to become Princess Consort, showing sensitivity to previously negative public opinion over Camilla's role in the breakdown of Charles and Diana's marriage. But Charles has never made any secret of his desire for Camilla to become queen by his side. And it is known that the Queen has been impressed by the way in which her daughter-in-law has embraced her public role and shown quiet and respectful dedication to both her husband and the institution of the monarchy. It was also revealed that Baroness Amos is to be made a Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter the first person from an ethnic minority to be appointed. She is a Labour politician and diplomat who has served as UN Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs and British High Commissioner to Australia. It was also revealed that Baroness Amos (above) is to be made a Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter the first person from an ethnic minority to be appointed. She is a Labour politician and diplomat who has served as UN Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs and British High Commissioner to Australia She was also Leader of the House of Lords and the chief executive of the Equal Opportunities Commission. The Order of the Garter was established by King Edward III in 1348 after he was inspired by the tales of King Arthur and the chivalry of the Knights of the Round Table. The number of Knights and Ladies Companion is limited to 24 in total at any one time. There is no limit to the number of royal members, however. Initially, the order's members were limited to the aristocracy but they are now men and women chosen from a variety of backgrounds, in recognition for their public service, their contribution to national life, or their personal service to the sovereign. The honour is personally bestowed by the monarch, with no interference from the Government. The patron saint of the order is St George and the spiritual home is St George's Chapel at Windsor. Its motto is 'Honi soit qui mal y pense', Old French for 'shame on him who thinks evil of it'. Vacancies are announced on St George's Day and only occasionally at New Year. It is thought that the Queen wanted this year's announcement to tie in with the New Year's Honours. Prince Philip was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Garter by King George VI in 1947 and it is believed that the Queen also wanted to ensure that both her son and his wife were members before her own change of reign. A Garter Day procession is held each June before a short service in St George's Chapel, at which any new companions are installed. Advertisement The decision to make Tony Blair a Sir has been met with anger by many on social media, as the former Prime Minister was branded a 'war criminal', with more than 25,000 signing a petition to block the award. Sir Tony has long faced a backlash over his decision to lead the UK into Iraq and Afghanistan, which cost the lives of 179 British personnel as well as many more civilians. But it was announced last night that he had been appointed to the Order of the Garter as a Knight Companion. Angus Scott launched the petition on Change.org shortly after news of the award was published. In an explanation in his petition, Mr Scott wrote: 'Tony Blair caused irreparable damage to both the constitution of the United Kingdom and to the very fabric of the nation's society. He was personally responsible for causing the death of countless innocent, civilian lives and servicement in various conflicts. For this alone he should be held accountable for war crimes.' All but one of the prime ministers before him were appointed a few years after leaving office. But Sir Tony waited over 14 years. It had been suggested that the Queen's strained relationship with him during his ten years in power may have contributed to the 'snub'. Current Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer MP, said: 'The last Labour government delivered enduring change from the national minimum wage to the peace process in Northern Ireland. My congratulations to Tony Blair on this recognition for his public service to our country.' On Twitter today, many made their feelings clear following the ennobling. Political commentator Liam Young wrote: 'The man should be in the dock of The Hague. What a shameful day.' Another said: 'The contempt in which Britain's elite holds the public has never been more eloquently expressed than in the decision to award Tony Blair the highest order of knighthood. One million Iraqis dead, three million dispossessed, a trail of blood to 7/7. Rise Sir Tony!' Many others demanded an overhaul of the honours system, with one user describing it as the 'favour for a friend' list. Sir Tony has faced years of criticism over the Iraq War, culminating in the devastating report by Sir John Chilcot in 2016, which found that the former prime minister overplayed evidence about Saddam Hussein's weaponry and ignored peaceful means to send troops into the country. In a devastating set of conclusions, Sir John found Blair presented the case for war with 'a certainty which was not justified' based on 'flawed' intelligence about Iraq's supposed weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The decision to make Tony Blair a Sir was met with anger by many on social media, as the former Prime Minister was branded a 'war criminal' Sir Tony has long faced a backlash over his decision to lead the UK into Iraq and Afghanistan, which cost the lives of 179 British personnel as well as many more civilians Blair then said he would 'take the same decision' to invade Iraq again if he was presented with the same intelligence as he set out a defiant defence after being savaged by the Chilcot report. The former prime minister put on a bullish performance as he responded to the long-awaited report and although he made a grovelling apology for the bloody consequences of the Iraq War, he attempted to shift the blame by saying the intelligence was not his responsibility. In a remarkable performance of self-defence at a special press conference that lasted for nearly two hours, the visibly humbled former prime minister described the decision to take military action to remove Hussein in 2003 as the 'hardest, most momentous, most agonising' of his 10 years in office. What are the different ranks of honours awarded by the Queen? Order of the Garter Founded in 1348, it is the most senior order of knighthood, outranked only by the Victoria Cross and the George Cross. Membership, granted for public service or service to the sovereign, is limited to 24 living people plus the Queen and the Prince of Wales. Companions of Honour (CH) The Order of the Companions of Honour was founded on June 4 1917 by George V and it limited to just 65 members at any one time. Appointments go to those who have made a long-standing contribution to arts, science, medicine or government. Two have been named in the latest list - former Labour MP and peer Frank Field, for public and political service, and Sir Paul Nurse, director of the Francis Crick Institute. Order of the Bath (DCB/KCB/CB) This recognises the work of senior military officials and civil servants. England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty (KCB) and chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance (KCB) were honoured in the New Year Honours list. - Order of St Michael and St George (Knight/GCMG/KCMG/DCMG/CMG) This recognises service in a foreign country, or in relation to foreign and Commonwealth affairs, such as the work of diplomats overseas. James Bond star Daniel Craig, was made a Companion of the Order, which is equivalent to a CBE and means he can use the post-nominals CMG, following his final outing as 007 in No Time To Die. Knighthood and damehood (Knight/DBE) These are usually bestowed on people who have made a major contribution at national level, who can use the titles Dame and Sir. England's deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam, Wales' chief medical officer Frank Atherton and Scotland's chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith were made knights. There were also damehoods for UK Health Security Agency chief Dr Jenny Harries and Dr June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) People are recognised under this honour if they have have a prominent but lesser role at national level, or a leading role at regional level. It also goes to those who make a distinguished, innovative contribution to any area. James Bond franchise producer Barbara Broccoli was among those made a CBE. Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) People are made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire if they have a major local role in any activity, including people whose work has made them known nationally. Among the 253 who were honoured in this way were Olympians Adam Peaty and Tom Daley. Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) This rank recognises outstanding achievements or service to the community which have had a long-term significant impact. A total of 508 people were made Members of the Order of the British Empire in the latest list, including tennis star Emma Raducanu, Diversity member Ashley Banjo and former Spice Girl Mel B. British Empire Medal (BEM) The BEM was reintroduced in 2012 by then prime minister David Cameron as part of his bid to make the honours system "classless", saying too few people making a difference in their areas were made MBEs. The medal went to 361 people in the New Year Honours. Advertisement At several points during his speech at Admiralty House in Whitehall he appeared to be close to tears as he accepted the 'serious criticisms' made of him and his government in the run up and aftermath of the Iraq War and said he accepted 'full responsibility, without exception, without excuse'. Responding to the publication of the Iraq War report, his voice cracked as he said: 'For all of this I express more sorrow, regret and apology than you may ever know or can believe.' He added later: 'The decisions I made I have carried with me for 13 years and will do so for the rest of my days. 'There will not be a day of my life where I do not relive and rethink what happened. But he claimed the Iraq Inquiry proved 'there were no lies' from him over the justification for invading Iraq in March 2003 and showed neither Parliament nor Cabinet were misled. And in the most extraordinary moment of his lengthy speech, Mr Blair insisted: 'If I was back in the same place, with the same information I would take the same decision because obviously that was the decision I believe was right. 'All I'm saying today, because obviously some of the intelligence has turned out to be wrong, the planning wasn't done properly, I have to accept those criticisims, I accept responsibility for them.' In another criticism on social media, John Smith the son of Second World War veteran and writer Harry Leslie Smith said the decision suggested it was 'okay' to kill people in their 'hundreds of thousands.' Sir Tony, who held the keys to Number 10 between 1997 and 2007, is appointed a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior British Order of Chivalry. The appointment, which is made by the Queen, has regularly been bestowed upon past prime ministers, with Sir John Major, Sir Tony's predecessor, the last to receive the honour. Sir Tony, a former Labour leader, said: 'It is an immense honour to be appointed Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, and I am deeply grateful to Her Majesty the Queen. 'It was a great privilege to serve as prime minister and I would like to thank all those who served alongside me, in politics, public service and all parts of our society, for their dedication and commitment to our country.' Sir Tony led New Labour to a landslide victory in 1997, winning two subsequent general elections before quitting Westminster a decade later, paving the way for his chancellor Gordon Brown to take over as prime minister. The 68-year-old famously branded Diana, Princess of Wales, the 'people's princess' after her death and was the UK leader during Allied military invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. The former barrister became a Middle East envoy and set up his own non-for-profit group, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, after leaving politics. Each year, Royal Knights and Ladies of the Order of the Garter gather at St George's Chapel in Windsor for a colourful procession and ceremony. Watched by crowds of onlookers, they walk down the hill to the chapel from the State Apartments, dressed in blue velvet mantles, red velvet hoods, black velvet hats and white ostrich plumes. Sir Tony, who left Downing Street more than 14 years ago, is one of three new appointments announced by the palace. Appointments to the Garter are in the Queen's gift and made without prime ministerial advice, and are usually announced on St George's Day, April 23, but the monarch can do so at any time, and has chosen to coincide with the New Year's Honours. They are for life unless a Knight or Lady Companion offends against certain 'points of reproach'. Founded in 1348 by Edward III, the Garter is awarded by the sovereign for outstanding public service and achievement. It is said to have been inspired by events at a ball in northern France, attended by the king and Joan, Countess of Salisbury. The countess is believed to have dropped her garter, causing laughter and some embarrassment. The chivalrous king, however, picked it up and wore it on his own leg, uttering the phrase 'Honi soit qui mal y pense' - 'Shame on him who thinks this evil' - now the Order's motto. The Order's emblem is a blue ribbon or garter worn by men below the left knee and by women on the left arm. There are now 21 non-royal companions in the order out of a maximum of 24. The decision to ennoble the former prime minister or Sir Tony, as he will now be known has been much debated in recent years. It had been suggested that the Queen's strained relationship with him during his ten years in power may have contributed to the 'snub'. (He is pictured with the Queen in 2005) Seven Chilcot allegations and seven Tony Blair denials: How the defiant former Prime Minister attempted to save his reputation 1). Chilcot: The intelligence justifying the invasion of Iraq was wrong. Tony Blair accepted the intelligence he based his decision has since turned out to be wrong but in a defiance performance he attempted to shift the blame by saying the intelligence was not his responsibility. 'The intelligence statements made at the time of going to war turned out to be wrong,' Blair said. 'The aftermath turned out more hostile, protracted and bloody than we ever imagined. 'The Coalition planned for one set of ground facts and encountered another. A nation whose people we wanted to see free and secure from the evil of Saddam became instead victim of sectarian terrorism. For all of this I express more sorrow, regret and apology and in greater measure than you can know or may believe. 2) Chilcot: Going to war in Iraq was 'not a last resort'. Blair again disagreed, insisting he had not rushed to war and said all other avenues had been exhausted. 'Given the impasse at the UN and the insistence of the USA for reasons I completely understood and with hundreds of thousands of troops in theatre which could not be kept in situ indefinitely it was the last moment of decision for us, as the report accepts. By then, the US was going to move with us or without us.' 3) Chilcot said Britain and the USA undermined the UN's authority by rushing to war without a second resolution. Blair's response: 'The reality is that we Britain had continually tried to act with the authority of the UN. I successfully convinced the Americans to go back to the UN in November 2002 to secure resolution 1441.' 4) Chilcot: Britain could have refused to support George W Bush Blair said Britain had been America's 'core partner' in the post-9/11 era and standing side-by-side the USA was 'a vital national interest'. He said: '9/11 was an event like no other in US history. I considered it an attack on all the free world. I believed that Britain as America's strongest ally should be with them in tackling this new and unprecedented security challenge. I believed it important that America was not alone but part of a wider coalition. In the end, a majority even of the European Union nations supported action in Iraq. 'I do not believe we would have had that coalition or persuaded the Bush Administration to go down the UN route without our commitment to be alongside America.' 5) Chicot: Blair's government was warned that removing Saddam Hussein without an adequate plan for the aftermath could lead to Iraq's weapons and capabilities falling into the hands of terrorists. Blair's response: 'I profoundly disagree. Saddam was himself a wellspring of terror, a continuing threat to peace and to his own people. 'Had he been left in power in 2003, then I believe, for the detailed reasons I shall give, he would once again have threatened world peace, and when the Arab revolutions of 2011 began, he would have clung to power with the same deadly consequences as we see in the carnage of Syria; whereas at least in Iraq, for all its challenges, we have today a Government, recognised as legitimate, fighting terrorism with the international community in support of it.' 6) Chilcot: Blair was warned of sectarian infighting and bloodletting after ousting Saddam Hussein. Blair's response: 'I accept that but would point out that nowhere were these highlighted as the main risk and in any event what we faced was not the anticipated internal bloodletting but an all-out insurgency stimulated by external arms and money.' 7) Chilcot: The Ministry of Defence, Britain's Armed Forces and the intelligence services were also to blame for leaving servicemen overstretched, humiliated and under deadly attack due to a serious shortage of vital equipment Responding to this claim, Blair was at his most contrite, insisting he took full responsibility. 'I do not think it is fair or accurate to criticise the Armed Forces, Intelligence Services, or civil service. It was my decision they were acting upon,' he said. 'The Armed Forces in particular did an extraordinary job throughout our engagement in Iraq in the incredibly difficult mission we gave them. I pay tribute to them. Any faults derive from my decisions and should not attach to them. They are people of enormous dedication and courage and the country should be very proud of them.' Advertisement Arise, Sir Covid!: Government scientific advisers Chris Whitty and Jonathan Van-Tam are knighted and rewards for Kate Garraway, Sir Patrick Vallance and public health chief Dr Jenny Harries for 'Covid-related services' in the 2022 New Year's Honours list Britain's Covid heroes are recognised in the New Year Honours today, with top gongs for Government scientific advisers Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance and an MBE for Kate Garraway. The scientists were among hundreds who were awarded for 'Covid-related service', which accounted for nearly a fifth of all those recognised. Meanwhile TV presenter Miss Garraway, 54, received her honour for services to broadcasting after documenting husband Derek Draper's battle with the illness. Britain's Covid heroes are recognised in the New Year Honours today, with top gongs for Government scientific advisers Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance Meanwhile TV presenter Kate Garraway, 54, received her MBE honour for services to broadcasting after documenting husband Derek Draper's battle with the illness Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick (left), 61, will get an upgrade to become a knight commander of the Order of the Bath. Chief medical officer Professor Whitty (right) , 55, is also made a knight commander of the Order of the Bath Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: 'It has been a privilege to work with such dedicated professionals who have worked relentlessly throughout the pandemic providing expert advice so we can keep people safe. 'This year the Honours List rightly recognises those whose efforts have helped us deliver world-leading testing and vaccination programmes, and I am deeply grateful for their hard work.' Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick, 61, will get an upgrade to become a knight commander of the Order of the Bath. Professor Whitty's deputy, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, 57, becomes a knight bachelor Dr Jenny Harries (left), 63, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, will become a dame for services to health. Damehoods also go to NHS England vaccine deployment lead Dr Emily Lawson and Dr June Raine (right), chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency Scottish chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith (pictured) and his Welsh counterpart Dr Frank Atherton were also knighted for services to public health He was already a knight bachelor the standard level of knighthood after being honoured in 2019. He said last night he was 'pleased to see so many outstanding scientists and engineers recognised'. Chief medical officer Professor Whitty, 55, is also made a knight commander of the Order of the Bath. Sir Trevor, the equalities tsar Trvor Phillips, 62, was the founding chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and was previously the head of the Commission for Racial Equality Broadcaster and former government equalities tsar Trevor Phillips has been knighted for services to human rights. Mr Phillips, 62, was the founding chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and was previously the head of the Commission for Racial Equality. The presenter who has fronted Sky News' Sunday morning programme while Sophy Ridge is on maternity leave has highlighted the lack of diversity at the highest levels of politics, business and the media. Advertisement His deputy, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, 57, becomes a knight bachelor. Dr Jenny Harries, 63, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, will become a dame for services to health. Damehoods also go to NHS England vaccine deployment lead Dr Emily Lawson and Dr June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Scottish chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith and his Welsh counterpart Dr Frank Atherton were also knighted for services to public health. The pandemic dominated the list, with 207 people honoured for services 'during Covid-19' and 17 specifically for 'services to the Covid-19 response'. Vaccine developers around the world were also rewarded in the overseas and international list for helping give Britain one of best jab rollouts on the planet. American Pfizer chief development officer Rod MacKenzie and German BioNTech chief business and commercial officer Sean Marett are both made Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George for services to vaccine development and distribution. Moderna chief development officer Melanie Ivarsson, who is also American, receives an OBE. In Britain, Mohammed Aziz, Boots director of healthcare services, is awarded an OBE for providing testing for Covid. Major supermarket chiefs were awarded for keeping supply chains running. Former Asda chief executive Roger Burnley, 55, and Co-Op chief executive Steven Murrells, 56, both received CBEs, while Morrisons supply chain manager Angela Johnson got an MBE. Nobel Prize-winning geneticist Sir Paul Nurse, 72, who is made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour, said this year's honours list was a 'recognition of the importance' of science. Away from the pandemic, former Labour MP Frank Field, 79, joined Sir Paul in being appointed to the Order of the Companions of Honour. Lord Field of Birkenhead, who has been a politician for 40 years, said: 'It's a terrific privilege.' Tory former ministers Robert Buckland and Caroline Dinenage are also in line for honours. Ex-justice secretary Mr Buckland, who was sacked in Boris Johnson's reshuffle in September to make way for Dominic Raab, is made a knight. Gosport MP Miss Dinenage, who was ousted as minister of state for digital and culture, is made a dame. Government sources insisted the honours were for their ministerial service, rather than a consolation for being sacked. Major supermarket chiefs were awarded for keeping supply chains running. Former Asda chief executive Roger Burnley (left), 55, and Co-Op chief executive Steven Murrells (right), 56, both received CBEs, while Morrisons supply chain manager Angela Johnson got an MBE Away from the pandemic, former Labour MP Frank Field (above), 79, joined Sir Paul in being appointed to the Order of the Companions of Honour. Lord Field of Birkenhead, who has been a politician for 40 years, said: 'It's a terrific privilege' Tory former ministers Robert Buckland (left) and Caroline Dinenage (right) are also in line for honours. Ex-justice secretary Mr Buckland, who was sacked in Boris Johnson's reshuffle in September to make way for Dominic Raab, is made a knight. Gosport MP Miss Dinenage, who was ousted as minister of state for digital and culture, is made a dame Regarded as one of the greatest actresses of her generation, the 84-year-old has become Dame Vanessa in recognition of her services to drama At 84, Vanessa Redgrave decides there's nothing like a damehood By ELEANOR SHARPLES for the Daily Mail She is a lifelong socialist and turned down a damehood in 1999 as she objected to any honour linked to the 'British Empire'. But Vanessa Redgrave appears to have overcome her qualms as she today accepts the award in the New Year Honours List. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses of her generation, the 84-year-old has become Dame Vanessa in recognition of her services to drama. Other actors honoured today include former Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley, who has also been made a dame. Dame Vanessa, who won an Oscar for her role in the 1977 film Julia, was previously honoured in 1967 when she was given a CBE. Questioned about reports that she had turned down a damehood, she said in 2002: 'My difficulty is in receiving anything that says British Empire because I am a Unicef special representative at the service of children from any country. If there were no mention of the British Empire, I would be as honoured as anybody. ' At a press conference at the Venice Film Festival in 2018, the actress claimed that she had declined the damehood in protest at the Iraq War and former prime minister Tony Blair. But the Iraq War did not start until 2003. Dame Vanessa said at the time that she would 'never say I refused an honour from the Queen'. But she added: 'But I could not and would not accept any honour from Mr Blair, when he has taken our country, and so many people, to war on the basis of a lie.' Dame Joanna, 75, who was awarded an OBE in 1995, has been honoured for her services to drama, entertainment and charitable causes. She said: 'I am astonished and thrilled and touched beyond words...' The actress, known for roles in The New Avengers and as the boozy Patsy Stone in Absolutely Fabulous, has also made a name for herself fighting for the rights of Gurkhas to settle in the UK. Meanwhile, actor Daniel Craig, 53, whose final film as 007, No Time to Die, was released this autumn, was given the rare honour of being made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) the same award given to Bond in Ian Fleming's novels. A CMG is normally given to those who have performed extraordinary services abroad. Other actors honoured today include former Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley (left), who has also been made a dame. Elsewhere, Melanie Brown (right), 46, of the Spice Girls, better known as Mel B, has been made an MBE for her work with domestic violence charity Women's Aid Actor Daniel Craig, 53, whose final film as 007, No Time to Die, was released this autumn, was given the rare honour of being made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) the same award given to Bond in Ian Fleming's novels. A CMG is normally given to those who have performed extraordinary services abroad The movies' producer, Barbara Broccoli, 61, was awarded a CBE for services to film, as was her half-brother, Bond producer and scriptwriter Michael Wilson, 79. There were also CBEs for film director Paul Greengrass, 66, who created the rival Jason Bourne movies, and author Anthony Horowitz, also 66, who has written three Bond novels. Other stars to be recognised include newsreader Moira Stuart, who has been given a CBE. Sir Elton John's lyricist, Bernie Taupin, 71, was also awarded a CBE in the overseas and international list for his work in music. Coronation Street's William Roache, 89, who appeared in the show's very first episode as Ken Barlow in December 1960, has been awarded an OBE for his services to drama and charity. Cherylee Houston, 47, who played wheelchair user Izzy Armstrong in the soap, has been given an MBE for her work in drama and for people with disabilities. Coronation Street's William Roache (left), 89, who appeared in the show's very first episode as Ken Barlow in December 1960, has been awarded an OBE for his services to drama and charity. Sir Elton John's lyricist, Bernie Taupin (right), 71, was also awarded a CBE in the overseas and international list for his work in music Former EastEnders stars June Brown, 94, who played Dot Cotton, and Nitin Ganatra, 54, who appeared as Masood Ahmed, were both given OBEs. Elsewhere, Melanie Brown, 46, of the Spice Girls, better known as Mel B, has been made an MBE for her work with domestic violence charity Women's Aid. Film director John Boorman, 88, whose movies include 1967's Point Blank, is knighted, while Alistair Spalding, 64, boss of Sadler's Wells Theatre, has also received one for his work in dance. Ashley Banjo, 33, of Britain's Got Talent-winning dance troupe Diversity, was also awarded an MBE for services to dance. Television presenter Katie Piper, 38, who survived an acid attack in 2008 and went on to found The Katie Piper Foundation, is awarded an OBE for her services to charity and victims of disfigurement injuries. Australian comedian Adam Hills, 51, who hosts Channel 4's The Last Leg, is made an MBE for services to Paralympic sport and disability awareness. And Pauline Black, 68, lead singer of two-tone band The Selecter, has been made an OBE for services to entertainment. Youngest awarded at 11... and the oldest at 102 The youngest ever recipient of a New Year Honour said he was 'chuffed to bits' and cannot wait to pick up his award. Tobias Weller, 11, who has cerebral palsy and autism, was inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore to start raising money during the pandemic. He raised over 157,000 by completing three challenges. After receiving his British Empire Medal, Tobias, of Sheffield, said: 'My mum told me about the honour on Christmas Day and I thought, 'Wow, I'm actually going to get an honour from Her Majesty the Queen'.' Meanwhile, Henry Lewis was the oldest on the list at 102. The honorary vice president of magician's society The Magic Circle received an MBE for services to fundraising and charitable causes. The youngest ever recipient of a New Year Honour said he was 'chuffed to bits' and cannot wait to pick up his award. Tobias Weller, 11, who has cerebral palsy and autism, was inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore to start raising money during the pandemic Henry Lewis was the oldest on the list at 102. The honorary vice president of magician's society The Magic Circle received an MBE for services to fundraising and charitable causes Advertisement Another first for golden couple Laura and Jason By ANDY JEHRING for the Daily Mail Olympic champions Laura and Jason Kenny are the first husband and wife ever to be made knight and dame in the same honours list while an MBE completes a fairytale year for Emma Raducanu. The Kennys now have another accolade to add to their Olympic titles after receiving the awards for services to cycling. Kenny, 33, drew level with Sir Bradley Wiggins' record of eight medals when he picked up a silver in the team sprint at Tokyo this summer. He now has six gold and two silver medals, while his wife, 29, has five gold medals and one silver. Olympic champions Laura and Jason Kenny are the first husband and wife ever to be made knight and dame in the same honours list The Kennys now have another accolade to add to their Olympic titles after receiving the awards for services to cycling The couple, who have a four-year-old son, Albie, said they were 'humbled and also very proud' last night, and thanked the 'whole team of people behind us'. Tennis sensation Miss Raducanu, 19, caps off a dazzling breakthrough year with an MBE to add to her BBC Sports Personality of the Year and US Open win in New York. 'It makes me immensely proud and grateful,' she said. 'This year has been full of amazing surprises for me so to end 2021 with this appointment is very special.' Diver Tom Daley, 27, picks up an OBE for services to LGBTQ+ rights, while fellow swimmer and Strictly Come Dancing star Adam Peaty, also 27, also got an OBE. Paralympian Lauren Steadman, 29, another Strictly star, is awarded an MBE while seven-time Paralympic sprint champion Hannah Cockcroft, 29, is made an OBE. They are among 78 athletes honoured following their success at Tokyo 2020. Tennis sensation Emma Raducanu, 19, caps off a dazzling breakthrough year with an MBE to add to her BBC Sports Personality of the Year and US Open win in New York Paralympian Lauren Steadman, 29, another Strictly star, is awarded an MBE Diver Tom Daley, 27, picks up an OBE for services to LGBTQ+ rights Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis receives a CBE Consumer champion Martin Lewis has been made a CBE in the latest New Year Honours list for services to broadcasting and consumer rights Consumer champion Martin Lewis has been made a CBE in the latest New Year Honours list for services to broadcasting and consumer rights. But the finance expert said he almost missed out after Buckingham Palace sent his nomination to an old address. He said: 'I was genuinely very surprised. I knew some people had nominated me but it was way past the time when you're supposed to receive a letter. 'I then found out they had sent the letter to an old address and when I hadn't responded they got in touch, so I was properly gobsmacked.' The founder of the Money Saving Expert website added: 'The timing of this is pertinent and I'm not surprised because it's been a difficult couple of years for everyone.' It comes after a period in which he got to grips with helping households and businesses navigate the pandemic and ensuring people could claim what they were entitled to under various Government support schemes. He said: 'I had to learn quite a lot in a short time in helping to communicate to the public what help they could get and where they needed to seek it, along with communicating with the Government to point out the holes in what they were offering, and, let's be clear, there are holes.' Asked whether he thinks the latest honour, which follows an OBE in 2014, will lead him to be less critical of the Government, he said he will not let up his campaigning. 'Whilst I do not have an axe to grind with any political party, I will grind my axe over specific issues. I was grinding my axe after I got my OBE in 2014 and I hope to be grinding my axe until my hair is white.' The broadcaster added: 'Now my hope is all our lives soon return to normal, and my little girl, who was just a baby when I got presented (with) the OBE, can this time join my wife and I, when I get to receive this priceless honour.' Mr Lewis is also founder of the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute charity, and presenter of the Martin Lewis Money Show on ITV. Advertisement Camilla wins the highest approval the Queen can bestow: Duchess of Cornwall joins the elite Order of the Garter 'for services to the sovereign' after years of loyalty and discretion By REBECCA ENGLISH for the Daily Mail The Queen is personally awarding the Duchess of Cornwall the highest honour possible thanks to her 'service to the sovereign', it was announced last night. Camilla is to be made a Royal Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior of the Orders of Chivalry in Britain, Buckingham Palace said. The appointment will be seen as a royal seal of approval for the loyalty and discretion Camilla has shown since her marriage to the Prince of Wales in 2005. The Queen is personally awarding the Duchess of Cornwall the highest honour possible thanks to her 'service to the sovereign', it was announced last night Camilla is to be made a Royal Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior of the Orders of Chivalry in Britain, Buckingham Palace said. The appointment will be seen as a royal seal of approval for the loyalty and discretion Camilla has shown since her marriage to the Prince of Wales (above) in 2005 It will spark renewed speculation that the 95-year-old monarch may yet endorse Camilla to be Queen when she dies and Prince Charles accedes to the throne Clarence House says the 'intention' is for the duchess to become Princess Consort, showing sensitivity to previously negative public opinion over Camilla's role in the breakdown of Charles and Diana's marriage It will spark renewed speculation that the 95-year-old monarch may yet endorse Camilla to be Queen when she dies and Prince Charles accedes to the throne. Clarence House says the 'intention' is for the duchess to become Princess Consort, showing sensitivity to previously negative public opinion over Camilla's role in the breakdown of Charles and Diana's marriage. But Charles has never made any secret of his desire for Camilla to become queen by his side. And it is known that the Queen has been impressed by the way in which her daughter-in-law has embraced her public role and shown quiet and respectful dedication to both her husband and the institution of the monarchy. It was also revealed that Baroness Amos is to be made a Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter the first person from an ethnic minority to be appointed. She is a Labour politician and diplomat who has served as UN Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs and British High Commissioner to Australia. It was also revealed that Baroness Amos (above) is to be made a Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter the first person from an ethnic minority to be appointed. She is a Labour politician and diplomat who has served as UN Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs and British High Commissioner to Australia She was also Leader of the House of Lords and the chief executive of the Equal Opportunities Commission. The Order of the Garter was established by King Edward III in 1348 after he was inspired by the tales of King Arthur and the chivalry of the Knights of the Round Table. The number of Knights and Ladies Companion is limited to 24 in total at any one time. There is no limit to the number of royal members, however. Initially, the order's members were limited to the aristocracy but they are now men and women chosen from a variety of backgrounds, in recognition for their public service, their contribution to national life, or their personal service to the sovereign. The honour is personally bestowed by the monarch, with no interference from the Government. The patron saint of the order is St George and the spiritual home is St George's Chapel at Windsor. Its motto is 'Honi soit qui mal y pense', Old French for 'shame on him who thinks evil of it'. Vacancies are announced on St George's Day and only occasionally at New Year. It is thought that the Queen wanted this year's announcement to tie in with the New Year's Honours. Prince Philip was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Garter by King George VI in 1947 and it is believed that the Queen also wanted to ensure that both her son and his wife were members before her own change of reign. A Garter Day procession is held each June before a short service in St George's Chapel, at which any new companions are installed. Advertisement The decision to make Tony Blair a Sir has been met with anger by many on social media, as the former Prime Minister was branded a 'war criminal', with more than 25,000 signing a petition to block the award. Sir Tony has long faced a backlash over his decision to lead the UK into Iraq and Afghanistan, which cost the lives of 179 British personnel as well as many more civilians. But it was announced last night that he had been appointed to the Order of the Garter as a Knight Companion. Angus Scott launched the petition on Change.org shortly after news of the award was published. In an explanation in his petition, Mr Scott wrote: 'Tony Blair caused irreparable damage to both the constitution of the United Kingdom and to the very fabric of the nation's society. He was personally responsible for causing the death of countless innocent, civilian lives and servicement in various conflicts. For this alone he should be held accountable for war crimes.' All but one of the prime ministers before him were appointed a few years after leaving office. But Sir Tony waited over 14 years. It had been suggested that the Queen's strained relationship with him during his ten years in power may have contributed to the 'snub'. Current Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer MP, said: 'The last Labour government delivered enduring change from the national minimum wage to the peace process in Northern Ireland. My congratulations to Tony Blair on this recognition for his public service to our country.' On Twitter today, many made their feelings clear following the ennobling. Political commentator Liam Young wrote: 'The man should be in the dock of The Hague. What a shameful day.' Another said: 'The contempt in which Britain's elite holds the public has never been more eloquently expressed than in the decision to award Tony Blair the highest order of knighthood. One million Iraqis dead, three million dispossessed, a trail of blood to 7/7. Rise Sir Tony!' Many others demanded an overhaul of the honours system, with one user describing it as the 'favour for a friend' list. Sir Tony has faced years of criticism over the Iraq War, culminating in the devastating report by Sir John Chilcot in 2016, which found that the former prime minister overplayed evidence about Saddam Hussein's weaponry and ignored peaceful means to send troops into the country. In a devastating set of conclusions, Sir John found Blair presented the case for war with 'a certainty which was not justified' based on 'flawed' intelligence about Iraq's supposed weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The decision to make Tony Blair a Sir was met with anger by many on social media, as the former Prime Minister was branded a 'war criminal' Sir Tony has long faced a backlash over his decision to lead the UK into Iraq and Afghanistan, which cost the lives of 179 British personnel as well as many more civilians Blair then said he would 'take the same decision' to invade Iraq again if he was presented with the same intelligence as he set out a defiant defence after being savaged by the Chilcot report. The former prime minister put on a bullish performance as he responded to the long-awaited report and although he made a grovelling apology for the bloody consequences of the Iraq War, he attempted to shift the blame by saying the intelligence was not his responsibility. In a remarkable performance of self-defence at a special press conference that lasted for nearly two hours, the visibly humbled former prime minister described the decision to take military action to remove Hussein in 2003 as the 'hardest, most momentous, most agonising' of his 10 years in office. What are the different ranks of honours awarded by the Queen? Order of the Garter Founded in 1348, it is the most senior order of knighthood, outranked only by the Victoria Cross and the George Cross. Membership, granted for public service or service to the sovereign, is limited to 24 living people plus the Queen and the Prince of Wales. Companions of Honour (CH) The Order of the Companions of Honour was founded on June 4 1917 by George V and it limited to just 65 members at any one time. Appointments go to those who have made a long-standing contribution to arts, science, medicine or government. Two have been named in the latest list - former Labour MP and peer Frank Field, for public and political service, and Sir Paul Nurse, director of the Francis Crick Institute. Order of the Bath (DCB/KCB/CB) This recognises the work of senior military officials and civil servants. England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty (KCB) and chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance (KCB) were honoured in the New Year Honours list. - Order of St Michael and St George (Knight/GCMG/KCMG/DCMG/CMG) This recognises service in a foreign country, or in relation to foreign and Commonwealth affairs, such as the work of diplomats overseas. James Bond star Daniel Craig, was made a Companion of the Order, which is equivalent to a CBE and means he can use the post-nominals CMG, following his final outing as 007 in No Time To Die. Knighthood and damehood (Knight/DBE) These are usually bestowed on people who have made a major contribution at national level, who can use the titles Dame and Sir. England's deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam, Wales' chief medical officer Frank Atherton and Scotland's chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith were made knights. There were also damehoods for UK Health Security Agency chief Dr Jenny Harries and Dr June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) People are recognised under this honour if they have have a prominent but lesser role at national level, or a leading role at regional level. It also goes to those who make a distinguished, innovative contribution to any area. James Bond franchise producer Barbara Broccoli was among those made a CBE. Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) People are made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire if they have a major local role in any activity, including people whose work has made them known nationally. Among the 253 who were honoured in this way were Olympians Adam Peaty and Tom Daley. Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) This rank recognises outstanding achievements or service to the community which have had a long-term significant impact. A total of 508 people were made Members of the Order of the British Empire in the latest list, including tennis star Emma Raducanu, Diversity member Ashley Banjo and former Spice Girl Mel B. British Empire Medal (BEM) The BEM was reintroduced in 2012 by then prime minister David Cameron as part of his bid to make the honours system "classless", saying too few people making a difference in their areas were made MBEs. The medal went to 361 people in the New Year Honours. Advertisement At several points during his speech at Admiralty House in Whitehall he appeared to be close to tears as he accepted the 'serious criticisms' made of him and his government in the run up and aftermath of the Iraq War and said he accepted 'full responsibility, without exception, without excuse'. Responding to the publication of the Iraq War report, his voice cracked as he said: 'For all of this I express more sorrow, regret and apology than you may ever know or can believe.' He added later: 'The decisions I made I have carried with me for 13 years and will do so for the rest of my days. 'There will not be a day of my life where I do not relive and rethink what happened. But he claimed the Iraq Inquiry proved 'there were no lies' from him over the justification for invading Iraq in March 2003 and showed neither Parliament nor Cabinet were misled. And in the most extraordinary moment of his lengthy speech, Mr Blair insisted: 'If I was back in the same place, with the same information I would take the same decision because obviously that was the decision I believe was right. 'All I'm saying today, because obviously some of the intelligence has turned out to be wrong, the planning wasn't done properly, I have to accept those criticisims, I accept responsibility for them.' In another criticism on social media, John Smith the son of Second World War veteran and writer Harry Leslie Smith said the decision suggested it was 'okay' to kill people in their 'hundreds of thousands.' Sir Tony, who held the keys to Number 10 between 1997 and 2007, is appointed a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior British Order of Chivalry. The appointment, which is made by the Queen, has regularly been bestowed upon past prime ministers, with Sir John Major, Sir Tony's predecessor, the last to receive the honour. Sir Tony, a former Labour leader, said: 'It is an immense honour to be appointed Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, and I am deeply grateful to Her Majesty the Queen. 'It was a great privilege to serve as prime minister and I would like to thank all those who served alongside me, in politics, public service and all parts of our society, for their dedication and commitment to our country.' Sir Tony led New Labour to a landslide victory in 1997, winning two subsequent general elections before quitting Westminster a decade later, paving the way for his chancellor Gordon Brown to take over as prime minister. The 68-year-old famously branded Diana, Princess of Wales, the 'people's princess' after her death and was the UK leader during Allied military invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. The former barrister became a Middle East envoy and set up his own non-for-profit group, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, after leaving politics. Each year, Royal Knights and Ladies of the Order of the Garter gather at St George's Chapel in Windsor for a colourful procession and ceremony. Watched by crowds of onlookers, they walk down the hill to the chapel from the State Apartments, dressed in blue velvet mantles, red velvet hoods, black velvet hats and white ostrich plumes. Sir Tony, who left Downing Street more than 14 years ago, is one of three new appointments announced by the palace. Appointments to the Garter are in the Queen's gift and made without prime ministerial advice, and are usually announced on St George's Day, April 23, but the monarch can do so at any time, and has chosen to coincide with the New Year's Honours. They are for life unless a Knight or Lady Companion offends against certain 'points of reproach'. Founded in 1348 by Edward III, the Garter is awarded by the sovereign for outstanding public service and achievement. It is said to have been inspired by events at a ball in northern France, attended by the king and Joan, Countess of Salisbury. The countess is believed to have dropped her garter, causing laughter and some embarrassment. The chivalrous king, however, picked it up and wore it on his own leg, uttering the phrase 'Honi soit qui mal y pense' - 'Shame on him who thinks this evil' - now the Order's motto. The Order's emblem is a blue ribbon or garter worn by men below the left knee and by women on the left arm. There are now 21 non-royal companions in the order out of a maximum of 24. The decision to ennoble the former prime minister or Sir Tony, as he will now be known has been much debated in recent years. It had been suggested that the Queen's strained relationship with him during his ten years in power may have contributed to the 'snub'. (He is pictured with the Queen in 2005) Seven Chilcot allegations and seven Tony Blair denials: How the defiant former Prime Minister attempted to save his reputation 1). Chilcot: The intelligence justifying the invasion of Iraq was wrong. Tony Blair accepted the intelligence he based his decision has since turned out to be wrong but in a defiance performance he attempted to shift the blame by saying the intelligence was not his responsibility. 'The intelligence statements made at the time of going to war turned out to be wrong,' Blair said. 'The aftermath turned out more hostile, protracted and bloody than we ever imagined. 'The Coalition planned for one set of ground facts and encountered another. A nation whose people we wanted to see free and secure from the evil of Saddam became instead victim of sectarian terrorism. For all of this I express more sorrow, regret and apology and in greater measure than you can know or may believe. 2) Chilcot: Going to war in Iraq was 'not a last resort'. Blair again disagreed, insisting he had not rushed to war and said all other avenues had been exhausted. 'Given the impasse at the UN and the insistence of the USA for reasons I completely understood and with hundreds of thousands of troops in theatre which could not be kept in situ indefinitely it was the last moment of decision for us, as the report accepts. By then, the US was going to move with us or without us.' 3) Chilcot said Britain and the USA undermined the UN's authority by rushing to war without a second resolution. Blair's response: 'The reality is that we Britain had continually tried to act with the authority of the UN. I successfully convinced the Americans to go back to the UN in November 2002 to secure resolution 1441.' 4) Chilcot: Britain could have refused to support George W Bush Blair said Britain had been America's 'core partner' in the post-9/11 era and standing side-by-side the USA was 'a vital national interest'. He said: '9/11 was an event like no other in US history. I considered it an attack on all the free world. I believed that Britain as America's strongest ally should be with them in tackling this new and unprecedented security challenge. I believed it important that America was not alone but part of a wider coalition. In the end, a majority even of the European Union nations supported action in Iraq. 'I do not believe we would have had that coalition or persuaded the Bush Administration to go down the UN route without our commitment to be alongside America.' 5) Chicot: Blair's government was warned that removing Saddam Hussein without an adequate plan for the aftermath could lead to Iraq's weapons and capabilities falling into the hands of terrorists. Blair's response: 'I profoundly disagree. Saddam was himself a wellspring of terror, a continuing threat to peace and to his own people. 'Had he been left in power in 2003, then I believe, for the detailed reasons I shall give, he would once again have threatened world peace, and when the Arab revolutions of 2011 began, he would have clung to power with the same deadly consequences as we see in the carnage of Syria; whereas at least in Iraq, for all its challenges, we have today a Government, recognised as legitimate, fighting terrorism with the international community in support of it.' 6) Chilcot: Blair was warned of sectarian infighting and bloodletting after ousting Saddam Hussein. Blair's response: 'I accept that but would point out that nowhere were these highlighted as the main risk and in any event what we faced was not the anticipated internal bloodletting but an all-out insurgency stimulated by external arms and money.' 7) Chilcot: The Ministry of Defence, Britain's Armed Forces and the intelligence services were also to blame for leaving servicemen overstretched, humiliated and under deadly attack due to a serious shortage of vital equipment Responding to this claim, Blair was at his most contrite, insisting he took full responsibility. 'I do not think it is fair or accurate to criticise the Armed Forces, Intelligence Services, or civil service. It was my decision they were acting upon,' he said. 'The Armed Forces in particular did an extraordinary job throughout our engagement in Iraq in the incredibly difficult mission we gave them. I pay tribute to them. Any faults derive from my decisions and should not attach to them. They are people of enormous dedication and courage and the country should be very proud of them.' Advertisement Arise, Sir Covid!: Government scientific advisers Chris Whitty and Jonathan Van-Tam are knighted and rewards for Kate Garraway, Sir Patrick Vallance and public health chief Dr Jenny Harries for 'Covid-related services' in the 2022 New Year's Honours list Britain's Covid heroes are recognised in the New Year Honours today, with top gongs for Government scientific advisers Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance and an MBE for Kate Garraway. The scientists were among hundreds who were awarded for 'Covid-related service', which accounted for nearly a fifth of all those recognised. Meanwhile TV presenter Miss Garraway, 54, received her honour for services to broadcasting after documenting husband Derek Draper's battle with the illness. Britain's Covid heroes are recognised in the New Year Honours today, with top gongs for Government scientific advisers Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance Meanwhile TV presenter Kate Garraway, 54, received her MBE honour for services to broadcasting after documenting husband Derek Draper's battle with the illness Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick (left), 61, will get an upgrade to become a knight commander of the Order of the Bath. Chief medical officer Professor Whitty (right) , 55, is also made a knight commander of the Order of the Bath Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: 'It has been a privilege to work with such dedicated professionals who have worked relentlessly throughout the pandemic providing expert advice so we can keep people safe. 'This year the Honours List rightly recognises those whose efforts have helped us deliver world-leading testing and vaccination programmes, and I am deeply grateful for their hard work.' Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick, 61, will get an upgrade to become a knight commander of the Order of the Bath. Professor Whitty's deputy, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, 57, becomes a knight bachelor Dr Jenny Harries (left), 63, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, will become a dame for services to health. Damehoods also go to NHS England vaccine deployment lead Dr Emily Lawson and Dr June Raine (right), chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency Scottish chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith (pictured) and his Welsh counterpart Dr Frank Atherton were also knighted for services to public health He was already a knight bachelor the standard level of knighthood after being honoured in 2019. He said last night he was 'pleased to see so many outstanding scientists and engineers recognised'. Chief medical officer Professor Whitty, 55, is also made a knight commander of the Order of the Bath. Sir Trevor, the equalities tsar Trvor Phillips, 62, was the founding chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and was previously the head of the Commission for Racial Equality Broadcaster and former government equalities tsar Trevor Phillips has been knighted for services to human rights. Mr Phillips, 62, was the founding chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and was previously the head of the Commission for Racial Equality. The presenter who has fronted Sky News' Sunday morning programme while Sophy Ridge is on maternity leave has highlighted the lack of diversity at the highest levels of politics, business and the media. Advertisement His deputy, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, 57, becomes a knight bachelor. Dr Jenny Harries, 63, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, will become a dame for services to health. Damehoods also go to NHS England vaccine deployment lead Dr Emily Lawson and Dr June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Scottish chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith and his Welsh counterpart Dr Frank Atherton were also knighted for services to public health. The pandemic dominated the list, with 207 people honoured for services 'during Covid-19' and 17 specifically for 'services to the Covid-19 response'. Vaccine developers around the world were also rewarded in the overseas and international list for helping give Britain one of best jab rollouts on the planet. American Pfizer chief development officer Rod MacKenzie and German BioNTech chief business and commercial officer Sean Marett are both made Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George for services to vaccine development and distribution. Moderna chief development officer Melanie Ivarsson, who is also American, receives an OBE. In Britain, Mohammed Aziz, Boots director of healthcare services, is awarded an OBE for providing testing for Covid. Major supermarket chiefs were awarded for keeping supply chains running. Former Asda chief executive Roger Burnley, 55, and Co-Op chief executive Steven Murrells, 56, both received CBEs, while Morrisons supply chain manager Angela Johnson got an MBE. Nobel Prize-winning geneticist Sir Paul Nurse, 72, who is made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour, said this year's honours list was a 'recognition of the importance' of science. Away from the pandemic, former Labour MP Frank Field, 79, joined Sir Paul in being appointed to the Order of the Companions of Honour. Lord Field of Birkenhead, who has been a politician for 40 years, said: 'It's a terrific privilege.' Tory former ministers Robert Buckland and Caroline Dinenage are also in line for honours. Ex-justice secretary Mr Buckland, who was sacked in Boris Johnson's reshuffle in September to make way for Dominic Raab, is made a knight. Gosport MP Miss Dinenage, who was ousted as minister of state for digital and culture, is made a dame. Government sources insisted the honours were for their ministerial service, rather than a consolation for being sacked. Major supermarket chiefs were awarded for keeping supply chains running. Former Asda chief executive Roger Burnley (left), 55, and Co-Op chief executive Steven Murrells (right), 56, both received CBEs, while Morrisons supply chain manager Angela Johnson got an MBE Away from the pandemic, former Labour MP Frank Field (above), 79, joined Sir Paul in being appointed to the Order of the Companions of Honour. Lord Field of Birkenhead, who has been a politician for 40 years, said: 'It's a terrific privilege' Tory former ministers Robert Buckland (left) and Caroline Dinenage (right) are also in line for honours. Ex-justice secretary Mr Buckland, who was sacked in Boris Johnson's reshuffle in September to make way for Dominic Raab, is made a knight. Gosport MP Miss Dinenage, who was ousted as minister of state for digital and culture, is made a dame Regarded as one of the greatest actresses of her generation, the 84-year-old has become Dame Vanessa in recognition of her services to drama At 84, Vanessa Redgrave decides there's nothing like a damehood By ELEANOR SHARPLES for the Daily Mail She is a lifelong socialist and turned down a damehood in 1999 as she objected to any honour linked to the 'British Empire'. But Vanessa Redgrave appears to have overcome her qualms as she today accepts the award in the New Year Honours List. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses of her generation, the 84-year-old has become Dame Vanessa in recognition of her services to drama. Other actors honoured today include former Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley, who has also been made a dame. Dame Vanessa, who won an Oscar for her role in the 1977 film Julia, was previously honoured in 1967 when she was given a CBE. Questioned about reports that she had turned down a damehood, she said in 2002: 'My difficulty is in receiving anything that says British Empire because I am a Unicef special representative at the service of children from any country. If there were no mention of the British Empire, I would be as honoured as anybody. ' At a press conference at the Venice Film Festival in 2018, the actress claimed that she had declined the damehood in protest at the Iraq War and former prime minister Tony Blair. But the Iraq War did not start until 2003. Dame Vanessa said at the time that she would 'never say I refused an honour from the Queen'. But she added: 'But I could not and would not accept any honour from Mr Blair, when he has taken our country, and so many people, to war on the basis of a lie.' Dame Joanna, 75, who was awarded an OBE in 1995, has been honoured for her services to drama, entertainment and charitable causes. She said: 'I am astonished and thrilled and touched beyond words...' The actress, known for roles in The New Avengers and as the boozy Patsy Stone in Absolutely Fabulous, has also made a name for herself fighting for the rights of Gurkhas to settle in the UK. Meanwhile, actor Daniel Craig, 53, whose final film as 007, No Time to Die, was released this autumn, was given the rare honour of being made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) the same award given to Bond in Ian Fleming's novels. A CMG is normally given to those who have performed extraordinary services abroad. Other actors honoured today include former Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley (left), who has also been made a dame. Elsewhere, Melanie Brown (right), 46, of the Spice Girls, better known as Mel B, has been made an MBE for her work with domestic violence charity Women's Aid Actor Daniel Craig, 53, whose final film as 007, No Time to Die, was released this autumn, was given the rare honour of being made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) the same award given to Bond in Ian Fleming's novels. A CMG is normally given to those who have performed extraordinary services abroad The movies' producer, Barbara Broccoli, 61, was awarded a CBE for services to film, as was her half-brother, Bond producer and scriptwriter Michael Wilson, 79. There were also CBEs for film director Paul Greengrass, 66, who created the rival Jason Bourne movies, and author Anthony Horowitz, also 66, who has written three Bond novels. Other stars to be recognised include newsreader Moira Stuart, who has been given a CBE. Sir Elton John's lyricist, Bernie Taupin, 71, was also awarded a CBE in the overseas and international list for his work in music. Coronation Street's William Roache, 89, who appeared in the show's very first episode as Ken Barlow in December 1960, has been awarded an OBE for his services to drama and charity. Cherylee Houston, 47, who played wheelchair user Izzy Armstrong in the soap, has been given an MBE for her work in drama and for people with disabilities. Coronation Street's William Roache (left), 89, who appeared in the show's very first episode as Ken Barlow in December 1960, has been awarded an OBE for his services to drama and charity. Sir Elton John's lyricist, Bernie Taupin (right), 71, was also awarded a CBE in the overseas and international list for his work in music Former EastEnders stars June Brown, 94, who played Dot Cotton, and Nitin Ganatra, 54, who appeared as Masood Ahmed, were both given OBEs. Elsewhere, Melanie Brown, 46, of the Spice Girls, better known as Mel B, has been made an MBE for her work with domestic violence charity Women's Aid. Film director John Boorman, 88, whose movies include 1967's Point Blank, is knighted, while Alistair Spalding, 64, boss of Sadler's Wells Theatre, has also received one for his work in dance. Ashley Banjo, 33, of Britain's Got Talent-winning dance troupe Diversity, was also awarded an MBE for services to dance. Television presenter Katie Piper, 38, who survived an acid attack in 2008 and went on to found The Katie Piper Foundation, is awarded an OBE for her services to charity and victims of disfigurement injuries. Australian comedian Adam Hills, 51, who hosts Channel 4's The Last Leg, is made an MBE for services to Paralympic sport and disability awareness. And Pauline Black, 68, lead singer of two-tone band The Selecter, has been made an OBE for services to entertainment. Youngest awarded at 11... and the oldest at 102 The youngest ever recipient of a New Year Honour said he was 'chuffed to bits' and cannot wait to pick up his award. Tobias Weller, 11, who has cerebral palsy and autism, was inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore to start raising money during the pandemic. He raised over 157,000 by completing three challenges. After receiving his British Empire Medal, Tobias, of Sheffield, said: 'My mum told me about the honour on Christmas Day and I thought, 'Wow, I'm actually going to get an honour from Her Majesty the Queen'.' Meanwhile, Henry Lewis was the oldest on the list at 102. The honorary vice president of magician's society The Magic Circle received an MBE for services to fundraising and charitable causes. The youngest ever recipient of a New Year Honour said he was 'chuffed to bits' and cannot wait to pick up his award. Tobias Weller, 11, who has cerebral palsy and autism, was inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore to start raising money during the pandemic Henry Lewis was the oldest on the list at 102. The honorary vice president of magician's society The Magic Circle received an MBE for services to fundraising and charitable causes Advertisement Another first for golden couple Laura and Jason By ANDY JEHRING for the Daily Mail Olympic champions Laura and Jason Kenny are the first husband and wife ever to be made knight and dame in the same honours list while an MBE completes a fairytale year for Emma Raducanu. The Kennys now have another accolade to add to their Olympic titles after receiving the awards for services to cycling. Kenny, 33, drew level with Sir Bradley Wiggins' record of eight medals when he picked up a silver in the team sprint at Tokyo this summer. He now has six gold and two silver medals, while his wife, 29, has five gold medals and one silver. Olympic champions Laura and Jason Kenny are the first husband and wife ever to be made knight and dame in the same honours list The Kennys now have another accolade to add to their Olympic titles after receiving the awards for services to cycling The couple, who have a four-year-old son, Albie, said they were 'humbled and also very proud' last night, and thanked the 'whole team of people behind us'. Tennis sensation Miss Raducanu, 19, caps off a dazzling breakthrough year with an MBE to add to her BBC Sports Personality of the Year and US Open win in New York. 'It makes me immensely proud and grateful,' she said. 'This year has been full of amazing surprises for me so to end 2021 with this appointment is very special.' Diver Tom Daley, 27, picks up an OBE for services to LGBTQ+ rights, while fellow swimmer and Strictly Come Dancing star Adam Peaty, also 27, also got an OBE. Paralympian Lauren Steadman, 29, another Strictly star, is awarded an MBE while seven-time Paralympic sprint champion Hannah Cockcroft, 29, is made an OBE. They are among 78 athletes honoured following their success at Tokyo 2020. Tennis sensation Emma Raducanu, 19, caps off a dazzling breakthrough year with an MBE to add to her BBC Sports Personality of the Year and US Open win in New York Paralympian Lauren Steadman, 29, another Strictly star, is awarded an MBE Diver Tom Daley, 27, picks up an OBE for services to LGBTQ+ rights Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis receives a CBE Consumer champion Martin Lewis has been made a CBE in the latest New Year Honours list for services to broadcasting and consumer rights Consumer champion Martin Lewis has been made a CBE in the latest New Year Honours list for services to broadcasting and consumer rights. But the finance expert said he almost missed out after Buckingham Palace sent his nomination to an old address. He said: 'I was genuinely very surprised. I knew some people had nominated me but it was way past the time when you're supposed to receive a letter. 'I then found out they had sent the letter to an old address and when I hadn't responded they got in touch, so I was properly gobsmacked.' The founder of the Money Saving Expert website added: 'The timing of this is pertinent and I'm not surprised because it's been a difficult couple of years for everyone.' It comes after a period in which he got to grips with helping households and businesses navigate the pandemic and ensuring people could claim what they were entitled to under various Government support schemes. He said: 'I had to learn quite a lot in a short time in helping to communicate to the public what help they could get and where they needed to seek it, along with communicating with the Government to point out the holes in what they were offering, and, let's be clear, there are holes.' Asked whether he thinks the latest honour, which follows an OBE in 2014, will lead him to be less critical of the Government, he said he will not let up his campaigning. 'Whilst I do not have an axe to grind with any political party, I will grind my axe over specific issues. I was grinding my axe after I got my OBE in 2014 and I hope to be grinding my axe until my hair is white.' The broadcaster added: 'Now my hope is all our lives soon return to normal, and my little girl, who was just a baby when I got presented (with) the OBE, can this time join my wife and I, when I get to receive this priceless honour.' Mr Lewis is also founder of the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute charity, and presenter of the Martin Lewis Money Show on ITV. Advertisement Camilla wins the highest approval the Queen can bestow: Duchess of Cornwall joins the elite Order of the Garter 'for services to the sovereign' after years of loyalty and discretion By REBECCA ENGLISH for the Daily Mail The Queen is personally awarding the Duchess of Cornwall the highest honour possible thanks to her 'service to the sovereign', it was announced last night. Camilla is to be made a Royal Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior of the Orders of Chivalry in Britain, Buckingham Palace said. The appointment will be seen as a royal seal of approval for the loyalty and discretion Camilla has shown since her marriage to the Prince of Wales in 2005. The Queen is personally awarding the Duchess of Cornwall the highest honour possible thanks to her 'service to the sovereign', it was announced last night Camilla is to be made a Royal Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior of the Orders of Chivalry in Britain, Buckingham Palace said. The appointment will be seen as a royal seal of approval for the loyalty and discretion Camilla has shown since her marriage to the Prince of Wales (above) in 2005 It will spark renewed speculation that the 95-year-old monarch may yet endorse Camilla to be Queen when she dies and Prince Charles accedes to the throne Clarence House says the 'intention' is for the duchess to become Princess Consort, showing sensitivity to previously negative public opinion over Camilla's role in the breakdown of Charles and Diana's marriage It will spark renewed speculation that the 95-year-old monarch may yet endorse Camilla to be Queen when she dies and Prince Charles accedes to the throne. Clarence House says the 'intention' is for the duchess to become Princess Consort, showing sensitivity to previously negative public opinion over Camilla's role in the breakdown of Charles and Diana's marriage. But Charles has never made any secret of his desire for Camilla to become queen by his side. And it is known that the Queen has been impressed by the way in which her daughter-in-law has embraced her public role and shown quiet and respectful dedication to both her husband and the institution of the monarchy. It was also revealed that Baroness Amos is to be made a Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter the first person from an ethnic minority to be appointed. She is a Labour politician and diplomat who has served as UN Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs and British High Commissioner to Australia. It was also revealed that Baroness Amos (above) is to be made a Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter the first person from an ethnic minority to be appointed. She is a Labour politician and diplomat who has served as UN Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs and British High Commissioner to Australia She was also Leader of the House of Lords and the chief executive of the Equal Opportunities Commission. The Order of the Garter was established by King Edward III in 1348 after he was inspired by the tales of King Arthur and the chivalry of the Knights of the Round Table. The number of Knights and Ladies Companion is limited to 24 in total at any one time. There is no limit to the number of royal members, however. Initially, the order's members were limited to the aristocracy but they are now men and women chosen from a variety of backgrounds, in recognition for their public service, their contribution to national life, or their personal service to the sovereign. The honour is personally bestowed by the monarch, with no interference from the Government. The patron saint of the order is St George and the spiritual home is St George's Chapel at Windsor. Its motto is 'Honi soit qui mal y pense', Old French for 'shame on him who thinks evil of it'. Vacancies are announced on St George's Day and only occasionally at New Year. It is thought that the Queen wanted this year's announcement to tie in with the New Year's Honours. Prince Philip was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Garter by King George VI in 1947 and it is believed that the Queen also wanted to ensure that both her son and his wife were members before her own change of reign. A Garter Day procession is held each June before a short service in St George's Chapel, at which any new companions are installed. Login or sign up to follow actresses, movies & dramas and get specific updates and news Login Sign Up New Ad-free Subscriber Login Email Password Password Username Your E-mail will only be used to retrieve a lost password. Stay logged in Help In the run-up to the 2022 UP Elections, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi addressed a rally in Saharanpur on Saturday vowing to revive 'Indian nationalism' in the country. Hitting out at Congress, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj, and others, the barrister alleged that all these parties had spoken about 'ending' nationalism. "Be it Congress, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj or old Lok Dal, these parties have spoken about ending Indian Nationalism. But today Asaduddin Owaisi asserts that we have worked towards upholding Indian nationalism and will continue to do so. I just request everyone to support AIMIM," he said. "This is Saharanpur, every part of this region has marks of the sacrifice given by our elders. Today, we are seeing the colours of the work done by our elders," he added. The AIMIM supremo also launched an attack at the recent Dharam Sansad organized in Raipur last week alleging that 'words of hatred' were being spread under the garb of the event. "In this country, anyone fanning the waves of hatred, those wishing ill on Muslims, we will give a befitting reply to them. Those claiming my party spreads words of hatred, I just want to ask them about what was being said in the name of Dharam Sansad," he stated. A Magistrate court on Friday remanded Hindu seer Kalicharan who made derogatory remarks against Mahatma Gandhi to judicial custody till January 13. Invited to deliver a speech at a Dharam Sansad held in Raipur last week, Kalicharan Maharaj hit out at Mahatma Gandhi and hailed Nathuram Godse for killing him. He claimed that it was Gandhi who had aided Muslims to capture countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh through politics. Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022 For the 2022 polls, BJP is fighting under the leadership of its incumbent CM Yogi Adityanath. On the other hand, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav has ruled out any alliance with Congress and BSP, he has hinted at allying with his uncle Shivpal Yadav. So far, his party has announced a tie-up with Mahan Dal, Rajbhar's SBSP, and the Apna Dal faction of Krishna Patel. RLD is also likely to be allocated 30-35 seats for the 2022 UP polls in this alliance. Congress has aggressively campaigned under the leadership of Priyanka Gandhi in the state, eyeing its solo return. Meanwhile, AIMIM will contest 100 seats in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Chris Columbus, the director of the 2001 film Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone, has called for the release of his original three-hour cut of the film. The original version, which was shown to test audiences before the film was released, includes around half an hour of extra footage that never made it into the finished product. Speaking to The Wrap in a recent interview, Columbus said: We knew that the film worked because we did a couple of previews. Particularly a Chicago preview where our first cut was a three-hour cut. Parents afterwards said it was too long, the kids said it was too short. I thought, well, the kids presumably have a shorter attention span so this is a good thing. After the interviewer noted that hed like to see the original cut brought to screens by Warner Bros, Columbus responded: I would too. Among the deleted material contained in the original cut were multiple scenes featuring the character of Peeves, played by the late Rik Mayall. Mayalls character is familiar to readers of the original Harry Potter books, but was excised from the film version completely. The Philosophers Stone was released in cinemas 20 years ago (Warner Bros) In the novels, Peeves is a mischievous poltergeist who haunts Hogwarts school. We have to put Peeves back in the movie, who was cut from the movie! said Columbus. Columbus recently spoke to The Independent about the making of The Philosophers Stone, as part of an extensive oral history to celebrate the films 20th anniversary. The cast and creators of The Philosophers Stone also reunited for an elaborate reunion special, entitled Return to Hogwarts, available to stream now on Sky and NOW in the UK. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe By Akshay Chinchalkar Reliance Industries Ltd. is finalizing plans to raise up to $3 billion (Rs 22,354 crore) via an offshore bond issue, the Economic Times newspaper reported. The bond sale, which is expected to be launched in the next two weeks, is poised to become the single largest borrowing by an Indian company, the paper said. Bonds covered under the program will be investment grade with 10-year and 30-year maturities, it said. Also Read | Reliance to buy UK's Faradion for 100 million pounds The company is expected to use the proceeds from the sale to refinance loans maturing in the next three to four months to save on interest costs or extending maturities, the paper said. While the exact pricing of the bonds has not been made available, there are expectations the 10-year debt may be offered at about 110 to 130 basis points over the US Treasury benchmark, and the 30-year debt may be at 130 to 140 basis points over similar-maturity Treasuries, the Economic Times said. The size of the offering is also likely to be increased if investor response is encouraging, the paper said. Check out latest DH videos here Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Sudanese security forces have released two journalists from Saudi Arabia's Asharq television channel, a day after detaining them as deadly violence flared during renewed protests against the military government, the station said Friday. During Thursday's protests in and near Khartoum, "five uniformed security officers" held journalists Maha al-Talb and Sally Othman and their teams in their office for several hours, the channel said. Sudan has been gripped by turmoil since military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan launched a coup on October 25 and detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Hamdok was reinstated on November 21, but mass protests have continued as demonstrators distrust Burhan's promises of seeking to guide the country toward full democracy. Protesters charge that the deal simply aims to give the cloak of legitimacy to the generals, whom they accuse of trying to continue the regime built by former autocratic president Omar al-Bashir, who was toppled in 2019 following mass protests. In the worst street clashes since Hamdok's return, five demonstrators were killed and dozens wounded by bullets on Thursday, said the independent Doctors' Committee, which is part of the pro-democracy movement. Authorities also cut phone lines and the internet and cracked down on media, also including the Saudi-funded satellite channel Al-Arabiya. Othman was interrupted by security forces in the middle of a live broadcast and can be heard saying in a clip shared widely on social networks: "I will not be able to continue, the authorities are now forbidding me to continue with you". Sudanese police blamed the incident on "reprehensible individual actions" which would be investigated. The Doctors' Committee charged that "crimes against humanity" were committed in Omdurman, twin city of the capital Khartoum, on Thursday. It said five demonstrators were killed by bullets to the head or chest, and that ambulances were blocked and at least one seriously injured person was forcibly removed from an ambulance by the security forces. A police spokesman said four people died in Thursday's unrest and 297 people were injured, "including 49 police officers". He also said "three police vans were set on fire" and accused protest "leaders clearly hostile to the security forces" of having sought to "turn a peaceful march into violence and confrontations with the security forces". Street clashes since the October coup have claimed 53 lives and left hundreds wounded, and supporters of civilian rule in Sudan have continued to call for protests. 01.01.2022 LISTEN When the coronavirus spread across the world, many people in both developing and developed countries had thought Africa will be devastated, but that didn't happen. However, to help the fight against the pandemic, finances from the developed world were made available to every African country, including Ghana. For example, on April 2, 2020, the World Bank decides to provide $100 million to Ghana to assist the country in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. The money was made available to the government and the people of Ghana as short, medium, and long-term support. In November 2020, the same year, the European Union mobilized 86.5 million in emergency budget support to help Ghana in tackling the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. But in strange circumstances, all the money is gone without proper accountability. The Ghanaian government has completely emptied the COVID-19 funds. Fraud and corruption always take place whenever a pandemic erupts in Africa. Till now monies from the United States of America and other European countries to support the Aids project in Africa, are often stolen into private accounts. The same thing happened during the Ebola epidemic in Congo, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia. Most of the funds given to those countries were embezzled and siphoned into private accounts. The spread of the coronavirus is at a very fast rate than previously thought, yet that of Africa is low In Sierra Leone, some angry Ebola survivors sued the government over $14 million allocated to help the survivors rebuild their lives they couldnt account for. This is a serious crime because that amount is capable of improving also the health sector. Just like the Ghanaian leader, Nana Akufo Addo, after the COVID-19 funds were mismanaged, African leaders start to complain and blame the coronavirus for the economic and political mayhems. Countries that reports of coronavirus funds corruption has taken place also, include Malawi, Kenya, Uganda, and South Africa. The question is when will such things come to an end in Africa? Even though there seemed to be no end to corruption in Africa, we will continue to write against this incurable disease without end. Attention Do you have any news you would like to publish but dont know how to go about it or you are scared to do so? Please, send it to Joel Savage and tell me how you want it published, whether anonymously or with your name to this e-mail: [email protected] Thank you. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Sudanese security forces have released two journalists from Saudi Arabia's Asharq television channel, a day after detaining them as deadly violence flared during renewed protests against the military government, the station said Friday. During Thursday's protests in and near Khartoum, "five uniformed security officers" held journalists Maha al-Talb and Sally Othman and their teams in their office for several hours, the channel said. Sudan has been gripped by turmoil since military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan launched a coup on October 25 and detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Hamdok was reinstated on November 21, but mass protests have continued as demonstrators distrust Burhan's promises of seeking to guide the country toward full democracy. Protesters charge that the deal simply aims to give the cloak of legitimacy to the generals, whom they accuse of trying to continue the regime built by former autocratic president Omar al-Bashir, who was toppled in 2019 following mass protests. In the worst street clashes since Hamdok's return, five demonstrators were killed and dozens wounded by bullets on Thursday, said the independent Doctors' Committee, which is part of the pro-democracy movement. Authorities also cut phone lines and the internet and cracked down on media, also including the Saudi-funded satellite channel Al-Arabiya. Othman was interrupted by security forces in the middle of a live broadcast and can be heard saying in a clip shared widely on social networks: "I will not be able to continue, the authorities are now forbidding me to continue with you". Sudanese police blamed the incident on "reprehensible individual actions" which would be investigated. The Doctors' Committee charged that "crimes against humanity" were committed in Omdurman, twin city of the capital Khartoum, on Thursday. It said five demonstrators were killed by bullets to the head or chest, and that ambulances were blocked and at least one seriously injured person was forcibly removed from an ambulance by the security forces. A police spokesman said four people died in Thursday's unrest and 297 people were injured, "including 49 police officers". He also said "three police vans were set on fire" and accused protest "leaders clearly hostile to the security forces" of having sought to "turn a peaceful march into violence and confrontations with the security forces". Street clashes since the October coup have claimed 53 lives and left hundreds wounded, and supporters of civilian rule in Sudan have continued to call for protests. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Sudanese security forces have released two journalists from Saudi Arabia's Asharq television channel, a day after detaining them as deadly violence flared during renewed protests against the military government, the station said Friday. During Thursday's protests in and near Khartoum, "five uniformed security officers" held journalists Maha al-Talb and Sally Othman and their teams in their office for several hours, the channel said. Sudan has been gripped by turmoil since military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan launched a coup on October 25 and detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Hamdok was reinstated on November 21, but mass protests have continued as demonstrators distrust Burhan's promises of seeking to guide the country toward full democracy. Protesters charge that the deal simply aims to give the cloak of legitimacy to the generals, whom they accuse of trying to continue the regime built by former autocratic president Omar al-Bashir, who was toppled in 2019 following mass protests. In the worst street clashes since Hamdok's return, five demonstrators were killed and dozens wounded by bullets on Thursday, said the independent Doctors' Committee, which is part of the pro-democracy movement. Authorities also cut phone lines and the internet and cracked down on media, also including the Saudi-funded satellite channel Al-Arabiya. Othman was interrupted by security forces in the middle of a live broadcast and can be heard saying in a clip shared widely on social networks: "I will not be able to continue, the authorities are now forbidding me to continue with you". Sudanese police blamed the incident on "reprehensible individual actions" which would be investigated. The Doctors' Committee charged that "crimes against humanity" were committed in Omdurman, twin city of the capital Khartoum, on Thursday. It said five demonstrators were killed by bullets to the head or chest, and that ambulances were blocked and at least one seriously injured person was forcibly removed from an ambulance by the security forces. A police spokesman said four people died in Thursday's unrest and 297 people were injured, "including 49 police officers". He also said "three police vans were set on fire" and accused protest "leaders clearly hostile to the security forces" of having sought to "turn a peaceful march into violence and confrontations with the security forces". Street clashes since the October coup have claimed 53 lives and left hundreds wounded, and supporters of civilian rule in Sudan have continued to call for protests. We wish to be able to get back in Vietnam in 2022 December 31, 2021 | 04:15 pm PT As another tumultuous year of the pandemic has passed, VnExpress International readers shared what they most expect in Vietnam in the new year. "To get back in Vietnam to be with my wife." Harish Chouhan "To be able to once again visit my favorite country." Simon Youens "To get my job back, and bring another generation of people to visit this beautiful country." Hans Baldwin "To visit Vietnam without any restrictions." Shane Migliaccio "Leaving Vietnam to visit our kids, family, and meet our new son-in-law for the first time after 18 months since the wedding-- while being able to return home to Vietnam without to cost prohibiting paperwork or weeks of quarantine!" Jacob Bloemberg "I am hoping that thousands of separated families would be reunited again in Vietnam. There are so many parents that haven't seen their kids in two years. I hope Vietnamese government can consider the human/family cost and not just economic cost when deciding who to let inside the country." Greg NG "Please open borders for foreigners to be with their loved ones in Vietnam. They are already a constant factor in economy of Vietnam (supporting loved ones financially for food and medicines, donating to Vietnam charity, etc...) We visited several times per year when possible. Humble, we ask to let us continue family life. It will be more than 2.5 years that we can't have family life. Our life is frozen." Ria van Rossum 01.01.2022 LISTEN When the coronavirus spread across the world, many people in both developing and developed countries had thought Africa will be devastated, but that didn't happen. However, to help the fight against the pandemic, finances from the developed world were made available to every African country, including Ghana. For example, on April 2, 2020, the World Bank decides to provide $100 million to Ghana to assist the country in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. The money was made available to the government and the people of Ghana as short, medium, and long-term support. In November 2020, the same year, the European Union mobilized 86.5 million in emergency budget support to help Ghana in tackling the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. But in strange circumstances, all the money is gone without proper accountability. The Ghanaian government has completely emptied the COVID-19 funds. Fraud and corruption always take place whenever a pandemic erupts in Africa. Till now monies from the United States of America and other European countries to support the Aids project in Africa, are often stolen into private accounts. The same thing happened during the Ebola epidemic in Congo, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia. Most of the funds given to those countries were embezzled and siphoned into private accounts. The spread of the coronavirus is at a very fast rate than previously thought, yet that of Africa is low In Sierra Leone, some angry Ebola survivors sued the government over $14 million allocated to help the survivors rebuild their lives they couldnt account for. This is a serious crime because that amount is capable of improving also the health sector. Just like the Ghanaian leader, Nana Akufo Addo, after the COVID-19 funds were mismanaged, African leaders start to complain and blame the coronavirus for the economic and political mayhems. Countries that reports of coronavirus funds corruption has taken place also, include Malawi, Kenya, Uganda, and South Africa. The question is when will such things come to an end in Africa? Even though there seemed to be no end to corruption in Africa, we will continue to write against this incurable disease without end. Attention Do you have any news you would like to publish but dont know how to go about it or you are scared to do so? Please, send it to Joel Savage and tell me how you want it published, whether anonymously or with your name to this e-mail: [email protected] Thank you. 01.01.2022 LISTEN When the coronavirus spread across the world, many people in both developing and developed countries had thought Africa will be devastated, but that didn't happen. However, to help the fight against the pandemic, finances from the developed world were made available to every African country, including Ghana. For example, on April 2, 2020, the World Bank decides to provide $100 million to Ghana to assist the country in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. The money was made available to the government and the people of Ghana as short, medium, and long-term support. In November 2020, the same year, the European Union mobilized 86.5 million in emergency budget support to help Ghana in tackling the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. But in strange circumstances, all the money is gone without proper accountability. The Ghanaian government has completely emptied the COVID-19 funds. Fraud and corruption always take place whenever a pandemic erupts in Africa. Till now monies from the United States of America and other European countries to support the Aids project in Africa, are often stolen into private accounts. The same thing happened during the Ebola epidemic in Congo, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia. Most of the funds given to those countries were embezzled and siphoned into private accounts. The spread of the coronavirus is at a very fast rate than previously thought, yet that of Africa is low In Sierra Leone, some angry Ebola survivors sued the government over $14 million allocated to help the survivors rebuild their lives they couldnt account for. This is a serious crime because that amount is capable of improving also the health sector. Just like the Ghanaian leader, Nana Akufo Addo, after the COVID-19 funds were mismanaged, African leaders start to complain and blame the coronavirus for the economic and political mayhems. Countries that reports of coronavirus funds corruption has taken place also, include Malawi, Kenya, Uganda, and South Africa. The question is when will such things come to an end in Africa? Even though there seemed to be no end to corruption in Africa, we will continue to write against this incurable disease without end. Attention Do you have any news you would like to publish but dont know how to go about it or you are scared to do so? Please, send it to Joel Savage and tell me how you want it published, whether anonymously or with your name to this e-mail: [email protected] Thank you. The French foreign ministry said on Friday slammed Iran for launching a rocket with a satellite carrier bearing three devices into space, reported Sputnik on Saturday. The launch came at a time when nuclear energy talks with Tehran were showing signs of progress. "France condemns this launch, which is not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231," a ministerial spokesperson said during a press conference, reportedly referring to the UN calls on Iran to stop working on the nuclear-capable ballistic missile technology. It is worth noting on December 30, Thursday, Iran aired footage of the blastoff against the backdrop of negotiations in Vienna to restore Tehrans tattered nuclear deal with world powers. According to a report by AP, the eight-round of meetings were held before Christmas and will resume after New Years holidays. "France sees the Iranian ballistic missile and space programs as overlapping due to the "closeness of technologies" used in space launches and missile tests. The Iranian Defence Ministry's involvement in the space launch further proves their "close link"," said the ministerial spokesperson. "These activities are all the more regrettable because they happened at a time when we are seeing progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna," added the spokesperson. The US yet to react to the recent rocket launch Notably, this was not the first time when Tehran launched a rocket when there were diplomatic negotiations were underway. Earlier, when Donald Trump was the President of the United States, Tehran had fired a similar rocket launch, resulting in rebukes from the United States. Though this time, the incumbent President Joe Biden and the military have not reacted to the rocket launch but the experts familiar with the developments noted the blast-offs have raised concerns in Washington about whether the technology used to launch satellites could advance Irans ballistic missile development. Earlier in the Trump regime, the United States pointed such satellite launches disregard a United Nations Security Council resolution. It should be noted Tehran has sent several short-lived satellites into orbit in the past decade. In 2013, Iran launched a monkey into space. But under Raisi, the government appears to have sharpened its focus on space. 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San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe The French foreign ministry said on Friday slammed Iran for launching a rocket with a satellite carrier bearing three devices into space, reported Sputnik on Saturday. The launch came at a time when nuclear energy talks with Tehran were showing signs of progress. "France condemns this launch, which is not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231," a ministerial spokesperson said during a press conference, reportedly referring to the UN calls on Iran to stop working on the nuclear-capable ballistic missile technology. It is worth noting on December 30, Thursday, Iran aired footage of the blastoff against the backdrop of negotiations in Vienna to restore Tehrans tattered nuclear deal with world powers. According to a report by AP, the eight-round of meetings were held before Christmas and will resume after New Years holidays. "France sees the Iranian ballistic missile and space programs as overlapping due to the "closeness of technologies" used in space launches and missile tests. The Iranian Defence Ministry's involvement in the space launch further proves their "close link"," said the ministerial spokesperson. "These activities are all the more regrettable because they happened at a time when we are seeing progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna," added the spokesperson. The US yet to react to the recent rocket launch Notably, this was not the first time when Tehran launched a rocket when there were diplomatic negotiations were underway. Earlier, when Donald Trump was the President of the United States, Tehran had fired a similar rocket launch, resulting in rebukes from the United States. Though this time, the incumbent President Joe Biden and the military have not reacted to the rocket launch but the experts familiar with the developments noted the blast-offs have raised concerns in Washington about whether the technology used to launch satellites could advance Irans ballistic missile development. Earlier in the Trump regime, the United States pointed such satellite launches disregard a United Nations Security Council resolution. It should be noted Tehran has sent several short-lived satellites into orbit in the past decade. In 2013, Iran launched a monkey into space. But under Raisi, the government appears to have sharpened its focus on space. With inputs from agencies Image: AP An influencer turned princess who is the heir to the now defunct Italian throne has celebrated her 18th birthday. Princess Vittoria of Savoy, who was born on 28 December 2003, is the eldest daughter of Prince Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy and the French actress Clotilde Courau, and a fashion influencer. Prince Emmanuel-Philibert marked his daughter's coming-of-age on Instagram, posting a series of snaps alongside a caption which described her as a 'rock-and-roll princess'. Earlier this year, the teenager spoke about being bumped up the royal food chain by her grandfather Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia, the son of the last king of Italy. In a formal decree, 'Duke of Savoy, Prince of Naples and by the grace of God direct heir to Head of the Royal House of Savoy' abolished male primogeniture, which is preference in inheritance that is given by law, custom, or usage to the eldest son and his issue. Monarchy was abolished in Italy in 1946 when Umberto II of the House of Savoy was on the throne. The House of Savoy, of which Emmanuel-Philibert and Vittoria descend, has existed since 1003. Her grandfather, Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Naples, 84, is the current pretender to the throne. Paris-based Princess Vittoria of Savoy, pictured, who was born on 28 December 2003, is the eldest daughter of Prince Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy and the French actress Clotilde Courau and just turned 18 The Franco-Italian royal loves to share glimpses of her life on Instagram, from trips to the beach to nights out with friends Prince Emmanuel-Philibert praised his eldest daughter on her birthday, sharing a series of poignant images of Vittoria through the years. The first snap showed the princess as a toddler, with her father fixing her dress at a formal event. The second showed father and daughter in a selfie taken recently during a sunset. In another snap, Vittoria winced as her dad stuck his tongue out to her, while another showed a proud Emmanuel-Philibert hugging Vittoria in a black and white picture. The 18-year-old is the first woman to be in the line of succession for the Italian throne in 1,000 years. But for now, she enjoys sharing her life with her 62.500 followers on Instagram The 18-year-old also posed for the camera in more artistic pictures shared by her father for her birthday. One of the last pictures showed a demure Vittoria, dressed in a red hoodie, gazing into the camera. He wrote: 'May all your dreams come true and may you always have the courage to follow them... Happy 18th birthday my love.' Meanwhile her mother Clotilde, who starred in several French films, including La Vie En Rose, also shared a sweet post to mark her eldest daughter's 18th. She shared a picture of the pair dressed in matching designer outfits, writing: '18 already and I'm so proud of you. Vittoria's father, Prince Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy, shared a series of cute pictures from her childhood to mark the occasion Emmanuel-Philibert also shared a candid snap of his daughter wearing a red hoodie and white slacks 'Your bravery, your strong character, your intelligence, your sensitivity. 'You are my everything, my life, my love, forever and ever, happy birthday.' Speaking to The New York Times in May, Vittoria revealed how she's set to become the leader of the now defunct Italian throne. She said: 'It was the best gift [my grandfather] could give me.' When asked if she felt Italy was ready to accept her as a queen, or the head of her family, the Paris-based teenager said: 'Italy is not really progressive, but they will learn.' Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a cousin and rival claimant, called the change 'illegitimate'. His two sons, Prince Umberto, 12, and Prince Amedeo Michele, 10, wouldve been next in line after himself had the rule not been changed, since Vittorias father has only two daughters. Vittoria, who just graduated high school with merit in France, loves fashion, but previously said that 'beauty without intelligence is tedious' Her family was exiled from the country for 50 years, only being allowed to return in 2002, after Umberto II, the last reigning king of Italy was deposed in 1946 when the nation became a republic. Vittoria is an up-and-coming influencer with 35,400 followers on Instagram thanks to her jet-setting lifestlye and fashion prowess. The teenager, who attended the private Ecole Diagonale in Paris, has a passion for art and fashion, as shown on her social media profile, and has also previously campaigned for educational changes. Ecole Diagonale is a school known for its excellent art and sport programmes, alongside a rigorous curriculum in the heart of the French capital. During her free time, Vittoria travels between Geneva, Switzerland, where she was born in 2003, and Monte Carlo, where her father Emanuele Filiberto lives, and an Italian farmhouse owned by her family in Umbertide, Umbria. The teen, whose father dubbed 'rock 'n roll princess,' loves to pose for the camera, but said she wants to work towards a better future In May 2005, Vittoria was baptised at the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi in Italy. What is male primogeniture? Primogeniture is preference in inheritance that is given by law, custom, or usage to the eldest son and his issue. In exceptional cases, primogeniture may prescribe such preferential inheritance to the line of the eldest daughter. The motivation for such a practice has usually been to keep the estate of the deceased, or some part of it, whole and intact. The British Royal Family brought to an end the system of primogeniture that had dictated the line of succession since 1701. Under the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, princes no longer take precedence over their sisters. Advertisement Her debut as part of the House of Savoy was supposed to take place last year but was postponed due to the pandemic. Her father, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 47, who is known as the 'Pasta Prince', due to his career running food trucks in LA, announced his plans to run for political office last year. The royal runs a catering business called Prince of Venice and has lead a colourful life in the public eye, claiming to have dated Kate Moss and starring on Italy's version of Strictly Come Dancing. He also has a production company called AristoCrazy and a fashion brand called PrinceTees. Prince Filiberto has had problems with drugs and confessed in 2009 that he only managed to overcome his addiction with the help of his family. He has previously discussed his desire to set up a royalist party to advocate for restoration of the monarchy in Italy. Prince Filiberto, who is married to award-winning French actress Clotilde Courau, is the only child of Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, heir to the now defunct throne of Italy, and has two daughters, Vittoria and 14-year-old Luisa. Speaking to the publication, he admitted that it's unlikely he'll be the one to lead a royal restoration and instead looks forward to abdicating and sailing around the world - 'once my daughter is prepared', he added. But Vittoria confessed that the new responsibility is 'a lot', while her father is trying to get her to study more and holiday less. Her father, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 47, who is known as the 'Pasta Prince', due to his career running food trucks in LA (pictured), announced his plans to run for political office last year Emanuele (pictured left in 2018) and his wife leave church after the christening of their daughter, Vittoria in 2004, pictured right Vittoria is the first woman in 1,000 years to be invested with the authority to one day lead the Savoy family. However, while her parents and her grandparents in Gstaad, Switzerland, were delighted about her ascension, a rival branch of Savoias were left frustrated. Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a cousin and rival claimant, who works as an executive for the Pirelli tire company in Moscow, said it was 'totally illegitimate'. The Aosta branch of the family have argued the law should only be changed when the monarchy is restored. Former royal family: Clotilde Courau (centre left) and Emanuele Filiberto (left) arrive with Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy and Princess Marina of Savoy (centre right) for a dinner at Opera terraces after the wedding ceremony of Princess Charlene of Monaco and Prince Albert II of Monaco on July 2, 2011 Fellow royal: Prince Albert and Emanuele of Savoy at the modern Penthathlon in Monaco City, Monaco on April 29, 2001 But Prince Filiberto said: 'They were thinking that me, not having any sons, they would finally have what they were waiting for, for 150 years they got screwed and they got pissed.' Yet despite Prince Filiberto claims that a lot of people are seeing a potential comeback for the Italian monarchy, Italians have largely no interest in a royal return, noted the publication. Most people in Carignano, the ancestral home of Vittorio Emanueles branch of the family, dont even know who Vittoria is. 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Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe An influencer turned princess who is the heir to the now defunct Italian throne has celebrated her 18th birthday. Princess Vittoria of Savoy, who was born on 28 December 2003, is the eldest daughter of Prince Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy and the French actress Clotilde Courau, and a fashion influencer. Prince Emmanuel-Philibert marked his daughter's coming-of-age on Instagram, posting a series of snaps alongside a caption which described her as a 'rock-and-roll princess'. Earlier this year, the teenager spoke about being bumped up the royal food chain by her grandfather Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia, the son of the last king of Italy. In a formal decree, 'Duke of Savoy, Prince of Naples and by the grace of God direct heir to Head of the Royal House of Savoy' abolished male primogeniture, which is preference in inheritance that is given by law, custom, or usage to the eldest son and his issue. Monarchy was abolished in Italy in 1946 when Umberto II of the House of Savoy was on the throne. The House of Savoy, of which Emmanuel-Philibert and Vittoria descend, has existed since 1003. Her grandfather, Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Naples, 84, is the current pretender to the throne. Paris-based Princess Vittoria of Savoy, pictured, who was born on 28 December 2003, is the eldest daughter of Prince Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy and the French actress Clotilde Courau and just turned 18 The Franco-Italian royal loves to share glimpses of her life on Instagram, from trips to the beach to nights out with friends Prince Emmanuel-Philibert praised his eldest daughter on her birthday, sharing a series of poignant images of Vittoria through the years. The first snap showed the princess as a toddler, with her father fixing her dress at a formal event. The second showed father and daughter in a selfie taken recently during a sunset. In another snap, Vittoria winced as her dad stuck his tongue out to her, while another showed a proud Emmanuel-Philibert hugging Vittoria in a black and white picture. The 18-year-old is the first woman to be in the line of succession for the Italian throne in 1,000 years. But for now, she enjoys sharing her life with her 62.500 followers on Instagram The 18-year-old also posed for the camera in more artistic pictures shared by her father for her birthday. One of the last pictures showed a demure Vittoria, dressed in a red hoodie, gazing into the camera. He wrote: 'May all your dreams come true and may you always have the courage to follow them... Happy 18th birthday my love.' Meanwhile her mother Clotilde, who starred in several French films, including La Vie En Rose, also shared a sweet post to mark her eldest daughter's 18th. She shared a picture of the pair dressed in matching designer outfits, writing: '18 already and I'm so proud of you. Vittoria's father, Prince Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy, shared a series of cute pictures from her childhood to mark the occasion Emmanuel-Philibert also shared a candid snap of his daughter wearing a red hoodie and white slacks 'Your bravery, your strong character, your intelligence, your sensitivity. 'You are my everything, my life, my love, forever and ever, happy birthday.' Speaking to The New York Times in May, Vittoria revealed how she's set to become the leader of the now defunct Italian throne. She said: 'It was the best gift [my grandfather] could give me.' When asked if she felt Italy was ready to accept her as a queen, or the head of her family, the Paris-based teenager said: 'Italy is not really progressive, but they will learn.' Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a cousin and rival claimant, called the change 'illegitimate'. His two sons, Prince Umberto, 12, and Prince Amedeo Michele, 10, wouldve been next in line after himself had the rule not been changed, since Vittorias father has only two daughters. Vittoria, who just graduated high school with merit in France, loves fashion, but previously said that 'beauty without intelligence is tedious' Her family was exiled from the country for 50 years, only being allowed to return in 2002, after Umberto II, the last reigning king of Italy was deposed in 1946 when the nation became a republic. Vittoria is an up-and-coming influencer with 35,400 followers on Instagram thanks to her jet-setting lifestlye and fashion prowess. The teenager, who attended the private Ecole Diagonale in Paris, has a passion for art and fashion, as shown on her social media profile, and has also previously campaigned for educational changes. Ecole Diagonale is a school known for its excellent art and sport programmes, alongside a rigorous curriculum in the heart of the French capital. During her free time, Vittoria travels between Geneva, Switzerland, where she was born in 2003, and Monte Carlo, where her father Emanuele Filiberto lives, and an Italian farmhouse owned by her family in Umbertide, Umbria. The teen, whose father dubbed 'rock 'n roll princess,' loves to pose for the camera, but said she wants to work towards a better future In May 2005, Vittoria was baptised at the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi in Italy. What is male primogeniture? Primogeniture is preference in inheritance that is given by law, custom, or usage to the eldest son and his issue. In exceptional cases, primogeniture may prescribe such preferential inheritance to the line of the eldest daughter. The motivation for such a practice has usually been to keep the estate of the deceased, or some part of it, whole and intact. The British Royal Family brought to an end the system of primogeniture that had dictated the line of succession since 1701. Under the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, princes no longer take precedence over their sisters. Advertisement Her debut as part of the House of Savoy was supposed to take place last year but was postponed due to the pandemic. Her father, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 47, who is known as the 'Pasta Prince', due to his career running food trucks in LA, announced his plans to run for political office last year. The royal runs a catering business called Prince of Venice and has lead a colourful life in the public eye, claiming to have dated Kate Moss and starring on Italy's version of Strictly Come Dancing. He also has a production company called AristoCrazy and a fashion brand called PrinceTees. Prince Filiberto has had problems with drugs and confessed in 2009 that he only managed to overcome his addiction with the help of his family. He has previously discussed his desire to set up a royalist party to advocate for restoration of the monarchy in Italy. Prince Filiberto, who is married to award-winning French actress Clotilde Courau, is the only child of Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, heir to the now defunct throne of Italy, and has two daughters, Vittoria and 14-year-old Luisa. Speaking to the publication, he admitted that it's unlikely he'll be the one to lead a royal restoration and instead looks forward to abdicating and sailing around the world - 'once my daughter is prepared', he added. But Vittoria confessed that the new responsibility is 'a lot', while her father is trying to get her to study more and holiday less. Her father, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 47, who is known as the 'Pasta Prince', due to his career running food trucks in LA (pictured), announced his plans to run for political office last year Emanuele (pictured left in 2018) and his wife leave church after the christening of their daughter, Vittoria in 2004, pictured right Vittoria is the first woman in 1,000 years to be invested with the authority to one day lead the Savoy family. However, while her parents and her grandparents in Gstaad, Switzerland, were delighted about her ascension, a rival branch of Savoias were left frustrated. Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a cousin and rival claimant, who works as an executive for the Pirelli tire company in Moscow, said it was 'totally illegitimate'. The Aosta branch of the family have argued the law should only be changed when the monarchy is restored. Former royal family: Clotilde Courau (centre left) and Emanuele Filiberto (left) arrive with Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy and Princess Marina of Savoy (centre right) for a dinner at Opera terraces after the wedding ceremony of Princess Charlene of Monaco and Prince Albert II of Monaco on July 2, 2011 Fellow royal: Prince Albert and Emanuele of Savoy at the modern Penthathlon in Monaco City, Monaco on April 29, 2001 But Prince Filiberto said: 'They were thinking that me, not having any sons, they would finally have what they were waiting for, for 150 years they got screwed and they got pissed.' Yet despite Prince Filiberto claims that a lot of people are seeing a potential comeback for the Italian monarchy, Italians have largely no interest in a royal return, noted the publication. Most people in Carignano, the ancestral home of Vittorio Emanueles branch of the family, dont even know who Vittoria is. Prince Emmanuel-Philibert shared candid family pictures with his two daughters to mark Vittoria's special day An influencer turned princess who is the heir to the now defunct Italian throne has celebrated her 18th birthday. Princess Vittoria of Savoy, who was born on 28 December 2003, is the eldest daughter of Prince Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy and the French actress Clotilde Courau, and a fashion influencer. Prince Emmanuel-Philibert marked his daughter's coming-of-age on Instagram, posting a series of snaps alongside a caption which described her as a 'rock-and-roll princess'. Earlier this year, the teenager spoke about being bumped up the royal food chain by her grandfather Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia, the son of the last king of Italy. In a formal decree, 'Duke of Savoy, Prince of Naples and by the grace of God direct heir to Head of the Royal House of Savoy' abolished male primogeniture, which is preference in inheritance that is given by law, custom, or usage to the eldest son and his issue. Monarchy was abolished in Italy in 1946 when Umberto II of the House of Savoy was on the throne. The House of Savoy, of which Emmanuel-Philibert and Vittoria descend, has existed since 1003. Her grandfather, Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Naples, 84, is the current pretender to the throne. Paris-based Princess Vittoria of Savoy, pictured, who was born on 28 December 2003, is the eldest daughter of Prince Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy and the French actress Clotilde Courau and just turned 18 The Franco-Italian royal loves to share glimpses of her life on Instagram, from trips to the beach to nights out with friends Prince Emmanuel-Philibert praised his eldest daughter on her birthday, sharing a series of poignant images of Vittoria through the years. The first snap showed the princess as a toddler, with her father fixing her dress at a formal event. The second showed father and daughter in a selfie taken recently during a sunset. In another snap, Vittoria winced as her dad stuck his tongue out to her, while another showed a proud Emmanuel-Philibert hugging Vittoria in a black and white picture. The 18-year-old is the first woman to be in the line of succession for the Italian throne in 1,000 years. But for now, she enjoys sharing her life with her 62.500 followers on Instagram The 18-year-old also posed for the camera in more artistic pictures shared by her father for her birthday. One of the last pictures showed a demure Vittoria, dressed in a red hoodie, gazing into the camera. He wrote: 'May all your dreams come true and may you always have the courage to follow them... Happy 18th birthday my love.' Meanwhile her mother Clotilde, who starred in several French films, including La Vie En Rose, also shared a sweet post to mark her eldest daughter's 18th. She shared a picture of the pair dressed in matching designer outfits, writing: '18 already and I'm so proud of you. Vittoria's father, Prince Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy, shared a series of cute pictures from her childhood to mark the occasion Emmanuel-Philibert also shared a candid snap of his daughter wearing a red hoodie and white slacks 'Your bravery, your strong character, your intelligence, your sensitivity. 'You are my everything, my life, my love, forever and ever, happy birthday.' Speaking to The New York Times in May, Vittoria revealed how she's set to become the leader of the now defunct Italian throne. She said: 'It was the best gift [my grandfather] could give me.' When asked if she felt Italy was ready to accept her as a queen, or the head of her family, the Paris-based teenager said: 'Italy is not really progressive, but they will learn.' Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a cousin and rival claimant, called the change 'illegitimate'. His two sons, Prince Umberto, 12, and Prince Amedeo Michele, 10, wouldve been next in line after himself had the rule not been changed, since Vittorias father has only two daughters. Vittoria, who just graduated high school with merit in France, loves fashion, but previously said that 'beauty without intelligence is tedious' Her family was exiled from the country for 50 years, only being allowed to return in 2002, after Umberto II, the last reigning king of Italy was deposed in 1946 when the nation became a republic. Vittoria is an up-and-coming influencer with 35,400 followers on Instagram thanks to her jet-setting lifestlye and fashion prowess. The teenager, who attended the private Ecole Diagonale in Paris, has a passion for art and fashion, as shown on her social media profile, and has also previously campaigned for educational changes. Ecole Diagonale is a school known for its excellent art and sport programmes, alongside a rigorous curriculum in the heart of the French capital. During her free time, Vittoria travels between Geneva, Switzerland, where she was born in 2003, and Monte Carlo, where her father Emanuele Filiberto lives, and an Italian farmhouse owned by her family in Umbertide, Umbria. The teen, whose father dubbed 'rock 'n roll princess,' loves to pose for the camera, but said she wants to work towards a better future In May 2005, Vittoria was baptised at the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi in Italy. What is male primogeniture? Primogeniture is preference in inheritance that is given by law, custom, or usage to the eldest son and his issue. In exceptional cases, primogeniture may prescribe such preferential inheritance to the line of the eldest daughter. The motivation for such a practice has usually been to keep the estate of the deceased, or some part of it, whole and intact. The British Royal Family brought to an end the system of primogeniture that had dictated the line of succession since 1701. Under the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, princes no longer take precedence over their sisters. Advertisement Her debut as part of the House of Savoy was supposed to take place last year but was postponed due to the pandemic. Her father, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 47, who is known as the 'Pasta Prince', due to his career running food trucks in LA, announced his plans to run for political office last year. The royal runs a catering business called Prince of Venice and has lead a colourful life in the public eye, claiming to have dated Kate Moss and starring on Italy's version of Strictly Come Dancing. He also has a production company called AristoCrazy and a fashion brand called PrinceTees. Prince Filiberto has had problems with drugs and confessed in 2009 that he only managed to overcome his addiction with the help of his family. He has previously discussed his desire to set up a royalist party to advocate for restoration of the monarchy in Italy. Prince Filiberto, who is married to award-winning French actress Clotilde Courau, is the only child of Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, heir to the now defunct throne of Italy, and has two daughters, Vittoria and 14-year-old Luisa. Speaking to the publication, he admitted that it's unlikely he'll be the one to lead a royal restoration and instead looks forward to abdicating and sailing around the world - 'once my daughter is prepared', he added. But Vittoria confessed that the new responsibility is 'a lot', while her father is trying to get her to study more and holiday less. Her father, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 47, who is known as the 'Pasta Prince', due to his career running food trucks in LA (pictured), announced his plans to run for political office last year Emanuele (pictured left in 2018) and his wife leave church after the christening of their daughter, Vittoria in 2004, pictured right Vittoria is the first woman in 1,000 years to be invested with the authority to one day lead the Savoy family. However, while her parents and her grandparents in Gstaad, Switzerland, were delighted about her ascension, a rival branch of Savoias were left frustrated. Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a cousin and rival claimant, who works as an executive for the Pirelli tire company in Moscow, said it was 'totally illegitimate'. The Aosta branch of the family have argued the law should only be changed when the monarchy is restored. Former royal family: Clotilde Courau (centre left) and Emanuele Filiberto (left) arrive with Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy and Princess Marina of Savoy (centre right) for a dinner at Opera terraces after the wedding ceremony of Princess Charlene of Monaco and Prince Albert II of Monaco on July 2, 2011 Fellow royal: Prince Albert and Emanuele of Savoy at the modern Penthathlon in Monaco City, Monaco on April 29, 2001 But Prince Filiberto said: 'They were thinking that me, not having any sons, they would finally have what they were waiting for, for 150 years they got screwed and they got pissed.' Yet despite Prince Filiberto claims that a lot of people are seeing a potential comeback for the Italian monarchy, Italians have largely no interest in a royal return, noted the publication. Most people in Carignano, the ancestral home of Vittorio Emanueles branch of the family, dont even know who Vittoria is. Prince Emmanuel-Philibert shared candid family pictures with his two daughters to mark Vittoria's special day An influencer turned princess who is the heir to the now defunct Italian throne has celebrated her 18th birthday. Princess Vittoria of Savoy, who was born on 28 December 2003, is the eldest daughter of Prince Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy and the French actress Clotilde Courau, and a fashion influencer. Prince Emmanuel-Philibert marked his daughter's coming-of-age on Instagram, posting a series of snaps alongside a caption which described her as a 'rock-and-roll princess'. Earlier this year, the teenager spoke about being bumped up the royal food chain by her grandfather Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia, the son of the last king of Italy. In a formal decree, 'Duke of Savoy, Prince of Naples and by the grace of God direct heir to Head of the Royal House of Savoy' abolished male primogeniture, which is preference in inheritance that is given by law, custom, or usage to the eldest son and his issue. Monarchy was abolished in Italy in 1946 when Umberto II of the House of Savoy was on the throne. The House of Savoy, of which Emmanuel-Philibert and Vittoria descend, has existed since 1003. Her grandfather, Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Naples, 84, is the current pretender to the throne. Paris-based Princess Vittoria of Savoy, pictured, who was born on 28 December 2003, is the eldest daughter of Prince Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy and the French actress Clotilde Courau and just turned 18 The Franco-Italian royal loves to share glimpses of her life on Instagram, from trips to the beach to nights out with friends Prince Emmanuel-Philibert praised his eldest daughter on her birthday, sharing a series of poignant images of Vittoria through the years. The first snap showed the princess as a toddler, with her father fixing her dress at a formal event. The second showed father and daughter in a selfie taken recently during a sunset. In another snap, Vittoria winced as her dad stuck his tongue out to her, while another showed a proud Emmanuel-Philibert hugging Vittoria in a black and white picture. The 18-year-old is the first woman to be in the line of succession for the Italian throne in 1,000 years. But for now, she enjoys sharing her life with her 62.500 followers on Instagram The 18-year-old also posed for the camera in more artistic pictures shared by her father for her birthday. One of the last pictures showed a demure Vittoria, dressed in a red hoodie, gazing into the camera. He wrote: 'May all your dreams come true and may you always have the courage to follow them... Happy 18th birthday my love.' Meanwhile her mother Clotilde, who starred in several French films, including La Vie En Rose, also shared a sweet post to mark her eldest daughter's 18th. She shared a picture of the pair dressed in matching designer outfits, writing: '18 already and I'm so proud of you. Vittoria's father, Prince Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy, shared a series of cute pictures from her childhood to mark the occasion Emmanuel-Philibert also shared a candid snap of his daughter wearing a red hoodie and white slacks 'Your bravery, your strong character, your intelligence, your sensitivity. 'You are my everything, my life, my love, forever and ever, happy birthday.' Speaking to The New York Times in May, Vittoria revealed how she's set to become the leader of the now defunct Italian throne. She said: 'It was the best gift [my grandfather] could give me.' When asked if she felt Italy was ready to accept her as a queen, or the head of her family, the Paris-based teenager said: 'Italy is not really progressive, but they will learn.' Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a cousin and rival claimant, called the change 'illegitimate'. His two sons, Prince Umberto, 12, and Prince Amedeo Michele, 10, wouldve been next in line after himself had the rule not been changed, since Vittorias father has only two daughters. Vittoria, who just graduated high school with merit in France, loves fashion, but previously said that 'beauty without intelligence is tedious' Her family was exiled from the country for 50 years, only being allowed to return in 2002, after Umberto II, the last reigning king of Italy was deposed in 1946 when the nation became a republic. Vittoria is an up-and-coming influencer with 35,400 followers on Instagram thanks to her jet-setting lifestlye and fashion prowess. The teenager, who attended the private Ecole Diagonale in Paris, has a passion for art and fashion, as shown on her social media profile, and has also previously campaigned for educational changes. Ecole Diagonale is a school known for its excellent art and sport programmes, alongside a rigorous curriculum in the heart of the French capital. During her free time, Vittoria travels between Geneva, Switzerland, where she was born in 2003, and Monte Carlo, where her father Emanuele Filiberto lives, and an Italian farmhouse owned by her family in Umbertide, Umbria. The teen, whose father dubbed 'rock 'n roll princess,' loves to pose for the camera, but said she wants to work towards a better future In May 2005, Vittoria was baptised at the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi in Italy. What is male primogeniture? Primogeniture is preference in inheritance that is given by law, custom, or usage to the eldest son and his issue. In exceptional cases, primogeniture may prescribe such preferential inheritance to the line of the eldest daughter. The motivation for such a practice has usually been to keep the estate of the deceased, or some part of it, whole and intact. The British Royal Family brought to an end the system of primogeniture that had dictated the line of succession since 1701. Under the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, princes no longer take precedence over their sisters. Advertisement Her debut as part of the House of Savoy was supposed to take place last year but was postponed due to the pandemic. Her father, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 47, who is known as the 'Pasta Prince', due to his career running food trucks in LA, announced his plans to run for political office last year. The royal runs a catering business called Prince of Venice and has lead a colourful life in the public eye, claiming to have dated Kate Moss and starring on Italy's version of Strictly Come Dancing. He also has a production company called AristoCrazy and a fashion brand called PrinceTees. Prince Filiberto has had problems with drugs and confessed in 2009 that he only managed to overcome his addiction with the help of his family. He has previously discussed his desire to set up a royalist party to advocate for restoration of the monarchy in Italy. Prince Filiberto, who is married to award-winning French actress Clotilde Courau, is the only child of Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, heir to the now defunct throne of Italy, and has two daughters, Vittoria and 14-year-old Luisa. Speaking to the publication, he admitted that it's unlikely he'll be the one to lead a royal restoration and instead looks forward to abdicating and sailing around the world - 'once my daughter is prepared', he added. But Vittoria confessed that the new responsibility is 'a lot', while her father is trying to get her to study more and holiday less. Her father, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 47, who is known as the 'Pasta Prince', due to his career running food trucks in LA (pictured), announced his plans to run for political office last year Emanuele (pictured left in 2018) and his wife leave church after the christening of their daughter, Vittoria in 2004, pictured right Vittoria is the first woman in 1,000 years to be invested with the authority to one day lead the Savoy family. However, while her parents and her grandparents in Gstaad, Switzerland, were delighted about her ascension, a rival branch of Savoias were left frustrated. Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a cousin and rival claimant, who works as an executive for the Pirelli tire company in Moscow, said it was 'totally illegitimate'. The Aosta branch of the family have argued the law should only be changed when the monarchy is restored. Former royal family: Clotilde Courau (centre left) and Emanuele Filiberto (left) arrive with Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy and Princess Marina of Savoy (centre right) for a dinner at Opera terraces after the wedding ceremony of Princess Charlene of Monaco and Prince Albert II of Monaco on July 2, 2011 Fellow royal: Prince Albert and Emanuele of Savoy at the modern Penthathlon in Monaco City, Monaco on April 29, 2001 But Prince Filiberto said: 'They were thinking that me, not having any sons, they would finally have what they were waiting for, for 150 years they got screwed and they got pissed.' Yet despite Prince Filiberto claims that a lot of people are seeing a potential comeback for the Italian monarchy, Italians have largely no interest in a royal return, noted the publication. Most people in Carignano, the ancestral home of Vittorio Emanueles branch of the family, dont even know who Vittoria is. Prince Emmanuel-Philibert shared candid family pictures with his two daughters to mark Vittoria's special day The French foreign ministry said on Friday slammed Iran for launching a rocket with a satellite carrier bearing three devices into space, reported Sputnik on Saturday. The launch came at a time when nuclear energy talks with Tehran were showing signs of progress. "France condemns this launch, which is not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231," a ministerial spokesperson said during a press conference, reportedly referring to the UN calls on Iran to stop working on the nuclear-capable ballistic missile technology. It is worth noting on December 30, Thursday, Iran aired footage of the blastoff against the backdrop of negotiations in Vienna to restore Tehrans tattered nuclear deal with world powers. According to a report by AP, the eight-round of meetings were held before Christmas and will resume after New Years holidays. "France sees the Iranian ballistic missile and space programs as overlapping due to the "closeness of technologies" used in space launches and missile tests. The Iranian Defence Ministry's involvement in the space launch further proves their "close link"," said the ministerial spokesperson. "These activities are all the more regrettable because they happened at a time when we are seeing progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna," added the spokesperson. The US yet to react to the recent rocket launch Notably, this was not the first time when Tehran launched a rocket when there were diplomatic negotiations were underway. Earlier, when Donald Trump was the President of the United States, Tehran had fired a similar rocket launch, resulting in rebukes from the United States. Though this time, the incumbent President Joe Biden and the military have not reacted to the rocket launch but the experts familiar with the developments noted the blast-offs have raised concerns in Washington about whether the technology used to launch satellites could advance Irans ballistic missile development. Earlier in the Trump regime, the United States pointed such satellite launches disregard a United Nations Security Council resolution. It should be noted Tehran has sent several short-lived satellites into orbit in the past decade. In 2013, Iran launched a monkey into space. But under Raisi, the government appears to have sharpened its focus on space. With inputs from agencies Image: AP 01.01.2022 LISTEN When the coronavirus spread across the world, many people in both developing and developed countries had thought Africa will be devastated, but that didn't happen. However, to help the fight against the pandemic, finances from the developed world were made available to every African country, including Ghana. For example, on April 2, 2020, the World Bank decides to provide $100 million to Ghana to assist the country in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. The money was made available to the government and the people of Ghana as short, medium, and long-term support. In November 2020, the same year, the European Union mobilized 86.5 million in emergency budget support to help Ghana in tackling the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. But in strange circumstances, all the money is gone without proper accountability. The Ghanaian government has completely emptied the COVID-19 funds. Fraud and corruption always take place whenever a pandemic erupts in Africa. Till now monies from the United States of America and other European countries to support the Aids project in Africa, are often stolen into private accounts. The same thing happened during the Ebola epidemic in Congo, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia. Most of the funds given to those countries were embezzled and siphoned into private accounts. The spread of the coronavirus is at a very fast rate than previously thought, yet that of Africa is low In Sierra Leone, some angry Ebola survivors sued the government over $14 million allocated to help the survivors rebuild their lives they couldnt account for. This is a serious crime because that amount is capable of improving also the health sector. Just like the Ghanaian leader, Nana Akufo Addo, after the COVID-19 funds were mismanaged, African leaders start to complain and blame the coronavirus for the economic and political mayhems. Countries that reports of coronavirus funds corruption has taken place also, include Malawi, Kenya, Uganda, and South Africa. The question is when will such things come to an end in Africa? Even though there seemed to be no end to corruption in Africa, we will continue to write against this incurable disease without end. Attention Do you have any news you would like to publish but dont know how to go about it or you are scared to do so? Please, send it to Joel Savage and tell me how you want it published, whether anonymously or with your name to this e-mail: [email protected] Thank you. 01.01.2022 LISTEN When the coronavirus spread across the world, many people in both developing and developed countries had thought Africa will be devastated, but that didn't happen. However, to help the fight against the pandemic, finances from the developed world were made available to every African country, including Ghana. For example, on April 2, 2020, the World Bank decides to provide $100 million to Ghana to assist the country in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. The money was made available to the government and the people of Ghana as short, medium, and long-term support. In November 2020, the same year, the European Union mobilized 86.5 million in emergency budget support to help Ghana in tackling the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. But in strange circumstances, all the money is gone without proper accountability. The Ghanaian government has completely emptied the COVID-19 funds. Fraud and corruption always take place whenever a pandemic erupts in Africa. Till now monies from the United States of America and other European countries to support the Aids project in Africa, are often stolen into private accounts. The same thing happened during the Ebola epidemic in Congo, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia. Most of the funds given to those countries were embezzled and siphoned into private accounts. The spread of the coronavirus is at a very fast rate than previously thought, yet that of Africa is low In Sierra Leone, some angry Ebola survivors sued the government over $14 million allocated to help the survivors rebuild their lives they couldnt account for. This is a serious crime because that amount is capable of improving also the health sector. Just like the Ghanaian leader, Nana Akufo Addo, after the COVID-19 funds were mismanaged, African leaders start to complain and blame the coronavirus for the economic and political mayhems. Countries that reports of coronavirus funds corruption has taken place also, include Malawi, Kenya, Uganda, and South Africa. The question is when will such things come to an end in Africa? Even though there seemed to be no end to corruption in Africa, we will continue to write against this incurable disease without end. Attention Do you have any news you would like to publish but dont know how to go about it or you are scared to do so? Please, send it to Joel Savage and tell me how you want it published, whether anonymously or with your name to this e-mail: [email protected] Thank you. An influencer turned princess who is the heir to the now defunct Italian throne has celebrated her 18th birthday. Princess Vittoria of Savoy, who was born on 28 December 2003, is the eldest daughter of Prince Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy and the French actress Clotilde Courau, and a fashion influencer. Prince Emmanuel-Philibert marked his daughter's coming-of-age on Instagram, posting a series of snaps alongside a caption which described her as a 'rock-and-roll princess'. Earlier this year, the teenager spoke about being bumped up the royal food chain by her grandfather Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia, the son of the last king of Italy. In a formal decree, 'Duke of Savoy, Prince of Naples and by the grace of God direct heir to Head of the Royal House of Savoy' abolished male primogeniture, which is preference in inheritance that is given by law, custom, or usage to the eldest son and his issue. Monarchy was abolished in Italy in 1946 when Umberto II of the House of Savoy was on the throne. The House of Savoy, of which Emmanuel-Philibert and Vittoria descend, has existed since 1003. Her grandfather, Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Naples, 84, is the current pretender to the throne. Paris-based Princess Vittoria of Savoy, pictured, who was born on 28 December 2003, is the eldest daughter of Prince Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy and the French actress Clotilde Courau and just turned 18 The Franco-Italian royal loves to share glimpses of her life on Instagram, from trips to the beach to nights out with friends Prince Emmanuel-Philibert praised his eldest daughter on her birthday, sharing a series of poignant images of Vittoria through the years. The first snap showed the princess as a toddler, with her father fixing her dress at a formal event. The second showed father and daughter in a selfie taken recently during a sunset. In another snap, Vittoria winced as her dad stuck his tongue out to her, while another showed a proud Emmanuel-Philibert hugging Vittoria in a black and white picture. The 18-year-old is the first woman to be in the line of succession for the Italian throne in 1,000 years. But for now, she enjoys sharing her life with her 62.500 followers on Instagram The 18-year-old also posed for the camera in more artistic pictures shared by her father for her birthday. One of the last pictures showed a demure Vittoria, dressed in a red hoodie, gazing into the camera. He wrote: 'May all your dreams come true and may you always have the courage to follow them... Happy 18th birthday my love.' Meanwhile her mother Clotilde, who starred in several French films, including La Vie En Rose, also shared a sweet post to mark her eldest daughter's 18th. She shared a picture of the pair dressed in matching designer outfits, writing: '18 already and I'm so proud of you. Vittoria's father, Prince Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy, shared a series of cute pictures from her childhood to mark the occasion Emmanuel-Philibert also shared a candid snap of his daughter wearing a red hoodie and white slacks 'Your bravery, your strong character, your intelligence, your sensitivity. 'You are my everything, my life, my love, forever and ever, happy birthday.' Speaking to The New York Times in May, Vittoria revealed how she's set to become the leader of the now defunct Italian throne. She said: 'It was the best gift [my grandfather] could give me.' When asked if she felt Italy was ready to accept her as a queen, or the head of her family, the Paris-based teenager said: 'Italy is not really progressive, but they will learn.' Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a cousin and rival claimant, called the change 'illegitimate'. His two sons, Prince Umberto, 12, and Prince Amedeo Michele, 10, wouldve been next in line after himself had the rule not been changed, since Vittorias father has only two daughters. Vittoria, who just graduated high school with merit in France, loves fashion, but previously said that 'beauty without intelligence is tedious' Her family was exiled from the country for 50 years, only being allowed to return in 2002, after Umberto II, the last reigning king of Italy was deposed in 1946 when the nation became a republic. Vittoria is an up-and-coming influencer with 35,400 followers on Instagram thanks to her jet-setting lifestlye and fashion prowess. The teenager, who attended the private Ecole Diagonale in Paris, has a passion for art and fashion, as shown on her social media profile, and has also previously campaigned for educational changes. Ecole Diagonale is a school known for its excellent art and sport programmes, alongside a rigorous curriculum in the heart of the French capital. During her free time, Vittoria travels between Geneva, Switzerland, where she was born in 2003, and Monte Carlo, where her father Emanuele Filiberto lives, and an Italian farmhouse owned by her family in Umbertide, Umbria. The teen, whose father dubbed 'rock 'n roll princess,' loves to pose for the camera, but said she wants to work towards a better future In May 2005, Vittoria was baptised at the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi in Italy. What is male primogeniture? Primogeniture is preference in inheritance that is given by law, custom, or usage to the eldest son and his issue. In exceptional cases, primogeniture may prescribe such preferential inheritance to the line of the eldest daughter. The motivation for such a practice has usually been to keep the estate of the deceased, or some part of it, whole and intact. The British Royal Family brought to an end the system of primogeniture that had dictated the line of succession since 1701. Under the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, princes no longer take precedence over their sisters. Advertisement Her debut as part of the House of Savoy was supposed to take place last year but was postponed due to the pandemic. Her father, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 47, who is known as the 'Pasta Prince', due to his career running food trucks in LA, announced his plans to run for political office last year. The royal runs a catering business called Prince of Venice and has lead a colourful life in the public eye, claiming to have dated Kate Moss and starring on Italy's version of Strictly Come Dancing. He also has a production company called AristoCrazy and a fashion brand called PrinceTees. Prince Filiberto has had problems with drugs and confessed in 2009 that he only managed to overcome his addiction with the help of his family. He has previously discussed his desire to set up a royalist party to advocate for restoration of the monarchy in Italy. Prince Filiberto, who is married to award-winning French actress Clotilde Courau, is the only child of Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, heir to the now defunct throne of Italy, and has two daughters, Vittoria and 14-year-old Luisa. Speaking to the publication, he admitted that it's unlikely he'll be the one to lead a royal restoration and instead looks forward to abdicating and sailing around the world - 'once my daughter is prepared', he added. But Vittoria confessed that the new responsibility is 'a lot', while her father is trying to get her to study more and holiday less. Her father, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 47, who is known as the 'Pasta Prince', due to his career running food trucks in LA (pictured), announced his plans to run for political office last year Emanuele (pictured left in 2018) and his wife leave church after the christening of their daughter, Vittoria in 2004, pictured right Vittoria is the first woman in 1,000 years to be invested with the authority to one day lead the Savoy family. However, while her parents and her grandparents in Gstaad, Switzerland, were delighted about her ascension, a rival branch of Savoias were left frustrated. Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a cousin and rival claimant, who works as an executive for the Pirelli tire company in Moscow, said it was 'totally illegitimate'. The Aosta branch of the family have argued the law should only be changed when the monarchy is restored. Former royal family: Clotilde Courau (centre left) and Emanuele Filiberto (left) arrive with Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy and Princess Marina of Savoy (centre right) for a dinner at Opera terraces after the wedding ceremony of Princess Charlene of Monaco and Prince Albert II of Monaco on July 2, 2011 Fellow royal: Prince Albert and Emanuele of Savoy at the modern Penthathlon in Monaco City, Monaco on April 29, 2001 But Prince Filiberto said: 'They were thinking that me, not having any sons, they would finally have what they were waiting for, for 150 years they got screwed and they got pissed.' Yet despite Prince Filiberto claims that a lot of people are seeing a potential comeback for the Italian monarchy, Italians have largely no interest in a royal return, noted the publication. Most people in Carignano, the ancestral home of Vittorio Emanueles branch of the family, dont even know who Vittoria is. Prince Emmanuel-Philibert shared candid family pictures with his two daughters to mark Vittoria's special day An influencer turned princess who is the heir to the now defunct Italian throne has celebrated her 18th birthday. Princess Vittoria of Savoy, who was born on 28 December 2003, is the eldest daughter of Prince Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy and the French actress Clotilde Courau, and a fashion influencer. Prince Emmanuel-Philibert marked his daughter's coming-of-age on Instagram, posting a series of snaps alongside a caption which described her as a 'rock-and-roll princess'. Earlier this year, the teenager spoke about being bumped up the royal food chain by her grandfather Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia, the son of the last king of Italy. In a formal decree, 'Duke of Savoy, Prince of Naples and by the grace of God direct heir to Head of the Royal House of Savoy' abolished male primogeniture, which is preference in inheritance that is given by law, custom, or usage to the eldest son and his issue. Monarchy was abolished in Italy in 1946 when Umberto II of the House of Savoy was on the throne. The House of Savoy, of which Emmanuel-Philibert and Vittoria descend, has existed since 1003. Her grandfather, Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Naples, 84, is the current pretender to the throne. Paris-based Princess Vittoria of Savoy, pictured, who was born on 28 December 2003, is the eldest daughter of Prince Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy and the French actress Clotilde Courau and just turned 18 The Franco-Italian royal loves to share glimpses of her life on Instagram, from trips to the beach to nights out with friends Prince Emmanuel-Philibert praised his eldest daughter on her birthday, sharing a series of poignant images of Vittoria through the years. The first snap showed the princess as a toddler, with her father fixing her dress at a formal event. The second showed father and daughter in a selfie taken recently during a sunset. In another snap, Vittoria winced as her dad stuck his tongue out to her, while another showed a proud Emmanuel-Philibert hugging Vittoria in a black and white picture. The 18-year-old is the first woman to be in the line of succession for the Italian throne in 1,000 years. But for now, she enjoys sharing her life with her 62.500 followers on Instagram The 18-year-old also posed for the camera in more artistic pictures shared by her father for her birthday. One of the last pictures showed a demure Vittoria, dressed in a red hoodie, gazing into the camera. He wrote: 'May all your dreams come true and may you always have the courage to follow them... Happy 18th birthday my love.' Meanwhile her mother Clotilde, who starred in several French films, including La Vie En Rose, also shared a sweet post to mark her eldest daughter's 18th. She shared a picture of the pair dressed in matching designer outfits, writing: '18 already and I'm so proud of you. Vittoria's father, Prince Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy, shared a series of cute pictures from her childhood to mark the occasion Emmanuel-Philibert also shared a candid snap of his daughter wearing a red hoodie and white slacks 'Your bravery, your strong character, your intelligence, your sensitivity. 'You are my everything, my life, my love, forever and ever, happy birthday.' Speaking to The New York Times in May, Vittoria revealed how she's set to become the leader of the now defunct Italian throne. She said: 'It was the best gift [my grandfather] could give me.' When asked if she felt Italy was ready to accept her as a queen, or the head of her family, the Paris-based teenager said: 'Italy is not really progressive, but they will learn.' Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a cousin and rival claimant, called the change 'illegitimate'. His two sons, Prince Umberto, 12, and Prince Amedeo Michele, 10, wouldve been next in line after himself had the rule not been changed, since Vittorias father has only two daughters. Vittoria, who just graduated high school with merit in France, loves fashion, but previously said that 'beauty without intelligence is tedious' Her family was exiled from the country for 50 years, only being allowed to return in 2002, after Umberto II, the last reigning king of Italy was deposed in 1946 when the nation became a republic. Vittoria is an up-and-coming influencer with 35,400 followers on Instagram thanks to her jet-setting lifestlye and fashion prowess. The teenager, who attended the private Ecole Diagonale in Paris, has a passion for art and fashion, as shown on her social media profile, and has also previously campaigned for educational changes. Ecole Diagonale is a school known for its excellent art and sport programmes, alongside a rigorous curriculum in the heart of the French capital. During her free time, Vittoria travels between Geneva, Switzerland, where she was born in 2003, and Monte Carlo, where her father Emanuele Filiberto lives, and an Italian farmhouse owned by her family in Umbertide, Umbria. The teen, whose father dubbed 'rock 'n roll princess,' loves to pose for the camera, but said she wants to work towards a better future In May 2005, Vittoria was baptised at the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi in Italy. What is male primogeniture? Primogeniture is preference in inheritance that is given by law, custom, or usage to the eldest son and his issue. In exceptional cases, primogeniture may prescribe such preferential inheritance to the line of the eldest daughter. The motivation for such a practice has usually been to keep the estate of the deceased, or some part of it, whole and intact. The British Royal Family brought to an end the system of primogeniture that had dictated the line of succession since 1701. Under the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, princes no longer take precedence over their sisters. Advertisement Her debut as part of the House of Savoy was supposed to take place last year but was postponed due to the pandemic. Her father, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 47, who is known as the 'Pasta Prince', due to his career running food trucks in LA, announced his plans to run for political office last year. The royal runs a catering business called Prince of Venice and has lead a colourful life in the public eye, claiming to have dated Kate Moss and starring on Italy's version of Strictly Come Dancing. He also has a production company called AristoCrazy and a fashion brand called PrinceTees. Prince Filiberto has had problems with drugs and confessed in 2009 that he only managed to overcome his addiction with the help of his family. He has previously discussed his desire to set up a royalist party to advocate for restoration of the monarchy in Italy. Prince Filiberto, who is married to award-winning French actress Clotilde Courau, is the only child of Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, heir to the now defunct throne of Italy, and has two daughters, Vittoria and 14-year-old Luisa. Speaking to the publication, he admitted that it's unlikely he'll be the one to lead a royal restoration and instead looks forward to abdicating and sailing around the world - 'once my daughter is prepared', he added. But Vittoria confessed that the new responsibility is 'a lot', while her father is trying to get her to study more and holiday less. Her father, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 47, who is known as the 'Pasta Prince', due to his career running food trucks in LA (pictured), announced his plans to run for political office last year Emanuele (pictured left in 2018) and his wife leave church after the christening of their daughter, Vittoria in 2004, pictured right Vittoria is the first woman in 1,000 years to be invested with the authority to one day lead the Savoy family. However, while her parents and her grandparents in Gstaad, Switzerland, were delighted about her ascension, a rival branch of Savoias were left frustrated. Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a cousin and rival claimant, who works as an executive for the Pirelli tire company in Moscow, said it was 'totally illegitimate'. The Aosta branch of the family have argued the law should only be changed when the monarchy is restored. Former royal family: Clotilde Courau (centre left) and Emanuele Filiberto (left) arrive with Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy and Princess Marina of Savoy (centre right) for a dinner at Opera terraces after the wedding ceremony of Princess Charlene of Monaco and Prince Albert II of Monaco on July 2, 2011 Fellow royal: Prince Albert and Emanuele of Savoy at the modern Penthathlon in Monaco City, Monaco on April 29, 2001 But Prince Filiberto said: 'They were thinking that me, not having any sons, they would finally have what they were waiting for, for 150 years they got screwed and they got pissed.' Yet despite Prince Filiberto claims that a lot of people are seeing a potential comeback for the Italian monarchy, Italians have largely no interest in a royal return, noted the publication. Most people in Carignano, the ancestral home of Vittorio Emanueles branch of the family, dont even know who Vittoria is. Prince Emmanuel-Philibert shared candid family pictures with his two daughters to mark Vittoria's special day Lucknow, Jan 1 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday condoled the deaths of several pilgrims earlier on the day in a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir. Also Read | Female Infanticide in India: Couple Arrested for Killing Week-Old Baby Girl in Tamil Nadu. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati too condoled the loss of lives in the stampede. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022: Akhilesh Yadav Promises Free Power Supply for Irrigation, Households if Voted to Power. Condoling the deaths in the stampede, Governor Patel conveyed her condolence to family members of the deceased and wished a speedy recovery for injured people. Chief Minister Adityanath also expressed his compassion for the victims in a tweet in Hindi. "Feeling anguished due to the unfortunate incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Dhaam. Pray to Goddess Aadi Shakti to give peace to departed souls and ensure the speedy recovery of the injured people. I convey my condolences to the bereaved families. Om Shanti." SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati also condoled the loss of lives, terming the incident as "sad". At least 12 people died and over a dozen were injured in a stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at Katra near Jammu city. It was triggered by a heavy rush of devotees in the early hours of Saturday, officials said. The stampede occurred around 2.30 am near gate number three outside the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine located atop the Trikuta hills, about 50 km from Jammu. J&K Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said preliminary information from the scene suggests there was a minor altercation among some young boys, and within seconds, there was a stampede situation. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Lucknow, Jan 1 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday condoled the deaths of several pilgrims earlier on the day in a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir. Also Read | Female Infanticide in India: Couple Arrested for Killing Week-Old Baby Girl in Tamil Nadu. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati too condoled the loss of lives in the stampede. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022: Akhilesh Yadav Promises Free Power Supply for Irrigation, Households if Voted to Power. Condoling the deaths in the stampede, Governor Patel conveyed her condolence to family members of the deceased and wished a speedy recovery for injured people. Chief Minister Adityanath also expressed his compassion for the victims in a tweet in Hindi. "Feeling anguished due to the unfortunate incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Dhaam. Pray to Goddess Aadi Shakti to give peace to departed souls and ensure the speedy recovery of the injured people. I convey my condolences to the bereaved families. Om Shanti." SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati also condoled the loss of lives, terming the incident as "sad". At least 12 people died and over a dozen were injured in a stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at Katra near Jammu city. It was triggered by a heavy rush of devotees in the early hours of Saturday, officials said. The stampede occurred around 2.30 am near gate number three outside the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine located atop the Trikuta hills, about 50 km from Jammu. J&K Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said preliminary information from the scene suggests there was a minor altercation among some young boys, and within seconds, there was a stampede situation. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe An influencer turned princess who is the heir to the now defunct Italian throne has celebrated her 18th birthday. Princess Vittoria of Savoy, who was born on 28 December 2003, is the eldest daughter of Prince Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy and the French actress Clotilde Courau, and a fashion influencer. Prince Emmanuel-Philibert marked his daughter's coming-of-age on Instagram, posting a series of snaps alongside a caption which described her as a 'rock-and-roll princess'. Earlier this year, the teenager spoke about being bumped up the royal food chain by her grandfather Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia, the son of the last king of Italy. In a formal decree, 'Duke of Savoy, Prince of Naples and by the grace of God direct heir to Head of the Royal House of Savoy' abolished male primogeniture, which is preference in inheritance that is given by law, custom, or usage to the eldest son and his issue. Monarchy was abolished in Italy in 1946 when Umberto II of the House of Savoy was on the throne. The House of Savoy, of which Emmanuel-Philibert and Vittoria descend, has existed since 1003. Her grandfather, Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Naples, 84, is the current pretender to the throne. Paris-based Princess Vittoria of Savoy, pictured, who was born on 28 December 2003, is the eldest daughter of Prince Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy and the French actress Clotilde Courau and just turned 18 The Franco-Italian royal loves to share glimpses of her life on Instagram, from trips to the beach to nights out with friends Prince Emmanuel-Philibert praised his eldest daughter on her birthday, sharing a series of poignant images of Vittoria through the years. The first snap showed the princess as a toddler, with her father fixing her dress at a formal event. The second showed father and daughter in a selfie taken recently during a sunset. In another snap, Vittoria winced as her dad stuck his tongue out to her, while another showed a proud Emmanuel-Philibert hugging Vittoria in a black and white picture. The 18-year-old is the first woman to be in the line of succession for the Italian throne in 1,000 years. But for now, she enjoys sharing her life with her 62.500 followers on Instagram The 18-year-old also posed for the camera in more artistic pictures shared by her father for her birthday. One of the last pictures showed a demure Vittoria, dressed in a red hoodie, gazing into the camera. He wrote: 'May all your dreams come true and may you always have the courage to follow them... Happy 18th birthday my love.' Meanwhile her mother Clotilde, who starred in several French films, including La Vie En Rose, also shared a sweet post to mark her eldest daughter's 18th. She shared a picture of the pair dressed in matching designer outfits, writing: '18 already and I'm so proud of you. Vittoria's father, Prince Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy, shared a series of cute pictures from her childhood to mark the occasion Emmanuel-Philibert also shared a candid snap of his daughter wearing a red hoodie and white slacks 'Your bravery, your strong character, your intelligence, your sensitivity. 'You are my everything, my life, my love, forever and ever, happy birthday.' Speaking to The New York Times in May, Vittoria revealed how she's set to become the leader of the now defunct Italian throne. She said: 'It was the best gift [my grandfather] could give me.' When asked if she felt Italy was ready to accept her as a queen, or the head of her family, the Paris-based teenager said: 'Italy is not really progressive, but they will learn.' Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a cousin and rival claimant, called the change 'illegitimate'. His two sons, Prince Umberto, 12, and Prince Amedeo Michele, 10, wouldve been next in line after himself had the rule not been changed, since Vittorias father has only two daughters. Vittoria, who just graduated high school with merit in France, loves fashion, but previously said that 'beauty without intelligence is tedious' Her family was exiled from the country for 50 years, only being allowed to return in 2002, after Umberto II, the last reigning king of Italy was deposed in 1946 when the nation became a republic. Vittoria is an up-and-coming influencer with 35,400 followers on Instagram thanks to her jet-setting lifestlye and fashion prowess. The teenager, who attended the private Ecole Diagonale in Paris, has a passion for art and fashion, as shown on her social media profile, and has also previously campaigned for educational changes. Ecole Diagonale is a school known for its excellent art and sport programmes, alongside a rigorous curriculum in the heart of the French capital. During her free time, Vittoria travels between Geneva, Switzerland, where she was born in 2003, and Monte Carlo, where her father Emanuele Filiberto lives, and an Italian farmhouse owned by her family in Umbertide, Umbria. The teen, whose father dubbed 'rock 'n roll princess,' loves to pose for the camera, but said she wants to work towards a better future In May 2005, Vittoria was baptised at the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi in Italy. What is male primogeniture? Primogeniture is preference in inheritance that is given by law, custom, or usage to the eldest son and his issue. In exceptional cases, primogeniture may prescribe such preferential inheritance to the line of the eldest daughter. The motivation for such a practice has usually been to keep the estate of the deceased, or some part of it, whole and intact. The British Royal Family brought to an end the system of primogeniture that had dictated the line of succession since 1701. Under the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, princes no longer take precedence over their sisters. Advertisement Her debut as part of the House of Savoy was supposed to take place last year but was postponed due to the pandemic. Her father, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 47, who is known as the 'Pasta Prince', due to his career running food trucks in LA, announced his plans to run for political office last year. The royal runs a catering business called Prince of Venice and has lead a colourful life in the public eye, claiming to have dated Kate Moss and starring on Italy's version of Strictly Come Dancing. He also has a production company called AristoCrazy and a fashion brand called PrinceTees. Prince Filiberto has had problems with drugs and confessed in 2009 that he only managed to overcome his addiction with the help of his family. He has previously discussed his desire to set up a royalist party to advocate for restoration of the monarchy in Italy. Prince Filiberto, who is married to award-winning French actress Clotilde Courau, is the only child of Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, heir to the now defunct throne of Italy, and has two daughters, Vittoria and 14-year-old Luisa. Speaking to the publication, he admitted that it's unlikely he'll be the one to lead a royal restoration and instead looks forward to abdicating and sailing around the world - 'once my daughter is prepared', he added. But Vittoria confessed that the new responsibility is 'a lot', while her father is trying to get her to study more and holiday less. Her father, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 47, who is known as the 'Pasta Prince', due to his career running food trucks in LA (pictured), announced his plans to run for political office last year Emanuele (pictured left in 2018) and his wife leave church after the christening of their daughter, Vittoria in 2004, pictured right Vittoria is the first woman in 1,000 years to be invested with the authority to one day lead the Savoy family. However, while her parents and her grandparents in Gstaad, Switzerland, were delighted about her ascension, a rival branch of Savoias were left frustrated. Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a cousin and rival claimant, who works as an executive for the Pirelli tire company in Moscow, said it was 'totally illegitimate'. The Aosta branch of the family have argued the law should only be changed when the monarchy is restored. Former royal family: Clotilde Courau (centre left) and Emanuele Filiberto (left) arrive with Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy and Princess Marina of Savoy (centre right) for a dinner at Opera terraces after the wedding ceremony of Princess Charlene of Monaco and Prince Albert II of Monaco on July 2, 2011 Fellow royal: Prince Albert and Emanuele of Savoy at the modern Penthathlon in Monaco City, Monaco on April 29, 2001 But Prince Filiberto said: 'They were thinking that me, not having any sons, they would finally have what they were waiting for, for 150 years they got screwed and they got pissed.' Yet despite Prince Filiberto claims that a lot of people are seeing a potential comeback for the Italian monarchy, Italians have largely no interest in a royal return, noted the publication. Most people in Carignano, the ancestral home of Vittorio Emanueles branch of the family, dont even know who Vittoria is. Prince Emmanuel-Philibert shared candid family pictures with his two daughters to mark Vittoria's special day Last week it was reported that Missionaries of Charitys application for renewal of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) registration was refused on December 25 for not meeting eligibility conditions as some adverse inputs were received. Now it has come to light that thousands of other NGOs have also had their licences revoked. AP IIT Delhi, Jamia Milia Islamia, Indian Medical Association and Nehru Memorial Museum and Library are among nearly 6,000 entities whose FCRA registration deemed to have ceased on Saturday. These entities either did not apply for renewal of their FCRA licence or the Union Home Ministry rejected their applications. According to the official website related to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, among organisations and entities whose registration under the FCRA ceased or validity expired include the Indira Gandhi National Centre For Arts, Indian Institute Of Public Administration, Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial Foundation, Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi College of Engineering and Oxfam India. AP There were 22,762 FCRA-registered NGOs till Friday. On Saturday, it came down to 16,829 as 5,933 NGOs ceased to operate. Among those organisations whose FCRA registration ceased were Medical Council of India, Emmanuel Hospital Association, which runs over a dozen hospitals across India, Tubercolosis Association Of India, Vishwa Dharamayatan, Maharishi Ayurveda Pratishthan, National Federation Of Fishermens Cooperatives Ltd. The Hamdard Education Society, Delhi School Of Social Work Society, Bhartiya Sanskriti Parishad, DAV College Trust and Management Society, India Islamic Cultural Centre, Godrej Memorial Trust, The Delhi Public School Society, Nuclear Science Centre in JNU, India Habitat Centre, Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi College of Engineering and All India Marwari Yuva Manch are also among these entities. The Union home ministry had on Friday extended the validity of the FCRA registration of NGOs by three months till March 31. AP However, organisations such as the Missionaries of Charity will not be eligible for the extension benefits as their applications for renewal have already been rejected. The denial of FCRA registration to the charity founded by Mother Theresa had come under heavy criticism. Missionaries of Charity has over 240 houses for orphans, the destitute and AIDS patients, across India. AFP Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik directed all district collectors had on Thursday to ensure that no unit of the Missionaries of Charity operating in the state faces any financial crisis and, if necessary, to use the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to help them. For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. Lucknow, Jan 1 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday condoled the deaths of several pilgrims earlier on the day in a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir. Also Read | Female Infanticide in India: Couple Arrested for Killing Week-Old Baby Girl in Tamil Nadu. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati too condoled the loss of lives in the stampede. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022: Akhilesh Yadav Promises Free Power Supply for Irrigation, Households if Voted to Power. Condoling the deaths in the stampede, Governor Patel conveyed her condolence to family members of the deceased and wished a speedy recovery for injured people. Chief Minister Adityanath also expressed his compassion for the victims in a tweet in Hindi. "Feeling anguished due to the unfortunate incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Dhaam. Pray to Goddess Aadi Shakti to give peace to departed souls and ensure the speedy recovery of the injured people. I convey my condolences to the bereaved families. Om Shanti." SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati also condoled the loss of lives, terming the incident as "sad". At least 12 people died and over a dozen were injured in a stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at Katra near Jammu city. It was triggered by a heavy rush of devotees in the early hours of Saturday, officials said. The stampede occurred around 2.30 am near gate number three outside the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine located atop the Trikuta hills, about 50 km from Jammu. J&K Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said preliminary information from the scene suggests there was a minor altercation among some young boys, and within seconds, there was a stampede situation. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Lucknow, Jan 1 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday condoled the deaths of several pilgrims earlier on the day in a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir. Also Read | Female Infanticide in India: Couple Arrested for Killing Week-Old Baby Girl in Tamil Nadu. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati too condoled the loss of lives in the stampede. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022: Akhilesh Yadav Promises Free Power Supply for Irrigation, Households if Voted to Power. Condoling the deaths in the stampede, Governor Patel conveyed her condolence to family members of the deceased and wished a speedy recovery for injured people. Chief Minister Adityanath also expressed his compassion for the victims in a tweet in Hindi. "Feeling anguished due to the unfortunate incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Dhaam. Pray to Goddess Aadi Shakti to give peace to departed souls and ensure the speedy recovery of the injured people. I convey my condolences to the bereaved families. Om Shanti." SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati also condoled the loss of lives, terming the incident as "sad". At least 12 people died and over a dozen were injured in a stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at Katra near Jammu city. It was triggered by a heavy rush of devotees in the early hours of Saturday, officials said. The stampede occurred around 2.30 am near gate number three outside the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine located atop the Trikuta hills, about 50 km from Jammu. J&K Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said preliminary information from the scene suggests there was a minor altercation among some young boys, and within seconds, there was a stampede situation. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Lucknow, Jan 1 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday condoled the deaths of several pilgrims earlier on the day in a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir. Also Read | Female Infanticide in India: Couple Arrested for Killing Week-Old Baby Girl in Tamil Nadu. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati too condoled the loss of lives in the stampede. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022: Akhilesh Yadav Promises Free Power Supply for Irrigation, Households if Voted to Power. Condoling the deaths in the stampede, Governor Patel conveyed her condolence to family members of the deceased and wished a speedy recovery for injured people. Chief Minister Adityanath also expressed his compassion for the victims in a tweet in Hindi. "Feeling anguished due to the unfortunate incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Dhaam. Pray to Goddess Aadi Shakti to give peace to departed souls and ensure the speedy recovery of the injured people. I convey my condolences to the bereaved families. Om Shanti." SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati also condoled the loss of lives, terming the incident as "sad". At least 12 people died and over a dozen were injured in a stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at Katra near Jammu city. It was triggered by a heavy rush of devotees in the early hours of Saturday, officials said. The stampede occurred around 2.30 am near gate number three outside the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine located atop the Trikuta hills, about 50 km from Jammu. J&K Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said preliminary information from the scene suggests there was a minor altercation among some young boys, and within seconds, there was a stampede situation. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Lucknow, Jan 1 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday condoled the deaths of several pilgrims earlier on the day in a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir. Also Read | Female Infanticide in India: Couple Arrested for Killing Week-Old Baby Girl in Tamil Nadu. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati too condoled the loss of lives in the stampede. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022: Akhilesh Yadav Promises Free Power Supply for Irrigation, Households if Voted to Power. Condoling the deaths in the stampede, Governor Patel conveyed her condolence to family members of the deceased and wished a speedy recovery for injured people. Chief Minister Adityanath also expressed his compassion for the victims in a tweet in Hindi. "Feeling anguished due to the unfortunate incident at Mata Vaishno Devi Dhaam. Pray to Goddess Aadi Shakti to give peace to departed souls and ensure the speedy recovery of the injured people. I convey my condolences to the bereaved families. Om Shanti." SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati also condoled the loss of lives, terming the incident as "sad". At least 12 people died and over a dozen were injured in a stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at Katra near Jammu city. It was triggered by a heavy rush of devotees in the early hours of Saturday, officials said. The stampede occurred around 2.30 am near gate number three outside the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine located atop the Trikuta hills, about 50 km from Jammu. J&K Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said preliminary information from the scene suggests there was a minor altercation among some young boys, and within seconds, there was a stampede situation. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) The French foreign ministry said on Friday slammed Iran for launching a rocket with a satellite carrier bearing three devices into space, reported Sputnik on Saturday. The launch came at a time when nuclear energy talks with Tehran were showing signs of progress. "France condemns this launch, which is not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231," a ministerial spokesperson said during a press conference, reportedly referring to the UN calls on Iran to stop working on the nuclear-capable ballistic missile technology. It is worth noting on December 30, Thursday, Iran aired footage of the blastoff against the backdrop of negotiations in Vienna to restore Tehrans tattered nuclear deal with world powers. According to a report by AP, the eight-round of meetings were held before Christmas and will resume after New Years holidays. "France sees the Iranian ballistic missile and space programs as overlapping due to the "closeness of technologies" used in space launches and missile tests. The Iranian Defence Ministry's involvement in the space launch further proves their "close link"," said the ministerial spokesperson. "These activities are all the more regrettable because they happened at a time when we are seeing progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna," added the spokesperson. The US yet to react to the recent rocket launch Notably, this was not the first time when Tehran launched a rocket when there were diplomatic negotiations were underway. Earlier, when Donald Trump was the President of the United States, Tehran had fired a similar rocket launch, resulting in rebukes from the United States. Though this time, the incumbent President Joe Biden and the military have not reacted to the rocket launch but the experts familiar with the developments noted the blast-offs have raised concerns in Washington about whether the technology used to launch satellites could advance Irans ballistic missile development. Earlier in the Trump regime, the United States pointed such satellite launches disregard a United Nations Security Council resolution. It should be noted Tehran has sent several short-lived satellites into orbit in the past decade. In 2013, Iran launched a monkey into space. But under Raisi, the government appears to have sharpened its focus on space. With inputs from agencies Image: AP The French foreign ministry said on Friday slammed Iran for launching a rocket with a satellite carrier bearing three devices into space, reported Sputnik on Saturday. The launch came at a time when nuclear energy talks with Tehran were showing signs of progress. "France condemns this launch, which is not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231," a ministerial spokesperson said during a press conference, reportedly referring to the UN calls on Iran to stop working on the nuclear-capable ballistic missile technology. It is worth noting on December 30, Thursday, Iran aired footage of the blastoff against the backdrop of negotiations in Vienna to restore Tehrans tattered nuclear deal with world powers. According to a report by AP, the eight-round of meetings were held before Christmas and will resume after New Years holidays. "France sees the Iranian ballistic missile and space programs as overlapping due to the "closeness of technologies" used in space launches and missile tests. The Iranian Defence Ministry's involvement in the space launch further proves their "close link"," said the ministerial spokesperson. "These activities are all the more regrettable because they happened at a time when we are seeing progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna," added the spokesperson. The US yet to react to the recent rocket launch Notably, this was not the first time when Tehran launched a rocket when there were diplomatic negotiations were underway. Earlier, when Donald Trump was the President of the United States, Tehran had fired a similar rocket launch, resulting in rebukes from the United States. Though this time, the incumbent President Joe Biden and the military have not reacted to the rocket launch but the experts familiar with the developments noted the blast-offs have raised concerns in Washington about whether the technology used to launch satellites could advance Irans ballistic missile development. Earlier in the Trump regime, the United States pointed such satellite launches disregard a United Nations Security Council resolution. It should be noted Tehran has sent several short-lived satellites into orbit in the past decade. In 2013, Iran launched a monkey into space. But under Raisi, the government appears to have sharpened its focus on space. With inputs from agencies Image: AP The French foreign ministry said on Friday slammed Iran for launching a rocket with a satellite carrier bearing three devices into space, reported Sputnik on Saturday. The launch came at a time when nuclear energy talks with Tehran were showing signs of progress. "France condemns this launch, which is not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231," a ministerial spokesperson said during a press conference, reportedly referring to the UN calls on Iran to stop working on the nuclear-capable ballistic missile technology. It is worth noting on December 30, Thursday, Iran aired footage of the blastoff against the backdrop of negotiations in Vienna to restore Tehrans tattered nuclear deal with world powers. According to a report by AP, the eight-round of meetings were held before Christmas and will resume after New Years holidays. "France sees the Iranian ballistic missile and space programs as overlapping due to the "closeness of technologies" used in space launches and missile tests. The Iranian Defence Ministry's involvement in the space launch further proves their "close link"," said the ministerial spokesperson. "These activities are all the more regrettable because they happened at a time when we are seeing progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna," added the spokesperson. The US yet to react to the recent rocket launch Notably, this was not the first time when Tehran launched a rocket when there were diplomatic negotiations were underway. Earlier, when Donald Trump was the President of the United States, Tehran had fired a similar rocket launch, resulting in rebukes from the United States. Though this time, the incumbent President Joe Biden and the military have not reacted to the rocket launch but the experts familiar with the developments noted the blast-offs have raised concerns in Washington about whether the technology used to launch satellites could advance Irans ballistic missile development. Earlier in the Trump regime, the United States pointed such satellite launches disregard a United Nations Security Council resolution. It should be noted Tehran has sent several short-lived satellites into orbit in the past decade. In 2013, Iran launched a monkey into space. But under Raisi, the government appears to have sharpened its focus on space. With inputs from agencies Image: AP The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Lagos State Council, has ordered its members to embark on a three-day warning strike from January 10, over unmet demands by the Lagos State Government. NANNM gave the directive in a circular, which was signed by its state secretary, Oloruntoba Odumosu and referenced; NANNM/LS/SEC/VOL.II/148/001, and addressed to members of the association in the state. The circular noted that the SEC of the association resolved to embark on the warning strike at its meeting held on December 29, 2021, accusing the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led administration of failure to meet its demands. This strike notice is coming a few months after the union abruptly aborted its decision to go on an indefinite strike in September 2021, following the last-minute approval of its request for payment of uniform allowance for its members by the government. Demands While the government has failed to meet other demands aside from the payment of the uniform allowance, the union has reiterated some of the existing issues in the new directive. The union highlighted eight issues in the circular, including what it described as the acute shortage of nurses and midwives in the state owned health facilities; payment of retention allowance, regularisation of graduate and stagnated nurses, improved welfare and working condition of nurses, improved hazard allowance, and life Insurance scheme for nurses and other health workers, among others. The union also noted that the Federal Health Institutions have been exempted from the strike, which it noted will be monitored for strict compliance. The struggle at hand requires the commitment and steadfastness of all members. We urge you all to play your part well, the union wrote. Earlier aborted strike Before the union rescinded its decision to go on strike in September, it gave a 21-day ultimatum to the government, threatening to down tools should it fail to pay the allowances or put in place concrete steps to commence the processes. The union accused the government of sectarianism, saying while those working under the states health service commission are unpaid, their counterparts at the primary health care board and the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) have either received their payment or were in the process of receiving it. Its strike notice, which was addressed to the governor in September, had read in part; As of now, the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) and the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board have commenced the payment of the allowance to Nurses and Midwives. Payment at the Ministry of Health would commence soon. The Health Service Commission where a large percentage of nurses and midwives in the state are domiciled is yet to commence payment and has informed us it made no provision for the payment of the allowance We would want to make it unequivocal that a situation where the Health Service Commission Nurses and Midwives would not be paid the uniform allowance for this year cannot be contemplated and would not be tolerated at all. We ask that you take this letter as both a reminder and an ultimatum for possible commencement of industrial action. If we do not have concrete assurances in terms of the approval of the Governor and steps for the commencement of the payment within the next 21days, the council would be left with no other choice than to take industrial action to press home our request. The French foreign ministry said on Friday slammed Iran for launching a rocket with a satellite carrier bearing three devices into space, reported Sputnik on Saturday. The launch came at a time when nuclear energy talks with Tehran were showing signs of progress. "France condemns this launch, which is not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231," a ministerial spokesperson said during a press conference, reportedly referring to the UN calls on Iran to stop working on the nuclear-capable ballistic missile technology. It is worth noting on December 30, Thursday, Iran aired footage of the blastoff against the backdrop of negotiations in Vienna to restore Tehrans tattered nuclear deal with world powers. According to a report by AP, the eight-round of meetings were held before Christmas and will resume after New Years holidays. "France sees the Iranian ballistic missile and space programs as overlapping due to the "closeness of technologies" used in space launches and missile tests. The Iranian Defence Ministry's involvement in the space launch further proves their "close link"," said the ministerial spokesperson. "These activities are all the more regrettable because they happened at a time when we are seeing progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna," added the spokesperson. The US yet to react to the recent rocket launch Notably, this was not the first time when Tehran launched a rocket when there were diplomatic negotiations were underway. Earlier, when Donald Trump was the President of the United States, Tehran had fired a similar rocket launch, resulting in rebukes from the United States. Though this time, the incumbent President Joe Biden and the military have not reacted to the rocket launch but the experts familiar with the developments noted the blast-offs have raised concerns in Washington about whether the technology used to launch satellites could advance Irans ballistic missile development. Earlier in the Trump regime, the United States pointed such satellite launches disregard a United Nations Security Council resolution. It should be noted Tehran has sent several short-lived satellites into orbit in the past decade. In 2013, Iran launched a monkey into space. But under Raisi, the government appears to have sharpened its focus on space. With inputs from agencies Image: AP The French foreign ministry said on Friday slammed Iran for launching a rocket with a satellite carrier bearing three devices into space, reported Sputnik on Saturday. The launch came at a time when nuclear energy talks with Tehran were showing signs of progress. "France condemns this launch, which is not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231," a ministerial spokesperson said during a press conference, reportedly referring to the UN calls on Iran to stop working on the nuclear-capable ballistic missile technology. It is worth noting on December 30, Thursday, Iran aired footage of the blastoff against the backdrop of negotiations in Vienna to restore Tehrans tattered nuclear deal with world powers. According to a report by AP, the eight-round of meetings were held before Christmas and will resume after New Years holidays. "France sees the Iranian ballistic missile and space programs as overlapping due to the "closeness of technologies" used in space launches and missile tests. The Iranian Defence Ministry's involvement in the space launch further proves their "close link"," said the ministerial spokesperson. "These activities are all the more regrettable because they happened at a time when we are seeing progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna," added the spokesperson. The US yet to react to the recent rocket launch Notably, this was not the first time when Tehran launched a rocket when there were diplomatic negotiations were underway. Earlier, when Donald Trump was the President of the United States, Tehran had fired a similar rocket launch, resulting in rebukes from the United States. Though this time, the incumbent President Joe Biden and the military have not reacted to the rocket launch but the experts familiar with the developments noted the blast-offs have raised concerns in Washington about whether the technology used to launch satellites could advance Irans ballistic missile development. Earlier in the Trump regime, the United States pointed such satellite launches disregard a United Nations Security Council resolution. It should be noted Tehran has sent several short-lived satellites into orbit in the past decade. In 2013, Iran launched a monkey into space. But under Raisi, the government appears to have sharpened its focus on space. With inputs from agencies Image: AP 01.01.2022 LISTEN When the coronavirus spread across the world, many people in both developing and developed countries had thought Africa will be devastated, but that didn't happen. However, to help the fight against the pandemic, finances from the developed world were made available to every African country, including Ghana. For example, on April 2, 2020, the World Bank decides to provide $100 million to Ghana to assist the country in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. The money was made available to the government and the people of Ghana as short, medium, and long-term support. In November 2020, the same year, the European Union mobilized 86.5 million in emergency budget support to help Ghana in tackling the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. But in strange circumstances, all the money is gone without proper accountability. The Ghanaian government has completely emptied the COVID-19 funds. Fraud and corruption always take place whenever a pandemic erupts in Africa. Till now monies from the United States of America and other European countries to support the Aids project in Africa, are often stolen into private accounts. The same thing happened during the Ebola epidemic in Congo, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia. Most of the funds given to those countries were embezzled and siphoned into private accounts. The spread of the coronavirus is at a very fast rate than previously thought, yet that of Africa is low In Sierra Leone, some angry Ebola survivors sued the government over $14 million allocated to help the survivors rebuild their lives they couldnt account for. This is a serious crime because that amount is capable of improving also the health sector. Just like the Ghanaian leader, Nana Akufo Addo, after the COVID-19 funds were mismanaged, African leaders start to complain and blame the coronavirus for the economic and political mayhems. Countries that reports of coronavirus funds corruption has taken place also, include Malawi, Kenya, Uganda, and South Africa. The question is when will such things come to an end in Africa? Even though there seemed to be no end to corruption in Africa, we will continue to write against this incurable disease without end. Attention Do you have any news you would like to publish but dont know how to go about it or you are scared to do so? Please, send it to Joel Savage and tell me how you want it published, whether anonymously or with your name to this e-mail: [email protected] Thank you. Lavrov Warns Russia Will Take Measures Against Threats to Its Security Dec. 31, 2021 (EIRNS)In the aftermath of the Biden-Putin phone call of yesterday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned in an interview with Sputnik that If a constructive response does not follow within a reasonable time and the West continues its aggressive line, then Russia will be forced to take all necessary measures to ensure a strategic balance and eliminate unacceptable threats to our security. He explained that Moscows proposals on security guarantees envision the non-expansion of NATO to the east and deployment of strike weapons near Russias borders, but they all contain other elements that in the end should form those very reliable, legally binding security guarantees. Our proposals are aimed at creating and legalizing a new system of agreements based on the principle of the indivisibility of security and abandonment of attempts to achieve military superiority, which was approved unanimously by the leaders of all Euro-Atlantic states in the 1990s. I would like to emphasize that what we need is legally binding guarantees since our Western colleagues systematically fail to fulfill political obligations, not to mention voiced assurances and promises given to Soviet and Russian leaders, Lavrov said. Participation of high-ranking military personnel of the United States and the countries of the [NATO] alliance is fundamentally important for us, Lavrov said, adding that Russia will not allow the U.S. and NATO to delay the process with endless discussions. Lavrov charged that NATO is trying to use Kiev as a tool against Russia. NATO member states are systematically transforming Ukraine into a military foothold against Russia, building their bases there, using its territory to conduct exercises. If this year there were seven such maneuvers, then in the coming year, according to a law adopted by the Verkhovna Rada [the parliament] of Ukraine, 10 [drills are planned], including one year-round [exercise], Lavrov said. He observed that the number of troops participating in drills in Ukraine will double in 2022 and reach 64,000. He also said that the Ukrainian government has no intention of ending a military conflict with the self-proclaimed republics that has been plaguing the country since 2014. The civil war, which has been going on for the eighth year in Ukraine, is far from over. The countrys authorities are not going to take steps to resolve the conflict in Donbas on the uncontested basis of the Minsk Package of Measures, Lavrov said. According to him, the Ukrainian authorities consider support from NATO as carte blanche for a military operation. As for the residents of Donbas, where hundreds of thousands of citizens of our country live, Russia will take all the necessary measures to protect them. We will continue to make efforts to resolve the internal Ukrainian conflict by political and diplomatic means, Lavrov said. He further stated that there will be an adequate response to any possible military provocations from Kiev. Lavrov Warns Russia Will Take Measures Against Threats to Its Security Dec. 31, 2021 (EIRNS)In the aftermath of the Biden-Putin phone call of yesterday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned in an interview with Sputnik that If a constructive response does not follow within a reasonable time and the West continues its aggressive line, then Russia will be forced to take all necessary measures to ensure a strategic balance and eliminate unacceptable threats to our security. He explained that Moscows proposals on security guarantees envision the non-expansion of NATO to the east and deployment of strike weapons near Russias borders, but they all contain other elements that in the end should form those very reliable, legally binding security guarantees. Our proposals are aimed at creating and legalizing a new system of agreements based on the principle of the indivisibility of security and abandonment of attempts to achieve military superiority, which was approved unanimously by the leaders of all Euro-Atlantic states in the 1990s. I would like to emphasize that what we need is legally binding guarantees since our Western colleagues systematically fail to fulfill political obligations, not to mention voiced assurances and promises given to Soviet and Russian leaders, Lavrov said. Participation of high-ranking military personnel of the United States and the countries of the [NATO] alliance is fundamentally important for us, Lavrov said, adding that Russia will not allow the U.S. and NATO to delay the process with endless discussions. Lavrov charged that NATO is trying to use Kiev as a tool against Russia. NATO member states are systematically transforming Ukraine into a military foothold against Russia, building their bases there, using its territory to conduct exercises. If this year there were seven such maneuvers, then in the coming year, according to a law adopted by the Verkhovna Rada [the parliament] of Ukraine, 10 [drills are planned], including one year-round [exercise], Lavrov said. He observed that the number of troops participating in drills in Ukraine will double in 2022 and reach 64,000. He also said that the Ukrainian government has no intention of ending a military conflict with the self-proclaimed republics that has been plaguing the country since 2014. The civil war, which has been going on for the eighth year in Ukraine, is far from over. The countrys authorities are not going to take steps to resolve the conflict in Donbas on the uncontested basis of the Minsk Package of Measures, Lavrov said. According to him, the Ukrainian authorities consider support from NATO as carte blanche for a military operation. As for the residents of Donbas, where hundreds of thousands of citizens of our country live, Russia will take all the necessary measures to protect them. We will continue to make efforts to resolve the internal Ukrainian conflict by political and diplomatic means, Lavrov said. He further stated that there will be an adequate response to any possible military provocations from Kiev. The French foreign ministry said on Friday slammed Iran for launching a rocket with a satellite carrier bearing three devices into space, reported Sputnik on Saturday. The launch came at a time when nuclear energy talks with Tehran were showing signs of progress. "France condemns this launch, which is not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231," a ministerial spokesperson said during a press conference, reportedly referring to the UN calls on Iran to stop working on the nuclear-capable ballistic missile technology. It is worth noting on December 30, Thursday, Iran aired footage of the blastoff against the backdrop of negotiations in Vienna to restore Tehrans tattered nuclear deal with world powers. According to a report by AP, the eight-round of meetings were held before Christmas and will resume after New Years holidays. "France sees the Iranian ballistic missile and space programs as overlapping due to the "closeness of technologies" used in space launches and missile tests. The Iranian Defence Ministry's involvement in the space launch further proves their "close link"," said the ministerial spokesperson. "These activities are all the more regrettable because they happened at a time when we are seeing progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna," added the spokesperson. The US yet to react to the recent rocket launch Notably, this was not the first time when Tehran launched a rocket when there were diplomatic negotiations were underway. Earlier, when Donald Trump was the President of the United States, Tehran had fired a similar rocket launch, resulting in rebukes from the United States. Though this time, the incumbent President Joe Biden and the military have not reacted to the rocket launch but the experts familiar with the developments noted the blast-offs have raised concerns in Washington about whether the technology used to launch satellites could advance Irans ballistic missile development. Earlier in the Trump regime, the United States pointed such satellite launches disregard a United Nations Security Council resolution. It should be noted Tehran has sent several short-lived satellites into orbit in the past decade. In 2013, Iran launched a monkey into space. But under Raisi, the government appears to have sharpened its focus on space. With inputs from agencies Image: AP The French foreign ministry said on Friday slammed Iran for launching a rocket with a satellite carrier bearing three devices into space, reported Sputnik on Saturday. The launch came at a time when nuclear energy talks with Tehran were showing signs of progress. "France condemns this launch, which is not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231," a ministerial spokesperson said during a press conference, reportedly referring to the UN calls on Iran to stop working on the nuclear-capable ballistic missile technology. It is worth noting on December 30, Thursday, Iran aired footage of the blastoff against the backdrop of negotiations in Vienna to restore Tehrans tattered nuclear deal with world powers. According to a report by AP, the eight-round of meetings were held before Christmas and will resume after New Years holidays. "France sees the Iranian ballistic missile and space programs as overlapping due to the "closeness of technologies" used in space launches and missile tests. The Iranian Defence Ministry's involvement in the space launch further proves their "close link"," said the ministerial spokesperson. "These activities are all the more regrettable because they happened at a time when we are seeing progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna," added the spokesperson. The US yet to react to the recent rocket launch Notably, this was not the first time when Tehran launched a rocket when there were diplomatic negotiations were underway. Earlier, when Donald Trump was the President of the United States, Tehran had fired a similar rocket launch, resulting in rebukes from the United States. Though this time, the incumbent President Joe Biden and the military have not reacted to the rocket launch but the experts familiar with the developments noted the blast-offs have raised concerns in Washington about whether the technology used to launch satellites could advance Irans ballistic missile development. Earlier in the Trump regime, the United States pointed such satellite launches disregard a United Nations Security Council resolution. It should be noted Tehran has sent several short-lived satellites into orbit in the past decade. In 2013, Iran launched a monkey into space. But under Raisi, the government appears to have sharpened its focus on space. With inputs from agencies Image: AP The French foreign ministry said on Friday slammed Iran for launching a rocket with a satellite carrier bearing three devices into space, reported Sputnik on Saturday. The launch came at a time when nuclear energy talks with Tehran were showing signs of progress. "France condemns this launch, which is not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231," a ministerial spokesperson said during a press conference, reportedly referring to the UN calls on Iran to stop working on the nuclear-capable ballistic missile technology. It is worth noting on December 30, Thursday, Iran aired footage of the blastoff against the backdrop of negotiations in Vienna to restore Tehrans tattered nuclear deal with world powers. According to a report by AP, the eight-round of meetings were held before Christmas and will resume after New Years holidays. "France sees the Iranian ballistic missile and space programs as overlapping due to the "closeness of technologies" used in space launches and missile tests. The Iranian Defence Ministry's involvement in the space launch further proves their "close link"," said the ministerial spokesperson. "These activities are all the more regrettable because they happened at a time when we are seeing progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna," added the spokesperson. The US yet to react to the recent rocket launch Notably, this was not the first time when Tehran launched a rocket when there were diplomatic negotiations were underway. Earlier, when Donald Trump was the President of the United States, Tehran had fired a similar rocket launch, resulting in rebukes from the United States. Though this time, the incumbent President Joe Biden and the military have not reacted to the rocket launch but the experts familiar with the developments noted the blast-offs have raised concerns in Washington about whether the technology used to launch satellites could advance Irans ballistic missile development. Earlier in the Trump regime, the United States pointed such satellite launches disregard a United Nations Security Council resolution. It should be noted Tehran has sent several short-lived satellites into orbit in the past decade. In 2013, Iran launched a monkey into space. But under Raisi, the government appears to have sharpened its focus on space. With inputs from agencies Image: AP The French foreign ministry said on Friday slammed Iran for launching a rocket with a satellite carrier bearing three devices into space, reported Sputnik on Saturday. The launch came at a time when nuclear energy talks with Tehran were showing signs of progress. "France condemns this launch, which is not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231," a ministerial spokesperson said during a press conference, reportedly referring to the UN calls on Iran to stop working on the nuclear-capable ballistic missile technology. It is worth noting on December 30, Thursday, Iran aired footage of the blastoff against the backdrop of negotiations in Vienna to restore Tehrans tattered nuclear deal with world powers. According to a report by AP, the eight-round of meetings were held before Christmas and will resume after New Years holidays. "France sees the Iranian ballistic missile and space programs as overlapping due to the "closeness of technologies" used in space launches and missile tests. The Iranian Defence Ministry's involvement in the space launch further proves their "close link"," said the ministerial spokesperson. "These activities are all the more regrettable because they happened at a time when we are seeing progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna," added the spokesperson. The US yet to react to the recent rocket launch Notably, this was not the first time when Tehran launched a rocket when there were diplomatic negotiations were underway. Earlier, when Donald Trump was the President of the United States, Tehran had fired a similar rocket launch, resulting in rebukes from the United States. Though this time, the incumbent President Joe Biden and the military have not reacted to the rocket launch but the experts familiar with the developments noted the blast-offs have raised concerns in Washington about whether the technology used to launch satellites could advance Irans ballistic missile development. Earlier in the Trump regime, the United States pointed such satellite launches disregard a United Nations Security Council resolution. It should be noted Tehran has sent several short-lived satellites into orbit in the past decade. In 2013, Iran launched a monkey into space. But under Raisi, the government appears to have sharpened its focus on space. With inputs from agencies Image: AP The French foreign ministry said on Friday slammed Iran for launching a rocket with a satellite carrier bearing three devices into space, reported Sputnik on Saturday. The launch came at a time when nuclear energy talks with Tehran were showing signs of progress. "France condemns this launch, which is not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231," a ministerial spokesperson said during a press conference, reportedly referring to the UN calls on Iran to stop working on the nuclear-capable ballistic missile technology. It is worth noting on December 30, Thursday, Iran aired footage of the blastoff against the backdrop of negotiations in Vienna to restore Tehrans tattered nuclear deal with world powers. According to a report by AP, the eight-round of meetings were held before Christmas and will resume after New Years holidays. "France sees the Iranian ballistic missile and space programs as overlapping due to the "closeness of technologies" used in space launches and missile tests. The Iranian Defence Ministry's involvement in the space launch further proves their "close link"," said the ministerial spokesperson. "These activities are all the more regrettable because they happened at a time when we are seeing progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna," added the spokesperson. The US yet to react to the recent rocket launch Notably, this was not the first time when Tehran launched a rocket when there were diplomatic negotiations were underway. Earlier, when Donald Trump was the President of the United States, Tehran had fired a similar rocket launch, resulting in rebukes from the United States. Though this time, the incumbent President Joe Biden and the military have not reacted to the rocket launch but the experts familiar with the developments noted the blast-offs have raised concerns in Washington about whether the technology used to launch satellites could advance Irans ballistic missile development. Earlier in the Trump regime, the United States pointed such satellite launches disregard a United Nations Security Council resolution. It should be noted Tehran has sent several short-lived satellites into orbit in the past decade. In 2013, Iran launched a monkey into space. But under Raisi, the government appears to have sharpened its focus on space. With inputs from agencies Image: AP The French foreign ministry said on Friday slammed Iran for launching a rocket with a satellite carrier bearing three devices into space, reported Sputnik on Saturday. The launch came at a time when nuclear energy talks with Tehran were showing signs of progress. "France condemns this launch, which is not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231," a ministerial spokesperson said during a press conference, reportedly referring to the UN calls on Iran to stop working on the nuclear-capable ballistic missile technology. It is worth noting on December 30, Thursday, Iran aired footage of the blastoff against the backdrop of negotiations in Vienna to restore Tehrans tattered nuclear deal with world powers. According to a report by AP, the eight-round of meetings were held before Christmas and will resume after New Years holidays. "France sees the Iranian ballistic missile and space programs as overlapping due to the "closeness of technologies" used in space launches and missile tests. The Iranian Defence Ministry's involvement in the space launch further proves their "close link"," said the ministerial spokesperson. "These activities are all the more regrettable because they happened at a time when we are seeing progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna," added the spokesperson. The US yet to react to the recent rocket launch Notably, this was not the first time when Tehran launched a rocket when there were diplomatic negotiations were underway. Earlier, when Donald Trump was the President of the United States, Tehran had fired a similar rocket launch, resulting in rebukes from the United States. Though this time, the incumbent President Joe Biden and the military have not reacted to the rocket launch but the experts familiar with the developments noted the blast-offs have raised concerns in Washington about whether the technology used to launch satellites could advance Irans ballistic missile development. Earlier in the Trump regime, the United States pointed such satellite launches disregard a United Nations Security Council resolution. It should be noted Tehran has sent several short-lived satellites into orbit in the past decade. In 2013, Iran launched a monkey into space. But under Raisi, the government appears to have sharpened its focus on space. With inputs from agencies Image: AP An influencer turned princess who is the heir to the now defunct Italian throne has celebrated her 18th birthday. Princess Vittoria of Savoy, who was born on 28 December 2003, is the eldest daughter of Prince Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy and the French actress Clotilde Courau, and a fashion influencer. Prince Emmanuel-Philibert marked his daughter's coming-of-age on Instagram, posting a series of snaps alongside a caption which described her as a 'rock-and-roll princess'. Earlier this year, the teenager spoke about being bumped up the royal food chain by her grandfather Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia, the son of the last king of Italy. In a formal decree, 'Duke of Savoy, Prince of Naples and by the grace of God direct heir to Head of the Royal House of Savoy' abolished male primogeniture, which is preference in inheritance that is given by law, custom, or usage to the eldest son and his issue. Monarchy was abolished in Italy in 1946 when Umberto II of the House of Savoy was on the throne. The House of Savoy, of which Emmanuel-Philibert and Vittoria descend, has existed since 1003. Her grandfather, Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Naples, 84, is the current pretender to the throne. Paris-based Princess Vittoria of Savoy, pictured, who was born on 28 December 2003, is the eldest daughter of Prince Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy and the French actress Clotilde Courau and just turned 18 The Franco-Italian royal loves to share glimpses of her life on Instagram, from trips to the beach to nights out with friends Prince Emmanuel-Philibert praised his eldest daughter on her birthday, sharing a series of poignant images of Vittoria through the years. The first snap showed the princess as a toddler, with her father fixing her dress at a formal event. The second showed father and daughter in a selfie taken recently during a sunset. In another snap, Vittoria winced as her dad stuck his tongue out to her, while another showed a proud Emmanuel-Philibert hugging Vittoria in a black and white picture. The 18-year-old is the first woman to be in the line of succession for the Italian throne in 1,000 years. But for now, she enjoys sharing her life with her 62.500 followers on Instagram The 18-year-old also posed for the camera in more artistic pictures shared by her father for her birthday. One of the last pictures showed a demure Vittoria, dressed in a red hoodie, gazing into the camera. He wrote: 'May all your dreams come true and may you always have the courage to follow them... Happy 18th birthday my love.' Meanwhile her mother Clotilde, who starred in several French films, including La Vie En Rose, also shared a sweet post to mark her eldest daughter's 18th. She shared a picture of the pair dressed in matching designer outfits, writing: '18 already and I'm so proud of you. Vittoria's father, Prince Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy, shared a series of cute pictures from her childhood to mark the occasion Emmanuel-Philibert also shared a candid snap of his daughter wearing a red hoodie and white slacks 'Your bravery, your strong character, your intelligence, your sensitivity. 'You are my everything, my life, my love, forever and ever, happy birthday.' Speaking to The New York Times in May, Vittoria revealed how she's set to become the leader of the now defunct Italian throne. She said: 'It was the best gift [my grandfather] could give me.' When asked if she felt Italy was ready to accept her as a queen, or the head of her family, the Paris-based teenager said: 'Italy is not really progressive, but they will learn.' Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a cousin and rival claimant, called the change 'illegitimate'. His two sons, Prince Umberto, 12, and Prince Amedeo Michele, 10, wouldve been next in line after himself had the rule not been changed, since Vittorias father has only two daughters. Vittoria, who just graduated high school with merit in France, loves fashion, but previously said that 'beauty without intelligence is tedious' Her family was exiled from the country for 50 years, only being allowed to return in 2002, after Umberto II, the last reigning king of Italy was deposed in 1946 when the nation became a republic. Vittoria is an up-and-coming influencer with 35,400 followers on Instagram thanks to her jet-setting lifestlye and fashion prowess. The teenager, who attended the private Ecole Diagonale in Paris, has a passion for art and fashion, as shown on her social media profile, and has also previously campaigned for educational changes. Ecole Diagonale is a school known for its excellent art and sport programmes, alongside a rigorous curriculum in the heart of the French capital. During her free time, Vittoria travels between Geneva, Switzerland, where she was born in 2003, and Monte Carlo, where her father Emanuele Filiberto lives, and an Italian farmhouse owned by her family in Umbertide, Umbria. The teen, whose father dubbed 'rock 'n roll princess,' loves to pose for the camera, but said she wants to work towards a better future In May 2005, Vittoria was baptised at the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi in Italy. What is male primogeniture? Primogeniture is preference in inheritance that is given by law, custom, or usage to the eldest son and his issue. In exceptional cases, primogeniture may prescribe such preferential inheritance to the line of the eldest daughter. The motivation for such a practice has usually been to keep the estate of the deceased, or some part of it, whole and intact. The British Royal Family brought to an end the system of primogeniture that had dictated the line of succession since 1701. Under the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, princes no longer take precedence over their sisters. Advertisement Her debut as part of the House of Savoy was supposed to take place last year but was postponed due to the pandemic. Her father, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 47, who is known as the 'Pasta Prince', due to his career running food trucks in LA, announced his plans to run for political office last year. The royal runs a catering business called Prince of Venice and has lead a colourful life in the public eye, claiming to have dated Kate Moss and starring on Italy's version of Strictly Come Dancing. He also has a production company called AristoCrazy and a fashion brand called PrinceTees. Prince Filiberto has had problems with drugs and confessed in 2009 that he only managed to overcome his addiction with the help of his family. He has previously discussed his desire to set up a royalist party to advocate for restoration of the monarchy in Italy. Prince Filiberto, who is married to award-winning French actress Clotilde Courau, is the only child of Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, heir to the now defunct throne of Italy, and has two daughters, Vittoria and 14-year-old Luisa. Speaking to the publication, he admitted that it's unlikely he'll be the one to lead a royal restoration and instead looks forward to abdicating and sailing around the world - 'once my daughter is prepared', he added. But Vittoria confessed that the new responsibility is 'a lot', while her father is trying to get her to study more and holiday less. Her father, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 47, who is known as the 'Pasta Prince', due to his career running food trucks in LA (pictured), announced his plans to run for political office last year Emanuele (pictured left in 2018) and his wife leave church after the christening of their daughter, Vittoria in 2004, pictured right Vittoria is the first woman in 1,000 years to be invested with the authority to one day lead the Savoy family. However, while her parents and her grandparents in Gstaad, Switzerland, were delighted about her ascension, a rival branch of Savoias were left frustrated. Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a cousin and rival claimant, who works as an executive for the Pirelli tire company in Moscow, said it was 'totally illegitimate'. The Aosta branch of the family have argued the law should only be changed when the monarchy is restored. Former royal family: Clotilde Courau (centre left) and Emanuele Filiberto (left) arrive with Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy and Princess Marina of Savoy (centre right) for a dinner at Opera terraces after the wedding ceremony of Princess Charlene of Monaco and Prince Albert II of Monaco on July 2, 2011 Fellow royal: Prince Albert and Emanuele of Savoy at the modern Penthathlon in Monaco City, Monaco on April 29, 2001 But Prince Filiberto said: 'They were thinking that me, not having any sons, they would finally have what they were waiting for, for 150 years they got screwed and they got pissed.' Yet despite Prince Filiberto claims that a lot of people are seeing a potential comeback for the Italian monarchy, Italians have largely no interest in a royal return, noted the publication. Most people in Carignano, the ancestral home of Vittorio Emanueles branch of the family, dont even know who Vittoria is. Prince Emmanuel-Philibert shared candid family pictures with his two daughters to mark Vittoria's special day An influencer turned princess who is the heir to the now defunct Italian throne has celebrated her 18th birthday. Princess Vittoria of Savoy, who was born on 28 December 2003, is the eldest daughter of Prince Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy and the French actress Clotilde Courau, and a fashion influencer. Prince Emmanuel-Philibert marked his daughter's coming-of-age on Instagram, posting a series of snaps alongside a caption which described her as a 'rock-and-roll princess'. Earlier this year, the teenager spoke about being bumped up the royal food chain by her grandfather Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia, the son of the last king of Italy. In a formal decree, 'Duke of Savoy, Prince of Naples and by the grace of God direct heir to Head of the Royal House of Savoy' abolished male primogeniture, which is preference in inheritance that is given by law, custom, or usage to the eldest son and his issue. Monarchy was abolished in Italy in 1946 when Umberto II of the House of Savoy was on the throne. The House of Savoy, of which Emmanuel-Philibert and Vittoria descend, has existed since 1003. Her grandfather, Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Naples, 84, is the current pretender to the throne. Paris-based Princess Vittoria of Savoy, pictured, who was born on 28 December 2003, is the eldest daughter of Prince Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy and the French actress Clotilde Courau and just turned 18 The Franco-Italian royal loves to share glimpses of her life on Instagram, from trips to the beach to nights out with friends Prince Emmanuel-Philibert praised his eldest daughter on her birthday, sharing a series of poignant images of Vittoria through the years. The first snap showed the princess as a toddler, with her father fixing her dress at a formal event. The second showed father and daughter in a selfie taken recently during a sunset. In another snap, Vittoria winced as her dad stuck his tongue out to her, while another showed a proud Emmanuel-Philibert hugging Vittoria in a black and white picture. The 18-year-old is the first woman to be in the line of succession for the Italian throne in 1,000 years. But for now, she enjoys sharing her life with her 62.500 followers on Instagram The 18-year-old also posed for the camera in more artistic pictures shared by her father for her birthday. One of the last pictures showed a demure Vittoria, dressed in a red hoodie, gazing into the camera. He wrote: 'May all your dreams come true and may you always have the courage to follow them... Happy 18th birthday my love.' Meanwhile her mother Clotilde, who starred in several French films, including La Vie En Rose, also shared a sweet post to mark her eldest daughter's 18th. She shared a picture of the pair dressed in matching designer outfits, writing: '18 already and I'm so proud of you. Vittoria's father, Prince Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy, shared a series of cute pictures from her childhood to mark the occasion Emmanuel-Philibert also shared a candid snap of his daughter wearing a red hoodie and white slacks 'Your bravery, your strong character, your intelligence, your sensitivity. 'You are my everything, my life, my love, forever and ever, happy birthday.' Speaking to The New York Times in May, Vittoria revealed how she's set to become the leader of the now defunct Italian throne. She said: 'It was the best gift [my grandfather] could give me.' When asked if she felt Italy was ready to accept her as a queen, or the head of her family, the Paris-based teenager said: 'Italy is not really progressive, but they will learn.' Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a cousin and rival claimant, called the change 'illegitimate'. His two sons, Prince Umberto, 12, and Prince Amedeo Michele, 10, wouldve been next in line after himself had the rule not been changed, since Vittorias father has only two daughters. Vittoria, who just graduated high school with merit in France, loves fashion, but previously said that 'beauty without intelligence is tedious' Her family was exiled from the country for 50 years, only being allowed to return in 2002, after Umberto II, the last reigning king of Italy was deposed in 1946 when the nation became a republic. Vittoria is an up-and-coming influencer with 35,400 followers on Instagram thanks to her jet-setting lifestlye and fashion prowess. The teenager, who attended the private Ecole Diagonale in Paris, has a passion for art and fashion, as shown on her social media profile, and has also previously campaigned for educational changes. Ecole Diagonale is a school known for its excellent art and sport programmes, alongside a rigorous curriculum in the heart of the French capital. During her free time, Vittoria travels between Geneva, Switzerland, where she was born in 2003, and Monte Carlo, where her father Emanuele Filiberto lives, and an Italian farmhouse owned by her family in Umbertide, Umbria. The teen, whose father dubbed 'rock 'n roll princess,' loves to pose for the camera, but said she wants to work towards a better future In May 2005, Vittoria was baptised at the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi in Italy. What is male primogeniture? Primogeniture is preference in inheritance that is given by law, custom, or usage to the eldest son and his issue. In exceptional cases, primogeniture may prescribe such preferential inheritance to the line of the eldest daughter. The motivation for such a practice has usually been to keep the estate of the deceased, or some part of it, whole and intact. The British Royal Family brought to an end the system of primogeniture that had dictated the line of succession since 1701. Under the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, princes no longer take precedence over their sisters. Advertisement Her debut as part of the House of Savoy was supposed to take place last year but was postponed due to the pandemic. Her father, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 47, who is known as the 'Pasta Prince', due to his career running food trucks in LA, announced his plans to run for political office last year. The royal runs a catering business called Prince of Venice and has lead a colourful life in the public eye, claiming to have dated Kate Moss and starring on Italy's version of Strictly Come Dancing. He also has a production company called AristoCrazy and a fashion brand called PrinceTees. Prince Filiberto has had problems with drugs and confessed in 2009 that he only managed to overcome his addiction with the help of his family. He has previously discussed his desire to set up a royalist party to advocate for restoration of the monarchy in Italy. Prince Filiberto, who is married to award-winning French actress Clotilde Courau, is the only child of Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, heir to the now defunct throne of Italy, and has two daughters, Vittoria and 14-year-old Luisa. Speaking to the publication, he admitted that it's unlikely he'll be the one to lead a royal restoration and instead looks forward to abdicating and sailing around the world - 'once my daughter is prepared', he added. But Vittoria confessed that the new responsibility is 'a lot', while her father is trying to get her to study more and holiday less. Her father, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 47, who is known as the 'Pasta Prince', due to his career running food trucks in LA (pictured), announced his plans to run for political office last year Emanuele (pictured left in 2018) and his wife leave church after the christening of their daughter, Vittoria in 2004, pictured right Vittoria is the first woman in 1,000 years to be invested with the authority to one day lead the Savoy family. However, while her parents and her grandparents in Gstaad, Switzerland, were delighted about her ascension, a rival branch of Savoias were left frustrated. Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a cousin and rival claimant, who works as an executive for the Pirelli tire company in Moscow, said it was 'totally illegitimate'. The Aosta branch of the family have argued the law should only be changed when the monarchy is restored. Former royal family: Clotilde Courau (centre left) and Emanuele Filiberto (left) arrive with Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy and Princess Marina of Savoy (centre right) for a dinner at Opera terraces after the wedding ceremony of Princess Charlene of Monaco and Prince Albert II of Monaco on July 2, 2011 Fellow royal: Prince Albert and Emanuele of Savoy at the modern Penthathlon in Monaco City, Monaco on April 29, 2001 But Prince Filiberto said: 'They were thinking that me, not having any sons, they would finally have what they were waiting for, for 150 years they got screwed and they got pissed.' Yet despite Prince Filiberto claims that a lot of people are seeing a potential comeback for the Italian monarchy, Italians have largely no interest in a royal return, noted the publication. Most people in Carignano, the ancestral home of Vittorio Emanueles branch of the family, dont even know who Vittoria is. Prince Emmanuel-Philibert shared candid family pictures with his two daughters to mark Vittoria's special day An influencer turned princess who is the heir to the now defunct Italian throne has celebrated her 18th birthday. Princess Vittoria of Savoy, who was born on 28 December 2003, is the eldest daughter of Prince Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy and the French actress Clotilde Courau, and a fashion influencer. Prince Emmanuel-Philibert marked his daughter's coming-of-age on Instagram, posting a series of snaps alongside a caption which described her as a 'rock-and-roll princess'. Earlier this year, the teenager spoke about being bumped up the royal food chain by her grandfather Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia, the son of the last king of Italy. In a formal decree, 'Duke of Savoy, Prince of Naples and by the grace of God direct heir to Head of the Royal House of Savoy' abolished male primogeniture, which is preference in inheritance that is given by law, custom, or usage to the eldest son and his issue. Monarchy was abolished in Italy in 1946 when Umberto II of the House of Savoy was on the throne. The House of Savoy, of which Emmanuel-Philibert and Vittoria descend, has existed since 1003. Her grandfather, Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Naples, 84, is the current pretender to the throne. Paris-based Princess Vittoria of Savoy, pictured, who was born on 28 December 2003, is the eldest daughter of Prince Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy and the French actress Clotilde Courau and just turned 18 The Franco-Italian royal loves to share glimpses of her life on Instagram, from trips to the beach to nights out with friends Prince Emmanuel-Philibert praised his eldest daughter on her birthday, sharing a series of poignant images of Vittoria through the years. The first snap showed the princess as a toddler, with her father fixing her dress at a formal event. The second showed father and daughter in a selfie taken recently during a sunset. In another snap, Vittoria winced as her dad stuck his tongue out to her, while another showed a proud Emmanuel-Philibert hugging Vittoria in a black and white picture. The 18-year-old is the first woman to be in the line of succession for the Italian throne in 1,000 years. But for now, she enjoys sharing her life with her 62.500 followers on Instagram The 18-year-old also posed for the camera in more artistic pictures shared by her father for her birthday. One of the last pictures showed a demure Vittoria, dressed in a red hoodie, gazing into the camera. He wrote: 'May all your dreams come true and may you always have the courage to follow them... Happy 18th birthday my love.' Meanwhile her mother Clotilde, who starred in several French films, including La Vie En Rose, also shared a sweet post to mark her eldest daughter's 18th. She shared a picture of the pair dressed in matching designer outfits, writing: '18 already and I'm so proud of you. Vittoria's father, Prince Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy, shared a series of cute pictures from her childhood to mark the occasion Emmanuel-Philibert also shared a candid snap of his daughter wearing a red hoodie and white slacks 'Your bravery, your strong character, your intelligence, your sensitivity. 'You are my everything, my life, my love, forever and ever, happy birthday.' Speaking to The New York Times in May, Vittoria revealed how she's set to become the leader of the now defunct Italian throne. She said: 'It was the best gift [my grandfather] could give me.' When asked if she felt Italy was ready to accept her as a queen, or the head of her family, the Paris-based teenager said: 'Italy is not really progressive, but they will learn.' Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a cousin and rival claimant, called the change 'illegitimate'. His two sons, Prince Umberto, 12, and Prince Amedeo Michele, 10, wouldve been next in line after himself had the rule not been changed, since Vittorias father has only two daughters. Vittoria, who just graduated high school with merit in France, loves fashion, but previously said that 'beauty without intelligence is tedious' Her family was exiled from the country for 50 years, only being allowed to return in 2002, after Umberto II, the last reigning king of Italy was deposed in 1946 when the nation became a republic. Vittoria is an up-and-coming influencer with 35,400 followers on Instagram thanks to her jet-setting lifestlye and fashion prowess. The teenager, who attended the private Ecole Diagonale in Paris, has a passion for art and fashion, as shown on her social media profile, and has also previously campaigned for educational changes. Ecole Diagonale is a school known for its excellent art and sport programmes, alongside a rigorous curriculum in the heart of the French capital. During her free time, Vittoria travels between Geneva, Switzerland, where she was born in 2003, and Monte Carlo, where her father Emanuele Filiberto lives, and an Italian farmhouse owned by her family in Umbertide, Umbria. The teen, whose father dubbed 'rock 'n roll princess,' loves to pose for the camera, but said she wants to work towards a better future In May 2005, Vittoria was baptised at the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi in Italy. What is male primogeniture? Primogeniture is preference in inheritance that is given by law, custom, or usage to the eldest son and his issue. In exceptional cases, primogeniture may prescribe such preferential inheritance to the line of the eldest daughter. The motivation for such a practice has usually been to keep the estate of the deceased, or some part of it, whole and intact. The British Royal Family brought to an end the system of primogeniture that had dictated the line of succession since 1701. Under the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, princes no longer take precedence over their sisters. Advertisement Her debut as part of the House of Savoy was supposed to take place last year but was postponed due to the pandemic. Her father, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 47, who is known as the 'Pasta Prince', due to his career running food trucks in LA, announced his plans to run for political office last year. The royal runs a catering business called Prince of Venice and has lead a colourful life in the public eye, claiming to have dated Kate Moss and starring on Italy's version of Strictly Come Dancing. He also has a production company called AristoCrazy and a fashion brand called PrinceTees. Prince Filiberto has had problems with drugs and confessed in 2009 that he only managed to overcome his addiction with the help of his family. He has previously discussed his desire to set up a royalist party to advocate for restoration of the monarchy in Italy. Prince Filiberto, who is married to award-winning French actress Clotilde Courau, is the only child of Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, heir to the now defunct throne of Italy, and has two daughters, Vittoria and 14-year-old Luisa. Speaking to the publication, he admitted that it's unlikely he'll be the one to lead a royal restoration and instead looks forward to abdicating and sailing around the world - 'once my daughter is prepared', he added. But Vittoria confessed that the new responsibility is 'a lot', while her father is trying to get her to study more and holiday less. Her father, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 47, who is known as the 'Pasta Prince', due to his career running food trucks in LA (pictured), announced his plans to run for political office last year Emanuele (pictured left in 2018) and his wife leave church after the christening of their daughter, Vittoria in 2004, pictured right Vittoria is the first woman in 1,000 years to be invested with the authority to one day lead the Savoy family. However, while her parents and her grandparents in Gstaad, Switzerland, were delighted about her ascension, a rival branch of Savoias were left frustrated. Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a cousin and rival claimant, who works as an executive for the Pirelli tire company in Moscow, said it was 'totally illegitimate'. The Aosta branch of the family have argued the law should only be changed when the monarchy is restored. Former royal family: Clotilde Courau (centre left) and Emanuele Filiberto (left) arrive with Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy and Princess Marina of Savoy (centre right) for a dinner at Opera terraces after the wedding ceremony of Princess Charlene of Monaco and Prince Albert II of Monaco on July 2, 2011 Fellow royal: Prince Albert and Emanuele of Savoy at the modern Penthathlon in Monaco City, Monaco on April 29, 2001 But Prince Filiberto said: 'They were thinking that me, not having any sons, they would finally have what they were waiting for, for 150 years they got screwed and they got pissed.' Yet despite Prince Filiberto claims that a lot of people are seeing a potential comeback for the Italian monarchy, Italians have largely no interest in a royal return, noted the publication. Most people in Carignano, the ancestral home of Vittorio Emanueles branch of the family, dont even know who Vittoria is. Prince Emmanuel-Philibert shared candid family pictures with his two daughters to mark Vittoria's special day An influencer turned princess who is the heir to the now defunct Italian throne has celebrated her 18th birthday. Princess Vittoria of Savoy, who was born on 28 December 2003, is the eldest daughter of Prince Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy and the French actress Clotilde Courau, and a fashion influencer. Prince Emmanuel-Philibert marked his daughter's coming-of-age on Instagram, posting a series of snaps alongside a caption which described her as a 'rock-and-roll princess'. Earlier this year, the teenager spoke about being bumped up the royal food chain by her grandfather Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia, the son of the last king of Italy. In a formal decree, 'Duke of Savoy, Prince of Naples and by the grace of God direct heir to Head of the Royal House of Savoy' abolished male primogeniture, which is preference in inheritance that is given by law, custom, or usage to the eldest son and his issue. Monarchy was abolished in Italy in 1946 when Umberto II of the House of Savoy was on the throne. The House of Savoy, of which Emmanuel-Philibert and Vittoria descend, has existed since 1003. Her grandfather, Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Naples, 84, is the current pretender to the throne. Paris-based Princess Vittoria of Savoy, pictured, who was born on 28 December 2003, is the eldest daughter of Prince Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy and the French actress Clotilde Courau and just turned 18 The Franco-Italian royal loves to share glimpses of her life on Instagram, from trips to the beach to nights out with friends Prince Emmanuel-Philibert praised his eldest daughter on her birthday, sharing a series of poignant images of Vittoria through the years. The first snap showed the princess as a toddler, with her father fixing her dress at a formal event. The second showed father and daughter in a selfie taken recently during a sunset. In another snap, Vittoria winced as her dad stuck his tongue out to her, while another showed a proud Emmanuel-Philibert hugging Vittoria in a black and white picture. The 18-year-old is the first woman to be in the line of succession for the Italian throne in 1,000 years. But for now, she enjoys sharing her life with her 62.500 followers on Instagram The 18-year-old also posed for the camera in more artistic pictures shared by her father for her birthday. One of the last pictures showed a demure Vittoria, dressed in a red hoodie, gazing into the camera. He wrote: 'May all your dreams come true and may you always have the courage to follow them... Happy 18th birthday my love.' Meanwhile her mother Clotilde, who starred in several French films, including La Vie En Rose, also shared a sweet post to mark her eldest daughter's 18th. She shared a picture of the pair dressed in matching designer outfits, writing: '18 already and I'm so proud of you. Vittoria's father, Prince Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy, shared a series of cute pictures from her childhood to mark the occasion Emmanuel-Philibert also shared a candid snap of his daughter wearing a red hoodie and white slacks 'Your bravery, your strong character, your intelligence, your sensitivity. 'You are my everything, my life, my love, forever and ever, happy birthday.' Speaking to The New York Times in May, Vittoria revealed how she's set to become the leader of the now defunct Italian throne. She said: 'It was the best gift [my grandfather] could give me.' When asked if she felt Italy was ready to accept her as a queen, or the head of her family, the Paris-based teenager said: 'Italy is not really progressive, but they will learn.' Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a cousin and rival claimant, called the change 'illegitimate'. His two sons, Prince Umberto, 12, and Prince Amedeo Michele, 10, wouldve been next in line after himself had the rule not been changed, since Vittorias father has only two daughters. Vittoria, who just graduated high school with merit in France, loves fashion, but previously said that 'beauty without intelligence is tedious' Her family was exiled from the country for 50 years, only being allowed to return in 2002, after Umberto II, the last reigning king of Italy was deposed in 1946 when the nation became a republic. Vittoria is an up-and-coming influencer with 35,400 followers on Instagram thanks to her jet-setting lifestlye and fashion prowess. The teenager, who attended the private Ecole Diagonale in Paris, has a passion for art and fashion, as shown on her social media profile, and has also previously campaigned for educational changes. Ecole Diagonale is a school known for its excellent art and sport programmes, alongside a rigorous curriculum in the heart of the French capital. During her free time, Vittoria travels between Geneva, Switzerland, where she was born in 2003, and Monte Carlo, where her father Emanuele Filiberto lives, and an Italian farmhouse owned by her family in Umbertide, Umbria. The teen, whose father dubbed 'rock 'n roll princess,' loves to pose for the camera, but said she wants to work towards a better future In May 2005, Vittoria was baptised at the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi in Italy. What is male primogeniture? Primogeniture is preference in inheritance that is given by law, custom, or usage to the eldest son and his issue. In exceptional cases, primogeniture may prescribe such preferential inheritance to the line of the eldest daughter. The motivation for such a practice has usually been to keep the estate of the deceased, or some part of it, whole and intact. The British Royal Family brought to an end the system of primogeniture that had dictated the line of succession since 1701. Under the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, princes no longer take precedence over their sisters. Advertisement Her debut as part of the House of Savoy was supposed to take place last year but was postponed due to the pandemic. Her father, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 47, who is known as the 'Pasta Prince', due to his career running food trucks in LA, announced his plans to run for political office last year. The royal runs a catering business called Prince of Venice and has lead a colourful life in the public eye, claiming to have dated Kate Moss and starring on Italy's version of Strictly Come Dancing. He also has a production company called AristoCrazy and a fashion brand called PrinceTees. Prince Filiberto has had problems with drugs and confessed in 2009 that he only managed to overcome his addiction with the help of his family. He has previously discussed his desire to set up a royalist party to advocate for restoration of the monarchy in Italy. Prince Filiberto, who is married to award-winning French actress Clotilde Courau, is the only child of Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, heir to the now defunct throne of Italy, and has two daughters, Vittoria and 14-year-old Luisa. Speaking to the publication, he admitted that it's unlikely he'll be the one to lead a royal restoration and instead looks forward to abdicating and sailing around the world - 'once my daughter is prepared', he added. But Vittoria confessed that the new responsibility is 'a lot', while her father is trying to get her to study more and holiday less. Her father, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 47, who is known as the 'Pasta Prince', due to his career running food trucks in LA (pictured), announced his plans to run for political office last year Emanuele (pictured left in 2018) and his wife leave church after the christening of their daughter, Vittoria in 2004, pictured right Vittoria is the first woman in 1,000 years to be invested with the authority to one day lead the Savoy family. However, while her parents and her grandparents in Gstaad, Switzerland, were delighted about her ascension, a rival branch of Savoias were left frustrated. Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a cousin and rival claimant, who works as an executive for the Pirelli tire company in Moscow, said it was 'totally illegitimate'. The Aosta branch of the family have argued the law should only be changed when the monarchy is restored. Former royal family: Clotilde Courau (centre left) and Emanuele Filiberto (left) arrive with Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy and Princess Marina of Savoy (centre right) for a dinner at Opera terraces after the wedding ceremony of Princess Charlene of Monaco and Prince Albert II of Monaco on July 2, 2011 Fellow royal: Prince Albert and Emanuele of Savoy at the modern Penthathlon in Monaco City, Monaco on April 29, 2001 But Prince Filiberto said: 'They were thinking that me, not having any sons, they would finally have what they were waiting for, for 150 years they got screwed and they got pissed.' Yet despite Prince Filiberto claims that a lot of people are seeing a potential comeback for the Italian monarchy, Italians have largely no interest in a royal return, noted the publication. Most people in Carignano, the ancestral home of Vittorio Emanueles branch of the family, dont even know who Vittoria is. Prince Emmanuel-Philibert shared candid family pictures with his two daughters to mark Vittoria's special day An influencer turned princess who is the heir to the now defunct Italian throne has celebrated her 18th birthday. Princess Vittoria of Savoy, who was born on 28 December 2003, is the eldest daughter of Prince Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy and the French actress Clotilde Courau, and a fashion influencer. Prince Emmanuel-Philibert marked his daughter's coming-of-age on Instagram, posting a series of snaps alongside a caption which described her as a 'rock-and-roll princess'. Earlier this year, the teenager spoke about being bumped up the royal food chain by her grandfather Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia, the son of the last king of Italy. In a formal decree, 'Duke of Savoy, Prince of Naples and by the grace of God direct heir to Head of the Royal House of Savoy' abolished male primogeniture, which is preference in inheritance that is given by law, custom, or usage to the eldest son and his issue. Monarchy was abolished in Italy in 1946 when Umberto II of the House of Savoy was on the throne. The House of Savoy, of which Emmanuel-Philibert and Vittoria descend, has existed since 1003. Her grandfather, Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Naples, 84, is the current pretender to the throne. Paris-based Princess Vittoria of Savoy, pictured, who was born on 28 December 2003, is the eldest daughter of Prince Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy and the French actress Clotilde Courau and just turned 18 The Franco-Italian royal loves to share glimpses of her life on Instagram, from trips to the beach to nights out with friends Prince Emmanuel-Philibert praised his eldest daughter on her birthday, sharing a series of poignant images of Vittoria through the years. The first snap showed the princess as a toddler, with her father fixing her dress at a formal event. The second showed father and daughter in a selfie taken recently during a sunset. In another snap, Vittoria winced as her dad stuck his tongue out to her, while another showed a proud Emmanuel-Philibert hugging Vittoria in a black and white picture. The 18-year-old is the first woman to be in the line of succession for the Italian throne in 1,000 years. But for now, she enjoys sharing her life with her 62.500 followers on Instagram The 18-year-old also posed for the camera in more artistic pictures shared by her father for her birthday. One of the last pictures showed a demure Vittoria, dressed in a red hoodie, gazing into the camera. He wrote: 'May all your dreams come true and may you always have the courage to follow them... Happy 18th birthday my love.' Meanwhile her mother Clotilde, who starred in several French films, including La Vie En Rose, also shared a sweet post to mark her eldest daughter's 18th. She shared a picture of the pair dressed in matching designer outfits, writing: '18 already and I'm so proud of you. Vittoria's father, Prince Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy, shared a series of cute pictures from her childhood to mark the occasion Emmanuel-Philibert also shared a candid snap of his daughter wearing a red hoodie and white slacks 'Your bravery, your strong character, your intelligence, your sensitivity. 'You are my everything, my life, my love, forever and ever, happy birthday.' Speaking to The New York Times in May, Vittoria revealed how she's set to become the leader of the now defunct Italian throne. She said: 'It was the best gift [my grandfather] could give me.' When asked if she felt Italy was ready to accept her as a queen, or the head of her family, the Paris-based teenager said: 'Italy is not really progressive, but they will learn.' Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a cousin and rival claimant, called the change 'illegitimate'. His two sons, Prince Umberto, 12, and Prince Amedeo Michele, 10, wouldve been next in line after himself had the rule not been changed, since Vittorias father has only two daughters. Vittoria, who just graduated high school with merit in France, loves fashion, but previously said that 'beauty without intelligence is tedious' Her family was exiled from the country for 50 years, only being allowed to return in 2002, after Umberto II, the last reigning king of Italy was deposed in 1946 when the nation became a republic. Vittoria is an up-and-coming influencer with 35,400 followers on Instagram thanks to her jet-setting lifestlye and fashion prowess. The teenager, who attended the private Ecole Diagonale in Paris, has a passion for art and fashion, as shown on her social media profile, and has also previously campaigned for educational changes. Ecole Diagonale is a school known for its excellent art and sport programmes, alongside a rigorous curriculum in the heart of the French capital. During her free time, Vittoria travels between Geneva, Switzerland, where she was born in 2003, and Monte Carlo, where her father Emanuele Filiberto lives, and an Italian farmhouse owned by her family in Umbertide, Umbria. The teen, whose father dubbed 'rock 'n roll princess,' loves to pose for the camera, but said she wants to work towards a better future In May 2005, Vittoria was baptised at the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi in Italy. What is male primogeniture? Primogeniture is preference in inheritance that is given by law, custom, or usage to the eldest son and his issue. In exceptional cases, primogeniture may prescribe such preferential inheritance to the line of the eldest daughter. The motivation for such a practice has usually been to keep the estate of the deceased, or some part of it, whole and intact. The British Royal Family brought to an end the system of primogeniture that had dictated the line of succession since 1701. Under the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, princes no longer take precedence over their sisters. Advertisement Her debut as part of the House of Savoy was supposed to take place last year but was postponed due to the pandemic. Her father, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 47, who is known as the 'Pasta Prince', due to his career running food trucks in LA, announced his plans to run for political office last year. The royal runs a catering business called Prince of Venice and has lead a colourful life in the public eye, claiming to have dated Kate Moss and starring on Italy's version of Strictly Come Dancing. He also has a production company called AristoCrazy and a fashion brand called PrinceTees. Prince Filiberto has had problems with drugs and confessed in 2009 that he only managed to overcome his addiction with the help of his family. He has previously discussed his desire to set up a royalist party to advocate for restoration of the monarchy in Italy. Prince Filiberto, who is married to award-winning French actress Clotilde Courau, is the only child of Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, heir to the now defunct throne of Italy, and has two daughters, Vittoria and 14-year-old Luisa. Speaking to the publication, he admitted that it's unlikely he'll be the one to lead a royal restoration and instead looks forward to abdicating and sailing around the world - 'once my daughter is prepared', he added. But Vittoria confessed that the new responsibility is 'a lot', while her father is trying to get her to study more and holiday less. Her father, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 47, who is known as the 'Pasta Prince', due to his career running food trucks in LA (pictured), announced his plans to run for political office last year Emanuele (pictured left in 2018) and his wife leave church after the christening of their daughter, Vittoria in 2004, pictured right Vittoria is the first woman in 1,000 years to be invested with the authority to one day lead the Savoy family. However, while her parents and her grandparents in Gstaad, Switzerland, were delighted about her ascension, a rival branch of Savoias were left frustrated. Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a cousin and rival claimant, who works as an executive for the Pirelli tire company in Moscow, said it was 'totally illegitimate'. The Aosta branch of the family have argued the law should only be changed when the monarchy is restored. Former royal family: Clotilde Courau (centre left) and Emanuele Filiberto (left) arrive with Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy and Princess Marina of Savoy (centre right) for a dinner at Opera terraces after the wedding ceremony of Princess Charlene of Monaco and Prince Albert II of Monaco on July 2, 2011 Fellow royal: Prince Albert and Emanuele of Savoy at the modern Penthathlon in Monaco City, Monaco on April 29, 2001 But Prince Filiberto said: 'They were thinking that me, not having any sons, they would finally have what they were waiting for, for 150 years they got screwed and they got pissed.' Yet despite Prince Filiberto claims that a lot of people are seeing a potential comeback for the Italian monarchy, Italians have largely no interest in a royal return, noted the publication. Most people in Carignano, the ancestral home of Vittorio Emanueles branch of the family, dont even know who Vittoria is. Prince Emmanuel-Philibert shared candid family pictures with his two daughters to mark Vittoria's special day An influencer turned princess who is the heir to the now defunct Italian throne has celebrated her 18th birthday. Princess Vittoria of Savoy, who was born on 28 December 2003, is the eldest daughter of Prince Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy and the French actress Clotilde Courau, and a fashion influencer. Prince Emmanuel-Philibert marked his daughter's coming-of-age on Instagram, posting a series of snaps alongside a caption which described her as a 'rock-and-roll princess'. Earlier this year, the teenager spoke about being bumped up the royal food chain by her grandfather Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia, the son of the last king of Italy. In a formal decree, 'Duke of Savoy, Prince of Naples and by the grace of God direct heir to Head of the Royal House of Savoy' abolished male primogeniture, which is preference in inheritance that is given by law, custom, or usage to the eldest son and his issue. Monarchy was abolished in Italy in 1946 when Umberto II of the House of Savoy was on the throne. The House of Savoy, of which Emmanuel-Philibert and Vittoria descend, has existed since 1003. Her grandfather, Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Naples, 84, is the current pretender to the throne. Paris-based Princess Vittoria of Savoy, pictured, who was born on 28 December 2003, is the eldest daughter of Prince Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy and the French actress Clotilde Courau and just turned 18 The Franco-Italian royal loves to share glimpses of her life on Instagram, from trips to the beach to nights out with friends Prince Emmanuel-Philibert praised his eldest daughter on her birthday, sharing a series of poignant images of Vittoria through the years. The first snap showed the princess as a toddler, with her father fixing her dress at a formal event. The second showed father and daughter in a selfie taken recently during a sunset. In another snap, Vittoria winced as her dad stuck his tongue out to her, while another showed a proud Emmanuel-Philibert hugging Vittoria in a black and white picture. The 18-year-old is the first woman to be in the line of succession for the Italian throne in 1,000 years. But for now, she enjoys sharing her life with her 62.500 followers on Instagram The 18-year-old also posed for the camera in more artistic pictures shared by her father for her birthday. One of the last pictures showed a demure Vittoria, dressed in a red hoodie, gazing into the camera. He wrote: 'May all your dreams come true and may you always have the courage to follow them... Happy 18th birthday my love.' Meanwhile her mother Clotilde, who starred in several French films, including La Vie En Rose, also shared a sweet post to mark her eldest daughter's 18th. She shared a picture of the pair dressed in matching designer outfits, writing: '18 already and I'm so proud of you. Vittoria's father, Prince Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy, shared a series of cute pictures from her childhood to mark the occasion Emmanuel-Philibert also shared a candid snap of his daughter wearing a red hoodie and white slacks 'Your bravery, your strong character, your intelligence, your sensitivity. 'You are my everything, my life, my love, forever and ever, happy birthday.' Speaking to The New York Times in May, Vittoria revealed how she's set to become the leader of the now defunct Italian throne. She said: 'It was the best gift [my grandfather] could give me.' When asked if she felt Italy was ready to accept her as a queen, or the head of her family, the Paris-based teenager said: 'Italy is not really progressive, but they will learn.' Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a cousin and rival claimant, called the change 'illegitimate'. His two sons, Prince Umberto, 12, and Prince Amedeo Michele, 10, wouldve been next in line after himself had the rule not been changed, since Vittorias father has only two daughters. Vittoria, who just graduated high school with merit in France, loves fashion, but previously said that 'beauty without intelligence is tedious' Her family was exiled from the country for 50 years, only being allowed to return in 2002, after Umberto II, the last reigning king of Italy was deposed in 1946 when the nation became a republic. Vittoria is an up-and-coming influencer with 35,400 followers on Instagram thanks to her jet-setting lifestlye and fashion prowess. The teenager, who attended the private Ecole Diagonale in Paris, has a passion for art and fashion, as shown on her social media profile, and has also previously campaigned for educational changes. Ecole Diagonale is a school known for its excellent art and sport programmes, alongside a rigorous curriculum in the heart of the French capital. During her free time, Vittoria travels between Geneva, Switzerland, where she was born in 2003, and Monte Carlo, where her father Emanuele Filiberto lives, and an Italian farmhouse owned by her family in Umbertide, Umbria. The teen, whose father dubbed 'rock 'n roll princess,' loves to pose for the camera, but said she wants to work towards a better future In May 2005, Vittoria was baptised at the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi in Italy. What is male primogeniture? Primogeniture is preference in inheritance that is given by law, custom, or usage to the eldest son and his issue. In exceptional cases, primogeniture may prescribe such preferential inheritance to the line of the eldest daughter. The motivation for such a practice has usually been to keep the estate of the deceased, or some part of it, whole and intact. The British Royal Family brought to an end the system of primogeniture that had dictated the line of succession since 1701. Under the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, princes no longer take precedence over their sisters. Advertisement Her debut as part of the House of Savoy was supposed to take place last year but was postponed due to the pandemic. Her father, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 47, who is known as the 'Pasta Prince', due to his career running food trucks in LA, announced his plans to run for political office last year. The royal runs a catering business called Prince of Venice and has lead a colourful life in the public eye, claiming to have dated Kate Moss and starring on Italy's version of Strictly Come Dancing. He also has a production company called AristoCrazy and a fashion brand called PrinceTees. Prince Filiberto has had problems with drugs and confessed in 2009 that he only managed to overcome his addiction with the help of his family. He has previously discussed his desire to set up a royalist party to advocate for restoration of the monarchy in Italy. Prince Filiberto, who is married to award-winning French actress Clotilde Courau, is the only child of Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, heir to the now defunct throne of Italy, and has two daughters, Vittoria and 14-year-old Luisa. Speaking to the publication, he admitted that it's unlikely he'll be the one to lead a royal restoration and instead looks forward to abdicating and sailing around the world - 'once my daughter is prepared', he added. But Vittoria confessed that the new responsibility is 'a lot', while her father is trying to get her to study more and holiday less. Her father, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 47, who is known as the 'Pasta Prince', due to his career running food trucks in LA (pictured), announced his plans to run for political office last year Emanuele (pictured left in 2018) and his wife leave church after the christening of their daughter, Vittoria in 2004, pictured right Vittoria is the first woman in 1,000 years to be invested with the authority to one day lead the Savoy family. However, while her parents and her grandparents in Gstaad, Switzerland, were delighted about her ascension, a rival branch of Savoias were left frustrated. Prince Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a cousin and rival claimant, who works as an executive for the Pirelli tire company in Moscow, said it was 'totally illegitimate'. The Aosta branch of the family have argued the law should only be changed when the monarchy is restored. Former royal family: Clotilde Courau (centre left) and Emanuele Filiberto (left) arrive with Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy and Princess Marina of Savoy (centre right) for a dinner at Opera terraces after the wedding ceremony of Princess Charlene of Monaco and Prince Albert II of Monaco on July 2, 2011 Fellow royal: Prince Albert and Emanuele of Savoy at the modern Penthathlon in Monaco City, Monaco on April 29, 2001 But Prince Filiberto said: 'They were thinking that me, not having any sons, they would finally have what they were waiting for, for 150 years they got screwed and they got pissed.' Yet despite Prince Filiberto claims that a lot of people are seeing a potential comeback for the Italian monarchy, Italians have largely no interest in a royal return, noted the publication. Most people in Carignano, the ancestral home of Vittorio Emanueles branch of the family, dont even know who Vittoria is. Prince Emmanuel-Philibert shared candid family pictures with his two daughters to mark Vittoria's special day Lavrov Warns Russia Will Take Measures Against Threats to Its Security Dec. 31, 2021 (EIRNS)In the aftermath of the Biden-Putin phone call of yesterday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned in an interview with Sputnik that If a constructive response does not follow within a reasonable time and the West continues its aggressive line, then Russia will be forced to take all necessary measures to ensure a strategic balance and eliminate unacceptable threats to our security. He explained that Moscows proposals on security guarantees envision the non-expansion of NATO to the east and deployment of strike weapons near Russias borders, but they all contain other elements that in the end should form those very reliable, legally binding security guarantees. Our proposals are aimed at creating and legalizing a new system of agreements based on the principle of the indivisibility of security and abandonment of attempts to achieve military superiority, which was approved unanimously by the leaders of all Euro-Atlantic states in the 1990s. I would like to emphasize that what we need is legally binding guarantees since our Western colleagues systematically fail to fulfill political obligations, not to mention voiced assurances and promises given to Soviet and Russian leaders, Lavrov said. Participation of high-ranking military personnel of the United States and the countries of the [NATO] alliance is fundamentally important for us, Lavrov said, adding that Russia will not allow the U.S. and NATO to delay the process with endless discussions. Lavrov charged that NATO is trying to use Kiev as a tool against Russia. NATO member states are systematically transforming Ukraine into a military foothold against Russia, building their bases there, using its territory to conduct exercises. If this year there were seven such maneuvers, then in the coming year, according to a law adopted by the Verkhovna Rada [the parliament] of Ukraine, 10 [drills are planned], including one year-round [exercise], Lavrov said. He observed that the number of troops participating in drills in Ukraine will double in 2022 and reach 64,000. He also said that the Ukrainian government has no intention of ending a military conflict with the self-proclaimed republics that has been plaguing the country since 2014. The civil war, which has been going on for the eighth year in Ukraine, is far from over. The countrys authorities are not going to take steps to resolve the conflict in Donbas on the uncontested basis of the Minsk Package of Measures, Lavrov said. According to him, the Ukrainian authorities consider support from NATO as carte blanche for a military operation. As for the residents of Donbas, where hundreds of thousands of citizens of our country live, Russia will take all the necessary measures to protect them. We will continue to make efforts to resolve the internal Ukrainian conflict by political and diplomatic means, Lavrov said. He further stated that there will be an adequate response to any possible military provocations from Kiev. Lavrov Warns Russia Will Take Measures Against Threats to Its Security Dec. 31, 2021 (EIRNS)In the aftermath of the Biden-Putin phone call of yesterday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned in an interview with Sputnik that If a constructive response does not follow within a reasonable time and the West continues its aggressive line, then Russia will be forced to take all necessary measures to ensure a strategic balance and eliminate unacceptable threats to our security. He explained that Moscows proposals on security guarantees envision the non-expansion of NATO to the east and deployment of strike weapons near Russias borders, but they all contain other elements that in the end should form those very reliable, legally binding security guarantees. Our proposals are aimed at creating and legalizing a new system of agreements based on the principle of the indivisibility of security and abandonment of attempts to achieve military superiority, which was approved unanimously by the leaders of all Euro-Atlantic states in the 1990s. I would like to emphasize that what we need is legally binding guarantees since our Western colleagues systematically fail to fulfill political obligations, not to mention voiced assurances and promises given to Soviet and Russian leaders, Lavrov said. Participation of high-ranking military personnel of the United States and the countries of the [NATO] alliance is fundamentally important for us, Lavrov said, adding that Russia will not allow the U.S. and NATO to delay the process with endless discussions. Lavrov charged that NATO is trying to use Kiev as a tool against Russia. NATO member states are systematically transforming Ukraine into a military foothold against Russia, building their bases there, using its territory to conduct exercises. If this year there were seven such maneuvers, then in the coming year, according to a law adopted by the Verkhovna Rada [the parliament] of Ukraine, 10 [drills are planned], including one year-round [exercise], Lavrov said. He observed that the number of troops participating in drills in Ukraine will double in 2022 and reach 64,000. He also said that the Ukrainian government has no intention of ending a military conflict with the self-proclaimed republics that has been plaguing the country since 2014. The civil war, which has been going on for the eighth year in Ukraine, is far from over. The countrys authorities are not going to take steps to resolve the conflict in Donbas on the uncontested basis of the Minsk Package of Measures, Lavrov said. According to him, the Ukrainian authorities consider support from NATO as carte blanche for a military operation. As for the residents of Donbas, where hundreds of thousands of citizens of our country live, Russia will take all the necessary measures to protect them. We will continue to make efforts to resolve the internal Ukrainian conflict by political and diplomatic means, Lavrov said. He further stated that there will be an adequate response to any possible military provocations from Kiev. Lavrov Warns Russia Will Take Measures Against Threats to Its Security Dec. 31, 2021 (EIRNS)In the aftermath of the Biden-Putin phone call of yesterday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned in an interview with Sputnik that If a constructive response does not follow within a reasonable time and the West continues its aggressive line, then Russia will be forced to take all necessary measures to ensure a strategic balance and eliminate unacceptable threats to our security. He explained that Moscows proposals on security guarantees envision the non-expansion of NATO to the east and deployment of strike weapons near Russias borders, but they all contain other elements that in the end should form those very reliable, legally binding security guarantees. Our proposals are aimed at creating and legalizing a new system of agreements based on the principle of the indivisibility of security and abandonment of attempts to achieve military superiority, which was approved unanimously by the leaders of all Euro-Atlantic states in the 1990s. I would like to emphasize that what we need is legally binding guarantees since our Western colleagues systematically fail to fulfill political obligations, not to mention voiced assurances and promises given to Soviet and Russian leaders, Lavrov said. Participation of high-ranking military personnel of the United States and the countries of the [NATO] alliance is fundamentally important for us, Lavrov said, adding that Russia will not allow the U.S. and NATO to delay the process with endless discussions. Lavrov charged that NATO is trying to use Kiev as a tool against Russia. NATO member states are systematically transforming Ukraine into a military foothold against Russia, building their bases there, using its territory to conduct exercises. If this year there were seven such maneuvers, then in the coming year, according to a law adopted by the Verkhovna Rada [the parliament] of Ukraine, 10 [drills are planned], including one year-round [exercise], Lavrov said. He observed that the number of troops participating in drills in Ukraine will double in 2022 and reach 64,000. He also said that the Ukrainian government has no intention of ending a military conflict with the self-proclaimed republics that has been plaguing the country since 2014. The civil war, which has been going on for the eighth year in Ukraine, is far from over. The countrys authorities are not going to take steps to resolve the conflict in Donbas on the uncontested basis of the Minsk Package of Measures, Lavrov said. According to him, the Ukrainian authorities consider support from NATO as carte blanche for a military operation. As for the residents of Donbas, where hundreds of thousands of citizens of our country live, Russia will take all the necessary measures to protect them. We will continue to make efforts to resolve the internal Ukrainian conflict by political and diplomatic means, Lavrov said. He further stated that there will be an adequate response to any possible military provocations from Kiev. Lavrov Warns Russia Will Take Measures Against Threats to Its Security Dec. 31, 2021 (EIRNS)In the aftermath of the Biden-Putin phone call of yesterday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned in an interview with Sputnik that If a constructive response does not follow within a reasonable time and the West continues its aggressive line, then Russia will be forced to take all necessary measures to ensure a strategic balance and eliminate unacceptable threats to our security. He explained that Moscows proposals on security guarantees envision the non-expansion of NATO to the east and deployment of strike weapons near Russias borders, but they all contain other elements that in the end should form those very reliable, legally binding security guarantees. Our proposals are aimed at creating and legalizing a new system of agreements based on the principle of the indivisibility of security and abandonment of attempts to achieve military superiority, which was approved unanimously by the leaders of all Euro-Atlantic states in the 1990s. I would like to emphasize that what we need is legally binding guarantees since our Western colleagues systematically fail to fulfill political obligations, not to mention voiced assurances and promises given to Soviet and Russian leaders, Lavrov said. Participation of high-ranking military personnel of the United States and the countries of the [NATO] alliance is fundamentally important for us, Lavrov said, adding that Russia will not allow the U.S. and NATO to delay the process with endless discussions. Lavrov charged that NATO is trying to use Kiev as a tool against Russia. NATO member states are systematically transforming Ukraine into a military foothold against Russia, building their bases there, using its territory to conduct exercises. If this year there were seven such maneuvers, then in the coming year, according to a law adopted by the Verkhovna Rada [the parliament] of Ukraine, 10 [drills are planned], including one year-round [exercise], Lavrov said. He observed that the number of troops participating in drills in Ukraine will double in 2022 and reach 64,000. He also said that the Ukrainian government has no intention of ending a military conflict with the self-proclaimed republics that has been plaguing the country since 2014. The civil war, which has been going on for the eighth year in Ukraine, is far from over. The countrys authorities are not going to take steps to resolve the conflict in Donbas on the uncontested basis of the Minsk Package of Measures, Lavrov said. According to him, the Ukrainian authorities consider support from NATO as carte blanche for a military operation. As for the residents of Donbas, where hundreds of thousands of citizens of our country live, Russia will take all the necessary measures to protect them. We will continue to make efforts to resolve the internal Ukrainian conflict by political and diplomatic means, Lavrov said. He further stated that there will be an adequate response to any possible military provocations from Kiev. Lavrov Warns Russia Will Take Measures Against Threats to Its Security Dec. 31, 2021 (EIRNS)In the aftermath of the Biden-Putin phone call of yesterday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned in an interview with Sputnik that If a constructive response does not follow within a reasonable time and the West continues its aggressive line, then Russia will be forced to take all necessary measures to ensure a strategic balance and eliminate unacceptable threats to our security. He explained that Moscows proposals on security guarantees envision the non-expansion of NATO to the east and deployment of strike weapons near Russias borders, but they all contain other elements that in the end should form those very reliable, legally binding security guarantees. Our proposals are aimed at creating and legalizing a new system of agreements based on the principle of the indivisibility of security and abandonment of attempts to achieve military superiority, which was approved unanimously by the leaders of all Euro-Atlantic states in the 1990s. I would like to emphasize that what we need is legally binding guarantees since our Western colleagues systematically fail to fulfill political obligations, not to mention voiced assurances and promises given to Soviet and Russian leaders, Lavrov said. Participation of high-ranking military personnel of the United States and the countries of the [NATO] alliance is fundamentally important for us, Lavrov said, adding that Russia will not allow the U.S. and NATO to delay the process with endless discussions. Lavrov charged that NATO is trying to use Kiev as a tool against Russia. NATO member states are systematically transforming Ukraine into a military foothold against Russia, building their bases there, using its territory to conduct exercises. If this year there were seven such maneuvers, then in the coming year, according to a law adopted by the Verkhovna Rada [the parliament] of Ukraine, 10 [drills are planned], including one year-round [exercise], Lavrov said. He observed that the number of troops participating in drills in Ukraine will double in 2022 and reach 64,000. He also said that the Ukrainian government has no intention of ending a military conflict with the self-proclaimed republics that has been plaguing the country since 2014. The civil war, which has been going on for the eighth year in Ukraine, is far from over. The countrys authorities are not going to take steps to resolve the conflict in Donbas on the uncontested basis of the Minsk Package of Measures, Lavrov said. According to him, the Ukrainian authorities consider support from NATO as carte blanche for a military operation. As for the residents of Donbas, where hundreds of thousands of citizens of our country live, Russia will take all the necessary measures to protect them. We will continue to make efforts to resolve the internal Ukrainian conflict by political and diplomatic means, Lavrov said. He further stated that there will be an adequate response to any possible military provocations from Kiev. Lavrov Warns Russia Will Take Measures Against Threats to Its Security Dec. 31, 2021 (EIRNS)In the aftermath of the Biden-Putin phone call of yesterday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned in an interview with Sputnik that If a constructive response does not follow within a reasonable time and the West continues its aggressive line, then Russia will be forced to take all necessary measures to ensure a strategic balance and eliminate unacceptable threats to our security. He explained that Moscows proposals on security guarantees envision the non-expansion of NATO to the east and deployment of strike weapons near Russias borders, but they all contain other elements that in the end should form those very reliable, legally binding security guarantees. Our proposals are aimed at creating and legalizing a new system of agreements based on the principle of the indivisibility of security and abandonment of attempts to achieve military superiority, which was approved unanimously by the leaders of all Euro-Atlantic states in the 1990s. I would like to emphasize that what we need is legally binding guarantees since our Western colleagues systematically fail to fulfill political obligations, not to mention voiced assurances and promises given to Soviet and Russian leaders, Lavrov said. Participation of high-ranking military personnel of the United States and the countries of the [NATO] alliance is fundamentally important for us, Lavrov said, adding that Russia will not allow the U.S. and NATO to delay the process with endless discussions. Lavrov charged that NATO is trying to use Kiev as a tool against Russia. NATO member states are systematically transforming Ukraine into a military foothold against Russia, building their bases there, using its territory to conduct exercises. If this year there were seven such maneuvers, then in the coming year, according to a law adopted by the Verkhovna Rada [the parliament] of Ukraine, 10 [drills are planned], including one year-round [exercise], Lavrov said. He observed that the number of troops participating in drills in Ukraine will double in 2022 and reach 64,000. He also said that the Ukrainian government has no intention of ending a military conflict with the self-proclaimed republics that has been plaguing the country since 2014. The civil war, which has been going on for the eighth year in Ukraine, is far from over. The countrys authorities are not going to take steps to resolve the conflict in Donbas on the uncontested basis of the Minsk Package of Measures, Lavrov said. According to him, the Ukrainian authorities consider support from NATO as carte blanche for a military operation. As for the residents of Donbas, where hundreds of thousands of citizens of our country live, Russia will take all the necessary measures to protect them. We will continue to make efforts to resolve the internal Ukrainian conflict by political and diplomatic means, Lavrov said. He further stated that there will be an adequate response to any possible military provocations from Kiev. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. The end of 2021 brings some welcome news, finally, with the Flying Leathernecks Aviation Museum announcing that it has earned a reprieve from the permanent closure mooted in February. Located on the grounds of Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar in San Diego, California for the past twenty years, this well-regarded museum will be be moving back to Great Park in Irvine, site of the now-shuttered MCAS El Toro (ironically, the museums previous home until the bases closure in 1999). Following the decision by MCAS Miramars commanding officer, Col Charles Dockery, to close the Flying Leathernecks Aviation Museum (for budgetary reasons) this February, a number of the institutions prominent exhibits found new homes elsewhere. This included sole-surviving Douglas SBD-1 Dauntless (BuNo.1612) which is now at the Air Zoo Flight Discovery Center in Kalamazoo, Michigan, FM-2 Wildcat (BuNo.16278) which is now with the Hickory Aviation Museum in Hickory, North Carolina, and Northrop F-5E Tiger II (BuNo.741564) which is now at the Pima Air & Space Museum near Tucson, Arizona. Thankfully, the rest of the collection now seems likely to remain as a whole, and will eventually make the 75 mile journey up the coast to Irvine sometime in the coming year or so. More details are available in the museums press release below The target date to reopen to the public is August 2023. All the aircraft and artifacts owned by the Marine Corps will remain at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar until they can be moved to their new home. In a Letter of Intent to the City of Irvine, Headquarters Marine Corps has just announced that it will keep the collection of aircraft and artifacts hosted by the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum intact. The Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum Foundation anticipates a Memorandum of Agreement from the Marine Corps stating that the full collection will be loaned to the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum at Great Park. Members of the Foundations Advisory Board are already meeting to plan the relocation and reopening of the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum. The Board will be working with the City of Irvine to restore and refurbish the former Marine Air Group 46 (MAG-46) hangars (pictured), the future home of the museum. The Foundation Advisory Board is comprised of retired Marines, business, legal, and museum professionals who will plan and guide the Museum to opening day and beyond. Brigadier General Michael Aguilar (USMC retired), CEO of the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum, has indicated that the first task of the board is to raise funds required to prepare the hangar and move the aircraft and artifacts to Irvine. General Aguilar also expressed his deep appreciation to the thousands of individuals from around the nation and the world who signed petitions and contacted their representatives about the museum. Their actions helped keep the collection intact and save the museum. To support the expenses associated with the move of the collection and artifacts, people can donate HERE. The French foreign ministry said on Friday slammed Iran for launching a rocket with a satellite carrier bearing three devices into space, reported Sputnik on Saturday. The launch came at a time when nuclear energy talks with Tehran were showing signs of progress. "France condemns this launch, which is not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231," a ministerial spokesperson said during a press conference, reportedly referring to the UN calls on Iran to stop working on the nuclear-capable ballistic missile technology. It is worth noting on December 30, Thursday, Iran aired footage of the blastoff against the backdrop of negotiations in Vienna to restore Tehrans tattered nuclear deal with world powers. According to a report by AP, the eight-round of meetings were held before Christmas and will resume after New Years holidays. "France sees the Iranian ballistic missile and space programs as overlapping due to the "closeness of technologies" used in space launches and missile tests. The Iranian Defence Ministry's involvement in the space launch further proves their "close link"," said the ministerial spokesperson. "These activities are all the more regrettable because they happened at a time when we are seeing progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna," added the spokesperson. The US yet to react to the recent rocket launch Notably, this was not the first time when Tehran launched a rocket when there were diplomatic negotiations were underway. Earlier, when Donald Trump was the President of the United States, Tehran had fired a similar rocket launch, resulting in rebukes from the United States. Though this time, the incumbent President Joe Biden and the military have not reacted to the rocket launch but the experts familiar with the developments noted the blast-offs have raised concerns in Washington about whether the technology used to launch satellites could advance Irans ballistic missile development. Earlier in the Trump regime, the United States pointed such satellite launches disregard a United Nations Security Council resolution. It should be noted Tehran has sent several short-lived satellites into orbit in the past decade. In 2013, Iran launched a monkey into space. But under Raisi, the government appears to have sharpened its focus on space. With inputs from agencies Image: AP The French foreign ministry said on Friday slammed Iran for launching a rocket with a satellite carrier bearing three devices into space, reported Sputnik on Saturday. The launch came at a time when nuclear energy talks with Tehran were showing signs of progress. "France condemns this launch, which is not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231," a ministerial spokesperson said during a press conference, reportedly referring to the UN calls on Iran to stop working on the nuclear-capable ballistic missile technology. It is worth noting on December 30, Thursday, Iran aired footage of the blastoff against the backdrop of negotiations in Vienna to restore Tehrans tattered nuclear deal with world powers. According to a report by AP, the eight-round of meetings were held before Christmas and will resume after New Years holidays. "France sees the Iranian ballistic missile and space programs as overlapping due to the "closeness of technologies" used in space launches and missile tests. The Iranian Defence Ministry's involvement in the space launch further proves their "close link"," said the ministerial spokesperson. "These activities are all the more regrettable because they happened at a time when we are seeing progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna," added the spokesperson. The US yet to react to the recent rocket launch Notably, this was not the first time when Tehran launched a rocket when there were diplomatic negotiations were underway. Earlier, when Donald Trump was the President of the United States, Tehran had fired a similar rocket launch, resulting in rebukes from the United States. Though this time, the incumbent President Joe Biden and the military have not reacted to the rocket launch but the experts familiar with the developments noted the blast-offs have raised concerns in Washington about whether the technology used to launch satellites could advance Irans ballistic missile development. Earlier in the Trump regime, the United States pointed such satellite launches disregard a United Nations Security Council resolution. It should be noted Tehran has sent several short-lived satellites into orbit in the past decade. In 2013, Iran launched a monkey into space. But under Raisi, the government appears to have sharpened its focus on space. With inputs from agencies Image: AP The French foreign ministry said on Friday slammed Iran for launching a rocket with a satellite carrier bearing three devices into space, reported Sputnik on Saturday. The launch came at a time when nuclear energy talks with Tehran were showing signs of progress. "France condemns this launch, which is not in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2231," a ministerial spokesperson said during a press conference, reportedly referring to the UN calls on Iran to stop working on the nuclear-capable ballistic missile technology. It is worth noting on December 30, Thursday, Iran aired footage of the blastoff against the backdrop of negotiations in Vienna to restore Tehrans tattered nuclear deal with world powers. According to a report by AP, the eight-round of meetings were held before Christmas and will resume after New Years holidays. "France sees the Iranian ballistic missile and space programs as overlapping due to the "closeness of technologies" used in space launches and missile tests. The Iranian Defence Ministry's involvement in the space launch further proves their "close link"," said the ministerial spokesperson. "These activities are all the more regrettable because they happened at a time when we are seeing progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna," added the spokesperson. The US yet to react to the recent rocket launch Notably, this was not the first time when Tehran launched a rocket when there were diplomatic negotiations were underway. Earlier, when Donald Trump was the President of the United States, Tehran had fired a similar rocket launch, resulting in rebukes from the United States. Though this time, the incumbent President Joe Biden and the military have not reacted to the rocket launch but the experts familiar with the developments noted the blast-offs have raised concerns in Washington about whether the technology used to launch satellites could advance Irans ballistic missile development. Earlier in the Trump regime, the United States pointed such satellite launches disregard a United Nations Security Council resolution. It should be noted Tehran has sent several short-lived satellites into orbit in the past decade. In 2013, Iran launched a monkey into space. But under Raisi, the government appears to have sharpened its focus on space. With inputs from agencies Image: AP We wish to be able to get back in Vietnam in 2022 December 31, 2021 | 04:15 pm PT As another tumultuous year of the pandemic has passed, VnExpress International readers shared what they most expect in Vietnam in the new year. "To get back in Vietnam to be with my wife." Harish Chouhan "To be able to once again visit my favorite country." Simon Youens "To get my job back, and bring another generation of people to visit this beautiful country." Hans Baldwin "To visit Vietnam without any restrictions." Shane Migliaccio "Leaving Vietnam to visit our kids, family, and meet our new son-in-law for the first time after 18 months since the wedding-- while being able to return home to Vietnam without to cost prohibiting paperwork or weeks of quarantine!" Jacob Bloemberg "I am hoping that thousands of separated families would be reunited again in Vietnam. There are so many parents that haven't seen their kids in two years. I hope Vietnamese government can consider the human/family cost and not just economic cost when deciding who to let inside the country." Greg NG "Please open borders for foreigners to be with their loved ones in Vietnam. They are already a constant factor in economy of Vietnam (supporting loved ones financially for food and medicines, donating to Vietnam charity, etc...) We visited several times per year when possible. Humble, we ask to let us continue family life. It will be more than 2.5 years that we can't have family life. Our life is frozen." Ria van Rossum Pubs now see Dry January as potential 'nail in the coffin' for struggling business Hospitality bosses have urged consumers not to abandon pubs over Dry January as venues grapple with a 'chasm of debt' caused by Covid restrictions and a stagnant Christmas. The coming weeks could be 'the nail in the coffin' for thousands of pubs unless customers keep visiting, after the festive season saw venues lose money, business leaders have said. Over December, which is usually one of the busiest months for hospitality, sales fell by as much as 60 per cent for some pubs, according to leading trade body UKHospitality. Revellers in England partied into the early hours at pubs, bars and clubs that had suffered a tumultuous year of restrictions early on and then dwindling customer numbers over fears for the Omicron variant of Covid. Hospitality bosses have urged consumers not to abandon pubs over Dry January as venues grapple with a 'chasm of debt' caused by Covid restrictions and a stagnant Christmas. Pictured: Pedestrians pass an empty pub in London Revellers in England partied into the early hours at pubs, bars and clubs that had suffered a tumultuous year of restrictions early on and then dwindling customer numbers over fears for the Omicron variant of Covid. Pictured: New Year's Eve celebrations in Liverpool. Unlike in Wales and Scotland, people in England flocked to nightclubs to see in the New Year after the government decided against further restrictions. Pictured: Revellers at Players Bar in Birmingham But venues in Wales and Scotland did not even get a New Year's boost after the Labour and SNP government laid down tough restrictions on gatherings and forced clubs to close. And now one in seven UK adults are planning to take part in Dry January in 2022, which sees people abstain from drinking for the first month of the year, according to a poll by Alcohol Change UK, the charity promoting the campaign. But pub owners are urging punters to still visit their local - even if they don't order a pint. Tom Bott, founder of Signature Brew, a North London brewery, encouraged customers to continue supporting local venues by ordering food and non-alcoholic drink even if they are abstaining. Patrick Dardis, chief executive of Young's, said venues were already committed to offering a 'welcoming' environment for non-drinkers during Dry January and more widely Tom Bott, founder of Signature Brew, a North London brewery, encouraged customers to continue supporting local venues by ordering food and non-alcoholic drink even if they are abstaining Hospitality sector bosses have warned a slump in sales during Dry January could be 'the nail in the coffin' for the industry after Omicron hit trading over Christmas and New Year. Pictured: Aftermath of celebrations in Piccadilly Circus Mr Bott said the aim of Dry January was commendable but the timing compounds the impact of an already slow month for hospitality. 'It does sort of feel like it doubles down on the pub industry's worst month by also having a huge wave of people who don't drink,' he said. 'For those who are doing Dry January, and I can completely see why a lot of people do, I would still urge them to meet up with their friends and go out to their local pub, restaurant, music venue, wherever else because those venues desperately need your support, whether you're drinking an alcoholic beverage or not.' Reduced footfall combined with a lack of Government support and unclear guidance on Covid hospitality rules for the coming months has exacerbated the problem, he added. Alcohol Change UK said pubs should focus on making non-drinkers feel 'included' by offering high-quality alcohol-free options behind the bar. Venues in Wales and Scotland did not even get a New Year's boost after the Labour and SNP government laid down tough restrictions on gatherings and forced clubs to close. Pictured: The closed Queens Vault pub in Cardiff Princes Street is seen deserted on December 31, 2021 in Edinburgh, Scotland 'If they think their customers are not going to come in when they're having a month off booze, they need to question why,' Lucy Holmes, director of policy research at the charity, said. 'If you can get people through the door with a really good alcohol-free beer, why not? Why not make a virtue out of it?' Patrick Dardis, chief executive of Young's, said venues were already committed to offering a 'welcoming' environment for non-drinkers during Dry January and more widely. People abstaining from drink can still order food and non-alcoholic beverages and enjoy a friendly atmosphere, he said. Mr Dardis said large chains like his own would be able to survive a slowdown in January but expressed 'sincere concern' for smaller businesses. Health Secretary Sajid Javid, pictured, said Britons will have to get used to living with Covid-19 'I do see thousands and thousands of business for whom this (period) is probably the final nail in the coffin. January and February will be brutal for thousands of businesses across the land,' Mr Dardis said. Tony Sophoclides, strategic affairs director at UKHospitality, said businesses had tried to build cash reserves to bolster them over the coming month but had instead been left 'stricken' by the period of stagnation. 'The role of Dry January is nothing new and we knew that was coming which is why it was so disappointing not being able to capitalise on December,' he said. 'We would say go out and support your local pub because if you want to keep them going, so many are on the edge of the precipice right now. 'The chasm of debt that most of them are facing is going to take a long time to get out of.' Downing Street has not ruled out the possibility of new restrictions in England, although Health Secretary Sajid Javid described prospect as a 'last resort'. While coronavirus cases are continuing to rise due to the fast-spreading Omicron variant, official figures showed yesterday that in parts of Britain up to four in 10 hospital patients with Covid were actually there to receive treatment for something else. The figure nationally is one in three. Mr Javid said the numbers in intensive care units remained stable, meaning 'we have welcomed in 2022 with some of the least restrictive measures in Europe'. Mr Javid added: 'Curbs on our freedom must be an absolute last resort and the British people rightly expect us to do everything in our power to avert them. Boris Johnson, unlike the First Ministers of Scotland and Wales, decided against imposing additional restrictions in England, despite record-breaking Covid infections fuelled by the Omicron variant. It led to thousands crossing the border from Wales and Scotland to party into 2022 in England, a move welcomed by English hospitality chiefs. Although there were rumours Boris Johnson may impose restrictions to curb the spread of the virus as early as next week, Whitehall sources said no new measures are expected when Plan B is reviewed next week. The Prime Minister will most likely 'maintain the status quo' of wearing masks indoors, working from home if possible and using vaccine passports where necessary, Whitehall sources told the Sun . It came after Mr Johnson warned this week that New Year's celebrations should be 'cautious and sensible'. All because his parents refused to abort him, a boy whose mother was told he would never live past the age of 2 has recently celebrated 17 years of life with some of his favorite peoplelocal police officers. Joshua Bourassa, of Pennsylvania, has Krabbe disease, an inherited condition that destroys the protective coating of nerve cells in the brain, and eventually the nervous system, resulting in a massively reduced life expectancy. Patients rarely live past their second birthday. But Josh did, and his mother, 40-year-old Rebecca Bourassa, chose to celebrate her amazing sons senior year with a special photoshoot. Dressed in police uniform gifted by Gibson state police, Trooper Josh looked the part. Rebecca told The Epoch Times that photographer Erikas photos were the best senior pictures ever. Josh with the Gibson state police officers. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) Josh with a cornhole game set that he made with the help of his mom to bless the Gibson state police officers with. The boards have different photos of Josh with police officers. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) I messaged a local photographer. It was her idea to have the local police officers come, I didnt even know she asked them, Rebecca said. Josh was so excited to have the police officers with him; he loved the police truck and didnt want to get out of it. We have been very blessed by so many officers over the years. When Josh had his scoliosis surgery, the Pittsburgh Police came by almost daily to see him. They got him food, gifts, and toys, they would come sit with him for hours and play Uno with him, have nerf gunfights at the hospital, snowball fights; they definitely went above and beyond. Josh is strong-willed, and he loves life. Josh with police officers when he was in the childrens hospital in Pittsburgh for his scoliosis surgery. The officers often use to come and spend quality fun time with him. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) Josh and police officers just before Christmas at the childrens hospital of Pittsburgh. Every year, the police bring plenty of toys and pass them out to all the children. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) Rebecca and her husband of 23 years, Nicholas Bourassa, 40, live in small-town Pennsylvania with their daughter, Alyssa, 22, Josh, 17, and their brother Stanley, 15. They also have custody of Rebeccas nephews and niece: Austin, 19, Matthew, 13, and Delaney, 12. Rebecca is a stay-at-home mom; Nicholas works at a local sewer plant. When Rebecca found out she was expecting Josh, they knew there was a 25 percent chance he could be born with Krabbe disease; they had already lost a child, Nicholas, to the same disease at just 9 months of age, and knew all too much about the devastating condition. They hoped for the better, but upon receiving a positive test result at 12 weeks, Rebecca was hysterical. The call that followed shocked her even more. It was a nurse, and her words were, Mrs. Bourassa, Im calling to set up your abortion. I instantly got sick to my stomach, she recalled. I went to the doctor and he really pushed for me to have an abortion, telling me why would I put myself and family through the heartbreak of losing another child? Why would I bring a baby into this world to have it suffer? I ended up changing my doctor shortly after. I dont believe in abortion, and my faith and trust in God definitely played a role in my choice. Josh with the officers from Pennsylvania State Police during his spinal surgery in Pittsburg. Trooper Allison (L) is still in touch with Josh, and he even visited Josh after surgery and rubbed his legs and talked with him for hours to help stop his pain and muscle spasms. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) Baby Nicholas, the older brother that Josh will never know, was born healthy in New York City on April 18, 2002, at a time when the city did not practice newborn screening for Krabbe disease. Nicholas progressed well for a few weeks, but then came constant crying. His pediatrician suspected gas, or colic. Nicholas started throwing up almost everything he ate and was still crying constantly. Rebecca knew something was badly wrong, and the baby was admitted to the hospital for severe dehydration and abnormal temperatures. But when staff revealed he would be discharged after receiving fluids, Rebecca begged for a second opinion. I couldnt hold it together, all the emotions mixed in; nervous about what was wrong, relief that finally someone will figure this out, angry that other doctors didnt take this seriously, she recalled. Josh with the Army officers from the 1st battalion 109th infantry Men of Iron in April 2019 during an event at his school. They honored him as Sergeant Josh Bourassa. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) Yet answers wouldnt come for several months, during which time baby Nicholas vomited blood, was placed on a ventilator, and had to be tube-fed. After sending genetic samples to a lab in Philadelphia, baby Nicholas finally received his diagnosis. I sat there smiling, I said, Great, thanks, so how will you treat him and make him better?' Rebecca recalled. [The doctor] looked at me and said, Im so sorry, theres nothing we can do; its a terminal disease and we only give your son a couple more weeks to live. My heart stopped beating. Nicholas soldiered on for three more months. But despite the familys fervent prayers, he lost his fight for life on Feb. 1, 2003. Rebecca and her husband with their baby Nicholas just moments after he died. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) While pregnant with Josh, and with the perennial support of her parents, Rebecca started researching the disease and support groups online. She found an experimental cord blood transplant program for rare diseases at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and made plans for her baby to join the program. Josh was born on July 13, 2004, said Rebecca. He was so tiny: 4 pounds, 3 ounces. We got to spend a little bit of time with him before he was rushed off for testing. We were told, without the transplant, Josh wouldnt live past 2 years of age. With the transplant, I was told it would give him a better quality of life, but long term they didnt know because he was only the ninth baby to have this done for Krabbe disease. Josh was a fighter. The family remained in North Carolina for Joshs first year and grew accustomed to his needs. Even his big sister, Alyssa, just 7 years old at the time, learned how to use a suction machine, a port feeding tube, and IV pumps, and helped her mom with morning blood draws. The family watched a lot of police officers on TV in the hospital together. Rebecca suspects this helped inform Joshs love for law enforcement; he dreams of joining the force one day and wants to be a husband and father. He says he likes police officers because they are very cool and they help people, Rebecca explained. He loves to see them; he loves the cars, the lights. He gets mad if I dont purposely try and get pulled over when hes with me in the car, just so he can say Hi!' As he grew, Josh found ways that work for him in interacting with the world and has never let his disability hold him back. He can talk, see, and hear, despite his initial prognosis, has a great sense of humor, and his family supports him every step of the way. He wanted to drive a car, so I took him on a back road, set him on my lap, and let him drive, Rebecca said. He wanted to roller skate, so I got him skates and he did it; he wanted to do a tractor pull, so I took him to the fair, talked with the judges, and they let him hook his wheelchair up and pull the smile and happiness it gave him was worth all the gray hair! Joshs health, said Rebecca, has declined over the past five years; he has lost total use of his right arm and right shoulder, and peripheral nerve disease has spread through his neck and back, causing severe scoliosis and requiring surgery. One thing that keeps the family united in positivity is their refusal to let negative thinking take over. Josh is their ringleader. The last time we went to the hospital for his yearly check-up, I was crying; the doctor was telling us, Yes, the disease is progressing,' said Rebecca. Josh sat there eating his cupcake, and said, Listen, stop making my mom cry all the time. You told her I was gonna die lots of times before guess what, Im still here and I can do everything I want to do, so you doctors dont know everything. We all started smiling. Even the doctor. Rebecca shared that Josh said he would like everyone to know that he is happy and well. He thinks everybody in the world should have a family; if you know a kid that needs a family, he implores, be a family to them, and buy them some chocolate because chocolate always makes kids happy! Arshdeep Sarao contributed to this report. Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Epoch Inspired newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter Below Deck yachties know how to bounce back quickly after a hard night of partying. But then again, so do many Bravolebs. Heres some advice on how to get out of bed and greet 2022 after a big 2021 send-off. Chef Ben from Below Deck says to eat something spicy Chef Ben Robinson from Below Deck is a fan of spicy food to get him moving after a night of partying. I just really love it, he told Showbiz Cheat Sheet about eating spicy food when he has a hangover. Fancy AF Cocktails with Tom and Ariana Panel at BravoCon2019 Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix from Vanderpump Rules | Kathy Boos/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images He added, I love citrus. I love spice. You know, I can eat it in the morning. In the Bahamas, I always used to get a really spicy conch salad, like ridiculously spicy in the morning, and it just would blow the hangover right out [laughs]! And its something about these combination flavors that really just invigorate me. And I just love the stories behind it, he added. It really captures my imagination, other peoples imaginations, because obviously citrus is an antibacterial. So its just a lot of fun and it just links in a lot of ties into the science of cooking. Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix from Vanderpump Rules have a fizzy recovery mocktail Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval from Vanderpump Rules told Showbiz Cheat Sheet they lean into a fizzy mocktail that infuses Alka-Seltzer along with ginger syrup and lavender honey. Sandoval also created a mocktail that can be made with or without the booze. If youre gonna have cocktails, go with some fresh juices, especially watermelon and cucumber, he explained. They contain so much water that they keep everyone hydrated. its #pumprules tuesday! you know the vibes cheers, pumpies! pic.twitter.com/F1NnMQahN7 Ariana Fancy As F*ck Madix (@ariana2525) November 9, 2021 RELATED: Vanderpump Rules Season 9 Begins Filming as Tom Sandoval Reveals Hes Having a Hard Time Staffing TomTom (Exclusive) Its easy and Im into things that are carbonated, he continued. You take like a spiked seltzer and muddle like raspberries, blueberries, and maybe some citrus. Mix the fruit with perhaps some vodka or tequila then top it with the seltzer. It just turns the seltzer into something more fruity and just kicks it up a notch. Madix also revealed she was behind Pinkys Lemonade. I love anything thats like a lemony, she said. Like Pinkys Lemonade, that was a drink I created many years ago for Pride actually. Bravo trainer Jackie Warner from Work Out suggests lemon water Jackie Warner from Bravo shows like Work Out and Thintervention suggests chugging water with lots of lemons and also doing some stretching. The best medicine for a hangover is lemon water and stretching, she said in a Bravo digital original. A hangover means that your body is dehydrated and full of toxins from alcohol. Detox and hydrate your body first by drinking two liters of water with lemon juice. Whos the mysterious photographer?? Selfie time! #celebrityselfie Stay ?? pic.twitter.com/yGTwiMJgmI Chef Ben Robinson (@BenRobinsonChef) October 5, 2017 She then suggested stretching before a workout is even attempted. Warner said to do tricep stretches and rotator cuff stretches and a chest stretch. Bravolebs have more hangover remedy ideas Below Deck Sailing Yacht chief stew Daisy Kelliher said a good pair of sunglasses was her solution to a job interview when she was hungover. Gail Simmons from Top Chef said she tries to keep eating and drinking long after the party is over. Nice crispy bacon, egg and cheese sandwich, Tom Schwartz from Vanderpump Rules advised. Some coconut water. Maybe a banana. Scheana Shay from Vanderpump Rules said fried rice (or any rice) and a Sprite the next day helps her. Sandoval also suggested taking Midol Complete for a hangover. RELATED: Andy Cohen Dishes About RHOA Reunion and the Hangover He Earned Below Deck yachties know how to bounce back quickly after a hard night of partying. But then again, so do many Bravolebs. Heres some advice on how to get out of bed and greet 2022 after a big 2021 send-off. Chef Ben from Below Deck says to eat something spicy Chef Ben Robinson from Below Deck is a fan of spicy food to get him moving after a night of partying. I just really love it, he told Showbiz Cheat Sheet about eating spicy food when he has a hangover. Fancy AF Cocktails with Tom and Ariana Panel at BravoCon2019 Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix from Vanderpump Rules | Kathy Boos/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images He added, I love citrus. I love spice. You know, I can eat it in the morning. In the Bahamas, I always used to get a really spicy conch salad, like ridiculously spicy in the morning, and it just would blow the hangover right out [laughs]! And its something about these combination flavors that really just invigorate me. And I just love the stories behind it, he added. It really captures my imagination, other peoples imaginations, because obviously citrus is an antibacterial. So its just a lot of fun and it just links in a lot of ties into the science of cooking. Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix from Vanderpump Rules have a fizzy recovery mocktail Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval from Vanderpump Rules told Showbiz Cheat Sheet they lean into a fizzy mocktail that infuses Alka-Seltzer along with ginger syrup and lavender honey. Sandoval also created a mocktail that can be made with or without the booze. If youre gonna have cocktails, go with some fresh juices, especially watermelon and cucumber, he explained. They contain so much water that they keep everyone hydrated. its #pumprules tuesday! you know the vibes cheers, pumpies! pic.twitter.com/F1NnMQahN7 Ariana Fancy As F*ck Madix (@ariana2525) November 9, 2021 RELATED: Vanderpump Rules Season 9 Begins Filming as Tom Sandoval Reveals Hes Having a Hard Time Staffing TomTom (Exclusive) Its easy and Im into things that are carbonated, he continued. You take like a spiked seltzer and muddle like raspberries, blueberries, and maybe some citrus. Mix the fruit with perhaps some vodka or tequila then top it with the seltzer. It just turns the seltzer into something more fruity and just kicks it up a notch. Madix also revealed she was behind Pinkys Lemonade. I love anything thats like a lemony, she said. Like Pinkys Lemonade, that was a drink I created many years ago for Pride actually. Bravo trainer Jackie Warner from Work Out suggests lemon water Jackie Warner from Bravo shows like Work Out and Thintervention suggests chugging water with lots of lemons and also doing some stretching. The best medicine for a hangover is lemon water and stretching, she said in a Bravo digital original. A hangover means that your body is dehydrated and full of toxins from alcohol. Detox and hydrate your body first by drinking two liters of water with lemon juice. Whos the mysterious photographer?? Selfie time! #celebrityselfie Stay ?? pic.twitter.com/yGTwiMJgmI Chef Ben Robinson (@BenRobinsonChef) October 5, 2017 She then suggested stretching before a workout is even attempted. Warner said to do tricep stretches and rotator cuff stretches and a chest stretch. Bravolebs have more hangover remedy ideas Below Deck Sailing Yacht chief stew Daisy Kelliher said a good pair of sunglasses was her solution to a job interview when she was hungover. Gail Simmons from Top Chef said she tries to keep eating and drinking long after the party is over. Nice crispy bacon, egg and cheese sandwich, Tom Schwartz from Vanderpump Rules advised. Some coconut water. Maybe a banana. Scheana Shay from Vanderpump Rules said fried rice (or any rice) and a Sprite the next day helps her. Sandoval also suggested taking Midol Complete for a hangover. RELATED: Andy Cohen Dishes About RHOA Reunion and the Hangover He Earned Below Deck yachties know how to bounce back quickly after a hard night of partying. But then again, so do many Bravolebs. Heres some advice on how to get out of bed and greet 2022 after a big 2021 send-off. Chef Ben from Below Deck says to eat something spicy Chef Ben Robinson from Below Deck is a fan of spicy food to get him moving after a night of partying. I just really love it, he told Showbiz Cheat Sheet about eating spicy food when he has a hangover. Fancy AF Cocktails with Tom and Ariana Panel at BravoCon2019 Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix from Vanderpump Rules | Kathy Boos/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images He added, I love citrus. I love spice. You know, I can eat it in the morning. In the Bahamas, I always used to get a really spicy conch salad, like ridiculously spicy in the morning, and it just would blow the hangover right out [laughs]! And its something about these combination flavors that really just invigorate me. And I just love the stories behind it, he added. It really captures my imagination, other peoples imaginations, because obviously citrus is an antibacterial. So its just a lot of fun and it just links in a lot of ties into the science of cooking. Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix from Vanderpump Rules have a fizzy recovery mocktail Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval from Vanderpump Rules told Showbiz Cheat Sheet they lean into a fizzy mocktail that infuses Alka-Seltzer along with ginger syrup and lavender honey. Sandoval also created a mocktail that can be made with or without the booze. If youre gonna have cocktails, go with some fresh juices, especially watermelon and cucumber, he explained. They contain so much water that they keep everyone hydrated. its #pumprules tuesday! you know the vibes cheers, pumpies! pic.twitter.com/F1NnMQahN7 Ariana Fancy As F*ck Madix (@ariana2525) November 9, 2021 RELATED: Vanderpump Rules Season 9 Begins Filming as Tom Sandoval Reveals Hes Having a Hard Time Staffing TomTom (Exclusive) Its easy and Im into things that are carbonated, he continued. You take like a spiked seltzer and muddle like raspberries, blueberries, and maybe some citrus. Mix the fruit with perhaps some vodka or tequila then top it with the seltzer. It just turns the seltzer into something more fruity and just kicks it up a notch. Madix also revealed she was behind Pinkys Lemonade. I love anything thats like a lemony, she said. Like Pinkys Lemonade, that was a drink I created many years ago for Pride actually. Bravo trainer Jackie Warner from Work Out suggests lemon water Jackie Warner from Bravo shows like Work Out and Thintervention suggests chugging water with lots of lemons and also doing some stretching. The best medicine for a hangover is lemon water and stretching, she said in a Bravo digital original. A hangover means that your body is dehydrated and full of toxins from alcohol. Detox and hydrate your body first by drinking two liters of water with lemon juice. Whos the mysterious photographer?? Selfie time! #celebrityselfie Stay ?? pic.twitter.com/yGTwiMJgmI Chef Ben Robinson (@BenRobinsonChef) October 5, 2017 She then suggested stretching before a workout is even attempted. Warner said to do tricep stretches and rotator cuff stretches and a chest stretch. Bravolebs have more hangover remedy ideas Below Deck Sailing Yacht chief stew Daisy Kelliher said a good pair of sunglasses was her solution to a job interview when she was hungover. Gail Simmons from Top Chef said she tries to keep eating and drinking long after the party is over. Nice crispy bacon, egg and cheese sandwich, Tom Schwartz from Vanderpump Rules advised. Some coconut water. Maybe a banana. Scheana Shay from Vanderpump Rules said fried rice (or any rice) and a Sprite the next day helps her. Sandoval also suggested taking Midol Complete for a hangover. RELATED: Andy Cohen Dishes About RHOA Reunion and the Hangover He Earned Pubs now see Dry January as potential 'nail in the coffin' for struggling business Hospitality bosses have urged consumers not to abandon pubs over Dry January as venues grapple with a 'chasm of debt' caused by Covid restrictions and a stagnant Christmas. The coming weeks could be 'the nail in the coffin' for thousands of pubs unless customers keep visiting, after the festive season saw venues lose money, business leaders have said. Over December, which is usually one of the busiest months for hospitality, sales fell by as much as 60 per cent for some pubs, according to leading trade body UKHospitality. Revellers in England partied into the early hours at pubs, bars and clubs that had suffered a tumultuous year of restrictions early on and then dwindling customer numbers over fears for the Omicron variant of Covid. Hospitality bosses have urged consumers not to abandon pubs over Dry January as venues grapple with a 'chasm of debt' caused by Covid restrictions and a stagnant Christmas. Pictured: Pedestrians pass an empty pub in London Revellers in England partied into the early hours at pubs, bars and clubs that had suffered a tumultuous year of restrictions early on and then dwindling customer numbers over fears for the Omicron variant of Covid. Pictured: New Year's Eve celebrations in Liverpool. Unlike in Wales and Scotland, people in England flocked to nightclubs to see in the New Year after the government decided against further restrictions. Pictured: Revellers at Players Bar in Birmingham But venues in Wales and Scotland did not even get a New Year's boost after the Labour and SNP government laid down tough restrictions on gatherings and forced clubs to close. And now one in seven UK adults are planning to take part in Dry January in 2022, which sees people abstain from drinking for the first month of the year, according to a poll by Alcohol Change UK, the charity promoting the campaign. But pub owners are urging punters to still visit their local - even if they don't order a pint. Tom Bott, founder of Signature Brew, a North London brewery, encouraged customers to continue supporting local venues by ordering food and non-alcoholic drink even if they are abstaining. Patrick Dardis, chief executive of Young's, said venues were already committed to offering a 'welcoming' environment for non-drinkers during Dry January and more widely Tom Bott, founder of Signature Brew, a North London brewery, encouraged customers to continue supporting local venues by ordering food and non-alcoholic drink even if they are abstaining Hospitality sector bosses have warned a slump in sales during Dry January could be 'the nail in the coffin' for the industry after Omicron hit trading over Christmas and New Year. Pictured: Aftermath of celebrations in Piccadilly Circus Mr Bott said the aim of Dry January was commendable but the timing compounds the impact of an already slow month for hospitality. 'It does sort of feel like it doubles down on the pub industry's worst month by also having a huge wave of people who don't drink,' he said. 'For those who are doing Dry January, and I can completely see why a lot of people do, I would still urge them to meet up with their friends and go out to their local pub, restaurant, music venue, wherever else because those venues desperately need your support, whether you're drinking an alcoholic beverage or not.' Reduced footfall combined with a lack of Government support and unclear guidance on Covid hospitality rules for the coming months has exacerbated the problem, he added. Alcohol Change UK said pubs should focus on making non-drinkers feel 'included' by offering high-quality alcohol-free options behind the bar. Venues in Wales and Scotland did not even get a New Year's boost after the Labour and SNP government laid down tough restrictions on gatherings and forced clubs to close. Pictured: The closed Queens Vault pub in Cardiff Princes Street is seen deserted on December 31, 2021 in Edinburgh, Scotland 'If they think their customers are not going to come in when they're having a month off booze, they need to question why,' Lucy Holmes, director of policy research at the charity, said. 'If you can get people through the door with a really good alcohol-free beer, why not? Why not make a virtue out of it?' Patrick Dardis, chief executive of Young's, said venues were already committed to offering a 'welcoming' environment for non-drinkers during Dry January and more widely. People abstaining from drink can still order food and non-alcoholic beverages and enjoy a friendly atmosphere, he said. Mr Dardis said large chains like his own would be able to survive a slowdown in January but expressed 'sincere concern' for smaller businesses. Health Secretary Sajid Javid, pictured, said Britons will have to get used to living with Covid-19 'I do see thousands and thousands of business for whom this (period) is probably the final nail in the coffin. January and February will be brutal for thousands of businesses across the land,' Mr Dardis said. Tony Sophoclides, strategic affairs director at UKHospitality, said businesses had tried to build cash reserves to bolster them over the coming month but had instead been left 'stricken' by the period of stagnation. 'The role of Dry January is nothing new and we knew that was coming which is why it was so disappointing not being able to capitalise on December,' he said. 'We would say go out and support your local pub because if you want to keep them going, so many are on the edge of the precipice right now. 'The chasm of debt that most of them are facing is going to take a long time to get out of.' Downing Street has not ruled out the possibility of new restrictions in England, although Health Secretary Sajid Javid described prospect as a 'last resort'. While coronavirus cases are continuing to rise due to the fast-spreading Omicron variant, official figures showed yesterday that in parts of Britain up to four in 10 hospital patients with Covid were actually there to receive treatment for something else. The figure nationally is one in three. Mr Javid said the numbers in intensive care units remained stable, meaning 'we have welcomed in 2022 with some of the least restrictive measures in Europe'. Mr Javid added: 'Curbs on our freedom must be an absolute last resort and the British people rightly expect us to do everything in our power to avert them. Boris Johnson, unlike the First Ministers of Scotland and Wales, decided against imposing additional restrictions in England, despite record-breaking Covid infections fuelled by the Omicron variant. It led to thousands crossing the border from Wales and Scotland to party into 2022 in England, a move welcomed by English hospitality chiefs. Although there were rumours Boris Johnson may impose restrictions to curb the spread of the virus as early as next week, Whitehall sources said no new measures are expected when Plan B is reviewed next week. The Prime Minister will most likely 'maintain the status quo' of wearing masks indoors, working from home if possible and using vaccine passports where necessary, Whitehall sources told the Sun . It came after Mr Johnson warned this week that New Year's celebrations should be 'cautious and sensible'. 2021 began with such promise. The lockdowns were over, and although too many people were still being too reckless, we could stay safe as long as most of the people around us wore their masks. A small thing. Enough children had returned safely to the classroom that even the most cautious districts were warming to the idea of letting their students back in. The first vaccine was approved and being delivered into eager arms. The protests over deadly police practices had comingled and morphed into the most divisive presidential election in decades, and we had survived it without violence. Democracy was alive, and our republic remained intact. Finally, there was hope on the horizon. We could pull back from our hair-on-fire politics and reestablish relationships with friends and family from whom we had become estranged over politics. COVID would soon be a thing of the past. We were ready for a return to all sorts of normal: back to school, back to the office, back to gathering with friends and family, back to restaurants and concerts and movies and vacationing and normal. Disappointment cant begin to describe what followed. It's hard to imagine that our nation will remember 2021 for much if anything beyond the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 and the COVID wars. The fraying of civility. The retreat to our tribes. Our inability to work together toward common goals. To even recognize that we have common goals. Our growing unwillingness to hear facts that challenge our opinions much less opinions that challenge our opinions. Our disdain across the political spectrum for authority and social norms. For seeking common ground. A not-so-long-ago unimaginable national divide over whether its acceptable to use force to protest mask requirements. Or to overturn an election. We had a Congress that couldnt stop spending money, led by Democrats who seemed determined to mimic the Republicans before them, by catering to the most radical elements in their base, at the expense of the pragmatic centrists who put them in office. Closer to home, we had a Legislature that was fixated on culture-war issues and a governor who seemed increasingly determined to abandon the sensible conservatism that had defined his career and reasonable lawmakers who were afraid to challenge the panderers, for fear that the extremists would come after them. And now we begin another new year. Another chance to look ahead with hope. Do we dare? And if so, do we even have the emotional energy for it? After such a deflating year? We do. We must. One of the first actions of the Provincial Congress of South Carolina was to create a seal, which bore the motto of our newly independent state: Dum Spiro Spero, while I breathe, I hope. It was, is and will be our lodestar. Pandemics always end eventually. The question in the modern era is whether they end with a vaccination, like smallpox did, or with the virus defeating itself by evolving into something that becomes increasingly transmissible but decreasingly deadly. At the beginning of 2021, we thought the vaccines would defeat the virus. They still might. COVID has fooled us before; too many times, in its short life, to count. But we begin 2022 with the apparently less deadly and clearly more transmissible omicron variant sweeping our nation and conjuring up visions of the other end game. And the combination of an ever-less-deadly virus with the approaching ubiquity of vaccines and increasingly effective treatments holds the promise of not only transforming COVID from pandemic to endemic but also reducing our collective social fever. Those of us who believe everyone has an obligation to take simple steps to protect our fellow human beings from infection by wearing masks and being vaccinated will probably never stop believing that government and employers can and should require them if necessary just as those who oppose mandates will probably never acknowledge their lifesaving ability. But now that all but the very youngest in this country have the ability to give ourselves incredible protection from a virus whose danger always came from the number of people infected, not from the percent of infected people who died, its less essential for government to protect the vulnerable from those who refuse to help protect them. And with each additional vaccination, and each weakening mutation, it becomes less essential to protect our medical system by requiring anyone outside of that system to be vaccinated. Of course, dampening or even ending the COVID wars wont bring peace in our time. The culture warriors will find new excuses to make war. But the way COVID has upended every aspect of our lives has made its fracture lines deeper and more damaging than the exaggerated fights over well, over anything else. And even if our COVID hopes are dashed again this year, each of us has it within our own power to improve the way we interact with the other human beings we encounter. Dum spiro spero. And Happy New Year. Over 12,500 Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) have lost their permission to collect foreign donations 5,933 of them losing it on the last day of 2021 as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) either refused renewal of their licence or the outfits did not file applications for one. These organisations include Oxfam India, Biocon Foundation, Azim Premji Foundation, Indian Institute of Management in Bengaluru and Kolkata, Indian Institute of Technology, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, state-run Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre in Uttarakhand and Tuberculosis Association of India. The refusal to renew Mother Theresa-founded Missionaries of Charitys licence last week had triggered a controversy. Also Read | Opposition alleges Centre froze bank accounts of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity; govt denies Among the states, Tamil Nadu (1,453), West Bengal (1,382) and Maharashtra (1,282) had the highest number of NGOs whose nod to collect foreign funds expired as of December 31. Karnataka was placed seventh with 736 of its organisations losing the licence. The MHA had earlier extended the validity of licence under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010 to collect donations from abroad from September 30 to December 31 and then extended it to March 31. NGOs whose applications were rejected were not covered under this. Also Read | MHA allows some NGOs to collect foreign donations till March 31 An analysis of the FCRA database showed that the MHA on late Friday had put at least 5,933 organisations among NGOs whose licence to collect foreign donations in a list of outfits whose licence has expired. However, the break-up of NGOs whose applications were rejected and those who did not apply for renewal. With this, only 16,829 NGOs have the permission to collect foreign funds and this number could come down if the MHA finds discrepancies in the applications filed by them. On early Friday, this number was 22,762. Altogether, licences of 12,580 organisations expired on December 31. This would mean that there were 29,409 organisations that had the FCRA licence earlier. According to the database, Andhra Pradesh (973), Uttar Pradesh (872), Odisha (840), Karnataka (736), Kerala (700), Delhi (662) and Bihar (629) were in the top ten list of NGOs whose licence expired. In Karnataka, the Karnataka Central Diocese, Citizens Action Group and HD Kumaraswamy Sahrayalaya Trust are in the list of organisations that lose the licence. The VV Giri National Labour Institute considered the governments think tank on labour and employment issues, based in Uttar Pradeshs Noida was another prominent organisation that cannot collect foreign funds for its research programmes. In West Bengal, Satyajit Ray Film and TV Institute and School of Women Studies in Jadavpur University are among those who are not allowed to collect foreign funds from now on. The Times of India Relief Fund, Apne Aap Women Worldwide, Bachchon ka Ghar, Common Cause, Children's Book Trust, Subhash Chandra Foundation, Sulabh, Habitat Centre, Lady Shriram College for Women and Delhi Public School Society are among those who have lost the licence to collect foreign funds. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Over 12,500 Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) have lost their permission to collect foreign donations 5,933 of them losing it on the last day of 2021 as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) either refused renewal of their licence or the outfits did not file applications for one. These organisations include Oxfam India, Biocon Foundation, Azim Premji Foundation, Indian Institute of Management in Bengaluru and Kolkata, Indian Institute of Technology, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, state-run Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre in Uttarakhand and Tuberculosis Association of India. The refusal to renew Mother Theresa-founded Missionaries of Charitys licence last week had triggered a controversy. Also Read | Opposition alleges Centre froze bank accounts of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity; govt denies Among the states, Tamil Nadu (1,453), West Bengal (1,382) and Maharashtra (1,282) had the highest number of NGOs whose nod to collect foreign funds expired as of December 31. Karnataka was placed seventh with 736 of its organisations losing the licence. The MHA had earlier extended the validity of licence under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010 to collect donations from abroad from September 30 to December 31 and then extended it to March 31. NGOs whose applications were rejected were not covered under this. Also Read | MHA allows some NGOs to collect foreign donations till March 31 An analysis of the FCRA database showed that the MHA on late Friday had put at least 5,933 organisations among NGOs whose licence to collect foreign donations in a list of outfits whose licence has expired. However, the break-up of NGOs whose applications were rejected and those who did not apply for renewal. With this, only 16,829 NGOs have the permission to collect foreign funds and this number could come down if the MHA finds discrepancies in the applications filed by them. On early Friday, this number was 22,762. Altogether, licences of 12,580 organisations expired on December 31. This would mean that there were 29,409 organisations that had the FCRA licence earlier. According to the database, Andhra Pradesh (973), Uttar Pradesh (872), Odisha (840), Karnataka (736), Kerala (700), Delhi (662) and Bihar (629) were in the top ten list of NGOs whose licence expired. In Karnataka, the Karnataka Central Diocese, Citizens Action Group and HD Kumaraswamy Sahrayalaya Trust are in the list of organisations that lose the licence. The VV Giri National Labour Institute considered the governments think tank on labour and employment issues, based in Uttar Pradeshs Noida was another prominent organisation that cannot collect foreign funds for its research programmes. In West Bengal, Satyajit Ray Film and TV Institute and School of Women Studies in Jadavpur University are among those who are not allowed to collect foreign funds from now on. The Times of India Relief Fund, Apne Aap Women Worldwide, Bachchon ka Ghar, Common Cause, Children's Book Trust, Subhash Chandra Foundation, Sulabh, Habitat Centre, Lady Shriram College for Women and Delhi Public School Society are among those who have lost the licence to collect foreign funds. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Over 12,500 Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) have lost their permission to collect foreign donations 5,933 of them losing it on the last day of 2021 as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) either refused renewal of their licence or the outfits did not file applications for one. These organisations include Oxfam India, Biocon Foundation, Azim Premji Foundation, Indian Institute of Management in Bengaluru and Kolkata, Indian Institute of Technology, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, state-run Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre in Uttarakhand and Tuberculosis Association of India. The refusal to renew Mother Theresa-founded Missionaries of Charitys licence last week had triggered a controversy. Also Read | Opposition alleges Centre froze bank accounts of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity; govt denies Among the states, Tamil Nadu (1,453), West Bengal (1,382) and Maharashtra (1,282) had the highest number of NGOs whose nod to collect foreign funds expired as of December 31. Karnataka was placed seventh with 736 of its organisations losing the licence. The MHA had earlier extended the validity of licence under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010 to collect donations from abroad from September 30 to December 31 and then extended it to March 31. NGOs whose applications were rejected were not covered under this. Also Read | MHA allows some NGOs to collect foreign donations till March 31 An analysis of the FCRA database showed that the MHA on late Friday had put at least 5,933 organisations among NGOs whose licence to collect foreign donations in a list of outfits whose licence has expired. However, the break-up of NGOs whose applications were rejected and those who did not apply for renewal. With this, only 16,829 NGOs have the permission to collect foreign funds and this number could come down if the MHA finds discrepancies in the applications filed by them. On early Friday, this number was 22,762. Altogether, licences of 12,580 organisations expired on December 31. This would mean that there were 29,409 organisations that had the FCRA licence earlier. According to the database, Andhra Pradesh (973), Uttar Pradesh (872), Odisha (840), Karnataka (736), Kerala (700), Delhi (662) and Bihar (629) were in the top ten list of NGOs whose licence expired. In Karnataka, the Karnataka Central Diocese, Citizens Action Group and HD Kumaraswamy Sahrayalaya Trust are in the list of organisations that lose the licence. The VV Giri National Labour Institute considered the governments think tank on labour and employment issues, based in Uttar Pradeshs Noida was another prominent organisation that cannot collect foreign funds for its research programmes. In West Bengal, Satyajit Ray Film and TV Institute and School of Women Studies in Jadavpur University are among those who are not allowed to collect foreign funds from now on. The Times of India Relief Fund, Apne Aap Women Worldwide, Bachchon ka Ghar, Common Cause, Children's Book Trust, Subhash Chandra Foundation, Sulabh, Habitat Centre, Lady Shriram College for Women and Delhi Public School Society are among those who have lost the licence to collect foreign funds. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Over 12,500 Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) have lost their permission to collect foreign donations 5,933 of them losing it on the last day of 2021 as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) either refused renewal of their licence or the outfits did not file applications for one. These organisations include Oxfam India, Biocon Foundation, Azim Premji Foundation, Indian Institute of Management in Bengaluru and Kolkata, Indian Institute of Technology, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, state-run Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre in Uttarakhand and Tuberculosis Association of India. The refusal to renew Mother Theresa-founded Missionaries of Charitys licence last week had triggered a controversy. Also Read | Opposition alleges Centre froze bank accounts of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity; govt denies Among the states, Tamil Nadu (1,453), West Bengal (1,382) and Maharashtra (1,282) had the highest number of NGOs whose nod to collect foreign funds expired as of December 31. Karnataka was placed seventh with 736 of its organisations losing the licence. The MHA had earlier extended the validity of licence under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010 to collect donations from abroad from September 30 to December 31 and then extended it to March 31. NGOs whose applications were rejected were not covered under this. Also Read | MHA allows some NGOs to collect foreign donations till March 31 An analysis of the FCRA database showed that the MHA on late Friday had put at least 5,933 organisations among NGOs whose licence to collect foreign donations in a list of outfits whose licence has expired. However, the break-up of NGOs whose applications were rejected and those who did not apply for renewal. With this, only 16,829 NGOs have the permission to collect foreign funds and this number could come down if the MHA finds discrepancies in the applications filed by them. On early Friday, this number was 22,762. Altogether, licences of 12,580 organisations expired on December 31. This would mean that there were 29,409 organisations that had the FCRA licence earlier. According to the database, Andhra Pradesh (973), Uttar Pradesh (872), Odisha (840), Karnataka (736), Kerala (700), Delhi (662) and Bihar (629) were in the top ten list of NGOs whose licence expired. In Karnataka, the Karnataka Central Diocese, Citizens Action Group and HD Kumaraswamy Sahrayalaya Trust are in the list of organisations that lose the licence. The VV Giri National Labour Institute considered the governments think tank on labour and employment issues, based in Uttar Pradeshs Noida was another prominent organisation that cannot collect foreign funds for its research programmes. In West Bengal, Satyajit Ray Film and TV Institute and School of Women Studies in Jadavpur University are among those who are not allowed to collect foreign funds from now on. The Times of India Relief Fund, Apne Aap Women Worldwide, Bachchon ka Ghar, Common Cause, Children's Book Trust, Subhash Chandra Foundation, Sulabh, Habitat Centre, Lady Shriram College for Women and Delhi Public School Society are among those who have lost the licence to collect foreign funds. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Pubs now see Dry January as potential 'nail in the coffin' for struggling business Hospitality bosses have urged consumers not to abandon pubs over Dry January as venues grapple with a 'chasm of debt' caused by Covid restrictions and a stagnant Christmas. The coming weeks could be 'the nail in the coffin' for thousands of pubs unless customers keep visiting, after the festive season saw venues lose money, business leaders have said. Over December, which is usually one of the busiest months for hospitality, sales fell by as much as 60 per cent for some pubs, according to leading trade body UKHospitality. Revellers in England partied into the early hours at pubs, bars and clubs that had suffered a tumultuous year of restrictions early on and then dwindling customer numbers over fears for the Omicron variant of Covid. Hospitality bosses have urged consumers not to abandon pubs over Dry January as venues grapple with a 'chasm of debt' caused by Covid restrictions and a stagnant Christmas. Pictured: Pedestrians pass an empty pub in London Revellers in England partied into the early hours at pubs, bars and clubs that had suffered a tumultuous year of restrictions early on and then dwindling customer numbers over fears for the Omicron variant of Covid. Pictured: New Year's Eve celebrations in Liverpool. Unlike in Wales and Scotland, people in England flocked to nightclubs to see in the New Year after the government decided against further restrictions. Pictured: Revellers at Players Bar in Birmingham But venues in Wales and Scotland did not even get a New Year's boost after the Labour and SNP government laid down tough restrictions on gatherings and forced clubs to close. And now one in seven UK adults are planning to take part in Dry January in 2022, which sees people abstain from drinking for the first month of the year, according to a poll by Alcohol Change UK, the charity promoting the campaign. But pub owners are urging punters to still visit their local - even if they don't order a pint. Tom Bott, founder of Signature Brew, a North London brewery, encouraged customers to continue supporting local venues by ordering food and non-alcoholic drink even if they are abstaining. Patrick Dardis, chief executive of Young's, said venues were already committed to offering a 'welcoming' environment for non-drinkers during Dry January and more widely Tom Bott, founder of Signature Brew, a North London brewery, encouraged customers to continue supporting local venues by ordering food and non-alcoholic drink even if they are abstaining Hospitality sector bosses have warned a slump in sales during Dry January could be 'the nail in the coffin' for the industry after Omicron hit trading over Christmas and New Year. Pictured: Aftermath of celebrations in Piccadilly Circus Mr Bott said the aim of Dry January was commendable but the timing compounds the impact of an already slow month for hospitality. 'It does sort of feel like it doubles down on the pub industry's worst month by also having a huge wave of people who don't drink,' he said. 'For those who are doing Dry January, and I can completely see why a lot of people do, I would still urge them to meet up with their friends and go out to their local pub, restaurant, music venue, wherever else because those venues desperately need your support, whether you're drinking an alcoholic beverage or not.' Reduced footfall combined with a lack of Government support and unclear guidance on Covid hospitality rules for the coming months has exacerbated the problem, he added. Alcohol Change UK said pubs should focus on making non-drinkers feel 'included' by offering high-quality alcohol-free options behind the bar. Venues in Wales and Scotland did not even get a New Year's boost after the Labour and SNP government laid down tough restrictions on gatherings and forced clubs to close. Pictured: The closed Queens Vault pub in Cardiff Princes Street is seen deserted on December 31, 2021 in Edinburgh, Scotland 'If they think their customers are not going to come in when they're having a month off booze, they need to question why,' Lucy Holmes, director of policy research at the charity, said. 'If you can get people through the door with a really good alcohol-free beer, why not? Why not make a virtue out of it?' Patrick Dardis, chief executive of Young's, said venues were already committed to offering a 'welcoming' environment for non-drinkers during Dry January and more widely. People abstaining from drink can still order food and non-alcoholic beverages and enjoy a friendly atmosphere, he said. Mr Dardis said large chains like his own would be able to survive a slowdown in January but expressed 'sincere concern' for smaller businesses. Health Secretary Sajid Javid, pictured, said Britons will have to get used to living with Covid-19 'I do see thousands and thousands of business for whom this (period) is probably the final nail in the coffin. January and February will be brutal for thousands of businesses across the land,' Mr Dardis said. Tony Sophoclides, strategic affairs director at UKHospitality, said businesses had tried to build cash reserves to bolster them over the coming month but had instead been left 'stricken' by the period of stagnation. 'The role of Dry January is nothing new and we knew that was coming which is why it was so disappointing not being able to capitalise on December,' he said. 'We would say go out and support your local pub because if you want to keep them going, so many are on the edge of the precipice right now. 'The chasm of debt that most of them are facing is going to take a long time to get out of.' Downing Street has not ruled out the possibility of new restrictions in England, although Health Secretary Sajid Javid described prospect as a 'last resort'. While coronavirus cases are continuing to rise due to the fast-spreading Omicron variant, official figures showed yesterday that in parts of Britain up to four in 10 hospital patients with Covid were actually there to receive treatment for something else. The figure nationally is one in three. Mr Javid said the numbers in intensive care units remained stable, meaning 'we have welcomed in 2022 with some of the least restrictive measures in Europe'. Mr Javid added: 'Curbs on our freedom must be an absolute last resort and the British people rightly expect us to do everything in our power to avert them. Boris Johnson, unlike the First Ministers of Scotland and Wales, decided against imposing additional restrictions in England, despite record-breaking Covid infections fuelled by the Omicron variant. It led to thousands crossing the border from Wales and Scotland to party into 2022 in England, a move welcomed by English hospitality chiefs. Although there were rumours Boris Johnson may impose restrictions to curb the spread of the virus as early as next week, Whitehall sources said no new measures are expected when Plan B is reviewed next week. The Prime Minister will most likely 'maintain the status quo' of wearing masks indoors, working from home if possible and using vaccine passports where necessary, Whitehall sources told the Sun . It came after Mr Johnson warned this week that New Year's celebrations should be 'cautious and sensible'. Ministers are plotting to ease immigration restrictions that could help thousands of Indian citizens both live and work in the UK more easily in 2022. The move is said to be a key point that could dominate trade talks that are due to commence between the two countries in Delhi later this month. International trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan is primed to dangle the offer in front of Indian representatives as part of a Government plan to curb China's growing influence in the region. One senior government insider explained that ministers generally accepted that a 'generous' visa offer would be the necessary counterbalance in any trade talks. Ms Trevelyan is said to be backed by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, but will likely face pressure from Home Secretary Priti Patel who does not support the move, reports the Times. As part of trade talks between the UK and India immigration restrictions could be eased that would see thousands more Indian citizens more easily live and work in Britain. Pictured: Residents pictured in Katra, India Foreign Secretary Liz Truss (above) is said to back the plans that would see immigration curbs on Indians relaxed India-UK: As trade talks heat up, are the pair closer than before? As talk of a potential historic free trade deal between India and the UK continues, 2021 saw plenty of moves that brought the two nations closer together. At the turn of 2021, the PM had been due to visit India but his plans were cancelled because of Covid-19. The trip was then rescheduled for April but the coronavirus crisis again wreaked havoc with Mr Johnson's plans. But in the May, the two countries agreed on a 1billion trade and investment deal that would see 6,000 new jobs created in the UK. The partnership contains more than 533million of new investment from India, said Downing Street. This includes 240million from the Serum Institute of India to support clinical trials, research and potential vaccine production. Both Mr Johnson and his counterpart Narendra Modi agreed to a '2030 Roadmap' which they said will deliver a 'quantum leap' in relations during a virtual-meeting last Spring. Speaking of their partnership, the PM said that the relationship between the UK and India is of 'huge importance'. Advertisement As part of the plans, Indian citizens could be offered similar visa deal to those given to Australians - allowing young workers the right to live and work in Britain for up to three years. Other mooted options include slashing visa fees for Indian students, and allowing them a temporary stay in the country after graduation. Work and tourism visas - which at present can cost up to 1,400 - could also be cheapened in a move to sweeten the Delhi representatives. A free trade agreement between both India and the UK would solidify a closer economic relationship between the pair, which began last May when a 1billion trade and investment deal was announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. No 10 had said UK businesses had secured export deals worth more than 446million and was expected to create more than 400 jobs. At the time, Mr Johnson said: 'Each and every one of the more than 6,500 jobs announced today will help families and communities build back from coronavirus and boost the British and Indian economies.' Both Mr Johnson and his counterpart Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to a '2030 Roadmap' which they said will deliver a 'quantum leap' in relations during a virtual-meeting last Spring. As an emerging market and one of the world's most populous nations, India's GDP (gross domestic product) stands at around 2 trillion despite not having a bilateral trade deal with the US or the EU. Britain will be hoping its close ties with India could see it trump the rest of the world and secure an historic trade deal, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson promises to go 'further and faster' to push Britain ahead in a post-Brexit world. Ministers agree that any agreement with Delhi would provide British businesses with a huge head start in what is anticipated to be the world's third largest economy by 2050. Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be hoping his efforts to charm Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (left) at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow in November will help them on their way to positive trade talks The plan is likely to face pressure from Home Secretary Priti Patel (pictured) who is said to not support the move Foreign Secretary Liz Truss to lead post-Brexit trade talks Liz Truss will take direct responsibility for post-Brexit trade talks following the dramatic resignation of Lord Frost. The Foreign Secretary, a favourite of Tory grassroots activists, will take on the role of lead negotiator despite having campaigned on the Remain side during the referendum campaign. The work will be on top of her present job and her role as minister for women and equalities. During her stint as International Trade Secretary, Miss Truss received praise for reaching deals with countries including Japan, and Australia. And despite having supported Remain in 2016, she says she would now vote for Brexit if the chance came again. Advertisement India, largely a protectionist economy that imposes significant tariffs on imports, has discussed the possibility to loosening those restrictions for British products, including whisky which can face import duties of up to 150 per cent. However, the UK's trade arm is said to view a more ambitious free-trade agreement that includes access to India's burgeoning technology sector as its end goal. A Department for International Trade spokesman said in a statement: 'A free-trade agreement [with India] will open up huge opportunities for UK businesses.' Mrs Truss is now taking over direct responsibility for post-Brexit trade talks following the dramatic resignation of Lord Frost. The Foreign Secretary, a favourite of Tory grassroots activists, will take on the role of lead negotiator despite having campaigned on the Remain side during the referendum campaign. The work will be on top of her present job and her role as minister for women and equalities. During her stint as International Trade Secretary, Miss Truss received praise for reaching deals with countries including Japan, and Australia. And despite having supported Remain in 2016, she says she would now vote for Brexit if the chance came again. Ministers are plotting to ease immigration restrictions that could help thousands of Indian citizens both live and work in the UK more easily in 2022. The move is said to be a key point that could dominate trade talks that are due to commence between the two countries in Delhi later this month. International trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan is primed to dangle the offer in front of Indian representatives as part of a Government plan to curb China's growing influence in the region. One senior government insider explained that ministers generally accepted that a 'generous' visa offer would be the necessary counterbalance in any trade talks. Ms Trevelyan is said to be backed by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, but will likely face pressure from Home Secretary Priti Patel who does not support the move, reports the Times. As part of trade talks between the UK and India immigration restrictions could be eased that would see thousands more Indian citizens more easily live and work in Britain. Pictured: Residents pictured in Katra, India Foreign Secretary Liz Truss (above) is said to back the plans that would see immigration curbs on Indians relaxed India-UK: As trade talks heat up, are the pair closer than before? As talk of a potential historic free trade deal between India and the UK continues, 2021 saw plenty of moves that brought the two nations closer together. At the turn of 2021, the PM had been due to visit India but his plans were cancelled because of Covid-19. The trip was then rescheduled for April but the coronavirus crisis again wreaked havoc with Mr Johnson's plans. But in the May, the two countries agreed on a 1billion trade and investment deal that would see 6,000 new jobs created in the UK. The partnership contains more than 533million of new investment from India, said Downing Street. This includes 240million from the Serum Institute of India to support clinical trials, research and potential vaccine production. Both Mr Johnson and his counterpart Narendra Modi agreed to a '2030 Roadmap' which they said will deliver a 'quantum leap' in relations during a virtual-meeting last Spring. Speaking of their partnership, the PM said that the relationship between the UK and India is of 'huge importance'. Advertisement As part of the plans, Indian citizens could be offered similar visa deal to those given to Australians - allowing young workers the right to live and work in Britain for up to three years. Other mooted options include slashing visa fees for Indian students, and allowing them a temporary stay in the country after graduation. Work and tourism visas - which at present can cost up to 1,400 - could also be cheapened in a move to sweeten the Delhi representatives. A free trade agreement between both India and the UK would solidify a closer economic relationship between the pair, which began last May when a 1billion trade and investment deal was announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. No 10 had said UK businesses had secured export deals worth more than 446million and was expected to create more than 400 jobs. At the time, Mr Johnson said: 'Each and every one of the more than 6,500 jobs announced today will help families and communities build back from coronavirus and boost the British and Indian economies.' Both Mr Johnson and his counterpart Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to a '2030 Roadmap' which they said will deliver a 'quantum leap' in relations during a virtual-meeting last Spring. As an emerging market and one of the world's most populous nations, India's GDP (gross domestic product) stands at around 2 trillion despite not having a bilateral trade deal with the US or the EU. Britain will be hoping its close ties with India could see it trump the rest of the world and secure an historic trade deal, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson promises to go 'further and faster' to push Britain ahead in a post-Brexit world. Ministers agree that any agreement with Delhi would provide British businesses with a huge head start in what is anticipated to be the world's third largest economy by 2050. Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be hoping his efforts to charm Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (left) at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow in November will help them on their way to positive trade talks The plan is likely to face pressure from Home Secretary Priti Patel (pictured) who is said to not support the move Foreign Secretary Liz Truss to lead post-Brexit trade talks Liz Truss will take direct responsibility for post-Brexit trade talks following the dramatic resignation of Lord Frost. The Foreign Secretary, a favourite of Tory grassroots activists, will take on the role of lead negotiator despite having campaigned on the Remain side during the referendum campaign. The work will be on top of her present job and her role as minister for women and equalities. During her stint as International Trade Secretary, Miss Truss received praise for reaching deals with countries including Japan, and Australia. And despite having supported Remain in 2016, she says she would now vote for Brexit if the chance came again. Advertisement India, largely a protectionist economy that imposes significant tariffs on imports, has discussed the possibility to loosening those restrictions for British products, including whisky which can face import duties of up to 150 per cent. However, the UK's trade arm is said to view a more ambitious free-trade agreement that includes access to India's burgeoning technology sector as its end goal. A Department for International Trade spokesman said in a statement: 'A free-trade agreement [with India] will open up huge opportunities for UK businesses.' Mrs Truss is now taking over direct responsibility for post-Brexit trade talks following the dramatic resignation of Lord Frost. The Foreign Secretary, a favourite of Tory grassroots activists, will take on the role of lead negotiator despite having campaigned on the Remain side during the referendum campaign. The work will be on top of her present job and her role as minister for women and equalities. During her stint as International Trade Secretary, Miss Truss received praise for reaching deals with countries including Japan, and Australia. And despite having supported Remain in 2016, she says she would now vote for Brexit if the chance came again. Ministers are plotting to ease immigration restrictions that could help thousands of Indian citizens both live and work in the UK more easily in 2022. The move is said to be a key point that could dominate trade talks that are due to commence between the two countries in Delhi later this month. International trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan is primed to dangle the offer in front of Indian representatives as part of a Government plan to curb China's growing influence in the region. One senior government insider explained that ministers generally accepted that a 'generous' visa offer would be the necessary counterbalance in any trade talks. Ms Trevelyan is said to be backed by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, but will likely face pressure from Home Secretary Priti Patel who does not support the move, reports the Times. As part of trade talks between the UK and India immigration restrictions could be eased that would see thousands more Indian citizens more easily live and work in Britain. Pictured: Residents pictured in Katra, India Foreign Secretary Liz Truss (above) is said to back the plans that would see immigration curbs on Indians relaxed India-UK: As trade talks heat up, are the pair closer than before? As talk of a potential historic free trade deal between India and the UK continues, 2021 saw plenty of moves that brought the two nations closer together. At the turn of 2021, the PM had been due to visit India but his plans were cancelled because of Covid-19. The trip was then rescheduled for April but the coronavirus crisis again wreaked havoc with Mr Johnson's plans. But in the May, the two countries agreed on a 1billion trade and investment deal that would see 6,000 new jobs created in the UK. The partnership contains more than 533million of new investment from India, said Downing Street. This includes 240million from the Serum Institute of India to support clinical trials, research and potential vaccine production. Both Mr Johnson and his counterpart Narendra Modi agreed to a '2030 Roadmap' which they said will deliver a 'quantum leap' in relations during a virtual-meeting last Spring. Speaking of their partnership, the PM said that the relationship between the UK and India is of 'huge importance'. Advertisement As part of the plans, Indian citizens could be offered similar visa deal to those given to Australians - allowing young workers the right to live and work in Britain for up to three years. Other mooted options include slashing visa fees for Indian students, and allowing them a temporary stay in the country after graduation. Work and tourism visas - which at present can cost up to 1,400 - could also be cheapened in a move to sweeten the Delhi representatives. A free trade agreement between both India and the UK would solidify a closer economic relationship between the pair, which began last May when a 1billion trade and investment deal was announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. No 10 had said UK businesses had secured export deals worth more than 446million and was expected to create more than 400 jobs. At the time, Mr Johnson said: 'Each and every one of the more than 6,500 jobs announced today will help families and communities build back from coronavirus and boost the British and Indian economies.' Both Mr Johnson and his counterpart Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to a '2030 Roadmap' which they said will deliver a 'quantum leap' in relations during a virtual-meeting last Spring. As an emerging market and one of the world's most populous nations, India's GDP (gross domestic product) stands at around 2 trillion despite not having a bilateral trade deal with the US or the EU. Britain will be hoping its close ties with India could see it trump the rest of the world and secure an historic trade deal, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson promises to go 'further and faster' to push Britain ahead in a post-Brexit world. Ministers agree that any agreement with Delhi would provide British businesses with a huge head start in what is anticipated to be the world's third largest economy by 2050. Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be hoping his efforts to charm Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (left) at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow in November will help them on their way to positive trade talks The plan is likely to face pressure from Home Secretary Priti Patel (pictured) who is said to not support the move Foreign Secretary Liz Truss to lead post-Brexit trade talks Liz Truss will take direct responsibility for post-Brexit trade talks following the dramatic resignation of Lord Frost. The Foreign Secretary, a favourite of Tory grassroots activists, will take on the role of lead negotiator despite having campaigned on the Remain side during the referendum campaign. The work will be on top of her present job and her role as minister for women and equalities. During her stint as International Trade Secretary, Miss Truss received praise for reaching deals with countries including Japan, and Australia. And despite having supported Remain in 2016, she says she would now vote for Brexit if the chance came again. Advertisement India, largely a protectionist economy that imposes significant tariffs on imports, has discussed the possibility to loosening those restrictions for British products, including whisky which can face import duties of up to 150 per cent. However, the UK's trade arm is said to view a more ambitious free-trade agreement that includes access to India's burgeoning technology sector as its end goal. A Department for International Trade spokesman said in a statement: 'A free-trade agreement [with India] will open up huge opportunities for UK businesses.' Mrs Truss is now taking over direct responsibility for post-Brexit trade talks following the dramatic resignation of Lord Frost. The Foreign Secretary, a favourite of Tory grassroots activists, will take on the role of lead negotiator despite having campaigned on the Remain side during the referendum campaign. The work will be on top of her present job and her role as minister for women and equalities. During her stint as International Trade Secretary, Miss Truss received praise for reaching deals with countries including Japan, and Australia. And despite having supported Remain in 2016, she says she would now vote for Brexit if the chance came again. Ministers are plotting to ease immigration restrictions that could help thousands of Indian citizens both live and work in the UK more easily in 2022. The move is said to be a key point that could dominate trade talks that are due to commence between the two countries in Delhi later this month. International trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan is primed to dangle the offer in front of Indian representatives as part of a Government plan to curb China's growing influence in the region. One senior government insider explained that ministers generally accepted that a 'generous' visa offer would be the necessary counterbalance in any trade talks. Ms Trevelyan is said to be backed by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, but will likely face pressure from Home Secretary Priti Patel who does not support the move, reports the Times. As part of trade talks between the UK and India immigration restrictions could be eased that would see thousands more Indian citizens more easily live and work in Britain. Pictured: Residents pictured in Katra, India Foreign Secretary Liz Truss (above) is said to back the plans that would see immigration curbs on Indians relaxed India-UK: As trade talks heat up, are the pair closer than before? As talk of a potential historic free trade deal between India and the UK continues, 2021 saw plenty of moves that brought the two nations closer together. At the turn of 2021, the PM had been due to visit India but his plans were cancelled because of Covid-19. The trip was then rescheduled for April but the coronavirus crisis again wreaked havoc with Mr Johnson's plans. But in the May, the two countries agreed on a 1billion trade and investment deal that would see 6,000 new jobs created in the UK. The partnership contains more than 533million of new investment from India, said Downing Street. This includes 240million from the Serum Institute of India to support clinical trials, research and potential vaccine production. Both Mr Johnson and his counterpart Narendra Modi agreed to a '2030 Roadmap' which they said will deliver a 'quantum leap' in relations during a virtual-meeting last Spring. Speaking of their partnership, the PM said that the relationship between the UK and India is of 'huge importance'. Advertisement As part of the plans, Indian citizens could be offered similar visa deal to those given to Australians - allowing young workers the right to live and work in Britain for up to three years. Other mooted options include slashing visa fees for Indian students, and allowing them a temporary stay in the country after graduation. Work and tourism visas - which at present can cost up to 1,400 - could also be cheapened in a move to sweeten the Delhi representatives. A free trade agreement between both India and the UK would solidify a closer economic relationship between the pair, which began last May when a 1billion trade and investment deal was announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. No 10 had said UK businesses had secured export deals worth more than 446million and was expected to create more than 400 jobs. At the time, Mr Johnson said: 'Each and every one of the more than 6,500 jobs announced today will help families and communities build back from coronavirus and boost the British and Indian economies.' Both Mr Johnson and his counterpart Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to a '2030 Roadmap' which they said will deliver a 'quantum leap' in relations during a virtual-meeting last Spring. As an emerging market and one of the world's most populous nations, India's GDP (gross domestic product) stands at around 2 trillion despite not having a bilateral trade deal with the US or the EU. Britain will be hoping its close ties with India could see it trump the rest of the world and secure an historic trade deal, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson promises to go 'further and faster' to push Britain ahead in a post-Brexit world. Ministers agree that any agreement with Delhi would provide British businesses with a huge head start in what is anticipated to be the world's third largest economy by 2050. Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be hoping his efforts to charm Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (left) at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow in November will help them on their way to positive trade talks The plan is likely to face pressure from Home Secretary Priti Patel (pictured) who is said to not support the move Foreign Secretary Liz Truss to lead post-Brexit trade talks Liz Truss will take direct responsibility for post-Brexit trade talks following the dramatic resignation of Lord Frost. The Foreign Secretary, a favourite of Tory grassroots activists, will take on the role of lead negotiator despite having campaigned on the Remain side during the referendum campaign. The work will be on top of her present job and her role as minister for women and equalities. During her stint as International Trade Secretary, Miss Truss received praise for reaching deals with countries including Japan, and Australia. And despite having supported Remain in 2016, she says she would now vote for Brexit if the chance came again. Advertisement India, largely a protectionist economy that imposes significant tariffs on imports, has discussed the possibility to loosening those restrictions for British products, including whisky which can face import duties of up to 150 per cent. However, the UK's trade arm is said to view a more ambitious free-trade agreement that includes access to India's burgeoning technology sector as its end goal. A Department for International Trade spokesman said in a statement: 'A free-trade agreement [with India] will open up huge opportunities for UK businesses.' Mrs Truss is now taking over direct responsibility for post-Brexit trade talks following the dramatic resignation of Lord Frost. The Foreign Secretary, a favourite of Tory grassroots activists, will take on the role of lead negotiator despite having campaigned on the Remain side during the referendum campaign. The work will be on top of her present job and her role as minister for women and equalities. During her stint as International Trade Secretary, Miss Truss received praise for reaching deals with countries including Japan, and Australia. And despite having supported Remain in 2016, she says she would now vote for Brexit if the chance came again. Ministers are plotting to ease immigration restrictions that could help thousands of Indian citizens both live and work in the UK more easily in 2022. The move is said to be a key point that could dominate trade talks that are due to commence between the two countries in Delhi later this month. International trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan is primed to dangle the offer in front of Indian representatives as part of a Government plan to curb China's growing influence in the region. One senior government insider explained that ministers generally accepted that a 'generous' visa offer would be the necessary counterbalance in any trade talks. Ms Trevelyan is said to be backed by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, but will likely face pressure from Home Secretary Priti Patel who does not support the move, reports the Times. As part of trade talks between the UK and India immigration restrictions could be eased that would see thousands more Indian citizens more easily live and work in Britain. Pictured: Residents pictured in Katra, India Foreign Secretary Liz Truss (above) is said to back the plans that would see immigration curbs on Indians relaxed India-UK: As trade talks heat up, are the pair closer than before? As talk of a potential historic free trade deal between India and the UK continues, 2021 saw plenty of moves that brought the two nations closer together. At the turn of 2021, the PM had been due to visit India but his plans were cancelled because of Covid-19. The trip was then rescheduled for April but the coronavirus crisis again wreaked havoc with Mr Johnson's plans. But in the May, the two countries agreed on a 1billion trade and investment deal that would see 6,000 new jobs created in the UK. The partnership contains more than 533million of new investment from India, said Downing Street. This includes 240million from the Serum Institute of India to support clinical trials, research and potential vaccine production. Both Mr Johnson and his counterpart Narendra Modi agreed to a '2030 Roadmap' which they said will deliver a 'quantum leap' in relations during a virtual-meeting last Spring. Speaking of their partnership, the PM said that the relationship between the UK and India is of 'huge importance'. Advertisement As part of the plans, Indian citizens could be offered similar visa deal to those given to Australians - allowing young workers the right to live and work in Britain for up to three years. Other mooted options include slashing visa fees for Indian students, and allowing them a temporary stay in the country after graduation. Work and tourism visas - which at present can cost up to 1,400 - could also be cheapened in a move to sweeten the Delhi representatives. A free trade agreement between both India and the UK would solidify a closer economic relationship between the pair, which began last May when a 1billion trade and investment deal was announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. No 10 had said UK businesses had secured export deals worth more than 446million and was expected to create more than 400 jobs. At the time, Mr Johnson said: 'Each and every one of the more than 6,500 jobs announced today will help families and communities build back from coronavirus and boost the British and Indian economies.' Both Mr Johnson and his counterpart Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to a '2030 Roadmap' which they said will deliver a 'quantum leap' in relations during a virtual-meeting last Spring. As an emerging market and one of the world's most populous nations, India's GDP (gross domestic product) stands at around 2 trillion despite not having a bilateral trade deal with the US or the EU. Britain will be hoping its close ties with India could see it trump the rest of the world and secure an historic trade deal, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson promises to go 'further and faster' to push Britain ahead in a post-Brexit world. Ministers agree that any agreement with Delhi would provide British businesses with a huge head start in what is anticipated to be the world's third largest economy by 2050. Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be hoping his efforts to charm Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (left) at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow in November will help them on their way to positive trade talks The plan is likely to face pressure from Home Secretary Priti Patel (pictured) who is said to not support the move Foreign Secretary Liz Truss to lead post-Brexit trade talks Liz Truss will take direct responsibility for post-Brexit trade talks following the dramatic resignation of Lord Frost. The Foreign Secretary, a favourite of Tory grassroots activists, will take on the role of lead negotiator despite having campaigned on the Remain side during the referendum campaign. The work will be on top of her present job and her role as minister for women and equalities. During her stint as International Trade Secretary, Miss Truss received praise for reaching deals with countries including Japan, and Australia. And despite having supported Remain in 2016, she says she would now vote for Brexit if the chance came again. Advertisement India, largely a protectionist economy that imposes significant tariffs on imports, has discussed the possibility to loosening those restrictions for British products, including whisky which can face import duties of up to 150 per cent. However, the UK's trade arm is said to view a more ambitious free-trade agreement that includes access to India's burgeoning technology sector as its end goal. A Department for International Trade spokesman said in a statement: 'A free-trade agreement [with India] will open up huge opportunities for UK businesses.' Mrs Truss is now taking over direct responsibility for post-Brexit trade talks following the dramatic resignation of Lord Frost. The Foreign Secretary, a favourite of Tory grassroots activists, will take on the role of lead negotiator despite having campaigned on the Remain side during the referendum campaign. The work will be on top of her present job and her role as minister for women and equalities. During her stint as International Trade Secretary, Miss Truss received praise for reaching deals with countries including Japan, and Australia. And despite having supported Remain in 2016, she says she would now vote for Brexit if the chance came again. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Ministers are plotting to ease immigration restrictions that could help thousands of Indian citizens both live and work in the UK more easily in 2022. The move is said to be a key point that could dominate trade talks that are due to commence between the two countries in Delhi later this month. International trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan is primed to dangle the offer in front of Indian representatives as part of a Government plan to curb China's growing influence in the region. One senior government insider explained that ministers generally accepted that a 'generous' visa offer would be the necessary counterbalance in any trade talks. Ms Trevelyan is said to be backed by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, but will likely face pressure from Home Secretary Priti Patel who does not support the move, reports the Times. As part of trade talks between the UK and India immigration restrictions could be eased that would see thousands more Indian citizens more easily live and work in Britain. Pictured: Residents pictured in Katra, India Foreign Secretary Liz Truss (above) is said to back the plans that would see immigration curbs on Indians relaxed India-UK: As trade talks heat up, are the pair closer than before? As talk of a potential historic free trade deal between India and the UK continues, 2021 saw plenty of moves that brought the two nations closer together. At the turn of 2021, the PM had been due to visit India but his plans were cancelled because of Covid-19. The trip was then rescheduled for April but the coronavirus crisis again wreaked havoc with Mr Johnson's plans. But in the May, the two countries agreed on a 1billion trade and investment deal that would see 6,000 new jobs created in the UK. The partnership contains more than 533million of new investment from India, said Downing Street. This includes 240million from the Serum Institute of India to support clinical trials, research and potential vaccine production. Both Mr Johnson and his counterpart Narendra Modi agreed to a '2030 Roadmap' which they said will deliver a 'quantum leap' in relations during a virtual-meeting last Spring. Speaking of their partnership, the PM said that the relationship between the UK and India is of 'huge importance'. Advertisement As part of the plans, Indian citizens could be offered similar visa deal to those given to Australians - allowing young workers the right to live and work in Britain for up to three years. Other mooted options include slashing visa fees for Indian students, and allowing them a temporary stay in the country after graduation. Work and tourism visas - which at present can cost up to 1,400 - could also be cheapened in a move to sweeten the Delhi representatives. A free trade agreement between both India and the UK would solidify a closer economic relationship between the pair, which began last May when a 1billion trade and investment deal was announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. No 10 had said UK businesses had secured export deals worth more than 446million and was expected to create more than 400 jobs. At the time, Mr Johnson said: 'Each and every one of the more than 6,500 jobs announced today will help families and communities build back from coronavirus and boost the British and Indian economies.' Both Mr Johnson and his counterpart Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to a '2030 Roadmap' which they said will deliver a 'quantum leap' in relations during a virtual-meeting last Spring. As an emerging market and one of the world's most populous nations, India's GDP (gross domestic product) stands at around 2 trillion despite not having a bilateral trade deal with the US or the EU. Britain will be hoping its close ties with India could see it trump the rest of the world and secure an historic trade deal, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson promises to go 'further and faster' to push Britain ahead in a post-Brexit world. Ministers agree that any agreement with Delhi would provide British businesses with a huge head start in what is anticipated to be the world's third largest economy by 2050. Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be hoping his efforts to charm Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (left) at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow in November will help them on their way to positive trade talks The plan is likely to face pressure from Home Secretary Priti Patel (pictured) who is said to not support the move Foreign Secretary Liz Truss to lead post-Brexit trade talks Liz Truss will take direct responsibility for post-Brexit trade talks following the dramatic resignation of Lord Frost. The Foreign Secretary, a favourite of Tory grassroots activists, will take on the role of lead negotiator despite having campaigned on the Remain side during the referendum campaign. The work will be on top of her present job and her role as minister for women and equalities. During her stint as International Trade Secretary, Miss Truss received praise for reaching deals with countries including Japan, and Australia. And despite having supported Remain in 2016, she says she would now vote for Brexit if the chance came again. Advertisement India, largely a protectionist economy that imposes significant tariffs on imports, has discussed the possibility to loosening those restrictions for British products, including whisky which can face import duties of up to 150 per cent. However, the UK's trade arm is said to view a more ambitious free-trade agreement that includes access to India's burgeoning technology sector as its end goal. A Department for International Trade spokesman said in a statement: 'A free-trade agreement [with India] will open up huge opportunities for UK businesses.' Mrs Truss is now taking over direct responsibility for post-Brexit trade talks following the dramatic resignation of Lord Frost. The Foreign Secretary, a favourite of Tory grassroots activists, will take on the role of lead negotiator despite having campaigned on the Remain side during the referendum campaign. The work will be on top of her present job and her role as minister for women and equalities. During her stint as International Trade Secretary, Miss Truss received praise for reaching deals with countries including Japan, and Australia. And despite having supported Remain in 2016, she says she would now vote for Brexit if the chance came again. Ministers are plotting to ease immigration restrictions that could help thousands of Indian citizens both live and work in the UK more easily in 2022. The move is said to be a key point that could dominate trade talks that are due to commence between the two countries in Delhi later this month. International trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan is primed to dangle the offer in front of Indian representatives as part of a Government plan to curb China's growing influence in the region. One senior government insider explained that ministers generally accepted that a 'generous' visa offer would be the necessary counterbalance in any trade talks. Ms Trevelyan is said to be backed by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, but will likely face pressure from Home Secretary Priti Patel who does not support the move, reports the Times. As part of trade talks between the UK and India immigration restrictions could be eased that would see thousands more Indian citizens more easily live and work in Britain. Pictured: Residents pictured in Katra, India Foreign Secretary Liz Truss (above) is said to back the plans that would see immigration curbs on Indians relaxed India-UK: As trade talks heat up, are the pair closer than before? As talk of a potential historic free trade deal between India and the UK continues, 2021 saw plenty of moves that brought the two nations closer together. At the turn of 2021, the PM had been due to visit India but his plans were cancelled because of Covid-19. The trip was then rescheduled for April but the coronavirus crisis again wreaked havoc with Mr Johnson's plans. But in the May, the two countries agreed on a 1billion trade and investment deal that would see 6,000 new jobs created in the UK. The partnership contains more than 533million of new investment from India, said Downing Street. This includes 240million from the Serum Institute of India to support clinical trials, research and potential vaccine production. Both Mr Johnson and his counterpart Narendra Modi agreed to a '2030 Roadmap' which they said will deliver a 'quantum leap' in relations during a virtual-meeting last Spring. Speaking of their partnership, the PM said that the relationship between the UK and India is of 'huge importance'. Advertisement As part of the plans, Indian citizens could be offered similar visa deal to those given to Australians - allowing young workers the right to live and work in Britain for up to three years. Other mooted options include slashing visa fees for Indian students, and allowing them a temporary stay in the country after graduation. Work and tourism visas - which at present can cost up to 1,400 - could also be cheapened in a move to sweeten the Delhi representatives. A free trade agreement between both India and the UK would solidify a closer economic relationship between the pair, which began last May when a 1billion trade and investment deal was announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. No 10 had said UK businesses had secured export deals worth more than 446million and was expected to create more than 400 jobs. At the time, Mr Johnson said: 'Each and every one of the more than 6,500 jobs announced today will help families and communities build back from coronavirus and boost the British and Indian economies.' Both Mr Johnson and his counterpart Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to a '2030 Roadmap' which they said will deliver a 'quantum leap' in relations during a virtual-meeting last Spring. As an emerging market and one of the world's most populous nations, India's GDP (gross domestic product) stands at around 2 trillion despite not having a bilateral trade deal with the US or the EU. Britain will be hoping its close ties with India could see it trump the rest of the world and secure an historic trade deal, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson promises to go 'further and faster' to push Britain ahead in a post-Brexit world. Ministers agree that any agreement with Delhi would provide British businesses with a huge head start in what is anticipated to be the world's third largest economy by 2050. Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be hoping his efforts to charm Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (left) at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow in November will help them on their way to positive trade talks The plan is likely to face pressure from Home Secretary Priti Patel (pictured) who is said to not support the move Foreign Secretary Liz Truss to lead post-Brexit trade talks Liz Truss will take direct responsibility for post-Brexit trade talks following the dramatic resignation of Lord Frost. The Foreign Secretary, a favourite of Tory grassroots activists, will take on the role of lead negotiator despite having campaigned on the Remain side during the referendum campaign. The work will be on top of her present job and her role as minister for women and equalities. During her stint as International Trade Secretary, Miss Truss received praise for reaching deals with countries including Japan, and Australia. And despite having supported Remain in 2016, she says she would now vote for Brexit if the chance came again. Advertisement India, largely a protectionist economy that imposes significant tariffs on imports, has discussed the possibility to loosening those restrictions for British products, including whisky which can face import duties of up to 150 per cent. However, the UK's trade arm is said to view a more ambitious free-trade agreement that includes access to India's burgeoning technology sector as its end goal. A Department for International Trade spokesman said in a statement: 'A free-trade agreement [with India] will open up huge opportunities for UK businesses.' Mrs Truss is now taking over direct responsibility for post-Brexit trade talks following the dramatic resignation of Lord Frost. The Foreign Secretary, a favourite of Tory grassroots activists, will take on the role of lead negotiator despite having campaigned on the Remain side during the referendum campaign. The work will be on top of her present job and her role as minister for women and equalities. During her stint as International Trade Secretary, Miss Truss received praise for reaching deals with countries including Japan, and Australia. And despite having supported Remain in 2016, she says she would now vote for Brexit if the chance came again. Ministers are plotting to ease immigration restrictions that could help thousands of Indian citizens both live and work in the UK more easily in 2022. The move is said to be a key point that could dominate trade talks that are due to commence between the two countries in Delhi later this month. International trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan is primed to dangle the offer in front of Indian representatives as part of a Government plan to curb China's growing influence in the region. One senior government insider explained that ministers generally accepted that a 'generous' visa offer would be the necessary counterbalance in any trade talks. Ms Trevelyan is said to be backed by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, but will likely face pressure from Home Secretary Priti Patel who does not support the move, reports the Times. As part of trade talks between the UK and India immigration restrictions could be eased that would see thousands more Indian citizens more easily live and work in Britain. Pictured: Residents pictured in Katra, India Foreign Secretary Liz Truss (above) is said to back the plans that would see immigration curbs on Indians relaxed India-UK: As trade talks heat up, are the pair closer than before? As talk of a potential historic free trade deal between India and the UK continues, 2021 saw plenty of moves that brought the two nations closer together. At the turn of 2021, the PM had been due to visit India but his plans were cancelled because of Covid-19. The trip was then rescheduled for April but the coronavirus crisis again wreaked havoc with Mr Johnson's plans. But in the May, the two countries agreed on a 1billion trade and investment deal that would see 6,000 new jobs created in the UK. The partnership contains more than 533million of new investment from India, said Downing Street. This includes 240million from the Serum Institute of India to support clinical trials, research and potential vaccine production. Both Mr Johnson and his counterpart Narendra Modi agreed to a '2030 Roadmap' which they said will deliver a 'quantum leap' in relations during a virtual-meeting last Spring. Speaking of their partnership, the PM said that the relationship between the UK and India is of 'huge importance'. Advertisement As part of the plans, Indian citizens could be offered similar visa deal to those given to Australians - allowing young workers the right to live and work in Britain for up to three years. Other mooted options include slashing visa fees for Indian students, and allowing them a temporary stay in the country after graduation. Work and tourism visas - which at present can cost up to 1,400 - could also be cheapened in a move to sweeten the Delhi representatives. A free trade agreement between both India and the UK would solidify a closer economic relationship between the pair, which began last May when a 1billion trade and investment deal was announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. No 10 had said UK businesses had secured export deals worth more than 446million and was expected to create more than 400 jobs. At the time, Mr Johnson said: 'Each and every one of the more than 6,500 jobs announced today will help families and communities build back from coronavirus and boost the British and Indian economies.' Both Mr Johnson and his counterpart Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to a '2030 Roadmap' which they said will deliver a 'quantum leap' in relations during a virtual-meeting last Spring. As an emerging market and one of the world's most populous nations, India's GDP (gross domestic product) stands at around 2 trillion despite not having a bilateral trade deal with the US or the EU. Britain will be hoping its close ties with India could see it trump the rest of the world and secure an historic trade deal, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson promises to go 'further and faster' to push Britain ahead in a post-Brexit world. Ministers agree that any agreement with Delhi would provide British businesses with a huge head start in what is anticipated to be the world's third largest economy by 2050. Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be hoping his efforts to charm Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (left) at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow in November will help them on their way to positive trade talks The plan is likely to face pressure from Home Secretary Priti Patel (pictured) who is said to not support the move Foreign Secretary Liz Truss to lead post-Brexit trade talks Liz Truss will take direct responsibility for post-Brexit trade talks following the dramatic resignation of Lord Frost. The Foreign Secretary, a favourite of Tory grassroots activists, will take on the role of lead negotiator despite having campaigned on the Remain side during the referendum campaign. The work will be on top of her present job and her role as minister for women and equalities. During her stint as International Trade Secretary, Miss Truss received praise for reaching deals with countries including Japan, and Australia. And despite having supported Remain in 2016, she says she would now vote for Brexit if the chance came again. Advertisement India, largely a protectionist economy that imposes significant tariffs on imports, has discussed the possibility to loosening those restrictions for British products, including whisky which can face import duties of up to 150 per cent. However, the UK's trade arm is said to view a more ambitious free-trade agreement that includes access to India's burgeoning technology sector as its end goal. A Department for International Trade spokesman said in a statement: 'A free-trade agreement [with India] will open up huge opportunities for UK businesses.' Mrs Truss is now taking over direct responsibility for post-Brexit trade talks following the dramatic resignation of Lord Frost. The Foreign Secretary, a favourite of Tory grassroots activists, will take on the role of lead negotiator despite having campaigned on the Remain side during the referendum campaign. The work will be on top of her present job and her role as minister for women and equalities. During her stint as International Trade Secretary, Miss Truss received praise for reaching deals with countries including Japan, and Australia. And despite having supported Remain in 2016, she says she would now vote for Brexit if the chance came again. Ministers are plotting to ease immigration restrictions that could help thousands of Indian citizens both live and work in the UK more easily in 2022. The move is said to be a key point that could dominate trade talks that are due to commence between the two countries in Delhi later this month. International trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan is primed to dangle the offer in front of Indian representatives as part of a Government plan to curb China's growing influence in the region. One senior government insider explained that ministers generally accepted that a 'generous' visa offer would be the necessary counterbalance in any trade talks. Ms Trevelyan is said to be backed by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, but will likely face pressure from Home Secretary Priti Patel who does not support the move, reports the Times. As part of trade talks between the UK and India immigration restrictions could be eased that would see thousands more Indian citizens more easily live and work in Britain. Pictured: Residents pictured in Katra, India Foreign Secretary Liz Truss (above) is said to back the plans that would see immigration curbs on Indians relaxed India-UK: As trade talks heat up, are the pair closer than before? As talk of a potential historic free trade deal between India and the UK continues, 2021 saw plenty of moves that brought the two nations closer together. At the turn of 2021, the PM had been due to visit India but his plans were cancelled because of Covid-19. The trip was then rescheduled for April but the coronavirus crisis again wreaked havoc with Mr Johnson's plans. But in the May, the two countries agreed on a 1billion trade and investment deal that would see 6,000 new jobs created in the UK. The partnership contains more than 533million of new investment from India, said Downing Street. This includes 240million from the Serum Institute of India to support clinical trials, research and potential vaccine production. Both Mr Johnson and his counterpart Narendra Modi agreed to a '2030 Roadmap' which they said will deliver a 'quantum leap' in relations during a virtual-meeting last Spring. Speaking of their partnership, the PM said that the relationship between the UK and India is of 'huge importance'. Advertisement As part of the plans, Indian citizens could be offered similar visa deal to those given to Australians - allowing young workers the right to live and work in Britain for up to three years. Other mooted options include slashing visa fees for Indian students, and allowing them a temporary stay in the country after graduation. Work and tourism visas - which at present can cost up to 1,400 - could also be cheapened in a move to sweeten the Delhi representatives. A free trade agreement between both India and the UK would solidify a closer economic relationship between the pair, which began last May when a 1billion trade and investment deal was announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. No 10 had said UK businesses had secured export deals worth more than 446million and was expected to create more than 400 jobs. At the time, Mr Johnson said: 'Each and every one of the more than 6,500 jobs announced today will help families and communities build back from coronavirus and boost the British and Indian economies.' Both Mr Johnson and his counterpart Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to a '2030 Roadmap' which they said will deliver a 'quantum leap' in relations during a virtual-meeting last Spring. As an emerging market and one of the world's most populous nations, India's GDP (gross domestic product) stands at around 2 trillion despite not having a bilateral trade deal with the US or the EU. Britain will be hoping its close ties with India could see it trump the rest of the world and secure an historic trade deal, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson promises to go 'further and faster' to push Britain ahead in a post-Brexit world. Ministers agree that any agreement with Delhi would provide British businesses with a huge head start in what is anticipated to be the world's third largest economy by 2050. Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be hoping his efforts to charm Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (left) at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow in November will help them on their way to positive trade talks The plan is likely to face pressure from Home Secretary Priti Patel (pictured) who is said to not support the move Foreign Secretary Liz Truss to lead post-Brexit trade talks Liz Truss will take direct responsibility for post-Brexit trade talks following the dramatic resignation of Lord Frost. The Foreign Secretary, a favourite of Tory grassroots activists, will take on the role of lead negotiator despite having campaigned on the Remain side during the referendum campaign. The work will be on top of her present job and her role as minister for women and equalities. During her stint as International Trade Secretary, Miss Truss received praise for reaching deals with countries including Japan, and Australia. And despite having supported Remain in 2016, she says she would now vote for Brexit if the chance came again. Advertisement India, largely a protectionist economy that imposes significant tariffs on imports, has discussed the possibility to loosening those restrictions for British products, including whisky which can face import duties of up to 150 per cent. However, the UK's trade arm is said to view a more ambitious free-trade agreement that includes access to India's burgeoning technology sector as its end goal. A Department for International Trade spokesman said in a statement: 'A free-trade agreement [with India] will open up huge opportunities for UK businesses.' Mrs Truss is now taking over direct responsibility for post-Brexit trade talks following the dramatic resignation of Lord Frost. The Foreign Secretary, a favourite of Tory grassroots activists, will take on the role of lead negotiator despite having campaigned on the Remain side during the referendum campaign. The work will be on top of her present job and her role as minister for women and equalities. During her stint as International Trade Secretary, Miss Truss received praise for reaching deals with countries including Japan, and Australia. And despite having supported Remain in 2016, she says she would now vote for Brexit if the chance came again. Over 12,500 Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) have lost their permission to collect foreign donations 5,933 of them losing it on the last day of 2021 as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) either refused renewal of their licence or the outfits did not file applications for one. These organisations include Oxfam India, Biocon Foundation, Azim Premji Foundation, Indian Institute of Management in Bengaluru and Kolkata, Indian Institute of Technology, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, state-run Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre in Uttarakhand and Tuberculosis Association of India. The refusal to renew Mother Theresa-founded Missionaries of Charitys licence last week had triggered a controversy. Also Read | Opposition alleges Centre froze bank accounts of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity; govt denies Among the states, Tamil Nadu (1,453), West Bengal (1,382) and Maharashtra (1,282) had the highest number of NGOs whose nod to collect foreign funds expired as of December 31. Karnataka was placed seventh with 736 of its organisations losing the licence. The MHA had earlier extended the validity of licence under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010 to collect donations from abroad from September 30 to December 31 and then extended it to March 31. NGOs whose applications were rejected were not covered under this. Also Read | MHA allows some NGOs to collect foreign donations till March 31 An analysis of the FCRA database showed that the MHA on late Friday had put at least 5,933 organisations among NGOs whose licence to collect foreign donations in a list of outfits whose licence has expired. However, the break-up of NGOs whose applications were rejected and those who did not apply for renewal. With this, only 16,829 NGOs have the permission to collect foreign funds and this number could come down if the MHA finds discrepancies in the applications filed by them. On early Friday, this number was 22,762. Altogether, licences of 12,580 organisations expired on December 31. This would mean that there were 29,409 organisations that had the FCRA licence earlier. According to the database, Andhra Pradesh (973), Uttar Pradesh (872), Odisha (840), Karnataka (736), Kerala (700), Delhi (662) and Bihar (629) were in the top ten list of NGOs whose licence expired. In Karnataka, the Karnataka Central Diocese, Citizens Action Group and HD Kumaraswamy Sahrayalaya Trust are in the list of organisations that lose the licence. The VV Giri National Labour Institute considered the governments think tank on labour and employment issues, based in Uttar Pradeshs Noida was another prominent organisation that cannot collect foreign funds for its research programmes. In West Bengal, Satyajit Ray Film and TV Institute and School of Women Studies in Jadavpur University are among those who are not allowed to collect foreign funds from now on. The Times of India Relief Fund, Apne Aap Women Worldwide, Bachchon ka Ghar, Common Cause, Children's Book Trust, Subhash Chandra Foundation, Sulabh, Habitat Centre, Lady Shriram College for Women and Delhi Public School Society are among those who have lost the licence to collect foreign funds. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Over 12,500 Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) have lost their permission to collect foreign donations 5,933 of them losing it on the last day of 2021 as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) either refused renewal of their licence or the outfits did not file applications for one. These organisations include Oxfam India, Biocon Foundation, Azim Premji Foundation, Indian Institute of Management in Bengaluru and Kolkata, Indian Institute of Technology, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, state-run Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre in Uttarakhand and Tuberculosis Association of India. The refusal to renew Mother Theresa-founded Missionaries of Charitys licence last week had triggered a controversy. Also Read | Opposition alleges Centre froze bank accounts of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity; govt denies Among the states, Tamil Nadu (1,453), West Bengal (1,382) and Maharashtra (1,282) had the highest number of NGOs whose nod to collect foreign funds expired as of December 31. Karnataka was placed seventh with 736 of its organisations losing the licence. The MHA had earlier extended the validity of licence under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010 to collect donations from abroad from September 30 to December 31 and then extended it to March 31. NGOs whose applications were rejected were not covered under this. Also Read | MHA allows some NGOs to collect foreign donations till March 31 An analysis of the FCRA database showed that the MHA on late Friday had put at least 5,933 organisations among NGOs whose licence to collect foreign donations in a list of outfits whose licence has expired. However, the break-up of NGOs whose applications were rejected and those who did not apply for renewal. With this, only 16,829 NGOs have the permission to collect foreign funds and this number could come down if the MHA finds discrepancies in the applications filed by them. On early Friday, this number was 22,762. Altogether, licences of 12,580 organisations expired on December 31. This would mean that there were 29,409 organisations that had the FCRA licence earlier. According to the database, Andhra Pradesh (973), Uttar Pradesh (872), Odisha (840), Karnataka (736), Kerala (700), Delhi (662) and Bihar (629) were in the top ten list of NGOs whose licence expired. In Karnataka, the Karnataka Central Diocese, Citizens Action Group and HD Kumaraswamy Sahrayalaya Trust are in the list of organisations that lose the licence. The VV Giri National Labour Institute considered the governments think tank on labour and employment issues, based in Uttar Pradeshs Noida was another prominent organisation that cannot collect foreign funds for its research programmes. In West Bengal, Satyajit Ray Film and TV Institute and School of Women Studies in Jadavpur University are among those who are not allowed to collect foreign funds from now on. The Times of India Relief Fund, Apne Aap Women Worldwide, Bachchon ka Ghar, Common Cause, Children's Book Trust, Subhash Chandra Foundation, Sulabh, Habitat Centre, Lady Shriram College for Women and Delhi Public School Society are among those who have lost the licence to collect foreign funds. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Two U.S. veterans and five Britons were among nearly 300 people released as part of a prisoner exchange between Moscow and Kyiv. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe -- The world's largest free trade pact, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, entered into force Saturday to provide a tailwind for the region's post-pandemic recovery and a catalyst for global economic progress, bringing a ray of hope. -- Given its size and terms, the RCEP is widely expected to bolster regional trade and investment flows, and boost economic integration and prosperity in the region and beyond. -- At a time when the benefits of free trade and globalization are being questioned, the RCEP's rollout marks "a victory for multilateralism and free trade." BANGKOK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The world's largest free trade pact forged by 15 Asia-Pacific countries entered into force Saturday to provide a tailwind for the region's post-pandemic recovery and a catalyst for global economic progress, bringing a ray of hope. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement groups 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, as well as China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand, covering nearly a third of the world's population and gross domestic product. Given its size and terms, the RCEP is widely expected to bolster regional trade and investment flows, and boost economic integration and prosperity in the region and beyond. BOON FOR REGIONAL TRADE, INVESTMENT "The golden age of durian trade is coming," said Edwyn Chiang, secretary general of the Malaysia International Durian Industry Development Association, expecting the RCEP to spur exports of the thorny "king of fruits" by 50 percent by the year 2030. The RCEP will open up a broader market and development space for Malaysia's agriculture sector, strengthen the country's agricultural product trade as well as the sector's investment and cooperation with other member countries, Chiang said. "This (RCEP) will not only present new opportunities for Malaysian businesses, but also for regional business communities tapping into RCEP to access Malaysian and ASEAN markets more broadly," Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said. The free trade bloc is expected to eventually eliminate tariffs on more than 90 percent of goods, expand market access for investment, harmonize rules and regulations, streamline customs procedures, and set common rules concerning the development of e-commerce as well as small and medium-sized enterprises, according to business insiders. A gantry crane loads containers onto a freight train in Nanning international railway port in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua) ASEAN Secretary-General Dato Lim Jock Hoi said the pact will "open up opportunities that could catalyze the expansion of regional trade and investment." "Under the RCEP agreement, the region will become a single production base as well as a market for its products," he said. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development said the RCEP will create "a center of gravity for global trade," expecting the agreement's tariff concessions to boost exports within the region by 42 billion U.S. dollars. Businesses with global supply chains might face tariffs even within a free trade area (FTA) if their products contain components that are made elsewhere. Under the RCEP's rules of origin, parts from any member country would be treated equally, which might give companies in RCEP countries an incentive to look within the region for suppliers, analysts said. The RCEP's tariff concessions, unified rules of origin and simplification of customs procedures "will enable our company to purchase raw materials and equipment as well as distribution of products more efficiently and at a lower cost," said Qiu Jinliang, managing director of Himile (Thailand) Co., a tire mold supplier. Li Yanqiang, chairman of Beibu Gulf Port Group in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, expected the RCEP to promote economic and trade cooperation within the region and increase the port's container throughput. Of the 44 shipping routes linking the port with overseas ports, 28 are connected to RCEP countries, Li said. By 2030, the RCEP will increase the member economies' incomes by 0.6 percent, adding 245 billion dollars annually and 2.8 million jobs to the regional economy, according to a study by the Asian Development Bank. "A SHOT IN THE ARM" FOR GLOBAL ECONOMY The RCEP came into force initially in 10 countries that have submitted instruments of ratification with the ASEAN Secretariat. Photo taken on Dec. 30, 2021 shows a view of the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest trade deal so far, enters into force on Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Xu Qin) As global economic recovery still moves in fits and starts, the RCEP's entry into force would definitely be "a shot in the arm" for the world economic and trade development, said Ge Hongliang, deputy director with the College of ASEAN Studies at the Guangxi University for Nationalities. "It will help sustain the global economic recovery and mitigate the adverse impacts of the pandemic," Ge said. In the latest World Economic Outlook report, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) trimmed its 2021 global growth forecast to 5.9 percent from a 6-percent forecast made in July. It kept a 2022 global growth forecast unchanged at 4.9 percent. "This modest headline revision, however, masks large downgrades for some countries," the IMF said in the report, adding that the worsening pandemic dynamics have darkened the outlook for low-income developing countries while advanced economies are struggling with supply disruptions. The increase of regional trade through the RCEP will restore some economic activities shut down or slowed down by the pandemic, said William Jones, Washington bureau chief of the U.S. publication Executive Intelligence Review. "The increase in the 'flow' of goods and services enabled by the digital economy also leads to increased economic growth," Jones said, expecting an e-commerce boost through the RCEP to lift growth. The RCEP facilitates deeper integration of supply chains, while the flexibility and mobility in the flow of goods and services will create an Asia-Pacific super supply chain that can address supply disruptions caused by the pandemic, said Lawrence Loh, a professor at the National University of Singapore's Business School. VICTORY FOR MULTILATERALISM, FREE TRADE At a time when the benefits of free trade and globalization are being questioned, the RCEP's rollout marks "a victory for multilateralism and free trade." The RCEP's entry into force is a manifestation of the region's resolve to support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system, the ASEAN Secretariat said in a statement on Saturday. Staff members unload cargos from a plane at the Phnom Penh International Airport in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Dec. 31, 2021. (Photo by Van Pov/Xinhua) Considering the RCEP as a model for other FTAs to emulate, Loh said although the RCEP is pan-regional in nature, there are opportunities to collaborate with other FTAs in the Americas and Europe. "RCEP's linkages in trade and investment will serve to strengthen globalization, which is currently being threatened by geopolitical tensions," Loh said. Liu Ziyang, a professor at Kyonggi University in South Korea, said the implementation of the RCEP will accelerate negotiations on the trilateral free trade agreement among China, Japan and South Korea, and speed up the building of the FTA of the Asia-Pacific. Besides an economic growth stimulus effect, Jin Jianmin, a senior fellow at the Fujitsu Research Institute in Japan, expected the RCEP to improve institutional reforms and global economic governance capabilities, which will help promote medium- to long-term sustainable development. (Video reporters: Wang Yaguang, Guo Xinhui, Deng Min, Du Yuming, Hao Yalin, Qi Xing, Yang Chi, Wu Changwei, Yang Yunqi, Lu Huaiqian, Lu Haiyue, Liang Huiwen, Ta Na, Wan Po, Zhu Wei; video editors: Zhang Qiru, Zhang Yuhong, Hong Yan) An inmate on death row and two others awaiting trial for armed robbery have escaped from a prison in Ilorin, north-central Nigeria in fuzzy circumstances which officials are trying to unravel amid the incessant jailbreaks across the country since 2020. The escapees are Umaru Altine, the inmate on death row having been convicted for armed robbery, Segun Nasiru, and Isa Usman, both charged with armed robbery and awaiting trial, officials briefed on the matter told PREMIUM TIMES. They escaped in the early hours of Thursday, December 30, 2021, from the new custodial centre at Mandalla, Ilorin, Kwara State after cutting the iron of the cell, one official said. PREMIUM TIMES has seen internal communications reporting the escape but investigations were still ongoing to unravel the circumstances surrounding the escape. The spokesperson for the correctional service, Francis Enobore, confirmed the escape but said the exact details had not emerged. I got the report but who was involved and how it actually happened I cannot confirm, he told PREMIUM TIMES. But the management has initiated an investigation and a report would be out soon The Guardian reported in April last year that the Mandala centre has a capacity for 115 persons but holds more than 500 inmates. Fresh jailbreak threat Apart from the Ilorin escape, correctional service officials are also having fresh jailbreak fears in Edo State, where four prison attacks happened between 2020 and 2021, PREMIUM TIMES can report. This time, prison intelligence officials are reporting plans by convicted inmates at the Old Benin Custodial Centre to bring arms into the facility for the purpose of causing another jailbreak, internal communications seen by PREMIUM TIMES showed. The weapons are to be concealed in a pillow and thrown across the perimeter fence at an undisclosed date and time, prison intelligence sources said. The intelligence officials are recommending the mobilisation of armed squad personnel at the Benin centre to beef up the external perimeter fence coverage. They also want intensified searches and vigilance at the centre. Mr Enobore, the spokesperson, said he could not confirm the jailbreak threat in Benin but said: the correctional service is aware of the tendency of anyone incarcerated to want to want to leave even if by force. He said much of the problem the correctional service has faced has to do with jail attacks, external attack from armed hoodlums, not internal insurrection from within. Between 2020 and 2021, over five thousand inmates escaped from Nigerias overcrowded prisons across at least 11 states. An inmate on death row and two others awaiting trial for armed robbery have escaped from a prison in Ilorin, north-central Nigeria in fuzzy circumstances which officials are trying to unravel amid the incessant jailbreaks across the country since 2020. The escapees are Umaru Altine, the inmate on death row having been convicted for armed robbery, Segun Nasiru, and Isa Usman, both charged with armed robbery and awaiting trial, officials briefed on the matter told PREMIUM TIMES. They escaped in the early hours of Thursday, December 30, 2021, from the new custodial centre at Mandalla, Ilorin, Kwara State after cutting the iron of the cell, one official said. PREMIUM TIMES has seen internal communications reporting the escape but investigations were still ongoing to unravel the circumstances surrounding the escape. The spokesperson for the correctional service, Francis Enobore, confirmed the escape but said the exact details had not emerged. I got the report but who was involved and how it actually happened I cannot confirm, he told PREMIUM TIMES. But the management has initiated an investigation and a report would be out soon The Guardian reported in April last year that the Mandala centre has a capacity for 115 persons but holds more than 500 inmates. Fresh jailbreak threat Apart from the Ilorin escape, correctional service officials are also having fresh jailbreak fears in Edo State, where four prison attacks happened between 2020 and 2021, PREMIUM TIMES can report. This time, prison intelligence officials are reporting plans by convicted inmates at the Old Benin Custodial Centre to bring arms into the facility for the purpose of causing another jailbreak, internal communications seen by PREMIUM TIMES showed. The weapons are to be concealed in a pillow and thrown across the perimeter fence at an undisclosed date and time, prison intelligence sources said. The intelligence officials are recommending the mobilisation of armed squad personnel at the Benin centre to beef up the external perimeter fence coverage. They also want intensified searches and vigilance at the centre. Mr Enobore, the spokesperson, said he could not confirm the jailbreak threat in Benin but said: the correctional service is aware of the tendency of anyone incarcerated to want to want to leave even if by force. He said much of the problem the correctional service has faced has to do with jail attacks, external attack from armed hoodlums, not internal insurrection from within. Between 2020 and 2021, over five thousand inmates escaped from Nigerias overcrowded prisons across at least 11 states. Below Deck yachties know how to bounce back quickly after a hard night of partying. But then again, so do many Bravolebs. Heres some advice on how to get out of bed and greet 2022 after a big 2021 send-off. Chef Ben from Below Deck says to eat something spicy Chef Ben Robinson from Below Deck is a fan of spicy food to get him moving after a night of partying. I just really love it, he told Showbiz Cheat Sheet about eating spicy food when he has a hangover. Fancy AF Cocktails with Tom and Ariana Panel at BravoCon2019 Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix from Vanderpump Rules | Kathy Boos/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images He added, I love citrus. I love spice. You know, I can eat it in the morning. In the Bahamas, I always used to get a really spicy conch salad, like ridiculously spicy in the morning, and it just would blow the hangover right out [laughs]! And its something about these combination flavors that really just invigorate me. And I just love the stories behind it, he added. It really captures my imagination, other peoples imaginations, because obviously citrus is an antibacterial. So its just a lot of fun and it just links in a lot of ties into the science of cooking. Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix from Vanderpump Rules have a fizzy recovery mocktail Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval from Vanderpump Rules told Showbiz Cheat Sheet they lean into a fizzy mocktail that infuses Alka-Seltzer along with ginger syrup and lavender honey. Sandoval also created a mocktail that can be made with or without the booze. If youre gonna have cocktails, go with some fresh juices, especially watermelon and cucumber, he explained. They contain so much water that they keep everyone hydrated. its #pumprules tuesday! you know the vibes cheers, pumpies! pic.twitter.com/F1NnMQahN7 Ariana Fancy As F*ck Madix (@ariana2525) November 9, 2021 RELATED: Vanderpump Rules Season 9 Begins Filming as Tom Sandoval Reveals Hes Having a Hard Time Staffing TomTom (Exclusive) Its easy and Im into things that are carbonated, he continued. You take like a spiked seltzer and muddle like raspberries, blueberries, and maybe some citrus. Mix the fruit with perhaps some vodka or tequila then top it with the seltzer. It just turns the seltzer into something more fruity and just kicks it up a notch. Madix also revealed she was behind Pinkys Lemonade. I love anything thats like a lemony, she said. Like Pinkys Lemonade, that was a drink I created many years ago for Pride actually. Bravo trainer Jackie Warner from Work Out suggests lemon water Jackie Warner from Bravo shows like Work Out and Thintervention suggests chugging water with lots of lemons and also doing some stretching. The best medicine for a hangover is lemon water and stretching, she said in a Bravo digital original. A hangover means that your body is dehydrated and full of toxins from alcohol. Detox and hydrate your body first by drinking two liters of water with lemon juice. Whos the mysterious photographer?? Selfie time! #celebrityselfie Stay ?? pic.twitter.com/yGTwiMJgmI Chef Ben Robinson (@BenRobinsonChef) October 5, 2017 She then suggested stretching before a workout is even attempted. Warner said to do tricep stretches and rotator cuff stretches and a chest stretch. Bravolebs have more hangover remedy ideas Below Deck Sailing Yacht chief stew Daisy Kelliher said a good pair of sunglasses was her solution to a job interview when she was hungover. Gail Simmons from Top Chef said she tries to keep eating and drinking long after the party is over. Nice crispy bacon, egg and cheese sandwich, Tom Schwartz from Vanderpump Rules advised. Some coconut water. Maybe a banana. Scheana Shay from Vanderpump Rules said fried rice (or any rice) and a Sprite the next day helps her. Sandoval also suggested taking Midol Complete for a hangover. RELATED: Andy Cohen Dishes About RHOA Reunion and the Hangover He Earned Below Deck yachties know how to bounce back quickly after a hard night of partying. But then again, so do many Bravolebs. Heres some advice on how to get out of bed and greet 2022 after a big 2021 send-off. Chef Ben from Below Deck says to eat something spicy Chef Ben Robinson from Below Deck is a fan of spicy food to get him moving after a night of partying. I just really love it, he told Showbiz Cheat Sheet about eating spicy food when he has a hangover. Fancy AF Cocktails with Tom and Ariana Panel at BravoCon2019 Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix from Vanderpump Rules | Kathy Boos/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images He added, I love citrus. I love spice. You know, I can eat it in the morning. In the Bahamas, I always used to get a really spicy conch salad, like ridiculously spicy in the morning, and it just would blow the hangover right out [laughs]! And its something about these combination flavors that really just invigorate me. And I just love the stories behind it, he added. It really captures my imagination, other peoples imaginations, because obviously citrus is an antibacterial. So its just a lot of fun and it just links in a lot of ties into the science of cooking. Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix from Vanderpump Rules have a fizzy recovery mocktail Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval from Vanderpump Rules told Showbiz Cheat Sheet they lean into a fizzy mocktail that infuses Alka-Seltzer along with ginger syrup and lavender honey. Sandoval also created a mocktail that can be made with or without the booze. If youre gonna have cocktails, go with some fresh juices, especially watermelon and cucumber, he explained. They contain so much water that they keep everyone hydrated. its #pumprules tuesday! you know the vibes cheers, pumpies! pic.twitter.com/F1NnMQahN7 Ariana Fancy As F*ck Madix (@ariana2525) November 9, 2021 RELATED: Vanderpump Rules Season 9 Begins Filming as Tom Sandoval Reveals Hes Having a Hard Time Staffing TomTom (Exclusive) Its easy and Im into things that are carbonated, he continued. You take like a spiked seltzer and muddle like raspberries, blueberries, and maybe some citrus. Mix the fruit with perhaps some vodka or tequila then top it with the seltzer. It just turns the seltzer into something more fruity and just kicks it up a notch. Madix also revealed she was behind Pinkys Lemonade. I love anything thats like a lemony, she said. Like Pinkys Lemonade, that was a drink I created many years ago for Pride actually. Bravo trainer Jackie Warner from Work Out suggests lemon water Jackie Warner from Bravo shows like Work Out and Thintervention suggests chugging water with lots of lemons and also doing some stretching. The best medicine for a hangover is lemon water and stretching, she said in a Bravo digital original. A hangover means that your body is dehydrated and full of toxins from alcohol. Detox and hydrate your body first by drinking two liters of water with lemon juice. Whos the mysterious photographer?? Selfie time! #celebrityselfie Stay ?? pic.twitter.com/yGTwiMJgmI Chef Ben Robinson (@BenRobinsonChef) October 5, 2017 She then suggested stretching before a workout is even attempted. Warner said to do tricep stretches and rotator cuff stretches and a chest stretch. Bravolebs have more hangover remedy ideas Below Deck Sailing Yacht chief stew Daisy Kelliher said a good pair of sunglasses was her solution to a job interview when she was hungover. Gail Simmons from Top Chef said she tries to keep eating and drinking long after the party is over. Nice crispy bacon, egg and cheese sandwich, Tom Schwartz from Vanderpump Rules advised. Some coconut water. Maybe a banana. Scheana Shay from Vanderpump Rules said fried rice (or any rice) and a Sprite the next day helps her. Sandoval also suggested taking Midol Complete for a hangover. RELATED: Andy Cohen Dishes About RHOA Reunion and the Hangover He Earned All because his parents refused to abort him, a boy whose mother was told he would never live past the age of 2 has recently celebrated 17 years of life with some of his favorite peoplelocal police officers. Joshua Bourassa, of Pennsylvania, has Krabbe disease, an inherited condition that destroys the protective coating of nerve cells in the brain, and eventually the nervous system, resulting in a massively reduced life expectancy. Patients rarely live past their second birthday. But Josh did, and his mother, 40-year-old Rebecca Bourassa, chose to celebrate her amazing sons senior year with a special photoshoot. Dressed in police uniform gifted by Gibson state police, Trooper Josh looked the part. Rebecca told The Epoch Times that photographer Erikas photos were the best senior pictures ever. Josh with the Gibson state police officers. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) Josh with a cornhole game set that he made with the help of his mom to bless the Gibson state police officers with. The boards have different photos of Josh with police officers. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) I messaged a local photographer. It was her idea to have the local police officers come, I didnt even know she asked them, Rebecca said. Josh was so excited to have the police officers with him; he loved the police truck and didnt want to get out of it. We have been very blessed by so many officers over the years. When Josh had his scoliosis surgery, the Pittsburgh Police came by almost daily to see him. They got him food, gifts, and toys, they would come sit with him for hours and play Uno with him, have nerf gunfights at the hospital, snowball fights; they definitely went above and beyond. Josh is strong-willed, and he loves life. Josh with police officers when he was in the childrens hospital in Pittsburgh for his scoliosis surgery. The officers often use to come and spend quality fun time with him. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) Josh and police officers just before Christmas at the childrens hospital of Pittsburgh. Every year, the police bring plenty of toys and pass them out to all the children. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) Rebecca and her husband of 23 years, Nicholas Bourassa, 40, live in small-town Pennsylvania with their daughter, Alyssa, 22, Josh, 17, and their brother Stanley, 15. They also have custody of Rebeccas nephews and niece: Austin, 19, Matthew, 13, and Delaney, 12. Rebecca is a stay-at-home mom; Nicholas works at a local sewer plant. When Rebecca found out she was expecting Josh, they knew there was a 25 percent chance he could be born with Krabbe disease; they had already lost a child, Nicholas, to the same disease at just 9 months of age, and knew all too much about the devastating condition. They hoped for the better, but upon receiving a positive test result at 12 weeks, Rebecca was hysterical. The call that followed shocked her even more. It was a nurse, and her words were, Mrs. Bourassa, Im calling to set up your abortion. I instantly got sick to my stomach, she recalled. I went to the doctor and he really pushed for me to have an abortion, telling me why would I put myself and family through the heartbreak of losing another child? Why would I bring a baby into this world to have it suffer? I ended up changing my doctor shortly after. I dont believe in abortion, and my faith and trust in God definitely played a role in my choice. Josh with the officers from Pennsylvania State Police during his spinal surgery in Pittsburg. Trooper Allison (L) is still in touch with Josh, and he even visited Josh after surgery and rubbed his legs and talked with him for hours to help stop his pain and muscle spasms. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) Baby Nicholas, the older brother that Josh will never know, was born healthy in New York City on April 18, 2002, at a time when the city did not practice newborn screening for Krabbe disease. Nicholas progressed well for a few weeks, but then came constant crying. His pediatrician suspected gas, or colic. Nicholas started throwing up almost everything he ate and was still crying constantly. Rebecca knew something was badly wrong, and the baby was admitted to the hospital for severe dehydration and abnormal temperatures. But when staff revealed he would be discharged after receiving fluids, Rebecca begged for a second opinion. I couldnt hold it together, all the emotions mixed in; nervous about what was wrong, relief that finally someone will figure this out, angry that other doctors didnt take this seriously, she recalled. Josh with the Army officers from the 1st battalion 109th infantry Men of Iron in April 2019 during an event at his school. They honored him as Sergeant Josh Bourassa. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) Yet answers wouldnt come for several months, during which time baby Nicholas vomited blood, was placed on a ventilator, and had to be tube-fed. After sending genetic samples to a lab in Philadelphia, baby Nicholas finally received his diagnosis. I sat there smiling, I said, Great, thanks, so how will you treat him and make him better?' Rebecca recalled. [The doctor] looked at me and said, Im so sorry, theres nothing we can do; its a terminal disease and we only give your son a couple more weeks to live. My heart stopped beating. Nicholas soldiered on for three more months. But despite the familys fervent prayers, he lost his fight for life on Feb. 1, 2003. Rebecca and her husband with their baby Nicholas just moments after he died. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) While pregnant with Josh, and with the perennial support of her parents, Rebecca started researching the disease and support groups online. She found an experimental cord blood transplant program for rare diseases at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and made plans for her baby to join the program. Josh was born on July 13, 2004, said Rebecca. He was so tiny: 4 pounds, 3 ounces. We got to spend a little bit of time with him before he was rushed off for testing. We were told, without the transplant, Josh wouldnt live past 2 years of age. With the transplant, I was told it would give him a better quality of life, but long term they didnt know because he was only the ninth baby to have this done for Krabbe disease. Josh was a fighter. The family remained in North Carolina for Joshs first year and grew accustomed to his needs. Even his big sister, Alyssa, just 7 years old at the time, learned how to use a suction machine, a port feeding tube, and IV pumps, and helped her mom with morning blood draws. The family watched a lot of police officers on TV in the hospital together. Rebecca suspects this helped inform Joshs love for law enforcement; he dreams of joining the force one day and wants to be a husband and father. He says he likes police officers because they are very cool and they help people, Rebecca explained. He loves to see them; he loves the cars, the lights. He gets mad if I dont purposely try and get pulled over when hes with me in the car, just so he can say Hi!' As he grew, Josh found ways that work for him in interacting with the world and has never let his disability hold him back. He can talk, see, and hear, despite his initial prognosis, has a great sense of humor, and his family supports him every step of the way. He wanted to drive a car, so I took him on a back road, set him on my lap, and let him drive, Rebecca said. He wanted to roller skate, so I got him skates and he did it; he wanted to do a tractor pull, so I took him to the fair, talked with the judges, and they let him hook his wheelchair up and pull the smile and happiness it gave him was worth all the gray hair! Joshs health, said Rebecca, has declined over the past five years; he has lost total use of his right arm and right shoulder, and peripheral nerve disease has spread through his neck and back, causing severe scoliosis and requiring surgery. One thing that keeps the family united in positivity is their refusal to let negative thinking take over. Josh is their ringleader. The last time we went to the hospital for his yearly check-up, I was crying; the doctor was telling us, Yes, the disease is progressing,' said Rebecca. Josh sat there eating his cupcake, and said, Listen, stop making my mom cry all the time. You told her I was gonna die lots of times before guess what, Im still here and I can do everything I want to do, so you doctors dont know everything. We all started smiling. Even the doctor. Rebecca shared that Josh said he would like everyone to know that he is happy and well. He thinks everybody in the world should have a family; if you know a kid that needs a family, he implores, be a family to them, and buy them some chocolate because chocolate always makes kids happy! Arshdeep Sarao contributed to this report. Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Epoch Inspired newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter All because his parents refused to abort him, a boy whose mother was told he would never live past the age of 2 has recently celebrated 17 years of life with some of his favorite peoplelocal police officers. Joshua Bourassa, of Pennsylvania, has Krabbe disease, an inherited condition that destroys the protective coating of nerve cells in the brain, and eventually the nervous system, resulting in a massively reduced life expectancy. Patients rarely live past their second birthday. But Josh did, and his mother, 40-year-old Rebecca Bourassa, chose to celebrate her amazing sons senior year with a special photoshoot. Dressed in police uniform gifted by Gibson state police, Trooper Josh looked the part. Rebecca told The Epoch Times that photographer Erikas photos were the best senior pictures ever. Josh with the Gibson state police officers. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) Josh with a cornhole game set that he made with the help of his mom to bless the Gibson state police officers with. The boards have different photos of Josh with police officers. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) I messaged a local photographer. It was her idea to have the local police officers come, I didnt even know she asked them, Rebecca said. Josh was so excited to have the police officers with him; he loved the police truck and didnt want to get out of it. We have been very blessed by so many officers over the years. When Josh had his scoliosis surgery, the Pittsburgh Police came by almost daily to see him. They got him food, gifts, and toys, they would come sit with him for hours and play Uno with him, have nerf gunfights at the hospital, snowball fights; they definitely went above and beyond. Josh is strong-willed, and he loves life. Josh with police officers when he was in the childrens hospital in Pittsburgh for his scoliosis surgery. The officers often use to come and spend quality fun time with him. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) Josh and police officers just before Christmas at the childrens hospital of Pittsburgh. Every year, the police bring plenty of toys and pass them out to all the children. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) Rebecca and her husband of 23 years, Nicholas Bourassa, 40, live in small-town Pennsylvania with their daughter, Alyssa, 22, Josh, 17, and their brother Stanley, 15. They also have custody of Rebeccas nephews and niece: Austin, 19, Matthew, 13, and Delaney, 12. Rebecca is a stay-at-home mom; Nicholas works at a local sewer plant. When Rebecca found out she was expecting Josh, they knew there was a 25 percent chance he could be born with Krabbe disease; they had already lost a child, Nicholas, to the same disease at just 9 months of age, and knew all too much about the devastating condition. They hoped for the better, but upon receiving a positive test result at 12 weeks, Rebecca was hysterical. The call that followed shocked her even more. It was a nurse, and her words were, Mrs. Bourassa, Im calling to set up your abortion. I instantly got sick to my stomach, she recalled. I went to the doctor and he really pushed for me to have an abortion, telling me why would I put myself and family through the heartbreak of losing another child? Why would I bring a baby into this world to have it suffer? I ended up changing my doctor shortly after. I dont believe in abortion, and my faith and trust in God definitely played a role in my choice. Josh with the officers from Pennsylvania State Police during his spinal surgery in Pittsburg. Trooper Allison (L) is still in touch with Josh, and he even visited Josh after surgery and rubbed his legs and talked with him for hours to help stop his pain and muscle spasms. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) Baby Nicholas, the older brother that Josh will never know, was born healthy in New York City on April 18, 2002, at a time when the city did not practice newborn screening for Krabbe disease. Nicholas progressed well for a few weeks, but then came constant crying. His pediatrician suspected gas, or colic. Nicholas started throwing up almost everything he ate and was still crying constantly. Rebecca knew something was badly wrong, and the baby was admitted to the hospital for severe dehydration and abnormal temperatures. But when staff revealed he would be discharged after receiving fluids, Rebecca begged for a second opinion. I couldnt hold it together, all the emotions mixed in; nervous about what was wrong, relief that finally someone will figure this out, angry that other doctors didnt take this seriously, she recalled. Josh with the Army officers from the 1st battalion 109th infantry Men of Iron in April 2019 during an event at his school. They honored him as Sergeant Josh Bourassa. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) Yet answers wouldnt come for several months, during which time baby Nicholas vomited blood, was placed on a ventilator, and had to be tube-fed. After sending genetic samples to a lab in Philadelphia, baby Nicholas finally received his diagnosis. I sat there smiling, I said, Great, thanks, so how will you treat him and make him better?' Rebecca recalled. [The doctor] looked at me and said, Im so sorry, theres nothing we can do; its a terminal disease and we only give your son a couple more weeks to live. My heart stopped beating. Nicholas soldiered on for three more months. But despite the familys fervent prayers, he lost his fight for life on Feb. 1, 2003. Rebecca and her husband with their baby Nicholas just moments after he died. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) While pregnant with Josh, and with the perennial support of her parents, Rebecca started researching the disease and support groups online. She found an experimental cord blood transplant program for rare diseases at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and made plans for her baby to join the program. Josh was born on July 13, 2004, said Rebecca. He was so tiny: 4 pounds, 3 ounces. We got to spend a little bit of time with him before he was rushed off for testing. We were told, without the transplant, Josh wouldnt live past 2 years of age. With the transplant, I was told it would give him a better quality of life, but long term they didnt know because he was only the ninth baby to have this done for Krabbe disease. Josh was a fighter. The family remained in North Carolina for Joshs first year and grew accustomed to his needs. Even his big sister, Alyssa, just 7 years old at the time, learned how to use a suction machine, a port feeding tube, and IV pumps, and helped her mom with morning blood draws. The family watched a lot of police officers on TV in the hospital together. Rebecca suspects this helped inform Joshs love for law enforcement; he dreams of joining the force one day and wants to be a husband and father. He says he likes police officers because they are very cool and they help people, Rebecca explained. He loves to see them; he loves the cars, the lights. He gets mad if I dont purposely try and get pulled over when hes with me in the car, just so he can say Hi!' As he grew, Josh found ways that work for him in interacting with the world and has never let his disability hold him back. He can talk, see, and hear, despite his initial prognosis, has a great sense of humor, and his family supports him every step of the way. He wanted to drive a car, so I took him on a back road, set him on my lap, and let him drive, Rebecca said. He wanted to roller skate, so I got him skates and he did it; he wanted to do a tractor pull, so I took him to the fair, talked with the judges, and they let him hook his wheelchair up and pull the smile and happiness it gave him was worth all the gray hair! Joshs health, said Rebecca, has declined over the past five years; he has lost total use of his right arm and right shoulder, and peripheral nerve disease has spread through his neck and back, causing severe scoliosis and requiring surgery. One thing that keeps the family united in positivity is their refusal to let negative thinking take over. Josh is their ringleader. The last time we went to the hospital for his yearly check-up, I was crying; the doctor was telling us, Yes, the disease is progressing,' said Rebecca. Josh sat there eating his cupcake, and said, Listen, stop making my mom cry all the time. You told her I was gonna die lots of times before guess what, Im still here and I can do everything I want to do, so you doctors dont know everything. We all started smiling. Even the doctor. Rebecca shared that Josh said he would like everyone to know that he is happy and well. He thinks everybody in the world should have a family; if you know a kid that needs a family, he implores, be a family to them, and buy them some chocolate because chocolate always makes kids happy! Arshdeep Sarao contributed to this report. Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Epoch Inspired newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter All because his parents refused to abort him, a boy whose mother was told he would never live past the age of 2 has recently celebrated 17 years of life with some of his favorite peoplelocal police officers. Joshua Bourassa, of Pennsylvania, has Krabbe disease, an inherited condition that destroys the protective coating of nerve cells in the brain, and eventually the nervous system, resulting in a massively reduced life expectancy. Patients rarely live past their second birthday. But Josh did, and his mother, 40-year-old Rebecca Bourassa, chose to celebrate her amazing sons senior year with a special photoshoot. Dressed in police uniform gifted by Gibson state police, Trooper Josh looked the part. Rebecca told The Epoch Times that photographer Erikas photos were the best senior pictures ever. Josh with the Gibson state police officers. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) Josh with a cornhole game set that he made with the help of his mom to bless the Gibson state police officers with. The boards have different photos of Josh with police officers. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) I messaged a local photographer. It was her idea to have the local police officers come, I didnt even know she asked them, Rebecca said. Josh was so excited to have the police officers with him; he loved the police truck and didnt want to get out of it. We have been very blessed by so many officers over the years. When Josh had his scoliosis surgery, the Pittsburgh Police came by almost daily to see him. They got him food, gifts, and toys, they would come sit with him for hours and play Uno with him, have nerf gunfights at the hospital, snowball fights; they definitely went above and beyond. Josh is strong-willed, and he loves life. Josh with police officers when he was in the childrens hospital in Pittsburgh for his scoliosis surgery. The officers often use to come and spend quality fun time with him. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) Josh and police officers just before Christmas at the childrens hospital of Pittsburgh. Every year, the police bring plenty of toys and pass them out to all the children. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) Rebecca and her husband of 23 years, Nicholas Bourassa, 40, live in small-town Pennsylvania with their daughter, Alyssa, 22, Josh, 17, and their brother Stanley, 15. They also have custody of Rebeccas nephews and niece: Austin, 19, Matthew, 13, and Delaney, 12. Rebecca is a stay-at-home mom; Nicholas works at a local sewer plant. When Rebecca found out she was expecting Josh, they knew there was a 25 percent chance he could be born with Krabbe disease; they had already lost a child, Nicholas, to the same disease at just 9 months of age, and knew all too much about the devastating condition. They hoped for the better, but upon receiving a positive test result at 12 weeks, Rebecca was hysterical. The call that followed shocked her even more. It was a nurse, and her words were, Mrs. Bourassa, Im calling to set up your abortion. I instantly got sick to my stomach, she recalled. I went to the doctor and he really pushed for me to have an abortion, telling me why would I put myself and family through the heartbreak of losing another child? Why would I bring a baby into this world to have it suffer? I ended up changing my doctor shortly after. I dont believe in abortion, and my faith and trust in God definitely played a role in my choice. Josh with the officers from Pennsylvania State Police during his spinal surgery in Pittsburg. Trooper Allison (L) is still in touch with Josh, and he even visited Josh after surgery and rubbed his legs and talked with him for hours to help stop his pain and muscle spasms. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) Baby Nicholas, the older brother that Josh will never know, was born healthy in New York City on April 18, 2002, at a time when the city did not practice newborn screening for Krabbe disease. Nicholas progressed well for a few weeks, but then came constant crying. His pediatrician suspected gas, or colic. Nicholas started throwing up almost everything he ate and was still crying constantly. Rebecca knew something was badly wrong, and the baby was admitted to the hospital for severe dehydration and abnormal temperatures. But when staff revealed he would be discharged after receiving fluids, Rebecca begged for a second opinion. I couldnt hold it together, all the emotions mixed in; nervous about what was wrong, relief that finally someone will figure this out, angry that other doctors didnt take this seriously, she recalled. Josh with the Army officers from the 1st battalion 109th infantry Men of Iron in April 2019 during an event at his school. They honored him as Sergeant Josh Bourassa. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) Yet answers wouldnt come for several months, during which time baby Nicholas vomited blood, was placed on a ventilator, and had to be tube-fed. After sending genetic samples to a lab in Philadelphia, baby Nicholas finally received his diagnosis. I sat there smiling, I said, Great, thanks, so how will you treat him and make him better?' Rebecca recalled. [The doctor] looked at me and said, Im so sorry, theres nothing we can do; its a terminal disease and we only give your son a couple more weeks to live. My heart stopped beating. Nicholas soldiered on for three more months. But despite the familys fervent prayers, he lost his fight for life on Feb. 1, 2003. Rebecca and her husband with their baby Nicholas just moments after he died. (Courtesy of Rebecca Bourassa) While pregnant with Josh, and with the perennial support of her parents, Rebecca started researching the disease and support groups online. She found an experimental cord blood transplant program for rare diseases at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and made plans for her baby to join the program. Josh was born on July 13, 2004, said Rebecca. He was so tiny: 4 pounds, 3 ounces. We got to spend a little bit of time with him before he was rushed off for testing. We were told, without the transplant, Josh wouldnt live past 2 years of age. With the transplant, I was told it would give him a better quality of life, but long term they didnt know because he was only the ninth baby to have this done for Krabbe disease. Josh was a fighter. The family remained in North Carolina for Joshs first year and grew accustomed to his needs. Even his big sister, Alyssa, just 7 years old at the time, learned how to use a suction machine, a port feeding tube, and IV pumps, and helped her mom with morning blood draws. The family watched a lot of police officers on TV in the hospital together. Rebecca suspects this helped inform Joshs love for law enforcement; he dreams of joining the force one day and wants to be a husband and father. He says he likes police officers because they are very cool and they help people, Rebecca explained. He loves to see them; he loves the cars, the lights. He gets mad if I dont purposely try and get pulled over when hes with me in the car, just so he can say Hi!' As he grew, Josh found ways that work for him in interacting with the world and has never let his disability hold him back. He can talk, see, and hear, despite his initial prognosis, has a great sense of humor, and his family supports him every step of the way. He wanted to drive a car, so I took him on a back road, set him on my lap, and let him drive, Rebecca said. He wanted to roller skate, so I got him skates and he did it; he wanted to do a tractor pull, so I took him to the fair, talked with the judges, and they let him hook his wheelchair up and pull the smile and happiness it gave him was worth all the gray hair! Joshs health, said Rebecca, has declined over the past five years; he has lost total use of his right arm and right shoulder, and peripheral nerve disease has spread through his neck and back, causing severe scoliosis and requiring surgery. One thing that keeps the family united in positivity is their refusal to let negative thinking take over. Josh is their ringleader. The last time we went to the hospital for his yearly check-up, I was crying; the doctor was telling us, Yes, the disease is progressing,' said Rebecca. Josh sat there eating his cupcake, and said, Listen, stop making my mom cry all the time. You told her I was gonna die lots of times before guess what, Im still here and I can do everything I want to do, so you doctors dont know everything. We all started smiling. Even the doctor. Rebecca shared that Josh said he would like everyone to know that he is happy and well. He thinks everybody in the world should have a family; if you know a kid that needs a family, he implores, be a family to them, and buy them some chocolate because chocolate always makes kids happy! Arshdeep Sarao contributed to this report. Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Epoch Inspired newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends a ruling party congress in Pyongyang, North Korea on Jan. 6, 2021. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP) North Koreas Kim Jong-Un Demands Absolute Loyalty From Military Amid Korean Peninsula Instability North Korean leader Kim Jong-un demanded absolute loyalty and allegiance from the military force and vowed to bolster the countrys defense capabilities in response to the destabilizing situation on the Korean Peninsula. Kim was speaking at the Workers Partys five-day plenary meeting on Friday, which coincided with his tenth year anniversary of ruling since his fathers death in 2011. The increasingly unstable military environment on the Korean Peninsula and international politics have instigated calls to vigorously push forward with our national defense build-up plans without any delay, Kim was quoted saying by the official Korean Central News Agency. South Korea has been pushing for a declaration to end the 195053 Korean war, which ended in an armistice, as a way to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula. However, North Korea insists that any formal treaty to end the war must first be preceded by an end to U.S. hostilities toward Pyongyang. In response, the United States reiterated that it holds no hostile intent toward Pyongyang and expressed willingness to meet with North Korea for negotiations without preconditions. While Kim spoke of principled issues and some tactical directions to be maintained in inter-Korean relations and foreign affairs, the North Korean leader made no mention of his countrys dealings with the United States and South Korea in his speech. He noted that North Korea would continue to build up military capabilities and develop high-tech weapon systems in response to the instability on the Korean Peninsula. Kim also directed officials to prioritize anti-pandemic emergency campaigns, stating that any incompetence and loopholes would not be tolerated. As for North Koreas economic development, Kim described this years development objectives as a great life-and-death struggle that must be achieved, citing progress in various industries such as agricultural, construction, electricity, and other sectors. North Koreas economy has suffered major setbacks in the past two years due to pandemic-caused border shutdowns, persistent U.N. sanctions, and the fallout from natural disasters. According to South Korean estimates, North Koreas trade with China, its biggest trading partner and an economic pipeline, shrank by about 80 percent in 2020 before it plunged again by two-thirds in the first nine months of last year. In 2020, North Koreas economy suffered its biggest contraction since 1997, while its grain production also dropped to its lowest level since Kim took power in 2011. Seoul officials said the Norths grain production slightly improved last year. The Associated Press contributed to this report. In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends a ruling party congress in Pyongyang, North Korea on Jan. 6, 2021. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP) North Koreas Kim Jong-Un Demands Absolute Loyalty From Military Amid Korean Peninsula Instability North Korean leader Kim Jong-un demanded absolute loyalty and allegiance from the military force and vowed to bolster the countrys defense capabilities in response to the destabilizing situation on the Korean Peninsula. Kim was speaking at the Workers Partys five-day plenary meeting on Friday, which coincided with his tenth year anniversary of ruling since his fathers death in 2011. The increasingly unstable military environment on the Korean Peninsula and international politics have instigated calls to vigorously push forward with our national defense build-up plans without any delay, Kim was quoted saying by the official Korean Central News Agency. South Korea has been pushing for a declaration to end the 195053 Korean war, which ended in an armistice, as a way to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula. However, North Korea insists that any formal treaty to end the war must first be preceded by an end to U.S. hostilities toward Pyongyang. In response, the United States reiterated that it holds no hostile intent toward Pyongyang and expressed willingness to meet with North Korea for negotiations without preconditions. While Kim spoke of principled issues and some tactical directions to be maintained in inter-Korean relations and foreign affairs, the North Korean leader made no mention of his countrys dealings with the United States and South Korea in his speech. He noted that North Korea would continue to build up military capabilities and develop high-tech weapon systems in response to the instability on the Korean Peninsula. Kim also directed officials to prioritize anti-pandemic emergency campaigns, stating that any incompetence and loopholes would not be tolerated. As for North Koreas economic development, Kim described this years development objectives as a great life-and-death struggle that must be achieved, citing progress in various industries such as agricultural, construction, electricity, and other sectors. North Koreas economy has suffered major setbacks in the past two years due to pandemic-caused border shutdowns, persistent U.N. sanctions, and the fallout from natural disasters. According to South Korean estimates, North Koreas trade with China, its biggest trading partner and an economic pipeline, shrank by about 80 percent in 2020 before it plunged again by two-thirds in the first nine months of last year. In 2020, North Koreas economy suffered its biggest contraction since 1997, while its grain production also dropped to its lowest level since Kim took power in 2011. Seoul officials said the Norths grain production slightly improved last year. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Saturday spoke about the presence of pro-Khalistan elements in the state. He said that during polls, such elements remain active. CM Channi said that the person involved in the Ludhiana blast was identified, stating that there are indications towards big fish involved in drugs. Addressing a press conference, CM Channi said, "Every time during elections, such elements remain active. In the Ludhiana blast case, the person was identified. Indications towards Big fishes of drugs. SFJ (Sikh For Justice) remain speaking several times but in Punjab no such impact. We are maintaining a law and order situation in Punjab." Recently, a prominent member of the designated terrorist group Sikh For Justice (SFJ) Jaswinder Singh Multani, who is allegedly linked to the explosion at the Ludhiana Court complex, was held in Germany. According to police, the names of two suspects residing in Pakistan and Germany had emerged. A bomb blast had occurred at the Ludhiana district court complex on December 23, killing one and injuring two others. The deceased was identified as dismissed Punjab Police personnel Gagandeep Singh, the accused in the case. CM Channi attacks BJP for pressurising Governor During his address, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi also attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for allegedly putting pressure on Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit for not clearing job files of 36,000 contractual employees for regular jobs. "We will again try to meet the governor to clear the regular jobs file. If required we will stage a protest against the governor," Channi said. Punjab CM Channi also stated that his government solved the Kapurthala case within 48 hours. "In Golden temple case, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SPGC) is investigating the first. We will investigate later," he said. In the 2015 sacrilege incident, the CM said that the state government is trying to interrogate Gurmeet Ram Rahim. "We are trying to take custodial interrogation of Gurmeet Ram Rahim. Sukhbir Badals role in sacrilege is visible but we are trying to make it evident," he said. Image: Facebook/Charanjit Singh Channi Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Saturday spoke about the presence of pro-Khalistan elements in the state. He said that during polls, such elements remain active. CM Channi said that the person involved in the Ludhiana blast was identified, stating that there are indications towards big fish involved in drugs. Addressing a press conference, CM Channi said, "Every time during elections, such elements remain active. In the Ludhiana blast case, the person was identified. Indications towards Big fishes of drugs. SFJ (Sikh For Justice) remain speaking several times but in Punjab no such impact. We are maintaining a law and order situation in Punjab." Recently, a prominent member of the designated terrorist group Sikh For Justice (SFJ) Jaswinder Singh Multani, who is allegedly linked to the explosion at the Ludhiana Court complex, was held in Germany. According to police, the names of two suspects residing in Pakistan and Germany had emerged. A bomb blast had occurred at the Ludhiana district court complex on December 23, killing one and injuring two others. The deceased was identified as dismissed Punjab Police personnel Gagandeep Singh, the accused in the case. CM Channi attacks BJP for pressurising Governor During his address, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi also attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for allegedly putting pressure on Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit for not clearing job files of 36,000 contractual employees for regular jobs. "We will again try to meet the governor to clear the regular jobs file. If required we will stage a protest against the governor," Channi said. Punjab CM Channi also stated that his government solved the Kapurthala case within 48 hours. "In Golden temple case, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SPGC) is investigating the first. We will investigate later," he said. In the 2015 sacrilege incident, the CM said that the state government is trying to interrogate Gurmeet Ram Rahim. "We are trying to take custodial interrogation of Gurmeet Ram Rahim. Sukhbir Badals role in sacrilege is visible but we are trying to make it evident," he said. Image: Facebook/Charanjit Singh Channi Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Saturday spoke about the presence of pro-Khalistan elements in the state. He said that during polls, such elements remain active. CM Channi said that the person involved in the Ludhiana blast was identified, stating that there are indications towards big fish involved in drugs. Addressing a press conference, CM Channi said, "Every time during elections, such elements remain active. In the Ludhiana blast case, the person was identified. Indications towards Big fishes of drugs. SFJ (Sikh For Justice) remain speaking several times but in Punjab no such impact. We are maintaining a law and order situation in Punjab." Recently, a prominent member of the designated terrorist group Sikh For Justice (SFJ) Jaswinder Singh Multani, who is allegedly linked to the explosion at the Ludhiana Court complex, was held in Germany. According to police, the names of two suspects residing in Pakistan and Germany had emerged. A bomb blast had occurred at the Ludhiana district court complex on December 23, killing one and injuring two others. The deceased was identified as dismissed Punjab Police personnel Gagandeep Singh, the accused in the case. CM Channi attacks BJP for pressurising Governor During his address, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi also attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for allegedly putting pressure on Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit for not clearing job files of 36,000 contractual employees for regular jobs. "We will again try to meet the governor to clear the regular jobs file. If required we will stage a protest against the governor," Channi said. Punjab CM Channi also stated that his government solved the Kapurthala case within 48 hours. "In Golden temple case, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SPGC) is investigating the first. We will investigate later," he said. In the 2015 sacrilege incident, the CM said that the state government is trying to interrogate Gurmeet Ram Rahim. "We are trying to take custodial interrogation of Gurmeet Ram Rahim. Sukhbir Badals role in sacrilege is visible but we are trying to make it evident," he said. Image: Facebook/Charanjit Singh Channi Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Saturday spoke about the presence of pro-Khalistan elements in the state. He said that during polls, such elements remain active. CM Channi said that the person involved in the Ludhiana blast was identified, stating that there are indications towards big fish involved in drugs. Addressing a press conference, CM Channi said, "Every time during elections, such elements remain active. In the Ludhiana blast case, the person was identified. Indications towards Big fishes of drugs. SFJ (Sikh For Justice) remain speaking several times but in Punjab no such impact. We are maintaining a law and order situation in Punjab." Recently, a prominent member of the designated terrorist group Sikh For Justice (SFJ) Jaswinder Singh Multani, who is allegedly linked to the explosion at the Ludhiana Court complex, was held in Germany. According to police, the names of two suspects residing in Pakistan and Germany had emerged. A bomb blast had occurred at the Ludhiana district court complex on December 23, killing one and injuring two others. The deceased was identified as dismissed Punjab Police personnel Gagandeep Singh, the accused in the case. CM Channi attacks BJP for pressurising Governor During his address, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi also attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for allegedly putting pressure on Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit for not clearing job files of 36,000 contractual employees for regular jobs. "We will again try to meet the governor to clear the regular jobs file. If required we will stage a protest against the governor," Channi said. Punjab CM Channi also stated that his government solved the Kapurthala case within 48 hours. "In Golden temple case, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SPGC) is investigating the first. We will investigate later," he said. In the 2015 sacrilege incident, the CM said that the state government is trying to interrogate Gurmeet Ram Rahim. "We are trying to take custodial interrogation of Gurmeet Ram Rahim. Sukhbir Badals role in sacrilege is visible but we are trying to make it evident," he said. Image: Facebook/Charanjit Singh Channi Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Saturday spoke about the presence of pro-Khalistan elements in the state. He said that during polls, such elements remain active. CM Channi said that the person involved in the Ludhiana blast was identified, stating that there are indications towards big fish involved in drugs. Addressing a press conference, CM Channi said, "Every time during elections, such elements remain active. In the Ludhiana blast case, the person was identified. Indications towards Big fishes of drugs. SFJ (Sikh For Justice) remain speaking several times but in Punjab no such impact. We are maintaining a law and order situation in Punjab." Recently, a prominent member of the designated terrorist group Sikh For Justice (SFJ) Jaswinder Singh Multani, who is allegedly linked to the explosion at the Ludhiana Court complex, was held in Germany. According to police, the names of two suspects residing in Pakistan and Germany had emerged. A bomb blast had occurred at the Ludhiana district court complex on December 23, killing one and injuring two others. The deceased was identified as dismissed Punjab Police personnel Gagandeep Singh, the accused in the case. CM Channi attacks BJP for pressurising Governor During his address, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi also attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for allegedly putting pressure on Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit for not clearing job files of 36,000 contractual employees for regular jobs. "We will again try to meet the governor to clear the regular jobs file. If required we will stage a protest against the governor," Channi said. Punjab CM Channi also stated that his government solved the Kapurthala case within 48 hours. "In Golden temple case, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SPGC) is investigating the first. We will investigate later," he said. In the 2015 sacrilege incident, the CM said that the state government is trying to interrogate Gurmeet Ram Rahim. "We are trying to take custodial interrogation of Gurmeet Ram Rahim. Sukhbir Badals role in sacrilege is visible but we are trying to make it evident," he said. Image: Facebook/Charanjit Singh Channi New Delhi, Jan 1 : On his maiden visit to the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday said, everyone must try to visit the islands at least once in their lifetime, adding that it boasts of a "unique confluence of ancient cultural heritage and pristine natural beauty" and that he was humbled by the hospitality of the people. While inaugurating two Arts & Science colleges in Kadmat and Androth islands, Naidu said that the courses being offered will help the students of the islands, especially the girl students, overcome the geographical constraints of the region and pursue quality higher education with employment potential. The Vice President, who is on a two-day tour to the islands, was received by UT Administrator Praful Patel and was accorded a guard of honour on his arrival on Friday. The Vice President, who is also the Chancellor of the Pondicherry University to which the colleges are affiliated to, emphasized the importance of skill development among students. He advised the administration to start more short courses in skill development to increase the employability of the islands's youth. Observing the immense eco-tourism and fisheries potential of Lakshadweep, Naidu called upon the youth of the islands to utilise the courses offered in aquaculture, tourism and hospitality and proactively strive for excellence in these sectors where they have a natural advantage. He expressed confidence that the new colleges "will not only serve the aspirations of the youth of the islands, but have a powerful multiplier effect and redefine the socio-economic landscape of the region. The Vice President emphasized that the development of the Lakshadweep islands is integral to the development of the nation. Naidu lauded the resolve of the people and administration of Lakshadweep for enforcing the complete ban on single-use plastic on the islands. He also appreciated the fact that islands are moving towards 100 per cent shift to green energy in a span of two years. He called for a people's movement for continuing the high cleanliness standards of the islands under the 'Swachh Lakshadweep' program. Highlighting the importance of education, Naidu called upon the youth of the islands to also look for innovative solutions for long-standing issues of the islands such as the scarcity of potable water. He said the "real power of education gets unleashed when knowledge, skills and values are applied to bring about a transformation in the lives of the people. Referring to tourism and fisheries as the great strengths of Lakshadweep, Naidu said, "islands should aspire to become the role model for the country in eco-tourism and sustainable fisheries, without risking its fragile and sensitive biodiversity." He noted various initiatives such as submarine optical fibre connectivity, expansion of airports, strengthening of infrastructure and plan to introduce water villas on some islands as laudable efforts. New Delhi, Jan 1 : On his maiden visit to the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday said, everyone must try to visit the islands at least once in their lifetime, adding that it boasts of a "unique confluence of ancient cultural heritage and pristine natural beauty" and that he was humbled by the hospitality of the people. While inaugurating two Arts & Science colleges in Kadmat and Androth islands, Naidu said that the courses being offered will help the students of the islands, especially the girl students, overcome the geographical constraints of the region and pursue quality higher education with employment potential. The Vice President, who is on a two-day tour to the islands, was received by UT Administrator Praful Patel and was accorded a guard of honour on his arrival on Friday. The Vice President, who is also the Chancellor of the Pondicherry University to which the colleges are affiliated to, emphasized the importance of skill development among students. He advised the administration to start more short courses in skill development to increase the employability of the islands's youth. Observing the immense eco-tourism and fisheries potential of Lakshadweep, Naidu called upon the youth of the islands to utilise the courses offered in aquaculture, tourism and hospitality and proactively strive for excellence in these sectors where they have a natural advantage. He expressed confidence that the new colleges "will not only serve the aspirations of the youth of the islands, but have a powerful multiplier effect and redefine the socio-economic landscape of the region. The Vice President emphasized that the development of the Lakshadweep islands is integral to the development of the nation. Naidu lauded the resolve of the people and administration of Lakshadweep for enforcing the complete ban on single-use plastic on the islands. He also appreciated the fact that islands are moving towards 100 per cent shift to green energy in a span of two years. He called for a people's movement for continuing the high cleanliness standards of the islands under the 'Swachh Lakshadweep' program. Highlighting the importance of education, Naidu called upon the youth of the islands to also look for innovative solutions for long-standing issues of the islands such as the scarcity of potable water. He said the "real power of education gets unleashed when knowledge, skills and values are applied to bring about a transformation in the lives of the people. Referring to tourism and fisheries as the great strengths of Lakshadweep, Naidu said, "islands should aspire to become the role model for the country in eco-tourism and sustainable fisheries, without risking its fragile and sensitive biodiversity." He noted various initiatives such as submarine optical fibre connectivity, expansion of airports, strengthening of infrastructure and plan to introduce water villas on some islands as laudable efforts. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen called on China to resolve their disputes amicably during her New Year address at the presidential office in Taipei on Saturday, saying Beijing should prevent the development of "military adventurism." Tsai was outspoken in her opposition to China's policies ""Military invasions" are "unhelpful to the preservation of regional peace and stability," she added. She reaffirmed Taiwan's position, saying the country "would neither cave to coercion nor act rashly when we have support." Chinese leadership, according to Tsai "They should not misread the situation and should put a halt to the rise of military adventurism among their forces. Tsai went on to say that using military force to resolve issues between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait is "absolutely not an option." She warned that military battles would wreak havoc on the economy. Tsai also mentioned recent arrests in Hong Kong in connection with an online media outfit recognised for taking a critical stance towards the Hong Kong administration. "Show the world that democratic Taiwan has the fortitude to walk out from under the shadow of authoritarian China," she said. Well-known American actress Betty White died at age of 99 ISTANBUL: 2 people injured in a massive fire in a wooden building Kim promises to strengthen N.Korea's military, maintain viral curbs. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen called on China to resolve their disputes amicably during her New Year address at the presidential office in Taipei on Saturday, saying Beijing should prevent the development of "military adventurism." Tsai was outspoken in her opposition to China's policies ""Military invasions" are "unhelpful to the preservation of regional peace and stability," she added. She reaffirmed Taiwan's position, saying the country "would neither cave to coercion nor act rashly when we have support." Chinese leadership, according to Tsai "They should not misread the situation and should put a halt to the rise of military adventurism among their forces. Tsai went on to say that using military force to resolve issues between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait is "absolutely not an option." She warned that military battles would wreak havoc on the economy. Tsai also mentioned recent arrests in Hong Kong in connection with an online media outfit recognised for taking a critical stance towards the Hong Kong administration. "Show the world that democratic Taiwan has the fortitude to walk out from under the shadow of authoritarian China," she said. Well-known American actress Betty White died at age of 99 ISTANBUL: 2 people injured in a massive fire in a wooden building Kim promises to strengthen N.Korea's military, maintain viral curbs. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Dozens of civilians have been reportedly killed over the past week in a barrage of air strikes in Ethiopia's northernmost Tigray region - the highest casualties recorded since October. Last week, the Ethiopian government said that its troops would not advance further into Tigray, signalling a potential pause in fighting even as Tigrayan rebels accuse the military of carrying out several air strikes in the region this month. The claims by the Tigray People's Liberation Front rebel group could not be independently confirmed. On Thursday, the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that air strikes between 19th to 24th December had "reportedly led to mass civilian casualties, including dozens of people reportedly killed, making this the most intense series of air attacks and casualties reported since October." According to OCHA, the strikes reportedly hit several towns across southern Tigray, with one destroying an electrical substation in the regional capital Mekele. 'Tense and unpredictble" The agency added "Due to limited access and insecurity in the area, humanitarian partners could not verify the exact number of casualties yet." The TPLF announced a retreat to Tigray last week, marking a turning point in the war which has left thousands of people dead and pushed many more into famine. OCHA said the situation in northern Ethiopia remains "tense and unpredictable" with aid workers struggling to get crucial supplies to those in need. "No trucks with humanitarian aid cargo have entered Tigray since 14 December," the agency said, citing security issues. The fighting in Africa's second most populous nation has displaced more than two million people and more than nine million are in need of food aid, according to UN estimates. The war broke out in November last year when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray to topple the TPLF, accusing its fighters of attacking army camps. A swift victory was elusive, as the TPLF mounted a shock counter-attack, recapturing most of Tigray by June before advancing into neighbouring Afar and Amhara. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Mumbai, Jan 1 : 'Gulaab Gang' actor Ankit Anil Sharma is quite excited to share the screen with veteran Sanjay Mishra in the award-winning movie 'Turtle'. 'Turtle' is inspired by a real story and highlights the issue of water crisis. Ankit is playing the role of Sanjay Mishra's son, who tries his level best to fulfill his father's dream. Talking about his role in the movie Ankit said: "It's a beautiful, inspiring and gripping story, which deals with the grassroots problem of the water crisis in the villages of Rajasthan. I am playing the role of Hari. He is adamant about carrying out his father's plan to dig a borewell to overcome the water shortage in the village. He did his best, yet he fell short due to the circumstances." Earlier, Ankit played the negative role in Madhuri Dixit and Juhi Chawla-starrer 'Gulaab Gang' and also did some episodes of 'Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah'. On sharing screen space with Sanjay Mishra, Ankit shared: "I consider myself fortunate. Earlier I had worked with Madhuri ji and Juhi ji, and now I got an opportunity to share the screen space with Sanjay ji. He is exceptional, flawless and an ace actor." He further added: "While working with him I haven't felt I am working with an award-winning actor, for me he was like a batchmate from an acting institute. Overall it was a terrific experience for me. I learnt a lot about the craft while working with Sanjay ji." 'Turtle' won the National Film Award for Best Rajasthani Film at 66th National Film Awards and was released on ZEE5. 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. MLK Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving... there are eleven federal holidays in the United States, we took a look at when each will fall in 2022. 2022 US public holidays 1. New Year's Day - 1 January 2. Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. - Third Monday of January 3. Washington's Birthday - Third Monday of February 4. Memorial Day - Last Monday of May 5. Juneteenth - 19 June 6. Independence Day - 4 July 7. Labor Day - First Monday of September 8. Columbus Day - Second Monday of October 9. Veterans Day - 11 November 10. Thanksgiving Day - Fourth Thursday of November 11. Christmas Day - 25 December Winter Since 1 January 2022, New Years Day, falls on a Saturday the federal holiday was moved to 31 December 2021. Most public and private sector workers therefore will have a three-day weekend to ring in the new year and return to work on Monday 3 January. Also in January, many offices, businesses, and schools will close to celebrate civil rights hero Martin Luther King Jr. or 17 January. In February, the country will celebrate George Washingtons birthday on the 21st of February. At the federal level, this holiday must be called Washingtons Birthday but private entities, state, and local governments can call it however they want. Spring Many across the United States will have Monday, May 30th off to celebrate Memorial Day. The holiday was established to honor soldiers that died in combat. Many also see the holiday as the informal start of summer. Summer On 20 June, the country will celebrate Juneteenth which was established as a federal holiday in 2021. Juneteenth, which celebrates the end of slavery in the US has been recognized by many in the Black community for generations. Later in the summer, many across the nation will celebrate Independence Day on the 4th of July. The end of summer is typically associated with Labor Day, which falls on Monday 5 September. The United States honors workers in the fall, while most other countries celebrate the International Day of the Worker which is held each year on May 1st. Fall On 10 October, the federal government celebrates Columbus Day. In recent years the holiday has been refocused from the achievements of Christopher Columbus to the struggle of indigenous people. In November, workers given the 11th of November off to honor veterans. This year it will take place on a Friday. Later in the month, most will celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 24th. Winter Then comes Christmas on the 25th of December. Since Christmas falls on a Sunday, the public observance will be moved to Monday the 26th. A brief history of public holidays Congress is tasked with establishing public holidays. The first holidays passed into law were New Years, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Initially, only federal employees working in the District of Columbia were able to take advantage of the holidays, but later the law was expanded to all federal workers. By the end of the nineteenth century, Congress had also added George Washingtons Birthday, Memorial Day, and Labor Day. After World War I, Congress established Veterans Day. With many public holidays falling on different dates each year, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act in the late 1960s, which mandated that most holidays fall on the Monday of a specific week each year. This bill also established Columbus Day. Under President Regan, Congress added MLK Day to the list and the move was opposed by Senate icon John McCain. A few years later, McCain said that he was wrong and supported his home state of Arizona in establishing their own holiday to celebrate the civil rights leader. Juneteenth is the latest holiday to be approved by Congress. The vote to officially elevate the holiday took place in June 2021. The measure was unanimously approved by the Senate. Before becoming the latest public holiday, it was celebrated in almost every US state. MLK Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving... there are eleven federal holidays in the United States, we took a look at when each will fall in 2022. 2022 US public holidays 1. New Year's Day - 1 January 2. Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. - Third Monday of January 3. Washington's Birthday - Third Monday of February 4. Memorial Day - Last Monday of May 5. Juneteenth - 19 June 6. Independence Day - 4 July 7. Labor Day - First Monday of September 8. Columbus Day - Second Monday of October 9. Veterans Day - 11 November 10. Thanksgiving Day - Fourth Thursday of November 11. Christmas Day - 25 December Winter Since 1 January 2022, New Years Day, falls on a Saturday the federal holiday was moved to 31 December 2021. Most public and private sector workers therefore will have a three-day weekend to ring in the new year and return to work on Monday 3 January. Also in January, many offices, businesses, and schools will close to celebrate civil rights hero Martin Luther King Jr. or 17 January. In February, the country will celebrate George Washingtons birthday on the 21st of February. At the federal level, this holiday must be called Washingtons Birthday but private entities, state, and local governments can call it however they want. Spring Many across the United States will have Monday, May 30th off to celebrate Memorial Day. The holiday was established to honor soldiers that died in combat. Many also see the holiday as the informal start of summer. Summer On 20 June, the country will celebrate Juneteenth which was established as a federal holiday in 2021. Juneteenth, which celebrates the end of slavery in the US has been recognized by many in the Black community for generations. Later in the summer, many across the nation will celebrate Independence Day on the 4th of July. The end of summer is typically associated with Labor Day, which falls on Monday 5 September. The United States honors workers in the fall, while most other countries celebrate the International Day of the Worker which is held each year on May 1st. Fall On 10 October, the federal government celebrates Columbus Day. In recent years the holiday has been refocused from the achievements of Christopher Columbus to the struggle of indigenous people. In November, workers given the 11th of November off to honor veterans. This year it will take place on a Friday. Later in the month, most will celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 24th. Winter Then comes Christmas on the 25th of December. Since Christmas falls on a Sunday, the public observance will be moved to Monday the 26th. A brief history of public holidays Congress is tasked with establishing public holidays. The first holidays passed into law were New Years, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Initially, only federal employees working in the District of Columbia were able to take advantage of the holidays, but later the law was expanded to all federal workers. By the end of the nineteenth century, Congress had also added George Washingtons Birthday, Memorial Day, and Labor Day. After World War I, Congress established Veterans Day. With many public holidays falling on different dates each year, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act in the late 1960s, which mandated that most holidays fall on the Monday of a specific week each year. This bill also established Columbus Day. Under President Regan, Congress added MLK Day to the list and the move was opposed by Senate icon John McCain. A few years later, McCain said that he was wrong and supported his home state of Arizona in establishing their own holiday to celebrate the civil rights leader. Juneteenth is the latest holiday to be approved by Congress. The vote to officially elevate the holiday took place in June 2021. The measure was unanimously approved by the Senate. Before becoming the latest public holiday, it was celebrated in almost every US state. By Anna Mehler Paperny TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada will take in female Afghan judges and their families who have been living in limbo, primarily in Greece, since their evacuation from Afghanistan in the fall, a spokesperson for the immigration minister said Friday. In addition to the judges and their families, a group totalling about 230 people, Canada will also resettle an unspecified number of Afghans from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities who had been referred by a third-party aid organization, the spokesperson said. They are expected to come to Canada next year but there is no firm date. Canada has promised to resettle 40,000 Afghan refugees but has no timeline for doing so. Since the Taliban took control of the country after the U.S. troop withdrawal in August, Canada has resettled 3,915 Afghans with connections to the Canadian government and another 2,535 on humanitarian grounds, according to government figures. Afghan women made great strides in the two decades since the Taliban last ruled the country from 1996 to 2001, joining previously all-male bastions such as the judiciary, the media and politics. "All the achievements of 20 years came back to zero within the blink of an eye," said Freshta Masoni, a family court judge staying in Athens with her toddler daughters. Since returning to power, the Taliban pledged to protect women's rights in accordance with Islamic law, announcing a general "amnesty" for all former state workers. But advocates fear a backslide to when women were not allowed to work and girls were banned from school. Even if they can leave the country, Afghan asylum-seekers may face years of waits amid logistical backlogs and delays. Western countries usually resettle refugees referred by the UN refugee agency, which has limited capacity to process applications for resettlement. "The biggest bottleneck there is the issue that referral partners in the region have not been able to ramp up capacity," Canada's immigration minister, Sean Fraser, told Reuters earlier this month. "These challenges are going to take a little bit of time to sort out." Afghanistan's refugee situation is different from the Syrian refugee crisis that galvanized the world several years ago, UN refugee agency officials and advocates say. Unlike Syria, the Afghan crisis escalated rapidly during a global pandemic and many face difficulties leaving the country. Those who do leave face additional waits, often in countries with little capacity to support them. Some of the female judges, who have been living in Greece since October, told Reuters they have lacked health coverage because of their temporary visa status. Advocates have called on countries to resettle Afghans without requiring a designation from the UNHCR or other NGOs, a step Canada has signalled it is open to. (Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) 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. MLK Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving... there are eleven federal holidays in the United States, we took a look at when each will fall in 2022. 2022 US public holidays 1. New Year's Day - 1 January 2. Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. - Third Monday of January 3. Washington's Birthday - Third Monday of February 4. Memorial Day - Last Monday of May 5. Juneteenth - 19 June 6. Independence Day - 4 July 7. Labor Day - First Monday of September 8. Columbus Day - Second Monday of October 9. Veterans Day - 11 November 10. Thanksgiving Day - Fourth Thursday of November 11. Christmas Day - 25 December Winter Since 1 January 2022, New Years Day, falls on a Saturday the federal holiday was moved to 31 December 2021. Most public and private sector workers therefore will have a three-day weekend to ring in the new year and return to work on Monday 3 January. Also in January, many offices, businesses, and schools will close to celebrate civil rights hero Martin Luther King Jr. or 17 January. In February, the country will celebrate George Washingtons birthday on the 21st of February. At the federal level, this holiday must be called Washingtons Birthday but private entities, state, and local governments can call it however they want. Spring Many across the United States will have Monday, May 30th off to celebrate Memorial Day. The holiday was established to honor soldiers that died in combat. Many also see the holiday as the informal start of summer. Summer On 20 June, the country will celebrate Juneteenth which was established as a federal holiday in 2021. Juneteenth, which celebrates the end of slavery in the US has been recognized by many in the Black community for generations. Later in the summer, many across the nation will celebrate Independence Day on the 4th of July. The end of summer is typically associated with Labor Day, which falls on Monday 5 September. The United States honors workers in the fall, while most other countries celebrate the International Day of the Worker which is held each year on May 1st. Fall On 10 October, the federal government celebrates Columbus Day. In recent years the holiday has been refocused from the achievements of Christopher Columbus to the struggle of indigenous people. In November, workers given the 11th of November off to honor veterans. This year it will take place on a Friday. Later in the month, most will celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 24th. Winter Then comes Christmas on the 25th of December. Since Christmas falls on a Sunday, the public observance will be moved to Monday the 26th. A brief history of public holidays Congress is tasked with establishing public holidays. The first holidays passed into law were New Years, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Initially, only federal employees working in the District of Columbia were able to take advantage of the holidays, but later the law was expanded to all federal workers. By the end of the nineteenth century, Congress had also added George Washingtons Birthday, Memorial Day, and Labor Day. After World War I, Congress established Veterans Day. With many public holidays falling on different dates each year, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act in the late 1960s, which mandated that most holidays fall on the Monday of a specific week each year. This bill also established Columbus Day. Under President Regan, Congress added MLK Day to the list and the move was opposed by Senate icon John McCain. A few years later, McCain said that he was wrong and supported his home state of Arizona in establishing their own holiday to celebrate the civil rights leader. Juneteenth is the latest holiday to be approved by Congress. The vote to officially elevate the holiday took place in June 2021. The measure was unanimously approved by the Senate. Before becoming the latest public holiday, it was celebrated in almost every US state. MLK Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving... there are eleven federal holidays in the United States, we took a look at when each will fall in 2022. 2022 US public holidays 1. New Year's Day - 1 January 2. Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. - Third Monday of January 3. Washington's Birthday - Third Monday of February 4. Memorial Day - Last Monday of May 5. Juneteenth - 19 June 6. Independence Day - 4 July 7. Labor Day - First Monday of September 8. Columbus Day - Second Monday of October 9. Veterans Day - 11 November 10. Thanksgiving Day - Fourth Thursday of November 11. Christmas Day - 25 December Winter Since 1 January 2022, New Years Day, falls on a Saturday the federal holiday was moved to 31 December 2021. Most public and private sector workers therefore will have a three-day weekend to ring in the new year and return to work on Monday 3 January. Also in January, many offices, businesses, and schools will close to celebrate civil rights hero Martin Luther King Jr. or 17 January. In February, the country will celebrate George Washingtons birthday on the 21st of February. At the federal level, this holiday must be called Washingtons Birthday but private entities, state, and local governments can call it however they want. Spring Many across the United States will have Monday, May 30th off to celebrate Memorial Day. The holiday was established to honor soldiers that died in combat. Many also see the holiday as the informal start of summer. Summer On 20 June, the country will celebrate Juneteenth which was established as a federal holiday in 2021. Juneteenth, which celebrates the end of slavery in the US has been recognized by many in the Black community for generations. Later in the summer, many across the nation will celebrate Independence Day on the 4th of July. The end of summer is typically associated with Labor Day, which falls on Monday 5 September. The United States honors workers in the fall, while most other countries celebrate the International Day of the Worker which is held each year on May 1st. Fall On 10 October, the federal government celebrates Columbus Day. In recent years the holiday has been refocused from the achievements of Christopher Columbus to the struggle of indigenous people. In November, workers given the 11th of November off to honor veterans. This year it will take place on a Friday. Later in the month, most will celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 24th. Winter Then comes Christmas on the 25th of December. Since Christmas falls on a Sunday, the public observance will be moved to Monday the 26th. A brief history of public holidays Congress is tasked with establishing public holidays. The first holidays passed into law were New Years, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Initially, only federal employees working in the District of Columbia were able to take advantage of the holidays, but later the law was expanded to all federal workers. By the end of the nineteenth century, Congress had also added George Washingtons Birthday, Memorial Day, and Labor Day. After World War I, Congress established Veterans Day. With many public holidays falling on different dates each year, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act in the late 1960s, which mandated that most holidays fall on the Monday of a specific week each year. This bill also established Columbus Day. Under President Regan, Congress added MLK Day to the list and the move was opposed by Senate icon John McCain. A few years later, McCain said that he was wrong and supported his home state of Arizona in establishing their own holiday to celebrate the civil rights leader. Juneteenth is the latest holiday to be approved by Congress. The vote to officially elevate the holiday took place in June 2021. The measure was unanimously approved by the Senate. Before becoming the latest public holiday, it was celebrated in almost every US state. New Delhi, Jan 1 : Delhi Traffic police has challaned as many as 657 people for various offences on the eve of new year, 2022, an official said here on Saturday. According to the official, a special drive was carried out by the traffic police on the eve of new year to keep a tab on violators. A total of 36 people were challaned for drink and drive, 103 for dangerous driving, 370 for driving two-wheeler without helmet, 48 for triple riding and 100 others for various other offences. The heart of the national capital -- Connaught Place, which generally used to teem with people on the eve of every New Year, this time witnessed subdued celebrations due to the night curfew imposed in the wake of the threat posed by the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus. Heavy police presence was seen in and around the inner, middle, and outer circles of Connaught Place. The Delhi traffic police had two days ago issued an advisory banning entry after 8 p.m. on the last day of 2021. It had said that the restrictions shall remain imposed from 8 p.m. onwards on Friday in the vicinity of Connaught Place. It was applicable to all private and public transport vehicles. However, those who were holding passes, issued in advance at the time of booking hotels, restaurants, were allowed entry. A police officer on Saturday night told IANS that the recent orders of Delhi Disaster Management Authority will be strictly implemented in the city. Delhi is currently under a 'yellow alert' following a spike in the number of fresh pandemic cases, and growing fear on the spread of Omicron. Under the yellow alert, a night curfew from 10.00 p.m. to 5.00 a.m. remains imposed for 7 hours. New Delhi, Jan 1 : Delhi Traffic police has challaned as many as 657 people for various offences on the eve of new year, 2022, an official said here on Saturday. According to the official, a special drive was carried out by the traffic police on the eve of new year to keep a tab on violators. A total of 36 people were challaned for drink and drive, 103 for dangerous driving, 370 for driving two-wheeler without helmet, 48 for triple riding and 100 others for various other offences. The heart of the national capital -- Connaught Place, which generally used to teem with people on the eve of every New Year, this time witnessed subdued celebrations due to the night curfew imposed in the wake of the threat posed by the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus. Heavy police presence was seen in and around the inner, middle, and outer circles of Connaught Place. The Delhi traffic police had two days ago issued an advisory banning entry after 8 p.m. on the last day of 2021. It had said that the restrictions shall remain imposed from 8 p.m. onwards on Friday in the vicinity of Connaught Place. It was applicable to all private and public transport vehicles. However, those who were holding passes, issued in advance at the time of booking hotels, restaurants, were allowed entry. A police officer on Saturday night told IANS that the recent orders of Delhi Disaster Management Authority will be strictly implemented in the city. Delhi is currently under a 'yellow alert' following a spike in the number of fresh pandemic cases, and growing fear on the spread of Omicron. Under the yellow alert, a night curfew from 10.00 p.m. to 5.00 a.m. remains imposed for 7 hours. By Anna Mehler Paperny TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada will take in female Afghan judges and their families who have been living in limbo, primarily in Greece, since their evacuation from Afghanistan in the fall, a spokesperson for the immigration minister said Friday. In addition to the judges and their families, a group totalling about 230 people, Canada will also resettle an unspecified number of Afghans from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities who had been referred by a third-party aid organization, the spokesperson said. They are expected to come to Canada next year but there is no firm date. Canada has promised to resettle 40,000 Afghan refugees but has no timeline for doing so. Since the Taliban took control of the country after the U.S. troop withdrawal in August, Canada has resettled 3,915 Afghans with connections to the Canadian government and another 2,535 on humanitarian grounds, according to government figures. Afghan women made great strides in the two decades since the Taliban last ruled the country from 1996 to 2001, joining previously all-male bastions such as the judiciary, the media and politics. "All the achievements of 20 years came back to zero within the blink of an eye," said Freshta Masoni, a family court judge staying in Athens with her toddler daughters. Since returning to power, the Taliban pledged to protect women's rights in accordance with Islamic law, announcing a general "amnesty" for all former state workers. But advocates fear a backslide to when women were not allowed to work and girls were banned from school. Even if they can leave the country, Afghan asylum-seekers may face years of waits amid logistical backlogs and delays. Western countries usually resettle refugees referred by the UN refugee agency, which has limited capacity to process applications for resettlement. "The biggest bottleneck there is the issue that referral partners in the region have not been able to ramp up capacity," Canada's immigration minister, Sean Fraser, told Reuters earlier this month. "These challenges are going to take a little bit of time to sort out." Afghanistan's refugee situation is different from the Syrian refugee crisis that galvanized the world several years ago, UN refugee agency officials and advocates say. Unlike Syria, the Afghan crisis escalated rapidly during a global pandemic and many face difficulties leaving the country. Those who do leave face additional waits, often in countries with little capacity to support them. Some of the female judges, who have been living in Greece since October, told Reuters they have lacked health coverage because of their temporary visa status. Advocates have called on countries to resettle Afghans without requiring a designation from the UNHCR or other NGOs, a step Canada has signalled it is open to. (Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Saturday spoke about the presence of pro-Khalistan elements in the state. He said that during polls, such elements remain active. CM Channi said that the person involved in the Ludhiana blast was identified, stating that there are indications towards big fish involved in drugs. Addressing a press conference, CM Channi said, "Every time during elections, such elements remain active. In the Ludhiana blast case, the person was identified. Indications towards Big fishes of drugs. SFJ (Sikh For Justice) remain speaking several times but in Punjab no such impact. We are maintaining a law and order situation in Punjab." Recently, a prominent member of the designated terrorist group Sikh For Justice (SFJ) Jaswinder Singh Multani, who is allegedly linked to the explosion at the Ludhiana Court complex, was held in Germany. According to police, the names of two suspects residing in Pakistan and Germany had emerged. A bomb blast had occurred at the Ludhiana district court complex on December 23, killing one and injuring two others. The deceased was identified as dismissed Punjab Police personnel Gagandeep Singh, the accused in the case. CM Channi attacks BJP for pressurising Governor During his address, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi also attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for allegedly putting pressure on Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit for not clearing job files of 36,000 contractual employees for regular jobs. "We will again try to meet the governor to clear the regular jobs file. If required we will stage a protest against the governor," Channi said. Punjab CM Channi also stated that his government solved the Kapurthala case within 48 hours. "In Golden temple case, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SPGC) is investigating the first. We will investigate later," he said. In the 2015 sacrilege incident, the CM said that the state government is trying to interrogate Gurmeet Ram Rahim. "We are trying to take custodial interrogation of Gurmeet Ram Rahim. Sukhbir Badals role in sacrilege is visible but we are trying to make it evident," he said. Image: Facebook/Charanjit Singh Channi Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Saturday spoke about the presence of pro-Khalistan elements in the state. He said that during polls, such elements remain active. CM Channi said that the person involved in the Ludhiana blast was identified, stating that there are indications towards big fish involved in drugs. Addressing a press conference, CM Channi said, "Every time during elections, such elements remain active. In the Ludhiana blast case, the person was identified. Indications towards Big fishes of drugs. SFJ (Sikh For Justice) remain speaking several times but in Punjab no such impact. We are maintaining a law and order situation in Punjab." Recently, a prominent member of the designated terrorist group Sikh For Justice (SFJ) Jaswinder Singh Multani, who is allegedly linked to the explosion at the Ludhiana Court complex, was held in Germany. According to police, the names of two suspects residing in Pakistan and Germany had emerged. A bomb blast had occurred at the Ludhiana district court complex on December 23, killing one and injuring two others. The deceased was identified as dismissed Punjab Police personnel Gagandeep Singh, the accused in the case. CM Channi attacks BJP for pressurising Governor During his address, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi also attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for allegedly putting pressure on Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit for not clearing job files of 36,000 contractual employees for regular jobs. "We will again try to meet the governor to clear the regular jobs file. If required we will stage a protest against the governor," Channi said. Punjab CM Channi also stated that his government solved the Kapurthala case within 48 hours. "In Golden temple case, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SPGC) is investigating the first. We will investigate later," he said. In the 2015 sacrilege incident, the CM said that the state government is trying to interrogate Gurmeet Ram Rahim. "We are trying to take custodial interrogation of Gurmeet Ram Rahim. Sukhbir Badals role in sacrilege is visible but we are trying to make it evident," he said. Image: Facebook/Charanjit Singh Channi 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. MLK Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving... there are eleven federal holidays in the United States, we took a look at when each will fall in 2022. 2022 US public holidays 1. New Year's Day - 1 January 2. Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. - Third Monday of January 3. Washington's Birthday - Third Monday of February 4. Memorial Day - Last Monday of May 5. Juneteenth - 19 June 6. Independence Day - 4 July 7. Labor Day - First Monday of September 8. Columbus Day - Second Monday of October 9. Veterans Day - 11 November 10. Thanksgiving Day - Fourth Thursday of November 11. Christmas Day - 25 December Winter Since 1 January 2022, New Years Day, falls on a Saturday the federal holiday was moved to 31 December 2021. Most public and private sector workers therefore will have a three-day weekend to ring in the new year and return to work on Monday 3 January. Also in January, many offices, businesses, and schools will close to celebrate civil rights hero Martin Luther King Jr. or 17 January. In February, the country will celebrate George Washingtons birthday on the 21st of February. At the federal level, this holiday must be called Washingtons Birthday but private entities, state, and local governments can call it however they want. Spring Many across the United States will have Monday, May 30th off to celebrate Memorial Day. The holiday was established to honor soldiers that died in combat. Many also see the holiday as the informal start of summer. Summer On 20 June, the country will celebrate Juneteenth which was established as a federal holiday in 2021. Juneteenth, which celebrates the end of slavery in the US has been recognized by many in the Black community for generations. Later in the summer, many across the nation will celebrate Independence Day on the 4th of July. The end of summer is typically associated with Labor Day, which falls on Monday 5 September. The United States honors workers in the fall, while most other countries celebrate the International Day of the Worker which is held each year on May 1st. Fall On 10 October, the federal government celebrates Columbus Day. In recent years the holiday has been refocused from the achievements of Christopher Columbus to the struggle of indigenous people. In November, workers given the 11th of November off to honor veterans. This year it will take place on a Friday. Later in the month, most will celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 24th. Winter Then comes Christmas on the 25th of December. Since Christmas falls on a Sunday, the public observance will be moved to Monday the 26th. A brief history of public holidays Congress is tasked with establishing public holidays. The first holidays passed into law were New Years, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Initially, only federal employees working in the District of Columbia were able to take advantage of the holidays, but later the law was expanded to all federal workers. By the end of the nineteenth century, Congress had also added George Washingtons Birthday, Memorial Day, and Labor Day. After World War I, Congress established Veterans Day. With many public holidays falling on different dates each year, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act in the late 1960s, which mandated that most holidays fall on the Monday of a specific week each year. This bill also established Columbus Day. Under President Regan, Congress added MLK Day to the list and the move was opposed by Senate icon John McCain. A few years later, McCain said that he was wrong and supported his home state of Arizona in establishing their own holiday to celebrate the civil rights leader. Juneteenth is the latest holiday to be approved by Congress. The vote to officially elevate the holiday took place in June 2021. The measure was unanimously approved by the Senate. Before becoming the latest public holiday, it was celebrated in almost every US state. MLK Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving... there are eleven federal holidays in the United States, we took a look at when each will fall in 2022. 2022 US public holidays 1. New Year's Day - 1 January 2. Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. - Third Monday of January 3. Washington's Birthday - Third Monday of February 4. Memorial Day - Last Monday of May 5. Juneteenth - 19 June 6. Independence Day - 4 July 7. Labor Day - First Monday of September 8. Columbus Day - Second Monday of October 9. Veterans Day - 11 November 10. Thanksgiving Day - Fourth Thursday of November 11. Christmas Day - 25 December Winter Since 1 January 2022, New Years Day, falls on a Saturday the federal holiday was moved to 31 December 2021. Most public and private sector workers therefore will have a three-day weekend to ring in the new year and return to work on Monday 3 January. Also in January, many offices, businesses, and schools will close to celebrate civil rights hero Martin Luther King Jr. or 17 January. In February, the country will celebrate George Washingtons birthday on the 21st of February. At the federal level, this holiday must be called Washingtons Birthday but private entities, state, and local governments can call it however they want. Spring Many across the United States will have Monday, May 30th off to celebrate Memorial Day. The holiday was established to honor soldiers that died in combat. Many also see the holiday as the informal start of summer. Summer On 20 June, the country will celebrate Juneteenth which was established as a federal holiday in 2021. Juneteenth, which celebrates the end of slavery in the US has been recognized by many in the Black community for generations. Later in the summer, many across the nation will celebrate Independence Day on the 4th of July. The end of summer is typically associated with Labor Day, which falls on Monday 5 September. The United States honors workers in the fall, while most other countries celebrate the International Day of the Worker which is held each year on May 1st. Fall On 10 October, the federal government celebrates Columbus Day. In recent years the holiday has been refocused from the achievements of Christopher Columbus to the struggle of indigenous people. In November, workers given the 11th of November off to honor veterans. This year it will take place on a Friday. Later in the month, most will celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 24th. Winter Then comes Christmas on the 25th of December. Since Christmas falls on a Sunday, the public observance will be moved to Monday the 26th. A brief history of public holidays Congress is tasked with establishing public holidays. The first holidays passed into law were New Years, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Initially, only federal employees working in the District of Columbia were able to take advantage of the holidays, but later the law was expanded to all federal workers. By the end of the nineteenth century, Congress had also added George Washingtons Birthday, Memorial Day, and Labor Day. After World War I, Congress established Veterans Day. With many public holidays falling on different dates each year, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act in the late 1960s, which mandated that most holidays fall on the Monday of a specific week each year. This bill also established Columbus Day. Under President Regan, Congress added MLK Day to the list and the move was opposed by Senate icon John McCain. A few years later, McCain said that he was wrong and supported his home state of Arizona in establishing their own holiday to celebrate the civil rights leader. Juneteenth is the latest holiday to be approved by Congress. The vote to officially elevate the holiday took place in June 2021. The measure was unanimously approved by the Senate. Before becoming the latest public holiday, it was celebrated in almost every US state. Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Saturday spoke about the presence of pro-Khalistan elements in the state. He said that during polls, such elements remain active. CM Channi said that the person involved in the Ludhiana blast was identified, stating that there are indications towards big fish involved in drugs. Addressing a press conference, CM Channi said, "Every time during elections, such elements remain active. In the Ludhiana blast case, the person was identified. Indications towards Big fishes of drugs. SFJ (Sikh For Justice) remain speaking several times but in Punjab no such impact. We are maintaining a law and order situation in Punjab." Recently, a prominent member of the designated terrorist group Sikh For Justice (SFJ) Jaswinder Singh Multani, who is allegedly linked to the explosion at the Ludhiana Court complex, was held in Germany. According to police, the names of two suspects residing in Pakistan and Germany had emerged. A bomb blast had occurred at the Ludhiana district court complex on December 23, killing one and injuring two others. The deceased was identified as dismissed Punjab Police personnel Gagandeep Singh, the accused in the case. CM Channi attacks BJP for pressurising Governor During his address, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi also attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for allegedly putting pressure on Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit for not clearing job files of 36,000 contractual employees for regular jobs. "We will again try to meet the governor to clear the regular jobs file. If required we will stage a protest against the governor," Channi said. Punjab CM Channi also stated that his government solved the Kapurthala case within 48 hours. "In Golden temple case, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SPGC) is investigating the first. We will investigate later," he said. In the 2015 sacrilege incident, the CM said that the state government is trying to interrogate Gurmeet Ram Rahim. "We are trying to take custodial interrogation of Gurmeet Ram Rahim. Sukhbir Badals role in sacrilege is visible but we are trying to make it evident," he said. Image: Facebook/Charanjit Singh Channi 34992 Hyderabad/Amaravati, Jan 1 : The New Year celebrations in Telugu states saw liquor sales of nearly Rs 300 crore. In Telangana, tipplers guzzled liquor worth Rs 172 crore in a single day, while in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, New Year liquor sales netted an estimated Rs 124 crore for the state treasury. According to sources, this is only the preliminary estimates and the final figures could be higher. In Hyderabad and in the rest of Telangana, the authorities had extended the timing for pubs, bars and liquor shops, which further contributed to the jump in sales. The Prohibition and Excise Department of Telangana permitted licence holders of bars, licensees of event permit managements and in-house licensees of Telangana Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) to serve liquor up to 1 a.m. on the intervening night of December 31, 2021 and January 1, 2022. Relaxing the rules, the government also allowed liquor shops to sell booze till 12 midnight of December 31. Hyderabad and neighbouring Ranga Reddy districts recorded the highest sales. In December, Telangana earned a record Rs 3,459 crore from liquor sales. According to officials, the liquor sales during December 2020 were Rs 2,765 crore. For the entire 2021, liquor sales in the state are expected to be Rs 30,222 crore. The Excise Department recently approved 104 more shops and 159 bars in Telangana. The state presently has 2,220 liquor shops and 1,500 pubs, bars, restaurants and tourism hotels. Andhra Pradesh too extended timings for bars and liquor shops and availability of premium brands at retail shops led to massive sales on New Year eve. The government of Andhra Pradesh also earned record revenues of over Rs 12,000 crore from liquor sales in the first eight months of 2021. For the entire calendar year, the sales are expected to touch the Rs 20,000 crore-mark. The YSR Congress Party government in Andhra Pradesh has come under criticism over the increase in liquor sales. The opposition parties have questioned the government's commitment for total prohibition in phases. The state government, which is the sole wholesaler and retailer of liquor, has claimed that the consumption of liquor has come down over the last two-and-a-half years. It also claimed that it stands by its word to impose prohibition. Hyderabad/Amaravati, Jan 1 : The New Year celebrations in Telugu states saw liquor sales of nearly Rs 300 crore. In Telangana, tipplers guzzled liquor worth Rs 172 crore in a single day, while in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, New Year liquor sales netted an estimated Rs 124 crore for the state treasury. According to sources, this is only the preliminary estimates and the final figures could be higher. In Hyderabad and in the rest of Telangana, the authorities had extended the timing for pubs, bars and liquor shops, which further contributed to the jump in sales. The Prohibition and Excise Department of Telangana permitted licence holders of bars, licensees of event permit managements and in-house licensees of Telangana Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) to serve liquor up to 1 a.m. on the intervening night of December 31, 2021 and January 1, 2022. Relaxing the rules, the government also allowed liquor shops to sell booze till 12 midnight of December 31. Hyderabad and neighbouring Ranga Reddy districts recorded the highest sales. In December, Telangana earned a record Rs 3,459 crore from liquor sales. According to officials, the liquor sales during December 2020 were Rs 2,765 crore. For the entire 2021, liquor sales in the state are expected to be Rs 30,222 crore. The Excise Department recently approved 104 more shops and 159 bars in Telangana. The state presently has 2,220 liquor shops and 1,500 pubs, bars, restaurants and tourism hotels. Andhra Pradesh too extended timings for bars and liquor shops and availability of premium brands at retail shops led to massive sales on New Year eve. The government of Andhra Pradesh also earned record revenues of over Rs 12,000 crore from liquor sales in the first eight months of 2021. For the entire calendar year, the sales are expected to touch the Rs 20,000 crore-mark. The YSR Congress Party government in Andhra Pradesh has come under criticism over the increase in liquor sales. The opposition parties have questioned the government's commitment for total prohibition in phases. The state government, which is the sole wholesaler and retailer of liquor, has claimed that the consumption of liquor has come down over the last two-and-a-half years. It also claimed that it stands by its word to impose prohibition. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Saturday spoke about the presence of pro-Khalistan elements in the state. He said that during polls, such elements remain active. CM Channi said that the person involved in the Ludhiana blast was identified, stating that there are indications towards big fish involved in drugs. Addressing a press conference, CM Channi said, "Every time during elections, such elements remain active. In the Ludhiana blast case, the person was identified. Indications towards Big fishes of drugs. SFJ (Sikh For Justice) remain speaking several times but in Punjab no such impact. We are maintaining a law and order situation in Punjab." Recently, a prominent member of the designated terrorist group Sikh For Justice (SFJ) Jaswinder Singh Multani, who is allegedly linked to the explosion at the Ludhiana Court complex, was held in Germany. According to police, the names of two suspects residing in Pakistan and Germany had emerged. A bomb blast had occurred at the Ludhiana district court complex on December 23, killing one and injuring two others. The deceased was identified as dismissed Punjab Police personnel Gagandeep Singh, the accused in the case. CM Channi attacks BJP for pressurising Governor During his address, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi also attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for allegedly putting pressure on Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit for not clearing job files of 36,000 contractual employees for regular jobs. "We will again try to meet the governor to clear the regular jobs file. If required we will stage a protest against the governor," Channi said. Punjab CM Channi also stated that his government solved the Kapurthala case within 48 hours. "In Golden temple case, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SPGC) is investigating the first. We will investigate later," he said. In the 2015 sacrilege incident, the CM said that the state government is trying to interrogate Gurmeet Ram Rahim. "We are trying to take custodial interrogation of Gurmeet Ram Rahim. Sukhbir Badals role in sacrilege is visible but we are trying to make it evident," he said. Image: Facebook/Charanjit Singh Channi 34992 New Delhi, Jan 1 : On his maiden visit to the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday said, everyone must try to visit the islands at least once in their lifetime, adding that it boasts of a "unique confluence of ancient cultural heritage and pristine natural beauty" and that he was humbled by the hospitality of the people. While inaugurating two Arts & Science colleges in Kadmat and Androth islands, Naidu said that the courses being offered will help the students of the islands, especially the girl students, overcome the geographical constraints of the region and pursue quality higher education with employment potential. The Vice President, who is on a two-day tour to the islands, was received by UT Administrator Praful Patel and was accorded a guard of honour on his arrival on Friday. The Vice President, who is also the Chancellor of the Pondicherry University to which the colleges are affiliated to, emphasized the importance of skill development among students. He advised the administration to start more short courses in skill development to increase the employability of the islands's youth. Observing the immense eco-tourism and fisheries potential of Lakshadweep, Naidu called upon the youth of the islands to utilise the courses offered in aquaculture, tourism and hospitality and proactively strive for excellence in these sectors where they have a natural advantage. He expressed confidence that the new colleges "will not only serve the aspirations of the youth of the islands, but have a powerful multiplier effect and redefine the socio-economic landscape of the region. The Vice President emphasized that the development of the Lakshadweep islands is integral to the development of the nation. Naidu lauded the resolve of the people and administration of Lakshadweep for enforcing the complete ban on single-use plastic on the islands. He also appreciated the fact that islands are moving towards 100 per cent shift to green energy in a span of two years. He called for a people's movement for continuing the high cleanliness standards of the islands under the 'Swachh Lakshadweep' program. Highlighting the importance of education, Naidu called upon the youth of the islands to also look for innovative solutions for long-standing issues of the islands such as the scarcity of potable water. He said the "real power of education gets unleashed when knowledge, skills and values are applied to bring about a transformation in the lives of the people. Referring to tourism and fisheries as the great strengths of Lakshadweep, Naidu said, "islands should aspire to become the role model for the country in eco-tourism and sustainable fisheries, without risking its fragile and sensitive biodiversity." He noted various initiatives such as submarine optical fibre connectivity, expansion of airports, strengthening of infrastructure and plan to introduce water villas on some islands as laudable efforts. Hyderabad/Amaravati, Jan 1 : The New Year celebrations in Telugu states saw liquor sales of nearly Rs 300 crore. In Telangana, tipplers guzzled liquor worth Rs 172 crore in a single day, while in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, New Year liquor sales netted an estimated Rs 124 crore for the state treasury. According to sources, this is only the preliminary estimates and the final figures could be higher. In Hyderabad and in the rest of Telangana, the authorities had extended the timing for pubs, bars and liquor shops, which further contributed to the jump in sales. The Prohibition and Excise Department of Telangana permitted licence holders of bars, licensees of event permit managements and in-house licensees of Telangana Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) to serve liquor up to 1 a.m. on the intervening night of December 31, 2021 and January 1, 2022. Relaxing the rules, the government also allowed liquor shops to sell booze till 12 midnight of December 31. Hyderabad and neighbouring Ranga Reddy districts recorded the highest sales. In December, Telangana earned a record Rs 3,459 crore from liquor sales. According to officials, the liquor sales during December 2020 were Rs 2,765 crore. For the entire 2021, liquor sales in the state are expected to be Rs 30,222 crore. The Excise Department recently approved 104 more shops and 159 bars in Telangana. The state presently has 2,220 liquor shops and 1,500 pubs, bars, restaurants and tourism hotels. Andhra Pradesh too extended timings for bars and liquor shops and availability of premium brands at retail shops led to massive sales on New Year eve. The government of Andhra Pradesh also earned record revenues of over Rs 12,000 crore from liquor sales in the first eight months of 2021. For the entire calendar year, the sales are expected to touch the Rs 20,000 crore-mark. The YSR Congress Party government in Andhra Pradesh has come under criticism over the increase in liquor sales. The opposition parties have questioned the government's commitment for total prohibition in phases. The state government, which is the sole wholesaler and retailer of liquor, has claimed that the consumption of liquor has come down over the last two-and-a-half years. It also claimed that it stands by its word to impose prohibition. Hyderabad/Amaravati, Jan 1 : The New Year celebrations in Telugu states saw liquor sales of nearly Rs 300 crore. In Telangana, tipplers guzzled liquor worth Rs 172 crore in a single day, while in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, New Year liquor sales netted an estimated Rs 124 crore for the state treasury. According to sources, this is only the preliminary estimates and the final figures could be higher. In Hyderabad and in the rest of Telangana, the authorities had extended the timing for pubs, bars and liquor shops, which further contributed to the jump in sales. The Prohibition and Excise Department of Telangana permitted licence holders of bars, licensees of event permit managements and in-house licensees of Telangana Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) to serve liquor up to 1 a.m. on the intervening night of December 31, 2021 and January 1, 2022. Relaxing the rules, the government also allowed liquor shops to sell booze till 12 midnight of December 31. Hyderabad and neighbouring Ranga Reddy districts recorded the highest sales. In December, Telangana earned a record Rs 3,459 crore from liquor sales. According to officials, the liquor sales during December 2020 were Rs 2,765 crore. For the entire 2021, liquor sales in the state are expected to be Rs 30,222 crore. The Excise Department recently approved 104 more shops and 159 bars in Telangana. The state presently has 2,220 liquor shops and 1,500 pubs, bars, restaurants and tourism hotels. Andhra Pradesh too extended timings for bars and liquor shops and availability of premium brands at retail shops led to massive sales on New Year eve. The government of Andhra Pradesh also earned record revenues of over Rs 12,000 crore from liquor sales in the first eight months of 2021. For the entire calendar year, the sales are expected to touch the Rs 20,000 crore-mark. The YSR Congress Party government in Andhra Pradesh has come under criticism over the increase in liquor sales. The opposition parties have questioned the government's commitment for total prohibition in phases. The state government, which is the sole wholesaler and retailer of liquor, has claimed that the consumption of liquor has come down over the last two-and-a-half years. It also claimed that it stands by its word to impose prohibition. Tripura Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath on Saturday said that the state education department is trying its best to make students fairly capable of learning as per the standard of their respective classes. Speaking exclusively to ANI on the sidelines of the official launch programme of 100-days reading campaign at the Heritage Park Open Theatre in Agartala city, Nath said, "In several surveys, it has been revealed that a sizable chunk of students is not capable of understanding as per the standards of their class. This is why, we have started the 'Natun Disha' programme, which faced a halt due to the Covid pandemic. Through this programme, we have succeeded in improving the learning capabilities of our students." While in the beginning, he said, only 47 per cent of students were found to be suitable for their classes and could read and write properly, "a remarkable leap to 84 per cent was recorded". "This 100-day reading programme, launched by the Central government, is also planned on similar lines," he added. According to the minister, for the next 14 weeks, children from different schools would participate in the programme to improve their reading skills. "We have three priority sectors; We want our students to inculcate the skill of reading, writing and solving mathematical problems. The students from class VI to VII are participating in the programme and we hope this will fetch good results for the students", he said. In order to make the event interesting, the education department collaborated with the Forest Department of Tripura for making visual stories of animals found in Tripura's wildlife sanctuaries. "The audio-visual mode of teaching is an effective format nowadays. The human brain can remember cinema for long years but fail to memorise lectures. The forest department has shown some of its audio-visual presentations made for the children to make the event interesting", said Nath. Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) Tripura DK Sharma said, "Panchatantra stories are very effective in imparting moral values to the children. Apart from that, these stories can also make children aware of the food habits of wild animals and the importance of saving the forest land". (ANI) 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Horrible insurance kerfuffle gone good I doubt this story will be of interest to anyone but me, but it's the best thing that happened to me this month. Back in October I bought a new house and arranged a homeowners insurance policy for it. The main purpose of such a policy is that if your house is destroyed by fire or some other calamity, the homeowners insurance people will arrange to build you a new house in the same place. If you have a mortgage, the lienholder will require a policy as a condition of the mortgage, but it's a good idea to have one even if you aren't required to. Usually the rebuild-the-house coverage is bundled with theft insurance, in case your house is robbed, and personal injury insurance, in case someone slips on your sidewalk. I called the company that had brokered the policy for my previous house, and they assigned me to Brenda Wyman. Brenda presented me with one option: Company S. I said I was surprised at how high Company S's premium was. Brenda told me that Company S had by far the lowest premium. I asked if she had called the company that provided the insurance for my previous house. She said she had. I asked how much their quote was for. She told me, and the number was indeed larger than the quote from Company S. At this point I was tired of trying to extract information from Brenda and let it drop. The insurance coverage is contingent on the insurer doing an inspection of the house to make sure it is not a hazard and is not about to fall down. Company S did their inspection in mid-November, but didn't notify me of the results until December. On December 6, they sent Brenda a letter: they had found seven things wrong with the house. I had until January 7 to fix them or they would cancel my insurance. I was upset by this. Some of the seven things were minor, but two were not. The company wanted major roof work done. I was already in negotiations with roofers, but it might take me more than 31 days to select the roofer, sign the contract, and schedule and complete the work. There were major holidays coming up: roofers wouldn't work on Christmas. Roofing work is contingent on dry weather and I don't control the weather. Company S also demanded that I tear up and repour the cement in the alley that adjoins the house. I could think of three ways to proceed: Attempt to schedule the work and get it all done by January 7 Attempt to negotiate with Company S to get an extension, should it be impossible to complete all the work by January 7 Arrange a new insurance policy with a different company I started work on (1) and (2) and made a to-do item to proceed with (3) in a week depending on how things looked. For (2) I immediately wrote back to Brenda to point out that the demands were unreasonable and might be impossible to satisfy. Was there any flexibility in the date? I also asked if there was a way to contact Company S directly. Brenda's reply was reassuring. She claimed that Company S wouldn't require that all work be completed by January 7. It was enough for them, she said, that forward progress was being made, and if I had signed contracts by January 7 that would satisfy them. Nevertheless I contacted Company S's customer service number, hoping to get something in writing. The customer service guy was brief and to the point: they didn't care that the holidays were coming up. They didn't care that I had only been given a few weeks to fix major items. They wouldn't give me an extension. But I could write to the inspections department and see if they said anything different. I emailed the inspections department to see what they said, laying out the situation in detail: I had already addressed two of the seven items; I had verbal agreements to get three more finished by January 7, and I was working on the two major items. But I couldn't be certain the work would be complete by January 7 and if they insisted, I would have to obtain coverage elsewhere. The inspections department had promised to reply in 24 to 48 business hours. Meanwhile I continued to talk to contractors about the major plumbing, cement, and roofing work that Company S had demanded. I had emailed the inspections department midday Wednesday December 8 and been expecting a reply later that week. I didn't hear back from them until late Tuesday the 14th. At first I was only somewhat irritated, but then I realized: they had only promised a response in 24 to 48 business hours. There are only 40 business hours in a week, and they had replied 36 business hours after receiving my message, well before their promised deadline. That was even more irritating than when I thought they had replied late. But at least their reply was brief, clear and direct: We are unable to offer an extension. Please place the insured home with another carrier by 1/07/22. I reported to Brenda: I talked to Company S about this, to see if there was any leeway on the deadline. They told me there wasn't and suggested I should get different insurance. Please hook me up with someone else. Brenda continued to insist that Company S would give me an extension: When I discussed with Company S, they advised me that as long as you are making progress with this and show contracts they could extend it. I would need this information to contact them with it. I was not going to trust Brenda's say-so when I had it from the horse's mouth that the situation was the exact opposite. What if I proceeded with Brenda's plan, provided the documentation she suggested, and then on January 7, Company S refused to give me the hoped-for extension that they had already told me they would refuse to give me? Even Brenda had only said they could extend it, not they would extend it. I said: That's the opposite of what they told me. I got email yesterday from Company S that says: We are unable to offer an extension. Please place the insured home with another carrier by 1/07/22. If it's sufficient for me to be making progress and show contracts, I want it in writing from them this week. Brenda did not seem to appreciate the situation, that on one hand I had a vague, secondhand suggestion that I could maybe get an extension, and on the other hand I had a clear commitment directly from Company S to cancel my policy on January 7. Brenda talked to Company S again but did not get any actual commitments. Her contact said: Hello Brenda, you can have the insured call customer service to discuss the issues. The best way to resolve this is to email photos of any corrections made to the inspections inbox for review I reminded Brenda that I had already spoken to customer service and they had told me they would not negotiate, and that I similarly had a written reply from their inspections group saying the same thing. I also pointed out: I emailed them at 1PM on Wednesday Dec 8th and didn't hear back until the following Monday. That is not an effective way to communicate when the situation is changing day-to-day as it is here. Brenda and I were also having some difficulty communicating, it seemed: You can send me the things you have right now and I can contact them and see what can be done. I understand your frustration with this, but when it comes to what they are wanting I am also stuck trying to resolve it for you but I do have to present the proof of repairs for them to even consider. I made one more attempt to communicate with Brenda. I summarized the progress I had made and when work was scheduled. I told them all this in the email I sent their inspections department last week, and their reply was we are unable to offer an extension. Please place the insured home with another carrier by 1/07/22. So that is what I am asking you to do. To me that seems clear, direct, and unambiguous. But not to Brenda, who said: If you can change those verbal agreements to actually written up agreement on their letterhead that would show you are doing it but cant be done til after 1/7. Especially since you put a deposit down with the cement person. Definitely send me the pictures of the trees trimmed and vines removed. Brenda wanted me to contact the barely-literate cement guy and have him write up the agreement on letterhead (that he surely didn't have), and for what? To send to Company S, which had already told me twice that they didn't want it. That seemed to be the end of that road. I hate repeating myself and I wasn't going to ask Brenda a third time. If Brenda wouldn't find me another insurer, I would find one without her. My first couple of tries didn't bear fruit but the third one did. The new agent (not Brenda or anyone who works for Brenda's company) told me: Brenda had arranged too much insurance for me; I was paying to have the Company S agree to spend up to $X to rebuild my house, but rebuilding the house couldn't possibly cost more than $X. Most homeowners insurance companies would have given me a six-month grace period to make the necessary repairs. Company S was notoriously inflexible. The new guy was able to arrange new coverage for me with an insurance premium 15% lower than the one Brenda had gotten me. I notified Company S the next day that I was ending my coverage and wanted a refund. (To their credit, this was completely painless, and the refund check arrived timely.) I didn't bother to inform Brenda. Maybe I'll hear from her again, maybe I won't. She has all the information she needs to figure out what happened, if she cares to. Okay, why have I written down this long story? Because it made me really happy. It is a distillation of my growth as an adult. Faced with a difficult and complicated situation, I was able to deal with it constructively and timely. I didn't crawl under the covers. I didn't procrastinate. I didn't take the superficially easy way out, of crossing my fingers, hoping that Brenda was right and that I wouldn't get screwed on January 7. I pursued a three-prong approach. I'm bad at long-term planning, good at short-term improvising, and the key to being a successful improviser is to leave as many options open for as long as you can. I did that this time. When Brenda wouldn't help me find new insurance, I found it myself. But if I hadn't found new insurance, maybe it would have turned out Brenda was right and I could get an extension. Or even if Brenda had been wrong, maybe I could have completed the repairs by January 7. There were a lot of ways this could have gone, a lot of ways it could have turned out okay, and I pushed everything forward in parallel until I found a way through. I executed my plans timely. The whole business was over in less than two weeks: I got the inspection warning from Company S on December 6, and canceled their policy effective the 17th. There's a decent chance that, even had I not been able to get a new insurance policy, I would have been able to complete the repairs before the deadline; two of the seven items had been taken care of and four more scheduled on or before January 7. The cement guy demolished the old alley on December 21 and poured the new one on the 23rd. (The roof stuff is going to be more complicated and once I got my new insurance with the six-month grace period I stopped worrying about it.) And I didn't lose my temper. I didn't insult Brenda or the innocent Company S customer service rep. I wasn't sarcastic. I didn't whine. I solved an adult problem like an adult! I was grinning about this for several days around December 1720. This is the sort of thing that only a middle-aged person can get excited about, but I like middle age, which has been really good for me in so many ways. I wonder, what would my 22-year old self have thought about this story? Would he have been surprised? Amazed? Astounded? (Horrified?) I don't think he would have forseen this degree of competence. Happy new year, readers. May the coming twelve months be better for you than the previous. [ Addendum: The insurance agent's name is not actually Brenda Wyman. Absolutely nothing in this post has any connection with any real person with that name. ] [Other articles in category /brain] permanent link A Louisiana judge who could be heard on a video using a racial slur while watching security footage of a foiled burglary outside her home has resigned, according to her lawyer and a letter from the judge. I take full responsibility for the hurtful words I used to describe the individual who burglarized the vehicles at my home, the judge, Michelle Odinet, of the City Court of Lafayette, La., wrote in a letter dated Friday to the chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court. I am sorry for the pain that I have caused my community and ask for your forgiveness, as my words did not foster the publics confidence and integrity for the judiciary, she wrote. A Louisiana judge who could be heard on a video using a racial slur while watching security footage of a foiled burglary outside her home has resigned, according to her lawyer and a letter from the judge. I take full responsibility for the hurtful words I used to describe the individual who burglarized the vehicles at my home, the judge, Michelle Odinet, of the City Court of Lafayette, La., wrote in a letter dated Friday to the chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court. I am sorry for the pain that I have caused my community and ask for your forgiveness, as my words did not foster the publics confidence and integrity for the judiciary, she wrote. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen called on China to resolve their disputes amicably during her New Year address at the presidential office in Taipei on Saturday, saying Beijing should prevent the development of "military adventurism." Tsai was outspoken in her opposition to China's policies ""Military invasions" are "unhelpful to the preservation of regional peace and stability," she added. She reaffirmed Taiwan's position, saying the country "would neither cave to coercion nor act rashly when we have support." Chinese leadership, according to Tsai "They should not misread the situation and should put a halt to the rise of military adventurism among their forces. Tsai went on to say that using military force to resolve issues between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait is "absolutely not an option." She warned that military battles would wreak havoc on the economy. Tsai also mentioned recent arrests in Hong Kong in connection with an online media outfit recognised for taking a critical stance towards the Hong Kong administration. "Show the world that democratic Taiwan has the fortitude to walk out from under the shadow of authoritarian China," she said. Well-known American actress Betty White died at age of 99 ISTANBUL: 2 people injured in a massive fire in a wooden building Kim promises to strengthen N.Korea's military, maintain viral curbs. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen called on China to resolve their disputes amicably during her New Year address at the presidential office in Taipei on Saturday, saying Beijing should prevent the development of "military adventurism." Tsai was outspoken in her opposition to China's policies ""Military invasions" are "unhelpful to the preservation of regional peace and stability," she added. She reaffirmed Taiwan's position, saying the country "would neither cave to coercion nor act rashly when we have support." Chinese leadership, according to Tsai "They should not misread the situation and should put a halt to the rise of military adventurism among their forces. Tsai went on to say that using military force to resolve issues between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait is "absolutely not an option." She warned that military battles would wreak havoc on the economy. Tsai also mentioned recent arrests in Hong Kong in connection with an online media outfit recognised for taking a critical stance towards the Hong Kong administration. "Show the world that democratic Taiwan has the fortitude to walk out from under the shadow of authoritarian China," she said. Well-known American actress Betty White died at age of 99 ISTANBUL: 2 people injured in a massive fire in a wooden building Kim promises to strengthen N.Korea's military, maintain viral curbs. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen called on China to resolve their disputes amicably during her New Year address at the presidential office in Taipei on Saturday, saying Beijing should prevent the development of "military adventurism." Tsai was outspoken in her opposition to China's policies ""Military invasions" are "unhelpful to the preservation of regional peace and stability," she added. She reaffirmed Taiwan's position, saying the country "would neither cave to coercion nor act rashly when we have support." Chinese leadership, according to Tsai "They should not misread the situation and should put a halt to the rise of military adventurism among their forces. Tsai went on to say that using military force to resolve issues between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait is "absolutely not an option." She warned that military battles would wreak havoc on the economy. Tsai also mentioned recent arrests in Hong Kong in connection with an online media outfit recognised for taking a critical stance towards the Hong Kong administration. "Show the world that democratic Taiwan has the fortitude to walk out from under the shadow of authoritarian China," she said. Well-known American actress Betty White died at age of 99 ISTANBUL: 2 people injured in a massive fire in a wooden building Kim promises to strengthen N.Korea's military, maintain viral curbs. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen called on China to resolve their disputes amicably during her New Year address at the presidential office in Taipei on Saturday, saying Beijing should prevent the development of "military adventurism." Tsai was outspoken in her opposition to China's policies ""Military invasions" are "unhelpful to the preservation of regional peace and stability," she added. She reaffirmed Taiwan's position, saying the country "would neither cave to coercion nor act rashly when we have support." Chinese leadership, according to Tsai "They should not misread the situation and should put a halt to the rise of military adventurism among their forces. Tsai went on to say that using military force to resolve issues between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait is "absolutely not an option." She warned that military battles would wreak havoc on the economy. Tsai also mentioned recent arrests in Hong Kong in connection with an online media outfit recognised for taking a critical stance towards the Hong Kong administration. "Show the world that democratic Taiwan has the fortitude to walk out from under the shadow of authoritarian China," she said. Well-known American actress Betty White died at age of 99 ISTANBUL: 2 people injured in a massive fire in a wooden building Kim promises to strengthen N.Korea's military, maintain viral curbs. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen called on China to resolve their disputes amicably during her New Year address at the presidential office in Taipei on Saturday, saying Beijing should prevent the development of "military adventurism." Tsai was outspoken in her opposition to China's policies ""Military invasions" are "unhelpful to the preservation of regional peace and stability," she added. She reaffirmed Taiwan's position, saying the country "would neither cave to coercion nor act rashly when we have support." Chinese leadership, according to Tsai "They should not misread the situation and should put a halt to the rise of military adventurism among their forces. Tsai went on to say that using military force to resolve issues between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait is "absolutely not an option." She warned that military battles would wreak havoc on the economy. Tsai also mentioned recent arrests in Hong Kong in connection with an online media outfit recognised for taking a critical stance towards the Hong Kong administration. "Show the world that democratic Taiwan has the fortitude to walk out from under the shadow of authoritarian China," she said. Well-known American actress Betty White died at age of 99 ISTANBUL: 2 people injured in a massive fire in a wooden building Kim promises to strengthen N.Korea's military, maintain viral curbs. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen called on China to resolve their disputes amicably during her New Year address at the presidential office in Taipei on Saturday, saying Beijing should prevent the development of "military adventurism." Tsai was outspoken in her opposition to China's policies ""Military invasions" are "unhelpful to the preservation of regional peace and stability," she added. She reaffirmed Taiwan's position, saying the country "would neither cave to coercion nor act rashly when we have support." Chinese leadership, according to Tsai "They should not misread the situation and should put a halt to the rise of military adventurism among their forces. Tsai went on to say that using military force to resolve issues between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait is "absolutely not an option." She warned that military battles would wreak havoc on the economy. Tsai also mentioned recent arrests in Hong Kong in connection with an online media outfit recognised for taking a critical stance towards the Hong Kong administration. "Show the world that democratic Taiwan has the fortitude to walk out from under the shadow of authoritarian China," she said. Well-known American actress Betty White died at age of 99 ISTANBUL: 2 people injured in a massive fire in a wooden building Kim promises to strengthen N.Korea's military, maintain viral curbs. A Louisiana judge who could be heard on a video using a racial slur while watching security footage of a foiled burglary outside her home has resigned, according to her lawyer and a letter from the judge. I take full responsibility for the hurtful words I used to describe the individual who burglarized the vehicles at my home, the judge, Michelle Odinet, of the City Court of Lafayette, La., wrote in a letter dated Friday to the chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court. I am sorry for the pain that I have caused my community and ask for your forgiveness, as my words did not foster the publics confidence and integrity for the judiciary, she wrote. 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. 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. A Louisiana judge who could be heard on a video using a racial slur while watching security footage of a foiled burglary outside her home has resigned, according to her lawyer and a letter from the judge. I take full responsibility for the hurtful words I used to describe the individual who burglarized the vehicles at my home, the judge, Michelle Odinet, of the City Court of Lafayette, La., wrote in a letter dated Friday to the chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court. I am sorry for the pain that I have caused my community and ask for your forgiveness, as my words did not foster the publics confidence and integrity for the judiciary, she wrote. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. NWS Weather Alert NOTE: This information is provided by the National Weather Service. Forecast may differ from local information provided by our own 69News Meteorologists ...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of Berks, Lehigh, Carbon, Monroe and Northampton Counties through 1000 AM EDT... At 857 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along a line extending from near Bear Creek Village to near Strausstown. Movement was east at 40 mph. HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Locations impacted include... Allentown, Reading, Easton, Lehighton, Mount Pocono, Bethlehem, Forks, Emmaus, Wyomissing, Northampton, East Stroudsburg, Tobyhanna, Wilson, Hellertown, Nazareth, Palmerton, Bangor, Kutztown, Jim Thorpe and Hamburg. This includes the following highways... Northeast Extension between mile markers 46 and 97. Interstate 78 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 10 and 76. Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 278 and 314. Interstate 380 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 0 and 13. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. These storms may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio stations and available television stations for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service. && MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN; MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH 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. 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. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. A Louisiana judge who could be heard on a video using a racial slur while watching security footage of a foiled burglary outside her home has resigned, according to her lawyer and a letter from the judge. I take full responsibility for the hurtful words I used to describe the individual who burglarized the vehicles at my home, the judge, Michelle Odinet, of the City Court of Lafayette, La., wrote in a letter dated Friday to the chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court. I am sorry for the pain that I have caused my community and ask for your forgiveness, as my words did not foster the publics confidence and integrity for the judiciary, she wrote. A Louisiana judge who could be heard on a video using a racial slur while watching security footage of a foiled burglary outside her home has resigned, according to her lawyer and a letter from the judge. I take full responsibility for the hurtful words I used to describe the individual who burglarized the vehicles at my home, the judge, Michelle Odinet, of the City Court of Lafayette, La., wrote in a letter dated Friday to the chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court. I am sorry for the pain that I have caused my community and ask for your forgiveness, as my words did not foster the publics confidence and integrity for the judiciary, she wrote. A Louisiana judge who could be heard on a video using a racial slur while watching security footage of a foiled burglary outside her home has resigned, according to her lawyer and a letter from the judge. I take full responsibility for the hurtful words I used to describe the individual who burglarized the vehicles at my home, the judge, Michelle Odinet, of the City Court of Lafayette, La., wrote in a letter dated Friday to the chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court. I am sorry for the pain that I have caused my community and ask for your forgiveness, as my words did not foster the publics confidence and integrity for the judiciary, she wrote. By Anna Mehler Paperny TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada will take in female Afghan judges and their families who have been living in limbo, primarily in Greece, since their evacuation from Afghanistan in the fall, a spokesperson for the immigration minister said Friday. In addition to the judges and their families, a group totalling about 230 people, Canada will also resettle an unspecified number of Afghans from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities who had been referred by a third-party aid organization, the spokesperson said. They are expected to come to Canada next year but there is no firm date. Canada has promised to resettle 40,000 Afghan refugees but has no timeline for doing so. Since the Taliban took control of the country after the U.S. troop withdrawal in August, Canada has resettled 3,915 Afghans with connections to the Canadian government and another 2,535 on humanitarian grounds, according to government figures. Afghan women made great strides in the two decades since the Taliban last ruled the country from 1996 to 2001, joining previously all-male bastions such as the judiciary, the media and politics. "All the achievements of 20 years came back to zero within the blink of an eye," said Freshta Masoni, a family court judge staying in Athens with her toddler daughters. Since returning to power, the Taliban pledged to protect women's rights in accordance with Islamic law, announcing a general "amnesty" for all former state workers. But advocates fear a backslide to when women were not allowed to work and girls were banned from school. Even if they can leave the country, Afghan asylum-seekers may face years of waits amid logistical backlogs and delays. Western countries usually resettle refugees referred by the UN refugee agency, which has limited capacity to process applications for resettlement. "The biggest bottleneck there is the issue that referral partners in the region have not been able to ramp up capacity," Canada's immigration minister, Sean Fraser, told Reuters earlier this month. "These challenges are going to take a little bit of time to sort out." Afghanistan's refugee situation is different from the Syrian refugee crisis that galvanized the world several years ago, UN refugee agency officials and advocates say. Unlike Syria, the Afghan crisis escalated rapidly during a global pandemic and many face difficulties leaving the country. Those who do leave face additional waits, often in countries with little capacity to support them. Some of the female judges, who have been living in Greece since October, told Reuters they have lacked health coverage because of their temporary visa status. Advocates have called on countries to resettle Afghans without requiring a designation from the UNHCR or other NGOs, a step Canada has signalled it is open to. (Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) A Louisiana judge who could be heard on a video using a racial slur while watching security footage of a foiled burglary outside her home has resigned, according to her lawyer and a letter from the judge. I take full responsibility for the hurtful words I used to describe the individual who burglarized the vehicles at my home, the judge, Michelle Odinet, of the City Court of Lafayette, La., wrote in a letter dated Friday to the chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court. I am sorry for the pain that I have caused my community and ask for your forgiveness, as my words did not foster the publics confidence and integrity for the judiciary, she wrote. A Louisiana judge who could be heard on a video using a racial slur while watching security footage of a foiled burglary outside her home has resigned, according to her lawyer and a letter from the judge. I take full responsibility for the hurtful words I used to describe the individual who burglarized the vehicles at my home, the judge, Michelle Odinet, of the City Court of Lafayette, La., wrote in a letter dated Friday to the chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court. I am sorry for the pain that I have caused my community and ask for your forgiveness, as my words did not foster the publics confidence and integrity for the judiciary, she wrote. 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. 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. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. 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. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. By Anna Mehler Paperny TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada will take in female Afghan judges and their families who have been living in limbo, primarily in Greece, since their evacuation from Afghanistan in the fall, a spokesperson for the immigration minister said Friday. In addition to the judges and their families, a group totalling about 230 people, Canada will also resettle an unspecified number of Afghans from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities who had been referred by a third-party aid organization, the spokesperson said. They are expected to come to Canada next year but there is no firm date. Canada has promised to resettle 40,000 Afghan refugees but has no timeline for doing so. Since the Taliban took control of the country after the U.S. troop withdrawal in August, Canada has resettled 3,915 Afghans with connections to the Canadian government and another 2,535 on humanitarian grounds, according to government figures. Afghan women made great strides in the two decades since the Taliban last ruled the country from 1996 to 2001, joining previously all-male bastions such as the judiciary, the media and politics. "All the achievements of 20 years came back to zero within the blink of an eye," said Freshta Masoni, a family court judge staying in Athens with her toddler daughters. Since returning to power, the Taliban pledged to protect women's rights in accordance with Islamic law, announcing a general "amnesty" for all former state workers. But advocates fear a backslide to when women were not allowed to work and girls were banned from school. Even if they can leave the country, Afghan asylum-seekers may face years of waits amid logistical backlogs and delays. Western countries usually resettle refugees referred by the UN refugee agency, which has limited capacity to process applications for resettlement. "The biggest bottleneck there is the issue that referral partners in the region have not been able to ramp up capacity," Canada's immigration minister, Sean Fraser, told Reuters earlier this month. "These challenges are going to take a little bit of time to sort out." Afghanistan's refugee situation is different from the Syrian refugee crisis that galvanized the world several years ago, UN refugee agency officials and advocates say. Unlike Syria, the Afghan crisis escalated rapidly during a global pandemic and many face difficulties leaving the country. Those who do leave face additional waits, often in countries with little capacity to support them. Some of the female judges, who have been living in Greece since October, told Reuters they have lacked health coverage because of their temporary visa status. Advocates have called on countries to resettle Afghans without requiring a designation from the UNHCR or other NGOs, a step Canada has signalled it is open to. (Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) 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. 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. A Louisiana judge who could be heard on a video using a racial slur while watching security footage of a foiled burglary outside her home has resigned, according to her lawyer and a letter from the judge. I take full responsibility for the hurtful words I used to describe the individual who burglarized the vehicles at my home, the judge, Michelle Odinet, of the City Court of Lafayette, La., wrote in a letter dated Friday to the chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court. I am sorry for the pain that I have caused my community and ask for your forgiveness, as my words did not foster the publics confidence and integrity for the judiciary, she wrote. 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. SANAA, Yemen (AP) An airstrike by the Saudi-led coalition has mistakenly hit a camp of allied Yemeni pro-government forces, killing at least 12 troops, Yemeni military officials said Friday. The strike, which took place on Thursday in the province of Shabwa, also wounded at least eight Yemeni troops, the officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. There was no immediate comment from the Saudi-led coalition, an ally of the forces of Yemens internationally recognized government. Turki al-Maliki, a coalition spokesman, did not respond to numerous calls and messages from The Associated Press seeking comment. Yemen has been torn by civil war since 2014, when Iran-backed Houthi rebels overran the capital of Sanaa and much of the countrys north. In 2015, the Saudi-led coalition intervened to halt the rebels and restore the internationally recognized government to power. However, the war has slogged on for years and created the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. At the scene of the strike, several bodies were burned and three military vehicles, some of which carried automatic rifles, were destroyed, said two local residents who asked not to be identified by name, fearing reprisal. Friendly fire incidents where Saudi-led coalition airstrikes have hit allied ground forces have happened on occasion during Yemen's conflict. In the past months, fighting has escalated between the Houthis and Yemeni government forces around the central city of Marib and the coastal city of Hodeida. The coalition has also increased its airstrikes on Sanaa and other rebel-held areas in Yemen in recent weeks. SANAA, Yemen (AP) An airstrike by the Saudi-led coalition has mistakenly hit a camp of allied Yemeni pro-government forces, killing at least 12 troops, Yemeni military officials said Friday. The strike, which took place on Thursday in the province of Shabwa, also wounded at least eight Yemeni troops, the officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. There was no immediate comment from the Saudi-led coalition, an ally of the forces of Yemens internationally recognized government. Turki al-Maliki, a coalition spokesman, did not respond to numerous calls and messages from The Associated Press seeking comment. Yemen has been torn by civil war since 2014, when Iran-backed Houthi rebels overran the capital of Sanaa and much of the countrys north. In 2015, the Saudi-led coalition intervened to halt the rebels and restore the internationally recognized government to power. However, the war has slogged on for years and created the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. At the scene of the strike, several bodies were burned and three military vehicles, some of which carried automatic rifles, were destroyed, said two local residents who asked not to be identified by name, fearing reprisal. Friendly fire incidents where Saudi-led coalition airstrikes have hit allied ground forces have happened on occasion during Yemen's conflict. In the past months, fighting has escalated between the Houthis and Yemeni government forces around the central city of Marib and the coastal city of Hodeida. The coalition has also increased its airstrikes on Sanaa and other rebel-held areas in Yemen in recent weeks. By Anna Mehler Paperny TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada will take in female Afghan judges and their families who have been living in limbo, primarily in Greece, since their evacuation from Afghanistan in the fall, a spokesperson for the immigration minister said Friday. In addition to the judges and their families, a group totalling about 230 people, Canada will also resettle an unspecified number of Afghans from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities who had been referred by a third-party aid organization, the spokesperson said. They are expected to come to Canada next year but there is no firm date. Canada has promised to resettle 40,000 Afghan refugees but has no timeline for doing so. Since the Taliban took control of the country after the U.S. troop withdrawal in August, Canada has resettled 3,915 Afghans with connections to the Canadian government and another 2,535 on humanitarian grounds, according to government figures. Afghan women made great strides in the two decades since the Taliban last ruled the country from 1996 to 2001, joining previously all-male bastions such as the judiciary, the media and politics. "All the achievements of 20 years came back to zero within the blink of an eye," said Freshta Masoni, a family court judge staying in Athens with her toddler daughters. Since returning to power, the Taliban pledged to protect women's rights in accordance with Islamic law, announcing a general "amnesty" for all former state workers. But advocates fear a backslide to when women were not allowed to work and girls were banned from school. Even if they can leave the country, Afghan asylum-seekers may face years of waits amid logistical backlogs and delays. Western countries usually resettle refugees referred by the UN refugee agency, which has limited capacity to process applications for resettlement. "The biggest bottleneck there is the issue that referral partners in the region have not been able to ramp up capacity," Canada's immigration minister, Sean Fraser, told Reuters earlier this month. "These challenges are going to take a little bit of time to sort out." Afghanistan's refugee situation is different from the Syrian refugee crisis that galvanized the world several years ago, UN refugee agency officials and advocates say. Unlike Syria, the Afghan crisis escalated rapidly during a global pandemic and many face difficulties leaving the country. Those who do leave face additional waits, often in countries with little capacity to support them. Some of the female judges, who have been living in Greece since October, told Reuters they have lacked health coverage because of their temporary visa status. Advocates have called on countries to resettle Afghans without requiring a designation from the UNHCR or other NGOs, a step Canada has signalled it is open to. (Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) When parishioners gathered for Christmas Eve Mass at St. Clement Catholic Church last week, the Rev. Peter Wojcik was elated that for the first time since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, the pews at the majestic Lincoln Park church were once again filled with families. But the robust attendance at St. Clement was fleeting, Wojcik said, and on Christmas Day and the Sunday after, the parish priest was disheartened to see the century-old, Byzantine-style church was once again echoing with half-empty pews. The new variant hit us like everyone else, which is absolutely heartbreaking, because all of us were hoping at this time, wed be in a better place, and a safer place, but this pandemic just seems to keep going, Wojcik said. Nearly two years after the Archdiocese of Chicagos 247 parishes in Cook and Lake counties were shuttered in the wake of the pandemic, the now fully reopened churches are struggling with steep declines in Mass attendance, which officials say has plummeted 40% during the pandemic. While many Catholics are still providing financial support to their parishes, officials are reporting weekly collections, which are needed to pay for everything from employee salaries to keeping the lights on, are down 15% on average, said Betsy Bohlen, chief operating officer for the Archdiocese of Chicago. There are significant challenges weve faced, and continue to face during the pandemic, but were also finding some silver linings, Bohlen said. Despite the dramatic decline in attendance at Mass accompanied by a decrease in weekly collections, Bohlen said student enrollment at the archdioceses 157 elementary and secondary schools is up for the first time in 40 years. The church has also raised $12 million for Catholic Charities during the pandemic, Bohlen said, and has made a concerted effort to keep their parish workers employed. The church has endured hard times across the centuries, and in hard times, were particularly devoted to serving others, and we will continue to do so, Bohlen said. Theres no perfect way of doing this, but as a pastor, my main concern is keeping our people safe At St. Mary of the Lake Catholic Church, the Rev. Manuel Dorantes recalled his enthusiasm last fall, when the church saw attendance increase from 700 parishioners in July to 1,100 in October. But like priests across Chicago, Dorantes said his joy was short-lived, with concerns about the alarming surge in COVID cases in December swiftly reversing the North Side parishs attendance gains. We did see a growth of about 26% in attendance in the fall, but now with omicron, were back down to about 800 people, Dorantes said. Last summer, the North Side parish merged with nearby Our Lady of Lourdes as part of the archdioceses Renew My Church initiative a reorganization and consolidation of parishes launched in 2015 in response to financial difficulties and mounting debt. Prior to the pandemic, the church attracted 1,100 worshippers every weekend, Dorantes said, offering seven Masses, three in Spanish, and four in English. But Dorantes said even though the parish reopened for in-person Mass in late May 2020, people still have all sorts of questions. Even after the stay-at-home order was lifted, weve had to prepare our leaders to welcome everyone back safely, Dorantes said. Among the COVID safeguards is the temporary conversion of the churchs former so-called crying room a glassed-in area that pre-pandemic was occupied by families with small children to a safe space that can be reserved by those most vulnerable to the virus, including the elderly and people with chronic illnesses. And while Dorantes said families gathered at the church in December for a traditional Las Posadas a beloved Latin American Christmas celebration his recent visit to a 4-year-old who is hospitalized with a COVID-related heart condition prompted him to cancel a Feast of the Three Kings festival planned for early January. Theres no perfect way of doing this, but as a pastor, my main concern is keeping our people safe, Dorantes said. Its very hard, because prior to omicron, this fall, the entire church was packed, and I remember one Mass, where the pews were full, and almost 30 people standing, he said.I had almost forgotten what it was like, and that is what church is meant to be, filled with families. Yet despite the steady stream of disappointments, Dorantes said he feels privileged to be one of the priests on a city team anointing COVID patients who are hospitalized. All of these nurses and doctors have done their best to save a person, and are putting their own lives at risk, so priests anointing the sick is not heroic stuff, its what God has called us to do, Dorantes said. The pandemic has also allowed Dorantes parish to extend its reach beyond Chicago, with the churchs livestreamed Masses on Facebook and YouTube reaching worshippers across the world. I heard from a man in Peru who had just lost his mother to COVID, and their church was closed, and he asked me, can you celebrate the funeral Mass for my mom online? And we had the tools, so I said, yes, and we were able to say the funeral Mass for his mother here at our church in Chicago, Dorantes said. Still, Dorantes said getting parishioners back into the routine of attending Mass in person remains a challenge. We will need a strategic plan, because some people have gotten comfortable sitting on the sofa in their PJs to watch Mass, Dorantes said.But the thing is, watching Mass online is kind of like watching MasterChef when you want to eat youre still hungry when the show is over. At a Catholic church, getting in that line with others for the Eucharist is essential to our spiritual health, he said. I pray people will come back to receive Jesus, because boy, does the world need him right now. The Holy Spirit never goes away The increasing secularization in the U.S. plays a role, too, in falling church attendance and was evident across the world even before the pandemic. A recent Pew Research Center survey of the religious composition nationwide finding the share of the public who identify as religiously unaffiliated is 6 percentage points higher than it was five years ago and 10 points higher than a decade ago. About 3 in 10 U.S. adults 29% currently are religious nones people who describe themselves as atheists, agnostics or nothing in particular when asked about their religious identity, according to the report. Although the pandemic appears to have exacerbated the languishing enthusiasm for organized religion, some experts say the Catholic church could potentially recapture those who have left, and even attract new followers. One thing the church needs to do is to tell a compelling narrative of what the church has to offer, said William Cavanaugh, a professor of Catholic studies and director of the Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology at DePaul University. The pandemic calls out for the best in the Christian tradition ... were wearing masks not just out of fear of getting sick, but because its for the common good and the principle of solidarity, Cavanaugh said. Rising numbers of those suffering from mental health issues during the pandemic, and an overall growing sense of malaise and weariness in society also underscores the increasingly important role the church can play during the pandemic, Cavanaugh said. Were all spending so much time in front of screens, so it can be a real joy going back to church, not out of obligation, but for everything the church has to offer, Cavanaugh said.Its not just the socialization, but this deep sense of incarnation the church offers. The pandemic has also upended the rituals for seminarians at Mundelein Seminary/University of Saint Mary of the Lake, said the Rev. John Kartje, rector and president. For those who were newly ordained during the pandemic, their ordination Mass was attended by around 20 to 30 people, in a largely empty church, when usually, there are these great, joyous ordinations in the cathedral, Kartje said. While the church was facing dwindling numbers of those seeking vocations decades before the arrival of the pandemic, Kartje said he is hopeful that this difficult yet contemplative moment in time might be a turning point. The Holy Spirit never goes away, Kartje said. Everything at work is online, and theyve never really met one person Back at St. Clement in Lincoln Park, Wojcik, the pastor known as Father Pete, also remains hopeful that the dark days of the pandemic will be replaced with light and a return to Mass in the new year. Enrollment at the parish school continues to soar, and is nearly at capacity. And despite the hurdles inherent to the pandemic, Wojcik said the church has welcomed 500 new families. Wojcik said he is also looking forward to the warmer weather, when he hopes to resume popular programs such as Wind Down Wednesdays, which last summer attracted about 500 young adults each week to a social gathering in the church courtyard. Theres a real lack of community for many people working remotely in the city right now, especially those who are right out of college, Wojcik said. Ive talked to young people who have told me they moved to Chicago, and started their new jobs during the pandemic but everything at work is online, and theyve never really met one person. People are struggling, and theyre seeking, and thats where our opportunity is to create a meaningful church community that transforms lives. Three Island residents named in New Year Honours list Three people from the Isle of Man have been recognised in the 2022 New Year Honours List. Colin Leather from Castletown has been awarded an MBE for his service to the community. Colin has dedicated the majority of his life to Castletown, striving to improve the town for its residents. As one of the Islands longest standing chairmen, he has been Chairman of the Castletown Commissioners on six occasions, and was also Secretary of Castletown Festival for 30 years. On behalf of the Castletown Chamber of Trade and Commerce, he managed the Castletown Markets, held in Castletown Market Square from 1979 to 2011 and is always passionately promoting and helping businesses relocate to Castletown. For 20 years he has helped to raise funds for the Southern 100 Club and has not been deterred by his own serious illnesses. His drive and commitment have seen the transformation of the Market Square from a car park into a community space, which has made a difference for visitors as well as residents. Bernadette Williams is awarded an MBE for her long service to the Isle of Man and the Royal British Legion. In her work for the Royal British Legion (RBL) and Tynwald, Bernadette Williams has represented the Isle of Man, both on-island and in Great Britain, for nearly 40 years. She was a member of the RBL Womens Section from 1983 to 1995, and has been a Standard Bearer for the Isle of Man County and North West Region and won the Great Britain Standard Bearer title for five consecutive years. She has been Standard Bearer for numerous state occasions, and throughout this time, she has taken the time to train junior Standard Bearers to her exacting standard, some of whom have emulated her success. On retiring from ceremonial duties with the Royal British Legion, she was appointed Sword Bearer for Tynwald, a duty she has carried out for 25 years. Alex Townsend has been awarded the British Empire Medal for his services to education on the Island. In the 1990s, Alex Townsend came up with the innovation of converting a single-decker bus into a mobile classroom to teach the islands primary school children about creative use of computers. With the support of Manx Telecom and the Isle of Man Government, the Computerbus was launched in 1998, led by Mr Townsend until 2020. Described by an Apple spokesperson as stroke of brilliance, Mr Townsend and the Computerbus have helped tens of thousands of Manx pupils learn critical ICT skills, including design work, filmmaking and code, and have led the islands young people into creative careers all over the world. In 2014, in celebration of 30 years since the first Apple Mac was released, Mr Townsend was recognised alongside 29 other pioneers across a range of backgrounds and industries, who had made a profound impact in the field of computing. Funeral services and visitation hours were announced on Friday for the Wayne County sheriff's deputy fatally shot on Interstate 64 on Wednesday. Deputy Sean Riley, 38, was found slain after he had responded to a "motorist assist" call on Interstate 64 eastbound at Milepost 115. A Kentucky man was arrested in Clinton County and charged with murder. Riley's family released a statement on Friday thanking the public for all of the support they have received. "To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero," the statement said. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved." Riley's survivors include his wife Leslie Riley of Cisne and children Logan Brown, Deegan Riley and Mia Jo Riley, according to his obituary from Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield. Visitation for Sean Riley will be 3 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Fairfield Community High School gymnasium, with a first-responder walk-through at 6 p.m. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Fairfield Community High School gym, with a law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Riley's honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. The community has been asked to line the procession route and additional information will be released in the coming days. Another crackdown by Taliban will now lead to the beheading of "mannequins" in clothing stores in the Herat province of Afghanistan, reported Sputnik, citing Afghan media. Taliban cracks down on "mannequins" used in clothing stores saying that it is a breach of the Shariah law. Taliban authorities have also banned music in vehicles. The Directorate of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (DPVPV) passed this order and now the shopkeepers are in dismay. Shopkeepers of the Herat province in Afghanistan are distressed and reportedly said that the mannequins are their only possession. They said that they have paid $100-$200 for the mannequins. The shopkeepers were first asked to get rid of the entire mannequins however when shopkeepers complained that this ban will suffer their already struggling business, the rule was changed, citing media reports, Sputnik reported. Prior to this, DPVPV also advised drivers to not transport women who are not wearing Hijab. Taliban regime is taking repressive steps against women and the condition of women has deteriorated even since the takeover. Restrictions have been put in place for women in work and education. They are also not allowed to travel alone for more than 72 kilometers from their homes unless they are escorted by a male guardian. When Afghanistan fell to the Taliban in August 2021 Taliban made a pledge to introduce "reforms". This is contrary to what is unfolding in the country. (ANI) Another crackdown by Taliban will now lead to the beheading of "mannequins" in clothing stores in the Herat province of Afghanistan, reported Sputnik, citing Afghan media. Taliban cracks down on "mannequins" used in clothing stores saying that it is a breach of the Shariah law. Taliban authorities have also banned music in vehicles. The Directorate of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (DPVPV) passed this order and now the shopkeepers are in dismay. Shopkeepers of the Herat province in Afghanistan are distressed and reportedly said that the mannequins are their only possession. They said that they have paid $100-$200 for the mannequins. The shopkeepers were first asked to get rid of the entire mannequins however when shopkeepers complained that this ban will suffer their already struggling business, the rule was changed, citing media reports, Sputnik reported. Prior to this, DPVPV also advised drivers to not transport women who are not wearing Hijab. Taliban regime is taking repressive steps against women and the condition of women has deteriorated even since the takeover. Restrictions have been put in place for women in work and education. They are also not allowed to travel alone for more than 72 kilometers from their homes unless they are escorted by a male guardian. When Afghanistan fell to the Taliban in August 2021 Taliban made a pledge to introduce "reforms". This is contrary to what is unfolding in the country. (ANI) QUAREGNON, Belgium - Nearly two years after the pandemic forced school closures around the world, countries are once again grappling with whether to reopen classrooms, as holiday breaks draw to a close amid a surge in the omicron variant. But this time, officials have more information about the costs of closing schools and pivoting to virtual learning - if even for just a few weeks. The experience in Europe is especially relevant because schools here were shut for far shorter periods than those in the United States. Evidence is emerging that European students, even though they attended school in-person through most of the pandemic, experienced significant academic setbacks. Test scores dropped. Attendance waned. And teachers worried that their students were unprepared for the next school year. There will be long-term effects for the children, said Delphine Chabbert, a lawmaker who sits on the education committee of the Brussels regional parliament. Researchers say governments and school administrators should weigh those effects as they consider what to do now. Many schools in Europe started their December breaks early, as officials watched coronavirus case numbers rise, especially among young people. As they look ahead to the new year, officials are worried not only about in-school transmission of a highly infectious variant but about having enough teachers who are healthy. The Netherlands, currently under a strict lockdown, has warned that schools may not open in-person as planned on Jan. 10. The British education secretary, anticipating large staff shortages in January, put out a call for former teachers to return to the classroom, while the health secretary refused to rule out closing schools. Countries in Europe have tended to take a last-resort approach to school closures throughout the pandemic. Whereas U.S. states lifted lockdown restrictions months before letting students back into classrooms, most European countries did the reverse - resuming in-person schooling for many students as early as April and May 2020, while relying on restrictions in other aspects of public life to keep the virus in check. While significant learning loss and social-emotional setbacks could be expected in the United States, where some students were home for more than a year, what is emerging in Europe is in some ways more surprising. Early studies suggest that even relatively short classroom closures were detrimental. Its still too early to assess the full extent of learning loss over the past two years. In Europe, as in the United States, many countries canceled their standardized tests during the pandemic. One country where testing continued, though, was the Netherlands. When the pandemic first hit, Dutch students participated in virtual learning for eight weeks before their school buildings reopened. Per Engzell, a researcher at Oxford Universitys Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science, says those weeks were a waste in terms of academic learning. What we learned from our study is that children learned basically nothing at home, Engzell said. And its clear that this learning loss has not been completely recovered, even now, one and a half years later. He found in his April 2021 study that elementary students performed on average 20% worse on tests than the equivalent cohorts had for the three years before the pandemic. Among students from less-advantaged families, learning losses tended to be even greater - up to 60% larger than for the general population. The Netherlands has spent billions on tutoring, counseling and summer programming for children, but that extra support has not yet caught them up. Researchers in Denmark report more of a mixed picture. Danish elementary school students had only a month of virtual learning before the country became the first in Europe to reopen classrooms in April 2020. Over the course of various lockdowns, they have been out about eight weeks. Jesper Fels Birkelund, a sociologist at the University of Copenhagen, found that those elementary students didnt experience any setbacks in reading, with many making significant gains. But older students in Denmark had 22 weeks of virtual learning, and middle school students did experience some losses in reading, according to Birkelunds November 2021 study, which compared scores on a computerized test administered to Danish students every spring. Birkelund said the research doesnt support the assumption that older students can be relied on to use computers independently and keep up with their studies from home, even in a country with excellent Internet infrastructure and access. If countries partially close schools next month, he said, leaders should look at available data to determine which students should return to school and not just make a decision based on the childs grade level. We shouldnt only focus on the young students, Birkelund said. This idea that we should send the younger students back should not be the focus anymore. We should think about what students really need to be back in school and not only think about this in age groups. Theres no equivalent standardized test data in Belgium, but researcher Natacha Duroisin has been surveying hundreds of teachers in the French-speaking portions of the country to determine the academic impact of the pandemic. Sixty percent of middle and high school teachers reported that only half their students logged on for class on a typical day of virtual learning during the spring 2020 lockdown. Teachers reported that a significant portion of their students were unprepared for their coursework. In Belgium, it took 2 months for elementary schools to fully reopen after they shut down in March 2020. Older students did hybrid learning - rotating between in-person and virtual every other week or, alternatively, for half of each day - for the entire 2020-21 academic year. Duroisin, an associate professor at the University of Mons, studied the different hybrid models and determined that teachers reported better academic results when students were in classrooms every day, even if just for the morning or afternoon. The other option, of attending school for a week and being at home the other week, was catastrophic, she said. The hybrid model in Belgium was intended to keep teenagers engaged in school, even if they werent in classrooms full time, said Chabbert, the Brussels lawmaker. Initial reports dont indicate any increase in dropouts, but its unclear what the results will be for the current academic year - when struggling teenagers are stuck taking remedial courses in addition to their standard academic loads. Hybrid was the least-bad solution, Chabbert said. The priority was to keep the link between pupils and schools, and it was the only the solution we had. It was the least worst. Kalvin Legrand, who attends a high school in Quaregnon, a working-class town an hour outside Brussels, was among those at risk of dropping out. He was struggling before the pandemic - he had already been held back two grades. And Legrand said he had a tough time with both virtual and hybrid learning. It was hard to follow the classes, he said. I did not have any motivation, and it did not go back when we are back at the school. He said his complicated schedule last academic year - mornings at home doing virtual learning and afternoons in the classroom - was difficult to manage. He and his classmates, he said, had a hard time getting to their classes on time. He ultimately failed three courses, but he stuck with school, and is now taking an extra math class each Wednesday to graduate in the spring. Denis Betriaux, Legrands teacher, said more than a dozen of his 80 students are in remedial classes for math and French this academic year, making up for courses they failed during hybrid learning. They are not very optimistic, and I dont have the impression they have a lot of hope things will get better, Betriaux said. It is very sad for them. Legrand, 20, said that before the pandemic, he dreamed of becoming a physical education teacher, but now higher education feels unrealistic. I wonder maybe I should do a more accessible job, like joining the army, he said. He also desperately hopes theres no return to remote or hybrid learning. I lost a year, he said. If the teachers arent in the classroom with me, it will be another failure for me. By Anna Mehler Paperny TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada will take in female Afghan judges and their families who have been living in limbo, primarily in Greece, since their evacuation from Afghanistan in the fall, a spokesperson for the immigration minister said Friday. In addition to the judges and their families, a group totalling about 230 people, Canada will also resettle an unspecified number of Afghans from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities who had been referred by a third-party aid organization, the spokesperson said. They are expected to come to Canada next year but there is no firm date. Canada has promised to resettle 40,000 Afghan refugees but has no timeline for doing so. Since the Taliban took control of the country after the U.S. troop withdrawal in August, Canada has resettled 3,915 Afghans with connections to the Canadian government and another 2,535 on humanitarian grounds, according to government figures. Afghan women made great strides in the two decades since the Taliban last ruled the country from 1996 to 2001, joining previously all-male bastions such as the judiciary, the media and politics. "All the achievements of 20 years came back to zero within the blink of an eye," said Freshta Masoni, a family court judge staying in Athens with her toddler daughters. Since returning to power, the Taliban pledged to protect women's rights in accordance with Islamic law, announcing a general "amnesty" for all former state workers. But advocates fear a backslide to when women were not allowed to work and girls were banned from school. Even if they can leave the country, Afghan asylum-seekers may face years of waits amid logistical backlogs and delays. Western countries usually resettle refugees referred by the UN refugee agency, which has limited capacity to process applications for resettlement. "The biggest bottleneck there is the issue that referral partners in the region have not been able to ramp up capacity," Canada's immigration minister, Sean Fraser, told Reuters earlier this month. "These challenges are going to take a little bit of time to sort out." Afghanistan's refugee situation is different from the Syrian refugee crisis that galvanized the world several years ago, UN refugee agency officials and advocates say. Unlike Syria, the Afghan crisis escalated rapidly during a global pandemic and many face difficulties leaving the country. Those who do leave face additional waits, often in countries with little capacity to support them. Some of the female judges, who have been living in Greece since October, told Reuters they have lacked health coverage because of their temporary visa status. Advocates have called on countries to resettle Afghans without requiring a designation from the UNHCR or other NGOs, a step Canada has signalled it is open to. (Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) India's most valuable public sector firm by market capitalisation on Saturday became a company with no chairman and managing director after incumbent Subhash Kumar superannuated and the government did not immediately name his replacement. Kumar, who was Director-Finance of and has been since April last year holding the additional charge of chairman and managing director, superannuated on December 31, 2021, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) said in a stock exchange filing. "Anurag Sharma, Director (Onshore) has been entrusted with an additional charge of the post of Director (Finance) with effect from January 1, 2022," the company said, citing a December 28, 2021, order of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to this effect. But, it did not say anything about who gets charge of the chairman and managing director. As per practice, the government appoints a replacement of a director or chairman on any public sector board at least a couple of months before his retirement. However, in the case of ONGC, the same practice wasn't followed. So, its last full-time head Shashi Shanker retired on March 31, 2021, with his replacement not even been selected. Kumar, who was the senior-most director on the board, was given the additional charge. But this time around, no one has been given a charge, sources aware of the development said. "Normally, the Cabinet Committee on Appointments (ACC) gives the additional charge of a retiring director (in case a full-time replacement isn't in place) at least two days prior to the retirement of the incumbent. But in ONGC's case, no communication was received till Saturday morning," a source said. The administrative ministry head Hardeep Puri in the case of has the authority to give an ad-hoc charge for three months, but even this hasn't happened so far in the case of ONGC. An email sent to the ministry's spokesperson for comments remained unanswered. Alka Mittal, Director for Human Resources, is the senior-most director on the ONGC board and the additional charge should have in normal course gone to her unless the government wants to thrust a bureaucrat on the company, sources said. Government head-hunter PESB on June 4, 2021, interviewed candidates to select a replacement for Shanker but did not find anyone suitable from nine candidates, including two serving IAS officers. The Public Enterprise Selection Board (PESB) interviewed 9 out of the 10 candidates who had applied for the post of Chairman and Managing Director of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). "Keeping in view the strategic importance and vision for the company and its future, the Board did not recommend any candidate and decided to constitute a Search Committee," PESB had said in a notice after the interviews. The Search Committee hasn't been so far constituted and so a full-time replacement is unlikely to be appointed anytime soon. Once the panel is constituted, applications will be sought, which could take anywhere between one to two months. Thereafter interviews would be held and a candidate found suitable will be sent to the government for vetting and appointment. The ACC will take a call on the appointment after getting clearance from the anti-corruption bodies like CVC and CBI, a process that takes at least 3-4 months. (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 Vietnamese court has sentenced a former chairman of the Hanoi administration to three years imprisonment for power and position abuse, his third conviction from late 2020. After five days of trial, the Peoples Court of Hanoi on Friday gave the jail term to former chairman of the Hanoi Peoples Committee Nguyen Duc Chung on charges of abusing positions and powers while performing duties. Chung was convicted for his involvement in the case of violating bidding regulations that occurred at the Hanoi Department of Planning and Investment several years ago and resulted in serious consequences. The trial panel also handed down sentences on six other defendants for violating bidding regulations, causing serious consequences. Specifically, a 30-month sentence was each given to Nguyen Van Tu, former head of the municipal Party Committees office and former director of the municipal Department of Planning and Investment, and former deputy director of the department Nguyen Tien Hoc. Former head of the departments office Pham Thi Thu Huong and business director of Dong Kinh Development and Investment Co., Ltd. Le Duy Tuan each received a jail term of 42 months. Meanwhile, director of Dong Kinh Development and Investment Co., Ltd. Vo Viet Hung and former head of the business registration office under the municipal Department of Planning and Investment Pham Thi Kim Tuyen got four years and four years and a half in prison, respectively. The mastermind in the case is Bui Quang Huy, general director of Nhat Cuong, a technology firm and mobile phone vendor, who has fled and has been in the polices wanted list. According to the indictment, Chung illegally interfered in the bidding process for a package digitizing business registration documents at the Department of Planning and Investment in 2016. He later asked the department to allow Nhat Cuong to pilot digitalization of the auction with the purpose of making the company win the package and enjoy benefits. The court commented that Chung had committed a crime that not only violated laws but also serious affected the reputation and image of public authorities in Hanoi. Huys and his accomplices violations have falsified the contractor selection results and led to ineffective project implemetation, causing damage of more than VND26 billion (US$1.13 billion) to the States budget, the court concluded. The court assessed that the defendants' behaviors were dangerous to the society, caused damage to the State, infringed on bidding activities, and affected the transparent competition of economic activities. During the trial process, only Chung claimed him innocence, while the other defendants pleaded guilty. Regarding civil liability, the court forced Dong Kinh to return more than VND6.6 billion ($288,800) to the Hanoi Department of Planning and Investment, while the six above defendants were ordered to jointly compensate the department with over VND13.8 billion ($603,800). This is the third legal case that the former Hanoi chairman has faced over the past more than 12 months. On December 11, 2020, Chung was sentenced to five years in prison for appropriating the States secret files, and the second jail term, of eight years, was given to him on December 13, 2021 for the same offense as the third case. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A Vietnamese court has sentenced a former chairman of the Hanoi administration to three years imprisonment for power and position abuse, his third conviction from late 2020. After five days of trial, the Peoples Court of Hanoi on Friday gave the jail term to former chairman of the Hanoi Peoples Committee Nguyen Duc Chung on charges of abusing positions and powers while performing duties. Chung was convicted for his involvement in the case of violating bidding regulations that occurred at the Hanoi Department of Planning and Investment several years ago and resulted in serious consequences. The trial panel also handed down sentences on six other defendants for violating bidding regulations, causing serious consequences. Specifically, a 30-month sentence was each given to Nguyen Van Tu, former head of the municipal Party Committees office and former director of the municipal Department of Planning and Investment, and former deputy director of the department Nguyen Tien Hoc. Former head of the departments office Pham Thi Thu Huong and business director of Dong Kinh Development and Investment Co., Ltd. Le Duy Tuan each received a jail term of 42 months. Meanwhile, director of Dong Kinh Development and Investment Co., Ltd. Vo Viet Hung and former head of the business registration office under the municipal Department of Planning and Investment Pham Thi Kim Tuyen got four years and four years and a half in prison, respectively. The mastermind in the case is Bui Quang Huy, general director of Nhat Cuong, a technology firm and mobile phone vendor, who has fled and has been in the polices wanted list. According to the indictment, Chung illegally interfered in the bidding process for a package digitizing business registration documents at the Department of Planning and Investment in 2016. He later asked the department to allow Nhat Cuong to pilot digitalization of the auction with the purpose of making the company win the package and enjoy benefits. The court commented that Chung had committed a crime that not only violated laws but also serious affected the reputation and image of public authorities in Hanoi. Huys and his accomplices violations have falsified the contractor selection results and led to ineffective project implemetation, causing damage of more than VND26 billion (US$1.13 billion) to the States budget, the court concluded. The court assessed that the defendants' behaviors were dangerous to the society, caused damage to the State, infringed on bidding activities, and affected the transparent competition of economic activities. During the trial process, only Chung claimed him innocence, while the other defendants pleaded guilty. Regarding civil liability, the court forced Dong Kinh to return more than VND6.6 billion ($288,800) to the Hanoi Department of Planning and Investment, while the six above defendants were ordered to jointly compensate the department with over VND13.8 billion ($603,800). This is the third legal case that the former Hanoi chairman has faced over the past more than 12 months. On December 11, 2020, Chung was sentenced to five years in prison for appropriating the States secret files, and the second jail term, of eight years, was given to him on December 13, 2021 for the same offense as the third case. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong held a video chat with youths in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The trio crew had the live space-Earth talk with around 500 young students at three venues in Beijing, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) and Macao SAR, sharing the space dream and aspirations. The activity, co-hosted by the Hong Kong SAR government, the Macao SAR government, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong SAR, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao SAR, the China Manned Space Agency and the China Media Group, was broadcast live. Astronauts Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu went into space onboard the Shenzhou-13 spaceship and entered the space station on Oct. 16, embarking on the country's longest crewed mission for space station construction. Enditem Funeral services and visitation hours were announced on Friday for the Wayne County sheriff's deputy fatally shot on Interstate 64 on Wednesday. Deputy Sean Riley, 38, was found slain after he had responded to a "motorist assist" call on Interstate 64 eastbound at Milepost 115. A Kentucky man was arrested in Clinton County and charged with murder. Riley's family released a statement on Friday thanking the public for all of the support they have received. "To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero," the statement said. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved." Riley's survivors include his wife Leslie Riley of Cisne and children Logan Brown, Deegan Riley and Mia Jo Riley, according to his obituary from Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield. Visitation for Sean Riley will be 3 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Fairfield Community High School gymnasium, with a first-responder walk-through at 6 p.m. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Fairfield Community High School gym, with a law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Riley's honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. The community has been asked to line the procession route and additional information will be released in the coming days. By Anna Mehler Paperny TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada will take in female Afghan judges and their families who have been living in limbo, primarily in Greece, since their evacuation from Afghanistan in the fall, a spokesperson for the immigration minister said Friday. In addition to the judges and their families, a group totalling about 230 people, Canada will also resettle an unspecified number of Afghans from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities who had been referred by a third-party aid organization, the spokesperson said. They are expected to come to Canada next year but there is no firm date. Canada has promised to resettle 40,000 Afghan refugees but has no timeline for doing so. Since the Taliban took control of the country after the U.S. troop withdrawal in August, Canada has resettled 3,915 Afghans with connections to the Canadian government and another 2,535 on humanitarian grounds, according to government figures. Afghan women made great strides in the two decades since the Taliban last ruled the country from 1996 to 2001, joining previously all-male bastions such as the judiciary, the media and politics. "All the achievements of 20 years came back to zero within the blink of an eye," said Freshta Masoni, a family court judge staying in Athens with her toddler daughters. Since returning to power, the Taliban pledged to protect women's rights in accordance with Islamic law, announcing a general "amnesty" for all former state workers. But advocates fear a backslide to when women were not allowed to work and girls were banned from school. Even if they can leave the country, Afghan asylum-seekers may face years of waits amid logistical backlogs and delays. Western countries usually resettle refugees referred by the UN refugee agency, which has limited capacity to process applications for resettlement. "The biggest bottleneck there is the issue that referral partners in the region have not been able to ramp up capacity," Canada's immigration minister, Sean Fraser, told Reuters earlier this month. "These challenges are going to take a little bit of time to sort out." Afghanistan's refugee situation is different from the Syrian refugee crisis that galvanized the world several years ago, UN refugee agency officials and advocates say. Unlike Syria, the Afghan crisis escalated rapidly during a global pandemic and many face difficulties leaving the country. Those who do leave face additional waits, often in countries with little capacity to support them. Some of the female judges, who have been living in Greece since October, told Reuters they have lacked health coverage because of their temporary visa status. Advocates have called on countries to resettle Afghans without requiring a designation from the UNHCR or other NGOs, a step Canada has signalled it is open to. (Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) Funeral services and visitation hours were announced on Friday for the Wayne County sheriff's deputy fatally shot on Interstate 64 on Wednesday. Deputy Sean Riley, 38, was found slain after he had responded to a "motorist assist" call on Interstate 64 eastbound at Milepost 115. A Kentucky man was arrested in Clinton County and charged with murder. Riley's family released a statement on Friday thanking the public for all of the support they have received. "To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero," the statement said. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved." Riley's survivors include his wife Leslie Riley of Cisne and children Logan Brown, Deegan Riley and Mia Jo Riley, according to his obituary from Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield. Visitation for Sean Riley will be 3 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Fairfield Community High School gymnasium, with a first-responder walk-through at 6 p.m. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Fairfield Community High School gym, with a law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Riley's honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. The community has been asked to line the procession route and additional information will be released in the coming days. A Vietnamese court has sentenced a former chairman of the Hanoi administration to three years imprisonment for power and position abuse, his third conviction from late 2020. After five days of trial, the Peoples Court of Hanoi on Friday gave the jail term to former chairman of the Hanoi Peoples Committee Nguyen Duc Chung on charges of abusing positions and powers while performing duties. Chung was convicted for his involvement in the case of violating bidding regulations that occurred at the Hanoi Department of Planning and Investment several years ago and resulted in serious consequences. The trial panel also handed down sentences on six other defendants for violating bidding regulations, causing serious consequences. Specifically, a 30-month sentence was each given to Nguyen Van Tu, former head of the municipal Party Committees office and former director of the municipal Department of Planning and Investment, and former deputy director of the department Nguyen Tien Hoc. Former head of the departments office Pham Thi Thu Huong and business director of Dong Kinh Development and Investment Co., Ltd. Le Duy Tuan each received a jail term of 42 months. Meanwhile, director of Dong Kinh Development and Investment Co., Ltd. Vo Viet Hung and former head of the business registration office under the municipal Department of Planning and Investment Pham Thi Kim Tuyen got four years and four years and a half in prison, respectively. The mastermind in the case is Bui Quang Huy, general director of Nhat Cuong, a technology firm and mobile phone vendor, who has fled and has been in the polices wanted list. According to the indictment, Chung illegally interfered in the bidding process for a package digitizing business registration documents at the Department of Planning and Investment in 2016. He later asked the department to allow Nhat Cuong to pilot digitalization of the auction with the purpose of making the company win the package and enjoy benefits. The court commented that Chung had committed a crime that not only violated laws but also serious affected the reputation and image of public authorities in Hanoi. Huys and his accomplices violations have falsified the contractor selection results and led to ineffective project implemetation, causing damage of more than VND26 billion (US$1.13 billion) to the States budget, the court concluded. The court assessed that the defendants' behaviors were dangerous to the society, caused damage to the State, infringed on bidding activities, and affected the transparent competition of economic activities. During the trial process, only Chung claimed him innocence, while the other defendants pleaded guilty. Regarding civil liability, the court forced Dong Kinh to return more than VND6.6 billion ($288,800) to the Hanoi Department of Planning and Investment, while the six above defendants were ordered to jointly compensate the department with over VND13.8 billion ($603,800). This is the third legal case that the former Hanoi chairman has faced over the past more than 12 months. On December 11, 2020, Chung was sentenced to five years in prison for appropriating the States secret files, and the second jail term, of eight years, was given to him on December 13, 2021 for the same offense as the third case. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Funeral services and visitation hours were announced on Friday for the Wayne County sheriff's deputy fatally shot on Interstate 64 on Wednesday. Deputy Sean Riley, 38, was found slain after he had responded to a "motorist assist" call on Interstate 64 eastbound at Milepost 115. A Kentucky man was arrested in Clinton County and charged with murder. Riley's family released a statement on Friday thanking the public for all of the support they have received. "To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero," the statement said. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved." Riley's survivors include his wife Leslie Riley of Cisne and children Logan Brown, Deegan Riley and Mia Jo Riley, according to his obituary from Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield. Visitation for Sean Riley will be 3 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Fairfield Community High School gymnasium, with a first-responder walk-through at 6 p.m. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Fairfield Community High School gym, with a law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Riley's honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. The community has been asked to line the procession route and additional information will be released in the coming days. Funeral services and visitation hours were announced on Friday for the Wayne County sheriff's deputy fatally shot on Interstate 64 on Wednesday. Deputy Sean Riley, 38, was found slain after he had responded to a "motorist assist" call on Interstate 64 eastbound at Milepost 115. A Kentucky man was arrested in Clinton County and charged with murder. Riley's family released a statement on Friday thanking the public for all of the support they have received. "To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero," the statement said. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved." Riley's survivors include his wife Leslie Riley of Cisne and children Logan Brown, Deegan Riley and Mia Jo Riley, according to his obituary from Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield. Visitation for Sean Riley will be 3 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Fairfield Community High School gymnasium, with a first-responder walk-through at 6 p.m. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Fairfield Community High School gym, with a law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Riley's honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. The community has been asked to line the procession route and additional information will be released in the coming days. Funeral services and visitation hours were announced on Friday for the Wayne County sheriff's deputy fatally shot on Interstate 64 on Wednesday. Deputy Sean Riley, 38, was found slain after he had responded to a "motorist assist" call on Interstate 64 eastbound at Milepost 115. A Kentucky man was arrested in Clinton County and charged with murder. Riley's family released a statement on Friday thanking the public for all of the support they have received. "To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero," the statement said. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved." Riley's survivors include his wife Leslie Riley of Cisne and children Logan Brown, Deegan Riley and Mia Jo Riley, according to his obituary from Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield. Visitation for Sean Riley will be 3 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Fairfield Community High School gymnasium, with a first-responder walk-through at 6 p.m. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Fairfield Community High School gym, with a law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Riley's honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. The community has been asked to line the procession route and additional information will be released in the coming days. Funeral services and visitation hours were announced on Friday for the Wayne County sheriff's deputy fatally shot on Interstate 64 on Wednesday. Deputy Sean Riley, 38, was found slain after he had responded to a "motorist assist" call on Interstate 64 eastbound at Milepost 115. A Kentucky man was arrested in Clinton County and charged with murder. Riley's family released a statement on Friday thanking the public for all of the support they have received. "To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero," the statement said. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved." Riley's survivors include his wife Leslie Riley of Cisne and children Logan Brown, Deegan Riley and Mia Jo Riley, according to his obituary from Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield. Visitation for Sean Riley will be 3 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Fairfield Community High School gymnasium, with a first-responder walk-through at 6 p.m. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Fairfield Community High School gym, with a law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Riley's honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. The community has been asked to line the procession route and additional information will be released in the coming days. Funeral services and visitation hours were announced on Friday for the Wayne County sheriff's deputy fatally shot on Interstate 64 on Wednesday. Deputy Sean Riley, 38, was found slain after he had responded to a "motorist assist" call on Interstate 64 eastbound at Milepost 115. A Kentucky man was arrested in Clinton County and charged with murder. Riley's family released a statement on Friday thanking the public for all of the support they have received. "To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero," the statement said. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved." Riley's survivors include his wife Leslie Riley of Cisne and children Logan Brown, Deegan Riley and Mia Jo Riley, according to his obituary from Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield. Visitation for Sean Riley will be 3 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Fairfield Community High School gymnasium, with a first-responder walk-through at 6 p.m. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Fairfield Community High School gym, with a law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Riley's honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. The community has been asked to line the procession route and additional information will be released in the coming days. Three Island residents named in New Year Honours list Three people from the Isle of Man have been recognised in the 2022 New Year Honours List. Colin Leather from Castletown has been awarded an MBE for his service to the community. Colin has dedicated the majority of his life to Castletown, striving to improve the town for its residents. As one of the Islands longest standing chairmen, he has been Chairman of the Castletown Commissioners on six occasions, and was also Secretary of Castletown Festival for 30 years. On behalf of the Castletown Chamber of Trade and Commerce, he managed the Castletown Markets, held in Castletown Market Square from 1979 to 2011 and is always passionately promoting and helping businesses relocate to Castletown. For 20 years he has helped to raise funds for the Southern 100 Club and has not been deterred by his own serious illnesses. His drive and commitment have seen the transformation of the Market Square from a car park into a community space, which has made a difference for visitors as well as residents. Bernadette Williams is awarded an MBE for her long service to the Isle of Man and the Royal British Legion. In her work for the Royal British Legion (RBL) and Tynwald, Bernadette Williams has represented the Isle of Man, both on-island and in Great Britain, for nearly 40 years. She was a member of the RBL Womens Section from 1983 to 1995, and has been a Standard Bearer for the Isle of Man County and North West Region and won the Great Britain Standard Bearer title for five consecutive years. She has been Standard Bearer for numerous state occasions, and throughout this time, she has taken the time to train junior Standard Bearers to her exacting standard, some of whom have emulated her success. On retiring from ceremonial duties with the Royal British Legion, she was appointed Sword Bearer for Tynwald, a duty she has carried out for 25 years. Alex Townsend has been awarded the British Empire Medal for his services to education on the Island. In the 1990s, Alex Townsend came up with the innovation of converting a single-decker bus into a mobile classroom to teach the islands primary school children about creative use of computers. With the support of Manx Telecom and the Isle of Man Government, the Computerbus was launched in 1998, led by Mr Townsend until 2020. Described by an Apple spokesperson as stroke of brilliance, Mr Townsend and the Computerbus have helped tens of thousands of Manx pupils learn critical ICT skills, including design work, filmmaking and code, and have led the islands young people into creative careers all over the world. In 2014, in celebration of 30 years since the first Apple Mac was released, Mr Townsend was recognised alongside 29 other pioneers across a range of backgrounds and industries, who had made a profound impact in the field of computing. India's most valuable public sector firm by market capitalisation on Saturday became a company with no chairman and managing director after incumbent Subhash Kumar superannuated and the government did not immediately name his replacement. Kumar, who was Director-Finance of and has been since April last year holding the additional charge of chairman and managing director, superannuated on December 31, 2021, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) said in a stock exchange filing. "Anurag Sharma, Director (Onshore) has been entrusted with an additional charge of the post of Director (Finance) with effect from January 1, 2022," the company said, citing a December 28, 2021, order of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to this effect. But, it did not say anything about who gets charge of the chairman and managing director. As per practice, the government appoints a replacement of a director or chairman on any public sector board at least a couple of months before his retirement. However, in the case of ONGC, the same practice wasn't followed. So, its last full-time head Shashi Shanker retired on March 31, 2021, with his replacement not even been selected. Kumar, who was the senior-most director on the board, was given the additional charge. But this time around, no one has been given a charge, sources aware of the development said. "Normally, the Cabinet Committee on Appointments (ACC) gives the additional charge of a retiring director (in case a full-time replacement isn't in place) at least two days prior to the retirement of the incumbent. But in ONGC's case, no communication was received till Saturday morning," a source said. The administrative ministry head Hardeep Puri in the case of has the authority to give an ad-hoc charge for three months, but even this hasn't happened so far in the case of ONGC. An email sent to the ministry's spokesperson for comments remained unanswered. Alka Mittal, Director for Human Resources, is the senior-most director on the ONGC board and the additional charge should have in normal course gone to her unless the government wants to thrust a bureaucrat on the company, sources said. Government head-hunter PESB on June 4, 2021, interviewed candidates to select a replacement for Shanker but did not find anyone suitable from nine candidates, including two serving IAS officers. The Public Enterprise Selection Board (PESB) interviewed 9 out of the 10 candidates who had applied for the post of Chairman and Managing Director of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). "Keeping in view the strategic importance and vision for the company and its future, the Board did not recommend any candidate and decided to constitute a Search Committee," PESB had said in a notice after the interviews. The Search Committee hasn't been so far constituted and so a full-time replacement is unlikely to be appointed anytime soon. Once the panel is constituted, applications will be sought, which could take anywhere between one to two months. Thereafter interviews would be held and a candidate found suitable will be sent to the government for vetting and appointment. The ACC will take a call on the appointment after getting clearance from the anti-corruption bodies like CVC and CBI, a process that takes at least 3-4 months. (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.) QUAREGNON, Belgium - Nearly two years after the pandemic forced school closures around the world, countries are once again grappling with whether to reopen classrooms, as holiday breaks draw to a close amid a surge in the omicron variant. But this time, officials have more information about the costs of closing schools and pivoting to virtual learning - if even for just a few weeks. The experience in Europe is especially relevant because schools here were shut for far shorter periods than those in the United States. Evidence is emerging that European students, even though they attended school in-person through most of the pandemic, experienced significant academic setbacks. Test scores dropped. Attendance waned. And teachers worried that their students were unprepared for the next school year. There will be long-term effects for the children, said Delphine Chabbert, a lawmaker who sits on the education committee of the Brussels regional parliament. Researchers say governments and school administrators should weigh those effects as they consider what to do now. Many schools in Europe started their December breaks early, as officials watched coronavirus case numbers rise, especially among young people. As they look ahead to the new year, officials are worried not only about in-school transmission of a highly infectious variant but about having enough teachers who are healthy. The Netherlands, currently under a strict lockdown, has warned that schools may not open in-person as planned on Jan. 10. The British education secretary, anticipating large staff shortages in January, put out a call for former teachers to return to the classroom, while the health secretary refused to rule out closing schools. Countries in Europe have tended to take a last-resort approach to school closures throughout the pandemic. Whereas U.S. states lifted lockdown restrictions months before letting students back into classrooms, most European countries did the reverse - resuming in-person schooling for many students as early as April and May 2020, while relying on restrictions in other aspects of public life to keep the virus in check. While significant learning loss and social-emotional setbacks could be expected in the United States, where some students were home for more than a year, what is emerging in Europe is in some ways more surprising. Early studies suggest that even relatively short classroom closures were detrimental. Its still too early to assess the full extent of learning loss over the past two years. In Europe, as in the United States, many countries canceled their standardized tests during the pandemic. One country where testing continued, though, was the Netherlands. When the pandemic first hit, Dutch students participated in virtual learning for eight weeks before their school buildings reopened. Per Engzell, a researcher at Oxford Universitys Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science, says those weeks were a waste in terms of academic learning. What we learned from our study is that children learned basically nothing at home, Engzell said. And its clear that this learning loss has not been completely recovered, even now, one and a half years later. He found in his April 2021 study that elementary students performed on average 20% worse on tests than the equivalent cohorts had for the three years before the pandemic. Among students from less-advantaged families, learning losses tended to be even greater - up to 60% larger than for the general population. The Netherlands has spent billions on tutoring, counseling and summer programming for children, but that extra support has not yet caught them up. Researchers in Denmark report more of a mixed picture. Danish elementary school students had only a month of virtual learning before the country became the first in Europe to reopen classrooms in April 2020. Over the course of various lockdowns, they have been out about eight weeks. Jesper Fels Birkelund, a sociologist at the University of Copenhagen, found that those elementary students didnt experience any setbacks in reading, with many making significant gains. But older students in Denmark had 22 weeks of virtual learning, and middle school students did experience some losses in reading, according to Birkelunds November 2021 study, which compared scores on a computerized test administered to Danish students every spring. Birkelund said the research doesnt support the assumption that older students can be relied on to use computers independently and keep up with their studies from home, even in a country with excellent Internet infrastructure and access. If countries partially close schools next month, he said, leaders should look at available data to determine which students should return to school and not just make a decision based on the childs grade level. We shouldnt only focus on the young students, Birkelund said. This idea that we should send the younger students back should not be the focus anymore. We should think about what students really need to be back in school and not only think about this in age groups. Theres no equivalent standardized test data in Belgium, but researcher Natacha Duroisin has been surveying hundreds of teachers in the French-speaking portions of the country to determine the academic impact of the pandemic. Sixty percent of middle and high school teachers reported that only half their students logged on for class on a typical day of virtual learning during the spring 2020 lockdown. Teachers reported that a significant portion of their students were unprepared for their coursework. In Belgium, it took 2 months for elementary schools to fully reopen after they shut down in March 2020. Older students did hybrid learning - rotating between in-person and virtual every other week or, alternatively, for half of each day - for the entire 2020-21 academic year. Duroisin, an associate professor at the University of Mons, studied the different hybrid models and determined that teachers reported better academic results when students were in classrooms every day, even if just for the morning or afternoon. The other option, of attending school for a week and being at home the other week, was catastrophic, she said. The hybrid model in Belgium was intended to keep teenagers engaged in school, even if they werent in classrooms full time, said Chabbert, the Brussels lawmaker. Initial reports dont indicate any increase in dropouts, but its unclear what the results will be for the current academic year - when struggling teenagers are stuck taking remedial courses in addition to their standard academic loads. Hybrid was the least-bad solution, Chabbert said. The priority was to keep the link between pupils and schools, and it was the only the solution we had. It was the least worst. Kalvin Legrand, who attends a high school in Quaregnon, a working-class town an hour outside Brussels, was among those at risk of dropping out. He was struggling before the pandemic - he had already been held back two grades. And Legrand said he had a tough time with both virtual and hybrid learning. It was hard to follow the classes, he said. I did not have any motivation, and it did not go back when we are back at the school. He said his complicated schedule last academic year - mornings at home doing virtual learning and afternoons in the classroom - was difficult to manage. He and his classmates, he said, had a hard time getting to their classes on time. He ultimately failed three courses, but he stuck with school, and is now taking an extra math class each Wednesday to graduate in the spring. Denis Betriaux, Legrands teacher, said more than a dozen of his 80 students are in remedial classes for math and French this academic year, making up for courses they failed during hybrid learning. They are not very optimistic, and I dont have the impression they have a lot of hope things will get better, Betriaux said. It is very sad for them. Legrand, 20, said that before the pandemic, he dreamed of becoming a physical education teacher, but now higher education feels unrealistic. I wonder maybe I should do a more accessible job, like joining the army, he said. He also desperately hopes theres no return to remote or hybrid learning. I lost a year, he said. If the teachers arent in the classroom with me, it will be another failure for me. QUAREGNON, Belgium - Nearly two years after the pandemic forced school closures around the world, countries are once again grappling with whether to reopen classrooms, as holiday breaks draw to a close amid a surge in the omicron variant. But this time, officials have more information about the costs of closing schools and pivoting to virtual learning - if even for just a few weeks. The experience in Europe is especially relevant because schools here were shut for far shorter periods than those in the United States. Evidence is emerging that European students, even though they attended school in-person through most of the pandemic, experienced significant academic setbacks. Test scores dropped. Attendance waned. And teachers worried that their students were unprepared for the next school year. There will be long-term effects for the children, said Delphine Chabbert, a lawmaker who sits on the education committee of the Brussels regional parliament. Researchers say governments and school administrators should weigh those effects as they consider what to do now. Many schools in Europe started their December breaks early, as officials watched coronavirus case numbers rise, especially among young people. As they look ahead to the new year, officials are worried not only about in-school transmission of a highly infectious variant but about having enough teachers who are healthy. The Netherlands, currently under a strict lockdown, has warned that schools may not open in-person as planned on Jan. 10. The British education secretary, anticipating large staff shortages in January, put out a call for former teachers to return to the classroom, while the health secretary refused to rule out closing schools. Countries in Europe have tended to take a last-resort approach to school closures throughout the pandemic. Whereas U.S. states lifted lockdown restrictions months before letting students back into classrooms, most European countries did the reverse - resuming in-person schooling for many students as early as April and May 2020, while relying on restrictions in other aspects of public life to keep the virus in check. While significant learning loss and social-emotional setbacks could be expected in the United States, where some students were home for more than a year, what is emerging in Europe is in some ways more surprising. Early studies suggest that even relatively short classroom closures were detrimental. Its still too early to assess the full extent of learning loss over the past two years. In Europe, as in the United States, many countries canceled their standardized tests during the pandemic. One country where testing continued, though, was the Netherlands. When the pandemic first hit, Dutch students participated in virtual learning for eight weeks before their school buildings reopened. Per Engzell, a researcher at Oxford Universitys Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science, says those weeks were a waste in terms of academic learning. What we learned from our study is that children learned basically nothing at home, Engzell said. And its clear that this learning loss has not been completely recovered, even now, one and a half years later. He found in his April 2021 study that elementary students performed on average 20% worse on tests than the equivalent cohorts had for the three years before the pandemic. Among students from less-advantaged families, learning losses tended to be even greater - up to 60% larger than for the general population. The Netherlands has spent billions on tutoring, counseling and summer programming for children, but that extra support has not yet caught them up. Researchers in Denmark report more of a mixed picture. Danish elementary school students had only a month of virtual learning before the country became the first in Europe to reopen classrooms in April 2020. Over the course of various lockdowns, they have been out about eight weeks. Jesper Fels Birkelund, a sociologist at the University of Copenhagen, found that those elementary students didnt experience any setbacks in reading, with many making significant gains. But older students in Denmark had 22 weeks of virtual learning, and middle school students did experience some losses in reading, according to Birkelunds November 2021 study, which compared scores on a computerized test administered to Danish students every spring. Birkelund said the research doesnt support the assumption that older students can be relied on to use computers independently and keep up with their studies from home, even in a country with excellent Internet infrastructure and access. If countries partially close schools next month, he said, leaders should look at available data to determine which students should return to school and not just make a decision based on the childs grade level. We shouldnt only focus on the young students, Birkelund said. This idea that we should send the younger students back should not be the focus anymore. We should think about what students really need to be back in school and not only think about this in age groups. Theres no equivalent standardized test data in Belgium, but researcher Natacha Duroisin has been surveying hundreds of teachers in the French-speaking portions of the country to determine the academic impact of the pandemic. Sixty percent of middle and high school teachers reported that only half their students logged on for class on a typical day of virtual learning during the spring 2020 lockdown. Teachers reported that a significant portion of their students were unprepared for their coursework. In Belgium, it took 2 months for elementary schools to fully reopen after they shut down in March 2020. Older students did hybrid learning - rotating between in-person and virtual every other week or, alternatively, for half of each day - for the entire 2020-21 academic year. Duroisin, an associate professor at the University of Mons, studied the different hybrid models and determined that teachers reported better academic results when students were in classrooms every day, even if just for the morning or afternoon. The other option, of attending school for a week and being at home the other week, was catastrophic, she said. The hybrid model in Belgium was intended to keep teenagers engaged in school, even if they werent in classrooms full time, said Chabbert, the Brussels lawmaker. Initial reports dont indicate any increase in dropouts, but its unclear what the results will be for the current academic year - when struggling teenagers are stuck taking remedial courses in addition to their standard academic loads. Hybrid was the least-bad solution, Chabbert said. The priority was to keep the link between pupils and schools, and it was the only the solution we had. It was the least worst. Kalvin Legrand, who attends a high school in Quaregnon, a working-class town an hour outside Brussels, was among those at risk of dropping out. He was struggling before the pandemic - he had already been held back two grades. And Legrand said he had a tough time with both virtual and hybrid learning. It was hard to follow the classes, he said. I did not have any motivation, and it did not go back when we are back at the school. He said his complicated schedule last academic year - mornings at home doing virtual learning and afternoons in the classroom - was difficult to manage. He and his classmates, he said, had a hard time getting to their classes on time. He ultimately failed three courses, but he stuck with school, and is now taking an extra math class each Wednesday to graduate in the spring. Denis Betriaux, Legrands teacher, said more than a dozen of his 80 students are in remedial classes for math and French this academic year, making up for courses they failed during hybrid learning. They are not very optimistic, and I dont have the impression they have a lot of hope things will get better, Betriaux said. It is very sad for them. Legrand, 20, said that before the pandemic, he dreamed of becoming a physical education teacher, but now higher education feels unrealistic. I wonder maybe I should do a more accessible job, like joining the army, he said. He also desperately hopes theres no return to remote or hybrid learning. I lost a year, he said. If the teachers arent in the classroom with me, it will be another failure for me. QUAREGNON, Belgium - Nearly two years after the pandemic forced school closures around the world, countries are once again grappling with whether to reopen classrooms, as holiday breaks draw to a close amid a surge in the omicron variant. But this time, officials have more information about the costs of closing schools and pivoting to virtual learning - if even for just a few weeks. The experience in Europe is especially relevant because schools here were shut for far shorter periods than those in the United States. Evidence is emerging that European students, even though they attended school in-person through most of the pandemic, experienced significant academic setbacks. Test scores dropped. Attendance waned. And teachers worried that their students were unprepared for the next school year. There will be long-term effects for the children, said Delphine Chabbert, a lawmaker who sits on the education committee of the Brussels regional parliament. Researchers say governments and school administrators should weigh those effects as they consider what to do now. Many schools in Europe started their December breaks early, as officials watched coronavirus case numbers rise, especially among young people. As they look ahead to the new year, officials are worried not only about in-school transmission of a highly infectious variant but about having enough teachers who are healthy. The Netherlands, currently under a strict lockdown, has warned that schools may not open in-person as planned on Jan. 10. The British education secretary, anticipating large staff shortages in January, put out a call for former teachers to return to the classroom, while the health secretary refused to rule out closing schools. Countries in Europe have tended to take a last-resort approach to school closures throughout the pandemic. Whereas U.S. states lifted lockdown restrictions months before letting students back into classrooms, most European countries did the reverse - resuming in-person schooling for many students as early as April and May 2020, while relying on restrictions in other aspects of public life to keep the virus in check. While significant learning loss and social-emotional setbacks could be expected in the United States, where some students were home for more than a year, what is emerging in Europe is in some ways more surprising. Early studies suggest that even relatively short classroom closures were detrimental. Its still too early to assess the full extent of learning loss over the past two years. In Europe, as in the United States, many countries canceled their standardized tests during the pandemic. One country where testing continued, though, was the Netherlands. When the pandemic first hit, Dutch students participated in virtual learning for eight weeks before their school buildings reopened. Per Engzell, a researcher at Oxford Universitys Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science, says those weeks were a waste in terms of academic learning. What we learned from our study is that children learned basically nothing at home, Engzell said. And its clear that this learning loss has not been completely recovered, even now, one and a half years later. He found in his April 2021 study that elementary students performed on average 20% worse on tests than the equivalent cohorts had for the three years before the pandemic. Among students from less-advantaged families, learning losses tended to be even greater - up to 60% larger than for the general population. The Netherlands has spent billions on tutoring, counseling and summer programming for children, but that extra support has not yet caught them up. Researchers in Denmark report more of a mixed picture. Danish elementary school students had only a month of virtual learning before the country became the first in Europe to reopen classrooms in April 2020. Over the course of various lockdowns, they have been out about eight weeks. Jesper Fels Birkelund, a sociologist at the University of Copenhagen, found that those elementary students didnt experience any setbacks in reading, with many making significant gains. But older students in Denmark had 22 weeks of virtual learning, and middle school students did experience some losses in reading, according to Birkelunds November 2021 study, which compared scores on a computerized test administered to Danish students every spring. Birkelund said the research doesnt support the assumption that older students can be relied on to use computers independently and keep up with their studies from home, even in a country with excellent Internet infrastructure and access. If countries partially close schools next month, he said, leaders should look at available data to determine which students should return to school and not just make a decision based on the childs grade level. We shouldnt only focus on the young students, Birkelund said. This idea that we should send the younger students back should not be the focus anymore. We should think about what students really need to be back in school and not only think about this in age groups. Theres no equivalent standardized test data in Belgium, but researcher Natacha Duroisin has been surveying hundreds of teachers in the French-speaking portions of the country to determine the academic impact of the pandemic. Sixty percent of middle and high school teachers reported that only half their students logged on for class on a typical day of virtual learning during the spring 2020 lockdown. Teachers reported that a significant portion of their students were unprepared for their coursework. In Belgium, it took 2 months for elementary schools to fully reopen after they shut down in March 2020. Older students did hybrid learning - rotating between in-person and virtual every other week or, alternatively, for half of each day - for the entire 2020-21 academic year. Duroisin, an associate professor at the University of Mons, studied the different hybrid models and determined that teachers reported better academic results when students were in classrooms every day, even if just for the morning or afternoon. The other option, of attending school for a week and being at home the other week, was catastrophic, she said. The hybrid model in Belgium was intended to keep teenagers engaged in school, even if they werent in classrooms full time, said Chabbert, the Brussels lawmaker. Initial reports dont indicate any increase in dropouts, but its unclear what the results will be for the current academic year - when struggling teenagers are stuck taking remedial courses in addition to their standard academic loads. Hybrid was the least-bad solution, Chabbert said. The priority was to keep the link between pupils and schools, and it was the only the solution we had. It was the least worst. Kalvin Legrand, who attends a high school in Quaregnon, a working-class town an hour outside Brussels, was among those at risk of dropping out. He was struggling before the pandemic - he had already been held back two grades. And Legrand said he had a tough time with both virtual and hybrid learning. It was hard to follow the classes, he said. I did not have any motivation, and it did not go back when we are back at the school. He said his complicated schedule last academic year - mornings at home doing virtual learning and afternoons in the classroom - was difficult to manage. He and his classmates, he said, had a hard time getting to their classes on time. He ultimately failed three courses, but he stuck with school, and is now taking an extra math class each Wednesday to graduate in the spring. Denis Betriaux, Legrands teacher, said more than a dozen of his 80 students are in remedial classes for math and French this academic year, making up for courses they failed during hybrid learning. They are not very optimistic, and I dont have the impression they have a lot of hope things will get better, Betriaux said. It is very sad for them. Legrand, 20, said that before the pandemic, he dreamed of becoming a physical education teacher, but now higher education feels unrealistic. I wonder maybe I should do a more accessible job, like joining the army, he said. He also desperately hopes theres no return to remote or hybrid learning. I lost a year, he said. If the teachers arent in the classroom with me, it will be another failure for me. QUAREGNON, Belgium - Nearly two years after the pandemic forced school closures around the world, countries are once again grappling with whether to reopen classrooms, as holiday breaks draw to a close amid a surge in the omicron variant. But this time, officials have more information about the costs of closing schools and pivoting to virtual learning - if even for just a few weeks. The experience in Europe is especially relevant because schools here were shut for far shorter periods than those in the United States. Evidence is emerging that European students, even though they attended school in-person through most of the pandemic, experienced significant academic setbacks. Test scores dropped. Attendance waned. And teachers worried that their students were unprepared for the next school year. There will be long-term effects for the children, said Delphine Chabbert, a lawmaker who sits on the education committee of the Brussels regional parliament. Researchers say governments and school administrators should weigh those effects as they consider what to do now. Many schools in Europe started their December breaks early, as officials watched coronavirus case numbers rise, especially among young people. As they look ahead to the new year, officials are worried not only about in-school transmission of a highly infectious variant but about having enough teachers who are healthy. The Netherlands, currently under a strict lockdown, has warned that schools may not open in-person as planned on Jan. 10. The British education secretary, anticipating large staff shortages in January, put out a call for former teachers to return to the classroom, while the health secretary refused to rule out closing schools. Countries in Europe have tended to take a last-resort approach to school closures throughout the pandemic. Whereas U.S. states lifted lockdown restrictions months before letting students back into classrooms, most European countries did the reverse - resuming in-person schooling for many students as early as April and May 2020, while relying on restrictions in other aspects of public life to keep the virus in check. While significant learning loss and social-emotional setbacks could be expected in the United States, where some students were home for more than a year, what is emerging in Europe is in some ways more surprising. Early studies suggest that even relatively short classroom closures were detrimental. Its still too early to assess the full extent of learning loss over the past two years. In Europe, as in the United States, many countries canceled their standardized tests during the pandemic. One country where testing continued, though, was the Netherlands. When the pandemic first hit, Dutch students participated in virtual learning for eight weeks before their school buildings reopened. Per Engzell, a researcher at Oxford Universitys Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science, says those weeks were a waste in terms of academic learning. What we learned from our study is that children learned basically nothing at home, Engzell said. And its clear that this learning loss has not been completely recovered, even now, one and a half years later. He found in his April 2021 study that elementary students performed on average 20% worse on tests than the equivalent cohorts had for the three years before the pandemic. Among students from less-advantaged families, learning losses tended to be even greater - up to 60% larger than for the general population. The Netherlands has spent billions on tutoring, counseling and summer programming for children, but that extra support has not yet caught them up. Researchers in Denmark report more of a mixed picture. Danish elementary school students had only a month of virtual learning before the country became the first in Europe to reopen classrooms in April 2020. Over the course of various lockdowns, they have been out about eight weeks. Jesper Fels Birkelund, a sociologist at the University of Copenhagen, found that those elementary students didnt experience any setbacks in reading, with many making significant gains. But older students in Denmark had 22 weeks of virtual learning, and middle school students did experience some losses in reading, according to Birkelunds November 2021 study, which compared scores on a computerized test administered to Danish students every spring. Birkelund said the research doesnt support the assumption that older students can be relied on to use computers independently and keep up with their studies from home, even in a country with excellent Internet infrastructure and access. If countries partially close schools next month, he said, leaders should look at available data to determine which students should return to school and not just make a decision based on the childs grade level. We shouldnt only focus on the young students, Birkelund said. This idea that we should send the younger students back should not be the focus anymore. We should think about what students really need to be back in school and not only think about this in age groups. Theres no equivalent standardized test data in Belgium, but researcher Natacha Duroisin has been surveying hundreds of teachers in the French-speaking portions of the country to determine the academic impact of the pandemic. Sixty percent of middle and high school teachers reported that only half their students logged on for class on a typical day of virtual learning during the spring 2020 lockdown. Teachers reported that a significant portion of their students were unprepared for their coursework. In Belgium, it took 2 months for elementary schools to fully reopen after they shut down in March 2020. Older students did hybrid learning - rotating between in-person and virtual every other week or, alternatively, for half of each day - for the entire 2020-21 academic year. Duroisin, an associate professor at the University of Mons, studied the different hybrid models and determined that teachers reported better academic results when students were in classrooms every day, even if just for the morning or afternoon. The other option, of attending school for a week and being at home the other week, was catastrophic, she said. The hybrid model in Belgium was intended to keep teenagers engaged in school, even if they werent in classrooms full time, said Chabbert, the Brussels lawmaker. Initial reports dont indicate any increase in dropouts, but its unclear what the results will be for the current academic year - when struggling teenagers are stuck taking remedial courses in addition to their standard academic loads. Hybrid was the least-bad solution, Chabbert said. The priority was to keep the link between pupils and schools, and it was the only the solution we had. It was the least worst. Kalvin Legrand, who attends a high school in Quaregnon, a working-class town an hour outside Brussels, was among those at risk of dropping out. He was struggling before the pandemic - he had already been held back two grades. And Legrand said he had a tough time with both virtual and hybrid learning. It was hard to follow the classes, he said. I did not have any motivation, and it did not go back when we are back at the school. He said his complicated schedule last academic year - mornings at home doing virtual learning and afternoons in the classroom - was difficult to manage. He and his classmates, he said, had a hard time getting to their classes on time. He ultimately failed three courses, but he stuck with school, and is now taking an extra math class each Wednesday to graduate in the spring. Denis Betriaux, Legrands teacher, said more than a dozen of his 80 students are in remedial classes for math and French this academic year, making up for courses they failed during hybrid learning. They are not very optimistic, and I dont have the impression they have a lot of hope things will get better, Betriaux said. It is very sad for them. Legrand, 20, said that before the pandemic, he dreamed of becoming a physical education teacher, but now higher education feels unrealistic. I wonder maybe I should do a more accessible job, like joining the army, he said. He also desperately hopes theres no return to remote or hybrid learning. I lost a year, he said. If the teachers arent in the classroom with me, it will be another failure for me. QUAREGNON, Belgium - Nearly two years after the pandemic forced school closures around the world, countries are once again grappling with whether to reopen classrooms, as holiday breaks draw to a close amid a surge in the omicron variant. But this time, officials have more information about the costs of closing schools and pivoting to virtual learning - if even for just a few weeks. The experience in Europe is especially relevant because schools here were shut for far shorter periods than those in the United States. Evidence is emerging that European students, even though they attended school in-person through most of the pandemic, experienced significant academic setbacks. Test scores dropped. Attendance waned. And teachers worried that their students were unprepared for the next school year. There will be long-term effects for the children, said Delphine Chabbert, a lawmaker who sits on the education committee of the Brussels regional parliament. Researchers say governments and school administrators should weigh those effects as they consider what to do now. Many schools in Europe started their December breaks early, as officials watched coronavirus case numbers rise, especially among young people. As they look ahead to the new year, officials are worried not only about in-school transmission of a highly infectious variant but about having enough teachers who are healthy. The Netherlands, currently under a strict lockdown, has warned that schools may not open in-person as planned on Jan. 10. The British education secretary, anticipating large staff shortages in January, put out a call for former teachers to return to the classroom, while the health secretary refused to rule out closing schools. Countries in Europe have tended to take a last-resort approach to school closures throughout the pandemic. Whereas U.S. states lifted lockdown restrictions months before letting students back into classrooms, most European countries did the reverse - resuming in-person schooling for many students as early as April and May 2020, while relying on restrictions in other aspects of public life to keep the virus in check. While significant learning loss and social-emotional setbacks could be expected in the United States, where some students were home for more than a year, what is emerging in Europe is in some ways more surprising. Early studies suggest that even relatively short classroom closures were detrimental. Its still too early to assess the full extent of learning loss over the past two years. In Europe, as in the United States, many countries canceled their standardized tests during the pandemic. One country where testing continued, though, was the Netherlands. When the pandemic first hit, Dutch students participated in virtual learning for eight weeks before their school buildings reopened. Per Engzell, a researcher at Oxford Universitys Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science, says those weeks were a waste in terms of academic learning. What we learned from our study is that children learned basically nothing at home, Engzell said. And its clear that this learning loss has not been completely recovered, even now, one and a half years later. He found in his April 2021 study that elementary students performed on average 20% worse on tests than the equivalent cohorts had for the three years before the pandemic. Among students from less-advantaged families, learning losses tended to be even greater - up to 60% larger than for the general population. The Netherlands has spent billions on tutoring, counseling and summer programming for children, but that extra support has not yet caught them up. Researchers in Denmark report more of a mixed picture. Danish elementary school students had only a month of virtual learning before the country became the first in Europe to reopen classrooms in April 2020. Over the course of various lockdowns, they have been out about eight weeks. Jesper Fels Birkelund, a sociologist at the University of Copenhagen, found that those elementary students didnt experience any setbacks in reading, with many making significant gains. But older students in Denmark had 22 weeks of virtual learning, and middle school students did experience some losses in reading, according to Birkelunds November 2021 study, which compared scores on a computerized test administered to Danish students every spring. Birkelund said the research doesnt support the assumption that older students can be relied on to use computers independently and keep up with their studies from home, even in a country with excellent Internet infrastructure and access. If countries partially close schools next month, he said, leaders should look at available data to determine which students should return to school and not just make a decision based on the childs grade level. We shouldnt only focus on the young students, Birkelund said. This idea that we should send the younger students back should not be the focus anymore. We should think about what students really need to be back in school and not only think about this in age groups. Theres no equivalent standardized test data in Belgium, but researcher Natacha Duroisin has been surveying hundreds of teachers in the French-speaking portions of the country to determine the academic impact of the pandemic. Sixty percent of middle and high school teachers reported that only half their students logged on for class on a typical day of virtual learning during the spring 2020 lockdown. Teachers reported that a significant portion of their students were unprepared for their coursework. In Belgium, it took 2 months for elementary schools to fully reopen after they shut down in March 2020. Older students did hybrid learning - rotating between in-person and virtual every other week or, alternatively, for half of each day - for the entire 2020-21 academic year. Duroisin, an associate professor at the University of Mons, studied the different hybrid models and determined that teachers reported better academic results when students were in classrooms every day, even if just for the morning or afternoon. The other option, of attending school for a week and being at home the other week, was catastrophic, she said. The hybrid model in Belgium was intended to keep teenagers engaged in school, even if they werent in classrooms full time, said Chabbert, the Brussels lawmaker. Initial reports dont indicate any increase in dropouts, but its unclear what the results will be for the current academic year - when struggling teenagers are stuck taking remedial courses in addition to their standard academic loads. Hybrid was the least-bad solution, Chabbert said. The priority was to keep the link between pupils and schools, and it was the only the solution we had. It was the least worst. Kalvin Legrand, who attends a high school in Quaregnon, a working-class town an hour outside Brussels, was among those at risk of dropping out. He was struggling before the pandemic - he had already been held back two grades. And Legrand said he had a tough time with both virtual and hybrid learning. It was hard to follow the classes, he said. I did not have any motivation, and it did not go back when we are back at the school. He said his complicated schedule last academic year - mornings at home doing virtual learning and afternoons in the classroom - was difficult to manage. He and his classmates, he said, had a hard time getting to their classes on time. He ultimately failed three courses, but he stuck with school, and is now taking an extra math class each Wednesday to graduate in the spring. Denis Betriaux, Legrands teacher, said more than a dozen of his 80 students are in remedial classes for math and French this academic year, making up for courses they failed during hybrid learning. They are not very optimistic, and I dont have the impression they have a lot of hope things will get better, Betriaux said. It is very sad for them. Legrand, 20, said that before the pandemic, he dreamed of becoming a physical education teacher, but now higher education feels unrealistic. I wonder maybe I should do a more accessible job, like joining the army, he said. He also desperately hopes theres no return to remote or hybrid learning. I lost a year, he said. If the teachers arent in the classroom with me, it will be another failure for me. QUAREGNON, Belgium - Nearly two years after the pandemic forced school closures around the world, countries are once again grappling with whether to reopen classrooms, as holiday breaks draw to a close amid a surge in the omicron variant. But this time, officials have more information about the costs of closing schools and pivoting to virtual learning - if even for just a few weeks. The experience in Europe is especially relevant because schools here were shut for far shorter periods than those in the United States. Evidence is emerging that European students, even though they attended school in-person through most of the pandemic, experienced significant academic setbacks. Test scores dropped. Attendance waned. And teachers worried that their students were unprepared for the next school year. There will be long-term effects for the children, said Delphine Chabbert, a lawmaker who sits on the education committee of the Brussels regional parliament. Researchers say governments and school administrators should weigh those effects as they consider what to do now. Many schools in Europe started their December breaks early, as officials watched coronavirus case numbers rise, especially among young people. As they look ahead to the new year, officials are worried not only about in-school transmission of a highly infectious variant but about having enough teachers who are healthy. The Netherlands, currently under a strict lockdown, has warned that schools may not open in-person as planned on Jan. 10. The British education secretary, anticipating large staff shortages in January, put out a call for former teachers to return to the classroom, while the health secretary refused to rule out closing schools. Countries in Europe have tended to take a last-resort approach to school closures throughout the pandemic. Whereas U.S. states lifted lockdown restrictions months before letting students back into classrooms, most European countries did the reverse - resuming in-person schooling for many students as early as April and May 2020, while relying on restrictions in other aspects of public life to keep the virus in check. While significant learning loss and social-emotional setbacks could be expected in the United States, where some students were home for more than a year, what is emerging in Europe is in some ways more surprising. Early studies suggest that even relatively short classroom closures were detrimental. Its still too early to assess the full extent of learning loss over the past two years. In Europe, as in the United States, many countries canceled their standardized tests during the pandemic. One country where testing continued, though, was the Netherlands. When the pandemic first hit, Dutch students participated in virtual learning for eight weeks before their school buildings reopened. Per Engzell, a researcher at Oxford Universitys Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science, says those weeks were a waste in terms of academic learning. What we learned from our study is that children learned basically nothing at home, Engzell said. And its clear that this learning loss has not been completely recovered, even now, one and a half years later. He found in his April 2021 study that elementary students performed on average 20% worse on tests than the equivalent cohorts had for the three years before the pandemic. Among students from less-advantaged families, learning losses tended to be even greater - up to 60% larger than for the general population. The Netherlands has spent billions on tutoring, counseling and summer programming for children, but that extra support has not yet caught them up. Researchers in Denmark report more of a mixed picture. Danish elementary school students had only a month of virtual learning before the country became the first in Europe to reopen classrooms in April 2020. Over the course of various lockdowns, they have been out about eight weeks. Jesper Fels Birkelund, a sociologist at the University of Copenhagen, found that those elementary students didnt experience any setbacks in reading, with many making significant gains. But older students in Denmark had 22 weeks of virtual learning, and middle school students did experience some losses in reading, according to Birkelunds November 2021 study, which compared scores on a computerized test administered to Danish students every spring. Birkelund said the research doesnt support the assumption that older students can be relied on to use computers independently and keep up with their studies from home, even in a country with excellent Internet infrastructure and access. If countries partially close schools next month, he said, leaders should look at available data to determine which students should return to school and not just make a decision based on the childs grade level. We shouldnt only focus on the young students, Birkelund said. This idea that we should send the younger students back should not be the focus anymore. We should think about what students really need to be back in school and not only think about this in age groups. Theres no equivalent standardized test data in Belgium, but researcher Natacha Duroisin has been surveying hundreds of teachers in the French-speaking portions of the country to determine the academic impact of the pandemic. Sixty percent of middle and high school teachers reported that only half their students logged on for class on a typical day of virtual learning during the spring 2020 lockdown. Teachers reported that a significant portion of their students were unprepared for their coursework. In Belgium, it took 2 months for elementary schools to fully reopen after they shut down in March 2020. Older students did hybrid learning - rotating between in-person and virtual every other week or, alternatively, for half of each day - for the entire 2020-21 academic year. Duroisin, an associate professor at the University of Mons, studied the different hybrid models and determined that teachers reported better academic results when students were in classrooms every day, even if just for the morning or afternoon. The other option, of attending school for a week and being at home the other week, was catastrophic, she said. The hybrid model in Belgium was intended to keep teenagers engaged in school, even if they werent in classrooms full time, said Chabbert, the Brussels lawmaker. Initial reports dont indicate any increase in dropouts, but its unclear what the results will be for the current academic year - when struggling teenagers are stuck taking remedial courses in addition to their standard academic loads. Hybrid was the least-bad solution, Chabbert said. The priority was to keep the link between pupils and schools, and it was the only the solution we had. It was the least worst. Kalvin Legrand, who attends a high school in Quaregnon, a working-class town an hour outside Brussels, was among those at risk of dropping out. He was struggling before the pandemic - he had already been held back two grades. And Legrand said he had a tough time with both virtual and hybrid learning. It was hard to follow the classes, he said. I did not have any motivation, and it did not go back when we are back at the school. He said his complicated schedule last academic year - mornings at home doing virtual learning and afternoons in the classroom - was difficult to manage. He and his classmates, he said, had a hard time getting to their classes on time. He ultimately failed three courses, but he stuck with school, and is now taking an extra math class each Wednesday to graduate in the spring. Denis Betriaux, Legrands teacher, said more than a dozen of his 80 students are in remedial classes for math and French this academic year, making up for courses they failed during hybrid learning. They are not very optimistic, and I dont have the impression they have a lot of hope things will get better, Betriaux said. It is very sad for them. Legrand, 20, said that before the pandemic, he dreamed of becoming a physical education teacher, but now higher education feels unrealistic. I wonder maybe I should do a more accessible job, like joining the army, he said. He also desperately hopes theres no return to remote or hybrid learning. I lost a year, he said. If the teachers arent in the classroom with me, it will be another failure for me. QUAREGNON, Belgium - Nearly two years after the pandemic forced school closures around the world, countries are once again grappling with whether to reopen classrooms, as holiday breaks draw to a close amid a surge in the omicron variant. But this time, officials have more information about the costs of closing schools and pivoting to virtual learning - if even for just a few weeks. The experience in Europe is especially relevant because schools here were shut for far shorter periods than those in the United States. Evidence is emerging that European students, even though they attended school in-person through most of the pandemic, experienced significant academic setbacks. Test scores dropped. Attendance waned. And teachers worried that their students were unprepared for the next school year. There will be long-term effects for the children, said Delphine Chabbert, a lawmaker who sits on the education committee of the Brussels regional parliament. Researchers say governments and school administrators should weigh those effects as they consider what to do now. Many schools in Europe started their December breaks early, as officials watched coronavirus case numbers rise, especially among young people. As they look ahead to the new year, officials are worried not only about in-school transmission of a highly infectious variant but about having enough teachers who are healthy. The Netherlands, currently under a strict lockdown, has warned that schools may not open in-person as planned on Jan. 10. The British education secretary, anticipating large staff shortages in January, put out a call for former teachers to return to the classroom, while the health secretary refused to rule out closing schools. Countries in Europe have tended to take a last-resort approach to school closures throughout the pandemic. Whereas U.S. states lifted lockdown restrictions months before letting students back into classrooms, most European countries did the reverse - resuming in-person schooling for many students as early as April and May 2020, while relying on restrictions in other aspects of public life to keep the virus in check. While significant learning loss and social-emotional setbacks could be expected in the United States, where some students were home for more than a year, what is emerging in Europe is in some ways more surprising. Early studies suggest that even relatively short classroom closures were detrimental. Its still too early to assess the full extent of learning loss over the past two years. In Europe, as in the United States, many countries canceled their standardized tests during the pandemic. One country where testing continued, though, was the Netherlands. When the pandemic first hit, Dutch students participated in virtual learning for eight weeks before their school buildings reopened. Per Engzell, a researcher at Oxford Universitys Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science, says those weeks were a waste in terms of academic learning. What we learned from our study is that children learned basically nothing at home, Engzell said. And its clear that this learning loss has not been completely recovered, even now, one and a half years later. He found in his April 2021 study that elementary students performed on average 20% worse on tests than the equivalent cohorts had for the three years before the pandemic. Among students from less-advantaged families, learning losses tended to be even greater - up to 60% larger than for the general population. The Netherlands has spent billions on tutoring, counseling and summer programming for children, but that extra support has not yet caught them up. Researchers in Denmark report more of a mixed picture. Danish elementary school students had only a month of virtual learning before the country became the first in Europe to reopen classrooms in April 2020. Over the course of various lockdowns, they have been out about eight weeks. Jesper Fels Birkelund, a sociologist at the University of Copenhagen, found that those elementary students didnt experience any setbacks in reading, with many making significant gains. But older students in Denmark had 22 weeks of virtual learning, and middle school students did experience some losses in reading, according to Birkelunds November 2021 study, which compared scores on a computerized test administered to Danish students every spring. Birkelund said the research doesnt support the assumption that older students can be relied on to use computers independently and keep up with their studies from home, even in a country with excellent Internet infrastructure and access. If countries partially close schools next month, he said, leaders should look at available data to determine which students should return to school and not just make a decision based on the childs grade level. We shouldnt only focus on the young students, Birkelund said. This idea that we should send the younger students back should not be the focus anymore. We should think about what students really need to be back in school and not only think about this in age groups. Theres no equivalent standardized test data in Belgium, but researcher Natacha Duroisin has been surveying hundreds of teachers in the French-speaking portions of the country to determine the academic impact of the pandemic. Sixty percent of middle and high school teachers reported that only half their students logged on for class on a typical day of virtual learning during the spring 2020 lockdown. Teachers reported that a significant portion of their students were unprepared for their coursework. In Belgium, it took 2 months for elementary schools to fully reopen after they shut down in March 2020. Older students did hybrid learning - rotating between in-person and virtual every other week or, alternatively, for half of each day - for the entire 2020-21 academic year. Duroisin, an associate professor at the University of Mons, studied the different hybrid models and determined that teachers reported better academic results when students were in classrooms every day, even if just for the morning or afternoon. The other option, of attending school for a week and being at home the other week, was catastrophic, she said. The hybrid model in Belgium was intended to keep teenagers engaged in school, even if they werent in classrooms full time, said Chabbert, the Brussels lawmaker. Initial reports dont indicate any increase in dropouts, but its unclear what the results will be for the current academic year - when struggling teenagers are stuck taking remedial courses in addition to their standard academic loads. Hybrid was the least-bad solution, Chabbert said. The priority was to keep the link between pupils and schools, and it was the only the solution we had. It was the least worst. Kalvin Legrand, who attends a high school in Quaregnon, a working-class town an hour outside Brussels, was among those at risk of dropping out. He was struggling before the pandemic - he had already been held back two grades. And Legrand said he had a tough time with both virtual and hybrid learning. It was hard to follow the classes, he said. I did not have any motivation, and it did not go back when we are back at the school. He said his complicated schedule last academic year - mornings at home doing virtual learning and afternoons in the classroom - was difficult to manage. He and his classmates, he said, had a hard time getting to their classes on time. He ultimately failed three courses, but he stuck with school, and is now taking an extra math class each Wednesday to graduate in the spring. Denis Betriaux, Legrands teacher, said more than a dozen of his 80 students are in remedial classes for math and French this academic year, making up for courses they failed during hybrid learning. They are not very optimistic, and I dont have the impression they have a lot of hope things will get better, Betriaux said. It is very sad for them. Legrand, 20, said that before the pandemic, he dreamed of becoming a physical education teacher, but now higher education feels unrealistic. I wonder maybe I should do a more accessible job, like joining the army, he said. He also desperately hopes theres no return to remote or hybrid learning. I lost a year, he said. If the teachers arent in the classroom with me, it will be another failure for me. QUAREGNON, Belgium - Nearly two years after the pandemic forced school closures around the world, countries are once again grappling with whether to reopen classrooms, as holiday breaks draw to a close amid a surge in the omicron variant. But this time, officials have more information about the costs of closing schools and pivoting to virtual learning - if even for just a few weeks. The experience in Europe is especially relevant because schools here were shut for far shorter periods than those in the United States. Evidence is emerging that European students, even though they attended school in-person through most of the pandemic, experienced significant academic setbacks. Test scores dropped. Attendance waned. And teachers worried that their students were unprepared for the next school year. There will be long-term effects for the children, said Delphine Chabbert, a lawmaker who sits on the education committee of the Brussels regional parliament. Researchers say governments and school administrators should weigh those effects as they consider what to do now. Many schools in Europe started their December breaks early, as officials watched coronavirus case numbers rise, especially among young people. As they look ahead to the new year, officials are worried not only about in-school transmission of a highly infectious variant but about having enough teachers who are healthy. The Netherlands, currently under a strict lockdown, has warned that schools may not open in-person as planned on Jan. 10. The British education secretary, anticipating large staff shortages in January, put out a call for former teachers to return to the classroom, while the health secretary refused to rule out closing schools. Countries in Europe have tended to take a last-resort approach to school closures throughout the pandemic. Whereas U.S. states lifted lockdown restrictions months before letting students back into classrooms, most European countries did the reverse - resuming in-person schooling for many students as early as April and May 2020, while relying on restrictions in other aspects of public life to keep the virus in check. While significant learning loss and social-emotional setbacks could be expected in the United States, where some students were home for more than a year, what is emerging in Europe is in some ways more surprising. Early studies suggest that even relatively short classroom closures were detrimental. Its still too early to assess the full extent of learning loss over the past two years. In Europe, as in the United States, many countries canceled their standardized tests during the pandemic. One country where testing continued, though, was the Netherlands. When the pandemic first hit, Dutch students participated in virtual learning for eight weeks before their school buildings reopened. Per Engzell, a researcher at Oxford Universitys Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science, says those weeks were a waste in terms of academic learning. What we learned from our study is that children learned basically nothing at home, Engzell said. And its clear that this learning loss has not been completely recovered, even now, one and a half years later. He found in his April 2021 study that elementary students performed on average 20% worse on tests than the equivalent cohorts had for the three years before the pandemic. Among students from less-advantaged families, learning losses tended to be even greater - up to 60% larger than for the general population. The Netherlands has spent billions on tutoring, counseling and summer programming for children, but that extra support has not yet caught them up. Researchers in Denmark report more of a mixed picture. Danish elementary school students had only a month of virtual learning before the country became the first in Europe to reopen classrooms in April 2020. Over the course of various lockdowns, they have been out about eight weeks. Jesper Fels Birkelund, a sociologist at the University of Copenhagen, found that those elementary students didnt experience any setbacks in reading, with many making significant gains. But older students in Denmark had 22 weeks of virtual learning, and middle school students did experience some losses in reading, according to Birkelunds November 2021 study, which compared scores on a computerized test administered to Danish students every spring. Birkelund said the research doesnt support the assumption that older students can be relied on to use computers independently and keep up with their studies from home, even in a country with excellent Internet infrastructure and access. If countries partially close schools next month, he said, leaders should look at available data to determine which students should return to school and not just make a decision based on the childs grade level. We shouldnt only focus on the young students, Birkelund said. This idea that we should send the younger students back should not be the focus anymore. We should think about what students really need to be back in school and not only think about this in age groups. Theres no equivalent standardized test data in Belgium, but researcher Natacha Duroisin has been surveying hundreds of teachers in the French-speaking portions of the country to determine the academic impact of the pandemic. Sixty percent of middle and high school teachers reported that only half their students logged on for class on a typical day of virtual learning during the spring 2020 lockdown. Teachers reported that a significant portion of their students were unprepared for their coursework. In Belgium, it took 2 months for elementary schools to fully reopen after they shut down in March 2020. Older students did hybrid learning - rotating between in-person and virtual every other week or, alternatively, for half of each day - for the entire 2020-21 academic year. Duroisin, an associate professor at the University of Mons, studied the different hybrid models and determined that teachers reported better academic results when students were in classrooms every day, even if just for the morning or afternoon. The other option, of attending school for a week and being at home the other week, was catastrophic, she said. The hybrid model in Belgium was intended to keep teenagers engaged in school, even if they werent in classrooms full time, said Chabbert, the Brussels lawmaker. Initial reports dont indicate any increase in dropouts, but its unclear what the results will be for the current academic year - when struggling teenagers are stuck taking remedial courses in addition to their standard academic loads. Hybrid was the least-bad solution, Chabbert said. The priority was to keep the link between pupils and schools, and it was the only the solution we had. It was the least worst. Kalvin Legrand, who attends a high school in Quaregnon, a working-class town an hour outside Brussels, was among those at risk of dropping out. He was struggling before the pandemic - he had already been held back two grades. And Legrand said he had a tough time with both virtual and hybrid learning. It was hard to follow the classes, he said. I did not have any motivation, and it did not go back when we are back at the school. He said his complicated schedule last academic year - mornings at home doing virtual learning and afternoons in the classroom - was difficult to manage. He and his classmates, he said, had a hard time getting to their classes on time. He ultimately failed three courses, but he stuck with school, and is now taking an extra math class each Wednesday to graduate in the spring. Denis Betriaux, Legrands teacher, said more than a dozen of his 80 students are in remedial classes for math and French this academic year, making up for courses they failed during hybrid learning. They are not very optimistic, and I dont have the impression they have a lot of hope things will get better, Betriaux said. It is very sad for them. Legrand, 20, said that before the pandemic, he dreamed of becoming a physical education teacher, but now higher education feels unrealistic. I wonder maybe I should do a more accessible job, like joining the army, he said. He also desperately hopes theres no return to remote or hybrid learning. I lost a year, he said. If the teachers arent in the classroom with me, it will be another failure for me. QUAREGNON, Belgium - Nearly two years after the pandemic forced school closures around the world, countries are once again grappling with whether to reopen classrooms, as holiday breaks draw to a close amid a surge in the omicron variant. But this time, officials have more information about the costs of closing schools and pivoting to virtual learning - if even for just a few weeks. The experience in Europe is especially relevant because schools here were shut for far shorter periods than those in the United States. Evidence is emerging that European students, even though they attended school in-person through most of the pandemic, experienced significant academic setbacks. Test scores dropped. Attendance waned. And teachers worried that their students were unprepared for the next school year. There will be long-term effects for the children, said Delphine Chabbert, a lawmaker who sits on the education committee of the Brussels regional parliament. Researchers say governments and school administrators should weigh those effects as they consider what to do now. Many schools in Europe started their December breaks early, as officials watched coronavirus case numbers rise, especially among young people. As they look ahead to the new year, officials are worried not only about in-school transmission of a highly infectious variant but about having enough teachers who are healthy. The Netherlands, currently under a strict lockdown, has warned that schools may not open in-person as planned on Jan. 10. The British education secretary, anticipating large staff shortages in January, put out a call for former teachers to return to the classroom, while the health secretary refused to rule out closing schools. Countries in Europe have tended to take a last-resort approach to school closures throughout the pandemic. Whereas U.S. states lifted lockdown restrictions months before letting students back into classrooms, most European countries did the reverse - resuming in-person schooling for many students as early as April and May 2020, while relying on restrictions in other aspects of public life to keep the virus in check. While significant learning loss and social-emotional setbacks could be expected in the United States, where some students were home for more than a year, what is emerging in Europe is in some ways more surprising. Early studies suggest that even relatively short classroom closures were detrimental. Its still too early to assess the full extent of learning loss over the past two years. In Europe, as in the United States, many countries canceled their standardized tests during the pandemic. One country where testing continued, though, was the Netherlands. When the pandemic first hit, Dutch students participated in virtual learning for eight weeks before their school buildings reopened. Per Engzell, a researcher at Oxford Universitys Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science, says those weeks were a waste in terms of academic learning. What we learned from our study is that children learned basically nothing at home, Engzell said. And its clear that this learning loss has not been completely recovered, even now, one and a half years later. He found in his April 2021 study that elementary students performed on average 20% worse on tests than the equivalent cohorts had for the three years before the pandemic. Among students from less-advantaged families, learning losses tended to be even greater - up to 60% larger than for the general population. The Netherlands has spent billions on tutoring, counseling and summer programming for children, but that extra support has not yet caught them up. Researchers in Denmark report more of a mixed picture. Danish elementary school students had only a month of virtual learning before the country became the first in Europe to reopen classrooms in April 2020. Over the course of various lockdowns, they have been out about eight weeks. Jesper Fels Birkelund, a sociologist at the University of Copenhagen, found that those elementary students didnt experience any setbacks in reading, with many making significant gains. But older students in Denmark had 22 weeks of virtual learning, and middle school students did experience some losses in reading, according to Birkelunds November 2021 study, which compared scores on a computerized test administered to Danish students every spring. Birkelund said the research doesnt support the assumption that older students can be relied on to use computers independently and keep up with their studies from home, even in a country with excellent Internet infrastructure and access. If countries partially close schools next month, he said, leaders should look at available data to determine which students should return to school and not just make a decision based on the childs grade level. We shouldnt only focus on the young students, Birkelund said. This idea that we should send the younger students back should not be the focus anymore. We should think about what students really need to be back in school and not only think about this in age groups. Theres no equivalent standardized test data in Belgium, but researcher Natacha Duroisin has been surveying hundreds of teachers in the French-speaking portions of the country to determine the academic impact of the pandemic. Sixty percent of middle and high school teachers reported that only half their students logged on for class on a typical day of virtual learning during the spring 2020 lockdown. Teachers reported that a significant portion of their students were unprepared for their coursework. In Belgium, it took 2 months for elementary schools to fully reopen after they shut down in March 2020. Older students did hybrid learning - rotating between in-person and virtual every other week or, alternatively, for half of each day - for the entire 2020-21 academic year. Duroisin, an associate professor at the University of Mons, studied the different hybrid models and determined that teachers reported better academic results when students were in classrooms every day, even if just for the morning or afternoon. The other option, of attending school for a week and being at home the other week, was catastrophic, she said. The hybrid model in Belgium was intended to keep teenagers engaged in school, even if they werent in classrooms full time, said Chabbert, the Brussels lawmaker. Initial reports dont indicate any increase in dropouts, but its unclear what the results will be for the current academic year - when struggling teenagers are stuck taking remedial courses in addition to their standard academic loads. Hybrid was the least-bad solution, Chabbert said. The priority was to keep the link between pupils and schools, and it was the only the solution we had. It was the least worst. Kalvin Legrand, who attends a high school in Quaregnon, a working-class town an hour outside Brussels, was among those at risk of dropping out. He was struggling before the pandemic - he had already been held back two grades. And Legrand said he had a tough time with both virtual and hybrid learning. It was hard to follow the classes, he said. I did not have any motivation, and it did not go back when we are back at the school. He said his complicated schedule last academic year - mornings at home doing virtual learning and afternoons in the classroom - was difficult to manage. He and his classmates, he said, had a hard time getting to their classes on time. He ultimately failed three courses, but he stuck with school, and is now taking an extra math class each Wednesday to graduate in the spring. Denis Betriaux, Legrands teacher, said more than a dozen of his 80 students are in remedial classes for math and French this academic year, making up for courses they failed during hybrid learning. They are not very optimistic, and I dont have the impression they have a lot of hope things will get better, Betriaux said. It is very sad for them. Legrand, 20, said that before the pandemic, he dreamed of becoming a physical education teacher, but now higher education feels unrealistic. I wonder maybe I should do a more accessible job, like joining the army, he said. He also desperately hopes theres no return to remote or hybrid learning. I lost a year, he said. If the teachers arent in the classroom with me, it will be another failure for me. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/buckingham-palace-paralysed-over-prince-andrews-case-royal-insiders-reportedly-claim-1091959411.html Buckingham Palace 'Paralysed' Over Prince Andrew's Case, Royal Insiders Reportedly Claim Buckingham Palace 'Paralysed' Over Prince Andrew's Case, Royal Insiders Reportedly Claim Buckingham Palace has been "paralysed with indecision" over the way to handle things related to sexual abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the Mail Online reported, quoting "senior royal insiders". 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 prince andrew uk /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/09/1082841849_0:0:3071:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_19c2302a00d77fc2c8af0a80e2cf5e73.jpg Buckingham Palace has been "paralysed with indecision" over the way to handle things related to sexual abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the Mail Online reported, quoting "senior royal insiders". The duke behaved with "impunity" as a member of the royal family because everybody at the palace was "too scared" to stand up to him, the insiders said, according to the paper. Earlier, the Sun reported that there were "four to six witnesses" willing to testify in court and prove that the duke had met with Virginia Roberts Guiffre, who accuses him of rape. According to Guiffre, Prince Andrew sexually abused her three times in 2001 when she was 17 and under the control of the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. She also claims that they had danced together in a London club and the duke was "sweating profusely". Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied all the allegations, saying he has never met Guiffre. Apart from this, he revealed during an interview with the BBC in 2019 he had a medical condition that made him unable to sweat. His legal team, however, has failed to prove this very claim. The case against the duke is a civil one and he cannot be jailed. However, if he is found guilty of "battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress", he may face millions of pounds in damages to be paid to his accuser. https://sputniknews.com/20211231/virginia-guiffres-lawyers-demand-prince-andrew-prove-his-inability-to-sweat-1091938200.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sofia Chegodaeva Sofia Chegodaeva News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sofia Chegodaeva prince andrew, buckingham palace https://sputniknews.com/20220101/buckingham-palace-paralysed-over-prince-andrews-case-royal-insiders-reportedly-claim-1091959411.html Buckingham Palace 'Paralysed' Over Prince Andrew's Case, Royal Insiders Reportedly Claim Buckingham Palace 'Paralysed' Over Prince Andrew's Case, Royal Insiders Reportedly Claim Buckingham Palace has been "paralysed with indecision" over the way to handle things related to sexual abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the Mail Online reported, quoting "senior royal insiders". 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 prince andrew uk /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/09/1082841849_0:0:3071:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_19c2302a00d77fc2c8af0a80e2cf5e73.jpg Buckingham Palace has been "paralysed with indecision" over the way to handle things related to sexual abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the Mail Online reported, quoting "senior royal insiders". The duke behaved with "impunity" as a member of the royal family because everybody at the palace was "too scared" to stand up to him, the insiders said, according to the paper. Earlier, the Sun reported that there were "four to six witnesses" willing to testify in court and prove that the duke had met with Virginia Roberts Guiffre, who accuses him of rape. According to Guiffre, Prince Andrew sexually abused her three times in 2001 when she was 17 and under the control of the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. She also claims that they had danced together in a London club and the duke was "sweating profusely". Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied all the allegations, saying he has never met Guiffre. Apart from this, he revealed during an interview with the BBC in 2019 he had a medical condition that made him unable to sweat. His legal team, however, has failed to prove this very claim. The case against the duke is a civil one and he cannot be jailed. However, if he is found guilty of "battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress", he may face millions of pounds in damages to be paid to his accuser. https://sputniknews.com/20211231/virginia-guiffres-lawyers-demand-prince-andrew-prove-his-inability-to-sweat-1091938200.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sofia Chegodaeva Sofia Chegodaeva News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sofia Chegodaeva prince andrew, buckingham palace BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong held a video chat with youths in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The trio crew had the live space-Earth talk with around 500 young students at three venues in Beijing, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) and Macao SAR, sharing the space dream and aspirations. The activity, co-hosted by the Hong Kong SAR government, the Macao SAR government, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong SAR, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao SAR, the China Manned Space Agency and the China Media Group, was broadcast live. Astronauts Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu went into space onboard the Shenzhou-13 spaceship and entered the space station on Oct. 16, embarking on the country's longest crewed mission for space station construction. Enditem https://sputniknews.com/20220101/buckingham-palace-paralysed-over-prince-andrews-case-royal-insiders-reportedly-claim-1091959411.html Buckingham Palace 'Paralysed' Over Prince Andrew's Case, Royal Insiders Reportedly Claim Buckingham Palace 'Paralysed' Over Prince Andrew's Case, Royal Insiders Reportedly Claim Buckingham Palace has been "paralysed with indecision" over the way to handle things related to sexual abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the Mail Online reported, quoting "senior royal insiders". 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 prince andrew uk /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/09/1082841849_0:0:3071:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_19c2302a00d77fc2c8af0a80e2cf5e73.jpg Buckingham Palace has been "paralysed with indecision" over the way to handle things related to sexual abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the Mail Online reported, quoting "senior royal insiders". The duke behaved with "impunity" as a member of the royal family because everybody at the palace was "too scared" to stand up to him, the insiders said, according to the paper. Earlier, the Sun reported that there were "four to six witnesses" willing to testify in court and prove that the duke had met with Virginia Roberts Guiffre, who accuses him of rape. According to Guiffre, Prince Andrew sexually abused her three times in 2001 when she was 17 and under the control of the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. She also claims that they had danced together in a London club and the duke was "sweating profusely". Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied all the allegations, saying he has never met Guiffre. Apart from this, he revealed during an interview with the BBC in 2019 he had a medical condition that made him unable to sweat. His legal team, however, has failed to prove this very claim. The case against the duke is a civil one and he cannot be jailed. However, if he is found guilty of "battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress", he may face millions of pounds in damages to be paid to his accuser. https://sputniknews.com/20211231/virginia-guiffres-lawyers-demand-prince-andrew-prove-his-inability-to-sweat-1091938200.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sofia Chegodaeva Sofia Chegodaeva News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sofia Chegodaeva prince andrew, buckingham palace https://sputniknews.com/20220101/buckingham-palace-paralysed-over-prince-andrews-case-royal-insiders-reportedly-claim-1091959411.html Buckingham Palace 'Paralysed' Over Prince Andrew's Case, Royal Insiders Reportedly Claim Buckingham Palace 'Paralysed' Over Prince Andrew's Case, Royal Insiders Reportedly Claim Buckingham Palace has been "paralysed with indecision" over the way to handle things related to sexual abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the Mail Online reported, quoting "senior royal insiders". 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 prince andrew uk /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/09/1082841849_0:0:3071:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_19c2302a00d77fc2c8af0a80e2cf5e73.jpg Buckingham Palace has been "paralysed with indecision" over the way to handle things related to sexual abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the Mail Online reported, quoting "senior royal insiders". The duke behaved with "impunity" as a member of the royal family because everybody at the palace was "too scared" to stand up to him, the insiders said, according to the paper. Earlier, the Sun reported that there were "four to six witnesses" willing to testify in court and prove that the duke had met with Virginia Roberts Guiffre, who accuses him of rape. According to Guiffre, Prince Andrew sexually abused her three times in 2001 when she was 17 and under the control of the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. She also claims that they had danced together in a London club and the duke was "sweating profusely". Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied all the allegations, saying he has never met Guiffre. Apart from this, he revealed during an interview with the BBC in 2019 he had a medical condition that made him unable to sweat. His legal team, however, has failed to prove this very claim. The case against the duke is a civil one and he cannot be jailed. However, if he is found guilty of "battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress", he may face millions of pounds in damages to be paid to his accuser. https://sputniknews.com/20211231/virginia-guiffres-lawyers-demand-prince-andrew-prove-his-inability-to-sweat-1091938200.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sofia Chegodaeva Sofia Chegodaeva News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sofia Chegodaeva prince andrew, buckingham palace India's most valuable public sector firm by market capitalisation on Saturday became a company with no chairman and managing director after incumbent Subhash Kumar superannuated and the government did not immediately name his replacement. Kumar, who was Director-Finance of and has been since April last year holding the additional charge of chairman and managing director, superannuated on December 31, 2021, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) said in a stock exchange filing. "Anurag Sharma, Director (Onshore) has been entrusted with an additional charge of the post of Director (Finance) with effect from January 1, 2022," the company said, citing a December 28, 2021, order of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to this effect. But, it did not say anything about who gets charge of the chairman and managing director. As per practice, the government appoints a replacement of a director or chairman on any public sector board at least a couple of months before his retirement. However, in the case of ONGC, the same practice wasn't followed. So, its last full-time head Shashi Shanker retired on March 31, 2021, with his replacement not even been selected. Kumar, who was the senior-most director on the board, was given the additional charge. But this time around, no one has been given a charge, sources aware of the development said. "Normally, the Cabinet Committee on Appointments (ACC) gives the additional charge of a retiring director (in case a full-time replacement isn't in place) at least two days prior to the retirement of the incumbent. But in ONGC's case, no communication was received till Saturday morning," a source said. The administrative ministry head Hardeep Puri in the case of has the authority to give an ad-hoc charge for three months, but even this hasn't happened so far in the case of ONGC. An email sent to the ministry's spokesperson for comments remained unanswered. Alka Mittal, Director for Human Resources, is the senior-most director on the ONGC board and the additional charge should have in normal course gone to her unless the government wants to thrust a bureaucrat on the company, sources said. Government head-hunter PESB on June 4, 2021, interviewed candidates to select a replacement for Shanker but did not find anyone suitable from nine candidates, including two serving IAS officers. The Public Enterprise Selection Board (PESB) interviewed 9 out of the 10 candidates who had applied for the post of Chairman and Managing Director of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). "Keeping in view the strategic importance and vision for the company and its future, the Board did not recommend any candidate and decided to constitute a Search Committee," PESB had said in a notice after the interviews. The Search Committee hasn't been so far constituted and so a full-time replacement is unlikely to be appointed anytime soon. Once the panel is constituted, applications will be sought, which could take anywhere between one to two months. Thereafter interviews would be held and a candidate found suitable will be sent to the government for vetting and appointment. The ACC will take a call on the appointment after getting clearance from the anti-corruption bodies like CVC and CBI, a process that takes at least 3-4 months. (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.) Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij on Saturday expressed grief over a landslide that took place at a mining site in Bhiwani district and said that four people have died so far in the incident. In a tweet, Anil Vij, said, "I am deeply saddened by the accident that has happened at the mining site in Bhiwani district of Haryana. The rescue operation is being run by the administration. State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) team has been called from Madhuban and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) from Ghaziabad. An army unit has been called from Hisar. So far, 4 people have died." The district administration has launched a rescue operation at the Dadam mining zone in Tosham block. Taking to Twitter, Home Minister Amit Shah also wished speedy recovery to those injured and informed that local administration is engaged in the rescue operation. "Accident due to landslide at the mining site in Bhiwani district of Haryana is very sad. I have spoken to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar Ji. The local administration is engaged in the rescue work. Our priority is to save as many lives as possible. I wish the injured a speedy recovery," Shah tweeted. Meanwhile, Khattar also took to Twitter to express grief and said, "Saddened by the unfortunate landslide accident in Dadam mining zone at Bhiwani. I am in constant touch with the local administration to ensure swift rescue operations and immediate assistance to the injured." (ANI) Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij on Saturday expressed grief over a landslide that took place at a mining site in Bhiwani district and said that four people have died so far in the incident. In a tweet, Anil Vij, said, "I am deeply saddened by the accident that has happened at the mining site in Bhiwani district of Haryana. The rescue operation is being run by the administration. State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) team has been called from Madhuban and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) from Ghaziabad. An army unit has been called from Hisar. So far, 4 people have died." The district administration has launched a rescue operation at the Dadam mining zone in Tosham block. Taking to Twitter, Home Minister Amit Shah also wished speedy recovery to those injured and informed that local administration is engaged in the rescue operation. "Accident due to landslide at the mining site in Bhiwani district of Haryana is very sad. I have spoken to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar Ji. The local administration is engaged in the rescue work. Our priority is to save as many lives as possible. I wish the injured a speedy recovery," Shah tweeted. Meanwhile, Khattar also took to Twitter to express grief and said, "Saddened by the unfortunate landslide accident in Dadam mining zone at Bhiwani. I am in constant touch with the local administration to ensure swift rescue operations and immediate assistance to the injured." (ANI) Four people have been killed and many others are feared trapped following a at Dadam mining site here on Saturday. Home Minister Anil Vij said several rescue teams have pressed into service for rescue work. Vij gave information about the death toll in a tweet. I am deeply saddened over the incident that took place at the mining site in Bhiwani district of . The rescue operation is being run by the administration. Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team from Ghaziabad, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) from Madhuban and an Army unit from Hisar have been called. So far four people have died, said Vij in a tweet. Police said around half-a-dozen dumper trucks and some machines were buried under the debris caused by the landslide, which occurred around 9 am in Tosham block. Bhiwani Chief Medical Officer Raghuvir Shandilya had earlier said that Toofan Sharma (30), a native of Bihar and Binder (23), who hailed from Baganwala in Haryana's Jind district, have died in the incident. Deputy Superintendent of Police (Siwani) Manoj Kumar said four to five people may still be trapped under the debris. Some locals, however, claimed that the number of those trapped could be more but there was no official confirmation on this. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said he was in constant touch with the district administration to ensure swift rescue operations. "Saddened by the unfortunate accident in Dadam mining zone at Bhiwani. I am in constant touch with the local administration to ensure swift rescue operations and immediate assistance to the injured," he said in a tweet. State minister J P Dalal took stock of the situation and told reporters that the administration's priority was to rescue the trapped people and that a team of doctors had arrived at the site. Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged that illegal mining was going on under the Khattar regime and asked the BJP government who was responsible for these deaths. In a tweet, he also asked the state government if it would order a judicial probe into the alleged mining racket. (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.) https://sputniknews.com/20220101/buckingham-palace-paralysed-over-prince-andrews-case-royal-insiders-reportedly-claim-1091959411.html Buckingham Palace 'Paralysed' Over Prince Andrew's Case, Royal Insiders Reportedly Claim Buckingham Palace 'Paralysed' Over Prince Andrew's Case, Royal Insiders Reportedly Claim Buckingham Palace has been "paralysed with indecision" over the way to handle things related to sexual abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the Mail Online reported, quoting "senior royal insiders". 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 prince andrew uk /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/09/1082841849_0:0:3071:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_19c2302a00d77fc2c8af0a80e2cf5e73.jpg Buckingham Palace has been "paralysed with indecision" over the way to handle things related to sexual abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the Mail Online reported, quoting "senior royal insiders". The duke behaved with "impunity" as a member of the royal family because everybody at the palace was "too scared" to stand up to him, the insiders said, according to the paper. Earlier, the Sun reported that there were "four to six witnesses" willing to testify in court and prove that the duke had met with Virginia Roberts Guiffre, who accuses him of rape. According to Guiffre, Prince Andrew sexually abused her three times in 2001 when she was 17 and under the control of the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. She also claims that they had danced together in a London club and the duke was "sweating profusely". Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied all the allegations, saying he has never met Guiffre. Apart from this, he revealed during an interview with the BBC in 2019 he had a medical condition that made him unable to sweat. His legal team, however, has failed to prove this very claim. The case against the duke is a civil one and he cannot be jailed. However, if he is found guilty of "battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress", he may face millions of pounds in damages to be paid to his accuser. https://sputniknews.com/20211231/virginia-guiffres-lawyers-demand-prince-andrew-prove-his-inability-to-sweat-1091938200.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sofia Chegodaeva Sofia Chegodaeva News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sofia Chegodaeva prince andrew, buckingham palace https://sputniknews.com/20220101/buckingham-palace-paralysed-over-prince-andrews-case-royal-insiders-reportedly-claim-1091959411.html Buckingham Palace 'Paralysed' Over Prince Andrew's Case, Royal Insiders Reportedly Claim Buckingham Palace 'Paralysed' Over Prince Andrew's Case, Royal Insiders Reportedly Claim Buckingham Palace has been "paralysed with indecision" over the way to handle things related to sexual abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the Mail Online reported, quoting "senior royal insiders". 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 prince andrew uk /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/09/1082841849_0:0:3071:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_19c2302a00d77fc2c8af0a80e2cf5e73.jpg Buckingham Palace has been "paralysed with indecision" over the way to handle things related to sexual abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the Mail Online reported, quoting "senior royal insiders". The duke behaved with "impunity" as a member of the royal family because everybody at the palace was "too scared" to stand up to him, the insiders said, according to the paper. Earlier, the Sun reported that there were "four to six witnesses" willing to testify in court and prove that the duke had met with Virginia Roberts Guiffre, who accuses him of rape. According to Guiffre, Prince Andrew sexually abused her three times in 2001 when she was 17 and under the control of the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. She also claims that they had danced together in a London club and the duke was "sweating profusely". Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied all the allegations, saying he has never met Guiffre. Apart from this, he revealed during an interview with the BBC in 2019 he had a medical condition that made him unable to sweat. His legal team, however, has failed to prove this very claim. The case against the duke is a civil one and he cannot be jailed. However, if he is found guilty of "battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress", he may face millions of pounds in damages to be paid to his accuser. https://sputniknews.com/20211231/virginia-guiffres-lawyers-demand-prince-andrew-prove-his-inability-to-sweat-1091938200.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sofia Chegodaeva Sofia Chegodaeva News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sofia Chegodaeva prince andrew, buckingham palace India's most valuable public sector firm by market capitalisation on Saturday became a company with no chairman and managing director after incumbent Subhash Kumar superannuated and the government did not immediately name his replacement. Kumar, who was Director-Finance of and has been since April last year holding the additional charge of chairman and managing director, superannuated on December 31, 2021, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) said in a stock exchange filing. "Anurag Sharma, Director (Onshore) has been entrusted with an additional charge of the post of Director (Finance) with effect from January 1, 2022," the company said, citing a December 28, 2021, order of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to this effect. But, it did not say anything about who gets charge of the chairman and managing director. As per practice, the government appoints a replacement of a director or chairman on any public sector board at least a couple of months before his retirement. However, in the case of ONGC, the same practice wasn't followed. So, its last full-time head Shashi Shanker retired on March 31, 2021, with his replacement not even been selected. Kumar, who was the senior-most director on the board, was given the additional charge. But this time around, no one has been given a charge, sources aware of the development said. "Normally, the Cabinet Committee on Appointments (ACC) gives the additional charge of a retiring director (in case a full-time replacement isn't in place) at least two days prior to the retirement of the incumbent. But in ONGC's case, no communication was received till Saturday morning," a source said. The administrative ministry head Hardeep Puri in the case of has the authority to give an ad-hoc charge for three months, but even this hasn't happened so far in the case of ONGC. An email sent to the ministry's spokesperson for comments remained unanswered. Alka Mittal, Director for Human Resources, is the senior-most director on the ONGC board and the additional charge should have in normal course gone to her unless the government wants to thrust a bureaucrat on the company, sources said. Government head-hunter PESB on June 4, 2021, interviewed candidates to select a replacement for Shanker but did not find anyone suitable from nine candidates, including two serving IAS officers. The Public Enterprise Selection Board (PESB) interviewed 9 out of the 10 candidates who had applied for the post of Chairman and Managing Director of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). "Keeping in view the strategic importance and vision for the company and its future, the Board did not recommend any candidate and decided to constitute a Search Committee," PESB had said in a notice after the interviews. The Search Committee hasn't been so far constituted and so a full-time replacement is unlikely to be appointed anytime soon. Once the panel is constituted, applications will be sought, which could take anywhere between one to two months. Thereafter interviews would be held and a candidate found suitable will be sent to the government for vetting and appointment. The ACC will take a call on the appointment after getting clearance from the anti-corruption bodies like CVC and CBI, a process that takes at least 3-4 months. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India's most valuable public sector firm by market capitalisation on Saturday became a company with no chairman and managing director after incumbent Subhash Kumar superannuated and the government did not immediately name his replacement. Kumar, who was Director-Finance of and has been since April last year holding the additional charge of chairman and managing director, superannuated on December 31, 2021, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) said in a stock exchange filing. "Anurag Sharma, Director (Onshore) has been entrusted with an additional charge of the post of Director (Finance) with effect from January 1, 2022," the company said, citing a December 28, 2021, order of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to this effect. But, it did not say anything about who gets charge of the chairman and managing director. As per practice, the government appoints a replacement of a director or chairman on any public sector board at least a couple of months before his retirement. However, in the case of ONGC, the same practice wasn't followed. So, its last full-time head Shashi Shanker retired on March 31, 2021, with his replacement not even been selected. Kumar, who was the senior-most director on the board, was given the additional charge. But this time around, no one has been given a charge, sources aware of the development said. "Normally, the Cabinet Committee on Appointments (ACC) gives the additional charge of a retiring director (in case a full-time replacement isn't in place) at least two days prior to the retirement of the incumbent. But in ONGC's case, no communication was received till Saturday morning," a source said. The administrative ministry head Hardeep Puri in the case of has the authority to give an ad-hoc charge for three months, but even this hasn't happened so far in the case of ONGC. An email sent to the ministry's spokesperson for comments remained unanswered. Alka Mittal, Director for Human Resources, is the senior-most director on the ONGC board and the additional charge should have in normal course gone to her unless the government wants to thrust a bureaucrat on the company, sources said. Government head-hunter PESB on June 4, 2021, interviewed candidates to select a replacement for Shanker but did not find anyone suitable from nine candidates, including two serving IAS officers. The Public Enterprise Selection Board (PESB) interviewed 9 out of the 10 candidates who had applied for the post of Chairman and Managing Director of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). "Keeping in view the strategic importance and vision for the company and its future, the Board did not recommend any candidate and decided to constitute a Search Committee," PESB had said in a notice after the interviews. The Search Committee hasn't been so far constituted and so a full-time replacement is unlikely to be appointed anytime soon. Once the panel is constituted, applications will be sought, which could take anywhere between one to two months. Thereafter interviews would be held and a candidate found suitable will be sent to the government for vetting and appointment. The ACC will take a call on the appointment after getting clearance from the anti-corruption bodies like CVC and CBI, a process that takes at least 3-4 months. (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.) https://sputniknews.com/20220101/buckingham-palace-paralysed-over-prince-andrews-case-royal-insiders-reportedly-claim-1091959411.html Buckingham Palace 'Paralysed' Over Prince Andrew's Case, Royal Insiders Reportedly Claim Buckingham Palace 'Paralysed' Over Prince Andrew's Case, Royal Insiders Reportedly Claim Buckingham Palace has been "paralysed with indecision" over the way to handle things related to sexual abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the Mail Online reported, quoting "senior royal insiders". 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 prince andrew uk /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/09/1082841849_0:0:3071:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_19c2302a00d77fc2c8af0a80e2cf5e73.jpg Buckingham Palace has been "paralysed with indecision" over the way to handle things related to sexual abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the Mail Online reported, quoting "senior royal insiders". The duke behaved with "impunity" as a member of the royal family because everybody at the palace was "too scared" to stand up to him, the insiders said, according to the paper. Earlier, the Sun reported that there were "four to six witnesses" willing to testify in court and prove that the duke had met with Virginia Roberts Guiffre, who accuses him of rape. According to Guiffre, Prince Andrew sexually abused her three times in 2001 when she was 17 and under the control of the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. She also claims that they had danced together in a London club and the duke was "sweating profusely". Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied all the allegations, saying he has never met Guiffre. Apart from this, he revealed during an interview with the BBC in 2019 he had a medical condition that made him unable to sweat. His legal team, however, has failed to prove this very claim. The case against the duke is a civil one and he cannot be jailed. However, if he is found guilty of "battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress", he may face millions of pounds in damages to be paid to his accuser. https://sputniknews.com/20211231/virginia-guiffres-lawyers-demand-prince-andrew-prove-his-inability-to-sweat-1091938200.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sofia Chegodaeva Sofia Chegodaeva News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sofia Chegodaeva prince andrew, buckingham palace https://sputniknews.com/20220101/buckingham-palace-paralysed-over-prince-andrews-case-royal-insiders-reportedly-claim-1091959411.html Buckingham Palace 'Paralysed' Over Prince Andrew's Case, Royal Insiders Reportedly Claim Buckingham Palace 'Paralysed' Over Prince Andrew's Case, Royal Insiders Reportedly Claim Buckingham Palace has been "paralysed with indecision" over the way to handle things related to sexual abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the Mail Online reported, quoting "senior royal insiders". 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 prince andrew uk /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/09/1082841849_0:0:3071:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_19c2302a00d77fc2c8af0a80e2cf5e73.jpg Buckingham Palace has been "paralysed with indecision" over the way to handle things related to sexual abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the Mail Online reported, quoting "senior royal insiders". The duke behaved with "impunity" as a member of the royal family because everybody at the palace was "too scared" to stand up to him, the insiders said, according to the paper. Earlier, the Sun reported that there were "four to six witnesses" willing to testify in court and prove that the duke had met with Virginia Roberts Guiffre, who accuses him of rape. According to Guiffre, Prince Andrew sexually abused her three times in 2001 when she was 17 and under the control of the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. She also claims that they had danced together in a London club and the duke was "sweating profusely". Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied all the allegations, saying he has never met Guiffre. Apart from this, he revealed during an interview with the BBC in 2019 he had a medical condition that made him unable to sweat. His legal team, however, has failed to prove this very claim. The case against the duke is a civil one and he cannot be jailed. However, if he is found guilty of "battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress", he may face millions of pounds in damages to be paid to his accuser. https://sputniknews.com/20211231/virginia-guiffres-lawyers-demand-prince-andrew-prove-his-inability-to-sweat-1091938200.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sofia Chegodaeva Sofia Chegodaeva News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sofia Chegodaeva prince andrew, buckingham palace https://sputniknews.com/20220101/buckingham-palace-paralysed-over-prince-andrews-case-royal-insiders-reportedly-claim-1091959411.html Buckingham Palace 'Paralysed' Over Prince Andrew's Case, Royal Insiders Reportedly Claim Buckingham Palace 'Paralysed' Over Prince Andrew's Case, Royal Insiders Reportedly Claim Buckingham Palace has been "paralysed with indecision" over the way to handle things related to sexual abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the Mail Online reported, quoting "senior royal insiders". 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 prince andrew uk /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/09/1082841849_0:0:3071:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_19c2302a00d77fc2c8af0a80e2cf5e73.jpg Buckingham Palace has been "paralysed with indecision" over the way to handle things related to sexual abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the Mail Online reported, quoting "senior royal insiders". The duke behaved with "impunity" as a member of the royal family because everybody at the palace was "too scared" to stand up to him, the insiders said, according to the paper. Earlier, the Sun reported that there were "four to six witnesses" willing to testify in court and prove that the duke had met with Virginia Roberts Guiffre, who accuses him of rape. According to Guiffre, Prince Andrew sexually abused her three times in 2001 when she was 17 and under the control of the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. She also claims that they had danced together in a London club and the duke was "sweating profusely". Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied all the allegations, saying he has never met Guiffre. Apart from this, he revealed during an interview with the BBC in 2019 he had a medical condition that made him unable to sweat. His legal team, however, has failed to prove this very claim. The case against the duke is a civil one and he cannot be jailed. However, if he is found guilty of "battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress", he may face millions of pounds in damages to be paid to his accuser. https://sputniknews.com/20211231/virginia-guiffres-lawyers-demand-prince-andrew-prove-his-inability-to-sweat-1091938200.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sofia Chegodaeva Sofia Chegodaeva News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sofia Chegodaeva prince andrew, buckingham palace https://sputniknews.com/20220101/buckingham-palace-paralysed-over-prince-andrews-case-royal-insiders-reportedly-claim-1091959411.html Buckingham Palace 'Paralysed' Over Prince Andrew's Case, Royal Insiders Reportedly Claim Buckingham Palace 'Paralysed' Over Prince Andrew's Case, Royal Insiders Reportedly Claim Buckingham Palace has been "paralysed with indecision" over the way to handle things related to sexual abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the Mail Online reported, quoting "senior royal insiders". 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 2022-01-01T12:05+0000 prince andrew uk /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/09/1082841849_0:0:3071:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_19c2302a00d77fc2c8af0a80e2cf5e73.jpg Buckingham Palace has been "paralysed with indecision" over the way to handle things related to sexual abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the Mail Online reported, quoting "senior royal insiders". The duke behaved with "impunity" as a member of the royal family because everybody at the palace was "too scared" to stand up to him, the insiders said, according to the paper. Earlier, the Sun reported that there were "four to six witnesses" willing to testify in court and prove that the duke had met with Virginia Roberts Guiffre, who accuses him of rape. According to Guiffre, Prince Andrew sexually abused her three times in 2001 when she was 17 and under the control of the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. She also claims that they had danced together in a London club and the duke was "sweating profusely". Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied all the allegations, saying he has never met Guiffre. Apart from this, he revealed during an interview with the BBC in 2019 he had a medical condition that made him unable to sweat. His legal team, however, has failed to prove this very claim. The case against the duke is a civil one and he cannot be jailed. However, if he is found guilty of "battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress", he may face millions of pounds in damages to be paid to his accuser. https://sputniknews.com/20211231/virginia-guiffres-lawyers-demand-prince-andrew-prove-his-inability-to-sweat-1091938200.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sofia Chegodaeva Sofia Chegodaeva News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sofia Chegodaeva prince andrew, buckingham palace Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij on Saturday expressed grief over a landslide that took place at a mining site in Bhiwani district and said that four people have died so far in the incident. In a tweet, Anil Vij, said, "I am deeply saddened by the accident that has happened at the mining site in Bhiwani district of Haryana. The rescue operation is being run by the administration. State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) team has been called from Madhuban and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) from Ghaziabad. An army unit has been called from Hisar. So far, 4 people have died." The district administration has launched a rescue operation at the Dadam mining zone in Tosham block. Taking to Twitter, Home Minister Amit Shah also wished speedy recovery to those injured and informed that local administration is engaged in the rescue operation. "Accident due to landslide at the mining site in Bhiwani district of Haryana is very sad. I have spoken to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar Ji. The local administration is engaged in the rescue work. Our priority is to save as many lives as possible. I wish the injured a speedy recovery," Shah tweeted. Meanwhile, Khattar also took to Twitter to express grief and said, "Saddened by the unfortunate landslide accident in Dadam mining zone at Bhiwani. I am in constant touch with the local administration to ensure swift rescue operations and immediate assistance to the injured." (ANI) Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij on Saturday expressed grief over a landslide that took place at a mining site in Bhiwani district and said that four people have died so far in the incident. In a tweet, Anil Vij, said, "I am deeply saddened by the accident that has happened at the mining site in Bhiwani district of Haryana. The rescue operation is being run by the administration. State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) team has been called from Madhuban and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) from Ghaziabad. An army unit has been called from Hisar. So far, 4 people have died." The district administration has launched a rescue operation at the Dadam mining zone in Tosham block. Taking to Twitter, Home Minister Amit Shah also wished speedy recovery to those injured and informed that local administration is engaged in the rescue operation. "Accident due to landslide at the mining site in Bhiwani district of Haryana is very sad. I have spoken to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar Ji. The local administration is engaged in the rescue work. Our priority is to save as many lives as possible. I wish the injured a speedy recovery," Shah tweeted. Meanwhile, Khattar also took to Twitter to express grief and said, "Saddened by the unfortunate landslide accident in Dadam mining zone at Bhiwani. I am in constant touch with the local administration to ensure swift rescue operations and immediate assistance to the injured." (ANI) Police have arrested a 26-year-old man suspected of driving while intoxicated and rear-ending another driver, critically injuring her, early Friday morning. Christian Pacheco is charged with driving while intoxicated causing great bodily harm and leaving the scene of the accident. Police say he was found about two miles from the crash in his silver Hyundai SUV and he smelled of alcohol and performed poorly on sobriety tests. The SUV was smoking and had significant front end damage, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court Christian told me he was involved in a crash nearby, an officer wrote in the complaint. He said he was driving from Craft Republic and consumed alcohol prior to driving. His speech was heavily slurred, and some of his responses were incoherent. He was taken to the hospital to be treated for leg and head pain. He was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center Friday afternoon. Witnesses told police a woman driving a silver Toyota had stopped at a red light on San Mateo and Candelaria NE and a silver Hyundai crashed into her at a high rate of speed. The Hyundai then fled the scene. When officers arrived they found the woman was barely breathing and appeared to have significant head trauma. She was taken to the University of New Mexico Hospital where it was reported that she was unable to breath on her own. Pacheco had been charged with DWI in 2018 and pleaded guilty in 2019. He was sentenced to a year of probation. Agrawal told IANS that the Baghel government became active to arrest Kalicharan only after Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi tweeted about the event and the speech. "Why did the Baghel government not act before Priyanka Gandhi's tweet? The promptness after her tweet shows that the Chhattisgarh government acted only to make Priyanka Gandhi and Congress central leadership happy," Agrawal said. Agrawal, also a member of state assembly, questioned the way the religious leader was arrested from Madya Pradesh. He said, "Arrest was made without following the procedure like informing state police and production warrant. He was neither served notice nor asked to record his statement. A Government is saying a religious leader was arrested for making abusive statements but it failed to understand that the section imposed for abusing a person is bailable." Agrawal, one of the senior-most MLA of the saffron party, asked why the chief minister failed to act against people who abused and insulted Lord Ram, goddess Sita or the whole Brahmin community. He also demanded the release of Kalicharan. On Thursday, Kalicharan was arrested for allegedly making derogatory remarks against the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi. He was arrested by a team of Chhattisgarh police from Madhya Pradesh's Khajuraho and taken to Raipur. The arrest was made on the complaint filed by Congress leader Pramod Dubey, who had also attended the 'Dharma Sansad'. Kalicharan's arrest from Madhya Pradesh has triggered a political war of words between the ruling parties in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra had accused the Congress-led Chhattisgarh government of "breaching inter-state protocol". Mishra has also directed Madhya Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Vivek Johri to speak to Chhattisgarh DGP on the matter of breach of inter-state protocol. --IANS ssb/svn ( 337 Words) 2021-12-31-19:02:03 (IANS) Agrawal told IANS that the Baghel government became active to arrest Kalicharan only after Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi tweeted about the event and the speech. "Why did the Baghel government not act before Priyanka Gandhi's tweet? The promptness after her tweet shows that the Chhattisgarh government acted only to make Priyanka Gandhi and Congress central leadership happy," Agrawal said. Agrawal, also a member of state assembly, questioned the way the religious leader was arrested from Madya Pradesh. He said, "Arrest was made without following the procedure like informing state police and production warrant. He was neither served notice nor asked to record his statement. A Government is saying a religious leader was arrested for making abusive statements but it failed to understand that the section imposed for abusing a person is bailable." Agrawal, one of the senior-most MLA of the saffron party, asked why the chief minister failed to act against people who abused and insulted Lord Ram, goddess Sita or the whole Brahmin community. He also demanded the release of Kalicharan. On Thursday, Kalicharan was arrested for allegedly making derogatory remarks against the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi. He was arrested by a team of Chhattisgarh police from Madhya Pradesh's Khajuraho and taken to Raipur. The arrest was made on the complaint filed by Congress leader Pramod Dubey, who had also attended the 'Dharma Sansad'. Kalicharan's arrest from Madhya Pradesh has triggered a political war of words between the ruling parties in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra had accused the Congress-led Chhattisgarh government of "breaching inter-state protocol". Mishra has also directed Madhya Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Vivek Johri to speak to Chhattisgarh DGP on the matter of breach of inter-state protocol. --IANS ssb/svn ( 337 Words) 2021-12-31-19:02:03 (IANS) Agrawal told IANS that the Baghel government became active to arrest Kalicharan only after Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi tweeted about the event and the speech. "Why did the Baghel government not act before Priyanka Gandhi's tweet? The promptness after her tweet shows that the Chhattisgarh government acted only to make Priyanka Gandhi and Congress central leadership happy," Agrawal said. Agrawal, also a member of state assembly, questioned the way the religious leader was arrested from Madya Pradesh. He said, "Arrest was made without following the procedure like informing state police and production warrant. He was neither served notice nor asked to record his statement. A Government is saying a religious leader was arrested for making abusive statements but it failed to understand that the section imposed for abusing a person is bailable." Agrawal, one of the senior-most MLA of the saffron party, asked why the chief minister failed to act against people who abused and insulted Lord Ram, goddess Sita or the whole Brahmin community. He also demanded the release of Kalicharan. On Thursday, Kalicharan was arrested for allegedly making derogatory remarks against the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi. He was arrested by a team of Chhattisgarh police from Madhya Pradesh's Khajuraho and taken to Raipur. The arrest was made on the complaint filed by Congress leader Pramod Dubey, who had also attended the 'Dharma Sansad'. Kalicharan's arrest from Madhya Pradesh has triggered a political war of words between the ruling parties in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra had accused the Congress-led Chhattisgarh government of "breaching inter-state protocol". Mishra has also directed Madhya Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Vivek Johri to speak to Chhattisgarh DGP on the matter of breach of inter-state protocol. --IANS ssb/svn ( 337 Words) 2021-12-31-19:02:03 (IANS) After Hanoi and Quang Nam Province, Ho Chi Minh City has recorded five people suspected to contract the coronavirus variant Omicron but all of them have later tested negative, local health authorities said on Saturday. These five people entered Vietnam through the southern citys Tan Son Nhat International Airport on flights from December 21 to 25. They include a 29-year-old Turkish woman, who is a flight attendant, and four Vietnamese, including two men and two women, aged 22 to 49, the citys Department of Health reported. The above five cases were sampled for testing several days ago and were later found infected with the Omicron variant via genome sequencing conducted by the Ho Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute, the department said. However, they were retested on Friday and all of them were confirmed to be negative for the strain, the department said, adding that their health conditions were stable. The department has assigned the local Center for Disease Control to announce the list of all passengers on the same flights with these five people for infection tracing purposes. Earlier at a meeting on COVID-19 developments on Friday, chairman Phan Van Mai mentioned these suspected Omicron cases and forecast that similar cases might continue to appear in the city in the coming time. According to health experts, the new strain Omicron seems more contagious but less lethal than previous strains of coronavirus. The chairman requested all district authorities and concerned agencies to make more efforts to better control epidemic developments and strengthen inspections to ensure no large gatherings for celebrating the New Year and the coming Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, which will start on February 1, 2022. The citys leader asked local Department of Health to boost their monitoring to detect new Omicron cases and handle them according to the prepared plan. Authorities of all levels must tighten management over people entering the country under current regulations. The chairman also called for coordinated efforts to complete the third-dose vaccination coverage, which include booster shots and additional primary jabs, for the citys adult population in January 2022, with priority given to the high-risk group, including people over 50 years old or with underlying health conditions. Following the announcement of the suspected Omicron infections, the health department has decided to give rapid COVID-19 tests to all people entering the city from abroad at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport since January 1, 2022. Such tests will facilitate early detection of COVID-19 cases, from which infections of the new strain Omicron, if any, will be identified by genome sequencing, the department said. Also from the first day of the new year, all arrivals from abroad will make health declarations using QR codes granted by the department. Around 600 people will touch down the Tan Son Nhat International Airport during the first day of 2022, Tang Chi Thuong, director of the department, told the meeting. Under the new rules, people with full COVID-19 vaccination will not be put in quarantine when they enter Vietnam, but they instead will be observed and monitored at home. Therefore, grassroots authorities should coordinate with the health sector in controlling people entering the city from abroad, Thuong said. The first Omicron infection in the Southeast Asian country was detected in a man who arrived in Hanoi from the UK on December 19 and was quarantined upon arrival. After he tested positive for COVID-19, health experts conducted genome sequencing and officially confirmed he was carrying the Omicron variant on December 21. The central province of Quang Nam on Thursday became the second locality affected with the new variant with 14 infections officially affirmed. All these cases are Vietnamese passengers returning home from South Korea and the U.S. In recent time, Ho Chi Minh City, with high vaccination coverage rates, has seen its daily COVID-19 cases and fatalities sharply reduced, to 557 infections and 34 deaths on Friday from 1,497 and 76 on November 30, respectively, according to the Ministry of Healths data. However, the city remains the locality suffering the most from COVID-19 in Vietnam, recording 504,583 COVID-19 cases and 19,512 deaths since the pandemic erupted in the Southeast Asian nation in early 2020. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! After Hanoi and Quang Nam Province, Ho Chi Minh City has recorded five people suspected to contract the coronavirus variant Omicron but all of them have later tested negative, local health authorities said on Saturday. These five people entered Vietnam through the southern citys Tan Son Nhat International Airport on flights from December 21 to 25. They include a 29-year-old Turkish woman, who is a flight attendant, and four Vietnamese, including two men and two women, aged 22 to 49, the citys Department of Health reported. The above five cases were sampled for testing several days ago and were later found infected with the Omicron variant via genome sequencing conducted by the Ho Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute, the department said. However, they were retested on Friday and all of them were confirmed to be negative for the strain, the department said, adding that their health conditions were stable. The department has assigned the local Center for Disease Control to announce the list of all passengers on the same flights with these five people for infection tracing purposes. Earlier at a meeting on COVID-19 developments on Friday, chairman Phan Van Mai mentioned these suspected Omicron cases and forecast that similar cases might continue to appear in the city in the coming time. According to health experts, the new strain Omicron seems more contagious but less lethal than previous strains of coronavirus. The chairman requested all district authorities and concerned agencies to make more efforts to better control epidemic developments and strengthen inspections to ensure no large gatherings for celebrating the New Year and the coming Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, which will start on February 1, 2022. The citys leader asked local Department of Health to boost their monitoring to detect new Omicron cases and handle them according to the prepared plan. Authorities of all levels must tighten management over people entering the country under current regulations. The chairman also called for coordinated efforts to complete the third-dose vaccination coverage, which include booster shots and additional primary jabs, for the citys adult population in January 2022, with priority given to the high-risk group, including people over 50 years old or with underlying health conditions. Following the announcement of the suspected Omicron infections, the health department has decided to give rapid COVID-19 tests to all people entering the city from abroad at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport since January 1, 2022. Such tests will facilitate early detection of COVID-19 cases, from which infections of the new strain Omicron, if any, will be identified by genome sequencing, the department said. Also from the first day of the new year, all arrivals from abroad will make health declarations using QR codes granted by the department. Around 600 people will touch down the Tan Son Nhat International Airport during the first day of 2022, Tang Chi Thuong, director of the department, told the meeting. Under the new rules, people with full COVID-19 vaccination will not be put in quarantine when they enter Vietnam, but they instead will be observed and monitored at home. Therefore, grassroots authorities should coordinate with the health sector in controlling people entering the city from abroad, Thuong said. The first Omicron infection in the Southeast Asian country was detected in a man who arrived in Hanoi from the UK on December 19 and was quarantined upon arrival. After he tested positive for COVID-19, health experts conducted genome sequencing and officially confirmed he was carrying the Omicron variant on December 21. The central province of Quang Nam on Thursday became the second locality affected with the new variant with 14 infections officially affirmed. All these cases are Vietnamese passengers returning home from South Korea and the U.S. In recent time, Ho Chi Minh City, with high vaccination coverage rates, has seen its daily COVID-19 cases and fatalities sharply reduced, to 557 infections and 34 deaths on Friday from 1,497 and 76 on November 30, respectively, according to the Ministry of Healths data. However, the city remains the locality suffering the most from COVID-19 in Vietnam, recording 504,583 COVID-19 cases and 19,512 deaths since the pandemic erupted in the Southeast Asian nation in early 2020. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! After Hanoi and Quang Nam Province, Ho Chi Minh City has recorded five people suspected to contract the coronavirus variant Omicron but all of them have later tested negative, local health authorities said on Saturday. These five people entered Vietnam through the southern citys Tan Son Nhat International Airport on flights from December 21 to 25. They include a 29-year-old Turkish woman, who is a flight attendant, and four Vietnamese, including two men and two women, aged 22 to 49, the citys Department of Health reported. The above five cases were sampled for testing several days ago and were later found infected with the Omicron variant via genome sequencing conducted by the Ho Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute, the department said. However, they were retested on Friday and all of them were confirmed to be negative for the strain, the department said, adding that their health conditions were stable. The department has assigned the local Center for Disease Control to announce the list of all passengers on the same flights with these five people for infection tracing purposes. Earlier at a meeting on COVID-19 developments on Friday, chairman Phan Van Mai mentioned these suspected Omicron cases and forecast that similar cases might continue to appear in the city in the coming time. According to health experts, the new strain Omicron seems more contagious but less lethal than previous strains of coronavirus. The chairman requested all district authorities and concerned agencies to make more efforts to better control epidemic developments and strengthen inspections to ensure no large gatherings for celebrating the New Year and the coming Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, which will start on February 1, 2022. The citys leader asked local Department of Health to boost their monitoring to detect new Omicron cases and handle them according to the prepared plan. Authorities of all levels must tighten management over people entering the country under current regulations. The chairman also called for coordinated efforts to complete the third-dose vaccination coverage, which include booster shots and additional primary jabs, for the citys adult population in January 2022, with priority given to the high-risk group, including people over 50 years old or with underlying health conditions. Following the announcement of the suspected Omicron infections, the health department has decided to give rapid COVID-19 tests to all people entering the city from abroad at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport since January 1, 2022. Such tests will facilitate early detection of COVID-19 cases, from which infections of the new strain Omicron, if any, will be identified by genome sequencing, the department said. Also from the first day of the new year, all arrivals from abroad will make health declarations using QR codes granted by the department. Around 600 people will touch down the Tan Son Nhat International Airport during the first day of 2022, Tang Chi Thuong, director of the department, told the meeting. Under the new rules, people with full COVID-19 vaccination will not be put in quarantine when they enter Vietnam, but they instead will be observed and monitored at home. Therefore, grassroots authorities should coordinate with the health sector in controlling people entering the city from abroad, Thuong said. The first Omicron infection in the Southeast Asian country was detected in a man who arrived in Hanoi from the UK on December 19 and was quarantined upon arrival. After he tested positive for COVID-19, health experts conducted genome sequencing and officially confirmed he was carrying the Omicron variant on December 21. The central province of Quang Nam on Thursday became the second locality affected with the new variant with 14 infections officially affirmed. All these cases are Vietnamese passengers returning home from South Korea and the U.S. In recent time, Ho Chi Minh City, with high vaccination coverage rates, has seen its daily COVID-19 cases and fatalities sharply reduced, to 557 infections and 34 deaths on Friday from 1,497 and 76 on November 30, respectively, according to the Ministry of Healths data. However, the city remains the locality suffering the most from COVID-19 in Vietnam, recording 504,583 COVID-19 cases and 19,512 deaths since the pandemic erupted in the Southeast Asian nation in early 2020. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! After Hanoi and Quang Nam Province, Ho Chi Minh City has recorded five people suspected to contract the coronavirus variant Omicron but all of them have later tested negative, local health authorities said on Saturday. These five people entered Vietnam through the southern citys Tan Son Nhat International Airport on flights from December 21 to 25. They include a 29-year-old Turkish woman, who is a flight attendant, and four Vietnamese, including two men and two women, aged 22 to 49, the citys Department of Health reported. The above five cases were sampled for testing several days ago and were later found infected with the Omicron variant via genome sequencing conducted by the Ho Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute, the department said. However, they were retested on Friday and all of them were confirmed to be negative for the strain, the department said, adding that their health conditions were stable. The department has assigned the local Center for Disease Control to announce the list of all passengers on the same flights with these five people for infection tracing purposes. Earlier at a meeting on COVID-19 developments on Friday, chairman Phan Van Mai mentioned these suspected Omicron cases and forecast that similar cases might continue to appear in the city in the coming time. According to health experts, the new strain Omicron seems more contagious but less lethal than previous strains of coronavirus. The chairman requested all district authorities and concerned agencies to make more efforts to better control epidemic developments and strengthen inspections to ensure no large gatherings for celebrating the New Year and the coming Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, which will start on February 1, 2022. The citys leader asked local Department of Health to boost their monitoring to detect new Omicron cases and handle them according to the prepared plan. Authorities of all levels must tighten management over people entering the country under current regulations. The chairman also called for coordinated efforts to complete the third-dose vaccination coverage, which include booster shots and additional primary jabs, for the citys adult population in January 2022, with priority given to the high-risk group, including people over 50 years old or with underlying health conditions. Following the announcement of the suspected Omicron infections, the health department has decided to give rapid COVID-19 tests to all people entering the city from abroad at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport since January 1, 2022. Such tests will facilitate early detection of COVID-19 cases, from which infections of the new strain Omicron, if any, will be identified by genome sequencing, the department said. Also from the first day of the new year, all arrivals from abroad will make health declarations using QR codes granted by the department. Around 600 people will touch down the Tan Son Nhat International Airport during the first day of 2022, Tang Chi Thuong, director of the department, told the meeting. Under the new rules, people with full COVID-19 vaccination will not be put in quarantine when they enter Vietnam, but they instead will be observed and monitored at home. Therefore, grassroots authorities should coordinate with the health sector in controlling people entering the city from abroad, Thuong said. The first Omicron infection in the Southeast Asian country was detected in a man who arrived in Hanoi from the UK on December 19 and was quarantined upon arrival. After he tested positive for COVID-19, health experts conducted genome sequencing and officially confirmed he was carrying the Omicron variant on December 21. The central province of Quang Nam on Thursday became the second locality affected with the new variant with 14 infections officially affirmed. All these cases are Vietnamese passengers returning home from South Korea and the U.S. In recent time, Ho Chi Minh City, with high vaccination coverage rates, has seen its daily COVID-19 cases and fatalities sharply reduced, to 557 infections and 34 deaths on Friday from 1,497 and 76 on November 30, respectively, according to the Ministry of Healths data. However, the city remains the locality suffering the most from COVID-19 in Vietnam, recording 504,583 COVID-19 cases and 19,512 deaths since the pandemic erupted in the Southeast Asian nation in early 2020. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong held a video chat with youths in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The trio crew had the live space-Earth talk with around 500 young students at three venues in Beijing, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) and Macao SAR, sharing the space dream and aspirations. The activity, co-hosted by the Hong Kong SAR government, the Macao SAR government, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong SAR, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao SAR, the China Manned Space Agency and the China Media Group, was broadcast live. Astronauts Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu went into space onboard the Shenzhou-13 spaceship and entered the space station on Oct. 16, embarking on the country's longest crewed mission for space station construction. Enditem BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong held a video chat with youths in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The trio crew had the live space-Earth talk with around 500 young students at three venues in Beijing, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) and Macao SAR, sharing the space dream and aspirations. The activity, co-hosted by the Hong Kong SAR government, the Macao SAR government, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong SAR, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao SAR, the China Manned Space Agency and the China Media Group, was broadcast live. Astronauts Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu went into space onboard the Shenzhou-13 spaceship and entered the space station on Oct. 16, embarking on the country's longest crewed mission for space station construction. Enditem Another crackdown by Taliban will now lead to the beheading of "mannequins" in clothing stores in the Herat province of Afghanistan, reported Sputnik, citing Afghan media. Taliban cracks down on "mannequins" used in clothing stores saying that it is a breach of the Shariah law. Taliban authorities have also banned music in vehicles. The Directorate of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (DPVPV) passed this order and now the shopkeepers are in dismay. Shopkeepers of the Herat province in Afghanistan are distressed and reportedly said that the mannequins are their only possession. They said that they have paid $100-$200 for the mannequins. The shopkeepers were first asked to get rid of the entire mannequins however when shopkeepers complained that this ban will suffer their already struggling business, the rule was changed, citing media reports, Sputnik reported. Prior to this, DPVPV also advised drivers to not transport women who are not wearing Hijab. Taliban regime is taking repressive steps against women and the condition of women has deteriorated even since the takeover. Restrictions have been put in place for women in work and education. They are also not allowed to travel alone for more than 72 kilometers from their homes unless they are escorted by a male guardian. When Afghanistan fell to the Taliban in August 2021 Taliban made a pledge to introduce "reforms". This is contrary to what is unfolding in the country. (ANI) Three Island residents named in New Year Honours list Three people from the Isle of Man have been recognised in the 2022 New Year Honours List. Colin Leather from Castletown has been awarded an MBE for his service to the community. Colin has dedicated the majority of his life to Castletown, striving to improve the town for its residents. As one of the Islands longest standing chairmen, he has been Chairman of the Castletown Commissioners on six occasions, and was also Secretary of Castletown Festival for 30 years. On behalf of the Castletown Chamber of Trade and Commerce, he managed the Castletown Markets, held in Castletown Market Square from 1979 to 2011 and is always passionately promoting and helping businesses relocate to Castletown. For 20 years he has helped to raise funds for the Southern 100 Club and has not been deterred by his own serious illnesses. His drive and commitment have seen the transformation of the Market Square from a car park into a community space, which has made a difference for visitors as well as residents. Bernadette Williams is awarded an MBE for her long service to the Isle of Man and the Royal British Legion. In her work for the Royal British Legion (RBL) and Tynwald, Bernadette Williams has represented the Isle of Man, both on-island and in Great Britain, for nearly 40 years. She was a member of the RBL Womens Section from 1983 to 1995, and has been a Standard Bearer for the Isle of Man County and North West Region and won the Great Britain Standard Bearer title for five consecutive years. She has been Standard Bearer for numerous state occasions, and throughout this time, she has taken the time to train junior Standard Bearers to her exacting standard, some of whom have emulated her success. On retiring from ceremonial duties with the Royal British Legion, she was appointed Sword Bearer for Tynwald, a duty she has carried out for 25 years. Alex Townsend has been awarded the British Empire Medal for his services to education on the Island. In the 1990s, Alex Townsend came up with the innovation of converting a single-decker bus into a mobile classroom to teach the islands primary school children about creative use of computers. With the support of Manx Telecom and the Isle of Man Government, the Computerbus was launched in 1998, led by Mr Townsend until 2020. Described by an Apple spokesperson as stroke of brilliance, Mr Townsend and the Computerbus have helped tens of thousands of Manx pupils learn critical ICT skills, including design work, filmmaking and code, and have led the islands young people into creative careers all over the world. In 2014, in celebration of 30 years since the first Apple Mac was released, Mr Townsend was recognised alongside 29 other pioneers across a range of backgrounds and industries, who had made a profound impact in the field of computing. Param Vir Chakra awardee, Subedar Major Yoginder Singh Yadav, on his superannuation on Saturday received a traditional send-off from the Army. He was presented with garlands and bouquets. "Indian Army bids farewell to the Hero of Tiger Hill, Sub Maj (Hony Capt) Yoginder Singh Yadav, Param Vir Chakra on his superannuation with a traditional send-off. Nation will always be grateful for his gallant services," Army Training Command, Indian Army tweeted on Saturday. On the 75th Independence Day of the country, President Ram Nath Kovind conferred the rank of Honorary Captain upon Yadav. "On the occasion of the 75th Independence Day, Subedar Major (Honorary Lieutenant) Yogendra Singh Yadav, Param Vir Chakra, was conferred the rank of Honorary Captain by the President of India," read a statement released by the Ministry of Defence. According to the ministry, Yadav was awarded for his gallant act during the Kargil war on July 4, 1999, when he volunteered to lead a Ghatak commando platoon of 18 Grenadiers to capture three strategic bunkers on Tiger Hill. "He started climbing the cliff face which had a vertical snowbound approach. Halfway up, an enemy bunker spotted him and opened up a machine gun and rocket fire. Despite being hit by three bullets, Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav kept climbing and reaching the top, he crawled up to the Pakistani bunker, lobbed a grenade, killing four Pakistani soldiers on the spot," the ministry had said. "His charge cleared the way for the rest of the platoon to climb up the cliff face. Despite being grievously injured, Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav charged towards the second bunker along with seven soldiers. The bunker was captured but only Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav survived with 15 bullet injuries, two hand-grenade wounds and an arm hanging from tendons and skin," it added. This unparalleled act of bravery earned Yadav the country's highest wartime gallantry decoration, the Param Vir Chakra, making him one of the rare living legends in the Armed Forces. Subedar Major (Honorary Lieutenant) Yogendra Singh Yadav is one of the 1,695 Junior Commissioned Officers who were awarded the rank of Honorary Captain on the occasion of the 75th Independence Day of the country. (ANI) When parishioners gathered for Christmas Eve Mass at St. Clement Catholic Church last week, the Rev. Peter Wojcik was elated that for the first time since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, the pews at the majestic Lincoln Park church were once again filled with families. But the robust attendance at St. Clement was fleeting, Wojcik said, and on Christmas Day and the Sunday after, the parish priest was disheartened to see the century-old, Byzantine-style church was once again echoing with half-empty pews. The new variant hit us like everyone else, which is absolutely heartbreaking, because all of us were hoping at this time, wed be in a better place, and a safer place, but this pandemic just seems to keep going, Wojcik said. Nearly two years after the Archdiocese of Chicagos 247 parishes in Cook and Lake counties were shuttered in the wake of the pandemic, the now fully reopened churches are struggling with steep declines in Mass attendance, which officials say has plummeted 40% during the pandemic. While many Catholics are still providing financial support to their parishes, officials are reporting weekly collections, which are needed to pay for everything from employee salaries to keeping the lights on, are down 15% on average, said Betsy Bohlen, chief operating officer for the Archdiocese of Chicago. There are significant challenges weve faced, and continue to face during the pandemic, but were also finding some silver linings, Bohlen said. Despite the dramatic decline in attendance at Mass accompanied by a decrease in weekly collections, Bohlen said student enrollment at the archdioceses 157 elementary and secondary schools is up for the first time in 40 years. The church has also raised $12 million for Catholic Charities during the pandemic, Bohlen said, and has made a concerted effort to keep their parish workers employed. The church has endured hard times across the centuries, and in hard times, were particularly devoted to serving others, and we will continue to do so, Bohlen said. Theres no perfect way of doing this, but as a pastor, my main concern is keeping our people safe At St. Mary of the Lake Catholic Church, the Rev. Manuel Dorantes recalled his enthusiasm last fall, when the church saw attendance increase from 700 parishioners in July to 1,100 in October. But like priests across Chicago, Dorantes said his joy was short-lived, with concerns about the alarming surge in COVID cases in December swiftly reversing the North Side parishs attendance gains. We did see a growth of about 26% in attendance in the fall, but now with omicron, were back down to about 800 people, Dorantes said. Last summer, the North Side parish merged with nearby Our Lady of Lourdes as part of the archdioceses Renew My Church initiative a reorganization and consolidation of parishes launched in 2015 in response to financial difficulties and mounting debt. Prior to the pandemic, the church attracted 1,100 worshippers every weekend, Dorantes said, offering seven Masses, three in Spanish, and four in English. But Dorantes said even though the parish reopened for in-person Mass in late May 2020, people still have all sorts of questions. Even after the stay-at-home order was lifted, weve had to prepare our leaders to welcome everyone back safely, Dorantes said. Among the COVID safeguards is the temporary conversion of the churchs former so-called crying room a glassed-in area that pre-pandemic was occupied by families with small children to a safe space that can be reserved by those most vulnerable to the virus, including the elderly and people with chronic illnesses. And while Dorantes said families gathered at the church in December for a traditional Las Posadas a beloved Latin American Christmas celebration his recent visit to a 4-year-old who is hospitalized with a COVID-related heart condition prompted him to cancel a Feast of the Three Kings festival planned for early January. Theres no perfect way of doing this, but as a pastor, my main concern is keeping our people safe, Dorantes said. Its very hard, because prior to omicron, this fall, the entire church was packed, and I remember one Mass, where the pews were full, and almost 30 people standing, he said.I had almost forgotten what it was like, and that is what church is meant to be, filled with families. Yet despite the steady stream of disappointments, Dorantes said he feels privileged to be one of the priests on a city team anointing COVID patients who are hospitalized. All of these nurses and doctors have done their best to save a person, and are putting their own lives at risk, so priests anointing the sick is not heroic stuff, its what God has called us to do, Dorantes said. The pandemic has also allowed Dorantes parish to extend its reach beyond Chicago, with the churchs livestreamed Masses on Facebook and YouTube reaching worshippers across the world. I heard from a man in Peru who had just lost his mother to COVID, and their church was closed, and he asked me, can you celebrate the funeral Mass for my mom online? And we had the tools, so I said, yes, and we were able to say the funeral Mass for his mother here at our church in Chicago, Dorantes said. Still, Dorantes said getting parishioners back into the routine of attending Mass in person remains a challenge. We will need a strategic plan, because some people have gotten comfortable sitting on the sofa in their PJs to watch Mass, Dorantes said.But the thing is, watching Mass online is kind of like watching MasterChef when you want to eat youre still hungry when the show is over. At a Catholic church, getting in that line with others for the Eucharist is essential to our spiritual health, he said. I pray people will come back to receive Jesus, because boy, does the world need him right now. The Holy Spirit never goes away The increasing secularization in the U.S. plays a role, too, in falling church attendance and was evident across the world even before the pandemic. A recent Pew Research Center survey of the religious composition nationwide finding the share of the public who identify as religiously unaffiliated is 6 percentage points higher than it was five years ago and 10 points higher than a decade ago. About 3 in 10 U.S. adults 29% currently are religious nones people who describe themselves as atheists, agnostics or nothing in particular when asked about their religious identity, according to the report. Although the pandemic appears to have exacerbated the languishing enthusiasm for organized religion, some experts say the Catholic church could potentially recapture those who have left, and even attract new followers. One thing the church needs to do is to tell a compelling narrative of what the church has to offer, said William Cavanaugh, a professor of Catholic studies and director of the Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology at DePaul University. The pandemic calls out for the best in the Christian tradition ... were wearing masks not just out of fear of getting sick, but because its for the common good and the principle of solidarity, Cavanaugh said. Rising numbers of those suffering from mental health issues during the pandemic, and an overall growing sense of malaise and weariness in society also underscores the increasingly important role the church can play during the pandemic, Cavanaugh said. Were all spending so much time in front of screens, so it can be a real joy going back to church, not out of obligation, but for everything the church has to offer, Cavanaugh said.Its not just the socialization, but this deep sense of incarnation the church offers. The pandemic has also upended the rituals for seminarians at Mundelein Seminary/University of Saint Mary of the Lake, said the Rev. John Kartje, rector and president. For those who were newly ordained during the pandemic, their ordination Mass was attended by around 20 to 30 people, in a largely empty church, when usually, there are these great, joyous ordinations in the cathedral, Kartje said. While the church was facing dwindling numbers of those seeking vocations decades before the arrival of the pandemic, Kartje said he is hopeful that this difficult yet contemplative moment in time might be a turning point. The Holy Spirit never goes away, Kartje said. Everything at work is online, and theyve never really met one person Back at St. Clement in Lincoln Park, Wojcik, the pastor known as Father Pete, also remains hopeful that the dark days of the pandemic will be replaced with light and a return to Mass in the new year. Enrollment at the parish school continues to soar, and is nearly at capacity. And despite the hurdles inherent to the pandemic, Wojcik said the church has welcomed 500 new families. Wojcik said he is also looking forward to the warmer weather, when he hopes to resume popular programs such as Wind Down Wednesdays, which last summer attracted about 500 young adults each week to a social gathering in the church courtyard. Theres a real lack of community for many people working remotely in the city right now, especially those who are right out of college, Wojcik said. Ive talked to young people who have told me they moved to Chicago, and started their new jobs during the pandemic but everything at work is online, and theyve never really met one person. People are struggling, and theyre seeking, and thats where our opportunity is to create a meaningful church community that transforms lives. When parishioners gathered for Christmas Eve Mass at St. Clement Catholic Church last week, the Rev. Peter Wojcik was elated that for the first time since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, the pews at the majestic Lincoln Park church were once again filled with families. But the robust attendance at St. Clement was fleeting, Wojcik said, and on Christmas Day and the Sunday after, the parish priest was disheartened to see the century-old, Byzantine-style church was once again echoing with half-empty pews. The new variant hit us like everyone else, which is absolutely heartbreaking, because all of us were hoping at this time, wed be in a better place, and a safer place, but this pandemic just seems to keep going, Wojcik said. Nearly two years after the Archdiocese of Chicagos 247 parishes in Cook and Lake counties were shuttered in the wake of the pandemic, the now fully reopened churches are struggling with steep declines in Mass attendance, which officials say has plummeted 40% during the pandemic. While many Catholics are still providing financial support to their parishes, officials are reporting weekly collections, which are needed to pay for everything from employee salaries to keeping the lights on, are down 15% on average, said Betsy Bohlen, chief operating officer for the Archdiocese of Chicago. There are significant challenges weve faced, and continue to face during the pandemic, but were also finding some silver linings, Bohlen said. Despite the dramatic decline in attendance at Mass accompanied by a decrease in weekly collections, Bohlen said student enrollment at the archdioceses 157 elementary and secondary schools is up for the first time in 40 years. The church has also raised $12 million for Catholic Charities during the pandemic, Bohlen said, and has made a concerted effort to keep their parish workers employed. The church has endured hard times across the centuries, and in hard times, were particularly devoted to serving others, and we will continue to do so, Bohlen said. Theres no perfect way of doing this, but as a pastor, my main concern is keeping our people safe At St. Mary of the Lake Catholic Church, the Rev. Manuel Dorantes recalled his enthusiasm last fall, when the church saw attendance increase from 700 parishioners in July to 1,100 in October. But like priests across Chicago, Dorantes said his joy was short-lived, with concerns about the alarming surge in COVID cases in December swiftly reversing the North Side parishs attendance gains. We did see a growth of about 26% in attendance in the fall, but now with omicron, were back down to about 800 people, Dorantes said. Last summer, the North Side parish merged with nearby Our Lady of Lourdes as part of the archdioceses Renew My Church initiative a reorganization and consolidation of parishes launched in 2015 in response to financial difficulties and mounting debt. Prior to the pandemic, the church attracted 1,100 worshippers every weekend, Dorantes said, offering seven Masses, three in Spanish, and four in English. But Dorantes said even though the parish reopened for in-person Mass in late May 2020, people still have all sorts of questions. Even after the stay-at-home order was lifted, weve had to prepare our leaders to welcome everyone back safely, Dorantes said. Among the COVID safeguards is the temporary conversion of the churchs former so-called crying room a glassed-in area that pre-pandemic was occupied by families with small children to a safe space that can be reserved by those most vulnerable to the virus, including the elderly and people with chronic illnesses. And while Dorantes said families gathered at the church in December for a traditional Las Posadas a beloved Latin American Christmas celebration his recent visit to a 4-year-old who is hospitalized with a COVID-related heart condition prompted him to cancel a Feast of the Three Kings festival planned for early January. Theres no perfect way of doing this, but as a pastor, my main concern is keeping our people safe, Dorantes said. Its very hard, because prior to omicron, this fall, the entire church was packed, and I remember one Mass, where the pews were full, and almost 30 people standing, he said.I had almost forgotten what it was like, and that is what church is meant to be, filled with families. Yet despite the steady stream of disappointments, Dorantes said he feels privileged to be one of the priests on a city team anointing COVID patients who are hospitalized. All of these nurses and doctors have done their best to save a person, and are putting their own lives at risk, so priests anointing the sick is not heroic stuff, its what God has called us to do, Dorantes said. The pandemic has also allowed Dorantes parish to extend its reach beyond Chicago, with the churchs livestreamed Masses on Facebook and YouTube reaching worshippers across the world. I heard from a man in Peru who had just lost his mother to COVID, and their church was closed, and he asked me, can you celebrate the funeral Mass for my mom online? And we had the tools, so I said, yes, and we were able to say the funeral Mass for his mother here at our church in Chicago, Dorantes said. Still, Dorantes said getting parishioners back into the routine of attending Mass in person remains a challenge. We will need a strategic plan, because some people have gotten comfortable sitting on the sofa in their PJs to watch Mass, Dorantes said.But the thing is, watching Mass online is kind of like watching MasterChef when you want to eat youre still hungry when the show is over. At a Catholic church, getting in that line with others for the Eucharist is essential to our spiritual health, he said. I pray people will come back to receive Jesus, because boy, does the world need him right now. The Holy Spirit never goes away The increasing secularization in the U.S. plays a role, too, in falling church attendance and was evident across the world even before the pandemic. A recent Pew Research Center survey of the religious composition nationwide finding the share of the public who identify as religiously unaffiliated is 6 percentage points higher than it was five years ago and 10 points higher than a decade ago. About 3 in 10 U.S. adults 29% currently are religious nones people who describe themselves as atheists, agnostics or nothing in particular when asked about their religious identity, according to the report. Although the pandemic appears to have exacerbated the languishing enthusiasm for organized religion, some experts say the Catholic church could potentially recapture those who have left, and even attract new followers. One thing the church needs to do is to tell a compelling narrative of what the church has to offer, said William Cavanaugh, a professor of Catholic studies and director of the Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology at DePaul University. The pandemic calls out for the best in the Christian tradition ... were wearing masks not just out of fear of getting sick, but because its for the common good and the principle of solidarity, Cavanaugh said. Rising numbers of those suffering from mental health issues during the pandemic, and an overall growing sense of malaise and weariness in society also underscores the increasingly important role the church can play during the pandemic, Cavanaugh said. Were all spending so much time in front of screens, so it can be a real joy going back to church, not out of obligation, but for everything the church has to offer, Cavanaugh said.Its not just the socialization, but this deep sense of incarnation the church offers. The pandemic has also upended the rituals for seminarians at Mundelein Seminary/University of Saint Mary of the Lake, said the Rev. John Kartje, rector and president. For those who were newly ordained during the pandemic, their ordination Mass was attended by around 20 to 30 people, in a largely empty church, when usually, there are these great, joyous ordinations in the cathedral, Kartje said. While the church was facing dwindling numbers of those seeking vocations decades before the arrival of the pandemic, Kartje said he is hopeful that this difficult yet contemplative moment in time might be a turning point. The Holy Spirit never goes away, Kartje said. Everything at work is online, and theyve never really met one person Back at St. Clement in Lincoln Park, Wojcik, the pastor known as Father Pete, also remains hopeful that the dark days of the pandemic will be replaced with light and a return to Mass in the new year. Enrollment at the parish school continues to soar, and is nearly at capacity. And despite the hurdles inherent to the pandemic, Wojcik said the church has welcomed 500 new families. Wojcik said he is also looking forward to the warmer weather, when he hopes to resume popular programs such as Wind Down Wednesdays, which last summer attracted about 500 young adults each week to a social gathering in the church courtyard. Theres a real lack of community for many people working remotely in the city right now, especially those who are right out of college, Wojcik said. Ive talked to young people who have told me they moved to Chicago, and started their new jobs during the pandemic but everything at work is online, and theyve never really met one person. People are struggling, and theyre seeking, and thats where our opportunity is to create a meaningful church community that transforms lives. When parishioners gathered for Christmas Eve Mass at St. Clement Catholic Church last week, the Rev. Peter Wojcik was elated that for the first time since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, the pews at the majestic Lincoln Park church were once again filled with families. But the robust attendance at St. Clement was fleeting, Wojcik said, and on Christmas Day and the Sunday after, the parish priest was disheartened to see the century-old, Byzantine-style church was once again echoing with half-empty pews. The new variant hit us like everyone else, which is absolutely heartbreaking, because all of us were hoping at this time, wed be in a better place, and a safer place, but this pandemic just seems to keep going, Wojcik said. Nearly two years after the Archdiocese of Chicagos 247 parishes in Cook and Lake counties were shuttered in the wake of the pandemic, the now fully reopened churches are struggling with steep declines in Mass attendance, which officials say has plummeted 40% during the pandemic. While many Catholics are still providing financial support to their parishes, officials are reporting weekly collections, which are needed to pay for everything from employee salaries to keeping the lights on, are down 15% on average, said Betsy Bohlen, chief operating officer for the Archdiocese of Chicago. There are significant challenges weve faced, and continue to face during the pandemic, but were also finding some silver linings, Bohlen said. Despite the dramatic decline in attendance at Mass accompanied by a decrease in weekly collections, Bohlen said student enrollment at the archdioceses 157 elementary and secondary schools is up for the first time in 40 years. The church has also raised $12 million for Catholic Charities during the pandemic, Bohlen said, and has made a concerted effort to keep their parish workers employed. The church has endured hard times across the centuries, and in hard times, were particularly devoted to serving others, and we will continue to do so, Bohlen said. Theres no perfect way of doing this, but as a pastor, my main concern is keeping our people safe At St. Mary of the Lake Catholic Church, the Rev. Manuel Dorantes recalled his enthusiasm last fall, when the church saw attendance increase from 700 parishioners in July to 1,100 in October. But like priests across Chicago, Dorantes said his joy was short-lived, with concerns about the alarming surge in COVID cases in December swiftly reversing the North Side parishs attendance gains. We did see a growth of about 26% in attendance in the fall, but now with omicron, were back down to about 800 people, Dorantes said. Last summer, the North Side parish merged with nearby Our Lady of Lourdes as part of the archdioceses Renew My Church initiative a reorganization and consolidation of parishes launched in 2015 in response to financial difficulties and mounting debt. Prior to the pandemic, the church attracted 1,100 worshippers every weekend, Dorantes said, offering seven Masses, three in Spanish, and four in English. But Dorantes said even though the parish reopened for in-person Mass in late May 2020, people still have all sorts of questions. Even after the stay-at-home order was lifted, weve had to prepare our leaders to welcome everyone back safely, Dorantes said. Among the COVID safeguards is the temporary conversion of the churchs former so-called crying room a glassed-in area that pre-pandemic was occupied by families with small children to a safe space that can be reserved by those most vulnerable to the virus, including the elderly and people with chronic illnesses. And while Dorantes said families gathered at the church in December for a traditional Las Posadas a beloved Latin American Christmas celebration his recent visit to a 4-year-old who is hospitalized with a COVID-related heart condition prompted him to cancel a Feast of the Three Kings festival planned for early January. Theres no perfect way of doing this, but as a pastor, my main concern is keeping our people safe, Dorantes said. Its very hard, because prior to omicron, this fall, the entire church was packed, and I remember one Mass, where the pews were full, and almost 30 people standing, he said.I had almost forgotten what it was like, and that is what church is meant to be, filled with families. Yet despite the steady stream of disappointments, Dorantes said he feels privileged to be one of the priests on a city team anointing COVID patients who are hospitalized. All of these nurses and doctors have done their best to save a person, and are putting their own lives at risk, so priests anointing the sick is not heroic stuff, its what God has called us to do, Dorantes said. The pandemic has also allowed Dorantes parish to extend its reach beyond Chicago, with the churchs livestreamed Masses on Facebook and YouTube reaching worshippers across the world. I heard from a man in Peru who had just lost his mother to COVID, and their church was closed, and he asked me, can you celebrate the funeral Mass for my mom online? And we had the tools, so I said, yes, and we were able to say the funeral Mass for his mother here at our church in Chicago, Dorantes said. Still, Dorantes said getting parishioners back into the routine of attending Mass in person remains a challenge. We will need a strategic plan, because some people have gotten comfortable sitting on the sofa in their PJs to watch Mass, Dorantes said.But the thing is, watching Mass online is kind of like watching MasterChef when you want to eat youre still hungry when the show is over. At a Catholic church, getting in that line with others for the Eucharist is essential to our spiritual health, he said. I pray people will come back to receive Jesus, because boy, does the world need him right now. The Holy Spirit never goes away The increasing secularization in the U.S. plays a role, too, in falling church attendance and was evident across the world even before the pandemic. A recent Pew Research Center survey of the religious composition nationwide finding the share of the public who identify as religiously unaffiliated is 6 percentage points higher than it was five years ago and 10 points higher than a decade ago. About 3 in 10 U.S. adults 29% currently are religious nones people who describe themselves as atheists, agnostics or nothing in particular when asked about their religious identity, according to the report. Although the pandemic appears to have exacerbated the languishing enthusiasm for organized religion, some experts say the Catholic church could potentially recapture those who have left, and even attract new followers. One thing the church needs to do is to tell a compelling narrative of what the church has to offer, said William Cavanaugh, a professor of Catholic studies and director of the Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology at DePaul University. The pandemic calls out for the best in the Christian tradition ... were wearing masks not just out of fear of getting sick, but because its for the common good and the principle of solidarity, Cavanaugh said. Rising numbers of those suffering from mental health issues during the pandemic, and an overall growing sense of malaise and weariness in society also underscores the increasingly important role the church can play during the pandemic, Cavanaugh said. Were all spending so much time in front of screens, so it can be a real joy going back to church, not out of obligation, but for everything the church has to offer, Cavanaugh said.Its not just the socialization, but this deep sense of incarnation the church offers. The pandemic has also upended the rituals for seminarians at Mundelein Seminary/University of Saint Mary of the Lake, said the Rev. John Kartje, rector and president. For those who were newly ordained during the pandemic, their ordination Mass was attended by around 20 to 30 people, in a largely empty church, when usually, there are these great, joyous ordinations in the cathedral, Kartje said. While the church was facing dwindling numbers of those seeking vocations decades before the arrival of the pandemic, Kartje said he is hopeful that this difficult yet contemplative moment in time might be a turning point. The Holy Spirit never goes away, Kartje said. Everything at work is online, and theyve never really met one person Back at St. Clement in Lincoln Park, Wojcik, the pastor known as Father Pete, also remains hopeful that the dark days of the pandemic will be replaced with light and a return to Mass in the new year. Enrollment at the parish school continues to soar, and is nearly at capacity. And despite the hurdles inherent to the pandemic, Wojcik said the church has welcomed 500 new families. Wojcik said he is also looking forward to the warmer weather, when he hopes to resume popular programs such as Wind Down Wednesdays, which last summer attracted about 500 young adults each week to a social gathering in the church courtyard. Theres a real lack of community for many people working remotely in the city right now, especially those who are right out of college, Wojcik said. Ive talked to young people who have told me they moved to Chicago, and started their new jobs during the pandemic but everything at work is online, and theyve never really met one person. People are struggling, and theyre seeking, and thats where our opportunity is to create a meaningful church community that transforms lives. When parishioners gathered for Christmas Eve Mass at St. Clement Catholic Church last week, the Rev. Peter Wojcik was elated that for the first time since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, the pews at the majestic Lincoln Park church were once again filled with families. But the robust attendance at St. Clement was fleeting, Wojcik said, and on Christmas Day and the Sunday after, the parish priest was disheartened to see the century-old, Byzantine-style church was once again echoing with half-empty pews. The new variant hit us like everyone else, which is absolutely heartbreaking, because all of us were hoping at this time, wed be in a better place, and a safer place, but this pandemic just seems to keep going, Wojcik said. Nearly two years after the Archdiocese of Chicagos 247 parishes in Cook and Lake counties were shuttered in the wake of the pandemic, the now fully reopened churches are struggling with steep declines in Mass attendance, which officials say has plummeted 40% during the pandemic. While many Catholics are still providing financial support to their parishes, officials are reporting weekly collections, which are needed to pay for everything from employee salaries to keeping the lights on, are down 15% on average, said Betsy Bohlen, chief operating officer for the Archdiocese of Chicago. There are significant challenges weve faced, and continue to face during the pandemic, but were also finding some silver linings, Bohlen said. Despite the dramatic decline in attendance at Mass accompanied by a decrease in weekly collections, Bohlen said student enrollment at the archdioceses 157 elementary and secondary schools is up for the first time in 40 years. The church has also raised $12 million for Catholic Charities during the pandemic, Bohlen said, and has made a concerted effort to keep their parish workers employed. The church has endured hard times across the centuries, and in hard times, were particularly devoted to serving others, and we will continue to do so, Bohlen said. Theres no perfect way of doing this, but as a pastor, my main concern is keeping our people safe At St. Mary of the Lake Catholic Church, the Rev. Manuel Dorantes recalled his enthusiasm last fall, when the church saw attendance increase from 700 parishioners in July to 1,100 in October. But like priests across Chicago, Dorantes said his joy was short-lived, with concerns about the alarming surge in COVID cases in December swiftly reversing the North Side parishs attendance gains. We did see a growth of about 26% in attendance in the fall, but now with omicron, were back down to about 800 people, Dorantes said. Last summer, the North Side parish merged with nearby Our Lady of Lourdes as part of the archdioceses Renew My Church initiative a reorganization and consolidation of parishes launched in 2015 in response to financial difficulties and mounting debt. Prior to the pandemic, the church attracted 1,100 worshippers every weekend, Dorantes said, offering seven Masses, three in Spanish, and four in English. But Dorantes said even though the parish reopened for in-person Mass in late May 2020, people still have all sorts of questions. Even after the stay-at-home order was lifted, weve had to prepare our leaders to welcome everyone back safely, Dorantes said. Among the COVID safeguards is the temporary conversion of the churchs former so-called crying room a glassed-in area that pre-pandemic was occupied by families with small children to a safe space that can be reserved by those most vulnerable to the virus, including the elderly and people with chronic illnesses. And while Dorantes said families gathered at the church in December for a traditional Las Posadas a beloved Latin American Christmas celebration his recent visit to a 4-year-old who is hospitalized with a COVID-related heart condition prompted him to cancel a Feast of the Three Kings festival planned for early January. Theres no perfect way of doing this, but as a pastor, my main concern is keeping our people safe, Dorantes said. Its very hard, because prior to omicron, this fall, the entire church was packed, and I remember one Mass, where the pews were full, and almost 30 people standing, he said.I had almost forgotten what it was like, and that is what church is meant to be, filled with families. Yet despite the steady stream of disappointments, Dorantes said he feels privileged to be one of the priests on a city team anointing COVID patients who are hospitalized. All of these nurses and doctors have done their best to save a person, and are putting their own lives at risk, so priests anointing the sick is not heroic stuff, its what God has called us to do, Dorantes said. The pandemic has also allowed Dorantes parish to extend its reach beyond Chicago, with the churchs livestreamed Masses on Facebook and YouTube reaching worshippers across the world. I heard from a man in Peru who had just lost his mother to COVID, and their church was closed, and he asked me, can you celebrate the funeral Mass for my mom online? And we had the tools, so I said, yes, and we were able to say the funeral Mass for his mother here at our church in Chicago, Dorantes said. Still, Dorantes said getting parishioners back into the routine of attending Mass in person remains a challenge. We will need a strategic plan, because some people have gotten comfortable sitting on the sofa in their PJs to watch Mass, Dorantes said.But the thing is, watching Mass online is kind of like watching MasterChef when you want to eat youre still hungry when the show is over. At a Catholic church, getting in that line with others for the Eucharist is essential to our spiritual health, he said. I pray people will come back to receive Jesus, because boy, does the world need him right now. The Holy Spirit never goes away The increasing secularization in the U.S. plays a role, too, in falling church attendance and was evident across the world even before the pandemic. A recent Pew Research Center survey of the religious composition nationwide finding the share of the public who identify as religiously unaffiliated is 6 percentage points higher than it was five years ago and 10 points higher than a decade ago. About 3 in 10 U.S. adults 29% currently are religious nones people who describe themselves as atheists, agnostics or nothing in particular when asked about their religious identity, according to the report. Although the pandemic appears to have exacerbated the languishing enthusiasm for organized religion, some experts say the Catholic church could potentially recapture those who have left, and even attract new followers. One thing the church needs to do is to tell a compelling narrative of what the church has to offer, said William Cavanaugh, a professor of Catholic studies and director of the Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology at DePaul University. The pandemic calls out for the best in the Christian tradition ... were wearing masks not just out of fear of getting sick, but because its for the common good and the principle of solidarity, Cavanaugh said. Rising numbers of those suffering from mental health issues during the pandemic, and an overall growing sense of malaise and weariness in society also underscores the increasingly important role the church can play during the pandemic, Cavanaugh said. Were all spending so much time in front of screens, so it can be a real joy going back to church, not out of obligation, but for everything the church has to offer, Cavanaugh said.Its not just the socialization, but this deep sense of incarnation the church offers. The pandemic has also upended the rituals for seminarians at Mundelein Seminary/University of Saint Mary of the Lake, said the Rev. John Kartje, rector and president. For those who were newly ordained during the pandemic, their ordination Mass was attended by around 20 to 30 people, in a largely empty church, when usually, there are these great, joyous ordinations in the cathedral, Kartje said. While the church was facing dwindling numbers of those seeking vocations decades before the arrival of the pandemic, Kartje said he is hopeful that this difficult yet contemplative moment in time might be a turning point. The Holy Spirit never goes away, Kartje said. Everything at work is online, and theyve never really met one person Back at St. Clement in Lincoln Park, Wojcik, the pastor known as Father Pete, also remains hopeful that the dark days of the pandemic will be replaced with light and a return to Mass in the new year. Enrollment at the parish school continues to soar, and is nearly at capacity. And despite the hurdles inherent to the pandemic, Wojcik said the church has welcomed 500 new families. Wojcik said he is also looking forward to the warmer weather, when he hopes to resume popular programs such as Wind Down Wednesdays, which last summer attracted about 500 young adults each week to a social gathering in the church courtyard. Theres a real lack of community for many people working remotely in the city right now, especially those who are right out of college, Wojcik said. Ive talked to young people who have told me they moved to Chicago, and started their new jobs during the pandemic but everything at work is online, and theyve never really met one person. People are struggling, and theyre seeking, and thats where our opportunity is to create a meaningful church community that transforms lives. When parishioners gathered for Christmas Eve Mass at St. Clement Catholic Church last week, the Rev. Peter Wojcik was elated that for the first time since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, the pews at the majestic Lincoln Park church were once again filled with families. But the robust attendance at St. Clement was fleeting, Wojcik said, and on Christmas Day and the Sunday after, the parish priest was disheartened to see the century-old, Byzantine-style church was once again echoing with half-empty pews. The new variant hit us like everyone else, which is absolutely heartbreaking, because all of us were hoping at this time, wed be in a better place, and a safer place, but this pandemic just seems to keep going, Wojcik said. Nearly two years after the Archdiocese of Chicagos 247 parishes in Cook and Lake counties were shuttered in the wake of the pandemic, the now fully reopened churches are struggling with steep declines in Mass attendance, which officials say has plummeted 40% during the pandemic. While many Catholics are still providing financial support to their parishes, officials are reporting weekly collections, which are needed to pay for everything from employee salaries to keeping the lights on, are down 15% on average, said Betsy Bohlen, chief operating officer for the Archdiocese of Chicago. There are significant challenges weve faced, and continue to face during the pandemic, but were also finding some silver linings, Bohlen said. Despite the dramatic decline in attendance at Mass accompanied by a decrease in weekly collections, Bohlen said student enrollment at the archdioceses 157 elementary and secondary schools is up for the first time in 40 years. The church has also raised $12 million for Catholic Charities during the pandemic, Bohlen said, and has made a concerted effort to keep their parish workers employed. The church has endured hard times across the centuries, and in hard times, were particularly devoted to serving others, and we will continue to do so, Bohlen said. Theres no perfect way of doing this, but as a pastor, my main concern is keeping our people safe At St. Mary of the Lake Catholic Church, the Rev. Manuel Dorantes recalled his enthusiasm last fall, when the church saw attendance increase from 700 parishioners in July to 1,100 in October. But like priests across Chicago, Dorantes said his joy was short-lived, with concerns about the alarming surge in COVID cases in December swiftly reversing the North Side parishs attendance gains. We did see a growth of about 26% in attendance in the fall, but now with omicron, were back down to about 800 people, Dorantes said. Last summer, the North Side parish merged with nearby Our Lady of Lourdes as part of the archdioceses Renew My Church initiative a reorganization and consolidation of parishes launched in 2015 in response to financial difficulties and mounting debt. Prior to the pandemic, the church attracted 1,100 worshippers every weekend, Dorantes said, offering seven Masses, three in Spanish, and four in English. But Dorantes said even though the parish reopened for in-person Mass in late May 2020, people still have all sorts of questions. Even after the stay-at-home order was lifted, weve had to prepare our leaders to welcome everyone back safely, Dorantes said. Among the COVID safeguards is the temporary conversion of the churchs former so-called crying room a glassed-in area that pre-pandemic was occupied by families with small children to a safe space that can be reserved by those most vulnerable to the virus, including the elderly and people with chronic illnesses. And while Dorantes said families gathered at the church in December for a traditional Las Posadas a beloved Latin American Christmas celebration his recent visit to a 4-year-old who is hospitalized with a COVID-related heart condition prompted him to cancel a Feast of the Three Kings festival planned for early January. Theres no perfect way of doing this, but as a pastor, my main concern is keeping our people safe, Dorantes said. Its very hard, because prior to omicron, this fall, the entire church was packed, and I remember one Mass, where the pews were full, and almost 30 people standing, he said.I had almost forgotten what it was like, and that is what church is meant to be, filled with families. Yet despite the steady stream of disappointments, Dorantes said he feels privileged to be one of the priests on a city team anointing COVID patients who are hospitalized. All of these nurses and doctors have done their best to save a person, and are putting their own lives at risk, so priests anointing the sick is not heroic stuff, its what God has called us to do, Dorantes said. The pandemic has also allowed Dorantes parish to extend its reach beyond Chicago, with the churchs livestreamed Masses on Facebook and YouTube reaching worshippers across the world. I heard from a man in Peru who had just lost his mother to COVID, and their church was closed, and he asked me, can you celebrate the funeral Mass for my mom online? And we had the tools, so I said, yes, and we were able to say the funeral Mass for his mother here at our church in Chicago, Dorantes said. Still, Dorantes said getting parishioners back into the routine of attending Mass in person remains a challenge. We will need a strategic plan, because some people have gotten comfortable sitting on the sofa in their PJs to watch Mass, Dorantes said.But the thing is, watching Mass online is kind of like watching MasterChef when you want to eat youre still hungry when the show is over. At a Catholic church, getting in that line with others for the Eucharist is essential to our spiritual health, he said. I pray people will come back to receive Jesus, because boy, does the world need him right now. The Holy Spirit never goes away The increasing secularization in the U.S. plays a role, too, in falling church attendance and was evident across the world even before the pandemic. A recent Pew Research Center survey of the religious composition nationwide finding the share of the public who identify as religiously unaffiliated is 6 percentage points higher than it was five years ago and 10 points higher than a decade ago. About 3 in 10 U.S. adults 29% currently are religious nones people who describe themselves as atheists, agnostics or nothing in particular when asked about their religious identity, according to the report. Although the pandemic appears to have exacerbated the languishing enthusiasm for organized religion, some experts say the Catholic church could potentially recapture those who have left, and even attract new followers. One thing the church needs to do is to tell a compelling narrative of what the church has to offer, said William Cavanaugh, a professor of Catholic studies and director of the Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology at DePaul University. The pandemic calls out for the best in the Christian tradition ... were wearing masks not just out of fear of getting sick, but because its for the common good and the principle of solidarity, Cavanaugh said. Rising numbers of those suffering from mental health issues during the pandemic, and an overall growing sense of malaise and weariness in society also underscores the increasingly important role the church can play during the pandemic, Cavanaugh said. Were all spending so much time in front of screens, so it can be a real joy going back to church, not out of obligation, but for everything the church has to offer, Cavanaugh said.Its not just the socialization, but this deep sense of incarnation the church offers. The pandemic has also upended the rituals for seminarians at Mundelein Seminary/University of Saint Mary of the Lake, said the Rev. John Kartje, rector and president. For those who were newly ordained during the pandemic, their ordination Mass was attended by around 20 to 30 people, in a largely empty church, when usually, there are these great, joyous ordinations in the cathedral, Kartje said. While the church was facing dwindling numbers of those seeking vocations decades before the arrival of the pandemic, Kartje said he is hopeful that this difficult yet contemplative moment in time might be a turning point. The Holy Spirit never goes away, Kartje said. Everything at work is online, and theyve never really met one person Back at St. Clement in Lincoln Park, Wojcik, the pastor known as Father Pete, also remains hopeful that the dark days of the pandemic will be replaced with light and a return to Mass in the new year. Enrollment at the parish school continues to soar, and is nearly at capacity. And despite the hurdles inherent to the pandemic, Wojcik said the church has welcomed 500 new families. Wojcik said he is also looking forward to the warmer weather, when he hopes to resume popular programs such as Wind Down Wednesdays, which last summer attracted about 500 young adults each week to a social gathering in the church courtyard. Theres a real lack of community for many people working remotely in the city right now, especially those who are right out of college, Wojcik said. Ive talked to young people who have told me they moved to Chicago, and started their new jobs during the pandemic but everything at work is online, and theyve never really met one person. People are struggling, and theyre seeking, and thats where our opportunity is to create a meaningful church community that transforms lives. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/ukraine-unilaterally-closes-ports-to-russian-ships-1091962518.html Ukraine Unilaterally Closes Ports to Russian Ships Ukraine Unilaterally Closes Ports to Russian Ships Ukrainian authorities first proposed restrictions on Russian commercial vessels operating in Ukraines internal waters in 2018, deeming them a potential... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T12:46+0000 2022-01-01T12:46+0000 2022-01-02T10:53+0000 russia ukraine shipping /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091962469_0:154:3093:1894_1920x0_80_0_0_dd5e045def0eac0d70e34b55536ad1b0.jpg Ukraines new law On Inland Water Transport prohibits Russian-owned cargo and passenger vessels from accessing inland waterways both large and small, including the Dniester, Dnieper and Danube rivers and various reservoirs.Aggressor state is a term that has been widely used by Ukrainian authorities to refer to Russia following the February 2014 coup detat in Kiev, which installed a pro-Western government and prompted the citizens of Crimea to stage a referendum vote to break off from Ukraine and rejoin Russia.Passed by Ukraines parliament the Verkhovna Rada, in December 2020, the law On Inland Water Transport is ostensibly aimed in part at reviving domestic traffic along the countrys river arteries, with the ministry of infrastructure expecting total tonnage to increase to 30 million tonnes per year, and the equivalent of about $450-$565 million US in revenue.Non-aggressor state foreigners and foreign companies can charter vessels for operations in Ukraines internal waterways, sans crew, and foreign ships will be required to provide documents and the owners permission for temporary registration in Ukraine. Vessels flying foreign flags entry into ports to unload cargo or passengers will continue to be regulated by international treaties, the law says.The ministry of infrastructure came up with the idea of barring Russian ships from accessing the countrys internal waterways in 2018, citing the supposed terrorist threat posed by Russian vessels. The idea came amid a diplomatic spat between the two countries over the illegal detention of a Russian fishing vessel by Ukrainian border guards in the spring of 2018. Russia subsequently warned ship owners operating in Ukrainian waters to take note of the risks of pirate-style seizures of Russian vessels by Ukrainian authorities.The economic impact of the new law is not yet known. Russian-Ukrainian economic and trade ties have degenerated dramatically since the 2014 coup, with cooperation in important areas including rocketry and aeronautics, machine- and shipbuilding collapsing and putting some Ukrainian industrial giants on the brink of bankruptcy. Overall trade has declined from over $45 billion in 2013 to $7.3 billion in 2020.Russian President Vladimir Putin recently estimated that between 1991 and 2013, Russian price subsidies on gas saved Kiev over $82 billion, and lamented on the breaking up of a natural complementary economic partnership between the two nations which had been formed over the centuries.The new law On Inland Water Transport comes amid the broader deterioration of Russian-Ukrainian ties and claims by Kiev that Moscow may be preparing an invasion. Russian authorities have dismissed these claims, accusing the Ukrainian government and its Western curators of deliberately exacerbating tensions as a pretext for new sanctions, and as a way to take their respective publics minds off internal problems.In November and December, Ukraine slapped new sanctions on Russian individuals and entities involved in the organisation of Septembers elections to the Russian Duma from Crimea, and slapped restrictions on those involved in the construction of the Crimean Bridge.On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned his US counterpart Joe Biden that new sanctions against Russia by Washington over Ukraine would be a colossal mistake that could rupture diplomatic ties. US officials, lawmakers and think tank pundits have openly called for new tough restrictions against Russia, with some even proposing carrying out a financial preemptive strike against Moscow by cutting the country off from the SWIFT payment system, regardless of whether or not it invades anyone. https://sputniknews.com/20211226/germany-us-reportedly-at-odds-over-imaginary-threat-of-russia-invading-ukraine-1091811891.html https://sputniknews.com/20211227/ukraines-former-prime-minister-reveals-european-gas-kiev-has-been-buying-is-actually-russian-1091840512.html https://sputniknews.com/20211209/zbigniew-brzezinskis-son-proposes-financial-preemptive-strike-against-russia-1091394685.html ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov ukraine, shipping After Hanoi and Quang Nam Province, Ho Chi Minh City has recorded five people suspected to contract the coronavirus variant Omicron but all of them have later tested negative, local health authorities said on Saturday. These five people entered Vietnam through the southern citys Tan Son Nhat International Airport on flights from December 21 to 25. They include a 29-year-old Turkish woman, who is a flight attendant, and four Vietnamese, including two men and two women, aged 22 to 49, the citys Department of Health reported. The above five cases were sampled for testing several days ago and were later found infected with the Omicron variant via genome sequencing conducted by the Ho Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute, the department said. However, they were retested on Friday and all of them were confirmed to be negative for the strain, the department said, adding that their health conditions were stable. The department has assigned the local Center for Disease Control to announce the list of all passengers on the same flights with these five people for infection tracing purposes. Earlier at a meeting on COVID-19 developments on Friday, chairman Phan Van Mai mentioned these suspected Omicron cases and forecast that similar cases might continue to appear in the city in the coming time. According to health experts, the new strain Omicron seems more contagious but less lethal than previous strains of coronavirus. The chairman requested all district authorities and concerned agencies to make more efforts to better control epidemic developments and strengthen inspections to ensure no large gatherings for celebrating the New Year and the coming Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, which will start on February 1, 2022. The citys leader asked local Department of Health to boost their monitoring to detect new Omicron cases and handle them according to the prepared plan. Authorities of all levels must tighten management over people entering the country under current regulations. The chairman also called for coordinated efforts to complete the third-dose vaccination coverage, which include booster shots and additional primary jabs, for the citys adult population in January 2022, with priority given to the high-risk group, including people over 50 years old or with underlying health conditions. Following the announcement of the suspected Omicron infections, the health department has decided to give rapid COVID-19 tests to all people entering the city from abroad at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport since January 1, 2022. Such tests will facilitate early detection of COVID-19 cases, from which infections of the new strain Omicron, if any, will be identified by genome sequencing, the department said. Also from the first day of the new year, all arrivals from abroad will make health declarations using QR codes granted by the department. Around 600 people will touch down the Tan Son Nhat International Airport during the first day of 2022, Tang Chi Thuong, director of the department, told the meeting. Under the new rules, people with full COVID-19 vaccination will not be put in quarantine when they enter Vietnam, but they instead will be observed and monitored at home. Therefore, grassroots authorities should coordinate with the health sector in controlling people entering the city from abroad, Thuong said. The first Omicron infection in the Southeast Asian country was detected in a man who arrived in Hanoi from the UK on December 19 and was quarantined upon arrival. After he tested positive for COVID-19, health experts conducted genome sequencing and officially confirmed he was carrying the Omicron variant on December 21. The central province of Quang Nam on Thursday became the second locality affected with the new variant with 14 infections officially affirmed. All these cases are Vietnamese passengers returning home from South Korea and the U.S. In recent time, Ho Chi Minh City, with high vaccination coverage rates, has seen its daily COVID-19 cases and fatalities sharply reduced, to 557 infections and 34 deaths on Friday from 1,497 and 76 on November 30, respectively, according to the Ministry of Healths data. However, the city remains the locality suffering the most from COVID-19 in Vietnam, recording 504,583 COVID-19 cases and 19,512 deaths since the pandemic erupted in the Southeast Asian nation in early 2020. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Horrible insurance kerfuffle gone good I doubt this story will be of interest to anyone but me, but it's the best thing that happened to me this month. Back in October I bought a new house and arranged a homeowners insurance policy for it. The main purpose of such a policy is that if your house is destroyed by fire or some other calamity, the homeowners insurance people will arrange to build you a new house in the same place. If you have a mortgage, the lienholder will require a policy as a condition of the mortgage, but it's a good idea to have one even if you aren't required to. Usually the rebuild-the-house coverage is bundled with theft insurance, in case your house is robbed, and personal injury insurance, in case someone slips on your sidewalk. I called the company that had brokered the policy for my previous house, and they assigned me to Brenda Wyman. Brenda presented me with one option: Company S. I said I was surprised at how high Company S's premium was. Brenda told me that Company S had by far the lowest premium. I asked if she had called the company that provided the insurance for my previous house. She said she had. I asked how much their quote was for. She told me, and the number was indeed larger than the quote from Company S. At this point I was tired of trying to extract information from Brenda and let it drop. The insurance coverage is contingent on the insurer doing an inspection of the house to make sure it is not a hazard and is not about to fall down. Company S did their inspection in mid-November, but didn't notify me of the results until December. On December 6, they sent Brenda a letter: they had found seven things wrong with the house. I had until January 7 to fix them or they would cancel my insurance. I was upset by this. Some of the seven things were minor, but two were not. The company wanted major roof work done. I was already in negotiations with roofers, but it might take me more than 31 days to select the roofer, sign the contract, and schedule and complete the work. There were major holidays coming up: roofers wouldn't work on Christmas. Roofing work is contingent on dry weather and I don't control the weather. Company S also demanded that I tear up and repour the cement in the alley that adjoins the house. I could think of three ways to proceed: Attempt to schedule the work and get it all done by January 7 Attempt to negotiate with Company S to get an extension, should it be impossible to complete all the work by January 7 Arrange a new insurance policy with a different company I started work on (1) and (2) and made a to-do item to proceed with (3) in a week depending on how things looked. For (2) I immediately wrote back to Brenda to point out that the demands were unreasonable and might be impossible to satisfy. Was there any flexibility in the date? I also asked if there was a way to contact Company S directly. Brenda's reply was reassuring. She claimed that Company S wouldn't require that all work be completed by January 7. It was enough for them, she said, that forward progress was being made, and if I had signed contracts by January 7 that would satisfy them. Nevertheless I contacted Company S's customer service number, hoping to get something in writing. The customer service guy was brief and to the point: they didn't care that the holidays were coming up. They didn't care that I had only been given a few weeks to fix major items. They wouldn't give me an extension. But I could write to the inspections department and see if they said anything different. I emailed the inspections department to see what they said, laying out the situation in detail: I had already addressed two of the seven items; I had verbal agreements to get three more finished by January 7, and I was working on the two major items. But I couldn't be certain the work would be complete by January 7 and if they insisted, I would have to obtain coverage elsewhere. The inspections department had promised to reply in 24 to 48 business hours. Meanwhile I continued to talk to contractors about the major plumbing, cement, and roofing work that Company S had demanded. I had emailed the inspections department midday Wednesday December 8 and been expecting a reply later that week. I didn't hear back from them until late Tuesday the 14th. At first I was only somewhat irritated, but then I realized: they had only promised a response in 24 to 48 business hours. There are only 40 business hours in a week, and they had replied 36 business hours after receiving my message, well before their promised deadline. That was even more irritating than when I thought they had replied late. But at least their reply was brief, clear and direct: We are unable to offer an extension. Please place the insured home with another carrier by 1/07/22. I reported to Brenda: I talked to Company S about this, to see if there was any leeway on the deadline. They told me there wasn't and suggested I should get different insurance. Please hook me up with someone else. Brenda continued to insist that Company S would give me an extension: When I discussed with Company S, they advised me that as long as you are making progress with this and show contracts they could extend it. I would need this information to contact them with it. I was not going to trust Brenda's say-so when I had it from the horse's mouth that the situation was the exact opposite. What if I proceeded with Brenda's plan, provided the documentation she suggested, and then on January 7, Company S refused to give me the hoped-for extension that they had already told me they would refuse to give me? Even Brenda had only said they could extend it, not they would extend it. I said: That's the opposite of what they told me. I got email yesterday from Company S that says: We are unable to offer an extension. Please place the insured home with another carrier by 1/07/22. If it's sufficient for me to be making progress and show contracts, I want it in writing from them this week. Brenda did not seem to appreciate the situation, that on one hand I had a vague, secondhand suggestion that I could maybe get an extension, and on the other hand I had a clear commitment directly from Company S to cancel my policy on January 7. Brenda talked to Company S again but did not get any actual commitments. Her contact said: Hello Brenda, you can have the insured call customer service to discuss the issues. The best way to resolve this is to email photos of any corrections made to the inspections inbox for review I reminded Brenda that I had already spoken to customer service and they had told me they would not negotiate, and that I similarly had a written reply from their inspections group saying the same thing. I also pointed out: I emailed them at 1PM on Wednesday Dec 8th and didn't hear back until the following Monday. That is not an effective way to communicate when the situation is changing day-to-day as it is here. Brenda and I were also having some difficulty communicating, it seemed: You can send me the things you have right now and I can contact them and see what can be done. I understand your frustration with this, but when it comes to what they are wanting I am also stuck trying to resolve it for you but I do have to present the proof of repairs for them to even consider. I made one more attempt to communicate with Brenda. I summarized the progress I had made and when work was scheduled. I told them all this in the email I sent their inspections department last week, and their reply was we are unable to offer an extension. Please place the insured home with another carrier by 1/07/22. So that is what I am asking you to do. To me that seems clear, direct, and unambiguous. But not to Brenda, who said: If you can change those verbal agreements to actually written up agreement on their letterhead that would show you are doing it but cant be done til after 1/7. Especially since you put a deposit down with the cement person. Definitely send me the pictures of the trees trimmed and vines removed. Brenda wanted me to contact the barely-literate cement guy and have him write up the agreement on letterhead (that he surely didn't have), and for what? To send to Company S, which had already told me twice that they didn't want it. That seemed to be the end of that road. I hate repeating myself and I wasn't going to ask Brenda a third time. If Brenda wouldn't find me another insurer, I would find one without her. My first couple of tries didn't bear fruit but the third one did. The new agent (not Brenda or anyone who works for Brenda's company) told me: Brenda had arranged too much insurance for me; I was paying to have the Company S agree to spend up to $X to rebuild my house, but rebuilding the house couldn't possibly cost more than $X. Most homeowners insurance companies would have given me a six-month grace period to make the necessary repairs. Company S was notoriously inflexible. The new guy was able to arrange new coverage for me with an insurance premium 15% lower than the one Brenda had gotten me. I notified Company S the next day that I was ending my coverage and wanted a refund. (To their credit, this was completely painless, and the refund check arrived timely.) I didn't bother to inform Brenda. Maybe I'll hear from her again, maybe I won't. She has all the information she needs to figure out what happened, if she cares to. Okay, why have I written down this long story? Because it made me really happy. It is a distillation of my growth as an adult. Faced with a difficult and complicated situation, I was able to deal with it constructively and timely. I didn't crawl under the covers. I didn't procrastinate. I didn't take the superficially easy way out, of crossing my fingers, hoping that Brenda was right and that I wouldn't get screwed on January 7. I pursued a three-prong approach. I'm bad at long-term planning, good at short-term improvising, and the key to being a successful improviser is to leave as many options open for as long as you can. I did that this time. When Brenda wouldn't help me find new insurance, I found it myself. But if I hadn't found new insurance, maybe it would have turned out Brenda was right and I could get an extension. Or even if Brenda had been wrong, maybe I could have completed the repairs by January 7. There were a lot of ways this could have gone, a lot of ways it could have turned out okay, and I pushed everything forward in parallel until I found a way through. I executed my plans timely. The whole business was over in less than two weeks: I got the inspection warning from Company S on December 6, and canceled their policy effective the 17th. There's a decent chance that, even had I not been able to get a new insurance policy, I would have been able to complete the repairs before the deadline; two of the seven items had been taken care of and four more scheduled on or before January 7. The cement guy demolished the old alley on December 21 and poured the new one on the 23rd. (The roof stuff is going to be more complicated and once I got my new insurance with the six-month grace period I stopped worrying about it.) And I didn't lose my temper. I didn't insult Brenda or the innocent Company S customer service rep. I wasn't sarcastic. I didn't whine. I solved an adult problem like an adult! I was grinning about this for several days around December 1720. This is the sort of thing that only a middle-aged person can get excited about, but I like middle age, which has been really good for me in so many ways. I wonder, what would my 22-year old self have thought about this story? Would he have been surprised? Amazed? Astounded? (Horrified?) I don't think he would have forseen this degree of competence. Happy new year, readers. May the coming twelve months be better for you than the previous. [ Addendum: The insurance agent's name is not actually Brenda Wyman. Absolutely nothing in this post has any connection with any real person with that name. ] [Other articles in category /brain] permanent link After Hanoi and Quang Nam Province, Ho Chi Minh City has recorded five people suspected to contract the coronavirus variant Omicron but all of them have later tested negative, local health authorities said on Saturday. These five people entered Vietnam through the southern citys Tan Son Nhat International Airport on flights from December 21 to 25. They include a 29-year-old Turkish woman, who is a flight attendant, and four Vietnamese, including two men and two women, aged 22 to 49, the citys Department of Health reported. The above five cases were sampled for testing several days ago and were later found infected with the Omicron variant via genome sequencing conducted by the Ho Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute, the department said. However, they were retested on Friday and all of them were confirmed to be negative for the strain, the department said, adding that their health conditions were stable. The department has assigned the local Center for Disease Control to announce the list of all passengers on the same flights with these five people for infection tracing purposes. Earlier at a meeting on COVID-19 developments on Friday, chairman Phan Van Mai mentioned these suspected Omicron cases and forecast that similar cases might continue to appear in the city in the coming time. According to health experts, the new strain Omicron seems more contagious but less lethal than previous strains of coronavirus. The chairman requested all district authorities and concerned agencies to make more efforts to better control epidemic developments and strengthen inspections to ensure no large gatherings for celebrating the New Year and the coming Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, which will start on February 1, 2022. The citys leader asked local Department of Health to boost their monitoring to detect new Omicron cases and handle them according to the prepared plan. Authorities of all levels must tighten management over people entering the country under current regulations. The chairman also called for coordinated efforts to complete the third-dose vaccination coverage, which include booster shots and additional primary jabs, for the citys adult population in January 2022, with priority given to the high-risk group, including people over 50 years old or with underlying health conditions. Following the announcement of the suspected Omicron infections, the health department has decided to give rapid COVID-19 tests to all people entering the city from abroad at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport since January 1, 2022. Such tests will facilitate early detection of COVID-19 cases, from which infections of the new strain Omicron, if any, will be identified by genome sequencing, the department said. Also from the first day of the new year, all arrivals from abroad will make health declarations using QR codes granted by the department. Around 600 people will touch down the Tan Son Nhat International Airport during the first day of 2022, Tang Chi Thuong, director of the department, told the meeting. Under the new rules, people with full COVID-19 vaccination will not be put in quarantine when they enter Vietnam, but they instead will be observed and monitored at home. Therefore, grassroots authorities should coordinate with the health sector in controlling people entering the city from abroad, Thuong said. The first Omicron infection in the Southeast Asian country was detected in a man who arrived in Hanoi from the UK on December 19 and was quarantined upon arrival. After he tested positive for COVID-19, health experts conducted genome sequencing and officially confirmed he was carrying the Omicron variant on December 21. The central province of Quang Nam on Thursday became the second locality affected with the new variant with 14 infections officially affirmed. All these cases are Vietnamese passengers returning home from South Korea and the U.S. In recent time, Ho Chi Minh City, with high vaccination coverage rates, has seen its daily COVID-19 cases and fatalities sharply reduced, to 557 infections and 34 deaths on Friday from 1,497 and 76 on November 30, respectively, according to the Ministry of Healths data. However, the city remains the locality suffering the most from COVID-19 in Vietnam, recording 504,583 COVID-19 cases and 19,512 deaths since the pandemic erupted in the Southeast Asian nation in early 2020. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! After Hanoi and Quang Nam Province, Ho Chi Minh City has recorded five people suspected to contract the coronavirus variant Omicron but all of them have later tested negative, local health authorities said on Saturday. These five people entered Vietnam through the southern citys Tan Son Nhat International Airport on flights from December 21 to 25. They include a 29-year-old Turkish woman, who is a flight attendant, and four Vietnamese, including two men and two women, aged 22 to 49, the citys Department of Health reported. The above five cases were sampled for testing several days ago and were later found infected with the Omicron variant via genome sequencing conducted by the Ho Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute, the department said. However, they were retested on Friday and all of them were confirmed to be negative for the strain, the department said, adding that their health conditions were stable. The department has assigned the local Center for Disease Control to announce the list of all passengers on the same flights with these five people for infection tracing purposes. Earlier at a meeting on COVID-19 developments on Friday, chairman Phan Van Mai mentioned these suspected Omicron cases and forecast that similar cases might continue to appear in the city in the coming time. According to health experts, the new strain Omicron seems more contagious but less lethal than previous strains of coronavirus. The chairman requested all district authorities and concerned agencies to make more efforts to better control epidemic developments and strengthen inspections to ensure no large gatherings for celebrating the New Year and the coming Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, which will start on February 1, 2022. The citys leader asked local Department of Health to boost their monitoring to detect new Omicron cases and handle them according to the prepared plan. Authorities of all levels must tighten management over people entering the country under current regulations. The chairman also called for coordinated efforts to complete the third-dose vaccination coverage, which include booster shots and additional primary jabs, for the citys adult population in January 2022, with priority given to the high-risk group, including people over 50 years old or with underlying health conditions. Following the announcement of the suspected Omicron infections, the health department has decided to give rapid COVID-19 tests to all people entering the city from abroad at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport since January 1, 2022. Such tests will facilitate early detection of COVID-19 cases, from which infections of the new strain Omicron, if any, will be identified by genome sequencing, the department said. Also from the first day of the new year, all arrivals from abroad will make health declarations using QR codes granted by the department. Around 600 people will touch down the Tan Son Nhat International Airport during the first day of 2022, Tang Chi Thuong, director of the department, told the meeting. Under the new rules, people with full COVID-19 vaccination will not be put in quarantine when they enter Vietnam, but they instead will be observed and monitored at home. Therefore, grassroots authorities should coordinate with the health sector in controlling people entering the city from abroad, Thuong said. The first Omicron infection in the Southeast Asian country was detected in a man who arrived in Hanoi from the UK on December 19 and was quarantined upon arrival. After he tested positive for COVID-19, health experts conducted genome sequencing and officially confirmed he was carrying the Omicron variant on December 21. The central province of Quang Nam on Thursday became the second locality affected with the new variant with 14 infections officially affirmed. All these cases are Vietnamese passengers returning home from South Korea and the U.S. In recent time, Ho Chi Minh City, with high vaccination coverage rates, has seen its daily COVID-19 cases and fatalities sharply reduced, to 557 infections and 34 deaths on Friday from 1,497 and 76 on November 30, respectively, according to the Ministry of Healths data. However, the city remains the locality suffering the most from COVID-19 in Vietnam, recording 504,583 COVID-19 cases and 19,512 deaths since the pandemic erupted in the Southeast Asian nation in early 2020. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! After Hanoi and Quang Nam Province, Ho Chi Minh City has recorded five people suspected to contract the coronavirus variant Omicron but all of them have later tested negative, local health authorities said on Saturday. These five people entered Vietnam through the southern citys Tan Son Nhat International Airport on flights from December 21 to 25. They include a 29-year-old Turkish woman, who is a flight attendant, and four Vietnamese, including two men and two women, aged 22 to 49, the citys Department of Health reported. The above five cases were sampled for testing several days ago and were later found infected with the Omicron variant via genome sequencing conducted by the Ho Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute, the department said. However, they were retested on Friday and all of them were confirmed to be negative for the strain, the department said, adding that their health conditions were stable. The department has assigned the local Center for Disease Control to announce the list of all passengers on the same flights with these five people for infection tracing purposes. Earlier at a meeting on COVID-19 developments on Friday, chairman Phan Van Mai mentioned these suspected Omicron cases and forecast that similar cases might continue to appear in the city in the coming time. According to health experts, the new strain Omicron seems more contagious but less lethal than previous strains of coronavirus. The chairman requested all district authorities and concerned agencies to make more efforts to better control epidemic developments and strengthen inspections to ensure no large gatherings for celebrating the New Year and the coming Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, which will start on February 1, 2022. The citys leader asked local Department of Health to boost their monitoring to detect new Omicron cases and handle them according to the prepared plan. Authorities of all levels must tighten management over people entering the country under current regulations. The chairman also called for coordinated efforts to complete the third-dose vaccination coverage, which include booster shots and additional primary jabs, for the citys adult population in January 2022, with priority given to the high-risk group, including people over 50 years old or with underlying health conditions. Following the announcement of the suspected Omicron infections, the health department has decided to give rapid COVID-19 tests to all people entering the city from abroad at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport since January 1, 2022. Such tests will facilitate early detection of COVID-19 cases, from which infections of the new strain Omicron, if any, will be identified by genome sequencing, the department said. Also from the first day of the new year, all arrivals from abroad will make health declarations using QR codes granted by the department. Around 600 people will touch down the Tan Son Nhat International Airport during the first day of 2022, Tang Chi Thuong, director of the department, told the meeting. Under the new rules, people with full COVID-19 vaccination will not be put in quarantine when they enter Vietnam, but they instead will be observed and monitored at home. Therefore, grassroots authorities should coordinate with the health sector in controlling people entering the city from abroad, Thuong said. The first Omicron infection in the Southeast Asian country was detected in a man who arrived in Hanoi from the UK on December 19 and was quarantined upon arrival. After he tested positive for COVID-19, health experts conducted genome sequencing and officially confirmed he was carrying the Omicron variant on December 21. The central province of Quang Nam on Thursday became the second locality affected with the new variant with 14 infections officially affirmed. All these cases are Vietnamese passengers returning home from South Korea and the U.S. In recent time, Ho Chi Minh City, with high vaccination coverage rates, has seen its daily COVID-19 cases and fatalities sharply reduced, to 557 infections and 34 deaths on Friday from 1,497 and 76 on November 30, respectively, according to the Ministry of Healths data. However, the city remains the locality suffering the most from COVID-19 in Vietnam, recording 504,583 COVID-19 cases and 19,512 deaths since the pandemic erupted in the Southeast Asian nation in early 2020. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! If you are sending a Letter To the Editor, please be sure to follow these rules: Letters have a firm 200-word limit and will be edited for grammar, clarity and accuracy. The person who signs the letter must be the author. Anonymous letters will not be considered. Letters must address the editor, not a third party. We will not print form letters, libelous letters, business promotions or personal disputes, poetry, open letters, letters espousing religious views without reference to a current issue, or letters considered in poor taste. Letters reflect the opinion of the writer. The Yakima Herald-Republic cannot verify the accuracy of all statements made in letters. Writers are limited to one published letter per calendar month. If you are sending a Letter To the Editor, please be sure to follow these rules: Letters have a firm 200-word limit and will be edited for grammar, clarity and accuracy. The person who signs the letter must be the author. Anonymous letters will not be considered. Letters must address the editor, not a third party. We will not print form letters, libelous letters, business promotions or personal disputes, poetry, open letters, letters espousing religious views without reference to a current issue, or letters considered in poor taste. Letters reflect the opinion of the writer. The Yakima Herald-Republic cannot verify the accuracy of all statements made in letters. Writers are limited to one published letter per calendar month. Funeral services and visitation hours were announced on Friday for the Wayne County sheriff's deputy fatally shot on Interstate 64 on Wednesday. Deputy Sean Riley, 38, was found slain after he had responded to a "motorist assist" call on Interstate 64 eastbound at Milepost 115. A Kentucky man was arrested in Clinton County and charged with murder. Riley's family released a statement on Friday thanking the public for all of the support they have received. "To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero," the statement said. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved." Riley's survivors include his wife Leslie Riley of Cisne and children Logan Brown, Deegan Riley and Mia Jo Riley, according to his obituary from Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield. Visitation for Sean Riley will be 3 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Fairfield Community High School gymnasium, with a first-responder walk-through at 6 p.m. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Fairfield Community High School gym, with a law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Riley's honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. The community has been asked to line the procession route and additional information will be released in the coming days. When parishioners gathered for Christmas Eve Mass at St. Clement Catholic Church last week, the Rev. Peter Wojcik was elated that for the first time since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, the pews at the majestic Lincoln Park church were once again filled with families. But the robust attendance at St. Clement was fleeting, Wojcik said, and on Christmas Day and the Sunday after, the parish priest was disheartened to see the century-old, Byzantine-style church was once again echoing with half-empty pews. The new variant hit us like everyone else, which is absolutely heartbreaking, because all of us were hoping at this time, wed be in a better place, and a safer place, but this pandemic just seems to keep going, Wojcik said. Nearly two years after the Archdiocese of Chicagos 247 parishes in Cook and Lake counties were shuttered in the wake of the pandemic, the now fully reopened churches are struggling with steep declines in Mass attendance, which officials say has plummeted 40% during the pandemic. While many Catholics are still providing financial support to their parishes, officials are reporting weekly collections, which are needed to pay for everything from employee salaries to keeping the lights on, are down 15% on average, said Betsy Bohlen, chief operating officer for the Archdiocese of Chicago. There are significant challenges weve faced, and continue to face during the pandemic, but were also finding some silver linings, Bohlen said. Despite the dramatic decline in attendance at Mass accompanied by a decrease in weekly collections, Bohlen said student enrollment at the archdioceses 157 elementary and secondary schools is up for the first time in 40 years. The church has also raised $12 million for Catholic Charities during the pandemic, Bohlen said, and has made a concerted effort to keep their parish workers employed. The church has endured hard times across the centuries, and in hard times, were particularly devoted to serving others, and we will continue to do so, Bohlen said. Theres no perfect way of doing this, but as a pastor, my main concern is keeping our people safe At St. Mary of the Lake Catholic Church, the Rev. Manuel Dorantes recalled his enthusiasm last fall, when the church saw attendance increase from 700 parishioners in July to 1,100 in October. But like priests across Chicago, Dorantes said his joy was short-lived, with concerns about the alarming surge in COVID cases in December swiftly reversing the North Side parishs attendance gains. We did see a growth of about 26% in attendance in the fall, but now with omicron, were back down to about 800 people, Dorantes said. Last summer, the North Side parish merged with nearby Our Lady of Lourdes as part of the archdioceses Renew My Church initiative a reorganization and consolidation of parishes launched in 2015 in response to financial difficulties and mounting debt. Prior to the pandemic, the church attracted 1,100 worshippers every weekend, Dorantes said, offering seven Masses, three in Spanish, and four in English. But Dorantes said even though the parish reopened for in-person Mass in late May 2020, people still have all sorts of questions. Even after the stay-at-home order was lifted, weve had to prepare our leaders to welcome everyone back safely, Dorantes said. Among the COVID safeguards is the temporary conversion of the churchs former so-called crying room a glassed-in area that pre-pandemic was occupied by families with small children to a safe space that can be reserved by those most vulnerable to the virus, including the elderly and people with chronic illnesses. And while Dorantes said families gathered at the church in December for a traditional Las Posadas a beloved Latin American Christmas celebration his recent visit to a 4-year-old who is hospitalized with a COVID-related heart condition prompted him to cancel a Feast of the Three Kings festival planned for early January. Theres no perfect way of doing this, but as a pastor, my main concern is keeping our people safe, Dorantes said. Its very hard, because prior to omicron, this fall, the entire church was packed, and I remember one Mass, where the pews were full, and almost 30 people standing, he said.I had almost forgotten what it was like, and that is what church is meant to be, filled with families. Yet despite the steady stream of disappointments, Dorantes said he feels privileged to be one of the priests on a city team anointing COVID patients who are hospitalized. All of these nurses and doctors have done their best to save a person, and are putting their own lives at risk, so priests anointing the sick is not heroic stuff, its what God has called us to do, Dorantes said. The pandemic has also allowed Dorantes parish to extend its reach beyond Chicago, with the churchs livestreamed Masses on Facebook and YouTube reaching worshippers across the world. I heard from a man in Peru who had just lost his mother to COVID, and their church was closed, and he asked me, can you celebrate the funeral Mass for my mom online? And we had the tools, so I said, yes, and we were able to say the funeral Mass for his mother here at our church in Chicago, Dorantes said. Still, Dorantes said getting parishioners back into the routine of attending Mass in person remains a challenge. We will need a strategic plan, because some people have gotten comfortable sitting on the sofa in their PJs to watch Mass, Dorantes said.But the thing is, watching Mass online is kind of like watching MasterChef when you want to eat youre still hungry when the show is over. At a Catholic church, getting in that line with others for the Eucharist is essential to our spiritual health, he said. I pray people will come back to receive Jesus, because boy, does the world need him right now. The Holy Spirit never goes away The increasing secularization in the U.S. plays a role, too, in falling church attendance and was evident across the world even before the pandemic. A recent Pew Research Center survey of the religious composition nationwide finding the share of the public who identify as religiously unaffiliated is 6 percentage points higher than it was five years ago and 10 points higher than a decade ago. About 3 in 10 U.S. adults 29% currently are religious nones people who describe themselves as atheists, agnostics or nothing in particular when asked about their religious identity, according to the report. Although the pandemic appears to have exacerbated the languishing enthusiasm for organized religion, some experts say the Catholic church could potentially recapture those who have left, and even attract new followers. One thing the church needs to do is to tell a compelling narrative of what the church has to offer, said William Cavanaugh, a professor of Catholic studies and director of the Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology at DePaul University. The pandemic calls out for the best in the Christian tradition ... were wearing masks not just out of fear of getting sick, but because its for the common good and the principle of solidarity, Cavanaugh said. Rising numbers of those suffering from mental health issues during the pandemic, and an overall growing sense of malaise and weariness in society also underscores the increasingly important role the church can play during the pandemic, Cavanaugh said. Were all spending so much time in front of screens, so it can be a real joy going back to church, not out of obligation, but for everything the church has to offer, Cavanaugh said.Its not just the socialization, but this deep sense of incarnation the church offers. The pandemic has also upended the rituals for seminarians at Mundelein Seminary/University of Saint Mary of the Lake, said the Rev. John Kartje, rector and president. For those who were newly ordained during the pandemic, their ordination Mass was attended by around 20 to 30 people, in a largely empty church, when usually, there are these great, joyous ordinations in the cathedral, Kartje said. While the church was facing dwindling numbers of those seeking vocations decades before the arrival of the pandemic, Kartje said he is hopeful that this difficult yet contemplative moment in time might be a turning point. The Holy Spirit never goes away, Kartje said. Everything at work is online, and theyve never really met one person Back at St. Clement in Lincoln Park, Wojcik, the pastor known as Father Pete, also remains hopeful that the dark days of the pandemic will be replaced with light and a return to Mass in the new year. Enrollment at the parish school continues to soar, and is nearly at capacity. And despite the hurdles inherent to the pandemic, Wojcik said the church has welcomed 500 new families. Wojcik said he is also looking forward to the warmer weather, when he hopes to resume popular programs such as Wind Down Wednesdays, which last summer attracted about 500 young adults each week to a social gathering in the church courtyard. Theres a real lack of community for many people working remotely in the city right now, especially those who are right out of college, Wojcik said. Ive talked to young people who have told me they moved to Chicago, and started their new jobs during the pandemic but everything at work is online, and theyve never really met one person. People are struggling, and theyre seeking, and thats where our opportunity is to create a meaningful church community that transforms lives. Funeral services and visitation hours were announced on Friday for the Wayne County sheriff's deputy fatally shot on Interstate 64 on Wednesday. Deputy Sean Riley, 38, was found slain after he had responded to a "motorist assist" call on Interstate 64 eastbound at Milepost 115. A Kentucky man was arrested in Clinton County and charged with murder. Riley's family released a statement on Friday thanking the public for all of the support they have received. "To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero," the statement said. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved." Riley's survivors include his wife Leslie Riley of Cisne and children Logan Brown, Deegan Riley and Mia Jo Riley, according to his obituary from Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield. Visitation for Sean Riley will be 3 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Fairfield Community High School gymnasium, with a first-responder walk-through at 6 p.m. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Fairfield Community High School gym, with a law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Riley's honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. The community has been asked to line the procession route and additional information will be released in the coming days. When parishioners gathered for Christmas Eve Mass at St. Clement Catholic Church last week, the Rev. Peter Wojcik was elated that for the first time since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, the pews at the majestic Lincoln Park church were once again filled with families. But the robust attendance at St. Clement was fleeting, Wojcik said, and on Christmas Day and the Sunday after, the parish priest was disheartened to see the century-old, Byzantine-style church was once again echoing with half-empty pews. The new variant hit us like everyone else, which is absolutely heartbreaking, because all of us were hoping at this time, wed be in a better place, and a safer place, but this pandemic just seems to keep going, Wojcik said. Nearly two years after the Archdiocese of Chicagos 247 parishes in Cook and Lake counties were shuttered in the wake of the pandemic, the now fully reopened churches are struggling with steep declines in Mass attendance, which officials say has plummeted 40% during the pandemic. While many Catholics are still providing financial support to their parishes, officials are reporting weekly collections, which are needed to pay for everything from employee salaries to keeping the lights on, are down 15% on average, said Betsy Bohlen, chief operating officer for the Archdiocese of Chicago. There are significant challenges weve faced, and continue to face during the pandemic, but were also finding some silver linings, Bohlen said. Despite the dramatic decline in attendance at Mass accompanied by a decrease in weekly collections, Bohlen said student enrollment at the archdioceses 157 elementary and secondary schools is up for the first time in 40 years. The church has also raised $12 million for Catholic Charities during the pandemic, Bohlen said, and has made a concerted effort to keep their parish workers employed. The church has endured hard times across the centuries, and in hard times, were particularly devoted to serving others, and we will continue to do so, Bohlen said. Theres no perfect way of doing this, but as a pastor, my main concern is keeping our people safe At St. Mary of the Lake Catholic Church, the Rev. Manuel Dorantes recalled his enthusiasm last fall, when the church saw attendance increase from 700 parishioners in July to 1,100 in October. But like priests across Chicago, Dorantes said his joy was short-lived, with concerns about the alarming surge in COVID cases in December swiftly reversing the North Side parishs attendance gains. We did see a growth of about 26% in attendance in the fall, but now with omicron, were back down to about 800 people, Dorantes said. Last summer, the North Side parish merged with nearby Our Lady of Lourdes as part of the archdioceses Renew My Church initiative a reorganization and consolidation of parishes launched in 2015 in response to financial difficulties and mounting debt. Prior to the pandemic, the church attracted 1,100 worshippers every weekend, Dorantes said, offering seven Masses, three in Spanish, and four in English. But Dorantes said even though the parish reopened for in-person Mass in late May 2020, people still have all sorts of questions. Even after the stay-at-home order was lifted, weve had to prepare our leaders to welcome everyone back safely, Dorantes said. Among the COVID safeguards is the temporary conversion of the churchs former so-called crying room a glassed-in area that pre-pandemic was occupied by families with small children to a safe space that can be reserved by those most vulnerable to the virus, including the elderly and people with chronic illnesses. And while Dorantes said families gathered at the church in December for a traditional Las Posadas a beloved Latin American Christmas celebration his recent visit to a 4-year-old who is hospitalized with a COVID-related heart condition prompted him to cancel a Feast of the Three Kings festival planned for early January. Theres no perfect way of doing this, but as a pastor, my main concern is keeping our people safe, Dorantes said. Its very hard, because prior to omicron, this fall, the entire church was packed, and I remember one Mass, where the pews were full, and almost 30 people standing, he said.I had almost forgotten what it was like, and that is what church is meant to be, filled with families. Yet despite the steady stream of disappointments, Dorantes said he feels privileged to be one of the priests on a city team anointing COVID patients who are hospitalized. All of these nurses and doctors have done their best to save a person, and are putting their own lives at risk, so priests anointing the sick is not heroic stuff, its what God has called us to do, Dorantes said. The pandemic has also allowed Dorantes parish to extend its reach beyond Chicago, with the churchs livestreamed Masses on Facebook and YouTube reaching worshippers across the world. I heard from a man in Peru who had just lost his mother to COVID, and their church was closed, and he asked me, can you celebrate the funeral Mass for my mom online? And we had the tools, so I said, yes, and we were able to say the funeral Mass for his mother here at our church in Chicago, Dorantes said. Still, Dorantes said getting parishioners back into the routine of attending Mass in person remains a challenge. We will need a strategic plan, because some people have gotten comfortable sitting on the sofa in their PJs to watch Mass, Dorantes said.But the thing is, watching Mass online is kind of like watching MasterChef when you want to eat youre still hungry when the show is over. At a Catholic church, getting in that line with others for the Eucharist is essential to our spiritual health, he said. I pray people will come back to receive Jesus, because boy, does the world need him right now. The Holy Spirit never goes away The increasing secularization in the U.S. plays a role, too, in falling church attendance and was evident across the world even before the pandemic. A recent Pew Research Center survey of the religious composition nationwide finding the share of the public who identify as religiously unaffiliated is 6 percentage points higher than it was five years ago and 10 points higher than a decade ago. About 3 in 10 U.S. adults 29% currently are religious nones people who describe themselves as atheists, agnostics or nothing in particular when asked about their religious identity, according to the report. Although the pandemic appears to have exacerbated the languishing enthusiasm for organized religion, some experts say the Catholic church could potentially recapture those who have left, and even attract new followers. One thing the church needs to do is to tell a compelling narrative of what the church has to offer, said William Cavanaugh, a professor of Catholic studies and director of the Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology at DePaul University. The pandemic calls out for the best in the Christian tradition ... were wearing masks not just out of fear of getting sick, but because its for the common good and the principle of solidarity, Cavanaugh said. Rising numbers of those suffering from mental health issues during the pandemic, and an overall growing sense of malaise and weariness in society also underscores the increasingly important role the church can play during the pandemic, Cavanaugh said. Were all spending so much time in front of screens, so it can be a real joy going back to church, not out of obligation, but for everything the church has to offer, Cavanaugh said.Its not just the socialization, but this deep sense of incarnation the church offers. The pandemic has also upended the rituals for seminarians at Mundelein Seminary/University of Saint Mary of the Lake, said the Rev. John Kartje, rector and president. For those who were newly ordained during the pandemic, their ordination Mass was attended by around 20 to 30 people, in a largely empty church, when usually, there are these great, joyous ordinations in the cathedral, Kartje said. While the church was facing dwindling numbers of those seeking vocations decades before the arrival of the pandemic, Kartje said he is hopeful that this difficult yet contemplative moment in time might be a turning point. The Holy Spirit never goes away, Kartje said. Everything at work is online, and theyve never really met one person Back at St. Clement in Lincoln Park, Wojcik, the pastor known as Father Pete, also remains hopeful that the dark days of the pandemic will be replaced with light and a return to Mass in the new year. Enrollment at the parish school continues to soar, and is nearly at capacity. And despite the hurdles inherent to the pandemic, Wojcik said the church has welcomed 500 new families. Wojcik said he is also looking forward to the warmer weather, when he hopes to resume popular programs such as Wind Down Wednesdays, which last summer attracted about 500 young adults each week to a social gathering in the church courtyard. Theres a real lack of community for many people working remotely in the city right now, especially those who are right out of college, Wojcik said. Ive talked to young people who have told me they moved to Chicago, and started their new jobs during the pandemic but everything at work is online, and theyve never really met one person. People are struggling, and theyre seeking, and thats where our opportunity is to create a meaningful church community that transforms lives. Funeral services and visitation hours were announced on Friday for the Wayne County sheriff's deputy fatally shot on Interstate 64 on Wednesday. Deputy Sean Riley, 38, was found slain after he had responded to a "motorist assist" call on Interstate 64 eastbound at Milepost 115. A Kentucky man was arrested in Clinton County and charged with murder. Riley's family released a statement on Friday thanking the public for all of the support they have received. "To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero," the statement said. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved." Riley's survivors include his wife Leslie Riley of Cisne and children Logan Brown, Deegan Riley and Mia Jo Riley, according to his obituary from Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield. Visitation for Sean Riley will be 3 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Fairfield Community High School gymnasium, with a first-responder walk-through at 6 p.m. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Fairfield Community High School gym, with a law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Riley's honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. The community has been asked to line the procession route and additional information will be released in the coming days. Horrible insurance kerfuffle gone good I doubt this story will be of interest to anyone but me, but it's the best thing that happened to me this month. Back in October I bought a new house and arranged a homeowners insurance policy for it. The main purpose of such a policy is that if your house is destroyed by fire or some other calamity, the homeowners insurance people will arrange to build you a new house in the same place. If you have a mortgage, the lienholder will require a policy as a condition of the mortgage, but it's a good idea to have one even if you aren't required to. Usually the rebuild-the-house coverage is bundled with theft insurance, in case your house is robbed, and personal injury insurance, in case someone slips on your sidewalk. I called the company that had brokered the policy for my previous house, and they assigned me to Brenda Wyman. Brenda presented me with one option: Company S. I said I was surprised at how high Company S's premium was. Brenda told me that Company S had by far the lowest premium. I asked if she had called the company that provided the insurance for my previous house. She said she had. I asked how much their quote was for. She told me, and the number was indeed larger than the quote from Company S. At this point I was tired of trying to extract information from Brenda and let it drop. The insurance coverage is contingent on the insurer doing an inspection of the house to make sure it is not a hazard and is not about to fall down. Company S did their inspection in mid-November, but didn't notify me of the results until December. On December 6, they sent Brenda a letter: they had found seven things wrong with the house. I had until January 7 to fix them or they would cancel my insurance. I was upset by this. Some of the seven things were minor, but two were not. The company wanted major roof work done. I was already in negotiations with roofers, but it might take me more than 31 days to select the roofer, sign the contract, and schedule and complete the work. There were major holidays coming up: roofers wouldn't work on Christmas. Roofing work is contingent on dry weather and I don't control the weather. Company S also demanded that I tear up and repour the cement in the alley that adjoins the house. I could think of three ways to proceed: Attempt to schedule the work and get it all done by January 7 Attempt to negotiate with Company S to get an extension, should it be impossible to complete all the work by January 7 Arrange a new insurance policy with a different company I started work on (1) and (2) and made a to-do item to proceed with (3) in a week depending on how things looked. For (2) I immediately wrote back to Brenda to point out that the demands were unreasonable and might be impossible to satisfy. Was there any flexibility in the date? I also asked if there was a way to contact Company S directly. Brenda's reply was reassuring. She claimed that Company S wouldn't require that all work be completed by January 7. It was enough for them, she said, that forward progress was being made, and if I had signed contracts by January 7 that would satisfy them. Nevertheless I contacted Company S's customer service number, hoping to get something in writing. The customer service guy was brief and to the point: they didn't care that the holidays were coming up. They didn't care that I had only been given a few weeks to fix major items. They wouldn't give me an extension. But I could write to the inspections department and see if they said anything different. I emailed the inspections department to see what they said, laying out the situation in detail: I had already addressed two of the seven items; I had verbal agreements to get three more finished by January 7, and I was working on the two major items. But I couldn't be certain the work would be complete by January 7 and if they insisted, I would have to obtain coverage elsewhere. The inspections department had promised to reply in 24 to 48 business hours. Meanwhile I continued to talk to contractors about the major plumbing, cement, and roofing work that Company S had demanded. I had emailed the inspections department midday Wednesday December 8 and been expecting a reply later that week. I didn't hear back from them until late Tuesday the 14th. At first I was only somewhat irritated, but then I realized: they had only promised a response in 24 to 48 business hours. There are only 40 business hours in a week, and they had replied 36 business hours after receiving my message, well before their promised deadline. That was even more irritating than when I thought they had replied late. But at least their reply was brief, clear and direct: We are unable to offer an extension. Please place the insured home with another carrier by 1/07/22. I reported to Brenda: I talked to Company S about this, to see if there was any leeway on the deadline. They told me there wasn't and suggested I should get different insurance. Please hook me up with someone else. Brenda continued to insist that Company S would give me an extension: When I discussed with Company S, they advised me that as long as you are making progress with this and show contracts they could extend it. I would need this information to contact them with it. I was not going to trust Brenda's say-so when I had it from the horse's mouth that the situation was the exact opposite. What if I proceeded with Brenda's plan, provided the documentation she suggested, and then on January 7, Company S refused to give me the hoped-for extension that they had already told me they would refuse to give me? Even Brenda had only said they could extend it, not they would extend it. I said: That's the opposite of what they told me. I got email yesterday from Company S that says: We are unable to offer an extension. Please place the insured home with another carrier by 1/07/22. If it's sufficient for me to be making progress and show contracts, I want it in writing from them this week. Brenda did not seem to appreciate the situation, that on one hand I had a vague, secondhand suggestion that I could maybe get an extension, and on the other hand I had a clear commitment directly from Company S to cancel my policy on January 7. Brenda talked to Company S again but did not get any actual commitments. Her contact said: Hello Brenda, you can have the insured call customer service to discuss the issues. The best way to resolve this is to email photos of any corrections made to the inspections inbox for review I reminded Brenda that I had already spoken to customer service and they had told me they would not negotiate, and that I similarly had a written reply from their inspections group saying the same thing. I also pointed out: I emailed them at 1PM on Wednesday Dec 8th and didn't hear back until the following Monday. That is not an effective way to communicate when the situation is changing day-to-day as it is here. Brenda and I were also having some difficulty communicating, it seemed: You can send me the things you have right now and I can contact them and see what can be done. I understand your frustration with this, but when it comes to what they are wanting I am also stuck trying to resolve it for you but I do have to present the proof of repairs for them to even consider. I made one more attempt to communicate with Brenda. I summarized the progress I had made and when work was scheduled. I told them all this in the email I sent their inspections department last week, and their reply was we are unable to offer an extension. Please place the insured home with another carrier by 1/07/22. So that is what I am asking you to do. To me that seems clear, direct, and unambiguous. But not to Brenda, who said: If you can change those verbal agreements to actually written up agreement on their letterhead that would show you are doing it but cant be done til after 1/7. Especially since you put a deposit down with the cement person. Definitely send me the pictures of the trees trimmed and vines removed. Brenda wanted me to contact the barely-literate cement guy and have him write up the agreement on letterhead (that he surely didn't have), and for what? To send to Company S, which had already told me twice that they didn't want it. That seemed to be the end of that road. I hate repeating myself and I wasn't going to ask Brenda a third time. If Brenda wouldn't find me another insurer, I would find one without her. My first couple of tries didn't bear fruit but the third one did. The new agent (not Brenda or anyone who works for Brenda's company) told me: Brenda had arranged too much insurance for me; I was paying to have the Company S agree to spend up to $X to rebuild my house, but rebuilding the house couldn't possibly cost more than $X. Most homeowners insurance companies would have given me a six-month grace period to make the necessary repairs. Company S was notoriously inflexible. The new guy was able to arrange new coverage for me with an insurance premium 15% lower than the one Brenda had gotten me. I notified Company S the next day that I was ending my coverage and wanted a refund. (To their credit, this was completely painless, and the refund check arrived timely.) I didn't bother to inform Brenda. Maybe I'll hear from her again, maybe I won't. She has all the information she needs to figure out what happened, if she cares to. Okay, why have I written down this long story? Because it made me really happy. It is a distillation of my growth as an adult. Faced with a difficult and complicated situation, I was able to deal with it constructively and timely. I didn't crawl under the covers. I didn't procrastinate. I didn't take the superficially easy way out, of crossing my fingers, hoping that Brenda was right and that I wouldn't get screwed on January 7. I pursued a three-prong approach. I'm bad at long-term planning, good at short-term improvising, and the key to being a successful improviser is to leave as many options open for as long as you can. I did that this time. When Brenda wouldn't help me find new insurance, I found it myself. But if I hadn't found new insurance, maybe it would have turned out Brenda was right and I could get an extension. Or even if Brenda had been wrong, maybe I could have completed the repairs by January 7. There were a lot of ways this could have gone, a lot of ways it could have turned out okay, and I pushed everything forward in parallel until I found a way through. I executed my plans timely. The whole business was over in less than two weeks: I got the inspection warning from Company S on December 6, and canceled their policy effective the 17th. There's a decent chance that, even had I not been able to get a new insurance policy, I would have been able to complete the repairs before the deadline; two of the seven items had been taken care of and four more scheduled on or before January 7. The cement guy demolished the old alley on December 21 and poured the new one on the 23rd. (The roof stuff is going to be more complicated and once I got my new insurance with the six-month grace period I stopped worrying about it.) And I didn't lose my temper. I didn't insult Brenda or the innocent Company S customer service rep. I wasn't sarcastic. I didn't whine. I solved an adult problem like an adult! I was grinning about this for several days around December 1720. This is the sort of thing that only a middle-aged person can get excited about, but I like middle age, which has been really good for me in so many ways. I wonder, what would my 22-year old self have thought about this story? Would he have been surprised? Amazed? Astounded? (Horrified?) I don't think he would have forseen this degree of competence. Happy new year, readers. May the coming twelve months be better for you than the previous. [ Addendum: The insurance agent's name is not actually Brenda Wyman. Absolutely nothing in this post has any connection with any real person with that name. ] [Other articles in category /brain] permanent link Funeral services and visitation hours were announced on Friday for the Wayne County sheriff's deputy fatally shot on Interstate 64 on Wednesday. Deputy Sean Riley, 38, was found slain after he had responded to a "motorist assist" call on Interstate 64 eastbound at Milepost 115. A Kentucky man was arrested in Clinton County and charged with murder. Riley's family released a statement on Friday thanking the public for all of the support they have received. "To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero," the statement said. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved." Riley's survivors include his wife Leslie Riley of Cisne and children Logan Brown, Deegan Riley and Mia Jo Riley, according to his obituary from Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield. Visitation for Sean Riley will be 3 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Fairfield Community High School gymnasium, with a first-responder walk-through at 6 p.m. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Fairfield Community High School gym, with a law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Riley's honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. The community has been asked to line the procession route and additional information will be released in the coming days. Funeral services and visitation hours were announced on Friday for the Wayne County sheriff's deputy fatally shot on Interstate 64 on Wednesday. Deputy Sean Riley, 38, was found slain after he had responded to a "motorist assist" call on Interstate 64 eastbound at Milepost 115. A Kentucky man was arrested in Clinton County and charged with murder. Riley's family released a statement on Friday thanking the public for all of the support they have received. "To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero," the statement said. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved." Riley's survivors include his wife Leslie Riley of Cisne and children Logan Brown, Deegan Riley and Mia Jo Riley, according to his obituary from Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield. Visitation for Sean Riley will be 3 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Fairfield Community High School gymnasium, with a first-responder walk-through at 6 p.m. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Fairfield Community High School gym, with a law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Riley's honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. The community has been asked to line the procession route and additional information will be released in the coming days. When parishioners gathered for Christmas Eve Mass at St. Clement Catholic Church last week, the Rev. Peter Wojcik was elated that for the first time since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, the pews at the majestic Lincoln Park church were once again filled with families. But the robust attendance at St. Clement was fleeting, Wojcik said, and on Christmas Day and the Sunday after, the parish priest was disheartened to see the century-old, Byzantine-style church was once again echoing with half-empty pews. The new variant hit us like everyone else, which is absolutely heartbreaking, because all of us were hoping at this time, wed be in a better place, and a safer place, but this pandemic just seems to keep going, Wojcik said. Nearly two years after the Archdiocese of Chicagos 247 parishes in Cook and Lake counties were shuttered in the wake of the pandemic, the now fully reopened churches are struggling with steep declines in Mass attendance, which officials say has plummeted 40% during the pandemic. While many Catholics are still providing financial support to their parishes, officials are reporting weekly collections, which are needed to pay for everything from employee salaries to keeping the lights on, are down 15% on average, said Betsy Bohlen, chief operating officer for the Archdiocese of Chicago. There are significant challenges weve faced, and continue to face during the pandemic, but were also finding some silver linings, Bohlen said. Despite the dramatic decline in attendance at Mass accompanied by a decrease in weekly collections, Bohlen said student enrollment at the archdioceses 157 elementary and secondary schools is up for the first time in 40 years. The church has also raised $12 million for Catholic Charities during the pandemic, Bohlen said, and has made a concerted effort to keep their parish workers employed. The church has endured hard times across the centuries, and in hard times, were particularly devoted to serving others, and we will continue to do so, Bohlen said. Theres no perfect way of doing this, but as a pastor, my main concern is keeping our people safe At St. Mary of the Lake Catholic Church, the Rev. Manuel Dorantes recalled his enthusiasm last fall, when the church saw attendance increase from 700 parishioners in July to 1,100 in October. But like priests across Chicago, Dorantes said his joy was short-lived, with concerns about the alarming surge in COVID cases in December swiftly reversing the North Side parishs attendance gains. We did see a growth of about 26% in attendance in the fall, but now with omicron, were back down to about 800 people, Dorantes said. Last summer, the North Side parish merged with nearby Our Lady of Lourdes as part of the archdioceses Renew My Church initiative a reorganization and consolidation of parishes launched in 2015 in response to financial difficulties and mounting debt. Prior to the pandemic, the church attracted 1,100 worshippers every weekend, Dorantes said, offering seven Masses, three in Spanish, and four in English. But Dorantes said even though the parish reopened for in-person Mass in late May 2020, people still have all sorts of questions. Even after the stay-at-home order was lifted, weve had to prepare our leaders to welcome everyone back safely, Dorantes said. Among the COVID safeguards is the temporary conversion of the churchs former so-called crying room a glassed-in area that pre-pandemic was occupied by families with small children to a safe space that can be reserved by those most vulnerable to the virus, including the elderly and people with chronic illnesses. And while Dorantes said families gathered at the church in December for a traditional Las Posadas a beloved Latin American Christmas celebration his recent visit to a 4-year-old who is hospitalized with a COVID-related heart condition prompted him to cancel a Feast of the Three Kings festival planned for early January. Theres no perfect way of doing this, but as a pastor, my main concern is keeping our people safe, Dorantes said. Its very hard, because prior to omicron, this fall, the entire church was packed, and I remember one Mass, where the pews were full, and almost 30 people standing, he said.I had almost forgotten what it was like, and that is what church is meant to be, filled with families. Yet despite the steady stream of disappointments, Dorantes said he feels privileged to be one of the priests on a city team anointing COVID patients who are hospitalized. All of these nurses and doctors have done their best to save a person, and are putting their own lives at risk, so priests anointing the sick is not heroic stuff, its what God has called us to do, Dorantes said. The pandemic has also allowed Dorantes parish to extend its reach beyond Chicago, with the churchs livestreamed Masses on Facebook and YouTube reaching worshippers across the world. I heard from a man in Peru who had just lost his mother to COVID, and their church was closed, and he asked me, can you celebrate the funeral Mass for my mom online? And we had the tools, so I said, yes, and we were able to say the funeral Mass for his mother here at our church in Chicago, Dorantes said. Still, Dorantes said getting parishioners back into the routine of attending Mass in person remains a challenge. We will need a strategic plan, because some people have gotten comfortable sitting on the sofa in their PJs to watch Mass, Dorantes said.But the thing is, watching Mass online is kind of like watching MasterChef when you want to eat youre still hungry when the show is over. At a Catholic church, getting in that line with others for the Eucharist is essential to our spiritual health, he said. I pray people will come back to receive Jesus, because boy, does the world need him right now. The Holy Spirit never goes away The increasing secularization in the U.S. plays a role, too, in falling church attendance and was evident across the world even before the pandemic. A recent Pew Research Center survey of the religious composition nationwide finding the share of the public who identify as religiously unaffiliated is 6 percentage points higher than it was five years ago and 10 points higher than a decade ago. About 3 in 10 U.S. adults 29% currently are religious nones people who describe themselves as atheists, agnostics or nothing in particular when asked about their religious identity, according to the report. Although the pandemic appears to have exacerbated the languishing enthusiasm for organized religion, some experts say the Catholic church could potentially recapture those who have left, and even attract new followers. One thing the church needs to do is to tell a compelling narrative of what the church has to offer, said William Cavanaugh, a professor of Catholic studies and director of the Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology at DePaul University. The pandemic calls out for the best in the Christian tradition ... were wearing masks not just out of fear of getting sick, but because its for the common good and the principle of solidarity, Cavanaugh said. Rising numbers of those suffering from mental health issues during the pandemic, and an overall growing sense of malaise and weariness in society also underscores the increasingly important role the church can play during the pandemic, Cavanaugh said. Were all spending so much time in front of screens, so it can be a real joy going back to church, not out of obligation, but for everything the church has to offer, Cavanaugh said.Its not just the socialization, but this deep sense of incarnation the church offers. The pandemic has also upended the rituals for seminarians at Mundelein Seminary/University of Saint Mary of the Lake, said the Rev. John Kartje, rector and president. For those who were newly ordained during the pandemic, their ordination Mass was attended by around 20 to 30 people, in a largely empty church, when usually, there are these great, joyous ordinations in the cathedral, Kartje said. While the church was facing dwindling numbers of those seeking vocations decades before the arrival of the pandemic, Kartje said he is hopeful that this difficult yet contemplative moment in time might be a turning point. The Holy Spirit never goes away, Kartje said. Everything at work is online, and theyve never really met one person Back at St. Clement in Lincoln Park, Wojcik, the pastor known as Father Pete, also remains hopeful that the dark days of the pandemic will be replaced with light and a return to Mass in the new year. Enrollment at the parish school continues to soar, and is nearly at capacity. And despite the hurdles inherent to the pandemic, Wojcik said the church has welcomed 500 new families. Wojcik said he is also looking forward to the warmer weather, when he hopes to resume popular programs such as Wind Down Wednesdays, which last summer attracted about 500 young adults each week to a social gathering in the church courtyard. Theres a real lack of community for many people working remotely in the city right now, especially those who are right out of college, Wojcik said. Ive talked to young people who have told me they moved to Chicago, and started their new jobs during the pandemic but everything at work is online, and theyve never really met one person. People are struggling, and theyre seeking, and thats where our opportunity is to create a meaningful church community that transforms lives. If you are sending a Letter To the Editor, please be sure to follow these rules: Letters have a firm 200-word limit and will be edited for grammar, clarity and accuracy. The person who signs the letter must be the author. Anonymous letters will not be considered. Letters must address the editor, not a third party. We will not print form letters, libelous letters, business promotions or personal disputes, poetry, open letters, letters espousing religious views without reference to a current issue, or letters considered in poor taste. Letters reflect the opinion of the writer. The Yakima Herald-Republic cannot verify the accuracy of all statements made in letters. Writers are limited to one published letter per calendar month. If you are sending a Letter To the Editor, please be sure to follow these rules: Letters have a firm 200-word limit and will be edited for grammar, clarity and accuracy. The person who signs the letter must be the author. Anonymous letters will not be considered. Letters must address the editor, not a third party. We will not print form letters, libelous letters, business promotions or personal disputes, poetry, open letters, letters espousing religious views without reference to a current issue, or letters considered in poor taste. Letters reflect the opinion of the writer. The Yakima Herald-Republic cannot verify the accuracy of all statements made in letters. Writers are limited to one published letter per calendar month. If you are sending a Letter To the Editor, please be sure to follow these rules: Letters have a firm 200-word limit and will be edited for grammar, clarity and accuracy. The person who signs the letter must be the author. Anonymous letters will not be considered. Letters must address the editor, not a third party. We will not print form letters, libelous letters, business promotions or personal disputes, poetry, open letters, letters espousing religious views without reference to a current issue, or letters considered in poor taste. Letters reflect the opinion of the writer. The Yakima Herald-Republic cannot verify the accuracy of all statements made in letters. Writers are limited to one published letter per calendar month. After Hanoi and Quang Nam Province, Ho Chi Minh City has recorded five people suspected to contract the coronavirus variant Omicron but all of them have later tested negative, local health authorities said on Saturday. These five people entered Vietnam through the southern citys Tan Son Nhat International Airport on flights from December 21 to 25. They include a 29-year-old Turkish woman, who is a flight attendant, and four Vietnamese, including two men and two women, aged 22 to 49, the citys Department of Health reported. The above five cases were sampled for testing several days ago and were later found infected with the Omicron variant via genome sequencing conducted by the Ho Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute, the department said. However, they were retested on Friday and all of them were confirmed to be negative for the strain, the department said, adding that their health conditions were stable. The department has assigned the local Center for Disease Control to announce the list of all passengers on the same flights with these five people for infection tracing purposes. Earlier at a meeting on COVID-19 developments on Friday, chairman Phan Van Mai mentioned these suspected Omicron cases and forecast that similar cases might continue to appear in the city in the coming time. According to health experts, the new strain Omicron seems more contagious but less lethal than previous strains of coronavirus. The chairman requested all district authorities and concerned agencies to make more efforts to better control epidemic developments and strengthen inspections to ensure no large gatherings for celebrating the New Year and the coming Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, which will start on February 1, 2022. The citys leader asked local Department of Health to boost their monitoring to detect new Omicron cases and handle them according to the prepared plan. Authorities of all levels must tighten management over people entering the country under current regulations. The chairman also called for coordinated efforts to complete the third-dose vaccination coverage, which include booster shots and additional primary jabs, for the citys adult population in January 2022, with priority given to the high-risk group, including people over 50 years old or with underlying health conditions. Following the announcement of the suspected Omicron infections, the health department has decided to give rapid COVID-19 tests to all people entering the city from abroad at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport since January 1, 2022. Such tests will facilitate early detection of COVID-19 cases, from which infections of the new strain Omicron, if any, will be identified by genome sequencing, the department said. Also from the first day of the new year, all arrivals from abroad will make health declarations using QR codes granted by the department. Around 600 people will touch down the Tan Son Nhat International Airport during the first day of 2022, Tang Chi Thuong, director of the department, told the meeting. Under the new rules, people with full COVID-19 vaccination will not be put in quarantine when they enter Vietnam, but they instead will be observed and monitored at home. Therefore, grassroots authorities should coordinate with the health sector in controlling people entering the city from abroad, Thuong said. The first Omicron infection in the Southeast Asian country was detected in a man who arrived in Hanoi from the UK on December 19 and was quarantined upon arrival. After he tested positive for COVID-19, health experts conducted genome sequencing and officially confirmed he was carrying the Omicron variant on December 21. The central province of Quang Nam on Thursday became the second locality affected with the new variant with 14 infections officially affirmed. All these cases are Vietnamese passengers returning home from South Korea and the U.S. In recent time, Ho Chi Minh City, with high vaccination coverage rates, has seen its daily COVID-19 cases and fatalities sharply reduced, to 557 infections and 34 deaths on Friday from 1,497 and 76 on November 30, respectively, according to the Ministry of Healths data. However, the city remains the locality suffering the most from COVID-19 in Vietnam, recording 504,583 COVID-19 cases and 19,512 deaths since the pandemic erupted in the Southeast Asian nation in early 2020. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! After Hanoi and Quang Nam Province, Ho Chi Minh City has recorded five people suspected to contract the coronavirus variant Omicron but all of them have later tested negative, local health authorities said on Saturday. These five people entered Vietnam through the southern citys Tan Son Nhat International Airport on flights from December 21 to 25. They include a 29-year-old Turkish woman, who is a flight attendant, and four Vietnamese, including two men and two women, aged 22 to 49, the citys Department of Health reported. The above five cases were sampled for testing several days ago and were later found infected with the Omicron variant via genome sequencing conducted by the Ho Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute, the department said. However, they were retested on Friday and all of them were confirmed to be negative for the strain, the department said, adding that their health conditions were stable. The department has assigned the local Center for Disease Control to announce the list of all passengers on the same flights with these five people for infection tracing purposes. Earlier at a meeting on COVID-19 developments on Friday, chairman Phan Van Mai mentioned these suspected Omicron cases and forecast that similar cases might continue to appear in the city in the coming time. According to health experts, the new strain Omicron seems more contagious but less lethal than previous strains of coronavirus. The chairman requested all district authorities and concerned agencies to make more efforts to better control epidemic developments and strengthen inspections to ensure no large gatherings for celebrating the New Year and the coming Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, which will start on February 1, 2022. The citys leader asked local Department of Health to boost their monitoring to detect new Omicron cases and handle them according to the prepared plan. Authorities of all levels must tighten management over people entering the country under current regulations. The chairman also called for coordinated efforts to complete the third-dose vaccination coverage, which include booster shots and additional primary jabs, for the citys adult population in January 2022, with priority given to the high-risk group, including people over 50 years old or with underlying health conditions. Following the announcement of the suspected Omicron infections, the health department has decided to give rapid COVID-19 tests to all people entering the city from abroad at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport since January 1, 2022. Such tests will facilitate early detection of COVID-19 cases, from which infections of the new strain Omicron, if any, will be identified by genome sequencing, the department said. Also from the first day of the new year, all arrivals from abroad will make health declarations using QR codes granted by the department. Around 600 people will touch down the Tan Son Nhat International Airport during the first day of 2022, Tang Chi Thuong, director of the department, told the meeting. Under the new rules, people with full COVID-19 vaccination will not be put in quarantine when they enter Vietnam, but they instead will be observed and monitored at home. Therefore, grassroots authorities should coordinate with the health sector in controlling people entering the city from abroad, Thuong said. The first Omicron infection in the Southeast Asian country was detected in a man who arrived in Hanoi from the UK on December 19 and was quarantined upon arrival. After he tested positive for COVID-19, health experts conducted genome sequencing and officially confirmed he was carrying the Omicron variant on December 21. The central province of Quang Nam on Thursday became the second locality affected with the new variant with 14 infections officially affirmed. All these cases are Vietnamese passengers returning home from South Korea and the U.S. In recent time, Ho Chi Minh City, with high vaccination coverage rates, has seen its daily COVID-19 cases and fatalities sharply reduced, to 557 infections and 34 deaths on Friday from 1,497 and 76 on November 30, respectively, according to the Ministry of Healths data. However, the city remains the locality suffering the most from COVID-19 in Vietnam, recording 504,583 COVID-19 cases and 19,512 deaths since the pandemic erupted in the Southeast Asian nation in early 2020. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Ho Chi Minh Citys Tan Son Nhat International Airport will conduct COVID-19 rapid tests on all international arrivals at the airdome starting Saturday, according to the southern city's Center for Disease Control. Passengers who have been fully vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 will be allowed to self-monitor their health at their places for three days and take a real-time PCR test on the third day since their arrival, if the results of their rapid test at Tan Son Nhat are negative. The self-monitoring time for those who have not been fully inoculated is seven days and two real-time PCR tests are required on the third and seventh days since their arrival. Health workers are expected to collect COVID-19 testing samples on 200 international arrivals on Saturday. The authorities also applied other pandemic prevention activities at Tan Son Nhat on Friday afternoon as part of their first moves taken since the record of Omicron infections in Vietnam. The Southeast Asian country has found 15 imported cases carrying the Omicron variant, including one in Hanoi and 14 in central Quang Nam Province, as of Friday night. The Omicron mutant, a.k.a. the B.1.1.529 variant, was designated by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a variant of concern on November 26, two days after it was first reported to WHO by South Africa. Omicron has now been found in over 100 countries, with health experts stating it appears to be more contagious but less virulent than previous strains. As of Friday, Vietnam had documented 1,731,257 COVID-19 cases, with 1,355,286 recoveries and 32,394 fatalities, the Health Ministry reported. Health workers have administered more than 152.2 million vaccine doses since vaccination was rolled out nationwide on March 8. By Friday afternoon, 68.4 million of the countrys adult 98 million people had received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine, while 77.5 million had been given at least one dose. The ministry called on all localities to make more efforts to complete the coverage of second vaccine doses for children aged 12 to 17 in January 2022. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A gantry crane loads containers onto a freight train in Nanning international railway port in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Dec. 31, 2021. (Xinhua) The world's biggest trade pact, which has taken effect on Saturday in China and nine other countries, will bolster regional integration and aid a bumpy global recovery. by Xinhua writer Dong Yue BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- As the global economy falters amid the capricious pandemic and soaring protectionism, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) presents a precious boon for a world thirsty for a steady economic rebound. The world's biggest trade pact, which has taken effect on Saturday in China and nine other countries, will bolster regional integration and aid a bumpy global recovery. The 15 RCEP members are home to roughly 30 percent of the world's gross domestic product and population. With a huge population, a diverse membership and a great potential, the implementation of the RCEP will effectively stabilize the regional supply and industrial chains, revitalize the regional market, and boost international trade and investment, thus creating new growth engines for the sluggish global economic recovery. After the trade deal kicks in, more than 90 percent of merchandise trade between approved members will be eventually subject to zero tariffs. Garment workers make clothes at a factory in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Dec. 17, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Changwei) Meanwhile, the RCEP will strongly offset the impact of raging protectionism and unilateralism, bringing free trade and multilateral cooperation back to the fore. In recent years, unilateralism and protectionism have hindered the free flow of goods around the world, and created barriers against world economic growth. By forming this mega free trade zone, RCEP members have demonstrated that win-win cooperation is still the shared pursuit of humankind. Decoupling and beggar-thy-neighbor practices are unable to reverse the trend of economic globalization. As ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi said, the RCEP's expeditious ratification process by its various members is "a true reflection of our strong commitment to a fair and open multilateral trading system for the benefit of the people in the region and the world." File photo shows Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Dato Lim Jock Hoi working at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia, Oct. 21, 2021. (ASEAN Secretariat/Handout via Xinhua) Furthermore, the RCEP is expected to facilitate the building of an open global economy and strengthen globalization. Distinct from the West-dominated globalization practices, in which drawbacks including a widening development divide and deficient global governance abound, the RCEP features remarkable openness and inclusiveness, providing an inspiration for future efforts to enrich economic globalization. The pact covers a wide range of areas such as tariff reductions, trade facilitation and the opening-up of services and investment, while taking into account the diverse development stages and economic needs of each member, developed or developing. The signing ceremony of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement is held via video conference in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam, Nov. 15, 2020. (VNA via Xinhua) Last but not least, the RCEP will allow the region and the whole world to better share China's development opportunities. After signing the agreement in 2020, China took the lead in ratifying the deal. In November 2021, China announced it has made every preparation to enforce the RCEP domestically and ensure all obligations are met. The success of the trade agreement rests on a faithful implementation. It is hoped that all parties can see the deal as an opportunity to lead the world out of its current state of distress and mark a shift towards a more open and inclusive global economy that can benefit everyone. A Vietnamese court has sentenced a former chairman of the Hanoi administration to three years imprisonment for power and position abuse, his third conviction from late 2020. After five days of trial, the Peoples Court of Hanoi on Friday gave the jail term to former chairman of the Hanoi Peoples Committee Nguyen Duc Chung on charges of abusing positions and powers while performing duties. Chung was convicted for his involvement in the case of violating bidding regulations that occurred at the Hanoi Department of Planning and Investment several years ago and resulted in serious consequences. The trial panel also handed down sentences on six other defendants for violating bidding regulations, causing serious consequences. Specifically, a 30-month sentence was each given to Nguyen Van Tu, former head of the municipal Party Committees office and former director of the municipal Department of Planning and Investment, and former deputy director of the department Nguyen Tien Hoc. Former head of the departments office Pham Thi Thu Huong and business director of Dong Kinh Development and Investment Co., Ltd. Le Duy Tuan each received a jail term of 42 months. Meanwhile, director of Dong Kinh Development and Investment Co., Ltd. Vo Viet Hung and former head of the business registration office under the municipal Department of Planning and Investment Pham Thi Kim Tuyen got four years and four years and a half in prison, respectively. The mastermind in the case is Bui Quang Huy, general director of Nhat Cuong, a technology firm and mobile phone vendor, who has fled and has been in the polices wanted list. According to the indictment, Chung illegally interfered in the bidding process for a package digitizing business registration documents at the Department of Planning and Investment in 2016. He later asked the department to allow Nhat Cuong to pilot digitalization of the auction with the purpose of making the company win the package and enjoy benefits. The court commented that Chung had committed a crime that not only violated laws but also serious affected the reputation and image of public authorities in Hanoi. Huys and his accomplices violations have falsified the contractor selection results and led to ineffective project implemetation, causing damage of more than VND26 billion (US$1.13 billion) to the States budget, the court concluded. The court assessed that the defendants' behaviors were dangerous to the society, caused damage to the State, infringed on bidding activities, and affected the transparent competition of economic activities. During the trial process, only Chung claimed him innocence, while the other defendants pleaded guilty. Regarding civil liability, the court forced Dong Kinh to return more than VND6.6 billion ($288,800) to the Hanoi Department of Planning and Investment, while the six above defendants were ordered to jointly compensate the department with over VND13.8 billion ($603,800). This is the third legal case that the former Hanoi chairman has faced over the past more than 12 months. On December 11, 2020, Chung was sentenced to five years in prison for appropriating the States secret files, and the second jail term, of eight years, was given to him on December 13, 2021 for the same offense as the third case. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A Vietnamese court has sentenced a former chairman of the Hanoi administration to three years imprisonment for power and position abuse, his third conviction from late 2020. After five days of trial, the Peoples Court of Hanoi on Friday gave the jail term to former chairman of the Hanoi Peoples Committee Nguyen Duc Chung on charges of abusing positions and powers while performing duties. Chung was convicted for his involvement in the case of violating bidding regulations that occurred at the Hanoi Department of Planning and Investment several years ago and resulted in serious consequences. The trial panel also handed down sentences on six other defendants for violating bidding regulations, causing serious consequences. Specifically, a 30-month sentence was each given to Nguyen Van Tu, former head of the municipal Party Committees office and former director of the municipal Department of Planning and Investment, and former deputy director of the department Nguyen Tien Hoc. Former head of the departments office Pham Thi Thu Huong and business director of Dong Kinh Development and Investment Co., Ltd. Le Duy Tuan each received a jail term of 42 months. Meanwhile, director of Dong Kinh Development and Investment Co., Ltd. Vo Viet Hung and former head of the business registration office under the municipal Department of Planning and Investment Pham Thi Kim Tuyen got four years and four years and a half in prison, respectively. The mastermind in the case is Bui Quang Huy, general director of Nhat Cuong, a technology firm and mobile phone vendor, who has fled and has been in the polices wanted list. According to the indictment, Chung illegally interfered in the bidding process for a package digitizing business registration documents at the Department of Planning and Investment in 2016. He later asked the department to allow Nhat Cuong to pilot digitalization of the auction with the purpose of making the company win the package and enjoy benefits. The court commented that Chung had committed a crime that not only violated laws but also serious affected the reputation and image of public authorities in Hanoi. Huys and his accomplices violations have falsified the contractor selection results and led to ineffective project implemetation, causing damage of more than VND26 billion (US$1.13 billion) to the States budget, the court concluded. The court assessed that the defendants' behaviors were dangerous to the society, caused damage to the State, infringed on bidding activities, and affected the transparent competition of economic activities. During the trial process, only Chung claimed him innocence, while the other defendants pleaded guilty. Regarding civil liability, the court forced Dong Kinh to return more than VND6.6 billion ($288,800) to the Hanoi Department of Planning and Investment, while the six above defendants were ordered to jointly compensate the department with over VND13.8 billion ($603,800). This is the third legal case that the former Hanoi chairman has faced over the past more than 12 months. On December 11, 2020, Chung was sentenced to five years in prison for appropriating the States secret files, and the second jail term, of eight years, was given to him on December 13, 2021 for the same offense as the third case. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! After Hanoi and Quang Nam Province, Ho Chi Minh City has recorded five people suspected to contract the coronavirus variant Omicron but all of them have later tested negative, local health authorities said on Saturday. These five people entered Vietnam through the southern citys Tan Son Nhat International Airport on flights from December 21 to 25. They include a 29-year-old Turkish woman, who is a flight attendant, and four Vietnamese, including two men and two women, aged 22 to 49, the citys Department of Health reported. The above five cases were sampled for testing several days ago and were later found infected with the Omicron variant via genome sequencing conducted by the Ho Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute, the department said. However, they were retested on Friday and all of them were confirmed to be negative for the strain, the department said, adding that their health conditions were stable. The department has assigned the local Center for Disease Control to announce the list of all passengers on the same flights with these five people for infection tracing purposes. Earlier at a meeting on COVID-19 developments on Friday, chairman Phan Van Mai mentioned these suspected Omicron cases and forecast that similar cases might continue to appear in the city in the coming time. According to health experts, the new strain Omicron seems more contagious but less lethal than previous strains of coronavirus. The chairman requested all district authorities and concerned agencies to make more efforts to better control epidemic developments and strengthen inspections to ensure no large gatherings for celebrating the New Year and the coming Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, which will start on February 1, 2022. The citys leader asked local Department of Health to boost their monitoring to detect new Omicron cases and handle them according to the prepared plan. Authorities of all levels must tighten management over people entering the country under current regulations. The chairman also called for coordinated efforts to complete the third-dose vaccination coverage, which include booster shots and additional primary jabs, for the citys adult population in January 2022, with priority given to the high-risk group, including people over 50 years old or with underlying health conditions. Following the announcement of the suspected Omicron infections, the health department has decided to give rapid COVID-19 tests to all people entering the city from abroad at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport since January 1, 2022. Such tests will facilitate early detection of COVID-19 cases, from which infections of the new strain Omicron, if any, will be identified by genome sequencing, the department said. Also from the first day of the new year, all arrivals from abroad will make health declarations using QR codes granted by the department. Around 600 people will touch down the Tan Son Nhat International Airport during the first day of 2022, Tang Chi Thuong, director of the department, told the meeting. Under the new rules, people with full COVID-19 vaccination will not be put in quarantine when they enter Vietnam, but they instead will be observed and monitored at home. Therefore, grassroots authorities should coordinate with the health sector in controlling people entering the city from abroad, Thuong said. The first Omicron infection in the Southeast Asian country was detected in a man who arrived in Hanoi from the UK on December 19 and was quarantined upon arrival. After he tested positive for COVID-19, health experts conducted genome sequencing and officially confirmed he was carrying the Omicron variant on December 21. The central province of Quang Nam on Thursday became the second locality affected with the new variant with 14 infections officially affirmed. All these cases are Vietnamese passengers returning home from South Korea and the U.S. In recent time, Ho Chi Minh City, with high vaccination coverage rates, has seen its daily COVID-19 cases and fatalities sharply reduced, to 557 infections and 34 deaths on Friday from 1,497 and 76 on November 30, respectively, according to the Ministry of Healths data. However, the city remains the locality suffering the most from COVID-19 in Vietnam, recording 504,583 COVID-19 cases and 19,512 deaths since the pandemic erupted in the Southeast Asian nation in early 2020. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! After Hanoi and Quang Nam Province, Ho Chi Minh City has recorded five people suspected to contract the coronavirus variant Omicron but all of them have later tested negative, local health authorities said on Saturday. These five people entered Vietnam through the southern citys Tan Son Nhat International Airport on flights from December 21 to 25. They include a 29-year-old Turkish woman, who is a flight attendant, and four Vietnamese, including two men and two women, aged 22 to 49, the citys Department of Health reported. The above five cases were sampled for testing several days ago and were later found infected with the Omicron variant via genome sequencing conducted by the Ho Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute, the department said. However, they were retested on Friday and all of them were confirmed to be negative for the strain, the department said, adding that their health conditions were stable. The department has assigned the local Center for Disease Control to announce the list of all passengers on the same flights with these five people for infection tracing purposes. Earlier at a meeting on COVID-19 developments on Friday, chairman Phan Van Mai mentioned these suspected Omicron cases and forecast that similar cases might continue to appear in the city in the coming time. According to health experts, the new strain Omicron seems more contagious but less lethal than previous strains of coronavirus. The chairman requested all district authorities and concerned agencies to make more efforts to better control epidemic developments and strengthen inspections to ensure no large gatherings for celebrating the New Year and the coming Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, which will start on February 1, 2022. The citys leader asked local Department of Health to boost their monitoring to detect new Omicron cases and handle them according to the prepared plan. Authorities of all levels must tighten management over people entering the country under current regulations. The chairman also called for coordinated efforts to complete the third-dose vaccination coverage, which include booster shots and additional primary jabs, for the citys adult population in January 2022, with priority given to the high-risk group, including people over 50 years old or with underlying health conditions. Following the announcement of the suspected Omicron infections, the health department has decided to give rapid COVID-19 tests to all people entering the city from abroad at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport since January 1, 2022. Such tests will facilitate early detection of COVID-19 cases, from which infections of the new strain Omicron, if any, will be identified by genome sequencing, the department said. Also from the first day of the new year, all arrivals from abroad will make health declarations using QR codes granted by the department. Around 600 people will touch down the Tan Son Nhat International Airport during the first day of 2022, Tang Chi Thuong, director of the department, told the meeting. Under the new rules, people with full COVID-19 vaccination will not be put in quarantine when they enter Vietnam, but they instead will be observed and monitored at home. Therefore, grassroots authorities should coordinate with the health sector in controlling people entering the city from abroad, Thuong said. The first Omicron infection in the Southeast Asian country was detected in a man who arrived in Hanoi from the UK on December 19 and was quarantined upon arrival. After he tested positive for COVID-19, health experts conducted genome sequencing and officially confirmed he was carrying the Omicron variant on December 21. The central province of Quang Nam on Thursday became the second locality affected with the new variant with 14 infections officially affirmed. All these cases are Vietnamese passengers returning home from South Korea and the U.S. In recent time, Ho Chi Minh City, with high vaccination coverage rates, has seen its daily COVID-19 cases and fatalities sharply reduced, to 557 infections and 34 deaths on Friday from 1,497 and 76 on November 30, respectively, according to the Ministry of Healths data. However, the city remains the locality suffering the most from COVID-19 in Vietnam, recording 504,583 COVID-19 cases and 19,512 deaths since the pandemic erupted in the Southeast Asian nation in early 2020. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! By Anna Mehler Paperny TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada will take in female Afghan judges and their families who have been living in limbo, primarily in Greece, since their evacuation from Afghanistan in the fall, a spokesperson for the immigration minister said Friday. In addition to the judges and their families, a group totalling about 230 people, Canada will also resettle an unspecified number of Afghans from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities who had been referred by a third-party aid organization, the spokesperson said. They are expected to come to Canada next year but there is no firm date. Canada has promised to resettle 40,000 Afghan refugees but has no timeline for doing so. Since the Taliban took control of the country after the U.S. troop withdrawal in August, Canada has resettled 3,915 Afghans with connections to the Canadian government and another 2,535 on humanitarian grounds, according to government figures. Afghan women made great strides in the two decades since the Taliban last ruled the country from 1996 to 2001, joining previously all-male bastions such as the judiciary, the media and politics. "All the achievements of 20 years came back to zero within the blink of an eye," said Freshta Masoni, a family court judge staying in Athens with her toddler daughters. Since returning to power, the Taliban pledged to protect women's rights in accordance with Islamic law, announcing a general "amnesty" for all former state workers. But advocates fear a backslide to when women were not allowed to work and girls were banned from school. Even if they can leave the country, Afghan asylum-seekers may face years of waits amid logistical backlogs and delays. Western countries usually resettle refugees referred by the UN refugee agency, which has limited capacity to process applications for resettlement. "The biggest bottleneck there is the issue that referral partners in the region have not been able to ramp up capacity," Canada's immigration minister, Sean Fraser, told Reuters earlier this month. "These challenges are going to take a little bit of time to sort out." Afghanistan's refugee situation is different from the Syrian refugee crisis that galvanized the world several years ago, UN refugee agency officials and advocates say. Unlike Syria, the Afghan crisis escalated rapidly during a global pandemic and many face difficulties leaving the country. Those who do leave face additional waits, often in countries with little capacity to support them. Some of the female judges, who have been living in Greece since October, told Reuters they have lacked health coverage because of their temporary visa status. Advocates have called on countries to resettle Afghans without requiring a designation from the UNHCR or other NGOs, a step Canada has signalled it is open to. (Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) After Hanoi and Quang Nam Province, Ho Chi Minh City has recorded five people suspected to contract the coronavirus variant Omicron but all of them have later tested negative, local health authorities said on Saturday. These five people entered Vietnam through the southern citys Tan Son Nhat International Airport on flights from December 21 to 25. They include a 29-year-old Turkish woman, who is a flight attendant, and four Vietnamese, including two men and two women, aged 22 to 49, the citys Department of Health reported. The above five cases were sampled for testing several days ago and were later found infected with the Omicron variant via genome sequencing conducted by the Ho Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute, the department said. However, they were retested on Friday and all of them were confirmed to be negative for the strain, the department said, adding that their health conditions were stable. The department has assigned the local Center for Disease Control to announce the list of all passengers on the same flights with these five people for infection tracing purposes. Earlier at a meeting on COVID-19 developments on Friday, chairman Phan Van Mai mentioned these suspected Omicron cases and forecast that similar cases might continue to appear in the city in the coming time. According to health experts, the new strain Omicron seems more contagious but less lethal than previous strains of coronavirus. The chairman requested all district authorities and concerned agencies to make more efforts to better control epidemic developments and strengthen inspections to ensure no large gatherings for celebrating the New Year and the coming Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, which will start on February 1, 2022. The citys leader asked local Department of Health to boost their monitoring to detect new Omicron cases and handle them according to the prepared plan. Authorities of all levels must tighten management over people entering the country under current regulations. The chairman also called for coordinated efforts to complete the third-dose vaccination coverage, which include booster shots and additional primary jabs, for the citys adult population in January 2022, with priority given to the high-risk group, including people over 50 years old or with underlying health conditions. Following the announcement of the suspected Omicron infections, the health department has decided to give rapid COVID-19 tests to all people entering the city from abroad at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport since January 1, 2022. Such tests will facilitate early detection of COVID-19 cases, from which infections of the new strain Omicron, if any, will be identified by genome sequencing, the department said. Also from the first day of the new year, all arrivals from abroad will make health declarations using QR codes granted by the department. Around 600 people will touch down the Tan Son Nhat International Airport during the first day of 2022, Tang Chi Thuong, director of the department, told the meeting. Under the new rules, people with full COVID-19 vaccination will not be put in quarantine when they enter Vietnam, but they instead will be observed and monitored at home. Therefore, grassroots authorities should coordinate with the health sector in controlling people entering the city from abroad, Thuong said. The first Omicron infection in the Southeast Asian country was detected in a man who arrived in Hanoi from the UK on December 19 and was quarantined upon arrival. After he tested positive for COVID-19, health experts conducted genome sequencing and officially confirmed he was carrying the Omicron variant on December 21. The central province of Quang Nam on Thursday became the second locality affected with the new variant with 14 infections officially affirmed. All these cases are Vietnamese passengers returning home from South Korea and the U.S. In recent time, Ho Chi Minh City, with high vaccination coverage rates, has seen its daily COVID-19 cases and fatalities sharply reduced, to 557 infections and 34 deaths on Friday from 1,497 and 76 on November 30, respectively, according to the Ministry of Healths data. However, the city remains the locality suffering the most from COVID-19 in Vietnam, recording 504,583 COVID-19 cases and 19,512 deaths since the pandemic erupted in the Southeast Asian nation in early 2020. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! After Hanoi and Quang Nam Province, Ho Chi Minh City has recorded five people suspected to contract the coronavirus variant Omicron but all of them have later tested negative, local health authorities said on Saturday. These five people entered Vietnam through the southern citys Tan Son Nhat International Airport on flights from December 21 to 25. They include a 29-year-old Turkish woman, who is a flight attendant, and four Vietnamese, including two men and two women, aged 22 to 49, the citys Department of Health reported. The above five cases were sampled for testing several days ago and were later found infected with the Omicron variant via genome sequencing conducted by the Ho Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute, the department said. However, they were retested on Friday and all of them were confirmed to be negative for the strain, the department said, adding that their health conditions were stable. The department has assigned the local Center for Disease Control to announce the list of all passengers on the same flights with these five people for infection tracing purposes. Earlier at a meeting on COVID-19 developments on Friday, chairman Phan Van Mai mentioned these suspected Omicron cases and forecast that similar cases might continue to appear in the city in the coming time. According to health experts, the new strain Omicron seems more contagious but less lethal than previous strains of coronavirus. The chairman requested all district authorities and concerned agencies to make more efforts to better control epidemic developments and strengthen inspections to ensure no large gatherings for celebrating the New Year and the coming Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, which will start on February 1, 2022. The citys leader asked local Department of Health to boost their monitoring to detect new Omicron cases and handle them according to the prepared plan. Authorities of all levels must tighten management over people entering the country under current regulations. The chairman also called for coordinated efforts to complete the third-dose vaccination coverage, which include booster shots and additional primary jabs, for the citys adult population in January 2022, with priority given to the high-risk group, including people over 50 years old or with underlying health conditions. Following the announcement of the suspected Omicron infections, the health department has decided to give rapid COVID-19 tests to all people entering the city from abroad at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport since January 1, 2022. Such tests will facilitate early detection of COVID-19 cases, from which infections of the new strain Omicron, if any, will be identified by genome sequencing, the department said. Also from the first day of the new year, all arrivals from abroad will make health declarations using QR codes granted by the department. Around 600 people will touch down the Tan Son Nhat International Airport during the first day of 2022, Tang Chi Thuong, director of the department, told the meeting. Under the new rules, people with full COVID-19 vaccination will not be put in quarantine when they enter Vietnam, but they instead will be observed and monitored at home. Therefore, grassroots authorities should coordinate with the health sector in controlling people entering the city from abroad, Thuong said. The first Omicron infection in the Southeast Asian country was detected in a man who arrived in Hanoi from the UK on December 19 and was quarantined upon arrival. After he tested positive for COVID-19, health experts conducted genome sequencing and officially confirmed he was carrying the Omicron variant on December 21. The central province of Quang Nam on Thursday became the second locality affected with the new variant with 14 infections officially affirmed. All these cases are Vietnamese passengers returning home from South Korea and the U.S. In recent time, Ho Chi Minh City, with high vaccination coverage rates, has seen its daily COVID-19 cases and fatalities sharply reduced, to 557 infections and 34 deaths on Friday from 1,497 and 76 on November 30, respectively, according to the Ministry of Healths data. However, the city remains the locality suffering the most from COVID-19 in Vietnam, recording 504,583 COVID-19 cases and 19,512 deaths since the pandemic erupted in the Southeast Asian nation in early 2020. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! After Hanoi and Quang Nam Province, Ho Chi Minh City has recorded five people suspected to contract the coronavirus variant Omicron but all of them have later tested negative, local health authorities said on Saturday. These five people entered Vietnam through the southern citys Tan Son Nhat International Airport on flights from December 21 to 25. They include a 29-year-old Turkish woman, who is a flight attendant, and four Vietnamese, including two men and two women, aged 22 to 49, the citys Department of Health reported. The above five cases were sampled for testing several days ago and were later found infected with the Omicron variant via genome sequencing conducted by the Ho Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute, the department said. However, they were retested on Friday and all of them were confirmed to be negative for the strain, the department said, adding that their health conditions were stable. The department has assigned the local Center for Disease Control to announce the list of all passengers on the same flights with these five people for infection tracing purposes. Earlier at a meeting on COVID-19 developments on Friday, chairman Phan Van Mai mentioned these suspected Omicron cases and forecast that similar cases might continue to appear in the city in the coming time. According to health experts, the new strain Omicron seems more contagious but less lethal than previous strains of coronavirus. The chairman requested all district authorities and concerned agencies to make more efforts to better control epidemic developments and strengthen inspections to ensure no large gatherings for celebrating the New Year and the coming Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, which will start on February 1, 2022. The citys leader asked local Department of Health to boost their monitoring to detect new Omicron cases and handle them according to the prepared plan. Authorities of all levels must tighten management over people entering the country under current regulations. The chairman also called for coordinated efforts to complete the third-dose vaccination coverage, which include booster shots and additional primary jabs, for the citys adult population in January 2022, with priority given to the high-risk group, including people over 50 years old or with underlying health conditions. Following the announcement of the suspected Omicron infections, the health department has decided to give rapid COVID-19 tests to all people entering the city from abroad at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport since January 1, 2022. Such tests will facilitate early detection of COVID-19 cases, from which infections of the new strain Omicron, if any, will be identified by genome sequencing, the department said. Also from the first day of the new year, all arrivals from abroad will make health declarations using QR codes granted by the department. Around 600 people will touch down the Tan Son Nhat International Airport during the first day of 2022, Tang Chi Thuong, director of the department, told the meeting. Under the new rules, people with full COVID-19 vaccination will not be put in quarantine when they enter Vietnam, but they instead will be observed and monitored at home. Therefore, grassroots authorities should coordinate with the health sector in controlling people entering the city from abroad, Thuong said. The first Omicron infection in the Southeast Asian country was detected in a man who arrived in Hanoi from the UK on December 19 and was quarantined upon arrival. After he tested positive for COVID-19, health experts conducted genome sequencing and officially confirmed he was carrying the Omicron variant on December 21. The central province of Quang Nam on Thursday became the second locality affected with the new variant with 14 infections officially affirmed. All these cases are Vietnamese passengers returning home from South Korea and the U.S. In recent time, Ho Chi Minh City, with high vaccination coverage rates, has seen its daily COVID-19 cases and fatalities sharply reduced, to 557 infections and 34 deaths on Friday from 1,497 and 76 on November 30, respectively, according to the Ministry of Healths data. However, the city remains the locality suffering the most from COVID-19 in Vietnam, recording 504,583 COVID-19 cases and 19,512 deaths since the pandemic erupted in the Southeast Asian nation in early 2020. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A Vietnamese court has sentenced a former chairman of the Hanoi administration to three years imprisonment for power and position abuse, his third conviction from late 2020. After five days of trial, the Peoples Court of Hanoi on Friday gave the jail term to former chairman of the Hanoi Peoples Committee Nguyen Duc Chung on charges of abusing positions and powers while performing duties. Chung was convicted for his involvement in the case of violating bidding regulations that occurred at the Hanoi Department of Planning and Investment several years ago and resulted in serious consequences. The trial panel also handed down sentences on six other defendants for violating bidding regulations, causing serious consequences. Specifically, a 30-month sentence was each given to Nguyen Van Tu, former head of the municipal Party Committees office and former director of the municipal Department of Planning and Investment, and former deputy director of the department Nguyen Tien Hoc. Former head of the departments office Pham Thi Thu Huong and business director of Dong Kinh Development and Investment Co., Ltd. Le Duy Tuan each received a jail term of 42 months. Meanwhile, director of Dong Kinh Development and Investment Co., Ltd. Vo Viet Hung and former head of the business registration office under the municipal Department of Planning and Investment Pham Thi Kim Tuyen got four years and four years and a half in prison, respectively. The mastermind in the case is Bui Quang Huy, general director of Nhat Cuong, a technology firm and mobile phone vendor, who has fled and has been in the polices wanted list. According to the indictment, Chung illegally interfered in the bidding process for a package digitizing business registration documents at the Department of Planning and Investment in 2016. He later asked the department to allow Nhat Cuong to pilot digitalization of the auction with the purpose of making the company win the package and enjoy benefits. The court commented that Chung had committed a crime that not only violated laws but also serious affected the reputation and image of public authorities in Hanoi. Huys and his accomplices violations have falsified the contractor selection results and led to ineffective project implemetation, causing damage of more than VND26 billion (US$1.13 billion) to the States budget, the court concluded. The court assessed that the defendants' behaviors were dangerous to the society, caused damage to the State, infringed on bidding activities, and affected the transparent competition of economic activities. During the trial process, only Chung claimed him innocence, while the other defendants pleaded guilty. Regarding civil liability, the court forced Dong Kinh to return more than VND6.6 billion ($288,800) to the Hanoi Department of Planning and Investment, while the six above defendants were ordered to jointly compensate the department with over VND13.8 billion ($603,800). This is the third legal case that the former Hanoi chairman has faced over the past more than 12 months. On December 11, 2020, Chung was sentenced to five years in prison for appropriating the States secret files, and the second jail term, of eight years, was given to him on December 13, 2021 for the same offense as the third case. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Caledonia Fire Department, like nearly all publicly funded fire and rescue operations, is not allowed to refuse service to someone who calls the department. Thats part of why call volume to senior care facilities has gone through the roof since 2018, Fire Chief Jeffrey Henningfeld said at a Dec. 6 Caledonia Village Board meeting. In 2018, calls to the multibuilding Parkview Senior-Living Community totaled 201. This year, through Dec. 15, it was 451. Older people tend to have an increased need for emergency medical services, especially when they remain independent longer. Its not just Parkview. Its all of our senior living facilities, Henningfeld said. Its not that were complaining about it, it just is that way. Were trying to meet the needs of the community and the needs are increasing. Theres a myriad of reasons why. States aging population The Caledonia Fire Department answered 2,964 calls last year and answered approximately 3,170 calls this year. For the most part, responses to senior living facilities increased. The Siena Retreat Center campus called for CFD assistance 50 times in 2020 and 82 times in 2021. Frontidas Willowgreen Home assisted living facility saw its calls climb from 49 in 2020 to 75 in 2021. The Woods of Caledonia retirement community decreased its number of calls from 107 to 80 in those same years. More calls means more costs for the CFD, and thus more costs to taxpayers, especially when Medicare and Medicaid dont always pay enough to cover the costs of each individual call. Henningfeld said he fears the communitys needs may not be met if the department loses staffing, and personnel wants to be able to continue to serve the community at its current staffing numbers. Regardless of the numbers themselves, Wisconsins population is aging fast, and the numbers of medical professionals in the state is not growing at the same rate. According to a report from the Wisconsin Hospitals Association: From 2017 to 2032, the U.S. population under age 18 is projected to grow by only 3.5%, while the population aged 65 and over is projected to grow by 48%, and the population aged 75 and older is projected to grow by a staggering 75.3%. These trends will likely hold true in Wisconsin. According to state data, as of 2015, more than one-fifth of the populations of all but nine of Wisconsins counties were age 60 and older, and no countys populations was more than two-fifths comprised of those 60 and over. By 2030, projections show that every Wisconsin countys population is to be at least 20% people who are 60 and older, and 10 counties (all of them in central or northern Wisconsin) are to have 40% of their populations age 60 or older. Racine, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant Cynthia White, division chief of professional standards, health and safety for the Racine Fire Department, said the department hasnt seen anything in senior living responses as significant as Caledonia, but perhaps some slight increases. In 2020, calls to Home Harbor were 49 and in 2021 to date, they were 61. Calls to Prospect Heights Community Living decreased from 26 in 2020 to 22 in 2021. Calls to The Villa at Lincoln Park doubled, from 53 to 106 during those same years. She said the numbers may not entirely reflect seniors need for medical attention or EMS, however, because in 2020, most senior living facilities were locked down and didnt allow visitors, including emergency personnel. We werent at the facilities at all because they werent allowing people there, White said. We usually are going into some of their rooms. We didnt do that. We werent going, they werent calling. Calls just kind of everybody disappeared. Randy Marvin, co-owner of Prospect Heights along with his wife, Elizabeth, said he and other Prospect staff members dont call EMS unless someone has a more serious condition. Residents who need to go to prompt care will be transported via a private ambulance service. If an ambulance company is estimating a long wait time, staff will call another company. Then if no one can come, thats when EMS is called. Prospect staff also do their own transport. Marvin said the residential facility can house up to 52 people, but the population is down to 46, which is a bit of a decrease from last year, and could contribute to there being fewer fire department calls. Our residents all have their own doctors, their own appointments. We keep them all in good health, Marvin said. We dont have any major dramas where we cant take care of them ourselves. Weve been here for 20 years and we know what were doing here. Weve got things down to a science. Chief Robert Stedman of the South Shore Fire Department said EMS calls in total have actually been down compared to a year ago; they total 81.4% of the departments calls this year compared to 83% of the calls last year. The total call volume has increased by 15% from 2020 to 2021 and the department that serves Mount Pleasant, Sturtevant and Elmwood Park receives about 68% more calls than Caledonia. He said a lot of department calls for senior citizens are to single-family homes, apartments and condominiums as well, not necessarily only senior living facilities. Michael Wienke, a South Shore battalion chief, shift commander and EMS supervisor, said the department experienced an increase in call volumes from 2018-2021 as well, but the numbers appear to be linked to an increase in traffic, development, residential growth and population not senior living centers specifically. In 2020, the department had 4,613 responses to calls. In 2021, the department is on pace to respond to 5,305 calls. Calls to Ridgewood Care Center went from 82 in 2020 to 99 in 2021. Across that same span: calls to Killarney Kourt retirement home increased from 73 to 93, Fountain Hills senior apartments calls decreased from 70 to 58, and Pleasant Point Senior Living calls held steady from 120 to 119 in those same years. However, from 2019 to this year so far, Pleasant Points total has more than tripled, from 39 to 119. Jim Tarantino, founder and principal of Capri Communities, the company that operates Killarney Kourt, said the increase in EMS calls could be due to the fact the population is aging. It mainly has to do with their health conditions and theyre getting older, Tarantino said. Their needs are higher. His company has locations in the Madison area as well as southeastern Wisconsin and staff has reported situations where ambulances cant arrive for pickups for hours or will altogether refuse transport. Some senior living facilities have said private ambulances cant come until the next day. Some hospitals will refuse to admit patients. Tarantino said hes gotten very low amounts of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (the CARES Act) money to help with the labor shortage and COVID-19-related expenses. His staff is getting burnt out too. Were really struggling from a financial standpoint because we dont have any support, Tarantino said. Ive contacted government officials and I have yet to see any material responses. The government, frankly, is turning its back on us. Its very disheartening. West end Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company Fire Chief Justin Lyman said he, too, has felt an increase in the number of calls to senior facilities. He said he cant think of many reasons the department would refuse to take calls to such facilities. Theres only a few small senior homes in the Town of Norway, he said, but the senior population is growing. We understand that different facilities offer different levels of medical care. When they run into a situation that is outside of their scope of practice, thats where we are able to step in as a resource, Lyman said in an email. It certainly seems most of the construction recently, on the west end, has been senior based. Kansasville Fire and Rescue Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ron Molnar said department calls to senior living facilities havent spiked or skyrocketed they might have a slight increase, but nothing astronomical. The only senior living facility within Kansasville Fire and Rescues district is Boland Hall, a residential building on the campus of the Wisconsin Veterans Home in Union Grove, located in the Town of Dover. The department has one ambulance. If theres a second call at the same time the department is responding to a first call, it relies on mutual aid. Over the past several years, the number of calls have remained steady, he said. This is true even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said didnt affect the data. Its not COVID-related, whatsoever, Molnar said. People have chronic health conditions or are generally sick that need to go to the hospital. Ambulance series Part 1: Racine County has long been facing shortages of EMTs. Costs are rising as a result. Part 2: When payment for emergency medical services far undercuts actual costs. Part 3, today: How an aging population is severely driving up demand for taxpayer-funded emergency services. Developer contests Alf McConnell, developer of the Parkview Senior-Living Community, one of the largest such facilities in southeastern Wisconsin, said the call numbers for Parkview of 201 in 2018 to 451 in 2021 seemed unrealistically high, and claimed the data may be incorrect. Somebodys made a mistake, I think, McConnell said. McConnell doesnt keep data internally of the number of times someone at Parkview requests assistance from the Caledonia Fire Department, but he said he hasnt noticed an increase of calls. Its not that often. Its not like were seeing a line of ambulances lined up at the front door, McConnell said. (But) I cant say theres been a decrease either. That implies that Im standing there keeping track of ambulances that come there, and thats not the case. The Caledonia Fire Department, like nearly all publicly funded fire and rescue operations, is not allowed to refuse service to someone who calls the department. Thats part of why call volume to senior care facilities has gone through the roof since 2018, Fire Chief Jeffrey Henningfeld said at a Dec. 6 Caledonia Village Board meeting. In 2018, calls to the multibuilding Parkview Senior-Living Community totaled 201. This year, through Dec. 15, it was 451. Older people tend to have an increased need for emergency medical services, especially when they remain independent longer. Its not just Parkview. Its all of our senior living facilities, Henningfeld said. Its not that were complaining about it, it just is that way. Were trying to meet the needs of the community and the needs are increasing. Theres a myriad of reasons why. States aging population The Caledonia Fire Department answered 2,964 calls last year and answered approximately 3,170 calls this year. For the most part, responses to senior living facilities increased. The Siena Retreat Center campus called for CFD assistance 50 times in 2020 and 82 times in 2021. Frontidas Willowgreen Home assisted living facility saw its calls climb from 49 in 2020 to 75 in 2021. The Woods of Caledonia retirement community decreased its number of calls from 107 to 80 in those same years. More calls means more costs for the CFD, and thus more costs to taxpayers, especially when Medicare and Medicaid dont always pay enough to cover the costs of each individual call. Henningfeld said he fears the communitys needs may not be met if the department loses staffing, and personnel wants to be able to continue to serve the community at its current staffing numbers. Regardless of the numbers themselves, Wisconsins population is aging fast, and the numbers of medical professionals in the state is not growing at the same rate. According to a report from the Wisconsin Hospitals Association: From 2017 to 2032, the U.S. population under age 18 is projected to grow by only 3.5%, while the population aged 65 and over is projected to grow by 48%, and the population aged 75 and older is projected to grow by a staggering 75.3%. These trends will likely hold true in Wisconsin. According to state data, as of 2015, more than one-fifth of the populations of all but nine of Wisconsins counties were age 60 and older, and no countys populations was more than two-fifths comprised of those 60 and over. By 2030, projections show that every Wisconsin countys population is to be at least 20% people who are 60 and older, and 10 counties (all of them in central or northern Wisconsin) are to have 40% of their populations age 60 or older. Racine, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant Cynthia White, division chief of professional standards, health and safety for the Racine Fire Department, said the department hasnt seen anything in senior living responses as significant as Caledonia, but perhaps some slight increases. In 2020, calls to Home Harbor were 49 and in 2021 to date, they were 61. Calls to Prospect Heights Community Living decreased from 26 in 2020 to 22 in 2021. Calls to The Villa at Lincoln Park doubled, from 53 to 106 during those same years. She said the numbers may not entirely reflect seniors need for medical attention or EMS, however, because in 2020, most senior living facilities were locked down and didnt allow visitors, including emergency personnel. We werent at the facilities at all because they werent allowing people there, White said. We usually are going into some of their rooms. We didnt do that. We werent going, they werent calling. Calls just kind of everybody disappeared. Randy Marvin, co-owner of Prospect Heights along with his wife, Elizabeth, said he and other Prospect staff members dont call EMS unless someone has a more serious condition. Residents who need to go to prompt care will be transported via a private ambulance service. If an ambulance company is estimating a long wait time, staff will call another company. Then if no one can come, thats when EMS is called. Prospect staff also do their own transport. Marvin said the residential facility can house up to 52 people, but the population is down to 46, which is a bit of a decrease from last year, and could contribute to there being fewer fire department calls. Our residents all have their own doctors, their own appointments. We keep them all in good health, Marvin said. We dont have any major dramas where we cant take care of them ourselves. Weve been here for 20 years and we know what were doing here. Weve got things down to a science. Chief Robert Stedman of the South Shore Fire Department said EMS calls in total have actually been down compared to a year ago; they total 81.4% of the departments calls this year compared to 83% of the calls last year. The total call volume has increased by 15% from 2020 to 2021 and the department that serves Mount Pleasant, Sturtevant and Elmwood Park receives about 68% more calls than Caledonia. He said a lot of department calls for senior citizens are to single-family homes, apartments and condominiums as well, not necessarily only senior living facilities. Michael Wienke, a South Shore battalion chief, shift commander and EMS supervisor, said the department experienced an increase in call volumes from 2018-2021 as well, but the numbers appear to be linked to an increase in traffic, development, residential growth and population not senior living centers specifically. In 2020, the department had 4,613 responses to calls. In 2021, the department is on pace to respond to 5,305 calls. Calls to Ridgewood Care Center went from 82 in 2020 to 99 in 2021. Across that same span: calls to Killarney Kourt retirement home increased from 73 to 93, Fountain Hills senior apartments calls decreased from 70 to 58, and Pleasant Point Senior Living calls held steady from 120 to 119 in those same years. However, from 2019 to this year so far, Pleasant Points total has more than tripled, from 39 to 119. Jim Tarantino, founder and principal of Capri Communities, the company that operates Killarney Kourt, said the increase in EMS calls could be due to the fact the population is aging. It mainly has to do with their health conditions and theyre getting older, Tarantino said. Their needs are higher. His company has locations in the Madison area as well as southeastern Wisconsin and staff has reported situations where ambulances cant arrive for pickups for hours or will altogether refuse transport. Some senior living facilities have said private ambulances cant come until the next day. Some hospitals will refuse to admit patients. Tarantino said hes gotten very low amounts of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (the CARES Act) money to help with the labor shortage and COVID-19-related expenses. His staff is getting burnt out too. Were really struggling from a financial standpoint because we dont have any support, Tarantino said. Ive contacted government officials and I have yet to see any material responses. The government, frankly, is turning its back on us. Its very disheartening. West end Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company Fire Chief Justin Lyman said he, too, has felt an increase in the number of calls to senior facilities. He said he cant think of many reasons the department would refuse to take calls to such facilities. Theres only a few small senior homes in the Town of Norway, he said, but the senior population is growing. We understand that different facilities offer different levels of medical care. When they run into a situation that is outside of their scope of practice, thats where we are able to step in as a resource, Lyman said in an email. It certainly seems most of the construction recently, on the west end, has been senior based. Kansasville Fire and Rescue Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ron Molnar said department calls to senior living facilities havent spiked or skyrocketed they might have a slight increase, but nothing astronomical. The only senior living facility within Kansasville Fire and Rescues district is Boland Hall, a residential building on the campus of the Wisconsin Veterans Home in Union Grove, located in the Town of Dover. The department has one ambulance. If theres a second call at the same time the department is responding to a first call, it relies on mutual aid. Over the past several years, the number of calls have remained steady, he said. This is true even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said didnt affect the data. Its not COVID-related, whatsoever, Molnar said. People have chronic health conditions or are generally sick that need to go to the hospital. Ambulance series Part 1: Racine County has long been facing shortages of EMTs. Costs are rising as a result. Part 2: When payment for emergency medical services far undercuts actual costs. Part 3, today: How an aging population is severely driving up demand for taxpayer-funded emergency services. Developer contests Alf McConnell, developer of the Parkview Senior-Living Community, one of the largest such facilities in southeastern Wisconsin, said the call numbers for Parkview of 201 in 2018 to 451 in 2021 seemed unrealistically high, and claimed the data may be incorrect. Somebodys made a mistake, I think, McConnell said. McConnell doesnt keep data internally of the number of times someone at Parkview requests assistance from the Caledonia Fire Department, but he said he hasnt noticed an increase of calls. Its not that often. Its not like were seeing a line of ambulances lined up at the front door, McConnell said. (But) I cant say theres been a decrease either. That implies that Im standing there keeping track of ambulances that come there, and thats not the case. Pastor Jack Hibbs in an interview with The Epoch Times at a TurningPointUSA event in Phoenix, Ariz., in December 2021. (The Epoch Times) People Are Waking up and California Is Coming Back: Pastor Jack Hibbs The high crime rates, the governors long and strict lockdowns, high taxes, high living costs, roaming homeless people in the cities California seems to have lost its appeal and more people are leaving the state. However, pastor Jack Hibbs sees the hope of the Golden State and believes its coming back. I think weve hit bottom, and were coming back, Hibbs told The Epoch Times during a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix last week. Hibbs is an eminent pastor in the nation and Calvary Chapel Chino Hills founder. He was part of former President Donald Trumps evangelical team. He has captured headlines during the past year and a half for his firm stances against lockdowns, church-closing, and vaccine mandates. California used to be the bastion of fill-in-the-blank, the bastion of prosperity, the bastion of the laid back California lifestyle, it was the place of innovation California is the only state in the nation that can boast mission, preaching stations, among other things, Hibbs said, noting that now California has sunk terribly and become the laughingstock of the nation. However, Hibbs believes and sees that people are waking up. Believe it or not, people are coming to California or coming back to California to do the right thing. And that is to take possession of their state again. On Dec. 15, a new study by the California Policy Lab found that more people are moving out of the state12 percent higher than pre-pandemic levelsespecially the Bay Area. However, the study showed therere still people moving into the state, only at a rate much lower than the pre-pandemic level38 percent lower. In these last two years, weve had nothing but growth, Hibbs said, referring to his church. Weve had thousands of people added to the church. We baptize 3,000 people on a Saturday. Why? Because people are looking for truth. And so they found out that just a warm, feel-good, secret-type message doesnt answer you in the day of trouble. Gods word answers you in the day of trouble. So thats what were all about. And thats why were seeing a response. Hibbs website states that his church ministers weekly to over ten thousand people on campus and millions worldwide through daily media outreach programs. Last July, when Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that churches must again close their doors, Hibbs said it was a mistake to close church at the first time, and he would never close the church again. Hibbs said he sent a video to the governors office saying, If youre going to close the church, you have to physically come and shut the doors. Later Newsom lost a lawsuit, and the state can no longer place discriminatory COVID-19 restrictions on church services. Why were the most prosperous nation? Why were the most free? Why is there such a big battle about vaccination or no vaccination? We get to fight that issue. Were Americans, Hibbs told The Epoch Times. Hibbs supports Navy SEALs who have filed suit to seek religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine. He asked his congregation to pray for First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to defending religious freedom and representing the Navy SEALs. Worshippers gather for service during the COVID-19 pandemic in the courtyard of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino Hills, Calif. (Courtesy of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills) I have children, I have grandchildren, and thats why Im fighting, Hibbs said. When Hibbs went to school as a kid in Orange County, California, they had the Bible in class and prayer in class. They had the Pledge of Allegiance in the classroom. But later, Bible or ten commandments were no longer allowed on the wall. Well, you look at the data. Look at the decades that followed. Its been nothing but degradation, Hibbs added. Hibbs recognized that the legacy media has taken people to the dark side of things. We get to now challenge the false narrative, Hibbs said. So dont lose heart. I would say to people be very discerning about what you hear. And make sure that youre hearing it from a source that has no agenda except to bring truth. Stand firm with what is right and true, Hibbs said. The Bible calls it righteousnessdont let that word scare youit simply means to do the right thing: against tweets, against blogs, against any intimidation, do the right thing. At the end of the day, do what you know is right and youll sleep good, and youll become fearless because you will have done the right thing. Nick Vandennieuwenhof and Jamie Joseph contributed to this report. A Smyth County woman arrested last summer after police say she left her 7-year-old grandson inside a locked car while she shopped at Walmart has been indicted by a Smyth County grand jury on a charge of abuse or neglect of a child. The grand jury returned the indictment for 71-year-old Betty Jean Lyons during its Dec. 14 session. According to a criminal complaint, Marion police responded to the scene after receiving a call about a child who was inside the car sweating profusely with the windows rolled up. When police arrived, the boy appeared to be having trouble breathing, the complaint said. Unable to get the doors open, Officer Jeff Davis busted the window. Sgt. April Morgan wrote in the complaint that Davis was unable to unlock the door from the inside and so entered the car through the broken window. When he stuck his head through the window the heat immediately took his breath away, Morgan wrote. The boy, who Morgan noted was drenched with sweat, was treated on scene by Marion Fire-EMS The complaint goes on to say that Marion Fire-EMS used a thermal imaging camera to measure the temperature inside the vehicle, which registered 130 degrees. After reviewing surveillance footage inside Walmart, police were able to determine that Lyons had been inside the store for approximately an hour and 20 minutes, according to the complaint. Lyons, who had custody of her grandson at the time of the incident, told police that he did not want to come inside the store with her because his feet were hurting. Lyons is scheduled for trial Jan. 5, 2022. The Grand Jury also heard sufficient evidence to indict a Chilhowie man who now faces sexual abuse charges that date back to 2012. According to information contained in the indictments, 32-year-old Jaron Cory Logan is accused of sexually abusing a family member under the age of 13 on or around November 2012. Logan, who was charged through direct indictment, was indicted on five counts of rape, five counts of incest and one count of forceful sodomy. He is scheduled for trial on March 2. Also indicted during the Grand Jurys December term is a 20-year-old Chilhowie man accused of impregnating a 14-year-old girl. According to a complaint filed at the Smyth County Courthouse, Jackson Sanders Moore, then 19, was in a relationship with the girl who was pregnant. By listening in to jail conversations, investigators learned that Moore was the father to the teens unborn child. Moore, who was arrested in April, now faces a charge of having carnal knowledge of a child between the ages of 13 and 15. He is scheduled for trial Feb. 2, 2022. The grand jury also handed down indictments to the following individuals: Christopher Adam Joliffe, 37, of Marion, was indicted on a failure to register as a sex offender charge. William Ray Perkins II, 40, of Marion, was indicted on strangulation and eluding police charges. Brian Christopher Bowles, 46, of Marion, was indicted on a third offense assault and battery charge. Bucky Bo Buchanan, 40, of Saltville, was indicted on an assault and battery of a law enforcement officer charge. Heather Poston, 39, of Damascus, was indicted on two counts abuse or neglect of a child, one count possession of methamphetamine and one count eluding police. Dakota Manuel Reynolds, 25, of Saltville, was indicted on charges of destruction of property and eluding police. Christopher Dale Arnold, 36, of Rural Retreat, was indicted on four counts statutory burglary and two counts grand larceny Joshua Austin Price, 24, of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. James Rodney Neal Jr., of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. Eric Wayne Mercer, 40, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a statutory burglary charge. Timothy Dwayne Dennison Jr. 24, of Sugar Grove, was indicted on a charge of possession of burglarious tools. Jeni Marie James, 38, of Atkins, was indicted on a credit card theft charge. Lenar Tyree Perkins, 30, of Marion, was indicted on an obstruction of justice charge. Bobby Dean Pruitt, 41, of Atkins, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Cory Ryan Butts, 32, of Woodbridge, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Carl Thomas Rhea, 42, of Wytheville, was indicted on a charge of forging a public document. Danny Musick, 54, of Marion, was indicted on three counts possession of methamphetamine and one count possession of ammunition by a felon. David Allen Tilson, 40, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Grove Trivett, 53, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Judy Elizabeth Hess, 62, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Michael Ray Brown, 47, of Galax, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Torry Chamont Perkins, 31, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Joshua William King, 38, of Wytheville, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Able, 41, of Abingdon, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Bryan James Barker, 35, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Toni Draper, 41, of Dublin, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Carrie Ann Olinger, 34, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. David Stanley Surber, 30, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Jeremy Simms, 35, of Atkins, was indicted on a possession of hydrocodone charge. Individuals arrested on charges stemming from direct indictments handed down during the September 2021 grand jury session are as follows: George Adam Terry, 35, of Saltville, was indicted on five counts distribution of buprenorphine, three counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Crystal Ann Jones, 37, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count distribution of buprenorphine. Charles Lynn Morgan, 29, of Abingdon, was indicted on three counts distribution of methamphetamine. Justin Wayne Harris, 58, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Robert Homer Firestone III, also known as Bobby Firestone, 34, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of buprenorphine. John Richard Gardner, also known as Pooh Gardner, 47, of Marion was indicted on distribution of methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine near a recreation facility. Archie Luther Young, 46, of Marion was indicted on charges of distribution of imitation methamphetamine and petit larceny. Jonathan Firestone, 32, of Marion, was indicted on two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Hanna Jade Briscoe, 22, of Atkins, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine. Dejuan Marquis Brewer, 31, of Saltville, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Jodi Cleary, 50 of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Robert Adam Gore, 29, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Matthew Allen Huffman, 29, of Sugar Grove, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Monica Reedy Lambert, 43, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Christopher Lee Tilson, 35, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Mary Ellen Tester, 49, of Marion, was indicted on two counts possession of methamphetamine. Gerald Putman Jr., 47, of Bristol, was indicted on a welfare fraud charge. Those indicted will stand trial in Smyth County Circuit Court. The Caledonia Fire Department, like nearly all publicly funded fire and rescue operations, is not allowed to refuse service to someone who calls the department. Thats part of why call volume to senior care facilities has gone through the roof since 2018, Fire Chief Jeffrey Henningfeld said at a Dec. 6 Caledonia Village Board meeting. In 2018, calls to the multibuilding Parkview Senior-Living Community totaled 201. This year, through Dec. 15, it was 451. Older people tend to have an increased need for emergency medical services, especially when they remain independent longer. Its not just Parkview. Its all of our senior living facilities, Henningfeld said. Its not that were complaining about it, it just is that way. Were trying to meet the needs of the community and the needs are increasing. Theres a myriad of reasons why. States aging population The Caledonia Fire Department answered 2,964 calls last year and answered approximately 3,170 calls this year. For the most part, responses to senior living facilities increased. The Siena Retreat Center campus called for CFD assistance 50 times in 2020 and 82 times in 2021. Frontidas Willowgreen Home assisted living facility saw its calls climb from 49 in 2020 to 75 in 2021. The Woods of Caledonia retirement community decreased its number of calls from 107 to 80 in those same years. More calls means more costs for the CFD, and thus more costs to taxpayers, especially when Medicare and Medicaid dont always pay enough to cover the costs of each individual call. Henningfeld said he fears the communitys needs may not be met if the department loses staffing, and personnel wants to be able to continue to serve the community at its current staffing numbers. Regardless of the numbers themselves, Wisconsins population is aging fast, and the numbers of medical professionals in the state is not growing at the same rate. According to a report from the Wisconsin Hospitals Association: From 2017 to 2032, the U.S. population under age 18 is projected to grow by only 3.5%, while the population aged 65 and over is projected to grow by 48%, and the population aged 75 and older is projected to grow by a staggering 75.3%. These trends will likely hold true in Wisconsin. According to state data, as of 2015, more than one-fifth of the populations of all but nine of Wisconsins counties were age 60 and older, and no countys populations was more than two-fifths comprised of those 60 and over. By 2030, projections show that every Wisconsin countys population is to be at least 20% people who are 60 and older, and 10 counties (all of them in central or northern Wisconsin) are to have 40% of their populations age 60 or older. Racine, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant Cynthia White, division chief of professional standards, health and safety for the Racine Fire Department, said the department hasnt seen anything in senior living responses as significant as Caledonia, but perhaps some slight increases. In 2020, calls to Home Harbor were 49 and in 2021 to date, they were 61. Calls to Prospect Heights Community Living decreased from 26 in 2020 to 22 in 2021. Calls to The Villa at Lincoln Park doubled, from 53 to 106 during those same years. She said the numbers may not entirely reflect seniors need for medical attention or EMS, however, because in 2020, most senior living facilities were locked down and didnt allow visitors, including emergency personnel. We werent at the facilities at all because they werent allowing people there, White said. We usually are going into some of their rooms. We didnt do that. We werent going, they werent calling. Calls just kind of everybody disappeared. Randy Marvin, co-owner of Prospect Heights along with his wife, Elizabeth, said he and other Prospect staff members dont call EMS unless someone has a more serious condition. Residents who need to go to prompt care will be transported via a private ambulance service. If an ambulance company is estimating a long wait time, staff will call another company. Then if no one can come, thats when EMS is called. Prospect staff also do their own transport. Marvin said the residential facility can house up to 52 people, but the population is down to 46, which is a bit of a decrease from last year, and could contribute to there being fewer fire department calls. Our residents all have their own doctors, their own appointments. We keep them all in good health, Marvin said. We dont have any major dramas where we cant take care of them ourselves. Weve been here for 20 years and we know what were doing here. Weve got things down to a science. Chief Robert Stedman of the South Shore Fire Department said EMS calls in total have actually been down compared to a year ago; they total 81.4% of the departments calls this year compared to 83% of the calls last year. The total call volume has increased by 15% from 2020 to 2021 and the department that serves Mount Pleasant, Sturtevant and Elmwood Park receives about 68% more calls than Caledonia. He said a lot of department calls for senior citizens are to single-family homes, apartments and condominiums as well, not necessarily only senior living facilities. Michael Wienke, a South Shore battalion chief, shift commander and EMS supervisor, said the department experienced an increase in call volumes from 2018-2021 as well, but the numbers appear to be linked to an increase in traffic, development, residential growth and population not senior living centers specifically. In 2020, the department had 4,613 responses to calls. In 2021, the department is on pace to respond to 5,305 calls. Calls to Ridgewood Care Center went from 82 in 2020 to 99 in 2021. Across that same span: calls to Killarney Kourt retirement home increased from 73 to 93, Fountain Hills senior apartments calls decreased from 70 to 58, and Pleasant Point Senior Living calls held steady from 120 to 119 in those same years. However, from 2019 to this year so far, Pleasant Points total has more than tripled, from 39 to 119. Jim Tarantino, founder and principal of Capri Communities, the company that operates Killarney Kourt, said the increase in EMS calls could be due to the fact the population is aging. It mainly has to do with their health conditions and theyre getting older, Tarantino said. Their needs are higher. His company has locations in the Madison area as well as southeastern Wisconsin and staff has reported situations where ambulances cant arrive for pickups for hours or will altogether refuse transport. Some senior living facilities have said private ambulances cant come until the next day. Some hospitals will refuse to admit patients. Tarantino said hes gotten very low amounts of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (the CARES Act) money to help with the labor shortage and COVID-19-related expenses. His staff is getting burnt out too. Were really struggling from a financial standpoint because we dont have any support, Tarantino said. Ive contacted government officials and I have yet to see any material responses. The government, frankly, is turning its back on us. Its very disheartening. West end Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company Fire Chief Justin Lyman said he, too, has felt an increase in the number of calls to senior facilities. He said he cant think of many reasons the department would refuse to take calls to such facilities. Theres only a few small senior homes in the Town of Norway, he said, but the senior population is growing. We understand that different facilities offer different levels of medical care. When they run into a situation that is outside of their scope of practice, thats where we are able to step in as a resource, Lyman said in an email. It certainly seems most of the construction recently, on the west end, has been senior based. Kansasville Fire and Rescue Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ron Molnar said department calls to senior living facilities havent spiked or skyrocketed they might have a slight increase, but nothing astronomical. The only senior living facility within Kansasville Fire and Rescues district is Boland Hall, a residential building on the campus of the Wisconsin Veterans Home in Union Grove, located in the Town of Dover. The department has one ambulance. If theres a second call at the same time the department is responding to a first call, it relies on mutual aid. Over the past several years, the number of calls have remained steady, he said. This is true even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said didnt affect the data. Its not COVID-related, whatsoever, Molnar said. People have chronic health conditions or are generally sick that need to go to the hospital. Ambulance series Part 1: Racine County has long been facing shortages of EMTs. Costs are rising as a result. Part 2: When payment for emergency medical services far undercuts actual costs. Part 3, today: How an aging population is severely driving up demand for taxpayer-funded emergency services. Developer contests Alf McConnell, developer of the Parkview Senior-Living Community, one of the largest such facilities in southeastern Wisconsin, said the call numbers for Parkview of 201 in 2018 to 451 in 2021 seemed unrealistically high, and claimed the data may be incorrect. Somebodys made a mistake, I think, McConnell said. McConnell doesnt keep data internally of the number of times someone at Parkview requests assistance from the Caledonia Fire Department, but he said he hasnt noticed an increase of calls. Its not that often. Its not like were seeing a line of ambulances lined up at the front door, McConnell said. (But) I cant say theres been a decrease either. That implies that Im standing there keeping track of ambulances that come there, and thats not the case. The Caledonia Fire Department, like nearly all publicly funded fire and rescue operations, is not allowed to refuse service to someone who calls the department. Thats part of why call volume to senior care facilities has gone through the roof since 2018, Fire Chief Jeffrey Henningfeld said at a Dec. 6 Caledonia Village Board meeting. In 2018, calls to the multibuilding Parkview Senior-Living Community totaled 201. This year, through Dec. 15, it was 451. Older people tend to have an increased need for emergency medical services, especially when they remain independent longer. Its not just Parkview. Its all of our senior living facilities, Henningfeld said. Its not that were complaining about it, it just is that way. Were trying to meet the needs of the community and the needs are increasing. Theres a myriad of reasons why. States aging population The Caledonia Fire Department answered 2,964 calls last year and answered approximately 3,170 calls this year. For the most part, responses to senior living facilities increased. The Siena Retreat Center campus called for CFD assistance 50 times in 2020 and 82 times in 2021. Frontidas Willowgreen Home assisted living facility saw its calls climb from 49 in 2020 to 75 in 2021. The Woods of Caledonia retirement community decreased its number of calls from 107 to 80 in those same years. More calls means more costs for the CFD, and thus more costs to taxpayers, especially when Medicare and Medicaid dont always pay enough to cover the costs of each individual call. Henningfeld said he fears the communitys needs may not be met if the department loses staffing, and personnel wants to be able to continue to serve the community at its current staffing numbers. Regardless of the numbers themselves, Wisconsins population is aging fast, and the numbers of medical professionals in the state is not growing at the same rate. According to a report from the Wisconsin Hospitals Association: From 2017 to 2032, the U.S. population under age 18 is projected to grow by only 3.5%, while the population aged 65 and over is projected to grow by 48%, and the population aged 75 and older is projected to grow by a staggering 75.3%. These trends will likely hold true in Wisconsin. According to state data, as of 2015, more than one-fifth of the populations of all but nine of Wisconsins counties were age 60 and older, and no countys populations was more than two-fifths comprised of those 60 and over. By 2030, projections show that every Wisconsin countys population is to be at least 20% people who are 60 and older, and 10 counties (all of them in central or northern Wisconsin) are to have 40% of their populations age 60 or older. Racine, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant Cynthia White, division chief of professional standards, health and safety for the Racine Fire Department, said the department hasnt seen anything in senior living responses as significant as Caledonia, but perhaps some slight increases. In 2020, calls to Home Harbor were 49 and in 2021 to date, they were 61. Calls to Prospect Heights Community Living decreased from 26 in 2020 to 22 in 2021. Calls to The Villa at Lincoln Park doubled, from 53 to 106 during those same years. She said the numbers may not entirely reflect seniors need for medical attention or EMS, however, because in 2020, most senior living facilities were locked down and didnt allow visitors, including emergency personnel. We werent at the facilities at all because they werent allowing people there, White said. We usually are going into some of their rooms. We didnt do that. We werent going, they werent calling. Calls just kind of everybody disappeared. Randy Marvin, co-owner of Prospect Heights along with his wife, Elizabeth, said he and other Prospect staff members dont call EMS unless someone has a more serious condition. Residents who need to go to prompt care will be transported via a private ambulance service. If an ambulance company is estimating a long wait time, staff will call another company. Then if no one can come, thats when EMS is called. Prospect staff also do their own transport. Marvin said the residential facility can house up to 52 people, but the population is down to 46, which is a bit of a decrease from last year, and could contribute to there being fewer fire department calls. Our residents all have their own doctors, their own appointments. We keep them all in good health, Marvin said. We dont have any major dramas where we cant take care of them ourselves. Weve been here for 20 years and we know what were doing here. Weve got things down to a science. Chief Robert Stedman of the South Shore Fire Department said EMS calls in total have actually been down compared to a year ago; they total 81.4% of the departments calls this year compared to 83% of the calls last year. The total call volume has increased by 15% from 2020 to 2021 and the department that serves Mount Pleasant, Sturtevant and Elmwood Park receives about 68% more calls than Caledonia. He said a lot of department calls for senior citizens are to single-family homes, apartments and condominiums as well, not necessarily only senior living facilities. Michael Wienke, a South Shore battalion chief, shift commander and EMS supervisor, said the department experienced an increase in call volumes from 2018-2021 as well, but the numbers appear to be linked to an increase in traffic, development, residential growth and population not senior living centers specifically. In 2020, the department had 4,613 responses to calls. In 2021, the department is on pace to respond to 5,305 calls. Calls to Ridgewood Care Center went from 82 in 2020 to 99 in 2021. Across that same span: calls to Killarney Kourt retirement home increased from 73 to 93, Fountain Hills senior apartments calls decreased from 70 to 58, and Pleasant Point Senior Living calls held steady from 120 to 119 in those same years. However, from 2019 to this year so far, Pleasant Points total has more than tripled, from 39 to 119. Jim Tarantino, founder and principal of Capri Communities, the company that operates Killarney Kourt, said the increase in EMS calls could be due to the fact the population is aging. It mainly has to do with their health conditions and theyre getting older, Tarantino said. Their needs are higher. His company has locations in the Madison area as well as southeastern Wisconsin and staff has reported situations where ambulances cant arrive for pickups for hours or will altogether refuse transport. Some senior living facilities have said private ambulances cant come until the next day. Some hospitals will refuse to admit patients. Tarantino said hes gotten very low amounts of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (the CARES Act) money to help with the labor shortage and COVID-19-related expenses. His staff is getting burnt out too. Were really struggling from a financial standpoint because we dont have any support, Tarantino said. Ive contacted government officials and I have yet to see any material responses. The government, frankly, is turning its back on us. Its very disheartening. West end Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company Fire Chief Justin Lyman said he, too, has felt an increase in the number of calls to senior facilities. He said he cant think of many reasons the department would refuse to take calls to such facilities. Theres only a few small senior homes in the Town of Norway, he said, but the senior population is growing. We understand that different facilities offer different levels of medical care. When they run into a situation that is outside of their scope of practice, thats where we are able to step in as a resource, Lyman said in an email. It certainly seems most of the construction recently, on the west end, has been senior based. Kansasville Fire and Rescue Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ron Molnar said department calls to senior living facilities havent spiked or skyrocketed they might have a slight increase, but nothing astronomical. The only senior living facility within Kansasville Fire and Rescues district is Boland Hall, a residential building on the campus of the Wisconsin Veterans Home in Union Grove, located in the Town of Dover. The department has one ambulance. If theres a second call at the same time the department is responding to a first call, it relies on mutual aid. Over the past several years, the number of calls have remained steady, he said. This is true even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said didnt affect the data. Its not COVID-related, whatsoever, Molnar said. People have chronic health conditions or are generally sick that need to go to the hospital. Ambulance series Part 1: Racine County has long been facing shortages of EMTs. Costs are rising as a result. Part 2: When payment for emergency medical services far undercuts actual costs. Part 3, today: How an aging population is severely driving up demand for taxpayer-funded emergency services. Developer contests Alf McConnell, developer of the Parkview Senior-Living Community, one of the largest such facilities in southeastern Wisconsin, said the call numbers for Parkview of 201 in 2018 to 451 in 2021 seemed unrealistically high, and claimed the data may be incorrect. Somebodys made a mistake, I think, McConnell said. McConnell doesnt keep data internally of the number of times someone at Parkview requests assistance from the Caledonia Fire Department, but he said he hasnt noticed an increase of calls. Its not that often. Its not like were seeing a line of ambulances lined up at the front door, McConnell said. (But) I cant say theres been a decrease either. That implies that Im standing there keeping track of ambulances that come there, and thats not the case. By Anna Mehler Paperny TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada will take in female Afghan judges and their families who have been living in limbo, primarily in Greece, since their evacuation from Afghanistan in the fall, a spokesperson for the immigration minister said Friday. In addition to the judges and their families, a group totalling about 230 people, Canada will also resettle an unspecified number of Afghans from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities who had been referred by a third-party aid organization, the spokesperson said. They are expected to come to Canada next year but there is no firm date. Canada has promised to resettle 40,000 Afghan refugees but has no timeline for doing so. Since the Taliban took control of the country after the U.S. troop withdrawal in August, Canada has resettled 3,915 Afghans with connections to the Canadian government and another 2,535 on humanitarian grounds, according to government figures. Afghan women made great strides in the two decades since the Taliban last ruled the country from 1996 to 2001, joining previously all-male bastions such as the judiciary, the media and politics. "All the achievements of 20 years came back to zero within the blink of an eye," said Freshta Masoni, a family court judge staying in Athens with her toddler daughters. Since returning to power, the Taliban pledged to protect women's rights in accordance with Islamic law, announcing a general "amnesty" for all former state workers. But advocates fear a backslide to when women were not allowed to work and girls were banned from school. Even if they can leave the country, Afghan asylum-seekers may face years of waits amid logistical backlogs and delays. Western countries usually resettle refugees referred by the UN refugee agency, which has limited capacity to process applications for resettlement. "The biggest bottleneck there is the issue that referral partners in the region have not been able to ramp up capacity," Canada's immigration minister, Sean Fraser, told Reuters earlier this month. "These challenges are going to take a little bit of time to sort out." Afghanistan's refugee situation is different from the Syrian refugee crisis that galvanized the world several years ago, UN refugee agency officials and advocates say. Unlike Syria, the Afghan crisis escalated rapidly during a global pandemic and many face difficulties leaving the country. Those who do leave face additional waits, often in countries with little capacity to support them. Some of the female judges, who have been living in Greece since October, told Reuters they have lacked health coverage because of their temporary visa status. Advocates have called on countries to resettle Afghans without requiring a designation from the UNHCR or other NGOs, a step Canada has signalled it is open to. (Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) The Caledonia Fire Department, like nearly all publicly funded fire and rescue operations, is not allowed to refuse service to someone who calls the department. Thats part of why call volume to senior care facilities has gone through the roof since 2018, Fire Chief Jeffrey Henningfeld said at a Dec. 6 Caledonia Village Board meeting. In 2018, calls to the multibuilding Parkview Senior-Living Community totaled 201. This year, through Dec. 15, it was 451. Older people tend to have an increased need for emergency medical services, especially when they remain independent longer. Its not just Parkview. Its all of our senior living facilities, Henningfeld said. Its not that were complaining about it, it just is that way. Were trying to meet the needs of the community and the needs are increasing. Theres a myriad of reasons why. States aging population The Caledonia Fire Department answered 2,964 calls last year and answered approximately 3,170 calls this year. For the most part, responses to senior living facilities increased. The Siena Retreat Center campus called for CFD assistance 50 times in 2020 and 82 times in 2021. Frontidas Willowgreen Home assisted living facility saw its calls climb from 49 in 2020 to 75 in 2021. The Woods of Caledonia retirement community decreased its number of calls from 107 to 80 in those same years. More calls means more costs for the CFD, and thus more costs to taxpayers, especially when Medicare and Medicaid dont always pay enough to cover the costs of each individual call. Henningfeld said he fears the communitys needs may not be met if the department loses staffing, and personnel wants to be able to continue to serve the community at its current staffing numbers. Regardless of the numbers themselves, Wisconsins population is aging fast, and the numbers of medical professionals in the state is not growing at the same rate. According to a report from the Wisconsin Hospitals Association: From 2017 to 2032, the U.S. population under age 18 is projected to grow by only 3.5%, while the population aged 65 and over is projected to grow by 48%, and the population aged 75 and older is projected to grow by a staggering 75.3%. These trends will likely hold true in Wisconsin. According to state data, as of 2015, more than one-fifth of the populations of all but nine of Wisconsins counties were age 60 and older, and no countys populations was more than two-fifths comprised of those 60 and over. By 2030, projections show that every Wisconsin countys population is to be at least 20% people who are 60 and older, and 10 counties (all of them in central or northern Wisconsin) are to have 40% of their populations age 60 or older. Racine, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant Cynthia White, division chief of professional standards, health and safety for the Racine Fire Department, said the department hasnt seen anything in senior living responses as significant as Caledonia, but perhaps some slight increases. In 2020, calls to Home Harbor were 49 and in 2021 to date, they were 61. Calls to Prospect Heights Community Living decreased from 26 in 2020 to 22 in 2021. Calls to The Villa at Lincoln Park doubled, from 53 to 106 during those same years. She said the numbers may not entirely reflect seniors need for medical attention or EMS, however, because in 2020, most senior living facilities were locked down and didnt allow visitors, including emergency personnel. We werent at the facilities at all because they werent allowing people there, White said. We usually are going into some of their rooms. We didnt do that. We werent going, they werent calling. Calls just kind of everybody disappeared. Randy Marvin, co-owner of Prospect Heights along with his wife, Elizabeth, said he and other Prospect staff members dont call EMS unless someone has a more serious condition. Residents who need to go to prompt care will be transported via a private ambulance service. If an ambulance company is estimating a long wait time, staff will call another company. Then if no one can come, thats when EMS is called. Prospect staff also do their own transport. Marvin said the residential facility can house up to 52 people, but the population is down to 46, which is a bit of a decrease from last year, and could contribute to there being fewer fire department calls. Our residents all have their own doctors, their own appointments. We keep them all in good health, Marvin said. We dont have any major dramas where we cant take care of them ourselves. Weve been here for 20 years and we know what were doing here. Weve got things down to a science. Chief Robert Stedman of the South Shore Fire Department said EMS calls in total have actually been down compared to a year ago; they total 81.4% of the departments calls this year compared to 83% of the calls last year. The total call volume has increased by 15% from 2020 to 2021 and the department that serves Mount Pleasant, Sturtevant and Elmwood Park receives about 68% more calls than Caledonia. He said a lot of department calls for senior citizens are to single-family homes, apartments and condominiums as well, not necessarily only senior living facilities. Michael Wienke, a South Shore battalion chief, shift commander and EMS supervisor, said the department experienced an increase in call volumes from 2018-2021 as well, but the numbers appear to be linked to an increase in traffic, development, residential growth and population not senior living centers specifically. In 2020, the department had 4,613 responses to calls. In 2021, the department is on pace to respond to 5,305 calls. Calls to Ridgewood Care Center went from 82 in 2020 to 99 in 2021. Across that same span: calls to Killarney Kourt retirement home increased from 73 to 93, Fountain Hills senior apartments calls decreased from 70 to 58, and Pleasant Point Senior Living calls held steady from 120 to 119 in those same years. However, from 2019 to this year so far, Pleasant Points total has more than tripled, from 39 to 119. Jim Tarantino, founder and principal of Capri Communities, the company that operates Killarney Kourt, said the increase in EMS calls could be due to the fact the population is aging. It mainly has to do with their health conditions and theyre getting older, Tarantino said. Their needs are higher. His company has locations in the Madison area as well as southeastern Wisconsin and staff has reported situations where ambulances cant arrive for pickups for hours or will altogether refuse transport. Some senior living facilities have said private ambulances cant come until the next day. Some hospitals will refuse to admit patients. Tarantino said hes gotten very low amounts of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (the CARES Act) money to help with the labor shortage and COVID-19-related expenses. His staff is getting burnt out too. Were really struggling from a financial standpoint because we dont have any support, Tarantino said. Ive contacted government officials and I have yet to see any material responses. The government, frankly, is turning its back on us. Its very disheartening. West end Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company Fire Chief Justin Lyman said he, too, has felt an increase in the number of calls to senior facilities. He said he cant think of many reasons the department would refuse to take calls to such facilities. Theres only a few small senior homes in the Town of Norway, he said, but the senior population is growing. We understand that different facilities offer different levels of medical care. When they run into a situation that is outside of their scope of practice, thats where we are able to step in as a resource, Lyman said in an email. It certainly seems most of the construction recently, on the west end, has been senior based. Kansasville Fire and Rescue Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ron Molnar said department calls to senior living facilities havent spiked or skyrocketed they might have a slight increase, but nothing astronomical. The only senior living facility within Kansasville Fire and Rescues district is Boland Hall, a residential building on the campus of the Wisconsin Veterans Home in Union Grove, located in the Town of Dover. The department has one ambulance. If theres a second call at the same time the department is responding to a first call, it relies on mutual aid. Over the past several years, the number of calls have remained steady, he said. This is true even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said didnt affect the data. Its not COVID-related, whatsoever, Molnar said. People have chronic health conditions or are generally sick that need to go to the hospital. Ambulance series Part 1: Racine County has long been facing shortages of EMTs. Costs are rising as a result. Part 2: When payment for emergency medical services far undercuts actual costs. Part 3, today: How an aging population is severely driving up demand for taxpayer-funded emergency services. Developer contests Alf McConnell, developer of the Parkview Senior-Living Community, one of the largest such facilities in southeastern Wisconsin, said the call numbers for Parkview of 201 in 2018 to 451 in 2021 seemed unrealistically high, and claimed the data may be incorrect. Somebodys made a mistake, I think, McConnell said. McConnell doesnt keep data internally of the number of times someone at Parkview requests assistance from the Caledonia Fire Department, but he said he hasnt noticed an increase of calls. Its not that often. Its not like were seeing a line of ambulances lined up at the front door, McConnell said. (But) I cant say theres been a decrease either. That implies that Im standing there keeping track of ambulances that come there, and thats not the case. The Caledonia Fire Department, like nearly all publicly funded fire and rescue operations, is not allowed to refuse service to someone who calls the department. Thats part of why call volume to senior care facilities has gone through the roof since 2018, Fire Chief Jeffrey Henningfeld said at a Dec. 6 Caledonia Village Board meeting. In 2018, calls to the multibuilding Parkview Senior-Living Community totaled 201. This year, through Dec. 15, it was 451. Older people tend to have an increased need for emergency medical services, especially when they remain independent longer. Its not just Parkview. Its all of our senior living facilities, Henningfeld said. Its not that were complaining about it, it just is that way. Were trying to meet the needs of the community and the needs are increasing. Theres a myriad of reasons why. States aging population The Caledonia Fire Department answered 2,964 calls last year and answered approximately 3,170 calls this year. For the most part, responses to senior living facilities increased. The Siena Retreat Center campus called for CFD assistance 50 times in 2020 and 82 times in 2021. Frontidas Willowgreen Home assisted living facility saw its calls climb from 49 in 2020 to 75 in 2021. The Woods of Caledonia retirement community decreased its number of calls from 107 to 80 in those same years. More calls means more costs for the CFD, and thus more costs to taxpayers, especially when Medicare and Medicaid dont always pay enough to cover the costs of each individual call. Henningfeld said he fears the communitys needs may not be met if the department loses staffing, and personnel wants to be able to continue to serve the community at its current staffing numbers. Regardless of the numbers themselves, Wisconsins population is aging fast, and the numbers of medical professionals in the state is not growing at the same rate. According to a report from the Wisconsin Hospitals Association: From 2017 to 2032, the U.S. population under age 18 is projected to grow by only 3.5%, while the population aged 65 and over is projected to grow by 48%, and the population aged 75 and older is projected to grow by a staggering 75.3%. These trends will likely hold true in Wisconsin. According to state data, as of 2015, more than one-fifth of the populations of all but nine of Wisconsins counties were age 60 and older, and no countys populations was more than two-fifths comprised of those 60 and over. By 2030, projections show that every Wisconsin countys population is to be at least 20% people who are 60 and older, and 10 counties (all of them in central or northern Wisconsin) are to have 40% of their populations age 60 or older. Racine, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant Cynthia White, division chief of professional standards, health and safety for the Racine Fire Department, said the department hasnt seen anything in senior living responses as significant as Caledonia, but perhaps some slight increases. In 2020, calls to Home Harbor were 49 and in 2021 to date, they were 61. Calls to Prospect Heights Community Living decreased from 26 in 2020 to 22 in 2021. Calls to The Villa at Lincoln Park doubled, from 53 to 106 during those same years. She said the numbers may not entirely reflect seniors need for medical attention or EMS, however, because in 2020, most senior living facilities were locked down and didnt allow visitors, including emergency personnel. We werent at the facilities at all because they werent allowing people there, White said. We usually are going into some of their rooms. We didnt do that. We werent going, they werent calling. Calls just kind of everybody disappeared. Randy Marvin, co-owner of Prospect Heights along with his wife, Elizabeth, said he and other Prospect staff members dont call EMS unless someone has a more serious condition. Residents who need to go to prompt care will be transported via a private ambulance service. If an ambulance company is estimating a long wait time, staff will call another company. Then if no one can come, thats when EMS is called. Prospect staff also do their own transport. Marvin said the residential facility can house up to 52 people, but the population is down to 46, which is a bit of a decrease from last year, and could contribute to there being fewer fire department calls. Our residents all have their own doctors, their own appointments. We keep them all in good health, Marvin said. We dont have any major dramas where we cant take care of them ourselves. Weve been here for 20 years and we know what were doing here. Weve got things down to a science. Chief Robert Stedman of the South Shore Fire Department said EMS calls in total have actually been down compared to a year ago; they total 81.4% of the departments calls this year compared to 83% of the calls last year. The total call volume has increased by 15% from 2020 to 2021 and the department that serves Mount Pleasant, Sturtevant and Elmwood Park receives about 68% more calls than Caledonia. He said a lot of department calls for senior citizens are to single-family homes, apartments and condominiums as well, not necessarily only senior living facilities. Michael Wienke, a South Shore battalion chief, shift commander and EMS supervisor, said the department experienced an increase in call volumes from 2018-2021 as well, but the numbers appear to be linked to an increase in traffic, development, residential growth and population not senior living centers specifically. In 2020, the department had 4,613 responses to calls. In 2021, the department is on pace to respond to 5,305 calls. Calls to Ridgewood Care Center went from 82 in 2020 to 99 in 2021. Across that same span: calls to Killarney Kourt retirement home increased from 73 to 93, Fountain Hills senior apartments calls decreased from 70 to 58, and Pleasant Point Senior Living calls held steady from 120 to 119 in those same years. However, from 2019 to this year so far, Pleasant Points total has more than tripled, from 39 to 119. Jim Tarantino, founder and principal of Capri Communities, the company that operates Killarney Kourt, said the increase in EMS calls could be due to the fact the population is aging. It mainly has to do with their health conditions and theyre getting older, Tarantino said. Their needs are higher. His company has locations in the Madison area as well as southeastern Wisconsin and staff has reported situations where ambulances cant arrive for pickups for hours or will altogether refuse transport. Some senior living facilities have said private ambulances cant come until the next day. Some hospitals will refuse to admit patients. Tarantino said hes gotten very low amounts of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (the CARES Act) money to help with the labor shortage and COVID-19-related expenses. His staff is getting burnt out too. Were really struggling from a financial standpoint because we dont have any support, Tarantino said. Ive contacted government officials and I have yet to see any material responses. The government, frankly, is turning its back on us. Its very disheartening. West end Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company Fire Chief Justin Lyman said he, too, has felt an increase in the number of calls to senior facilities. He said he cant think of many reasons the department would refuse to take calls to such facilities. Theres only a few small senior homes in the Town of Norway, he said, but the senior population is growing. We understand that different facilities offer different levels of medical care. When they run into a situation that is outside of their scope of practice, thats where we are able to step in as a resource, Lyman said in an email. It certainly seems most of the construction recently, on the west end, has been senior based. Kansasville Fire and Rescue Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ron Molnar said department calls to senior living facilities havent spiked or skyrocketed they might have a slight increase, but nothing astronomical. The only senior living facility within Kansasville Fire and Rescues district is Boland Hall, a residential building on the campus of the Wisconsin Veterans Home in Union Grove, located in the Town of Dover. The department has one ambulance. If theres a second call at the same time the department is responding to a first call, it relies on mutual aid. Over the past several years, the number of calls have remained steady, he said. This is true even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said didnt affect the data. Its not COVID-related, whatsoever, Molnar said. People have chronic health conditions or are generally sick that need to go to the hospital. Ambulance series Part 1: Racine County has long been facing shortages of EMTs. Costs are rising as a result. Part 2: When payment for emergency medical services far undercuts actual costs. Part 3, today: How an aging population is severely driving up demand for taxpayer-funded emergency services. Developer contests Alf McConnell, developer of the Parkview Senior-Living Community, one of the largest such facilities in southeastern Wisconsin, said the call numbers for Parkview of 201 in 2018 to 451 in 2021 seemed unrealistically high, and claimed the data may be incorrect. Somebodys made a mistake, I think, McConnell said. McConnell doesnt keep data internally of the number of times someone at Parkview requests assistance from the Caledonia Fire Department, but he said he hasnt noticed an increase of calls. Its not that often. Its not like were seeing a line of ambulances lined up at the front door, McConnell said. (But) I cant say theres been a decrease either. That implies that Im standing there keeping track of ambulances that come there, and thats not the case. The Caledonia Fire Department, like nearly all publicly funded fire and rescue operations, is not allowed to refuse service to someone who calls the department. Thats part of why call volume to senior care facilities has gone through the roof since 2018, Fire Chief Jeffrey Henningfeld said at a Dec. 6 Caledonia Village Board meeting. In 2018, calls to the multibuilding Parkview Senior-Living Community totaled 201. This year, through Dec. 15, it was 451. Older people tend to have an increased need for emergency medical services, especially when they remain independent longer. Its not just Parkview. Its all of our senior living facilities, Henningfeld said. Its not that were complaining about it, it just is that way. Were trying to meet the needs of the community and the needs are increasing. Theres a myriad of reasons why. States aging population The Caledonia Fire Department answered 2,964 calls last year and answered approximately 3,170 calls this year. For the most part, responses to senior living facilities increased. The Siena Retreat Center campus called for CFD assistance 50 times in 2020 and 82 times in 2021. Frontidas Willowgreen Home assisted living facility saw its calls climb from 49 in 2020 to 75 in 2021. The Woods of Caledonia retirement community decreased its number of calls from 107 to 80 in those same years. More calls means more costs for the CFD, and thus more costs to taxpayers, especially when Medicare and Medicaid dont always pay enough to cover the costs of each individual call. Henningfeld said he fears the communitys needs may not be met if the department loses staffing, and personnel wants to be able to continue to serve the community at its current staffing numbers. Regardless of the numbers themselves, Wisconsins population is aging fast, and the numbers of medical professionals in the state is not growing at the same rate. According to a report from the Wisconsin Hospitals Association: From 2017 to 2032, the U.S. population under age 18 is projected to grow by only 3.5%, while the population aged 65 and over is projected to grow by 48%, and the population aged 75 and older is projected to grow by a staggering 75.3%. These trends will likely hold true in Wisconsin. According to state data, as of 2015, more than one-fifth of the populations of all but nine of Wisconsins counties were age 60 and older, and no countys populations was more than two-fifths comprised of those 60 and over. By 2030, projections show that every Wisconsin countys population is to be at least 20% people who are 60 and older, and 10 counties (all of them in central or northern Wisconsin) are to have 40% of their populations age 60 or older. Racine, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant Cynthia White, division chief of professional standards, health and safety for the Racine Fire Department, said the department hasnt seen anything in senior living responses as significant as Caledonia, but perhaps some slight increases. In 2020, calls to Home Harbor were 49 and in 2021 to date, they were 61. Calls to Prospect Heights Community Living decreased from 26 in 2020 to 22 in 2021. Calls to The Villa at Lincoln Park doubled, from 53 to 106 during those same years. She said the numbers may not entirely reflect seniors need for medical attention or EMS, however, because in 2020, most senior living facilities were locked down and didnt allow visitors, including emergency personnel. We werent at the facilities at all because they werent allowing people there, White said. We usually are going into some of their rooms. We didnt do that. We werent going, they werent calling. Calls just kind of everybody disappeared. Randy Marvin, co-owner of Prospect Heights along with his wife, Elizabeth, said he and other Prospect staff members dont call EMS unless someone has a more serious condition. Residents who need to go to prompt care will be transported via a private ambulance service. If an ambulance company is estimating a long wait time, staff will call another company. Then if no one can come, thats when EMS is called. Prospect staff also do their own transport. Marvin said the residential facility can house up to 52 people, but the population is down to 46, which is a bit of a decrease from last year, and could contribute to there being fewer fire department calls. Our residents all have their own doctors, their own appointments. We keep them all in good health, Marvin said. We dont have any major dramas where we cant take care of them ourselves. Weve been here for 20 years and we know what were doing here. Weve got things down to a science. Chief Robert Stedman of the South Shore Fire Department said EMS calls in total have actually been down compared to a year ago; they total 81.4% of the departments calls this year compared to 83% of the calls last year. The total call volume has increased by 15% from 2020 to 2021 and the department that serves Mount Pleasant, Sturtevant and Elmwood Park receives about 68% more calls than Caledonia. He said a lot of department calls for senior citizens are to single-family homes, apartments and condominiums as well, not necessarily only senior living facilities. Michael Wienke, a South Shore battalion chief, shift commander and EMS supervisor, said the department experienced an increase in call volumes from 2018-2021 as well, but the numbers appear to be linked to an increase in traffic, development, residential growth and population not senior living centers specifically. In 2020, the department had 4,613 responses to calls. In 2021, the department is on pace to respond to 5,305 calls. Calls to Ridgewood Care Center went from 82 in 2020 to 99 in 2021. Across that same span: calls to Killarney Kourt retirement home increased from 73 to 93, Fountain Hills senior apartments calls decreased from 70 to 58, and Pleasant Point Senior Living calls held steady from 120 to 119 in those same years. However, from 2019 to this year so far, Pleasant Points total has more than tripled, from 39 to 119. Jim Tarantino, founder and principal of Capri Communities, the company that operates Killarney Kourt, said the increase in EMS calls could be due to the fact the population is aging. It mainly has to do with their health conditions and theyre getting older, Tarantino said. Their needs are higher. His company has locations in the Madison area as well as southeastern Wisconsin and staff has reported situations where ambulances cant arrive for pickups for hours or will altogether refuse transport. Some senior living facilities have said private ambulances cant come until the next day. Some hospitals will refuse to admit patients. Tarantino said hes gotten very low amounts of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (the CARES Act) money to help with the labor shortage and COVID-19-related expenses. His staff is getting burnt out too. Were really struggling from a financial standpoint because we dont have any support, Tarantino said. Ive contacted government officials and I have yet to see any material responses. The government, frankly, is turning its back on us. Its very disheartening. West end Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company Fire Chief Justin Lyman said he, too, has felt an increase in the number of calls to senior facilities. He said he cant think of many reasons the department would refuse to take calls to such facilities. Theres only a few small senior homes in the Town of Norway, he said, but the senior population is growing. We understand that different facilities offer different levels of medical care. When they run into a situation that is outside of their scope of practice, thats where we are able to step in as a resource, Lyman said in an email. It certainly seems most of the construction recently, on the west end, has been senior based. Kansasville Fire and Rescue Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ron Molnar said department calls to senior living facilities havent spiked or skyrocketed they might have a slight increase, but nothing astronomical. The only senior living facility within Kansasville Fire and Rescues district is Boland Hall, a residential building on the campus of the Wisconsin Veterans Home in Union Grove, located in the Town of Dover. The department has one ambulance. If theres a second call at the same time the department is responding to a first call, it relies on mutual aid. Over the past several years, the number of calls have remained steady, he said. This is true even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said didnt affect the data. Its not COVID-related, whatsoever, Molnar said. People have chronic health conditions or are generally sick that need to go to the hospital. Ambulance series Part 1: Racine County has long been facing shortages of EMTs. Costs are rising as a result. Part 2: When payment for emergency medical services far undercuts actual costs. Part 3, today: How an aging population is severely driving up demand for taxpayer-funded emergency services. Developer contests Alf McConnell, developer of the Parkview Senior-Living Community, one of the largest such facilities in southeastern Wisconsin, said the call numbers for Parkview of 201 in 2018 to 451 in 2021 seemed unrealistically high, and claimed the data may be incorrect. Somebodys made a mistake, I think, McConnell said. McConnell doesnt keep data internally of the number of times someone at Parkview requests assistance from the Caledonia Fire Department, but he said he hasnt noticed an increase of calls. Its not that often. Its not like were seeing a line of ambulances lined up at the front door, McConnell said. (But) I cant say theres been a decrease either. That implies that Im standing there keeping track of ambulances that come there, and thats not the case. A Smyth County woman arrested last summer after police say she left her 7-year-old grandson inside a locked car while she shopped at Walmart has been indicted by a Smyth County grand jury on a charge of abuse or neglect of a child. The grand jury returned the indictment for 71-year-old Betty Jean Lyons during its Dec. 14 session. According to a criminal complaint, Marion police responded to the scene after receiving a call about a child who was inside the car sweating profusely with the windows rolled up. When police arrived, the boy appeared to be having trouble breathing, the complaint said. Unable to get the doors open, Officer Jeff Davis busted the window. Sgt. April Morgan wrote in the complaint that Davis was unable to unlock the door from the inside and so entered the car through the broken window. When he stuck his head through the window the heat immediately took his breath away, Morgan wrote. The boy, who Morgan noted was drenched with sweat, was treated on scene by Marion Fire-EMS The complaint goes on to say that Marion Fire-EMS used a thermal imaging camera to measure the temperature inside the vehicle, which registered 130 degrees. After reviewing surveillance footage inside Walmart, police were able to determine that Lyons had been inside the store for approximately an hour and 20 minutes, according to the complaint. Lyons, who had custody of her grandson at the time of the incident, told police that he did not want to come inside the store with her because his feet were hurting. Lyons is scheduled for trial Jan. 5, 2022. The Grand Jury also heard sufficient evidence to indict a Chilhowie man who now faces sexual abuse charges that date back to 2012. According to information contained in the indictments, 32-year-old Jaron Cory Logan is accused of sexually abusing a family member under the age of 13 on or around November 2012. Logan, who was charged through direct indictment, was indicted on five counts of rape, five counts of incest and one count of forceful sodomy. He is scheduled for trial on March 2. Also indicted during the Grand Jurys December term is a 20-year-old Chilhowie man accused of impregnating a 14-year-old girl. According to a complaint filed at the Smyth County Courthouse, Jackson Sanders Moore, then 19, was in a relationship with the girl who was pregnant. By listening in to jail conversations, investigators learned that Moore was the father to the teens unborn child. Moore, who was arrested in April, now faces a charge of having carnal knowledge of a child between the ages of 13 and 15. He is scheduled for trial Feb. 2, 2022. The grand jury also handed down indictments to the following individuals: Christopher Adam Joliffe, 37, of Marion, was indicted on a failure to register as a sex offender charge. William Ray Perkins II, 40, of Marion, was indicted on strangulation and eluding police charges. Brian Christopher Bowles, 46, of Marion, was indicted on a third offense assault and battery charge. Bucky Bo Buchanan, 40, of Saltville, was indicted on an assault and battery of a law enforcement officer charge. Heather Poston, 39, of Damascus, was indicted on two counts abuse or neglect of a child, one count possession of methamphetamine and one count eluding police. Dakota Manuel Reynolds, 25, of Saltville, was indicted on charges of destruction of property and eluding police. Christopher Dale Arnold, 36, of Rural Retreat, was indicted on four counts statutory burglary and two counts grand larceny Joshua Austin Price, 24, of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. James Rodney Neal Jr., of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. Eric Wayne Mercer, 40, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a statutory burglary charge. Timothy Dwayne Dennison Jr. 24, of Sugar Grove, was indicted on a charge of possession of burglarious tools. Jeni Marie James, 38, of Atkins, was indicted on a credit card theft charge. Lenar Tyree Perkins, 30, of Marion, was indicted on an obstruction of justice charge. Bobby Dean Pruitt, 41, of Atkins, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Cory Ryan Butts, 32, of Woodbridge, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Carl Thomas Rhea, 42, of Wytheville, was indicted on a charge of forging a public document. Danny Musick, 54, of Marion, was indicted on three counts possession of methamphetamine and one count possession of ammunition by a felon. David Allen Tilson, 40, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Grove Trivett, 53, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Judy Elizabeth Hess, 62, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Michael Ray Brown, 47, of Galax, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Torry Chamont Perkins, 31, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Joshua William King, 38, of Wytheville, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Able, 41, of Abingdon, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Bryan James Barker, 35, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Toni Draper, 41, of Dublin, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Carrie Ann Olinger, 34, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. David Stanley Surber, 30, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Jeremy Simms, 35, of Atkins, was indicted on a possession of hydrocodone charge. Individuals arrested on charges stemming from direct indictments handed down during the September 2021 grand jury session are as follows: George Adam Terry, 35, of Saltville, was indicted on five counts distribution of buprenorphine, three counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Crystal Ann Jones, 37, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count distribution of buprenorphine. Charles Lynn Morgan, 29, of Abingdon, was indicted on three counts distribution of methamphetamine. Justin Wayne Harris, 58, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Robert Homer Firestone III, also known as Bobby Firestone, 34, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of buprenorphine. John Richard Gardner, also known as Pooh Gardner, 47, of Marion was indicted on distribution of methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine near a recreation facility. Archie Luther Young, 46, of Marion was indicted on charges of distribution of imitation methamphetamine and petit larceny. Jonathan Firestone, 32, of Marion, was indicted on two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Hanna Jade Briscoe, 22, of Atkins, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine. Dejuan Marquis Brewer, 31, of Saltville, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Jodi Cleary, 50 of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Robert Adam Gore, 29, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Matthew Allen Huffman, 29, of Sugar Grove, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Monica Reedy Lambert, 43, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Christopher Lee Tilson, 35, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Mary Ellen Tester, 49, of Marion, was indicted on two counts possession of methamphetamine. Gerald Putman Jr., 47, of Bristol, was indicted on a welfare fraud charge. Those indicted will stand trial in Smyth County Circuit Court. TORONTO, Jan. 1, 2022 /CNW/ - Health care will be top-of-mind again in 2022, as the pandemic enters Year 3, Ontario pulls the plug on fax machines and applications to decriminalize possession of small amounts of controlled substances are considered by Ottawa. Watch for these health-care milestones compiled by the Ontario Medical Association as the new year begins. Ontario Medical Association Logo (CNW Group/Ontario Medical Association) Jan. 1: Ontario raises minimum wage to $15 an hour from $14.35. Evidence shows that increases to the minimum wage improve economic security for families one of the key social determinants of health. Jan. 1: The Ontario government is pulling the plug on fax machines in public service. The facsimile machine has been around since 1843, and it has lived on even as email transformed communications. But starting in 2022, 1,500 telephone fax lines will no longer be available for use by the province's civil servants. Physicians, pharmacies and hospitals are also increasingly moving to digital communications. Jan. 4: Ontarians will be required to use a QR code and the Verify Ontario app in settings where proof of vaccination is required, such as restaurants and other high-risk businesses. The QR code can be used digitally or by printing a paper copy. Those with medical exemptions will also need a verified certificate with a QR code. March 28: Ontario had been scheduled to lift mask-wearing requirements in indoor public spaces and lift all remaining proof-of-vaccine requirements. The surge in Omicron may result in continued restrictions. May 7: The Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit, which extended the caregiving benefit to 44 weeks from 42, and the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit, which extended that benefit to six weeks from four are set to expire as the federal government winds down income support measures introduced to help people unable to work for COVID-19 related reasons. Aug. 1: Temporary paid sick days to end for Ontario employees whose employers don't usually provide them. That means employers will no longer be reimbursed through the Worker Income Protection Benefit program for time off for workers who are sick with COVID-19 or getting vaccinated. Ottawa, meanwhile, has introduced legislation to provide hundreds of thousands of people who work in the federally regulated private sector with 10 days of sick pay. Story continues 2022: New federal measures in effect to increase penalties for those who harass or intimidate health-care workers and patients, including doubling the maximum prison term for intimidation to 10 years. Abuse and threats of violence against health-care workers escalated as anger over vaccine mandates and other public health measures spilled over, and protests outside hospitals were preventing access for patients and health-care workers. 2022: Health Canada is expected to decide whether it will grant requested exemptions from the federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to decriminalize personal possession of small amounts of controlled substances. Applications have been made by Vancouver, the province of British Columbia and the City of Toronto. Those jurisdictions argue that decriminalizing possession of small amounts of illegal drugs will help tackle the escalating opioid overdose crisis, other drug poisoning deaths and addictions. 2022: Physicians and other health-care workers will continue to work through a backlog of almost 20 million medical services created by the COVID-19 pandemic more than one patient service for every Ontarian, from the youngest to the oldest. These delayed services include preventive care, cancer screening, surgeries and procedures, routine immunizations and diagnostic tests such as MRIs and CT scans, mammograms and colonoscopies. The backlog will take years to clear. Read more about the backlog. 2022: If Ontario's proposed Fixing Long-Term Care Act and amended Retirement Homes Act pass, long-term care home inspectors would be empowered to issue compliance orders on the spot. The government could suspend a licence and have a long-term care supervisor installed to take over operation without having to revoke a licence The legislation would also set off new direct care targets and legislate a dedicated person in charge of infection prevention and control. The number of inspectors would double with the hiring of 193 inspections staff by the fall and maximum fines for provincial offences would also be doubled, reaching $1 million for a second offence. About the OMA The Ontario Medical Association represents Ontario's 43,000-plus physicians, medical students and retired physicians, advocating for and supporting doctors while strengthening the leadership role of doctors in caring for patients. Our vision is to be the trusted voice in transforming Ontario's health-care system. SOURCE Ontario Medical Association Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/January2022/01/c0804.html A Smyth County woman arrested last summer after police say she left her 7-year-old grandson inside a locked car while she shopped at Walmart has been indicted by a Smyth County grand jury on a charge of abuse or neglect of a child. The grand jury returned the indictment for 71-year-old Betty Jean Lyons during its Dec. 14 session. According to a criminal complaint, Marion police responded to the scene after receiving a call about a child who was inside the car sweating profusely with the windows rolled up. When police arrived, the boy appeared to be having trouble breathing, the complaint said. Unable to get the doors open, Officer Jeff Davis busted the window. Sgt. April Morgan wrote in the complaint that Davis was unable to unlock the door from the inside and so entered the car through the broken window. When he stuck his head through the window the heat immediately took his breath away, Morgan wrote. The boy, who Morgan noted was drenched with sweat, was treated on scene by Marion Fire-EMS The complaint goes on to say that Marion Fire-EMS used a thermal imaging camera to measure the temperature inside the vehicle, which registered 130 degrees. After reviewing surveillance footage inside Walmart, police were able to determine that Lyons had been inside the store for approximately an hour and 20 minutes, according to the complaint. Lyons, who had custody of her grandson at the time of the incident, told police that he did not want to come inside the store with her because his feet were hurting. Lyons is scheduled for trial Jan. 5, 2022. The Grand Jury also heard sufficient evidence to indict a Chilhowie man who now faces sexual abuse charges that date back to 2012. According to information contained in the indictments, 32-year-old Jaron Cory Logan is accused of sexually abusing a family member under the age of 13 on or around November 2012. Logan, who was charged through direct indictment, was indicted on five counts of rape, five counts of incest and one count of forceful sodomy. He is scheduled for trial on March 2. Also indicted during the Grand Jurys December term is a 20-year-old Chilhowie man accused of impregnating a 14-year-old girl. According to a complaint filed at the Smyth County Courthouse, Jackson Sanders Moore, then 19, was in a relationship with the girl who was pregnant. By listening in to jail conversations, investigators learned that Moore was the father to the teens unborn child. Moore, who was arrested in April, now faces a charge of having carnal knowledge of a child between the ages of 13 and 15. He is scheduled for trial Feb. 2, 2022. The grand jury also handed down indictments to the following individuals: Christopher Adam Joliffe, 37, of Marion, was indicted on a failure to register as a sex offender charge. William Ray Perkins II, 40, of Marion, was indicted on strangulation and eluding police charges. Brian Christopher Bowles, 46, of Marion, was indicted on a third offense assault and battery charge. Bucky Bo Buchanan, 40, of Saltville, was indicted on an assault and battery of a law enforcement officer charge. Heather Poston, 39, of Damascus, was indicted on two counts abuse or neglect of a child, one count possession of methamphetamine and one count eluding police. Dakota Manuel Reynolds, 25, of Saltville, was indicted on charges of destruction of property and eluding police. Christopher Dale Arnold, 36, of Rural Retreat, was indicted on four counts statutory burglary and two counts grand larceny Joshua Austin Price, 24, of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. James Rodney Neal Jr., of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. Eric Wayne Mercer, 40, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a statutory burglary charge. Timothy Dwayne Dennison Jr. 24, of Sugar Grove, was indicted on a charge of possession of burglarious tools. Jeni Marie James, 38, of Atkins, was indicted on a credit card theft charge. Lenar Tyree Perkins, 30, of Marion, was indicted on an obstruction of justice charge. Bobby Dean Pruitt, 41, of Atkins, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Cory Ryan Butts, 32, of Woodbridge, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Carl Thomas Rhea, 42, of Wytheville, was indicted on a charge of forging a public document. Danny Musick, 54, of Marion, was indicted on three counts possession of methamphetamine and one count possession of ammunition by a felon. David Allen Tilson, 40, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Grove Trivett, 53, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Judy Elizabeth Hess, 62, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Michael Ray Brown, 47, of Galax, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Torry Chamont Perkins, 31, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Joshua William King, 38, of Wytheville, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Able, 41, of Abingdon, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Bryan James Barker, 35, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Toni Draper, 41, of Dublin, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Carrie Ann Olinger, 34, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. David Stanley Surber, 30, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Jeremy Simms, 35, of Atkins, was indicted on a possession of hydrocodone charge. Individuals arrested on charges stemming from direct indictments handed down during the September 2021 grand jury session are as follows: George Adam Terry, 35, of Saltville, was indicted on five counts distribution of buprenorphine, three counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Crystal Ann Jones, 37, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count distribution of buprenorphine. Charles Lynn Morgan, 29, of Abingdon, was indicted on three counts distribution of methamphetamine. Justin Wayne Harris, 58, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Robert Homer Firestone III, also known as Bobby Firestone, 34, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of buprenorphine. John Richard Gardner, also known as Pooh Gardner, 47, of Marion was indicted on distribution of methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine near a recreation facility. Archie Luther Young, 46, of Marion was indicted on charges of distribution of imitation methamphetamine and petit larceny. Jonathan Firestone, 32, of Marion, was indicted on two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Hanna Jade Briscoe, 22, of Atkins, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine. Dejuan Marquis Brewer, 31, of Saltville, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Jodi Cleary, 50 of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Robert Adam Gore, 29, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Matthew Allen Huffman, 29, of Sugar Grove, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Monica Reedy Lambert, 43, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Christopher Lee Tilson, 35, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Mary Ellen Tester, 49, of Marion, was indicted on two counts possession of methamphetamine. Gerald Putman Jr., 47, of Bristol, was indicted on a welfare fraud charge. Those indicted will stand trial in Smyth County Circuit Court. A Smyth County woman arrested last summer after police say she left her 7-year-old grandson inside a locked car while she shopped at Walmart has been indicted by a Smyth County grand jury on a charge of abuse or neglect of a child. The grand jury returned the indictment for 71-year-old Betty Jean Lyons during its Dec. 14 session. According to a criminal complaint, Marion police responded to the scene after receiving a call about a child who was inside the car sweating profusely with the windows rolled up. When police arrived, the boy appeared to be having trouble breathing, the complaint said. Unable to get the doors open, Officer Jeff Davis busted the window. Sgt. April Morgan wrote in the complaint that Davis was unable to unlock the door from the inside and so entered the car through the broken window. When he stuck his head through the window the heat immediately took his breath away, Morgan wrote. The boy, who Morgan noted was drenched with sweat, was treated on scene by Marion Fire-EMS The complaint goes on to say that Marion Fire-EMS used a thermal imaging camera to measure the temperature inside the vehicle, which registered 130 degrees. After reviewing surveillance footage inside Walmart, police were able to determine that Lyons had been inside the store for approximately an hour and 20 minutes, according to the complaint. Lyons, who had custody of her grandson at the time of the incident, told police that he did not want to come inside the store with her because his feet were hurting. Lyons is scheduled for trial Jan. 5, 2022. The Grand Jury also heard sufficient evidence to indict a Chilhowie man who now faces sexual abuse charges that date back to 2012. According to information contained in the indictments, 32-year-old Jaron Cory Logan is accused of sexually abusing a family member under the age of 13 on or around November 2012. Logan, who was charged through direct indictment, was indicted on five counts of rape, five counts of incest and one count of forceful sodomy. He is scheduled for trial on March 2. Also indicted during the Grand Jurys December term is a 20-year-old Chilhowie man accused of impregnating a 14-year-old girl. According to a complaint filed at the Smyth County Courthouse, Jackson Sanders Moore, then 19, was in a relationship with the girl who was pregnant. By listening in to jail conversations, investigators learned that Moore was the father to the teens unborn child. Moore, who was arrested in April, now faces a charge of having carnal knowledge of a child between the ages of 13 and 15. He is scheduled for trial Feb. 2, 2022. The grand jury also handed down indictments to the following individuals: Christopher Adam Joliffe, 37, of Marion, was indicted on a failure to register as a sex offender charge. William Ray Perkins II, 40, of Marion, was indicted on strangulation and eluding police charges. Brian Christopher Bowles, 46, of Marion, was indicted on a third offense assault and battery charge. Bucky Bo Buchanan, 40, of Saltville, was indicted on an assault and battery of a law enforcement officer charge. Heather Poston, 39, of Damascus, was indicted on two counts abuse or neglect of a child, one count possession of methamphetamine and one count eluding police. Dakota Manuel Reynolds, 25, of Saltville, was indicted on charges of destruction of property and eluding police. Christopher Dale Arnold, 36, of Rural Retreat, was indicted on four counts statutory burglary and two counts grand larceny Joshua Austin Price, 24, of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. James Rodney Neal Jr., of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. Eric Wayne Mercer, 40, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a statutory burglary charge. Timothy Dwayne Dennison Jr. 24, of Sugar Grove, was indicted on a charge of possession of burglarious tools. Jeni Marie James, 38, of Atkins, was indicted on a credit card theft charge. Lenar Tyree Perkins, 30, of Marion, was indicted on an obstruction of justice charge. Bobby Dean Pruitt, 41, of Atkins, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Cory Ryan Butts, 32, of Woodbridge, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Carl Thomas Rhea, 42, of Wytheville, was indicted on a charge of forging a public document. Danny Musick, 54, of Marion, was indicted on three counts possession of methamphetamine and one count possession of ammunition by a felon. David Allen Tilson, 40, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Grove Trivett, 53, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Judy Elizabeth Hess, 62, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Michael Ray Brown, 47, of Galax, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Torry Chamont Perkins, 31, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Joshua William King, 38, of Wytheville, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Able, 41, of Abingdon, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Bryan James Barker, 35, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Toni Draper, 41, of Dublin, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Carrie Ann Olinger, 34, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. David Stanley Surber, 30, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Jeremy Simms, 35, of Atkins, was indicted on a possession of hydrocodone charge. Individuals arrested on charges stemming from direct indictments handed down during the September 2021 grand jury session are as follows: George Adam Terry, 35, of Saltville, was indicted on five counts distribution of buprenorphine, three counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Crystal Ann Jones, 37, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count distribution of buprenorphine. Charles Lynn Morgan, 29, of Abingdon, was indicted on three counts distribution of methamphetamine. Justin Wayne Harris, 58, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Robert Homer Firestone III, also known as Bobby Firestone, 34, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of buprenorphine. John Richard Gardner, also known as Pooh Gardner, 47, of Marion was indicted on distribution of methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine near a recreation facility. Archie Luther Young, 46, of Marion was indicted on charges of distribution of imitation methamphetamine and petit larceny. Jonathan Firestone, 32, of Marion, was indicted on two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Hanna Jade Briscoe, 22, of Atkins, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine. Dejuan Marquis Brewer, 31, of Saltville, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Jodi Cleary, 50 of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Robert Adam Gore, 29, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Matthew Allen Huffman, 29, of Sugar Grove, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Monica Reedy Lambert, 43, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Christopher Lee Tilson, 35, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Mary Ellen Tester, 49, of Marion, was indicted on two counts possession of methamphetamine. Gerald Putman Jr., 47, of Bristol, was indicted on a welfare fraud charge. Those indicted will stand trial in Smyth County Circuit Court. A Smyth County woman arrested last summer after police say she left her 7-year-old grandson inside a locked car while she shopped at Walmart has been indicted by a Smyth County grand jury on a charge of abuse or neglect of a child. The grand jury returned the indictment for 71-year-old Betty Jean Lyons during its Dec. 14 session. According to a criminal complaint, Marion police responded to the scene after receiving a call about a child who was inside the car sweating profusely with the windows rolled up. When police arrived, the boy appeared to be having trouble breathing, the complaint said. Unable to get the doors open, Officer Jeff Davis busted the window. Sgt. April Morgan wrote in the complaint that Davis was unable to unlock the door from the inside and so entered the car through the broken window. When he stuck his head through the window the heat immediately took his breath away, Morgan wrote. The boy, who Morgan noted was drenched with sweat, was treated on scene by Marion Fire-EMS The complaint goes on to say that Marion Fire-EMS used a thermal imaging camera to measure the temperature inside the vehicle, which registered 130 degrees. After reviewing surveillance footage inside Walmart, police were able to determine that Lyons had been inside the store for approximately an hour and 20 minutes, according to the complaint. Lyons, who had custody of her grandson at the time of the incident, told police that he did not want to come inside the store with her because his feet were hurting. Lyons is scheduled for trial Jan. 5, 2022. The Grand Jury also heard sufficient evidence to indict a Chilhowie man who now faces sexual abuse charges that date back to 2012. According to information contained in the indictments, 32-year-old Jaron Cory Logan is accused of sexually abusing a family member under the age of 13 on or around November 2012. Logan, who was charged through direct indictment, was indicted on five counts of rape, five counts of incest and one count of forceful sodomy. He is scheduled for trial on March 2. Also indicted during the Grand Jurys December term is a 20-year-old Chilhowie man accused of impregnating a 14-year-old girl. According to a complaint filed at the Smyth County Courthouse, Jackson Sanders Moore, then 19, was in a relationship with the girl who was pregnant. By listening in to jail conversations, investigators learned that Moore was the father to the teens unborn child. Moore, who was arrested in April, now faces a charge of having carnal knowledge of a child between the ages of 13 and 15. He is scheduled for trial Feb. 2, 2022. The grand jury also handed down indictments to the following individuals: Christopher Adam Joliffe, 37, of Marion, was indicted on a failure to register as a sex offender charge. William Ray Perkins II, 40, of Marion, was indicted on strangulation and eluding police charges. Brian Christopher Bowles, 46, of Marion, was indicted on a third offense assault and battery charge. Bucky Bo Buchanan, 40, of Saltville, was indicted on an assault and battery of a law enforcement officer charge. Heather Poston, 39, of Damascus, was indicted on two counts abuse or neglect of a child, one count possession of methamphetamine and one count eluding police. Dakota Manuel Reynolds, 25, of Saltville, was indicted on charges of destruction of property and eluding police. Christopher Dale Arnold, 36, of Rural Retreat, was indicted on four counts statutory burglary and two counts grand larceny Joshua Austin Price, 24, of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. James Rodney Neal Jr., of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. Eric Wayne Mercer, 40, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a statutory burglary charge. Timothy Dwayne Dennison Jr. 24, of Sugar Grove, was indicted on a charge of possession of burglarious tools. Jeni Marie James, 38, of Atkins, was indicted on a credit card theft charge. Lenar Tyree Perkins, 30, of Marion, was indicted on an obstruction of justice charge. Bobby Dean Pruitt, 41, of Atkins, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Cory Ryan Butts, 32, of Woodbridge, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Carl Thomas Rhea, 42, of Wytheville, was indicted on a charge of forging a public document. Danny Musick, 54, of Marion, was indicted on three counts possession of methamphetamine and one count possession of ammunition by a felon. David Allen Tilson, 40, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Grove Trivett, 53, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Judy Elizabeth Hess, 62, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Michael Ray Brown, 47, of Galax, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Torry Chamont Perkins, 31, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Joshua William King, 38, of Wytheville, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Able, 41, of Abingdon, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Bryan James Barker, 35, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Toni Draper, 41, of Dublin, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Carrie Ann Olinger, 34, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. David Stanley Surber, 30, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Jeremy Simms, 35, of Atkins, was indicted on a possession of hydrocodone charge. Individuals arrested on charges stemming from direct indictments handed down during the September 2021 grand jury session are as follows: George Adam Terry, 35, of Saltville, was indicted on five counts distribution of buprenorphine, three counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Crystal Ann Jones, 37, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count distribution of buprenorphine. Charles Lynn Morgan, 29, of Abingdon, was indicted on three counts distribution of methamphetamine. Justin Wayne Harris, 58, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Robert Homer Firestone III, also known as Bobby Firestone, 34, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of buprenorphine. John Richard Gardner, also known as Pooh Gardner, 47, of Marion was indicted on distribution of methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine near a recreation facility. Archie Luther Young, 46, of Marion was indicted on charges of distribution of imitation methamphetamine and petit larceny. Jonathan Firestone, 32, of Marion, was indicted on two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Hanna Jade Briscoe, 22, of Atkins, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine. Dejuan Marquis Brewer, 31, of Saltville, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Jodi Cleary, 50 of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Robert Adam Gore, 29, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Matthew Allen Huffman, 29, of Sugar Grove, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Monica Reedy Lambert, 43, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Christopher Lee Tilson, 35, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Mary Ellen Tester, 49, of Marion, was indicted on two counts possession of methamphetamine. Gerald Putman Jr., 47, of Bristol, was indicted on a welfare fraud charge. Those indicted will stand trial in Smyth County Circuit Court. 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. By Anna Mehler Paperny TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada will take in female Afghan judges and their families who have been living in limbo, primarily in Greece, since their evacuation from Afghanistan in the fall, a spokesperson for the immigration minister said Friday. In addition to the judges and their families, a group totalling about 230 people, Canada will also resettle an unspecified number of Afghans from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities who had been referred by a third-party aid organization, the spokesperson said. They are expected to come to Canada next year but there is no firm date. Canada has promised to resettle 40,000 Afghan refugees but has no timeline for doing so. Since the Taliban took control of the country after the U.S. troop withdrawal in August, Canada has resettled 3,915 Afghans with connections to the Canadian government and another 2,535 on humanitarian grounds, according to government figures. Afghan women made great strides in the two decades since the Taliban last ruled the country from 1996 to 2001, joining previously all-male bastions such as the judiciary, the media and politics. "All the achievements of 20 years came back to zero within the blink of an eye," said Freshta Masoni, a family court judge staying in Athens with her toddler daughters. Since returning to power, the Taliban pledged to protect women's rights in accordance with Islamic law, announcing a general "amnesty" for all former state workers. But advocates fear a backslide to when women were not allowed to work and girls were banned from school. Even if they can leave the country, Afghan asylum-seekers may face years of waits amid logistical backlogs and delays. Western countries usually resettle refugees referred by the UN refugee agency, which has limited capacity to process applications for resettlement. "The biggest bottleneck there is the issue that referral partners in the region have not been able to ramp up capacity," Canada's immigration minister, Sean Fraser, told Reuters earlier this month. "These challenges are going to take a little bit of time to sort out." Afghanistan's refugee situation is different from the Syrian refugee crisis that galvanized the world several years ago, UN refugee agency officials and advocates say. Unlike Syria, the Afghan crisis escalated rapidly during a global pandemic and many face difficulties leaving the country. Those who do leave face additional waits, often in countries with little capacity to support them. Some of the female judges, who have been living in Greece since October, told Reuters they have lacked health coverage because of their temporary visa status. Advocates have called on countries to resettle Afghans without requiring a designation from the UNHCR or other NGOs, a step Canada has signalled it is open to. (Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) A Smyth County woman arrested last summer after police say she left her 7-year-old grandson inside a locked car while she shopped at Walmart has been indicted by a Smyth County grand jury on a charge of abuse or neglect of a child. The grand jury returned the indictment for 71-year-old Betty Jean Lyons during its Dec. 14 session. According to a criminal complaint, Marion police responded to the scene after receiving a call about a child who was inside the car sweating profusely with the windows rolled up. When police arrived, the boy appeared to be having trouble breathing, the complaint said. Unable to get the doors open, Officer Jeff Davis busted the window. Sgt. April Morgan wrote in the complaint that Davis was unable to unlock the door from the inside and so entered the car through the broken window. When he stuck his head through the window the heat immediately took his breath away, Morgan wrote. The boy, who Morgan noted was drenched with sweat, was treated on scene by Marion Fire-EMS The complaint goes on to say that Marion Fire-EMS used a thermal imaging camera to measure the temperature inside the vehicle, which registered 130 degrees. After reviewing surveillance footage inside Walmart, police were able to determine that Lyons had been inside the store for approximately an hour and 20 minutes, according to the complaint. Lyons, who had custody of her grandson at the time of the incident, told police that he did not want to come inside the store with her because his feet were hurting. Lyons is scheduled for trial Jan. 5, 2022. The Grand Jury also heard sufficient evidence to indict a Chilhowie man who now faces sexual abuse charges that date back to 2012. According to information contained in the indictments, 32-year-old Jaron Cory Logan is accused of sexually abusing a family member under the age of 13 on or around November 2012. Logan, who was charged through direct indictment, was indicted on five counts of rape, five counts of incest and one count of forceful sodomy. He is scheduled for trial on March 2. Also indicted during the Grand Jurys December term is a 20-year-old Chilhowie man accused of impregnating a 14-year-old girl. According to a complaint filed at the Smyth County Courthouse, Jackson Sanders Moore, then 19, was in a relationship with the girl who was pregnant. By listening in to jail conversations, investigators learned that Moore was the father to the teens unborn child. Moore, who was arrested in April, now faces a charge of having carnal knowledge of a child between the ages of 13 and 15. He is scheduled for trial Feb. 2, 2022. The grand jury also handed down indictments to the following individuals: Christopher Adam Joliffe, 37, of Marion, was indicted on a failure to register as a sex offender charge. William Ray Perkins II, 40, of Marion, was indicted on strangulation and eluding police charges. Brian Christopher Bowles, 46, of Marion, was indicted on a third offense assault and battery charge. Bucky Bo Buchanan, 40, of Saltville, was indicted on an assault and battery of a law enforcement officer charge. Heather Poston, 39, of Damascus, was indicted on two counts abuse or neglect of a child, one count possession of methamphetamine and one count eluding police. Dakota Manuel Reynolds, 25, of Saltville, was indicted on charges of destruction of property and eluding police. Christopher Dale Arnold, 36, of Rural Retreat, was indicted on four counts statutory burglary and two counts grand larceny Joshua Austin Price, 24, of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. James Rodney Neal Jr., of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. Eric Wayne Mercer, 40, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a statutory burglary charge. Timothy Dwayne Dennison Jr. 24, of Sugar Grove, was indicted on a charge of possession of burglarious tools. Jeni Marie James, 38, of Atkins, was indicted on a credit card theft charge. Lenar Tyree Perkins, 30, of Marion, was indicted on an obstruction of justice charge. Bobby Dean Pruitt, 41, of Atkins, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Cory Ryan Butts, 32, of Woodbridge, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Carl Thomas Rhea, 42, of Wytheville, was indicted on a charge of forging a public document. Danny Musick, 54, of Marion, was indicted on three counts possession of methamphetamine and one count possession of ammunition by a felon. David Allen Tilson, 40, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Grove Trivett, 53, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Judy Elizabeth Hess, 62, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Michael Ray Brown, 47, of Galax, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Torry Chamont Perkins, 31, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Joshua William King, 38, of Wytheville, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Able, 41, of Abingdon, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Bryan James Barker, 35, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Toni Draper, 41, of Dublin, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Carrie Ann Olinger, 34, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. David Stanley Surber, 30, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Jeremy Simms, 35, of Atkins, was indicted on a possession of hydrocodone charge. Individuals arrested on charges stemming from direct indictments handed down during the September 2021 grand jury session are as follows: George Adam Terry, 35, of Saltville, was indicted on five counts distribution of buprenorphine, three counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Crystal Ann Jones, 37, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count distribution of buprenorphine. Charles Lynn Morgan, 29, of Abingdon, was indicted on three counts distribution of methamphetamine. Justin Wayne Harris, 58, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Robert Homer Firestone III, also known as Bobby Firestone, 34, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of buprenorphine. John Richard Gardner, also known as Pooh Gardner, 47, of Marion was indicted on distribution of methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine near a recreation facility. Archie Luther Young, 46, of Marion was indicted on charges of distribution of imitation methamphetamine and petit larceny. Jonathan Firestone, 32, of Marion, was indicted on two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Hanna Jade Briscoe, 22, of Atkins, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine. Dejuan Marquis Brewer, 31, of Saltville, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Jodi Cleary, 50 of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Robert Adam Gore, 29, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Matthew Allen Huffman, 29, of Sugar Grove, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Monica Reedy Lambert, 43, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Christopher Lee Tilson, 35, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Mary Ellen Tester, 49, of Marion, was indicted on two counts possession of methamphetamine. Gerald Putman Jr., 47, of Bristol, was indicted on a welfare fraud charge. Those indicted will stand trial in Smyth County Circuit Court. A Smyth County woman arrested last summer after police say she left her 7-year-old grandson inside a locked car while she shopped at Walmart has been indicted by a Smyth County grand jury on a charge of abuse or neglect of a child. The grand jury returned the indictment for 71-year-old Betty Jean Lyons during its Dec. 14 session. According to a criminal complaint, Marion police responded to the scene after receiving a call about a child who was inside the car sweating profusely with the windows rolled up. When police arrived, the boy appeared to be having trouble breathing, the complaint said. Unable to get the doors open, Officer Jeff Davis busted the window. Sgt. April Morgan wrote in the complaint that Davis was unable to unlock the door from the inside and so entered the car through the broken window. When he stuck his head through the window the heat immediately took his breath away, Morgan wrote. The boy, who Morgan noted was drenched with sweat, was treated on scene by Marion Fire-EMS The complaint goes on to say that Marion Fire-EMS used a thermal imaging camera to measure the temperature inside the vehicle, which registered 130 degrees. After reviewing surveillance footage inside Walmart, police were able to determine that Lyons had been inside the store for approximately an hour and 20 minutes, according to the complaint. Lyons, who had custody of her grandson at the time of the incident, told police that he did not want to come inside the store with her because his feet were hurting. Lyons is scheduled for trial Jan. 5, 2022. The Grand Jury also heard sufficient evidence to indict a Chilhowie man who now faces sexual abuse charges that date back to 2012. According to information contained in the indictments, 32-year-old Jaron Cory Logan is accused of sexually abusing a family member under the age of 13 on or around November 2012. Logan, who was charged through direct indictment, was indicted on five counts of rape, five counts of incest and one count of forceful sodomy. He is scheduled for trial on March 2. Also indicted during the Grand Jurys December term is a 20-year-old Chilhowie man accused of impregnating a 14-year-old girl. According to a complaint filed at the Smyth County Courthouse, Jackson Sanders Moore, then 19, was in a relationship with the girl who was pregnant. By listening in to jail conversations, investigators learned that Moore was the father to the teens unborn child. Moore, who was arrested in April, now faces a charge of having carnal knowledge of a child between the ages of 13 and 15. He is scheduled for trial Feb. 2, 2022. The grand jury also handed down indictments to the following individuals: Christopher Adam Joliffe, 37, of Marion, was indicted on a failure to register as a sex offender charge. William Ray Perkins II, 40, of Marion, was indicted on strangulation and eluding police charges. Brian Christopher Bowles, 46, of Marion, was indicted on a third offense assault and battery charge. Bucky Bo Buchanan, 40, of Saltville, was indicted on an assault and battery of a law enforcement officer charge. Heather Poston, 39, of Damascus, was indicted on two counts abuse or neglect of a child, one count possession of methamphetamine and one count eluding police. Dakota Manuel Reynolds, 25, of Saltville, was indicted on charges of destruction of property and eluding police. Christopher Dale Arnold, 36, of Rural Retreat, was indicted on four counts statutory burglary and two counts grand larceny Joshua Austin Price, 24, of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. James Rodney Neal Jr., of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. Eric Wayne Mercer, 40, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a statutory burglary charge. Timothy Dwayne Dennison Jr. 24, of Sugar Grove, was indicted on a charge of possession of burglarious tools. Jeni Marie James, 38, of Atkins, was indicted on a credit card theft charge. Lenar Tyree Perkins, 30, of Marion, was indicted on an obstruction of justice charge. Bobby Dean Pruitt, 41, of Atkins, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Cory Ryan Butts, 32, of Woodbridge, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Carl Thomas Rhea, 42, of Wytheville, was indicted on a charge of forging a public document. Danny Musick, 54, of Marion, was indicted on three counts possession of methamphetamine and one count possession of ammunition by a felon. David Allen Tilson, 40, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Grove Trivett, 53, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Judy Elizabeth Hess, 62, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Michael Ray Brown, 47, of Galax, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Torry Chamont Perkins, 31, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Joshua William King, 38, of Wytheville, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Able, 41, of Abingdon, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Bryan James Barker, 35, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Toni Draper, 41, of Dublin, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Carrie Ann Olinger, 34, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. David Stanley Surber, 30, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Jeremy Simms, 35, of Atkins, was indicted on a possession of hydrocodone charge. Individuals arrested on charges stemming from direct indictments handed down during the September 2021 grand jury session are as follows: George Adam Terry, 35, of Saltville, was indicted on five counts distribution of buprenorphine, three counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Crystal Ann Jones, 37, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count distribution of buprenorphine. Charles Lynn Morgan, 29, of Abingdon, was indicted on three counts distribution of methamphetamine. Justin Wayne Harris, 58, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Robert Homer Firestone III, also known as Bobby Firestone, 34, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of buprenorphine. John Richard Gardner, also known as Pooh Gardner, 47, of Marion was indicted on distribution of methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine near a recreation facility. Archie Luther Young, 46, of Marion was indicted on charges of distribution of imitation methamphetamine and petit larceny. Jonathan Firestone, 32, of Marion, was indicted on two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Hanna Jade Briscoe, 22, of Atkins, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine. Dejuan Marquis Brewer, 31, of Saltville, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Jodi Cleary, 50 of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Robert Adam Gore, 29, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Matthew Allen Huffman, 29, of Sugar Grove, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Monica Reedy Lambert, 43, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Christopher Lee Tilson, 35, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Mary Ellen Tester, 49, of Marion, was indicted on two counts possession of methamphetamine. Gerald Putman Jr., 47, of Bristol, was indicted on a welfare fraud charge. Those indicted will stand trial in Smyth County Circuit Court. A Smyth County woman arrested last summer after police say she left her 7-year-old grandson inside a locked car while she shopped at Walmart has been indicted by a Smyth County grand jury on a charge of abuse or neglect of a child. The grand jury returned the indictment for 71-year-old Betty Jean Lyons during its Dec. 14 session. According to a criminal complaint, Marion police responded to the scene after receiving a call about a child who was inside the car sweating profusely with the windows rolled up. When police arrived, the boy appeared to be having trouble breathing, the complaint said. Unable to get the doors open, Officer Jeff Davis busted the window. Sgt. April Morgan wrote in the complaint that Davis was unable to unlock the door from the inside and so entered the car through the broken window. When he stuck his head through the window the heat immediately took his breath away, Morgan wrote. The boy, who Morgan noted was drenched with sweat, was treated on scene by Marion Fire-EMS The complaint goes on to say that Marion Fire-EMS used a thermal imaging camera to measure the temperature inside the vehicle, which registered 130 degrees. After reviewing surveillance footage inside Walmart, police were able to determine that Lyons had been inside the store for approximately an hour and 20 minutes, according to the complaint. Lyons, who had custody of her grandson at the time of the incident, told police that he did not want to come inside the store with her because his feet were hurting. Lyons is scheduled for trial Jan. 5, 2022. The Grand Jury also heard sufficient evidence to indict a Chilhowie man who now faces sexual abuse charges that date back to 2012. According to information contained in the indictments, 32-year-old Jaron Cory Logan is accused of sexually abusing a family member under the age of 13 on or around November 2012. Logan, who was charged through direct indictment, was indicted on five counts of rape, five counts of incest and one count of forceful sodomy. He is scheduled for trial on March 2. Also indicted during the Grand Jurys December term is a 20-year-old Chilhowie man accused of impregnating a 14-year-old girl. According to a complaint filed at the Smyth County Courthouse, Jackson Sanders Moore, then 19, was in a relationship with the girl who was pregnant. By listening in to jail conversations, investigators learned that Moore was the father to the teens unborn child. Moore, who was arrested in April, now faces a charge of having carnal knowledge of a child between the ages of 13 and 15. He is scheduled for trial Feb. 2, 2022. The grand jury also handed down indictments to the following individuals: Christopher Adam Joliffe, 37, of Marion, was indicted on a failure to register as a sex offender charge. William Ray Perkins II, 40, of Marion, was indicted on strangulation and eluding police charges. Brian Christopher Bowles, 46, of Marion, was indicted on a third offense assault and battery charge. Bucky Bo Buchanan, 40, of Saltville, was indicted on an assault and battery of a law enforcement officer charge. Heather Poston, 39, of Damascus, was indicted on two counts abuse or neglect of a child, one count possession of methamphetamine and one count eluding police. Dakota Manuel Reynolds, 25, of Saltville, was indicted on charges of destruction of property and eluding police. Christopher Dale Arnold, 36, of Rural Retreat, was indicted on four counts statutory burglary and two counts grand larceny Joshua Austin Price, 24, of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. James Rodney Neal Jr., of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. Eric Wayne Mercer, 40, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a statutory burglary charge. Timothy Dwayne Dennison Jr. 24, of Sugar Grove, was indicted on a charge of possession of burglarious tools. Jeni Marie James, 38, of Atkins, was indicted on a credit card theft charge. Lenar Tyree Perkins, 30, of Marion, was indicted on an obstruction of justice charge. Bobby Dean Pruitt, 41, of Atkins, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Cory Ryan Butts, 32, of Woodbridge, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Carl Thomas Rhea, 42, of Wytheville, was indicted on a charge of forging a public document. Danny Musick, 54, of Marion, was indicted on three counts possession of methamphetamine and one count possession of ammunition by a felon. David Allen Tilson, 40, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Grove Trivett, 53, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Judy Elizabeth Hess, 62, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Michael Ray Brown, 47, of Galax, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Torry Chamont Perkins, 31, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Joshua William King, 38, of Wytheville, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Able, 41, of Abingdon, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Bryan James Barker, 35, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Toni Draper, 41, of Dublin, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Carrie Ann Olinger, 34, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. David Stanley Surber, 30, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Jeremy Simms, 35, of Atkins, was indicted on a possession of hydrocodone charge. Individuals arrested on charges stemming from direct indictments handed down during the September 2021 grand jury session are as follows: George Adam Terry, 35, of Saltville, was indicted on five counts distribution of buprenorphine, three counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Crystal Ann Jones, 37, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count distribution of buprenorphine. Charles Lynn Morgan, 29, of Abingdon, was indicted on three counts distribution of methamphetamine. Justin Wayne Harris, 58, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Robert Homer Firestone III, also known as Bobby Firestone, 34, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of buprenorphine. John Richard Gardner, also known as Pooh Gardner, 47, of Marion was indicted on distribution of methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine near a recreation facility. Archie Luther Young, 46, of Marion was indicted on charges of distribution of imitation methamphetamine and petit larceny. Jonathan Firestone, 32, of Marion, was indicted on two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Hanna Jade Briscoe, 22, of Atkins, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine. Dejuan Marquis Brewer, 31, of Saltville, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Jodi Cleary, 50 of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Robert Adam Gore, 29, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Matthew Allen Huffman, 29, of Sugar Grove, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Monica Reedy Lambert, 43, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Christopher Lee Tilson, 35, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Mary Ellen Tester, 49, of Marion, was indicted on two counts possession of methamphetamine. Gerald Putman Jr., 47, of Bristol, was indicted on a welfare fraud charge. Those indicted will stand trial in Smyth County Circuit Court. Pastor Jack Hibbs in an interview with The Epoch Times at a TurningPointUSA event in Phoenix, Ariz., in December 2021. (The Epoch Times) People Are Waking up and California Is Coming Back: Pastor Jack Hibbs The high crime rates, the governors long and strict lockdowns, high taxes, high living costs, roaming homeless people in the cities California seems to have lost its appeal and more people are leaving the state. However, pastor Jack Hibbs sees the hope of the Golden State and believes its coming back. I think weve hit bottom, and were coming back, Hibbs told The Epoch Times during a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix last week. Hibbs is an eminent pastor in the nation and Calvary Chapel Chino Hills founder. He was part of former President Donald Trumps evangelical team. He has captured headlines during the past year and a half for his firm stances against lockdowns, church-closing, and vaccine mandates. California used to be the bastion of fill-in-the-blank, the bastion of prosperity, the bastion of the laid back California lifestyle, it was the place of innovation California is the only state in the nation that can boast mission, preaching stations, among other things, Hibbs said, noting that now California has sunk terribly and become the laughingstock of the nation. However, Hibbs believes and sees that people are waking up. Believe it or not, people are coming to California or coming back to California to do the right thing. And that is to take possession of their state again. On Dec. 15, a new study by the California Policy Lab found that more people are moving out of the state12 percent higher than pre-pandemic levelsespecially the Bay Area. However, the study showed therere still people moving into the state, only at a rate much lower than the pre-pandemic level38 percent lower. In these last two years, weve had nothing but growth, Hibbs said, referring to his church. Weve had thousands of people added to the church. We baptize 3,000 people on a Saturday. Why? Because people are looking for truth. And so they found out that just a warm, feel-good, secret-type message doesnt answer you in the day of trouble. Gods word answers you in the day of trouble. So thats what were all about. And thats why were seeing a response. Hibbs website states that his church ministers weekly to over ten thousand people on campus and millions worldwide through daily media outreach programs. Last July, when Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that churches must again close their doors, Hibbs said it was a mistake to close church at the first time, and he would never close the church again. Hibbs said he sent a video to the governors office saying, If youre going to close the church, you have to physically come and shut the doors. Later Newsom lost a lawsuit, and the state can no longer place discriminatory COVID-19 restrictions on church services. Why were the most prosperous nation? Why were the most free? Why is there such a big battle about vaccination or no vaccination? We get to fight that issue. Were Americans, Hibbs told The Epoch Times. Hibbs supports Navy SEALs who have filed suit to seek religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine. He asked his congregation to pray for First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to defending religious freedom and representing the Navy SEALs. Worshippers gather for service during the COVID-19 pandemic in the courtyard of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino Hills, Calif. (Courtesy of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills) I have children, I have grandchildren, and thats why Im fighting, Hibbs said. When Hibbs went to school as a kid in Orange County, California, they had the Bible in class and prayer in class. They had the Pledge of Allegiance in the classroom. But later, Bible or ten commandments were no longer allowed on the wall. Well, you look at the data. Look at the decades that followed. Its been nothing but degradation, Hibbs added. Hibbs recognized that the legacy media has taken people to the dark side of things. We get to now challenge the false narrative, Hibbs said. So dont lose heart. I would say to people be very discerning about what you hear. And make sure that youre hearing it from a source that has no agenda except to bring truth. Stand firm with what is right and true, Hibbs said. The Bible calls it righteousnessdont let that word scare youit simply means to do the right thing: against tweets, against blogs, against any intimidation, do the right thing. At the end of the day, do what you know is right and youll sleep good, and youll become fearless because you will have done the right thing. Nick Vandennieuwenhof and Jamie Joseph contributed to this report. Pastor Jack Hibbs in an interview with The Epoch Times at a TurningPointUSA event in Phoenix, Ariz., in December 2021. (The Epoch Times) People Are Waking up and California Is Coming Back: Pastor Jack Hibbs The high crime rates, the governors long and strict lockdowns, high taxes, high living costs, roaming homeless people in the cities California seems to have lost its appeal and more people are leaving the state. However, pastor Jack Hibbs sees the hope of the Golden State and believes its coming back. I think weve hit bottom, and were coming back, Hibbs told The Epoch Times during a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix last week. Hibbs is an eminent pastor in the nation and Calvary Chapel Chino Hills founder. He was part of former President Donald Trumps evangelical team. He has captured headlines during the past year and a half for his firm stances against lockdowns, church-closing, and vaccine mandates. California used to be the bastion of fill-in-the-blank, the bastion of prosperity, the bastion of the laid back California lifestyle, it was the place of innovation California is the only state in the nation that can boast mission, preaching stations, among other things, Hibbs said, noting that now California has sunk terribly and become the laughingstock of the nation. However, Hibbs believes and sees that people are waking up. Believe it or not, people are coming to California or coming back to California to do the right thing. And that is to take possession of their state again. On Dec. 15, a new study by the California Policy Lab found that more people are moving out of the state12 percent higher than pre-pandemic levelsespecially the Bay Area. However, the study showed therere still people moving into the state, only at a rate much lower than the pre-pandemic level38 percent lower. In these last two years, weve had nothing but growth, Hibbs said, referring to his church. Weve had thousands of people added to the church. We baptize 3,000 people on a Saturday. Why? Because people are looking for truth. And so they found out that just a warm, feel-good, secret-type message doesnt answer you in the day of trouble. Gods word answers you in the day of trouble. So thats what were all about. And thats why were seeing a response. Hibbs website states that his church ministers weekly to over ten thousand people on campus and millions worldwide through daily media outreach programs. Last July, when Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that churches must again close their doors, Hibbs said it was a mistake to close church at the first time, and he would never close the church again. Hibbs said he sent a video to the governors office saying, If youre going to close the church, you have to physically come and shut the doors. Later Newsom lost a lawsuit, and the state can no longer place discriminatory COVID-19 restrictions on church services. Why were the most prosperous nation? Why were the most free? Why is there such a big battle about vaccination or no vaccination? We get to fight that issue. Were Americans, Hibbs told The Epoch Times. Hibbs supports Navy SEALs who have filed suit to seek religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine. He asked his congregation to pray for First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to defending religious freedom and representing the Navy SEALs. Worshippers gather for service during the COVID-19 pandemic in the courtyard of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino Hills, Calif. (Courtesy of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills) I have children, I have grandchildren, and thats why Im fighting, Hibbs said. When Hibbs went to school as a kid in Orange County, California, they had the Bible in class and prayer in class. They had the Pledge of Allegiance in the classroom. But later, Bible or ten commandments were no longer allowed on the wall. Well, you look at the data. Look at the decades that followed. Its been nothing but degradation, Hibbs added. Hibbs recognized that the legacy media has taken people to the dark side of things. We get to now challenge the false narrative, Hibbs said. So dont lose heart. I would say to people be very discerning about what you hear. And make sure that youre hearing it from a source that has no agenda except to bring truth. Stand firm with what is right and true, Hibbs said. The Bible calls it righteousnessdont let that word scare youit simply means to do the right thing: against tweets, against blogs, against any intimidation, do the right thing. At the end of the day, do what you know is right and youll sleep good, and youll become fearless because you will have done the right thing. Nick Vandennieuwenhof and Jamie Joseph contributed to this report. A Smyth County woman arrested last summer after police say she left her 7-year-old grandson inside a locked car while she shopped at Walmart has been indicted by a Smyth County grand jury on a charge of abuse or neglect of a child. The grand jury returned the indictment for 71-year-old Betty Jean Lyons during its Dec. 14 session. According to a criminal complaint, Marion police responded to the scene after receiving a call about a child who was inside the car sweating profusely with the windows rolled up. When police arrived, the boy appeared to be having trouble breathing, the complaint said. Unable to get the doors open, Officer Jeff Davis busted the window. Sgt. April Morgan wrote in the complaint that Davis was unable to unlock the door from the inside and so entered the car through the broken window. When he stuck his head through the window the heat immediately took his breath away, Morgan wrote. The boy, who Morgan noted was drenched with sweat, was treated on scene by Marion Fire-EMS The complaint goes on to say that Marion Fire-EMS used a thermal imaging camera to measure the temperature inside the vehicle, which registered 130 degrees. After reviewing surveillance footage inside Walmart, police were able to determine that Lyons had been inside the store for approximately an hour and 20 minutes, according to the complaint. Lyons, who had custody of her grandson at the time of the incident, told police that he did not want to come inside the store with her because his feet were hurting. Lyons is scheduled for trial Jan. 5, 2022. The Grand Jury also heard sufficient evidence to indict a Chilhowie man who now faces sexual abuse charges that date back to 2012. According to information contained in the indictments, 32-year-old Jaron Cory Logan is accused of sexually abusing a family member under the age of 13 on or around November 2012. Logan, who was charged through direct indictment, was indicted on five counts of rape, five counts of incest and one count of forceful sodomy. He is scheduled for trial on March 2. Also indicted during the Grand Jurys December term is a 20-year-old Chilhowie man accused of impregnating a 14-year-old girl. According to a complaint filed at the Smyth County Courthouse, Jackson Sanders Moore, then 19, was in a relationship with the girl who was pregnant. By listening in to jail conversations, investigators learned that Moore was the father to the teens unborn child. Moore, who was arrested in April, now faces a charge of having carnal knowledge of a child between the ages of 13 and 15. He is scheduled for trial Feb. 2, 2022. The grand jury also handed down indictments to the following individuals: Christopher Adam Joliffe, 37, of Marion, was indicted on a failure to register as a sex offender charge. William Ray Perkins II, 40, of Marion, was indicted on strangulation and eluding police charges. Brian Christopher Bowles, 46, of Marion, was indicted on a third offense assault and battery charge. Bucky Bo Buchanan, 40, of Saltville, was indicted on an assault and battery of a law enforcement officer charge. Heather Poston, 39, of Damascus, was indicted on two counts abuse or neglect of a child, one count possession of methamphetamine and one count eluding police. Dakota Manuel Reynolds, 25, of Saltville, was indicted on charges of destruction of property and eluding police. Christopher Dale Arnold, 36, of Rural Retreat, was indicted on four counts statutory burglary and two counts grand larceny Joshua Austin Price, 24, of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. James Rodney Neal Jr., of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. Eric Wayne Mercer, 40, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a statutory burglary charge. Timothy Dwayne Dennison Jr. 24, of Sugar Grove, was indicted on a charge of possession of burglarious tools. Jeni Marie James, 38, of Atkins, was indicted on a credit card theft charge. Lenar Tyree Perkins, 30, of Marion, was indicted on an obstruction of justice charge. Bobby Dean Pruitt, 41, of Atkins, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Cory Ryan Butts, 32, of Woodbridge, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Carl Thomas Rhea, 42, of Wytheville, was indicted on a charge of forging a public document. Danny Musick, 54, of Marion, was indicted on three counts possession of methamphetamine and one count possession of ammunition by a felon. David Allen Tilson, 40, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Grove Trivett, 53, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Judy Elizabeth Hess, 62, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Michael Ray Brown, 47, of Galax, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Torry Chamont Perkins, 31, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Joshua William King, 38, of Wytheville, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Able, 41, of Abingdon, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Bryan James Barker, 35, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Toni Draper, 41, of Dublin, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Carrie Ann Olinger, 34, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. David Stanley Surber, 30, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Jeremy Simms, 35, of Atkins, was indicted on a possession of hydrocodone charge. Individuals arrested on charges stemming from direct indictments handed down during the September 2021 grand jury session are as follows: George Adam Terry, 35, of Saltville, was indicted on five counts distribution of buprenorphine, three counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Crystal Ann Jones, 37, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count distribution of buprenorphine. Charles Lynn Morgan, 29, of Abingdon, was indicted on three counts distribution of methamphetamine. Justin Wayne Harris, 58, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Robert Homer Firestone III, also known as Bobby Firestone, 34, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of buprenorphine. John Richard Gardner, also known as Pooh Gardner, 47, of Marion was indicted on distribution of methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine near a recreation facility. Archie Luther Young, 46, of Marion was indicted on charges of distribution of imitation methamphetamine and petit larceny. Jonathan Firestone, 32, of Marion, was indicted on two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Hanna Jade Briscoe, 22, of Atkins, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine. Dejuan Marquis Brewer, 31, of Saltville, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Jodi Cleary, 50 of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Robert Adam Gore, 29, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Matthew Allen Huffman, 29, of Sugar Grove, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Monica Reedy Lambert, 43, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Christopher Lee Tilson, 35, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Mary Ellen Tester, 49, of Marion, was indicted on two counts possession of methamphetamine. Gerald Putman Jr., 47, of Bristol, was indicted on a welfare fraud charge. Those indicted will stand trial in Smyth County Circuit Court. A Smyth County woman arrested last summer after police say she left her 7-year-old grandson inside a locked car while she shopped at Walmart has been indicted by a Smyth County grand jury on a charge of abuse or neglect of a child. The grand jury returned the indictment for 71-year-old Betty Jean Lyons during its Dec. 14 session. According to a criminal complaint, Marion police responded to the scene after receiving a call about a child who was inside the car sweating profusely with the windows rolled up. When police arrived, the boy appeared to be having trouble breathing, the complaint said. Unable to get the doors open, Officer Jeff Davis busted the window. Sgt. April Morgan wrote in the complaint that Davis was unable to unlock the door from the inside and so entered the car through the broken window. When he stuck his head through the window the heat immediately took his breath away, Morgan wrote. The boy, who Morgan noted was drenched with sweat, was treated on scene by Marion Fire-EMS The complaint goes on to say that Marion Fire-EMS used a thermal imaging camera to measure the temperature inside the vehicle, which registered 130 degrees. After reviewing surveillance footage inside Walmart, police were able to determine that Lyons had been inside the store for approximately an hour and 20 minutes, according to the complaint. Lyons, who had custody of her grandson at the time of the incident, told police that he did not want to come inside the store with her because his feet were hurting. Lyons is scheduled for trial Jan. 5, 2022. The Grand Jury also heard sufficient evidence to indict a Chilhowie man who now faces sexual abuse charges that date back to 2012. According to information contained in the indictments, 32-year-old Jaron Cory Logan is accused of sexually abusing a family member under the age of 13 on or around November 2012. Logan, who was charged through direct indictment, was indicted on five counts of rape, five counts of incest and one count of forceful sodomy. He is scheduled for trial on March 2. Also indicted during the Grand Jurys December term is a 20-year-old Chilhowie man accused of impregnating a 14-year-old girl. According to a complaint filed at the Smyth County Courthouse, Jackson Sanders Moore, then 19, was in a relationship with the girl who was pregnant. By listening in to jail conversations, investigators learned that Moore was the father to the teens unborn child. Moore, who was arrested in April, now faces a charge of having carnal knowledge of a child between the ages of 13 and 15. He is scheduled for trial Feb. 2, 2022. The grand jury also handed down indictments to the following individuals: Christopher Adam Joliffe, 37, of Marion, was indicted on a failure to register as a sex offender charge. William Ray Perkins II, 40, of Marion, was indicted on strangulation and eluding police charges. Brian Christopher Bowles, 46, of Marion, was indicted on a third offense assault and battery charge. Bucky Bo Buchanan, 40, of Saltville, was indicted on an assault and battery of a law enforcement officer charge. Heather Poston, 39, of Damascus, was indicted on two counts abuse or neglect of a child, one count possession of methamphetamine and one count eluding police. Dakota Manuel Reynolds, 25, of Saltville, was indicted on charges of destruction of property and eluding police. Christopher Dale Arnold, 36, of Rural Retreat, was indicted on four counts statutory burglary and two counts grand larceny Joshua Austin Price, 24, of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. James Rodney Neal Jr., of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. Eric Wayne Mercer, 40, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a statutory burglary charge. Timothy Dwayne Dennison Jr. 24, of Sugar Grove, was indicted on a charge of possession of burglarious tools. Jeni Marie James, 38, of Atkins, was indicted on a credit card theft charge. Lenar Tyree Perkins, 30, of Marion, was indicted on an obstruction of justice charge. Bobby Dean Pruitt, 41, of Atkins, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Cory Ryan Butts, 32, of Woodbridge, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Carl Thomas Rhea, 42, of Wytheville, was indicted on a charge of forging a public document. Danny Musick, 54, of Marion, was indicted on three counts possession of methamphetamine and one count possession of ammunition by a felon. David Allen Tilson, 40, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Grove Trivett, 53, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Judy Elizabeth Hess, 62, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Michael Ray Brown, 47, of Galax, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Torry Chamont Perkins, 31, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Joshua William King, 38, of Wytheville, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Able, 41, of Abingdon, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Bryan James Barker, 35, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Toni Draper, 41, of Dublin, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Carrie Ann Olinger, 34, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. David Stanley Surber, 30, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Jeremy Simms, 35, of Atkins, was indicted on a possession of hydrocodone charge. Individuals arrested on charges stemming from direct indictments handed down during the September 2021 grand jury session are as follows: George Adam Terry, 35, of Saltville, was indicted on five counts distribution of buprenorphine, three counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Crystal Ann Jones, 37, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count distribution of buprenorphine. Charles Lynn Morgan, 29, of Abingdon, was indicted on three counts distribution of methamphetamine. Justin Wayne Harris, 58, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Robert Homer Firestone III, also known as Bobby Firestone, 34, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of buprenorphine. John Richard Gardner, also known as Pooh Gardner, 47, of Marion was indicted on distribution of methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine near a recreation facility. Archie Luther Young, 46, of Marion was indicted on charges of distribution of imitation methamphetamine and petit larceny. Jonathan Firestone, 32, of Marion, was indicted on two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Hanna Jade Briscoe, 22, of Atkins, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine. Dejuan Marquis Brewer, 31, of Saltville, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Jodi Cleary, 50 of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Robert Adam Gore, 29, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Matthew Allen Huffman, 29, of Sugar Grove, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Monica Reedy Lambert, 43, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Christopher Lee Tilson, 35, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Mary Ellen Tester, 49, of Marion, was indicted on two counts possession of methamphetamine. Gerald Putman Jr., 47, of Bristol, was indicted on a welfare fraud charge. Those indicted will stand trial in Smyth County Circuit Court. Allen Harris is the owner of Berkshire Money Management in Dalton. He can be reached at aharris@berkshiremm.com. By Anna Mehler Paperny TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada will take in female Afghan judges and their families who have been living in limbo, primarily in Greece, since their evacuation from Afghanistan in the fall, a spokesperson for the immigration minister said Friday. In addition to the judges and their families, a group totalling about 230 people, Canada will also resettle an unspecified number of Afghans from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities who had been referred by a third-party aid organization, the spokesperson said. They are expected to come to Canada next year but there is no firm date. Canada has promised to resettle 40,000 Afghan refugees but has no timeline for doing so. Since the Taliban took control of the country after the U.S. troop withdrawal in August, Canada has resettled 3,915 Afghans with connections to the Canadian government and another 2,535 on humanitarian grounds, according to government figures. Afghan women made great strides in the two decades since the Taliban last ruled the country from 1996 to 2001, joining previously all-male bastions such as the judiciary, the media and politics. "All the achievements of 20 years came back to zero within the blink of an eye," said Freshta Masoni, a family court judge staying in Athens with her toddler daughters. Since returning to power, the Taliban pledged to protect women's rights in accordance with Islamic law, announcing a general "amnesty" for all former state workers. But advocates fear a backslide to when women were not allowed to work and girls were banned from school. Even if they can leave the country, Afghan asylum-seekers may face years of waits amid logistical backlogs and delays. Western countries usually resettle refugees referred by the UN refugee agency, which has limited capacity to process applications for resettlement. "The biggest bottleneck there is the issue that referral partners in the region have not been able to ramp up capacity," Canada's immigration minister, Sean Fraser, told Reuters earlier this month. "These challenges are going to take a little bit of time to sort out." Afghanistan's refugee situation is different from the Syrian refugee crisis that galvanized the world several years ago, UN refugee agency officials and advocates say. Unlike Syria, the Afghan crisis escalated rapidly during a global pandemic and many face difficulties leaving the country. Those who do leave face additional waits, often in countries with little capacity to support them. Some of the female judges, who have been living in Greece since October, told Reuters they have lacked health coverage because of their temporary visa status. Advocates have called on countries to resettle Afghans without requiring a designation from the UNHCR or other NGOs, a step Canada has signalled it is open to. (Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) Ralph Gardner Jr. is a journalist whose work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The New Yorker. He can be reached at ralph@ralphgardner.com. The opinions expressed by columnists do not necessarily reflect the views of The Berkshire Eagle. Yves here. It would be maddening, as well as stupidity-inducing, to try to follow the Blobs hive mind on a regular basis. This post provides a tolerably small window into two hot issues via the prognostications of David Ignatius, the CIAs mouthpiece1 at the Washington Post. Rosser spares his readers full unadulterated Igantius. For those who are gluttons for punishment, you can read the source material here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/12/30/what-strange-things-does-2022-have-store-us-take-this-quiz-find-out/ Rosser circumspectly does not mention that the intel state might have a few too many college tuitions depending on hotting up a conflict with Russia. By Barkley Rosser, Professor of Economics at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Originally published at EconoSpeak In todays Washington Post, intel columnist David Ignatius had a ten question multiple choice quiz about what will happen in 2022. He provided his own answers at the end, effectively forecasts. Many I agree with and some, speculative about tech developments and such like, I have no opinion on. However on two very important ones I think I disagree with him, if not overwhelmingly so. One of these was about prospects for Iran and the US and others to put back together the JCPOA nuclear deal that Donald Trump removed the US from. I am burned as I expected Biden to quickly rejoin the deal with minimum fuss once he got back in office. But he did not do so, insisting on demanding all sorts of extra things out of Iran about missiles and this and that. No deal has been made and now Iran has a hard line government. Yes, formal negotiations have been restarted in Vienna, but to me they do not seem to be going anywhere, and Iran has now substantially expanded its nuclear capability. Ignatius forecasts that Iran will negotiate a deal under pressure from Russia and China. I am afraid I am skeptical, although I would love to see it. The other one, where I am forecasting a more optimistic outcome has to do with the current Russia-Ukraine situation. Bottom line for Ignatius is pessimistic, that Russia will make cyberattacks on Ukraine that lead to people freezing this winter, will allow the Donbas separatists to attack Ukrainian forces and expand their territory of conrtrol, and then create broader chaos in Ukraine that will justify a full-scale invasion by Russia of Ukraine. I think a more optimistic answer is more likely, although certainly not certain. This one says that Putin will gradually pull troops back after some sort of sufficiently face-saving deal is cut. This seems to be what people in Ukraine think, although maybe the generally astute Ignatious knows better. But I hope he is wrong for this coming new year. Snovem godem (Russian for Happy New Year), you all! _____ 1 Lambert suggested a less-family-blog-friendly depiction. Yves here. It would be maddening, as well as stupidity-inducing, to try to follow the Blobs hive mind on a regular basis. This post provides a tolerably small window into two hot issues via the prognostications of David Ignatius, the CIAs mouthpiece1 at the Washington Post. Rosser spares his readers full unadulterated Igantius. For those who are gluttons for punishment, you can read the source material here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/12/30/what-strange-things-does-2022-have-store-us-take-this-quiz-find-out/ Rosser circumspectly does not mention that the intel state might have a few too many college tuitions depending on hotting up a conflict with Russia. By Barkley Rosser, Professor of Economics at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Originally published at EconoSpeak In todays Washington Post, intel columnist David Ignatius had a ten question multiple choice quiz about what will happen in 2022. He provided his own answers at the end, effectively forecasts. Many I agree with and some, speculative about tech developments and such like, I have no opinion on. However on two very important ones I think I disagree with him, if not overwhelmingly so. One of these was about prospects for Iran and the US and others to put back together the JCPOA nuclear deal that Donald Trump removed the US from. I am burned as I expected Biden to quickly rejoin the deal with minimum fuss once he got back in office. But he did not do so, insisting on demanding all sorts of extra things out of Iran about missiles and this and that. No deal has been made and now Iran has a hard line government. Yes, formal negotiations have been restarted in Vienna, but to me they do not seem to be going anywhere, and Iran has now substantially expanded its nuclear capability. Ignatius forecasts that Iran will negotiate a deal under pressure from Russia and China. I am afraid I am skeptical, although I would love to see it. The other one, where I am forecasting a more optimistic outcome has to do with the current Russia-Ukraine situation. Bottom line for Ignatius is pessimistic, that Russia will make cyberattacks on Ukraine that lead to people freezing this winter, will allow the Donbas separatists to attack Ukrainian forces and expand their territory of conrtrol, and then create broader chaos in Ukraine that will justify a full-scale invasion by Russia of Ukraine. I think a more optimistic answer is more likely, although certainly not certain. This one says that Putin will gradually pull troops back after some sort of sufficiently face-saving deal is cut. This seems to be what people in Ukraine think, although maybe the generally astute Ignatious knows better. But I hope he is wrong for this coming new year. Snovem godem (Russian for Happy New Year), you all! _____ 1 Lambert suggested a less-family-blog-friendly depiction. Yves here. It would be maddening, as well as stupidity-inducing, to try to follow the Blobs hive mind on a regular basis. This post provides a tolerably small window into two hot issues via the prognostications of David Ignatius, the CIAs mouthpiece1 at the Washington Post. Rosser spares his readers full unadulterated Igantius. For those who are gluttons for punishment, you can read the source material here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/12/30/what-strange-things-does-2022-have-store-us-take-this-quiz-find-out/ Rosser circumspectly does not mention that the intel state might have a few too many college tuitions depending on hotting up a conflict with Russia. By Barkley Rosser, Professor of Economics at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Originally published at EconoSpeak In todays Washington Post, intel columnist David Ignatius had a ten question multiple choice quiz about what will happen in 2022. He provided his own answers at the end, effectively forecasts. Many I agree with and some, speculative about tech developments and such like, I have no opinion on. However on two very important ones I think I disagree with him, if not overwhelmingly so. One of these was about prospects for Iran and the US and others to put back together the JCPOA nuclear deal that Donald Trump removed the US from. I am burned as I expected Biden to quickly rejoin the deal with minimum fuss once he got back in office. But he did not do so, insisting on demanding all sorts of extra things out of Iran about missiles and this and that. No deal has been made and now Iran has a hard line government. Yes, formal negotiations have been restarted in Vienna, but to me they do not seem to be going anywhere, and Iran has now substantially expanded its nuclear capability. Ignatius forecasts that Iran will negotiate a deal under pressure from Russia and China. I am afraid I am skeptical, although I would love to see it. The other one, where I am forecasting a more optimistic outcome has to do with the current Russia-Ukraine situation. Bottom line for Ignatius is pessimistic, that Russia will make cyberattacks on Ukraine that lead to people freezing this winter, will allow the Donbas separatists to attack Ukrainian forces and expand their territory of conrtrol, and then create broader chaos in Ukraine that will justify a full-scale invasion by Russia of Ukraine. I think a more optimistic answer is more likely, although certainly not certain. This one says that Putin will gradually pull troops back after some sort of sufficiently face-saving deal is cut. This seems to be what people in Ukraine think, although maybe the generally astute Ignatious knows better. But I hope he is wrong for this coming new year. Snovem godem (Russian for Happy New Year), you all! _____ 1 Lambert suggested a less-family-blog-friendly depiction. Pastor Jack Hibbs in an interview with The Epoch Times at a TurningPointUSA event in Phoenix, Ariz., in December 2021. (The Epoch Times) People Are Waking up and California Is Coming Back: Pastor Jack Hibbs The high crime rates, the governors long and strict lockdowns, high taxes, high living costs, roaming homeless people in the cities California seems to have lost its appeal and more people are leaving the state. However, pastor Jack Hibbs sees the hope of the Golden State and believes its coming back. I think weve hit bottom, and were coming back, Hibbs told The Epoch Times during a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix last week. Hibbs is an eminent pastor in the nation and Calvary Chapel Chino Hills founder. He was part of former President Donald Trumps evangelical team. He has captured headlines during the past year and a half for his firm stances against lockdowns, church-closing, and vaccine mandates. California used to be the bastion of fill-in-the-blank, the bastion of prosperity, the bastion of the laid back California lifestyle, it was the place of innovation California is the only state in the nation that can boast mission, preaching stations, among other things, Hibbs said, noting that now California has sunk terribly and become the laughingstock of the nation. However, Hibbs believes and sees that people are waking up. Believe it or not, people are coming to California or coming back to California to do the right thing. And that is to take possession of their state again. On Dec. 15, a new study by the California Policy Lab found that more people are moving out of the state12 percent higher than pre-pandemic levelsespecially the Bay Area. However, the study showed therere still people moving into the state, only at a rate much lower than the pre-pandemic level38 percent lower. In these last two years, weve had nothing but growth, Hibbs said, referring to his church. Weve had thousands of people added to the church. We baptize 3,000 people on a Saturday. Why? Because people are looking for truth. And so they found out that just a warm, feel-good, secret-type message doesnt answer you in the day of trouble. Gods word answers you in the day of trouble. So thats what were all about. And thats why were seeing a response. Hibbs website states that his church ministers weekly to over ten thousand people on campus and millions worldwide through daily media outreach programs. Last July, when Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that churches must again close their doors, Hibbs said it was a mistake to close church at the first time, and he would never close the church again. Hibbs said he sent a video to the governors office saying, If youre going to close the church, you have to physically come and shut the doors. Later Newsom lost a lawsuit, and the state can no longer place discriminatory COVID-19 restrictions on church services. Why were the most prosperous nation? Why were the most free? Why is there such a big battle about vaccination or no vaccination? We get to fight that issue. Were Americans, Hibbs told The Epoch Times. Hibbs supports Navy SEALs who have filed suit to seek religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine. He asked his congregation to pray for First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to defending religious freedom and representing the Navy SEALs. Worshippers gather for service during the COVID-19 pandemic in the courtyard of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino Hills, Calif. (Courtesy of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills) I have children, I have grandchildren, and thats why Im fighting, Hibbs said. When Hibbs went to school as a kid in Orange County, California, they had the Bible in class and prayer in class. They had the Pledge of Allegiance in the classroom. But later, Bible or ten commandments were no longer allowed on the wall. Well, you look at the data. Look at the decades that followed. Its been nothing but degradation, Hibbs added. Hibbs recognized that the legacy media has taken people to the dark side of things. We get to now challenge the false narrative, Hibbs said. So dont lose heart. I would say to people be very discerning about what you hear. And make sure that youre hearing it from a source that has no agenda except to bring truth. Stand firm with what is right and true, Hibbs said. The Bible calls it righteousnessdont let that word scare youit simply means to do the right thing: against tweets, against blogs, against any intimidation, do the right thing. At the end of the day, do what you know is right and youll sleep good, and youll become fearless because you will have done the right thing. Nick Vandennieuwenhof and Jamie Joseph contributed to this report. Pastor Jack Hibbs in an interview with The Epoch Times at a TurningPointUSA event in Phoenix, Ariz., in December 2021. (The Epoch Times) People Are Waking up and California Is Coming Back: Pastor Jack Hibbs The high crime rates, the governors long and strict lockdowns, high taxes, high living costs, roaming homeless people in the cities California seems to have lost its appeal and more people are leaving the state. However, pastor Jack Hibbs sees the hope of the Golden State and believes its coming back. I think weve hit bottom, and were coming back, Hibbs told The Epoch Times during a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix last week. Hibbs is an eminent pastor in the nation and Calvary Chapel Chino Hills founder. He was part of former President Donald Trumps evangelical team. He has captured headlines during the past year and a half for his firm stances against lockdowns, church-closing, and vaccine mandates. California used to be the bastion of fill-in-the-blank, the bastion of prosperity, the bastion of the laid back California lifestyle, it was the place of innovation California is the only state in the nation that can boast mission, preaching stations, among other things, Hibbs said, noting that now California has sunk terribly and become the laughingstock of the nation. However, Hibbs believes and sees that people are waking up. Believe it or not, people are coming to California or coming back to California to do the right thing. And that is to take possession of their state again. On Dec. 15, a new study by the California Policy Lab found that more people are moving out of the state12 percent higher than pre-pandemic levelsespecially the Bay Area. However, the study showed therere still people moving into the state, only at a rate much lower than the pre-pandemic level38 percent lower. In these last two years, weve had nothing but growth, Hibbs said, referring to his church. Weve had thousands of people added to the church. We baptize 3,000 people on a Saturday. Why? Because people are looking for truth. And so they found out that just a warm, feel-good, secret-type message doesnt answer you in the day of trouble. Gods word answers you in the day of trouble. So thats what were all about. And thats why were seeing a response. Hibbs website states that his church ministers weekly to over ten thousand people on campus and millions worldwide through daily media outreach programs. Last July, when Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that churches must again close their doors, Hibbs said it was a mistake to close church at the first time, and he would never close the church again. Hibbs said he sent a video to the governors office saying, If youre going to close the church, you have to physically come and shut the doors. Later Newsom lost a lawsuit, and the state can no longer place discriminatory COVID-19 restrictions on church services. Why were the most prosperous nation? Why were the most free? Why is there such a big battle about vaccination or no vaccination? We get to fight that issue. Were Americans, Hibbs told The Epoch Times. Hibbs supports Navy SEALs who have filed suit to seek religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine. He asked his congregation to pray for First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to defending religious freedom and representing the Navy SEALs. Worshippers gather for service during the COVID-19 pandemic in the courtyard of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino Hills, Calif. (Courtesy of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills) I have children, I have grandchildren, and thats why Im fighting, Hibbs said. When Hibbs went to school as a kid in Orange County, California, they had the Bible in class and prayer in class. They had the Pledge of Allegiance in the classroom. But later, Bible or ten commandments were no longer allowed on the wall. Well, you look at the data. Look at the decades that followed. Its been nothing but degradation, Hibbs added. Hibbs recognized that the legacy media has taken people to the dark side of things. We get to now challenge the false narrative, Hibbs said. So dont lose heart. I would say to people be very discerning about what you hear. And make sure that youre hearing it from a source that has no agenda except to bring truth. Stand firm with what is right and true, Hibbs said. The Bible calls it righteousnessdont let that word scare youit simply means to do the right thing: against tweets, against blogs, against any intimidation, do the right thing. At the end of the day, do what you know is right and youll sleep good, and youll become fearless because you will have done the right thing. Nick Vandennieuwenhof and Jamie Joseph contributed to this report. The Caledonia Fire Department, like nearly all publicly funded fire and rescue operations, is not allowed to refuse service to someone who calls the department. Thats part of why call volume to senior care facilities has gone through the roof since 2018, Fire Chief Jeffrey Henningfeld said at a Dec. 6 Caledonia Village Board meeting. In 2018, calls to the multibuilding Parkview Senior-Living Community totaled 201. This year, through Dec. 15, it was 451. Older people tend to have an increased need for emergency medical services, especially when they remain independent longer. Its not just Parkview. Its all of our senior living facilities, Henningfeld said. Its not that were complaining about it, it just is that way. Were trying to meet the needs of the community and the needs are increasing. Theres a myriad of reasons why. States aging population The Caledonia Fire Department answered 2,964 calls last year and answered approximately 3,170 calls this year. For the most part, responses to senior living facilities increased. The Siena Retreat Center campus called for CFD assistance 50 times in 2020 and 82 times in 2021. Frontidas Willowgreen Home assisted living facility saw its calls climb from 49 in 2020 to 75 in 2021. The Woods of Caledonia retirement community decreased its number of calls from 107 to 80 in those same years. More calls means more costs for the CFD, and thus more costs to taxpayers, especially when Medicare and Medicaid dont always pay enough to cover the costs of each individual call. Henningfeld said he fears the communitys needs may not be met if the department loses staffing, and personnel wants to be able to continue to serve the community at its current staffing numbers. Regardless of the numbers themselves, Wisconsins population is aging fast, and the numbers of medical professionals in the state is not growing at the same rate. According to a report from the Wisconsin Hospitals Association: From 2017 to 2032, the U.S. population under age 18 is projected to grow by only 3.5%, while the population aged 65 and over is projected to grow by 48%, and the population aged 75 and older is projected to grow by a staggering 75.3%. These trends will likely hold true in Wisconsin. According to state data, as of 2015, more than one-fifth of the populations of all but nine of Wisconsins counties were age 60 and older, and no countys populations was more than two-fifths comprised of those 60 and over. By 2030, projections show that every Wisconsin countys population is to be at least 20% people who are 60 and older, and 10 counties (all of them in central or northern Wisconsin) are to have 40% of their populations age 60 or older. Racine, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant Cynthia White, division chief of professional standards, health and safety for the Racine Fire Department, said the department hasnt seen anything in senior living responses as significant as Caledonia, but perhaps some slight increases. In 2020, calls to Home Harbor were 49 and in 2021 to date, they were 61. Calls to Prospect Heights Community Living decreased from 26 in 2020 to 22 in 2021. Calls to The Villa at Lincoln Park doubled, from 53 to 106 during those same years. She said the numbers may not entirely reflect seniors need for medical attention or EMS, however, because in 2020, most senior living facilities were locked down and didnt allow visitors, including emergency personnel. We werent at the facilities at all because they werent allowing people there, White said. We usually are going into some of their rooms. We didnt do that. We werent going, they werent calling. Calls just kind of everybody disappeared. Randy Marvin, co-owner of Prospect Heights along with his wife, Elizabeth, said he and other Prospect staff members dont call EMS unless someone has a more serious condition. Residents who need to go to prompt care will be transported via a private ambulance service. If an ambulance company is estimating a long wait time, staff will call another company. Then if no one can come, thats when EMS is called. Prospect staff also do their own transport. Marvin said the residential facility can house up to 52 people, but the population is down to 46, which is a bit of a decrease from last year, and could contribute to there being fewer fire department calls. Our residents all have their own doctors, their own appointments. We keep them all in good health, Marvin said. We dont have any major dramas where we cant take care of them ourselves. Weve been here for 20 years and we know what were doing here. Weve got things down to a science. Chief Robert Stedman of the South Shore Fire Department said EMS calls in total have actually been down compared to a year ago; they total 81.4% of the departments calls this year compared to 83% of the calls last year. The total call volume has increased by 15% from 2020 to 2021 and the department that serves Mount Pleasant, Sturtevant and Elmwood Park receives about 68% more calls than Caledonia. He said a lot of department calls for senior citizens are to single-family homes, apartments and condominiums as well, not necessarily only senior living facilities. Michael Wienke, a South Shore battalion chief, shift commander and EMS supervisor, said the department experienced an increase in call volumes from 2018-2021 as well, but the numbers appear to be linked to an increase in traffic, development, residential growth and population not senior living centers specifically. In 2020, the department had 4,613 responses to calls. In 2021, the department is on pace to respond to 5,305 calls. Calls to Ridgewood Care Center went from 82 in 2020 to 99 in 2021. Across that same span: calls to Killarney Kourt retirement home increased from 73 to 93, Fountain Hills senior apartments calls decreased from 70 to 58, and Pleasant Point Senior Living calls held steady from 120 to 119 in those same years. However, from 2019 to this year so far, Pleasant Points total has more than tripled, from 39 to 119. Jim Tarantino, founder and principal of Capri Communities, the company that operates Killarney Kourt, said the increase in EMS calls could be due to the fact the population is aging. It mainly has to do with their health conditions and theyre getting older, Tarantino said. Their needs are higher. His company has locations in the Madison area as well as southeastern Wisconsin and staff has reported situations where ambulances cant arrive for pickups for hours or will altogether refuse transport. Some senior living facilities have said private ambulances cant come until the next day. Some hospitals will refuse to admit patients. Tarantino said hes gotten very low amounts of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (the CARES Act) money to help with the labor shortage and COVID-19-related expenses. His staff is getting burnt out too. Were really struggling from a financial standpoint because we dont have any support, Tarantino said. Ive contacted government officials and I have yet to see any material responses. The government, frankly, is turning its back on us. Its very disheartening. West end Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company Fire Chief Justin Lyman said he, too, has felt an increase in the number of calls to senior facilities. He said he cant think of many reasons the department would refuse to take calls to such facilities. Theres only a few small senior homes in the Town of Norway, he said, but the senior population is growing. We understand that different facilities offer different levels of medical care. When they run into a situation that is outside of their scope of practice, thats where we are able to step in as a resource, Lyman said in an email. It certainly seems most of the construction recently, on the west end, has been senior based. Kansasville Fire and Rescue Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ron Molnar said department calls to senior living facilities havent spiked or skyrocketed they might have a slight increase, but nothing astronomical. The only senior living facility within Kansasville Fire and Rescues district is Boland Hall, a residential building on the campus of the Wisconsin Veterans Home in Union Grove, located in the Town of Dover. The department has one ambulance. If theres a second call at the same time the department is responding to a first call, it relies on mutual aid. Over the past several years, the number of calls have remained steady, he said. This is true even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said didnt affect the data. Its not COVID-related, whatsoever, Molnar said. People have chronic health conditions or are generally sick that need to go to the hospital. Ambulance series Part 1: Racine County has long been facing shortages of EMTs. Costs are rising as a result. Part 2: When payment for emergency medical services far undercuts actual costs. Part 3, today: How an aging population is severely driving up demand for taxpayer-funded emergency services. Developer contests Alf McConnell, developer of the Parkview Senior-Living Community, one of the largest such facilities in southeastern Wisconsin, said the call numbers for Parkview of 201 in 2018 to 451 in 2021 seemed unrealistically high, and claimed the data may be incorrect. Somebodys made a mistake, I think, McConnell said. McConnell doesnt keep data internally of the number of times someone at Parkview requests assistance from the Caledonia Fire Department, but he said he hasnt noticed an increase of calls. Its not that often. Its not like were seeing a line of ambulances lined up at the front door, McConnell said. (But) I cant say theres been a decrease either. That implies that Im standing there keeping track of ambulances that come there, and thats not the case. The Caledonia Fire Department, like nearly all publicly funded fire and rescue operations, is not allowed to refuse service to someone who calls the department. Thats part of why call volume to senior care facilities has gone through the roof since 2018, Fire Chief Jeffrey Henningfeld said at a Dec. 6 Caledonia Village Board meeting. In 2018, calls to the multibuilding Parkview Senior-Living Community totaled 201. This year, through Dec. 15, it was 451. Older people tend to have an increased need for emergency medical services, especially when they remain independent longer. Its not just Parkview. Its all of our senior living facilities, Henningfeld said. Its not that were complaining about it, it just is that way. Were trying to meet the needs of the community and the needs are increasing. Theres a myriad of reasons why. States aging population The Caledonia Fire Department answered 2,964 calls last year and answered approximately 3,170 calls this year. For the most part, responses to senior living facilities increased. The Siena Retreat Center campus called for CFD assistance 50 times in 2020 and 82 times in 2021. Frontidas Willowgreen Home assisted living facility saw its calls climb from 49 in 2020 to 75 in 2021. The Woods of Caledonia retirement community decreased its number of calls from 107 to 80 in those same years. More calls means more costs for the CFD, and thus more costs to taxpayers, especially when Medicare and Medicaid dont always pay enough to cover the costs of each individual call. Henningfeld said he fears the communitys needs may not be met if the department loses staffing, and personnel wants to be able to continue to serve the community at its current staffing numbers. Regardless of the numbers themselves, Wisconsins population is aging fast, and the numbers of medical professionals in the state is not growing at the same rate. According to a report from the Wisconsin Hospitals Association: From 2017 to 2032, the U.S. population under age 18 is projected to grow by only 3.5%, while the population aged 65 and over is projected to grow by 48%, and the population aged 75 and older is projected to grow by a staggering 75.3%. These trends will likely hold true in Wisconsin. According to state data, as of 2015, more than one-fifth of the populations of all but nine of Wisconsins counties were age 60 and older, and no countys populations was more than two-fifths comprised of those 60 and over. By 2030, projections show that every Wisconsin countys population is to be at least 20% people who are 60 and older, and 10 counties (all of them in central or northern Wisconsin) are to have 40% of their populations age 60 or older. Racine, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant Cynthia White, division chief of professional standards, health and safety for the Racine Fire Department, said the department hasnt seen anything in senior living responses as significant as Caledonia, but perhaps some slight increases. In 2020, calls to Home Harbor were 49 and in 2021 to date, they were 61. Calls to Prospect Heights Community Living decreased from 26 in 2020 to 22 in 2021. Calls to The Villa at Lincoln Park doubled, from 53 to 106 during those same years. She said the numbers may not entirely reflect seniors need for medical attention or EMS, however, because in 2020, most senior living facilities were locked down and didnt allow visitors, including emergency personnel. We werent at the facilities at all because they werent allowing people there, White said. We usually are going into some of their rooms. We didnt do that. We werent going, they werent calling. Calls just kind of everybody disappeared. Randy Marvin, co-owner of Prospect Heights along with his wife, Elizabeth, said he and other Prospect staff members dont call EMS unless someone has a more serious condition. Residents who need to go to prompt care will be transported via a private ambulance service. If an ambulance company is estimating a long wait time, staff will call another company. Then if no one can come, thats when EMS is called. Prospect staff also do their own transport. Marvin said the residential facility can house up to 52 people, but the population is down to 46, which is a bit of a decrease from last year, and could contribute to there being fewer fire department calls. Our residents all have their own doctors, their own appointments. We keep them all in good health, Marvin said. We dont have any major dramas where we cant take care of them ourselves. Weve been here for 20 years and we know what were doing here. Weve got things down to a science. Chief Robert Stedman of the South Shore Fire Department said EMS calls in total have actually been down compared to a year ago; they total 81.4% of the departments calls this year compared to 83% of the calls last year. The total call volume has increased by 15% from 2020 to 2021 and the department that serves Mount Pleasant, Sturtevant and Elmwood Park receives about 68% more calls than Caledonia. He said a lot of department calls for senior citizens are to single-family homes, apartments and condominiums as well, not necessarily only senior living facilities. Michael Wienke, a South Shore battalion chief, shift commander and EMS supervisor, said the department experienced an increase in call volumes from 2018-2021 as well, but the numbers appear to be linked to an increase in traffic, development, residential growth and population not senior living centers specifically. In 2020, the department had 4,613 responses to calls. In 2021, the department is on pace to respond to 5,305 calls. Calls to Ridgewood Care Center went from 82 in 2020 to 99 in 2021. Across that same span: calls to Killarney Kourt retirement home increased from 73 to 93, Fountain Hills senior apartments calls decreased from 70 to 58, and Pleasant Point Senior Living calls held steady from 120 to 119 in those same years. However, from 2019 to this year so far, Pleasant Points total has more than tripled, from 39 to 119. Jim Tarantino, founder and principal of Capri Communities, the company that operates Killarney Kourt, said the increase in EMS calls could be due to the fact the population is aging. It mainly has to do with their health conditions and theyre getting older, Tarantino said. Their needs are higher. His company has locations in the Madison area as well as southeastern Wisconsin and staff has reported situations where ambulances cant arrive for pickups for hours or will altogether refuse transport. Some senior living facilities have said private ambulances cant come until the next day. Some hospitals will refuse to admit patients. Tarantino said hes gotten very low amounts of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (the CARES Act) money to help with the labor shortage and COVID-19-related expenses. His staff is getting burnt out too. Were really struggling from a financial standpoint because we dont have any support, Tarantino said. Ive contacted government officials and I have yet to see any material responses. The government, frankly, is turning its back on us. Its very disheartening. West end Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company Fire Chief Justin Lyman said he, too, has felt an increase in the number of calls to senior facilities. He said he cant think of many reasons the department would refuse to take calls to such facilities. Theres only a few small senior homes in the Town of Norway, he said, but the senior population is growing. We understand that different facilities offer different levels of medical care. When they run into a situation that is outside of their scope of practice, thats where we are able to step in as a resource, Lyman said in an email. It certainly seems most of the construction recently, on the west end, has been senior based. Kansasville Fire and Rescue Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ron Molnar said department calls to senior living facilities havent spiked or skyrocketed they might have a slight increase, but nothing astronomical. The only senior living facility within Kansasville Fire and Rescues district is Boland Hall, a residential building on the campus of the Wisconsin Veterans Home in Union Grove, located in the Town of Dover. The department has one ambulance. If theres a second call at the same time the department is responding to a first call, it relies on mutual aid. Over the past several years, the number of calls have remained steady, he said. This is true even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said didnt affect the data. Its not COVID-related, whatsoever, Molnar said. People have chronic health conditions or are generally sick that need to go to the hospital. Ambulance series Part 1: Racine County has long been facing shortages of EMTs. Costs are rising as a result. Part 2: When payment for emergency medical services far undercuts actual costs. Part 3, today: How an aging population is severely driving up demand for taxpayer-funded emergency services. Developer contests Alf McConnell, developer of the Parkview Senior-Living Community, one of the largest such facilities in southeastern Wisconsin, said the call numbers for Parkview of 201 in 2018 to 451 in 2021 seemed unrealistically high, and claimed the data may be incorrect. Somebodys made a mistake, I think, McConnell said. McConnell doesnt keep data internally of the number of times someone at Parkview requests assistance from the Caledonia Fire Department, but he said he hasnt noticed an increase of calls. Its not that often. Its not like were seeing a line of ambulances lined up at the front door, McConnell said. (But) I cant say theres been a decrease either. That implies that Im standing there keeping track of ambulances that come there, and thats not the case. The Caledonia Fire Department, like nearly all publicly funded fire and rescue operations, is not allowed to refuse service to someone who calls the department. Thats part of why call volume to senior care facilities has gone through the roof since 2018, Fire Chief Jeffrey Henningfeld said at a Dec. 6 Caledonia Village Board meeting. In 2018, calls to the multibuilding Parkview Senior-Living Community totaled 201. This year, through Dec. 15, it was 451. Older people tend to have an increased need for emergency medical services, especially when they remain independent longer. Its not just Parkview. Its all of our senior living facilities, Henningfeld said. Its not that were complaining about it, it just is that way. Were trying to meet the needs of the community and the needs are increasing. Theres a myriad of reasons why. States aging population The Caledonia Fire Department answered 2,964 calls last year and answered approximately 3,170 calls this year. For the most part, responses to senior living facilities increased. The Siena Retreat Center campus called for CFD assistance 50 times in 2020 and 82 times in 2021. Frontidas Willowgreen Home assisted living facility saw its calls climb from 49 in 2020 to 75 in 2021. The Woods of Caledonia retirement community decreased its number of calls from 107 to 80 in those same years. More calls means more costs for the CFD, and thus more costs to taxpayers, especially when Medicare and Medicaid dont always pay enough to cover the costs of each individual call. Henningfeld said he fears the communitys needs may not be met if the department loses staffing, and personnel wants to be able to continue to serve the community at its current staffing numbers. Regardless of the numbers themselves, Wisconsins population is aging fast, and the numbers of medical professionals in the state is not growing at the same rate. According to a report from the Wisconsin Hospitals Association: From 2017 to 2032, the U.S. population under age 18 is projected to grow by only 3.5%, while the population aged 65 and over is projected to grow by 48%, and the population aged 75 and older is projected to grow by a staggering 75.3%. These trends will likely hold true in Wisconsin. According to state data, as of 2015, more than one-fifth of the populations of all but nine of Wisconsins counties were age 60 and older, and no countys populations was more than two-fifths comprised of those 60 and over. By 2030, projections show that every Wisconsin countys population is to be at least 20% people who are 60 and older, and 10 counties (all of them in central or northern Wisconsin) are to have 40% of their populations age 60 or older. Racine, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant Cynthia White, division chief of professional standards, health and safety for the Racine Fire Department, said the department hasnt seen anything in senior living responses as significant as Caledonia, but perhaps some slight increases. In 2020, calls to Home Harbor were 49 and in 2021 to date, they were 61. Calls to Prospect Heights Community Living decreased from 26 in 2020 to 22 in 2021. Calls to The Villa at Lincoln Park doubled, from 53 to 106 during those same years. She said the numbers may not entirely reflect seniors need for medical attention or EMS, however, because in 2020, most senior living facilities were locked down and didnt allow visitors, including emergency personnel. We werent at the facilities at all because they werent allowing people there, White said. We usually are going into some of their rooms. We didnt do that. We werent going, they werent calling. Calls just kind of everybody disappeared. Randy Marvin, co-owner of Prospect Heights along with his wife, Elizabeth, said he and other Prospect staff members dont call EMS unless someone has a more serious condition. Residents who need to go to prompt care will be transported via a private ambulance service. If an ambulance company is estimating a long wait time, staff will call another company. Then if no one can come, thats when EMS is called. Prospect staff also do their own transport. Marvin said the residential facility can house up to 52 people, but the population is down to 46, which is a bit of a decrease from last year, and could contribute to there being fewer fire department calls. Our residents all have their own doctors, their own appointments. We keep them all in good health, Marvin said. We dont have any major dramas where we cant take care of them ourselves. Weve been here for 20 years and we know what were doing here. Weve got things down to a science. Chief Robert Stedman of the South Shore Fire Department said EMS calls in total have actually been down compared to a year ago; they total 81.4% of the departments calls this year compared to 83% of the calls last year. The total call volume has increased by 15% from 2020 to 2021 and the department that serves Mount Pleasant, Sturtevant and Elmwood Park receives about 68% more calls than Caledonia. He said a lot of department calls for senior citizens are to single-family homes, apartments and condominiums as well, not necessarily only senior living facilities. Michael Wienke, a South Shore battalion chief, shift commander and EMS supervisor, said the department experienced an increase in call volumes from 2018-2021 as well, but the numbers appear to be linked to an increase in traffic, development, residential growth and population not senior living centers specifically. In 2020, the department had 4,613 responses to calls. In 2021, the department is on pace to respond to 5,305 calls. Calls to Ridgewood Care Center went from 82 in 2020 to 99 in 2021. Across that same span: calls to Killarney Kourt retirement home increased from 73 to 93, Fountain Hills senior apartments calls decreased from 70 to 58, and Pleasant Point Senior Living calls held steady from 120 to 119 in those same years. However, from 2019 to this year so far, Pleasant Points total has more than tripled, from 39 to 119. Jim Tarantino, founder and principal of Capri Communities, the company that operates Killarney Kourt, said the increase in EMS calls could be due to the fact the population is aging. It mainly has to do with their health conditions and theyre getting older, Tarantino said. Their needs are higher. His company has locations in the Madison area as well as southeastern Wisconsin and staff has reported situations where ambulances cant arrive for pickups for hours or will altogether refuse transport. Some senior living facilities have said private ambulances cant come until the next day. Some hospitals will refuse to admit patients. Tarantino said hes gotten very low amounts of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (the CARES Act) money to help with the labor shortage and COVID-19-related expenses. His staff is getting burnt out too. Were really struggling from a financial standpoint because we dont have any support, Tarantino said. Ive contacted government officials and I have yet to see any material responses. The government, frankly, is turning its back on us. Its very disheartening. West end Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company Fire Chief Justin Lyman said he, too, has felt an increase in the number of calls to senior facilities. He said he cant think of many reasons the department would refuse to take calls to such facilities. Theres only a few small senior homes in the Town of Norway, he said, but the senior population is growing. We understand that different facilities offer different levels of medical care. When they run into a situation that is outside of their scope of practice, thats where we are able to step in as a resource, Lyman said in an email. It certainly seems most of the construction recently, on the west end, has been senior based. Kansasville Fire and Rescue Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ron Molnar said department calls to senior living facilities havent spiked or skyrocketed they might have a slight increase, but nothing astronomical. The only senior living facility within Kansasville Fire and Rescues district is Boland Hall, a residential building on the campus of the Wisconsin Veterans Home in Union Grove, located in the Town of Dover. The department has one ambulance. If theres a second call at the same time the department is responding to a first call, it relies on mutual aid. Over the past several years, the number of calls have remained steady, he said. This is true even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said didnt affect the data. Its not COVID-related, whatsoever, Molnar said. People have chronic health conditions or are generally sick that need to go to the hospital. Ambulance series Part 1: Racine County has long been facing shortages of EMTs. Costs are rising as a result. Part 2: When payment for emergency medical services far undercuts actual costs. Part 3, today: How an aging population is severely driving up demand for taxpayer-funded emergency services. Developer contests Alf McConnell, developer of the Parkview Senior-Living Community, one of the largest such facilities in southeastern Wisconsin, said the call numbers for Parkview of 201 in 2018 to 451 in 2021 seemed unrealistically high, and claimed the data may be incorrect. Somebodys made a mistake, I think, McConnell said. McConnell doesnt keep data internally of the number of times someone at Parkview requests assistance from the Caledonia Fire Department, but he said he hasnt noticed an increase of calls. Its not that often. Its not like were seeing a line of ambulances lined up at the front door, McConnell said. (But) I cant say theres been a decrease either. That implies that Im standing there keeping track of ambulances that come there, and thats not the case. By Anna Mehler Paperny TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada will take in female Afghan judges and their families who have been living in limbo, primarily in Greece, since their evacuation from Afghanistan in the fall, a spokesperson for the immigration minister said Friday. In addition to the judges and their families, a group totalling about 230 people, Canada will also resettle an unspecified number of Afghans from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities who had been referred by a third-party aid organization, the spokesperson said. They are expected to come to Canada next year but there is no firm date. Canada has promised to resettle 40,000 Afghan refugees but has no timeline for doing so. Since the Taliban took control of the country after the U.S. troop withdrawal in August, Canada has resettled 3,915 Afghans with connections to the Canadian government and another 2,535 on humanitarian grounds, according to government figures. Afghan women made great strides in the two decades since the Taliban last ruled the country from 1996 to 2001, joining previously all-male bastions such as the judiciary, the media and politics. "All the achievements of 20 years came back to zero within the blink of an eye," said Freshta Masoni, a family court judge staying in Athens with her toddler daughters. Since returning to power, the Taliban pledged to protect women's rights in accordance with Islamic law, announcing a general "amnesty" for all former state workers. But advocates fear a backslide to when women were not allowed to work and girls were banned from school. Even if they can leave the country, Afghan asylum-seekers may face years of waits amid logistical backlogs and delays. Western countries usually resettle refugees referred by the UN refugee agency, which has limited capacity to process applications for resettlement. "The biggest bottleneck there is the issue that referral partners in the region have not been able to ramp up capacity," Canada's immigration minister, Sean Fraser, told Reuters earlier this month. "These challenges are going to take a little bit of time to sort out." Afghanistan's refugee situation is different from the Syrian refugee crisis that galvanized the world several years ago, UN refugee agency officials and advocates say. Unlike Syria, the Afghan crisis escalated rapidly during a global pandemic and many face difficulties leaving the country. Those who do leave face additional waits, often in countries with little capacity to support them. Some of the female judges, who have been living in Greece since October, told Reuters they have lacked health coverage because of their temporary visa status. Advocates have called on countries to resettle Afghans without requiring a designation from the UNHCR or other NGOs, a step Canada has signalled it is open to. (Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) Pastor Jack Hibbs in an interview with The Epoch Times at a TurningPointUSA event in Phoenix, Ariz., in December 2021. (The Epoch Times) People Are Waking up and California Is Coming Back: Pastor Jack Hibbs The high crime rates, the governors long and strict lockdowns, high taxes, high living costs, roaming homeless people in the cities California seems to have lost its appeal and more people are leaving the state. However, pastor Jack Hibbs sees the hope of the Golden State and believes its coming back. I think weve hit bottom, and were coming back, Hibbs told The Epoch Times during a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix last week. Hibbs is an eminent pastor in the nation and Calvary Chapel Chino Hills founder. He was part of former President Donald Trumps evangelical team. He has captured headlines during the past year and a half for his firm stances against lockdowns, church-closing, and vaccine mandates. California used to be the bastion of fill-in-the-blank, the bastion of prosperity, the bastion of the laid back California lifestyle, it was the place of innovation California is the only state in the nation that can boast mission, preaching stations, among other things, Hibbs said, noting that now California has sunk terribly and become the laughingstock of the nation. However, Hibbs believes and sees that people are waking up. Believe it or not, people are coming to California or coming back to California to do the right thing. And that is to take possession of their state again. On Dec. 15, a new study by the California Policy Lab found that more people are moving out of the state12 percent higher than pre-pandemic levelsespecially the Bay Area. However, the study showed therere still people moving into the state, only at a rate much lower than the pre-pandemic level38 percent lower. In these last two years, weve had nothing but growth, Hibbs said, referring to his church. Weve had thousands of people added to the church. We baptize 3,000 people on a Saturday. Why? Because people are looking for truth. And so they found out that just a warm, feel-good, secret-type message doesnt answer you in the day of trouble. Gods word answers you in the day of trouble. So thats what were all about. And thats why were seeing a response. Hibbs website states that his church ministers weekly to over ten thousand people on campus and millions worldwide through daily media outreach programs. Last July, when Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that churches must again close their doors, Hibbs said it was a mistake to close church at the first time, and he would never close the church again. Hibbs said he sent a video to the governors office saying, If youre going to close the church, you have to physically come and shut the doors. Later Newsom lost a lawsuit, and the state can no longer place discriminatory COVID-19 restrictions on church services. Why were the most prosperous nation? Why were the most free? Why is there such a big battle about vaccination or no vaccination? We get to fight that issue. Were Americans, Hibbs told The Epoch Times. Hibbs supports Navy SEALs who have filed suit to seek religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine. He asked his congregation to pray for First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to defending religious freedom and representing the Navy SEALs. Worshippers gather for service during the COVID-19 pandemic in the courtyard of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino Hills, Calif. (Courtesy of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills) I have children, I have grandchildren, and thats why Im fighting, Hibbs said. When Hibbs went to school as a kid in Orange County, California, they had the Bible in class and prayer in class. They had the Pledge of Allegiance in the classroom. But later, Bible or ten commandments were no longer allowed on the wall. Well, you look at the data. Look at the decades that followed. Its been nothing but degradation, Hibbs added. Hibbs recognized that the legacy media has taken people to the dark side of things. We get to now challenge the false narrative, Hibbs said. So dont lose heart. I would say to people be very discerning about what you hear. And make sure that youre hearing it from a source that has no agenda except to bring truth. Stand firm with what is right and true, Hibbs said. The Bible calls it righteousnessdont let that word scare youit simply means to do the right thing: against tweets, against blogs, against any intimidation, do the right thing. At the end of the day, do what you know is right and youll sleep good, and youll become fearless because you will have done the right thing. Nick Vandennieuwenhof and Jamie Joseph contributed to this report. Pastor Jack Hibbs in an interview with The Epoch Times at a TurningPointUSA event in Phoenix, Ariz., in December 2021. (The Epoch Times) People Are Waking up and California Is Coming Back: Pastor Jack Hibbs The high crime rates, the governors long and strict lockdowns, high taxes, high living costs, roaming homeless people in the cities California seems to have lost its appeal and more people are leaving the state. However, pastor Jack Hibbs sees the hope of the Golden State and believes its coming back. I think weve hit bottom, and were coming back, Hibbs told The Epoch Times during a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix last week. Hibbs is an eminent pastor in the nation and Calvary Chapel Chino Hills founder. He was part of former President Donald Trumps evangelical team. He has captured headlines during the past year and a half for his firm stances against lockdowns, church-closing, and vaccine mandates. California used to be the bastion of fill-in-the-blank, the bastion of prosperity, the bastion of the laid back California lifestyle, it was the place of innovation California is the only state in the nation that can boast mission, preaching stations, among other things, Hibbs said, noting that now California has sunk terribly and become the laughingstock of the nation. However, Hibbs believes and sees that people are waking up. Believe it or not, people are coming to California or coming back to California to do the right thing. And that is to take possession of their state again. On Dec. 15, a new study by the California Policy Lab found that more people are moving out of the state12 percent higher than pre-pandemic levelsespecially the Bay Area. However, the study showed therere still people moving into the state, only at a rate much lower than the pre-pandemic level38 percent lower. In these last two years, weve had nothing but growth, Hibbs said, referring to his church. Weve had thousands of people added to the church. We baptize 3,000 people on a Saturday. Why? Because people are looking for truth. And so they found out that just a warm, feel-good, secret-type message doesnt answer you in the day of trouble. Gods word answers you in the day of trouble. So thats what were all about. And thats why were seeing a response. Hibbs website states that his church ministers weekly to over ten thousand people on campus and millions worldwide through daily media outreach programs. Last July, when Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that churches must again close their doors, Hibbs said it was a mistake to close church at the first time, and he would never close the church again. Hibbs said he sent a video to the governors office saying, If youre going to close the church, you have to physically come and shut the doors. Later Newsom lost a lawsuit, and the state can no longer place discriminatory COVID-19 restrictions on church services. Why were the most prosperous nation? Why were the most free? Why is there such a big battle about vaccination or no vaccination? We get to fight that issue. Were Americans, Hibbs told The Epoch Times. Hibbs supports Navy SEALs who have filed suit to seek religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine. He asked his congregation to pray for First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to defending religious freedom and representing the Navy SEALs. Worshippers gather for service during the COVID-19 pandemic in the courtyard of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino Hills, Calif. (Courtesy of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills) I have children, I have grandchildren, and thats why Im fighting, Hibbs said. When Hibbs went to school as a kid in Orange County, California, they had the Bible in class and prayer in class. They had the Pledge of Allegiance in the classroom. But later, Bible or ten commandments were no longer allowed on the wall. Well, you look at the data. Look at the decades that followed. Its been nothing but degradation, Hibbs added. Hibbs recognized that the legacy media has taken people to the dark side of things. We get to now challenge the false narrative, Hibbs said. So dont lose heart. I would say to people be very discerning about what you hear. And make sure that youre hearing it from a source that has no agenda except to bring truth. Stand firm with what is right and true, Hibbs said. The Bible calls it righteousnessdont let that word scare youit simply means to do the right thing: against tweets, against blogs, against any intimidation, do the right thing. At the end of the day, do what you know is right and youll sleep good, and youll become fearless because you will have done the right thing. Nick Vandennieuwenhof and Jamie Joseph contributed to this report. A Smyth County woman arrested last summer after police say she left her 7-year-old grandson inside a locked car while she shopped at Walmart has been indicted by a Smyth County grand jury on a charge of abuse or neglect of a child. The grand jury returned the indictment for 71-year-old Betty Jean Lyons during its Dec. 14 session. According to a criminal complaint, Marion police responded to the scene after receiving a call about a child who was inside the car sweating profusely with the windows rolled up. When police arrived, the boy appeared to be having trouble breathing, the complaint said. Unable to get the doors open, Officer Jeff Davis busted the window. Sgt. April Morgan wrote in the complaint that Davis was unable to unlock the door from the inside and so entered the car through the broken window. When he stuck his head through the window the heat immediately took his breath away, Morgan wrote. The boy, who Morgan noted was drenched with sweat, was treated on scene by Marion Fire-EMS The complaint goes on to say that Marion Fire-EMS used a thermal imaging camera to measure the temperature inside the vehicle, which registered 130 degrees. After reviewing surveillance footage inside Walmart, police were able to determine that Lyons had been inside the store for approximately an hour and 20 minutes, according to the complaint. Lyons, who had custody of her grandson at the time of the incident, told police that he did not want to come inside the store with her because his feet were hurting. Lyons is scheduled for trial Jan. 5, 2022. The Grand Jury also heard sufficient evidence to indict a Chilhowie man who now faces sexual abuse charges that date back to 2012. According to information contained in the indictments, 32-year-old Jaron Cory Logan is accused of sexually abusing a family member under the age of 13 on or around November 2012. Logan, who was charged through direct indictment, was indicted on five counts of rape, five counts of incest and one count of forceful sodomy. He is scheduled for trial on March 2. Also indicted during the Grand Jurys December term is a 20-year-old Chilhowie man accused of impregnating a 14-year-old girl. According to a complaint filed at the Smyth County Courthouse, Jackson Sanders Moore, then 19, was in a relationship with the girl who was pregnant. By listening in to jail conversations, investigators learned that Moore was the father to the teens unborn child. Moore, who was arrested in April, now faces a charge of having carnal knowledge of a child between the ages of 13 and 15. He is scheduled for trial Feb. 2, 2022. The grand jury also handed down indictments to the following individuals: Christopher Adam Joliffe, 37, of Marion, was indicted on a failure to register as a sex offender charge. William Ray Perkins II, 40, of Marion, was indicted on strangulation and eluding police charges. Brian Christopher Bowles, 46, of Marion, was indicted on a third offense assault and battery charge. Bucky Bo Buchanan, 40, of Saltville, was indicted on an assault and battery of a law enforcement officer charge. Heather Poston, 39, of Damascus, was indicted on two counts abuse or neglect of a child, one count possession of methamphetamine and one count eluding police. Dakota Manuel Reynolds, 25, of Saltville, was indicted on charges of destruction of property and eluding police. Christopher Dale Arnold, 36, of Rural Retreat, was indicted on four counts statutory burglary and two counts grand larceny Joshua Austin Price, 24, of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. James Rodney Neal Jr., of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. Eric Wayne Mercer, 40, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a statutory burglary charge. Timothy Dwayne Dennison Jr. 24, of Sugar Grove, was indicted on a charge of possession of burglarious tools. Jeni Marie James, 38, of Atkins, was indicted on a credit card theft charge. Lenar Tyree Perkins, 30, of Marion, was indicted on an obstruction of justice charge. Bobby Dean Pruitt, 41, of Atkins, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Cory Ryan Butts, 32, of Woodbridge, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Carl Thomas Rhea, 42, of Wytheville, was indicted on a charge of forging a public document. Danny Musick, 54, of Marion, was indicted on three counts possession of methamphetamine and one count possession of ammunition by a felon. David Allen Tilson, 40, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Grove Trivett, 53, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Judy Elizabeth Hess, 62, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Michael Ray Brown, 47, of Galax, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Torry Chamont Perkins, 31, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Joshua William King, 38, of Wytheville, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Able, 41, of Abingdon, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Bryan James Barker, 35, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Toni Draper, 41, of Dublin, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Carrie Ann Olinger, 34, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. David Stanley Surber, 30, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Jeremy Simms, 35, of Atkins, was indicted on a possession of hydrocodone charge. Individuals arrested on charges stemming from direct indictments handed down during the September 2021 grand jury session are as follows: George Adam Terry, 35, of Saltville, was indicted on five counts distribution of buprenorphine, three counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Crystal Ann Jones, 37, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count distribution of buprenorphine. Charles Lynn Morgan, 29, of Abingdon, was indicted on three counts distribution of methamphetamine. Justin Wayne Harris, 58, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Robert Homer Firestone III, also known as Bobby Firestone, 34, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of buprenorphine. John Richard Gardner, also known as Pooh Gardner, 47, of Marion was indicted on distribution of methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine near a recreation facility. Archie Luther Young, 46, of Marion was indicted on charges of distribution of imitation methamphetamine and petit larceny. Jonathan Firestone, 32, of Marion, was indicted on two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Hanna Jade Briscoe, 22, of Atkins, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine. Dejuan Marquis Brewer, 31, of Saltville, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Jodi Cleary, 50 of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Robert Adam Gore, 29, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Matthew Allen Huffman, 29, of Sugar Grove, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Monica Reedy Lambert, 43, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Christopher Lee Tilson, 35, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Mary Ellen Tester, 49, of Marion, was indicted on two counts possession of methamphetamine. Gerald Putman Jr., 47, of Bristol, was indicted on a welfare fraud charge. Those indicted will stand trial in Smyth County Circuit Court. The Caledonia Fire Department, like nearly all publicly funded fire and rescue operations, is not allowed to refuse service to someone who calls the department. Thats part of why call volume to senior care facilities has gone through the roof since 2018, Fire Chief Jeffrey Henningfeld said at a Dec. 6 Caledonia Village Board meeting. In 2018, calls to the multibuilding Parkview Senior-Living Community totaled 201. This year, through Dec. 15, it was 451. Older people tend to have an increased need for emergency medical services, especially when they remain independent longer. Its not just Parkview. Its all of our senior living facilities, Henningfeld said. Its not that were complaining about it, it just is that way. Were trying to meet the needs of the community and the needs are increasing. Theres a myriad of reasons why. States aging population The Caledonia Fire Department answered 2,964 calls last year and answered approximately 3,170 calls this year. For the most part, responses to senior living facilities increased. The Siena Retreat Center campus called for CFD assistance 50 times in 2020 and 82 times in 2021. Frontidas Willowgreen Home assisted living facility saw its calls climb from 49 in 2020 to 75 in 2021. The Woods of Caledonia retirement community decreased its number of calls from 107 to 80 in those same years. More calls means more costs for the CFD, and thus more costs to taxpayers, especially when Medicare and Medicaid dont always pay enough to cover the costs of each individual call. Henningfeld said he fears the communitys needs may not be met if the department loses staffing, and personnel wants to be able to continue to serve the community at its current staffing numbers. Regardless of the numbers themselves, Wisconsins population is aging fast, and the numbers of medical professionals in the state is not growing at the same rate. According to a report from the Wisconsin Hospitals Association: From 2017 to 2032, the U.S. population under age 18 is projected to grow by only 3.5%, while the population aged 65 and over is projected to grow by 48%, and the population aged 75 and older is projected to grow by a staggering 75.3%. These trends will likely hold true in Wisconsin. According to state data, as of 2015, more than one-fifth of the populations of all but nine of Wisconsins counties were age 60 and older, and no countys populations was more than two-fifths comprised of those 60 and over. By 2030, projections show that every Wisconsin countys population is to be at least 20% people who are 60 and older, and 10 counties (all of them in central or northern Wisconsin) are to have 40% of their populations age 60 or older. Racine, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant Cynthia White, division chief of professional standards, health and safety for the Racine Fire Department, said the department hasnt seen anything in senior living responses as significant as Caledonia, but perhaps some slight increases. In 2020, calls to Home Harbor were 49 and in 2021 to date, they were 61. Calls to Prospect Heights Community Living decreased from 26 in 2020 to 22 in 2021. Calls to The Villa at Lincoln Park doubled, from 53 to 106 during those same years. She said the numbers may not entirely reflect seniors need for medical attention or EMS, however, because in 2020, most senior living facilities were locked down and didnt allow visitors, including emergency personnel. We werent at the facilities at all because they werent allowing people there, White said. We usually are going into some of their rooms. We didnt do that. We werent going, they werent calling. Calls just kind of everybody disappeared. Randy Marvin, co-owner of Prospect Heights along with his wife, Elizabeth, said he and other Prospect staff members dont call EMS unless someone has a more serious condition. Residents who need to go to prompt care will be transported via a private ambulance service. If an ambulance company is estimating a long wait time, staff will call another company. Then if no one can come, thats when EMS is called. Prospect staff also do their own transport. Marvin said the residential facility can house up to 52 people, but the population is down to 46, which is a bit of a decrease from last year, and could contribute to there being fewer fire department calls. Our residents all have their own doctors, their own appointments. We keep them all in good health, Marvin said. We dont have any major dramas where we cant take care of them ourselves. Weve been here for 20 years and we know what were doing here. Weve got things down to a science. Chief Robert Stedman of the South Shore Fire Department said EMS calls in total have actually been down compared to a year ago; they total 81.4% of the departments calls this year compared to 83% of the calls last year. The total call volume has increased by 15% from 2020 to 2021 and the department that serves Mount Pleasant, Sturtevant and Elmwood Park receives about 68% more calls than Caledonia. He said a lot of department calls for senior citizens are to single-family homes, apartments and condominiums as well, not necessarily only senior living facilities. Michael Wienke, a South Shore battalion chief, shift commander and EMS supervisor, said the department experienced an increase in call volumes from 2018-2021 as well, but the numbers appear to be linked to an increase in traffic, development, residential growth and population not senior living centers specifically. In 2020, the department had 4,613 responses to calls. In 2021, the department is on pace to respond to 5,305 calls. Calls to Ridgewood Care Center went from 82 in 2020 to 99 in 2021. Across that same span: calls to Killarney Kourt retirement home increased from 73 to 93, Fountain Hills senior apartments calls decreased from 70 to 58, and Pleasant Point Senior Living calls held steady from 120 to 119 in those same years. However, from 2019 to this year so far, Pleasant Points total has more than tripled, from 39 to 119. Jim Tarantino, founder and principal of Capri Communities, the company that operates Killarney Kourt, said the increase in EMS calls could be due to the fact the population is aging. It mainly has to do with their health conditions and theyre getting older, Tarantino said. Their needs are higher. His company has locations in the Madison area as well as southeastern Wisconsin and staff has reported situations where ambulances cant arrive for pickups for hours or will altogether refuse transport. Some senior living facilities have said private ambulances cant come until the next day. Some hospitals will refuse to admit patients. Tarantino said hes gotten very low amounts of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (the CARES Act) money to help with the labor shortage and COVID-19-related expenses. His staff is getting burnt out too. Were really struggling from a financial standpoint because we dont have any support, Tarantino said. Ive contacted government officials and I have yet to see any material responses. The government, frankly, is turning its back on us. Its very disheartening. West end Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company Fire Chief Justin Lyman said he, too, has felt an increase in the number of calls to senior facilities. He said he cant think of many reasons the department would refuse to take calls to such facilities. Theres only a few small senior homes in the Town of Norway, he said, but the senior population is growing. We understand that different facilities offer different levels of medical care. When they run into a situation that is outside of their scope of practice, thats where we are able to step in as a resource, Lyman said in an email. It certainly seems most of the construction recently, on the west end, has been senior based. Kansasville Fire and Rescue Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ron Molnar said department calls to senior living facilities havent spiked or skyrocketed they might have a slight increase, but nothing astronomical. The only senior living facility within Kansasville Fire and Rescues district is Boland Hall, a residential building on the campus of the Wisconsin Veterans Home in Union Grove, located in the Town of Dover. The department has one ambulance. If theres a second call at the same time the department is responding to a first call, it relies on mutual aid. Over the past several years, the number of calls have remained steady, he said. This is true even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said didnt affect the data. Its not COVID-related, whatsoever, Molnar said. People have chronic health conditions or are generally sick that need to go to the hospital. Ambulance series Part 1: Racine County has long been facing shortages of EMTs. Costs are rising as a result. Part 2: When payment for emergency medical services far undercuts actual costs. Part 3, today: How an aging population is severely driving up demand for taxpayer-funded emergency services. Developer contests Alf McConnell, developer of the Parkview Senior-Living Community, one of the largest such facilities in southeastern Wisconsin, said the call numbers for Parkview of 201 in 2018 to 451 in 2021 seemed unrealistically high, and claimed the data may be incorrect. Somebodys made a mistake, I think, McConnell said. McConnell doesnt keep data internally of the number of times someone at Parkview requests assistance from the Caledonia Fire Department, but he said he hasnt noticed an increase of calls. Its not that often. Its not like were seeing a line of ambulances lined up at the front door, McConnell said. (But) I cant say theres been a decrease either. That implies that Im standing there keeping track of ambulances that come there, and thats not the case. By Anna Mehler Paperny TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada will take in female Afghan judges and their families who have been living in limbo, primarily in Greece, since their evacuation from Afghanistan in the fall, a spokesperson for the immigration minister said Friday. In addition to the judges and their families, a group totalling about 230 people, Canada will also resettle an unspecified number of Afghans from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities who had been referred by a third-party aid organization, the spokesperson said. They are expected to come to Canada next year but there is no firm date. Canada has promised to resettle 40,000 Afghan refugees but has no timeline for doing so. Since the Taliban took control of the country after the U.S. troop withdrawal in August, Canada has resettled 3,915 Afghans with connections to the Canadian government and another 2,535 on humanitarian grounds, according to government figures. Afghan women made great strides in the two decades since the Taliban last ruled the country from 1996 to 2001, joining previously all-male bastions such as the judiciary, the media and politics. "All the achievements of 20 years came back to zero within the blink of an eye," said Freshta Masoni, a family court judge staying in Athens with her toddler daughters. Since returning to power, the Taliban pledged to protect women's rights in accordance with Islamic law, announcing a general "amnesty" for all former state workers. But advocates fear a backslide to when women were not allowed to work and girls were banned from school. Even if they can leave the country, Afghan asylum-seekers may face years of waits amid logistical backlogs and delays. Western countries usually resettle refugees referred by the UN refugee agency, which has limited capacity to process applications for resettlement. "The biggest bottleneck there is the issue that referral partners in the region have not been able to ramp up capacity," Canada's immigration minister, Sean Fraser, told Reuters earlier this month. "These challenges are going to take a little bit of time to sort out." Afghanistan's refugee situation is different from the Syrian refugee crisis that galvanized the world several years ago, UN refugee agency officials and advocates say. Unlike Syria, the Afghan crisis escalated rapidly during a global pandemic and many face difficulties leaving the country. Those who do leave face additional waits, often in countries with little capacity to support them. Some of the female judges, who have been living in Greece since October, told Reuters they have lacked health coverage because of their temporary visa status. Advocates have called on countries to resettle Afghans without requiring a designation from the UNHCR or other NGOs, a step Canada has signalled it is open to. (Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) The Caledonia Fire Department, like nearly all publicly funded fire and rescue operations, is not allowed to refuse service to someone who calls the department. Thats part of why call volume to senior care facilities has gone through the roof since 2018, Fire Chief Jeffrey Henningfeld said at a Dec. 6 Caledonia Village Board meeting. In 2018, calls to the multibuilding Parkview Senior-Living Community totaled 201. This year, through Dec. 15, it was 451. Older people tend to have an increased need for emergency medical services, especially when they remain independent longer. Its not just Parkview. Its all of our senior living facilities, Henningfeld said. Its not that were complaining about it, it just is that way. Were trying to meet the needs of the community and the needs are increasing. Theres a myriad of reasons why. States aging population The Caledonia Fire Department answered 2,964 calls last year and answered approximately 3,170 calls this year. For the most part, responses to senior living facilities increased. The Siena Retreat Center campus called for CFD assistance 50 times in 2020 and 82 times in 2021. Frontidas Willowgreen Home assisted living facility saw its calls climb from 49 in 2020 to 75 in 2021. The Woods of Caledonia retirement community decreased its number of calls from 107 to 80 in those same years. More calls means more costs for the CFD, and thus more costs to taxpayers, especially when Medicare and Medicaid dont always pay enough to cover the costs of each individual call. Henningfeld said he fears the communitys needs may not be met if the department loses staffing, and personnel wants to be able to continue to serve the community at its current staffing numbers. Regardless of the numbers themselves, Wisconsins population is aging fast, and the numbers of medical professionals in the state is not growing at the same rate. According to a report from the Wisconsin Hospitals Association: From 2017 to 2032, the U.S. population under age 18 is projected to grow by only 3.5%, while the population aged 65 and over is projected to grow by 48%, and the population aged 75 and older is projected to grow by a staggering 75.3%. These trends will likely hold true in Wisconsin. According to state data, as of 2015, more than one-fifth of the populations of all but nine of Wisconsins counties were age 60 and older, and no countys populations was more than two-fifths comprised of those 60 and over. By 2030, projections show that every Wisconsin countys population is to be at least 20% people who are 60 and older, and 10 counties (all of them in central or northern Wisconsin) are to have 40% of their populations age 60 or older. Racine, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant Cynthia White, division chief of professional standards, health and safety for the Racine Fire Department, said the department hasnt seen anything in senior living responses as significant as Caledonia, but perhaps some slight increases. In 2020, calls to Home Harbor were 49 and in 2021 to date, they were 61. Calls to Prospect Heights Community Living decreased from 26 in 2020 to 22 in 2021. Calls to The Villa at Lincoln Park doubled, from 53 to 106 during those same years. She said the numbers may not entirely reflect seniors need for medical attention or EMS, however, because in 2020, most senior living facilities were locked down and didnt allow visitors, including emergency personnel. We werent at the facilities at all because they werent allowing people there, White said. We usually are going into some of their rooms. We didnt do that. We werent going, they werent calling. Calls just kind of everybody disappeared. Randy Marvin, co-owner of Prospect Heights along with his wife, Elizabeth, said he and other Prospect staff members dont call EMS unless someone has a more serious condition. Residents who need to go to prompt care will be transported via a private ambulance service. If an ambulance company is estimating a long wait time, staff will call another company. Then if no one can come, thats when EMS is called. Prospect staff also do their own transport. Marvin said the residential facility can house up to 52 people, but the population is down to 46, which is a bit of a decrease from last year, and could contribute to there being fewer fire department calls. Our residents all have their own doctors, their own appointments. We keep them all in good health, Marvin said. We dont have any major dramas where we cant take care of them ourselves. Weve been here for 20 years and we know what were doing here. Weve got things down to a science. Chief Robert Stedman of the South Shore Fire Department said EMS calls in total have actually been down compared to a year ago; they total 81.4% of the departments calls this year compared to 83% of the calls last year. The total call volume has increased by 15% from 2020 to 2021 and the department that serves Mount Pleasant, Sturtevant and Elmwood Park receives about 68% more calls than Caledonia. He said a lot of department calls for senior citizens are to single-family homes, apartments and condominiums as well, not necessarily only senior living facilities. Michael Wienke, a South Shore battalion chief, shift commander and EMS supervisor, said the department experienced an increase in call volumes from 2018-2021 as well, but the numbers appear to be linked to an increase in traffic, development, residential growth and population not senior living centers specifically. In 2020, the department had 4,613 responses to calls. In 2021, the department is on pace to respond to 5,305 calls. Calls to Ridgewood Care Center went from 82 in 2020 to 99 in 2021. Across that same span: calls to Killarney Kourt retirement home increased from 73 to 93, Fountain Hills senior apartments calls decreased from 70 to 58, and Pleasant Point Senior Living calls held steady from 120 to 119 in those same years. However, from 2019 to this year so far, Pleasant Points total has more than tripled, from 39 to 119. Jim Tarantino, founder and principal of Capri Communities, the company that operates Killarney Kourt, said the increase in EMS calls could be due to the fact the population is aging. It mainly has to do with their health conditions and theyre getting older, Tarantino said. Their needs are higher. His company has locations in the Madison area as well as southeastern Wisconsin and staff has reported situations where ambulances cant arrive for pickups for hours or will altogether refuse transport. Some senior living facilities have said private ambulances cant come until the next day. Some hospitals will refuse to admit patients. Tarantino said hes gotten very low amounts of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (the CARES Act) money to help with the labor shortage and COVID-19-related expenses. His staff is getting burnt out too. Were really struggling from a financial standpoint because we dont have any support, Tarantino said. Ive contacted government officials and I have yet to see any material responses. The government, frankly, is turning its back on us. Its very disheartening. West end Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company Fire Chief Justin Lyman said he, too, has felt an increase in the number of calls to senior facilities. He said he cant think of many reasons the department would refuse to take calls to such facilities. Theres only a few small senior homes in the Town of Norway, he said, but the senior population is growing. We understand that different facilities offer different levels of medical care. When they run into a situation that is outside of their scope of practice, thats where we are able to step in as a resource, Lyman said in an email. It certainly seems most of the construction recently, on the west end, has been senior based. Kansasville Fire and Rescue Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ron Molnar said department calls to senior living facilities havent spiked or skyrocketed they might have a slight increase, but nothing astronomical. The only senior living facility within Kansasville Fire and Rescues district is Boland Hall, a residential building on the campus of the Wisconsin Veterans Home in Union Grove, located in the Town of Dover. The department has one ambulance. If theres a second call at the same time the department is responding to a first call, it relies on mutual aid. Over the past several years, the number of calls have remained steady, he said. This is true even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said didnt affect the data. Its not COVID-related, whatsoever, Molnar said. People have chronic health conditions or are generally sick that need to go to the hospital. Ambulance series Part 1: Racine County has long been facing shortages of EMTs. Costs are rising as a result. Part 2: When payment for emergency medical services far undercuts actual costs. Part 3, today: How an aging population is severely driving up demand for taxpayer-funded emergency services. Developer contests Alf McConnell, developer of the Parkview Senior-Living Community, one of the largest such facilities in southeastern Wisconsin, said the call numbers for Parkview of 201 in 2018 to 451 in 2021 seemed unrealistically high, and claimed the data may be incorrect. Somebodys made a mistake, I think, McConnell said. McConnell doesnt keep data internally of the number of times someone at Parkview requests assistance from the Caledonia Fire Department, but he said he hasnt noticed an increase of calls. Its not that often. Its not like were seeing a line of ambulances lined up at the front door, McConnell said. (But) I cant say theres been a decrease either. That implies that Im standing there keeping track of ambulances that come there, and thats not the case. The Caledonia Fire Department, like nearly all publicly funded fire and rescue operations, is not allowed to refuse service to someone who calls the department. Thats part of why call volume to senior care facilities has gone through the roof since 2018, Fire Chief Jeffrey Henningfeld said at a Dec. 6 Caledonia Village Board meeting. In 2018, calls to the multibuilding Parkview Senior-Living Community totaled 201. This year, through Dec. 15, it was 451. Older people tend to have an increased need for emergency medical services, especially when they remain independent longer. Its not just Parkview. Its all of our senior living facilities, Henningfeld said. Its not that were complaining about it, it just is that way. Were trying to meet the needs of the community and the needs are increasing. Theres a myriad of reasons why. States aging population The Caledonia Fire Department answered 2,964 calls last year and answered approximately 3,170 calls this year. For the most part, responses to senior living facilities increased. The Siena Retreat Center campus called for CFD assistance 50 times in 2020 and 82 times in 2021. Frontidas Willowgreen Home assisted living facility saw its calls climb from 49 in 2020 to 75 in 2021. The Woods of Caledonia retirement community decreased its number of calls from 107 to 80 in those same years. More calls means more costs for the CFD, and thus more costs to taxpayers, especially when Medicare and Medicaid dont always pay enough to cover the costs of each individual call. Henningfeld said he fears the communitys needs may not be met if the department loses staffing, and personnel wants to be able to continue to serve the community at its current staffing numbers. Regardless of the numbers themselves, Wisconsins population is aging fast, and the numbers of medical professionals in the state is not growing at the same rate. According to a report from the Wisconsin Hospitals Association: From 2017 to 2032, the U.S. population under age 18 is projected to grow by only 3.5%, while the population aged 65 and over is projected to grow by 48%, and the population aged 75 and older is projected to grow by a staggering 75.3%. These trends will likely hold true in Wisconsin. According to state data, as of 2015, more than one-fifth of the populations of all but nine of Wisconsins counties were age 60 and older, and no countys populations was more than two-fifths comprised of those 60 and over. By 2030, projections show that every Wisconsin countys population is to be at least 20% people who are 60 and older, and 10 counties (all of them in central or northern Wisconsin) are to have 40% of their populations age 60 or older. Racine, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant Cynthia White, division chief of professional standards, health and safety for the Racine Fire Department, said the department hasnt seen anything in senior living responses as significant as Caledonia, but perhaps some slight increases. In 2020, calls to Home Harbor were 49 and in 2021 to date, they were 61. Calls to Prospect Heights Community Living decreased from 26 in 2020 to 22 in 2021. Calls to The Villa at Lincoln Park doubled, from 53 to 106 during those same years. She said the numbers may not entirely reflect seniors need for medical attention or EMS, however, because in 2020, most senior living facilities were locked down and didnt allow visitors, including emergency personnel. We werent at the facilities at all because they werent allowing people there, White said. We usually are going into some of their rooms. We didnt do that. We werent going, they werent calling. Calls just kind of everybody disappeared. Randy Marvin, co-owner of Prospect Heights along with his wife, Elizabeth, said he and other Prospect staff members dont call EMS unless someone has a more serious condition. Residents who need to go to prompt care will be transported via a private ambulance service. If an ambulance company is estimating a long wait time, staff will call another company. Then if no one can come, thats when EMS is called. Prospect staff also do their own transport. Marvin said the residential facility can house up to 52 people, but the population is down to 46, which is a bit of a decrease from last year, and could contribute to there being fewer fire department calls. Our residents all have their own doctors, their own appointments. We keep them all in good health, Marvin said. We dont have any major dramas where we cant take care of them ourselves. Weve been here for 20 years and we know what were doing here. Weve got things down to a science. Chief Robert Stedman of the South Shore Fire Department said EMS calls in total have actually been down compared to a year ago; they total 81.4% of the departments calls this year compared to 83% of the calls last year. The total call volume has increased by 15% from 2020 to 2021 and the department that serves Mount Pleasant, Sturtevant and Elmwood Park receives about 68% more calls than Caledonia. He said a lot of department calls for senior citizens are to single-family homes, apartments and condominiums as well, not necessarily only senior living facilities. Michael Wienke, a South Shore battalion chief, shift commander and EMS supervisor, said the department experienced an increase in call volumes from 2018-2021 as well, but the numbers appear to be linked to an increase in traffic, development, residential growth and population not senior living centers specifically. In 2020, the department had 4,613 responses to calls. In 2021, the department is on pace to respond to 5,305 calls. Calls to Ridgewood Care Center went from 82 in 2020 to 99 in 2021. Across that same span: calls to Killarney Kourt retirement home increased from 73 to 93, Fountain Hills senior apartments calls decreased from 70 to 58, and Pleasant Point Senior Living calls held steady from 120 to 119 in those same years. However, from 2019 to this year so far, Pleasant Points total has more than tripled, from 39 to 119. Jim Tarantino, founder and principal of Capri Communities, the company that operates Killarney Kourt, said the increase in EMS calls could be due to the fact the population is aging. It mainly has to do with their health conditions and theyre getting older, Tarantino said. Their needs are higher. His company has locations in the Madison area as well as southeastern Wisconsin and staff has reported situations where ambulances cant arrive for pickups for hours or will altogether refuse transport. Some senior living facilities have said private ambulances cant come until the next day. Some hospitals will refuse to admit patients. Tarantino said hes gotten very low amounts of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (the CARES Act) money to help with the labor shortage and COVID-19-related expenses. His staff is getting burnt out too. Were really struggling from a financial standpoint because we dont have any support, Tarantino said. Ive contacted government officials and I have yet to see any material responses. The government, frankly, is turning its back on us. Its very disheartening. West end Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company Fire Chief Justin Lyman said he, too, has felt an increase in the number of calls to senior facilities. He said he cant think of many reasons the department would refuse to take calls to such facilities. Theres only a few small senior homes in the Town of Norway, he said, but the senior population is growing. We understand that different facilities offer different levels of medical care. When they run into a situation that is outside of their scope of practice, thats where we are able to step in as a resource, Lyman said in an email. It certainly seems most of the construction recently, on the west end, has been senior based. Kansasville Fire and Rescue Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ron Molnar said department calls to senior living facilities havent spiked or skyrocketed they might have a slight increase, but nothing astronomical. The only senior living facility within Kansasville Fire and Rescues district is Boland Hall, a residential building on the campus of the Wisconsin Veterans Home in Union Grove, located in the Town of Dover. The department has one ambulance. If theres a second call at the same time the department is responding to a first call, it relies on mutual aid. Over the past several years, the number of calls have remained steady, he said. This is true even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said didnt affect the data. Its not COVID-related, whatsoever, Molnar said. People have chronic health conditions or are generally sick that need to go to the hospital. Ambulance series Part 1: Racine County has long been facing shortages of EMTs. Costs are rising as a result. Part 2: When payment for emergency medical services far undercuts actual costs. Part 3, today: How an aging population is severely driving up demand for taxpayer-funded emergency services. Developer contests Alf McConnell, developer of the Parkview Senior-Living Community, one of the largest such facilities in southeastern Wisconsin, said the call numbers for Parkview of 201 in 2018 to 451 in 2021 seemed unrealistically high, and claimed the data may be incorrect. Somebodys made a mistake, I think, McConnell said. McConnell doesnt keep data internally of the number of times someone at Parkview requests assistance from the Caledonia Fire Department, but he said he hasnt noticed an increase of calls. Its not that often. Its not like were seeing a line of ambulances lined up at the front door, McConnell said. (But) I cant say theres been a decrease either. That implies that Im standing there keeping track of ambulances that come there, and thats not the case. The Caledonia Fire Department, like nearly all publicly funded fire and rescue operations, is not allowed to refuse service to someone who calls the department. Thats part of why call volume to senior care facilities has gone through the roof since 2018, Fire Chief Jeffrey Henningfeld said at a Dec. 6 Caledonia Village Board meeting. In 2018, calls to the multibuilding Parkview Senior-Living Community totaled 201. This year, through Dec. 15, it was 451. Older people tend to have an increased need for emergency medical services, especially when they remain independent longer. Its not just Parkview. Its all of our senior living facilities, Henningfeld said. Its not that were complaining about it, it just is that way. Were trying to meet the needs of the community and the needs are increasing. Theres a myriad of reasons why. States aging population The Caledonia Fire Department answered 2,964 calls last year and answered approximately 3,170 calls this year. For the most part, responses to senior living facilities increased. The Siena Retreat Center campus called for CFD assistance 50 times in 2020 and 82 times in 2021. Frontidas Willowgreen Home assisted living facility saw its calls climb from 49 in 2020 to 75 in 2021. The Woods of Caledonia retirement community decreased its number of calls from 107 to 80 in those same years. More calls means more costs for the CFD, and thus more costs to taxpayers, especially when Medicare and Medicaid dont always pay enough to cover the costs of each individual call. Henningfeld said he fears the communitys needs may not be met if the department loses staffing, and personnel wants to be able to continue to serve the community at its current staffing numbers. Regardless of the numbers themselves, Wisconsins population is aging fast, and the numbers of medical professionals in the state is not growing at the same rate. According to a report from the Wisconsin Hospitals Association: From 2017 to 2032, the U.S. population under age 18 is projected to grow by only 3.5%, while the population aged 65 and over is projected to grow by 48%, and the population aged 75 and older is projected to grow by a staggering 75.3%. These trends will likely hold true in Wisconsin. According to state data, as of 2015, more than one-fifth of the populations of all but nine of Wisconsins counties were age 60 and older, and no countys populations was more than two-fifths comprised of those 60 and over. By 2030, projections show that every Wisconsin countys population is to be at least 20% people who are 60 and older, and 10 counties (all of them in central or northern Wisconsin) are to have 40% of their populations age 60 or older. Racine, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant Cynthia White, division chief of professional standards, health and safety for the Racine Fire Department, said the department hasnt seen anything in senior living responses as significant as Caledonia, but perhaps some slight increases. In 2020, calls to Home Harbor were 49 and in 2021 to date, they were 61. Calls to Prospect Heights Community Living decreased from 26 in 2020 to 22 in 2021. Calls to The Villa at Lincoln Park doubled, from 53 to 106 during those same years. She said the numbers may not entirely reflect seniors need for medical attention or EMS, however, because in 2020, most senior living facilities were locked down and didnt allow visitors, including emergency personnel. We werent at the facilities at all because they werent allowing people there, White said. We usually are going into some of their rooms. We didnt do that. We werent going, they werent calling. Calls just kind of everybody disappeared. Randy Marvin, co-owner of Prospect Heights along with his wife, Elizabeth, said he and other Prospect staff members dont call EMS unless someone has a more serious condition. Residents who need to go to prompt care will be transported via a private ambulance service. If an ambulance company is estimating a long wait time, staff will call another company. Then if no one can come, thats when EMS is called. Prospect staff also do their own transport. Marvin said the residential facility can house up to 52 people, but the population is down to 46, which is a bit of a decrease from last year, and could contribute to there being fewer fire department calls. Our residents all have their own doctors, their own appointments. We keep them all in good health, Marvin said. We dont have any major dramas where we cant take care of them ourselves. Weve been here for 20 years and we know what were doing here. Weve got things down to a science. Chief Robert Stedman of the South Shore Fire Department said EMS calls in total have actually been down compared to a year ago; they total 81.4% of the departments calls this year compared to 83% of the calls last year. The total call volume has increased by 15% from 2020 to 2021 and the department that serves Mount Pleasant, Sturtevant and Elmwood Park receives about 68% more calls than Caledonia. He said a lot of department calls for senior citizens are to single-family homes, apartments and condominiums as well, not necessarily only senior living facilities. Michael Wienke, a South Shore battalion chief, shift commander and EMS supervisor, said the department experienced an increase in call volumes from 2018-2021 as well, but the numbers appear to be linked to an increase in traffic, development, residential growth and population not senior living centers specifically. In 2020, the department had 4,613 responses to calls. In 2021, the department is on pace to respond to 5,305 calls. Calls to Ridgewood Care Center went from 82 in 2020 to 99 in 2021. Across that same span: calls to Killarney Kourt retirement home increased from 73 to 93, Fountain Hills senior apartments calls decreased from 70 to 58, and Pleasant Point Senior Living calls held steady from 120 to 119 in those same years. However, from 2019 to this year so far, Pleasant Points total has more than tripled, from 39 to 119. Jim Tarantino, founder and principal of Capri Communities, the company that operates Killarney Kourt, said the increase in EMS calls could be due to the fact the population is aging. It mainly has to do with their health conditions and theyre getting older, Tarantino said. Their needs are higher. His company has locations in the Madison area as well as southeastern Wisconsin and staff has reported situations where ambulances cant arrive for pickups for hours or will altogether refuse transport. Some senior living facilities have said private ambulances cant come until the next day. Some hospitals will refuse to admit patients. Tarantino said hes gotten very low amounts of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (the CARES Act) money to help with the labor shortage and COVID-19-related expenses. His staff is getting burnt out too. Were really struggling from a financial standpoint because we dont have any support, Tarantino said. Ive contacted government officials and I have yet to see any material responses. The government, frankly, is turning its back on us. Its very disheartening. West end Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company Fire Chief Justin Lyman said he, too, has felt an increase in the number of calls to senior facilities. He said he cant think of many reasons the department would refuse to take calls to such facilities. Theres only a few small senior homes in the Town of Norway, he said, but the senior population is growing. We understand that different facilities offer different levels of medical care. When they run into a situation that is outside of their scope of practice, thats where we are able to step in as a resource, Lyman said in an email. It certainly seems most of the construction recently, on the west end, has been senior based. Kansasville Fire and Rescue Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ron Molnar said department calls to senior living facilities havent spiked or skyrocketed they might have a slight increase, but nothing astronomical. The only senior living facility within Kansasville Fire and Rescues district is Boland Hall, a residential building on the campus of the Wisconsin Veterans Home in Union Grove, located in the Town of Dover. The department has one ambulance. If theres a second call at the same time the department is responding to a first call, it relies on mutual aid. Over the past several years, the number of calls have remained steady, he said. This is true even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said didnt affect the data. Its not COVID-related, whatsoever, Molnar said. People have chronic health conditions or are generally sick that need to go to the hospital. Ambulance series Part 1: Racine County has long been facing shortages of EMTs. Costs are rising as a result. Part 2: When payment for emergency medical services far undercuts actual costs. Part 3, today: How an aging population is severely driving up demand for taxpayer-funded emergency services. Developer contests Alf McConnell, developer of the Parkview Senior-Living Community, one of the largest such facilities in southeastern Wisconsin, said the call numbers for Parkview of 201 in 2018 to 451 in 2021 seemed unrealistically high, and claimed the data may be incorrect. Somebodys made a mistake, I think, McConnell said. McConnell doesnt keep data internally of the number of times someone at Parkview requests assistance from the Caledonia Fire Department, but he said he hasnt noticed an increase of calls. Its not that often. Its not like were seeing a line of ambulances lined up at the front door, McConnell said. (But) I cant say theres been a decrease either. That implies that Im standing there keeping track of ambulances that come there, and thats not the case. The Caledonia Fire Department, like nearly all publicly funded fire and rescue operations, is not allowed to refuse service to someone who calls the department. Thats part of why call volume to senior care facilities has gone through the roof since 2018, Fire Chief Jeffrey Henningfeld said at a Dec. 6 Caledonia Village Board meeting. In 2018, calls to the multibuilding Parkview Senior-Living Community totaled 201. This year, through Dec. 15, it was 451. Older people tend to have an increased need for emergency medical services, especially when they remain independent longer. Its not just Parkview. Its all of our senior living facilities, Henningfeld said. Its not that were complaining about it, it just is that way. Were trying to meet the needs of the community and the needs are increasing. Theres a myriad of reasons why. States aging population The Caledonia Fire Department answered 2,964 calls last year and answered approximately 3,170 calls this year. For the most part, responses to senior living facilities increased. The Siena Retreat Center campus called for CFD assistance 50 times in 2020 and 82 times in 2021. Frontidas Willowgreen Home assisted living facility saw its calls climb from 49 in 2020 to 75 in 2021. The Woods of Caledonia retirement community decreased its number of calls from 107 to 80 in those same years. More calls means more costs for the CFD, and thus more costs to taxpayers, especially when Medicare and Medicaid dont always pay enough to cover the costs of each individual call. Henningfeld said he fears the communitys needs may not be met if the department loses staffing, and personnel wants to be able to continue to serve the community at its current staffing numbers. Regardless of the numbers themselves, Wisconsins population is aging fast, and the numbers of medical professionals in the state is not growing at the same rate. According to a report from the Wisconsin Hospitals Association: From 2017 to 2032, the U.S. population under age 18 is projected to grow by only 3.5%, while the population aged 65 and over is projected to grow by 48%, and the population aged 75 and older is projected to grow by a staggering 75.3%. These trends will likely hold true in Wisconsin. According to state data, as of 2015, more than one-fifth of the populations of all but nine of Wisconsins counties were age 60 and older, and no countys populations was more than two-fifths comprised of those 60 and over. By 2030, projections show that every Wisconsin countys population is to be at least 20% people who are 60 and older, and 10 counties (all of them in central or northern Wisconsin) are to have 40% of their populations age 60 or older. Racine, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant Cynthia White, division chief of professional standards, health and safety for the Racine Fire Department, said the department hasnt seen anything in senior living responses as significant as Caledonia, but perhaps some slight increases. In 2020, calls to Home Harbor were 49 and in 2021 to date, they were 61. Calls to Prospect Heights Community Living decreased from 26 in 2020 to 22 in 2021. Calls to The Villa at Lincoln Park doubled, from 53 to 106 during those same years. She said the numbers may not entirely reflect seniors need for medical attention or EMS, however, because in 2020, most senior living facilities were locked down and didnt allow visitors, including emergency personnel. We werent at the facilities at all because they werent allowing people there, White said. We usually are going into some of their rooms. We didnt do that. We werent going, they werent calling. Calls just kind of everybody disappeared. Randy Marvin, co-owner of Prospect Heights along with his wife, Elizabeth, said he and other Prospect staff members dont call EMS unless someone has a more serious condition. Residents who need to go to prompt care will be transported via a private ambulance service. If an ambulance company is estimating a long wait time, staff will call another company. Then if no one can come, thats when EMS is called. Prospect staff also do their own transport. Marvin said the residential facility can house up to 52 people, but the population is down to 46, which is a bit of a decrease from last year, and could contribute to there being fewer fire department calls. Our residents all have their own doctors, their own appointments. We keep them all in good health, Marvin said. We dont have any major dramas where we cant take care of them ourselves. Weve been here for 20 years and we know what were doing here. Weve got things down to a science. Chief Robert Stedman of the South Shore Fire Department said EMS calls in total have actually been down compared to a year ago; they total 81.4% of the departments calls this year compared to 83% of the calls last year. The total call volume has increased by 15% from 2020 to 2021 and the department that serves Mount Pleasant, Sturtevant and Elmwood Park receives about 68% more calls than Caledonia. He said a lot of department calls for senior citizens are to single-family homes, apartments and condominiums as well, not necessarily only senior living facilities. Michael Wienke, a South Shore battalion chief, shift commander and EMS supervisor, said the department experienced an increase in call volumes from 2018-2021 as well, but the numbers appear to be linked to an increase in traffic, development, residential growth and population not senior living centers specifically. In 2020, the department had 4,613 responses to calls. In 2021, the department is on pace to respond to 5,305 calls. Calls to Ridgewood Care Center went from 82 in 2020 to 99 in 2021. Across that same span: calls to Killarney Kourt retirement home increased from 73 to 93, Fountain Hills senior apartments calls decreased from 70 to 58, and Pleasant Point Senior Living calls held steady from 120 to 119 in those same years. However, from 2019 to this year so far, Pleasant Points total has more than tripled, from 39 to 119. Jim Tarantino, founder and principal of Capri Communities, the company that operates Killarney Kourt, said the increase in EMS calls could be due to the fact the population is aging. It mainly has to do with their health conditions and theyre getting older, Tarantino said. Their needs are higher. His company has locations in the Madison area as well as southeastern Wisconsin and staff has reported situations where ambulances cant arrive for pickups for hours or will altogether refuse transport. Some senior living facilities have said private ambulances cant come until the next day. Some hospitals will refuse to admit patients. Tarantino said hes gotten very low amounts of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (the CARES Act) money to help with the labor shortage and COVID-19-related expenses. His staff is getting burnt out too. Were really struggling from a financial standpoint because we dont have any support, Tarantino said. Ive contacted government officials and I have yet to see any material responses. The government, frankly, is turning its back on us. Its very disheartening. West end Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company Fire Chief Justin Lyman said he, too, has felt an increase in the number of calls to senior facilities. He said he cant think of many reasons the department would refuse to take calls to such facilities. Theres only a few small senior homes in the Town of Norway, he said, but the senior population is growing. We understand that different facilities offer different levels of medical care. When they run into a situation that is outside of their scope of practice, thats where we are able to step in as a resource, Lyman said in an email. It certainly seems most of the construction recently, on the west end, has been senior based. Kansasville Fire and Rescue Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ron Molnar said department calls to senior living facilities havent spiked or skyrocketed they might have a slight increase, but nothing astronomical. The only senior living facility within Kansasville Fire and Rescues district is Boland Hall, a residential building on the campus of the Wisconsin Veterans Home in Union Grove, located in the Town of Dover. The department has one ambulance. If theres a second call at the same time the department is responding to a first call, it relies on mutual aid. Over the past several years, the number of calls have remained steady, he said. This is true even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said didnt affect the data. Its not COVID-related, whatsoever, Molnar said. People have chronic health conditions or are generally sick that need to go to the hospital. Ambulance series Part 1: Racine County has long been facing shortages of EMTs. Costs are rising as a result. Part 2: When payment for emergency medical services far undercuts actual costs. Part 3, today: How an aging population is severely driving up demand for taxpayer-funded emergency services. Developer contests Alf McConnell, developer of the Parkview Senior-Living Community, one of the largest such facilities in southeastern Wisconsin, said the call numbers for Parkview of 201 in 2018 to 451 in 2021 seemed unrealistically high, and claimed the data may be incorrect. Somebodys made a mistake, I think, McConnell said. McConnell doesnt keep data internally of the number of times someone at Parkview requests assistance from the Caledonia Fire Department, but he said he hasnt noticed an increase of calls. Its not that often. Its not like were seeing a line of ambulances lined up at the front door, McConnell said. (But) I cant say theres been a decrease either. That implies that Im standing there keeping track of ambulances that come there, and thats not the case. The Caledonia Fire Department, like nearly all publicly funded fire and rescue operations, is not allowed to refuse service to someone who calls the department. Thats part of why call volume to senior care facilities has gone through the roof since 2018, Fire Chief Jeffrey Henningfeld said at a Dec. 6 Caledonia Village Board meeting. In 2018, calls to the multibuilding Parkview Senior-Living Community totaled 201. This year, through Dec. 15, it was 451. Older people tend to have an increased need for emergency medical services, especially when they remain independent longer. Its not just Parkview. Its all of our senior living facilities, Henningfeld said. Its not that were complaining about it, it just is that way. Were trying to meet the needs of the community and the needs are increasing. Theres a myriad of reasons why. States aging population The Caledonia Fire Department answered 2,964 calls last year and answered approximately 3,170 calls this year. For the most part, responses to senior living facilities increased. The Siena Retreat Center campus called for CFD assistance 50 times in 2020 and 82 times in 2021. Frontidas Willowgreen Home assisted living facility saw its calls climb from 49 in 2020 to 75 in 2021. The Woods of Caledonia retirement community decreased its number of calls from 107 to 80 in those same years. More calls means more costs for the CFD, and thus more costs to taxpayers, especially when Medicare and Medicaid dont always pay enough to cover the costs of each individual call. Henningfeld said he fears the communitys needs may not be met if the department loses staffing, and personnel wants to be able to continue to serve the community at its current staffing numbers. Regardless of the numbers themselves, Wisconsins population is aging fast, and the numbers of medical professionals in the state is not growing at the same rate. According to a report from the Wisconsin Hospitals Association: From 2017 to 2032, the U.S. population under age 18 is projected to grow by only 3.5%, while the population aged 65 and over is projected to grow by 48%, and the population aged 75 and older is projected to grow by a staggering 75.3%. These trends will likely hold true in Wisconsin. According to state data, as of 2015, more than one-fifth of the populations of all but nine of Wisconsins counties were age 60 and older, and no countys populations was more than two-fifths comprised of those 60 and over. By 2030, projections show that every Wisconsin countys population is to be at least 20% people who are 60 and older, and 10 counties (all of them in central or northern Wisconsin) are to have 40% of their populations age 60 or older. Racine, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant Cynthia White, division chief of professional standards, health and safety for the Racine Fire Department, said the department hasnt seen anything in senior living responses as significant as Caledonia, but perhaps some slight increases. In 2020, calls to Home Harbor were 49 and in 2021 to date, they were 61. Calls to Prospect Heights Community Living decreased from 26 in 2020 to 22 in 2021. Calls to The Villa at Lincoln Park doubled, from 53 to 106 during those same years. She said the numbers may not entirely reflect seniors need for medical attention or EMS, however, because in 2020, most senior living facilities were locked down and didnt allow visitors, including emergency personnel. We werent at the facilities at all because they werent allowing people there, White said. We usually are going into some of their rooms. We didnt do that. We werent going, they werent calling. Calls just kind of everybody disappeared. Randy Marvin, co-owner of Prospect Heights along with his wife, Elizabeth, said he and other Prospect staff members dont call EMS unless someone has a more serious condition. Residents who need to go to prompt care will be transported via a private ambulance service. If an ambulance company is estimating a long wait time, staff will call another company. Then if no one can come, thats when EMS is called. Prospect staff also do their own transport. Marvin said the residential facility can house up to 52 people, but the population is down to 46, which is a bit of a decrease from last year, and could contribute to there being fewer fire department calls. Our residents all have their own doctors, their own appointments. We keep them all in good health, Marvin said. We dont have any major dramas where we cant take care of them ourselves. Weve been here for 20 years and we know what were doing here. Weve got things down to a science. Chief Robert Stedman of the South Shore Fire Department said EMS calls in total have actually been down compared to a year ago; they total 81.4% of the departments calls this year compared to 83% of the calls last year. The total call volume has increased by 15% from 2020 to 2021 and the department that serves Mount Pleasant, Sturtevant and Elmwood Park receives about 68% more calls than Caledonia. He said a lot of department calls for senior citizens are to single-family homes, apartments and condominiums as well, not necessarily only senior living facilities. Michael Wienke, a South Shore battalion chief, shift commander and EMS supervisor, said the department experienced an increase in call volumes from 2018-2021 as well, but the numbers appear to be linked to an increase in traffic, development, residential growth and population not senior living centers specifically. In 2020, the department had 4,613 responses to calls. In 2021, the department is on pace to respond to 5,305 calls. Calls to Ridgewood Care Center went from 82 in 2020 to 99 in 2021. Across that same span: calls to Killarney Kourt retirement home increased from 73 to 93, Fountain Hills senior apartments calls decreased from 70 to 58, and Pleasant Point Senior Living calls held steady from 120 to 119 in those same years. However, from 2019 to this year so far, Pleasant Points total has more than tripled, from 39 to 119. Jim Tarantino, founder and principal of Capri Communities, the company that operates Killarney Kourt, said the increase in EMS calls could be due to the fact the population is aging. It mainly has to do with their health conditions and theyre getting older, Tarantino said. Their needs are higher. His company has locations in the Madison area as well as southeastern Wisconsin and staff has reported situations where ambulances cant arrive for pickups for hours or will altogether refuse transport. Some senior living facilities have said private ambulances cant come until the next day. Some hospitals will refuse to admit patients. Tarantino said hes gotten very low amounts of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (the CARES Act) money to help with the labor shortage and COVID-19-related expenses. His staff is getting burnt out too. Were really struggling from a financial standpoint because we dont have any support, Tarantino said. Ive contacted government officials and I have yet to see any material responses. The government, frankly, is turning its back on us. Its very disheartening. West end Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company Fire Chief Justin Lyman said he, too, has felt an increase in the number of calls to senior facilities. He said he cant think of many reasons the department would refuse to take calls to such facilities. Theres only a few small senior homes in the Town of Norway, he said, but the senior population is growing. We understand that different facilities offer different levels of medical care. When they run into a situation that is outside of their scope of practice, thats where we are able to step in as a resource, Lyman said in an email. It certainly seems most of the construction recently, on the west end, has been senior based. Kansasville Fire and Rescue Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ron Molnar said department calls to senior living facilities havent spiked or skyrocketed they might have a slight increase, but nothing astronomical. The only senior living facility within Kansasville Fire and Rescues district is Boland Hall, a residential building on the campus of the Wisconsin Veterans Home in Union Grove, located in the Town of Dover. The department has one ambulance. If theres a second call at the same time the department is responding to a first call, it relies on mutual aid. Over the past several years, the number of calls have remained steady, he said. This is true even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said didnt affect the data. Its not COVID-related, whatsoever, Molnar said. People have chronic health conditions or are generally sick that need to go to the hospital. Ambulance series Part 1: Racine County has long been facing shortages of EMTs. Costs are rising as a result. Part 2: When payment for emergency medical services far undercuts actual costs. Part 3, today: How an aging population is severely driving up demand for taxpayer-funded emergency services. Developer contests Alf McConnell, developer of the Parkview Senior-Living Community, one of the largest such facilities in southeastern Wisconsin, said the call numbers for Parkview of 201 in 2018 to 451 in 2021 seemed unrealistically high, and claimed the data may be incorrect. Somebodys made a mistake, I think, McConnell said. McConnell doesnt keep data internally of the number of times someone at Parkview requests assistance from the Caledonia Fire Department, but he said he hasnt noticed an increase of calls. Its not that often. Its not like were seeing a line of ambulances lined up at the front door, McConnell said. (But) I cant say theres been a decrease either. That implies that Im standing there keeping track of ambulances that come there, and thats not the case. The Caledonia Fire Department, like nearly all publicly funded fire and rescue operations, is not allowed to refuse service to someone who calls the department. Thats part of why call volume to senior care facilities has gone through the roof since 2018, Fire Chief Jeffrey Henningfeld said at a Dec. 6 Caledonia Village Board meeting. In 2018, calls to the multibuilding Parkview Senior-Living Community totaled 201. This year, through Dec. 15, it was 451. Older people tend to have an increased need for emergency medical services, especially when they remain independent longer. Its not just Parkview. Its all of our senior living facilities, Henningfeld said. Its not that were complaining about it, it just is that way. Were trying to meet the needs of the community and the needs are increasing. Theres a myriad of reasons why. States aging population The Caledonia Fire Department answered 2,964 calls last year and answered approximately 3,170 calls this year. For the most part, responses to senior living facilities increased. The Siena Retreat Center campus called for CFD assistance 50 times in 2020 and 82 times in 2021. Frontidas Willowgreen Home assisted living facility saw its calls climb from 49 in 2020 to 75 in 2021. The Woods of Caledonia retirement community decreased its number of calls from 107 to 80 in those same years. More calls means more costs for the CFD, and thus more costs to taxpayers, especially when Medicare and Medicaid dont always pay enough to cover the costs of each individual call. Henningfeld said he fears the communitys needs may not be met if the department loses staffing, and personnel wants to be able to continue to serve the community at its current staffing numbers. Regardless of the numbers themselves, Wisconsins population is aging fast, and the numbers of medical professionals in the state is not growing at the same rate. According to a report from the Wisconsin Hospitals Association: From 2017 to 2032, the U.S. population under age 18 is projected to grow by only 3.5%, while the population aged 65 and over is projected to grow by 48%, and the population aged 75 and older is projected to grow by a staggering 75.3%. These trends will likely hold true in Wisconsin. According to state data, as of 2015, more than one-fifth of the populations of all but nine of Wisconsins counties were age 60 and older, and no countys populations was more than two-fifths comprised of those 60 and over. By 2030, projections show that every Wisconsin countys population is to be at least 20% people who are 60 and older, and 10 counties (all of them in central or northern Wisconsin) are to have 40% of their populations age 60 or older. Racine, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant Cynthia White, division chief of professional standards, health and safety for the Racine Fire Department, said the department hasnt seen anything in senior living responses as significant as Caledonia, but perhaps some slight increases. In 2020, calls to Home Harbor were 49 and in 2021 to date, they were 61. Calls to Prospect Heights Community Living decreased from 26 in 2020 to 22 in 2021. Calls to The Villa at Lincoln Park doubled, from 53 to 106 during those same years. She said the numbers may not entirely reflect seniors need for medical attention or EMS, however, because in 2020, most senior living facilities were locked down and didnt allow visitors, including emergency personnel. We werent at the facilities at all because they werent allowing people there, White said. We usually are going into some of their rooms. We didnt do that. We werent going, they werent calling. Calls just kind of everybody disappeared. Randy Marvin, co-owner of Prospect Heights along with his wife, Elizabeth, said he and other Prospect staff members dont call EMS unless someone has a more serious condition. Residents who need to go to prompt care will be transported via a private ambulance service. If an ambulance company is estimating a long wait time, staff will call another company. Then if no one can come, thats when EMS is called. Prospect staff also do their own transport. Marvin said the residential facility can house up to 52 people, but the population is down to 46, which is a bit of a decrease from last year, and could contribute to there being fewer fire department calls. Our residents all have their own doctors, their own appointments. We keep them all in good health, Marvin said. We dont have any major dramas where we cant take care of them ourselves. Weve been here for 20 years and we know what were doing here. Weve got things down to a science. Chief Robert Stedman of the South Shore Fire Department said EMS calls in total have actually been down compared to a year ago; they total 81.4% of the departments calls this year compared to 83% of the calls last year. The total call volume has increased by 15% from 2020 to 2021 and the department that serves Mount Pleasant, Sturtevant and Elmwood Park receives about 68% more calls than Caledonia. He said a lot of department calls for senior citizens are to single-family homes, apartments and condominiums as well, not necessarily only senior living facilities. Michael Wienke, a South Shore battalion chief, shift commander and EMS supervisor, said the department experienced an increase in call volumes from 2018-2021 as well, but the numbers appear to be linked to an increase in traffic, development, residential growth and population not senior living centers specifically. In 2020, the department had 4,613 responses to calls. In 2021, the department is on pace to respond to 5,305 calls. Calls to Ridgewood Care Center went from 82 in 2020 to 99 in 2021. Across that same span: calls to Killarney Kourt retirement home increased from 73 to 93, Fountain Hills senior apartments calls decreased from 70 to 58, and Pleasant Point Senior Living calls held steady from 120 to 119 in those same years. However, from 2019 to this year so far, Pleasant Points total has more than tripled, from 39 to 119. Jim Tarantino, founder and principal of Capri Communities, the company that operates Killarney Kourt, said the increase in EMS calls could be due to the fact the population is aging. It mainly has to do with their health conditions and theyre getting older, Tarantino said. Their needs are higher. His company has locations in the Madison area as well as southeastern Wisconsin and staff has reported situations where ambulances cant arrive for pickups for hours or will altogether refuse transport. Some senior living facilities have said private ambulances cant come until the next day. Some hospitals will refuse to admit patients. Tarantino said hes gotten very low amounts of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (the CARES Act) money to help with the labor shortage and COVID-19-related expenses. His staff is getting burnt out too. Were really struggling from a financial standpoint because we dont have any support, Tarantino said. Ive contacted government officials and I have yet to see any material responses. The government, frankly, is turning its back on us. Its very disheartening. West end Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company Fire Chief Justin Lyman said he, too, has felt an increase in the number of calls to senior facilities. He said he cant think of many reasons the department would refuse to take calls to such facilities. Theres only a few small senior homes in the Town of Norway, he said, but the senior population is growing. We understand that different facilities offer different levels of medical care. When they run into a situation that is outside of their scope of practice, thats where we are able to step in as a resource, Lyman said in an email. It certainly seems most of the construction recently, on the west end, has been senior based. Kansasville Fire and Rescue Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ron Molnar said department calls to senior living facilities havent spiked or skyrocketed they might have a slight increase, but nothing astronomical. The only senior living facility within Kansasville Fire and Rescues district is Boland Hall, a residential building on the campus of the Wisconsin Veterans Home in Union Grove, located in the Town of Dover. The department has one ambulance. If theres a second call at the same time the department is responding to a first call, it relies on mutual aid. Over the past several years, the number of calls have remained steady, he said. This is true even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said didnt affect the data. Its not COVID-related, whatsoever, Molnar said. People have chronic health conditions or are generally sick that need to go to the hospital. Ambulance series Part 1: Racine County has long been facing shortages of EMTs. Costs are rising as a result. Part 2: When payment for emergency medical services far undercuts actual costs. Part 3, today: How an aging population is severely driving up demand for taxpayer-funded emergency services. Developer contests Alf McConnell, developer of the Parkview Senior-Living Community, one of the largest such facilities in southeastern Wisconsin, said the call numbers for Parkview of 201 in 2018 to 451 in 2021 seemed unrealistically high, and claimed the data may be incorrect. Somebodys made a mistake, I think, McConnell said. McConnell doesnt keep data internally of the number of times someone at Parkview requests assistance from the Caledonia Fire Department, but he said he hasnt noticed an increase of calls. Its not that often. Its not like were seeing a line of ambulances lined up at the front door, McConnell said. (But) I cant say theres been a decrease either. That implies that Im standing there keeping track of ambulances that come there, and thats not the case. The Caledonia Fire Department, like nearly all publicly funded fire and rescue operations, is not allowed to refuse service to someone who calls the department. Thats part of why call volume to senior care facilities has gone through the roof since 2018, Fire Chief Jeffrey Henningfeld said at a Dec. 6 Caledonia Village Board meeting. In 2018, calls to the multibuilding Parkview Senior-Living Community totaled 201. This year, through Dec. 15, it was 451. Older people tend to have an increased need for emergency medical services, especially when they remain independent longer. Its not just Parkview. Its all of our senior living facilities, Henningfeld said. Its not that were complaining about it, it just is that way. Were trying to meet the needs of the community and the needs are increasing. Theres a myriad of reasons why. States aging population The Caledonia Fire Department answered 2,964 calls last year and answered approximately 3,170 calls this year. For the most part, responses to senior living facilities increased. The Siena Retreat Center campus called for CFD assistance 50 times in 2020 and 82 times in 2021. Frontidas Willowgreen Home assisted living facility saw its calls climb from 49 in 2020 to 75 in 2021. The Woods of Caledonia retirement community decreased its number of calls from 107 to 80 in those same years. More calls means more costs for the CFD, and thus more costs to taxpayers, especially when Medicare and Medicaid dont always pay enough to cover the costs of each individual call. Henningfeld said he fears the communitys needs may not be met if the department loses staffing, and personnel wants to be able to continue to serve the community at its current staffing numbers. Regardless of the numbers themselves, Wisconsins population is aging fast, and the numbers of medical professionals in the state is not growing at the same rate. According to a report from the Wisconsin Hospitals Association: From 2017 to 2032, the U.S. population under age 18 is projected to grow by only 3.5%, while the population aged 65 and over is projected to grow by 48%, and the population aged 75 and older is projected to grow by a staggering 75.3%. These trends will likely hold true in Wisconsin. According to state data, as of 2015, more than one-fifth of the populations of all but nine of Wisconsins counties were age 60 and older, and no countys populations was more than two-fifths comprised of those 60 and over. By 2030, projections show that every Wisconsin countys population is to be at least 20% people who are 60 and older, and 10 counties (all of them in central or northern Wisconsin) are to have 40% of their populations age 60 or older. Racine, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant Cynthia White, division chief of professional standards, health and safety for the Racine Fire Department, said the department hasnt seen anything in senior living responses as significant as Caledonia, but perhaps some slight increases. In 2020, calls to Home Harbor were 49 and in 2021 to date, they were 61. Calls to Prospect Heights Community Living decreased from 26 in 2020 to 22 in 2021. Calls to The Villa at Lincoln Park doubled, from 53 to 106 during those same years. She said the numbers may not entirely reflect seniors need for medical attention or EMS, however, because in 2020, most senior living facilities were locked down and didnt allow visitors, including emergency personnel. We werent at the facilities at all because they werent allowing people there, White said. We usually are going into some of their rooms. We didnt do that. We werent going, they werent calling. Calls just kind of everybody disappeared. Randy Marvin, co-owner of Prospect Heights along with his wife, Elizabeth, said he and other Prospect staff members dont call EMS unless someone has a more serious condition. Residents who need to go to prompt care will be transported via a private ambulance service. If an ambulance company is estimating a long wait time, staff will call another company. Then if no one can come, thats when EMS is called. Prospect staff also do their own transport. Marvin said the residential facility can house up to 52 people, but the population is down to 46, which is a bit of a decrease from last year, and could contribute to there being fewer fire department calls. Our residents all have their own doctors, their own appointments. We keep them all in good health, Marvin said. We dont have any major dramas where we cant take care of them ourselves. Weve been here for 20 years and we know what were doing here. Weve got things down to a science. Chief Robert Stedman of the South Shore Fire Department said EMS calls in total have actually been down compared to a year ago; they total 81.4% of the departments calls this year compared to 83% of the calls last year. The total call volume has increased by 15% from 2020 to 2021 and the department that serves Mount Pleasant, Sturtevant and Elmwood Park receives about 68% more calls than Caledonia. He said a lot of department calls for senior citizens are to single-family homes, apartments and condominiums as well, not necessarily only senior living facilities. Michael Wienke, a South Shore battalion chief, shift commander and EMS supervisor, said the department experienced an increase in call volumes from 2018-2021 as well, but the numbers appear to be linked to an increase in traffic, development, residential growth and population not senior living centers specifically. In 2020, the department had 4,613 responses to calls. In 2021, the department is on pace to respond to 5,305 calls. Calls to Ridgewood Care Center went from 82 in 2020 to 99 in 2021. Across that same span: calls to Killarney Kourt retirement home increased from 73 to 93, Fountain Hills senior apartments calls decreased from 70 to 58, and Pleasant Point Senior Living calls held steady from 120 to 119 in those same years. However, from 2019 to this year so far, Pleasant Points total has more than tripled, from 39 to 119. Jim Tarantino, founder and principal of Capri Communities, the company that operates Killarney Kourt, said the increase in EMS calls could be due to the fact the population is aging. It mainly has to do with their health conditions and theyre getting older, Tarantino said. Their needs are higher. His company has locations in the Madison area as well as southeastern Wisconsin and staff has reported situations where ambulances cant arrive for pickups for hours or will altogether refuse transport. Some senior living facilities have said private ambulances cant come until the next day. Some hospitals will refuse to admit patients. Tarantino said hes gotten very low amounts of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (the CARES Act) money to help with the labor shortage and COVID-19-related expenses. His staff is getting burnt out too. Were really struggling from a financial standpoint because we dont have any support, Tarantino said. Ive contacted government officials and I have yet to see any material responses. The government, frankly, is turning its back on us. Its very disheartening. West end Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company Fire Chief Justin Lyman said he, too, has felt an increase in the number of calls to senior facilities. He said he cant think of many reasons the department would refuse to take calls to such facilities. Theres only a few small senior homes in the Town of Norway, he said, but the senior population is growing. We understand that different facilities offer different levels of medical care. When they run into a situation that is outside of their scope of practice, thats where we are able to step in as a resource, Lyman said in an email. It certainly seems most of the construction recently, on the west end, has been senior based. Kansasville Fire and Rescue Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ron Molnar said department calls to senior living facilities havent spiked or skyrocketed they might have a slight increase, but nothing astronomical. The only senior living facility within Kansasville Fire and Rescues district is Boland Hall, a residential building on the campus of the Wisconsin Veterans Home in Union Grove, located in the Town of Dover. The department has one ambulance. If theres a second call at the same time the department is responding to a first call, it relies on mutual aid. Over the past several years, the number of calls have remained steady, he said. This is true even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said didnt affect the data. Its not COVID-related, whatsoever, Molnar said. People have chronic health conditions or are generally sick that need to go to the hospital. Ambulance series Part 1: Racine County has long been facing shortages of EMTs. Costs are rising as a result. Part 2: When payment for emergency medical services far undercuts actual costs. Part 3, today: How an aging population is severely driving up demand for taxpayer-funded emergency services. Developer contests Alf McConnell, developer of the Parkview Senior-Living Community, one of the largest such facilities in southeastern Wisconsin, said the call numbers for Parkview of 201 in 2018 to 451 in 2021 seemed unrealistically high, and claimed the data may be incorrect. Somebodys made a mistake, I think, McConnell said. McConnell doesnt keep data internally of the number of times someone at Parkview requests assistance from the Caledonia Fire Department, but he said he hasnt noticed an increase of calls. Its not that often. Its not like were seeing a line of ambulances lined up at the front door, McConnell said. (But) I cant say theres been a decrease either. That implies that Im standing there keeping track of ambulances that come there, and thats not the case. Yves here. IM Doc has been sending us grim accounts from his hospital. Yesterday he was the only MD in the ER, with one nurse, and a massive influx of cases. The hospital is not overloaded but the price has been the ER becoming a war zone. By Matthew Wynia, Director of the Center for Bioethics and Humanities, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Originally published at The Conversation As the omicron variant brings a new wave of uncertainty and fear, I cant help reflecting back to March 2020, when people in health care across the U.S. watched in horror as COVID-19 swamped New York City. Hospitals were overflowing with sick and dying patients, while ventilators and personal protective equipment were in short supply. Patients sat for hours or days in ambulances and hallways, waiting for a hospital bed to open up. Some never made it to the intensive care unit bed they needed. Im an infectious disease specialist and bioethicist at the University of Colorados Anschutz Medical Campus. I worked with a team nonstop from March into June 2020, helping my hospital and state get ready for the massive influx of COVID-19 cases we expected might inundate our health care system. When health systems are moving toward crisis conditions, the first steps we take are to do all we can to conserve and reallocate scarce resources. Hoping to keep delivering quality care despite shortages of space, staff and stuff we do things like canceling elective surgeries, moving surgical staff to inpatient units to provide care and holding patients in the emergency department when the hospital is full. These are called contingency measures. Though they can be inconvenient for patients, we hope patients wont be harmed by them. But when a crisis escalates to the point that we simply cant provide necessary services to everyone who needs them, we are forced to perform crisis triage. At that point, the care provided to some patients is admittedly less than high quality sometimes much less. The care provided under such extreme levels of resource shortages is called crisis standards of care. Crisis standards can impact the use of any type of resource that is in extremely short supply, from staff (like nurses or respiratory therapists) to stuff (like ventilators or N95 masks) to space (like ICU beds). And because the care we can provide during crisis standards is much lower than normal quality for some patients, the process is supposed to be fully transparent and formally allowed by the state. What Triage Looks Like in Practice In the spring of 2020, our plans assumed the worst that we wouldnt have enough ventilators for all the people who would surely die without one. So we focused on how to make ethical determinations about who should get the last ventilator, as though any decision like that could be ethical. But one key fact about triage is that its not something you decide to do or not. If you dont do it, then you are deciding to behave as if things are normal, and when you run out of ventilators, the next person to come along doesnt get one. Thats still a form of triage. Now imagine that all the ventilators are taken and the next person who needs one is a young woman with a complication delivering her baby. Thats what we had to talk about in early 2020. My colleagues and I didnt sleep much. To avoid that scenario, our hospital and many others proposed using a scoring system that counts up how many of a patients organs are failing and how badly. Thats because people with multiple organs failing arent as likely to survive, which means they shouldnt be given the last ventilator if someone with better odds also needs it. Fortunately, before we had to use this triage system that spring, we got a reprieve. Mask-wearing, social distancing and business closures went into effect, and they worked. We bent the curve. In April 2020, Colorado had some days with almost 1,000 COVID-19 cases per day. But by early June, our daily case rates were in the low 100s. COVID-19 cases would surge back in August as those measures were relaxed, of course. And Colorados surge in December 2020 was especially severe, but we subdued these subsequent waves with the same basic public health measures. And then what at the time felt like a miracle happened: A safe and effective vaccine became available. First it was just for people at highest risk, but then it became available for all adults by later in the spring of 2021. We were just over one year into the pandemic, and people felt like the end was in sight. So masks went by the wayside. Too soon, it turned out. A Haunting Reminder of 2020 Now, in December 2021 here in Colorado, hospitals are filled to the brim again. Some have even been over 100% capacity recently, and a third of the hospitals expect ICU bed shortages during the last weeks of 2021. The best estimate is that by the end of the month well be overflowing and ICU beds will run out statewide. But today, some members of the public have little patience for wearing masks or avoiding big crowds. People whove been vaccinated dont think its fair they should be forced to cancel holiday plans, when over 80% of the people hospitalized for COVID-19 are the unvaccinated. And those who arent vaccinated well, many seem to believe they just arent at risk, which couldnt be further from the truth. So, hospitals around our state are yet again facing triage-like decisions on a daily basis. In a few important ways, the situation has changed. Today, our hospitals have plenty of ventilators, but not enough staff to run them. Stress and burnout are taking their toll. So, those of us in the health care system are hitting our breaking point again. And when hospitals are full, we are forced into making triage decisions. Ethical Dilemmas and Painful Conversations Our health system in Colorado is now assuming that by the end of December, we could be 10% over capacity across all our hospitals, in both intensive care units and regular floors. In early 2020, we were looking for the patients who would die with or without a ventilator in order to preserve the ventilator; today, our planning team is looking for people who might survive outside of the ICU. And because those patients will need a bed on the main floors, we are also forced to find people on hospital floor beds who could be sent home early, even though that might not be as safe as wed like. For instance, take a patient who has diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA extremely high blood sugar with fluid and electrolyte disturbances. DKA is dangerous and typically requires admission to an ICU for a continuous infusion of insulin. But patients with DKA only rarely end up requiring mechanical ventilation. So, under crisis triage circumstances, we might move them to hospital floor beds to free up some ICU beds for very sick COVID-19 patients. But where are we going to get regular hospital rooms for these patients with DKA, since those are full too? Heres what we might do: People with serious infections due to IV drug use are regularly kept in the hospital while they receive long courses of IV antibiotics. This is because if they were to use an IV catheter to inject drugs at home, it could be very dangerous, even deadly. But under triage conditions, we might let them go home if they promise not to use their IV line to inject drugs. Obviously, thats not completely safe. Its clearly not the usual standard of care but it is a crisis standard of care. Worse than all of this is anticipating the conversations with patients and their families. These are what I dread the most, and in the last few weeks of 2021, weve had to start practicing them again. How should we break the news to patients that the care they are getting isnt what wed like because we are overwhelmed? Heres what we might have to say: there are just too many sick people coming to our hospital all at once, and we dont have enough of what is needed to take care of all the patients the way we would like to at this point, it is reasonable to do a trial of treatment on the ventilator for 48 hours, to see how your dads lungs respond, but then well need to reevaluate Im sorry, your dad is sicker than others in the hospital, and the treatments havent been working in the way we had hoped. Back when vaccines came on the horizon a year ago, we hoped wed never need to have these conversations. Its hard to accept that they are needed again now. A Smyth County woman arrested last summer after police say she left her 7-year-old grandson inside a locked car while she shopped at Walmart has been indicted by a Smyth County grand jury on a charge of abuse or neglect of a child. The grand jury returned the indictment for 71-year-old Betty Jean Lyons during its Dec. 14 session. According to a criminal complaint, Marion police responded to the scene after receiving a call about a child who was inside the car sweating profusely with the windows rolled up. When police arrived, the boy appeared to be having trouble breathing, the complaint said. Unable to get the doors open, Officer Jeff Davis busted the window. Sgt. April Morgan wrote in the complaint that Davis was unable to unlock the door from the inside and so entered the car through the broken window. When he stuck his head through the window the heat immediately took his breath away, Morgan wrote. The boy, who Morgan noted was drenched with sweat, was treated on scene by Marion Fire-EMS The complaint goes on to say that Marion Fire-EMS used a thermal imaging camera to measure the temperature inside the vehicle, which registered 130 degrees. After reviewing surveillance footage inside Walmart, police were able to determine that Lyons had been inside the store for approximately an hour and 20 minutes, according to the complaint. Lyons, who had custody of her grandson at the time of the incident, told police that he did not want to come inside the store with her because his feet were hurting. Lyons is scheduled for trial Jan. 5, 2022. The Grand Jury also heard sufficient evidence to indict a Chilhowie man who now faces sexual abuse charges that date back to 2012. According to information contained in the indictments, 32-year-old Jaron Cory Logan is accused of sexually abusing a family member under the age of 13 on or around November 2012. Logan, who was charged through direct indictment, was indicted on five counts of rape, five counts of incest and one count of forceful sodomy. He is scheduled for trial on March 2. Also indicted during the Grand Jurys December term is a 20-year-old Chilhowie man accused of impregnating a 14-year-old girl. According to a complaint filed at the Smyth County Courthouse, Jackson Sanders Moore, then 19, was in a relationship with the girl who was pregnant. By listening in to jail conversations, investigators learned that Moore was the father to the teens unborn child. Moore, who was arrested in April, now faces a charge of having carnal knowledge of a child between the ages of 13 and 15. He is scheduled for trial Feb. 2, 2022. The grand jury also handed down indictments to the following individuals: Christopher Adam Joliffe, 37, of Marion, was indicted on a failure to register as a sex offender charge. William Ray Perkins II, 40, of Marion, was indicted on strangulation and eluding police charges. Brian Christopher Bowles, 46, of Marion, was indicted on a third offense assault and battery charge. Bucky Bo Buchanan, 40, of Saltville, was indicted on an assault and battery of a law enforcement officer charge. Heather Poston, 39, of Damascus, was indicted on two counts abuse or neglect of a child, one count possession of methamphetamine and one count eluding police. Dakota Manuel Reynolds, 25, of Saltville, was indicted on charges of destruction of property and eluding police. Christopher Dale Arnold, 36, of Rural Retreat, was indicted on four counts statutory burglary and two counts grand larceny Joshua Austin Price, 24, of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. James Rodney Neal Jr., of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. Eric Wayne Mercer, 40, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a statutory burglary charge. Timothy Dwayne Dennison Jr. 24, of Sugar Grove, was indicted on a charge of possession of burglarious tools. Jeni Marie James, 38, of Atkins, was indicted on a credit card theft charge. Lenar Tyree Perkins, 30, of Marion, was indicted on an obstruction of justice charge. Bobby Dean Pruitt, 41, of Atkins, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Cory Ryan Butts, 32, of Woodbridge, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Carl Thomas Rhea, 42, of Wytheville, was indicted on a charge of forging a public document. Danny Musick, 54, of Marion, was indicted on three counts possession of methamphetamine and one count possession of ammunition by a felon. David Allen Tilson, 40, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Grove Trivett, 53, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Judy Elizabeth Hess, 62, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Michael Ray Brown, 47, of Galax, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Torry Chamont Perkins, 31, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Joshua William King, 38, of Wytheville, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Able, 41, of Abingdon, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Bryan James Barker, 35, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Toni Draper, 41, of Dublin, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Carrie Ann Olinger, 34, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. David Stanley Surber, 30, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Jeremy Simms, 35, of Atkins, was indicted on a possession of hydrocodone charge. Individuals arrested on charges stemming from direct indictments handed down during the September 2021 grand jury session are as follows: George Adam Terry, 35, of Saltville, was indicted on five counts distribution of buprenorphine, three counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Crystal Ann Jones, 37, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count distribution of buprenorphine. Charles Lynn Morgan, 29, of Abingdon, was indicted on three counts distribution of methamphetamine. Justin Wayne Harris, 58, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Robert Homer Firestone III, also known as Bobby Firestone, 34, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of buprenorphine. John Richard Gardner, also known as Pooh Gardner, 47, of Marion was indicted on distribution of methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine near a recreation facility. Archie Luther Young, 46, of Marion was indicted on charges of distribution of imitation methamphetamine and petit larceny. Jonathan Firestone, 32, of Marion, was indicted on two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Hanna Jade Briscoe, 22, of Atkins, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine. Dejuan Marquis Brewer, 31, of Saltville, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Jodi Cleary, 50 of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Robert Adam Gore, 29, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Matthew Allen Huffman, 29, of Sugar Grove, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Monica Reedy Lambert, 43, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Christopher Lee Tilson, 35, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Mary Ellen Tester, 49, of Marion, was indicted on two counts possession of methamphetamine. Gerald Putman Jr., 47, of Bristol, was indicted on a welfare fraud charge. Those indicted will stand trial in Smyth County Circuit Court. Yves here. It would be maddening, as well as stupidity-inducing, to try to follow the Blobs hive mind on a regular basis. This post provides a tolerably small window into two hot issues via the prognostications of David Ignatius, the CIAs mouthpiece1 at the Washington Post. Rosser spares his readers full unadulterated Igantius. For those who are gluttons for punishment, you can read the source material here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/12/30/what-strange-things-does-2022-have-store-us-take-this-quiz-find-out/ Rosser circumspectly does not mention that the intel state might have a few too many college tuitions depending on hotting up a conflict with Russia. By Barkley Rosser, Professor of Economics at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Originally published at EconoSpeak In todays Washington Post, intel columnist David Ignatius had a ten question multiple choice quiz about what will happen in 2022. He provided his own answers at the end, effectively forecasts. Many I agree with and some, speculative about tech developments and such like, I have no opinion on. However on two very important ones I think I disagree with him, if not overwhelmingly so. One of these was about prospects for Iran and the US and others to put back together the JCPOA nuclear deal that Donald Trump removed the US from. I am burned as I expected Biden to quickly rejoin the deal with minimum fuss once he got back in office. But he did not do so, insisting on demanding all sorts of extra things out of Iran about missiles and this and that. No deal has been made and now Iran has a hard line government. Yes, formal negotiations have been restarted in Vienna, but to me they do not seem to be going anywhere, and Iran has now substantially expanded its nuclear capability. Ignatius forecasts that Iran will negotiate a deal under pressure from Russia and China. I am afraid I am skeptical, although I would love to see it. The other one, where I am forecasting a more optimistic outcome has to do with the current Russia-Ukraine situation. Bottom line for Ignatius is pessimistic, that Russia will make cyberattacks on Ukraine that lead to people freezing this winter, will allow the Donbas separatists to attack Ukrainian forces and expand their territory of conrtrol, and then create broader chaos in Ukraine that will justify a full-scale invasion by Russia of Ukraine. I think a more optimistic answer is more likely, although certainly not certain. This one says that Putin will gradually pull troops back after some sort of sufficiently face-saving deal is cut. This seems to be what people in Ukraine think, although maybe the generally astute Ignatious knows better. But I hope he is wrong for this coming new year. Snovem godem (Russian for Happy New Year), you all! _____ 1 Lambert suggested a less-family-blog-friendly depiction. Yves here. It would be maddening, as well as stupidity-inducing, to try to follow the Blobs hive mind on a regular basis. This post provides a tolerably small window into two hot issues via the prognostications of David Ignatius, the CIAs mouthpiece1 at the Washington Post. Rosser spares his readers full unadulterated Igantius. For those who are gluttons for punishment, you can read the source material here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/12/30/what-strange-things-does-2022-have-store-us-take-this-quiz-find-out/ Rosser circumspectly does not mention that the intel state might have a few too many college tuitions depending on hotting up a conflict with Russia. By Barkley Rosser, Professor of Economics at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Originally published at EconoSpeak In todays Washington Post, intel columnist David Ignatius had a ten question multiple choice quiz about what will happen in 2022. He provided his own answers at the end, effectively forecasts. Many I agree with and some, speculative about tech developments and such like, I have no opinion on. However on two very important ones I think I disagree with him, if not overwhelmingly so. One of these was about prospects for Iran and the US and others to put back together the JCPOA nuclear deal that Donald Trump removed the US from. I am burned as I expected Biden to quickly rejoin the deal with minimum fuss once he got back in office. But he did not do so, insisting on demanding all sorts of extra things out of Iran about missiles and this and that. No deal has been made and now Iran has a hard line government. Yes, formal negotiations have been restarted in Vienna, but to me they do not seem to be going anywhere, and Iran has now substantially expanded its nuclear capability. Ignatius forecasts that Iran will negotiate a deal under pressure from Russia and China. I am afraid I am skeptical, although I would love to see it. The other one, where I am forecasting a more optimistic outcome has to do with the current Russia-Ukraine situation. Bottom line for Ignatius is pessimistic, that Russia will make cyberattacks on Ukraine that lead to people freezing this winter, will allow the Donbas separatists to attack Ukrainian forces and expand their territory of conrtrol, and then create broader chaos in Ukraine that will justify a full-scale invasion by Russia of Ukraine. I think a more optimistic answer is more likely, although certainly not certain. This one says that Putin will gradually pull troops back after some sort of sufficiently face-saving deal is cut. This seems to be what people in Ukraine think, although maybe the generally astute Ignatious knows better. But I hope he is wrong for this coming new year. Snovem godem (Russian for Happy New Year), you all! _____ 1 Lambert suggested a less-family-blog-friendly depiction. Yves here. It would be maddening, as well as stupidity-inducing, to try to follow the Blobs hive mind on a regular basis. This post provides a tolerably small window into two hot issues via the prognostications of David Ignatius, the CIAs mouthpiece1 at the Washington Post. Rosser spares his readers full unadulterated Igantius. For those who are gluttons for punishment, you can read the source material here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/12/30/what-strange-things-does-2022-have-store-us-take-this-quiz-find-out/ Rosser circumspectly does not mention that the intel state might have a few too many college tuitions depending on hotting up a conflict with Russia. By Barkley Rosser, Professor of Economics at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Originally published at EconoSpeak In todays Washington Post, intel columnist David Ignatius had a ten question multiple choice quiz about what will happen in 2022. He provided his own answers at the end, effectively forecasts. Many I agree with and some, speculative about tech developments and such like, I have no opinion on. However on two very important ones I think I disagree with him, if not overwhelmingly so. One of these was about prospects for Iran and the US and others to put back together the JCPOA nuclear deal that Donald Trump removed the US from. I am burned as I expected Biden to quickly rejoin the deal with minimum fuss once he got back in office. But he did not do so, insisting on demanding all sorts of extra things out of Iran about missiles and this and that. No deal has been made and now Iran has a hard line government. Yes, formal negotiations have been restarted in Vienna, but to me they do not seem to be going anywhere, and Iran has now substantially expanded its nuclear capability. Ignatius forecasts that Iran will negotiate a deal under pressure from Russia and China. I am afraid I am skeptical, although I would love to see it. The other one, where I am forecasting a more optimistic outcome has to do with the current Russia-Ukraine situation. Bottom line for Ignatius is pessimistic, that Russia will make cyberattacks on Ukraine that lead to people freezing this winter, will allow the Donbas separatists to attack Ukrainian forces and expand their territory of conrtrol, and then create broader chaos in Ukraine that will justify a full-scale invasion by Russia of Ukraine. I think a more optimistic answer is more likely, although certainly not certain. This one says that Putin will gradually pull troops back after some sort of sufficiently face-saving deal is cut. This seems to be what people in Ukraine think, although maybe the generally astute Ignatious knows better. But I hope he is wrong for this coming new year. Snovem godem (Russian for Happy New Year), you all! _____ 1 Lambert suggested a less-family-blog-friendly depiction. 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. 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. 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. Pastor Jack Hibbs in an interview with The Epoch Times at a TurningPointUSA event in Phoenix, Ariz., in December 2021. (The Epoch Times) People Are Waking up and California Is Coming Back: Pastor Jack Hibbs The high crime rates, the governors long and strict lockdowns, high taxes, high living costs, roaming homeless people in the cities California seems to have lost its appeal and more people are leaving the state. However, pastor Jack Hibbs sees the hope of the Golden State and believes its coming back. I think weve hit bottom, and were coming back, Hibbs told The Epoch Times during a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix last week. Hibbs is an eminent pastor in the nation and Calvary Chapel Chino Hills founder. He was part of former President Donald Trumps evangelical team. He has captured headlines during the past year and a half for his firm stances against lockdowns, church-closing, and vaccine mandates. California used to be the bastion of fill-in-the-blank, the bastion of prosperity, the bastion of the laid back California lifestyle, it was the place of innovation California is the only state in the nation that can boast mission, preaching stations, among other things, Hibbs said, noting that now California has sunk terribly and become the laughingstock of the nation. However, Hibbs believes and sees that people are waking up. Believe it or not, people are coming to California or coming back to California to do the right thing. And that is to take possession of their state again. On Dec. 15, a new study by the California Policy Lab found that more people are moving out of the state12 percent higher than pre-pandemic levelsespecially the Bay Area. However, the study showed therere still people moving into the state, only at a rate much lower than the pre-pandemic level38 percent lower. In these last two years, weve had nothing but growth, Hibbs said, referring to his church. Weve had thousands of people added to the church. We baptize 3,000 people on a Saturday. Why? Because people are looking for truth. And so they found out that just a warm, feel-good, secret-type message doesnt answer you in the day of trouble. Gods word answers you in the day of trouble. So thats what were all about. And thats why were seeing a response. Hibbs website states that his church ministers weekly to over ten thousand people on campus and millions worldwide through daily media outreach programs. Last July, when Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that churches must again close their doors, Hibbs said it was a mistake to close church at the first time, and he would never close the church again. Hibbs said he sent a video to the governors office saying, If youre going to close the church, you have to physically come and shut the doors. Later Newsom lost a lawsuit, and the state can no longer place discriminatory COVID-19 restrictions on church services. Why were the most prosperous nation? Why were the most free? Why is there such a big battle about vaccination or no vaccination? We get to fight that issue. Were Americans, Hibbs told The Epoch Times. Hibbs supports Navy SEALs who have filed suit to seek religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine. He asked his congregation to pray for First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to defending religious freedom and representing the Navy SEALs. Worshippers gather for service during the COVID-19 pandemic in the courtyard of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino Hills, Calif. (Courtesy of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills) I have children, I have grandchildren, and thats why Im fighting, Hibbs said. When Hibbs went to school as a kid in Orange County, California, they had the Bible in class and prayer in class. They had the Pledge of Allegiance in the classroom. But later, Bible or ten commandments were no longer allowed on the wall. Well, you look at the data. Look at the decades that followed. Its been nothing but degradation, Hibbs added. Hibbs recognized that the legacy media has taken people to the dark side of things. We get to now challenge the false narrative, Hibbs said. So dont lose heart. I would say to people be very discerning about what you hear. And make sure that youre hearing it from a source that has no agenda except to bring truth. Stand firm with what is right and true, Hibbs said. The Bible calls it righteousnessdont let that word scare youit simply means to do the right thing: against tweets, against blogs, against any intimidation, do the right thing. At the end of the day, do what you know is right and youll sleep good, and youll become fearless because you will have done the right thing. Nick Vandennieuwenhof and Jamie Joseph contributed to this report. New Delhi: IIT Delhi, Jamia Milia Islamia, Indian Medical Association and Nehru Memorial Museum and Library are among nearly 6,000 entities whose FCRA registration deemed to have ceased on Saturday (January 1). These entities either did not apply for renewal of their FCRA licence or the Union Home Ministry rejected their applications, officials said. According to the official website related to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, among organisations and entities whose registration under the FCRA ceased or validity expired include the Indira Gandhi National Centre For Arts, Indian Institute Of Public Administration, Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial Foundation, Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi College of Engineering and Oxfam India. The officials of the Union Home Ministry, which regulates the activities of the NGOs and associates registered under the FCRA, said that registration under the act is deemed to have ceased on Saturday (January 1). The FCRA registration is mandatory for any association and NGO to receive foreign funding. There were 22,762 FCRA-registered NGOs till Friday (December 31). On Saturday(January 1), it came down to 16,829 as 5,933 NGOs ceased to operate. Among those organisations whose FCRA registration ceased were Medical Council of India, Emmanuel Hospital Association, which runs over a dozen hospitals across India, Tuberculosis Association Of India, Vishwa Dharamayatan, Maharishi Ayurveda Pratishthan, National Federation Of Fishermen's Cooperatives Ltd. The Hamdard Education Society, Delhi School Of Social Work Society, Bhartiya Sanskriti Parishad, DAV College Trust and Management Society, India Islamic Cultural Centre, Godrej Memorial Trust, The Delhi Public School Society, Nuclear Science Centre in JNU, India Habitat Centre, Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi College of Engineering and All India Marwari Yuva Manch are also among these entities. Live TV New Delhi: IIT Delhi, Jamia Milia Islamia, Indian Medical Association and Nehru Memorial Museum and Library are among nearly 6,000 entities whose FCRA registration deemed to have ceased on Saturday (January 1). These entities either did not apply for renewal of their FCRA licence or the Union Home Ministry rejected their applications, officials said. According to the official website related to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, among organisations and entities whose registration under the FCRA ceased or validity expired include the Indira Gandhi National Centre For Arts, Indian Institute Of Public Administration, Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial Foundation, Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi College of Engineering and Oxfam India. The officials of the Union Home Ministry, which regulates the activities of the NGOs and associates registered under the FCRA, said that registration under the act is deemed to have ceased on Saturday (January 1). The FCRA registration is mandatory for any association and NGO to receive foreign funding. There were 22,762 FCRA-registered NGOs till Friday (December 31). On Saturday(January 1), it came down to 16,829 as 5,933 NGOs ceased to operate. Among those organisations whose FCRA registration ceased were Medical Council of India, Emmanuel Hospital Association, which runs over a dozen hospitals across India, Tuberculosis Association Of India, Vishwa Dharamayatan, Maharishi Ayurveda Pratishthan, National Federation Of Fishermen's Cooperatives Ltd. The Hamdard Education Society, Delhi School Of Social Work Society, Bhartiya Sanskriti Parishad, DAV College Trust and Management Society, India Islamic Cultural Centre, Godrej Memorial Trust, The Delhi Public School Society, Nuclear Science Centre in JNU, India Habitat Centre, Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi College of Engineering and All India Marwari Yuva Manch are also among these entities. Live TV - Advertisement - Indias ambition to be a net exporter of defence systems may soon receive a major impetus as the nation is expected to get export orders from the Philippines for BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles that can be fired from land, submarines, ships and fighter jets. According to government sources cited by ANI, India and Philippines are in an advanced stage of negotiations over the sale of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. Export order likely to be placed soon. According to Indian media reports, the Philippines department of budget management has issued two special allotment release orders worth 1.3 billion pesos and 1.535 billion pesos. The funds are reportedly for the Shore-Based Anti-Ship Missile System Acquisition Project of the Philippine Navy. The Philippines had expressed its interest to acquire the supersonic cruise missile system back in 2019. The deal originally slated to be signed in 2020 was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Filipino defence secretary Delfin Lorenzana had informed that his country intended to buy two batteries of the missile system. On Sunday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone of the Brahmos Missiles production unit at Uttar Pradeshs Lucknow. - Advertisement - Indias ambition to be a net exporter of defence systems may soon receive a major impetus as the nation is expected to get export orders from the Philippines for BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles that can be fired from land, submarines, ships and fighter jets. According to government sources cited by ANI, India and Philippines are in an advanced stage of negotiations over the sale of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. Export order likely to be placed soon. According to Indian media reports, the Philippines department of budget management has issued two special allotment release orders worth 1.3 billion pesos and 1.535 billion pesos. The funds are reportedly for the Shore-Based Anti-Ship Missile System Acquisition Project of the Philippine Navy. The Philippines had expressed its interest to acquire the supersonic cruise missile system back in 2019. The deal originally slated to be signed in 2020 was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Filipino defence secretary Delfin Lorenzana had informed that his country intended to buy two batteries of the missile system. On Sunday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone of the Brahmos Missiles production unit at Uttar Pradeshs Lucknow. - Advertisement - Indias ambition to be a net exporter of defence systems may soon receive a major impetus as the nation is expected to get export orders from the Philippines for BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles that can be fired from land, submarines, ships and fighter jets. According to government sources cited by ANI, India and Philippines are in an advanced stage of negotiations over the sale of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. Export order likely to be placed soon. According to Indian media reports, the Philippines department of budget management has issued two special allotment release orders worth 1.3 billion pesos and 1.535 billion pesos. The funds are reportedly for the Shore-Based Anti-Ship Missile System Acquisition Project of the Philippine Navy. The Philippines had expressed its interest to acquire the supersonic cruise missile system back in 2019. The deal originally slated to be signed in 2020 was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Filipino defence secretary Delfin Lorenzana had informed that his country intended to buy two batteries of the missile system. On Sunday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone of the Brahmos Missiles production unit at Uttar Pradeshs Lucknow. Pastor Jack Hibbs in an interview with The Epoch Times at a TurningPointUSA event in Phoenix, Ariz., in December 2021. (The Epoch Times) People Are Waking up and California Is Coming Back: Pastor Jack Hibbs The high crime rates, the governors long and strict lockdowns, high taxes, high living costs, roaming homeless people in the cities California seems to have lost its appeal and more people are leaving the state. However, pastor Jack Hibbs sees the hope of the Golden State and believes its coming back. I think weve hit bottom, and were coming back, Hibbs told The Epoch Times during a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix last week. Hibbs is an eminent pastor in the nation and Calvary Chapel Chino Hills founder. He was part of former President Donald Trumps evangelical team. He has captured headlines during the past year and a half for his firm stances against lockdowns, church-closing, and vaccine mandates. California used to be the bastion of fill-in-the-blank, the bastion of prosperity, the bastion of the laid back California lifestyle, it was the place of innovation California is the only state in the nation that can boast mission, preaching stations, among other things, Hibbs said, noting that now California has sunk terribly and become the laughingstock of the nation. However, Hibbs believes and sees that people are waking up. Believe it or not, people are coming to California or coming back to California to do the right thing. And that is to take possession of their state again. On Dec. 15, a new study by the California Policy Lab found that more people are moving out of the state12 percent higher than pre-pandemic levelsespecially the Bay Area. However, the study showed therere still people moving into the state, only at a rate much lower than the pre-pandemic level38 percent lower. In these last two years, weve had nothing but growth, Hibbs said, referring to his church. Weve had thousands of people added to the church. We baptize 3,000 people on a Saturday. Why? Because people are looking for truth. And so they found out that just a warm, feel-good, secret-type message doesnt answer you in the day of trouble. Gods word answers you in the day of trouble. So thats what were all about. And thats why were seeing a response. Hibbs website states that his church ministers weekly to over ten thousand people on campus and millions worldwide through daily media outreach programs. Last July, when Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that churches must again close their doors, Hibbs said it was a mistake to close church at the first time, and he would never close the church again. Hibbs said he sent a video to the governors office saying, If youre going to close the church, you have to physically come and shut the doors. Later Newsom lost a lawsuit, and the state can no longer place discriminatory COVID-19 restrictions on church services. Why were the most prosperous nation? Why were the most free? Why is there such a big battle about vaccination or no vaccination? We get to fight that issue. Were Americans, Hibbs told The Epoch Times. Hibbs supports Navy SEALs who have filed suit to seek religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine. He asked his congregation to pray for First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to defending religious freedom and representing the Navy SEALs. Worshippers gather for service during the COVID-19 pandemic in the courtyard of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino Hills, Calif. (Courtesy of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills) I have children, I have grandchildren, and thats why Im fighting, Hibbs said. When Hibbs went to school as a kid in Orange County, California, they had the Bible in class and prayer in class. They had the Pledge of Allegiance in the classroom. But later, Bible or ten commandments were no longer allowed on the wall. Well, you look at the data. Look at the decades that followed. Its been nothing but degradation, Hibbs added. Hibbs recognized that the legacy media has taken people to the dark side of things. We get to now challenge the false narrative, Hibbs said. So dont lose heart. I would say to people be very discerning about what you hear. And make sure that youre hearing it from a source that has no agenda except to bring truth. Stand firm with what is right and true, Hibbs said. The Bible calls it righteousnessdont let that word scare youit simply means to do the right thing: against tweets, against blogs, against any intimidation, do the right thing. At the end of the day, do what you know is right and youll sleep good, and youll become fearless because you will have done the right thing. Nick Vandennieuwenhof and Jamie Joseph contributed to this report. Pastor Jack Hibbs in an interview with The Epoch Times at a TurningPointUSA event in Phoenix, Ariz., in December 2021. (The Epoch Times) People Are Waking up and California Is Coming Back: Pastor Jack Hibbs The high crime rates, the governors long and strict lockdowns, high taxes, high living costs, roaming homeless people in the cities California seems to have lost its appeal and more people are leaving the state. However, pastor Jack Hibbs sees the hope of the Golden State and believes its coming back. I think weve hit bottom, and were coming back, Hibbs told The Epoch Times during a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix last week. Hibbs is an eminent pastor in the nation and Calvary Chapel Chino Hills founder. He was part of former President Donald Trumps evangelical team. He has captured headlines during the past year and a half for his firm stances against lockdowns, church-closing, and vaccine mandates. California used to be the bastion of fill-in-the-blank, the bastion of prosperity, the bastion of the laid back California lifestyle, it was the place of innovation California is the only state in the nation that can boast mission, preaching stations, among other things, Hibbs said, noting that now California has sunk terribly and become the laughingstock of the nation. However, Hibbs believes and sees that people are waking up. Believe it or not, people are coming to California or coming back to California to do the right thing. And that is to take possession of their state again. On Dec. 15, a new study by the California Policy Lab found that more people are moving out of the state12 percent higher than pre-pandemic levelsespecially the Bay Area. However, the study showed therere still people moving into the state, only at a rate much lower than the pre-pandemic level38 percent lower. In these last two years, weve had nothing but growth, Hibbs said, referring to his church. Weve had thousands of people added to the church. We baptize 3,000 people on a Saturday. Why? Because people are looking for truth. And so they found out that just a warm, feel-good, secret-type message doesnt answer you in the day of trouble. Gods word answers you in the day of trouble. So thats what were all about. And thats why were seeing a response. Hibbs website states that his church ministers weekly to over ten thousand people on campus and millions worldwide through daily media outreach programs. Last July, when Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that churches must again close their doors, Hibbs said it was a mistake to close church at the first time, and he would never close the church again. Hibbs said he sent a video to the governors office saying, If youre going to close the church, you have to physically come and shut the doors. Later Newsom lost a lawsuit, and the state can no longer place discriminatory COVID-19 restrictions on church services. Why were the most prosperous nation? Why were the most free? Why is there such a big battle about vaccination or no vaccination? We get to fight that issue. Were Americans, Hibbs told The Epoch Times. Hibbs supports Navy SEALs who have filed suit to seek religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine. He asked his congregation to pray for First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to defending religious freedom and representing the Navy SEALs. Worshippers gather for service during the COVID-19 pandemic in the courtyard of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino Hills, Calif. (Courtesy of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills) I have children, I have grandchildren, and thats why Im fighting, Hibbs said. When Hibbs went to school as a kid in Orange County, California, they had the Bible in class and prayer in class. They had the Pledge of Allegiance in the classroom. But later, Bible or ten commandments were no longer allowed on the wall. Well, you look at the data. Look at the decades that followed. Its been nothing but degradation, Hibbs added. Hibbs recognized that the legacy media has taken people to the dark side of things. We get to now challenge the false narrative, Hibbs said. So dont lose heart. I would say to people be very discerning about what you hear. And make sure that youre hearing it from a source that has no agenda except to bring truth. Stand firm with what is right and true, Hibbs said. The Bible calls it righteousnessdont let that word scare youit simply means to do the right thing: against tweets, against blogs, against any intimidation, do the right thing. At the end of the day, do what you know is right and youll sleep good, and youll become fearless because you will have done the right thing. Nick Vandennieuwenhof and Jamie Joseph contributed to this report. Pastor Jack Hibbs in an interview with The Epoch Times at a TurningPointUSA event in Phoenix, Ariz., in December 2021. (The Epoch Times) People Are Waking up and California Is Coming Back: Pastor Jack Hibbs The high crime rates, the governors long and strict lockdowns, high taxes, high living costs, roaming homeless people in the cities California seems to have lost its appeal and more people are leaving the state. However, pastor Jack Hibbs sees the hope of the Golden State and believes its coming back. I think weve hit bottom, and were coming back, Hibbs told The Epoch Times during a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix last week. Hibbs is an eminent pastor in the nation and Calvary Chapel Chino Hills founder. He was part of former President Donald Trumps evangelical team. He has captured headlines during the past year and a half for his firm stances against lockdowns, church-closing, and vaccine mandates. California used to be the bastion of fill-in-the-blank, the bastion of prosperity, the bastion of the laid back California lifestyle, it was the place of innovation California is the only state in the nation that can boast mission, preaching stations, among other things, Hibbs said, noting that now California has sunk terribly and become the laughingstock of the nation. However, Hibbs believes and sees that people are waking up. Believe it or not, people are coming to California or coming back to California to do the right thing. And that is to take possession of their state again. On Dec. 15, a new study by the California Policy Lab found that more people are moving out of the state12 percent higher than pre-pandemic levelsespecially the Bay Area. However, the study showed therere still people moving into the state, only at a rate much lower than the pre-pandemic level38 percent lower. In these last two years, weve had nothing but growth, Hibbs said, referring to his church. Weve had thousands of people added to the church. We baptize 3,000 people on a Saturday. Why? Because people are looking for truth. And so they found out that just a warm, feel-good, secret-type message doesnt answer you in the day of trouble. Gods word answers you in the day of trouble. So thats what were all about. And thats why were seeing a response. Hibbs website states that his church ministers weekly to over ten thousand people on campus and millions worldwide through daily media outreach programs. Last July, when Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that churches must again close their doors, Hibbs said it was a mistake to close church at the first time, and he would never close the church again. Hibbs said he sent a video to the governors office saying, If youre going to close the church, you have to physically come and shut the doors. Later Newsom lost a lawsuit, and the state can no longer place discriminatory COVID-19 restrictions on church services. Why were the most prosperous nation? Why were the most free? Why is there such a big battle about vaccination or no vaccination? We get to fight that issue. Were Americans, Hibbs told The Epoch Times. Hibbs supports Navy SEALs who have filed suit to seek religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine. He asked his congregation to pray for First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to defending religious freedom and representing the Navy SEALs. Worshippers gather for service during the COVID-19 pandemic in the courtyard of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino Hills, Calif. (Courtesy of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills) I have children, I have grandchildren, and thats why Im fighting, Hibbs said. When Hibbs went to school as a kid in Orange County, California, they had the Bible in class and prayer in class. They had the Pledge of Allegiance in the classroom. But later, Bible or ten commandments were no longer allowed on the wall. Well, you look at the data. Look at the decades that followed. Its been nothing but degradation, Hibbs added. Hibbs recognized that the legacy media has taken people to the dark side of things. We get to now challenge the false narrative, Hibbs said. So dont lose heart. I would say to people be very discerning about what you hear. And make sure that youre hearing it from a source that has no agenda except to bring truth. Stand firm with what is right and true, Hibbs said. The Bible calls it righteousnessdont let that word scare youit simply means to do the right thing: against tweets, against blogs, against any intimidation, do the right thing. At the end of the day, do what you know is right and youll sleep good, and youll become fearless because you will have done the right thing. Nick Vandennieuwenhof and Jamie Joseph contributed to this report. Yves here. It would be maddening, as well as stupidity-inducing, to try to follow the Blobs hive mind on a regular basis. This post provides a tolerably small window into two hot issues via the prognostications of David Ignatius, the CIAs mouthpiece1 at the Washington Post. Rosser spares his readers full unadulterated Igantius. For those who are gluttons for punishment, you can read the source material here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/12/30/what-strange-things-does-2022-have-store-us-take-this-quiz-find-out/ Rosser circumspectly does not mention that the intel state might have a few too many college tuitions depending on hotting up a conflict with Russia. By Barkley Rosser, Professor of Economics at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Originally published at EconoSpeak In todays Washington Post, intel columnist David Ignatius had a ten question multiple choice quiz about what will happen in 2022. He provided his own answers at the end, effectively forecasts. Many I agree with and some, speculative about tech developments and such like, I have no opinion on. However on two very important ones I think I disagree with him, if not overwhelmingly so. One of these was about prospects for Iran and the US and others to put back together the JCPOA nuclear deal that Donald Trump removed the US from. I am burned as I expected Biden to quickly rejoin the deal with minimum fuss once he got back in office. But he did not do so, insisting on demanding all sorts of extra things out of Iran about missiles and this and that. No deal has been made and now Iran has a hard line government. Yes, formal negotiations have been restarted in Vienna, but to me they do not seem to be going anywhere, and Iran has now substantially expanded its nuclear capability. Ignatius forecasts that Iran will negotiate a deal under pressure from Russia and China. I am afraid I am skeptical, although I would love to see it. The other one, where I am forecasting a more optimistic outcome has to do with the current Russia-Ukraine situation. Bottom line for Ignatius is pessimistic, that Russia will make cyberattacks on Ukraine that lead to people freezing this winter, will allow the Donbas separatists to attack Ukrainian forces and expand their territory of conrtrol, and then create broader chaos in Ukraine that will justify a full-scale invasion by Russia of Ukraine. I think a more optimistic answer is more likely, although certainly not certain. This one says that Putin will gradually pull troops back after some sort of sufficiently face-saving deal is cut. This seems to be what people in Ukraine think, although maybe the generally astute Ignatious knows better. But I hope he is wrong for this coming new year. Snovem godem (Russian for Happy New Year), you all! _____ 1 Lambert suggested a less-family-blog-friendly depiction. Yves here. It would be maddening, as well as stupidity-inducing, to try to follow the Blobs hive mind on a regular basis. This post provides a tolerably small window into two hot issues via the prognostications of David Ignatius, the CIAs mouthpiece1 at the Washington Post. Rosser spares his readers full unadulterated Igantius. For those who are gluttons for punishment, you can read the source material here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/12/30/what-strange-things-does-2022-have-store-us-take-this-quiz-find-out/ Rosser circumspectly does not mention that the intel state might have a few too many college tuitions depending on hotting up a conflict with Russia. By Barkley Rosser, Professor of Economics at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Originally published at EconoSpeak In todays Washington Post, intel columnist David Ignatius had a ten question multiple choice quiz about what will happen in 2022. He provided his own answers at the end, effectively forecasts. Many I agree with and some, speculative about tech developments and such like, I have no opinion on. However on two very important ones I think I disagree with him, if not overwhelmingly so. One of these was about prospects for Iran and the US and others to put back together the JCPOA nuclear deal that Donald Trump removed the US from. I am burned as I expected Biden to quickly rejoin the deal with minimum fuss once he got back in office. But he did not do so, insisting on demanding all sorts of extra things out of Iran about missiles and this and that. No deal has been made and now Iran has a hard line government. Yes, formal negotiations have been restarted in Vienna, but to me they do not seem to be going anywhere, and Iran has now substantially expanded its nuclear capability. Ignatius forecasts that Iran will negotiate a deal under pressure from Russia and China. I am afraid I am skeptical, although I would love to see it. The other one, where I am forecasting a more optimistic outcome has to do with the current Russia-Ukraine situation. Bottom line for Ignatius is pessimistic, that Russia will make cyberattacks on Ukraine that lead to people freezing this winter, will allow the Donbas separatists to attack Ukrainian forces and expand their territory of conrtrol, and then create broader chaos in Ukraine that will justify a full-scale invasion by Russia of Ukraine. I think a more optimistic answer is more likely, although certainly not certain. This one says that Putin will gradually pull troops back after some sort of sufficiently face-saving deal is cut. This seems to be what people in Ukraine think, although maybe the generally astute Ignatious knows better. But I hope he is wrong for this coming new year. Snovem godem (Russian for Happy New Year), you all! _____ 1 Lambert suggested a less-family-blog-friendly depiction. A Smyth County woman arrested last summer after police say she left her 7-year-old grandson inside a locked car while she shopped at Walmart has been indicted by a Smyth County grand jury on a charge of abuse or neglect of a child. The grand jury returned the indictment for 71-year-old Betty Jean Lyons during its Dec. 14 session. According to a criminal complaint, Marion police responded to the scene after receiving a call about a child who was inside the car sweating profusely with the windows rolled up. When police arrived, the boy appeared to be having trouble breathing, the complaint said. Unable to get the doors open, Officer Jeff Davis busted the window. Sgt. April Morgan wrote in the complaint that Davis was unable to unlock the door from the inside and so entered the car through the broken window. When he stuck his head through the window the heat immediately took his breath away, Morgan wrote. The boy, who Morgan noted was drenched with sweat, was treated on scene by Marion Fire-EMS The complaint goes on to say that Marion Fire-EMS used a thermal imaging camera to measure the temperature inside the vehicle, which registered 130 degrees. After reviewing surveillance footage inside Walmart, police were able to determine that Lyons had been inside the store for approximately an hour and 20 minutes, according to the complaint. Lyons, who had custody of her grandson at the time of the incident, told police that he did not want to come inside the store with her because his feet were hurting. Lyons is scheduled for trial Jan. 5, 2022. The Grand Jury also heard sufficient evidence to indict a Chilhowie man who now faces sexual abuse charges that date back to 2012. According to information contained in the indictments, 32-year-old Jaron Cory Logan is accused of sexually abusing a family member under the age of 13 on or around November 2012. Logan, who was charged through direct indictment, was indicted on five counts of rape, five counts of incest and one count of forceful sodomy. He is scheduled for trial on March 2. Also indicted during the Grand Jurys December term is a 20-year-old Chilhowie man accused of impregnating a 14-year-old girl. According to a complaint filed at the Smyth County Courthouse, Jackson Sanders Moore, then 19, was in a relationship with the girl who was pregnant. By listening in to jail conversations, investigators learned that Moore was the father to the teens unborn child. Moore, who was arrested in April, now faces a charge of having carnal knowledge of a child between the ages of 13 and 15. He is scheduled for trial Feb. 2, 2022. The grand jury also handed down indictments to the following individuals: Christopher Adam Joliffe, 37, of Marion, was indicted on a failure to register as a sex offender charge. William Ray Perkins II, 40, of Marion, was indicted on strangulation and eluding police charges. Brian Christopher Bowles, 46, of Marion, was indicted on a third offense assault and battery charge. Bucky Bo Buchanan, 40, of Saltville, was indicted on an assault and battery of a law enforcement officer charge. Heather Poston, 39, of Damascus, was indicted on two counts abuse or neglect of a child, one count possession of methamphetamine and one count eluding police. Dakota Manuel Reynolds, 25, of Saltville, was indicted on charges of destruction of property and eluding police. Christopher Dale Arnold, 36, of Rural Retreat, was indicted on four counts statutory burglary and two counts grand larceny Joshua Austin Price, 24, of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. James Rodney Neal Jr., of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. Eric Wayne Mercer, 40, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a statutory burglary charge. Timothy Dwayne Dennison Jr. 24, of Sugar Grove, was indicted on a charge of possession of burglarious tools. Jeni Marie James, 38, of Atkins, was indicted on a credit card theft charge. Lenar Tyree Perkins, 30, of Marion, was indicted on an obstruction of justice charge. Bobby Dean Pruitt, 41, of Atkins, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Cory Ryan Butts, 32, of Woodbridge, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Carl Thomas Rhea, 42, of Wytheville, was indicted on a charge of forging a public document. Danny Musick, 54, of Marion, was indicted on three counts possession of methamphetamine and one count possession of ammunition by a felon. David Allen Tilson, 40, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Grove Trivett, 53, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Judy Elizabeth Hess, 62, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Michael Ray Brown, 47, of Galax, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Torry Chamont Perkins, 31, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Joshua William King, 38, of Wytheville, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Able, 41, of Abingdon, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Bryan James Barker, 35, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Toni Draper, 41, of Dublin, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Carrie Ann Olinger, 34, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. David Stanley Surber, 30, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Jeremy Simms, 35, of Atkins, was indicted on a possession of hydrocodone charge. Individuals arrested on charges stemming from direct indictments handed down during the September 2021 grand jury session are as follows: George Adam Terry, 35, of Saltville, was indicted on five counts distribution of buprenorphine, three counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Crystal Ann Jones, 37, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count distribution of buprenorphine. Charles Lynn Morgan, 29, of Abingdon, was indicted on three counts distribution of methamphetamine. Justin Wayne Harris, 58, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Robert Homer Firestone III, also known as Bobby Firestone, 34, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of buprenorphine. John Richard Gardner, also known as Pooh Gardner, 47, of Marion was indicted on distribution of methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine near a recreation facility. Archie Luther Young, 46, of Marion was indicted on charges of distribution of imitation methamphetamine and petit larceny. Jonathan Firestone, 32, of Marion, was indicted on two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Hanna Jade Briscoe, 22, of Atkins, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine. Dejuan Marquis Brewer, 31, of Saltville, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Jodi Cleary, 50 of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Robert Adam Gore, 29, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Matthew Allen Huffman, 29, of Sugar Grove, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Monica Reedy Lambert, 43, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Christopher Lee Tilson, 35, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Mary Ellen Tester, 49, of Marion, was indicted on two counts possession of methamphetamine. Gerald Putman Jr., 47, of Bristol, was indicted on a welfare fraud charge. Those indicted will stand trial in Smyth County Circuit Court. A Smyth County woman arrested last summer after police say she left her 7-year-old grandson inside a locked car while she shopped at Walmart has been indicted by a Smyth County grand jury on a charge of abuse or neglect of a child. The grand jury returned the indictment for 71-year-old Betty Jean Lyons during its Dec. 14 session. According to a criminal complaint, Marion police responded to the scene after receiving a call about a child who was inside the car sweating profusely with the windows rolled up. When police arrived, the boy appeared to be having trouble breathing, the complaint said. Unable to get the doors open, Officer Jeff Davis busted the window. Sgt. April Morgan wrote in the complaint that Davis was unable to unlock the door from the inside and so entered the car through the broken window. When he stuck his head through the window the heat immediately took his breath away, Morgan wrote. The boy, who Morgan noted was drenched with sweat, was treated on scene by Marion Fire-EMS The complaint goes on to say that Marion Fire-EMS used a thermal imaging camera to measure the temperature inside the vehicle, which registered 130 degrees. After reviewing surveillance footage inside Walmart, police were able to determine that Lyons had been inside the store for approximately an hour and 20 minutes, according to the complaint. Lyons, who had custody of her grandson at the time of the incident, told police that he did not want to come inside the store with her because his feet were hurting. Lyons is scheduled for trial Jan. 5, 2022. The Grand Jury also heard sufficient evidence to indict a Chilhowie man who now faces sexual abuse charges that date back to 2012. According to information contained in the indictments, 32-year-old Jaron Cory Logan is accused of sexually abusing a family member under the age of 13 on or around November 2012. Logan, who was charged through direct indictment, was indicted on five counts of rape, five counts of incest and one count of forceful sodomy. He is scheduled for trial on March 2. Also indicted during the Grand Jurys December term is a 20-year-old Chilhowie man accused of impregnating a 14-year-old girl. According to a complaint filed at the Smyth County Courthouse, Jackson Sanders Moore, then 19, was in a relationship with the girl who was pregnant. By listening in to jail conversations, investigators learned that Moore was the father to the teens unborn child. Moore, who was arrested in April, now faces a charge of having carnal knowledge of a child between the ages of 13 and 15. He is scheduled for trial Feb. 2, 2022. The grand jury also handed down indictments to the following individuals: Christopher Adam Joliffe, 37, of Marion, was indicted on a failure to register as a sex offender charge. William Ray Perkins II, 40, of Marion, was indicted on strangulation and eluding police charges. Brian Christopher Bowles, 46, of Marion, was indicted on a third offense assault and battery charge. Bucky Bo Buchanan, 40, of Saltville, was indicted on an assault and battery of a law enforcement officer charge. Heather Poston, 39, of Damascus, was indicted on two counts abuse or neglect of a child, one count possession of methamphetamine and one count eluding police. Dakota Manuel Reynolds, 25, of Saltville, was indicted on charges of destruction of property and eluding police. Christopher Dale Arnold, 36, of Rural Retreat, was indicted on four counts statutory burglary and two counts grand larceny Joshua Austin Price, 24, of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. James Rodney Neal Jr., of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. Eric Wayne Mercer, 40, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a statutory burglary charge. Timothy Dwayne Dennison Jr. 24, of Sugar Grove, was indicted on a charge of possession of burglarious tools. Jeni Marie James, 38, of Atkins, was indicted on a credit card theft charge. Lenar Tyree Perkins, 30, of Marion, was indicted on an obstruction of justice charge. Bobby Dean Pruitt, 41, of Atkins, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Cory Ryan Butts, 32, of Woodbridge, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Carl Thomas Rhea, 42, of Wytheville, was indicted on a charge of forging a public document. Danny Musick, 54, of Marion, was indicted on three counts possession of methamphetamine and one count possession of ammunition by a felon. David Allen Tilson, 40, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Grove Trivett, 53, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Judy Elizabeth Hess, 62, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Michael Ray Brown, 47, of Galax, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Torry Chamont Perkins, 31, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Joshua William King, 38, of Wytheville, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Able, 41, of Abingdon, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Bryan James Barker, 35, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Toni Draper, 41, of Dublin, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Carrie Ann Olinger, 34, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. David Stanley Surber, 30, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Jeremy Simms, 35, of Atkins, was indicted on a possession of hydrocodone charge. Individuals arrested on charges stemming from direct indictments handed down during the September 2021 grand jury session are as follows: George Adam Terry, 35, of Saltville, was indicted on five counts distribution of buprenorphine, three counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Crystal Ann Jones, 37, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count distribution of buprenorphine. Charles Lynn Morgan, 29, of Abingdon, was indicted on three counts distribution of methamphetamine. Justin Wayne Harris, 58, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Robert Homer Firestone III, also known as Bobby Firestone, 34, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of buprenorphine. John Richard Gardner, also known as Pooh Gardner, 47, of Marion was indicted on distribution of methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine near a recreation facility. Archie Luther Young, 46, of Marion was indicted on charges of distribution of imitation methamphetamine and petit larceny. Jonathan Firestone, 32, of Marion, was indicted on two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Hanna Jade Briscoe, 22, of Atkins, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine. Dejuan Marquis Brewer, 31, of Saltville, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Jodi Cleary, 50 of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Robert Adam Gore, 29, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Matthew Allen Huffman, 29, of Sugar Grove, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Monica Reedy Lambert, 43, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Christopher Lee Tilson, 35, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Mary Ellen Tester, 49, of Marion, was indicted on two counts possession of methamphetamine. Gerald Putman Jr., 47, of Bristol, was indicted on a welfare fraud charge. Those indicted will stand trial in Smyth County Circuit Court. 34992 A Smyth County woman arrested last summer after police say she left her 7-year-old grandson inside a locked car while she shopped at Walmart has been indicted by a Smyth County grand jury on a charge of abuse or neglect of a child. The grand jury returned the indictment for 71-year-old Betty Jean Lyons during its Dec. 14 session. According to a criminal complaint, Marion police responded to the scene after receiving a call about a child who was inside the car sweating profusely with the windows rolled up. When police arrived, the boy appeared to be having trouble breathing, the complaint said. Unable to get the doors open, Officer Jeff Davis busted the window. Sgt. April Morgan wrote in the complaint that Davis was unable to unlock the door from the inside and so entered the car through the broken window. When he stuck his head through the window the heat immediately took his breath away, Morgan wrote. The boy, who Morgan noted was drenched with sweat, was treated on scene by Marion Fire-EMS The complaint goes on to say that Marion Fire-EMS used a thermal imaging camera to measure the temperature inside the vehicle, which registered 130 degrees. After reviewing surveillance footage inside Walmart, police were able to determine that Lyons had been inside the store for approximately an hour and 20 minutes, according to the complaint. Lyons, who had custody of her grandson at the time of the incident, told police that he did not want to come inside the store with her because his feet were hurting. Lyons is scheduled for trial Jan. 5, 2022. The Grand Jury also heard sufficient evidence to indict a Chilhowie man who now faces sexual abuse charges that date back to 2012. According to information contained in the indictments, 32-year-old Jaron Cory Logan is accused of sexually abusing a family member under the age of 13 on or around November 2012. Logan, who was charged through direct indictment, was indicted on five counts of rape, five counts of incest and one count of forceful sodomy. He is scheduled for trial on March 2. Also indicted during the Grand Jurys December term is a 20-year-old Chilhowie man accused of impregnating a 14-year-old girl. According to a complaint filed at the Smyth County Courthouse, Jackson Sanders Moore, then 19, was in a relationship with the girl who was pregnant. By listening in to jail conversations, investigators learned that Moore was the father to the teens unborn child. Moore, who was arrested in April, now faces a charge of having carnal knowledge of a child between the ages of 13 and 15. He is scheduled for trial Feb. 2, 2022. The grand jury also handed down indictments to the following individuals: Christopher Adam Joliffe, 37, of Marion, was indicted on a failure to register as a sex offender charge. William Ray Perkins II, 40, of Marion, was indicted on strangulation and eluding police charges. Brian Christopher Bowles, 46, of Marion, was indicted on a third offense assault and battery charge. Bucky Bo Buchanan, 40, of Saltville, was indicted on an assault and battery of a law enforcement officer charge. Heather Poston, 39, of Damascus, was indicted on two counts abuse or neglect of a child, one count possession of methamphetamine and one count eluding police. Dakota Manuel Reynolds, 25, of Saltville, was indicted on charges of destruction of property and eluding police. Christopher Dale Arnold, 36, of Rural Retreat, was indicted on four counts statutory burglary and two counts grand larceny Joshua Austin Price, 24, of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. James Rodney Neal Jr., of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. Eric Wayne Mercer, 40, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a statutory burglary charge. Timothy Dwayne Dennison Jr. 24, of Sugar Grove, was indicted on a charge of possession of burglarious tools. Jeni Marie James, 38, of Atkins, was indicted on a credit card theft charge. Lenar Tyree Perkins, 30, of Marion, was indicted on an obstruction of justice charge. Bobby Dean Pruitt, 41, of Atkins, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Cory Ryan Butts, 32, of Woodbridge, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Carl Thomas Rhea, 42, of Wytheville, was indicted on a charge of forging a public document. Danny Musick, 54, of Marion, was indicted on three counts possession of methamphetamine and one count possession of ammunition by a felon. David Allen Tilson, 40, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Grove Trivett, 53, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Judy Elizabeth Hess, 62, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Michael Ray Brown, 47, of Galax, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Torry Chamont Perkins, 31, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Joshua William King, 38, of Wytheville, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Able, 41, of Abingdon, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Bryan James Barker, 35, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Toni Draper, 41, of Dublin, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Carrie Ann Olinger, 34, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. David Stanley Surber, 30, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Jeremy Simms, 35, of Atkins, was indicted on a possession of hydrocodone charge. Individuals arrested on charges stemming from direct indictments handed down during the September 2021 grand jury session are as follows: George Adam Terry, 35, of Saltville, was indicted on five counts distribution of buprenorphine, three counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Crystal Ann Jones, 37, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count distribution of buprenorphine. Charles Lynn Morgan, 29, of Abingdon, was indicted on three counts distribution of methamphetamine. Justin Wayne Harris, 58, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Robert Homer Firestone III, also known as Bobby Firestone, 34, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of buprenorphine. John Richard Gardner, also known as Pooh Gardner, 47, of Marion was indicted on distribution of methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine near a recreation facility. Archie Luther Young, 46, of Marion was indicted on charges of distribution of imitation methamphetamine and petit larceny. Jonathan Firestone, 32, of Marion, was indicted on two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Hanna Jade Briscoe, 22, of Atkins, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine. Dejuan Marquis Brewer, 31, of Saltville, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Jodi Cleary, 50 of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Robert Adam Gore, 29, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Matthew Allen Huffman, 29, of Sugar Grove, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Monica Reedy Lambert, 43, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Christopher Lee Tilson, 35, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Mary Ellen Tester, 49, of Marion, was indicted on two counts possession of methamphetamine. Gerald Putman Jr., 47, of Bristol, was indicted on a welfare fraud charge. Those indicted will stand trial in Smyth County Circuit Court. A Smyth County woman arrested last summer after police say she left her 7-year-old grandson inside a locked car while she shopped at Walmart has been indicted by a Smyth County grand jury on a charge of abuse or neglect of a child. The grand jury returned the indictment for 71-year-old Betty Jean Lyons during its Dec. 14 session. According to a criminal complaint, Marion police responded to the scene after receiving a call about a child who was inside the car sweating profusely with the windows rolled up. When police arrived, the boy appeared to be having trouble breathing, the complaint said. Unable to get the doors open, Officer Jeff Davis busted the window. Sgt. April Morgan wrote in the complaint that Davis was unable to unlock the door from the inside and so entered the car through the broken window. When he stuck his head through the window the heat immediately took his breath away, Morgan wrote. The boy, who Morgan noted was drenched with sweat, was treated on scene by Marion Fire-EMS The complaint goes on to say that Marion Fire-EMS used a thermal imaging camera to measure the temperature inside the vehicle, which registered 130 degrees. After reviewing surveillance footage inside Walmart, police were able to determine that Lyons had been inside the store for approximately an hour and 20 minutes, according to the complaint. Lyons, who had custody of her grandson at the time of the incident, told police that he did not want to come inside the store with her because his feet were hurting. Lyons is scheduled for trial Jan. 5, 2022. The Grand Jury also heard sufficient evidence to indict a Chilhowie man who now faces sexual abuse charges that date back to 2012. According to information contained in the indictments, 32-year-old Jaron Cory Logan is accused of sexually abusing a family member under the age of 13 on or around November 2012. Logan, who was charged through direct indictment, was indicted on five counts of rape, five counts of incest and one count of forceful sodomy. He is scheduled for trial on March 2. Also indicted during the Grand Jurys December term is a 20-year-old Chilhowie man accused of impregnating a 14-year-old girl. According to a complaint filed at the Smyth County Courthouse, Jackson Sanders Moore, then 19, was in a relationship with the girl who was pregnant. By listening in to jail conversations, investigators learned that Moore was the father to the teens unborn child. Moore, who was arrested in April, now faces a charge of having carnal knowledge of a child between the ages of 13 and 15. He is scheduled for trial Feb. 2, 2022. The grand jury also handed down indictments to the following individuals: Christopher Adam Joliffe, 37, of Marion, was indicted on a failure to register as a sex offender charge. William Ray Perkins II, 40, of Marion, was indicted on strangulation and eluding police charges. Brian Christopher Bowles, 46, of Marion, was indicted on a third offense assault and battery charge. Bucky Bo Buchanan, 40, of Saltville, was indicted on an assault and battery of a law enforcement officer charge. Heather Poston, 39, of Damascus, was indicted on two counts abuse or neglect of a child, one count possession of methamphetamine and one count eluding police. Dakota Manuel Reynolds, 25, of Saltville, was indicted on charges of destruction of property and eluding police. Christopher Dale Arnold, 36, of Rural Retreat, was indicted on four counts statutory burglary and two counts grand larceny Joshua Austin Price, 24, of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. James Rodney Neal Jr., of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. Eric Wayne Mercer, 40, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a statutory burglary charge. Timothy Dwayne Dennison Jr. 24, of Sugar Grove, was indicted on a charge of possession of burglarious tools. Jeni Marie James, 38, of Atkins, was indicted on a credit card theft charge. Lenar Tyree Perkins, 30, of Marion, was indicted on an obstruction of justice charge. Bobby Dean Pruitt, 41, of Atkins, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Cory Ryan Butts, 32, of Woodbridge, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Carl Thomas Rhea, 42, of Wytheville, was indicted on a charge of forging a public document. Danny Musick, 54, of Marion, was indicted on three counts possession of methamphetamine and one count possession of ammunition by a felon. David Allen Tilson, 40, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Grove Trivett, 53, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Judy Elizabeth Hess, 62, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Michael Ray Brown, 47, of Galax, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Torry Chamont Perkins, 31, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Joshua William King, 38, of Wytheville, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Able, 41, of Abingdon, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Bryan James Barker, 35, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Toni Draper, 41, of Dublin, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Carrie Ann Olinger, 34, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. David Stanley Surber, 30, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Jeremy Simms, 35, of Atkins, was indicted on a possession of hydrocodone charge. Individuals arrested on charges stemming from direct indictments handed down during the September 2021 grand jury session are as follows: George Adam Terry, 35, of Saltville, was indicted on five counts distribution of buprenorphine, three counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Crystal Ann Jones, 37, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count distribution of buprenorphine. Charles Lynn Morgan, 29, of Abingdon, was indicted on three counts distribution of methamphetamine. Justin Wayne Harris, 58, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Robert Homer Firestone III, also known as Bobby Firestone, 34, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of buprenorphine. John Richard Gardner, also known as Pooh Gardner, 47, of Marion was indicted on distribution of methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine near a recreation facility. Archie Luther Young, 46, of Marion was indicted on charges of distribution of imitation methamphetamine and petit larceny. Jonathan Firestone, 32, of Marion, was indicted on two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Hanna Jade Briscoe, 22, of Atkins, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine. Dejuan Marquis Brewer, 31, of Saltville, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Jodi Cleary, 50 of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Robert Adam Gore, 29, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Matthew Allen Huffman, 29, of Sugar Grove, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Monica Reedy Lambert, 43, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Christopher Lee Tilson, 35, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Mary Ellen Tester, 49, of Marion, was indicted on two counts possession of methamphetamine. Gerald Putman Jr., 47, of Bristol, was indicted on a welfare fraud charge. Those indicted will stand trial in Smyth County Circuit Court. A Smyth County woman arrested last summer after police say she left her 7-year-old grandson inside a locked car while she shopped at Walmart has been indicted by a Smyth County grand jury on a charge of abuse or neglect of a child. The grand jury returned the indictment for 71-year-old Betty Jean Lyons during its Dec. 14 session. According to a criminal complaint, Marion police responded to the scene after receiving a call about a child who was inside the car sweating profusely with the windows rolled up. When police arrived, the boy appeared to be having trouble breathing, the complaint said. Unable to get the doors open, Officer Jeff Davis busted the window. Sgt. April Morgan wrote in the complaint that Davis was unable to unlock the door from the inside and so entered the car through the broken window. When he stuck his head through the window the heat immediately took his breath away, Morgan wrote. The boy, who Morgan noted was drenched with sweat, was treated on scene by Marion Fire-EMS The complaint goes on to say that Marion Fire-EMS used a thermal imaging camera to measure the temperature inside the vehicle, which registered 130 degrees. After reviewing surveillance footage inside Walmart, police were able to determine that Lyons had been inside the store for approximately an hour and 20 minutes, according to the complaint. Lyons, who had custody of her grandson at the time of the incident, told police that he did not want to come inside the store with her because his feet were hurting. Lyons is scheduled for trial Jan. 5, 2022. The Grand Jury also heard sufficient evidence to indict a Chilhowie man who now faces sexual abuse charges that date back to 2012. According to information contained in the indictments, 32-year-old Jaron Cory Logan is accused of sexually abusing a family member under the age of 13 on or around November 2012. Logan, who was charged through direct indictment, was indicted on five counts of rape, five counts of incest and one count of forceful sodomy. He is scheduled for trial on March 2. Also indicted during the Grand Jurys December term is a 20-year-old Chilhowie man accused of impregnating a 14-year-old girl. According to a complaint filed at the Smyth County Courthouse, Jackson Sanders Moore, then 19, was in a relationship with the girl who was pregnant. By listening in to jail conversations, investigators learned that Moore was the father to the teens unborn child. Moore, who was arrested in April, now faces a charge of having carnal knowledge of a child between the ages of 13 and 15. He is scheduled for trial Feb. 2, 2022. The grand jury also handed down indictments to the following individuals: Christopher Adam Joliffe, 37, of Marion, was indicted on a failure to register as a sex offender charge. William Ray Perkins II, 40, of Marion, was indicted on strangulation and eluding police charges. Brian Christopher Bowles, 46, of Marion, was indicted on a third offense assault and battery charge. Bucky Bo Buchanan, 40, of Saltville, was indicted on an assault and battery of a law enforcement officer charge. Heather Poston, 39, of Damascus, was indicted on two counts abuse or neglect of a child, one count possession of methamphetamine and one count eluding police. Dakota Manuel Reynolds, 25, of Saltville, was indicted on charges of destruction of property and eluding police. Christopher Dale Arnold, 36, of Rural Retreat, was indicted on four counts statutory burglary and two counts grand larceny Joshua Austin Price, 24, of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. James Rodney Neal Jr., of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. Eric Wayne Mercer, 40, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a statutory burglary charge. Timothy Dwayne Dennison Jr. 24, of Sugar Grove, was indicted on a charge of possession of burglarious tools. Jeni Marie James, 38, of Atkins, was indicted on a credit card theft charge. Lenar Tyree Perkins, 30, of Marion, was indicted on an obstruction of justice charge. Bobby Dean Pruitt, 41, of Atkins, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Cory Ryan Butts, 32, of Woodbridge, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Carl Thomas Rhea, 42, of Wytheville, was indicted on a charge of forging a public document. Danny Musick, 54, of Marion, was indicted on three counts possession of methamphetamine and one count possession of ammunition by a felon. David Allen Tilson, 40, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Grove Trivett, 53, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Judy Elizabeth Hess, 62, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Michael Ray Brown, 47, of Galax, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Torry Chamont Perkins, 31, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Joshua William King, 38, of Wytheville, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Able, 41, of Abingdon, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Bryan James Barker, 35, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Toni Draper, 41, of Dublin, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Carrie Ann Olinger, 34, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. David Stanley Surber, 30, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Jeremy Simms, 35, of Atkins, was indicted on a possession of hydrocodone charge. Individuals arrested on charges stemming from direct indictments handed down during the September 2021 grand jury session are as follows: George Adam Terry, 35, of Saltville, was indicted on five counts distribution of buprenorphine, three counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Crystal Ann Jones, 37, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count distribution of buprenorphine. Charles Lynn Morgan, 29, of Abingdon, was indicted on three counts distribution of methamphetamine. Justin Wayne Harris, 58, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Robert Homer Firestone III, also known as Bobby Firestone, 34, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of buprenorphine. John Richard Gardner, also known as Pooh Gardner, 47, of Marion was indicted on distribution of methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine near a recreation facility. Archie Luther Young, 46, of Marion was indicted on charges of distribution of imitation methamphetamine and petit larceny. Jonathan Firestone, 32, of Marion, was indicted on two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Hanna Jade Briscoe, 22, of Atkins, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine. Dejuan Marquis Brewer, 31, of Saltville, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Jodi Cleary, 50 of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Robert Adam Gore, 29, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Matthew Allen Huffman, 29, of Sugar Grove, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Monica Reedy Lambert, 43, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Christopher Lee Tilson, 35, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Mary Ellen Tester, 49, of Marion, was indicted on two counts possession of methamphetamine. Gerald Putman Jr., 47, of Bristol, was indicted on a welfare fraud charge. Those indicted will stand trial in Smyth County Circuit Court. A Smyth County woman arrested last summer after police say she left her 7-year-old grandson inside a locked car while she shopped at Walmart has been indicted by a Smyth County grand jury on a charge of abuse or neglect of a child. The grand jury returned the indictment for 71-year-old Betty Jean Lyons during its Dec. 14 session. According to a criminal complaint, Marion police responded to the scene after receiving a call about a child who was inside the car sweating profusely with the windows rolled up. When police arrived, the boy appeared to be having trouble breathing, the complaint said. Unable to get the doors open, Officer Jeff Davis busted the window. Sgt. April Morgan wrote in the complaint that Davis was unable to unlock the door from the inside and so entered the car through the broken window. When he stuck his head through the window the heat immediately took his breath away, Morgan wrote. The boy, who Morgan noted was drenched with sweat, was treated on scene by Marion Fire-EMS The complaint goes on to say that Marion Fire-EMS used a thermal imaging camera to measure the temperature inside the vehicle, which registered 130 degrees. After reviewing surveillance footage inside Walmart, police were able to determine that Lyons had been inside the store for approximately an hour and 20 minutes, according to the complaint. Lyons, who had custody of her grandson at the time of the incident, told police that he did not want to come inside the store with her because his feet were hurting. Lyons is scheduled for trial Jan. 5, 2022. The Grand Jury also heard sufficient evidence to indict a Chilhowie man who now faces sexual abuse charges that date back to 2012. According to information contained in the indictments, 32-year-old Jaron Cory Logan is accused of sexually abusing a family member under the age of 13 on or around November 2012. Logan, who was charged through direct indictment, was indicted on five counts of rape, five counts of incest and one count of forceful sodomy. He is scheduled for trial on March 2. Also indicted during the Grand Jurys December term is a 20-year-old Chilhowie man accused of impregnating a 14-year-old girl. According to a complaint filed at the Smyth County Courthouse, Jackson Sanders Moore, then 19, was in a relationship with the girl who was pregnant. By listening in to jail conversations, investigators learned that Moore was the father to the teens unborn child. Moore, who was arrested in April, now faces a charge of having carnal knowledge of a child between the ages of 13 and 15. He is scheduled for trial Feb. 2, 2022. The grand jury also handed down indictments to the following individuals: Christopher Adam Joliffe, 37, of Marion, was indicted on a failure to register as a sex offender charge. William Ray Perkins II, 40, of Marion, was indicted on strangulation and eluding police charges. Brian Christopher Bowles, 46, of Marion, was indicted on a third offense assault and battery charge. Bucky Bo Buchanan, 40, of Saltville, was indicted on an assault and battery of a law enforcement officer charge. Heather Poston, 39, of Damascus, was indicted on two counts abuse or neglect of a child, one count possession of methamphetamine and one count eluding police. Dakota Manuel Reynolds, 25, of Saltville, was indicted on charges of destruction of property and eluding police. Christopher Dale Arnold, 36, of Rural Retreat, was indicted on four counts statutory burglary and two counts grand larceny Joshua Austin Price, 24, of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. James Rodney Neal Jr., of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. Eric Wayne Mercer, 40, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a statutory burglary charge. Timothy Dwayne Dennison Jr. 24, of Sugar Grove, was indicted on a charge of possession of burglarious tools. Jeni Marie James, 38, of Atkins, was indicted on a credit card theft charge. Lenar Tyree Perkins, 30, of Marion, was indicted on an obstruction of justice charge. Bobby Dean Pruitt, 41, of Atkins, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Cory Ryan Butts, 32, of Woodbridge, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Carl Thomas Rhea, 42, of Wytheville, was indicted on a charge of forging a public document. Danny Musick, 54, of Marion, was indicted on three counts possession of methamphetamine and one count possession of ammunition by a felon. David Allen Tilson, 40, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Grove Trivett, 53, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Judy Elizabeth Hess, 62, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Michael Ray Brown, 47, of Galax, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Torry Chamont Perkins, 31, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Joshua William King, 38, of Wytheville, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Able, 41, of Abingdon, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Bryan James Barker, 35, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Toni Draper, 41, of Dublin, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Carrie Ann Olinger, 34, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. David Stanley Surber, 30, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Jeremy Simms, 35, of Atkins, was indicted on a possession of hydrocodone charge. Individuals arrested on charges stemming from direct indictments handed down during the September 2021 grand jury session are as follows: George Adam Terry, 35, of Saltville, was indicted on five counts distribution of buprenorphine, three counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Crystal Ann Jones, 37, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count distribution of buprenorphine. Charles Lynn Morgan, 29, of Abingdon, was indicted on three counts distribution of methamphetamine. Justin Wayne Harris, 58, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Robert Homer Firestone III, also known as Bobby Firestone, 34, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of buprenorphine. John Richard Gardner, also known as Pooh Gardner, 47, of Marion was indicted on distribution of methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine near a recreation facility. Archie Luther Young, 46, of Marion was indicted on charges of distribution of imitation methamphetamine and petit larceny. Jonathan Firestone, 32, of Marion, was indicted on two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Hanna Jade Briscoe, 22, of Atkins, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine. Dejuan Marquis Brewer, 31, of Saltville, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Jodi Cleary, 50 of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Robert Adam Gore, 29, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Matthew Allen Huffman, 29, of Sugar Grove, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Monica Reedy Lambert, 43, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Christopher Lee Tilson, 35, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Mary Ellen Tester, 49, of Marion, was indicted on two counts possession of methamphetamine. Gerald Putman Jr., 47, of Bristol, was indicted on a welfare fraud charge. Those indicted will stand trial in Smyth County Circuit Court. KYIV -- In his annual New Year's message broadcast late on December 31, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed defiance amid a buildup of Russian forces on the other side of the country's border with Russia. "No army on the other side of the border frightens us," he said, "because a great army on our side of the border protects us." His remarks came amid high tensions between Moscow and the West over the troop buildup and Moscow's demands for broad "security guarantees" in Europe and Central Asia. Authorities in Kyiv have expressed concerns that Russia could invade Ukraine in the coming weeks. Zelenskiy said ending the war between Kyiv and Russia-backed separatist formations in parts of eastern Ukraine remains the "main goal" of his government, promising that "next year will be better." The Ukrainian president expressed confidence that Crimea would "one day" be returned to Kyiv's control. "We can say we have returned Crimea to the global agenda so that one day we can say we have returned Crimea to Ukraine," Zelenskiy said. "And it is important that all the prisoners are returned. Every one." Zelenskiy also expressed support for citizens of the Russia-occupied Ukrainian region of Crimea who had been detained by the Russia-imposed authorities there. He said they "did not lose their dignity and told the truth about Crimea, for which they lost their freedom." While he was speaking, the video showed clips of RFE/RL freelance correspondent Vladyslav Yesypenko, who was detained in Crimea in March and who has said he was tortured while in custody. KYIV -- In his annual New Year's message broadcast late on December 31, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed defiance amid a buildup of Russian forces on the other side of the country's border with Russia. "No army on the other side of the border frightens us," he said, "because a great army on our side of the border protects us." His remarks came amid high tensions between Moscow and the West over the troop buildup and Moscow's demands for broad "security guarantees" in Europe and Central Asia. Authorities in Kyiv have expressed concerns that Russia could invade Ukraine in the coming weeks. Zelenskiy said ending the war between Kyiv and Russia-backed separatist formations in parts of eastern Ukraine remains the "main goal" of his government, promising that "next year will be better." The Ukrainian president expressed confidence that Crimea would "one day" be returned to Kyiv's control. "We can say we have returned Crimea to the global agenda so that one day we can say we have returned Crimea to Ukraine," Zelenskiy said. "And it is important that all the prisoners are returned. Every one." Zelenskiy also expressed support for citizens of the Russia-occupied Ukrainian region of Crimea who had been detained by the Russia-imposed authorities there. He said they "did not lose their dignity and told the truth about Crimea, for which they lost their freedom." While he was speaking, the video showed clips of RFE/RL freelance correspondent Vladyslav Yesypenko, who was detained in Crimea in March and who has said he was tortured while in custody. KYIV -- In his annual New Year's message broadcast late on December 31, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed defiance amid a buildup of Russian forces on the other side of the country's border with Russia. "No army on the other side of the border frightens us," he said, "because a great army on our side of the border protects us." His remarks came amid high tensions between Moscow and the West over the troop buildup and Moscow's demands for broad "security guarantees" in Europe and Central Asia. Authorities in Kyiv have expressed concerns that Russia could invade Ukraine in the coming weeks. Zelenskiy said ending the war between Kyiv and Russia-backed separatist formations in parts of eastern Ukraine remains the "main goal" of his government, promising that "next year will be better." The Ukrainian president expressed confidence that Crimea would "one day" be returned to Kyiv's control. "We can say we have returned Crimea to the global agenda so that one day we can say we have returned Crimea to Ukraine," Zelenskiy said. "And it is important that all the prisoners are returned. Every one." Zelenskiy also expressed support for citizens of the Russia-occupied Ukrainian region of Crimea who had been detained by the Russia-imposed authorities there. He said they "did not lose their dignity and told the truth about Crimea, for which they lost their freedom." While he was speaking, the video showed clips of RFE/RL freelance correspondent Vladyslav Yesypenko, who was detained in Crimea in March and who has said he was tortured while in custody. KYIV -- In his annual New Year's message broadcast late on December 31, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed defiance amid a buildup of Russian forces on the other side of the country's border with Russia. "No army on the other side of the border frightens us," he said, "because a great army on our side of the border protects us." His remarks came amid high tensions between Moscow and the West over the troop buildup and Moscow's demands for broad "security guarantees" in Europe and Central Asia. Authorities in Kyiv have expressed concerns that Russia could invade Ukraine in the coming weeks. Zelenskiy said ending the war between Kyiv and Russia-backed separatist formations in parts of eastern Ukraine remains the "main goal" of his government, promising that "next year will be better." The Ukrainian president expressed confidence that Crimea would "one day" be returned to Kyiv's control. "We can say we have returned Crimea to the global agenda so that one day we can say we have returned Crimea to Ukraine," Zelenskiy said. "And it is important that all the prisoners are returned. Every one." Zelenskiy also expressed support for citizens of the Russia-occupied Ukrainian region of Crimea who had been detained by the Russia-imposed authorities there. He said they "did not lose their dignity and told the truth about Crimea, for which they lost their freedom." While he was speaking, the video showed clips of RFE/RL freelance correspondent Vladyslav Yesypenko, who was detained in Crimea in March and who has said he was tortured while in custody. KYIV -- In his annual New Year's message broadcast late on December 31, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed defiance amid a buildup of Russian forces on the other side of the country's border with Russia. "No army on the other side of the border frightens us," he said, "because a great army on our side of the border protects us." His remarks came amid high tensions between Moscow and the West over the troop buildup and Moscow's demands for broad "security guarantees" in Europe and Central Asia. Authorities in Kyiv have expressed concerns that Russia could invade Ukraine in the coming weeks. Zelenskiy said ending the war between Kyiv and Russia-backed separatist formations in parts of eastern Ukraine remains the "main goal" of his government, promising that "next year will be better." The Ukrainian president expressed confidence that Crimea would "one day" be returned to Kyiv's control. "We can say we have returned Crimea to the global agenda so that one day we can say we have returned Crimea to Ukraine," Zelenskiy said. "And it is important that all the prisoners are returned. Every one." Zelenskiy also expressed support for citizens of the Russia-occupied Ukrainian region of Crimea who had been detained by the Russia-imposed authorities there. He said they "did not lose their dignity and told the truth about Crimea, for which they lost their freedom." While he was speaking, the video showed clips of RFE/RL freelance correspondent Vladyslav Yesypenko, who was detained in Crimea in March and who has said he was tortured while in custody. KYIV -- In his annual New Year's message broadcast late on December 31, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed defiance amid a buildup of Russian forces on the other side of the country's border with Russia. "No army on the other side of the border frightens us," he said, "because a great army on our side of the border protects us." His remarks came amid high tensions between Moscow and the West over the troop buildup and Moscow's demands for broad "security guarantees" in Europe and Central Asia. Authorities in Kyiv have expressed concerns that Russia could invade Ukraine in the coming weeks. Zelenskiy said ending the war between Kyiv and Russia-backed separatist formations in parts of eastern Ukraine remains the "main goal" of his government, promising that "next year will be better." The Ukrainian president expressed confidence that Crimea would "one day" be returned to Kyiv's control. "We can say we have returned Crimea to the global agenda so that one day we can say we have returned Crimea to Ukraine," Zelenskiy said. "And it is important that all the prisoners are returned. Every one." Zelenskiy also expressed support for citizens of the Russia-occupied Ukrainian region of Crimea who had been detained by the Russia-imposed authorities there. He said they "did not lose their dignity and told the truth about Crimea, for which they lost their freedom." While he was speaking, the video showed clips of RFE/RL freelance correspondent Vladyslav Yesypenko, who was detained in Crimea in March and who has said he was tortured while in custody. 34992 KYIV -- In his annual New Year's message broadcast late on December 31, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed defiance amid a buildup of Russian forces on the other side of the country's border with Russia. "No army on the other side of the border frightens us," he said, "because a great army on our side of the border protects us." His remarks came amid high tensions between Moscow and the West over the troop buildup and Moscow's demands for broad "security guarantees" in Europe and Central Asia. Authorities in Kyiv have expressed concerns that Russia could invade Ukraine in the coming weeks. Zelenskiy said ending the war between Kyiv and Russia-backed separatist formations in parts of eastern Ukraine remains the "main goal" of his government, promising that "next year will be better." The Ukrainian president expressed confidence that Crimea would "one day" be returned to Kyiv's control. "We can say we have returned Crimea to the global agenda so that one day we can say we have returned Crimea to Ukraine," Zelenskiy said. "And it is important that all the prisoners are returned. Every one." Zelenskiy also expressed support for citizens of the Russia-occupied Ukrainian region of Crimea who had been detained by the Russia-imposed authorities there. He said they "did not lose their dignity and told the truth about Crimea, for which they lost their freedom." While he was speaking, the video showed clips of RFE/RL freelance correspondent Vladyslav Yesypenko, who was detained in Crimea in March and who has said he was tortured while in custody. KYIV -- In his annual New Year's message broadcast late on December 31, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed defiance amid a buildup of Russian forces on the other side of the country's border with Russia. "No army on the other side of the border frightens us," he said, "because a great army on our side of the border protects us." His remarks came amid high tensions between Moscow and the West over the troop buildup and Moscow's demands for broad "security guarantees" in Europe and Central Asia. Authorities in Kyiv have expressed concerns that Russia could invade Ukraine in the coming weeks. Zelenskiy said ending the war between Kyiv and Russia-backed separatist formations in parts of eastern Ukraine remains the "main goal" of his government, promising that "next year will be better." The Ukrainian president expressed confidence that Crimea would "one day" be returned to Kyiv's control. "We can say we have returned Crimea to the global agenda so that one day we can say we have returned Crimea to Ukraine," Zelenskiy said. "And it is important that all the prisoners are returned. Every one." Zelenskiy also expressed support for citizens of the Russia-occupied Ukrainian region of Crimea who had been detained by the Russia-imposed authorities there. He said they "did not lose their dignity and told the truth about Crimea, for which they lost their freedom." While he was speaking, the video showed clips of RFE/RL freelance correspondent Vladyslav Yesypenko, who was detained in Crimea in March and who has said he was tortured while in custody. KYIV -- In his annual New Year's message broadcast late on December 31, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed defiance amid a buildup of Russian forces on the other side of the country's border with Russia. "No army on the other side of the border frightens us," he said, "because a great army on our side of the border protects us." His remarks came amid high tensions between Moscow and the West over the troop buildup and Moscow's demands for broad "security guarantees" in Europe and Central Asia. Authorities in Kyiv have expressed concerns that Russia could invade Ukraine in the coming weeks. Zelenskiy said ending the war between Kyiv and Russia-backed separatist formations in parts of eastern Ukraine remains the "main goal" of his government, promising that "next year will be better." The Ukrainian president expressed confidence that Crimea would "one day" be returned to Kyiv's control. "We can say we have returned Crimea to the global agenda so that one day we can say we have returned Crimea to Ukraine," Zelenskiy said. "And it is important that all the prisoners are returned. Every one." Zelenskiy also expressed support for citizens of the Russia-occupied Ukrainian region of Crimea who had been detained by the Russia-imposed authorities there. He said they "did not lose their dignity and told the truth about Crimea, for which they lost their freedom." While he was speaking, the video showed clips of RFE/RL freelance correspondent Vladyslav Yesypenko, who was detained in Crimea in March and who has said he was tortured while in custody. KYIV -- In his annual New Year's message broadcast late on December 31, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed defiance amid a buildup of Russian forces on the other side of the country's border with Russia. "No army on the other side of the border frightens us," he said, "because a great army on our side of the border protects us." His remarks came amid high tensions between Moscow and the West over the troop buildup and Moscow's demands for broad "security guarantees" in Europe and Central Asia. Authorities in Kyiv have expressed concerns that Russia could invade Ukraine in the coming weeks. Zelenskiy said ending the war between Kyiv and Russia-backed separatist formations in parts of eastern Ukraine remains the "main goal" of his government, promising that "next year will be better." The Ukrainian president expressed confidence that Crimea would "one day" be returned to Kyiv's control. "We can say we have returned Crimea to the global agenda so that one day we can say we have returned Crimea to Ukraine," Zelenskiy said. "And it is important that all the prisoners are returned. Every one." Zelenskiy also expressed support for citizens of the Russia-occupied Ukrainian region of Crimea who had been detained by the Russia-imposed authorities there. He said they "did not lose their dignity and told the truth about Crimea, for which they lost their freedom." While he was speaking, the video showed clips of RFE/RL freelance correspondent Vladyslav Yesypenko, who was detained in Crimea in March and who has said he was tortured while in custody. KYIV -- In his annual New Year's message broadcast late on December 31, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed defiance amid a buildup of Russian forces on the other side of the country's border with Russia. "No army on the other side of the border frightens us," he said, "because a great army on our side of the border protects us." His remarks came amid high tensions between Moscow and the West over the troop buildup and Moscow's demands for broad "security guarantees" in Europe and Central Asia. Authorities in Kyiv have expressed concerns that Russia could invade Ukraine in the coming weeks. Zelenskiy said ending the war between Kyiv and Russia-backed separatist formations in parts of eastern Ukraine remains the "main goal" of his government, promising that "next year will be better." The Ukrainian president expressed confidence that Crimea would "one day" be returned to Kyiv's control. "We can say we have returned Crimea to the global agenda so that one day we can say we have returned Crimea to Ukraine," Zelenskiy said. "And it is important that all the prisoners are returned. Every one." Zelenskiy also expressed support for citizens of the Russia-occupied Ukrainian region of Crimea who had been detained by the Russia-imposed authorities there. He said they "did not lose their dignity and told the truth about Crimea, for which they lost their freedom." While he was speaking, the video showed clips of RFE/RL freelance correspondent Vladyslav Yesypenko, who was detained in Crimea in March and who has said he was tortured while in custody. Pastor Jack Hibbs in an interview with The Epoch Times at a TurningPointUSA event in Phoenix, Ariz., in December 2021. (The Epoch Times) People Are Waking up and California Is Coming Back: Pastor Jack Hibbs The high crime rates, the governors long and strict lockdowns, high taxes, high living costs, roaming homeless people in the cities California seems to have lost its appeal and more people are leaving the state. However, pastor Jack Hibbs sees the hope of the Golden State and believes its coming back. I think weve hit bottom, and were coming back, Hibbs told The Epoch Times during a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix last week. Hibbs is an eminent pastor in the nation and Calvary Chapel Chino Hills founder. He was part of former President Donald Trumps evangelical team. He has captured headlines during the past year and a half for his firm stances against lockdowns, church-closing, and vaccine mandates. California used to be the bastion of fill-in-the-blank, the bastion of prosperity, the bastion of the laid back California lifestyle, it was the place of innovation California is the only state in the nation that can boast mission, preaching stations, among other things, Hibbs said, noting that now California has sunk terribly and become the laughingstock of the nation. However, Hibbs believes and sees that people are waking up. Believe it or not, people are coming to California or coming back to California to do the right thing. And that is to take possession of their state again. On Dec. 15, a new study by the California Policy Lab found that more people are moving out of the state12 percent higher than pre-pandemic levelsespecially the Bay Area. However, the study showed therere still people moving into the state, only at a rate much lower than the pre-pandemic level38 percent lower. In these last two years, weve had nothing but growth, Hibbs said, referring to his church. Weve had thousands of people added to the church. We baptize 3,000 people on a Saturday. Why? Because people are looking for truth. And so they found out that just a warm, feel-good, secret-type message doesnt answer you in the day of trouble. Gods word answers you in the day of trouble. So thats what were all about. And thats why were seeing a response. Hibbs website states that his church ministers weekly to over ten thousand people on campus and millions worldwide through daily media outreach programs. Last July, when Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that churches must again close their doors, Hibbs said it was a mistake to close church at the first time, and he would never close the church again. Hibbs said he sent a video to the governors office saying, If youre going to close the church, you have to physically come and shut the doors. Later Newsom lost a lawsuit, and the state can no longer place discriminatory COVID-19 restrictions on church services. Why were the most prosperous nation? Why were the most free? Why is there such a big battle about vaccination or no vaccination? We get to fight that issue. Were Americans, Hibbs told The Epoch Times. Hibbs supports Navy SEALs who have filed suit to seek religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine. He asked his congregation to pray for First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to defending religious freedom and representing the Navy SEALs. Worshippers gather for service during the COVID-19 pandemic in the courtyard of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino Hills, Calif. (Courtesy of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills) I have children, I have grandchildren, and thats why Im fighting, Hibbs said. When Hibbs went to school as a kid in Orange County, California, they had the Bible in class and prayer in class. They had the Pledge of Allegiance in the classroom. But later, Bible or ten commandments were no longer allowed on the wall. Well, you look at the data. Look at the decades that followed. Its been nothing but degradation, Hibbs added. Hibbs recognized that the legacy media has taken people to the dark side of things. We get to now challenge the false narrative, Hibbs said. So dont lose heart. I would say to people be very discerning about what you hear. And make sure that youre hearing it from a source that has no agenda except to bring truth. Stand firm with what is right and true, Hibbs said. The Bible calls it righteousnessdont let that word scare youit simply means to do the right thing: against tweets, against blogs, against any intimidation, do the right thing. At the end of the day, do what you know is right and youll sleep good, and youll become fearless because you will have done the right thing. Nick Vandennieuwenhof and Jamie Joseph contributed to this report. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Yves here. It would be maddening, as well as stupidity-inducing, to try to follow the Blobs hive mind on a regular basis. This post provides a tolerably small window into two hot issues via the prognostications of David Ignatius, the CIAs mouthpiece1 at the Washington Post. Rosser spares his readers full unadulterated Igantius. For those who are gluttons for punishment, you can read the source material here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/12/30/what-strange-things-does-2022-have-store-us-take-this-quiz-find-out/ Rosser circumspectly does not mention that the intel state might have a few too many college tuitions depending on hotting up a conflict with Russia. By Barkley Rosser, Professor of Economics at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Originally published at EconoSpeak In todays Washington Post, intel columnist David Ignatius had a ten question multiple choice quiz about what will happen in 2022. He provided his own answers at the end, effectively forecasts. Many I agree with and some, speculative about tech developments and such like, I have no opinion on. However on two very important ones I think I disagree with him, if not overwhelmingly so. One of these was about prospects for Iran and the US and others to put back together the JCPOA nuclear deal that Donald Trump removed the US from. I am burned as I expected Biden to quickly rejoin the deal with minimum fuss once he got back in office. But he did not do so, insisting on demanding all sorts of extra things out of Iran about missiles and this and that. No deal has been made and now Iran has a hard line government. Yes, formal negotiations have been restarted in Vienna, but to me they do not seem to be going anywhere, and Iran has now substantially expanded its nuclear capability. Ignatius forecasts that Iran will negotiate a deal under pressure from Russia and China. I am afraid I am skeptical, although I would love to see it. The other one, where I am forecasting a more optimistic outcome has to do with the current Russia-Ukraine situation. Bottom line for Ignatius is pessimistic, that Russia will make cyberattacks on Ukraine that lead to people freezing this winter, will allow the Donbas separatists to attack Ukrainian forces and expand their territory of conrtrol, and then create broader chaos in Ukraine that will justify a full-scale invasion by Russia of Ukraine. I think a more optimistic answer is more likely, although certainly not certain. This one says that Putin will gradually pull troops back after some sort of sufficiently face-saving deal is cut. This seems to be what people in Ukraine think, although maybe the generally astute Ignatious knows better. But I hope he is wrong for this coming new year. Snovem godem (Russian for Happy New Year), you all! _____ 1 Lambert suggested a less-family-blog-friendly depiction. Yves here. It would be maddening, as well as stupidity-inducing, to try to follow the Blobs hive mind on a regular basis. This post provides a tolerably small window into two hot issues via the prognostications of David Ignatius, the CIAs mouthpiece1 at the Washington Post. Rosser spares his readers full unadulterated Igantius. For those who are gluttons for punishment, you can read the source material here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/12/30/what-strange-things-does-2022-have-store-us-take-this-quiz-find-out/ Rosser circumspectly does not mention that the intel state might have a few too many college tuitions depending on hotting up a conflict with Russia. By Barkley Rosser, Professor of Economics at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Originally published at EconoSpeak In todays Washington Post, intel columnist David Ignatius had a ten question multiple choice quiz about what will happen in 2022. He provided his own answers at the end, effectively forecasts. Many I agree with and some, speculative about tech developments and such like, I have no opinion on. However on two very important ones I think I disagree with him, if not overwhelmingly so. One of these was about prospects for Iran and the US and others to put back together the JCPOA nuclear deal that Donald Trump removed the US from. I am burned as I expected Biden to quickly rejoin the deal with minimum fuss once he got back in office. But he did not do so, insisting on demanding all sorts of extra things out of Iran about missiles and this and that. No deal has been made and now Iran has a hard line government. Yes, formal negotiations have been restarted in Vienna, but to me they do not seem to be going anywhere, and Iran has now substantially expanded its nuclear capability. Ignatius forecasts that Iran will negotiate a deal under pressure from Russia and China. I am afraid I am skeptical, although I would love to see it. The other one, where I am forecasting a more optimistic outcome has to do with the current Russia-Ukraine situation. Bottom line for Ignatius is pessimistic, that Russia will make cyberattacks on Ukraine that lead to people freezing this winter, will allow the Donbas separatists to attack Ukrainian forces and expand their territory of conrtrol, and then create broader chaos in Ukraine that will justify a full-scale invasion by Russia of Ukraine. I think a more optimistic answer is more likely, although certainly not certain. This one says that Putin will gradually pull troops back after some sort of sufficiently face-saving deal is cut. This seems to be what people in Ukraine think, although maybe the generally astute Ignatious knows better. But I hope he is wrong for this coming new year. Snovem godem (Russian for Happy New Year), you all! _____ 1 Lambert suggested a less-family-blog-friendly depiction. Pastor Jack Hibbs in an interview with The Epoch Times at a TurningPointUSA event in Phoenix, Ariz., in December 2021. (The Epoch Times) People Are Waking up and California Is Coming Back: Pastor Jack Hibbs The high crime rates, the governors long and strict lockdowns, high taxes, high living costs, roaming homeless people in the cities California seems to have lost its appeal and more people are leaving the state. However, pastor Jack Hibbs sees the hope of the Golden State and believes its coming back. I think weve hit bottom, and were coming back, Hibbs told The Epoch Times during a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix last week. Hibbs is an eminent pastor in the nation and Calvary Chapel Chino Hills founder. He was part of former President Donald Trumps evangelical team. He has captured headlines during the past year and a half for his firm stances against lockdowns, church-closing, and vaccine mandates. California used to be the bastion of fill-in-the-blank, the bastion of prosperity, the bastion of the laid back California lifestyle, it was the place of innovation California is the only state in the nation that can boast mission, preaching stations, among other things, Hibbs said, noting that now California has sunk terribly and become the laughingstock of the nation. However, Hibbs believes and sees that people are waking up. Believe it or not, people are coming to California or coming back to California to do the right thing. And that is to take possession of their state again. On Dec. 15, a new study by the California Policy Lab found that more people are moving out of the state12 percent higher than pre-pandemic levelsespecially the Bay Area. However, the study showed therere still people moving into the state, only at a rate much lower than the pre-pandemic level38 percent lower. In these last two years, weve had nothing but growth, Hibbs said, referring to his church. Weve had thousands of people added to the church. We baptize 3,000 people on a Saturday. Why? Because people are looking for truth. And so they found out that just a warm, feel-good, secret-type message doesnt answer you in the day of trouble. Gods word answers you in the day of trouble. So thats what were all about. And thats why were seeing a response. Hibbs website states that his church ministers weekly to over ten thousand people on campus and millions worldwide through daily media outreach programs. Last July, when Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that churches must again close their doors, Hibbs said it was a mistake to close church at the first time, and he would never close the church again. Hibbs said he sent a video to the governors office saying, If youre going to close the church, you have to physically come and shut the doors. Later Newsom lost a lawsuit, and the state can no longer place discriminatory COVID-19 restrictions on church services. Why were the most prosperous nation? Why were the most free? Why is there such a big battle about vaccination or no vaccination? We get to fight that issue. Were Americans, Hibbs told The Epoch Times. Hibbs supports Navy SEALs who have filed suit to seek religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine. He asked his congregation to pray for First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to defending religious freedom and representing the Navy SEALs. Worshippers gather for service during the COVID-19 pandemic in the courtyard of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino Hills, Calif. (Courtesy of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills) I have children, I have grandchildren, and thats why Im fighting, Hibbs said. When Hibbs went to school as a kid in Orange County, California, they had the Bible in class and prayer in class. They had the Pledge of Allegiance in the classroom. But later, Bible or ten commandments were no longer allowed on the wall. Well, you look at the data. Look at the decades that followed. Its been nothing but degradation, Hibbs added. Hibbs recognized that the legacy media has taken people to the dark side of things. We get to now challenge the false narrative, Hibbs said. So dont lose heart. I would say to people be very discerning about what you hear. And make sure that youre hearing it from a source that has no agenda except to bring truth. Stand firm with what is right and true, Hibbs said. The Bible calls it righteousnessdont let that word scare youit simply means to do the right thing: against tweets, against blogs, against any intimidation, do the right thing. At the end of the day, do what you know is right and youll sleep good, and youll become fearless because you will have done the right thing. Nick Vandennieuwenhof and Jamie Joseph contributed to this report. Pastor Jack Hibbs in an interview with The Epoch Times at a TurningPointUSA event in Phoenix, Ariz., in December 2021. (The Epoch Times) People Are Waking up and California Is Coming Back: Pastor Jack Hibbs The high crime rates, the governors long and strict lockdowns, high taxes, high living costs, roaming homeless people in the cities California seems to have lost its appeal and more people are leaving the state. However, pastor Jack Hibbs sees the hope of the Golden State and believes its coming back. I think weve hit bottom, and were coming back, Hibbs told The Epoch Times during a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix last week. Hibbs is an eminent pastor in the nation and Calvary Chapel Chino Hills founder. He was part of former President Donald Trumps evangelical team. He has captured headlines during the past year and a half for his firm stances against lockdowns, church-closing, and vaccine mandates. California used to be the bastion of fill-in-the-blank, the bastion of prosperity, the bastion of the laid back California lifestyle, it was the place of innovation California is the only state in the nation that can boast mission, preaching stations, among other things, Hibbs said, noting that now California has sunk terribly and become the laughingstock of the nation. However, Hibbs believes and sees that people are waking up. Believe it or not, people are coming to California or coming back to California to do the right thing. And that is to take possession of their state again. On Dec. 15, a new study by the California Policy Lab found that more people are moving out of the state12 percent higher than pre-pandemic levelsespecially the Bay Area. However, the study showed therere still people moving into the state, only at a rate much lower than the pre-pandemic level38 percent lower. In these last two years, weve had nothing but growth, Hibbs said, referring to his church. Weve had thousands of people added to the church. We baptize 3,000 people on a Saturday. Why? Because people are looking for truth. And so they found out that just a warm, feel-good, secret-type message doesnt answer you in the day of trouble. Gods word answers you in the day of trouble. So thats what were all about. And thats why were seeing a response. Hibbs website states that his church ministers weekly to over ten thousand people on campus and millions worldwide through daily media outreach programs. Last July, when Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that churches must again close their doors, Hibbs said it was a mistake to close church at the first time, and he would never close the church again. Hibbs said he sent a video to the governors office saying, If youre going to close the church, you have to physically come and shut the doors. Later Newsom lost a lawsuit, and the state can no longer place discriminatory COVID-19 restrictions on church services. Why were the most prosperous nation? Why were the most free? Why is there such a big battle about vaccination or no vaccination? We get to fight that issue. Were Americans, Hibbs told The Epoch Times. Hibbs supports Navy SEALs who have filed suit to seek religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine. He asked his congregation to pray for First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to defending religious freedom and representing the Navy SEALs. Worshippers gather for service during the COVID-19 pandemic in the courtyard of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino Hills, Calif. (Courtesy of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills) I have children, I have grandchildren, and thats why Im fighting, Hibbs said. When Hibbs went to school as a kid in Orange County, California, they had the Bible in class and prayer in class. They had the Pledge of Allegiance in the classroom. But later, Bible or ten commandments were no longer allowed on the wall. Well, you look at the data. Look at the decades that followed. Its been nothing but degradation, Hibbs added. Hibbs recognized that the legacy media has taken people to the dark side of things. We get to now challenge the false narrative, Hibbs said. So dont lose heart. I would say to people be very discerning about what you hear. And make sure that youre hearing it from a source that has no agenda except to bring truth. Stand firm with what is right and true, Hibbs said. The Bible calls it righteousnessdont let that word scare youit simply means to do the right thing: against tweets, against blogs, against any intimidation, do the right thing. At the end of the day, do what you know is right and youll sleep good, and youll become fearless because you will have done the right thing. Nick Vandennieuwenhof and Jamie Joseph contributed to this report. Pastor Jack Hibbs in an interview with The Epoch Times at a TurningPointUSA event in Phoenix, Ariz., in December 2021. (The Epoch Times) People Are Waking up and California Is Coming Back: Pastor Jack Hibbs The high crime rates, the governors long and strict lockdowns, high taxes, high living costs, roaming homeless people in the cities California seems to have lost its appeal and more people are leaving the state. However, pastor Jack Hibbs sees the hope of the Golden State and believes its coming back. I think weve hit bottom, and were coming back, Hibbs told The Epoch Times during a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix last week. Hibbs is an eminent pastor in the nation and Calvary Chapel Chino Hills founder. He was part of former President Donald Trumps evangelical team. He has captured headlines during the past year and a half for his firm stances against lockdowns, church-closing, and vaccine mandates. California used to be the bastion of fill-in-the-blank, the bastion of prosperity, the bastion of the laid back California lifestyle, it was the place of innovation California is the only state in the nation that can boast mission, preaching stations, among other things, Hibbs said, noting that now California has sunk terribly and become the laughingstock of the nation. However, Hibbs believes and sees that people are waking up. Believe it or not, people are coming to California or coming back to California to do the right thing. And that is to take possession of their state again. On Dec. 15, a new study by the California Policy Lab found that more people are moving out of the state12 percent higher than pre-pandemic levelsespecially the Bay Area. However, the study showed therere still people moving into the state, only at a rate much lower than the pre-pandemic level38 percent lower. In these last two years, weve had nothing but growth, Hibbs said, referring to his church. Weve had thousands of people added to the church. We baptize 3,000 people on a Saturday. Why? Because people are looking for truth. And so they found out that just a warm, feel-good, secret-type message doesnt answer you in the day of trouble. Gods word answers you in the day of trouble. So thats what were all about. And thats why were seeing a response. Hibbs website states that his church ministers weekly to over ten thousand people on campus and millions worldwide through daily media outreach programs. Last July, when Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that churches must again close their doors, Hibbs said it was a mistake to close church at the first time, and he would never close the church again. Hibbs said he sent a video to the governors office saying, If youre going to close the church, you have to physically come and shut the doors. Later Newsom lost a lawsuit, and the state can no longer place discriminatory COVID-19 restrictions on church services. Why were the most prosperous nation? Why were the most free? Why is there such a big battle about vaccination or no vaccination? We get to fight that issue. Were Americans, Hibbs told The Epoch Times. Hibbs supports Navy SEALs who have filed suit to seek religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine. He asked his congregation to pray for First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to defending religious freedom and representing the Navy SEALs. Worshippers gather for service during the COVID-19 pandemic in the courtyard of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino Hills, Calif. (Courtesy of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills) I have children, I have grandchildren, and thats why Im fighting, Hibbs said. When Hibbs went to school as a kid in Orange County, California, they had the Bible in class and prayer in class. They had the Pledge of Allegiance in the classroom. But later, Bible or ten commandments were no longer allowed on the wall. Well, you look at the data. Look at the decades that followed. Its been nothing but degradation, Hibbs added. Hibbs recognized that the legacy media has taken people to the dark side of things. We get to now challenge the false narrative, Hibbs said. So dont lose heart. I would say to people be very discerning about what you hear. And make sure that youre hearing it from a source that has no agenda except to bring truth. Stand firm with what is right and true, Hibbs said. The Bible calls it righteousnessdont let that word scare youit simply means to do the right thing: against tweets, against blogs, against any intimidation, do the right thing. At the end of the day, do what you know is right and youll sleep good, and youll become fearless because you will have done the right thing. Nick Vandennieuwenhof and Jamie Joseph contributed to this report. Pastor Jack Hibbs in an interview with The Epoch Times at a TurningPointUSA event in Phoenix, Ariz., in December 2021. (The Epoch Times) People Are Waking up and California Is Coming Back: Pastor Jack Hibbs The high crime rates, the governors long and strict lockdowns, high taxes, high living costs, roaming homeless people in the cities California seems to have lost its appeal and more people are leaving the state. However, pastor Jack Hibbs sees the hope of the Golden State and believes its coming back. I think weve hit bottom, and were coming back, Hibbs told The Epoch Times during a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix last week. Hibbs is an eminent pastor in the nation and Calvary Chapel Chino Hills founder. He was part of former President Donald Trumps evangelical team. He has captured headlines during the past year and a half for his firm stances against lockdowns, church-closing, and vaccine mandates. California used to be the bastion of fill-in-the-blank, the bastion of prosperity, the bastion of the laid back California lifestyle, it was the place of innovation California is the only state in the nation that can boast mission, preaching stations, among other things, Hibbs said, noting that now California has sunk terribly and become the laughingstock of the nation. However, Hibbs believes and sees that people are waking up. Believe it or not, people are coming to California or coming back to California to do the right thing. And that is to take possession of their state again. On Dec. 15, a new study by the California Policy Lab found that more people are moving out of the state12 percent higher than pre-pandemic levelsespecially the Bay Area. However, the study showed therere still people moving into the state, only at a rate much lower than the pre-pandemic level38 percent lower. In these last two years, weve had nothing but growth, Hibbs said, referring to his church. Weve had thousands of people added to the church. We baptize 3,000 people on a Saturday. Why? Because people are looking for truth. And so they found out that just a warm, feel-good, secret-type message doesnt answer you in the day of trouble. Gods word answers you in the day of trouble. So thats what were all about. And thats why were seeing a response. Hibbs website states that his church ministers weekly to over ten thousand people on campus and millions worldwide through daily media outreach programs. Last July, when Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that churches must again close their doors, Hibbs said it was a mistake to close church at the first time, and he would never close the church again. Hibbs said he sent a video to the governors office saying, If youre going to close the church, you have to physically come and shut the doors. Later Newsom lost a lawsuit, and the state can no longer place discriminatory COVID-19 restrictions on church services. Why were the most prosperous nation? Why were the most free? Why is there such a big battle about vaccination or no vaccination? We get to fight that issue. Were Americans, Hibbs told The Epoch Times. Hibbs supports Navy SEALs who have filed suit to seek religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine. He asked his congregation to pray for First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to defending religious freedom and representing the Navy SEALs. Worshippers gather for service during the COVID-19 pandemic in the courtyard of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino Hills, Calif. (Courtesy of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills) I have children, I have grandchildren, and thats why Im fighting, Hibbs said. When Hibbs went to school as a kid in Orange County, California, they had the Bible in class and prayer in class. They had the Pledge of Allegiance in the classroom. But later, Bible or ten commandments were no longer allowed on the wall. Well, you look at the data. Look at the decades that followed. Its been nothing but degradation, Hibbs added. Hibbs recognized that the legacy media has taken people to the dark side of things. We get to now challenge the false narrative, Hibbs said. So dont lose heart. I would say to people be very discerning about what you hear. And make sure that youre hearing it from a source that has no agenda except to bring truth. Stand firm with what is right and true, Hibbs said. The Bible calls it righteousnessdont let that word scare youit simply means to do the right thing: against tweets, against blogs, against any intimidation, do the right thing. At the end of the day, do what you know is right and youll sleep good, and youll become fearless because you will have done the right thing. Nick Vandennieuwenhof and Jamie Joseph contributed to this report. Yves here. It would be maddening, as well as stupidity-inducing, to try to follow the Blobs hive mind on a regular basis. This post provides a tolerably small window into two hot issues via the prognostications of David Ignatius, the CIAs mouthpiece1 at the Washington Post. Rosser spares his readers full unadulterated Igantius. For those who are gluttons for punishment, you can read the source material here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/12/30/what-strange-things-does-2022-have-store-us-take-this-quiz-find-out/ Rosser circumspectly does not mention that the intel state might have a few too many college tuitions depending on hotting up a conflict with Russia. By Barkley Rosser, Professor of Economics at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Originally published at EconoSpeak In todays Washington Post, intel columnist David Ignatius had a ten question multiple choice quiz about what will happen in 2022. He provided his own answers at the end, effectively forecasts. Many I agree with and some, speculative about tech developments and such like, I have no opinion on. However on two very important ones I think I disagree with him, if not overwhelmingly so. One of these was about prospects for Iran and the US and others to put back together the JCPOA nuclear deal that Donald Trump removed the US from. I am burned as I expected Biden to quickly rejoin the deal with minimum fuss once he got back in office. But he did not do so, insisting on demanding all sorts of extra things out of Iran about missiles and this and that. No deal has been made and now Iran has a hard line government. Yes, formal negotiations have been restarted in Vienna, but to me they do not seem to be going anywhere, and Iran has now substantially expanded its nuclear capability. Ignatius forecasts that Iran will negotiate a deal under pressure from Russia and China. I am afraid I am skeptical, although I would love to see it. The other one, where I am forecasting a more optimistic outcome has to do with the current Russia-Ukraine situation. Bottom line for Ignatius is pessimistic, that Russia will make cyberattacks on Ukraine that lead to people freezing this winter, will allow the Donbas separatists to attack Ukrainian forces and expand their territory of conrtrol, and then create broader chaos in Ukraine that will justify a full-scale invasion by Russia of Ukraine. I think a more optimistic answer is more likely, although certainly not certain. This one says that Putin will gradually pull troops back after some sort of sufficiently face-saving deal is cut. This seems to be what people in Ukraine think, although maybe the generally astute Ignatious knows better. But I hope he is wrong for this coming new year. Snovem godem (Russian for Happy New Year), you all! _____ 1 Lambert suggested a less-family-blog-friendly depiction. Yves here. It would be maddening, as well as stupidity-inducing, to try to follow the Blobs hive mind on a regular basis. This post provides a tolerably small window into two hot issues via the prognostications of David Ignatius, the CIAs mouthpiece1 at the Washington Post. Rosser spares his readers full unadulterated Igantius. For those who are gluttons for punishment, you can read the source material here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/12/30/what-strange-things-does-2022-have-store-us-take-this-quiz-find-out/ Rosser circumspectly does not mention that the intel state might have a few too many college tuitions depending on hotting up a conflict with Russia. By Barkley Rosser, Professor of Economics at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Originally published at EconoSpeak In todays Washington Post, intel columnist David Ignatius had a ten question multiple choice quiz about what will happen in 2022. He provided his own answers at the end, effectively forecasts. Many I agree with and some, speculative about tech developments and such like, I have no opinion on. However on two very important ones I think I disagree with him, if not overwhelmingly so. One of these was about prospects for Iran and the US and others to put back together the JCPOA nuclear deal that Donald Trump removed the US from. I am burned as I expected Biden to quickly rejoin the deal with minimum fuss once he got back in office. But he did not do so, insisting on demanding all sorts of extra things out of Iran about missiles and this and that. No deal has been made and now Iran has a hard line government. Yes, formal negotiations have been restarted in Vienna, but to me they do not seem to be going anywhere, and Iran has now substantially expanded its nuclear capability. Ignatius forecasts that Iran will negotiate a deal under pressure from Russia and China. I am afraid I am skeptical, although I would love to see it. The other one, where I am forecasting a more optimistic outcome has to do with the current Russia-Ukraine situation. Bottom line for Ignatius is pessimistic, that Russia will make cyberattacks on Ukraine that lead to people freezing this winter, will allow the Donbas separatists to attack Ukrainian forces and expand their territory of conrtrol, and then create broader chaos in Ukraine that will justify a full-scale invasion by Russia of Ukraine. I think a more optimistic answer is more likely, although certainly not certain. This one says that Putin will gradually pull troops back after some sort of sufficiently face-saving deal is cut. This seems to be what people in Ukraine think, although maybe the generally astute Ignatious knows better. But I hope he is wrong for this coming new year. Snovem godem (Russian for Happy New Year), you all! _____ 1 Lambert suggested a less-family-blog-friendly depiction. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 A Smyth County woman arrested last summer after police say she left her 7-year-old grandson inside a locked car while she shopped at Walmart has been indicted by a Smyth County grand jury on a charge of abuse or neglect of a child. The grand jury returned the indictment for 71-year-old Betty Jean Lyons during its Dec. 14 session. According to a criminal complaint, Marion police responded to the scene after receiving a call about a child who was inside the car sweating profusely with the windows rolled up. When police arrived, the boy appeared to be having trouble breathing, the complaint said. Unable to get the doors open, Officer Jeff Davis busted the window. Sgt. April Morgan wrote in the complaint that Davis was unable to unlock the door from the inside and so entered the car through the broken window. When he stuck his head through the window the heat immediately took his breath away, Morgan wrote. The boy, who Morgan noted was drenched with sweat, was treated on scene by Marion Fire-EMS The complaint goes on to say that Marion Fire-EMS used a thermal imaging camera to measure the temperature inside the vehicle, which registered 130 degrees. After reviewing surveillance footage inside Walmart, police were able to determine that Lyons had been inside the store for approximately an hour and 20 minutes, according to the complaint. Lyons, who had custody of her grandson at the time of the incident, told police that he did not want to come inside the store with her because his feet were hurting. Lyons is scheduled for trial Jan. 5, 2022. The Grand Jury also heard sufficient evidence to indict a Chilhowie man who now faces sexual abuse charges that date back to 2012. According to information contained in the indictments, 32-year-old Jaron Cory Logan is accused of sexually abusing a family member under the age of 13 on or around November 2012. Logan, who was charged through direct indictment, was indicted on five counts of rape, five counts of incest and one count of forceful sodomy. He is scheduled for trial on March 2. Also indicted during the Grand Jurys December term is a 20-year-old Chilhowie man accused of impregnating a 14-year-old girl. According to a complaint filed at the Smyth County Courthouse, Jackson Sanders Moore, then 19, was in a relationship with the girl who was pregnant. By listening in to jail conversations, investigators learned that Moore was the father to the teens unborn child. Moore, who was arrested in April, now faces a charge of having carnal knowledge of a child between the ages of 13 and 15. He is scheduled for trial Feb. 2, 2022. The grand jury also handed down indictments to the following individuals: Christopher Adam Joliffe, 37, of Marion, was indicted on a failure to register as a sex offender charge. William Ray Perkins II, 40, of Marion, was indicted on strangulation and eluding police charges. Brian Christopher Bowles, 46, of Marion, was indicted on a third offense assault and battery charge. Bucky Bo Buchanan, 40, of Saltville, was indicted on an assault and battery of a law enforcement officer charge. Heather Poston, 39, of Damascus, was indicted on two counts abuse or neglect of a child, one count possession of methamphetamine and one count eluding police. Dakota Manuel Reynolds, 25, of Saltville, was indicted on charges of destruction of property and eluding police. Christopher Dale Arnold, 36, of Rural Retreat, was indicted on four counts statutory burglary and two counts grand larceny Joshua Austin Price, 24, of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. James Rodney Neal Jr., of Chilhowie, was indicted on charges of statutory burglary and grand larceny. Eric Wayne Mercer, 40, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a statutory burglary charge. Timothy Dwayne Dennison Jr. 24, of Sugar Grove, was indicted on a charge of possession of burglarious tools. Jeni Marie James, 38, of Atkins, was indicted on a credit card theft charge. Lenar Tyree Perkins, 30, of Marion, was indicted on an obstruction of justice charge. Bobby Dean Pruitt, 41, of Atkins, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Cory Ryan Butts, 32, of Woodbridge, was indicted on an eluding police charge. Carl Thomas Rhea, 42, of Wytheville, was indicted on a charge of forging a public document. Danny Musick, 54, of Marion, was indicted on three counts possession of methamphetamine and one count possession of ammunition by a felon. David Allen Tilson, 40, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Grove Trivett, 53, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Judy Elizabeth Hess, 62, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Michael Ray Brown, 47, of Galax, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Torry Chamont Perkins, 31, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Joshua William King, 38, of Wytheville, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Wendy Marie Able, 41, of Abingdon, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Bryan James Barker, 35, of Marion, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Toni Draper, 41, of Dublin, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Carrie Ann Olinger, 34, of Chilhowie, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. David Stanley Surber, 30, of Troutdale, was indicted on a possession of methamphetamine charge. Jeremy Simms, 35, of Atkins, was indicted on a possession of hydrocodone charge. Individuals arrested on charges stemming from direct indictments handed down during the September 2021 grand jury session are as follows: George Adam Terry, 35, of Saltville, was indicted on five counts distribution of buprenorphine, three counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Crystal Ann Jones, 37, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count distribution of buprenorphine. Charles Lynn Morgan, 29, of Abingdon, was indicted on three counts distribution of methamphetamine. Justin Wayne Harris, 58, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine and one count possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Robert Homer Firestone III, also known as Bobby Firestone, 34, of Marion, was indicted on two counts distribution of buprenorphine. John Richard Gardner, also known as Pooh Gardner, 47, of Marion was indicted on distribution of methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine near a recreation facility. Archie Luther Young, 46, of Marion was indicted on charges of distribution of imitation methamphetamine and petit larceny. Jonathan Firestone, 32, of Marion, was indicted on two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Hanna Jade Briscoe, 22, of Atkins, was indicted on two counts distribution of methamphetamine. Dejuan Marquis Brewer, 31, of Saltville, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Jodi Cleary, 50 of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Robert Adam Gore, 29, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Matthew Allen Huffman, 29, of Sugar Grove, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Monica Reedy Lambert, 43, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Christopher Lee Tilson, 35, of Marion, was indicted a distribution of methamphetamine charge. Mary Ellen Tester, 49, of Marion, was indicted on two counts possession of methamphetamine. Gerald Putman Jr., 47, of Bristol, was indicted on a welfare fraud charge. Those indicted will stand trial in Smyth County Circuit Court. A composite image of Warren Buffett (left) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (right). CNBC/Getty Images/Insider Sen. Bernie Sanders criticized Warren Buffett for staying out of a labor dispute. Sanders asked him to help striking workers at Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary Special Metals. Buffett declined, citing his hands-off management approach, prompting a rebuke from Sanders. Sen. Bernie Sanders criticized Warren Buffett, and highlighted his low rate of tax, after Buffett declined to intervene in a labor dispute. Sanders implied that Buffett was falling short of his own ideals by letting a labor dispute drag on at Special Metals, a West Virginia firm owned by Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway holding company. Some 450 Special Metals workers have been striking since October. They object to plans to limit pay rises to 1% or 2% for several years, to increase healthcare premiums, and to limit vacation time. Negotiations over a return to work paused in mid-December, per the local news station WHCS, and were not due to resume until January. Sanders in a letter to Buffett called on him to use his position as Berkshire Hathaway CEO to end the dispute and give the workers a more generous settlement, as Insider's Theron Mohammed reported on Friday. Berkshire Hathaway owns Precision Castparts, which in turn owns Special Metals. But, in a response to Sanders, Buffett said that he would stay out of it. He cited a longstanding Berkshire Hathaway policy of not interfering in how its subsidiaries are run beyond choosing the CEO, in this case Mark Donegan. Buffett said he would pass on Sanders' message but would make no recommendation for how Donegan should proceed. "He is responsible for his business," Buffett wrote. Sanders responded on Friday by saying Buffett was not living up to his conviction that the US needs to reduce wealth inequality, and also noting his huge wealth. Sanders wrote: "Warren Buffett is a billionaire worth over $100 BILLION with a tax rate of just 0.10%. Story continues "He's spoken eloquently on the crisis of growing inequality. But why doesn't he want to make sure the steelworkers of Special Metals are treated with dignity and respect?" Sanders did not address Buffett's stated reason that he wouldn't intervene because of Berkshire Hathaway's ownership style. The 0.1% tax rate Sanders cited was reported in June by ProPublica as part of an investigation into how the super-wealthy avoid tax. Per its calculations, the $27.3 million tax he paid on his personal income between 2014 and 2018 was only 0.1% of the amount his total wealth grew in the same period, some $24.3 billion. As Insider's Theron Mohammed reported at the time, Buffett's increases in net worth do not attract tax because they mostly come in the form of Berkshire Hathaway stock gaining value. The company doesn't pay dividends and instead reinvests, which does not attract tax. Buffett defended the arrangement by noting that most of his wealth is due to eventually be given away. Buffett has pledged 99% of his net worth to philanthropy. According to Newsweek, he said the money "will be of more use to society if disbursed philanthropically than if it is used to slightly reduce an ever-increasing US debt" via taxes. Read the original article on Business Insider A composite image of Warren Buffett (left) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (right). CNBC/Getty Images/Insider Sen. Bernie Sanders criticized Warren Buffett for staying out of a labor dispute. Sanders asked him to help striking workers at Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary Special Metals. Buffett declined, citing his hands-off management approach, prompting a rebuke from Sanders. Sen. Bernie Sanders criticized Warren Buffett, and highlighted his low rate of tax, after Buffett declined to intervene in a labor dispute. Sanders implied that Buffett was falling short of his own ideals by letting a labor dispute drag on at Special Metals, a West Virginia firm owned by Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway holding company. Some 450 Special Metals workers have been striking since October. They object to plans to limit pay rises to 1% or 2% for several years, to increase healthcare premiums, and to limit vacation time. Negotiations over a return to work paused in mid-December, per the local news station WHCS, and were not due to resume until January. Sanders in a letter to Buffett called on him to use his position as Berkshire Hathaway CEO to end the dispute and give the workers a more generous settlement, as Insider's Theron Mohammed reported on Friday. Berkshire Hathaway owns Precision Castparts, which in turn owns Special Metals. But, in a response to Sanders, Buffett said that he would stay out of it. He cited a longstanding Berkshire Hathaway policy of not interfering in how its subsidiaries are run beyond choosing the CEO, in this case Mark Donegan. Buffett said he would pass on Sanders' message but would make no recommendation for how Donegan should proceed. "He is responsible for his business," Buffett wrote. Sanders responded on Friday by saying Buffett was not living up to his conviction that the US needs to reduce wealth inequality, and also noting his huge wealth. Sanders wrote: "Warren Buffett is a billionaire worth over $100 BILLION with a tax rate of just 0.10%. Story continues "He's spoken eloquently on the crisis of growing inequality. But why doesn't he want to make sure the steelworkers of Special Metals are treated with dignity and respect?" Sanders did not address Buffett's stated reason that he wouldn't intervene because of Berkshire Hathaway's ownership style. The 0.1% tax rate Sanders cited was reported in June by ProPublica as part of an investigation into how the super-wealthy avoid tax. Per its calculations, the $27.3 million tax he paid on his personal income between 2014 and 2018 was only 0.1% of the amount his total wealth grew in the same period, some $24.3 billion. As Insider's Theron Mohammed reported at the time, Buffett's increases in net worth do not attract tax because they mostly come in the form of Berkshire Hathaway stock gaining value. The company doesn't pay dividends and instead reinvests, which does not attract tax. Buffett defended the arrangement by noting that most of his wealth is due to eventually be given away. Buffett has pledged 99% of his net worth to philanthropy. According to Newsweek, he said the money "will be of more use to society if disbursed philanthropically than if it is used to slightly reduce an ever-increasing US debt" via taxes. Read the original article on Business Insider The Caledonia Fire Department, like nearly all publicly funded fire and rescue operations, is not allowed to refuse service to someone who calls the department. Thats part of why call volume to senior care facilities has gone through the roof since 2018, Fire Chief Jeffrey Henningfeld said at a Dec. 6 Caledonia Village Board meeting. In 2018, calls to the multibuilding Parkview Senior-Living Community totaled 201. This year, through Dec. 15, it was 451. Older people tend to have an increased need for emergency medical services, especially when they remain independent longer. Its not just Parkview. Its all of our senior living facilities, Henningfeld said. Its not that were complaining about it, it just is that way. Were trying to meet the needs of the community and the needs are increasing. Theres a myriad of reasons why. States aging population The Caledonia Fire Department answered 2,964 calls last year and answered approximately 3,170 calls this year. For the most part, responses to senior living facilities increased. The Siena Retreat Center campus called for CFD assistance 50 times in 2020 and 82 times in 2021. Frontidas Willowgreen Home assisted living facility saw its calls climb from 49 in 2020 to 75 in 2021. The Woods of Caledonia retirement community decreased its number of calls from 107 to 80 in those same years. More calls means more costs for the CFD, and thus more costs to taxpayers, especially when Medicare and Medicaid dont always pay enough to cover the costs of each individual call. Henningfeld said he fears the communitys needs may not be met if the department loses staffing, and personnel wants to be able to continue to serve the community at its current staffing numbers. Regardless of the numbers themselves, Wisconsins population is aging fast, and the numbers of medical professionals in the state is not growing at the same rate. According to a report from the Wisconsin Hospitals Association: From 2017 to 2032, the U.S. population under age 18 is projected to grow by only 3.5%, while the population aged 65 and over is projected to grow by 48%, and the population aged 75 and older is projected to grow by a staggering 75.3%. These trends will likely hold true in Wisconsin. According to state data, as of 2015, more than one-fifth of the populations of all but nine of Wisconsins counties were age 60 and older, and no countys populations was more than two-fifths comprised of those 60 and over. By 2030, projections show that every Wisconsin countys population is to be at least 20% people who are 60 and older, and 10 counties (all of them in central or northern Wisconsin) are to have 40% of their populations age 60 or older. Racine, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant Cynthia White, division chief of professional standards, health and safety for the Racine Fire Department, said the department hasnt seen anything in senior living responses as significant as Caledonia, but perhaps some slight increases. In 2020, calls to Home Harbor were 49 and in 2021 to date, they were 61. Calls to Prospect Heights Community Living decreased from 26 in 2020 to 22 in 2021. Calls to The Villa at Lincoln Park doubled, from 53 to 106 during those same years. She said the numbers may not entirely reflect seniors need for medical attention or EMS, however, because in 2020, most senior living facilities were locked down and didnt allow visitors, including emergency personnel. We werent at the facilities at all because they werent allowing people there, White said. We usually are going into some of their rooms. We didnt do that. We werent going, they werent calling. Calls just kind of everybody disappeared. Randy Marvin, co-owner of Prospect Heights along with his wife, Elizabeth, said he and other Prospect staff members dont call EMS unless someone has a more serious condition. Residents who need to go to prompt care will be transported via a private ambulance service. If an ambulance company is estimating a long wait time, staff will call another company. Then if no one can come, thats when EMS is called. Prospect staff also do their own transport. Marvin said the residential facility can house up to 52 people, but the population is down to 46, which is a bit of a decrease from last year, and could contribute to there being fewer fire department calls. Our residents all have their own doctors, their own appointments. We keep them all in good health, Marvin said. We dont have any major dramas where we cant take care of them ourselves. Weve been here for 20 years and we know what were doing here. Weve got things down to a science. Chief Robert Stedman of the South Shore Fire Department said EMS calls in total have actually been down compared to a year ago; they total 81.4% of the departments calls this year compared to 83% of the calls last year. The total call volume has increased by 15% from 2020 to 2021 and the department that serves Mount Pleasant, Sturtevant and Elmwood Park receives about 68% more calls than Caledonia. He said a lot of department calls for senior citizens are to single-family homes, apartments and condominiums as well, not necessarily only senior living facilities. Michael Wienke, a South Shore battalion chief, shift commander and EMS supervisor, said the department experienced an increase in call volumes from 2018-2021 as well, but the numbers appear to be linked to an increase in traffic, development, residential growth and population not senior living centers specifically. In 2020, the department had 4,613 responses to calls. In 2021, the department is on pace to respond to 5,305 calls. Calls to Ridgewood Care Center went from 82 in 2020 to 99 in 2021. Across that same span: calls to Killarney Kourt retirement home increased from 73 to 93, Fountain Hills senior apartments calls decreased from 70 to 58, and Pleasant Point Senior Living calls held steady from 120 to 119 in those same years. However, from 2019 to this year so far, Pleasant Points total has more than tripled, from 39 to 119. Jim Tarantino, founder and principal of Capri Communities, the company that operates Killarney Kourt, said the increase in EMS calls could be due to the fact the population is aging. It mainly has to do with their health conditions and theyre getting older, Tarantino said. Their needs are higher. His company has locations in the Madison area as well as southeastern Wisconsin and staff has reported situations where ambulances cant arrive for pickups for hours or will altogether refuse transport. Some senior living facilities have said private ambulances cant come until the next day. Some hospitals will refuse to admit patients. Tarantino said hes gotten very low amounts of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (the CARES Act) money to help with the labor shortage and COVID-19-related expenses. His staff is getting burnt out too. Were really struggling from a financial standpoint because we dont have any support, Tarantino said. Ive contacted government officials and I have yet to see any material responses. The government, frankly, is turning its back on us. Its very disheartening. West end Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company Fire Chief Justin Lyman said he, too, has felt an increase in the number of calls to senior facilities. He said he cant think of many reasons the department would refuse to take calls to such facilities. Theres only a few small senior homes in the Town of Norway, he said, but the senior population is growing. We understand that different facilities offer different levels of medical care. When they run into a situation that is outside of their scope of practice, thats where we are able to step in as a resource, Lyman said in an email. It certainly seems most of the construction recently, on the west end, has been senior based. Kansasville Fire and Rescue Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ron Molnar said department calls to senior living facilities havent spiked or skyrocketed they might have a slight increase, but nothing astronomical. The only senior living facility within Kansasville Fire and Rescues district is Boland Hall, a residential building on the campus of the Wisconsin Veterans Home in Union Grove, located in the Town of Dover. The department has one ambulance. If theres a second call at the same time the department is responding to a first call, it relies on mutual aid. Over the past several years, the number of calls have remained steady, he said. This is true even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said didnt affect the data. Its not COVID-related, whatsoever, Molnar said. People have chronic health conditions or are generally sick that need to go to the hospital. Ambulance series Part 1: Racine County has long been facing shortages of EMTs. Costs are rising as a result. Part 2: When payment for emergency medical services far undercuts actual costs. Part 3, today: How an aging population is severely driving up demand for taxpayer-funded emergency services. Developer contests Alf McConnell, developer of the Parkview Senior-Living Community, one of the largest such facilities in southeastern Wisconsin, said the call numbers for Parkview of 201 in 2018 to 451 in 2021 seemed unrealistically high, and claimed the data may be incorrect. Somebodys made a mistake, I think, McConnell said. McConnell doesnt keep data internally of the number of times someone at Parkview requests assistance from the Caledonia Fire Department, but he said he hasnt noticed an increase of calls. Its not that often. Its not like were seeing a line of ambulances lined up at the front door, McConnell said. (But) I cant say theres been a decrease either. That implies that Im standing there keeping track of ambulances that come there, and thats not the case. The Caledonia Fire Department, like nearly all publicly funded fire and rescue operations, is not allowed to refuse service to someone who calls the department. Thats part of why call volume to senior care facilities has gone through the roof since 2018, Fire Chief Jeffrey Henningfeld said at a Dec. 6 Caledonia Village Board meeting. In 2018, calls to the multibuilding Parkview Senior-Living Community totaled 201. This year, through Dec. 15, it was 451. Older people tend to have an increased need for emergency medical services, especially when they remain independent longer. Its not just Parkview. Its all of our senior living facilities, Henningfeld said. Its not that were complaining about it, it just is that way. Were trying to meet the needs of the community and the needs are increasing. Theres a myriad of reasons why. States aging population The Caledonia Fire Department answered 2,964 calls last year and answered approximately 3,170 calls this year. For the most part, responses to senior living facilities increased. The Siena Retreat Center campus called for CFD assistance 50 times in 2020 and 82 times in 2021. Frontidas Willowgreen Home assisted living facility saw its calls climb from 49 in 2020 to 75 in 2021. The Woods of Caledonia retirement community decreased its number of calls from 107 to 80 in those same years. More calls means more costs for the CFD, and thus more costs to taxpayers, especially when Medicare and Medicaid dont always pay enough to cover the costs of each individual call. Henningfeld said he fears the communitys needs may not be met if the department loses staffing, and personnel wants to be able to continue to serve the community at its current staffing numbers. Regardless of the numbers themselves, Wisconsins population is aging fast, and the numbers of medical professionals in the state is not growing at the same rate. According to a report from the Wisconsin Hospitals Association: From 2017 to 2032, the U.S. population under age 18 is projected to grow by only 3.5%, while the population aged 65 and over is projected to grow by 48%, and the population aged 75 and older is projected to grow by a staggering 75.3%. These trends will likely hold true in Wisconsin. According to state data, as of 2015, more than one-fifth of the populations of all but nine of Wisconsins counties were age 60 and older, and no countys populations was more than two-fifths comprised of those 60 and over. By 2030, projections show that every Wisconsin countys population is to be at least 20% people who are 60 and older, and 10 counties (all of them in central or northern Wisconsin) are to have 40% of their populations age 60 or older. Racine, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant Cynthia White, division chief of professional standards, health and safety for the Racine Fire Department, said the department hasnt seen anything in senior living responses as significant as Caledonia, but perhaps some slight increases. In 2020, calls to Home Harbor were 49 and in 2021 to date, they were 61. Calls to Prospect Heights Community Living decreased from 26 in 2020 to 22 in 2021. Calls to The Villa at Lincoln Park doubled, from 53 to 106 during those same years. She said the numbers may not entirely reflect seniors need for medical attention or EMS, however, because in 2020, most senior living facilities were locked down and didnt allow visitors, including emergency personnel. We werent at the facilities at all because they werent allowing people there, White said. We usually are going into some of their rooms. We didnt do that. We werent going, they werent calling. Calls just kind of everybody disappeared. Randy Marvin, co-owner of Prospect Heights along with his wife, Elizabeth, said he and other Prospect staff members dont call EMS unless someone has a more serious condition. Residents who need to go to prompt care will be transported via a private ambulance service. If an ambulance company is estimating a long wait time, staff will call another company. Then if no one can come, thats when EMS is called. Prospect staff also do their own transport. Marvin said the residential facility can house up to 52 people, but the population is down to 46, which is a bit of a decrease from last year, and could contribute to there being fewer fire department calls. Our residents all have their own doctors, their own appointments. We keep them all in good health, Marvin said. We dont have any major dramas where we cant take care of them ourselves. Weve been here for 20 years and we know what were doing here. Weve got things down to a science. Chief Robert Stedman of the South Shore Fire Department said EMS calls in total have actually been down compared to a year ago; they total 81.4% of the departments calls this year compared to 83% of the calls last year. The total call volume has increased by 15% from 2020 to 2021 and the department that serves Mount Pleasant, Sturtevant and Elmwood Park receives about 68% more calls than Caledonia. He said a lot of department calls for senior citizens are to single-family homes, apartments and condominiums as well, not necessarily only senior living facilities. Michael Wienke, a South Shore battalion chief, shift commander and EMS supervisor, said the department experienced an increase in call volumes from 2018-2021 as well, but the numbers appear to be linked to an increase in traffic, development, residential growth and population not senior living centers specifically. In 2020, the department had 4,613 responses to calls. In 2021, the department is on pace to respond to 5,305 calls. Calls to Ridgewood Care Center went from 82 in 2020 to 99 in 2021. Across that same span: calls to Killarney Kourt retirement home increased from 73 to 93, Fountain Hills senior apartments calls decreased from 70 to 58, and Pleasant Point Senior Living calls held steady from 120 to 119 in those same years. However, from 2019 to this year so far, Pleasant Points total has more than tripled, from 39 to 119. Jim Tarantino, founder and principal of Capri Communities, the company that operates Killarney Kourt, said the increase in EMS calls could be due to the fact the population is aging. It mainly has to do with their health conditions and theyre getting older, Tarantino said. Their needs are higher. His company has locations in the Madison area as well as southeastern Wisconsin and staff has reported situations where ambulances cant arrive for pickups for hours or will altogether refuse transport. Some senior living facilities have said private ambulances cant come until the next day. Some hospitals will refuse to admit patients. Tarantino said hes gotten very low amounts of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (the CARES Act) money to help with the labor shortage and COVID-19-related expenses. His staff is getting burnt out too. Were really struggling from a financial standpoint because we dont have any support, Tarantino said. Ive contacted government officials and I have yet to see any material responses. The government, frankly, is turning its back on us. Its very disheartening. West end Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company Fire Chief Justin Lyman said he, too, has felt an increase in the number of calls to senior facilities. He said he cant think of many reasons the department would refuse to take calls to such facilities. Theres only a few small senior homes in the Town of Norway, he said, but the senior population is growing. We understand that different facilities offer different levels of medical care. When they run into a situation that is outside of their scope of practice, thats where we are able to step in as a resource, Lyman said in an email. It certainly seems most of the construction recently, on the west end, has been senior based. Kansasville Fire and Rescue Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ron Molnar said department calls to senior living facilities havent spiked or skyrocketed they might have a slight increase, but nothing astronomical. The only senior living facility within Kansasville Fire and Rescues district is Boland Hall, a residential building on the campus of the Wisconsin Veterans Home in Union Grove, located in the Town of Dover. The department has one ambulance. If theres a second call at the same time the department is responding to a first call, it relies on mutual aid. Over the past several years, the number of calls have remained steady, he said. This is true even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said didnt affect the data. Its not COVID-related, whatsoever, Molnar said. People have chronic health conditions or are generally sick that need to go to the hospital. Ambulance series Part 1: Racine County has long been facing shortages of EMTs. Costs are rising as a result. Part 2: When payment for emergency medical services far undercuts actual costs. Part 3, today: How an aging population is severely driving up demand for taxpayer-funded emergency services. Developer contests Alf McConnell, developer of the Parkview Senior-Living Community, one of the largest such facilities in southeastern Wisconsin, said the call numbers for Parkview of 201 in 2018 to 451 in 2021 seemed unrealistically high, and claimed the data may be incorrect. Somebodys made a mistake, I think, McConnell said. McConnell doesnt keep data internally of the number of times someone at Parkview requests assistance from the Caledonia Fire Department, but he said he hasnt noticed an increase of calls. Its not that often. Its not like were seeing a line of ambulances lined up at the front door, McConnell said. (But) I cant say theres been a decrease either. That implies that Im standing there keeping track of ambulances that come there, and thats not the case. (Newser) Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper did tequila shots while toasting Betty White during their New Year's Eve broadcast on CNN, but the liquor may have gone a bit to Cohen's head. Minutes after the ball dropped in Times Square, ushering in 2022, Eric Adams was sworn in as New York City's mayor, replacing fellow Dem Bill de Blasio. Cohen seemed excited at the prospect of Adams taking over, as his goodbye message to de Blasio made quite clear. "Do his victory lap dance after four years of the crappiest term as the mayor of New York," Cohen told viewers of de Blasio, per the New York Post, which noted that de Blasio had actually served for eight years as mayor. Cohen continued: "The only thing that Democrats and Republicans can agree on is what a horrible mayor he has been. So, sayonara sucker!" Cooper laughed nervously alongside Cohen and tried to pull him back during his diatribe. "Don't go on a rant," Cooper said at one point, per Insider, which notes a recent poll showing that de Blasio's approval ratings have indeed been abysmal. "That's how you want to start the new year? Wow. Wow." If Cohen had any regrets about his outburst, he wasn't showing it, at least not immediately after the festivities had ended. "GuysI had a ball tonight!" he tweeted around 12:45am local time. (Read more Andy Cohen stories.) The Caledonia Fire Department, like nearly all publicly funded fire and rescue operations, is not allowed to refuse service to someone who calls the department. Thats part of why call volume to senior care facilities has gone through the roof since 2018, Fire Chief Jeffrey Henningfeld said at a Dec. 6 Caledonia Village Board meeting. In 2018, calls to the multibuilding Parkview Senior-Living Community totaled 201. This year, through Dec. 15, it was 451. Older people tend to have an increased need for emergency medical services, especially when they remain independent longer. Its not just Parkview. Its all of our senior living facilities, Henningfeld said. Its not that were complaining about it, it just is that way. Were trying to meet the needs of the community and the needs are increasing. Theres a myriad of reasons why. States aging population The Caledonia Fire Department answered 2,964 calls last year and answered approximately 3,170 calls this year. For the most part, responses to senior living facilities increased. The Siena Retreat Center campus called for CFD assistance 50 times in 2020 and 82 times in 2021. Frontidas Willowgreen Home assisted living facility saw its calls climb from 49 in 2020 to 75 in 2021. The Woods of Caledonia retirement community decreased its number of calls from 107 to 80 in those same years. More calls means more costs for the CFD, and thus more costs to taxpayers, especially when Medicare and Medicaid dont always pay enough to cover the costs of each individual call. Henningfeld said he fears the communitys needs may not be met if the department loses staffing, and personnel wants to be able to continue to serve the community at its current staffing numbers. Regardless of the numbers themselves, Wisconsins population is aging fast, and the numbers of medical professionals in the state is not growing at the same rate. According to a report from the Wisconsin Hospitals Association: From 2017 to 2032, the U.S. population under age 18 is projected to grow by only 3.5%, while the population aged 65 and over is projected to grow by 48%, and the population aged 75 and older is projected to grow by a staggering 75.3%. These trends will likely hold true in Wisconsin. According to state data, as of 2015, more than one-fifth of the populations of all but nine of Wisconsins counties were age 60 and older, and no countys populations was more than two-fifths comprised of those 60 and over. By 2030, projections show that every Wisconsin countys population is to be at least 20% people who are 60 and older, and 10 counties (all of them in central or northern Wisconsin) are to have 40% of their populations age 60 or older. Racine, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant Cynthia White, division chief of professional standards, health and safety for the Racine Fire Department, said the department hasnt seen anything in senior living responses as significant as Caledonia, but perhaps some slight increases. In 2020, calls to Home Harbor were 49 and in 2021 to date, they were 61. Calls to Prospect Heights Community Living decreased from 26 in 2020 to 22 in 2021. Calls to The Villa at Lincoln Park doubled, from 53 to 106 during those same years. She said the numbers may not entirely reflect seniors need for medical attention or EMS, however, because in 2020, most senior living facilities were locked down and didnt allow visitors, including emergency personnel. We werent at the facilities at all because they werent allowing people there, White said. We usually are going into some of their rooms. We didnt do that. We werent going, they werent calling. Calls just kind of everybody disappeared. Randy Marvin, co-owner of Prospect Heights along with his wife, Elizabeth, said he and other Prospect staff members dont call EMS unless someone has a more serious condition. Residents who need to go to prompt care will be transported via a private ambulance service. If an ambulance company is estimating a long wait time, staff will call another company. Then if no one can come, thats when EMS is called. Prospect staff also do their own transport. Marvin said the residential facility can house up to 52 people, but the population is down to 46, which is a bit of a decrease from last year, and could contribute to there being fewer fire department calls. Our residents all have their own doctors, their own appointments. We keep them all in good health, Marvin said. We dont have any major dramas where we cant take care of them ourselves. Weve been here for 20 years and we know what were doing here. Weve got things down to a science. Chief Robert Stedman of the South Shore Fire Department said EMS calls in total have actually been down compared to a year ago; they total 81.4% of the departments calls this year compared to 83% of the calls last year. The total call volume has increased by 15% from 2020 to 2021 and the department that serves Mount Pleasant, Sturtevant and Elmwood Park receives about 68% more calls than Caledonia. He said a lot of department calls for senior citizens are to single-family homes, apartments and condominiums as well, not necessarily only senior living facilities. Michael Wienke, a South Shore battalion chief, shift commander and EMS supervisor, said the department experienced an increase in call volumes from 2018-2021 as well, but the numbers appear to be linked to an increase in traffic, development, residential growth and population not senior living centers specifically. In 2020, the department had 4,613 responses to calls. In 2021, the department is on pace to respond to 5,305 calls. Calls to Ridgewood Care Center went from 82 in 2020 to 99 in 2021. Across that same span: calls to Killarney Kourt retirement home increased from 73 to 93, Fountain Hills senior apartments calls decreased from 70 to 58, and Pleasant Point Senior Living calls held steady from 120 to 119 in those same years. However, from 2019 to this year so far, Pleasant Points total has more than tripled, from 39 to 119. Jim Tarantino, founder and principal of Capri Communities, the company that operates Killarney Kourt, said the increase in EMS calls could be due to the fact the population is aging. It mainly has to do with their health conditions and theyre getting older, Tarantino said. Their needs are higher. His company has locations in the Madison area as well as southeastern Wisconsin and staff has reported situations where ambulances cant arrive for pickups for hours or will altogether refuse transport. Some senior living facilities have said private ambulances cant come until the next day. Some hospitals will refuse to admit patients. Tarantino said hes gotten very low amounts of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (the CARES Act) money to help with the labor shortage and COVID-19-related expenses. His staff is getting burnt out too. Were really struggling from a financial standpoint because we dont have any support, Tarantino said. Ive contacted government officials and I have yet to see any material responses. The government, frankly, is turning its back on us. Its very disheartening. West end Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company Fire Chief Justin Lyman said he, too, has felt an increase in the number of calls to senior facilities. He said he cant think of many reasons the department would refuse to take calls to such facilities. Theres only a few small senior homes in the Town of Norway, he said, but the senior population is growing. We understand that different facilities offer different levels of medical care. When they run into a situation that is outside of their scope of practice, thats where we are able to step in as a resource, Lyman said in an email. It certainly seems most of the construction recently, on the west end, has been senior based. Kansasville Fire and Rescue Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ron Molnar said department calls to senior living facilities havent spiked or skyrocketed they might have a slight increase, but nothing astronomical. The only senior living facility within Kansasville Fire and Rescues district is Boland Hall, a residential building on the campus of the Wisconsin Veterans Home in Union Grove, located in the Town of Dover. The department has one ambulance. If theres a second call at the same time the department is responding to a first call, it relies on mutual aid. Over the past several years, the number of calls have remained steady, he said. This is true even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said didnt affect the data. Its not COVID-related, whatsoever, Molnar said. People have chronic health conditions or are generally sick that need to go to the hospital. Ambulance series Part 1: Racine County has long been facing shortages of EMTs. Costs are rising as a result. Part 2: When payment for emergency medical services far undercuts actual costs. Part 3, today: How an aging population is severely driving up demand for taxpayer-funded emergency services. Developer contests Alf McConnell, developer of the Parkview Senior-Living Community, one of the largest such facilities in southeastern Wisconsin, said the call numbers for Parkview of 201 in 2018 to 451 in 2021 seemed unrealistically high, and claimed the data may be incorrect. Somebodys made a mistake, I think, McConnell said. McConnell doesnt keep data internally of the number of times someone at Parkview requests assistance from the Caledonia Fire Department, but he said he hasnt noticed an increase of calls. Its not that often. Its not like were seeing a line of ambulances lined up at the front door, McConnell said. (But) I cant say theres been a decrease either. That implies that Im standing there keeping track of ambulances that come there, and thats not the case. The Caledonia Fire Department, like nearly all publicly funded fire and rescue operations, is not allowed to refuse service to someone who calls the department. Thats part of why call volume to senior care facilities has gone through the roof since 2018, Fire Chief Jeffrey Henningfeld said at a Dec. 6 Caledonia Village Board meeting. In 2018, calls to the multibuilding Parkview Senior-Living Community totaled 201. This year, through Dec. 15, it was 451. Older people tend to have an increased need for emergency medical services, especially when they remain independent longer. Its not just Parkview. Its all of our senior living facilities, Henningfeld said. Its not that were complaining about it, it just is that way. Were trying to meet the needs of the community and the needs are increasing. Theres a myriad of reasons why. States aging population The Caledonia Fire Department answered 2,964 calls last year and answered approximately 3,170 calls this year. For the most part, responses to senior living facilities increased. The Siena Retreat Center campus called for CFD assistance 50 times in 2020 and 82 times in 2021. Frontidas Willowgreen Home assisted living facility saw its calls climb from 49 in 2020 to 75 in 2021. The Woods of Caledonia retirement community decreased its number of calls from 107 to 80 in those same years. More calls means more costs for the CFD, and thus more costs to taxpayers, especially when Medicare and Medicaid dont always pay enough to cover the costs of each individual call. Henningfeld said he fears the communitys needs may not be met if the department loses staffing, and personnel wants to be able to continue to serve the community at its current staffing numbers. Regardless of the numbers themselves, Wisconsins population is aging fast, and the numbers of medical professionals in the state is not growing at the same rate. According to a report from the Wisconsin Hospitals Association: From 2017 to 2032, the U.S. population under age 18 is projected to grow by only 3.5%, while the population aged 65 and over is projected to grow by 48%, and the population aged 75 and older is projected to grow by a staggering 75.3%. These trends will likely hold true in Wisconsin. According to state data, as of 2015, more than one-fifth of the populations of all but nine of Wisconsins counties were age 60 and older, and no countys populations was more than two-fifths comprised of those 60 and over. By 2030, projections show that every Wisconsin countys population is to be at least 20% people who are 60 and older, and 10 counties (all of them in central or northern Wisconsin) are to have 40% of their populations age 60 or older. Racine, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant Cynthia White, division chief of professional standards, health and safety for the Racine Fire Department, said the department hasnt seen anything in senior living responses as significant as Caledonia, but perhaps some slight increases. In 2020, calls to Home Harbor were 49 and in 2021 to date, they were 61. Calls to Prospect Heights Community Living decreased from 26 in 2020 to 22 in 2021. Calls to The Villa at Lincoln Park doubled, from 53 to 106 during those same years. She said the numbers may not entirely reflect seniors need for medical attention or EMS, however, because in 2020, most senior living facilities were locked down and didnt allow visitors, including emergency personnel. We werent at the facilities at all because they werent allowing people there, White said. We usually are going into some of their rooms. We didnt do that. We werent going, they werent calling. Calls just kind of everybody disappeared. Randy Marvin, co-owner of Prospect Heights along with his wife, Elizabeth, said he and other Prospect staff members dont call EMS unless someone has a more serious condition. Residents who need to go to prompt care will be transported via a private ambulance service. If an ambulance company is estimating a long wait time, staff will call another company. Then if no one can come, thats when EMS is called. Prospect staff also do their own transport. Marvin said the residential facility can house up to 52 people, but the population is down to 46, which is a bit of a decrease from last year, and could contribute to there being fewer fire department calls. Our residents all have their own doctors, their own appointments. We keep them all in good health, Marvin said. We dont have any major dramas where we cant take care of them ourselves. Weve been here for 20 years and we know what were doing here. Weve got things down to a science. Chief Robert Stedman of the South Shore Fire Department said EMS calls in total have actually been down compared to a year ago; they total 81.4% of the departments calls this year compared to 83% of the calls last year. The total call volume has increased by 15% from 2020 to 2021 and the department that serves Mount Pleasant, Sturtevant and Elmwood Park receives about 68% more calls than Caledonia. He said a lot of department calls for senior citizens are to single-family homes, apartments and condominiums as well, not necessarily only senior living facilities. Michael Wienke, a South Shore battalion chief, shift commander and EMS supervisor, said the department experienced an increase in call volumes from 2018-2021 as well, but the numbers appear to be linked to an increase in traffic, development, residential growth and population not senior living centers specifically. In 2020, the department had 4,613 responses to calls. In 2021, the department is on pace to respond to 5,305 calls. Calls to Ridgewood Care Center went from 82 in 2020 to 99 in 2021. Across that same span: calls to Killarney Kourt retirement home increased from 73 to 93, Fountain Hills senior apartments calls decreased from 70 to 58, and Pleasant Point Senior Living calls held steady from 120 to 119 in those same years. However, from 2019 to this year so far, Pleasant Points total has more than tripled, from 39 to 119. Jim Tarantino, founder and principal of Capri Communities, the company that operates Killarney Kourt, said the increase in EMS calls could be due to the fact the population is aging. It mainly has to do with their health conditions and theyre getting older, Tarantino said. Their needs are higher. His company has locations in the Madison area as well as southeastern Wisconsin and staff has reported situations where ambulances cant arrive for pickups for hours or will altogether refuse transport. Some senior living facilities have said private ambulances cant come until the next day. Some hospitals will refuse to admit patients. Tarantino said hes gotten very low amounts of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (the CARES Act) money to help with the labor shortage and COVID-19-related expenses. His staff is getting burnt out too. Were really struggling from a financial standpoint because we dont have any support, Tarantino said. Ive contacted government officials and I have yet to see any material responses. The government, frankly, is turning its back on us. Its very disheartening. West end Wind Lake Volunteer Fire Company Fire Chief Justin Lyman said he, too, has felt an increase in the number of calls to senior facilities. He said he cant think of many reasons the department would refuse to take calls to such facilities. Theres only a few small senior homes in the Town of Norway, he said, but the senior population is growing. We understand that different facilities offer different levels of medical care. When they run into a situation that is outside of their scope of practice, thats where we are able to step in as a resource, Lyman said in an email. It certainly seems most of the construction recently, on the west end, has been senior based. Kansasville Fire and Rescue Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ron Molnar said department calls to senior living facilities havent spiked or skyrocketed they might have a slight increase, but nothing astronomical. The only senior living facility within Kansasville Fire and Rescues district is Boland Hall, a residential building on the campus of the Wisconsin Veterans Home in Union Grove, located in the Town of Dover. The department has one ambulance. If theres a second call at the same time the department is responding to a first call, it relies on mutual aid. Over the past several years, the number of calls have remained steady, he said. This is true even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said didnt affect the data. Its not COVID-related, whatsoever, Molnar said. People have chronic health conditions or are generally sick that need to go to the hospital. Ambulance series Part 1: Racine County has long been facing shortages of EMTs. Costs are rising as a result. Part 2: When payment for emergency medical services far undercuts actual costs. Part 3, today: How an aging population is severely driving up demand for taxpayer-funded emergency services. Developer contests Alf McConnell, developer of the Parkview Senior-Living Community, one of the largest such facilities in southeastern Wisconsin, said the call numbers for Parkview of 201 in 2018 to 451 in 2021 seemed unrealistically high, and claimed the data may be incorrect. Somebodys made a mistake, I think, McConnell said. McConnell doesnt keep data internally of the number of times someone at Parkview requests assistance from the Caledonia Fire Department, but he said he hasnt noticed an increase of calls. Its not that often. Its not like were seeing a line of ambulances lined up at the front door, McConnell said. (But) I cant say theres been a decrease either. That implies that Im standing there keeping track of ambulances that come there, and thats not the case. The breeding of fur animals has been outlawed for good throughout Italy thanks to a vote last week in the Budget Committee of the Italian Senate. In addition, the ten still existing mink fur farms, five of which are without animals due to the Covid-19 pandemic, will have to shut down by the end of June. Official approval by the Italian parliament of the Senate decisions is expected this week. Animal rights campaigners in Italy rejoiced and have described the vote a dream come true. The legislation followed a report, published just last month by the animal protection organization Humane Society International/Europe, entitled Mink breeding in Italy: Mapping and future perspectives, which offered a clear picture of the present situation in Italy. According to the report, Italy had a flurishing fur industry with 125 farms breeding minks, foxes and chinchillas in the early 90s, and hundreds of thousand of animals were being killed every year. Since then, the situation has greatly changed, thanks to animal rights associations which have been raising awareness for decades about these cruel activities. The fur market has lost ground throughout the world and in Italy in 2015 more than 90 percent of those questioned declared themselves opposed to fur breeding. A historic victory for animal rights Many big names of the fashion world including Valentino, Armani, Versace, Prada and Furla have already stopped using fur in their designs and at their shows. This is a historic victory for animal protection in Italy, Humane Society International Italy director Martina Pluda said in a statement. The vote recognizes that allowing the mass breeding of wild animals for frivolous fur fashion represents a risk to both animals and people that can't be justified by the limited economic benefits it offers to a small minority of people involved in this cruel industry. Michela Vittoria Brambilla, President of Italy's Parliamentary Intergroup for Animal Rights and of the Italian League for the Defence of Animals and the Environment, was also thrilled. In a statement, they said: In thirty years of animal rights battles this is the best victory. Finally, a parliamentary vote sanctions the end of unspeakable suffering inflicted on animals in the name of profit and vanity. Italy's Ministry of Agriculture has earmarked 3 million euros to compensate farmers affected by the fur ban. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe The world ushered in 2022 on Saturday with scaled-back celebrations due to new restrictions aimed at slowing soaring Covid cases -- although hope remained for a better new year. New York revived its New Year's Eve ball drop in Times Square in limited form, Paris nixed its fireworks show over rising Omicron cases and London's pyrotechnic display was broadcast on TV to discourage crowds. The past 12 months saw a new US president and a fresh Adele album, the first spectator-free Olympics, and dreams of democracy from Afghanistan to Sudan and Hong Kong crushed by authoritarian regimes. Fireworks light up the sky over the Kremlin during the New Year's celebrations in Red Square, Moscow. By Dimitar DILKOFF (AFP) But the pandemic -- now entering its third year -- still dominated. More than 5.4 million people have died since the coronavirus was first reported in central China in December 2019. Countless more have been sickened or subjected to lockdowns and virus tests. The year 2021 started with hope as life-saving vaccines reached around 60 percent of the world's population, although many of the poor still had limited access while others refused to receive a shot. Fireworks are seen early on New Year's Day in front of the Alps mountains' Northern Range (Nordkette) near Innsbruck, Austria. By Christof STACHE (AFP) As the year drew to a close, the emergence of the Omicron variant pushed the number of daily new Covid-19 cases past one million for the first time, according to an AFP tally. France on Friday became the latest country to announce Omicron was now its dominant coronavirus strain. In Britain, the United States and even Australia -- long a refuge from the pandemic -- the variant's prominence is driving record numbers of new cases. To party, or not? New York brought back to life its annual New Year's Eve ball drop in Times Square after skipping the event last year over rising infections. A couple kisses on the Champs-Elysees Avenue in Paris to ring in 2022. By Martin BUREAU (AFP) But the scaled-down event welcomed fewer revelers than in previous years, with about 15,000 people -- all required to show proof of vaccination -- allowed in. One couple had traveled all the may from Memphis in the southern state of Tennessee to attend the festivities. "This is a dream of ours. This is one of our bucket lists to see the ball drop on New Year's, and we got vaccinated because of this," Chroni Stokes told AFP. "We weren't going to get vaccinated at first, but we read the CDC and the guidelines and so we got vaccinated just to come to this." Fireworks light up the sky over Sydney's Harbour Bridge and Opera House to usher in the new year. By DAVID GRAY (AFP) Elsewhere, from Seoul to San Francisco, celebrations were again canceled or curtailed in the face of the infection surge. In Madrid's Puerta del Sol about 7,000 people -- half the usual capacity -- rang in the new year by eating grapes, one for each time the clock chimed up to 12. Dubai went ahead with its celebrations undeterred, with 36 firework displays at 29 locations. But authorities warned they would fine anyone in attendance not wearing a mask. New Year's Eve fireworks erupt over the Chao Praya River in Bangkok. By Lillian SUWANRUMPHA (AFP) Police officers patrolled the Champs-Elysees in Paris, which was lit with glittering red lights and festooned with "2022" balloons, also on the lookout for people without masks. Most people were simply asked to wear one, but some who argued were fined. "It is constraining to put on the mask... but it's no problem" to follow the rule, said Antoine Pham, smiling. The 38-year-old and his partner had come from Belgium to Paris for the evening. In Sydney, which normally bills itself as the "New Year's Eve capital of the world", the vast harbor where people gather to watch the city's fireworks was notably uncrowded. People visit Kanda Myojin Shrine to offer New Year prayers in Tokyo. By Kazuhiro NOGI (AFP) With tourists still unable to enter the country and many residents fearful of the rapid spread of Omicron, tens of thousands were estimated to have attended, rather than the usual one million-plus. Still, the city saw in New Year's Eve with a bang -- igniting six tonnes of technicolored fireworks that lit up the Opera House and floating barges. "I'm just trying to focus on the positive things that happened this year," 22-year-old medical student Melinda Howard told AFP ahead of the show. Police officers disperse a crowd as they celebrate New Year in Hong Kong's Lan Kwai Fong. By Bertha WANG (AFP) In Tunis, authorities cited a rise in virus cases for the last-minute cancellation of festivities. In contrast, South Africa -- the first country to report Omicron back in November -- lifted a curfew late Thursday to allow festivities to go ahead. A new-year tragedy struck in India, where at least 12 people died and 13 were injured in a stampede at a religious shrine during Saturday's early hours. Pilgrims had gathered to offer new year prayers, officials said. 'Kiss and cuddle' In Rio, celebrations on Copacabana Beach went ahead in a scaled-back format, although crowds still arrived at the traditional party spot. Sikh devotees take a dip during the last sunset of 2021 on the eve of New Year 2022 at India's Golden Temple. By NARINDER NANU (AFP) After last year's festivities were canceled due to Covid, it was a comparatively muted return. A ban on musical performances, traffic and public transport made for a more measured atmosphere on the city's famed beach. "I was expecting many more people, and stress, but it's calm, I like it," said Colombian neuroscientist Alejandra Luna, 28, whose hope for 2022 is to "kiss and cuddle without thinking much about it". In Mexico City, authorities canceled a number of mass outdoor events, including a music concert on one of the capital's main boulevards, following an increase in coronavirus cases. Trying times Fireforks explode over the Acropolis in Athens during the New Year celebrations. By Louisa GOULIAMAKI (AFP) The World Health Organization has warned of trying times ahead, saying Omicron could lead to "a tsunami of cases". Many Western leaders have been hesitant to reimpose the strict controls seen in 2020, for fear of sparking a new economic downturn. But on-again-off-again restrictions have still prompted frequent, vocal and occasionally violent anti-lockdown, anti-vaccine and anti-government protests. US President Joe Biden urged unity for the new year in a video message, during which he also praised "extraordinary" Americans. Hope remains that 2022 may bring a new, less deadly phase of the pandemic. "Hopefully 2022 is going to be better for everyone," said 31-year-old reveler Oscar Ramirez in Sydney. "Everyone in the world needs a big change." SRINAGAR, Kashmir At least 12 people were killed and more than a dozen were injured in a stampede early Saturday near the city of Jammu in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir, as thousands of devotees were paying obeisance at a famous Hindu shrine to mark the beginning of the new year. Hundreds of people were packed inside a corridor of the shrine, Mata Vaishno Devi, in the hilly town of Katra, when at about 2:30 a.m. a clash broke out outside, leading to the stampede, police officials said. Dilbag Singh, the top police officer of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, which contains Katra, said that officers had been quick to respond to emergency calls but that the damage was already done. EIR LEAD EDITORIAL FOR SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 2022 Helga Zepp-LaRouche: Message for the New Year Dec. 31, 2021 (EIRNS)This coming year is going to be one in which a lot of very crucial strategic issues will come to a head, where humanity is being confronted with choosing a path; a path to either solutions which will bring mankind into a New Paradigm, or a path to Hell. That is why I want to officially declare 2022 the year of my late husband, Lyndon LaRouche, because it is his 100th birthday. There is no more adequate way to celebrate this great man and the incredible richness of the works he had produced, than to declare 2022 the year of Lyndon LaRouche. I already can promise that we will conduct many meetings, conferences, and seminars. We will publish the second volume of his collected worksthat is, by the LaRouche Legacy Foundation. We will make everything possible that the solution which Lyndon LaRouche offered to the strategic situation, to the economic crisis, to the cultural crisis; that these solutions will be on the table for every responsible government and parliament around the world to consider. I think this will be a very fruitful endeavor, so I invite all of you to join with us in the celebration of Lyndon LaRouche for the entire year. Having said that, I think that the situation around the US-Russia strategic crisis is still one of incredible danger, because this has been building up for more than 30 years, since the end of the Soviet Union. It has now reached a point where a solution has to occur. President Putin has responded to the endless series of provocations coming from NATO, by demanding legally binding treaties which will guarantee the security of Russia. Not only was this the subject of discussion between Presidents Biden and Putin in the discussion they just had yesterday, but it will be the issue of discussion on January 9th and 10th in Geneva between the United States and Russia for two days. Then on January 12th, it will be discussed in Brussels between NATO and Russia, and then on the 13th, it will be a discussion among the OSCE in Vienna. That is the framework where results have to be produced. Both President Putin and Foreign Minister Lavrov have said clearly that they will not agree anymore to just have long talks which will be then used in the meantime to build up the weapons systems along the Russian border in Ukraine, the Baltics, and other states. They want written, legally binding guarantees, having in mind that there has been a long history of deception on the side of NATO. I think this is something every concerned citizen, patriot, world citizen should be on the side of demanding that these treaties must be signed, because any continuous escalation has the danger of leading to nuclear war. Given the fact that the head of the US Strategic Command, Admiral Richard, had already in February instructed the Pentagon to requalify the likelihood of nuclear war from not likely to very likely. Naturally, the situation between the United States and China also is similarly tense. Therefore, we should really mobilize all to create an environment where the world returns to reason. We need a completely new security architecture; namely, what was on the table in 1990 and 91, where the option existed to include Russia into NATO, or to abandon NATO and create a completely new security architecture. That should be emphatically on the table for this coming year, and that security architecture must also take into account the security interests of Russia and China for it to be a valid one. There is the danger, and Foreign Minister Lavrov has warned again that if there would be the option to have provocations, basically done by private military agencies in East Ukraine, or anything like that, that this will find a very harsh response. Putin has said very clearly there is no longer the question of Russia drawing red lines. Russia has been pushed into a situation where they have no more room to go. That is why this is a point of no return, and a solution must be found; which really means humanity has to go back to being the reasonable species and not continuing a course of confrontation which threatens the extinction of the entire human species Lawless R. Turner was not a big fan of kombucha, but he liked a similar drink, jun, when he tried it. After experimenting with flavors on his own mixes of fruit and botanicals, he launched JunMagnolia in 2020. Currently he offers the bottled fermented beverage at farmers markets at Coffee Science and the Holy Cross Neighborhood Farmers Market, which he hosts (though it is on hiatus until March). He also does occasional pop-ups at Old Road Coffee, Park Island Coffee and Southern Food & Beverage Museum and will be at the art bazaar at Zony Mash Beer Project on Jan. 22. A few bars offer JunMagnolia as a nonalcoholic option as well as a mixer in cocktails. Turner has a background advising small businesses on development, and he worked with nonprofits and for the city of New Orleans. He also learned about the food industry from his father, Karl Turner, who owns the seafood distribution company A La Carte Specialty Foods. Lawless Turner is looking to develop his business in order to put JunMagnolia on grocery store shelves. Find more information about JunMagnolia on Instagram, @jun.magnolia. Gambit: How did you get interested in jun? Lawless R. Turner: I used to work for a subcontractor for Entergy. I would wear a hard hat and a vest for 12 hours, even in the summertime it was so hot. I used to say, Man, I want to start a business. Its hot in New Orleans, so why not a beverage business? My girlfriend is a big kombucha drinker. She introduced it to my household. I realized I dont really like the taste of kombucha, which is odd because I am in that space (now). I went to the grocery store one day and picked up a brand out of Colorado called Wild Tonic. I tried it because it looked different. Jun is different. Its like kombucha, except its more bubbly and sweeter. I started researching it online. Jun is called the champagne of kombucha nationally because it is more palatable. Its more effervescent. I started making jun just because I liked it. Jun is a cousin to kombucha. What makes it different is that jun has its own mother. Mother is the symbiotic colony its called a SCOBY, symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. It only grows in green tea and honey. Whereas kombucha is fermented in black tea and sugar. Off the top, I was like, I like this because of the honey. Technically, I am not selling kombucha. Gambit: How did you develop flavors for JunMagnolia? Turner: I made the Lemongrass Ginger flavor for the first time somewhere around Jazz Fest (2018). I was just giving it to friends who came by. They liked it and I was like, Yo, I think I am on to something. It took some tinkering with the chemistry. Temperature matters. Days of fermentation matters. The amount of honey and green tea matters. It took a year and a half to come down to the three flavors: Lemongrass Ginger, Blackberry Lavender and Blueberry Mint. I started off in my home kitchen. Between 2018 and early 2020, it was just experimenting. Id write down my quantities and notes about whether it was too tangy or too sweet. I am still learning today. I finish the product now in a keg, which allows me to put the keg in a cooler at 40 degrees and let it ferment for about three weeks. That allows a natural fermentation, so it isnt forced carbonation. A lot of companies force the carbonation into it. I first started selling it in June 2020. I started selling it at Old Road Coffee. It was the weekend of Juneteenth it was a huge Juneteenth celebration. It was Louisianas first Juneteenth holiday. I thought it would be cool to do it that same weekend, so my first pop-up was June 20, 2020. I had a pop-up table and my bottles. I invited friends to come and support. That day I sold at least five cases. In 2022, I am coming out with some seasonal flavors. Strawberry Rose is going to come out during strawberry season in April and May. I like the idea of selling seasonal brew. Cherries are in season in July and August, so Ill come out with a seasonal Cherry Hibiscus in summer. Mukbang serves Viet-Cajun-style boiled seafood on Oak Street 'The idea was for people to dive right in, eat with their hands and slurp all the good buttery sauce from the seafood.' Gambit: Whats next for JunMagnolia? Turner: At this time, I want to bring Jun Magnolia into grocery stores. I need to get a wholesale distribution license from the state. I am still looking for commercial space thats FDA-approved. I really want to pursue the nonalcoholic side of the beverage industry. I think there is a market for nonalcoholic options at bars. I have sold a couple half gallons to bars in the Marigny area. They all want me to sell them a keg, but I cant sell them a keg. People go to bars and want nonalcoholic options. I want to focus on the mocktail market. Theres a huge customer base that is looking for something healthy. My motto is Bloom where you are. I want to support resilience. You never know what people are going through. This product is a healing product. Its probiotic. It helps to fight inflammation. For me, its an opportunity to support the people here. Lawless R. Turner was not a big fan of kombucha, but he liked a similar drink, jun, when he tried it. After experimenting with flavors on his own mixes of fruit and botanicals, he launched JunMagnolia in 2020. Currently he offers the bottled fermented beverage at farmers markets at Coffee Science and the Holy Cross Neighborhood Farmers Market, which he hosts (though it is on hiatus until March). He also does occasional pop-ups at Old Road Coffee, Park Island Coffee and Southern Food & Beverage Museum and will be at the art bazaar at Zony Mash Beer Project on Jan. 22. A few bars offer JunMagnolia as a nonalcoholic option as well as a mixer in cocktails. Turner has a background advising small businesses on development, and he worked with nonprofits and for the city of New Orleans. He also learned about the food industry from his father, Karl Turner, who owns the seafood distribution company A La Carte Specialty Foods. Lawless Turner is looking to develop his business in order to put JunMagnolia on grocery store shelves. Find more information about JunMagnolia on Instagram, @jun.magnolia. Gambit: How did you get interested in jun? Lawless R. Turner: I used to work for a subcontractor for Entergy. I would wear a hard hat and a vest for 12 hours, even in the summertime it was so hot. I used to say, Man, I want to start a business. Its hot in New Orleans, so why not a beverage business? My girlfriend is a big kombucha drinker. She introduced it to my household. I realized I dont really like the taste of kombucha, which is odd because I am in that space (now). I went to the grocery store one day and picked up a brand out of Colorado called Wild Tonic. I tried it because it looked different. Jun is different. Its like kombucha, except its more bubbly and sweeter. I started researching it online. Jun is called the champagne of kombucha nationally because it is more palatable. Its more effervescent. I started making jun just because I liked it. Jun is a cousin to kombucha. What makes it different is that jun has its own mother. Mother is the symbiotic colony its called a SCOBY, symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. It only grows in green tea and honey. Whereas kombucha is fermented in black tea and sugar. Off the top, I was like, I like this because of the honey. Technically, I am not selling kombucha. Gambit: How did you develop flavors for JunMagnolia? Turner: I made the Lemongrass Ginger flavor for the first time somewhere around Jazz Fest (2018). I was just giving it to friends who came by. They liked it and I was like, Yo, I think I am on to something. It took some tinkering with the chemistry. Temperature matters. Days of fermentation matters. The amount of honey and green tea matters. It took a year and a half to come down to the three flavors: Lemongrass Ginger, Blackberry Lavender and Blueberry Mint. I started off in my home kitchen. Between 2018 and early 2020, it was just experimenting. Id write down my quantities and notes about whether it was too tangy or too sweet. I am still learning today. I finish the product now in a keg, which allows me to put the keg in a cooler at 40 degrees and let it ferment for about three weeks. That allows a natural fermentation, so it isnt forced carbonation. A lot of companies force the carbonation into it. I first started selling it in June 2020. I started selling it at Old Road Coffee. It was the weekend of Juneteenth it was a huge Juneteenth celebration. It was Louisianas first Juneteenth holiday. I thought it would be cool to do it that same weekend, so my first pop-up was June 20, 2020. I had a pop-up table and my bottles. I invited friends to come and support. That day I sold at least five cases. In 2022, I am coming out with some seasonal flavors. Strawberry Rose is going to come out during strawberry season in April and May. I like the idea of selling seasonal brew. Cherries are in season in July and August, so Ill come out with a seasonal Cherry Hibiscus in summer. Mukbang serves Viet-Cajun-style boiled seafood on Oak Street 'The idea was for people to dive right in, eat with their hands and slurp all the good buttery sauce from the seafood.' Gambit: Whats next for JunMagnolia? Turner: At this time, I want to bring Jun Magnolia into grocery stores. I need to get a wholesale distribution license from the state. I am still looking for commercial space thats FDA-approved. I really want to pursue the nonalcoholic side of the beverage industry. I think there is a market for nonalcoholic options at bars. I have sold a couple half gallons to bars in the Marigny area. They all want me to sell them a keg, but I cant sell them a keg. People go to bars and want nonalcoholic options. I want to focus on the mocktail market. Theres a huge customer base that is looking for something healthy. My motto is Bloom where you are. I want to support resilience. You never know what people are going through. This product is a healing product. Its probiotic. It helps to fight inflammation. For me, its an opportunity to support the people here. The summers final Live on the Waterfront concert was held Wednesday evening at Prince Arthurs Landing. The popular series in Thunder Bay has completed nine weekly shows that began on July 13. Wednesdays concert was unique as it was held one hour later in the evening to mesh with the 10 p. The world ushered in 2022 on Saturday with scaled-back celebrations due to new restrictions aimed at slowing soaring Covid cases -- although hope remained for a better new year. New York revived its New Year's Eve ball drop in Times Square in limited form, Paris nixed its fireworks show over rising Omicron cases and London's pyrotechnic display was broadcast on TV to discourage crowds. The past 12 months saw a new US president and a fresh Adele album, the first spectator-free Olympics, and dreams of democracy from Afghanistan to Sudan and Hong Kong crushed by authoritarian regimes. Fireworks light up the sky over the Kremlin during the New Year's celebrations in Red Square, Moscow. By Dimitar DILKOFF (AFP) But the pandemic -- now entering its third year -- still dominated. More than 5.4 million people have died since the coronavirus was first reported in central China in December 2019. Countless more have been sickened or subjected to lockdowns and virus tests. The year 2021 started with hope as life-saving vaccines reached around 60 percent of the world's population, although many of the poor still had limited access while others refused to receive a shot. Fireworks are seen early on New Year's Day in front of the Alps mountains' Northern Range (Nordkette) near Innsbruck, Austria. By Christof STACHE (AFP) As the year drew to a close, the emergence of the Omicron variant pushed the number of daily new Covid-19 cases past one million for the first time, according to an AFP tally. France on Friday became the latest country to announce Omicron was now its dominant coronavirus strain. In Britain, the United States and even Australia -- long a refuge from the pandemic -- the variant's prominence is driving record numbers of new cases. To party, or not? New York brought back to life its annual New Year's Eve ball drop in Times Square after skipping the event last year over rising infections. A couple kisses on the Champs-Elysees Avenue in Paris to ring in 2022. By Martin BUREAU (AFP) But the scaled-down event welcomed fewer revelers than in previous years, with about 15,000 people -- all required to show proof of vaccination -- allowed in. One couple had traveled all the may from Memphis in the southern state of Tennessee to attend the festivities. "This is a dream of ours. This is one of our bucket lists to see the ball drop on New Year's, and we got vaccinated because of this," Chroni Stokes told AFP. "We weren't going to get vaccinated at first, but we read the CDC and the guidelines and so we got vaccinated just to come to this." Fireworks light up the sky over Sydney's Harbour Bridge and Opera House to usher in the new year. By DAVID GRAY (AFP) Elsewhere, from Seoul to San Francisco, celebrations were again canceled or curtailed in the face of the infection surge. In Madrid's Puerta del Sol about 7,000 people -- half the usual capacity -- rang in the new year by eating grapes, one for each time the clock chimed up to 12. Dubai went ahead with its celebrations undeterred, with 36 firework displays at 29 locations. But authorities warned they would fine anyone in attendance not wearing a mask. New Year's Eve fireworks erupt over the Chao Praya River in Bangkok. By Lillian SUWANRUMPHA (AFP) Police officers patrolled the Champs-Elysees in Paris, which was lit with glittering red lights and festooned with "2022" balloons, also on the lookout for people without masks. Most people were simply asked to wear one, but some who argued were fined. "It is constraining to put on the mask... but it's no problem" to follow the rule, said Antoine Pham, smiling. The 38-year-old and his partner had come from Belgium to Paris for the evening. In Sydney, which normally bills itself as the "New Year's Eve capital of the world", the vast harbor where people gather to watch the city's fireworks was notably uncrowded. People visit Kanda Myojin Shrine to offer New Year prayers in Tokyo. By Kazuhiro NOGI (AFP) With tourists still unable to enter the country and many residents fearful of the rapid spread of Omicron, tens of thousands were estimated to have attended, rather than the usual one million-plus. Still, the city saw in New Year's Eve with a bang -- igniting six tonnes of technicolored fireworks that lit up the Opera House and floating barges. "I'm just trying to focus on the positive things that happened this year," 22-year-old medical student Melinda Howard told AFP ahead of the show. Police officers disperse a crowd as they celebrate New Year in Hong Kong's Lan Kwai Fong. By Bertha WANG (AFP) In Tunis, authorities cited a rise in virus cases for the last-minute cancellation of festivities. In contrast, South Africa -- the first country to report Omicron back in November -- lifted a curfew late Thursday to allow festivities to go ahead. A new-year tragedy struck in India, where at least 12 people died and 13 were injured in a stampede at a religious shrine during Saturday's early hours. Pilgrims had gathered to offer new year prayers, officials said. 'Kiss and cuddle' In Rio, celebrations on Copacabana Beach went ahead in a scaled-back format, although crowds still arrived at the traditional party spot. Sikh devotees take a dip during the last sunset of 2021 on the eve of New Year 2022 at India's Golden Temple. By NARINDER NANU (AFP) After last year's festivities were canceled due to Covid, it was a comparatively muted return. A ban on musical performances, traffic and public transport made for a more measured atmosphere on the city's famed beach. "I was expecting many more people, and stress, but it's calm, I like it," said Colombian neuroscientist Alejandra Luna, 28, whose hope for 2022 is to "kiss and cuddle without thinking much about it". In Mexico City, authorities canceled a number of mass outdoor events, including a music concert on one of the capital's main boulevards, following an increase in coronavirus cases. Trying times Fireforks explode over the Acropolis in Athens during the New Year celebrations. By Louisa GOULIAMAKI (AFP) The World Health Organization has warned of trying times ahead, saying Omicron could lead to "a tsunami of cases". Many Western leaders have been hesitant to reimpose the strict controls seen in 2020, for fear of sparking a new economic downturn. But on-again-off-again restrictions have still prompted frequent, vocal and occasionally violent anti-lockdown, anti-vaccine and anti-government protests. US President Joe Biden urged unity for the new year in a video message, during which he also praised "extraordinary" Americans. Hope remains that 2022 may bring a new, less deadly phase of the pandemic. "Hopefully 2022 is going to be better for everyone," said 31-year-old reveler Oscar Ramirez in Sydney. "Everyone in the world needs a big change." It looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35... It looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35... It looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35... Lawless R. Turner was not a big fan of kombucha, but he liked a similar drink, jun, when he tried it. After experimenting with flavors on his own mixes of fruit and botanicals, he launched JunMagnolia in 2020. Currently he offers the bottled fermented beverage at farmers markets at Coffee Science and the Holy Cross Neighborhood Farmers Market, which he hosts (though it is on hiatus until March). He also does occasional pop-ups at Old Road Coffee, Park Island Coffee and Southern Food & Beverage Museum and will be at the art bazaar at Zony Mash Beer Project on Jan. 22. A few bars offer JunMagnolia as a nonalcoholic option as well as a mixer in cocktails. Turner has a background advising small businesses on development, and he worked with nonprofits and for the city of New Orleans. He also learned about the food industry from his father, Karl Turner, who owns the seafood distribution company A La Carte Specialty Foods. Lawless Turner is looking to develop his business in order to put JunMagnolia on grocery store shelves. Find more information about JunMagnolia on Instagram, @jun.magnolia. Gambit: How did you get interested in jun? Lawless R. Turner: I used to work for a subcontractor for Entergy. I would wear a hard hat and a vest for 12 hours, even in the summertime it was so hot. I used to say, Man, I want to start a business. Its hot in New Orleans, so why not a beverage business? My girlfriend is a big kombucha drinker. She introduced it to my household. I realized I dont really like the taste of kombucha, which is odd because I am in that space (now). I went to the grocery store one day and picked up a brand out of Colorado called Wild Tonic. I tried it because it looked different. Jun is different. Its like kombucha, except its more bubbly and sweeter. I started researching it online. Jun is called the champagne of kombucha nationally because it is more palatable. Its more effervescent. I started making jun just because I liked it. Jun is a cousin to kombucha. What makes it different is that jun has its own mother. Mother is the symbiotic colony its called a SCOBY, symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. It only grows in green tea and honey. Whereas kombucha is fermented in black tea and sugar. Off the top, I was like, I like this because of the honey. Technically, I am not selling kombucha. Gambit: How did you develop flavors for JunMagnolia? Turner: I made the Lemongrass Ginger flavor for the first time somewhere around Jazz Fest (2018). I was just giving it to friends who came by. They liked it and I was like, Yo, I think I am on to something. It took some tinkering with the chemistry. Temperature matters. Days of fermentation matters. The amount of honey and green tea matters. It took a year and a half to come down to the three flavors: Lemongrass Ginger, Blackberry Lavender and Blueberry Mint. I started off in my home kitchen. Between 2018 and early 2020, it was just experimenting. Id write down my quantities and notes about whether it was too tangy or too sweet. I am still learning today. I finish the product now in a keg, which allows me to put the keg in a cooler at 40 degrees and let it ferment for about three weeks. That allows a natural fermentation, so it isnt forced carbonation. A lot of companies force the carbonation into it. I first started selling it in June 2020. I started selling it at Old Road Coffee. It was the weekend of Juneteenth it was a huge Juneteenth celebration. It was Louisianas first Juneteenth holiday. I thought it would be cool to do it that same weekend, so my first pop-up was June 20, 2020. I had a pop-up table and my bottles. I invited friends to come and support. That day I sold at least five cases. In 2022, I am coming out with some seasonal flavors. Strawberry Rose is going to come out during strawberry season in April and May. I like the idea of selling seasonal brew. Cherries are in season in July and August, so Ill come out with a seasonal Cherry Hibiscus in summer. Mukbang serves Viet-Cajun-style boiled seafood on Oak Street 'The idea was for people to dive right in, eat with their hands and slurp all the good buttery sauce from the seafood.' Gambit: Whats next for JunMagnolia? Turner: At this time, I want to bring Jun Magnolia into grocery stores. I need to get a wholesale distribution license from the state. I am still looking for commercial space thats FDA-approved. I really want to pursue the nonalcoholic side of the beverage industry. I think there is a market for nonalcoholic options at bars. I have sold a couple half gallons to bars in the Marigny area. They all want me to sell them a keg, but I cant sell them a keg. People go to bars and want nonalcoholic options. I want to focus on the mocktail market. Theres a huge customer base that is looking for something healthy. My motto is Bloom where you are. I want to support resilience. You never know what people are going through. This product is a healing product. Its probiotic. It helps to fight inflammation. For me, its an opportunity to support the people here. The world ushered in 2022 on Saturday with scaled-back celebrations due to new restrictions aimed at slowing soaring Covid cases -- although hope remained for a better new year. New York revived its New Year's Eve ball drop in Times Square in limited form, Paris nixed its fireworks show over rising Omicron cases and London's pyrotechnic display was broadcast on TV to discourage crowds. The past 12 months saw a new US president and a fresh Adele album, the first spectator-free Olympics, and dreams of democracy from Afghanistan to Sudan and Hong Kong crushed by authoritarian regimes. Fireworks light up the sky over the Kremlin during the New Year's celebrations in Red Square, Moscow. By Dimitar DILKOFF (AFP) But the pandemic -- now entering its third year -- still dominated. More than 5.4 million people have died since the coronavirus was first reported in central China in December 2019. Countless more have been sickened or subjected to lockdowns and virus tests. The year 2021 started with hope as life-saving vaccines reached around 60 percent of the world's population, although many of the poor still had limited access while others refused to receive a shot. Fireworks are seen early on New Year's Day in front of the Alps mountains' Northern Range (Nordkette) near Innsbruck, Austria. By Christof STACHE (AFP) As the year drew to a close, the emergence of the Omicron variant pushed the number of daily new Covid-19 cases past one million for the first time, according to an AFP tally. France on Friday became the latest country to announce Omicron was now its dominant coronavirus strain. In Britain, the United States and even Australia -- long a refuge from the pandemic -- the variant's prominence is driving record numbers of new cases. To party, or not? New York brought back to life its annual New Year's Eve ball drop in Times Square after skipping the event last year over rising infections. A couple kisses on the Champs-Elysees Avenue in Paris to ring in 2022. By Martin BUREAU (AFP) But the scaled-down event welcomed fewer revelers than in previous years, with about 15,000 people -- all required to show proof of vaccination -- allowed in. One couple had traveled all the may from Memphis in the southern state of Tennessee to attend the festivities. "This is a dream of ours. This is one of our bucket lists to see the ball drop on New Year's, and we got vaccinated because of this," Chroni Stokes told AFP. "We weren't going to get vaccinated at first, but we read the CDC and the guidelines and so we got vaccinated just to come to this." Fireworks light up the sky over Sydney's Harbour Bridge and Opera House to usher in the new year. By DAVID GRAY (AFP) Elsewhere, from Seoul to San Francisco, celebrations were again canceled or curtailed in the face of the infection surge. In Madrid's Puerta del Sol about 7,000 people -- half the usual capacity -- rang in the new year by eating grapes, one for each time the clock chimed up to 12. Dubai went ahead with its celebrations undeterred, with 36 firework displays at 29 locations. But authorities warned they would fine anyone in attendance not wearing a mask. New Year's Eve fireworks erupt over the Chao Praya River in Bangkok. By Lillian SUWANRUMPHA (AFP) Police officers patrolled the Champs-Elysees in Paris, which was lit with glittering red lights and festooned with "2022" balloons, also on the lookout for people without masks. Most people were simply asked to wear one, but some who argued were fined. "It is constraining to put on the mask... but it's no problem" to follow the rule, said Antoine Pham, smiling. The 38-year-old and his partner had come from Belgium to Paris for the evening. In Sydney, which normally bills itself as the "New Year's Eve capital of the world", the vast harbor where people gather to watch the city's fireworks was notably uncrowded. People visit Kanda Myojin Shrine to offer New Year prayers in Tokyo. By Kazuhiro NOGI (AFP) With tourists still unable to enter the country and many residents fearful of the rapid spread of Omicron, tens of thousands were estimated to have attended, rather than the usual one million-plus. Still, the city saw in New Year's Eve with a bang -- igniting six tonnes of technicolored fireworks that lit up the Opera House and floating barges. "I'm just trying to focus on the positive things that happened this year," 22-year-old medical student Melinda Howard told AFP ahead of the show. Police officers disperse a crowd as they celebrate New Year in Hong Kong's Lan Kwai Fong. By Bertha WANG (AFP) In Tunis, authorities cited a rise in virus cases for the last-minute cancellation of festivities. In contrast, South Africa -- the first country to report Omicron back in November -- lifted a curfew late Thursday to allow festivities to go ahead. A new-year tragedy struck in India, where at least 12 people died and 13 were injured in a stampede at a religious shrine during Saturday's early hours. Pilgrims had gathered to offer new year prayers, officials said. 'Kiss and cuddle' In Rio, celebrations on Copacabana Beach went ahead in a scaled-back format, although crowds still arrived at the traditional party spot. Sikh devotees take a dip during the last sunset of 2021 on the eve of New Year 2022 at India's Golden Temple. By NARINDER NANU (AFP) After last year's festivities were canceled due to Covid, it was a comparatively muted return. A ban on musical performances, traffic and public transport made for a more measured atmosphere on the city's famed beach. "I was expecting many more people, and stress, but it's calm, I like it," said Colombian neuroscientist Alejandra Luna, 28, whose hope for 2022 is to "kiss and cuddle without thinking much about it". In Mexico City, authorities canceled a number of mass outdoor events, including a music concert on one of the capital's main boulevards, following an increase in coronavirus cases. Trying times Fireforks explode over the Acropolis in Athens during the New Year celebrations. By Louisa GOULIAMAKI (AFP) The World Health Organization has warned of trying times ahead, saying Omicron could lead to "a tsunami of cases". Many Western leaders have been hesitant to reimpose the strict controls seen in 2020, for fear of sparking a new economic downturn. But on-again-off-again restrictions have still prompted frequent, vocal and occasionally violent anti-lockdown, anti-vaccine and anti-government protests. US President Joe Biden urged unity for the new year in a video message, during which he also praised "extraordinary" Americans. Hope remains that 2022 may bring a new, less deadly phase of the pandemic. "Hopefully 2022 is going to be better for everyone," said 31-year-old reveler Oscar Ramirez in Sydney. "Everyone in the world needs a big change." Today Mostly cloudy and breezy with a few showers or a thunderstorm through early afternoon; cooler with some breaks of sun, especially late. Tonight Partly cloudy, brisk, and cooler. Fall arrives at 9:03pm. Tomorrow Partly sunny, windy, and much cooler. Feeling more like late October. Northwest winds may gust 30-40mph. Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share JAKARTA, Indonesia On a dirt path, forked yellow tongue darting from its mouth, a member of the worlds largest lizard species lazes on an island in eastern Indonesias Komodo National Park as tourists snap photos. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight And about 18 miles away on another park island that harbors Komodo dragons, trees have been removed and concrete poured for new tourist facilities that have aroused the ire of residents and environmental activists. The construction is part of an ambitious Indonesian initiative that has generated tensions between a government that wants to develop natural attractions for luxury tourism and conservationists who fear habitat for the endangered lizards will be irreparably harmed. United Nations officials have also voiced concerns about potential tourism impacts on this unique wildlife-rich park. Advertisement Encompassing about 850 square miles of land and marine area, the park was established in 1980 to help protect the famed dragons. Indonesias Ministry of Environment and Forestry estimates about 3,000 of the reptiles live there today, along with manatee-like dugongs, sea turtles, whales and more than a thousand species of tropical fish. Because of its biodiversity and beauty, the park became a World Heritage Site designated by UNESCO in 1991. And its one of Indonesias crown jewels for tourism, typically drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors worldwide each year. For years the government has been trying to figure out how to best capitalize on the park, most recently designating it part of the countrys 10 New Balis initiative an effort to draw more tourists, as the island of Bali did before border restrictions during the pandemic. We are embarking into a new era of tourism in Indonesia based on nature and culture, focusing on sustainability and quality tourism, Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno told the Associated Press. Advertisement Part of that multimillion-dollar tourism development is a project on Rinca Island, where more than one-third of the parks dragons are estimated to live on generally hot and dry terrain. The construction includes an expanded ranger station, viewing platform, boat dock, toilets and other infrastructure. The project worries local environmental activists and residents within park boundaries who say their livelihoods as tour guides, boat drivers and souvenir sellers depend on the draw of the areas natural beauty. When we talk about the development in the conservation area, we have to think . . . whether this is a wisely considered economic effect for the local people or the environmental effect, said Gregorius Afioma, a member of the local nongovernmental organization Sun Spirit for Justice and Peace. The situation now is like collective suicide. Advertisement We think that this kind of business will eventually kill other businesses and even themselves because they destroyed the environment, Afioma said, adding that local residents also fear they wont get construction jobs for the luxury tourist destination the Indonesian government is promoting. UNESCO the United Nations body that designates World Heritage Site status has also raised concerns about development in the park. The state party did not inform us, as required by the operational guidelines, said Guy Debonnet, chief of the bodys natural heritage unit. This is definitely a project of concern, because we feel that the impacts on the universal value [of the park] have not been properly evaluated. During a meeting in July, UNESCO expressed other concerns such as the projects reduction of the parks wilderness zone to one-third the previous area, addition of tourism concessions within the property, lack of an adequate environmental impact assessment, and a target to dramatically increase visitors. Advertisement Third-party information transmitted to the State Party indicates that a target of 500,000 annual visitors for the property has been proposed, which is more than double the pre-COVID-19 pandemic visitor numbers, said a report from the meeting. This raises the question of how this tourism model fits [Indonesias] vision of moving away from mass tourism to more sustainable approaches. At UNESCOs request, the country submitted more information about the project. But after reviewing it, the U.N. agency requested in October 2020 that Indonesia not proceed with any tourism infrastructure project that may affect the Outstanding Universal Value of the property prior to a review of the relevant environmental impact assessment by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). IUCN is an international, nongovernmental organization that provides UNESCOs World Heritage Committee with technical evaluations of natural heritage properties. Advertisement After multiple attempts to get permission from government authorities, AP was unable to gain access to the construction site, which has been closed to the public for months. But satellite imagery shows construction continued after UNESCO requested the project be paused. The government did not respond to a recent email seeking comment. As of Dec. 6, UNESCO still had not received the requested revised assessment, Debonnet said. The Indonesian government also granted at least two business permits in Komodo National Park, including for projects on Rinca, Komodo and Padar islands, according to an email to AP from Shana Fatina, president director at the Labuan Bajo Flores Tourism Authority, which helps coordinate government tourism efforts. Some experts fear tourism expansion in the park could lead to disturbance of Komodo dragon habitat. Advertisement The predatory lizards, which can reach a length of 10 feet and a weight of more than 300 pounds, were recently moved from vulnerable to endangered status on the IUCN list of threatened species. The organization cited the effects of climate change and deterioration of the dragons habitat including human encroachment as reasons for the change. Unless carefully managed, tourism projects could have a big impact, not just from the number of people disturbing the behavior of the dragons and disturbing their prey, but also how much freshwater is being siphoned off, said Bryan Fry, an associate professor at the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Queensland in Australia. That could dramatically impact the very delicate balance of these islands. The opening date for the new Rinca Island facilities has yet to be announced. Debonnet said UNESCO is talking with Indonesian officials to arrange a monitoring mission to assess the impact of ongoing development on the park and review its state of conservation. And while World Heritage sites are usually discussed by the UNESCO committee on two-year cycles, the park will be discussed in 2022, Debonnet said. That is kind of an indication that we see there is some urgency in this issue, he said. Associated Press GiftOutline Gift Article The world ushered in 2022 on Saturday with scaled-back celebrations due to new restrictions aimed at slowing soaring Covid cases -- although hope remained for a better new year. New York revived its New Year's Eve ball drop in Times Square in limited form, Paris nixed its fireworks show over rising Omicron cases and London's pyrotechnic display was broadcast on TV to discourage crowds. The past 12 months saw a new US president and a fresh Adele album, the first spectator-free Olympics, and dreams of democracy from Afghanistan to Sudan and Hong Kong crushed by authoritarian regimes. Fireworks light up the sky over the Kremlin during the New Year's celebrations in Red Square, Moscow. By Dimitar DILKOFF (AFP) But the pandemic -- now entering its third year -- still dominated. More than 5.4 million people have died since the coronavirus was first reported in central China in December 2019. Countless more have been sickened or subjected to lockdowns and virus tests. The year 2021 started with hope as life-saving vaccines reached around 60 percent of the world's population, although many of the poor still had limited access while others refused to receive a shot. Fireworks are seen early on New Year's Day in front of the Alps mountains' Northern Range (Nordkette) near Innsbruck, Austria. By Christof STACHE (AFP) As the year drew to a close, the emergence of the Omicron variant pushed the number of daily new Covid-19 cases past one million for the first time, according to an AFP tally. France on Friday became the latest country to announce Omicron was now its dominant coronavirus strain. In Britain, the United States and even Australia -- long a refuge from the pandemic -- the variant's prominence is driving record numbers of new cases. To party, or not? New York brought back to life its annual New Year's Eve ball drop in Times Square after skipping the event last year over rising infections. A couple kisses on the Champs-Elysees Avenue in Paris to ring in 2022. By Martin BUREAU (AFP) But the scaled-down event welcomed fewer revelers than in previous years, with about 15,000 people -- all required to show proof of vaccination -- allowed in. One couple had traveled all the may from Memphis in the southern state of Tennessee to attend the festivities. "This is a dream of ours. This is one of our bucket lists to see the ball drop on New Year's, and we got vaccinated because of this," Chroni Stokes told AFP. "We weren't going to get vaccinated at first, but we read the CDC and the guidelines and so we got vaccinated just to come to this." Fireworks light up the sky over Sydney's Harbour Bridge and Opera House to usher in the new year. By DAVID GRAY (AFP) Elsewhere, from Seoul to San Francisco, celebrations were again canceled or curtailed in the face of the infection surge. In Madrid's Puerta del Sol about 7,000 people -- half the usual capacity -- rang in the new year by eating grapes, one for each time the clock chimed up to 12. Dubai went ahead with its celebrations undeterred, with 36 firework displays at 29 locations. But authorities warned they would fine anyone in attendance not wearing a mask. New Year's Eve fireworks erupt over the Chao Praya River in Bangkok. By Lillian SUWANRUMPHA (AFP) Police officers patrolled the Champs-Elysees in Paris, which was lit with glittering red lights and festooned with "2022" balloons, also on the lookout for people without masks. Most people were simply asked to wear one, but some who argued were fined. "It is constraining to put on the mask... but it's no problem" to follow the rule, said Antoine Pham, smiling. The 38-year-old and his partner had come from Belgium to Paris for the evening. In Sydney, which normally bills itself as the "New Year's Eve capital of the world", the vast harbor where people gather to watch the city's fireworks was notably uncrowded. People visit Kanda Myojin Shrine to offer New Year prayers in Tokyo. By Kazuhiro NOGI (AFP) With tourists still unable to enter the country and many residents fearful of the rapid spread of Omicron, tens of thousands were estimated to have attended, rather than the usual one million-plus. Still, the city saw in New Year's Eve with a bang -- igniting six tonnes of technicolored fireworks that lit up the Opera House and floating barges. "I'm just trying to focus on the positive things that happened this year," 22-year-old medical student Melinda Howard told AFP ahead of the show. Police officers disperse a crowd as they celebrate New Year in Hong Kong's Lan Kwai Fong. By Bertha WANG (AFP) In Tunis, authorities cited a rise in virus cases for the last-minute cancellation of festivities. In contrast, South Africa -- the first country to report Omicron back in November -- lifted a curfew late Thursday to allow festivities to go ahead. A new-year tragedy struck in India, where at least 12 people died and 13 were injured in a stampede at a religious shrine during Saturday's early hours. Pilgrims had gathered to offer new year prayers, officials said. 'Kiss and cuddle' In Rio, celebrations on Copacabana Beach went ahead in a scaled-back format, although crowds still arrived at the traditional party spot. Sikh devotees take a dip during the last sunset of 2021 on the eve of New Year 2022 at India's Golden Temple. By NARINDER NANU (AFP) After last year's festivities were canceled due to Covid, it was a comparatively muted return. A ban on musical performances, traffic and public transport made for a more measured atmosphere on the city's famed beach. "I was expecting many more people, and stress, but it's calm, I like it," said Colombian neuroscientist Alejandra Luna, 28, whose hope for 2022 is to "kiss and cuddle without thinking much about it". In Mexico City, authorities canceled a number of mass outdoor events, including a music concert on one of the capital's main boulevards, following an increase in coronavirus cases. Trying times Fireforks explode over the Acropolis in Athens during the New Year celebrations. By Louisa GOULIAMAKI (AFP) The World Health Organization has warned of trying times ahead, saying Omicron could lead to "a tsunami of cases". Many Western leaders have been hesitant to reimpose the strict controls seen in 2020, for fear of sparking a new economic downturn. But on-again-off-again restrictions have still prompted frequent, vocal and occasionally violent anti-lockdown, anti-vaccine and anti-government protests. US President Joe Biden urged unity for the new year in a video message, during which he also praised "extraordinary" Americans. Hope remains that 2022 may bring a new, less deadly phase of the pandemic. "Hopefully 2022 is going to be better for everyone," said 31-year-old reveler Oscar Ramirez in Sydney. "Everyone in the world needs a big change." Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share JAKARTA, Indonesia On a dirt path, forked yellow tongue darting from its mouth, a member of the worlds largest lizard species lazes on an island in eastern Indonesias Komodo National Park as tourists snap photos. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight And about 18 miles away on another park island that harbors Komodo dragons, trees have been removed and concrete poured for new tourist facilities that have aroused the ire of residents and environmental activists. The construction is part of an ambitious Indonesian initiative that has generated tensions between a government that wants to develop natural attractions for luxury tourism and conservationists who fear habitat for the endangered lizards will be irreparably harmed. United Nations officials have also voiced concerns about potential tourism impacts on this unique wildlife-rich park. Advertisement Encompassing about 850 square miles of land and marine area, the park was established in 1980 to help protect the famed dragons. Indonesias Ministry of Environment and Forestry estimates about 3,000 of the reptiles live there today, along with manatee-like dugongs, sea turtles, whales and more than a thousand species of tropical fish. Because of its biodiversity and beauty, the park became a World Heritage Site designated by UNESCO in 1991. And its one of Indonesias crown jewels for tourism, typically drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors worldwide each year. For years the government has been trying to figure out how to best capitalize on the park, most recently designating it part of the countrys 10 New Balis initiative an effort to draw more tourists, as the island of Bali did before border restrictions during the pandemic. We are embarking into a new era of tourism in Indonesia based on nature and culture, focusing on sustainability and quality tourism, Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno told the Associated Press. Advertisement Part of that multimillion-dollar tourism development is a project on Rinca Island, where more than one-third of the parks dragons are estimated to live on generally hot and dry terrain. The construction includes an expanded ranger station, viewing platform, boat dock, toilets and other infrastructure. The project worries local environmental activists and residents within park boundaries who say their livelihoods as tour guides, boat drivers and souvenir sellers depend on the draw of the areas natural beauty. When we talk about the development in the conservation area, we have to think . . . whether this is a wisely considered economic effect for the local people or the environmental effect, said Gregorius Afioma, a member of the local nongovernmental organization Sun Spirit for Justice and Peace. The situation now is like collective suicide. Advertisement We think that this kind of business will eventually kill other businesses and even themselves because they destroyed the environment, Afioma said, adding that local residents also fear they wont get construction jobs for the luxury tourist destination the Indonesian government is promoting. UNESCO the United Nations body that designates World Heritage Site status has also raised concerns about development in the park. The state party did not inform us, as required by the operational guidelines, said Guy Debonnet, chief of the bodys natural heritage unit. This is definitely a project of concern, because we feel that the impacts on the universal value [of the park] have not been properly evaluated. During a meeting in July, UNESCO expressed other concerns such as the projects reduction of the parks wilderness zone to one-third the previous area, addition of tourism concessions within the property, lack of an adequate environmental impact assessment, and a target to dramatically increase visitors. Advertisement Third-party information transmitted to the State Party indicates that a target of 500,000 annual visitors for the property has been proposed, which is more than double the pre-COVID-19 pandemic visitor numbers, said a report from the meeting. This raises the question of how this tourism model fits [Indonesias] vision of moving away from mass tourism to more sustainable approaches. At UNESCOs request, the country submitted more information about the project. But after reviewing it, the U.N. agency requested in October 2020 that Indonesia not proceed with any tourism infrastructure project that may affect the Outstanding Universal Value of the property prior to a review of the relevant environmental impact assessment by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). IUCN is an international, nongovernmental organization that provides UNESCOs World Heritage Committee with technical evaluations of natural heritage properties. Advertisement After multiple attempts to get permission from government authorities, AP was unable to gain access to the construction site, which has been closed to the public for months. But satellite imagery shows construction continued after UNESCO requested the project be paused. The government did not respond to a recent email seeking comment. As of Dec. 6, UNESCO still had not received the requested revised assessment, Debonnet said. The Indonesian government also granted at least two business permits in Komodo National Park, including for projects on Rinca, Komodo and Padar islands, according to an email to AP from Shana Fatina, president director at the Labuan Bajo Flores Tourism Authority, which helps coordinate government tourism efforts. Some experts fear tourism expansion in the park could lead to disturbance of Komodo dragon habitat. Advertisement The predatory lizards, which can reach a length of 10 feet and a weight of more than 300 pounds, were recently moved from vulnerable to endangered status on the IUCN list of threatened species. The organization cited the effects of climate change and deterioration of the dragons habitat including human encroachment as reasons for the change. Unless carefully managed, tourism projects could have a big impact, not just from the number of people disturbing the behavior of the dragons and disturbing their prey, but also how much freshwater is being siphoned off, said Bryan Fry, an associate professor at the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Queensland in Australia. That could dramatically impact the very delicate balance of these islands. The opening date for the new Rinca Island facilities has yet to be announced. Debonnet said UNESCO is talking with Indonesian officials to arrange a monitoring mission to assess the impact of ongoing development on the park and review its state of conservation. And while World Heritage sites are usually discussed by the UNESCO committee on two-year cycles, the park will be discussed in 2022, Debonnet said. That is kind of an indication that we see there is some urgency in this issue, he said. Associated Press GiftOutline Gift Article EIR LEAD EDITORIAL FOR SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 2022 Helga Zepp-LaRouche: Message for the New Year Dec. 31, 2021 (EIRNS)This coming year is going to be one in which a lot of very crucial strategic issues will come to a head, where humanity is being confronted with choosing a path; a path to either solutions which will bring mankind into a New Paradigm, or a path to Hell. That is why I want to officially declare 2022 the year of my late husband, Lyndon LaRouche, because it is his 100th birthday. There is no more adequate way to celebrate this great man and the incredible richness of the works he had produced, than to declare 2022 the year of Lyndon LaRouche. I already can promise that we will conduct many meetings, conferences, and seminars. We will publish the second volume of his collected worksthat is, by the LaRouche Legacy Foundation. We will make everything possible that the solution which Lyndon LaRouche offered to the strategic situation, to the economic crisis, to the cultural crisis; that these solutions will be on the table for every responsible government and parliament around the world to consider. I think this will be a very fruitful endeavor, so I invite all of you to join with us in the celebration of Lyndon LaRouche for the entire year. Having said that, I think that the situation around the US-Russia strategic crisis is still one of incredible danger, because this has been building up for more than 30 years, since the end of the Soviet Union. It has now reached a point where a solution has to occur. President Putin has responded to the endless series of provocations coming from NATO, by demanding legally binding treaties which will guarantee the security of Russia. Not only was this the subject of discussion between Presidents Biden and Putin in the discussion they just had yesterday, but it will be the issue of discussion on January 9th and 10th in Geneva between the United States and Russia for two days. Then on January 12th, it will be discussed in Brussels between NATO and Russia, and then on the 13th, it will be a discussion among the OSCE in Vienna. That is the framework where results have to be produced. Both President Putin and Foreign Minister Lavrov have said clearly that they will not agree anymore to just have long talks which will be then used in the meantime to build up the weapons systems along the Russian border in Ukraine, the Baltics, and other states. They want written, legally binding guarantees, having in mind that there has been a long history of deception on the side of NATO. I think this is something every concerned citizen, patriot, world citizen should be on the side of demanding that these treaties must be signed, because any continuous escalation has the danger of leading to nuclear war. Given the fact that the head of the US Strategic Command, Admiral Richard, had already in February instructed the Pentagon to requalify the likelihood of nuclear war from not likely to very likely. Naturally, the situation between the United States and China also is similarly tense. Therefore, we should really mobilize all to create an environment where the world returns to reason. We need a completely new security architecture; namely, what was on the table in 1990 and 91, where the option existed to include Russia into NATO, or to abandon NATO and create a completely new security architecture. That should be emphatically on the table for this coming year, and that security architecture must also take into account the security interests of Russia and China for it to be a valid one. There is the danger, and Foreign Minister Lavrov has warned again that if there would be the option to have provocations, basically done by private military agencies in East Ukraine, or anything like that, that this will find a very harsh response. Putin has said very clearly there is no longer the question of Russia drawing red lines. Russia has been pushed into a situation where they have no more room to go. That is why this is a point of no return, and a solution must be found; which really means humanity has to go back to being the reasonable species and not continuing a course of confrontation which threatens the extinction of the entire human species EIR LEAD EDITORIAL FOR SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 2022 Helga Zepp-LaRouche: Message for the New Year Dec. 31, 2021 (EIRNS)This coming year is going to be one in which a lot of very crucial strategic issues will come to a head, where humanity is being confronted with choosing a path; a path to either solutions which will bring mankind into a New Paradigm, or a path to Hell. That is why I want to officially declare 2022 the year of my late husband, Lyndon LaRouche, because it is his 100th birthday. There is no more adequate way to celebrate this great man and the incredible richness of the works he had produced, than to declare 2022 the year of Lyndon LaRouche. I already can promise that we will conduct many meetings, conferences, and seminars. We will publish the second volume of his collected worksthat is, by the LaRouche Legacy Foundation. We will make everything possible that the solution which Lyndon LaRouche offered to the strategic situation, to the economic crisis, to the cultural crisis; that these solutions will be on the table for every responsible government and parliament around the world to consider. I think this will be a very fruitful endeavor, so I invite all of you to join with us in the celebration of Lyndon LaRouche for the entire year. Having said that, I think that the situation around the US-Russia strategic crisis is still one of incredible danger, because this has been building up for more than 30 years, since the end of the Soviet Union. It has now reached a point where a solution has to occur. President Putin has responded to the endless series of provocations coming from NATO, by demanding legally binding treaties which will guarantee the security of Russia. Not only was this the subject of discussion between Presidents Biden and Putin in the discussion they just had yesterday, but it will be the issue of discussion on January 9th and 10th in Geneva between the United States and Russia for two days. Then on January 12th, it will be discussed in Brussels between NATO and Russia, and then on the 13th, it will be a discussion among the OSCE in Vienna. That is the framework where results have to be produced. Both President Putin and Foreign Minister Lavrov have said clearly that they will not agree anymore to just have long talks which will be then used in the meantime to build up the weapons systems along the Russian border in Ukraine, the Baltics, and other states. They want written, legally binding guarantees, having in mind that there has been a long history of deception on the side of NATO. I think this is something every concerned citizen, patriot, world citizen should be on the side of demanding that these treaties must be signed, because any continuous escalation has the danger of leading to nuclear war. Given the fact that the head of the US Strategic Command, Admiral Richard, had already in February instructed the Pentagon to requalify the likelihood of nuclear war from not likely to very likely. Naturally, the situation between the United States and China also is similarly tense. Therefore, we should really mobilize all to create an environment where the world returns to reason. We need a completely new security architecture; namely, what was on the table in 1990 and 91, where the option existed to include Russia into NATO, or to abandon NATO and create a completely new security architecture. That should be emphatically on the table for this coming year, and that security architecture must also take into account the security interests of Russia and China for it to be a valid one. There is the danger, and Foreign Minister Lavrov has warned again that if there would be the option to have provocations, basically done by private military agencies in East Ukraine, or anything like that, that this will find a very harsh response. Putin has said very clearly there is no longer the question of Russia drawing red lines. Russia has been pushed into a situation where they have no more room to go. That is why this is a point of no return, and a solution must be found; which really means humanity has to go back to being the reasonable species and not continuing a course of confrontation which threatens the extinction of the entire human species South Africa: Tutu was the nation's spiritual father - President Ramaphosa President Cyril Ramaphosa has hailed Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu as a rare soul who enriched the lives of those he met and fought for. President Ramaphosa was delivering the eulogy at the elderly clergyman and global icons funeral held at St Georges Cathedral in Cape Town. Tutu passed away on Sunday following a period of illness. It is only the few among us, the rarest of souls, who attain the stature of global icon during their lifetime. In our modern age, this term has come to be associated with celebrity and social media fame. Yet if we are to understand a global icon to be someone of great moral stature, of exceptional qualities and of service to humanity, there can be no doubt that it refers to the man we are laying to rest today, the President said. Throughout his life, Tutu became known not just as a clergyman but also as a human rights campaigner, who bravely took on the racist apartheid government. He was a man with a faith as deep as it was abiding. For him, opposing injustice, standing up for the oppressed, defying unjust laws, was Gods work. Our departed father was a crusader in the struggle for freedom, for justice, for equality and for peace, not just in South Africa, the country of his birth, but around the world as well, President Ramaphosa said. He said Tutus impact and influence on the entire world was so immense that tributes and condolences have poured in from all parts of the globe. Climate activists, LGBTQI+ groups, solidarity movements and community organisations are just some of those who have paid homage to a man who gave his life to the cause of freedom. A humble and brave human being who spoke up for the oppressed, the downtrodden and the suffering. How fitting is it that his parents named him Mpilo, meaning life. In his life, he enriched the lives of all he met and all those who got to know him, the President said. President Ramaphosa reflected that Tutus empathy and humanity was extended to all those who faced persecution, exclusion and discrimination. He was there, with the freedom fighters, confronting the [apartheid] regime and comforting its victims. He was not content to preach about social justice from the pulpit. He was with the homeless, the helpless, the persecuted, the sick and the destitute in the streets, in shelters and in homes. He embraced all who had ever felt the cold wind of exclusion and they in turn embraced him. The President called on South Africans to honour Tutus legacy by emulating his acts of humanitarianism. The most fitting tribute we can pay to him, whoever and wherever we are, is to take up the cause of social justice for which he tirelessly campaigned. Archbishop Tutu has left a formidable legacy and we are enormously diminished by his passing. Though we say goodbye to him today with the heaviest of hearts, we salute our beloved Archbishop for all he did to help build this nation. His was a life lived honestly and completely. He has left the world a better place. We remember him with a smile... the type of smile he would have flashed around, the President said. At the funeral, Tutus daughter, Reverend Mpho Tutu van Furth, thanked the mourners and those who have sent condolences from around the globe. I am standing to convey our family thanks for the many ways in which all of you have stepped forward to tell us of how much you loved daddy. We have received so many messages on all kinds of media and we havent been able to respond to all that we have received. uDaddy would say the love the world has shown has warmed the cockles of our hearts. We thank you for loving our father, grandfather, husband, uncle, brother, brother-in-law. To him we say thank you for the many ways you showed us loved, for the many times you challenged us [and] for the many times you comforted us, she said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-01-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. On Dec. 31, people from cultures all around the world will be raising a toast to welcome in A.D. 2022. Few of them will think about the fact that A.D. signals anno Domini, Latin for in the year of our Lord. In A.D. temporality the one acknowledged by most societies today next year marks 2023 years since the purported birth of Jesus Christ. So why are we all toasting this new year, given that most of the worlds nearly 8 billion people arent Christians? My fascination with time was nurtured by the millennium and the hype that surrounded its approach, as the globe anticipated traversing from 11:59 p.m., Dec. 31, 1999 to 12:00 a.m., Jan. 1, 2000. Convinced that there was some truth to fears about technological disruptions caused by the Y2K bug, I stayed away from the ball drop in Times Square. Instead, I watched the celebration on my laptop and enjoyed trailing journalists reports abroad. I began to wonder: How did it come to be that people all over the Earth subscribed to and were aware of the temporal system followed by the Christian West? After all, cultures have historically experienced and documented time in a variety of ways. These questions about time blossomed into a research project and book. Part of the phenomenon was caused by global capitalism, but I soon learned that another aspect involved the globalization of anno Domini. The A.D. system, often called C.E. or Common Era time today, was introduced in Europe during the Middle Ages. It joined the worlds other temporal systems like the Coptic, Seleucid, Egyptian, Jewish and the Zodiac calendars, along with calculations based on the years of rulers reigns and the founding of Rome. Latin Christendom slowly but confidently came to dominate Europe, and its year dating system then came to dominate the world, so that most countries now take A.D. for granted, at least when it comes to globalized business and government. A.D.s ubiquity has almost silenced other ways of thinking about time. This began during the medieval era, under the influence of educated Christian monks what historian Bernard Guenee describes as anno Dominis conquest of time. My recent work as a medieval studies professor focuses on the demonization of Jewish communities in Europe at a time when the A.D. system was gaining prominence and marginalizing the Jewish calendar. Counting backwards Part of the story of anno Domini time takes us back to the fourth and fifth century, when Christian scholars like Eusebius of Caesarea and John Chrysostom were trying to calculate what they considered was the beginning of Christian time in other words, the birth date of Jesus of Nazareth. Eusebius and Chrysostom were working with the Gospel accounts of Jesus birth and death. According to the Gospels, Jesus was arrested around the time of the Jewish holiday of Passover, and the Gospel of John suggests that Jesus was about 33 when he died. Therefore, Eusebius and Chrysostom first tried to determine the date of his death based on Passover dates in the Jewish calendar. But both men failed in their calculations and blamed the Jews for their difficulty. In their twisted reasoning, the Jewish community had postponed Passover in order to make anno Domini time impossible to calculate. This accusation illustrates the intense antisemitism common in Europe at their time and which work like theirs helped continue. But in many ways, the real author of the worlds modern sense of time, the one who decided to choose the date when Year One would begin, is the Venerable Bede, an English monk who lived circa 673-735. Bede found himself with several calculations he did not approve of, and decided Christ must have actually been born on Dec. 25, 1 B.C.. By his reasoning, in other words, the A.D. system began a year after Jesus purported birth. Bede also determined that March 25, 34 A.D. marked Christs death. Bede, a monk in an important monastery in Northumbria, popularized the A.D. dating system by using it in his work Ecclesiastical History of the People of England, which made him the first historian to tell time by anno Domini. The Ecclesiastical History was dedicated to King Ceowulf of Northumbria, written in Latin in 731, and translated into Old English around the end of the ninth or the beginning of the 10th centuries. Still read by many today, it popularized anno Domini time by infusing A.D. time into events Bede told about the English people. Taken together, these ingredients helped A.D. time become the norm. While the Christian calendar is built on and infused with other cultures time systems, A.D.s popularization contributed to sidelining these calendars to the margins what postcolonial scholars call temporal colonization. For example, the date Bede set for Easter in his work The Reckoning of Time is based on a polytheistic celebration of Eostre, a German goddess. Eostre has, thus, disappeared into Easter. Likewise, the fraught connections between the dates of Jesuss Passion, Easter and Passover further fueled antisemitism at a time when Jewish communities were also trying to formalize a Jewish calendar. Changing the name Approximately 1,400 years ago, when Bede selected a date to begin "anno Domini time, he perhaps unwittingly started the process of privileging Christian time, which is now near-universally recognized. [Over 140,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletters to understand the world. Sign up today.] Today, many people use the expressions common era and before the common era, or C.E. and B.C.E., instead of A.D. and B.C. But despite what we call it now, the roots of this system are not common but Christian. As the medieval studies scholar Kathleen Davis writes, using C.E. does little to diminish the effect of a globalized Christian calendar. Initially, I too had applauded C.E. as a less Christian replacement for A.D. But today, Id argue it is just the equivalent of a yellow sticky note placed over it. Theres nothing naturally common about the common era, and its worth applauding all kinds of diversity even in time on planet Earth. This year, what will you be toasting at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 31? ___ Miriamne Ara Krummel 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. ___ 34992 South Africa: Tutu was the nation's spiritual father - President Ramaphosa President Cyril Ramaphosa has hailed Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu as a rare soul who enriched the lives of those he met and fought for. President Ramaphosa was delivering the eulogy at the elderly clergyman and global icons funeral held at St Georges Cathedral in Cape Town. Tutu passed away on Sunday following a period of illness. It is only the few among us, the rarest of souls, who attain the stature of global icon during their lifetime. In our modern age, this term has come to be associated with celebrity and social media fame. Yet if we are to understand a global icon to be someone of great moral stature, of exceptional qualities and of service to humanity, there can be no doubt that it refers to the man we are laying to rest today, the President said. Throughout his life, Tutu became known not just as a clergyman but also as a human rights campaigner, who bravely took on the racist apartheid government. He was a man with a faith as deep as it was abiding. For him, opposing injustice, standing up for the oppressed, defying unjust laws, was Gods work. Our departed father was a crusader in the struggle for freedom, for justice, for equality and for peace, not just in South Africa, the country of his birth, but around the world as well, President Ramaphosa said. He said Tutus impact and influence on the entire world was so immense that tributes and condolences have poured in from all parts of the globe. Climate activists, LGBTQI+ groups, solidarity movements and community organisations are just some of those who have paid homage to a man who gave his life to the cause of freedom. A humble and brave human being who spoke up for the oppressed, the downtrodden and the suffering. How fitting is it that his parents named him Mpilo, meaning life. In his life, he enriched the lives of all he met and all those who got to know him, the President said. President Ramaphosa reflected that Tutus empathy and humanity was extended to all those who faced persecution, exclusion and discrimination. He was there, with the freedom fighters, confronting the [apartheid] regime and comforting its victims. He was not content to preach about social justice from the pulpit. He was with the homeless, the helpless, the persecuted, the sick and the destitute in the streets, in shelters and in homes. He embraced all who had ever felt the cold wind of exclusion and they in turn embraced him. The President called on South Africans to honour Tutus legacy by emulating his acts of humanitarianism. The most fitting tribute we can pay to him, whoever and wherever we are, is to take up the cause of social justice for which he tirelessly campaigned. Archbishop Tutu has left a formidable legacy and we are enormously diminished by his passing. Though we say goodbye to him today with the heaviest of hearts, we salute our beloved Archbishop for all he did to help build this nation. His was a life lived honestly and completely. He has left the world a better place. We remember him with a smile... the type of smile he would have flashed around, the President said. At the funeral, Tutus daughter, Reverend Mpho Tutu van Furth, thanked the mourners and those who have sent condolences from around the globe. I am standing to convey our family thanks for the many ways in which all of you have stepped forward to tell us of how much you loved daddy. We have received so many messages on all kinds of media and we havent been able to respond to all that we have received. uDaddy would say the love the world has shown has warmed the cockles of our hearts. We thank you for loving our father, grandfather, husband, uncle, brother, brother-in-law. To him we say thank you for the many ways you showed us loved, for the many times you challenged us [and] for the many times you comforted us, she said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-01-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. New Delhi, Jan 1 (PTI) Registration for vaccination of children against COVID-19 in the 15-18 age group began in Delhi on Saturday, as centres here have geared up to start inoculating the younger population from January 3. According to official documents shared by sources, the cohort size for vaccination in this category is 10 lakh as per the Registrar General of India's figures. Also Read | Haryana Landslide: Amit Shah Expresses Grief Over Landslide at Mining Site in Bhiwani, Speaks to CM Manohar Lal. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya took to Twitter to request people to register eligible children in their families. "On the occasion of New Year, registration is being started on CoWIN portal for immunisation of children against COVID-19 in the age group of 15 to 18 years from today. I request the family members to register the eligible children for vaccination," Mandaviya tweeted using the hashtag 'SabkoVaccineMuftVaccine'. Also Read | Female Infanticide in India: Couple Arrested for Killing Week-Old Baby Girl in Tamil Nadu. From stocking up doses to keeping pediatricians on standby, inoculation centres in Delhi have geared up for starting vaccination for the younger population. The vaccine option for those in the 15-18 age group would only be Covaxin, according to the "Guidelines for Covid-19 vaccination of children between 15-18 years and precaution dose to HCWs, FLWs and 60+ population with comorbidities" issued by the Union health ministry. Balance vaccine shots at the disposal of the Delhi government as on December 29 morning, stood at 21.53 lakh doses, according to official documents. Authorities at various hospitals in Delhi, which are among the facilities which have hosted vaccination centres since the start of the exercise on January 16, said infrastructure set up is ready to administer Covid vaccine shots to children, after having catered to the adult population, including healthcare workers and frontline staff, who were given priority to be the first in line to receive jabs. A large number of schools and other educational institutions have been used as Covid vaccination centres, and arrangements were being made there as well. According to the guidelines, which will come into effect from January 3, those aged 15 and above will be able to register on CoWIN. In other words, "all those whose birth year is 2007" or before, shall be eligible. Private hospitals too have geared up for this phase of the exercise, which will take place amid a massive spike in case of Covid and an Omicron scare. "CoWIN registration for this category has commenced. We are all set," said Dr Bishnu Panigrahi, Group Head, Medical Strategy and Operations, Fortis Healthcare group. Delhi on Friday recorded 1,796 fresh Covid cases, the highest single-day rise since May 22, and zero death while the positivity rate mounted to 2.44 per cent, according to data shared by the city health department. On Thursday, 1,313 cases were recorded with a positivity rate of 1.73 per cent, as per officials figures. The daily cases count had breached the 1000-mark after a gap of seven months. Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain had on Thursday cautioned that the latest variant of the coronavirus is gradually spreading in the community. Doctors urged parents to bring their children for vaccination as soon as possible, to lend them protection amid a fear of a third wave of the coronavirus pandemic. "The Omicron variant of the virus is infecting people and it's spreading, but those who are vaccinated are largely asymptomatic, and essentially the unvaccinated ones are needing hospitalisation more. So, would appeal to people to wear mask, and get vaccinated at the earliest, if eligible," Panigrahi said. Fortis units at Vasant Kunj, Shalimar Bagh and Okhla, will be the vaccination centres of the healthcare group, he said. "Depending on the footfall, we can step up the logistics. Also, a team of paediatricians will be on standby in case there is any adverse events reported in a beneficiary," he said. "We had formed a core expert group last year to tackle the pandemic, and around mid-2021 we made a sub-group, paediatric core expert group to assess the situation and suggest ways to handle a crisis," the doctor said. A spokesperson of Max healthcare group said, Max hospital, Saket and few other units will be part of the vaccination exercise for the children group. "Paediatricians will be on standby when the vaccination begins for this group," she said. According to CoWIN portal, over 2.64 crore doses have been administered in Delhi till evening on Saturday, including 1.52 crore first doses, and 1.11 crore second doses. For precaution doses (third dose of vaccine), there are about three lakh people who are eligible as per January 10, 2022 reference point, according to official documents. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) It looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35... It looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35... It looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35... SRINAGAR, Kashmir At least 12 people were killed and more than a dozen were injured in a stampede early Saturday near the city of Jammu in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir, as thousands of devotees were paying obeisance at a famous Hindu shrine to mark the beginning of the new year. Hundreds of people were packed inside a corridor of the shrine, Mata Vaishno Devi, in the hilly town of Katra, when at about 2:30 a.m. a clash broke out outside, leading to the stampede, police officials said. Dilbag Singh, the top police officer of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, which contains Katra, said that officers had been quick to respond to emergency calls but that the damage was already done. SRINAGAR, Kashmir At least 12 people were killed and more than a dozen were injured in a stampede early Saturday near the city of Jammu in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir, as thousands of devotees were paying obeisance at a famous Hindu shrine to mark the beginning of the new year. Hundreds of people were packed inside a corridor of the shrine, Mata Vaishno Devi, in the hilly town of Katra, when at about 2:30 a.m. a clash broke out outside, leading to the stampede, police officials said. Dilbag Singh, the top police officer of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, which contains Katra, said that officers had been quick to respond to emergency calls but that the damage was already done. New Delhi, Jan 1 (PTI) Registration for vaccination of children against COVID-19 in the 15-18 age group began in Delhi on Saturday, as centres here have geared up to start inoculating the younger population from January 3. According to official documents shared by sources, the cohort size for vaccination in this category is 10 lakh as per the Registrar General of India's figures. Also Read | Haryana Landslide: Amit Shah Expresses Grief Over Landslide at Mining Site in Bhiwani, Speaks to CM Manohar Lal. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya took to Twitter to request people to register eligible children in their families. "On the occasion of New Year, registration is being started on CoWIN portal for immunisation of children against COVID-19 in the age group of 15 to 18 years from today. I request the family members to register the eligible children for vaccination," Mandaviya tweeted using the hashtag 'SabkoVaccineMuftVaccine'. Also Read | Female Infanticide in India: Couple Arrested for Killing Week-Old Baby Girl in Tamil Nadu. From stocking up doses to keeping pediatricians on standby, inoculation centres in Delhi have geared up for starting vaccination for the younger population. The vaccine option for those in the 15-18 age group would only be Covaxin, according to the "Guidelines for Covid-19 vaccination of children between 15-18 years and precaution dose to HCWs, FLWs and 60+ population with comorbidities" issued by the Union health ministry. Balance vaccine shots at the disposal of the Delhi government as on December 29 morning, stood at 21.53 lakh doses, according to official documents. Authorities at various hospitals in Delhi, which are among the facilities which have hosted vaccination centres since the start of the exercise on January 16, said infrastructure set up is ready to administer Covid vaccine shots to children, after having catered to the adult population, including healthcare workers and frontline staff, who were given priority to be the first in line to receive jabs. A large number of schools and other educational institutions have been used as Covid vaccination centres, and arrangements were being made there as well. According to the guidelines, which will come into effect from January 3, those aged 15 and above will be able to register on CoWIN. In other words, "all those whose birth year is 2007" or before, shall be eligible. Private hospitals too have geared up for this phase of the exercise, which will take place amid a massive spike in case of Covid and an Omicron scare. "CoWIN registration for this category has commenced. We are all set," said Dr Bishnu Panigrahi, Group Head, Medical Strategy and Operations, Fortis Healthcare group. Delhi on Friday recorded 1,796 fresh Covid cases, the highest single-day rise since May 22, and zero death while the positivity rate mounted to 2.44 per cent, according to data shared by the city health department. On Thursday, 1,313 cases were recorded with a positivity rate of 1.73 per cent, as per officials figures. The daily cases count had breached the 1000-mark after a gap of seven months. Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain had on Thursday cautioned that the latest variant of the coronavirus is gradually spreading in the community. Doctors urged parents to bring their children for vaccination as soon as possible, to lend them protection amid a fear of a third wave of the coronavirus pandemic. "The Omicron variant of the virus is infecting people and it's spreading, but those who are vaccinated are largely asymptomatic, and essentially the unvaccinated ones are needing hospitalisation more. So, would appeal to people to wear mask, and get vaccinated at the earliest, if eligible," Panigrahi said. Fortis units at Vasant Kunj, Shalimar Bagh and Okhla, will be the vaccination centres of the healthcare group, he said. "Depending on the footfall, we can step up the logistics. Also, a team of paediatricians will be on standby in case there is any adverse events reported in a beneficiary," he said. "We had formed a core expert group last year to tackle the pandemic, and around mid-2021 we made a sub-group, paediatric core expert group to assess the situation and suggest ways to handle a crisis," the doctor said. A spokesperson of Max healthcare group said, Max hospital, Saket and few other units will be part of the vaccination exercise for the children group. "Paediatricians will be on standby when the vaccination begins for this group," she said. According to CoWIN portal, over 2.64 crore doses have been administered in Delhi till evening on Saturday, including 1.52 crore first doses, and 1.11 crore second doses. For precaution doses (third dose of vaccine), there are about three lakh people who are eligible as per January 10, 2022 reference point, according to official documents. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) By Anna Mehler Paperny TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada will take in female Afghan judges and their families who have been living in limbo, primarily in Greece, since their evacuation from Afghanistan in the fall, a spokesperson for the immigration minister said Friday. In addition to the judges and their families, a group totalling about 230 people, Canada will also resettle an unspecified number of Afghans from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities who had been referred by a third-party aid organization, the spokesperson said. They are expected to come to Canada next year but there is no firm date. Canada has promised to resettle 40,000 Afghan refugees but has no timeline for doing so. Since the Taliban took control of the country after the U.S. troop withdrawal in August, Canada has resettled 3,915 Afghans with connections to the Canadian government and another 2,535 on humanitarian grounds, according to government figures. Afghan women made great strides in the two decades since the Taliban last ruled the country from 1996 to 2001, joining previously all-male bastions such as the judiciary, the media and politics. "All the achievements of 20 years came back to zero within the blink of an eye," said Freshta Masoni, a family court judge staying in Athens with her toddler daughters. Since returning to power, the Taliban pledged to protect women's rights in accordance with Islamic law, announcing a general "amnesty" for all former state workers. But advocates fear a backslide to when women were not allowed to work and girls were banned from school. Even if they can leave the country, Afghan asylum-seekers may face years of waits amid logistical backlogs and delays. Western countries usually resettle refugees referred by the UN refugee agency, which has limited capacity to process applications for resettlement. "The biggest bottleneck there is the issue that referral partners in the region have not been able to ramp up capacity," Canada's immigration minister, Sean Fraser, told Reuters earlier this month. "These challenges are going to take a little bit of time to sort out." Afghanistan's refugee situation is different from the Syrian refugee crisis that galvanized the world several years ago, UN refugee agency officials and advocates say. Unlike Syria, the Afghan crisis escalated rapidly during a global pandemic and many face difficulties leaving the country. Those who do leave face additional waits, often in countries with little capacity to support them. Some of the female judges, who have been living in Greece since October, told Reuters they have lacked health coverage because of their temporary visa status. Advocates have called on countries to resettle Afghans without requiring a designation from the UNHCR or other NGOs, a step Canada has signalled it is open to. (Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share JAKARTA, Indonesia On a dirt path, forked yellow tongue darting from its mouth, a member of the worlds largest lizard species lazes on an island in eastern Indonesias Komodo National Park as tourists snap photos. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight And about 18 miles away on another park island that harbors Komodo dragons, trees have been removed and concrete poured for new tourist facilities that have aroused the ire of residents and environmental activists. The construction is part of an ambitious Indonesian initiative that has generated tensions between a government that wants to develop natural attractions for luxury tourism and conservationists who fear habitat for the endangered lizards will be irreparably harmed. United Nations officials have also voiced concerns about potential tourism impacts on this unique wildlife-rich park. Advertisement Encompassing about 850 square miles of land and marine area, the park was established in 1980 to help protect the famed dragons. Indonesias Ministry of Environment and Forestry estimates about 3,000 of the reptiles live there today, along with manatee-like dugongs, sea turtles, whales and more than a thousand species of tropical fish. Because of its biodiversity and beauty, the park became a World Heritage Site designated by UNESCO in 1991. And its one of Indonesias crown jewels for tourism, typically drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors worldwide each year. For years the government has been trying to figure out how to best capitalize on the park, most recently designating it part of the countrys 10 New Balis initiative an effort to draw more tourists, as the island of Bali did before border restrictions during the pandemic. We are embarking into a new era of tourism in Indonesia based on nature and culture, focusing on sustainability and quality tourism, Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno told the Associated Press. Advertisement Part of that multimillion-dollar tourism development is a project on Rinca Island, where more than one-third of the parks dragons are estimated to live on generally hot and dry terrain. The construction includes an expanded ranger station, viewing platform, boat dock, toilets and other infrastructure. The project worries local environmental activists and residents within park boundaries who say their livelihoods as tour guides, boat drivers and souvenir sellers depend on the draw of the areas natural beauty. When we talk about the development in the conservation area, we have to think . . . whether this is a wisely considered economic effect for the local people or the environmental effect, said Gregorius Afioma, a member of the local nongovernmental organization Sun Spirit for Justice and Peace. The situation now is like collective suicide. Advertisement We think that this kind of business will eventually kill other businesses and even themselves because they destroyed the environment, Afioma said, adding that local residents also fear they wont get construction jobs for the luxury tourist destination the Indonesian government is promoting. UNESCO the United Nations body that designates World Heritage Site status has also raised concerns about development in the park. The state party did not inform us, as required by the operational guidelines, said Guy Debonnet, chief of the bodys natural heritage unit. This is definitely a project of concern, because we feel that the impacts on the universal value [of the park] have not been properly evaluated. During a meeting in July, UNESCO expressed other concerns such as the projects reduction of the parks wilderness zone to one-third the previous area, addition of tourism concessions within the property, lack of an adequate environmental impact assessment, and a target to dramatically increase visitors. Advertisement Third-party information transmitted to the State Party indicates that a target of 500,000 annual visitors for the property has been proposed, which is more than double the pre-COVID-19 pandemic visitor numbers, said a report from the meeting. This raises the question of how this tourism model fits [Indonesias] vision of moving away from mass tourism to more sustainable approaches. At UNESCOs request, the country submitted more information about the project. But after reviewing it, the U.N. agency requested in October 2020 that Indonesia not proceed with any tourism infrastructure project that may affect the Outstanding Universal Value of the property prior to a review of the relevant environmental impact assessment by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). IUCN is an international, nongovernmental organization that provides UNESCOs World Heritage Committee with technical evaluations of natural heritage properties. Advertisement After multiple attempts to get permission from government authorities, AP was unable to gain access to the construction site, which has been closed to the public for months. But satellite imagery shows construction continued after UNESCO requested the project be paused. The government did not respond to a recent email seeking comment. As of Dec. 6, UNESCO still had not received the requested revised assessment, Debonnet said. The Indonesian government also granted at least two business permits in Komodo National Park, including for projects on Rinca, Komodo and Padar islands, according to an email to AP from Shana Fatina, president director at the Labuan Bajo Flores Tourism Authority, which helps coordinate government tourism efforts. Some experts fear tourism expansion in the park could lead to disturbance of Komodo dragon habitat. Advertisement The predatory lizards, which can reach a length of 10 feet and a weight of more than 300 pounds, were recently moved from vulnerable to endangered status on the IUCN list of threatened species. The organization cited the effects of climate change and deterioration of the dragons habitat including human encroachment as reasons for the change. Unless carefully managed, tourism projects could have a big impact, not just from the number of people disturbing the behavior of the dragons and disturbing their prey, but also how much freshwater is being siphoned off, said Bryan Fry, an associate professor at the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Queensland in Australia. That could dramatically impact the very delicate balance of these islands. The opening date for the new Rinca Island facilities has yet to be announced. Debonnet said UNESCO is talking with Indonesian officials to arrange a monitoring mission to assess the impact of ongoing development on the park and review its state of conservation. And while World Heritage sites are usually discussed by the UNESCO committee on two-year cycles, the park will be discussed in 2022, Debonnet said. That is kind of an indication that we see there is some urgency in this issue, he said. Associated Press GiftOutline Gift Article Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share JAKARTA, Indonesia On a dirt path, forked yellow tongue darting from its mouth, a member of the worlds largest lizard species lazes on an island in eastern Indonesias Komodo National Park as tourists snap photos. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight And about 18 miles away on another park island that harbors Komodo dragons, trees have been removed and concrete poured for new tourist facilities that have aroused the ire of residents and environmental activists. The construction is part of an ambitious Indonesian initiative that has generated tensions between a government that wants to develop natural attractions for luxury tourism and conservationists who fear habitat for the endangered lizards will be irreparably harmed. United Nations officials have also voiced concerns about potential tourism impacts on this unique wildlife-rich park. Advertisement Encompassing about 850 square miles of land and marine area, the park was established in 1980 to help protect the famed dragons. Indonesias Ministry of Environment and Forestry estimates about 3,000 of the reptiles live there today, along with manatee-like dugongs, sea turtles, whales and more than a thousand species of tropical fish. Because of its biodiversity and beauty, the park became a World Heritage Site designated by UNESCO in 1991. And its one of Indonesias crown jewels for tourism, typically drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors worldwide each year. For years the government has been trying to figure out how to best capitalize on the park, most recently designating it part of the countrys 10 New Balis initiative an effort to draw more tourists, as the island of Bali did before border restrictions during the pandemic. We are embarking into a new era of tourism in Indonesia based on nature and culture, focusing on sustainability and quality tourism, Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno told the Associated Press. Advertisement Part of that multimillion-dollar tourism development is a project on Rinca Island, where more than one-third of the parks dragons are estimated to live on generally hot and dry terrain. The construction includes an expanded ranger station, viewing platform, boat dock, toilets and other infrastructure. The project worries local environmental activists and residents within park boundaries who say their livelihoods as tour guides, boat drivers and souvenir sellers depend on the draw of the areas natural beauty. When we talk about the development in the conservation area, we have to think . . . whether this is a wisely considered economic effect for the local people or the environmental effect, said Gregorius Afioma, a member of the local nongovernmental organization Sun Spirit for Justice and Peace. The situation now is like collective suicide. Advertisement We think that this kind of business will eventually kill other businesses and even themselves because they destroyed the environment, Afioma said, adding that local residents also fear they wont get construction jobs for the luxury tourist destination the Indonesian government is promoting. UNESCO the United Nations body that designates World Heritage Site status has also raised concerns about development in the park. The state party did not inform us, as required by the operational guidelines, said Guy Debonnet, chief of the bodys natural heritage unit. This is definitely a project of concern, because we feel that the impacts on the universal value [of the park] have not been properly evaluated. During a meeting in July, UNESCO expressed other concerns such as the projects reduction of the parks wilderness zone to one-third the previous area, addition of tourism concessions within the property, lack of an adequate environmental impact assessment, and a target to dramatically increase visitors. Advertisement Third-party information transmitted to the State Party indicates that a target of 500,000 annual visitors for the property has been proposed, which is more than double the pre-COVID-19 pandemic visitor numbers, said a report from the meeting. This raises the question of how this tourism model fits [Indonesias] vision of moving away from mass tourism to more sustainable approaches. At UNESCOs request, the country submitted more information about the project. But after reviewing it, the U.N. agency requested in October 2020 that Indonesia not proceed with any tourism infrastructure project that may affect the Outstanding Universal Value of the property prior to a review of the relevant environmental impact assessment by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). IUCN is an international, nongovernmental organization that provides UNESCOs World Heritage Committee with technical evaluations of natural heritage properties. Advertisement After multiple attempts to get permission from government authorities, AP was unable to gain access to the construction site, which has been closed to the public for months. But satellite imagery shows construction continued after UNESCO requested the project be paused. The government did not respond to a recent email seeking comment. As of Dec. 6, UNESCO still had not received the requested revised assessment, Debonnet said. The Indonesian government also granted at least two business permits in Komodo National Park, including for projects on Rinca, Komodo and Padar islands, according to an email to AP from Shana Fatina, president director at the Labuan Bajo Flores Tourism Authority, which helps coordinate government tourism efforts. Some experts fear tourism expansion in the park could lead to disturbance of Komodo dragon habitat. Advertisement The predatory lizards, which can reach a length of 10 feet and a weight of more than 300 pounds, were recently moved from vulnerable to endangered status on the IUCN list of threatened species. The organization cited the effects of climate change and deterioration of the dragons habitat including human encroachment as reasons for the change. Unless carefully managed, tourism projects could have a big impact, not just from the number of people disturbing the behavior of the dragons and disturbing their prey, but also how much freshwater is being siphoned off, said Bryan Fry, an associate professor at the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Queensland in Australia. That could dramatically impact the very delicate balance of these islands. The opening date for the new Rinca Island facilities has yet to be announced. Debonnet said UNESCO is talking with Indonesian officials to arrange a monitoring mission to assess the impact of ongoing development on the park and review its state of conservation. And while World Heritage sites are usually discussed by the UNESCO committee on two-year cycles, the park will be discussed in 2022, Debonnet said. That is kind of an indication that we see there is some urgency in this issue, he said. Associated Press GiftOutline Gift Article Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share JAKARTA, Indonesia On a dirt path, forked yellow tongue darting from its mouth, a member of the worlds largest lizard species lazes on an island in eastern Indonesias Komodo National Park as tourists snap photos. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight And about 18 miles away on another park island that harbors Komodo dragons, trees have been removed and concrete poured for new tourist facilities that have aroused the ire of residents and environmental activists. The construction is part of an ambitious Indonesian initiative that has generated tensions between a government that wants to develop natural attractions for luxury tourism and conservationists who fear habitat for the endangered lizards will be irreparably harmed. United Nations officials have also voiced concerns about potential tourism impacts on this unique wildlife-rich park. Advertisement Encompassing about 850 square miles of land and marine area, the park was established in 1980 to help protect the famed dragons. Indonesias Ministry of Environment and Forestry estimates about 3,000 of the reptiles live there today, along with manatee-like dugongs, sea turtles, whales and more than a thousand species of tropical fish. Because of its biodiversity and beauty, the park became a World Heritage Site designated by UNESCO in 1991. And its one of Indonesias crown jewels for tourism, typically drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors worldwide each year. For years the government has been trying to figure out how to best capitalize on the park, most recently designating it part of the countrys 10 New Balis initiative an effort to draw more tourists, as the island of Bali did before border restrictions during the pandemic. We are embarking into a new era of tourism in Indonesia based on nature and culture, focusing on sustainability and quality tourism, Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno told the Associated Press. Advertisement Part of that multimillion-dollar tourism development is a project on Rinca Island, where more than one-third of the parks dragons are estimated to live on generally hot and dry terrain. The construction includes an expanded ranger station, viewing platform, boat dock, toilets and other infrastructure. The project worries local environmental activists and residents within park boundaries who say their livelihoods as tour guides, boat drivers and souvenir sellers depend on the draw of the areas natural beauty. When we talk about the development in the conservation area, we have to think . . . whether this is a wisely considered economic effect for the local people or the environmental effect, said Gregorius Afioma, a member of the local nongovernmental organization Sun Spirit for Justice and Peace. The situation now is like collective suicide. Advertisement We think that this kind of business will eventually kill other businesses and even themselves because they destroyed the environment, Afioma said, adding that local residents also fear they wont get construction jobs for the luxury tourist destination the Indonesian government is promoting. UNESCO the United Nations body that designates World Heritage Site status has also raised concerns about development in the park. The state party did not inform us, as required by the operational guidelines, said Guy Debonnet, chief of the bodys natural heritage unit. This is definitely a project of concern, because we feel that the impacts on the universal value [of the park] have not been properly evaluated. During a meeting in July, UNESCO expressed other concerns such as the projects reduction of the parks wilderness zone to one-third the previous area, addition of tourism concessions within the property, lack of an adequate environmental impact assessment, and a target to dramatically increase visitors. Advertisement Third-party information transmitted to the State Party indicates that a target of 500,000 annual visitors for the property has been proposed, which is more than double the pre-COVID-19 pandemic visitor numbers, said a report from the meeting. This raises the question of how this tourism model fits [Indonesias] vision of moving away from mass tourism to more sustainable approaches. At UNESCOs request, the country submitted more information about the project. But after reviewing it, the U.N. agency requested in October 2020 that Indonesia not proceed with any tourism infrastructure project that may affect the Outstanding Universal Value of the property prior to a review of the relevant environmental impact assessment by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). IUCN is an international, nongovernmental organization that provides UNESCOs World Heritage Committee with technical evaluations of natural heritage properties. Advertisement After multiple attempts to get permission from government authorities, AP was unable to gain access to the construction site, which has been closed to the public for months. But satellite imagery shows construction continued after UNESCO requested the project be paused. The government did not respond to a recent email seeking comment. As of Dec. 6, UNESCO still had not received the requested revised assessment, Debonnet said. The Indonesian government also granted at least two business permits in Komodo National Park, including for projects on Rinca, Komodo and Padar islands, according to an email to AP from Shana Fatina, president director at the Labuan Bajo Flores Tourism Authority, which helps coordinate government tourism efforts. Some experts fear tourism expansion in the park could lead to disturbance of Komodo dragon habitat. Advertisement The predatory lizards, which can reach a length of 10 feet and a weight of more than 300 pounds, were recently moved from vulnerable to endangered status on the IUCN list of threatened species. The organization cited the effects of climate change and deterioration of the dragons habitat including human encroachment as reasons for the change. Unless carefully managed, tourism projects could have a big impact, not just from the number of people disturbing the behavior of the dragons and disturbing their prey, but also how much freshwater is being siphoned off, said Bryan Fry, an associate professor at the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Queensland in Australia. That could dramatically impact the very delicate balance of these islands. The opening date for the new Rinca Island facilities has yet to be announced. Debonnet said UNESCO is talking with Indonesian officials to arrange a monitoring mission to assess the impact of ongoing development on the park and review its state of conservation. And while World Heritage sites are usually discussed by the UNESCO committee on two-year cycles, the park will be discussed in 2022, Debonnet said. That is kind of an indication that we see there is some urgency in this issue, he said. Associated Press GiftOutline Gift Article New Delhi, Jan 1 (PTI) Registration for vaccination of children against COVID-19 in the 15-18 age group began in Delhi on Saturday, as centres here have geared up to start inoculating the younger population from January 3. According to official documents shared by sources, the cohort size for vaccination in this category is 10 lakh as per the Registrar General of India's figures. Also Read | Haryana Landslide: Amit Shah Expresses Grief Over Landslide at Mining Site in Bhiwani, Speaks to CM Manohar Lal. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya took to Twitter to request people to register eligible children in their families. "On the occasion of New Year, registration is being started on CoWIN portal for immunisation of children against COVID-19 in the age group of 15 to 18 years from today. I request the family members to register the eligible children for vaccination," Mandaviya tweeted using the hashtag 'SabkoVaccineMuftVaccine'. Also Read | Female Infanticide in India: Couple Arrested for Killing Week-Old Baby Girl in Tamil Nadu. From stocking up doses to keeping pediatricians on standby, inoculation centres in Delhi have geared up for starting vaccination for the younger population. The vaccine option for those in the 15-18 age group would only be Covaxin, according to the "Guidelines for Covid-19 vaccination of children between 15-18 years and precaution dose to HCWs, FLWs and 60+ population with comorbidities" issued by the Union health ministry. Balance vaccine shots at the disposal of the Delhi government as on December 29 morning, stood at 21.53 lakh doses, according to official documents. Authorities at various hospitals in Delhi, which are among the facilities which have hosted vaccination centres since the start of the exercise on January 16, said infrastructure set up is ready to administer Covid vaccine shots to children, after having catered to the adult population, including healthcare workers and frontline staff, who were given priority to be the first in line to receive jabs. A large number of schools and other educational institutions have been used as Covid vaccination centres, and arrangements were being made there as well. According to the guidelines, which will come into effect from January 3, those aged 15 and above will be able to register on CoWIN. In other words, "all those whose birth year is 2007" or before, shall be eligible. Private hospitals too have geared up for this phase of the exercise, which will take place amid a massive spike in case of Covid and an Omicron scare. "CoWIN registration for this category has commenced. We are all set," said Dr Bishnu Panigrahi, Group Head, Medical Strategy and Operations, Fortis Healthcare group. Delhi on Friday recorded 1,796 fresh Covid cases, the highest single-day rise since May 22, and zero death while the positivity rate mounted to 2.44 per cent, according to data shared by the city health department. On Thursday, 1,313 cases were recorded with a positivity rate of 1.73 per cent, as per officials figures. The daily cases count had breached the 1000-mark after a gap of seven months. Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain had on Thursday cautioned that the latest variant of the coronavirus is gradually spreading in the community. Doctors urged parents to bring their children for vaccination as soon as possible, to lend them protection amid a fear of a third wave of the coronavirus pandemic. "The Omicron variant of the virus is infecting people and it's spreading, but those who are vaccinated are largely asymptomatic, and essentially the unvaccinated ones are needing hospitalisation more. So, would appeal to people to wear mask, and get vaccinated at the earliest, if eligible," Panigrahi said. Fortis units at Vasant Kunj, Shalimar Bagh and Okhla, will be the vaccination centres of the healthcare group, he said. "Depending on the footfall, we can step up the logistics. Also, a team of paediatricians will be on standby in case there is any adverse events reported in a beneficiary," he said. "We had formed a core expert group last year to tackle the pandemic, and around mid-2021 we made a sub-group, paediatric core expert group to assess the situation and suggest ways to handle a crisis," the doctor said. A spokesperson of Max healthcare group said, Max hospital, Saket and few other units will be part of the vaccination exercise for the children group. "Paediatricians will be on standby when the vaccination begins for this group," she said. According to CoWIN portal, over 2.64 crore doses have been administered in Delhi till evening on Saturday, including 1.52 crore first doses, and 1.11 crore second doses. For precaution doses (third dose of vaccine), there are about three lakh people who are eligible as per January 10, 2022 reference point, according to official documents. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Jan 1 (PTI) Registration for vaccination of children against COVID-19 in the 15-18 age group began in Delhi on Saturday, as centres here have geared up to start inoculating the younger population from January 3. According to official documents shared by sources, the cohort size for vaccination in this category is 10 lakh as per the Registrar General of India's figures. Also Read | Haryana Landslide: Amit Shah Expresses Grief Over Landslide at Mining Site in Bhiwani, Speaks to CM Manohar Lal. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya took to Twitter to request people to register eligible children in their families. "On the occasion of New Year, registration is being started on CoWIN portal for immunisation of children against COVID-19 in the age group of 15 to 18 years from today. I request the family members to register the eligible children for vaccination," Mandaviya tweeted using the hashtag 'SabkoVaccineMuftVaccine'. Also Read | Female Infanticide in India: Couple Arrested for Killing Week-Old Baby Girl in Tamil Nadu. From stocking up doses to keeping pediatricians on standby, inoculation centres in Delhi have geared up for starting vaccination for the younger population. The vaccine option for those in the 15-18 age group would only be Covaxin, according to the "Guidelines for Covid-19 vaccination of children between 15-18 years and precaution dose to HCWs, FLWs and 60+ population with comorbidities" issued by the Union health ministry. Balance vaccine shots at the disposal of the Delhi government as on December 29 morning, stood at 21.53 lakh doses, according to official documents. Authorities at various hospitals in Delhi, which are among the facilities which have hosted vaccination centres since the start of the exercise on January 16, said infrastructure set up is ready to administer Covid vaccine shots to children, after having catered to the adult population, including healthcare workers and frontline staff, who were given priority to be the first in line to receive jabs. A large number of schools and other educational institutions have been used as Covid vaccination centres, and arrangements were being made there as well. According to the guidelines, which will come into effect from January 3, those aged 15 and above will be able to register on CoWIN. In other words, "all those whose birth year is 2007" or before, shall be eligible. Private hospitals too have geared up for this phase of the exercise, which will take place amid a massive spike in case of Covid and an Omicron scare. "CoWIN registration for this category has commenced. We are all set," said Dr Bishnu Panigrahi, Group Head, Medical Strategy and Operations, Fortis Healthcare group. Delhi on Friday recorded 1,796 fresh Covid cases, the highest single-day rise since May 22, and zero death while the positivity rate mounted to 2.44 per cent, according to data shared by the city health department. On Thursday, 1,313 cases were recorded with a positivity rate of 1.73 per cent, as per officials figures. The daily cases count had breached the 1000-mark after a gap of seven months. Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain had on Thursday cautioned that the latest variant of the coronavirus is gradually spreading in the community. Doctors urged parents to bring their children for vaccination as soon as possible, to lend them protection amid a fear of a third wave of the coronavirus pandemic. "The Omicron variant of the virus is infecting people and it's spreading, but those who are vaccinated are largely asymptomatic, and essentially the unvaccinated ones are needing hospitalisation more. So, would appeal to people to wear mask, and get vaccinated at the earliest, if eligible," Panigrahi said. Fortis units at Vasant Kunj, Shalimar Bagh and Okhla, will be the vaccination centres of the healthcare group, he said. "Depending on the footfall, we can step up the logistics. Also, a team of paediatricians will be on standby in case there is any adverse events reported in a beneficiary," he said. "We had formed a core expert group last year to tackle the pandemic, and around mid-2021 we made a sub-group, paediatric core expert group to assess the situation and suggest ways to handle a crisis," the doctor said. A spokesperson of Max healthcare group said, Max hospital, Saket and few other units will be part of the vaccination exercise for the children group. "Paediatricians will be on standby when the vaccination begins for this group," she said. According to CoWIN portal, over 2.64 crore doses have been administered in Delhi till evening on Saturday, including 1.52 crore first doses, and 1.11 crore second doses. For precaution doses (third dose of vaccine), there are about three lakh people who are eligible as per January 10, 2022 reference point, according to official documents. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Jan 1 (PTI) Registration for vaccination of children against COVID-19 in the 15-18 age group began in Delhi on Saturday, as centres here have geared up to start inoculating the younger population from January 3. According to official documents shared by sources, the cohort size for vaccination in this category is 10 lakh as per the Registrar General of India's figures. Also Read | Haryana Landslide: Amit Shah Expresses Grief Over Landslide at Mining Site in Bhiwani, Speaks to CM Manohar Lal. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya took to Twitter to request people to register eligible children in their families. "On the occasion of New Year, registration is being started on CoWIN portal for immunisation of children against COVID-19 in the age group of 15 to 18 years from today. I request the family members to register the eligible children for vaccination," Mandaviya tweeted using the hashtag 'SabkoVaccineMuftVaccine'. Also Read | Female Infanticide in India: Couple Arrested for Killing Week-Old Baby Girl in Tamil Nadu. From stocking up doses to keeping pediatricians on standby, inoculation centres in Delhi have geared up for starting vaccination for the younger population. The vaccine option for those in the 15-18 age group would only be Covaxin, according to the "Guidelines for Covid-19 vaccination of children between 15-18 years and precaution dose to HCWs, FLWs and 60+ population with comorbidities" issued by the Union health ministry. Balance vaccine shots at the disposal of the Delhi government as on December 29 morning, stood at 21.53 lakh doses, according to official documents. Authorities at various hospitals in Delhi, which are among the facilities which have hosted vaccination centres since the start of the exercise on January 16, said infrastructure set up is ready to administer Covid vaccine shots to children, after having catered to the adult population, including healthcare workers and frontline staff, who were given priority to be the first in line to receive jabs. A large number of schools and other educational institutions have been used as Covid vaccination centres, and arrangements were being made there as well. According to the guidelines, which will come into effect from January 3, those aged 15 and above will be able to register on CoWIN. In other words, "all those whose birth year is 2007" or before, shall be eligible. Private hospitals too have geared up for this phase of the exercise, which will take place amid a massive spike in case of Covid and an Omicron scare. "CoWIN registration for this category has commenced. We are all set," said Dr Bishnu Panigrahi, Group Head, Medical Strategy and Operations, Fortis Healthcare group. Delhi on Friday recorded 1,796 fresh Covid cases, the highest single-day rise since May 22, and zero death while the positivity rate mounted to 2.44 per cent, according to data shared by the city health department. On Thursday, 1,313 cases were recorded with a positivity rate of 1.73 per cent, as per officials figures. The daily cases count had breached the 1000-mark after a gap of seven months. Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain had on Thursday cautioned that the latest variant of the coronavirus is gradually spreading in the community. Doctors urged parents to bring their children for vaccination as soon as possible, to lend them protection amid a fear of a third wave of the coronavirus pandemic. "The Omicron variant of the virus is infecting people and it's spreading, but those who are vaccinated are largely asymptomatic, and essentially the unvaccinated ones are needing hospitalisation more. So, would appeal to people to wear mask, and get vaccinated at the earliest, if eligible," Panigrahi said. Fortis units at Vasant Kunj, Shalimar Bagh and Okhla, will be the vaccination centres of the healthcare group, he said. "Depending on the footfall, we can step up the logistics. Also, a team of paediatricians will be on standby in case there is any adverse events reported in a beneficiary," he said. "We had formed a core expert group last year to tackle the pandemic, and around mid-2021 we made a sub-group, paediatric core expert group to assess the situation and suggest ways to handle a crisis," the doctor said. A spokesperson of Max healthcare group said, Max hospital, Saket and few other units will be part of the vaccination exercise for the children group. "Paediatricians will be on standby when the vaccination begins for this group," she said. According to CoWIN portal, over 2.64 crore doses have been administered in Delhi till evening on Saturday, including 1.52 crore first doses, and 1.11 crore second doses. For precaution doses (third dose of vaccine), there are about three lakh people who are eligible as per January 10, 2022 reference point, according to official documents. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) "This morning, two rocket launches were detected from the Gaza Strip towards the Mediterranean. The rockets fell off the coast of Tel Aviv," IDF's press service said. Israeli military noted that the current protocol did not require sounding air sirens or launching interception in this situation. Since Hamas movement took control of the Gaza Strip in 2007, the enclave has been under a blockade by Egypt and Israel. Last year saw a significant escalation of tensions between Israel and Hamas. The hostilities left hundreds dead and were resolved with a truce in late May. (ANI/Sputnik) It looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35... By Anna Mehler Paperny TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada will take in female Afghan judges and their families who have been living in limbo, primarily in Greece, since their evacuation from Afghanistan in the fall, a spokesperson for the immigration minister said Friday. In addition to the judges and their families, a group totalling about 230 people, Canada will also resettle an unspecified number of Afghans from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities who had been referred by a third-party aid organization, the spokesperson said. They are expected to come to Canada next year but there is no firm date. Canada has promised to resettle 40,000 Afghan refugees but has no timeline for doing so. Since the Taliban took control of the country after the U.S. troop withdrawal in August, Canada has resettled 3,915 Afghans with connections to the Canadian government and another 2,535 on humanitarian grounds, according to government figures. Afghan women made great strides in the two decades since the Taliban last ruled the country from 1996 to 2001, joining previously all-male bastions such as the judiciary, the media and politics. "All the achievements of 20 years came back to zero within the blink of an eye," said Freshta Masoni, a family court judge staying in Athens with her toddler daughters. Since returning to power, the Taliban pledged to protect women's rights in accordance with Islamic law, announcing a general "amnesty" for all former state workers. But advocates fear a backslide to when women were not allowed to work and girls were banned from school. Even if they can leave the country, Afghan asylum-seekers may face years of waits amid logistical backlogs and delays. Western countries usually resettle refugees referred by the UN refugee agency, which has limited capacity to process applications for resettlement. "The biggest bottleneck there is the issue that referral partners in the region have not been able to ramp up capacity," Canada's immigration minister, Sean Fraser, told Reuters earlier this month. "These challenges are going to take a little bit of time to sort out." Afghanistan's refugee situation is different from the Syrian refugee crisis that galvanized the world several years ago, UN refugee agency officials and advocates say. Unlike Syria, the Afghan crisis escalated rapidly during a global pandemic and many face difficulties leaving the country. Those who do leave face additional waits, often in countries with little capacity to support them. Some of the female judges, who have been living in Greece since October, told Reuters they have lacked health coverage because of their temporary visa status. Advocates have called on countries to resettle Afghans without requiring a designation from the UNHCR or other NGOs, a step Canada has signalled it is open to. (Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) It looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35... The arrested persons were involved in transporting the body of Wajiha Swati, a US citizen of Pakistani origin, to Dera Ismail Khan from Rawalpindi, reported The Express Tribune. The kidnapped body of a Pakistani-American Swati was found from Lakki Marwat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Wajiha Swati came to Pakistan from England on October 16 to resolve property issues with her ex-husband, Rizwan Habib. He "confessed to killing" Swati during police interrogation, reported Geo News. As of now, the police have arrested a total of six suspects, including a woman, who is accused of being involved in the murder, reported The Express Tribune. Among the suspects who were produced before the Civil Duty Judge Talat Mahmood today were former husband Rizwan Habib, father-in-law of the victim Hurriyatullah and employees Sultan Khan, Zahid Yusuf, Yusuf Masih and Zahida. The investigation team informed the court that the vehicle used in transporting the body of the deceased to DI Khan was to be recovered from the accused. It further revealed that Zahida was assisting in the murder of the slain and her mobile phone was also used. The three recently arrested suspects have confessed to their involvement in a gruesome murder, the police stated, reported The Express Tribune. "There are other things to be recovered, especially mobile phones," the police, requesting a five-day remand from the court. The court granted three-day physical remand of the accused and ordered the police to produce them again on January 4, reported The Express Tribune. (ANI) The arrested persons were involved in transporting the body of Wajiha Swati, a US citizen of Pakistani origin, to Dera Ismail Khan from Rawalpindi, reported The Express Tribune. The kidnapped body of a Pakistani-American Swati was found from Lakki Marwat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Wajiha Swati came to Pakistan from England on October 16 to resolve property issues with her ex-husband, Rizwan Habib. He "confessed to killing" Swati during police interrogation, reported Geo News. As of now, the police have arrested a total of six suspects, including a woman, who is accused of being involved in the murder, reported The Express Tribune. Among the suspects who were produced before the Civil Duty Judge Talat Mahmood today were former husband Rizwan Habib, father-in-law of the victim Hurriyatullah and employees Sultan Khan, Zahid Yusuf, Yusuf Masih and Zahida. The investigation team informed the court that the vehicle used in transporting the body of the deceased to DI Khan was to be recovered from the accused. It further revealed that Zahida was assisting in the murder of the slain and her mobile phone was also used. The three recently arrested suspects have confessed to their involvement in a gruesome murder, the police stated, reported The Express Tribune. "There are other things to be recovered, especially mobile phones," the police, requesting a five-day remand from the court. The court granted three-day physical remand of the accused and ordered the police to produce them again on January 4, reported The Express Tribune. (ANI) "This morning, two rocket launches were detected from the Gaza Strip towards the Mediterranean. The rockets fell off the coast of Tel Aviv," IDF's press service said. Israeli military noted that the current protocol did not require sounding air sirens or launching interception in this situation. Since Hamas movement took control of the Gaza Strip in 2007, the enclave has been under a blockade by Egypt and Israel. Last year saw a significant escalation of tensions between Israel and Hamas. The hostilities left hundreds dead and were resolved with a truce in late May. (ANI/Sputnik) "This morning, two rocket launches were detected from the Gaza Strip towards the Mediterranean. The rockets fell off the coast of Tel Aviv," IDF's press service said. Israeli military noted that the current protocol did not require sounding air sirens or launching interception in this situation. Since Hamas movement took control of the Gaza Strip in 2007, the enclave has been under a blockade by Egypt and Israel. Last year saw a significant escalation of tensions between Israel and Hamas. The hostilities left hundreds dead and were resolved with a truce in late May. (ANI/Sputnik) After years of record-breaking dry conditions, Coconino County was repeatedly pummeled by historical and devastating levels of flooding in 2021. That development -- coupled with a summer of repeat wildfires and sporadic heavy snowfall -- resulted in a year of extremes. Advances in science reflected what was going on in the rest of the world, with new studies providing a more detailed look at both Earth and beyond. Heres a recap of the top local weather and science stories in 2021: 2021 kicks off with dumping of snow Following a notably dry end to 2020, Flagstaff kicked off the year with a snowstorm that dropped 2 to 4 feet of snow across the region followed by another that brought an additional 6 inches shortly after. The surge of snow created dangerous driving conditions and numerous road closures as it fell as far south as Tucson. It was a welcome change after Coconino County saw its driest year on record in 2020 that had a lackluster monsoon season and start to the winter season. The much-needed moisture allowed fire crews to conduct pile burns and large prescribed burns that had previously been delayed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the dry conditions. Pile burns eliminate large piles of wood and tree bits through manual thinning operations, while prescribed burns use low-intensity fires to cut down hazardous fuels and create a healthier ecosystem. Snow on the ground is key to conducting the preventative measures safely. A (pre)historic move A set of 240-million-year-old reptile tracks made the 1.6-mile trip to its new home at the Museum of Northern Arizona in May. The tracks, believed to be from the early to middle Triassic Period, were found at the Starpoint Apartments construction site. Moving the 5-ton hunk of red sandstone proved to be an extreme feat of both engineering, strength and patience. The actual trip down Highway 180 only took about 10 minutes, though. Luckily, the tracks were safely moved to MNA to be studied by paleontologist David Gillette. He told the Arizona Daily Sun at the time that the track likely came from the Chirotherium rex, whose tracks have been found elsewhere on the Colorado Plateau. Flooding repeatedly hits Flagstaff Water repeatedly poured off the 2019 Museum Fire burn scar and through the streets of Flagstaff in July and August. The flooding closed roads and drenched homes in east Flagstaff neighborhoods, while Killip Elementary School was forced to evacuate classrooms after it experienced flooding. One video of a July flooding showing a person's Toyota Prius being washed down Steves Boulevard went viral, garnering millions of views online and thrusting Flagstaff into the debate over additional action on climate change. The seemingly relentless flooding prompted Gov. Doug Ducey to issue two separate emergency declarations, opening up additional funding to help with response and possible reimbursement for local entities as they scrambled to deal with the impacts. City and county officials spent months dealing with the repercussions and implementing measures to prevent future incidents. Projects designed to limit the amount of sediment and debris that is swept into the city during flooding events, clogging stormwater infrastructure and worsening floods were still ongoing late in 2021. Schultz Fire still impacting residents decade later A study from the Ecological Restoration Institute at Northern Arizona University provided critical insights into the long-term impacts of large wildfires, specifically the 2010 Schultz Fire. The Schultz Fire burned more than 15,000 acres north of Flagstaff. The damage was devastating at the time, but the study showed the expenses only continued to grow in the decades since. Researches estimated the total cost of the fire reached somewhere between $95.8 million and $100.7 million. That total includes the costs footed by the United States Forest Service, Coconino County, the City of Flagstaff, FEMA, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and numerous other agencies and utility companies to counter the fire and subsequent flooding. The study also included costs to private homeowners in the area and the estimated cost of losing about 1,000 acres of the threatened Mexican Spotted Owls habitat. The study gave a startling picture of the lasting impact future blazes could have long after the flames are extinguished. Study: Thinning, fire make forests healthier amid climate change A study from the researchers with the Ecological Restoration Institute at Northern Arizona University provided some good news for northern Arizonas forests in the face of climate change -- forest treatment does help. The paper outlined that thinning trees and the use of prescribed fires on ponderosa pine forests may better adapt forests to a warming and drier climate. Researcher Michael Stoddard, the lead author of the study, examined 20 years of experimental forests across northern and central Arizona. The findings sent an optimistic message as Arizona repeatedly sees an increase in high temperatures and dropping precipitation levels with each passing year. Stoddard said they found that sections of forest that had been thinned and received at least one prescribed burn were far more resilient and healthy in the face of those changes. Future forecasts show those treated forests remain resilient even as climate change continues. Despite the good news, their models also showed a slow die-off of some ponderosa pines directly as a result of climate change. While it was better than the untreated portions, it was still notable. Lowell Observatory astronomer catalogs life of giant stars Lowell Observatory astronomer Gerard van Bell cataloged the precise sizes and temperatures of 191 giant stars in a new study, proving an unprecedented insight into the lifespan of stars. He determined the measurement of hundreds of giant stars, including the radius and temperature, during the course of his research. While this type of study has been done before, none come close in terms of scale or accuracy. Its considered the largest catalog of its kind ever published. Special technology used in this project, however, enhanced the strength of the telescope, making the once impossible task of obtaining the measurements possible. The study also gives researchers a boost in other areas. For example, knowing one stars size can help astronomers better infer the size of surrounding planets. It looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35... It looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35... It looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35... It looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35... (Newser) Actors, comedians, and other fans issued tributes to Betty White on Friday, praising her as an entertainer and person. The actress died at her home at age 99. "Her generosity of spirit is the reason everybody talks about her in this way," Henry Winkler said, per CNN, adding, "just an amazing person." A film about White's life and career, planned as part of her birthday celebration next month, will still be shown, the producers said. It will be screened in 800 theaters on Jan. 17, the day White would have turned 100. Per the AP, BBC and CNN, tributes also came from: Ryan Reynolds : "She was great at defying expectation. She managed to grow very old and somehow, not old enough." : "She was great at defying expectation. She managed to grow very old and somehow, not old enough." Marlee Matlin : "Betty White will go down in the history books as ageless ... 99 or 100, the numbers belie the fact that she lived the best life ever!" : "Betty White will go down in the history books as ageless ... 99 or 100, the numbers belie the fact that she lived the best life ever!" President Biden : "Betty White brought a smile to the lips of generations of Americans. She's a cultural icon who will be sorely missed." : "Betty White brought a smile to the lips of generations of Americans. She's a cultural icon who will be sorely missed." Dan Rather : "A spirit of goodness and hope. ... Our world would be better if more followed her example." : "A spirit of goodness and hope. ... Our world would be better if more followed her example." Eric Garcetti : "The City of L.A. will be forever grateful for her years of service to the L.A. Zoo on behalf of the animals in our care and the people who love them." : "The City of L.A. will be forever grateful for her years of service to the L.A. Zoo on behalf of the animals in our care and the people who love them." Roxane Gay : "RIP to Betty White who was charming, delightful, hilarious, talented and unproblematic for 99.9 years." : "RIP to Betty White who was charming, delightful, hilarious, talented and unproblematic for 99.9 years." US Army : "Not only was she an amazing actress, she also served during WWII as a member of the American Women's Voluntary Services. A true legend on and off the screen." : "Not only was she an amazing actress, she also served during WWII as a member of the American Women's Voluntary Services. A true legend on and off the screen." Seth Meyers : "The only SNL host I ever saw get a standing ovation at the after party. A party at which she ordered a vodka and a hotdog and stayed til the bitter end." : "The only SNL host I ever saw get a standing ovation at the after party. A party at which she ordered a vodka and a hotdog and stayed til the bitter end." Bridget Moynahan: "Maybe she picked New Year's Eve so we can celebrate her life every year!" (Read more Betty White stories.) It looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35... It looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35... It looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35... It looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35... It looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35... It looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35... It looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35... It looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35... EIR LEAD EDITORIAL FOR SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 2022 Helga Zepp-LaRouche: Message for the New Year Dec. 31, 2021 (EIRNS)This coming year is going to be one in which a lot of very crucial strategic issues will come to a head, where humanity is being confronted with choosing a path; a path to either solutions which will bring mankind into a New Paradigm, or a path to Hell. That is why I want to officially declare 2022 the year of my late husband, Lyndon LaRouche, because it is his 100th birthday. There is no more adequate way to celebrate this great man and the incredible richness of the works he had produced, than to declare 2022 the year of Lyndon LaRouche. I already can promise that we will conduct many meetings, conferences, and seminars. We will publish the second volume of his collected worksthat is, by the LaRouche Legacy Foundation. We will make everything possible that the solution which Lyndon LaRouche offered to the strategic situation, to the economic crisis, to the cultural crisis; that these solutions will be on the table for every responsible government and parliament around the world to consider. I think this will be a very fruitful endeavor, so I invite all of you to join with us in the celebration of Lyndon LaRouche for the entire year. Having said that, I think that the situation around the US-Russia strategic crisis is still one of incredible danger, because this has been building up for more than 30 years, since the end of the Soviet Union. It has now reached a point where a solution has to occur. President Putin has responded to the endless series of provocations coming from NATO, by demanding legally binding treaties which will guarantee the security of Russia. Not only was this the subject of discussion between Presidents Biden and Putin in the discussion they just had yesterday, but it will be the issue of discussion on January 9th and 10th in Geneva between the United States and Russia for two days. Then on January 12th, it will be discussed in Brussels between NATO and Russia, and then on the 13th, it will be a discussion among the OSCE in Vienna. That is the framework where results have to be produced. Both President Putin and Foreign Minister Lavrov have said clearly that they will not agree anymore to just have long talks which will be then used in the meantime to build up the weapons systems along the Russian border in Ukraine, the Baltics, and other states. They want written, legally binding guarantees, having in mind that there has been a long history of deception on the side of NATO. I think this is something every concerned citizen, patriot, world citizen should be on the side of demanding that these treaties must be signed, because any continuous escalation has the danger of leading to nuclear war. Given the fact that the head of the US Strategic Command, Admiral Richard, had already in February instructed the Pentagon to requalify the likelihood of nuclear war from not likely to very likely. Naturally, the situation between the United States and China also is similarly tense. Therefore, we should really mobilize all to create an environment where the world returns to reason. We need a completely new security architecture; namely, what was on the table in 1990 and 91, where the option existed to include Russia into NATO, or to abandon NATO and create a completely new security architecture. That should be emphatically on the table for this coming year, and that security architecture must also take into account the security interests of Russia and China for it to be a valid one. There is the danger, and Foreign Minister Lavrov has warned again that if there would be the option to have provocations, basically done by private military agencies in East Ukraine, or anything like that, that this will find a very harsh response. Putin has said very clearly there is no longer the question of Russia drawing red lines. Russia has been pushed into a situation where they have no more room to go. That is why this is a point of no return, and a solution must be found; which really means humanity has to go back to being the reasonable species and not continuing a course of confrontation which threatens the extinction of the entire human species South Africa: Tutu was the nation's spiritual father - President Ramaphosa President Cyril Ramaphosa has hailed Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu as a rare soul who enriched the lives of those he met and fought for. President Ramaphosa was delivering the eulogy at the elderly clergyman and global icons funeral held at St Georges Cathedral in Cape Town. Tutu passed away on Sunday following a period of illness. It is only the few among us, the rarest of souls, who attain the stature of global icon during their lifetime. In our modern age, this term has come to be associated with celebrity and social media fame. Yet if we are to understand a global icon to be someone of great moral stature, of exceptional qualities and of service to humanity, there can be no doubt that it refers to the man we are laying to rest today, the President said. Throughout his life, Tutu became known not just as a clergyman but also as a human rights campaigner, who bravely took on the racist apartheid government. He was a man with a faith as deep as it was abiding. For him, opposing injustice, standing up for the oppressed, defying unjust laws, was Gods work. Our departed father was a crusader in the struggle for freedom, for justice, for equality and for peace, not just in South Africa, the country of his birth, but around the world as well, President Ramaphosa said. He said Tutus impact and influence on the entire world was so immense that tributes and condolences have poured in from all parts of the globe. Climate activists, LGBTQI+ groups, solidarity movements and community organisations are just some of those who have paid homage to a man who gave his life to the cause of freedom. A humble and brave human being who spoke up for the oppressed, the downtrodden and the suffering. How fitting is it that his parents named him Mpilo, meaning life. In his life, he enriched the lives of all he met and all those who got to know him, the President said. President Ramaphosa reflected that Tutus empathy and humanity was extended to all those who faced persecution, exclusion and discrimination. He was there, with the freedom fighters, confronting the [apartheid] regime and comforting its victims. He was not content to preach about social justice from the pulpit. He was with the homeless, the helpless, the persecuted, the sick and the destitute in the streets, in shelters and in homes. He embraced all who had ever felt the cold wind of exclusion and they in turn embraced him. The President called on South Africans to honour Tutus legacy by emulating his acts of humanitarianism. The most fitting tribute we can pay to him, whoever and wherever we are, is to take up the cause of social justice for which he tirelessly campaigned. Archbishop Tutu has left a formidable legacy and we are enormously diminished by his passing. Though we say goodbye to him today with the heaviest of hearts, we salute our beloved Archbishop for all he did to help build this nation. His was a life lived honestly and completely. He has left the world a better place. We remember him with a smile... the type of smile he would have flashed around, the President said. At the funeral, Tutus daughter, Reverend Mpho Tutu van Furth, thanked the mourners and those who have sent condolences from around the globe. I am standing to convey our family thanks for the many ways in which all of you have stepped forward to tell us of how much you loved daddy. We have received so many messages on all kinds of media and we havent been able to respond to all that we have received. uDaddy would say the love the world has shown has warmed the cockles of our hearts. We thank you for loving our father, grandfather, husband, uncle, brother, brother-in-law. To him we say thank you for the many ways you showed us loved, for the many times you challenged us [and] for the many times you comforted us, she said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-01-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. South Africa: Tutu was the nation's spiritual father - President Ramaphosa President Cyril Ramaphosa has hailed Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu as a rare soul who enriched the lives of those he met and fought for. President Ramaphosa was delivering the eulogy at the elderly clergyman and global icons funeral held at St Georges Cathedral in Cape Town. Tutu passed away on Sunday following a period of illness. It is only the few among us, the rarest of souls, who attain the stature of global icon during their lifetime. In our modern age, this term has come to be associated with celebrity and social media fame. Yet if we are to understand a global icon to be someone of great moral stature, of exceptional qualities and of service to humanity, there can be no doubt that it refers to the man we are laying to rest today, the President said. Throughout his life, Tutu became known not just as a clergyman but also as a human rights campaigner, who bravely took on the racist apartheid government. He was a man with a faith as deep as it was abiding. For him, opposing injustice, standing up for the oppressed, defying unjust laws, was Gods work. Our departed father was a crusader in the struggle for freedom, for justice, for equality and for peace, not just in South Africa, the country of his birth, but around the world as well, President Ramaphosa said. He said Tutus impact and influence on the entire world was so immense that tributes and condolences have poured in from all parts of the globe. Climate activists, LGBTQI+ groups, solidarity movements and community organisations are just some of those who have paid homage to a man who gave his life to the cause of freedom. A humble and brave human being who spoke up for the oppressed, the downtrodden and the suffering. How fitting is it that his parents named him Mpilo, meaning life. In his life, he enriched the lives of all he met and all those who got to know him, the President said. President Ramaphosa reflected that Tutus empathy and humanity was extended to all those who faced persecution, exclusion and discrimination. He was there, with the freedom fighters, confronting the [apartheid] regime and comforting its victims. He was not content to preach about social justice from the pulpit. He was with the homeless, the helpless, the persecuted, the sick and the destitute in the streets, in shelters and in homes. He embraced all who had ever felt the cold wind of exclusion and they in turn embraced him. The President called on South Africans to honour Tutus legacy by emulating his acts of humanitarianism. The most fitting tribute we can pay to him, whoever and wherever we are, is to take up the cause of social justice for which he tirelessly campaigned. Archbishop Tutu has left a formidable legacy and we are enormously diminished by his passing. Though we say goodbye to him today with the heaviest of hearts, we salute our beloved Archbishop for all he did to help build this nation. His was a life lived honestly and completely. He has left the world a better place. We remember him with a smile... the type of smile he would have flashed around, the President said. At the funeral, Tutus daughter, Reverend Mpho Tutu van Furth, thanked the mourners and those who have sent condolences from around the globe. I am standing to convey our family thanks for the many ways in which all of you have stepped forward to tell us of how much you loved daddy. We have received so many messages on all kinds of media and we havent been able to respond to all that we have received. uDaddy would say the love the world has shown has warmed the cockles of our hearts. We thank you for loving our father, grandfather, husband, uncle, brother, brother-in-law. To him we say thank you for the many ways you showed us loved, for the many times you challenged us [and] for the many times you comforted us, she said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-01-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. It looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35... It looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35... It looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35... It looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35... It looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35... It looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35... This was the year we were to leave COVID behind us and get on with our lives. That didnt happen as wave after wave of the virus washed over us, once again filling our hospitals and jacking up the death toll. Like 2020, we needed help to cope with all the sick. In their second year on the front lines, exhausted local hospital workers got relief from traveling nurses, the National Guard and visiting federal health care teams. And, all around us the debate over vaccines and masks and mandates raged on, in a few cases exploding into angry confrontations with medical professionals and service workers. Like children, we had to be reminded by signs hung in hospitals and businesses to be kind. But mostly we were kind to each other, especially in the face of disaster. When a freak December range fire swept over the tiny town of Denton, burning 25 homes and six businesses, volunteers turned up to help. Strangers brought food and hot coffee, offered homes to stay in and helped victims sift through the ashes. Ranchers from around the state donated hay, and the governor contributed a quarter of his salary to a relief fund. When an Amtrak train derailed near Joplin on the Hi-Line killing three people and injuring dozens, among the rescuers were people from town who risked their own safety to pull survivors from the wreckage. And when a young woman didnt return as planned from a solo hike in the Beartooth Mountains, volunteers trekked into the backcountry to find her. Even fish got some love. A mechanical problem on the Hebgen Lake Dam drained the upper Madison River, leaving many fish high and dry. Volunteers waded into the river with buckets to move struggling fish to deeper water. And in Billings, school children packed bags filled with treats to give to weary health care workers, who because of COVID protocols they would never get to meet. From beginning to end in 2021, as tiresome as the topic has become, COVID seemed all we could talk about, and for the second year in a row it was The Billings Gazettes top story of the year. Enough has probably already been said about it, so here, not strictly listed in order of importance, are some of the other top stories of the year from our region: West End standoff For 10 hours through an April night, an armed man held police at bay from inside a Billings West End home he had broken into after he and a woman he had just met killed a man whose van they had stolen. The victim was a 33-year-old family man from Sheridan, Wyoming named Dennis Gresham. He had driven to Billings to pick up a friend at the airport early the next morning and had been sleeping in his van at a campground. That morning, Michael McClure and Kristy Chavez approached the genial Gresham in his van and asked for help, but it was a trick. At gunpoint, Gresham was taken captive and the three left the campground in his van. Within a few minutes, Gresham was dead, shot five times. In Laurel, McClure and Chavez stopped in the parking lot of a business to get rid of the van and the body. Employees inside the business watching the pair throw a big tarp over the van found it suspicious and called police. The chase was on. With police in pursuit, the couple raced back to Billings where they eventually crashed the van in a quiet, affluent neighborhood and then ran away. Chavez was quickly caught. McClure kept running, trying the doors of several homes before finding one he could break into. The homeowner, luckily, was away. Billings Police surrounded the house with a small army of specially trained officers and slowly turned up the heat on McClure. Finally, just as the sun was rising, police went in after him. Within seconds there was what police described as a quick volley of gunfire. They said McClure fired first, a shot they later determined was a suicide shot to his own head. Chavez remains in jail after being charged with deliberate homicide by accountability. The homeowner returned to a house that had been trashed by the standoff. Police and city officials told her they werent paying, it would be up to her and her insurance company. Lost hiker In late June, 23-year-old Tatum Morell hiked into the Beartooth Mountains above Red Lodge for a solo trek. The Montana State University engineering student was a fit and experienced hiker and had planned to set up a base camp from which she would summit five peaks above 12,000 feet. On July 1, she checked in with family using a Garmin InReach satellite communicator, and then in the days that followed the family heard nothing. Searchers from Red Lodge Fire and Rescue and some volunteers hiked into the rugged terrain hunting for her. Searchers also took to the air. At Shadow Lake, rescuers found her orange tent and campsite, but not her. As the search dragged on, Morells family traveled to Red Lodge from out of state and waited anxiously at the official command post. After an agonizing two weeks, rescuers and Morells family united in a July 14th press conference acknowledging Tatum was almost certainly dead. Well into August, hikers continued looking for her. On Saturday, Aug. 21, a group of backpackers near Whitetail Peak found her body where she had apparently gotten caught in a rock slide. The next day, her body was recovered by helicopter and flown home. The son who never gave up Deep in the Idaho backcountry last September, a hunter found the remains of a bowhunter who had gone missing more than 50 years earlier. The hunter had discovered two weathered black boots sticking out from under a boulder. It took four men to move the giant rock, and underneath they found some bone fragments, a bit of coiled rope, a rusty knife, part of a wooden arrow shaft, and a plastic gas station credit card bearing the name of Raymond Jones. The discovery was barely news in Montana except to one family in Billings where the news hit like a bombshell. Businessman Jeff Jones was 12-years-old when his father Raymond Jones went missing. The now 65-year-old Jeff had never stopped wishing for his dad to come home. It was a cousin who informed Jeff that the remains found in Idaho were all that was left of his father. All of the grief and frustration Jeff had pent up for decades was released at once, overwhelming him for days in what he could only describe as a fog. He now says he feels blessed to finally have the mystery solved. This spring, Jeff plans a graveside service in Miles City where his fathers remains will at last be laid to rest next to his parents. Red Lodge faces flames In some of the photos shot from Red Lodges main street on the dark evening of June 13, it looks like its only a matter of minutes before the towering orange flames of the Robertson Draw fire devour the small mountain town. That had happened dozens of times in California, leaving behind gray images of entire neighborhoods reduced to smoldering foundations. Some residents loaded their valuables into their car and drove out of town. Ranchers cut fences to let livestock run ahead of the fire. At a tiny church in town, the minister welcomed tourists who had been ordered from their campgrounds. Then sometime during the night the strong winds that had been pushing the fire into Red Lodge suddenly changed direction. In the morning, Mount Maurice, the sentinel behind Red Lodge, stood black with wisps of smoke still curling from naked trees. The fire had moved elsewhere. Red Lodge had been spared. Before the 30,000-acre fire was eventually extinguished a month later, it did burn several remote homes and outbuildings and spread far across rangeland east toward Belfry and south toward Wyoming. In early July, a Bridger man ironically named John Lightburn was charged with starting the fire. He was allegedly riding his motorcycle illegally in forest land south of Red Lodge when the bike broke down. While fixing it, he apparently spilled some gasoline and then while checking the engines spark plug he ignited the blaze. State's biggest fire Other small Eastern Montana towns also came close to getting swallowed up by fire this summer. On Aug. 8, the Richard Spring fire in Rosebud County puffed into life about 10 miles south of Colstrip and then took off in all directions. In this rough, rural country the nearest municipal fire truck can be 50 miles of dirt road away. Ranchers who can afford it have their own firefighting equipment. As the fire, which would eventually join a second fire and then spread across 170,000 acres, bore down on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, residents of Lame Deer and Ashland were ordered from their homes and the roads were closed. Making matters worse, the blaze had cut power, cell service and the internet. Residents had to guess at what danger they were in. Some of the reservations residents were bussed to Busby where they spent the night on cots in the school gym. And then during what has been one of the driest summers ever, the rains came, which believers would say was not by chance. The early cold front beat the fire down enough that within a few days firefighters had it under control. No significant structures had burned, and no one was seriously hurt. Investigators say it was smoldering coal seams that started the fires. The seams have been burning underground for decades, maybe centuries, probably originally ignited by lightning strikes and impossible to extinguish. It wont be the last range fire they start. Parolee problems When a disgruntled employee in November returned to the downtown Billings restaurant where he had earlier that day been fired, he was thinking of just one thing. The wild-eyed young man grabbed steak knives and started threatening everyone in reach. A brave restaurant manager coaxed the man away from customers and eventually into the kitchen where employees and several policeman subdued him. But not before his bloody rampage left at least four employees stabbed, slashed and terrorized. The violence in a downtown restaurant was shocking enough, but there was more to it than anyone that night realized. The suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Bird, had just been released from prison, not to his hometown of Missoula, but to Billings. His arrest touched off a firestorm of complaints from city officials and politicians who say theyre tired of Billings taking on more than its fair share of the state's parolees. One local legislator claimed the states Department of Corrections simply gives new parolees a bus ticket to Billings. And, thats true, at least the part about Billings taking a disproportionate number of parolees, according to a Gazette investigation. In fact, while Yellowstone County makes up about 15% of the states population, at least 24% of the states current parolees are living here. Gallatin County, by contrast, has 11% of the states population, but 5% of the states supervised parolees. The problem is a complicated one. Its true that most of the states programs for supervising and re-integrating parolees are in Billings and that naturally leads to more parolees. But solutions are being debated and the topic is certain to come up when the state Legislature meets again. Bird has been charged with five felonies. A Billings judge set his bail at $1 million, an unusually high sum meant to ensure Bird isnt spotted again in downtown Billings anytime soon. Medical school picks Billings In February, the Colorado-based Rocky Vista University announced it would build a $50 million, 12-acre medical school campus in Billings on the far West End. It was promised that within a few years the school would attract hundreds of super smart medical students, employ as many as 350 people, and dump millions upon millions of dollars annually into the local economy. The bonus would be that many of the newly minted osteopathic doctors may remain to practice in Montana, easing the states chronic doctor shortage. The news, however, was not universally celebrated. Billings Clinic declined to partner with the university, mostly because it already partners with a top-rated medical school. Other skeptics in the state, especially in Great Falls where officials are courting their own medical school, predicted the state wont be able to support the huge increase in medical students. St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, however, is all in. The hospital says it will gladly partner with RVU and even create an office of medical education to connect students to clinical rotation programs. In an October ceremony attended by the governor, RVU broke ground on its campus at Shiloh and Monad and expects to begin its first classes by the end of 2022. Seeing hope For a busy Miles City mom, the trouble started with a simple operation to correct her vision. Millions of people have had the same surgery and were better off for it. Jaimi Espys local optometrist recommended she have her severe nearsightedness corrected by having an artificial lens implanted in her eye. The surgery wasnt available in Miles City, so she found a doctor in Billings. That surgery, however, did not go as it should have. Over time, the lens failed, popping out of her eye as she prepared a Thanksgiving dinner. Repairing the damage led to a horrifying cascade of emergency surgeries that couldnt prevent her from going entirely blind in both eyes. Espy sued the Billings eye surgeon and a jury awarded her $3 million. That sounds like an awful lot of money, even after her lawyers are paid. And, the money will help pay her expenses and ease her challenges, the mother now in her 40s, says. What the money doesnt do is erase the horror of slowly losing her vision, a trauma that led her to the brink of suicide. And it wont help her see the joy on her young daughter's face as she pushes her in a backyard swing. The money also wouldnt have changed how Espys story ends. I can adapt and I will adapt and there is a way to do the things that I want to do, she told the Gazette in early July. I think the biggest key to that is not giving up. Pushing it to 11 Speaking of not giving up, heres a good news story to end 2021 with. When Billings motorcycle racer Ryan Zahn started piling up wins on the dirt tracks around Montana, he decided to go semi-pro. Thats news in anyones book, and The Gazette profiled Zahn in late November. Ever since he was a tiny boy, Zahn has worked on his own bikes, souping up the engines and modifying them to suit his peculiar riding style. And, hes had his share of crashes. After one bone-snapping spill, he was patched up by the same exasperated doctor who had patched him up after a previous wreck. Zahn was born with all the right stuff, the same talents that all great athletes have, a fearlessness and grit, and a drive to win. What he wasnt born with are arms. To ride a motorcycle, Zahn had to invent a new way to ride. When he wins, even his fiercest rivals have to marvel. His philosophy in life is the same as his philosophy in racing, youve got to always be pushing it to 11. This was the year we were to leave COVID behind us and get on with our lives. That didnt happen as wave after wave of the virus washed over us, once again filling our hospitals and jacking up the death toll. Like 2020, we needed help to cope with all the sick. In their second year on the front lines, exhausted local hospital workers got relief from traveling nurses, the National Guard and visiting federal health care teams. And, all around us the debate over vaccines and masks and mandates raged on, in a few cases exploding into angry confrontations with medical professionals and service workers. Like children, we had to be reminded by signs hung in hospitals and businesses to be kind. But mostly we were kind to each other, especially in the face of disaster. When a freak December range fire swept over the tiny town of Denton, burning 25 homes and six businesses, volunteers turned up to help. Strangers brought food and hot coffee, offered homes to stay in and helped victims sift through the ashes. Ranchers from around the state donated hay, and the governor contributed a quarter of his salary to a relief fund. When an Amtrak train derailed near Joplin on the Hi-Line killing three people and injuring dozens, among the rescuers were people from town who risked their own safety to pull survivors from the wreckage. And when a young woman didnt return as planned from a solo hike in the Beartooth Mountains, volunteers trekked into the backcountry to find her. Even fish got some love. A mechanical problem on the Hebgen Lake Dam drained the upper Madison River, leaving many fish high and dry. Volunteers waded into the river with buckets to move struggling fish to deeper water. And in Billings, school children packed bags filled with treats to give to weary health care workers, who because of COVID protocols they would never get to meet. From beginning to end in 2021, as tiresome as the topic has become, COVID seemed all we could talk about, and for the second year in a row it was The Billings Gazettes top story of the year. Enough has probably already been said about it, so here, not strictly listed in order of importance, are some of the other top stories of the year from our region: West End standoff For 10 hours through an April night, an armed man held police at bay from inside a Billings West End home he had broken into after he and a woman he had just met killed a man whose van they had stolen. The victim was a 33-year-old family man from Sheridan, Wyoming named Dennis Gresham. He had driven to Billings to pick up a friend at the airport early the next morning and had been sleeping in his van at a campground. That morning, Michael McClure and Kristy Chavez approached the genial Gresham in his van and asked for help, but it was a trick. At gunpoint, Gresham was taken captive and the three left the campground in his van. Within a few minutes, Gresham was dead, shot five times. In Laurel, McClure and Chavez stopped in the parking lot of a business to get rid of the van and the body. Employees inside the business watching the pair throw a big tarp over the van found it suspicious and called police. The chase was on. With police in pursuit, the couple raced back to Billings where they eventually crashed the van in a quiet, affluent neighborhood and then ran away. Chavez was quickly caught. McClure kept running, trying the doors of several homes before finding one he could break into. The homeowner, luckily, was away. Billings Police surrounded the house with a small army of specially trained officers and slowly turned up the heat on McClure. Finally, just as the sun was rising, police went in after him. Within seconds there was what police described as a quick volley of gunfire. They said McClure fired first, a shot they later determined was a suicide shot to his own head. Chavez remains in jail after being charged with deliberate homicide by accountability. The homeowner returned to a house that had been trashed by the standoff. Police and city officials told her they werent paying, it would be up to her and her insurance company. Lost hiker In late June, 23-year-old Tatum Morell hiked into the Beartooth Mountains above Red Lodge for a solo trek. The Montana State University engineering student was a fit and experienced hiker and had planned to set up a base camp from which she would summit five peaks above 12,000 feet. On July 1, she checked in with family using a Garmin InReach satellite communicator, and then in the days that followed the family heard nothing. Searchers from Red Lodge Fire and Rescue and some volunteers hiked into the rugged terrain hunting for her. Searchers also took to the air. At Shadow Lake, rescuers found her orange tent and campsite, but not her. As the search dragged on, Morells family traveled to Red Lodge from out of state and waited anxiously at the official command post. After an agonizing two weeks, rescuers and Morells family united in a July 14th press conference acknowledging Tatum was almost certainly dead. Well into August, hikers continued looking for her. On Saturday, Aug. 21, a group of backpackers near Whitetail Peak found her body where she had apparently gotten caught in a rock slide. The next day, her body was recovered by helicopter and flown home. The son who never gave up Deep in the Idaho backcountry last September, a hunter found the remains of a bowhunter who had gone missing more than 50 years earlier. The hunter had discovered two weathered black boots sticking out from under a boulder. It took four men to move the giant rock, and underneath they found some bone fragments, a bit of coiled rope, a rusty knife, part of a wooden arrow shaft, and a plastic gas station credit card bearing the name of Raymond Jones. The discovery was barely news in Montana except to one family in Billings where the news hit like a bombshell. Businessman Jeff Jones was 12-years-old when his father Raymond Jones went missing. The now 65-year-old Jeff had never stopped wishing for his dad to come home. It was a cousin who informed Jeff that the remains found in Idaho were all that was left of his father. All of the grief and frustration Jeff had pent up for decades was released at once, overwhelming him for days in what he could only describe as a fog. He now says he feels blessed to finally have the mystery solved. This spring, Jeff plans a graveside service in Miles City where his fathers remains will at last be laid to rest next to his parents. Red Lodge faces flames In some of the photos shot from Red Lodges main street on the dark evening of June 13, it looks like its only a matter of minutes before the towering orange flames of the Robertson Draw fire devour the small mountain town. That had happened dozens of times in California, leaving behind gray images of entire neighborhoods reduced to smoldering foundations. Some residents loaded their valuables into their car and drove out of town. Ranchers cut fences to let livestock run ahead of the fire. At a tiny church in town, the minister welcomed tourists who had been ordered from their campgrounds. Then sometime during the night the strong winds that had been pushing the fire into Red Lodge suddenly changed direction. In the morning, Mount Maurice, the sentinel behind Red Lodge, stood black with wisps of smoke still curling from naked trees. The fire had moved elsewhere. Red Lodge had been spared. Before the 30,000-acre fire was eventually extinguished a month later, it did burn several remote homes and outbuildings and spread far across rangeland east toward Belfry and south toward Wyoming. In early July, a Bridger man ironically named John Lightburn was charged with starting the fire. He was allegedly riding his motorcycle illegally in forest land south of Red Lodge when the bike broke down. While fixing it, he apparently spilled some gasoline and then while checking the engines spark plug he ignited the blaze. State's biggest fire Other small Eastern Montana towns also came close to getting swallowed up by fire this summer. On Aug. 8, the Richard Spring fire in Rosebud County puffed into life about 10 miles south of Colstrip and then took off in all directions. In this rough, rural country the nearest municipal fire truck can be 50 miles of dirt road away. Ranchers who can afford it have their own firefighting equipment. As the fire, which would eventually join a second fire and then spread across 170,000 acres, bore down on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, residents of Lame Deer and Ashland were ordered from their homes and the roads were closed. Making matters worse, the blaze had cut power, cell service and the internet. Residents had to guess at what danger they were in. Some of the reservations residents were bussed to Busby where they spent the night on cots in the school gym. And then during what has been one of the driest summers ever, the rains came, which believers would say was not by chance. The early cold front beat the fire down enough that within a few days firefighters had it under control. No significant structures had burned, and no one was seriously hurt. Investigators say it was smoldering coal seams that started the fires. The seams have been burning underground for decades, maybe centuries, probably originally ignited by lightning strikes and impossible to extinguish. It wont be the last range fire they start. Parolee problems When a disgruntled employee in November returned to the downtown Billings restaurant where he had earlier that day been fired, he was thinking of just one thing. The wild-eyed young man grabbed steak knives and started threatening everyone in reach. A brave restaurant manager coaxed the man away from customers and eventually into the kitchen where employees and several policeman subdued him. But not before his bloody rampage left at least four employees stabbed, slashed and terrorized. The violence in a downtown restaurant was shocking enough, but there was more to it than anyone that night realized. The suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Bird, had just been released from prison, not to his hometown of Missoula, but to Billings. His arrest touched off a firestorm of complaints from city officials and politicians who say theyre tired of Billings taking on more than its fair share of the state's parolees. One local legislator claimed the states Department of Corrections simply gives new parolees a bus ticket to Billings. And, thats true, at least the part about Billings taking a disproportionate number of parolees, according to a Gazette investigation. In fact, while Yellowstone County makes up about 15% of the states population, at least 24% of the states current parolees are living here. Gallatin County, by contrast, has 11% of the states population, but 5% of the states supervised parolees. The problem is a complicated one. Its true that most of the states programs for supervising and re-integrating parolees are in Billings and that naturally leads to more parolees. But solutions are being debated and the topic is certain to come up when the state Legislature meets again. Bird has been charged with five felonies. A Billings judge set his bail at $1 million, an unusually high sum meant to ensure Bird isnt spotted again in downtown Billings anytime soon. Medical school picks Billings In February, the Colorado-based Rocky Vista University announced it would build a $50 million, 12-acre medical school campus in Billings on the far West End. It was promised that within a few years the school would attract hundreds of super smart medical students, employ as many as 350 people, and dump millions upon millions of dollars annually into the local economy. The bonus would be that many of the newly minted osteopathic doctors may remain to practice in Montana, easing the states chronic doctor shortage. The news, however, was not universally celebrated. Billings Clinic declined to partner with the university, mostly because it already partners with a top-rated medical school. Other skeptics in the state, especially in Great Falls where officials are courting their own medical school, predicted the state wont be able to support the huge increase in medical students. St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, however, is all in. The hospital says it will gladly partner with RVU and even create an office of medical education to connect students to clinical rotation programs. In an October ceremony attended by the governor, RVU broke ground on its campus at Shiloh and Monad and expects to begin its first classes by the end of 2022. Seeing hope For a busy Miles City mom, the trouble started with a simple operation to correct her vision. Millions of people have had the same surgery and were better off for it. Jaimi Espys local optometrist recommended she have her severe nearsightedness corrected by having an artificial lens implanted in her eye. The surgery wasnt available in Miles City, so she found a doctor in Billings. That surgery, however, did not go as it should have. Over time, the lens failed, popping out of her eye as she prepared a Thanksgiving dinner. Repairing the damage led to a horrifying cascade of emergency surgeries that couldnt prevent her from going entirely blind in both eyes. Espy sued the Billings eye surgeon and a jury awarded her $3 million. That sounds like an awful lot of money, even after her lawyers are paid. And, the money will help pay her expenses and ease her challenges, the mother now in her 40s, says. What the money doesnt do is erase the horror of slowly losing her vision, a trauma that led her to the brink of suicide. And it wont help her see the joy on her young daughter's face as she pushes her in a backyard swing. The money also wouldnt have changed how Espys story ends. I can adapt and I will adapt and there is a way to do the things that I want to do, she told the Gazette in early July. I think the biggest key to that is not giving up. Pushing it to 11 Speaking of not giving up, heres a good news story to end 2021 with. When Billings motorcycle racer Ryan Zahn started piling up wins on the dirt tracks around Montana, he decided to go semi-pro. Thats news in anyones book, and The Gazette profiled Zahn in late November. Ever since he was a tiny boy, Zahn has worked on his own bikes, souping up the engines and modifying them to suit his peculiar riding style. And, hes had his share of crashes. After one bone-snapping spill, he was patched up by the same exasperated doctor who had patched him up after a previous wreck. Zahn was born with all the right stuff, the same talents that all great athletes have, a fearlessness and grit, and a drive to win. What he wasnt born with are arms. To ride a motorcycle, Zahn had to invent a new way to ride. When he wins, even his fiercest rivals have to marvel. His philosophy in life is the same as his philosophy in racing, youve got to always be pushing it to 11. A study has found a gene-silencing therapy protecting against Zika virus transmission from pregnant mice to mouse fetuses. The study has been published in the 'Molecular Therapy Journal'. The treatment, which harnesses nanoparticles called small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) for drug delivery, crossed the placenta and blood-brain barrier to greatly reduce fetal neurological damage, including virus-induced brain shrinkage. "Our experiments indicated that targeted delivery via modified sEVs is a promising alternative to the traditional methods of delivery, especially for the treatment of brain viral infection," said senior study author Zhiwei Wu of Nanjing University. "Increasing the yield and efficiency of producing sEVs and developing sEVs that target other tissues will broaden their application and will expand the effectiveness of this gene delivery technique," Wu added. The Zika virus epidemic swept across the Asia-Pacific region in 2015-2017 and remains a global health threat to this day. The virus causes neurological and congenital conditions such as microcephaly, in which the baby's head is smaller than expected. It can cross the placenta and the blood-brain barrier -- a network of blood vessels and tissue that is made up of closely spaced cells. The blood-brain barrier controls the exchange of substances between the central nervous system (CNS) and the blood, helping to keep harmful substances from reaching the brain. Few drugs specifically target brain tissue, and most are highly toxic and do not efficiently cross the blood-brain barrier. Treatment for viral infections of the brain is generally ineffective due to blood-brain barrier blocking of drugs. "Currently, there is no Zika virus-specific therapy or vaccine available. Safe and effective antiviral drugs that can effectively cross the blood-brain barrier and placental barrier are urgently needed, especially to prevent microcephaly," Wu said. In particular, gene silencing therapies using oligonucleotides have demonstrated unique advantages in clinical settings, but the delivery of nucleic acids into cells remains a major challenge. One potential solution is offered by sEVs -- natural, biodegradable nanoparticles that are released from cells and are important mediators of cell-to-cell communication. Emerging evidence suggested that they could be a powerful tool to deliver drugs for the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular conditions, and infectious diseases. Recently, Wu and his collaborators leveraged sEVs to deliver an antiviral molecule across the placental barrier to inhibit Zika virus infection in the mouse fetus. In the new study, Wu and his team demonstrated for the first time that sEVs could deliver antiviral drugs to achieve targeted suppression of Zika virus infection in the fetal CNS and to control neurological damage. To home in on neurons, the researchers engineered sEVs that expressed rabies virus glycoprotein (RVG) on their surface. They then loaded them with Zika virus-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) and injected them into pregnant mice. The RVG-modified sEVs crossed the placental barrier and blood-brain barrier, protecting against Zika virus transmission to the fetus. They concentrated in the fetal brain, where they suppressed infection and reduced inflammation and neurological damage, including microcephaly and defects in a brain region called the cerebellum. The findings echo another recent study showing that RVG-modified sEVs could cross the blood-brain barrier in mice to treat manifestations of Parkinson's disease. "Our therapeutic approach expanded the application of sEVs to treat viral infection of brains by intravenous injection," Wu said. Despite the promising results, many questions remain. For example, the researchers delivered the virus and the first dose of the therapy simultaneously, so it is not clear whether treatment after a time lag would also be effective. "A delayed injection after viral infection may provide more confidence in the ability to translate this research to human trials. Nevertheless, our study provides a proof of concept for such a possibility," Wu said. Moving forward, the researchers plan to investigate the molecular mechanisms by which the sEVs penetrate the placenta and blood-brain barrier. They will also pin down the precise rate of sEV penetration and determine the factors that control delivery efficiency. "Since small extracellular vesicles are of biological origin, they can be a safe drug delivery vehicle. However, the current study remains preliminary and many more issues need to be resolved. For human use, there is a long way to go," Wu said. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Major Research and Development Project, Nanjing University-Ningxia University Collaborative Project. (ANI) Email Newsletters Get the best of The Aspen Daily News in your inbox. Our newsletters are free, and you can unsubscribe at any time. Email Newsletters Get the best of The Aspen Daily News in your inbox. Our newsletters are free, and you can unsubscribe at any time. Haiti - 2022 : Wishes from the Prime Minister and the Ambassador of Haiti in Washington Prime Minister a.i. Ariel Henri : "For the year to come, I wish you a lot of love, tolerance and solidarity. I wish we will work together to make Haiti 2022 better. Our ancestors did it in 1804. We can do it again. All Haitians, wherever they are, must do it, live and participate. The country must be ruled by people elected by good elections. This is how it happens in all democratic countries." "Pou ane kap vini an map swete nou anpil lanmou, tolerans ak solidarite. Mwen swete, nou travay ansanm pou ke Ayiti 2022 a ka pi bon. Zanset nou yo te fe 1804. Nou ka fel anko. Fok tout ayisyen, kelkeswa kote y ap viv, patisipe. Fok peyi a dirije pa moun ki eli e ki soti nan bon eleksyon. Se konsa sa fet nan tout peyi dmokratik." Ambassador of Haiti to Washington Bocchit Edmond : "On behalf of the Embassy of the Republic of Haiti in Washington and myself, I send my warmest and most sincere wishes to all fellow Haitians and to our partners during the year-end celebrations and for the New Year. On 1 January 2022, Haiti celebrates the 218th anniversary of its independence, which its people acquired through an epic struggle for freedom and the inalienable rights of human beings, without distinction, to live free. This historic crossroads challenges all Haitians and their offspring to favor harmony, forgiveness and unity, rather than the sterile fights which have weakened us all. In 2022, let us break with division. Rather, let 2022 be the year of the indispensable union of all the daughters and all the sons of Our Dearest Haiti so that peace, security, stability, economic and social progress can return to our country." HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - 2022 : Wishes from the Prime Minister and the Ambassador of Haiti in Washington Prime Minister a.i. Ariel Henri : "For the year to come, I wish you a lot of love, tolerance and solidarity. I wish we will work together to make Haiti 2022 better. Our ancestors did it in 1804. We can do it again. All Haitians, wherever they are, must do it, live and participate. The country must be ruled by people elected by good elections. This is how it happens in all democratic countries." "Pou ane kap vini an map swete nou anpil lanmou, tolerans ak solidarite. Mwen swete, nou travay ansanm pou ke Ayiti 2022 a ka pi bon. Zanset nou yo te fe 1804. Nou ka fel anko. Fok tout ayisyen, kelkeswa kote y ap viv, patisipe. Fok peyi a dirije pa moun ki eli e ki soti nan bon eleksyon. Se konsa sa fet nan tout peyi dmokratik." Ambassador of Haiti to Washington Bocchit Edmond : "On behalf of the Embassy of the Republic of Haiti in Washington and myself, I send my warmest and most sincere wishes to all fellow Haitians and to our partners during the year-end celebrations and for the New Year. On 1 January 2022, Haiti celebrates the 218th anniversary of its independence, which its people acquired through an epic struggle for freedom and the inalienable rights of human beings, without distinction, to live free. This historic crossroads challenges all Haitians and their offspring to favor harmony, forgiveness and unity, rather than the sterile fights which have weakened us all. In 2022, let us break with division. Rather, let 2022 be the year of the indispensable union of all the daughters and all the sons of Our Dearest Haiti so that peace, security, stability, economic and social progress can return to our country." HL/ HaitiLibre Aurangabad (Maharashtra): On the last day of 2021, Maharashtra reported 8,067 new coronavirus cases, which was 50% more than the day before. However, the state is not thinking of a lockdown yet, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Saturday (January 1, 2022). Mumbai today reported 6,347 fresh COVID cases (5,712 asymptomatic), 451 recoveries, and one death. Disaster management minister Vijay Wadettiwar had said the day before that the "stage of fresh lockdown" was nearing, but the decision will be taken by the chief minister. "Decision of lockdown is not under discussion currently. The government will take a decision about restrictions by taking into consideration the case positivity rate, hospital bed occupancy, and oxygen consumption," Tope told reporters. "If the daily (medical) oxygen requirement crosses 700 metric tons, then the state will go into lockdown automatically," he said. Tope was in Aurangabad to attend a function to mark the 39th anniversary of the Mahatma Gandhi Mission educational trust. "Currently, we have imposed some restrictions on social gatherings. If it brings the virus spread under control, well and good. Otherwise, we will have to impose stricter restrictions," the health minister added. Also read: What is Florona, detected in Israel - know all about this flu plus corona Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray will hold a meeting of top officials in this regard soon, he said. Finding out the exact figures of Omicron and Delta cases was important in the present situation, and at least one genome sequencing lab was needed in each of the administrative divisions of the state, he added. (With PTI inputs) Live TV The creator of Squid Game has said he is in talks with Netflix over more seasons of the hit series. The dystopian Korean drama, written and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, follows desperate people who are invited to take part in a mystery game which could win them 45.6 billion South Korean won (about 28 million). To win the jackpot, the 456 contestants must play traditional childrens games, with the price of failure being death. Speaking to Korean broadcaster KBS, the series creator said he is currently speaking to the streaming giant about the shows future. Hwang, who had the idea for the series in 2008, said: Im in talks with Netflix over season two as well as season three. We will come to a conclusion any time soon, the 50-year-old said, according to The Korea Times. Squid Game broke the record for Netflixs most popular series launch, surpassing raunchy period drama Bridgerton, which was watched by 82 million households in its first month. In its first 28 days on Netflix, Squid Game was watched by 111 million users, the company has previously said. The series, which debuted in September, has nine episodes. Key cast members in Squid Game include Lee Jung-jae, Park Hae-soo, Wi Ha-jun and HoYeon Jung. Netflix is yet to officially announce a season two renewal of the drama, which became an overnight global hit and pop culture phenomenon. The creator of Squid Game has said he is in talks with Netflix over more seasons of the hit series. The dystopian Korean drama, written and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, follows desperate people who are invited to take part in a mystery game which could win them 45.6 billion South Korean won (about 28 million). To win the jackpot, the 456 contestants must play traditional childrens games, with the price of failure being death. Speaking to Korean broadcaster KBS, the series creator said he is currently speaking to the streaming giant about the shows future. Hwang, who had the idea for the series in 2008, said: Im in talks with Netflix over season two as well as season three. We will come to a conclusion any time soon, the 50-year-old said, according to The Korea Times. Squid Game broke the record for Netflixs most popular series launch, surpassing raunchy period drama Bridgerton, which was watched by 82 million households in its first month. In its first 28 days on Netflix, Squid Game was watched by 111 million users, the company has previously said. The series, which debuted in September, has nine episodes. Key cast members in Squid Game include Lee Jung-jae, Park Hae-soo, Wi Ha-jun and HoYeon Jung. Netflix is yet to officially announce a season two renewal of the drama, which became an overnight global hit and pop culture phenomenon. The deployment of the first regiment of the S-400 Triumf missile systems is likely to complete at an airbase in Punjab by February, military officials said. They said that the Indian Air Force has initiated the deployment process of the missile system and it will take at least six more weeks to complete. According to a PTI report, the first regiment of the S-400 air defence system is being deployed in such a way that it can cover parts of the border with China (northern sector) as well as Pakistan (frontier). "The transportation of various critical components of the missile systems as well as its peripheral equipment to the site of the deployment is going on," said an official. India will receive five units of the S-400 missile systems from Russia. During the 2018 India-Russia summit in New Delhi, India had inked a USD 5.43 billion deal for the purchase of five S-400 surface-to-air missile systems for long-term security needs. About S-400 missile system The S-400 Triumf is a mobile surface-to-air missile system developed by Russia's ACDBME (Almaz Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering). It is among the most advanced air defence system currently available in the market. The missile system was designed with an aim to exterminate tactical and strategic aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, and hypersonic weapons. Indias Junior Defence minister Ajay Bhatt had said the S-400 Missile is "a potent system in terms of its operational capability to provide continuous and effective air defence system to a very large area. With the induction of this system, the air defence capability of the nation will be significantly enhanced." Meanwhile, the Indian military personnel are also being trained to operate the S-400 missile system. Earlier, Vyacheslav Dzirkaln, a top official of Almaz-Antey, said that a "sufficient" number of the Indian armed forces underwent training to operate the equipment. (With PTI inputs) Image: PTI This was the year we were to leave COVID behind us and get on with our lives. That didnt happen as wave after wave of the virus washed over us, once again filling our hospitals and jacking up the death toll. Like 2020, we needed help to cope with all the sick. In their second year on the front lines, exhausted local hospital workers got relief from traveling nurses, the National Guard and visiting federal health care teams. And, all around us the debate over vaccines and masks and mandates raged on, in a few cases exploding into angry confrontations with medical professionals and service workers. Like children, we had to be reminded by signs hung in hospitals and businesses to be kind. But mostly we were kind to each other, especially in the face of disaster. When a freak December range fire swept over the tiny town of Denton, burning 25 homes and six businesses, volunteers turned up to help. Strangers brought food and hot coffee, offered homes to stay in and helped victims sift through the ashes. Ranchers from around the state donated hay, and the governor contributed a quarter of his salary to a relief fund. When an Amtrak train derailed near Joplin on the Hi-Line killing three people and injuring dozens, among the rescuers were people from town who risked their own safety to pull survivors from the wreckage. And when a young woman didnt return as planned from a solo hike in the Beartooth Mountains, volunteers trekked into the backcountry to find her. Even fish got some love. A mechanical problem on the Hebgen Lake Dam drained the upper Madison River, leaving many fish high and dry. Volunteers waded into the river with buckets to move struggling fish to deeper water. And in Billings, school children packed bags filled with treats to give to weary health care workers, who because of COVID protocols they would never get to meet. From beginning to end in 2021, as tiresome as the topic has become, COVID seemed all we could talk about, and for the second year in a row it was The Billings Gazettes top story of the year. Enough has probably already been said about it, so here, not strictly listed in order of importance, are some of the other top stories of the year from our region: West End standoff For 10 hours through an April night, an armed man held police at bay from inside a Billings West End home he had broken into after he and a woman he had just met killed a man whose van they had stolen. The victim was a 33-year-old family man from Sheridan, Wyoming named Dennis Gresham. He had driven to Billings to pick up a friend at the airport early the next morning and had been sleeping in his van at a campground. That morning, Michael McClure and Kristy Chavez approached the genial Gresham in his van and asked for help, but it was a trick. At gunpoint, Gresham was taken captive and the three left the campground in his van. Within a few minutes, Gresham was dead, shot five times. In Laurel, McClure and Chavez stopped in the parking lot of a business to get rid of the van and the body. Employees inside the business watching the pair throw a big tarp over the van found it suspicious and called police. The chase was on. With police in pursuit, the couple raced back to Billings where they eventually crashed the van in a quiet, affluent neighborhood and then ran away. Chavez was quickly caught. McClure kept running, trying the doors of several homes before finding one he could break into. The homeowner, luckily, was away. Billings Police surrounded the house with a small army of specially trained officers and slowly turned up the heat on McClure. Finally, just as the sun was rising, police went in after him. Within seconds there was what police described as a quick volley of gunfire. They said McClure fired first, a shot they later determined was a suicide shot to his own head. Chavez remains in jail after being charged with deliberate homicide by accountability. The homeowner returned to a house that had been trashed by the standoff. Police and city officials told her they werent paying, it would be up to her and her insurance company. Lost hiker In late June, 23-year-old Tatum Morell hiked into the Beartooth Mountains above Red Lodge for a solo trek. The Montana State University engineering student was a fit and experienced hiker and had planned to set up a base camp from which she would summit five peaks above 12,000 feet. On July 1, she checked in with family using a Garmin InReach satellite communicator, and then in the days that followed the family heard nothing. Searchers from Red Lodge Fire and Rescue and some volunteers hiked into the rugged terrain hunting for her. Searchers also took to the air. At Shadow Lake, rescuers found her orange tent and campsite, but not her. As the search dragged on, Morells family traveled to Red Lodge from out of state and waited anxiously at the official command post. After an agonizing two weeks, rescuers and Morells family united in a July 14th press conference acknowledging Tatum was almost certainly dead. Well into August, hikers continued looking for her. On Saturday, Aug. 21, a group of backpackers near Whitetail Peak found her body where she had apparently gotten caught in a rock slide. The next day, her body was recovered by helicopter and flown home. The son who never gave up Deep in the Idaho backcountry last September, a hunter found the remains of a bowhunter who had gone missing more than 50 years earlier. The hunter had discovered two weathered black boots sticking out from under a boulder. It took four men to move the giant rock, and underneath they found some bone fragments, a bit of coiled rope, a rusty knife, part of a wooden arrow shaft, and a plastic gas station credit card bearing the name of Raymond Jones. The discovery was barely news in Montana except to one family in Billings where the news hit like a bombshell. Businessman Jeff Jones was 12-years-old when his father Raymond Jones went missing. The now 65-year-old Jeff had never stopped wishing for his dad to come home. It was a cousin who informed Jeff that the remains found in Idaho were all that was left of his father. All of the grief and frustration Jeff had pent up for decades was released at once, overwhelming him for days in what he could only describe as a fog. He now says he feels blessed to finally have the mystery solved. This spring, Jeff plans a graveside service in Miles City where his fathers remains will at last be laid to rest next to his parents. Red Lodge faces flames In some of the photos shot from Red Lodges main street on the dark evening of June 13, it looks like its only a matter of minutes before the towering orange flames of the Robertson Draw fire devour the small mountain town. That had happened dozens of times in California, leaving behind gray images of entire neighborhoods reduced to smoldering foundations. Some residents loaded their valuables into their car and drove out of town. Ranchers cut fences to let livestock run ahead of the fire. At a tiny church in town, the minister welcomed tourists who had been ordered from their campgrounds. Then sometime during the night the strong winds that had been pushing the fire into Red Lodge suddenly changed direction. In the morning, Mount Maurice, the sentinel behind Red Lodge, stood black with wisps of smoke still curling from naked trees. The fire had moved elsewhere. Red Lodge had been spared. Before the 30,000-acre fire was eventually extinguished a month later, it did burn several remote homes and outbuildings and spread far across rangeland east toward Belfry and south toward Wyoming. In early July, a Bridger man ironically named John Lightburn was charged with starting the fire. He was allegedly riding his motorcycle illegally in forest land south of Red Lodge when the bike broke down. While fixing it, he apparently spilled some gasoline and then while checking the engines spark plug he ignited the blaze. State's biggest fire Other small Eastern Montana towns also came close to getting swallowed up by fire this summer. On Aug. 8, the Richard Spring fire in Rosebud County puffed into life about 10 miles south of Colstrip and then took off in all directions. In this rough, rural country the nearest municipal fire truck can be 50 miles of dirt road away. Ranchers who can afford it have their own firefighting equipment. As the fire, which would eventually join a second fire and then spread across 170,000 acres, bore down on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, residents of Lame Deer and Ashland were ordered from their homes and the roads were closed. Making matters worse, the blaze had cut power, cell service and the internet. Residents had to guess at what danger they were in. Some of the reservations residents were bussed to Busby where they spent the night on cots in the school gym. And then during what has been one of the driest summers ever, the rains came, which believers would say was not by chance. The early cold front beat the fire down enough that within a few days firefighters had it under control. No significant structures had burned, and no one was seriously hurt. Investigators say it was smoldering coal seams that started the fires. The seams have been burning underground for decades, maybe centuries, probably originally ignited by lightning strikes and impossible to extinguish. It wont be the last range fire they start. Parolee problems When a disgruntled employee in November returned to the downtown Billings restaurant where he had earlier that day been fired, he was thinking of just one thing. The wild-eyed young man grabbed steak knives and started threatening everyone in reach. A brave restaurant manager coaxed the man away from customers and eventually into the kitchen where employees and several policeman subdued him. But not before his bloody rampage left at least four employees stabbed, slashed and terrorized. The violence in a downtown restaurant was shocking enough, but there was more to it than anyone that night realized. The suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Bird, had just been released from prison, not to his hometown of Missoula, but to Billings. His arrest touched off a firestorm of complaints from city officials and politicians who say theyre tired of Billings taking on more than its fair share of the state's parolees. One local legislator claimed the states Department of Corrections simply gives new parolees a bus ticket to Billings. And, thats true, at least the part about Billings taking a disproportionate number of parolees, according to a Gazette investigation. In fact, while Yellowstone County makes up about 15% of the states population, at least 24% of the states current parolees are living here. Gallatin County, by contrast, has 11% of the states population, but 5% of the states supervised parolees. The problem is a complicated one. Its true that most of the states programs for supervising and re-integrating parolees are in Billings and that naturally leads to more parolees. But solutions are being debated and the topic is certain to come up when the state Legislature meets again. Bird has been charged with five felonies. A Billings judge set his bail at $1 million, an unusually high sum meant to ensure Bird isnt spotted again in downtown Billings anytime soon. Medical school picks Billings In February, the Colorado-based Rocky Vista University announced it would build a $50 million, 12-acre medical school campus in Billings on the far West End. It was promised that within a few years the school would attract hundreds of super smart medical students, employ as many as 350 people, and dump millions upon millions of dollars annually into the local economy. The bonus would be that many of the newly minted osteopathic doctors may remain to practice in Montana, easing the states chronic doctor shortage. The news, however, was not universally celebrated. Billings Clinic declined to partner with the university, mostly because it already partners with a top-rated medical school. Other skeptics in the state, especially in Great Falls where officials are courting their own medical school, predicted the state wont be able to support the huge increase in medical students. St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, however, is all in. The hospital says it will gladly partner with RVU and even create an office of medical education to connect students to clinical rotation programs. In an October ceremony attended by the governor, RVU broke ground on its campus at Shiloh and Monad and expects to begin its first classes by the end of 2022. Seeing hope For a busy Miles City mom, the trouble started with a simple operation to correct her vision. Millions of people have had the same surgery and were better off for it. Jaimi Espys local optometrist recommended she have her severe nearsightedness corrected by having an artificial lens implanted in her eye. The surgery wasnt available in Miles City, so she found a doctor in Billings. That surgery, however, did not go as it should have. Over time, the lens failed, popping out of her eye as she prepared a Thanksgiving dinner. Repairing the damage led to a horrifying cascade of emergency surgeries that couldnt prevent her from going entirely blind in both eyes. Espy sued the Billings eye surgeon and a jury awarded her $3 million. That sounds like an awful lot of money, even after her lawyers are paid. And, the money will help pay her expenses and ease her challenges, the mother now in her 40s, says. What the money doesnt do is erase the horror of slowly losing her vision, a trauma that led her to the brink of suicide. And it wont help her see the joy on her young daughter's face as she pushes her in a backyard swing. The money also wouldnt have changed how Espys story ends. I can adapt and I will adapt and there is a way to do the things that I want to do, she told the Gazette in early July. I think the biggest key to that is not giving up. Pushing it to 11 Speaking of not giving up, heres a good news story to end 2021 with. When Billings motorcycle racer Ryan Zahn started piling up wins on the dirt tracks around Montana, he decided to go semi-pro. Thats news in anyones book, and The Gazette profiled Zahn in late November. Ever since he was a tiny boy, Zahn has worked on his own bikes, souping up the engines and modifying them to suit his peculiar riding style. And, hes had his share of crashes. After one bone-snapping spill, he was patched up by the same exasperated doctor who had patched him up after a previous wreck. Zahn was born with all the right stuff, the same talents that all great athletes have, a fearlessness and grit, and a drive to win. What he wasnt born with are arms. To ride a motorcycle, Zahn had to invent a new way to ride. When he wins, even his fiercest rivals have to marvel. His philosophy in life is the same as his philosophy in racing, youve got to always be pushing it to 11. Bill McClellan Bill McClellan is a columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Bill McClellan Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today The old year was not good, but the new one will be worse. I have resigned myself to that. Why pretend the light at the end of the tunnel is anything but the beam from an oncoming train? I am not talking about national politics. That disaster is too profound for me. I cannot pretend to understand it. If you would have told me 10 years ago that my political heroes would be Liz Cheney and Dan Quayle, I would not have believed you. But Cheney has stood up to Donald Trump and Quayle advised Mike Pence that a vice president ought not overturn a national election. I used to despise Cheneys father, and I was convinced that Quayle was an empty suit. I obviously saw things in a superficial way. Fortunately, I have earned the right to ignore national politics. I have done my bit. I was patriotic enough to flunk out of college and get drafted. Eventually, I became a taxpayer and a voter. That is not a great resume, but it is good enough that I can say, Let the young people save the Republic. I am too old to rush to the barricades. Whats more, I would probably get lost. Thats another thing about a new year. Navigating through life does not get easier with the passing of time. For that reason, I seldom go out. I made an exception in November when comedian Greg Warren came to the Funny Bone at Westport Plaza. I bought two tickets online. I try not to do stuff like that, but I decided to reach a little, test myself, and I did quite well. I made the online purchase and printed out my two tickets. An anthropologist once surmised that a Neanderthal, tossed into our modern culture, could probably learn to do a complicated thing like use the proper change to ride mass transit. Perhaps. But could he order online? On a Friday night in mid-November, we drove to Westport. Even during daylight, I get lost as I approach Westport. Its like trying to get to the city of Oz through a maze. You look for shiny gold building and head toward it. One pass is seldom enough. With the help of my longtime navigator we celebrated 42 years of marriage this past Wednesday we arrived at Westport. I had forgotten our tickets. You didnt bring the tickets? Mary asked. It wasnt really a question. Actual tickets are old news, I said cheerfully. Because I bought them online, the ticket office would surely have a record of that. Arent computers supposed to make life easier? I had an ace in the hole. I knew Warrens mother. Yes, that is the new me. I am the guy who knows the drummers parents. The late Colleen Kelly Warren used to write occasional columns for this newspaper. I was hoping I wouldnt have to act like a big-shot and ask to speak to the headliner, but I was ready to do it. I projected an air of self-confidence as I walked up to the ticket window. I dont have the actual tickets with me for Greg Warrens show, I said. Im sure you have a record of the purchase. Greg Warren is here next Friday night, she said. I told that story to my grandkids a couple of weeks ago as we headed to the Fabulous Fox to see Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical. I remembered the tickets this time and I double-checked the date, I said. I let my wife and grandkids out and found a place to park. I got to the theater in time for the show, but I did not have proof of vaccination. I went home, got my vaccination card and returned in time for the second half. Like I said, I dont go out much. Just because I have difficulty getting to the mall and back does not mean I dont crave adventure. When the year began, I had several road trips in mind. One was especially grand. We would head to the northwest to visit an old pal who lives in the state of Washington. On the way there, we would visit a nephew who lives in Oregon and a friend in Nebraska. Wed take a southern route home down into California and then through Arizona to Texas. Maybe wed stop in Branson on the way home. The continuing drama with the pandemic stopped all that. Plus, I had planned on getting a new car for the big trip, but new cars were scarce this past year. Supply chain problems. I was able to find one new car I liked, but it didnt have a spare tire. It had a repair kit. I would like adventure, but not that much adventure. Sitting on the side of the road with a flat tire and a repair kit, waiting to be towed to some town where I might be able to find a new tire? That does not sound like a plan, What is up with these supply-chain problems? Its well beyond new cars. My local grocery store doesnt even have eggnog. Are the chickens in on this? Lets go Brandon! I know. I know. Its not his fault. He was brought in to save the Republic, but the task was just too big, the opposition too well organized and too fierce, and hes too old, too worn out. Its really quite depressing. Its not as if this hasnt happened before in other countries. I would mention the movie Cabaret, but I dont want to encourage a movement to ban Christopher Isherwoods Berlin Diaries from our school libraries. On a more personal note, the Cubs had a terrible year. An 11-game losing streak and a 13-game losing streak. We not only finished 24 games out of first place, but we also traded our three best players Javier Baez, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. What did we get for them? Teenagers. We might be able to field a high-level American Legion team. Maybe someday some of those kids will grow up to be big-league players, but it wont be soon. The Cubs will not be competitive in 2022. So what else do we know about this new year? Well have elections. Half the country doesnt believe in them and will refuse to accept the results if their side loses, but well have them anyway, for old times sake. The results will be especially depressing here in Missouri. Eric Greitens is currently the favorite to win the Trumpian senatorial primary. If he implodes, it could be Eric Schmitt. Or maybe Mark McCloskey. Whichever one emerges out of the ooze will be the heavy favorite to join Josh Hawley in the Senate. By the way, Hawley would be my choice to lead a movement to ban Isherwoods book. After all, it was just a gay guys take on the manly men of the Third Reich. Long before the primary election in August, there will be a showdown at the Missouri Supreme Court over St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner. The states chief disciplinary counsel has found probable cause that she committed professional misconduct during her ill-advised foray into the Greitens mess. Will the court have the resolve to punish her, knowing that her side would immediately condemn the punishment as racist? What a black eye that would be for the city and the state. A crusading circuit attorney attacked by the racist establishment. I predict riots. Or the Supreme Court could try to finesse the whole thing and say that she committed misconduct, but that is not such a serious thing for the leading law enforcement official of the states second largest city. Just move along, folks. Nothing to see here. The only promising thing I can say about the new year is, I have been wrong often before. Like with Cheney and Quayle. Who couldve guessed that? In the year 2021, 45 journalists and media professionals were slain in 20 countries, The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) announced on Friday. IFJ stated that this is a decrease from the 65 killings recorded last year in 2020. Since 1991, at least 2,721 journalists have been slain around the world, as per the reports of ANI. The Asia Pacific region leads the list of killings of journalists with 20 killings, followed by the Americas at 10, Africa at 8, Europe at 6 and the Middle East and Arab World at 1. In Iran, two scribes were killed in a car accident. Talking about the countries, Afghanistan had reported the most number of deaths of journalists, with nine scribes having been assassinated, while Mexico reported eight. Violence has also been reported in other South Asian nations, notably Pakistan. Journalists and media workers are slain for exposing corruption A statement was released by IFJ stating that more journalists and media workers have been slain for exposing corruption, criminality, and abuse of power in their neighbourhoods, cities and countries, according to ANI. The threat for journalists continues as the dominance of crime gangs and drug cartels grows. IFJ statement said that right from Mexico's slums to the streets of European cities in Greece and the Netherlands, all have reported many targeted killings of media workers in 2021. According to ANI, IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger stated that these 45 colleagues we lost to violence this year remind us of the terrible sacrifice that journalists around the world continue to make in order to serve the public interest. Bellanger further stated that the International Federation of Journalists feels that the only appropriate tribute to the cause for which they sacrificed their life is an unwavering pursuit of justice for them. He also added that because of the growing assassinations of journalists, they will continue to fight for the creation of a new United Nations Convention for the Protection of Journalists, that would ensure responsibility for journalists' assassinations. The Taliban kidnapped Afghan journalist Haji Arif Noori On the other hand, recently, on December 26, the Taliban kidnapped Afghan journalist Haji Arif Noori and ransacked his Kabul residence before releasing him two days later, according to ANI. IFJ suggests that a group of Taliban-affiliated militants attacked and searched Noori's residence in Kabul's Karte Parwan district before transporting him to an undisclosed place. The Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) verified Noori's release on December 28. Image: Unsplash, Pixabay In the year 2021, 45 journalists and media professionals were slain in 20 countries, The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) announced on Friday. IFJ stated that this is a decrease from the 65 killings recorded last year in 2020. Since 1991, at least 2,721 journalists have been slain around the world, as per the reports of ANI. The Asia Pacific region leads the list of killings of journalists with 20 killings, followed by the Americas at 10, Africa at 8, Europe at 6 and the Middle East and Arab World at 1. In Iran, two scribes were killed in a car accident. Talking about the countries, Afghanistan had reported the most number of deaths of journalists, with nine scribes having been assassinated, while Mexico reported eight. Violence has also been reported in other South Asian nations, notably Pakistan. Journalists and media workers are slain for exposing corruption A statement was released by IFJ stating that more journalists and media workers have been slain for exposing corruption, criminality, and abuse of power in their neighbourhoods, cities and countries, according to ANI. The threat for journalists continues as the dominance of crime gangs and drug cartels grows. IFJ statement said that right from Mexico's slums to the streets of European cities in Greece and the Netherlands, all have reported many targeted killings of media workers in 2021. According to ANI, IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger stated that these 45 colleagues we lost to violence this year remind us of the terrible sacrifice that journalists around the world continue to make in order to serve the public interest. Bellanger further stated that the International Federation of Journalists feels that the only appropriate tribute to the cause for which they sacrificed their life is an unwavering pursuit of justice for them. He also added that because of the growing assassinations of journalists, they will continue to fight for the creation of a new United Nations Convention for the Protection of Journalists, that would ensure responsibility for journalists' assassinations. The Taliban kidnapped Afghan journalist Haji Arif Noori On the other hand, recently, on December 26, the Taliban kidnapped Afghan journalist Haji Arif Noori and ransacked his Kabul residence before releasing him two days later, according to ANI. IFJ suggests that a group of Taliban-affiliated militants attacked and searched Noori's residence in Kabul's Karte Parwan district before transporting him to an undisclosed place. The Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) verified Noori's release on December 28. Image: Unsplash, Pixabay In the year 2021, 45 journalists and media professionals were slain in 20 countries, The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) announced on Friday. IFJ stated that this is a decrease from the 65 killings recorded last year in 2020. Since 1991, at least 2,721 journalists have been slain around the world, as per the reports of ANI. The Asia Pacific region leads the list of killings of journalists with 20 killings, followed by the Americas at 10, Africa at 8, Europe at 6 and the Middle East and Arab World at 1. In Iran, two scribes were killed in a car accident. Talking about the countries, Afghanistan had reported the most number of deaths of journalists, with nine scribes having been assassinated, while Mexico reported eight. Violence has also been reported in other South Asian nations, notably Pakistan. Journalists and media workers are slain for exposing corruption A statement was released by IFJ stating that more journalists and media workers have been slain for exposing corruption, criminality, and abuse of power in their neighbourhoods, cities and countries, according to ANI. The threat for journalists continues as the dominance of crime gangs and drug cartels grows. IFJ statement said that right from Mexico's slums to the streets of European cities in Greece and the Netherlands, all have reported many targeted killings of media workers in 2021. According to ANI, IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger stated that these 45 colleagues we lost to violence this year remind us of the terrible sacrifice that journalists around the world continue to make in order to serve the public interest. Bellanger further stated that the International Federation of Journalists feels that the only appropriate tribute to the cause for which they sacrificed their life is an unwavering pursuit of justice for them. He also added that because of the growing assassinations of journalists, they will continue to fight for the creation of a new United Nations Convention for the Protection of Journalists, that would ensure responsibility for journalists' assassinations. The Taliban kidnapped Afghan journalist Haji Arif Noori On the other hand, recently, on December 26, the Taliban kidnapped Afghan journalist Haji Arif Noori and ransacked his Kabul residence before releasing him two days later, according to ANI. IFJ suggests that a group of Taliban-affiliated militants attacked and searched Noori's residence in Kabul's Karte Parwan district before transporting him to an undisclosed place. The Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) verified Noori's release on December 28. Image: Unsplash, Pixabay In a New Year shocker, the Maharashtra government has warned of the possibility of 80 lakh Covid-19 cases and 80,000 deaths as the third wave has apparently set in the state. "Number of Covid infections in the third wave is going to be very huge," said Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Dr. Pradeep Vyas in a missive to all top government and health officials late on Friday. "If there are 80 lakh Covid cases in third wave..., even if 1 per cent case fatality is presumed, we can land up with 80,000 deaths," said Dr. Vyas in the grim communication. He called upon the officials "not to be lulled" by the narratives that the third Covid / Omicron wave is mild and not fatal. "It is equally fatal for those who are not vaccinated and have comorbidities. So please improve vaccination coverage and save lives," appealed Dr. Vyas. Cracking the whip, he asked officials "not to be complacent" based on media reports suggesting that the Omicron variant is mild and said "we need to think rationally and scientifically". Dr. Vyas pointed out that genomic sequencing results show that we still have the Delta variant in more than 70 per cent cases and the figures vary from district to district. Referring to the US, Europe and South Africa where the hospitalisation rate is lesser compared with the rapid increase in the Covid cases, Dr. Vyas said medical opinion is divided on whether this is owing to the inherent nature of Omicron or due to the vaccination which was not available in the first and second waves. "There are studies to show that Covid disease even in the present wave has been severe in unvaccinated persons... who are at as much risk (or rather more) as in the second wave (last year)," Dr. Vyas cautioned. The letter has been sent to all Divisional Commissioners, District Collectors, Municipal Commissioners and CEOs of Zilla Parishads. --IANS qn/dpb ( 337 Words) 2022-01-01-12:52:02 (IANS) This was the year we were to leave COVID behind us and get on with our lives. That didnt happen as wave after wave of the virus washed over us, once again filling our hospitals and jacking up the death toll. Like 2020, we needed help to cope with all the sick. In their second year on the front lines, exhausted local hospital workers got relief from traveling nurses, the National Guard and visiting federal health care teams. And, all around us the debate over vaccines and masks and mandates raged on, in a few cases exploding into angry confrontations with medical professionals and service workers. Like children, we had to be reminded by signs hung in hospitals and businesses to be kind. But mostly we were kind to each other, especially in the face of disaster. When a freak December range fire swept over the tiny town of Denton, burning 25 homes and six businesses, volunteers turned up to help. Strangers brought food and hot coffee, offered homes to stay in and helped victims sift through the ashes. Ranchers from around the state donated hay, and the governor contributed a quarter of his salary to a relief fund. When an Amtrak train derailed near Joplin on the Hi-Line killing three people and injuring dozens, among the rescuers were people from town who risked their own safety to pull survivors from the wreckage. And when a young woman didnt return as planned from a solo hike in the Beartooth Mountains, volunteers trekked into the backcountry to find her. Even fish got some love. A mechanical problem on the Hebgen Lake Dam drained the upper Madison River, leaving many fish high and dry. Volunteers waded into the river with buckets to move struggling fish to deeper water. And in Billings, school children packed bags filled with treats to give to weary health care workers, who because of COVID protocols they would never get to meet. From beginning to end in 2021, as tiresome as the topic has become, COVID seemed all we could talk about, and for the second year in a row it was The Billings Gazettes top story of the year. Enough has probably already been said about it, so here, not strictly listed in order of importance, are some of the other top stories of the year from our region: West End standoff For 10 hours through an April night, an armed man held police at bay from inside a Billings West End home he had broken into after he and a woman he had just met killed a man whose van they had stolen. The victim was a 33-year-old family man from Sheridan, Wyoming named Dennis Gresham. He had driven to Billings to pick up a friend at the airport early the next morning and had been sleeping in his van at a campground. That morning, Michael McClure and Kristy Chavez approached the genial Gresham in his van and asked for help, but it was a trick. At gunpoint, Gresham was taken captive and the three left the campground in his van. Within a few minutes, Gresham was dead, shot five times. In Laurel, McClure and Chavez stopped in the parking lot of a business to get rid of the van and the body. Employees inside the business watching the pair throw a big tarp over the van found it suspicious and called police. The chase was on. With police in pursuit, the couple raced back to Billings where they eventually crashed the van in a quiet, affluent neighborhood and then ran away. Chavez was quickly caught. McClure kept running, trying the doors of several homes before finding one he could break into. The homeowner, luckily, was away. Billings Police surrounded the house with a small army of specially trained officers and slowly turned up the heat on McClure. Finally, just as the sun was rising, police went in after him. Within seconds there was what police described as a quick volley of gunfire. They said McClure fired first, a shot they later determined was a suicide shot to his own head. Chavez remains in jail after being charged with deliberate homicide by accountability. The homeowner returned to a house that had been trashed by the standoff. Police and city officials told her they werent paying, it would be up to her and her insurance company. Lost hiker In late June, 23-year-old Tatum Morell hiked into the Beartooth Mountains above Red Lodge for a solo trek. The Montana State University engineering student was a fit and experienced hiker and had planned to set up a base camp from which she would summit five peaks above 12,000 feet. On July 1, she checked in with family using a Garmin InReach satellite communicator, and then in the days that followed the family heard nothing. Searchers from Red Lodge Fire and Rescue and some volunteers hiked into the rugged terrain hunting for her. Searchers also took to the air. At Shadow Lake, rescuers found her orange tent and campsite, but not her. As the search dragged on, Morells family traveled to Red Lodge from out of state and waited anxiously at the official command post. After an agonizing two weeks, rescuers and Morells family united in a July 14th press conference acknowledging Tatum was almost certainly dead. Well into August, hikers continued looking for her. On Saturday, Aug. 21, a group of backpackers near Whitetail Peak found her body where she had apparently gotten caught in a rock slide. The next day, her body was recovered by helicopter and flown home. The son who never gave up Deep in the Idaho backcountry last September, a hunter found the remains of a bowhunter who had gone missing more than 50 years earlier. The hunter had discovered two weathered black boots sticking out from under a boulder. It took four men to move the giant rock, and underneath they found some bone fragments, a bit of coiled rope, a rusty knife, part of a wooden arrow shaft, and a plastic gas station credit card bearing the name of Raymond Jones. The discovery was barely news in Montana except to one family in Billings where the news hit like a bombshell. Businessman Jeff Jones was 12-years-old when his father Raymond Jones went missing. The now 65-year-old Jeff had never stopped wishing for his dad to come home. It was a cousin who informed Jeff that the remains found in Idaho were all that was left of his father. All of the grief and frustration Jeff had pent up for decades was released at once, overwhelming him for days in what he could only describe as a fog. He now says he feels blessed to finally have the mystery solved. This spring, Jeff plans a graveside service in Miles City where his fathers remains will at last be laid to rest next to his parents. Red Lodge faces flames In some of the photos shot from Red Lodges main street on the dark evening of June 13, it looks like its only a matter of minutes before the towering orange flames of the Robertson Draw fire devour the small mountain town. That had happened dozens of times in California, leaving behind gray images of entire neighborhoods reduced to smoldering foundations. Some residents loaded their valuables into their car and drove out of town. Ranchers cut fences to let livestock run ahead of the fire. At a tiny church in town, the minister welcomed tourists who had been ordered from their campgrounds. Then sometime during the night the strong winds that had been pushing the fire into Red Lodge suddenly changed direction. In the morning, Mount Maurice, the sentinel behind Red Lodge, stood black with wisps of smoke still curling from naked trees. The fire had moved elsewhere. Red Lodge had been spared. Before the 30,000-acre fire was eventually extinguished a month later, it did burn several remote homes and outbuildings and spread far across rangeland east toward Belfry and south toward Wyoming. In early July, a Bridger man ironically named John Lightburn was charged with starting the fire. He was allegedly riding his motorcycle illegally in forest land south of Red Lodge when the bike broke down. While fixing it, he apparently spilled some gasoline and then while checking the engines spark plug he ignited the blaze. State's biggest fire Other small Eastern Montana towns also came close to getting swallowed up by fire this summer. On Aug. 8, the Richard Spring fire in Rosebud County puffed into life about 10 miles south of Colstrip and then took off in all directions. In this rough, rural country the nearest municipal fire truck can be 50 miles of dirt road away. Ranchers who can afford it have their own firefighting equipment. As the fire, which would eventually join a second fire and then spread across 170,000 acres, bore down on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, residents of Lame Deer and Ashland were ordered from their homes and the roads were closed. Making matters worse, the blaze had cut power, cell service and the internet. Residents had to guess at what danger they were in. Some of the reservations residents were bussed to Busby where they spent the night on cots in the school gym. And then during what has been one of the driest summers ever, the rains came, which believers would say was not by chance. The early cold front beat the fire down enough that within a few days firefighters had it under control. No significant structures had burned, and no one was seriously hurt. Investigators say it was smoldering coal seams that started the fires. The seams have been burning underground for decades, maybe centuries, probably originally ignited by lightning strikes and impossible to extinguish. It wont be the last range fire they start. Parolee problems When a disgruntled employee in November returned to the downtown Billings restaurant where he had earlier that day been fired, he was thinking of just one thing. The wild-eyed young man grabbed steak knives and started threatening everyone in reach. A brave restaurant manager coaxed the man away from customers and eventually into the kitchen where employees and several policeman subdued him. But not before his bloody rampage left at least four employees stabbed, slashed and terrorized. The violence in a downtown restaurant was shocking enough, but there was more to it than anyone that night realized. The suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Bird, had just been released from prison, not to his hometown of Missoula, but to Billings. His arrest touched off a firestorm of complaints from city officials and politicians who say theyre tired of Billings taking on more than its fair share of the state's parolees. One local legislator claimed the states Department of Corrections simply gives new parolees a bus ticket to Billings. And, thats true, at least the part about Billings taking a disproportionate number of parolees, according to a Gazette investigation. In fact, while Yellowstone County makes up about 15% of the states population, at least 24% of the states current parolees are living here. Gallatin County, by contrast, has 11% of the states population, but 5% of the states supervised parolees. The problem is a complicated one. Its true that most of the states programs for supervising and re-integrating parolees are in Billings and that naturally leads to more parolees. But solutions are being debated and the topic is certain to come up when the state Legislature meets again. Bird has been charged with five felonies. A Billings judge set his bail at $1 million, an unusually high sum meant to ensure Bird isnt spotted again in downtown Billings anytime soon. Medical school picks Billings In February, the Colorado-based Rocky Vista University announced it would build a $50 million, 12-acre medical school campus in Billings on the far West End. It was promised that within a few years the school would attract hundreds of super smart medical students, employ as many as 350 people, and dump millions upon millions of dollars annually into the local economy. The bonus would be that many of the newly minted osteopathic doctors may remain to practice in Montana, easing the states chronic doctor shortage. The news, however, was not universally celebrated. Billings Clinic declined to partner with the university, mostly because it already partners with a top-rated medical school. Other skeptics in the state, especially in Great Falls where officials are courting their own medical school, predicted the state wont be able to support the huge increase in medical students. St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, however, is all in. The hospital says it will gladly partner with RVU and even create an office of medical education to connect students to clinical rotation programs. In an October ceremony attended by the governor, RVU broke ground on its campus at Shiloh and Monad and expects to begin its first classes by the end of 2022. Seeing hope For a busy Miles City mom, the trouble started with a simple operation to correct her vision. Millions of people have had the same surgery and were better off for it. Jaimi Espys local optometrist recommended she have her severe nearsightedness corrected by having an artificial lens implanted in her eye. The surgery wasnt available in Miles City, so she found a doctor in Billings. That surgery, however, did not go as it should have. Over time, the lens failed, popping out of her eye as she prepared a Thanksgiving dinner. Repairing the damage led to a horrifying cascade of emergency surgeries that couldnt prevent her from going entirely blind in both eyes. Espy sued the Billings eye surgeon and a jury awarded her $3 million. That sounds like an awful lot of money, even after her lawyers are paid. And, the money will help pay her expenses and ease her challenges, the mother now in her 40s, says. What the money doesnt do is erase the horror of slowly losing her vision, a trauma that led her to the brink of suicide. And it wont help her see the joy on her young daughter's face as she pushes her in a backyard swing. The money also wouldnt have changed how Espys story ends. I can adapt and I will adapt and there is a way to do the things that I want to do, she told the Gazette in early July. I think the biggest key to that is not giving up. Pushing it to 11 Speaking of not giving up, heres a good news story to end 2021 with. When Billings motorcycle racer Ryan Zahn started piling up wins on the dirt tracks around Montana, he decided to go semi-pro. Thats news in anyones book, and The Gazette profiled Zahn in late November. Ever since he was a tiny boy, Zahn has worked on his own bikes, souping up the engines and modifying them to suit his peculiar riding style. And, hes had his share of crashes. After one bone-snapping spill, he was patched up by the same exasperated doctor who had patched him up after a previous wreck. Zahn was born with all the right stuff, the same talents that all great athletes have, a fearlessness and grit, and a drive to win. What he wasnt born with are arms. To ride a motorcycle, Zahn had to invent a new way to ride. When he wins, even his fiercest rivals have to marvel. His philosophy in life is the same as his philosophy in racing, youve got to always be pushing it to 11. This was the year we were to leave COVID behind us and get on with our lives. That didnt happen as wave after wave of the virus washed over us, once again filling our hospitals and jacking up the death toll. Like 2020, we needed help to cope with all the sick. In their second year on the front lines, exhausted local hospital workers got relief from traveling nurses, the National Guard and visiting federal health care teams. And, all around us the debate over vaccines and masks and mandates raged on, in a few cases exploding into angry confrontations with medical professionals and service workers. Like children, we had to be reminded by signs hung in hospitals and businesses to be kind. But mostly we were kind to each other, especially in the face of disaster. When a freak December range fire swept over the tiny town of Denton, burning 25 homes and six businesses, volunteers turned up to help. Strangers brought food and hot coffee, offered homes to stay in and helped victims sift through the ashes. Ranchers from around the state donated hay, and the governor contributed a quarter of his salary to a relief fund. When an Amtrak train derailed near Joplin on the Hi-Line killing three people and injuring dozens, among the rescuers were people from town who risked their own safety to pull survivors from the wreckage. And when a young woman didnt return as planned from a solo hike in the Beartooth Mountains, volunteers trekked into the backcountry to find her. Even fish got some love. A mechanical problem on the Hebgen Lake Dam drained the upper Madison River, leaving many fish high and dry. Volunteers waded into the river with buckets to move struggling fish to deeper water. And in Billings, school children packed bags filled with treats to give to weary health care workers, who because of COVID protocols they would never get to meet. From beginning to end in 2021, as tiresome as the topic has become, COVID seemed all we could talk about, and for the second year in a row it was The Billings Gazettes top story of the year. Enough has probably already been said about it, so here, not strictly listed in order of importance, are some of the other top stories of the year from our region: West End standoff For 10 hours through an April night, an armed man held police at bay from inside a Billings West End home he had broken into after he and a woman he had just met killed a man whose van they had stolen. The victim was a 33-year-old family man from Sheridan, Wyoming named Dennis Gresham. He had driven to Billings to pick up a friend at the airport early the next morning and had been sleeping in his van at a campground. That morning, Michael McClure and Kristy Chavez approached the genial Gresham in his van and asked for help, but it was a trick. At gunpoint, Gresham was taken captive and the three left the campground in his van. Within a few minutes, Gresham was dead, shot five times. In Laurel, McClure and Chavez stopped in the parking lot of a business to get rid of the van and the body. Employees inside the business watching the pair throw a big tarp over the van found it suspicious and called police. The chase was on. With police in pursuit, the couple raced back to Billings where they eventually crashed the van in a quiet, affluent neighborhood and then ran away. Chavez was quickly caught. McClure kept running, trying the doors of several homes before finding one he could break into. The homeowner, luckily, was away. Billings Police surrounded the house with a small army of specially trained officers and slowly turned up the heat on McClure. Finally, just as the sun was rising, police went in after him. Within seconds there was what police described as a quick volley of gunfire. They said McClure fired first, a shot they later determined was a suicide shot to his own head. Chavez remains in jail after being charged with deliberate homicide by accountability. The homeowner returned to a house that had been trashed by the standoff. Police and city officials told her they werent paying, it would be up to her and her insurance company. Lost hiker In late June, 23-year-old Tatum Morell hiked into the Beartooth Mountains above Red Lodge for a solo trek. The Montana State University engineering student was a fit and experienced hiker and had planned to set up a base camp from which she would summit five peaks above 12,000 feet. On July 1, she checked in with family using a Garmin InReach satellite communicator, and then in the days that followed the family heard nothing. Searchers from Red Lodge Fire and Rescue and some volunteers hiked into the rugged terrain hunting for her. Searchers also took to the air. At Shadow Lake, rescuers found her orange tent and campsite, but not her. As the search dragged on, Morells family traveled to Red Lodge from out of state and waited anxiously at the official command post. After an agonizing two weeks, rescuers and Morells family united in a July 14th press conference acknowledging Tatum was almost certainly dead. Well into August, hikers continued looking for her. On Saturday, Aug. 21, a group of backpackers near Whitetail Peak found her body where she had apparently gotten caught in a rock slide. The next day, her body was recovered by helicopter and flown home. The son who never gave up Deep in the Idaho backcountry last September, a hunter found the remains of a bowhunter who had gone missing more than 50 years earlier. The hunter had discovered two weathered black boots sticking out from under a boulder. It took four men to move the giant rock, and underneath they found some bone fragments, a bit of coiled rope, a rusty knife, part of a wooden arrow shaft, and a plastic gas station credit card bearing the name of Raymond Jones. The discovery was barely news in Montana except to one family in Billings where the news hit like a bombshell. Businessman Jeff Jones was 12-years-old when his father Raymond Jones went missing. The now 65-year-old Jeff had never stopped wishing for his dad to come home. It was a cousin who informed Jeff that the remains found in Idaho were all that was left of his father. All of the grief and frustration Jeff had pent up for decades was released at once, overwhelming him for days in what he could only describe as a fog. He now says he feels blessed to finally have the mystery solved. This spring, Jeff plans a graveside service in Miles City where his fathers remains will at last be laid to rest next to his parents. Red Lodge faces flames In some of the photos shot from Red Lodges main street on the dark evening of June 13, it looks like its only a matter of minutes before the towering orange flames of the Robertson Draw fire devour the small mountain town. That had happened dozens of times in California, leaving behind gray images of entire neighborhoods reduced to smoldering foundations. Some residents loaded their valuables into their car and drove out of town. Ranchers cut fences to let livestock run ahead of the fire. At a tiny church in town, the minister welcomed tourists who had been ordered from their campgrounds. Then sometime during the night the strong winds that had been pushing the fire into Red Lodge suddenly changed direction. In the morning, Mount Maurice, the sentinel behind Red Lodge, stood black with wisps of smoke still curling from naked trees. The fire had moved elsewhere. Red Lodge had been spared. Before the 30,000-acre fire was eventually extinguished a month later, it did burn several remote homes and outbuildings and spread far across rangeland east toward Belfry and south toward Wyoming. In early July, a Bridger man ironically named John Lightburn was charged with starting the fire. He was allegedly riding his motorcycle illegally in forest land south of Red Lodge when the bike broke down. While fixing it, he apparently spilled some gasoline and then while checking the engines spark plug he ignited the blaze. State's biggest fire Other small Eastern Montana towns also came close to getting swallowed up by fire this summer. On Aug. 8, the Richard Spring fire in Rosebud County puffed into life about 10 miles south of Colstrip and then took off in all directions. In this rough, rural country the nearest municipal fire truck can be 50 miles of dirt road away. Ranchers who can afford it have their own firefighting equipment. As the fire, which would eventually join a second fire and then spread across 170,000 acres, bore down on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, residents of Lame Deer and Ashland were ordered from their homes and the roads were closed. Making matters worse, the blaze had cut power, cell service and the internet. Residents had to guess at what danger they were in. Some of the reservations residents were bussed to Busby where they spent the night on cots in the school gym. And then during what has been one of the driest summers ever, the rains came, which believers would say was not by chance. The early cold front beat the fire down enough that within a few days firefighters had it under control. No significant structures had burned, and no one was seriously hurt. Investigators say it was smoldering coal seams that started the fires. The seams have been burning underground for decades, maybe centuries, probably originally ignited by lightning strikes and impossible to extinguish. It wont be the last range fire they start. Parolee problems When a disgruntled employee in November returned to the downtown Billings restaurant where he had earlier that day been fired, he was thinking of just one thing. The wild-eyed young man grabbed steak knives and started threatening everyone in reach. A brave restaurant manager coaxed the man away from customers and eventually into the kitchen where employees and several policeman subdued him. But not before his bloody rampage left at least four employees stabbed, slashed and terrorized. The violence in a downtown restaurant was shocking enough, but there was more to it than anyone that night realized. The suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Bird, had just been released from prison, not to his hometown of Missoula, but to Billings. His arrest touched off a firestorm of complaints from city officials and politicians who say theyre tired of Billings taking on more than its fair share of the state's parolees. One local legislator claimed the states Department of Corrections simply gives new parolees a bus ticket to Billings. And, thats true, at least the part about Billings taking a disproportionate number of parolees, according to a Gazette investigation. In fact, while Yellowstone County makes up about 15% of the states population, at least 24% of the states current parolees are living here. Gallatin County, by contrast, has 11% of the states population, but 5% of the states supervised parolees. The problem is a complicated one. Its true that most of the states programs for supervising and re-integrating parolees are in Billings and that naturally leads to more parolees. But solutions are being debated and the topic is certain to come up when the state Legislature meets again. Bird has been charged with five felonies. A Billings judge set his bail at $1 million, an unusually high sum meant to ensure Bird isnt spotted again in downtown Billings anytime soon. Medical school picks Billings In February, the Colorado-based Rocky Vista University announced it would build a $50 million, 12-acre medical school campus in Billings on the far West End. It was promised that within a few years the school would attract hundreds of super smart medical students, employ as many as 350 people, and dump millions upon millions of dollars annually into the local economy. The bonus would be that many of the newly minted osteopathic doctors may remain to practice in Montana, easing the states chronic doctor shortage. The news, however, was not universally celebrated. Billings Clinic declined to partner with the university, mostly because it already partners with a top-rated medical school. Other skeptics in the state, especially in Great Falls where officials are courting their own medical school, predicted the state wont be able to support the huge increase in medical students. St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, however, is all in. The hospital says it will gladly partner with RVU and even create an office of medical education to connect students to clinical rotation programs. In an October ceremony attended by the governor, RVU broke ground on its campus at Shiloh and Monad and expects to begin its first classes by the end of 2022. Seeing hope For a busy Miles City mom, the trouble started with a simple operation to correct her vision. Millions of people have had the same surgery and were better off for it. Jaimi Espys local optometrist recommended she have her severe nearsightedness corrected by having an artificial lens implanted in her eye. The surgery wasnt available in Miles City, so she found a doctor in Billings. That surgery, however, did not go as it should have. Over time, the lens failed, popping out of her eye as she prepared a Thanksgiving dinner. Repairing the damage led to a horrifying cascade of emergency surgeries that couldnt prevent her from going entirely blind in both eyes. Espy sued the Billings eye surgeon and a jury awarded her $3 million. That sounds like an awful lot of money, even after her lawyers are paid. And, the money will help pay her expenses and ease her challenges, the mother now in her 40s, says. What the money doesnt do is erase the horror of slowly losing her vision, a trauma that led her to the brink of suicide. And it wont help her see the joy on her young daughter's face as she pushes her in a backyard swing. The money also wouldnt have changed how Espys story ends. I can adapt and I will adapt and there is a way to do the things that I want to do, she told the Gazette in early July. I think the biggest key to that is not giving up. Pushing it to 11 Speaking of not giving up, heres a good news story to end 2021 with. When Billings motorcycle racer Ryan Zahn started piling up wins on the dirt tracks around Montana, he decided to go semi-pro. Thats news in anyones book, and The Gazette profiled Zahn in late November. Ever since he was a tiny boy, Zahn has worked on his own bikes, souping up the engines and modifying them to suit his peculiar riding style. And, hes had his share of crashes. After one bone-snapping spill, he was patched up by the same exasperated doctor who had patched him up after a previous wreck. Zahn was born with all the right stuff, the same talents that all great athletes have, a fearlessness and grit, and a drive to win. What he wasnt born with are arms. To ride a motorcycle, Zahn had to invent a new way to ride. When he wins, even his fiercest rivals have to marvel. His philosophy in life is the same as his philosophy in racing, youve got to always be pushing it to 11. This was the year we were to leave COVID behind us and get on with our lives. That didnt happen as wave after wave of the virus washed over us, once again filling our hospitals and jacking up the death toll. Like 2020, we needed help to cope with all the sick. In their second year on the front lines, exhausted local hospital workers got relief from traveling nurses, the National Guard and visiting federal health care teams. And, all around us the debate over vaccines and masks and mandates raged on, in a few cases exploding into angry confrontations with medical professionals and service workers. Like children, we had to be reminded by signs hung in hospitals and businesses to be kind. But mostly we were kind to each other, especially in the face of disaster. When a freak December range fire swept over the tiny town of Denton, burning 25 homes and six businesses, volunteers turned up to help. Strangers brought food and hot coffee, offered homes to stay in and helped victims sift through the ashes. Ranchers from around the state donated hay, and the governor contributed a quarter of his salary to a relief fund. When an Amtrak train derailed near Joplin on the Hi-Line killing three people and injuring dozens, among the rescuers were people from town who risked their own safety to pull survivors from the wreckage. And when a young woman didnt return as planned from a solo hike in the Beartooth Mountains, volunteers trekked into the backcountry to find her. Even fish got some love. A mechanical problem on the Hebgen Lake Dam drained the upper Madison River, leaving many fish high and dry. Volunteers waded into the river with buckets to move struggling fish to deeper water. And in Billings, school children packed bags filled with treats to give to weary health care workers, who because of COVID protocols they would never get to meet. From beginning to end in 2021, as tiresome as the topic has become, COVID seemed all we could talk about, and for the second year in a row it was The Billings Gazettes top story of the year. Enough has probably already been said about it, so here, not strictly listed in order of importance, are some of the other top stories of the year from our region: West End standoff For 10 hours through an April night, an armed man held police at bay from inside a Billings West End home he had broken into after he and a woman he had just met killed a man whose van they had stolen. The victim was a 33-year-old family man from Sheridan, Wyoming named Dennis Gresham. He had driven to Billings to pick up a friend at the airport early the next morning and had been sleeping in his van at a campground. That morning, Michael McClure and Kristy Chavez approached the genial Gresham in his van and asked for help, but it was a trick. At gunpoint, Gresham was taken captive and the three left the campground in his van. Within a few minutes, Gresham was dead, shot five times. In Laurel, McClure and Chavez stopped in the parking lot of a business to get rid of the van and the body. Employees inside the business watching the pair throw a big tarp over the van found it suspicious and called police. The chase was on. With police in pursuit, the couple raced back to Billings where they eventually crashed the van in a quiet, affluent neighborhood and then ran away. Chavez was quickly caught. McClure kept running, trying the doors of several homes before finding one he could break into. The homeowner, luckily, was away. Billings Police surrounded the house with a small army of specially trained officers and slowly turned up the heat on McClure. Finally, just as the sun was rising, police went in after him. Within seconds there was what police described as a quick volley of gunfire. They said McClure fired first, a shot they later determined was a suicide shot to his own head. Chavez remains in jail after being charged with deliberate homicide by accountability. The homeowner returned to a house that had been trashed by the standoff. Police and city officials told her they werent paying, it would be up to her and her insurance company. Lost hiker In late June, 23-year-old Tatum Morell hiked into the Beartooth Mountains above Red Lodge for a solo trek. The Montana State University engineering student was a fit and experienced hiker and had planned to set up a base camp from which she would summit five peaks above 12,000 feet. On July 1, she checked in with family using a Garmin InReach satellite communicator, and then in the days that followed the family heard nothing. Searchers from Red Lodge Fire and Rescue and some volunteers hiked into the rugged terrain hunting for her. Searchers also took to the air. At Shadow Lake, rescuers found her orange tent and campsite, but not her. As the search dragged on, Morells family traveled to Red Lodge from out of state and waited anxiously at the official command post. After an agonizing two weeks, rescuers and Morells family united in a July 14th press conference acknowledging Tatum was almost certainly dead. Well into August, hikers continued looking for her. On Saturday, Aug. 21, a group of backpackers near Whitetail Peak found her body where she had apparently gotten caught in a rock slide. The next day, her body was recovered by helicopter and flown home. The son who never gave up Deep in the Idaho backcountry last September, a hunter found the remains of a bowhunter who had gone missing more than 50 years earlier. The hunter had discovered two weathered black boots sticking out from under a boulder. It took four men to move the giant rock, and underneath they found some bone fragments, a bit of coiled rope, a rusty knife, part of a wooden arrow shaft, and a plastic gas station credit card bearing the name of Raymond Jones. The discovery was barely news in Montana except to one family in Billings where the news hit like a bombshell. Businessman Jeff Jones was 12-years-old when his father Raymond Jones went missing. The now 65-year-old Jeff had never stopped wishing for his dad to come home. It was a cousin who informed Jeff that the remains found in Idaho were all that was left of his father. All of the grief and frustration Jeff had pent up for decades was released at once, overwhelming him for days in what he could only describe as a fog. He now says he feels blessed to finally have the mystery solved. This spring, Jeff plans a graveside service in Miles City where his fathers remains will at last be laid to rest next to his parents. Red Lodge faces flames In some of the photos shot from Red Lodges main street on the dark evening of June 13, it looks like its only a matter of minutes before the towering orange flames of the Robertson Draw fire devour the small mountain town. That had happened dozens of times in California, leaving behind gray images of entire neighborhoods reduced to smoldering foundations. Some residents loaded their valuables into their car and drove out of town. Ranchers cut fences to let livestock run ahead of the fire. At a tiny church in town, the minister welcomed tourists who had been ordered from their campgrounds. Then sometime during the night the strong winds that had been pushing the fire into Red Lodge suddenly changed direction. In the morning, Mount Maurice, the sentinel behind Red Lodge, stood black with wisps of smoke still curling from naked trees. The fire had moved elsewhere. Red Lodge had been spared. Before the 30,000-acre fire was eventually extinguished a month later, it did burn several remote homes and outbuildings and spread far across rangeland east toward Belfry and south toward Wyoming. In early July, a Bridger man ironically named John Lightburn was charged with starting the fire. He was allegedly riding his motorcycle illegally in forest land south of Red Lodge when the bike broke down. While fixing it, he apparently spilled some gasoline and then while checking the engines spark plug he ignited the blaze. State's biggest fire Other small Eastern Montana towns also came close to getting swallowed up by fire this summer. On Aug. 8, the Richard Spring fire in Rosebud County puffed into life about 10 miles south of Colstrip and then took off in all directions. In this rough, rural country the nearest municipal fire truck can be 50 miles of dirt road away. Ranchers who can afford it have their own firefighting equipment. As the fire, which would eventually join a second fire and then spread across 170,000 acres, bore down on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, residents of Lame Deer and Ashland were ordered from their homes and the roads were closed. Making matters worse, the blaze had cut power, cell service and the internet. Residents had to guess at what danger they were in. Some of the reservations residents were bussed to Busby where they spent the night on cots in the school gym. And then during what has been one of the driest summers ever, the rains came, which believers would say was not by chance. The early cold front beat the fire down enough that within a few days firefighters had it under control. No significant structures had burned, and no one was seriously hurt. Investigators say it was smoldering coal seams that started the fires. The seams have been burning underground for decades, maybe centuries, probably originally ignited by lightning strikes and impossible to extinguish. It wont be the last range fire they start. Parolee problems When a disgruntled employee in November returned to the downtown Billings restaurant where he had earlier that day been fired, he was thinking of just one thing. The wild-eyed young man grabbed steak knives and started threatening everyone in reach. A brave restaurant manager coaxed the man away from customers and eventually into the kitchen where employees and several policeman subdued him. But not before his bloody rampage left at least four employees stabbed, slashed and terrorized. The violence in a downtown restaurant was shocking enough, but there was more to it than anyone that night realized. The suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Bird, had just been released from prison, not to his hometown of Missoula, but to Billings. His arrest touched off a firestorm of complaints from city officials and politicians who say theyre tired of Billings taking on more than its fair share of the state's parolees. One local legislator claimed the states Department of Corrections simply gives new parolees a bus ticket to Billings. And, thats true, at least the part about Billings taking a disproportionate number of parolees, according to a Gazette investigation. In fact, while Yellowstone County makes up about 15% of the states population, at least 24% of the states current parolees are living here. Gallatin County, by contrast, has 11% of the states population, but 5% of the states supervised parolees. The problem is a complicated one. Its true that most of the states programs for supervising and re-integrating parolees are in Billings and that naturally leads to more parolees. But solutions are being debated and the topic is certain to come up when the state Legislature meets again. Bird has been charged with five felonies. A Billings judge set his bail at $1 million, an unusually high sum meant to ensure Bird isnt spotted again in downtown Billings anytime soon. Medical school picks Billings In February, the Colorado-based Rocky Vista University announced it would build a $50 million, 12-acre medical school campus in Billings on the far West End. It was promised that within a few years the school would attract hundreds of super smart medical students, employ as many as 350 people, and dump millions upon millions of dollars annually into the local economy. The bonus would be that many of the newly minted osteopathic doctors may remain to practice in Montana, easing the states chronic doctor shortage. The news, however, was not universally celebrated. Billings Clinic declined to partner with the university, mostly because it already partners with a top-rated medical school. Other skeptics in the state, especially in Great Falls where officials are courting their own medical school, predicted the state wont be able to support the huge increase in medical students. St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, however, is all in. The hospital says it will gladly partner with RVU and even create an office of medical education to connect students to clinical rotation programs. In an October ceremony attended by the governor, RVU broke ground on its campus at Shiloh and Monad and expects to begin its first classes by the end of 2022. Seeing hope For a busy Miles City mom, the trouble started with a simple operation to correct her vision. Millions of people have had the same surgery and were better off for it. Jaimi Espys local optometrist recommended she have her severe nearsightedness corrected by having an artificial lens implanted in her eye. The surgery wasnt available in Miles City, so she found a doctor in Billings. That surgery, however, did not go as it should have. Over time, the lens failed, popping out of her eye as she prepared a Thanksgiving dinner. Repairing the damage led to a horrifying cascade of emergency surgeries that couldnt prevent her from going entirely blind in both eyes. Espy sued the Billings eye surgeon and a jury awarded her $3 million. That sounds like an awful lot of money, even after her lawyers are paid. And, the money will help pay her expenses and ease her challenges, the mother now in her 40s, says. What the money doesnt do is erase the horror of slowly losing her vision, a trauma that led her to the brink of suicide. And it wont help her see the joy on her young daughter's face as she pushes her in a backyard swing. The money also wouldnt have changed how Espys story ends. I can adapt and I will adapt and there is a way to do the things that I want to do, she told the Gazette in early July. I think the biggest key to that is not giving up. Pushing it to 11 Speaking of not giving up, heres a good news story to end 2021 with. When Billings motorcycle racer Ryan Zahn started piling up wins on the dirt tracks around Montana, he decided to go semi-pro. Thats news in anyones book, and The Gazette profiled Zahn in late November. Ever since he was a tiny boy, Zahn has worked on his own bikes, souping up the engines and modifying them to suit his peculiar riding style. And, hes had his share of crashes. After one bone-snapping spill, he was patched up by the same exasperated doctor who had patched him up after a previous wreck. Zahn was born with all the right stuff, the same talents that all great athletes have, a fearlessness and grit, and a drive to win. What he wasnt born with are arms. To ride a motorcycle, Zahn had to invent a new way to ride. When he wins, even his fiercest rivals have to marvel. His philosophy in life is the same as his philosophy in racing, youve got to always be pushing it to 11. This was the year we were to leave COVID behind us and get on with our lives. That didnt happen as wave after wave of the virus washed over us, once again filling our hospitals and jacking up the death toll. Like 2020, we needed help to cope with all the sick. In their second year on the front lines, exhausted local hospital workers got relief from traveling nurses, the National Guard and visiting federal health care teams. And, all around us the debate over vaccines and masks and mandates raged on, in a few cases exploding into angry confrontations with medical professionals and service workers. Like children, we had to be reminded by signs hung in hospitals and businesses to be kind. But mostly we were kind to each other, especially in the face of disaster. When a freak December range fire swept over the tiny town of Denton, burning 25 homes and six businesses, volunteers turned up to help. Strangers brought food and hot coffee, offered homes to stay in and helped victims sift through the ashes. Ranchers from around the state donated hay, and the governor contributed a quarter of his salary to a relief fund. When an Amtrak train derailed near Joplin on the Hi-Line killing three people and injuring dozens, among the rescuers were people from town who risked their own safety to pull survivors from the wreckage. And when a young woman didnt return as planned from a solo hike in the Beartooth Mountains, volunteers trekked into the backcountry to find her. Even fish got some love. A mechanical problem on the Hebgen Lake Dam drained the upper Madison River, leaving many fish high and dry. Volunteers waded into the river with buckets to move struggling fish to deeper water. And in Billings, school children packed bags filled with treats to give to weary health care workers, who because of COVID protocols they would never get to meet. From beginning to end in 2021, as tiresome as the topic has become, COVID seemed all we could talk about, and for the second year in a row it was The Billings Gazettes top story of the year. Enough has probably already been said about it, so here, not strictly listed in order of importance, are some of the other top stories of the year from our region: West End standoff For 10 hours through an April night, an armed man held police at bay from inside a Billings West End home he had broken into after he and a woman he had just met killed a man whose van they had stolen. The victim was a 33-year-old family man from Sheridan, Wyoming named Dennis Gresham. He had driven to Billings to pick up a friend at the airport early the next morning and had been sleeping in his van at a campground. That morning, Michael McClure and Kristy Chavez approached the genial Gresham in his van and asked for help, but it was a trick. At gunpoint, Gresham was taken captive and the three left the campground in his van. Within a few minutes, Gresham was dead, shot five times. In Laurel, McClure and Chavez stopped in the parking lot of a business to get rid of the van and the body. Employees inside the business watching the pair throw a big tarp over the van found it suspicious and called police. The chase was on. With police in pursuit, the couple raced back to Billings where they eventually crashed the van in a quiet, affluent neighborhood and then ran away. Chavez was quickly caught. McClure kept running, trying the doors of several homes before finding one he could break into. The homeowner, luckily, was away. Billings Police surrounded the house with a small army of specially trained officers and slowly turned up the heat on McClure. Finally, just as the sun was rising, police went in after him. Within seconds there was what police described as a quick volley of gunfire. They said McClure fired first, a shot they later determined was a suicide shot to his own head. Chavez remains in jail after being charged with deliberate homicide by accountability. The homeowner returned to a house that had been trashed by the standoff. Police and city officials told her they werent paying, it would be up to her and her insurance company. Lost hiker In late June, 23-year-old Tatum Morell hiked into the Beartooth Mountains above Red Lodge for a solo trek. The Montana State University engineering student was a fit and experienced hiker and had planned to set up a base camp from which she would summit five peaks above 12,000 feet. On July 1, she checked in with family using a Garmin InReach satellite communicator, and then in the days that followed the family heard nothing. Searchers from Red Lodge Fire and Rescue and some volunteers hiked into the rugged terrain hunting for her. Searchers also took to the air. At Shadow Lake, rescuers found her orange tent and campsite, but not her. As the search dragged on, Morells family traveled to Red Lodge from out of state and waited anxiously at the official command post. After an agonizing two weeks, rescuers and Morells family united in a July 14th press conference acknowledging Tatum was almost certainly dead. Well into August, hikers continued looking for her. On Saturday, Aug. 21, a group of backpackers near Whitetail Peak found her body where she had apparently gotten caught in a rock slide. The next day, her body was recovered by helicopter and flown home. The son who never gave up Deep in the Idaho backcountry last September, a hunter found the remains of a bowhunter who had gone missing more than 50 years earlier. The hunter had discovered two weathered black boots sticking out from under a boulder. It took four men to move the giant rock, and underneath they found some bone fragments, a bit of coiled rope, a rusty knife, part of a wooden arrow shaft, and a plastic gas station credit card bearing the name of Raymond Jones. The discovery was barely news in Montana except to one family in Billings where the news hit like a bombshell. Businessman Jeff Jones was 12-years-old when his father Raymond Jones went missing. The now 65-year-old Jeff had never stopped wishing for his dad to come home. It was a cousin who informed Jeff that the remains found in Idaho were all that was left of his father. All of the grief and frustration Jeff had pent up for decades was released at once, overwhelming him for days in what he could only describe as a fog. He now says he feels blessed to finally have the mystery solved. This spring, Jeff plans a graveside service in Miles City where his fathers remains will at last be laid to rest next to his parents. Red Lodge faces flames In some of the photos shot from Red Lodges main street on the dark evening of June 13, it looks like its only a matter of minutes before the towering orange flames of the Robertson Draw fire devour the small mountain town. That had happened dozens of times in California, leaving behind gray images of entire neighborhoods reduced to smoldering foundations. Some residents loaded their valuables into their car and drove out of town. Ranchers cut fences to let livestock run ahead of the fire. At a tiny church in town, the minister welcomed tourists who had been ordered from their campgrounds. Then sometime during the night the strong winds that had been pushing the fire into Red Lodge suddenly changed direction. In the morning, Mount Maurice, the sentinel behind Red Lodge, stood black with wisps of smoke still curling from naked trees. The fire had moved elsewhere. Red Lodge had been spared. Before the 30,000-acre fire was eventually extinguished a month later, it did burn several remote homes and outbuildings and spread far across rangeland east toward Belfry and south toward Wyoming. In early July, a Bridger man ironically named John Lightburn was charged with starting the fire. He was allegedly riding his motorcycle illegally in forest land south of Red Lodge when the bike broke down. While fixing it, he apparently spilled some gasoline and then while checking the engines spark plug he ignited the blaze. State's biggest fire Other small Eastern Montana towns also came close to getting swallowed up by fire this summer. On Aug. 8, the Richard Spring fire in Rosebud County puffed into life about 10 miles south of Colstrip and then took off in all directions. In this rough, rural country the nearest municipal fire truck can be 50 miles of dirt road away. Ranchers who can afford it have their own firefighting equipment. As the fire, which would eventually join a second fire and then spread across 170,000 acres, bore down on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, residents of Lame Deer and Ashland were ordered from their homes and the roads were closed. Making matters worse, the blaze had cut power, cell service and the internet. Residents had to guess at what danger they were in. Some of the reservations residents were bussed to Busby where they spent the night on cots in the school gym. And then during what has been one of the driest summers ever, the rains came, which believers would say was not by chance. The early cold front beat the fire down enough that within a few days firefighters had it under control. No significant structures had burned, and no one was seriously hurt. Investigators say it was smoldering coal seams that started the fires. The seams have been burning underground for decades, maybe centuries, probably originally ignited by lightning strikes and impossible to extinguish. It wont be the last range fire they start. Parolee problems When a disgruntled employee in November returned to the downtown Billings restaurant where he had earlier that day been fired, he was thinking of just one thing. The wild-eyed young man grabbed steak knives and started threatening everyone in reach. A brave restaurant manager coaxed the man away from customers and eventually into the kitchen where employees and several policeman subdued him. But not before his bloody rampage left at least four employees stabbed, slashed and terrorized. The violence in a downtown restaurant was shocking enough, but there was more to it than anyone that night realized. The suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Bird, had just been released from prison, not to his hometown of Missoula, but to Billings. His arrest touched off a firestorm of complaints from city officials and politicians who say theyre tired of Billings taking on more than its fair share of the state's parolees. One local legislator claimed the states Department of Corrections simply gives new parolees a bus ticket to Billings. And, thats true, at least the part about Billings taking a disproportionate number of parolees, according to a Gazette investigation. In fact, while Yellowstone County makes up about 15% of the states population, at least 24% of the states current parolees are living here. Gallatin County, by contrast, has 11% of the states population, but 5% of the states supervised parolees. The problem is a complicated one. Its true that most of the states programs for supervising and re-integrating parolees are in Billings and that naturally leads to more parolees. But solutions are being debated and the topic is certain to come up when the state Legislature meets again. Bird has been charged with five felonies. A Billings judge set his bail at $1 million, an unusually high sum meant to ensure Bird isnt spotted again in downtown Billings anytime soon. Medical school picks Billings In February, the Colorado-based Rocky Vista University announced it would build a $50 million, 12-acre medical school campus in Billings on the far West End. It was promised that within a few years the school would attract hundreds of super smart medical students, employ as many as 350 people, and dump millions upon millions of dollars annually into the local economy. The bonus would be that many of the newly minted osteopathic doctors may remain to practice in Montana, easing the states chronic doctor shortage. The news, however, was not universally celebrated. Billings Clinic declined to partner with the university, mostly because it already partners with a top-rated medical school. Other skeptics in the state, especially in Great Falls where officials are courting their own medical school, predicted the state wont be able to support the huge increase in medical students. St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, however, is all in. The hospital says it will gladly partner with RVU and even create an office of medical education to connect students to clinical rotation programs. In an October ceremony attended by the governor, RVU broke ground on its campus at Shiloh and Monad and expects to begin its first classes by the end of 2022. Seeing hope For a busy Miles City mom, the trouble started with a simple operation to correct her vision. Millions of people have had the same surgery and were better off for it. Jaimi Espys local optometrist recommended she have her severe nearsightedness corrected by having an artificial lens implanted in her eye. The surgery wasnt available in Miles City, so she found a doctor in Billings. That surgery, however, did not go as it should have. Over time, the lens failed, popping out of her eye as she prepared a Thanksgiving dinner. Repairing the damage led to a horrifying cascade of emergency surgeries that couldnt prevent her from going entirely blind in both eyes. Espy sued the Billings eye surgeon and a jury awarded her $3 million. That sounds like an awful lot of money, even after her lawyers are paid. And, the money will help pay her expenses and ease her challenges, the mother now in her 40s, says. What the money doesnt do is erase the horror of slowly losing her vision, a trauma that led her to the brink of suicide. And it wont help her see the joy on her young daughter's face as she pushes her in a backyard swing. The money also wouldnt have changed how Espys story ends. I can adapt and I will adapt and there is a way to do the things that I want to do, she told the Gazette in early July. I think the biggest key to that is not giving up. Pushing it to 11 Speaking of not giving up, heres a good news story to end 2021 with. When Billings motorcycle racer Ryan Zahn started piling up wins on the dirt tracks around Montana, he decided to go semi-pro. Thats news in anyones book, and The Gazette profiled Zahn in late November. Ever since he was a tiny boy, Zahn has worked on his own bikes, souping up the engines and modifying them to suit his peculiar riding style. And, hes had his share of crashes. After one bone-snapping spill, he was patched up by the same exasperated doctor who had patched him up after a previous wreck. Zahn was born with all the right stuff, the same talents that all great athletes have, a fearlessness and grit, and a drive to win. What he wasnt born with are arms. To ride a motorcycle, Zahn had to invent a new way to ride. When he wins, even his fiercest rivals have to marvel. His philosophy in life is the same as his philosophy in racing, youve got to always be pushing it to 11. 34992 This was the year we were to leave COVID behind us and get on with our lives. That didnt happen as wave after wave of the virus washed over us, once again filling our hospitals and jacking up the death toll. Like 2020, we needed help to cope with all the sick. In their second year on the front lines, exhausted local hospital workers got relief from traveling nurses, the National Guard and visiting federal health care teams. And, all around us the debate over vaccines and masks and mandates raged on, in a few cases exploding into angry confrontations with medical professionals and service workers. Like children, we had to be reminded by signs hung in hospitals and businesses to be kind. But mostly we were kind to each other, especially in the face of disaster. When a freak December range fire swept over the tiny town of Denton, burning 25 homes and six businesses, volunteers turned up to help. Strangers brought food and hot coffee, offered homes to stay in and helped victims sift through the ashes. Ranchers from around the state donated hay, and the governor contributed a quarter of his salary to a relief fund. When an Amtrak train derailed near Joplin on the Hi-Line killing three people and injuring dozens, among the rescuers were people from town who risked their own safety to pull survivors from the wreckage. And when a young woman didnt return as planned from a solo hike in the Beartooth Mountains, volunteers trekked into the backcountry to find her. Even fish got some love. A mechanical problem on the Hebgen Lake Dam drained the upper Madison River, leaving many fish high and dry. Volunteers waded into the river with buckets to move struggling fish to deeper water. And in Billings, school children packed bags filled with treats to give to weary health care workers, who because of COVID protocols they would never get to meet. From beginning to end in 2021, as tiresome as the topic has become, COVID seemed all we could talk about, and for the second year in a row it was The Billings Gazettes top story of the year. Enough has probably already been said about it, so here, not strictly listed in order of importance, are some of the other top stories of the year from our region: West End standoff For 10 hours through an April night, an armed man held police at bay from inside a Billings West End home he had broken into after he and a woman he had just met killed a man whose van they had stolen. The victim was a 33-year-old family man from Sheridan, Wyoming named Dennis Gresham. He had driven to Billings to pick up a friend at the airport early the next morning and had been sleeping in his van at a campground. That morning, Michael McClure and Kristy Chavez approached the genial Gresham in his van and asked for help, but it was a trick. At gunpoint, Gresham was taken captive and the three left the campground in his van. Within a few minutes, Gresham was dead, shot five times. In Laurel, McClure and Chavez stopped in the parking lot of a business to get rid of the van and the body. Employees inside the business watching the pair throw a big tarp over the van found it suspicious and called police. The chase was on. With police in pursuit, the couple raced back to Billings where they eventually crashed the van in a quiet, affluent neighborhood and then ran away. Chavez was quickly caught. McClure kept running, trying the doors of several homes before finding one he could break into. The homeowner, luckily, was away. Billings Police surrounded the house with a small army of specially trained officers and slowly turned up the heat on McClure. Finally, just as the sun was rising, police went in after him. Within seconds there was what police described as a quick volley of gunfire. They said McClure fired first, a shot they later determined was a suicide shot to his own head. Chavez remains in jail after being charged with deliberate homicide by accountability. The homeowner returned to a house that had been trashed by the standoff. Police and city officials told her they werent paying, it would be up to her and her insurance company. Lost hiker In late June, 23-year-old Tatum Morell hiked into the Beartooth Mountains above Red Lodge for a solo trek. The Montana State University engineering student was a fit and experienced hiker and had planned to set up a base camp from which she would summit five peaks above 12,000 feet. On July 1, she checked in with family using a Garmin InReach satellite communicator, and then in the days that followed the family heard nothing. Searchers from Red Lodge Fire and Rescue and some volunteers hiked into the rugged terrain hunting for her. Searchers also took to the air. At Shadow Lake, rescuers found her orange tent and campsite, but not her. As the search dragged on, Morells family traveled to Red Lodge from out of state and waited anxiously at the official command post. After an agonizing two weeks, rescuers and Morells family united in a July 14th press conference acknowledging Tatum was almost certainly dead. Well into August, hikers continued looking for her. On Saturday, Aug. 21, a group of backpackers near Whitetail Peak found her body where she had apparently gotten caught in a rock slide. The next day, her body was recovered by helicopter and flown home. The son who never gave up Deep in the Idaho backcountry last September, a hunter found the remains of a bowhunter who had gone missing more than 50 years earlier. The hunter had discovered two weathered black boots sticking out from under a boulder. It took four men to move the giant rock, and underneath they found some bone fragments, a bit of coiled rope, a rusty knife, part of a wooden arrow shaft, and a plastic gas station credit card bearing the name of Raymond Jones. The discovery was barely news in Montana except to one family in Billings where the news hit like a bombshell. Businessman Jeff Jones was 12-years-old when his father Raymond Jones went missing. The now 65-year-old Jeff had never stopped wishing for his dad to come home. It was a cousin who informed Jeff that the remains found in Idaho were all that was left of his father. All of the grief and frustration Jeff had pent up for decades was released at once, overwhelming him for days in what he could only describe as a fog. He now says he feels blessed to finally have the mystery solved. This spring, Jeff plans a graveside service in Miles City where his fathers remains will at last be laid to rest next to his parents. Red Lodge faces flames In some of the photos shot from Red Lodges main street on the dark evening of June 13, it looks like its only a matter of minutes before the towering orange flames of the Robertson Draw fire devour the small mountain town. That had happened dozens of times in California, leaving behind gray images of entire neighborhoods reduced to smoldering foundations. Some residents loaded their valuables into their car and drove out of town. Ranchers cut fences to let livestock run ahead of the fire. At a tiny church in town, the minister welcomed tourists who had been ordered from their campgrounds. Then sometime during the night the strong winds that had been pushing the fire into Red Lodge suddenly changed direction. In the morning, Mount Maurice, the sentinel behind Red Lodge, stood black with wisps of smoke still curling from naked trees. The fire had moved elsewhere. Red Lodge had been spared. Before the 30,000-acre fire was eventually extinguished a month later, it did burn several remote homes and outbuildings and spread far across rangeland east toward Belfry and south toward Wyoming. In early July, a Bridger man ironically named John Lightburn was charged with starting the fire. He was allegedly riding his motorcycle illegally in forest land south of Red Lodge when the bike broke down. While fixing it, he apparently spilled some gasoline and then while checking the engines spark plug he ignited the blaze. State's biggest fire Other small Eastern Montana towns also came close to getting swallowed up by fire this summer. On Aug. 8, the Richard Spring fire in Rosebud County puffed into life about 10 miles south of Colstrip and then took off in all directions. In this rough, rural country the nearest municipal fire truck can be 50 miles of dirt road away. Ranchers who can afford it have their own firefighting equipment. As the fire, which would eventually join a second fire and then spread across 170,000 acres, bore down on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, residents of Lame Deer and Ashland were ordered from their homes and the roads were closed. Making matters worse, the blaze had cut power, cell service and the internet. Residents had to guess at what danger they were in. Some of the reservations residents were bussed to Busby where they spent the night on cots in the school gym. And then during what has been one of the driest summers ever, the rains came, which believers would say was not by chance. The early cold front beat the fire down enough that within a few days firefighters had it under control. No significant structures had burned, and no one was seriously hurt. Investigators say it was smoldering coal seams that started the fires. The seams have been burning underground for decades, maybe centuries, probably originally ignited by lightning strikes and impossible to extinguish. It wont be the last range fire they start. Parolee problems When a disgruntled employee in November returned to the downtown Billings restaurant where he had earlier that day been fired, he was thinking of just one thing. The wild-eyed young man grabbed steak knives and started threatening everyone in reach. A brave restaurant manager coaxed the man away from customers and eventually into the kitchen where employees and several policeman subdued him. But not before his bloody rampage left at least four employees stabbed, slashed and terrorized. The violence in a downtown restaurant was shocking enough, but there was more to it than anyone that night realized. The suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Bird, had just been released from prison, not to his hometown of Missoula, but to Billings. His arrest touched off a firestorm of complaints from city officials and politicians who say theyre tired of Billings taking on more than its fair share of the state's parolees. One local legislator claimed the states Department of Corrections simply gives new parolees a bus ticket to Billings. And, thats true, at least the part about Billings taking a disproportionate number of parolees, according to a Gazette investigation. In fact, while Yellowstone County makes up about 15% of the states population, at least 24% of the states current parolees are living here. Gallatin County, by contrast, has 11% of the states population, but 5% of the states supervised parolees. The problem is a complicated one. Its true that most of the states programs for supervising and re-integrating parolees are in Billings and that naturally leads to more parolees. But solutions are being debated and the topic is certain to come up when the state Legislature meets again. Bird has been charged with five felonies. A Billings judge set his bail at $1 million, an unusually high sum meant to ensure Bird isnt spotted again in downtown Billings anytime soon. Medical school picks Billings In February, the Colorado-based Rocky Vista University announced it would build a $50 million, 12-acre medical school campus in Billings on the far West End. It was promised that within a few years the school would attract hundreds of super smart medical students, employ as many as 350 people, and dump millions upon millions of dollars annually into the local economy. The bonus would be that many of the newly minted osteopathic doctors may remain to practice in Montana, easing the states chronic doctor shortage. The news, however, was not universally celebrated. Billings Clinic declined to partner with the university, mostly because it already partners with a top-rated medical school. Other skeptics in the state, especially in Great Falls where officials are courting their own medical school, predicted the state wont be able to support the huge increase in medical students. St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, however, is all in. The hospital says it will gladly partner with RVU and even create an office of medical education to connect students to clinical rotation programs. In an October ceremony attended by the governor, RVU broke ground on its campus at Shiloh and Monad and expects to begin its first classes by the end of 2022. Seeing hope For a busy Miles City mom, the trouble started with a simple operation to correct her vision. Millions of people have had the same surgery and were better off for it. Jaimi Espys local optometrist recommended she have her severe nearsightedness corrected by having an artificial lens implanted in her eye. The surgery wasnt available in Miles City, so she found a doctor in Billings. That surgery, however, did not go as it should have. Over time, the lens failed, popping out of her eye as she prepared a Thanksgiving dinner. Repairing the damage led to a horrifying cascade of emergency surgeries that couldnt prevent her from going entirely blind in both eyes. Espy sued the Billings eye surgeon and a jury awarded her $3 million. That sounds like an awful lot of money, even after her lawyers are paid. And, the money will help pay her expenses and ease her challenges, the mother now in her 40s, says. What the money doesnt do is erase the horror of slowly losing her vision, a trauma that led her to the brink of suicide. And it wont help her see the joy on her young daughter's face as she pushes her in a backyard swing. The money also wouldnt have changed how Espys story ends. I can adapt and I will adapt and there is a way to do the things that I want to do, she told the Gazette in early July. I think the biggest key to that is not giving up. Pushing it to 11 Speaking of not giving up, heres a good news story to end 2021 with. When Billings motorcycle racer Ryan Zahn started piling up wins on the dirt tracks around Montana, he decided to go semi-pro. Thats news in anyones book, and The Gazette profiled Zahn in late November. Ever since he was a tiny boy, Zahn has worked on his own bikes, souping up the engines and modifying them to suit his peculiar riding style. And, hes had his share of crashes. After one bone-snapping spill, he was patched up by the same exasperated doctor who had patched him up after a previous wreck. Zahn was born with all the right stuff, the same talents that all great athletes have, a fearlessness and grit, and a drive to win. What he wasnt born with are arms. To ride a motorcycle, Zahn had to invent a new way to ride. When he wins, even his fiercest rivals have to marvel. His philosophy in life is the same as his philosophy in racing, youve got to always be pushing it to 11. Several of Wyomings known uranium reserves have landed in optimistic new hands. Uranium Energy Corp, a mining and exploration company based in Corpus Christi, Texas, announced on Dec. 20 that it had acquired Uranium One Americas, a subsidiary of Russian-owned Uranium One. Included in the $112 million deal are seven not-yet-developed projects in the Powder River Basin, five in the Great Divide Basin and numerous potential sites for future development. The company already owns the Reno Creek mining project in northeastern Wyoming. Its a really exciting development, not just for our company, but I think for Wyoming as well, said Scott Melbye, executive vice president of Uranium Energy Corp. I couldnt be a bigger believer that the U.S. uranium industry of which Wyoming can certainly be the leader in that regard certainly can be producing a lot more than we have. In the 1960s and 70s, Wyoming housed a bustling uranium industry that employed 5,000 workers. Then high-profile accidents at Three Mile Island in 1979 and Fukushima in 2011 stalled growth and flooded the global market, causing prices to tumble and most U.S. mines to shutter. Today, most of the uranium used to power the countrys nuclear reactors is imported from Canada, Australia, Russia and Kazakhstan; in Wyoming, there are only about 115 uranium workers left. The domestic uranium industry now sits largely dormant as producers wait for those low market prices to climb back up. Melbye believes the industrys fortunes may be about to shift. In the coming five years, I think were going to see uranium prices at that level that supports production, and youre going to see a lot of employment and development in the sector, he said. For most U.S. producers, competitive pricing begins around $50 per pound. The cost of uranium has remained below that benchmark since 2014, and sank to $33.27 last year. But according to Melbye, global demand is finally recovering to pre-Fukushima levels, and prices are likely to climb as demand continues to grow. He expects uranium from close to a dozen more mines to be needed in the coming years, particularly if nuclear power continues to supply a significant share of many countries low-carbon electricity. And he hopes some of that additional uranium will come from the U.S. There is a limit to how long these American mining companies can kind of tread water and ramp back up, but I think were in a phase now where Im confident that uranium prices will recover to that level that we need to get restarted, Melbye said. The process of permitting and constructing a uranium mine could take a decade, he said. But the Reno Creek project and three of Uranium Energy Corps newly acquired Powder River Basin projects are already fully permitted. Whenever market conditions become favorable again, Melbye expects it to take between six months and two years for those permitted mines to start operating. That sounds like a long time, he said. But in the scheme of things, those are some of the earliest responders to any sort of price movements. Most of the projects are located on private land, meaning that royalties from any future mining would go to the landowner, while severance taxes would go to the state. There is currently no federal production tax for uranium. Industry hopes itll stay that way. Several of Wyomings known uranium reserves have landed in optimistic new hands. Uranium Energy Corp, a mining and exploration company based in Corpus Christi, Texas, announced on Dec. 20 that it had acquired Uranium One Americas, a subsidiary of Russian-owned Uranium One. Included in the $112 million deal are seven not-yet-developed projects in the Powder River Basin, five in the Great Divide Basin and numerous potential sites for future development. The company already owns the Reno Creek mining project in northeastern Wyoming. Its a really exciting development, not just for our company, but I think for Wyoming as well, said Scott Melbye, executive vice president of Uranium Energy Corp. I couldnt be a bigger believer that the U.S. uranium industry of which Wyoming can certainly be the leader in that regard certainly can be producing a lot more than we have. In the 1960s and 70s, Wyoming housed a bustling uranium industry that employed 5,000 workers. Then high-profile accidents at Three Mile Island in 1979 and Fukushima in 2011 stalled growth and flooded the global market, causing prices to tumble and most U.S. mines to shutter. Today, most of the uranium used to power the countrys nuclear reactors is imported from Canada, Australia, Russia and Kazakhstan; in Wyoming, there are only about 115 uranium workers left. The domestic uranium industry now sits largely dormant as producers wait for those low market prices to climb back up. Melbye believes the industrys fortunes may be about to shift. In the coming five years, I think were going to see uranium prices at that level that supports production, and youre going to see a lot of employment and development in the sector, he said. For most U.S. producers, competitive pricing begins around $50 per pound. The cost of uranium has remained below that benchmark since 2014, and sank to $33.27 last year. But according to Melbye, global demand is finally recovering to pre-Fukushima levels, and prices are likely to climb as demand continues to grow. He expects uranium from close to a dozen more mines to be needed in the coming years, particularly if nuclear power continues to supply a significant share of many countries low-carbon electricity. And he hopes some of that additional uranium will come from the U.S. There is a limit to how long these American mining companies can kind of tread water and ramp back up, but I think were in a phase now where Im confident that uranium prices will recover to that level that we need to get restarted, Melbye said. The process of permitting and constructing a uranium mine could take a decade, he said. But the Reno Creek project and three of Uranium Energy Corps newly acquired Powder River Basin projects are already fully permitted. Whenever market conditions become favorable again, Melbye expects it to take between six months and two years for those permitted mines to start operating. That sounds like a long time, he said. But in the scheme of things, those are some of the earliest responders to any sort of price movements. Most of the projects are located on private land, meaning that royalties from any future mining would go to the landowner, while severance taxes would go to the state. There is currently no federal production tax for uranium. Industry hopes itll stay that way. Several of Wyomings known uranium reserves have landed in optimistic new hands. Uranium Energy Corp, a mining and exploration company based in Corpus Christi, Texas, announced on Dec. 20 that it had acquired Uranium One Americas, a subsidiary of Russian-owned Uranium One. Included in the $112 million deal are seven not-yet-developed projects in the Powder River Basin, five in the Great Divide Basin and numerous potential sites for future development. The company already owns the Reno Creek mining project in northeastern Wyoming. Its a really exciting development, not just for our company, but I think for Wyoming as well, said Scott Melbye, executive vice president of Uranium Energy Corp. I couldnt be a bigger believer that the U.S. uranium industry of which Wyoming can certainly be the leader in that regard certainly can be producing a lot more than we have. In the 1960s and 70s, Wyoming housed a bustling uranium industry that employed 5,000 workers. Then high-profile accidents at Three Mile Island in 1979 and Fukushima in 2011 stalled growth and flooded the global market, causing prices to tumble and most U.S. mines to shutter. Today, most of the uranium used to power the countrys nuclear reactors is imported from Canada, Australia, Russia and Kazakhstan; in Wyoming, there are only about 115 uranium workers left. The domestic uranium industry now sits largely dormant as producers wait for those low market prices to climb back up. Melbye believes the industrys fortunes may be about to shift. In the coming five years, I think were going to see uranium prices at that level that supports production, and youre going to see a lot of employment and development in the sector, he said. For most U.S. producers, competitive pricing begins around $50 per pound. The cost of uranium has remained below that benchmark since 2014, and sank to $33.27 last year. But according to Melbye, global demand is finally recovering to pre-Fukushima levels, and prices are likely to climb as demand continues to grow. He expects uranium from close to a dozen more mines to be needed in the coming years, particularly if nuclear power continues to supply a significant share of many countries low-carbon electricity. And he hopes some of that additional uranium will come from the U.S. There is a limit to how long these American mining companies can kind of tread water and ramp back up, but I think were in a phase now where Im confident that uranium prices will recover to that level that we need to get restarted, Melbye said. The process of permitting and constructing a uranium mine could take a decade, he said. But the Reno Creek project and three of Uranium Energy Corps newly acquired Powder River Basin projects are already fully permitted. Whenever market conditions become favorable again, Melbye expects it to take between six months and two years for those permitted mines to start operating. That sounds like a long time, he said. But in the scheme of things, those are some of the earliest responders to any sort of price movements. Most of the projects are located on private land, meaning that royalties from any future mining would go to the landowner, while severance taxes would go to the state. There is currently no federal production tax for uranium. Industry hopes itll stay that way. Several of Wyomings known uranium reserves have landed in optimistic new hands. Uranium Energy Corp, a mining and exploration company based in Corpus Christi, Texas, announced on Dec. 20 that it had acquired Uranium One Americas, a subsidiary of Russian-owned Uranium One. Included in the $112 million deal are seven not-yet-developed projects in the Powder River Basin, five in the Great Divide Basin and numerous potential sites for future development. The company already owns the Reno Creek mining project in northeastern Wyoming. Its a really exciting development, not just for our company, but I think for Wyoming as well, said Scott Melbye, executive vice president of Uranium Energy Corp. I couldnt be a bigger believer that the U.S. uranium industry of which Wyoming can certainly be the leader in that regard certainly can be producing a lot more than we have. In the 1960s and 70s, Wyoming housed a bustling uranium industry that employed 5,000 workers. Then high-profile accidents at Three Mile Island in 1979 and Fukushima in 2011 stalled growth and flooded the global market, causing prices to tumble and most U.S. mines to shutter. Today, most of the uranium used to power the countrys nuclear reactors is imported from Canada, Australia, Russia and Kazakhstan; in Wyoming, there are only about 115 uranium workers left. The domestic uranium industry now sits largely dormant as producers wait for those low market prices to climb back up. Melbye believes the industrys fortunes may be about to shift. In the coming five years, I think were going to see uranium prices at that level that supports production, and youre going to see a lot of employment and development in the sector, he said. For most U.S. producers, competitive pricing begins around $50 per pound. The cost of uranium has remained below that benchmark since 2014, and sank to $33.27 last year. But according to Melbye, global demand is finally recovering to pre-Fukushima levels, and prices are likely to climb as demand continues to grow. He expects uranium from close to a dozen more mines to be needed in the coming years, particularly if nuclear power continues to supply a significant share of many countries low-carbon electricity. And he hopes some of that additional uranium will come from the U.S. There is a limit to how long these American mining companies can kind of tread water and ramp back up, but I think were in a phase now where Im confident that uranium prices will recover to that level that we need to get restarted, Melbye said. The process of permitting and constructing a uranium mine could take a decade, he said. But the Reno Creek project and three of Uranium Energy Corps newly acquired Powder River Basin projects are already fully permitted. Whenever market conditions become favorable again, Melbye expects it to take between six months and two years for those permitted mines to start operating. That sounds like a long time, he said. But in the scheme of things, those are some of the earliest responders to any sort of price movements. Most of the projects are located on private land, meaning that royalties from any future mining would go to the landowner, while severance taxes would go to the state. There is currently no federal production tax for uranium. Industry hopes itll stay that way. Several of Wyomings known uranium reserves have landed in optimistic new hands. Uranium Energy Corp, a mining and exploration company based in Corpus Christi, Texas, announced on Dec. 20 that it had acquired Uranium One Americas, a subsidiary of Russian-owned Uranium One. Included in the $112 million deal are seven not-yet-developed projects in the Powder River Basin, five in the Great Divide Basin and numerous potential sites for future development. The company already owns the Reno Creek mining project in northeastern Wyoming. Its a really exciting development, not just for our company, but I think for Wyoming as well, said Scott Melbye, executive vice president of Uranium Energy Corp. I couldnt be a bigger believer that the U.S. uranium industry of which Wyoming can certainly be the leader in that regard certainly can be producing a lot more than we have. In the 1960s and 70s, Wyoming housed a bustling uranium industry that employed 5,000 workers. Then high-profile accidents at Three Mile Island in 1979 and Fukushima in 2011 stalled growth and flooded the global market, causing prices to tumble and most U.S. mines to shutter. Today, most of the uranium used to power the countrys nuclear reactors is imported from Canada, Australia, Russia and Kazakhstan; in Wyoming, there are only about 115 uranium workers left. The domestic uranium industry now sits largely dormant as producers wait for those low market prices to climb back up. Melbye believes the industrys fortunes may be about to shift. In the coming five years, I think were going to see uranium prices at that level that supports production, and youre going to see a lot of employment and development in the sector, he said. For most U.S. producers, competitive pricing begins around $50 per pound. The cost of uranium has remained below that benchmark since 2014, and sank to $33.27 last year. But according to Melbye, global demand is finally recovering to pre-Fukushima levels, and prices are likely to climb as demand continues to grow. He expects uranium from close to a dozen more mines to be needed in the coming years, particularly if nuclear power continues to supply a significant share of many countries low-carbon electricity. And he hopes some of that additional uranium will come from the U.S. There is a limit to how long these American mining companies can kind of tread water and ramp back up, but I think were in a phase now where Im confident that uranium prices will recover to that level that we need to get restarted, Melbye said. The process of permitting and constructing a uranium mine could take a decade, he said. But the Reno Creek project and three of Uranium Energy Corps newly acquired Powder River Basin projects are already fully permitted. Whenever market conditions become favorable again, Melbye expects it to take between six months and two years for those permitted mines to start operating. That sounds like a long time, he said. But in the scheme of things, those are some of the earliest responders to any sort of price movements. Most of the projects are located on private land, meaning that royalties from any future mining would go to the landowner, while severance taxes would go to the state. There is currently no federal production tax for uranium. Industry hopes itll stay that way. Several of Wyomings known uranium reserves have landed in optimistic new hands. Uranium Energy Corp, a mining and exploration company based in Corpus Christi, Texas, announced on Dec. 20 that it had acquired Uranium One Americas, a subsidiary of Russian-owned Uranium One. Included in the $112 million deal are seven not-yet-developed projects in the Powder River Basin, five in the Great Divide Basin and numerous potential sites for future development. The company already owns the Reno Creek mining project in northeastern Wyoming. Its a really exciting development, not just for our company, but I think for Wyoming as well, said Scott Melbye, executive vice president of Uranium Energy Corp. I couldnt be a bigger believer that the U.S. uranium industry of which Wyoming can certainly be the leader in that regard certainly can be producing a lot more than we have. In the 1960s and 70s, Wyoming housed a bustling uranium industry that employed 5,000 workers. Then high-profile accidents at Three Mile Island in 1979 and Fukushima in 2011 stalled growth and flooded the global market, causing prices to tumble and most U.S. mines to shutter. Today, most of the uranium used to power the countrys nuclear reactors is imported from Canada, Australia, Russia and Kazakhstan; in Wyoming, there are only about 115 uranium workers left. The domestic uranium industry now sits largely dormant as producers wait for those low market prices to climb back up. Melbye believes the industrys fortunes may be about to shift. In the coming five years, I think were going to see uranium prices at that level that supports production, and youre going to see a lot of employment and development in the sector, he said. For most U.S. producers, competitive pricing begins around $50 per pound. The cost of uranium has remained below that benchmark since 2014, and sank to $33.27 last year. But according to Melbye, global demand is finally recovering to pre-Fukushima levels, and prices are likely to climb as demand continues to grow. He expects uranium from close to a dozen more mines to be needed in the coming years, particularly if nuclear power continues to supply a significant share of many countries low-carbon electricity. And he hopes some of that additional uranium will come from the U.S. There is a limit to how long these American mining companies can kind of tread water and ramp back up, but I think were in a phase now where Im confident that uranium prices will recover to that level that we need to get restarted, Melbye said. The process of permitting and constructing a uranium mine could take a decade, he said. But the Reno Creek project and three of Uranium Energy Corps newly acquired Powder River Basin projects are already fully permitted. Whenever market conditions become favorable again, Melbye expects it to take between six months and two years for those permitted mines to start operating. That sounds like a long time, he said. But in the scheme of things, those are some of the earliest responders to any sort of price movements. Most of the projects are located on private land, meaning that royalties from any future mining would go to the landowner, while severance taxes would go to the state. There is currently no federal production tax for uranium. Industry hopes itll stay that way. Several of Wyomings known uranium reserves have landed in optimistic new hands. Uranium Energy Corp, a mining and exploration company based in Corpus Christi, Texas, announced on Dec. 20 that it had acquired Uranium One Americas, a subsidiary of Russian-owned Uranium One. Included in the $112 million deal are seven not-yet-developed projects in the Powder River Basin, five in the Great Divide Basin and numerous potential sites for future development. The company already owns the Reno Creek mining project in northeastern Wyoming. Its a really exciting development, not just for our company, but I think for Wyoming as well, said Scott Melbye, executive vice president of Uranium Energy Corp. I couldnt be a bigger believer that the U.S. uranium industry of which Wyoming can certainly be the leader in that regard certainly can be producing a lot more than we have. In the 1960s and 70s, Wyoming housed a bustling uranium industry that employed 5,000 workers. Then high-profile accidents at Three Mile Island in 1979 and Fukushima in 2011 stalled growth and flooded the global market, causing prices to tumble and most U.S. mines to shutter. Today, most of the uranium used to power the countrys nuclear reactors is imported from Canada, Australia, Russia and Kazakhstan; in Wyoming, there are only about 115 uranium workers left. The domestic uranium industry now sits largely dormant as producers wait for those low market prices to climb back up. Melbye believes the industrys fortunes may be about to shift. In the coming five years, I think were going to see uranium prices at that level that supports production, and youre going to see a lot of employment and development in the sector, he said. For most U.S. producers, competitive pricing begins around $50 per pound. The cost of uranium has remained below that benchmark since 2014, and sank to $33.27 last year. But according to Melbye, global demand is finally recovering to pre-Fukushima levels, and prices are likely to climb as demand continues to grow. He expects uranium from close to a dozen more mines to be needed in the coming years, particularly if nuclear power continues to supply a significant share of many countries low-carbon electricity. And he hopes some of that additional uranium will come from the U.S. There is a limit to how long these American mining companies can kind of tread water and ramp back up, but I think were in a phase now where Im confident that uranium prices will recover to that level that we need to get restarted, Melbye said. The process of permitting and constructing a uranium mine could take a decade, he said. But the Reno Creek project and three of Uranium Energy Corps newly acquired Powder River Basin projects are already fully permitted. Whenever market conditions become favorable again, Melbye expects it to take between six months and two years for those permitted mines to start operating. That sounds like a long time, he said. But in the scheme of things, those are some of the earliest responders to any sort of price movements. Most of the projects are located on private land, meaning that royalties from any future mining would go to the landowner, while severance taxes would go to the state. There is currently no federal production tax for uranium. Industry hopes itll stay that way. Several of Wyomings known uranium reserves have landed in optimistic new hands. Uranium Energy Corp, a mining and exploration company based in Corpus Christi, Texas, announced on Dec. 20 that it had acquired Uranium One Americas, a subsidiary of Russian-owned Uranium One. Included in the $112 million deal are seven not-yet-developed projects in the Powder River Basin, five in the Great Divide Basin and numerous potential sites for future development. The company already owns the Reno Creek mining project in northeastern Wyoming. Its a really exciting development, not just for our company, but I think for Wyoming as well, said Scott Melbye, executive vice president of Uranium Energy Corp. I couldnt be a bigger believer that the U.S. uranium industry of which Wyoming can certainly be the leader in that regard certainly can be producing a lot more than we have. In the 1960s and 70s, Wyoming housed a bustling uranium industry that employed 5,000 workers. Then high-profile accidents at Three Mile Island in 1979 and Fukushima in 2011 stalled growth and flooded the global market, causing prices to tumble and most U.S. mines to shutter. Today, most of the uranium used to power the countrys nuclear reactors is imported from Canada, Australia, Russia and Kazakhstan; in Wyoming, there are only about 115 uranium workers left. The domestic uranium industry now sits largely dormant as producers wait for those low market prices to climb back up. Melbye believes the industrys fortunes may be about to shift. In the coming five years, I think were going to see uranium prices at that level that supports production, and youre going to see a lot of employment and development in the sector, he said. For most U.S. producers, competitive pricing begins around $50 per pound. The cost of uranium has remained below that benchmark since 2014, and sank to $33.27 last year. But according to Melbye, global demand is finally recovering to pre-Fukushima levels, and prices are likely to climb as demand continues to grow. He expects uranium from close to a dozen more mines to be needed in the coming years, particularly if nuclear power continues to supply a significant share of many countries low-carbon electricity. And he hopes some of that additional uranium will come from the U.S. There is a limit to how long these American mining companies can kind of tread water and ramp back up, but I think were in a phase now where Im confident that uranium prices will recover to that level that we need to get restarted, Melbye said. The process of permitting and constructing a uranium mine could take a decade, he said. But the Reno Creek project and three of Uranium Energy Corps newly acquired Powder River Basin projects are already fully permitted. Whenever market conditions become favorable again, Melbye expects it to take between six months and two years for those permitted mines to start operating. That sounds like a long time, he said. But in the scheme of things, those are some of the earliest responders to any sort of price movements. Most of the projects are located on private land, meaning that royalties from any future mining would go to the landowner, while severance taxes would go to the state. There is currently no federal production tax for uranium. Industry hopes itll stay that way. A PLAN to increase the energy output at a wind farm project in Offaly could be stalled by a new An Bord Pleanala ruling. Cloncant Renewable Energy, a company controlled by energy giant Statkraft, was previously granted permission to develop a nine-turbine wind farm with eight of the turbines in east Offaly and one across the boundary in Kildare. The original consent was for a 49.5MW facility with turbines 187m high the tallest so far permitted in the county - at Ballykilleen, Shean, Kilcumber, Cloncant and Cushaling near Edenderry, plus another near Ticknevin, Co Kildare. The wind farm has yet to be built. Since then, more powerful generators have been developed, capable of producing 6.6MW each, and the use of those would push the potential capacity of the nine turbines up to 59.4MW. In a letter to Offaly County Council, the company said there are often technological advances during the planning timeframe with wind energy, hence the option of using more efficient generators in the Cushaling Wind Farm turbines. The company said that no change is required to the size of the turbines to accommodate the larger generators. Cloncant Renewable Energy sought a determination from the council on whether or not the increase in output would be deemed development or exempted development. The council referred the matter on to An Bord Pleanala which decided that an increase in the electricity output, without increasing the size and scale of any of the works, layout or plans, is development. The board said it did not have enough information on the impact the wind farm would have on grid connection and grid capacity and increasing the output would intensify the development. When the company drew up its original plan, it envisaged each turbine would house a 5.5MW generator. The proposed wind farm would be located on agricultural land and private bogland and the site is about 4km south of Edenderry and 3.5km east of Clonbullogue. Private landowners in the area have agreed to lease property to the wind energy company. Statkraft and Wind Energy Ireland have been contacted for comment. Bankers are set for a New Year bonus bonanza after raking in record fees over the last year. Financiers who worked on lucrative mergers and acquisitions (M&A), including big names at the likes of Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and Barclays, are in line for huge sums of money following the deal-making boom. In the UK alone, M&A advisers pocketed 2.7billion, according to data from Refinitiv, the most since records began at the turn of the millennium. It is thought that the surge in income could pump up investment banks' total bonus pools by as much as 20 per cent. City slickers: Financiers who worked on lucrative mergers and acquisitions are in line for huge sums of money following the deal-making boom And the rewards offered to M&A departments may climb by 50 per cent, experts have predicted, with the top staff set to pocket tens of millions of pounds. In a sign of windfalls to come: JP Morgan is weighing up a hike of 40 per cent for investment bankers' bonuses; Goldman Sachs has pencilled in a rise of up to 50 per cent; Barclays is thought to be lifting investment bank bonuses by more than 25 per cent; Some staff at Royal Bank of Canada have reported rises of up to 50 per cent. Among those cashing in will be some of the best-known bankers in London. Goldman Sachs' Mark Sorrell, son of the advertising tycoon Sir Martin, worked on deals such as the Advent International-backed takeover of Ultra Electronics by Cobham. His brother, Robert, managing director at investment bank Moelis & Company, was part of the team advising private equity firm Lone Star on its buyout of housebuilder McCarthy & Stone. Robey Warshaw, the London bank which has hired former Chancellor George Osborne, advised the London Stock Exchange on its blockbuster merger with Refinitiv. Its top bankers on the deal, Philip Apostolides and Sir Simon Robey, will be expecting to receive a handsome pay package. Bonus discussions typically begin towards the end of the year as staff try to convince bosses why they deserve a bumper payout. Excitement levels have reached fever pitch after more than 4,500 buyouts of UK firms in 2021, the most on record. Deals involving private equity firms, which tend to entail higher fees for advisers, also hit record levels, meaning many in the City will be feeling extremely flush. A total of 773 British companies, worth 62billion, were snapped up by private equity barons last year. The number of firms floating on the stock market also surged, with more than 100 companies going public. All the listings will have generated work for bankers, as will the fundraising deals for businesses which needed more cash to get through the pandemic. Banker bonuses have tended to be more muted since the heady days leading up to the financial crisis. After the 2008 crash, the EU brought in a rule limiting most banker bonuses to no more than 100 per cent of their salary. But this only applies to the major banks, not the smaller boutiques such as Robey Warshaw, Moelis and Evercore. Douglas McWilliams, deputy chairman of the Centre for Economics and Business Research, said: 'My impression is that the banks themselves pay much lower bonuses these days. 'But quite a few of the deals have involved private equity. And they pay quite large bonuses.' He said there may be 'a few blockbuster individual bonuses'. Phillippa O'Connor, executive pay specialist at accounting firm PwC, said staff at many global banks could be celebrating their 'biggest bonus outcome year since the financial crisis'. She added: 'We anticipate that increases this year of 20 per cent or potentially more in some cases will not be unusual.' Email Newsletters Get the best of The Aspen Daily News in your inbox. Our newsletters are free, and you can unsubscribe at any time. A PLAN to increase the energy output at a wind farm project in Offaly could be stalled by a new An Bord Pleanala ruling. Cloncant Renewable Energy, a company controlled by energy giant Statkraft, was previously granted permission to develop a nine-turbine wind farm with eight of the turbines in east Offaly and one across the boundary in Kildare. The original consent was for a 49.5MW facility with turbines 187m high the tallest so far permitted in the county - at Ballykilleen, Shean, Kilcumber, Cloncant and Cushaling near Edenderry, plus another near Ticknevin, Co Kildare. The wind farm has yet to be built. Since then, more powerful generators have been developed, capable of producing 6.6MW each, and the use of those would push the potential capacity of the nine turbines up to 59.4MW. In a letter to Offaly County Council, the company said there are often technological advances during the planning timeframe with wind energy, hence the option of using more efficient generators in the Cushaling Wind Farm turbines. The company said that no change is required to the size of the turbines to accommodate the larger generators. Cloncant Renewable Energy sought a determination from the council on whether or not the increase in output would be deemed development or exempted development. The council referred the matter on to An Bord Pleanala which decided that an increase in the electricity output, without increasing the size and scale of any of the works, layout or plans, is development. The board said it did not have enough information on the impact the wind farm would have on grid connection and grid capacity and increasing the output would intensify the development. When the company drew up its original plan, it envisaged each turbine would house a 5.5MW generator. The proposed wind farm would be located on agricultural land and private bogland and the site is about 4km south of Edenderry and 3.5km east of Clonbullogue. Private landowners in the area have agreed to lease property to the wind energy company. Statkraft and Wind Energy Ireland have been contacted for comment. A PLAN to increase the energy output at a wind farm project in Offaly could be stalled by a new An Bord Pleanala ruling. Cloncant Renewable Energy, a company controlled by energy giant Statkraft, was previously granted permission to develop a nine-turbine wind farm with eight of the turbines in east Offaly and one across the boundary in Kildare. The original consent was for a 49.5MW facility with turbines 187m high the tallest so far permitted in the county - at Ballykilleen, Shean, Kilcumber, Cloncant and Cushaling near Edenderry, plus another near Ticknevin, Co Kildare. The wind farm has yet to be built. Since then, more powerful generators have been developed, capable of producing 6.6MW each, and the use of those would push the potential capacity of the nine turbines up to 59.4MW. In a letter to Offaly County Council, the company said there are often technological advances during the planning timeframe with wind energy, hence the option of using more efficient generators in the Cushaling Wind Farm turbines. The company said that no change is required to the size of the turbines to accommodate the larger generators. Cloncant Renewable Energy sought a determination from the council on whether or not the increase in output would be deemed development or exempted development. The council referred the matter on to An Bord Pleanala which decided that an increase in the electricity output, without increasing the size and scale of any of the works, layout or plans, is development. The board said it did not have enough information on the impact the wind farm would have on grid connection and grid capacity and increasing the output would intensify the development. When the company drew up its original plan, it envisaged each turbine would house a 5.5MW generator. The proposed wind farm would be located on agricultural land and private bogland and the site is about 4km south of Edenderry and 3.5km east of Clonbullogue. Private landowners in the area have agreed to lease property to the wind energy company. Statkraft and Wind Energy Ireland have been contacted for comment. A PLAN to increase the energy output at a wind farm project in Offaly could be stalled by a new An Bord Pleanala ruling. Cloncant Renewable Energy, a company controlled by energy giant Statkraft, was previously granted permission to develop a nine-turbine wind farm with eight of the turbines in east Offaly and one across the boundary in Kildare. The original consent was for a 49.5MW facility with turbines 187m high the tallest so far permitted in the county - at Ballykilleen, Shean, Kilcumber, Cloncant and Cushaling near Edenderry, plus another near Ticknevin, Co Kildare. The wind farm has yet to be built. Since then, more powerful generators have been developed, capable of producing 6.6MW each, and the use of those would push the potential capacity of the nine turbines up to 59.4MW. In a letter to Offaly County Council, the company said there are often technological advances during the planning timeframe with wind energy, hence the option of using more efficient generators in the Cushaling Wind Farm turbines. The company said that no change is required to the size of the turbines to accommodate the larger generators. Cloncant Renewable Energy sought a determination from the council on whether or not the increase in output would be deemed development or exempted development. The council referred the matter on to An Bord Pleanala which decided that an increase in the electricity output, without increasing the size and scale of any of the works, layout or plans, is development. The board said it did not have enough information on the impact the wind farm would have on grid connection and grid capacity and increasing the output would intensify the development. When the company drew up its original plan, it envisaged each turbine would house a 5.5MW generator. The proposed wind farm would be located on agricultural land and private bogland and the site is about 4km south of Edenderry and 3.5km east of Clonbullogue. Private landowners in the area have agreed to lease property to the wind energy company. Statkraft and Wind Energy Ireland have been contacted for comment. BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The New Year speech of Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday has shown China's responsibility as a major country to advance global peace and development, and its resolution and action to promote building a community with a shared future for mankind, overseas experts and officials have said. Meanwhile, they said they wish China success in hosting the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics. Phay Siphan, chief spokesman for the Cambodian government, said Xi's speech has reflected China's commitment to building a modern socialist country. "President Xi's speech inspires people around the world to love peace, to jointly protect peace, and to work together for common development and prosperity towards building a community with a shared future for mankind," he told Xinhua. Ivona Ladjevac, deputy director of Serbia's Institute of International Politics and Economics, said the event of 2021, "without any doubt, was the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC)." Led by the CPC, China is pursuing the Chinese dream, Ladjevac noted, adding "there is no reason to doubt that China will make the year 2022 at least as successful as the previous 2021." "China has broadened the scientific reach of humanity by placing a space station into orbit," said Cavince Adhere, a Kenya-based international relations scholar. Adhere said he believes in the year of 2022, "China will, in many ways, shape the course of humanity towards a more stable, peaceful and prosperous world." Charles Onunaiju, director of the Abuja-based Center for China Studies, hailed China's important contributions to the world through its eye-catching performance in epidemic control and economic growth. China has shouldered its responsibility as a major country, as it has offered COVID-19 vaccines and other medical assistance to developing countries, including those in Africa, Onunaiju said. French writer and sinologist Lea Bessis said she quite agrees with Xi's remarks that "only through unity, solidarity and cooperation can countries around the world write a new chapter in building a community with a shared future for mankind." The remarks have shown China's firm resolution to promoting global peace and development, she said. Bessis added that China's efforts for development aim at improving the well-being of the people. Pui Jeng Leong, a media veteran in Brunei, said China has declared a comprehensive victory in the battle against poverty, completing the arduous task of eliminating absolute poverty, which is not only a Chinese miracle but also a major contribution to the world's poverty reduction project and global development. He said he appreciates Xi's remarks about China's contribution to the global anti-pandemic cooperation, adding the friendship and mutual support between Brunei and China in the joint fight against the pandemic have become an example of mutual assistance. Enditem A study has found a gene-silencing therapy protecting against Zika virus transmission from pregnant mice to mouse fetuses. The study has been published in the 'Molecular Therapy Journal'. The treatment, which harnesses nanoparticles called small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) for drug delivery, crossed the placenta and blood-brain barrier to greatly reduce fetal neurological damage, including virus-induced brain shrinkage. "Our experiments indicated that targeted delivery via modified sEVs is a promising alternative to the traditional methods of delivery, especially for the treatment of brain viral infection," said senior study author Zhiwei Wu of Nanjing University. "Increasing the yield and efficiency of producing sEVs and developing sEVs that target other tissues will broaden their application and will expand the effectiveness of this gene delivery technique," Wu added. The Zika virus epidemic swept across the Asia-Pacific region in 2015-2017 and remains a global health threat to this day. The virus causes neurological and congenital conditions such as microcephaly, in which the baby's head is smaller than expected. It can cross the placenta and the blood-brain barrier -- a network of blood vessels and tissue that is made up of closely spaced cells. The blood-brain barrier controls the exchange of substances between the central nervous system (CNS) and the blood, helping to keep harmful substances from reaching the brain. Few drugs specifically target brain tissue, and most are highly toxic and do not efficiently cross the blood-brain barrier. Treatment for viral infections of the brain is generally ineffective due to blood-brain barrier blocking of drugs. "Currently, there is no Zika virus-specific therapy or vaccine available. Safe and effective antiviral drugs that can effectively cross the blood-brain barrier and placental barrier are urgently needed, especially to prevent microcephaly," Wu said. In particular, gene silencing therapies using oligonucleotides have demonstrated unique advantages in clinical settings, but the delivery of nucleic acids into cells remains a major challenge. One potential solution is offered by sEVs -- natural, biodegradable nanoparticles that are released from cells and are important mediators of cell-to-cell communication. Emerging evidence suggested that they could be a powerful tool to deliver drugs for the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular conditions, and infectious diseases. Recently, Wu and his collaborators leveraged sEVs to deliver an antiviral molecule across the placental barrier to inhibit Zika virus infection in the mouse fetus. In the new study, Wu and his team demonstrated for the first time that sEVs could deliver antiviral drugs to achieve targeted suppression of Zika virus infection in the fetal CNS and to control neurological damage. To home in on neurons, the researchers engineered sEVs that expressed rabies virus glycoprotein (RVG) on their surface. They then loaded them with Zika virus-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) and injected them into pregnant mice. The RVG-modified sEVs crossed the placental barrier and blood-brain barrier, protecting against Zika virus transmission to the fetus. They concentrated in the fetal brain, where they suppressed infection and reduced inflammation and neurological damage, including microcephaly and defects in a brain region called the cerebellum. The findings echo another recent study showing that RVG-modified sEVs could cross the blood-brain barrier in mice to treat manifestations of Parkinson's disease. "Our therapeutic approach expanded the application of sEVs to treat viral infection of brains by intravenous injection," Wu said. Despite the promising results, many questions remain. For example, the researchers delivered the virus and the first dose of the therapy simultaneously, so it is not clear whether treatment after a time lag would also be effective. "A delayed injection after viral infection may provide more confidence in the ability to translate this research to human trials. Nevertheless, our study provides a proof of concept for such a possibility," Wu said. Moving forward, the researchers plan to investigate the molecular mechanisms by which the sEVs penetrate the placenta and blood-brain barrier. They will also pin down the precise rate of sEV penetration and determine the factors that control delivery efficiency. "Since small extracellular vesicles are of biological origin, they can be a safe drug delivery vehicle. However, the current study remains preliminary and many more issues need to be resolved. For human use, there is a long way to go," Wu said. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Major Research and Development Project, Nanjing University-Ningxia University Collaborative Project. (ANI) A study has found a gene-silencing therapy protecting against Zika virus transmission from pregnant mice to mouse fetuses. The study has been published in the 'Molecular Therapy Journal'. The treatment, which harnesses nanoparticles called small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) for drug delivery, crossed the placenta and blood-brain barrier to greatly reduce fetal neurological damage, including virus-induced brain shrinkage. "Our experiments indicated that targeted delivery via modified sEVs is a promising alternative to the traditional methods of delivery, especially for the treatment of brain viral infection," said senior study author Zhiwei Wu of Nanjing University. "Increasing the yield and efficiency of producing sEVs and developing sEVs that target other tissues will broaden their application and will expand the effectiveness of this gene delivery technique," Wu added. The Zika virus epidemic swept across the Asia-Pacific region in 2015-2017 and remains a global health threat to this day. The virus causes neurological and congenital conditions such as microcephaly, in which the baby's head is smaller than expected. It can cross the placenta and the blood-brain barrier -- a network of blood vessels and tissue that is made up of closely spaced cells. The blood-brain barrier controls the exchange of substances between the central nervous system (CNS) and the blood, helping to keep harmful substances from reaching the brain. Few drugs specifically target brain tissue, and most are highly toxic and do not efficiently cross the blood-brain barrier. Treatment for viral infections of the brain is generally ineffective due to blood-brain barrier blocking of drugs. "Currently, there is no Zika virus-specific therapy or vaccine available. Safe and effective antiviral drugs that can effectively cross the blood-brain barrier and placental barrier are urgently needed, especially to prevent microcephaly," Wu said. In particular, gene silencing therapies using oligonucleotides have demonstrated unique advantages in clinical settings, but the delivery of nucleic acids into cells remains a major challenge. One potential solution is offered by sEVs -- natural, biodegradable nanoparticles that are released from cells and are important mediators of cell-to-cell communication. Emerging evidence suggested that they could be a powerful tool to deliver drugs for the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular conditions, and infectious diseases. Recently, Wu and his collaborators leveraged sEVs to deliver an antiviral molecule across the placental barrier to inhibit Zika virus infection in the mouse fetus. In the new study, Wu and his team demonstrated for the first time that sEVs could deliver antiviral drugs to achieve targeted suppression of Zika virus infection in the fetal CNS and to control neurological damage. To home in on neurons, the researchers engineered sEVs that expressed rabies virus glycoprotein (RVG) on their surface. They then loaded them with Zika virus-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) and injected them into pregnant mice. The RVG-modified sEVs crossed the placental barrier and blood-brain barrier, protecting against Zika virus transmission to the fetus. They concentrated in the fetal brain, where they suppressed infection and reduced inflammation and neurological damage, including microcephaly and defects in a brain region called the cerebellum. The findings echo another recent study showing that RVG-modified sEVs could cross the blood-brain barrier in mice to treat manifestations of Parkinson's disease. "Our therapeutic approach expanded the application of sEVs to treat viral infection of brains by intravenous injection," Wu said. Despite the promising results, many questions remain. For example, the researchers delivered the virus and the first dose of the therapy simultaneously, so it is not clear whether treatment after a time lag would also be effective. "A delayed injection after viral infection may provide more confidence in the ability to translate this research to human trials. Nevertheless, our study provides a proof of concept for such a possibility," Wu said. Moving forward, the researchers plan to investigate the molecular mechanisms by which the sEVs penetrate the placenta and blood-brain barrier. They will also pin down the precise rate of sEV penetration and determine the factors that control delivery efficiency. "Since small extracellular vesicles are of biological origin, they can be a safe drug delivery vehicle. However, the current study remains preliminary and many more issues need to be resolved. For human use, there is a long way to go," Wu said. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Major Research and Development Project, Nanjing University-Ningxia University Collaborative Project. (ANI) This was the year we were to leave COVID behind us and get on with our lives. That didnt happen as wave after wave of the virus washed over us, once again filling our hospitals and jacking up the death toll. Like 2020, we needed help to cope with all the sick. In their second year on the front lines, exhausted local hospital workers got relief from traveling nurses, the National Guard and visiting federal health care teams. And, all around us the debate over vaccines and masks and mandates raged on, in a few cases exploding into angry confrontations with medical professionals and service workers. Like children, we had to be reminded by signs hung in hospitals and businesses to be kind. But mostly we were kind to each other, especially in the face of disaster. When a freak December range fire swept over the tiny town of Denton, burning 25 homes and six businesses, volunteers turned up to help. Strangers brought food and hot coffee, offered homes to stay in and helped victims sift through the ashes. Ranchers from around the state donated hay, and the governor contributed a quarter of his salary to a relief fund. When an Amtrak train derailed near Joplin on the Hi-Line killing three people and injuring dozens, among the rescuers were people from town who risked their own safety to pull survivors from the wreckage. And when a young woman didnt return as planned from a solo hike in the Beartooth Mountains, volunteers trekked into the backcountry to find her. Even fish got some love. A mechanical problem on the Hebgen Lake Dam drained the upper Madison River, leaving many fish high and dry. Volunteers waded into the river with buckets to move struggling fish to deeper water. And in Billings, school children packed bags filled with treats to give to weary health care workers, who because of COVID protocols they would never get to meet. From beginning to end in 2021, as tiresome as the topic has become, COVID seemed all we could talk about, and for the second year in a row it was The Billings Gazettes top story of the year. Enough has probably already been said about it, so here, not strictly listed in order of importance, are some of the other top stories of the year from our region: West End standoff For 10 hours through an April night, an armed man held police at bay from inside a Billings West End home he had broken into after he and a woman he had just met killed a man whose van they had stolen. The victim was a 33-year-old family man from Sheridan, Wyoming named Dennis Gresham. He had driven to Billings to pick up a friend at the airport early the next morning and had been sleeping in his van at a campground. That morning, Michael McClure and Kristy Chavez approached the genial Gresham in his van and asked for help, but it was a trick. At gunpoint, Gresham was taken captive and the three left the campground in his van. Within a few minutes, Gresham was dead, shot five times. In Laurel, McClure and Chavez stopped in the parking lot of a business to get rid of the van and the body. Employees inside the business watching the pair throw a big tarp over the van found it suspicious and called police. The chase was on. With police in pursuit, the couple raced back to Billings where they eventually crashed the van in a quiet, affluent neighborhood and then ran away. Chavez was quickly caught. McClure kept running, trying the doors of several homes before finding one he could break into. The homeowner, luckily, was away. Billings Police surrounded the house with a small army of specially trained officers and slowly turned up the heat on McClure. Finally, just as the sun was rising, police went in after him. Within seconds there was what police described as a quick volley of gunfire. They said McClure fired first, a shot they later determined was a suicide shot to his own head. Chavez remains in jail after being charged with deliberate homicide by accountability. The homeowner returned to a house that had been trashed by the standoff. Police and city officials told her they werent paying, it would be up to her and her insurance company. Lost hiker In late June, 23-year-old Tatum Morell hiked into the Beartooth Mountains above Red Lodge for a solo trek. The Montana State University engineering student was a fit and experienced hiker and had planned to set up a base camp from which she would summit five peaks above 12,000 feet. On July 1, she checked in with family using a Garmin InReach satellite communicator, and then in the days that followed the family heard nothing. Searchers from Red Lodge Fire and Rescue and some volunteers hiked into the rugged terrain hunting for her. Searchers also took to the air. At Shadow Lake, rescuers found her orange tent and campsite, but not her. As the search dragged on, Morells family traveled to Red Lodge from out of state and waited anxiously at the official command post. After an agonizing two weeks, rescuers and Morells family united in a July 14th press conference acknowledging Tatum was almost certainly dead. Well into August, hikers continued looking for her. On Saturday, Aug. 21, a group of backpackers near Whitetail Peak found her body where she had apparently gotten caught in a rock slide. The next day, her body was recovered by helicopter and flown home. The son who never gave up Deep in the Idaho backcountry last September, a hunter found the remains of a bowhunter who had gone missing more than 50 years earlier. The hunter had discovered two weathered black boots sticking out from under a boulder. It took four men to move the giant rock, and underneath they found some bone fragments, a bit of coiled rope, a rusty knife, part of a wooden arrow shaft, and a plastic gas station credit card bearing the name of Raymond Jones. The discovery was barely news in Montana except to one family in Billings where the news hit like a bombshell. Businessman Jeff Jones was 12-years-old when his father Raymond Jones went missing. The now 65-year-old Jeff had never stopped wishing for his dad to come home. It was a cousin who informed Jeff that the remains found in Idaho were all that was left of his father. All of the grief and frustration Jeff had pent up for decades was released at once, overwhelming him for days in what he could only describe as a fog. He now says he feels blessed to finally have the mystery solved. This spring, Jeff plans a graveside service in Miles City where his fathers remains will at last be laid to rest next to his parents. Red Lodge faces flames In some of the photos shot from Red Lodges main street on the dark evening of June 13, it looks like its only a matter of minutes before the towering orange flames of the Robertson Draw fire devour the small mountain town. That had happened dozens of times in California, leaving behind gray images of entire neighborhoods reduced to smoldering foundations. Some residents loaded their valuables into their car and drove out of town. Ranchers cut fences to let livestock run ahead of the fire. At a tiny church in town, the minister welcomed tourists who had been ordered from their campgrounds. Then sometime during the night the strong winds that had been pushing the fire into Red Lodge suddenly changed direction. In the morning, Mount Maurice, the sentinel behind Red Lodge, stood black with wisps of smoke still curling from naked trees. The fire had moved elsewhere. Red Lodge had been spared. Before the 30,000-acre fire was eventually extinguished a month later, it did burn several remote homes and outbuildings and spread far across rangeland east toward Belfry and south toward Wyoming. In early July, a Bridger man ironically named John Lightburn was charged with starting the fire. He was allegedly riding his motorcycle illegally in forest land south of Red Lodge when the bike broke down. While fixing it, he apparently spilled some gasoline and then while checking the engines spark plug he ignited the blaze. State's biggest fire Other small Eastern Montana towns also came close to getting swallowed up by fire this summer. On Aug. 8, the Richard Spring fire in Rosebud County puffed into life about 10 miles south of Colstrip and then took off in all directions. In this rough, rural country the nearest municipal fire truck can be 50 miles of dirt road away. Ranchers who can afford it have their own firefighting equipment. As the fire, which would eventually join a second fire and then spread across 170,000 acres, bore down on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, residents of Lame Deer and Ashland were ordered from their homes and the roads were closed. Making matters worse, the blaze had cut power, cell service and the internet. Residents had to guess at what danger they were in. Some of the reservations residents were bussed to Busby where they spent the night on cots in the school gym. And then during what has been one of the driest summers ever, the rains came, which believers would say was not by chance. The early cold front beat the fire down enough that within a few days firefighters had it under control. No significant structures had burned, and no one was seriously hurt. Investigators say it was smoldering coal seams that started the fires. The seams have been burning underground for decades, maybe centuries, probably originally ignited by lightning strikes and impossible to extinguish. It wont be the last range fire they start. Parolee problems When a disgruntled employee in November returned to the downtown Billings restaurant where he had earlier that day been fired, he was thinking of just one thing. The wild-eyed young man grabbed steak knives and started threatening everyone in reach. A brave restaurant manager coaxed the man away from customers and eventually into the kitchen where employees and several policeman subdued him. But not before his bloody rampage left at least four employees stabbed, slashed and terrorized. The violence in a downtown restaurant was shocking enough, but there was more to it than anyone that night realized. The suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Bird, had just been released from prison, not to his hometown of Missoula, but to Billings. His arrest touched off a firestorm of complaints from city officials and politicians who say theyre tired of Billings taking on more than its fair share of the state's parolees. One local legislator claimed the states Department of Corrections simply gives new parolees a bus ticket to Billings. And, thats true, at least the part about Billings taking a disproportionate number of parolees, according to a Gazette investigation. In fact, while Yellowstone County makes up about 15% of the states population, at least 24% of the states current parolees are living here. Gallatin County, by contrast, has 11% of the states population, but 5% of the states supervised parolees. The problem is a complicated one. Its true that most of the states programs for supervising and re-integrating parolees are in Billings and that naturally leads to more parolees. But solutions are being debated and the topic is certain to come up when the state Legislature meets again. Bird has been charged with five felonies. A Billings judge set his bail at $1 million, an unusually high sum meant to ensure Bird isnt spotted again in downtown Billings anytime soon. Medical school picks Billings In February, the Colorado-based Rocky Vista University announced it would build a $50 million, 12-acre medical school campus in Billings on the far West End. It was promised that within a few years the school would attract hundreds of super smart medical students, employ as many as 350 people, and dump millions upon millions of dollars annually into the local economy. The bonus would be that many of the newly minted osteopathic doctors may remain to practice in Montana, easing the states chronic doctor shortage. The news, however, was not universally celebrated. Billings Clinic declined to partner with the university, mostly because it already partners with a top-rated medical school. Other skeptics in the state, especially in Great Falls where officials are courting their own medical school, predicted the state wont be able to support the huge increase in medical students. St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, however, is all in. The hospital says it will gladly partner with RVU and even create an office of medical education to connect students to clinical rotation programs. In an October ceremony attended by the governor, RVU broke ground on its campus at Shiloh and Monad and expects to begin its first classes by the end of 2022. Seeing hope For a busy Miles City mom, the trouble started with a simple operation to correct her vision. Millions of people have had the same surgery and were better off for it. Jaimi Espys local optometrist recommended she have her severe nearsightedness corrected by having an artificial lens implanted in her eye. The surgery wasnt available in Miles City, so she found a doctor in Billings. That surgery, however, did not go as it should have. Over time, the lens failed, popping out of her eye as she prepared a Thanksgiving dinner. Repairing the damage led to a horrifying cascade of emergency surgeries that couldnt prevent her from going entirely blind in both eyes. Espy sued the Billings eye surgeon and a jury awarded her $3 million. That sounds like an awful lot of money, even after her lawyers are paid. And, the money will help pay her expenses and ease her challenges, the mother now in her 40s, says. What the money doesnt do is erase the horror of slowly losing her vision, a trauma that led her to the brink of suicide. And it wont help her see the joy on her young daughter's face as she pushes her in a backyard swing. The money also wouldnt have changed how Espys story ends. I can adapt and I will adapt and there is a way to do the things that I want to do, she told the Gazette in early July. I think the biggest key to that is not giving up. Pushing it to 11 Speaking of not giving up, heres a good news story to end 2021 with. When Billings motorcycle racer Ryan Zahn started piling up wins on the dirt tracks around Montana, he decided to go semi-pro. Thats news in anyones book, and The Gazette profiled Zahn in late November. Ever since he was a tiny boy, Zahn has worked on his own bikes, souping up the engines and modifying them to suit his peculiar riding style. And, hes had his share of crashes. After one bone-snapping spill, he was patched up by the same exasperated doctor who had patched him up after a previous wreck. Zahn was born with all the right stuff, the same talents that all great athletes have, a fearlessness and grit, and a drive to win. What he wasnt born with are arms. To ride a motorcycle, Zahn had to invent a new way to ride. When he wins, even his fiercest rivals have to marvel. His philosophy in life is the same as his philosophy in racing, youve got to always be pushing it to 11. This was the year we were to leave COVID behind us and get on with our lives. That didnt happen as wave after wave of the virus washed over us, once again filling our hospitals and jacking up the death toll. Like 2020, we needed help to cope with all the sick. In their second year on the front lines, exhausted local hospital workers got relief from traveling nurses, the National Guard and visiting federal health care teams. And, all around us the debate over vaccines and masks and mandates raged on, in a few cases exploding into angry confrontations with medical professionals and service workers. Like children, we had to be reminded by signs hung in hospitals and businesses to be kind. But mostly we were kind to each other, especially in the face of disaster. When a freak December range fire swept over the tiny town of Denton, burning 25 homes and six businesses, volunteers turned up to help. Strangers brought food and hot coffee, offered homes to stay in and helped victims sift through the ashes. Ranchers from around the state donated hay, and the governor contributed a quarter of his salary to a relief fund. When an Amtrak train derailed near Joplin on the Hi-Line killing three people and injuring dozens, among the rescuers were people from town who risked their own safety to pull survivors from the wreckage. And when a young woman didnt return as planned from a solo hike in the Beartooth Mountains, volunteers trekked into the backcountry to find her. Even fish got some love. A mechanical problem on the Hebgen Lake Dam drained the upper Madison River, leaving many fish high and dry. Volunteers waded into the river with buckets to move struggling fish to deeper water. And in Billings, school children packed bags filled with treats to give to weary health care workers, who because of COVID protocols they would never get to meet. From beginning to end in 2021, as tiresome as the topic has become, COVID seemed all we could talk about, and for the second year in a row it was The Billings Gazettes top story of the year. Enough has probably already been said about it, so here, not strictly listed in order of importance, are some of the other top stories of the year from our region: West End standoff For 10 hours through an April night, an armed man held police at bay from inside a Billings West End home he had broken into after he and a woman he had just met killed a man whose van they had stolen. The victim was a 33-year-old family man from Sheridan, Wyoming named Dennis Gresham. He had driven to Billings to pick up a friend at the airport early the next morning and had been sleeping in his van at a campground. That morning, Michael McClure and Kristy Chavez approached the genial Gresham in his van and asked for help, but it was a trick. At gunpoint, Gresham was taken captive and the three left the campground in his van. Within a few minutes, Gresham was dead, shot five times. In Laurel, McClure and Chavez stopped in the parking lot of a business to get rid of the van and the body. Employees inside the business watching the pair throw a big tarp over the van found it suspicious and called police. The chase was on. With police in pursuit, the couple raced back to Billings where they eventually crashed the van in a quiet, affluent neighborhood and then ran away. Chavez was quickly caught. McClure kept running, trying the doors of several homes before finding one he could break into. The homeowner, luckily, was away. Billings Police surrounded the house with a small army of specially trained officers and slowly turned up the heat on McClure. Finally, just as the sun was rising, police went in after him. Within seconds there was what police described as a quick volley of gunfire. They said McClure fired first, a shot they later determined was a suicide shot to his own head. Chavez remains in jail after being charged with deliberate homicide by accountability. The homeowner returned to a house that had been trashed by the standoff. Police and city officials told her they werent paying, it would be up to her and her insurance company. Lost hiker In late June, 23-year-old Tatum Morell hiked into the Beartooth Mountains above Red Lodge for a solo trek. The Montana State University engineering student was a fit and experienced hiker and had planned to set up a base camp from which she would summit five peaks above 12,000 feet. On July 1, she checked in with family using a Garmin InReach satellite communicator, and then in the days that followed the family heard nothing. Searchers from Red Lodge Fire and Rescue and some volunteers hiked into the rugged terrain hunting for her. Searchers also took to the air. At Shadow Lake, rescuers found her orange tent and campsite, but not her. As the search dragged on, Morells family traveled to Red Lodge from out of state and waited anxiously at the official command post. After an agonizing two weeks, rescuers and Morells family united in a July 14th press conference acknowledging Tatum was almost certainly dead. Well into August, hikers continued looking for her. On Saturday, Aug. 21, a group of backpackers near Whitetail Peak found her body where she had apparently gotten caught in a rock slide. The next day, her body was recovered by helicopter and flown home. The son who never gave up Deep in the Idaho backcountry last September, a hunter found the remains of a bowhunter who had gone missing more than 50 years earlier. The hunter had discovered two weathered black boots sticking out from under a boulder. It took four men to move the giant rock, and underneath they found some bone fragments, a bit of coiled rope, a rusty knife, part of a wooden arrow shaft, and a plastic gas station credit card bearing the name of Raymond Jones. The discovery was barely news in Montana except to one family in Billings where the news hit like a bombshell. Businessman Jeff Jones was 12-years-old when his father Raymond Jones went missing. The now 65-year-old Jeff had never stopped wishing for his dad to come home. It was a cousin who informed Jeff that the remains found in Idaho were all that was left of his father. All of the grief and frustration Jeff had pent up for decades was released at once, overwhelming him for days in what he could only describe as a fog. He now says he feels blessed to finally have the mystery solved. This spring, Jeff plans a graveside service in Miles City where his fathers remains will at last be laid to rest next to his parents. Red Lodge faces flames In some of the photos shot from Red Lodges main street on the dark evening of June 13, it looks like its only a matter of minutes before the towering orange flames of the Robertson Draw fire devour the small mountain town. That had happened dozens of times in California, leaving behind gray images of entire neighborhoods reduced to smoldering foundations. Some residents loaded their valuables into their car and drove out of town. Ranchers cut fences to let livestock run ahead of the fire. At a tiny church in town, the minister welcomed tourists who had been ordered from their campgrounds. Then sometime during the night the strong winds that had been pushing the fire into Red Lodge suddenly changed direction. In the morning, Mount Maurice, the sentinel behind Red Lodge, stood black with wisps of smoke still curling from naked trees. The fire had moved elsewhere. Red Lodge had been spared. Before the 30,000-acre fire was eventually extinguished a month later, it did burn several remote homes and outbuildings and spread far across rangeland east toward Belfry and south toward Wyoming. In early July, a Bridger man ironically named John Lightburn was charged with starting the fire. He was allegedly riding his motorcycle illegally in forest land south of Red Lodge when the bike broke down. While fixing it, he apparently spilled some gasoline and then while checking the engines spark plug he ignited the blaze. State's biggest fire Other small Eastern Montana towns also came close to getting swallowed up by fire this summer. On Aug. 8, the Richard Spring fire in Rosebud County puffed into life about 10 miles south of Colstrip and then took off in all directions. In this rough, rural country the nearest municipal fire truck can be 50 miles of dirt road away. Ranchers who can afford it have their own firefighting equipment. As the fire, which would eventually join a second fire and then spread across 170,000 acres, bore down on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, residents of Lame Deer and Ashland were ordered from their homes and the roads were closed. Making matters worse, the blaze had cut power, cell service and the internet. Residents had to guess at what danger they were in. Some of the reservations residents were bussed to Busby where they spent the night on cots in the school gym. And then during what has been one of the driest summers ever, the rains came, which believers would say was not by chance. The early cold front beat the fire down enough that within a few days firefighters had it under control. No significant structures had burned, and no one was seriously hurt. Investigators say it was smoldering coal seams that started the fires. The seams have been burning underground for decades, maybe centuries, probably originally ignited by lightning strikes and impossible to extinguish. It wont be the last range fire they start. Parolee problems When a disgruntled employee in November returned to the downtown Billings restaurant where he had earlier that day been fired, he was thinking of just one thing. The wild-eyed young man grabbed steak knives and started threatening everyone in reach. A brave restaurant manager coaxed the man away from customers and eventually into the kitchen where employees and several policeman subdued him. But not before his bloody rampage left at least four employees stabbed, slashed and terrorized. The violence in a downtown restaurant was shocking enough, but there was more to it than anyone that night realized. The suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Bird, had just been released from prison, not to his hometown of Missoula, but to Billings. His arrest touched off a firestorm of complaints from city officials and politicians who say theyre tired of Billings taking on more than its fair share of the state's parolees. One local legislator claimed the states Department of Corrections simply gives new parolees a bus ticket to Billings. And, thats true, at least the part about Billings taking a disproportionate number of parolees, according to a Gazette investigation. In fact, while Yellowstone County makes up about 15% of the states population, at least 24% of the states current parolees are living here. Gallatin County, by contrast, has 11% of the states population, but 5% of the states supervised parolees. The problem is a complicated one. Its true that most of the states programs for supervising and re-integrating parolees are in Billings and that naturally leads to more parolees. But solutions are being debated and the topic is certain to come up when the state Legislature meets again. Bird has been charged with five felonies. A Billings judge set his bail at $1 million, an unusually high sum meant to ensure Bird isnt spotted again in downtown Billings anytime soon. Medical school picks Billings In February, the Colorado-based Rocky Vista University announced it would build a $50 million, 12-acre medical school campus in Billings on the far West End. It was promised that within a few years the school would attract hundreds of super smart medical students, employ as many as 350 people, and dump millions upon millions of dollars annually into the local economy. The bonus would be that many of the newly minted osteopathic doctors may remain to practice in Montana, easing the states chronic doctor shortage. The news, however, was not universally celebrated. Billings Clinic declined to partner with the university, mostly because it already partners with a top-rated medical school. Other skeptics in the state, especially in Great Falls where officials are courting their own medical school, predicted the state wont be able to support the huge increase in medical students. St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, however, is all in. The hospital says it will gladly partner with RVU and even create an office of medical education to connect students to clinical rotation programs. In an October ceremony attended by the governor, RVU broke ground on its campus at Shiloh and Monad and expects to begin its first classes by the end of 2022. Seeing hope For a busy Miles City mom, the trouble started with a simple operation to correct her vision. Millions of people have had the same surgery and were better off for it. Jaimi Espys local optometrist recommended she have her severe nearsightedness corrected by having an artificial lens implanted in her eye. The surgery wasnt available in Miles City, so she found a doctor in Billings. That surgery, however, did not go as it should have. Over time, the lens failed, popping out of her eye as she prepared a Thanksgiving dinner. Repairing the damage led to a horrifying cascade of emergency surgeries that couldnt prevent her from going entirely blind in both eyes. Espy sued the Billings eye surgeon and a jury awarded her $3 million. That sounds like an awful lot of money, even after her lawyers are paid. And, the money will help pay her expenses and ease her challenges, the mother now in her 40s, says. What the money doesnt do is erase the horror of slowly losing her vision, a trauma that led her to the brink of suicide. And it wont help her see the joy on her young daughter's face as she pushes her in a backyard swing. The money also wouldnt have changed how Espys story ends. I can adapt and I will adapt and there is a way to do the things that I want to do, she told the Gazette in early July. I think the biggest key to that is not giving up. Pushing it to 11 Speaking of not giving up, heres a good news story to end 2021 with. When Billings motorcycle racer Ryan Zahn started piling up wins on the dirt tracks around Montana, he decided to go semi-pro. Thats news in anyones book, and The Gazette profiled Zahn in late November. Ever since he was a tiny boy, Zahn has worked on his own bikes, souping up the engines and modifying them to suit his peculiar riding style. And, hes had his share of crashes. After one bone-snapping spill, he was patched up by the same exasperated doctor who had patched him up after a previous wreck. Zahn was born with all the right stuff, the same talents that all great athletes have, a fearlessness and grit, and a drive to win. What he wasnt born with are arms. To ride a motorcycle, Zahn had to invent a new way to ride. When he wins, even his fiercest rivals have to marvel. His philosophy in life is the same as his philosophy in racing, youve got to always be pushing it to 11. This was the year we were to leave COVID behind us and get on with our lives. That didnt happen as wave after wave of the virus washed over us, once again filling our hospitals and jacking up the death toll. Like 2020, we needed help to cope with all the sick. In their second year on the front lines, exhausted local hospital workers got relief from traveling nurses, the National Guard and visiting federal health care teams. And, all around us the debate over vaccines and masks and mandates raged on, in a few cases exploding into angry confrontations with medical professionals and service workers. Like children, we had to be reminded by signs hung in hospitals and businesses to be kind. But mostly we were kind to each other, especially in the face of disaster. When a freak December range fire swept over the tiny town of Denton, burning 25 homes and six businesses, volunteers turned up to help. Strangers brought food and hot coffee, offered homes to stay in and helped victims sift through the ashes. Ranchers from around the state donated hay, and the governor contributed a quarter of his salary to a relief fund. When an Amtrak train derailed near Joplin on the Hi-Line killing three people and injuring dozens, among the rescuers were people from town who risked their own safety to pull survivors from the wreckage. And when a young woman didnt return as planned from a solo hike in the Beartooth Mountains, volunteers trekked into the backcountry to find her. Even fish got some love. A mechanical problem on the Hebgen Lake Dam drained the upper Madison River, leaving many fish high and dry. Volunteers waded into the river with buckets to move struggling fish to deeper water. And in Billings, school children packed bags filled with treats to give to weary health care workers, who because of COVID protocols they would never get to meet. From beginning to end in 2021, as tiresome as the topic has become, COVID seemed all we could talk about, and for the second year in a row it was The Billings Gazettes top story of the year. Enough has probably already been said about it, so here, not strictly listed in order of importance, are some of the other top stories of the year from our region: West End standoff For 10 hours through an April night, an armed man held police at bay from inside a Billings West End home he had broken into after he and a woman he had just met killed a man whose van they had stolen. The victim was a 33-year-old family man from Sheridan, Wyoming named Dennis Gresham. He had driven to Billings to pick up a friend at the airport early the next morning and had been sleeping in his van at a campground. That morning, Michael McClure and Kristy Chavez approached the genial Gresham in his van and asked for help, but it was a trick. At gunpoint, Gresham was taken captive and the three left the campground in his van. Within a few minutes, Gresham was dead, shot five times. In Laurel, McClure and Chavez stopped in the parking lot of a business to get rid of the van and the body. Employees inside the business watching the pair throw a big tarp over the van found it suspicious and called police. The chase was on. With police in pursuit, the couple raced back to Billings where they eventually crashed the van in a quiet, affluent neighborhood and then ran away. Chavez was quickly caught. McClure kept running, trying the doors of several homes before finding one he could break into. The homeowner, luckily, was away. Billings Police surrounded the house with a small army of specially trained officers and slowly turned up the heat on McClure. Finally, just as the sun was rising, police went in after him. Within seconds there was what police described as a quick volley of gunfire. They said McClure fired first, a shot they later determined was a suicide shot to his own head. Chavez remains in jail after being charged with deliberate homicide by accountability. The homeowner returned to a house that had been trashed by the standoff. Police and city officials told her they werent paying, it would be up to her and her insurance company. Lost hiker In late June, 23-year-old Tatum Morell hiked into the Beartooth Mountains above Red Lodge for a solo trek. The Montana State University engineering student was a fit and experienced hiker and had planned to set up a base camp from which she would summit five peaks above 12,000 feet. On July 1, she checked in with family using a Garmin InReach satellite communicator, and then in the days that followed the family heard nothing. Searchers from Red Lodge Fire and Rescue and some volunteers hiked into the rugged terrain hunting for her. Searchers also took to the air. At Shadow Lake, rescuers found her orange tent and campsite, but not her. As the search dragged on, Morells family traveled to Red Lodge from out of state and waited anxiously at the official command post. After an agonizing two weeks, rescuers and Morells family united in a July 14th press conference acknowledging Tatum was almost certainly dead. Well into August, hikers continued looking for her. On Saturday, Aug. 21, a group of backpackers near Whitetail Peak found her body where she had apparently gotten caught in a rock slide. The next day, her body was recovered by helicopter and flown home. The son who never gave up Deep in the Idaho backcountry last September, a hunter found the remains of a bowhunter who had gone missing more than 50 years earlier. The hunter had discovered two weathered black boots sticking out from under a boulder. It took four men to move the giant rock, and underneath they found some bone fragments, a bit of coiled rope, a rusty knife, part of a wooden arrow shaft, and a plastic gas station credit card bearing the name of Raymond Jones. The discovery was barely news in Montana except to one family in Billings where the news hit like a bombshell. Businessman Jeff Jones was 12-years-old when his father Raymond Jones went missing. The now 65-year-old Jeff had never stopped wishing for his dad to come home. It was a cousin who informed Jeff that the remains found in Idaho were all that was left of his father. All of the grief and frustration Jeff had pent up for decades was released at once, overwhelming him for days in what he could only describe as a fog. He now says he feels blessed to finally have the mystery solved. This spring, Jeff plans a graveside service in Miles City where his fathers remains will at last be laid to rest next to his parents. Red Lodge faces flames In some of the photos shot from Red Lodges main street on the dark evening of June 13, it looks like its only a matter of minutes before the towering orange flames of the Robertson Draw fire devour the small mountain town. That had happened dozens of times in California, leaving behind gray images of entire neighborhoods reduced to smoldering foundations. Some residents loaded their valuables into their car and drove out of town. Ranchers cut fences to let livestock run ahead of the fire. At a tiny church in town, the minister welcomed tourists who had been ordered from their campgrounds. Then sometime during the night the strong winds that had been pushing the fire into Red Lodge suddenly changed direction. In the morning, Mount Maurice, the sentinel behind Red Lodge, stood black with wisps of smoke still curling from naked trees. The fire had moved elsewhere. Red Lodge had been spared. Before the 30,000-acre fire was eventually extinguished a month later, it did burn several remote homes and outbuildings and spread far across rangeland east toward Belfry and south toward Wyoming. In early July, a Bridger man ironically named John Lightburn was charged with starting the fire. He was allegedly riding his motorcycle illegally in forest land south of Red Lodge when the bike broke down. While fixing it, he apparently spilled some gasoline and then while checking the engines spark plug he ignited the blaze. State's biggest fire Other small Eastern Montana towns also came close to getting swallowed up by fire this summer. On Aug. 8, the Richard Spring fire in Rosebud County puffed into life about 10 miles south of Colstrip and then took off in all directions. In this rough, rural country the nearest municipal fire truck can be 50 miles of dirt road away. Ranchers who can afford it have their own firefighting equipment. As the fire, which would eventually join a second fire and then spread across 170,000 acres, bore down on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, residents of Lame Deer and Ashland were ordered from their homes and the roads were closed. Making matters worse, the blaze had cut power, cell service and the internet. Residents had to guess at what danger they were in. Some of the reservations residents were bussed to Busby where they spent the night on cots in the school gym. And then during what has been one of the driest summers ever, the rains came, which believers would say was not by chance. The early cold front beat the fire down enough that within a few days firefighters had it under control. No significant structures had burned, and no one was seriously hurt. Investigators say it was smoldering coal seams that started the fires. The seams have been burning underground for decades, maybe centuries, probably originally ignited by lightning strikes and impossible to extinguish. It wont be the last range fire they start. Parolee problems When a disgruntled employee in November returned to the downtown Billings restaurant where he had earlier that day been fired, he was thinking of just one thing. The wild-eyed young man grabbed steak knives and started threatening everyone in reach. A brave restaurant manager coaxed the man away from customers and eventually into the kitchen where employees and several policeman subdued him. But not before his bloody rampage left at least four employees stabbed, slashed and terrorized. The violence in a downtown restaurant was shocking enough, but there was more to it than anyone that night realized. The suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Bird, had just been released from prison, not to his hometown of Missoula, but to Billings. His arrest touched off a firestorm of complaints from city officials and politicians who say theyre tired of Billings taking on more than its fair share of the state's parolees. One local legislator claimed the states Department of Corrections simply gives new parolees a bus ticket to Billings. And, thats true, at least the part about Billings taking a disproportionate number of parolees, according to a Gazette investigation. In fact, while Yellowstone County makes up about 15% of the states population, at least 24% of the states current parolees are living here. Gallatin County, by contrast, has 11% of the states population, but 5% of the states supervised parolees. The problem is a complicated one. Its true that most of the states programs for supervising and re-integrating parolees are in Billings and that naturally leads to more parolees. But solutions are being debated and the topic is certain to come up when the state Legislature meets again. Bird has been charged with five felonies. A Billings judge set his bail at $1 million, an unusually high sum meant to ensure Bird isnt spotted again in downtown Billings anytime soon. Medical school picks Billings In February, the Colorado-based Rocky Vista University announced it would build a $50 million, 12-acre medical school campus in Billings on the far West End. It was promised that within a few years the school would attract hundreds of super smart medical students, employ as many as 350 people, and dump millions upon millions of dollars annually into the local economy. The bonus would be that many of the newly minted osteopathic doctors may remain to practice in Montana, easing the states chronic doctor shortage. The news, however, was not universally celebrated. Billings Clinic declined to partner with the university, mostly because it already partners with a top-rated medical school. Other skeptics in the state, especially in Great Falls where officials are courting their own medical school, predicted the state wont be able to support the huge increase in medical students. St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, however, is all in. The hospital says it will gladly partner with RVU and even create an office of medical education to connect students to clinical rotation programs. In an October ceremony attended by the governor, RVU broke ground on its campus at Shiloh and Monad and expects to begin its first classes by the end of 2022. Seeing hope For a busy Miles City mom, the trouble started with a simple operation to correct her vision. Millions of people have had the same surgery and were better off for it. Jaimi Espys local optometrist recommended she have her severe nearsightedness corrected by having an artificial lens implanted in her eye. The surgery wasnt available in Miles City, so she found a doctor in Billings. That surgery, however, did not go as it should have. Over time, the lens failed, popping out of her eye as she prepared a Thanksgiving dinner. Repairing the damage led to a horrifying cascade of emergency surgeries that couldnt prevent her from going entirely blind in both eyes. Espy sued the Billings eye surgeon and a jury awarded her $3 million. That sounds like an awful lot of money, even after her lawyers are paid. And, the money will help pay her expenses and ease her challenges, the mother now in her 40s, says. What the money doesnt do is erase the horror of slowly losing her vision, a trauma that led her to the brink of suicide. And it wont help her see the joy on her young daughter's face as she pushes her in a backyard swing. The money also wouldnt have changed how Espys story ends. I can adapt and I will adapt and there is a way to do the things that I want to do, she told the Gazette in early July. I think the biggest key to that is not giving up. Pushing it to 11 Speaking of not giving up, heres a good news story to end 2021 with. When Billings motorcycle racer Ryan Zahn started piling up wins on the dirt tracks around Montana, he decided to go semi-pro. Thats news in anyones book, and The Gazette profiled Zahn in late November. Ever since he was a tiny boy, Zahn has worked on his own bikes, souping up the engines and modifying them to suit his peculiar riding style. And, hes had his share of crashes. After one bone-snapping spill, he was patched up by the same exasperated doctor who had patched him up after a previous wreck. Zahn was born with all the right stuff, the same talents that all great athletes have, a fearlessness and grit, and a drive to win. What he wasnt born with are arms. To ride a motorcycle, Zahn had to invent a new way to ride. When he wins, even his fiercest rivals have to marvel. His philosophy in life is the same as his philosophy in racing, youve got to always be pushing it to 11. Police on Saturday said they have registered cases against five people, belonging to the BJP and pro-Hindu outfits, on the charge of preventing the police personnel from entering a private school where the RSS was reportedly holding its 'shakha', which drew flak from various organisations. More than 20 organisations objected to RSS organising the Shakha and staged a demonstration in front of the school on Thursday and Friday. A posse of police was deployed in front of the school on Friday after Naam Tamizhar Katchi (NTK) decided to stage a protest over the issue. Shops and traders downed shutters fearing untoward incidents. However, 19 NTK workers assembled near the school and were detained. Police personnel tried to get near the school gate and were blocked by RSS members at the entrance, resulting in a minor scuffle between them. But, the police said they did not act further as they wanted to avoid unnecessary tension. Based on a complaint, police registered cases against the five people, who included local BJP, RSS leaders and Hindu Munnani functionaries, on the charge of preventing government servants from discharging their duty. The organisations, led by Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam, submitted a petition to Chief Educational Officer N Geetha seeking action against the school for allowing the Shakha amid the claim by school that no Shakha was being conducted. Watch latest videos by DH here: Email Newsletters Get the best of The Aspen Daily News in your inbox. Our newsletters are free, and you can unsubscribe at any time. This was the year we were to leave COVID behind us and get on with our lives. That didnt happen as wave after wave of the virus washed over us, once again filling our hospitals and jacking up the death toll. Like 2020, we needed help to cope with all the sick. In their second year on the front lines, exhausted local hospital workers got relief from traveling nurses, the National Guard and visiting federal health care teams. And, all around us the debate over vaccines and masks and mandates raged on, in a few cases exploding into angry confrontations with medical professionals and service workers. Like children, we had to be reminded by signs hung in hospitals and businesses to be kind. But mostly we were kind to each other, especially in the face of disaster. When a freak December range fire swept over the tiny town of Denton, burning 25 homes and six businesses, volunteers turned up to help. Strangers brought food and hot coffee, offered homes to stay in and helped victims sift through the ashes. Ranchers from around the state donated hay, and the governor contributed a quarter of his salary to a relief fund. When an Amtrak train derailed near Joplin on the Hi-Line killing three people and injuring dozens, among the rescuers were people from town who risked their own safety to pull survivors from the wreckage. And when a young woman didnt return as planned from a solo hike in the Beartooth Mountains, volunteers trekked into the backcountry to find her. Even fish got some love. A mechanical problem on the Hebgen Lake Dam drained the upper Madison River, leaving many fish high and dry. Volunteers waded into the river with buckets to move struggling fish to deeper water. And in Billings, school children packed bags filled with treats to give to weary health care workers, who because of COVID protocols they would never get to meet. From beginning to end in 2021, as tiresome as the topic has become, COVID seemed all we could talk about, and for the second year in a row it was The Billings Gazettes top story of the year. Enough has probably already been said about it, so here, not strictly listed in order of importance, are some of the other top stories of the year from our region: West End standoff For 10 hours through an April night, an armed man held police at bay from inside a Billings West End home he had broken into after he and a woman he had just met killed a man whose van they had stolen. The victim was a 33-year-old family man from Sheridan, Wyoming named Dennis Gresham. He had driven to Billings to pick up a friend at the airport early the next morning and had been sleeping in his van at a campground. That morning, Michael McClure and Kristy Chavez approached the genial Gresham in his van and asked for help, but it was a trick. At gunpoint, Gresham was taken captive and the three left the campground in his van. Within a few minutes, Gresham was dead, shot five times. In Laurel, McClure and Chavez stopped in the parking lot of a business to get rid of the van and the body. Employees inside the business watching the pair throw a big tarp over the van found it suspicious and called police. The chase was on. With police in pursuit, the couple raced back to Billings where they eventually crashed the van in a quiet, affluent neighborhood and then ran away. Chavez was quickly caught. McClure kept running, trying the doors of several homes before finding one he could break into. The homeowner, luckily, was away. Billings Police surrounded the house with a small army of specially trained officers and slowly turned up the heat on McClure. Finally, just as the sun was rising, police went in after him. Within seconds there was what police described as a quick volley of gunfire. They said McClure fired first, a shot they later determined was a suicide shot to his own head. Chavez remains in jail after being charged with deliberate homicide by accountability. The homeowner returned to a house that had been trashed by the standoff. Police and city officials told her they werent paying, it would be up to her and her insurance company. Lost hiker In late June, 23-year-old Tatum Morell hiked into the Beartooth Mountains above Red Lodge for a solo trek. The Montana State University engineering student was a fit and experienced hiker and had planned to set up a base camp from which she would summit five peaks above 12,000 feet. On July 1, she checked in with family using a Garmin InReach satellite communicator, and then in the days that followed the family heard nothing. Searchers from Red Lodge Fire and Rescue and some volunteers hiked into the rugged terrain hunting for her. Searchers also took to the air. At Shadow Lake, rescuers found her orange tent and campsite, but not her. As the search dragged on, Morells family traveled to Red Lodge from out of state and waited anxiously at the official command post. After an agonizing two weeks, rescuers and Morells family united in a July 14th press conference acknowledging Tatum was almost certainly dead. Well into August, hikers continued looking for her. On Saturday, Aug. 21, a group of backpackers near Whitetail Peak found her body where she had apparently gotten caught in a rock slide. The next day, her body was recovered by helicopter and flown home. The son who never gave up Deep in the Idaho backcountry last September, a hunter found the remains of a bowhunter who had gone missing more than 50 years earlier. The hunter had discovered two weathered black boots sticking out from under a boulder. It took four men to move the giant rock, and underneath they found some bone fragments, a bit of coiled rope, a rusty knife, part of a wooden arrow shaft, and a plastic gas station credit card bearing the name of Raymond Jones. The discovery was barely news in Montana except to one family in Billings where the news hit like a bombshell. Businessman Jeff Jones was 12-years-old when his father Raymond Jones went missing. The now 65-year-old Jeff had never stopped wishing for his dad to come home. It was a cousin who informed Jeff that the remains found in Idaho were all that was left of his father. All of the grief and frustration Jeff had pent up for decades was released at once, overwhelming him for days in what he could only describe as a fog. He now says he feels blessed to finally have the mystery solved. This spring, Jeff plans a graveside service in Miles City where his fathers remains will at last be laid to rest next to his parents. Red Lodge faces flames In some of the photos shot from Red Lodges main street on the dark evening of June 13, it looks like its only a matter of minutes before the towering orange flames of the Robertson Draw fire devour the small mountain town. That had happened dozens of times in California, leaving behind gray images of entire neighborhoods reduced to smoldering foundations. Some residents loaded their valuables into their car and drove out of town. Ranchers cut fences to let livestock run ahead of the fire. At a tiny church in town, the minister welcomed tourists who had been ordered from their campgrounds. Then sometime during the night the strong winds that had been pushing the fire into Red Lodge suddenly changed direction. In the morning, Mount Maurice, the sentinel behind Red Lodge, stood black with wisps of smoke still curling from naked trees. The fire had moved elsewhere. Red Lodge had been spared. Before the 30,000-acre fire was eventually extinguished a month later, it did burn several remote homes and outbuildings and spread far across rangeland east toward Belfry and south toward Wyoming. In early July, a Bridger man ironically named John Lightburn was charged with starting the fire. He was allegedly riding his motorcycle illegally in forest land south of Red Lodge when the bike broke down. While fixing it, he apparently spilled some gasoline and then while checking the engines spark plug he ignited the blaze. State's biggest fire Other small Eastern Montana towns also came close to getting swallowed up by fire this summer. On Aug. 8, the Richard Spring fire in Rosebud County puffed into life about 10 miles south of Colstrip and then took off in all directions. In this rough, rural country the nearest municipal fire truck can be 50 miles of dirt road away. Ranchers who can afford it have their own firefighting equipment. As the fire, which would eventually join a second fire and then spread across 170,000 acres, bore down on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, residents of Lame Deer and Ashland were ordered from their homes and the roads were closed. Making matters worse, the blaze had cut power, cell service and the internet. Residents had to guess at what danger they were in. Some of the reservations residents were bussed to Busby where they spent the night on cots in the school gym. And then during what has been one of the driest summers ever, the rains came, which believers would say was not by chance. The early cold front beat the fire down enough that within a few days firefighters had it under control. No significant structures had burned, and no one was seriously hurt. Investigators say it was smoldering coal seams that started the fires. The seams have been burning underground for decades, maybe centuries, probably originally ignited by lightning strikes and impossible to extinguish. It wont be the last range fire they start. Parolee problems When a disgruntled employee in November returned to the downtown Billings restaurant where he had earlier that day been fired, he was thinking of just one thing. The wild-eyed young man grabbed steak knives and started threatening everyone in reach. A brave restaurant manager coaxed the man away from customers and eventually into the kitchen where employees and several policeman subdued him. But not before his bloody rampage left at least four employees stabbed, slashed and terrorized. The violence in a downtown restaurant was shocking enough, but there was more to it than anyone that night realized. The suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Bird, had just been released from prison, not to his hometown of Missoula, but to Billings. His arrest touched off a firestorm of complaints from city officials and politicians who say theyre tired of Billings taking on more than its fair share of the state's parolees. One local legislator claimed the states Department of Corrections simply gives new parolees a bus ticket to Billings. And, thats true, at least the part about Billings taking a disproportionate number of parolees, according to a Gazette investigation. In fact, while Yellowstone County makes up about 15% of the states population, at least 24% of the states current parolees are living here. Gallatin County, by contrast, has 11% of the states population, but 5% of the states supervised parolees. The problem is a complicated one. Its true that most of the states programs for supervising and re-integrating parolees are in Billings and that naturally leads to more parolees. But solutions are being debated and the topic is certain to come up when the state Legislature meets again. Bird has been charged with five felonies. A Billings judge set his bail at $1 million, an unusually high sum meant to ensure Bird isnt spotted again in downtown Billings anytime soon. Medical school picks Billings In February, the Colorado-based Rocky Vista University announced it would build a $50 million, 12-acre medical school campus in Billings on the far West End. It was promised that within a few years the school would attract hundreds of super smart medical students, employ as many as 350 people, and dump millions upon millions of dollars annually into the local economy. The bonus would be that many of the newly minted osteopathic doctors may remain to practice in Montana, easing the states chronic doctor shortage. The news, however, was not universally celebrated. Billings Clinic declined to partner with the university, mostly because it already partners with a top-rated medical school. Other skeptics in the state, especially in Great Falls where officials are courting their own medical school, predicted the state wont be able to support the huge increase in medical students. St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, however, is all in. The hospital says it will gladly partner with RVU and even create an office of medical education to connect students to clinical rotation programs. In an October ceremony attended by the governor, RVU broke ground on its campus at Shiloh and Monad and expects to begin its first classes by the end of 2022. Seeing hope For a busy Miles City mom, the trouble started with a simple operation to correct her vision. Millions of people have had the same surgery and were better off for it. Jaimi Espys local optometrist recommended she have her severe nearsightedness corrected by having an artificial lens implanted in her eye. The surgery wasnt available in Miles City, so she found a doctor in Billings. That surgery, however, did not go as it should have. Over time, the lens failed, popping out of her eye as she prepared a Thanksgiving dinner. Repairing the damage led to a horrifying cascade of emergency surgeries that couldnt prevent her from going entirely blind in both eyes. Espy sued the Billings eye surgeon and a jury awarded her $3 million. That sounds like an awful lot of money, even after her lawyers are paid. And, the money will help pay her expenses and ease her challenges, the mother now in her 40s, says. What the money doesnt do is erase the horror of slowly losing her vision, a trauma that led her to the brink of suicide. And it wont help her see the joy on her young daughter's face as she pushes her in a backyard swing. The money also wouldnt have changed how Espys story ends. I can adapt and I will adapt and there is a way to do the things that I want to do, she told the Gazette in early July. I think the biggest key to that is not giving up. Pushing it to 11 Speaking of not giving up, heres a good news story to end 2021 with. When Billings motorcycle racer Ryan Zahn started piling up wins on the dirt tracks around Montana, he decided to go semi-pro. Thats news in anyones book, and The Gazette profiled Zahn in late November. Ever since he was a tiny boy, Zahn has worked on his own bikes, souping up the engines and modifying them to suit his peculiar riding style. And, hes had his share of crashes. After one bone-snapping spill, he was patched up by the same exasperated doctor who had patched him up after a previous wreck. Zahn was born with all the right stuff, the same talents that all great athletes have, a fearlessness and grit, and a drive to win. What he wasnt born with are arms. To ride a motorcycle, Zahn had to invent a new way to ride. When he wins, even his fiercest rivals have to marvel. His philosophy in life is the same as his philosophy in racing, youve got to always be pushing it to 11. This was the year we were to leave COVID behind us and get on with our lives. That didnt happen as wave after wave of the virus washed over us, once again filling our hospitals and jacking up the death toll. Like 2020, we needed help to cope with all the sick. In their second year on the front lines, exhausted local hospital workers got relief from traveling nurses, the National Guard and visiting federal health care teams. And, all around us the debate over vaccines and masks and mandates raged on, in a few cases exploding into angry confrontations with medical professionals and service workers. Like children, we had to be reminded by signs hung in hospitals and businesses to be kind. But mostly we were kind to each other, especially in the face of disaster. When a freak December range fire swept over the tiny town of Denton, burning 25 homes and six businesses, volunteers turned up to help. Strangers brought food and hot coffee, offered homes to stay in and helped victims sift through the ashes. Ranchers from around the state donated hay, and the governor contributed a quarter of his salary to a relief fund. When an Amtrak train derailed near Joplin on the Hi-Line killing three people and injuring dozens, among the rescuers were people from town who risked their own safety to pull survivors from the wreckage. And when a young woman didnt return as planned from a solo hike in the Beartooth Mountains, volunteers trekked into the backcountry to find her. Even fish got some love. A mechanical problem on the Hebgen Lake Dam drained the upper Madison River, leaving many fish high and dry. Volunteers waded into the river with buckets to move struggling fish to deeper water. And in Billings, school children packed bags filled with treats to give to weary health care workers, who because of COVID protocols they would never get to meet. From beginning to end in 2021, as tiresome as the topic has become, COVID seemed all we could talk about, and for the second year in a row it was The Billings Gazettes top story of the year. Enough has probably already been said about it, so here, not strictly listed in order of importance, are some of the other top stories of the year from our region: West End standoff For 10 hours through an April night, an armed man held police at bay from inside a Billings West End home he had broken into after he and a woman he had just met killed a man whose van they had stolen. The victim was a 33-year-old family man from Sheridan, Wyoming named Dennis Gresham. He had driven to Billings to pick up a friend at the airport early the next morning and had been sleeping in his van at a campground. That morning, Michael McClure and Kristy Chavez approached the genial Gresham in his van and asked for help, but it was a trick. At gunpoint, Gresham was taken captive and the three left the campground in his van. Within a few minutes, Gresham was dead, shot five times. In Laurel, McClure and Chavez stopped in the parking lot of a business to get rid of the van and the body. Employees inside the business watching the pair throw a big tarp over the van found it suspicious and called police. The chase was on. With police in pursuit, the couple raced back to Billings where they eventually crashed the van in a quiet, affluent neighborhood and then ran away. Chavez was quickly caught. McClure kept running, trying the doors of several homes before finding one he could break into. The homeowner, luckily, was away. Billings Police surrounded the house with a small army of specially trained officers and slowly turned up the heat on McClure. Finally, just as the sun was rising, police went in after him. Within seconds there was what police described as a quick volley of gunfire. They said McClure fired first, a shot they later determined was a suicide shot to his own head. Chavez remains in jail after being charged with deliberate homicide by accountability. The homeowner returned to a house that had been trashed by the standoff. Police and city officials told her they werent paying, it would be up to her and her insurance company. Lost hiker In late June, 23-year-old Tatum Morell hiked into the Beartooth Mountains above Red Lodge for a solo trek. The Montana State University engineering student was a fit and experienced hiker and had planned to set up a base camp from which she would summit five peaks above 12,000 feet. On July 1, she checked in with family using a Garmin InReach satellite communicator, and then in the days that followed the family heard nothing. Searchers from Red Lodge Fire and Rescue and some volunteers hiked into the rugged terrain hunting for her. Searchers also took to the air. At Shadow Lake, rescuers found her orange tent and campsite, but not her. As the search dragged on, Morells family traveled to Red Lodge from out of state and waited anxiously at the official command post. After an agonizing two weeks, rescuers and Morells family united in a July 14th press conference acknowledging Tatum was almost certainly dead. Well into August, hikers continued looking for her. On Saturday, Aug. 21, a group of backpackers near Whitetail Peak found her body where she had apparently gotten caught in a rock slide. The next day, her body was recovered by helicopter and flown home. The son who never gave up Deep in the Idaho backcountry last September, a hunter found the remains of a bowhunter who had gone missing more than 50 years earlier. The hunter had discovered two weathered black boots sticking out from under a boulder. It took four men to move the giant rock, and underneath they found some bone fragments, a bit of coiled rope, a rusty knife, part of a wooden arrow shaft, and a plastic gas station credit card bearing the name of Raymond Jones. The discovery was barely news in Montana except to one family in Billings where the news hit like a bombshell. Businessman Jeff Jones was 12-years-old when his father Raymond Jones went missing. The now 65-year-old Jeff had never stopped wishing for his dad to come home. It was a cousin who informed Jeff that the remains found in Idaho were all that was left of his father. All of the grief and frustration Jeff had pent up for decades was released at once, overwhelming him for days in what he could only describe as a fog. He now says he feels blessed to finally have the mystery solved. This spring, Jeff plans a graveside service in Miles City where his fathers remains will at last be laid to rest next to his parents. Red Lodge faces flames In some of the photos shot from Red Lodges main street on the dark evening of June 13, it looks like its only a matter of minutes before the towering orange flames of the Robertson Draw fire devour the small mountain town. That had happened dozens of times in California, leaving behind gray images of entire neighborhoods reduced to smoldering foundations. Some residents loaded their valuables into their car and drove out of town. Ranchers cut fences to let livestock run ahead of the fire. At a tiny church in town, the minister welcomed tourists who had been ordered from their campgrounds. Then sometime during the night the strong winds that had been pushing the fire into Red Lodge suddenly changed direction. In the morning, Mount Maurice, the sentinel behind Red Lodge, stood black with wisps of smoke still curling from naked trees. The fire had moved elsewhere. Red Lodge had been spared. Before the 30,000-acre fire was eventually extinguished a month later, it did burn several remote homes and outbuildings and spread far across rangeland east toward Belfry and south toward Wyoming. In early July, a Bridger man ironically named John Lightburn was charged with starting the fire. He was allegedly riding his motorcycle illegally in forest land south of Red Lodge when the bike broke down. While fixing it, he apparently spilled some gasoline and then while checking the engines spark plug he ignited the blaze. State's biggest fire Other small Eastern Montana towns also came close to getting swallowed up by fire this summer. On Aug. 8, the Richard Spring fire in Rosebud County puffed into life about 10 miles south of Colstrip and then took off in all directions. In this rough, rural country the nearest municipal fire truck can be 50 miles of dirt road away. Ranchers who can afford it have their own firefighting equipment. As the fire, which would eventually join a second fire and then spread across 170,000 acres, bore down on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, residents of Lame Deer and Ashland were ordered from their homes and the roads were closed. Making matters worse, the blaze had cut power, cell service and the internet. Residents had to guess at what danger they were in. Some of the reservations residents were bussed to Busby where they spent the night on cots in the school gym. And then during what has been one of the driest summers ever, the rains came, which believers would say was not by chance. The early cold front beat the fire down enough that within a few days firefighters had it under control. No significant structures had burned, and no one was seriously hurt. Investigators say it was smoldering coal seams that started the fires. The seams have been burning underground for decades, maybe centuries, probably originally ignited by lightning strikes and impossible to extinguish. It wont be the last range fire they start. Parolee problems When a disgruntled employee in November returned to the downtown Billings restaurant where he had earlier that day been fired, he was thinking of just one thing. The wild-eyed young man grabbed steak knives and started threatening everyone in reach. A brave restaurant manager coaxed the man away from customers and eventually into the kitchen where employees and several policeman subdued him. But not before his bloody rampage left at least four employees stabbed, slashed and terrorized. The violence in a downtown restaurant was shocking enough, but there was more to it than anyone that night realized. The suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Bird, had just been released from prison, not to his hometown of Missoula, but to Billings. His arrest touched off a firestorm of complaints from city officials and politicians who say theyre tired of Billings taking on more than its fair share of the state's parolees. One local legislator claimed the states Department of Corrections simply gives new parolees a bus ticket to Billings. And, thats true, at least the part about Billings taking a disproportionate number of parolees, according to a Gazette investigation. In fact, while Yellowstone County makes up about 15% of the states population, at least 24% of the states current parolees are living here. Gallatin County, by contrast, has 11% of the states population, but 5% of the states supervised parolees. The problem is a complicated one. Its true that most of the states programs for supervising and re-integrating parolees are in Billings and that naturally leads to more parolees. But solutions are being debated and the topic is certain to come up when the state Legislature meets again. Bird has been charged with five felonies. A Billings judge set his bail at $1 million, an unusually high sum meant to ensure Bird isnt spotted again in downtown Billings anytime soon. Medical school picks Billings In February, the Colorado-based Rocky Vista University announced it would build a $50 million, 12-acre medical school campus in Billings on the far West End. It was promised that within a few years the school would attract hundreds of super smart medical students, employ as many as 350 people, and dump millions upon millions of dollars annually into the local economy. The bonus would be that many of the newly minted osteopathic doctors may remain to practice in Montana, easing the states chronic doctor shortage. The news, however, was not universally celebrated. Billings Clinic declined to partner with the university, mostly because it already partners with a top-rated medical school. Other skeptics in the state, especially in Great Falls where officials are courting their own medical school, predicted the state wont be able to support the huge increase in medical students. St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, however, is all in. The hospital says it will gladly partner with RVU and even create an office of medical education to connect students to clinical rotation programs. In an October ceremony attended by the governor, RVU broke ground on its campus at Shiloh and Monad and expects to begin its first classes by the end of 2022. Seeing hope For a busy Miles City mom, the trouble started with a simple operation to correct her vision. Millions of people have had the same surgery and were better off for it. Jaimi Espys local optometrist recommended she have her severe nearsightedness corrected by having an artificial lens implanted in her eye. The surgery wasnt available in Miles City, so she found a doctor in Billings. That surgery, however, did not go as it should have. Over time, the lens failed, popping out of her eye as she prepared a Thanksgiving dinner. Repairing the damage led to a horrifying cascade of emergency surgeries that couldnt prevent her from going entirely blind in both eyes. Espy sued the Billings eye surgeon and a jury awarded her $3 million. That sounds like an awful lot of money, even after her lawyers are paid. And, the money will help pay her expenses and ease her challenges, the mother now in her 40s, says. What the money doesnt do is erase the horror of slowly losing her vision, a trauma that led her to the brink of suicide. And it wont help her see the joy on her young daughter's face as she pushes her in a backyard swing. The money also wouldnt have changed how Espys story ends. I can adapt and I will adapt and there is a way to do the things that I want to do, she told the Gazette in early July. I think the biggest key to that is not giving up. Pushing it to 11 Speaking of not giving up, heres a good news story to end 2021 with. When Billings motorcycle racer Ryan Zahn started piling up wins on the dirt tracks around Montana, he decided to go semi-pro. Thats news in anyones book, and The Gazette profiled Zahn in late November. Ever since he was a tiny boy, Zahn has worked on his own bikes, souping up the engines and modifying them to suit his peculiar riding style. And, hes had his share of crashes. After one bone-snapping spill, he was patched up by the same exasperated doctor who had patched him up after a previous wreck. Zahn was born with all the right stuff, the same talents that all great athletes have, a fearlessness and grit, and a drive to win. What he wasnt born with are arms. To ride a motorcycle, Zahn had to invent a new way to ride. When he wins, even his fiercest rivals have to marvel. His philosophy in life is the same as his philosophy in racing, youve got to always be pushing it to 11. Not at all. It just seems like a lot of back-and-forth talk. Yes. I'm growing very worried over what might happen. If it keeps up, I might be a little more concerned. I think there are much larger things to concern us as a country. It's hard to tell; I can't take the leader of either country seriously. Vote View Results Email Newsletters Get the best of The Aspen Daily News in your inbox. Our newsletters are free, and you can unsubscribe at any time. This was the year we were to leave COVID behind us and get on with our lives. That didnt happen as wave after wave of the virus washed over us, once again filling our hospitals and jacking up the death toll. Like 2020, we needed help to cope with all the sick. In their second year on the front lines, exhausted local hospital workers got relief from traveling nurses, the National Guard and visiting federal health care teams. And, all around us the debate over vaccines and masks and mandates raged on, in a few cases exploding into angry confrontations with medical professionals and service workers. Like children, we had to be reminded by signs hung in hospitals and businesses to be kind. But mostly we were kind to each other, especially in the face of disaster. When a freak December range fire swept over the tiny town of Denton, burning 25 homes and six businesses, volunteers turned up to help. Strangers brought food and hot coffee, offered homes to stay in and helped victims sift through the ashes. Ranchers from around the state donated hay, and the governor contributed a quarter of his salary to a relief fund. When an Amtrak train derailed near Joplin on the Hi-Line killing three people and injuring dozens, among the rescuers were people from town who risked their own safety to pull survivors from the wreckage. And when a young woman didnt return as planned from a solo hike in the Beartooth Mountains, volunteers trekked into the backcountry to find her. Even fish got some love. A mechanical problem on the Hebgen Lake Dam drained the upper Madison River, leaving many fish high and dry. Volunteers waded into the river with buckets to move struggling fish to deeper water. And in Billings, school children packed bags filled with treats to give to weary health care workers, who because of COVID protocols they would never get to meet. From beginning to end in 2021, as tiresome as the topic has become, COVID seemed all we could talk about, and for the second year in a row it was The Billings Gazettes top story of the year. Enough has probably already been said about it, so here, not strictly listed in order of importance, are some of the other top stories of the year from our region: West End standoff For 10 hours through an April night, an armed man held police at bay from inside a Billings West End home he had broken into after he and a woman he had just met killed a man whose van they had stolen. The victim was a 33-year-old family man from Sheridan, Wyoming named Dennis Gresham. He had driven to Billings to pick up a friend at the airport early the next morning and had been sleeping in his van at a campground. That morning, Michael McClure and Kristy Chavez approached the genial Gresham in his van and asked for help, but it was a trick. At gunpoint, Gresham was taken captive and the three left the campground in his van. Within a few minutes, Gresham was dead, shot five times. In Laurel, McClure and Chavez stopped in the parking lot of a business to get rid of the van and the body. Employees inside the business watching the pair throw a big tarp over the van found it suspicious and called police. The chase was on. With police in pursuit, the couple raced back to Billings where they eventually crashed the van in a quiet, affluent neighborhood and then ran away. Chavez was quickly caught. McClure kept running, trying the doors of several homes before finding one he could break into. The homeowner, luckily, was away. Billings Police surrounded the house with a small army of specially trained officers and slowly turned up the heat on McClure. Finally, just as the sun was rising, police went in after him. Within seconds there was what police described as a quick volley of gunfire. They said McClure fired first, a shot they later determined was a suicide shot to his own head. Chavez remains in jail after being charged with deliberate homicide by accountability. The homeowner returned to a house that had been trashed by the standoff. Police and city officials told her they werent paying, it would be up to her and her insurance company. Lost hiker In late June, 23-year-old Tatum Morell hiked into the Beartooth Mountains above Red Lodge for a solo trek. The Montana State University engineering student was a fit and experienced hiker and had planned to set up a base camp from which she would summit five peaks above 12,000 feet. On July 1, she checked in with family using a Garmin InReach satellite communicator, and then in the days that followed the family heard nothing. Searchers from Red Lodge Fire and Rescue and some volunteers hiked into the rugged terrain hunting for her. Searchers also took to the air. At Shadow Lake, rescuers found her orange tent and campsite, but not her. As the search dragged on, Morells family traveled to Red Lodge from out of state and waited anxiously at the official command post. After an agonizing two weeks, rescuers and Morells family united in a July 14th press conference acknowledging Tatum was almost certainly dead. Well into August, hikers continued looking for her. On Saturday, Aug. 21, a group of backpackers near Whitetail Peak found her body where she had apparently gotten caught in a rock slide. The next day, her body was recovered by helicopter and flown home. The son who never gave up Deep in the Idaho backcountry last September, a hunter found the remains of a bowhunter who had gone missing more than 50 years earlier. The hunter had discovered two weathered black boots sticking out from under a boulder. It took four men to move the giant rock, and underneath they found some bone fragments, a bit of coiled rope, a rusty knife, part of a wooden arrow shaft, and a plastic gas station credit card bearing the name of Raymond Jones. The discovery was barely news in Montana except to one family in Billings where the news hit like a bombshell. Businessman Jeff Jones was 12-years-old when his father Raymond Jones went missing. The now 65-year-old Jeff had never stopped wishing for his dad to come home. It was a cousin who informed Jeff that the remains found in Idaho were all that was left of his father. All of the grief and frustration Jeff had pent up for decades was released at once, overwhelming him for days in what he could only describe as a fog. He now says he feels blessed to finally have the mystery solved. This spring, Jeff plans a graveside service in Miles City where his fathers remains will at last be laid to rest next to his parents. Red Lodge faces flames In some of the photos shot from Red Lodges main street on the dark evening of June 13, it looks like its only a matter of minutes before the towering orange flames of the Robertson Draw fire devour the small mountain town. That had happened dozens of times in California, leaving behind gray images of entire neighborhoods reduced to smoldering foundations. Some residents loaded their valuables into their car and drove out of town. Ranchers cut fences to let livestock run ahead of the fire. At a tiny church in town, the minister welcomed tourists who had been ordered from their campgrounds. Then sometime during the night the strong winds that had been pushing the fire into Red Lodge suddenly changed direction. In the morning, Mount Maurice, the sentinel behind Red Lodge, stood black with wisps of smoke still curling from naked trees. The fire had moved elsewhere. Red Lodge had been spared. Before the 30,000-acre fire was eventually extinguished a month later, it did burn several remote homes and outbuildings and spread far across rangeland east toward Belfry and south toward Wyoming. In early July, a Bridger man ironically named John Lightburn was charged with starting the fire. He was allegedly riding his motorcycle illegally in forest land south of Red Lodge when the bike broke down. While fixing it, he apparently spilled some gasoline and then while checking the engines spark plug he ignited the blaze. State's biggest fire Other small Eastern Montana towns also came close to getting swallowed up by fire this summer. On Aug. 8, the Richard Spring fire in Rosebud County puffed into life about 10 miles south of Colstrip and then took off in all directions. In this rough, rural country the nearest municipal fire truck can be 50 miles of dirt road away. Ranchers who can afford it have their own firefighting equipment. As the fire, which would eventually join a second fire and then spread across 170,000 acres, bore down on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, residents of Lame Deer and Ashland were ordered from their homes and the roads were closed. Making matters worse, the blaze had cut power, cell service and the internet. Residents had to guess at what danger they were in. Some of the reservations residents were bussed to Busby where they spent the night on cots in the school gym. And then during what has been one of the driest summers ever, the rains came, which believers would say was not by chance. The early cold front beat the fire down enough that within a few days firefighters had it under control. No significant structures had burned, and no one was seriously hurt. Investigators say it was smoldering coal seams that started the fires. The seams have been burning underground for decades, maybe centuries, probably originally ignited by lightning strikes and impossible to extinguish. It wont be the last range fire they start. Parolee problems When a disgruntled employee in November returned to the downtown Billings restaurant where he had earlier that day been fired, he was thinking of just one thing. The wild-eyed young man grabbed steak knives and started threatening everyone in reach. A brave restaurant manager coaxed the man away from customers and eventually into the kitchen where employees and several policeman subdued him. But not before his bloody rampage left at least four employees stabbed, slashed and terrorized. The violence in a downtown restaurant was shocking enough, but there was more to it than anyone that night realized. The suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Bird, had just been released from prison, not to his hometown of Missoula, but to Billings. His arrest touched off a firestorm of complaints from city officials and politicians who say theyre tired of Billings taking on more than its fair share of the state's parolees. One local legislator claimed the states Department of Corrections simply gives new parolees a bus ticket to Billings. And, thats true, at least the part about Billings taking a disproportionate number of parolees, according to a Gazette investigation. In fact, while Yellowstone County makes up about 15% of the states population, at least 24% of the states current parolees are living here. Gallatin County, by contrast, has 11% of the states population, but 5% of the states supervised parolees. The problem is a complicated one. Its true that most of the states programs for supervising and re-integrating parolees are in Billings and that naturally leads to more parolees. But solutions are being debated and the topic is certain to come up when the state Legislature meets again. Bird has been charged with five felonies. A Billings judge set his bail at $1 million, an unusually high sum meant to ensure Bird isnt spotted again in downtown Billings anytime soon. Medical school picks Billings In February, the Colorado-based Rocky Vista University announced it would build a $50 million, 12-acre medical school campus in Billings on the far West End. It was promised that within a few years the school would attract hundreds of super smart medical students, employ as many as 350 people, and dump millions upon millions of dollars annually into the local economy. The bonus would be that many of the newly minted osteopathic doctors may remain to practice in Montana, easing the states chronic doctor shortage. The news, however, was not universally celebrated. Billings Clinic declined to partner with the university, mostly because it already partners with a top-rated medical school. Other skeptics in the state, especially in Great Falls where officials are courting their own medical school, predicted the state wont be able to support the huge increase in medical students. St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, however, is all in. The hospital says it will gladly partner with RVU and even create an office of medical education to connect students to clinical rotation programs. In an October ceremony attended by the governor, RVU broke ground on its campus at Shiloh and Monad and expects to begin its first classes by the end of 2022. Seeing hope For a busy Miles City mom, the trouble started with a simple operation to correct her vision. Millions of people have had the same surgery and were better off for it. Jaimi Espys local optometrist recommended she have her severe nearsightedness corrected by having an artificial lens implanted in her eye. The surgery wasnt available in Miles City, so she found a doctor in Billings. That surgery, however, did not go as it should have. Over time, the lens failed, popping out of her eye as she prepared a Thanksgiving dinner. Repairing the damage led to a horrifying cascade of emergency surgeries that couldnt prevent her from going entirely blind in both eyes. Espy sued the Billings eye surgeon and a jury awarded her $3 million. That sounds like an awful lot of money, even after her lawyers are paid. And, the money will help pay her expenses and ease her challenges, the mother now in her 40s, says. What the money doesnt do is erase the horror of slowly losing her vision, a trauma that led her to the brink of suicide. And it wont help her see the joy on her young daughter's face as she pushes her in a backyard swing. The money also wouldnt have changed how Espys story ends. I can adapt and I will adapt and there is a way to do the things that I want to do, she told the Gazette in early July. I think the biggest key to that is not giving up. Pushing it to 11 Speaking of not giving up, heres a good news story to end 2021 with. When Billings motorcycle racer Ryan Zahn started piling up wins on the dirt tracks around Montana, he decided to go semi-pro. Thats news in anyones book, and The Gazette profiled Zahn in late November. Ever since he was a tiny boy, Zahn has worked on his own bikes, souping up the engines and modifying them to suit his peculiar riding style. And, hes had his share of crashes. After one bone-snapping spill, he was patched up by the same exasperated doctor who had patched him up after a previous wreck. Zahn was born with all the right stuff, the same talents that all great athletes have, a fearlessness and grit, and a drive to win. What he wasnt born with are arms. To ride a motorcycle, Zahn had to invent a new way to ride. When he wins, even his fiercest rivals have to marvel. His philosophy in life is the same as his philosophy in racing, youve got to always be pushing it to 11. Not at all. It just seems like a lot of back-and-forth talk. Yes. I'm growing very worried over what might happen. If it keeps up, I might be a little more concerned. I think there are much larger things to concern us as a country. It's hard to tell; I can't take the leader of either country seriously. Vote View Results Email Newsletters Get the best of The Aspen Daily News in your inbox. Our newsletters are free, and you can unsubscribe at any time. Email Newsletters Get the best of The Aspen Daily News in your inbox. Our newsletters are free, and you can unsubscribe at any time. By Anna Mehler Paperny TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada will take in female Afghan judges and their families who have been living in limbo, primarily in Greece, since their evacuation from Afghanistan in the fall, a spokesperson for the immigration minister said Friday. In addition to the judges and their families, a group totalling about 230 people, Canada will also resettle an unspecified number of Afghans from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities who had been referred by a third-party aid organization, the spokesperson said. They are expected to come to Canada next year but there is no firm date. Canada has promised to resettle 40,000 Afghan refugees but has no timeline for doing so. Since the Taliban took control of the country after the U.S. troop withdrawal in August, Canada has resettled 3,915 Afghans with connections to the Canadian government and another 2,535 on humanitarian grounds, according to government figures. Afghan women made great strides in the two decades since the Taliban last ruled the country from 1996 to 2001, joining previously all-male bastions such as the judiciary, the media and politics. "All the achievements of 20 years came back to zero within the blink of an eye," said Freshta Masoni, a family court judge staying in Athens with her toddler daughters. Since returning to power, the Taliban pledged to protect women's rights in accordance with Islamic law, announcing a general "amnesty" for all former state workers. But advocates fear a backslide to when women were not allowed to work and girls were banned from school. Even if they can leave the country, Afghan asylum-seekers may face years of waits amid logistical backlogs and delays. Western countries usually resettle refugees referred by the UN refugee agency, which has limited capacity to process applications for resettlement. "The biggest bottleneck there is the issue that referral partners in the region have not been able to ramp up capacity," Canada's immigration minister, Sean Fraser, told Reuters earlier this month. "These challenges are going to take a little bit of time to sort out." Afghanistan's refugee situation is different from the Syrian refugee crisis that galvanized the world several years ago, UN refugee agency officials and advocates say. Unlike Syria, the Afghan crisis escalated rapidly during a global pandemic and many face difficulties leaving the country. Those who do leave face additional waits, often in countries with little capacity to support them. Some of the female judges, who have been living in Greece since October, told Reuters they have lacked health coverage because of their temporary visa status. Advocates have called on countries to resettle Afghans without requiring a designation from the UNHCR or other NGOs, a step Canada has signalled it is open to. (Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) Billy Brownless has spent the second Christmas in a row with his old mate, Garry Lyon. The former best friends became rivals five years ago, when Billy's ex-wife Nicky began a new relationship with his Footy Show co-host, Garry. However it appears the men have mended fences, first spending Christmas 2020 together, and repeating the festive gettogether in 2021. Pals: Billy Brownless has spent the second Christmas in a row with his old mate, Garry Lyon. Billy appeared in social media photos taken at a lunch hosted by Nicky at the Red Hill retreat she shares with Garry on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula. Also at the gathering were Billy's children, Oscar, Max, Lucy and Ruby Billy, 54, and Garry, 54, appeared friendly in social media photos taken at a festive lunch hosted by Nicky, 50, at the Red Hill retreat she shares with Garry on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula. Also at the gathering were Billy's children, sons Oscar and Max and daughters Lucy and Ruby. Ruby's partner Josh Wallis and Nickys mother Jan Smith likewise attended the shindig, at which lunch and drinks were served. Family affair: Ruby's partner Josh Wallis and Nickys mother Jan Smith likewise attended the shindig, at which lunch and drinks were served. Garry Lyon bringing wine to the table (right) In 2016, Lyon left his wife and started a relationship with Brownless' wife of 18 years, Nicky. Both men's marriages had ended before Nicky and Lyon announced they were a couple, but Brownless still felt betrayed because they had assured him they were nothing more than 'just good friends'. After five years of bad blood, Brownless and Lyon began steps toward reconciliation last year when Brownless said they were in a 'good spot', before spending Christmas Day together in 2020. Brownless' daughter Lucy described the lunch between the blended families as 'really special'. Last year: After five years of bad blood, Brownless and Lyon (pictured, second from left and third from right) began steps toward reconciliation last year when Brownless said they were in a 'good spot', before spending Christmas Day together in 2020 (pictured) 'It worked really well and that was all very positive. We're all happy and happy to be all together. It was a great day. We were all really excited about that,' she told the Herald Sun at the time. 'We really enjoyed it and made the most of it. My grandma was with us, Oscar was in Queensland with Geelong for the footy and Ruby and Max and I got that time together which was really nice,' Lucy said. Brownless addressed the issue with fellow AFL greats Sam Newman and Don Scott on an episode of the pair's You Cannot Be Serious podcast in September. 'You know I'm going to ask you this - people want to know how you and Garry Lyon are going on,' Newman said at the tail end of the podcast. Family: Brownless posed with his four children Ruby, Lucy, Max and Oscar in Geelong on Christmas Day (pictured, the four kids with their dad, centre) at Christmas lunch last year Special: Brownless' daughter Lucy described the lunch between the blended families as 'really special'. Pictured clockwise around the table from bottom left, Max, Lucy, Nicky, Garry, Jan Smith, Ruby, Billy, Oscar, at the Christmas lunch last year 'At the time you go through all different emotions of course,' Brownless responded. ''Why me?' and a bit of hatred. 'But now mate, it's been four or five years, I've come around and everyone is in a good spot to be honest. Garry and Nicky are - that's fine - and the kids are. 'That was the other big problem. Young Maxy was about 10, Oscar was about 14, the girls [Lucy and Ruby] were 16, 17.' Brownless conceded though he had not fully regained the friendship with Lyon they once had - saying the pair 'might be' able to be mates like before at some point. Past: Billy Brownless and Nicky Brownless (left) are pictured with Garry Lyon and Melissa Lyon (right) in 2012. In 2016, Lyon left his wife and started a relationship with Brownless' wife of 18 years, Nicky 'There's no Christmas cards yet but we have spoken a couple of times,' he said. 'The kids live with Garry and Nicky and things like that.' When probed on how long it had taken for him to move on from the split, Brownless said two years was too short, but five years may be more accurate. 'There's no problems, we're in a good space, he's in a good space, Nicky is, the kids are and so am I. But that has taken time. It has,' Brownless said. Billy Brownless has spent the second Christmas in a row with his old mate, Garry Lyon. The former best friends became rivals five years ago, when Billy's ex-wife Nicky began a new relationship with his Footy Show co-host, Garry. However it appears the men have mended fences, first spending Christmas 2020 together, and repeating the festive gettogether in 2021. Pals: Billy Brownless has spent the second Christmas in a row with his old mate, Garry Lyon. Billy appeared in social media photos taken at a lunch hosted by Nicky at the Red Hill retreat she shares with Garry on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula. Also at the gathering were Billy's children, Oscar, Max, Lucy and Ruby Billy, 54, and Garry, 54, appeared friendly in social media photos taken at a festive lunch hosted by Nicky, 50, at the Red Hill retreat she shares with Garry on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula. Also at the gathering were Billy's children, sons Oscar and Max and daughters Lucy and Ruby. Ruby's partner Josh Wallis and Nickys mother Jan Smith likewise attended the shindig, at which lunch and drinks were served. Family affair: Ruby's partner Josh Wallis and Nickys mother Jan Smith likewise attended the shindig, at which lunch and drinks were served. Garry Lyon bringing wine to the table (right) In 2016, Lyon left his wife and started a relationship with Brownless' wife of 18 years, Nicky. Both men's marriages had ended before Nicky and Lyon announced they were a couple, but Brownless still felt betrayed because they had assured him they were nothing more than 'just good friends'. After five years of bad blood, Brownless and Lyon began steps toward reconciliation last year when Brownless said they were in a 'good spot', before spending Christmas Day together in 2020. Brownless' daughter Lucy described the lunch between the blended families as 'really special'. Last year: After five years of bad blood, Brownless and Lyon (pictured, second from left and third from right) began steps toward reconciliation last year when Brownless said they were in a 'good spot', before spending Christmas Day together in 2020 (pictured) 'It worked really well and that was all very positive. We're all happy and happy to be all together. It was a great day. We were all really excited about that,' she told the Herald Sun at the time. 'We really enjoyed it and made the most of it. My grandma was with us, Oscar was in Queensland with Geelong for the footy and Ruby and Max and I got that time together which was really nice,' Lucy said. Brownless addressed the issue with fellow AFL greats Sam Newman and Don Scott on an episode of the pair's You Cannot Be Serious podcast in September. 'You know I'm going to ask you this - people want to know how you and Garry Lyon are going on,' Newman said at the tail end of the podcast. Family: Brownless posed with his four children Ruby, Lucy, Max and Oscar in Geelong on Christmas Day (pictured, the four kids with their dad, centre) at Christmas lunch last year Special: Brownless' daughter Lucy described the lunch between the blended families as 'really special'. Pictured clockwise around the table from bottom left, Max, Lucy, Nicky, Garry, Jan Smith, Ruby, Billy, Oscar, at the Christmas lunch last year 'At the time you go through all different emotions of course,' Brownless responded. ''Why me?' and a bit of hatred. 'But now mate, it's been four or five years, I've come around and everyone is in a good spot to be honest. Garry and Nicky are - that's fine - and the kids are. 'That was the other big problem. Young Maxy was about 10, Oscar was about 14, the girls [Lucy and Ruby] were 16, 17.' Brownless conceded though he had not fully regained the friendship with Lyon they once had - saying the pair 'might be' able to be mates like before at some point. Past: Billy Brownless and Nicky Brownless (left) are pictured with Garry Lyon and Melissa Lyon (right) in 2012. In 2016, Lyon left his wife and started a relationship with Brownless' wife of 18 years, Nicky 'There's no Christmas cards yet but we have spoken a couple of times,' he said. 'The kids live with Garry and Nicky and things like that.' When probed on how long it had taken for him to move on from the split, Brownless said two years was too short, but five years may be more accurate. 'There's no problems, we're in a good space, he's in a good space, Nicky is, the kids are and so am I. But that has taken time. It has,' Brownless said. This was the year we were to leave COVID behind us and get on with our lives. That didnt happen as wave after wave of the virus washed over us, once again filling our hospitals and jacking up the death toll. Like 2020, we needed help to cope with all the sick. In their second year on the front lines, exhausted local hospital workers got relief from traveling nurses, the National Guard and visiting federal health care teams. And, all around us the debate over vaccines and masks and mandates raged on, in a few cases exploding into angry confrontations with medical professionals and service workers. Like children, we had to be reminded by signs hung in hospitals and businesses to be kind. But mostly we were kind to each other, especially in the face of disaster. When a freak December range fire swept over the tiny town of Denton, burning 25 homes and six businesses, volunteers turned up to help. Strangers brought food and hot coffee, offered homes to stay in and helped victims sift through the ashes. Ranchers from around the state donated hay, and the governor contributed a quarter of his salary to a relief fund. When an Amtrak train derailed near Joplin on the Hi-Line killing three people and injuring dozens, among the rescuers were people from town who risked their own safety to pull survivors from the wreckage. And when a young woman didnt return as planned from a solo hike in the Beartooth Mountains, volunteers trekked into the backcountry to find her. Even fish got some love. A mechanical problem on the Hebgen Lake Dam drained the upper Madison River, leaving many fish high and dry. Volunteers waded into the river with buckets to move struggling fish to deeper water. And in Billings, school children packed bags filled with treats to give to weary health care workers, who because of COVID protocols they would never get to meet. From beginning to end in 2021, as tiresome as the topic has become, COVID seemed all we could talk about, and for the second year in a row it was The Billings Gazettes top story of the year. Enough has probably already been said about it, so here, not strictly listed in order of importance, are some of the other top stories of the year from our region: West End standoff For 10 hours through an April night, an armed man held police at bay from inside a Billings West End home he had broken into after he and a woman he had just met killed a man whose van they had stolen. The victim was a 33-year-old family man from Sheridan, Wyoming named Dennis Gresham. He had driven to Billings to pick up a friend at the airport early the next morning and had been sleeping in his van at a campground. That morning, Michael McClure and Kristy Chavez approached the genial Gresham in his van and asked for help, but it was a trick. At gunpoint, Gresham was taken captive and the three left the campground in his van. Within a few minutes, Gresham was dead, shot five times. In Laurel, McClure and Chavez stopped in the parking lot of a business to get rid of the van and the body. Employees inside the business watching the pair throw a big tarp over the van found it suspicious and called police. The chase was on. With police in pursuit, the couple raced back to Billings where they eventually crashed the van in a quiet, affluent neighborhood and then ran away. Chavez was quickly caught. McClure kept running, trying the doors of several homes before finding one he could break into. The homeowner, luckily, was away. Billings Police surrounded the house with a small army of specially trained officers and slowly turned up the heat on McClure. Finally, just as the sun was rising, police went in after him. Within seconds there was what police described as a quick volley of gunfire. They said McClure fired first, a shot they later determined was a suicide shot to his own head. Chavez remains in jail after being charged with deliberate homicide by accountability. The homeowner returned to a house that had been trashed by the standoff. Police and city officials told her they werent paying, it would be up to her and her insurance company. Lost hiker In late June, 23-year-old Tatum Morell hiked into the Beartooth Mountains above Red Lodge for a solo trek. The Montana State University engineering student was a fit and experienced hiker and had planned to set up a base camp from which she would summit five peaks above 12,000 feet. On July 1, she checked in with family using a Garmin InReach satellite communicator, and then in the days that followed the family heard nothing. Searchers from Red Lodge Fire and Rescue and some volunteers hiked into the rugged terrain hunting for her. Searchers also took to the air. At Shadow Lake, rescuers found her orange tent and campsite, but not her. As the search dragged on, Morells family traveled to Red Lodge from out of state and waited anxiously at the official command post. After an agonizing two weeks, rescuers and Morells family united in a July 14th press conference acknowledging Tatum was almost certainly dead. Well into August, hikers continued looking for her. On Saturday, Aug. 21, a group of backpackers near Whitetail Peak found her body where she had apparently gotten caught in a rock slide. The next day, her body was recovered by helicopter and flown home. The son who never gave up Deep in the Idaho backcountry last September, a hunter found the remains of a bowhunter who had gone missing more than 50 years earlier. The hunter had discovered two weathered black boots sticking out from under a boulder. It took four men to move the giant rock, and underneath they found some bone fragments, a bit of coiled rope, a rusty knife, part of a wooden arrow shaft, and a plastic gas station credit card bearing the name of Raymond Jones. The discovery was barely news in Montana except to one family in Billings where the news hit like a bombshell. Businessman Jeff Jones was 12-years-old when his father Raymond Jones went missing. The now 65-year-old Jeff had never stopped wishing for his dad to come home. It was a cousin who informed Jeff that the remains found in Idaho were all that was left of his father. All of the grief and frustration Jeff had pent up for decades was released at once, overwhelming him for days in what he could only describe as a fog. He now says he feels blessed to finally have the mystery solved. This spring, Jeff plans a graveside service in Miles City where his fathers remains will at last be laid to rest next to his parents. Red Lodge faces flames In some of the photos shot from Red Lodges main street on the dark evening of June 13, it looks like its only a matter of minutes before the towering orange flames of the Robertson Draw fire devour the small mountain town. That had happened dozens of times in California, leaving behind gray images of entire neighborhoods reduced to smoldering foundations. Some residents loaded their valuables into their car and drove out of town. Ranchers cut fences to let livestock run ahead of the fire. At a tiny church in town, the minister welcomed tourists who had been ordered from their campgrounds. Then sometime during the night the strong winds that had been pushing the fire into Red Lodge suddenly changed direction. In the morning, Mount Maurice, the sentinel behind Red Lodge, stood black with wisps of smoke still curling from naked trees. The fire had moved elsewhere. Red Lodge had been spared. Before the 30,000-acre fire was eventually extinguished a month later, it did burn several remote homes and outbuildings and spread far across rangeland east toward Belfry and south toward Wyoming. In early July, a Bridger man ironically named John Lightburn was charged with starting the fire. He was allegedly riding his motorcycle illegally in forest land south of Red Lodge when the bike broke down. While fixing it, he apparently spilled some gasoline and then while checking the engines spark plug he ignited the blaze. State's biggest fire Other small Eastern Montana towns also came close to getting swallowed up by fire this summer. On Aug. 8, the Richard Spring fire in Rosebud County puffed into life about 10 miles south of Colstrip and then took off in all directions. In this rough, rural country the nearest municipal fire truck can be 50 miles of dirt road away. Ranchers who can afford it have their own firefighting equipment. As the fire, which would eventually join a second fire and then spread across 170,000 acres, bore down on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, residents of Lame Deer and Ashland were ordered from their homes and the roads were closed. Making matters worse, the blaze had cut power, cell service and the internet. Residents had to guess at what danger they were in. Some of the reservations residents were bussed to Busby where they spent the night on cots in the school gym. And then during what has been one of the driest summers ever, the rains came, which believers would say was not by chance. The early cold front beat the fire down enough that within a few days firefighters had it under control. No significant structures had burned, and no one was seriously hurt. Investigators say it was smoldering coal seams that started the fires. The seams have been burning underground for decades, maybe centuries, probably originally ignited by lightning strikes and impossible to extinguish. It wont be the last range fire they start. Parolee problems When a disgruntled employee in November returned to the downtown Billings restaurant where he had earlier that day been fired, he was thinking of just one thing. The wild-eyed young man grabbed steak knives and started threatening everyone in reach. A brave restaurant manager coaxed the man away from customers and eventually into the kitchen where employees and several policeman subdued him. But not before his bloody rampage left at least four employees stabbed, slashed and terrorized. The violence in a downtown restaurant was shocking enough, but there was more to it than anyone that night realized. The suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Bird, had just been released from prison, not to his hometown of Missoula, but to Billings. His arrest touched off a firestorm of complaints from city officials and politicians who say theyre tired of Billings taking on more than its fair share of the state's parolees. One local legislator claimed the states Department of Corrections simply gives new parolees a bus ticket to Billings. And, thats true, at least the part about Billings taking a disproportionate number of parolees, according to a Gazette investigation. In fact, while Yellowstone County makes up about 15% of the states population, at least 24% of the states current parolees are living here. Gallatin County, by contrast, has 11% of the states population, but 5% of the states supervised parolees. The problem is a complicated one. Its true that most of the states programs for supervising and re-integrating parolees are in Billings and that naturally leads to more parolees. But solutions are being debated and the topic is certain to come up when the state Legislature meets again. Bird has been charged with five felonies. A Billings judge set his bail at $1 million, an unusually high sum meant to ensure Bird isnt spotted again in downtown Billings anytime soon. Medical school picks Billings In February, the Colorado-based Rocky Vista University announced it would build a $50 million, 12-acre medical school campus in Billings on the far West End. It was promised that within a few years the school would attract hundreds of super smart medical students, employ as many as 350 people, and dump millions upon millions of dollars annually into the local economy. The bonus would be that many of the newly minted osteopathic doctors may remain to practice in Montana, easing the states chronic doctor shortage. The news, however, was not universally celebrated. Billings Clinic declined to partner with the university, mostly because it already partners with a top-rated medical school. Other skeptics in the state, especially in Great Falls where officials are courting their own medical school, predicted the state wont be able to support the huge increase in medical students. St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, however, is all in. The hospital says it will gladly partner with RVU and even create an office of medical education to connect students to clinical rotation programs. In an October ceremony attended by the governor, RVU broke ground on its campus at Shiloh and Monad and expects to begin its first classes by the end of 2022. Seeing hope For a busy Miles City mom, the trouble started with a simple operation to correct her vision. Millions of people have had the same surgery and were better off for it. Jaimi Espys local optometrist recommended she have her severe nearsightedness corrected by having an artificial lens implanted in her eye. The surgery wasnt available in Miles City, so she found a doctor in Billings. That surgery, however, did not go as it should have. Over time, the lens failed, popping out of her eye as she prepared a Thanksgiving dinner. Repairing the damage led to a horrifying cascade of emergency surgeries that couldnt prevent her from going entirely blind in both eyes. Espy sued the Billings eye surgeon and a jury awarded her $3 million. That sounds like an awful lot of money, even after her lawyers are paid. And, the money will help pay her expenses and ease her challenges, the mother now in her 40s, says. What the money doesnt do is erase the horror of slowly losing her vision, a trauma that led her to the brink of suicide. And it wont help her see the joy on her young daughter's face as she pushes her in a backyard swing. The money also wouldnt have changed how Espys story ends. I can adapt and I will adapt and there is a way to do the things that I want to do, she told the Gazette in early July. I think the biggest key to that is not giving up. Pushing it to 11 Speaking of not giving up, heres a good news story to end 2021 with. When Billings motorcycle racer Ryan Zahn started piling up wins on the dirt tracks around Montana, he decided to go semi-pro. Thats news in anyones book, and The Gazette profiled Zahn in late November. Ever since he was a tiny boy, Zahn has worked on his own bikes, souping up the engines and modifying them to suit his peculiar riding style. And, hes had his share of crashes. After one bone-snapping spill, he was patched up by the same exasperated doctor who had patched him up after a previous wreck. Zahn was born with all the right stuff, the same talents that all great athletes have, a fearlessness and grit, and a drive to win. What he wasnt born with are arms. To ride a motorcycle, Zahn had to invent a new way to ride. When he wins, even his fiercest rivals have to marvel. His philosophy in life is the same as his philosophy in racing, youve got to always be pushing it to 11. This was the year we were to leave COVID behind us and get on with our lives. That didnt happen as wave after wave of the virus washed over us, once again filling our hospitals and jacking up the death toll. Like 2020, we needed help to cope with all the sick. In their second year on the front lines, exhausted local hospital workers got relief from traveling nurses, the National Guard and visiting federal health care teams. And, all around us the debate over vaccines and masks and mandates raged on, in a few cases exploding into angry confrontations with medical professionals and service workers. Like children, we had to be reminded by signs hung in hospitals and businesses to be kind. But mostly we were kind to each other, especially in the face of disaster. When a freak December range fire swept over the tiny town of Denton, burning 25 homes and six businesses, volunteers turned up to help. Strangers brought food and hot coffee, offered homes to stay in and helped victims sift through the ashes. Ranchers from around the state donated hay, and the governor contributed a quarter of his salary to a relief fund. When an Amtrak train derailed near Joplin on the Hi-Line killing three people and injuring dozens, among the rescuers were people from town who risked their own safety to pull survivors from the wreckage. And when a young woman didnt return as planned from a solo hike in the Beartooth Mountains, volunteers trekked into the backcountry to find her. Even fish got some love. A mechanical problem on the Hebgen Lake Dam drained the upper Madison River, leaving many fish high and dry. Volunteers waded into the river with buckets to move struggling fish to deeper water. And in Billings, school children packed bags filled with treats to give to weary health care workers, who because of COVID protocols they would never get to meet. From beginning to end in 2021, as tiresome as the topic has become, COVID seemed all we could talk about, and for the second year in a row it was The Billings Gazettes top story of the year. Enough has probably already been said about it, so here, not strictly listed in order of importance, are some of the other top stories of the year from our region: West End standoff For 10 hours through an April night, an armed man held police at bay from inside a Billings West End home he had broken into after he and a woman he had just met killed a man whose van they had stolen. The victim was a 33-year-old family man from Sheridan, Wyoming named Dennis Gresham. He had driven to Billings to pick up a friend at the airport early the next morning and had been sleeping in his van at a campground. That morning, Michael McClure and Kristy Chavez approached the genial Gresham in his van and asked for help, but it was a trick. At gunpoint, Gresham was taken captive and the three left the campground in his van. Within a few minutes, Gresham was dead, shot five times. In Laurel, McClure and Chavez stopped in the parking lot of a business to get rid of the van and the body. Employees inside the business watching the pair throw a big tarp over the van found it suspicious and called police. The chase was on. With police in pursuit, the couple raced back to Billings where they eventually crashed the van in a quiet, affluent neighborhood and then ran away. Chavez was quickly caught. McClure kept running, trying the doors of several homes before finding one he could break into. The homeowner, luckily, was away. Billings Police surrounded the house with a small army of specially trained officers and slowly turned up the heat on McClure. Finally, just as the sun was rising, police went in after him. Within seconds there was what police described as a quick volley of gunfire. They said McClure fired first, a shot they later determined was a suicide shot to his own head. Chavez remains in jail after being charged with deliberate homicide by accountability. The homeowner returned to a house that had been trashed by the standoff. Police and city officials told her they werent paying, it would be up to her and her insurance company. Lost hiker In late June, 23-year-old Tatum Morell hiked into the Beartooth Mountains above Red Lodge for a solo trek. The Montana State University engineering student was a fit and experienced hiker and had planned to set up a base camp from which she would summit five peaks above 12,000 feet. On July 1, she checked in with family using a Garmin InReach satellite communicator, and then in the days that followed the family heard nothing. Searchers from Red Lodge Fire and Rescue and some volunteers hiked into the rugged terrain hunting for her. Searchers also took to the air. At Shadow Lake, rescuers found her orange tent and campsite, but not her. As the search dragged on, Morells family traveled to Red Lodge from out of state and waited anxiously at the official command post. After an agonizing two weeks, rescuers and Morells family united in a July 14th press conference acknowledging Tatum was almost certainly dead. Well into August, hikers continued looking for her. On Saturday, Aug. 21, a group of backpackers near Whitetail Peak found her body where she had apparently gotten caught in a rock slide. The next day, her body was recovered by helicopter and flown home. The son who never gave up Deep in the Idaho backcountry last September, a hunter found the remains of a bowhunter who had gone missing more than 50 years earlier. The hunter had discovered two weathered black boots sticking out from under a boulder. It took four men to move the giant rock, and underneath they found some bone fragments, a bit of coiled rope, a rusty knife, part of a wooden arrow shaft, and a plastic gas station credit card bearing the name of Raymond Jones. The discovery was barely news in Montana except to one family in Billings where the news hit like a bombshell. Businessman Jeff Jones was 12-years-old when his father Raymond Jones went missing. The now 65-year-old Jeff had never stopped wishing for his dad to come home. It was a cousin who informed Jeff that the remains found in Idaho were all that was left of his father. All of the grief and frustration Jeff had pent up for decades was released at once, overwhelming him for days in what he could only describe as a fog. He now says he feels blessed to finally have the mystery solved. This spring, Jeff plans a graveside service in Miles City where his fathers remains will at last be laid to rest next to his parents. Red Lodge faces flames In some of the photos shot from Red Lodges main street on the dark evening of June 13, it looks like its only a matter of minutes before the towering orange flames of the Robertson Draw fire devour the small mountain town. That had happened dozens of times in California, leaving behind gray images of entire neighborhoods reduced to smoldering foundations. Some residents loaded their valuables into their car and drove out of town. Ranchers cut fences to let livestock run ahead of the fire. At a tiny church in town, the minister welcomed tourists who had been ordered from their campgrounds. Then sometime during the night the strong winds that had been pushing the fire into Red Lodge suddenly changed direction. In the morning, Mount Maurice, the sentinel behind Red Lodge, stood black with wisps of smoke still curling from naked trees. The fire had moved elsewhere. Red Lodge had been spared. Before the 30,000-acre fire was eventually extinguished a month later, it did burn several remote homes and outbuildings and spread far across rangeland east toward Belfry and south toward Wyoming. In early July, a Bridger man ironically named John Lightburn was charged with starting the fire. He was allegedly riding his motorcycle illegally in forest land south of Red Lodge when the bike broke down. While fixing it, he apparently spilled some gasoline and then while checking the engines spark plug he ignited the blaze. State's biggest fire Other small Eastern Montana towns also came close to getting swallowed up by fire this summer. On Aug. 8, the Richard Spring fire in Rosebud County puffed into life about 10 miles south of Colstrip and then took off in all directions. In this rough, rural country the nearest municipal fire truck can be 50 miles of dirt road away. Ranchers who can afford it have their own firefighting equipment. As the fire, which would eventually join a second fire and then spread across 170,000 acres, bore down on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, residents of Lame Deer and Ashland were ordered from their homes and the roads were closed. Making matters worse, the blaze had cut power, cell service and the internet. Residents had to guess at what danger they were in. Some of the reservations residents were bussed to Busby where they spent the night on cots in the school gym. And then during what has been one of the driest summers ever, the rains came, which believers would say was not by chance. The early cold front beat the fire down enough that within a few days firefighters had it under control. No significant structures had burned, and no one was seriously hurt. Investigators say it was smoldering coal seams that started the fires. The seams have been burning underground for decades, maybe centuries, probably originally ignited by lightning strikes and impossible to extinguish. It wont be the last range fire they start. Parolee problems When a disgruntled employee in November returned to the downtown Billings restaurant where he had earlier that day been fired, he was thinking of just one thing. The wild-eyed young man grabbed steak knives and started threatening everyone in reach. A brave restaurant manager coaxed the man away from customers and eventually into the kitchen where employees and several policeman subdued him. But not before his bloody rampage left at least four employees stabbed, slashed and terrorized. The violence in a downtown restaurant was shocking enough, but there was more to it than anyone that night realized. The suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Bird, had just been released from prison, not to his hometown of Missoula, but to Billings. His arrest touched off a firestorm of complaints from city officials and politicians who say theyre tired of Billings taking on more than its fair share of the state's parolees. One local legislator claimed the states Department of Corrections simply gives new parolees a bus ticket to Billings. And, thats true, at least the part about Billings taking a disproportionate number of parolees, according to a Gazette investigation. In fact, while Yellowstone County makes up about 15% of the states population, at least 24% of the states current parolees are living here. Gallatin County, by contrast, has 11% of the states population, but 5% of the states supervised parolees. The problem is a complicated one. Its true that most of the states programs for supervising and re-integrating parolees are in Billings and that naturally leads to more parolees. But solutions are being debated and the topic is certain to come up when the state Legislature meets again. Bird has been charged with five felonies. A Billings judge set his bail at $1 million, an unusually high sum meant to ensure Bird isnt spotted again in downtown Billings anytime soon. Medical school picks Billings In February, the Colorado-based Rocky Vista University announced it would build a $50 million, 12-acre medical school campus in Billings on the far West End. It was promised that within a few years the school would attract hundreds of super smart medical students, employ as many as 350 people, and dump millions upon millions of dollars annually into the local economy. The bonus would be that many of the newly minted osteopathic doctors may remain to practice in Montana, easing the states chronic doctor shortage. The news, however, was not universally celebrated. Billings Clinic declined to partner with the university, mostly because it already partners with a top-rated medical school. Other skeptics in the state, especially in Great Falls where officials are courting their own medical school, predicted the state wont be able to support the huge increase in medical students. St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, however, is all in. The hospital says it will gladly partner with RVU and even create an office of medical education to connect students to clinical rotation programs. In an October ceremony attended by the governor, RVU broke ground on its campus at Shiloh and Monad and expects to begin its first classes by the end of 2022. Seeing hope For a busy Miles City mom, the trouble started with a simple operation to correct her vision. Millions of people have had the same surgery and were better off for it. Jaimi Espys local optometrist recommended she have her severe nearsightedness corrected by having an artificial lens implanted in her eye. The surgery wasnt available in Miles City, so she found a doctor in Billings. That surgery, however, did not go as it should have. Over time, the lens failed, popping out of her eye as she prepared a Thanksgiving dinner. Repairing the damage led to a horrifying cascade of emergency surgeries that couldnt prevent her from going entirely blind in both eyes. Espy sued the Billings eye surgeon and a jury awarded her $3 million. That sounds like an awful lot of money, even after her lawyers are paid. And, the money will help pay her expenses and ease her challenges, the mother now in her 40s, says. What the money doesnt do is erase the horror of slowly losing her vision, a trauma that led her to the brink of suicide. And it wont help her see the joy on her young daughter's face as she pushes her in a backyard swing. The money also wouldnt have changed how Espys story ends. I can adapt and I will adapt and there is a way to do the things that I want to do, she told the Gazette in early July. I think the biggest key to that is not giving up. Pushing it to 11 Speaking of not giving up, heres a good news story to end 2021 with. When Billings motorcycle racer Ryan Zahn started piling up wins on the dirt tracks around Montana, he decided to go semi-pro. Thats news in anyones book, and The Gazette profiled Zahn in late November. Ever since he was a tiny boy, Zahn has worked on his own bikes, souping up the engines and modifying them to suit his peculiar riding style. And, hes had his share of crashes. After one bone-snapping spill, he was patched up by the same exasperated doctor who had patched him up after a previous wreck. Zahn was born with all the right stuff, the same talents that all great athletes have, a fearlessness and grit, and a drive to win. What he wasnt born with are arms. To ride a motorcycle, Zahn had to invent a new way to ride. When he wins, even his fiercest rivals have to marvel. His philosophy in life is the same as his philosophy in racing, youve got to always be pushing it to 11. By Anna Mehler Paperny TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada will take in female Afghan judges and their families who have been living in limbo, primarily in Greece, since their evacuation from Afghanistan in the fall, a spokesperson for the immigration minister said Friday. In addition to the judges and their families, a group totalling about 230 people, Canada will also resettle an unspecified number of Afghans from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities who had been referred by a third-party aid organization, the spokesperson said. They are expected to come to Canada next year but there is no firm date. Canada has promised to resettle 40,000 Afghan refugees but has no timeline for doing so. Since the Taliban took control of the country after the U.S. troop withdrawal in August, Canada has resettled 3,915 Afghans with connections to the Canadian government and another 2,535 on humanitarian grounds, according to government figures. Afghan women made great strides in the two decades since the Taliban last ruled the country from 1996 to 2001, joining previously all-male bastions such as the judiciary, the media and politics. "All the achievements of 20 years came back to zero within the blink of an eye," said Freshta Masoni, a family court judge staying in Athens with her toddler daughters. Since returning to power, the Taliban pledged to protect women's rights in accordance with Islamic law, announcing a general "amnesty" for all former state workers. But advocates fear a backslide to when women were not allowed to work and girls were banned from school. Even if they can leave the country, Afghan asylum-seekers may face years of waits amid logistical backlogs and delays. Western countries usually resettle refugees referred by the UN refugee agency, which has limited capacity to process applications for resettlement. "The biggest bottleneck there is the issue that referral partners in the region have not been able to ramp up capacity," Canada's immigration minister, Sean Fraser, told Reuters earlier this month. "These challenges are going to take a little bit of time to sort out." Afghanistan's refugee situation is different from the Syrian refugee crisis that galvanized the world several years ago, UN refugee agency officials and advocates say. Unlike Syria, the Afghan crisis escalated rapidly during a global pandemic and many face difficulties leaving the country. Those who do leave face additional waits, often in countries with little capacity to support them. Some of the female judges, who have been living in Greece since October, told Reuters they have lacked health coverage because of their temporary visa status. Advocates have called on countries to resettle Afghans without requiring a designation from the UNHCR or other NGOs, a step Canada has signalled it is open to. (Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) This was the year we were to leave COVID behind us and get on with our lives. That didnt happen as wave after wave of the virus washed over us, once again filling our hospitals and jacking up the death toll. Like 2020, we needed help to cope with all the sick. In their second year on the front lines, exhausted local hospital workers got relief from traveling nurses, the National Guard and visiting federal health care teams. And, all around us the debate over vaccines and masks and mandates raged on, in a few cases exploding into angry confrontations with medical professionals and service workers. Like children, we had to be reminded by signs hung in hospitals and businesses to be kind. But mostly we were kind to each other, especially in the face of disaster. When a freak December range fire swept over the tiny town of Denton, burning 25 homes and six businesses, volunteers turned up to help. Strangers brought food and hot coffee, offered homes to stay in and helped victims sift through the ashes. Ranchers from around the state donated hay, and the governor contributed a quarter of his salary to a relief fund. When an Amtrak train derailed near Joplin on the Hi-Line killing three people and injuring dozens, among the rescuers were people from town who risked their own safety to pull survivors from the wreckage. And when a young woman didnt return as planned from a solo hike in the Beartooth Mountains, volunteers trekked into the backcountry to find her. Even fish got some love. A mechanical problem on the Hebgen Lake Dam drained the upper Madison River, leaving many fish high and dry. Volunteers waded into the river with buckets to move struggling fish to deeper water. And in Billings, school children packed bags filled with treats to give to weary health care workers, who because of COVID protocols they would never get to meet. From beginning to end in 2021, as tiresome as the topic has become, COVID seemed all we could talk about, and for the second year in a row it was The Billings Gazettes top story of the year. Enough has probably already been said about it, so here, not strictly listed in order of importance, are some of the other top stories of the year from our region: West End standoff For 10 hours through an April night, an armed man held police at bay from inside a Billings West End home he had broken into after he and a woman he had just met killed a man whose van they had stolen. The victim was a 33-year-old family man from Sheridan, Wyoming named Dennis Gresham. He had driven to Billings to pick up a friend at the airport early the next morning and had been sleeping in his van at a campground. That morning, Michael McClure and Kristy Chavez approached the genial Gresham in his van and asked for help, but it was a trick. At gunpoint, Gresham was taken captive and the three left the campground in his van. Within a few minutes, Gresham was dead, shot five times. In Laurel, McClure and Chavez stopped in the parking lot of a business to get rid of the van and the body. Employees inside the business watching the pair throw a big tarp over the van found it suspicious and called police. The chase was on. With police in pursuit, the couple raced back to Billings where they eventually crashed the van in a quiet, affluent neighborhood and then ran away. Chavez was quickly caught. McClure kept running, trying the doors of several homes before finding one he could break into. The homeowner, luckily, was away. Billings Police surrounded the house with a small army of specially trained officers and slowly turned up the heat on McClure. Finally, just as the sun was rising, police went in after him. Within seconds there was what police described as a quick volley of gunfire. They said McClure fired first, a shot they later determined was a suicide shot to his own head. Chavez remains in jail after being charged with deliberate homicide by accountability. The homeowner returned to a house that had been trashed by the standoff. Police and city officials told her they werent paying, it would be up to her and her insurance company. Lost hiker In late June, 23-year-old Tatum Morell hiked into the Beartooth Mountains above Red Lodge for a solo trek. The Montana State University engineering student was a fit and experienced hiker and had planned to set up a base camp from which she would summit five peaks above 12,000 feet. On July 1, she checked in with family using a Garmin InReach satellite communicator, and then in the days that followed the family heard nothing. Searchers from Red Lodge Fire and Rescue and some volunteers hiked into the rugged terrain hunting for her. Searchers also took to the air. At Shadow Lake, rescuers found her orange tent and campsite, but not her. As the search dragged on, Morells family traveled to Red Lodge from out of state and waited anxiously at the official command post. After an agonizing two weeks, rescuers and Morells family united in a July 14th press conference acknowledging Tatum was almost certainly dead. Well into August, hikers continued looking for her. On Saturday, Aug. 21, a group of backpackers near Whitetail Peak found her body where she had apparently gotten caught in a rock slide. The next day, her body was recovered by helicopter and flown home. The son who never gave up Deep in the Idaho backcountry last September, a hunter found the remains of a bowhunter who had gone missing more than 50 years earlier. The hunter had discovered two weathered black boots sticking out from under a boulder. It took four men to move the giant rock, and underneath they found some bone fragments, a bit of coiled rope, a rusty knife, part of a wooden arrow shaft, and a plastic gas station credit card bearing the name of Raymond Jones. The discovery was barely news in Montana except to one family in Billings where the news hit like a bombshell. Businessman Jeff Jones was 12-years-old when his father Raymond Jones went missing. The now 65-year-old Jeff had never stopped wishing for his dad to come home. It was a cousin who informed Jeff that the remains found in Idaho were all that was left of his father. All of the grief and frustration Jeff had pent up for decades was released at once, overwhelming him for days in what he could only describe as a fog. He now says he feels blessed to finally have the mystery solved. This spring, Jeff plans a graveside service in Miles City where his fathers remains will at last be laid to rest next to his parents. Red Lodge faces flames In some of the photos shot from Red Lodges main street on the dark evening of June 13, it looks like its only a matter of minutes before the towering orange flames of the Robertson Draw fire devour the small mountain town. That had happened dozens of times in California, leaving behind gray images of entire neighborhoods reduced to smoldering foundations. Some residents loaded their valuables into their car and drove out of town. Ranchers cut fences to let livestock run ahead of the fire. At a tiny church in town, the minister welcomed tourists who had been ordered from their campgrounds. Then sometime during the night the strong winds that had been pushing the fire into Red Lodge suddenly changed direction. In the morning, Mount Maurice, the sentinel behind Red Lodge, stood black with wisps of smoke still curling from naked trees. The fire had moved elsewhere. Red Lodge had been spared. Before the 30,000-acre fire was eventually extinguished a month later, it did burn several remote homes and outbuildings and spread far across rangeland east toward Belfry and south toward Wyoming. In early July, a Bridger man ironically named John Lightburn was charged with starting the fire. He was allegedly riding his motorcycle illegally in forest land south of Red Lodge when the bike broke down. While fixing it, he apparently spilled some gasoline and then while checking the engines spark plug he ignited the blaze. State's biggest fire Other small Eastern Montana towns also came close to getting swallowed up by fire this summer. On Aug. 8, the Richard Spring fire in Rosebud County puffed into life about 10 miles south of Colstrip and then took off in all directions. In this rough, rural country the nearest municipal fire truck can be 50 miles of dirt road away. Ranchers who can afford it have their own firefighting equipment. As the fire, which would eventually join a second fire and then spread across 170,000 acres, bore down on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, residents of Lame Deer and Ashland were ordered from their homes and the roads were closed. Making matters worse, the blaze had cut power, cell service and the internet. Residents had to guess at what danger they were in. Some of the reservations residents were bussed to Busby where they spent the night on cots in the school gym. And then during what has been one of the driest summers ever, the rains came, which believers would say was not by chance. The early cold front beat the fire down enough that within a few days firefighters had it under control. No significant structures had burned, and no one was seriously hurt. Investigators say it was smoldering coal seams that started the fires. The seams have been burning underground for decades, maybe centuries, probably originally ignited by lightning strikes and impossible to extinguish. It wont be the last range fire they start. Parolee problems When a disgruntled employee in November returned to the downtown Billings restaurant where he had earlier that day been fired, he was thinking of just one thing. The wild-eyed young man grabbed steak knives and started threatening everyone in reach. A brave restaurant manager coaxed the man away from customers and eventually into the kitchen where employees and several policeman subdued him. But not before his bloody rampage left at least four employees stabbed, slashed and terrorized. The violence in a downtown restaurant was shocking enough, but there was more to it than anyone that night realized. The suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Bird, had just been released from prison, not to his hometown of Missoula, but to Billings. His arrest touched off a firestorm of complaints from city officials and politicians who say theyre tired of Billings taking on more than its fair share of the state's parolees. One local legislator claimed the states Department of Corrections simply gives new parolees a bus ticket to Billings. And, thats true, at least the part about Billings taking a disproportionate number of parolees, according to a Gazette investigation. In fact, while Yellowstone County makes up about 15% of the states population, at least 24% of the states current parolees are living here. Gallatin County, by contrast, has 11% of the states population, but 5% of the states supervised parolees. The problem is a complicated one. Its true that most of the states programs for supervising and re-integrating parolees are in Billings and that naturally leads to more parolees. But solutions are being debated and the topic is certain to come up when the state Legislature meets again. Bird has been charged with five felonies. A Billings judge set his bail at $1 million, an unusually high sum meant to ensure Bird isnt spotted again in downtown Billings anytime soon. Medical school picks Billings In February, the Colorado-based Rocky Vista University announced it would build a $50 million, 12-acre medical school campus in Billings on the far West End. It was promised that within a few years the school would attract hundreds of super smart medical students, employ as many as 350 people, and dump millions upon millions of dollars annually into the local economy. The bonus would be that many of the newly minted osteopathic doctors may remain to practice in Montana, easing the states chronic doctor shortage. The news, however, was not universally celebrated. Billings Clinic declined to partner with the university, mostly because it already partners with a top-rated medical school. Other skeptics in the state, especially in Great Falls where officials are courting their own medical school, predicted the state wont be able to support the huge increase in medical students. St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, however, is all in. The hospital says it will gladly partner with RVU and even create an office of medical education to connect students to clinical rotation programs. In an October ceremony attended by the governor, RVU broke ground on its campus at Shiloh and Monad and expects to begin its first classes by the end of 2022. Seeing hope For a busy Miles City mom, the trouble started with a simple operation to correct her vision. Millions of people have had the same surgery and were better off for it. Jaimi Espys local optometrist recommended she have her severe nearsightedness corrected by having an artificial lens implanted in her eye. The surgery wasnt available in Miles City, so she found a doctor in Billings. That surgery, however, did not go as it should have. Over time, the lens failed, popping out of her eye as she prepared a Thanksgiving dinner. Repairing the damage led to a horrifying cascade of emergency surgeries that couldnt prevent her from going entirely blind in both eyes. Espy sued the Billings eye surgeon and a jury awarded her $3 million. That sounds like an awful lot of money, even after her lawyers are paid. And, the money will help pay her expenses and ease her challenges, the mother now in her 40s, says. What the money doesnt do is erase the horror of slowly losing her vision, a trauma that led her to the brink of suicide. And it wont help her see the joy on her young daughter's face as she pushes her in a backyard swing. The money also wouldnt have changed how Espys story ends. I can adapt and I will adapt and there is a way to do the things that I want to do, she told the Gazette in early July. I think the biggest key to that is not giving up. Pushing it to 11 Speaking of not giving up, heres a good news story to end 2021 with. When Billings motorcycle racer Ryan Zahn started piling up wins on the dirt tracks around Montana, he decided to go semi-pro. Thats news in anyones book, and The Gazette profiled Zahn in late November. Ever since he was a tiny boy, Zahn has worked on his own bikes, souping up the engines and modifying them to suit his peculiar riding style. And, hes had his share of crashes. After one bone-snapping spill, he was patched up by the same exasperated doctor who had patched him up after a previous wreck. Zahn was born with all the right stuff, the same talents that all great athletes have, a fearlessness and grit, and a drive to win. What he wasnt born with are arms. To ride a motorcycle, Zahn had to invent a new way to ride. When he wins, even his fiercest rivals have to marvel. His philosophy in life is the same as his philosophy in racing, youve got to always be pushing it to 11. Haiti - 2022 : Wishes from the Prime Minister and the Ambassador of Haiti in Washington Prime Minister a.i. Ariel Henri : "For the year to come, I wish you a lot of love, tolerance and solidarity. I wish we will work together to make Haiti 2022 better. Our ancestors did it in 1804. We can do it again. All Haitians, wherever they are, must do it, live and participate. The country must be ruled by people elected by good elections. This is how it happens in all democratic countries." "Pou ane kap vini an map swete nou anpil lanmou, tolerans ak solidarite. Mwen swete, nou travay ansanm pou ke Ayiti 2022 a ka pi bon. Zanset nou yo te fe 1804. Nou ka fel anko. Fok tout ayisyen, kelkeswa kote y ap viv, patisipe. Fok peyi a dirije pa moun ki eli e ki soti nan bon eleksyon. Se konsa sa fet nan tout peyi dmokratik." Ambassador of Haiti to Washington Bocchit Edmond : "On behalf of the Embassy of the Republic of Haiti in Washington and myself, I send my warmest and most sincere wishes to all fellow Haitians and to our partners during the year-end celebrations and for the New Year. On 1 January 2022, Haiti celebrates the 218th anniversary of its independence, which its people acquired through an epic struggle for freedom and the inalienable rights of human beings, without distinction, to live free. This historic crossroads challenges all Haitians and their offspring to favor harmony, forgiveness and unity, rather than the sterile fights which have weakened us all. In 2022, let us break with division. Rather, let 2022 be the year of the indispensable union of all the daughters and all the sons of Our Dearest Haiti so that peace, security, stability, economic and social progress can return to our country." HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - 2022 : Wishes from the Prime Minister and the Ambassador of Haiti in Washington Prime Minister a.i. Ariel Henri : "For the year to come, I wish you a lot of love, tolerance and solidarity. I wish we will work together to make Haiti 2022 better. Our ancestors did it in 1804. We can do it again. All Haitians, wherever they are, must do it, live and participate. The country must be ruled by people elected by good elections. This is how it happens in all democratic countries." "Pou ane kap vini an map swete nou anpil lanmou, tolerans ak solidarite. Mwen swete, nou travay ansanm pou ke Ayiti 2022 a ka pi bon. Zanset nou yo te fe 1804. Nou ka fel anko. Fok tout ayisyen, kelkeswa kote y ap viv, patisipe. Fok peyi a dirije pa moun ki eli e ki soti nan bon eleksyon. Se konsa sa fet nan tout peyi dmokratik." Ambassador of Haiti to Washington Bocchit Edmond : "On behalf of the Embassy of the Republic of Haiti in Washington and myself, I send my warmest and most sincere wishes to all fellow Haitians and to our partners during the year-end celebrations and for the New Year. On 1 January 2022, Haiti celebrates the 218th anniversary of its independence, which its people acquired through an epic struggle for freedom and the inalienable rights of human beings, without distinction, to live free. This historic crossroads challenges all Haitians and their offspring to favor harmony, forgiveness and unity, rather than the sterile fights which have weakened us all. In 2022, let us break with division. Rather, let 2022 be the year of the indispensable union of all the daughters and all the sons of Our Dearest Haiti so that peace, security, stability, economic and social progress can return to our country." HL/ HaitiLibre Aurangabad (Maharashtra): On the last day of 2021, Maharashtra reported 8,067 new coronavirus cases, which was 50% more than the day before. However, the state is not thinking of a lockdown yet, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Saturday (January 1, 2022). Mumbai today reported 6,347 fresh COVID cases (5,712 asymptomatic), 451 recoveries, and one death. Disaster management minister Vijay Wadettiwar had said the day before that the "stage of fresh lockdown" was nearing, but the decision will be taken by the chief minister. "Decision of lockdown is not under discussion currently. The government will take a decision about restrictions by taking into consideration the case positivity rate, hospital bed occupancy, and oxygen consumption," Tope told reporters. "If the daily (medical) oxygen requirement crosses 700 metric tons, then the state will go into lockdown automatically," he said. Tope was in Aurangabad to attend a function to mark the 39th anniversary of the Mahatma Gandhi Mission educational trust. "Currently, we have imposed some restrictions on social gatherings. If it brings the virus spread under control, well and good. Otherwise, we will have to impose stricter restrictions," the health minister added. Also read: What is Florona, detected in Israel - know all about this flu plus corona Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray will hold a meeting of top officials in this regard soon, he said. Finding out the exact figures of Omicron and Delta cases was important in the present situation, and at least one genome sequencing lab was needed in each of the administrative divisions of the state, he added. (With PTI inputs) Live TV Aurangabad (Maharashtra): On the last day of 2021, Maharashtra reported 8,067 new coronavirus cases, which was 50% more than the day before. However, the state is not thinking of a lockdown yet, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Saturday (January 1, 2022). Mumbai today reported 6,347 fresh COVID cases (5,712 asymptomatic), 451 recoveries, and one death. Disaster management minister Vijay Wadettiwar had said the day before that the "stage of fresh lockdown" was nearing, but the decision will be taken by the chief minister. "Decision of lockdown is not under discussion currently. The government will take a decision about restrictions by taking into consideration the case positivity rate, hospital bed occupancy, and oxygen consumption," Tope told reporters. "If the daily (medical) oxygen requirement crosses 700 metric tons, then the state will go into lockdown automatically," he said. Tope was in Aurangabad to attend a function to mark the 39th anniversary of the Mahatma Gandhi Mission educational trust. "Currently, we have imposed some restrictions on social gatherings. If it brings the virus spread under control, well and good. Otherwise, we will have to impose stricter restrictions," the health minister added. Also read: What is Florona, detected in Israel - know all about this flu plus corona Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray will hold a meeting of top officials in this regard soon, he said. Finding out the exact figures of Omicron and Delta cases was important in the present situation, and at least one genome sequencing lab was needed in each of the administrative divisions of the state, he added. (With PTI inputs) Live TV Aurangabad (Maharashtra): On the last day of 2021, Maharashtra reported 8,067 new coronavirus cases, which was 50% more than the day before. However, the state is not thinking of a lockdown yet, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Saturday (January 1, 2022). Mumbai today reported 6,347 fresh COVID cases (5,712 asymptomatic), 451 recoveries, and one death. Disaster management minister Vijay Wadettiwar had said the day before that the "stage of fresh lockdown" was nearing, but the decision will be taken by the chief minister. "Decision of lockdown is not under discussion currently. The government will take a decision about restrictions by taking into consideration the case positivity rate, hospital bed occupancy, and oxygen consumption," Tope told reporters. "If the daily (medical) oxygen requirement crosses 700 metric tons, then the state will go into lockdown automatically," he said. Tope was in Aurangabad to attend a function to mark the 39th anniversary of the Mahatma Gandhi Mission educational trust. "Currently, we have imposed some restrictions on social gatherings. If it brings the virus spread under control, well and good. Otherwise, we will have to impose stricter restrictions," the health minister added. Also read: What is Florona, detected in Israel - know all about this flu plus corona Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray will hold a meeting of top officials in this regard soon, he said. Finding out the exact figures of Omicron and Delta cases was important in the present situation, and at least one genome sequencing lab was needed in each of the administrative divisions of the state, he added. (With PTI inputs) Live TV An unidentified terrorist has been neutralised in an encounter with the security forces in the Jumagund area of Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district, police informed on Saturday. The Jammu and Kashmir Police in a tweet said, "One unidentified terrorist killed in an encounter at Jumagund area of Kupwara. Army and Police are on the job. Further details shall follow." Further details are awaited. A total of 171 terrorists were killed in the year 2021 of which 19 were Pakistani terrorists, the Jammu and Kashmir Police said on Friday. Addressing a press conference here, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar said that all those who were involved in the Zewan terror attack, in which three police personnel were killed and 11 injured on December 13, have been neutralized. "An encounter broke out last night at the Pantha Chowk area of Srinagar as we got info that three terrorists involved in the Zewan terror attack are hiding. Security forces cordoned the area, during the initial firing three Police and two CRPF personnel got injured. All injured personnel are stable," he said.(ANI) A PLAN to increase the energy output at a wind farm project in Offaly could be stalled by a new An Bord Pleanala ruling. Cloncant Renewable Energy, a company controlled by energy giant Statkraft, was previously granted permission to develop a nine-turbine wind farm with eight of the turbines in east Offaly and one across the boundary in Kildare. The original consent was for a 49.5MW facility with turbines 187m high the tallest so far permitted in the county - at Ballykilleen, Shean, Kilcumber, Cloncant and Cushaling near Edenderry, plus another near Ticknevin, Co Kildare. The wind farm has yet to be built. Since then, more powerful generators have been developed, capable of producing 6.6MW each, and the use of those would push the potential capacity of the nine turbines up to 59.4MW. In a letter to Offaly County Council, the company said there are often technological advances during the planning timeframe with wind energy, hence the option of using more efficient generators in the Cushaling Wind Farm turbines. The company said that no change is required to the size of the turbines to accommodate the larger generators. Cloncant Renewable Energy sought a determination from the council on whether or not the increase in output would be deemed development or exempted development. The council referred the matter on to An Bord Pleanala which decided that an increase in the electricity output, without increasing the size and scale of any of the works, layout or plans, is development. The board said it did not have enough information on the impact the wind farm would have on grid connection and grid capacity and increasing the output would intensify the development. When the company drew up its original plan, it envisaged each turbine would house a 5.5MW generator. The proposed wind farm would be located on agricultural land and private bogland and the site is about 4km south of Edenderry and 3.5km east of Clonbullogue. Private landowners in the area have agreed to lease property to the wind energy company. Statkraft and Wind Energy Ireland have been contacted for comment. By Anna Mehler Paperny TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada will take in female Afghan judges and their families who have been living in limbo, primarily in Greece, since their evacuation from Afghanistan in the fall, a spokesperson for the immigration minister said Friday. In addition to the judges and their families, a group totalling about 230 people, Canada will also resettle an unspecified number of Afghans from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities who had been referred by a third-party aid organization, the spokesperson said. They are expected to come to Canada next year but there is no firm date. Canada has promised to resettle 40,000 Afghan refugees but has no timeline for doing so. Since the Taliban took control of the country after the U.S. troop withdrawal in August, Canada has resettled 3,915 Afghans with connections to the Canadian government and another 2,535 on humanitarian grounds, according to government figures. Afghan women made great strides in the two decades since the Taliban last ruled the country from 1996 to 2001, joining previously all-male bastions such as the judiciary, the media and politics. "All the achievements of 20 years came back to zero within the blink of an eye," said Freshta Masoni, a family court judge staying in Athens with her toddler daughters. Since returning to power, the Taliban pledged to protect women's rights in accordance with Islamic law, announcing a general "amnesty" for all former state workers. But advocates fear a backslide to when women were not allowed to work and girls were banned from school. Even if they can leave the country, Afghan asylum-seekers may face years of waits amid logistical backlogs and delays. Western countries usually resettle refugees referred by the UN refugee agency, which has limited capacity to process applications for resettlement. "The biggest bottleneck there is the issue that referral partners in the region have not been able to ramp up capacity," Canada's immigration minister, Sean Fraser, told Reuters earlier this month. "These challenges are going to take a little bit of time to sort out." Afghanistan's refugee situation is different from the Syrian refugee crisis that galvanized the world several years ago, UN refugee agency officials and advocates say. Unlike Syria, the Afghan crisis escalated rapidly during a global pandemic and many face difficulties leaving the country. Those who do leave face additional waits, often in countries with little capacity to support them. Some of the female judges, who have been living in Greece since October, told Reuters they have lacked health coverage because of their temporary visa status. Advocates have called on countries to resettle Afghans without requiring a designation from the UNHCR or other NGOs, a step Canada has signalled it is open to. (Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) This was the year we were to leave COVID behind us and get on with our lives. That didnt happen as wave after wave of the virus washed over us, once again filling our hospitals and jacking up the death toll. Like 2020, we needed help to cope with all the sick. In their second year on the front lines, exhausted local hospital workers got relief from traveling nurses, the National Guard and visiting federal health care teams. And, all around us the debate over vaccines and masks and mandates raged on, in a few cases exploding into angry confrontations with medical professionals and service workers. Like children, we had to be reminded by signs hung in hospitals and businesses to be kind. But mostly we were kind to each other, especially in the face of disaster. When a freak December range fire swept over the tiny town of Denton, burning 25 homes and six businesses, volunteers turned up to help. Strangers brought food and hot coffee, offered homes to stay in and helped victims sift through the ashes. Ranchers from around the state donated hay, and the governor contributed a quarter of his salary to a relief fund. When an Amtrak train derailed near Joplin on the Hi-Line killing three people and injuring dozens, among the rescuers were people from town who risked their own safety to pull survivors from the wreckage. And when a young woman didnt return as planned from a solo hike in the Beartooth Mountains, volunteers trekked into the backcountry to find her. Even fish got some love. A mechanical problem on the Hebgen Lake Dam drained the upper Madison River, leaving many fish high and dry. Volunteers waded into the river with buckets to move struggling fish to deeper water. And in Billings, school children packed bags filled with treats to give to weary health care workers, who because of COVID protocols they would never get to meet. From beginning to end in 2021, as tiresome as the topic has become, COVID seemed all we could talk about, and for the second year in a row it was The Billings Gazettes top story of the year. Enough has probably already been said about it, so here, not strictly listed in order of importance, are some of the other top stories of the year from our region: West End standoff For 10 hours through an April night, an armed man held police at bay from inside a Billings West End home he had broken into after he and a woman he had just met killed a man whose van they had stolen. The victim was a 33-year-old family man from Sheridan, Wyoming named Dennis Gresham. He had driven to Billings to pick up a friend at the airport early the next morning and had been sleeping in his van at a campground. That morning, Michael McClure and Kristy Chavez approached the genial Gresham in his van and asked for help, but it was a trick. At gunpoint, Gresham was taken captive and the three left the campground in his van. Within a few minutes, Gresham was dead, shot five times. In Laurel, McClure and Chavez stopped in the parking lot of a business to get rid of the van and the body. Employees inside the business watching the pair throw a big tarp over the van found it suspicious and called police. The chase was on. With police in pursuit, the couple raced back to Billings where they eventually crashed the van in a quiet, affluent neighborhood and then ran away. Chavez was quickly caught. McClure kept running, trying the doors of several homes before finding one he could break into. The homeowner, luckily, was away. Billings Police surrounded the house with a small army of specially trained officers and slowly turned up the heat on McClure. Finally, just as the sun was rising, police went in after him. Within seconds there was what police described as a quick volley of gunfire. They said McClure fired first, a shot they later determined was a suicide shot to his own head. Chavez remains in jail after being charged with deliberate homicide by accountability. The homeowner returned to a house that had been trashed by the standoff. Police and city officials told her they werent paying, it would be up to her and her insurance company. Lost hiker In late June, 23-year-old Tatum Morell hiked into the Beartooth Mountains above Red Lodge for a solo trek. The Montana State University engineering student was a fit and experienced hiker and had planned to set up a base camp from which she would summit five peaks above 12,000 feet. On July 1, she checked in with family using a Garmin InReach satellite communicator, and then in the days that followed the family heard nothing. Searchers from Red Lodge Fire and Rescue and some volunteers hiked into the rugged terrain hunting for her. Searchers also took to the air. At Shadow Lake, rescuers found her orange tent and campsite, but not her. As the search dragged on, Morells family traveled to Red Lodge from out of state and waited anxiously at the official command post. After an agonizing two weeks, rescuers and Morells family united in a July 14th press conference acknowledging Tatum was almost certainly dead. Well into August, hikers continued looking for her. On Saturday, Aug. 21, a group of backpackers near Whitetail Peak found her body where she had apparently gotten caught in a rock slide. The next day, her body was recovered by helicopter and flown home. The son who never gave up Deep in the Idaho backcountry last September, a hunter found the remains of a bowhunter who had gone missing more than 50 years earlier. The hunter had discovered two weathered black boots sticking out from under a boulder. It took four men to move the giant rock, and underneath they found some bone fragments, a bit of coiled rope, a rusty knife, part of a wooden arrow shaft, and a plastic gas station credit card bearing the name of Raymond Jones. The discovery was barely news in Montana except to one family in Billings where the news hit like a bombshell. Businessman Jeff Jones was 12-years-old when his father Raymond Jones went missing. The now 65-year-old Jeff had never stopped wishing for his dad to come home. It was a cousin who informed Jeff that the remains found in Idaho were all that was left of his father. All of the grief and frustration Jeff had pent up for decades was released at once, overwhelming him for days in what he could only describe as a fog. He now says he feels blessed to finally have the mystery solved. This spring, Jeff plans a graveside service in Miles City where his fathers remains will at last be laid to rest next to his parents. Red Lodge faces flames In some of the photos shot from Red Lodges main street on the dark evening of June 13, it looks like its only a matter of minutes before the towering orange flames of the Robertson Draw fire devour the small mountain town. That had happened dozens of times in California, leaving behind gray images of entire neighborhoods reduced to smoldering foundations. Some residents loaded their valuables into their car and drove out of town. Ranchers cut fences to let livestock run ahead of the fire. At a tiny church in town, the minister welcomed tourists who had been ordered from their campgrounds. Then sometime during the night the strong winds that had been pushing the fire into Red Lodge suddenly changed direction. In the morning, Mount Maurice, the sentinel behind Red Lodge, stood black with wisps of smoke still curling from naked trees. The fire had moved elsewhere. Red Lodge had been spared. Before the 30,000-acre fire was eventually extinguished a month later, it did burn several remote homes and outbuildings and spread far across rangeland east toward Belfry and south toward Wyoming. In early July, a Bridger man ironically named John Lightburn was charged with starting the fire. He was allegedly riding his motorcycle illegally in forest land south of Red Lodge when the bike broke down. While fixing it, he apparently spilled some gasoline and then while checking the engines spark plug he ignited the blaze. State's biggest fire Other small Eastern Montana towns also came close to getting swallowed up by fire this summer. On Aug. 8, the Richard Spring fire in Rosebud County puffed into life about 10 miles south of Colstrip and then took off in all directions. In this rough, rural country the nearest municipal fire truck can be 50 miles of dirt road away. Ranchers who can afford it have their own firefighting equipment. As the fire, which would eventually join a second fire and then spread across 170,000 acres, bore down on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, residents of Lame Deer and Ashland were ordered from their homes and the roads were closed. Making matters worse, the blaze had cut power, cell service and the internet. Residents had to guess at what danger they were in. Some of the reservations residents were bussed to Busby where they spent the night on cots in the school gym. And then during what has been one of the driest summers ever, the rains came, which believers would say was not by chance. The early cold front beat the fire down enough that within a few days firefighters had it under control. No significant structures had burned, and no one was seriously hurt. Investigators say it was smoldering coal seams that started the fires. The seams have been burning underground for decades, maybe centuries, probably originally ignited by lightning strikes and impossible to extinguish. It wont be the last range fire they start. Parolee problems When a disgruntled employee in November returned to the downtown Billings restaurant where he had earlier that day been fired, he was thinking of just one thing. The wild-eyed young man grabbed steak knives and started threatening everyone in reach. A brave restaurant manager coaxed the man away from customers and eventually into the kitchen where employees and several policeman subdued him. But not before his bloody rampage left at least four employees stabbed, slashed and terrorized. The violence in a downtown restaurant was shocking enough, but there was more to it than anyone that night realized. The suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Bird, had just been released from prison, not to his hometown of Missoula, but to Billings. His arrest touched off a firestorm of complaints from city officials and politicians who say theyre tired of Billings taking on more than its fair share of the state's parolees. One local legislator claimed the states Department of Corrections simply gives new parolees a bus ticket to Billings. And, thats true, at least the part about Billings taking a disproportionate number of parolees, according to a Gazette investigation. In fact, while Yellowstone County makes up about 15% of the states population, at least 24% of the states current parolees are living here. Gallatin County, by contrast, has 11% of the states population, but 5% of the states supervised parolees. The problem is a complicated one. Its true that most of the states programs for supervising and re-integrating parolees are in Billings and that naturally leads to more parolees. But solutions are being debated and the topic is certain to come up when the state Legislature meets again. Bird has been charged with five felonies. A Billings judge set his bail at $1 million, an unusually high sum meant to ensure Bird isnt spotted again in downtown Billings anytime soon. Medical school picks Billings In February, the Colorado-based Rocky Vista University announced it would build a $50 million, 12-acre medical school campus in Billings on the far West End. It was promised that within a few years the school would attract hundreds of super smart medical students, employ as many as 350 people, and dump millions upon millions of dollars annually into the local economy. The bonus would be that many of the newly minted osteopathic doctors may remain to practice in Montana, easing the states chronic doctor shortage. The news, however, was not universally celebrated. Billings Clinic declined to partner with the university, mostly because it already partners with a top-rated medical school. Other skeptics in the state, especially in Great Falls where officials are courting their own medical school, predicted the state wont be able to support the huge increase in medical students. St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, however, is all in. The hospital says it will gladly partner with RVU and even create an office of medical education to connect students to clinical rotation programs. In an October ceremony attended by the governor, RVU broke ground on its campus at Shiloh and Monad and expects to begin its first classes by the end of 2022. Seeing hope For a busy Miles City mom, the trouble started with a simple operation to correct her vision. Millions of people have had the same surgery and were better off for it. Jaimi Espys local optometrist recommended she have her severe nearsightedness corrected by having an artificial lens implanted in her eye. The surgery wasnt available in Miles City, so she found a doctor in Billings. That surgery, however, did not go as it should have. Over time, the lens failed, popping out of her eye as she prepared a Thanksgiving dinner. Repairing the damage led to a horrifying cascade of emergency surgeries that couldnt prevent her from going entirely blind in both eyes. Espy sued the Billings eye surgeon and a jury awarded her $3 million. That sounds like an awful lot of money, even after her lawyers are paid. And, the money will help pay her expenses and ease her challenges, the mother now in her 40s, says. What the money doesnt do is erase the horror of slowly losing her vision, a trauma that led her to the brink of suicide. And it wont help her see the joy on her young daughter's face as she pushes her in a backyard swing. The money also wouldnt have changed how Espys story ends. I can adapt and I will adapt and there is a way to do the things that I want to do, she told the Gazette in early July. I think the biggest key to that is not giving up. Pushing it to 11 Speaking of not giving up, heres a good news story to end 2021 with. When Billings motorcycle racer Ryan Zahn started piling up wins on the dirt tracks around Montana, he decided to go semi-pro. Thats news in anyones book, and The Gazette profiled Zahn in late November. Ever since he was a tiny boy, Zahn has worked on his own bikes, souping up the engines and modifying them to suit his peculiar riding style. And, hes had his share of crashes. After one bone-snapping spill, he was patched up by the same exasperated doctor who had patched him up after a previous wreck. Zahn was born with all the right stuff, the same talents that all great athletes have, a fearlessness and grit, and a drive to win. What he wasnt born with are arms. To ride a motorcycle, Zahn had to invent a new way to ride. When he wins, even his fiercest rivals have to marvel. His philosophy in life is the same as his philosophy in racing, youve got to always be pushing it to 11. This was the year we were to leave COVID behind us and get on with our lives. That didnt happen as wave after wave of the virus washed over us, once again filling our hospitals and jacking up the death toll. Like 2020, we needed help to cope with all the sick. In their second year on the front lines, exhausted local hospital workers got relief from traveling nurses, the National Guard and visiting federal health care teams. And, all around us the debate over vaccines and masks and mandates raged on, in a few cases exploding into angry confrontations with medical professionals and service workers. Like children, we had to be reminded by signs hung in hospitals and businesses to be kind. But mostly we were kind to each other, especially in the face of disaster. When a freak December range fire swept over the tiny town of Denton, burning 25 homes and six businesses, volunteers turned up to help. Strangers brought food and hot coffee, offered homes to stay in and helped victims sift through the ashes. Ranchers from around the state donated hay, and the governor contributed a quarter of his salary to a relief fund. When an Amtrak train derailed near Joplin on the Hi-Line killing three people and injuring dozens, among the rescuers were people from town who risked their own safety to pull survivors from the wreckage. And when a young woman didnt return as planned from a solo hike in the Beartooth Mountains, volunteers trekked into the backcountry to find her. Even fish got some love. A mechanical problem on the Hebgen Lake Dam drained the upper Madison River, leaving many fish high and dry. Volunteers waded into the river with buckets to move struggling fish to deeper water. And in Billings, school children packed bags filled with treats to give to weary health care workers, who because of COVID protocols they would never get to meet. From beginning to end in 2021, as tiresome as the topic has become, COVID seemed all we could talk about, and for the second year in a row it was The Billings Gazettes top story of the year. Enough has probably already been said about it, so here, not strictly listed in order of importance, are some of the other top stories of the year from our region: West End standoff For 10 hours through an April night, an armed man held police at bay from inside a Billings West End home he had broken into after he and a woman he had just met killed a man whose van they had stolen. The victim was a 33-year-old family man from Sheridan, Wyoming named Dennis Gresham. He had driven to Billings to pick up a friend at the airport early the next morning and had been sleeping in his van at a campground. That morning, Michael McClure and Kristy Chavez approached the genial Gresham in his van and asked for help, but it was a trick. At gunpoint, Gresham was taken captive and the three left the campground in his van. Within a few minutes, Gresham was dead, shot five times. In Laurel, McClure and Chavez stopped in the parking lot of a business to get rid of the van and the body. Employees inside the business watching the pair throw a big tarp over the van found it suspicious and called police. The chase was on. With police in pursuit, the couple raced back to Billings where they eventually crashed the van in a quiet, affluent neighborhood and then ran away. Chavez was quickly caught. McClure kept running, trying the doors of several homes before finding one he could break into. The homeowner, luckily, was away. Billings Police surrounded the house with a small army of specially trained officers and slowly turned up the heat on McClure. Finally, just as the sun was rising, police went in after him. Within seconds there was what police described as a quick volley of gunfire. They said McClure fired first, a shot they later determined was a suicide shot to his own head. Chavez remains in jail after being charged with deliberate homicide by accountability. The homeowner returned to a house that had been trashed by the standoff. Police and city officials told her they werent paying, it would be up to her and her insurance company. Lost hiker In late June, 23-year-old Tatum Morell hiked into the Beartooth Mountains above Red Lodge for a solo trek. The Montana State University engineering student was a fit and experienced hiker and had planned to set up a base camp from which she would summit five peaks above 12,000 feet. On July 1, she checked in with family using a Garmin InReach satellite communicator, and then in the days that followed the family heard nothing. Searchers from Red Lodge Fire and Rescue and some volunteers hiked into the rugged terrain hunting for her. Searchers also took to the air. At Shadow Lake, rescuers found her orange tent and campsite, but not her. As the search dragged on, Morells family traveled to Red Lodge from out of state and waited anxiously at the official command post. After an agonizing two weeks, rescuers and Morells family united in a July 14th press conference acknowledging Tatum was almost certainly dead. Well into August, hikers continued looking for her. On Saturday, Aug. 21, a group of backpackers near Whitetail Peak found her body where she had apparently gotten caught in a rock slide. The next day, her body was recovered by helicopter and flown home. The son who never gave up Deep in the Idaho backcountry last September, a hunter found the remains of a bowhunter who had gone missing more than 50 years earlier. The hunter had discovered two weathered black boots sticking out from under a boulder. It took four men to move the giant rock, and underneath they found some bone fragments, a bit of coiled rope, a rusty knife, part of a wooden arrow shaft, and a plastic gas station credit card bearing the name of Raymond Jones. The discovery was barely news in Montana except to one family in Billings where the news hit like a bombshell. Businessman Jeff Jones was 12-years-old when his father Raymond Jones went missing. The now 65-year-old Jeff had never stopped wishing for his dad to come home. It was a cousin who informed Jeff that the remains found in Idaho were all that was left of his father. All of the grief and frustration Jeff had pent up for decades was released at once, overwhelming him for days in what he could only describe as a fog. He now says he feels blessed to finally have the mystery solved. This spring, Jeff plans a graveside service in Miles City where his fathers remains will at last be laid to rest next to his parents. Red Lodge faces flames In some of the photos shot from Red Lodges main street on the dark evening of June 13, it looks like its only a matter of minutes before the towering orange flames of the Robertson Draw fire devour the small mountain town. That had happened dozens of times in California, leaving behind gray images of entire neighborhoods reduced to smoldering foundations. Some residents loaded their valuables into their car and drove out of town. Ranchers cut fences to let livestock run ahead of the fire. At a tiny church in town, the minister welcomed tourists who had been ordered from their campgrounds. Then sometime during the night the strong winds that had been pushing the fire into Red Lodge suddenly changed direction. In the morning, Mount Maurice, the sentinel behind Red Lodge, stood black with wisps of smoke still curling from naked trees. The fire had moved elsewhere. Red Lodge had been spared. Before the 30,000-acre fire was eventually extinguished a month later, it did burn several remote homes and outbuildings and spread far across rangeland east toward Belfry and south toward Wyoming. In early July, a Bridger man ironically named John Lightburn was charged with starting the fire. He was allegedly riding his motorcycle illegally in forest land south of Red Lodge when the bike broke down. While fixing it, he apparently spilled some gasoline and then while checking the engines spark plug he ignited the blaze. State's biggest fire Other small Eastern Montana towns also came close to getting swallowed up by fire this summer. On Aug. 8, the Richard Spring fire in Rosebud County puffed into life about 10 miles south of Colstrip and then took off in all directions. In this rough, rural country the nearest municipal fire truck can be 50 miles of dirt road away. Ranchers who can afford it have their own firefighting equipment. As the fire, which would eventually join a second fire and then spread across 170,000 acres, bore down on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, residents of Lame Deer and Ashland were ordered from their homes and the roads were closed. Making matters worse, the blaze had cut power, cell service and the internet. Residents had to guess at what danger they were in. Some of the reservations residents were bussed to Busby where they spent the night on cots in the school gym. And then during what has been one of the driest summers ever, the rains came, which believers would say was not by chance. The early cold front beat the fire down enough that within a few days firefighters had it under control. No significant structures had burned, and no one was seriously hurt. Investigators say it was smoldering coal seams that started the fires. The seams have been burning underground for decades, maybe centuries, probably originally ignited by lightning strikes and impossible to extinguish. It wont be the last range fire they start. Parolee problems When a disgruntled employee in November returned to the downtown Billings restaurant where he had earlier that day been fired, he was thinking of just one thing. The wild-eyed young man grabbed steak knives and started threatening everyone in reach. A brave restaurant manager coaxed the man away from customers and eventually into the kitchen where employees and several policeman subdued him. But not before his bloody rampage left at least four employees stabbed, slashed and terrorized. The violence in a downtown restaurant was shocking enough, but there was more to it than anyone that night realized. The suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Bird, had just been released from prison, not to his hometown of Missoula, but to Billings. His arrest touched off a firestorm of complaints from city officials and politicians who say theyre tired of Billings taking on more than its fair share of the state's parolees. One local legislator claimed the states Department of Corrections simply gives new parolees a bus ticket to Billings. And, thats true, at least the part about Billings taking a disproportionate number of parolees, according to a Gazette investigation. In fact, while Yellowstone County makes up about 15% of the states population, at least 24% of the states current parolees are living here. Gallatin County, by contrast, has 11% of the states population, but 5% of the states supervised parolees. The problem is a complicated one. Its true that most of the states programs for supervising and re-integrating parolees are in Billings and that naturally leads to more parolees. But solutions are being debated and the topic is certain to come up when the state Legislature meets again. Bird has been charged with five felonies. A Billings judge set his bail at $1 million, an unusually high sum meant to ensure Bird isnt spotted again in downtown Billings anytime soon. Medical school picks Billings In February, the Colorado-based Rocky Vista University announced it would build a $50 million, 12-acre medical school campus in Billings on the far West End. It was promised that within a few years the school would attract hundreds of super smart medical students, employ as many as 350 people, and dump millions upon millions of dollars annually into the local economy. The bonus would be that many of the newly minted osteopathic doctors may remain to practice in Montana, easing the states chronic doctor shortage. The news, however, was not universally celebrated. Billings Clinic declined to partner with the university, mostly because it already partners with a top-rated medical school. Other skeptics in the state, especially in Great Falls where officials are courting their own medical school, predicted the state wont be able to support the huge increase in medical students. St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, however, is all in. The hospital says it will gladly partner with RVU and even create an office of medical education to connect students to clinical rotation programs. In an October ceremony attended by the governor, RVU broke ground on its campus at Shiloh and Monad and expects to begin its first classes by the end of 2022. Seeing hope For a busy Miles City mom, the trouble started with a simple operation to correct her vision. Millions of people have had the same surgery and were better off for it. Jaimi Espys local optometrist recommended she have her severe nearsightedness corrected by having an artificial lens implanted in her eye. The surgery wasnt available in Miles City, so she found a doctor in Billings. That surgery, however, did not go as it should have. Over time, the lens failed, popping out of her eye as she prepared a Thanksgiving dinner. Repairing the damage led to a horrifying cascade of emergency surgeries that couldnt prevent her from going entirely blind in both eyes. Espy sued the Billings eye surgeon and a jury awarded her $3 million. That sounds like an awful lot of money, even after her lawyers are paid. And, the money will help pay her expenses and ease her challenges, the mother now in her 40s, says. What the money doesnt do is erase the horror of slowly losing her vision, a trauma that led her to the brink of suicide. And it wont help her see the joy on her young daughter's face as she pushes her in a backyard swing. The money also wouldnt have changed how Espys story ends. I can adapt and I will adapt and there is a way to do the things that I want to do, she told the Gazette in early July. I think the biggest key to that is not giving up. Pushing it to 11 Speaking of not giving up, heres a good news story to end 2021 with. When Billings motorcycle racer Ryan Zahn started piling up wins on the dirt tracks around Montana, he decided to go semi-pro. Thats news in anyones book, and The Gazette profiled Zahn in late November. Ever since he was a tiny boy, Zahn has worked on his own bikes, souping up the engines and modifying them to suit his peculiar riding style. And, hes had his share of crashes. After one bone-snapping spill, he was patched up by the same exasperated doctor who had patched him up after a previous wreck. Zahn was born with all the right stuff, the same talents that all great athletes have, a fearlessness and grit, and a drive to win. What he wasnt born with are arms. To ride a motorcycle, Zahn had to invent a new way to ride. When he wins, even his fiercest rivals have to marvel. His philosophy in life is the same as his philosophy in racing, youve got to always be pushing it to 11. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe By Anna Mehler Paperny TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada will take in female Afghan judges and their families who have been living in limbo, primarily in Greece, since their evacuation from Afghanistan in the fall, a spokesperson for the immigration minister said Friday. In addition to the judges and their families, a group totalling about 230 people, Canada will also resettle an unspecified number of Afghans from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities who had been referred by a third-party aid organization, the spokesperson said. They are expected to come to Canada next year but there is no firm date. Canada has promised to resettle 40,000 Afghan refugees but has no timeline for doing so. Since the Taliban took control of the country after the U.S. troop withdrawal in August, Canada has resettled 3,915 Afghans with connections to the Canadian government and another 2,535 on humanitarian grounds, according to government figures. Afghan women made great strides in the two decades since the Taliban last ruled the country from 1996 to 2001, joining previously all-male bastions such as the judiciary, the media and politics. "All the achievements of 20 years came back to zero within the blink of an eye," said Freshta Masoni, a family court judge staying in Athens with her toddler daughters. Since returning to power, the Taliban pledged to protect women's rights in accordance with Islamic law, announcing a general "amnesty" for all former state workers. But advocates fear a backslide to when women were not allowed to work and girls were banned from school. Even if they can leave the country, Afghan asylum-seekers may face years of waits amid logistical backlogs and delays. Western countries usually resettle refugees referred by the UN refugee agency, which has limited capacity to process applications for resettlement. "The biggest bottleneck there is the issue that referral partners in the region have not been able to ramp up capacity," Canada's immigration minister, Sean Fraser, told Reuters earlier this month. "These challenges are going to take a little bit of time to sort out." Afghanistan's refugee situation is different from the Syrian refugee crisis that galvanized the world several years ago, UN refugee agency officials and advocates say. Unlike Syria, the Afghan crisis escalated rapidly during a global pandemic and many face difficulties leaving the country. Those who do leave face additional waits, often in countries with little capacity to support them. Some of the female judges, who have been living in Greece since October, told Reuters they have lacked health coverage because of their temporary visa status. Advocates have called on countries to resettle Afghans without requiring a designation from the UNHCR or other NGOs, a step Canada has signalled it is open to. (Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) Bill McClellan Bill McClellan is a columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Bill McClellan Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today The old year was not good, but the new one will be worse. I have resigned myself to that. Why pretend the light at the end of the tunnel is anything but the beam from an oncoming train? I am not talking about national politics. That disaster is too profound for me. I cannot pretend to understand it. If you would have told me 10 years ago that my political heroes would be Liz Cheney and Dan Quayle, I would not have believed you. But Cheney has stood up to Donald Trump and Quayle advised Mike Pence that a vice president ought not overturn a national election. I used to despise Cheneys father, and I was convinced that Quayle was an empty suit. I obviously saw things in a superficial way. Fortunately, I have earned the right to ignore national politics. I have done my bit. I was patriotic enough to flunk out of college and get drafted. Eventually, I became a taxpayer and a voter. That is not a great resume, but it is good enough that I can say, Let the young people save the Republic. I am too old to rush to the barricades. Whats more, I would probably get lost. Thats another thing about a new year. Navigating through life does not get easier with the passing of time. For that reason, I seldom go out. I made an exception in November when comedian Greg Warren came to the Funny Bone at Westport Plaza. I bought two tickets online. I try not to do stuff like that, but I decided to reach a little, test myself, and I did quite well. I made the online purchase and printed out my two tickets. An anthropologist once surmised that a Neanderthal, tossed into our modern culture, could probably learn to do a complicated thing like use the proper change to ride mass transit. Perhaps. But could he order online? On a Friday night in mid-November, we drove to Westport. Even during daylight, I get lost as I approach Westport. Its like trying to get to the city of Oz through a maze. You look for shiny gold building and head toward it. One pass is seldom enough. With the help of my longtime navigator we celebrated 42 years of marriage this past Wednesday we arrived at Westport. I had forgotten our tickets. You didnt bring the tickets? Mary asked. It wasnt really a question. Actual tickets are old news, I said cheerfully. Because I bought them online, the ticket office would surely have a record of that. Arent computers supposed to make life easier? I had an ace in the hole. I knew Warrens mother. Yes, that is the new me. I am the guy who knows the drummers parents. The late Colleen Kelly Warren used to write occasional columns for this newspaper. I was hoping I wouldnt have to act like a big-shot and ask to speak to the headliner, but I was ready to do it. I projected an air of self-confidence as I walked up to the ticket window. I dont have the actual tickets with me for Greg Warrens show, I said. Im sure you have a record of the purchase. Greg Warren is here next Friday night, she said. I told that story to my grandkids a couple of weeks ago as we headed to the Fabulous Fox to see Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical. I remembered the tickets this time and I double-checked the date, I said. I let my wife and grandkids out and found a place to park. I got to the theater in time for the show, but I did not have proof of vaccination. I went home, got my vaccination card and returned in time for the second half. Like I said, I dont go out much. Just because I have difficulty getting to the mall and back does not mean I dont crave adventure. When the year began, I had several road trips in mind. One was especially grand. We would head to the northwest to visit an old pal who lives in the state of Washington. On the way there, we would visit a nephew who lives in Oregon and a friend in Nebraska. Wed take a southern route home down into California and then through Arizona to Texas. Maybe wed stop in Branson on the way home. The continuing drama with the pandemic stopped all that. Plus, I had planned on getting a new car for the big trip, but new cars were scarce this past year. Supply chain problems. I was able to find one new car I liked, but it didnt have a spare tire. It had a repair kit. I would like adventure, but not that much adventure. Sitting on the side of the road with a flat tire and a repair kit, waiting to be towed to some town where I might be able to find a new tire? That does not sound like a plan, What is up with these supply-chain problems? Its well beyond new cars. My local grocery store doesnt even have eggnog. Are the chickens in on this? Lets go Brandon! I know. I know. Its not his fault. He was brought in to save the Republic, but the task was just too big, the opposition too well organized and too fierce, and hes too old, too worn out. Its really quite depressing. Its not as if this hasnt happened before in other countries. I would mention the movie Cabaret, but I dont want to encourage a movement to ban Christopher Isherwoods Berlin Diaries from our school libraries. On a more personal note, the Cubs had a terrible year. An 11-game losing streak and a 13-game losing streak. We not only finished 24 games out of first place, but we also traded our three best players Javier Baez, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. What did we get for them? Teenagers. We might be able to field a high-level American Legion team. Maybe someday some of those kids will grow up to be big-league players, but it wont be soon. The Cubs will not be competitive in 2022. So what else do we know about this new year? Well have elections. Half the country doesnt believe in them and will refuse to accept the results if their side loses, but well have them anyway, for old times sake. The results will be especially depressing here in Missouri. Eric Greitens is currently the favorite to win the Trumpian senatorial primary. If he implodes, it could be Eric Schmitt. Or maybe Mark McCloskey. Whichever one emerges out of the ooze will be the heavy favorite to join Josh Hawley in the Senate. By the way, Hawley would be my choice to lead a movement to ban Isherwoods book. After all, it was just a gay guys take on the manly men of the Third Reich. Long before the primary election in August, there will be a showdown at the Missouri Supreme Court over St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner. The states chief disciplinary counsel has found probable cause that she committed professional misconduct during her ill-advised foray into the Greitens mess. Will the court have the resolve to punish her, knowing that her side would immediately condemn the punishment as racist? What a black eye that would be for the city and the state. A crusading circuit attorney attacked by the racist establishment. I predict riots. Or the Supreme Court could try to finesse the whole thing and say that she committed misconduct, but that is not such a serious thing for the leading law enforcement official of the states second largest city. Just move along, folks. Nothing to see here. The only promising thing I can say about the new year is, I have been wrong often before. Like with Cheney and Quayle. Who couldve guessed that? He is soaking up the festive sun in the Maldives. And Gordon Ramsay stole some time on his getaway to treat his followers to a look at his age-defying physique while larking around with son Oscar, two. Meanwhile, his daughter Holly, 22, flaunted her figure in a patterned bikini as she soaked up the sun on her balcony. Wow: Gordon Ramsay stole some time on his getaway to treat his followers to a look at his age-defying physique while larking around with son Oscar, two, in the Maldives As the chef, 55, enjoyed the jaunt along the shore, he was going shirtless and sporting a pair of bright blue shorts while playing around with his youngest - who was wearing a pair of matching shorts. Gordon looked incredibly ripped in a trio of body-baring images, which made the most of his sculpted abs and lean body. He added a caption on the shot reading: 'Little Man Big Man Happy New Year lots of love from all the Ramsay', in a nod to his family on the vacation. Elsewhere on the same trip, Holly teamed her skimpy halterneck bikini with a yellow bucket hat and a delicate gold necklace as she beamed for the camera. Work it: Meanwhile, his daughter Holly, 22, flaunted her figure in a patterned bikini as she soaked up the sun on her balcony The beauty captioned her snap: 'Idk about you, but Im feeling 22' as she marked her birthday in the sunshine. Later in the day, her TV star father decided to share some snaps of his legs to his Instagram stories, as he prepared to head for a sunset swim. The images shows Gordon in his swimming trunks stretched out on a sun lounger, with the star giving a glimpse of his broken toe. Hunky: As the chef, 55, enjoyed the jaunt along the shore, he was going shirtless and sporting a pair of bright blue shorts while playing around with his youngest Wow: Gordon looked incredibly ripped in a trio of body-baring images, which made the most of his sculpted abs and lean body Aaand relax: Later in the day, her TV star father decided to share some snaps of his legs to his Instagram stories, as he prepared to head for a sunset swim Ouch! The images shows Gordon in his swimming trunks stretched out on a sun lounger, with the star giving a glimpse of his broken toe The short-tempered TV chef shares Oscar with wife Tana, as well as Megan, 23, twins Holly and Jack, 22, and Tilly, 20. The group were in the mood to celebrate this week as they marked the twins 22nd birthdays, with Gordon sharing a sweet post in a nod to his kids. He was every inch the proud dad on Friday as he celebrated the twins' big day. Gordon shared a sweet throwback snap of the pair to mark the occasion with his 13.2 million followers on Instagram. The adorable image shows the now 22-year-old twins dressed to the nines as kids in cute formal wear, with Gordon praising his kids for an 'incredible year.' Cuties: Gordon was every inch the proud dad on Friday as he celebrated his twins Holly and Jack's 22nd birthday with a sweet throwback snap Proud: Captioning the snap, dad Gordon posted: 'Happy 22nd birthday to our incredible twins , have a great day Jack love you best mate Holly congrats on a incredible year love you Dad' Jack can be seen wearing a white shirt, matching waistcoat and cream trousers, while beaming Holly wore a silk dress with gold belt and accessorising with a cute little handbag. Captioning the snap, delighted dad Gordon posted: 'Happy 22nd birthday to our incredible twins, have a great day Jack love you best mate Holly congrats on a incredible year love you Dad.' It comes after Gordon's daughter Holly recently marked one year of sobriety. Email Newsletters Get the best of The Aspen Daily News in your inbox. Our newsletters are free, and you can unsubscribe at any time. In the year 2021, 45 journalists and media professionals were slain in 20 countries, The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) announced on Friday. IFJ stated that this is a decrease from the 65 killings recorded last year in 2020. Since 1991, at least 2,721 journalists have been slain around the world, as per the reports of ANI. The Asia Pacific region leads the list of killings of journalists with 20 killings, followed by the Americas at 10, Africa at 8, Europe at 6 and the Middle East and Arab World at 1. In Iran, two scribes were killed in a car accident. Talking about the countries, Afghanistan had reported the most number of deaths of journalists, with nine scribes having been assassinated, while Mexico reported eight. Violence has also been reported in other South Asian nations, notably Pakistan. Journalists and media workers are slain for exposing corruption A statement was released by IFJ stating that more journalists and media workers have been slain for exposing corruption, criminality, and abuse of power in their neighbourhoods, cities and countries, according to ANI. The threat for journalists continues as the dominance of crime gangs and drug cartels grows. IFJ statement said that right from Mexico's slums to the streets of European cities in Greece and the Netherlands, all have reported many targeted killings of media workers in 2021. According to ANI, IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger stated that these 45 colleagues we lost to violence this year remind us of the terrible sacrifice that journalists around the world continue to make in order to serve the public interest. Bellanger further stated that the International Federation of Journalists feels that the only appropriate tribute to the cause for which they sacrificed their life is an unwavering pursuit of justice for them. He also added that because of the growing assassinations of journalists, they will continue to fight for the creation of a new United Nations Convention for the Protection of Journalists, that would ensure responsibility for journalists' assassinations. The Taliban kidnapped Afghan journalist Haji Arif Noori On the other hand, recently, on December 26, the Taliban kidnapped Afghan journalist Haji Arif Noori and ransacked his Kabul residence before releasing him two days later, according to ANI. IFJ suggests that a group of Taliban-affiliated militants attacked and searched Noori's residence in Kabul's Karte Parwan district before transporting him to an undisclosed place. The Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) verified Noori's release on December 28. Image: Unsplash, Pixabay In the year 2021, 45 journalists and media professionals were slain in 20 countries, The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) announced on Friday. IFJ stated that this is a decrease from the 65 killings recorded last year in 2020. Since 1991, at least 2,721 journalists have been slain around the world, as per the reports of ANI. The Asia Pacific region leads the list of killings of journalists with 20 killings, followed by the Americas at 10, Africa at 8, Europe at 6 and the Middle East and Arab World at 1. In Iran, two scribes were killed in a car accident. Talking about the countries, Afghanistan had reported the most number of deaths of journalists, with nine scribes having been assassinated, while Mexico reported eight. Violence has also been reported in other South Asian nations, notably Pakistan. Journalists and media workers are slain for exposing corruption A statement was released by IFJ stating that more journalists and media workers have been slain for exposing corruption, criminality, and abuse of power in their neighbourhoods, cities and countries, according to ANI. The threat for journalists continues as the dominance of crime gangs and drug cartels grows. IFJ statement said that right from Mexico's slums to the streets of European cities in Greece and the Netherlands, all have reported many targeted killings of media workers in 2021. According to ANI, IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger stated that these 45 colleagues we lost to violence this year remind us of the terrible sacrifice that journalists around the world continue to make in order to serve the public interest. Bellanger further stated that the International Federation of Journalists feels that the only appropriate tribute to the cause for which they sacrificed their life is an unwavering pursuit of justice for them. He also added that because of the growing assassinations of journalists, they will continue to fight for the creation of a new United Nations Convention for the Protection of Journalists, that would ensure responsibility for journalists' assassinations. The Taliban kidnapped Afghan journalist Haji Arif Noori On the other hand, recently, on December 26, the Taliban kidnapped Afghan journalist Haji Arif Noori and ransacked his Kabul residence before releasing him two days later, according to ANI. IFJ suggests that a group of Taliban-affiliated militants attacked and searched Noori's residence in Kabul's Karte Parwan district before transporting him to an undisclosed place. The Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) verified Noori's release on December 28. Image: Unsplash, Pixabay (Tribune News Service) Almost 2,400 flights into and out of the U.S. were canceled Saturday, and more than 1,100 were delayed, according to the tracking firm FlightAware.com, amid bad weather and staff shortages caused by the rapid spread of the omicron variant. Southwest Airlines Co. canceled 471 flights 21% of scheduled trips and delayed another 187; while regional carrier SkyWest Inc. canceled 422 flights and delayed another 65. Among the bigger national carriers, Delta Air Lines Inc. cut 9% of its flights while American Airlines Group Inc. and United Airlines Holdings Inc. each scrubbed 7%, according to the site. Some 1,627 flights into or out of the U.S. have already been canceled for Sunday, FlightAware said. A heavy snow storm across large parts of the country is expected to cause major travel disruptions, according to the National Weather Service. With the U.S. hitting record infections, the holiday travel season has been snarled by about 12,000 canceled flights since Christmas Eve, according to the Associated Press. Some of the biggest trouble spots for travelers were in the Midwest, where where 58% of flights scheduled to leave from Chicago Midway and 45% from Chicago O'Hare were scratched, according to FlightAware. Airports in Denver, Kansas City and Detroit also saw a high number of cancellations and delays. The Transportation Security Administration, which has been grappling with unruly passengers, urged people to "be patient." Security screened more than 1.6 million people yesterday at checkpoints around the country. ___ 2021 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The deployment of the first regiment of the S-400 Triumf missile systems is likely to complete at an airbase in Punjab by February, military officials said. They said that the Indian Air Force has initiated the deployment process of the missile system and it will take at least six more weeks to complete. According to a PTI report, the first regiment of the S-400 air defence system is being deployed in such a way that it can cover parts of the border with China (northern sector) as well as Pakistan (frontier). "The transportation of various critical components of the missile systems as well as its peripheral equipment to the site of the deployment is going on," said an official. India will receive five units of the S-400 missile systems from Russia. During the 2018 India-Russia summit in New Delhi, India had inked a USD 5.43 billion deal for the purchase of five S-400 surface-to-air missile systems for long-term security needs. About S-400 missile system The S-400 Triumf is a mobile surface-to-air missile system developed by Russia's ACDBME (Almaz Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering). It is among the most advanced air defence system currently available in the market. The missile system was designed with an aim to exterminate tactical and strategic aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, and hypersonic weapons. Indias Junior Defence minister Ajay Bhatt had said the S-400 Missile is "a potent system in terms of its operational capability to provide continuous and effective air defence system to a very large area. With the induction of this system, the air defence capability of the nation will be significantly enhanced." Meanwhile, the Indian military personnel are also being trained to operate the S-400 missile system. Earlier, Vyacheslav Dzirkaln, a top official of Almaz-Antey, said that a "sufficient" number of the Indian armed forces underwent training to operate the equipment. (With PTI inputs) Image: PTI BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The New Year speech of Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday has shown China's responsibility as a major country to advance global peace and development, and its resolution and action to promote building a community with a shared future for mankind, overseas experts and officials have said. Meanwhile, they said they wish China success in hosting the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics. Phay Siphan, chief spokesman for the Cambodian government, said Xi's speech has reflected China's commitment to building a modern socialist country. "President Xi's speech inspires people around the world to love peace, to jointly protect peace, and to work together for common development and prosperity towards building a community with a shared future for mankind," he told Xinhua. Ivona Ladjevac, deputy director of Serbia's Institute of International Politics and Economics, said the event of 2021, "without any doubt, was the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC)." Led by the CPC, China is pursuing the Chinese dream, Ladjevac noted, adding "there is no reason to doubt that China will make the year 2022 at least as successful as the previous 2021." "China has broadened the scientific reach of humanity by placing a space station into orbit," said Cavince Adhere, a Kenya-based international relations scholar. Adhere said he believes in the year of 2022, "China will, in many ways, shape the course of humanity towards a more stable, peaceful and prosperous world." Charles Onunaiju, director of the Abuja-based Center for China Studies, hailed China's important contributions to the world through its eye-catching performance in epidemic control and economic growth. China has shouldered its responsibility as a major country, as it has offered COVID-19 vaccines and other medical assistance to developing countries, including those in Africa, Onunaiju said. French writer and sinologist Lea Bessis said she quite agrees with Xi's remarks that "only through unity, solidarity and cooperation can countries around the world write a new chapter in building a community with a shared future for mankind." The remarks have shown China's firm resolution to promoting global peace and development, she said. Bessis added that China's efforts for development aim at improving the well-being of the people. Pui Jeng Leong, a media veteran in Brunei, said China has declared a comprehensive victory in the battle against poverty, completing the arduous task of eliminating absolute poverty, which is not only a Chinese miracle but also a major contribution to the world's poverty reduction project and global development. He said he appreciates Xi's remarks about China's contribution to the global anti-pandemic cooperation, adding the friendship and mutual support between Brunei and China in the joint fight against the pandemic have become an example of mutual assistance. Enditem BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The New Year speech of Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday has shown China's responsibility as a major country to advance global peace and development, and its resolution and action to promote building a community with a shared future for mankind, overseas experts and officials have said. Meanwhile, they said they wish China success in hosting the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics. Phay Siphan, chief spokesman for the Cambodian government, said Xi's speech has reflected China's commitment to building a modern socialist country. "President Xi's speech inspires people around the world to love peace, to jointly protect peace, and to work together for common development and prosperity towards building a community with a shared future for mankind," he told Xinhua. Ivona Ladjevac, deputy director of Serbia's Institute of International Politics and Economics, said the event of 2021, "without any doubt, was the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC)." Led by the CPC, China is pursuing the Chinese dream, Ladjevac noted, adding "there is no reason to doubt that China will make the year 2022 at least as successful as the previous 2021." "China has broadened the scientific reach of humanity by placing a space station into orbit," said Cavince Adhere, a Kenya-based international relations scholar. Adhere said he believes in the year of 2022, "China will, in many ways, shape the course of humanity towards a more stable, peaceful and prosperous world." Charles Onunaiju, director of the Abuja-based Center for China Studies, hailed China's important contributions to the world through its eye-catching performance in epidemic control and economic growth. China has shouldered its responsibility as a major country, as it has offered COVID-19 vaccines and other medical assistance to developing countries, including those in Africa, Onunaiju said. French writer and sinologist Lea Bessis said she quite agrees with Xi's remarks that "only through unity, solidarity and cooperation can countries around the world write a new chapter in building a community with a shared future for mankind." The remarks have shown China's firm resolution to promoting global peace and development, she said. Bessis added that China's efforts for development aim at improving the well-being of the people. Pui Jeng Leong, a media veteran in Brunei, said China has declared a comprehensive victory in the battle against poverty, completing the arduous task of eliminating absolute poverty, which is not only a Chinese miracle but also a major contribution to the world's poverty reduction project and global development. He said he appreciates Xi's remarks about China's contribution to the global anti-pandemic cooperation, adding the friendship and mutual support between Brunei and China in the joint fight against the pandemic have become an example of mutual assistance. Enditem An unidentified terrorist has been neutralised in an encounter with the security forces in the Jumagund area of Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district, police informed on Saturday. The Jammu and Kashmir Police in a tweet said, "One unidentified terrorist killed in an encounter at Jumagund area of Kupwara. Army and Police are on the job. Further details shall follow." Further details are awaited. A total of 171 terrorists were killed in the year 2021 of which 19 were Pakistani terrorists, the Jammu and Kashmir Police said on Friday. Addressing a press conference here, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar said that all those who were involved in the Zewan terror attack, in which three police personnel were killed and 11 injured on December 13, have been neutralized. "An encounter broke out last night at the Pantha Chowk area of Srinagar as we got info that three terrorists involved in the Zewan terror attack are hiding. Security forces cordoned the area, during the initial firing three Police and two CRPF personnel got injured. All injured personnel are stable," he said.(ANI) Ken Woody learned a lot from his Mohawk grandfather. Woody grew up in Plum, Pennsylvania, with his grandparents nearby in the Unity neighborhood. When I was a child, 5 or 6 years old, my grandparents would babysit me while my parents were at work, he remembers. Grandpap had his own [automobile repair] garage along Universal Road. His name was Joseph LaFountain, but everyone called him 'Indian Joe.' He was part Mohawk, he says. He would teach me how to make eagle feather head dresses, leggings, breech cloths, pipe bags and do bead work. When you're a child, a window opens and influences you for the rest of your life, said Woody, who will turn 58 in January. I found my calling in life, said the man who now is an expert on Native American culture. He will retire on New Year's Eve after 23 years as chief of interpretation and visitor services at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Montana. Ken is one of the world's leading experts in Indian tipis, a walking encyclopedia of Indian culture, said Michael Donahue, who has spent 33 years working as a seasonal ranger at the battlefield. That's where Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and the five companies of the U.S. Seventh Cavalry that were under his immediate command were annihilated on June 25, 1876, along the banks of the Little Big Horn River while trying to force nomadic Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne tribes onto reservations. The Lakota, Cheyenne and handful of Arapaho warriors who fought with them that day won their greatest victory over any U.S. fighting force west of the Mississippi River, but the Indigenous peoples' way of life was soon lost forever. The road to the National Park Service job of his dreams was long, hard and full of surprises, says Woody, whose full name is Kenneth Russell Woody III. A lot of it was being in the right place at the right time, said the 1982 graduate of Plum High School as he remembered how he met his wife, the former Lorraine Frack. My mom and her mom were friends who hadn't seen each other for many years before one day her mom just popped into our house for a visit, said Woody whose parents, Ken and Geneva Woody, no longer live in Plum. She was having some car troubles so my Mom and Dad followed her back to [her home in] New York and I went along. He and Lorraine were 18 years old when they married. Two years later their daughter, Cindy, was born, followed later by Kenny IV and Joe. I hated New York City. I knew I didn't want an office job and I knew I wanted to work outdoors, Woody said. I found a school in the wilderness. That was the New York State Ranger School, now the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry or SUNY-ESF near Wanakena. The school was in the Adirondack Mountains in Upstate New York, he said. It was hard but we managed. We basically lived on Ronald Reagan [free government] cheese. We lived in an old loggers house with thin walls, no insulation. It seemed like it snowed every day and was 30 below. We had a foot of ice on the roof covered by 2 feet of snow. We had a wood stove in the living room where we made our bedroom. He later took some classes at Syracuse University and the University of Pittsburgh before taking a job as a seasonal National Park Service ranger at Fort Necessity near Farmington. I spent two summers giving interpretive talks. It was cool and I decided to pursue a career in the National Park Service. He spent a third summer as a seasonal ranger at the Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site in the Upper Missouri River Valley in North Dakota, where Northern Plains Indians such as the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara hunted like nomadic tribes but were essentially earthlodge dwellers and farmers. While there, Woody received a postcard from a friend telling him of a permanent National Park Service position as a part-time evening and night law enforcement dispatcher at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia. He applied for the job and became a permanent National Park Service employee 30 years ago, on Sept. 9, 1991. I spent nine months there and got to see a lot of things in Independence Hall and other sites that most people don't get to see, he said. Next he took a permanent ranger position at Knife River. There he honed his skills making Native American regalia as well as tipis, war shields, buffalo robes, war shirts and head dresses. As time went on, he began selling his wares to museums and private collectors. He also eventually began giving educational talks and re-enactments and modeling many of the items he made. But life can be tough on the Northern Plains where the weather can be as unforgiving as the Adirondacks. And his career really was a labor of love because National Park Service wages were relatively low at that time, especially when you're trying to support a family of five. In the National Park Service, we get paid in sunsets, he said. Rangers live in places where people go on vacation, so part of the income is being able to live there. He enjoyed giving talks visitors at Knife River, but he felt he had more to offer and, according to Donahue, things were starting to change at Little Bighorn. Under pressure from the American Indian Movement and other Native American organizations and a general change in attitude by white America toward the indigenous peoples, the stricken field was renamed Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in a law signed by President George H.W. Bush on Dec. 10, 1991. With Native Americans joining the ever-changing list of superintendents who have been in charge of the battlefield, Donahue said, the way interpretative rangers gave daily talks to visitors changed, too. The pendulum swung from being pro-military, pro-Custer to pro-Indian, anti-Custer, said Donahue, whose full-time job is as an art teacher and former department chair at Temple College in Temple, a community in Central Texas. Donahue believes Woody's appointment as chief of interpretation and visitors services in December 1998 was perfect timing as the pendulum swung closer to the middle. An Indian Memorial for the warriors who fought against the soldiers as well as the Crow and Arikara Indian scouts who fought with army was dedicated in 2003 on Last Stand Hill, less than 100 yards from where Custer fell and the obelisk for the fallen soldiers has stood since 1881. As Woody settled into his new job, he realized he had found his niche at what he has called the ultimate historic park in the West. ... The battle is well known. ... It's a fascinating enigma, a modern army being defeated by a Stone Age people. I like giving talks. I like being a showman. I like an audience. It's better to have a big audience. Knife River got maybe 20,000 visitors a year at the time. Little Bighorn was getting 300,000, he continued. I always was a big fan of movies like Little Big Man [an anti-establishment film that portrays Custer as a megalomaniacal lunatic]. Little Bighorn was a culmination of all my interests. Despite his self-acknowledged pro-Indian leanings, Woody believes there are no good guys and no bad guys here. ... Everyone was doing what he thought was right. ... I think Americans look at Custer in the wrong light. He was doing the will of the lawmakers in Washington. Donahue says, Ken always encouraged us to be fair and unbiased. There are more than two sides to every story. There are three, four and sometimes five sides to the story. Ken knows a lot about the battle but he was always willing to ask questions and learn. He's not a know-it-all. He's very humble in his knowledge. Michael Stops, a Crow tribal member and longtime chief ranger at the battlefield who also is retiring, said Woody brought good objectivity to the job. I think because he's from back East, he's more neutral. He's not really for either side. I think that's very important because you have the military and all the different tribes who all have their own distinct interest in the park. Woody's world was transformed forever on Dec. 15, 2011, when his 21-year-old son, Kenny IV, was killed in a vehicle accident near the family's home in Hardin, some 15 miles from the battlefield. Things changed. My attitude toward life changed. Some things aren't as important now, Woody says. Life is too unpredictable to keep putting off the things you want to do. I've been here 23 years. As cool as this place is, it's time to do something else. I've been there, done that, he said. As much as I would like to stay, too much other stuff is not fun; paperwork, meetings, projects. I kind of want to be left alone. I want time to be with my family. For the past several years, Woody has been purchasing, renovating and renting homes in Hardin. Now he's planning to become a full-fledged entrepreneur, opening a trading post with Native American regalia. He hopes to open an Airbnb and offer private tours of the battlefield. I've already been asked to lead a tour next summer on the anniversary of the battle the 146th. Email Newsletters Get the best of The Aspen Daily News in your inbox. Our newsletters are free, and you can unsubscribe at any time. This was the year we were to leave COVID behind us and get on with our lives. That didnt happen as wave after wave of the virus washed over us, once again filling our hospitals and jacking up the death toll. Like 2020, we needed help to cope with all the sick. In their second year on the front lines, exhausted local hospital workers got relief from traveling nurses, the National Guard and visiting federal health care teams. And, all around us the debate over vaccines and masks and mandates raged on, in a few cases exploding into angry confrontations with medical professionals and service workers. Like children, we had to be reminded by signs hung in hospitals and businesses to be kind. But mostly we were kind to each other, especially in the face of disaster. When a freak December range fire swept over the tiny town of Denton, burning 25 homes and six businesses, volunteers turned up to help. Strangers brought food and hot coffee, offered homes to stay in and helped victims sift through the ashes. Ranchers from around the state donated hay, and the governor contributed a quarter of his salary to a relief fund. When an Amtrak train derailed near Joplin on the Hi-Line killing three people and injuring dozens, among the rescuers were people from town who risked their own safety to pull survivors from the wreckage. And when a young woman didnt return as planned from a solo hike in the Beartooth Mountains, volunteers trekked into the backcountry to find her. Even fish got some love. A mechanical problem on the Hebgen Lake Dam drained the upper Madison River, leaving many fish high and dry. Volunteers waded into the river with buckets to move struggling fish to deeper water. And in Billings, school children packed bags filled with treats to give to weary health care workers, who because of COVID protocols they would never get to meet. From beginning to end in 2021, as tiresome as the topic has become, COVID seemed all we could talk about, and for the second year in a row it was The Billings Gazettes top story of the year. Enough has probably already been said about it, so here, not strictly listed in order of importance, are some of the other top stories of the year from our region: West End standoff For 10 hours through an April night, an armed man held police at bay from inside a Billings West End home he had broken into after he and a woman he had just met killed a man whose van they had stolen. The victim was a 33-year-old family man from Sheridan, Wyoming named Dennis Gresham. He had driven to Billings to pick up a friend at the airport early the next morning and had been sleeping in his van at a campground. That morning, Michael McClure and Kristy Chavez approached the genial Gresham in his van and asked for help, but it was a trick. At gunpoint, Gresham was taken captive and the three left the campground in his van. Within a few minutes, Gresham was dead, shot five times. In Laurel, McClure and Chavez stopped in the parking lot of a business to get rid of the van and the body. Employees inside the business watching the pair throw a big tarp over the van found it suspicious and called police. The chase was on. With police in pursuit, the couple raced back to Billings where they eventually crashed the van in a quiet, affluent neighborhood and then ran away. Chavez was quickly caught. McClure kept running, trying the doors of several homes before finding one he could break into. The homeowner, luckily, was away. Billings Police surrounded the house with a small army of specially trained officers and slowly turned up the heat on McClure. Finally, just as the sun was rising, police went in after him. Within seconds there was what police described as a quick volley of gunfire. They said McClure fired first, a shot they later determined was a suicide shot to his own head. Chavez remains in jail after being charged with deliberate homicide by accountability. The homeowner returned to a house that had been trashed by the standoff. Police and city officials told her they werent paying, it would be up to her and her insurance company. Lost hiker In late June, 23-year-old Tatum Morell hiked into the Beartooth Mountains above Red Lodge for a solo trek. The Montana State University engineering student was a fit and experienced hiker and had planned to set up a base camp from which she would summit five peaks above 12,000 feet. On July 1, she checked in with family using a Garmin InReach satellite communicator, and then in the days that followed the family heard nothing. Searchers from Red Lodge Fire and Rescue and some volunteers hiked into the rugged terrain hunting for her. Searchers also took to the air. At Shadow Lake, rescuers found her orange tent and campsite, but not her. As the search dragged on, Morells family traveled to Red Lodge from out of state and waited anxiously at the official command post. After an agonizing two weeks, rescuers and Morells family united in a July 14th press conference acknowledging Tatum was almost certainly dead. Well into August, hikers continued looking for her. On Saturday, Aug. 21, a group of backpackers near Whitetail Peak found her body where she had apparently gotten caught in a rock slide. The next day, her body was recovered by helicopter and flown home. The son who never gave up Deep in the Idaho backcountry last September, a hunter found the remains of a bowhunter who had gone missing more than 50 years earlier. The hunter had discovered two weathered black boots sticking out from under a boulder. It took four men to move the giant rock, and underneath they found some bone fragments, a bit of coiled rope, a rusty knife, part of a wooden arrow shaft, and a plastic gas station credit card bearing the name of Raymond Jones. The discovery was barely news in Montana except to one family in Billings where the news hit like a bombshell. Businessman Jeff Jones was 12-years-old when his father Raymond Jones went missing. The now 65-year-old Jeff had never stopped wishing for his dad to come home. It was a cousin who informed Jeff that the remains found in Idaho were all that was left of his father. All of the grief and frustration Jeff had pent up for decades was released at once, overwhelming him for days in what he could only describe as a fog. He now says he feels blessed to finally have the mystery solved. This spring, Jeff plans a graveside service in Miles City where his fathers remains will at last be laid to rest next to his parents. Red Lodge faces flames In some of the photos shot from Red Lodges main street on the dark evening of June 13, it looks like its only a matter of minutes before the towering orange flames of the Robertson Draw fire devour the small mountain town. That had happened dozens of times in California, leaving behind gray images of entire neighborhoods reduced to smoldering foundations. Some residents loaded their valuables into their car and drove out of town. Ranchers cut fences to let livestock run ahead of the fire. At a tiny church in town, the minister welcomed tourists who had been ordered from their campgrounds. Then sometime during the night the strong winds that had been pushing the fire into Red Lodge suddenly changed direction. In the morning, Mount Maurice, the sentinel behind Red Lodge, stood black with wisps of smoke still curling from naked trees. The fire had moved elsewhere. Red Lodge had been spared. Before the 30,000-acre fire was eventually extinguished a month later, it did burn several remote homes and outbuildings and spread far across rangeland east toward Belfry and south toward Wyoming. In early July, a Bridger man ironically named John Lightburn was charged with starting the fire. He was allegedly riding his motorcycle illegally in forest land south of Red Lodge when the bike broke down. While fixing it, he apparently spilled some gasoline and then while checking the engines spark plug he ignited the blaze. State's biggest fire Other small Eastern Montana towns also came close to getting swallowed up by fire this summer. On Aug. 8, the Richard Spring fire in Rosebud County puffed into life about 10 miles south of Colstrip and then took off in all directions. In this rough, rural country the nearest municipal fire truck can be 50 miles of dirt road away. Ranchers who can afford it have their own firefighting equipment. As the fire, which would eventually join a second fire and then spread across 170,000 acres, bore down on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, residents of Lame Deer and Ashland were ordered from their homes and the roads were closed. Making matters worse, the blaze had cut power, cell service and the internet. Residents had to guess at what danger they were in. Some of the reservations residents were bussed to Busby where they spent the night on cots in the school gym. And then during what has been one of the driest summers ever, the rains came, which believers would say was not by chance. The early cold front beat the fire down enough that within a few days firefighters had it under control. No significant structures had burned, and no one was seriously hurt. Investigators say it was smoldering coal seams that started the fires. The seams have been burning underground for decades, maybe centuries, probably originally ignited by lightning strikes and impossible to extinguish. It wont be the last range fire they start. Parolee problems When a disgruntled employee in November returned to the downtown Billings restaurant where he had earlier that day been fired, he was thinking of just one thing. The wild-eyed young man grabbed steak knives and started threatening everyone in reach. A brave restaurant manager coaxed the man away from customers and eventually into the kitchen where employees and several policeman subdued him. But not before his bloody rampage left at least four employees stabbed, slashed and terrorized. The violence in a downtown restaurant was shocking enough, but there was more to it than anyone that night realized. The suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Bird, had just been released from prison, not to his hometown of Missoula, but to Billings. His arrest touched off a firestorm of complaints from city officials and politicians who say theyre tired of Billings taking on more than its fair share of the state's parolees. One local legislator claimed the states Department of Corrections simply gives new parolees a bus ticket to Billings. And, thats true, at least the part about Billings taking a disproportionate number of parolees, according to a Gazette investigation. In fact, while Yellowstone County makes up about 15% of the states population, at least 24% of the states current parolees are living here. Gallatin County, by contrast, has 11% of the states population, but 5% of the states supervised parolees. The problem is a complicated one. Its true that most of the states programs for supervising and re-integrating parolees are in Billings and that naturally leads to more parolees. But solutions are being debated and the topic is certain to come up when the state Legislature meets again. Bird has been charged with five felonies. A Billings judge set his bail at $1 million, an unusually high sum meant to ensure Bird isnt spotted again in downtown Billings anytime soon. Medical school picks Billings In February, the Colorado-based Rocky Vista University announced it would build a $50 million, 12-acre medical school campus in Billings on the far West End. It was promised that within a few years the school would attract hundreds of super smart medical students, employ as many as 350 people, and dump millions upon millions of dollars annually into the local economy. The bonus would be that many of the newly minted osteopathic doctors may remain to practice in Montana, easing the states chronic doctor shortage. The news, however, was not universally celebrated. Billings Clinic declined to partner with the university, mostly because it already partners with a top-rated medical school. Other skeptics in the state, especially in Great Falls where officials are courting their own medical school, predicted the state wont be able to support the huge increase in medical students. St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, however, is all in. The hospital says it will gladly partner with RVU and even create an office of medical education to connect students to clinical rotation programs. In an October ceremony attended by the governor, RVU broke ground on its campus at Shiloh and Monad and expects to begin its first classes by the end of 2022. Seeing hope For a busy Miles City mom, the trouble started with a simple operation to correct her vision. Millions of people have had the same surgery and were better off for it. Jaimi Espys local optometrist recommended she have her severe nearsightedness corrected by having an artificial lens implanted in her eye. The surgery wasnt available in Miles City, so she found a doctor in Billings. That surgery, however, did not go as it should have. Over time, the lens failed, popping out of her eye as she prepared a Thanksgiving dinner. Repairing the damage led to a horrifying cascade of emergency surgeries that couldnt prevent her from going entirely blind in both eyes. Espy sued the Billings eye surgeon and a jury awarded her $3 million. That sounds like an awful lot of money, even after her lawyers are paid. And, the money will help pay her expenses and ease her challenges, the mother now in her 40s, says. What the money doesnt do is erase the horror of slowly losing her vision, a trauma that led her to the brink of suicide. And it wont help her see the joy on her young daughter's face as she pushes her in a backyard swing. The money also wouldnt have changed how Espys story ends. I can adapt and I will adapt and there is a way to do the things that I want to do, she told the Gazette in early July. I think the biggest key to that is not giving up. Pushing it to 11 Speaking of not giving up, heres a good news story to end 2021 with. When Billings motorcycle racer Ryan Zahn started piling up wins on the dirt tracks around Montana, he decided to go semi-pro. Thats news in anyones book, and The Gazette profiled Zahn in late November. Ever since he was a tiny boy, Zahn has worked on his own bikes, souping up the engines and modifying them to suit his peculiar riding style. And, hes had his share of crashes. After one bone-snapping spill, he was patched up by the same exasperated doctor who had patched him up after a previous wreck. Zahn was born with all the right stuff, the same talents that all great athletes have, a fearlessness and grit, and a drive to win. What he wasnt born with are arms. To ride a motorcycle, Zahn had to invent a new way to ride. When he wins, even his fiercest rivals have to marvel. His philosophy in life is the same as his philosophy in racing, youve got to always be pushing it to 11. This was the year we were to leave COVID behind us and get on with our lives. That didnt happen as wave after wave of the virus washed over us, once again filling our hospitals and jacking up the death toll. Like 2020, we needed help to cope with all the sick. In their second year on the front lines, exhausted local hospital workers got relief from traveling nurses, the National Guard and visiting federal health care teams. And, all around us the debate over vaccines and masks and mandates raged on, in a few cases exploding into angry confrontations with medical professionals and service workers. Like children, we had to be reminded by signs hung in hospitals and businesses to be kind. But mostly we were kind to each other, especially in the face of disaster. When a freak December range fire swept over the tiny town of Denton, burning 25 homes and six businesses, volunteers turned up to help. Strangers brought food and hot coffee, offered homes to stay in and helped victims sift through the ashes. Ranchers from around the state donated hay, and the governor contributed a quarter of his salary to a relief fund. When an Amtrak train derailed near Joplin on the Hi-Line killing three people and injuring dozens, among the rescuers were people from town who risked their own safety to pull survivors from the wreckage. And when a young woman didnt return as planned from a solo hike in the Beartooth Mountains, volunteers trekked into the backcountry to find her. Even fish got some love. A mechanical problem on the Hebgen Lake Dam drained the upper Madison River, leaving many fish high and dry. Volunteers waded into the river with buckets to move struggling fish to deeper water. And in Billings, school children packed bags filled with treats to give to weary health care workers, who because of COVID protocols they would never get to meet. From beginning to end in 2021, as tiresome as the topic has become, COVID seemed all we could talk about, and for the second year in a row it was The Billings Gazettes top story of the year. Enough has probably already been said about it, so here, not strictly listed in order of importance, are some of the other top stories of the year from our region: West End standoff For 10 hours through an April night, an armed man held police at bay from inside a Billings West End home he had broken into after he and a woman he had just met killed a man whose van they had stolen. The victim was a 33-year-old family man from Sheridan, Wyoming named Dennis Gresham. He had driven to Billings to pick up a friend at the airport early the next morning and had been sleeping in his van at a campground. That morning, Michael McClure and Kristy Chavez approached the genial Gresham in his van and asked for help, but it was a trick. At gunpoint, Gresham was taken captive and the three left the campground in his van. Within a few minutes, Gresham was dead, shot five times. In Laurel, McClure and Chavez stopped in the parking lot of a business to get rid of the van and the body. Employees inside the business watching the pair throw a big tarp over the van found it suspicious and called police. The chase was on. With police in pursuit, the couple raced back to Billings where they eventually crashed the van in a quiet, affluent neighborhood and then ran away. Chavez was quickly caught. McClure kept running, trying the doors of several homes before finding one he could break into. The homeowner, luckily, was away. Billings Police surrounded the house with a small army of specially trained officers and slowly turned up the heat on McClure. Finally, just as the sun was rising, police went in after him. Within seconds there was what police described as a quick volley of gunfire. They said McClure fired first, a shot they later determined was a suicide shot to his own head. Chavez remains in jail after being charged with deliberate homicide by accountability. The homeowner returned to a house that had been trashed by the standoff. Police and city officials told her they werent paying, it would be up to her and her insurance company. Lost hiker In late June, 23-year-old Tatum Morell hiked into the Beartooth Mountains above Red Lodge for a solo trek. The Montana State University engineering student was a fit and experienced hiker and had planned to set up a base camp from which she would summit five peaks above 12,000 feet. On July 1, she checked in with family using a Garmin InReach satellite communicator, and then in the days that followed the family heard nothing. Searchers from Red Lodge Fire and Rescue and some volunteers hiked into the rugged terrain hunting for her. Searchers also took to the air. At Shadow Lake, rescuers found her orange tent and campsite, but not her. As the search dragged on, Morells family traveled to Red Lodge from out of state and waited anxiously at the official command post. After an agonizing two weeks, rescuers and Morells family united in a July 14th press conference acknowledging Tatum was almost certainly dead. Well into August, hikers continued looking for her. On Saturday, Aug. 21, a group of backpackers near Whitetail Peak found her body where she had apparently gotten caught in a rock slide. The next day, her body was recovered by helicopter and flown home. The son who never gave up Deep in the Idaho backcountry last September, a hunter found the remains of a bowhunter who had gone missing more than 50 years earlier. The hunter had discovered two weathered black boots sticking out from under a boulder. It took four men to move the giant rock, and underneath they found some bone fragments, a bit of coiled rope, a rusty knife, part of a wooden arrow shaft, and a plastic gas station credit card bearing the name of Raymond Jones. The discovery was barely news in Montana except to one family in Billings where the news hit like a bombshell. Businessman Jeff Jones was 12-years-old when his father Raymond Jones went missing. The now 65-year-old Jeff had never stopped wishing for his dad to come home. It was a cousin who informed Jeff that the remains found in Idaho were all that was left of his father. All of the grief and frustration Jeff had pent up for decades was released at once, overwhelming him for days in what he could only describe as a fog. He now says he feels blessed to finally have the mystery solved. This spring, Jeff plans a graveside service in Miles City where his fathers remains will at last be laid to rest next to his parents. Red Lodge faces flames In some of the photos shot from Red Lodges main street on the dark evening of June 13, it looks like its only a matter of minutes before the towering orange flames of the Robertson Draw fire devour the small mountain town. That had happened dozens of times in California, leaving behind gray images of entire neighborhoods reduced to smoldering foundations. Some residents loaded their valuables into their car and drove out of town. Ranchers cut fences to let livestock run ahead of the fire. At a tiny church in town, the minister welcomed tourists who had been ordered from their campgrounds. Then sometime during the night the strong winds that had been pushing the fire into Red Lodge suddenly changed direction. In the morning, Mount Maurice, the sentinel behind Red Lodge, stood black with wisps of smoke still curling from naked trees. The fire had moved elsewhere. Red Lodge had been spared. Before the 30,000-acre fire was eventually extinguished a month later, it did burn several remote homes and outbuildings and spread far across rangeland east toward Belfry and south toward Wyoming. In early July, a Bridger man ironically named John Lightburn was charged with starting the fire. He was allegedly riding his motorcycle illegally in forest land south of Red Lodge when the bike broke down. While fixing it, he apparently spilled some gasoline and then while checking the engines spark plug he ignited the blaze. State's biggest fire Other small Eastern Montana towns also came close to getting swallowed up by fire this summer. On Aug. 8, the Richard Spring fire in Rosebud County puffed into life about 10 miles south of Colstrip and then took off in all directions. In this rough, rural country the nearest municipal fire truck can be 50 miles of dirt road away. Ranchers who can afford it have their own firefighting equipment. As the fire, which would eventually join a second fire and then spread across 170,000 acres, bore down on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, residents of Lame Deer and Ashland were ordered from their homes and the roads were closed. Making matters worse, the blaze had cut power, cell service and the internet. Residents had to guess at what danger they were in. Some of the reservations residents were bussed to Busby where they spent the night on cots in the school gym. And then during what has been one of the driest summers ever, the rains came, which believers would say was not by chance. The early cold front beat the fire down enough that within a few days firefighters had it under control. No significant structures had burned, and no one was seriously hurt. Investigators say it was smoldering coal seams that started the fires. The seams have been burning underground for decades, maybe centuries, probably originally ignited by lightning strikes and impossible to extinguish. It wont be the last range fire they start. Parolee problems When a disgruntled employee in November returned to the downtown Billings restaurant where he had earlier that day been fired, he was thinking of just one thing. The wild-eyed young man grabbed steak knives and started threatening everyone in reach. A brave restaurant manager coaxed the man away from customers and eventually into the kitchen where employees and several policeman subdued him. But not before his bloody rampage left at least four employees stabbed, slashed and terrorized. The violence in a downtown restaurant was shocking enough, but there was more to it than anyone that night realized. The suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Bird, had just been released from prison, not to his hometown of Missoula, but to Billings. His arrest touched off a firestorm of complaints from city officials and politicians who say theyre tired of Billings taking on more than its fair share of the state's parolees. One local legislator claimed the states Department of Corrections simply gives new parolees a bus ticket to Billings. And, thats true, at least the part about Billings taking a disproportionate number of parolees, according to a Gazette investigation. In fact, while Yellowstone County makes up about 15% of the states population, at least 24% of the states current parolees are living here. Gallatin County, by contrast, has 11% of the states population, but 5% of the states supervised parolees. The problem is a complicated one. Its true that most of the states programs for supervising and re-integrating parolees are in Billings and that naturally leads to more parolees. But solutions are being debated and the topic is certain to come up when the state Legislature meets again. Bird has been charged with five felonies. A Billings judge set his bail at $1 million, an unusually high sum meant to ensure Bird isnt spotted again in downtown Billings anytime soon. Medical school picks Billings In February, the Colorado-based Rocky Vista University announced it would build a $50 million, 12-acre medical school campus in Billings on the far West End. It was promised that within a few years the school would attract hundreds of super smart medical students, employ as many as 350 people, and dump millions upon millions of dollars annually into the local economy. The bonus would be that many of the newly minted osteopathic doctors may remain to practice in Montana, easing the states chronic doctor shortage. The news, however, was not universally celebrated. Billings Clinic declined to partner with the university, mostly because it already partners with a top-rated medical school. Other skeptics in the state, especially in Great Falls where officials are courting their own medical school, predicted the state wont be able to support the huge increase in medical students. St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, however, is all in. The hospital says it will gladly partner with RVU and even create an office of medical education to connect students to clinical rotation programs. In an October ceremony attended by the governor, RVU broke ground on its campus at Shiloh and Monad and expects to begin its first classes by the end of 2022. Seeing hope For a busy Miles City mom, the trouble started with a simple operation to correct her vision. Millions of people have had the same surgery and were better off for it. Jaimi Espys local optometrist recommended she have her severe nearsightedness corrected by having an artificial lens implanted in her eye. The surgery wasnt available in Miles City, so she found a doctor in Billings. That surgery, however, did not go as it should have. Over time, the lens failed, popping out of her eye as she prepared a Thanksgiving dinner. Repairing the damage led to a horrifying cascade of emergency surgeries that couldnt prevent her from going entirely blind in both eyes. Espy sued the Billings eye surgeon and a jury awarded her $3 million. That sounds like an awful lot of money, even after her lawyers are paid. And, the money will help pay her expenses and ease her challenges, the mother now in her 40s, says. What the money doesnt do is erase the horror of slowly losing her vision, a trauma that led her to the brink of suicide. And it wont help her see the joy on her young daughter's face as she pushes her in a backyard swing. The money also wouldnt have changed how Espys story ends. I can adapt and I will adapt and there is a way to do the things that I want to do, she told the Gazette in early July. I think the biggest key to that is not giving up. Pushing it to 11 Speaking of not giving up, heres a good news story to end 2021 with. When Billings motorcycle racer Ryan Zahn started piling up wins on the dirt tracks around Montana, he decided to go semi-pro. Thats news in anyones book, and The Gazette profiled Zahn in late November. Ever since he was a tiny boy, Zahn has worked on his own bikes, souping up the engines and modifying them to suit his peculiar riding style. And, hes had his share of crashes. After one bone-snapping spill, he was patched up by the same exasperated doctor who had patched him up after a previous wreck. Zahn was born with all the right stuff, the same talents that all great athletes have, a fearlessness and grit, and a drive to win. What he wasnt born with are arms. To ride a motorcycle, Zahn had to invent a new way to ride. When he wins, even his fiercest rivals have to marvel. His philosophy in life is the same as his philosophy in racing, youve got to always be pushing it to 11. Bill McClellan Bill McClellan is a columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Bill McClellan Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today The old year was not good, but the new one will be worse. I have resigned myself to that. Why pretend the light at the end of the tunnel is anything but the beam from an oncoming train? I am not talking about national politics. That disaster is too profound for me. I cannot pretend to understand it. If you would have told me 10 years ago that my political heroes would be Liz Cheney and Dan Quayle, I would not have believed you. But Cheney has stood up to Donald Trump and Quayle advised Mike Pence that a vice president ought not overturn a national election. I used to despise Cheneys father, and I was convinced that Quayle was an empty suit. I obviously saw things in a superficial way. Fortunately, I have earned the right to ignore national politics. I have done my bit. I was patriotic enough to flunk out of college and get drafted. Eventually, I became a taxpayer and a voter. That is not a great resume, but it is good enough that I can say, Let the young people save the Republic. I am too old to rush to the barricades. Whats more, I would probably get lost. Thats another thing about a new year. Navigating through life does not get easier with the passing of time. For that reason, I seldom go out. I made an exception in November when comedian Greg Warren came to the Funny Bone at Westport Plaza. I bought two tickets online. I try not to do stuff like that, but I decided to reach a little, test myself, and I did quite well. I made the online purchase and printed out my two tickets. An anthropologist once surmised that a Neanderthal, tossed into our modern culture, could probably learn to do a complicated thing like use the proper change to ride mass transit. Perhaps. But could he order online? On a Friday night in mid-November, we drove to Westport. Even during daylight, I get lost as I approach Westport. Its like trying to get to the city of Oz through a maze. You look for shiny gold building and head toward it. One pass is seldom enough. With the help of my longtime navigator we celebrated 42 years of marriage this past Wednesday we arrived at Westport. I had forgotten our tickets. You didnt bring the tickets? Mary asked. It wasnt really a question. Actual tickets are old news, I said cheerfully. Because I bought them online, the ticket office would surely have a record of that. Arent computers supposed to make life easier? I had an ace in the hole. I knew Warrens mother. Yes, that is the new me. I am the guy who knows the drummers parents. The late Colleen Kelly Warren used to write occasional columns for this newspaper. I was hoping I wouldnt have to act like a big-shot and ask to speak to the headliner, but I was ready to do it. I projected an air of self-confidence as I walked up to the ticket window. I dont have the actual tickets with me for Greg Warrens show, I said. Im sure you have a record of the purchase. Greg Warren is here next Friday night, she said. I told that story to my grandkids a couple of weeks ago as we headed to the Fabulous Fox to see Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical. I remembered the tickets this time and I double-checked the date, I said. I let my wife and grandkids out and found a place to park. I got to the theater in time for the show, but I did not have proof of vaccination. I went home, got my vaccination card and returned in time for the second half. Like I said, I dont go out much. Just because I have difficulty getting to the mall and back does not mean I dont crave adventure. When the year began, I had several road trips in mind. One was especially grand. We would head to the northwest to visit an old pal who lives in the state of Washington. On the way there, we would visit a nephew who lives in Oregon and a friend in Nebraska. Wed take a southern route home down into California and then through Arizona to Texas. Maybe wed stop in Branson on the way home. The continuing drama with the pandemic stopped all that. Plus, I had planned on getting a new car for the big trip, but new cars were scarce this past year. Supply chain problems. I was able to find one new car I liked, but it didnt have a spare tire. It had a repair kit. I would like adventure, but not that much adventure. Sitting on the side of the road with a flat tire and a repair kit, waiting to be towed to some town where I might be able to find a new tire? That does not sound like a plan, What is up with these supply-chain problems? Its well beyond new cars. My local grocery store doesnt even have eggnog. Are the chickens in on this? Lets go Brandon! I know. I know. Its not his fault. He was brought in to save the Republic, but the task was just too big, the opposition too well organized and too fierce, and hes too old, too worn out. Its really quite depressing. Its not as if this hasnt happened before in other countries. I would mention the movie Cabaret, but I dont want to encourage a movement to ban Christopher Isherwoods Berlin Diaries from our school libraries. On a more personal note, the Cubs had a terrible year. An 11-game losing streak and a 13-game losing streak. We not only finished 24 games out of first place, but we also traded our three best players Javier Baez, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. What did we get for them? Teenagers. We might be able to field a high-level American Legion team. Maybe someday some of those kids will grow up to be big-league players, but it wont be soon. The Cubs will not be competitive in 2022. So what else do we know about this new year? Well have elections. Half the country doesnt believe in them and will refuse to accept the results if their side loses, but well have them anyway, for old times sake. The results will be especially depressing here in Missouri. Eric Greitens is currently the favorite to win the Trumpian senatorial primary. If he implodes, it could be Eric Schmitt. Or maybe Mark McCloskey. Whichever one emerges out of the ooze will be the heavy favorite to join Josh Hawley in the Senate. By the way, Hawley would be my choice to lead a movement to ban Isherwoods book. After all, it was just a gay guys take on the manly men of the Third Reich. Long before the primary election in August, there will be a showdown at the Missouri Supreme Court over St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner. The states chief disciplinary counsel has found probable cause that she committed professional misconduct during her ill-advised foray into the Greitens mess. Will the court have the resolve to punish her, knowing that her side would immediately condemn the punishment as racist? What a black eye that would be for the city and the state. A crusading circuit attorney attacked by the racist establishment. I predict riots. Or the Supreme Court could try to finesse the whole thing and say that she committed misconduct, but that is not such a serious thing for the leading law enforcement official of the states second largest city. Just move along, folks. Nothing to see here. The only promising thing I can say about the new year is, I have been wrong often before. Like with Cheney and Quayle. Who couldve guessed that? Bill McClellan Bill McClellan is a columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Bill McClellan Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today The old year was not good, but the new one will be worse. I have resigned myself to that. Why pretend the light at the end of the tunnel is anything but the beam from an oncoming train? I am not talking about national politics. That disaster is too profound for me. I cannot pretend to understand it. If you would have told me 10 years ago that my political heroes would be Liz Cheney and Dan Quayle, I would not have believed you. But Cheney has stood up to Donald Trump and Quayle advised Mike Pence that a vice president ought not overturn a national election. I used to despise Cheneys father, and I was convinced that Quayle was an empty suit. I obviously saw things in a superficial way. Fortunately, I have earned the right to ignore national politics. I have done my bit. I was patriotic enough to flunk out of college and get drafted. Eventually, I became a taxpayer and a voter. That is not a great resume, but it is good enough that I can say, Let the young people save the Republic. I am too old to rush to the barricades. Whats more, I would probably get lost. Thats another thing about a new year. Navigating through life does not get easier with the passing of time. For that reason, I seldom go out. I made an exception in November when comedian Greg Warren came to the Funny Bone at Westport Plaza. I bought two tickets online. I try not to do stuff like that, but I decided to reach a little, test myself, and I did quite well. I made the online purchase and printed out my two tickets. An anthropologist once surmised that a Neanderthal, tossed into our modern culture, could probably learn to do a complicated thing like use the proper change to ride mass transit. Perhaps. But could he order online? On a Friday night in mid-November, we drove to Westport. Even during daylight, I get lost as I approach Westport. Its like trying to get to the city of Oz through a maze. You look for shiny gold building and head toward it. One pass is seldom enough. With the help of my longtime navigator we celebrated 42 years of marriage this past Wednesday we arrived at Westport. I had forgotten our tickets. You didnt bring the tickets? Mary asked. It wasnt really a question. Actual tickets are old news, I said cheerfully. Because I bought them online, the ticket office would surely have a record of that. Arent computers supposed to make life easier? I had an ace in the hole. I knew Warrens mother. Yes, that is the new me. I am the guy who knows the drummers parents. The late Colleen Kelly Warren used to write occasional columns for this newspaper. I was hoping I wouldnt have to act like a big-shot and ask to speak to the headliner, but I was ready to do it. I projected an air of self-confidence as I walked up to the ticket window. I dont have the actual tickets with me for Greg Warrens show, I said. Im sure you have a record of the purchase. Greg Warren is here next Friday night, she said. I told that story to my grandkids a couple of weeks ago as we headed to the Fabulous Fox to see Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical. I remembered the tickets this time and I double-checked the date, I said. I let my wife and grandkids out and found a place to park. I got to the theater in time for the show, but I did not have proof of vaccination. I went home, got my vaccination card and returned in time for the second half. Like I said, I dont go out much. Just because I have difficulty getting to the mall and back does not mean I dont crave adventure. When the year began, I had several road trips in mind. One was especially grand. We would head to the northwest to visit an old pal who lives in the state of Washington. On the way there, we would visit a nephew who lives in Oregon and a friend in Nebraska. Wed take a southern route home down into California and then through Arizona to Texas. Maybe wed stop in Branson on the way home. The continuing drama with the pandemic stopped all that. Plus, I had planned on getting a new car for the big trip, but new cars were scarce this past year. Supply chain problems. I was able to find one new car I liked, but it didnt have a spare tire. It had a repair kit. I would like adventure, but not that much adventure. Sitting on the side of the road with a flat tire and a repair kit, waiting to be towed to some town where I might be able to find a new tire? That does not sound like a plan, What is up with these supply-chain problems? Its well beyond new cars. My local grocery store doesnt even have eggnog. Are the chickens in on this? Lets go Brandon! I know. I know. Its not his fault. He was brought in to save the Republic, but the task was just too big, the opposition too well organized and too fierce, and hes too old, too worn out. Its really quite depressing. Its not as if this hasnt happened before in other countries. I would mention the movie Cabaret, but I dont want to encourage a movement to ban Christopher Isherwoods Berlin Diaries from our school libraries. On a more personal note, the Cubs had a terrible year. An 11-game losing streak and a 13-game losing streak. We not only finished 24 games out of first place, but we also traded our three best players Javier Baez, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. What did we get for them? Teenagers. We might be able to field a high-level American Legion team. Maybe someday some of those kids will grow up to be big-league players, but it wont be soon. The Cubs will not be competitive in 2022. So what else do we know about this new year? Well have elections. Half the country doesnt believe in them and will refuse to accept the results if their side loses, but well have them anyway, for old times sake. The results will be especially depressing here in Missouri. Eric Greitens is currently the favorite to win the Trumpian senatorial primary. If he implodes, it could be Eric Schmitt. Or maybe Mark McCloskey. Whichever one emerges out of the ooze will be the heavy favorite to join Josh Hawley in the Senate. By the way, Hawley would be my choice to lead a movement to ban Isherwoods book. After all, it was just a gay guys take on the manly men of the Third Reich. Long before the primary election in August, there will be a showdown at the Missouri Supreme Court over St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner. The states chief disciplinary counsel has found probable cause that she committed professional misconduct during her ill-advised foray into the Greitens mess. Will the court have the resolve to punish her, knowing that her side would immediately condemn the punishment as racist? What a black eye that would be for the city and the state. A crusading circuit attorney attacked by the racist establishment. I predict riots. Or the Supreme Court could try to finesse the whole thing and say that she committed misconduct, but that is not such a serious thing for the leading law enforcement official of the states second largest city. Just move along, folks. Nothing to see here. The only promising thing I can say about the new year is, I have been wrong often before. Like with Cheney and Quayle. Who couldve guessed that? He was wearing short sleeves the day Charlie Starkweather shot him. Don Wendling was 7, growing up next door to a service station at 14th and Dakota streets in what was, then, the far southwest corner of Lincoln. His classmate, Bobby Starkweather, lived near 17th and Pawnee. During their second grade year, Wendling would detour to the Starkweather house to pick up his friend, so they could walk the final few blocks together to Saratoga Elementary School. Wendling always waited outside. I was afraid of his dad. I could hear him yelling at his wife and he sounded like someone I didnt want to be around. The boys werent best friends, but they were close enough to run around together one summer, and spend some of their after-school hours in the Starkweather yard. There was a walnut tree back there, Wendling remembers, and he and his friend would smash the shells with rocks. Theyd had their fill on a warm day in 1951, and had started walking down the driveway. Charlie Starkweather would have been about 13 at the time, about a half-dozen years before his murder spree that would leave 11 people dead. The garage was the future killers fort, his clubhouse. Charlie yelled out, Dont come back here, Wendling said. Bobby and I kept walking, and he (Charlie) shot me with a BB gun. Wendling didnt hear the shot, but he felt it. And then he saw it, blood beginning to escape from his upper right arm. It really hurt bad, he said. I ran home crying and told my dad. His father, the state penitentiarys purchasing agent, called the police. And later that day, a cruiser pulled up in front of their house. Starkweather sat in the back seat. They asked, Is this the boy that shot you? Wendling identified him, and learned later from his father whose job at the pen gave him law enforcement connections that Starkweather had to surrender his BB gun and serve juvenile probation. After that day, he never saw another Starkweather again; his parents forbid it. His arm healed and the scar disappeared. And that should have been the end of that, a childhood story Wendling would have likely forgotten if Charlie Starkweather hadnt made history seven years later. Wendling ran all the way home from school that day in late January 1958, after the bodies of C. Lauer Ward and Clara Ward, and their housekeeper, Lillian Fencl, were found in their home just a block from Irving Junior High. Everybody elses parents, they were picking them up, he said. But my dad couldnt make it. His father did return home in time for Wendlings after-school paper route, following his son as he delivered the Lincoln Evening Journal down 13th and 14th streets, Van Dorn to Lake streets. On the front page, the newspaper carried news about Starkweather. In his car, his father carried a rifle and pistol. By then, several days into the spree, much of Lincoln was armed and in fear, its residents emptying hardware stores of guns and ammunition. People bought anything that would shoot, a salesman told The Lincoln Star. They werent even particular about what they bought. But the Wendlings had a tangible concern: That Charlie Starkweather would target them for calling the police in 1951. We were real worried he would remember this incident when he shot me, and he would come looking for me. But the 19-year-old Starkweather and his 14-year-old girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate, were already headed out of the city and out of the state in the Wards' 56 Packard, about to be arrested in eastern Wyoming. Now Wendling had a childhood story that he couldnt forget: I was the first guy that ever got shot by Starkweather. It wouldnt define him, but it would give him something to talk about because people would never stop talking about Starkweather and Fugate, even decades after he was executed and she was imprisoned and later paroled. He watched book after book get published about the murders and their aftermath. And he read them. I thought, They dont have the whole story. He tried telling it publicly only once, when an Omaha TV station announced it was interviewing the latest Starkweather author. Wendling left messages but never heard back. Earlier this month, the retired manager of Burden's Surplus Center posted a short account on his Facebook page about that day 70 years ago, when Charlie Starkweather pointed a gun at him and pulled the trigger. He knows nobody can corroborate it. Theyre all gone now. His parents, the police officers. He recently tried to find his old friend, Bobby Starkweather, to see what he remembered. He came up empty. But hes not worried. He remembers feeling the pain and seeing the blood. Its my story; it happened to me. It was an odd thing: Someone goes on to kill 11 people, and I was the first one he shot. 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. This was the year we were to leave COVID behind us and get on with our lives. That didnt happen as wave after wave of the virus washed over us, once again filling our hospitals and jacking up the death toll. Like 2020, we needed help to cope with all the sick. In their second year on the front lines, exhausted local hospital workers got relief from traveling nurses, the National Guard and visiting federal health care teams. And, all around us the debate over vaccines and masks and mandates raged on, in a few cases exploding into angry confrontations with medical professionals and service workers. Like children, we had to be reminded by signs hung in hospitals and businesses to be kind. But mostly we were kind to each other, especially in the face of disaster. When a freak December range fire swept over the tiny town of Denton, burning 25 homes and six businesses, volunteers turned up to help. Strangers brought food and hot coffee, offered homes to stay in and helped victims sift through the ashes. Ranchers from around the state donated hay, and the governor contributed a quarter of his salary to a relief fund. When an Amtrak train derailed near Joplin on the Hi-Line killing three people and injuring dozens, among the rescuers were people from town who risked their own safety to pull survivors from the wreckage. And when a young woman didnt return as planned from a solo hike in the Beartooth Mountains, volunteers trekked into the backcountry to find her. Even fish got some love. A mechanical problem on the Hebgen Lake Dam drained the upper Madison River, leaving many fish high and dry. Volunteers waded into the river with buckets to move struggling fish to deeper water. And in Billings, school children packed bags filled with treats to give to weary health care workers, who because of COVID protocols they would never get to meet. From beginning to end in 2021, as tiresome as the topic has become, COVID seemed all we could talk about, and for the second year in a row it was The Billings Gazettes top story of the year. Enough has probably already been said about it, so here, not strictly listed in order of importance, are some of the other top stories of the year from our region: West End standoff For 10 hours through an April night, an armed man held police at bay from inside a Billings West End home he had broken into after he and a woman he had just met killed a man whose van they had stolen. The victim was a 33-year-old family man from Sheridan, Wyoming named Dennis Gresham. He had driven to Billings to pick up a friend at the airport early the next morning and had been sleeping in his van at a campground. That morning, Michael McClure and Kristy Chavez approached the genial Gresham in his van and asked for help, but it was a trick. At gunpoint, Gresham was taken captive and the three left the campground in his van. Within a few minutes, Gresham was dead, shot five times. In Laurel, McClure and Chavez stopped in the parking lot of a business to get rid of the van and the body. Employees inside the business watching the pair throw a big tarp over the van found it suspicious and called police. The chase was on. With police in pursuit, the couple raced back to Billings where they eventually crashed the van in a quiet, affluent neighborhood and then ran away. Chavez was quickly caught. McClure kept running, trying the doors of several homes before finding one he could break into. The homeowner, luckily, was away. Billings Police surrounded the house with a small army of specially trained officers and slowly turned up the heat on McClure. Finally, just as the sun was rising, police went in after him. Within seconds there was what police described as a quick volley of gunfire. They said McClure fired first, a shot they later determined was a suicide shot to his own head. Chavez remains in jail after being charged with deliberate homicide by accountability. The homeowner returned to a house that had been trashed by the standoff. Police and city officials told her they werent paying, it would be up to her and her insurance company. Lost hiker In late June, 23-year-old Tatum Morell hiked into the Beartooth Mountains above Red Lodge for a solo trek. The Montana State University engineering student was a fit and experienced hiker and had planned to set up a base camp from which she would summit five peaks above 12,000 feet. On July 1, she checked in with family using a Garmin InReach satellite communicator, and then in the days that followed the family heard nothing. Searchers from Red Lodge Fire and Rescue and some volunteers hiked into the rugged terrain hunting for her. Searchers also took to the air. At Shadow Lake, rescuers found her orange tent and campsite, but not her. As the search dragged on, Morells family traveled to Red Lodge from out of state and waited anxiously at the official command post. After an agonizing two weeks, rescuers and Morells family united in a July 14th press conference acknowledging Tatum was almost certainly dead. Well into August, hikers continued looking for her. On Saturday, Aug. 21, a group of backpackers near Whitetail Peak found her body where she had apparently gotten caught in a rock slide. The next day, her body was recovered by helicopter and flown home. The son who never gave up Deep in the Idaho backcountry last September, a hunter found the remains of a bowhunter who had gone missing more than 50 years earlier. The hunter had discovered two weathered black boots sticking out from under a boulder. It took four men to move the giant rock, and underneath they found some bone fragments, a bit of coiled rope, a rusty knife, part of a wooden arrow shaft, and a plastic gas station credit card bearing the name of Raymond Jones. The discovery was barely news in Montana except to one family in Billings where the news hit like a bombshell. Businessman Jeff Jones was 12-years-old when his father Raymond Jones went missing. The now 65-year-old Jeff had never stopped wishing for his dad to come home. It was a cousin who informed Jeff that the remains found in Idaho were all that was left of his father. All of the grief and frustration Jeff had pent up for decades was released at once, overwhelming him for days in what he could only describe as a fog. He now says he feels blessed to finally have the mystery solved. This spring, Jeff plans a graveside service in Miles City where his fathers remains will at last be laid to rest next to his parents. Red Lodge faces flames In some of the photos shot from Red Lodges main street on the dark evening of June 13, it looks like its only a matter of minutes before the towering orange flames of the Robertson Draw fire devour the small mountain town. That had happened dozens of times in California, leaving behind gray images of entire neighborhoods reduced to smoldering foundations. Some residents loaded their valuables into their car and drove out of town. Ranchers cut fences to let livestock run ahead of the fire. At a tiny church in town, the minister welcomed tourists who had been ordered from their campgrounds. Then sometime during the night the strong winds that had been pushing the fire into Red Lodge suddenly changed direction. In the morning, Mount Maurice, the sentinel behind Red Lodge, stood black with wisps of smoke still curling from naked trees. The fire had moved elsewhere. Red Lodge had been spared. Before the 30,000-acre fire was eventually extinguished a month later, it did burn several remote homes and outbuildings and spread far across rangeland east toward Belfry and south toward Wyoming. In early July, a Bridger man ironically named John Lightburn was charged with starting the fire. He was allegedly riding his motorcycle illegally in forest land south of Red Lodge when the bike broke down. While fixing it, he apparently spilled some gasoline and then while checking the engines spark plug he ignited the blaze. State's biggest fire Other small Eastern Montana towns also came close to getting swallowed up by fire this summer. On Aug. 8, the Richard Spring fire in Rosebud County puffed into life about 10 miles south of Colstrip and then took off in all directions. In this rough, rural country the nearest municipal fire truck can be 50 miles of dirt road away. Ranchers who can afford it have their own firefighting equipment. As the fire, which would eventually join a second fire and then spread across 170,000 acres, bore down on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, residents of Lame Deer and Ashland were ordered from their homes and the roads were closed. Making matters worse, the blaze had cut power, cell service and the internet. Residents had to guess at what danger they were in. Some of the reservations residents were bussed to Busby where they spent the night on cots in the school gym. And then during what has been one of the driest summers ever, the rains came, which believers would say was not by chance. The early cold front beat the fire down enough that within a few days firefighters had it under control. No significant structures had burned, and no one was seriously hurt. Investigators say it was smoldering coal seams that started the fires. The seams have been burning underground for decades, maybe centuries, probably originally ignited by lightning strikes and impossible to extinguish. It wont be the last range fire they start. Parolee problems When a disgruntled employee in November returned to the downtown Billings restaurant where he had earlier that day been fired, he was thinking of just one thing. The wild-eyed young man grabbed steak knives and started threatening everyone in reach. A brave restaurant manager coaxed the man away from customers and eventually into the kitchen where employees and several policeman subdued him. But not before his bloody rampage left at least four employees stabbed, slashed and terrorized. The violence in a downtown restaurant was shocking enough, but there was more to it than anyone that night realized. The suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Bird, had just been released from prison, not to his hometown of Missoula, but to Billings. His arrest touched off a firestorm of complaints from city officials and politicians who say theyre tired of Billings taking on more than its fair share of the state's parolees. One local legislator claimed the states Department of Corrections simply gives new parolees a bus ticket to Billings. And, thats true, at least the part about Billings taking a disproportionate number of parolees, according to a Gazette investigation. In fact, while Yellowstone County makes up about 15% of the states population, at least 24% of the states current parolees are living here. Gallatin County, by contrast, has 11% of the states population, but 5% of the states supervised parolees. The problem is a complicated one. Its true that most of the states programs for supervising and re-integrating parolees are in Billings and that naturally leads to more parolees. But solutions are being debated and the topic is certain to come up when the state Legislature meets again. Bird has been charged with five felonies. A Billings judge set his bail at $1 million, an unusually high sum meant to ensure Bird isnt spotted again in downtown Billings anytime soon. Medical school picks Billings In February, the Colorado-based Rocky Vista University announced it would build a $50 million, 12-acre medical school campus in Billings on the far West End. It was promised that within a few years the school would attract hundreds of super smart medical students, employ as many as 350 people, and dump millions upon millions of dollars annually into the local economy. The bonus would be that many of the newly minted osteopathic doctors may remain to practice in Montana, easing the states chronic doctor shortage. The news, however, was not universally celebrated. Billings Clinic declined to partner with the university, mostly because it already partners with a top-rated medical school. Other skeptics in the state, especially in Great Falls where officials are courting their own medical school, predicted the state wont be able to support the huge increase in medical students. St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, however, is all in. The hospital says it will gladly partner with RVU and even create an office of medical education to connect students to clinical rotation programs. In an October ceremony attended by the governor, RVU broke ground on its campus at Shiloh and Monad and expects to begin its first classes by the end of 2022. Seeing hope For a busy Miles City mom, the trouble started with a simple operation to correct her vision. Millions of people have had the same surgery and were better off for it. Jaimi Espys local optometrist recommended she have her severe nearsightedness corrected by having an artificial lens implanted in her eye. The surgery wasnt available in Miles City, so she found a doctor in Billings. That surgery, however, did not go as it should have. Over time, the lens failed, popping out of her eye as she prepared a Thanksgiving dinner. Repairing the damage led to a horrifying cascade of emergency surgeries that couldnt prevent her from going entirely blind in both eyes. Espy sued the Billings eye surgeon and a jury awarded her $3 million. That sounds like an awful lot of money, even after her lawyers are paid. And, the money will help pay her expenses and ease her challenges, the mother now in her 40s, says. What the money doesnt do is erase the horror of slowly losing her vision, a trauma that led her to the brink of suicide. And it wont help her see the joy on her young daughter's face as she pushes her in a backyard swing. The money also wouldnt have changed how Espys story ends. I can adapt and I will adapt and there is a way to do the things that I want to do, she told the Gazette in early July. I think the biggest key to that is not giving up. Pushing it to 11 Speaking of not giving up, heres a good news story to end 2021 with. When Billings motorcycle racer Ryan Zahn started piling up wins on the dirt tracks around Montana, he decided to go semi-pro. Thats news in anyones book, and The Gazette profiled Zahn in late November. Ever since he was a tiny boy, Zahn has worked on his own bikes, souping up the engines and modifying them to suit his peculiar riding style. And, hes had his share of crashes. After one bone-snapping spill, he was patched up by the same exasperated doctor who had patched him up after a previous wreck. Zahn was born with all the right stuff, the same talents that all great athletes have, a fearlessness and grit, and a drive to win. What he wasnt born with are arms. To ride a motorcycle, Zahn had to invent a new way to ride. When he wins, even his fiercest rivals have to marvel. His philosophy in life is the same as his philosophy in racing, youve got to always be pushing it to 11. Bill McClellan Bill McClellan is a columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Bill McClellan Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today The old year was not good, but the new one will be worse. I have resigned myself to that. Why pretend the light at the end of the tunnel is anything but the beam from an oncoming train? I am not talking about national politics. That disaster is too profound for me. I cannot pretend to understand it. If you would have told me 10 years ago that my political heroes would be Liz Cheney and Dan Quayle, I would not have believed you. But Cheney has stood up to Donald Trump and Quayle advised Mike Pence that a vice president ought not overturn a national election. I used to despise Cheneys father, and I was convinced that Quayle was an empty suit. I obviously saw things in a superficial way. Fortunately, I have earned the right to ignore national politics. I have done my bit. I was patriotic enough to flunk out of college and get drafted. Eventually, I became a taxpayer and a voter. That is not a great resume, but it is good enough that I can say, Let the young people save the Republic. I am too old to rush to the barricades. Whats more, I would probably get lost. Thats another thing about a new year. Navigating through life does not get easier with the passing of time. For that reason, I seldom go out. I made an exception in November when comedian Greg Warren came to the Funny Bone at Westport Plaza. I bought two tickets online. I try not to do stuff like that, but I decided to reach a little, test myself, and I did quite well. I made the online purchase and printed out my two tickets. An anthropologist once surmised that a Neanderthal, tossed into our modern culture, could probably learn to do a complicated thing like use the proper change to ride mass transit. Perhaps. But could he order online? On a Friday night in mid-November, we drove to Westport. Even during daylight, I get lost as I approach Westport. Its like trying to get to the city of Oz through a maze. You look for shiny gold building and head toward it. One pass is seldom enough. With the help of my longtime navigator we celebrated 42 years of marriage this past Wednesday we arrived at Westport. I had forgotten our tickets. You didnt bring the tickets? Mary asked. It wasnt really a question. Actual tickets are old news, I said cheerfully. Because I bought them online, the ticket office would surely have a record of that. Arent computers supposed to make life easier? I had an ace in the hole. I knew Warrens mother. Yes, that is the new me. I am the guy who knows the drummers parents. The late Colleen Kelly Warren used to write occasional columns for this newspaper. I was hoping I wouldnt have to act like a big-shot and ask to speak to the headliner, but I was ready to do it. I projected an air of self-confidence as I walked up to the ticket window. I dont have the actual tickets with me for Greg Warrens show, I said. Im sure you have a record of the purchase. Greg Warren is here next Friday night, she said. I told that story to my grandkids a couple of weeks ago as we headed to the Fabulous Fox to see Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical. I remembered the tickets this time and I double-checked the date, I said. I let my wife and grandkids out and found a place to park. I got to the theater in time for the show, but I did not have proof of vaccination. I went home, got my vaccination card and returned in time for the second half. Like I said, I dont go out much. Just because I have difficulty getting to the mall and back does not mean I dont crave adventure. When the year began, I had several road trips in mind. One was especially grand. We would head to the northwest to visit an old pal who lives in the state of Washington. On the way there, we would visit a nephew who lives in Oregon and a friend in Nebraska. Wed take a southern route home down into California and then through Arizona to Texas. Maybe wed stop in Branson on the way home. The continuing drama with the pandemic stopped all that. Plus, I had planned on getting a new car for the big trip, but new cars were scarce this past year. Supply chain problems. I was able to find one new car I liked, but it didnt have a spare tire. It had a repair kit. I would like adventure, but not that much adventure. Sitting on the side of the road with a flat tire and a repair kit, waiting to be towed to some town where I might be able to find a new tire? That does not sound like a plan, What is up with these supply-chain problems? Its well beyond new cars. My local grocery store doesnt even have eggnog. Are the chickens in on this? Lets go Brandon! I know. I know. Its not his fault. He was brought in to save the Republic, but the task was just too big, the opposition too well organized and too fierce, and hes too old, too worn out. Its really quite depressing. Its not as if this hasnt happened before in other countries. I would mention the movie Cabaret, but I dont want to encourage a movement to ban Christopher Isherwoods Berlin Diaries from our school libraries. On a more personal note, the Cubs had a terrible year. An 11-game losing streak and a 13-game losing streak. We not only finished 24 games out of first place, but we also traded our three best players Javier Baez, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. What did we get for them? Teenagers. We might be able to field a high-level American Legion team. Maybe someday some of those kids will grow up to be big-league players, but it wont be soon. The Cubs will not be competitive in 2022. So what else do we know about this new year? Well have elections. Half the country doesnt believe in them and will refuse to accept the results if their side loses, but well have them anyway, for old times sake. The results will be especially depressing here in Missouri. Eric Greitens is currently the favorite to win the Trumpian senatorial primary. If he implodes, it could be Eric Schmitt. Or maybe Mark McCloskey. Whichever one emerges out of the ooze will be the heavy favorite to join Josh Hawley in the Senate. By the way, Hawley would be my choice to lead a movement to ban Isherwoods book. After all, it was just a gay guys take on the manly men of the Third Reich. Long before the primary election in August, there will be a showdown at the Missouri Supreme Court over St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner. The states chief disciplinary counsel has found probable cause that she committed professional misconduct during her ill-advised foray into the Greitens mess. Will the court have the resolve to punish her, knowing that her side would immediately condemn the punishment as racist? What a black eye that would be for the city and the state. A crusading circuit attorney attacked by the racist establishment. I predict riots. Or the Supreme Court could try to finesse the whole thing and say that she committed misconduct, but that is not such a serious thing for the leading law enforcement official of the states second largest city. Just move along, folks. Nothing to see here. The only promising thing I can say about the new year is, I have been wrong often before. Like with Cheney and Quayle. Who couldve guessed that? Bill McClellan Bill McClellan is a columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Bill McClellan Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today The old year was not good, but the new one will be worse. I have resigned myself to that. Why pretend the light at the end of the tunnel is anything but the beam from an oncoming train? I am not talking about national politics. That disaster is too profound for me. I cannot pretend to understand it. If you would have told me 10 years ago that my political heroes would be Liz Cheney and Dan Quayle, I would not have believed you. But Cheney has stood up to Donald Trump and Quayle advised Mike Pence that a vice president ought not overturn a national election. I used to despise Cheneys father, and I was convinced that Quayle was an empty suit. I obviously saw things in a superficial way. Fortunately, I have earned the right to ignore national politics. I have done my bit. I was patriotic enough to flunk out of college and get drafted. Eventually, I became a taxpayer and a voter. That is not a great resume, but it is good enough that I can say, Let the young people save the Republic. I am too old to rush to the barricades. Whats more, I would probably get lost. Thats another thing about a new year. Navigating through life does not get easier with the passing of time. For that reason, I seldom go out. I made an exception in November when comedian Greg Warren came to the Funny Bone at Westport Plaza. I bought two tickets online. I try not to do stuff like that, but I decided to reach a little, test myself, and I did quite well. I made the online purchase and printed out my two tickets. An anthropologist once surmised that a Neanderthal, tossed into our modern culture, could probably learn to do a complicated thing like use the proper change to ride mass transit. Perhaps. But could he order online? On a Friday night in mid-November, we drove to Westport. Even during daylight, I get lost as I approach Westport. Its like trying to get to the city of Oz through a maze. You look for shiny gold building and head toward it. One pass is seldom enough. With the help of my longtime navigator we celebrated 42 years of marriage this past Wednesday we arrived at Westport. I had forgotten our tickets. You didnt bring the tickets? Mary asked. It wasnt really a question. Actual tickets are old news, I said cheerfully. Because I bought them online, the ticket office would surely have a record of that. Arent computers supposed to make life easier? I had an ace in the hole. I knew Warrens mother. Yes, that is the new me. I am the guy who knows the drummers parents. The late Colleen Kelly Warren used to write occasional columns for this newspaper. I was hoping I wouldnt have to act like a big-shot and ask to speak to the headliner, but I was ready to do it. I projected an air of self-confidence as I walked up to the ticket window. I dont have the actual tickets with me for Greg Warrens show, I said. Im sure you have a record of the purchase. Greg Warren is here next Friday night, she said. I told that story to my grandkids a couple of weeks ago as we headed to the Fabulous Fox to see Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical. I remembered the tickets this time and I double-checked the date, I said. I let my wife and grandkids out and found a place to park. I got to the theater in time for the show, but I did not have proof of vaccination. I went home, got my vaccination card and returned in time for the second half. Like I said, I dont go out much. Just because I have difficulty getting to the mall and back does not mean I dont crave adventure. When the year began, I had several road trips in mind. One was especially grand. We would head to the northwest to visit an old pal who lives in the state of Washington. On the way there, we would visit a nephew who lives in Oregon and a friend in Nebraska. Wed take a southern route home down into California and then through Arizona to Texas. Maybe wed stop in Branson on the way home. The continuing drama with the pandemic stopped all that. Plus, I had planned on getting a new car for the big trip, but new cars were scarce this past year. Supply chain problems. I was able to find one new car I liked, but it didnt have a spare tire. It had a repair kit. I would like adventure, but not that much adventure. Sitting on the side of the road with a flat tire and a repair kit, waiting to be towed to some town where I might be able to find a new tire? That does not sound like a plan, What is up with these supply-chain problems? Its well beyond new cars. My local grocery store doesnt even have eggnog. Are the chickens in on this? Lets go Brandon! I know. I know. Its not his fault. He was brought in to save the Republic, but the task was just too big, the opposition too well organized and too fierce, and hes too old, too worn out. Its really quite depressing. Its not as if this hasnt happened before in other countries. I would mention the movie Cabaret, but I dont want to encourage a movement to ban Christopher Isherwoods Berlin Diaries from our school libraries. On a more personal note, the Cubs had a terrible year. An 11-game losing streak and a 13-game losing streak. We not only finished 24 games out of first place, but we also traded our three best players Javier Baez, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. What did we get for them? Teenagers. We might be able to field a high-level American Legion team. Maybe someday some of those kids will grow up to be big-league players, but it wont be soon. The Cubs will not be competitive in 2022. So what else do we know about this new year? Well have elections. Half the country doesnt believe in them and will refuse to accept the results if their side loses, but well have them anyway, for old times sake. The results will be especially depressing here in Missouri. Eric Greitens is currently the favorite to win the Trumpian senatorial primary. If he implodes, it could be Eric Schmitt. Or maybe Mark McCloskey. Whichever one emerges out of the ooze will be the heavy favorite to join Josh Hawley in the Senate. By the way, Hawley would be my choice to lead a movement to ban Isherwoods book. After all, it was just a gay guys take on the manly men of the Third Reich. Long before the primary election in August, there will be a showdown at the Missouri Supreme Court over St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner. The states chief disciplinary counsel has found probable cause that she committed professional misconduct during her ill-advised foray into the Greitens mess. Will the court have the resolve to punish her, knowing that her side would immediately condemn the punishment as racist? What a black eye that would be for the city and the state. A crusading circuit attorney attacked by the racist establishment. I predict riots. Or the Supreme Court could try to finesse the whole thing and say that she committed misconduct, but that is not such a serious thing for the leading law enforcement official of the states second largest city. Just move along, folks. Nothing to see here. The only promising thing I can say about the new year is, I have been wrong often before. Like with Cheney and Quayle. Who couldve guessed that? Ken Woody learned a lot from his Mohawk grandfather. Woody grew up in Plum, Pennsylvania, with his grandparents nearby in the Unity neighborhood. When I was a child, 5 or 6 years old, my grandparents would babysit me while my parents were at work, he remembers. Grandpap had his own [automobile repair] garage along Universal Road. His name was Joseph LaFountain, but everyone called him 'Indian Joe.' He was part Mohawk, he says. He would teach me how to make eagle feather head dresses, leggings, breech cloths, pipe bags and do bead work. When you're a child, a window opens and influences you for the rest of your life, said Woody, who will turn 58 in January. I found my calling in life, said the man who now is an expert on Native American culture. He will retire on New Year's Eve after 23 years as chief of interpretation and visitor services at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Montana. Ken is one of the world's leading experts in Indian tipis, a walking encyclopedia of Indian culture, said Michael Donahue, who has spent 33 years working as a seasonal ranger at the battlefield. That's where Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and the five companies of the U.S. Seventh Cavalry that were under his immediate command were annihilated on June 25, 1876, along the banks of the Little Big Horn River while trying to force nomadic Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne tribes onto reservations. The Lakota, Cheyenne and handful of Arapaho warriors who fought with them that day won their greatest victory over any U.S. fighting force west of the Mississippi River, but the Indigenous peoples' way of life was soon lost forever. The road to the National Park Service job of his dreams was long, hard and full of surprises, says Woody, whose full name is Kenneth Russell Woody III. A lot of it was being in the right place at the right time, said the 1982 graduate of Plum High School as he remembered how he met his wife, the former Lorraine Frack. My mom and her mom were friends who hadn't seen each other for many years before one day her mom just popped into our house for a visit, said Woody whose parents, Ken and Geneva Woody, no longer live in Plum. She was having some car troubles so my Mom and Dad followed her back to [her home in] New York and I went along. He and Lorraine were 18 years old when they married. Two years later their daughter, Cindy, was born, followed later by Kenny IV and Joe. I hated New York City. I knew I didn't want an office job and I knew I wanted to work outdoors, Woody said. I found a school in the wilderness. That was the New York State Ranger School, now the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry or SUNY-ESF near Wanakena. The school was in the Adirondack Mountains in Upstate New York, he said. It was hard but we managed. We basically lived on Ronald Reagan [free government] cheese. We lived in an old loggers house with thin walls, no insulation. It seemed like it snowed every day and was 30 below. We had a foot of ice on the roof covered by 2 feet of snow. We had a wood stove in the living room where we made our bedroom. He later took some classes at Syracuse University and the University of Pittsburgh before taking a job as a seasonal National Park Service ranger at Fort Necessity near Farmington. I spent two summers giving interpretive talks. It was cool and I decided to pursue a career in the National Park Service. He spent a third summer as a seasonal ranger at the Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site in the Upper Missouri River Valley in North Dakota, where Northern Plains Indians such as the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara hunted like nomadic tribes but were essentially earthlodge dwellers and farmers. While there, Woody received a postcard from a friend telling him of a permanent National Park Service position as a part-time evening and night law enforcement dispatcher at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia. He applied for the job and became a permanent National Park Service employee 30 years ago, on Sept. 9, 1991. I spent nine months there and got to see a lot of things in Independence Hall and other sites that most people don't get to see, he said. Next he took a permanent ranger position at Knife River. There he honed his skills making Native American regalia as well as tipis, war shields, buffalo robes, war shirts and head dresses. As time went on, he began selling his wares to museums and private collectors. He also eventually began giving educational talks and re-enactments and modeling many of the items he made. But life can be tough on the Northern Plains where the weather can be as unforgiving as the Adirondacks. And his career really was a labor of love because National Park Service wages were relatively low at that time, especially when you're trying to support a family of five. In the National Park Service, we get paid in sunsets, he said. Rangers live in places where people go on vacation, so part of the income is being able to live there. He enjoyed giving talks visitors at Knife River, but he felt he had more to offer and, according to Donahue, things were starting to change at Little Bighorn. Under pressure from the American Indian Movement and other Native American organizations and a general change in attitude by white America toward the indigenous peoples, the stricken field was renamed Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in a law signed by President George H.W. Bush on Dec. 10, 1991. With Native Americans joining the ever-changing list of superintendents who have been in charge of the battlefield, Donahue said, the way interpretative rangers gave daily talks to visitors changed, too. The pendulum swung from being pro-military, pro-Custer to pro-Indian, anti-Custer, said Donahue, whose full-time job is as an art teacher and former department chair at Temple College in Temple, a community in Central Texas. Donahue believes Woody's appointment as chief of interpretation and visitors services in December 1998 was perfect timing as the pendulum swung closer to the middle. An Indian Memorial for the warriors who fought against the soldiers as well as the Crow and Arikara Indian scouts who fought with army was dedicated in 2003 on Last Stand Hill, less than 100 yards from where Custer fell and the obelisk for the fallen soldiers has stood since 1881. As Woody settled into his new job, he realized he had found his niche at what he has called the ultimate historic park in the West. ... The battle is well known. ... It's a fascinating enigma, a modern army being defeated by a Stone Age people. I like giving talks. I like being a showman. I like an audience. It's better to have a big audience. Knife River got maybe 20,000 visitors a year at the time. Little Bighorn was getting 300,000, he continued. I always was a big fan of movies like Little Big Man [an anti-establishment film that portrays Custer as a megalomaniacal lunatic]. Little Bighorn was a culmination of all my interests. Despite his self-acknowledged pro-Indian leanings, Woody believes there are no good guys and no bad guys here. ... Everyone was doing what he thought was right. ... I think Americans look at Custer in the wrong light. He was doing the will of the lawmakers in Washington. Donahue says, Ken always encouraged us to be fair and unbiased. There are more than two sides to every story. There are three, four and sometimes five sides to the story. Ken knows a lot about the battle but he was always willing to ask questions and learn. He's not a know-it-all. He's very humble in his knowledge. Michael Stops, a Crow tribal member and longtime chief ranger at the battlefield who also is retiring, said Woody brought good objectivity to the job. I think because he's from back East, he's more neutral. He's not really for either side. I think that's very important because you have the military and all the different tribes who all have their own distinct interest in the park. Woody's world was transformed forever on Dec. 15, 2011, when his 21-year-old son, Kenny IV, was killed in a vehicle accident near the family's home in Hardin, some 15 miles from the battlefield. Things changed. My attitude toward life changed. Some things aren't as important now, Woody says. Life is too unpredictable to keep putting off the things you want to do. I've been here 23 years. As cool as this place is, it's time to do something else. I've been there, done that, he said. As much as I would like to stay, too much other stuff is not fun; paperwork, meetings, projects. I kind of want to be left alone. I want time to be with my family. For the past several years, Woody has been purchasing, renovating and renting homes in Hardin. Now he's planning to become a full-fledged entrepreneur, opening a trading post with Native American regalia. He hopes to open an Airbnb and offer private tours of the battlefield. I've already been asked to lead a tour next summer on the anniversary of the battle the 146th. This was the year we were to leave COVID behind us and get on with our lives. That didnt happen as wave after wave of the virus washed over us, once again filling our hospitals and jacking up the death toll. Like 2020, we needed help to cope with all the sick. In their second year on the front lines, exhausted local hospital workers got relief from traveling nurses, the National Guard and visiting federal health care teams. And, all around us the debate over vaccines and masks and mandates raged on, in a few cases exploding into angry confrontations with medical professionals and service workers. Like children, we had to be reminded by signs hung in hospitals and businesses to be kind. But mostly we were kind to each other, especially in the face of disaster. When a freak December range fire swept over the tiny town of Denton, burning 25 homes and six businesses, volunteers turned up to help. Strangers brought food and hot coffee, offered homes to stay in and helped victims sift through the ashes. Ranchers from around the state donated hay, and the governor contributed a quarter of his salary to a relief fund. When an Amtrak train derailed near Joplin on the Hi-Line killing three people and injuring dozens, among the rescuers were people from town who risked their own safety to pull survivors from the wreckage. And when a young woman didnt return as planned from a solo hike in the Beartooth Mountains, volunteers trekked into the backcountry to find her. Even fish got some love. A mechanical problem on the Hebgen Lake Dam drained the upper Madison River, leaving many fish high and dry. Volunteers waded into the river with buckets to move struggling fish to deeper water. And in Billings, school children packed bags filled with treats to give to weary health care workers, who because of COVID protocols they would never get to meet. From beginning to end in 2021, as tiresome as the topic has become, COVID seemed all we could talk about, and for the second year in a row it was The Billings Gazettes top story of the year. Enough has probably already been said about it, so here, not strictly listed in order of importance, are some of the other top stories of the year from our region: West End standoff For 10 hours through an April night, an armed man held police at bay from inside a Billings West End home he had broken into after he and a woman he had just met killed a man whose van they had stolen. The victim was a 33-year-old family man from Sheridan, Wyoming named Dennis Gresham. He had driven to Billings to pick up a friend at the airport early the next morning and had been sleeping in his van at a campground. That morning, Michael McClure and Kristy Chavez approached the genial Gresham in his van and asked for help, but it was a trick. At gunpoint, Gresham was taken captive and the three left the campground in his van. Within a few minutes, Gresham was dead, shot five times. In Laurel, McClure and Chavez stopped in the parking lot of a business to get rid of the van and the body. Employees inside the business watching the pair throw a big tarp over the van found it suspicious and called police. The chase was on. With police in pursuit, the couple raced back to Billings where they eventually crashed the van in a quiet, affluent neighborhood and then ran away. Chavez was quickly caught. McClure kept running, trying the doors of several homes before finding one he could break into. The homeowner, luckily, was away. Billings Police surrounded the house with a small army of specially trained officers and slowly turned up the heat on McClure. Finally, just as the sun was rising, police went in after him. Within seconds there was what police described as a quick volley of gunfire. They said McClure fired first, a shot they later determined was a suicide shot to his own head. Chavez remains in jail after being charged with deliberate homicide by accountability. The homeowner returned to a house that had been trashed by the standoff. Police and city officials told her they werent paying, it would be up to her and her insurance company. Lost hiker In late June, 23-year-old Tatum Morell hiked into the Beartooth Mountains above Red Lodge for a solo trek. The Montana State University engineering student was a fit and experienced hiker and had planned to set up a base camp from which she would summit five peaks above 12,000 feet. On July 1, she checked in with family using a Garmin InReach satellite communicator, and then in the days that followed the family heard nothing. Searchers from Red Lodge Fire and Rescue and some volunteers hiked into the rugged terrain hunting for her. Searchers also took to the air. At Shadow Lake, rescuers found her orange tent and campsite, but not her. As the search dragged on, Morells family traveled to Red Lodge from out of state and waited anxiously at the official command post. After an agonizing two weeks, rescuers and Morells family united in a July 14th press conference acknowledging Tatum was almost certainly dead. Well into August, hikers continued looking for her. On Saturday, Aug. 21, a group of backpackers near Whitetail Peak found her body where she had apparently gotten caught in a rock slide. The next day, her body was recovered by helicopter and flown home. The son who never gave up Deep in the Idaho backcountry last September, a hunter found the remains of a bowhunter who had gone missing more than 50 years earlier. The hunter had discovered two weathered black boots sticking out from under a boulder. It took four men to move the giant rock, and underneath they found some bone fragments, a bit of coiled rope, a rusty knife, part of a wooden arrow shaft, and a plastic gas station credit card bearing the name of Raymond Jones. The discovery was barely news in Montana except to one family in Billings where the news hit like a bombshell. Businessman Jeff Jones was 12-years-old when his father Raymond Jones went missing. The now 65-year-old Jeff had never stopped wishing for his dad to come home. It was a cousin who informed Jeff that the remains found in Idaho were all that was left of his father. All of the grief and frustration Jeff had pent up for decades was released at once, overwhelming him for days in what he could only describe as a fog. He now says he feels blessed to finally have the mystery solved. This spring, Jeff plans a graveside service in Miles City where his fathers remains will at last be laid to rest next to his parents. Red Lodge faces flames In some of the photos shot from Red Lodges main street on the dark evening of June 13, it looks like its only a matter of minutes before the towering orange flames of the Robertson Draw fire devour the small mountain town. That had happened dozens of times in California, leaving behind gray images of entire neighborhoods reduced to smoldering foundations. Some residents loaded their valuables into their car and drove out of town. Ranchers cut fences to let livestock run ahead of the fire. At a tiny church in town, the minister welcomed tourists who had been ordered from their campgrounds. Then sometime during the night the strong winds that had been pushing the fire into Red Lodge suddenly changed direction. In the morning, Mount Maurice, the sentinel behind Red Lodge, stood black with wisps of smoke still curling from naked trees. The fire had moved elsewhere. Red Lodge had been spared. Before the 30,000-acre fire was eventually extinguished a month later, it did burn several remote homes and outbuildings and spread far across rangeland east toward Belfry and south toward Wyoming. In early July, a Bridger man ironically named John Lightburn was charged with starting the fire. He was allegedly riding his motorcycle illegally in forest land south of Red Lodge when the bike broke down. While fixing it, he apparently spilled some gasoline and then while checking the engines spark plug he ignited the blaze. State's biggest fire Other small Eastern Montana towns also came close to getting swallowed up by fire this summer. On Aug. 8, the Richard Spring fire in Rosebud County puffed into life about 10 miles south of Colstrip and then took off in all directions. In this rough, rural country the nearest municipal fire truck can be 50 miles of dirt road away. Ranchers who can afford it have their own firefighting equipment. As the fire, which would eventually join a second fire and then spread across 170,000 acres, bore down on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, residents of Lame Deer and Ashland were ordered from their homes and the roads were closed. Making matters worse, the blaze had cut power, cell service and the internet. Residents had to guess at what danger they were in. Some of the reservations residents were bussed to Busby where they spent the night on cots in the school gym. And then during what has been one of the driest summers ever, the rains came, which believers would say was not by chance. The early cold front beat the fire down enough that within a few days firefighters had it under control. No significant structures had burned, and no one was seriously hurt. Investigators say it was smoldering coal seams that started the fires. The seams have been burning underground for decades, maybe centuries, probably originally ignited by lightning strikes and impossible to extinguish. It wont be the last range fire they start. Parolee problems When a disgruntled employee in November returned to the downtown Billings restaurant where he had earlier that day been fired, he was thinking of just one thing. The wild-eyed young man grabbed steak knives and started threatening everyone in reach. A brave restaurant manager coaxed the man away from customers and eventually into the kitchen where employees and several policeman subdued him. But not before his bloody rampage left at least four employees stabbed, slashed and terrorized. The violence in a downtown restaurant was shocking enough, but there was more to it than anyone that night realized. The suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Bird, had just been released from prison, not to his hometown of Missoula, but to Billings. His arrest touched off a firestorm of complaints from city officials and politicians who say theyre tired of Billings taking on more than its fair share of the state's parolees. One local legislator claimed the states Department of Corrections simply gives new parolees a bus ticket to Billings. And, thats true, at least the part about Billings taking a disproportionate number of parolees, according to a Gazette investigation. In fact, while Yellowstone County makes up about 15% of the states population, at least 24% of the states current parolees are living here. Gallatin County, by contrast, has 11% of the states population, but 5% of the states supervised parolees. The problem is a complicated one. Its true that most of the states programs for supervising and re-integrating parolees are in Billings and that naturally leads to more parolees. But solutions are being debated and the topic is certain to come up when the state Legislature meets again. Bird has been charged with five felonies. A Billings judge set his bail at $1 million, an unusually high sum meant to ensure Bird isnt spotted again in downtown Billings anytime soon. Medical school picks Billings In February, the Colorado-based Rocky Vista University announced it would build a $50 million, 12-acre medical school campus in Billings on the far West End. It was promised that within a few years the school would attract hundreds of super smart medical students, employ as many as 350 people, and dump millions upon millions of dollars annually into the local economy. The bonus would be that many of the newly minted osteopathic doctors may remain to practice in Montana, easing the states chronic doctor shortage. The news, however, was not universally celebrated. Billings Clinic declined to partner with the university, mostly because it already partners with a top-rated medical school. Other skeptics in the state, especially in Great Falls where officials are courting their own medical school, predicted the state wont be able to support the huge increase in medical students. St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, however, is all in. The hospital says it will gladly partner with RVU and even create an office of medical education to connect students to clinical rotation programs. In an October ceremony attended by the governor, RVU broke ground on its campus at Shiloh and Monad and expects to begin its first classes by the end of 2022. Seeing hope For a busy Miles City mom, the trouble started with a simple operation to correct her vision. Millions of people have had the same surgery and were better off for it. Jaimi Espys local optometrist recommended she have her severe nearsightedness corrected by having an artificial lens implanted in her eye. The surgery wasnt available in Miles City, so she found a doctor in Billings. That surgery, however, did not go as it should have. Over time, the lens failed, popping out of her eye as she prepared a Thanksgiving dinner. Repairing the damage led to a horrifying cascade of emergency surgeries that couldnt prevent her from going entirely blind in both eyes. Espy sued the Billings eye surgeon and a jury awarded her $3 million. That sounds like an awful lot of money, even after her lawyers are paid. And, the money will help pay her expenses and ease her challenges, the mother now in her 40s, says. What the money doesnt do is erase the horror of slowly losing her vision, a trauma that led her to the brink of suicide. And it wont help her see the joy on her young daughter's face as she pushes her in a backyard swing. The money also wouldnt have changed how Espys story ends. I can adapt and I will adapt and there is a way to do the things that I want to do, she told the Gazette in early July. I think the biggest key to that is not giving up. Pushing it to 11 Speaking of not giving up, heres a good news story to end 2021 with. When Billings motorcycle racer Ryan Zahn started piling up wins on the dirt tracks around Montana, he decided to go semi-pro. Thats news in anyones book, and The Gazette profiled Zahn in late November. Ever since he was a tiny boy, Zahn has worked on his own bikes, souping up the engines and modifying them to suit his peculiar riding style. And, hes had his share of crashes. After one bone-snapping spill, he was patched up by the same exasperated doctor who had patched him up after a previous wreck. Zahn was born with all the right stuff, the same talents that all great athletes have, a fearlessness and grit, and a drive to win. What he wasnt born with are arms. To ride a motorcycle, Zahn had to invent a new way to ride. When he wins, even his fiercest rivals have to marvel. His philosophy in life is the same as his philosophy in racing, youve got to always be pushing it to 11. This was the year we were to leave COVID behind us and get on with our lives. That didnt happen as wave after wave of the virus washed over us, once again filling our hospitals and jacking up the death toll. Like 2020, we needed help to cope with all the sick. In their second year on the front lines, exhausted local hospital workers got relief from traveling nurses, the National Guard and visiting federal health care teams. And, all around us the debate over vaccines and masks and mandates raged on, in a few cases exploding into angry confrontations with medical professionals and service workers. Like children, we had to be reminded by signs hung in hospitals and businesses to be kind. But mostly we were kind to each other, especially in the face of disaster. When a freak December range fire swept over the tiny town of Denton, burning 25 homes and six businesses, volunteers turned up to help. Strangers brought food and hot coffee, offered homes to stay in and helped victims sift through the ashes. Ranchers from around the state donated hay, and the governor contributed a quarter of his salary to a relief fund. When an Amtrak train derailed near Joplin on the Hi-Line killing three people and injuring dozens, among the rescuers were people from town who risked their own safety to pull survivors from the wreckage. And when a young woman didnt return as planned from a solo hike in the Beartooth Mountains, volunteers trekked into the backcountry to find her. Even fish got some love. A mechanical problem on the Hebgen Lake Dam drained the upper Madison River, leaving many fish high and dry. Volunteers waded into the river with buckets to move struggling fish to deeper water. And in Billings, school children packed bags filled with treats to give to weary health care workers, who because of COVID protocols they would never get to meet. From beginning to end in 2021, as tiresome as the topic has become, COVID seemed all we could talk about, and for the second year in a row it was The Billings Gazettes top story of the year. Enough has probably already been said about it, so here, not strictly listed in order of importance, are some of the other top stories of the year from our region: West End standoff For 10 hours through an April night, an armed man held police at bay from inside a Billings West End home he had broken into after he and a woman he had just met killed a man whose van they had stolen. The victim was a 33-year-old family man from Sheridan, Wyoming named Dennis Gresham. He had driven to Billings to pick up a friend at the airport early the next morning and had been sleeping in his van at a campground. That morning, Michael McClure and Kristy Chavez approached the genial Gresham in his van and asked for help, but it was a trick. At gunpoint, Gresham was taken captive and the three left the campground in his van. Within a few minutes, Gresham was dead, shot five times. In Laurel, McClure and Chavez stopped in the parking lot of a business to get rid of the van and the body. Employees inside the business watching the pair throw a big tarp over the van found it suspicious and called police. The chase was on. With police in pursuit, the couple raced back to Billings where they eventually crashed the van in a quiet, affluent neighborhood and then ran away. Chavez was quickly caught. McClure kept running, trying the doors of several homes before finding one he could break into. The homeowner, luckily, was away. Billings Police surrounded the house with a small army of specially trained officers and slowly turned up the heat on McClure. Finally, just as the sun was rising, police went in after him. Within seconds there was what police described as a quick volley of gunfire. They said McClure fired first, a shot they later determined was a suicide shot to his own head. Chavez remains in jail after being charged with deliberate homicide by accountability. The homeowner returned to a house that had been trashed by the standoff. Police and city officials told her they werent paying, it would be up to her and her insurance company. Lost hiker In late June, 23-year-old Tatum Morell hiked into the Beartooth Mountains above Red Lodge for a solo trek. The Montana State University engineering student was a fit and experienced hiker and had planned to set up a base camp from which she would summit five peaks above 12,000 feet. On July 1, she checked in with family using a Garmin InReach satellite communicator, and then in the days that followed the family heard nothing. Searchers from Red Lodge Fire and Rescue and some volunteers hiked into the rugged terrain hunting for her. Searchers also took to the air. At Shadow Lake, rescuers found her orange tent and campsite, but not her. As the search dragged on, Morells family traveled to Red Lodge from out of state and waited anxiously at the official command post. After an agonizing two weeks, rescuers and Morells family united in a July 14th press conference acknowledging Tatum was almost certainly dead. Well into August, hikers continued looking for her. On Saturday, Aug. 21, a group of backpackers near Whitetail Peak found her body where she had apparently gotten caught in a rock slide. The next day, her body was recovered by helicopter and flown home. The son who never gave up Deep in the Idaho backcountry last September, a hunter found the remains of a bowhunter who had gone missing more than 50 years earlier. The hunter had discovered two weathered black boots sticking out from under a boulder. It took four men to move the giant rock, and underneath they found some bone fragments, a bit of coiled rope, a rusty knife, part of a wooden arrow shaft, and a plastic gas station credit card bearing the name of Raymond Jones. The discovery was barely news in Montana except to one family in Billings where the news hit like a bombshell. Businessman Jeff Jones was 12-years-old when his father Raymond Jones went missing. The now 65-year-old Jeff had never stopped wishing for his dad to come home. It was a cousin who informed Jeff that the remains found in Idaho were all that was left of his father. All of the grief and frustration Jeff had pent up for decades was released at once, overwhelming him for days in what he could only describe as a fog. He now says he feels blessed to finally have the mystery solved. This spring, Jeff plans a graveside service in Miles City where his fathers remains will at last be laid to rest next to his parents. Red Lodge faces flames In some of the photos shot from Red Lodges main street on the dark evening of June 13, it looks like its only a matter of minutes before the towering orange flames of the Robertson Draw fire devour the small mountain town. That had happened dozens of times in California, leaving behind gray images of entire neighborhoods reduced to smoldering foundations. Some residents loaded their valuables into their car and drove out of town. Ranchers cut fences to let livestock run ahead of the fire. At a tiny church in town, the minister welcomed tourists who had been ordered from their campgrounds. Then sometime during the night the strong winds that had been pushing the fire into Red Lodge suddenly changed direction. In the morning, Mount Maurice, the sentinel behind Red Lodge, stood black with wisps of smoke still curling from naked trees. The fire had moved elsewhere. Red Lodge had been spared. Before the 30,000-acre fire was eventually extinguished a month later, it did burn several remote homes and outbuildings and spread far across rangeland east toward Belfry and south toward Wyoming. In early July, a Bridger man ironically named John Lightburn was charged with starting the fire. He was allegedly riding his motorcycle illegally in forest land south of Red Lodge when the bike broke down. While fixing it, he apparently spilled some gasoline and then while checking the engines spark plug he ignited the blaze. State's biggest fire Other small Eastern Montana towns also came close to getting swallowed up by fire this summer. On Aug. 8, the Richard Spring fire in Rosebud County puffed into life about 10 miles south of Colstrip and then took off in all directions. In this rough, rural country the nearest municipal fire truck can be 50 miles of dirt road away. Ranchers who can afford it have their own firefighting equipment. As the fire, which would eventually join a second fire and then spread across 170,000 acres, bore down on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, residents of Lame Deer and Ashland were ordered from their homes and the roads were closed. Making matters worse, the blaze had cut power, cell service and the internet. Residents had to guess at what danger they were in. Some of the reservations residents were bussed to Busby where they spent the night on cots in the school gym. And then during what has been one of the driest summers ever, the rains came, which believers would say was not by chance. The early cold front beat the fire down enough that within a few days firefighters had it under control. No significant structures had burned, and no one was seriously hurt. Investigators say it was smoldering coal seams that started the fires. The seams have been burning underground for decades, maybe centuries, probably originally ignited by lightning strikes and impossible to extinguish. It wont be the last range fire they start. Parolee problems When a disgruntled employee in November returned to the downtown Billings restaurant where he had earlier that day been fired, he was thinking of just one thing. The wild-eyed young man grabbed steak knives and started threatening everyone in reach. A brave restaurant manager coaxed the man away from customers and eventually into the kitchen where employees and several policeman subdued him. But not before his bloody rampage left at least four employees stabbed, slashed and terrorized. The violence in a downtown restaurant was shocking enough, but there was more to it than anyone that night realized. The suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Bird, had just been released from prison, not to his hometown of Missoula, but to Billings. His arrest touched off a firestorm of complaints from city officials and politicians who say theyre tired of Billings taking on more than its fair share of the state's parolees. One local legislator claimed the states Department of Corrections simply gives new parolees a bus ticket to Billings. And, thats true, at least the part about Billings taking a disproportionate number of parolees, according to a Gazette investigation. In fact, while Yellowstone County makes up about 15% of the states population, at least 24% of the states current parolees are living here. Gallatin County, by contrast, has 11% of the states population, but 5% of the states supervised parolees. The problem is a complicated one. Its true that most of the states programs for supervising and re-integrating parolees are in Billings and that naturally leads to more parolees. But solutions are being debated and the topic is certain to come up when the state Legislature meets again. Bird has been charged with five felonies. A Billings judge set his bail at $1 million, an unusually high sum meant to ensure Bird isnt spotted again in downtown Billings anytime soon. Medical school picks Billings In February, the Colorado-based Rocky Vista University announced it would build a $50 million, 12-acre medical school campus in Billings on the far West End. It was promised that within a few years the school would attract hundreds of super smart medical students, employ as many as 350 people, and dump millions upon millions of dollars annually into the local economy. The bonus would be that many of the newly minted osteopathic doctors may remain to practice in Montana, easing the states chronic doctor shortage. The news, however, was not universally celebrated. Billings Clinic declined to partner with the university, mostly because it already partners with a top-rated medical school. Other skeptics in the state, especially in Great Falls where officials are courting their own medical school, predicted the state wont be able to support the huge increase in medical students. St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, however, is all in. The hospital says it will gladly partner with RVU and even create an office of medical education to connect students to clinical rotation programs. In an October ceremony attended by the governor, RVU broke ground on its campus at Shiloh and Monad and expects to begin its first classes by the end of 2022. Seeing hope For a busy Miles City mom, the trouble started with a simple operation to correct her vision. Millions of people have had the same surgery and were better off for it. Jaimi Espys local optometrist recommended she have her severe nearsightedness corrected by having an artificial lens implanted in her eye. The surgery wasnt available in Miles City, so she found a doctor in Billings. That surgery, however, did not go as it should have. Over time, the lens failed, popping out of her eye as she prepared a Thanksgiving dinner. Repairing the damage led to a horrifying cascade of emergency surgeries that couldnt prevent her from going entirely blind in both eyes. Espy sued the Billings eye surgeon and a jury awarded her $3 million. That sounds like an awful lot of money, even after her lawyers are paid. And, the money will help pay her expenses and ease her challenges, the mother now in her 40s, says. What the money doesnt do is erase the horror of slowly losing her vision, a trauma that led her to the brink of suicide. And it wont help her see the joy on her young daughter's face as she pushes her in a backyard swing. The money also wouldnt have changed how Espys story ends. I can adapt and I will adapt and there is a way to do the things that I want to do, she told the Gazette in early July. I think the biggest key to that is not giving up. Pushing it to 11 Speaking of not giving up, heres a good news story to end 2021 with. When Billings motorcycle racer Ryan Zahn started piling up wins on the dirt tracks around Montana, he decided to go semi-pro. Thats news in anyones book, and The Gazette profiled Zahn in late November. Ever since he was a tiny boy, Zahn has worked on his own bikes, souping up the engines and modifying them to suit his peculiar riding style. And, hes had his share of crashes. After one bone-snapping spill, he was patched up by the same exasperated doctor who had patched him up after a previous wreck. Zahn was born with all the right stuff, the same talents that all great athletes have, a fearlessness and grit, and a drive to win. What he wasnt born with are arms. To ride a motorcycle, Zahn had to invent a new way to ride. When he wins, even his fiercest rivals have to marvel. His philosophy in life is the same as his philosophy in racing, youve got to always be pushing it to 11. (Tribune News Service) Almost 2,400 flights into and out of the U.S. were canceled Saturday, and more than 1,100 were delayed, according to the tracking firm FlightAware.com, amid bad weather and staff shortages caused by the rapid spread of the omicron variant. Southwest Airlines Co. canceled 471 flights 21% of scheduled trips and delayed another 187; while regional carrier SkyWest Inc. canceled 422 flights and delayed another 65. Among the bigger national carriers, Delta Air Lines Inc. cut 9% of its flights while American Airlines Group Inc. and United Airlines Holdings Inc. each scrubbed 7%, according to the site. Some 1,627 flights into or out of the U.S. have already been canceled for Sunday, FlightAware said. A heavy snow storm across large parts of the country is expected to cause major travel disruptions, according to the National Weather Service. With the U.S. hitting record infections, the holiday travel season has been snarled by about 12,000 canceled flights since Christmas Eve, according to the Associated Press. Some of the biggest trouble spots for travelers were in the Midwest, where where 58% of flights scheduled to leave from Chicago Midway and 45% from Chicago O'Hare were scratched, according to FlightAware. Airports in Denver, Kansas City and Detroit also saw a high number of cancellations and delays. The Transportation Security Administration, which has been grappling with unruly passengers, urged people to "be patient." Security screened more than 1.6 million people yesterday at checkpoints around the country. ___ 2021 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Bill McClellan Bill McClellan is a columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Bill McClellan Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today The old year was not good, but the new one will be worse. I have resigned myself to that. Why pretend the light at the end of the tunnel is anything but the beam from an oncoming train? I am not talking about national politics. That disaster is too profound for me. I cannot pretend to understand it. If you would have told me 10 years ago that my political heroes would be Liz Cheney and Dan Quayle, I would not have believed you. But Cheney has stood up to Donald Trump and Quayle advised Mike Pence that a vice president ought not overturn a national election. I used to despise Cheneys father, and I was convinced that Quayle was an empty suit. I obviously saw things in a superficial way. Fortunately, I have earned the right to ignore national politics. I have done my bit. I was patriotic enough to flunk out of college and get drafted. Eventually, I became a taxpayer and a voter. That is not a great resume, but it is good enough that I can say, Let the young people save the Republic. I am too old to rush to the barricades. Whats more, I would probably get lost. Thats another thing about a new year. Navigating through life does not get easier with the passing of time. For that reason, I seldom go out. I made an exception in November when comedian Greg Warren came to the Funny Bone at Westport Plaza. I bought two tickets online. I try not to do stuff like that, but I decided to reach a little, test myself, and I did quite well. I made the online purchase and printed out my two tickets. An anthropologist once surmised that a Neanderthal, tossed into our modern culture, could probably learn to do a complicated thing like use the proper change to ride mass transit. Perhaps. But could he order online? On a Friday night in mid-November, we drove to Westport. Even during daylight, I get lost as I approach Westport. Its like trying to get to the city of Oz through a maze. You look for shiny gold building and head toward it. One pass is seldom enough. With the help of my longtime navigator we celebrated 42 years of marriage this past Wednesday we arrived at Westport. I had forgotten our tickets. You didnt bring the tickets? Mary asked. It wasnt really a question. Actual tickets are old news, I said cheerfully. Because I bought them online, the ticket office would surely have a record of that. Arent computers supposed to make life easier? I had an ace in the hole. I knew Warrens mother. Yes, that is the new me. I am the guy who knows the drummers parents. The late Colleen Kelly Warren used to write occasional columns for this newspaper. I was hoping I wouldnt have to act like a big-shot and ask to speak to the headliner, but I was ready to do it. I projected an air of self-confidence as I walked up to the ticket window. I dont have the actual tickets with me for Greg Warrens show, I said. Im sure you have a record of the purchase. Greg Warren is here next Friday night, she said. I told that story to my grandkids a couple of weeks ago as we headed to the Fabulous Fox to see Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical. I remembered the tickets this time and I double-checked the date, I said. I let my wife and grandkids out and found a place to park. I got to the theater in time for the show, but I did not have proof of vaccination. I went home, got my vaccination card and returned in time for the second half. Like I said, I dont go out much. Just because I have difficulty getting to the mall and back does not mean I dont crave adventure. When the year began, I had several road trips in mind. One was especially grand. We would head to the northwest to visit an old pal who lives in the state of Washington. On the way there, we would visit a nephew who lives in Oregon and a friend in Nebraska. Wed take a southern route home down into California and then through Arizona to Texas. Maybe wed stop in Branson on the way home. The continuing drama with the pandemic stopped all that. Plus, I had planned on getting a new car for the big trip, but new cars were scarce this past year. Supply chain problems. I was able to find one new car I liked, but it didnt have a spare tire. It had a repair kit. I would like adventure, but not that much adventure. Sitting on the side of the road with a flat tire and a repair kit, waiting to be towed to some town where I might be able to find a new tire? That does not sound like a plan, What is up with these supply-chain problems? Its well beyond new cars. My local grocery store doesnt even have eggnog. Are the chickens in on this? Lets go Brandon! I know. I know. Its not his fault. He was brought in to save the Republic, but the task was just too big, the opposition too well organized and too fierce, and hes too old, too worn out. Its really quite depressing. Its not as if this hasnt happened before in other countries. I would mention the movie Cabaret, but I dont want to encourage a movement to ban Christopher Isherwoods Berlin Diaries from our school libraries. On a more personal note, the Cubs had a terrible year. An 11-game losing streak and a 13-game losing streak. We not only finished 24 games out of first place, but we also traded our three best players Javier Baez, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. What did we get for them? Teenagers. We might be able to field a high-level American Legion team. Maybe someday some of those kids will grow up to be big-league players, but it wont be soon. The Cubs will not be competitive in 2022. So what else do we know about this new year? Well have elections. Half the country doesnt believe in them and will refuse to accept the results if their side loses, but well have them anyway, for old times sake. The results will be especially depressing here in Missouri. Eric Greitens is currently the favorite to win the Trumpian senatorial primary. If he implodes, it could be Eric Schmitt. Or maybe Mark McCloskey. Whichever one emerges out of the ooze will be the heavy favorite to join Josh Hawley in the Senate. By the way, Hawley would be my choice to lead a movement to ban Isherwoods book. After all, it was just a gay guys take on the manly men of the Third Reich. Long before the primary election in August, there will be a showdown at the Missouri Supreme Court over St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner. The states chief disciplinary counsel has found probable cause that she committed professional misconduct during her ill-advised foray into the Greitens mess. Will the court have the resolve to punish her, knowing that her side would immediately condemn the punishment as racist? What a black eye that would be for the city and the state. A crusading circuit attorney attacked by the racist establishment. I predict riots. Or the Supreme Court could try to finesse the whole thing and say that she committed misconduct, but that is not such a serious thing for the leading law enforcement official of the states second largest city. Just move along, folks. Nothing to see here. The only promising thing I can say about the new year is, I have been wrong often before. Like with Cheney and Quayle. Who couldve guessed that? (Tribune News Service) Almost 2,400 flights into and out of the U.S. were canceled Saturday, and more than 1,100 were delayed, according to the tracking firm FlightAware.com, amid bad weather and staff shortages caused by the rapid spread of the omicron variant. Southwest Airlines Co. canceled 471 flights 21% of scheduled trips and delayed another 187; while regional carrier SkyWest Inc. canceled 422 flights and delayed another 65. Among the bigger national carriers, Delta Air Lines Inc. cut 9% of its flights while American Airlines Group Inc. and United Airlines Holdings Inc. each scrubbed 7%, according to the site. Some 1,627 flights into or out of the U.S. have already been canceled for Sunday, FlightAware said. A heavy snow storm across large parts of the country is expected to cause major travel disruptions, according to the National Weather Service. With the U.S. hitting record infections, the holiday travel season has been snarled by about 12,000 canceled flights since Christmas Eve, according to the Associated Press. Some of the biggest trouble spots for travelers were in the Midwest, where where 58% of flights scheduled to leave from Chicago Midway and 45% from Chicago O'Hare were scratched, according to FlightAware. Airports in Denver, Kansas City and Detroit also saw a high number of cancellations and delays. The Transportation Security Administration, which has been grappling with unruly passengers, urged people to "be patient." Security screened more than 1.6 million people yesterday at checkpoints around the country. ___ 2021 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) Almost 2,400 flights into and out of the U.S. were canceled Saturday, and more than 1,100 were delayed, according to the tracking firm FlightAware.com, amid bad weather and staff shortages caused by the rapid spread of the omicron variant. Southwest Airlines Co. canceled 471 flights 21% of scheduled trips and delayed another 187; while regional carrier SkyWest Inc. canceled 422 flights and delayed another 65. Among the bigger national carriers, Delta Air Lines Inc. cut 9% of its flights while American Airlines Group Inc. and United Airlines Holdings Inc. each scrubbed 7%, according to the site. Some 1,627 flights into or out of the U.S. have already been canceled for Sunday, FlightAware said. A heavy snow storm across large parts of the country is expected to cause major travel disruptions, according to the National Weather Service. With the U.S. hitting record infections, the holiday travel season has been snarled by about 12,000 canceled flights since Christmas Eve, according to the Associated Press. Some of the biggest trouble spots for travelers were in the Midwest, where where 58% of flights scheduled to leave from Chicago Midway and 45% from Chicago O'Hare were scratched, according to FlightAware. Airports in Denver, Kansas City and Detroit also saw a high number of cancellations and delays. The Transportation Security Administration, which has been grappling with unruly passengers, urged people to "be patient." Security screened more than 1.6 million people yesterday at checkpoints around the country. ___ 2021 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed here this week, sparking a two-state manhunt that also included carjackings, robberies and a second shooting, said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting around 5 a.m. Wednesday, then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer driver at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a series of other carjackings, robberies and other crimes on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities caught up to him Wednesday afternoon, in Clinton County, Illinois, inside a home where at least one person had been held hostage. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed here this week, sparking a two-state manhunt that also included carjackings, robberies and a second shooting, said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting around 5 a.m. Wednesday, then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer driver at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a series of other carjackings, robberies and other crimes on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities caught up to him Wednesday afternoon, in Clinton County, Illinois, inside a home where at least one person had been held hostage. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. Bill McClellan Bill McClellan is a columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Bill McClellan Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today The old year was not good, but the new one will be worse. I have resigned myself to that. Why pretend the light at the end of the tunnel is anything but the beam from an oncoming train? I am not talking about national politics. That disaster is too profound for me. I cannot pretend to understand it. If you would have told me 10 years ago that my political heroes would be Liz Cheney and Dan Quayle, I would not have believed you. But Cheney has stood up to Donald Trump and Quayle advised Mike Pence that a vice president ought not overturn a national election. I used to despise Cheneys father, and I was convinced that Quayle was an empty suit. I obviously saw things in a superficial way. Fortunately, I have earned the right to ignore national politics. I have done my bit. I was patriotic enough to flunk out of college and get drafted. Eventually, I became a taxpayer and a voter. That is not a great resume, but it is good enough that I can say, Let the young people save the Republic. I am too old to rush to the barricades. Whats more, I would probably get lost. Thats another thing about a new year. Navigating through life does not get easier with the passing of time. For that reason, I seldom go out. I made an exception in November when comedian Greg Warren came to the Funny Bone at Westport Plaza. I bought two tickets online. I try not to do stuff like that, but I decided to reach a little, test myself, and I did quite well. I made the online purchase and printed out my two tickets. An anthropologist once surmised that a Neanderthal, tossed into our modern culture, could probably learn to do a complicated thing like use the proper change to ride mass transit. Perhaps. But could he order online? On a Friday night in mid-November, we drove to Westport. Even during daylight, I get lost as I approach Westport. Its like trying to get to the city of Oz through a maze. You look for shiny gold building and head toward it. One pass is seldom enough. With the help of my longtime navigator we celebrated 42 years of marriage this past Wednesday we arrived at Westport. I had forgotten our tickets. You didnt bring the tickets? Mary asked. It wasnt really a question. Actual tickets are old news, I said cheerfully. Because I bought them online, the ticket office would surely have a record of that. Arent computers supposed to make life easier? I had an ace in the hole. I knew Warrens mother. Yes, that is the new me. I am the guy who knows the drummers parents. The late Colleen Kelly Warren used to write occasional columns for this newspaper. I was hoping I wouldnt have to act like a big-shot and ask to speak to the headliner, but I was ready to do it. I projected an air of self-confidence as I walked up to the ticket window. I dont have the actual tickets with me for Greg Warrens show, I said. Im sure you have a record of the purchase. Greg Warren is here next Friday night, she said. I told that story to my grandkids a couple of weeks ago as we headed to the Fabulous Fox to see Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical. I remembered the tickets this time and I double-checked the date, I said. I let my wife and grandkids out and found a place to park. I got to the theater in time for the show, but I did not have proof of vaccination. I went home, got my vaccination card and returned in time for the second half. Like I said, I dont go out much. Just because I have difficulty getting to the mall and back does not mean I dont crave adventure. When the year began, I had several road trips in mind. One was especially grand. We would head to the northwest to visit an old pal who lives in the state of Washington. On the way there, we would visit a nephew who lives in Oregon and a friend in Nebraska. Wed take a southern route home down into California and then through Arizona to Texas. Maybe wed stop in Branson on the way home. The continuing drama with the pandemic stopped all that. Plus, I had planned on getting a new car for the big trip, but new cars were scarce this past year. Supply chain problems. I was able to find one new car I liked, but it didnt have a spare tire. It had a repair kit. I would like adventure, but not that much adventure. Sitting on the side of the road with a flat tire and a repair kit, waiting to be towed to some town where I might be able to find a new tire? That does not sound like a plan, What is up with these supply-chain problems? Its well beyond new cars. My local grocery store doesnt even have eggnog. Are the chickens in on this? Lets go Brandon! I know. I know. Its not his fault. He was brought in to save the Republic, but the task was just too big, the opposition too well organized and too fierce, and hes too old, too worn out. Its really quite depressing. Its not as if this hasnt happened before in other countries. I would mention the movie Cabaret, but I dont want to encourage a movement to ban Christopher Isherwoods Berlin Diaries from our school libraries. On a more personal note, the Cubs had a terrible year. An 11-game losing streak and a 13-game losing streak. We not only finished 24 games out of first place, but we also traded our three best players Javier Baez, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. What did we get for them? Teenagers. We might be able to field a high-level American Legion team. Maybe someday some of those kids will grow up to be big-league players, but it wont be soon. The Cubs will not be competitive in 2022. So what else do we know about this new year? Well have elections. Half the country doesnt believe in them and will refuse to accept the results if their side loses, but well have them anyway, for old times sake. The results will be especially depressing here in Missouri. Eric Greitens is currently the favorite to win the Trumpian senatorial primary. If he implodes, it could be Eric Schmitt. Or maybe Mark McCloskey. Whichever one emerges out of the ooze will be the heavy favorite to join Josh Hawley in the Senate. By the way, Hawley would be my choice to lead a movement to ban Isherwoods book. After all, it was just a gay guys take on the manly men of the Third Reich. Long before the primary election in August, there will be a showdown at the Missouri Supreme Court over St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner. The states chief disciplinary counsel has found probable cause that she committed professional misconduct during her ill-advised foray into the Greitens mess. Will the court have the resolve to punish her, knowing that her side would immediately condemn the punishment as racist? What a black eye that would be for the city and the state. A crusading circuit attorney attacked by the racist establishment. I predict riots. Or the Supreme Court could try to finesse the whole thing and say that she committed misconduct, but that is not such a serious thing for the leading law enforcement official of the states second largest city. Just move along, folks. Nothing to see here. The only promising thing I can say about the new year is, I have been wrong often before. Like with Cheney and Quayle. Who couldve guessed that? Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Bill McClellan Bill McClellan is a columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Bill McClellan Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today The old year was not good, but the new one will be worse. I have resigned myself to that. Why pretend the light at the end of the tunnel is anything but the beam from an oncoming train? I am not talking about national politics. That disaster is too profound for me. I cannot pretend to understand it. If you would have told me 10 years ago that my political heroes would be Liz Cheney and Dan Quayle, I would not have believed you. But Cheney has stood up to Donald Trump and Quayle advised Mike Pence that a vice president ought not overturn a national election. I used to despise Cheneys father, and I was convinced that Quayle was an empty suit. I obviously saw things in a superficial way. Fortunately, I have earned the right to ignore national politics. I have done my bit. I was patriotic enough to flunk out of college and get drafted. Eventually, I became a taxpayer and a voter. That is not a great resume, but it is good enough that I can say, Let the young people save the Republic. I am too old to rush to the barricades. Whats more, I would probably get lost. Thats another thing about a new year. Navigating through life does not get easier with the passing of time. For that reason, I seldom go out. I made an exception in November when comedian Greg Warren came to the Funny Bone at Westport Plaza. I bought two tickets online. I try not to do stuff like that, but I decided to reach a little, test myself, and I did quite well. I made the online purchase and printed out my two tickets. An anthropologist once surmised that a Neanderthal, tossed into our modern culture, could probably learn to do a complicated thing like use the proper change to ride mass transit. Perhaps. But could he order online? On a Friday night in mid-November, we drove to Westport. Even during daylight, I get lost as I approach Westport. Its like trying to get to the city of Oz through a maze. You look for shiny gold building and head toward it. One pass is seldom enough. With the help of my longtime navigator we celebrated 42 years of marriage this past Wednesday we arrived at Westport. I had forgotten our tickets. You didnt bring the tickets? Mary asked. It wasnt really a question. Actual tickets are old news, I said cheerfully. Because I bought them online, the ticket office would surely have a record of that. Arent computers supposed to make life easier? I had an ace in the hole. I knew Warrens mother. Yes, that is the new me. I am the guy who knows the drummers parents. The late Colleen Kelly Warren used to write occasional columns for this newspaper. I was hoping I wouldnt have to act like a big-shot and ask to speak to the headliner, but I was ready to do it. I projected an air of self-confidence as I walked up to the ticket window. I dont have the actual tickets with me for Greg Warrens show, I said. Im sure you have a record of the purchase. Greg Warren is here next Friday night, she said. I told that story to my grandkids a couple of weeks ago as we headed to the Fabulous Fox to see Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical. I remembered the tickets this time and I double-checked the date, I said. I let my wife and grandkids out and found a place to park. I got to the theater in time for the show, but I did not have proof of vaccination. I went home, got my vaccination card and returned in time for the second half. Like I said, I dont go out much. Just because I have difficulty getting to the mall and back does not mean I dont crave adventure. When the year began, I had several road trips in mind. One was especially grand. We would head to the northwest to visit an old pal who lives in the state of Washington. On the way there, we would visit a nephew who lives in Oregon and a friend in Nebraska. Wed take a southern route home down into California and then through Arizona to Texas. Maybe wed stop in Branson on the way home. The continuing drama with the pandemic stopped all that. Plus, I had planned on getting a new car for the big trip, but new cars were scarce this past year. Supply chain problems. I was able to find one new car I liked, but it didnt have a spare tire. It had a repair kit. I would like adventure, but not that much adventure. Sitting on the side of the road with a flat tire and a repair kit, waiting to be towed to some town where I might be able to find a new tire? That does not sound like a plan, What is up with these supply-chain problems? Its well beyond new cars. My local grocery store doesnt even have eggnog. Are the chickens in on this? Lets go Brandon! I know. I know. Its not his fault. He was brought in to save the Republic, but the task was just too big, the opposition too well organized and too fierce, and hes too old, too worn out. Its really quite depressing. Its not as if this hasnt happened before in other countries. I would mention the movie Cabaret, but I dont want to encourage a movement to ban Christopher Isherwoods Berlin Diaries from our school libraries. On a more personal note, the Cubs had a terrible year. An 11-game losing streak and a 13-game losing streak. We not only finished 24 games out of first place, but we also traded our three best players Javier Baez, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. What did we get for them? Teenagers. We might be able to field a high-level American Legion team. Maybe someday some of those kids will grow up to be big-league players, but it wont be soon. The Cubs will not be competitive in 2022. So what else do we know about this new year? Well have elections. Half the country doesnt believe in them and will refuse to accept the results if their side loses, but well have them anyway, for old times sake. The results will be especially depressing here in Missouri. Eric Greitens is currently the favorite to win the Trumpian senatorial primary. If he implodes, it could be Eric Schmitt. Or maybe Mark McCloskey. Whichever one emerges out of the ooze will be the heavy favorite to join Josh Hawley in the Senate. By the way, Hawley would be my choice to lead a movement to ban Isherwoods book. After all, it was just a gay guys take on the manly men of the Third Reich. Long before the primary election in August, there will be a showdown at the Missouri Supreme Court over St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner. The states chief disciplinary counsel has found probable cause that she committed professional misconduct during her ill-advised foray into the Greitens mess. Will the court have the resolve to punish her, knowing that her side would immediately condemn the punishment as racist? What a black eye that would be for the city and the state. A crusading circuit attorney attacked by the racist establishment. I predict riots. Or the Supreme Court could try to finesse the whole thing and say that she committed misconduct, but that is not such a serious thing for the leading law enforcement official of the states second largest city. Just move along, folks. Nothing to see here. The only promising thing I can say about the new year is, I have been wrong often before. Like with Cheney and Quayle. Who couldve guessed that? JEFFERSON CITY Even as the number of COVID-19 cases is surging, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson announced Thursday that he will let a 22-month-long state of emergency declaration expire on New Years Eve. With more than 15,000 dead in the state from the respiratory virus, Parson said he would not renew the declaration saying there is no longer a need for a state of emergency. We encourage all Missourians to consider COVID-19 vaccination and to stay diligent, but we can work together to fight COVID-19 while living our normal lives. It is time to take this final step and move forward as a state, Parson said. The move comes as Missouri topped 1 million cases, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. The surge has triggered a rush to get tested, resulting in frustrating bottlenecks at test sites. The St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force reported Thursday that new hospital admissions increased to 169, up from 136 on Wednesday, representing a new record for COVID-19 admissions in one day. Over the past week, hospital admissions have increased to 113 Thursday from 105 on Wednesday. Across the regions hospitals, bed capacity is at 89%, with intensive care units at 80% of their total staffed bed capacity, the task force reported. The expiration means the Missouri National Guard will no longer be activated to assist in the battle to contain the disease. Over the last 22 months, we have coordinated with local, state, and private partners to mitigate COVID-19 and work towards returning to normalcy. We all now know how to best fight and prevent serious illness from this virus, Parson said. The governor, a Republican, extended the state of emergency five times before issuing a final targeted executive order for health care needs in August. Currently, three of Missouris border states and 20 other states have states of emergency related to COVID-19 in place. At one time, nearly 600 statutory and regulatory waivers were approved across Missouri state government. Since that peak, waivers have reduced by nearly 80%. Parson has spent much of the pandemic opposing mandates and business closures, instead urging people to get vaccinated. The best method to prevent serious illness from COVID-19 is vaccination, and more and more Missourians continue choosing to get primary and booster vaccinations. In the month of December alone, more than 565,000 doses of vaccine were administered and 42% were part of a primary vaccine series, he said in a news release. More than 62% of Missourians have initiated vaccinations. Ken Woody learned a lot from his Mohawk grandfather. Woody grew up in Plum, Pennsylvania, with his grandparents nearby in the Unity neighborhood. When I was a child, 5 or 6 years old, my grandparents would babysit me while my parents were at work, he remembers. Grandpap had his own [automobile repair] garage along Universal Road. His name was Joseph LaFountain, but everyone called him 'Indian Joe.' He was part Mohawk, he says. He would teach me how to make eagle feather head dresses, leggings, breech cloths, pipe bags and do bead work. When you're a child, a window opens and influences you for the rest of your life, said Woody, who will turn 58 in January. I found my calling in life, said the man who now is an expert on Native American culture. He will retire on New Year's Eve after 23 years as chief of interpretation and visitor services at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Montana. Ken is one of the world's leading experts in Indian tipis, a walking encyclopedia of Indian culture, said Michael Donahue, who has spent 33 years working as a seasonal ranger at the battlefield. That's where Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and the five companies of the U.S. Seventh Cavalry that were under his immediate command were annihilated on June 25, 1876, along the banks of the Little Big Horn River while trying to force nomadic Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne tribes onto reservations. The Lakota, Cheyenne and handful of Arapaho warriors who fought with them that day won their greatest victory over any U.S. fighting force west of the Mississippi River, but the Indigenous peoples' way of life was soon lost forever. The road to the National Park Service job of his dreams was long, hard and full of surprises, says Woody, whose full name is Kenneth Russell Woody III. A lot of it was being in the right place at the right time, said the 1982 graduate of Plum High School as he remembered how he met his wife, the former Lorraine Frack. My mom and her mom were friends who hadn't seen each other for many years before one day her mom just popped into our house for a visit, said Woody whose parents, Ken and Geneva Woody, no longer live in Plum. She was having some car troubles so my Mom and Dad followed her back to [her home in] New York and I went along. He and Lorraine were 18 years old when they married. Two years later their daughter, Cindy, was born, followed later by Kenny IV and Joe. I hated New York City. I knew I didn't want an office job and I knew I wanted to work outdoors, Woody said. I found a school in the wilderness. That was the New York State Ranger School, now the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry or SUNY-ESF near Wanakena. The school was in the Adirondack Mountains in Upstate New York, he said. It was hard but we managed. We basically lived on Ronald Reagan [free government] cheese. We lived in an old loggers house with thin walls, no insulation. It seemed like it snowed every day and was 30 below. We had a foot of ice on the roof covered by 2 feet of snow. We had a wood stove in the living room where we made our bedroom. He later took some classes at Syracuse University and the University of Pittsburgh before taking a job as a seasonal National Park Service ranger at Fort Necessity near Farmington. I spent two summers giving interpretive talks. It was cool and I decided to pursue a career in the National Park Service. He spent a third summer as a seasonal ranger at the Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site in the Upper Missouri River Valley in North Dakota, where Northern Plains Indians such as the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara hunted like nomadic tribes but were essentially earthlodge dwellers and farmers. While there, Woody received a postcard from a friend telling him of a permanent National Park Service position as a part-time evening and night law enforcement dispatcher at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia. He applied for the job and became a permanent National Park Service employee 30 years ago, on Sept. 9, 1991. I spent nine months there and got to see a lot of things in Independence Hall and other sites that most people don't get to see, he said. Next he took a permanent ranger position at Knife River. There he honed his skills making Native American regalia as well as tipis, war shields, buffalo robes, war shirts and head dresses. As time went on, he began selling his wares to museums and private collectors. He also eventually began giving educational talks and re-enactments and modeling many of the items he made. But life can be tough on the Northern Plains where the weather can be as unforgiving as the Adirondacks. And his career really was a labor of love because National Park Service wages were relatively low at that time, especially when you're trying to support a family of five. In the National Park Service, we get paid in sunsets, he said. Rangers live in places where people go on vacation, so part of the income is being able to live there. He enjoyed giving talks visitors at Knife River, but he felt he had more to offer and, according to Donahue, things were starting to change at Little Bighorn. Under pressure from the American Indian Movement and other Native American organizations and a general change in attitude by white America toward the indigenous peoples, the stricken field was renamed Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in a law signed by President George H.W. Bush on Dec. 10, 1991. With Native Americans joining the ever-changing list of superintendents who have been in charge of the battlefield, Donahue said, the way interpretative rangers gave daily talks to visitors changed, too. The pendulum swung from being pro-military, pro-Custer to pro-Indian, anti-Custer, said Donahue, whose full-time job is as an art teacher and former department chair at Temple College in Temple, a community in Central Texas. Donahue believes Woody's appointment as chief of interpretation and visitors services in December 1998 was perfect timing as the pendulum swung closer to the middle. An Indian Memorial for the warriors who fought against the soldiers as well as the Crow and Arikara Indian scouts who fought with army was dedicated in 2003 on Last Stand Hill, less than 100 yards from where Custer fell and the obelisk for the fallen soldiers has stood since 1881. As Woody settled into his new job, he realized he had found his niche at what he has called the ultimate historic park in the West. ... The battle is well known. ... It's a fascinating enigma, a modern army being defeated by a Stone Age people. I like giving talks. I like being a showman. I like an audience. It's better to have a big audience. Knife River got maybe 20,000 visitors a year at the time. Little Bighorn was getting 300,000, he continued. I always was a big fan of movies like Little Big Man [an anti-establishment film that portrays Custer as a megalomaniacal lunatic]. Little Bighorn was a culmination of all my interests. Despite his self-acknowledged pro-Indian leanings, Woody believes there are no good guys and no bad guys here. ... Everyone was doing what he thought was right. ... I think Americans look at Custer in the wrong light. He was doing the will of the lawmakers in Washington. Donahue says, Ken always encouraged us to be fair and unbiased. There are more than two sides to every story. There are three, four and sometimes five sides to the story. Ken knows a lot about the battle but he was always willing to ask questions and learn. He's not a know-it-all. He's very humble in his knowledge. Michael Stops, a Crow tribal member and longtime chief ranger at the battlefield who also is retiring, said Woody brought good objectivity to the job. I think because he's from back East, he's more neutral. He's not really for either side. I think that's very important because you have the military and all the different tribes who all have their own distinct interest in the park. Woody's world was transformed forever on Dec. 15, 2011, when his 21-year-old son, Kenny IV, was killed in a vehicle accident near the family's home in Hardin, some 15 miles from the battlefield. Things changed. My attitude toward life changed. Some things aren't as important now, Woody says. Life is too unpredictable to keep putting off the things you want to do. I've been here 23 years. As cool as this place is, it's time to do something else. I've been there, done that, he said. As much as I would like to stay, too much other stuff is not fun; paperwork, meetings, projects. I kind of want to be left alone. I want time to be with my family. For the past several years, Woody has been purchasing, renovating and renting homes in Hardin. Now he's planning to become a full-fledged entrepreneur, opening a trading post with Native American regalia. He hopes to open an Airbnb and offer private tours of the battlefield. I've already been asked to lead a tour next summer on the anniversary of the battle the 146th. Ken Woody learned a lot from his Mohawk grandfather. Woody grew up in Plum, Pennsylvania, with his grandparents nearby in the Unity neighborhood. When I was a child, 5 or 6 years old, my grandparents would babysit me while my parents were at work, he remembers. Grandpap had his own [automobile repair] garage along Universal Road. His name was Joseph LaFountain, but everyone called him 'Indian Joe.' He was part Mohawk, he says. He would teach me how to make eagle feather head dresses, leggings, breech cloths, pipe bags and do bead work. When you're a child, a window opens and influences you for the rest of your life, said Woody, who will turn 58 in January. I found my calling in life, said the man who now is an expert on Native American culture. He will retire on New Year's Eve after 23 years as chief of interpretation and visitor services at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Montana. Ken is one of the world's leading experts in Indian tipis, a walking encyclopedia of Indian culture, said Michael Donahue, who has spent 33 years working as a seasonal ranger at the battlefield. That's where Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and the five companies of the U.S. Seventh Cavalry that were under his immediate command were annihilated on June 25, 1876, along the banks of the Little Big Horn River while trying to force nomadic Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne tribes onto reservations. The Lakota, Cheyenne and handful of Arapaho warriors who fought with them that day won their greatest victory over any U.S. fighting force west of the Mississippi River, but the Indigenous peoples' way of life was soon lost forever. The road to the National Park Service job of his dreams was long, hard and full of surprises, says Woody, whose full name is Kenneth Russell Woody III. A lot of it was being in the right place at the right time, said the 1982 graduate of Plum High School as he remembered how he met his wife, the former Lorraine Frack. My mom and her mom were friends who hadn't seen each other for many years before one day her mom just popped into our house for a visit, said Woody whose parents, Ken and Geneva Woody, no longer live in Plum. She was having some car troubles so my Mom and Dad followed her back to [her home in] New York and I went along. He and Lorraine were 18 years old when they married. Two years later their daughter, Cindy, was born, followed later by Kenny IV and Joe. I hated New York City. I knew I didn't want an office job and I knew I wanted to work outdoors, Woody said. I found a school in the wilderness. That was the New York State Ranger School, now the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry or SUNY-ESF near Wanakena. The school was in the Adirondack Mountains in Upstate New York, he said. It was hard but we managed. We basically lived on Ronald Reagan [free government] cheese. We lived in an old loggers house with thin walls, no insulation. It seemed like it snowed every day and was 30 below. We had a foot of ice on the roof covered by 2 feet of snow. We had a wood stove in the living room where we made our bedroom. He later took some classes at Syracuse University and the University of Pittsburgh before taking a job as a seasonal National Park Service ranger at Fort Necessity near Farmington. I spent two summers giving interpretive talks. It was cool and I decided to pursue a career in the National Park Service. He spent a third summer as a seasonal ranger at the Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site in the Upper Missouri River Valley in North Dakota, where Northern Plains Indians such as the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara hunted like nomadic tribes but were essentially earthlodge dwellers and farmers. While there, Woody received a postcard from a friend telling him of a permanent National Park Service position as a part-time evening and night law enforcement dispatcher at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia. He applied for the job and became a permanent National Park Service employee 30 years ago, on Sept. 9, 1991. I spent nine months there and got to see a lot of things in Independence Hall and other sites that most people don't get to see, he said. Next he took a permanent ranger position at Knife River. There he honed his skills making Native American regalia as well as tipis, war shields, buffalo robes, war shirts and head dresses. As time went on, he began selling his wares to museums and private collectors. He also eventually began giving educational talks and re-enactments and modeling many of the items he made. But life can be tough on the Northern Plains where the weather can be as unforgiving as the Adirondacks. And his career really was a labor of love because National Park Service wages were relatively low at that time, especially when you're trying to support a family of five. In the National Park Service, we get paid in sunsets, he said. Rangers live in places where people go on vacation, so part of the income is being able to live there. He enjoyed giving talks visitors at Knife River, but he felt he had more to offer and, according to Donahue, things were starting to change at Little Bighorn. Under pressure from the American Indian Movement and other Native American organizations and a general change in attitude by white America toward the indigenous peoples, the stricken field was renamed Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in a law signed by President George H.W. Bush on Dec. 10, 1991. With Native Americans joining the ever-changing list of superintendents who have been in charge of the battlefield, Donahue said, the way interpretative rangers gave daily talks to visitors changed, too. The pendulum swung from being pro-military, pro-Custer to pro-Indian, anti-Custer, said Donahue, whose full-time job is as an art teacher and former department chair at Temple College in Temple, a community in Central Texas. Donahue believes Woody's appointment as chief of interpretation and visitors services in December 1998 was perfect timing as the pendulum swung closer to the middle. An Indian Memorial for the warriors who fought against the soldiers as well as the Crow and Arikara Indian scouts who fought with army was dedicated in 2003 on Last Stand Hill, less than 100 yards from where Custer fell and the obelisk for the fallen soldiers has stood since 1881. As Woody settled into his new job, he realized he had found his niche at what he has called the ultimate historic park in the West. ... The battle is well known. ... It's a fascinating enigma, a modern army being defeated by a Stone Age people. I like giving talks. I like being a showman. I like an audience. It's better to have a big audience. Knife River got maybe 20,000 visitors a year at the time. Little Bighorn was getting 300,000, he continued. I always was a big fan of movies like Little Big Man [an anti-establishment film that portrays Custer as a megalomaniacal lunatic]. Little Bighorn was a culmination of all my interests. Despite his self-acknowledged pro-Indian leanings, Woody believes there are no good guys and no bad guys here. ... Everyone was doing what he thought was right. ... I think Americans look at Custer in the wrong light. He was doing the will of the lawmakers in Washington. Donahue says, Ken always encouraged us to be fair and unbiased. There are more than two sides to every story. There are three, four and sometimes five sides to the story. Ken knows a lot about the battle but he was always willing to ask questions and learn. He's not a know-it-all. He's very humble in his knowledge. Michael Stops, a Crow tribal member and longtime chief ranger at the battlefield who also is retiring, said Woody brought good objectivity to the job. I think because he's from back East, he's more neutral. He's not really for either side. I think that's very important because you have the military and all the different tribes who all have their own distinct interest in the park. Woody's world was transformed forever on Dec. 15, 2011, when his 21-year-old son, Kenny IV, was killed in a vehicle accident near the family's home in Hardin, some 15 miles from the battlefield. Things changed. My attitude toward life changed. Some things aren't as important now, Woody says. Life is too unpredictable to keep putting off the things you want to do. I've been here 23 years. As cool as this place is, it's time to do something else. I've been there, done that, he said. As much as I would like to stay, too much other stuff is not fun; paperwork, meetings, projects. I kind of want to be left alone. I want time to be with my family. For the past several years, Woody has been purchasing, renovating and renting homes in Hardin. Now he's planning to become a full-fledged entrepreneur, opening a trading post with Native American regalia. He hopes to open an Airbnb and offer private tours of the battlefield. I've already been asked to lead a tour next summer on the anniversary of the battle the 146th. JEFFERSON CITY Even as the number of COVID-19 cases is surging, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson announced Thursday that he will let a 22-month-long state of emergency declaration expire on New Years Eve. With more than 15,000 dead in the state from the respiratory virus, Parson said he would not renew the declaration saying there is no longer a need for a state of emergency. We encourage all Missourians to consider COVID-19 vaccination and to stay diligent, but we can work together to fight COVID-19 while living our normal lives. It is time to take this final step and move forward as a state, Parson said. The move comes as Missouri topped 1 million cases, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. The surge has triggered a rush to get tested, resulting in frustrating bottlenecks at test sites. The St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force reported Thursday that new hospital admissions increased to 169, up from 136 on Wednesday, representing a new record for COVID-19 admissions in one day. Over the past week, hospital admissions have increased to 113 Thursday from 105 on Wednesday. Across the regions hospitals, bed capacity is at 89%, with intensive care units at 80% of their total staffed bed capacity, the task force reported. The expiration means the Missouri National Guard will no longer be activated to assist in the battle to contain the disease. Over the last 22 months, we have coordinated with local, state, and private partners to mitigate COVID-19 and work towards returning to normalcy. We all now know how to best fight and prevent serious illness from this virus, Parson said. The governor, a Republican, extended the state of emergency five times before issuing a final targeted executive order for health care needs in August. Currently, three of Missouris border states and 20 other states have states of emergency related to COVID-19 in place. At one time, nearly 600 statutory and regulatory waivers were approved across Missouri state government. Since that peak, waivers have reduced by nearly 80%. Parson has spent much of the pandemic opposing mandates and business closures, instead urging people to get vaccinated. The best method to prevent serious illness from COVID-19 is vaccination, and more and more Missourians continue choosing to get primary and booster vaccinations. In the month of December alone, more than 565,000 doses of vaccine were administered and 42% were part of a primary vaccine series, he said in a news release. More than 62% of Missourians have initiated vaccinations. Ken Woody learned a lot from his Mohawk grandfather. Woody grew up in Plum, Pennsylvania, with his grandparents nearby in the Unity neighborhood. When I was a child, 5 or 6 years old, my grandparents would babysit me while my parents were at work, he remembers. Grandpap had his own [automobile repair] garage along Universal Road. His name was Joseph LaFountain, but everyone called him 'Indian Joe.' He was part Mohawk, he says. He would teach me how to make eagle feather head dresses, leggings, breech cloths, pipe bags and do bead work. When you're a child, a window opens and influences you for the rest of your life, said Woody, who will turn 58 in January. I found my calling in life, said the man who now is an expert on Native American culture. He will retire on New Year's Eve after 23 years as chief of interpretation and visitor services at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Montana. Ken is one of the world's leading experts in Indian tipis, a walking encyclopedia of Indian culture, said Michael Donahue, who has spent 33 years working as a seasonal ranger at the battlefield. That's where Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and the five companies of the U.S. Seventh Cavalry that were under his immediate command were annihilated on June 25, 1876, along the banks of the Little Big Horn River while trying to force nomadic Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne tribes onto reservations. The Lakota, Cheyenne and handful of Arapaho warriors who fought with them that day won their greatest victory over any U.S. fighting force west of the Mississippi River, but the Indigenous peoples' way of life was soon lost forever. The road to the National Park Service job of his dreams was long, hard and full of surprises, says Woody, whose full name is Kenneth Russell Woody III. A lot of it was being in the right place at the right time, said the 1982 graduate of Plum High School as he remembered how he met his wife, the former Lorraine Frack. My mom and her mom were friends who hadn't seen each other for many years before one day her mom just popped into our house for a visit, said Woody whose parents, Ken and Geneva Woody, no longer live in Plum. She was having some car troubles so my Mom and Dad followed her back to [her home in] New York and I went along. He and Lorraine were 18 years old when they married. Two years later their daughter, Cindy, was born, followed later by Kenny IV and Joe. I hated New York City. I knew I didn't want an office job and I knew I wanted to work outdoors, Woody said. I found a school in the wilderness. That was the New York State Ranger School, now the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry or SUNY-ESF near Wanakena. The school was in the Adirondack Mountains in Upstate New York, he said. It was hard but we managed. We basically lived on Ronald Reagan [free government] cheese. We lived in an old loggers house with thin walls, no insulation. It seemed like it snowed every day and was 30 below. We had a foot of ice on the roof covered by 2 feet of snow. We had a wood stove in the living room where we made our bedroom. He later took some classes at Syracuse University and the University of Pittsburgh before taking a job as a seasonal National Park Service ranger at Fort Necessity near Farmington. I spent two summers giving interpretive talks. It was cool and I decided to pursue a career in the National Park Service. He spent a third summer as a seasonal ranger at the Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site in the Upper Missouri River Valley in North Dakota, where Northern Plains Indians such as the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara hunted like nomadic tribes but were essentially earthlodge dwellers and farmers. While there, Woody received a postcard from a friend telling him of a permanent National Park Service position as a part-time evening and night law enforcement dispatcher at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia. He applied for the job and became a permanent National Park Service employee 30 years ago, on Sept. 9, 1991. I spent nine months there and got to see a lot of things in Independence Hall and other sites that most people don't get to see, he said. Next he took a permanent ranger position at Knife River. There he honed his skills making Native American regalia as well as tipis, war shields, buffalo robes, war shirts and head dresses. As time went on, he began selling his wares to museums and private collectors. He also eventually began giving educational talks and re-enactments and modeling many of the items he made. But life can be tough on the Northern Plains where the weather can be as unforgiving as the Adirondacks. And his career really was a labor of love because National Park Service wages were relatively low at that time, especially when you're trying to support a family of five. In the National Park Service, we get paid in sunsets, he said. Rangers live in places where people go on vacation, so part of the income is being able to live there. He enjoyed giving talks visitors at Knife River, but he felt he had more to offer and, according to Donahue, things were starting to change at Little Bighorn. Under pressure from the American Indian Movement and other Native American organizations and a general change in attitude by white America toward the indigenous peoples, the stricken field was renamed Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in a law signed by President George H.W. Bush on Dec. 10, 1991. With Native Americans joining the ever-changing list of superintendents who have been in charge of the battlefield, Donahue said, the way interpretative rangers gave daily talks to visitors changed, too. The pendulum swung from being pro-military, pro-Custer to pro-Indian, anti-Custer, said Donahue, whose full-time job is as an art teacher and former department chair at Temple College in Temple, a community in Central Texas. Donahue believes Woody's appointment as chief of interpretation and visitors services in December 1998 was perfect timing as the pendulum swung closer to the middle. An Indian Memorial for the warriors who fought against the soldiers as well as the Crow and Arikara Indian scouts who fought with army was dedicated in 2003 on Last Stand Hill, less than 100 yards from where Custer fell and the obelisk for the fallen soldiers has stood since 1881. As Woody settled into his new job, he realized he had found his niche at what he has called the ultimate historic park in the West. ... The battle is well known. ... It's a fascinating enigma, a modern army being defeated by a Stone Age people. I like giving talks. I like being a showman. I like an audience. It's better to have a big audience. Knife River got maybe 20,000 visitors a year at the time. Little Bighorn was getting 300,000, he continued. I always was a big fan of movies like Little Big Man [an anti-establishment film that portrays Custer as a megalomaniacal lunatic]. Little Bighorn was a culmination of all my interests. Despite his self-acknowledged pro-Indian leanings, Woody believes there are no good guys and no bad guys here. ... Everyone was doing what he thought was right. ... I think Americans look at Custer in the wrong light. He was doing the will of the lawmakers in Washington. Donahue says, Ken always encouraged us to be fair and unbiased. There are more than two sides to every story. There are three, four and sometimes five sides to the story. Ken knows a lot about the battle but he was always willing to ask questions and learn. He's not a know-it-all. He's very humble in his knowledge. Michael Stops, a Crow tribal member and longtime chief ranger at the battlefield who also is retiring, said Woody brought good objectivity to the job. I think because he's from back East, he's more neutral. He's not really for either side. I think that's very important because you have the military and all the different tribes who all have their own distinct interest in the park. Woody's world was transformed forever on Dec. 15, 2011, when his 21-year-old son, Kenny IV, was killed in a vehicle accident near the family's home in Hardin, some 15 miles from the battlefield. Things changed. My attitude toward life changed. Some things aren't as important now, Woody says. Life is too unpredictable to keep putting off the things you want to do. I've been here 23 years. As cool as this place is, it's time to do something else. I've been there, done that, he said. As much as I would like to stay, too much other stuff is not fun; paperwork, meetings, projects. I kind of want to be left alone. I want time to be with my family. For the past several years, Woody has been purchasing, renovating and renting homes in Hardin. Now he's planning to become a full-fledged entrepreneur, opening a trading post with Native American regalia. He hopes to open an Airbnb and offer private tours of the battlefield. I've already been asked to lead a tour next summer on the anniversary of the battle the 146th. On Dec. 31, people from cultures all around the world will be raising a toast to welcome in A.D. 2022. Few of them will think about the fact that A.D. signals anno Domini, Latin for in the year of our Lord. In A.D. temporality the one acknowledged by most societies today next year marks 2023 years since the purported birth of Jesus Christ. So why are we all toasting this new year, given that most of the worlds nearly 8 billion people arent Christians? My fascination with time was nurtured by the millennium and the hype that surrounded its approach, as the globe anticipated traversing from 11:59 p.m., Dec. 31, 1999 to 12:00 a.m., Jan. 1, 2000. Convinced that there was some truth to fears about technological disruptions caused by the Y2K bug, I stayed away from the ball drop in Times Square. Instead, I watched the celebration on my laptop and enjoyed trailing journalists reports abroad. I began to wonder: How did it come to be that people all over the Earth subscribed to and were aware of the temporal system followed by the Christian West? After all, cultures have historically experienced and documented time in a variety of ways. These questions about time blossomed into a research project and book. Part of the phenomenon was caused by global capitalism, but I soon learned that another aspect involved the globalization of anno Domini. The A.D. system, often called C.E. or Common Era time today, was introduced in Europe during the Middle Ages. It joined the worlds other temporal systems like the Coptic, Seleucid, Egyptian, Jewish and the Zodiac calendars, along with calculations based on the years of rulers reigns and the founding of Rome. Latin Christendom slowly but confidently came to dominate Europe, and its year dating system then came to dominate the world, so that most countries now take A.D. for granted, at least when it comes to globalized business and government. A.D.s ubiquity has almost silenced other ways of thinking about time. This began during the medieval era, under the influence of educated Christian monks what historian Bernard Guenee describes as anno Dominis conquest of time. My recent work as a medieval studies professor focuses on the demonization of Jewish communities in Europe at a time when the A.D. system was gaining prominence and marginalizing the Jewish calendar. Counting backwards Part of the story of anno Domini time takes us back to the fourth and fifth century, when Christian scholars like Eusebius of Caesarea and John Chrysostom were trying to calculate what they considered was the beginning of Christian time in other words, the birth date of Jesus of Nazareth. Eusebius and Chrysostom were working with the Gospel accounts of Jesus birth and death. According to the Gospels, Jesus was arrested around the time of the Jewish holiday of Passover, and the Gospel of John suggests that Jesus was about 33 when he died. Therefore, Eusebius and Chrysostom first tried to determine the date of his death based on Passover dates in the Jewish calendar. But both men failed in their calculations and blamed the Jews for their difficulty. In their twisted reasoning, the Jewish community had postponed Passover in order to make anno Domini time impossible to calculate. This accusation illustrates the intense antisemitism common in Europe at their time and which work like theirs helped continue. But in many ways, the real author of the worlds modern sense of time, the one who decided to choose the date when Year One would begin, is the Venerable Bede, an English monk who lived circa 673-735. Bede found himself with several calculations he did not approve of, and decided Christ must have actually been born on Dec. 25, 1 B.C.. By his reasoning, in other words, the A.D. system began a year after Jesus purported birth. Bede also determined that March 25, 34 A.D. marked Christs death. Bede, a monk in an important monastery in Northumbria, popularized the A.D. dating system by using it in his work Ecclesiastical History of the People of England, which made him the first historian to tell time by anno Domini. The Ecclesiastical History was dedicated to King Ceowulf of Northumbria, written in Latin in 731, and translated into Old English around the end of the ninth or the beginning of the 10th centuries. Still read by many today, it popularized anno Domini time by infusing A.D. time into events Bede told about the English people. Taken together, these ingredients helped A.D. time become the norm. While the Christian calendar is built on and infused with other cultures time systems, A.D.s popularization contributed to sidelining these calendars to the margins what postcolonial scholars call temporal colonization. For example, the date Bede set for Easter in his work The Reckoning of Time is based on a polytheistic celebration of Eostre, a German goddess. Eostre has, thus, disappeared into Easter. Likewise, the fraught connections between the dates of Jesuss Passion, Easter and Passover further fueled antisemitism at a time when Jewish communities were also trying to formalize a Jewish calendar. Changing the name Approximately 1,400 years ago, when Bede selected a date to begin "anno Domini time, he perhaps unwittingly started the process of privileging Christian time, which is now near-universally recognized. [Over 140,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletters to understand the world. Sign up today.] Today, many people use the expressions common era and before the common era, or C.E. and B.C.E., instead of A.D. and B.C. But despite what we call it now, the roots of this system are not common but Christian. As the medieval studies scholar Kathleen Davis writes, using C.E. does little to diminish the effect of a globalized Christian calendar. Initially, I too had applauded C.E. as a less Christian replacement for A.D. But today, Id argue it is just the equivalent of a yellow sticky note placed over it. Theres nothing naturally common about the common era, and its worth applauding all kinds of diversity even in time on planet Earth. This year, what will you be toasting at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 31? ___ Miriamne Ara Krummel 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. ___ Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 The Cooks is one of a few countries in the world that has never recorded a case of Covid-19 and it will re-open their borders to fully-vaccinated Kiwi travellers from January 13, 2022. New Zealanders will be the only foreigners allowed to travel to the Pacific Island nation at this time, although Australians may be admitted later on, according to a report by the government of Cook Islands. Cook Island boasts an enviable vaccination rate more than 99 per cent of the eligible population has now been double jabbed. Cook Islands Government announced on Friday it has 'no plans' to revisit the January 13 border reopening despite two Omicron community cases in New Zealand As a part of travelling procedure, all travellers will need to take a Covid-19 test no more than 72 hours before departing, and provide evidence of a negative test result both on departure and on arrival in the Cook Islands. The Cook Islands government announced last Friday that quarantine-free travel could recommence from mid-January, provided travellers meet certain requirements. (ANI) Mumbai's Anti Narcotics Cell has arrested three Nigerians in the western suburb of Bandra and Navi Mumbai for alleged possession of various drugs worth approximately Rs 3.18 crore on New Year's Eve, the police said on Saturday. The seizures include 225 grams of cocaine, 120 grams of MD and 235 grams of MDMA drugs. Police said that the accused had brought the contraband to the city to sell it to people at New Year parties, but were nabbed before they could do so. A case has been registered against the three accused under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and further investigation is underway. (ANI) HCM City, Da Nang, Thua Thien-Hue welcome first tourists in 2022 National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities. The airline said the first visitors to HCM City and Thua Thien-Hue departed from Hanoi, while those to Da Nang boarded a flight from HCM City. The events were parts of a cooperation programme between Vietnam Airlines and the municipal and provincial Peoples Committees. Member carriers of Vietnam Airlines Group are planning to resume 10 more domestic air routes from January 2022, raising the number of such routes to nearly 50. The group, comprising Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and VASCO, will reopen the routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Quang Ninh province; Hai Phong city with Da Lat, Buon Ma Thuot, and Nha Trang cities; Thanh Hoa province with Buon Ma Thuot and Da Lat; Vinh city with Buon Ma Thuot, Nha Trang, and Da Lat; and Hue city with Da Lat. Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities in 2022. (Photo: VNA) The routes are scheduled to resume from January 16, with three to four flights per week each. The carriers will also increase the flight frequency on many routes to an average of about 300 one-way flights per day in total. Vietnam Airlines is also planning to resume regular international flights linking Vietnam with 15 countries and territories in the first half of 2022. The resumption will be carried out in two phases and depend on relevant agencies approval. In the first phase, scheduled to begin on January 1 and last for about two weeks, the national flag carrier will conduct round-trip flights between Vietnam and the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), Singapore, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. Each route will have one to four flights per week, and the frequency will gradually increase basing on passengers demand and anti-pandemic requirements. Meanwhile, the firm is set to reopen air routes connecting the country with the UK, France, Germany, Russia, Australia, Hong Kong (China), and Malaysia in the second phase. HCM City, Da Nang, Thua Thien-Hue welcome first tourists in 2022 National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities. The airline said the first visitors to HCM City and Thua Thien-Hue departed from Hanoi, while those to Da Nang boarded a flight from HCM City. The events were parts of a cooperation programme between Vietnam Airlines and the municipal and provincial Peoples Committees. Member carriers of Vietnam Airlines Group are planning to resume 10 more domestic air routes from January 2022, raising the number of such routes to nearly 50. The group, comprising Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and VASCO, will reopen the routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Quang Ninh province; Hai Phong city with Da Lat, Buon Ma Thuot, and Nha Trang cities; Thanh Hoa province with Buon Ma Thuot and Da Lat; Vinh city with Buon Ma Thuot, Nha Trang, and Da Lat; and Hue city with Da Lat. Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities in 2022. (Photo: VNA) The routes are scheduled to resume from January 16, with three to four flights per week each. The carriers will also increase the flight frequency on many routes to an average of about 300 one-way flights per day in total. Vietnam Airlines is also planning to resume regular international flights linking Vietnam with 15 countries and territories in the first half of 2022. The resumption will be carried out in two phases and depend on relevant agencies approval. In the first phase, scheduled to begin on January 1 and last for about two weeks, the national flag carrier will conduct round-trip flights between Vietnam and the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), Singapore, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. Each route will have one to four flights per week, and the frequency will gradually increase basing on passengers demand and anti-pandemic requirements. Meanwhile, the firm is set to reopen air routes connecting the country with the UK, France, Germany, Russia, Australia, Hong Kong (China), and Malaysia in the second phase. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Ukraine's state-owned arms exporter, Ukrspecexport, received 144 foreign delegations and signed contracts worth $332 million in 2021, the company's press service has said. This year, Ukrspecexport managed to intensify international activities and achieve growth in economic performance. This led to a significant increase in the total amount of newly concluded foreign economic contracts. "Although the revival of contacts with our foreign partners in 2021 was not as fast as we would like it to see, due to quarantine restrictions, the dynamics in this area still exists," said Vadym Nozdria, Director General of Ukrspecexport. In 2021, Ukrspecexport received 144 delegations from 33 foreign countries. The leaders by the number of visits to Ukraine were delegations from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Poland and the United States. Currently, active negotiations are underway with potential partner countries that are interested in the products of the Ukrainian defense industry. Traditionally, these are the countries of Latin America, Central Africa, Asia and Europe. At the same time, the state arms exporter seeks to strengthen Ukraine's position in its traditional arms markets, including the Asia-Pacific region, North Africa, the Middle East, etc. op As we approach two years into a pandemic, the new year is starting with the same feeling of exhaustion and malaise as it did at the beginning of 2021. Many employers, now on their third or fourth iteration of return-to-office plans, are once again re-thinking an extension of remote work as the fast-spreading omicron variant is playing havoc with reopening offices for hybrid or full-time in-person work. Companies should consider how it can safely live with the pandemic, and start to resume normal operations as much as possible. Most Americans have resumed normal personal lives while taking necessary precautions, so employers should consider moving toward whatever normalcy will look like in the workplace going forward. For many companies, the great remote experiment has not been a win, and the need for co-workers and teams to be together again, at least some of the time, is a business priority. Employers have needed to be flexible during the pandemic, but 2022 is time for planning. I provide five suggestions: 1. Plan for normalcy: If the pandemic ended today, what would normalcy look like for your organization? Whatever that is, plan to safely get there in 2022. Whether you need to implement vaccine mandates, testing or masking to do it, then thats what you need to do. But pausing the strategic vision of work indefinitely on a pandemic that apparently has no end date cannot continue as a business strategy. 2. Plan to re-engage: Video meetings got employers through the pandemic and kept it on life support. For some, they will remain at least partly. Two years is a long time, however, to have been away from colleagues and, in many cases, never meeting a colleague in person for new employees who began work at the organization during the pandemic. This has been especially difficult for new graduates who only know remote work. If on-site work is a business priority and part of the business model, employers should consider whether its time to move forward with return to the office plans despite the pandemic, even a scaled back version. Employers can also schedule designated in-person meetings for co-workers to see one another and engage. If necessary, companies can send at-home COVID tests to employees just prior to the meeting. Employers should also offer a video stream for employees with disabilities or high-risk employees who are unable to participate in person. In any return-to-the-office planning, this group of employees must be considered and accommodated. 3. Plan for accountability: The pandemic revealed rock stars in the workplace who worked tirelessly to get things done. The pandemic also exposed some really bad employees who got worse in these last two years. Many employers have given employees a pass over these last two years in the name of the pandemic. This lack of accountability has caught up to the business bottom line and is causing more burnout on those rock stars who are having to take up the slack. Regardless of whether employees are working remote, on-site or a hybrid, its time to set expectations and hold employees accountable. No more pandemic excuses. 4. Plan to keep up with the COVID rules, mandates and state and local restrictions: Most employers are already doing this. But circumstances are changing rapidly with shifts in lawsuits around mandates, modifications to federal and state health guidelines, changes in quarantine and isolation rules, and tweaks to the guidance from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. While lawyers do a good job of helping employers keep up with the changes, health and safety experts have proven invaluable to employers during this time. Find one of each and make sure your business keeps up. 5. Plan to do your thing: Businesses dont need to keep up with the Joneses. Just because employer X is returning on-site full time, mandating vaccines or masks, or whatever that company is doing, your company should make its own decisions. I get asked all the time by employers about what other businesses are doing. While its good to learn best practices from others, too often employers feel they have to do what others are doing even if it isnt what is best for their own business needs. Whatever works for your individual business to keep employees engaged, thriving and safe then you do that. Regardless of the pandemic, companies need to bring positive energy to the workplace in 2022, and planning for the future of work despite the pandemic will help bring a needed refresh and re-engagement to the workplace. As we approach two years into a pandemic, the new year is starting with the same feeling of exhaustion and malaise as it did at the beginning of 2021. Many employers, now on their third or fourth iteration of return-to-office plans, are once again re-thinking an extension of remote work as the fast-spreading omicron variant is playing havoc with reopening offices for hybrid or full-time in-person work. Companies should consider how it can safely live with the pandemic, and start to resume normal operations as much as possible. Most Americans have resumed normal personal lives while taking necessary precautions, so employers should consider moving toward whatever normalcy will look like in the workplace going forward. For many companies, the great remote experiment has not been a win, and the need for co-workers and teams to be together again, at least some of the time, is a business priority. Employers have needed to be flexible during the pandemic, but 2022 is time for planning. I provide five suggestions: 1. Plan for normalcy: If the pandemic ended today, what would normalcy look like for your organization? Whatever that is, plan to safely get there in 2022. Whether you need to implement vaccine mandates, testing or masking to do it, then thats what you need to do. But pausing the strategic vision of work indefinitely on a pandemic that apparently has no end date cannot continue as a business strategy. 2. Plan to re-engage: Video meetings got employers through the pandemic and kept it on life support. For some, they will remain at least partly. Two years is a long time, however, to have been away from colleagues and, in many cases, never meeting a colleague in person for new employees who began work at the organization during the pandemic. This has been especially difficult for new graduates who only know remote work. If on-site work is a business priority and part of the business model, employers should consider whether its time to move forward with return to the office plans despite the pandemic, even a scaled back version. Employers can also schedule designated in-person meetings for co-workers to see one another and engage. If necessary, companies can send at-home COVID tests to employees just prior to the meeting. Employers should also offer a video stream for employees with disabilities or high-risk employees who are unable to participate in person. In any return-to-the-office planning, this group of employees must be considered and accommodated. 3. Plan for accountability: The pandemic revealed rock stars in the workplace who worked tirelessly to get things done. The pandemic also exposed some really bad employees who got worse in these last two years. Many employers have given employees a pass over these last two years in the name of the pandemic. This lack of accountability has caught up to the business bottom line and is causing more burnout on those rock stars who are having to take up the slack. Regardless of whether employees are working remote, on-site or a hybrid, its time to set expectations and hold employees accountable. No more pandemic excuses. 4. Plan to keep up with the COVID rules, mandates and state and local restrictions: Most employers are already doing this. But circumstances are changing rapidly with shifts in lawsuits around mandates, modifications to federal and state health guidelines, changes in quarantine and isolation rules, and tweaks to the guidance from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. While lawyers do a good job of helping employers keep up with the changes, health and safety experts have proven invaluable to employers during this time. Find one of each and make sure your business keeps up. 5. Plan to do your thing: Businesses dont need to keep up with the Joneses. Just because employer X is returning on-site full time, mandating vaccines or masks, or whatever that company is doing, your company should make its own decisions. I get asked all the time by employers about what other businesses are doing. While its good to learn best practices from others, too often employers feel they have to do what others are doing even if it isnt what is best for their own business needs. Whatever works for your individual business to keep employees engaged, thriving and safe then you do that. Regardless of the pandemic, companies need to bring positive energy to the workplace in 2022, and planning for the future of work despite the pandemic will help bring a needed refresh and re-engagement to the workplace. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Ukraine's state-owned arms exporter, Ukrspecexport, received 144 foreign delegations and signed contracts worth $332 million in 2021, the company's press service has said. This year, Ukrspecexport managed to intensify international activities and achieve growth in economic performance. This led to a significant increase in the total amount of newly concluded foreign economic contracts. "Although the revival of contacts with our foreign partners in 2021 was not as fast as we would like it to see, due to quarantine restrictions, the dynamics in this area still exists," said Vadym Nozdria, Director General of Ukrspecexport. In 2021, Ukrspecexport received 144 delegations from 33 foreign countries. The leaders by the number of visits to Ukraine were delegations from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Poland and the United States. Currently, active negotiations are underway with potential partner countries that are interested in the products of the Ukrainian defense industry. Traditionally, these are the countries of Latin America, Central Africa, Asia and Europe. At the same time, the state arms exporter seeks to strengthen Ukraine's position in its traditional arms markets, including the Asia-Pacific region, North Africa, the Middle East, etc. op Ukraine's state-owned arms exporter, Ukrspecexport, received 144 foreign delegations and signed contracts worth $332 million in 2021, the company's press service has said. This year, Ukrspecexport managed to intensify international activities and achieve growth in economic performance. This led to a significant increase in the total amount of newly concluded foreign economic contracts. "Although the revival of contacts with our foreign partners in 2021 was not as fast as we would like it to see, due to quarantine restrictions, the dynamics in this area still exists," said Vadym Nozdria, Director General of Ukrspecexport. In 2021, Ukrspecexport received 144 delegations from 33 foreign countries. The leaders by the number of visits to Ukraine were delegations from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Poland and the United States. Currently, active negotiations are underway with potential partner countries that are interested in the products of the Ukrainian defense industry. Traditionally, these are the countries of Latin America, Central Africa, Asia and Europe. At the same time, the state arms exporter seeks to strengthen Ukraine's position in its traditional arms markets, including the Asia-Pacific region, North Africa, the Middle East, etc. op The Annual Church Christmas Crib Walk will take place on Saturday, January 8 beginning at the Friary Church in Kilkenny City at 11am. This year the annual Crib Walk will join the community of Santiago De Compostela who celebrate Holy Crib Day on January 8. On this day after the Feast of the Ephiphany pilgrims converge on the ancient crib of Santiago de Compostella to ask for health and happiness for the year ahead as they make their pilgrim way through life. This year the focus is on health and safety from Covid 19. Fr. Willie Purcell who will lead the annual walk said: "It is great to join with hundreds maybe thousands of pilgrims who like us in Kilkenny will make the pilgrim walk of the cribs of the shrine of Compostella, this is something we have been doing for years but this year adds a special dimension to the event' A blessed medal from the ancient shrine in Santiago will be given to each walker. We begin at the Capuchin Friary on Friary Street because about 1223 A.D., something marvellous happened. St. Francis made a living crib, an enactment of the birth of Christ near the town of Greccio on Christmas Day, and so popularized the making of a crib scene in our homes, workplaces, churches, hospitals, schools, and shops at Christmas. And so, out of Greccio was made a new Bethlehem! Francis stood before the manger overcome with joy, and Mass was celebrated over the crib. After the celebration, Francis insisted that care be taken of the hay and the animals, reminding us to take care of every created thing even after we no longer need it!" The annual Crib Walk of the Churches in Kilkenny is a reflective walk on the meaning and traditions of church cribs in Kilkenny. Each church has its own tradition in its Christmas crib and its design and structure often reflect not only the community of the present but the communities of the generations gone before who formed and built the various church cribs. The walk will be led by Fr Willie Purcell. The Annual Church Christmas Crib Walk will take place on Saturday, January 8 beginning at the Friary Church in Kilkenny City at 11am. This year the annual Crib Walk will join the community of Santiago De Compostela who celebrate Holy Crib Day on January 8. On this day after the Feast of the Ephiphany pilgrims converge on the ancient crib of Santiago de Compostella to ask for health and happiness for the year ahead as they make their pilgrim way through life. This year the focus is on health and safety from Covid 19. Fr. Willie Purcell who will lead the annual walk said: "It is great to join with hundreds maybe thousands of pilgrims who like us in Kilkenny will make the pilgrim walk of the cribs of the shrine of Compostella, this is something we have been doing for years but this year adds a special dimension to the event' A blessed medal from the ancient shrine in Santiago will be given to each walker. We begin at the Capuchin Friary on Friary Street because about 1223 A.D., something marvellous happened. St. Francis made a living crib, an enactment of the birth of Christ near the town of Greccio on Christmas Day, and so popularized the making of a crib scene in our homes, workplaces, churches, hospitals, schools, and shops at Christmas. And so, out of Greccio was made a new Bethlehem! Francis stood before the manger overcome with joy, and Mass was celebrated over the crib. After the celebration, Francis insisted that care be taken of the hay and the animals, reminding us to take care of every created thing even after we no longer need it!" The annual Crib Walk of the Churches in Kilkenny is a reflective walk on the meaning and traditions of church cribs in Kilkenny. Each church has its own tradition in its Christmas crib and its design and structure often reflect not only the community of the present but the communities of the generations gone before who formed and built the various church cribs. The walk will be led by Fr Willie Purcell. New Delhi: The Unique Identity Authority of India issues Aadhaar, a 12-digit identification number. If the Aadhaar authentication fails owing to erroneous biometric capture or poor biometric quality obtained during enrolment, people can have their biometrics (such as a photograph or iris scan) corrected, according to the UIDAI. While demographic information like name, address, date of birth/age, gender, mobile number, and email address can be updated online, biometric information must be updated at an Aadhaar Enrollment centre. Iris, finger prints, and an image of the face are all examples of biometric data. Here's how to update or alter your photograph on your Aadhaar card. Step 1: To update your photo, you must first download the Aadhaar Enrolment Form from the UIDAI website. Click here to get the form: Step 2: Fill the required details and submit at the nearest Aadhaar enrollment center Step 3: A center executive will authenticate the information and capture a new photo. Step 4: You need to pay Rs 100 plus GST to avail this service. Step 5: Collect the acknowledgment slip with the number of the update request (URN). You can use the URN to check the status of your Aadhaar update on the UIDAI's official website. There is no documentation required to change the photo on your Aadhaar card. You do not need to send an image because the executive will take one on the spot with the camera. The information in Aadhaar could take up to 90 days to be updated. You can check the status of your Aadhaar update online using the URN provided on the Acknowledgement Slip. There is no way to change the photo on your Aadhar card online using the Self Service Update Portal (SSUP). Residents can alter their addresses using the self-Service online option for demographic adjustments, and they can do it immediately on the portal. The resident's Aadhaar ID and registered mobile number are required to access the portal. Live TV Today Mostly cloudy and breezy with a few showers or a thunderstorm through early afternoon; cooler with some breaks of sun, especially late. Tonight Partly cloudy, brisk, and cooler. Fall arrives at 9:03pm. Tomorrow Partly sunny, windy, and much cooler. Feeling more like late October. Northwest winds may gust 30-40mph. How will Elko fare in Covid 22? The answer may be a Catch-22, a term that refers to a paradoxical situation for which there is no apparent solution. As the New Year begins we are still trying to gauge the threat of a mutating coronavirus. When Covid arrived in Nevada in the spring of 2020 it was believed to be much more deadly than it really is. The streets were bare as residents stayed home as much as possible, even here in rural Nevada. It soon became apparent that the pandemic would not be killing large numbers of young, healthy people. But many elderly residents died that winter and by the end of 2020 the death toll in Elko County was 37. Then 2021 ushered in hope that the pandemic would soon be put behind us. The virus, however, had another idea. Morphing into a more contagious and deadly form, the delta variant produced a second much larger death surge in the fall of 2021. Forty-six Elko County residents died in a two-month period. By the end of 2021 the overall death toll in Elko County had climbed to 124. And younger, healthier residents were among the victims more than a quarter of the deaths were people under 60. Some pro-mask and pro-vaccine residents complained that the governors restrictions were being largely ignored in local businesses. Even major companies such as Walmart made no effort to enforce mask-wearing. The number of serious Covid cases got so high that hospitalizations began to reach the unmanageable level. Yet, a review of death statistics indicated that Elko County fared the same as the rest of the state and the nationwide average. Covid deaths amount to around 0.2 percent of the total population, regardless of where you live. Even more surprising were the mortality rate statistics based on the number of confirmed infections. Elkos rate was lower despite the unusually low vaccination rate. On Dec. 1 the mortality rate stood at 1.3% in Elko County, compared with 1.7% statewide and 1.6% nationwide. And only 33% of Elko Countys population was fully vaccinated, compared with 49% statewide and 59% nationwide. Needless to say, the threat of omicron has done nothing to inspire many more Elko County residents to get vaccinated or wear masks as the year comes to an end. Most Elko County residents clearly expect to survive omicron without taking any precautions. Still, it remains to be seen whether the expected third wave will be more severe in rural Nevada than elsewhere. This week in Clark County, Covid cases were skyrocketing as the test positivity rate nearly doubled to top 10 percent again. Hospitalizations statewide shot up by 106 in just a day, now at 895, KLAS-TV in Las Vegas reported Thursday. About two of every 10 new cases were caused by the omicron variant. CNN reported that an unprecedented spike in Covid-19 cases fueled by the omicron variant was crushing hospitals across the United States. At the same time, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said Covid deaths and hospitalizations are comparatively low. Statistics cited on national media showed death rates wildly fluctuating up and down from one day to the next. The CDC relaxed quarantine rules at the same time cases were increasing exponentially. Meanwhile, Elko County cleared two of three hurdles toward eliminating state restrictions and was approaching the final benchmark on case levels. Yet the vaccination rate here remains below 35 percent. When omicron does reach Elko it will be in a changing environment. The county managed to bring delta hospitalizations under control with the aid of monoclonal antibody therapy that was administered to more than 180 residents. Early indications are that these treatments are not very effective on omicron, and supplies are low anyway as the Biden administration faces accusations that it is rationing doses. The rollout of Covid treatment pills has also been surprisingly slow. Some experts believe that omicrons lower mortality rate is due to the higher number of people who are now vaccinated. That could be a Catch-22 for Elko and other counties with low vaccination rates: The coronavirus pandemic wont end until more people get vaccinated, and that wont happen until more people die from it. HCM City, Da Nang, Thua Thien-Hue welcome first tourists in 2022 National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities. The airline said the first visitors to HCM City and Thua Thien-Hue departed from Hanoi, while those to Da Nang boarded a flight from HCM City. The events were parts of a cooperation programme between Vietnam Airlines and the municipal and provincial Peoples Committees. Member carriers of Vietnam Airlines Group are planning to resume 10 more domestic air routes from January 2022, raising the number of such routes to nearly 50. The group, comprising Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and VASCO, will reopen the routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Quang Ninh province; Hai Phong city with Da Lat, Buon Ma Thuot, and Nha Trang cities; Thanh Hoa province with Buon Ma Thuot and Da Lat; Vinh city with Buon Ma Thuot, Nha Trang, and Da Lat; and Hue city with Da Lat. Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities in 2022. (Photo: VNA) The routes are scheduled to resume from January 16, with three to four flights per week each. The carriers will also increase the flight frequency on many routes to an average of about 300 one-way flights per day in total. Vietnam Airlines is also planning to resume regular international flights linking Vietnam with 15 countries and territories in the first half of 2022. The resumption will be carried out in two phases and depend on relevant agencies approval. In the first phase, scheduled to begin on January 1 and last for about two weeks, the national flag carrier will conduct round-trip flights between Vietnam and the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), Singapore, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. Each route will have one to four flights per week, and the frequency will gradually increase basing on passengers demand and anti-pandemic requirements. Meanwhile, the firm is set to reopen air routes connecting the country with the UK, France, Germany, Russia, Australia, Hong Kong (China), and Malaysia in the second phase. How will Elko fare in Covid 22? The answer may be a Catch-22, a term that refers to a paradoxical situation for which there is no apparent solution. As the New Year begins we are still trying to gauge the threat of a mutating coronavirus. When Covid arrived in Nevada in the spring of 2020 it was believed to be much more deadly than it really is. The streets were bare as residents stayed home as much as possible, even here in rural Nevada. It soon became apparent that the pandemic would not be killing large numbers of young, healthy people. But many elderly residents died that winter and by the end of 2020 the death toll in Elko County was 37. Then 2021 ushered in hope that the pandemic would soon be put behind us. The virus, however, had another idea. Morphing into a more contagious and deadly form, the delta variant produced a second much larger death surge in the fall of 2021. Forty-six Elko County residents died in a two-month period. By the end of 2021 the overall death toll in Elko County had climbed to 124. And younger, healthier residents were among the victims more than a quarter of the deaths were people under 60. Some pro-mask and pro-vaccine residents complained that the governors restrictions were being largely ignored in local businesses. Even major companies such as Walmart made no effort to enforce mask-wearing. The number of serious Covid cases got so high that hospitalizations began to reach the unmanageable level. Yet, a review of death statistics indicated that Elko County fared the same as the rest of the state and the nationwide average. Covid deaths amount to around 0.2 percent of the total population, regardless of where you live. Even more surprising were the mortality rate statistics based on the number of confirmed infections. Elkos rate was lower despite the unusually low vaccination rate. On Dec. 1 the mortality rate stood at 1.3% in Elko County, compared with 1.7% statewide and 1.6% nationwide. And only 33% of Elko Countys population was fully vaccinated, compared with 49% statewide and 59% nationwide. Needless to say, the threat of omicron has done nothing to inspire many more Elko County residents to get vaccinated or wear masks as the year comes to an end. Most Elko County residents clearly expect to survive omicron without taking any precautions. Still, it remains to be seen whether the expected third wave will be more severe in rural Nevada than elsewhere. This week in Clark County, Covid cases were skyrocketing as the test positivity rate nearly doubled to top 10 percent again. Hospitalizations statewide shot up by 106 in just a day, now at 895, KLAS-TV in Las Vegas reported Thursday. About two of every 10 new cases were caused by the omicron variant. CNN reported that an unprecedented spike in Covid-19 cases fueled by the omicron variant was crushing hospitals across the United States. At the same time, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said Covid deaths and hospitalizations are comparatively low. Statistics cited on national media showed death rates wildly fluctuating up and down from one day to the next. The CDC relaxed quarantine rules at the same time cases were increasing exponentially. Meanwhile, Elko County cleared two of three hurdles toward eliminating state restrictions and was approaching the final benchmark on case levels. Yet the vaccination rate here remains below 35 percent. When omicron does reach Elko it will be in a changing environment. The county managed to bring delta hospitalizations under control with the aid of monoclonal antibody therapy that was administered to more than 180 residents. Early indications are that these treatments are not very effective on omicron, and supplies are low anyway as the Biden administration faces accusations that it is rationing doses. The rollout of Covid treatment pills has also been surprisingly slow. Some experts believe that omicrons lower mortality rate is due to the higher number of people who are now vaccinated. That could be a Catch-22 for Elko and other counties with low vaccination rates: The coronavirus pandemic wont end until more people get vaccinated, and that wont happen until more people die from it. How will Elko fare in Covid 22? The answer may be a Catch-22, a term that refers to a paradoxical situation for which there is no apparent solution. As the New Year begins we are still trying to gauge the threat of a mutating coronavirus. When Covid arrived in Nevada in the spring of 2020 it was believed to be much more deadly than it really is. The streets were bare as residents stayed home as much as possible, even here in rural Nevada. It soon became apparent that the pandemic would not be killing large numbers of young, healthy people. But many elderly residents died that winter and by the end of 2020 the death toll in Elko County was 37. Then 2021 ushered in hope that the pandemic would soon be put behind us. The virus, however, had another idea. Morphing into a more contagious and deadly form, the delta variant produced a second much larger death surge in the fall of 2021. Forty-six Elko County residents died in a two-month period. By the end of 2021 the overall death toll in Elko County had climbed to 124. And younger, healthier residents were among the victims more than a quarter of the deaths were people under 60. Some pro-mask and pro-vaccine residents complained that the governors restrictions were being largely ignored in local businesses. Even major companies such as Walmart made no effort to enforce mask-wearing. The number of serious Covid cases got so high that hospitalizations began to reach the unmanageable level. Yet, a review of death statistics indicated that Elko County fared the same as the rest of the state and the nationwide average. Covid deaths amount to around 0.2 percent of the total population, regardless of where you live. Even more surprising were the mortality rate statistics based on the number of confirmed infections. Elkos rate was lower despite the unusually low vaccination rate. On Dec. 1 the mortality rate stood at 1.3% in Elko County, compared with 1.7% statewide and 1.6% nationwide. And only 33% of Elko Countys population was fully vaccinated, compared with 49% statewide and 59% nationwide. Needless to say, the threat of omicron has done nothing to inspire many more Elko County residents to get vaccinated or wear masks as the year comes to an end. Most Elko County residents clearly expect to survive omicron without taking any precautions. Still, it remains to be seen whether the expected third wave will be more severe in rural Nevada than elsewhere. This week in Clark County, Covid cases were skyrocketing as the test positivity rate nearly doubled to top 10 percent again. Hospitalizations statewide shot up by 106 in just a day, now at 895, KLAS-TV in Las Vegas reported Thursday. About two of every 10 new cases were caused by the omicron variant. CNN reported that an unprecedented spike in Covid-19 cases fueled by the omicron variant was crushing hospitals across the United States. At the same time, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said Covid deaths and hospitalizations are comparatively low. Statistics cited on national media showed death rates wildly fluctuating up and down from one day to the next. The CDC relaxed quarantine rules at the same time cases were increasing exponentially. Meanwhile, Elko County cleared two of three hurdles toward eliminating state restrictions and was approaching the final benchmark on case levels. Yet the vaccination rate here remains below 35 percent. When omicron does reach Elko it will be in a changing environment. The county managed to bring delta hospitalizations under control with the aid of monoclonal antibody therapy that was administered to more than 180 residents. Early indications are that these treatments are not very effective on omicron, and supplies are low anyway as the Biden administration faces accusations that it is rationing doses. The rollout of Covid treatment pills has also been surprisingly slow. Some experts believe that omicrons lower mortality rate is due to the higher number of people who are now vaccinated. That could be a Catch-22 for Elko and other counties with low vaccination rates: The coronavirus pandemic wont end until more people get vaccinated, and that wont happen until more people die from it. HCM City, Da Nang, Thua Thien-Hue welcome first tourists in 2022 National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities. The airline said the first visitors to HCM City and Thua Thien-Hue departed from Hanoi, while those to Da Nang boarded a flight from HCM City. The events were parts of a cooperation programme between Vietnam Airlines and the municipal and provincial Peoples Committees. Member carriers of Vietnam Airlines Group are planning to resume 10 more domestic air routes from January 2022, raising the number of such routes to nearly 50. The group, comprising Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and VASCO, will reopen the routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Quang Ninh province; Hai Phong city with Da Lat, Buon Ma Thuot, and Nha Trang cities; Thanh Hoa province with Buon Ma Thuot and Da Lat; Vinh city with Buon Ma Thuot, Nha Trang, and Da Lat; and Hue city with Da Lat. Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities in 2022. (Photo: VNA) The routes are scheduled to resume from January 16, with three to four flights per week each. The carriers will also increase the flight frequency on many routes to an average of about 300 one-way flights per day in total. Vietnam Airlines is also planning to resume regular international flights linking Vietnam with 15 countries and territories in the first half of 2022. The resumption will be carried out in two phases and depend on relevant agencies approval. In the first phase, scheduled to begin on January 1 and last for about two weeks, the national flag carrier will conduct round-trip flights between Vietnam and the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), Singapore, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. Each route will have one to four flights per week, and the frequency will gradually increase basing on passengers demand and anti-pandemic requirements. Meanwhile, the firm is set to reopen air routes connecting the country with the UK, France, Germany, Russia, Australia, Hong Kong (China), and Malaysia in the second phase. HCM City, Da Nang, Thua Thien-Hue welcome first tourists in 2022 National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities. The airline said the first visitors to HCM City and Thua Thien-Hue departed from Hanoi, while those to Da Nang boarded a flight from HCM City. The events were parts of a cooperation programme between Vietnam Airlines and the municipal and provincial Peoples Committees. Member carriers of Vietnam Airlines Group are planning to resume 10 more domestic air routes from January 2022, raising the number of such routes to nearly 50. The group, comprising Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and VASCO, will reopen the routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Quang Ninh province; Hai Phong city with Da Lat, Buon Ma Thuot, and Nha Trang cities; Thanh Hoa province with Buon Ma Thuot and Da Lat; Vinh city with Buon Ma Thuot, Nha Trang, and Da Lat; and Hue city with Da Lat. Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities in 2022. (Photo: VNA) The routes are scheduled to resume from January 16, with three to four flights per week each. The carriers will also increase the flight frequency on many routes to an average of about 300 one-way flights per day in total. Vietnam Airlines is also planning to resume regular international flights linking Vietnam with 15 countries and territories in the first half of 2022. The resumption will be carried out in two phases and depend on relevant agencies approval. In the first phase, scheduled to begin on January 1 and last for about two weeks, the national flag carrier will conduct round-trip flights between Vietnam and the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), Singapore, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. Each route will have one to four flights per week, and the frequency will gradually increase basing on passengers demand and anti-pandemic requirements. Meanwhile, the firm is set to reopen air routes connecting the country with the UK, France, Germany, Russia, Australia, Hong Kong (China), and Malaysia in the second phase. Today Mostly cloudy and breezy with a few showers or a thunderstorm through early afternoon; cooler with some breaks of sun, especially late. Tonight Partly cloudy, brisk, and cooler. Fall arrives at 9:03pm. Tomorrow Partly sunny, windy, and much cooler. Feeling more like late October. Northwest winds may gust 30-40mph. HCM City, Da Nang, Thua Thien-Hue welcome first tourists in 2022 National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities. The airline said the first visitors to HCM City and Thua Thien-Hue departed from Hanoi, while those to Da Nang boarded a flight from HCM City. The events were parts of a cooperation programme between Vietnam Airlines and the municipal and provincial Peoples Committees. Member carriers of Vietnam Airlines Group are planning to resume 10 more domestic air routes from January 2022, raising the number of such routes to nearly 50. The group, comprising Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and VASCO, will reopen the routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Quang Ninh province; Hai Phong city with Da Lat, Buon Ma Thuot, and Nha Trang cities; Thanh Hoa province with Buon Ma Thuot and Da Lat; Vinh city with Buon Ma Thuot, Nha Trang, and Da Lat; and Hue city with Da Lat. Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities in 2022. (Photo: VNA) The routes are scheduled to resume from January 16, with three to four flights per week each. The carriers will also increase the flight frequency on many routes to an average of about 300 one-way flights per day in total. Vietnam Airlines is also planning to resume regular international flights linking Vietnam with 15 countries and territories in the first half of 2022. The resumption will be carried out in two phases and depend on relevant agencies approval. In the first phase, scheduled to begin on January 1 and last for about two weeks, the national flag carrier will conduct round-trip flights between Vietnam and the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), Singapore, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. Each route will have one to four flights per week, and the frequency will gradually increase basing on passengers demand and anti-pandemic requirements. Meanwhile, the firm is set to reopen air routes connecting the country with the UK, France, Germany, Russia, Australia, Hong Kong (China), and Malaysia in the second phase. HCM City, Da Nang, Thua Thien-Hue welcome first tourists in 2022 National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities. The airline said the first visitors to HCM City and Thua Thien-Hue departed from Hanoi, while those to Da Nang boarded a flight from HCM City. The events were parts of a cooperation programme between Vietnam Airlines and the municipal and provincial Peoples Committees. Member carriers of Vietnam Airlines Group are planning to resume 10 more domestic air routes from January 2022, raising the number of such routes to nearly 50. The group, comprising Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and VASCO, will reopen the routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Quang Ninh province; Hai Phong city with Da Lat, Buon Ma Thuot, and Nha Trang cities; Thanh Hoa province with Buon Ma Thuot and Da Lat; Vinh city with Buon Ma Thuot, Nha Trang, and Da Lat; and Hue city with Da Lat. Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities in 2022. (Photo: VNA) The routes are scheduled to resume from January 16, with three to four flights per week each. The carriers will also increase the flight frequency on many routes to an average of about 300 one-way flights per day in total. Vietnam Airlines is also planning to resume regular international flights linking Vietnam with 15 countries and territories in the first half of 2022. The resumption will be carried out in two phases and depend on relevant agencies approval. In the first phase, scheduled to begin on January 1 and last for about two weeks, the national flag carrier will conduct round-trip flights between Vietnam and the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), Singapore, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. Each route will have one to four flights per week, and the frequency will gradually increase basing on passengers demand and anti-pandemic requirements. Meanwhile, the firm is set to reopen air routes connecting the country with the UK, France, Germany, Russia, Australia, Hong Kong (China), and Malaysia in the second phase. A leading diabetes doctor who was also among the first to identify the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on ethnic minority groups has been recognised with a royal honour. Professor Kamlesh Khunti, a University of Leicester scholar, Sage member and GP, has been made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the New Year Honours list. Alongside Professor Melanie Davies CBE, Prof Khunti established the globally-recognised Leicester Diabetes Centre, which employs more than 170 researchers. He has also improved the health of ethnic minority people by leading a body of research throughout the pandemic, and working as chairman of the Sage ethnic sub-panel. Over the moon about this!!! Well done to our own @kamleshkhunti https://t.co/OllzYJZX6A Leicester Diabetes (@LDC_tweets) January 1, 2022 Prof Khunti described being recognised by Buckingham Palace as a huge honour, and paid tribute to his colleagues and his family. I am truly humbled and I would like to dedicate the award to my team at the Leicester Diabetes Centre, the University of Leicester, my staff at the Hockley Farm Medical Practice, and most of all to my family, he said. It is indeed a huge honour to be recognised in the New Years Honours List. Prof Khunti grew up in a crowded terrace house in inner-city Leicester and was told by his teacher that he would not make it, but has gone on to reach the pinnacle of his profession. He began working as a GP in 1990 and recruited his first research assistant in 1998. With increasing success, the team grew and Prof Khunti became Professor of Primary Care Diabetes and Vascular Medicine at the University of Leicester in 2007. Were immensely proud of @kamleshkhunti, Professor of Primary Care Diabetes and Vascular Medicine at the Diabetes Research Centre, who has been awarded a CBE for services to Health. Congratulations! #NewYearsHonoursList https://t.co/UPjmXkQpoQ #CitizensOfChange pic.twitter.com/O9vecoXUZu University of Leicester (@uniofleicester) January 1, 2022 Professor Nishan Canagarajah, president and vice-chancellor at the University of Leicester, said Prof Khuntis work is admirable, adding that he has worked tirelessly for his achievements. Prof Canagarajah said: I am immensely proud of Kamleshs achievement and it is most highly deserved. His dedication to improving health outcomes for some of the most hard-to-reach communities is admirable and he has worked tirelessly in his career to achieve so much. Professor Azhar Farooqi OBE, chairman of Leicester City Clinical Commissioning Group, said: We are delighted and proud that Kamlesh has been awarded a CBE in the New Years Honours list. This is extremely well deserved for Kamleshs outstanding contributions to medical research, in particular in the fight against the Covid pandemic and in highlighting the importance of reducing health inequalities. Richard Mitchell, chief executive at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, also congratulated Prof Khunti on his well-deserved honour. His research and direct patient care has improved the lives of so many, in particular those in ethnic minority communities, he said. Kamlesh is an incredible colleague and the impact of his work has made, and continues to make, a remarkable difference. Prof Khunti, now the author of more than 1,000 academic papers, is also director of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) East Midlands. Florida Gov Ron DeSantiss team told Fox News that he was accompanying his wife to cancer treatments after Democrats criticised him for going missing amid a Covid-19 spike in the state. The Republican governor, considered a potential contender for the 2024 presidential nomination, reduced public appearances amid a spike in Covid-19 cases and not held a public press conference since 17 December. Florida is facing a daily average of about 36,781 according to The New York Times. Two weeks ago, the state had about a 2,600 daily average but the Omicron variant and people travelling to the state for the holiday season has caused an increase. In response, Democrats like Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings assailed the governor, saying Floridians should should ask the question, Where is our state? Where is our governor? Where is Ron DeSantis now? When is the last time you saw the governor do a press briefing on Covid-19? The governor has vocally opposed both mask mandates and limited businesses ability to impose vaccine mandates. Mr DeSantiss wife Casey, with whom he has three children, was diagnosed with breast cancer in October and and the governor told Fox at the time that Casey is the centerpiece of our family and has made an impact on the lives of countless Floridians through her initiatives as first lady. But WFLA reported that the governor will make his first public appearance in two weeks for a Let Us Worship Miami event for New Years Eve ahead of the Orange Bowl. Andrew Naughtie contributed to this report Florida Gov Ron DeSantiss team told Fox News that he was accompanying his wife to cancer treatments after Democrats criticised him for going missing amid a Covid-19 spike in the state. The Republican governor, considered a potential contender for the 2024 presidential nomination, reduced public appearances amid a spike in Covid-19 cases and not held a public press conference since 17 December. Florida is facing a daily average of about 36,781 according to The New York Times. Two weeks ago, the state had about a 2,600 daily average but the Omicron variant and people travelling to the state for the holiday season has caused an increase. In response, Democrats like Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings assailed the governor, saying Floridians should should ask the question, Where is our state? Where is our governor? Where is Ron DeSantis now? When is the last time you saw the governor do a press briefing on Covid-19? The governor has vocally opposed both mask mandates and limited businesses ability to impose vaccine mandates. Mr DeSantiss wife Casey, with whom he has three children, was diagnosed with breast cancer in October and and the governor told Fox at the time that Casey is the centerpiece of our family and has made an impact on the lives of countless Floridians through her initiatives as first lady. But WFLA reported that the governor will make his first public appearance in two weeks for a Let Us Worship Miami event for New Years Eve ahead of the Orange Bowl. Andrew Naughtie contributed to this report President Biden plans to speak with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday amid heightened tensions with Russia and ahead of a series of meetings in Europe to be attended by Moscow, Washington and NATO allies. A White House official confirmed to CNBC on Friday that Zelensky and Biden will speak, saying Biden also intends to review plans for diplomatic moves aimed "to help de-escalate the situation in the region." Biden earlier on Friday told reporters that Russia would face severe sanctions if it invades Ukraine, a message he said he had related to Russian President Vladimir Putin this week. "I made it clear to President Putin that we will have severe sanctions, we will increase our presence in Europe, with NATO allies," Biden said. Russia has amassed troops on its border with Ukraine, provoking fears of a conflict. Biden on Thursday held a 50-minute call with Putin in an effort to lower the tensions Russia invaded Ukraine and annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014. The political fortunes of the Howard government turned between St Patricks Day and Bastille Day in 2001, but at a huge financial cost to the federal budget that had to be reversed more than a decade later by Tony Abbott. Spiralling oil prices and a tumbling Australian dollar had contributed to a 20 per cent increase in petrol prices in the nine months to February 2001 that John Howard said was a wake-up call for his government as it entered an election year. It was a St Patricks Day disaster in 2001 for the Howard government. But within five months, its political fortunes were turning. Credit:Louis Enrique Ascui Cabinet papers from that year, released on January 1 by the National Archives, barely touch on the huge swing in the then governments electoral support between the days that mark the death of Irelands patron saint and Parisians storming the Bastille. But according to Mr Howard, the events between March 17, when the government lost the safe Queensland seat of Ryan in a 9.6 per cent swing, and July 14, when it managed to hold the Melbourne electorate of Aston at a byelection, set it up for its eventual history-making victory in November. New Delhi: Bollywood superstar Salman Khan had a blast celebrating New Year's Eve with rumoured girlfriend Iulia Vantur, Sangeeta Bijlani, Bina Kak, Samantha Lockwood and Amrita Kak among others. In the series of pictures, Salman Khan was seen posing with Bina and Amrita in casual attire, wearing a white jacket, black T-shirt, a chain and ripped jeans. Iulia Vantur, on her Instagram, shared a video of Salman's ex-girlfriend Sangeeta Bijlani, Bina Kak and others shouting 'Happy New Year' as part of their celebration. Although Salman Khan didn't share any pictures with his rumoured GF Iulia, the two were at the same party. Take a look at the pics: Recently, director Ram Gopal Varma took a dig at Salman Khan in regards to his snake bite incident. For the unversed, Salman Khan recently was bitten by a snake on the night of December 25 at his Panvel farmhouse on the outskirts of Mumbai. He was hospitalised for a few hours and was discharged soon after. Soon after, he came to address the media persons who had assembled outside his farmhouse and told them that he is fine. A few days after the incident, Ram Gopal Varma took a dig at Salman Khan by sharing a cartoon of a green-coloured snake, standing in a dock. The picture shows the snake, as an accused, as he faces a trial, in a clear reference to Salman Khan snake bite incident. On the work front, Salman Khan is currently seen hosting Bigg Boss 15. The actors last big screen outing was Antim: The Final Truth. He will next be seen in YRFs Tiger 3 opposite Katrina Kaif and will also have a cameo in Shah Rukh Khans Pathan. Karnataka Education Minister BC Nagesh on Saturday informed that he has tested positive for COVID and has "mild symptoms". Nagesh also requested all those who came in contact with him to get themselves tested at the earliest. Taking to Twitter, the Minister said, "I've tested positive for COVID-19 today with mild symptoms. I have quarantined myself and taking all the necessary precautions and medication required. I would request those who came in contact with me to get themselves tested at the earliest." (ANI) President Biden plans to speak with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday amid heightened tensions with Russia and ahead of a series of meetings in Europe to be attended by Moscow, Washington and NATO allies. A White House official confirmed to CNBC on Friday that Zelensky and Biden will speak, saying Biden also intends to review plans for diplomatic moves aimed "to help de-escalate the situation in the region." Biden earlier on Friday told reporters that Russia would face severe sanctions if it invades Ukraine, a message he said he had related to Russian President Vladimir Putin this week. "I made it clear to President Putin that we will have severe sanctions, we will increase our presence in Europe, with NATO allies," Biden said. Russia has amassed troops on its border with Ukraine, provoking fears of a conflict. Biden on Thursday held a 50-minute call with Putin in an effort to lower the tensions Russia invaded Ukraine and annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014. As we approach two years into a pandemic, the new year is starting with the same feeling of exhaustion and malaise as it did at the beginning of 2021. Many employers, now on their third or fourth iteration of return-to-office plans, are once again re-thinking an extension of remote work as the fast-spreading omicron variant is playing havoc with reopening offices for hybrid or full-time in-person work. Companies should consider how it can safely live with the pandemic, and start to resume normal operations as much as possible. Most Americans have resumed normal personal lives while taking necessary precautions, so employers should consider moving toward whatever normalcy will look like in the workplace going forward. For many companies, the great remote experiment has not been a win, and the need for co-workers and teams to be together again, at least some of the time, is a business priority. Employers have needed to be flexible during the pandemic, but 2022 is time for planning. I provide five suggestions: 1. Plan for normalcy: If the pandemic ended today, what would normalcy look like for your organization? Whatever that is, plan to safely get there in 2022. Whether you need to implement vaccine mandates, testing or masking to do it, then thats what you need to do. But pausing the strategic vision of work indefinitely on a pandemic that apparently has no end date cannot continue as a business strategy. 2. Plan to re-engage: Video meetings got employers through the pandemic and kept it on life support. For some, they will remain at least partly. Two years is a long time, however, to have been away from colleagues and, in many cases, never meeting a colleague in person for new employees who began work at the organization during the pandemic. This has been especially difficult for new graduates who only know remote work. If on-site work is a business priority and part of the business model, employers should consider whether its time to move forward with return to the office plans despite the pandemic, even a scaled back version. Employers can also schedule designated in-person meetings for co-workers to see one another and engage. If necessary, companies can send at-home COVID tests to employees just prior to the meeting. Employers should also offer a video stream for employees with disabilities or high-risk employees who are unable to participate in person. In any return-to-the-office planning, this group of employees must be considered and accommodated. 3. Plan for accountability: The pandemic revealed rock stars in the workplace who worked tirelessly to get things done. The pandemic also exposed some really bad employees who got worse in these last two years. Many employers have given employees a pass over these last two years in the name of the pandemic. This lack of accountability has caught up to the business bottom line and is causing more burnout on those rock stars who are having to take up the slack. Regardless of whether employees are working remote, on-site or a hybrid, its time to set expectations and hold employees accountable. No more pandemic excuses. 4. Plan to keep up with the COVID rules, mandates and state and local restrictions: Most employers are already doing this. But circumstances are changing rapidly with shifts in lawsuits around mandates, modifications to federal and state health guidelines, changes in quarantine and isolation rules, and tweaks to the guidance from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. While lawyers do a good job of helping employers keep up with the changes, health and safety experts have proven invaluable to employers during this time. Find one of each and make sure your business keeps up. 5. Plan to do your thing: Businesses dont need to keep up with the Joneses. Just because employer X is returning on-site full time, mandating vaccines or masks, or whatever that company is doing, your company should make its own decisions. I get asked all the time by employers about what other businesses are doing. While its good to learn best practices from others, too often employers feel they have to do what others are doing even if it isnt what is best for their own business needs. Whatever works for your individual business to keep employees engaged, thriving and safe then you do that. Regardless of the pandemic, companies need to bring positive energy to the workplace in 2022, and planning for the future of work despite the pandemic will help bring a needed refresh and re-engagement to the workplace. As we approach two years into a pandemic, the new year is starting with the same feeling of exhaustion and malaise as it did at the beginning of 2021. Many employers, now on their third or fourth iteration of return-to-office plans, are once again re-thinking an extension of remote work as the fast-spreading omicron variant is playing havoc with reopening offices for hybrid or full-time in-person work. Companies should consider how it can safely live with the pandemic, and start to resume normal operations as much as possible. Most Americans have resumed normal personal lives while taking necessary precautions, so employers should consider moving toward whatever normalcy will look like in the workplace going forward. For many companies, the great remote experiment has not been a win, and the need for co-workers and teams to be together again, at least some of the time, is a business priority. Employers have needed to be flexible during the pandemic, but 2022 is time for planning. I provide five suggestions: 1. Plan for normalcy: If the pandemic ended today, what would normalcy look like for your organization? Whatever that is, plan to safely get there in 2022. Whether you need to implement vaccine mandates, testing or masking to do it, then thats what you need to do. But pausing the strategic vision of work indefinitely on a pandemic that apparently has no end date cannot continue as a business strategy. 2. Plan to re-engage: Video meetings got employers through the pandemic and kept it on life support. For some, they will remain at least partly. Two years is a long time, however, to have been away from colleagues and, in many cases, never meeting a colleague in person for new employees who began work at the organization during the pandemic. This has been especially difficult for new graduates who only know remote work. If on-site work is a business priority and part of the business model, employers should consider whether its time to move forward with return to the office plans despite the pandemic, even a scaled back version. Employers can also schedule designated in-person meetings for co-workers to see one another and engage. If necessary, companies can send at-home COVID tests to employees just prior to the meeting. Employers should also offer a video stream for employees with disabilities or high-risk employees who are unable to participate in person. In any return-to-the-office planning, this group of employees must be considered and accommodated. 3. Plan for accountability: The pandemic revealed rock stars in the workplace who worked tirelessly to get things done. The pandemic also exposed some really bad employees who got worse in these last two years. Many employers have given employees a pass over these last two years in the name of the pandemic. This lack of accountability has caught up to the business bottom line and is causing more burnout on those rock stars who are having to take up the slack. Regardless of whether employees are working remote, on-site or a hybrid, its time to set expectations and hold employees accountable. No more pandemic excuses. 4. Plan to keep up with the COVID rules, mandates and state and local restrictions: Most employers are already doing this. But circumstances are changing rapidly with shifts in lawsuits around mandates, modifications to federal and state health guidelines, changes in quarantine and isolation rules, and tweaks to the guidance from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. While lawyers do a good job of helping employers keep up with the changes, health and safety experts have proven invaluable to employers during this time. Find one of each and make sure your business keeps up. 5. Plan to do your thing: Businesses dont need to keep up with the Joneses. Just because employer X is returning on-site full time, mandating vaccines or masks, or whatever that company is doing, your company should make its own decisions. I get asked all the time by employers about what other businesses are doing. While its good to learn best practices from others, too often employers feel they have to do what others are doing even if it isnt what is best for their own business needs. Whatever works for your individual business to keep employees engaged, thriving and safe then you do that. Regardless of the pandemic, companies need to bring positive energy to the workplace in 2022, and planning for the future of work despite the pandemic will help bring a needed refresh and re-engagement to the workplace. From December 31, 2021, the HSE is inviting people aged 16 29 years who have already completed their primary course of COVID-19 vaccine for their booster dose, in line with NIAC guidance. Without a booster dose, people are at greater risk from severe illness from COVID-19, and we are currently seeing the highest level of transmission of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. We encourage everyone aged 16 or over to attend for their booster, unless they are currently restricting movements because theyre a close contact of a case. If it is time for your vaccination, you can: - book a booster appointment online at HSE vaccination clinics, check the locations on hse.ie. People aged 16-29 must book into a clinic for their age group and more clinics will be added over time. - get your booster vaccine at a participating pharmacy, check the list of pharmacies here - Some GPs are also vaccinating their patients. - We encourage everyone to avail of your booster dose when offered as it gives you the best protection from serious illness caused by COVID-19. What to bring? Please bring a photo ID with you. ID can include one of the following: passport, drivers licence, Garda age card, student/school ID etc., but if your ID doesn't include your date of birth, please bring proof of your DOB (e.g. your Birth Cert). What vaccine is available? For people aged 16 to 29 years, you will be offered a single dose of Pfizer BioNTech vaccine. You can get this vaccine even if you got a different vaccine for your primary course. The booster dose should be given at a minimum of a 3 month interval from a persons last dose of a primary COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer BioNTech, Moderna or AstraZeneca) so please ensure you are at least 3 months post second dose as this will be checked at the vaccination centre. If you had COVID-19 since you were vaccinated, you should get your booster dose at least 3 months after your positive COVID-19 test result. More information on the COVID-19 booster vaccine is available here. We are also strongly urging those who have not yet received a primary COVID-19 vaccine dose, to consider attending one of the walk-in clinics for dose one or dose two of the vaccine, which continue to operate or register for an appointment here. Ukraine's state-owned arms exporter, Ukrspecexport, received 144 foreign delegations and signed contracts worth $332 million in 2021, the company's press service has said. This year, Ukrspecexport managed to intensify international activities and achieve growth in economic performance. This led to a significant increase in the total amount of newly concluded foreign economic contracts. "Although the revival of contacts with our foreign partners in 2021 was not as fast as we would like it to see, due to quarantine restrictions, the dynamics in this area still exists," said Vadym Nozdria, Director General of Ukrspecexport. In 2021, Ukrspecexport received 144 delegations from 33 foreign countries. The leaders by the number of visits to Ukraine were delegations from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Poland and the United States. Currently, active negotiations are underway with potential partner countries that are interested in the products of the Ukrainian defense industry. Traditionally, these are the countries of Latin America, Central Africa, Asia and Europe. At the same time, the state arms exporter seeks to strengthen Ukraine's position in its traditional arms markets, including the Asia-Pacific region, North Africa, the Middle East, etc. op Ukraine's state-owned arms exporter, Ukrspecexport, received 144 foreign delegations and signed contracts worth $332 million in 2021, the company's press service has said. This year, Ukrspecexport managed to intensify international activities and achieve growth in economic performance. This led to a significant increase in the total amount of newly concluded foreign economic contracts. "Although the revival of contacts with our foreign partners in 2021 was not as fast as we would like it to see, due to quarantine restrictions, the dynamics in this area still exists," said Vadym Nozdria, Director General of Ukrspecexport. In 2021, Ukrspecexport received 144 delegations from 33 foreign countries. The leaders by the number of visits to Ukraine were delegations from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Poland and the United States. Currently, active negotiations are underway with potential partner countries that are interested in the products of the Ukrainian defense industry. Traditionally, these are the countries of Latin America, Central Africa, Asia and Europe. At the same time, the state arms exporter seeks to strengthen Ukraine's position in its traditional arms markets, including the Asia-Pacific region, North Africa, the Middle East, etc. op Ukraine's state-owned arms exporter, Ukrspecexport, received 144 foreign delegations and signed contracts worth $332 million in 2021, the company's press service has said. This year, Ukrspecexport managed to intensify international activities and achieve growth in economic performance. This led to a significant increase in the total amount of newly concluded foreign economic contracts. "Although the revival of contacts with our foreign partners in 2021 was not as fast as we would like it to see, due to quarantine restrictions, the dynamics in this area still exists," said Vadym Nozdria, Director General of Ukrspecexport. In 2021, Ukrspecexport received 144 delegations from 33 foreign countries. The leaders by the number of visits to Ukraine were delegations from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Poland and the United States. Currently, active negotiations are underway with potential partner countries that are interested in the products of the Ukrainian defense industry. Traditionally, these are the countries of Latin America, Central Africa, Asia and Europe. At the same time, the state arms exporter seeks to strengthen Ukraine's position in its traditional arms markets, including the Asia-Pacific region, North Africa, the Middle East, etc. op SIOUX CITY -- The weather forecast calls for a possible dusting of snow, perhaps as much as an inch, in Sioux City Friday night, a fitting end to a year in which precipitation often came in small doses, if at all. Barring a surprise blizzard of epic proportions, 2021 will be the second straight year Sioux City sees its yearly precipitation total fall far short of average. Through Thursday, Sioux Gateway Airport had recorded 22.96 inches of precipitation, more than 6 inches below the normal of 29.27 inches. The year will end as the 37th driest year in records dating back to 1896. Paired with the 20.08 inches from 2020 -- the 16th driest year on record -- the 43.04 inches makes it the 12th driest two-year period on record. The two-year dry trend is not enough to get worked up about, said Justin Glisan, Iowa's state climatologist. Climate patterns indicate Iowa has become wetter over the past 30 years, so he doesn't anticipate the dry conditions to continue. "What we've seen over the recent term is a blip," Glisan said. "We're inclined to see wetter years than drier years. The longer-term trends do show wetter conditions moving forward." Are the past two years a fluke or the beginning of a changing weather pattern? Two years is not a long enough period from which to draw conclusions, Glisan said. "Ask me that in five years," Glisan said. The Sioux City area may be stuck in a dry pattern, but it came immediately after the wettest two-year period in history. Sioux City received 37.77 inches of moisture in 2018 and 33.88 inches in 2019. "We've been jumping back and forth, but we would need a longer window to detect a pattern," Glisan said. December will end dry, and would have been drier if not for a rare thunderstorm on the 15th that dropped nearly half an inch of rain on Sioux City. Just 1.5 inches of snow have fallen this month, below the normal of 7.6 inches. For the month, Sioux City has received 0.65 inches of precipitation. The normal is 0.99 inches. Glisan said this winter is setting up similarly to last year, when a La Nina weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean led to higher snow totals in January and February. A similar La Nina is occurring this year, Glisan said, leading to expectations of a buildup of snowpack the first two months of 2022. Ideally, he said, Siouxland would see that snow melt during a gentle March thaw, allowing the moisture to soak into the soil rather than run off. Despite the dry year, Northwest Iowa is in better shape than a year ago, Glisan said. Many areas entered 2021 with moisture deficits of 10-14 inches. Aided by some plentiful rains in the fall, those deficits are about 4-6 inches in much of the Sioux City area heading into 2022. The U.S. Drought Monitor's map released Thursday shows of all of Buena Vista County and sections of Woodbury, Plymouth, Ida, Cherokee, O'Brien, Sac and Clay counties in a band of abnormally dry conditions. A small patch in Cherokee and Buena Vista counties is in moderate drought. A year ago, all of Northwest Iowa was in moderate, severe or extreme drought. "I feel better than I did last year," Glisan said. "We're on much better footing on soil moisture and precipitation deficit-wise than we were last year." Glisan said it's a coin flip on whether 2022 will begin wetter or drier. The January-March outlook shows an equal chance of below- or above-normal precipitation. All 12 people, who lost their lives in the stampede incident at Vaishno Devi in Katra on Saturday, have been identified, said Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. "All the deceased of the unfortunate incident have been identified. 10 dead bodies have been dispatched to their respective home towns and two others will be sent tomorrow morning," Sinha said in a tweet on Saturday. The stampede has claimed the lives of 12 people and left 16 injured, of which nine have been discharged from the hospital. Sinha said that he has been monitoring the situation since 3 am at night and senior officials of administration, police and health were directed to rush to the spot. "My thoughts and prayers are with each family," Sinha wrote on Twitter. Earlier today, Sinha visited Narayana Superspeciality hospital to meet injured pilgrims. "According to doctors, they are stable and being monitored by senior health staff. Directed Doctors and senior administration officials to provide best possible care to the patients," he said. A three-member high-level probe has been ordered by the government in the stampede. Chief Secretary (Home), Additional Director General of Police (Jammu Zone) and Divisional Commissioner of Jammu will investigate this incident, J-K LG has said. Union Minister Jitendra Singh inspected Vaishno Devi Bhawan stampede site with DGP Dilbag Singh in Katra. Vaishno Devi yatra was resumed following a brief suspension after the incident. The stampede took place at around 2:15 am near gate no. 3 at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Police said that as per initial reports, an argument broke out which resulted in people pushing each other, followed by the stampede. J-K LG has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh for the next of kin of those who died in the stampede and Rs 2 lakh for the injured. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF for the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede and Rs 50,000 for the injured. (ANI) Ukraine's state-owned arms exporter, Ukrspecexport, received 144 foreign delegations and signed contracts worth $332 million in 2021, the company's press service has said. This year, Ukrspecexport managed to intensify international activities and achieve growth in economic performance. This led to a significant increase in the total amount of newly concluded foreign economic contracts. "Although the revival of contacts with our foreign partners in 2021 was not as fast as we would like it to see, due to quarantine restrictions, the dynamics in this area still exists," said Vadym Nozdria, Director General of Ukrspecexport. In 2021, Ukrspecexport received 144 delegations from 33 foreign countries. The leaders by the number of visits to Ukraine were delegations from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Poland and the United States. Currently, active negotiations are underway with potential partner countries that are interested in the products of the Ukrainian defense industry. Traditionally, these are the countries of Latin America, Central Africa, Asia and Europe. At the same time, the state arms exporter seeks to strengthen Ukraine's position in its traditional arms markets, including the Asia-Pacific region, North Africa, the Middle East, etc. op Ukraine's state-owned arms exporter, Ukrspecexport, received 144 foreign delegations and signed contracts worth $332 million in 2021, the company's press service has said. This year, Ukrspecexport managed to intensify international activities and achieve growth in economic performance. This led to a significant increase in the total amount of newly concluded foreign economic contracts. "Although the revival of contacts with our foreign partners in 2021 was not as fast as we would like it to see, due to quarantine restrictions, the dynamics in this area still exists," said Vadym Nozdria, Director General of Ukrspecexport. In 2021, Ukrspecexport received 144 delegations from 33 foreign countries. The leaders by the number of visits to Ukraine were delegations from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Poland and the United States. Currently, active negotiations are underway with potential partner countries that are interested in the products of the Ukrainian defense industry. Traditionally, these are the countries of Latin America, Central Africa, Asia and Europe. At the same time, the state arms exporter seeks to strengthen Ukraine's position in its traditional arms markets, including the Asia-Pacific region, North Africa, the Middle East, etc. op Ukraine's state-owned arms exporter, Ukrspecexport, received 144 foreign delegations and signed contracts worth $332 million in 2021, the company's press service has said. This year, Ukrspecexport managed to intensify international activities and achieve growth in economic performance. This led to a significant increase in the total amount of newly concluded foreign economic contracts. "Although the revival of contacts with our foreign partners in 2021 was not as fast as we would like it to see, due to quarantine restrictions, the dynamics in this area still exists," said Vadym Nozdria, Director General of Ukrspecexport. In 2021, Ukrspecexport received 144 delegations from 33 foreign countries. The leaders by the number of visits to Ukraine were delegations from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Poland and the United States. Currently, active negotiations are underway with potential partner countries that are interested in the products of the Ukrainian defense industry. Traditionally, these are the countries of Latin America, Central Africa, Asia and Europe. At the same time, the state arms exporter seeks to strengthen Ukraine's position in its traditional arms markets, including the Asia-Pacific region, North Africa, the Middle East, etc. op Ukraine's state-owned arms exporter, Ukrspecexport, received 144 foreign delegations and signed contracts worth $332 million in 2021, the company's press service has said. This year, Ukrspecexport managed to intensify international activities and achieve growth in economic performance. This led to a significant increase in the total amount of newly concluded foreign economic contracts. "Although the revival of contacts with our foreign partners in 2021 was not as fast as we would like it to see, due to quarantine restrictions, the dynamics in this area still exists," said Vadym Nozdria, Director General of Ukrspecexport. In 2021, Ukrspecexport received 144 delegations from 33 foreign countries. The leaders by the number of visits to Ukraine were delegations from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Poland and the United States. Currently, active negotiations are underway with potential partner countries that are interested in the products of the Ukrainian defense industry. Traditionally, these are the countries of Latin America, Central Africa, Asia and Europe. At the same time, the state arms exporter seeks to strengthen Ukraine's position in its traditional arms markets, including the Asia-Pacific region, North Africa, the Middle East, etc. op Ukraine's state-owned arms exporter, Ukrspecexport, received 144 foreign delegations and signed contracts worth $332 million in 2021, the company's press service has said. This year, Ukrspecexport managed to intensify international activities and achieve growth in economic performance. This led to a significant increase in the total amount of newly concluded foreign economic contracts. "Although the revival of contacts with our foreign partners in 2021 was not as fast as we would like it to see, due to quarantine restrictions, the dynamics in this area still exists," said Vadym Nozdria, Director General of Ukrspecexport. In 2021, Ukrspecexport received 144 delegations from 33 foreign countries. The leaders by the number of visits to Ukraine were delegations from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Poland and the United States. Currently, active negotiations are underway with potential partner countries that are interested in the products of the Ukrainian defense industry. Traditionally, these are the countries of Latin America, Central Africa, Asia and Europe. At the same time, the state arms exporter seeks to strengthen Ukraine's position in its traditional arms markets, including the Asia-Pacific region, North Africa, the Middle East, etc. op Ukraine's state-owned arms exporter, Ukrspecexport, received 144 foreign delegations and signed contracts worth $332 million in 2021, the company's press service has said. This year, Ukrspecexport managed to intensify international activities and achieve growth in economic performance. This led to a significant increase in the total amount of newly concluded foreign economic contracts. "Although the revival of contacts with our foreign partners in 2021 was not as fast as we would like it to see, due to quarantine restrictions, the dynamics in this area still exists," said Vadym Nozdria, Director General of Ukrspecexport. In 2021, Ukrspecexport received 144 delegations from 33 foreign countries. The leaders by the number of visits to Ukraine were delegations from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Poland and the United States. Currently, active negotiations are underway with potential partner countries that are interested in the products of the Ukrainian defense industry. Traditionally, these are the countries of Latin America, Central Africa, Asia and Europe. At the same time, the state arms exporter seeks to strengthen Ukraine's position in its traditional arms markets, including the Asia-Pacific region, North Africa, the Middle East, etc. op Ukraine's state-owned arms exporter, Ukrspecexport, received 144 foreign delegations and signed contracts worth $332 million in 2021, the company's press service has said. This year, Ukrspecexport managed to intensify international activities and achieve growth in economic performance. This led to a significant increase in the total amount of newly concluded foreign economic contracts. "Although the revival of contacts with our foreign partners in 2021 was not as fast as we would like it to see, due to quarantine restrictions, the dynamics in this area still exists," said Vadym Nozdria, Director General of Ukrspecexport. In 2021, Ukrspecexport received 144 delegations from 33 foreign countries. The leaders by the number of visits to Ukraine were delegations from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Poland and the United States. Currently, active negotiations are underway with potential partner countries that are interested in the products of the Ukrainian defense industry. Traditionally, these are the countries of Latin America, Central Africa, Asia and Europe. At the same time, the state arms exporter seeks to strengthen Ukraine's position in its traditional arms markets, including the Asia-Pacific region, North Africa, the Middle East, etc. op SIOUX CITY -- The weather forecast calls for a possible dusting of snow, perhaps as much as an inch, in Sioux City Friday night, a fitting end to a year in which precipitation often came in small doses, if at all. Barring a surprise blizzard of epic proportions, 2021 will be the second straight year Sioux City sees its yearly precipitation total fall far short of average. Through Thursday, Sioux Gateway Airport had recorded 22.96 inches of precipitation, more than 6 inches below the normal of 29.27 inches. The year will end as the 37th driest year in records dating back to 1896. Paired with the 20.08 inches from 2020 -- the 16th driest year on record -- the 43.04 inches makes it the 12th driest two-year period on record. The two-year dry trend is not enough to get worked up about, said Justin Glisan, Iowa's state climatologist. Climate patterns indicate Iowa has become wetter over the past 30 years, so he doesn't anticipate the dry conditions to continue. "What we've seen over the recent term is a blip," Glisan said. "We're inclined to see wetter years than drier years. The longer-term trends do show wetter conditions moving forward." Are the past two years a fluke or the beginning of a changing weather pattern? Two years is not a long enough period from which to draw conclusions, Glisan said. "Ask me that in five years," Glisan said. The Sioux City area may be stuck in a dry pattern, but it came immediately after the wettest two-year period in history. Sioux City received 37.77 inches of moisture in 2018 and 33.88 inches in 2019. "We've been jumping back and forth, but we would need a longer window to detect a pattern," Glisan said. December will end dry, and would have been drier if not for a rare thunderstorm on the 15th that dropped nearly half an inch of rain on Sioux City. Just 1.5 inches of snow have fallen this month, below the normal of 7.6 inches. For the month, Sioux City has received 0.65 inches of precipitation. The normal is 0.99 inches. Glisan said this winter is setting up similarly to last year, when a La Nina weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean led to higher snow totals in January and February. A similar La Nina is occurring this year, Glisan said, leading to expectations of a buildup of snowpack the first two months of 2022. Ideally, he said, Siouxland would see that snow melt during a gentle March thaw, allowing the moisture to soak into the soil rather than run off. Despite the dry year, Northwest Iowa is in better shape than a year ago, Glisan said. Many areas entered 2021 with moisture deficits of 10-14 inches. Aided by some plentiful rains in the fall, those deficits are about 4-6 inches in much of the Sioux City area heading into 2022. The U.S. Drought Monitor's map released Thursday shows of all of Buena Vista County and sections of Woodbury, Plymouth, Ida, Cherokee, O'Brien, Sac and Clay counties in a band of abnormally dry conditions. A small patch in Cherokee and Buena Vista counties is in moderate drought. A year ago, all of Northwest Iowa was in moderate, severe or extreme drought. "I feel better than I did last year," Glisan said. "We're on much better footing on soil moisture and precipitation deficit-wise than we were last year." Glisan said it's a coin flip on whether 2022 will begin wetter or drier. The January-March outlook shows an equal chance of below- or above-normal precipitation. Ukraine's state-owned arms exporter, Ukrspecexport, received 144 foreign delegations and signed contracts worth $332 million in 2021, the company's press service has said. This year, Ukrspecexport managed to intensify international activities and achieve growth in economic performance. This led to a significant increase in the total amount of newly concluded foreign economic contracts. "Although the revival of contacts with our foreign partners in 2021 was not as fast as we would like it to see, due to quarantine restrictions, the dynamics in this area still exists," said Vadym Nozdria, Director General of Ukrspecexport. In 2021, Ukrspecexport received 144 delegations from 33 foreign countries. The leaders by the number of visits to Ukraine were delegations from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Poland and the United States. Currently, active negotiations are underway with potential partner countries that are interested in the products of the Ukrainian defense industry. Traditionally, these are the countries of Latin America, Central Africa, Asia and Europe. At the same time, the state arms exporter seeks to strengthen Ukraine's position in its traditional arms markets, including the Asia-Pacific region, North Africa, the Middle East, etc. op Ukraine's state-owned arms exporter, Ukrspecexport, received 144 foreign delegations and signed contracts worth $332 million in 2021, the company's press service has said. This year, Ukrspecexport managed to intensify international activities and achieve growth in economic performance. This led to a significant increase in the total amount of newly concluded foreign economic contracts. "Although the revival of contacts with our foreign partners in 2021 was not as fast as we would like it to see, due to quarantine restrictions, the dynamics in this area still exists," said Vadym Nozdria, Director General of Ukrspecexport. In 2021, Ukrspecexport received 144 delegations from 33 foreign countries. The leaders by the number of visits to Ukraine were delegations from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Poland and the United States. Currently, active negotiations are underway with potential partner countries that are interested in the products of the Ukrainian defense industry. Traditionally, these are the countries of Latin America, Central Africa, Asia and Europe. At the same time, the state arms exporter seeks to strengthen Ukraine's position in its traditional arms markets, including the Asia-Pacific region, North Africa, the Middle East, etc. op How will Elko fare in Covid 22? The answer may be a Catch-22, a term that refers to a paradoxical situation for which there is no apparent solution. As the New Year begins we are still trying to gauge the threat of a mutating coronavirus. When Covid arrived in Nevada in the spring of 2020 it was believed to be much more deadly than it really is. The streets were bare as residents stayed home as much as possible, even here in rural Nevada. It soon became apparent that the pandemic would not be killing large numbers of young, healthy people. But many elderly residents died that winter and by the end of 2020 the death toll in Elko County was 37. Then 2021 ushered in hope that the pandemic would soon be put behind us. The virus, however, had another idea. Morphing into a more contagious and deadly form, the delta variant produced a second much larger death surge in the fall of 2021. Forty-six Elko County residents died in a two-month period. By the end of 2021 the overall death toll in Elko County had climbed to 124. And younger, healthier residents were among the victims more than a quarter of the deaths were people under 60. Some pro-mask and pro-vaccine residents complained that the governors restrictions were being largely ignored in local businesses. Even major companies such as Walmart made no effort to enforce mask-wearing. The number of serious Covid cases got so high that hospitalizations began to reach the unmanageable level. Yet, a review of death statistics indicated that Elko County fared the same as the rest of the state and the nationwide average. Covid deaths amount to around 0.2 percent of the total population, regardless of where you live. Even more surprising were the mortality rate statistics based on the number of confirmed infections. Elkos rate was lower despite the unusually low vaccination rate. On Dec. 1 the mortality rate stood at 1.3% in Elko County, compared with 1.7% statewide and 1.6% nationwide. And only 33% of Elko Countys population was fully vaccinated, compared with 49% statewide and 59% nationwide. Needless to say, the threat of omicron has done nothing to inspire many more Elko County residents to get vaccinated or wear masks as the year comes to an end. Most Elko County residents clearly expect to survive omicron without taking any precautions. Still, it remains to be seen whether the expected third wave will be more severe in rural Nevada than elsewhere. This week in Clark County, Covid cases were skyrocketing as the test positivity rate nearly doubled to top 10 percent again. Hospitalizations statewide shot up by 106 in just a day, now at 895, KLAS-TV in Las Vegas reported Thursday. About two of every 10 new cases were caused by the omicron variant. CNN reported that an unprecedented spike in Covid-19 cases fueled by the omicron variant was crushing hospitals across the United States. At the same time, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said Covid deaths and hospitalizations are comparatively low. Statistics cited on national media showed death rates wildly fluctuating up and down from one day to the next. The CDC relaxed quarantine rules at the same time cases were increasing exponentially. Meanwhile, Elko County cleared two of three hurdles toward eliminating state restrictions and was approaching the final benchmark on case levels. Yet the vaccination rate here remains below 35 percent. When omicron does reach Elko it will be in a changing environment. The county managed to bring delta hospitalizations under control with the aid of monoclonal antibody therapy that was administered to more than 180 residents. Early indications are that these treatments are not very effective on omicron, and supplies are low anyway as the Biden administration faces accusations that it is rationing doses. The rollout of Covid treatment pills has also been surprisingly slow. Some experts believe that omicrons lower mortality rate is due to the higher number of people who are now vaccinated. That could be a Catch-22 for Elko and other counties with low vaccination rates: The coronavirus pandemic wont end until more people get vaccinated, and that wont happen until more people die from it. (Newser) Actors, comedians, and other fans issued tributes to Betty White on Friday, praising her as an entertainer and person. The actress died at her home at age 99. "Her generosity of spirit is the reason everybody talks about her in this way," Henry Winkler said, per CNN, adding, "just an amazing person." A film about White's life and career, planned as part of her birthday celebration next month, will still be shown, the producers said. It will be screened in 800 theaters on Jan. 17, the day White would have turned 100. Per the AP, BBC and CNN, tributes also came from: Ryan Reynolds : "She was great at defying expectation. She managed to grow very old and somehow, not old enough." : "She was great at defying expectation. She managed to grow very old and somehow, not old enough." Marlee Matlin : "Betty White will go down in the history books as ageless ... 99 or 100, the numbers belie the fact that she lived the best life ever!" : "Betty White will go down in the history books as ageless ... 99 or 100, the numbers belie the fact that she lived the best life ever!" President Biden : "Betty White brought a smile to the lips of generations of Americans. She's a cultural icon who will be sorely missed." : "Betty White brought a smile to the lips of generations of Americans. She's a cultural icon who will be sorely missed." Dan Rather : "A spirit of goodness and hope. ... Our world would be better if more followed her example." : "A spirit of goodness and hope. ... Our world would be better if more followed her example." Eric Garcetti : "The City of L.A. will be forever grateful for her years of service to the L.A. Zoo on behalf of the animals in our care and the people who love them." : "The City of L.A. will be forever grateful for her years of service to the L.A. Zoo on behalf of the animals in our care and the people who love them." Roxane Gay : "RIP to Betty White who was charming, delightful, hilarious, talented and unproblematic for 99.9 years." : "RIP to Betty White who was charming, delightful, hilarious, talented and unproblematic for 99.9 years." US Army : "Not only was she an amazing actress, she also served during WWII as a member of the American Women's Voluntary Services. A true legend on and off the screen." : "Not only was she an amazing actress, she also served during WWII as a member of the American Women's Voluntary Services. A true legend on and off the screen." Seth Meyers : "The only SNL host I ever saw get a standing ovation at the after party. A party at which she ordered a vodka and a hotdog and stayed til the bitter end." : "The only SNL host I ever saw get a standing ovation at the after party. A party at which she ordered a vodka and a hotdog and stayed til the bitter end." Bridget Moynahan: "Maybe she picked New Year's Eve so we can celebrate her life every year!" (Read more Betty White stories.) Florida Gov Ron DeSantiss team told Fox News that he was accompanying his wife to cancer treatments after Democrats criticised him for going missing amid a Covid-19 spike in the state. The Republican governor, considered a potential contender for the 2024 presidential nomination, reduced public appearances amid a spike in Covid-19 cases and not held a public press conference since 17 December. Florida is facing a daily average of about 36,781 according to The New York Times. Two weeks ago, the state had about a 2,600 daily average but the Omicron variant and people travelling to the state for the holiday season has caused an increase. In response, Democrats like Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings assailed the governor, saying Floridians should should ask the question, Where is our state? Where is our governor? Where is Ron DeSantis now? When is the last time you saw the governor do a press briefing on Covid-19? The governor has vocally opposed both mask mandates and limited businesses ability to impose vaccine mandates. Mr DeSantiss wife Casey, with whom he has three children, was diagnosed with breast cancer in October and and the governor told Fox at the time that Casey is the centerpiece of our family and has made an impact on the lives of countless Floridians through her initiatives as first lady. But WFLA reported that the governor will make his first public appearance in two weeks for a Let Us Worship Miami event for New Years Eve ahead of the Orange Bowl. Andrew Naughtie contributed to this report How will Elko fare in Covid 22? The answer may be a Catch-22, a term that refers to a paradoxical situation for which there is no apparent solution. As the New Year begins we are still trying to gauge the threat of a mutating coronavirus. When Covid arrived in Nevada in the spring of 2020 it was believed to be much more deadly than it really is. The streets were bare as residents stayed home as much as possible, even here in rural Nevada. It soon became apparent that the pandemic would not be killing large numbers of young, healthy people. But many elderly residents died that winter and by the end of 2020 the death toll in Elko County was 37. Then 2021 ushered in hope that the pandemic would soon be put behind us. The virus, however, had another idea. Morphing into a more contagious and deadly form, the delta variant produced a second much larger death surge in the fall of 2021. Forty-six Elko County residents died in a two-month period. By the end of 2021 the overall death toll in Elko County had climbed to 124. And younger, healthier residents were among the victims more than a quarter of the deaths were people under 60. Some pro-mask and pro-vaccine residents complained that the governors restrictions were being largely ignored in local businesses. Even major companies such as Walmart made no effort to enforce mask-wearing. The number of serious Covid cases got so high that hospitalizations began to reach the unmanageable level. Yet, a review of death statistics indicated that Elko County fared the same as the rest of the state and the nationwide average. Covid deaths amount to around 0.2 percent of the total population, regardless of where you live. Even more surprising were the mortality rate statistics based on the number of confirmed infections. Elkos rate was lower despite the unusually low vaccination rate. On Dec. 1 the mortality rate stood at 1.3% in Elko County, compared with 1.7% statewide and 1.6% nationwide. And only 33% of Elko Countys population was fully vaccinated, compared with 49% statewide and 59% nationwide. Needless to say, the threat of omicron has done nothing to inspire many more Elko County residents to get vaccinated or wear masks as the year comes to an end. Most Elko County residents clearly expect to survive omicron without taking any precautions. Still, it remains to be seen whether the expected third wave will be more severe in rural Nevada than elsewhere. This week in Clark County, Covid cases were skyrocketing as the test positivity rate nearly doubled to top 10 percent again. Hospitalizations statewide shot up by 106 in just a day, now at 895, KLAS-TV in Las Vegas reported Thursday. About two of every 10 new cases were caused by the omicron variant. CNN reported that an unprecedented spike in Covid-19 cases fueled by the omicron variant was crushing hospitals across the United States. At the same time, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said Covid deaths and hospitalizations are comparatively low. Statistics cited on national media showed death rates wildly fluctuating up and down from one day to the next. The CDC relaxed quarantine rules at the same time cases were increasing exponentially. Meanwhile, Elko County cleared two of three hurdles toward eliminating state restrictions and was approaching the final benchmark on case levels. Yet the vaccination rate here remains below 35 percent. When omicron does reach Elko it will be in a changing environment. The county managed to bring delta hospitalizations under control with the aid of monoclonal antibody therapy that was administered to more than 180 residents. Early indications are that these treatments are not very effective on omicron, and supplies are low anyway as the Biden administration faces accusations that it is rationing doses. The rollout of Covid treatment pills has also been surprisingly slow. Some experts believe that omicrons lower mortality rate is due to the higher number of people who are now vaccinated. That could be a Catch-22 for Elko and other counties with low vaccination rates: The coronavirus pandemic wont end until more people get vaccinated, and that wont happen until more people die from it. How will Elko fare in Covid 22? The answer may be a Catch-22, a term that refers to a paradoxical situation for which there is no apparent solution. As the New Year begins we are still trying to gauge the threat of a mutating coronavirus. When Covid arrived in Nevada in the spring of 2020 it was believed to be much more deadly than it really is. The streets were bare as residents stayed home as much as possible, even here in rural Nevada. It soon became apparent that the pandemic would not be killing large numbers of young, healthy people. But many elderly residents died that winter and by the end of 2020 the death toll in Elko County was 37. Then 2021 ushered in hope that the pandemic would soon be put behind us. The virus, however, had another idea. Morphing into a more contagious and deadly form, the delta variant produced a second much larger death surge in the fall of 2021. Forty-six Elko County residents died in a two-month period. By the end of 2021 the overall death toll in Elko County had climbed to 124. And younger, healthier residents were among the victims more than a quarter of the deaths were people under 60. Some pro-mask and pro-vaccine residents complained that the governors restrictions were being largely ignored in local businesses. Even major companies such as Walmart made no effort to enforce mask-wearing. The number of serious Covid cases got so high that hospitalizations began to reach the unmanageable level. Yet, a review of death statistics indicated that Elko County fared the same as the rest of the state and the nationwide average. Covid deaths amount to around 0.2 percent of the total population, regardless of where you live. Even more surprising were the mortality rate statistics based on the number of confirmed infections. Elkos rate was lower despite the unusually low vaccination rate. On Dec. 1 the mortality rate stood at 1.3% in Elko County, compared with 1.7% statewide and 1.6% nationwide. And only 33% of Elko Countys population was fully vaccinated, compared with 49% statewide and 59% nationwide. Needless to say, the threat of omicron has done nothing to inspire many more Elko County residents to get vaccinated or wear masks as the year comes to an end. Most Elko County residents clearly expect to survive omicron without taking any precautions. Still, it remains to be seen whether the expected third wave will be more severe in rural Nevada than elsewhere. This week in Clark County, Covid cases were skyrocketing as the test positivity rate nearly doubled to top 10 percent again. Hospitalizations statewide shot up by 106 in just a day, now at 895, KLAS-TV in Las Vegas reported Thursday. About two of every 10 new cases were caused by the omicron variant. CNN reported that an unprecedented spike in Covid-19 cases fueled by the omicron variant was crushing hospitals across the United States. At the same time, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said Covid deaths and hospitalizations are comparatively low. Statistics cited on national media showed death rates wildly fluctuating up and down from one day to the next. The CDC relaxed quarantine rules at the same time cases were increasing exponentially. Meanwhile, Elko County cleared two of three hurdles toward eliminating state restrictions and was approaching the final benchmark on case levels. Yet the vaccination rate here remains below 35 percent. When omicron does reach Elko it will be in a changing environment. The county managed to bring delta hospitalizations under control with the aid of monoclonal antibody therapy that was administered to more than 180 residents. Early indications are that these treatments are not very effective on omicron, and supplies are low anyway as the Biden administration faces accusations that it is rationing doses. The rollout of Covid treatment pills has also been surprisingly slow. Some experts believe that omicrons lower mortality rate is due to the higher number of people who are now vaccinated. That could be a Catch-22 for Elko and other counties with low vaccination rates: The coronavirus pandemic wont end until more people get vaccinated, and that wont happen until more people die from it. Ukraine's state-owned arms exporter, Ukrspecexport, received 144 foreign delegations and signed contracts worth $332 million in 2021, the company's press service has said. This year, Ukrspecexport managed to intensify international activities and achieve growth in economic performance. This led to a significant increase in the total amount of newly concluded foreign economic contracts. "Although the revival of contacts with our foreign partners in 2021 was not as fast as we would like it to see, due to quarantine restrictions, the dynamics in this area still exists," said Vadym Nozdria, Director General of Ukrspecexport. In 2021, Ukrspecexport received 144 delegations from 33 foreign countries. The leaders by the number of visits to Ukraine were delegations from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Poland and the United States. Currently, active negotiations are underway with potential partner countries that are interested in the products of the Ukrainian defense industry. Traditionally, these are the countries of Latin America, Central Africa, Asia and Europe. At the same time, the state arms exporter seeks to strengthen Ukraine's position in its traditional arms markets, including the Asia-Pacific region, North Africa, the Middle East, etc. op Ukraine's state-owned arms exporter, Ukrspecexport, received 144 foreign delegations and signed contracts worth $332 million in 2021, the company's press service has said. This year, Ukrspecexport managed to intensify international activities and achieve growth in economic performance. This led to a significant increase in the total amount of newly concluded foreign economic contracts. "Although the revival of contacts with our foreign partners in 2021 was not as fast as we would like it to see, due to quarantine restrictions, the dynamics in this area still exists," said Vadym Nozdria, Director General of Ukrspecexport. In 2021, Ukrspecexport received 144 delegations from 33 foreign countries. The leaders by the number of visits to Ukraine were delegations from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Poland and the United States. Currently, active negotiations are underway with potential partner countries that are interested in the products of the Ukrainian defense industry. Traditionally, these are the countries of Latin America, Central Africa, Asia and Europe. At the same time, the state arms exporter seeks to strengthen Ukraine's position in its traditional arms markets, including the Asia-Pacific region, North Africa, the Middle East, etc. op He was wearing short sleeves the day Charlie Starkweather shot him. Don Wendling was 7, growing up next door to a service station at 14th and Dakota streets in what was, then, the far southwest corner of Lincoln. His classmate, Bobby Starkweather, lived near 17th and Pawnee. During their second grade year, Wendling would detour to the Starkweather house to pick up his friend, so they could walk the final few blocks together to Saratoga Elementary School. Wendling always waited outside. I was afraid of his dad. I could hear him yelling at his wife and he sounded like someone I didnt want to be around. The boys werent best friends, but they were close enough to run around together one summer, and spend some of their after-school hours in the Starkweather yard. There was a walnut tree back there, Wendling remembers, and he and his friend would smash the shells with rocks. Theyd had their fill on a warm day in 1951, and had started walking down the driveway. Charlie Starkweather would have been about 13 at the time, about a half-dozen years before his murder spree that would leave 11 people dead. The garage was the future killers fort, his clubhouse. Charlie yelled out, Dont come back here, Wendling said. Bobby and I kept walking, and he (Charlie) shot me with a BB gun. Wendling didnt hear the shot, but he felt it. And then he saw it, blood beginning to escape from his upper right arm. It really hurt bad, he said. I ran home crying and told my dad. His father, the state penitentiarys purchasing agent, called the police. And later that day, a cruiser pulled up in front of their house. Starkweather sat in the back seat. They asked, Is this the boy that shot you? Wendling identified him, and learned later from his father whose job at the pen gave him law enforcement connections that Starkweather had to surrender his BB gun and serve juvenile probation. After that day, he never saw another Starkweather again; his parents forbid it. His arm healed and the scar disappeared. And that should have been the end of that, a childhood story Wendling would have likely forgotten if Charlie Starkweather hadnt made history seven years later. Wendling ran all the way home from school that day in late January 1958, after the bodies of C. Lauer Ward and Clara Ward, and their housekeeper, Lillian Fencl, were found in their home just a block from Irving Junior High. Everybody elses parents, they were picking them up, he said. But my dad couldnt make it. His father did return home in time for Wendlings after-school paper route, following his son as he delivered the Lincoln Evening Journal down 13th and 14th streets, Van Dorn to Lake streets. On the front page, the newspaper carried news about Starkweather. In his car, his father carried a rifle and pistol. By then, several days into the spree, much of Lincoln was armed and in fear, its residents emptying hardware stores of guns and ammunition. People bought anything that would shoot, a salesman told The Lincoln Star. They werent even particular about what they bought. But the Wendlings had a tangible concern: That Charlie Starkweather would target them for calling the police in 1951. We were real worried he would remember this incident when he shot me, and he would come looking for me. But the 19-year-old Starkweather and his 14-year-old girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate, were already headed out of the city and out of the state in the Wards' 56 Packard, about to be arrested in eastern Wyoming. Now Wendling had a childhood story that he couldnt forget: I was the first guy that ever got shot by Starkweather. It wouldnt define him, but it would give him something to talk about because people would never stop talking about Starkweather and Fugate, even decades after he was executed and she was imprisoned and later paroled. He watched book after book get published about the murders and their aftermath. And he read them. I thought, They dont have the whole story. He tried telling it publicly only once, when an Omaha TV station announced it was interviewing the latest Starkweather author. Wendling left messages but never heard back. Earlier this month, the retired manager of Burden's Surplus Center posted a short account on his Facebook page about that day 70 years ago, when Charlie Starkweather pointed a gun at him and pulled the trigger. He knows nobody can corroborate it. Theyre all gone now. His parents, the police officers. He recently tried to find his old friend, Bobby Starkweather, to see what he remembered. He came up empty. But hes not worried. He remembers feeling the pain and seeing the blood. Its my story; it happened to me. It was an odd thing: Someone goes on to kill 11 people, and I was the first one he shot. Florida Gov Ron DeSantiss team told Fox News that he was accompanying his wife to cancer treatments after Democrats criticised him for going missing amid a Covid-19 spike in the state. The Republican governor, considered a potential contender for the 2024 presidential nomination, reduced public appearances amid a spike in Covid-19 cases and not held a public press conference since 17 December. Florida is facing a daily average of about 36,781 according to The New York Times. Two weeks ago, the state had about a 2,600 daily average but the Omicron variant and people travelling to the state for the holiday season has caused an increase. In response, Democrats like Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings assailed the governor, saying Floridians should should ask the question, Where is our state? Where is our governor? Where is Ron DeSantis now? When is the last time you saw the governor do a press briefing on Covid-19? The governor has vocally opposed both mask mandates and limited businesses ability to impose vaccine mandates. Mr DeSantiss wife Casey, with whom he has three children, was diagnosed with breast cancer in October and and the governor told Fox at the time that Casey is the centerpiece of our family and has made an impact on the lives of countless Floridians through her initiatives as first lady. But WFLA reported that the governor will make his first public appearance in two weeks for a Let Us Worship Miami event for New Years Eve ahead of the Orange Bowl. Andrew Naughtie contributed to this report Florida Gov Ron DeSantiss team told Fox News that he was accompanying his wife to cancer treatments after Democrats criticised him for going missing amid a Covid-19 spike in the state. The Republican governor, considered a potential contender for the 2024 presidential nomination, reduced public appearances amid a spike in Covid-19 cases and not held a public press conference since 17 December. Florida is facing a daily average of about 36,781 according to The New York Times. Two weeks ago, the state had about a 2,600 daily average but the Omicron variant and people travelling to the state for the holiday season has caused an increase. In response, Democrats like Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings assailed the governor, saying Floridians should should ask the question, Where is our state? Where is our governor? Where is Ron DeSantis now? When is the last time you saw the governor do a press briefing on Covid-19? The governor has vocally opposed both mask mandates and limited businesses ability to impose vaccine mandates. Mr DeSantiss wife Casey, with whom he has three children, was diagnosed with breast cancer in October and and the governor told Fox at the time that Casey is the centerpiece of our family and has made an impact on the lives of countless Floridians through her initiatives as first lady. But WFLA reported that the governor will make his first public appearance in two weeks for a Let Us Worship Miami event for New Years Eve ahead of the Orange Bowl. Andrew Naughtie contributed to this report NWS Weather Alert NOTE: This information is provided by the National Weather Service. Forecast may differ from local information provided by our own 69News Meteorologists ...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of Berks, Lehigh, Carbon, Monroe and Northampton Counties through 1000 AM EDT... At 857 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along a line extending from near Bear Creek Village to near Strausstown. Movement was east at 40 mph. HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Locations impacted include... Allentown, Reading, Easton, Lehighton, Mount Pocono, Bethlehem, Forks, Emmaus, Wyomissing, Northampton, East Stroudsburg, Tobyhanna, Wilson, Hellertown, Nazareth, Palmerton, Bangor, Kutztown, Jim Thorpe and Hamburg. This includes the following highways... Northeast Extension between mile markers 46 and 97. Interstate 78 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 10 and 76. Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 278 and 314. Interstate 380 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 0 and 13. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. These storms may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio stations and available television stations for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service. && MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN; MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH HCM City, Da Nang, Thua Thien-Hue welcome first tourists in 2022 National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities. The airline said the first visitors to HCM City and Thua Thien-Hue departed from Hanoi, while those to Da Nang boarded a flight from HCM City. The events were parts of a cooperation programme between Vietnam Airlines and the municipal and provincial Peoples Committees. Member carriers of Vietnam Airlines Group are planning to resume 10 more domestic air routes from January 2022, raising the number of such routes to nearly 50. The group, comprising Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and VASCO, will reopen the routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Quang Ninh province; Hai Phong city with Da Lat, Buon Ma Thuot, and Nha Trang cities; Thanh Hoa province with Buon Ma Thuot and Da Lat; Vinh city with Buon Ma Thuot, Nha Trang, and Da Lat; and Hue city with Da Lat. Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities in 2022. (Photo: VNA) The routes are scheduled to resume from January 16, with three to four flights per week each. The carriers will also increase the flight frequency on many routes to an average of about 300 one-way flights per day in total. Vietnam Airlines is also planning to resume regular international flights linking Vietnam with 15 countries and territories in the first half of 2022. The resumption will be carried out in two phases and depend on relevant agencies approval. In the first phase, scheduled to begin on January 1 and last for about two weeks, the national flag carrier will conduct round-trip flights between Vietnam and the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), Singapore, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. Each route will have one to four flights per week, and the frequency will gradually increase basing on passengers demand and anti-pandemic requirements. Meanwhile, the firm is set to reopen air routes connecting the country with the UK, France, Germany, Russia, Australia, Hong Kong (China), and Malaysia in the second phase. HCM City, Da Nang, Thua Thien-Hue welcome first tourists in 2022 National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities. The airline said the first visitors to HCM City and Thua Thien-Hue departed from Hanoi, while those to Da Nang boarded a flight from HCM City. The events were parts of a cooperation programme between Vietnam Airlines and the municipal and provincial Peoples Committees. Member carriers of Vietnam Airlines Group are planning to resume 10 more domestic air routes from January 2022, raising the number of such routes to nearly 50. The group, comprising Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and VASCO, will reopen the routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Quang Ninh province; Hai Phong city with Da Lat, Buon Ma Thuot, and Nha Trang cities; Thanh Hoa province with Buon Ma Thuot and Da Lat; Vinh city with Buon Ma Thuot, Nha Trang, and Da Lat; and Hue city with Da Lat. Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities in 2022. (Photo: VNA) The routes are scheduled to resume from January 16, with three to four flights per week each. The carriers will also increase the flight frequency on many routes to an average of about 300 one-way flights per day in total. Vietnam Airlines is also planning to resume regular international flights linking Vietnam with 15 countries and territories in the first half of 2022. The resumption will be carried out in two phases and depend on relevant agencies approval. In the first phase, scheduled to begin on January 1 and last for about two weeks, the national flag carrier will conduct round-trip flights between Vietnam and the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), Singapore, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. Each route will have one to four flights per week, and the frequency will gradually increase basing on passengers demand and anti-pandemic requirements. Meanwhile, the firm is set to reopen air routes connecting the country with the UK, France, Germany, Russia, Australia, Hong Kong (China), and Malaysia in the second phase. HCM City, Da Nang, Thua Thien-Hue welcome first tourists in 2022 National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities. The airline said the first visitors to HCM City and Thua Thien-Hue departed from Hanoi, while those to Da Nang boarded a flight from HCM City. The events were parts of a cooperation programme between Vietnam Airlines and the municipal and provincial Peoples Committees. Member carriers of Vietnam Airlines Group are planning to resume 10 more domestic air routes from January 2022, raising the number of such routes to nearly 50. The group, comprising Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and VASCO, will reopen the routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Quang Ninh province; Hai Phong city with Da Lat, Buon Ma Thuot, and Nha Trang cities; Thanh Hoa province with Buon Ma Thuot and Da Lat; Vinh city with Buon Ma Thuot, Nha Trang, and Da Lat; and Hue city with Da Lat. Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities in 2022. (Photo: VNA) The routes are scheduled to resume from January 16, with three to four flights per week each. The carriers will also increase the flight frequency on many routes to an average of about 300 one-way flights per day in total. Vietnam Airlines is also planning to resume regular international flights linking Vietnam with 15 countries and territories in the first half of 2022. The resumption will be carried out in two phases and depend on relevant agencies approval. In the first phase, scheduled to begin on January 1 and last for about two weeks, the national flag carrier will conduct round-trip flights between Vietnam and the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), Singapore, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. Each route will have one to four flights per week, and the frequency will gradually increase basing on passengers demand and anti-pandemic requirements. Meanwhile, the firm is set to reopen air routes connecting the country with the UK, France, Germany, Russia, Australia, Hong Kong (China), and Malaysia in the second phase. HCM City, Da Nang, Thua Thien-Hue welcome first tourists in 2022 National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities. The airline said the first visitors to HCM City and Thua Thien-Hue departed from Hanoi, while those to Da Nang boarded a flight from HCM City. The events were parts of a cooperation programme between Vietnam Airlines and the municipal and provincial Peoples Committees. Member carriers of Vietnam Airlines Group are planning to resume 10 more domestic air routes from January 2022, raising the number of such routes to nearly 50. The group, comprising Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and VASCO, will reopen the routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Quang Ninh province; Hai Phong city with Da Lat, Buon Ma Thuot, and Nha Trang cities; Thanh Hoa province with Buon Ma Thuot and Da Lat; Vinh city with Buon Ma Thuot, Nha Trang, and Da Lat; and Hue city with Da Lat. Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities in 2022. (Photo: VNA) The routes are scheduled to resume from January 16, with three to four flights per week each. The carriers will also increase the flight frequency on many routes to an average of about 300 one-way flights per day in total. Vietnam Airlines is also planning to resume regular international flights linking Vietnam with 15 countries and territories in the first half of 2022. The resumption will be carried out in two phases and depend on relevant agencies approval. In the first phase, scheduled to begin on January 1 and last for about two weeks, the national flag carrier will conduct round-trip flights between Vietnam and the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), Singapore, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. Each route will have one to four flights per week, and the frequency will gradually increase basing on passengers demand and anti-pandemic requirements. Meanwhile, the firm is set to reopen air routes connecting the country with the UK, France, Germany, Russia, Australia, Hong Kong (China), and Malaysia in the second phase. HCM City, Da Nang, Thua Thien-Hue welcome first tourists in 2022 National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities. The airline said the first visitors to HCM City and Thua Thien-Hue departed from Hanoi, while those to Da Nang boarded a flight from HCM City. The events were parts of a cooperation programme between Vietnam Airlines and the municipal and provincial Peoples Committees. Member carriers of Vietnam Airlines Group are planning to resume 10 more domestic air routes from January 2022, raising the number of such routes to nearly 50. The group, comprising Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and VASCO, will reopen the routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Quang Ninh province; Hai Phong city with Da Lat, Buon Ma Thuot, and Nha Trang cities; Thanh Hoa province with Buon Ma Thuot and Da Lat; Vinh city with Buon Ma Thuot, Nha Trang, and Da Lat; and Hue city with Da Lat. Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities in 2022. (Photo: VNA) The routes are scheduled to resume from January 16, with three to four flights per week each. The carriers will also increase the flight frequency on many routes to an average of about 300 one-way flights per day in total. Vietnam Airlines is also planning to resume regular international flights linking Vietnam with 15 countries and territories in the first half of 2022. The resumption will be carried out in two phases and depend on relevant agencies approval. In the first phase, scheduled to begin on January 1 and last for about two weeks, the national flag carrier will conduct round-trip flights between Vietnam and the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), Singapore, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. Each route will have one to four flights per week, and the frequency will gradually increase basing on passengers demand and anti-pandemic requirements. Meanwhile, the firm is set to reopen air routes connecting the country with the UK, France, Germany, Russia, Australia, Hong Kong (China), and Malaysia in the second phase. HCM City, Da Nang, Thua Thien-Hue welcome first tourists in 2022 National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities. The airline said the first visitors to HCM City and Thua Thien-Hue departed from Hanoi, while those to Da Nang boarded a flight from HCM City. The events were parts of a cooperation programme between Vietnam Airlines and the municipal and provincial Peoples Committees. Member carriers of Vietnam Airlines Group are planning to resume 10 more domestic air routes from January 2022, raising the number of such routes to nearly 50. The group, comprising Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and VASCO, will reopen the routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Quang Ninh province; Hai Phong city with Da Lat, Buon Ma Thuot, and Nha Trang cities; Thanh Hoa province with Buon Ma Thuot and Da Lat; Vinh city with Buon Ma Thuot, Nha Trang, and Da Lat; and Hue city with Da Lat. Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities in 2022. (Photo: VNA) The routes are scheduled to resume from January 16, with three to four flights per week each. The carriers will also increase the flight frequency on many routes to an average of about 300 one-way flights per day in total. Vietnam Airlines is also planning to resume regular international flights linking Vietnam with 15 countries and territories in the first half of 2022. The resumption will be carried out in two phases and depend on relevant agencies approval. In the first phase, scheduled to begin on January 1 and last for about two weeks, the national flag carrier will conduct round-trip flights between Vietnam and the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), Singapore, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. Each route will have one to four flights per week, and the frequency will gradually increase basing on passengers demand and anti-pandemic requirements. Meanwhile, the firm is set to reopen air routes connecting the country with the UK, France, Germany, Russia, Australia, Hong Kong (China), and Malaysia in the second phase. HCM City, Da Nang, Thua Thien-Hue welcome first tourists in 2022 National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities. The airline said the first visitors to HCM City and Thua Thien-Hue departed from Hanoi, while those to Da Nang boarded a flight from HCM City. The events were parts of a cooperation programme between Vietnam Airlines and the municipal and provincial Peoples Committees. Member carriers of Vietnam Airlines Group are planning to resume 10 more domestic air routes from January 2022, raising the number of such routes to nearly 50. The group, comprising Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and VASCO, will reopen the routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Quang Ninh province; Hai Phong city with Da Lat, Buon Ma Thuot, and Nha Trang cities; Thanh Hoa province with Buon Ma Thuot and Da Lat; Vinh city with Buon Ma Thuot, Nha Trang, and Da Lat; and Hue city with Da Lat. Vietnam Airlines on January 1 coordinated with authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city and Thua Thien - Hue province to hold ceremonies to welcome the first tourists to the localities in 2022. (Photo: VNA) The routes are scheduled to resume from January 16, with three to four flights per week each. The carriers will also increase the flight frequency on many routes to an average of about 300 one-way flights per day in total. Vietnam Airlines is also planning to resume regular international flights linking Vietnam with 15 countries and territories in the first half of 2022. The resumption will be carried out in two phases and depend on relevant agencies approval. In the first phase, scheduled to begin on January 1 and last for about two weeks, the national flag carrier will conduct round-trip flights between Vietnam and the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), Singapore, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. Each route will have one to four flights per week, and the frequency will gradually increase basing on passengers demand and anti-pandemic requirements. Meanwhile, the firm is set to reopen air routes connecting the country with the UK, France, Germany, Russia, Australia, Hong Kong (China), and Malaysia in the second phase. With the anticipated need for a lot more lithium to put into batteries to help power a greener future, you might think environmentalists would give a pass to some of the negative effects of the proposed lithium mines that are being planned at sites around Nevada. Thats not the case. The opposition to some of the proposed mines has been strong and may even be ramping up. Thacker Pass Lithium Americas Thacker Pass lithium mine may be the biggest project on the horizon, and it is facing lots of opposition. Lithium Americas has been working for years on plans for Thacker Pass, which is about 60 miles northwest of Winnemucca. The companys website says Thacker Pass is the largest known lithium resource in the United States. Lithium Americas estimates there is $3.9 billion worth of recoverable lithium at the site. The company has said it hopes to start mining operations next year. The mine is expected to produce up to 60,000 tons a year of battery-quality lithium carbonate, which would be a huge boost to the world supply of lithium. The mine is expected to employ about 300 people and have a 46-year mine life. On Jan. 15, 2021, the last Friday of the Trump Administration, the Bureau of Land Management approved the Record of Decision for Thacker Pass, giving federal approval to the project. That evening, Will Falk and Max Wilbert set out on an eight-hour drive to the Thacker Pass site to set up a camp nearby to protest the mine. People have been camped out there ever since. Falk and Wilbert are radical environmentalists, with Falk writing on the protectthackerpass.org website that I hate fossil fuels and actively advocate for the dismantling of all industrial infrastructure Elisabeth Robson wrote on the website, Many people believe they cant live without cars. But all humans lived without cars until a mere 113 years ago, and we can do so again. A world without cars is a quieter, slower, and more wonderful world, not just for humans but for everyone. I hope one day a militant and offensive environmental movement forms, Falk wrote. The people opposed to the Thacker Pass mine and other lithium mine projects dont all hold these views, of course, but have a variety of reasons for their opposition. A March 10 letter in the Elko Daily Free Press from Alex Eisenberg said the plan to transition to electric vehicles in the years ahead is incredibly short-sighted and irresponsible and will do virtually nothing to curb carbon emissions, as electric car production is completely reliant on the fossil fuel industry. The Thacker Pass mine alone would burn 11,000 gallons of diesel every day for onsite operations, the letter said. Double that for off-site operations. Carbon emissions are expected to be 150,000+ tons per year, equating to 2.3 tons of carbon for every ton of lithium produced. Hundreds of tons of sulfur (ironically a waste product from oil refineries) would be used daily in mine operations. On Feb. 11, 2021, Edward Bartell, a rancher who owns property above and below the mine, filed a lawsuit with a long list of objections to the mine. One of his big concerns is the water the mine will use. The projects Environmental Impact Statement says the projected water demand for years 5 through 41 is equivalent to an average pumping rate of 3,224 gallons per minute. On Feb. 26, 2021, the Western Watersheds Project, Wildlands Defense, Great Basin Resource Watch, and Basin and Range Watch filed a lawsuit saying the Thacker Pass Record of Decision did not adequately gauge the mines impacts on greater sage grouse and other wildlife. Local Indigenous communities say Thacker Pass is important to them historically and in their daily lives. Local tribal members have been camping near the mine site to protest the mine. The tribal council of the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation, which is about 26 miles from the mine site, made an engagement agreement with Lithium Nevada in 2020, but withdrew from the agreement in March 2021. On July 28, the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and Atsa Koodakuh Wyh Nuwu/People of Red Mountain were allowed to intervene as plaintiffs in the lawsuits against the mine. On Aug. 6, the Burns Paiute Tribe was also allowed to intervene. Additional court filings have been made since then. On Sept. 5, U.S. District Court Judge Miranda Du denied a request from the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and the People of Red Mountain for a preliminary injunction to temporarily halt work. Falk is a lawyer for the People of the Red Mountain, but he told The Guardian he is skeptical they will be able to win by arguing the right things. Eventually were going to have to be ready to physically block construction equipment. I think that one of the ways to wake up people in the United States (is seeing) people getting dragged away by the police for trying to protect their land. And I think thats where this is going, Falk said. Humboldt County Manager Dave Mendiola told Inside Climate News, I guess you can chain yourself to the fence like some of the protesters might do and I dont blame them for that. But in the end, as a company, if theyve followed all the rules, youre probably not going to stop it. What we can do as a county is monitor it and come up with ways to address problems now. Rhyolite Ridge At ioneers proposed Rhyolite Ridge lithium mine about 65 miles southwest of Tonopah, debates continue over the Tiehms buckwheat that is found only on the site. James Calaway, executive chairman of ioneer Ltd., said the company is working to protect the plant and increase the size of its habitat. He said about half of the plants were destroyed by drought and rodents last year. John Scire, PhD, an adjunct professor at UNR, said in a December editorial that the bottom line is that the Fish and Wildlife Service should veto the false claims by the Las Vegans that the ioneer mine will wipe out the buckwheat plants and should consider instead the macro environmental impacts of not letting the mine get cranked up ASAP. The best available science supports that the mine and the plant can co-exist. However, Patrick Donnelly, the Nevada director of the Center for Biological Diversity, said he disagrees with ioneers expectation that the wildflower can be established near the current growing site. Attempts to propagate the plants failed, Donnelly told Mining the West magazine. They all died, so ioneer doesnt have a plan. Their plan is bunk and doesnt reflect the consensus of the scientific community. There is no compromise. They cannot hurt the buckwheat, Donnelly said. He said the Center for Biological Diversity does not oppose lithium mining, and lithium is all over the place in Nevada. Other projects Other companies are working on developing other possible lithium mine sites around Nevada. Mike Kobler, general manager of U.S. operations for Tonopah Lithium Corp., told the Nye County commissioners at their Nov. 2 meeting that his companys mine site about six miles northwest of Tonopah could become one of the biggest lithium resources in the world. We are in the perfect location in Nevada, Kobler said. We dont have the sage grouse issues that they have up north, we dont have the desert tortoise issues that they have down south, we have not found any Tiehms buckwheat; weve cleared all of our environmental hurdles and cultural hurdles, so were just moving ahead. In addition to Nevada, companies are also working on proposed lithium production sites in California, Oregon, Tennessee, Arkansas and North Carolina. Other countries The United States is not the only country with pushback against new lithium mines. In Serbia, Rio Tinto has been planning a $2.4 billion lithium mine. For three consecutive weekends in late 2021, thousands of protesters blocked roads in Serbia to protest lithium mining, with environmentalists saying that extracting lithium causes huge damage to mined areas. On Dec. 16, authorities in western Serbia suspended a plan that would allow Rio Tinto to operate the lithium mine. We will continue to provide information on all aspects of the project for which we are responsible and in which we participate, Rio Tinto said in a statement. Chile, which has about 44% of the worlds lithium reserves, elected leftist Gabriel Boric as president on Dec. 19, but it is not clear what impact Borics election will have on lithium mining. Boric has supported mining tax hikes and royalties and promised to create a state-run lithium company. A bold agenda If efforts to stop proposed lithium mines in Nevada and elsewhere in the United States are successful, then as the need for lithium ramps up, lithium mining could escalate in countries that have fewer environmental regulations than the U.S., and more fuel will be burned shipping lithium and batteries around the world and to the U.S. In the National Blueprint for Lithium Batteries 2021-2030 published in June 2021, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm wrote, The Biden Administration has laid out a bold agenda to address the climate crisis and build a clean and equitable energy economy that achieves carbon-pollution-free electricity by 2035, and puts the United States on a path to achieve net-zero emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050 to the benefit of all Americans. The report says the Federal Consortium for Advanced Batteries will secure U.S. access to raw materials for lithium batteries by incentivizing growth in safe, equitable, and sustainable domestic mining ventures while leveraging partnerships with allies and partners to establish a diversified supply. The worldwide lithium battery market is expected to grow by a factor of 5 to 10 in the next decade, the report says. The U.S. industrial base must be positioned to respond to this vast increase in market demand that otherwise will likely benefit well-resourced and supported competitors in Asia and Europe. However, on May 25, 2021, Reuters ran a story saying, U.S. President Joe Biden will rely on ally countries to supply the bulk of the metals needed to build electric vehicles and focus on processing them domestically into battery parts, part of a strategy designed to placate environmentalists, two administration officials with direct knowledge told Reuters. The plans will be a blow to U.S. miners who had hoped Biden would rely primarily on domestically sourced metals, as his campaign had signaled last autumn. Current production Currently about 46% of the worlds mine production of lithium is in Australia, and about 21% is Chile and another 16% is in China, according to U.S. Geological Survey data. In the United States, all the lithium mining is at one mine in Nevada, and accounts for less than 2% of the worlds mine production. Albemarle Corporations Silver Peak lithium mine is about 40 miles southwest of Tonopah and has been in operation since the 1960s. A May 6, 2021 New York Times story said Silver Peak produces about 5,000 tons of lithium a year. On Jan. 7, 2021, Albemarle announced that it planned to invest $30 million to $50 million to double the lithium production at Silver Peak by 2025. The company also said it planned to begin exploration in 2021 and evaluate technology that could accelerate the viability of lithium production from clay resources in the region. The lithium produced at Silver Peak is shipped to Asia to be made into cathodes for batteries. China has for years been focused on building capacity at every stage of the battery supply chain, according to a Sept. 1, 2020 VOA News story. China has been buying stakes in mining operations in Australia and South America where most of the worlds lithium reserves are found, the VOA story said. Chinas Ganfeng Lithium, which has been snapping up lithium mines and salt lakes abroad as it plots out an ambitious road map for growth, according to a Dec. 8, 2021 Nikkei Asia story, is the largest shareholder in Lithium Americas, the company planning the Thacker Pass mine, according to the New York Times story. To add to all the lithium news and heat up the global competition for lithium resources even more, lithium prices shot way up in 2021, increasing about 240%. The future In the years ahead, refining capacity might be built in the U.S. as more battery factories and electric vehicle factories are built here. The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Dec. 20, 2021 that 13 new electric vehicle battery factories are planned in the U.S. within the next five years. Most of these factories will be in the Southeast or Midwest. So, although U.S. will lag behind China, parts of the EV battery supply chain will be growing in the U.S. in the years ahead. But the question remains, how much of the lithium and other elements needed for the supply chain will come from mines in Nevada? Well being finding that out as the approval and funding processes and the legal battles and protests roll on. New Delhi, Jan 1 : Since seizing power in August last year, Taliban militants in Afghanistan have been accused of vandalising or destroying the graves of fallen Afghan army and police commanders, RFE/RL reported. The Taliban have also allegedly defiled monuments dedicated to figures who fought the group during its first stint in power in the 1990s. While the Taliban have denied responsibility for many of the incidents, allegations against the hard-line group have mounted, with Afghans accusing the militants of violating Islamic traditions that advocate respect for the dead. In the latest incident, Taliban fighters were accused of bombing the tomb of former police commander Daraya Khan Talash in the southeastern province of Paktika on December 26, the report said. Talash was killed by a roadside bomb planted by the Taliban in Paktika's Sarobi district in 2020. He had reportedly lost four of his brothers in the war against the Taliban. Taliban fighters have also been accused of defiling the tomb of Mohammad Daud Daud, a former governor and an ex-police chief of northern Afghanistan in the province of Takhar on December 17, the report added. Daud was killed in a Taliban suicide attack in Takhar's capital, Taloqan, in 2011. Following the US-led invasion in 2001, Daud oversaw the surrender of thousands of Taliban fighters in the northern city of Kunduz. He was a commander in Jamiat-e Islami, a political-military Islamist group that opposed Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001. Bilal Sarwary, an exiled Afghan journalist, said Daud's family has confirmed that his grave was vandalised. But the claim was rejected by the Taliban. Meanwhile, the Taliban were accused of destroying the tomb of Colonel Azizullah Karwan in a bomb blast in the southeastern province of Paktika on October 31. The Taliban had assassinated Karwan in June 2018. He was a colonel in the special forces unit of the Afghan National Police. He had survived dozens of Taliban assassination attempts, the report added. In September, videos emerged that appeared to show damage to the mausoleum of resistance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud in the Panjshir Valley, just north of Kabul. The footage emerged soon after the Taliban captured the mountainous valley, the scene of a short-lived resistance to the militants, in early September. The vandalism coincided with the 20th anniversary of Massoud's death. Massoud, who fought against the Taliban in the 1990s and occupying Soviet forces in the 1980s, was killed by Al-Qaeda militants posing as journalists just days before the September 11 attacks in the United States. The Taliban repaired Massoud's mausoleum after a public uproar. Anas Haqqani, the younger brother of Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, has urged Taliban fighters to "get rid of your personal revenge and envy". In a December 27 speech marking the 42nd anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Haqqani warned that the Taliban regime will collapse if it tries to rule through brute force, the report said. "An infidel government is likely to last, but an oppressive regime will not survive," he had said. But on the same day, another Taliban official boasted about the group bombing the tomb of former leftist President Babrak Karmal, who assumed power after Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan and killed his predecessor, Hafizullah Amin, in late 1979. "After capturing Mazar-e Sharif, the Taliban bombed Babrak's tomb," tweeted Nazar Mohammad Mutmaeen, head of the Taliban's Olympic Committee. He was alluding to the destruction of the late president's tomb in 1997, when the Taliban briefly seized the northern Afghan city, the report said. He was wearing short sleeves the day Charlie Starkweather shot him. Don Wendling was 7, growing up next door to a service station at 14th and Dakota streets in what was, then, the far southwest corner of Lincoln. His classmate, Bobby Starkweather, lived near 17th and Pawnee. During their second grade year, Wendling would detour to the Starkweather house to pick up his friend, so they could walk the final few blocks together to Saratoga Elementary School. Wendling always waited outside. I was afraid of his dad. I could hear him yelling at his wife and he sounded like someone I didnt want to be around. The boys werent best friends, but they were close enough to run around together one summer, and spend some of their after-school hours in the Starkweather yard. There was a walnut tree back there, Wendling remembers, and he and his friend would smash the shells with rocks. Theyd had their fill on a warm day in 1951, and had started walking down the driveway. Charlie Starkweather would have been about 13 at the time, about a half-dozen years before his murder spree that would leave 11 people dead. The garage was the future killers fort, his clubhouse. Charlie yelled out, Dont come back here, Wendling said. Bobby and I kept walking, and he (Charlie) shot me with a BB gun. Wendling didnt hear the shot, but he felt it. And then he saw it, blood beginning to escape from his upper right arm. It really hurt bad, he said. I ran home crying and told my dad. His father, the state penitentiarys purchasing agent, called the police. And later that day, a cruiser pulled up in front of their house. Starkweather sat in the back seat. They asked, Is this the boy that shot you? Wendling identified him, and learned later from his father whose job at the pen gave him law enforcement connections that Starkweather had to surrender his BB gun and serve juvenile probation. After that day, he never saw another Starkweather again; his parents forbid it. His arm healed and the scar disappeared. And that should have been the end of that, a childhood story Wendling would have likely forgotten if Charlie Starkweather hadnt made history seven years later. Wendling ran all the way home from school that day in late January 1958, after the bodies of C. Lauer Ward and Clara Ward, and their housekeeper, Lillian Fencl, were found in their home just a block from Irving Junior High. Everybody elses parents, they were picking them up, he said. But my dad couldnt make it. His father did return home in time for Wendlings after-school paper route, following his son as he delivered the Lincoln Evening Journal down 13th and 14th streets, Van Dorn to Lake streets. On the front page, the newspaper carried news about Starkweather. In his car, his father carried a rifle and pistol. By then, several days into the spree, much of Lincoln was armed and in fear, its residents emptying hardware stores of guns and ammunition. People bought anything that would shoot, a salesman told The Lincoln Star. They werent even particular about what they bought. But the Wendlings had a tangible concern: That Charlie Starkweather would target them for calling the police in 1951. We were real worried he would remember this incident when he shot me, and he would come looking for me. But the 19-year-old Starkweather and his 14-year-old girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate, were already headed out of the city and out of the state in the Wards' 56 Packard, about to be arrested in eastern Wyoming. Now Wendling had a childhood story that he couldnt forget: I was the first guy that ever got shot by Starkweather. It wouldnt define him, but it would give him something to talk about because people would never stop talking about Starkweather and Fugate, even decades after he was executed and she was imprisoned and later paroled. He watched book after book get published about the murders and their aftermath. And he read them. I thought, They dont have the whole story. He tried telling it publicly only once, when an Omaha TV station announced it was interviewing the latest Starkweather author. Wendling left messages but never heard back. Earlier this month, the retired manager of Burden's Surplus Center posted a short account on his Facebook page about that day 70 years ago, when Charlie Starkweather pointed a gun at him and pulled the trigger. He knows nobody can corroborate it. Theyre all gone now. His parents, the police officers. He recently tried to find his old friend, Bobby Starkweather, to see what he remembered. He came up empty. But hes not worried. He remembers feeling the pain and seeing the blood. Its my story; it happened to me. It was an odd thing: Someone goes on to kill 11 people, and I was the first one he shot. While 2021 was a boom time for legal marijuana sales in Illinois, it was another wasted year for minority entrepreneurs trying to break into the business, and a mixed experience for customers. Recreational cannabis retail sales continued to climb steadily this year, to more than $1.2 billion, roughly an 85% increase from 2020 through November of this year alone. The medical cannabis program reached 136,000 active patients, who spent another $362 million. The sales generated more than $300 million in tax revenue in fiscal year 2021 more than from alcohol. Advertisement But after new applicants waited through more than a year of delays for business licenses, judges prevented them from opening dispensaries while litigation dragged on, with no solution in sight. The year saw many new twists in the cannabis field. Sales took off for hemp-derived Delta-8 THC, called weed light, despite existing in a legal gray area. Huge multistate companies gobbled up independent dispensaries and expanded dramatically. In one constant, prices of marijuana in Illinois remained among the highest in the nation. Advertisement While cannabis remains illegal under federal law, proposals to decriminalize it or let banks finance it have been slowly gaining some support among lawmakers. The year also ushered in a vast array of new products and consumer trends. Here are a few reasons why 2021 was a great year for big cannabis operators in Illinois, but frustrating for newcomers. Consolidation Several cannabis companies founded and headquartered in Chicago have become among the largest operators in the nation, while out-of-state operators have come into Illinois, by opening new facilities or buying up competitors. Cresco Labs and Curaleaf each have grown to the maximum 10 retail sites in Illinois; PharmaCann has eight; Ascend Wellness, seven; Green Thumb Industries lists nine stores on its website; nuEra has six, and Zen Leaf operates 10. Together, that means seven companies control 60 of the 110 weed stores in the state. People attend the grand opening of Cresco Labs' flagship Sunnyside recreational marijuana store, which is a block south of Wrigley Field, on Nov. 15, 2021. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) The number of growers is even more limited. A mere 18 companies are allowed to grow cannabis compared with hundreds of companies that do so in Western states like Oregon or California, where they have the opposite problem of oversupply to the illegal market. Licensed growers in Illinois say they support new entrants to the market by helping with the complicated application process, by paying hundreds of thousands of dollars each in state fees to help fund startups and for seed projects to help them get started. PharmaCann promised $600,000 to help fund scholarships and build Oakton Community Colleges new cannabis cultivation laboratory. Cresco Labs created its new Illinois Cannabis Education Center in Chicago, which offers a mock dispensary and training facility for aspiring workers and owners. By state law, there was supposed to be a slew of new businesses licensed last year, with favoritism toward poor, largely minority areas with high rates of cannabis arrests. But after a series of delays, applicants complained that consultant KPMG had scored applications unfairly, resulting in wealthy, white, politically connected winners. To address the complaints and associated lawsuits, state lawmakers authorized 185 new dispensary licenses. But Cook County Judge Moshe Jacobius ordered that those licenses not be awarded while he wades through lawsuits challenging the process. The state did award 40 new craft grower licenses plus infuser and transporter licenses, but Cook County Judge Neil Cohen forbade the issuance of up to 60 new craft grower licenses due this year, while the courts try to resolve litigation from applicants who were disqualified. Advertisement None of this slowed down the existing market. Companies that had been granted licenses to open medical marijuana dispensaries since 2015 were allowed to also sell recreational weed, and to expand to second locations. Because of its artificially constrained market, Illinois still has among the highest-priced weed in the country. Wholesale flower prices reached nearly $4,000 per pound, analyst Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. estimated three times the U.S. average pegged by price tracking company Cannabis Benchmarks. With customers paying $19 per gram for retail flower, Cantor Fitzgerald estimated average annual sales per store at nearly $17 million. Moldy weed worries A big part of the demand $1 out of every $3 spent is from out of state, since Illinois is surrounded by states that dont allow recreational sales. Michigan does have adult use sales, but was hit by a large public recall of cannabis that had high levels of mold or other contaminants, with stores required to post notices alerting customers for a month after sales. Illinois, in contrast, issued a recall and quarantine this year, but kept it quiet. In May, the state Department of Financial and Professional Regulation sent dispensaries notice of a voluntary recall of Veranos Mag Landrace flower due to possible mold contamination. The department investigated the issue, but said it is prohibited by the state cannabis law from disclosing the results. In addition, a former production supervisor for PharmaCann, William Sanford, filed suit claiming that he was fired for repeatedly reporting moldy cannabis for removal after it had passed lab tests. The tests only sample a small part of each crop, so mold may grow undetected and may sicken those who eat it or inhale its spores. Sanford said he was told to stop reporting mold, but continued to do so, and was terminated in July. PharmaCann acknowledged that mold is a factor with any agricultural product, but is tightly controlled. By state law, all legal cannabis products must undergo lab tests to pass strict state limits on mold, pesticides, metals and other contaminants. If they fail, they may be treated with solvents for use in edibles, vapes and other products, but must be tested again to meet safety requirements. Options for sterilizing cannabis include irradiation or ozone gas, as used in the food industry. Advertisement Microdosing Customers may have noticed a dizzying variety of new products this year. One growing trend was in the area of low-dose edibles, for consumers to better control their experience. Rather than the 10 milligrams of THC, the main component that gets users high, which was previously suggested as a serving size, mints and gummies now often contain 5 or 3 mg, often with matching cannabidiol, or CBD, for users who want to relax without getting too high or paranoid. One study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Chicago found that low levels of THC reduced stress, while slightly higher doses that produced a mild high actually increased anxiety. And a survey by BDS Analytics Report found that 43% of edibles customers prefer low-dose products, and half of customers chose products based on the amount of CBD, which is thought to have a moderating effect on THC. Beverages are also growing in popularity, offering moderate doses of THC and the quick onset of effects without the smoke. For hardcore users, there are still plenty of high-powered flower, vapes and concentrates approaching 90% THC. Flowering cannabis plants are illuminated by artificial lighting at a tour called "Chitiva," given by workers at Prescribd, a cannabis cultivation company, at one of its cultivation centers on July 17, 2021, in Bridgeview. The interactive tour shows the start-to-finish process of growing cannabis. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) For those who dont like the high prices and taxes of licensed weed, this year saw the rise of Delta-8 THC. Its typically said to be derived from hemp, and provides similar, if milder, effects as the traditional Delta-9 THC found in pot. Its often sold in gas stations or vape shops. A proposal to outlaw such knockoff cannabinoids did not pass in Springfield this year, but may be reconsidered in the spring session. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Cannabis suppliers continue to compete for customers through word-of-mouth and the occasional competition. Most recently, the High Times Cannabis Cup named its winners for 2021, as judged by public participants. Advertisement Wait till next year Looking ahead to 2022, state Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat, has proposed legislation to expand the new craft growers licenses from 5,000 square feet to 14,000 square feet or more. That would still be a far cry from the 210,000 square feet of canopy that existing growers are allowed, but would help business owners get more financing based on their ability to produce more revenue. Also, in light of the courts de facto lockout of new minority owners, a group called Ex-Cons for Community & Social Change held protests this year, calling for consumers to support their local weed man, or illegal dealers. Tyrone Muhammad, executive director of Ex-Cons for Community and Social Change, left, talks with local resident Keith Fort, right, on April 12, 2021, in front of Sunnyside dispensary in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago. Muhammad and others in ECCSC hosted a demonstration against big money dispensaries muscling out would-be minority owners outside the dispensary. (Raquel Zaldivar / Chicago Tribune) Founder Tyrone Muhammad of Englewood, who served 21 years in prison for murder and now says hes trying to rebuild his community, called for creation of a peddlers license, so people without the money to open a bricks-and-mortar facility can take part in the cannabis industry. He believes licensing would reduce the violence that accompanies illegal drug dealing. Muhammad is also pushing to change state law to drop the ban on former felons working in the field. As it stands, only those with low-level convictions can get expungements and get licensed. Its still a farce, he said. In any other industry, as an ex-con, I can work. But I cant work in the cannabis space. rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com While 2021 was a boom time for legal marijuana sales in Illinois, it was another wasted year for minority entrepreneurs trying to break into the business, and a mixed experience for customers. Recreational cannabis retail sales continued to climb steadily this year, to more than $1.2 billion, roughly an 85% increase from 2020 through November of this year alone. The medical cannabis program reached 136,000 active patients, who spent another $362 million. The sales generated more than $300 million in tax revenue in fiscal year 2021 more than from alcohol. Advertisement But after new applicants waited through more than a year of delays for business licenses, judges prevented them from opening dispensaries while litigation dragged on, with no solution in sight. The year saw many new twists in the cannabis field. Sales took off for hemp-derived Delta-8 THC, called weed light, despite existing in a legal gray area. Huge multistate companies gobbled up independent dispensaries and expanded dramatically. In one constant, prices of marijuana in Illinois remained among the highest in the nation. Advertisement While cannabis remains illegal under federal law, proposals to decriminalize it or let banks finance it have been slowly gaining some support among lawmakers. The year also ushered in a vast array of new products and consumer trends. Here are a few reasons why 2021 was a great year for big cannabis operators in Illinois, but frustrating for newcomers. Consolidation Several cannabis companies founded and headquartered in Chicago have become among the largest operators in the nation, while out-of-state operators have come into Illinois, by opening new facilities or buying up competitors. Cresco Labs and Curaleaf each have grown to the maximum 10 retail sites in Illinois; PharmaCann has eight; Ascend Wellness, seven; Green Thumb Industries lists nine stores on its website; nuEra has six, and Zen Leaf operates 10. Together, that means seven companies control 60 of the 110 weed stores in the state. People attend the grand opening of Cresco Labs' flagship Sunnyside recreational marijuana store, which is a block south of Wrigley Field, on Nov. 15, 2021. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) The number of growers is even more limited. A mere 18 companies are allowed to grow cannabis compared with hundreds of companies that do so in Western states like Oregon or California, where they have the opposite problem of oversupply to the illegal market. Licensed growers in Illinois say they support new entrants to the market by helping with the complicated application process, by paying hundreds of thousands of dollars each in state fees to help fund startups and for seed projects to help them get started. PharmaCann promised $600,000 to help fund scholarships and build Oakton Community Colleges new cannabis cultivation laboratory. Cresco Labs created its new Illinois Cannabis Education Center in Chicago, which offers a mock dispensary and training facility for aspiring workers and owners. By state law, there was supposed to be a slew of new businesses licensed last year, with favoritism toward poor, largely minority areas with high rates of cannabis arrests. But after a series of delays, applicants complained that consultant KPMG had scored applications unfairly, resulting in wealthy, white, politically connected winners. To address the complaints and associated lawsuits, state lawmakers authorized 185 new dispensary licenses. But Cook County Judge Moshe Jacobius ordered that those licenses not be awarded while he wades through lawsuits challenging the process. The state did award 40 new craft grower licenses plus infuser and transporter licenses, but Cook County Judge Neil Cohen forbade the issuance of up to 60 new craft grower licenses due this year, while the courts try to resolve litigation from applicants who were disqualified. Advertisement None of this slowed down the existing market. Companies that had been granted licenses to open medical marijuana dispensaries since 2015 were allowed to also sell recreational weed, and to expand to second locations. Because of its artificially constrained market, Illinois still has among the highest-priced weed in the country. Wholesale flower prices reached nearly $4,000 per pound, analyst Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. estimated three times the U.S. average pegged by price tracking company Cannabis Benchmarks. With customers paying $19 per gram for retail flower, Cantor Fitzgerald estimated average annual sales per store at nearly $17 million. Moldy weed worries A big part of the demand $1 out of every $3 spent is from out of state, since Illinois is surrounded by states that dont allow recreational sales. Michigan does have adult use sales, but was hit by a large public recall of cannabis that had high levels of mold or other contaminants, with stores required to post notices alerting customers for a month after sales. Illinois, in contrast, issued a recall and quarantine this year, but kept it quiet. In May, the state Department of Financial and Professional Regulation sent dispensaries notice of a voluntary recall of Veranos Mag Landrace flower due to possible mold contamination. The department investigated the issue, but said it is prohibited by the state cannabis law from disclosing the results. In addition, a former production supervisor for PharmaCann, William Sanford, filed suit claiming that he was fired for repeatedly reporting moldy cannabis for removal after it had passed lab tests. The tests only sample a small part of each crop, so mold may grow undetected and may sicken those who eat it or inhale its spores. Sanford said he was told to stop reporting mold, but continued to do so, and was terminated in July. PharmaCann acknowledged that mold is a factor with any agricultural product, but is tightly controlled. By state law, all legal cannabis products must undergo lab tests to pass strict state limits on mold, pesticides, metals and other contaminants. If they fail, they may be treated with solvents for use in edibles, vapes and other products, but must be tested again to meet safety requirements. Options for sterilizing cannabis include irradiation or ozone gas, as used in the food industry. Advertisement Microdosing Customers may have noticed a dizzying variety of new products this year. One growing trend was in the area of low-dose edibles, for consumers to better control their experience. Rather than the 10 milligrams of THC, the main component that gets users high, which was previously suggested as a serving size, mints and gummies now often contain 5 or 3 mg, often with matching cannabidiol, or CBD, for users who want to relax without getting too high or paranoid. One study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Chicago found that low levels of THC reduced stress, while slightly higher doses that produced a mild high actually increased anxiety. And a survey by BDS Analytics Report found that 43% of edibles customers prefer low-dose products, and half of customers chose products based on the amount of CBD, which is thought to have a moderating effect on THC. Beverages are also growing in popularity, offering moderate doses of THC and the quick onset of effects without the smoke. For hardcore users, there are still plenty of high-powered flower, vapes and concentrates approaching 90% THC. Flowering cannabis plants are illuminated by artificial lighting at a tour called "Chitiva," given by workers at Prescribd, a cannabis cultivation company, at one of its cultivation centers on July 17, 2021, in Bridgeview. The interactive tour shows the start-to-finish process of growing cannabis. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) For those who dont like the high prices and taxes of licensed weed, this year saw the rise of Delta-8 THC. Its typically said to be derived from hemp, and provides similar, if milder, effects as the traditional Delta-9 THC found in pot. Its often sold in gas stations or vape shops. A proposal to outlaw such knockoff cannabinoids did not pass in Springfield this year, but may be reconsidered in the spring session. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Cannabis suppliers continue to compete for customers through word-of-mouth and the occasional competition. Most recently, the High Times Cannabis Cup named its winners for 2021, as judged by public participants. Advertisement Wait till next year Looking ahead to 2022, state Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat, has proposed legislation to expand the new craft growers licenses from 5,000 square feet to 14,000 square feet or more. That would still be a far cry from the 210,000 square feet of canopy that existing growers are allowed, but would help business owners get more financing based on their ability to produce more revenue. Also, in light of the courts de facto lockout of new minority owners, a group called Ex-Cons for Community & Social Change held protests this year, calling for consumers to support their local weed man, or illegal dealers. Tyrone Muhammad, executive director of Ex-Cons for Community and Social Change, left, talks with local resident Keith Fort, right, on April 12, 2021, in front of Sunnyside dispensary in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago. Muhammad and others in ECCSC hosted a demonstration against big money dispensaries muscling out would-be minority owners outside the dispensary. (Raquel Zaldivar / Chicago Tribune) Founder Tyrone Muhammad of Englewood, who served 21 years in prison for murder and now says hes trying to rebuild his community, called for creation of a peddlers license, so people without the money to open a bricks-and-mortar facility can take part in the cannabis industry. He believes licensing would reduce the violence that accompanies illegal drug dealing. Muhammad is also pushing to change state law to drop the ban on former felons working in the field. As it stands, only those with low-level convictions can get expungements and get licensed. Its still a farce, he said. In any other industry, as an ex-con, I can work. But I cant work in the cannabis space. rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com People wearing face masks arrive at a COVID-19 vaccination clinic in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, Dec. 31, 2021.(Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua) OTTAWA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Canada is going through its worst spike in COVID-19 cases yet, driven by the Omicron variant, with 41,210 new cases reported on Friday evening, an all-time high for daily cases since the pandemic hit the country in February 2020. The latest cases raised the country's cumulative caseload to 2,183,527, With 30,319 deaths, according to CTV news. Over the past weeks, the country's daily case counts have been rising due to the fast spread of the Omicron variant. Ontario, the most populous province, reported a record-breaking number of 16,713 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, while Quebec, another province, confirmed a record high of 16,461 cases. Across the country, most provinces have delayed the full return to classrooms in January to allow public health experts to assess the impact of the Omicron variant and prevent a potential surge in cases fueled by school children. Quebec will reintroduce a curfew starting Dec. 31 as the province battles an explosive rise of COVID-19 infections. People who violate the curfew are subject to fines ranging from 1,000 Canadian dollars (790 U.S. dollars) to 6,000 Canadian dollars (4,740 U.S. dollars). Places of worship in the province are closed, except for funerals of up to 25 people. Restaurant dining rooms are also closed, and stores are shut on Sundays for the next three weeks, except for gas stations and pharmacies. Enditem People wearing face masks line up to pick up free COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, Dec. 31, 2021. People wearing face masks line up to pick up free COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, Dec. 31, 2021. An $84 million plan to boost internet speeds at Chicago Public Schools has stalled again, officials say, because of red tape in securing construction permits from the city. For several months, crews have been ripping up streets to build a new high-speed fiber network. Around 80 schools were supposed to be connected by Nov. 1 as part of the projects first phase, but that goal has been pushed to the first quarter of 2022. Advertisement The latest setback may mean more construction headaches for residents and more internet woes for students, who returned to school buildings for full-time, in-person learning in August and are due back from the winter break Monday. Were running over 300 miles of fiber throughout the city, originally slated as a three-year project, Richard Burnson, CPS director of network services, told the Tribune. Were running a bit behind schedule, but continuing to push forward and have it wrapped up by 2023. Advertisement The new network is slated to reach about 570 Chicago schools and administrative buildings. Each school would connect to two of 11 hubs spaced across the city. If theres a problem with one of the connections, officials say high-speed internet would still be available. Teacher Toni Armer communicates remotely with other teachers, assistants and middle grade school students during the first day of school at Chicago's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy of Social Justice in September 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Schools would have access to download speeds of 20 gigabits per second, Burnson said. When the project began, he said, elementary schools received 250 megabits of bandwidth. Now theyre at 500 megabits thanks to upgrades completed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most high schools each have access to one gigabit, though Burnson said CPS is completing an effort to upgrade the high schools to two gigs, and thats expected to wrap up by the end of (2021). The nations third-largest school district, CPS has 421 elementary schools and 91 high schools. Burnson said CPS experienced few issues last spring with connectivity because the district welcomed students back to campuses in waves after months of remote learning. But most of CPSs 330,000 students have attended classes in person this fall, and technology tools such as Google Meet video sessions can tax a system. Were really excited about future-proofing our network with this new project, CPS Deputy Chief of Information and Technology Services Ed Wagner said. Weve seen, historically, schools have consumed more and more bandwidth each and every year that theyre in operation because of use of online tools for education. Skyline as an example, our new digital curriculum we do a lot of assessments online. CPS explored its options for a network redesign in 2018. At the time, AT&T was providing service, with network facilities located in Elk Grove Village; at the downtown Thompson Center, a site the state of Illinois plans to sell; and at CPS headquarters in the Loop. The district estimated then it spent $19.6 million in circuit costs, fees and services, with $14.9 million funded by the federal E-Rate program, which helps schools and libraries obtain affordable internet access. Weve had some service challenges with AT&T, Wagner said. What we felt was, this (network project) was a better way of doing it to decrease our cost overall and allow for better resiliency and performance. The Chicago Board of Education approved an agreement with Houston-based Netsync Network Solutions in 2019. The five-year deal, with two options to renew for five years each, is not to exceed $83.8 million. E-Rate is expected to cover about $70.4 million. The rest of the tab will be paid for with government grants and by the board, which is on the hook for no more than $9.8 million, according to the contract. Advertisement Burnson said the project price tag has not changed, despite the delays. A Netsync representative declined to comment to the Tribune and referred questions to CPS. The first shovel broke ground in November 2020 more than a year after the board approved the Netsync agreement and months after the start of the COVID-19 crisis. Burnson said the district focused its efforts on transitioning to remote learning and ensuring students had devices to connect to the internet at home. He said crews are now concentrating on building the core network infrastructure. CPS says the first connections will be its data centers in Elk Grove Village and at its headquarters, along with 63 elementary sites and 18 high schools. A few of these schools share a campus. Principal Jasmine Thurmond and teacher Hannah Chorley communicate with their middle school students by way of remote learning during the first day of school in September 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Burnson said up to 240 facilities are targeted for the second phase. The first step for us to build the network is theres a series of core rings that need to be established. Theres a north, central and south ring connecting all of the 11 hub locations. So those 11 hub locations had to be part of phase one in order to build out that foundation for the network, he said. Selecting the other 70 sites that would be connected was based on our focus on building out on the South and West sides. The hubs are located on the North Side at Garvy Elementary School, William C. Goudy Technology Academy and Theodore Roosevelt High School; on the West Side at Michele Clark Academic Prep Magnet High School and John Spry Community School; in the South Loop at Jones College Prep; and on the South Side at Morgan Park High School, George Washington High School, Richardson Middle School, Wendell Phillips Academy High School and Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Paideia Academy. Advertisement Burnson said one of the greatest challenges has been securing construction permits. Requests that cover more than a million feet of fiber have been submitted, he said, with about a half-million feet approved. There are more than two dozen members of the city Office of Underground Coordination, including Peoples Gas, ComEd and AT&T, that review proposals to determine if excavation work will affect their infrastructure. If there is any change thats required by one of those organizations, you have to start the process over, so that way everyone is signed off on that final process, Burnson said. Weve been working with (the Chicago Department of Transportation) and other city agencies, and theyve been very supportive, but its still a very involved process to get the permits for the amount of work that were doing. There have been some construction and street parking woes as well. Crews drill horizontally under the surface of the street to install pipework the fiber runs through. Burnson said some complaints have been lodged about the temporary patching thats put in place while the work is being completed. There have been some quality issues that weve addressed with the aldermens office, as well as the subcontractors that are doing the actual construction work, he said. Were definitely working to make sure that any impact to citizens in the city are minimized as much as possible. tswartz@tribpub.com An $84 million plan to boost internet speeds at Chicago Public Schools has stalled again, officials say, because of red tape in securing construction permits from the city. For several months, crews have been ripping up streets to build a new high-speed fiber network. Around 80 schools were supposed to be connected by Nov. 1 as part of the projects first phase, but that goal has been pushed to the first quarter of 2022. Advertisement The latest setback may mean more construction headaches for residents and more internet woes for students, who returned to school buildings for full-time, in-person learning in August and are due back from the winter break Monday. Were running over 300 miles of fiber throughout the city, originally slated as a three-year project, Richard Burnson, CPS director of network services, told the Tribune. Were running a bit behind schedule, but continuing to push forward and have it wrapped up by 2023. Advertisement The new network is slated to reach about 570 Chicago schools and administrative buildings. Each school would connect to two of 11 hubs spaced across the city. If theres a problem with one of the connections, officials say high-speed internet would still be available. Teacher Toni Armer communicates remotely with other teachers, assistants and middle grade school students during the first day of school at Chicago's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy of Social Justice in September 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Schools would have access to download speeds of 20 gigabits per second, Burnson said. When the project began, he said, elementary schools received 250 megabits of bandwidth. Now theyre at 500 megabits thanks to upgrades completed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most high schools each have access to one gigabit, though Burnson said CPS is completing an effort to upgrade the high schools to two gigs, and thats expected to wrap up by the end of (2021). The nations third-largest school district, CPS has 421 elementary schools and 91 high schools. Burnson said CPS experienced few issues last spring with connectivity because the district welcomed students back to campuses in waves after months of remote learning. But most of CPSs 330,000 students have attended classes in person this fall, and technology tools such as Google Meet video sessions can tax a system. Were really excited about future-proofing our network with this new project, CPS Deputy Chief of Information and Technology Services Ed Wagner said. Weve seen, historically, schools have consumed more and more bandwidth each and every year that theyre in operation because of use of online tools for education. Skyline as an example, our new digital curriculum we do a lot of assessments online. CPS explored its options for a network redesign in 2018. At the time, AT&T was providing service, with network facilities located in Elk Grove Village; at the downtown Thompson Center, a site the state of Illinois plans to sell; and at CPS headquarters in the Loop. The district estimated then it spent $19.6 million in circuit costs, fees and services, with $14.9 million funded by the federal E-Rate program, which helps schools and libraries obtain affordable internet access. Weve had some service challenges with AT&T, Wagner said. What we felt was, this (network project) was a better way of doing it to decrease our cost overall and allow for better resiliency and performance. The Chicago Board of Education approved an agreement with Houston-based Netsync Network Solutions in 2019. The five-year deal, with two options to renew for five years each, is not to exceed $83.8 million. E-Rate is expected to cover about $70.4 million. The rest of the tab will be paid for with government grants and by the board, which is on the hook for no more than $9.8 million, according to the contract. Advertisement Burnson said the project price tag has not changed, despite the delays. A Netsync representative declined to comment to the Tribune and referred questions to CPS. The first shovel broke ground in November 2020 more than a year after the board approved the Netsync agreement and months after the start of the COVID-19 crisis. Burnson said the district focused its efforts on transitioning to remote learning and ensuring students had devices to connect to the internet at home. He said crews are now concentrating on building the core network infrastructure. CPS says the first connections will be its data centers in Elk Grove Village and at its headquarters, along with 63 elementary sites and 18 high schools. A few of these schools share a campus. Principal Jasmine Thurmond and teacher Hannah Chorley communicate with their middle school students by way of remote learning during the first day of school in September 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Burnson said up to 240 facilities are targeted for the second phase. The first step for us to build the network is theres a series of core rings that need to be established. Theres a north, central and south ring connecting all of the 11 hub locations. So those 11 hub locations had to be part of phase one in order to build out that foundation for the network, he said. Selecting the other 70 sites that would be connected was based on our focus on building out on the South and West sides. The hubs are located on the North Side at Garvy Elementary School, William C. Goudy Technology Academy and Theodore Roosevelt High School; on the West Side at Michele Clark Academic Prep Magnet High School and John Spry Community School; in the South Loop at Jones College Prep; and on the South Side at Morgan Park High School, George Washington High School, Richardson Middle School, Wendell Phillips Academy High School and Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Paideia Academy. Advertisement Burnson said one of the greatest challenges has been securing construction permits. Requests that cover more than a million feet of fiber have been submitted, he said, with about a half-million feet approved. There are more than two dozen members of the city Office of Underground Coordination, including Peoples Gas, ComEd and AT&T, that review proposals to determine if excavation work will affect their infrastructure. If there is any change thats required by one of those organizations, you have to start the process over, so that way everyone is signed off on that final process, Burnson said. Weve been working with (the Chicago Department of Transportation) and other city agencies, and theyve been very supportive, but its still a very involved process to get the permits for the amount of work that were doing. There have been some construction and street parking woes as well. Crews drill horizontally under the surface of the street to install pipework the fiber runs through. Burnson said some complaints have been lodged about the temporary patching thats put in place while the work is being completed. There have been some quality issues that weve addressed with the aldermens office, as well as the subcontractors that are doing the actual construction work, he said. Were definitely working to make sure that any impact to citizens in the city are minimized as much as possible. tswartz@tribpub.com Jaipur, Jan 1 (PTI) Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot expressed condolences to the family members of those who were killed in the stampede at Vaishno Devi Mata Temple in Jammu and Kashmir's Katra early on Saturday. In a statement, Mishra said he prayed to God to give strength to the families of those deceased to bear the loss. He also wished those injured a speedy recovery. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: 27-Year-Old Man Dies By Suicide After Molestation Complaint Filed Against Him In Bareilly District. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took to Twitter to express his grief. Deeply saddened at the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata #VaishnoDevi Bhawan, Katra in J&K. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. May they remain strong to bear this loss. Prayers for speedy recovery of the injured," Gehlot tweeted. Also Read | Rajasthan Reports 52 Fresh Omicron Cases, Total Tally Rises to 121 in the State. At least 12 people died and over a dozen were injured in the stampede, triggered by a heavy rush of devotees at the shrine, officials said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Chennai, Jan 1 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, on New Year's Day, wished the people of the state happiness and well-being and requested them to get vaccinated against Covid-19 immediately. In a video appeal on Saturday, he said that the government needs the support of the people for safe and happy living. In the five-minute video, the Chief Minister said that people should compulsorily follow Covid appropriate behaviour not only for their safety but also for the safety of their dependents. "I humbly request you, not only as the Chief Minister of the state but as a beloved brother and one among you all. Your well-being is of utmost importance to me and hence, we have put certain restrictions." He called upon the people not to forget the lessons learned during 2021 and that everyone's expectation was for a happy and prosperous 2022. The Chief Minister also requested people to get vaccinated immediately and asked them to take their children, aged between 15-18, to the medical camps for vaccination. He said that according to medical experts if vaccine is given totally, the impact of Omicron would be minimal. Stalin also thanked the people of Tamil Nadu for having vaccinated in large numbers immediately after the peak of the second wave in May when his government assumed office. He also called upon the people to be a bit more careful with the Omicron variant that was fast spreading in the world. The Chief Minister said that the state government has been taking all necessary steps including increasing the number of mandatory tests, setting up oxygen beds, and adequate availability of medicine. Kolkata, Jan 1 : Though the daily Covid infection rate is increasing leaps and bounds in West Bengal with the most infected in the capital city, the state government is likely to impose curbs in phases, and is unlikely go for a total lockdown. According to a senior official of the state government, though the daily rate of infection is high, but it is not alarming. "There is no pressure on the hospitals and there is no report of Oxygen shortage in the state. Naturally the government is trying to keep a close watch on the development and will impose restrictions when needed," the official said. According to a state health department official, though the infection rate is high, 80 per cent of the infected are asymptomatic and 17 per cent of the symptomatic patients are being treated at home. Only 3 per cent need hospitalization and the death rate is also very low. "Naturally the situation is alarming, but it is not beyond control and the state health department is fully prepared to meet any eventuality of the third wave," a state health official said. Meanwhile, state power minister Aroop Biswas has tested positive and is advised to stay in home isolation. According to the data available, the daily infection rate has touched 4,000 which was below 1,000 at the start of the week. The steady rise of cases is a cause for worry and the state administration has cancelled all the programmes scheduled for next week including two programmes of Trinamool Congress itself. "The chief was supposed to hold 'Chhatra Soptaho' (Students Week) at Netaji Indoor Stadium on Monday but that has been cancelled. Similarly, the programmes of Duare Sarkar (Government at the doorsteps) and Duare Ration (Ration at the doors) - which were supposed to be held in different districts next week -- have been suspended," an official said. Top level sources in the state secretariat indicated that the government will not impose any lockdown or strict restrictions right now but will definitely stop people from gathering. "The train, bus or metro service will not be cancelled immediately. We will step up the restrictions in phases if needed," the official added. Kolkata, Jan 1 : After seeking clarification from the West Bengal government, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked Advocate General Soumendra Nath Mookherjee to meet him to discuss certain issues related to the Howrah Municipal Bill 2021. "WB Governor Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, after taking conspectus of the situation and proceedings before Calcutta High Court, has sought to confer with Advocate General @MamataOfficial under Article 165(2) of the Constitution," the Governor wrote. "Government @MamataOfficial has been directed to make available the entire documentation to the Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," he added. In a letter to the state government, the Governor wrote, "Response to inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 were made available by the state government after a considerable delay of about a month on 20.12.2021. Thereafter vide note dated 24.12.2021, finding that the response of the government was wanting on several counts, it was indicated that inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 be made available. The file has now been received on 28.12.2021 at Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, and made available at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling, on December 30, 2021." "In the note dated 24.11.2021 it was indicated that 'concerned officials be sensitised accordingly and all required information sought be made available to this office at the earliest'. Going by the inputs made available on 20.12.2021, it is apparent that this has had no impact," he added. "Be that as it may, taking conspectus of the situation and also the proceedings before the High Court at Calcutta, in writ petition MAT 1354 of 2021. I find it expedient to confer with the learned Advocate General under Article 163(2) of the Constitution of India steps be taken by the government to make available the entire documentation to the learned Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," the Governor said. Kolkata, Jan 1 : After seeking clarification from the West Bengal government, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked Advocate General Soumendra Nath Mookherjee to meet him to discuss certain issues related to the Howrah Municipal Bill 2021. "WB Governor Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, after taking conspectus of the situation and proceedings before Calcutta High Court, has sought to confer with Advocate General @MamataOfficial under Article 165(2) of the Constitution," the Governor wrote. "Government @MamataOfficial has been directed to make available the entire documentation to the Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," he added. In a letter to the state government, the Governor wrote, "Response to inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 were made available by the state government after a considerable delay of about a month on 20.12.2021. Thereafter vide note dated 24.12.2021, finding that the response of the government was wanting on several counts, it was indicated that inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 be made available. The file has now been received on 28.12.2021 at Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, and made available at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling, on December 30, 2021." "In the note dated 24.11.2021 it was indicated that 'concerned officials be sensitised accordingly and all required information sought be made available to this office at the earliest'. Going by the inputs made available on 20.12.2021, it is apparent that this has had no impact," he added. "Be that as it may, taking conspectus of the situation and also the proceedings before the High Court at Calcutta, in writ petition MAT 1354 of 2021. I find it expedient to confer with the learned Advocate General under Article 163(2) of the Constitution of India steps be taken by the government to make available the entire documentation to the learned Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," the Governor said. He was wearing short sleeves the day Charlie Starkweather shot him. Don Wendling was 7, growing up next door to a service station at 14th and Dakota streets in what was, then, the far southwest corner of Lincoln. His classmate, Bobby Starkweather, lived near 17th and Pawnee. During their second grade year, Wendling would detour to the Starkweather house to pick up his friend, so they could walk the final few blocks together to Saratoga Elementary School. Wendling always waited outside. I was afraid of his dad. I could hear him yelling at his wife and he sounded like someone I didnt want to be around. The boys werent best friends, but they were close enough to run around together one summer, and spend some of their after-school hours in the Starkweather yard. There was a walnut tree back there, Wendling remembers, and he and his friend would smash the shells with rocks. Theyd had their fill on a warm day in 1951, and had started walking down the driveway. Charlie Starkweather would have been about 13 at the time, about a half-dozen years before his murder spree that would leave 11 people dead. The garage was the future killers fort, his clubhouse. Charlie yelled out, Dont come back here, Wendling said. Bobby and I kept walking, and he (Charlie) shot me with a BB gun. Wendling didnt hear the shot, but he felt it. And then he saw it, blood beginning to escape from his upper right arm. It really hurt bad, he said. I ran home crying and told my dad. His father, the state penitentiarys purchasing agent, called the police. And later that day, a cruiser pulled up in front of their house. Starkweather sat in the back seat. They asked, Is this the boy that shot you? Wendling identified him, and learned later from his father whose job at the pen gave him law enforcement connections that Starkweather had to surrender his BB gun and serve juvenile probation. After that day, he never saw another Starkweather again; his parents forbid it. His arm healed and the scar disappeared. And that should have been the end of that, a childhood story Wendling would have likely forgotten if Charlie Starkweather hadnt made history seven years later. Wendling ran all the way home from school that day in late January 1958, after the bodies of C. Lauer Ward and Clara Ward, and their housekeeper, Lillian Fencl, were found in their home just a block from Irving Junior High. Everybody elses parents, they were picking them up, he said. But my dad couldnt make it. His father did return home in time for Wendlings after-school paper route, following his son as he delivered the Lincoln Evening Journal down 13th and 14th streets, Van Dorn to Lake streets. On the front page, the newspaper carried news about Starkweather. In his car, his father carried a rifle and pistol. By then, several days into the spree, much of Lincoln was armed and in fear, its residents emptying hardware stores of guns and ammunition. People bought anything that would shoot, a salesman told The Lincoln Star. They werent even particular about what they bought. But the Wendlings had a tangible concern: That Charlie Starkweather would target them for calling the police in 1951. We were real worried he would remember this incident when he shot me, and he would come looking for me. But the 19-year-old Starkweather and his 14-year-old girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate, were already headed out of the city and out of the state in the Wards' 56 Packard, about to be arrested in eastern Wyoming. Now Wendling had a childhood story that he couldnt forget: I was the first guy that ever got shot by Starkweather. It wouldnt define him, but it would give him something to talk about because people would never stop talking about Starkweather and Fugate, even decades after he was executed and she was imprisoned and later paroled. He watched book after book get published about the murders and their aftermath. And he read them. I thought, They dont have the whole story. He tried telling it publicly only once, when an Omaha TV station announced it was interviewing the latest Starkweather author. Wendling left messages but never heard back. Earlier this month, the retired manager of Burden's Surplus Center posted a short account on his Facebook page about that day 70 years ago, when Charlie Starkweather pointed a gun at him and pulled the trigger. He knows nobody can corroborate it. Theyre all gone now. His parents, the police officers. He recently tried to find his old friend, Bobby Starkweather, to see what he remembered. He came up empty. But hes not worried. He remembers feeling the pain and seeing the blood. Its my story; it happened to me. It was an odd thing: Someone goes on to kill 11 people, and I was the first one he shot. Kolkata, Jan 1 : After seeking clarification from the West Bengal government, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked Advocate General Soumendra Nath Mookherjee to meet him to discuss certain issues related to the Howrah Municipal Bill 2021. "WB Governor Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, after taking conspectus of the situation and proceedings before Calcutta High Court, has sought to confer with Advocate General @MamataOfficial under Article 165(2) of the Constitution," the Governor wrote. "Government @MamataOfficial has been directed to make available the entire documentation to the Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," he added. In a letter to the state government, the Governor wrote, "Response to inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 were made available by the state government after a considerable delay of about a month on 20.12.2021. Thereafter vide note dated 24.12.2021, finding that the response of the government was wanting on several counts, it was indicated that inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 be made available. The file has now been received on 28.12.2021 at Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, and made available at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling, on December 30, 2021." "In the note dated 24.11.2021 it was indicated that 'concerned officials be sensitised accordingly and all required information sought be made available to this office at the earliest'. Going by the inputs made available on 20.12.2021, it is apparent that this has had no impact," he added. "Be that as it may, taking conspectus of the situation and also the proceedings before the High Court at Calcutta, in writ petition MAT 1354 of 2021. I find it expedient to confer with the learned Advocate General under Article 163(2) of the Constitution of India steps be taken by the government to make available the entire documentation to the learned Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," the Governor said. Williams Plaza, built years ahead of the westward push of development from bustling Charleston, sat mostly idle for years on a rural two-lane stretch of western Berkeley County a couple of miles from Interstate 26. Now, completely renovated and renamed Irongate Plaza, the once-weathered retail site on S.C. Highway 27 in Pringletown is now fully leased with nine tenants in 10 commercial spaces in the two-building retail site 35 miles from downtown Charleston. Chris Calabrese and Rex Coyne, business partners at Gatehouse Realty in Charleston, bought the 3-acre property at 1250 Old Gilliard Road for $295,000 in October 2019, according to Berkeley County land records. Three months later, they also bought a 4-acre undeveloped parcel behind the retail center for $40,000. The two have no current plans for the additional acreage. "We were able to get a deal on it, and it was contiguous so we bought it for a future investment," Calabrese said. The real estate brokers spent close to $600,000 on the retail site, including interior and exterior work, as well as paving the parking lot and building a commercial well system for the property. "We bought it after it had been seriously neglected for years and have been renovating it for over a year," Calabrese said. "We have it completely leased up and are planning a grand opening right after the first of the year, as many of our tenants are from Pringletown and some even still have family there." The celebration is tentatively set for 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Jan. 15, according to Calabrese. Among the tenants who have moved in are restaurant Krab Krazy Seafood Spot, which occupies two spaces, supply store Hair 2 Slay, salon and barber shop Pretty Upscale, boutique and gift shop More Than Flowers, nail salon Wine Down & Get Nailed and smoothie shop Ridgeville Nutrition. Sign up for our real estate newsletter! Get the best of the Post and Courier's Real Estate news, handpicked and delivered to your inbox each Saturday. Email Sign Up! Spaces are being upfitted for a physical therapy site to be called Charleston Pediatric Rehabilitation and a daycare space called Playpin Child Care Center. They are expected to open in the new year along with a CBD shop that's on the way, Calabrese said. The property is not far from a new 240-unit apartment development called Preserve at Ridgeville that's under construction on S.C. 27 near the I-26 intersection. The developing road juncture is just west of the Volvo Car manufacturing campus and about one mile from Walmart's new 3-million-square-foot distribution center. The giant retailer's hub is set to open in January ahead of schedule to ease the nation's supply crunch brought on by COVID-19. Southern outpost A Detroit-based architecture, interior design and consulting firm is adding two new satellite offices, including one in the Charleston area. Kraemer Design Group, now in its 25th year, will expand with a new office in Mount Pleasant and another in Toledo, Ohio, according to Robert J. Kraemer, principal and co-founder. The firm has experience in both adaptive-reuse and new construction projects with an emphasis on hospitality, multifamily and commercial markets. KDG also owns procurement services company Intramode. "Working at a variety of scales and locations, KDG has deep experience in evaluating historic buildings, community corridors and neighborhoods and understanding a projects relationships with the surrounding built environment," said KDG principal Brian Rebain. "With the understanding of specific characteristics of historic integrity, existing urban context and open space opportunities, we develop new urban, architectural and interiors solutions to complement the past and present," he said. An $84 million plan to boost internet speeds at Chicago Public Schools has stalled again, officials say, because of red tape in securing construction permits from the city. For several months, crews have been ripping up streets to build a new high-speed fiber network. Around 80 schools were supposed to be connected by Nov. 1 as part of the projects first phase, but that goal has been pushed to the first quarter of 2022. Advertisement The latest setback may mean more construction headaches for residents and more internet woes for students, who returned to school buildings for full-time, in-person learning in August and are due back from the winter break Monday. Were running over 300 miles of fiber throughout the city, originally slated as a three-year project, Richard Burnson, CPS director of network services, told the Tribune. Were running a bit behind schedule, but continuing to push forward and have it wrapped up by 2023. Advertisement The new network is slated to reach about 570 Chicago schools and administrative buildings. Each school would connect to two of 11 hubs spaced across the city. If theres a problem with one of the connections, officials say high-speed internet would still be available. Teacher Toni Armer communicates remotely with other teachers, assistants and middle grade school students during the first day of school at Chicago's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy of Social Justice in September 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Schools would have access to download speeds of 20 gigabits per second, Burnson said. When the project began, he said, elementary schools received 250 megabits of bandwidth. Now theyre at 500 megabits thanks to upgrades completed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most high schools each have access to one gigabit, though Burnson said CPS is completing an effort to upgrade the high schools to two gigs, and thats expected to wrap up by the end of (2021). The nations third-largest school district, CPS has 421 elementary schools and 91 high schools. Burnson said CPS experienced few issues last spring with connectivity because the district welcomed students back to campuses in waves after months of remote learning. But most of CPSs 330,000 students have attended classes in person this fall, and technology tools such as Google Meet video sessions can tax a system. Were really excited about future-proofing our network with this new project, CPS Deputy Chief of Information and Technology Services Ed Wagner said. Weve seen, historically, schools have consumed more and more bandwidth each and every year that theyre in operation because of use of online tools for education. Skyline as an example, our new digital curriculum we do a lot of assessments online. CPS explored its options for a network redesign in 2018. At the time, AT&T was providing service, with network facilities located in Elk Grove Village; at the downtown Thompson Center, a site the state of Illinois plans to sell; and at CPS headquarters in the Loop. The district estimated then it spent $19.6 million in circuit costs, fees and services, with $14.9 million funded by the federal E-Rate program, which helps schools and libraries obtain affordable internet access. Weve had some service challenges with AT&T, Wagner said. What we felt was, this (network project) was a better way of doing it to decrease our cost overall and allow for better resiliency and performance. The Chicago Board of Education approved an agreement with Houston-based Netsync Network Solutions in 2019. The five-year deal, with two options to renew for five years each, is not to exceed $83.8 million. E-Rate is expected to cover about $70.4 million. The rest of the tab will be paid for with government grants and by the board, which is on the hook for no more than $9.8 million, according to the contract. Advertisement Burnson said the project price tag has not changed, despite the delays. A Netsync representative declined to comment to the Tribune and referred questions to CPS. The first shovel broke ground in November 2020 more than a year after the board approved the Netsync agreement and months after the start of the COVID-19 crisis. Burnson said the district focused its efforts on transitioning to remote learning and ensuring students had devices to connect to the internet at home. He said crews are now concentrating on building the core network infrastructure. CPS says the first connections will be its data centers in Elk Grove Village and at its headquarters, along with 63 elementary sites and 18 high schools. A few of these schools share a campus. Principal Jasmine Thurmond and teacher Hannah Chorley communicate with their middle school students by way of remote learning during the first day of school in September 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Burnson said up to 240 facilities are targeted for the second phase. The first step for us to build the network is theres a series of core rings that need to be established. Theres a north, central and south ring connecting all of the 11 hub locations. So those 11 hub locations had to be part of phase one in order to build out that foundation for the network, he said. Selecting the other 70 sites that would be connected was based on our focus on building out on the South and West sides. The hubs are located on the North Side at Garvy Elementary School, William C. Goudy Technology Academy and Theodore Roosevelt High School; on the West Side at Michele Clark Academic Prep Magnet High School and John Spry Community School; in the South Loop at Jones College Prep; and on the South Side at Morgan Park High School, George Washington High School, Richardson Middle School, Wendell Phillips Academy High School and Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Paideia Academy. Advertisement Burnson said one of the greatest challenges has been securing construction permits. Requests that cover more than a million feet of fiber have been submitted, he said, with about a half-million feet approved. There are more than two dozen members of the city Office of Underground Coordination, including Peoples Gas, ComEd and AT&T, that review proposals to determine if excavation work will affect their infrastructure. If there is any change thats required by one of those organizations, you have to start the process over, so that way everyone is signed off on that final process, Burnson said. Weve been working with (the Chicago Department of Transportation) and other city agencies, and theyve been very supportive, but its still a very involved process to get the permits for the amount of work that were doing. There have been some construction and street parking woes as well. Crews drill horizontally under the surface of the street to install pipework the fiber runs through. Burnson said some complaints have been lodged about the temporary patching thats put in place while the work is being completed. There have been some quality issues that weve addressed with the aldermens office, as well as the subcontractors that are doing the actual construction work, he said. Were definitely working to make sure that any impact to citizens in the city are minimized as much as possible. tswartz@tribpub.com New Delhi, Jan 1 : Since seizing power in August last year, Taliban militants in Afghanistan have been accused of vandalising or destroying the graves of fallen Afghan army and police commanders, RFE/RL reported. The Taliban have also allegedly defiled monuments dedicated to figures who fought the group during its first stint in power in the 1990s. While the Taliban have denied responsibility for many of the incidents, allegations against the hard-line group have mounted, with Afghans accusing the militants of violating Islamic traditions that advocate respect for the dead. In the latest incident, Taliban fighters were accused of bombing the tomb of former police commander Daraya Khan Talash in the southeastern province of Paktika on December 26, the report said. Talash was killed by a roadside bomb planted by the Taliban in Paktika's Sarobi district in 2020. He had reportedly lost four of his brothers in the war against the Taliban. Taliban fighters have also been accused of defiling the tomb of Mohammad Daud Daud, a former governor and an ex-police chief of northern Afghanistan in the province of Takhar on December 17, the report added. Daud was killed in a Taliban suicide attack in Takhar's capital, Taloqan, in 2011. Following the US-led invasion in 2001, Daud oversaw the surrender of thousands of Taliban fighters in the northern city of Kunduz. He was a commander in Jamiat-e Islami, a political-military Islamist group that opposed Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001. Bilal Sarwary, an exiled Afghan journalist, said Daud's family has confirmed that his grave was vandalised. But the claim was rejected by the Taliban. Meanwhile, the Taliban were accused of destroying the tomb of Colonel Azizullah Karwan in a bomb blast in the southeastern province of Paktika on October 31. The Taliban had assassinated Karwan in June 2018. He was a colonel in the special forces unit of the Afghan National Police. He had survived dozens of Taliban assassination attempts, the report added. In September, videos emerged that appeared to show damage to the mausoleum of resistance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud in the Panjshir Valley, just north of Kabul. The footage emerged soon after the Taliban captured the mountainous valley, the scene of a short-lived resistance to the militants, in early September. The vandalism coincided with the 20th anniversary of Massoud's death. Massoud, who fought against the Taliban in the 1990s and occupying Soviet forces in the 1980s, was killed by Al-Qaeda militants posing as journalists just days before the September 11 attacks in the United States. The Taliban repaired Massoud's mausoleum after a public uproar. Anas Haqqani, the younger brother of Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, has urged Taliban fighters to "get rid of your personal revenge and envy". In a December 27 speech marking the 42nd anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Haqqani warned that the Taliban regime will collapse if it tries to rule through brute force, the report said. "An infidel government is likely to last, but an oppressive regime will not survive," he had said. But on the same day, another Taliban official boasted about the group bombing the tomb of former leftist President Babrak Karmal, who assumed power after Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan and killed his predecessor, Hafizullah Amin, in late 1979. "After capturing Mazar-e Sharif, the Taliban bombed Babrak's tomb," tweeted Nazar Mohammad Mutmaeen, head of the Taliban's Olympic Committee. He was alluding to the destruction of the late president's tomb in 1997, when the Taliban briefly seized the northern Afghan city, the report said. New Delhi, Jan 1 : Since seizing power in August last year, Taliban militants in Afghanistan have been accused of vandalising or destroying the graves of fallen Afghan army and police commanders, RFE/RL reported. The Taliban have also allegedly defiled monuments dedicated to figures who fought the group during its first stint in power in the 1990s. While the Taliban have denied responsibility for many of the incidents, allegations against the hard-line group have mounted, with Afghans accusing the militants of violating Islamic traditions that advocate respect for the dead. In the latest incident, Taliban fighters were accused of bombing the tomb of former police commander Daraya Khan Talash in the southeastern province of Paktika on December 26, the report said. Talash was killed by a roadside bomb planted by the Taliban in Paktika's Sarobi district in 2020. He had reportedly lost four of his brothers in the war against the Taliban. Taliban fighters have also been accused of defiling the tomb of Mohammad Daud Daud, a former governor and an ex-police chief of northern Afghanistan in the province of Takhar on December 17, the report added. Daud was killed in a Taliban suicide attack in Takhar's capital, Taloqan, in 2011. Following the US-led invasion in 2001, Daud oversaw the surrender of thousands of Taliban fighters in the northern city of Kunduz. He was a commander in Jamiat-e Islami, a political-military Islamist group that opposed Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001. Bilal Sarwary, an exiled Afghan journalist, said Daud's family has confirmed that his grave was vandalised. But the claim was rejected by the Taliban. Meanwhile, the Taliban were accused of destroying the tomb of Colonel Azizullah Karwan in a bomb blast in the southeastern province of Paktika on October 31. The Taliban had assassinated Karwan in June 2018. He was a colonel in the special forces unit of the Afghan National Police. He had survived dozens of Taliban assassination attempts, the report added. In September, videos emerged that appeared to show damage to the mausoleum of resistance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud in the Panjshir Valley, just north of Kabul. The footage emerged soon after the Taliban captured the mountainous valley, the scene of a short-lived resistance to the militants, in early September. The vandalism coincided with the 20th anniversary of Massoud's death. Massoud, who fought against the Taliban in the 1990s and occupying Soviet forces in the 1980s, was killed by Al-Qaeda militants posing as journalists just days before the September 11 attacks in the United States. The Taliban repaired Massoud's mausoleum after a public uproar. Anas Haqqani, the younger brother of Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, has urged Taliban fighters to "get rid of your personal revenge and envy". In a December 27 speech marking the 42nd anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Haqqani warned that the Taliban regime will collapse if it tries to rule through brute force, the report said. "An infidel government is likely to last, but an oppressive regime will not survive," he had said. But on the same day, another Taliban official boasted about the group bombing the tomb of former leftist President Babrak Karmal, who assumed power after Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan and killed his predecessor, Hafizullah Amin, in late 1979. "After capturing Mazar-e Sharif, the Taliban bombed Babrak's tomb," tweeted Nazar Mohammad Mutmaeen, head of the Taliban's Olympic Committee. He was alluding to the destruction of the late president's tomb in 1997, when the Taliban briefly seized the northern Afghan city, the report said. New Delhi, Jan 1 : Since seizing power in August last year, Taliban militants in Afghanistan have been accused of vandalising or destroying the graves of fallen Afghan army and police commanders, RFE/RL reported. The Taliban have also allegedly defiled monuments dedicated to figures who fought the group during its first stint in power in the 1990s. While the Taliban have denied responsibility for many of the incidents, allegations against the hard-line group have mounted, with Afghans accusing the militants of violating Islamic traditions that advocate respect for the dead. In the latest incident, Taliban fighters were accused of bombing the tomb of former police commander Daraya Khan Talash in the southeastern province of Paktika on December 26, the report said. Talash was killed by a roadside bomb planted by the Taliban in Paktika's Sarobi district in 2020. He had reportedly lost four of his brothers in the war against the Taliban. Taliban fighters have also been accused of defiling the tomb of Mohammad Daud Daud, a former governor and an ex-police chief of northern Afghanistan in the province of Takhar on December 17, the report added. Daud was killed in a Taliban suicide attack in Takhar's capital, Taloqan, in 2011. Following the US-led invasion in 2001, Daud oversaw the surrender of thousands of Taliban fighters in the northern city of Kunduz. He was a commander in Jamiat-e Islami, a political-military Islamist group that opposed Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001. Bilal Sarwary, an exiled Afghan journalist, said Daud's family has confirmed that his grave was vandalised. But the claim was rejected by the Taliban. Meanwhile, the Taliban were accused of destroying the tomb of Colonel Azizullah Karwan in a bomb blast in the southeastern province of Paktika on October 31. The Taliban had assassinated Karwan in June 2018. He was a colonel in the special forces unit of the Afghan National Police. He had survived dozens of Taliban assassination attempts, the report added. In September, videos emerged that appeared to show damage to the mausoleum of resistance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud in the Panjshir Valley, just north of Kabul. The footage emerged soon after the Taliban captured the mountainous valley, the scene of a short-lived resistance to the militants, in early September. The vandalism coincided with the 20th anniversary of Massoud's death. Massoud, who fought against the Taliban in the 1990s and occupying Soviet forces in the 1980s, was killed by Al-Qaeda militants posing as journalists just days before the September 11 attacks in the United States. The Taliban repaired Massoud's mausoleum after a public uproar. Anas Haqqani, the younger brother of Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, has urged Taliban fighters to "get rid of your personal revenge and envy". In a December 27 speech marking the 42nd anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Haqqani warned that the Taliban regime will collapse if it tries to rule through brute force, the report said. "An infidel government is likely to last, but an oppressive regime will not survive," he had said. But on the same day, another Taliban official boasted about the group bombing the tomb of former leftist President Babrak Karmal, who assumed power after Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan and killed his predecessor, Hafizullah Amin, in late 1979. "After capturing Mazar-e Sharif, the Taliban bombed Babrak's tomb," tweeted Nazar Mohammad Mutmaeen, head of the Taliban's Olympic Committee. He was alluding to the destruction of the late president's tomb in 1997, when the Taliban briefly seized the northern Afghan city, the report said. New Delhi, Jan 1 : Since seizing power in August last year, Taliban militants in Afghanistan have been accused of vandalising or destroying the graves of fallen Afghan army and police commanders, RFE/RL reported. The Taliban have also allegedly defiled monuments dedicated to figures who fought the group during its first stint in power in the 1990s. While the Taliban have denied responsibility for many of the incidents, allegations against the hard-line group have mounted, with Afghans accusing the militants of violating Islamic traditions that advocate respect for the dead. In the latest incident, Taliban fighters were accused of bombing the tomb of former police commander Daraya Khan Talash in the southeastern province of Paktika on December 26, the report said. Talash was killed by a roadside bomb planted by the Taliban in Paktika's Sarobi district in 2020. He had reportedly lost four of his brothers in the war against the Taliban. Taliban fighters have also been accused of defiling the tomb of Mohammad Daud Daud, a former governor and an ex-police chief of northern Afghanistan in the province of Takhar on December 17, the report added. Daud was killed in a Taliban suicide attack in Takhar's capital, Taloqan, in 2011. Following the US-led invasion in 2001, Daud oversaw the surrender of thousands of Taliban fighters in the northern city of Kunduz. He was a commander in Jamiat-e Islami, a political-military Islamist group that opposed Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001. Bilal Sarwary, an exiled Afghan journalist, said Daud's family has confirmed that his grave was vandalised. But the claim was rejected by the Taliban. Meanwhile, the Taliban were accused of destroying the tomb of Colonel Azizullah Karwan in a bomb blast in the southeastern province of Paktika on October 31. The Taliban had assassinated Karwan in June 2018. He was a colonel in the special forces unit of the Afghan National Police. He had survived dozens of Taliban assassination attempts, the report added. In September, videos emerged that appeared to show damage to the mausoleum of resistance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud in the Panjshir Valley, just north of Kabul. The footage emerged soon after the Taliban captured the mountainous valley, the scene of a short-lived resistance to the militants, in early September. The vandalism coincided with the 20th anniversary of Massoud's death. Massoud, who fought against the Taliban in the 1990s and occupying Soviet forces in the 1980s, was killed by Al-Qaeda militants posing as journalists just days before the September 11 attacks in the United States. The Taliban repaired Massoud's mausoleum after a public uproar. Anas Haqqani, the younger brother of Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, has urged Taliban fighters to "get rid of your personal revenge and envy". In a December 27 speech marking the 42nd anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Haqqani warned that the Taliban regime will collapse if it tries to rule through brute force, the report said. "An infidel government is likely to last, but an oppressive regime will not survive," he had said. But on the same day, another Taliban official boasted about the group bombing the tomb of former leftist President Babrak Karmal, who assumed power after Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan and killed his predecessor, Hafizullah Amin, in late 1979. "After capturing Mazar-e Sharif, the Taliban bombed Babrak's tomb," tweeted Nazar Mohammad Mutmaeen, head of the Taliban's Olympic Committee. He was alluding to the destruction of the late president's tomb in 1997, when the Taliban briefly seized the northern Afghan city, the report said. New Delhi, Jan 1 : Since seizing power in August last year, Taliban militants in Afghanistan have been accused of vandalising or destroying the graves of fallen Afghan army and police commanders, RFE/RL reported. The Taliban have also allegedly defiled monuments dedicated to figures who fought the group during its first stint in power in the 1990s. While the Taliban have denied responsibility for many of the incidents, allegations against the hard-line group have mounted, with Afghans accusing the militants of violating Islamic traditions that advocate respect for the dead. In the latest incident, Taliban fighters were accused of bombing the tomb of former police commander Daraya Khan Talash in the southeastern province of Paktika on December 26, the report said. Talash was killed by a roadside bomb planted by the Taliban in Paktika's Sarobi district in 2020. He had reportedly lost four of his brothers in the war against the Taliban. Taliban fighters have also been accused of defiling the tomb of Mohammad Daud Daud, a former governor and an ex-police chief of northern Afghanistan in the province of Takhar on December 17, the report added. Daud was killed in a Taliban suicide attack in Takhar's capital, Taloqan, in 2011. Following the US-led invasion in 2001, Daud oversaw the surrender of thousands of Taliban fighters in the northern city of Kunduz. He was a commander in Jamiat-e Islami, a political-military Islamist group that opposed Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001. Bilal Sarwary, an exiled Afghan journalist, said Daud's family has confirmed that his grave was vandalised. But the claim was rejected by the Taliban. Meanwhile, the Taliban were accused of destroying the tomb of Colonel Azizullah Karwan in a bomb blast in the southeastern province of Paktika on October 31. The Taliban had assassinated Karwan in June 2018. He was a colonel in the special forces unit of the Afghan National Police. He had survived dozens of Taliban assassination attempts, the report added. In September, videos emerged that appeared to show damage to the mausoleum of resistance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud in the Panjshir Valley, just north of Kabul. The footage emerged soon after the Taliban captured the mountainous valley, the scene of a short-lived resistance to the militants, in early September. The vandalism coincided with the 20th anniversary of Massoud's death. Massoud, who fought against the Taliban in the 1990s and occupying Soviet forces in the 1980s, was killed by Al-Qaeda militants posing as journalists just days before the September 11 attacks in the United States. The Taliban repaired Massoud's mausoleum after a public uproar. Anas Haqqani, the younger brother of Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, has urged Taliban fighters to "get rid of your personal revenge and envy". In a December 27 speech marking the 42nd anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Haqqani warned that the Taliban regime will collapse if it tries to rule through brute force, the report said. "An infidel government is likely to last, but an oppressive regime will not survive," he had said. But on the same day, another Taliban official boasted about the group bombing the tomb of former leftist President Babrak Karmal, who assumed power after Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan and killed his predecessor, Hafizullah Amin, in late 1979. "After capturing Mazar-e Sharif, the Taliban bombed Babrak's tomb," tweeted Nazar Mohammad Mutmaeen, head of the Taliban's Olympic Committee. He was alluding to the destruction of the late president's tomb in 1997, when the Taliban briefly seized the northern Afghan city, the report said. New Delhi, Jan 1 : Since seizing power in August last year, Taliban militants in Afghanistan have been accused of vandalising or destroying the graves of fallen Afghan army and police commanders, RFE/RL reported. The Taliban have also allegedly defiled monuments dedicated to figures who fought the group during its first stint in power in the 1990s. While the Taliban have denied responsibility for many of the incidents, allegations against the hard-line group have mounted, with Afghans accusing the militants of violating Islamic traditions that advocate respect for the dead. In the latest incident, Taliban fighters were accused of bombing the tomb of former police commander Daraya Khan Talash in the southeastern province of Paktika on December 26, the report said. Talash was killed by a roadside bomb planted by the Taliban in Paktika's Sarobi district in 2020. He had reportedly lost four of his brothers in the war against the Taliban. Taliban fighters have also been accused of defiling the tomb of Mohammad Daud Daud, a former governor and an ex-police chief of northern Afghanistan in the province of Takhar on December 17, the report added. Daud was killed in a Taliban suicide attack in Takhar's capital, Taloqan, in 2011. Following the US-led invasion in 2001, Daud oversaw the surrender of thousands of Taliban fighters in the northern city of Kunduz. He was a commander in Jamiat-e Islami, a political-military Islamist group that opposed Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001. Bilal Sarwary, an exiled Afghan journalist, said Daud's family has confirmed that his grave was vandalised. But the claim was rejected by the Taliban. Meanwhile, the Taliban were accused of destroying the tomb of Colonel Azizullah Karwan in a bomb blast in the southeastern province of Paktika on October 31. The Taliban had assassinated Karwan in June 2018. He was a colonel in the special forces unit of the Afghan National Police. He had survived dozens of Taliban assassination attempts, the report added. In September, videos emerged that appeared to show damage to the mausoleum of resistance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud in the Panjshir Valley, just north of Kabul. The footage emerged soon after the Taliban captured the mountainous valley, the scene of a short-lived resistance to the militants, in early September. The vandalism coincided with the 20th anniversary of Massoud's death. Massoud, who fought against the Taliban in the 1990s and occupying Soviet forces in the 1980s, was killed by Al-Qaeda militants posing as journalists just days before the September 11 attacks in the United States. The Taliban repaired Massoud's mausoleum after a public uproar. Anas Haqqani, the younger brother of Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, has urged Taliban fighters to "get rid of your personal revenge and envy". In a December 27 speech marking the 42nd anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Haqqani warned that the Taliban regime will collapse if it tries to rule through brute force, the report said. "An infidel government is likely to last, but an oppressive regime will not survive," he had said. But on the same day, another Taliban official boasted about the group bombing the tomb of former leftist President Babrak Karmal, who assumed power after Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan and killed his predecessor, Hafizullah Amin, in late 1979. "After capturing Mazar-e Sharif, the Taliban bombed Babrak's tomb," tweeted Nazar Mohammad Mutmaeen, head of the Taliban's Olympic Committee. He was alluding to the destruction of the late president's tomb in 1997, when the Taliban briefly seized the northern Afghan city, the report said. (Newser) Actors, comedians, and other fans issued tributes to Betty White on Friday, praising her as an entertainer and person. The actress died at her home at age 99. "Her generosity of spirit is the reason everybody talks about her in this way," Henry Winkler said, per CNN, adding, "just an amazing person." A film about White's life and career, planned as part of her birthday celebration next month, will still be shown, the producers said. It will be screened in 800 theaters on Jan. 17, the day White would have turned 100. Per the AP, BBC and CNN, tributes also came from: Ryan Reynolds : "She was great at defying expectation. She managed to grow very old and somehow, not old enough." : "She was great at defying expectation. She managed to grow very old and somehow, not old enough." Marlee Matlin : "Betty White will go down in the history books as ageless ... 99 or 100, the numbers belie the fact that she lived the best life ever!" : "Betty White will go down in the history books as ageless ... 99 or 100, the numbers belie the fact that she lived the best life ever!" President Biden : "Betty White brought a smile to the lips of generations of Americans. She's a cultural icon who will be sorely missed." : "Betty White brought a smile to the lips of generations of Americans. She's a cultural icon who will be sorely missed." Dan Rather : "A spirit of goodness and hope. ... Our world would be better if more followed her example." : "A spirit of goodness and hope. ... Our world would be better if more followed her example." Eric Garcetti : "The City of L.A. will be forever grateful for her years of service to the L.A. Zoo on behalf of the animals in our care and the people who love them." : "The City of L.A. will be forever grateful for her years of service to the L.A. Zoo on behalf of the animals in our care and the people who love them." Roxane Gay : "RIP to Betty White who was charming, delightful, hilarious, talented and unproblematic for 99.9 years." : "RIP to Betty White who was charming, delightful, hilarious, talented and unproblematic for 99.9 years." US Army : "Not only was she an amazing actress, she also served during WWII as a member of the American Women's Voluntary Services. A true legend on and off the screen." : "Not only was she an amazing actress, she also served during WWII as a member of the American Women's Voluntary Services. A true legend on and off the screen." Seth Meyers : "The only SNL host I ever saw get a standing ovation at the after party. A party at which she ordered a vodka and a hotdog and stayed til the bitter end." : "The only SNL host I ever saw get a standing ovation at the after party. A party at which she ordered a vodka and a hotdog and stayed til the bitter end." Bridget Moynahan: "Maybe she picked New Year's Eve so we can celebrate her life every year!" (Read more Betty White stories.) New Delhi, Jan 1 : Since seizing power in August last year, Taliban militants in Afghanistan have been accused of vandalising or destroying the graves of fallen Afghan army and police commanders, RFE/RL reported. The Taliban have also allegedly defiled monuments dedicated to figures who fought the group during its first stint in power in the 1990s. While the Taliban have denied responsibility for many of the incidents, allegations against the hard-line group have mounted, with Afghans accusing the militants of violating Islamic traditions that advocate respect for the dead. In the latest incident, Taliban fighters were accused of bombing the tomb of former police commander Daraya Khan Talash in the southeastern province of Paktika on December 26, the report said. Talash was killed by a roadside bomb planted by the Taliban in Paktika's Sarobi district in 2020. He had reportedly lost four of his brothers in the war against the Taliban. Taliban fighters have also been accused of defiling the tomb of Mohammad Daud Daud, a former governor and an ex-police chief of northern Afghanistan in the province of Takhar on December 17, the report added. Daud was killed in a Taliban suicide attack in Takhar's capital, Taloqan, in 2011. Following the US-led invasion in 2001, Daud oversaw the surrender of thousands of Taliban fighters in the northern city of Kunduz. He was a commander in Jamiat-e Islami, a political-military Islamist group that opposed Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001. Bilal Sarwary, an exiled Afghan journalist, said Daud's family has confirmed that his grave was vandalised. But the claim was rejected by the Taliban. Meanwhile, the Taliban were accused of destroying the tomb of Colonel Azizullah Karwan in a bomb blast in the southeastern province of Paktika on October 31. The Taliban had assassinated Karwan in June 2018. He was a colonel in the special forces unit of the Afghan National Police. He had survived dozens of Taliban assassination attempts, the report added. In September, videos emerged that appeared to show damage to the mausoleum of resistance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud in the Panjshir Valley, just north of Kabul. The footage emerged soon after the Taliban captured the mountainous valley, the scene of a short-lived resistance to the militants, in early September. The vandalism coincided with the 20th anniversary of Massoud's death. Massoud, who fought against the Taliban in the 1990s and occupying Soviet forces in the 1980s, was killed by Al-Qaeda militants posing as journalists just days before the September 11 attacks in the United States. The Taliban repaired Massoud's mausoleum after a public uproar. Anas Haqqani, the younger brother of Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, has urged Taliban fighters to "get rid of your personal revenge and envy". In a December 27 speech marking the 42nd anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Haqqani warned that the Taliban regime will collapse if it tries to rule through brute force, the report said. "An infidel government is likely to last, but an oppressive regime will not survive," he had said. But on the same day, another Taliban official boasted about the group bombing the tomb of former leftist President Babrak Karmal, who assumed power after Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan and killed his predecessor, Hafizullah Amin, in late 1979. "After capturing Mazar-e Sharif, the Taliban bombed Babrak's tomb," tweeted Nazar Mohammad Mutmaeen, head of the Taliban's Olympic Committee. He was alluding to the destruction of the late president's tomb in 1997, when the Taliban briefly seized the northern Afghan city, the report said. New Delhi, Jan 1 : Since seizing power in August last year, Taliban militants in Afghanistan have been accused of vandalising or destroying the graves of fallen Afghan army and police commanders, RFE/RL reported. The Taliban have also allegedly defiled monuments dedicated to figures who fought the group during its first stint in power in the 1990s. While the Taliban have denied responsibility for many of the incidents, allegations against the hard-line group have mounted, with Afghans accusing the militants of violating Islamic traditions that advocate respect for the dead. In the latest incident, Taliban fighters were accused of bombing the tomb of former police commander Daraya Khan Talash in the southeastern province of Paktika on December 26, the report said. Talash was killed by a roadside bomb planted by the Taliban in Paktika's Sarobi district in 2020. He had reportedly lost four of his brothers in the war against the Taliban. Taliban fighters have also been accused of defiling the tomb of Mohammad Daud Daud, a former governor and an ex-police chief of northern Afghanistan in the province of Takhar on December 17, the report added. Daud was killed in a Taliban suicide attack in Takhar's capital, Taloqan, in 2011. Following the US-led invasion in 2001, Daud oversaw the surrender of thousands of Taliban fighters in the northern city of Kunduz. He was a commander in Jamiat-e Islami, a political-military Islamist group that opposed Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001. Bilal Sarwary, an exiled Afghan journalist, said Daud's family has confirmed that his grave was vandalised. But the claim was rejected by the Taliban. Meanwhile, the Taliban were accused of destroying the tomb of Colonel Azizullah Karwan in a bomb blast in the southeastern province of Paktika on October 31. The Taliban had assassinated Karwan in June 2018. He was a colonel in the special forces unit of the Afghan National Police. He had survived dozens of Taliban assassination attempts, the report added. In September, videos emerged that appeared to show damage to the mausoleum of resistance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud in the Panjshir Valley, just north of Kabul. The footage emerged soon after the Taliban captured the mountainous valley, the scene of a short-lived resistance to the militants, in early September. The vandalism coincided with the 20th anniversary of Massoud's death. Massoud, who fought against the Taliban in the 1990s and occupying Soviet forces in the 1980s, was killed by Al-Qaeda militants posing as journalists just days before the September 11 attacks in the United States. The Taliban repaired Massoud's mausoleum after a public uproar. Anas Haqqani, the younger brother of Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, has urged Taliban fighters to "get rid of your personal revenge and envy". In a December 27 speech marking the 42nd anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Haqqani warned that the Taliban regime will collapse if it tries to rule through brute force, the report said. "An infidel government is likely to last, but an oppressive regime will not survive," he had said. But on the same day, another Taliban official boasted about the group bombing the tomb of former leftist President Babrak Karmal, who assumed power after Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan and killed his predecessor, Hafizullah Amin, in late 1979. "After capturing Mazar-e Sharif, the Taliban bombed Babrak's tomb," tweeted Nazar Mohammad Mutmaeen, head of the Taliban's Olympic Committee. He was alluding to the destruction of the late president's tomb in 1997, when the Taliban briefly seized the northern Afghan city, the report said. New Delhi, Jan 1 : Since seizing power in August last year, Taliban militants in Afghanistan have been accused of vandalising or destroying the graves of fallen Afghan army and police commanders, RFE/RL reported. The Taliban have also allegedly defiled monuments dedicated to figures who fought the group during its first stint in power in the 1990s. While the Taliban have denied responsibility for many of the incidents, allegations against the hard-line group have mounted, with Afghans accusing the militants of violating Islamic traditions that advocate respect for the dead. In the latest incident, Taliban fighters were accused of bombing the tomb of former police commander Daraya Khan Talash in the southeastern province of Paktika on December 26, the report said. Talash was killed by a roadside bomb planted by the Taliban in Paktika's Sarobi district in 2020. He had reportedly lost four of his brothers in the war against the Taliban. Taliban fighters have also been accused of defiling the tomb of Mohammad Daud Daud, a former governor and an ex-police chief of northern Afghanistan in the province of Takhar on December 17, the report added. Daud was killed in a Taliban suicide attack in Takhar's capital, Taloqan, in 2011. Following the US-led invasion in 2001, Daud oversaw the surrender of thousands of Taliban fighters in the northern city of Kunduz. He was a commander in Jamiat-e Islami, a political-military Islamist group that opposed Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001. Bilal Sarwary, an exiled Afghan journalist, said Daud's family has confirmed that his grave was vandalised. But the claim was rejected by the Taliban. Meanwhile, the Taliban were accused of destroying the tomb of Colonel Azizullah Karwan in a bomb blast in the southeastern province of Paktika on October 31. The Taliban had assassinated Karwan in June 2018. He was a colonel in the special forces unit of the Afghan National Police. He had survived dozens of Taliban assassination attempts, the report added. In September, videos emerged that appeared to show damage to the mausoleum of resistance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud in the Panjshir Valley, just north of Kabul. The footage emerged soon after the Taliban captured the mountainous valley, the scene of a short-lived resistance to the militants, in early September. The vandalism coincided with the 20th anniversary of Massoud's death. Massoud, who fought against the Taliban in the 1990s and occupying Soviet forces in the 1980s, was killed by Al-Qaeda militants posing as journalists just days before the September 11 attacks in the United States. The Taliban repaired Massoud's mausoleum after a public uproar. Anas Haqqani, the younger brother of Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, has urged Taliban fighters to "get rid of your personal revenge and envy". In a December 27 speech marking the 42nd anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Haqqani warned that the Taliban regime will collapse if it tries to rule through brute force, the report said. "An infidel government is likely to last, but an oppressive regime will not survive," he had said. But on the same day, another Taliban official boasted about the group bombing the tomb of former leftist President Babrak Karmal, who assumed power after Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan and killed his predecessor, Hafizullah Amin, in late 1979. "After capturing Mazar-e Sharif, the Taliban bombed Babrak's tomb," tweeted Nazar Mohammad Mutmaeen, head of the Taliban's Olympic Committee. He was alluding to the destruction of the late president's tomb in 1997, when the Taliban briefly seized the northern Afghan city, the report said. CTU workers direct vehicles lined up for COVID-19 testing outside of the Chicago Teachers Union on Dec. 30, 2021, in Chicago. CPS starts back to school on Monday following their holiday break. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) After a year of pronounced shifts in the COVID-19 pandemic related to mass vaccination, more infectious variants and the sorely tested patience of the public, Illinois is facing an even more complicated set of realities entering 2022. The state is now seeing record numbers of COVID-19 infections but these cases appear less likely to cause serious illness. At the same time, Illinois health care system is in worse shape than it was a year earlier, and the exploding case counts mean even a milder variant could further strain hospitals with COVID-19 patients. Advertisement Already, hospitals are treating more patients with fewer workers, leading to a space crunch so severe that hospitals are again canceling nonemergency surgeries to try to free up beds. And while the vast majority of patients arent in the hospital because of COVID-19, the odds of an unvaccinated person ending up hospitalized with the virus is notably worse than at any other time during the pandemic. A year ago, mass vaccination was on the horizon, offering hope the virus could be extinguished through so-called herd immunity and life could return to normal. Now researchers expect the virus and its ever-evolving variants to stick around. The hope is that vaccinations can prevent most infected people from getting too sick and that the latest wave will subside as quickly as it came. Advertisement Those adjusted expectations follow another deadly year. The Illinois Department of Public Health blamed COVID-19 for at least 11,000 more deaths in 2021, bringing the total to nearly 28,000 since the pandemic began, with an additional roughly 3,200 deaths considered to have probable ties to COVID-19. Heres where we are, as the new year begins: Record case numbers A year ago, the average number of new cases each day had begun to drop after soaring above 12,000 in fall 2020, and people began preparing for vaccines that leaders hoped would starve the virus out of existence. The vaccines came, but millions of Illinoisans havent taken them. Along the way, the virus spawned new mutations that began to chip away at the vaccines effectiveness, particularly their ability to stop somebody from getting infected. The delta variant fueled smaller surges in spring 2021, in late summer and most recently after Halloween. Then the omicron variant emerged, supercharging an already sizable surge. A state that had averaged about 2,000 cases a day in late October was suddenly seeing daily figures double, then double again, and continue climbing. The week of Christmas as people rushed to get tested before visiting family and friends the daily count eclipsed 21,000 new detected cases. On Thursday, when post-Christmas tests began rolling in, there were more than 30,000 new cases. To put that into perspective, that one-day figure was triple the number of Illinoisans testing positive in all of June. Another jarring way to look at it: The worst day of the fall 2020 surge saw nearly 1 in 700 Illinoisans testing positive. On Thursday, the most recent date the state posted data, it was closer to 1 in 400. Advertisement In Chicago alone, new cases have recently topped 5,000 a day. This is one of the steepest increases that weve seen, and this is due to the omicron variant, Chicagos health director, Dr. Allison Arwady, said during a Facebook Live event Thursday. This is also why, I am guessing, everyone of you knows somebody, at least indirectly, who has COVID right now. The rate of infections for unvaccinated Chicagoans has tripled since late November to reach more than 900 cases a week per 100,000 residents. Vaccinated, but not yet boosted, Chicagoans have seen their infection rate climb to roughly 400 a week per 100,000 residents, with residents whove gotten boosters seeing a slightly lower rate, closer to 350 a week per 100,000 people. Because the number of people tested each day can bounce up and down, public health agencies and researchers typically average out seven days worth of case numbers to create a rolling daily average. Using this measure, the state set a record on Nov. 16, 2020, with an average of 12,384 new COVID-19 cases. But 13 months later, on Dec. 23, the state broke that record. And the average cases have continued to climb in the past week, eclipsing an average of 18,000 new cases a day roughly two months into this surge. Case counts dont offer the full picture of a surge. They may rise because a lot more people are getting tested, as many people did before visiting friends and family over the holidays. And the numbers dont include people who come up positive on home tests, unless they also get tested through a lab. Advertisement A slightly more promising measurement for the latest surge comes from another metric: the case positivity rate, or the percentage of tests that led to a confirmed case. The lower the rate, the better. As of Thursday, the case positivity rate had been climbing fast but, at about 10%, was not yet as bad as the rates seen at peak of the fall 2020 surge, which approached 14%. A milder COVID phase? Even though the numbers of detected cases have reached unprecedented levels, thats not the case with hospitalizations and deaths, at least not yet. One way to look at this is by comparing this surge with the fall 2020 surge. As of Thursday, the average daily case count was 48% higher than last falls peak. But average daily hospital admittances, as measured by federal data, were down 23% from last falls peak. And there were 65% fewer average daily deaths. Its a welcome trend seen not only in Illinois, but nationally. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nations top infectious disease expert, told reporters Wednesday that the case spike nationally was out of proportion to hospitalization increases. Now, we must remember that hospitalizations and deaths are lagging indicators, he said. However, the pattern and disparity between cases and hospitalization strongly suggest that there will be a lower hospitalization-to-case ratio when the situation becomes more clear. Early studies suggest the emerging omicron variant may be milder than the delta variant that took hold in Illinois this summer and fueled the beginning of this surge. Vaccinations are another factor. Even if delta and omicron are more likely to infect vaccinated people than the original virus, the vaccines continue to limit serious illness and death. Advertisement Mass vaccinations were a key development for the pandemic in 2021, creating two tiers of risk. A Tribune analysis of federal and state data found that fully vaccinated Illinoisans (with or without a booster shot) have been much less likely to be hospitalized during the latest surge than those not fully vaccinated. The latter group currently has a weekly admittance rate roughly nine times the rate for those fully vaccinated, based on a three-week rolling average. Unvaccinated people also are being hospitalized at nearly double the rate seen for all Illinoisans during the peak of the fall 2020 surge, before vaccines were available. As for deaths, the average weekly death rate even for unvaccinated people has yet to eclipse the rates from the fall 2020 surge. Better COVID-19 treatments, including broader use of monoclonal antibodies, are helping improve those odds. Still, the death rate for unvaccinated Illinois residents, per 100,000 people, is now more than triple that for people who are fully vaccinated, even though the latter group tends to be older and more vulnerable to the virus. Millions of Illinoisans are still unvaccinated, and public health officials continue to press them to get shots. Advertisement We dont have to continue to lose people, IDPHs director, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, told reporters Monday. We are not in the same place that we were at the beginning of this pandemic, or even a year ago. ... We have a vaccine thats highly effective, and it can prevent severe illness and death, if we take advantage of this effective tool. Getting through omicron The new year also brings hope that the latest surge will soon ease its grip. In South Africa, where the omicron variant was first reported, case figures shot up in mid-November, then began dropping by Christmas. A top South African researcher, Fareed Abdullah, tweeted this week that it was staggering how quickly the wave peaked then declined: Peak in four weeks and precipitous decline in another two. One early study suggests people who recovered from omicron inherited some ability to better fight off the delta variant, offering hope that such protection, combined with vaccine immunity, could further limit the future danger posed by COVID-19. But concerns remain that Illinois hospital system could be overwhelmed. The Tribune has reported how, even before Christmas, hospitals had the lowest levels of available beds of any point during the pandemic, lower even than during the fall 2020 surge. State data shows more beds have opened since, as some hospitals have canceled nonemergency surgeries. Still, many regions hospital systems remain stressed, according to state measurements. In some regions, such as the one covering Will and Kankakee counties, the number of available intensive care unit beds had dwindled to the single digits. And across Illinois, at last count, the number of open beds remained below 7,000, for a state with nearly 13 million residents. Advertisement Gov. J.B. Pritzkers administration has said its tried to help hospitals outlast the latest surge by distributing promising treatments and directing supplemental staff to the hardest-hit areas. But officials have long declined to tell the public which hospitals are worse off, even as nurses and doctors say some facilities are so overwhelmed that seriously ill patients are being boarded in emergency rooms for long periods, up to a week. A grassroots group of health care workers, the Illinois Medical Professionals Action Collaborative Team, called on the governor Thursday to take a host of steps, including reinstituting indoor capacity limits and deploying more National Guard troops to shore up depleted health care staffing: Simply put, we cant keep up. We are drowning and need help immediately. The governors office did not immediately respond. But on the same day, Pritzker asked hospitals to consider canceling nonemergency surgeries as part of an effort to take every possible measure to maintain and expand bed capacity, according to a news release the administration issued. As much as the pandemic has changed, Pritzkers plea was similar to what he ordered hospitals to do in April 2020, when COVID-19 was still new. Chicago Tribunes Jeremy Gorner contributed. jmahr@chicagotribune.com Advertisement A tropical cyclone set to batter Australia's east coast has brought destructive winds and dangerous conditions forcing at least 14 beaches to shut. Heavy rain and wind gusts of up to 85km/h hit south-east Queensland as Cyclone Seth was downgraded from a Category 2 to Category 1 system on Saturday. The Gold Coast is on high alert after large swells and dangerous surf conditions closed beaches from Burleigh to Southport as well as 14 beaches in the Sunshine Coast. Tropical Cyclone Seth has closed all beaches on the Gold Coast and 14 beaches on the Sunshine Coast as it brings wind gusts of up to 85km/h on New Year's Day Mayor Tom Tate said the city was monitoring conditions over the next 48 hours as the tropical cyclone tracks south. 'We are doing some modelling today to see what impact tomorrow's high-tide will have on low lying areas like Budds Beach,' the Mayor said. 'I advise everyone to keep their kids away from stormwater drains and local creeks such as Loders Creek and the main rivers feeding into our broadwater.' Gold Coast City Council has also opened sandbagging stations in Pimpama, Tugun and Burleigh Heads in preparation for flash flooding. Queenslanders have had a wet start to 2022 after heavy rain brought flash floods to south-east regions The Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe warning claiming 'astronomically' high tides and dangerous conditions will hit the south-east over the long weekend. 'Abnormally High Tides for coasts of Wide Bay and Burnett and Southeast Coast,' the Bureau wrote on Twitter on Saturday, 'Cyclone Seth is generating increasing seas and swell across southeast Queensland, coinciding with an astronomical peak in high tides over the next few days.' Hazardous surf conditions will smash the south-east coastline with gale force winds expected on Sunday and Monday. Due to the extreme weather 14 beaches were forced to shut along the Sunshine Coast and Gympie regions. Lifesaving Service Coordinator for the Sunshine Coast Shane Urban told The ABC beaches in the Sunshine Coast had 'washing machine conditions'. The Gold Coast remains on high alert and is closely monitoring the cyclone as extreme weather brings large swells and hazardous conditions forcing beaches to shut. Pictured: Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast However some beaches in Mooloolaba, Noosa and Bribie Island still remain open with volunteer life savers monitoring conditions. Meanwhile, flash flooding caused several road closures across south-east Queensland with at least five people left stranded by floodwaters. Emergency services including a rescue 500 chopper were called to McNamara Rd at Rocksberg, east of Caboolture on Saturday after multiple cars became stuck. Queensland Fire and Emergency Service said the motorists had become stranded near where the road crossed the Caboolture River. Heavy rain and wind gusts of up to 85km/h hit southeast Queensland as Cyclone Seth was downgraded from a Catergory 2 to Catergory 1 system on Saturday A rescue 500 helicopter was deployed to help the residents, however four hours later the river subsided and all five vehicles were able to cross safely. Additional areas including Buchanan Rd at Morayfield, Kirri Ave at Petrie, Mott St at Brendale and Strong Rd at Rush Creek, were also closed due to flash flooding. Currently the southeast's combined dams level has reached 63.5 per cent with 10 dams spilling over after a week of deluge. Cyclone Seth is expected to weaken on on Sunday and Monday as it moves south off the Queensland Coast. The cyclone is expected to weaken on on Sunday and Monday as it moves south off the Queensland Coast But the Bureau warned it could return mid next week as a weaker system. 'It's building quite significantly and will really build into the weekend,' Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Helen Reid told The Courier Mail on Friday. 'People might need to think twice about hitting the beach over the weekend because as well as the large swell, it will also be quite windy.' Ms Reid added rain was forecast for New Year's Day but the downpour would begin to ease from Sunday. 'It should be sunnier from Monday', she said, 'but with still a shower or two predicted for the rest of the week.' Europe has surpassed 100 million cases of coronavirus since the pandemic began nearly two years ago, according to data from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. Worldwide, nearly 290 million cases have been recorded. Nearly 5 million of Europes cases were reported in the last seven days, with 17 of the 52 countries or territories that make up Europe setting single-day new case records thanks to the highly contagious omicron variant, Agence France-Presse reported Saturday. More than 1 million of those cases were reported in France, which has joined the U.S., India, Brazil, Britain and Russia to become the sixth country to confirm more than 10 million cases since the pandemic began, Reuters reported. Indias health ministry reported 22,775 new cases of the coronavirus Saturday, saying the new cases bring the countrys omicron variant count to 1,431. Public health officials, however, have warned that the countrys COVID-19 tallies are likely undercounted. The Sydney Morning Herald reported Saturday that paramedics in the Australian state of New South Wales had a record breaking level of calls overnight, resulting in its busiest night in 126 years, as the omicron variant of coronavirus sweeps across the globe. New South Wales Ambulance Inspector Kay Armstrong told the newspaper the telephone calls included, the usual business of New Years Evealcohol-related cases, accidents, obviously mischiefand then we had COVID on top of that. The Herald reported paramedics also received time-wasting calls from people wanting COVID-19 test results. Matthew Taylor, chief executive of Britains NHS Confederation, said the omicron variant will test the limits of finite NHS [National Health Service] capacity even more than a typical winter. Taylor also predicted that hospitals will be forced to make difficult choices because of the variant. CNN reports that more than 30 colleges and universities have changed the starting date of their spring semesters as the omicron variant crosses the United States. The Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center on Saturday reported more than 289 million global COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began. The center said 9.1 billion vaccinations have been administered. Some information for this report was provided by Reuters and Agence France-Presse. New Delhi, Jan 1 : The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police on Saturday arrested Anil Goel, the Director of Lucknow-based Skyhigh InfraProject Pvt Ltd, in connection with a cheating case. Chhaya Sharma, Joint Commissioner of Police, EOW, said that Skyhigh InfraProject had finalised a deal to purchase a plot in Ghaziabad, UP, for a total consideration of Rs 57.55 crore in order to develop a residential project named 'Marina Suits'. In 2015, on the assurance of the alleged company, the complainant company executed sales deed for Phase I of the land in favour of the company. The final sales deed of the land was to be executed in favour of the accused company after receiving full payment of sales consideration from the alleged company. However, one of the accused directors, Anil Goel, approached the complainant company and induced it to execute the final sales deed in respect of the above said remaining land, in favour of the alleged company on the basis of post dated cheques. The alleged company also assured that all the cheques mentioned in the final sales deed would be honoured on due dates. Acting on the assurance, in 2018, the complainant company executed the sales deed in favour of the accused company against post-dated cheques issued by Goel's company as mentioned in the sales deed. However, the said cheques of Rs 16 crore got dishonoured. "Investigation revealed that 36 cheques amounting to Rs 23.28 crore were provided for balance sales consideration of the said amount. It was promised by the accused company that all the cheques mentioned in the sales deed registered in 2018 would be honoured. But 27 cheques worth Rs 16 crore got dishonoured," said a senior police official. The possession of the land had already been provided to Goel's company prior to honouring the cheques with all valid documents. Goel induced the complainant to execute the sales deed for the property on the basis of issuing post-dated cheques and the same were dishonoured on presentation. The police said that after lodging a case, they started the investigation which led to the arrest of the accused. "In the present project, Goel induced the complainant by showing his old profile to win confidence. He made the victim believe that Goel is having a clean record and can be trusted without any suspicion," said the police official. Hundreds of people have died in stampedes at temples and other Hindu religious gatherings over the years in India. Here is a list of some of such major tragedies that have taken place in the country after 2000: August 27, 2003: 39 people were killed and around 140 injured in a stampede during the holy bath at the Kumbh Mela in Maharashtra's Nashik district January 25, 2005: More than 340 devotees were trampled to death and hundreds injured during an annual pilgrimage at Mandhardevi temple in Maharashtra's Satara district. The accident occurred when some people fell down on the steps made slippery by devotees breaking coconuts. Also Read | 12 dead, over a dozen injured in stampede at Vaishno Devi shrine in J&K August 3, 2008: 162 dead, 47 injured in stampede triggered by rumours of rockslides at Naina Devi temple in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh September 30, 2008: Nearly 250 devotees killed and over 60 injured in stampede triggered by rumours of bomb going off at Chamunda Devi temple in Rajasthan's Jodhpur city March 4, 2010: About 63 people were killed in a stampede at Ram Janki Temple of Kripalu Maharaj in Uttar Pradesh's Pratapgarh district as people gathered to collect free clothes and food from the self-styled godman. November 8, 2011: At least 20 people were killed in stampede in Haridwar at Har-ki-Pauri ghat on banks of the Ganga river November 19, 2012: Around 20 people were killed and many others injured as a makeshift bridge caved in, triggering a stampede during Chhath Puja at Adalat Ghat on the bank of river Ganga in Patna Also Read | Vaishno Devi stampede: Survivors blame 'mismanagement', shrine board refutes charge October 13, 2013: 115 people were killed and over 100 injured in a stampede during Navratri festivities near Ratangarh temple in Madhya Pradesh's Datia district. The stampede was triggered by rumours that a river bridge the devotees were crossing was about to collapse. October 3, 2014: Thirty-two people were killed and 26 others injured in a stampede at Gandhi Maidan in Patna, shortly after the Dussehra celebrations ended. July 14, 2015: Twenty-seven pilgrims died and 20 others were injured in a stampede at a major bathing spot on the banks of the Godavari river where a huge crowd of devotees had gathered on the opening day of 'Pushkaram' festival in Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh. January 1, 2022: At least 12 people died and over a dozen were injured in a stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir triggered by a heavy rush of devotees. Check out DH's latest videos: While 2021 was a boom time for legal marijuana sales in Illinois, it was another wasted year for minority entrepreneurs trying to break into the business, and a mixed experience for customers. Recreational cannabis retail sales continued to climb steadily this year, to more than $1.2 billion, roughly an 85% increase from 2020 through November of this year alone. The medical cannabis program reached 136,000 active patients, who spent another $362 million. The sales generated more than $300 million in tax revenue in fiscal year 2021 more than from alcohol. Advertisement But after new applicants waited through more than a year of delays for business licenses, judges prevented them from opening dispensaries while litigation dragged on, with no solution in sight. The year saw many new twists in the cannabis field. Sales took off for hemp-derived Delta-8 THC, called weed light, despite existing in a legal gray area. Huge multistate companies gobbled up independent dispensaries and expanded dramatically. In one constant, prices of marijuana in Illinois remained among the highest in the nation. Advertisement While cannabis remains illegal under federal law, proposals to decriminalize it or let banks finance it have been slowly gaining some support among lawmakers. The year also ushered in a vast array of new products and consumer trends. Here are a few reasons why 2021 was a great year for big cannabis operators in Illinois, but frustrating for newcomers. Consolidation Several cannabis companies founded and headquartered in Chicago have become among the largest operators in the nation, while out-of-state operators have come into Illinois, by opening new facilities or buying up competitors. Cresco Labs and Curaleaf each have grown to the maximum 10 retail sites in Illinois; PharmaCann has eight; Ascend Wellness, seven; Green Thumb Industries lists nine stores on its website; nuEra has six, and Zen Leaf operates 10. Together, that means seven companies control 60 of the 110 weed stores in the state. People attend the grand opening of Cresco Labs' flagship Sunnyside recreational marijuana store, which is a block south of Wrigley Field, on Nov. 15, 2021. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) The number of growers is even more limited. A mere 18 companies are allowed to grow cannabis compared with hundreds of companies that do so in Western states like Oregon or California, where they have the opposite problem of oversupply to the illegal market. Licensed growers in Illinois say they support new entrants to the market by helping with the complicated application process, by paying hundreds of thousands of dollars each in state fees to help fund startups and for seed projects to help them get started. PharmaCann promised $600,000 to help fund scholarships and build Oakton Community Colleges new cannabis cultivation laboratory. Cresco Labs created its new Illinois Cannabis Education Center in Chicago, which offers a mock dispensary and training facility for aspiring workers and owners. By state law, there was supposed to be a slew of new businesses licensed last year, with favoritism toward poor, largely minority areas with high rates of cannabis arrests. But after a series of delays, applicants complained that consultant KPMG had scored applications unfairly, resulting in wealthy, white, politically connected winners. To address the complaints and associated lawsuits, state lawmakers authorized 185 new dispensary licenses. But Cook County Judge Moshe Jacobius ordered that those licenses not be awarded while he wades through lawsuits challenging the process. The state did award 40 new craft grower licenses plus infuser and transporter licenses, but Cook County Judge Neil Cohen forbade the issuance of up to 60 new craft grower licenses due this year, while the courts try to resolve litigation from applicants who were disqualified. Advertisement None of this slowed down the existing market. Companies that had been granted licenses to open medical marijuana dispensaries since 2015 were allowed to also sell recreational weed, and to expand to second locations. Because of its artificially constrained market, Illinois still has among the highest-priced weed in the country. Wholesale flower prices reached nearly $4,000 per pound, analyst Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. estimated three times the U.S. average pegged by price tracking company Cannabis Benchmarks. With customers paying $19 per gram for retail flower, Cantor Fitzgerald estimated average annual sales per store at nearly $17 million. Moldy weed worries A big part of the demand $1 out of every $3 spent is from out of state, since Illinois is surrounded by states that dont allow recreational sales. Michigan does have adult use sales, but was hit by a large public recall of cannabis that had high levels of mold or other contaminants, with stores required to post notices alerting customers for a month after sales. Illinois, in contrast, issued a recall and quarantine this year, but kept it quiet. In May, the state Department of Financial and Professional Regulation sent dispensaries notice of a voluntary recall of Veranos Mag Landrace flower due to possible mold contamination. The department investigated the issue, but said it is prohibited by the state cannabis law from disclosing the results. In addition, a former production supervisor for PharmaCann, William Sanford, filed suit claiming that he was fired for repeatedly reporting moldy cannabis for removal after it had passed lab tests. The tests only sample a small part of each crop, so mold may grow undetected and may sicken those who eat it or inhale its spores. Sanford said he was told to stop reporting mold, but continued to do so, and was terminated in July. PharmaCann acknowledged that mold is a factor with any agricultural product, but is tightly controlled. By state law, all legal cannabis products must undergo lab tests to pass strict state limits on mold, pesticides, metals and other contaminants. If they fail, they may be treated with solvents for use in edibles, vapes and other products, but must be tested again to meet safety requirements. Options for sterilizing cannabis include irradiation or ozone gas, as used in the food industry. Advertisement Microdosing Customers may have noticed a dizzying variety of new products this year. One growing trend was in the area of low-dose edibles, for consumers to better control their experience. Rather than the 10 milligrams of THC, the main component that gets users high, which was previously suggested as a serving size, mints and gummies now often contain 5 or 3 mg, often with matching cannabidiol, or CBD, for users who want to relax without getting too high or paranoid. One study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Chicago found that low levels of THC reduced stress, while slightly higher doses that produced a mild high actually increased anxiety. And a survey by BDS Analytics Report found that 43% of edibles customers prefer low-dose products, and half of customers chose products based on the amount of CBD, which is thought to have a moderating effect on THC. Beverages are also growing in popularity, offering moderate doses of THC and the quick onset of effects without the smoke. For hardcore users, there are still plenty of high-powered flower, vapes and concentrates approaching 90% THC. Flowering cannabis plants are illuminated by artificial lighting at a tour called "Chitiva," given by workers at Prescribd, a cannabis cultivation company, at one of its cultivation centers on July 17, 2021, in Bridgeview. The interactive tour shows the start-to-finish process of growing cannabis. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) For those who dont like the high prices and taxes of licensed weed, this year saw the rise of Delta-8 THC. Its typically said to be derived from hemp, and provides similar, if milder, effects as the traditional Delta-9 THC found in pot. Its often sold in gas stations or vape shops. A proposal to outlaw such knockoff cannabinoids did not pass in Springfield this year, but may be reconsidered in the spring session. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Cannabis suppliers continue to compete for customers through word-of-mouth and the occasional competition. Most recently, the High Times Cannabis Cup named its winners for 2021, as judged by public participants. Advertisement Wait till next year Looking ahead to 2022, state Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat, has proposed legislation to expand the new craft growers licenses from 5,000 square feet to 14,000 square feet or more. That would still be a far cry from the 210,000 square feet of canopy that existing growers are allowed, but would help business owners get more financing based on their ability to produce more revenue. Also, in light of the courts de facto lockout of new minority owners, a group called Ex-Cons for Community & Social Change held protests this year, calling for consumers to support their local weed man, or illegal dealers. Tyrone Muhammad, executive director of Ex-Cons for Community and Social Change, left, talks with local resident Keith Fort, right, on April 12, 2021, in front of Sunnyside dispensary in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago. Muhammad and others in ECCSC hosted a demonstration against big money dispensaries muscling out would-be minority owners outside the dispensary. (Raquel Zaldivar / Chicago Tribune) Founder Tyrone Muhammad of Englewood, who served 21 years in prison for murder and now says hes trying to rebuild his community, called for creation of a peddlers license, so people without the money to open a bricks-and-mortar facility can take part in the cannabis industry. He believes licensing would reduce the violence that accompanies illegal drug dealing. Muhammad is also pushing to change state law to drop the ban on former felons working in the field. As it stands, only those with low-level convictions can get expungements and get licensed. Its still a farce, he said. In any other industry, as an ex-con, I can work. But I cant work in the cannabis space. rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com While 2021 was a boom time for legal marijuana sales in Illinois, it was another wasted year for minority entrepreneurs trying to break into the business, and a mixed experience for customers. Recreational cannabis retail sales continued to climb steadily this year, to more than $1.2 billion, roughly an 85% increase from 2020 through November of this year alone. The medical cannabis program reached 136,000 active patients, who spent another $362 million. The sales generated more than $300 million in tax revenue in fiscal year 2021 more than from alcohol. Advertisement But after new applicants waited through more than a year of delays for business licenses, judges prevented them from opening dispensaries while litigation dragged on, with no solution in sight. The year saw many new twists in the cannabis field. Sales took off for hemp-derived Delta-8 THC, called weed light, despite existing in a legal gray area. Huge multistate companies gobbled up independent dispensaries and expanded dramatically. In one constant, prices of marijuana in Illinois remained among the highest in the nation. Advertisement While cannabis remains illegal under federal law, proposals to decriminalize it or let banks finance it have been slowly gaining some support among lawmakers. The year also ushered in a vast array of new products and consumer trends. Here are a few reasons why 2021 was a great year for big cannabis operators in Illinois, but frustrating for newcomers. Consolidation Several cannabis companies founded and headquartered in Chicago have become among the largest operators in the nation, while out-of-state operators have come into Illinois, by opening new facilities or buying up competitors. Cresco Labs and Curaleaf each have grown to the maximum 10 retail sites in Illinois; PharmaCann has eight; Ascend Wellness, seven; Green Thumb Industries lists nine stores on its website; nuEra has six, and Zen Leaf operates 10. Together, that means seven companies control 60 of the 110 weed stores in the state. People attend the grand opening of Cresco Labs' flagship Sunnyside recreational marijuana store, which is a block south of Wrigley Field, on Nov. 15, 2021. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) The number of growers is even more limited. A mere 18 companies are allowed to grow cannabis compared with hundreds of companies that do so in Western states like Oregon or California, where they have the opposite problem of oversupply to the illegal market. Licensed growers in Illinois say they support new entrants to the market by helping with the complicated application process, by paying hundreds of thousands of dollars each in state fees to help fund startups and for seed projects to help them get started. PharmaCann promised $600,000 to help fund scholarships and build Oakton Community Colleges new cannabis cultivation laboratory. Cresco Labs created its new Illinois Cannabis Education Center in Chicago, which offers a mock dispensary and training facility for aspiring workers and owners. By state law, there was supposed to be a slew of new businesses licensed last year, with favoritism toward poor, largely minority areas with high rates of cannabis arrests. But after a series of delays, applicants complained that consultant KPMG had scored applications unfairly, resulting in wealthy, white, politically connected winners. To address the complaints and associated lawsuits, state lawmakers authorized 185 new dispensary licenses. But Cook County Judge Moshe Jacobius ordered that those licenses not be awarded while he wades through lawsuits challenging the process. The state did award 40 new craft grower licenses plus infuser and transporter licenses, but Cook County Judge Neil Cohen forbade the issuance of up to 60 new craft grower licenses due this year, while the courts try to resolve litigation from applicants who were disqualified. Advertisement None of this slowed down the existing market. Companies that had been granted licenses to open medical marijuana dispensaries since 2015 were allowed to also sell recreational weed, and to expand to second locations. Because of its artificially constrained market, Illinois still has among the highest-priced weed in the country. Wholesale flower prices reached nearly $4,000 per pound, analyst Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. estimated three times the U.S. average pegged by price tracking company Cannabis Benchmarks. With customers paying $19 per gram for retail flower, Cantor Fitzgerald estimated average annual sales per store at nearly $17 million. Moldy weed worries A big part of the demand $1 out of every $3 spent is from out of state, since Illinois is surrounded by states that dont allow recreational sales. Michigan does have adult use sales, but was hit by a large public recall of cannabis that had high levels of mold or other contaminants, with stores required to post notices alerting customers for a month after sales. Illinois, in contrast, issued a recall and quarantine this year, but kept it quiet. In May, the state Department of Financial and Professional Regulation sent dispensaries notice of a voluntary recall of Veranos Mag Landrace flower due to possible mold contamination. The department investigated the issue, but said it is prohibited by the state cannabis law from disclosing the results. In addition, a former production supervisor for PharmaCann, William Sanford, filed suit claiming that he was fired for repeatedly reporting moldy cannabis for removal after it had passed lab tests. The tests only sample a small part of each crop, so mold may grow undetected and may sicken those who eat it or inhale its spores. Sanford said he was told to stop reporting mold, but continued to do so, and was terminated in July. PharmaCann acknowledged that mold is a factor with any agricultural product, but is tightly controlled. By state law, all legal cannabis products must undergo lab tests to pass strict state limits on mold, pesticides, metals and other contaminants. If they fail, they may be treated with solvents for use in edibles, vapes and other products, but must be tested again to meet safety requirements. Options for sterilizing cannabis include irradiation or ozone gas, as used in the food industry. Advertisement Microdosing Customers may have noticed a dizzying variety of new products this year. One growing trend was in the area of low-dose edibles, for consumers to better control their experience. Rather than the 10 milligrams of THC, the main component that gets users high, which was previously suggested as a serving size, mints and gummies now often contain 5 or 3 mg, often with matching cannabidiol, or CBD, for users who want to relax without getting too high or paranoid. One study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Chicago found that low levels of THC reduced stress, while slightly higher doses that produced a mild high actually increased anxiety. And a survey by BDS Analytics Report found that 43% of edibles customers prefer low-dose products, and half of customers chose products based on the amount of CBD, which is thought to have a moderating effect on THC. Beverages are also growing in popularity, offering moderate doses of THC and the quick onset of effects without the smoke. For hardcore users, there are still plenty of high-powered flower, vapes and concentrates approaching 90% THC. Flowering cannabis plants are illuminated by artificial lighting at a tour called "Chitiva," given by workers at Prescribd, a cannabis cultivation company, at one of its cultivation centers on July 17, 2021, in Bridgeview. The interactive tour shows the start-to-finish process of growing cannabis. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) For those who dont like the high prices and taxes of licensed weed, this year saw the rise of Delta-8 THC. Its typically said to be derived from hemp, and provides similar, if milder, effects as the traditional Delta-9 THC found in pot. Its often sold in gas stations or vape shops. A proposal to outlaw such knockoff cannabinoids did not pass in Springfield this year, but may be reconsidered in the spring session. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Cannabis suppliers continue to compete for customers through word-of-mouth and the occasional competition. Most recently, the High Times Cannabis Cup named its winners for 2021, as judged by public participants. Advertisement Wait till next year Looking ahead to 2022, state Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat, has proposed legislation to expand the new craft growers licenses from 5,000 square feet to 14,000 square feet or more. That would still be a far cry from the 210,000 square feet of canopy that existing growers are allowed, but would help business owners get more financing based on their ability to produce more revenue. Also, in light of the courts de facto lockout of new minority owners, a group called Ex-Cons for Community & Social Change held protests this year, calling for consumers to support their local weed man, or illegal dealers. Tyrone Muhammad, executive director of Ex-Cons for Community and Social Change, left, talks with local resident Keith Fort, right, on April 12, 2021, in front of Sunnyside dispensary in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago. Muhammad and others in ECCSC hosted a demonstration against big money dispensaries muscling out would-be minority owners outside the dispensary. (Raquel Zaldivar / Chicago Tribune) Founder Tyrone Muhammad of Englewood, who served 21 years in prison for murder and now says hes trying to rebuild his community, called for creation of a peddlers license, so people without the money to open a bricks-and-mortar facility can take part in the cannabis industry. He believes licensing would reduce the violence that accompanies illegal drug dealing. Muhammad is also pushing to change state law to drop the ban on former felons working in the field. As it stands, only those with low-level convictions can get expungements and get licensed. Its still a farce, he said. In any other industry, as an ex-con, I can work. But I cant work in the cannabis space. rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com SIOUX CITY -- The weather forecast calls for a possible dusting of snow, perhaps as much as an inch, in Sioux City Friday night, a fitting end to a year in which precipitation often came in small doses, if at all. Barring a surprise blizzard of epic proportions, 2021 will be the second straight year Sioux City sees its yearly precipitation total fall far short of average. Through Thursday, Sioux Gateway Airport had recorded 22.96 inches of precipitation, more than 6 inches below the normal of 29.27 inches. The year will end as the 37th driest year in records dating back to 1896. Paired with the 20.08 inches from 2020 -- the 16th driest year on record -- the 43.04 inches makes it the 12th driest two-year period on record. The two-year dry trend is not enough to get worked up about, said Justin Glisan, Iowa's state climatologist. Climate patterns indicate Iowa has become wetter over the past 30 years, so he doesn't anticipate the dry conditions to continue. "What we've seen over the recent term is a blip," Glisan said. "We're inclined to see wetter years than drier years. The longer-term trends do show wetter conditions moving forward." Are the past two years a fluke or the beginning of a changing weather pattern? Two years is not a long enough period from which to draw conclusions, Glisan said. "Ask me that in five years," Glisan said. The Sioux City area may be stuck in a dry pattern, but it came immediately after the wettest two-year period in history. Sioux City received 37.77 inches of moisture in 2018 and 33.88 inches in 2019. "We've been jumping back and forth, but we would need a longer window to detect a pattern," Glisan said. December will end dry, and would have been drier if not for a rare thunderstorm on the 15th that dropped nearly half an inch of rain on Sioux City. Just 1.5 inches of snow have fallen this month, below the normal of 7.6 inches. For the month, Sioux City has received 0.65 inches of precipitation. The normal is 0.99 inches. Glisan said this winter is setting up similarly to last year, when a La Nina weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean led to higher snow totals in January and February. A similar La Nina is occurring this year, Glisan said, leading to expectations of a buildup of snowpack the first two months of 2022. Ideally, he said, Siouxland would see that snow melt during a gentle March thaw, allowing the moisture to soak into the soil rather than run off. Despite the dry year, Northwest Iowa is in better shape than a year ago, Glisan said. Many areas entered 2021 with moisture deficits of 10-14 inches. Aided by some plentiful rains in the fall, those deficits are about 4-6 inches in much of the Sioux City area heading into 2022. The U.S. Drought Monitor's map released Thursday shows of all of Buena Vista County and sections of Woodbury, Plymouth, Ida, Cherokee, O'Brien, Sac and Clay counties in a band of abnormally dry conditions. A small patch in Cherokee and Buena Vista counties is in moderate drought. A year ago, all of Northwest Iowa was in moderate, severe or extreme drought. "I feel better than I did last year," Glisan said. "We're on much better footing on soil moisture and precipitation deficit-wise than we were last year." Glisan said it's a coin flip on whether 2022 will begin wetter or drier. The January-March outlook shows an equal chance of below- or above-normal precipitation. While 2021 was a boom time for legal marijuana sales in Illinois, it was another wasted year for minority entrepreneurs trying to break into the business, and a mixed experience for customers. Recreational cannabis retail sales continued to climb steadily this year, to more than $1.2 billion, roughly an 85% increase from 2020 through November of this year alone. The medical cannabis program reached 136,000 active patients, who spent another $362 million. The sales generated more than $300 million in tax revenue in fiscal year 2021 more than from alcohol. Advertisement But after new applicants waited through more than a year of delays for business licenses, judges prevented them from opening dispensaries while litigation dragged on, with no solution in sight. The year saw many new twists in the cannabis field. Sales took off for hemp-derived Delta-8 THC, called weed light, despite existing in a legal gray area. Huge multistate companies gobbled up independent dispensaries and expanded dramatically. In one constant, prices of marijuana in Illinois remained among the highest in the nation. Advertisement While cannabis remains illegal under federal law, proposals to decriminalize it or let banks finance it have been slowly gaining some support among lawmakers. The year also ushered in a vast array of new products and consumer trends. Here are a few reasons why 2021 was a great year for big cannabis operators in Illinois, but frustrating for newcomers. Consolidation Several cannabis companies founded and headquartered in Chicago have become among the largest operators in the nation, while out-of-state operators have come into Illinois, by opening new facilities or buying up competitors. Cresco Labs and Curaleaf each have grown to the maximum 10 retail sites in Illinois; PharmaCann has eight; Ascend Wellness, seven; Green Thumb Industries lists nine stores on its website; nuEra has six, and Zen Leaf operates 10. Together, that means seven companies control 60 of the 110 weed stores in the state. People attend the grand opening of Cresco Labs' flagship Sunnyside recreational marijuana store, which is a block south of Wrigley Field, on Nov. 15, 2021. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) The number of growers is even more limited. A mere 18 companies are allowed to grow cannabis compared with hundreds of companies that do so in Western states like Oregon or California, where they have the opposite problem of oversupply to the illegal market. Licensed growers in Illinois say they support new entrants to the market by helping with the complicated application process, by paying hundreds of thousands of dollars each in state fees to help fund startups and for seed projects to help them get started. PharmaCann promised $600,000 to help fund scholarships and build Oakton Community Colleges new cannabis cultivation laboratory. Cresco Labs created its new Illinois Cannabis Education Center in Chicago, which offers a mock dispensary and training facility for aspiring workers and owners. By state law, there was supposed to be a slew of new businesses licensed last year, with favoritism toward poor, largely minority areas with high rates of cannabis arrests. But after a series of delays, applicants complained that consultant KPMG had scored applications unfairly, resulting in wealthy, white, politically connected winners. To address the complaints and associated lawsuits, state lawmakers authorized 185 new dispensary licenses. But Cook County Judge Moshe Jacobius ordered that those licenses not be awarded while he wades through lawsuits challenging the process. The state did award 40 new craft grower licenses plus infuser and transporter licenses, but Cook County Judge Neil Cohen forbade the issuance of up to 60 new craft grower licenses due this year, while the courts try to resolve litigation from applicants who were disqualified. Advertisement None of this slowed down the existing market. Companies that had been granted licenses to open medical marijuana dispensaries since 2015 were allowed to also sell recreational weed, and to expand to second locations. Because of its artificially constrained market, Illinois still has among the highest-priced weed in the country. Wholesale flower prices reached nearly $4,000 per pound, analyst Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. estimated three times the U.S. average pegged by price tracking company Cannabis Benchmarks. With customers paying $19 per gram for retail flower, Cantor Fitzgerald estimated average annual sales per store at nearly $17 million. Moldy weed worries A big part of the demand $1 out of every $3 spent is from out of state, since Illinois is surrounded by states that dont allow recreational sales. Michigan does have adult use sales, but was hit by a large public recall of cannabis that had high levels of mold or other contaminants, with stores required to post notices alerting customers for a month after sales. Illinois, in contrast, issued a recall and quarantine this year, but kept it quiet. In May, the state Department of Financial and Professional Regulation sent dispensaries notice of a voluntary recall of Veranos Mag Landrace flower due to possible mold contamination. The department investigated the issue, but said it is prohibited by the state cannabis law from disclosing the results. In addition, a former production supervisor for PharmaCann, William Sanford, filed suit claiming that he was fired for repeatedly reporting moldy cannabis for removal after it had passed lab tests. The tests only sample a small part of each crop, so mold may grow undetected and may sicken those who eat it or inhale its spores. Sanford said he was told to stop reporting mold, but continued to do so, and was terminated in July. PharmaCann acknowledged that mold is a factor with any agricultural product, but is tightly controlled. By state law, all legal cannabis products must undergo lab tests to pass strict state limits on mold, pesticides, metals and other contaminants. If they fail, they may be treated with solvents for use in edibles, vapes and other products, but must be tested again to meet safety requirements. Options for sterilizing cannabis include irradiation or ozone gas, as used in the food industry. Advertisement Microdosing Customers may have noticed a dizzying variety of new products this year. One growing trend was in the area of low-dose edibles, for consumers to better control their experience. Rather than the 10 milligrams of THC, the main component that gets users high, which was previously suggested as a serving size, mints and gummies now often contain 5 or 3 mg, often with matching cannabidiol, or CBD, for users who want to relax without getting too high or paranoid. One study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Chicago found that low levels of THC reduced stress, while slightly higher doses that produced a mild high actually increased anxiety. And a survey by BDS Analytics Report found that 43% of edibles customers prefer low-dose products, and half of customers chose products based on the amount of CBD, which is thought to have a moderating effect on THC. Beverages are also growing in popularity, offering moderate doses of THC and the quick onset of effects without the smoke. For hardcore users, there are still plenty of high-powered flower, vapes and concentrates approaching 90% THC. Flowering cannabis plants are illuminated by artificial lighting at a tour called "Chitiva," given by workers at Prescribd, a cannabis cultivation company, at one of its cultivation centers on July 17, 2021, in Bridgeview. The interactive tour shows the start-to-finish process of growing cannabis. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) For those who dont like the high prices and taxes of licensed weed, this year saw the rise of Delta-8 THC. Its typically said to be derived from hemp, and provides similar, if milder, effects as the traditional Delta-9 THC found in pot. Its often sold in gas stations or vape shops. A proposal to outlaw such knockoff cannabinoids did not pass in Springfield this year, but may be reconsidered in the spring session. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Cannabis suppliers continue to compete for customers through word-of-mouth and the occasional competition. Most recently, the High Times Cannabis Cup named its winners for 2021, as judged by public participants. Advertisement Wait till next year Looking ahead to 2022, state Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat, has proposed legislation to expand the new craft growers licenses from 5,000 square feet to 14,000 square feet or more. That would still be a far cry from the 210,000 square feet of canopy that existing growers are allowed, but would help business owners get more financing based on their ability to produce more revenue. Also, in light of the courts de facto lockout of new minority owners, a group called Ex-Cons for Community & Social Change held protests this year, calling for consumers to support their local weed man, or illegal dealers. Tyrone Muhammad, executive director of Ex-Cons for Community and Social Change, left, talks with local resident Keith Fort, right, on April 12, 2021, in front of Sunnyside dispensary in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago. Muhammad and others in ECCSC hosted a demonstration against big money dispensaries muscling out would-be minority owners outside the dispensary. (Raquel Zaldivar / Chicago Tribune) Founder Tyrone Muhammad of Englewood, who served 21 years in prison for murder and now says hes trying to rebuild his community, called for creation of a peddlers license, so people without the money to open a bricks-and-mortar facility can take part in the cannabis industry. He believes licensing would reduce the violence that accompanies illegal drug dealing. Muhammad is also pushing to change state law to drop the ban on former felons working in the field. As it stands, only those with low-level convictions can get expungements and get licensed. Its still a farce, he said. In any other industry, as an ex-con, I can work. But I cant work in the cannabis space. rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com Hundreds of people have died in stampedes at temples and other Hindu religious gatherings over the years in India. Here is a list of some of such major tragedies that have taken place in the country after 2000: August 27, 2003: 39 people were killed and around 140 injured in a stampede during the holy bath at the Kumbh Mela in Maharashtra's Nashik district January 25, 2005: More than 340 devotees were trampled to death and hundreds injured during an annual pilgrimage at Mandhardevi temple in Maharashtra's Satara district. The accident occurred when some people fell down on the steps made slippery by devotees breaking coconuts. Also Read | 12 dead, over a dozen injured in stampede at Vaishno Devi shrine in J&K August 3, 2008: 162 dead, 47 injured in stampede triggered by rumours of rockslides at Naina Devi temple in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh September 30, 2008: Nearly 250 devotees killed and over 60 injured in stampede triggered by rumours of bomb going off at Chamunda Devi temple in Rajasthan's Jodhpur city March 4, 2010: About 63 people were killed in a stampede at Ram Janki Temple of Kripalu Maharaj in Uttar Pradesh's Pratapgarh district as people gathered to collect free clothes and food from the self-styled godman. November 8, 2011: At least 20 people were killed in stampede in Haridwar at Har-ki-Pauri ghat on banks of the Ganga river November 19, 2012: Around 20 people were killed and many others injured as a makeshift bridge caved in, triggering a stampede during Chhath Puja at Adalat Ghat on the bank of river Ganga in Patna Also Read | Vaishno Devi stampede: Survivors blame 'mismanagement', shrine board refutes charge October 13, 2013: 115 people were killed and over 100 injured in a stampede during Navratri festivities near Ratangarh temple in Madhya Pradesh's Datia district. The stampede was triggered by rumours that a river bridge the devotees were crossing was about to collapse. October 3, 2014: Thirty-two people were killed and 26 others injured in a stampede at Gandhi Maidan in Patna, shortly after the Dussehra celebrations ended. July 14, 2015: Twenty-seven pilgrims died and 20 others were injured in a stampede at a major bathing spot on the banks of the Godavari river where a huge crowd of devotees had gathered on the opening day of 'Pushkaram' festival in Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh. January 1, 2022: At least 12 people died and over a dozen were injured in a stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir triggered by a heavy rush of devotees. Check out DH's latest videos: People wearing face masks arrive at a COVID-19 vaccination clinic in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, Dec. 31, 2021.(Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua) OTTAWA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Canada is going through its worst spike in COVID-19 cases yet, driven by the Omicron variant, with 41,210 new cases reported on Friday evening, an all-time high for daily cases since the pandemic hit the country in February 2020. The latest cases raised the country's cumulative caseload to 2,183,527, With 30,319 deaths, according to CTV news. Over the past weeks, the country's daily case counts have been rising due to the fast spread of the Omicron variant. Ontario, the most populous province, reported a record-breaking number of 16,713 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, while Quebec, another province, confirmed a record high of 16,461 cases. Across the country, most provinces have delayed the full return to classrooms in January to allow public health experts to assess the impact of the Omicron variant and prevent a potential surge in cases fueled by school children. Quebec will reintroduce a curfew starting Dec. 31 as the province battles an explosive rise of COVID-19 infections. People who violate the curfew are subject to fines ranging from 1,000 Canadian dollars (790 U.S. dollars) to 6,000 Canadian dollars (4,740 U.S. dollars). Places of worship in the province are closed, except for funerals of up to 25 people. Restaurant dining rooms are also closed, and stores are shut on Sundays for the next three weeks, except for gas stations and pharmacies. Enditem People wearing face masks line up to pick up free COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, Dec. 31, 2021. People wearing face masks line up to pick up free COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, Dec. 31, 2021. People wearing face masks arrive at a COVID-19 vaccination clinic in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, Dec. 31, 2021.(Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua) OTTAWA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Canada is going through its worst spike in COVID-19 cases yet, driven by the Omicron variant, with 41,210 new cases reported on Friday evening, an all-time high for daily cases since the pandemic hit the country in February 2020. The latest cases raised the country's cumulative caseload to 2,183,527, With 30,319 deaths, according to CTV news. Over the past weeks, the country's daily case counts have been rising due to the fast spread of the Omicron variant. Ontario, the most populous province, reported a record-breaking number of 16,713 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, while Quebec, another province, confirmed a record high of 16,461 cases. Across the country, most provinces have delayed the full return to classrooms in January to allow public health experts to assess the impact of the Omicron variant and prevent a potential surge in cases fueled by school children. Quebec will reintroduce a curfew starting Dec. 31 as the province battles an explosive rise of COVID-19 infections. People who violate the curfew are subject to fines ranging from 1,000 Canadian dollars (790 U.S. dollars) to 6,000 Canadian dollars (4,740 U.S. dollars). Places of worship in the province are closed, except for funerals of up to 25 people. Restaurant dining rooms are also closed, and stores are shut on Sundays for the next three weeks, except for gas stations and pharmacies. Enditem People wearing face masks line up to pick up free COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, Dec. 31, 2021. People wearing face masks line up to pick up free COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, Dec. 31, 2021. New Delhi, Jan 1 : The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police on Saturday arrested Anil Goel, the Director of Lucknow-based Skyhigh InfraProject Pvt Ltd, in connection with a cheating case. Chhaya Sharma, Joint Commissioner of Police, EOW, said that Skyhigh InfraProject had finalised a deal to purchase a plot in Ghaziabad, UP, for a total consideration of Rs 57.55 crore in order to develop a residential project named 'Marina Suits'. In 2015, on the assurance of the alleged company, the complainant company executed sales deed for Phase I of the land in favour of the company. The final sales deed of the land was to be executed in favour of the accused company after receiving full payment of sales consideration from the alleged company. However, one of the accused directors, Anil Goel, approached the complainant company and induced it to execute the final sales deed in respect of the above said remaining land, in favour of the alleged company on the basis of post dated cheques. The alleged company also assured that all the cheques mentioned in the final sales deed would be honoured on due dates. Acting on the assurance, in 2018, the complainant company executed the sales deed in favour of the accused company against post-dated cheques issued by Goel's company as mentioned in the sales deed. However, the said cheques of Rs 16 crore got dishonoured. "Investigation revealed that 36 cheques amounting to Rs 23.28 crore were provided for balance sales consideration of the said amount. It was promised by the accused company that all the cheques mentioned in the sales deed registered in 2018 would be honoured. But 27 cheques worth Rs 16 crore got dishonoured," said a senior police official. The possession of the land had already been provided to Goel's company prior to honouring the cheques with all valid documents. Goel induced the complainant to execute the sales deed for the property on the basis of issuing post-dated cheques and the same were dishonoured on presentation. The police said that after lodging a case, they started the investigation which led to the arrest of the accused. "In the present project, Goel induced the complainant by showing his old profile to win confidence. He made the victim believe that Goel is having a clean record and can be trusted without any suspicion," said the police official. A 19-year-old man was arrested in the fatal shooting of another 19-year-old man in Stoughton on New Years Eve, police reported. At about 5:05 p.m. Friday, Stoughton police officers and EMS personnel were sent to an apartment at 336 Olson Court on a report of an injured person from an apparent gunshot wound, Stoughton police said in a statement. Officers and EMS personnel found a 19-year-old man had been shot once in the chest, sustaining life-threatening injuries. The man later died at the hospital, police said. A 19-year-old man was identified as the shooter and arrested, police said. No further information was released and the incident remains under investigation, police said. Stoughton police said they were assisted at the scene by the Dane County Sheriffs Office. People line up to visit Mata Vaishno shrine in Jammu, the winter capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, Jan. 1, 2022. Many people visit the temple, Mata Vaishno shrine, on the first day of every year to offer prayers. (Str/Xinhua) NEW DELHI, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- At least 12 persons died and many were injured in a stampede near a temple in Jammu, India-controlled Kashmir early on Saturday, confirmed a senior policeman. The incident occurred at around 2:45 a.m. local time, after an argument broke out between two groups of people resulting in people pushing each other, and later led to the stampede. Most of the dead are said to be residents of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and one from India-controlled Kashmir, and the injured were sent to a local hospital. Many people visit the temple, Mata Vaishno shrine, on the first day of every year to offer prayers. Enditem Health workers carry the coffin of a victim who died in a stampede at Mata Vaishno shrine, outside a hospital in Jammu, the winter capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, Jan. 1, 2022. Many people visit the temple, Mata Vaishno shrine, on the first day of every year to offer prayers. (Str/Xinhua) People line up to visit Mata Vaishno shrine in Jammu, the winter capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, Jan. 1, 2022. Many people visit the temple, Mata Vaishno shrine, on the first day of every year to offer prayers. (Str/Xinhua) NEW DELHI, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- At least 12 persons died and many were injured in a stampede near a temple in Jammu, India-controlled Kashmir early on Saturday, confirmed a senior policeman. The incident occurred at around 2:45 a.m. local time, after an argument broke out between two groups of people resulting in people pushing each other, and later led to the stampede. Most of the dead are said to be residents of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and one from India-controlled Kashmir, and the injured were sent to a local hospital. Many people visit the temple, Mata Vaishno shrine, on the first day of every year to offer prayers. Enditem Health workers carry the coffin of a victim who died in a stampede at Mata Vaishno shrine, outside a hospital in Jammu, the winter capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, Jan. 1, 2022. Many people visit the temple, Mata Vaishno shrine, on the first day of every year to offer prayers. (Str/Xinhua) New Delhi, Jan 1 : Delhi Police on Saturday said they have arrested a man for allegedly posting private pictures of a girl on social media and blackmailing her for the same. The accused, identified as Rajesh Singh Suman, a resident of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, was arrested under sections 354D (stalking), 384 (extortion), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code. According to an official, a complaint was received at Dwarka South police station in which a girl levelled allegations against the accused Rajesh for stalking, blackmailing and threatening her. She alleged that she came in contact with the accused through a matrimonial website and also met him a couple of times. The complainant informed that she had shared her personal photographs with the accused. The marriage proposal was somehow later cancelled after which the accused started blackmailing and threatening the complainant to post her private photos on social platforms and share her photographs with multiple acquaintances. She further alleged that the accused made her fake Facebook and Instagram accounts in which he was posting her pictures. Based on the complaint, police registered an FIR and arrested the accused from Aligarh. During interrogation, the accused disclosed to have committed a number of such offences with various victims and the same were being analysed from his mobile phone data. "Further probe is still on," the official added. SIOUX CITY -- The weather forecast calls for a possible dusting of snow, perhaps as much as an inch, in Sioux City Friday night, a fitting end to a year in which precipitation often came in small doses, if at all. Barring a surprise blizzard of epic proportions, 2021 will be the second straight year Sioux City sees its yearly precipitation total fall far short of average. Through Thursday, Sioux Gateway Airport had recorded 22.96 inches of precipitation, more than 6 inches below the normal of 29.27 inches. The year will end as the 37th driest year in records dating back to 1896. Paired with the 20.08 inches from 2020 -- the 16th driest year on record -- the 43.04 inches makes it the 12th driest two-year period on record. The two-year dry trend is not enough to get worked up about, said Justin Glisan, Iowa's state climatologist. Climate patterns indicate Iowa has become wetter over the past 30 years, so he doesn't anticipate the dry conditions to continue. "What we've seen over the recent term is a blip," Glisan said. "We're inclined to see wetter years than drier years. The longer-term trends do show wetter conditions moving forward." Are the past two years a fluke or the beginning of a changing weather pattern? Two years is not a long enough period from which to draw conclusions, Glisan said. "Ask me that in five years," Glisan said. The Sioux City area may be stuck in a dry pattern, but it came immediately after the wettest two-year period in history. Sioux City received 37.77 inches of moisture in 2018 and 33.88 inches in 2019. "We've been jumping back and forth, but we would need a longer window to detect a pattern," Glisan said. December will end dry, and would have been drier if not for a rare thunderstorm on the 15th that dropped nearly half an inch of rain on Sioux City. Just 1.5 inches of snow have fallen this month, below the normal of 7.6 inches. For the month, Sioux City has received 0.65 inches of precipitation. The normal is 0.99 inches. Glisan said this winter is setting up similarly to last year, when a La Nina weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean led to higher snow totals in January and February. A similar La Nina is occurring this year, Glisan said, leading to expectations of a buildup of snowpack the first two months of 2022. Ideally, he said, Siouxland would see that snow melt during a gentle March thaw, allowing the moisture to soak into the soil rather than run off. Despite the dry year, Northwest Iowa is in better shape than a year ago, Glisan said. Many areas entered 2021 with moisture deficits of 10-14 inches. Aided by some plentiful rains in the fall, those deficits are about 4-6 inches in much of the Sioux City area heading into 2022. The U.S. Drought Monitor's map released Thursday shows of all of Buena Vista County and sections of Woodbury, Plymouth, Ida, Cherokee, O'Brien, Sac and Clay counties in a band of abnormally dry conditions. A small patch in Cherokee and Buena Vista counties is in moderate drought. A year ago, all of Northwest Iowa was in moderate, severe or extreme drought. "I feel better than I did last year," Glisan said. "We're on much better footing on soil moisture and precipitation deficit-wise than we were last year." Glisan said it's a coin flip on whether 2022 will begin wetter or drier. The January-March outlook shows an equal chance of below- or above-normal precipitation. A 19-year-old man was arrested in the fatal shooting of another 19-year-old man in Stoughton on New Years Eve, police reported. At about 5:05 p.m. Friday, Stoughton police officers and EMS personnel were sent to an apartment at 336 Olson Court on a report of an injured person from an apparent gunshot wound, Stoughton police said in a statement. Officers and EMS personnel found a 19-year-old man had been shot once in the chest, sustaining life-threatening injuries. The man later died at the hospital, police said. A 19-year-old man was identified as the shooter and arrested, police said. No further information was released and the incident remains under investigation, police said. Stoughton police said they were assisted at the scene by the Dane County Sheriffs Office. A 19-year-old man was arrested in the fatal shooting of another 19-year-old man in Stoughton on New Years Eve, police reported. At about 5:05 p.m. Friday, Stoughton police officers and EMS personnel were sent to an apartment at 336 Olson Court on a report of an injured person from an apparent gunshot wound, Stoughton police said in a statement. Officers and EMS personnel found a 19-year-old man had been shot once in the chest, sustaining life-threatening injuries. The man later died at the hospital, police said. A 19-year-old man was identified as the shooter and arrested, police said. No further information was released and the incident remains under investigation, police said. Stoughton police said they were assisted at the scene by the Dane County Sheriffs Office. Two persons (names withheld) are in Police custody helping in investigations regarding Julie Diane Williams, an American National, who was found dead on December 14, 2021, at Rayporsh Hotel at Abelemkpe in Accra. A statement signed by Assistant Commissioner Of Police (ACP) Kwesi Ofori, Director-General, Public Affairs and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the Ghana Police Service, Friday, had a meeting, via zoom with the family of the deceased. It said the family was officially informed of the investigations being conducted into the circumstances leading to her death. The statement said in line with international best practice, after informing the family of the current state of the investigations, they were now in a position to make public certain details about the case without compromising the ongoing investigations. It said preliminary Police investigation had established that the deceased US national arrived in Ghana on December 3, 2021, en route Nigeria. The statement said having tested positive for COVID-19 on arrival, she was taken into an isolation centre at Ave Maria Hotel, South Legon-Accra. It said further investigation revealed that on December 6, 2021, the deceased was picked up by some alleged friends from the isolation centre and taken to Zoko Lounge at Airport residential area where she had lunch and was then taken to the Rayporsh hotel at Abelemkpe. The statement said records available at the Rayporsh Hotel indicated that the deceased checked out from the Hotel on Sunday, December 12, 2021, at noon intending to travel back to Nigeria but could not proceed because of visa issues. It said she returned to the Hotel the same day at 1400 hours and checked in again. The statement said on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, Police received a complaint from two hotel staff to the effect that the said Julie Diane Williams was found unconscious in her room. It said a Police team proceeded to the Hotel and after the necessary protocols, took her to the Police Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. The statement said on Wednesday, December 29, 2021, a post mortem examination was conducted on the deceased, Julie Diane Williams, at the Police Hospital mortuary in the presence of the Police and one Godwin King Akpalu, a representative of the deceased's family who identified the body to the pathologist. It said Police was awaiting the full autopsy report, including toxicology and histopathology examinations. The statement said officials from the United States Embassy had been informed and had been helpful to the Police in the investigations. It assured the public, the relatives of the deceased and officials of the US Embassy that Police investigations into the death would be careful and thorough. GNA While 2021 was a boom time for legal marijuana sales in Illinois, it was another wasted year for minority entrepreneurs trying to break into the business, and a mixed experience for customers. Recreational cannabis retail sales continued to climb steadily this year, to more than $1.2 billion, roughly an 85% increase from 2020 through November of this year alone. The medical cannabis program reached 136,000 active patients, who spent another $362 million. The sales generated more than $300 million in tax revenue in fiscal year 2021 more than from alcohol. Advertisement But after new applicants waited through more than a year of delays for business licenses, judges prevented them from opening dispensaries while litigation dragged on, with no solution in sight. The year saw many new twists in the cannabis field. Sales took off for hemp-derived Delta-8 THC, called weed light, despite existing in a legal gray area. Huge multistate companies gobbled up independent dispensaries and expanded dramatically. In one constant, prices of marijuana in Illinois remained among the highest in the nation. Advertisement While cannabis remains illegal under federal law, proposals to decriminalize it or let banks finance it have been slowly gaining some support among lawmakers. The year also ushered in a vast array of new products and consumer trends. Here are a few reasons why 2021 was a great year for big cannabis operators in Illinois, but frustrating for newcomers. Consolidation Several cannabis companies founded and headquartered in Chicago have become among the largest operators in the nation, while out-of-state operators have come into Illinois, by opening new facilities or buying up competitors. Cresco Labs and Curaleaf each have grown to the maximum 10 retail sites in Illinois; PharmaCann has eight; Ascend Wellness, seven; Green Thumb Industries lists nine stores on its website; nuEra has six, and Zen Leaf operates 10. Together, that means seven companies control 60 of the 110 weed stores in the state. People attend the grand opening of Cresco Labs' flagship Sunnyside recreational marijuana store, which is a block south of Wrigley Field, on Nov. 15, 2021. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) The number of growers is even more limited. A mere 18 companies are allowed to grow cannabis compared with hundreds of companies that do so in Western states like Oregon or California, where they have the opposite problem of oversupply to the illegal market. Licensed growers in Illinois say they support new entrants to the market by helping with the complicated application process, by paying hundreds of thousands of dollars each in state fees to help fund startups and for seed projects to help them get started. PharmaCann promised $600,000 to help fund scholarships and build Oakton Community Colleges new cannabis cultivation laboratory. Cresco Labs created its new Illinois Cannabis Education Center in Chicago, which offers a mock dispensary and training facility for aspiring workers and owners. By state law, there was supposed to be a slew of new businesses licensed last year, with favoritism toward poor, largely minority areas with high rates of cannabis arrests. But after a series of delays, applicants complained that consultant KPMG had scored applications unfairly, resulting in wealthy, white, politically connected winners. To address the complaints and associated lawsuits, state lawmakers authorized 185 new dispensary licenses. But Cook County Judge Moshe Jacobius ordered that those licenses not be awarded while he wades through lawsuits challenging the process. The state did award 40 new craft grower licenses plus infuser and transporter licenses, but Cook County Judge Neil Cohen forbade the issuance of up to 60 new craft grower licenses due this year, while the courts try to resolve litigation from applicants who were disqualified. Advertisement None of this slowed down the existing market. Companies that had been granted licenses to open medical marijuana dispensaries since 2015 were allowed to also sell recreational weed, and to expand to second locations. Because of its artificially constrained market, Illinois still has among the highest-priced weed in the country. Wholesale flower prices reached nearly $4,000 per pound, analyst Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. estimated three times the U.S. average pegged by price tracking company Cannabis Benchmarks. With customers paying $19 per gram for retail flower, Cantor Fitzgerald estimated average annual sales per store at nearly $17 million. Moldy weed worries A big part of the demand $1 out of every $3 spent is from out of state, since Illinois is surrounded by states that dont allow recreational sales. Michigan does have adult use sales, but was hit by a large public recall of cannabis that had high levels of mold or other contaminants, with stores required to post notices alerting customers for a month after sales. Illinois, in contrast, issued a recall and quarantine this year, but kept it quiet. In May, the state Department of Financial and Professional Regulation sent dispensaries notice of a voluntary recall of Veranos Mag Landrace flower due to possible mold contamination. The department investigated the issue, but said it is prohibited by the state cannabis law from disclosing the results. In addition, a former production supervisor for PharmaCann, William Sanford, filed suit claiming that he was fired for repeatedly reporting moldy cannabis for removal after it had passed lab tests. The tests only sample a small part of each crop, so mold may grow undetected and may sicken those who eat it or inhale its spores. Sanford said he was told to stop reporting mold, but continued to do so, and was terminated in July. PharmaCann acknowledged that mold is a factor with any agricultural product, but is tightly controlled. By state law, all legal cannabis products must undergo lab tests to pass strict state limits on mold, pesticides, metals and other contaminants. If they fail, they may be treated with solvents for use in edibles, vapes and other products, but must be tested again to meet safety requirements. Options for sterilizing cannabis include irradiation or ozone gas, as used in the food industry. Advertisement Microdosing Customers may have noticed a dizzying variety of new products this year. One growing trend was in the area of low-dose edibles, for consumers to better control their experience. Rather than the 10 milligrams of THC, the main component that gets users high, which was previously suggested as a serving size, mints and gummies now often contain 5 or 3 mg, often with matching cannabidiol, or CBD, for users who want to relax without getting too high or paranoid. One study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Chicago found that low levels of THC reduced stress, while slightly higher doses that produced a mild high actually increased anxiety. And a survey by BDS Analytics Report found that 43% of edibles customers prefer low-dose products, and half of customers chose products based on the amount of CBD, which is thought to have a moderating effect on THC. Beverages are also growing in popularity, offering moderate doses of THC and the quick onset of effects without the smoke. For hardcore users, there are still plenty of high-powered flower, vapes and concentrates approaching 90% THC. Flowering cannabis plants are illuminated by artificial lighting at a tour called "Chitiva," given by workers at Prescribd, a cannabis cultivation company, at one of its cultivation centers on July 17, 2021, in Bridgeview. The interactive tour shows the start-to-finish process of growing cannabis. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) For those who dont like the high prices and taxes of licensed weed, this year saw the rise of Delta-8 THC. Its typically said to be derived from hemp, and provides similar, if milder, effects as the traditional Delta-9 THC found in pot. Its often sold in gas stations or vape shops. A proposal to outlaw such knockoff cannabinoids did not pass in Springfield this year, but may be reconsidered in the spring session. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Cannabis suppliers continue to compete for customers through word-of-mouth and the occasional competition. Most recently, the High Times Cannabis Cup named its winners for 2021, as judged by public participants. Advertisement Wait till next year Looking ahead to 2022, state Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat, has proposed legislation to expand the new craft growers licenses from 5,000 square feet to 14,000 square feet or more. That would still be a far cry from the 210,000 square feet of canopy that existing growers are allowed, but would help business owners get more financing based on their ability to produce more revenue. Also, in light of the courts de facto lockout of new minority owners, a group called Ex-Cons for Community & Social Change held protests this year, calling for consumers to support their local weed man, or illegal dealers. Tyrone Muhammad, executive director of Ex-Cons for Community and Social Change, left, talks with local resident Keith Fort, right, on April 12, 2021, in front of Sunnyside dispensary in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago. Muhammad and others in ECCSC hosted a demonstration against big money dispensaries muscling out would-be minority owners outside the dispensary. (Raquel Zaldivar / Chicago Tribune) Founder Tyrone Muhammad of Englewood, who served 21 years in prison for murder and now says hes trying to rebuild his community, called for creation of a peddlers license, so people without the money to open a bricks-and-mortar facility can take part in the cannabis industry. He believes licensing would reduce the violence that accompanies illegal drug dealing. Muhammad is also pushing to change state law to drop the ban on former felons working in the field. As it stands, only those with low-level convictions can get expungements and get licensed. Its still a farce, he said. In any other industry, as an ex-con, I can work. But I cant work in the cannabis space. rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com The Home Office confirmed more than 2,000 children who entered the UK over the last four years have been victims of human trafficking, according to new statistics. Newly revealed data shows that the Home Office received 2,634 child refugee referrals during this time period for a scheme which supports victims of slavery. After a child refugee has been referred onto the national referral mechanism, the Home Office assesses whether that individual has been trafficked - and whether they require long-term assistance. And data obtained under a Freedom of Information request by The Times, shows that 2,008 of these claims resulted in confirmed cases of human trafficking. More than 2,000 children who entered the UK over the last four years are victims of human trafficking, according to new statistics (file image of migrants on a beach in Dungeness on December 16, 2021) Chief executive of the Refugee Council Enver Solomon said that the data reveals the horrific scale children that have been trafficked. He told The Times: 'It's vital all necessary steps are taken by the police, social services and the Home Office to ensure they are kept safe as soon as they arrive here and their asylum claim is quickly processed. 'What they have been through is unimaginable and they need a high level of support to overcome their trauma and rebuild their lives.' It comes after three times as many migrants crossed the Channel by boat this year compared to 2020. A record-breaking 28,381 people made the perilous journey in 2021 - dwarfing the 8,410 who made the same treacherous trip last year. They came in at least 1,020 boats which were intercepted by UK authorities in the last 12 months. It means an average of 78 migrants arrived in three boats every day. Newly revealed data shows that the Home Office received 2,634 child refugee referrals during this time period for a scheme which supports victims of slavery - of which 2,008 where confirmed. Pictured: File image of migrants onboard a UK Border Force vessel on December 21, 2021 By far the busiest month came in November when a staggering 6,869 arrived in 201 boats. That is more than any previous months since the small boat crisis in the Channel began. It also saw the record day, when 1,185 migrants arrived in 33 boats on November 11, and the second record day, when 1,131 made the trip in 28 boats five days later. But November 24 also brought the gravest tragedy in the Channel since migrants started navigating one of the world's busiest shipping routes by small boat. At least 27 men, women and children all died after their rapidly deflating dinghy with a broken motor sank in the freezing cold waters. Only two people are known to have survived the largest loss of life since the current crisis began. The data comes as Home Office figures have shown that the number of asylum seekers pretending to be children has reached a record high. More than 1,100 migrants who claimed to be under 18 were found to be adults in the 12 months to September. It was the highest number since the collection of figures began in 2006. And 66 per cent of those claiming to be children were in fact not compared with 47 per cent in 2019/20. Migration Watch UK, which campaigns for tougher border controls and analysed the Home Office figures, suggested people traffickers were encouraging migrants to try for special privileges. Its report warned that false age claims could also lead to the dangerous situation of adults being placed alongside vulnerable young people in schools and housing. The group's chairman, Alp Mehmet, said: 'The asylum system is so open to abuse that adults claiming to be children can be given the benefit of the doubt and be placed among minors in both accommodation and schools. 'The risks to the safety of our children are obvious. 'It is high time the Government stopped pandering to the immigration industry and dealt with adult migrants as such and not as what they claim to be.' Migrants who claim to be underage receive better housing and support, a more sympathetic hearing for their asylum claim and are less likely to be detained. The policy is to give them the benefit of the doubt if they appear to be under 25. Officials can also carry out linguistic analysis as well as assess development. But this is to change under the Nationality and Borders Bill going through the Houses of Parliament. Iain Duncan Smith (pictured), the former Tory leader who proposed amendments to the, said that the Nationality and Borders Bill needs to differentiate between children who have been trafficked, and those who are 'economic migrants' An age assessment board will oversee how decisions are made with new scientific methods used to determine an applicant's real age. However Migration Watch expressed concerns that the proposals did not go far enough. Charities and experts, including the government's own anti-slavery commissioner, have warned that the new bill could make it harder to prosecute human traffickers and may deter victims from seeking help. Reflecting on the number of child migrants confirmed to have been victims of human trafficking, Iain Duncan Smith, the former Tory leader who proposed amendments to the bill, said: 'We must separate those who have been trafficked from those who are economic migrants.' In a joint letter released on Thursday, Dame Sara Thornton, the anti-slavery commissioner, and Dame Vera Baird, the victims' commissioner for England and Wales, said the bill 'singularly fails to grasp the realities of being a victim'. Bhopal, Jan 1 : Though local body elections in Madhya Pradesh have been cancelled, both the Congress and the BJP continue to attack each other over the OBC reservation issue, with an eye on the next Assembly polls scheduled in 2023. In a fresh twist, former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Kamal Nath on Saturday accused the BJP government of trying to suppress the people belonging to Other Backward Class (OBC). He alleged that the state government is using its power to threaten the members of the OBC community. Nath said that the OBC community was to launch a protest at Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's residence on January 2, but the BJP government threatened them by issuing notices. "OBC people said they are being intimidated, notices are being served to them. They are being made to sit in police stations. Why is the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government so afraid of the OBC community," Nath asked. He further said that the BJP government is neither doing anything for the OBC community, nor is it willing to listen to them. The OBC Mahasabha has decided to launch a protest on Sunday for excluding them from reservation in panchayat polls and many other issues related to the community. However, there is uncertainty whether the protest will be held. The state government on Friday (Dec 31) issued the Madhya Pradesh Panchayati Raj and Gram Swaraj Amendment Ordinance (II), annulling Kamal Nath government's ordinance of 2019. The move came days after the Shirvraj government withdrew its ordinance on panchayat elections. The fresh ordinance stated that if notification of election is not issued for any reason by the State Election Commission within 18 months from the date of publication of the delimitation or division of panchayats or their wards or constituencies done before the expiry of the term of panchayats, such delimitation or division shall be deemed cancelled on the expiry of the period of 18 months. In such a case, the delimitation or division of these panchayats and their wards and constituencies will be done afresh. Delimitation proceedings were held in September 2019 for the election of panchayats for the year 2020 in the state, which has been cancelled as a result of this ordinance. Now, the process of delimitation and division of panchayats and their wards and constituencies will be done again, on the basis of which the pending process of election will be completed. An $84 million plan to boost internet speeds at Chicago Public Schools has stalled again, officials say, because of red tape in securing construction permits from the city. For several months, crews have been ripping up streets to build a new high-speed fiber network. Around 80 schools were supposed to be connected by Nov. 1 as part of the projects first phase, but that goal has been pushed to the first quarter of 2022. Advertisement The latest setback may mean more construction headaches for residents and more internet woes for students, who returned to school buildings for full-time, in-person learning in August and are due back from the winter break Monday. Were running over 300 miles of fiber throughout the city, originally slated as a three-year project, Richard Burnson, CPS director of network services, told the Tribune. Were running a bit behind schedule, but continuing to push forward and have it wrapped up by 2023. Advertisement The new network is slated to reach about 570 Chicago schools and administrative buildings. Each school would connect to two of 11 hubs spaced across the city. If theres a problem with one of the connections, officials say high-speed internet would still be available. Teacher Toni Armer communicates remotely with other teachers, assistants and middle grade school students during the first day of school at Chicago's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy of Social Justice in September 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Schools would have access to download speeds of 20 gigabits per second, Burnson said. When the project began, he said, elementary schools received 250 megabits of bandwidth. Now theyre at 500 megabits thanks to upgrades completed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most high schools each have access to one gigabit, though Burnson said CPS is completing an effort to upgrade the high schools to two gigs, and thats expected to wrap up by the end of (2021). The nations third-largest school district, CPS has 421 elementary schools and 91 high schools. Burnson said CPS experienced few issues last spring with connectivity because the district welcomed students back to campuses in waves after months of remote learning. But most of CPSs 330,000 students have attended classes in person this fall, and technology tools such as Google Meet video sessions can tax a system. Were really excited about future-proofing our network with this new project, CPS Deputy Chief of Information and Technology Services Ed Wagner said. Weve seen, historically, schools have consumed more and more bandwidth each and every year that theyre in operation because of use of online tools for education. Skyline as an example, our new digital curriculum we do a lot of assessments online. CPS explored its options for a network redesign in 2018. At the time, AT&T was providing service, with network facilities located in Elk Grove Village; at the downtown Thompson Center, a site the state of Illinois plans to sell; and at CPS headquarters in the Loop. The district estimated then it spent $19.6 million in circuit costs, fees and services, with $14.9 million funded by the federal E-Rate program, which helps schools and libraries obtain affordable internet access. Weve had some service challenges with AT&T, Wagner said. What we felt was, this (network project) was a better way of doing it to decrease our cost overall and allow for better resiliency and performance. The Chicago Board of Education approved an agreement with Houston-based Netsync Network Solutions in 2019. The five-year deal, with two options to renew for five years each, is not to exceed $83.8 million. E-Rate is expected to cover about $70.4 million. The rest of the tab will be paid for with government grants and by the board, which is on the hook for no more than $9.8 million, according to the contract. Advertisement Burnson said the project price tag has not changed, despite the delays. A Netsync representative declined to comment to the Tribune and referred questions to CPS. The first shovel broke ground in November 2020 more than a year after the board approved the Netsync agreement and months after the start of the COVID-19 crisis. Burnson said the district focused its efforts on transitioning to remote learning and ensuring students had devices to connect to the internet at home. He said crews are now concentrating on building the core network infrastructure. CPS says the first connections will be its data centers in Elk Grove Village and at its headquarters, along with 63 elementary sites and 18 high schools. A few of these schools share a campus. Principal Jasmine Thurmond and teacher Hannah Chorley communicate with their middle school students by way of remote learning during the first day of school in September 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Burnson said up to 240 facilities are targeted for the second phase. The first step for us to build the network is theres a series of core rings that need to be established. Theres a north, central and south ring connecting all of the 11 hub locations. So those 11 hub locations had to be part of phase one in order to build out that foundation for the network, he said. Selecting the other 70 sites that would be connected was based on our focus on building out on the South and West sides. The hubs are located on the North Side at Garvy Elementary School, William C. Goudy Technology Academy and Theodore Roosevelt High School; on the West Side at Michele Clark Academic Prep Magnet High School and John Spry Community School; in the South Loop at Jones College Prep; and on the South Side at Morgan Park High School, George Washington High School, Richardson Middle School, Wendell Phillips Academy High School and Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Paideia Academy. Advertisement Burnson said one of the greatest challenges has been securing construction permits. Requests that cover more than a million feet of fiber have been submitted, he said, with about a half-million feet approved. There are more than two dozen members of the city Office of Underground Coordination, including Peoples Gas, ComEd and AT&T, that review proposals to determine if excavation work will affect their infrastructure. If there is any change thats required by one of those organizations, you have to start the process over, so that way everyone is signed off on that final process, Burnson said. Weve been working with (the Chicago Department of Transportation) and other city agencies, and theyve been very supportive, but its still a very involved process to get the permits for the amount of work that were doing. There have been some construction and street parking woes as well. Crews drill horizontally under the surface of the street to install pipework the fiber runs through. Burnson said some complaints have been lodged about the temporary patching thats put in place while the work is being completed. There have been some quality issues that weve addressed with the aldermens office, as well as the subcontractors that are doing the actual construction work, he said. Were definitely working to make sure that any impact to citizens in the city are minimized as much as possible. tswartz@tribpub.com I have gotten emails asking me not to run my brother Kevins annual column this past year. And I have gotten emails asking me to please run Kevins column. I prefer to let people know what Republicans like Kevin are thinking. So here he is: I begin with a personal note, a quick apology for missing the Thanksgiving column. I was recovering from a heavyweight bout with Covid. Despite two vaccinations last spring, I got very ill at the end of October, including the dreaded Covid fog, where you cannot formulate your thoughts putting me on a par with a lot of politicians in D.C. It took a full month, including physical therapy, to recover. Now Im back. The Republicans are watching the political scene these days with a mixture of glee and trepidation. President Biden is underwater in the polls but Donald Trump is a potential problem. No one is sure of Trumps intentions at this point. SIOUX CITY -- The weather forecast calls for a possible dusting of snow, perhaps as much as an inch, in Sioux City Friday night, a fitting end to a year in which precipitation often came in small doses, if at all. Barring a surprise blizzard of epic proportions, 2021 will be the second straight year Sioux City sees its yearly precipitation total fall far short of average. Through Thursday, Sioux Gateway Airport had recorded 22.96 inches of precipitation, more than 6 inches below the normal of 29.27 inches. The year will end as the 37th driest year in records dating back to 1896. Paired with the 20.08 inches from 2020 -- the 16th driest year on record -- the 43.04 inches makes it the 12th driest two-year period on record. The two-year dry trend is not enough to get worked up about, said Justin Glisan, Iowa's state climatologist. Climate patterns indicate Iowa has become wetter over the past 30 years, so he doesn't anticipate the dry conditions to continue. "What we've seen over the recent term is a blip," Glisan said. "We're inclined to see wetter years than drier years. The longer-term trends do show wetter conditions moving forward." Are the past two years a fluke or the beginning of a changing weather pattern? Two years is not a long enough period from which to draw conclusions, Glisan said. "Ask me that in five years," Glisan said. The Sioux City area may be stuck in a dry pattern, but it came immediately after the wettest two-year period in history. Sioux City received 37.77 inches of moisture in 2018 and 33.88 inches in 2019. "We've been jumping back and forth, but we would need a longer window to detect a pattern," Glisan said. December will end dry, and would have been drier if not for a rare thunderstorm on the 15th that dropped nearly half an inch of rain on Sioux City. Just 1.5 inches of snow have fallen this month, below the normal of 7.6 inches. For the month, Sioux City has received 0.65 inches of precipitation. The normal is 0.99 inches. Glisan said this winter is setting up similarly to last year, when a La Nina weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean led to higher snow totals in January and February. A similar La Nina is occurring this year, Glisan said, leading to expectations of a buildup of snowpack the first two months of 2022. Ideally, he said, Siouxland would see that snow melt during a gentle March thaw, allowing the moisture to soak into the soil rather than run off. Despite the dry year, Northwest Iowa is in better shape than a year ago, Glisan said. Many areas entered 2021 with moisture deficits of 10-14 inches. Aided by some plentiful rains in the fall, those deficits are about 4-6 inches in much of the Sioux City area heading into 2022. The U.S. Drought Monitor's map released Thursday shows of all of Buena Vista County and sections of Woodbury, Plymouth, Ida, Cherokee, O'Brien, Sac and Clay counties in a band of abnormally dry conditions. A small patch in Cherokee and Buena Vista counties is in moderate drought. A year ago, all of Northwest Iowa was in moderate, severe or extreme drought. "I feel better than I did last year," Glisan said. "We're on much better footing on soil moisture and precipitation deficit-wise than we were last year." Glisan said it's a coin flip on whether 2022 will begin wetter or drier. The January-March outlook shows an equal chance of below- or above-normal precipitation. I have gotten emails asking me not to run my brother Kevins annual column this past year. And I have gotten emails asking me to please run Kevins column. I prefer to let people know what Republicans like Kevin are thinking. So here he is: I begin with a personal note, a quick apology for missing the Thanksgiving column. I was recovering from a heavyweight bout with Covid. Despite two vaccinations last spring, I got very ill at the end of October, including the dreaded Covid fog, where you cannot formulate your thoughts putting me on a par with a lot of politicians in D.C. It took a full month, including physical therapy, to recover. Now Im back. The Republicans are watching the political scene these days with a mixture of glee and trepidation. President Biden is underwater in the polls but Donald Trump is a potential problem. No one is sure of Trumps intentions at this point. The Home Office confirmed more than 2,000 children who entered the UK over the last four years have been victims of human trafficking, according to new statistics. Newly revealed data shows that the Home Office received 2,634 child refugee referrals during this time period for a scheme which supports victims of slavery. After a child refugee has been referred onto the national referral mechanism, the Home Office assesses whether that individual has been trafficked - and whether they require long-term assistance. And data obtained under a Freedom of Information request by The Times, shows that 2,008 of these claims resulted in confirmed cases of human trafficking. More than 2,000 children who entered the UK over the last four years are victims of human trafficking, according to new statistics (file image of migrants on a beach in Dungeness on December 16, 2021) Chief executive of the Refugee Council Enver Solomon said that the data reveals the horrific scale children that have been trafficked. He told The Times: 'It's vital all necessary steps are taken by the police, social services and the Home Office to ensure they are kept safe as soon as they arrive here and their asylum claim is quickly processed. 'What they have been through is unimaginable and they need a high level of support to overcome their trauma and rebuild their lives.' It comes after three times as many migrants crossed the Channel by boat this year compared to 2020. A record-breaking 28,381 people made the perilous journey in 2021 - dwarfing the 8,410 who made the same treacherous trip last year. They came in at least 1,020 boats which were intercepted by UK authorities in the last 12 months. It means an average of 78 migrants arrived in three boats every day. Newly revealed data shows that the Home Office received 2,634 child refugee referrals during this time period for a scheme which supports victims of slavery - of which 2,008 where confirmed. Pictured: File image of migrants onboard a UK Border Force vessel on December 21, 2021 By far the busiest month came in November when a staggering 6,869 arrived in 201 boats. That is more than any previous months since the small boat crisis in the Channel began. It also saw the record day, when 1,185 migrants arrived in 33 boats on November 11, and the second record day, when 1,131 made the trip in 28 boats five days later. But November 24 also brought the gravest tragedy in the Channel since migrants started navigating one of the world's busiest shipping routes by small boat. At least 27 men, women and children all died after their rapidly deflating dinghy with a broken motor sank in the freezing cold waters. Only two people are known to have survived the largest loss of life since the current crisis began. The data comes as Home Office figures have shown that the number of asylum seekers pretending to be children has reached a record high. More than 1,100 migrants who claimed to be under 18 were found to be adults in the 12 months to September. It was the highest number since the collection of figures began in 2006. And 66 per cent of those claiming to be children were in fact not compared with 47 per cent in 2019/20. Migration Watch UK, which campaigns for tougher border controls and analysed the Home Office figures, suggested people traffickers were encouraging migrants to try for special privileges. Its report warned that false age claims could also lead to the dangerous situation of adults being placed alongside vulnerable young people in schools and housing. The group's chairman, Alp Mehmet, said: 'The asylum system is so open to abuse that adults claiming to be children can be given the benefit of the doubt and be placed among minors in both accommodation and schools. 'The risks to the safety of our children are obvious. 'It is high time the Government stopped pandering to the immigration industry and dealt with adult migrants as such and not as what they claim to be.' Migrants who claim to be underage receive better housing and support, a more sympathetic hearing for their asylum claim and are less likely to be detained. The policy is to give them the benefit of the doubt if they appear to be under 25. Officials can also carry out linguistic analysis as well as assess development. But this is to change under the Nationality and Borders Bill going through the Houses of Parliament. Iain Duncan Smith (pictured), the former Tory leader who proposed amendments to the, said that the Nationality and Borders Bill needs to differentiate between children who have been trafficked, and those who are 'economic migrants' An age assessment board will oversee how decisions are made with new scientific methods used to determine an applicant's real age. However Migration Watch expressed concerns that the proposals did not go far enough. Charities and experts, including the government's own anti-slavery commissioner, have warned that the new bill could make it harder to prosecute human traffickers and may deter victims from seeking help. Reflecting on the number of child migrants confirmed to have been victims of human trafficking, Iain Duncan Smith, the former Tory leader who proposed amendments to the bill, said: 'We must separate those who have been trafficked from those who are economic migrants.' In a joint letter released on Thursday, Dame Sara Thornton, the anti-slavery commissioner, and Dame Vera Baird, the victims' commissioner for England and Wales, said the bill 'singularly fails to grasp the realities of being a victim'. Two persons (names withheld) are in Police custody helping in investigations regarding Julie Diane Williams, an American National, who was found dead on December 14, 2021, at Rayporsh Hotel at Abelemkpe in Accra. A statement signed by Assistant Commissioner Of Police (ACP) Kwesi Ofori, Director-General, Public Affairs and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the Ghana Police Service, Friday, had a meeting, via zoom with the family of the deceased. It said the family was officially informed of the investigations being conducted into the circumstances leading to her death. The statement said in line with international best practice, after informing the family of the current state of the investigations, they were now in a position to make public certain details about the case without compromising the ongoing investigations. It said preliminary Police investigation had established that the deceased US national arrived in Ghana on December 3, 2021, en route Nigeria. The statement said having tested positive for COVID-19 on arrival, she was taken into an isolation centre at Ave Maria Hotel, South Legon-Accra. It said further investigation revealed that on December 6, 2021, the deceased was picked up by some alleged friends from the isolation centre and taken to Zoko Lounge at Airport residential area where she had lunch and was then taken to the Rayporsh hotel at Abelemkpe. The statement said records available at the Rayporsh Hotel indicated that the deceased checked out from the Hotel on Sunday, December 12, 2021, at noon intending to travel back to Nigeria but could not proceed because of visa issues. It said she returned to the Hotel the same day at 1400 hours and checked in again. The statement said on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, Police received a complaint from two hotel staff to the effect that the said Julie Diane Williams was found unconscious in her room. It said a Police team proceeded to the Hotel and after the necessary protocols, took her to the Police Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. The statement said on Wednesday, December 29, 2021, a post mortem examination was conducted on the deceased, Julie Diane Williams, at the Police Hospital mortuary in the presence of the Police and one Godwin King Akpalu, a representative of the deceased's family who identified the body to the pathologist. It said Police was awaiting the full autopsy report, including toxicology and histopathology examinations. The statement said officials from the United States Embassy had been informed and had been helpful to the Police in the investigations. It assured the public, the relatives of the deceased and officials of the US Embassy that Police investigations into the death would be careful and thorough. GNA Two persons (names withheld) are in Police custody helping in investigations regarding Julie Diane Williams, an American National, who was found dead on December 14, 2021, at Rayporsh Hotel at Abelemkpe in Accra. A statement signed by Assistant Commissioner Of Police (ACP) Kwesi Ofori, Director-General, Public Affairs and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the Ghana Police Service, Friday, had a meeting, via zoom with the family of the deceased. It said the family was officially informed of the investigations being conducted into the circumstances leading to her death. The statement said in line with international best practice, after informing the family of the current state of the investigations, they were now in a position to make public certain details about the case without compromising the ongoing investigations. It said preliminary Police investigation had established that the deceased US national arrived in Ghana on December 3, 2021, en route Nigeria. The statement said having tested positive for COVID-19 on arrival, she was taken into an isolation centre at Ave Maria Hotel, South Legon-Accra. It said further investigation revealed that on December 6, 2021, the deceased was picked up by some alleged friends from the isolation centre and taken to Zoko Lounge at Airport residential area where she had lunch and was then taken to the Rayporsh hotel at Abelemkpe. The statement said records available at the Rayporsh Hotel indicated that the deceased checked out from the Hotel on Sunday, December 12, 2021, at noon intending to travel back to Nigeria but could not proceed because of visa issues. It said she returned to the Hotel the same day at 1400 hours and checked in again. The statement said on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, Police received a complaint from two hotel staff to the effect that the said Julie Diane Williams was found unconscious in her room. It said a Police team proceeded to the Hotel and after the necessary protocols, took her to the Police Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. The statement said on Wednesday, December 29, 2021, a post mortem examination was conducted on the deceased, Julie Diane Williams, at the Police Hospital mortuary in the presence of the Police and one Godwin King Akpalu, a representative of the deceased's family who identified the body to the pathologist. It said Police was awaiting the full autopsy report, including toxicology and histopathology examinations. The statement said officials from the United States Embassy had been informed and had been helpful to the Police in the investigations. It assured the public, the relatives of the deceased and officials of the US Embassy that Police investigations into the death would be careful and thorough. GNA Two persons (names withheld) are in Police custody helping in investigations regarding Julie Diane Williams, an American National, who was found dead on December 14, 2021, at Rayporsh Hotel at Abelemkpe in Accra. A statement signed by Assistant Commissioner Of Police (ACP) Kwesi Ofori, Director-General, Public Affairs and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the Ghana Police Service, Friday, had a meeting, via zoom with the family of the deceased. It said the family was officially informed of the investigations being conducted into the circumstances leading to her death. The statement said in line with international best practice, after informing the family of the current state of the investigations, they were now in a position to make public certain details about the case without compromising the ongoing investigations. It said preliminary Police investigation had established that the deceased US national arrived in Ghana on December 3, 2021, en route Nigeria. The statement said having tested positive for COVID-19 on arrival, she was taken into an isolation centre at Ave Maria Hotel, South Legon-Accra. It said further investigation revealed that on December 6, 2021, the deceased was picked up by some alleged friends from the isolation centre and taken to Zoko Lounge at Airport residential area where she had lunch and was then taken to the Rayporsh hotel at Abelemkpe. The statement said records available at the Rayporsh Hotel indicated that the deceased checked out from the Hotel on Sunday, December 12, 2021, at noon intending to travel back to Nigeria but could not proceed because of visa issues. It said she returned to the Hotel the same day at 1400 hours and checked in again. The statement said on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, Police received a complaint from two hotel staff to the effect that the said Julie Diane Williams was found unconscious in her room. It said a Police team proceeded to the Hotel and after the necessary protocols, took her to the Police Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. The statement said on Wednesday, December 29, 2021, a post mortem examination was conducted on the deceased, Julie Diane Williams, at the Police Hospital mortuary in the presence of the Police and one Godwin King Akpalu, a representative of the deceased's family who identified the body to the pathologist. It said Police was awaiting the full autopsy report, including toxicology and histopathology examinations. The statement said officials from the United States Embassy had been informed and had been helpful to the Police in the investigations. It assured the public, the relatives of the deceased and officials of the US Embassy that Police investigations into the death would be careful and thorough. GNA Two persons (names withheld) are in Police custody helping in investigations regarding Julie Diane Williams, an American National, who was found dead on December 14, 2021, at Rayporsh Hotel at Abelemkpe in Accra. A statement signed by Assistant Commissioner Of Police (ACP) Kwesi Ofori, Director-General, Public Affairs and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the Ghana Police Service, Friday, had a meeting, via zoom with the family of the deceased. It said the family was officially informed of the investigations being conducted into the circumstances leading to her death. The statement said in line with international best practice, after informing the family of the current state of the investigations, they were now in a position to make public certain details about the case without compromising the ongoing investigations. It said preliminary Police investigation had established that the deceased US national arrived in Ghana on December 3, 2021, en route Nigeria. The statement said having tested positive for COVID-19 on arrival, she was taken into an isolation centre at Ave Maria Hotel, South Legon-Accra. It said further investigation revealed that on December 6, 2021, the deceased was picked up by some alleged friends from the isolation centre and taken to Zoko Lounge at Airport residential area where she had lunch and was then taken to the Rayporsh hotel at Abelemkpe. The statement said records available at the Rayporsh Hotel indicated that the deceased checked out from the Hotel on Sunday, December 12, 2021, at noon intending to travel back to Nigeria but could not proceed because of visa issues. It said she returned to the Hotel the same day at 1400 hours and checked in again. The statement said on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, Police received a complaint from two hotel staff to the effect that the said Julie Diane Williams was found unconscious in her room. It said a Police team proceeded to the Hotel and after the necessary protocols, took her to the Police Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. The statement said on Wednesday, December 29, 2021, a post mortem examination was conducted on the deceased, Julie Diane Williams, at the Police Hospital mortuary in the presence of the Police and one Godwin King Akpalu, a representative of the deceased's family who identified the body to the pathologist. It said Police was awaiting the full autopsy report, including toxicology and histopathology examinations. The statement said officials from the United States Embassy had been informed and had been helpful to the Police in the investigations. It assured the public, the relatives of the deceased and officials of the US Embassy that Police investigations into the death would be careful and thorough. GNA Jaipur, Jan 1 (PTI) Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot expressed condolences to the family members of those who were killed in the stampede at Vaishno Devi Mata Temple in Jammu and Kashmir's Katra early on Saturday. In a statement, Mishra said he prayed to God to give strength to the families of those deceased to bear the loss. He also wished those injured a speedy recovery. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: 27-Year-Old Man Dies By Suicide After Molestation Complaint Filed Against Him In Bareilly District. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took to Twitter to express his grief. Deeply saddened at the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata #VaishnoDevi Bhawan, Katra in J&K. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. May they remain strong to bear this loss. Prayers for speedy recovery of the injured," Gehlot tweeted. Also Read | Rajasthan Reports 52 Fresh Omicron Cases, Total Tally Rises to 121 in the State. At least 12 people died and over a dozen were injured in the stampede, triggered by a heavy rush of devotees at the shrine, officials said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jaipur, Jan 1 (PTI) Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot expressed condolences to the family members of those who were killed in the stampede at Vaishno Devi Mata Temple in Jammu and Kashmir's Katra early on Saturday. In a statement, Mishra said he prayed to God to give strength to the families of those deceased to bear the loss. He also wished those injured a speedy recovery. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: 27-Year-Old Man Dies By Suicide After Molestation Complaint Filed Against Him In Bareilly District. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took to Twitter to express his grief. Deeply saddened at the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata #VaishnoDevi Bhawan, Katra in J&K. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. May they remain strong to bear this loss. Prayers for speedy recovery of the injured," Gehlot tweeted. Also Read | Rajasthan Reports 52 Fresh Omicron Cases, Total Tally Rises to 121 in the State. At least 12 people died and over a dozen were injured in the stampede, triggered by a heavy rush of devotees at the shrine, officials said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jammu, Jan 1 (PTI) Twelve people lost their lives and over a dozen others were injured in a stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir in the early hours during a heavy rush of devotees on New Year. This is the first such tragedy at the shrine, located atop the Trikuta hills - about 50 km from here - that attracts lakhs of people every year. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: 27-Year-Old Man Dies By Suicide After Molestation Complaint Filed Against Him In Bareilly District. The incident occurred between 2.30 AM and 2.45 AM on Saturday near a relatively narrow passage at gate number 3 outside the sanctum sanctorum of the hilltop shrine where devotees usually arrive round the clock after trekking from the Katra base camp, a distance of nearly 13 km. A high-level inquiry was ordered into the stampede by Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Manoj Sinha to be headed by Principal Secretary (Home) Shaleen Kabra with Divisional Commissioner Jammu Rajiv Langar and Additional Director General of Police Mukesh Singh as its members. Also Read | Rajasthan Reports 52 Fresh Omicron Cases, Total Tally Rises to 121 in the State. Condolences poured in from all quarters and Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Sinha and Union ministers Jitendra Singh to take stock of the situation. According to eyewitness accounts, the number of devotees was allegedly beyond the permitted level with flagrant violation of COVID-19 norms, and some of the survivors accused the Jammu and Kashmir administration of "mismanagement". The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, however, denied the charges saying all necessary arrangements were made in view of the expected rush. Most of the deaths have taken place due to suffocation, police said, adding among the deceased seven are from Uttar Pradesh, three from Delhi and one each from Haryana and J-K. Director General of Police Dilbag Singh, who accompanied the Minister of State in the PMO, Jitendra Singh, during the visit to the shrine after the stampede, told reporters that the incident took place due to confusion or "probably somebody at the site acted funny which could have led to some altercation". "All these things are being looked into. That area is a little narrow and people ran helter-skelter without knowing the reason. Most of the deaths have taken place due to suffocation after being run over by each other and most of the injuries are also due to the same reason," he said. Singh had told PTI that preliminary information from the scene suggests there was a minor altercation among some boys, and within seconds, there was a stampede. "Police and officials of the civil administration were quick to respond, and the order within the crowd was immediately restored, but by that time, the damage had been done," he said. Prem Singh, from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, said there was a "complete mess" as neither was the number of pilgrims restricted nor were COVID-19 guidelines in force. "It was a free-for-all-like situation. Many people were without mandatory face masks," he said, claiming that police personnel on duty at the checking point surrendered to the heavy rush and were warning people about the possibility of such an accident. "Nothing but mismanagement was the cause for this tragic accident. They were aware about the possible rush but allowed the people in unhindered," a pilgrim from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh said while waiting outside a mortuary to identify a body. Many people were resting on the floor, instead of heading back, and it caused more rush at the bhawan, he added. Another man, who lost his friend Arun Pratab Singh (30), said they had come from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. The area was overcrowded, he said. Aditya Sharma, a pilgrim, said there was a heavy rush of devotees and some people who were sleeping on the floor got crushed. Senior officials present at the scene said 12 people died in the stampede and their bodies were taken to a hospital in the Katra base camp. The deceased were identified as Arun Pratab Singh (30), Dharam Veer Singh (35), Vineet Kumar (38), Shewata Singh (35), Mohinder Gour (26), Narinder Kashap (40) and Monu Sharma (32) of Uttar Pradesh, Vinay Kumar (24), Sonu Panday (24) and Akash Kumar (29) of Delhi, Mamta (38) of Haryana and Desraj Kumar (26) of Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, the officials said. Fifteen injured were undergoing treatment at the Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, and the condition of two of them was stated to be critical. Some were discharged after first-aid, they added. An hour after the incident, pilgrims were again allowed at the site, the officials said, adding the yatra was not disrupted. Prime Minister Modi said that the central government is in constant touch with the J-K administration to assist the affected people. Speaking at a programme to release funds under the PM-KISAN scheme, Modi said he was "extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon". The JK administration has announced a relief of Rs 10 lakh to the deceased and Rs 2 lakh to the injured which will be paid by the Shrine board. In a series of tweets, the office of the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor expressed pain at the loss of lives and gave details of whom Sinha had briefed after the stampede which included the Prime Minister and Home Minister Amit Shah. The PMO tweeted that "an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs 50,000: PM @narendramodi". Union Minister Jitendra Singh said innovative measures are required to deal with the new trend of youngsters eager to visit Mata Vaishno Devi shrine on the first day of the new year. The minister also visited the injured devotees undergoing treatment at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital at Kakriyal. "Traditionally, the pilgrims used to come on the festival days like Navratras, Dussehra and Deepavali. This is a new trend and we have to take measures accordingly (of youngsters visiting on New Year)," he said, adding "when we will sit and talk, we will talk about innovation and technology to find some solution to the issue." President Ram Nath Kovind said he was very distressed to know about the stampede and offered condolences to the bereaved families. "I wish speedy recovery to those injured," he said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he was deeply pained by the tragic accident. "Deeply pained by the tragic accident at Mata Vaishno Devi temple. In this regard, I have spoken to Lieutenant Governor of J&K Shri Manoj Sinha. The administration is working continuously to provide treatment to the injured. I express my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this accident," Shah tweeted in Hindi. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, "The stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi temple is tragic. I extend my condolences to the families of the deceased." Senior BJP leader and former legislator Devender Singh Rana, who interacted with the pilgrims here to take stock of the situation, said the incident was the first of its kind to take place at the shrine. "It is a tragic incident and a sad moment for all of us. The whole administration is working to ensure the bodies are returned to their families and those injured are given adequate treatment," he said. "This is no time for allegations or counter-allegations. It is a tragedy that has happened and nobody should play politics over it," he added. Political parties in Kashmir, including the National Conference and the People's Conference, expressed grief over the incident. The PDP said such "mismanagement" has been unheard of in recent times. "Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families who lost their loved ones and pray for speedy recovery of the injured," it said in a tweet. Officials at the spot said the incident was triggered by a heavy rush of devotees who came to pay their obeisance to mark the beginning of the New Year. While most of the devotees undertake the arduous trek, some reach there by helicopter service. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) With the anticipated need for a lot more lithium to put into batteries to help power a greener future, you might think environmentalists would give a pass to some of the negative effects of the proposed lithium mines that are being planned at sites around Nevada. Thats not the case. The opposition to some of the proposed mines has been strong and may even be ramping up. Thacker Pass Lithium Americas Thacker Pass lithium mine may be the biggest project on the horizon, and it is facing lots of opposition. Lithium Americas has been working for years on plans for Thacker Pass, which is about 60 miles northwest of Winnemucca. The companys website says Thacker Pass is the largest known lithium resource in the United States. Lithium Americas estimates there is $3.9 billion worth of recoverable lithium at the site. The company has said it hopes to start mining operations next year. The mine is expected to produce up to 60,000 tons a year of battery-quality lithium carbonate, which would be a huge boost to the world supply of lithium. The mine is expected to employ about 300 people and have a 46-year mine life. On Jan. 15, 2021, the last Friday of the Trump Administration, the Bureau of Land Management approved the Record of Decision for Thacker Pass, giving federal approval to the project. That evening, Will Falk and Max Wilbert set out on an eight-hour drive to the Thacker Pass site to set up a camp nearby to protest the mine. People have been camped out there ever since. Falk and Wilbert are radical environmentalists, with Falk writing on the protectthackerpass.org website that I hate fossil fuels and actively advocate for the dismantling of all industrial infrastructure Elisabeth Robson wrote on the website, Many people believe they cant live without cars. But all humans lived without cars until a mere 113 years ago, and we can do so again. A world without cars is a quieter, slower, and more wonderful world, not just for humans but for everyone. I hope one day a militant and offensive environmental movement forms, Falk wrote. The people opposed to the Thacker Pass mine and other lithium mine projects dont all hold these views, of course, but have a variety of reasons for their opposition. A March 10 letter in the Elko Daily Free Press from Alex Eisenberg said the plan to transition to electric vehicles in the years ahead is incredibly short-sighted and irresponsible and will do virtually nothing to curb carbon emissions, as electric car production is completely reliant on the fossil fuel industry. The Thacker Pass mine alone would burn 11,000 gallons of diesel every day for onsite operations, the letter said. Double that for off-site operations. Carbon emissions are expected to be 150,000+ tons per year, equating to 2.3 tons of carbon for every ton of lithium produced. Hundreds of tons of sulfur (ironically a waste product from oil refineries) would be used daily in mine operations. On Feb. 11, 2021, Edward Bartell, a rancher who owns property above and below the mine, filed a lawsuit with a long list of objections to the mine. One of his big concerns is the water the mine will use. The projects Environmental Impact Statement says the projected water demand for years 5 through 41 is equivalent to an average pumping rate of 3,224 gallons per minute. On Feb. 26, 2021, the Western Watersheds Project, Wildlands Defense, Great Basin Resource Watch, and Basin and Range Watch filed a lawsuit saying the Thacker Pass Record of Decision did not adequately gauge the mines impacts on greater sage grouse and other wildlife. Local Indigenous communities say Thacker Pass is important to them historically and in their daily lives. Local tribal members have been camping near the mine site to protest the mine. The tribal council of the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation, which is about 26 miles from the mine site, made an engagement agreement with Lithium Nevada in 2020, but withdrew from the agreement in March 2021. On July 28, the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and Atsa Koodakuh Wyh Nuwu/People of Red Mountain were allowed to intervene as plaintiffs in the lawsuits against the mine. On Aug. 6, the Burns Paiute Tribe was also allowed to intervene. Additional court filings have been made since then. On Sept. 5, U.S. District Court Judge Miranda Du denied a request from the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and the People of Red Mountain for a preliminary injunction to temporarily halt work. Falk is a lawyer for the People of the Red Mountain, but he told The Guardian he is skeptical they will be able to win by arguing the right things. Eventually were going to have to be ready to physically block construction equipment. I think that one of the ways to wake up people in the United States (is seeing) people getting dragged away by the police for trying to protect their land. And I think thats where this is going, Falk said. Humboldt County Manager Dave Mendiola told Inside Climate News, I guess you can chain yourself to the fence like some of the protesters might do and I dont blame them for that. But in the end, as a company, if theyve followed all the rules, youre probably not going to stop it. What we can do as a county is monitor it and come up with ways to address problems now. Rhyolite Ridge At ioneers proposed Rhyolite Ridge lithium mine about 65 miles southwest of Tonopah, debates continue over the Tiehms buckwheat that is found only on the site. James Calaway, executive chairman of ioneer Ltd., said the company is working to protect the plant and increase the size of its habitat. He said about half of the plants were destroyed by drought and rodents last year. John Scire, PhD, an adjunct professor at UNR, said in a December editorial that the bottom line is that the Fish and Wildlife Service should veto the false claims by the Las Vegans that the ioneer mine will wipe out the buckwheat plants and should consider instead the macro environmental impacts of not letting the mine get cranked up ASAP. The best available science supports that the mine and the plant can co-exist. However, Patrick Donnelly, the Nevada director of the Center for Biological Diversity, said he disagrees with ioneers expectation that the wildflower can be established near the current growing site. Attempts to propagate the plants failed, Donnelly told Mining the West magazine. They all died, so ioneer doesnt have a plan. Their plan is bunk and doesnt reflect the consensus of the scientific community. There is no compromise. They cannot hurt the buckwheat, Donnelly said. He said the Center for Biological Diversity does not oppose lithium mining, and lithium is all over the place in Nevada. Other projects Other companies are working on developing other possible lithium mine sites around Nevada. Mike Kobler, general manager of U.S. operations for Tonopah Lithium Corp., told the Nye County commissioners at their Nov. 2 meeting that his companys mine site about six miles northwest of Tonopah could become one of the biggest lithium resources in the world. We are in the perfect location in Nevada, Kobler said. We dont have the sage grouse issues that they have up north, we dont have the desert tortoise issues that they have down south, we have not found any Tiehms buckwheat; weve cleared all of our environmental hurdles and cultural hurdles, so were just moving ahead. In addition to Nevada, companies are also working on proposed lithium production sites in California, Oregon, Tennessee, Arkansas and North Carolina. Other countries The United States is not the only country with pushback against new lithium mines. In Serbia, Rio Tinto has been planning a $2.4 billion lithium mine. For three consecutive weekends in late 2021, thousands of protesters blocked roads in Serbia to protest lithium mining, with environmentalists saying that extracting lithium causes huge damage to mined areas. On Dec. 16, authorities in western Serbia suspended a plan that would allow Rio Tinto to operate the lithium mine. We will continue to provide information on all aspects of the project for which we are responsible and in which we participate, Rio Tinto said in a statement. Chile, which has about 44% of the worlds lithium reserves, elected leftist Gabriel Boric as president on Dec. 19, but it is not clear what impact Borics election will have on lithium mining. Boric has supported mining tax hikes and royalties and promised to create a state-run lithium company. A bold agenda If efforts to stop proposed lithium mines in Nevada and elsewhere in the United States are successful, then as the need for lithium ramps up, lithium mining could escalate in countries that have fewer environmental regulations than the U.S., and more fuel will be burned shipping lithium and batteries around the world and to the U.S. In the National Blueprint for Lithium Batteries 2021-2030 published in June 2021, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm wrote, The Biden Administration has laid out a bold agenda to address the climate crisis and build a clean and equitable energy economy that achieves carbon-pollution-free electricity by 2035, and puts the United States on a path to achieve net-zero emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050 to the benefit of all Americans. The report says the Federal Consortium for Advanced Batteries will secure U.S. access to raw materials for lithium batteries by incentivizing growth in safe, equitable, and sustainable domestic mining ventures while leveraging partnerships with allies and partners to establish a diversified supply. The worldwide lithium battery market is expected to grow by a factor of 5 to 10 in the next decade, the report says. The U.S. industrial base must be positioned to respond to this vast increase in market demand that otherwise will likely benefit well-resourced and supported competitors in Asia and Europe. However, on May 25, 2021, Reuters ran a story saying, U.S. President Joe Biden will rely on ally countries to supply the bulk of the metals needed to build electric vehicles and focus on processing them domestically into battery parts, part of a strategy designed to placate environmentalists, two administration officials with direct knowledge told Reuters. The plans will be a blow to U.S. miners who had hoped Biden would rely primarily on domestically sourced metals, as his campaign had signaled last autumn. Current production Currently about 46% of the worlds mine production of lithium is in Australia, and about 21% is Chile and another 16% is in China, according to U.S. Geological Survey data. In the United States, all the lithium mining is at one mine in Nevada, and accounts for less than 2% of the worlds mine production. Albemarle Corporations Silver Peak lithium mine is about 40 miles southwest of Tonopah and has been in operation since the 1960s. A May 6, 2021 New York Times story said Silver Peak produces about 5,000 tons of lithium a year. On Jan. 7, 2021, Albemarle announced that it planned to invest $30 million to $50 million to double the lithium production at Silver Peak by 2025. The company also said it planned to begin exploration in 2021 and evaluate technology that could accelerate the viability of lithium production from clay resources in the region. The lithium produced at Silver Peak is shipped to Asia to be made into cathodes for batteries. China has for years been focused on building capacity at every stage of the battery supply chain, according to a Sept. 1, 2020 VOA News story. China has been buying stakes in mining operations in Australia and South America where most of the worlds lithium reserves are found, the VOA story said. Chinas Ganfeng Lithium, which has been snapping up lithium mines and salt lakes abroad as it plots out an ambitious road map for growth, according to a Dec. 8, 2021 Nikkei Asia story, is the largest shareholder in Lithium Americas, the company planning the Thacker Pass mine, according to the New York Times story. To add to all the lithium news and heat up the global competition for lithium resources even more, lithium prices shot way up in 2021, increasing about 240%. The future In the years ahead, refining capacity might be built in the U.S. as more battery factories and electric vehicle factories are built here. The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Dec. 20, 2021 that 13 new electric vehicle battery factories are planned in the U.S. within the next five years. Most of these factories will be in the Southeast or Midwest. So, although U.S. will lag behind China, parts of the EV battery supply chain will be growing in the U.S. in the years ahead. But the question remains, how much of the lithium and other elements needed for the supply chain will come from mines in Nevada? Well being finding that out as the approval and funding processes and the legal battles and protests roll on. Bhopal, Jan 1 : Though local body elections in Madhya Pradesh have been cancelled, both the Congress and the BJP continue to attack each other over the OBC reservation issue, with an eye on the next Assembly polls scheduled in 2023. In a fresh twist, former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Kamal Nath on Saturday accused the BJP government of trying to suppress the people belonging to Other Backward Class (OBC). He alleged that the state government is using its power to threaten the members of the OBC community. Nath said that the OBC community was to launch a protest at Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's residence on January 2, but the BJP government threatened them by issuing notices. "OBC people said they are being intimidated, notices are being served to them. They are being made to sit in police stations. Why is the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government so afraid of the OBC community," Nath asked. He further said that the BJP government is neither doing anything for the OBC community, nor is it willing to listen to them. The OBC Mahasabha has decided to launch a protest on Sunday for excluding them from reservation in panchayat polls and many other issues related to the community. However, there is uncertainty whether the protest will be held. The state government on Friday (Dec 31) issued the Madhya Pradesh Panchayati Raj and Gram Swaraj Amendment Ordinance (II), annulling Kamal Nath government's ordinance of 2019. The move came days after the Shirvraj government withdrew its ordinance on panchayat elections. The fresh ordinance stated that if notification of election is not issued for any reason by the State Election Commission within 18 months from the date of publication of the delimitation or division of panchayats or their wards or constituencies done before the expiry of the term of panchayats, such delimitation or division shall be deemed cancelled on the expiry of the period of 18 months. In such a case, the delimitation or division of these panchayats and their wards and constituencies will be done afresh. Delimitation proceedings were held in September 2019 for the election of panchayats for the year 2020 in the state, which has been cancelled as a result of this ordinance. Now, the process of delimitation and division of panchayats and their wards and constituencies will be done again, on the basis of which the pending process of election will be completed. Kolkata, Jan 1 : After seeking clarification from the West Bengal government, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked Advocate General Soumendra Nath Mookherjee to meet him to discuss certain issues related to the Howrah Municipal Bill 2021. "WB Governor Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, after taking conspectus of the situation and proceedings before Calcutta High Court, has sought to confer with Advocate General @MamataOfficial under Article 165(2) of the Constitution," the Governor wrote. "Government @MamataOfficial has been directed to make available the entire documentation to the Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," he added. In a letter to the state government, the Governor wrote, "Response to inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 were made available by the state government after a considerable delay of about a month on 20.12.2021. Thereafter vide note dated 24.12.2021, finding that the response of the government was wanting on several counts, it was indicated that inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 be made available. The file has now been received on 28.12.2021 at Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, and made available at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling, on December 30, 2021." "In the note dated 24.11.2021 it was indicated that 'concerned officials be sensitised accordingly and all required information sought be made available to this office at the earliest'. Going by the inputs made available on 20.12.2021, it is apparent that this has had no impact," he added. "Be that as it may, taking conspectus of the situation and also the proceedings before the High Court at Calcutta, in writ petition MAT 1354 of 2021. I find it expedient to confer with the learned Advocate General under Article 163(2) of the Constitution of India steps be taken by the government to make available the entire documentation to the learned Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," the Governor said. Jammu, Jan 1 (PTI) Twelve people lost their lives and over a dozen others were injured in a stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir in the early hours during a heavy rush of devotees on New Year. This is the first such tragedy at the shrine, located atop the Trikuta hills - about 50 km from here - that attracts lakhs of people every year. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: 27-Year-Old Man Dies By Suicide After Molestation Complaint Filed Against Him In Bareilly District. The incident occurred between 2.30 AM and 2.45 AM on Saturday near a relatively narrow passage at gate number 3 outside the sanctum sanctorum of the hilltop shrine where devotees usually arrive round the clock after trekking from the Katra base camp, a distance of nearly 13 km. A high-level inquiry was ordered into the stampede by Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Manoj Sinha to be headed by Principal Secretary (Home) Shaleen Kabra with Divisional Commissioner Jammu Rajiv Langar and Additional Director General of Police Mukesh Singh as its members. Also Read | Rajasthan Reports 52 Fresh Omicron Cases, Total Tally Rises to 121 in the State. Condolences poured in from all quarters and Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Sinha and Union ministers Jitendra Singh to take stock of the situation. According to eyewitness accounts, the number of devotees was allegedly beyond the permitted level with flagrant violation of COVID-19 norms, and some of the survivors accused the Jammu and Kashmir administration of "mismanagement". The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, however, denied the charges saying all necessary arrangements were made in view of the expected rush. Most of the deaths have taken place due to suffocation, police said, adding among the deceased seven are from Uttar Pradesh, three from Delhi and one each from Haryana and J-K. Director General of Police Dilbag Singh, who accompanied the Minister of State in the PMO, Jitendra Singh, during the visit to the shrine after the stampede, told reporters that the incident took place due to confusion or "probably somebody at the site acted funny which could have led to some altercation". "All these things are being looked into. That area is a little narrow and people ran helter-skelter without knowing the reason. Most of the deaths have taken place due to suffocation after being run over by each other and most of the injuries are also due to the same reason," he said. Singh had told PTI that preliminary information from the scene suggests there was a minor altercation among some boys, and within seconds, there was a stampede. "Police and officials of the civil administration were quick to respond, and the order within the crowd was immediately restored, but by that time, the damage had been done," he said. Prem Singh, from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, said there was a "complete mess" as neither was the number of pilgrims restricted nor were COVID-19 guidelines in force. "It was a free-for-all-like situation. Many people were without mandatory face masks," he said, claiming that police personnel on duty at the checking point surrendered to the heavy rush and were warning people about the possibility of such an accident. "Nothing but mismanagement was the cause for this tragic accident. They were aware about the possible rush but allowed the people in unhindered," a pilgrim from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh said while waiting outside a mortuary to identify a body. Many people were resting on the floor, instead of heading back, and it caused more rush at the bhawan, he added. Another man, who lost his friend Arun Pratab Singh (30), said they had come from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. The area was overcrowded, he said. Aditya Sharma, a pilgrim, said there was a heavy rush of devotees and some people who were sleeping on the floor got crushed. Senior officials present at the scene said 12 people died in the stampede and their bodies were taken to a hospital in the Katra base camp. The deceased were identified as Arun Pratab Singh (30), Dharam Veer Singh (35), Vineet Kumar (38), Shewata Singh (35), Mohinder Gour (26), Narinder Kashap (40) and Monu Sharma (32) of Uttar Pradesh, Vinay Kumar (24), Sonu Panday (24) and Akash Kumar (29) of Delhi, Mamta (38) of Haryana and Desraj Kumar (26) of Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, the officials said. Fifteen injured were undergoing treatment at the Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, and the condition of two of them was stated to be critical. Some were discharged after first-aid, they added. An hour after the incident, pilgrims were again allowed at the site, the officials said, adding the yatra was not disrupted. Prime Minister Modi said that the central government is in constant touch with the J-K administration to assist the affected people. Speaking at a programme to release funds under the PM-KISAN scheme, Modi said he was "extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon". The JK administration has announced a relief of Rs 10 lakh to the deceased and Rs 2 lakh to the injured which will be paid by the Shrine board. In a series of tweets, the office of the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor expressed pain at the loss of lives and gave details of whom Sinha had briefed after the stampede which included the Prime Minister and Home Minister Amit Shah. The PMO tweeted that "an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs 50,000: PM @narendramodi". Union Minister Jitendra Singh said innovative measures are required to deal with the new trend of youngsters eager to visit Mata Vaishno Devi shrine on the first day of the new year. The minister also visited the injured devotees undergoing treatment at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital at Kakriyal. "Traditionally, the pilgrims used to come on the festival days like Navratras, Dussehra and Deepavali. This is a new trend and we have to take measures accordingly (of youngsters visiting on New Year)," he said, adding "when we will sit and talk, we will talk about innovation and technology to find some solution to the issue." President Ram Nath Kovind said he was very distressed to know about the stampede and offered condolences to the bereaved families. "I wish speedy recovery to those injured," he said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he was deeply pained by the tragic accident. "Deeply pained by the tragic accident at Mata Vaishno Devi temple. In this regard, I have spoken to Lieutenant Governor of J&K Shri Manoj Sinha. The administration is working continuously to provide treatment to the injured. I express my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this accident," Shah tweeted in Hindi. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, "The stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi temple is tragic. I extend my condolences to the families of the deceased." Senior BJP leader and former legislator Devender Singh Rana, who interacted with the pilgrims here to take stock of the situation, said the incident was the first of its kind to take place at the shrine. "It is a tragic incident and a sad moment for all of us. The whole administration is working to ensure the bodies are returned to their families and those injured are given adequate treatment," he said. "This is no time for allegations or counter-allegations. It is a tragedy that has happened and nobody should play politics over it," he added. Political parties in Kashmir, including the National Conference and the People's Conference, expressed grief over the incident. The PDP said such "mismanagement" has been unheard of in recent times. "Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families who lost their loved ones and pray for speedy recovery of the injured," it said in a tweet. Officials at the spot said the incident was triggered by a heavy rush of devotees who came to pay their obeisance to mark the beginning of the New Year. While most of the devotees undertake the arduous trek, some reach there by helicopter service. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jaipur, Jan 1 (PTI) Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot expressed condolences to the family members of those who were killed in the stampede at Vaishno Devi Mata Temple in Jammu and Kashmir's Katra early on Saturday. In a statement, Mishra said he prayed to God to give strength to the families of those deceased to bear the loss. He also wished those injured a speedy recovery. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: 27-Year-Old Man Dies By Suicide After Molestation Complaint Filed Against Him In Bareilly District. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took to Twitter to express his grief. Deeply saddened at the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata #VaishnoDevi Bhawan, Katra in J&K. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. May they remain strong to bear this loss. Prayers for speedy recovery of the injured," Gehlot tweeted. Also Read | Rajasthan Reports 52 Fresh Omicron Cases, Total Tally Rises to 121 in the State. At least 12 people died and over a dozen were injured in the stampede, triggered by a heavy rush of devotees at the shrine, officials said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Jan 1 : over 12,000 NGOs including Oxfam and Jamia Milia Islamia will no longer be able to receive any foreign donations as the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has not cleared the renewal of their Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) license. The NGOs, which also include the Indian Medical Association and the Leprosy Mission, whose licenses had expired over the past few months and now have lost their FCRA licenses as of Saturday. Oxfam India is in the list of NGOs whose FCRA certificates have expired and not those whose registrations have been cancelled. The Centre's move comes days after it, on December 25, refused to renew the FCRA license of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity, which runs orphanages and shelters for the poor, sick and destitute across India "for not meeting eligibility conditions under FCR Act and Foreign Contribution Regulation Rules" and due to "some adverse inputs". The Ministry on Friday extended the December 31 deadline for validity of FCRA registration of NGOs to March 31, 2022 or till the date of disposal of the renewal application, whichever is earlier, "in respect of only those entities who fulfil certain criteria". Sources in the Ministry said that around 6,000 NGOs have not applied for the renewal of the FCRA license. According to a sources, now there are only 16,829 NGOs in India which still have a FCRA license, while a total of 22,762 NGOs are registered under the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act as of now. With the anticipated need for a lot more lithium to put into batteries to help power a greener future, you might think environmentalists would give a pass to some of the negative effects of the proposed lithium mines that are being planned at sites around Nevada. Thats not the case. The opposition to some of the proposed mines has been strong and may even be ramping up. Thacker Pass Lithium Americas Thacker Pass lithium mine may be the biggest project on the horizon, and it is facing lots of opposition. Lithium Americas has been working for years on plans for Thacker Pass, which is about 60 miles northwest of Winnemucca. The companys website says Thacker Pass is the largest known lithium resource in the United States. Lithium Americas estimates there is $3.9 billion worth of recoverable lithium at the site. The company has said it hopes to start mining operations next year. The mine is expected to produce up to 60,000 tons a year of battery-quality lithium carbonate, which would be a huge boost to the world supply of lithium. The mine is expected to employ about 300 people and have a 46-year mine life. On Jan. 15, 2021, the last Friday of the Trump Administration, the Bureau of Land Management approved the Record of Decision for Thacker Pass, giving federal approval to the project. That evening, Will Falk and Max Wilbert set out on an eight-hour drive to the Thacker Pass site to set up a camp nearby to protest the mine. People have been camped out there ever since. Falk and Wilbert are radical environmentalists, with Falk writing on the protectthackerpass.org website that I hate fossil fuels and actively advocate for the dismantling of all industrial infrastructure Elisabeth Robson wrote on the website, Many people believe they cant live without cars. But all humans lived without cars until a mere 113 years ago, and we can do so again. A world without cars is a quieter, slower, and more wonderful world, not just for humans but for everyone. I hope one day a militant and offensive environmental movement forms, Falk wrote. The people opposed to the Thacker Pass mine and other lithium mine projects dont all hold these views, of course, but have a variety of reasons for their opposition. A March 10 letter in the Elko Daily Free Press from Alex Eisenberg said the plan to transition to electric vehicles in the years ahead is incredibly short-sighted and irresponsible and will do virtually nothing to curb carbon emissions, as electric car production is completely reliant on the fossil fuel industry. The Thacker Pass mine alone would burn 11,000 gallons of diesel every day for onsite operations, the letter said. Double that for off-site operations. Carbon emissions are expected to be 150,000+ tons per year, equating to 2.3 tons of carbon for every ton of lithium produced. Hundreds of tons of sulfur (ironically a waste product from oil refineries) would be used daily in mine operations. On Feb. 11, 2021, Edward Bartell, a rancher who owns property above and below the mine, filed a lawsuit with a long list of objections to the mine. One of his big concerns is the water the mine will use. The projects Environmental Impact Statement says the projected water demand for years 5 through 41 is equivalent to an average pumping rate of 3,224 gallons per minute. On Feb. 26, 2021, the Western Watersheds Project, Wildlands Defense, Great Basin Resource Watch, and Basin and Range Watch filed a lawsuit saying the Thacker Pass Record of Decision did not adequately gauge the mines impacts on greater sage grouse and other wildlife. Local Indigenous communities say Thacker Pass is important to them historically and in their daily lives. Local tribal members have been camping near the mine site to protest the mine. The tribal council of the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation, which is about 26 miles from the mine site, made an engagement agreement with Lithium Nevada in 2020, but withdrew from the agreement in March 2021. On July 28, the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and Atsa Koodakuh Wyh Nuwu/People of Red Mountain were allowed to intervene as plaintiffs in the lawsuits against the mine. On Aug. 6, the Burns Paiute Tribe was also allowed to intervene. Additional court filings have been made since then. On Sept. 5, U.S. District Court Judge Miranda Du denied a request from the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and the People of Red Mountain for a preliminary injunction to temporarily halt work. Falk is a lawyer for the People of the Red Mountain, but he told The Guardian he is skeptical they will be able to win by arguing the right things. Eventually were going to have to be ready to physically block construction equipment. I think that one of the ways to wake up people in the United States (is seeing) people getting dragged away by the police for trying to protect their land. And I think thats where this is going, Falk said. Humboldt County Manager Dave Mendiola told Inside Climate News, I guess you can chain yourself to the fence like some of the protesters might do and I dont blame them for that. But in the end, as a company, if theyve followed all the rules, youre probably not going to stop it. What we can do as a county is monitor it and come up with ways to address problems now. Rhyolite Ridge At ioneers proposed Rhyolite Ridge lithium mine about 65 miles southwest of Tonopah, debates continue over the Tiehms buckwheat that is found only on the site. James Calaway, executive chairman of ioneer Ltd., said the company is working to protect the plant and increase the size of its habitat. He said about half of the plants were destroyed by drought and rodents last year. John Scire, PhD, an adjunct professor at UNR, said in a December editorial that the bottom line is that the Fish and Wildlife Service should veto the false claims by the Las Vegans that the ioneer mine will wipe out the buckwheat plants and should consider instead the macro environmental impacts of not letting the mine get cranked up ASAP. The best available science supports that the mine and the plant can co-exist. However, Patrick Donnelly, the Nevada director of the Center for Biological Diversity, said he disagrees with ioneers expectation that the wildflower can be established near the current growing site. Attempts to propagate the plants failed, Donnelly told Mining the West magazine. They all died, so ioneer doesnt have a plan. Their plan is bunk and doesnt reflect the consensus of the scientific community. There is no compromise. They cannot hurt the buckwheat, Donnelly said. He said the Center for Biological Diversity does not oppose lithium mining, and lithium is all over the place in Nevada. Other projects Other companies are working on developing other possible lithium mine sites around Nevada. Mike Kobler, general manager of U.S. operations for Tonopah Lithium Corp., told the Nye County commissioners at their Nov. 2 meeting that his companys mine site about six miles northwest of Tonopah could become one of the biggest lithium resources in the world. We are in the perfect location in Nevada, Kobler said. We dont have the sage grouse issues that they have up north, we dont have the desert tortoise issues that they have down south, we have not found any Tiehms buckwheat; weve cleared all of our environmental hurdles and cultural hurdles, so were just moving ahead. In addition to Nevada, companies are also working on proposed lithium production sites in California, Oregon, Tennessee, Arkansas and North Carolina. Other countries The United States is not the only country with pushback against new lithium mines. In Serbia, Rio Tinto has been planning a $2.4 billion lithium mine. For three consecutive weekends in late 2021, thousands of protesters blocked roads in Serbia to protest lithium mining, with environmentalists saying that extracting lithium causes huge damage to mined areas. On Dec. 16, authorities in western Serbia suspended a plan that would allow Rio Tinto to operate the lithium mine. We will continue to provide information on all aspects of the project for which we are responsible and in which we participate, Rio Tinto said in a statement. Chile, which has about 44% of the worlds lithium reserves, elected leftist Gabriel Boric as president on Dec. 19, but it is not clear what impact Borics election will have on lithium mining. Boric has supported mining tax hikes and royalties and promised to create a state-run lithium company. A bold agenda If efforts to stop proposed lithium mines in Nevada and elsewhere in the United States are successful, then as the need for lithium ramps up, lithium mining could escalate in countries that have fewer environmental regulations than the U.S., and more fuel will be burned shipping lithium and batteries around the world and to the U.S. In the National Blueprint for Lithium Batteries 2021-2030 published in June 2021, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm wrote, The Biden Administration has laid out a bold agenda to address the climate crisis and build a clean and equitable energy economy that achieves carbon-pollution-free electricity by 2035, and puts the United States on a path to achieve net-zero emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050 to the benefit of all Americans. The report says the Federal Consortium for Advanced Batteries will secure U.S. access to raw materials for lithium batteries by incentivizing growth in safe, equitable, and sustainable domestic mining ventures while leveraging partnerships with allies and partners to establish a diversified supply. The worldwide lithium battery market is expected to grow by a factor of 5 to 10 in the next decade, the report says. The U.S. industrial base must be positioned to respond to this vast increase in market demand that otherwise will likely benefit well-resourced and supported competitors in Asia and Europe. However, on May 25, 2021, Reuters ran a story saying, U.S. President Joe Biden will rely on ally countries to supply the bulk of the metals needed to build electric vehicles and focus on processing them domestically into battery parts, part of a strategy designed to placate environmentalists, two administration officials with direct knowledge told Reuters. The plans will be a blow to U.S. miners who had hoped Biden would rely primarily on domestically sourced metals, as his campaign had signaled last autumn. Current production Currently about 46% of the worlds mine production of lithium is in Australia, and about 21% is Chile and another 16% is in China, according to U.S. Geological Survey data. In the United States, all the lithium mining is at one mine in Nevada, and accounts for less than 2% of the worlds mine production. Albemarle Corporations Silver Peak lithium mine is about 40 miles southwest of Tonopah and has been in operation since the 1960s. A May 6, 2021 New York Times story said Silver Peak produces about 5,000 tons of lithium a year. On Jan. 7, 2021, Albemarle announced that it planned to invest $30 million to $50 million to double the lithium production at Silver Peak by 2025. The company also said it planned to begin exploration in 2021 and evaluate technology that could accelerate the viability of lithium production from clay resources in the region. The lithium produced at Silver Peak is shipped to Asia to be made into cathodes for batteries. China has for years been focused on building capacity at every stage of the battery supply chain, according to a Sept. 1, 2020 VOA News story. China has been buying stakes in mining operations in Australia and South America where most of the worlds lithium reserves are found, the VOA story said. Chinas Ganfeng Lithium, which has been snapping up lithium mines and salt lakes abroad as it plots out an ambitious road map for growth, according to a Dec. 8, 2021 Nikkei Asia story, is the largest shareholder in Lithium Americas, the company planning the Thacker Pass mine, according to the New York Times story. To add to all the lithium news and heat up the global competition for lithium resources even more, lithium prices shot way up in 2021, increasing about 240%. The future In the years ahead, refining capacity might be built in the U.S. as more battery factories and electric vehicle factories are built here. The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Dec. 20, 2021 that 13 new electric vehicle battery factories are planned in the U.S. within the next five years. Most of these factories will be in the Southeast or Midwest. So, although U.S. will lag behind China, parts of the EV battery supply chain will be growing in the U.S. in the years ahead. But the question remains, how much of the lithium and other elements needed for the supply chain will come from mines in Nevada? Well being finding that out as the approval and funding processes and the legal battles and protests roll on. With the anticipated need for a lot more lithium to put into batteries to help power a greener future, you might think environmentalists would give a pass to some of the negative effects of the proposed lithium mines that are being planned at sites around Nevada. Thats not the case. The opposition to some of the proposed mines has been strong and may even be ramping up. Thacker Pass Lithium Americas Thacker Pass lithium mine may be the biggest project on the horizon, and it is facing lots of opposition. Lithium Americas has been working for years on plans for Thacker Pass, which is about 60 miles northwest of Winnemucca. The companys website says Thacker Pass is the largest known lithium resource in the United States. Lithium Americas estimates there is $3.9 billion worth of recoverable lithium at the site. The company has said it hopes to start mining operations next year. The mine is expected to produce up to 60,000 tons a year of battery-quality lithium carbonate, which would be a huge boost to the world supply of lithium. The mine is expected to employ about 300 people and have a 46-year mine life. On Jan. 15, 2021, the last Friday of the Trump Administration, the Bureau of Land Management approved the Record of Decision for Thacker Pass, giving federal approval to the project. That evening, Will Falk and Max Wilbert set out on an eight-hour drive to the Thacker Pass site to set up a camp nearby to protest the mine. People have been camped out there ever since. Falk and Wilbert are radical environmentalists, with Falk writing on the protectthackerpass.org website that I hate fossil fuels and actively advocate for the dismantling of all industrial infrastructure Elisabeth Robson wrote on the website, Many people believe they cant live without cars. But all humans lived without cars until a mere 113 years ago, and we can do so again. A world without cars is a quieter, slower, and more wonderful world, not just for humans but for everyone. I hope one day a militant and offensive environmental movement forms, Falk wrote. The people opposed to the Thacker Pass mine and other lithium mine projects dont all hold these views, of course, but have a variety of reasons for their opposition. A March 10 letter in the Elko Daily Free Press from Alex Eisenberg said the plan to transition to electric vehicles in the years ahead is incredibly short-sighted and irresponsible and will do virtually nothing to curb carbon emissions, as electric car production is completely reliant on the fossil fuel industry. The Thacker Pass mine alone would burn 11,000 gallons of diesel every day for onsite operations, the letter said. Double that for off-site operations. Carbon emissions are expected to be 150,000+ tons per year, equating to 2.3 tons of carbon for every ton of lithium produced. Hundreds of tons of sulfur (ironically a waste product from oil refineries) would be used daily in mine operations. On Feb. 11, 2021, Edward Bartell, a rancher who owns property above and below the mine, filed a lawsuit with a long list of objections to the mine. One of his big concerns is the water the mine will use. The projects Environmental Impact Statement says the projected water demand for years 5 through 41 is equivalent to an average pumping rate of 3,224 gallons per minute. On Feb. 26, 2021, the Western Watersheds Project, Wildlands Defense, Great Basin Resource Watch, and Basin and Range Watch filed a lawsuit saying the Thacker Pass Record of Decision did not adequately gauge the mines impacts on greater sage grouse and other wildlife. Local Indigenous communities say Thacker Pass is important to them historically and in their daily lives. Local tribal members have been camping near the mine site to protest the mine. The tribal council of the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation, which is about 26 miles from the mine site, made an engagement agreement with Lithium Nevada in 2020, but withdrew from the agreement in March 2021. On July 28, the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and Atsa Koodakuh Wyh Nuwu/People of Red Mountain were allowed to intervene as plaintiffs in the lawsuits against the mine. On Aug. 6, the Burns Paiute Tribe was also allowed to intervene. Additional court filings have been made since then. On Sept. 5, U.S. District Court Judge Miranda Du denied a request from the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and the People of Red Mountain for a preliminary injunction to temporarily halt work. Falk is a lawyer for the People of the Red Mountain, but he told The Guardian he is skeptical they will be able to win by arguing the right things. Eventually were going to have to be ready to physically block construction equipment. I think that one of the ways to wake up people in the United States (is seeing) people getting dragged away by the police for trying to protect their land. And I think thats where this is going, Falk said. Humboldt County Manager Dave Mendiola told Inside Climate News, I guess you can chain yourself to the fence like some of the protesters might do and I dont blame them for that. But in the end, as a company, if theyve followed all the rules, youre probably not going to stop it. What we can do as a county is monitor it and come up with ways to address problems now. Rhyolite Ridge At ioneers proposed Rhyolite Ridge lithium mine about 65 miles southwest of Tonopah, debates continue over the Tiehms buckwheat that is found only on the site. James Calaway, executive chairman of ioneer Ltd., said the company is working to protect the plant and increase the size of its habitat. He said about half of the plants were destroyed by drought and rodents last year. John Scire, PhD, an adjunct professor at UNR, said in a December editorial that the bottom line is that the Fish and Wildlife Service should veto the false claims by the Las Vegans that the ioneer mine will wipe out the buckwheat plants and should consider instead the macro environmental impacts of not letting the mine get cranked up ASAP. The best available science supports that the mine and the plant can co-exist. However, Patrick Donnelly, the Nevada director of the Center for Biological Diversity, said he disagrees with ioneers expectation that the wildflower can be established near the current growing site. Attempts to propagate the plants failed, Donnelly told Mining the West magazine. They all died, so ioneer doesnt have a plan. Their plan is bunk and doesnt reflect the consensus of the scientific community. There is no compromise. They cannot hurt the buckwheat, Donnelly said. He said the Center for Biological Diversity does not oppose lithium mining, and lithium is all over the place in Nevada. Other projects Other companies are working on developing other possible lithium mine sites around Nevada. Mike Kobler, general manager of U.S. operations for Tonopah Lithium Corp., told the Nye County commissioners at their Nov. 2 meeting that his companys mine site about six miles northwest of Tonopah could become one of the biggest lithium resources in the world. We are in the perfect location in Nevada, Kobler said. We dont have the sage grouse issues that they have up north, we dont have the desert tortoise issues that they have down south, we have not found any Tiehms buckwheat; weve cleared all of our environmental hurdles and cultural hurdles, so were just moving ahead. In addition to Nevada, companies are also working on proposed lithium production sites in California, Oregon, Tennessee, Arkansas and North Carolina. Other countries The United States is not the only country with pushback against new lithium mines. In Serbia, Rio Tinto has been planning a $2.4 billion lithium mine. For three consecutive weekends in late 2021, thousands of protesters blocked roads in Serbia to protest lithium mining, with environmentalists saying that extracting lithium causes huge damage to mined areas. On Dec. 16, authorities in western Serbia suspended a plan that would allow Rio Tinto to operate the lithium mine. We will continue to provide information on all aspects of the project for which we are responsible and in which we participate, Rio Tinto said in a statement. Chile, which has about 44% of the worlds lithium reserves, elected leftist Gabriel Boric as president on Dec. 19, but it is not clear what impact Borics election will have on lithium mining. Boric has supported mining tax hikes and royalties and promised to create a state-run lithium company. A bold agenda If efforts to stop proposed lithium mines in Nevada and elsewhere in the United States are successful, then as the need for lithium ramps up, lithium mining could escalate in countries that have fewer environmental regulations than the U.S., and more fuel will be burned shipping lithium and batteries around the world and to the U.S. In the National Blueprint for Lithium Batteries 2021-2030 published in June 2021, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm wrote, The Biden Administration has laid out a bold agenda to address the climate crisis and build a clean and equitable energy economy that achieves carbon-pollution-free electricity by 2035, and puts the United States on a path to achieve net-zero emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050 to the benefit of all Americans. The report says the Federal Consortium for Advanced Batteries will secure U.S. access to raw materials for lithium batteries by incentivizing growth in safe, equitable, and sustainable domestic mining ventures while leveraging partnerships with allies and partners to establish a diversified supply. The worldwide lithium battery market is expected to grow by a factor of 5 to 10 in the next decade, the report says. The U.S. industrial base must be positioned to respond to this vast increase in market demand that otherwise will likely benefit well-resourced and supported competitors in Asia and Europe. However, on May 25, 2021, Reuters ran a story saying, U.S. President Joe Biden will rely on ally countries to supply the bulk of the metals needed to build electric vehicles and focus on processing them domestically into battery parts, part of a strategy designed to placate environmentalists, two administration officials with direct knowledge told Reuters. The plans will be a blow to U.S. miners who had hoped Biden would rely primarily on domestically sourced metals, as his campaign had signaled last autumn. Current production Currently about 46% of the worlds mine production of lithium is in Australia, and about 21% is Chile and another 16% is in China, according to U.S. Geological Survey data. In the United States, all the lithium mining is at one mine in Nevada, and accounts for less than 2% of the worlds mine production. Albemarle Corporations Silver Peak lithium mine is about 40 miles southwest of Tonopah and has been in operation since the 1960s. A May 6, 2021 New York Times story said Silver Peak produces about 5,000 tons of lithium a year. On Jan. 7, 2021, Albemarle announced that it planned to invest $30 million to $50 million to double the lithium production at Silver Peak by 2025. The company also said it planned to begin exploration in 2021 and evaluate technology that could accelerate the viability of lithium production from clay resources in the region. The lithium produced at Silver Peak is shipped to Asia to be made into cathodes for batteries. China has for years been focused on building capacity at every stage of the battery supply chain, according to a Sept. 1, 2020 VOA News story. China has been buying stakes in mining operations in Australia and South America where most of the worlds lithium reserves are found, the VOA story said. Chinas Ganfeng Lithium, which has been snapping up lithium mines and salt lakes abroad as it plots out an ambitious road map for growth, according to a Dec. 8, 2021 Nikkei Asia story, is the largest shareholder in Lithium Americas, the company planning the Thacker Pass mine, according to the New York Times story. To add to all the lithium news and heat up the global competition for lithium resources even more, lithium prices shot way up in 2021, increasing about 240%. The future In the years ahead, refining capacity might be built in the U.S. as more battery factories and electric vehicle factories are built here. The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Dec. 20, 2021 that 13 new electric vehicle battery factories are planned in the U.S. within the next five years. Most of these factories will be in the Southeast or Midwest. So, although U.S. will lag behind China, parts of the EV battery supply chain will be growing in the U.S. in the years ahead. But the question remains, how much of the lithium and other elements needed for the supply chain will come from mines in Nevada? Well being finding that out as the approval and funding processes and the legal battles and protests roll on. New Delhi, Jan 1 : over 12,000 NGOs including Oxfam and Jamia Milia Islamia will no longer be able to receive any foreign donations as the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has not cleared the renewal of their Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) license. The NGOs, which also include the Indian Medical Association and the Leprosy Mission, whose licenses had expired over the past few months and now have lost their FCRA licenses as of Saturday. Oxfam India is in the list of NGOs whose FCRA certificates have expired and not those whose registrations have been cancelled. The Centre's move comes days after it, on December 25, refused to renew the FCRA license of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity, which runs orphanages and shelters for the poor, sick and destitute across India "for not meeting eligibility conditions under FCR Act and Foreign Contribution Regulation Rules" and due to "some adverse inputs". The Ministry on Friday extended the December 31 deadline for validity of FCRA registration of NGOs to March 31, 2022 or till the date of disposal of the renewal application, whichever is earlier, "in respect of only those entities who fulfil certain criteria". Sources in the Ministry said that around 6,000 NGOs have not applied for the renewal of the FCRA license. According to a sources, now there are only 16,829 NGOs in India which still have a FCRA license, while a total of 22,762 NGOs are registered under the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act as of now. With the anticipated need for a lot more lithium to put into batteries to help power a greener future, you might think environmentalists would give a pass to some of the negative effects of the proposed lithium mines that are being planned at sites around Nevada. Thats not the case. The opposition to some of the proposed mines has been strong and may even be ramping up. Thacker Pass Lithium Americas Thacker Pass lithium mine may be the biggest project on the horizon, and it is facing lots of opposition. Lithium Americas has been working for years on plans for Thacker Pass, which is about 60 miles northwest of Winnemucca. The companys website says Thacker Pass is the largest known lithium resource in the United States. Lithium Americas estimates there is $3.9 billion worth of recoverable lithium at the site. The company has said it hopes to start mining operations next year. The mine is expected to produce up to 60,000 tons a year of battery-quality lithium carbonate, which would be a huge boost to the world supply of lithium. The mine is expected to employ about 300 people and have a 46-year mine life. On Jan. 15, 2021, the last Friday of the Trump Administration, the Bureau of Land Management approved the Record of Decision for Thacker Pass, giving federal approval to the project. That evening, Will Falk and Max Wilbert set out on an eight-hour drive to the Thacker Pass site to set up a camp nearby to protest the mine. People have been camped out there ever since. Falk and Wilbert are radical environmentalists, with Falk writing on the protectthackerpass.org website that I hate fossil fuels and actively advocate for the dismantling of all industrial infrastructure Elisabeth Robson wrote on the website, Many people believe they cant live without cars. But all humans lived without cars until a mere 113 years ago, and we can do so again. A world without cars is a quieter, slower, and more wonderful world, not just for humans but for everyone. I hope one day a militant and offensive environmental movement forms, Falk wrote. The people opposed to the Thacker Pass mine and other lithium mine projects dont all hold these views, of course, but have a variety of reasons for their opposition. A March 10 letter in the Elko Daily Free Press from Alex Eisenberg said the plan to transition to electric vehicles in the years ahead is incredibly short-sighted and irresponsible and will do virtually nothing to curb carbon emissions, as electric car production is completely reliant on the fossil fuel industry. The Thacker Pass mine alone would burn 11,000 gallons of diesel every day for onsite operations, the letter said. Double that for off-site operations. Carbon emissions are expected to be 150,000+ tons per year, equating to 2.3 tons of carbon for every ton of lithium produced. Hundreds of tons of sulfur (ironically a waste product from oil refineries) would be used daily in mine operations. On Feb. 11, 2021, Edward Bartell, a rancher who owns property above and below the mine, filed a lawsuit with a long list of objections to the mine. One of his big concerns is the water the mine will use. The projects Environmental Impact Statement says the projected water demand for years 5 through 41 is equivalent to an average pumping rate of 3,224 gallons per minute. On Feb. 26, 2021, the Western Watersheds Project, Wildlands Defense, Great Basin Resource Watch, and Basin and Range Watch filed a lawsuit saying the Thacker Pass Record of Decision did not adequately gauge the mines impacts on greater sage grouse and other wildlife. Local Indigenous communities say Thacker Pass is important to them historically and in their daily lives. Local tribal members have been camping near the mine site to protest the mine. The tribal council of the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation, which is about 26 miles from the mine site, made an engagement agreement with Lithium Nevada in 2020, but withdrew from the agreement in March 2021. On July 28, the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and Atsa Koodakuh Wyh Nuwu/People of Red Mountain were allowed to intervene as plaintiffs in the lawsuits against the mine. On Aug. 6, the Burns Paiute Tribe was also allowed to intervene. Additional court filings have been made since then. On Sept. 5, U.S. District Court Judge Miranda Du denied a request from the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and the People of Red Mountain for a preliminary injunction to temporarily halt work. Falk is a lawyer for the People of the Red Mountain, but he told The Guardian he is skeptical they will be able to win by arguing the right things. Eventually were going to have to be ready to physically block construction equipment. I think that one of the ways to wake up people in the United States (is seeing) people getting dragged away by the police for trying to protect their land. And I think thats where this is going, Falk said. Humboldt County Manager Dave Mendiola told Inside Climate News, I guess you can chain yourself to the fence like some of the protesters might do and I dont blame them for that. But in the end, as a company, if theyve followed all the rules, youre probably not going to stop it. What we can do as a county is monitor it and come up with ways to address problems now. Rhyolite Ridge At ioneers proposed Rhyolite Ridge lithium mine about 65 miles southwest of Tonopah, debates continue over the Tiehms buckwheat that is found only on the site. James Calaway, executive chairman of ioneer Ltd., said the company is working to protect the plant and increase the size of its habitat. He said about half of the plants were destroyed by drought and rodents last year. John Scire, PhD, an adjunct professor at UNR, said in a December editorial that the bottom line is that the Fish and Wildlife Service should veto the false claims by the Las Vegans that the ioneer mine will wipe out the buckwheat plants and should consider instead the macro environmental impacts of not letting the mine get cranked up ASAP. The best available science supports that the mine and the plant can co-exist. However, Patrick Donnelly, the Nevada director of the Center for Biological Diversity, said he disagrees with ioneers expectation that the wildflower can be established near the current growing site. Attempts to propagate the plants failed, Donnelly told Mining the West magazine. They all died, so ioneer doesnt have a plan. Their plan is bunk and doesnt reflect the consensus of the scientific community. There is no compromise. They cannot hurt the buckwheat, Donnelly said. He said the Center for Biological Diversity does not oppose lithium mining, and lithium is all over the place in Nevada. Other projects Other companies are working on developing other possible lithium mine sites around Nevada. Mike Kobler, general manager of U.S. operations for Tonopah Lithium Corp., told the Nye County commissioners at their Nov. 2 meeting that his companys mine site about six miles northwest of Tonopah could become one of the biggest lithium resources in the world. We are in the perfect location in Nevada, Kobler said. We dont have the sage grouse issues that they have up north, we dont have the desert tortoise issues that they have down south, we have not found any Tiehms buckwheat; weve cleared all of our environmental hurdles and cultural hurdles, so were just moving ahead. In addition to Nevada, companies are also working on proposed lithium production sites in California, Oregon, Tennessee, Arkansas and North Carolina. Other countries The United States is not the only country with pushback against new lithium mines. In Serbia, Rio Tinto has been planning a $2.4 billion lithium mine. For three consecutive weekends in late 2021, thousands of protesters blocked roads in Serbia to protest lithium mining, with environmentalists saying that extracting lithium causes huge damage to mined areas. On Dec. 16, authorities in western Serbia suspended a plan that would allow Rio Tinto to operate the lithium mine. We will continue to provide information on all aspects of the project for which we are responsible and in which we participate, Rio Tinto said in a statement. Chile, which has about 44% of the worlds lithium reserves, elected leftist Gabriel Boric as president on Dec. 19, but it is not clear what impact Borics election will have on lithium mining. Boric has supported mining tax hikes and royalties and promised to create a state-run lithium company. A bold agenda If efforts to stop proposed lithium mines in Nevada and elsewhere in the United States are successful, then as the need for lithium ramps up, lithium mining could escalate in countries that have fewer environmental regulations than the U.S., and more fuel will be burned shipping lithium and batteries around the world and to the U.S. In the National Blueprint for Lithium Batteries 2021-2030 published in June 2021, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm wrote, The Biden Administration has laid out a bold agenda to address the climate crisis and build a clean and equitable energy economy that achieves carbon-pollution-free electricity by 2035, and puts the United States on a path to achieve net-zero emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050 to the benefit of all Americans. The report says the Federal Consortium for Advanced Batteries will secure U.S. access to raw materials for lithium batteries by incentivizing growth in safe, equitable, and sustainable domestic mining ventures while leveraging partnerships with allies and partners to establish a diversified supply. The worldwide lithium battery market is expected to grow by a factor of 5 to 10 in the next decade, the report says. The U.S. industrial base must be positioned to respond to this vast increase in market demand that otherwise will likely benefit well-resourced and supported competitors in Asia and Europe. However, on May 25, 2021, Reuters ran a story saying, U.S. President Joe Biden will rely on ally countries to supply the bulk of the metals needed to build electric vehicles and focus on processing them domestically into battery parts, part of a strategy designed to placate environmentalists, two administration officials with direct knowledge told Reuters. The plans will be a blow to U.S. miners who had hoped Biden would rely primarily on domestically sourced metals, as his campaign had signaled last autumn. Current production Currently about 46% of the worlds mine production of lithium is in Australia, and about 21% is Chile and another 16% is in China, according to U.S. Geological Survey data. In the United States, all the lithium mining is at one mine in Nevada, and accounts for less than 2% of the worlds mine production. Albemarle Corporations Silver Peak lithium mine is about 40 miles southwest of Tonopah and has been in operation since the 1960s. A May 6, 2021 New York Times story said Silver Peak produces about 5,000 tons of lithium a year. On Jan. 7, 2021, Albemarle announced that it planned to invest $30 million to $50 million to double the lithium production at Silver Peak by 2025. The company also said it planned to begin exploration in 2021 and evaluate technology that could accelerate the viability of lithium production from clay resources in the region. The lithium produced at Silver Peak is shipped to Asia to be made into cathodes for batteries. China has for years been focused on building capacity at every stage of the battery supply chain, according to a Sept. 1, 2020 VOA News story. China has been buying stakes in mining operations in Australia and South America where most of the worlds lithium reserves are found, the VOA story said. Chinas Ganfeng Lithium, which has been snapping up lithium mines and salt lakes abroad as it plots out an ambitious road map for growth, according to a Dec. 8, 2021 Nikkei Asia story, is the largest shareholder in Lithium Americas, the company planning the Thacker Pass mine, according to the New York Times story. To add to all the lithium news and heat up the global competition for lithium resources even more, lithium prices shot way up in 2021, increasing about 240%. The future In the years ahead, refining capacity might be built in the U.S. as more battery factories and electric vehicle factories are built here. The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Dec. 20, 2021 that 13 new electric vehicle battery factories are planned in the U.S. within the next five years. Most of these factories will be in the Southeast or Midwest. So, although U.S. will lag behind China, parts of the EV battery supply chain will be growing in the U.S. in the years ahead. But the question remains, how much of the lithium and other elements needed for the supply chain will come from mines in Nevada? Well being finding that out as the approval and funding processes and the legal battles and protests roll on. With the anticipated need for a lot more lithium to put into batteries to help power a greener future, you might think environmentalists would give a pass to some of the negative effects of the proposed lithium mines that are being planned at sites around Nevada. Thats not the case. The opposition to some of the proposed mines has been strong and may even be ramping up. Thacker Pass Lithium Americas Thacker Pass lithium mine may be the biggest project on the horizon, and it is facing lots of opposition. Lithium Americas has been working for years on plans for Thacker Pass, which is about 60 miles northwest of Winnemucca. The companys website says Thacker Pass is the largest known lithium resource in the United States. Lithium Americas estimates there is $3.9 billion worth of recoverable lithium at the site. The company has said it hopes to start mining operations next year. The mine is expected to produce up to 60,000 tons a year of battery-quality lithium carbonate, which would be a huge boost to the world supply of lithium. The mine is expected to employ about 300 people and have a 46-year mine life. On Jan. 15, 2021, the last Friday of the Trump Administration, the Bureau of Land Management approved the Record of Decision for Thacker Pass, giving federal approval to the project. That evening, Will Falk and Max Wilbert set out on an eight-hour drive to the Thacker Pass site to set up a camp nearby to protest the mine. People have been camped out there ever since. Falk and Wilbert are radical environmentalists, with Falk writing on the protectthackerpass.org website that I hate fossil fuels and actively advocate for the dismantling of all industrial infrastructure Elisabeth Robson wrote on the website, Many people believe they cant live without cars. But all humans lived without cars until a mere 113 years ago, and we can do so again. A world without cars is a quieter, slower, and more wonderful world, not just for humans but for everyone. I hope one day a militant and offensive environmental movement forms, Falk wrote. The people opposed to the Thacker Pass mine and other lithium mine projects dont all hold these views, of course, but have a variety of reasons for their opposition. A March 10 letter in the Elko Daily Free Press from Alex Eisenberg said the plan to transition to electric vehicles in the years ahead is incredibly short-sighted and irresponsible and will do virtually nothing to curb carbon emissions, as electric car production is completely reliant on the fossil fuel industry. The Thacker Pass mine alone would burn 11,000 gallons of diesel every day for onsite operations, the letter said. Double that for off-site operations. Carbon emissions are expected to be 150,000+ tons per year, equating to 2.3 tons of carbon for every ton of lithium produced. Hundreds of tons of sulfur (ironically a waste product from oil refineries) would be used daily in mine operations. On Feb. 11, 2021, Edward Bartell, a rancher who owns property above and below the mine, filed a lawsuit with a long list of objections to the mine. One of his big concerns is the water the mine will use. The projects Environmental Impact Statement says the projected water demand for years 5 through 41 is equivalent to an average pumping rate of 3,224 gallons per minute. On Feb. 26, 2021, the Western Watersheds Project, Wildlands Defense, Great Basin Resource Watch, and Basin and Range Watch filed a lawsuit saying the Thacker Pass Record of Decision did not adequately gauge the mines impacts on greater sage grouse and other wildlife. Local Indigenous communities say Thacker Pass is important to them historically and in their daily lives. Local tribal members have been camping near the mine site to protest the mine. The tribal council of the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation, which is about 26 miles from the mine site, made an engagement agreement with Lithium Nevada in 2020, but withdrew from the agreement in March 2021. On July 28, the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and Atsa Koodakuh Wyh Nuwu/People of Red Mountain were allowed to intervene as plaintiffs in the lawsuits against the mine. On Aug. 6, the Burns Paiute Tribe was also allowed to intervene. Additional court filings have been made since then. On Sept. 5, U.S. District Court Judge Miranda Du denied a request from the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and the People of Red Mountain for a preliminary injunction to temporarily halt work. Falk is a lawyer for the People of the Red Mountain, but he told The Guardian he is skeptical they will be able to win by arguing the right things. Eventually were going to have to be ready to physically block construction equipment. I think that one of the ways to wake up people in the United States (is seeing) people getting dragged away by the police for trying to protect their land. And I think thats where this is going, Falk said. Humboldt County Manager Dave Mendiola told Inside Climate News, I guess you can chain yourself to the fence like some of the protesters might do and I dont blame them for that. But in the end, as a company, if theyve followed all the rules, youre probably not going to stop it. What we can do as a county is monitor it and come up with ways to address problems now. Rhyolite Ridge At ioneers proposed Rhyolite Ridge lithium mine about 65 miles southwest of Tonopah, debates continue over the Tiehms buckwheat that is found only on the site. James Calaway, executive chairman of ioneer Ltd., said the company is working to protect the plant and increase the size of its habitat. He said about half of the plants were destroyed by drought and rodents last year. John Scire, PhD, an adjunct professor at UNR, said in a December editorial that the bottom line is that the Fish and Wildlife Service should veto the false claims by the Las Vegans that the ioneer mine will wipe out the buckwheat plants and should consider instead the macro environmental impacts of not letting the mine get cranked up ASAP. The best available science supports that the mine and the plant can co-exist. However, Patrick Donnelly, the Nevada director of the Center for Biological Diversity, said he disagrees with ioneers expectation that the wildflower can be established near the current growing site. Attempts to propagate the plants failed, Donnelly told Mining the West magazine. They all died, so ioneer doesnt have a plan. Their plan is bunk and doesnt reflect the consensus of the scientific community. There is no compromise. They cannot hurt the buckwheat, Donnelly said. He said the Center for Biological Diversity does not oppose lithium mining, and lithium is all over the place in Nevada. Other projects Other companies are working on developing other possible lithium mine sites around Nevada. Mike Kobler, general manager of U.S. operations for Tonopah Lithium Corp., told the Nye County commissioners at their Nov. 2 meeting that his companys mine site about six miles northwest of Tonopah could become one of the biggest lithium resources in the world. We are in the perfect location in Nevada, Kobler said. We dont have the sage grouse issues that they have up north, we dont have the desert tortoise issues that they have down south, we have not found any Tiehms buckwheat; weve cleared all of our environmental hurdles and cultural hurdles, so were just moving ahead. In addition to Nevada, companies are also working on proposed lithium production sites in California, Oregon, Tennessee, Arkansas and North Carolina. Other countries The United States is not the only country with pushback against new lithium mines. In Serbia, Rio Tinto has been planning a $2.4 billion lithium mine. For three consecutive weekends in late 2021, thousands of protesters blocked roads in Serbia to protest lithium mining, with environmentalists saying that extracting lithium causes huge damage to mined areas. On Dec. 16, authorities in western Serbia suspended a plan that would allow Rio Tinto to operate the lithium mine. We will continue to provide information on all aspects of the project for which we are responsible and in which we participate, Rio Tinto said in a statement. Chile, which has about 44% of the worlds lithium reserves, elected leftist Gabriel Boric as president on Dec. 19, but it is not clear what impact Borics election will have on lithium mining. Boric has supported mining tax hikes and royalties and promised to create a state-run lithium company. A bold agenda If efforts to stop proposed lithium mines in Nevada and elsewhere in the United States are successful, then as the need for lithium ramps up, lithium mining could escalate in countries that have fewer environmental regulations than the U.S., and more fuel will be burned shipping lithium and batteries around the world and to the U.S. In the National Blueprint for Lithium Batteries 2021-2030 published in June 2021, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm wrote, The Biden Administration has laid out a bold agenda to address the climate crisis and build a clean and equitable energy economy that achieves carbon-pollution-free electricity by 2035, and puts the United States on a path to achieve net-zero emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050 to the benefit of all Americans. The report says the Federal Consortium for Advanced Batteries will secure U.S. access to raw materials for lithium batteries by incentivizing growth in safe, equitable, and sustainable domestic mining ventures while leveraging partnerships with allies and partners to establish a diversified supply. The worldwide lithium battery market is expected to grow by a factor of 5 to 10 in the next decade, the report says. The U.S. industrial base must be positioned to respond to this vast increase in market demand that otherwise will likely benefit well-resourced and supported competitors in Asia and Europe. However, on May 25, 2021, Reuters ran a story saying, U.S. President Joe Biden will rely on ally countries to supply the bulk of the metals needed to build electric vehicles and focus on processing them domestically into battery parts, part of a strategy designed to placate environmentalists, two administration officials with direct knowledge told Reuters. The plans will be a blow to U.S. miners who had hoped Biden would rely primarily on domestically sourced metals, as his campaign had signaled last autumn. Current production Currently about 46% of the worlds mine production of lithium is in Australia, and about 21% is Chile and another 16% is in China, according to U.S. Geological Survey data. In the United States, all the lithium mining is at one mine in Nevada, and accounts for less than 2% of the worlds mine production. Albemarle Corporations Silver Peak lithium mine is about 40 miles southwest of Tonopah and has been in operation since the 1960s. A May 6, 2021 New York Times story said Silver Peak produces about 5,000 tons of lithium a year. On Jan. 7, 2021, Albemarle announced that it planned to invest $30 million to $50 million to double the lithium production at Silver Peak by 2025. The company also said it planned to begin exploration in 2021 and evaluate technology that could accelerate the viability of lithium production from clay resources in the region. The lithium produced at Silver Peak is shipped to Asia to be made into cathodes for batteries. China has for years been focused on building capacity at every stage of the battery supply chain, according to a Sept. 1, 2020 VOA News story. China has been buying stakes in mining operations in Australia and South America where most of the worlds lithium reserves are found, the VOA story said. Chinas Ganfeng Lithium, which has been snapping up lithium mines and salt lakes abroad as it plots out an ambitious road map for growth, according to a Dec. 8, 2021 Nikkei Asia story, is the largest shareholder in Lithium Americas, the company planning the Thacker Pass mine, according to the New York Times story. To add to all the lithium news and heat up the global competition for lithium resources even more, lithium prices shot way up in 2021, increasing about 240%. The future In the years ahead, refining capacity might be built in the U.S. as more battery factories and electric vehicle factories are built here. The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Dec. 20, 2021 that 13 new electric vehicle battery factories are planned in the U.S. within the next five years. Most of these factories will be in the Southeast or Midwest. So, although U.S. will lag behind China, parts of the EV battery supply chain will be growing in the U.S. in the years ahead. But the question remains, how much of the lithium and other elements needed for the supply chain will come from mines in Nevada? Well being finding that out as the approval and funding processes and the legal battles and protests roll on. Kolkata, Jan 1 : Though the daily Covid infection rate is increasing leaps and bounds in West Bengal with the most infected in the capital city, the state government is likely to impose curbs in phases, and is unlikely go for a total lockdown. According to a senior official of the state government, though the daily rate of infection is high, but it is not alarming. "There is no pressure on the hospitals and there is no report of Oxygen shortage in the state. Naturally the government is trying to keep a close watch on the development and will impose restrictions when needed," the official said. According to a state health department official, though the infection rate is high, 80 per cent of the infected are asymptomatic and 17 per cent of the symptomatic patients are being treated at home. Only 3 per cent need hospitalization and the death rate is also very low. "Naturally the situation is alarming, but it is not beyond control and the state health department is fully prepared to meet any eventuality of the third wave," a state health official said. Meanwhile, state power minister Aroop Biswas has tested positive and is advised to stay in home isolation. According to the data available, the daily infection rate has touched 4,000 which was below 1,000 at the start of the week. The steady rise of cases is a cause for worry and the state administration has cancelled all the programmes scheduled for next week including two programmes of Trinamool Congress itself. "The chief was supposed to hold 'Chhatra Soptaho' (Students Week) at Netaji Indoor Stadium on Monday but that has been cancelled. Similarly, the programmes of Duare Sarkar (Government at the doorsteps) and Duare Ration (Ration at the doors) - which were supposed to be held in different districts next week -- have been suspended," an official said. Top level sources in the state secretariat indicated that the government will not impose any lockdown or strict restrictions right now but will definitely stop people from gathering. "The train, bus or metro service will not be cancelled immediately. We will step up the restrictions in phases if needed," the official added. CTU workers direct vehicles lined up for COVID-19 testing outside of the Chicago Teachers Union on Dec. 30, 2021, in Chicago. CPS starts back to school on Monday following their holiday break. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) After a year of pronounced shifts in the COVID-19 pandemic related to mass vaccination, more infectious variants and the sorely tested patience of the public, Illinois is facing an even more complicated set of realities entering 2022. The state is now seeing record numbers of COVID-19 infections but these cases appear less likely to cause serious illness. At the same time, Illinois health care system is in worse shape than it was a year earlier, and the exploding case counts mean even a milder variant could further strain hospitals with COVID-19 patients. Advertisement Already, hospitals are treating more patients with fewer workers, leading to a space crunch so severe that hospitals are again canceling nonemergency surgeries to try to free up beds. And while the vast majority of patients arent in the hospital because of COVID-19, the odds of an unvaccinated person ending up hospitalized with the virus is notably worse than at any other time during the pandemic. A year ago, mass vaccination was on the horizon, offering hope the virus could be extinguished through so-called herd immunity and life could return to normal. Now researchers expect the virus and its ever-evolving variants to stick around. The hope is that vaccinations can prevent most infected people from getting too sick and that the latest wave will subside as quickly as it came. Advertisement Those adjusted expectations follow another deadly year. The Illinois Department of Public Health blamed COVID-19 for at least 11,000 more deaths in 2021, bringing the total to nearly 28,000 since the pandemic began, with an additional roughly 3,200 deaths considered to have probable ties to COVID-19. Heres where we are, as the new year begins: Record case numbers A year ago, the average number of new cases each day had begun to drop after soaring above 12,000 in fall 2020, and people began preparing for vaccines that leaders hoped would starve the virus out of existence. The vaccines came, but millions of Illinoisans havent taken them. Along the way, the virus spawned new mutations that began to chip away at the vaccines effectiveness, particularly their ability to stop somebody from getting infected. The delta variant fueled smaller surges in spring 2021, in late summer and most recently after Halloween. Then the omicron variant emerged, supercharging an already sizable surge. A state that had averaged about 2,000 cases a day in late October was suddenly seeing daily figures double, then double again, and continue climbing. The week of Christmas as people rushed to get tested before visiting family and friends the daily count eclipsed 21,000 new detected cases. On Thursday, when post-Christmas tests began rolling in, there were more than 30,000 new cases. To put that into perspective, that one-day figure was triple the number of Illinoisans testing positive in all of June. Another jarring way to look at it: The worst day of the fall 2020 surge saw nearly 1 in 700 Illinoisans testing positive. On Thursday, the most recent date the state posted data, it was closer to 1 in 400. Advertisement In Chicago alone, new cases have recently topped 5,000 a day. This is one of the steepest increases that weve seen, and this is due to the omicron variant, Chicagos health director, Dr. Allison Arwady, said during a Facebook Live event Thursday. This is also why, I am guessing, everyone of you knows somebody, at least indirectly, who has COVID right now. The rate of infections for unvaccinated Chicagoans has tripled since late November to reach more than 900 cases a week per 100,000 residents. Vaccinated, but not yet boosted, Chicagoans have seen their infection rate climb to roughly 400 a week per 100,000 residents, with residents whove gotten boosters seeing a slightly lower rate, closer to 350 a week per 100,000 people. Because the number of people tested each day can bounce up and down, public health agencies and researchers typically average out seven days worth of case numbers to create a rolling daily average. Using this measure, the state set a record on Nov. 16, 2020, with an average of 12,384 new COVID-19 cases. But 13 months later, on Dec. 23, the state broke that record. And the average cases have continued to climb in the past week, eclipsing an average of 18,000 new cases a day roughly two months into this surge. Case counts dont offer the full picture of a surge. They may rise because a lot more people are getting tested, as many people did before visiting friends and family over the holidays. And the numbers dont include people who come up positive on home tests, unless they also get tested through a lab. Advertisement A slightly more promising measurement for the latest surge comes from another metric: the case positivity rate, or the percentage of tests that led to a confirmed case. The lower the rate, the better. As of Thursday, the case positivity rate had been climbing fast but, at about 10%, was not yet as bad as the rates seen at peak of the fall 2020 surge, which approached 14%. A milder COVID phase? Even though the numbers of detected cases have reached unprecedented levels, thats not the case with hospitalizations and deaths, at least not yet. One way to look at this is by comparing this surge with the fall 2020 surge. As of Thursday, the average daily case count was 48% higher than last falls peak. But average daily hospital admittances, as measured by federal data, were down 23% from last falls peak. And there were 65% fewer average daily deaths. Its a welcome trend seen not only in Illinois, but nationally. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nations top infectious disease expert, told reporters Wednesday that the case spike nationally was out of proportion to hospitalization increases. Now, we must remember that hospitalizations and deaths are lagging indicators, he said. However, the pattern and disparity between cases and hospitalization strongly suggest that there will be a lower hospitalization-to-case ratio when the situation becomes more clear. Early studies suggest the emerging omicron variant may be milder than the delta variant that took hold in Illinois this summer and fueled the beginning of this surge. Vaccinations are another factor. Even if delta and omicron are more likely to infect vaccinated people than the original virus, the vaccines continue to limit serious illness and death. Advertisement Mass vaccinations were a key development for the pandemic in 2021, creating two tiers of risk. A Tribune analysis of federal and state data found that fully vaccinated Illinoisans (with or without a booster shot) have been much less likely to be hospitalized during the latest surge than those not fully vaccinated. The latter group currently has a weekly admittance rate roughly nine times the rate for those fully vaccinated, based on a three-week rolling average. Unvaccinated people also are being hospitalized at nearly double the rate seen for all Illinoisans during the peak of the fall 2020 surge, before vaccines were available. As for deaths, the average weekly death rate even for unvaccinated people has yet to eclipse the rates from the fall 2020 surge. Better COVID-19 treatments, including broader use of monoclonal antibodies, are helping improve those odds. Still, the death rate for unvaccinated Illinois residents, per 100,000 people, is now more than triple that for people who are fully vaccinated, even though the latter group tends to be older and more vulnerable to the virus. Millions of Illinoisans are still unvaccinated, and public health officials continue to press them to get shots. Advertisement We dont have to continue to lose people, IDPHs director, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, told reporters Monday. We are not in the same place that we were at the beginning of this pandemic, or even a year ago. ... We have a vaccine thats highly effective, and it can prevent severe illness and death, if we take advantage of this effective tool. Getting through omicron The new year also brings hope that the latest surge will soon ease its grip. In South Africa, where the omicron variant was first reported, case figures shot up in mid-November, then began dropping by Christmas. A top South African researcher, Fareed Abdullah, tweeted this week that it was staggering how quickly the wave peaked then declined: Peak in four weeks and precipitous decline in another two. One early study suggests people who recovered from omicron inherited some ability to better fight off the delta variant, offering hope that such protection, combined with vaccine immunity, could further limit the future danger posed by COVID-19. But concerns remain that Illinois hospital system could be overwhelmed. The Tribune has reported how, even before Christmas, hospitals had the lowest levels of available beds of any point during the pandemic, lower even than during the fall 2020 surge. State data shows more beds have opened since, as some hospitals have canceled nonemergency surgeries. Still, many regions hospital systems remain stressed, according to state measurements. In some regions, such as the one covering Will and Kankakee counties, the number of available intensive care unit beds had dwindled to the single digits. And across Illinois, at last count, the number of open beds remained below 7,000, for a state with nearly 13 million residents. Advertisement Gov. J.B. Pritzkers administration has said its tried to help hospitals outlast the latest surge by distributing promising treatments and directing supplemental staff to the hardest-hit areas. But officials have long declined to tell the public which hospitals are worse off, even as nurses and doctors say some facilities are so overwhelmed that seriously ill patients are being boarded in emergency rooms for long periods, up to a week. A grassroots group of health care workers, the Illinois Medical Professionals Action Collaborative Team, called on the governor Thursday to take a host of steps, including reinstituting indoor capacity limits and deploying more National Guard troops to shore up depleted health care staffing: Simply put, we cant keep up. We are drowning and need help immediately. The governors office did not immediately respond. But on the same day, Pritzker asked hospitals to consider canceling nonemergency surgeries as part of an effort to take every possible measure to maintain and expand bed capacity, according to a news release the administration issued. As much as the pandemic has changed, Pritzkers plea was similar to what he ordered hospitals to do in April 2020, when COVID-19 was still new. Chicago Tribunes Jeremy Gorner contributed. jmahr@chicagotribune.com Advertisement Kolkata, Jan 1 : After seeking clarification from the West Bengal government, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked Advocate General Soumendra Nath Mookherjee to meet him to discuss certain issues related to the Howrah Municipal Bill 2021. "WB Governor Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, after taking conspectus of the situation and proceedings before Calcutta High Court, has sought to confer with Advocate General @MamataOfficial under Article 165(2) of the Constitution," the Governor wrote. "Government @MamataOfficial has been directed to make available the entire documentation to the Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," he added. In a letter to the state government, the Governor wrote, "Response to inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 were made available by the state government after a considerable delay of about a month on 20.12.2021. Thereafter vide note dated 24.12.2021, finding that the response of the government was wanting on several counts, it was indicated that inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 be made available. The file has now been received on 28.12.2021 at Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, and made available at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling, on December 30, 2021." "In the note dated 24.11.2021 it was indicated that 'concerned officials be sensitised accordingly and all required information sought be made available to this office at the earliest'. Going by the inputs made available on 20.12.2021, it is apparent that this has had no impact," he added. "Be that as it may, taking conspectus of the situation and also the proceedings before the High Court at Calcutta, in writ petition MAT 1354 of 2021. I find it expedient to confer with the learned Advocate General under Article 163(2) of the Constitution of India steps be taken by the government to make available the entire documentation to the learned Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," the Governor said. Kolkata, Jan 1 : After seeking clarification from the West Bengal government, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked Advocate General Soumendra Nath Mookherjee to meet him to discuss certain issues related to the Howrah Municipal Bill 2021. "WB Governor Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, after taking conspectus of the situation and proceedings before Calcutta High Court, has sought to confer with Advocate General @MamataOfficial under Article 165(2) of the Constitution," the Governor wrote. "Government @MamataOfficial has been directed to make available the entire documentation to the Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," he added. In a letter to the state government, the Governor wrote, "Response to inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 were made available by the state government after a considerable delay of about a month on 20.12.2021. Thereafter vide note dated 24.12.2021, finding that the response of the government was wanting on several counts, it was indicated that inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 be made available. The file has now been received on 28.12.2021 at Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, and made available at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling, on December 30, 2021." "In the note dated 24.11.2021 it was indicated that 'concerned officials be sensitised accordingly and all required information sought be made available to this office at the earliest'. Going by the inputs made available on 20.12.2021, it is apparent that this has had no impact," he added. "Be that as it may, taking conspectus of the situation and also the proceedings before the High Court at Calcutta, in writ petition MAT 1354 of 2021. I find it expedient to confer with the learned Advocate General under Article 163(2) of the Constitution of India steps be taken by the government to make available the entire documentation to the learned Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," the Governor said. Kolkata, Jan 1 : After seeking clarification from the West Bengal government, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked Advocate General Soumendra Nath Mookherjee to meet him to discuss certain issues related to the Howrah Municipal Bill 2021. "WB Governor Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, after taking conspectus of the situation and proceedings before Calcutta High Court, has sought to confer with Advocate General @MamataOfficial under Article 165(2) of the Constitution," the Governor wrote. "Government @MamataOfficial has been directed to make available the entire documentation to the Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," he added. In a letter to the state government, the Governor wrote, "Response to inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 were made available by the state government after a considerable delay of about a month on 20.12.2021. Thereafter vide note dated 24.12.2021, finding that the response of the government was wanting on several counts, it was indicated that inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 be made available. The file has now been received on 28.12.2021 at Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, and made available at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling, on December 30, 2021." "In the note dated 24.11.2021 it was indicated that 'concerned officials be sensitised accordingly and all required information sought be made available to this office at the earliest'. Going by the inputs made available on 20.12.2021, it is apparent that this has had no impact," he added. "Be that as it may, taking conspectus of the situation and also the proceedings before the High Court at Calcutta, in writ petition MAT 1354 of 2021. I find it expedient to confer with the learned Advocate General under Article 163(2) of the Constitution of India steps be taken by the government to make available the entire documentation to the learned Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," the Governor said. Kolkata, Jan 1 : After seeking clarification from the West Bengal government, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked Advocate General Soumendra Nath Mookherjee to meet him to discuss certain issues related to the Howrah Municipal Bill 2021. "WB Governor Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, after taking conspectus of the situation and proceedings before Calcutta High Court, has sought to confer with Advocate General @MamataOfficial under Article 165(2) of the Constitution," the Governor wrote. "Government @MamataOfficial has been directed to make available the entire documentation to the Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," he added. In a letter to the state government, the Governor wrote, "Response to inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 were made available by the state government after a considerable delay of about a month on 20.12.2021. Thereafter vide note dated 24.12.2021, finding that the response of the government was wanting on several counts, it was indicated that inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 be made available. The file has now been received on 28.12.2021 at Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, and made available at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling, on December 30, 2021." "In the note dated 24.11.2021 it was indicated that 'concerned officials be sensitised accordingly and all required information sought be made available to this office at the earliest'. Going by the inputs made available on 20.12.2021, it is apparent that this has had no impact," he added. "Be that as it may, taking conspectus of the situation and also the proceedings before the High Court at Calcutta, in writ petition MAT 1354 of 2021. I find it expedient to confer with the learned Advocate General under Article 163(2) of the Constitution of India steps be taken by the government to make available the entire documentation to the learned Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," the Governor said. Kolkata, Jan 1 : After seeking clarification from the West Bengal government, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked Advocate General Soumendra Nath Mookherjee to meet him to discuss certain issues related to the Howrah Municipal Bill 2021. "WB Governor Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, after taking conspectus of the situation and proceedings before Calcutta High Court, has sought to confer with Advocate General @MamataOfficial under Article 165(2) of the Constitution," the Governor wrote. "Government @MamataOfficial has been directed to make available the entire documentation to the Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," he added. In a letter to the state government, the Governor wrote, "Response to inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 were made available by the state government after a considerable delay of about a month on 20.12.2021. Thereafter vide note dated 24.12.2021, finding that the response of the government was wanting on several counts, it was indicated that inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 be made available. The file has now been received on 28.12.2021 at Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, and made available at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling, on December 30, 2021." "In the note dated 24.11.2021 it was indicated that 'concerned officials be sensitised accordingly and all required information sought be made available to this office at the earliest'. Going by the inputs made available on 20.12.2021, it is apparent that this has had no impact," he added. "Be that as it may, taking conspectus of the situation and also the proceedings before the High Court at Calcutta, in writ petition MAT 1354 of 2021. I find it expedient to confer with the learned Advocate General under Article 163(2) of the Constitution of India steps be taken by the government to make available the entire documentation to the learned Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," the Governor said. Kolkata, Jan 1 : After seeking clarification from the West Bengal government, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked Advocate General Soumendra Nath Mookherjee to meet him to discuss certain issues related to the Howrah Municipal Bill 2021. "WB Governor Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, after taking conspectus of the situation and proceedings before Calcutta High Court, has sought to confer with Advocate General @MamataOfficial under Article 165(2) of the Constitution," the Governor wrote. "Government @MamataOfficial has been directed to make available the entire documentation to the Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," he added. In a letter to the state government, the Governor wrote, "Response to inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 were made available by the state government after a considerable delay of about a month on 20.12.2021. Thereafter vide note dated 24.12.2021, finding that the response of the government was wanting on several counts, it was indicated that inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 be made available. The file has now been received on 28.12.2021 at Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, and made available at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling, on December 30, 2021." "In the note dated 24.11.2021 it was indicated that 'concerned officials be sensitised accordingly and all required information sought be made available to this office at the earliest'. Going by the inputs made available on 20.12.2021, it is apparent that this has had no impact," he added. "Be that as it may, taking conspectus of the situation and also the proceedings before the High Court at Calcutta, in writ petition MAT 1354 of 2021. I find it expedient to confer with the learned Advocate General under Article 163(2) of the Constitution of India steps be taken by the government to make available the entire documentation to the learned Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," the Governor said. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Kolkata, Jan 1 : After seeking clarification from the West Bengal government, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked Advocate General Soumendra Nath Mookherjee to meet him to discuss certain issues related to the Howrah Municipal Bill 2021. "WB Governor Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, after taking conspectus of the situation and proceedings before Calcutta High Court, has sought to confer with Advocate General @MamataOfficial under Article 165(2) of the Constitution," the Governor wrote. "Government @MamataOfficial has been directed to make available the entire documentation to the Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," he added. In a letter to the state government, the Governor wrote, "Response to inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 were made available by the state government after a considerable delay of about a month on 20.12.2021. Thereafter vide note dated 24.12.2021, finding that the response of the government was wanting on several counts, it was indicated that inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 be made available. The file has now been received on 28.12.2021 at Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, and made available at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling, on December 30, 2021." "In the note dated 24.11.2021 it was indicated that 'concerned officials be sensitised accordingly and all required information sought be made available to this office at the earliest'. Going by the inputs made available on 20.12.2021, it is apparent that this has had no impact," he added. "Be that as it may, taking conspectus of the situation and also the proceedings before the High Court at Calcutta, in writ petition MAT 1354 of 2021. I find it expedient to confer with the learned Advocate General under Article 163(2) of the Constitution of India steps be taken by the government to make available the entire documentation to the learned Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," the Governor said. Kolkata, Jan 1 : After seeking clarification from the West Bengal government, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked Advocate General Soumendra Nath Mookherjee to meet him to discuss certain issues related to the Howrah Municipal Bill 2021. "WB Governor Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, after taking conspectus of the situation and proceedings before Calcutta High Court, has sought to confer with Advocate General @MamataOfficial under Article 165(2) of the Constitution," the Governor wrote. "Government @MamataOfficial has been directed to make available the entire documentation to the Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," he added. In a letter to the state government, the Governor wrote, "Response to inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 were made available by the state government after a considerable delay of about a month on 20.12.2021. Thereafter vide note dated 24.12.2021, finding that the response of the government was wanting on several counts, it was indicated that inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 be made available. The file has now been received on 28.12.2021 at Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, and made available at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling, on December 30, 2021." "In the note dated 24.11.2021 it was indicated that 'concerned officials be sensitised accordingly and all required information sought be made available to this office at the earliest'. Going by the inputs made available on 20.12.2021, it is apparent that this has had no impact," he added. "Be that as it may, taking conspectus of the situation and also the proceedings before the High Court at Calcutta, in writ petition MAT 1354 of 2021. I find it expedient to confer with the learned Advocate General under Article 163(2) of the Constitution of India steps be taken by the government to make available the entire documentation to the learned Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," the Governor said. Kolkata, Jan 1 : After seeking clarification from the West Bengal government, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked Advocate General Soumendra Nath Mookherjee to meet him to discuss certain issues related to the Howrah Municipal Bill 2021. "WB Governor Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, after taking conspectus of the situation and proceedings before Calcutta High Court, has sought to confer with Advocate General @MamataOfficial under Article 165(2) of the Constitution," the Governor wrote. "Government @MamataOfficial has been directed to make available the entire documentation to the Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," he added. In a letter to the state government, the Governor wrote, "Response to inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 were made available by the state government after a considerable delay of about a month on 20.12.2021. Thereafter vide note dated 24.12.2021, finding that the response of the government was wanting on several counts, it was indicated that inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 be made available. The file has now been received on 28.12.2021 at Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, and made available at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling, on December 30, 2021." "In the note dated 24.11.2021 it was indicated that 'concerned officials be sensitised accordingly and all required information sought be made available to this office at the earliest'. Going by the inputs made available on 20.12.2021, it is apparent that this has had no impact," he added. "Be that as it may, taking conspectus of the situation and also the proceedings before the High Court at Calcutta, in writ petition MAT 1354 of 2021. I find it expedient to confer with the learned Advocate General under Article 163(2) of the Constitution of India steps be taken by the government to make available the entire documentation to the learned Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," the Governor said. Jammu, Jan 1 (PTI) Twelve people lost their lives and over a dozen others were injured in a stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir in the early hours during a heavy rush of devotees on New Year. This is the first such tragedy at the shrine, located atop the Trikuta hills - about 50 km from here - that attracts lakhs of people every year. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: 27-Year-Old Man Dies By Suicide After Molestation Complaint Filed Against Him In Bareilly District. The incident occurred between 2.30 AM and 2.45 AM on Saturday near a relatively narrow passage at gate number 3 outside the sanctum sanctorum of the hilltop shrine where devotees usually arrive round the clock after trekking from the Katra base camp, a distance of nearly 13 km. A high-level inquiry was ordered into the stampede by Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Manoj Sinha to be headed by Principal Secretary (Home) Shaleen Kabra with Divisional Commissioner Jammu Rajiv Langar and Additional Director General of Police Mukesh Singh as its members. Also Read | Rajasthan Reports 52 Fresh Omicron Cases, Total Tally Rises to 121 in the State. Condolences poured in from all quarters and Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Sinha and Union ministers Jitendra Singh to take stock of the situation. According to eyewitness accounts, the number of devotees was allegedly beyond the permitted level with flagrant violation of COVID-19 norms, and some of the survivors accused the Jammu and Kashmir administration of "mismanagement". The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, however, denied the charges saying all necessary arrangements were made in view of the expected rush. Most of the deaths have taken place due to suffocation, police said, adding among the deceased seven are from Uttar Pradesh, three from Delhi and one each from Haryana and J-K. Director General of Police Dilbag Singh, who accompanied the Minister of State in the PMO, Jitendra Singh, during the visit to the shrine after the stampede, told reporters that the incident took place due to confusion or "probably somebody at the site acted funny which could have led to some altercation". "All these things are being looked into. That area is a little narrow and people ran helter-skelter without knowing the reason. Most of the deaths have taken place due to suffocation after being run over by each other and most of the injuries are also due to the same reason," he said. Singh had told PTI that preliminary information from the scene suggests there was a minor altercation among some boys, and within seconds, there was a stampede. "Police and officials of the civil administration were quick to respond, and the order within the crowd was immediately restored, but by that time, the damage had been done," he said. Prem Singh, from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, said there was a "complete mess" as neither was the number of pilgrims restricted nor were COVID-19 guidelines in force. "It was a free-for-all-like situation. Many people were without mandatory face masks," he said, claiming that police personnel on duty at the checking point surrendered to the heavy rush and were warning people about the possibility of such an accident. "Nothing but mismanagement was the cause for this tragic accident. They were aware about the possible rush but allowed the people in unhindered," a pilgrim from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh said while waiting outside a mortuary to identify a body. Many people were resting on the floor, instead of heading back, and it caused more rush at the bhawan, he added. Another man, who lost his friend Arun Pratab Singh (30), said they had come from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. The area was overcrowded, he said. Aditya Sharma, a pilgrim, said there was a heavy rush of devotees and some people who were sleeping on the floor got crushed. Senior officials present at the scene said 12 people died in the stampede and their bodies were taken to a hospital in the Katra base camp. The deceased were identified as Arun Pratab Singh (30), Dharam Veer Singh (35), Vineet Kumar (38), Shewata Singh (35), Mohinder Gour (26), Narinder Kashap (40) and Monu Sharma (32) of Uttar Pradesh, Vinay Kumar (24), Sonu Panday (24) and Akash Kumar (29) of Delhi, Mamta (38) of Haryana and Desraj Kumar (26) of Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, the officials said. Fifteen injured were undergoing treatment at the Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, and the condition of two of them was stated to be critical. Some were discharged after first-aid, they added. An hour after the incident, pilgrims were again allowed at the site, the officials said, adding the yatra was not disrupted. Prime Minister Modi said that the central government is in constant touch with the J-K administration to assist the affected people. Speaking at a programme to release funds under the PM-KISAN scheme, Modi said he was "extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon". The JK administration has announced a relief of Rs 10 lakh to the deceased and Rs 2 lakh to the injured which will be paid by the Shrine board. In a series of tweets, the office of the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor expressed pain at the loss of lives and gave details of whom Sinha had briefed after the stampede which included the Prime Minister and Home Minister Amit Shah. The PMO tweeted that "an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs 50,000: PM @narendramodi". Union Minister Jitendra Singh said innovative measures are required to deal with the new trend of youngsters eager to visit Mata Vaishno Devi shrine on the first day of the new year. The minister also visited the injured devotees undergoing treatment at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital at Kakriyal. "Traditionally, the pilgrims used to come on the festival days like Navratras, Dussehra and Deepavali. This is a new trend and we have to take measures accordingly (of youngsters visiting on New Year)," he said, adding "when we will sit and talk, we will talk about innovation and technology to find some solution to the issue." President Ram Nath Kovind said he was very distressed to know about the stampede and offered condolences to the bereaved families. "I wish speedy recovery to those injured," he said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he was deeply pained by the tragic accident. "Deeply pained by the tragic accident at Mata Vaishno Devi temple. In this regard, I have spoken to Lieutenant Governor of J&K Shri Manoj Sinha. The administration is working continuously to provide treatment to the injured. I express my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this accident," Shah tweeted in Hindi. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, "The stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi temple is tragic. I extend my condolences to the families of the deceased." Senior BJP leader and former legislator Devender Singh Rana, who interacted with the pilgrims here to take stock of the situation, said the incident was the first of its kind to take place at the shrine. "It is a tragic incident and a sad moment for all of us. The whole administration is working to ensure the bodies are returned to their families and those injured are given adequate treatment," he said. "This is no time for allegations or counter-allegations. It is a tragedy that has happened and nobody should play politics over it," he added. Political parties in Kashmir, including the National Conference and the People's Conference, expressed grief over the incident. The PDP said such "mismanagement" has been unheard of in recent times. "Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families who lost their loved ones and pray for speedy recovery of the injured," it said in a tweet. Officials at the spot said the incident was triggered by a heavy rush of devotees who came to pay their obeisance to mark the beginning of the New Year. While most of the devotees undertake the arduous trek, some reach there by helicopter service. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) The head of the World Health Organization has said he is 'confident' that this year will be the end of Covid. WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said the 'acute' stage of the global pandemic should finish this year, provided countries share vaccines and work together. Speaking at a Covid press briefing on Thursday, Mr Ghebreyesus warned that the Omicron variant was likely to cause a 'tsunami of cases' around the world. But he struck a more positive note in his New Year's Eve message, highlighting the range of tools available to countries that should see cases, hospitalisations and deaths across the world be a thing of the past. WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said the 'acute' stage of the global pandemic should finish this year, provided countries share vaccines and work together WHO tells wealthy nations you cant boost your way out of the pandemic The World Health Organisation has told wealthy countries they 'cannot boost their way out of the pandemic' and accused them of worsening vaccine inequality. Meanwhile, Nigeria said it had incinerated more than a million doses of Covid vaccine that had been donated by developed countries several months ago and had since passed their expiry dates. Africa's most populous country has so far fully vaccinated four million people less than three percent of the adult population and well short of the government's target of 112 million people by the end of next year. Speaking last week, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the rush in richer nations to roll out additional Covid vaccine doses was deepening the inequity in access to jabs that is prolonging the global pandemic. The UN health agency has long warned that the glaring inequity in access to Covid vaccines, which has left many vulnerable people in poorer nations without a single jab as richer countries roll out broad booster programmes. Advertisement Mr Ghebreyesus said: 'If we end inequity, we end the pandemic, and end the global nightmare we have all lived through. And this is possible. He continued: 'As we enter the third year of the pandemic, I am confident that this will be the year we end it, but only if we do it together.' And in a social media post on the same day he said the world could return to pre-Covid norms by the end of the year He said: 'My first resolution is to do all I can to help end the pandemic, in collaboration with all governments, stakeholders and communities. 'To do that, we need all countries to work together to reach the global target of vaccinating 70 per cent of people in all countries by the middle of 2022. 'Second, we need to build a stronger global framework for global health security. '2022 marks the start of a negotiations by countries on a global pandemic accord to strengthen the governance, financing, systems and tools the world needs to prevent, prepare for, detect and respond rapidly to epidemics and pandemics. He continued: 'And third, all countries must invest in stronger primary health care, as the foundation of universal health coverage. 'I believe that if we can make progress on these goals, we will be gathering again, at the end of 2022, not to mark the end of a third year of pandemic, but to celebrate a return to pre-Covid norms, when we gathered with our families and communities to celebrate together and cherish each others company and love.' But he warned further new variant like Omicron could mutate if countries continue to 'hoard' vaccines rather than sharing them with nations across the world. He said: 'Narrow nationalism and vaccine hoarding by some countries have undermined equity and created the ideal conditions for the emergence of the Omicron variant, and the longer inequity continues, the higher the risks of the virus evolving in ways we can't prevent or predict.' And on Thursday the health chief struck a cautious tone, claiming Omicron would leave to a 'tsunami of cases' over the coming months. Mr Ghebreyesus said: 'I am highly concerned that Omicron, being more transmissible, circulating at the same time as Delta, is leading to a tsunami of cases. 'This is and will continue to put immense pressure on exhausted health workers, and health systems on the brink of collapse.' Hundreds of people have died in stampedes at temples and other Hindu religious gatherings over the years in India. Here is a list of some of such major tragedies that have taken place in the country after 2000: August 27, 2003: 39 people were killed and around 140 injured in a stampede during the holy bath at the Kumbh Mela in Maharashtra's Nashik district January 25, 2005: More than 340 devotees were trampled to death and hundreds injured during an annual pilgrimage at Mandhardevi temple in Maharashtra's Satara district. The accident occurred when some people fell down on the steps made slippery by devotees breaking coconuts. Also Read | 12 dead, over a dozen injured in stampede at Vaishno Devi shrine in J&K August 3, 2008: 162 dead, 47 injured in stampede triggered by rumours of rockslides at Naina Devi temple in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh September 30, 2008: Nearly 250 devotees killed and over 60 injured in stampede triggered by rumours of bomb going off at Chamunda Devi temple in Rajasthan's Jodhpur city March 4, 2010: About 63 people were killed in a stampede at Ram Janki Temple of Kripalu Maharaj in Uttar Pradesh's Pratapgarh district as people gathered to collect free clothes and food from the self-styled godman. November 8, 2011: At least 20 people were killed in stampede in Haridwar at Har-ki-Pauri ghat on banks of the Ganga river November 19, 2012: Around 20 people were killed and many others injured as a makeshift bridge caved in, triggering a stampede during Chhath Puja at Adalat Ghat on the bank of river Ganga in Patna Also Read | Vaishno Devi stampede: Survivors blame 'mismanagement', shrine board refutes charge October 13, 2013: 115 people were killed and over 100 injured in a stampede during Navratri festivities near Ratangarh temple in Madhya Pradesh's Datia district. The stampede was triggered by rumours that a river bridge the devotees were crossing was about to collapse. October 3, 2014: Thirty-two people were killed and 26 others injured in a stampede at Gandhi Maidan in Patna, shortly after the Dussehra celebrations ended. July 14, 2015: Twenty-seven pilgrims died and 20 others were injured in a stampede at a major bathing spot on the banks of the Godavari river where a huge crowd of devotees had gathered on the opening day of 'Pushkaram' festival in Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh. January 1, 2022: At least 12 people died and over a dozen were injured in a stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir triggered by a heavy rush of devotees. Check out DH's latest videos: Hundreds of people have died in stampedes at temples and other Hindu religious gatherings over the years in India. Here is a list of some of such major tragedies that have taken place in the country after 2000: August 27, 2003: 39 people were killed and around 140 injured in a stampede during the holy bath at the Kumbh Mela in Maharashtra's Nashik district January 25, 2005: More than 340 devotees were trampled to death and hundreds injured during an annual pilgrimage at Mandhardevi temple in Maharashtra's Satara district. The accident occurred when some people fell down on the steps made slippery by devotees breaking coconuts. Also Read | 12 dead, over a dozen injured in stampede at Vaishno Devi shrine in J&K August 3, 2008: 162 dead, 47 injured in stampede triggered by rumours of rockslides at Naina Devi temple in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh September 30, 2008: Nearly 250 devotees killed and over 60 injured in stampede triggered by rumours of bomb going off at Chamunda Devi temple in Rajasthan's Jodhpur city March 4, 2010: About 63 people were killed in a stampede at Ram Janki Temple of Kripalu Maharaj in Uttar Pradesh's Pratapgarh district as people gathered to collect free clothes and food from the self-styled godman. November 8, 2011: At least 20 people were killed in stampede in Haridwar at Har-ki-Pauri ghat on banks of the Ganga river November 19, 2012: Around 20 people were killed and many others injured as a makeshift bridge caved in, triggering a stampede during Chhath Puja at Adalat Ghat on the bank of river Ganga in Patna Also Read | Vaishno Devi stampede: Survivors blame 'mismanagement', shrine board refutes charge October 13, 2013: 115 people were killed and over 100 injured in a stampede during Navratri festivities near Ratangarh temple in Madhya Pradesh's Datia district. The stampede was triggered by rumours that a river bridge the devotees were crossing was about to collapse. October 3, 2014: Thirty-two people were killed and 26 others injured in a stampede at Gandhi Maidan in Patna, shortly after the Dussehra celebrations ended. July 14, 2015: Twenty-seven pilgrims died and 20 others were injured in a stampede at a major bathing spot on the banks of the Godavari river where a huge crowd of devotees had gathered on the opening day of 'Pushkaram' festival in Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh. January 1, 2022: At least 12 people died and over a dozen were injured in a stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir triggered by a heavy rush of devotees. Check out DH's latest videos: Hundreds of people have died in stampedes at temples and other Hindu religious gatherings over the years in India. Here is a list of some of such major tragedies that have taken place in the country after 2000: August 27, 2003: 39 people were killed and around 140 injured in a stampede during the holy bath at the Kumbh Mela in Maharashtra's Nashik district January 25, 2005: More than 340 devotees were trampled to death and hundreds injured during an annual pilgrimage at Mandhardevi temple in Maharashtra's Satara district. The accident occurred when some people fell down on the steps made slippery by devotees breaking coconuts. Also Read | 12 dead, over a dozen injured in stampede at Vaishno Devi shrine in J&K August 3, 2008: 162 dead, 47 injured in stampede triggered by rumours of rockslides at Naina Devi temple in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh September 30, 2008: Nearly 250 devotees killed and over 60 injured in stampede triggered by rumours of bomb going off at Chamunda Devi temple in Rajasthan's Jodhpur city March 4, 2010: About 63 people were killed in a stampede at Ram Janki Temple of Kripalu Maharaj in Uttar Pradesh's Pratapgarh district as people gathered to collect free clothes and food from the self-styled godman. November 8, 2011: At least 20 people were killed in stampede in Haridwar at Har-ki-Pauri ghat on banks of the Ganga river November 19, 2012: Around 20 people were killed and many others injured as a makeshift bridge caved in, triggering a stampede during Chhath Puja at Adalat Ghat on the bank of river Ganga in Patna Also Read | Vaishno Devi stampede: Survivors blame 'mismanagement', shrine board refutes charge October 13, 2013: 115 people were killed and over 100 injured in a stampede during Navratri festivities near Ratangarh temple in Madhya Pradesh's Datia district. The stampede was triggered by rumours that a river bridge the devotees were crossing was about to collapse. October 3, 2014: Thirty-two people were killed and 26 others injured in a stampede at Gandhi Maidan in Patna, shortly after the Dussehra celebrations ended. July 14, 2015: Twenty-seven pilgrims died and 20 others were injured in a stampede at a major bathing spot on the banks of the Godavari river where a huge crowd of devotees had gathered on the opening day of 'Pushkaram' festival in Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh. January 1, 2022: At least 12 people died and over a dozen were injured in a stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir triggered by a heavy rush of devotees. Check out DH's latest videos: Hundreds of people have died in stampedes at temples and other Hindu religious gatherings over the years in India. Here is a list of some of such major tragedies that have taken place in the country after 2000: August 27, 2003: 39 people were killed and around 140 injured in a stampede during the holy bath at the Kumbh Mela in Maharashtra's Nashik district January 25, 2005: More than 340 devotees were trampled to death and hundreds injured during an annual pilgrimage at Mandhardevi temple in Maharashtra's Satara district. The accident occurred when some people fell down on the steps made slippery by devotees breaking coconuts. Also Read | 12 dead, over a dozen injured in stampede at Vaishno Devi shrine in J&K August 3, 2008: 162 dead, 47 injured in stampede triggered by rumours of rockslides at Naina Devi temple in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh September 30, 2008: Nearly 250 devotees killed and over 60 injured in stampede triggered by rumours of bomb going off at Chamunda Devi temple in Rajasthan's Jodhpur city March 4, 2010: About 63 people were killed in a stampede at Ram Janki Temple of Kripalu Maharaj in Uttar Pradesh's Pratapgarh district as people gathered to collect free clothes and food from the self-styled godman. November 8, 2011: At least 20 people were killed in stampede in Haridwar at Har-ki-Pauri ghat on banks of the Ganga river November 19, 2012: Around 20 people were killed and many others injured as a makeshift bridge caved in, triggering a stampede during Chhath Puja at Adalat Ghat on the bank of river Ganga in Patna Also Read | Vaishno Devi stampede: Survivors blame 'mismanagement', shrine board refutes charge October 13, 2013: 115 people were killed and over 100 injured in a stampede during Navratri festivities near Ratangarh temple in Madhya Pradesh's Datia district. The stampede was triggered by rumours that a river bridge the devotees were crossing was about to collapse. October 3, 2014: Thirty-two people were killed and 26 others injured in a stampede at Gandhi Maidan in Patna, shortly after the Dussehra celebrations ended. July 14, 2015: Twenty-seven pilgrims died and 20 others were injured in a stampede at a major bathing spot on the banks of the Godavari river where a huge crowd of devotees had gathered on the opening day of 'Pushkaram' festival in Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh. January 1, 2022: At least 12 people died and over a dozen were injured in a stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir triggered by a heavy rush of devotees. Check out DH's latest videos: Hundreds of people have died in stampedes at temples and other Hindu religious gatherings over the years in India. Here is a list of some of such major tragedies that have taken place in the country after 2000: August 27, 2003: 39 people were killed and around 140 injured in a stampede during the holy bath at the Kumbh Mela in Maharashtra's Nashik district January 25, 2005: More than 340 devotees were trampled to death and hundreds injured during an annual pilgrimage at Mandhardevi temple in Maharashtra's Satara district. The accident occurred when some people fell down on the steps made slippery by devotees breaking coconuts. Also Read | 12 dead, over a dozen injured in stampede at Vaishno Devi shrine in J&K August 3, 2008: 162 dead, 47 injured in stampede triggered by rumours of rockslides at Naina Devi temple in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh September 30, 2008: Nearly 250 devotees killed and over 60 injured in stampede triggered by rumours of bomb going off at Chamunda Devi temple in Rajasthan's Jodhpur city March 4, 2010: About 63 people were killed in a stampede at Ram Janki Temple of Kripalu Maharaj in Uttar Pradesh's Pratapgarh district as people gathered to collect free clothes and food from the self-styled godman. November 8, 2011: At least 20 people were killed in stampede in Haridwar at Har-ki-Pauri ghat on banks of the Ganga river November 19, 2012: Around 20 people were killed and many others injured as a makeshift bridge caved in, triggering a stampede during Chhath Puja at Adalat Ghat on the bank of river Ganga in Patna Also Read | Vaishno Devi stampede: Survivors blame 'mismanagement', shrine board refutes charge October 13, 2013: 115 people were killed and over 100 injured in a stampede during Navratri festivities near Ratangarh temple in Madhya Pradesh's Datia district. The stampede was triggered by rumours that a river bridge the devotees were crossing was about to collapse. October 3, 2014: Thirty-two people were killed and 26 others injured in a stampede at Gandhi Maidan in Patna, shortly after the Dussehra celebrations ended. July 14, 2015: Twenty-seven pilgrims died and 20 others were injured in a stampede at a major bathing spot on the banks of the Godavari river where a huge crowd of devotees had gathered on the opening day of 'Pushkaram' festival in Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh. January 1, 2022: At least 12 people died and over a dozen were injured in a stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir triggered by a heavy rush of devotees. Check out DH's latest videos: Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Hundreds of people have died in stampedes at temples and other Hindu religious gatherings over the years in India. Here is a list of some of such major tragedies that have taken place in the country after 2000: August 27, 2003: 39 people were killed and around 140 injured in a stampede during the holy bath at the Kumbh Mela in Maharashtra's Nashik district January 25, 2005: More than 340 devotees were trampled to death and hundreds injured during an annual pilgrimage at Mandhardevi temple in Maharashtra's Satara district. The accident occurred when some people fell down on the steps made slippery by devotees breaking coconuts. Also Read | 12 dead, over a dozen injured in stampede at Vaishno Devi shrine in J&K August 3, 2008: 162 dead, 47 injured in stampede triggered by rumours of rockslides at Naina Devi temple in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh September 30, 2008: Nearly 250 devotees killed and over 60 injured in stampede triggered by rumours of bomb going off at Chamunda Devi temple in Rajasthan's Jodhpur city March 4, 2010: About 63 people were killed in a stampede at Ram Janki Temple of Kripalu Maharaj in Uttar Pradesh's Pratapgarh district as people gathered to collect free clothes and food from the self-styled godman. November 8, 2011: At least 20 people were killed in stampede in Haridwar at Har-ki-Pauri ghat on banks of the Ganga river November 19, 2012: Around 20 people were killed and many others injured as a makeshift bridge caved in, triggering a stampede during Chhath Puja at Adalat Ghat on the bank of river Ganga in Patna Also Read | Vaishno Devi stampede: Survivors blame 'mismanagement', shrine board refutes charge October 13, 2013: 115 people were killed and over 100 injured in a stampede during Navratri festivities near Ratangarh temple in Madhya Pradesh's Datia district. The stampede was triggered by rumours that a river bridge the devotees were crossing was about to collapse. October 3, 2014: Thirty-two people were killed and 26 others injured in a stampede at Gandhi Maidan in Patna, shortly after the Dussehra celebrations ended. July 14, 2015: Twenty-seven pilgrims died and 20 others were injured in a stampede at a major bathing spot on the banks of the Godavari river where a huge crowd of devotees had gathered on the opening day of 'Pushkaram' festival in Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh. January 1, 2022: At least 12 people died and over a dozen were injured in a stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir triggered by a heavy rush of devotees. Check out DH's latest videos: New Delhi, Jan 1 : over 12,000 NGOs including Oxfam and Jamia Milia Islamia will no longer be able to receive any foreign donations as the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has not cleared the renewal of their Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) license. The NGOs, which also include the Indian Medical Association and the Leprosy Mission, whose licenses had expired over the past few months and now have lost their FCRA licenses as of Saturday. Oxfam India is in the list of NGOs whose FCRA certificates have expired and not those whose registrations have been cancelled. The Centre's move comes days after it, on December 25, refused to renew the FCRA license of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity, which runs orphanages and shelters for the poor, sick and destitute across India "for not meeting eligibility conditions under FCR Act and Foreign Contribution Regulation Rules" and due to "some adverse inputs". The Ministry on Friday extended the December 31 deadline for validity of FCRA registration of NGOs to March 31, 2022 or till the date of disposal of the renewal application, whichever is earlier, "in respect of only those entities who fulfil certain criteria". Sources in the Ministry said that around 6,000 NGOs have not applied for the renewal of the FCRA license. According to a sources, now there are only 16,829 NGOs in India which still have a FCRA license, while a total of 22,762 NGOs are registered under the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act as of now. New Delhi, Jan 1 : over 12,000 NGOs including Oxfam and Jamia Milia Islamia will no longer be able to receive any foreign donations as the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has not cleared the renewal of their Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) license. The NGOs, which also include the Indian Medical Association and the Leprosy Mission, whose licenses had expired over the past few months and now have lost their FCRA licenses as of Saturday. Oxfam India is in the list of NGOs whose FCRA certificates have expired and not those whose registrations have been cancelled. The Centre's move comes days after it, on December 25, refused to renew the FCRA license of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity, which runs orphanages and shelters for the poor, sick and destitute across India "for not meeting eligibility conditions under FCR Act and Foreign Contribution Regulation Rules" and due to "some adverse inputs". The Ministry on Friday extended the December 31 deadline for validity of FCRA registration of NGOs to March 31, 2022 or till the date of disposal of the renewal application, whichever is earlier, "in respect of only those entities who fulfil certain criteria". Sources in the Ministry said that around 6,000 NGOs have not applied for the renewal of the FCRA license. According to a sources, now there are only 16,829 NGOs in India which still have a FCRA license, while a total of 22,762 NGOs are registered under the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act as of now. Jaipur, Jan 1 (PTI) Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot expressed condolences to the family members of those who were killed in the stampede at Vaishno Devi Mata Temple in Jammu and Kashmir's Katra early on Saturday. In a statement, Mishra said he prayed to God to give strength to the families of those deceased to bear the loss. He also wished those injured a speedy recovery. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: 27-Year-Old Man Dies By Suicide After Molestation Complaint Filed Against Him In Bareilly District. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took to Twitter to express his grief. Deeply saddened at the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata #VaishnoDevi Bhawan, Katra in J&K. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. May they remain strong to bear this loss. Prayers for speedy recovery of the injured," Gehlot tweeted. Also Read | Rajasthan Reports 52 Fresh Omicron Cases, Total Tally Rises to 121 in the State. At least 12 people died and over a dozen were injured in the stampede, triggered by a heavy rush of devotees at the shrine, officials said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kolkata, Jan 1 : After seeking clarification from the West Bengal government, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked Advocate General Soumendra Nath Mookherjee to meet him to discuss certain issues related to the Howrah Municipal Bill 2021. "WB Governor Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, after taking conspectus of the situation and proceedings before Calcutta High Court, has sought to confer with Advocate General @MamataOfficial under Article 165(2) of the Constitution," the Governor wrote. "Government @MamataOfficial has been directed to make available the entire documentation to the Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," he added. In a letter to the state government, the Governor wrote, "Response to inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 were made available by the state government after a considerable delay of about a month on 20.12.2021. Thereafter vide note dated 24.12.2021, finding that the response of the government was wanting on several counts, it was indicated that inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 be made available. The file has now been received on 28.12.2021 at Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, and made available at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling, on December 30, 2021." "In the note dated 24.11.2021 it was indicated that 'concerned officials be sensitised accordingly and all required information sought be made available to this office at the earliest'. Going by the inputs made available on 20.12.2021, it is apparent that this has had no impact," he added. "Be that as it may, taking conspectus of the situation and also the proceedings before the High Court at Calcutta, in writ petition MAT 1354 of 2021. I find it expedient to confer with the learned Advocate General under Article 163(2) of the Constitution of India steps be taken by the government to make available the entire documentation to the learned Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," the Governor said. Kolkata, Jan 1 : After seeking clarification from the West Bengal government, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked Advocate General Soumendra Nath Mookherjee to meet him to discuss certain issues related to the Howrah Municipal Bill 2021. "WB Governor Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, after taking conspectus of the situation and proceedings before Calcutta High Court, has sought to confer with Advocate General @MamataOfficial under Article 165(2) of the Constitution," the Governor wrote. "Government @MamataOfficial has been directed to make available the entire documentation to the Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," he added. In a letter to the state government, the Governor wrote, "Response to inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 were made available by the state government after a considerable delay of about a month on 20.12.2021. Thereafter vide note dated 24.12.2021, finding that the response of the government was wanting on several counts, it was indicated that inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 be made available. The file has now been received on 28.12.2021 at Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, and made available at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling, on December 30, 2021." "In the note dated 24.11.2021 it was indicated that 'concerned officials be sensitised accordingly and all required information sought be made available to this office at the earliest'. Going by the inputs made available on 20.12.2021, it is apparent that this has had no impact," he added. "Be that as it may, taking conspectus of the situation and also the proceedings before the High Court at Calcutta, in writ petition MAT 1354 of 2021. I find it expedient to confer with the learned Advocate General under Article 163(2) of the Constitution of India steps be taken by the government to make available the entire documentation to the learned Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," the Governor said. Kolkata, Jan 1 : After seeking clarification from the West Bengal government, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked Advocate General Soumendra Nath Mookherjee to meet him to discuss certain issues related to the Howrah Municipal Bill 2021. "WB Governor Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, after taking conspectus of the situation and proceedings before Calcutta High Court, has sought to confer with Advocate General @MamataOfficial under Article 165(2) of the Constitution," the Governor wrote. "Government @MamataOfficial has been directed to make available the entire documentation to the Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," he added. In a letter to the state government, the Governor wrote, "Response to inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 were made available by the state government after a considerable delay of about a month on 20.12.2021. Thereafter vide note dated 24.12.2021, finding that the response of the government was wanting on several counts, it was indicated that inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 be made available. The file has now been received on 28.12.2021 at Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, and made available at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling, on December 30, 2021." "In the note dated 24.11.2021 it was indicated that 'concerned officials be sensitised accordingly and all required information sought be made available to this office at the earliest'. Going by the inputs made available on 20.12.2021, it is apparent that this has had no impact," he added. "Be that as it may, taking conspectus of the situation and also the proceedings before the High Court at Calcutta, in writ petition MAT 1354 of 2021. I find it expedient to confer with the learned Advocate General under Article 163(2) of the Constitution of India steps be taken by the government to make available the entire documentation to the learned Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," the Governor said. Kolkata, Jan 1 : After seeking clarification from the West Bengal government, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked Advocate General Soumendra Nath Mookherjee to meet him to discuss certain issues related to the Howrah Municipal Bill 2021. "WB Governor Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, after taking conspectus of the situation and proceedings before Calcutta High Court, has sought to confer with Advocate General @MamataOfficial under Article 165(2) of the Constitution," the Governor wrote. "Government @MamataOfficial has been directed to make available the entire documentation to the Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," he added. In a letter to the state government, the Governor wrote, "Response to inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 were made available by the state government after a considerable delay of about a month on 20.12.2021. Thereafter vide note dated 24.12.2021, finding that the response of the government was wanting on several counts, it was indicated that inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 be made available. The file has now been received on 28.12.2021 at Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, and made available at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling, on December 30, 2021." "In the note dated 24.11.2021 it was indicated that 'concerned officials be sensitised accordingly and all required information sought be made available to this office at the earliest'. Going by the inputs made available on 20.12.2021, it is apparent that this has had no impact," he added. "Be that as it may, taking conspectus of the situation and also the proceedings before the High Court at Calcutta, in writ petition MAT 1354 of 2021. I find it expedient to confer with the learned Advocate General under Article 163(2) of the Constitution of India steps be taken by the government to make available the entire documentation to the learned Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," the Governor said. Kolkata, Jan 1 : After seeking clarification from the West Bengal government, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked Advocate General Soumendra Nath Mookherjee to meet him to discuss certain issues related to the Howrah Municipal Bill 2021. "WB Governor Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, after taking conspectus of the situation and proceedings before Calcutta High Court, has sought to confer with Advocate General @MamataOfficial under Article 165(2) of the Constitution," the Governor wrote. "Government @MamataOfficial has been directed to make available the entire documentation to the Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," he added. In a letter to the state government, the Governor wrote, "Response to inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 were made available by the state government after a considerable delay of about a month on 20.12.2021. Thereafter vide note dated 24.12.2021, finding that the response of the government was wanting on several counts, it was indicated that inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 be made available. The file has now been received on 28.12.2021 at Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, and made available at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling, on December 30, 2021." "In the note dated 24.11.2021 it was indicated that 'concerned officials be sensitised accordingly and all required information sought be made available to this office at the earliest'. Going by the inputs made available on 20.12.2021, it is apparent that this has had no impact," he added. "Be that as it may, taking conspectus of the situation and also the proceedings before the High Court at Calcutta, in writ petition MAT 1354 of 2021. I find it expedient to confer with the learned Advocate General under Article 163(2) of the Constitution of India steps be taken by the government to make available the entire documentation to the learned Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," the Governor said. Kolkata, Jan 1 : After seeking clarification from the West Bengal government, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked Advocate General Soumendra Nath Mookherjee to meet him to discuss certain issues related to the Howrah Municipal Bill 2021. "WB Governor Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, after taking conspectus of the situation and proceedings before Calcutta High Court, has sought to confer with Advocate General @MamataOfficial under Article 165(2) of the Constitution," the Governor wrote. "Government @MamataOfficial has been directed to make available the entire documentation to the Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," he added. In a letter to the state government, the Governor wrote, "Response to inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 were made available by the state government after a considerable delay of about a month on 20.12.2021. Thereafter vide note dated 24.12.2021, finding that the response of the government was wanting on several counts, it was indicated that inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 be made available. The file has now been received on 28.12.2021 at Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, and made available at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling, on December 30, 2021." "In the note dated 24.11.2021 it was indicated that 'concerned officials be sensitised accordingly and all required information sought be made available to this office at the earliest'. Going by the inputs made available on 20.12.2021, it is apparent that this has had no impact," he added. "Be that as it may, taking conspectus of the situation and also the proceedings before the High Court at Calcutta, in writ petition MAT 1354 of 2021. I find it expedient to confer with the learned Advocate General under Article 163(2) of the Constitution of India steps be taken by the government to make available the entire documentation to the learned Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," the Governor said. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Kolkata, Jan 1 : After seeking clarification from the West Bengal government, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked Advocate General Soumendra Nath Mookherjee to meet him to discuss certain issues related to the Howrah Municipal Bill 2021. "WB Governor Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, after taking conspectus of the situation and proceedings before Calcutta High Court, has sought to confer with Advocate General @MamataOfficial under Article 165(2) of the Constitution," the Governor wrote. "Government @MamataOfficial has been directed to make available the entire documentation to the Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," he added. In a letter to the state government, the Governor wrote, "Response to inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 were made available by the state government after a considerable delay of about a month on 20.12.2021. Thereafter vide note dated 24.12.2021, finding that the response of the government was wanting on several counts, it was indicated that inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 be made available. The file has now been received on 28.12.2021 at Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, and made available at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling, on December 30, 2021." "In the note dated 24.11.2021 it was indicated that 'concerned officials be sensitised accordingly and all required information sought be made available to this office at the earliest'. Going by the inputs made available on 20.12.2021, it is apparent that this has had no impact," he added. "Be that as it may, taking conspectus of the situation and also the proceedings before the High Court at Calcutta, in writ petition MAT 1354 of 2021. I find it expedient to confer with the learned Advocate General under Article 163(2) of the Constitution of India steps be taken by the government to make available the entire documentation to the learned Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," the Governor said. Kolkata, Jan 1 : After seeking clarification from the West Bengal government, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked Advocate General Soumendra Nath Mookherjee to meet him to discuss certain issues related to the Howrah Municipal Bill 2021. "WB Governor Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, after taking conspectus of the situation and proceedings before Calcutta High Court, has sought to confer with Advocate General @MamataOfficial under Article 165(2) of the Constitution," the Governor wrote. "Government @MamataOfficial has been directed to make available the entire documentation to the Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," he added. In a letter to the state government, the Governor wrote, "Response to inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 were made available by the state government after a considerable delay of about a month on 20.12.2021. Thereafter vide note dated 24.12.2021, finding that the response of the government was wanting on several counts, it was indicated that inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 be made available. The file has now been received on 28.12.2021 at Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, and made available at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling, on December 30, 2021." "In the note dated 24.11.2021 it was indicated that 'concerned officials be sensitised accordingly and all required information sought be made available to this office at the earliest'. Going by the inputs made available on 20.12.2021, it is apparent that this has had no impact," he added. "Be that as it may, taking conspectus of the situation and also the proceedings before the High Court at Calcutta, in writ petition MAT 1354 of 2021. I find it expedient to confer with the learned Advocate General under Article 163(2) of the Constitution of India steps be taken by the government to make available the entire documentation to the learned Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," the Governor said. New Delhi, Jan 1 : Delhi Police on Saturday said they have arrested a man for allegedly posting private pictures of a girl on social media and blackmailing her for the same. The accused, identified as Rajesh Singh Suman, a resident of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, was arrested under sections 354D (stalking), 384 (extortion), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code. According to an official, a complaint was received at Dwarka South police station in which a girl levelled allegations against the accused Rajesh for stalking, blackmailing and threatening her. She alleged that she came in contact with the accused through a matrimonial website and also met him a couple of times. The complainant informed that she had shared her personal photographs with the accused. The marriage proposal was somehow later cancelled after which the accused started blackmailing and threatening the complainant to post her private photos on social platforms and share her photographs with multiple acquaintances. She further alleged that the accused made her fake Facebook and Instagram accounts in which he was posting her pictures. Based on the complaint, police registered an FIR and arrested the accused from Aligarh. During interrogation, the accused disclosed to have committed a number of such offences with various victims and the same were being analysed from his mobile phone data. "Further probe is still on," the official added. Jammu, Jan 1 (PTI) Twelve people lost their lives and over a dozen others were injured in a stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir in the early hours during a heavy rush of devotees on New Year. This is the first such tragedy at the shrine, located atop the Trikuta hills - about 50 km from here - that attracts lakhs of people every year. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: 27-Year-Old Man Dies By Suicide After Molestation Complaint Filed Against Him In Bareilly District. The incident occurred between 2.30 AM and 2.45 AM on Saturday near a relatively narrow passage at gate number 3 outside the sanctum sanctorum of the hilltop shrine where devotees usually arrive round the clock after trekking from the Katra base camp, a distance of nearly 13 km. A high-level inquiry was ordered into the stampede by Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Manoj Sinha to be headed by Principal Secretary (Home) Shaleen Kabra with Divisional Commissioner Jammu Rajiv Langar and Additional Director General of Police Mukesh Singh as its members. Also Read | Rajasthan Reports 52 Fresh Omicron Cases, Total Tally Rises to 121 in the State. Condolences poured in from all quarters and Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Sinha and Union ministers Jitendra Singh to take stock of the situation. According to eyewitness accounts, the number of devotees was allegedly beyond the permitted level with flagrant violation of COVID-19 norms, and some of the survivors accused the Jammu and Kashmir administration of "mismanagement". The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, however, denied the charges saying all necessary arrangements were made in view of the expected rush. Most of the deaths have taken place due to suffocation, police said, adding among the deceased seven are from Uttar Pradesh, three from Delhi and one each from Haryana and J-K. Director General of Police Dilbag Singh, who accompanied the Minister of State in the PMO, Jitendra Singh, during the visit to the shrine after the stampede, told reporters that the incident took place due to confusion or "probably somebody at the site acted funny which could have led to some altercation". "All these things are being looked into. That area is a little narrow and people ran helter-skelter without knowing the reason. Most of the deaths have taken place due to suffocation after being run over by each other and most of the injuries are also due to the same reason," he said. Singh had told PTI that preliminary information from the scene suggests there was a minor altercation among some boys, and within seconds, there was a stampede. "Police and officials of the civil administration were quick to respond, and the order within the crowd was immediately restored, but by that time, the damage had been done," he said. Prem Singh, from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, said there was a "complete mess" as neither was the number of pilgrims restricted nor were COVID-19 guidelines in force. "It was a free-for-all-like situation. Many people were without mandatory face masks," he said, claiming that police personnel on duty at the checking point surrendered to the heavy rush and were warning people about the possibility of such an accident. "Nothing but mismanagement was the cause for this tragic accident. They were aware about the possible rush but allowed the people in unhindered," a pilgrim from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh said while waiting outside a mortuary to identify a body. Many people were resting on the floor, instead of heading back, and it caused more rush at the bhawan, he added. Another man, who lost his friend Arun Pratab Singh (30), said they had come from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. The area was overcrowded, he said. Aditya Sharma, a pilgrim, said there was a heavy rush of devotees and some people who were sleeping on the floor got crushed. Senior officials present at the scene said 12 people died in the stampede and their bodies were taken to a hospital in the Katra base camp. The deceased were identified as Arun Pratab Singh (30), Dharam Veer Singh (35), Vineet Kumar (38), Shewata Singh (35), Mohinder Gour (26), Narinder Kashap (40) and Monu Sharma (32) of Uttar Pradesh, Vinay Kumar (24), Sonu Panday (24) and Akash Kumar (29) of Delhi, Mamta (38) of Haryana and Desraj Kumar (26) of Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, the officials said. Fifteen injured were undergoing treatment at the Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, and the condition of two of them was stated to be critical. Some were discharged after first-aid, they added. An hour after the incident, pilgrims were again allowed at the site, the officials said, adding the yatra was not disrupted. Prime Minister Modi said that the central government is in constant touch with the J-K administration to assist the affected people. Speaking at a programme to release funds under the PM-KISAN scheme, Modi said he was "extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon". The JK administration has announced a relief of Rs 10 lakh to the deceased and Rs 2 lakh to the injured which will be paid by the Shrine board. In a series of tweets, the office of the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor expressed pain at the loss of lives and gave details of whom Sinha had briefed after the stampede which included the Prime Minister and Home Minister Amit Shah. The PMO tweeted that "an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs 50,000: PM @narendramodi". Union Minister Jitendra Singh said innovative measures are required to deal with the new trend of youngsters eager to visit Mata Vaishno Devi shrine on the first day of the new year. The minister also visited the injured devotees undergoing treatment at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital at Kakriyal. "Traditionally, the pilgrims used to come on the festival days like Navratras, Dussehra and Deepavali. This is a new trend and we have to take measures accordingly (of youngsters visiting on New Year)," he said, adding "when we will sit and talk, we will talk about innovation and technology to find some solution to the issue." President Ram Nath Kovind said he was very distressed to know about the stampede and offered condolences to the bereaved families. "I wish speedy recovery to those injured," he said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he was deeply pained by the tragic accident. "Deeply pained by the tragic accident at Mata Vaishno Devi temple. In this regard, I have spoken to Lieutenant Governor of J&K Shri Manoj Sinha. The administration is working continuously to provide treatment to the injured. I express my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this accident," Shah tweeted in Hindi. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, "The stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi temple is tragic. I extend my condolences to the families of the deceased." Senior BJP leader and former legislator Devender Singh Rana, who interacted with the pilgrims here to take stock of the situation, said the incident was the first of its kind to take place at the shrine. "It is a tragic incident and a sad moment for all of us. The whole administration is working to ensure the bodies are returned to their families and those injured are given adequate treatment," he said. "This is no time for allegations or counter-allegations. It is a tragedy that has happened and nobody should play politics over it," he added. Political parties in Kashmir, including the National Conference and the People's Conference, expressed grief over the incident. The PDP said such "mismanagement" has been unheard of in recent times. "Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families who lost their loved ones and pray for speedy recovery of the injured," it said in a tweet. Officials at the spot said the incident was triggered by a heavy rush of devotees who came to pay their obeisance to mark the beginning of the New Year. While most of the devotees undertake the arduous trek, some reach there by helicopter service. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bhopal, Jan 1 : Though local body elections in Madhya Pradesh have been cancelled, both the Congress and the BJP continue to attack each other over the OBC reservation issue, with an eye on the next Assembly polls scheduled in 2023. In a fresh twist, former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Kamal Nath on Saturday accused the BJP government of trying to suppress the people belonging to Other Backward Class (OBC). He alleged that the state government is using its power to threaten the members of the OBC community. Nath said that the OBC community was to launch a protest at Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's residence on January 2, but the BJP government threatened them by issuing notices. "OBC people said they are being intimidated, notices are being served to them. They are being made to sit in police stations. Why is the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government so afraid of the OBC community," Nath asked. He further said that the BJP government is neither doing anything for the OBC community, nor is it willing to listen to them. The OBC Mahasabha has decided to launch a protest on Sunday for excluding them from reservation in panchayat polls and many other issues related to the community. However, there is uncertainty whether the protest will be held. The state government on Friday (Dec 31) issued the Madhya Pradesh Panchayati Raj and Gram Swaraj Amendment Ordinance (II), annulling Kamal Nath government's ordinance of 2019. The move came days after the Shirvraj government withdrew its ordinance on panchayat elections. The fresh ordinance stated that if notification of election is not issued for any reason by the State Election Commission within 18 months from the date of publication of the delimitation or division of panchayats or their wards or constituencies done before the expiry of the term of panchayats, such delimitation or division shall be deemed cancelled on the expiry of the period of 18 months. In such a case, the delimitation or division of these panchayats and their wards and constituencies will be done afresh. Delimitation proceedings were held in September 2019 for the election of panchayats for the year 2020 in the state, which has been cancelled as a result of this ordinance. Now, the process of delimitation and division of panchayats and their wards and constituencies will be done again, on the basis of which the pending process of election will be completed. Bhopal, Jan 1 : Though local body elections in Madhya Pradesh have been cancelled, both the Congress and the BJP continue to attack each other over the OBC reservation issue, with an eye on the next Assembly polls scheduled in 2023. In a fresh twist, former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Kamal Nath on Saturday accused the BJP government of trying to suppress the people belonging to Other Backward Class (OBC). He alleged that the state government is using its power to threaten the members of the OBC community. Nath said that the OBC community was to launch a protest at Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's residence on January 2, but the BJP government threatened them by issuing notices. "OBC people said they are being intimidated, notices are being served to them. They are being made to sit in police stations. Why is the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government so afraid of the OBC community," Nath asked. He further said that the BJP government is neither doing anything for the OBC community, nor is it willing to listen to them. The OBC Mahasabha has decided to launch a protest on Sunday for excluding them from reservation in panchayat polls and many other issues related to the community. However, there is uncertainty whether the protest will be held. The state government on Friday (Dec 31) issued the Madhya Pradesh Panchayati Raj and Gram Swaraj Amendment Ordinance (II), annulling Kamal Nath government's ordinance of 2019. The move came days after the Shirvraj government withdrew its ordinance on panchayat elections. The fresh ordinance stated that if notification of election is not issued for any reason by the State Election Commission within 18 months from the date of publication of the delimitation or division of panchayats or their wards or constituencies done before the expiry of the term of panchayats, such delimitation or division shall be deemed cancelled on the expiry of the period of 18 months. In such a case, the delimitation or division of these panchayats and their wards and constituencies will be done afresh. Delimitation proceedings were held in September 2019 for the election of panchayats for the year 2020 in the state, which has been cancelled as a result of this ordinance. Now, the process of delimitation and division of panchayats and their wards and constituencies will be done again, on the basis of which the pending process of election will be completed. Kolkata, Jan 1 : After seeking clarification from the West Bengal government, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked Advocate General Soumendra Nath Mookherjee to meet him to discuss certain issues related to the Howrah Municipal Bill 2021. "WB Governor Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, after taking conspectus of the situation and proceedings before Calcutta High Court, has sought to confer with Advocate General @MamataOfficial under Article 165(2) of the Constitution," the Governor wrote. "Government @MamataOfficial has been directed to make available the entire documentation to the Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," he added. In a letter to the state government, the Governor wrote, "Response to inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 were made available by the state government after a considerable delay of about a month on 20.12.2021. Thereafter vide note dated 24.12.2021, finding that the response of the government was wanting on several counts, it was indicated that inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 be made available. The file has now been received on 28.12.2021 at Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, and made available at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling, on December 30, 2021." "In the note dated 24.11.2021 it was indicated that 'concerned officials be sensitised accordingly and all required information sought be made available to this office at the earliest'. Going by the inputs made available on 20.12.2021, it is apparent that this has had no impact," he added. "Be that as it may, taking conspectus of the situation and also the proceedings before the High Court at Calcutta, in writ petition MAT 1354 of 2021. I find it expedient to confer with the learned Advocate General under Article 163(2) of the Constitution of India steps be taken by the government to make available the entire documentation to the learned Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," the Governor said. Jammu, Jan 1 (PTI) Twelve people lost their lives and over a dozen others were injured in a stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir in the early hours during a heavy rush of devotees on New Year. This is the first such tragedy at the shrine, located atop the Trikuta hills - about 50 km from here - that attracts lakhs of people every year. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: 27-Year-Old Man Dies By Suicide After Molestation Complaint Filed Against Him In Bareilly District. The incident occurred between 2.30 AM and 2.45 AM on Saturday near a relatively narrow passage at gate number 3 outside the sanctum sanctorum of the hilltop shrine where devotees usually arrive round the clock after trekking from the Katra base camp, a distance of nearly 13 km. A high-level inquiry was ordered into the stampede by Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Manoj Sinha to be headed by Principal Secretary (Home) Shaleen Kabra with Divisional Commissioner Jammu Rajiv Langar and Additional Director General of Police Mukesh Singh as its members. Also Read | Rajasthan Reports 52 Fresh Omicron Cases, Total Tally Rises to 121 in the State. Condolences poured in from all quarters and Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Sinha and Union ministers Jitendra Singh to take stock of the situation. According to eyewitness accounts, the number of devotees was allegedly beyond the permitted level with flagrant violation of COVID-19 norms, and some of the survivors accused the Jammu and Kashmir administration of "mismanagement". The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, however, denied the charges saying all necessary arrangements were made in view of the expected rush. Most of the deaths have taken place due to suffocation, police said, adding among the deceased seven are from Uttar Pradesh, three from Delhi and one each from Haryana and J-K. Director General of Police Dilbag Singh, who accompanied the Minister of State in the PMO, Jitendra Singh, during the visit to the shrine after the stampede, told reporters that the incident took place due to confusion or "probably somebody at the site acted funny which could have led to some altercation". "All these things are being looked into. That area is a little narrow and people ran helter-skelter without knowing the reason. Most of the deaths have taken place due to suffocation after being run over by each other and most of the injuries are also due to the same reason," he said. Singh had told PTI that preliminary information from the scene suggests there was a minor altercation among some boys, and within seconds, there was a stampede. "Police and officials of the civil administration were quick to respond, and the order within the crowd was immediately restored, but by that time, the damage had been done," he said. Prem Singh, from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, said there was a "complete mess" as neither was the number of pilgrims restricted nor were COVID-19 guidelines in force. "It was a free-for-all-like situation. Many people were without mandatory face masks," he said, claiming that police personnel on duty at the checking point surrendered to the heavy rush and were warning people about the possibility of such an accident. "Nothing but mismanagement was the cause for this tragic accident. They were aware about the possible rush but allowed the people in unhindered," a pilgrim from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh said while waiting outside a mortuary to identify a body. Many people were resting on the floor, instead of heading back, and it caused more rush at the bhawan, he added. Another man, who lost his friend Arun Pratab Singh (30), said they had come from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. The area was overcrowded, he said. Aditya Sharma, a pilgrim, said there was a heavy rush of devotees and some people who were sleeping on the floor got crushed. Senior officials present at the scene said 12 people died in the stampede and their bodies were taken to a hospital in the Katra base camp. The deceased were identified as Arun Pratab Singh (30), Dharam Veer Singh (35), Vineet Kumar (38), Shewata Singh (35), Mohinder Gour (26), Narinder Kashap (40) and Monu Sharma (32) of Uttar Pradesh, Vinay Kumar (24), Sonu Panday (24) and Akash Kumar (29) of Delhi, Mamta (38) of Haryana and Desraj Kumar (26) of Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, the officials said. Fifteen injured were undergoing treatment at the Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, and the condition of two of them was stated to be critical. Some were discharged after first-aid, they added. An hour after the incident, pilgrims were again allowed at the site, the officials said, adding the yatra was not disrupted. Prime Minister Modi said that the central government is in constant touch with the J-K administration to assist the affected people. Speaking at a programme to release funds under the PM-KISAN scheme, Modi said he was "extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon". The JK administration has announced a relief of Rs 10 lakh to the deceased and Rs 2 lakh to the injured which will be paid by the Shrine board. In a series of tweets, the office of the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor expressed pain at the loss of lives and gave details of whom Sinha had briefed after the stampede which included the Prime Minister and Home Minister Amit Shah. The PMO tweeted that "an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs 50,000: PM @narendramodi". Union Minister Jitendra Singh said innovative measures are required to deal with the new trend of youngsters eager to visit Mata Vaishno Devi shrine on the first day of the new year. The minister also visited the injured devotees undergoing treatment at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital at Kakriyal. "Traditionally, the pilgrims used to come on the festival days like Navratras, Dussehra and Deepavali. This is a new trend and we have to take measures accordingly (of youngsters visiting on New Year)," he said, adding "when we will sit and talk, we will talk about innovation and technology to find some solution to the issue." President Ram Nath Kovind said he was very distressed to know about the stampede and offered condolences to the bereaved families. "I wish speedy recovery to those injured," he said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he was deeply pained by the tragic accident. "Deeply pained by the tragic accident at Mata Vaishno Devi temple. In this regard, I have spoken to Lieutenant Governor of J&K Shri Manoj Sinha. The administration is working continuously to provide treatment to the injured. I express my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this accident," Shah tweeted in Hindi. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, "The stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi temple is tragic. I extend my condolences to the families of the deceased." Senior BJP leader and former legislator Devender Singh Rana, who interacted with the pilgrims here to take stock of the situation, said the incident was the first of its kind to take place at the shrine. "It is a tragic incident and a sad moment for all of us. The whole administration is working to ensure the bodies are returned to their families and those injured are given adequate treatment," he said. "This is no time for allegations or counter-allegations. It is a tragedy that has happened and nobody should play politics over it," he added. Political parties in Kashmir, including the National Conference and the People's Conference, expressed grief over the incident. The PDP said such "mismanagement" has been unheard of in recent times. "Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families who lost their loved ones and pray for speedy recovery of the injured," it said in a tweet. Officials at the spot said the incident was triggered by a heavy rush of devotees who came to pay their obeisance to mark the beginning of the New Year. While most of the devotees undertake the arduous trek, some reach there by helicopter service. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Two U.S. veterans and five Britons were among nearly 300 people released as part of a prisoner exchange between Moscow and Kyiv. MORE COVERAGE Two U.S. veterans and five Britons were among nearly 300 people released as part of a prisoner exchange between Moscow and Kyiv. MORE COVERAGE WOODBRIDGE, NJ Although Woodridge Township continues to log its highest coronavirus case numbers in nearly two years of the pandemic, Woodbridge schools will remain in person when classes resume Jan. 3 after winter break, said superintendent Joe Massimino in this New Year's Eve letter home to parents. "Our district will continue to operate on our regular full day schedule when we return on January 3, 2022. We believe it is vital to continue meeting students needs and providing appropriate resources during this challenging juncture," the superintendent wrote. So far in New Jersey, New Brunswick, South Brunswick, Newark, South Orange-Maplewood and the Paterson school districts, among others, have all decided to go virtual for the first week, or two weeks in some cases, back from winter break. On Thursday, Dec. 30 Woodbridge ended its highest case count week ever, with 1,350 new cases of coronavirus in the last seven days. For comparison, Woodbridge had 1,004 cases the entire summer of 2021. However, there were no new deaths to report. Also, children are not very likely to contract serious coronavirus cases, according to the CDC, even if they are not vaccinated. Both CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky and Dr. Anthony Fauci said on New Year's Eve that children are not being hospitalized because of coronavirus. They are being taken to the hospital for many other various reasons, and then testing positive as part of mandatory testing requirements. Superintendent Massimino acknowledged the reality of surging case numbers: "While the break gave students and staff some time away from school, it unfortunately did not give our community a break from COVID-19. Despite being out of school for over a week, the number of overall positive cases saw a dramatic increase," he wrote. Massimino did ask that parents "use their judgement regarding any close contact scenarios that may have occurred during winter break. If parents, out of an abundance of caution, decide there is a need for their child to quarantine upon our return to school, please make your childs school aware and email their teachers. As always, if your child is not feeling well or has symptoms of being sick, please keep them home." He also said the district is awaiting guidance from the New Jersey Department of Health regarding the latest CDC guidelines. This article originally appeared on the Woodbridge Patch Two U.S. veterans and five Britons were among nearly 300 people released as part of a prisoner exchange between Moscow and Kyiv. MORE COVERAGE Kolkata, Jan 1 : After seeking clarification from the West Bengal government, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked Advocate General Soumendra Nath Mookherjee to meet him to discuss certain issues related to the Howrah Municipal Bill 2021. "WB Governor Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, after taking conspectus of the situation and proceedings before Calcutta High Court, has sought to confer with Advocate General @MamataOfficial under Article 165(2) of the Constitution," the Governor wrote. "Government @MamataOfficial has been directed to make available the entire documentation to the Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," he added. In a letter to the state government, the Governor wrote, "Response to inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 were made available by the state government after a considerable delay of about a month on 20.12.2021. Thereafter vide note dated 24.12.2021, finding that the response of the government was wanting on several counts, it was indicated that inputs sought vide note dated 24.11.2021 be made available. The file has now been received on 28.12.2021 at Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, and made available at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling, on December 30, 2021." "In the note dated 24.11.2021 it was indicated that 'concerned officials be sensitised accordingly and all required information sought be made available to this office at the earliest'. Going by the inputs made available on 20.12.2021, it is apparent that this has had no impact," he added. "Be that as it may, taking conspectus of the situation and also the proceedings before the High Court at Calcutta, in writ petition MAT 1354 of 2021. I find it expedient to confer with the learned Advocate General under Article 163(2) of the Constitution of India steps be taken by the government to make available the entire documentation to the learned Advocate General, who shall make it convenient, at the earliest, to confer with the undersigned, who at present is at Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling. The matter may be accorded utmost priority," the Governor said. With the anticipated need for a lot more lithium to put into batteries to help power a greener future, you might think environmentalists would give a pass to some of the negative effects of the proposed lithium mines that are being planned at sites around Nevada. Thats not the case. The opposition to some of the proposed mines has been strong and may even be ramping up. Thacker Pass Lithium Americas Thacker Pass lithium mine may be the biggest project on the horizon, and it is facing lots of opposition. Lithium Americas has been working for years on plans for Thacker Pass, which is about 60 miles northwest of Winnemucca. The companys website says Thacker Pass is the largest known lithium resource in the United States. Lithium Americas estimates there is $3.9 billion worth of recoverable lithium at the site. The company has said it hopes to start mining operations next year. The mine is expected to produce up to 60,000 tons a year of battery-quality lithium carbonate, which would be a huge boost to the world supply of lithium. The mine is expected to employ about 300 people and have a 46-year mine life. On Jan. 15, 2021, the last Friday of the Trump Administration, the Bureau of Land Management approved the Record of Decision for Thacker Pass, giving federal approval to the project. That evening, Will Falk and Max Wilbert set out on an eight-hour drive to the Thacker Pass site to set up a camp nearby to protest the mine. People have been camped out there ever since. Falk and Wilbert are radical environmentalists, with Falk writing on the protectthackerpass.org website that I hate fossil fuels and actively advocate for the dismantling of all industrial infrastructure Elisabeth Robson wrote on the website, Many people believe they cant live without cars. But all humans lived without cars until a mere 113 years ago, and we can do so again. A world without cars is a quieter, slower, and more wonderful world, not just for humans but for everyone. I hope one day a militant and offensive environmental movement forms, Falk wrote. The people opposed to the Thacker Pass mine and other lithium mine projects dont all hold these views, of course, but have a variety of reasons for their opposition. A March 10 letter in the Elko Daily Free Press from Alex Eisenberg said the plan to transition to electric vehicles in the years ahead is incredibly short-sighted and irresponsible and will do virtually nothing to curb carbon emissions, as electric car production is completely reliant on the fossil fuel industry. The Thacker Pass mine alone would burn 11,000 gallons of diesel every day for onsite operations, the letter said. Double that for off-site operations. Carbon emissions are expected to be 150,000+ tons per year, equating to 2.3 tons of carbon for every ton of lithium produced. Hundreds of tons of sulfur (ironically a waste product from oil refineries) would be used daily in mine operations. On Feb. 11, 2021, Edward Bartell, a rancher who owns property above and below the mine, filed a lawsuit with a long list of objections to the mine. One of his big concerns is the water the mine will use. The projects Environmental Impact Statement says the projected water demand for years 5 through 41 is equivalent to an average pumping rate of 3,224 gallons per minute. On Feb. 26, 2021, the Western Watersheds Project, Wildlands Defense, Great Basin Resource Watch, and Basin and Range Watch filed a lawsuit saying the Thacker Pass Record of Decision did not adequately gauge the mines impacts on greater sage grouse and other wildlife. Local Indigenous communities say Thacker Pass is important to them historically and in their daily lives. Local tribal members have been camping near the mine site to protest the mine. The tribal council of the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation, which is about 26 miles from the mine site, made an engagement agreement with Lithium Nevada in 2020, but withdrew from the agreement in March 2021. On July 28, the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and Atsa Koodakuh Wyh Nuwu/People of Red Mountain were allowed to intervene as plaintiffs in the lawsuits against the mine. On Aug. 6, the Burns Paiute Tribe was also allowed to intervene. Additional court filings have been made since then. On Sept. 5, U.S. District Court Judge Miranda Du denied a request from the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and the People of Red Mountain for a preliminary injunction to temporarily halt work. Falk is a lawyer for the People of the Red Mountain, but he told The Guardian he is skeptical they will be able to win by arguing the right things. Eventually were going to have to be ready to physically block construction equipment. I think that one of the ways to wake up people in the United States (is seeing) people getting dragged away by the police for trying to protect their land. And I think thats where this is going, Falk said. Humboldt County Manager Dave Mendiola told Inside Climate News, I guess you can chain yourself to the fence like some of the protesters might do and I dont blame them for that. But in the end, as a company, if theyve followed all the rules, youre probably not going to stop it. What we can do as a county is monitor it and come up with ways to address problems now. Rhyolite Ridge At ioneers proposed Rhyolite Ridge lithium mine about 65 miles southwest of Tonopah, debates continue over the Tiehms buckwheat that is found only on the site. James Calaway, executive chairman of ioneer Ltd., said the company is working to protect the plant and increase the size of its habitat. He said about half of the plants were destroyed by drought and rodents last year. John Scire, PhD, an adjunct professor at UNR, said in a December editorial that the bottom line is that the Fish and Wildlife Service should veto the false claims by the Las Vegans that the ioneer mine will wipe out the buckwheat plants and should consider instead the macro environmental impacts of not letting the mine get cranked up ASAP. The best available science supports that the mine and the plant can co-exist. However, Patrick Donnelly, the Nevada director of the Center for Biological Diversity, said he disagrees with ioneers expectation that the wildflower can be established near the current growing site. Attempts to propagate the plants failed, Donnelly told Mining the West magazine. They all died, so ioneer doesnt have a plan. Their plan is bunk and doesnt reflect the consensus of the scientific community. There is no compromise. They cannot hurt the buckwheat, Donnelly said. He said the Center for Biological Diversity does not oppose lithium mining, and lithium is all over the place in Nevada. Other projects Other companies are working on developing other possible lithium mine sites around Nevada. Mike Kobler, general manager of U.S. operations for Tonopah Lithium Corp., told the Nye County commissioners at their Nov. 2 meeting that his companys mine site about six miles northwest of Tonopah could become one of the biggest lithium resources in the world. We are in the perfect location in Nevada, Kobler said. We dont have the sage grouse issues that they have up north, we dont have the desert tortoise issues that they have down south, we have not found any Tiehms buckwheat; weve cleared all of our environmental hurdles and cultural hurdles, so were just moving ahead. In addition to Nevada, companies are also working on proposed lithium production sites in California, Oregon, Tennessee, Arkansas and North Carolina. Other countries The United States is not the only country with pushback against new lithium mines. In Serbia, Rio Tinto has been planning a $2.4 billion lithium mine. For three consecutive weekends in late 2021, thousands of protesters blocked roads in Serbia to protest lithium mining, with environmentalists saying that extracting lithium causes huge damage to mined areas. On Dec. 16, authorities in western Serbia suspended a plan that would allow Rio Tinto to operate the lithium mine. We will continue to provide information on all aspects of the project for which we are responsible and in which we participate, Rio Tinto said in a statement. Chile, which has about 44% of the worlds lithium reserves, elected leftist Gabriel Boric as president on Dec. 19, but it is not clear what impact Borics election will have on lithium mining. Boric has supported mining tax hikes and royalties and promised to create a state-run lithium company. A bold agenda If efforts to stop proposed lithium mines in Nevada and elsewhere in the United States are successful, then as the need for lithium ramps up, lithium mining could escalate in countries that have fewer environmental regulations than the U.S., and more fuel will be burned shipping lithium and batteries around the world and to the U.S. In the National Blueprint for Lithium Batteries 2021-2030 published in June 2021, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm wrote, The Biden Administration has laid out a bold agenda to address the climate crisis and build a clean and equitable energy economy that achieves carbon-pollution-free electricity by 2035, and puts the United States on a path to achieve net-zero emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050 to the benefit of all Americans. The report says the Federal Consortium for Advanced Batteries will secure U.S. access to raw materials for lithium batteries by incentivizing growth in safe, equitable, and sustainable domestic mining ventures while leveraging partnerships with allies and partners to establish a diversified supply. The worldwide lithium battery market is expected to grow by a factor of 5 to 10 in the next decade, the report says. The U.S. industrial base must be positioned to respond to this vast increase in market demand that otherwise will likely benefit well-resourced and supported competitors in Asia and Europe. However, on May 25, 2021, Reuters ran a story saying, U.S. President Joe Biden will rely on ally countries to supply the bulk of the metals needed to build electric vehicles and focus on processing them domestically into battery parts, part of a strategy designed to placate environmentalists, two administration officials with direct knowledge told Reuters. The plans will be a blow to U.S. miners who had hoped Biden would rely primarily on domestically sourced metals, as his campaign had signaled last autumn. Current production Currently about 46% of the worlds mine production of lithium is in Australia, and about 21% is Chile and another 16% is in China, according to U.S. Geological Survey data. In the United States, all the lithium mining is at one mine in Nevada, and accounts for less than 2% of the worlds mine production. Albemarle Corporations Silver Peak lithium mine is about 40 miles southwest of Tonopah and has been in operation since the 1960s. A May 6, 2021 New York Times story said Silver Peak produces about 5,000 tons of lithium a year. On Jan. 7, 2021, Albemarle announced that it planned to invest $30 million to $50 million to double the lithium production at Silver Peak by 2025. The company also said it planned to begin exploration in 2021 and evaluate technology that could accelerate the viability of lithium production from clay resources in the region. The lithium produced at Silver Peak is shipped to Asia to be made into cathodes for batteries. China has for years been focused on building capacity at every stage of the battery supply chain, according to a Sept. 1, 2020 VOA News story. China has been buying stakes in mining operations in Australia and South America where most of the worlds lithium reserves are found, the VOA story said. Chinas Ganfeng Lithium, which has been snapping up lithium mines and salt lakes abroad as it plots out an ambitious road map for growth, according to a Dec. 8, 2021 Nikkei Asia story, is the largest shareholder in Lithium Americas, the company planning the Thacker Pass mine, according to the New York Times story. To add to all the lithium news and heat up the global competition for lithium resources even more, lithium prices shot way up in 2021, increasing about 240%. The future In the years ahead, refining capacity might be built in the U.S. as more battery factories and electric vehicle factories are built here. The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Dec. 20, 2021 that 13 new electric vehicle battery factories are planned in the U.S. within the next five years. Most of these factories will be in the Southeast or Midwest. So, although U.S. will lag behind China, parts of the EV battery supply chain will be growing in the U.S. in the years ahead. But the question remains, how much of the lithium and other elements needed for the supply chain will come from mines in Nevada? Well being finding that out as the approval and funding processes and the legal battles and protests roll on. With the anticipated need for a lot more lithium to put into batteries to help power a greener future, you might think environmentalists would give a pass to some of the negative effects of the proposed lithium mines that are being planned at sites around Nevada. Thats not the case. The opposition to some of the proposed mines has been strong and may even be ramping up. Thacker Pass Lithium Americas Thacker Pass lithium mine may be the biggest project on the horizon, and it is facing lots of opposition. Lithium Americas has been working for years on plans for Thacker Pass, which is about 60 miles northwest of Winnemucca. The companys website says Thacker Pass is the largest known lithium resource in the United States. Lithium Americas estimates there is $3.9 billion worth of recoverable lithium at the site. The company has said it hopes to start mining operations next year. The mine is expected to produce up to 60,000 tons a year of battery-quality lithium carbonate, which would be a huge boost to the world supply of lithium. The mine is expected to employ about 300 people and have a 46-year mine life. On Jan. 15, 2021, the last Friday of the Trump Administration, the Bureau of Land Management approved the Record of Decision for Thacker Pass, giving federal approval to the project. That evening, Will Falk and Max Wilbert set out on an eight-hour drive to the Thacker Pass site to set up a camp nearby to protest the mine. People have been camped out there ever since. Falk and Wilbert are radical environmentalists, with Falk writing on the protectthackerpass.org website that I hate fossil fuels and actively advocate for the dismantling of all industrial infrastructure Elisabeth Robson wrote on the website, Many people believe they cant live without cars. But all humans lived without cars until a mere 113 years ago, and we can do so again. A world without cars is a quieter, slower, and more wonderful world, not just for humans but for everyone. I hope one day a militant and offensive environmental movement forms, Falk wrote. The people opposed to the Thacker Pass mine and other lithium mine projects dont all hold these views, of course, but have a variety of reasons for their opposition. A March 10 letter in the Elko Daily Free Press from Alex Eisenberg said the plan to transition to electric vehicles in the years ahead is incredibly short-sighted and irresponsible and will do virtually nothing to curb carbon emissions, as electric car production is completely reliant on the fossil fuel industry. The Thacker Pass mine alone would burn 11,000 gallons of diesel every day for onsite operations, the letter said. Double that for off-site operations. Carbon emissions are expected to be 150,000+ tons per year, equating to 2.3 tons of carbon for every ton of lithium produced. Hundreds of tons of sulfur (ironically a waste product from oil refineries) would be used daily in mine operations. On Feb. 11, 2021, Edward Bartell, a rancher who owns property above and below the mine, filed a lawsuit with a long list of objections to the mine. One of his big concerns is the water the mine will use. The projects Environmental Impact Statement says the projected water demand for years 5 through 41 is equivalent to an average pumping rate of 3,224 gallons per minute. On Feb. 26, 2021, the Western Watersheds Project, Wildlands Defense, Great Basin Resource Watch, and Basin and Range Watch filed a lawsuit saying the Thacker Pass Record of Decision did not adequately gauge the mines impacts on greater sage grouse and other wildlife. Local Indigenous communities say Thacker Pass is important to them historically and in their daily lives. Local tribal members have been camping near the mine site to protest the mine. The tribal council of the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation, which is about 26 miles from the mine site, made an engagement agreement with Lithium Nevada in 2020, but withdrew from the agreement in March 2021. On July 28, the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and Atsa Koodakuh Wyh Nuwu/People of Red Mountain were allowed to intervene as plaintiffs in the lawsuits against the mine. On Aug. 6, the Burns Paiute Tribe was also allowed to intervene. Additional court filings have been made since then. On Sept. 5, U.S. District Court Judge Miranda Du denied a request from the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and the People of Red Mountain for a preliminary injunction to temporarily halt work. Falk is a lawyer for the People of the Red Mountain, but he told The Guardian he is skeptical they will be able to win by arguing the right things. Eventually were going to have to be ready to physically block construction equipment. I think that one of the ways to wake up people in the United States (is seeing) people getting dragged away by the police for trying to protect their land. And I think thats where this is going, Falk said. Humboldt County Manager Dave Mendiola told Inside Climate News, I guess you can chain yourself to the fence like some of the protesters might do and I dont blame them for that. But in the end, as a company, if theyve followed all the rules, youre probably not going to stop it. What we can do as a county is monitor it and come up with ways to address problems now. Rhyolite Ridge At ioneers proposed Rhyolite Ridge lithium mine about 65 miles southwest of Tonopah, debates continue over the Tiehms buckwheat that is found only on the site. James Calaway, executive chairman of ioneer Ltd., said the company is working to protect the plant and increase the size of its habitat. He said about half of the plants were destroyed by drought and rodents last year. John Scire, PhD, an adjunct professor at UNR, said in a December editorial that the bottom line is that the Fish and Wildlife Service should veto the false claims by the Las Vegans that the ioneer mine will wipe out the buckwheat plants and should consider instead the macro environmental impacts of not letting the mine get cranked up ASAP. The best available science supports that the mine and the plant can co-exist. However, Patrick Donnelly, the Nevada director of the Center for Biological Diversity, said he disagrees with ioneers expectation that the wildflower can be established near the current growing site. Attempts to propagate the plants failed, Donnelly told Mining the West magazine. They all died, so ioneer doesnt have a plan. Their plan is bunk and doesnt reflect the consensus of the scientific community. There is no compromise. They cannot hurt the buckwheat, Donnelly said. He said the Center for Biological Diversity does not oppose lithium mining, and lithium is all over the place in Nevada. Other projects Other companies are working on developing other possible lithium mine sites around Nevada. Mike Kobler, general manager of U.S. operations for Tonopah Lithium Corp., told the Nye County commissioners at their Nov. 2 meeting that his companys mine site about six miles northwest of Tonopah could become one of the biggest lithium resources in the world. We are in the perfect location in Nevada, Kobler said. We dont have the sage grouse issues that they have up north, we dont have the desert tortoise issues that they have down south, we have not found any Tiehms buckwheat; weve cleared all of our environmental hurdles and cultural hurdles, so were just moving ahead. In addition to Nevada, companies are also working on proposed lithium production sites in California, Oregon, Tennessee, Arkansas and North Carolina. Other countries The United States is not the only country with pushback against new lithium mines. In Serbia, Rio Tinto has been planning a $2.4 billion lithium mine. For three consecutive weekends in late 2021, thousands of protesters blocked roads in Serbia to protest lithium mining, with environmentalists saying that extracting lithium causes huge damage to mined areas. On Dec. 16, authorities in western Serbia suspended a plan that would allow Rio Tinto to operate the lithium mine. We will continue to provide information on all aspects of the project for which we are responsible and in which we participate, Rio Tinto said in a statement. Chile, which has about 44% of the worlds lithium reserves, elected leftist Gabriel Boric as president on Dec. 19, but it is not clear what impact Borics election will have on lithium mining. Boric has supported mining tax hikes and royalties and promised to create a state-run lithium company. A bold agenda If efforts to stop proposed lithium mines in Nevada and elsewhere in the United States are successful, then as the need for lithium ramps up, lithium mining could escalate in countries that have fewer environmental regulations than the U.S., and more fuel will be burned shipping lithium and batteries around the world and to the U.S. In the National Blueprint for Lithium Batteries 2021-2030 published in June 2021, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm wrote, The Biden Administration has laid out a bold agenda to address the climate crisis and build a clean and equitable energy economy that achieves carbon-pollution-free electricity by 2035, and puts the United States on a path to achieve net-zero emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050 to the benefit of all Americans. The report says the Federal Consortium for Advanced Batteries will secure U.S. access to raw materials for lithium batteries by incentivizing growth in safe, equitable, and sustainable domestic mining ventures while leveraging partnerships with allies and partners to establish a diversified supply. The worldwide lithium battery market is expected to grow by a factor of 5 to 10 in the next decade, the report says. The U.S. industrial base must be positioned to respond to this vast increase in market demand that otherwise will likely benefit well-resourced and supported competitors in Asia and Europe. However, on May 25, 2021, Reuters ran a story saying, U.S. President Joe Biden will rely on ally countries to supply the bulk of the metals needed to build electric vehicles and focus on processing them domestically into battery parts, part of a strategy designed to placate environmentalists, two administration officials with direct knowledge told Reuters. The plans will be a blow to U.S. miners who had hoped Biden would rely primarily on domestically sourced metals, as his campaign had signaled last autumn. Current production Currently about 46% of the worlds mine production of lithium is in Australia, and about 21% is Chile and another 16% is in China, according to U.S. Geological Survey data. In the United States, all the lithium mining is at one mine in Nevada, and accounts for less than 2% of the worlds mine production. Albemarle Corporations Silver Peak lithium mine is about 40 miles southwest of Tonopah and has been in operation since the 1960s. A May 6, 2021 New York Times story said Silver Peak produces about 5,000 tons of lithium a year. On Jan. 7, 2021, Albemarle announced that it planned to invest $30 million to $50 million to double the lithium production at Silver Peak by 2025. The company also said it planned to begin exploration in 2021 and evaluate technology that could accelerate the viability of lithium production from clay resources in the region. The lithium produced at Silver Peak is shipped to Asia to be made into cathodes for batteries. China has for years been focused on building capacity at every stage of the battery supply chain, according to a Sept. 1, 2020 VOA News story. China has been buying stakes in mining operations in Australia and South America where most of the worlds lithium reserves are found, the VOA story said. Chinas Ganfeng Lithium, which has been snapping up lithium mines and salt lakes abroad as it plots out an ambitious road map for growth, according to a Dec. 8, 2021 Nikkei Asia story, is the largest shareholder in Lithium Americas, the company planning the Thacker Pass mine, according to the New York Times story. To add to all the lithium news and heat up the global competition for lithium resources even more, lithium prices shot way up in 2021, increasing about 240%. The future In the years ahead, refining capacity might be built in the U.S. as more battery factories and electric vehicle factories are built here. The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Dec. 20, 2021 that 13 new electric vehicle battery factories are planned in the U.S. within the next five years. Most of these factories will be in the Southeast or Midwest. So, although U.S. will lag behind China, parts of the EV battery supply chain will be growing in the U.S. in the years ahead. But the question remains, how much of the lithium and other elements needed for the supply chain will come from mines in Nevada? Well being finding that out as the approval and funding processes and the legal battles and protests roll on. With the anticipated need for a lot more lithium to put into batteries to help power a greener future, you might think environmentalists would give a pass to some of the negative effects of the proposed lithium mines that are being planned at sites around Nevada. Thats not the case. The opposition to some of the proposed mines has been strong and may even be ramping up. Thacker Pass Lithium Americas Thacker Pass lithium mine may be the biggest project on the horizon, and it is facing lots of opposition. Lithium Americas has been working for years on plans for Thacker Pass, which is about 60 miles northwest of Winnemucca. The companys website says Thacker Pass is the largest known lithium resource in the United States. Lithium Americas estimates there is $3.9 billion worth of recoverable lithium at the site. The company has said it hopes to start mining operations next year. The mine is expected to produce up to 60,000 tons a year of battery-quality lithium carbonate, which would be a huge boost to the world supply of lithium. The mine is expected to employ about 300 people and have a 46-year mine life. On Jan. 15, 2021, the last Friday of the Trump Administration, the Bureau of Land Management approved the Record of Decision for Thacker Pass, giving federal approval to the project. That evening, Will Falk and Max Wilbert set out on an eight-hour drive to the Thacker Pass site to set up a camp nearby to protest the mine. People have been camped out there ever since. Falk and Wilbert are radical environmentalists, with Falk writing on the protectthackerpass.org website that I hate fossil fuels and actively advocate for the dismantling of all industrial infrastructure Elisabeth Robson wrote on the website, Many people believe they cant live without cars. But all humans lived without cars until a mere 113 years ago, and we can do so again. A world without cars is a quieter, slower, and more wonderful world, not just for humans but for everyone. I hope one day a militant and offensive environmental movement forms, Falk wrote. The people opposed to the Thacker Pass mine and other lithium mine projects dont all hold these views, of course, but have a variety of reasons for their opposition. A March 10 letter in the Elko Daily Free Press from Alex Eisenberg said the plan to transition to electric vehicles in the years ahead is incredibly short-sighted and irresponsible and will do virtually nothing to curb carbon emissions, as electric car production is completely reliant on the fossil fuel industry. The Thacker Pass mine alone would burn 11,000 gallons of diesel every day for onsite operations, the letter said. Double that for off-site operations. Carbon emissions are expected to be 150,000+ tons per year, equating to 2.3 tons of carbon for every ton of lithium produced. Hundreds of tons of sulfur (ironically a waste product from oil refineries) would be used daily in mine operations. On Feb. 11, 2021, Edward Bartell, a rancher who owns property above and below the mine, filed a lawsuit with a long list of objections to the mine. One of his big concerns is the water the mine will use. The projects Environmental Impact Statement says the projected water demand for years 5 through 41 is equivalent to an average pumping rate of 3,224 gallons per minute. On Feb. 26, 2021, the Western Watersheds Project, Wildlands Defense, Great Basin Resource Watch, and Basin and Range Watch filed a lawsuit saying the Thacker Pass Record of Decision did not adequately gauge the mines impacts on greater sage grouse and other wildlife. Local Indigenous communities say Thacker Pass is important to them historically and in their daily lives. Local tribal members have been camping near the mine site to protest the mine. The tribal council of the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation, which is about 26 miles from the mine site, made an engagement agreement with Lithium Nevada in 2020, but withdrew from the agreement in March 2021. On July 28, the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and Atsa Koodakuh Wyh Nuwu/People of Red Mountain were allowed to intervene as plaintiffs in the lawsuits against the mine. On Aug. 6, the Burns Paiute Tribe was also allowed to intervene. Additional court filings have been made since then. On Sept. 5, U.S. District Court Judge Miranda Du denied a request from the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and the People of Red Mountain for a preliminary injunction to temporarily halt work. Falk is a lawyer for the People of the Red Mountain, but he told The Guardian he is skeptical they will be able to win by arguing the right things. Eventually were going to have to be ready to physically block construction equipment. I think that one of the ways to wake up people in the United States (is seeing) people getting dragged away by the police for trying to protect their land. And I think thats where this is going, Falk said. Humboldt County Manager Dave Mendiola told Inside Climate News, I guess you can chain yourself to the fence like some of the protesters might do and I dont blame them for that. But in the end, as a company, if theyve followed all the rules, youre probably not going to stop it. What we can do as a county is monitor it and come up with ways to address problems now. Rhyolite Ridge At ioneers proposed Rhyolite Ridge lithium mine about 65 miles southwest of Tonopah, debates continue over the Tiehms buckwheat that is found only on the site. James Calaway, executive chairman of ioneer Ltd., said the company is working to protect the plant and increase the size of its habitat. He said about half of the plants were destroyed by drought and rodents last year. John Scire, PhD, an adjunct professor at UNR, said in a December editorial that the bottom line is that the Fish and Wildlife Service should veto the false claims by the Las Vegans that the ioneer mine will wipe out the buckwheat plants and should consider instead the macro environmental impacts of not letting the mine get cranked up ASAP. The best available science supports that the mine and the plant can co-exist. However, Patrick Donnelly, the Nevada director of the Center for Biological Diversity, said he disagrees with ioneers expectation that the wildflower can be established near the current growing site. Attempts to propagate the plants failed, Donnelly told Mining the West magazine. They all died, so ioneer doesnt have a plan. Their plan is bunk and doesnt reflect the consensus of the scientific community. There is no compromise. They cannot hurt the buckwheat, Donnelly said. He said the Center for Biological Diversity does not oppose lithium mining, and lithium is all over the place in Nevada. Other projects Other companies are working on developing other possible lithium mine sites around Nevada. Mike Kobler, general manager of U.S. operations for Tonopah Lithium Corp., told the Nye County commissioners at their Nov. 2 meeting that his companys mine site about six miles northwest of Tonopah could become one of the biggest lithium resources in the world. We are in the perfect location in Nevada, Kobler said. We dont have the sage grouse issues that they have up north, we dont have the desert tortoise issues that they have down south, we have not found any Tiehms buckwheat; weve cleared all of our environmental hurdles and cultural hurdles, so were just moving ahead. In addition to Nevada, companies are also working on proposed lithium production sites in California, Oregon, Tennessee, Arkansas and North Carolina. Other countries The United States is not the only country with pushback against new lithium mines. In Serbia, Rio Tinto has been planning a $2.4 billion lithium mine. For three consecutive weekends in late 2021, thousands of protesters blocked roads in Serbia to protest lithium mining, with environmentalists saying that extracting lithium causes huge damage to mined areas. On Dec. 16, authorities in western Serbia suspended a plan that would allow Rio Tinto to operate the lithium mine. We will continue to provide information on all aspects of the project for which we are responsible and in which we participate, Rio Tinto said in a statement. Chile, which has about 44% of the worlds lithium reserves, elected leftist Gabriel Boric as president on Dec. 19, but it is not clear what impact Borics election will have on lithium mining. Boric has supported mining tax hikes and royalties and promised to create a state-run lithium company. A bold agenda If efforts to stop proposed lithium mines in Nevada and elsewhere in the United States are successful, then as the need for lithium ramps up, lithium mining could escalate in countries that have fewer environmental regulations than the U.S., and more fuel will be burned shipping lithium and batteries around the world and to the U.S. In the National Blueprint for Lithium Batteries 2021-2030 published in June 2021, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm wrote, The Biden Administration has laid out a bold agenda to address the climate crisis and build a clean and equitable energy economy that achieves carbon-pollution-free electricity by 2035, and puts the United States on a path to achieve net-zero emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050 to the benefit of all Americans. The report says the Federal Consortium for Advanced Batteries will secure U.S. access to raw materials for lithium batteries by incentivizing growth in safe, equitable, and sustainable domestic mining ventures while leveraging partnerships with allies and partners to establish a diversified supply. The worldwide lithium battery market is expected to grow by a factor of 5 to 10 in the next decade, the report says. The U.S. industrial base must be positioned to respond to this vast increase in market demand that otherwise will likely benefit well-resourced and supported competitors in Asia and Europe. However, on May 25, 2021, Reuters ran a story saying, U.S. President Joe Biden will rely on ally countries to supply the bulk of the metals needed to build electric vehicles and focus on processing them domestically into battery parts, part of a strategy designed to placate environmentalists, two administration officials with direct knowledge told Reuters. The plans will be a blow to U.S. miners who had hoped Biden would rely primarily on domestically sourced metals, as his campaign had signaled last autumn. Current production Currently about 46% of the worlds mine production of lithium is in Australia, and about 21% is Chile and another 16% is in China, according to U.S. Geological Survey data. In the United States, all the lithium mining is at one mine in Nevada, and accounts for less than 2% of the worlds mine production. Albemarle Corporations Silver Peak lithium mine is about 40 miles southwest of Tonopah and has been in operation since the 1960s. A May 6, 2021 New York Times story said Silver Peak produces about 5,000 tons of lithium a year. On Jan. 7, 2021, Albemarle announced that it planned to invest $30 million to $50 million to double the lithium production at Silver Peak by 2025. The company also said it planned to begin exploration in 2021 and evaluate technology that could accelerate the viability of lithium production from clay resources in the region. The lithium produced at Silver Peak is shipped to Asia to be made into cathodes for batteries. China has for years been focused on building capacity at every stage of the battery supply chain, according to a Sept. 1, 2020 VOA News story. China has been buying stakes in mining operations in Australia and South America where most of the worlds lithium reserves are found, the VOA story said. Chinas Ganfeng Lithium, which has been snapping up lithium mines and salt lakes abroad as it plots out an ambitious road map for growth, according to a Dec. 8, 2021 Nikkei Asia story, is the largest shareholder in Lithium Americas, the company planning the Thacker Pass mine, according to the New York Times story. To add to all the lithium news and heat up the global competition for lithium resources even more, lithium prices shot way up in 2021, increasing about 240%. The future In the years ahead, refining capacity might be built in the U.S. as more battery factories and electric vehicle factories are built here. The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Dec. 20, 2021 that 13 new electric vehicle battery factories are planned in the U.S. within the next five years. Most of these factories will be in the Southeast or Midwest. So, although U.S. will lag behind China, parts of the EV battery supply chain will be growing in the U.S. in the years ahead. But the question remains, how much of the lithium and other elements needed for the supply chain will come from mines in Nevada? Well being finding that out as the approval and funding processes and the legal battles and protests roll on. People line up to visit Mata Vaishno shrine in Jammu, the winter capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, Jan. 1, 2022. Many people visit the temple, Mata Vaishno shrine, on the first day of every year to offer prayers. (Str/Xinhua) NEW DELHI, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- At least 12 persons died and many were injured in a stampede near a temple in Jammu, India-controlled Kashmir early on Saturday, confirmed a senior policeman. The incident occurred at around 2:45 a.m. local time, after an argument broke out between two groups of people resulting in people pushing each other, and later led to the stampede. Most of the dead are said to be residents of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and one from India-controlled Kashmir, and the injured were sent to a local hospital. Many people visit the temple, Mata Vaishno shrine, on the first day of every year to offer prayers. Enditem Health workers carry the coffin of a victim who died in a stampede at Mata Vaishno shrine, outside a hospital in Jammu, the winter capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, Jan. 1, 2022. Many people visit the temple, Mata Vaishno shrine, on the first day of every year to offer prayers. (Str/Xinhua) People line up to visit Mata Vaishno shrine in Jammu, the winter capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, Jan. 1, 2022. Many people visit the temple, Mata Vaishno shrine, on the first day of every year to offer prayers. (Str/Xinhua) NEW DELHI, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- At least 12 persons died and many were injured in a stampede near a temple in Jammu, India-controlled Kashmir early on Saturday, confirmed a senior policeman. The incident occurred at around 2:45 a.m. local time, after an argument broke out between two groups of people resulting in people pushing each other, and later led to the stampede. Most of the dead are said to be residents of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and one from India-controlled Kashmir, and the injured were sent to a local hospital. Many people visit the temple, Mata Vaishno shrine, on the first day of every year to offer prayers. Enditem Health workers carry the coffin of a victim who died in a stampede at Mata Vaishno shrine, outside a hospital in Jammu, the winter capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, Jan. 1, 2022. Many people visit the temple, Mata Vaishno shrine, on the first day of every year to offer prayers. (Str/Xinhua) The head of the World Health Organization has said he is 'confident' that this year will be the end of Covid. WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said the 'acute' stage of the global pandemic should finish this year, provided countries share vaccines and work together. Speaking at a Covid press briefing on Thursday, Mr Ghebreyesus warned that the Omicron variant was likely to cause a 'tsunami of cases' around the world. But he struck a more positive note in his New Year's Eve message, highlighting the range of tools available to countries that should see cases, hospitalisations and deaths across the world be a thing of the past. WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said the 'acute' stage of the global pandemic should finish this year, provided countries share vaccines and work together WHO tells wealthy nations you cant boost your way out of the pandemic The World Health Organisation has told wealthy countries they 'cannot boost their way out of the pandemic' and accused them of worsening vaccine inequality. Meanwhile, Nigeria said it had incinerated more than a million doses of Covid vaccine that had been donated by developed countries several months ago and had since passed their expiry dates. Africa's most populous country has so far fully vaccinated four million people less than three percent of the adult population and well short of the government's target of 112 million people by the end of next year. Speaking last week, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the rush in richer nations to roll out additional Covid vaccine doses was deepening the inequity in access to jabs that is prolonging the global pandemic. The UN health agency has long warned that the glaring inequity in access to Covid vaccines, which has left many vulnerable people in poorer nations without a single jab as richer countries roll out broad booster programmes. Advertisement Mr Ghebreyesus said: 'If we end inequity, we end the pandemic, and end the global nightmare we have all lived through. And this is possible. He continued: 'As we enter the third year of the pandemic, I am confident that this will be the year we end it, but only if we do it together.' And in a social media post on the same day he said the world could return to pre-Covid norms by the end of the year He said: 'My first resolution is to do all I can to help end the pandemic, in collaboration with all governments, stakeholders and communities. 'To do that, we need all countries to work together to reach the global target of vaccinating 70 per cent of people in all countries by the middle of 2022. 'Second, we need to build a stronger global framework for global health security. '2022 marks the start of a negotiations by countries on a global pandemic accord to strengthen the governance, financing, systems and tools the world needs to prevent, prepare for, detect and respond rapidly to epidemics and pandemics. He continued: 'And third, all countries must invest in stronger primary health care, as the foundation of universal health coverage. 'I believe that if we can make progress on these goals, we will be gathering again, at the end of 2022, not to mark the end of a third year of pandemic, but to celebrate a return to pre-Covid norms, when we gathered with our families and communities to celebrate together and cherish each others company and love.' But he warned further new variant like Omicron could mutate if countries continue to 'hoard' vaccines rather than sharing them with nations across the world. He said: 'Narrow nationalism and vaccine hoarding by some countries have undermined equity and created the ideal conditions for the emergence of the Omicron variant, and the longer inequity continues, the higher the risks of the virus evolving in ways we can't prevent or predict.' And on Thursday the health chief struck a cautious tone, claiming Omicron would leave to a 'tsunami of cases' over the coming months. Mr Ghebreyesus said: 'I am highly concerned that Omicron, being more transmissible, circulating at the same time as Delta, is leading to a tsunami of cases. 'This is and will continue to put immense pressure on exhausted health workers, and health systems on the brink of collapse.' People line up to visit Mata Vaishno shrine in Jammu, the winter capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, Jan. 1, 2022. Many people visit the temple, Mata Vaishno shrine, on the first day of every year to offer prayers. (Str/Xinhua) NEW DELHI, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- At least 12 persons died and many were injured in a stampede near a temple in Jammu, India-controlled Kashmir early on Saturday, confirmed a senior policeman. The incident occurred at around 2:45 a.m. local time, after an argument broke out between two groups of people resulting in people pushing each other, and later led to the stampede. Most of the dead are said to be residents of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and one from India-controlled Kashmir, and the injured were sent to a local hospital. Many people visit the temple, Mata Vaishno shrine, on the first day of every year to offer prayers. Enditem Health workers carry the coffin of a victim who died in a stampede at Mata Vaishno shrine, outside a hospital in Jammu, the winter capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, Jan. 1, 2022. Many people visit the temple, Mata Vaishno shrine, on the first day of every year to offer prayers. (Str/Xinhua) People line up to visit Mata Vaishno shrine in Jammu, the winter capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, Jan. 1, 2022. Many people visit the temple, Mata Vaishno shrine, on the first day of every year to offer prayers. (Str/Xinhua) NEW DELHI, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- At least 12 persons died and many were injured in a stampede near a temple in Jammu, India-controlled Kashmir early on Saturday, confirmed a senior policeman. The incident occurred at around 2:45 a.m. local time, after an argument broke out between two groups of people resulting in people pushing each other, and later led to the stampede. Most of the dead are said to be residents of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and one from India-controlled Kashmir, and the injured were sent to a local hospital. Many people visit the temple, Mata Vaishno shrine, on the first day of every year to offer prayers. Enditem Health workers carry the coffin of a victim who died in a stampede at Mata Vaishno shrine, outside a hospital in Jammu, the winter capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, Jan. 1, 2022. Many people visit the temple, Mata Vaishno shrine, on the first day of every year to offer prayers. (Str/Xinhua) WOODBRIDGE, NJ Although Woodridge Township continues to log its highest coronavirus case numbers in nearly two years of the pandemic, Woodbridge schools will remain in person when classes resume Jan. 3 after winter break, said superintendent Joe Massimino in this New Year's Eve letter home to parents. "Our district will continue to operate on our regular full day schedule when we return on January 3, 2022. We believe it is vital to continue meeting students needs and providing appropriate resources during this challenging juncture," the superintendent wrote. So far in New Jersey, New Brunswick, South Brunswick, Newark, South Orange-Maplewood and the Paterson school districts, among others, have all decided to go virtual for the first week, or two weeks in some cases, back from winter break. On Thursday, Dec. 30 Woodbridge ended its highest case count week ever, with 1,350 new cases of coronavirus in the last seven days. For comparison, Woodbridge had 1,004 cases the entire summer of 2021. However, there were no new deaths to report. Also, children are not very likely to contract serious coronavirus cases, according to the CDC, even if they are not vaccinated. Both CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky and Dr. Anthony Fauci said on New Year's Eve that children are not being hospitalized because of coronavirus. They are being taken to the hospital for many other various reasons, and then testing positive as part of mandatory testing requirements. Superintendent Massimino acknowledged the reality of surging case numbers: "While the break gave students and staff some time away from school, it unfortunately did not give our community a break from COVID-19. Despite being out of school for over a week, the number of overall positive cases saw a dramatic increase," he wrote. Massimino did ask that parents "use their judgement regarding any close contact scenarios that may have occurred during winter break. If parents, out of an abundance of caution, decide there is a need for their child to quarantine upon our return to school, please make your childs school aware and email their teachers. As always, if your child is not feeling well or has symptoms of being sick, please keep them home." He also said the district is awaiting guidance from the New Jersey Department of Health regarding the latest CDC guidelines. This article originally appeared on the Woodbridge Patch Old Dominion Universitys 7th annual State of the Commonwealth Report explores the past year in Virginia, and asks whether the Virginia Way of civility, democracy and fiscal discipline remains a model for governance. With a new governor and majority in the House of Delegates, an opportunity exists for bipartisan policy that addresses the shocks of the pandemic and improves long-term growth in the state. While the loudest voices on social media and cable news suggest that Virginia is torn apart by vaccine resistance and hyperpartisan politics, the data reflect a more nuanced reality. The emergence of the delta and omicron variants illustrates the wisdom of much of Virginias vaccination strategy. Deaths per capita were significantly lower here than in Florida or Texas during deltas summer surge. By mid-December, 3 in 4 Virginians had received one vaccine dose and almost 70% of the population was considered fully vaccinated. If vaccinations were on the ballot in the 2021 general election, they would have won in a landslide. Yet, we also must recognize the damage done by well-intentioned policies. Closing public schools in the spring of 2020 was a reasonable response to an unknown virus. Evidence, however, demonstrated lower virus transmission in K-12 settings with appropriate mitigation measures (masks, improving ventilation). Keeping schools closed for much of the 2020-21 school year may have created costs to students far greater than benefits to the public at large. We may have yet to see the costs of prolonged school closures. The World Bank recently increased its estimate of lost lifetime earnings for the current generation of students from $10 trillion to $17 trillion. In the United States, the Surgeon General noted that 1 in 4 young Americans exhibit signs of depression and 1 in 5 suffer from anxiety. Emergency department visits for suicide attempts by adolescent girls jumped 51% from 2019 to early 2021. While we cannot change policies of the past, Virginia can move forward. The question is how. First, Virginia should consider using a portion of its state surplus to scale up youth and adult mental health services. A recent report from Mental Health America estimated 55% of Virginians who experienced a major depressive episode did not receive treatment. Virginia is ranked 40th among states for access to a trained mental health workforce. There is an unseen pandemic in Virginia that will have significant economic consequences if left unaddressed. Returning some portion of the budget surplus to taxpayers is an attractive alternative, but economic conditions can change rapidly. A new COVID-19 variant, a conflict in Europe over Ukraine or deteriorating relations with China could spark an economic downturn. If rebate plans move forward, it may be best to return a portion of the surplus in phases triggered by improving economic conditions. This approach, while risk-averse, also would avoid the need to decrease spending or increase taxes if economic conditions sour. The current government surplus will prompt calls for incremental changes to taxes in the commonwealth. Yes, removing the grocery sales tax would provide some relief to Virginians facing higher food prices. However, sales tax revenues also would become more volatile to changes in economic conditions. Instead of an incremental change in the sales tax, Virginia could reform the entire tax base by including services and lowering rates so that the overall impact is revenue neutral. The commonwealth can improve its business climate by simplifying personal and corporate taxes, and getting rid of outdated and inefficient nuisance taxes. While smaller taxes such as the Business, Professional and Occupational License Tax provide local governments with some independence from Richmond, the variation in rates and bases across localities is not efficient. Eliminating these taxes would require increased revenue sharing between the state and local governments, but it ultimately would reduce costs to businesses and local governments alike. In these times, we should not forget the Virginia Way. Dont let social media coarsen our public discourse. The 2021 election showed the willingness of Virginians to participate in democracy and that power can transition peacefully without rancor. Lastly, the states budget surplus proves the wisdom of fiscal discipline in the face of uncertain economic conditions. While not every step in Virginia has been perfect, the general arc of the commonwealth has been forward. While we may disagree on many things, we always should keep in mind the ties that bind us. If we choose, we can move forward as one state, sharing in a common wealth and uncommon dreams. Though the pandemic is not over, there will be no more weekly news conferences by the Minist Though the pandemic is not over, there will be no more weekly news conferences by the Minist Though the pandemic is not over, there will be no more weekly news conferences by the Minist New Delhi, Jan 1 : Since seizing power in August last year, Taliban militants in Afghanistan have been accused of vandalising or destroying the graves of fallen Afghan army and police commanders, RFE/RL reported. The Taliban have also allegedly defiled monuments dedicated to figures who fought the group during its first stint in power in the 1990s. While the Taliban have denied responsibility for many of the incidents, allegations against the hard-line group have mounted, with Afghans accusing the militants of violating Islamic traditions that advocate respect for the dead. In the latest incident, Taliban fighters were accused of bombing the tomb of former police commander Daraya Khan Talash in the southeastern province of Paktika on December 26, the report said. Talash was killed by a roadside bomb planted by the Taliban in Paktika's Sarobi district in 2020. He had reportedly lost four of his brothers in the war against the Taliban. Taliban fighters have also been accused of defiling the tomb of Mohammad Daud Daud, a former governor and an ex-police chief of northern Afghanistan in the province of Takhar on December 17, the report added. Daud was killed in a Taliban suicide attack in Takhar's capital, Taloqan, in 2011. Following the US-led invasion in 2001, Daud oversaw the surrender of thousands of Taliban fighters in the northern city of Kunduz. He was a commander in Jamiat-e Islami, a political-military Islamist group that opposed Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001. Bilal Sarwary, an exiled Afghan journalist, said Daud's family has confirmed that his grave was vandalised. But the claim was rejected by the Taliban. Meanwhile, the Taliban were accused of destroying the tomb of Colonel Azizullah Karwan in a bomb blast in the southeastern province of Paktika on October 31. The Taliban had assassinated Karwan in June 2018. He was a colonel in the special forces unit of the Afghan National Police. He had survived dozens of Taliban assassination attempts, the report added. In September, videos emerged that appeared to show damage to the mausoleum of resistance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud in the Panjshir Valley, just north of Kabul. The footage emerged soon after the Taliban captured the mountainous valley, the scene of a short-lived resistance to the militants, in early September. The vandalism coincided with the 20th anniversary of Massoud's death. Massoud, who fought against the Taliban in the 1990s and occupying Soviet forces in the 1980s, was killed by Al-Qaeda militants posing as journalists just days before the September 11 attacks in the United States. The Taliban repaired Massoud's mausoleum after a public uproar. Anas Haqqani, the younger brother of Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, has urged Taliban fighters to "get rid of your personal revenge and envy". In a December 27 speech marking the 42nd anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Haqqani warned that the Taliban regime will collapse if it tries to rule through brute force, the report said. "An infidel government is likely to last, but an oppressive regime will not survive," he had said. But on the same day, another Taliban official boasted about the group bombing the tomb of former leftist President Babrak Karmal, who assumed power after Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan and killed his predecessor, Hafizullah Amin, in late 1979. "After capturing Mazar-e Sharif, the Taliban bombed Babrak's tomb," tweeted Nazar Mohammad Mutmaeen, head of the Taliban's Olympic Committee. He was alluding to the destruction of the late president's tomb in 1997, when the Taliban briefly seized the northern Afghan city, the report said. Two U.S. veterans and five Britons were among nearly 300 people released as part of a prisoner exchange between Moscow and Kyiv. MORE COVERAGE New Delhi, Jan 1 : Since seizing power in August last year, Taliban militants in Afghanistan have been accused of vandalising or destroying the graves of fallen Afghan army and police commanders, RFE/RL reported. The Taliban have also allegedly defiled monuments dedicated to figures who fought the group during its first stint in power in the 1990s. While the Taliban have denied responsibility for many of the incidents, allegations against the hard-line group have mounted, with Afghans accusing the militants of violating Islamic traditions that advocate respect for the dead. In the latest incident, Taliban fighters were accused of bombing the tomb of former police commander Daraya Khan Talash in the southeastern province of Paktika on December 26, the report said. Talash was killed by a roadside bomb planted by the Taliban in Paktika's Sarobi district in 2020. He had reportedly lost four of his brothers in the war against the Taliban. Taliban fighters have also been accused of defiling the tomb of Mohammad Daud Daud, a former governor and an ex-police chief of northern Afghanistan in the province of Takhar on December 17, the report added. Daud was killed in a Taliban suicide attack in Takhar's capital, Taloqan, in 2011. Following the US-led invasion in 2001, Daud oversaw the surrender of thousands of Taliban fighters in the northern city of Kunduz. He was a commander in Jamiat-e Islami, a political-military Islamist group that opposed Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001. Bilal Sarwary, an exiled Afghan journalist, said Daud's family has confirmed that his grave was vandalised. But the claim was rejected by the Taliban. Meanwhile, the Taliban were accused of destroying the tomb of Colonel Azizullah Karwan in a bomb blast in the southeastern province of Paktika on October 31. The Taliban had assassinated Karwan in June 2018. He was a colonel in the special forces unit of the Afghan National Police. He had survived dozens of Taliban assassination attempts, the report added. In September, videos emerged that appeared to show damage to the mausoleum of resistance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud in the Panjshir Valley, just north of Kabul. The footage emerged soon after the Taliban captured the mountainous valley, the scene of a short-lived resistance to the militants, in early September. The vandalism coincided with the 20th anniversary of Massoud's death. Massoud, who fought against the Taliban in the 1990s and occupying Soviet forces in the 1980s, was killed by Al-Qaeda militants posing as journalists just days before the September 11 attacks in the United States. The Taliban repaired Massoud's mausoleum after a public uproar. Anas Haqqani, the younger brother of Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, has urged Taliban fighters to "get rid of your personal revenge and envy". In a December 27 speech marking the 42nd anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Haqqani warned that the Taliban regime will collapse if it tries to rule through brute force, the report said. "An infidel government is likely to last, but an oppressive regime will not survive," he had said. But on the same day, another Taliban official boasted about the group bombing the tomb of former leftist President Babrak Karmal, who assumed power after Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan and killed his predecessor, Hafizullah Amin, in late 1979. "After capturing Mazar-e Sharif, the Taliban bombed Babrak's tomb," tweeted Nazar Mohammad Mutmaeen, head of the Taliban's Olympic Committee. He was alluding to the destruction of the late president's tomb in 1997, when the Taliban briefly seized the northern Afghan city, the report said. New Delhi, Jan 1 : Since seizing power in August last year, Taliban militants in Afghanistan have been accused of vandalising or destroying the graves of fallen Afghan army and police commanders, RFE/RL reported. The Taliban have also allegedly defiled monuments dedicated to figures who fought the group during its first stint in power in the 1990s. While the Taliban have denied responsibility for many of the incidents, allegations against the hard-line group have mounted, with Afghans accusing the militants of violating Islamic traditions that advocate respect for the dead. In the latest incident, Taliban fighters were accused of bombing the tomb of former police commander Daraya Khan Talash in the southeastern province of Paktika on December 26, the report said. Talash was killed by a roadside bomb planted by the Taliban in Paktika's Sarobi district in 2020. He had reportedly lost four of his brothers in the war against the Taliban. Taliban fighters have also been accused of defiling the tomb of Mohammad Daud Daud, a former governor and an ex-police chief of northern Afghanistan in the province of Takhar on December 17, the report added. Daud was killed in a Taliban suicide attack in Takhar's capital, Taloqan, in 2011. Following the US-led invasion in 2001, Daud oversaw the surrender of thousands of Taliban fighters in the northern city of Kunduz. He was a commander in Jamiat-e Islami, a political-military Islamist group that opposed Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001. Bilal Sarwary, an exiled Afghan journalist, said Daud's family has confirmed that his grave was vandalised. But the claim was rejected by the Taliban. Meanwhile, the Taliban were accused of destroying the tomb of Colonel Azizullah Karwan in a bomb blast in the southeastern province of Paktika on October 31. The Taliban had assassinated Karwan in June 2018. He was a colonel in the special forces unit of the Afghan National Police. He had survived dozens of Taliban assassination attempts, the report added. In September, videos emerged that appeared to show damage to the mausoleum of resistance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud in the Panjshir Valley, just north of Kabul. The footage emerged soon after the Taliban captured the mountainous valley, the scene of a short-lived resistance to the militants, in early September. The vandalism coincided with the 20th anniversary of Massoud's death. Massoud, who fought against the Taliban in the 1990s and occupying Soviet forces in the 1980s, was killed by Al-Qaeda militants posing as journalists just days before the September 11 attacks in the United States. The Taliban repaired Massoud's mausoleum after a public uproar. Anas Haqqani, the younger brother of Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, has urged Taliban fighters to "get rid of your personal revenge and envy". In a December 27 speech marking the 42nd anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Haqqani warned that the Taliban regime will collapse if it tries to rule through brute force, the report said. "An infidel government is likely to last, but an oppressive regime will not survive," he had said. But on the same day, another Taliban official boasted about the group bombing the tomb of former leftist President Babrak Karmal, who assumed power after Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan and killed his predecessor, Hafizullah Amin, in late 1979. "After capturing Mazar-e Sharif, the Taliban bombed Babrak's tomb," tweeted Nazar Mohammad Mutmaeen, head of the Taliban's Olympic Committee. He was alluding to the destruction of the late president's tomb in 1997, when the Taliban briefly seized the northern Afghan city, the report said. WOODBRIDGE, NJ Although Woodridge Township continues to log its highest coronavirus case numbers in nearly two years of the pandemic, Woodbridge schools will remain in person when classes resume Jan. 3 after winter break, said superintendent Joe Massimino in this New Year's Eve letter home to parents. "Our district will continue to operate on our regular full day schedule when we return on January 3, 2022. We believe it is vital to continue meeting students needs and providing appropriate resources during this challenging juncture," the superintendent wrote. So far in New Jersey, New Brunswick, South Brunswick, Newark, South Orange-Maplewood and the Paterson school districts, among others, have all decided to go virtual for the first week, or two weeks in some cases, back from winter break. On Thursday, Dec. 30 Woodbridge ended its highest case count week ever, with 1,350 new cases of coronavirus in the last seven days. For comparison, Woodbridge had 1,004 cases the entire summer of 2021. However, there were no new deaths to report. Also, children are not very likely to contract serious coronavirus cases, according to the CDC, even if they are not vaccinated. Both CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky and Dr. Anthony Fauci said on New Year's Eve that children are not being hospitalized because of coronavirus. They are being taken to the hospital for many other various reasons, and then testing positive as part of mandatory testing requirements. Superintendent Massimino acknowledged the reality of surging case numbers: "While the break gave students and staff some time away from school, it unfortunately did not give our community a break from COVID-19. Despite being out of school for over a week, the number of overall positive cases saw a dramatic increase," he wrote. Massimino did ask that parents "use their judgement regarding any close contact scenarios that may have occurred during winter break. If parents, out of an abundance of caution, decide there is a need for their child to quarantine upon our return to school, please make your childs school aware and email their teachers. As always, if your child is not feeling well or has symptoms of being sick, please keep them home." He also said the district is awaiting guidance from the New Jersey Department of Health regarding the latest CDC guidelines. This article originally appeared on the Woodbridge Patch New Delhi, Jan 1 : Since seizing power in August last year, Taliban militants in Afghanistan have been accused of vandalising or destroying the graves of fallen Afghan army and police commanders, RFE/RL reported. The Taliban have also allegedly defiled monuments dedicated to figures who fought the group during its first stint in power in the 1990s. While the Taliban have denied responsibility for many of the incidents, allegations against the hard-line group have mounted, with Afghans accusing the militants of violating Islamic traditions that advocate respect for the dead. In the latest incident, Taliban fighters were accused of bombing the tomb of former police commander Daraya Khan Talash in the southeastern province of Paktika on December 26, the report said. Talash was killed by a roadside bomb planted by the Taliban in Paktika's Sarobi district in 2020. He had reportedly lost four of his brothers in the war against the Taliban. Taliban fighters have also been accused of defiling the tomb of Mohammad Daud Daud, a former governor and an ex-police chief of northern Afghanistan in the province of Takhar on December 17, the report added. Daud was killed in a Taliban suicide attack in Takhar's capital, Taloqan, in 2011. Following the US-led invasion in 2001, Daud oversaw the surrender of thousands of Taliban fighters in the northern city of Kunduz. He was a commander in Jamiat-e Islami, a political-military Islamist group that opposed Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001. Bilal Sarwary, an exiled Afghan journalist, said Daud's family has confirmed that his grave was vandalised. But the claim was rejected by the Taliban. Meanwhile, the Taliban were accused of destroying the tomb of Colonel Azizullah Karwan in a bomb blast in the southeastern province of Paktika on October 31. The Taliban had assassinated Karwan in June 2018. He was a colonel in the special forces unit of the Afghan National Police. He had survived dozens of Taliban assassination attempts, the report added. In September, videos emerged that appeared to show damage to the mausoleum of resistance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud in the Panjshir Valley, just north of Kabul. The footage emerged soon after the Taliban captured the mountainous valley, the scene of a short-lived resistance to the militants, in early September. The vandalism coincided with the 20th anniversary of Massoud's death. Massoud, who fought against the Taliban in the 1990s and occupying Soviet forces in the 1980s, was killed by Al-Qaeda militants posing as journalists just days before the September 11 attacks in the United States. The Taliban repaired Massoud's mausoleum after a public uproar. Anas Haqqani, the younger brother of Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, has urged Taliban fighters to "get rid of your personal revenge and envy". In a December 27 speech marking the 42nd anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Haqqani warned that the Taliban regime will collapse if it tries to rule through brute force, the report said. "An infidel government is likely to last, but an oppressive regime will not survive," he had said. But on the same day, another Taliban official boasted about the group bombing the tomb of former leftist President Babrak Karmal, who assumed power after Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan and killed his predecessor, Hafizullah Amin, in late 1979. "After capturing Mazar-e Sharif, the Taliban bombed Babrak's tomb," tweeted Nazar Mohammad Mutmaeen, head of the Taliban's Olympic Committee. He was alluding to the destruction of the late president's tomb in 1997, when the Taliban briefly seized the northern Afghan city, the report said. New Delhi, Jan 1 : Since seizing power in August last year, Taliban militants in Afghanistan have been accused of vandalising or destroying the graves of fallen Afghan army and police commanders, RFE/RL reported. The Taliban have also allegedly defiled monuments dedicated to figures who fought the group during its first stint in power in the 1990s. While the Taliban have denied responsibility for many of the incidents, allegations against the hard-line group have mounted, with Afghans accusing the militants of violating Islamic traditions that advocate respect for the dead. In the latest incident, Taliban fighters were accused of bombing the tomb of former police commander Daraya Khan Talash in the southeastern province of Paktika on December 26, the report said. Talash was killed by a roadside bomb planted by the Taliban in Paktika's Sarobi district in 2020. He had reportedly lost four of his brothers in the war against the Taliban. Taliban fighters have also been accused of defiling the tomb of Mohammad Daud Daud, a former governor and an ex-police chief of northern Afghanistan in the province of Takhar on December 17, the report added. Daud was killed in a Taliban suicide attack in Takhar's capital, Taloqan, in 2011. Following the US-led invasion in 2001, Daud oversaw the surrender of thousands of Taliban fighters in the northern city of Kunduz. He was a commander in Jamiat-e Islami, a political-military Islamist group that opposed Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001. Bilal Sarwary, an exiled Afghan journalist, said Daud's family has confirmed that his grave was vandalised. But the claim was rejected by the Taliban. Meanwhile, the Taliban were accused of destroying the tomb of Colonel Azizullah Karwan in a bomb blast in the southeastern province of Paktika on October 31. The Taliban had assassinated Karwan in June 2018. He was a colonel in the special forces unit of the Afghan National Police. He had survived dozens of Taliban assassination attempts, the report added. In September, videos emerged that appeared to show damage to the mausoleum of resistance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud in the Panjshir Valley, just north of Kabul. The footage emerged soon after the Taliban captured the mountainous valley, the scene of a short-lived resistance to the militants, in early September. The vandalism coincided with the 20th anniversary of Massoud's death. Massoud, who fought against the Taliban in the 1990s and occupying Soviet forces in the 1980s, was killed by Al-Qaeda militants posing as journalists just days before the September 11 attacks in the United States. The Taliban repaired Massoud's mausoleum after a public uproar. Anas Haqqani, the younger brother of Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, has urged Taliban fighters to "get rid of your personal revenge and envy". In a December 27 speech marking the 42nd anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Haqqani warned that the Taliban regime will collapse if it tries to rule through brute force, the report said. "An infidel government is likely to last, but an oppressive regime will not survive," he had said. But on the same day, another Taliban official boasted about the group bombing the tomb of former leftist President Babrak Karmal, who assumed power after Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan and killed his predecessor, Hafizullah Amin, in late 1979. "After capturing Mazar-e Sharif, the Taliban bombed Babrak's tomb," tweeted Nazar Mohammad Mutmaeen, head of the Taliban's Olympic Committee. He was alluding to the destruction of the late president's tomb in 1997, when the Taliban briefly seized the northern Afghan city, the report said. Jammu, Jan 1 (PTI) Twelve people lost their lives and over a dozen others were injured in a stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir in the early hours during a heavy rush of devotees on New Year. This is the first such tragedy at the shrine, located atop the Trikuta hills - about 50 km from here - that attracts lakhs of people every year. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: 27-Year-Old Man Dies By Suicide After Molestation Complaint Filed Against Him In Bareilly District. The incident occurred between 2.30 AM and 2.45 AM on Saturday near a relatively narrow passage at gate number 3 outside the sanctum sanctorum of the hilltop shrine where devotees usually arrive round the clock after trekking from the Katra base camp, a distance of nearly 13 km. A high-level inquiry was ordered into the stampede by Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Manoj Sinha to be headed by Principal Secretary (Home) Shaleen Kabra with Divisional Commissioner Jammu Rajiv Langar and Additional Director General of Police Mukesh Singh as its members. Also Read | Rajasthan Reports 52 Fresh Omicron Cases, Total Tally Rises to 121 in the State. Condolences poured in from all quarters and Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Sinha and Union ministers Jitendra Singh to take stock of the situation. According to eyewitness accounts, the number of devotees was allegedly beyond the permitted level with flagrant violation of COVID-19 norms, and some of the survivors accused the Jammu and Kashmir administration of "mismanagement". The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, however, denied the charges saying all necessary arrangements were made in view of the expected rush. Most of the deaths have taken place due to suffocation, police said, adding among the deceased seven are from Uttar Pradesh, three from Delhi and one each from Haryana and J-K. Director General of Police Dilbag Singh, who accompanied the Minister of State in the PMO, Jitendra Singh, during the visit to the shrine after the stampede, told reporters that the incident took place due to confusion or "probably somebody at the site acted funny which could have led to some altercation". "All these things are being looked into. That area is a little narrow and people ran helter-skelter without knowing the reason. Most of the deaths have taken place due to suffocation after being run over by each other and most of the injuries are also due to the same reason," he said. Singh had told PTI that preliminary information from the scene suggests there was a minor altercation among some boys, and within seconds, there was a stampede. "Police and officials of the civil administration were quick to respond, and the order within the crowd was immediately restored, but by that time, the damage had been done," he said. Prem Singh, from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, said there was a "complete mess" as neither was the number of pilgrims restricted nor were COVID-19 guidelines in force. "It was a free-for-all-like situation. Many people were without mandatory face masks," he said, claiming that police personnel on duty at the checking point surrendered to the heavy rush and were warning people about the possibility of such an accident. "Nothing but mismanagement was the cause for this tragic accident. They were aware about the possible rush but allowed the people in unhindered," a pilgrim from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh said while waiting outside a mortuary to identify a body. Many people were resting on the floor, instead of heading back, and it caused more rush at the bhawan, he added. Another man, who lost his friend Arun Pratab Singh (30), said they had come from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. The area was overcrowded, he said. Aditya Sharma, a pilgrim, said there was a heavy rush of devotees and some people who were sleeping on the floor got crushed. Senior officials present at the scene said 12 people died in the stampede and their bodies were taken to a hospital in the Katra base camp. The deceased were identified as Arun Pratab Singh (30), Dharam Veer Singh (35), Vineet Kumar (38), Shewata Singh (35), Mohinder Gour (26), Narinder Kashap (40) and Monu Sharma (32) of Uttar Pradesh, Vinay Kumar (24), Sonu Panday (24) and Akash Kumar (29) of Delhi, Mamta (38) of Haryana and Desraj Kumar (26) of Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, the officials said. Fifteen injured were undergoing treatment at the Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, and the condition of two of them was stated to be critical. Some were discharged after first-aid, they added. An hour after the incident, pilgrims were again allowed at the site, the officials said, adding the yatra was not disrupted. Prime Minister Modi said that the central government is in constant touch with the J-K administration to assist the affected people. Speaking at a programme to release funds under the PM-KISAN scheme, Modi said he was "extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon". The JK administration has announced a relief of Rs 10 lakh to the deceased and Rs 2 lakh to the injured which will be paid by the Shrine board. In a series of tweets, the office of the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor expressed pain at the loss of lives and gave details of whom Sinha had briefed after the stampede which included the Prime Minister and Home Minister Amit Shah. The PMO tweeted that "an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs 50,000: PM @narendramodi". Union Minister Jitendra Singh said innovative measures are required to deal with the new trend of youngsters eager to visit Mata Vaishno Devi shrine on the first day of the new year. The minister also visited the injured devotees undergoing treatment at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital at Kakriyal. "Traditionally, the pilgrims used to come on the festival days like Navratras, Dussehra and Deepavali. This is a new trend and we have to take measures accordingly (of youngsters visiting on New Year)," he said, adding "when we will sit and talk, we will talk about innovation and technology to find some solution to the issue." President Ram Nath Kovind said he was very distressed to know about the stampede and offered condolences to the bereaved families. "I wish speedy recovery to those injured," he said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he was deeply pained by the tragic accident. "Deeply pained by the tragic accident at Mata Vaishno Devi temple. In this regard, I have spoken to Lieutenant Governor of J&K Shri Manoj Sinha. The administration is working continuously to provide treatment to the injured. I express my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this accident," Shah tweeted in Hindi. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, "The stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi temple is tragic. I extend my condolences to the families of the deceased." Senior BJP leader and former legislator Devender Singh Rana, who interacted with the pilgrims here to take stock of the situation, said the incident was the first of its kind to take place at the shrine. "It is a tragic incident and a sad moment for all of us. The whole administration is working to ensure the bodies are returned to their families and those injured are given adequate treatment," he said. "This is no time for allegations or counter-allegations. It is a tragedy that has happened and nobody should play politics over it," he added. Political parties in Kashmir, including the National Conference and the People's Conference, expressed grief over the incident. The PDP said such "mismanagement" has been unheard of in recent times. "Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families who lost their loved ones and pray for speedy recovery of the injured," it said in a tweet. Officials at the spot said the incident was triggered by a heavy rush of devotees who came to pay their obeisance to mark the beginning of the New Year. While most of the devotees undertake the arduous trek, some reach there by helicopter service. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jammu, Jan 1 (PTI) Twelve people lost their lives and over a dozen others were injured in a stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir in the early hours during a heavy rush of devotees on New Year. This is the first such tragedy at the shrine, located atop the Trikuta hills - about 50 km from here - that attracts lakhs of people every year. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: 27-Year-Old Man Dies By Suicide After Molestation Complaint Filed Against Him In Bareilly District. The incident occurred between 2.30 AM and 2.45 AM on Saturday near a relatively narrow passage at gate number 3 outside the sanctum sanctorum of the hilltop shrine where devotees usually arrive round the clock after trekking from the Katra base camp, a distance of nearly 13 km. A high-level inquiry was ordered into the stampede by Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Manoj Sinha to be headed by Principal Secretary (Home) Shaleen Kabra with Divisional Commissioner Jammu Rajiv Langar and Additional Director General of Police Mukesh Singh as its members. Also Read | Rajasthan Reports 52 Fresh Omicron Cases, Total Tally Rises to 121 in the State. Condolences poured in from all quarters and Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Sinha and Union ministers Jitendra Singh to take stock of the situation. According to eyewitness accounts, the number of devotees was allegedly beyond the permitted level with flagrant violation of COVID-19 norms, and some of the survivors accused the Jammu and Kashmir administration of "mismanagement". The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, however, denied the charges saying all necessary arrangements were made in view of the expected rush. Most of the deaths have taken place due to suffocation, police said, adding among the deceased seven are from Uttar Pradesh, three from Delhi and one each from Haryana and J-K. Director General of Police Dilbag Singh, who accompanied the Minister of State in the PMO, Jitendra Singh, during the visit to the shrine after the stampede, told reporters that the incident took place due to confusion or "probably somebody at the site acted funny which could have led to some altercation". "All these things are being looked into. That area is a little narrow and people ran helter-skelter without knowing the reason. Most of the deaths have taken place due to suffocation after being run over by each other and most of the injuries are also due to the same reason," he said. Singh had told PTI that preliminary information from the scene suggests there was a minor altercation among some boys, and within seconds, there was a stampede. "Police and officials of the civil administration were quick to respond, and the order within the crowd was immediately restored, but by that time, the damage had been done," he said. Prem Singh, from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, said there was a "complete mess" as neither was the number of pilgrims restricted nor were COVID-19 guidelines in force. "It was a free-for-all-like situation. Many people were without mandatory face masks," he said, claiming that police personnel on duty at the checking point surrendered to the heavy rush and were warning people about the possibility of such an accident. "Nothing but mismanagement was the cause for this tragic accident. They were aware about the possible rush but allowed the people in unhindered," a pilgrim from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh said while waiting outside a mortuary to identify a body. Many people were resting on the floor, instead of heading back, and it caused more rush at the bhawan, he added. Another man, who lost his friend Arun Pratab Singh (30), said they had come from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. The area was overcrowded, he said. Aditya Sharma, a pilgrim, said there was a heavy rush of devotees and some people who were sleeping on the floor got crushed. Senior officials present at the scene said 12 people died in the stampede and their bodies were taken to a hospital in the Katra base camp. The deceased were identified as Arun Pratab Singh (30), Dharam Veer Singh (35), Vineet Kumar (38), Shewata Singh (35), Mohinder Gour (26), Narinder Kashap (40) and Monu Sharma (32) of Uttar Pradesh, Vinay Kumar (24), Sonu Panday (24) and Akash Kumar (29) of Delhi, Mamta (38) of Haryana and Desraj Kumar (26) of Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, the officials said. Fifteen injured were undergoing treatment at the Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, and the condition of two of them was stated to be critical. Some were discharged after first-aid, they added. An hour after the incident, pilgrims were again allowed at the site, the officials said, adding the yatra was not disrupted. Prime Minister Modi said that the central government is in constant touch with the J-K administration to assist the affected people. Speaking at a programme to release funds under the PM-KISAN scheme, Modi said he was "extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon". The JK administration has announced a relief of Rs 10 lakh to the deceased and Rs 2 lakh to the injured which will be paid by the Shrine board. In a series of tweets, the office of the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor expressed pain at the loss of lives and gave details of whom Sinha had briefed after the stampede which included the Prime Minister and Home Minister Amit Shah. The PMO tweeted that "an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs 50,000: PM @narendramodi". Union Minister Jitendra Singh said innovative measures are required to deal with the new trend of youngsters eager to visit Mata Vaishno Devi shrine on the first day of the new year. The minister also visited the injured devotees undergoing treatment at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital at Kakriyal. "Traditionally, the pilgrims used to come on the festival days like Navratras, Dussehra and Deepavali. This is a new trend and we have to take measures accordingly (of youngsters visiting on New Year)," he said, adding "when we will sit and talk, we will talk about innovation and technology to find some solution to the issue." President Ram Nath Kovind said he was very distressed to know about the stampede and offered condolences to the bereaved families. "I wish speedy recovery to those injured," he said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he was deeply pained by the tragic accident. "Deeply pained by the tragic accident at Mata Vaishno Devi temple. In this regard, I have spoken to Lieutenant Governor of J&K Shri Manoj Sinha. The administration is working continuously to provide treatment to the injured. I express my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this accident," Shah tweeted in Hindi. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, "The stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi temple is tragic. I extend my condolences to the families of the deceased." Senior BJP leader and former legislator Devender Singh Rana, who interacted with the pilgrims here to take stock of the situation, said the incident was the first of its kind to take place at the shrine. "It is a tragic incident and a sad moment for all of us. The whole administration is working to ensure the bodies are returned to their families and those injured are given adequate treatment," he said. "This is no time for allegations or counter-allegations. It is a tragedy that has happened and nobody should play politics over it," he added. Political parties in Kashmir, including the National Conference and the People's Conference, expressed grief over the incident. The PDP said such "mismanagement" has been unheard of in recent times. "Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families who lost their loved ones and pray for speedy recovery of the injured," it said in a tweet. Officials at the spot said the incident was triggered by a heavy rush of devotees who came to pay their obeisance to mark the beginning of the New Year. While most of the devotees undertake the arduous trek, some reach there by helicopter service. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Jan 1 : over 12,000 NGOs including Oxfam and Jamia Milia Islamia will no longer be able to receive any foreign donations as the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has not cleared the renewal of their Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) license. The NGOs, which also include the Indian Medical Association and the Leprosy Mission, whose licenses had expired over the past few months and now have lost their FCRA licenses as of Saturday. Oxfam India is in the list of NGOs whose FCRA certificates have expired and not those whose registrations have been cancelled. The Centre's move comes days after it, on December 25, refused to renew the FCRA license of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity, which runs orphanages and shelters for the poor, sick and destitute across India "for not meeting eligibility conditions under FCR Act and Foreign Contribution Regulation Rules" and due to "some adverse inputs". The Ministry on Friday extended the December 31 deadline for validity of FCRA registration of NGOs to March 31, 2022 or till the date of disposal of the renewal application, whichever is earlier, "in respect of only those entities who fulfil certain criteria". Sources in the Ministry said that around 6,000 NGOs have not applied for the renewal of the FCRA license. According to a sources, now there are only 16,829 NGOs in India which still have a FCRA license, while a total of 22,762 NGOs are registered under the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act as of now. New Delhi, Jan 1 : over 12,000 NGOs including Oxfam and Jamia Milia Islamia will no longer be able to receive any foreign donations as the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has not cleared the renewal of their Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) license. The NGOs, which also include the Indian Medical Association and the Leprosy Mission, whose licenses had expired over the past few months and now have lost their FCRA licenses as of Saturday. Oxfam India is in the list of NGOs whose FCRA certificates have expired and not those whose registrations have been cancelled. The Centre's move comes days after it, on December 25, refused to renew the FCRA license of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity, which runs orphanages and shelters for the poor, sick and destitute across India "for not meeting eligibility conditions under FCR Act and Foreign Contribution Regulation Rules" and due to "some adverse inputs". The Ministry on Friday extended the December 31 deadline for validity of FCRA registration of NGOs to March 31, 2022 or till the date of disposal of the renewal application, whichever is earlier, "in respect of only those entities who fulfil certain criteria". Sources in the Ministry said that around 6,000 NGOs have not applied for the renewal of the FCRA license. According to a sources, now there are only 16,829 NGOs in India which still have a FCRA license, while a total of 22,762 NGOs are registered under the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act as of now. Jammu, Jan 1 (PTI) Twelve people lost their lives and over a dozen others were injured in a stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir in the early hours during a heavy rush of devotees on New Year. This is the first such tragedy at the shrine, located atop the Trikuta hills - about 50 km from here - that attracts lakhs of people every year. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: 27-Year-Old Man Dies By Suicide After Molestation Complaint Filed Against Him In Bareilly District. The incident occurred between 2.30 AM and 2.45 AM on Saturday near a relatively narrow passage at gate number 3 outside the sanctum sanctorum of the hilltop shrine where devotees usually arrive round the clock after trekking from the Katra base camp, a distance of nearly 13 km. A high-level inquiry was ordered into the stampede by Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Manoj Sinha to be headed by Principal Secretary (Home) Shaleen Kabra with Divisional Commissioner Jammu Rajiv Langar and Additional Director General of Police Mukesh Singh as its members. Also Read | Rajasthan Reports 52 Fresh Omicron Cases, Total Tally Rises to 121 in the State. Condolences poured in from all quarters and Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Sinha and Union ministers Jitendra Singh to take stock of the situation. According to eyewitness accounts, the number of devotees was allegedly beyond the permitted level with flagrant violation of COVID-19 norms, and some of the survivors accused the Jammu and Kashmir administration of "mismanagement". The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, however, denied the charges saying all necessary arrangements were made in view of the expected rush. Most of the deaths have taken place due to suffocation, police said, adding among the deceased seven are from Uttar Pradesh, three from Delhi and one each from Haryana and J-K. Director General of Police Dilbag Singh, who accompanied the Minister of State in the PMO, Jitendra Singh, during the visit to the shrine after the stampede, told reporters that the incident took place due to confusion or "probably somebody at the site acted funny which could have led to some altercation". "All these things are being looked into. That area is a little narrow and people ran helter-skelter without knowing the reason. Most of the deaths have taken place due to suffocation after being run over by each other and most of the injuries are also due to the same reason," he said. Singh had told PTI that preliminary information from the scene suggests there was a minor altercation among some boys, and within seconds, there was a stampede. "Police and officials of the civil administration were quick to respond, and the order within the crowd was immediately restored, but by that time, the damage had been done," he said. Prem Singh, from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, said there was a "complete mess" as neither was the number of pilgrims restricted nor were COVID-19 guidelines in force. "It was a free-for-all-like situation. Many people were without mandatory face masks," he said, claiming that police personnel on duty at the checking point surrendered to the heavy rush and were warning people about the possibility of such an accident. "Nothing but mismanagement was the cause for this tragic accident. They were aware about the possible rush but allowed the people in unhindered," a pilgrim from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh said while waiting outside a mortuary to identify a body. Many people were resting on the floor, instead of heading back, and it caused more rush at the bhawan, he added. Another man, who lost his friend Arun Pratab Singh (30), said they had come from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. The area was overcrowded, he said. Aditya Sharma, a pilgrim, said there was a heavy rush of devotees and some people who were sleeping on the floor got crushed. Senior officials present at the scene said 12 people died in the stampede and their bodies were taken to a hospital in the Katra base camp. The deceased were identified as Arun Pratab Singh (30), Dharam Veer Singh (35), Vineet Kumar (38), Shewata Singh (35), Mohinder Gour (26), Narinder Kashap (40) and Monu Sharma (32) of Uttar Pradesh, Vinay Kumar (24), Sonu Panday (24) and Akash Kumar (29) of Delhi, Mamta (38) of Haryana and Desraj Kumar (26) of Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, the officials said. Fifteen injured were undergoing treatment at the Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, and the condition of two of them was stated to be critical. Some were discharged after first-aid, they added. An hour after the incident, pilgrims were again allowed at the site, the officials said, adding the yatra was not disrupted. Prime Minister Modi said that the central government is in constant touch with the J-K administration to assist the affected people. Speaking at a programme to release funds under the PM-KISAN scheme, Modi said he was "extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon". The JK administration has announced a relief of Rs 10 lakh to the deceased and Rs 2 lakh to the injured which will be paid by the Shrine board. In a series of tweets, the office of the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor expressed pain at the loss of lives and gave details of whom Sinha had briefed after the stampede which included the Prime Minister and Home Minister Amit Shah. The PMO tweeted that "an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs 50,000: PM @narendramodi". Union Minister Jitendra Singh said innovative measures are required to deal with the new trend of youngsters eager to visit Mata Vaishno Devi shrine on the first day of the new year. The minister also visited the injured devotees undergoing treatment at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital at Kakriyal. "Traditionally, the pilgrims used to come on the festival days like Navratras, Dussehra and Deepavali. This is a new trend and we have to take measures accordingly (of youngsters visiting on New Year)," he said, adding "when we will sit and talk, we will talk about innovation and technology to find some solution to the issue." President Ram Nath Kovind said he was very distressed to know about the stampede and offered condolences to the bereaved families. "I wish speedy recovery to those injured," he said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he was deeply pained by the tragic accident. "Deeply pained by the tragic accident at Mata Vaishno Devi temple. In this regard, I have spoken to Lieutenant Governor of J&K Shri Manoj Sinha. The administration is working continuously to provide treatment to the injured. I express my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this accident," Shah tweeted in Hindi. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, "The stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi temple is tragic. I extend my condolences to the families of the deceased." Senior BJP leader and former legislator Devender Singh Rana, who interacted with the pilgrims here to take stock of the situation, said the incident was the first of its kind to take place at the shrine. "It is a tragic incident and a sad moment for all of us. The whole administration is working to ensure the bodies are returned to their families and those injured are given adequate treatment," he said. "This is no time for allegations or counter-allegations. It is a tragedy that has happened and nobody should play politics over it," he added. Political parties in Kashmir, including the National Conference and the People's Conference, expressed grief over the incident. The PDP said such "mismanagement" has been unheard of in recent times. "Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families who lost their loved ones and pray for speedy recovery of the injured," it said in a tweet. Officials at the spot said the incident was triggered by a heavy rush of devotees who came to pay their obeisance to mark the beginning of the New Year. While most of the devotees undertake the arduous trek, some reach there by helicopter service. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) From pandemic induced supply chain disruptions to concentration in the cattle industry to outmigration in rural areas that creates labor shortages, Nebraskas agriculture industry faced many challenges in 2021. But one thing that did go well was record crop production and strong prices for the commodities farmers produce, along with government payments. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, net cash farm income in 2021 will be at its highest level since 2014 and 16.9 percent above its 200020 average of $113.8 billion. The USDA reports in its Farm Sector Income Forecast that was published last month that net farm income is forecast to increase by $22 billion (23.2%) from 2020 to $116.8 billion in 2021. While commodity prices have been volatile during 2021, prices have been strong with corn currently selling for more than $6 per bushel and soybeans at more than $13 per bushel. Corn and soybeans are Nebraskas dominant crops with more than 15 million acres. Based on November 1 conditions, Nebraskas 2021 corn crop is forecast at 1.83 billion bushels, up 3% from last years production, according to the USDAs National Agricultural Statistics Service. Area to be harvested for grain, at 9.60 million acres, is down 3% from a year ago. Yield is forecast at 191 bushels per acre, up 11 bushels from last year. Soybean production is forecast at a record 344 million bushels, up 15% from last year. Area for harvest, at 5.55 million acres, is up 8% from 2020. Yield is forecast at a record 62 bushels per acre, up 4.0 bushels from last year. Sorghum production is forecast at 19.9 million bushels, up 46% from last year. Area for harvest, at 265,000 acres, is up 77% from 2020. Yield is forecast at 75 bushels per acre, down 16 bushels from last year. Winter wheat production is estimated at 41.2 million bushels, up 21% from last year. The area harvested for grain totaled 840,000 acres, up 1% from 2020. Planted acreage totaled 920,000, up 2% from a year earlier. The yield is 49.0 bushels per acre, up 8 bushels from last year. But while commodity production and prices have been strong, the same cannot be said for the states cattle industry. While cattle prices are improving, it hasnt been the case for many independent cow and calf producers, who have lost money this year. Addressing that issue, Sen. Deb Fischer, a member of the Agriculture Committee, in November announced the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act. The legislation will work to facilitate price discovery and address the lack of transparency in the cattle market. The bipartisan legislation includes a series of provisions to ensure every segment of the beef supply chain can succeed. Robust price discovery ensures that all members of the beef supply chain cow-calf producers, feeders, packers, and consumers can be successful, Fischer said. She said the foundation of price discovery in the cattle market is negotiated cash sales. One or two regions of the country should not have to shoulder the burden of price discovery and thats exactly what has been happening, Fischer said. Furthermore, even regions that primarily use alternative marketing arrangements (AMAs) such as formula contracts predominantly rely on negotiated cash sales to set their base prices. Mark McHargue of Central City, president of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation, said Nebraskas cattle producers have been asking for needed reform within the cattle marketplace. The Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act delivers that reform which will provide more price discovery and needed transparency to arguably one of the more complex agricultural marketing systems which exist, McHargue said. McHarque said Nebraska has seen progress in prices for most commodities over the past year. He said when agriculture does well, so does the states economy. Increased state revenue numbers mean property taxpayers who have been seeking relief will receive a big win through the Nebraska Property Tax Incentive Act, getting back a tax credit equal to 25 percent of their property taxes paid to schools when they file their 2021 tax return, he said. McHarque said the Property Tax Incentive Act established in 2020, which grew from $115 million in the first year to $548 million this year, allows Nebraskans to claim an income tax credit based on the property taxes paid to K-12 schools. But, according to McHargue, the work on tax reform is not done and one of the most impactful things the Legislature can do in 2022 is to build upon that property tax relief. The 2020 U.S. Census showed that while Nebraska grew by over 150,000 people, 69 out of its 93 counties saw population losses. To help address that outmigration of people from rural Nebraska, the Nebraska Farm Bureau said boosting e-connectivity is essential to modern agriculture. Nebraska Farm Bureau was instrumental in securing $40 million over the next two years for the expansion of broadband to unserved and underserved areas of the state. McHarque said agriculture and rural Nebraska will not reach its full potential without access to reliable, high-speed broadband. Much of the technology that allows farmers and ranchers to improve across the board, including minimizing our environmental footprint, relies on e-connectivity he said. For many of our rural communities, access to health care and educational and business opportunities can only be gained through quality broadband and rural Nebraska cant afford to be left behind. With a series of cyberattacks on food processors and agriculture cooperatives making headlines in 2021, McHarque said Nebraska Farm Bureau sees the issue of cybersecurity to continue to be front and center. According to McHargue, farmers and ranchers want to ensure that officials at the state and federal levels take necessary action to secure and protect data. Trade is also an important issue to the states farmers and ranchers. Nebraska is the nations leading beef processor with plants, such as Grand Islands JBS exporting millions of dollars of beef products to other countries annually. Beef is the states leading export commodity. Nebraska is also one of the leading pork processors in the nation. In November, Nebraska cattle slaughter houses processed more than 600,000 cattle to lead the nation. State pork slaughter plants killed more than 660,000 head in November making it the nations sixth largest pork producing state. Based on October data, the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) said it was another strong month for U.S. red meat exports as beef export value continued to soar. October pork exports were below last years large total but year-to-date shipments remained slightly above the record pace of 2020. Beef exports reached 115,709 metric tons (mt) in October, up 7.5% from a year ago, while export value climbed 48% to $956.9 million the second-highest total on record, behind August 2021. Through the first 10 months of the year, beef exports totaled 1.19 million mt, up 17% from a year ago. Export value increased 38% to $8.53 billion, surpassing the 2018 record ($8.33 billion) with two months to spare. Pork exports totaled 226,206 mt in October, down 7% from a year ago, while export value slipped 3.5% to $618.8 million. For January through October, pork exports were up slightly from a year ago in volume (2.47 million mt) and increased 8% in value ($6.84 billion). Exports will likely reach about $18 billion in 2021, which is a remarkable achievement, said President and CEO Dan Halstrom. While global demand is tremendous and we are cautiously optimistic about further growth in 2022, supply chain pressures are not easy to overcome and are a growing concern for exporters and their international customers. McHargue said international trade is important to the bottom line for Nebraska farmers and ranchers. Every dollar in agricultural exports generates $1.28 in economic activities such as transportation, financing, warehousing, and production, McHargue said. While 2021 was a boom time for legal marijuana sales in Illinois, it was another wasted year for minority entrepreneurs trying to break into the business, and a mixed experience for customers. Recreational cannabis retail sales continued to climb steadily this year, to more than $1.2 billion, roughly an 85% increase from 2020 through November of this year alone. The medical cannabis program reached 136,000 active patients, who spent another $362 million. The sales generated more than $300 million in tax revenue in fiscal year 2021 more than from alcohol. Advertisement But after new applicants waited through more than a year of delays for business licenses, judges prevented them from opening dispensaries while litigation dragged on, with no solution in sight. The year saw many new twists in the cannabis field. Sales took off for hemp-derived Delta-8 THC, called weed light, despite existing in a legal gray area. Huge multistate companies gobbled up independent dispensaries and expanded dramatically. In one constant, prices of marijuana in Illinois remained among the highest in the nation. Advertisement While cannabis remains illegal under federal law, proposals to decriminalize it or let banks finance it have been slowly gaining some support among lawmakers. The year also ushered in a vast array of new products and consumer trends. Here are a few reasons why 2021 was a great year for big cannabis operators in Illinois, but frustrating for newcomers. Consolidation Several cannabis companies founded and headquartered in Chicago have become among the largest operators in the nation, while out-of-state operators have come into Illinois, by opening new facilities or buying up competitors. Cresco Labs and Curaleaf each have grown to the maximum 10 retail sites in Illinois; PharmaCann has eight; Ascend Wellness, seven; Green Thumb Industries lists nine stores on its website; nuEra has six, and Zen Leaf operates 10. Together, that means seven companies control 60 of the 110 weed stores in the state. People attend the grand opening of Cresco Labs' flagship Sunnyside recreational marijuana store, which is a block south of Wrigley Field, on Nov. 15, 2021. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) The number of growers is even more limited. A mere 18 companies are allowed to grow cannabis compared with hundreds of companies that do so in Western states like Oregon or California, where they have the opposite problem of oversupply to the illegal market. Licensed growers in Illinois say they support new entrants to the market by helping with the complicated application process, by paying hundreds of thousands of dollars each in state fees to help fund startups and for seed projects to help them get started. PharmaCann promised $600,000 to help fund scholarships and build Oakton Community Colleges new cannabis cultivation laboratory. Cresco Labs created its new Illinois Cannabis Education Center in Chicago, which offers a mock dispensary and training facility for aspiring workers and owners. By state law, there was supposed to be a slew of new businesses licensed last year, with favoritism toward poor, largely minority areas with high rates of cannabis arrests. But after a series of delays, applicants complained that consultant KPMG had scored applications unfairly, resulting in wealthy, white, politically connected winners. To address the complaints and associated lawsuits, state lawmakers authorized 185 new dispensary licenses. But Cook County Judge Moshe Jacobius ordered that those licenses not be awarded while he wades through lawsuits challenging the process. The state did award 40 new craft grower licenses plus infuser and transporter licenses, but Cook County Judge Neil Cohen forbade the issuance of up to 60 new craft grower licenses due this year, while the courts try to resolve litigation from applicants who were disqualified. Advertisement None of this slowed down the existing market. Companies that had been granted licenses to open medical marijuana dispensaries since 2015 were allowed to also sell recreational weed, and to expand to second locations. Because of its artificially constrained market, Illinois still has among the highest-priced weed in the country. Wholesale flower prices reached nearly $4,000 per pound, analyst Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. estimated three times the U.S. average pegged by price tracking company Cannabis Benchmarks. With customers paying $19 per gram for retail flower, Cantor Fitzgerald estimated average annual sales per store at nearly $17 million. Moldy weed worries A big part of the demand $1 out of every $3 spent is from out of state, since Illinois is surrounded by states that dont allow recreational sales. Michigan does have adult use sales, but was hit by a large public recall of cannabis that had high levels of mold or other contaminants, with stores required to post notices alerting customers for a month after sales. Illinois, in contrast, issued a recall and quarantine this year, but kept it quiet. In May, the state Department of Financial and Professional Regulation sent dispensaries notice of a voluntary recall of Veranos Mag Landrace flower due to possible mold contamination. The department investigated the issue, but said it is prohibited by the state cannabis law from disclosing the results. In addition, a former production supervisor for PharmaCann, William Sanford, filed suit claiming that he was fired for repeatedly reporting moldy cannabis for removal after it had passed lab tests. The tests only sample a small part of each crop, so mold may grow undetected and may sicken those who eat it or inhale its spores. Sanford said he was told to stop reporting mold, but continued to do so, and was terminated in July. PharmaCann acknowledged that mold is a factor with any agricultural product, but is tightly controlled. By state law, all legal cannabis products must undergo lab tests to pass strict state limits on mold, pesticides, metals and other contaminants. If they fail, they may be treated with solvents for use in edibles, vapes and other products, but must be tested again to meet safety requirements. Options for sterilizing cannabis include irradiation or ozone gas, as used in the food industry. Advertisement Microdosing Customers may have noticed a dizzying variety of new products this year. One growing trend was in the area of low-dose edibles, for consumers to better control their experience. Rather than the 10 milligrams of THC, the main component that gets users high, which was previously suggested as a serving size, mints and gummies now often contain 5 or 3 mg, often with matching cannabidiol, or CBD, for users who want to relax without getting too high or paranoid. One study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Chicago found that low levels of THC reduced stress, while slightly higher doses that produced a mild high actually increased anxiety. And a survey by BDS Analytics Report found that 43% of edibles customers prefer low-dose products, and half of customers chose products based on the amount of CBD, which is thought to have a moderating effect on THC. Beverages are also growing in popularity, offering moderate doses of THC and the quick onset of effects without the smoke. For hardcore users, there are still plenty of high-powered flower, vapes and concentrates approaching 90% THC. Flowering cannabis plants are illuminated by artificial lighting at a tour called "Chitiva," given by workers at Prescribd, a cannabis cultivation company, at one of its cultivation centers on July 17, 2021, in Bridgeview. The interactive tour shows the start-to-finish process of growing cannabis. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) For those who dont like the high prices and taxes of licensed weed, this year saw the rise of Delta-8 THC. Its typically said to be derived from hemp, and provides similar, if milder, effects as the traditional Delta-9 THC found in pot. Its often sold in gas stations or vape shops. A proposal to outlaw such knockoff cannabinoids did not pass in Springfield this year, but may be reconsidered in the spring session. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Cannabis suppliers continue to compete for customers through word-of-mouth and the occasional competition. Most recently, the High Times Cannabis Cup named its winners for 2021, as judged by public participants. Advertisement Wait till next year Looking ahead to 2022, state Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat, has proposed legislation to expand the new craft growers licenses from 5,000 square feet to 14,000 square feet or more. That would still be a far cry from the 210,000 square feet of canopy that existing growers are allowed, but would help business owners get more financing based on their ability to produce more revenue. Also, in light of the courts de facto lockout of new minority owners, a group called Ex-Cons for Community & Social Change held protests this year, calling for consumers to support their local weed man, or illegal dealers. Tyrone Muhammad, executive director of Ex-Cons for Community and Social Change, left, talks with local resident Keith Fort, right, on April 12, 2021, in front of Sunnyside dispensary in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago. Muhammad and others in ECCSC hosted a demonstration against big money dispensaries muscling out would-be minority owners outside the dispensary. (Raquel Zaldivar / Chicago Tribune) Founder Tyrone Muhammad of Englewood, who served 21 years in prison for murder and now says hes trying to rebuild his community, called for creation of a peddlers license, so people without the money to open a bricks-and-mortar facility can take part in the cannabis industry. He believes licensing would reduce the violence that accompanies illegal drug dealing. Muhammad is also pushing to change state law to drop the ban on former felons working in the field. As it stands, only those with low-level convictions can get expungements and get licensed. Its still a farce, he said. In any other industry, as an ex-con, I can work. But I cant work in the cannabis space. rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com Williams Plaza, built years ahead of the westward push of development from bustling Charleston, sat mostly idle for years on a rural two-lane stretch of western Berkeley County a couple of miles from Interstate 26. Now, completely renovated and renamed Irongate Plaza, the once-weathered retail site on S.C. Highway 27 in Pringletown is now fully leased with nine tenants in 10 commercial spaces in the two-building retail site 35 miles from downtown Charleston. Chris Calabrese and Rex Coyne, business partners at Gatehouse Realty in Charleston, bought the 3-acre property at 1250 Old Gilliard Road for $295,000 in October 2019, according to Berkeley County land records. Three months later, they also bought a 4-acre undeveloped parcel behind the retail center for $40,000. The two have no current plans for the additional acreage. "We were able to get a deal on it, and it was contiguous so we bought it for a future investment," Calabrese said. The real estate brokers spent close to $600,000 on the retail site, including interior and exterior work, as well as paving the parking lot and building a commercial well system for the property. "We bought it after it had been seriously neglected for years and have been renovating it for over a year," Calabrese said. "We have it completely leased up and are planning a grand opening right after the first of the year, as many of our tenants are from Pringletown and some even still have family there." The celebration is tentatively set for 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Jan. 15, according to Calabrese. Among the tenants who have moved in are restaurant Krab Krazy Seafood Spot, which occupies two spaces, supply store Hair 2 Slay, salon and barber shop Pretty Upscale, boutique and gift shop More Than Flowers, nail salon Wine Down & Get Nailed and smoothie shop Ridgeville Nutrition. Sign up for our real estate newsletter! Get the best of the Post and Courier's Real Estate news, handpicked and delivered to your inbox each Saturday. Email Sign Up! Spaces are being upfitted for a physical therapy site to be called Charleston Pediatric Rehabilitation and a daycare space called Playpin Child Care Center. They are expected to open in the new year along with a CBD shop that's on the way, Calabrese said. The property is not far from a new 240-unit apartment development called Preserve at Ridgeville that's under construction on S.C. 27 near the I-26 intersection. The developing road juncture is just west of the Volvo Car manufacturing campus and about one mile from Walmart's new 3-million-square-foot distribution center. The giant retailer's hub is set to open in January ahead of schedule to ease the nation's supply crunch brought on by COVID-19. Southern outpost A Detroit-based architecture, interior design and consulting firm is adding two new satellite offices, including one in the Charleston area. Kraemer Design Group, now in its 25th year, will expand with a new office in Mount Pleasant and another in Toledo, Ohio, according to Robert J. Kraemer, principal and co-founder. The firm has experience in both adaptive-reuse and new construction projects with an emphasis on hospitality, multifamily and commercial markets. KDG also owns procurement services company Intramode. "Working at a variety of scales and locations, KDG has deep experience in evaluating historic buildings, community corridors and neighborhoods and understanding a projects relationships with the surrounding built environment," said KDG principal Brian Rebain. "With the understanding of specific characteristics of historic integrity, existing urban context and open space opportunities, we develop new urban, architectural and interiors solutions to complement the past and present," he said. Happy Saturday, Toledo! Here's everything you need to know around town today. First, today's weather: Cloudy with a little rain. High: 42 Low: 28. Here are the top stories today in Toledo: The family of missing National Guardsman Xiao Lu, who was last seen leaving his job at the United States Post Office on South St. Clair in Downtown Toledo, is pleading for anyone with information to come forward. Described as an inspiration, the family says Lu had been struggling with some mental health issues in the past, and are hoping for his safe return. (WTOL) Several Toledo restaurants were all booked up for New Year's Eve celebrations. Two such restaurants, Angelo's Northwood Villa and Sakura Japanese Steakhouse, were lucky enough to stay open through the pandemic and have benefited from continued patronage. (WTOL) Toledo area hospitals are nearing their maximum capacity with critical COVID-19 patient numbers climbing. Dr. James Tita, Chief Medical Officer at Mercy Health St. Vincent's Hospital, anticipates surging hospitalizations due to the omicron variant. (WNWO NBC 24) Celebrating his re-election, Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz is holding an inauguration event this Monday at 4 P.M. at One Government Center in Downtown Toledo. Following the ceremony, the Toledo City Council will hold its first meeting of the new year at 5:30. (13abc Action News) Several first responders from around Northwest Ohio hosted a parade to support Wood County Road Sergeant Jody Swoap, who has been battling serious COVID complications in Wood County Hospital. Sgt. Swoap is a celebrated public servant and members of law enforcement, fire, EMS, and more well-wishers attended the event on Thursday. (13abc Action News) Today in Toledo: Greg Warren at Toledo Funny Bone , Fat Fish Blue Perrysburg (7:00 PM) Midnight Special 5K, Levis Commons (11:45 PM) Dance Fitness with Cari, Routines 2121 S. Reynolds Rd. (9:00 AM) The Great Art Escape at Toledo Museum of Art (11:00 AM) Toledo Walleye Winterfest Public Skate at Fifth Third Field (10:00 AM) Story continues From my notebook: - Click the link to see suggestions for fun things to do for teens in the Glass City. Mom on the Go in Holy Toledo does the research on all the latest events. (Mom On The Go In Holy Toledo) Loving the Toledo Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved: Send a friend or neighbor this link so they can subscribe Get your local business listed in front of readers Send me a news tip or suggestion at toledo@patch.com You're officially in the loop for today. I'll be in your inbox tomorrow morning with another update! Brad King About me: I have been a lifelong Northwest Ohio native and University of Toledo grad (Go Rockets!). I'm old enough to remember when the Mud Hens were still playing in Maumee. The Glass City has seen some amazing revitalization and I am so excited to share every update with you! This article originally appeared on the Toledo Patch Williams Plaza, built years ahead of the westward push of development from bustling Charleston, sat mostly idle for years on a rural two-lane stretch of western Berkeley County a couple of miles from Interstate 26. Now, completely renovated and renamed Irongate Plaza, the once-weathered retail site on S.C. Highway 27 in Pringletown is now fully leased with nine tenants in 10 commercial spaces in the two-building retail site 35 miles from downtown Charleston. Chris Calabrese and Rex Coyne, business partners at Gatehouse Realty in Charleston, bought the 3-acre property at 1250 Old Gilliard Road for $295,000 in October 2019, according to Berkeley County land records. Three months later, they also bought a 4-acre undeveloped parcel behind the retail center for $40,000. The two have no current plans for the additional acreage. "We were able to get a deal on it, and it was contiguous so we bought it for a future investment," Calabrese said. The real estate brokers spent close to $600,000 on the retail site, including interior and exterior work, as well as paving the parking lot and building a commercial well system for the property. "We bought it after it had been seriously neglected for years and have been renovating it for over a year," Calabrese said. "We have it completely leased up and are planning a grand opening right after the first of the year, as many of our tenants are from Pringletown and some even still have family there." The celebration is tentatively set for 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Jan. 15, according to Calabrese. Among the tenants who have moved in are restaurant Krab Krazy Seafood Spot, which occupies two spaces, supply store Hair 2 Slay, salon and barber shop Pretty Upscale, boutique and gift shop More Than Flowers, nail salon Wine Down & Get Nailed and smoothie shop Ridgeville Nutrition. Sign up for our real estate newsletter! Get the best of the Post and Courier's Real Estate news, handpicked and delivered to your inbox each Saturday. Email Sign Up! Spaces are being upfitted for a physical therapy site to be called Charleston Pediatric Rehabilitation and a daycare space called Playpin Child Care Center. They are expected to open in the new year along with a CBD shop that's on the way, Calabrese said. The property is not far from a new 240-unit apartment development called Preserve at Ridgeville that's under construction on S.C. 27 near the I-26 intersection. The developing road juncture is just west of the Volvo Car manufacturing campus and about one mile from Walmart's new 3-million-square-foot distribution center. The giant retailer's hub is set to open in January ahead of schedule to ease the nation's supply crunch brought on by COVID-19. Southern outpost A Detroit-based architecture, interior design and consulting firm is adding two new satellite offices, including one in the Charleston area. Kraemer Design Group, now in its 25th year, will expand with a new office in Mount Pleasant and another in Toledo, Ohio, according to Robert J. Kraemer, principal and co-founder. The firm has experience in both adaptive-reuse and new construction projects with an emphasis on hospitality, multifamily and commercial markets. KDG also owns procurement services company Intramode. "Working at a variety of scales and locations, KDG has deep experience in evaluating historic buildings, community corridors and neighborhoods and understanding a projects relationships with the surrounding built environment," said KDG principal Brian Rebain. "With the understanding of specific characteristics of historic integrity, existing urban context and open space opportunities, we develop new urban, architectural and interiors solutions to complement the past and present," he said. DGLimages / Getty Images/iStockphoto Stretching your nest egg as far as possible is something that's most likely front of mind for retirees who aren't very wealthy. With no new sources of income aside from Social Security or possibly a pension, it's important to find a place to retire that won't drain your savings. Related: Here's Exactly How Much Savings You Need To Retire In Your State Read: Ways Investing Will Change in the Next 25 Years However, getting a clear sense of exactly how long your retirement savings will last requires understanding how much it costs to live in the state you're calling home. As anyone trying to get by somewhere with a high cost of living can attest, even basic necessities can quickly start to winnow down your retirement account. And it only gets more complicated if you decide you don't want to spend your entire retirement in the same place, as your costs won't be consistent throughout your retirement. See: Mutual Funds: Everything You Need To Know That's why GOBankingRates performed a study to compare the cost of living in every state and determine how long you can survive off of $100,000. Granted, $100,000 won't buy you a lot of time in any state. But, these results will give you a sense of just how much you need to save. Last updated: Sept. 24, 2021 kieferpix / Getty Images/iStockphoto 50. Hawaii Annual Expenditure: $85,243 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 2 months, 3 days To say that Hawaii is the most expensive state to live in is something of an understatement: Hawaiians pay over $20,000 more per year than the second-most expensive state, California. You'll need over $2 million to survive retirement in this state -- the most in the country. See: 42 Easy Ways To Save For Retirement MundusImages / Getty Images 49. California Annual Expenditure: $64,516 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 6 months, 18 days California's not an easy place to stretch your retirement dollar, with the cost of housing coming in at more than double the average for the country. Check Out: How Long $1 Million in Savings Will Last in Every State Story continues xavierarnau / iStock.com 48. New York Annual Expenditure: $61,267 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 7 months, 17 days Some might gripe that the only thing imperial about the Empire State is how much it costs to live there, with the average New Yorker needing more than $60,000 a year to cover expenses. See: 10 Best Retirement Plan Options pkujiahe / Getty Images/iStockphoto 47. Alaska Annual Expenditure: $59,895 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 8 months Costs in Alaska are generally high -- particularly for healthcare and utilities -- but there's one area where the state won't eat so far into your nest egg: Alaska is the most tax-friendly state for retirees. Discover: How To Protect Your Retirement Savings During the Coronavirus Pandemic WilliamSherman / Getty Images 46. Maryland Annual Expenditure: $59,666 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 8 months, 2 days Maryland is one of the more expensive states for retirees to live in, but a lot of the older residents can afford it: It's one of the states with the richest retirees. RyanJLane / Getty Images 45. Oregon Annual Expenditure: $59,483 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 8 months Oregon has a cost of living that's 30% higher than the country as a whole. However, if you're dead set on enjoying the beautiful coastlines of the Pacific Northwest in your golden years, consider making your home in Brandon. It's the best city in the state to buy a home. FilippoBacci / Getty Images/iStockphoto 44. Massachusetts Annual Expenditure: $58,385 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 8 months, 16 days Massachusetts is not a state that's kind to your retirement savings, with sky-high housing costs playing the biggest part in making things difficult. It's also the state where a comfortable retirement costs the most at about $65,000 a year. JayLazarin / Getty Images 43. Connecticut Annual Expenditure: $58,156 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 8 months, 18 days Not only is Connecticut one of the pricier states in the country to live in, but for many retirees, the source of their income might not be as stable as they would hope. Connecticut is the worst state for pensions in the U.S. BDphoto / Getty Images 42. Rhode Island Annual Expenditure: $55,914 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 9 months, 13 days If you've compiled an impressive nest egg over the course of your career, Rhode Island isn't a great place to keep it protected. KenWiedemann / Getty Images 41. New Jersey Annual Expenditure: $54,175 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 10 months, 3 days Like many of the most expensive states in the country, the main culprit for New Jersey's high cost of living is housing, with New Jersey residents paying almost 50% more than the average American for a place to live. XKarDoc / Getty Images/iStockphoto 40. Vermont Annual Expenditure: $53,718 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 10 months, 9 days Not only is Vermont a tough place to maintain your nest egg, it's also a pretty rough spot for building it up as well. The Green Mountain State is the state where it's hardest to save $1 million for retirement, found another GOBankingRates study. Take Action: Do These 13 Things To Boost Your Retirement Savings Now edella / Getty Images 39. Maine Annual Expenditure: $53,214 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 10 months, 15 days It's possible that the high cost of living in Maine has some residents thinking big in terms of what it means to be wealthy. In a GOBankingRates survey, the most common answer for what it meant to be "rich" in Maine was an income of $10 million a year or more, the highest answer for any state. CHBD / Getty Images/iStockphoto 38. New Hampshire Annual Expenditure: $51,247 $100,000 Will Last: $1 year, 11 months, 12 days If you're dead set on living in New Hampshire in retirement but you're looking to avoid some of those high costs, steer well clear of the 03854 ZIP code -- home to New Castle Island. It's the most expensive ZIP code in the state. ImagineGolf / Getty Images 37. Nevada Annual Expenditure: $50,469 $100,000 Will Last: $1 year, 11 months, 23 days If you want to spend your golden years in the Silver State, prepare to spend a little more. Costs are at least 10% higher than the national average across every category except for utilities, where they're actually 20% under what the rest of America pays. Joel Carillet / Getty Images 36. Washington Annual Expenditure: $49,554 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 days If you're surprised to see Washington so far down this list, keep in mind that it's home to Seattle, one of the most expensive cities in the country. To live comfortably in Seattle you need nearly $90,000 a year, which outpaces everywhere but the usual suspects in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York and Washington, D.C. 1MoreCreative / Getty Images 35. Delaware Annual Expenditure: $48,227 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 25 days Although Delaware might be on the higher side for costs, it can also offer some great ways to protect your nest egg: It's one of the best states to retire rich in the country. Adventure_Photo / Getty Images 34. Colorado Annual Expenditure: $47,540 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 1 month, 5 days The cost to live comfortably in Denver is over $77,000 a year, making it one of the most expensive cities in the country. If you want to stay in the Rocky Mountain State but don't like the "mile high" costs in Denver, consider Colorado Springs where it's over $10,000 a year cheaper. urbancow / Getty Images 33. Montana Annual Expenditure: $47,540 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 1 month, 5 days If you were hoping to keep your nest egg healthy after retiring to Montana by investing well, you might find it harder there than elsewhere. Montana is one of the worst states to grow your money, according to a separate GOBankingRates study. Joel Carillet / Getty Images 32. Virginia Annual Expenditure: $46,717 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 1 month, 19 days You'll pay less for groceries, utilities and transportation than the average American if you opt to retire to Virginia, but there's clearly more to the story. That would be the cost of housing, which is over 10% higher than the national average. catnap72 / Getty Images 31. Pennsylvania Annual Expenditure: $46,305 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 1 month, 26 days Pennsylvania is the first state on this list where housing costs are actually below average when compared to the country as a whole. However, if you're looking to stretch your retirement savings as far as possible, you can still do better, especially when Pennsylvanians pay more than average for groceries, utilities and transportation. RiverNorthPhotography / Getty Images 30. South Dakota Annual Expenditure: $46,305 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 1 month, 26 days There's one thing you don't have to worry about in South Dakota: state income tax. That's because it's one of the seven states without any, which could make a significant difference in how long you can stretch that nest egg. sharply_done / Getty Images/iStockphoto 29. Minnesota Annual Expenditure: $45,848 $100,000 Will Last: $2 years, 2 months, 6 days No state is closer to the average cost of living than Minnesota, where costs are just 0.2% higher than the country as a whole. That's not true statewide, though, as Minneapolis is among the more expensive major cities in the country. The cost to live comfortably there is $77,512 a year. Shutterstock.com 28. North Dakota Annual Expenditure: $45,298 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 2 months, 15 days One place you probably won't overspend in North Dakota is on housing. Even if the state's most expensive ZIP code -- the 58503 ZIP north of Bismarck -- has a median home price of $339,600, that's still less than half of what it is for Hawaii. nycshooter / Getty Images 27. Florida Annual Expenditure: $45,253 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 2 months, 16 days Florida might only be middle-of-the-pack for stretching a six-figure retirement fund, but it's still a popular destination for many retirees. And you have plenty of options to choose from in terms of which Florida city stacks up the best for you. Take Action Now: How To Protect Your Retirement Savings During the Coronavirus Pandemic peeterv / Getty Images/iStockphoto 26. South Carolina Annual Expenditure: $44,978 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 2 months, 21 days The question of how long $100,000 lasts in retirement might be especially apt for South Carolina. A GOBankingRates survey determined that most residents of the Palmetto State have about $50,000-$100,000 saved for retirement. ablokhin / Getty Images 25. West Virginia Annual Expenditure: $44,292 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 3 months, 3 days West Virginians are paying less for housing and utilities than most Americans, but that's counter-balanced by higher-than-average costs on groceries and "miscellaneous" expenses. Kirkikis / Getty Images 24. Illinois Annual Expenditure: $44,246 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 3 months, 3 days Illinois is the first state on the better half of this survey, with the average retiree being able to squeeze a full three months out of the third year on that initial $100,000. And if you decide you want to make the Windy City your home, you'll have plenty of options in selecting from the many different suburbs around the city. amygdala_imagery / Getty Images 23. Utah Annual Expenditure: $44,200 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 3 months, 4 days Regardless of how long it lasts, Utah is doing plenty to help you build that retirement account. It's the state where it's easiest to save $1 million for retirement. dlewis33 / Getty Images 22. Wisconsin Annual Expenditure: $44,063 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 3 months, 7 days You can make $100,000 last over two years in retirement if you're living in the Badger State. However, if you're thinking you'll just need to earn $100,000 in that last year before you hang it up, you should know that you only take home $67,124 from a $100,000 salary after taxes in Wisconsin. wanderluster / Getty Images 21. Arizona Annual Expenditure: $43,285 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 3 months, 22 days Arizona's costs are lower than the national average in every category except utilities, helping retirees stretch their savings. iofoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto 20. North Carolina Annual Expenditure: $42,965 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 3 months, 28 days If you're looking for a place to live in retirement where you're not in the hustle and bustle of the city but also still close enough to take advantage of city living on occasion, North Carolina might be the place to look. Three of the best suburbs for retirement are in the Tarheel State: Bermuda Run, Fairfield Harbour and Sunset Beach. Are High-Yield Savings Accounts Worth It? Here's Everything You Need To Know peeterv / Getty Images/iStockphoto 19. Louisiana Annual Expenditure: $42,736 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 3 days Not only is Louisiana among the better states for stretching your savings in retirement, it's also the best state to grow your money, found a separate GOBankingRates study. Shutterstock.com 18. Nebraska Annual Expenditure: $42,736 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 3 days Nebraska's cost-of-living scores are either at or below the national average in every category except for transportation. However, at least some of the money you can save on things like groceries and housing will end up with the state government: Nebraska is the least tax-friendly state for retirees. Shutterstock.com 17. New Mexico Annual Expenditure: $42,507 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 7 days If you enjoy life in the big city but can't handle the high cost of living that usually comes with it, New Mexico might offer you the best compromise. You only need to make $53,384 a year to live comfortably in Albuquerque, one of the lowest figures among the 50 largest U.S. cities. Davel5957 / Getty Images/iStockphoto 16. Ohio Annual Expenditure: $42,416 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 9 days Housing is especially affordable in Ohio, coming in at almost 25% less than what the average American is paying. Add that to costs that are either below average or less than 2% over it, and it's not hard to see why Ohio cracked the top 20 in this study. Shutterstock.com 15. Idaho Annual Expenditure: $42,416 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 9 days Idaho's scenic landscape could be considered incentive enough to retire there, but the state's low costs are an additional perk, allowing you to last into the fifth month of your third year on $100,000. Shutterstock.com 14. Kentucky Annual Expenditure: $42,370 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 10 days Kentucky's biggest cost advantage over other states is in its housing, where you'll pay almost 20% less than the national average. With a median home price of just $136,600, the cost of a home in this state is one many Americans can actually afford. Shutterstock.com 13. Iowa Annual Expenditure: $42,050 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 17 days Like many states in the Midwest, Iowa boasts low housing costs that help push the overall cost of living down significantly. However, while it's housing leading the charge, Iowa's costs are below what the average American pays across the board. Purdue9394 / Getty Images 12. Indiana Annual Expenditure: $41,867 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 20 days Indiana offers retirees the chance to stretch their savings much further than most of the country; this is important to the Hoosier State, as Indiana is the state with the poorest retirees in the country. Jeremy Hardin / Getty Images/iStockphoto 11. Wyoming Annual Expenditure: $41,821 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 21 days The cost of living in Wyoming is lower than it is for the country as a whole, but the high cost of healthcare for seniors could quickly erase much of that benefit. Employing either homemaker services or a home health aide will run you about $5,000 a year. Zview / iStock.com 10. Texas Annual Expenditure: $41,775 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 22 days Texas offers a range of advantages to its elderly residents when it comes to stretching retirement dollars. In fact, eight of the 30 best cities to retire on a budget of $1,000 a month or less are in the Lone Star State. krblokhin / Getty Images/iStockphoto 9. Georgia Annual Expenditure: $41,546 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 27 days Low costs in Georgia mean a retiree can make $100,000 last them for almost two years and five months. Even if you're living well by saving on basic costs, though, not everyone is in the same situation: Atlanta is among the places in the U.S. with the most income inequality. Shutterstock.com 8. Kansas Annual Expenditure: $40,952 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 9 days Kansas is a great state to retire to if you want to stretch your nest egg as far as possible, and it's even better if you're living off of a pension funded by the state: Kansas is one of the best states for pensions. Joel Carillet / Getty Images 7. Tennessee Annual Expenditure: $40,906 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 10 days Whether it's the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville or Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee is a great state for American music. Of course, if you're retired and living there, it's the low costs that might be music to your ears. TriggerPhoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto 6. Missouri Annual Expenditure: $40,677 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 15 days Although most costs are lower in Missouri, the Show-Me State is especially affordable when it comes to housing. A year of a roof over your head costs an average of just $11,597, making it one of just five states where you can expect to pay under $12,000 per annum. Don't Miss: Best Online Savings Accounts for Earning High-Yield Profits Shutterstock.com 5. Alabama Annual Expenditure: $40,631 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 16 days You can expect to stretch your retirement savings by retiring almost anywhere in the Yellow Hammer State, but that's especially true if you decide to call the city of Birmingham home: It's one of the cheapest places to retire in the entire country. dlewis33 / Getty Images 4. Arkansas Annual Expenditure: $40,631 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 16 days The cost of a comfortable retirement in Arkansas is very low, coming in below any other state in the country save for Mississippi and its incredibly low cost of living. RiverNorthPhotography / Getty Images 3. Michigan Annual Expenditure: $40,586 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 17 days The Great Lake State is as welcoming as it is scenic, and the low costs mean you can enjoy more of it with your nest egg. Tiago_Fernandez / Getty Images 2. Oklahoma Annual Expenditure: $40,403 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 21 days Oklahoma has low costs statewide that will help you stretch $100,000 to almost a full two and a half years. And unlike many states, that extends to the state's largest city as well: $1 million will last you 24 and a half years in retirement in Oklahoma City, making it one of the most affordable U.S. cities for retirees. Shutterstock.com 1. Mississippi Annual Expenditure: $38,435 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 7 months, 6 days No state has a lower cost for a comfortable retirement than Mississippi, where you can expect to pay almost a third less for housing than the country as a whole. All told, the cumulative cost of living in Mississippi is 16% lower than the national average. Andrew Zarivny / Shutterstock.com How Long $100K in Retirement Will Last in Every State States on either coast might offer a lot in terms of great weather and loads of culture, but they certainly ask a lot in terms of your pocketbook. The 15 states where $100,000 stretches the least in retirement include all five states on the Pacific Ocean (Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska). On the East Coast, the worst states for your retirement nest egg are New York, Maryland, New Jersey and all six of the states that make up New England. On the other end of the list, it's hard to miss that states from the South and the Midwest have the lowest costs by far. Of the 15 states where your $100,000 in retirement savings goes the furthest, all but two (Idaho and Wyoming) are in one of those two regions. More From GOBankingRates Methodology: In order to determine how long $100,000 will last the average retiree in each state, GOBankingRates found the average total expenditures for people 65 and older, which includes groceries, housing, utilities, transportation and healthcare. GOBankingRates then multiplied that by the cost of living index in each state to find the average annual expenditure cost for each state. Once the annual cost was found, it was divided by $100,000 and then converted into years, months and days to show how long the average annual expenditure for people 65 and older would last in every state. This research was conducted in August 2018. This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Long $100K in Retirement Will Last in Every State An $84 million plan to boost internet speeds at Chicago Public Schools has stalled again, officials say, because of red tape in securing construction permits from the city. For several months, crews have been ripping up streets to build a new high-speed fiber network. Around 80 schools were supposed to be connected by Nov. 1 as part of the projects first phase, but that goal has been pushed to the first quarter of 2022. Advertisement The latest setback may mean more construction headaches for residents and more internet woes for students, who returned to school buildings for full-time, in-person learning in August and are due back from the winter break Monday. Were running over 300 miles of fiber throughout the city, originally slated as a three-year project, Richard Burnson, CPS director of network services, told the Tribune. Were running a bit behind schedule, but continuing to push forward and have it wrapped up by 2023. Advertisement The new network is slated to reach about 570 Chicago schools and administrative buildings. Each school would connect to two of 11 hubs spaced across the city. If theres a problem with one of the connections, officials say high-speed internet would still be available. Teacher Toni Armer communicates remotely with other teachers, assistants and middle grade school students during the first day of school at Chicago's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy of Social Justice in September 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Schools would have access to download speeds of 20 gigabits per second, Burnson said. When the project began, he said, elementary schools received 250 megabits of bandwidth. Now theyre at 500 megabits thanks to upgrades completed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most high schools each have access to one gigabit, though Burnson said CPS is completing an effort to upgrade the high schools to two gigs, and thats expected to wrap up by the end of (2021). The nations third-largest school district, CPS has 421 elementary schools and 91 high schools. Burnson said CPS experienced few issues last spring with connectivity because the district welcomed students back to campuses in waves after months of remote learning. But most of CPSs 330,000 students have attended classes in person this fall, and technology tools such as Google Meet video sessions can tax a system. Were really excited about future-proofing our network with this new project, CPS Deputy Chief of Information and Technology Services Ed Wagner said. Weve seen, historically, schools have consumed more and more bandwidth each and every year that theyre in operation because of use of online tools for education. Skyline as an example, our new digital curriculum we do a lot of assessments online. CPS explored its options for a network redesign in 2018. At the time, AT&T was providing service, with network facilities located in Elk Grove Village; at the downtown Thompson Center, a site the state of Illinois plans to sell; and at CPS headquarters in the Loop. The district estimated then it spent $19.6 million in circuit costs, fees and services, with $14.9 million funded by the federal E-Rate program, which helps schools and libraries obtain affordable internet access. Weve had some service challenges with AT&T, Wagner said. What we felt was, this (network project) was a better way of doing it to decrease our cost overall and allow for better resiliency and performance. The Chicago Board of Education approved an agreement with Houston-based Netsync Network Solutions in 2019. The five-year deal, with two options to renew for five years each, is not to exceed $83.8 million. E-Rate is expected to cover about $70.4 million. The rest of the tab will be paid for with government grants and by the board, which is on the hook for no more than $9.8 million, according to the contract. Advertisement Burnson said the project price tag has not changed, despite the delays. A Netsync representative declined to comment to the Tribune and referred questions to CPS. The first shovel broke ground in November 2020 more than a year after the board approved the Netsync agreement and months after the start of the COVID-19 crisis. Burnson said the district focused its efforts on transitioning to remote learning and ensuring students had devices to connect to the internet at home. He said crews are now concentrating on building the core network infrastructure. CPS says the first connections will be its data centers in Elk Grove Village and at its headquarters, along with 63 elementary sites and 18 high schools. A few of these schools share a campus. Principal Jasmine Thurmond and teacher Hannah Chorley communicate with their middle school students by way of remote learning during the first day of school in September 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Burnson said up to 240 facilities are targeted for the second phase. The first step for us to build the network is theres a series of core rings that need to be established. Theres a north, central and south ring connecting all of the 11 hub locations. So those 11 hub locations had to be part of phase one in order to build out that foundation for the network, he said. Selecting the other 70 sites that would be connected was based on our focus on building out on the South and West sides. The hubs are located on the North Side at Garvy Elementary School, William C. Goudy Technology Academy and Theodore Roosevelt High School; on the West Side at Michele Clark Academic Prep Magnet High School and John Spry Community School; in the South Loop at Jones College Prep; and on the South Side at Morgan Park High School, George Washington High School, Richardson Middle School, Wendell Phillips Academy High School and Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Paideia Academy. Advertisement Burnson said one of the greatest challenges has been securing construction permits. Requests that cover more than a million feet of fiber have been submitted, he said, with about a half-million feet approved. There are more than two dozen members of the city Office of Underground Coordination, including Peoples Gas, ComEd and AT&T, that review proposals to determine if excavation work will affect their infrastructure. If there is any change thats required by one of those organizations, you have to start the process over, so that way everyone is signed off on that final process, Burnson said. Weve been working with (the Chicago Department of Transportation) and other city agencies, and theyve been very supportive, but its still a very involved process to get the permits for the amount of work that were doing. There have been some construction and street parking woes as well. Crews drill horizontally under the surface of the street to install pipework the fiber runs through. Burnson said some complaints have been lodged about the temporary patching thats put in place while the work is being completed. There have been some quality issues that weve addressed with the aldermens office, as well as the subcontractors that are doing the actual construction work, he said. Were definitely working to make sure that any impact to citizens in the city are minimized as much as possible. tswartz@tribpub.com An $84 million plan to boost internet speeds at Chicago Public Schools has stalled again, officials say, because of red tape in securing construction permits from the city. For several months, crews have been ripping up streets to build a new high-speed fiber network. Around 80 schools were supposed to be connected by Nov. 1 as part of the projects first phase, but that goal has been pushed to the first quarter of 2022. Advertisement The latest setback may mean more construction headaches for residents and more internet woes for students, who returned to school buildings for full-time, in-person learning in August and are due back from the winter break Monday. Were running over 300 miles of fiber throughout the city, originally slated as a three-year project, Richard Burnson, CPS director of network services, told the Tribune. Were running a bit behind schedule, but continuing to push forward and have it wrapped up by 2023. Advertisement The new network is slated to reach about 570 Chicago schools and administrative buildings. Each school would connect to two of 11 hubs spaced across the city. If theres a problem with one of the connections, officials say high-speed internet would still be available. Teacher Toni Armer communicates remotely with other teachers, assistants and middle grade school students during the first day of school at Chicago's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy of Social Justice in September 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Schools would have access to download speeds of 20 gigabits per second, Burnson said. When the project began, he said, elementary schools received 250 megabits of bandwidth. Now theyre at 500 megabits thanks to upgrades completed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most high schools each have access to one gigabit, though Burnson said CPS is completing an effort to upgrade the high schools to two gigs, and thats expected to wrap up by the end of (2021). The nations third-largest school district, CPS has 421 elementary schools and 91 high schools. Burnson said CPS experienced few issues last spring with connectivity because the district welcomed students back to campuses in waves after months of remote learning. But most of CPSs 330,000 students have attended classes in person this fall, and technology tools such as Google Meet video sessions can tax a system. Were really excited about future-proofing our network with this new project, CPS Deputy Chief of Information and Technology Services Ed Wagner said. Weve seen, historically, schools have consumed more and more bandwidth each and every year that theyre in operation because of use of online tools for education. Skyline as an example, our new digital curriculum we do a lot of assessments online. CPS explored its options for a network redesign in 2018. At the time, AT&T was providing service, with network facilities located in Elk Grove Village; at the downtown Thompson Center, a site the state of Illinois plans to sell; and at CPS headquarters in the Loop. The district estimated then it spent $19.6 million in circuit costs, fees and services, with $14.9 million funded by the federal E-Rate program, which helps schools and libraries obtain affordable internet access. Weve had some service challenges with AT&T, Wagner said. What we felt was, this (network project) was a better way of doing it to decrease our cost overall and allow for better resiliency and performance. The Chicago Board of Education approved an agreement with Houston-based Netsync Network Solutions in 2019. The five-year deal, with two options to renew for five years each, is not to exceed $83.8 million. E-Rate is expected to cover about $70.4 million. The rest of the tab will be paid for with government grants and by the board, which is on the hook for no more than $9.8 million, according to the contract. Advertisement Burnson said the project price tag has not changed, despite the delays. A Netsync representative declined to comment to the Tribune and referred questions to CPS. The first shovel broke ground in November 2020 more than a year after the board approved the Netsync agreement and months after the start of the COVID-19 crisis. Burnson said the district focused its efforts on transitioning to remote learning and ensuring students had devices to connect to the internet at home. He said crews are now concentrating on building the core network infrastructure. CPS says the first connections will be its data centers in Elk Grove Village and at its headquarters, along with 63 elementary sites and 18 high schools. A few of these schools share a campus. Principal Jasmine Thurmond and teacher Hannah Chorley communicate with their middle school students by way of remote learning during the first day of school in September 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Burnson said up to 240 facilities are targeted for the second phase. The first step for us to build the network is theres a series of core rings that need to be established. Theres a north, central and south ring connecting all of the 11 hub locations. So those 11 hub locations had to be part of phase one in order to build out that foundation for the network, he said. Selecting the other 70 sites that would be connected was based on our focus on building out on the South and West sides. The hubs are located on the North Side at Garvy Elementary School, William C. Goudy Technology Academy and Theodore Roosevelt High School; on the West Side at Michele Clark Academic Prep Magnet High School and John Spry Community School; in the South Loop at Jones College Prep; and on the South Side at Morgan Park High School, George Washington High School, Richardson Middle School, Wendell Phillips Academy High School and Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Paideia Academy. Advertisement Burnson said one of the greatest challenges has been securing construction permits. Requests that cover more than a million feet of fiber have been submitted, he said, with about a half-million feet approved. There are more than two dozen members of the city Office of Underground Coordination, including Peoples Gas, ComEd and AT&T, that review proposals to determine if excavation work will affect their infrastructure. If there is any change thats required by one of those organizations, you have to start the process over, so that way everyone is signed off on that final process, Burnson said. Weve been working with (the Chicago Department of Transportation) and other city agencies, and theyve been very supportive, but its still a very involved process to get the permits for the amount of work that were doing. There have been some construction and street parking woes as well. Crews drill horizontally under the surface of the street to install pipework the fiber runs through. Burnson said some complaints have been lodged about the temporary patching thats put in place while the work is being completed. There have been some quality issues that weve addressed with the aldermens office, as well as the subcontractors that are doing the actual construction work, he said. Were definitely working to make sure that any impact to citizens in the city are minimized as much as possible. tswartz@tribpub.com DGLimages / Getty Images/iStockphoto Stretching your nest egg as far as possible is something that's most likely front of mind for retirees who aren't very wealthy. With no new sources of income aside from Social Security or possibly a pension, it's important to find a place to retire that won't drain your savings. Related: Here's Exactly How Much Savings You Need To Retire In Your State Read: Ways Investing Will Change in the Next 25 Years However, getting a clear sense of exactly how long your retirement savings will last requires understanding how much it costs to live in the state you're calling home. As anyone trying to get by somewhere with a high cost of living can attest, even basic necessities can quickly start to winnow down your retirement account. And it only gets more complicated if you decide you don't want to spend your entire retirement in the same place, as your costs won't be consistent throughout your retirement. See: Mutual Funds: Everything You Need To Know That's why GOBankingRates performed a study to compare the cost of living in every state and determine how long you can survive off of $100,000. Granted, $100,000 won't buy you a lot of time in any state. But, these results will give you a sense of just how much you need to save. Last updated: Sept. 24, 2021 kieferpix / Getty Images/iStockphoto 50. Hawaii Annual Expenditure: $85,243 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 2 months, 3 days To say that Hawaii is the most expensive state to live in is something of an understatement: Hawaiians pay over $20,000 more per year than the second-most expensive state, California. You'll need over $2 million to survive retirement in this state -- the most in the country. See: 42 Easy Ways To Save For Retirement MundusImages / Getty Images 49. California Annual Expenditure: $64,516 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 6 months, 18 days California's not an easy place to stretch your retirement dollar, with the cost of housing coming in at more than double the average for the country. Check Out: How Long $1 Million in Savings Will Last in Every State Story continues xavierarnau / iStock.com 48. New York Annual Expenditure: $61,267 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 7 months, 17 days Some might gripe that the only thing imperial about the Empire State is how much it costs to live there, with the average New Yorker needing more than $60,000 a year to cover expenses. See: 10 Best Retirement Plan Options pkujiahe / Getty Images/iStockphoto 47. Alaska Annual Expenditure: $59,895 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 8 months Costs in Alaska are generally high -- particularly for healthcare and utilities -- but there's one area where the state won't eat so far into your nest egg: Alaska is the most tax-friendly state for retirees. Discover: How To Protect Your Retirement Savings During the Coronavirus Pandemic WilliamSherman / Getty Images 46. Maryland Annual Expenditure: $59,666 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 8 months, 2 days Maryland is one of the more expensive states for retirees to live in, but a lot of the older residents can afford it: It's one of the states with the richest retirees. RyanJLane / Getty Images 45. Oregon Annual Expenditure: $59,483 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 8 months Oregon has a cost of living that's 30% higher than the country as a whole. However, if you're dead set on enjoying the beautiful coastlines of the Pacific Northwest in your golden years, consider making your home in Brandon. It's the best city in the state to buy a home. FilippoBacci / Getty Images/iStockphoto 44. Massachusetts Annual Expenditure: $58,385 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 8 months, 16 days Massachusetts is not a state that's kind to your retirement savings, with sky-high housing costs playing the biggest part in making things difficult. It's also the state where a comfortable retirement costs the most at about $65,000 a year. JayLazarin / Getty Images 43. Connecticut Annual Expenditure: $58,156 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 8 months, 18 days Not only is Connecticut one of the pricier states in the country to live in, but for many retirees, the source of their income might not be as stable as they would hope. Connecticut is the worst state for pensions in the U.S. BDphoto / Getty Images 42. Rhode Island Annual Expenditure: $55,914 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 9 months, 13 days If you've compiled an impressive nest egg over the course of your career, Rhode Island isn't a great place to keep it protected. KenWiedemann / Getty Images 41. New Jersey Annual Expenditure: $54,175 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 10 months, 3 days Like many of the most expensive states in the country, the main culprit for New Jersey's high cost of living is housing, with New Jersey residents paying almost 50% more than the average American for a place to live. XKarDoc / Getty Images/iStockphoto 40. Vermont Annual Expenditure: $53,718 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 10 months, 9 days Not only is Vermont a tough place to maintain your nest egg, it's also a pretty rough spot for building it up as well. The Green Mountain State is the state where it's hardest to save $1 million for retirement, found another GOBankingRates study. Take Action: Do These 13 Things To Boost Your Retirement Savings Now edella / Getty Images 39. Maine Annual Expenditure: $53,214 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 10 months, 15 days It's possible that the high cost of living in Maine has some residents thinking big in terms of what it means to be wealthy. In a GOBankingRates survey, the most common answer for what it meant to be "rich" in Maine was an income of $10 million a year or more, the highest answer for any state. CHBD / Getty Images/iStockphoto 38. New Hampshire Annual Expenditure: $51,247 $100,000 Will Last: $1 year, 11 months, 12 days If you're dead set on living in New Hampshire in retirement but you're looking to avoid some of those high costs, steer well clear of the 03854 ZIP code -- home to New Castle Island. It's the most expensive ZIP code in the state. ImagineGolf / Getty Images 37. Nevada Annual Expenditure: $50,469 $100,000 Will Last: $1 year, 11 months, 23 days If you want to spend your golden years in the Silver State, prepare to spend a little more. Costs are at least 10% higher than the national average across every category except for utilities, where they're actually 20% under what the rest of America pays. Joel Carillet / Getty Images 36. Washington Annual Expenditure: $49,554 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 days If you're surprised to see Washington so far down this list, keep in mind that it's home to Seattle, one of the most expensive cities in the country. To live comfortably in Seattle you need nearly $90,000 a year, which outpaces everywhere but the usual suspects in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York and Washington, D.C. 1MoreCreative / Getty Images 35. Delaware Annual Expenditure: $48,227 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 25 days Although Delaware might be on the higher side for costs, it can also offer some great ways to protect your nest egg: It's one of the best states to retire rich in the country. Adventure_Photo / Getty Images 34. Colorado Annual Expenditure: $47,540 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 1 month, 5 days The cost to live comfortably in Denver is over $77,000 a year, making it one of the most expensive cities in the country. If you want to stay in the Rocky Mountain State but don't like the "mile high" costs in Denver, consider Colorado Springs where it's over $10,000 a year cheaper. urbancow / Getty Images 33. Montana Annual Expenditure: $47,540 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 1 month, 5 days If you were hoping to keep your nest egg healthy after retiring to Montana by investing well, you might find it harder there than elsewhere. Montana is one of the worst states to grow your money, according to a separate GOBankingRates study. Joel Carillet / Getty Images 32. Virginia Annual Expenditure: $46,717 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 1 month, 19 days You'll pay less for groceries, utilities and transportation than the average American if you opt to retire to Virginia, but there's clearly more to the story. That would be the cost of housing, which is over 10% higher than the national average. catnap72 / Getty Images 31. Pennsylvania Annual Expenditure: $46,305 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 1 month, 26 days Pennsylvania is the first state on this list where housing costs are actually below average when compared to the country as a whole. However, if you're looking to stretch your retirement savings as far as possible, you can still do better, especially when Pennsylvanians pay more than average for groceries, utilities and transportation. RiverNorthPhotography / Getty Images 30. South Dakota Annual Expenditure: $46,305 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 1 month, 26 days There's one thing you don't have to worry about in South Dakota: state income tax. That's because it's one of the seven states without any, which could make a significant difference in how long you can stretch that nest egg. sharply_done / Getty Images/iStockphoto 29. Minnesota Annual Expenditure: $45,848 $100,000 Will Last: $2 years, 2 months, 6 days No state is closer to the average cost of living than Minnesota, where costs are just 0.2% higher than the country as a whole. That's not true statewide, though, as Minneapolis is among the more expensive major cities in the country. The cost to live comfortably there is $77,512 a year. Shutterstock.com 28. North Dakota Annual Expenditure: $45,298 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 2 months, 15 days One place you probably won't overspend in North Dakota is on housing. Even if the state's most expensive ZIP code -- the 58503 ZIP north of Bismarck -- has a median home price of $339,600, that's still less than half of what it is for Hawaii. nycshooter / Getty Images 27. Florida Annual Expenditure: $45,253 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 2 months, 16 days Florida might only be middle-of-the-pack for stretching a six-figure retirement fund, but it's still a popular destination for many retirees. And you have plenty of options to choose from in terms of which Florida city stacks up the best for you. Take Action Now: How To Protect Your Retirement Savings During the Coronavirus Pandemic peeterv / Getty Images/iStockphoto 26. South Carolina Annual Expenditure: $44,978 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 2 months, 21 days The question of how long $100,000 lasts in retirement might be especially apt for South Carolina. A GOBankingRates survey determined that most residents of the Palmetto State have about $50,000-$100,000 saved for retirement. ablokhin / Getty Images 25. West Virginia Annual Expenditure: $44,292 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 3 months, 3 days West Virginians are paying less for housing and utilities than most Americans, but that's counter-balanced by higher-than-average costs on groceries and "miscellaneous" expenses. Kirkikis / Getty Images 24. Illinois Annual Expenditure: $44,246 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 3 months, 3 days Illinois is the first state on the better half of this survey, with the average retiree being able to squeeze a full three months out of the third year on that initial $100,000. And if you decide you want to make the Windy City your home, you'll have plenty of options in selecting from the many different suburbs around the city. amygdala_imagery / Getty Images 23. Utah Annual Expenditure: $44,200 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 3 months, 4 days Regardless of how long it lasts, Utah is doing plenty to help you build that retirement account. It's the state where it's easiest to save $1 million for retirement. dlewis33 / Getty Images 22. Wisconsin Annual Expenditure: $44,063 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 3 months, 7 days You can make $100,000 last over two years in retirement if you're living in the Badger State. However, if you're thinking you'll just need to earn $100,000 in that last year before you hang it up, you should know that you only take home $67,124 from a $100,000 salary after taxes in Wisconsin. wanderluster / Getty Images 21. Arizona Annual Expenditure: $43,285 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 3 months, 22 days Arizona's costs are lower than the national average in every category except utilities, helping retirees stretch their savings. iofoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto 20. North Carolina Annual Expenditure: $42,965 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 3 months, 28 days If you're looking for a place to live in retirement where you're not in the hustle and bustle of the city but also still close enough to take advantage of city living on occasion, North Carolina might be the place to look. Three of the best suburbs for retirement are in the Tarheel State: Bermuda Run, Fairfield Harbour and Sunset Beach. Are High-Yield Savings Accounts Worth It? Here's Everything You Need To Know peeterv / Getty Images/iStockphoto 19. Louisiana Annual Expenditure: $42,736 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 3 days Not only is Louisiana among the better states for stretching your savings in retirement, it's also the best state to grow your money, found a separate GOBankingRates study. Shutterstock.com 18. Nebraska Annual Expenditure: $42,736 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 3 days Nebraska's cost-of-living scores are either at or below the national average in every category except for transportation. However, at least some of the money you can save on things like groceries and housing will end up with the state government: Nebraska is the least tax-friendly state for retirees. Shutterstock.com 17. New Mexico Annual Expenditure: $42,507 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 7 days If you enjoy life in the big city but can't handle the high cost of living that usually comes with it, New Mexico might offer you the best compromise. You only need to make $53,384 a year to live comfortably in Albuquerque, one of the lowest figures among the 50 largest U.S. cities. Davel5957 / Getty Images/iStockphoto 16. Ohio Annual Expenditure: $42,416 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 9 days Housing is especially affordable in Ohio, coming in at almost 25% less than what the average American is paying. Add that to costs that are either below average or less than 2% over it, and it's not hard to see why Ohio cracked the top 20 in this study. Shutterstock.com 15. Idaho Annual Expenditure: $42,416 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 9 days Idaho's scenic landscape could be considered incentive enough to retire there, but the state's low costs are an additional perk, allowing you to last into the fifth month of your third year on $100,000. Shutterstock.com 14. Kentucky Annual Expenditure: $42,370 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 10 days Kentucky's biggest cost advantage over other states is in its housing, where you'll pay almost 20% less than the national average. With a median home price of just $136,600, the cost of a home in this state is one many Americans can actually afford. Shutterstock.com 13. Iowa Annual Expenditure: $42,050 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 17 days Like many states in the Midwest, Iowa boasts low housing costs that help push the overall cost of living down significantly. However, while it's housing leading the charge, Iowa's costs are below what the average American pays across the board. Purdue9394 / Getty Images 12. Indiana Annual Expenditure: $41,867 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 20 days Indiana offers retirees the chance to stretch their savings much further than most of the country; this is important to the Hoosier State, as Indiana is the state with the poorest retirees in the country. Jeremy Hardin / Getty Images/iStockphoto 11. Wyoming Annual Expenditure: $41,821 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 21 days The cost of living in Wyoming is lower than it is for the country as a whole, but the high cost of healthcare for seniors could quickly erase much of that benefit. Employing either homemaker services or a home health aide will run you about $5,000 a year. Zview / iStock.com 10. Texas Annual Expenditure: $41,775 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 22 days Texas offers a range of advantages to its elderly residents when it comes to stretching retirement dollars. In fact, eight of the 30 best cities to retire on a budget of $1,000 a month or less are in the Lone Star State. krblokhin / Getty Images/iStockphoto 9. Georgia Annual Expenditure: $41,546 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 27 days Low costs in Georgia mean a retiree can make $100,000 last them for almost two years and five months. Even if you're living well by saving on basic costs, though, not everyone is in the same situation: Atlanta is among the places in the U.S. with the most income inequality. Shutterstock.com 8. Kansas Annual Expenditure: $40,952 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 9 days Kansas is a great state to retire to if you want to stretch your nest egg as far as possible, and it's even better if you're living off of a pension funded by the state: Kansas is one of the best states for pensions. Joel Carillet / Getty Images 7. Tennessee Annual Expenditure: $40,906 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 10 days Whether it's the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville or Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee is a great state for American music. Of course, if you're retired and living there, it's the low costs that might be music to your ears. TriggerPhoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto 6. Missouri Annual Expenditure: $40,677 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 15 days Although most costs are lower in Missouri, the Show-Me State is especially affordable when it comes to housing. A year of a roof over your head costs an average of just $11,597, making it one of just five states where you can expect to pay under $12,000 per annum. Don't Miss: Best Online Savings Accounts for Earning High-Yield Profits Shutterstock.com 5. Alabama Annual Expenditure: $40,631 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 16 days You can expect to stretch your retirement savings by retiring almost anywhere in the Yellow Hammer State, but that's especially true if you decide to call the city of Birmingham home: It's one of the cheapest places to retire in the entire country. dlewis33 / Getty Images 4. Arkansas Annual Expenditure: $40,631 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 16 days The cost of a comfortable retirement in Arkansas is very low, coming in below any other state in the country save for Mississippi and its incredibly low cost of living. RiverNorthPhotography / Getty Images 3. Michigan Annual Expenditure: $40,586 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 17 days The Great Lake State is as welcoming as it is scenic, and the low costs mean you can enjoy more of it with your nest egg. Tiago_Fernandez / Getty Images 2. Oklahoma Annual Expenditure: $40,403 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 21 days Oklahoma has low costs statewide that will help you stretch $100,000 to almost a full two and a half years. And unlike many states, that extends to the state's largest city as well: $1 million will last you 24 and a half years in retirement in Oklahoma City, making it one of the most affordable U.S. cities for retirees. Shutterstock.com 1. Mississippi Annual Expenditure: $38,435 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 7 months, 6 days No state has a lower cost for a comfortable retirement than Mississippi, where you can expect to pay almost a third less for housing than the country as a whole. All told, the cumulative cost of living in Mississippi is 16% lower than the national average. Andrew Zarivny / Shutterstock.com How Long $100K in Retirement Will Last in Every State States on either coast might offer a lot in terms of great weather and loads of culture, but they certainly ask a lot in terms of your pocketbook. The 15 states where $100,000 stretches the least in retirement include all five states on the Pacific Ocean (Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska). On the East Coast, the worst states for your retirement nest egg are New York, Maryland, New Jersey and all six of the states that make up New England. On the other end of the list, it's hard to miss that states from the South and the Midwest have the lowest costs by far. Of the 15 states where your $100,000 in retirement savings goes the furthest, all but two (Idaho and Wyoming) are in one of those two regions. More From GOBankingRates Methodology: In order to determine how long $100,000 will last the average retiree in each state, GOBankingRates found the average total expenditures for people 65 and older, which includes groceries, housing, utilities, transportation and healthcare. GOBankingRates then multiplied that by the cost of living index in each state to find the average annual expenditure cost for each state. Once the annual cost was found, it was divided by $100,000 and then converted into years, months and days to show how long the average annual expenditure for people 65 and older would last in every state. This research was conducted in August 2018. This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Long $100K in Retirement Will Last in Every State Old Dominion Universitys 7th annual State of the Commonwealth Report explores the past year in Virginia, and asks whether the Virginia Way of civility, democracy and fiscal discipline remains a model for governance. With a new governor and majority in the House of Delegates, an opportunity exists for bipartisan policy that addresses the shocks of the pandemic and improves long-term growth in the state. While the loudest voices on social media and cable news suggest that Virginia is torn apart by vaccine resistance and hyperpartisan politics, the data reflect a more nuanced reality. The emergence of the delta and omicron variants illustrates the wisdom of much of Virginias vaccination strategy. Deaths per capita were significantly lower here than in Florida or Texas during deltas summer surge. By mid-December, 3 in 4 Virginians had received one vaccine dose and almost 70% of the population was considered fully vaccinated. If vaccinations were on the ballot in the 2021 general election, they would have won in a landslide. Yet, we also must recognize the damage done by well-intentioned policies. Closing public schools in the spring of 2020 was a reasonable response to an unknown virus. Evidence, however, demonstrated lower virus transmission in K-12 settings with appropriate mitigation measures (masks, improving ventilation). Keeping schools closed for much of the 2020-21 school year may have created costs to students far greater than benefits to the public at large. We may have yet to see the costs of prolonged school closures. The World Bank recently increased its estimate of lost lifetime earnings for the current generation of students from $10 trillion to $17 trillion. In the United States, the Surgeon General noted that 1 in 4 young Americans exhibit signs of depression and 1 in 5 suffer from anxiety. Emergency department visits for suicide attempts by adolescent girls jumped 51% from 2019 to early 2021. While we cannot change policies of the past, Virginia can move forward. The question is how. First, Virginia should consider using a portion of its state surplus to scale up youth and adult mental health services. A recent report from Mental Health America estimated 55% of Virginians who experienced a major depressive episode did not receive treatment. Virginia is ranked 40th among states for access to a trained mental health workforce. There is an unseen pandemic in Virginia that will have significant economic consequences if left unaddressed. Returning some portion of the budget surplus to taxpayers is an attractive alternative, but economic conditions can change rapidly. A new COVID-19 variant, a conflict in Europe over Ukraine or deteriorating relations with China could spark an economic downturn. If rebate plans move forward, it may be best to return a portion of the surplus in phases triggered by improving economic conditions. This approach, while risk-averse, also would avoid the need to decrease spending or increase taxes if economic conditions sour. The current government surplus will prompt calls for incremental changes to taxes in the commonwealth. Yes, removing the grocery sales tax would provide some relief to Virginians facing higher food prices. However, sales tax revenues also would become more volatile to changes in economic conditions. Instead of an incremental change in the sales tax, Virginia could reform the entire tax base by including services and lowering rates so that the overall impact is revenue neutral. The commonwealth can improve its business climate by simplifying personal and corporate taxes, and getting rid of outdated and inefficient nuisance taxes. While smaller taxes such as the Business, Professional and Occupational License Tax provide local governments with some independence from Richmond, the variation in rates and bases across localities is not efficient. Eliminating these taxes would require increased revenue sharing between the state and local governments, but it ultimately would reduce costs to businesses and local governments alike. In these times, we should not forget the Virginia Way. Dont let social media coarsen our public discourse. The 2021 election showed the willingness of Virginians to participate in democracy and that power can transition peacefully without rancor. Lastly, the states budget surplus proves the wisdom of fiscal discipline in the face of uncertain economic conditions. While not every step in Virginia has been perfect, the general arc of the commonwealth has been forward. While we may disagree on many things, we always should keep in mind the ties that bind us. If we choose, we can move forward as one state, sharing in a common wealth and uncommon dreams. With the anticipated need for a lot more lithium to put into batteries to help power a greener future, you might think environmentalists would give a pass to some of the negative effects of the proposed lithium mines that are being planned at sites around Nevada. Thats not the case. The opposition to some of the proposed mines has been strong and may even be ramping up. Thacker Pass Lithium Americas Thacker Pass lithium mine may be the biggest project on the horizon, and it is facing lots of opposition. Lithium Americas has been working for years on plans for Thacker Pass, which is about 60 miles northwest of Winnemucca. The companys website says Thacker Pass is the largest known lithium resource in the United States. Lithium Americas estimates there is $3.9 billion worth of recoverable lithium at the site. The company has said it hopes to start mining operations next year. The mine is expected to produce up to 60,000 tons a year of battery-quality lithium carbonate, which would be a huge boost to the world supply of lithium. The mine is expected to employ about 300 people and have a 46-year mine life. On Jan. 15, 2021, the last Friday of the Trump Administration, the Bureau of Land Management approved the Record of Decision for Thacker Pass, giving federal approval to the project. That evening, Will Falk and Max Wilbert set out on an eight-hour drive to the Thacker Pass site to set up a camp nearby to protest the mine. People have been camped out there ever since. Falk and Wilbert are radical environmentalists, with Falk writing on the protectthackerpass.org website that I hate fossil fuels and actively advocate for the dismantling of all industrial infrastructure Elisabeth Robson wrote on the website, Many people believe they cant live without cars. But all humans lived without cars until a mere 113 years ago, and we can do so again. A world without cars is a quieter, slower, and more wonderful world, not just for humans but for everyone. I hope one day a militant and offensive environmental movement forms, Falk wrote. The people opposed to the Thacker Pass mine and other lithium mine projects dont all hold these views, of course, but have a variety of reasons for their opposition. A March 10 letter in the Elko Daily Free Press from Alex Eisenberg said the plan to transition to electric vehicles in the years ahead is incredibly short-sighted and irresponsible and will do virtually nothing to curb carbon emissions, as electric car production is completely reliant on the fossil fuel industry. The Thacker Pass mine alone would burn 11,000 gallons of diesel every day for onsite operations, the letter said. Double that for off-site operations. Carbon emissions are expected to be 150,000+ tons per year, equating to 2.3 tons of carbon for every ton of lithium produced. Hundreds of tons of sulfur (ironically a waste product from oil refineries) would be used daily in mine operations. On Feb. 11, 2021, Edward Bartell, a rancher who owns property above and below the mine, filed a lawsuit with a long list of objections to the mine. One of his big concerns is the water the mine will use. The projects Environmental Impact Statement says the projected water demand for years 5 through 41 is equivalent to an average pumping rate of 3,224 gallons per minute. On Feb. 26, 2021, the Western Watersheds Project, Wildlands Defense, Great Basin Resource Watch, and Basin and Range Watch filed a lawsuit saying the Thacker Pass Record of Decision did not adequately gauge the mines impacts on greater sage grouse and other wildlife. Local Indigenous communities say Thacker Pass is important to them historically and in their daily lives. Local tribal members have been camping near the mine site to protest the mine. The tribal council of the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation, which is about 26 miles from the mine site, made an engagement agreement with Lithium Nevada in 2020, but withdrew from the agreement in March 2021. On July 28, the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and Atsa Koodakuh Wyh Nuwu/People of Red Mountain were allowed to intervene as plaintiffs in the lawsuits against the mine. On Aug. 6, the Burns Paiute Tribe was also allowed to intervene. Additional court filings have been made since then. On Sept. 5, U.S. District Court Judge Miranda Du denied a request from the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and the People of Red Mountain for a preliminary injunction to temporarily halt work. Falk is a lawyer for the People of the Red Mountain, but he told The Guardian he is skeptical they will be able to win by arguing the right things. Eventually were going to have to be ready to physically block construction equipment. I think that one of the ways to wake up people in the United States (is seeing) people getting dragged away by the police for trying to protect their land. And I think thats where this is going, Falk said. Humboldt County Manager Dave Mendiola told Inside Climate News, I guess you can chain yourself to the fence like some of the protesters might do and I dont blame them for that. But in the end, as a company, if theyve followed all the rules, youre probably not going to stop it. What we can do as a county is monitor it and come up with ways to address problems now. Rhyolite Ridge At ioneers proposed Rhyolite Ridge lithium mine about 65 miles southwest of Tonopah, debates continue over the Tiehms buckwheat that is found only on the site. James Calaway, executive chairman of ioneer Ltd., said the company is working to protect the plant and increase the size of its habitat. He said about half of the plants were destroyed by drought and rodents last year. John Scire, PhD, an adjunct professor at UNR, said in a December editorial that the bottom line is that the Fish and Wildlife Service should veto the false claims by the Las Vegans that the ioneer mine will wipe out the buckwheat plants and should consider instead the macro environmental impacts of not letting the mine get cranked up ASAP. The best available science supports that the mine and the plant can co-exist. However, Patrick Donnelly, the Nevada director of the Center for Biological Diversity, said he disagrees with ioneers expectation that the wildflower can be established near the current growing site. Attempts to propagate the plants failed, Donnelly told Mining the West magazine. They all died, so ioneer doesnt have a plan. Their plan is bunk and doesnt reflect the consensus of the scientific community. There is no compromise. They cannot hurt the buckwheat, Donnelly said. He said the Center for Biological Diversity does not oppose lithium mining, and lithium is all over the place in Nevada. Other projects Other companies are working on developing other possible lithium mine sites around Nevada. Mike Kobler, general manager of U.S. operations for Tonopah Lithium Corp., told the Nye County commissioners at their Nov. 2 meeting that his companys mine site about six miles northwest of Tonopah could become one of the biggest lithium resources in the world. We are in the perfect location in Nevada, Kobler said. We dont have the sage grouse issues that they have up north, we dont have the desert tortoise issues that they have down south, we have not found any Tiehms buckwheat; weve cleared all of our environmental hurdles and cultural hurdles, so were just moving ahead. In addition to Nevada, companies are also working on proposed lithium production sites in California, Oregon, Tennessee, Arkansas and North Carolina. Other countries The United States is not the only country with pushback against new lithium mines. In Serbia, Rio Tinto has been planning a $2.4 billion lithium mine. For three consecutive weekends in late 2021, thousands of protesters blocked roads in Serbia to protest lithium mining, with environmentalists saying that extracting lithium causes huge damage to mined areas. On Dec. 16, authorities in western Serbia suspended a plan that would allow Rio Tinto to operate the lithium mine. We will continue to provide information on all aspects of the project for which we are responsible and in which we participate, Rio Tinto said in a statement. Chile, which has about 44% of the worlds lithium reserves, elected leftist Gabriel Boric as president on Dec. 19, but it is not clear what impact Borics election will have on lithium mining. Boric has supported mining tax hikes and royalties and promised to create a state-run lithium company. A bold agenda If efforts to stop proposed lithium mines in Nevada and elsewhere in the United States are successful, then as the need for lithium ramps up, lithium mining could escalate in countries that have fewer environmental regulations than the U.S., and more fuel will be burned shipping lithium and batteries around the world and to the U.S. In the National Blueprint for Lithium Batteries 2021-2030 published in June 2021, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm wrote, The Biden Administration has laid out a bold agenda to address the climate crisis and build a clean and equitable energy economy that achieves carbon-pollution-free electricity by 2035, and puts the United States on a path to achieve net-zero emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050 to the benefit of all Americans. The report says the Federal Consortium for Advanced Batteries will secure U.S. access to raw materials for lithium batteries by incentivizing growth in safe, equitable, and sustainable domestic mining ventures while leveraging partnerships with allies and partners to establish a diversified supply. The worldwide lithium battery market is expected to grow by a factor of 5 to 10 in the next decade, the report says. The U.S. industrial base must be positioned to respond to this vast increase in market demand that otherwise will likely benefit well-resourced and supported competitors in Asia and Europe. However, on May 25, 2021, Reuters ran a story saying, U.S. President Joe Biden will rely on ally countries to supply the bulk of the metals needed to build electric vehicles and focus on processing them domestically into battery parts, part of a strategy designed to placate environmentalists, two administration officials with direct knowledge told Reuters. The plans will be a blow to U.S. miners who had hoped Biden would rely primarily on domestically sourced metals, as his campaign had signaled last autumn. Current production Currently about 46% of the worlds mine production of lithium is in Australia, and about 21% is Chile and another 16% is in China, according to U.S. Geological Survey data. In the United States, all the lithium mining is at one mine in Nevada, and accounts for less than 2% of the worlds mine production. Albemarle Corporations Silver Peak lithium mine is about 40 miles southwest of Tonopah and has been in operation since the 1960s. A May 6, 2021 New York Times story said Silver Peak produces about 5,000 tons of lithium a year. On Jan. 7, 2021, Albemarle announced that it planned to invest $30 million to $50 million to double the lithium production at Silver Peak by 2025. The company also said it planned to begin exploration in 2021 and evaluate technology that could accelerate the viability of lithium production from clay resources in the region. The lithium produced at Silver Peak is shipped to Asia to be made into cathodes for batteries. China has for years been focused on building capacity at every stage of the battery supply chain, according to a Sept. 1, 2020 VOA News story. China has been buying stakes in mining operations in Australia and South America where most of the worlds lithium reserves are found, the VOA story said. Chinas Ganfeng Lithium, which has been snapping up lithium mines and salt lakes abroad as it plots out an ambitious road map for growth, according to a Dec. 8, 2021 Nikkei Asia story, is the largest shareholder in Lithium Americas, the company planning the Thacker Pass mine, according to the New York Times story. To add to all the lithium news and heat up the global competition for lithium resources even more, lithium prices shot way up in 2021, increasing about 240%. The future In the years ahead, refining capacity might be built in the U.S. as more battery factories and electric vehicle factories are built here. The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Dec. 20, 2021 that 13 new electric vehicle battery factories are planned in the U.S. within the next five years. Most of these factories will be in the Southeast or Midwest. So, although U.S. will lag behind China, parts of the EV battery supply chain will be growing in the U.S. in the years ahead. But the question remains, how much of the lithium and other elements needed for the supply chain will come from mines in Nevada? Well being finding that out as the approval and funding processes and the legal battles and protests roll on. With the anticipated need for a lot more lithium to put into batteries to help power a greener future, you might think environmentalists would give a pass to some of the negative effects of the proposed lithium mines that are being planned at sites around Nevada. Thats not the case. The opposition to some of the proposed mines has been strong and may even be ramping up. Thacker Pass Lithium Americas Thacker Pass lithium mine may be the biggest project on the horizon, and it is facing lots of opposition. Lithium Americas has been working for years on plans for Thacker Pass, which is about 60 miles northwest of Winnemucca. The companys website says Thacker Pass is the largest known lithium resource in the United States. Lithium Americas estimates there is $3.9 billion worth of recoverable lithium at the site. The company has said it hopes to start mining operations next year. The mine is expected to produce up to 60,000 tons a year of battery-quality lithium carbonate, which would be a huge boost to the world supply of lithium. The mine is expected to employ about 300 people and have a 46-year mine life. On Jan. 15, 2021, the last Friday of the Trump Administration, the Bureau of Land Management approved the Record of Decision for Thacker Pass, giving federal approval to the project. That evening, Will Falk and Max Wilbert set out on an eight-hour drive to the Thacker Pass site to set up a camp nearby to protest the mine. People have been camped out there ever since. Falk and Wilbert are radical environmentalists, with Falk writing on the protectthackerpass.org website that I hate fossil fuels and actively advocate for the dismantling of all industrial infrastructure Elisabeth Robson wrote on the website, Many people believe they cant live without cars. But all humans lived without cars until a mere 113 years ago, and we can do so again. A world without cars is a quieter, slower, and more wonderful world, not just for humans but for everyone. I hope one day a militant and offensive environmental movement forms, Falk wrote. The people opposed to the Thacker Pass mine and other lithium mine projects dont all hold these views, of course, but have a variety of reasons for their opposition. A March 10 letter in the Elko Daily Free Press from Alex Eisenberg said the plan to transition to electric vehicles in the years ahead is incredibly short-sighted and irresponsible and will do virtually nothing to curb carbon emissions, as electric car production is completely reliant on the fossil fuel industry. The Thacker Pass mine alone would burn 11,000 gallons of diesel every day for onsite operations, the letter said. Double that for off-site operations. Carbon emissions are expected to be 150,000+ tons per year, equating to 2.3 tons of carbon for every ton of lithium produced. Hundreds of tons of sulfur (ironically a waste product from oil refineries) would be used daily in mine operations. On Feb. 11, 2021, Edward Bartell, a rancher who owns property above and below the mine, filed a lawsuit with a long list of objections to the mine. One of his big concerns is the water the mine will use. The projects Environmental Impact Statement says the projected water demand for years 5 through 41 is equivalent to an average pumping rate of 3,224 gallons per minute. On Feb. 26, 2021, the Western Watersheds Project, Wildlands Defense, Great Basin Resource Watch, and Basin and Range Watch filed a lawsuit saying the Thacker Pass Record of Decision did not adequately gauge the mines impacts on greater sage grouse and other wildlife. Local Indigenous communities say Thacker Pass is important to them historically and in their daily lives. Local tribal members have been camping near the mine site to protest the mine. The tribal council of the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation, which is about 26 miles from the mine site, made an engagement agreement with Lithium Nevada in 2020, but withdrew from the agreement in March 2021. On July 28, the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and Atsa Koodakuh Wyh Nuwu/People of Red Mountain were allowed to intervene as plaintiffs in the lawsuits against the mine. On Aug. 6, the Burns Paiute Tribe was also allowed to intervene. Additional court filings have been made since then. On Sept. 5, U.S. District Court Judge Miranda Du denied a request from the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and the People of Red Mountain for a preliminary injunction to temporarily halt work. Falk is a lawyer for the People of the Red Mountain, but he told The Guardian he is skeptical they will be able to win by arguing the right things. Eventually were going to have to be ready to physically block construction equipment. I think that one of the ways to wake up people in the United States (is seeing) people getting dragged away by the police for trying to protect their land. And I think thats where this is going, Falk said. Humboldt County Manager Dave Mendiola told Inside Climate News, I guess you can chain yourself to the fence like some of the protesters might do and I dont blame them for that. But in the end, as a company, if theyve followed all the rules, youre probably not going to stop it. What we can do as a county is monitor it and come up with ways to address problems now. Rhyolite Ridge At ioneers proposed Rhyolite Ridge lithium mine about 65 miles southwest of Tonopah, debates continue over the Tiehms buckwheat that is found only on the site. James Calaway, executive chairman of ioneer Ltd., said the company is working to protect the plant and increase the size of its habitat. He said about half of the plants were destroyed by drought and rodents last year. John Scire, PhD, an adjunct professor at UNR, said in a December editorial that the bottom line is that the Fish and Wildlife Service should veto the false claims by the Las Vegans that the ioneer mine will wipe out the buckwheat plants and should consider instead the macro environmental impacts of not letting the mine get cranked up ASAP. The best available science supports that the mine and the plant can co-exist. However, Patrick Donnelly, the Nevada director of the Center for Biological Diversity, said he disagrees with ioneers expectation that the wildflower can be established near the current growing site. Attempts to propagate the plants failed, Donnelly told Mining the West magazine. They all died, so ioneer doesnt have a plan. Their plan is bunk and doesnt reflect the consensus of the scientific community. There is no compromise. They cannot hurt the buckwheat, Donnelly said. He said the Center for Biological Diversity does not oppose lithium mining, and lithium is all over the place in Nevada. Other projects Other companies are working on developing other possible lithium mine sites around Nevada. Mike Kobler, general manager of U.S. operations for Tonopah Lithium Corp., told the Nye County commissioners at their Nov. 2 meeting that his companys mine site about six miles northwest of Tonopah could become one of the biggest lithium resources in the world. We are in the perfect location in Nevada, Kobler said. We dont have the sage grouse issues that they have up north, we dont have the desert tortoise issues that they have down south, we have not found any Tiehms buckwheat; weve cleared all of our environmental hurdles and cultural hurdles, so were just moving ahead. In addition to Nevada, companies are also working on proposed lithium production sites in California, Oregon, Tennessee, Arkansas and North Carolina. Other countries The United States is not the only country with pushback against new lithium mines. In Serbia, Rio Tinto has been planning a $2.4 billion lithium mine. For three consecutive weekends in late 2021, thousands of protesters blocked roads in Serbia to protest lithium mining, with environmentalists saying that extracting lithium causes huge damage to mined areas. On Dec. 16, authorities in western Serbia suspended a plan that would allow Rio Tinto to operate the lithium mine. We will continue to provide information on all aspects of the project for which we are responsible and in which we participate, Rio Tinto said in a statement. Chile, which has about 44% of the worlds lithium reserves, elected leftist Gabriel Boric as president on Dec. 19, but it is not clear what impact Borics election will have on lithium mining. Boric has supported mining tax hikes and royalties and promised to create a state-run lithium company. A bold agenda If efforts to stop proposed lithium mines in Nevada and elsewhere in the United States are successful, then as the need for lithium ramps up, lithium mining could escalate in countries that have fewer environmental regulations than the U.S., and more fuel will be burned shipping lithium and batteries around the world and to the U.S. In the National Blueprint for Lithium Batteries 2021-2030 published in June 2021, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm wrote, The Biden Administration has laid out a bold agenda to address the climate crisis and build a clean and equitable energy economy that achieves carbon-pollution-free electricity by 2035, and puts the United States on a path to achieve net-zero emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050 to the benefit of all Americans. The report says the Federal Consortium for Advanced Batteries will secure U.S. access to raw materials for lithium batteries by incentivizing growth in safe, equitable, and sustainable domestic mining ventures while leveraging partnerships with allies and partners to establish a diversified supply. The worldwide lithium battery market is expected to grow by a factor of 5 to 10 in the next decade, the report says. The U.S. industrial base must be positioned to respond to this vast increase in market demand that otherwise will likely benefit well-resourced and supported competitors in Asia and Europe. However, on May 25, 2021, Reuters ran a story saying, U.S. President Joe Biden will rely on ally countries to supply the bulk of the metals needed to build electric vehicles and focus on processing them domestically into battery parts, part of a strategy designed to placate environmentalists, two administration officials with direct knowledge told Reuters. The plans will be a blow to U.S. miners who had hoped Biden would rely primarily on domestically sourced metals, as his campaign had signaled last autumn. Current production Currently about 46% of the worlds mine production of lithium is in Australia, and about 21% is Chile and another 16% is in China, according to U.S. Geological Survey data. In the United States, all the lithium mining is at one mine in Nevada, and accounts for less than 2% of the worlds mine production. Albemarle Corporations Silver Peak lithium mine is about 40 miles southwest of Tonopah and has been in operation since the 1960s. A May 6, 2021 New York Times story said Silver Peak produces about 5,000 tons of lithium a year. On Jan. 7, 2021, Albemarle announced that it planned to invest $30 million to $50 million to double the lithium production at Silver Peak by 2025. The company also said it planned to begin exploration in 2021 and evaluate technology that could accelerate the viability of lithium production from clay resources in the region. The lithium produced at Silver Peak is shipped to Asia to be made into cathodes for batteries. China has for years been focused on building capacity at every stage of the battery supply chain, according to a Sept. 1, 2020 VOA News story. China has been buying stakes in mining operations in Australia and South America where most of the worlds lithium reserves are found, the VOA story said. Chinas Ganfeng Lithium, which has been snapping up lithium mines and salt lakes abroad as it plots out an ambitious road map for growth, according to a Dec. 8, 2021 Nikkei Asia story, is the largest shareholder in Lithium Americas, the company planning the Thacker Pass mine, according to the New York Times story. To add to all the lithium news and heat up the global competition for lithium resources even more, lithium prices shot way up in 2021, increasing about 240%. The future In the years ahead, refining capacity might be built in the U.S. as more battery factories and electric vehicle factories are built here. The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Dec. 20, 2021 that 13 new electric vehicle battery factories are planned in the U.S. within the next five years. Most of these factories will be in the Southeast or Midwest. So, although U.S. will lag behind China, parts of the EV battery supply chain will be growing in the U.S. in the years ahead. But the question remains, how much of the lithium and other elements needed for the supply chain will come from mines in Nevada? Well being finding that out as the approval and funding processes and the legal battles and protests roll on. DGLimages / Getty Images/iStockphoto Stretching your nest egg as far as possible is something that's most likely front of mind for retirees who aren't very wealthy. With no new sources of income aside from Social Security or possibly a pension, it's important to find a place to retire that won't drain your savings. Related: Here's Exactly How Much Savings You Need To Retire In Your State Read: Ways Investing Will Change in the Next 25 Years However, getting a clear sense of exactly how long your retirement savings will last requires understanding how much it costs to live in the state you're calling home. As anyone trying to get by somewhere with a high cost of living can attest, even basic necessities can quickly start to winnow down your retirement account. And it only gets more complicated if you decide you don't want to spend your entire retirement in the same place, as your costs won't be consistent throughout your retirement. See: Mutual Funds: Everything You Need To Know That's why GOBankingRates performed a study to compare the cost of living in every state and determine how long you can survive off of $100,000. Granted, $100,000 won't buy you a lot of time in any state. But, these results will give you a sense of just how much you need to save. Last updated: Sept. 24, 2021 kieferpix / Getty Images/iStockphoto 50. Hawaii Annual Expenditure: $85,243 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 2 months, 3 days To say that Hawaii is the most expensive state to live in is something of an understatement: Hawaiians pay over $20,000 more per year than the second-most expensive state, California. You'll need over $2 million to survive retirement in this state -- the most in the country. See: 42 Easy Ways To Save For Retirement MundusImages / Getty Images 49. California Annual Expenditure: $64,516 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 6 months, 18 days California's not an easy place to stretch your retirement dollar, with the cost of housing coming in at more than double the average for the country. Check Out: How Long $1 Million in Savings Will Last in Every State Story continues xavierarnau / iStock.com 48. New York Annual Expenditure: $61,267 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 7 months, 17 days Some might gripe that the only thing imperial about the Empire State is how much it costs to live there, with the average New Yorker needing more than $60,000 a year to cover expenses. See: 10 Best Retirement Plan Options pkujiahe / Getty Images/iStockphoto 47. Alaska Annual Expenditure: $59,895 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 8 months Costs in Alaska are generally high -- particularly for healthcare and utilities -- but there's one area where the state won't eat so far into your nest egg: Alaska is the most tax-friendly state for retirees. Discover: How To Protect Your Retirement Savings During the Coronavirus Pandemic WilliamSherman / Getty Images 46. Maryland Annual Expenditure: $59,666 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 8 months, 2 days Maryland is one of the more expensive states for retirees to live in, but a lot of the older residents can afford it: It's one of the states with the richest retirees. RyanJLane / Getty Images 45. Oregon Annual Expenditure: $59,483 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 8 months Oregon has a cost of living that's 30% higher than the country as a whole. However, if you're dead set on enjoying the beautiful coastlines of the Pacific Northwest in your golden years, consider making your home in Brandon. It's the best city in the state to buy a home. FilippoBacci / Getty Images/iStockphoto 44. Massachusetts Annual Expenditure: $58,385 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 8 months, 16 days Massachusetts is not a state that's kind to your retirement savings, with sky-high housing costs playing the biggest part in making things difficult. It's also the state where a comfortable retirement costs the most at about $65,000 a year. JayLazarin / Getty Images 43. Connecticut Annual Expenditure: $58,156 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 8 months, 18 days Not only is Connecticut one of the pricier states in the country to live in, but for many retirees, the source of their income might not be as stable as they would hope. Connecticut is the worst state for pensions in the U.S. BDphoto / Getty Images 42. Rhode Island Annual Expenditure: $55,914 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 9 months, 13 days If you've compiled an impressive nest egg over the course of your career, Rhode Island isn't a great place to keep it protected. KenWiedemann / Getty Images 41. New Jersey Annual Expenditure: $54,175 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 10 months, 3 days Like many of the most expensive states in the country, the main culprit for New Jersey's high cost of living is housing, with New Jersey residents paying almost 50% more than the average American for a place to live. XKarDoc / Getty Images/iStockphoto 40. Vermont Annual Expenditure: $53,718 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 10 months, 9 days Not only is Vermont a tough place to maintain your nest egg, it's also a pretty rough spot for building it up as well. The Green Mountain State is the state where it's hardest to save $1 million for retirement, found another GOBankingRates study. Take Action: Do These 13 Things To Boost Your Retirement Savings Now edella / Getty Images 39. Maine Annual Expenditure: $53,214 $100,000 Will Last: 1 year, 10 months, 15 days It's possible that the high cost of living in Maine has some residents thinking big in terms of what it means to be wealthy. In a GOBankingRates survey, the most common answer for what it meant to be "rich" in Maine was an income of $10 million a year or more, the highest answer for any state. CHBD / Getty Images/iStockphoto 38. New Hampshire Annual Expenditure: $51,247 $100,000 Will Last: $1 year, 11 months, 12 days If you're dead set on living in New Hampshire in retirement but you're looking to avoid some of those high costs, steer well clear of the 03854 ZIP code -- home to New Castle Island. It's the most expensive ZIP code in the state. ImagineGolf / Getty Images 37. Nevada Annual Expenditure: $50,469 $100,000 Will Last: $1 year, 11 months, 23 days If you want to spend your golden years in the Silver State, prepare to spend a little more. Costs are at least 10% higher than the national average across every category except for utilities, where they're actually 20% under what the rest of America pays. Joel Carillet / Getty Images 36. Washington Annual Expenditure: $49,554 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 days If you're surprised to see Washington so far down this list, keep in mind that it's home to Seattle, one of the most expensive cities in the country. To live comfortably in Seattle you need nearly $90,000 a year, which outpaces everywhere but the usual suspects in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York and Washington, D.C. 1MoreCreative / Getty Images 35. Delaware Annual Expenditure: $48,227 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 25 days Although Delaware might be on the higher side for costs, it can also offer some great ways to protect your nest egg: It's one of the best states to retire rich in the country. Adventure_Photo / Getty Images 34. Colorado Annual Expenditure: $47,540 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 1 month, 5 days The cost to live comfortably in Denver is over $77,000 a year, making it one of the most expensive cities in the country. If you want to stay in the Rocky Mountain State but don't like the "mile high" costs in Denver, consider Colorado Springs where it's over $10,000 a year cheaper. urbancow / Getty Images 33. Montana Annual Expenditure: $47,540 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 1 month, 5 days If you were hoping to keep your nest egg healthy after retiring to Montana by investing well, you might find it harder there than elsewhere. Montana is one of the worst states to grow your money, according to a separate GOBankingRates study. Joel Carillet / Getty Images 32. Virginia Annual Expenditure: $46,717 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 1 month, 19 days You'll pay less for groceries, utilities and transportation than the average American if you opt to retire to Virginia, but there's clearly more to the story. That would be the cost of housing, which is over 10% higher than the national average. catnap72 / Getty Images 31. Pennsylvania Annual Expenditure: $46,305 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 1 month, 26 days Pennsylvania is the first state on this list where housing costs are actually below average when compared to the country as a whole. However, if you're looking to stretch your retirement savings as far as possible, you can still do better, especially when Pennsylvanians pay more than average for groceries, utilities and transportation. RiverNorthPhotography / Getty Images 30. South Dakota Annual Expenditure: $46,305 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 1 month, 26 days There's one thing you don't have to worry about in South Dakota: state income tax. That's because it's one of the seven states without any, which could make a significant difference in how long you can stretch that nest egg. sharply_done / Getty Images/iStockphoto 29. Minnesota Annual Expenditure: $45,848 $100,000 Will Last: $2 years, 2 months, 6 days No state is closer to the average cost of living than Minnesota, where costs are just 0.2% higher than the country as a whole. That's not true statewide, though, as Minneapolis is among the more expensive major cities in the country. The cost to live comfortably there is $77,512 a year. Shutterstock.com 28. North Dakota Annual Expenditure: $45,298 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 2 months, 15 days One place you probably won't overspend in North Dakota is on housing. Even if the state's most expensive ZIP code -- the 58503 ZIP north of Bismarck -- has a median home price of $339,600, that's still less than half of what it is for Hawaii. nycshooter / Getty Images 27. Florida Annual Expenditure: $45,253 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 2 months, 16 days Florida might only be middle-of-the-pack for stretching a six-figure retirement fund, but it's still a popular destination for many retirees. And you have plenty of options to choose from in terms of which Florida city stacks up the best for you. Take Action Now: How To Protect Your Retirement Savings During the Coronavirus Pandemic peeterv / Getty Images/iStockphoto 26. South Carolina Annual Expenditure: $44,978 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 2 months, 21 days The question of how long $100,000 lasts in retirement might be especially apt for South Carolina. A GOBankingRates survey determined that most residents of the Palmetto State have about $50,000-$100,000 saved for retirement. ablokhin / Getty Images 25. West Virginia Annual Expenditure: $44,292 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 3 months, 3 days West Virginians are paying less for housing and utilities than most Americans, but that's counter-balanced by higher-than-average costs on groceries and "miscellaneous" expenses. Kirkikis / Getty Images 24. Illinois Annual Expenditure: $44,246 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 3 months, 3 days Illinois is the first state on the better half of this survey, with the average retiree being able to squeeze a full three months out of the third year on that initial $100,000. And if you decide you want to make the Windy City your home, you'll have plenty of options in selecting from the many different suburbs around the city. amygdala_imagery / Getty Images 23. Utah Annual Expenditure: $44,200 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 3 months, 4 days Regardless of how long it lasts, Utah is doing plenty to help you build that retirement account. It's the state where it's easiest to save $1 million for retirement. dlewis33 / Getty Images 22. Wisconsin Annual Expenditure: $44,063 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 3 months, 7 days You can make $100,000 last over two years in retirement if you're living in the Badger State. However, if you're thinking you'll just need to earn $100,000 in that last year before you hang it up, you should know that you only take home $67,124 from a $100,000 salary after taxes in Wisconsin. wanderluster / Getty Images 21. Arizona Annual Expenditure: $43,285 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 3 months, 22 days Arizona's costs are lower than the national average in every category except utilities, helping retirees stretch their savings. iofoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto 20. North Carolina Annual Expenditure: $42,965 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 3 months, 28 days If you're looking for a place to live in retirement where you're not in the hustle and bustle of the city but also still close enough to take advantage of city living on occasion, North Carolina might be the place to look. Three of the best suburbs for retirement are in the Tarheel State: Bermuda Run, Fairfield Harbour and Sunset Beach. Are High-Yield Savings Accounts Worth It? Here's Everything You Need To Know peeterv / Getty Images/iStockphoto 19. Louisiana Annual Expenditure: $42,736 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 3 days Not only is Louisiana among the better states for stretching your savings in retirement, it's also the best state to grow your money, found a separate GOBankingRates study. Shutterstock.com 18. Nebraska Annual Expenditure: $42,736 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 3 days Nebraska's cost-of-living scores are either at or below the national average in every category except for transportation. However, at least some of the money you can save on things like groceries and housing will end up with the state government: Nebraska is the least tax-friendly state for retirees. Shutterstock.com 17. New Mexico Annual Expenditure: $42,507 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 7 days If you enjoy life in the big city but can't handle the high cost of living that usually comes with it, New Mexico might offer you the best compromise. You only need to make $53,384 a year to live comfortably in Albuquerque, one of the lowest figures among the 50 largest U.S. cities. Davel5957 / Getty Images/iStockphoto 16. Ohio Annual Expenditure: $42,416 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 9 days Housing is especially affordable in Ohio, coming in at almost 25% less than what the average American is paying. Add that to costs that are either below average or less than 2% over it, and it's not hard to see why Ohio cracked the top 20 in this study. Shutterstock.com 15. Idaho Annual Expenditure: $42,416 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 9 days Idaho's scenic landscape could be considered incentive enough to retire there, but the state's low costs are an additional perk, allowing you to last into the fifth month of your third year on $100,000. Shutterstock.com 14. Kentucky Annual Expenditure: $42,370 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 10 days Kentucky's biggest cost advantage over other states is in its housing, where you'll pay almost 20% less than the national average. With a median home price of just $136,600, the cost of a home in this state is one many Americans can actually afford. Shutterstock.com 13. Iowa Annual Expenditure: $42,050 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 17 days Like many states in the Midwest, Iowa boasts low housing costs that help push the overall cost of living down significantly. However, while it's housing leading the charge, Iowa's costs are below what the average American pays across the board. Purdue9394 / Getty Images 12. Indiana Annual Expenditure: $41,867 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 20 days Indiana offers retirees the chance to stretch their savings much further than most of the country; this is important to the Hoosier State, as Indiana is the state with the poorest retirees in the country. Jeremy Hardin / Getty Images/iStockphoto 11. Wyoming Annual Expenditure: $41,821 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 21 days The cost of living in Wyoming is lower than it is for the country as a whole, but the high cost of healthcare for seniors could quickly erase much of that benefit. Employing either homemaker services or a home health aide will run you about $5,000 a year. Zview / iStock.com 10. Texas Annual Expenditure: $41,775 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 22 days Texas offers a range of advantages to its elderly residents when it comes to stretching retirement dollars. In fact, eight of the 30 best cities to retire on a budget of $1,000 a month or less are in the Lone Star State. krblokhin / Getty Images/iStockphoto 9. Georgia Annual Expenditure: $41,546 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 4 months, 27 days Low costs in Georgia mean a retiree can make $100,000 last them for almost two years and five months. Even if you're living well by saving on basic costs, though, not everyone is in the same situation: Atlanta is among the places in the U.S. with the most income inequality. Shutterstock.com 8. Kansas Annual Expenditure: $40,952 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 9 days Kansas is a great state to retire to if you want to stretch your nest egg as far as possible, and it's even better if you're living off of a pension funded by the state: Kansas is one of the best states for pensions. Joel Carillet / Getty Images 7. Tennessee Annual Expenditure: $40,906 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 10 days Whether it's the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville or Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee is a great state for American music. Of course, if you're retired and living there, it's the low costs that might be music to your ears. TriggerPhoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto 6. Missouri Annual Expenditure: $40,677 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 15 days Although most costs are lower in Missouri, the Show-Me State is especially affordable when it comes to housing. A year of a roof over your head costs an average of just $11,597, making it one of just five states where you can expect to pay under $12,000 per annum. Don't Miss: Best Online Savings Accounts for Earning High-Yield Profits Shutterstock.com 5. Alabama Annual Expenditure: $40,631 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 16 days You can expect to stretch your retirement savings by retiring almost anywhere in the Yellow Hammer State, but that's especially true if you decide to call the city of Birmingham home: It's one of the cheapest places to retire in the entire country. dlewis33 / Getty Images 4. Arkansas Annual Expenditure: $40,631 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 16 days The cost of a comfortable retirement in Arkansas is very low, coming in below any other state in the country save for Mississippi and its incredibly low cost of living. RiverNorthPhotography / Getty Images 3. Michigan Annual Expenditure: $40,586 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 17 days The Great Lake State is as welcoming as it is scenic, and the low costs mean you can enjoy more of it with your nest egg. Tiago_Fernandez / Getty Images 2. Oklahoma Annual Expenditure: $40,403 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 5 months, 21 days Oklahoma has low costs statewide that will help you stretch $100,000 to almost a full two and a half years. And unlike many states, that extends to the state's largest city as well: $1 million will last you 24 and a half years in retirement in Oklahoma City, making it one of the most affordable U.S. cities for retirees. Shutterstock.com 1. Mississippi Annual Expenditure: $38,435 $100,000 Will Last: 2 years, 7 months, 6 days No state has a lower cost for a comfortable retirement than Mississippi, where you can expect to pay almost a third less for housing than the country as a whole. All told, the cumulative cost of living in Mississippi is 16% lower than the national average. Andrew Zarivny / Shutterstock.com How Long $100K in Retirement Will Last in Every State States on either coast might offer a lot in terms of great weather and loads of culture, but they certainly ask a lot in terms of your pocketbook. The 15 states where $100,000 stretches the least in retirement include all five states on the Pacific Ocean (Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska). On the East Coast, the worst states for your retirement nest egg are New York, Maryland, New Jersey and all six of the states that make up New England. On the other end of the list, it's hard to miss that states from the South and the Midwest have the lowest costs by far. Of the 15 states where your $100,000 in retirement savings goes the furthest, all but two (Idaho and Wyoming) are in one of those two regions. More From GOBankingRates Methodology: In order to determine how long $100,000 will last the average retiree in each state, GOBankingRates found the average total expenditures for people 65 and older, which includes groceries, housing, utilities, transportation and healthcare. GOBankingRates then multiplied that by the cost of living index in each state to find the average annual expenditure cost for each state. Once the annual cost was found, it was divided by $100,000 and then converted into years, months and days to show how long the average annual expenditure for people 65 and older would last in every state. This research was conducted in August 2018. This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Long $100K in Retirement Will Last in Every State From pandemic induced supply chain disruptions to concentration in the cattle industry to outmigration in rural areas that creates labor shortages, Nebraskas agriculture industry faced many challenges in 2021. But one thing that did go well was record crop production and strong prices for the commodities farmers produce, along with government payments. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, net cash farm income in 2021 will be at its highest level since 2014 and 16.9 percent above its 200020 average of $113.8 billion. The USDA reports in its Farm Sector Income Forecast that was published last month that net farm income is forecast to increase by $22 billion (23.2%) from 2020 to $116.8 billion in 2021. While commodity prices have been volatile during 2021, prices have been strong with corn currently selling for more than $6 per bushel and soybeans at more than $13 per bushel. Corn and soybeans are Nebraskas dominant crops with more than 15 million acres. Based on November 1 conditions, Nebraskas 2021 corn crop is forecast at 1.83 billion bushels, up 3% from last years production, according to the USDAs National Agricultural Statistics Service. Area to be harvested for grain, at 9.60 million acres, is down 3% from a year ago. Yield is forecast at 191 bushels per acre, up 11 bushels from last year. Soybean production is forecast at a record 344 million bushels, up 15% from last year. Area for harvest, at 5.55 million acres, is up 8% from 2020. Yield is forecast at a record 62 bushels per acre, up 4.0 bushels from last year. Sorghum production is forecast at 19.9 million bushels, up 46% from last year. Area for harvest, at 265,000 acres, is up 77% from 2020. Yield is forecast at 75 bushels per acre, down 16 bushels from last year. Winter wheat production is estimated at 41.2 million bushels, up 21% from last year. The area harvested for grain totaled 840,000 acres, up 1% from 2020. Planted acreage totaled 920,000, up 2% from a year earlier. The yield is 49.0 bushels per acre, up 8 bushels from last year. But while commodity production and prices have been strong, the same cannot be said for the states cattle industry. While cattle prices are improving, it hasnt been the case for many independent cow and calf producers, who have lost money this year. Addressing that issue, Sen. Deb Fischer, a member of the Agriculture Committee, in November announced the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act. The legislation will work to facilitate price discovery and address the lack of transparency in the cattle market. The bipartisan legislation includes a series of provisions to ensure every segment of the beef supply chain can succeed. Robust price discovery ensures that all members of the beef supply chain cow-calf producers, feeders, packers, and consumers can be successful, Fischer said. She said the foundation of price discovery in the cattle market is negotiated cash sales. One or two regions of the country should not have to shoulder the burden of price discovery and thats exactly what has been happening, Fischer said. Furthermore, even regions that primarily use alternative marketing arrangements (AMAs) such as formula contracts predominantly rely on negotiated cash sales to set their base prices. Mark McHargue of Central City, president of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation, said Nebraskas cattle producers have been asking for needed reform within the cattle marketplace. The Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act delivers that reform which will provide more price discovery and needed transparency to arguably one of the more complex agricultural marketing systems which exist, McHargue said. McHarque said Nebraska has seen progress in prices for most commodities over the past year. He said when agriculture does well, so does the states economy. Increased state revenue numbers mean property taxpayers who have been seeking relief will receive a big win through the Nebraska Property Tax Incentive Act, getting back a tax credit equal to 25 percent of their property taxes paid to schools when they file their 2021 tax return, he said. McHarque said the Property Tax Incentive Act established in 2020, which grew from $115 million in the first year to $548 million this year, allows Nebraskans to claim an income tax credit based on the property taxes paid to K-12 schools. But, according to McHargue, the work on tax reform is not done and one of the most impactful things the Legislature can do in 2022 is to build upon that property tax relief. The 2020 U.S. Census showed that while Nebraska grew by over 150,000 people, 69 out of its 93 counties saw population losses. To help address that outmigration of people from rural Nebraska, the Nebraska Farm Bureau said boosting e-connectivity is essential to modern agriculture. Nebraska Farm Bureau was instrumental in securing $40 million over the next two years for the expansion of broadband to unserved and underserved areas of the state. McHarque said agriculture and rural Nebraska will not reach its full potential without access to reliable, high-speed broadband. Much of the technology that allows farmers and ranchers to improve across the board, including minimizing our environmental footprint, relies on e-connectivity he said. For many of our rural communities, access to health care and educational and business opportunities can only be gained through quality broadband and rural Nebraska cant afford to be left behind. With a series of cyberattacks on food processors and agriculture cooperatives making headlines in 2021, McHarque said Nebraska Farm Bureau sees the issue of cybersecurity to continue to be front and center. According to McHargue, farmers and ranchers want to ensure that officials at the state and federal levels take necessary action to secure and protect data. Trade is also an important issue to the states farmers and ranchers. Nebraska is the nations leading beef processor with plants, such as Grand Islands JBS exporting millions of dollars of beef products to other countries annually. Beef is the states leading export commodity. Nebraska is also one of the leading pork processors in the nation. In November, Nebraska cattle slaughter houses processed more than 600,000 cattle to lead the nation. State pork slaughter plants killed more than 660,000 head in November making it the nations sixth largest pork producing state. Based on October data, the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) said it was another strong month for U.S. red meat exports as beef export value continued to soar. October pork exports were below last years large total but year-to-date shipments remained slightly above the record pace of 2020. Beef exports reached 115,709 metric tons (mt) in October, up 7.5% from a year ago, while export value climbed 48% to $956.9 million the second-highest total on record, behind August 2021. Through the first 10 months of the year, beef exports totaled 1.19 million mt, up 17% from a year ago. Export value increased 38% to $8.53 billion, surpassing the 2018 record ($8.33 billion) with two months to spare. Pork exports totaled 226,206 mt in October, down 7% from a year ago, while export value slipped 3.5% to $618.8 million. For January through October, pork exports were up slightly from a year ago in volume (2.47 million mt) and increased 8% in value ($6.84 billion). Exports will likely reach about $18 billion in 2021, which is a remarkable achievement, said President and CEO Dan Halstrom. While global demand is tremendous and we are cautiously optimistic about further growth in 2022, supply chain pressures are not easy to overcome and are a growing concern for exporters and their international customers. McHargue said international trade is important to the bottom line for Nebraska farmers and ranchers. Every dollar in agricultural exports generates $1.28 in economic activities such as transportation, financing, warehousing, and production, McHargue said. Happy Saturday, Toledo! Here's everything you need to know around town today. First, today's weather: Cloudy with a little rain. High: 42 Low: 28. Here are the top stories today in Toledo: The family of missing National Guardsman Xiao Lu, who was last seen leaving his job at the United States Post Office on South St. Clair in Downtown Toledo, is pleading for anyone with information to come forward. Described as an inspiration, the family says Lu had been struggling with some mental health issues in the past, and are hoping for his safe return. (WTOL) Several Toledo restaurants were all booked up for New Year's Eve celebrations. Two such restaurants, Angelo's Northwood Villa and Sakura Japanese Steakhouse, were lucky enough to stay open through the pandemic and have benefited from continued patronage. (WTOL) Toledo area hospitals are nearing their maximum capacity with critical COVID-19 patient numbers climbing. Dr. James Tita, Chief Medical Officer at Mercy Health St. Vincent's Hospital, anticipates surging hospitalizations due to the omicron variant. (WNWO NBC 24) Celebrating his re-election, Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz is holding an inauguration event this Monday at 4 P.M. at One Government Center in Downtown Toledo. Following the ceremony, the Toledo City Council will hold its first meeting of the new year at 5:30. (13abc Action News) Several first responders from around Northwest Ohio hosted a parade to support Wood County Road Sergeant Jody Swoap, who has been battling serious COVID complications in Wood County Hospital. Sgt. Swoap is a celebrated public servant and members of law enforcement, fire, EMS, and more well-wishers attended the event on Thursday. (13abc Action News) Today in Toledo: Greg Warren at Toledo Funny Bone , Fat Fish Blue Perrysburg (7:00 PM) Midnight Special 5K, Levis Commons (11:45 PM) Dance Fitness with Cari, Routines 2121 S. Reynolds Rd. (9:00 AM) The Great Art Escape at Toledo Museum of Art (11:00 AM) Toledo Walleye Winterfest Public Skate at Fifth Third Field (10:00 AM) Story continues From my notebook: - Click the link to see suggestions for fun things to do for teens in the Glass City. Mom on the Go in Holy Toledo does the research on all the latest events. (Mom On The Go In Holy Toledo) Loving the Toledo Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved: Send a friend or neighbor this link so they can subscribe Get your local business listed in front of readers Send me a news tip or suggestion at toledo@patch.com You're officially in the loop for today. I'll be in your inbox tomorrow morning with another update! Brad King About me: I have been a lifelong Northwest Ohio native and University of Toledo grad (Go Rockets!). I'm old enough to remember when the Mud Hens were still playing in Maumee. The Glass City has seen some amazing revitalization and I am so excited to share every update with you! This article originally appeared on the Toledo Patch New Delhi, Jan 1 : Since seizing power in August last year, Taliban militants in Afghanistan have been accused of vandalising or destroying the graves of fallen Afghan army and police commanders, RFE/RL reported. The Taliban have also allegedly defiled monuments dedicated to figures who fought the group during its first stint in power in the 1990s. While the Taliban have denied responsibility for many of the incidents, allegations against the hard-line group have mounted, with Afghans accusing the militants of violating Islamic traditions that advocate respect for the dead. In the latest incident, Taliban fighters were accused of bombing the tomb of former police commander Daraya Khan Talash in the southeastern province of Paktika on December 26, the report said. Talash was killed by a roadside bomb planted by the Taliban in Paktika's Sarobi district in 2020. He had reportedly lost four of his brothers in the war against the Taliban. Taliban fighters have also been accused of defiling the tomb of Mohammad Daud Daud, a former governor and an ex-police chief of northern Afghanistan in the province of Takhar on December 17, the report added. Daud was killed in a Taliban suicide attack in Takhar's capital, Taloqan, in 2011. Following the US-led invasion in 2001, Daud oversaw the surrender of thousands of Taliban fighters in the northern city of Kunduz. He was a commander in Jamiat-e Islami, a political-military Islamist group that opposed Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001. Bilal Sarwary, an exiled Afghan journalist, said Daud's family has confirmed that his grave was vandalised. But the claim was rejected by the Taliban. Meanwhile, the Taliban were accused of destroying the tomb of Colonel Azizullah Karwan in a bomb blast in the southeastern province of Paktika on October 31. The Taliban had assassinated Karwan in June 2018. He was a colonel in the special forces unit of the Afghan National Police. He had survived dozens of Taliban assassination attempts, the report added. In September, videos emerged that appeared to show damage to the mausoleum of resistance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud in the Panjshir Valley, just north of Kabul. The footage emerged soon after the Taliban captured the mountainous valley, the scene of a short-lived resistance to the militants, in early September. The vandalism coincided with the 20th anniversary of Massoud's death. Massoud, who fought against the Taliban in the 1990s and occupying Soviet forces in the 1980s, was killed by Al-Qaeda militants posing as journalists just days before the September 11 attacks in the United States. The Taliban repaired Massoud's mausoleum after a public uproar. Anas Haqqani, the younger brother of Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, has urged Taliban fighters to "get rid of your personal revenge and envy". In a December 27 speech marking the 42nd anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Haqqani warned that the Taliban regime will collapse if it tries to rule through brute force, the report said. "An infidel government is likely to last, but an oppressive regime will not survive," he had said. But on the same day, another Taliban official boasted about the group bombing the tomb of former leftist President Babrak Karmal, who assumed power after Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan and killed his predecessor, Hafizullah Amin, in late 1979. "After capturing Mazar-e Sharif, the Taliban bombed Babrak's tomb," tweeted Nazar Mohammad Mutmaeen, head of the Taliban's Olympic Committee. He was alluding to the destruction of the late president's tomb in 1997, when the Taliban briefly seized the northern Afghan city, the report said. While 2021 was a boom time for legal marijuana sales in Illinois, it was another wasted year for minority entrepreneurs trying to break into the business, and a mixed experience for customers. Recreational cannabis retail sales continued to climb steadily this year, to more than $1.2 billion, roughly an 85% increase from 2020 through November of this year alone. The medical cannabis program reached 136,000 active patients, who spent another $362 million. The sales generated more than $300 million in tax revenue in fiscal year 2021 more than from alcohol. Advertisement But after new applicants waited through more than a year of delays for business licenses, judges prevented them from opening dispensaries while litigation dragged on, with no solution in sight. The year saw many new twists in the cannabis field. Sales took off for hemp-derived Delta-8 THC, called weed light, despite existing in a legal gray area. Huge multistate companies gobbled up independent dispensaries and expanded dramatically. In one constant, prices of marijuana in Illinois remained among the highest in the nation. Advertisement While cannabis remains illegal under federal law, proposals to decriminalize it or let banks finance it have been slowly gaining some support among lawmakers. The year also ushered in a vast array of new products and consumer trends. Here are a few reasons why 2021 was a great year for big cannabis operators in Illinois, but frustrating for newcomers. Consolidation Several cannabis companies founded and headquartered in Chicago have become among the largest operators in the nation, while out-of-state operators have come into Illinois, by opening new facilities or buying up competitors. Cresco Labs and Curaleaf each have grown to the maximum 10 retail sites in Illinois; PharmaCann has eight; Ascend Wellness, seven; Green Thumb Industries lists nine stores on its website; nuEra has six, and Zen Leaf operates 10. Together, that means seven companies control 60 of the 110 weed stores in the state. People attend the grand opening of Cresco Labs' flagship Sunnyside recreational marijuana store, which is a block south of Wrigley Field, on Nov. 15, 2021. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) The number of growers is even more limited. A mere 18 companies are allowed to grow cannabis compared with hundreds of companies that do so in Western states like Oregon or California, where they have the opposite problem of oversupply to the illegal market. Licensed growers in Illinois say they support new entrants to the market by helping with the complicated application process, by paying hundreds of thousands of dollars each in state fees to help fund startups and for seed projects to help them get started. PharmaCann promised $600,000 to help fund scholarships and build Oakton Community Colleges new cannabis cultivation laboratory. Cresco Labs created its new Illinois Cannabis Education Center in Chicago, which offers a mock dispensary and training facility for aspiring workers and owners. By state law, there was supposed to be a slew of new businesses licensed last year, with favoritism toward poor, largely minority areas with high rates of cannabis arrests. But after a series of delays, applicants complained that consultant KPMG had scored applications unfairly, resulting in wealthy, white, politically connected winners. To address the complaints and associated lawsuits, state lawmakers authorized 185 new dispensary licenses. But Cook County Judge Moshe Jacobius ordered that those licenses not be awarded while he wades through lawsuits challenging the process. The state did award 40 new craft grower licenses plus infuser and transporter licenses, but Cook County Judge Neil Cohen forbade the issuance of up to 60 new craft grower licenses due this year, while the courts try to resolve litigation from applicants who were disqualified. Advertisement None of this slowed down the existing market. Companies that had been granted licenses to open medical marijuana dispensaries since 2015 were allowed to also sell recreational weed, and to expand to second locations. Because of its artificially constrained market, Illinois still has among the highest-priced weed in the country. Wholesale flower prices reached nearly $4,000 per pound, analyst Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. estimated three times the U.S. average pegged by price tracking company Cannabis Benchmarks. With customers paying $19 per gram for retail flower, Cantor Fitzgerald estimated average annual sales per store at nearly $17 million. Moldy weed worries A big part of the demand $1 out of every $3 spent is from out of state, since Illinois is surrounded by states that dont allow recreational sales. Michigan does have adult use sales, but was hit by a large public recall of cannabis that had high levels of mold or other contaminants, with stores required to post notices alerting customers for a month after sales. Illinois, in contrast, issued a recall and quarantine this year, but kept it quiet. In May, the state Department of Financial and Professional Regulation sent dispensaries notice of a voluntary recall of Veranos Mag Landrace flower due to possible mold contamination. The department investigated the issue, but said it is prohibited by the state cannabis law from disclosing the results. In addition, a former production supervisor for PharmaCann, William Sanford, filed suit claiming that he was fired for repeatedly reporting moldy cannabis for removal after it had passed lab tests. The tests only sample a small part of each crop, so mold may grow undetected and may sicken those who eat it or inhale its spores. Sanford said he was told to stop reporting mold, but continued to do so, and was terminated in July. PharmaCann acknowledged that mold is a factor with any agricultural product, but is tightly controlled. By state law, all legal cannabis products must undergo lab tests to pass strict state limits on mold, pesticides, metals and other contaminants. If they fail, they may be treated with solvents for use in edibles, vapes and other products, but must be tested again to meet safety requirements. Options for sterilizing cannabis include irradiation or ozone gas, as used in the food industry. Advertisement Microdosing Customers may have noticed a dizzying variety of new products this year. One growing trend was in the area of low-dose edibles, for consumers to better control their experience. Rather than the 10 milligrams of THC, the main component that gets users high, which was previously suggested as a serving size, mints and gummies now often contain 5 or 3 mg, often with matching cannabidiol, or CBD, for users who want to relax without getting too high or paranoid. One study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Chicago found that low levels of THC reduced stress, while slightly higher doses that produced a mild high actually increased anxiety. And a survey by BDS Analytics Report found that 43% of edibles customers prefer low-dose products, and half of customers chose products based on the amount of CBD, which is thought to have a moderating effect on THC. Beverages are also growing in popularity, offering moderate doses of THC and the quick onset of effects without the smoke. For hardcore users, there are still plenty of high-powered flower, vapes and concentrates approaching 90% THC. Flowering cannabis plants are illuminated by artificial lighting at a tour called "Chitiva," given by workers at Prescribd, a cannabis cultivation company, at one of its cultivation centers on July 17, 2021, in Bridgeview. The interactive tour shows the start-to-finish process of growing cannabis. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) For those who dont like the high prices and taxes of licensed weed, this year saw the rise of Delta-8 THC. Its typically said to be derived from hemp, and provides similar, if milder, effects as the traditional Delta-9 THC found in pot. Its often sold in gas stations or vape shops. A proposal to outlaw such knockoff cannabinoids did not pass in Springfield this year, but may be reconsidered in the spring session. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Cannabis suppliers continue to compete for customers through word-of-mouth and the occasional competition. Most recently, the High Times Cannabis Cup named its winners for 2021, as judged by public participants. Advertisement Wait till next year Looking ahead to 2022, state Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat, has proposed legislation to expand the new craft growers licenses from 5,000 square feet to 14,000 square feet or more. That would still be a far cry from the 210,000 square feet of canopy that existing growers are allowed, but would help business owners get more financing based on their ability to produce more revenue. Also, in light of the courts de facto lockout of new minority owners, a group called Ex-Cons for Community & Social Change held protests this year, calling for consumers to support their local weed man, or illegal dealers. Tyrone Muhammad, executive director of Ex-Cons for Community and Social Change, left, talks with local resident Keith Fort, right, on April 12, 2021, in front of Sunnyside dispensary in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago. Muhammad and others in ECCSC hosted a demonstration against big money dispensaries muscling out would-be minority owners outside the dispensary. (Raquel Zaldivar / Chicago Tribune) Founder Tyrone Muhammad of Englewood, who served 21 years in prison for murder and now says hes trying to rebuild his community, called for creation of a peddlers license, so people without the money to open a bricks-and-mortar facility can take part in the cannabis industry. He believes licensing would reduce the violence that accompanies illegal drug dealing. Muhammad is also pushing to change state law to drop the ban on former felons working in the field. As it stands, only those with low-level convictions can get expungements and get licensed. Its still a farce, he said. In any other industry, as an ex-con, I can work. But I cant work in the cannabis space. rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com People wearing face masks arrive at a COVID-19 vaccination clinic in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, Dec. 31, 2021.(Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua) OTTAWA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Canada is going through its worst spike in COVID-19 cases yet, driven by the Omicron variant, with 41,210 new cases reported on Friday evening, an all-time high for daily cases since the pandemic hit the country in February 2020. The latest cases raised the country's cumulative caseload to 2,183,527, With 30,319 deaths, according to CTV news. Over the past weeks, the country's daily case counts have been rising due to the fast spread of the Omicron variant. Ontario, the most populous province, reported a record-breaking number of 16,713 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, while Quebec, another province, confirmed a record high of 16,461 cases. Across the country, most provinces have delayed the full return to classrooms in January to allow public health experts to assess the impact of the Omicron variant and prevent a potential surge in cases fueled by school children. Quebec will reintroduce a curfew starting Dec. 31 as the province battles an explosive rise of COVID-19 infections. People who violate the curfew are subject to fines ranging from 1,000 Canadian dollars (790 U.S. dollars) to 6,000 Canadian dollars (4,740 U.S. dollars). Places of worship in the province are closed, except for funerals of up to 25 people. Restaurant dining rooms are also closed, and stores are shut on Sundays for the next three weeks, except for gas stations and pharmacies. Enditem People wearing face masks line up to pick up free COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, Dec. 31, 2021. People wearing face masks line up to pick up free COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, Dec. 31, 2021. People wearing face masks arrive at a COVID-19 vaccination clinic in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, Dec. 31, 2021.(Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua) OTTAWA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Canada is going through its worst spike in COVID-19 cases yet, driven by the Omicron variant, with 41,210 new cases reported on Friday evening, an all-time high for daily cases since the pandemic hit the country in February 2020. The latest cases raised the country's cumulative caseload to 2,183,527, With 30,319 deaths, according to CTV news. Over the past weeks, the country's daily case counts have been rising due to the fast spread of the Omicron variant. Ontario, the most populous province, reported a record-breaking number of 16,713 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, while Quebec, another province, confirmed a record high of 16,461 cases. Across the country, most provinces have delayed the full return to classrooms in January to allow public health experts to assess the impact of the Omicron variant and prevent a potential surge in cases fueled by school children. Quebec will reintroduce a curfew starting Dec. 31 as the province battles an explosive rise of COVID-19 infections. People who violate the curfew are subject to fines ranging from 1,000 Canadian dollars (790 U.S. dollars) to 6,000 Canadian dollars (4,740 U.S. dollars). Places of worship in the province are closed, except for funerals of up to 25 people. Restaurant dining rooms are also closed, and stores are shut on Sundays for the next three weeks, except for gas stations and pharmacies. Enditem People wearing face masks line up to pick up free COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, Dec. 31, 2021. People wearing face masks line up to pick up free COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, Dec. 31, 2021. Two persons (names withheld) are in Police custody helping in investigations regarding Julie Diane Williams, an American National, who was found dead on December 14, 2021, at Rayporsh Hotel at Abelemkpe in Accra. A statement signed by Assistant Commissioner Of Police (ACP) Kwesi Ofori, Director-General, Public Affairs and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the Ghana Police Service, Friday, had a meeting, via zoom with the family of the deceased. It said the family was officially informed of the investigations being conducted into the circumstances leading to her death. The statement said in line with international best practice, after informing the family of the current state of the investigations, they were now in a position to make public certain details about the case without compromising the ongoing investigations. It said preliminary Police investigation had established that the deceased US national arrived in Ghana on December 3, 2021, en route Nigeria. The statement said having tested positive for COVID-19 on arrival, she was taken into an isolation centre at Ave Maria Hotel, South Legon-Accra. It said further investigation revealed that on December 6, 2021, the deceased was picked up by some alleged friends from the isolation centre and taken to Zoko Lounge at Airport residential area where she had lunch and was then taken to the Rayporsh hotel at Abelemkpe. The statement said records available at the Rayporsh Hotel indicated that the deceased checked out from the Hotel on Sunday, December 12, 2021, at noon intending to travel back to Nigeria but could not proceed because of visa issues. It said she returned to the Hotel the same day at 1400 hours and checked in again. The statement said on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, Police received a complaint from two hotel staff to the effect that the said Julie Diane Williams was found unconscious in her room. It said a Police team proceeded to the Hotel and after the necessary protocols, took her to the Police Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. The statement said on Wednesday, December 29, 2021, a post mortem examination was conducted on the deceased, Julie Diane Williams, at the Police Hospital mortuary in the presence of the Police and one Godwin King Akpalu, a representative of the deceased's family who identified the body to the pathologist. It said Police was awaiting the full autopsy report, including toxicology and histopathology examinations. The statement said officials from the United States Embassy had been informed and had been helpful to the Police in the investigations. It assured the public, the relatives of the deceased and officials of the US Embassy that Police investigations into the death would be careful and thorough. GNA An $84 million plan to boost internet speeds at Chicago Public Schools has stalled again, officials say, because of red tape in securing construction permits from the city. For several months, crews have been ripping up streets to build a new high-speed fiber network. Around 80 schools were supposed to be connected by Nov. 1 as part of the projects first phase, but that goal has been pushed to the first quarter of 2022. Advertisement The latest setback may mean more construction headaches for residents and more internet woes for students, who returned to school buildings for full-time, in-person learning in August and are due back from the winter break Monday. Were running over 300 miles of fiber throughout the city, originally slated as a three-year project, Richard Burnson, CPS director of network services, told the Tribune. Were running a bit behind schedule, but continuing to push forward and have it wrapped up by 2023. Advertisement The new network is slated to reach about 570 Chicago schools and administrative buildings. Each school would connect to two of 11 hubs spaced across the city. If theres a problem with one of the connections, officials say high-speed internet would still be available. Teacher Toni Armer communicates remotely with other teachers, assistants and middle grade school students during the first day of school at Chicago's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy of Social Justice in September 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Schools would have access to download speeds of 20 gigabits per second, Burnson said. When the project began, he said, elementary schools received 250 megabits of bandwidth. Now theyre at 500 megabits thanks to upgrades completed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most high schools each have access to one gigabit, though Burnson said CPS is completing an effort to upgrade the high schools to two gigs, and thats expected to wrap up by the end of (2021). The nations third-largest school district, CPS has 421 elementary schools and 91 high schools. Burnson said CPS experienced few issues last spring with connectivity because the district welcomed students back to campuses in waves after months of remote learning. But most of CPSs 330,000 students have attended classes in person this fall, and technology tools such as Google Meet video sessions can tax a system. Were really excited about future-proofing our network with this new project, CPS Deputy Chief of Information and Technology Services Ed Wagner said. Weve seen, historically, schools have consumed more and more bandwidth each and every year that theyre in operation because of use of online tools for education. Skyline as an example, our new digital curriculum we do a lot of assessments online. CPS explored its options for a network redesign in 2018. At the time, AT&T was providing service, with network facilities located in Elk Grove Village; at the downtown Thompson Center, a site the state of Illinois plans to sell; and at CPS headquarters in the Loop. The district estimated then it spent $19.6 million in circuit costs, fees and services, with $14.9 million funded by the federal E-Rate program, which helps schools and libraries obtain affordable internet access. Weve had some service challenges with AT&T, Wagner said. What we felt was, this (network project) was a better way of doing it to decrease our cost overall and allow for better resiliency and performance. The Chicago Board of Education approved an agreement with Houston-based Netsync Network Solutions in 2019. The five-year deal, with two options to renew for five years each, is not to exceed $83.8 million. E-Rate is expected to cover about $70.4 million. The rest of the tab will be paid for with government grants and by the board, which is on the hook for no more than $9.8 million, according to the contract. Advertisement Burnson said the project price tag has not changed, despite the delays. A Netsync representative declined to comment to the Tribune and referred questions to CPS. The first shovel broke ground in November 2020 more than a year after the board approved the Netsync agreement and months after the start of the COVID-19 crisis. Burnson said the district focused its efforts on transitioning to remote learning and ensuring students had devices to connect to the internet at home. He said crews are now concentrating on building the core network infrastructure. CPS says the first connections will be its data centers in Elk Grove Village and at its headquarters, along with 63 elementary sites and 18 high schools. A few of these schools share a campus. Principal Jasmine Thurmond and teacher Hannah Chorley communicate with their middle school students by way of remote learning during the first day of school in September 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Burnson said up to 240 facilities are targeted for the second phase. The first step for us to build the network is theres a series of core rings that need to be established. Theres a north, central and south ring connecting all of the 11 hub locations. So those 11 hub locations had to be part of phase one in order to build out that foundation for the network, he said. Selecting the other 70 sites that would be connected was based on our focus on building out on the South and West sides. The hubs are located on the North Side at Garvy Elementary School, William C. Goudy Technology Academy and Theodore Roosevelt High School; on the West Side at Michele Clark Academic Prep Magnet High School and John Spry Community School; in the South Loop at Jones College Prep; and on the South Side at Morgan Park High School, George Washington High School, Richardson Middle School, Wendell Phillips Academy High School and Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Paideia Academy. Advertisement Burnson said one of the greatest challenges has been securing construction permits. Requests that cover more than a million feet of fiber have been submitted, he said, with about a half-million feet approved. There are more than two dozen members of the city Office of Underground Coordination, including Peoples Gas, ComEd and AT&T, that review proposals to determine if excavation work will affect their infrastructure. If there is any change thats required by one of those organizations, you have to start the process over, so that way everyone is signed off on that final process, Burnson said. Weve been working with (the Chicago Department of Transportation) and other city agencies, and theyve been very supportive, but its still a very involved process to get the permits for the amount of work that were doing. There have been some construction and street parking woes as well. Crews drill horizontally under the surface of the street to install pipework the fiber runs through. Burnson said some complaints have been lodged about the temporary patching thats put in place while the work is being completed. There have been some quality issues that weve addressed with the aldermens office, as well as the subcontractors that are doing the actual construction work, he said. Were definitely working to make sure that any impact to citizens in the city are minimized as much as possible. tswartz@tribpub.com An $84 million plan to boost internet speeds at Chicago Public Schools has stalled again, officials say, because of red tape in securing construction permits from the city. For several months, crews have been ripping up streets to build a new high-speed fiber network. Around 80 schools were supposed to be connected by Nov. 1 as part of the projects first phase, but that goal has been pushed to the first quarter of 2022. Advertisement The latest setback may mean more construction headaches for residents and more internet woes for students, who returned to school buildings for full-time, in-person learning in August and are due back from the winter break Monday. Were running over 300 miles of fiber throughout the city, originally slated as a three-year project, Richard Burnson, CPS director of network services, told the Tribune. Were running a bit behind schedule, but continuing to push forward and have it wrapped up by 2023. Advertisement The new network is slated to reach about 570 Chicago schools and administrative buildings. Each school would connect to two of 11 hubs spaced across the city. If theres a problem with one of the connections, officials say high-speed internet would still be available. Teacher Toni Armer communicates remotely with other teachers, assistants and middle grade school students during the first day of school at Chicago's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy of Social Justice in September 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Schools would have access to download speeds of 20 gigabits per second, Burnson said. When the project began, he said, elementary schools received 250 megabits of bandwidth. Now theyre at 500 megabits thanks to upgrades completed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most high schools each have access to one gigabit, though Burnson said CPS is completing an effort to upgrade the high schools to two gigs, and thats expected to wrap up by the end of (2021). The nations third-largest school district, CPS has 421 elementary schools and 91 high schools. Burnson said CPS experienced few issues last spring with connectivity because the district welcomed students back to campuses in waves after months of remote learning. But most of CPSs 330,000 students have attended classes in person this fall, and technology tools such as Google Meet video sessions can tax a system. Were really excited about future-proofing our network with this new project, CPS Deputy Chief of Information and Technology Services Ed Wagner said. Weve seen, historically, schools have consumed more and more bandwidth each and every year that theyre in operation because of use of online tools for education. Skyline as an example, our new digital curriculum we do a lot of assessments online. CPS explored its options for a network redesign in 2018. At the time, AT&T was providing service, with network facilities located in Elk Grove Village; at the downtown Thompson Center, a site the state of Illinois plans to sell; and at CPS headquarters in the Loop. The district estimated then it spent $19.6 million in circuit costs, fees and services, with $14.9 million funded by the federal E-Rate program, which helps schools and libraries obtain affordable internet access. Weve had some service challenges with AT&T, Wagner said. What we felt was, this (network project) was a better way of doing it to decrease our cost overall and allow for better resiliency and performance. The Chicago Board of Education approved an agreement with Houston-based Netsync Network Solutions in 2019. The five-year deal, with two options to renew for five years each, is not to exceed $83.8 million. E-Rate is expected to cover about $70.4 million. The rest of the tab will be paid for with government grants and by the board, which is on the hook for no more than $9.8 million, according to the contract. Advertisement Burnson said the project price tag has not changed, despite the delays. A Netsync representative declined to comment to the Tribune and referred questions to CPS. The first shovel broke ground in November 2020 more than a year after the board approved the Netsync agreement and months after the start of the COVID-19 crisis. Burnson said the district focused its efforts on transitioning to remote learning and ensuring students had devices to connect to the internet at home. He said crews are now concentrating on building the core network infrastructure. CPS says the first connections will be its data centers in Elk Grove Village and at its headquarters, along with 63 elementary sites and 18 high schools. A few of these schools share a campus. Principal Jasmine Thurmond and teacher Hannah Chorley communicate with their middle school students by way of remote learning during the first day of school in September 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Burnson said up to 240 facilities are targeted for the second phase. The first step for us to build the network is theres a series of core rings that need to be established. Theres a north, central and south ring connecting all of the 11 hub locations. So those 11 hub locations had to be part of phase one in order to build out that foundation for the network, he said. Selecting the other 70 sites that would be connected was based on our focus on building out on the South and West sides. The hubs are located on the North Side at Garvy Elementary School, William C. Goudy Technology Academy and Theodore Roosevelt High School; on the West Side at Michele Clark Academic Prep Magnet High School and John Spry Community School; in the South Loop at Jones College Prep; and on the South Side at Morgan Park High School, George Washington High School, Richardson Middle School, Wendell Phillips Academy High School and Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Paideia Academy. Advertisement Burnson said one of the greatest challenges has been securing construction permits. Requests that cover more than a million feet of fiber have been submitted, he said, with about a half-million feet approved. There are more than two dozen members of the city Office of Underground Coordination, including Peoples Gas, ComEd and AT&T, that review proposals to determine if excavation work will affect their infrastructure. If there is any change thats required by one of those organizations, you have to start the process over, so that way everyone is signed off on that final process, Burnson said. Weve been working with (the Chicago Department of Transportation) and other city agencies, and theyve been very supportive, but its still a very involved process to get the permits for the amount of work that were doing. There have been some construction and street parking woes as well. Crews drill horizontally under the surface of the street to install pipework the fiber runs through. Burnson said some complaints have been lodged about the temporary patching thats put in place while the work is being completed. There have been some quality issues that weve addressed with the aldermens office, as well as the subcontractors that are doing the actual construction work, he said. Were definitely working to make sure that any impact to citizens in the city are minimized as much as possible. tswartz@tribpub.com Atiwa Forest Reserve, and other 16 sites have been penned as future nominations into the World Network of Biosphere Reserves under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Biosphere Reserves are specially protected areas where diverse plants and animals exist with some level of human activity to conserve biodiversity and sustainable development. These sites serve as referral systems for monitoring and evaluating changes in natural ecosystems and are an effective instrument for mitigating climate change and serve as models for adaptation to the impacts of this change. They include Shai Hills Reserve, the Kakum, Mole, Digya, and Bui national parks, and Gbele Resources Reserve. The Tano-Ofei Range, Apedwa Hills, Kwahu Scarp, Kyaboo Transboundary Reserve, and Mount Afadzato and Agumatsa Wildlife Sanctuary are also part of the sites. Professor Dennis Aheto, the subcommittee chair of the National Committee of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) said this at the launch of a 47-page handbook on Biosphere Reserve concept at Sege in the Ada West District. It was designed by the National Committee of the UNESCO MAB hosted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with support from the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC); Forestry Commission, academia, and some district assemblies. The manual is seeking to make biosphere issues a normal component in Ghana's development planning and budgeting process at all levels as the basis for sustainable financing of its activities. He said out of the network of 727 reserves in 131countries, Ghana was hosting three, comprising Bia Biosphere Reserve, the largest, located in the Western Region, Songor Ramsar Site in Greater Accra, and Lake Bosomtwe Biosphere Reserve in Ashanti. Touching on the handbook, Prof. Aheto explained that its development, which started in 2018 in line with the Ghana Action plan (2018- 2025) for the MAB programme, was a requirement of the network of world biosphere reserves network as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The mainstreaming activities in the book, he said, included stakeholder engagements; communication and information sharing; capacity building, and conscious allocation of funds for biosphere related activities. Madam Ama Nerquaye-Tetteh, the Secretary-General for the Ghana Commission for UNESCO, commended Ghana for its tree planting exercise; support for global environmental initiatives, and the development of the manual and urged the country to do more to protect its reserves. Dr Kodjo Mensah-Abrampa, the Director-General of the NDPC, said the effective way of implementing national policies was through integration into all levels of planning. He urged all districts to take the handbook seriously and urged stakeholders to monitor and ensure its content was implemented. On behalf of the EPA, the Ghana MAB coordinator, Sheila Ashong, expressed the hope that the strong stakeholder engagement held over the period would propel the implementation of the activities outlined in the document for collective gains. GNA An $84 million plan to boost internet speeds at Chicago Public Schools has stalled again, officials say, because of red tape in securing construction permits from the city. For several months, crews have been ripping up streets to build a new high-speed fiber network. Around 80 schools were supposed to be connected by Nov. 1 as part of the projects first phase, but that goal has been pushed to the first quarter of 2022. Advertisement The latest setback may mean more construction headaches for residents and more internet woes for students, who returned to school buildings for full-time, in-person learning in August and are due back from the winter break Monday. Were running over 300 miles of fiber throughout the city, originally slated as a three-year project, Richard Burnson, CPS director of network services, told the Tribune. Were running a bit behind schedule, but continuing to push forward and have it wrapped up by 2023. Advertisement The new network is slated to reach about 570 Chicago schools and administrative buildings. Each school would connect to two of 11 hubs spaced across the city. If theres a problem with one of the connections, officials say high-speed internet would still be available. Teacher Toni Armer communicates remotely with other teachers, assistants and middle grade school students during the first day of school at Chicago's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy of Social Justice in September 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Schools would have access to download speeds of 20 gigabits per second, Burnson said. When the project began, he said, elementary schools received 250 megabits of bandwidth. Now theyre at 500 megabits thanks to upgrades completed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most high schools each have access to one gigabit, though Burnson said CPS is completing an effort to upgrade the high schools to two gigs, and thats expected to wrap up by the end of (2021). The nations third-largest school district, CPS has 421 elementary schools and 91 high schools. Burnson said CPS experienced few issues last spring with connectivity because the district welcomed students back to campuses in waves after months of remote learning. But most of CPSs 330,000 students have attended classes in person this fall, and technology tools such as Google Meet video sessions can tax a system. Were really excited about future-proofing our network with this new project, CPS Deputy Chief of Information and Technology Services Ed Wagner said. Weve seen, historically, schools have consumed more and more bandwidth each and every year that theyre in operation because of use of online tools for education. Skyline as an example, our new digital curriculum we do a lot of assessments online. CPS explored its options for a network redesign in 2018. At the time, AT&T was providing service, with network facilities located in Elk Grove Village; at the downtown Thompson Center, a site the state of Illinois plans to sell; and at CPS headquarters in the Loop. The district estimated then it spent $19.6 million in circuit costs, fees and services, with $14.9 million funded by the federal E-Rate program, which helps schools and libraries obtain affordable internet access. Weve had some service challenges with AT&T, Wagner said. What we felt was, this (network project) was a better way of doing it to decrease our cost overall and allow for better resiliency and performance. The Chicago Board of Education approved an agreement with Houston-based Netsync Network Solutions in 2019. The five-year deal, with two options to renew for five years each, is not to exceed $83.8 million. E-Rate is expected to cover about $70.4 million. The rest of the tab will be paid for with government grants and by the board, which is on the hook for no more than $9.8 million, according to the contract. Advertisement Burnson said the project price tag has not changed, despite the delays. A Netsync representative declined to comment to the Tribune and referred questions to CPS. The first shovel broke ground in November 2020 more than a year after the board approved the Netsync agreement and months after the start of the COVID-19 crisis. Burnson said the district focused its efforts on transitioning to remote learning and ensuring students had devices to connect to the internet at home. He said crews are now concentrating on building the core network infrastructure. CPS says the first connections will be its data centers in Elk Grove Village and at its headquarters, along with 63 elementary sites and 18 high schools. A few of these schools share a campus. Principal Jasmine Thurmond and teacher Hannah Chorley communicate with their middle school students by way of remote learning during the first day of school in September 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Burnson said up to 240 facilities are targeted for the second phase. The first step for us to build the network is theres a series of core rings that need to be established. Theres a north, central and south ring connecting all of the 11 hub locations. So those 11 hub locations had to be part of phase one in order to build out that foundation for the network, he said. Selecting the other 70 sites that would be connected was based on our focus on building out on the South and West sides. The hubs are located on the North Side at Garvy Elementary School, William C. Goudy Technology Academy and Theodore Roosevelt High School; on the West Side at Michele Clark Academic Prep Magnet High School and John Spry Community School; in the South Loop at Jones College Prep; and on the South Side at Morgan Park High School, George Washington High School, Richardson Middle School, Wendell Phillips Academy High School and Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Paideia Academy. Advertisement Burnson said one of the greatest challenges has been securing construction permits. Requests that cover more than a million feet of fiber have been submitted, he said, with about a half-million feet approved. There are more than two dozen members of the city Office of Underground Coordination, including Peoples Gas, ComEd and AT&T, that review proposals to determine if excavation work will affect their infrastructure. If there is any change thats required by one of those organizations, you have to start the process over, so that way everyone is signed off on that final process, Burnson said. Weve been working with (the Chicago Department of Transportation) and other city agencies, and theyve been very supportive, but its still a very involved process to get the permits for the amount of work that were doing. There have been some construction and street parking woes as well. Crews drill horizontally under the surface of the street to install pipework the fiber runs through. Burnson said some complaints have been lodged about the temporary patching thats put in place while the work is being completed. There have been some quality issues that weve addressed with the aldermens office, as well as the subcontractors that are doing the actual construction work, he said. Were definitely working to make sure that any impact to citizens in the city are minimized as much as possible. tswartz@tribpub.com An $84 million plan to boost internet speeds at Chicago Public Schools has stalled again, officials say, because of red tape in securing construction permits from the city. For several months, crews have been ripping up streets to build a new high-speed fiber network. Around 80 schools were supposed to be connected by Nov. 1 as part of the projects first phase, but that goal has been pushed to the first quarter of 2022. Advertisement The latest setback may mean more construction headaches for residents and more internet woes for students, who returned to school buildings for full-time, in-person learning in August and are due back from the winter break Monday. Were running over 300 miles of fiber throughout the city, originally slated as a three-year project, Richard Burnson, CPS director of network services, told the Tribune. Were running a bit behind schedule, but continuing to push forward and have it wrapped up by 2023. Advertisement The new network is slated to reach about 570 Chicago schools and administrative buildings. Each school would connect to two of 11 hubs spaced across the city. If theres a problem with one of the connections, officials say high-speed internet would still be available. Teacher Toni Armer communicates remotely with other teachers, assistants and middle grade school students during the first day of school at Chicago's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy of Social Justice in September 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Schools would have access to download speeds of 20 gigabits per second, Burnson said. When the project began, he said, elementary schools received 250 megabits of bandwidth. Now theyre at 500 megabits thanks to upgrades completed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most high schools each have access to one gigabit, though Burnson said CPS is completing an effort to upgrade the high schools to two gigs, and thats expected to wrap up by the end of (2021). The nations third-largest school district, CPS has 421 elementary schools and 91 high schools. Burnson said CPS experienced few issues last spring with connectivity because the district welcomed students back to campuses in waves after months of remote learning. But most of CPSs 330,000 students have attended classes in person this fall, and technology tools such as Google Meet video sessions can tax a system. Were really excited about future-proofing our network with this new project, CPS Deputy Chief of Information and Technology Services Ed Wagner said. Weve seen, historically, schools have consumed more and more bandwidth each and every year that theyre in operation because of use of online tools for education. Skyline as an example, our new digital curriculum we do a lot of assessments online. CPS explored its options for a network redesign in 2018. At the time, AT&T was providing service, with network facilities located in Elk Grove Village; at the downtown Thompson Center, a site the state of Illinois plans to sell; and at CPS headquarters in the Loop. The district estimated then it spent $19.6 million in circuit costs, fees and services, with $14.9 million funded by the federal E-Rate program, which helps schools and libraries obtain affordable internet access. Weve had some service challenges with AT&T, Wagner said. What we felt was, this (network project) was a better way of doing it to decrease our cost overall and allow for better resiliency and performance. The Chicago Board of Education approved an agreement with Houston-based Netsync Network Solutions in 2019. The five-year deal, with two options to renew for five years each, is not to exceed $83.8 million. E-Rate is expected to cover about $70.4 million. The rest of the tab will be paid for with government grants and by the board, which is on the hook for no more than $9.8 million, according to the contract. Advertisement Burnson said the project price tag has not changed, despite the delays. A Netsync representative declined to comment to the Tribune and referred questions to CPS. The first shovel broke ground in November 2020 more than a year after the board approved the Netsync agreement and months after the start of the COVID-19 crisis. Burnson said the district focused its efforts on transitioning to remote learning and ensuring students had devices to connect to the internet at home. He said crews are now concentrating on building the core network infrastructure. CPS says the first connections will be its data centers in Elk Grove Village and at its headquarters, along with 63 elementary sites and 18 high schools. A few of these schools share a campus. Principal Jasmine Thurmond and teacher Hannah Chorley communicate with their middle school students by way of remote learning during the first day of school in September 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Burnson said up to 240 facilities are targeted for the second phase. The first step for us to build the network is theres a series of core rings that need to be established. Theres a north, central and south ring connecting all of the 11 hub locations. So those 11 hub locations had to be part of phase one in order to build out that foundation for the network, he said. Selecting the other 70 sites that would be connected was based on our focus on building out on the South and West sides. The hubs are located on the North Side at Garvy Elementary School, William C. Goudy Technology Academy and Theodore Roosevelt High School; on the West Side at Michele Clark Academic Prep Magnet High School and John Spry Community School; in the South Loop at Jones College Prep; and on the South Side at Morgan Park High School, George Washington High School, Richardson Middle School, Wendell Phillips Academy High School and Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Paideia Academy. Advertisement Burnson said one of the greatest challenges has been securing construction permits. Requests that cover more than a million feet of fiber have been submitted, he said, with about a half-million feet approved. There are more than two dozen members of the city Office of Underground Coordination, including Peoples Gas, ComEd and AT&T, that review proposals to determine if excavation work will affect their infrastructure. If there is any change thats required by one of those organizations, you have to start the process over, so that way everyone is signed off on that final process, Burnson said. Weve been working with (the Chicago Department of Transportation) and other city agencies, and theyve been very supportive, but its still a very involved process to get the permits for the amount of work that were doing. There have been some construction and street parking woes as well. Crews drill horizontally under the surface of the street to install pipework the fiber runs through. Burnson said some complaints have been lodged about the temporary patching thats put in place while the work is being completed. There have been some quality issues that weve addressed with the aldermens office, as well as the subcontractors that are doing the actual construction work, he said. Were definitely working to make sure that any impact to citizens in the city are minimized as much as possible. tswartz@tribpub.com With the anticipated need for a lot more lithium to put into batteries to help power a greener future, you might think environmentalists would give a pass to some of the negative effects of the proposed lithium mines that are being planned at sites around Nevada. Thats not the case. The opposition to some of the proposed mines has been strong and may even be ramping up. Thacker Pass Lithium Americas Thacker Pass lithium mine may be the biggest project on the horizon, and it is facing lots of opposition. Lithium Americas has been working for years on plans for Thacker Pass, which is about 60 miles northwest of Winnemucca. The companys website says Thacker Pass is the largest known lithium resource in the United States. Lithium Americas estimates there is $3.9 billion worth of recoverable lithium at the site. The company has said it hopes to start mining operations next year. The mine is expected to produce up to 60,000 tons a year of battery-quality lithium carbonate, which would be a huge boost to the world supply of lithium. The mine is expected to employ about 300 people and have a 46-year mine life. On Jan. 15, 2021, the last Friday of the Trump Administration, the Bureau of Land Management approved the Record of Decision for Thacker Pass, giving federal approval to the project. That evening, Will Falk and Max Wilbert set out on an eight-hour drive to the Thacker Pass site to set up a camp nearby to protest the mine. People have been camped out there ever since. Falk and Wilbert are radical environmentalists, with Falk writing on the protectthackerpass.org website that I hate fossil fuels and actively advocate for the dismantling of all industrial infrastructure Elisabeth Robson wrote on the website, Many people believe they cant live without cars. But all humans lived without cars until a mere 113 years ago, and we can do so again. A world without cars is a quieter, slower, and more wonderful world, not just for humans but for everyone. I hope one day a militant and offensive environmental movement forms, Falk wrote. The people opposed to the Thacker Pass mine and other lithium mine projects dont all hold these views, of course, but have a variety of reasons for their opposition. A March 10 letter in the Elko Daily Free Press from Alex Eisenberg said the plan to transition to electric vehicles in the years ahead is incredibly short-sighted and irresponsible and will do virtually nothing to curb carbon emissions, as electric car production is completely reliant on the fossil fuel industry. The Thacker Pass mine alone would burn 11,000 gallons of diesel every day for onsite operations, the letter said. Double that for off-site operations. Carbon emissions are expected to be 150,000+ tons per year, equating to 2.3 tons of carbon for every ton of lithium produced. Hundreds of tons of sulfur (ironically a waste product from oil refineries) would be used daily in mine operations. On Feb. 11, 2021, Edward Bartell, a rancher who owns property above and below the mine, filed a lawsuit with a long list of objections to the mine. One of his big concerns is the water the mine will use. The projects Environmental Impact Statement says the projected water demand for years 5 through 41 is equivalent to an average pumping rate of 3,224 gallons per minute. On Feb. 26, 2021, the Western Watersheds Project, Wildlands Defense, Great Basin Resource Watch, and Basin and Range Watch filed a lawsuit saying the Thacker Pass Record of Decision did not adequately gauge the mines impacts on greater sage grouse and other wildlife. Local Indigenous communities say Thacker Pass is important to them historically and in their daily lives. Local tribal members have been camping near the mine site to protest the mine. The tribal council of the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation, which is about 26 miles from the mine site, made an engagement agreement with Lithium Nevada in 2020, but withdrew from the agreement in March 2021. On July 28, the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and Atsa Koodakuh Wyh Nuwu/People of Red Mountain were allowed to intervene as plaintiffs in the lawsuits against the mine. On Aug. 6, the Burns Paiute Tribe was also allowed to intervene. Additional court filings have been made since then. On Sept. 5, U.S. District Court Judge Miranda Du denied a request from the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and the People of Red Mountain for a preliminary injunction to temporarily halt work. Falk is a lawyer for the People of the Red Mountain, but he told The Guardian he is skeptical they will be able to win by arguing the right things. Eventually were going to have to be ready to physically block construction equipment. I think that one of the ways to wake up people in the United States (is seeing) people getting dragged away by the police for trying to protect their land. And I think thats where this is going, Falk said. Humboldt County Manager Dave Mendiola told Inside Climate News, I guess you can chain yourself to the fence like some of the protesters might do and I dont blame them for that. But in the end, as a company, if theyve followed all the rules, youre probably not going to stop it. What we can do as a county is monitor it and come up with ways to address problems now. Rhyolite Ridge At ioneers proposed Rhyolite Ridge lithium mine about 65 miles southwest of Tonopah, debates continue over the Tiehms buckwheat that is found only on the site. James Calaway, executive chairman of ioneer Ltd., said the company is working to protect the plant and increase the size of its habitat. He said about half of the plants were destroyed by drought and rodents last year. John Scire, PhD, an adjunct professor at UNR, said in a December editorial that the bottom line is that the Fish and Wildlife Service should veto the false claims by the Las Vegans that the ioneer mine will wipe out the buckwheat plants and should consider instead the macro environmental impacts of not letting the mine get cranked up ASAP. The best available science supports that the mine and the plant can co-exist. However, Patrick Donnelly, the Nevada director of the Center for Biological Diversity, said he disagrees with ioneers expectation that the wildflower can be established near the current growing site. Attempts to propagate the plants failed, Donnelly told Mining the West magazine. They all died, so ioneer doesnt have a plan. Their plan is bunk and doesnt reflect the consensus of the scientific community. There is no compromise. They cannot hurt the buckwheat, Donnelly said. He said the Center for Biological Diversity does not oppose lithium mining, and lithium is all over the place in Nevada. Other projects Other companies are working on developing other possible lithium mine sites around Nevada. Mike Kobler, general manager of U.S. operations for Tonopah Lithium Corp., told the Nye County commissioners at their Nov. 2 meeting that his companys mine site about six miles northwest of Tonopah could become one of the biggest lithium resources in the world. We are in the perfect location in Nevada, Kobler said. We dont have the sage grouse issues that they have up north, we dont have the desert tortoise issues that they have down south, we have not found any Tiehms buckwheat; weve cleared all of our environmental hurdles and cultural hurdles, so were just moving ahead. In addition to Nevada, companies are also working on proposed lithium production sites in California, Oregon, Tennessee, Arkansas and North Carolina. Other countries The United States is not the only country with pushback against new lithium mines. In Serbia, Rio Tinto has been planning a $2.4 billion lithium mine. For three consecutive weekends in late 2021, thousands of protesters blocked roads in Serbia to protest lithium mining, with environmentalists saying that extracting lithium causes huge damage to mined areas. On Dec. 16, authorities in western Serbia suspended a plan that would allow Rio Tinto to operate the lithium mine. We will continue to provide information on all aspects of the project for which we are responsible and in which we participate, Rio Tinto said in a statement. Chile, which has about 44% of the worlds lithium reserves, elected leftist Gabriel Boric as president on Dec. 19, but it is not clear what impact Borics election will have on lithium mining. Boric has supported mining tax hikes and royalties and promised to create a state-run lithium company. A bold agenda If efforts to stop proposed lithium mines in Nevada and elsewhere in the United States are successful, then as the need for lithium ramps up, lithium mining could escalate in countries that have fewer environmental regulations than the U.S., and more fuel will be burned shipping lithium and batteries around the world and to the U.S. In the National Blueprint for Lithium Batteries 2021-2030 published in June 2021, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm wrote, The Biden Administration has laid out a bold agenda to address the climate crisis and build a clean and equitable energy economy that achieves carbon-pollution-free electricity by 2035, and puts the United States on a path to achieve net-zero emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050 to the benefit of all Americans. The report says the Federal Consortium for Advanced Batteries will secure U.S. access to raw materials for lithium batteries by incentivizing growth in safe, equitable, and sustainable domestic mining ventures while leveraging partnerships with allies and partners to establish a diversified supply. The worldwide lithium battery market is expected to grow by a factor of 5 to 10 in the next decade, the report says. The U.S. industrial base must be positioned to respond to this vast increase in market demand that otherwise will likely benefit well-resourced and supported competitors in Asia and Europe. However, on May 25, 2021, Reuters ran a story saying, U.S. President Joe Biden will rely on ally countries to supply the bulk of the metals needed to build electric vehicles and focus on processing them domestically into battery parts, part of a strategy designed to placate environmentalists, two administration officials with direct knowledge told Reuters. The plans will be a blow to U.S. miners who had hoped Biden would rely primarily on domestically sourced metals, as his campaign had signaled last autumn. Current production Currently about 46% of the worlds mine production of lithium is in Australia, and about 21% is Chile and another 16% is in China, according to U.S. Geological Survey data. In the United States, all the lithium mining is at one mine in Nevada, and accounts for less than 2% of the worlds mine production. Albemarle Corporations Silver Peak lithium mine is about 40 miles southwest of Tonopah and has been in operation since the 1960s. A May 6, 2021 New York Times story said Silver Peak produces about 5,000 tons of lithium a year. On Jan. 7, 2021, Albemarle announced that it planned to invest $30 million to $50 million to double the lithium production at Silver Peak by 2025. The company also said it planned to begin exploration in 2021 and evaluate technology that could accelerate the viability of lithium production from clay resources in the region. The lithium produced at Silver Peak is shipped to Asia to be made into cathodes for batteries. China has for years been focused on building capacity at every stage of the battery supply chain, according to a Sept. 1, 2020 VOA News story. China has been buying stakes in mining operations in Australia and South America where most of the worlds lithium reserves are found, the VOA story said. Chinas Ganfeng Lithium, which has been snapping up lithium mines and salt lakes abroad as it plots out an ambitious road map for growth, according to a Dec. 8, 2021 Nikkei Asia story, is the largest shareholder in Lithium Americas, the company planning the Thacker Pass mine, according to the New York Times story. To add to all the lithium news and heat up the global competition for lithium resources even more, lithium prices shot way up in 2021, increasing about 240%. The future In the years ahead, refining capacity might be built in the U.S. as more battery factories and electric vehicle factories are built here. The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Dec. 20, 2021 that 13 new electric vehicle battery factories are planned in the U.S. within the next five years. Most of these factories will be in the Southeast or Midwest. So, although U.S. will lag behind China, parts of the EV battery supply chain will be growing in the U.S. in the years ahead. But the question remains, how much of the lithium and other elements needed for the supply chain will come from mines in Nevada? Well being finding that out as the approval and funding processes and the legal battles and protests roll on. With the anticipated need for a lot more lithium to put into batteries to help power a greener future, you might think environmentalists would give a pass to some of the negative effects of the proposed lithium mines that are being planned at sites around Nevada. Thats not the case. The opposition to some of the proposed mines has been strong and may even be ramping up. Thacker Pass Lithium Americas Thacker Pass lithium mine may be the biggest project on the horizon, and it is facing lots of opposition. Lithium Americas has been working for years on plans for Thacker Pass, which is about 60 miles northwest of Winnemucca. The companys website says Thacker Pass is the largest known lithium resource in the United States. Lithium Americas estimates there is $3.9 billion worth of recoverable lithium at the site. The company has said it hopes to start mining operations next year. The mine is expected to produce up to 60,000 tons a year of battery-quality lithium carbonate, which would be a huge boost to the world supply of lithium. The mine is expected to employ about 300 people and have a 46-year mine life. On Jan. 15, 2021, the last Friday of the Trump Administration, the Bureau of Land Management approved the Record of Decision for Thacker Pass, giving federal approval to the project. That evening, Will Falk and Max Wilbert set out on an eight-hour drive to the Thacker Pass site to set up a camp nearby to protest the mine. People have been camped out there ever since. Falk and Wilbert are radical environmentalists, with Falk writing on the protectthackerpass.org website that I hate fossil fuels and actively advocate for the dismantling of all industrial infrastructure Elisabeth Robson wrote on the website, Many people believe they cant live without cars. But all humans lived without cars until a mere 113 years ago, and we can do so again. A world without cars is a quieter, slower, and more wonderful world, not just for humans but for everyone. I hope one day a militant and offensive environmental movement forms, Falk wrote. The people opposed to the Thacker Pass mine and other lithium mine projects dont all hold these views, of course, but have a variety of reasons for their opposition. A March 10 letter in the Elko Daily Free Press from Alex Eisenberg said the plan to transition to electric vehicles in the years ahead is incredibly short-sighted and irresponsible and will do virtually nothing to curb carbon emissions, as electric car production is completely reliant on the fossil fuel industry. The Thacker Pass mine alone would burn 11,000 gallons of diesel every day for onsite operations, the letter said. Double that for off-site operations. Carbon emissions are expected to be 150,000+ tons per year, equating to 2.3 tons of carbon for every ton of lithium produced. Hundreds of tons of sulfur (ironically a waste product from oil refineries) would be used daily in mine operations. On Feb. 11, 2021, Edward Bartell, a rancher who owns property above and below the mine, filed a lawsuit with a long list of objections to the mine. One of his big concerns is the water the mine will use. The projects Environmental Impact Statement says the projected water demand for years 5 through 41 is equivalent to an average pumping rate of 3,224 gallons per minute. On Feb. 26, 2021, the Western Watersheds Project, Wildlands Defense, Great Basin Resource Watch, and Basin and Range Watch filed a lawsuit saying the Thacker Pass Record of Decision did not adequately gauge the mines impacts on greater sage grouse and other wildlife. Local Indigenous communities say Thacker Pass is important to them historically and in their daily lives. Local tribal members have been camping near the mine site to protest the mine. The tribal council of the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation, which is about 26 miles from the mine site, made an engagement agreement with Lithium Nevada in 2020, but withdrew from the agreement in March 2021. On July 28, the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and Atsa Koodakuh Wyh Nuwu/People of Red Mountain were allowed to intervene as plaintiffs in the lawsuits against the mine. On Aug. 6, the Burns Paiute Tribe was also allowed to intervene. Additional court filings have been made since then. On Sept. 5, U.S. District Court Judge Miranda Du denied a request from the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and the People of Red Mountain for a preliminary injunction to temporarily halt work. Falk is a lawyer for the People of the Red Mountain, but he told The Guardian he is skeptical they will be able to win by arguing the right things. Eventually were going to have to be ready to physically block construction equipment. I think that one of the ways to wake up people in the United States (is seeing) people getting dragged away by the police for trying to protect their land. And I think thats where this is going, Falk said. Humboldt County Manager Dave Mendiola told Inside Climate News, I guess you can chain yourself to the fence like some of the protesters might do and I dont blame them for that. But in the end, as a company, if theyve followed all the rules, youre probably not going to stop it. What we can do as a county is monitor it and come up with ways to address problems now. Rhyolite Ridge At ioneers proposed Rhyolite Ridge lithium mine about 65 miles southwest of Tonopah, debates continue over the Tiehms buckwheat that is found only on the site. James Calaway, executive chairman of ioneer Ltd., said the company is working to protect the plant and increase the size of its habitat. He said about half of the plants were destroyed by drought and rodents last year. John Scire, PhD, an adjunct professor at UNR, said in a December editorial that the bottom line is that the Fish and Wildlife Service should veto the false claims by the Las Vegans that the ioneer mine will wipe out the buckwheat plants and should consider instead the macro environmental impacts of not letting the mine get cranked up ASAP. The best available science supports that the mine and the plant can co-exist. However, Patrick Donnelly, the Nevada director of the Center for Biological Diversity, said he disagrees with ioneers expectation that the wildflower can be established near the current growing site. Attempts to propagate the plants failed, Donnelly told Mining the West magazine. They all died, so ioneer doesnt have a plan. Their plan is bunk and doesnt reflect the consensus of the scientific community. There is no compromise. They cannot hurt the buckwheat, Donnelly said. He said the Center for Biological Diversity does not oppose lithium mining, and lithium is all over the place in Nevada. Other projects Other companies are working on developing other possible lithium mine sites around Nevada. Mike Kobler, general manager of U.S. operations for Tonopah Lithium Corp., told the Nye County commissioners at their Nov. 2 meeting that his companys mine site about six miles northwest of Tonopah could become one of the biggest lithium resources in the world. We are in the perfect location in Nevada, Kobler said. We dont have the sage grouse issues that they have up north, we dont have the desert tortoise issues that they have down south, we have not found any Tiehms buckwheat; weve cleared all of our environmental hurdles and cultural hurdles, so were just moving ahead. In addition to Nevada, companies are also working on proposed lithium production sites in California, Oregon, Tennessee, Arkansas and North Carolina. Other countries The United States is not the only country with pushback against new lithium mines. In Serbia, Rio Tinto has been planning a $2.4 billion lithium mine. For three consecutive weekends in late 2021, thousands of protesters blocked roads in Serbia to protest lithium mining, with environmentalists saying that extracting lithium causes huge damage to mined areas. On Dec. 16, authorities in western Serbia suspended a plan that would allow Rio Tinto to operate the lithium mine. We will continue to provide information on all aspects of the project for which we are responsible and in which we participate, Rio Tinto said in a statement. Chile, which has about 44% of the worlds lithium reserves, elected leftist Gabriel Boric as president on Dec. 19, but it is not clear what impact Borics election will have on lithium mining. Boric has supported mining tax hikes and royalties and promised to create a state-run lithium company. A bold agenda If efforts to stop proposed lithium mines in Nevada and elsewhere in the United States are successful, then as the need for lithium ramps up, lithium mining could escalate in countries that have fewer environmental regulations than the U.S., and more fuel will be burned shipping lithium and batteries around the world and to the U.S. In the National Blueprint for Lithium Batteries 2021-2030 published in June 2021, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm wrote, The Biden Administration has laid out a bold agenda to address the climate crisis and build a clean and equitable energy economy that achieves carbon-pollution-free electricity by 2035, and puts the United States on a path to achieve net-zero emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050 to the benefit of all Americans. The report says the Federal Consortium for Advanced Batteries will secure U.S. access to raw materials for lithium batteries by incentivizing growth in safe, equitable, and sustainable domestic mining ventures while leveraging partnerships with allies and partners to establish a diversified supply. The worldwide lithium battery market is expected to grow by a factor of 5 to 10 in the next decade, the report says. The U.S. industrial base must be positioned to respond to this vast increase in market demand that otherwise will likely benefit well-resourced and supported competitors in Asia and Europe. However, on May 25, 2021, Reuters ran a story saying, U.S. President Joe Biden will rely on ally countries to supply the bulk of the metals needed to build electric vehicles and focus on processing them domestically into battery parts, part of a strategy designed to placate environmentalists, two administration officials with direct knowledge told Reuters. The plans will be a blow to U.S. miners who had hoped Biden would rely primarily on domestically sourced metals, as his campaign had signaled last autumn. Current production Currently about 46% of the worlds mine production of lithium is in Australia, and about 21% is Chile and another 16% is in China, according to U.S. Geological Survey data. In the United States, all the lithium mining is at one mine in Nevada, and accounts for less than 2% of the worlds mine production. Albemarle Corporations Silver Peak lithium mine is about 40 miles southwest of Tonopah and has been in operation since the 1960s. A May 6, 2021 New York Times story said Silver Peak produces about 5,000 tons of lithium a year. On Jan. 7, 2021, Albemarle announced that it planned to invest $30 million to $50 million to double the lithium production at Silver Peak by 2025. The company also said it planned to begin exploration in 2021 and evaluate technology that could accelerate the viability of lithium production from clay resources in the region. The lithium produced at Silver Peak is shipped to Asia to be made into cathodes for batteries. China has for years been focused on building capacity at every stage of the battery supply chain, according to a Sept. 1, 2020 VOA News story. China has been buying stakes in mining operations in Australia and South America where most of the worlds lithium reserves are found, the VOA story said. Chinas Ganfeng Lithium, which has been snapping up lithium mines and salt lakes abroad as it plots out an ambitious road map for growth, according to a Dec. 8, 2021 Nikkei Asia story, is the largest shareholder in Lithium Americas, the company planning the Thacker Pass mine, according to the New York Times story. To add to all the lithium news and heat up the global competition for lithium resources even more, lithium prices shot way up in 2021, increasing about 240%. The future In the years ahead, refining capacity might be built in the U.S. as more battery factories and electric vehicle factories are built here. The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Dec. 20, 2021 that 13 new electric vehicle battery factories are planned in the U.S. within the next five years. Most of these factories will be in the Southeast or Midwest. So, although U.S. will lag behind China, parts of the EV battery supply chain will be growing in the U.S. in the years ahead. But the question remains, how much of the lithium and other elements needed for the supply chain will come from mines in Nevada? Well being finding that out as the approval and funding processes and the legal battles and protests roll on. With the anticipated need for a lot more lithium to put into batteries to help power a greener future, you might think environmentalists would give a pass to some of the negative effects of the proposed lithium mines that are being planned at sites around Nevada. Thats not the case. The opposition to some of the proposed mines has been strong and may even be ramping up. Thacker Pass Lithium Americas Thacker Pass lithium mine may be the biggest project on the horizon, and it is facing lots of opposition. Lithium Americas has been working for years on plans for Thacker Pass, which is about 60 miles northwest of Winnemucca. The companys website says Thacker Pass is the largest known lithium resource in the United States. Lithium Americas estimates there is $3.9 billion worth of recoverable lithium at the site. The company has said it hopes to start mining operations next year. The mine is expected to produce up to 60,000 tons a year of battery-quality lithium carbonate, which would be a huge boost to the world supply of lithium. The mine is expected to employ about 300 people and have a 46-year mine life. On Jan. 15, 2021, the last Friday of the Trump Administration, the Bureau of Land Management approved the Record of Decision for Thacker Pass, giving federal approval to the project. That evening, Will Falk and Max Wilbert set out on an eight-hour drive to the Thacker Pass site to set up a camp nearby to protest the mine. People have been camped out there ever since. Falk and Wilbert are radical environmentalists, with Falk writing on the protectthackerpass.org website that I hate fossil fuels and actively advocate for the dismantling of all industrial infrastructure Elisabeth Robson wrote on the website, Many people believe they cant live without cars. But all humans lived without cars until a mere 113 years ago, and we can do so again. A world without cars is a quieter, slower, and more wonderful world, not just for humans but for everyone. I hope one day a militant and offensive environmental movement forms, Falk wrote. The people opposed to the Thacker Pass mine and other lithium mine projects dont all hold these views, of course, but have a variety of reasons for their opposition. A March 10 letter in the Elko Daily Free Press from Alex Eisenberg said the plan to transition to electric vehicles in the years ahead is incredibly short-sighted and irresponsible and will do virtually nothing to curb carbon emissions, as electric car production is completely reliant on the fossil fuel industry. The Thacker Pass mine alone would burn 11,000 gallons of diesel every day for onsite operations, the letter said. Double that for off-site operations. Carbon emissions are expected to be 150,000+ tons per year, equating to 2.3 tons of carbon for every ton of lithium produced. Hundreds of tons of sulfur (ironically a waste product from oil refineries) would be used daily in mine operations. On Feb. 11, 2021, Edward Bartell, a rancher who owns property above and below the mine, filed a lawsuit with a long list of objections to the mine. One of his big concerns is the water the mine will use. The projects Environmental Impact Statement says the projected water demand for years 5 through 41 is equivalent to an average pumping rate of 3,224 gallons per minute. On Feb. 26, 2021, the Western Watersheds Project, Wildlands Defense, Great Basin Resource Watch, and Basin and Range Watch filed a lawsuit saying the Thacker Pass Record of Decision did not adequately gauge the mines impacts on greater sage grouse and other wildlife. Local Indigenous communities say Thacker Pass is important to them historically and in their daily lives. Local tribal members have been camping near the mine site to protest the mine. The tribal council of the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation, which is about 26 miles from the mine site, made an engagement agreement with Lithium Nevada in 2020, but withdrew from the agreement in March 2021. On July 28, the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and Atsa Koodakuh Wyh Nuwu/People of Red Mountain were allowed to intervene as plaintiffs in the lawsuits against the mine. On Aug. 6, the Burns Paiute Tribe was also allowed to intervene. Additional court filings have been made since then. On Sept. 5, U.S. District Court Judge Miranda Du denied a request from the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and the People of Red Mountain for a preliminary injunction to temporarily halt work. Falk is a lawyer for the People of the Red Mountain, but he told The Guardian he is skeptical they will be able to win by arguing the right things. Eventually were going to have to be ready to physically block construction equipment. I think that one of the ways to wake up people in the United States (is seeing) people getting dragged away by the police for trying to protect their land. And I think thats where this is going, Falk said. Humboldt County Manager Dave Mendiola told Inside Climate News, I guess you can chain yourself to the fence like some of the protesters might do and I dont blame them for that. But in the end, as a company, if theyve followed all the rules, youre probably not going to stop it. What we can do as a county is monitor it and come up with ways to address problems now. Rhyolite Ridge At ioneers proposed Rhyolite Ridge lithium mine about 65 miles southwest of Tonopah, debates continue over the Tiehms buckwheat that is found only on the site. James Calaway, executive chairman of ioneer Ltd., said the company is working to protect the plant and increase the size of its habitat. He said about half of the plants were destroyed by drought and rodents last year. John Scire, PhD, an adjunct professor at UNR, said in a December editorial that the bottom line is that the Fish and Wildlife Service should veto the false claims by the Las Vegans that the ioneer mine will wipe out the buckwheat plants and should consider instead the macro environmental impacts of not letting the mine get cranked up ASAP. The best available science supports that the mine and the plant can co-exist. However, Patrick Donnelly, the Nevada director of the Center for Biological Diversity, said he disagrees with ioneers expectation that the wildflower can be established near the current growing site. Attempts to propagate the plants failed, Donnelly told Mining the West magazine. They all died, so ioneer doesnt have a plan. Their plan is bunk and doesnt reflect the consensus of the scientific community. There is no compromise. They cannot hurt the buckwheat, Donnelly said. He said the Center for Biological Diversity does not oppose lithium mining, and lithium is all over the place in Nevada. Other projects Other companies are working on developing other possible lithium mine sites around Nevada. Mike Kobler, general manager of U.S. operations for Tonopah Lithium Corp., told the Nye County commissioners at their Nov. 2 meeting that his companys mine site about six miles northwest of Tonopah could become one of the biggest lithium resources in the world. We are in the perfect location in Nevada, Kobler said. We dont have the sage grouse issues that they have up north, we dont have the desert tortoise issues that they have down south, we have not found any Tiehms buckwheat; weve cleared all of our environmental hurdles and cultural hurdles, so were just moving ahead. In addition to Nevada, companies are also working on proposed lithium production sites in California, Oregon, Tennessee, Arkansas and North Carolina. Other countries The United States is not the only country with pushback against new lithium mines. In Serbia, Rio Tinto has been planning a $2.4 billion lithium mine. For three consecutive weekends in late 2021, thousands of protesters blocked roads in Serbia to protest lithium mining, with environmentalists saying that extracting lithium causes huge damage to mined areas. On Dec. 16, authorities in western Serbia suspended a plan that would allow Rio Tinto to operate the lithium mine. We will continue to provide information on all aspects of the project for which we are responsible and in which we participate, Rio Tinto said in a statement. Chile, which has about 44% of the worlds lithium reserves, elected leftist Gabriel Boric as president on Dec. 19, but it is not clear what impact Borics election will have on lithium mining. Boric has supported mining tax hikes and royalties and promised to create a state-run lithium company. A bold agenda If efforts to stop proposed lithium mines in Nevada and elsewhere in the United States are successful, then as the need for lithium ramps up, lithium mining could escalate in countries that have fewer environmental regulations than the U.S., and more fuel will be burned shipping lithium and batteries around the world and to the U.S. In the National Blueprint for Lithium Batteries 2021-2030 published in June 2021, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm wrote, The Biden Administration has laid out a bold agenda to address the climate crisis and build a clean and equitable energy economy that achieves carbon-pollution-free electricity by 2035, and puts the United States on a path to achieve net-zero emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050 to the benefit of all Americans. The report says the Federal Consortium for Advanced Batteries will secure U.S. access to raw materials for lithium batteries by incentivizing growth in safe, equitable, and sustainable domestic mining ventures while leveraging partnerships with allies and partners to establish a diversified supply. The worldwide lithium battery market is expected to grow by a factor of 5 to 10 in the next decade, the report says. The U.S. industrial base must be positioned to respond to this vast increase in market demand that otherwise will likely benefit well-resourced and supported competitors in Asia and Europe. However, on May 25, 2021, Reuters ran a story saying, U.S. President Joe Biden will rely on ally countries to supply the bulk of the metals needed to build electric vehicles and focus on processing them domestically into battery parts, part of a strategy designed to placate environmentalists, two administration officials with direct knowledge told Reuters. The plans will be a blow to U.S. miners who had hoped Biden would rely primarily on domestically sourced metals, as his campaign had signaled last autumn. Current production Currently about 46% of the worlds mine production of lithium is in Australia, and about 21% is Chile and another 16% is in China, according to U.S. Geological Survey data. In the United States, all the lithium mining is at one mine in Nevada, and accounts for less than 2% of the worlds mine production. Albemarle Corporations Silver Peak lithium mine is about 40 miles southwest of Tonopah and has been in operation since the 1960s. A May 6, 2021 New York Times story said Silver Peak produces about 5,000 tons of lithium a year. On Jan. 7, 2021, Albemarle announced that it planned to invest $30 million to $50 million to double the lithium production at Silver Peak by 2025. The company also said it planned to begin exploration in 2021 and evaluate technology that could accelerate the viability of lithium production from clay resources in the region. The lithium produced at Silver Peak is shipped to Asia to be made into cathodes for batteries. China has for years been focused on building capacity at every stage of the battery supply chain, according to a Sept. 1, 2020 VOA News story. China has been buying stakes in mining operations in Australia and South America where most of the worlds lithium reserves are found, the VOA story said. Chinas Ganfeng Lithium, which has been snapping up lithium mines and salt lakes abroad as it plots out an ambitious road map for growth, according to a Dec. 8, 2021 Nikkei Asia story, is the largest shareholder in Lithium Americas, the company planning the Thacker Pass mine, according to the New York Times story. To add to all the lithium news and heat up the global competition for lithium resources even more, lithium prices shot way up in 2021, increasing about 240%. The future In the years ahead, refining capacity might be built in the U.S. as more battery factories and electric vehicle factories are built here. The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Dec. 20, 2021 that 13 new electric vehicle battery factories are planned in the U.S. within the next five years. Most of these factories will be in the Southeast or Midwest. So, although U.S. will lag behind China, parts of the EV battery supply chain will be growing in the U.S. in the years ahead. But the question remains, how much of the lithium and other elements needed for the supply chain will come from mines in Nevada? Well being finding that out as the approval and funding processes and the legal battles and protests roll on. While 2021 was a boom time for legal marijuana sales in Illinois, it was another wasted year for minority entrepreneurs trying to break into the business, and a mixed experience for customers. Recreational cannabis retail sales continued to climb steadily this year, to more than $1.2 billion, roughly an 85% increase from 2020 through November of this year alone. The medical cannabis program reached 136,000 active patients, who spent another $362 million. The sales generated more than $300 million in tax revenue in fiscal year 2021 more than from alcohol. Advertisement But after new applicants waited through more than a year of delays for business licenses, judges prevented them from opening dispensaries while litigation dragged on, with no solution in sight. The year saw many new twists in the cannabis field. Sales took off for hemp-derived Delta-8 THC, called weed light, despite existing in a legal gray area. Huge multistate companies gobbled up independent dispensaries and expanded dramatically. In one constant, prices of marijuana in Illinois remained among the highest in the nation. Advertisement While cannabis remains illegal under federal law, proposals to decriminalize it or let banks finance it have been slowly gaining some support among lawmakers. The year also ushered in a vast array of new products and consumer trends. Here are a few reasons why 2021 was a great year for big cannabis operators in Illinois, but frustrating for newcomers. Consolidation Several cannabis companies founded and headquartered in Chicago have become among the largest operators in the nation, while out-of-state operators have come into Illinois, by opening new facilities or buying up competitors. Cresco Labs and Curaleaf each have grown to the maximum 10 retail sites in Illinois; PharmaCann has eight; Ascend Wellness, seven; Green Thumb Industries lists nine stores on its website; nuEra has six, and Zen Leaf operates 10. Together, that means seven companies control 60 of the 110 weed stores in the state. People attend the grand opening of Cresco Labs' flagship Sunnyside recreational marijuana store, which is a block south of Wrigley Field, on Nov. 15, 2021. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) The number of growers is even more limited. A mere 18 companies are allowed to grow cannabis compared with hundreds of companies that do so in Western states like Oregon or California, where they have the opposite problem of oversupply to the illegal market. Licensed growers in Illinois say they support new entrants to the market by helping with the complicated application process, by paying hundreds of thousands of dollars each in state fees to help fund startups and for seed projects to help them get started. PharmaCann promised $600,000 to help fund scholarships and build Oakton Community Colleges new cannabis cultivation laboratory. Cresco Labs created its new Illinois Cannabis Education Center in Chicago, which offers a mock dispensary and training facility for aspiring workers and owners. By state law, there was supposed to be a slew of new businesses licensed last year, with favoritism toward poor, largely minority areas with high rates of cannabis arrests. But after a series of delays, applicants complained that consultant KPMG had scored applications unfairly, resulting in wealthy, white, politically connected winners. To address the complaints and associated lawsuits, state lawmakers authorized 185 new dispensary licenses. But Cook County Judge Moshe Jacobius ordered that those licenses not be awarded while he wades through lawsuits challenging the process. The state did award 40 new craft grower licenses plus infuser and transporter licenses, but Cook County Judge Neil Cohen forbade the issuance of up to 60 new craft grower licenses due this year, while the courts try to resolve litigation from applicants who were disqualified. Advertisement None of this slowed down the existing market. Companies that had been granted licenses to open medical marijuana dispensaries since 2015 were allowed to also sell recreational weed, and to expand to second locations. Because of its artificially constrained market, Illinois still has among the highest-priced weed in the country. Wholesale flower prices reached nearly $4,000 per pound, analyst Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. estimated three times the U.S. average pegged by price tracking company Cannabis Benchmarks. With customers paying $19 per gram for retail flower, Cantor Fitzgerald estimated average annual sales per store at nearly $17 million. Moldy weed worries A big part of the demand $1 out of every $3 spent is from out of state, since Illinois is surrounded by states that dont allow recreational sales. Michigan does have adult use sales, but was hit by a large public recall of cannabis that had high levels of mold or other contaminants, with stores required to post notices alerting customers for a month after sales. Illinois, in contrast, issued a recall and quarantine this year, but kept it quiet. In May, the state Department of Financial and Professional Regulation sent dispensaries notice of a voluntary recall of Veranos Mag Landrace flower due to possible mold contamination. The department investigated the issue, but said it is prohibited by the state cannabis law from disclosing the results. In addition, a former production supervisor for PharmaCann, William Sanford, filed suit claiming that he was fired for repeatedly reporting moldy cannabis for removal after it had passed lab tests. The tests only sample a small part of each crop, so mold may grow undetected and may sicken those who eat it or inhale its spores. Sanford said he was told to stop reporting mold, but continued to do so, and was terminated in July. PharmaCann acknowledged that mold is a factor with any agricultural product, but is tightly controlled. By state law, all legal cannabis products must undergo lab tests to pass strict state limits on mold, pesticides, metals and other contaminants. If they fail, they may be treated with solvents for use in edibles, vapes and other products, but must be tested again to meet safety requirements. Options for sterilizing cannabis include irradiation or ozone gas, as used in the food industry. Advertisement Microdosing Customers may have noticed a dizzying variety of new products this year. One growing trend was in the area of low-dose edibles, for consumers to better control their experience. Rather than the 10 milligrams of THC, the main component that gets users high, which was previously suggested as a serving size, mints and gummies now often contain 5 or 3 mg, often with matching cannabidiol, or CBD, for users who want to relax without getting too high or paranoid. One study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Chicago found that low levels of THC reduced stress, while slightly higher doses that produced a mild high actually increased anxiety. And a survey by BDS Analytics Report found that 43% of edibles customers prefer low-dose products, and half of customers chose products based on the amount of CBD, which is thought to have a moderating effect on THC. Beverages are also growing in popularity, offering moderate doses of THC and the quick onset of effects without the smoke. For hardcore users, there are still plenty of high-powered flower, vapes and concentrates approaching 90% THC. Flowering cannabis plants are illuminated by artificial lighting at a tour called "Chitiva," given by workers at Prescribd, a cannabis cultivation company, at one of its cultivation centers on July 17, 2021, in Bridgeview. The interactive tour shows the start-to-finish process of growing cannabis. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) For those who dont like the high prices and taxes of licensed weed, this year saw the rise of Delta-8 THC. Its typically said to be derived from hemp, and provides similar, if milder, effects as the traditional Delta-9 THC found in pot. Its often sold in gas stations or vape shops. A proposal to outlaw such knockoff cannabinoids did not pass in Springfield this year, but may be reconsidered in the spring session. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Cannabis suppliers continue to compete for customers through word-of-mouth and the occasional competition. Most recently, the High Times Cannabis Cup named its winners for 2021, as judged by public participants. Advertisement Wait till next year Looking ahead to 2022, state Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat, has proposed legislation to expand the new craft growers licenses from 5,000 square feet to 14,000 square feet or more. That would still be a far cry from the 210,000 square feet of canopy that existing growers are allowed, but would help business owners get more financing based on their ability to produce more revenue. Also, in light of the courts de facto lockout of new minority owners, a group called Ex-Cons for Community & Social Change held protests this year, calling for consumers to support their local weed man, or illegal dealers. Tyrone Muhammad, executive director of Ex-Cons for Community and Social Change, left, talks with local resident Keith Fort, right, on April 12, 2021, in front of Sunnyside dispensary in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago. Muhammad and others in ECCSC hosted a demonstration against big money dispensaries muscling out would-be minority owners outside the dispensary. (Raquel Zaldivar / Chicago Tribune) Founder Tyrone Muhammad of Englewood, who served 21 years in prison for murder and now says hes trying to rebuild his community, called for creation of a peddlers license, so people without the money to open a bricks-and-mortar facility can take part in the cannabis industry. He believes licensing would reduce the violence that accompanies illegal drug dealing. Muhammad is also pushing to change state law to drop the ban on former felons working in the field. As it stands, only those with low-level convictions can get expungements and get licensed. Its still a farce, he said. In any other industry, as an ex-con, I can work. But I cant work in the cannabis space. rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com While 2021 was a boom time for legal marijuana sales in Illinois, it was another wasted year for minority entrepreneurs trying to break into the business, and a mixed experience for customers. Recreational cannabis retail sales continued to climb steadily this year, to more than $1.2 billion, roughly an 85% increase from 2020 through November of this year alone. The medical cannabis program reached 136,000 active patients, who spent another $362 million. The sales generated more than $300 million in tax revenue in fiscal year 2021 more than from alcohol. Advertisement But after new applicants waited through more than a year of delays for business licenses, judges prevented them from opening dispensaries while litigation dragged on, with no solution in sight. The year saw many new twists in the cannabis field. Sales took off for hemp-derived Delta-8 THC, called weed light, despite existing in a legal gray area. Huge multistate companies gobbled up independent dispensaries and expanded dramatically. In one constant, prices of marijuana in Illinois remained among the highest in the nation. Advertisement While cannabis remains illegal under federal law, proposals to decriminalize it or let banks finance it have been slowly gaining some support among lawmakers. The year also ushered in a vast array of new products and consumer trends. Here are a few reasons why 2021 was a great year for big cannabis operators in Illinois, but frustrating for newcomers. Consolidation Several cannabis companies founded and headquartered in Chicago have become among the largest operators in the nation, while out-of-state operators have come into Illinois, by opening new facilities or buying up competitors. Cresco Labs and Curaleaf each have grown to the maximum 10 retail sites in Illinois; PharmaCann has eight; Ascend Wellness, seven; Green Thumb Industries lists nine stores on its website; nuEra has six, and Zen Leaf operates 10. Together, that means seven companies control 60 of the 110 weed stores in the state. People attend the grand opening of Cresco Labs' flagship Sunnyside recreational marijuana store, which is a block south of Wrigley Field, on Nov. 15, 2021. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) The number of growers is even more limited. A mere 18 companies are allowed to grow cannabis compared with hundreds of companies that do so in Western states like Oregon or California, where they have the opposite problem of oversupply to the illegal market. Licensed growers in Illinois say they support new entrants to the market by helping with the complicated application process, by paying hundreds of thousands of dollars each in state fees to help fund startups and for seed projects to help them get started. PharmaCann promised $600,000 to help fund scholarships and build Oakton Community Colleges new cannabis cultivation laboratory. Cresco Labs created its new Illinois Cannabis Education Center in Chicago, which offers a mock dispensary and training facility for aspiring workers and owners. By state law, there was supposed to be a slew of new businesses licensed last year, with favoritism toward poor, largely minority areas with high rates of cannabis arrests. But after a series of delays, applicants complained that consultant KPMG had scored applications unfairly, resulting in wealthy, white, politically connected winners. To address the complaints and associated lawsuits, state lawmakers authorized 185 new dispensary licenses. But Cook County Judge Moshe Jacobius ordered that those licenses not be awarded while he wades through lawsuits challenging the process. The state did award 40 new craft grower licenses plus infuser and transporter licenses, but Cook County Judge Neil Cohen forbade the issuance of up to 60 new craft grower licenses due this year, while the courts try to resolve litigation from applicants who were disqualified. Advertisement None of this slowed down the existing market. Companies that had been granted licenses to open medical marijuana dispensaries since 2015 were allowed to also sell recreational weed, and to expand to second locations. Because of its artificially constrained market, Illinois still has among the highest-priced weed in the country. Wholesale flower prices reached nearly $4,000 per pound, analyst Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. estimated three times the U.S. average pegged by price tracking company Cannabis Benchmarks. With customers paying $19 per gram for retail flower, Cantor Fitzgerald estimated average annual sales per store at nearly $17 million. Moldy weed worries A big part of the demand $1 out of every $3 spent is from out of state, since Illinois is surrounded by states that dont allow recreational sales. Michigan does have adult use sales, but was hit by a large public recall of cannabis that had high levels of mold or other contaminants, with stores required to post notices alerting customers for a month after sales. Illinois, in contrast, issued a recall and quarantine this year, but kept it quiet. In May, the state Department of Financial and Professional Regulation sent dispensaries notice of a voluntary recall of Veranos Mag Landrace flower due to possible mold contamination. The department investigated the issue, but said it is prohibited by the state cannabis law from disclosing the results. In addition, a former production supervisor for PharmaCann, William Sanford, filed suit claiming that he was fired for repeatedly reporting moldy cannabis for removal after it had passed lab tests. The tests only sample a small part of each crop, so mold may grow undetected and may sicken those who eat it or inhale its spores. Sanford said he was told to stop reporting mold, but continued to do so, and was terminated in July. PharmaCann acknowledged that mold is a factor with any agricultural product, but is tightly controlled. By state law, all legal cannabis products must undergo lab tests to pass strict state limits on mold, pesticides, metals and other contaminants. If they fail, they may be treated with solvents for use in edibles, vapes and other products, but must be tested again to meet safety requirements. Options for sterilizing cannabis include irradiation or ozone gas, as used in the food industry. Advertisement Microdosing Customers may have noticed a dizzying variety of new products this year. One growing trend was in the area of low-dose edibles, for consumers to better control their experience. Rather than the 10 milligrams of THC, the main component that gets users high, which was previously suggested as a serving size, mints and gummies now often contain 5 or 3 mg, often with matching cannabidiol, or CBD, for users who want to relax without getting too high or paranoid. One study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Chicago found that low levels of THC reduced stress, while slightly higher doses that produced a mild high actually increased anxiety. And a survey by BDS Analytics Report found that 43% of edibles customers prefer low-dose products, and half of customers chose products based on the amount of CBD, which is thought to have a moderating effect on THC. Beverages are also growing in popularity, offering moderate doses of THC and the quick onset of effects without the smoke. For hardcore users, there are still plenty of high-powered flower, vapes and concentrates approaching 90% THC. Flowering cannabis plants are illuminated by artificial lighting at a tour called "Chitiva," given by workers at Prescribd, a cannabis cultivation company, at one of its cultivation centers on July 17, 2021, in Bridgeview. The interactive tour shows the start-to-finish process of growing cannabis. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) For those who dont like the high prices and taxes of licensed weed, this year saw the rise of Delta-8 THC. Its typically said to be derived from hemp, and provides similar, if milder, effects as the traditional Delta-9 THC found in pot. Its often sold in gas stations or vape shops. A proposal to outlaw such knockoff cannabinoids did not pass in Springfield this year, but may be reconsidered in the spring session. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Cannabis suppliers continue to compete for customers through word-of-mouth and the occasional competition. Most recently, the High Times Cannabis Cup named its winners for 2021, as judged by public participants. Advertisement Wait till next year Looking ahead to 2022, state Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat, has proposed legislation to expand the new craft growers licenses from 5,000 square feet to 14,000 square feet or more. That would still be a far cry from the 210,000 square feet of canopy that existing growers are allowed, but would help business owners get more financing based on their ability to produce more revenue. Also, in light of the courts de facto lockout of new minority owners, a group called Ex-Cons for Community & Social Change held protests this year, calling for consumers to support their local weed man, or illegal dealers. Tyrone Muhammad, executive director of Ex-Cons for Community and Social Change, left, talks with local resident Keith Fort, right, on April 12, 2021, in front of Sunnyside dispensary in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago. Muhammad and others in ECCSC hosted a demonstration against big money dispensaries muscling out would-be minority owners outside the dispensary. (Raquel Zaldivar / Chicago Tribune) Founder Tyrone Muhammad of Englewood, who served 21 years in prison for murder and now says hes trying to rebuild his community, called for creation of a peddlers license, so people without the money to open a bricks-and-mortar facility can take part in the cannabis industry. He believes licensing would reduce the violence that accompanies illegal drug dealing. Muhammad is also pushing to change state law to drop the ban on former felons working in the field. As it stands, only those with low-level convictions can get expungements and get licensed. Its still a farce, he said. In any other industry, as an ex-con, I can work. But I cant work in the cannabis space. rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com The Oregon Pioneer is seen through snow-covered branches atop the Oregon State Capitol Building in Salem, Oregon, on Monday, Dec. 27, 2021. As the coronavirus pandemic initially swept across Oregon, many government agencies at the state and local levels transitioned their public meetings from in-person to remote-only. While this did limit the options for people to appear at these meetings physically, more Oregonians were able to interact with elected officials and policymakers through these virtual options. House Bill 2560, passed by the Oregon Legislature in the 2021 session, requires those remote options to continue in 2022. The new law requires government agencies, whenever possible, to allow the public to remotely attend public meetings through telephone, video or other electronic means as well as give the public the ability to testify remotely. Proposed laws: Money for college athletes, ethnic studies among Salem-area lawmakers' plans for 2022 The bill passed with bipartisan support. At the Oregon Legislature, observers noticed people who would normally be unable to testify at a legislative hearing because of distance from Salem or their work schedules were now calling or video conferencing in to participate. Reporter Connor Radnovich covers the Oregon Legislature and state government. Contact him at cradnovich@statesmanjournal.com or 503-399-6864, or follow him on Twitter at @CDRadnovich. This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: As in-person public meetings resume, virtual options will remain While 2021 was a boom time for legal marijuana sales in Illinois, it was another wasted year for minority entrepreneurs trying to break into the business, and a mixed experience for customers. Recreational cannabis retail sales continued to climb steadily this year, to more than $1.2 billion, roughly an 85% increase from 2020 through November of this year alone. The medical cannabis program reached 136,000 active patients, who spent another $362 million. The sales generated more than $300 million in tax revenue in fiscal year 2021 more than from alcohol. Advertisement But after new applicants waited through more than a year of delays for business licenses, judges prevented them from opening dispensaries while litigation dragged on, with no solution in sight. The year saw many new twists in the cannabis field. Sales took off for hemp-derived Delta-8 THC, called weed light, despite existing in a legal gray area. Huge multistate companies gobbled up independent dispensaries and expanded dramatically. In one constant, prices of marijuana in Illinois remained among the highest in the nation. Advertisement While cannabis remains illegal under federal law, proposals to decriminalize it or let banks finance it have been slowly gaining some support among lawmakers. The year also ushered in a vast array of new products and consumer trends. Here are a few reasons why 2021 was a great year for big cannabis operators in Illinois, but frustrating for newcomers. Consolidation Several cannabis companies founded and headquartered in Chicago have become among the largest operators in the nation, while out-of-state operators have come into Illinois, by opening new facilities or buying up competitors. Cresco Labs and Curaleaf each have grown to the maximum 10 retail sites in Illinois; PharmaCann has eight; Ascend Wellness, seven; Green Thumb Industries lists nine stores on its website; nuEra has six, and Zen Leaf operates 10. Together, that means seven companies control 60 of the 110 weed stores in the state. People attend the grand opening of Cresco Labs' flagship Sunnyside recreational marijuana store, which is a block south of Wrigley Field, on Nov. 15, 2021. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) The number of growers is even more limited. A mere 18 companies are allowed to grow cannabis compared with hundreds of companies that do so in Western states like Oregon or California, where they have the opposite problem of oversupply to the illegal market. Licensed growers in Illinois say they support new entrants to the market by helping with the complicated application process, by paying hundreds of thousands of dollars each in state fees to help fund startups and for seed projects to help them get started. PharmaCann promised $600,000 to help fund scholarships and build Oakton Community Colleges new cannabis cultivation laboratory. Cresco Labs created its new Illinois Cannabis Education Center in Chicago, which offers a mock dispensary and training facility for aspiring workers and owners. By state law, there was supposed to be a slew of new businesses licensed last year, with favoritism toward poor, largely minority areas with high rates of cannabis arrests. But after a series of delays, applicants complained that consultant KPMG had scored applications unfairly, resulting in wealthy, white, politically connected winners. To address the complaints and associated lawsuits, state lawmakers authorized 185 new dispensary licenses. But Cook County Judge Moshe Jacobius ordered that those licenses not be awarded while he wades through lawsuits challenging the process. The state did award 40 new craft grower licenses plus infuser and transporter licenses, but Cook County Judge Neil Cohen forbade the issuance of up to 60 new craft grower licenses due this year, while the courts try to resolve litigation from applicants who were disqualified. Advertisement None of this slowed down the existing market. Companies that had been granted licenses to open medical marijuana dispensaries since 2015 were allowed to also sell recreational weed, and to expand to second locations. Because of its artificially constrained market, Illinois still has among the highest-priced weed in the country. Wholesale flower prices reached nearly $4,000 per pound, analyst Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. estimated three times the U.S. average pegged by price tracking company Cannabis Benchmarks. With customers paying $19 per gram for retail flower, Cantor Fitzgerald estimated average annual sales per store at nearly $17 million. Moldy weed worries A big part of the demand $1 out of every $3 spent is from out of state, since Illinois is surrounded by states that dont allow recreational sales. Michigan does have adult use sales, but was hit by a large public recall of cannabis that had high levels of mold or other contaminants, with stores required to post notices alerting customers for a month after sales. Illinois, in contrast, issued a recall and quarantine this year, but kept it quiet. In May, the state Department of Financial and Professional Regulation sent dispensaries notice of a voluntary recall of Veranos Mag Landrace flower due to possible mold contamination. The department investigated the issue, but said it is prohibited by the state cannabis law from disclosing the results. In addition, a former production supervisor for PharmaCann, William Sanford, filed suit claiming that he was fired for repeatedly reporting moldy cannabis for removal after it had passed lab tests. The tests only sample a small part of each crop, so mold may grow undetected and may sicken those who eat it or inhale its spores. Sanford said he was told to stop reporting mold, but continued to do so, and was terminated in July. PharmaCann acknowledged that mold is a factor with any agricultural product, but is tightly controlled. By state law, all legal cannabis products must undergo lab tests to pass strict state limits on mold, pesticides, metals and other contaminants. If they fail, they may be treated with solvents for use in edibles, vapes and other products, but must be tested again to meet safety requirements. Options for sterilizing cannabis include irradiation or ozone gas, as used in the food industry. Advertisement Microdosing Customers may have noticed a dizzying variety of new products this year. One growing trend was in the area of low-dose edibles, for consumers to better control their experience. Rather than the 10 milligrams of THC, the main component that gets users high, which was previously suggested as a serving size, mints and gummies now often contain 5 or 3 mg, often with matching cannabidiol, or CBD, for users who want to relax without getting too high or paranoid. One study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Chicago found that low levels of THC reduced stress, while slightly higher doses that produced a mild high actually increased anxiety. And a survey by BDS Analytics Report found that 43% of edibles customers prefer low-dose products, and half of customers chose products based on the amount of CBD, which is thought to have a moderating effect on THC. Beverages are also growing in popularity, offering moderate doses of THC and the quick onset of effects without the smoke. For hardcore users, there are still plenty of high-powered flower, vapes and concentrates approaching 90% THC. Flowering cannabis plants are illuminated by artificial lighting at a tour called "Chitiva," given by workers at Prescribd, a cannabis cultivation company, at one of its cultivation centers on July 17, 2021, in Bridgeview. The interactive tour shows the start-to-finish process of growing cannabis. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) For those who dont like the high prices and taxes of licensed weed, this year saw the rise of Delta-8 THC. Its typically said to be derived from hemp, and provides similar, if milder, effects as the traditional Delta-9 THC found in pot. Its often sold in gas stations or vape shops. A proposal to outlaw such knockoff cannabinoids did not pass in Springfield this year, but may be reconsidered in the spring session. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Cannabis suppliers continue to compete for customers through word-of-mouth and the occasional competition. Most recently, the High Times Cannabis Cup named its winners for 2021, as judged by public participants. Advertisement Wait till next year Looking ahead to 2022, state Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat, has proposed legislation to expand the new craft growers licenses from 5,000 square feet to 14,000 square feet or more. That would still be a far cry from the 210,000 square feet of canopy that existing growers are allowed, but would help business owners get more financing based on their ability to produce more revenue. Also, in light of the courts de facto lockout of new minority owners, a group called Ex-Cons for Community & Social Change held protests this year, calling for consumers to support their local weed man, or illegal dealers. Tyrone Muhammad, executive director of Ex-Cons for Community and Social Change, left, talks with local resident Keith Fort, right, on April 12, 2021, in front of Sunnyside dispensary in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago. Muhammad and others in ECCSC hosted a demonstration against big money dispensaries muscling out would-be minority owners outside the dispensary. (Raquel Zaldivar / Chicago Tribune) Founder Tyrone Muhammad of Englewood, who served 21 years in prison for murder and now says hes trying to rebuild his community, called for creation of a peddlers license, so people without the money to open a bricks-and-mortar facility can take part in the cannabis industry. He believes licensing would reduce the violence that accompanies illegal drug dealing. Muhammad is also pushing to change state law to drop the ban on former felons working in the field. As it stands, only those with low-level convictions can get expungements and get licensed. Its still a farce, he said. In any other industry, as an ex-con, I can work. But I cant work in the cannabis space. rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com While 2021 was a boom time for legal marijuana sales in Illinois, it was another wasted year for minority entrepreneurs trying to break into the business, and a mixed experience for customers. Recreational cannabis retail sales continued to climb steadily this year, to more than $1.2 billion, roughly an 85% increase from 2020 through November of this year alone. The medical cannabis program reached 136,000 active patients, who spent another $362 million. The sales generated more than $300 million in tax revenue in fiscal year 2021 more than from alcohol. Advertisement But after new applicants waited through more than a year of delays for business licenses, judges prevented them from opening dispensaries while litigation dragged on, with no solution in sight. The year saw many new twists in the cannabis field. Sales took off for hemp-derived Delta-8 THC, called weed light, despite existing in a legal gray area. Huge multistate companies gobbled up independent dispensaries and expanded dramatically. In one constant, prices of marijuana in Illinois remained among the highest in the nation. Advertisement While cannabis remains illegal under federal law, proposals to decriminalize it or let banks finance it have been slowly gaining some support among lawmakers. The year also ushered in a vast array of new products and consumer trends. Here are a few reasons why 2021 was a great year for big cannabis operators in Illinois, but frustrating for newcomers. Consolidation Several cannabis companies founded and headquartered in Chicago have become among the largest operators in the nation, while out-of-state operators have come into Illinois, by opening new facilities or buying up competitors. Cresco Labs and Curaleaf each have grown to the maximum 10 retail sites in Illinois; PharmaCann has eight; Ascend Wellness, seven; Green Thumb Industries lists nine stores on its website; nuEra has six, and Zen Leaf operates 10. Together, that means seven companies control 60 of the 110 weed stores in the state. People attend the grand opening of Cresco Labs' flagship Sunnyside recreational marijuana store, which is a block south of Wrigley Field, on Nov. 15, 2021. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) The number of growers is even more limited. A mere 18 companies are allowed to grow cannabis compared with hundreds of companies that do so in Western states like Oregon or California, where they have the opposite problem of oversupply to the illegal market. Licensed growers in Illinois say they support new entrants to the market by helping with the complicated application process, by paying hundreds of thousands of dollars each in state fees to help fund startups and for seed projects to help them get started. PharmaCann promised $600,000 to help fund scholarships and build Oakton Community Colleges new cannabis cultivation laboratory. Cresco Labs created its new Illinois Cannabis Education Center in Chicago, which offers a mock dispensary and training facility for aspiring workers and owners. By state law, there was supposed to be a slew of new businesses licensed last year, with favoritism toward poor, largely minority areas with high rates of cannabis arrests. But after a series of delays, applicants complained that consultant KPMG had scored applications unfairly, resulting in wealthy, white, politically connected winners. To address the complaints and associated lawsuits, state lawmakers authorized 185 new dispensary licenses. But Cook County Judge Moshe Jacobius ordered that those licenses not be awarded while he wades through lawsuits challenging the process. The state did award 40 new craft grower licenses plus infuser and transporter licenses, but Cook County Judge Neil Cohen forbade the issuance of up to 60 new craft grower licenses due this year, while the courts try to resolve litigation from applicants who were disqualified. Advertisement None of this slowed down the existing market. Companies that had been granted licenses to open medical marijuana dispensaries since 2015 were allowed to also sell recreational weed, and to expand to second locations. Because of its artificially constrained market, Illinois still has among the highest-priced weed in the country. Wholesale flower prices reached nearly $4,000 per pound, analyst Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. estimated three times the U.S. average pegged by price tracking company Cannabis Benchmarks. With customers paying $19 per gram for retail flower, Cantor Fitzgerald estimated average annual sales per store at nearly $17 million. Moldy weed worries A big part of the demand $1 out of every $3 spent is from out of state, since Illinois is surrounded by states that dont allow recreational sales. Michigan does have adult use sales, but was hit by a large public recall of cannabis that had high levels of mold or other contaminants, with stores required to post notices alerting customers for a month after sales. Illinois, in contrast, issued a recall and quarantine this year, but kept it quiet. In May, the state Department of Financial and Professional Regulation sent dispensaries notice of a voluntary recall of Veranos Mag Landrace flower due to possible mold contamination. The department investigated the issue, but said it is prohibited by the state cannabis law from disclosing the results. In addition, a former production supervisor for PharmaCann, William Sanford, filed suit claiming that he was fired for repeatedly reporting moldy cannabis for removal after it had passed lab tests. The tests only sample a small part of each crop, so mold may grow undetected and may sicken those who eat it or inhale its spores. Sanford said he was told to stop reporting mold, but continued to do so, and was terminated in July. PharmaCann acknowledged that mold is a factor with any agricultural product, but is tightly controlled. By state law, all legal cannabis products must undergo lab tests to pass strict state limits on mold, pesticides, metals and other contaminants. If they fail, they may be treated with solvents for use in edibles, vapes and other products, but must be tested again to meet safety requirements. Options for sterilizing cannabis include irradiation or ozone gas, as used in the food industry. Advertisement Microdosing Customers may have noticed a dizzying variety of new products this year. One growing trend was in the area of low-dose edibles, for consumers to better control their experience. Rather than the 10 milligrams of THC, the main component that gets users high, which was previously suggested as a serving size, mints and gummies now often contain 5 or 3 mg, often with matching cannabidiol, or CBD, for users who want to relax without getting too high or paranoid. One study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Chicago found that low levels of THC reduced stress, while slightly higher doses that produced a mild high actually increased anxiety. And a survey by BDS Analytics Report found that 43% of edibles customers prefer low-dose products, and half of customers chose products based on the amount of CBD, which is thought to have a moderating effect on THC. Beverages are also growing in popularity, offering moderate doses of THC and the quick onset of effects without the smoke. For hardcore users, there are still plenty of high-powered flower, vapes and concentrates approaching 90% THC. Flowering cannabis plants are illuminated by artificial lighting at a tour called "Chitiva," given by workers at Prescribd, a cannabis cultivation company, at one of its cultivation centers on July 17, 2021, in Bridgeview. The interactive tour shows the start-to-finish process of growing cannabis. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) For those who dont like the high prices and taxes of licensed weed, this year saw the rise of Delta-8 THC. Its typically said to be derived from hemp, and provides similar, if milder, effects as the traditional Delta-9 THC found in pot. Its often sold in gas stations or vape shops. A proposal to outlaw such knockoff cannabinoids did not pass in Springfield this year, but may be reconsidered in the spring session. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Cannabis suppliers continue to compete for customers through word-of-mouth and the occasional competition. Most recently, the High Times Cannabis Cup named its winners for 2021, as judged by public participants. Advertisement Wait till next year Looking ahead to 2022, state Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat, has proposed legislation to expand the new craft growers licenses from 5,000 square feet to 14,000 square feet or more. That would still be a far cry from the 210,000 square feet of canopy that existing growers are allowed, but would help business owners get more financing based on their ability to produce more revenue. Also, in light of the courts de facto lockout of new minority owners, a group called Ex-Cons for Community & Social Change held protests this year, calling for consumers to support their local weed man, or illegal dealers. Tyrone Muhammad, executive director of Ex-Cons for Community and Social Change, left, talks with local resident Keith Fort, right, on April 12, 2021, in front of Sunnyside dispensary in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago. Muhammad and others in ECCSC hosted a demonstration against big money dispensaries muscling out would-be minority owners outside the dispensary. (Raquel Zaldivar / Chicago Tribune) Founder Tyrone Muhammad of Englewood, who served 21 years in prison for murder and now says hes trying to rebuild his community, called for creation of a peddlers license, so people without the money to open a bricks-and-mortar facility can take part in the cannabis industry. He believes licensing would reduce the violence that accompanies illegal drug dealing. Muhammad is also pushing to change state law to drop the ban on former felons working in the field. As it stands, only those with low-level convictions can get expungements and get licensed. Its still a farce, he said. In any other industry, as an ex-con, I can work. But I cant work in the cannabis space. rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2021 (265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. In response to surging COVID-19 cases across the province, Prairie Mountain Health officials announced that they are temporarily suspending group social visits at their hospitals and personal care homes. Now, according to a Friday afternoon notice from PMH, only one essential care partner or designated family caregiver per patient/resident will be allowed to enter these facilities provided they all pass the necessary screening requirements. After proving that they are fully immunized against COVID, a member of these designated groups will be able to visit the following PMH hospital areas while wearing a medical mask and eye protection: maternity ward, neonatal intensive care unit, pediatric ward and emergency department. However, Fridays notice also specified that these new restrictions can be lifted on a case-by-case basis for compassionate reasons, such as an end-of-life scenario. Meanwhile, PMH personal care homes are also not allowing general visitation at this time, including inside the recently built visitation pods. Instead, only one designated family caregiver can visit at a time, although exceptions can, again, be made on a case-by-case basis. Fridays news release specified that this move is being made in response to emergence of the omicron variant, which is highly infectious and necessitates some temporary additional precautions to ensure the protection of our residents, patients and staff. On Friday, the Manitoba government announced 1,494 new COVID cases and eight more deaths associated with the virus. This marks the second day in a row where the province has surpassed 1,000 new cases in a single day, pushing the provinces total reported cases past the 80,000-case mark since the pandemic began in early 2020. The Brandon Sun Two persons (names withheld) are in Police custody helping in investigations regarding Julie Diane Williams, an American National, who was found dead on December 14, 2021, at Rayporsh Hotel at Abelemkpe in Accra. A statement signed by Assistant Commissioner Of Police (ACP) Kwesi Ofori, Director-General, Public Affairs and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the Ghana Police Service, Friday, had a meeting, via zoom with the family of the deceased. It said the family was officially informed of the investigations being conducted into the circumstances leading to her death. The statement said in line with international best practice, after informing the family of the current state of the investigations, they were now in a position to make public certain details about the case without compromising the ongoing investigations. It said preliminary Police investigation had established that the deceased US national arrived in Ghana on December 3, 2021, en route Nigeria. The statement said having tested positive for COVID-19 on arrival, she was taken into an isolation centre at Ave Maria Hotel, South Legon-Accra. It said further investigation revealed that on December 6, 2021, the deceased was picked up by some alleged friends from the isolation centre and taken to Zoko Lounge at Airport residential area where she had lunch and was then taken to the Rayporsh hotel at Abelemkpe. The statement said records available at the Rayporsh Hotel indicated that the deceased checked out from the Hotel on Sunday, December 12, 2021, at noon intending to travel back to Nigeria but could not proceed because of visa issues. It said she returned to the Hotel the same day at 1400 hours and checked in again. The statement said on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, Police received a complaint from two hotel staff to the effect that the said Julie Diane Williams was found unconscious in her room. It said a Police team proceeded to the Hotel and after the necessary protocols, took her to the Police Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. The statement said on Wednesday, December 29, 2021, a post mortem examination was conducted on the deceased, Julie Diane Williams, at the Police Hospital mortuary in the presence of the Police and one Godwin King Akpalu, a representative of the deceased's family who identified the body to the pathologist. It said Police was awaiting the full autopsy report, including toxicology and histopathology examinations. The statement said officials from the United States Embassy had been informed and had been helpful to the Police in the investigations. It assured the public, the relatives of the deceased and officials of the US Embassy that Police investigations into the death would be careful and thorough. GNA Two persons (names withheld) are in Police custody helping in investigations regarding Julie Diane Williams, an American National, who was found dead on December 14, 2021, at Rayporsh Hotel at Abelemkpe in Accra. A statement signed by Assistant Commissioner Of Police (ACP) Kwesi Ofori, Director-General, Public Affairs and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the Ghana Police Service, Friday, had a meeting, via zoom with the family of the deceased. It said the family was officially informed of the investigations being conducted into the circumstances leading to her death. The statement said in line with international best practice, after informing the family of the current state of the investigations, they were now in a position to make public certain details about the case without compromising the ongoing investigations. It said preliminary Police investigation had established that the deceased US national arrived in Ghana on December 3, 2021, en route Nigeria. The statement said having tested positive for COVID-19 on arrival, she was taken into an isolation centre at Ave Maria Hotel, South Legon-Accra. It said further investigation revealed that on December 6, 2021, the deceased was picked up by some alleged friends from the isolation centre and taken to Zoko Lounge at Airport residential area where she had lunch and was then taken to the Rayporsh hotel at Abelemkpe. The statement said records available at the Rayporsh Hotel indicated that the deceased checked out from the Hotel on Sunday, December 12, 2021, at noon intending to travel back to Nigeria but could not proceed because of visa issues. It said she returned to the Hotel the same day at 1400 hours and checked in again. The statement said on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, Police received a complaint from two hotel staff to the effect that the said Julie Diane Williams was found unconscious in her room. It said a Police team proceeded to the Hotel and after the necessary protocols, took her to the Police Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. The statement said on Wednesday, December 29, 2021, a post mortem examination was conducted on the deceased, Julie Diane Williams, at the Police Hospital mortuary in the presence of the Police and one Godwin King Akpalu, a representative of the deceased's family who identified the body to the pathologist. It said Police was awaiting the full autopsy report, including toxicology and histopathology examinations. The statement said officials from the United States Embassy had been informed and had been helpful to the Police in the investigations. It assured the public, the relatives of the deceased and officials of the US Embassy that Police investigations into the death would be careful and thorough. GNA U.S. Air Force Lt. Pollara Cobb is a Tamuning native who, in high school, held the titles of female scholar athlete of the year in 2010 and most inspirational athlete in 2007. In May 2022, the track and field star can add doctor to that list. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. The John F. Kennedy High School alum is set to graduate from medical school at Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Maryland in a few months. She is also on track to be promoted to the rank of captain about the time she graduates. I am on cloud nine right now, Cobb said. I am beyond ecstatic. I am thrilled. This is a miracle. I praise God because hes always been looking out and listening to my heart's desires. I came a long way. To come to this point, I feel so relieved. I feel so happy. I am ready to become a doctor and to help people. Cobb took some classes at the University of Guam after graduating from JFK in 2010 before she transferred to Emory University where she got her bachelors degree in chemistry. I wanted to be a doctor and made that decision when I was 14 or 15," she said. Her mom had fallen ill. "And on the island it was just me, my mom, and my sister. Shes my only living parent. But, she got sick and our island did not have what they needed to help her with her condition, so they had to fly her to the Philippines," the soon-to-be doctor said. "At a young age, I was like we live in this beautiful island. Its like the most progressive place in this area, so why dont we have this type of doctor or why dont we have these resources? That is how my interest sparked in medicine. I was to pursue medicine, become a doctor, and then return to the island ... and give back to the community because I definitely know what it is like to be in a place where you lose a parent because of the lack of resource. Its a journey thats taken her to closer to a profession where she is helping others, especially during the COVID-19 crisis. Its a crucial time in joining the fight to end the pandemic, Cobb said. She said her medical specialty match was in otolaryngology, which deals with ear, nose and throat, and head and neck surgery. Cobb will do her residency at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The last time Cobb was on island was in 2018, which is why she said her mom, Rose Slaughter - who is doing well today - is excited to see her daughter home for the holidays before Cobb completes her last lap at medical school. She is very proud and very happy, hence why she called you for this article, Cobb said, laughing. Cobb encourages more people from the Pacific islands to never give up on their dreams and to join the medical field. If you are passionate about something, you should definitely pursue it whole-heartedly, she said. I was talking to my mom, and she said if you had asked me if my daughter is going to be a doctor, I wouldnt believe it, because we dont come from money. Our family is not well educated. I am the first person to go to college in my family. There are things that society tells us that we cant be. If you are truly passionate and want to go for it then dont take no for an answer Just take it day by day. Trust yourself and trust Gods vision for you. U.S. Air Force Lt. Pollara Cobb is a Tamuning native who, in high school, held the titles of female scholar athlete of the year in 2010 and most inspirational athlete in 2007. In May 2022, the track and field star can add doctor to that list. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. The John F. Kennedy High School alum is set to graduate from medical school at Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Maryland in a few months. She is also on track to be promoted to the rank of captain about the time she graduates. I am on cloud nine right now, Cobb said. I am beyond ecstatic. I am thrilled. This is a miracle. I praise God because hes always been looking out and listening to my heart's desires. I came a long way. To come to this point, I feel so relieved. I feel so happy. I am ready to become a doctor and to help people. Cobb took some classes at the University of Guam after graduating from JFK in 2010 before she transferred to Emory University where she got her bachelors degree in chemistry. I wanted to be a doctor and made that decision when I was 14 or 15," she said. Her mom had fallen ill. "And on the island it was just me, my mom, and my sister. Shes my only living parent. But, she got sick and our island did not have what they needed to help her with her condition, so they had to fly her to the Philippines," the soon-to-be doctor said. "At a young age, I was like we live in this beautiful island. Its like the most progressive place in this area, so why dont we have this type of doctor or why dont we have these resources? That is how my interest sparked in medicine. I was to pursue medicine, become a doctor, and then return to the island ... and give back to the community because I definitely know what it is like to be in a place where you lose a parent because of the lack of resource. Its a journey thats taken her to closer to a profession where she is helping others, especially during the COVID-19 crisis. Its a crucial time in joining the fight to end the pandemic, Cobb said. She said her medical specialty match was in otolaryngology, which deals with ear, nose and throat, and head and neck surgery. Cobb will do her residency at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The last time Cobb was on island was in 2018, which is why she said her mom, Rose Slaughter - who is doing well today - is excited to see her daughter home for the holidays before Cobb completes her last lap at medical school. She is very proud and very happy, hence why she called you for this article, Cobb said, laughing. Cobb encourages more people from the Pacific islands to never give up on their dreams and to join the medical field. If you are passionate about something, you should definitely pursue it whole-heartedly, she said. I was talking to my mom, and she said if you had asked me if my daughter is going to be a doctor, I wouldnt believe it, because we dont come from money. Our family is not well educated. I am the first person to go to college in my family. There are things that society tells us that we cant be. If you are truly passionate and want to go for it then dont take no for an answer Just take it day by day. Trust yourself and trust Gods vision for you. The Oregon Pioneer is seen through snow-covered branches atop the Oregon State Capitol Building in Salem, Oregon, on Monday, Dec. 27, 2021. As the coronavirus pandemic initially swept across Oregon, many government agencies at the state and local levels transitioned their public meetings from in-person to remote-only. While this did limit the options for people to appear at these meetings physically, more Oregonians were able to interact with elected officials and policymakers through these virtual options. House Bill 2560, passed by the Oregon Legislature in the 2021 session, requires those remote options to continue in 2022. The new law requires government agencies, whenever possible, to allow the public to remotely attend public meetings through telephone, video or other electronic means as well as give the public the ability to testify remotely. Proposed laws: Money for college athletes, ethnic studies among Salem-area lawmakers' plans for 2022 The bill passed with bipartisan support. At the Oregon Legislature, observers noticed people who would normally be unable to testify at a legislative hearing because of distance from Salem or their work schedules were now calling or video conferencing in to participate. Reporter Connor Radnovich covers the Oregon Legislature and state government. Contact him at cradnovich@statesmanjournal.com or 503-399-6864, or follow him on Twitter at @CDRadnovich. This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: As in-person public meetings resume, virtual options will remain CTU workers direct vehicles lined up for COVID-19 testing outside of the Chicago Teachers Union on Dec. 30, 2021, in Chicago. CPS starts back to school on Monday following their holiday break. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) After a year of pronounced shifts in the COVID-19 pandemic related to mass vaccination, more infectious variants and the sorely tested patience of the public, Illinois is facing an even more complicated set of realities entering 2022. The state is now seeing record numbers of COVID-19 infections but these cases appear less likely to cause serious illness. At the same time, Illinois health care system is in worse shape than it was a year earlier, and the exploding case counts mean even a milder variant could further strain hospitals with COVID-19 patients. Advertisement Already, hospitals are treating more patients with fewer workers, leading to a space crunch so severe that hospitals are again canceling nonemergency surgeries to try to free up beds. And while the vast majority of patients arent in the hospital because of COVID-19, the odds of an unvaccinated person ending up hospitalized with the virus is notably worse than at any other time during the pandemic. A year ago, mass vaccination was on the horizon, offering hope the virus could be extinguished through so-called herd immunity and life could return to normal. Now researchers expect the virus and its ever-evolving variants to stick around. The hope is that vaccinations can prevent most infected people from getting too sick and that the latest wave will subside as quickly as it came. Advertisement Those adjusted expectations follow another deadly year. The Illinois Department of Public Health blamed COVID-19 for at least 11,000 more deaths in 2021, bringing the total to nearly 28,000 since the pandemic began, with an additional roughly 3,200 deaths considered to have probable ties to COVID-19. Heres where we are, as the new year begins: Record case numbers A year ago, the average number of new cases each day had begun to drop after soaring above 12,000 in fall 2020, and people began preparing for vaccines that leaders hoped would starve the virus out of existence. The vaccines came, but millions of Illinoisans havent taken them. Along the way, the virus spawned new mutations that began to chip away at the vaccines effectiveness, particularly their ability to stop somebody from getting infected. The delta variant fueled smaller surges in spring 2021, in late summer and most recently after Halloween. Then the omicron variant emerged, supercharging an already sizable surge. A state that had averaged about 2,000 cases a day in late October was suddenly seeing daily figures double, then double again, and continue climbing. The week of Christmas as people rushed to get tested before visiting family and friends the daily count eclipsed 21,000 new detected cases. On Thursday, when post-Christmas tests began rolling in, there were more than 30,000 new cases. To put that into perspective, that one-day figure was triple the number of Illinoisans testing positive in all of June. Another jarring way to look at it: The worst day of the fall 2020 surge saw nearly 1 in 700 Illinoisans testing positive. On Thursday, the most recent date the state posted data, it was closer to 1 in 400. Advertisement In Chicago alone, new cases have recently topped 5,000 a day. This is one of the steepest increases that weve seen, and this is due to the omicron variant, Chicagos health director, Dr. Allison Arwady, said during a Facebook Live event Thursday. This is also why, I am guessing, everyone of you knows somebody, at least indirectly, who has COVID right now. The rate of infections for unvaccinated Chicagoans has tripled since late November to reach more than 900 cases a week per 100,000 residents. Vaccinated, but not yet boosted, Chicagoans have seen their infection rate climb to roughly 400 a week per 100,000 residents, with residents whove gotten boosters seeing a slightly lower rate, closer to 350 a week per 100,000 people. Because the number of people tested each day can bounce up and down, public health agencies and researchers typically average out seven days worth of case numbers to create a rolling daily average. Using this measure, the state set a record on Nov. 16, 2020, with an average of 12,384 new COVID-19 cases. But 13 months later, on Dec. 23, the state broke that record. And the average cases have continued to climb in the past week, eclipsing an average of 18,000 new cases a day roughly two months into this surge. Case counts dont offer the full picture of a surge. They may rise because a lot more people are getting tested, as many people did before visiting friends and family over the holidays. And the numbers dont include people who come up positive on home tests, unless they also get tested through a lab. Advertisement A slightly more promising measurement for the latest surge comes from another metric: the case positivity rate, or the percentage of tests that led to a confirmed case. The lower the rate, the better. As of Thursday, the case positivity rate had been climbing fast but, at about 10%, was not yet as bad as the rates seen at peak of the fall 2020 surge, which approached 14%. A milder COVID phase? Even though the numbers of detected cases have reached unprecedented levels, thats not the case with hospitalizations and deaths, at least not yet. One way to look at this is by comparing this surge with the fall 2020 surge. As of Thursday, the average daily case count was 48% higher than last falls peak. But average daily hospital admittances, as measured by federal data, were down 23% from last falls peak. And there were 65% fewer average daily deaths. Its a welcome trend seen not only in Illinois, but nationally. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nations top infectious disease expert, told reporters Wednesday that the case spike nationally was out of proportion to hospitalization increases. Now, we must remember that hospitalizations and deaths are lagging indicators, he said. However, the pattern and disparity between cases and hospitalization strongly suggest that there will be a lower hospitalization-to-case ratio when the situation becomes more clear. Early studies suggest the emerging omicron variant may be milder than the delta variant that took hold in Illinois this summer and fueled the beginning of this surge. Vaccinations are another factor. Even if delta and omicron are more likely to infect vaccinated people than the original virus, the vaccines continue to limit serious illness and death. Advertisement Mass vaccinations were a key development for the pandemic in 2021, creating two tiers of risk. A Tribune analysis of federal and state data found that fully vaccinated Illinoisans (with or without a booster shot) have been much less likely to be hospitalized during the latest surge than those not fully vaccinated. The latter group currently has a weekly admittance rate roughly nine times the rate for those fully vaccinated, based on a three-week rolling average. Unvaccinated people also are being hospitalized at nearly double the rate seen for all Illinoisans during the peak of the fall 2020 surge, before vaccines were available. As for deaths, the average weekly death rate even for unvaccinated people has yet to eclipse the rates from the fall 2020 surge. Better COVID-19 treatments, including broader use of monoclonal antibodies, are helping improve those odds. Still, the death rate for unvaccinated Illinois residents, per 100,000 people, is now more than triple that for people who are fully vaccinated, even though the latter group tends to be older and more vulnerable to the virus. Millions of Illinoisans are still unvaccinated, and public health officials continue to press them to get shots. Advertisement We dont have to continue to lose people, IDPHs director, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, told reporters Monday. We are not in the same place that we were at the beginning of this pandemic, or even a year ago. ... We have a vaccine thats highly effective, and it can prevent severe illness and death, if we take advantage of this effective tool. Getting through omicron The new year also brings hope that the latest surge will soon ease its grip. In South Africa, where the omicron variant was first reported, case figures shot up in mid-November, then began dropping by Christmas. A top South African researcher, Fareed Abdullah, tweeted this week that it was staggering how quickly the wave peaked then declined: Peak in four weeks and precipitous decline in another two. One early study suggests people who recovered from omicron inherited some ability to better fight off the delta variant, offering hope that such protection, combined with vaccine immunity, could further limit the future danger posed by COVID-19. But concerns remain that Illinois hospital system could be overwhelmed. The Tribune has reported how, even before Christmas, hospitals had the lowest levels of available beds of any point during the pandemic, lower even than during the fall 2020 surge. State data shows more beds have opened since, as some hospitals have canceled nonemergency surgeries. Still, many regions hospital systems remain stressed, according to state measurements. In some regions, such as the one covering Will and Kankakee counties, the number of available intensive care unit beds had dwindled to the single digits. And across Illinois, at last count, the number of open beds remained below 7,000, for a state with nearly 13 million residents. Advertisement Gov. J.B. Pritzkers administration has said its tried to help hospitals outlast the latest surge by distributing promising treatments and directing supplemental staff to the hardest-hit areas. But officials have long declined to tell the public which hospitals are worse off, even as nurses and doctors say some facilities are so overwhelmed that seriously ill patients are being boarded in emergency rooms for long periods, up to a week. A grassroots group of health care workers, the Illinois Medical Professionals Action Collaborative Team, called on the governor Thursday to take a host of steps, including reinstituting indoor capacity limits and deploying more National Guard troops to shore up depleted health care staffing: Simply put, we cant keep up. We are drowning and need help immediately. The governors office did not immediately respond. But on the same day, Pritzker asked hospitals to consider canceling nonemergency surgeries as part of an effort to take every possible measure to maintain and expand bed capacity, according to a news release the administration issued. As much as the pandemic has changed, Pritzkers plea was similar to what he ordered hospitals to do in April 2020, when COVID-19 was still new. Chicago Tribunes Jeremy Gorner contributed. jmahr@chicagotribune.com Advertisement Mumbai, Jan 1 : Six months after derogatory "Sulli Deals" site site surfaced, a new controversy has emerged with the "Bulli Bai" targeting women of another religion. "Bulli Bai" popped up on January 1, with a number of pictures of women including journalists, social workers, students and famous personalities, accompanied by derogatory content. Hosting platform Github provided space to "Sulli Deals" and "Bulli Bai" is also created on Github. "Bulli Bai" was also being promoted by a Twitter handle with the name @bullibai, with its display picture of a "Khalistani supporter", and saying women can be booked from the app. This handle was also promoting Khalistani content at the same time. Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha member Priyanka Chaturvedi said that she raised the matter with Mumbai Police and the culprit should be arrested at the earliest. "I have spoken to Mumbai Police Commissioner and DCP Crime Rashmi Karandikar. They will investigate the matter. I have also spoken to DGP Maharashtra for intervention. Hoping those behind such misogynistic and sexist sites will be apprehended," she said. Mumbai Police said that they were looking into the matter and were taking legal opinion to lodge the case under relevant section of the IPC. When "Sulli Deal" appeared, two FIRs were lodged against unknown persons. However,no arrests were made and the culprits are still at large. Mumbai, Jan 1 : Six months after derogatory "Sulli Deals" site site surfaced, a new controversy has emerged with the "Bulli Bai" targeting women of another religion. "Bulli Bai" popped up on January 1, with a number of pictures of women including journalists, social workers, students and famous personalities, accompanied by derogatory content. Hosting platform Github provided space to "Sulli Deals" and "Bulli Bai" is also created on Github. "Bulli Bai" was also being promoted by a Twitter handle with the name @bullibai, with its display picture of a "Khalistani supporter", and saying women can be booked from the app. This handle was also promoting Khalistani content at the same time. Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha member Priyanka Chaturvedi said that she raised the matter with Mumbai Police and the culprit should be arrested at the earliest. "I have spoken to Mumbai Police Commissioner and DCP Crime Rashmi Karandikar. They will investigate the matter. I have also spoken to DGP Maharashtra for intervention. Hoping those behind such misogynistic and sexist sites will be apprehended," she said. Mumbai Police said that they were looking into the matter and were taking legal opinion to lodge the case under relevant section of the IPC. When "Sulli Deal" appeared, two FIRs were lodged against unknown persons. However,no arrests were made and the culprits are still at large. Mumbai, Jan 1 : Six months after derogatory "Sulli Deals" site site surfaced, a new controversy has emerged with the "Bulli Bai" targeting women of another religion. "Bulli Bai" popped up on January 1, with a number of pictures of women including journalists, social workers, students and famous personalities, accompanied by derogatory content. Hosting platform Github provided space to "Sulli Deals" and "Bulli Bai" is also created on Github. "Bulli Bai" was also being promoted by a Twitter handle with the name @bullibai, with its display picture of a "Khalistani supporter", and saying women can be booked from the app. This handle was also promoting Khalistani content at the same time. Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha member Priyanka Chaturvedi said that she raised the matter with Mumbai Police and the culprit should be arrested at the earliest. "I have spoken to Mumbai Police Commissioner and DCP Crime Rashmi Karandikar. They will investigate the matter. I have also spoken to DGP Maharashtra for intervention. Hoping those behind such misogynistic and sexist sites will be apprehended," she said. Mumbai Police said that they were looking into the matter and were taking legal opinion to lodge the case under relevant section of the IPC. When "Sulli Deal" appeared, two FIRs were lodged against unknown persons. However,no arrests were made and the culprits are still at large. Mumbai, Jan 1 : Six months after derogatory "Sulli Deals" site site surfaced, a new controversy has emerged with the "Bulli Bai" targeting women of another religion. "Bulli Bai" popped up on January 1, with a number of pictures of women including journalists, social workers, students and famous personalities, accompanied by derogatory content. Hosting platform Github provided space to "Sulli Deals" and "Bulli Bai" is also created on Github. "Bulli Bai" was also being promoted by a Twitter handle with the name @bullibai, with its display picture of a "Khalistani supporter", and saying women can be booked from the app. This handle was also promoting Khalistani content at the same time. Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha member Priyanka Chaturvedi said that she raised the matter with Mumbai Police and the culprit should be arrested at the earliest. "I have spoken to Mumbai Police Commissioner and DCP Crime Rashmi Karandikar. They will investigate the matter. I have also spoken to DGP Maharashtra for intervention. Hoping those behind such misogynistic and sexist sites will be apprehended," she said. Mumbai Police said that they were looking into the matter and were taking legal opinion to lodge the case under relevant section of the IPC. When "Sulli Deal" appeared, two FIRs were lodged against unknown persons. However,no arrests were made and the culprits are still at large. The Daily Beast KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty ImagesVladimir Putins defense minister sent a clear message to the people of Russia on Wednesday: Their country is at war not just with Ukraine, but with the entirety of the West.I cannot but emphasize the fact that today, we are at war not so much with Ukraine and the Ukrainian army as with the collective West, Sergei Shoigu said in a televised speech, according to TASS.At this point, we are really at war with the collective West, with NATO, Shoigu added.Sh Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2021 (265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A man accused of assaulting a convenience store worker while trying to steal cigarettes was denied bail Thursday morning. Blaine Morrice, 39, is charged in the Dec. 27 incident. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty and the charges have not been proven in court. At approximately 4 a.m., Morrice allegedly went into a 7-Eleven convenience store in Brandon and went behind the front counter, Crown attorney Jonathan Mays told the court. He reportedly started filling a green shopping bag with cigarettes before he was confronted by an employee, the Crown said. He then allegedly punched her in the face several times and another customer tried to intervene. Mays said the customer tried to stop the attack by grabbing Morrices arms, but Morrice allegedly started kneeing the complainant in the stomach. When police arrived a few minutes later, the accused still had hold of the victim, Mays said, but let go. Morrice was arrested without further incident and taken into custody. The store employee had a cut to the bridge of her nose, the Crown said, adding further followup is needed on her injuries. Mays opposed Morrice being released on bail and called the allegations very serious. Convenience store workers are highly vulnerable people. This [occurred] at 4 a.m., he said. Their safety is of particular concern to the public because theyre working dangerous jobs, alone at night. Defence lawyer Bob Harrison said Morrice was intoxicated at the time of the incident and he initially went to the store for food. Harrison said he wants to review any surveillance footage from the store to see what was captured. Harrison added Morrice said he hadnt consumed alcohol for more than two years before the Dec. 27 incident. He suggested a bail plan that would have barred Morrice from attending the store where the incident allegedly happened or from drinking alcohol. The proposed plan would also have banned him from owning weapons. Judge Shauna Hewitt-Michta called the allegations frightening and seemingly unexplained. I do have real concern that he poses a danger to the public if released on bail, she said. Hewitt-Michta denied Morrices release on bail. He is next scheduled to appear in court in January. dmay@brandonsun.com Twitter: @DrewMay_ Welcome Guest! You Are Here: 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. Police have been confronted by angry customers in a cafe when they tried to enforce Covid-19 compliance rules. Three officers entered the Vintage Apron at Capalaba in Brisbane's south and were quickly surrounded by customers and staff chanting 'leave the shop'. Police were responding to multiple alleged reports of Covid health order breaches including patrons not wearing masks inside the venue, as is required under Queensland law. Three officers entered the Vintage Apron at Capalaba in Brisbane's south (pictured), when they were surrounded by customers and staff chanting 'leave the shop' Footage shared by 9NEWS shows the crowd turn on the officers when they attempt to question a staff member. 'The question I want to ask you, we're gonna have to put in a report why people aren't wearing masks here,' an officer is heard saying. Onlookers with phones recording were heard telling the worker 'don't answer it'. 'Hopefully everyone is keeping a cool head, no-one is getting angry or worked up,' the officer said. However, the crowd fired back at the officers. 'Leave mate, what's your Queensland Police Service motto? With honour we serve? Where is the honour?' a patron is heard saying. 'You guys have broken your law by your oath that you serve the community, which is us.' Police at a cafe (pictured) were confronted by customers and staff as they tried to enforce Covid-19 compliance rules Police (pictured) were responding to multiple alleged reports of Covid health order breaches including patrons not wearing masks inside the venue, as required under Queensland law The staff member is then heard quoting conspiracy theories asking the officers if they have heard of 'the crime against humanity'. 'Have you guys heard about the crime against humanity?' he asks. 'Are you guys gonna all be liable for that?' The officers eventually exit the cafe amid the backlash with one officer saying 'I care about people'. Queensland Police said it charged a 53-year-old man who was fined for not complying with the Covid-19 direction. Police have been confronted by angry customers in a cafe when they tried to enforce Covid-19 compliance rules. Three officers entered the Vintage Apron at Capalaba in Brisbane's south and were quickly surrounded by customers and staff chanting 'leave the shop'. Police were responding to multiple alleged reports of Covid health order breaches including patrons not wearing masks inside the venue, as is required under Queensland law. Three officers entered the Vintage Apron at Capalaba in Brisbane's south (pictured), when they were surrounded by customers and staff chanting 'leave the shop' Footage shared by 9NEWS shows the crowd turn on the officers when they attempt to question a staff member. 'The question I want to ask you, we're gonna have to put in a report why people aren't wearing masks here,' an officer is heard saying. Onlookers with phones recording were heard telling the worker 'don't answer it'. 'Hopefully everyone is keeping a cool head, no-one is getting angry or worked up,' the officer said. However, the crowd fired back at the officers. 'Leave mate, what's your Queensland Police Service motto? With honour we serve? Where is the honour?' a patron is heard saying. 'You guys have broken your law by your oath that you serve the community, which is us.' Police at a cafe (pictured) were confronted by customers and staff as they tried to enforce Covid-19 compliance rules Police (pictured) were responding to multiple alleged reports of Covid health order breaches including patrons not wearing masks inside the venue, as required under Queensland law The staff member is then heard quoting conspiracy theories asking the officers if they have heard of 'the crime against humanity'. 'Have you guys heard about the crime against humanity?' he asks. 'Are you guys gonna all be liable for that?' The officers eventually exit the cafe amid the backlash with one officer saying 'I care about people'. Queensland Police said it charged a 53-year-old man who was fined for not complying with the Covid-19 direction. Police have been confronted by angry customers in a cafe when they tried to enforce Covid-19 compliance rules. Three officers entered the Vintage Apron at Capalaba in Brisbane's south and were quickly surrounded by customers and staff chanting 'leave the shop'. Police were responding to multiple alleged reports of Covid health order breaches including patrons not wearing masks inside the venue, as is required under Queensland law. Three officers entered the Vintage Apron at Capalaba in Brisbane's south (pictured), when they were surrounded by customers and staff chanting 'leave the shop' Footage shared by 9NEWS shows the crowd turn on the officers when they attempt to question a staff member. 'The question I want to ask you, we're gonna have to put in a report why people aren't wearing masks here,' an officer is heard saying. Onlookers with phones recording were heard telling the worker 'don't answer it'. 'Hopefully everyone is keeping a cool head, no-one is getting angry or worked up,' the officer said. However, the crowd fired back at the officers. 'Leave mate, what's your Queensland Police Service motto? With honour we serve? Where is the honour?' a patron is heard saying. 'You guys have broken your law by your oath that you serve the community, which is us.' Police at a cafe (pictured) were confronted by customers and staff as they tried to enforce Covid-19 compliance rules Police (pictured) were responding to multiple alleged reports of Covid health order breaches including patrons not wearing masks inside the venue, as required under Queensland law The staff member is then heard quoting conspiracy theories asking the officers if they have heard of 'the crime against humanity'. 'Have you guys heard about the crime against humanity?' he asks. 'Are you guys gonna all be liable for that?' The officers eventually exit the cafe amid the backlash with one officer saying 'I care about people'. Queensland Police said it charged a 53-year-old man who was fined for not complying with the Covid-19 direction. OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 1, 2022 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Haiti's Independence Day: "Today, we join Haitian communities in Canada and around the world to celebrate Haiti's Independence Day. "This day has always been significant for Haitians, people of African descent, and many other people around the world. On this day in 1804, Haiti made history by becoming the first Black-led independent country in the world, and the first country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery. Since then, the first day of the year is celebrated by the people of Haiti and Haitian communities around the world as Haiti's Independence Day. "Canada and Haiti officially established diplomatic relations in 1954. Since then, our two countries have enjoyed a strong relationship, strengthened by our geographical proximity, shared language, and close people-to-people ties. Today, more than 165,000 people of Haitian ancestry call Canada home, and help make our country stronger, more prosperous, and more inclusive. This year, as we continue to follow public health guidelines to keep each other and our communities safe from COVID-19, I encourage all those celebrating to find alternative ways to mark this important day. "Canada and Haiti work together as part of international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and La Francophonie. Additionally, for nearly 30 years, Canada has contributed to every United Nations peace mission to Haiti to support stabilization and reconstruction efforts. This includes financial assistance and the deployment of members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and correctional officers. "Canada will continue to support Haiti's efforts to strengthen its governance, the rule of law, and democracy. We will also work with Haiti to improve the well-being of its citizens, particularly women and girls, notably through support to national health, education and protection systems, and the fight against COVID-19. We will continue to encourage initiatives that foster economic growth that works for everyone and a greater resilience to climate change and natural disasters. Every day, Haitians continue to demonstrate strength in the face of adversity, and Canada remains committed to working with them as they build toward a better tomorrow. "On behalf of the Government of Canada, I extend my best wishes to all those celebrating Haiti's Independence Day." This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca SOURCE Prime Minister's Office For further information: PMO Media Relations: [email protected] OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 1, 2022 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Haiti's Independence Day: "Today, we join Haitian communities in Canada and around the world to celebrate Haiti's Independence Day. "This day has always been significant for Haitians, people of African descent, and many other people around the world. On this day in 1804, Haiti made history by becoming the first Black-led independent country in the world, and the first country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery. Since then, the first day of the year is celebrated by the people of Haiti and Haitian communities around the world as Haiti's Independence Day. "Canada and Haiti officially established diplomatic relations in 1954. Since then, our two countries have enjoyed a strong relationship, strengthened by our geographical proximity, shared language, and close people-to-people ties. Today, more than 165,000 people of Haitian ancestry call Canada home, and help make our country stronger, more prosperous, and more inclusive. This year, as we continue to follow public health guidelines to keep each other and our communities safe from COVID-19, I encourage all those celebrating to find alternative ways to mark this important day. "Canada and Haiti work together as part of international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and La Francophonie. Additionally, for nearly 30 years, Canada has contributed to every United Nations peace mission to Haiti to support stabilization and reconstruction efforts. This includes financial assistance and the deployment of members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and correctional officers. "Canada will continue to support Haiti's efforts to strengthen its governance, the rule of law, and democracy. We will also work with Haiti to improve the well-being of its citizens, particularly women and girls, notably through support to national health, education and protection systems, and the fight against COVID-19. We will continue to encourage initiatives that foster economic growth that works for everyone and a greater resilience to climate change and natural disasters. Every day, Haitians continue to demonstrate strength in the face of adversity, and Canada remains committed to working with them as they build toward a better tomorrow. "On behalf of the Government of Canada, I extend my best wishes to all those celebrating Haiti's Independence Day." This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca SOURCE Prime Minister's Office For further information: PMO Media Relations: [email protected] OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 1, 2022 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Haiti's Independence Day: "Today, we join Haitian communities in Canada and around the world to celebrate Haiti's Independence Day. "This day has always been significant for Haitians, people of African descent, and many other people around the world. On this day in 1804, Haiti made history by becoming the first Black-led independent country in the world, and the first country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery. Since then, the first day of the year is celebrated by the people of Haiti and Haitian communities around the world as Haiti's Independence Day. "Canada and Haiti officially established diplomatic relations in 1954. Since then, our two countries have enjoyed a strong relationship, strengthened by our geographical proximity, shared language, and close people-to-people ties. Today, more than 165,000 people of Haitian ancestry call Canada home, and help make our country stronger, more prosperous, and more inclusive. This year, as we continue to follow public health guidelines to keep each other and our communities safe from COVID-19, I encourage all those celebrating to find alternative ways to mark this important day. "Canada and Haiti work together as part of international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and La Francophonie. Additionally, for nearly 30 years, Canada has contributed to every United Nations peace mission to Haiti to support stabilization and reconstruction efforts. This includes financial assistance and the deployment of members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and correctional officers. "Canada will continue to support Haiti's efforts to strengthen its governance, the rule of law, and democracy. We will also work with Haiti to improve the well-being of its citizens, particularly women and girls, notably through support to national health, education and protection systems, and the fight against COVID-19. We will continue to encourage initiatives that foster economic growth that works for everyone and a greater resilience to climate change and natural disasters. Every day, Haitians continue to demonstrate strength in the face of adversity, and Canada remains committed to working with them as they build toward a better tomorrow. "On behalf of the Government of Canada, I extend my best wishes to all those celebrating Haiti's Independence Day." This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca SOURCE Prime Minister's Office For further information: PMO Media Relations: [email protected] OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 1, 2022 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Haiti's Independence Day: "Today, we join Haitian communities in Canada and around the world to celebrate Haiti's Independence Day. "This day has always been significant for Haitians, people of African descent, and many other people around the world. On this day in 1804, Haiti made history by becoming the first Black-led independent country in the world, and the first country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery. Since then, the first day of the year is celebrated by the people of Haiti and Haitian communities around the world as Haiti's Independence Day. "Canada and Haiti officially established diplomatic relations in 1954. Since then, our two countries have enjoyed a strong relationship, strengthened by our geographical proximity, shared language, and close people-to-people ties. Today, more than 165,000 people of Haitian ancestry call Canada home, and help make our country stronger, more prosperous, and more inclusive. This year, as we continue to follow public health guidelines to keep each other and our communities safe from COVID-19, I encourage all those celebrating to find alternative ways to mark this important day. "Canada and Haiti work together as part of international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and La Francophonie. Additionally, for nearly 30 years, Canada has contributed to every United Nations peace mission to Haiti to support stabilization and reconstruction efforts. This includes financial assistance and the deployment of members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and correctional officers. "Canada will continue to support Haiti's efforts to strengthen its governance, the rule of law, and democracy. We will also work with Haiti to improve the well-being of its citizens, particularly women and girls, notably through support to national health, education and protection systems, and the fight against COVID-19. We will continue to encourage initiatives that foster economic growth that works for everyone and a greater resilience to climate change and natural disasters. Every day, Haitians continue to demonstrate strength in the face of adversity, and Canada remains committed to working with them as they build toward a better tomorrow. "On behalf of the Government of Canada, I extend my best wishes to all those celebrating Haiti's Independence Day." This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca SOURCE Prime Minister's Office For further information: PMO Media Relations: [email protected] OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 1, 2022 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Haiti's Independence Day: "Today, we join Haitian communities in Canada and around the world to celebrate Haiti's Independence Day. "This day has always been significant for Haitians, people of African descent, and many other people around the world. On this day in 1804, Haiti made history by becoming the first Black-led independent country in the world, and the first country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery. Since then, the first day of the year is celebrated by the people of Haiti and Haitian communities around the world as Haiti's Independence Day. "Canada and Haiti officially established diplomatic relations in 1954. Since then, our two countries have enjoyed a strong relationship, strengthened by our geographical proximity, shared language, and close people-to-people ties. Today, more than 165,000 people of Haitian ancestry call Canada home, and help make our country stronger, more prosperous, and more inclusive. This year, as we continue to follow public health guidelines to keep each other and our communities safe from COVID-19, I encourage all those celebrating to find alternative ways to mark this important day. "Canada and Haiti work together as part of international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and La Francophonie. Additionally, for nearly 30 years, Canada has contributed to every United Nations peace mission to Haiti to support stabilization and reconstruction efforts. This includes financial assistance and the deployment of members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and correctional officers. "Canada will continue to support Haiti's efforts to strengthen its governance, the rule of law, and democracy. We will also work with Haiti to improve the well-being of its citizens, particularly women and girls, notably through support to national health, education and protection systems, and the fight against COVID-19. We will continue to encourage initiatives that foster economic growth that works for everyone and a greater resilience to climate change and natural disasters. Every day, Haitians continue to demonstrate strength in the face of adversity, and Canada remains committed to working with them as they build toward a better tomorrow. "On behalf of the Government of Canada, I extend my best wishes to all those celebrating Haiti's Independence Day." This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca SOURCE Prime Minister's Office For further information: PMO Media Relations: [email protected] OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 1, 2022 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Haiti's Independence Day: "Today, we join Haitian communities in Canada and around the world to celebrate Haiti's Independence Day. "This day has always been significant for Haitians, people of African descent, and many other people around the world. On this day in 1804, Haiti made history by becoming the first Black-led independent country in the world, and the first country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery. Since then, the first day of the year is celebrated by the people of Haiti and Haitian communities around the world as Haiti's Independence Day. "Canada and Haiti officially established diplomatic relations in 1954. Since then, our two countries have enjoyed a strong relationship, strengthened by our geographical proximity, shared language, and close people-to-people ties. Today, more than 165,000 people of Haitian ancestry call Canada home, and help make our country stronger, more prosperous, and more inclusive. This year, as we continue to follow public health guidelines to keep each other and our communities safe from COVID-19, I encourage all those celebrating to find alternative ways to mark this important day. "Canada and Haiti work together as part of international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and La Francophonie. Additionally, for nearly 30 years, Canada has contributed to every United Nations peace mission to Haiti to support stabilization and reconstruction efforts. This includes financial assistance and the deployment of members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and correctional officers. "Canada will continue to support Haiti's efforts to strengthen its governance, the rule of law, and democracy. We will also work with Haiti to improve the well-being of its citizens, particularly women and girls, notably through support to national health, education and protection systems, and the fight against COVID-19. We will continue to encourage initiatives that foster economic growth that works for everyone and a greater resilience to climate change and natural disasters. Every day, Haitians continue to demonstrate strength in the face of adversity, and Canada remains committed to working with them as they build toward a better tomorrow. "On behalf of the Government of Canada, I extend my best wishes to all those celebrating Haiti's Independence Day." This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca SOURCE Prime Minister's Office For further information: PMO Media Relations: [email protected] OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 1, 2022 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Haiti's Independence Day: "Today, we join Haitian communities in Canada and around the world to celebrate Haiti's Independence Day. "This day has always been significant for Haitians, people of African descent, and many other people around the world. On this day in 1804, Haiti made history by becoming the first Black-led independent country in the world, and the first country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery. Since then, the first day of the year is celebrated by the people of Haiti and Haitian communities around the world as Haiti's Independence Day. "Canada and Haiti officially established diplomatic relations in 1954. Since then, our two countries have enjoyed a strong relationship, strengthened by our geographical proximity, shared language, and close people-to-people ties. Today, more than 165,000 people of Haitian ancestry call Canada home, and help make our country stronger, more prosperous, and more inclusive. This year, as we continue to follow public health guidelines to keep each other and our communities safe from COVID-19, I encourage all those celebrating to find alternative ways to mark this important day. "Canada and Haiti work together as part of international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and La Francophonie. Additionally, for nearly 30 years, Canada has contributed to every United Nations peace mission to Haiti to support stabilization and reconstruction efforts. This includes financial assistance and the deployment of members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and correctional officers. "Canada will continue to support Haiti's efforts to strengthen its governance, the rule of law, and democracy. We will also work with Haiti to improve the well-being of its citizens, particularly women and girls, notably through support to national health, education and protection systems, and the fight against COVID-19. We will continue to encourage initiatives that foster economic growth that works for everyone and a greater resilience to climate change and natural disasters. Every day, Haitians continue to demonstrate strength in the face of adversity, and Canada remains committed to working with them as they build toward a better tomorrow. "On behalf of the Government of Canada, I extend my best wishes to all those celebrating Haiti's Independence Day." This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca SOURCE Prime Minister's Office For further information: PMO Media Relations: [email protected] OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 1, 2022 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Haiti's Independence Day: "Today, we join Haitian communities in Canada and around the world to celebrate Haiti's Independence Day. "This day has always been significant for Haitians, people of African descent, and many other people around the world. On this day in 1804, Haiti made history by becoming the first Black-led independent country in the world, and the first country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery. Since then, the first day of the year is celebrated by the people of Haiti and Haitian communities around the world as Haiti's Independence Day. "Canada and Haiti officially established diplomatic relations in 1954. Since then, our two countries have enjoyed a strong relationship, strengthened by our geographical proximity, shared language, and close people-to-people ties. Today, more than 165,000 people of Haitian ancestry call Canada home, and help make our country stronger, more prosperous, and more inclusive. This year, as we continue to follow public health guidelines to keep each other and our communities safe from COVID-19, I encourage all those celebrating to find alternative ways to mark this important day. "Canada and Haiti work together as part of international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and La Francophonie. Additionally, for nearly 30 years, Canada has contributed to every United Nations peace mission to Haiti to support stabilization and reconstruction efforts. This includes financial assistance and the deployment of members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and correctional officers. "Canada will continue to support Haiti's efforts to strengthen its governance, the rule of law, and democracy. We will also work with Haiti to improve the well-being of its citizens, particularly women and girls, notably through support to national health, education and protection systems, and the fight against COVID-19. We will continue to encourage initiatives that foster economic growth that works for everyone and a greater resilience to climate change and natural disasters. Every day, Haitians continue to demonstrate strength in the face of adversity, and Canada remains committed to working with them as they build toward a better tomorrow. "On behalf of the Government of Canada, I extend my best wishes to all those celebrating Haiti's Independence Day." This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca SOURCE Prime Minister's Office For further information: PMO Media Relations: [email protected] OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 1, 2022 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Haiti's Independence Day: "Today, we join Haitian communities in Canada and around the world to celebrate Haiti's Independence Day. "This day has always been significant for Haitians, people of African descent, and many other people around the world. On this day in 1804, Haiti made history by becoming the first Black-led independent country in the world, and the first country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery. Since then, the first day of the year is celebrated by the people of Haiti and Haitian communities around the world as Haiti's Independence Day. "Canada and Haiti officially established diplomatic relations in 1954. Since then, our two countries have enjoyed a strong relationship, strengthened by our geographical proximity, shared language, and close people-to-people ties. Today, more than 165,000 people of Haitian ancestry call Canada home, and help make our country stronger, more prosperous, and more inclusive. This year, as we continue to follow public health guidelines to keep each other and our communities safe from COVID-19, I encourage all those celebrating to find alternative ways to mark this important day. "Canada and Haiti work together as part of international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and La Francophonie. Additionally, for nearly 30 years, Canada has contributed to every United Nations peace mission to Haiti to support stabilization and reconstruction efforts. This includes financial assistance and the deployment of members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and correctional officers. "Canada will continue to support Haiti's efforts to strengthen its governance, the rule of law, and democracy. We will also work with Haiti to improve the well-being of its citizens, particularly women and girls, notably through support to national health, education and protection systems, and the fight against COVID-19. We will continue to encourage initiatives that foster economic growth that works for everyone and a greater resilience to climate change and natural disasters. Every day, Haitians continue to demonstrate strength in the face of adversity, and Canada remains committed to working with them as they build toward a better tomorrow. "On behalf of the Government of Canada, I extend my best wishes to all those celebrating Haiti's Independence Day." This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca SOURCE Prime Minister's Office For further information: PMO Media Relations: [email protected] OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 1, 2022 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Haiti's Independence Day: "Today, we join Haitian communities in Canada and around the world to celebrate Haiti's Independence Day. "This day has always been significant for Haitians, people of African descent, and many other people around the world. On this day in 1804, Haiti made history by becoming the first Black-led independent country in the world, and the first country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery. Since then, the first day of the year is celebrated by the people of Haiti and Haitian communities around the world as Haiti's Independence Day. "Canada and Haiti officially established diplomatic relations in 1954. Since then, our two countries have enjoyed a strong relationship, strengthened by our geographical proximity, shared language, and close people-to-people ties. Today, more than 165,000 people of Haitian ancestry call Canada home, and help make our country stronger, more prosperous, and more inclusive. This year, as we continue to follow public health guidelines to keep each other and our communities safe from COVID-19, I encourage all those celebrating to find alternative ways to mark this important day. "Canada and Haiti work together as part of international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and La Francophonie. Additionally, for nearly 30 years, Canada has contributed to every United Nations peace mission to Haiti to support stabilization and reconstruction efforts. This includes financial assistance and the deployment of members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and correctional officers. "Canada will continue to support Haiti's efforts to strengthen its governance, the rule of law, and democracy. We will also work with Haiti to improve the well-being of its citizens, particularly women and girls, notably through support to national health, education and protection systems, and the fight against COVID-19. We will continue to encourage initiatives that foster economic growth that works for everyone and a greater resilience to climate change and natural disasters. Every day, Haitians continue to demonstrate strength in the face of adversity, and Canada remains committed to working with them as they build toward a better tomorrow. "On behalf of the Government of Canada, I extend my best wishes to all those celebrating Haiti's Independence Day." This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca SOURCE Prime Minister's Office For further information: PMO Media Relations: [email protected] OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 1, 2022 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Haiti's Independence Day: "Today, we join Haitian communities in Canada and around the world to celebrate Haiti's Independence Day. "This day has always been significant for Haitians, people of African descent, and many other people around the world. On this day in 1804, Haiti made history by becoming the first Black-led independent country in the world, and the first country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery. Since then, the first day of the year is celebrated by the people of Haiti and Haitian communities around the world as Haiti's Independence Day. "Canada and Haiti officially established diplomatic relations in 1954. Since then, our two countries have enjoyed a strong relationship, strengthened by our geographical proximity, shared language, and close people-to-people ties. Today, more than 165,000 people of Haitian ancestry call Canada home, and help make our country stronger, more prosperous, and more inclusive. This year, as we continue to follow public health guidelines to keep each other and our communities safe from COVID-19, I encourage all those celebrating to find alternative ways to mark this important day. "Canada and Haiti work together as part of international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and La Francophonie. Additionally, for nearly 30 years, Canada has contributed to every United Nations peace mission to Haiti to support stabilization and reconstruction efforts. This includes financial assistance and the deployment of members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and correctional officers. "Canada will continue to support Haiti's efforts to strengthen its governance, the rule of law, and democracy. We will also work with Haiti to improve the well-being of its citizens, particularly women and girls, notably through support to national health, education and protection systems, and the fight against COVID-19. We will continue to encourage initiatives that foster economic growth that works for everyone and a greater resilience to climate change and natural disasters. Every day, Haitians continue to demonstrate strength in the face of adversity, and Canada remains committed to working with them as they build toward a better tomorrow. "On behalf of the Government of Canada, I extend my best wishes to all those celebrating Haiti's Independence Day." This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca SOURCE Prime Minister's Office For further information: PMO Media Relations: [email protected] OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 1, 2022 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Haiti's Independence Day: "Today, we join Haitian communities in Canada and around the world to celebrate Haiti's Independence Day. "This day has always been significant for Haitians, people of African descent, and many other people around the world. On this day in 1804, Haiti made history by becoming the first Black-led independent country in the world, and the first country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery. Since then, the first day of the year is celebrated by the people of Haiti and Haitian communities around the world as Haiti's Independence Day. "Canada and Haiti officially established diplomatic relations in 1954. Since then, our two countries have enjoyed a strong relationship, strengthened by our geographical proximity, shared language, and close people-to-people ties. Today, more than 165,000 people of Haitian ancestry call Canada home, and help make our country stronger, more prosperous, and more inclusive. This year, as we continue to follow public health guidelines to keep each other and our communities safe from COVID-19, I encourage all those celebrating to find alternative ways to mark this important day. "Canada and Haiti work together as part of international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and La Francophonie. Additionally, for nearly 30 years, Canada has contributed to every United Nations peace mission to Haiti to support stabilization and reconstruction efforts. This includes financial assistance and the deployment of members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and correctional officers. "Canada will continue to support Haiti's efforts to strengthen its governance, the rule of law, and democracy. We will also work with Haiti to improve the well-being of its citizens, particularly women and girls, notably through support to national health, education and protection systems, and the fight against COVID-19. We will continue to encourage initiatives that foster economic growth that works for everyone and a greater resilience to climate change and natural disasters. Every day, Haitians continue to demonstrate strength in the face of adversity, and Canada remains committed to working with them as they build toward a better tomorrow. "On behalf of the Government of Canada, I extend my best wishes to all those celebrating Haiti's Independence Day." This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca SOURCE Prime Minister's Office For further information: PMO Media Relations: [email protected] OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 1, 2022 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Haiti's Independence Day: "Today, we join Haitian communities in Canada and around the world to celebrate Haiti's Independence Day. "This day has always been significant for Haitians, people of African descent, and many other people around the world. On this day in 1804, Haiti made history by becoming the first Black-led independent country in the world, and the first country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery. Since then, the first day of the year is celebrated by the people of Haiti and Haitian communities around the world as Haiti's Independence Day. "Canada and Haiti officially established diplomatic relations in 1954. Since then, our two countries have enjoyed a strong relationship, strengthened by our geographical proximity, shared language, and close people-to-people ties. Today, more than 165,000 people of Haitian ancestry call Canada home, and help make our country stronger, more prosperous, and more inclusive. This year, as we continue to follow public health guidelines to keep each other and our communities safe from COVID-19, I encourage all those celebrating to find alternative ways to mark this important day. "Canada and Haiti work together as part of international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and La Francophonie. Additionally, for nearly 30 years, Canada has contributed to every United Nations peace mission to Haiti to support stabilization and reconstruction efforts. This includes financial assistance and the deployment of members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and correctional officers. "Canada will continue to support Haiti's efforts to strengthen its governance, the rule of law, and democracy. We will also work with Haiti to improve the well-being of its citizens, particularly women and girls, notably through support to national health, education and protection systems, and the fight against COVID-19. We will continue to encourage initiatives that foster economic growth that works for everyone and a greater resilience to climate change and natural disasters. Every day, Haitians continue to demonstrate strength in the face of adversity, and Canada remains committed to working with them as they build toward a better tomorrow. "On behalf of the Government of Canada, I extend my best wishes to all those celebrating Haiti's Independence Day." This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca SOURCE Prime Minister's Office For further information: PMO Media Relations: [email protected] OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 1, 2022 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Haiti's Independence Day: "Today, we join Haitian communities in Canada and around the world to celebrate Haiti's Independence Day. "This day has always been significant for Haitians, people of African descent, and many other people around the world. On this day in 1804, Haiti made history by becoming the first Black-led independent country in the world, and the first country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery. Since then, the first day of the year is celebrated by the people of Haiti and Haitian communities around the world as Haiti's Independence Day. "Canada and Haiti officially established diplomatic relations in 1954. Since then, our two countries have enjoyed a strong relationship, strengthened by our geographical proximity, shared language, and close people-to-people ties. Today, more than 165,000 people of Haitian ancestry call Canada home, and help make our country stronger, more prosperous, and more inclusive. This year, as we continue to follow public health guidelines to keep each other and our communities safe from COVID-19, I encourage all those celebrating to find alternative ways to mark this important day. "Canada and Haiti work together as part of international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and La Francophonie. Additionally, for nearly 30 years, Canada has contributed to every United Nations peace mission to Haiti to support stabilization and reconstruction efforts. This includes financial assistance and the deployment of members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and correctional officers. "Canada will continue to support Haiti's efforts to strengthen its governance, the rule of law, and democracy. We will also work with Haiti to improve the well-being of its citizens, particularly women and girls, notably through support to national health, education and protection systems, and the fight against COVID-19. We will continue to encourage initiatives that foster economic growth that works for everyone and a greater resilience to climate change and natural disasters. Every day, Haitians continue to demonstrate strength in the face of adversity, and Canada remains committed to working with them as they build toward a better tomorrow. "On behalf of the Government of Canada, I extend my best wishes to all those celebrating Haiti's Independence Day." This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca SOURCE Prime Minister's Office For further information: PMO Media Relations: [email protected] Delicacies in Shanghai dialect film By:Wu Qiong | From:english.eastday.com | 2022-01-01 17:12 Since its premiere on the big screen, the Shanghai dialect film B for Busy has been a hit among Shanghainese. The scenes in the movie are typical of Shanghai, while enthusiastic netizens have even dug out where the Shanghai delicacies came from. In a scene at Mr. Bs (Mr. B is a main character in the movie played by actor Xu Zheng) house, people are treated with seaweed peanuts purchased from an old brand Lao Da Chang. Actually, the Shanghai brand offers no seaweed peanut but seaweed crackers. In the film, Mr. B also buys butterfly pastry, saying that it was bought on Tianyaoqiao Rd. But there are many stores selling butterfly pastry on that road. Which is the right one? Finally, the mystery has been solved. According to Shao Yihui, director of the movie, the snack is from Mi Qing Pu Zi (formerly known as Yang Qing He) on 166 Tianyaoqiao Rd. The butterfly pastry it offers tastes crispy with a milky fragrance, and its sweetness is lower than other brands. One of the dishes Mr. B is good at is the crucian carp soup, something many Shanghainese and Chinese people grew up eating. Theres one standard in judging the fish soup: the milky white color. Shanghai citizens like to add some tender tofu to it after 10 minutes of boiling the fish soup on a high heat. India and Chinese troops on Saturday exchanged sweets and greetings at several border posts along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) including in eastern to mark the New Year, officials said. The gesture by both sides came in the midst of an over 18 month-long standoff between the two sides in several friction points in eastern . The border posts where the two sides exchanged sweets and greetings are Hot Springs and Demchok in eastern and Nathula and Kongra La in North Sikkim, the officials said. The eastern Ladakh border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas. Both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry. As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process last year in the north and south banks of the Pangong lake and in the Gogra area. Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the sensitive sector. The 13th round of Corps Commander-level military talks in October ended in a stalemate with the Indian Army saying that the "constructive suggestions" made by it were not agreeable to the Chinese side. The defence ministry on Friday said it held several rounds of military talks with the Chinese side to deescalate the situation in eastern Ladakh without compromising on its stand of 'complete disengagement and immediate restoration of status quo ante'. India has been insisting on returning to the status quo that existed before the face-off took place in early May 2020. (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.) Delicacies in Shanghai dialect film By:Wu Qiong | From:english.eastday.com | 2022-01-01 17:12 Since its premiere on the big screen, the Shanghai dialect film B for Busy has been a hit among Shanghainese. The scenes in the movie are typical of Shanghai, while enthusiastic netizens have even dug out where the Shanghai delicacies came from. In a scene at Mr. Bs (Mr. B is a main character in the movie played by actor Xu Zheng) house, people are treated with seaweed peanuts purchased from an old brand Lao Da Chang. Actually, the Shanghai brand offers no seaweed peanut but seaweed crackers. In the film, Mr. B also buys butterfly pastry, saying that it was bought on Tianyaoqiao Rd. But there are many stores selling butterfly pastry on that road. Which is the right one? Finally, the mystery has been solved. According to Shao Yihui, director of the movie, the snack is from Mi Qing Pu Zi (formerly known as Yang Qing He) on 166 Tianyaoqiao Rd. The butterfly pastry it offers tastes crispy with a milky fragrance, and its sweetness is lower than other brands. One of the dishes Mr. B is good at is the crucian carp soup, something many Shanghainese and Chinese people grew up eating. Theres one standard in judging the fish soup: the milky white color. Shanghai citizens like to add some tender tofu to it after 10 minutes of boiling the fish soup on a high heat. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Welcome Guest! You Are Here: 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. Delicacies in Shanghai dialect film By:Wu Qiong | From:english.eastday.com | 2022-01-01 17:12 Since its premiere on the big screen, the Shanghai dialect film B for Busy has been a hit among Shanghainese. The scenes in the movie are typical of Shanghai, while enthusiastic netizens have even dug out where the Shanghai delicacies came from. In a scene at Mr. Bs (Mr. B is a main character in the movie played by actor Xu Zheng) house, people are treated with seaweed peanuts purchased from an old brand Lao Da Chang. Actually, the Shanghai brand offers no seaweed peanut but seaweed crackers. In the film, Mr. B also buys butterfly pastry, saying that it was bought on Tianyaoqiao Rd. But there are many stores selling butterfly pastry on that road. Which is the right one? Finally, the mystery has been solved. According to Shao Yihui, director of the movie, the snack is from Mi Qing Pu Zi (formerly known as Yang Qing He) on 166 Tianyaoqiao Rd. The butterfly pastry it offers tastes crispy with a milky fragrance, and its sweetness is lower than other brands. One of the dishes Mr. B is good at is the crucian carp soup, something many Shanghainese and Chinese people grew up eating. Theres one standard in judging the fish soup: the milky white color. Shanghai citizens like to add some tender tofu to it after 10 minutes of boiling the fish soup on a high heat. Delicacies in Shanghai dialect film By:Wu Qiong | From:english.eastday.com | 2022-01-01 17:12 Since its premiere on the big screen, the Shanghai dialect film B for Busy has been a hit among Shanghainese. The scenes in the movie are typical of Shanghai, while enthusiastic netizens have even dug out where the Shanghai delicacies came from. In a scene at Mr. Bs (Mr. B is a main character in the movie played by actor Xu Zheng) house, people are treated with seaweed peanuts purchased from an old brand Lao Da Chang. Actually, the Shanghai brand offers no seaweed peanut but seaweed crackers. In the film, Mr. B also buys butterfly pastry, saying that it was bought on Tianyaoqiao Rd. But there are many stores selling butterfly pastry on that road. Which is the right one? Finally, the mystery has been solved. According to Shao Yihui, director of the movie, the snack is from Mi Qing Pu Zi (formerly known as Yang Qing He) on 166 Tianyaoqiao Rd. The butterfly pastry it offers tastes crispy with a milky fragrance, and its sweetness is lower than other brands. One of the dishes Mr. B is good at is the crucian carp soup, something many Shanghainese and Chinese people grew up eating. Theres one standard in judging the fish soup: the milky white color. Shanghai citizens like to add some tender tofu to it after 10 minutes of boiling the fish soup on a high heat. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 1, 2022 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Haiti's Independence Day: "Today, we join Haitian communities in Canada and around the world to celebrate Haiti's Independence Day. "This day has always been significant for Haitians, people of African descent, and many other people around the world. On this day in 1804, Haiti made history by becoming the first Black-led independent country in the world, and the first country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery. Since then, the first day of the year is celebrated by the people of Haiti and Haitian communities around the world as Haiti's Independence Day. "Canada and Haiti officially established diplomatic relations in 1954. Since then, our two countries have enjoyed a strong relationship, strengthened by our geographical proximity, shared language, and close people-to-people ties. Today, more than 165,000 people of Haitian ancestry call Canada home, and help make our country stronger, more prosperous, and more inclusive. This year, as we continue to follow public health guidelines to keep each other and our communities safe from COVID-19, I encourage all those celebrating to find alternative ways to mark this important day. "Canada and Haiti work together as part of international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and La Francophonie. Additionally, for nearly 30 years, Canada has contributed to every United Nations peace mission to Haiti to support stabilization and reconstruction efforts. This includes financial assistance and the deployment of members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and correctional officers. "Canada will continue to support Haiti's efforts to strengthen its governance, the rule of law, and democracy. We will also work with Haiti to improve the well-being of its citizens, particularly women and girls, notably through support to national health, education and protection systems, and the fight against COVID-19. We will continue to encourage initiatives that foster economic growth that works for everyone and a greater resilience to climate change and natural disasters. Every day, Haitians continue to demonstrate strength in the face of adversity, and Canada remains committed to working with them as they build toward a better tomorrow. "On behalf of the Government of Canada, I extend my best wishes to all those celebrating Haiti's Independence Day." This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca SOURCE Prime Minister's Office For further information: PMO Media Relations: [email protected] OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 1, 2022 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Haiti's Independence Day: "Today, we join Haitian communities in Canada and around the world to celebrate Haiti's Independence Day. "This day has always been significant for Haitians, people of African descent, and many other people around the world. On this day in 1804, Haiti made history by becoming the first Black-led independent country in the world, and the first country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery. Since then, the first day of the year is celebrated by the people of Haiti and Haitian communities around the world as Haiti's Independence Day. "Canada and Haiti officially established diplomatic relations in 1954. Since then, our two countries have enjoyed a strong relationship, strengthened by our geographical proximity, shared language, and close people-to-people ties. Today, more than 165,000 people of Haitian ancestry call Canada home, and help make our country stronger, more prosperous, and more inclusive. This year, as we continue to follow public health guidelines to keep each other and our communities safe from COVID-19, I encourage all those celebrating to find alternative ways to mark this important day. "Canada and Haiti work together as part of international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and La Francophonie. Additionally, for nearly 30 years, Canada has contributed to every United Nations peace mission to Haiti to support stabilization and reconstruction efforts. This includes financial assistance and the deployment of members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and correctional officers. "Canada will continue to support Haiti's efforts to strengthen its governance, the rule of law, and democracy. We will also work with Haiti to improve the well-being of its citizens, particularly women and girls, notably through support to national health, education and protection systems, and the fight against COVID-19. We will continue to encourage initiatives that foster economic growth that works for everyone and a greater resilience to climate change and natural disasters. Every day, Haitians continue to demonstrate strength in the face of adversity, and Canada remains committed to working with them as they build toward a better tomorrow. "On behalf of the Government of Canada, I extend my best wishes to all those celebrating Haiti's Independence Day." This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca SOURCE Prime Minister's Office For further information: PMO Media Relations: [email protected] OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 1, 2022 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Haiti's Independence Day: "Today, we join Haitian communities in Canada and around the world to celebrate Haiti's Independence Day. "This day has always been significant for Haitians, people of African descent, and many other people around the world. On this day in 1804, Haiti made history by becoming the first Black-led independent country in the world, and the first country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery. Since then, the first day of the year is celebrated by the people of Haiti and Haitian communities around the world as Haiti's Independence Day. "Canada and Haiti officially established diplomatic relations in 1954. Since then, our two countries have enjoyed a strong relationship, strengthened by our geographical proximity, shared language, and close people-to-people ties. Today, more than 165,000 people of Haitian ancestry call Canada home, and help make our country stronger, more prosperous, and more inclusive. This year, as we continue to follow public health guidelines to keep each other and our communities safe from COVID-19, I encourage all those celebrating to find alternative ways to mark this important day. "Canada and Haiti work together as part of international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and La Francophonie. Additionally, for nearly 30 years, Canada has contributed to every United Nations peace mission to Haiti to support stabilization and reconstruction efforts. This includes financial assistance and the deployment of members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and correctional officers. "Canada will continue to support Haiti's efforts to strengthen its governance, the rule of law, and democracy. We will also work with Haiti to improve the well-being of its citizens, particularly women and girls, notably through support to national health, education and protection systems, and the fight against COVID-19. We will continue to encourage initiatives that foster economic growth that works for everyone and a greater resilience to climate change and natural disasters. Every day, Haitians continue to demonstrate strength in the face of adversity, and Canada remains committed to working with them as they build toward a better tomorrow. "On behalf of the Government of Canada, I extend my best wishes to all those celebrating Haiti's Independence Day." This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca SOURCE Prime Minister's Office For further information: PMO Media Relations: [email protected] OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 1, 2022 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Haiti's Independence Day: "Today, we join Haitian communities in Canada and around the world to celebrate Haiti's Independence Day. "This day has always been significant for Haitians, people of African descent, and many other people around the world. On this day in 1804, Haiti made history by becoming the first Black-led independent country in the world, and the first country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery. Since then, the first day of the year is celebrated by the people of Haiti and Haitian communities around the world as Haiti's Independence Day. "Canada and Haiti officially established diplomatic relations in 1954. Since then, our two countries have enjoyed a strong relationship, strengthened by our geographical proximity, shared language, and close people-to-people ties. Today, more than 165,000 people of Haitian ancestry call Canada home, and help make our country stronger, more prosperous, and more inclusive. This year, as we continue to follow public health guidelines to keep each other and our communities safe from COVID-19, I encourage all those celebrating to find alternative ways to mark this important day. "Canada and Haiti work together as part of international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and La Francophonie. Additionally, for nearly 30 years, Canada has contributed to every United Nations peace mission to Haiti to support stabilization and reconstruction efforts. This includes financial assistance and the deployment of members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and correctional officers. "Canada will continue to support Haiti's efforts to strengthen its governance, the rule of law, and democracy. We will also work with Haiti to improve the well-being of its citizens, particularly women and girls, notably through support to national health, education and protection systems, and the fight against COVID-19. We will continue to encourage initiatives that foster economic growth that works for everyone and a greater resilience to climate change and natural disasters. Every day, Haitians continue to demonstrate strength in the face of adversity, and Canada remains committed to working with them as they build toward a better tomorrow. "On behalf of the Government of Canada, I extend my best wishes to all those celebrating Haiti's Independence Day." This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca SOURCE Prime Minister's Office For further information: PMO Media Relations: [email protected] OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 1, 2022 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Haiti's Independence Day: "Today, we join Haitian communities in Canada and around the world to celebrate Haiti's Independence Day. "This day has always been significant for Haitians, people of African descent, and many other people around the world. On this day in 1804, Haiti made history by becoming the first Black-led independent country in the world, and the first country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery. Since then, the first day of the year is celebrated by the people of Haiti and Haitian communities around the world as Haiti's Independence Day. "Canada and Haiti officially established diplomatic relations in 1954. Since then, our two countries have enjoyed a strong relationship, strengthened by our geographical proximity, shared language, and close people-to-people ties. Today, more than 165,000 people of Haitian ancestry call Canada home, and help make our country stronger, more prosperous, and more inclusive. This year, as we continue to follow public health guidelines to keep each other and our communities safe from COVID-19, I encourage all those celebrating to find alternative ways to mark this important day. "Canada and Haiti work together as part of international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and La Francophonie. Additionally, for nearly 30 years, Canada has contributed to every United Nations peace mission to Haiti to support stabilization and reconstruction efforts. This includes financial assistance and the deployment of members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and correctional officers. "Canada will continue to support Haiti's efforts to strengthen its governance, the rule of law, and democracy. We will also work with Haiti to improve the well-being of its citizens, particularly women and girls, notably through support to national health, education and protection systems, and the fight against COVID-19. We will continue to encourage initiatives that foster economic growth that works for everyone and a greater resilience to climate change and natural disasters. Every day, Haitians continue to demonstrate strength in the face of adversity, and Canada remains committed to working with them as they build toward a better tomorrow. "On behalf of the Government of Canada, I extend my best wishes to all those celebrating Haiti's Independence Day." This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca SOURCE Prime Minister's Office For further information: PMO Media Relations: [email protected] OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 1, 2022 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Haiti's Independence Day: "Today, we join Haitian communities in Canada and around the world to celebrate Haiti's Independence Day. "This day has always been significant for Haitians, people of African descent, and many other people around the world. On this day in 1804, Haiti made history by becoming the first Black-led independent country in the world, and the first country in the Western Hemisphere to abolish slavery. Since then, the first day of the year is celebrated by the people of Haiti and Haitian communities around the world as Haiti's Independence Day. "Canada and Haiti officially established diplomatic relations in 1954. Since then, our two countries have enjoyed a strong relationship, strengthened by our geographical proximity, shared language, and close people-to-people ties. Today, more than 165,000 people of Haitian ancestry call Canada home, and help make our country stronger, more prosperous, and more inclusive. This year, as we continue to follow public health guidelines to keep each other and our communities safe from COVID-19, I encourage all those celebrating to find alternative ways to mark this important day. "Canada and Haiti work together as part of international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and La Francophonie. Additionally, for nearly 30 years, Canada has contributed to every United Nations peace mission to Haiti to support stabilization and reconstruction efforts. This includes financial assistance and the deployment of members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and correctional officers. "Canada will continue to support Haiti's efforts to strengthen its governance, the rule of law, and democracy. We will also work with Haiti to improve the well-being of its citizens, particularly women and girls, notably through support to national health, education and protection systems, and the fight against COVID-19. We will continue to encourage initiatives that foster economic growth that works for everyone and a greater resilience to climate change and natural disasters. Every day, Haitians continue to demonstrate strength in the face of adversity, and Canada remains committed to working with them as they build toward a better tomorrow. "On behalf of the Government of Canada, I extend my best wishes to all those celebrating Haiti's Independence Day." This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca SOURCE Prime Minister's Office For further information: PMO Media Relations: [email protected] The Gujarat government will begin a special week-long campaign from January 3 to vaccinate 36 lakh children in the age group of 15 to 18 years against Covid-19, a senior official said on Saturday. A mega drive will also be organised on January 7, with a focus on Class 10 students who will be appearing for the board exam this year, additional chief secretary (Health) Manoj Aggarwal said. The special campaign will be undertaken from January 3 to 9 at 3,500 centres prepared for the purpose from 9 am to 6 pm, Aggarwal told reporters. Efforts will be made to ensure that no child is left behind under the mega drive, he said, after reviewing the preparations for the campaign by video-conferencing with municipal commissioners and district collectors. The aim is to cover around 36 lakh children between 15 and 18 years of age. Also read: Registration for vaccination of 15-18 age group begins The drive will also cover schools, it is, out-of-school children, institutions for the disabled and mentally-ill children and orphanages, the official said. As per the Centre's guidelines, the beneficiaries in this age group will only be administered Covaxin, and the government has adequate quantity of the vaccine available with it, he said. Registration for vaccination started from January 1, with the option of on-site registration, in which a beneficiary can either provide details of his Aadhaar card, vehicle licence, or even a mobile phone number, which could either be his own or that of his parents, friends, school teacher or principal, Aggarwal said. A special mega campaign will also be conducted across the state on January 7, during which focus will be on children studying in Class 10, so that they dont face any problem during their board examination, he said. The health department also has a database of 13-14 lakh comorbid adults above 60 years, frontline workers and healthcare workers for the booster dose starting January 10, for which a gap of 39 weeks is required after the second dose, the official added. Check out latest videos from DH: The Gujarat government will begin a special week-long campaign from January 3 to vaccinate 36 lakh children in the age group of 15 to 18 years against Covid-19, a senior official said on Saturday. A mega drive will also be organised on January 7, with a focus on Class 10 students who will be appearing for the board exam this year, additional chief secretary (Health) Manoj Aggarwal said. The special campaign will be undertaken from January 3 to 9 at 3,500 centres prepared for the purpose from 9 am to 6 pm, Aggarwal told reporters. Efforts will be made to ensure that no child is left behind under the mega drive, he said, after reviewing the preparations for the campaign by video-conferencing with municipal commissioners and district collectors. The aim is to cover around 36 lakh children between 15 and 18 years of age. Also read: Registration for vaccination of 15-18 age group begins The drive will also cover schools, it is, out-of-school children, institutions for the disabled and mentally-ill children and orphanages, the official said. As per the Centre's guidelines, the beneficiaries in this age group will only be administered Covaxin, and the government has adequate quantity of the vaccine available with it, he said. Registration for vaccination started from January 1, with the option of on-site registration, in which a beneficiary can either provide details of his Aadhaar card, vehicle licence, or even a mobile phone number, which could either be his own or that of his parents, friends, school teacher or principal, Aggarwal said. A special mega campaign will also be conducted across the state on January 7, during which focus will be on children studying in Class 10, so that they dont face any problem during their board examination, he said. The health department also has a database of 13-14 lakh comorbid adults above 60 years, frontline workers and healthcare workers for the booster dose starting January 10, for which a gap of 39 weeks is required after the second dose, the official added. Check out latest videos from DH: Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Scott Morrison's New Year's Eve display of a barramundi curry has divided opinion on social media with his aprons creating more confusion than the dish itself. The Prime Minister is fond of showcasing his culinary skills and on Friday he sliced some fish fillets to prepare a Kerala curry. But in Facebook posts on New Year's Eve, Mr Morrison featured in a black shirt with a matching stripped black apron while slicing the fish. By the time he is at the pan cooking a curry over a gas cooktop, he's wearing a navy blue shirt with another matching striped apron over his white shorts and thongs. And despite the fish being sliced, the finished barramundi dish was mysteriously whole again. Scott Morrison's New Year's Eve display of a barramundi curry has divided opinion on social media with his aprons creating more controversy than the dish itself One Twitter critic wondered why the Prime Minister had two different sets of outfits on. 'You've gotta like the way Morrison wears a black t-shirt to (purportedly) fillet the fish, and then changes to a blue button-up shirt to hold an implement that has been stuck into the curry,' the curious commenter said. A woman responded by pointing out his curry display had a whole fish after he had posted images of himself slicing barramundi and cooking it in a pot. 'And then reassembles the fillets to make the fish whole again.' Mr Morrison's social media critics mocked him in the comments section of his New Year's Eve Facebook video, made at his Kirribilli House residence on Sydney Harbour. But before they could get savage, the Prime Minister posted an image of himself with a cooked curry. 'BBQ Barramundi and a Kerala fish curry on the New Year's Eve menu tonight. Barramundi from Humpty Doo in the NT, absolutely delicious!' He at least had some Facebook supporters with one woman praising his cooking skills. 'Looks delicious your curries always look amazing,' she said. There was no social media clarification from Mr Morrison on the costume change or whether he had simply cooked several different fish dishes. The Prime Minister is fond of showcasing his culinary skills and on Friday sliced some fish fillets to prepare a Kerala curry. But in Facebook posts, published at 8.41pm on New Year's Eve, Mr Morrison featured in a black shirt with a matching, stripped black apron as he's slicing the fish In a recorded New Year video message, Mr Morrison said Australians should enter 2022 full of confidence as the economy continues to recover from the impact of the pandemic. 'We have one of the lowest death rates and the highest vaccination rates from Covid anywhere in the world,' Mr Morrison said in the video. 'And we have one of the strongest advanced economies in the world to come through Covid - there's more people in work, more apprentices in training, a secure credit rating and businesses investing in their future with confidence. 'That gives us confidence to face what lies ahead.' The Prime Minister, who has already declared 'we can't go back into lockdown' said next year is about 'looking forward'. 'It's like the kangaroo and the emu on our Coat of Arms - they never take a backwards step,' he said. By the time he is at the pan cooking a curry over a gas cooktop, he is wearing a navy blue shirt with a striped, matching apron over this white shorts as he wears white thongs Scott Morrison's New Year's Eve display of a barramundi curry has divided opinion on social media with his aprons creating more confusion than the dish itself. The Prime Minister is fond of showcasing his culinary skills and on Friday he sliced some fish fillets to prepare a Kerala curry. But in Facebook posts on New Year's Eve, Mr Morrison featured in a black shirt with a matching stripped black apron while slicing the fish. By the time he is at the pan cooking a curry over a gas cooktop, he's wearing a navy blue shirt with another matching striped apron over his white shorts and thongs. And despite the fish being sliced, the finished barramundi dish was mysteriously whole again. Scott Morrison's New Year's Eve display of a barramundi curry has divided opinion on social media with his aprons creating more controversy than the dish itself One Twitter critic wondered why the Prime Minister had two different sets of outfits on. 'You've gotta like the way Morrison wears a black t-shirt to (purportedly) fillet the fish, and then changes to a blue button-up shirt to hold an implement that has been stuck into the curry,' the curious commenter said. A woman responded by pointing out his curry display had a whole fish after he had posted images of himself slicing barramundi and cooking it in a pot. 'And then reassembles the fillets to make the fish whole again.' Mr Morrison's social media critics mocked him in the comments section of his New Year's Eve Facebook video, made at his Kirribilli House residence on Sydney Harbour. But before they could get savage, the Prime Minister posted an image of himself with a cooked curry. 'BBQ Barramundi and a Kerala fish curry on the New Year's Eve menu tonight. Barramundi from Humpty Doo in the NT, absolutely delicious!' He at least had some Facebook supporters with one woman praising his cooking skills. 'Looks delicious your curries always look amazing,' she said. There was no social media clarification from Mr Morrison on the costume change or whether he had simply cooked several different fish dishes. The Prime Minister is fond of showcasing his culinary skills and on Friday sliced some fish fillets to prepare a Kerala curry. But in Facebook posts, published at 8.41pm on New Year's Eve, Mr Morrison featured in a black shirt with a matching, stripped black apron as he's slicing the fish In a recorded New Year video message, Mr Morrison said Australians should enter 2022 full of confidence as the economy continues to recover from the impact of the pandemic. 'We have one of the lowest death rates and the highest vaccination rates from Covid anywhere in the world,' Mr Morrison said in the video. 'And we have one of the strongest advanced economies in the world to come through Covid - there's more people in work, more apprentices in training, a secure credit rating and businesses investing in their future with confidence. 'That gives us confidence to face what lies ahead.' The Prime Minister, who has already declared 'we can't go back into lockdown' said next year is about 'looking forward'. 'It's like the kangaroo and the emu on our Coat of Arms - they never take a backwards step,' he said. By the time he is at the pan cooking a curry over a gas cooktop, he is wearing a navy blue shirt with a striped, matching apron over this white shorts as he wears white thongs Scott Morrison's New Year's Eve display of a barramundi curry has divided opinion on social media with his aprons creating more confusion than the dish itself. The Prime Minister is fond of showcasing his culinary skills and on Friday he sliced some fish fillets to prepare a Kerala curry. But in Facebook posts on New Year's Eve, Mr Morrison featured in a black shirt with a matching stripped black apron while slicing the fish. By the time he is at the pan cooking a curry over a gas cooktop, he's wearing a navy blue shirt with another matching striped apron over his white shorts and thongs. And despite the fish being sliced, the finished barramundi dish was mysteriously whole again. Scott Morrison's New Year's Eve display of a barramundi curry has divided opinion on social media with his aprons creating more controversy than the dish itself One Twitter critic wondered why the Prime Minister had two different sets of outfits on. 'You've gotta like the way Morrison wears a black t-shirt to (purportedly) fillet the fish, and then changes to a blue button-up shirt to hold an implement that has been stuck into the curry,' the curious commenter said. A woman responded by pointing out his curry display had a whole fish after he had posted images of himself slicing barramundi and cooking it in a pot. 'And then reassembles the fillets to make the fish whole again.' Mr Morrison's social media critics mocked him in the comments section of his New Year's Eve Facebook video, made at his Kirribilli House residence on Sydney Harbour. But before they could get savage, the Prime Minister posted an image of himself with a cooked curry. 'BBQ Barramundi and a Kerala fish curry on the New Year's Eve menu tonight. Barramundi from Humpty Doo in the NT, absolutely delicious!' He at least had some Facebook supporters with one woman praising his cooking skills. 'Looks delicious your curries always look amazing,' she said. There was no social media clarification from Mr Morrison on the costume change or whether he had simply cooked several different fish dishes. The Prime Minister is fond of showcasing his culinary skills and on Friday sliced some fish fillets to prepare a Kerala curry. But in Facebook posts, published at 8.41pm on New Year's Eve, Mr Morrison featured in a black shirt with a matching, stripped black apron as he's slicing the fish In a recorded New Year video message, Mr Morrison said Australians should enter 2022 full of confidence as the economy continues to recover from the impact of the pandemic. 'We have one of the lowest death rates and the highest vaccination rates from Covid anywhere in the world,' Mr Morrison said in the video. 'And we have one of the strongest advanced economies in the world to come through Covid - there's more people in work, more apprentices in training, a secure credit rating and businesses investing in their future with confidence. 'That gives us confidence to face what lies ahead.' The Prime Minister, who has already declared 'we can't go back into lockdown' said next year is about 'looking forward'. 'It's like the kangaroo and the emu on our Coat of Arms - they never take a backwards step,' he said. By the time he is at the pan cooking a curry over a gas cooktop, he is wearing a navy blue shirt with a striped, matching apron over this white shorts as he wears white thongs Scott Morrison's New Year's Eve display of a barramundi curry has divided opinion on social media with his aprons creating more confusion than the dish itself. The Prime Minister is fond of showcasing his culinary skills and on Friday he sliced some fish fillets to prepare a Kerala curry. But in Facebook posts on New Year's Eve, Mr Morrison featured in a black shirt with a matching stripped black apron while slicing the fish. By the time he is at the pan cooking a curry over a gas cooktop, he's wearing a navy blue shirt with another matching striped apron over his white shorts and thongs. And despite the fish being sliced, the finished barramundi dish was mysteriously whole again. Scott Morrison's New Year's Eve display of a barramundi curry has divided opinion on social media with his aprons creating more controversy than the dish itself One Twitter critic wondered why the Prime Minister had two different sets of outfits on. 'You've gotta like the way Morrison wears a black t-shirt to (purportedly) fillet the fish, and then changes to a blue button-up shirt to hold an implement that has been stuck into the curry,' the curious commenter said. A woman responded by pointing out his curry display had a whole fish after he had posted images of himself slicing barramundi and cooking it in a pot. 'And then reassembles the fillets to make the fish whole again.' Mr Morrison's social media critics mocked him in the comments section of his New Year's Eve Facebook video, made at his Kirribilli House residence on Sydney Harbour. But before they could get savage, the Prime Minister posted an image of himself with a cooked curry. 'BBQ Barramundi and a Kerala fish curry on the New Year's Eve menu tonight. Barramundi from Humpty Doo in the NT, absolutely delicious!' He at least had some Facebook supporters with one woman praising his cooking skills. 'Looks delicious your curries always look amazing,' she said. There was no social media clarification from Mr Morrison on the costume change or whether he had simply cooked several different fish dishes. The Prime Minister is fond of showcasing his culinary skills and on Friday sliced some fish fillets to prepare a Kerala curry. But in Facebook posts, published at 8.41pm on New Year's Eve, Mr Morrison featured in a black shirt with a matching, stripped black apron as he's slicing the fish In a recorded New Year video message, Mr Morrison said Australians should enter 2022 full of confidence as the economy continues to recover from the impact of the pandemic. 'We have one of the lowest death rates and the highest vaccination rates from Covid anywhere in the world,' Mr Morrison said in the video. 'And we have one of the strongest advanced economies in the world to come through Covid - there's more people in work, more apprentices in training, a secure credit rating and businesses investing in their future with confidence. 'That gives us confidence to face what lies ahead.' The Prime Minister, who has already declared 'we can't go back into lockdown' said next year is about 'looking forward'. 'It's like the kangaroo and the emu on our Coat of Arms - they never take a backwards step,' he said. By the time he is at the pan cooking a curry over a gas cooktop, he is wearing a navy blue shirt with a striped, matching apron over this white shorts as he wears white thongs Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. 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. 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. (Newser) Two suspects in an Illinois motel shooting that left one Bradley police officer dead and another wounded are now in custody. WLS reports that Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, 49, was shot and killed Wednesday night at a Kankakee County Comfort Inn, while her partner, 27-year-old Tyler Bailey, was left critically wounded. The officers were said to have been responding to a call about dogs barking in an unattended vehicle in the motel's parking lot, per the Philadelphia Inquirer. Two people believed to have been in the motel room with the officers fled the area, but on Friday morning, 25-year-old Darius D. Sullivan was arrested in North Manchester, Ind., during the execution of a search warrant, according to authorities. Police say that drugs and weapons were also found inside the home where Sullivan was apprehended. "I can confirm that Sullivan is a suspect in the murder of Sgt. Rittmanic and the attempted murder of Officer Bailey," Indiana State Police Sgt. Glen Fifield said at a Friday presser, per CNN. Later Friday, the second suspect, 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, surrendered to Bradley authorities. Illinois State Police say Sullivan is being transported back to Kankakee County; Harris, meanwhile, will appear Monday in bond court. Authorities note that two other people were arrested Thursday, one of them said to be Sullivan's mother, and charged with impeding the search for Sullivan. (Read more murder suspect stories.) Hallmark Movie Schedule: Ring In the New Year With 5 New Movies in January 2022 Its a new year, which means new movies on everyones favorite feel-good network. Hallmark Channel has a full schedule of premieres on tap for the first month of the year, including fresh movies starring Lacey Chabert, Emilie Ullerup, When Calls the Hearts Kevin McGarry, and more. Here are the new movies on the Hallmark Channel schedule for January 2022. Where Your Heart Belongs premieres Jan. 1 on Hallmark Channel Jen Lilley in Where Your Heart Belongs | 2021 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Courtesy Johnson Production Group/Luba Popovic Jen Lilley co-stars with Christopher Russell in Hallmarks first new movie of 2022. In Where Your Heart Belongs, Lilley plays a New York marketing executive named Mackenzie Sullivan who is struggling to hang on to her clients. When her best friend Olivia (Jill Morrison) decides shes getting married in two weeks, she asks Mackenzie to return with her to their small hometown to help plan the big event. But theres a problem. Shell have to work closely with Olivias cousin Dylan (Russell), who also happens to be her ex. Where Your Heart Belongs airs Jan. 1 at 8 p.m. ET. The Wedding Veil with Lacey Chabert premieres Jan. 7 RELATED: Christmas at Castle Hart: Was Lacey Chaberts New Hallmark Christmas Movie Filmed in Ireland? Hallmark Channel regular Chabert stars in The Wedding Veil, which is the first movie in a trilogy about longtime college friends who find an antique veil that is said to bring true love to whoever possesses it. Avery (Chabert) is the first of the three friends to get the veil. Not long after it comes into her hands, she meets a handsome stranger named Peter (McGarry). While their romance hits a speed bump due to a misunderstanding, they eventually grow closer as the veil seems to work its magic. Autumn Reeser and Alison Sweeney play Averys two friends. The Wedding Veil airs Saturday, Jan. 8 at 8 p.m. ET. The Perfect Pairing airs Jan. 15 Wine lovers will want to tune in to The Perfect Pairing, which stars Nazneen Contractor and Brennan Elliott and was shot on location at the Pellar Estates Winery in Ontario, Canada. Contractor plays an influential food and wine critic named Christina who ends up visiting a winery she panned in an earlier review. She tries to make a quick getaway, but an accident leaves her stuck at the winery as she recovers. Single dad Michael (Elliott), who runs his familys business, helps her recover as she assists with the winerys annual wine tapping party. The Perfect Pairing airs Saturday, Jan. 15 at 8 p.m. ET. Dont Forget I Love You airs Jan. 22 Emilie Ullerup and Clayton James in Dont Forget I Love You | 2021 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Courtesy Johnson Production Group/Luba Popovic Taylor (Chesapeake Shores star Emilie Ullerup) is the owner of an organizational store who is turning 30. At first, the day is just like any other, which is how she likes it. The only thing different is her new neighbor, Josh (Clayton James), a single dad who is completely unorganized. Then, Taylor receives a map that leads her to six numbered envelopes from her late mother. Each envelope contains a challenge designed to help Taylor cope with her anxiety. As she completes each task, she finds herself opening her mind to the possibility of love. Dont Forget I Love You airs Jan. 22 at 8 p.m. ET. Hallmarks January movie schedule ends with Butlers in Love on Jan. 29 The last new movie on Hallmarks schedule for January 2022 is Butlers in Love. The passionate Emma and rebellious Henry are both students at a prestigious butler academy, where they are training for jobs as royal butlers. The competition between the two is fierce, but eventually, sparks start to fly. Stacey Farber, Corey Cott, and Maxwell Caulfield star. Butlers in Love airs Saturday, Jan. 29 at 8 p.m. ET. You can see the full Hallmark movie schedule for January 2022 (including the New Years Day Rom-Com-a-Thon) on the Hallmark Channel website. Check out Showbiz Cheat Sheet on Facebook! RELATED: Candace Cameron Bure Worries All the Time That Her Hallmark Christmas Movies Wont Be Successful: One Day, Youre Going to Slide Off That Pedestal The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com Washington [US], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): US President Joe Biden has expressed hope that the security guarantees negotiations with Russia will result in significant progress. On late Thursday, Biden held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which the leaders agreed to hold security guarantees talks in three formats: in Vienna, Geneva and Brussels. "Well, I got the sense of it that he's agreed that we would have three major conferences in Europe at the beginning of the middle of the month ... He laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, we laid out ours. I made it clear that they only could work if he deescalated ... Well, I always expect to negotiate and make progress," Biden said on late Friday, as quoted by the White House. (ANI/Sputnik) The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com Washington [US], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): US President Joe Biden has expressed hope that the security guarantees negotiations with Russia will result in significant progress. On late Thursday, Biden held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which the leaders agreed to hold security guarantees talks in three formats: in Vienna, Geneva and Brussels. "Well, I got the sense of it that he's agreed that we would have three major conferences in Europe at the beginning of the middle of the month ... He laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, we laid out ours. I made it clear that they only could work if he deescalated ... Well, I always expect to negotiate and make progress," Biden said on late Friday, as quoted by the White House. (ANI/Sputnik) The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com Happy Saturday, Toledo! Here's everything you need to know around town today. First, today's weather: Cloudy with a little rain. High: 42 Low: 28. Here are the top stories today in Toledo: The family of missing National Guardsman Xiao Lu, who was last seen leaving his job at the United States Post Office on South St. Clair in Downtown Toledo, is pleading for anyone with information to come forward. Described as an inspiration, the family says Lu had been struggling with some mental health issues in the past, and are hoping for his safe return. (WTOL) Several Toledo restaurants were all booked up for New Year's Eve celebrations. Two such restaurants, Angelo's Northwood Villa and Sakura Japanese Steakhouse, were lucky enough to stay open through the pandemic and have benefited from continued patronage. (WTOL) Toledo area hospitals are nearing their maximum capacity with critical COVID-19 patient numbers climbing. Dr. James Tita, Chief Medical Officer at Mercy Health St. Vincent's Hospital, anticipates surging hospitalizations due to the omicron variant. (WNWO NBC 24) Celebrating his re-election, Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz is holding an inauguration event this Monday at 4 P.M. at One Government Center in Downtown Toledo. Following the ceremony, the Toledo City Council will hold its first meeting of the new year at 5:30. (13abc Action News) Several first responders from around Northwest Ohio hosted a parade to support Wood County Road Sergeant Jody Swoap, who has been battling serious COVID complications in Wood County Hospital. Sgt. Swoap is a celebrated public servant and members of law enforcement, fire, EMS, and more well-wishers attended the event on Thursday. (13abc Action News) Today in Toledo: Greg Warren at Toledo Funny Bone , Fat Fish Blue Perrysburg (7:00 PM) Midnight Special 5K, Levis Commons (11:45 PM) Dance Fitness with Cari, Routines 2121 S. Reynolds Rd. (9:00 AM) The Great Art Escape at Toledo Museum of Art (11:00 AM) Toledo Walleye Winterfest Public Skate at Fifth Third Field (10:00 AM) Story continues From my notebook: - Click the link to see suggestions for fun things to do for teens in the Glass City. Mom on the Go in Holy Toledo does the research on all the latest events. (Mom On The Go In Holy Toledo) Loving the Toledo Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved: Send a friend or neighbor this link so they can subscribe Get your local business listed in front of readers Send me a news tip or suggestion at toledo@patch.com You're officially in the loop for today. I'll be in your inbox tomorrow morning with another update! Brad King About me: I have been a lifelong Northwest Ohio native and University of Toledo grad (Go Rockets!). I'm old enough to remember when the Mud Hens were still playing in Maumee. The Glass City has seen some amazing revitalization and I am so excited to share every update with you! This article originally appeared on the Toledo Patch The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Bradey Police Lt. Philip Trudeau (L) comforts Bourbonnais Police officer Andy Cox following a ceremonial procession for fallen Bradley Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, in Bourbonnais, Ill., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Tiffany Blanchette/The Daily Journal via AP) Suspect in Shooting of Illinois Officers Arrested in Indiana CHICAGOA man suspected in the shooting of one police officer and wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel has been taken into custody, authorities said Friday. Darius Sullivan, one of two people suspected in the shooting of the two Bradley police officers, was arrested Friday morning at a home in North Manchester, Indiana, Sgt. Glen Fifield of the Indiana State Police said at a news conference. Sullivan, 25, surrendered to a SWAT team that was assisting the U.S. Marshals with a search warrant for the property about 110 miles east of Bradley. Sullivans arrest came a day after Illinois authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The Illinois State Police did not release any updates on the investigation Friday other than a written statement confirming that Sullivan had been arrested and would be taken back to Kankakee County, where the shooting occurred late Wednesday. Fifield said he didnt have any details on the investigation into the shooting. He did name three other men but wouldnt discuss whether their arrests were connected to the officers shootings. Two of the men were arrested after police said they ran from their car during a traffic stop in Fulton County, Indiana. The third was arrested at the home where Sullivan was taken into custody. Fifield said police found weapons and drugs in the car that the two men fled from and at the North Manchester home. Authorities are still searching for 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, of Bradley, who investigators believe was at the hotel when the shootings happened, the Illinois State Police said. The two officers were speaking to people in a room at a Comfort Inn along a highway in Kankakee County when they were shot, according to the county sheriffs office. They were taken to nearby hospitals, where 49-year-old Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic died. The other officeridentified by the Illinois State Police as 27-year-old Tyler J. Baileyunderwent surgery and was listed in critical condition on Thursday, according to the Bradley Police Department. Messages left with the department and Illinois State Police on Friday to update Baileys condition were not immediately returned. The officers were at the hotel to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, the sheriffs office said. They found the room where the vehicles possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, it said. Authorities arrested two other people Thursday on charges alleging they impeded the search for Sullivan and a woman also suspected in the shootings. Nichele Newton-Carroll, 42, and Jelman Sullivan, 21, face charges of obstructing justice/leaving the state, the (Kankakee) Daily Journal reported. Neither had an attorney listed Friday in court or jail records. Kankakee County States Attorney Jim Rowe identified Newton-Carroll as Sullivans mother. Rowe said he is not sure of the connection between Jelman Sullivan and Darius Sullivan. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriffs deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriffs Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputys squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. For this rally of Kejriwal, AAP leaders have travelled all over Uttar Pradesh and taken a letter of support from the people on promises like 300 units of free electricity, 10 lakh jobs and unemployment allowance, said the party. Earlier this rally was to be held on November 28, which was cancelled due to the TET exam, as per the party. Earlier in September last year, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Thursday announced that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will provide 300 units of free electricity to all if voted to power in Uttar Pradesh. While, earlier in December last year, AAP announced creating 10 lakh jobs every year and providing an allowance of Rs 5,000 per month to the unemployed in Uttar Pradesh. Elections for 403 assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh are due early this year. In the 2017 Assembly elections, the BJP won a landslide victory winning 312 Assembly seats. The party secured a 39.67 per cent vote share in the elections for 403-member Assembly. Samajwadi Party bagged 47 seats, BSP won 19 while Congress could manage to win only seven seats. (ANI) For this rally of Kejriwal, AAP leaders have travelled all over Uttar Pradesh and taken a letter of support from the people on promises like 300 units of free electricity, 10 lakh jobs and unemployment allowance, said the party. Earlier this rally was to be held on November 28, which was cancelled due to the TET exam, as per the party. Earlier in September last year, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Thursday announced that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will provide 300 units of free electricity to all if voted to power in Uttar Pradesh. While, earlier in December last year, AAP announced creating 10 lakh jobs every year and providing an allowance of Rs 5,000 per month to the unemployed in Uttar Pradesh. Elections for 403 assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh are due early this year. In the 2017 Assembly elections, the BJP won a landslide victory winning 312 Assembly seats. The party secured a 39.67 per cent vote share in the elections for 403-member Assembly. Samajwadi Party bagged 47 seats, BSP won 19 while Congress could manage to win only seven seats. (ANI) For this rally of Kejriwal, AAP leaders have travelled all over Uttar Pradesh and taken a letter of support from the people on promises like 300 units of free electricity, 10 lakh jobs and unemployment allowance, said the party. Earlier this rally was to be held on November 28, which was cancelled due to the TET exam, as per the party. Earlier in September last year, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Thursday announced that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will provide 300 units of free electricity to all if voted to power in Uttar Pradesh. While, earlier in December last year, AAP announced creating 10 lakh jobs every year and providing an allowance of Rs 5,000 per month to the unemployed in Uttar Pradesh. Elections for 403 assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh are due early this year. In the 2017 Assembly elections, the BJP won a landslide victory winning 312 Assembly seats. The party secured a 39.67 per cent vote share in the elections for 403-member Assembly. Samajwadi Party bagged 47 seats, BSP won 19 while Congress could manage to win only seven seats. (ANI) Laura Whitmore showed off her sensational figure as she rang in the New Year with her husband Iain Stirling and pals on Friday. The Love Island host, 36, slipped into a skin-tight jumpsuit as she larked around with her beloved in a slew of snaps shared on Instagram during the festivities. The one-piece was designed by celeb favourite Nadine Merabi and was sure to show off every inch of her lithe frame as she danced around in style. Stunner: Laura Whitmore showed off her sensational figure as she rang in the New Year with her husband Iain Stirling and pals on Friday Laura looked phenomenal for her night on the town as she posed in the form-fitting ensemble which boosted her cleavage and nipped in her waist. She lit up the room thanks to the dazzling all-over sequins on the style - a super glam trademark of the designer worn by Tess Daly and Olivia Attwood. Ensuring she brought the festive fun, she wore an oversized pair of glasses reading 2022 and posed for snaps with her funnyman husband. Iain kept things more pared-back in a crew neck top and jeans as he let his stunning wife take centre stage while saying goodbye to 2021. Peace out! The Love Island host, 36, slipped into a skin-tight jumpsuit as she larked around with her beloved in a slew of snaps shared on Instagram during the festivities Sizzling: Laura looked phenomenal for her night on the town as she posed in the form-fitting ensemble which boosted her cleavage and nipped in her waist The festivities comes after she enjoyed a brief trip to America as travel restrictions for vacationing in the states were lifted last month. Laura recently revealed that she spent a year living in America when she was 21. In 2018, she spoke of her experience of her time in the states as a student, as she revealed: 'When I was 21, I studied in the US for five months... 'In my final year of journalism at Dublin City University, we had the option to go abroad and everyone went to different places, but for me, it was always going to be Boston'... Cheeky! Iain kept things more pared-back in a crew neck top and jeans as he let his stunning wife take centre stage while saying goodbye to 2021 Sweet: They were joined by pals on the night out Sizzling: She looked amazing in the shots 'I loved the idea of this student city home to dozens of universities, including Harvard known for its big Irish contingent. It was a great opportunity.' Posting on social media ahead of her brief trip she wrote 'US is open! Its been a while.' She continued 'Wearing my friend Nicola Roberts' beautiful new merch for the flight, adored with her gorgeous lyrics celebrating 10 years of Cinderellas eyes. The radio presenter was one of the first Brits to take advantage of the relaxed COVID restriction rules allowing people to travel to the USA. Woo! The festivities comes after she enjoyed a brief trip to America as travel restrictions for vacationing in the states were lifted last month The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. A first time visitor to the University of Calabar will get to learn a few interesting facts. Male and female students refer to themselves as Malabites and Malabresses. The male hostel is fondly called the Republic of Malabo. You have to wonder, what in the world has Unical got to do with Malabo, the capital of the small Central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, located on the island of Bioko and about 100 kilometres off the coast of southern Nigeria. But we will get to that in a minute. Located on the west coast of central Africa near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea consists of Rio Muni, the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, as well as Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po). There are also smaller islands of Annobon and Corisco to the southwest. About 80 per cent of the people are Catholics and with a little over 33,000 in population, the Igbos, with ancestry in South-East Nigeria, are the third largest ethnic group in that country, after the Fangs and the indigenous Bubis. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land on the island of Bioko in 1471 and they named it after their lead explorer, Fernando Po. The Igbos arrived in the 18th century and were believed to have migrated there from Arochukwu, in the present day Abia State. After about 300 years in Portuguese possession, the colony was ceded to Spain, as the former could not find a way to make it profitable, hence giving Madrid access to African slaves to service her plantations in the Americas. But with many of the indigenous Bubi population decimated by disease and others resisting forced labour, Spains initial effort to take control met with great difficulty and they had trouble finding people to work the cocoa plantations. The islands economy came to depend on imported workers from all across the world, including freed slaves from Cuba and Liberia. In 1942, the Spanish and British authorities signed a labour migration agreement. By the mid-1950s, close to 16,000 workers from Nigeria, mostly Igbos, were working in Fernando Po as contract labourers. Throughout the 1940s, their labour would enable Spain to grow cocoa, coffee and practice agriculture, generally, in this colony which was then called Spanish Guinea. It took sustained effort by Barcelona-based Claretian Catholic missionaries for Spain to make inroad to the colony. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. Equatorial Guinea was not left out in the wave of liberation struggles that swept through the continent of Africa after the Second World War. October 12, 1968 marked the day of her independence from Spain and Francisco Macias Nguema was elected president. Soon afterwards and following the loss of privileged access to Spanish markets, the export economy tanked and the country plunged into a decade of unparalleled pro-communist dictatorship. The reign of terror that unfolded under President Francisco Macias saw to the massive clamp down on religious groups like the Catholic Church and the brutal treatment of any dissenting voice, including the Igbo contract labourers who worked in the Bioko cocoa plantations. As a result, there was a mass exodus and almost a third of the population fled the country. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo toppled his uncle Macias in a palace coup in 1979 and has ruled Equatorial Guinea every since. The economy of this small nation continued to struggle under President Obiang, with the country depending mostly on foreign aid to pay her bills. But all that would change in 1995 when Exxon-Mobil, the American oil giant, discovered oil in the country. Massive offshore discoveries, over the past decade, have boosted oil to about 380,000 barrels per day, ranking Equatorial Guinea behind only Nigeria and Angola among Sub-Saharan African producers. As expected, petro-dollars led to a boom and the country experienced rapid economic growth. According to UNESCO, the country has the highest adult literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 95 per cent. It also has the highest per capita income in Africa but thats where the good story ends. More than three-quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to data from the World bank. The wealth is distributed extremely unevenly and most of it is concentrated in the hands of the ruling family. This is why despite the oil wealth, Equatorial Guinea still ranks 144th in the 2019 human development index, which measures access to the basic necessities of life, such as healthcare and access to safe drinking water, in the world. President Obiang is the worlds longest serving president and has been in power for over four decades. With a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes, he is easily one of the worlds richest heads of state. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. His son, Teodoro Nguema Mangue is the Vice President and is expected to succeed his 78 year-old father. But the younger Teddy is better known as an Instagram sensation, who often posts using the hashtag, luxury living, through which he flaunts his over-the-top lifestyle, complete with a private jet, a stately mansion in Malibu, California, and keeps a fleet of vintage automobiles. He has also been the worlds largest collector of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the pop stars iconic white glove covered in clear Swarovski crystals, for which he paid a whooping $275,000. Another son, Gabriel Obiang Lima, is the Minister for Mines and Hydrocarbons. The vast majority of the oil revenue of Equatorial Guinea has been siphoned in the guise of funding large infrastructure projects executed by contractors with ties to President Obiangs inner circle. Education and health receive an average of 2-3 per cent of the budget, meanwhile extraction has already been declining since 2012 and the oil reserves are estimated to dry out by 2035. Back to the Unical story. The University of Calabar used to be a satellite campus of the University of Nigeria untill 1975, when it was upgraded to become one of Nigerias second generation federal universities. The founders set out to build a first rate citadel of learning, which was why they commisioned John Elliot, the famed British architect known to have styled luxury brands like the seven-star Emirate palace, Abu Dhabi to design the institution. But like most things Nigeria, the dream is often grand but reality is abysmal. Typical of most public institutions in Nigeria, the new students were faced with mountainous challenges during this period. Coincidentally, this was also the time when the Nigeria government decided to evacuate about 45,000 Nigerians working in Malabo, at the peak of President Macias Nguemas reign of terror in Eqatorial Guinea. In fact, some the returnees were camped around the place that later became part of the students hostels. Unical students likened their situation to the fate of those Nigerians returnees from Malabo. When the British economist Richard Auty coined the term resource curse, also known as the paradox of plenty or the poverty paradox, you know he had the African nations of Nigeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in mind. This is the phenomenon where countries with an abundance of natural resources have less economic growth, less democracy and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. How can Africa rise with the likes of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo? Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com For this rally of Kejriwal, AAP leaders have travelled all over Uttar Pradesh and taken a letter of support from the people on promises like 300 units of free electricity, 10 lakh jobs and unemployment allowance, said the party. Earlier this rally was to be held on November 28, which was cancelled due to the TET exam, as per the party. Earlier in September last year, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Thursday announced that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will provide 300 units of free electricity to all if voted to power in Uttar Pradesh. While, earlier in December last year, AAP announced creating 10 lakh jobs every year and providing an allowance of Rs 5,000 per month to the unemployed in Uttar Pradesh. Elections for 403 assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh are due early this year. In the 2017 Assembly elections, the BJP won a landslide victory winning 312 Assembly seats. The party secured a 39.67 per cent vote share in the elections for 403-member Assembly. Samajwadi Party bagged 47 seats, BSP won 19 while Congress could manage to win only seven seats. (ANI) To be fair, the part about humanoid robots or androids is probably still too sci-fi even for 50 years in the future, but the metaverse is coming and carmakers such as Hyundai are trying to get in on the ground floor.The Korean brand will take center stage at CES 2022 in just three days time, where they will present their future for robotics, as well as the metaverse, under a main theme called Expanding Human Reach. Their press conference is scheduled for 3:00 3:45 pm PST on January 4, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, 2F Oceanside D. Afterwards, booth visitors will be able to experience that vision in virtual reality between January 5-8.Hyundai is looking forward to telling the world how its robotics business will drive the paradigm shift towards future mobility, going beyond traditional means of transportation and fulfilling mankinds aspiration for unlimited freedom of movement.In order to do that, the carmaker will explain how robotics will complete the metaverse by connecting the virtual world with reality as a medium, allowing users to (eventually) overcome their physical limitations of movement with regards to time and space.Hyundai will also showcase its new PnD (Plug & Drive) robotic module platform, which aims for the provision of mobility in everything, from conventional inanimate objects to community spaces. The companys robot product lineup will of course be on display too, which means youll be able to see the recently unveiled Mobile Eccentric Droid (MobED), as well as Boston Dynamics Spot and Atlas robots. (Newser) Two suspects in an Illinois motel shooting that left one Bradley police officer dead and another wounded are now in custody. WLS reports that Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, 49, was shot and killed Wednesday night at a Kankakee County Comfort Inn, while her partner, 27-year-old Tyler Bailey, was left critically wounded. The officers were said to have been responding to a call about dogs barking in an unattended vehicle in the motel's parking lot, per the Philadelphia Inquirer. Two people believed to have been in the motel room with the officers fled the area, but on Friday morning, 25-year-old Darius D. Sullivan was arrested in North Manchester, Ind., during the execution of a search warrant, according to authorities. Police say that drugs and weapons were also found inside the home where Sullivan was apprehended. "I can confirm that Sullivan is a suspect in the murder of Sgt. Rittmanic and the attempted murder of Officer Bailey," Indiana State Police Sgt. Glen Fifield said at a Friday presser, per CNN. Later Friday, the second suspect, 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, surrendered to Bradley authorities. Illinois State Police say Sullivan is being transported back to Kankakee County; Harris, meanwhile, will appear Monday in bond court. Authorities note that two other people were arrested Thursday, one of them said to be Sullivan's mother, and charged with impeding the search for Sullivan. (Read more murder suspect stories.) (Newser) Two suspects in an Illinois motel shooting that left one Bradley police officer dead and another wounded are now in custody. WLS reports that Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, 49, was shot and killed Wednesday night at a Kankakee County Comfort Inn, while her partner, 27-year-old Tyler Bailey, was left critically wounded. The officers were said to have been responding to a call about dogs barking in an unattended vehicle in the motel's parking lot, per the Philadelphia Inquirer. Two people believed to have been in the motel room with the officers fled the area, but on Friday morning, 25-year-old Darius D. Sullivan was arrested in North Manchester, Ind., during the execution of a search warrant, according to authorities. Police say that drugs and weapons were also found inside the home where Sullivan was apprehended. "I can confirm that Sullivan is a suspect in the murder of Sgt. Rittmanic and the attempted murder of Officer Bailey," Indiana State Police Sgt. Glen Fifield said at a Friday presser, per CNN. Later Friday, the second suspect, 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, surrendered to Bradley authorities. Illinois State Police say Sullivan is being transported back to Kankakee County; Harris, meanwhile, will appear Monday in bond court. Authorities note that two other people were arrested Thursday, one of them said to be Sullivan's mother, and charged with impeding the search for Sullivan. (Read more murder suspect stories.) We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form The world bids an emotional farewell today to anti-apartheid hero, the late Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, who was honoured by President Cyril Ramaphosa with a Category One funeral. Source: Daily Maverick Lorenzo Jansen, who lost his sight when he had TB meningitis, touches Archbishop Desmond Tutus face in one of the paediatric wards at Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town. Photo: Kim Cloete Desmond Tutu was a powerful voice in the fight for political and social justice, an HIV/Aids activist and committed to raising awareness about tuberculosis His drive to provide equitable access to medical treatment and care for those living with HIV/Aids and TB was spurred on by his own experience with TB as a child. This seeded a dream within him to one day study Medicine. (He was accepted to study Medicine at Wits, but his father could not afford the tuition fees at the time.) Crowds pay tribute Tutu's funeral was held at St George's Cathedral in Cape Town's city centre - the Anglican diocese he served as Archbishop for 35 years. From here he led numerous campaigns and marches against apartheid from St George's steps, which became known as the ''People's Cathedral'' and a symbol of democracy. Covid-19 restrictions meant that only 100 people could attend the funeral in the cathedral. Nevertheless, hundreds of mourners from all walks of life could be seen at the top end of St George's Mall in Cape Town's CBD overlooking the cathedral. They braved a steady morning drizzle to pay their last respects to the late Archbishop Emeritus. Mayor of Cape Town, Geordin-Hill Lewis confirmed that in the week leading to the Archbishop's funeral "many thousands of people came and walked through St George's Cathedral" to pay respects to the archbishop as his coffin lay in state. "They paid their last respects, wrote in our condolence book, and left flowers here and all over the city. It is a sign of what he meant to so many Capetonians and to people around the world. It's a sign of what an extraordinary man we're saying goodbye to." World leaders pay homage Led by the Archbishop of Cape Town, Thabo Makgoba, the funeral of the late Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu was attended by members of the Tutu family, and dignitaries. Among them were His Majesty King Letsie III and Her Majesty Queen Masenate; Her Royal Highness, Princess Mabel van Oranje; former President, Thabo Mbeki; former President, Kgalema Motlanthe; former Deputy President, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka; former President of Ireland, Ms Mary Robinson; Ministers, Acting Chief Justice, Raymond Zondo and Head of the South African National Defence Force, General Rudzani Maphwanya. President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the headline eulogy: "Our departed father was a crusader in the struggle for freedom, for justice, for equality and for peace, not just in South Africa, the country of his birth, but around the world as well," Ramaphosa said. "Throughout his life he became involved in causes both at home and abroad that went to the very heart of the quest for social justice. Through the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation, he was involved in the treatment and care of people living with HIV and Aids, in the provision of healthcare services to adolescents, and the empowerment of young women. He never stopped fighting. He never stopped speaking out. He never stopped caring," Source: Supplied A key tribute Bishop Michael Nuttall confirmed the late Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu had asked him some years ago to deliver the keynote address at his funeral. "Desmond and I became close in an unlikely partnership at a truly critical time in the life of our country from 1989 1996, he as Archbishop of Cape Town and I as his deputy when, as Bishop of Natal, I was elected by my brother bishops to be also what is called Dean of the Province. He said the three qualities that captured the essence of Desmond Tutu were the pursuit of justice, his love of kindness and his ability to walk humbly with God. "Desmond was not on some crusade of personal aggrandisement nor was he driven by egotism," Nuttall said. "Desmonds response to grave injustice came from the depths of his being and often in response to what he called the Divine nudge. "Listen to what his favourite prophet, Jeremiah, wrote: There is in my heart, as it were, a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot. (Jeremiah 20:9). That is how Desmond Tutu lived and ministered in a situation of systemic and often brutal injustice in his own beloved country." A life lived completely Over the past week, the many moving accounts and images of Archbishop Tutu's life, are a chronicle of a life of activism, statesmanship, ministry and pastoralism. Having won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his work against apartheid, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu will undoubtedly be remembered for leading the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). Ramaphosa paid homage to Desmond Tutu's support of the Palestinian cause and a powerful article he wrote in 2014 calling on Israelis and Palestinians to find each other and to make peace. "In his words, peace requires the people of Israel and Palestine to recognise the human being in themselves and each other, and to understand their interdependence," Ramaphosa said. "He advocated for LGBTQI+ rights and decried all forms of violence and discrimination against the community. One of the causes that was dear to him and less well known, was campaigning together with her Royal Highness Mabel van Oranje against child marriage across the globe. I have learned how he travelled to villages in Ethiopia, India and Zambia to understand the circumstances under which young girls were being forced into marriage. "He also took up this cause with The Elders, the group of senior leaders brought together by President Mandela in 2007." Condolences for the family Ramaphosa thanked Mam Leah and the family, for sharing their husband, father, brother, uncle and grandfather with the nation. "We know it was not easy, and yet you did so willingly. He belonged to us all and it is all of us who mourn him and celebrate his life today. "Our nation shares in your sorrow." . Tutu died from cancer at the Oasis Frail Care Centre in Cape Town on 26 December 2021, at the age of 90. He leaves behind Nomalizo Leah Shenxane, 4 children, 7 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Partys (AAP) senior leader and Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema said that Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi is coming around to accept the ground reality of his hollow announcements. According to Cheema, on Saturday CM Channi himself exposed the reality of his cabinets announcement to regularize 36,000 temporary employees in the state. Through a statement issued from the party headquarters, Harpal Singh Cheema said, Today, CM Channi had to publicly tell the truth that 36,000 employees werent regularized. Whereas, we (Aam Aadmi Party) are saying this since the day one that no employees are being regularized. Our Punjab President Bhagwant Mann had challenged Channi government too; to give names of any 36 employees that have been made permanent after the announcement. Terming Charanjit Singh Channi as the weakest Chief Minister of Punjab, Harpal Singh Cheema said that judging Channis non-serious attitude, all the government officers are out of their (Punjab Government and CM) control today and due to their civil war, leaders and ministers of Congress seems to be uncontrollable too. Cheema said that if the Chief Minister had completed the process of filing for regularization with seriousness and clean intentions, then there wouldnt have been any solid reason, on the part of the Governor, to not clear that file. Cheema said that today Channi is giving a statement that Governor is not signing the file, and if he didnt then Channi with his entire cabinet would stage a dharna in front of Punjab Raj Bhawan (Governors Resident). Cheema questioned that a government that is facing protests in every corner of the state, would they be able to solve the situation through a dharna? And another question is that a government who isnt taking dharnas seriously or handling them in the boundaries of democracy and law and order, lathicharged teachers and nurses; would the Governor take dharna of such government seriously? Advising CM Channi, Cheema said that your hollow announcements are exposed now, so ethically, instead of staging a dharna in front of Raj Bhawan, CM Channi should resign. He should himself bore the expense of all the advertisements, that he has done about the 36,000 regular jobs, because he has wasted a large amount of money from Punjab exchequer on it, and should apologise to the public for it all. He added that China's claim to get 100 jobs done in 100 days is deceptive just like his promise to regularize 36,000 employees and every other announcement. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Partys (AAP) senior leader and Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema said that Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi is coming around to accept the ground reality of his hollow announcements. According to Cheema, on Saturday CM Channi himself exposed the reality of his cabinets announcement to regularize 36,000 temporary employees in the state. Through a statement issued from the party headquarters, Harpal Singh Cheema said, Today, CM Channi had to publicly tell the truth that 36,000 employees werent regularized. Whereas, we (Aam Aadmi Party) are saying this since the day one that no employees are being regularized. Our Punjab President Bhagwant Mann had challenged Channi government too; to give names of any 36 employees that have been made permanent after the announcement. Terming Charanjit Singh Channi as the weakest Chief Minister of Punjab, Harpal Singh Cheema said that judging Channis non-serious attitude, all the government officers are out of their (Punjab Government and CM) control today and due to their civil war, leaders and ministers of Congress seems to be uncontrollable too. Cheema said that if the Chief Minister had completed the process of filing for regularization with seriousness and clean intentions, then there wouldnt have been any solid reason, on the part of the Governor, to not clear that file. Cheema said that today Channi is giving a statement that Governor is not signing the file, and if he didnt then Channi with his entire cabinet would stage a dharna in front of Punjab Raj Bhawan (Governors Resident). Cheema questioned that a government that is facing protests in every corner of the state, would they be able to solve the situation through a dharna? And another question is that a government who isnt taking dharnas seriously or handling them in the boundaries of democracy and law and order, lathicharged teachers and nurses; would the Governor take dharna of such government seriously? Advising CM Channi, Cheema said that your hollow announcements are exposed now, so ethically, instead of staging a dharna in front of Raj Bhawan, CM Channi should resign. He should himself bore the expense of all the advertisements, that he has done about the 36,000 regular jobs, because he has wasted a large amount of money from Punjab exchequer on it, and should apologise to the public for it all. He added that China's claim to get 100 jobs done in 100 days is deceptive just like his promise to regularize 36,000 employees and every other announcement. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Partys (AAP) senior leader and Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema said that Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi is coming around to accept the ground reality of his hollow announcements. According to Cheema, on Saturday CM Channi himself exposed the reality of his cabinets announcement to regularize 36,000 temporary employees in the state. Through a statement issued from the party headquarters, Harpal Singh Cheema said, Today, CM Channi had to publicly tell the truth that 36,000 employees werent regularized. Whereas, we (Aam Aadmi Party) are saying this since the day one that no employees are being regularized. Our Punjab President Bhagwant Mann had challenged Channi government too; to give names of any 36 employees that have been made permanent after the announcement. Terming Charanjit Singh Channi as the weakest Chief Minister of Punjab, Harpal Singh Cheema said that judging Channis non-serious attitude, all the government officers are out of their (Punjab Government and CM) control today and due to their civil war, leaders and ministers of Congress seems to be uncontrollable too. Cheema said that if the Chief Minister had completed the process of filing for regularization with seriousness and clean intentions, then there wouldnt have been any solid reason, on the part of the Governor, to not clear that file. Cheema said that today Channi is giving a statement that Governor is not signing the file, and if he didnt then Channi with his entire cabinet would stage a dharna in front of Punjab Raj Bhawan (Governors Resident). Cheema questioned that a government that is facing protests in every corner of the state, would they be able to solve the situation through a dharna? And another question is that a government who isnt taking dharnas seriously or handling them in the boundaries of democracy and law and order, lathicharged teachers and nurses; would the Governor take dharna of such government seriously? Advising CM Channi, Cheema said that your hollow announcements are exposed now, so ethically, instead of staging a dharna in front of Raj Bhawan, CM Channi should resign. He should himself bore the expense of all the advertisements, that he has done about the 36,000 regular jobs, because he has wasted a large amount of money from Punjab exchequer on it, and should apologise to the public for it all. He added that China's claim to get 100 jobs done in 100 days is deceptive just like his promise to regularize 36,000 employees and every other announcement. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Partys (AAP) senior leader and Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema said that Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi is coming around to accept the ground reality of his hollow announcements. According to Cheema, on Saturday CM Channi himself exposed the reality of his cabinets announcement to regularize 36,000 temporary employees in the state. Through a statement issued from the party headquarters, Harpal Singh Cheema said, Today, CM Channi had to publicly tell the truth that 36,000 employees werent regularized. Whereas, we (Aam Aadmi Party) are saying this since the day one that no employees are being regularized. Our Punjab President Bhagwant Mann had challenged Channi government too; to give names of any 36 employees that have been made permanent after the announcement. Terming Charanjit Singh Channi as the weakest Chief Minister of Punjab, Harpal Singh Cheema said that judging Channis non-serious attitude, all the government officers are out of their (Punjab Government and CM) control today and due to their civil war, leaders and ministers of Congress seems to be uncontrollable too. Cheema said that if the Chief Minister had completed the process of filing for regularization with seriousness and clean intentions, then there wouldnt have been any solid reason, on the part of the Governor, to not clear that file. Cheema said that today Channi is giving a statement that Governor is not signing the file, and if he didnt then Channi with his entire cabinet would stage a dharna in front of Punjab Raj Bhawan (Governors Resident). Cheema questioned that a government that is facing protests in every corner of the state, would they be able to solve the situation through a dharna? And another question is that a government who isnt taking dharnas seriously or handling them in the boundaries of democracy and law and order, lathicharged teachers and nurses; would the Governor take dharna of such government seriously? Advising CM Channi, Cheema said that your hollow announcements are exposed now, so ethically, instead of staging a dharna in front of Raj Bhawan, CM Channi should resign. He should himself bore the expense of all the advertisements, that he has done about the 36,000 regular jobs, because he has wasted a large amount of money from Punjab exchequer on it, and should apologise to the public for it all. He added that China's claim to get 100 jobs done in 100 days is deceptive just like his promise to regularize 36,000 employees and every other announcement. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The Indian Air Force is likely to complete the deployment of the first regiment of the S-400 Triumf missile systems at an airbase in Punjab by February, military officials said on Saturday. They said the process of deployment of the missile system has begun and it will take at least six more weeks to complete the deployment. The first regiment of the missile system is being deployed in such a way that it can cover parts of the border with China in the northern sector as well as the frontier with Pakistan. "The transportation of various critical components of the missile systems as well as its peripheral equipment to the site of the deployment is going on," said an official. In total, India will get five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems from Russia. In October 2018, India had signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems, despite a warning from the Trump administration that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions. The Biden administration has not yet clarified whether it will impose sanctions on India under the provisions of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) for procuring the S-400 missile systems. The CAATSA, which was brought in 2017, provides for punitive actions against any country engaged in transactions with Russian defence and intelligence sectors. The US has already imposed sanctions on Turkey under the CAATSA for the purchase of a batch of S-400 missile defence systems from Russia. Following the US sanctions on Turkey over the procurement of S-400 missile systems, there were apprehensions that Washington may impose similar punitive measures on India. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said last month that the S-400 missile defence deal between India and Russia has a very important meaning for the Indian defence capability and it is being implemented despite the US attempting to "undermine" the cooperation. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. A Canton police officer shot and killed a man near this area in the 2300 block of 10th Street SW in the first few minutes of the new year. CANTON The investigation continues into the circumstances surrounding a city police officer's fatal shooting of a 46-year-old man on 10th Street SW shortly after the new year began. The man shot was armed when the shooting occurred, according to the Canton Police Department. He was later identified as James Williams. Police said they went to the 2300 block of 10th Street SW just after midnight Saturday in response to a report of gunfire. More: Man killed on 17th Street NW in Canton According to a statement from the Canton Police Chief Jack Angelo: ".... the officer, who was outside of his vehicle, confronted a subject that began shooting a firearm. The officer, in fear for his safety, fired his duty weapon at the subject and struck him." He wrote that the person who was shot got first aid before Canton fire paramedics rushed him in an ambulance to a hospital. The officer involved in the shooting was not named in the Police Department press statement. Harry Campbell, chief investigator of the Stark County Coroner's Office, said the shot person got to Aultman Hospital at 12:25 a.m. Aultman is about a half mile from where the police shooting occurred. A hospital doctor pronounced him dead at 12:27 a.m. Because it's an officer-involved shooting, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is overseeing the investigation, Angelo's statement said. He wrote that Canton Police have turned over all evidence in the case, including body camera footage and guns linked to the incident over to BCI investigators. Angelo referred questions to BCI and has not responded to additional inquiries about the fatal confrontation. A spokesman for the BCI declined to comment on specifics of the case Sunday,. Angelo wrote that the police officer has been placed on administrative leave, a standard move after an officer-involved shooting. Neighbors' accounts "That is a sad thing," said a neighbor, Douglas Smith of the 900 block of Smith Avenue SW. "I will never get over what happened. What they (police) did was very disrespectful. Their training, whatever they got going on. They don't protect us." Story continues Over a Christmas wreath on the door where the victim lived was a sign or sticker that said, "We the People are Pissed." When a reporter knocked on the door Saturday, a man could be heard inside saying he didn't want to talk. Stark County Auditor's records indicate the 103-year-old, three-bedroom home is an asset of a self-directed individual retirement account that's based at a North Canton residential address. It's not clear if the owner of the 10th Street SW home or a custodian for the owner lives at that home in North Canton. Tanika Blasingame, who lives next to the residence, said she got home sometime after midnight celebrating New Year's with a friend to find much of the block cordoned off by police tape. "I didn't know what was going on," she said. "I don't know what happened." She said a couple with several children none older than 15, had rented the home for at least two years. 'A sweetheart' Across the street, Nikki Neal, 19, said she arrived home around 12:30 a.m. to find police cars and crime scene tape preventing her from parking in front of her house. She had to get into her home through the back. She estimated that at least 10 police squad cars were parked on the narrow 10th Street NW. Police didn't leave the scene until about 7 a.m. Neighbor Nikki Neal talks about the family who lives in the 10th Street SW home where a Canton police officer killed a male in first few minutes of the new year. Neal said a crowd gathered near her home watching the police officers scour the scene as they speculated and shared unconfirmed reports of what they thought had happened. She said the couple who lived in the home "were very nice people. Super nice to me" and the man was "such a sweetheart" and that she never would have guessed a shooting would happen at their house. "If I see him outside, we have a little conversation. Just, 'How you're doing?' Neal said. "Make Tik-toks (videos with the Tik-Tok social media app) with his daughters and everything else, so it's just crazy kind of." A search of Canton Police's online database did not come up with any incident reports for the home the past two years. Autopsy Campbell said Saturday morning that his office had sent the shot person's body to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's office for an autopsy. The coroner's office during the past year has frequently sent bodies to Cuyahoga County for autopsy because Stark County has had difficulty hiring a new forensic pathologist to do autopsies at the coroner's office. Campbell had responded a few hours earlier to a man found shot dead in a vehicle sometime prior to 5:39 p.m. Friday on New Year's Eve. That man, later identified as Riquan L. Jennings, 25, was discovered at 121 17th Street NW just west of Market Avenue N. Staff writer Malcolm Hall contributed to this report. Reach Robert at (330) 580-8327 or robert.wang@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @rwangREP This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton police shoot, kill James Williams 10th Street SW The sun shone, the Potomac River reflected a cloudless blue sky and high in a tree were two majestic bald eagles. They perched side by side on a leafless branch where eagles had nested for years along the George Washington Memorial Parkway, a few miles north of Mount Vernon. The nest was gone, perhaps destroyed by heavy rain or wind, but on a bright post-Christmas morning , the eagles were back. As my partner, Keith, and I took pictures, a passerby said: There are George and Martha, watching over us. The sighting was a good omen made even better about 20 minutes later when we spotted two more bald eagles, or maybe the same ones, in wooded parkland by the river. Someone told us the eagles often hang out on a small island nearby. The chance encounters with eagles and their admirers were cheerful moments at the end of a largely cheerless year. Seeing bald eagles in the wild no longer is the miraculous event it was in the 1960s. Today, their presence delights us and is a welcome reminder America can do something right for the environment. After nearing extinction in 1963 with fewer than 500 nesting pairs remaining, the bald eagle population in 2019 was an estimated 316,700 individuals, including 71,400 nesting pairs, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported last year. The population had quadrupled since data last were collected in 2009. The bald eagle is an Endangered Species Act success story, the service says on its website. A species native to North America, the bald eagle was chosen as our nations symbol in 1782. Benjamin Franklin famously was not a fan. He called the bald eagle a bird of bad moral character. It does not get its living honestly, but steals from other birds. While bald eagles eat mostly fish, waterfowl, small mammals and carrion, they got an undeserved reputation as preying on farm animals. Farmers shot many to protect their livestock. Eagles numbers also suffered from a loss of habitat. Congress passed protections for the bald eagle in 1940, prohibiting killing, selling or possessing the raptor. It added protection for the golden eagle in 1962. After World War II, the advent of DDT, a pesticide used to control mosquitoes, decimated the bald eagle population. The chemical washed into waterways and eagles ate contaminated fish with disastrous results. Eagles egg shells were so thin they broke during incubation. Rachel Carsons book Silent Spring, published in 1962, awoke many to the environmental dangers of pesticides. The Endangered Species Act, signed by President Richard Nixon in 1973, and a ban on DDT gave bald eagles a second chance. The wildlife service and its partners stepped up captive breeding and reintroduction programs, law enforcement, habitat protection and land purchases. The bald eagles remarkable comeback led to its removal from the endangered list in 2007. It remains protected by other measures. Franklin and other founders could not have imagined that today we can watch eagles on 24-hour, high-definition cameras trained on their nests. The close-ups show us bald eagles arent actually bald. They have snowy white heads on charcoal-brown bodies. Bald eagles usually mate for life and return to the same nests time and again. But there was trouble at home this year between the National Arboretums bald eagles, Mr. President and the First Lady, who first nested there in 2015 and fledged seven eaglets. Cameras captured the drama in their nest 80 feet above the earth in a tulip poplar tree as interlopers started dropping in. First Lady tried to chase the females away. She would come in at 50 to 60 mph with the talons out, Dan Rauch, wildlife biologist, told The Washington Post. But she herself was displaced in February by a younger female who cozied up to Mr. President and stayed. It was 2021, wasnt it? Initially, the new female was known as V5, but she recently was given the name Lotus, for Lady of the United States. She and Mr. President recently mated . So, as life continues in the eagles nests, we can all be grateful for the bald eagles recovery. A Canton police officer shot and killed a man near this area in the 2300 block of 10th Street SW in the first few minutes of the new year. CANTON The investigation continues into the circumstances surrounding a city police officer's fatal shooting of a 46-year-old man on 10th Street SW shortly after the new year began. The man shot was armed when the shooting occurred, according to the Canton Police Department. He was later identified as James Williams. Police said they went to the 2300 block of 10th Street SW just after midnight Saturday in response to a report of gunfire. More: Man killed on 17th Street NW in Canton According to a statement from the Canton Police Chief Jack Angelo: ".... the officer, who was outside of his vehicle, confronted a subject that began shooting a firearm. The officer, in fear for his safety, fired his duty weapon at the subject and struck him." He wrote that the person who was shot got first aid before Canton fire paramedics rushed him in an ambulance to a hospital. The officer involved in the shooting was not named in the Police Department press statement. Harry Campbell, chief investigator of the Stark County Coroner's Office, said the shot person got to Aultman Hospital at 12:25 a.m. Aultman is about a half mile from where the police shooting occurred. A hospital doctor pronounced him dead at 12:27 a.m. Because it's an officer-involved shooting, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is overseeing the investigation, Angelo's statement said. He wrote that Canton Police have turned over all evidence in the case, including body camera footage and guns linked to the incident over to BCI investigators. Angelo referred questions to BCI and has not responded to additional inquiries about the fatal confrontation. A spokesman for the BCI declined to comment on specifics of the case Sunday,. Angelo wrote that the police officer has been placed on administrative leave, a standard move after an officer-involved shooting. Neighbors' accounts "That is a sad thing," said a neighbor, Douglas Smith of the 900 block of Smith Avenue SW. "I will never get over what happened. What they (police) did was very disrespectful. Their training, whatever they got going on. They don't protect us." Story continues Over a Christmas wreath on the door where the victim lived was a sign or sticker that said, "We the People are Pissed." When a reporter knocked on the door Saturday, a man could be heard inside saying he didn't want to talk. Stark County Auditor's records indicate the 103-year-old, three-bedroom home is an asset of a self-directed individual retirement account that's based at a North Canton residential address. It's not clear if the owner of the 10th Street SW home or a custodian for the owner lives at that home in North Canton. Tanika Blasingame, who lives next to the residence, said she got home sometime after midnight celebrating New Year's with a friend to find much of the block cordoned off by police tape. "I didn't know what was going on," she said. "I don't know what happened." She said a couple with several children none older than 15, had rented the home for at least two years. 'A sweetheart' Across the street, Nikki Neal, 19, said she arrived home around 12:30 a.m. to find police cars and crime scene tape preventing her from parking in front of her house. She had to get into her home through the back. She estimated that at least 10 police squad cars were parked on the narrow 10th Street NW. Police didn't leave the scene until about 7 a.m. Neighbor Nikki Neal talks about the family who lives in the 10th Street SW home where a Canton police officer killed a male in first few minutes of the new year. Neal said a crowd gathered near her home watching the police officers scour the scene as they speculated and shared unconfirmed reports of what they thought had happened. She said the couple who lived in the home "were very nice people. Super nice to me" and the man was "such a sweetheart" and that she never would have guessed a shooting would happen at their house. "If I see him outside, we have a little conversation. Just, 'How you're doing?' Neal said. "Make Tik-toks (videos with the Tik-Tok social media app) with his daughters and everything else, so it's just crazy kind of." A search of Canton Police's online database did not come up with any incident reports for the home the past two years. Autopsy Campbell said Saturday morning that his office had sent the shot person's body to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's office for an autopsy. The coroner's office during the past year has frequently sent bodies to Cuyahoga County for autopsy because Stark County has had difficulty hiring a new forensic pathologist to do autopsies at the coroner's office. Campbell had responded a few hours earlier to a man found shot dead in a vehicle sometime prior to 5:39 p.m. Friday on New Year's Eve. That man, later identified as Riquan L. Jennings, 25, was discovered at 121 17th Street NW just west of Market Avenue N. Staff writer Malcolm Hall contributed to this report. Reach Robert at (330) 580-8327 or robert.wang@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @rwangREP This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton police shoot, kill James Williams 10th Street SW A Canton police officer shot and killed a man near this area in the 2300 block of 10th Street SW in the first few minutes of the new year. CANTON The investigation continues into the circumstances surrounding a city police officer's fatal shooting of a 46-year-old man on 10th Street SW shortly after the new year began. The man shot was armed when the shooting occurred, according to the Canton Police Department. He was later identified as James Williams. Police said they went to the 2300 block of 10th Street SW just after midnight Saturday in response to a report of gunfire. More: Man killed on 17th Street NW in Canton According to a statement from the Canton Police Chief Jack Angelo: ".... the officer, who was outside of his vehicle, confronted a subject that began shooting a firearm. The officer, in fear for his safety, fired his duty weapon at the subject and struck him." He wrote that the person who was shot got first aid before Canton fire paramedics rushed him in an ambulance to a hospital. The officer involved in the shooting was not named in the Police Department press statement. Harry Campbell, chief investigator of the Stark County Coroner's Office, said the shot person got to Aultman Hospital at 12:25 a.m. Aultman is about a half mile from where the police shooting occurred. A hospital doctor pronounced him dead at 12:27 a.m. Because it's an officer-involved shooting, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is overseeing the investigation, Angelo's statement said. He wrote that Canton Police have turned over all evidence in the case, including body camera footage and guns linked to the incident over to BCI investigators. Angelo referred questions to BCI and has not responded to additional inquiries about the fatal confrontation. A spokesman for the BCI declined to comment on specifics of the case Sunday,. Angelo wrote that the police officer has been placed on administrative leave, a standard move after an officer-involved shooting. Neighbors' accounts "That is a sad thing," said a neighbor, Douglas Smith of the 900 block of Smith Avenue SW. "I will never get over what happened. What they (police) did was very disrespectful. Their training, whatever they got going on. They don't protect us." Story continues Over a Christmas wreath on the door where the victim lived was a sign or sticker that said, "We the People are Pissed." When a reporter knocked on the door Saturday, a man could be heard inside saying he didn't want to talk. Stark County Auditor's records indicate the 103-year-old, three-bedroom home is an asset of a self-directed individual retirement account that's based at a North Canton residential address. It's not clear if the owner of the 10th Street SW home or a custodian for the owner lives at that home in North Canton. Tanika Blasingame, who lives next to the residence, said she got home sometime after midnight celebrating New Year's with a friend to find much of the block cordoned off by police tape. "I didn't know what was going on," she said. "I don't know what happened." She said a couple with several children none older than 15, had rented the home for at least two years. 'A sweetheart' Across the street, Nikki Neal, 19, said she arrived home around 12:30 a.m. to find police cars and crime scene tape preventing her from parking in front of her house. She had to get into her home through the back. She estimated that at least 10 police squad cars were parked on the narrow 10th Street NW. Police didn't leave the scene until about 7 a.m. Neighbor Nikki Neal talks about the family who lives in the 10th Street SW home where a Canton police officer killed a male in first few minutes of the new year. Neal said a crowd gathered near her home watching the police officers scour the scene as they speculated and shared unconfirmed reports of what they thought had happened. She said the couple who lived in the home "were very nice people. Super nice to me" and the man was "such a sweetheart" and that she never would have guessed a shooting would happen at their house. "If I see him outside, we have a little conversation. Just, 'How you're doing?' Neal said. "Make Tik-toks (videos with the Tik-Tok social media app) with his daughters and everything else, so it's just crazy kind of." A search of Canton Police's online database did not come up with any incident reports for the home the past two years. Autopsy Campbell said Saturday morning that his office had sent the shot person's body to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's office for an autopsy. The coroner's office during the past year has frequently sent bodies to Cuyahoga County for autopsy because Stark County has had difficulty hiring a new forensic pathologist to do autopsies at the coroner's office. Campbell had responded a few hours earlier to a man found shot dead in a vehicle sometime prior to 5:39 p.m. Friday on New Year's Eve. That man, later identified as Riquan L. Jennings, 25, was discovered at 121 17th Street NW just west of Market Avenue N. Staff writer Malcolm Hall contributed to this report. Reach Robert at (330) 580-8327 or robert.wang@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @rwangREP This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton police shoot, kill James Williams 10th Street SW A Canton police officer shot and killed a man near this area in the 2300 block of 10th Street SW in the first few minutes of the new year. CANTON The investigation continues into the circumstances surrounding a city police officer's fatal shooting of a 46-year-old man on 10th Street SW shortly after the new year began. The man shot was armed when the shooting occurred, according to the Canton Police Department. He was later identified as James Williams. Police said they went to the 2300 block of 10th Street SW just after midnight Saturday in response to a report of gunfire. More: Man killed on 17th Street NW in Canton According to a statement from the Canton Police Chief Jack Angelo: ".... the officer, who was outside of his vehicle, confronted a subject that began shooting a firearm. The officer, in fear for his safety, fired his duty weapon at the subject and struck him." He wrote that the person who was shot got first aid before Canton fire paramedics rushed him in an ambulance to a hospital. The officer involved in the shooting was not named in the Police Department press statement. Harry Campbell, chief investigator of the Stark County Coroner's Office, said the shot person got to Aultman Hospital at 12:25 a.m. Aultman is about a half mile from where the police shooting occurred. A hospital doctor pronounced him dead at 12:27 a.m. Because it's an officer-involved shooting, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is overseeing the investigation, Angelo's statement said. He wrote that Canton Police have turned over all evidence in the case, including body camera footage and guns linked to the incident over to BCI investigators. Angelo referred questions to BCI and has not responded to additional inquiries about the fatal confrontation. A spokesman for the BCI declined to comment on specifics of the case Sunday,. Angelo wrote that the police officer has been placed on administrative leave, a standard move after an officer-involved shooting. Neighbors' accounts "That is a sad thing," said a neighbor, Douglas Smith of the 900 block of Smith Avenue SW. "I will never get over what happened. What they (police) did was very disrespectful. Their training, whatever they got going on. They don't protect us." Story continues Over a Christmas wreath on the door where the victim lived was a sign or sticker that said, "We the People are Pissed." When a reporter knocked on the door Saturday, a man could be heard inside saying he didn't want to talk. Stark County Auditor's records indicate the 103-year-old, three-bedroom home is an asset of a self-directed individual retirement account that's based at a North Canton residential address. It's not clear if the owner of the 10th Street SW home or a custodian for the owner lives at that home in North Canton. Tanika Blasingame, who lives next to the residence, said she got home sometime after midnight celebrating New Year's with a friend to find much of the block cordoned off by police tape. "I didn't know what was going on," she said. "I don't know what happened." She said a couple with several children none older than 15, had rented the home for at least two years. 'A sweetheart' Across the street, Nikki Neal, 19, said she arrived home around 12:30 a.m. to find police cars and crime scene tape preventing her from parking in front of her house. She had to get into her home through the back. She estimated that at least 10 police squad cars were parked on the narrow 10th Street NW. Police didn't leave the scene until about 7 a.m. Neighbor Nikki Neal talks about the family who lives in the 10th Street SW home where a Canton police officer killed a male in first few minutes of the new year. Neal said a crowd gathered near her home watching the police officers scour the scene as they speculated and shared unconfirmed reports of what they thought had happened. She said the couple who lived in the home "were very nice people. Super nice to me" and the man was "such a sweetheart" and that she never would have guessed a shooting would happen at their house. "If I see him outside, we have a little conversation. Just, 'How you're doing?' Neal said. "Make Tik-toks (videos with the Tik-Tok social media app) with his daughters and everything else, so it's just crazy kind of." A search of Canton Police's online database did not come up with any incident reports for the home the past two years. Autopsy Campbell said Saturday morning that his office had sent the shot person's body to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's office for an autopsy. The coroner's office during the past year has frequently sent bodies to Cuyahoga County for autopsy because Stark County has had difficulty hiring a new forensic pathologist to do autopsies at the coroner's office. Campbell had responded a few hours earlier to a man found shot dead in a vehicle sometime prior to 5:39 p.m. Friday on New Year's Eve. That man, later identified as Riquan L. Jennings, 25, was discovered at 121 17th Street NW just west of Market Avenue N. Staff writer Malcolm Hall contributed to this report. Reach Robert at (330) 580-8327 or robert.wang@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @rwangREP This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton police shoot, kill James Williams 10th Street SW A Canton police officer shot and killed a man near this area in the 2300 block of 10th Street SW in the first few minutes of the new year. CANTON The investigation continues into the circumstances surrounding a city police officer's fatal shooting of a 46-year-old man on 10th Street SW shortly after the new year began. The man shot was armed when the shooting occurred, according to the Canton Police Department. He was later identified as James Williams. Police said they went to the 2300 block of 10th Street SW just after midnight Saturday in response to a report of gunfire. More: Man killed on 17th Street NW in Canton According to a statement from the Canton Police Chief Jack Angelo: ".... the officer, who was outside of his vehicle, confronted a subject that began shooting a firearm. The officer, in fear for his safety, fired his duty weapon at the subject and struck him." He wrote that the person who was shot got first aid before Canton fire paramedics rushed him in an ambulance to a hospital. The officer involved in the shooting was not named in the Police Department press statement. Harry Campbell, chief investigator of the Stark County Coroner's Office, said the shot person got to Aultman Hospital at 12:25 a.m. Aultman is about a half mile from where the police shooting occurred. A hospital doctor pronounced him dead at 12:27 a.m. Because it's an officer-involved shooting, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is overseeing the investigation, Angelo's statement said. He wrote that Canton Police have turned over all evidence in the case, including body camera footage and guns linked to the incident over to BCI investigators. Angelo referred questions to BCI and has not responded to additional inquiries about the fatal confrontation. A spokesman for the BCI declined to comment on specifics of the case Sunday,. Angelo wrote that the police officer has been placed on administrative leave, a standard move after an officer-involved shooting. Neighbors' accounts "That is a sad thing," said a neighbor, Douglas Smith of the 900 block of Smith Avenue SW. "I will never get over what happened. What they (police) did was very disrespectful. Their training, whatever they got going on. They don't protect us." Story continues Over a Christmas wreath on the door where the victim lived was a sign or sticker that said, "We the People are Pissed." When a reporter knocked on the door Saturday, a man could be heard inside saying he didn't want to talk. Stark County Auditor's records indicate the 103-year-old, three-bedroom home is an asset of a self-directed individual retirement account that's based at a North Canton residential address. It's not clear if the owner of the 10th Street SW home or a custodian for the owner lives at that home in North Canton. Tanika Blasingame, who lives next to the residence, said she got home sometime after midnight celebrating New Year's with a friend to find much of the block cordoned off by police tape. "I didn't know what was going on," she said. "I don't know what happened." She said a couple with several children none older than 15, had rented the home for at least two years. 'A sweetheart' Across the street, Nikki Neal, 19, said she arrived home around 12:30 a.m. to find police cars and crime scene tape preventing her from parking in front of her house. She had to get into her home through the back. She estimated that at least 10 police squad cars were parked on the narrow 10th Street NW. Police didn't leave the scene until about 7 a.m. Neighbor Nikki Neal talks about the family who lives in the 10th Street SW home where a Canton police officer killed a male in first few minutes of the new year. Neal said a crowd gathered near her home watching the police officers scour the scene as they speculated and shared unconfirmed reports of what they thought had happened. She said the couple who lived in the home "were very nice people. Super nice to me" and the man was "such a sweetheart" and that she never would have guessed a shooting would happen at their house. "If I see him outside, we have a little conversation. Just, 'How you're doing?' Neal said. "Make Tik-toks (videos with the Tik-Tok social media app) with his daughters and everything else, so it's just crazy kind of." A search of Canton Police's online database did not come up with any incident reports for the home the past two years. Autopsy Campbell said Saturday morning that his office had sent the shot person's body to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's office for an autopsy. The coroner's office during the past year has frequently sent bodies to Cuyahoga County for autopsy because Stark County has had difficulty hiring a new forensic pathologist to do autopsies at the coroner's office. Campbell had responded a few hours earlier to a man found shot dead in a vehicle sometime prior to 5:39 p.m. Friday on New Year's Eve. That man, later identified as Riquan L. Jennings, 25, was discovered at 121 17th Street NW just west of Market Avenue N. Staff writer Malcolm Hall contributed to this report. Reach Robert at (330) 580-8327 or robert.wang@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @rwangREP This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton police shoot, kill James Williams 10th Street SW A Canton police officer shot and killed a man near this area in the 2300 block of 10th Street SW in the first few minutes of the new year. CANTON The investigation continues into the circumstances surrounding a city police officer's fatal shooting of a 46-year-old man on 10th Street SW shortly after the new year began. The man shot was armed when the shooting occurred, according to the Canton Police Department. He was later identified as James Williams. Police said they went to the 2300 block of 10th Street SW just after midnight Saturday in response to a report of gunfire. More: Man killed on 17th Street NW in Canton According to a statement from the Canton Police Chief Jack Angelo: ".... the officer, who was outside of his vehicle, confronted a subject that began shooting a firearm. The officer, in fear for his safety, fired his duty weapon at the subject and struck him." He wrote that the person who was shot got first aid before Canton fire paramedics rushed him in an ambulance to a hospital. The officer involved in the shooting was not named in the Police Department press statement. Harry Campbell, chief investigator of the Stark County Coroner's Office, said the shot person got to Aultman Hospital at 12:25 a.m. Aultman is about a half mile from where the police shooting occurred. A hospital doctor pronounced him dead at 12:27 a.m. Because it's an officer-involved shooting, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is overseeing the investigation, Angelo's statement said. He wrote that Canton Police have turned over all evidence in the case, including body camera footage and guns linked to the incident over to BCI investigators. Angelo referred questions to BCI and has not responded to additional inquiries about the fatal confrontation. A spokesman for the BCI declined to comment on specifics of the case Sunday,. Angelo wrote that the police officer has been placed on administrative leave, a standard move after an officer-involved shooting. Neighbors' accounts "That is a sad thing," said a neighbor, Douglas Smith of the 900 block of Smith Avenue SW. "I will never get over what happened. What they (police) did was very disrespectful. Their training, whatever they got going on. They don't protect us." Story continues Over a Christmas wreath on the door where the victim lived was a sign or sticker that said, "We the People are Pissed." When a reporter knocked on the door Saturday, a man could be heard inside saying he didn't want to talk. Stark County Auditor's records indicate the 103-year-old, three-bedroom home is an asset of a self-directed individual retirement account that's based at a North Canton residential address. It's not clear if the owner of the 10th Street SW home or a custodian for the owner lives at that home in North Canton. Tanika Blasingame, who lives next to the residence, said she got home sometime after midnight celebrating New Year's with a friend to find much of the block cordoned off by police tape. "I didn't know what was going on," she said. "I don't know what happened." She said a couple with several children none older than 15, had rented the home for at least two years. 'A sweetheart' Across the street, Nikki Neal, 19, said she arrived home around 12:30 a.m. to find police cars and crime scene tape preventing her from parking in front of her house. She had to get into her home through the back. She estimated that at least 10 police squad cars were parked on the narrow 10th Street NW. Police didn't leave the scene until about 7 a.m. Neighbor Nikki Neal talks about the family who lives in the 10th Street SW home where a Canton police officer killed a male in first few minutes of the new year. Neal said a crowd gathered near her home watching the police officers scour the scene as they speculated and shared unconfirmed reports of what they thought had happened. She said the couple who lived in the home "were very nice people. Super nice to me" and the man was "such a sweetheart" and that she never would have guessed a shooting would happen at their house. "If I see him outside, we have a little conversation. Just, 'How you're doing?' Neal said. "Make Tik-toks (videos with the Tik-Tok social media app) with his daughters and everything else, so it's just crazy kind of." A search of Canton Police's online database did not come up with any incident reports for the home the past two years. Autopsy Campbell said Saturday morning that his office had sent the shot person's body to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's office for an autopsy. The coroner's office during the past year has frequently sent bodies to Cuyahoga County for autopsy because Stark County has had difficulty hiring a new forensic pathologist to do autopsies at the coroner's office. Campbell had responded a few hours earlier to a man found shot dead in a vehicle sometime prior to 5:39 p.m. Friday on New Year's Eve. That man, later identified as Riquan L. Jennings, 25, was discovered at 121 17th Street NW just west of Market Avenue N. Staff writer Malcolm Hall contributed to this report. Reach Robert at (330) 580-8327 or robert.wang@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @rwangREP This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton police shoot, kill James Williams 10th Street SW Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. A Canton police officer shot and killed a man near this area in the 2300 block of 10th Street SW in the first few minutes of the new year. CANTON The investigation continues into the circumstances surrounding a city police officer's fatal shooting of a 46-year-old man on 10th Street SW shortly after the new year began. The man shot was armed when the shooting occurred, according to the Canton Police Department. He was later identified as James Williams. Police said they went to the 2300 block of 10th Street SW just after midnight Saturday in response to a report of gunfire. More: Man killed on 17th Street NW in Canton According to a statement from the Canton Police Chief Jack Angelo: ".... the officer, who was outside of his vehicle, confronted a subject that began shooting a firearm. The officer, in fear for his safety, fired his duty weapon at the subject and struck him." He wrote that the person who was shot got first aid before Canton fire paramedics rushed him in an ambulance to a hospital. The officer involved in the shooting was not named in the Police Department press statement. Harry Campbell, chief investigator of the Stark County Coroner's Office, said the shot person got to Aultman Hospital at 12:25 a.m. Aultman is about a half mile from where the police shooting occurred. A hospital doctor pronounced him dead at 12:27 a.m. Because it's an officer-involved shooting, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is overseeing the investigation, Angelo's statement said. He wrote that Canton Police have turned over all evidence in the case, including body camera footage and guns linked to the incident over to BCI investigators. Angelo referred questions to BCI and has not responded to additional inquiries about the fatal confrontation. A spokesman for the BCI declined to comment on specifics of the case Sunday,. Angelo wrote that the police officer has been placed on administrative leave, a standard move after an officer-involved shooting. Neighbors' accounts "That is a sad thing," said a neighbor, Douglas Smith of the 900 block of Smith Avenue SW. "I will never get over what happened. What they (police) did was very disrespectful. Their training, whatever they got going on. They don't protect us." Story continues Over a Christmas wreath on the door where the victim lived was a sign or sticker that said, "We the People are Pissed." When a reporter knocked on the door Saturday, a man could be heard inside saying he didn't want to talk. Stark County Auditor's records indicate the 103-year-old, three-bedroom home is an asset of a self-directed individual retirement account that's based at a North Canton residential address. It's not clear if the owner of the 10th Street SW home or a custodian for the owner lives at that home in North Canton. Tanika Blasingame, who lives next to the residence, said she got home sometime after midnight celebrating New Year's with a friend to find much of the block cordoned off by police tape. "I didn't know what was going on," she said. "I don't know what happened." She said a couple with several children none older than 15, had rented the home for at least two years. 'A sweetheart' Across the street, Nikki Neal, 19, said she arrived home around 12:30 a.m. to find police cars and crime scene tape preventing her from parking in front of her house. She had to get into her home through the back. She estimated that at least 10 police squad cars were parked on the narrow 10th Street NW. Police didn't leave the scene until about 7 a.m. Neighbor Nikki Neal talks about the family who lives in the 10th Street SW home where a Canton police officer killed a male in first few minutes of the new year. Neal said a crowd gathered near her home watching the police officers scour the scene as they speculated and shared unconfirmed reports of what they thought had happened. She said the couple who lived in the home "were very nice people. Super nice to me" and the man was "such a sweetheart" and that she never would have guessed a shooting would happen at their house. "If I see him outside, we have a little conversation. Just, 'How you're doing?' Neal said. "Make Tik-toks (videos with the Tik-Tok social media app) with his daughters and everything else, so it's just crazy kind of." A search of Canton Police's online database did not come up with any incident reports for the home the past two years. Autopsy Campbell said Saturday morning that his office had sent the shot person's body to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's office for an autopsy. The coroner's office during the past year has frequently sent bodies to Cuyahoga County for autopsy because Stark County has had difficulty hiring a new forensic pathologist to do autopsies at the coroner's office. Campbell had responded a few hours earlier to a man found shot dead in a vehicle sometime prior to 5:39 p.m. Friday on New Year's Eve. That man, later identified as Riquan L. Jennings, 25, was discovered at 121 17th Street NW just west of Market Avenue N. Staff writer Malcolm Hall contributed to this report. Reach Robert at (330) 580-8327 or robert.wang@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @rwangREP This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton police shoot, kill James Williams 10th Street SW A Canton police officer shot and killed a man near this area in the 2300 block of 10th Street SW in the first few minutes of the new year. CANTON The investigation continues into the circumstances surrounding a city police officer's fatal shooting of a 46-year-old man on 10th Street SW shortly after the new year began. The man shot was armed when the shooting occurred, according to the Canton Police Department. He was later identified as James Williams. Police said they went to the 2300 block of 10th Street SW just after midnight Saturday in response to a report of gunfire. More: Man killed on 17th Street NW in Canton According to a statement from the Canton Police Chief Jack Angelo: ".... the officer, who was outside of his vehicle, confronted a subject that began shooting a firearm. The officer, in fear for his safety, fired his duty weapon at the subject and struck him." He wrote that the person who was shot got first aid before Canton fire paramedics rushed him in an ambulance to a hospital. The officer involved in the shooting was not named in the Police Department press statement. Harry Campbell, chief investigator of the Stark County Coroner's Office, said the shot person got to Aultman Hospital at 12:25 a.m. Aultman is about a half mile from where the police shooting occurred. A hospital doctor pronounced him dead at 12:27 a.m. Because it's an officer-involved shooting, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is overseeing the investigation, Angelo's statement said. He wrote that Canton Police have turned over all evidence in the case, including body camera footage and guns linked to the incident over to BCI investigators. Angelo referred questions to BCI and has not responded to additional inquiries about the fatal confrontation. A spokesman for the BCI declined to comment on specifics of the case Sunday,. Angelo wrote that the police officer has been placed on administrative leave, a standard move after an officer-involved shooting. Neighbors' accounts "That is a sad thing," said a neighbor, Douglas Smith of the 900 block of Smith Avenue SW. "I will never get over what happened. What they (police) did was very disrespectful. Their training, whatever they got going on. They don't protect us." Story continues Over a Christmas wreath on the door where the victim lived was a sign or sticker that said, "We the People are Pissed." When a reporter knocked on the door Saturday, a man could be heard inside saying he didn't want to talk. Stark County Auditor's records indicate the 103-year-old, three-bedroom home is an asset of a self-directed individual retirement account that's based at a North Canton residential address. It's not clear if the owner of the 10th Street SW home or a custodian for the owner lives at that home in North Canton. Tanika Blasingame, who lives next to the residence, said she got home sometime after midnight celebrating New Year's with a friend to find much of the block cordoned off by police tape. "I didn't know what was going on," she said. "I don't know what happened." She said a couple with several children none older than 15, had rented the home for at least two years. 'A sweetheart' Across the street, Nikki Neal, 19, said she arrived home around 12:30 a.m. to find police cars and crime scene tape preventing her from parking in front of her house. She had to get into her home through the back. She estimated that at least 10 police squad cars were parked on the narrow 10th Street NW. Police didn't leave the scene until about 7 a.m. Neighbor Nikki Neal talks about the family who lives in the 10th Street SW home where a Canton police officer killed a male in first few minutes of the new year. Neal said a crowd gathered near her home watching the police officers scour the scene as they speculated and shared unconfirmed reports of what they thought had happened. She said the couple who lived in the home "were very nice people. Super nice to me" and the man was "such a sweetheart" and that she never would have guessed a shooting would happen at their house. "If I see him outside, we have a little conversation. Just, 'How you're doing?' Neal said. "Make Tik-toks (videos with the Tik-Tok social media app) with his daughters and everything else, so it's just crazy kind of." A search of Canton Police's online database did not come up with any incident reports for the home the past two years. Autopsy Campbell said Saturday morning that his office had sent the shot person's body to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's office for an autopsy. The coroner's office during the past year has frequently sent bodies to Cuyahoga County for autopsy because Stark County has had difficulty hiring a new forensic pathologist to do autopsies at the coroner's office. Campbell had responded a few hours earlier to a man found shot dead in a vehicle sometime prior to 5:39 p.m. Friday on New Year's Eve. That man, later identified as Riquan L. Jennings, 25, was discovered at 121 17th Street NW just west of Market Avenue N. Staff writer Malcolm Hall contributed to this report. Reach Robert at (330) 580-8327 or robert.wang@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @rwangREP This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton police shoot, kill James Williams 10th Street SW Taliah, a 14-year-old transgender girl, looks and acts like any teenager growing up in Chesterfield County. She loves YouTube and TikTok and texting her friends. She listens to Cardi B, Doja Cat and Beyonce of course, she said. She loves to roller skate at Skate Away and can dance hip-hop, jazz and ballet. She likes to style hair and taught herself how to braid her own long, black locks. She is pretty and young, smiling easily with warmth and laughter even when she tells the nightmarish story of how her father beat her, horrifically, when she started coming out as gay at 12 years old. He punched me in the face four times, twice on either side, said Taliah, looking down at the beloved iPhone in her hands. Then he got the belt and beat me until I bled. When the police arrived to her fathers home in Hopewell, she was taken to a hospital, where a woman from foster care told her, Youre going to be all right. Were going to put you in a different home. There are over 5,400 children in the Virginia foster care system, according to the state Department of Social Services website. Roughly 30% of children in foster care nationally identify as LGBTQ and are often kicked out of their biological homes, ending up in foster care because their biological parents didnt accept their sexual identity. LGBTQ+ youth face housing instability at disproportional rates. These young people cannot thrive if they do not have access to a safe, affirming and stable environment, said Jamie Nolan, co-executive director of Side by Side, a local group dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ youth. Unfortunately, too often, we see families who turn away from their children when they choose to come out because of a lack of information and understanding about who their child is. Thats what happened to Taliah when she was a 12-year-old boy and her name was Torron. But life didnt get easier once foster care stepped in. Taliah went to one foster family and then another. She didnt get along with her foster siblings. She acted out and got into fights. Tensions kept building. Nothing felt like home. Everything was temporary. LGBTQ youth need ally-ship and support from their parents, especially for youth in foster care. If they are coming into a foster home that is not affirming, thats an added trauma, said Jess Mendez, an advocate for He She Ze and We, a local group serving families with transgender loved ones. Taliah felt alone, angry and isolated until she met Randy and Lanette Hall, a foster family from Henrico County. She met them at a restaurant and remembers seeing Lanettes purple hair. Taliah thought, I like this family. They seem cool. The Halls moved Taliah into their home one day in March 2020, just before the world went into lockdown due to the coronavirus. Living with the Halls, Taliah began to blossom. She did virtual school, and her grades improved. When the world opened up again, she ran track and began to dance with the Regency Dance Academy. At age 13, she began to watch trans videos on YouTube and read articles about being trans. Her foster mom, Lanette, asked, Do you want to transition? Taliah said yes and started crying. I feel like thats who I am. Im trans, Taliah, now 14, said from the Halls new home in Chesterfield. Taliah began dressing as a girl, slowly at first. Only at home. Then she began branching out, choosing the name Taliah, and dressing as a girl on outings with her friends to the roller rink. But it wasnt easy. Some of her friends bullied her. Rumors were spread about her behind her back. She was allowed to practice track at school, but she wasnt allowed to compete as a girl. Even though it was difficult at first, Randy and Lanette supported her. For me, whats hardest wasnt Taliah being trans. Its how people treat her. You want to protect her from the world. But theres only so much you can do, Lanette said. Having foster families and caregivers that are affirming and willing to seek outside additional supports are huge [for LGBTQ youth], Mendez said. Finding support for the child, to help connect them to people who identify with them, can be a big help. As well as seeking support for the caregiver who is more than likely walking this path for the first time. The Halls were connected to Taliah through enCircle, a local treatment foster care program that aims to be more inclusive, serving kids who might face more challenges due to medical issues or who identify as LGBTQ. The kids we serve need a special family those who are open and flexible to provide a loving home in foster care, said Ray Ratke, CEO of enCircle, which has been around for 133 years. It opened first as an orphanage outside of Roanoke, transitioning to a foster care model, as well as other services, over the years. Were always in urgent need of more foster parents, Ratke said. You have to be open, going into foster care. You never know what kind of issues the child might be facing, Lanette said. In August, the Halls adopted Taliah, making their new family official. This year, Taliah started hormone suppression. Next year, she can start hormone therapy. As for the future, the family is going to wait and see what Taliah wants to do next. After so much trauma and upheaval, Taliah said its hard to see herself in the future. All she knows is how she feels right now. Im comfortable being trans. I dont want to hide who I am anymore. Taliah, a 14-year-old transgender girl, looks and acts like any teenager growing up in Chesterfield County. She loves YouTube and TikTok and texting her friends. She listens to Cardi B, Doja Cat and Beyonce of course, she said. She loves to roller skate at Skate Away and can dance hip-hop, jazz and ballet. She likes to style hair and taught herself how to braid her own long, black locks. She is pretty and young, smiling easily with warmth and laughter even when she tells the nightmarish story of how her father beat her, horrifically, when she started coming out as gay at 12 years old. He punched me in the face four times, twice on either side, said Taliah, looking down at the beloved iPhone in her hands. Then he got the belt and beat me until I bled. When the police arrived to her fathers home in Hopewell, she was taken to a hospital, where a woman from foster care told her, Youre going to be all right. Were going to put you in a different home. There are over 5,400 children in the Virginia foster care system, according to the state Department of Social Services website. Roughly 30% of children in foster care nationally identify as LGBTQ and are often kicked out of their biological homes, ending up in foster care because their biological parents didnt accept their sexual identity. LGBTQ+ youth face housing instability at disproportional rates. These young people cannot thrive if they do not have access to a safe, affirming and stable environment, said Jamie Nolan, co-executive director of Side by Side, a local group dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ youth. Unfortunately, too often, we see families who turn away from their children when they choose to come out because of a lack of information and understanding about who their child is. Thats what happened to Taliah when she was a 12-year-old boy and her name was Torron. But life didnt get easier once foster care stepped in. Taliah went to one foster family and then another. She didnt get along with her foster siblings. She acted out and got into fights. Tensions kept building. Nothing felt like home. Everything was temporary. LGBTQ youth need ally-ship and support from their parents, especially for youth in foster care. If they are coming into a foster home that is not affirming, thats an added trauma, said Jess Mendez, an advocate for He She Ze and We, a local group serving families with transgender loved ones. Taliah felt alone, angry and isolated until she met Randy and Lanette Hall, a foster family from Henrico County. She met them at a restaurant and remembers seeing Lanettes purple hair. Taliah thought, I like this family. They seem cool. The Halls moved Taliah into their home one day in March 2020, just before the world went into lockdown due to the coronavirus. Living with the Halls, Taliah began to blossom. She did virtual school, and her grades improved. When the world opened up again, she ran track and began to dance with the Regency Dance Academy. At age 13, she began to watch trans videos on YouTube and read articles about being trans. Her foster mom, Lanette, asked, Do you want to transition? Taliah said yes and started crying. I feel like thats who I am. Im trans, Taliah, now 14, said from the Halls new home in Chesterfield. Taliah began dressing as a girl, slowly at first. Only at home. Then she began branching out, choosing the name Taliah, and dressing as a girl on outings with her friends to the roller rink. But it wasnt easy. Some of her friends bullied her. Rumors were spread about her behind her back. She was allowed to practice track at school, but she wasnt allowed to compete as a girl. Even though it was difficult at first, Randy and Lanette supported her. For me, whats hardest wasnt Taliah being trans. Its how people treat her. You want to protect her from the world. But theres only so much you can do, Lanette said. Having foster families and caregivers that are affirming and willing to seek outside additional supports are huge [for LGBTQ youth], Mendez said. Finding support for the child, to help connect them to people who identify with them, can be a big help. As well as seeking support for the caregiver who is more than likely walking this path for the first time. The Halls were connected to Taliah through enCircle, a local treatment foster care program that aims to be more inclusive, serving kids who might face more challenges due to medical issues or who identify as LGBTQ. The kids we serve need a special family those who are open and flexible to provide a loving home in foster care, said Ray Ratke, CEO of enCircle, which has been around for 133 years. It opened first as an orphanage outside of Roanoke, transitioning to a foster care model, as well as other services, over the years. Were always in urgent need of more foster parents, Ratke said. You have to be open, going into foster care. You never know what kind of issues the child might be facing, Lanette said. In August, the Halls adopted Taliah, making their new family official. This year, Taliah started hormone suppression. Next year, she can start hormone therapy. As for the future, the family is going to wait and see what Taliah wants to do next. After so much trauma and upheaval, Taliah said its hard to see herself in the future. All she knows is how she feels right now. Im comfortable being trans. I dont want to hide who I am anymore. A Canton police officer shot and killed a man near this area in the 2300 block of 10th Street SW in the first few minutes of the new year. CANTON The investigation continues into the circumstances surrounding a city police officer's fatal shooting of a 46-year-old man on 10th Street SW shortly after the new year began. The man shot was armed when the shooting occurred, according to the Canton Police Department. He was later identified as James Williams. Police said they went to the 2300 block of 10th Street SW just after midnight Saturday in response to a report of gunfire. More: Man killed on 17th Street NW in Canton According to a statement from the Canton Police Chief Jack Angelo: ".... the officer, who was outside of his vehicle, confronted a subject that began shooting a firearm. The officer, in fear for his safety, fired his duty weapon at the subject and struck him." He wrote that the person who was shot got first aid before Canton fire paramedics rushed him in an ambulance to a hospital. The officer involved in the shooting was not named in the Police Department press statement. Harry Campbell, chief investigator of the Stark County Coroner's Office, said the shot person got to Aultman Hospital at 12:25 a.m. Aultman is about a half mile from where the police shooting occurred. A hospital doctor pronounced him dead at 12:27 a.m. Because it's an officer-involved shooting, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is overseeing the investigation, Angelo's statement said. He wrote that Canton Police have turned over all evidence in the case, including body camera footage and guns linked to the incident over to BCI investigators. Angelo referred questions to BCI and has not responded to additional inquiries about the fatal confrontation. A spokesman for the BCI declined to comment on specifics of the case Sunday,. Angelo wrote that the police officer has been placed on administrative leave, a standard move after an officer-involved shooting. Neighbors' accounts "That is a sad thing," said a neighbor, Douglas Smith of the 900 block of Smith Avenue SW. "I will never get over what happened. What they (police) did was very disrespectful. Their training, whatever they got going on. They don't protect us." Story continues Over a Christmas wreath on the door where the victim lived was a sign or sticker that said, "We the People are Pissed." When a reporter knocked on the door Saturday, a man could be heard inside saying he didn't want to talk. Stark County Auditor's records indicate the 103-year-old, three-bedroom home is an asset of a self-directed individual retirement account that's based at a North Canton residential address. It's not clear if the owner of the 10th Street SW home or a custodian for the owner lives at that home in North Canton. Tanika Blasingame, who lives next to the residence, said she got home sometime after midnight celebrating New Year's with a friend to find much of the block cordoned off by police tape. "I didn't know what was going on," she said. "I don't know what happened." She said a couple with several children none older than 15, had rented the home for at least two years. 'A sweetheart' Across the street, Nikki Neal, 19, said she arrived home around 12:30 a.m. to find police cars and crime scene tape preventing her from parking in front of her house. She had to get into her home through the back. She estimated that at least 10 police squad cars were parked on the narrow 10th Street NW. Police didn't leave the scene until about 7 a.m. Neighbor Nikki Neal talks about the family who lives in the 10th Street SW home where a Canton police officer killed a male in first few minutes of the new year. Neal said a crowd gathered near her home watching the police officers scour the scene as they speculated and shared unconfirmed reports of what they thought had happened. She said the couple who lived in the home "were very nice people. Super nice to me" and the man was "such a sweetheart" and that she never would have guessed a shooting would happen at their house. "If I see him outside, we have a little conversation. Just, 'How you're doing?' Neal said. "Make Tik-toks (videos with the Tik-Tok social media app) with his daughters and everything else, so it's just crazy kind of." A search of Canton Police's online database did not come up with any incident reports for the home the past two years. Autopsy Campbell said Saturday morning that his office had sent the shot person's body to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's office for an autopsy. The coroner's office during the past year has frequently sent bodies to Cuyahoga County for autopsy because Stark County has had difficulty hiring a new forensic pathologist to do autopsies at the coroner's office. Campbell had responded a few hours earlier to a man found shot dead in a vehicle sometime prior to 5:39 p.m. Friday on New Year's Eve. That man, later identified as Riquan L. Jennings, 25, was discovered at 121 17th Street NW just west of Market Avenue N. Staff writer Malcolm Hall contributed to this report. Reach Robert at (330) 580-8327 or robert.wang@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @rwangREP This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton police shoot, kill James Williams 10th Street SW Cars We Don't Test (Published January 1, 1996 by Bob Hagin Contributing Editor The Auto Channel Every year we evaluate a great number of new cars. Yes, I know that it's a dirty job - but someone has to do it. And we try to test them all, but there's always those elusive few that never grace our corporate driveway. These are the very expensive, very exotic or "oddball" machines that don't make it into the various press pools that supply cars, trucks, vans and sport/utility vehicles to newspaper auto writers like ourselves. We nonetheless feel that it's our journalistic duty to keep you, our readers, abreast of the newest "wheels" that are on the market whether or not we are actually allowed to slip into the driver's seat for a week-long jaunt around our suburban neighborhood. And so for the seventh year in a row, we present the cars we've selected for a non-test; DODGE VIPER - I sure that there are many of these juggernauts already built and sold although I've never really seen one cruising our neighborhood. It's a big and brutal-looking two-seater that's designed to be just that - big and brutal. Its 10 cylinder engine displaces 8.0 liters (that's just slightly smaller than a diesel on a luxury liner), puts out 415 horses and enough torque to climb Mt. Everest in high gear. It's decidedly low-tech with few amenities and its discerning owners like it that way - so don't buy one expecting trunk space for the baby's playpen. MGF - Just as it has been for the past two years, this is another MG that we don't get to test. It's a two seater, too, but much smaller (1.9 liters), rear-engined and, I'm told, devoid of all the problems and shortcomings we have learned to associate with British cars. Rover is the parent company as it has been for several years but you may be surprised that BMW is now the money behind these British companies. Insiders say that the MGF is being down-played as it will be direct competition for the BMW Z3 two-seater roadster in style and intent. PLYMOUTH PROWLER - Wouldn't it be fun to be back in Southern California in 1950 and driving a high-boy street rod down Colorado Boulevard? Sorry, no such luck. The new Plymouth Prowler is a Deuce roadster retrorod that the company has pledged to build, but the company didn't call us to go cruisin' the strip. The Prowler has cycle fenders up front, a body that looks like it came off Ford's assembly line in 1932, a swept-back low windshield and not even enough trunk space for a spare. The only thing missing is a flat-head V8 under the hood. PORSCHE 911 TURBO - Maybe it's a good thing that I didn't get a new 911T to wring out. I'm too old to be terrified just for fun. With 400 horses available, the top speed is 180 MPH and the acceleration is so strong that I'm told that you feel like you're in a Challenger rocket at launch time. All-wheel drive assures that there's maximum tire stick at all times and the seats are racing-type buckets that literally grab you. But at $99,000 I can understand a decision on the part of Porsche to relegate it to the role of a non-test car for us. RENAULT SPIDER - Having owned various Renaults over 45 years, I shuddered when I read last year that the company was considering a return to the U.S. But if the flagship of that return was to be its new Spider roadster, my opinion might have changed. Cute as a waggin'-tail puppy, it seems to be simple in the extreme with a built-up aluminum box frame, a two-liter engine at 150 horsepower and barely enough niceties like wipers and turn signals to make it street-legal. Just the thing for Banzai runs up Mulholland Drive on Saturday nights - or so I'm told. SALEEN MUSTANG - My friend Joe Molina promotes this hot-rod version of the Ford Mustang - but even he couldn't get me one for a day. Steve Saleen is an ex-racer who is becoming a latter-day Carroll Shelby by modifying Mustangs to put out half-again the original power, tricking- out the suspension and doing a cosmetic makeover. They come with a variety of powerplants but the 351 CID version is the most awesome of them all - I think. SHELBY COBRA - And speaking of Carroll Shelby, his assembly line is slow but still rolling. You might remember that he had 33 unfinished Cobra chassis in the parts room when his crew went for a 30-year coffee break in 1966. They're back now and are finishing up that production run. Since the cars are still registered with the feds as '66 models, they're being finished up just as they were back then. Still with that sexy Tojeiro body, the 427 stump-puller powerplant, no windows and no smog stuff since they're legally 1966 cars. The sticker price has increased a bit in three decades and it now takes a half million bucks to pick one up at your local Cobra dealer. Maybe that's why we don't get one to test. That's our no-test test for this year but we'll be back in 12 months with reports on another half dozen machines we'll never see. I just hope that they're as much fun to dream about as the current crop. Virginias reputation as a political bellwether, and relative swing state, has disguised one of the great challenges facing the commonwealth: We are not only deeply divided, but to a striking extent Virginians of different political outlooks are dispersed geographically from one another, and thus losing our connections and sense of shared purpose. The problem and possible consequences are grave, and the trend is likely to intensify. But there is a set of institutions at the ready that can and must help make sure Virginians understand one another better and can navigate those differences: Virginias best-in-the-nation collection of residential public universities. The political dispersal across Virginia has become clearer with each recent election. Overall, Virginia has been trending blue, but as November showed, we still stand out as one of the nations swing states, something the redistricting process might reinforce. However, statewide totals mask the reality that more and more Virginians live in political bubbles, with less and less exposure to alternative political views at least when it comes to friends down the street and neighbors, not social media caricatures. In the 2001 gubernatorial election, only seven of Virginias 133 localities saw one candidate receive more than two-thirds of the local vote. Put differently, 20 years ago, the overwhelming majority of Virginians just in going about daily life interacted regularly with people of significantly different political perspectives. But fast forward to the 2021 gubernatorial election the number of greater than two-thirds localities increased dramatically, to 61. At an even further extreme, in the 2017 gubernatorial election, only five localities saw one candidate poll 80% or more: Charlottesville and Petersburg were more than 80% Democratic, and Bland, Scott and Tazewell Counties in Southwest Virginia were more than 80% Republican. In 2021, there were 16 such localities (two Democratic, 14 Republican). As Dwayne Yancey of Cardinal News noted soon after Election Day in highlighting these trends, These kinds of splits cant be healthy for the country. Virginias economic disparities also are tearing at the commonwealths thread of shared experience. In early November at the Governors Summit on Rural Prosperity, hosted at Longwood, Hamilton Lombard of the University of Virginias Weldon Cooper Center laid bare the extremes within Virginias borders. Median household income in Loudoun County is $142,299, among the very highest in the country. In Dickenson County, its $29,932. In no other state, Lombard noted, is there such a wide gap between the richest and poorest counties. And its not just Dickenson there are, stunningly, 32 other Virginia localities that have a wider gap with Loudoun than you will find between any two localities in any other state. These gaps are profoundly consequential. Governance and citizenship are, at heart, endeavors of empathy and understanding in the face of common challenges. The commonwealths challenges today feel very different, depending on whether you live in Southside, Southwest or Northern Virginia. Understanding what others think and what experiences prompted their views is virtually impossible if you have little direct human contact with those whose experiences are different. Amid this division, there still is one place where Virginians from a range of backgrounds come together and live in close proximity: our states residential college campuses, particularly our great public universities. Geographically, students come to Virginias public universities from every corner of the commonwealth. In terms of racial background, its taken far too long over the arc of history, but fall 2020 data show 39% of undergraduates at Virginia four-year public universities are students of color. The comparable census figure for Virginias overall population is a nearly identical 40%. On the commonwealths campuses, there cant help but be a mix of perspectives, including on politics. At Longwood, we have undergraduates from 113 Virginia localities, from Dickinson to Fairfax. In a mirror of the state, a slight majority of our students come from localities carried by Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin, but there is no dominant partisanship. Everyone must navigate the challenges of residence hall life, share meals, and listen respectfully and learn in classrooms under the guidance of professors who despite the criticism they sometimes unfairly take care about nothing so much as seeing students open their minds and form their own views of the world, even if those views may differ from their own. In my experience, our student body reflects quite accurately the spectrum of overall views in Virginia. We have liberals and conservatives, but also a larger-than-you-might-expect group in the middle. Students welcome this variety. I suspect most of our students from both Fairfax and more rural areas are eager to get out of their bubbles, and meet people with different backgrounds and views. Some grow more confident in their views, but many evolve in one direction or the other. What matters is they all are together, in person, living and learning and navigating diversity and difference in every dimension. If Virginias trends continue, we have to assume this might be the best chance for them to have that experience. Our demographic trends command colleges to take this responsibility seriously to cultivate exposure to a range of perspectives, backgrounds and outlooks. In the quest for research greatness or global prestige and other goals, none of them necessarily unworthy, American higher education in recent decades often has fallen down on its most basic job: training citizens. That doesnt mean indoctrination. In fact, it means the opposite: exposure to wide perspective. It also means starting with the premise that democracy is more than just a form of government to learn about in a political science class its the purpose of college. Career skills are important but will be developed naturally if we nurture the skills of citizenship: understanding of democratic processes, critical thinking, scientific literacy, civil argument and helping students navigate real differences of experience. Longwood is a national leader in this work. This years senior class is our first to graduate having completed in its entirety our Civitae Core Curriculum, with training for democracy its north star. Civitae begins with a series of specialized classes starting as soon as they arrive, and culminates in a senior Symposium on the Common Good. These courses, which constitute the general education path students take outside their major, are taught in small settings by top faculty. They move across disciplines because civic challenges rarely fit neatly into buckets. Students are pushed to sift evidence, to write and speak clearly, to work together in diverse teams and to reckon with real-world civic challenges, among the many that await them upon graduation. When its easy to despair for the future, I draw hope from Longwood students like Anne Patterson. A senior political science major from Charlottesville, shes been a leader on campus since freshman year, something which has exposed her during this fraught time politically to people with a wide range of perspectives. Weve spoken together about how Longwoods Civitae curriculum has given purpose and coherence to her college path, exposing her to a range of disciplines, and to faculty and fellow students who have broadened her horizons. When you all agree with each other, youre not really learning, she told me recently. Everyone can grow from gaining perspectives. Even if you dont agree with someone elses opinions, all of these classes have taught me and others how to engage in those conversation, and how to still learn even if you dont change your opinion You get to know how someone else thinks. Its a skill that will be more and more urgent for Virginia in the decades to come, amid the divergent pull and tectonics of geography and politics. And its one that Virginias public universities like Longwood can and must nurture for the generations ahead. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The President of the Republic, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is hopeful of more better days ahead in 2022. In his New Years message to Ghanaians, the President notes that he is confident Ghana will rise above every difficult period for the country to excel. Wishing all Ghanaians a Happy New Year. I am a firm, passionate believer in our national potential. We have it in us to rise up and revive our fortunes. There are brighter days ahead for Ghana, President Akufo-Addo said in a Tweet. Meanwhile, former President John Dramani Mahama has lambasted President Akufo-Addo for constantly blaming him for his failures for managing the country in the past five years. Speaking at the National Democratic Congress 40th-anniversary commemoration of the 31st December Revolution in Accra on Friday, the 2020 flag bearer of the NDC said leadership is about responsibility. The NDC leader stressed that it is only a poor leader who shirks responsibilities and shifts blames on others for his mess. The President of the Republic, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is hopeful of more better days ahead in 2022. In his New Years message to Ghanaians, the President notes that he is confident Ghana will rise above every difficult period for the country to excel. Wishing all Ghanaians a Happy New Year. I am a firm, passionate believer in our national potential. We have it in us to rise up and revive our fortunes. There are brighter days ahead for Ghana, President Akufo-Addo said in a Tweet. Meanwhile, former President John Dramani Mahama has lambasted President Akufo-Addo for constantly blaming him for his failures for managing the country in the past five years. Speaking at the National Democratic Congress 40th-anniversary commemoration of the 31st December Revolution in Accra on Friday, the 2020 flag bearer of the NDC said leadership is about responsibility. The NDC leader stressed that it is only a poor leader who shirks responsibilities and shifts blames on others for his mess. The President of the Republic, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is hopeful of more better days ahead in 2022. In his New Years message to Ghanaians, the President notes that he is confident Ghana will rise above every difficult period for the country to excel. Wishing all Ghanaians a Happy New Year. I am a firm, passionate believer in our national potential. We have it in us to rise up and revive our fortunes. There are brighter days ahead for Ghana, President Akufo-Addo said in a Tweet. Meanwhile, former President John Dramani Mahama has lambasted President Akufo-Addo for constantly blaming him for his failures for managing the country in the past five years. Speaking at the National Democratic Congress 40th-anniversary commemoration of the 31st December Revolution in Accra on Friday, the 2020 flag bearer of the NDC said leadership is about responsibility. The NDC leader stressed that it is only a poor leader who shirks responsibilities and shifts blames on others for his mess. The President of the Republic, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is hopeful of more better days ahead in 2022. In his New Years message to Ghanaians, the President notes that he is confident Ghana will rise above every difficult period for the country to excel. Wishing all Ghanaians a Happy New Year. I am a firm, passionate believer in our national potential. We have it in us to rise up and revive our fortunes. There are brighter days ahead for Ghana, President Akufo-Addo said in a Tweet. Meanwhile, former President John Dramani Mahama has lambasted President Akufo-Addo for constantly blaming him for his failures for managing the country in the past five years. Speaking at the National Democratic Congress 40th-anniversary commemoration of the 31st December Revolution in Accra on Friday, the 2020 flag bearer of the NDC said leadership is about responsibility. The NDC leader stressed that it is only a poor leader who shirks responsibilities and shifts blames on others for his mess. The President of the Republic, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is hopeful of more better days ahead in 2022. In his New Years message to Ghanaians, the President notes that he is confident Ghana will rise above every difficult period for the country to excel. Wishing all Ghanaians a Happy New Year. I am a firm, passionate believer in our national potential. We have it in us to rise up and revive our fortunes. There are brighter days ahead for Ghana, President Akufo-Addo said in a Tweet. Meanwhile, former President John Dramani Mahama has lambasted President Akufo-Addo for constantly blaming him for his failures for managing the country in the past five years. Speaking at the National Democratic Congress 40th-anniversary commemoration of the 31st December Revolution in Accra on Friday, the 2020 flag bearer of the NDC said leadership is about responsibility. The NDC leader stressed that it is only a poor leader who shirks responsibilities and shifts blames on others for his mess. Bengaluru, Jan 1 (PTI): Karnataka Minister for Primary and Secondary Education B C Nagesh on Saturday said he has tested positive for COVID-19 with mild symptoms. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: 27-Year-Old Man Dies By Suicide After Molestation Complaint Filed Against Him In Bareilly District. He said he has quarantined himself and is taking all necessary precautions. Also Read | Rajasthan Reports 52 Fresh Omicron Cases, Total Tally Rises to 121 in the State. "I've tested positive for COVID-19 today with mild symptoms. I have quarantined myself and taking all the necessary precautions and medication required. I would request those who came in contact with me to get themselves tested at the earliest," Nagesh tweeted. Karnataka has been reporting a spike in COVID-19 cases over the last couple of days. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Virginias reputation as a political bellwether, and relative swing state, has disguised one of the great challenges facing the commonwealth: We are not only deeply divided, but to a striking extent Virginians of different political outlooks are dispersed geographically from one another, and thus losing our connections and sense of shared purpose. The problem and possible consequences are grave, and the trend is likely to intensify. But there is a set of institutions at the ready that can and must help make sure Virginians understand one another better and can navigate those differences: Virginias best-in-the-nation collection of residential public universities. The political dispersal across Virginia has become clearer with each recent election. Overall, Virginia has been trending blue, but as November showed, we still stand out as one of the nations swing states, something the redistricting process might reinforce. However, statewide totals mask the reality that more and more Virginians live in political bubbles, with less and less exposure to alternative political views at least when it comes to friends down the street and neighbors, not social media caricatures. In the 2001 gubernatorial election, only seven of Virginias 133 localities saw one candidate receive more than two-thirds of the local vote. Put differently, 20 years ago, the overwhelming majority of Virginians just in going about daily life interacted regularly with people of significantly different political perspectives. But fast forward to the 2021 gubernatorial election the number of greater than two-thirds localities increased dramatically, to 61. At an even further extreme, in the 2017 gubernatorial election, only five localities saw one candidate poll 80% or more: Charlottesville and Petersburg were more than 80% Democratic, and Bland, Scott and Tazewell Counties in Southwest Virginia were more than 80% Republican. In 2021, there were 16 such localities (two Democratic, 14 Republican). As Dwayne Yancey of Cardinal News noted soon after Election Day in highlighting these trends, These kinds of splits cant be healthy for the country. Virginias economic disparities also are tearing at the commonwealths thread of shared experience. In early November at the Governors Summit on Rural Prosperity, hosted at Longwood, Hamilton Lombard of the University of Virginias Weldon Cooper Center laid bare the extremes within Virginias borders. Median household income in Loudoun County is $142,299, among the very highest in the country. In Dickenson County, its $29,932. In no other state, Lombard noted, is there such a wide gap between the richest and poorest counties. And its not just Dickenson there are, stunningly, 32 other Virginia localities that have a wider gap with Loudoun than you will find between any two localities in any other state. These gaps are profoundly consequential. Governance and citizenship are, at heart, endeavors of empathy and understanding in the face of common challenges. The commonwealths challenges today feel very different, depending on whether you live in Southside, Southwest or Northern Virginia. Understanding what others think and what experiences prompted their views is virtually impossible if you have little direct human contact with those whose experiences are different. Amid this division, there still is one place where Virginians from a range of backgrounds come together and live in close proximity: our states residential college campuses, particularly our great public universities. Geographically, students come to Virginias public universities from every corner of the commonwealth. In terms of racial background, its taken far too long over the arc of history, but fall 2020 data show 39% of undergraduates at Virginia four-year public universities are students of color. The comparable census figure for Virginias overall population is a nearly identical 40%. On the commonwealths campuses, there cant help but be a mix of perspectives, including on politics. At Longwood, we have undergraduates from 113 Virginia localities, from Dickinson to Fairfax. In a mirror of the state, a slight majority of our students come from localities carried by Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin, but there is no dominant partisanship. Everyone must navigate the challenges of residence hall life, share meals, and listen respectfully and learn in classrooms under the guidance of professors who despite the criticism they sometimes unfairly take care about nothing so much as seeing students open their minds and form their own views of the world, even if those views may differ from their own. In my experience, our student body reflects quite accurately the spectrum of overall views in Virginia. We have liberals and conservatives, but also a larger-than-you-might-expect group in the middle. Students welcome this variety. I suspect most of our students from both Fairfax and more rural areas are eager to get out of their bubbles, and meet people with different backgrounds and views. Some grow more confident in their views, but many evolve in one direction or the other. What matters is they all are together, in person, living and learning and navigating diversity and difference in every dimension. If Virginias trends continue, we have to assume this might be the best chance for them to have that experience. Our demographic trends command colleges to take this responsibility seriously to cultivate exposure to a range of perspectives, backgrounds and outlooks. In the quest for research greatness or global prestige and other goals, none of them necessarily unworthy, American higher education in recent decades often has fallen down on its most basic job: training citizens. That doesnt mean indoctrination. In fact, it means the opposite: exposure to wide perspective. It also means starting with the premise that democracy is more than just a form of government to learn about in a political science class its the purpose of college. Career skills are important but will be developed naturally if we nurture the skills of citizenship: understanding of democratic processes, critical thinking, scientific literacy, civil argument and helping students navigate real differences of experience. Longwood is a national leader in this work. This years senior class is our first to graduate having completed in its entirety our Civitae Core Curriculum, with training for democracy its north star. Civitae begins with a series of specialized classes starting as soon as they arrive, and culminates in a senior Symposium on the Common Good. These courses, which constitute the general education path students take outside their major, are taught in small settings by top faculty. They move across disciplines because civic challenges rarely fit neatly into buckets. Students are pushed to sift evidence, to write and speak clearly, to work together in diverse teams and to reckon with real-world civic challenges, among the many that await them upon graduation. When its easy to despair for the future, I draw hope from Longwood students like Anne Patterson. A senior political science major from Charlottesville, shes been a leader on campus since freshman year, something which has exposed her during this fraught time politically to people with a wide range of perspectives. Weve spoken together about how Longwoods Civitae curriculum has given purpose and coherence to her college path, exposing her to a range of disciplines, and to faculty and fellow students who have broadened her horizons. When you all agree with each other, youre not really learning, she told me recently. Everyone can grow from gaining perspectives. Even if you dont agree with someone elses opinions, all of these classes have taught me and others how to engage in those conversation, and how to still learn even if you dont change your opinion You get to know how someone else thinks. Its a skill that will be more and more urgent for Virginia in the decades to come, amid the divergent pull and tectonics of geography and politics. And its one that Virginias public universities like Longwood can and must nurture for the generations ahead. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Taliah, a 14-year-old transgender girl, looks and acts like any teenager growing up in Chesterfield County. She loves YouTube and TikTok and texting her friends. She listens to Cardi B, Doja Cat and Beyonce of course, she said. She loves to roller skate at Skate Away and can dance hip-hop, jazz and ballet. She likes to style hair and taught herself how to braid her own long, black locks. She is pretty and young, smiling easily with warmth and laughter even when she tells the nightmarish story of how her father beat her, horrifically, when she started coming out as gay at 12 years old. He punched me in the face four times, twice on either side, said Taliah, looking down at the beloved iPhone in her hands. Then he got the belt and beat me until I bled. When the police arrived to her fathers home in Hopewell, she was taken to a hospital, where a woman from foster care told her, Youre going to be all right. Were going to put you in a different home. There are over 5,400 children in the Virginia foster care system, according to the state Department of Social Services website. Roughly 30% of children in foster care nationally identify as LGBTQ and are often kicked out of their biological homes, ending up in foster care because their biological parents didnt accept their sexual identity. LGBTQ+ youth face housing instability at disproportional rates. These young people cannot thrive if they do not have access to a safe, affirming and stable environment, said Jamie Nolan, co-executive director of Side by Side, a local group dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ youth. Unfortunately, too often, we see families who turn away from their children when they choose to come out because of a lack of information and understanding about who their child is. Thats what happened to Taliah when she was a 12-year-old boy and her name was Torron. But life didnt get easier once foster care stepped in. Taliah went to one foster family and then another. She didnt get along with her foster siblings. She acted out and got into fights. Tensions kept building. Nothing felt like home. Everything was temporary. LGBTQ youth need ally-ship and support from their parents, especially for youth in foster care. If they are coming into a foster home that is not affirming, thats an added trauma, said Jess Mendez, an advocate for He She Ze and We, a local group serving families with transgender loved ones. Taliah felt alone, angry and isolated until she met Randy and Lanette Hall, a foster family from Henrico County. She met them at a restaurant and remembers seeing Lanettes purple hair. Taliah thought, I like this family. They seem cool. The Halls moved Taliah into their home one day in March 2020, just before the world went into lockdown due to the coronavirus. Living with the Halls, Taliah began to blossom. She did virtual school, and her grades improved. When the world opened up again, she ran track and began to dance with the Regency Dance Academy. At age 13, she began to watch trans videos on YouTube and read articles about being trans. Her foster mom, Lanette, asked, Do you want to transition? Taliah said yes and started crying. I feel like thats who I am. Im trans, Taliah, now 14, said from the Halls new home in Chesterfield. Taliah began dressing as a girl, slowly at first. Only at home. Then she began branching out, choosing the name Taliah, and dressing as a girl on outings with her friends to the roller rink. But it wasnt easy. Some of her friends bullied her. Rumors were spread about her behind her back. She was allowed to practice track at school, but she wasnt allowed to compete as a girl. Even though it was difficult at first, Randy and Lanette supported her. For me, whats hardest wasnt Taliah being trans. Its how people treat her. You want to protect her from the world. But theres only so much you can do, Lanette said. Having foster families and caregivers that are affirming and willing to seek outside additional supports are huge [for LGBTQ youth], Mendez said. Finding support for the child, to help connect them to people who identify with them, can be a big help. As well as seeking support for the caregiver who is more than likely walking this path for the first time. The Halls were connected to Taliah through enCircle, a local treatment foster care program that aims to be more inclusive, serving kids who might face more challenges due to medical issues or who identify as LGBTQ. The kids we serve need a special family those who are open and flexible to provide a loving home in foster care, said Ray Ratke, CEO of enCircle, which has been around for 133 years. It opened first as an orphanage outside of Roanoke, transitioning to a foster care model, as well as other services, over the years. Were always in urgent need of more foster parents, Ratke said. You have to be open, going into foster care. You never know what kind of issues the child might be facing, Lanette said. In August, the Halls adopted Taliah, making their new family official. This year, Taliah started hormone suppression. Next year, she can start hormone therapy. As for the future, the family is going to wait and see what Taliah wants to do next. After so much trauma and upheaval, Taliah said its hard to see herself in the future. All she knows is how she feels right now. Im comfortable being trans. I dont want to hide who I am anymore. Taliah, a 14-year-old transgender girl, looks and acts like any teenager growing up in Chesterfield County. She loves YouTube and TikTok and texting her friends. She listens to Cardi B, Doja Cat and Beyonce of course, she said. She loves to roller skate at Skate Away and can dance hip-hop, jazz and ballet. She likes to style hair and taught herself how to braid her own long, black locks. She is pretty and young, smiling easily with warmth and laughter even when she tells the nightmarish story of how her father beat her, horrifically, when she started coming out as gay at 12 years old. He punched me in the face four times, twice on either side, said Taliah, looking down at the beloved iPhone in her hands. Then he got the belt and beat me until I bled. When the police arrived to her fathers home in Hopewell, she was taken to a hospital, where a woman from foster care told her, Youre going to be all right. Were going to put you in a different home. There are over 5,400 children in the Virginia foster care system, according to the state Department of Social Services website. Roughly 30% of children in foster care nationally identify as LGBTQ and are often kicked out of their biological homes, ending up in foster care because their biological parents didnt accept their sexual identity. LGBTQ+ youth face housing instability at disproportional rates. These young people cannot thrive if they do not have access to a safe, affirming and stable environment, said Jamie Nolan, co-executive director of Side by Side, a local group dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ youth. Unfortunately, too often, we see families who turn away from their children when they choose to come out because of a lack of information and understanding about who their child is. Thats what happened to Taliah when she was a 12-year-old boy and her name was Torron. But life didnt get easier once foster care stepped in. Taliah went to one foster family and then another. She didnt get along with her foster siblings. She acted out and got into fights. Tensions kept building. Nothing felt like home. Everything was temporary. LGBTQ youth need ally-ship and support from their parents, especially for youth in foster care. If they are coming into a foster home that is not affirming, thats an added trauma, said Jess Mendez, an advocate for He She Ze and We, a local group serving families with transgender loved ones. Taliah felt alone, angry and isolated until she met Randy and Lanette Hall, a foster family from Henrico County. She met them at a restaurant and remembers seeing Lanettes purple hair. Taliah thought, I like this family. They seem cool. The Halls moved Taliah into their home one day in March 2020, just before the world went into lockdown due to the coronavirus. Living with the Halls, Taliah began to blossom. She did virtual school, and her grades improved. When the world opened up again, she ran track and began to dance with the Regency Dance Academy. At age 13, she began to watch trans videos on YouTube and read articles about being trans. Her foster mom, Lanette, asked, Do you want to transition? Taliah said yes and started crying. I feel like thats who I am. Im trans, Taliah, now 14, said from the Halls new home in Chesterfield. Taliah began dressing as a girl, slowly at first. Only at home. Then she began branching out, choosing the name Taliah, and dressing as a girl on outings with her friends to the roller rink. But it wasnt easy. Some of her friends bullied her. Rumors were spread about her behind her back. She was allowed to practice track at school, but she wasnt allowed to compete as a girl. Even though it was difficult at first, Randy and Lanette supported her. For me, whats hardest wasnt Taliah being trans. Its how people treat her. You want to protect her from the world. But theres only so much you can do, Lanette said. Having foster families and caregivers that are affirming and willing to seek outside additional supports are huge [for LGBTQ youth], Mendez said. Finding support for the child, to help connect them to people who identify with them, can be a big help. As well as seeking support for the caregiver who is more than likely walking this path for the first time. The Halls were connected to Taliah through enCircle, a local treatment foster care program that aims to be more inclusive, serving kids who might face more challenges due to medical issues or who identify as LGBTQ. The kids we serve need a special family those who are open and flexible to provide a loving home in foster care, said Ray Ratke, CEO of enCircle, which has been around for 133 years. It opened first as an orphanage outside of Roanoke, transitioning to a foster care model, as well as other services, over the years. Were always in urgent need of more foster parents, Ratke said. You have to be open, going into foster care. You never know what kind of issues the child might be facing, Lanette said. In August, the Halls adopted Taliah, making their new family official. This year, Taliah started hormone suppression. Next year, she can start hormone therapy. As for the future, the family is going to wait and see what Taliah wants to do next. After so much trauma and upheaval, Taliah said its hard to see herself in the future. All she knows is how she feels right now. Im comfortable being trans. I dont want to hide who I am anymore. Taliah, a 14-year-old transgender girl, looks and acts like any teenager growing up in Chesterfield County. She loves YouTube and TikTok and texting her friends. She listens to Cardi B, Doja Cat and Beyonce of course, she said. She loves to roller skate at Skate Away and can dance hip-hop, jazz and ballet. She likes to style hair and taught herself how to braid her own long, black locks. She is pretty and young, smiling easily with warmth and laughter even when she tells the nightmarish story of how her father beat her, horrifically, when she started coming out as gay at 12 years old. He punched me in the face four times, twice on either side, said Taliah, looking down at the beloved iPhone in her hands. Then he got the belt and beat me until I bled. When the police arrived to her fathers home in Hopewell, she was taken to a hospital, where a woman from foster care told her, Youre going to be all right. Were going to put you in a different home. There are over 5,400 children in the Virginia foster care system, according to the state Department of Social Services website. Roughly 30% of children in foster care nationally identify as LGBTQ and are often kicked out of their biological homes, ending up in foster care because their biological parents didnt accept their sexual identity. LGBTQ+ youth face housing instability at disproportional rates. These young people cannot thrive if they do not have access to a safe, affirming and stable environment, said Jamie Nolan, co-executive director of Side by Side, a local group dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ youth. Unfortunately, too often, we see families who turn away from their children when they choose to come out because of a lack of information and understanding about who their child is. Thats what happened to Taliah when she was a 12-year-old boy and her name was Torron. But life didnt get easier once foster care stepped in. Taliah went to one foster family and then another. She didnt get along with her foster siblings. She acted out and got into fights. Tensions kept building. Nothing felt like home. Everything was temporary. LGBTQ youth need ally-ship and support from their parents, especially for youth in foster care. If they are coming into a foster home that is not affirming, thats an added trauma, said Jess Mendez, an advocate for He She Ze and We, a local group serving families with transgender loved ones. Taliah felt alone, angry and isolated until she met Randy and Lanette Hall, a foster family from Henrico County. She met them at a restaurant and remembers seeing Lanettes purple hair. Taliah thought, I like this family. They seem cool. The Halls moved Taliah into their home one day in March 2020, just before the world went into lockdown due to the coronavirus. Living with the Halls, Taliah began to blossom. She did virtual school, and her grades improved. When the world opened up again, she ran track and began to dance with the Regency Dance Academy. At age 13, she began to watch trans videos on YouTube and read articles about being trans. Her foster mom, Lanette, asked, Do you want to transition? Taliah said yes and started crying. I feel like thats who I am. Im trans, Taliah, now 14, said from the Halls new home in Chesterfield. Taliah began dressing as a girl, slowly at first. Only at home. Then she began branching out, choosing the name Taliah, and dressing as a girl on outings with her friends to the roller rink. But it wasnt easy. Some of her friends bullied her. Rumors were spread about her behind her back. She was allowed to practice track at school, but she wasnt allowed to compete as a girl. Even though it was difficult at first, Randy and Lanette supported her. For me, whats hardest wasnt Taliah being trans. Its how people treat her. You want to protect her from the world. But theres only so much you can do, Lanette said. Having foster families and caregivers that are affirming and willing to seek outside additional supports are huge [for LGBTQ youth], Mendez said. Finding support for the child, to help connect them to people who identify with them, can be a big help. As well as seeking support for the caregiver who is more than likely walking this path for the first time. The Halls were connected to Taliah through enCircle, a local treatment foster care program that aims to be more inclusive, serving kids who might face more challenges due to medical issues or who identify as LGBTQ. The kids we serve need a special family those who are open and flexible to provide a loving home in foster care, said Ray Ratke, CEO of enCircle, which has been around for 133 years. It opened first as an orphanage outside of Roanoke, transitioning to a foster care model, as well as other services, over the years. Were always in urgent need of more foster parents, Ratke said. You have to be open, going into foster care. You never know what kind of issues the child might be facing, Lanette said. In August, the Halls adopted Taliah, making their new family official. This year, Taliah started hormone suppression. Next year, she can start hormone therapy. As for the future, the family is going to wait and see what Taliah wants to do next. After so much trauma and upheaval, Taliah said its hard to see herself in the future. All she knows is how she feels right now. Im comfortable being trans. I dont want to hide who I am anymore. Bengaluru, Jan 1 (PTI): Karnataka Minister for Primary and Secondary Education B C Nagesh on Saturday said he has tested positive for COVID-19 with mild symptoms. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: 27-Year-Old Man Dies By Suicide After Molestation Complaint Filed Against Him In Bareilly District. He said he has quarantined himself and is taking all necessary precautions. Also Read | Rajasthan Reports 52 Fresh Omicron Cases, Total Tally Rises to 121 in the State. "I've tested positive for COVID-19 today with mild symptoms. I have quarantined myself and taking all the necessary precautions and medication required. I would request those who came in contact with me to get themselves tested at the earliest," Nagesh tweeted. Karnataka has been reporting a spike in COVID-19 cases over the last couple of days. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) reported four new cases of in last 24 hours taking the number of people infected with the latest variant of Covid-19 in the state so far to eight, officials said here on Saturday. The four people earlier infected with have recovered. One case was reported from the state on December 11 and three more on December 27. Of the four new cases, three cases are from Dehradun and one from Ahmedabad in Gujarat, Director General Health Tripti Bahuguna said. Three of the infected persons are in their 20s and one is a 15-year-old girl. The infected people include a 28-year-old man from Dehradun who had returned from abroad via Gurugram, a 23-year-old man who had also returned from Gurugram recently, a 15-year-old girl who had come into contact with the latter, and a 27-year-old man from Ahmedabad who had come to Rishikesh on December 21. As the man from Ahmedabad has already returned, the Gujarat government has been informed about it, Bahuguna 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.) reported four new cases of in last 24 hours taking the number of people infected with the latest variant of Covid-19 in the state so far to eight, officials said here on Saturday. The four people earlier infected with have recovered. One case was reported from the state on December 11 and three more on December 27. Of the four new cases, three cases are from Dehradun and one from Ahmedabad in Gujarat, Director General Health Tripti Bahuguna said. Three of the infected persons are in their 20s and one is a 15-year-old girl. The infected people include a 28-year-old man from Dehradun who had returned from abroad via Gurugram, a 23-year-old man who had also returned from Gurugram recently, a 15-year-old girl who had come into contact with the latter, and a 27-year-old man from Ahmedabad who had come to Rishikesh on December 21. As the man from Ahmedabad has already returned, the Gujarat government has been informed about it, Bahuguna 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.) New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Partys (AAP) senior leader and Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema said that Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi is coming around to accept the ground reality of his hollow announcements. According to Cheema, on Saturday CM Channi himself exposed the reality of his cabinets announcement to regularize 36,000 temporary employees in the state. Through a statement issued from the party headquarters, Harpal Singh Cheema said, Today, CM Channi had to publicly tell the truth that 36,000 employees werent regularized. Whereas, we (Aam Aadmi Party) are saying this since the day one that no employees are being regularized. Our Punjab President Bhagwant Mann had challenged Channi government too; to give names of any 36 employees that have been made permanent after the announcement. Terming Charanjit Singh Channi as the weakest Chief Minister of Punjab, Harpal Singh Cheema said that judging Channis non-serious attitude, all the government officers are out of their (Punjab Government and CM) control today and due to their civil war, leaders and ministers of Congress seems to be uncontrollable too. Cheema said that if the Chief Minister had completed the process of filing for regularization with seriousness and clean intentions, then there wouldnt have been any solid reason, on the part of the Governor, to not clear that file. Cheema said that today Channi is giving a statement that Governor is not signing the file, and if he didnt then Channi with his entire cabinet would stage a dharna in front of Punjab Raj Bhawan (Governors Resident). Cheema questioned that a government that is facing protests in every corner of the state, would they be able to solve the situation through a dharna? And another question is that a government who isnt taking dharnas seriously or handling them in the boundaries of democracy and law and order, lathicharged teachers and nurses; would the Governor take dharna of such government seriously? Advising CM Channi, Cheema said that your hollow announcements are exposed now, so ethically, instead of staging a dharna in front of Raj Bhawan, CM Channi should resign. He should himself bore the expense of all the advertisements, that he has done about the 36,000 regular jobs, because he has wasted a large amount of money from Punjab exchequer on it, and should apologise to the public for it all. He added that China's claim to get 100 jobs done in 100 days is deceptive just like his promise to regularize 36,000 employees and every other announcement. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Partys (AAP) senior leader and Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema said that Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi is coming around to accept the ground reality of his hollow announcements. According to Cheema, on Saturday CM Channi himself exposed the reality of his cabinets announcement to regularize 36,000 temporary employees in the state. Through a statement issued from the party headquarters, Harpal Singh Cheema said, Today, CM Channi had to publicly tell the truth that 36,000 employees werent regularized. Whereas, we (Aam Aadmi Party) are saying this since the day one that no employees are being regularized. Our Punjab President Bhagwant Mann had challenged Channi government too; to give names of any 36 employees that have been made permanent after the announcement. Terming Charanjit Singh Channi as the weakest Chief Minister of Punjab, Harpal Singh Cheema said that judging Channis non-serious attitude, all the government officers are out of their (Punjab Government and CM) control today and due to their civil war, leaders and ministers of Congress seems to be uncontrollable too. Cheema said that if the Chief Minister had completed the process of filing for regularization with seriousness and clean intentions, then there wouldnt have been any solid reason, on the part of the Governor, to not clear that file. Cheema said that today Channi is giving a statement that Governor is not signing the file, and if he didnt then Channi with his entire cabinet would stage a dharna in front of Punjab Raj Bhawan (Governors Resident). Cheema questioned that a government that is facing protests in every corner of the state, would they be able to solve the situation through a dharna? And another question is that a government who isnt taking dharnas seriously or handling them in the boundaries of democracy and law and order, lathicharged teachers and nurses; would the Governor take dharna of such government seriously? Advising CM Channi, Cheema said that your hollow announcements are exposed now, so ethically, instead of staging a dharna in front of Raj Bhawan, CM Channi should resign. He should himself bore the expense of all the advertisements, that he has done about the 36,000 regular jobs, because he has wasted a large amount of money from Punjab exchequer on it, and should apologise to the public for it all. He added that China's claim to get 100 jobs done in 100 days is deceptive just like his promise to regularize 36,000 employees and every other announcement. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Acting Speaker of the Libyan Parliament Fawzi al-Nouwairi has called for a plenary session on Monday in Tobruk to hear the chairman and members of the Board of Directors of the High Electoral Commission on progress of the electoral process Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Acting Speaker of the Libyan Parliament Fawzi al-Nouwairi has called for a plenary session on Monday in Tobruk to hear the chairman and members of the Board of Directors of the High Electoral Commission on progress of the electoral process Managua [Nicaragua], January 1 (ANI): After Nicaragua cut off diplomatic ties with Taiwan, China invited the central American nation to join its One Belt and One Road initiative, reported Sputnik. "We invite Nicaragua to actively take part in this initiative and as soon as possible to join the big family of the joint construction of the One Belt, One Road initiative," Sputnik quoted Chinese diplomatic representative to Nicaragua Yu Bo as saying on Friday. China opened its embassy in the Nicaraguan capital Managua on December 31. Also Read | Israel Detects First Case of Florona Disease, Says Report. Emphasising that it is necessary to stick to the multilateral approach, Yu said that it is also required to stand against the foreign interference in the internal affairs of other countries for the sake of the so-called democracy and human rights. The central American nation in December announced the cut off of its diplomatic ties with Taiwan as it maintained that there is only one China in the world which is represented by Beijing, not by Taipei. China's Belt and Road Initiative was introduced in 2013 which Beijing says aims to promote trade cooperation between China and other foreign partners, connecting Asia with Africa and Europe. However, experts have called it a plan prepared by Beijing to trap poor countries into China's massive debts. (ANI) Also Read | COVID-19 Now Infecting Thousands of Kids in US Amid Omicron Surge, Says CDC. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) The Indian Air Force is likely to complete the deployment of the first regiment of the S-400 Triumf missile systems at an airbase in Punjab by February, military officials said on Saturday. They said the process of deployment of the missile system has begun and it will take at least six more weeks to complete the deployment. The first regiment of the missile system is being deployed in such a way that it can cover parts of the border with China in the northern sector as well as the frontier with Pakistan. "The transportation of various critical components of the missile systems as well as its peripheral equipment to the site of the deployment is going on," said an official. In total, India will get five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems from Russia. In October 2018, India had signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems, despite a warning from the Trump administration that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions. The Biden administration has not yet clarified whether it will impose sanctions on India under the provisions of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) for procuring the S-400 missile systems. The CAATSA, which was brought in 2017, provides for punitive actions against any country engaged in transactions with Russian defence and intelligence sectors. The US has already imposed sanctions on Turkey under the CAATSA for the purchase of a batch of S-400 missile defence systems from Russia. Following the US sanctions on Turkey over the procurement of S-400 missile systems, there were apprehensions that Washington may impose similar punitive measures on India. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said last month that the S-400 missile defence deal between India and Russia has a very important meaning for the Indian defence capability and it is being implemented despite the US attempting to "undermine" the cooperation. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. As an elected official, you learn early the difference between bumper-sticker proposals and solid public policy. During the recent campaign, Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin argued for extensive tax cuts without really discussing their implications. And as we saw from former Gov. Jim Gilmores car tax cut two decades ago, tax relief not only impacts people differently depending on their income it also can affect Virginias ability to provide critical services to its citizens. The Gilmore car-tax cut created serious imbalances in Virginias budget, and it took Mark Warner and moderate Republicans to fix the revenue shortfall several years later. It also convinced many Virginians that we should not repeat that experience with a hastily enacted tax cut. The campaign is over, and it is now time to govern. As of this writing, we have yet to see the incoming governors proposals. But outgoing Gov. Ralph Northam has not been shy about advocating for targeted relief, proposing a cut in the grocery tax, and tax rebates of $250 to individuals and $500 to married couples. Northam also proposed making 15% of the federal earned income tax credit refundable for eligible families and ending the accelerated sales tax payments for retailers. There is certainly a long way to go before any relief is passed, but here are some factors to consider as we assess various proposals. First, there is one reason some tax relief is justified: the Virginia economy continues to improve. During the campaign, there were allegations that the states economy was in the ditch, but the surplus revenues show the commonwealth is recovering robustly from the pandemic. Second, the recovery has been uneven. Many working families and residents of certain parts of the state have not benefited by this improvement as much as others. Northams proposed one-time rebate, a reduction in the food tax and changes in the child tax credit would help them balance their budgets. Third, cutting taxes means less revenue. A portion of the grocery tax is rebated to local schools, and to protect against this loss ($262 million in the second year), Northams proposal replaces those revenues by transfers from the state to the localities. The governors proposal does not, however, replace the 0.5% of the tax that is presently earmarked ($133 million in the second year) for transportation funding. Fourth, Virginia is not known as a high-tax state. Fifth, Virginias income tax continues to be one of the least progressive taxes of all states in the nation. The top rate of 5.75% applies both to families that earn $17,000 per year and to those that earn more than $1 million. Del. Vivian Watts, D-Fairfax, and other legislators are involved in a comprehensive study on tax reform, but it will not be completed until later this year. While there is some argument that no tax changes should be made until this study is completed, there is strong political pressure to do something, and Northams proposal provides some relief to those who need it most. Sixth, a one-time rebate has different impacts on the budget than a statutory change that eliminates the grocery tax. The latter has a continuing impact on the budget, and legislators would be prudent to review projected revenues before enacting any tax cut that will hurt critical services in the next budget cycle. Continuing relief should be predicated on the notion that it can be paid for that we can count on the economy to continue its present positive course so the revenues are available to provide the relief without cutting into key programs. To be sure, a one-time rebate will require some reductions in spending for capital improvements such as school construction and state infrastructure. But the present surplus certainly provides enough cushion to fund the proposed transfers to the public. Not only that the proposal is more progressive than the reduction of the grocery tax. A one-time rebate goes equally to the millionaire and to the person who earns the minimum wage. Of all the issues the General Assembly considers, tax policy is one of the most complex. While our economic condition can justify some level of tax relief, it should be approached judiciously so that all impacts are considered before final plans are adopted. In Richmond, you frequently hear the phrase, Governors propose and the legislature disposes. In 2022, we will see how the General Assembly handles Northams final budget and the proposals of a new administration. The sun shone, the Potomac River reflected a cloudless blue sky and high in a tree were two majestic bald eagles. They perched side by side on a leafless branch where eagles had nested for years along the George Washington Memorial Parkway, a few miles north of Mount Vernon. The nest was gone, perhaps destroyed by heavy rain or wind, but on a bright post-Christmas morning , the eagles were back. As my partner, Keith, and I took pictures, a passerby said: There are George and Martha, watching over us. The sighting was a good omen made even better about 20 minutes later when we spotted two more bald eagles, or maybe the same ones, in wooded parkland by the river. Someone told us the eagles often hang out on a small island nearby. The chance encounters with eagles and their admirers were cheerful moments at the end of a largely cheerless year. Seeing bald eagles in the wild no longer is the miraculous event it was in the 1960s. Today, their presence delights us and is a welcome reminder America can do something right for the environment. After nearing extinction in 1963 with fewer than 500 nesting pairs remaining, the bald eagle population in 2019 was an estimated 316,700 individuals, including 71,400 nesting pairs, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported last year. The population had quadrupled since data last were collected in 2009. The bald eagle is an Endangered Species Act success story, the service says on its website. A species native to North America, the bald eagle was chosen as our nations symbol in 1782. Benjamin Franklin famously was not a fan. He called the bald eagle a bird of bad moral character. It does not get its living honestly, but steals from other birds. While bald eagles eat mostly fish, waterfowl, small mammals and carrion, they got an undeserved reputation as preying on farm animals. Farmers shot many to protect their livestock. Eagles numbers also suffered from a loss of habitat. Congress passed protections for the bald eagle in 1940, prohibiting killing, selling or possessing the raptor. It added protection for the golden eagle in 1962. After World War II, the advent of DDT, a pesticide used to control mosquitoes, decimated the bald eagle population. The chemical washed into waterways and eagles ate contaminated fish with disastrous results. Eagles egg shells were so thin they broke during incubation. Rachel Carsons book Silent Spring, published in 1962, awoke many to the environmental dangers of pesticides. The Endangered Species Act, signed by President Richard Nixon in 1973, and a ban on DDT gave bald eagles a second chance. The wildlife service and its partners stepped up captive breeding and reintroduction programs, law enforcement, habitat protection and land purchases. The bald eagles remarkable comeback led to its removal from the endangered list in 2007. It remains protected by other measures. Franklin and other founders could not have imagined that today we can watch eagles on 24-hour, high-definition cameras trained on their nests. The close-ups show us bald eagles arent actually bald. They have snowy white heads on charcoal-brown bodies. Bald eagles usually mate for life and return to the same nests time and again. But there was trouble at home this year between the National Arboretums bald eagles, Mr. President and the First Lady, who first nested there in 2015 and fledged seven eaglets. Cameras captured the drama in their nest 80 feet above the earth in a tulip poplar tree as interlopers started dropping in. First Lady tried to chase the females away. She would come in at 50 to 60 mph with the talons out, Dan Rauch, wildlife biologist, told The Washington Post. But she herself was displaced in February by a younger female who cozied up to Mr. President and stayed. It was 2021, wasnt it? Initially, the new female was known as V5, but she recently was given the name Lotus, for Lady of the United States. She and Mr. President recently mated . So, as life continues in the eagles nests, we can all be grateful for the bald eagles recovery. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/12/2021 (266 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Manitoba officials have given conflicting information on what to do if you get sick or have an exposure to COVID-19. Heres a summary of the rules from staff at test sites, the latest instruction manual for public-health nurses and a recent statement from Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitobas chief public health officer. I did a rapid test and it came back negative. What do I do now? A COVID-19 rapid test pending its result, as the strip absorbs the sample. After 15 minutes, one narrow line indicates a negative result, while two lines suggest the presence of the coronavirus. (Daniel Crump/ Winnipeg Free Press Files) Those who get rapid tests from a government testing site are told to do three tests, one day apart. If all three tests come back negative, you can leave isolation if you had symptoms but no known COVID-19 exposure, and those symptoms have cleared. Officials have told some people with negative results that they can leave isolation as soon as their symptoms clear, while others have been told to wait for 24 hours with no symptoms. But if you have a known exposure to COVID-19, youre supposed to stick with the 10 days of isolation from the date you encountered the infected individual, even if your rapid tests came back negative. I did a rapid test and it came back positive. What do I do now? Youre supposed to get a PCR polymerase chain reaction lab test, if you can manage to get an appointment. But Roussin says that if youre healthy and under age 40, you can probably stay home and inform your contacts that you likely have COVID-19. For fully vaccinated people, isolation periods have been shortened to five days from 10 since the date of a test, if the individual is not showing symptoms. If an individuals symptoms are improving and they do not have a fever, they may stop quarantine after five days since either the date their symptoms started appearing or the date of their test, whichever is later. For people who are not fully vaccinated, isolation will be required for 10 days after the date of their test if their symptoms are improving and they do not have a fever. Household close contacts who are exempt from self-isolation are asked to be cautious while a case is isolated and avoid any non-essential visits to high-risk settings or non-essential contact with individuals at high-risk for severe disease. But if you need a proof of COVID-19 in order to take time off work, its off to the test site. Dress warm and bring a snack. Most sites require an appointment for a PCR test, so check online before heading out and you might not get an appointment until after your isolation period has cleared. Some Free Press readers are still waiting for a result seven days after being tested. Do I tell public health about my rapid test result? No, the Manitoba government is not tracking this data, unlike some other jurisdictions. There is one exception, in the instruction manual for nurses: when someone takes a rapid test on the spot at a testing site, the nurses could register that result as a presumptive case, but that probably wont show up in the daily case counts. How will public health tell me about my PCR test result? If you have a Manitoba health card, you should be able to access the result through the online Shared Health portal, or by waiting for a phone call. Roussin said Wednesday that in some areas, one-third of people arent picking up the phone, and that this is a significant change from previous months. That could be due to people not answering calls from unknown numbers. Some, but not all, cell phones will display the caller as Public Health. Manitoba does not issue text messages about results, unlike some other jurisdictions. What if my online result says the PCR test result is cancelled? Central Services Minister Reg Helwer said Thursday this is a data bug; the sample is actually being transferred between labs, but has not been cancelled. Does my family have to isolate at home? Household contacts of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 who are double-vaccinated and dont have symptoms dont have to isolate. Thats a long-standing policy still in effect as of the start of this week; Manitoba officials have said they are considering having everyone isolate. The nurses manual advises people to wear a mask and keep a distance from an infected person. It also says public-health officers can opt to require vaccinated contacts to self-isolate in higher-risk scenarios. This may include outbreak settings where a higher number of breakthrough infections have been observed, particularly in a setting with individuals at higher risk for severe outcomes, such as First Nation reserves. That might include sending people to government-provided isolation sites if they cant avoid contact with high-risk groups. Some workplaces, businesses and institutions have stricter rules that forbid employees and patrons from entering if they have a known contact with COVID-19. If contacts are not vaccinated, they all have to isolate until the test result arrives, even if that person is not symptomatic. Should contacts get a test? Officially, the nurses manual advises that testing is recommended for fully immunized close contacts once between 5 to 7 days after exposure, but its clear Manitoba labs cannot handle that demand. Is contact tracing happening? Not as of Dec. 20. Manitobans are being asked to inform everyone theyve come in contact with during their period of communicability, which is defined as 48 hours before symptoms emerged. That also means that contacts arent being registered into the governments health database, meaning Manitoba is no longer tracking how many contacts each positive case has reported. Public health will still assist with contact management in settings at higher risk of transmission or severe outcomes, which includes schools/daycares, health and community care facilities, congregate settings without occupational health/COVID-19 response (e.g. shelters, assisted living), and current outbreak settings, reads the latest version of the nurses manual. The COVID Alert App is still functional, but works only if you get a PCR test, at which point you have to ask nurses for a code to activate the notification. Some have reported long delays in reaching nurses. Will Manitoba drop its isolation timeline? We dont know yet. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has dropped its isolation timeline from 10 days to five. The agency said that is because Omicron-variant symptoms generally emerge sooner than other strains of COVID-19 as do high viral loads, making rapid tests more useful than with the original COVID-19 strain. Still, the move has been controversial among infectious-disease experts. Manitoba is considering whether to follow suit. Roussin explained the factors hes weighing: The shorter that period, we have the benefit of people getting out of isolation sooner, maybe more likely to go get tested (and) certainly alleviate some of the strain on some sectors by doing that, he said. The risk is we have still some people (who) will be infectious after that period. I have COVID-19; what if my symptoms get worse? Manitoba suspended active monitoring as of Dec. 20, meaning a call centre will no longer check in with people who have COVID-19 and are isolating at home. Exceptions might be made for certain vulnerable groups. Its up to you to call Health Links (204-788-8200 or 1-888-315-9257) if your symptoms worsen; they can advise whether you need to go to the hospital. dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca Virginias reputation as a political bellwether, and relative swing state, has disguised one of the great challenges facing the commonwealth: We are not only deeply divided, but to a striking extent Virginians of different political outlooks are dispersed geographically from one another, and thus losing our connections and sense of shared purpose. The problem and possible consequences are grave, and the trend is likely to intensify. But there is a set of institutions at the ready that can and must help make sure Virginians understand one another better and can navigate those differences: Virginias best-in-the-nation collection of residential public universities. The political dispersal across Virginia has become clearer with each recent election. Overall, Virginia has been trending blue, but as November showed, we still stand out as one of the nations swing states, something the redistricting process might reinforce. However, statewide totals mask the reality that more and more Virginians live in political bubbles, with less and less exposure to alternative political views at least when it comes to friends down the street and neighbors, not social media caricatures. In the 2001 gubernatorial election, only seven of Virginias 133 localities saw one candidate receive more than two-thirds of the local vote. Put differently, 20 years ago, the overwhelming majority of Virginians just in going about daily life interacted regularly with people of significantly different political perspectives. But fast forward to the 2021 gubernatorial election the number of greater than two-thirds localities increased dramatically, to 61. At an even further extreme, in the 2017 gubernatorial election, only five localities saw one candidate poll 80% or more: Charlottesville and Petersburg were more than 80% Democratic, and Bland, Scott and Tazewell Counties in Southwest Virginia were more than 80% Republican. In 2021, there were 16 such localities (two Democratic, 14 Republican). As Dwayne Yancey of Cardinal News noted soon after Election Day in highlighting these trends, These kinds of splits cant be healthy for the country. Virginias economic disparities also are tearing at the commonwealths thread of shared experience. In early November at the Governors Summit on Rural Prosperity, hosted at Longwood, Hamilton Lombard of the University of Virginias Weldon Cooper Center laid bare the extremes within Virginias borders. Median household income in Loudoun County is $142,299, among the very highest in the country. In Dickenson County, its $29,932. In no other state, Lombard noted, is there such a wide gap between the richest and poorest counties. And its not just Dickenson there are, stunningly, 32 other Virginia localities that have a wider gap with Loudoun than you will find between any two localities in any other state. These gaps are profoundly consequential. Governance and citizenship are, at heart, endeavors of empathy and understanding in the face of common challenges. The commonwealths challenges today feel very different, depending on whether you live in Southside, Southwest or Northern Virginia. Understanding what others think and what experiences prompted their views is virtually impossible if you have little direct human contact with those whose experiences are different. Amid this division, there still is one place where Virginians from a range of backgrounds come together and live in close proximity: our states residential college campuses, particularly our great public universities. Geographically, students come to Virginias public universities from every corner of the commonwealth. In terms of racial background, its taken far too long over the arc of history, but fall 2020 data show 39% of undergraduates at Virginia four-year public universities are students of color. The comparable census figure for Virginias overall population is a nearly identical 40%. On the commonwealths campuses, there cant help but be a mix of perspectives, including on politics. At Longwood, we have undergraduates from 113 Virginia localities, from Dickinson to Fairfax. In a mirror of the state, a slight majority of our students come from localities carried by Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin, but there is no dominant partisanship. Everyone must navigate the challenges of residence hall life, share meals, and listen respectfully and learn in classrooms under the guidance of professors who despite the criticism they sometimes unfairly take care about nothing so much as seeing students open their minds and form their own views of the world, even if those views may differ from their own. In my experience, our student body reflects quite accurately the spectrum of overall views in Virginia. We have liberals and conservatives, but also a larger-than-you-might-expect group in the middle. Students welcome this variety. I suspect most of our students from both Fairfax and more rural areas are eager to get out of their bubbles, and meet people with different backgrounds and views. Some grow more confident in their views, but many evolve in one direction or the other. What matters is they all are together, in person, living and learning and navigating diversity and difference in every dimension. If Virginias trends continue, we have to assume this might be the best chance for them to have that experience. Our demographic trends command colleges to take this responsibility seriously to cultivate exposure to a range of perspectives, backgrounds and outlooks. In the quest for research greatness or global prestige and other goals, none of them necessarily unworthy, American higher education in recent decades often has fallen down on its most basic job: training citizens. That doesnt mean indoctrination. In fact, it means the opposite: exposure to wide perspective. It also means starting with the premise that democracy is more than just a form of government to learn about in a political science class its the purpose of college. Career skills are important but will be developed naturally if we nurture the skills of citizenship: understanding of democratic processes, critical thinking, scientific literacy, civil argument and helping students navigate real differences of experience. Longwood is a national leader in this work. This years senior class is our first to graduate having completed in its entirety our Civitae Core Curriculum, with training for democracy its north star. Civitae begins with a series of specialized classes starting as soon as they arrive, and culminates in a senior Symposium on the Common Good. These courses, which constitute the general education path students take outside their major, are taught in small settings by top faculty. They move across disciplines because civic challenges rarely fit neatly into buckets. Students are pushed to sift evidence, to write and speak clearly, to work together in diverse teams and to reckon with real-world civic challenges, among the many that await them upon graduation. When its easy to despair for the future, I draw hope from Longwood students like Anne Patterson. A senior political science major from Charlottesville, shes been a leader on campus since freshman year, something which has exposed her during this fraught time politically to people with a wide range of perspectives. Weve spoken together about how Longwoods Civitae curriculum has given purpose and coherence to her college path, exposing her to a range of disciplines, and to faculty and fellow students who have broadened her horizons. When you all agree with each other, youre not really learning, she told me recently. Everyone can grow from gaining perspectives. Even if you dont agree with someone elses opinions, all of these classes have taught me and others how to engage in those conversation, and how to still learn even if you dont change your opinion You get to know how someone else thinks. Its a skill that will be more and more urgent for Virginia in the decades to come, amid the divergent pull and tectonics of geography and politics. And its one that Virginias public universities like Longwood can and must nurture for the generations ahead. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. As an elected official, you learn early the difference between bumper-sticker proposals and solid public policy. During the recent campaign, Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin argued for extensive tax cuts without really discussing their implications. And as we saw from former Gov. Jim Gilmores car tax cut two decades ago, tax relief not only impacts people differently depending on their income it also can affect Virginias ability to provide critical services to its citizens. The Gilmore car-tax cut created serious imbalances in Virginias budget, and it took Mark Warner and moderate Republicans to fix the revenue shortfall several years later. It also convinced many Virginians that we should not repeat that experience with a hastily enacted tax cut. The campaign is over, and it is now time to govern. As of this writing, we have yet to see the incoming governors proposals. But outgoing Gov. Ralph Northam has not been shy about advocating for targeted relief, proposing a cut in the grocery tax, and tax rebates of $250 to individuals and $500 to married couples. Northam also proposed making 15% of the federal earned income tax credit refundable for eligible families and ending the accelerated sales tax payments for retailers. There is certainly a long way to go before any relief is passed, but here are some factors to consider as we assess various proposals. First, there is one reason some tax relief is justified: the Virginia economy continues to improve. During the campaign, there were allegations that the states economy was in the ditch, but the surplus revenues show the commonwealth is recovering robustly from the pandemic. Second, the recovery has been uneven. Many working families and residents of certain parts of the state have not benefited by this improvement as much as others. Northams proposed one-time rebate, a reduction in the food tax and changes in the child tax credit would help them balance their budgets. Third, cutting taxes means less revenue. A portion of the grocery tax is rebated to local schools, and to protect against this loss ($262 million in the second year), Northams proposal replaces those revenues by transfers from the state to the localities. The governors proposal does not, however, replace the 0.5% of the tax that is presently earmarked ($133 million in the second year) for transportation funding. Fourth, Virginia is not known as a high-tax state. Fifth, Virginias income tax continues to be one of the least progressive taxes of all states in the nation. The top rate of 5.75% applies both to families that earn $17,000 per year and to those that earn more than $1 million. Del. Vivian Watts, D-Fairfax, and other legislators are involved in a comprehensive study on tax reform, but it will not be completed until later this year. While there is some argument that no tax changes should be made until this study is completed, there is strong political pressure to do something, and Northams proposal provides some relief to those who need it most. Sixth, a one-time rebate has different impacts on the budget than a statutory change that eliminates the grocery tax. The latter has a continuing impact on the budget, and legislators would be prudent to review projected revenues before enacting any tax cut that will hurt critical services in the next budget cycle. Continuing relief should be predicated on the notion that it can be paid for that we can count on the economy to continue its present positive course so the revenues are available to provide the relief without cutting into key programs. To be sure, a one-time rebate will require some reductions in spending for capital improvements such as school construction and state infrastructure. But the present surplus certainly provides enough cushion to fund the proposed transfers to the public. Not only that the proposal is more progressive than the reduction of the grocery tax. A one-time rebate goes equally to the millionaire and to the person who earns the minimum wage. Of all the issues the General Assembly considers, tax policy is one of the most complex. While our economic condition can justify some level of tax relief, it should be approached judiciously so that all impacts are considered before final plans are adopted. In Richmond, you frequently hear the phrase, Governors propose and the legislature disposes. In 2022, we will see how the General Assembly handles Northams final budget and the proposals of a new administration. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2021 (265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Well, Madame Speaker, there are no anti-vaxxers in our caucus. Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson, Nov. 30 in the Manitoba Legislature. I have been assured that they have the ability to enter the building and those are the rules that are there to enter the building for our elected officials. Springfield-Ritchot MLA and former Infrastructure minister Ron Schuler. (File/Winnipeg Free Press) Premier Stefanson on Dec. 14, one day before all elected members of the Manitoba Legislature were required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter. Liberty has its price, today I paid for mine. PC MLA for Springfield-Ritchot, Ron Schuler, Dec. 30, after being kicked out of cabinet. Self-proclaimed martyr, Ron Schuler, was finally turfed from Heather Stefansons cabinet this week, following weeks of speculation over his vaccination status. Stefansons decision to sideline Schuler who until Thursday served as infrastructure minister, and oversaw the Emergency Measures Organization came nearly two weeks after her Dec. 15 ultimatum for all elected members of the legislature, their constituency assistants, public servants who work elsewhere, and visiting members of the public, to be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination in order to enter the Manitoba Legislature building. Schuler, who consistently refused to disclose his vaccination status to the public and apparently to his fellow caucus members, claimed that his personal health information was a private matter one that he did not wish to discuss publicly. Since the Dec. 15 deadline passed, it was presumed that Schuler was vaccinated as the then-minister held a press conference on Dec. 16 related to ongoing drought conditions at the legislative building. But as reported earlier this month, Premier Stefanson had vowed to expel from caucus any Tory MLA who was not fully vaccinated, without exception. Though we are not privy to the details regarding exactly why the premier acted now more than two weeks after that deadline it would seem that someone was being lied to. Either Schuler somehow managed to trick his boss, Premier Stefanson, or the premier and her colleagues knew that the infrastructure minister fibbed and were lying to Manitobans until they couldnt anymore. At this point, its difficult to say which one is more likely, for it should have been easy for the government to demand to see his vaccination card the same one that all Manitobans have to show in order to get into restaurants or live sporting events. Did this not happen? And if not, why not? There is also the question of Schulers close ties with Heather Stefanson. Back on Aug. 17, Schuler posted a picture of himself with then-leadership candidate Stefanson, stating that he had endorsed his good friend as the next leader of the PC Party of Manitoba. I have known Heather and Jason Stefanson since I was 18 years, Schuler tweeted. Was the premier reluctant to bounce an old family friend from cabinet? Earlier this month, our sister paper, the Winnipeg Free Press, argued that Ron Schuler should be removed from cabinet as he continued to contradict his own governments policies on COVID-19 vaccinates. Mr. Schuler said he is not an anti-vaxxer and says he believes in vaccinations, the Free Press wrote. But he repeated several times that getting immunized is a personal choice, adding people shouldnt be bullied or cajoled. Not once did he support his governments position on vaccine mandates, proof-of-vaccination policies or its almost-daily messaging to get immunized. In fact, in the year that vaccines have been available to the public for COVID-19, Schuler has not once on his Twitter account urged anyone to get vaccinated, nor has he done so in any other form publicly. And his continued mantra that vaccination is a personal choice has only served to vindicate those who are vaccine hesitant in our society. Its not like he can say he doesnt know someone who has been impacted by COVID-19. Schulers own constituency assistant, Gladys Hayward Williams, died on Nov. 18 after battling COVID-19. A source close to the situation told the Free Press that Ms. Williams, who was unvaccinated, died as a direct result of the misinformation that had been fed to her by Ron Schuler as well as others in the community. There are consequences to spreading misinformation, and Mr. Schuler should know all too well what they are. Schulers tweet yesterday about how he has paid for his freedom is a slap in the face to those who have done their part, following health orders for two years, staying home when sick or when restrictions required it, who wore a mask and got vaccinated. And quite frankly, its an insult to the families of those who have died as a result of COVID-19. For a government that, until now, has been urging all Manitobans to roll up their sleeves and get vaccinated as the best way to end the pandemic, he should never have had a seat at the cabinet table for so long. Premier Stefanson, were glad you finally made the right decision. But it took you long enough to get there. Why is that? Virginias reputation as a political bellwether, and relative swing state, has disguised one of the great challenges facing the commonwealth: We are not only deeply divided, but to a striking extent Virginians of different political outlooks are dispersed geographically from one another, and thus losing our connections and sense of shared purpose. The problem and possible consequences are grave, and the trend is likely to intensify. But there is a set of institutions at the ready that can and must help make sure Virginians understand one another better and can navigate those differences: Virginias best-in-the-nation collection of residential public universities. The political dispersal across Virginia has become clearer with each recent election. Overall, Virginia has been trending blue, but as November showed, we still stand out as one of the nations swing states, something the redistricting process might reinforce. However, statewide totals mask the reality that more and more Virginians live in political bubbles, with less and less exposure to alternative political views at least when it comes to friends down the street and neighbors, not social media caricatures. In the 2001 gubernatorial election, only seven of Virginias 133 localities saw one candidate receive more than two-thirds of the local vote. Put differently, 20 years ago, the overwhelming majority of Virginians just in going about daily life interacted regularly with people of significantly different political perspectives. But fast forward to the 2021 gubernatorial election the number of greater than two-thirds localities increased dramatically, to 61. At an even further extreme, in the 2017 gubernatorial election, only five localities saw one candidate poll 80% or more: Charlottesville and Petersburg were more than 80% Democratic, and Bland, Scott and Tazewell Counties in Southwest Virginia were more than 80% Republican. In 2021, there were 16 such localities (two Democratic, 14 Republican). As Dwayne Yancey of Cardinal News noted soon after Election Day in highlighting these trends, These kinds of splits cant be healthy for the country. Virginias economic disparities also are tearing at the commonwealths thread of shared experience. In early November at the Governors Summit on Rural Prosperity, hosted at Longwood, Hamilton Lombard of the University of Virginias Weldon Cooper Center laid bare the extremes within Virginias borders. Median household income in Loudoun County is $142,299, among the very highest in the country. In Dickenson County, its $29,932. In no other state, Lombard noted, is there such a wide gap between the richest and poorest counties. And its not just Dickenson there are, stunningly, 32 other Virginia localities that have a wider gap with Loudoun than you will find between any two localities in any other state. These gaps are profoundly consequential. Governance and citizenship are, at heart, endeavors of empathy and understanding in the face of common challenges. The commonwealths challenges today feel very different, depending on whether you live in Southside, Southwest or Northern Virginia. Understanding what others think and what experiences prompted their views is virtually impossible if you have little direct human contact with those whose experiences are different. Amid this division, there still is one place where Virginians from a range of backgrounds come together and live in close proximity: our states residential college campuses, particularly our great public universities. Geographically, students come to Virginias public universities from every corner of the commonwealth. In terms of racial background, its taken far too long over the arc of history, but fall 2020 data show 39% of undergraduates at Virginia four-year public universities are students of color. The comparable census figure for Virginias overall population is a nearly identical 40%. On the commonwealths campuses, there cant help but be a mix of perspectives, including on politics. At Longwood, we have undergraduates from 113 Virginia localities, from Dickinson to Fairfax. In a mirror of the state, a slight majority of our students come from localities carried by Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin, but there is no dominant partisanship. Everyone must navigate the challenges of residence hall life, share meals, and listen respectfully and learn in classrooms under the guidance of professors who despite the criticism they sometimes unfairly take care about nothing so much as seeing students open their minds and form their own views of the world, even if those views may differ from their own. In my experience, our student body reflects quite accurately the spectrum of overall views in Virginia. We have liberals and conservatives, but also a larger-than-you-might-expect group in the middle. Students welcome this variety. I suspect most of our students from both Fairfax and more rural areas are eager to get out of their bubbles, and meet people with different backgrounds and views. Some grow more confident in their views, but many evolve in one direction or the other. What matters is they all are together, in person, living and learning and navigating diversity and difference in every dimension. If Virginias trends continue, we have to assume this might be the best chance for them to have that experience. Our demographic trends command colleges to take this responsibility seriously to cultivate exposure to a range of perspectives, backgrounds and outlooks. In the quest for research greatness or global prestige and other goals, none of them necessarily unworthy, American higher education in recent decades often has fallen down on its most basic job: training citizens. That doesnt mean indoctrination. In fact, it means the opposite: exposure to wide perspective. It also means starting with the premise that democracy is more than just a form of government to learn about in a political science class its the purpose of college. Career skills are important but will be developed naturally if we nurture the skills of citizenship: understanding of democratic processes, critical thinking, scientific literacy, civil argument and helping students navigate real differences of experience. Longwood is a national leader in this work. This years senior class is our first to graduate having completed in its entirety our Civitae Core Curriculum, with training for democracy its north star. Civitae begins with a series of specialized classes starting as soon as they arrive, and culminates in a senior Symposium on the Common Good. These courses, which constitute the general education path students take outside their major, are taught in small settings by top faculty. They move across disciplines because civic challenges rarely fit neatly into buckets. Students are pushed to sift evidence, to write and speak clearly, to work together in diverse teams and to reckon with real-world civic challenges, among the many that await them upon graduation. When its easy to despair for the future, I draw hope from Longwood students like Anne Patterson. A senior political science major from Charlottesville, shes been a leader on campus since freshman year, something which has exposed her during this fraught time politically to people with a wide range of perspectives. Weve spoken together about how Longwoods Civitae curriculum has given purpose and coherence to her college path, exposing her to a range of disciplines, and to faculty and fellow students who have broadened her horizons. When you all agree with each other, youre not really learning, she told me recently. Everyone can grow from gaining perspectives. Even if you dont agree with someone elses opinions, all of these classes have taught me and others how to engage in those conversation, and how to still learn even if you dont change your opinion You get to know how someone else thinks. Its a skill that will be more and more urgent for Virginia in the decades to come, amid the divergent pull and tectonics of geography and politics. And its one that Virginias public universities like Longwood can and must nurture for the generations ahead. VALPARAISO Riders can now view real-time bus updates and catch up on local happenings while they wait for the V-Line, thanks to new digital signs sprinkled throughout the city. Six digital Soofa signs were introduced to major bus stops in Valparaiso, according to a city news release. The solar-powered signs will give real-time updates on bus routes and arrivals, while also featuring ads and local news. The signs can operate at "full potential" with 5-6 hours of direct sunlight a day, according to the Soofa website. Launched in 2014, Soofa signs can be found in 10 states and Washington, D.C., with plans to expand to five more. The 42-inch reflective screens have the same black-and-white electronic ink display found in Amazon Kindles. Rather than being backlit, the signs are reflective, causing less light pollution. The signs are bolted into the ground at the downtown Michigan Avenue transfer station, HealthLinc, Town & Country, Housing Opportunities, ValPLAYso and the Harre Union at Valparaiso University. Funded largely through a Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission grant, Soofa signs track pedestrian traffic, giving Valparaiso insight into use of public space. The Soofa signs make riding the V-Line even more convenient," Beth Shrader, Valparaisos transit and planning director, said. "We encourage people to go car-free and see how easy it is to use Valpo Transit." Mumbai, Jan 1 : Fulfilling an election promise, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday announced a complete waiver of property tax on residential properties in Mumbai measuring up to 500 sq ft in the New Year. The decision will prove a boon for lakhs of middle and lower-middle class property holders, and comes at a critical stage ahead of the upcoming elections to BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The Shiv Sena, headed by Thackeray, has been ruling the roost in BMC, the country's biggest and richest civic body, for over a quarter of a century now. "We had made this promise before the 2017 civic elections and now we are honouring it. The decision shall be implemented with immediate effect," Thackeray said after a meeting with the Urban Development Department. Presently, there are more than 16 lakh homes in Mumbai, which are up to or less than 500 sq ft area and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) largesse would significantly benefit them. On the flip side, the BMC is likely to forfeit a revenue of around Rs 450 crore by the waiver, but it is expected to have several other advantages as the recent activities in the realty markets indicate. The CM assured that the Shiv Sena and the MVA are committed to give a fillip to Mumbai's development and it's now the fourth generation of Thackerays who are working to take it to new heights. "I appeal to Mumbaikars to support us as the Shiv Sena and MVA are fully capable of taking care of everything, especially the efforts to tackle the ongoing Covid-19 health crises," said Thackeray. Saturday's meeting was attended by Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde (Sena), Ports Minister Aslam Shaikh (Congress), who is also Guardian Minister for Mumbai City, Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray, who is the Guardian Minister for Mumbai Suburbs, Chief Secretary Debasish Chakrabarty, Mayor Kishori Pednekar, BMC Commissioner I.S. Chahal and others. University of Chicago men's rugby team players practice on the Midway Plaisance near the campus in Chicago, May 6, 2021. The University of Chicago is delaying its new term and holding the first two weeks online. Credit: AP Photo/Shafkat Anowar, File With COVID-19 cases surging just as students are about to return from winter break, dozens of U.S. colleges are moving classes online again for at least the first week or so of the semesterand some warn it could stretch longer if the wave of infection doesn't subside soon. Harvard is moving classes online for the first three weeks of the new year, with a return to campus scheduled for late January, "conditions permitting." The University of Chicago is delaying the beginning of its new term and holding the first two weeks online. Some others are inviting students back to campus but starting classes online, including Michigan State University. Many colleges hope that an extra week or two will get them past the peak of the nationwide spike driven by the highly contagious omicron variant. Still, the surge is casting uncertainty over a semester many had hoped would be the closest to normal since the start of the pandemic. For some students, starting the term remotely is becoming routinemany colleges used the strategy last year amid a wave of cases. But some fear the latest shift could extend well beyond a week or two. Jake Maynard, a student at George Washington University in the nation's capital, said he is fine with a week of online classes, but beyond that, he hopes officials trust in the booster shots and provide a traditional college experience. He has already taken a year of online learning, which he said "did not work" and wasn't what he expected from a school that charges more than $50,000 a year. "I'm a junior, but about half my schooling experience has been online," said Maynard, 20, of Ellicott City, Maryland. "You lose so much of what makes the school the school." A woman walks by a Yale sign reflected in the rainwater in the street on the Yale University campus in New Haven, CT, Aug. 22, 2021. More than 40 colleges across 16 states are starting the term online, and others say they're considering it. Many making the move now use quarter systems that start earlier than those with semesters.Credit: AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File The university is inviting students back to campus starting Monday, but classes will be held online until Jan. 18 as officials ramp up virus testing and isolate any infected students. The school has more than doubled its isolation space and moved up the deadline for a new booster shot requirement by three weeks because of omicron. "The omicron variant hit us at a terrible time, basically the last couple weeks of the fall semester, which doesn't give us much time to prepare for spring," said Dr. Lynn Goldman, dean of George Washington's school of public health. The university was among many that saw infections soar in the days before winter break. The campus averaged more than 80 cases a day during finals week, compared with just a few a day for much of the fall. And while most recent cases were mild, nearly all were among students who had received at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. As for the mid-January target date for resuming in-person learning, Goldman said officials "recognize there's some possibility that it won't be possible." So far, more than 70 colleges across 26 states are starting the term online, and others say they are considering it. Many making the move now use quarter systems that start earlier than those with semesters. Many of those shifting online are in recent virus hot spots, including George Washington, Yale and Columbia on the East Coast, along with Wayne State University in Detroit and Northwestern University near Chicago. The list also includes most of the University of California campuses and Rice University in Houston. At the University of California, Riverside, students can return on Monday but face two weeks of online classes. They are also being being asked to sequester for five days while they undergo two rounds of virus testing. Students walk near the Widener Library at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., Aug. 13, 2019. Harvard University is telling students to take classes from home for three weeks, with a return to campus scheduled for late January, "conditions permitting." Credit: AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File It's the first time since last spring that the school has moved fully remote, but Chancellor Kim Wilcox said it is the best way to prevent the virus from spreading after students return from holiday travel. "We think about it as rebuilding our bubble," he said. "It gives us a chance to reset things and then hopefully be off and running." Some other colleges are delaying the new term without offering remote classes. Syracuse University pushed its semester back a week, citing projections that the first three weeks of January will be "the most challenging of this surge." Others are pressing ahead with in-person learning, saying the health risks are low with masks and booster shots. At Northeastern University in Boston, one of a growing number of schools requiring boosters, students are returning as planned. Officials said the school is shifting its focus from preventing all cases to warding off serious illness or hospitalization. "As we move into this endemic phase of the pandemic, our job is to continue to control COVID effectively, not let COVID control us," Ken Henderson, chancellor and senior vice president for learning, said in a message to the campus. The move drew praise from Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, who said COVID-19 poses little risk to college students, while "prolonged isolation is a very real risk to their growth and mental health." Pedestrians walk near a Northeastern University sign on the school's campus in Boston, Jan. 31, 2019. At Northeastern University in Boston, one of a growing number of schools requiring boosters, students are returning to campus as planned.Credit: AP Photo/Rodrique Ngowi, File The University of Florida plans to return to in-person learning at the start of the semester, despite a request from a faculty union to teach remotely for the first three weeks. Paul Ortiz, president of the campus chapter of the United Faculty of Florida, said older faculty members will be at higher risk, especially with no mask or vaccine mandates, which have been outlawed by GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis. "We do not want our campus to become a super-spreader," Ortiz said. "There's just a lot of uncertainty right now, a lot of stress." At some colleges starting remotely, officials say they are committed to a quick return to the classroom. The 50,000-student campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign plans to resume in-person classes after one week of online instruction. Students are being encouraged to return during that first week so they can take two virus tests, which will clear them to resume in-person activities if they test negative. "Every semester we've had a spike when students come back," university spokesperson Robin Kaler said. "We want to make sure we're on top of that so we can crush it as quickly as possible." Explore further California State University to require COVID-19 boosters 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. 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. 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. Arizonas intensive care units are full, our voting rights are in danger, and Tucson just set a record for homicides. So why am I feeling hopeful? In part, its just a New Years resolution try to focus more on the good while maintaining my natural skepticism. But also, I think optimism is justified, even now, even if it is a struggle to sustain it. Theres a tendency in our culture these days not just to focus on the negative, but also to see catastrophe looming. Thats probably natural in a time of an ongoing pandemic that has killed more than 800,000 fellow Americans. But its also common to see people catastrophizing about unlikely or even baseless threats. Or at least highlighting the bad and missing the good. This has perhaps been a tendency in my writing. The catastrophizing is easier to see in people you disagree with. So, for me, I notice it especially among the political right wing, though it also exists elsewhere. As the 2022 elections approach, Republican candidates are trying to outdo each other in their aggressive fear-mongering about the future of the country. Take, for example, the GOPs U.S. Senate candidates vying to run against Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly in 2022. I think if you intentionally wanted to destroy this country, youd govern the same way Joe Biden is governing, said Blake Masters, the candidate from Tucson, in a recent interview. If we retreat or hide away, the country really is over. My children, and yours, will grow up in a place we dont recognize. Attorney General Mark Brnovich, also a GOP candidate, said on Fox News that Democrats like Kelly are essentially far left and neo-Marxists. They really believe they want to redistribute wealth. ... They want to destroy the middle class of this country, and theyre going to do it by any means necessary. Asked in an interview what he sees as the greatest existential threat to the country, businessman Jim Lamon dove in: Marxism being perpetuated, in my view, by the CCP, Communist Chinese Party, (and) many of the Americans that have basically, they are agents that have sold out. And that includes politicians, federal agencies, even media, etc. The American way of life, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the freedoms that weve so enjoyed in this country for so long, over 200 years, and have proven to be some of the greatest abilities for humble people like myself to be able to live that dream, are being threatened. All of this is hogwash. There is no Marxist threat to the country. The country is not being destroyed, intentionally or accidentally. All thats happening is a ratcheting up of rhetoric as politicians compete for Republican primary votes, motivating their electorate by raising terrifying specters. Its boring to say that you favor less social spending than the Democrats do, so candidates and commentators are going full Red Scare. Pandemic hopes While its easier for me to detect the catastrophizing on the right, and it is more present there now as it was in the two years after President Barack Obama took office I also catch it on the political left, the side I tend to inhabit. Lately, even with the COVID-19 pandemic resurging, I see cause for hope while many see a new reason to panic. The bad news is, of course, that the omicron variant evades the existing immunity some people have, from vaccines or previous infections, meaning that there are many more cases of COVID-19. That also means that some severe cases, and even deaths, will continue to occur. Will Humble, the former director of the Arizona Department of Health Services and current head of the Arizona Public Health Association, issued a dire warning on a Phoenix TV interview: January of 2022, I think, is going to be the worst of the entire pandemic. Maybe so, but the evidence isnt clear so far. Even as COVID-19 cases have increased over the last couple of months, hospitalizations for COVID-19 have not followed that trend, according to state health department data. Beds in intensive care units are almost full, but not primarily with COVID-19 patients. Thats different from the the previous peaks of COVID-19 hospitalization, in July 2020 and January 2021, when patients with COVID-19 made up 57% and 66%, respectively, of all those patients in Arizona ICUs. This week, that figure was at 37%, down from a recent high of 42%. We should take precautions, for sure, including wearing high-quality masks indoors and getting vaccinated, even though many vaccinated people are testing positive. A recent preliminary study from Denmark concluded that people with vaccine boosters transmit the omicron variant of the virus less than those with two vaccine shots and, of course, less than unvaccinated people. Additional help is on the way: A new medication is being distributed that, in studies, reduced the likelihood of hospitalization for COVID-19, among vulnerable people, by 89%. And U.S. Army researchers are entering the latter stages of evaluating a vaccine that works against all SARS viruses, including COVID-19. In other words, this pandemic may be in a dangerous moment now, but it may not end up as bad as previous peaks, and promising developments suggest it could wind down in 2022. So Im hopeful. Murder record and democracy A lot hinges on the course of the pandemic. In Tucson, homicides hit a new record last year, topping 90 for the first time. A common theme was that verbal altercations turned physical, then into gunfire. People had short fuses a common problem around the country in COVID-19 days. Theres no clear reason to think that will improve this year, but I am hopeful that if the pandemic conditions moderate, it wont be this bad again. Also, the Tucson Police Department has a new chief, Chad Kasmar, who seems to have buy-in from the public, the City Council, and the rank and file. Maybe hell help with prevention efforts. The economy could also help. The job market remains tight, meaning workers have lots of opportunities and leverage for higher wages. Tax revenues are high. The economic resurgence in Tucson and elsewhere could be explosive in 2022 if the pandemic eases. That could make housing less unaffordable for Tucson wage earners, who watched rents and home prices spiral out of reach in 2021. All of this is promising, but theres one problem we have that I cant see optimistically from any angle: the assault on our democracy. A small cabal of plotters, inspired by Donald Trump, have convinced most Republicans that the 2020 election was stolen from them. It clearly wasnt Trump simply was an unpopular candidate among the swing voters who decided the election. But all their bluster and misinformation is leading the GOP majority in this state and others to make voting harder and even to try to give themselves power over election outcomes. State Rep. Shawnna Bolick proposed legislation last year that would have allowed a simple majority of legislators to overturn certified election results a shocking idea. Now shes running to be Arizonas elections head as secretary of state. If she or state Rep. Mark Finchem, the Oro Valley right-wing radical, were to win that office this year, the damage to our democracy could be severe. I wish I were optimistic about that, but its going to be a tough fight. Now lets move on to sunnier topics like climate change. Just kidding. COLUMBIA A South Carolina lawmaker wants the state to pay for those people it wrongfully executes, beginning with the family of George Stinney. A bill filed in the House of Representatives ahead of the upcoming legislative session would establish the George Stinney Fund, which would provide $10 million to families of those exonerated after being executed, no matter how much time has lapsed. The bill is named for the 14-year-old Black teen convicted in the brutal murder of two White girls in Clarendon County and executed by electrocution in June 1944. A judge vacated Stinney's conviction in 2014, finding numerous instances of his constitutional rights being violated, from his arrest to an hours-long trial and conviction by an all-White jury only months after the girls were found dead. "We can't do justice, because justice would be us resurrecting Mr. Stinney and allowing him to have a good life," said state Rep. Cezar McKnight, D-Kingstree, who sponsored the bill. "But what we can do is atone for what we've done, and that's what we need to do." McKnight said he was moved to author the bill during a ceremony to unveil a portrait for Judge Clifton Newman in the Williamsburg County Courthouse. Newman remarked that he was honored by the portrait but not that it would share space with a picture of Judge Phillip Stoll, who presided over Stinney's trial and sentenced him to death. Funding for the measure, co-sponsored by Greenville Republican Mike Burns and Orangeburg Democrat Gilda Cobb-Hunter, would be created with $10 million from a Department of Administration reserve fund. The money would be awarded in the form of a grant application to the family of anyone executed and later exonerated by a court in South Carolina, regardless of when. Circuit Judge Carmen Mullen, in overturning Stinney's conviction, wrote that significant progress had been made toward racial equality in the years after Stinney's death. "Regardless of that progress, from time to time we are called to look back to examine our still-recent history and correct injustice when possible," Mullen wrote. South Carolina made headlines in 2021 when lawmakers passed a bill allowing prison officials to execute death-row inmates by electric chair or firing squad amid a shortage in drugs used in lethal injection. In a debate over the bill in April, McKnight said he agreed with the death penalty in principle but that he opposed the state carrying out executions because of cases of people known to have been wrongfully executed or where there was significant doubt over their guilt. "It's not one of those black-and-white issues, because I can't sit here and tell you that I wouldn't want someone executed for harming a loved one of mine," McKnight told The Post and Courier. "But by the same token, we don't have the ability to resurrect people that we execute, so I've got some trepidations about it. I just do." VALPARAISO Riders can now view real-time bus updates and catch up on local happenings while they wait for the V-Line, thanks to new digital signs sprinkled throughout the city. Six digital Soofa signs were introduced to major bus stops in Valparaiso, according to a city news release. The solar-powered signs will give real-time updates on bus routes and arrivals, while also featuring ads and local news. The signs can operate at "full potential" with 5-6 hours of direct sunlight a day, according to the Soofa website. Launched in 2014, Soofa signs can be found in 10 states and Washington, D.C., with plans to expand to five more. The 42-inch reflective screens have the same black-and-white electronic ink display found in Amazon Kindles. Rather than being backlit, the signs are reflective, causing less light pollution. The signs are bolted into the ground at the downtown Michigan Avenue transfer station, HealthLinc, Town & Country, Housing Opportunities, ValPLAYso and the Harre Union at Valparaiso University. Funded largely through a Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission grant, Soofa signs track pedestrian traffic, giving Valparaiso insight into use of public space. The Soofa signs make riding the V-Line even more convenient," Beth Shrader, Valparaisos transit and planning director, said. "We encourage people to go car-free and see how easy it is to use Valpo Transit." COLUMBIA A South Carolina lawmaker wants the state to pay for those people it wrongfully executes, beginning with the family of George Stinney. A bill filed in the House of Representatives ahead of the upcoming legislative session would establish the George Stinney Fund, which would provide $10 million to families of those exonerated after being executed, no matter how much time has lapsed. The bill is named for the 14-year-old Black teen convicted in the brutal murder of two White girls in Clarendon County and executed by electrocution in June 1944. A judge vacated Stinney's conviction in 2014, finding numerous instances of his constitutional rights being violated, from his arrest to an hours-long trial and conviction by an all-White jury only months after the girls were found dead. "We can't do justice, because justice would be us resurrecting Mr. Stinney and allowing him to have a good life," said state Rep. Cezar McKnight, D-Kingstree, who sponsored the bill. "But what we can do is atone for what we've done, and that's what we need to do." McKnight said he was moved to author the bill during a ceremony to unveil a portrait for Judge Clifton Newman in the Williamsburg County Courthouse. Newman remarked that he was honored by the portrait but not that it would share space with a picture of Judge Phillip Stoll, who presided over Stinney's trial and sentenced him to death. Funding for the measure, co-sponsored by Greenville Republican Mike Burns and Orangeburg Democrat Gilda Cobb-Hunter, would be created with $10 million from a Department of Administration reserve fund. The money would be awarded in the form of a grant application to the family of anyone executed and later exonerated by a court in South Carolina, regardless of when. Circuit Judge Carmen Mullen, in overturning Stinney's conviction, wrote that significant progress had been made toward racial equality in the years after Stinney's death. "Regardless of that progress, from time to time we are called to look back to examine our still-recent history and correct injustice when possible," Mullen wrote. South Carolina made headlines in 2021 when lawmakers passed a bill allowing prison officials to execute death-row inmates by electric chair or firing squad amid a shortage in drugs used in lethal injection. In a debate over the bill in April, McKnight said he agreed with the death penalty in principle but that he opposed the state carrying out executions because of cases of people known to have been wrongfully executed or where there was significant doubt over their guilt. "It's not one of those black-and-white issues, because I can't sit here and tell you that I wouldn't want someone executed for harming a loved one of mine," McKnight told The Post and Courier. "But by the same token, we don't have the ability to resurrect people that we execute, so I've got some trepidations about it. I just do." University of Chicago men's rugby team players practice on the Midway Plaisance near the campus in Chicago, May 6, 2021. The University of Chicago is delaying its new term and holding the first two weeks online. Credit: AP Photo/Shafkat Anowar, File With COVID-19 cases surging just as students are about to return from winter break, dozens of U.S. colleges are moving classes online again for at least the first week or so of the semesterand some warn it could stretch longer if the wave of infection doesn't subside soon. Harvard is moving classes online for the first three weeks of the new year, with a return to campus scheduled for late January, "conditions permitting." The University of Chicago is delaying the beginning of its new term and holding the first two weeks online. Some others are inviting students back to campus but starting classes online, including Michigan State University. Many colleges hope that an extra week or two will get them past the peak of the nationwide spike driven by the highly contagious omicron variant. Still, the surge is casting uncertainty over a semester many had hoped would be the closest to normal since the start of the pandemic. For some students, starting the term remotely is becoming routinemany colleges used the strategy last year amid a wave of cases. But some fear the latest shift could extend well beyond a week or two. Jake Maynard, a student at George Washington University in the nation's capital, said he is fine with a week of online classes, but beyond that, he hopes officials trust in the booster shots and provide a traditional college experience. He has already taken a year of online learning, which he said "did not work" and wasn't what he expected from a school that charges more than $50,000 a year. "I'm a junior, but about half my schooling experience has been online," said Maynard, 20, of Ellicott City, Maryland. "You lose so much of what makes the school the school." A woman walks by a Yale sign reflected in the rainwater in the street on the Yale University campus in New Haven, CT, Aug. 22, 2021. More than 40 colleges across 16 states are starting the term online, and others say they're considering it. Many making the move now use quarter systems that start earlier than those with semesters.Credit: AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File The university is inviting students back to campus starting Monday, but classes will be held online until Jan. 18 as officials ramp up virus testing and isolate any infected students. The school has more than doubled its isolation space and moved up the deadline for a new booster shot requirement by three weeks because of omicron. "The omicron variant hit us at a terrible time, basically the last couple weeks of the fall semester, which doesn't give us much time to prepare for spring," said Dr. Lynn Goldman, dean of George Washington's school of public health. The university was among many that saw infections soar in the days before winter break. The campus averaged more than 80 cases a day during finals week, compared with just a few a day for much of the fall. And while most recent cases were mild, nearly all were among students who had received at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. As for the mid-January target date for resuming in-person learning, Goldman said officials "recognize there's some possibility that it won't be possible." So far, more than 70 colleges across 26 states are starting the term online, and others say they are considering it. Many making the move now use quarter systems that start earlier than those with semesters. Many of those shifting online are in recent virus hot spots, including George Washington, Yale and Columbia on the East Coast, along with Wayne State University in Detroit and Northwestern University near Chicago. The list also includes most of the University of California campuses and Rice University in Houston. At the University of California, Riverside, students can return on Monday but face two weeks of online classes. They are also being being asked to sequester for five days while they undergo two rounds of virus testing. Students walk near the Widener Library at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., Aug. 13, 2019. Harvard University is telling students to take classes from home for three weeks, with a return to campus scheduled for late January, "conditions permitting." Credit: AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File It's the first time since last spring that the school has moved fully remote, but Chancellor Kim Wilcox said it is the best way to prevent the virus from spreading after students return from holiday travel. "We think about it as rebuilding our bubble," he said. "It gives us a chance to reset things and then hopefully be off and running." Some other colleges are delaying the new term without offering remote classes. Syracuse University pushed its semester back a week, citing projections that the first three weeks of January will be "the most challenging of this surge." Others are pressing ahead with in-person learning, saying the health risks are low with masks and booster shots. At Northeastern University in Boston, one of a growing number of schools requiring boosters, students are returning as planned. Officials said the school is shifting its focus from preventing all cases to warding off serious illness or hospitalization. "As we move into this endemic phase of the pandemic, our job is to continue to control COVID effectively, not let COVID control us," Ken Henderson, chancellor and senior vice president for learning, said in a message to the campus. The move drew praise from Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, who said COVID-19 poses little risk to college students, while "prolonged isolation is a very real risk to their growth and mental health." Pedestrians walk near a Northeastern University sign on the school's campus in Boston, Jan. 31, 2019. At Northeastern University in Boston, one of a growing number of schools requiring boosters, students are returning to campus as planned.Credit: AP Photo/Rodrique Ngowi, File The University of Florida plans to return to in-person learning at the start of the semester, despite a request from a faculty union to teach remotely for the first three weeks. Paul Ortiz, president of the campus chapter of the United Faculty of Florida, said older faculty members will be at higher risk, especially with no mask or vaccine mandates, which have been outlawed by GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis. "We do not want our campus to become a super-spreader," Ortiz said. "There's just a lot of uncertainty right now, a lot of stress." At some colleges starting remotely, officials say they are committed to a quick return to the classroom. The 50,000-student campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign plans to resume in-person classes after one week of online instruction. Students are being encouraged to return during that first week so they can take two virus tests, which will clear them to resume in-person activities if they test negative. "Every semester we've had a spike when students come back," university spokesperson Robin Kaler said. "We want to make sure we're on top of that so we can crush it as quickly as possible." Explore further California State University to require COVID-19 boosters 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Preparing this column for Jan. 1, it seemed obvious to write about Beginning Anew, a ceremonial practice in the Plum Village Zen Buddhist tradition used when relationships need a reset, which happens a lot when people live together. It also can be used to renew oneself. As much of our own happiness is connected with the people around us, it is good to know ways to keep these relationships harmonious. Two good resources to learn about the practice are the books Beginning Anew: Four Steps to Restoring Communication by Sr. Chan Kong and Happiness: Essential Mindfulness Practices by Thich Nhat Hanh, or you can check the website plumvillage.org. However, a successful Beginning Anew session requires the abilities to listen carefully and to speak lovingly. Without these skills, Beginning Anew can be insincere and potentially hurtful. The cultivation of these two skills would be a true blessing for the New Year, within or outside of a ceremony. And so my writing turns to preparing the ground in which Beginning Anew can flourish. In Buddhist practice we honor the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. A Plum Village recitation says We invoke your name, Avalokiteshvara. We aspire to learn your way... to practice listening with all our attention and open-heartedness. We will sit and listen without any prejudice. We will sit and listen without judging or reacting. We will sit and listen in order to understand. We will sit and listen so attentively that we will be able to hear what the other person is saying and also what is being left unsaid. We know that just by listening deeply we already alleviate a great deal of pain and suffering in the other person. When we invoke a bodhisattva, were not calling on a third-party, saintly being to save us; we are calling on those qualities we wish to bring forward in ourselves. Without these qualities, we find ourselves supposedly listening, when really we are planning what we are going to say. We decide in advance the value of a persons words, because of how we perceive them. We impatiently interrupt to add our two cents or to solve their problem, or we come back at them out of anger or confusion. Have any of these kinds of listening ever helped us understand the other person? Alternatively, have you experienced someone really listening to you, being attentive, not hurrying your words or thoughts? Have you felt understood? If you were speaking from pain, sorrow, or unhappiness, did you feel better after expressing yourself and being heard, even if no solution came forth? This is the way Avalokiteshvara listens. As Nhat Hanh says, When we can sit quietly with a friend without saying anything, its as precious and important as the resting notes we need in music. Skillful speaking also is valued in Buddhist teachings: it is one of the steps of the Eightfold Path and a lay precept; yet many of us find it difficult. Simple guidelines are to speak the truth, softly and gently; and to avoid malicious talk, harsh words, and useless chatter. I believe most people try to speak honestly, but we often dont consider how we are speaking our tone of voice, choice of words, body language. As a former school teacher, I can attest that my students listened more closely to what I was saying when I spoke in a calm, low voice than when I was shouting. Malicious talk can be avoided by not speaking about someone in their absence, which eliminates a lot of gossip. And how easy it is to use harsh words! Its as if we think coarse language makes us look stronger but that is not true; mostly it makes us sound like we have limited vocabulary. Thinking of useless chatter, I remember my mother describing someone who talks just to hear themselves talk. Nhat Hanh tells us that breath is one of the three sources of vital energy, and that when we speak too much we deplete it. To speak skillfully, we might want to use this kind of checklist before opening our mouths: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary? Is it beneficial? Does it harm anyone? Is this the right time to speak? The abilities to listen deeply and speak lovingly spring from a well of inner silence. Most of us live in a noisy world of media, conversation, phone calls, and text messages. Even when we muffle outside voices, we babble inside our heads. Meditation can help us quiet, calm, and focus. We can hear what we say to ourselves, and learn to listen deeply and speak lovingly within. Our internal conversations influence our external interactions. Nhat Hanhs book Silence: The Power of Quiet in a World Full of Noise discusses how to cultivate inner silence. He says, Silence is essential. We need silence as much as we need air, just as much as plants need light. If our minds are crowded with words and thoughts, there is no space for us. The new calendar goes up on the wall, showing open pages of possibilities. Improving our capacity for listening and skill in speaking might be the change we all need, individually and globally. 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. 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. Arizonas intensive care units are full, our voting rights are in danger, and Tucson just set a record for homicides. So why am I feeling hopeful? In part, its just a New Years resolution try to focus more on the good while maintaining my natural skepticism. But also, I think optimism is justified, even now, even if it is a struggle to sustain it. Theres a tendency in our culture these days not just to focus on the negative, but also to see catastrophe looming. Thats probably natural in a time of an ongoing pandemic that has killed more than 800,000 fellow Americans. But its also common to see people catastrophizing about unlikely or even baseless threats. Or at least highlighting the bad and missing the good. This has perhaps been a tendency in my writing. The catastrophizing is easier to see in people you disagree with. So, for me, I notice it especially among the political right wing, though it also exists elsewhere. As the 2022 elections approach, Republican candidates are trying to outdo each other in their aggressive fear-mongering about the future of the country. Take, for example, the GOPs U.S. Senate candidates vying to run against Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly in 2022. I think if you intentionally wanted to destroy this country, youd govern the same way Joe Biden is governing, said Blake Masters, the candidate from Tucson, in a recent interview. If we retreat or hide away, the country really is over. My children, and yours, will grow up in a place we dont recognize. Attorney General Mark Brnovich, also a GOP candidate, said on Fox News that Democrats like Kelly are essentially far left and neo-Marxists. They really believe they want to redistribute wealth. ... They want to destroy the middle class of this country, and theyre going to do it by any means necessary. Asked in an interview what he sees as the greatest existential threat to the country, businessman Jim Lamon dove in: Marxism being perpetuated, in my view, by the CCP, Communist Chinese Party, (and) many of the Americans that have basically, they are agents that have sold out. And that includes politicians, federal agencies, even media, etc. The American way of life, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the freedoms that weve so enjoyed in this country for so long, over 200 years, and have proven to be some of the greatest abilities for humble people like myself to be able to live that dream, are being threatened. All of this is hogwash. There is no Marxist threat to the country. The country is not being destroyed, intentionally or accidentally. All thats happening is a ratcheting up of rhetoric as politicians compete for Republican primary votes, motivating their electorate by raising terrifying specters. Its boring to say that you favor less social spending than the Democrats do, so candidates and commentators are going full Red Scare. Pandemic hopes While its easier for me to detect the catastrophizing on the right, and it is more present there now as it was in the two years after President Barack Obama took office I also catch it on the political left, the side I tend to inhabit. Lately, even with the COVID-19 pandemic resurging, I see cause for hope while many see a new reason to panic. The bad news is, of course, that the omicron variant evades the existing immunity some people have, from vaccines or previous infections, meaning that there are many more cases of COVID-19. That also means that some severe cases, and even deaths, will continue to occur. Will Humble, the former director of the Arizona Department of Health Services and current head of the Arizona Public Health Association, issued a dire warning on a Phoenix TV interview: January of 2022, I think, is going to be the worst of the entire pandemic. Maybe so, but the evidence isnt clear so far. Even as COVID-19 cases have increased over the last couple of months, hospitalizations for COVID-19 have not followed that trend, according to state health department data. Beds in intensive care units are almost full, but not primarily with COVID-19 patients. Thats different from the the previous peaks of COVID-19 hospitalization, in July 2020 and January 2021, when patients with COVID-19 made up 57% and 66%, respectively, of all those patients in Arizona ICUs. This week, that figure was at 37%, down from a recent high of 42%. We should take precautions, for sure, including wearing high-quality masks indoors and getting vaccinated, even though many vaccinated people are testing positive. A recent preliminary study from Denmark concluded that people with vaccine boosters transmit the omicron variant of the virus less than those with two vaccine shots and, of course, less than unvaccinated people. Additional help is on the way: A new medication is being distributed that, in studies, reduced the likelihood of hospitalization for COVID-19, among vulnerable people, by 89%. And U.S. Army researchers are entering the latter stages of evaluating a vaccine that works against all SARS viruses, including COVID-19. In other words, this pandemic may be in a dangerous moment now, but it may not end up as bad as previous peaks, and promising developments suggest it could wind down in 2022. So Im hopeful. Murder record and democracy A lot hinges on the course of the pandemic. In Tucson, homicides hit a new record last year, topping 90 for the first time. A common theme was that verbal altercations turned physical, then into gunfire. People had short fuses a common problem around the country in COVID-19 days. Theres no clear reason to think that will improve this year, but I am hopeful that if the pandemic conditions moderate, it wont be this bad again. Also, the Tucson Police Department has a new chief, Chad Kasmar, who seems to have buy-in from the public, the City Council, and the rank and file. Maybe hell help with prevention efforts. The economy could also help. The job market remains tight, meaning workers have lots of opportunities and leverage for higher wages. Tax revenues are high. The economic resurgence in Tucson and elsewhere could be explosive in 2022 if the pandemic eases. That could make housing less unaffordable for Tucson wage earners, who watched rents and home prices spiral out of reach in 2021. All of this is promising, but theres one problem we have that I cant see optimistically from any angle: the assault on our democracy. A small cabal of plotters, inspired by Donald Trump, have convinced most Republicans that the 2020 election was stolen from them. It clearly wasnt Trump simply was an unpopular candidate among the swing voters who decided the election. But all their bluster and misinformation is leading the GOP majority in this state and others to make voting harder and even to try to give themselves power over election outcomes. State Rep. Shawnna Bolick proposed legislation last year that would have allowed a simple majority of legislators to overturn certified election results a shocking idea. Now shes running to be Arizonas elections head as secretary of state. If she or state Rep. Mark Finchem, the Oro Valley right-wing radical, were to win that office this year, the damage to our democracy could be severe. I wish I were optimistic about that, but its going to be a tough fight. Now lets move on to sunnier topics like climate change. Just kidding. Arizonas intensive care units are full, our voting rights are in danger, and Tucson just set a record for homicides. So why am I feeling hopeful? In part, its just a New Years resolution try to focus more on the good while maintaining my natural skepticism. But also, I think optimism is justified, even now, even if it is a struggle to sustain it. Theres a tendency in our culture these days not just to focus on the negative, but also to see catastrophe looming. Thats probably natural in a time of an ongoing pandemic that has killed more than 800,000 fellow Americans. But its also common to see people catastrophizing about unlikely or even baseless threats. Or at least highlighting the bad and missing the good. This has perhaps been a tendency in my writing. The catastrophizing is easier to see in people you disagree with. So, for me, I notice it especially among the political right wing, though it also exists elsewhere. As the 2022 elections approach, Republican candidates are trying to outdo each other in their aggressive fear-mongering about the future of the country. Take, for example, the GOPs U.S. Senate candidates vying to run against Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly in 2022. I think if you intentionally wanted to destroy this country, youd govern the same way Joe Biden is governing, said Blake Masters, the candidate from Tucson, in a recent interview. If we retreat or hide away, the country really is over. My children, and yours, will grow up in a place we dont recognize. Attorney General Mark Brnovich, also a GOP candidate, said on Fox News that Democrats like Kelly are essentially far left and neo-Marxists. They really believe they want to redistribute wealth. ... They want to destroy the middle class of this country, and theyre going to do it by any means necessary. Asked in an interview what he sees as the greatest existential threat to the country, businessman Jim Lamon dove in: Marxism being perpetuated, in my view, by the CCP, Communist Chinese Party, (and) many of the Americans that have basically, they are agents that have sold out. And that includes politicians, federal agencies, even media, etc. The American way of life, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the freedoms that weve so enjoyed in this country for so long, over 200 years, and have proven to be some of the greatest abilities for humble people like myself to be able to live that dream, are being threatened. All of this is hogwash. There is no Marxist threat to the country. The country is not being destroyed, intentionally or accidentally. All thats happening is a ratcheting up of rhetoric as politicians compete for Republican primary votes, motivating their electorate by raising terrifying specters. Its boring to say that you favor less social spending than the Democrats do, so candidates and commentators are going full Red Scare. Pandemic hopes While its easier for me to detect the catastrophizing on the right, and it is more present there now as it was in the two years after President Barack Obama took office I also catch it on the political left, the side I tend to inhabit. Lately, even with the COVID-19 pandemic resurging, I see cause for hope while many see a new reason to panic. The bad news is, of course, that the omicron variant evades the existing immunity some people have, from vaccines or previous infections, meaning that there are many more cases of COVID-19. That also means that some severe cases, and even deaths, will continue to occur. Will Humble, the former director of the Arizona Department of Health Services and current head of the Arizona Public Health Association, issued a dire warning on a Phoenix TV interview: January of 2022, I think, is going to be the worst of the entire pandemic. Maybe so, but the evidence isnt clear so far. Even as COVID-19 cases have increased over the last couple of months, hospitalizations for COVID-19 have not followed that trend, according to state health department data. Beds in intensive care units are almost full, but not primarily with COVID-19 patients. Thats different from the the previous peaks of COVID-19 hospitalization, in July 2020 and January 2021, when patients with COVID-19 made up 57% and 66%, respectively, of all those patients in Arizona ICUs. This week, that figure was at 37%, down from a recent high of 42%. We should take precautions, for sure, including wearing high-quality masks indoors and getting vaccinated, even though many vaccinated people are testing positive. A recent preliminary study from Denmark concluded that people with vaccine boosters transmit the omicron variant of the virus less than those with two vaccine shots and, of course, less than unvaccinated people. Additional help is on the way: A new medication is being distributed that, in studies, reduced the likelihood of hospitalization for COVID-19, among vulnerable people, by 89%. And U.S. Army researchers are entering the latter stages of evaluating a vaccine that works against all SARS viruses, including COVID-19. In other words, this pandemic may be in a dangerous moment now, but it may not end up as bad as previous peaks, and promising developments suggest it could wind down in 2022. So Im hopeful. Murder record and democracy A lot hinges on the course of the pandemic. In Tucson, homicides hit a new record last year, topping 90 for the first time. A common theme was that verbal altercations turned physical, then into gunfire. People had short fuses a common problem around the country in COVID-19 days. Theres no clear reason to think that will improve this year, but I am hopeful that if the pandemic conditions moderate, it wont be this bad again. Also, the Tucson Police Department has a new chief, Chad Kasmar, who seems to have buy-in from the public, the City Council, and the rank and file. Maybe hell help with prevention efforts. The economy could also help. The job market remains tight, meaning workers have lots of opportunities and leverage for higher wages. Tax revenues are high. The economic resurgence in Tucson and elsewhere could be explosive in 2022 if the pandemic eases. That could make housing less unaffordable for Tucson wage earners, who watched rents and home prices spiral out of reach in 2021. All of this is promising, but theres one problem we have that I cant see optimistically from any angle: the assault on our democracy. A small cabal of plotters, inspired by Donald Trump, have convinced most Republicans that the 2020 election was stolen from them. It clearly wasnt Trump simply was an unpopular candidate among the swing voters who decided the election. But all their bluster and misinformation is leading the GOP majority in this state and others to make voting harder and even to try to give themselves power over election outcomes. State Rep. Shawnna Bolick proposed legislation last year that would have allowed a simple majority of legislators to overturn certified election results a shocking idea. Now shes running to be Arizonas elections head as secretary of state. If she or state Rep. Mark Finchem, the Oro Valley right-wing radical, were to win that office this year, the damage to our democracy could be severe. I wish I were optimistic about that, but its going to be a tough fight. Now lets move on to sunnier topics like climate change. Just kidding. University of Chicago men's rugby team players practice on the Midway Plaisance near the campus in Chicago, May 6, 2021. The University of Chicago is delaying its new term and holding the first two weeks online. Credit: AP Photo/Shafkat Anowar, File With COVID-19 cases surging just as students are about to return from winter break, dozens of U.S. colleges are moving classes online again for at least the first week or so of the semesterand some warn it could stretch longer if the wave of infection doesn't subside soon. Harvard is moving classes online for the first three weeks of the new year, with a return to campus scheduled for late January, "conditions permitting." The University of Chicago is delaying the beginning of its new term and holding the first two weeks online. Some others are inviting students back to campus but starting classes online, including Michigan State University. Many colleges hope that an extra week or two will get them past the peak of the nationwide spike driven by the highly contagious omicron variant. Still, the surge is casting uncertainty over a semester many had hoped would be the closest to normal since the start of the pandemic. For some students, starting the term remotely is becoming routinemany colleges used the strategy last year amid a wave of cases. But some fear the latest shift could extend well beyond a week or two. Jake Maynard, a student at George Washington University in the nation's capital, said he is fine with a week of online classes, but beyond that, he hopes officials trust in the booster shots and provide a traditional college experience. He has already taken a year of online learning, which he said "did not work" and wasn't what he expected from a school that charges more than $50,000 a year. "I'm a junior, but about half my schooling experience has been online," said Maynard, 20, of Ellicott City, Maryland. "You lose so much of what makes the school the school." A woman walks by a Yale sign reflected in the rainwater in the street on the Yale University campus in New Haven, CT, Aug. 22, 2021. More than 40 colleges across 16 states are starting the term online, and others say they're considering it. Many making the move now use quarter systems that start earlier than those with semesters.Credit: AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File The university is inviting students back to campus starting Monday, but classes will be held online until Jan. 18 as officials ramp up virus testing and isolate any infected students. The school has more than doubled its isolation space and moved up the deadline for a new booster shot requirement by three weeks because of omicron. "The omicron variant hit us at a terrible time, basically the last couple weeks of the fall semester, which doesn't give us much time to prepare for spring," said Dr. Lynn Goldman, dean of George Washington's school of public health. The university was among many that saw infections soar in the days before winter break. The campus averaged more than 80 cases a day during finals week, compared with just a few a day for much of the fall. And while most recent cases were mild, nearly all were among students who had received at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. As for the mid-January target date for resuming in-person learning, Goldman said officials "recognize there's some possibility that it won't be possible." So far, more than 70 colleges across 26 states are starting the term online, and others say they are considering it. Many making the move now use quarter systems that start earlier than those with semesters. Many of those shifting online are in recent virus hot spots, including George Washington, Yale and Columbia on the East Coast, along with Wayne State University in Detroit and Northwestern University near Chicago. The list also includes most of the University of California campuses and Rice University in Houston. At the University of California, Riverside, students can return on Monday but face two weeks of online classes. They are also being being asked to sequester for five days while they undergo two rounds of virus testing. Students walk near the Widener Library at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., Aug. 13, 2019. Harvard University is telling students to take classes from home for three weeks, with a return to campus scheduled for late January, "conditions permitting." Credit: AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File It's the first time since last spring that the school has moved fully remote, but Chancellor Kim Wilcox said it is the best way to prevent the virus from spreading after students return from holiday travel. "We think about it as rebuilding our bubble," he said. "It gives us a chance to reset things and then hopefully be off and running." Some other colleges are delaying the new term without offering remote classes. Syracuse University pushed its semester back a week, citing projections that the first three weeks of January will be "the most challenging of this surge." Others are pressing ahead with in-person learning, saying the health risks are low with masks and booster shots. At Northeastern University in Boston, one of a growing number of schools requiring boosters, students are returning as planned. Officials said the school is shifting its focus from preventing all cases to warding off serious illness or hospitalization. "As we move into this endemic phase of the pandemic, our job is to continue to control COVID effectively, not let COVID control us," Ken Henderson, chancellor and senior vice president for learning, said in a message to the campus. The move drew praise from Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, who said COVID-19 poses little risk to college students, while "prolonged isolation is a very real risk to their growth and mental health." Pedestrians walk near a Northeastern University sign on the school's campus in Boston, Jan. 31, 2019. At Northeastern University in Boston, one of a growing number of schools requiring boosters, students are returning to campus as planned.Credit: AP Photo/Rodrique Ngowi, File The University of Florida plans to return to in-person learning at the start of the semester, despite a request from a faculty union to teach remotely for the first three weeks. Paul Ortiz, president of the campus chapter of the United Faculty of Florida, said older faculty members will be at higher risk, especially with no mask or vaccine mandates, which have been outlawed by GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis. "We do not want our campus to become a super-spreader," Ortiz said. "There's just a lot of uncertainty right now, a lot of stress." At some colleges starting remotely, officials say they are committed to a quick return to the classroom. The 50,000-student campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign plans to resume in-person classes after one week of online instruction. Students are being encouraged to return during that first week so they can take two virus tests, which will clear them to resume in-person activities if they test negative. "Every semester we've had a spike when students come back," university spokesperson Robin Kaler said. "We want to make sure we're on top of that so we can crush it as quickly as possible." Explore further California State University to require COVID-19 boosters 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Kalibo : At Least 7 Dead, 14 Rescued As The Philippines coast guard said seven rowers drowned and 14 others were rescued when their dragon boat overturned Wednesday after being lashed by strong waves during a practice run off a popular resort island. Coast guard spokesman Armand Balilo said the accident happened off Boracay island in the central Philippines' Aklan province where a local dragon boat team was practicing ahead of a rowing competition. Survivors of the accident, including a Chinese and a Russian, were brought by coast guard personnel and authorities to a hospital, Balilo said. The boat capsized less than half a kilometre (a third of a mile) from the nearest beach. Friends, supporters and fellow rowers expressed shock and offered prayers for the sudden deaths in the team's Facebook account. Dragon boat rowing using Chinese-style canoes adorned with dragon designs and manned by a team of paddlers and a drum beater on board have long been popular in the Philippines, with teams competing in domestic and Asian competitions. There was no storm battering the region and government forecasters said light to moderate winds were expected Wednesday with generally calm seas, but weather in the region has been known to suddenly shift. Last month, 31 people died when their two ferries capsized in the Iloilo Strait after being suddenly buffeted by fierce waves and winds off Guimaras and Iloilo provinces, not far from Boracay. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. on Saturday recorded 1,069 COVID-19 cases, the first time the daily addition crossed the 1000-mark since June 4 when the figure was 1,120, taking the state's tally to 8,32,801, an official said. The death toll rose by one to touch 10,119, while the discharge of 103 persons took the recovery count to 8,18,755, leaving with 3,297 active cases, including 11 critical patients, he said. Of the new cases, Ahmedabad led with 559, followed by 164 in Surat, 67 in Vadodara, 61 in Rajkot, 39 each in Anand and Kheda, among other districts, the official informed. The number of vaccine doses administered in the state stood at 8.95 crore as 1.52 lakh people got jabs during the day, a government release said. The caseload of adjoining Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu reached 10,670 after two persons were detected with the infection, leaving the Union Territory with four active cases as 10,662 people have recovered and four have succumbed, an official said. Gujarat's COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positive cases 8,32,801, new cases 1,069, death toll 10,119, discharged 8,18,755, active cases 3,927, people tested so far - figures not released. (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 Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lucky Irabor, has commended the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) for their outstanding performance in ensuring a safe and secure country throughout the year 2021. Mr Irabor, a general, gave the commendation in his new year message to the troops operating in different theatres and members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria on Saturday in Abuja. The message was made available to journalists by the Acting Director Defence Information, Air Commodore Wap Maigida on Saturday. The CDS saluted the men and women of the nations armed forces for their loyalty, doggedness, endurance, courage, and gallantry to keep the nation safe and secure. He said the troops had also displayed uncommon resilience and courage in the face of danger while surmounting the myriad of security threats bedeviling the country. In-retrospect, the end of 2021 affords the AFN unique opportunity to remember the sacrifices of its men and women who work in extreme conditions in trenches, in fields and in far-flung places away from the comfort of their loved ones to keep Nigerians safe and secure. The AFN has continued to discharge its constitutional mandate of maintaining the territorial integrity of our nation, suppressing insurrection and acting in aid of civil authority to restore order when called upon to do so. This is in the light of violent, irregular, complex, and manifestations of contemporary as well as evolving national security challenges, he said. Mr Irabor said that the federal government was committed to providing the essential requirements for the operation of the armed forces. He added that President Muhammadu Buhari had recently reiterated his unwavering commitment and support to the AFN. The defence chief urged the personnel to continue to cherish esprit de corps in the conduct of their duties at all times and pledged loyalty of the AFN to the president and the constitution. He also paid tribute to the fallen heroes, including the late former Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru. According to him, the AFN will never forget their sacrifices in line with the spirit and letters of the National Anthem the labours of our heroes past shall not be in vain. The CDS also wished members of the AFN good health, happiness and success in 2022. (NAN) COLUMBIA A South Carolina lawmaker wants the state to pay for those people it wrongfully executes, beginning with the family of George Stinney. A bill filed in the House of Representatives ahead of the upcoming legislative session would establish the George Stinney Fund, which would provide $10 million to families of those exonerated after being executed, no matter how much time has lapsed. The bill is named for the 14-year-old Black teen convicted in the brutal murder of two White girls in Clarendon County and executed by electrocution in June 1944. A judge vacated Stinney's conviction in 2014, finding numerous instances of his constitutional rights being violated, from his arrest to an hours-long trial and conviction by an all-White jury only months after the girls were found dead. "We can't do justice, because justice would be us resurrecting Mr. Stinney and allowing him to have a good life," said state Rep. Cezar McKnight, D-Kingstree, who sponsored the bill. "But what we can do is atone for what we've done, and that's what we need to do." McKnight said he was moved to author the bill during a ceremony to unveil a portrait for Judge Clifton Newman in the Williamsburg County Courthouse. Newman remarked that he was honored by the portrait but not that it would share space with a picture of Judge Phillip Stoll, who presided over Stinney's trial and sentenced him to death. Funding for the measure, co-sponsored by Greenville Republican Mike Burns and Orangeburg Democrat Gilda Cobb-Hunter, would be created with $10 million from a Department of Administration reserve fund. The money would be awarded in the form of a grant application to the family of anyone executed and later exonerated by a court in South Carolina, regardless of when. Circuit Judge Carmen Mullen, in overturning Stinney's conviction, wrote that significant progress had been made toward racial equality in the years after Stinney's death. "Regardless of that progress, from time to time we are called to look back to examine our still-recent history and correct injustice when possible," Mullen wrote. South Carolina made headlines in 2021 when lawmakers passed a bill allowing prison officials to execute death-row inmates by electric chair or firing squad amid a shortage in drugs used in lethal injection. In a debate over the bill in April, McKnight said he agreed with the death penalty in principle but that he opposed the state carrying out executions because of cases of people known to have been wrongfully executed or where there was significant doubt over their guilt. "It's not one of those black-and-white issues, because I can't sit here and tell you that I wouldn't want someone executed for harming a loved one of mine," McKnight told The Post and Courier. "But by the same token, we don't have the ability to resurrect people that we execute, so I've got some trepidations about it. I just do." COLUMBIA A South Carolina lawmaker wants the state to pay for those people it wrongfully executes, beginning with the family of George Stinney. A bill filed in the House of Representatives ahead of the upcoming legislative session would establish the George Stinney Fund, which would provide $10 million to families of those exonerated after being executed, no matter how much time has lapsed. The bill is named for the 14-year-old Black teen convicted in the brutal murder of two White girls in Clarendon County and executed by electrocution in June 1944. A judge vacated Stinney's conviction in 2014, finding numerous instances of his constitutional rights being violated, from his arrest to an hours-long trial and conviction by an all-White jury only months after the girls were found dead. "We can't do justice, because justice would be us resurrecting Mr. Stinney and allowing him to have a good life," said state Rep. Cezar McKnight, D-Kingstree, who sponsored the bill. "But what we can do is atone for what we've done, and that's what we need to do." McKnight said he was moved to author the bill during a ceremony to unveil a portrait for Judge Clifton Newman in the Williamsburg County Courthouse. Newman remarked that he was honored by the portrait but not that it would share space with a picture of Judge Phillip Stoll, who presided over Stinney's trial and sentenced him to death. Funding for the measure, co-sponsored by Greenville Republican Mike Burns and Orangeburg Democrat Gilda Cobb-Hunter, would be created with $10 million from a Department of Administration reserve fund. The money would be awarded in the form of a grant application to the family of anyone executed and later exonerated by a court in South Carolina, regardless of when. Circuit Judge Carmen Mullen, in overturning Stinney's conviction, wrote that significant progress had been made toward racial equality in the years after Stinney's death. "Regardless of that progress, from time to time we are called to look back to examine our still-recent history and correct injustice when possible," Mullen wrote. South Carolina made headlines in 2021 when lawmakers passed a bill allowing prison officials to execute death-row inmates by electric chair or firing squad amid a shortage in drugs used in lethal injection. In a debate over the bill in April, McKnight said he agreed with the death penalty in principle but that he opposed the state carrying out executions because of cases of people known to have been wrongfully executed or where there was significant doubt over their guilt. "It's not one of those black-and-white issues, because I can't sit here and tell you that I wouldn't want someone executed for harming a loved one of mine," McKnight told The Post and Courier. "But by the same token, we don't have the ability to resurrect people that we execute, so I've got some trepidations about it. I just do." COLUMBIA A South Carolina lawmaker wants the state to pay for those people it wrongfully executes, beginning with the family of George Stinney. A bill filed in the House of Representatives ahead of the upcoming legislative session would establish the George Stinney Fund, which would provide $10 million to families of those exonerated after being executed, no matter how much time has lapsed. The bill is named for the 14-year-old Black teen convicted in the brutal murder of two White girls in Clarendon County and executed by electrocution in June 1944. A judge vacated Stinney's conviction in 2014, finding numerous instances of his constitutional rights being violated, from his arrest to an hours-long trial and conviction by an all-White jury only months after the girls were found dead. "We can't do justice, because justice would be us resurrecting Mr. Stinney and allowing him to have a good life," said state Rep. Cezar McKnight, D-Kingstree, who sponsored the bill. "But what we can do is atone for what we've done, and that's what we need to do." McKnight said he was moved to author the bill during a ceremony to unveil a portrait for Judge Clifton Newman in the Williamsburg County Courthouse. Newman remarked that he was honored by the portrait but not that it would share space with a picture of Judge Phillip Stoll, who presided over Stinney's trial and sentenced him to death. Funding for the measure, co-sponsored by Greenville Republican Mike Burns and Orangeburg Democrat Gilda Cobb-Hunter, would be created with $10 million from a Department of Administration reserve fund. The money would be awarded in the form of a grant application to the family of anyone executed and later exonerated by a court in South Carolina, regardless of when. Circuit Judge Carmen Mullen, in overturning Stinney's conviction, wrote that significant progress had been made toward racial equality in the years after Stinney's death. "Regardless of that progress, from time to time we are called to look back to examine our still-recent history and correct injustice when possible," Mullen wrote. South Carolina made headlines in 2021 when lawmakers passed a bill allowing prison officials to execute death-row inmates by electric chair or firing squad amid a shortage in drugs used in lethal injection. In a debate over the bill in April, McKnight said he agreed with the death penalty in principle but that he opposed the state carrying out executions because of cases of people known to have been wrongfully executed or where there was significant doubt over their guilt. "It's not one of those black-and-white issues, because I can't sit here and tell you that I wouldn't want someone executed for harming a loved one of mine," McKnight told The Post and Courier. "But by the same token, we don't have the ability to resurrect people that we execute, so I've got some trepidations about it. I just do." COLUMBIA A South Carolina lawmaker wants the state to pay for those people it wrongfully executes, beginning with the family of George Stinney. A bill filed in the House of Representatives ahead of the upcoming legislative session would establish the George Stinney Fund, which would provide $10 million to families of those exonerated after being executed, no matter how much time has lapsed. The bill is named for the 14-year-old Black teen convicted in the brutal murder of two White girls in Clarendon County and executed by electrocution in June 1944. A judge vacated Stinney's conviction in 2014, finding numerous instances of his constitutional rights being violated, from his arrest to an hours-long trial and conviction by an all-White jury only months after the girls were found dead. "We can't do justice, because justice would be us resurrecting Mr. Stinney and allowing him to have a good life," said state Rep. Cezar McKnight, D-Kingstree, who sponsored the bill. "But what we can do is atone for what we've done, and that's what we need to do." McKnight said he was moved to author the bill during a ceremony to unveil a portrait for Judge Clifton Newman in the Williamsburg County Courthouse. Newman remarked that he was honored by the portrait but not that it would share space with a picture of Judge Phillip Stoll, who presided over Stinney's trial and sentenced him to death. Funding for the measure, co-sponsored by Greenville Republican Mike Burns and Orangeburg Democrat Gilda Cobb-Hunter, would be created with $10 million from a Department of Administration reserve fund. The money would be awarded in the form of a grant application to the family of anyone executed and later exonerated by a court in South Carolina, regardless of when. Circuit Judge Carmen Mullen, in overturning Stinney's conviction, wrote that significant progress had been made toward racial equality in the years after Stinney's death. "Regardless of that progress, from time to time we are called to look back to examine our still-recent history and correct injustice when possible," Mullen wrote. South Carolina made headlines in 2021 when lawmakers passed a bill allowing prison officials to execute death-row inmates by electric chair or firing squad amid a shortage in drugs used in lethal injection. In a debate over the bill in April, McKnight said he agreed with the death penalty in principle but that he opposed the state carrying out executions because of cases of people known to have been wrongfully executed or where there was significant doubt over their guilt. "It's not one of those black-and-white issues, because I can't sit here and tell you that I wouldn't want someone executed for harming a loved one of mine," McKnight told The Post and Courier. "But by the same token, we don't have the ability to resurrect people that we execute, so I've got some trepidations about it. I just do." COLUMBIA A South Carolina lawmaker wants the state to pay for those people it wrongfully executes, beginning with the family of George Stinney. A bill filed in the House of Representatives ahead of the upcoming legislative session would establish the George Stinney Fund, which would provide $10 million to families of those exonerated after being executed, no matter how much time has lapsed. The bill is named for the 14-year-old Black teen convicted in the brutal murder of two White girls in Clarendon County and executed by electrocution in June 1944. A judge vacated Stinney's conviction in 2014, finding numerous instances of his constitutional rights being violated, from his arrest to an hours-long trial and conviction by an all-White jury only months after the girls were found dead. "We can't do justice, because justice would be us resurrecting Mr. Stinney and allowing him to have a good life," said state Rep. Cezar McKnight, D-Kingstree, who sponsored the bill. "But what we can do is atone for what we've done, and that's what we need to do." McKnight said he was moved to author the bill during a ceremony to unveil a portrait for Judge Clifton Newman in the Williamsburg County Courthouse. Newman remarked that he was honored by the portrait but not that it would share space with a picture of Judge Phillip Stoll, who presided over Stinney's trial and sentenced him to death. Funding for the measure, co-sponsored by Greenville Republican Mike Burns and Orangeburg Democrat Gilda Cobb-Hunter, would be created with $10 million from a Department of Administration reserve fund. The money would be awarded in the form of a grant application to the family of anyone executed and later exonerated by a court in South Carolina, regardless of when. Circuit Judge Carmen Mullen, in overturning Stinney's conviction, wrote that significant progress had been made toward racial equality in the years after Stinney's death. "Regardless of that progress, from time to time we are called to look back to examine our still-recent history and correct injustice when possible," Mullen wrote. South Carolina made headlines in 2021 when lawmakers passed a bill allowing prison officials to execute death-row inmates by electric chair or firing squad amid a shortage in drugs used in lethal injection. In a debate over the bill in April, McKnight said he agreed with the death penalty in principle but that he opposed the state carrying out executions because of cases of people known to have been wrongfully executed or where there was significant doubt over their guilt. "It's not one of those black-and-white issues, because I can't sit here and tell you that I wouldn't want someone executed for harming a loved one of mine," McKnight told The Post and Courier. "But by the same token, we don't have the ability to resurrect people that we execute, so I've got some trepidations about it. I just do." 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. 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 Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lucky Irabor, has commended the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) for their outstanding performance in ensuring a safe and secure country throughout the year 2021. Mr Irabor, a general, gave the commendation in his new year message to the troops operating in different theatres and members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria on Saturday in Abuja. The message was made available to journalists by the Acting Director Defence Information, Air Commodore Wap Maigida on Saturday. The CDS saluted the men and women of the nations armed forces for their loyalty, doggedness, endurance, courage, and gallantry to keep the nation safe and secure. He said the troops had also displayed uncommon resilience and courage in the face of danger while surmounting the myriad of security threats bedeviling the country. In-retrospect, the end of 2021 affords the AFN unique opportunity to remember the sacrifices of its men and women who work in extreme conditions in trenches, in fields and in far-flung places away from the comfort of their loved ones to keep Nigerians safe and secure. The AFN has continued to discharge its constitutional mandate of maintaining the territorial integrity of our nation, suppressing insurrection and acting in aid of civil authority to restore order when called upon to do so. This is in the light of violent, irregular, complex, and manifestations of contemporary as well as evolving national security challenges, he said. Mr Irabor said that the federal government was committed to providing the essential requirements for the operation of the armed forces. He added that President Muhammadu Buhari had recently reiterated his unwavering commitment and support to the AFN. The defence chief urged the personnel to continue to cherish esprit de corps in the conduct of their duties at all times and pledged loyalty of the AFN to the president and the constitution. He also paid tribute to the fallen heroes, including the late former Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru. According to him, the AFN will never forget their sacrifices in line with the spirit and letters of the National Anthem the labours of our heroes past shall not be in vain. The CDS also wished members of the AFN good health, happiness and success in 2022. (NAN) Though the pandemic is not over, there will be no more weekly news conferences by the Minist Arizonas intensive care units are full, our voting rights are in danger, and Tucson just set a record for homicides. So why am I feeling hopeful? In part, its just a New Years resolution try to focus more on the good while maintaining my natural skepticism. But also, I think optimism is justified, even now, even if it is a struggle to sustain it. Theres a tendency in our culture these days not just to focus on the negative, but also to see catastrophe looming. Thats probably natural in a time of an ongoing pandemic that has killed more than 800,000 fellow Americans. But its also common to see people catastrophizing about unlikely or even baseless threats. Or at least highlighting the bad and missing the good. This has perhaps been a tendency in my writing. The catastrophizing is easier to see in people you disagree with. So, for me, I notice it especially among the political right wing, though it also exists elsewhere. As the 2022 elections approach, Republican candidates are trying to outdo each other in their aggressive fear-mongering about the future of the country. Take, for example, the GOPs U.S. Senate candidates vying to run against Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly in 2022. I think if you intentionally wanted to destroy this country, youd govern the same way Joe Biden is governing, said Blake Masters, the candidate from Tucson, in a recent interview. If we retreat or hide away, the country really is over. My children, and yours, will grow up in a place we dont recognize. Attorney General Mark Brnovich, also a GOP candidate, said on Fox News that Democrats like Kelly are essentially far left and neo-Marxists. They really believe they want to redistribute wealth. ... They want to destroy the middle class of this country, and theyre going to do it by any means necessary. Asked in an interview what he sees as the greatest existential threat to the country, businessman Jim Lamon dove in: Marxism being perpetuated, in my view, by the CCP, Communist Chinese Party, (and) many of the Americans that have basically, they are agents that have sold out. And that includes politicians, federal agencies, even media, etc. The American way of life, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the freedoms that weve so enjoyed in this country for so long, over 200 years, and have proven to be some of the greatest abilities for humble people like myself to be able to live that dream, are being threatened. All of this is hogwash. There is no Marxist threat to the country. The country is not being destroyed, intentionally or accidentally. All thats happening is a ratcheting up of rhetoric as politicians compete for Republican primary votes, motivating their electorate by raising terrifying specters. Its boring to say that you favor less social spending than the Democrats do, so candidates and commentators are going full Red Scare. Pandemic hopes While its easier for me to detect the catastrophizing on the right, and it is more present there now as it was in the two years after President Barack Obama took office I also catch it on the political left, the side I tend to inhabit. Lately, even with the COVID-19 pandemic resurging, I see cause for hope while many see a new reason to panic. The bad news is, of course, that the omicron variant evades the existing immunity some people have, from vaccines or previous infections, meaning that there are many more cases of COVID-19. That also means that some severe cases, and even deaths, will continue to occur. Will Humble, the former director of the Arizona Department of Health Services and current head of the Arizona Public Health Association, issued a dire warning on a Phoenix TV interview: January of 2022, I think, is going to be the worst of the entire pandemic. Maybe so, but the evidence isnt clear so far. Even as COVID-19 cases have increased over the last couple of months, hospitalizations for COVID-19 have not followed that trend, according to state health department data. Beds in intensive care units are almost full, but not primarily with COVID-19 patients. Thats different from the the previous peaks of COVID-19 hospitalization, in July 2020 and January 2021, when patients with COVID-19 made up 57% and 66%, respectively, of all those patients in Arizona ICUs. This week, that figure was at 37%, down from a recent high of 42%. We should take precautions, for sure, including wearing high-quality masks indoors and getting vaccinated, even though many vaccinated people are testing positive. A recent preliminary study from Denmark concluded that people with vaccine boosters transmit the omicron variant of the virus less than those with two vaccine shots and, of course, less than unvaccinated people. Additional help is on the way: A new medication is being distributed that, in studies, reduced the likelihood of hospitalization for COVID-19, among vulnerable people, by 89%. And U.S. Army researchers are entering the latter stages of evaluating a vaccine that works against all SARS viruses, including COVID-19. In other words, this pandemic may be in a dangerous moment now, but it may not end up as bad as previous peaks, and promising developments suggest it could wind down in 2022. So Im hopeful. Murder record and democracy A lot hinges on the course of the pandemic. In Tucson, homicides hit a new record last year, topping 90 for the first time. A common theme was that verbal altercations turned physical, then into gunfire. People had short fuses a common problem around the country in COVID-19 days. Theres no clear reason to think that will improve this year, but I am hopeful that if the pandemic conditions moderate, it wont be this bad again. Also, the Tucson Police Department has a new chief, Chad Kasmar, who seems to have buy-in from the public, the City Council, and the rank and file. Maybe hell help with prevention efforts. The economy could also help. The job market remains tight, meaning workers have lots of opportunities and leverage for higher wages. Tax revenues are high. The economic resurgence in Tucson and elsewhere could be explosive in 2022 if the pandemic eases. That could make housing less unaffordable for Tucson wage earners, who watched rents and home prices spiral out of reach in 2021. All of this is promising, but theres one problem we have that I cant see optimistically from any angle: the assault on our democracy. A small cabal of plotters, inspired by Donald Trump, have convinced most Republicans that the 2020 election was stolen from them. It clearly wasnt Trump simply was an unpopular candidate among the swing voters who decided the election. But all their bluster and misinformation is leading the GOP majority in this state and others to make voting harder and even to try to give themselves power over election outcomes. State Rep. Shawnna Bolick proposed legislation last year that would have allowed a simple majority of legislators to overturn certified election results a shocking idea. Now shes running to be Arizonas elections head as secretary of state. If she or state Rep. Mark Finchem, the Oro Valley right-wing radical, were to win that office this year, the damage to our democracy could be severe. I wish I were optimistic about that, but its going to be a tough fight. Now lets move on to sunnier topics like climate change. Just kidding. Jan. 1When Claire Rhyneer was in middle school, she was going through what she now describes as a depressive episode "self-harming, not knowing what to do." Rhyneer, who is 19 now, said in a recent interview that in the absence of other resources, she remembers searching Google to self-diagnose and try to find help. She ended up finding "horrible, unhelpful information and never really knowing what to do. And most nights wondering, like, is something wrong with me?" Providers in Alaska who work with teens say resources in Alaska are limited that mental health education in schools is lacking, that there aren't enough in-state inpatient beds for those needing high level care, and that teens still don't always know where to turn when they need help. Alaska has long had one of the highest adolescent suicide rates in the nation. While the pandemic may have exacerbated some of the challenges surrounding youth mental health in Alaska, these issues have persisted for years, providers say. Rhyneer graduated in the spring from West High School and is currently taking a break before attending Middlebury College in Vermont in the fall. She's spending her gap year working with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in Anchorage to help facilitate a storytelling workshop focused on talking about mental health and decreasing stigma. She's also trying to gather support for two bills in the Alaska Legislature that she says would create guidelines schools around the state could use to develop mental health education in schools. This work is important, Rhyneer said, because she knows how much she would have benefited in middle and high school from having additional guidance and more opportunities for conversations about mental health. She thinks less stigma and more resources are still needed in Alaska for youths struggling with mental health issues. "When I talk to other youth, there's this chorus of nods when I say I turned to Google because I didn't know what else to do," she said. "In health classes, they were talking about nutrition and diet and getting outside and dental care and cancer prevention, but they were not talking about mental health," she said. Story continues "I was like, this really needs to be talked about in schools because you can't expect that everybody has parents who are willing and able or even around to talk about mental health with their kids," she said. At a public event Rhyneer helped facilitate in December, a group of teens stood on the stage of the Wilda Marston Theatre in Anchorage and told personal stories related to mental health. They described harmful relationships, the struggle to fit in, how they would compare themselves to others. Some talked about how the pandemic affected their lives, but most described struggles that had existed for years. Rhyneer said she thinks many Alaska youths have been battling mental health issues since long before the pandemic and that the pandemic just shed light on the existing problem. [Youth mental health has been a longstanding issue in Alaska. Help us shine a light on this matter.] Data from 2019, the last year the state's annual Youth Behavior Risk Survey was conducted, painted a troubling picture of youth mental health in Alaska. The school-based survey of Alaska high school students which has been postponed for the past two years due to pandemic-related obstacles, according to the state showed that out of 1,875 respondents in 39 schools, about a quarter had seriously considered suicide and 19% had attempted suicide. "I kind of calculated how many people in every one of my classes who I could assume that, like, either seriously thought about suicide or had attempted already," she said. "It's really sad." The survey indicated that since 2007, there'd been a significant increase in students feeling sad or helpless: 38% had felt that way for two weeks or more in 2019 compared to about 27% in 2007. The survey also found that the percentage of students attempting suicide had nearly doubled, from 10.7% in 2007 to 19.7% in 2019. In 2017, that percentage was about 12%. Alaska's suicide rate has long been among the highest in the country. Alaska's average annual adolescent suicide rate from 2016 to 2019 was about three times higher than the national average. During 2019, suicide was the leading overall cause of death for Alaska youths and young adults ages 15 to 24 the only age group where that was the case, Leah Van Kirk, the suicide prevention coordinator with the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, said recently. Rates were also highest among Alaska Native people, men and people ages 20-24, state data showed. "Alaska is in pretty rough shape as far as our continuum of care," said Jason Lessard, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness's Anchorage chapter, where Rhyneer works. The problems are wide-ranging. They include limited options for Alaskans seeking treatment for eating disorders, fewer beds for psychiatric care and not enough support for young people dealing with mental health issues, Lessard said. He said that while it may be too soon to tell the role the pandemic has had on youth mental health, he doesn't think it made it better. "We were already trending in the wrong direction on a lot of metrics," he said. "So certainly, this issue predates pandemic." Lessard said he thinks the switch to all-online learning and socializing may have contributed to some of these issues as well. "I have a son in high school now he did almost the entirety of his middle school online," Lessard said. His son went from in-person grade school to now high school, "which is a big, big jump." He said he thinks in some ways, virtual communication has been "a saving grace" because without it, people would have felt even more isolated through the pandemic. But he's concerned about young people relying so heavily on social media and screen time for most of their social outlets. Karen Zeman, executive director of the Anchorage youth nonprofit Spirit of Youth, said she also thinks teens rely on face-to-face interactions even more than adults do. "I mean, that's just how you make your friend groups. That's how you get crushes. That's how their society is formed," she said. "There's a skill set that adults have for socializing that young people don't have, where they need the construct of being in an organized space," she said. That's harder online, she said. Alaska's struggles are part of a broader national problem. [In a devastating pandemic, US teens are 'more alone than ever.' Many struggle to find help.] In December, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued a rare advisory highlighting the urgent need to address youth mental health, describing a growing problem that he believes was exacerbated by the pandemic. In a 53-page report, Murthy cited data showing that symptoms of depression and anxiety have doubled during the pandemic, with 25% of youths experiencing depressive symptoms and 20% experiencing anxiety symptoms. That research also found that during the first few months of 2021, emergency department visits in the United States for suspected suicide attempts were about 51% higher for adolescent girls and 4% higher for adolescent boys compared to the same time period in early 2019, according to the advisory. "What I like about this (advisory) is it lays out pretty clearly in one place, what various individuals or organizations can do at all sorts of different levels," Lessard said. "It really kind of goes into, OK, well what can an individual do, and then zooms out from there: what can the family do, what can the school district do, what can the government do." Rhyneer said that one thing she would tell parents and friends of someone who seems to be struggling with their mental health is to not be afraid to reach out and start a conversation. "It's really important to remember that as scary as it is for you to ask, 'Hey, is there something going on?' ... It's so much scarier for the actual person who's hurting to reach out," she said. "If I talked to parents, I would say, 'Hey, don't ignore the signs that your kids are giving you,' " she said. Lessard said that part of the struggles youths are facing recently are connected to what the adults in their lives are experiencing too. "It's affecting the society as a whole, and a lot of that trickles down to the youth. So there might be stresses at home just because of the stress it's put on the family and really having nothing to do with being in school or not being in school," he said. "Maybe home is the place that caused your depression or anxiety or your stressors, and school was that escape and outlet. So it's not just the social isolation that could come with it, but all of a sudden, you know, maybe the home is not the best place," he added. [More Alaskans are being diagnosed with eating disorders, but treatment options in state remain scarce] The latest state data showed that Alaska is seeing an increase in the number of youths ages 11 to 14 who have attempted suicide. But in 2020, Alaska actually experienced a 50% decrease in the number of youths ages 10 through 19 who took their own lives, according to Van Kirk, the suicide prevention coordinator with the state. That's an encouraging sign, she said. Lessard said an important thing to take into consideration when looking at Alaska data is to know that the figures are partially a sign of increased comfort regarding talking about mental health, and acknowledging that it's a problem. "Maybe not fully as a society, but generationally, they're more comfortable talking about this stuff," he said. "We've always had mental illness," Lessard said. "It just wasn't OK to talk about it when I was in high school." If you or someone you know are dealing with a mental crisis or suicidal thoughts, you can call the Alaska Careline at 1-877-266-HELP or the National Suicide Prevention line at 1-800-273-8255. You can also text NAMI to 741741 to access the Crisis Text Line anytime. For more information on the Alaska Suicide Prevention Council and suicide in Alaska, visit dhss.alaska.gov/suicideprevention and namialaska.org/crisis-resources. 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. Jan. 1When Claire Rhyneer was in middle school, she was going through what she now describes as a depressive episode "self-harming, not knowing what to do." Rhyneer, who is 19 now, said in a recent interview that in the absence of other resources, she remembers searching Google to self-diagnose and try to find help. She ended up finding "horrible, unhelpful information and never really knowing what to do. And most nights wondering, like, is something wrong with me?" Providers in Alaska who work with teens say resources in Alaska are limited that mental health education in schools is lacking, that there aren't enough in-state inpatient beds for those needing high level care, and that teens still don't always know where to turn when they need help. Alaska has long had one of the highest adolescent suicide rates in the nation. While the pandemic may have exacerbated some of the challenges surrounding youth mental health in Alaska, these issues have persisted for years, providers say. Rhyneer graduated in the spring from West High School and is currently taking a break before attending Middlebury College in Vermont in the fall. She's spending her gap year working with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in Anchorage to help facilitate a storytelling workshop focused on talking about mental health and decreasing stigma. She's also trying to gather support for two bills in the Alaska Legislature that she says would create guidelines schools around the state could use to develop mental health education in schools. This work is important, Rhyneer said, because she knows how much she would have benefited in middle and high school from having additional guidance and more opportunities for conversations about mental health. She thinks less stigma and more resources are still needed in Alaska for youths struggling with mental health issues. "When I talk to other youth, there's this chorus of nods when I say I turned to Google because I didn't know what else to do," she said. "In health classes, they were talking about nutrition and diet and getting outside and dental care and cancer prevention, but they were not talking about mental health," she said. Story continues "I was like, this really needs to be talked about in schools because you can't expect that everybody has parents who are willing and able or even around to talk about mental health with their kids," she said. At a public event Rhyneer helped facilitate in December, a group of teens stood on the stage of the Wilda Marston Theatre in Anchorage and told personal stories related to mental health. They described harmful relationships, the struggle to fit in, how they would compare themselves to others. Some talked about how the pandemic affected their lives, but most described struggles that had existed for years. Rhyneer said she thinks many Alaska youths have been battling mental health issues since long before the pandemic and that the pandemic just shed light on the existing problem. [Youth mental health has been a longstanding issue in Alaska. Help us shine a light on this matter.] Data from 2019, the last year the state's annual Youth Behavior Risk Survey was conducted, painted a troubling picture of youth mental health in Alaska. The school-based survey of Alaska high school students which has been postponed for the past two years due to pandemic-related obstacles, according to the state showed that out of 1,875 respondents in 39 schools, about a quarter had seriously considered suicide and 19% had attempted suicide. "I kind of calculated how many people in every one of my classes who I could assume that, like, either seriously thought about suicide or had attempted already," she said. "It's really sad." The survey indicated that since 2007, there'd been a significant increase in students feeling sad or helpless: 38% had felt that way for two weeks or more in 2019 compared to about 27% in 2007. The survey also found that the percentage of students attempting suicide had nearly doubled, from 10.7% in 2007 to 19.7% in 2019. In 2017, that percentage was about 12%. Alaska's suicide rate has long been among the highest in the country. Alaska's average annual adolescent suicide rate from 2016 to 2019 was about three times higher than the national average. During 2019, suicide was the leading overall cause of death for Alaska youths and young adults ages 15 to 24 the only age group where that was the case, Leah Van Kirk, the suicide prevention coordinator with the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, said recently. Rates were also highest among Alaska Native people, men and people ages 20-24, state data showed. "Alaska is in pretty rough shape as far as our continuum of care," said Jason Lessard, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness's Anchorage chapter, where Rhyneer works. The problems are wide-ranging. They include limited options for Alaskans seeking treatment for eating disorders, fewer beds for psychiatric care and not enough support for young people dealing with mental health issues, Lessard said. He said that while it may be too soon to tell the role the pandemic has had on youth mental health, he doesn't think it made it better. "We were already trending in the wrong direction on a lot of metrics," he said. "So certainly, this issue predates pandemic." Lessard said he thinks the switch to all-online learning and socializing may have contributed to some of these issues as well. "I have a son in high school now he did almost the entirety of his middle school online," Lessard said. His son went from in-person grade school to now high school, "which is a big, big jump." He said he thinks in some ways, virtual communication has been "a saving grace" because without it, people would have felt even more isolated through the pandemic. But he's concerned about young people relying so heavily on social media and screen time for most of their social outlets. Karen Zeman, executive director of the Anchorage youth nonprofit Spirit of Youth, said she also thinks teens rely on face-to-face interactions even more than adults do. "I mean, that's just how you make your friend groups. That's how you get crushes. That's how their society is formed," she said. "There's a skill set that adults have for socializing that young people don't have, where they need the construct of being in an organized space," she said. That's harder online, she said. Alaska's struggles are part of a broader national problem. [In a devastating pandemic, US teens are 'more alone than ever.' Many struggle to find help.] In December, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued a rare advisory highlighting the urgent need to address youth mental health, describing a growing problem that he believes was exacerbated by the pandemic. In a 53-page report, Murthy cited data showing that symptoms of depression and anxiety have doubled during the pandemic, with 25% of youths experiencing depressive symptoms and 20% experiencing anxiety symptoms. That research also found that during the first few months of 2021, emergency department visits in the United States for suspected suicide attempts were about 51% higher for adolescent girls and 4% higher for adolescent boys compared to the same time period in early 2019, according to the advisory. "What I like about this (advisory) is it lays out pretty clearly in one place, what various individuals or organizations can do at all sorts of different levels," Lessard said. "It really kind of goes into, OK, well what can an individual do, and then zooms out from there: what can the family do, what can the school district do, what can the government do." Rhyneer said that one thing she would tell parents and friends of someone who seems to be struggling with their mental health is to not be afraid to reach out and start a conversation. "It's really important to remember that as scary as it is for you to ask, 'Hey, is there something going on?' ... It's so much scarier for the actual person who's hurting to reach out," she said. "If I talked to parents, I would say, 'Hey, don't ignore the signs that your kids are giving you,' " she said. Lessard said that part of the struggles youths are facing recently are connected to what the adults in their lives are experiencing too. "It's affecting the society as a whole, and a lot of that trickles down to the youth. So there might be stresses at home just because of the stress it's put on the family and really having nothing to do with being in school or not being in school," he said. "Maybe home is the place that caused your depression or anxiety or your stressors, and school was that escape and outlet. So it's not just the social isolation that could come with it, but all of a sudden, you know, maybe the home is not the best place," he added. [More Alaskans are being diagnosed with eating disorders, but treatment options in state remain scarce] The latest state data showed that Alaska is seeing an increase in the number of youths ages 11 to 14 who have attempted suicide. But in 2020, Alaska actually experienced a 50% decrease in the number of youths ages 10 through 19 who took their own lives, according to Van Kirk, the suicide prevention coordinator with the state. That's an encouraging sign, she said. Lessard said an important thing to take into consideration when looking at Alaska data is to know that the figures are partially a sign of increased comfort regarding talking about mental health, and acknowledging that it's a problem. "Maybe not fully as a society, but generationally, they're more comfortable talking about this stuff," he said. "We've always had mental illness," Lessard said. "It just wasn't OK to talk about it when I was in high school." If you or someone you know are dealing with a mental crisis or suicidal thoughts, you can call the Alaska Careline at 1-877-266-HELP or the National Suicide Prevention line at 1-800-273-8255. You can also text NAMI to 741741 to access the Crisis Text Line anytime. For more information on the Alaska Suicide Prevention Council and suicide in Alaska, visit dhss.alaska.gov/suicideprevention and namialaska.org/crisis-resources. 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. Arizonas intensive care units are full, our voting rights are in danger, and Tucson just set a record for homicides. So why am I feeling hopeful? In part, its just a New Years resolution try to focus more on the good while maintaining my natural skepticism. But also, I think optimism is justified, even now, even if it is a struggle to sustain it. Theres a tendency in our culture these days not just to focus on the negative, but also to see catastrophe looming. Thats probably natural in a time of an ongoing pandemic that has killed more than 800,000 fellow Americans. But its also common to see people catastrophizing about unlikely or even baseless threats. Or at least highlighting the bad and missing the good. This has perhaps been a tendency in my writing. The catastrophizing is easier to see in people you disagree with. So, for me, I notice it especially among the political right wing, though it also exists elsewhere. As the 2022 elections approach, Republican candidates are trying to outdo each other in their aggressive fear-mongering about the future of the country. Take, for example, the GOPs U.S. Senate candidates vying to run against Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly in 2022. I think if you intentionally wanted to destroy this country, youd govern the same way Joe Biden is governing, said Blake Masters, the candidate from Tucson, in a recent interview. If we retreat or hide away, the country really is over. My children, and yours, will grow up in a place we dont recognize. Attorney General Mark Brnovich, also a GOP candidate, said on Fox News that Democrats like Kelly are essentially far left and neo-Marxists. They really believe they want to redistribute wealth. ... They want to destroy the middle class of this country, and theyre going to do it by any means necessary. Asked in an interview what he sees as the greatest existential threat to the country, businessman Jim Lamon dove in: Marxism being perpetuated, in my view, by the CCP, Communist Chinese Party, (and) many of the Americans that have basically, they are agents that have sold out. And that includes politicians, federal agencies, even media, etc. The American way of life, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the freedoms that weve so enjoyed in this country for so long, over 200 years, and have proven to be some of the greatest abilities for humble people like myself to be able to live that dream, are being threatened. All of this is hogwash. There is no Marxist threat to the country. The country is not being destroyed, intentionally or accidentally. All thats happening is a ratcheting up of rhetoric as politicians compete for Republican primary votes, motivating their electorate by raising terrifying specters. Its boring to say that you favor less social spending than the Democrats do, so candidates and commentators are going full Red Scare. Pandemic hopes While its easier for me to detect the catastrophizing on the right, and it is more present there now as it was in the two years after President Barack Obama took office I also catch it on the political left, the side I tend to inhabit. Lately, even with the COVID-19 pandemic resurging, I see cause for hope while many see a new reason to panic. The bad news is, of course, that the omicron variant evades the existing immunity some people have, from vaccines or previous infections, meaning that there are many more cases of COVID-19. That also means that some severe cases, and even deaths, will continue to occur. Will Humble, the former director of the Arizona Department of Health Services and current head of the Arizona Public Health Association, issued a dire warning on a Phoenix TV interview: January of 2022, I think, is going to be the worst of the entire pandemic. Maybe so, but the evidence isnt clear so far. Even as COVID-19 cases have increased over the last couple of months, hospitalizations for COVID-19 have not followed that trend, according to state health department data. Beds in intensive care units are almost full, but not primarily with COVID-19 patients. Thats different from the the previous peaks of COVID-19 hospitalization, in July 2020 and January 2021, when patients with COVID-19 made up 57% and 66%, respectively, of all those patients in Arizona ICUs. This week, that figure was at 37%, down from a recent high of 42%. We should take precautions, for sure, including wearing high-quality masks indoors and getting vaccinated, even though many vaccinated people are testing positive. A recent preliminary study from Denmark concluded that people with vaccine boosters transmit the omicron variant of the virus less than those with two vaccine shots and, of course, less than unvaccinated people. Additional help is on the way: A new medication is being distributed that, in studies, reduced the likelihood of hospitalization for COVID-19, among vulnerable people, by 89%. And U.S. Army researchers are entering the latter stages of evaluating a vaccine that works against all SARS viruses, including COVID-19. In other words, this pandemic may be in a dangerous moment now, but it may not end up as bad as previous peaks, and promising developments suggest it could wind down in 2022. So Im hopeful. Murder record and democracy A lot hinges on the course of the pandemic. In Tucson, homicides hit a new record last year, topping 90 for the first time. A common theme was that verbal altercations turned physical, then into gunfire. People had short fuses a common problem around the country in COVID-19 days. Theres no clear reason to think that will improve this year, but I am hopeful that if the pandemic conditions moderate, it wont be this bad again. Also, the Tucson Police Department has a new chief, Chad Kasmar, who seems to have buy-in from the public, the City Council, and the rank and file. Maybe hell help with prevention efforts. The economy could also help. The job market remains tight, meaning workers have lots of opportunities and leverage for higher wages. Tax revenues are high. The economic resurgence in Tucson and elsewhere could be explosive in 2022 if the pandemic eases. That could make housing less unaffordable for Tucson wage earners, who watched rents and home prices spiral out of reach in 2021. All of this is promising, but theres one problem we have that I cant see optimistically from any angle: the assault on our democracy. A small cabal of plotters, inspired by Donald Trump, have convinced most Republicans that the 2020 election was stolen from them. It clearly wasnt Trump simply was an unpopular candidate among the swing voters who decided the election. But all their bluster and misinformation is leading the GOP majority in this state and others to make voting harder and even to try to give themselves power over election outcomes. State Rep. Shawnna Bolick proposed legislation last year that would have allowed a simple majority of legislators to overturn certified election results a shocking idea. Now shes running to be Arizonas elections head as secretary of state. If she or state Rep. Mark Finchem, the Oro Valley right-wing radical, were to win that office this year, the damage to our democracy could be severe. I wish I were optimistic about that, but its going to be a tough fight. Now lets move on to sunnier topics like climate change. Just kidding. Arizonas intensive care units are full, our voting rights are in danger, and Tucson just set a record for homicides. So why am I feeling hopeful? In part, its just a New Years resolution try to focus more on the good while maintaining my natural skepticism. But also, I think optimism is justified, even now, even if it is a struggle to sustain it. Theres a tendency in our culture these days not just to focus on the negative, but also to see catastrophe looming. Thats probably natural in a time of an ongoing pandemic that has killed more than 800,000 fellow Americans. But its also common to see people catastrophizing about unlikely or even baseless threats. Or at least highlighting the bad and missing the good. This has perhaps been a tendency in my writing. The catastrophizing is easier to see in people you disagree with. So, for me, I notice it especially among the political right wing, though it also exists elsewhere. As the 2022 elections approach, Republican candidates are trying to outdo each other in their aggressive fear-mongering about the future of the country. Take, for example, the GOPs U.S. Senate candidates vying to run against Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly in 2022. I think if you intentionally wanted to destroy this country, youd govern the same way Joe Biden is governing, said Blake Masters, the candidate from Tucson, in a recent interview. If we retreat or hide away, the country really is over. My children, and yours, will grow up in a place we dont recognize. Attorney General Mark Brnovich, also a GOP candidate, said on Fox News that Democrats like Kelly are essentially far left and neo-Marxists. They really believe they want to redistribute wealth. ... They want to destroy the middle class of this country, and theyre going to do it by any means necessary. Asked in an interview what he sees as the greatest existential threat to the country, businessman Jim Lamon dove in: Marxism being perpetuated, in my view, by the CCP, Communist Chinese Party, (and) many of the Americans that have basically, they are agents that have sold out. And that includes politicians, federal agencies, even media, etc. The American way of life, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the freedoms that weve so enjoyed in this country for so long, over 200 years, and have proven to be some of the greatest abilities for humble people like myself to be able to live that dream, are being threatened. All of this is hogwash. There is no Marxist threat to the country. The country is not being destroyed, intentionally or accidentally. All thats happening is a ratcheting up of rhetoric as politicians compete for Republican primary votes, motivating their electorate by raising terrifying specters. Its boring to say that you favor less social spending than the Democrats do, so candidates and commentators are going full Red Scare. Pandemic hopes While its easier for me to detect the catastrophizing on the right, and it is more present there now as it was in the two years after President Barack Obama took office I also catch it on the political left, the side I tend to inhabit. Lately, even with the COVID-19 pandemic resurging, I see cause for hope while many see a new reason to panic. The bad news is, of course, that the omicron variant evades the existing immunity some people have, from vaccines or previous infections, meaning that there are many more cases of COVID-19. That also means that some severe cases, and even deaths, will continue to occur. Will Humble, the former director of the Arizona Department of Health Services and current head of the Arizona Public Health Association, issued a dire warning on a Phoenix TV interview: January of 2022, I think, is going to be the worst of the entire pandemic. Maybe so, but the evidence isnt clear so far. Even as COVID-19 cases have increased over the last couple of months, hospitalizations for COVID-19 have not followed that trend, according to state health department data. Beds in intensive care units are almost full, but not primarily with COVID-19 patients. Thats different from the the previous peaks of COVID-19 hospitalization, in July 2020 and January 2021, when patients with COVID-19 made up 57% and 66%, respectively, of all those patients in Arizona ICUs. This week, that figure was at 37%, down from a recent high of 42%. We should take precautions, for sure, including wearing high-quality masks indoors and getting vaccinated, even though many vaccinated people are testing positive. A recent preliminary study from Denmark concluded that people with vaccine boosters transmit the omicron variant of the virus less than those with two vaccine shots and, of course, less than unvaccinated people. Additional help is on the way: A new medication is being distributed that, in studies, reduced the likelihood of hospitalization for COVID-19, among vulnerable people, by 89%. And U.S. Army researchers are entering the latter stages of evaluating a vaccine that works against all SARS viruses, including COVID-19. In other words, this pandemic may be in a dangerous moment now, but it may not end up as bad as previous peaks, and promising developments suggest it could wind down in 2022. So Im hopeful. Murder record and democracy A lot hinges on the course of the pandemic. In Tucson, homicides hit a new record last year, topping 90 for the first time. A common theme was that verbal altercations turned physical, then into gunfire. People had short fuses a common problem around the country in COVID-19 days. Theres no clear reason to think that will improve this year, but I am hopeful that if the pandemic conditions moderate, it wont be this bad again. Also, the Tucson Police Department has a new chief, Chad Kasmar, who seems to have buy-in from the public, the City Council, and the rank and file. Maybe hell help with prevention efforts. The economy could also help. The job market remains tight, meaning workers have lots of opportunities and leverage for higher wages. Tax revenues are high. The economic resurgence in Tucson and elsewhere could be explosive in 2022 if the pandemic eases. That could make housing less unaffordable for Tucson wage earners, who watched rents and home prices spiral out of reach in 2021. All of this is promising, but theres one problem we have that I cant see optimistically from any angle: the assault on our democracy. A small cabal of plotters, inspired by Donald Trump, have convinced most Republicans that the 2020 election was stolen from them. It clearly wasnt Trump simply was an unpopular candidate among the swing voters who decided the election. But all their bluster and misinformation is leading the GOP majority in this state and others to make voting harder and even to try to give themselves power over election outcomes. State Rep. Shawnna Bolick proposed legislation last year that would have allowed a simple majority of legislators to overturn certified election results a shocking idea. Now shes running to be Arizonas elections head as secretary of state. If she or state Rep. Mark Finchem, the Oro Valley right-wing radical, were to win that office this year, the damage to our democracy could be severe. I wish I were optimistic about that, but its going to be a tough fight. Now lets move on to sunnier topics like climate change. Just kidding. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. University of Chicago men's rugby team players practice on the Midway Plaisance near the campus in Chicago, May 6, 2021. The University of Chicago is delaying its new term and holding the first two weeks online. Credit: AP Photo/Shafkat Anowar, File With COVID-19 cases surging just as students are about to return from winter break, dozens of U.S. colleges are moving classes online again for at least the first week or so of the semesterand some warn it could stretch longer if the wave of infection doesn't subside soon. Harvard is moving classes online for the first three weeks of the new year, with a return to campus scheduled for late January, "conditions permitting." The University of Chicago is delaying the beginning of its new term and holding the first two weeks online. Some others are inviting students back to campus but starting classes online, including Michigan State University. Many colleges hope that an extra week or two will get them past the peak of the nationwide spike driven by the highly contagious omicron variant. Still, the surge is casting uncertainty over a semester many had hoped would be the closest to normal since the start of the pandemic. For some students, starting the term remotely is becoming routinemany colleges used the strategy last year amid a wave of cases. But some fear the latest shift could extend well beyond a week or two. Jake Maynard, a student at George Washington University in the nation's capital, said he is fine with a week of online classes, but beyond that, he hopes officials trust in the booster shots and provide a traditional college experience. He has already taken a year of online learning, which he said "did not work" and wasn't what he expected from a school that charges more than $50,000 a year. "I'm a junior, but about half my schooling experience has been online," said Maynard, 20, of Ellicott City, Maryland. "You lose so much of what makes the school the school." A woman walks by a Yale sign reflected in the rainwater in the street on the Yale University campus in New Haven, CT, Aug. 22, 2021. More than 40 colleges across 16 states are starting the term online, and others say they're considering it. Many making the move now use quarter systems that start earlier than those with semesters.Credit: AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File The university is inviting students back to campus starting Monday, but classes will be held online until Jan. 18 as officials ramp up virus testing and isolate any infected students. The school has more than doubled its isolation space and moved up the deadline for a new booster shot requirement by three weeks because of omicron. "The omicron variant hit us at a terrible time, basically the last couple weeks of the fall semester, which doesn't give us much time to prepare for spring," said Dr. Lynn Goldman, dean of George Washington's school of public health. The university was among many that saw infections soar in the days before winter break. The campus averaged more than 80 cases a day during finals week, compared with just a few a day for much of the fall. And while most recent cases were mild, nearly all were among students who had received at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. As for the mid-January target date for resuming in-person learning, Goldman said officials "recognize there's some possibility that it won't be possible." So far, more than 70 colleges across 26 states are starting the term online, and others say they are considering it. Many making the move now use quarter systems that start earlier than those with semesters. Many of those shifting online are in recent virus hot spots, including George Washington, Yale and Columbia on the East Coast, along with Wayne State University in Detroit and Northwestern University near Chicago. The list also includes most of the University of California campuses and Rice University in Houston. At the University of California, Riverside, students can return on Monday but face two weeks of online classes. They are also being being asked to sequester for five days while they undergo two rounds of virus testing. Students walk near the Widener Library at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., Aug. 13, 2019. Harvard University is telling students to take classes from home for three weeks, with a return to campus scheduled for late January, "conditions permitting." Credit: AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File It's the first time since last spring that the school has moved fully remote, but Chancellor Kim Wilcox said it is the best way to prevent the virus from spreading after students return from holiday travel. "We think about it as rebuilding our bubble," he said. "It gives us a chance to reset things and then hopefully be off and running." Some other colleges are delaying the new term without offering remote classes. Syracuse University pushed its semester back a week, citing projections that the first three weeks of January will be "the most challenging of this surge." Others are pressing ahead with in-person learning, saying the health risks are low with masks and booster shots. At Northeastern University in Boston, one of a growing number of schools requiring boosters, students are returning as planned. Officials said the school is shifting its focus from preventing all cases to warding off serious illness or hospitalization. "As we move into this endemic phase of the pandemic, our job is to continue to control COVID effectively, not let COVID control us," Ken Henderson, chancellor and senior vice president for learning, said in a message to the campus. The move drew praise from Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, who said COVID-19 poses little risk to college students, while "prolonged isolation is a very real risk to their growth and mental health." Pedestrians walk near a Northeastern University sign on the school's campus in Boston, Jan. 31, 2019. At Northeastern University in Boston, one of a growing number of schools requiring boosters, students are returning to campus as planned.Credit: AP Photo/Rodrique Ngowi, File The University of Florida plans to return to in-person learning at the start of the semester, despite a request from a faculty union to teach remotely for the first three weeks. Paul Ortiz, president of the campus chapter of the United Faculty of Florida, said older faculty members will be at higher risk, especially with no mask or vaccine mandates, which have been outlawed by GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis. "We do not want our campus to become a super-spreader," Ortiz said. "There's just a lot of uncertainty right now, a lot of stress." At some colleges starting remotely, officials say they are committed to a quick return to the classroom. The 50,000-student campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign plans to resume in-person classes after one week of online instruction. Students are being encouraged to return during that first week so they can take two virus tests, which will clear them to resume in-person activities if they test negative. "Every semester we've had a spike when students come back," university spokesperson Robin Kaler said. "We want to make sure we're on top of that so we can crush it as quickly as possible." Explore further California State University to require COVID-19 boosters 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. University of Chicago men's rugby team players practice on the Midway Plaisance near the campus in Chicago, May 6, 2021. The University of Chicago is delaying its new term and holding the first two weeks online. Credit: AP Photo/Shafkat Anowar, File With COVID-19 cases surging just as students are about to return from winter break, dozens of U.S. colleges are moving classes online again for at least the first week or so of the semesterand some warn it could stretch longer if the wave of infection doesn't subside soon. Harvard is moving classes online for the first three weeks of the new year, with a return to campus scheduled for late January, "conditions permitting." The University of Chicago is delaying the beginning of its new term and holding the first two weeks online. Some others are inviting students back to campus but starting classes online, including Michigan State University. Many colleges hope that an extra week or two will get them past the peak of the nationwide spike driven by the highly contagious omicron variant. Still, the surge is casting uncertainty over a semester many had hoped would be the closest to normal since the start of the pandemic. For some students, starting the term remotely is becoming routinemany colleges used the strategy last year amid a wave of cases. But some fear the latest shift could extend well beyond a week or two. Jake Maynard, a student at George Washington University in the nation's capital, said he is fine with a week of online classes, but beyond that, he hopes officials trust in the booster shots and provide a traditional college experience. He has already taken a year of online learning, which he said "did not work" and wasn't what he expected from a school that charges more than $50,000 a year. "I'm a junior, but about half my schooling experience has been online," said Maynard, 20, of Ellicott City, Maryland. "You lose so much of what makes the school the school." A woman walks by a Yale sign reflected in the rainwater in the street on the Yale University campus in New Haven, CT, Aug. 22, 2021. More than 40 colleges across 16 states are starting the term online, and others say they're considering it. Many making the move now use quarter systems that start earlier than those with semesters.Credit: AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File The university is inviting students back to campus starting Monday, but classes will be held online until Jan. 18 as officials ramp up virus testing and isolate any infected students. The school has more than doubled its isolation space and moved up the deadline for a new booster shot requirement by three weeks because of omicron. "The omicron variant hit us at a terrible time, basically the last couple weeks of the fall semester, which doesn't give us much time to prepare for spring," said Dr. Lynn Goldman, dean of George Washington's school of public health. The university was among many that saw infections soar in the days before winter break. The campus averaged more than 80 cases a day during finals week, compared with just a few a day for much of the fall. And while most recent cases were mild, nearly all were among students who had received at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. As for the mid-January target date for resuming in-person learning, Goldman said officials "recognize there's some possibility that it won't be possible." So far, more than 70 colleges across 26 states are starting the term online, and others say they are considering it. Many making the move now use quarter systems that start earlier than those with semesters. Many of those shifting online are in recent virus hot spots, including George Washington, Yale and Columbia on the East Coast, along with Wayne State University in Detroit and Northwestern University near Chicago. The list also includes most of the University of California campuses and Rice University in Houston. At the University of California, Riverside, students can return on Monday but face two weeks of online classes. They are also being being asked to sequester for five days while they undergo two rounds of virus testing. Students walk near the Widener Library at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., Aug. 13, 2019. Harvard University is telling students to take classes from home for three weeks, with a return to campus scheduled for late January, "conditions permitting." Credit: AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File It's the first time since last spring that the school has moved fully remote, but Chancellor Kim Wilcox said it is the best way to prevent the virus from spreading after students return from holiday travel. "We think about it as rebuilding our bubble," he said. "It gives us a chance to reset things and then hopefully be off and running." Some other colleges are delaying the new term without offering remote classes. Syracuse University pushed its semester back a week, citing projections that the first three weeks of January will be "the most challenging of this surge." Others are pressing ahead with in-person learning, saying the health risks are low with masks and booster shots. At Northeastern University in Boston, one of a growing number of schools requiring boosters, students are returning as planned. Officials said the school is shifting its focus from preventing all cases to warding off serious illness or hospitalization. "As we move into this endemic phase of the pandemic, our job is to continue to control COVID effectively, not let COVID control us," Ken Henderson, chancellor and senior vice president for learning, said in a message to the campus. The move drew praise from Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, who said COVID-19 poses little risk to college students, while "prolonged isolation is a very real risk to their growth and mental health." Pedestrians walk near a Northeastern University sign on the school's campus in Boston, Jan. 31, 2019. At Northeastern University in Boston, one of a growing number of schools requiring boosters, students are returning to campus as planned.Credit: AP Photo/Rodrique Ngowi, File The University of Florida plans to return to in-person learning at the start of the semester, despite a request from a faculty union to teach remotely for the first three weeks. Paul Ortiz, president of the campus chapter of the United Faculty of Florida, said older faculty members will be at higher risk, especially with no mask or vaccine mandates, which have been outlawed by GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis. "We do not want our campus to become a super-spreader," Ortiz said. "There's just a lot of uncertainty right now, a lot of stress." At some colleges starting remotely, officials say they are committed to a quick return to the classroom. The 50,000-student campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign plans to resume in-person classes after one week of online instruction. Students are being encouraged to return during that first week so they can take two virus tests, which will clear them to resume in-person activities if they test negative. "Every semester we've had a spike when students come back," university spokesperson Robin Kaler said. "We want to make sure we're on top of that so we can crush it as quickly as possible." Explore further California State University to require COVID-19 boosters 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. 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. Mumbai, Jan 1 : Fulfilling an election promise, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday announced a complete waiver of property tax on residential properties in Mumbai measuring up to 500 sq ft in the New Year. The decision will prove a boon for lakhs of middle and lower-middle class property holders, and comes at a critical stage ahead of the upcoming elections to BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The Shiv Sena, headed by Thackeray, has been ruling the roost in BMC, the country's biggest and richest civic body, for over a quarter of a century now. "We had made this promise before the 2017 civic elections and now we are honouring it. The decision shall be implemented with immediate effect," Thackeray said after a meeting with the Urban Development Department. Presently, there are more than 16 lakh homes in Mumbai, which are up to or less than 500 sq ft area and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) largesse would significantly benefit them. On the flip side, the BMC is likely to forfeit a revenue of around Rs 450 crore by the waiver, but it is expected to have several other advantages as the recent activities in the realty markets indicate. The CM assured that the Shiv Sena and the MVA are committed to give a fillip to Mumbai's development and it's now the fourth generation of Thackerays who are working to take it to new heights. "I appeal to Mumbaikars to support us as the Shiv Sena and MVA are fully capable of taking care of everything, especially the efforts to tackle the ongoing Covid-19 health crises," said Thackeray. Saturday's meeting was attended by Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde (Sena), Ports Minister Aslam Shaikh (Congress), who is also Guardian Minister for Mumbai City, Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray, who is the Guardian Minister for Mumbai Suburbs, Chief Secretary Debasish Chakrabarty, Mayor Kishori Pednekar, BMC Commissioner I.S. Chahal and others. Mumbai, Jan 1 : Fulfilling an election promise, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday announced a complete waiver of property tax on residential properties in Mumbai measuring up to 500 sq ft in the New Year. The decision will prove a boon for lakhs of middle and lower-middle class property holders, and comes at a critical stage ahead of the upcoming elections to BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The Shiv Sena, headed by Thackeray, has been ruling the roost in BMC, the country's biggest and richest civic body, for over a quarter of a century now. "We had made this promise before the 2017 civic elections and now we are honouring it. The decision shall be implemented with immediate effect," Thackeray said after a meeting with the Urban Development Department. Presently, there are more than 16 lakh homes in Mumbai, which are up to or less than 500 sq ft area and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) largesse would significantly benefit them. On the flip side, the BMC is likely to forfeit a revenue of around Rs 450 crore by the waiver, but it is expected to have several other advantages as the recent activities in the realty markets indicate. The CM assured that the Shiv Sena and the MVA are committed to give a fillip to Mumbai's development and it's now the fourth generation of Thackerays who are working to take it to new heights. "I appeal to Mumbaikars to support us as the Shiv Sena and MVA are fully capable of taking care of everything, especially the efforts to tackle the ongoing Covid-19 health crises," said Thackeray. Saturday's meeting was attended by Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde (Sena), Ports Minister Aslam Shaikh (Congress), who is also Guardian Minister for Mumbai City, Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray, who is the Guardian Minister for Mumbai Suburbs, Chief Secretary Debasish Chakrabarty, Mayor Kishori Pednekar, BMC Commissioner I.S. Chahal and others. The nuEra marijuana dispensary opened to customers Thursday, the second such dispensary in Aurora. The store at 1415 Corporate Blvd., off Farnsworth Avenue, is next door to Chicago Premium Outlets, and 420 feet from the Farnsworth interchange with Interstate 88. It is the third adult-use only facility for nuEra, which also operates such dispensaries in Champaign and Pekin. It runs medical marijuana facilities in Chicago, Urbana and East Peoria. The license for the Aurora facility is actually a secondary license known as a plus-one to the Chicago medical marijuana facility. Using the secondary license allowed nuEra to get open quicker, officials said. To celebrate its opening, nuEra set special 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. hours for Thursday and Friday. Aurora officials will join with company leaders in a ribbon-cutting and grand opening event at 9 a.m. Friday in front of the store. "We are preparing an amazing menu with an incredible array of products from Illinois' best producers flower, cartridges, edibles and more," said Jonah Rapino, marketing director for nuEra. "There will be something for everyone, and our budtenders are ready to educate and assist." This opening date was unsure even as late as two weeks ago, when the Aurora City Council approved an extension to the deadline nuEra Partners had for opening the facility. The council first granted a conditional use for the dispensary in January 2020, then granted an extension in December 2020. The third extension was necessary because nuEra officials, along with other applicants for marijuana dispensaries, have been navigating legal battles and the state's regulations to get open. The company, which was once called NuMed, applied to the city under two different avenues to a license. The secondary license was available because of the medical marijuana facilities the company operates, but nuEra originally applied to Aurora as a social equity license, which means either investors, owners or workers, or some mix of all three, must qualify as having been disproportionately affected by the criminalization of marijuana in the past. Rapino said company officials have been anxious to open the Aurora location because it is near Interstate 88 and next to the outlet mall. The company also likes having a location in a population center such as Aurora, the second-largest city in the state. "It's a crossroads," Rapino said. "We figured this is a great place to be." Officials said nuMed owns the building, which is 5,500 square feet. Right now, the facility is using about 2,700 of those square feet, but could expand to use the whole building some day. It could also rent out the second part of the building, Rapino said. According to officials, nuMed Partners is a vertically integrated company, which means they grow and cultivate their own product as well as sell it. What makes them a bit unusual is that they are integrated entirely in the state of Illinois cultivation, sales, ownership and investors, Rapino said. "We're the local yokels," he said. With the business opening near the end of 2021 and into the beginning of 2022, the company is offering 22% off its products for all new customers on Friday, Rapino said. The nuEra marijuana dispensary opened to customers Thursday, the second such dispensary in Aurora. The store at 1415 Corporate Blvd., off Farnsworth Avenue, is next door to Chicago Premium Outlets, and 420 feet from the Farnsworth interchange with Interstate 88. It is the third adult-use only facility for nuEra, which also operates such dispensaries in Champaign and Pekin. It runs medical marijuana facilities in Chicago, Urbana and East Peoria. The license for the Aurora facility is actually a secondary license known as a plus-one to the Chicago medical marijuana facility. Using the secondary license allowed nuEra to get open quicker, officials said. To celebrate its opening, nuEra set special 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. hours for Thursday and Friday. Aurora officials will join with company leaders in a ribbon-cutting and grand opening event at 9 a.m. Friday in front of the store. "We are preparing an amazing menu with an incredible array of products from Illinois' best producers flower, cartridges, edibles and more," said Jonah Rapino, marketing director for nuEra. "There will be something for everyone, and our budtenders are ready to educate and assist." This opening date was unsure even as late as two weeks ago, when the Aurora City Council approved an extension to the deadline nuEra Partners had for opening the facility. The council first granted a conditional use for the dispensary in January 2020, then granted an extension in December 2020. The third extension was necessary because nuEra officials, along with other applicants for marijuana dispensaries, have been navigating legal battles and the state's regulations to get open. The company, which was once called NuMed, applied to the city under two different avenues to a license. The secondary license was available because of the medical marijuana facilities the company operates, but nuEra originally applied to Aurora as a social equity license, which means either investors, owners or workers, or some mix of all three, must qualify as having been disproportionately affected by the criminalization of marijuana in the past. Rapino said company officials have been anxious to open the Aurora location because it is near Interstate 88 and next to the outlet mall. The company also likes having a location in a population center such as Aurora, the second-largest city in the state. "It's a crossroads," Rapino said. "We figured this is a great place to be." Officials said nuMed owns the building, which is 5,500 square feet. Right now, the facility is using about 2,700 of those square feet, but could expand to use the whole building some day. It could also rent out the second part of the building, Rapino said. According to officials, nuMed Partners is a vertically integrated company, which means they grow and cultivate their own product as well as sell it. What makes them a bit unusual is that they are integrated entirely in the state of Illinois cultivation, sales, ownership and investors, Rapino said. "We're the local yokels," he said. With the business opening near the end of 2021 and into the beginning of 2022, the company is offering 22% off its products for all new customers on Friday, Rapino said. Your browser does not support the video tag. Your browser does not support the video tag. Your browser does not support the video tag. Your browser does not support the video tag. WOODBRIDGE, NJ Although Woodridge Township continues to log its highest coronavirus case numbers in nearly two years of the pandemic, Woodbridge schools will remain in person when classes resume Jan. 3 after winter break, said superintendent Joe Massimino in this New Year's Eve letter home to parents. "Our district will continue to operate on our regular full day schedule when we return on January 3, 2022. We believe it is vital to continue meeting students needs and providing appropriate resources during this challenging juncture," the superintendent wrote. So far in New Jersey, New Brunswick, South Brunswick, Newark, South Orange-Maplewood and the Paterson school districts, among others, have all decided to go virtual for the first week, or two weeks in some cases, back from winter break. On Thursday, Dec. 30 Woodbridge ended its highest case count week ever, with 1,350 new cases of coronavirus in the last seven days. For comparison, Woodbridge had 1,004 cases the entire summer of 2021. However, there were no new deaths to report. Also, children are not very likely to contract serious coronavirus cases, according to the CDC, even if they are not vaccinated. Both CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky and Dr. Anthony Fauci said on New Year's Eve that children are not being hospitalized because of coronavirus. They are being taken to the hospital for many other various reasons, and then testing positive as part of mandatory testing requirements. Superintendent Massimino acknowledged the reality of surging case numbers: "While the break gave students and staff some time away from school, it unfortunately did not give our community a break from COVID-19. Despite being out of school for over a week, the number of overall positive cases saw a dramatic increase," he wrote. Massimino did ask that parents "use their judgement regarding any close contact scenarios that may have occurred during winter break. If parents, out of an abundance of caution, decide there is a need for their child to quarantine upon our return to school, please make your childs school aware and email their teachers. As always, if your child is not feeling well or has symptoms of being sick, please keep them home." He also said the district is awaiting guidance from the New Jersey Department of Health regarding the latest CDC guidelines. This article originally appeared on the Woodbridge Patch https://sputniknews.com/20220101/finnish-president-says-russian-proposals-for-nato-challenge-european-security-1091964406.html Finnish President Says Russian Proposals for NATO Challenge European Security Finnish President Says Russian Proposals for NATO Challenge European Security Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said on Saturday that Europe should not be merely listening to Russia and NATO discussing a new security architecture for Europe, which he said was in conflict with the current order. 2022-01-01T15:23+0000 2022-01-01T15:23+0000 2022-01-01T15:26+0000 russia finland security nato /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0a/12/1090007287_0:525:2042:1674_1920x0_80_0_0_6154affac67306a287c68ad168de7e53.jpg "We must... be careful about what is being talked about and with whom. Many Europeans have asked, and not for the first time: are we being discussed without us being included?" he said in a message on New Year's Day.He argued proposals that Russia gave to the United States and NATO in December to ensure that the alliance did not expand eastward or place mid-range nuclear weapons on its border were "in conflict with the European security order" and challenged Finland's sovereignty. Finland is not part of NATO but has been one of its most active partners.Senior Russian and US diplomats will sit down for a strategic stability dialogue in Geneva on 10 January to discuss new security guarantees that Russia demanded amid tensions over Ukraine. The bilateral talks will be followed by a NATO-Russia Council meeting in Brussels on 12 January. finland Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russia, nato, european security Your browser does not support the video tag. Your browser does not support the video tag. The nuEra marijuana dispensary opened to customers Thursday, the second such dispensary in Aurora. The store at 1415 Corporate Blvd., off Farnsworth Avenue, is next door to Chicago Premium Outlets, and 420 feet from the Farnsworth interchange with Interstate 88. It is the third adult-use only facility for nuEra, which also operates such dispensaries in Champaign and Pekin. It runs medical marijuana facilities in Chicago, Urbana and East Peoria. The license for the Aurora facility is actually a secondary license known as a plus-one to the Chicago medical marijuana facility. Using the secondary license allowed nuEra to get open quicker, officials said. To celebrate its opening, nuEra set special 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. hours for Thursday and Friday. Aurora officials will join with company leaders in a ribbon-cutting and grand opening event at 9 a.m. Friday in front of the store. "We are preparing an amazing menu with an incredible array of products from Illinois' best producers flower, cartridges, edibles and more," said Jonah Rapino, marketing director for nuEra. "There will be something for everyone, and our budtenders are ready to educate and assist." This opening date was unsure even as late as two weeks ago, when the Aurora City Council approved an extension to the deadline nuEra Partners had for opening the facility. The council first granted a conditional use for the dispensary in January 2020, then granted an extension in December 2020. The third extension was necessary because nuEra officials, along with other applicants for marijuana dispensaries, have been navigating legal battles and the state's regulations to get open. The company, which was once called NuMed, applied to the city under two different avenues to a license. The secondary license was available because of the medical marijuana facilities the company operates, but nuEra originally applied to Aurora as a social equity license, which means either investors, owners or workers, or some mix of all three, must qualify as having been disproportionately affected by the criminalization of marijuana in the past. Rapino said company officials have been anxious to open the Aurora location because it is near Interstate 88 and next to the outlet mall. The company also likes having a location in a population center such as Aurora, the second-largest city in the state. "It's a crossroads," Rapino said. "We figured this is a great place to be." Officials said nuMed owns the building, which is 5,500 square feet. Right now, the facility is using about 2,700 of those square feet, but could expand to use the whole building some day. It could also rent out the second part of the building, Rapino said. According to officials, nuMed Partners is a vertically integrated company, which means they grow and cultivate their own product as well as sell it. What makes them a bit unusual is that they are integrated entirely in the state of Illinois cultivation, sales, ownership and investors, Rapino said. "We're the local yokels," he said. With the business opening near the end of 2021 and into the beginning of 2022, the company is offering 22% off its products for all new customers on Friday, Rapino said. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/pope-francis-says-to-hurt-a-woman-is-to-insult-god-in-new-year-message-1091964081.html Pope Francis Says To Hurt a Woman is to Insult God' in New Year Message Pope Francis Says To Hurt a Woman is to Insult God' in New Year Message Pope Francis in his New Year message at a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica called for an end to violence against women. 2022-01-01T15:27+0000 2022-01-01T15:27+0000 2022-01-01T15:27+0000 pope francis covid-19 /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0c/19/1091788474_0:0:3105:1747_1920x0_80_0_0_4a129828fcbe7bba45dae2d2a3cd1056.jpg Pope Francis has called for an end to violence against women.The 85-year-old Pope was delivering his New Year message at a Mass in St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican as he called for greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women. The Roman Catholic Church reveres 1 January as the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God which celebrates "the part played by Mary in the mystery of salvation". New Year's Day is also the Church's World Day of Peace.In his New Year's homily, the Pope said:Europe has seen a deadly resurgence of violence against women since the start of the pandemic when lockdowns which were put in place to curb the spread of the disease left many women trapped in the home with a possible abuser.A report from UN Women, which brought together data collected in 13 countries across all regions (Kenya, Thailand, Ukraine, Cameroon, Albania, Bangladesh, Colombia, Paraguay, Nigeria, Cote DIvoire, Morocco, Jordan, and Kyrgyzstan), confirmed that the coronavirus pandemic had increased womens experiences of violence and eroded their feelings of safety.Some European countries released official statistics for 2021, showing that in Spain, for example, since the coronavirus state of emergency ended in May, one woman has been killed every three days, compared with an average of one a week before that.In another European country, Belgium, 13 women have died from violence since the end of April compared with 24 in the whole of 2020. In France, 56 have been killed so far this year compared with 46 for the same period a year earlier, according to NGO data. https://sputniknews.com/20211226/come-again-itv-host-heckled-after-mistakenly-announcing-the-death-of-pope-francis--1091804706.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Svetlana Ekimenko pope francis covid-19 WOODBRIDGE, NJ Although Woodridge Township continues to log its highest coronavirus case numbers in nearly two years of the pandemic, Woodbridge schools will remain in person when classes resume Jan. 3 after winter break, said superintendent Joe Massimino in this New Year's Eve letter home to parents. "Our district will continue to operate on our regular full day schedule when we return on January 3, 2022. We believe it is vital to continue meeting students needs and providing appropriate resources during this challenging juncture," the superintendent wrote. So far in New Jersey, New Brunswick, South Brunswick, Newark, South Orange-Maplewood and the Paterson school districts, among others, have all decided to go virtual for the first week, or two weeks in some cases, back from winter break. On Thursday, Dec. 30 Woodbridge ended its highest case count week ever, with 1,350 new cases of coronavirus in the last seven days. For comparison, Woodbridge had 1,004 cases the entire summer of 2021. However, there were no new deaths to report. Also, children are not very likely to contract serious coronavirus cases, according to the CDC, even if they are not vaccinated. Both CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky and Dr. Anthony Fauci said on New Year's Eve that children are not being hospitalized because of coronavirus. They are being taken to the hospital for many other various reasons, and then testing positive as part of mandatory testing requirements. Superintendent Massimino acknowledged the reality of surging case numbers: "While the break gave students and staff some time away from school, it unfortunately did not give our community a break from COVID-19. Despite being out of school for over a week, the number of overall positive cases saw a dramatic increase," he wrote. Massimino did ask that parents "use their judgement regarding any close contact scenarios that may have occurred during winter break. If parents, out of an abundance of caution, decide there is a need for their child to quarantine upon our return to school, please make your childs school aware and email their teachers. As always, if your child is not feeling well or has symptoms of being sick, please keep them home." He also said the district is awaiting guidance from the New Jersey Department of Health regarding the latest CDC guidelines. This article originally appeared on the Woodbridge Patch Pope Francis, who is the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City delivered the New Years Day homily where he condemned the violence against women by stating that violence against them is an insult to God. On Saturday, the Pontiff delivered a speech from the Vatican City in Rome, drawing inspiration from Mary, Jesus' mother. He stated that while delivering her child in a lowly manger, Mary was in a dark stable, yet, it is there that she introduces God before the world. He further sought the listeners to learn from the Mother of God on how to adopt the same attitude. He spoke out against violence against women, saying because mothers provide life and women keep the world going, let us all make more efforts to promote mothers and safeguard women, according to CNN. He also said that there has been enough violence directed at women. The Pope delivered the New Year's Day homily for the first time since 2019 at Saturday's service, as he missed last year's message due to health issues. Pope Francis reflects on pandemic and social relationships January 1 is also the Catholic feast day of Mary, the Mother of God. In his Christmas address last week, Pope Francis reflected on the pandemic, its impact on our social relationships. He also emphasised making an effort to contact others and do things together. According to CNN, he also called for a stop to wars in the Middle East and Africa, naming Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, Sudan and Ethiopia. The Pope stated that people are still living in unpredictable and tough times as a result of the pandemic and many are concerned about the future and burdened by societal difficulties, personal concerns, threats arising from the ecological catastrophe, injustices, and global economic disparities. Pope's visit to the Nativity Scene in Saint Peter's Square cancelled He also stated that when he sees Mary with her Son in her arms, he thinks of young mothers and their children fleeing wars, according to Digital Journal. Over coronavirus worries, the Vatican cancelled the pope's usual visit to the Nativity Scene in Saint Peter's Square on Friday. Italy, like the rest of Europe, is seeing an increase in coronavirus cases, which is being fueled by the new Omicron variant. Image: AP Two more people have tested positive for the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in West Bengal, taking the total number of cases in the state to 16, a senior health official said on Saturday. One of the new patients came from Odisha while a local person tested positive for Omicron at the India-Bangladesh international border in Petrapole in North 24 Parganas district, he said. "The person who came from Odisha, and the one who tested positive at Petrapole are undergoing treatment in Kolkata. The total number of cases has increased to 16," the official said. Meanwhile, five other travellers who recently arrived in West Bengal from other countries tested positive for the Delta variant of the coronavirus. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) A former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and Emir of Kano, Mohammed Sanusi Lamido II, has extolled the leadership of Vice President Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia . Addressing thousands of Muslims in Kumasi during a special end-of-year national Quran recitation and prayer session for the country, Mohammed Sanusi II, who is also a revered Islamic Cleric in the West African sub-region, praised Dr. Bawumia for his good works, both as Vice President and his commitment to promoting the work of God. Showering Bawumia with commendations, the 14th Emir of Kano drew similarities between himself and Ghanas Vice President as a banker, economist and University lecturer. His Excellency the Vice President was in the Bank of Ghana at the same time I was Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. Weve seen from his experience, from his biography that after he left the Bank of Ghana, he went to St. Anthonys College Oxford, and I am now at St. Anthonys College Oxford and we seem to have a lot in common. I will like to join all of you in testifying that you have in him (Bawumia) a great leader with great potential. And these are the kinds of leaders that we need on this continent. Mohammed Sanusi urged all to continue to pray for the Vice President so that Allah will guide his path so that he can continue to offer good leadership to the people. Mohammed Sanusi also commended Bawumia for his immense support in the construction of mosque, especially the Kumasi Central Mosque. Your Excellency, I have seen the good work you are doing with this mosque here in Kumasi. Earlier in the week when he called on the the Vice President in Accra, the renowned economist praised Dr. Bawumia for leading Ghanas digitization drive, which he said has positioned Ghana ahead of his own country Nigeria, in terms of digital payments. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/finnish-president-says-russian-proposals-for-nato-challenge-european-security-1091964406.html Finnish President Says Russian Proposals for NATO Challenge European Security Finnish President Says Russian Proposals for NATO Challenge European Security Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said on Saturday that Europe should not be merely listening to Russia and NATO discussing a new security architecture for Europe, which he said was in conflict with the current order. 2022-01-01T15:23+0000 2022-01-01T15:23+0000 2022-01-01T15:26+0000 russia finland security nato /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0a/12/1090007287_0:525:2042:1674_1920x0_80_0_0_6154affac67306a287c68ad168de7e53.jpg "We must... be careful about what is being talked about and with whom. Many Europeans have asked, and not for the first time: are we being discussed without us being included?" he said in a message on New Year's Day.He argued proposals that Russia gave to the United States and NATO in December to ensure that the alliance did not expand eastward or place mid-range nuclear weapons on its border were "in conflict with the European security order" and challenged Finland's sovereignty. Finland is not part of NATO but has been one of its most active partners.Senior Russian and US diplomats will sit down for a strategic stability dialogue in Geneva on 10 January to discuss new security guarantees that Russia demanded amid tensions over Ukraine. The bilateral talks will be followed by a NATO-Russia Council meeting in Brussels on 12 January. finland Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russia, nato, european security WOODBRIDGE, NJ Although Woodridge Township continues to log its highest coronavirus case numbers in nearly two years of the pandemic, Woodbridge schools will remain in person when classes resume Jan. 3 after winter break, said superintendent Joe Massimino in this New Year's Eve letter home to parents. "Our district will continue to operate on our regular full day schedule when we return on January 3, 2022. We believe it is vital to continue meeting students needs and providing appropriate resources during this challenging juncture," the superintendent wrote. So far in New Jersey, New Brunswick, South Brunswick, Newark, South Orange-Maplewood and the Paterson school districts, among others, have all decided to go virtual for the first week, or two weeks in some cases, back from winter break. On Thursday, Dec. 30 Woodbridge ended its highest case count week ever, with 1,350 new cases of coronavirus in the last seven days. For comparison, Woodbridge had 1,004 cases the entire summer of 2021. However, there were no new deaths to report. Also, children are not very likely to contract serious coronavirus cases, according to the CDC, even if they are not vaccinated. Both CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky and Dr. Anthony Fauci said on New Year's Eve that children are not being hospitalized because of coronavirus. They are being taken to the hospital for many other various reasons, and then testing positive as part of mandatory testing requirements. Superintendent Massimino acknowledged the reality of surging case numbers: "While the break gave students and staff some time away from school, it unfortunately did not give our community a break from COVID-19. Despite being out of school for over a week, the number of overall positive cases saw a dramatic increase," he wrote. Massimino did ask that parents "use their judgement regarding any close contact scenarios that may have occurred during winter break. If parents, out of an abundance of caution, decide there is a need for their child to quarantine upon our return to school, please make your childs school aware and email their teachers. As always, if your child is not feeling well or has symptoms of being sick, please keep them home." He also said the district is awaiting guidance from the New Jersey Department of Health regarding the latest CDC guidelines. This article originally appeared on the Woodbridge Patch A former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and Emir of Kano, Mohammed Sanusi Lamido II, has extolled the leadership of Vice President Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia . Addressing thousands of Muslims in Kumasi during a special end-of-year national Quran recitation and prayer session for the country, Mohammed Sanusi II, who is also a revered Islamic Cleric in the West African sub-region, praised Dr. Bawumia for his good works, both as Vice President and his commitment to promoting the work of God. Showering Bawumia with commendations, the 14th Emir of Kano drew similarities between himself and Ghanas Vice President as a banker, economist and University lecturer. His Excellency the Vice President was in the Bank of Ghana at the same time I was Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. Weve seen from his experience, from his biography that after he left the Bank of Ghana, he went to St. Anthonys College Oxford, and I am now at St. Anthonys College Oxford and we seem to have a lot in common. I will like to join all of you in testifying that you have in him (Bawumia) a great leader with great potential. And these are the kinds of leaders that we need on this continent. Mohammed Sanusi urged all to continue to pray for the Vice President so that Allah will guide his path so that he can continue to offer good leadership to the people. Mohammed Sanusi also commended Bawumia for his immense support in the construction of mosque, especially the Kumasi Central Mosque. Your Excellency, I have seen the good work you are doing with this mosque here in Kumasi. Earlier in the week when he called on the the Vice President in Accra, the renowned economist praised Dr. Bawumia for leading Ghanas digitization drive, which he said has positioned Ghana ahead of his own country Nigeria, in terms of digital payments. A former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and Emir of Kano, Mohammed Sanusi Lamido II, has extolled the leadership of Vice President Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia . Addressing thousands of Muslims in Kumasi during a special end-of-year national Quran recitation and prayer session for the country, Mohammed Sanusi II, who is also a revered Islamic Cleric in the West African sub-region, praised Dr. Bawumia for his good works, both as Vice President and his commitment to promoting the work of God. Showering Bawumia with commendations, the 14th Emir of Kano drew similarities between himself and Ghanas Vice President as a banker, economist and University lecturer. His Excellency the Vice President was in the Bank of Ghana at the same time I was Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. Weve seen from his experience, from his biography that after he left the Bank of Ghana, he went to St. Anthonys College Oxford, and I am now at St. Anthonys College Oxford and we seem to have a lot in common. I will like to join all of you in testifying that you have in him (Bawumia) a great leader with great potential. And these are the kinds of leaders that we need on this continent. Mohammed Sanusi urged all to continue to pray for the Vice President so that Allah will guide his path so that he can continue to offer good leadership to the people. Mohammed Sanusi also commended Bawumia for his immense support in the construction of mosque, especially the Kumasi Central Mosque. Your Excellency, I have seen the good work you are doing with this mosque here in Kumasi. Earlier in the week when he called on the the Vice President in Accra, the renowned economist praised Dr. Bawumia for leading Ghanas digitization drive, which he said has positioned Ghana ahead of his own country Nigeria, in terms of digital payments. Your browser does not support the video tag. Pope Francis, who is the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City delivered the New Years Day homily where he condemned the violence against women by stating that violence against them is an insult to God. On Saturday, the Pontiff delivered a speech from the Vatican City in Rome, drawing inspiration from Mary, Jesus' mother. He stated that while delivering her child in a lowly manger, Mary was in a dark stable, yet, it is there that she introduces God before the world. He further sought the listeners to learn from the Mother of God on how to adopt the same attitude. He spoke out against violence against women, saying because mothers provide life and women keep the world going, let us all make more efforts to promote mothers and safeguard women, according to CNN. He also said that there has been enough violence directed at women. The Pope delivered the New Year's Day homily for the first time since 2019 at Saturday's service, as he missed last year's message due to health issues. Pope Francis reflects on pandemic and social relationships January 1 is also the Catholic feast day of Mary, the Mother of God. In his Christmas address last week, Pope Francis reflected on the pandemic, its impact on our social relationships. He also emphasised making an effort to contact others and do things together. According to CNN, he also called for a stop to wars in the Middle East and Africa, naming Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, Sudan and Ethiopia. The Pope stated that people are still living in unpredictable and tough times as a result of the pandemic and many are concerned about the future and burdened by societal difficulties, personal concerns, threats arising from the ecological catastrophe, injustices, and global economic disparities. Pope's visit to the Nativity Scene in Saint Peter's Square cancelled He also stated that when he sees Mary with her Son in her arms, he thinks of young mothers and their children fleeing wars, according to Digital Journal. Over coronavirus worries, the Vatican cancelled the pope's usual visit to the Nativity Scene in Saint Peter's Square on Friday. Italy, like the rest of Europe, is seeing an increase in coronavirus cases, which is being fueled by the new Omicron variant. Image: AP Your browser does not support the video tag. Your browser does not support the video tag. Pope Francis, who is the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City delivered the New Years Day homily where he condemned the violence against women by stating that violence against them is an insult to God. On Saturday, the Pontiff delivered a speech from the Vatican City in Rome, drawing inspiration from Mary, Jesus' mother. He stated that while delivering her child in a lowly manger, Mary was in a dark stable, yet, it is there that she introduces God before the world. He further sought the listeners to learn from the Mother of God on how to adopt the same attitude. He spoke out against violence against women, saying because mothers provide life and women keep the world going, let us all make more efforts to promote mothers and safeguard women, according to CNN. He also said that there has been enough violence directed at women. The Pope delivered the New Year's Day homily for the first time since 2019 at Saturday's service, as he missed last year's message due to health issues. Pope Francis reflects on pandemic and social relationships January 1 is also the Catholic feast day of Mary, the Mother of God. In his Christmas address last week, Pope Francis reflected on the pandemic, its impact on our social relationships. He also emphasised making an effort to contact others and do things together. According to CNN, he also called for a stop to wars in the Middle East and Africa, naming Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, Sudan and Ethiopia. The Pope stated that people are still living in unpredictable and tough times as a result of the pandemic and many are concerned about the future and burdened by societal difficulties, personal concerns, threats arising from the ecological catastrophe, injustices, and global economic disparities. Pope's visit to the Nativity Scene in Saint Peter's Square cancelled He also stated that when he sees Mary with her Son in her arms, he thinks of young mothers and their children fleeing wars, according to Digital Journal. Over coronavirus worries, the Vatican cancelled the pope's usual visit to the Nativity Scene in Saint Peter's Square on Friday. Italy, like the rest of Europe, is seeing an increase in coronavirus cases, which is being fueled by the new Omicron variant. Image: AP Two more people have tested positive for the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in West Bengal, taking the total number of cases in the state to 16, a senior health official said on Saturday. One of the new patients came from Odisha while a local person tested positive for Omicron at the India-Bangladesh international border in Petrapole in North 24 Parganas district, he said. "The person who came from Odisha, and the one who tested positive at Petrapole are undergoing treatment in Kolkata. The total number of cases has increased to 16," the official said. Meanwhile, five other travellers who recently arrived in West Bengal from other countries tested positive for the Delta variant of the coronavirus. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Defense Minister Suh Wook, center, inspects South Korea's combat readiness aboard a Peace Eye aircraft during a 140-minute patrol mission, Jan. 1. Yonhap South Korea's defense chief flew on an airborne early warning and control aircraft, and inspected the country's defense posture on New Year's Day as North Korea noted the "growing instability" of the military situation on the peninsula. Defense Minister Suh Wook flew over South Korea's territorial waters for about 140 minutes aboard the E-737 Peace Eye aircraft, which took off from Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, just outside the capital, early Saturday. During the flight, Suh told the aircrew to maintain their military readiness as he held talks with commanders of major Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps combat units. On Saturday, North Korea called for the bolstering of its defense capabilities as it announced the results of a key meeting of the ruling Workers' Party. (Yonhap) Defense Minister Suh Wook, center, inspects South Korea's combat readiness aboard a Peace Eye aircraft during a 140-minute patrol mission, Jan. 1. Yonhap South Korea's defense chief flew on an airborne early warning and control aircraft, and inspected the country's defense posture on New Year's Day as North Korea noted the "growing instability" of the military situation on the peninsula. Defense Minister Suh Wook flew over South Korea's territorial waters for about 140 minutes aboard the E-737 Peace Eye aircraft, which took off from Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, just outside the capital, early Saturday. During the flight, Suh told the aircrew to maintain their military readiness as he held talks with commanders of major Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps combat units. On Saturday, North Korea called for the bolstering of its defense capabilities as it announced the results of a key meeting of the ruling Workers' Party. (Yonhap) https://sputniknews.com/20220101/finnish-president-says-russian-proposals-for-nato-challenge-european-security-1091964406.html Finnish President Says Russian Proposals for NATO Challenge European Security Finnish President Says Russian Proposals for NATO Challenge European Security Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said on Saturday that Europe should not be merely listening to Russia and NATO discussing a new security architecture for Europe, which he said was in conflict with the current order. 2022-01-01T15:23+0000 2022-01-01T15:23+0000 2022-01-01T15:26+0000 russia finland security nato /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0a/12/1090007287_0:525:2042:1674_1920x0_80_0_0_6154affac67306a287c68ad168de7e53.jpg "We must... be careful about what is being talked about and with whom. Many Europeans have asked, and not for the first time: are we being discussed without us being included?" he said in a message on New Year's Day.He argued proposals that Russia gave to the United States and NATO in December to ensure that the alliance did not expand eastward or place mid-range nuclear weapons on its border were "in conflict with the European security order" and challenged Finland's sovereignty. Finland is not part of NATO but has been one of its most active partners.Senior Russian and US diplomats will sit down for a strategic stability dialogue in Geneva on 10 January to discuss new security guarantees that Russia demanded amid tensions over Ukraine. The bilateral talks will be followed by a NATO-Russia Council meeting in Brussels on 12 January. finland Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russia, nato, european security Your browser does not support the video tag. Your browser does not support the video tag. Two more people have tested positive for the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in West Bengal, taking the total number of cases in the state to 16, a senior health official said on Saturday. One of the new patients came from Odisha while a local person tested positive for Omicron at the India-Bangladesh international border in Petrapole in North 24 Parganas district, he said. "The person who came from Odisha, and the one who tested positive at Petrapole are undergoing treatment in Kolkata. The total number of cases has increased to 16," the official said. Meanwhile, five other travellers who recently arrived in West Bengal from other countries tested positive for the Delta variant of the coronavirus. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Your browser does not support the video tag. Your browser does not support the video tag. Pope Francis, who is the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City delivered the New Years Day homily where he condemned the violence against women by stating that violence against them is an insult to God. On Saturday, the Pontiff delivered a speech from the Vatican City in Rome, drawing inspiration from Mary, Jesus' mother. He stated that while delivering her child in a lowly manger, Mary was in a dark stable, yet, it is there that she introduces God before the world. He further sought the listeners to learn from the Mother of God on how to adopt the same attitude. He spoke out against violence against women, saying because mothers provide life and women keep the world going, let us all make more efforts to promote mothers and safeguard women, according to CNN. He also said that there has been enough violence directed at women. The Pope delivered the New Year's Day homily for the first time since 2019 at Saturday's service, as he missed last year's message due to health issues. Pope Francis reflects on pandemic and social relationships January 1 is also the Catholic feast day of Mary, the Mother of God. In his Christmas address last week, Pope Francis reflected on the pandemic, its impact on our social relationships. He also emphasised making an effort to contact others and do things together. According to CNN, he also called for a stop to wars in the Middle East and Africa, naming Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, Sudan and Ethiopia. The Pope stated that people are still living in unpredictable and tough times as a result of the pandemic and many are concerned about the future and burdened by societal difficulties, personal concerns, threats arising from the ecological catastrophe, injustices, and global economic disparities. Pope's visit to the Nativity Scene in Saint Peter's Square cancelled He also stated that when he sees Mary with her Son in her arms, he thinks of young mothers and their children fleeing wars, according to Digital Journal. Over coronavirus worries, the Vatican cancelled the pope's usual visit to the Nativity Scene in Saint Peter's Square on Friday. Italy, like the rest of Europe, is seeing an increase in coronavirus cases, which is being fueled by the new Omicron variant. Image: AP Pope Francis, who is the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City delivered the New Years Day homily where he condemned the violence against women by stating that violence against them is an insult to God. On Saturday, the Pontiff delivered a speech from the Vatican City in Rome, drawing inspiration from Mary, Jesus' mother. He stated that while delivering her child in a lowly manger, Mary was in a dark stable, yet, it is there that she introduces God before the world. He further sought the listeners to learn from the Mother of God on how to adopt the same attitude. He spoke out against violence against women, saying because mothers provide life and women keep the world going, let us all make more efforts to promote mothers and safeguard women, according to CNN. He also said that there has been enough violence directed at women. The Pope delivered the New Year's Day homily for the first time since 2019 at Saturday's service, as he missed last year's message due to health issues. Pope Francis reflects on pandemic and social relationships January 1 is also the Catholic feast day of Mary, the Mother of God. In his Christmas address last week, Pope Francis reflected on the pandemic, its impact on our social relationships. He also emphasised making an effort to contact others and do things together. According to CNN, he also called for a stop to wars in the Middle East and Africa, naming Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, Sudan and Ethiopia. The Pope stated that people are still living in unpredictable and tough times as a result of the pandemic and many are concerned about the future and burdened by societal difficulties, personal concerns, threats arising from the ecological catastrophe, injustices, and global economic disparities. Pope's visit to the Nativity Scene in Saint Peter's Square cancelled He also stated that when he sees Mary with her Son in her arms, he thinks of young mothers and their children fleeing wars, according to Digital Journal. Over coronavirus worries, the Vatican cancelled the pope's usual visit to the Nativity Scene in Saint Peter's Square on Friday. Italy, like the rest of Europe, is seeing an increase in coronavirus cases, which is being fueled by the new Omicron variant. Image: AP Pope Francis, who is the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City delivered the New Years Day homily where he condemned the violence against women by stating that violence against them is an insult to God. On Saturday, the Pontiff delivered a speech from the Vatican City in Rome, drawing inspiration from Mary, Jesus' mother. He stated that while delivering her child in a lowly manger, Mary was in a dark stable, yet, it is there that she introduces God before the world. He further sought the listeners to learn from the Mother of God on how to adopt the same attitude. He spoke out against violence against women, saying because mothers provide life and women keep the world going, let us all make more efforts to promote mothers and safeguard women, according to CNN. He also said that there has been enough violence directed at women. The Pope delivered the New Year's Day homily for the first time since 2019 at Saturday's service, as he missed last year's message due to health issues. Pope Francis reflects on pandemic and social relationships January 1 is also the Catholic feast day of Mary, the Mother of God. In his Christmas address last week, Pope Francis reflected on the pandemic, its impact on our social relationships. He also emphasised making an effort to contact others and do things together. According to CNN, he also called for a stop to wars in the Middle East and Africa, naming Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, Sudan and Ethiopia. The Pope stated that people are still living in unpredictable and tough times as a result of the pandemic and many are concerned about the future and burdened by societal difficulties, personal concerns, threats arising from the ecological catastrophe, injustices, and global economic disparities. Pope's visit to the Nativity Scene in Saint Peter's Square cancelled He also stated that when he sees Mary with her Son in her arms, he thinks of young mothers and their children fleeing wars, according to Digital Journal. Over coronavirus worries, the Vatican cancelled the pope's usual visit to the Nativity Scene in Saint Peter's Square on Friday. Italy, like the rest of Europe, is seeing an increase in coronavirus cases, which is being fueled by the new Omicron variant. Image: AP Defense Minister Suh Wook, center, inspects South Korea's combat readiness aboard a Peace Eye aircraft during a 140-minute patrol mission, Jan. 1. Yonhap South Korea's defense chief flew on an airborne early warning and control aircraft, and inspected the country's defense posture on New Year's Day as North Korea noted the "growing instability" of the military situation on the peninsula. Defense Minister Suh Wook flew over South Korea's territorial waters for about 140 minutes aboard the E-737 Peace Eye aircraft, which took off from Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, just outside the capital, early Saturday. During the flight, Suh told the aircrew to maintain their military readiness as he held talks with commanders of major Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps combat units. On Saturday, North Korea called for the bolstering of its defense capabilities as it announced the results of a key meeting of the ruling Workers' Party. (Yonhap) Defense Minister Suh Wook, center, inspects South Korea's combat readiness aboard a Peace Eye aircraft during a 140-minute patrol mission, Jan. 1. Yonhap South Korea's defense chief flew on an airborne early warning and control aircraft, and inspected the country's defense posture on New Year's Day as North Korea noted the "growing instability" of the military situation on the peninsula. Defense Minister Suh Wook flew over South Korea's territorial waters for about 140 minutes aboard the E-737 Peace Eye aircraft, which took off from Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, just outside the capital, early Saturday. During the flight, Suh told the aircrew to maintain their military readiness as he held talks with commanders of major Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps combat units. On Saturday, North Korea called for the bolstering of its defense capabilities as it announced the results of a key meeting of the ruling Workers' Party. (Yonhap) The former Sears building at Gateway Mall is set for a makeover, according to documents submitted to the Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Department. A letter seeking an amendment to the existing use permit for the site details the plans, which include demolition of part of the building. The existing Sears Auto service building will be demolished and a mixture of retail and restaurant uses are planned to be constructed, the letter says. The remaining building will be repurposed for retail uses. The letter asks for an amendment to construct up to 16,000 square feet of additional space, which it appears would be added on in the footprint where the auto center will be demolished. The 120,000-square-foot building at 6400 O St. has been vacant since March 2019, when the Sears store closed after the company had declared bankruptcy, ending a run of more than 90 years in Lincoln, including nearly 50 years at Gateway. Elm Creek Real Estate bought the building in December 2019, along with the former Red Lobster and a vacant lot, all of which were owned by Sears. The purchase price was $6.5 million. The letter did not offer any other specifics, and representatives from Elm Creek Real Estate could not be reached for comment. However, John Dewhurst, president of commercial real estate firm Hard Corner LLC, said the plan is to fill the redeveloped building with national retail and restaurant tenants. Dewhurst, who has been the leasing agent for the building since shortly after Elm Creek bought it, said some tenants have been identified, but no leases have been signed yet. Introducing a Greek tragedy about a soldier who dies by his own hand is not what you think of as normal duty for one of the military's top brass. But that was the mission of Navy Rear Adm. Frank M. Bradley, commander of U.S. armed forces' Special Operations Command Central in Tampa, who recently spoke to a gathering of servicemen and women watching the session online from around the world. "There's not one of us that hasn't been touched by suicide somewhere in our lives, through our extended families and friends, and as everybody knows, it is a plague that knows no bounds of time or segments of society," Bradley said. "And so, having the opportunity to witness this . . . is a great gift." The gift itself was not standard-issue, either. A series of scenes from Sophocles's "Ajax" was performed live on Zoom by Theater of War, a 13-year-old professional troupe that recruits actors some as renowned as Frances McDormand and Bill Murray to give voice to ancient texts. The nonprofit organization seeks to focus these dramas, like healing lamps, on deep societal wounds. Their specialty is age-old plays that speak to wrenching contemporary issues, such as drug addiction, racial injustice, terminal illness and the climate crisis. Or, in the case of the performance for members of the Special Operations Command Central which goes by the acronym SOCCENT the aftershocks of combat. A 2021 study by Brown University's Cost of War Project reported that suicides by active-duty personnel and veterans "are reaching new peaks." It found that while 7,057 members of the armed forces were killed in military action since 9/11, more than four times as many active-duty members and veterans 30,177 died by suicide. The report noted that the military suicide rates now exceed those for the general population, when historically they had been lower. It was out of concern for this disturbing trend that Bradley, who'd seen other Theater of War productions, brought its work to the attention of Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., commander of the U.S. Central Command. He agreed to a series of online training sessions for chaplains and others in Special Operations intended to propel the issue of suicide more emphatically into the open. "I'm very concerned about the very toxic effects that the battlefield has on people anybody who tells you it doesn't affect you is wrong. It does affect us all," McKenzie said in a Zoom interview. "In the largest sense, Theater of War is a mechanism to provide a venue for people to talk about their experiences." Library bookshelves are loaded with plays about war, but opportunities for serious drama and the modern military to engage with each other remain rare. Bryan Doerries, Theater of War's artistic director, had no models to work with when, motivated by a personal tragedy and the desire to respond meaningfully to the war in Iraq, he formed the classically oriented theater company in 2009 with co-founder Phyllis Kaufman, who was its producing director until 2016. The company grew out of his work earlier in the 2000s, when Doerries, a translator of ancient Greek drama, had begun staging readings of the plays in hospitals and elsewhere, and sensed how rawly and powerfully audiences experienced them. "I began to see that the audience knew more than I did," Doerries recalled, "even though I studied Greek, even though I directed these translations." Having followed news reports about substandard care in veterans hospitals, Doerries turned his attention to military audiences. "It took a year and a half of learning how to talk to people in the military, of making a lot of mistakes, of having doors slammed in my face, of sitting in smoke-filled rooms with veterans," he said. Eventually, he made inroads, persuading organizers of a conference on combat stress among Marines to allow him to stage scenes from "Ajax" which tells of a great Greek soldier's decision to kill himself after his humiliation at being denied a ceremonial honor. "A discussion we scheduled for 45 minutes lasted 3 hours, and had to be cut off at midnight," Doerries said. "And every person who stood up quoted lines from the play as if they'd known it their entire lives." Given the profound catharsis a piece of relevant drama can summon, it's surprising more theater isn't devised for those who've been to war. Douglas Taurel, an actor and playwright, has learned this over the past several years, as he's traveled the country with his one-man show, "The American Soldier." Based in part on the letters of members of the armed forces, Taurel's 90-minute piece weaves together soldiers' stories from the Revolutionary War to the war in Afghanistan. He's performed it in venues as large as the Kennedy Center and as small as community halls. "I have audiences where the veterans, they like to sit in the front rows, you know, with their arms folded across their chests," Taurel said of their initial skepticism. By the end of his production performed in front of an American flag, along with a single trunk full of props he said many of them are in tears and asking why his play isn't better known. "Some even ask me why it isn't on Broadway," Taurel said with a laugh. Theater of War has a more therapeutic aim. In its military programming, the company, which relies on foundations and other private sources for financial support, has visited bases all over the world. The pandemic, of course, curtailed its mobility and compelled it to shift to virtual presentations, but the move to digital actually expanded the company's audience. "Zoom was another explosion for us," Doerries said, noting that as many as 20,000 viewers in 82 countries have tuned in to a single event. In November, the Internet provided what Doerries calls his "digital amphitheater" for the 40-minute presentation for SOCCENT of scenes from the Greek play. " 'Ajax,' " he said in his opening remarks, "was written by a general named Sophocles and performed in the 5th century BCE for as many as 17,000 citizen soldiers, who sat shoulder to shoulder in an ancient amphitheater with the generals in the front row." In the charged aftermath of the American withdrawal from Afghanistan, a reckoning with the psychological toll of the country's two-decade involvement offered emotional subtext for the session. To underline the issue of suicide, the actors Alex Morf as Chorus, Glenn Davis as Ajax and Marjolaine Goldsmith as Ajax's mistress, Tecmessa played out Sophocles's dramatization of the agonizing final moments of Ajax's life, as the indignity of being refused the armor of his dead friend, Achilles, overwhelms him. "These are the last words you will hear Ajax speak!" Davis cries, before shrieking out a high-pitched death rattle. "It's over, friends," Goldsmith's Tecmessa declares, upon discovering Ajax's body. "Everything is lost." "What is it?" shouts Morf. "Ajax, impaled on his sword," Tecmessa replies. "He has killed us with this death!" Morf calls out. After the reading, service members spoke of the familiar signs of suffering that "Ajax" conjured; of the pain of loved ones, who could not fully grasp what occurs to a human on a battlefield. (To protect the privacy of the participants, a spokesman for SOCCENT asked that the audience members remain anonymous.) One commenter, though, seemed to speak for many when he gave his own eloquent interpretation of Ajax's pain: "His heart was broken from the beginning," he said of the title character. "And I think the entire play is a cascading effect, that Ajax was slipping on a very slippery slope. At the very end, he slips and it's hard to watch because it's real. It is extremely real and it's uncomfortable. But the fact that it is highly uncomfortable is probably the best thing about it." McKenzie and Bradley acknowledged the value in exposing military men and women to drama that explores the universality of trauma. "The military has a very almost antiseptic veneer," Bradley said. "We behave with each other in a calm, cool [way] under stress. But you know, deep down, these people are human." Introducing a Greek tragedy about a soldier who dies by his own hand is not what you think of as normal duty for one of the military's top brass. But that was the mission of Navy Rear Adm. Frank M. Bradley, commander of U.S. armed forces' Special Operations Command Central in Tampa, who recently spoke to a gathering of servicemen and women watching the session online from around the world. "There's not one of us that hasn't been touched by suicide somewhere in our lives, through our extended families and friends, and as everybody knows, it is a plague that knows no bounds of time or segments of society," Bradley said. "And so, having the opportunity to witness this . . . is a great gift." The gift itself was not standard-issue, either. A series of scenes from Sophocles's "Ajax" was performed live on Zoom by Theater of War, a 13-year-old professional troupe that recruits actors some as renowned as Frances McDormand and Bill Murray to give voice to ancient texts. The nonprofit organization seeks to focus these dramas, like healing lamps, on deep societal wounds. Their specialty is age-old plays that speak to wrenching contemporary issues, such as drug addiction, racial injustice, terminal illness and the climate crisis. Or, in the case of the performance for members of the Special Operations Command Central which goes by the acronym SOCCENT the aftershocks of combat. A 2021 study by Brown University's Cost of War Project reported that suicides by active-duty personnel and veterans "are reaching new peaks." It found that while 7,057 members of the armed forces were killed in military action since 9/11, more than four times as many active-duty members and veterans 30,177 died by suicide. The report noted that the military suicide rates now exceed those for the general population, when historically they had been lower. It was out of concern for this disturbing trend that Bradley, who'd seen other Theater of War productions, brought its work to the attention of Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., commander of the U.S. Central Command. He agreed to a series of online training sessions for chaplains and others in Special Operations intended to propel the issue of suicide more emphatically into the open. "I'm very concerned about the very toxic effects that the battlefield has on people anybody who tells you it doesn't affect you is wrong. It does affect us all," McKenzie said in a Zoom interview. "In the largest sense, Theater of War is a mechanism to provide a venue for people to talk about their experiences." Library bookshelves are loaded with plays about war, but opportunities for serious drama and the modern military to engage with each other remain rare. Bryan Doerries, Theater of War's artistic director, had no models to work with when, motivated by a personal tragedy and the desire to respond meaningfully to the war in Iraq, he formed the classically oriented theater company in 2009 with co-founder Phyllis Kaufman, who was its producing director until 2016. The company grew out of his work earlier in the 2000s, when Doerries, a translator of ancient Greek drama, had begun staging readings of the plays in hospitals and elsewhere, and sensed how rawly and powerfully audiences experienced them. "I began to see that the audience knew more than I did," Doerries recalled, "even though I studied Greek, even though I directed these translations." Having followed news reports about substandard care in veterans hospitals, Doerries turned his attention to military audiences. "It took a year and a half of learning how to talk to people in the military, of making a lot of mistakes, of having doors slammed in my face, of sitting in smoke-filled rooms with veterans," he said. Eventually, he made inroads, persuading organizers of a conference on combat stress among Marines to allow him to stage scenes from "Ajax" which tells of a great Greek soldier's decision to kill himself after his humiliation at being denied a ceremonial honor. "A discussion we scheduled for 45 minutes lasted 3 hours, and had to be cut off at midnight," Doerries said. "And every person who stood up quoted lines from the play as if they'd known it their entire lives." Given the profound catharsis a piece of relevant drama can summon, it's surprising more theater isn't devised for those who've been to war. Douglas Taurel, an actor and playwright, has learned this over the past several years, as he's traveled the country with his one-man show, "The American Soldier." Based in part on the letters of members of the armed forces, Taurel's 90-minute piece weaves together soldiers' stories from the Revolutionary War to the war in Afghanistan. He's performed it in venues as large as the Kennedy Center and as small as community halls. "I have audiences where the veterans, they like to sit in the front rows, you know, with their arms folded across their chests," Taurel said of their initial skepticism. By the end of his production performed in front of an American flag, along with a single trunk full of props he said many of them are in tears and asking why his play isn't better known. "Some even ask me why it isn't on Broadway," Taurel said with a laugh. Theater of War has a more therapeutic aim. In its military programming, the company, which relies on foundations and other private sources for financial support, has visited bases all over the world. The pandemic, of course, curtailed its mobility and compelled it to shift to virtual presentations, but the move to digital actually expanded the company's audience. "Zoom was another explosion for us," Doerries said, noting that as many as 20,000 viewers in 82 countries have tuned in to a single event. In November, the Internet provided what Doerries calls his "digital amphitheater" for the 40-minute presentation for SOCCENT of scenes from the Greek play. " 'Ajax,' " he said in his opening remarks, "was written by a general named Sophocles and performed in the 5th century BCE for as many as 17,000 citizen soldiers, who sat shoulder to shoulder in an ancient amphitheater with the generals in the front row." In the charged aftermath of the American withdrawal from Afghanistan, a reckoning with the psychological toll of the country's two-decade involvement offered emotional subtext for the session. To underline the issue of suicide, the actors Alex Morf as Chorus, Glenn Davis as Ajax and Marjolaine Goldsmith as Ajax's mistress, Tecmessa played out Sophocles's dramatization of the agonizing final moments of Ajax's life, as the indignity of being refused the armor of his dead friend, Achilles, overwhelms him. "These are the last words you will hear Ajax speak!" Davis cries, before shrieking out a high-pitched death rattle. "It's over, friends," Goldsmith's Tecmessa declares, upon discovering Ajax's body. "Everything is lost." "What is it?" shouts Morf. "Ajax, impaled on his sword," Tecmessa replies. "He has killed us with this death!" Morf calls out. After the reading, service members spoke of the familiar signs of suffering that "Ajax" conjured; of the pain of loved ones, who could not fully grasp what occurs to a human on a battlefield. (To protect the privacy of the participants, a spokesman for SOCCENT asked that the audience members remain anonymous.) One commenter, though, seemed to speak for many when he gave his own eloquent interpretation of Ajax's pain: "His heart was broken from the beginning," he said of the title character. "And I think the entire play is a cascading effect, that Ajax was slipping on a very slippery slope. At the very end, he slips and it's hard to watch because it's real. It is extremely real and it's uncomfortable. But the fact that it is highly uncomfortable is probably the best thing about it." McKenzie and Bradley acknowledged the value in exposing military men and women to drama that explores the universality of trauma. "The military has a very almost antiseptic veneer," Bradley said. "We behave with each other in a calm, cool [way] under stress. But you know, deep down, these people are human." Introducing a Greek tragedy about a soldier who dies by his own hand is not what you think of as normal duty for one of the military's top brass. But that was the mission of Navy Rear Adm. Frank M. Bradley, commander of U.S. armed forces' Special Operations Command Central in Tampa, who recently spoke to a gathering of servicemen and women watching the session online from around the world. "There's not one of us that hasn't been touched by suicide somewhere in our lives, through our extended families and friends, and as everybody knows, it is a plague that knows no bounds of time or segments of society," Bradley said. "And so, having the opportunity to witness this . . . is a great gift." The gift itself was not standard-issue, either. A series of scenes from Sophocles's "Ajax" was performed live on Zoom by Theater of War, a 13-year-old professional troupe that recruits actors some as renowned as Frances McDormand and Bill Murray to give voice to ancient texts. The nonprofit organization seeks to focus these dramas, like healing lamps, on deep societal wounds. Their specialty is age-old plays that speak to wrenching contemporary issues, such as drug addiction, racial injustice, terminal illness and the climate crisis. Or, in the case of the performance for members of the Special Operations Command Central which goes by the acronym SOCCENT the aftershocks of combat. A 2021 study by Brown University's Cost of War Project reported that suicides by active-duty personnel and veterans "are reaching new peaks." It found that while 7,057 members of the armed forces were killed in military action since 9/11, more than four times as many active-duty members and veterans 30,177 died by suicide. The report noted that the military suicide rates now exceed those for the general population, when historically they had been lower. It was out of concern for this disturbing trend that Bradley, who'd seen other Theater of War productions, brought its work to the attention of Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., commander of the U.S. Central Command. He agreed to a series of online training sessions for chaplains and others in Special Operations intended to propel the issue of suicide more emphatically into the open. "I'm very concerned about the very toxic effects that the battlefield has on people anybody who tells you it doesn't affect you is wrong. It does affect us all," McKenzie said in a Zoom interview. "In the largest sense, Theater of War is a mechanism to provide a venue for people to talk about their experiences." Library bookshelves are loaded with plays about war, but opportunities for serious drama and the modern military to engage with each other remain rare. Bryan Doerries, Theater of War's artistic director, had no models to work with when, motivated by a personal tragedy and the desire to respond meaningfully to the war in Iraq, he formed the classically oriented theater company in 2009 with co-founder Phyllis Kaufman, who was its producing director until 2016. The company grew out of his work earlier in the 2000s, when Doerries, a translator of ancient Greek drama, had begun staging readings of the plays in hospitals and elsewhere, and sensed how rawly and powerfully audiences experienced them. "I began to see that the audience knew more than I did," Doerries recalled, "even though I studied Greek, even though I directed these translations." Having followed news reports about substandard care in veterans hospitals, Doerries turned his attention to military audiences. "It took a year and a half of learning how to talk to people in the military, of making a lot of mistakes, of having doors slammed in my face, of sitting in smoke-filled rooms with veterans," he said. Eventually, he made inroads, persuading organizers of a conference on combat stress among Marines to allow him to stage scenes from "Ajax" which tells of a great Greek soldier's decision to kill himself after his humiliation at being denied a ceremonial honor. "A discussion we scheduled for 45 minutes lasted 3 hours, and had to be cut off at midnight," Doerries said. "And every person who stood up quoted lines from the play as if they'd known it their entire lives." Given the profound catharsis a piece of relevant drama can summon, it's surprising more theater isn't devised for those who've been to war. Douglas Taurel, an actor and playwright, has learned this over the past several years, as he's traveled the country with his one-man show, "The American Soldier." Based in part on the letters of members of the armed forces, Taurel's 90-minute piece weaves together soldiers' stories from the Revolutionary War to the war in Afghanistan. He's performed it in venues as large as the Kennedy Center and as small as community halls. "I have audiences where the veterans, they like to sit in the front rows, you know, with their arms folded across their chests," Taurel said of their initial skepticism. By the end of his production performed in front of an American flag, along with a single trunk full of props he said many of them are in tears and asking why his play isn't better known. "Some even ask me why it isn't on Broadway," Taurel said with a laugh. Theater of War has a more therapeutic aim. In its military programming, the company, which relies on foundations and other private sources for financial support, has visited bases all over the world. The pandemic, of course, curtailed its mobility and compelled it to shift to virtual presentations, but the move to digital actually expanded the company's audience. "Zoom was another explosion for us," Doerries said, noting that as many as 20,000 viewers in 82 countries have tuned in to a single event. In November, the Internet provided what Doerries calls his "digital amphitheater" for the 40-minute presentation for SOCCENT of scenes from the Greek play. " 'Ajax,' " he said in his opening remarks, "was written by a general named Sophocles and performed in the 5th century BCE for as many as 17,000 citizen soldiers, who sat shoulder to shoulder in an ancient amphitheater with the generals in the front row." In the charged aftermath of the American withdrawal from Afghanistan, a reckoning with the psychological toll of the country's two-decade involvement offered emotional subtext for the session. To underline the issue of suicide, the actors Alex Morf as Chorus, Glenn Davis as Ajax and Marjolaine Goldsmith as Ajax's mistress, Tecmessa played out Sophocles's dramatization of the agonizing final moments of Ajax's life, as the indignity of being refused the armor of his dead friend, Achilles, overwhelms him. "These are the last words you will hear Ajax speak!" Davis cries, before shrieking out a high-pitched death rattle. "It's over, friends," Goldsmith's Tecmessa declares, upon discovering Ajax's body. "Everything is lost." "What is it?" shouts Morf. "Ajax, impaled on his sword," Tecmessa replies. "He has killed us with this death!" Morf calls out. After the reading, service members spoke of the familiar signs of suffering that "Ajax" conjured; of the pain of loved ones, who could not fully grasp what occurs to a human on a battlefield. (To protect the privacy of the participants, a spokesman for SOCCENT asked that the audience members remain anonymous.) One commenter, though, seemed to speak for many when he gave his own eloquent interpretation of Ajax's pain: "His heart was broken from the beginning," he said of the title character. "And I think the entire play is a cascading effect, that Ajax was slipping on a very slippery slope. At the very end, he slips and it's hard to watch because it's real. It is extremely real and it's uncomfortable. But the fact that it is highly uncomfortable is probably the best thing about it." McKenzie and Bradley acknowledged the value in exposing military men and women to drama that explores the universality of trauma. "The military has a very almost antiseptic veneer," Bradley said. "We behave with each other in a calm, cool [way] under stress. But you know, deep down, these people are human." Introducing a Greek tragedy about a soldier who dies by his own hand is not what you think of as normal duty for one of the military's top brass. But that was the mission of Navy Rear Adm. Frank M. Bradley, commander of U.S. armed forces' Special Operations Command Central in Tampa, who recently spoke to a gathering of servicemen and women watching the session online from around the world. "There's not one of us that hasn't been touched by suicide somewhere in our lives, through our extended families and friends, and as everybody knows, it is a plague that knows no bounds of time or segments of society," Bradley said. "And so, having the opportunity to witness this . . . is a great gift." The gift itself was not standard-issue, either. A series of scenes from Sophocles's "Ajax" was performed live on Zoom by Theater of War, a 13-year-old professional troupe that recruits actors some as renowned as Frances McDormand and Bill Murray to give voice to ancient texts. The nonprofit organization seeks to focus these dramas, like healing lamps, on deep societal wounds. Their specialty is age-old plays that speak to wrenching contemporary issues, such as drug addiction, racial injustice, terminal illness and the climate crisis. Or, in the case of the performance for members of the Special Operations Command Central which goes by the acronym SOCCENT the aftershocks of combat. A 2021 study by Brown University's Cost of War Project reported that suicides by active-duty personnel and veterans "are reaching new peaks." It found that while 7,057 members of the armed forces were killed in military action since 9/11, more than four times as many active-duty members and veterans 30,177 died by suicide. The report noted that the military suicide rates now exceed those for the general population, when historically they had been lower. It was out of concern for this disturbing trend that Bradley, who'd seen other Theater of War productions, brought its work to the attention of Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., commander of the U.S. Central Command. He agreed to a series of online training sessions for chaplains and others in Special Operations intended to propel the issue of suicide more emphatically into the open. "I'm very concerned about the very toxic effects that the battlefield has on people anybody who tells you it doesn't affect you is wrong. It does affect us all," McKenzie said in a Zoom interview. "In the largest sense, Theater of War is a mechanism to provide a venue for people to talk about their experiences." Library bookshelves are loaded with plays about war, but opportunities for serious drama and the modern military to engage with each other remain rare. Bryan Doerries, Theater of War's artistic director, had no models to work with when, motivated by a personal tragedy and the desire to respond meaningfully to the war in Iraq, he formed the classically oriented theater company in 2009 with co-founder Phyllis Kaufman, who was its producing director until 2016. The company grew out of his work earlier in the 2000s, when Doerries, a translator of ancient Greek drama, had begun staging readings of the plays in hospitals and elsewhere, and sensed how rawly and powerfully audiences experienced them. "I began to see that the audience knew more than I did," Doerries recalled, "even though I studied Greek, even though I directed these translations." Having followed news reports about substandard care in veterans hospitals, Doerries turned his attention to military audiences. "It took a year and a half of learning how to talk to people in the military, of making a lot of mistakes, of having doors slammed in my face, of sitting in smoke-filled rooms with veterans," he said. Eventually, he made inroads, persuading organizers of a conference on combat stress among Marines to allow him to stage scenes from "Ajax" which tells of a great Greek soldier's decision to kill himself after his humiliation at being denied a ceremonial honor. "A discussion we scheduled for 45 minutes lasted 3 hours, and had to be cut off at midnight," Doerries said. "And every person who stood up quoted lines from the play as if they'd known it their entire lives." Given the profound catharsis a piece of relevant drama can summon, it's surprising more theater isn't devised for those who've been to war. Douglas Taurel, an actor and playwright, has learned this over the past several years, as he's traveled the country with his one-man show, "The American Soldier." Based in part on the letters of members of the armed forces, Taurel's 90-minute piece weaves together soldiers' stories from the Revolutionary War to the war in Afghanistan. He's performed it in venues as large as the Kennedy Center and as small as community halls. "I have audiences where the veterans, they like to sit in the front rows, you know, with their arms folded across their chests," Taurel said of their initial skepticism. By the end of his production performed in front of an American flag, along with a single trunk full of props he said many of them are in tears and asking why his play isn't better known. "Some even ask me why it isn't on Broadway," Taurel said with a laugh. Theater of War has a more therapeutic aim. In its military programming, the company, which relies on foundations and other private sources for financial support, has visited bases all over the world. The pandemic, of course, curtailed its mobility and compelled it to shift to virtual presentations, but the move to digital actually expanded the company's audience. "Zoom was another explosion for us," Doerries said, noting that as many as 20,000 viewers in 82 countries have tuned in to a single event. In November, the Internet provided what Doerries calls his "digital amphitheater" for the 40-minute presentation for SOCCENT of scenes from the Greek play. " 'Ajax,' " he said in his opening remarks, "was written by a general named Sophocles and performed in the 5th century BCE for as many as 17,000 citizen soldiers, who sat shoulder to shoulder in an ancient amphitheater with the generals in the front row." In the charged aftermath of the American withdrawal from Afghanistan, a reckoning with the psychological toll of the country's two-decade involvement offered emotional subtext for the session. To underline the issue of suicide, the actors Alex Morf as Chorus, Glenn Davis as Ajax and Marjolaine Goldsmith as Ajax's mistress, Tecmessa played out Sophocles's dramatization of the agonizing final moments of Ajax's life, as the indignity of being refused the armor of his dead friend, Achilles, overwhelms him. "These are the last words you will hear Ajax speak!" Davis cries, before shrieking out a high-pitched death rattle. "It's over, friends," Goldsmith's Tecmessa declares, upon discovering Ajax's body. "Everything is lost." "What is it?" shouts Morf. "Ajax, impaled on his sword," Tecmessa replies. "He has killed us with this death!" Morf calls out. After the reading, service members spoke of the familiar signs of suffering that "Ajax" conjured; of the pain of loved ones, who could not fully grasp what occurs to a human on a battlefield. (To protect the privacy of the participants, a spokesman for SOCCENT asked that the audience members remain anonymous.) One commenter, though, seemed to speak for many when he gave his own eloquent interpretation of Ajax's pain: "His heart was broken from the beginning," he said of the title character. "And I think the entire play is a cascading effect, that Ajax was slipping on a very slippery slope. At the very end, he slips and it's hard to watch because it's real. It is extremely real and it's uncomfortable. But the fact that it is highly uncomfortable is probably the best thing about it." McKenzie and Bradley acknowledged the value in exposing military men and women to drama that explores the universality of trauma. "The military has a very almost antiseptic veneer," Bradley said. "We behave with each other in a calm, cool [way] under stress. But you know, deep down, these people are human." A former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and Emir of Kano, Mohammed Sanusi Lamido II, has extolled the leadership of Vice President Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia . Addressing thousands of Muslims in Kumasi during a special end-of-year national Quran recitation and prayer session for the country, Mohammed Sanusi II, who is also a revered Islamic Cleric in the West African sub-region, praised Dr. Bawumia for his good works, both as Vice President and his commitment to promoting the work of God. Showering Bawumia with commendations, the 14th Emir of Kano drew similarities between himself and Ghanas Vice President as a banker, economist and University lecturer. His Excellency the Vice President was in the Bank of Ghana at the same time I was Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. Weve seen from his experience, from his biography that after he left the Bank of Ghana, he went to St. Anthonys College Oxford, and I am now at St. Anthonys College Oxford and we seem to have a lot in common. I will like to join all of you in testifying that you have in him (Bawumia) a great leader with great potential. And these are the kinds of leaders that we need on this continent. Mohammed Sanusi urged all to continue to pray for the Vice President so that Allah will guide his path so that he can continue to offer good leadership to the people. Mohammed Sanusi also commended Bawumia for his immense support in the construction of mosque, especially the Kumasi Central Mosque. Your Excellency, I have seen the good work you are doing with this mosque here in Kumasi. Earlier in the week when he called on the the Vice President in Accra, the renowned economist praised Dr. Bawumia for leading Ghanas digitization drive, which he said has positioned Ghana ahead of his own country Nigeria, in terms of digital payments. A former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and Emir of Kano, Mohammed Sanusi Lamido II, has extolled the leadership of Vice President Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia . Addressing thousands of Muslims in Kumasi during a special end-of-year national Quran recitation and prayer session for the country, Mohammed Sanusi II, who is also a revered Islamic Cleric in the West African sub-region, praised Dr. Bawumia for his good works, both as Vice President and his commitment to promoting the work of God. Showering Bawumia with commendations, the 14th Emir of Kano drew similarities between himself and Ghanas Vice President as a banker, economist and University lecturer. His Excellency the Vice President was in the Bank of Ghana at the same time I was Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. Weve seen from his experience, from his biography that after he left the Bank of Ghana, he went to St. Anthonys College Oxford, and I am now at St. Anthonys College Oxford and we seem to have a lot in common. I will like to join all of you in testifying that you have in him (Bawumia) a great leader with great potential. And these are the kinds of leaders that we need on this continent. Mohammed Sanusi urged all to continue to pray for the Vice President so that Allah will guide his path so that he can continue to offer good leadership to the people. Mohammed Sanusi also commended Bawumia for his immense support in the construction of mosque, especially the Kumasi Central Mosque. Your Excellency, I have seen the good work you are doing with this mosque here in Kumasi. Earlier in the week when he called on the the Vice President in Accra, the renowned economist praised Dr. Bawumia for leading Ghanas digitization drive, which he said has positioned Ghana ahead of his own country Nigeria, in terms of digital payments. Pope Francis, who is the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City delivered the New Years Day homily where he condemned the violence against women by stating that violence against them is an insult to God. On Saturday, the Pontiff delivered a speech from the Vatican City in Rome, drawing inspiration from Mary, Jesus' mother. He stated that while delivering her child in a lowly manger, Mary was in a dark stable, yet, it is there that she introduces God before the world. He further sought the listeners to learn from the Mother of God on how to adopt the same attitude. He spoke out against violence against women, saying because mothers provide life and women keep the world going, let us all make more efforts to promote mothers and safeguard women, according to CNN. He also said that there has been enough violence directed at women. The Pope delivered the New Year's Day homily for the first time since 2019 at Saturday's service, as he missed last year's message due to health issues. Pope Francis reflects on pandemic and social relationships January 1 is also the Catholic feast day of Mary, the Mother of God. In his Christmas address last week, Pope Francis reflected on the pandemic, its impact on our social relationships. He also emphasised making an effort to contact others and do things together. According to CNN, he also called for a stop to wars in the Middle East and Africa, naming Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, Sudan and Ethiopia. The Pope stated that people are still living in unpredictable and tough times as a result of the pandemic and many are concerned about the future and burdened by societal difficulties, personal concerns, threats arising from the ecological catastrophe, injustices, and global economic disparities. Pope's visit to the Nativity Scene in Saint Peter's Square cancelled He also stated that when he sees Mary with her Son in her arms, he thinks of young mothers and their children fleeing wars, according to Digital Journal. Over coronavirus worries, the Vatican cancelled the pope's usual visit to the Nativity Scene in Saint Peter's Square on Friday. Italy, like the rest of Europe, is seeing an increase in coronavirus cases, which is being fueled by the new Omicron variant. Image: AP Pope Francis, who is the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City delivered the New Years Day homily where he condemned the violence against women by stating that violence against them is an insult to God. On Saturday, the Pontiff delivered a speech from the Vatican City in Rome, drawing inspiration from Mary, Jesus' mother. He stated that while delivering her child in a lowly manger, Mary was in a dark stable, yet, it is there that she introduces God before the world. He further sought the listeners to learn from the Mother of God on how to adopt the same attitude. He spoke out against violence against women, saying because mothers provide life and women keep the world going, let us all make more efforts to promote mothers and safeguard women, according to CNN. He also said that there has been enough violence directed at women. The Pope delivered the New Year's Day homily for the first time since 2019 at Saturday's service, as he missed last year's message due to health issues. Pope Francis reflects on pandemic and social relationships January 1 is also the Catholic feast day of Mary, the Mother of God. In his Christmas address last week, Pope Francis reflected on the pandemic, its impact on our social relationships. He also emphasised making an effort to contact others and do things together. According to CNN, he also called for a stop to wars in the Middle East and Africa, naming Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, Sudan and Ethiopia. The Pope stated that people are still living in unpredictable and tough times as a result of the pandemic and many are concerned about the future and burdened by societal difficulties, personal concerns, threats arising from the ecological catastrophe, injustices, and global economic disparities. Pope's visit to the Nativity Scene in Saint Peter's Square cancelled He also stated that when he sees Mary with her Son in her arms, he thinks of young mothers and their children fleeing wars, according to Digital Journal. Over coronavirus worries, the Vatican cancelled the pope's usual visit to the Nativity Scene in Saint Peter's Square on Friday. Italy, like the rest of Europe, is seeing an increase in coronavirus cases, which is being fueled by the new Omicron variant. Image: AP Pope Francis, who is the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City delivered the New Years Day homily where he condemned the violence against women by stating that violence against them is an insult to God. On Saturday, the Pontiff delivered a speech from the Vatican City in Rome, drawing inspiration from Mary, Jesus' mother. He stated that while delivering her child in a lowly manger, Mary was in a dark stable, yet, it is there that she introduces God before the world. He further sought the listeners to learn from the Mother of God on how to adopt the same attitude. He spoke out against violence against women, saying because mothers provide life and women keep the world going, let us all make more efforts to promote mothers and safeguard women, according to CNN. He also said that there has been enough violence directed at women. The Pope delivered the New Year's Day homily for the first time since 2019 at Saturday's service, as he missed last year's message due to health issues. Pope Francis reflects on pandemic and social relationships January 1 is also the Catholic feast day of Mary, the Mother of God. In his Christmas address last week, Pope Francis reflected on the pandemic, its impact on our social relationships. He also emphasised making an effort to contact others and do things together. According to CNN, he also called for a stop to wars in the Middle East and Africa, naming Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, Sudan and Ethiopia. The Pope stated that people are still living in unpredictable and tough times as a result of the pandemic and many are concerned about the future and burdened by societal difficulties, personal concerns, threats arising from the ecological catastrophe, injustices, and global economic disparities. Pope's visit to the Nativity Scene in Saint Peter's Square cancelled He also stated that when he sees Mary with her Son in her arms, he thinks of young mothers and their children fleeing wars, according to Digital Journal. Over coronavirus worries, the Vatican cancelled the pope's usual visit to the Nativity Scene in Saint Peter's Square on Friday. Italy, like the rest of Europe, is seeing an increase in coronavirus cases, which is being fueled by the new Omicron variant. Image: AP Introducing a Greek tragedy about a soldier who dies by his own hand is not what you think of as normal duty for one of the military's top brass. But that was the mission of Navy Rear Adm. Frank M. Bradley, commander of U.S. armed forces' Special Operations Command Central in Tampa, who recently spoke to a gathering of servicemen and women watching the session online from around the world. "There's not one of us that hasn't been touched by suicide somewhere in our lives, through our extended families and friends, and as everybody knows, it is a plague that knows no bounds of time or segments of society," Bradley said. "And so, having the opportunity to witness this . . . is a great gift." The gift itself was not standard-issue, either. A series of scenes from Sophocles's "Ajax" was performed live on Zoom by Theater of War, a 13-year-old professional troupe that recruits actors some as renowned as Frances McDormand and Bill Murray to give voice to ancient texts. The nonprofit organization seeks to focus these dramas, like healing lamps, on deep societal wounds. Their specialty is age-old plays that speak to wrenching contemporary issues, such as drug addiction, racial injustice, terminal illness and the climate crisis. Or, in the case of the performance for members of the Special Operations Command Central which goes by the acronym SOCCENT the aftershocks of combat. A 2021 study by Brown University's Cost of War Project reported that suicides by active-duty personnel and veterans "are reaching new peaks." It found that while 7,057 members of the armed forces were killed in military action since 9/11, more than four times as many active-duty members and veterans 30,177 died by suicide. The report noted that the military suicide rates now exceed those for the general population, when historically they had been lower. It was out of concern for this disturbing trend that Bradley, who'd seen other Theater of War productions, brought its work to the attention of Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., commander of the U.S. Central Command. He agreed to a series of online training sessions for chaplains and others in Special Operations intended to propel the issue of suicide more emphatically into the open. "I'm very concerned about the very toxic effects that the battlefield has on people anybody who tells you it doesn't affect you is wrong. It does affect us all," McKenzie said in a Zoom interview. "In the largest sense, Theater of War is a mechanism to provide a venue for people to talk about their experiences." Library bookshelves are loaded with plays about war, but opportunities for serious drama and the modern military to engage with each other remain rare. Bryan Doerries, Theater of War's artistic director, had no models to work with when, motivated by a personal tragedy and the desire to respond meaningfully to the war in Iraq, he formed the classically oriented theater company in 2009 with co-founder Phyllis Kaufman, who was its producing director until 2016. The company grew out of his work earlier in the 2000s, when Doerries, a translator of ancient Greek drama, had begun staging readings of the plays in hospitals and elsewhere, and sensed how rawly and powerfully audiences experienced them. "I began to see that the audience knew more than I did," Doerries recalled, "even though I studied Greek, even though I directed these translations." Having followed news reports about substandard care in veterans hospitals, Doerries turned his attention to military audiences. "It took a year and a half of learning how to talk to people in the military, of making a lot of mistakes, of having doors slammed in my face, of sitting in smoke-filled rooms with veterans," he said. Eventually, he made inroads, persuading organizers of a conference on combat stress among Marines to allow him to stage scenes from "Ajax" which tells of a great Greek soldier's decision to kill himself after his humiliation at being denied a ceremonial honor. "A discussion we scheduled for 45 minutes lasted 3 hours, and had to be cut off at midnight," Doerries said. "And every person who stood up quoted lines from the play as if they'd known it their entire lives." Given the profound catharsis a piece of relevant drama can summon, it's surprising more theater isn't devised for those who've been to war. Douglas Taurel, an actor and playwright, has learned this over the past several years, as he's traveled the country with his one-man show, "The American Soldier." Based in part on the letters of members of the armed forces, Taurel's 90-minute piece weaves together soldiers' stories from the Revolutionary War to the war in Afghanistan. He's performed it in venues as large as the Kennedy Center and as small as community halls. "I have audiences where the veterans, they like to sit in the front rows, you know, with their arms folded across their chests," Taurel said of their initial skepticism. By the end of his production performed in front of an American flag, along with a single trunk full of props he said many of them are in tears and asking why his play isn't better known. "Some even ask me why it isn't on Broadway," Taurel said with a laugh. Theater of War has a more therapeutic aim. In its military programming, the company, which relies on foundations and other private sources for financial support, has visited bases all over the world. The pandemic, of course, curtailed its mobility and compelled it to shift to virtual presentations, but the move to digital actually expanded the company's audience. "Zoom was another explosion for us," Doerries said, noting that as many as 20,000 viewers in 82 countries have tuned in to a single event. In November, the Internet provided what Doerries calls his "digital amphitheater" for the 40-minute presentation for SOCCENT of scenes from the Greek play. " 'Ajax,' " he said in his opening remarks, "was written by a general named Sophocles and performed in the 5th century BCE for as many as 17,000 citizen soldiers, who sat shoulder to shoulder in an ancient amphitheater with the generals in the front row." In the charged aftermath of the American withdrawal from Afghanistan, a reckoning with the psychological toll of the country's two-decade involvement offered emotional subtext for the session. To underline the issue of suicide, the actors Alex Morf as Chorus, Glenn Davis as Ajax and Marjolaine Goldsmith as Ajax's mistress, Tecmessa played out Sophocles's dramatization of the agonizing final moments of Ajax's life, as the indignity of being refused the armor of his dead friend, Achilles, overwhelms him. "These are the last words you will hear Ajax speak!" Davis cries, before shrieking out a high-pitched death rattle. "It's over, friends," Goldsmith's Tecmessa declares, upon discovering Ajax's body. "Everything is lost." "What is it?" shouts Morf. "Ajax, impaled on his sword," Tecmessa replies. "He has killed us with this death!" Morf calls out. After the reading, service members spoke of the familiar signs of suffering that "Ajax" conjured; of the pain of loved ones, who could not fully grasp what occurs to a human on a battlefield. (To protect the privacy of the participants, a spokesman for SOCCENT asked that the audience members remain anonymous.) One commenter, though, seemed to speak for many when he gave his own eloquent interpretation of Ajax's pain: "His heart was broken from the beginning," he said of the title character. "And I think the entire play is a cascading effect, that Ajax was slipping on a very slippery slope. At the very end, he slips and it's hard to watch because it's real. It is extremely real and it's uncomfortable. But the fact that it is highly uncomfortable is probably the best thing about it." McKenzie and Bradley acknowledged the value in exposing military men and women to drama that explores the universality of trauma. "The military has a very almost antiseptic veneer," Bradley said. "We behave with each other in a calm, cool [way] under stress. But you know, deep down, these people are human." Hollywood star Daniel Craig has been granted the same honour given to his secret agent character James Bond as the actor is recognised in the New Year's Honours list. Daniel Craig has been made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George - the same honour given to his character '007', reports mirror.co.uk. The actor, who took his final turn as Bond in 'No Time To Die', the latest instalment of the spy thriller, has been recognised for services to film and theatre in the New Year Honours list. The accolade is often given to diplomats, and fictional spy James Bond, who Craig played in five of the 25 films, is described as holding it in both the films and the books by Ian Fleming. Ahead of the release of 'No Time To Die' in September, Craig was made an honorary commander in the Royal Navy, another rank held by James Bond. The following month, he was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. The star was also recently named the year's highest-paid actor. The 53-year-old's final outing as the secret agent also ended with a bang as 'No Time To Die' achieved incredible success at the box-office - making it the fourth most successful Bond film in history. The star first took on the role as the British spy in 2006's 'Casino Royale'. He then lit up the screen in 'Quantum Of Solace', 'Skyfall' and 'Spectre'. Following multiple pandemic-enforced delays, 'No Time To Die', which was set to hit screens in 2020, got it's highly anticipated release in September following a star-studded royal premier at London's Royal Albert Hall that same month. In attendance were the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the likes of pop star Billie Eilish who sang the new Bond theme song. --IANS dc/kr ( 327 Words) 2022-01-01-14:36:01 (IANS) Pope Francis, who is the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City delivered the New Years Day homily where he condemned the violence against women by stating that violence against them is an insult to God. On Saturday, the Pontiff delivered a speech from the Vatican City in Rome, drawing inspiration from Mary, Jesus' mother. He stated that while delivering her child in a lowly manger, Mary was in a dark stable, yet, it is there that she introduces God before the world. He further sought the listeners to learn from the Mother of God on how to adopt the same attitude. He spoke out against violence against women, saying because mothers provide life and women keep the world going, let us all make more efforts to promote mothers and safeguard women, according to CNN. He also said that there has been enough violence directed at women. The Pope delivered the New Year's Day homily for the first time since 2019 at Saturday's service, as he missed last year's message due to health issues. Pope Francis reflects on pandemic and social relationships January 1 is also the Catholic feast day of Mary, the Mother of God. In his Christmas address last week, Pope Francis reflected on the pandemic, its impact on our social relationships. He also emphasised making an effort to contact others and do things together. According to CNN, he also called for a stop to wars in the Middle East and Africa, naming Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, Sudan and Ethiopia. The Pope stated that people are still living in unpredictable and tough times as a result of the pandemic and many are concerned about the future and burdened by societal difficulties, personal concerns, threats arising from the ecological catastrophe, injustices, and global economic disparities. Pope's visit to the Nativity Scene in Saint Peter's Square cancelled He also stated that when he sees Mary with her Son in her arms, he thinks of young mothers and their children fleeing wars, according to Digital Journal. Over coronavirus worries, the Vatican cancelled the pope's usual visit to the Nativity Scene in Saint Peter's Square on Friday. Italy, like the rest of Europe, is seeing an increase in coronavirus cases, which is being fueled by the new Omicron variant. Image: AP A demonstrator stands outside the Planned Parenthood Reproductive Health Services Center in St. Louis, Missouri, May 30, 2019, the last location in the state performing abortions. - A US court weighed the fate of the last abortion clinic in Missouri on May 30, with the state hours away from becoming the first in 45 years to no longer offer the procedure amid a nationwide push to curtail access to abortion. Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images A devastating fire resulted in the "total loss" of a Planned Parenthood clinic in Knoxville, Tennessee. Officials are investigating the cause of the fire, and they have not yet ruled out arson. In January last year, a gunman opened fire at the glass of the building's exterior. A devastating fire on New Year's Eve took out a Planned Parenthood clinic in Tennessee, resulting in a "total loss," fire officials said. The fire broke out early on December 31 in Knoxville, Tennessee and the cause of the blaze has not been determined, according to a statement released by the city's fire department. "On arrival companies found a large single story commercial building fully involved with fire through the roof," the statement says. "Crews initially attacked the fire defensively from the exterior. Currently the fire is under control and should be declared out shortly. The building was being renovated at the time of the fire. The building is a total loss. The fire is currently under investigation. Further information will be released as the investigation continues." At the time of the fire, the clinic had been closed due to renovations, NBC affiliate WBIR reported. There were no injuries, the fire department said. The department is investigating causes, including the possibility of arson. "Right now we don't have a cause and we don't have a lot of information pointing in the direction of arson," Assistant Chief Mark Wilbanks told the Daily Beast. If the cause is determined to be arson, it will be at least the second time that the Knoxville Planned Parenthood clinic has come under attack within the span of one year. In January last year, a gunman opened fire, shooting rounds of a shotgun into the glass of the building's exterior. There was nobody inside at the time of the shooting. The damage from the fire was so extensive that fire officials are predicting that it will be difficult to determine a cause. Story continues When fire officials arrived at the scene, they had to use a lot of water to douse the fire and get the situation under control, Wilbanks told the Daily Beast. "We used our ladder trucks to use a lot of water to put the fire out, which unfortunately makes it harder to dig into the evidence," he said. "Ideally, you'd go in there with backhoes and dig it out, but we're going to have to use hand shovels." News of the fire comes as abortion-rights groups continue to push back against a series of restrictive reproductive rights laws and the fear that Roe v. Wade might be overturned in the Supreme Court. Read the original article on Business Insider A man walks through a deserted Place Royale in Quebec City on the evening of Dec. 31, 2021, shortly before the provincial governments nightly curfew came into effect. (The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissinot) An Attitude of Change Is Whats Needed as We Enter 2022 Commentary The common salutation at the turn of the year is to wish somebody a happy New Year. It will be hard to find happiness if 2022 doesnt actually provide us with something new, however. The most striking thing that can be said about 2021 is how little different it was from 2020. The year 2020 was miserable for most of the world. The COVID-19 pandemic began spreading at the beginning of the year, causing fear, instability, and economic damage around the planet. Panicked governments imposed restrictions on work, travel, and social gatherings in hopes of controlling the spread of the disease. While we were all apprehensive, many of us took comfort in knowing that the lockdowns should be little more than two weeks to flatten the curve as our local governments told us. The two weeks turned into months that can now be measured in years. Businesses opened and closed as pandemic waves came and went. People stayed home on the Easter of 2020 under the assurances that they would be able to visit family in the summer. Summer vacations were deferred and people remained home while the state told them they would be able to reunite in gatherings at Christmas. Infections surged at Christmas and we were locked down again. It will be better in the new year! we were assured. Well, 2021 came and went and it was nearly identical to 2020. Not only did nothing change, but most Canadians didnt seek or demand any changes. Sure, we saw protests against government restrictions popping up across the country in major cities at times. Those protests never evolved into actions large enough to catch the attention of Canadas decision-makers, much less change the course of their decisions. The demonstrations were often dominated by people with some questionable views to say the least, and never brought out average Canadians in noteworthy numbers. Canadians claimed to be upset with the pandemic restrictions, but not upset enough to go out and protest against them. Canadians had the ultimate opportunity to pursue real change in the fall of 2021. We had a general election. We saw the election coming for months. The fall campaign was dominated by discussion on the pandemic as was to be expected. Many questions were asked regarding the degree of the governments pandemic response and the amount of money being borrowed in order to continue with that response. When given the opportunity to express a desire for change in a way as simple, safe, and potentially effective as casting a ballot in an election, Canadians resoundingly selected the status quo. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was returned to office with almost the exact same support numbers as he had when he dissolved the Parliament and called an election. Canadians may fear the pandemic and are concerned about the federal governments response to it, but not so much that they could overcome their fear of change. People look to the New Year as a time to embrace rejuvenation and fresh beginnings. It is a time to shed bad habits and embrace new ones. We should be looking back on the last two years and asking ourselves what we can do to make the coming one better. I think most people agree that the last two years have been terrible, but are most people ready to take a leap and embrace changes? We appear to be no closer to the end of the COVID-19 pandemic today than we were in February of 2020. While most of the population has been vaccinated, we are now seeing a massive rise in cases due to the new Omicron variant leading to lockdowns, stress, and restrictions yet again. We are always told that we must make sacrifices now so that we may all benefit later. It has been two years now; when are the benefits coming? I dont know what the most direct path out of the pandemic is, but with two years of pandemic experience under our belts, we can sure list a lot of things that dont work. Why do we keep trying them? As we enter what will be our third year of living in the COVID-19 age, are we ready to try something different yet? I do want to look forward to 2022 with optimism. I want it to be a year where we move beyond the pandemic and begin to enjoy prosperous lives again with free movement and no social restrictions. I do think we can get there. First, though, we have to embrace an attitude of change. This year, dont make the same old tired resolutions to quit smoking or lose weight. Make a resolution to stand up for yourself and tell your political leaders that its time to do things differently. If we dont do that, 2023 will be indistinguishable from the two years preceding it. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Wildfire victims find hope in Christ during record-setting 2020; millions of acres burned Dan and Rochelle Kelly thought they would only be gone from their Boulder Creek, California, home for a day when they received the reverse 911 call on Aug. 18 advising them to evacuate because of an approaching wildfire. Living in the mountain town that serves as the gateway to the Big Basin Redwoods State Park in Santa Cruz County, the Kellys have for years had an emergency evacuation plan for the summers, with bags ready to go and a list of the most important items in their home they dont want to lose if their home were to go up in flames. They grabbed family photo albums, ancestry documents, irreplaceable paintings, their dog, the tops of their wedding cakes and a gold teapot Rochelles great grandparents received for their 50th wedding anniversary. They filled up Dans truck and Rochelles car as best as they could before hitting the road to avoid getting stuck in evacuation traffic like they had heard about in other fires. My advice to people that are evacuating is when you are taking stuff, you need to imagine that your house is going to burn to the ground, Rochelle, a retired school administrator, told The Christian Post. We took things that were really important but left some things that were really special but not irreplaceable. We really thought wed be gone for a day and come back and move back in with our stuff. But what happened is the Kellys suffered a similar fate that hundreds of families across Santa Cruz County and thousands of others across the Pacific Northwest have suffered this year as a record wildfire season has seen thousands of fires engulf millions of acres across California, Oregon and Washington in recent months. Their home, as well as one of their neighbors' homes, burned to the ground with very little left to be salvaged. In California alone, over 4 million acres have burned and 8,819 structures have been destroyed during the 2020 wildfire season as of Oct. 7, according to the state's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. In Oregon, over 1 million acres have been burned by nearly 2,000 different fires, nearly double the 10-year average of 557,811 acres. In Washington, hundreds of thousands of acres burned in 2020, according to the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Tom OBrien, a retired firefighter who served 32 years in Rancho Cucamonga and who is now leading a relief effort for the evangelical humanitarian aid organization Samaritans Purse in Santa Cruz County, told CP that the CZU Lightning Complex fires in the area began on Aug. 16 when there was dry lightning that came through in the form of a large electrical storm. By the time fires in Santa Cruz County stopped burning, OBrien said that about 930 homes were destroyed along with an additional 1,000 other structures, including outbuildings, garages and sheds. Everything had been preheated, there was warm weather that preceded it. It just started igniting everything. Mountains were going up in just little spot fires, he said. What they began to call these fires as they began to merge and join together, they called them complex fires, meaning a whole series of small fires joining together to create one big fire. As fire burns going uphill, it begins to preheat as it goes. It draws in air along the sides of it so it can use that air and has plenty of fuel in the dry sticks and brush. It has plenty of heat as it goes up that hill. It continues to just feed itself on this dry tinder, grass and trees as it runs up. It creates its own wind as it draws in everything nearby and these large plumes of smoke tower up into the air. These dry leaves and embers, some very, very long distances, miles in some cases. At the time, OBrien said there were as many as 88 to 90 other wildfires ongoing caused by dry lightning across the three states. This year, it is not very good at all. It is a horrible year and we really havent even gotten the wind-driven fires yet, he said. Everybody needs to be on their knees praying to God to assist the firemen and give relief in the form of rain. Amid the tragedy and through the power of Christ, however, some have been able to find a sense of hope that had previously been lacking in their lives while others believe God sent them a sign that He has different plans for their lives. God does so many amazing things even through the devastation, Kristin Koning, a Samaritans Purse program manager overseeing efforts in Oregon, said. On any disaster, we see that. Certainly, this one is not an exception. We are seeing God open opportunities not only for people to come and accept Him for the first time but just for believers to be encouraged. Leaving their home behind Leaving their home behind, the Kellys went to stay for a week with friends in the town of Pleasanton, before going on to stay for a week at a friends beach rental home in Santa Cruz and then back up to their friends place in Pleasanton for another week. For the last four weeks, they have stayed at a hotel in Santa Cruz. The day after they left their home, the Kellys were informed by their 37-year-old son, who lived in the area but had not evacuated because his home was not in immediate danger, that their home, which was their sons childhood home, had burned down. He got on his dirtbike he knew all the mountains and trails and he came to the house as the fire was going away from the house, Rochelle said. He was riding through the fire lines and stuff. He was able to see that it had burned to the ground as well as all the outbuildings. He took pictures for us. Otherwise, like so many people, we would not have known the fate of our house for a month. That would have been just horribly anxiety-ridden. Many evacuees have been forced to wait for weeks to find out the fate of their homes because they have had to wait for authorities to tell them when it's safe to return to the area. As for the Kellys 20-acre property in Boulder Creek, different fires were coming from two directions that converged in the mountains, heading toward Boulder Creek and other small towns in the San Lorenzo Valley. The Kellys were able to return to their property after about four weeks on Sept. 13. When they returned, they said they were overwhelmed by the amount of work they would have to do just to sift through the ash to see if there was anything in the home that could be salvaged. Picking up the pieces As they left their burned-down property on the first day of their return, Dan said he and his wife encountered a husband-and-wife couple in a pick-up truck who stopped them to ask, Did you folks lose your house? Those people turned out to be OBrien and his wife. The OBriens arrived in Santa Cruz County on Sept. 10 to assess the area to see how Samaritan's Purse, a North Carolina-based organization run by Franklin Graham that helps victims of disasters all over the world, can help. The Kellys recalled the couple offering to send a team of volunteers to help them sift through the ash to find any valuables that survived the fire. They were just going up and down, just checking peoples houses, seeing what they can do. They gave us some information and a flyer and all that, Dan said. That was it. Just a few days later, a team of 10 or more Samaritans Purse volunteers arrived at their property. When we met them at the driveway there and they told us what they were about and what they could do for us, we were so relieved because we had just been at the site of our burned-out house and it was so overwhelming to us to have to get in there and sift through all that debris to look for anything that might have survived, Rochelle recalled. It was very difficult to even walk in the debris because it was a tangled mess of glass and nails [and screws]. When they told us what they did, we said, Thank God! We didnt think we would be able to do it ourselves. OBrien said that the team had to wait a few days for things to cool down before they could go to work. The charity had to get approval from the appropriate government agencies as well. We tied in with some other volunteer organizations working in this area and had a pastors conference and within just a few days after that, we got ourselves up and working to assist these homeowners in their time of need, he said. Samaritan's Purses efforts in Santa Cruz, which consists of three different teams of about 10 or more volunteers, are being headquartered at Felton Bible Church, just north of the town of Santa Cruz. Out-of-town volunteers who travel to Santa Cruz to help residents in need and plan to stay for three days or more are given a place to sleep at Mount Hermon, a Christian camp near Felton. OBrien said some volunteers have traveled from as far as Oklahoma and Ohio to aid those in Santa Cruz. Samaritans Purse has taken dozens of work orders in Santa Cruz County since Sept. 14. Each order is a little bit different," the retired firefighter said. "Some folks are looking for maybe a dozen items or so. Other owners just want one or two items. The timeline, we try to be very flexible to give it our best effort to try to salvage those items that are important to that homeowner. Volunteers from Samaritan's Purse wearing Tyvek suits, goggles, gloves and N-95 masks worked on the Kellys property for over two days. On the first day, Dan said, about 10 volunteers showed up. In the following two days, he said anywhere between 10 to 14 volunteers showed up to work on his home. Dan was there for most of the time that the volunteers were there. It was pretty neat because they would be sifting through and all of sudden they would find something, he explained. They didnt even want me in the rubble. They had the personal equipment on. They had everything there. They just wanted me to sit down. I brought in a pop-up tent, a table and some water to wash things off and some rags and stuff like that. As they would find it, they would bring it over to me. Jesus unscathed According to Rochelle, there wasnt much that survived the fire except for a few notable items. One thing that survived the fire was an American flag hanging from a flagpole on their side deck that was discovered by the fire department. Dan, a former scuba diving instructor-turned-business owner from Long Island, New York, said the fire department folded the flag military-style and placed it inside his damaged Mercedes-Benz convertible for him to find. Another thing that survived the fire was a porcelain figurine of Jesus Christ that Dans mother gave as a gift to Rochelle. They are sifting through an area that we had asked them to sift through. When they brought me things, they were usually in pieces, he explained. Then all of a sudden, everybody was just so excited. It was a white porcelain bust of Jesus about 6 inches tall. It survived through everything with no cracks, no dirt on it, nothing. It just survived. The figurine was originally located in an upstairs bedroom, meaning that in addition to exposure to heat and fire, it also fell from the upper floor down to the bottom. It is perfectly clean and perfectly whole, Rochelle explained. It was totally amazing, Everything else that was glass or porcelain was in bits and pieces but not Jesus. Then they found baby Jesus with Mary and one of the oxen from my moms nativity set that we put out every year. Its pretty cool. Also four of [my moms] little porcelain angels that we would set out every year next to the nativity, those came out. They need to be cleared up but four of them came out whole. The Kellys, who are active members of an Episcopalian church, said they believe God might've been trying to speak to them through the survival of the Jesus figurine. Dan said they believe it was God saying that He has different plans for us. The message was so clear, Rochelle agreed. We have the bust of Jesus, wherever we go. He is sitting right here on our nightstand in our hotel room right now. It is definitely a message of hope. 1 2 3 Next Wildfire victims find hope in Christ during record-setting 2020; millions of acres burned Dan and Rochelle Kelly thought they would only be gone from their Boulder Creek, California, home for a day when they received the reverse 911 call on Aug. 18 advising them to evacuate because of an approaching wildfire. Living in the mountain town that serves as the gateway to the Big Basin Redwoods State Park in Santa Cruz County, the Kellys have for years had an emergency evacuation plan for the summers, with bags ready to go and a list of the most important items in their home they dont want to lose if their home were to go up in flames. They grabbed family photo albums, ancestry documents, irreplaceable paintings, their dog, the tops of their wedding cakes and a gold teapot Rochelles great grandparents received for their 50th wedding anniversary. They filled up Dans truck and Rochelles car as best as they could before hitting the road to avoid getting stuck in evacuation traffic like they had heard about in other fires. My advice to people that are evacuating is when you are taking stuff, you need to imagine that your house is going to burn to the ground, Rochelle, a retired school administrator, told The Christian Post. We took things that were really important but left some things that were really special but not irreplaceable. We really thought wed be gone for a day and come back and move back in with our stuff. But what happened is the Kellys suffered a similar fate that hundreds of families across Santa Cruz County and thousands of others across the Pacific Northwest have suffered this year as a record wildfire season has seen thousands of fires engulf millions of acres across California, Oregon and Washington in recent months. Their home, as well as one of their neighbors' homes, burned to the ground with very little left to be salvaged. In California alone, over 4 million acres have burned and 8,819 structures have been destroyed during the 2020 wildfire season as of Oct. 7, according to the state's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. In Oregon, over 1 million acres have been burned by nearly 2,000 different fires, nearly double the 10-year average of 557,811 acres. In Washington, hundreds of thousands of acres burned in 2020, according to the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Tom OBrien, a retired firefighter who served 32 years in Rancho Cucamonga and who is now leading a relief effort for the evangelical humanitarian aid organization Samaritans Purse in Santa Cruz County, told CP that the CZU Lightning Complex fires in the area began on Aug. 16 when there was dry lightning that came through in the form of a large electrical storm. By the time fires in Santa Cruz County stopped burning, OBrien said that about 930 homes were destroyed along with an additional 1,000 other structures, including outbuildings, garages and sheds. Everything had been preheated, there was warm weather that preceded it. It just started igniting everything. Mountains were going up in just little spot fires, he said. What they began to call these fires as they began to merge and join together, they called them complex fires, meaning a whole series of small fires joining together to create one big fire. As fire burns going uphill, it begins to preheat as it goes. It draws in air along the sides of it so it can use that air and has plenty of fuel in the dry sticks and brush. It has plenty of heat as it goes up that hill. It continues to just feed itself on this dry tinder, grass and trees as it runs up. It creates its own wind as it draws in everything nearby and these large plumes of smoke tower up into the air. These dry leaves and embers, some very, very long distances, miles in some cases. At the time, OBrien said there were as many as 88 to 90 other wildfires ongoing caused by dry lightning across the three states. This year, it is not very good at all. It is a horrible year and we really havent even gotten the wind-driven fires yet, he said. Everybody needs to be on their knees praying to God to assist the firemen and give relief in the form of rain. Amid the tragedy and through the power of Christ, however, some have been able to find a sense of hope that had previously been lacking in their lives while others believe God sent them a sign that He has different plans for their lives. God does so many amazing things even through the devastation, Kristin Koning, a Samaritans Purse program manager overseeing efforts in Oregon, said. On any disaster, we see that. Certainly, this one is not an exception. We are seeing God open opportunities not only for people to come and accept Him for the first time but just for believers to be encouraged. Leaving their home behind Leaving their home behind, the Kellys went to stay for a week with friends in the town of Pleasanton, before going on to stay for a week at a friends beach rental home in Santa Cruz and then back up to their friends place in Pleasanton for another week. For the last four weeks, they have stayed at a hotel in Santa Cruz. The day after they left their home, the Kellys were informed by their 37-year-old son, who lived in the area but had not evacuated because his home was not in immediate danger, that their home, which was their sons childhood home, had burned down. He got on his dirtbike he knew all the mountains and trails and he came to the house as the fire was going away from the house, Rochelle said. He was riding through the fire lines and stuff. He was able to see that it had burned to the ground as well as all the outbuildings. He took pictures for us. Otherwise, like so many people, we would not have known the fate of our house for a month. That would have been just horribly anxiety-ridden. Many evacuees have been forced to wait for weeks to find out the fate of their homes because they have had to wait for authorities to tell them when it's safe to return to the area. As for the Kellys 20-acre property in Boulder Creek, different fires were coming from two directions that converged in the mountains, heading toward Boulder Creek and other small towns in the San Lorenzo Valley. The Kellys were able to return to their property after about four weeks on Sept. 13. When they returned, they said they were overwhelmed by the amount of work they would have to do just to sift through the ash to see if there was anything in the home that could be salvaged. Picking up the pieces As they left their burned-down property on the first day of their return, Dan said he and his wife encountered a husband-and-wife couple in a pick-up truck who stopped them to ask, Did you folks lose your house? Those people turned out to be OBrien and his wife. The OBriens arrived in Santa Cruz County on Sept. 10 to assess the area to see how Samaritan's Purse, a North Carolina-based organization run by Franklin Graham that helps victims of disasters all over the world, can help. The Kellys recalled the couple offering to send a team of volunteers to help them sift through the ash to find any valuables that survived the fire. They were just going up and down, just checking peoples houses, seeing what they can do. They gave us some information and a flyer and all that, Dan said. That was it. Just a few days later, a team of 10 or more Samaritans Purse volunteers arrived at their property. When we met them at the driveway there and they told us what they were about and what they could do for us, we were so relieved because we had just been at the site of our burned-out house and it was so overwhelming to us to have to get in there and sift through all that debris to look for anything that might have survived, Rochelle recalled. It was very difficult to even walk in the debris because it was a tangled mess of glass and nails [and screws]. When they told us what they did, we said, Thank God! We didnt think we would be able to do it ourselves. OBrien said that the team had to wait a few days for things to cool down before they could go to work. The charity had to get approval from the appropriate government agencies as well. We tied in with some other volunteer organizations working in this area and had a pastors conference and within just a few days after that, we got ourselves up and working to assist these homeowners in their time of need, he said. Samaritan's Purses efforts in Santa Cruz, which consists of three different teams of about 10 or more volunteers, are being headquartered at Felton Bible Church, just north of the town of Santa Cruz. Out-of-town volunteers who travel to Santa Cruz to help residents in need and plan to stay for three days or more are given a place to sleep at Mount Hermon, a Christian camp near Felton. OBrien said some volunteers have traveled from as far as Oklahoma and Ohio to aid those in Santa Cruz. Samaritans Purse has taken dozens of work orders in Santa Cruz County since Sept. 14. Each order is a little bit different," the retired firefighter said. "Some folks are looking for maybe a dozen items or so. Other owners just want one or two items. The timeline, we try to be very flexible to give it our best effort to try to salvage those items that are important to that homeowner. Volunteers from Samaritan's Purse wearing Tyvek suits, goggles, gloves and N-95 masks worked on the Kellys property for over two days. On the first day, Dan said, about 10 volunteers showed up. In the following two days, he said anywhere between 10 to 14 volunteers showed up to work on his home. Dan was there for most of the time that the volunteers were there. It was pretty neat because they would be sifting through and all of sudden they would find something, he explained. They didnt even want me in the rubble. They had the personal equipment on. They had everything there. They just wanted me to sit down. I brought in a pop-up tent, a table and some water to wash things off and some rags and stuff like that. As they would find it, they would bring it over to me. Jesus unscathed According to Rochelle, there wasnt much that survived the fire except for a few notable items. One thing that survived the fire was an American flag hanging from a flagpole on their side deck that was discovered by the fire department. Dan, a former scuba diving instructor-turned-business owner from Long Island, New York, said the fire department folded the flag military-style and placed it inside his damaged Mercedes-Benz convertible for him to find. Another thing that survived the fire was a porcelain figurine of Jesus Christ that Dans mother gave as a gift to Rochelle. They are sifting through an area that we had asked them to sift through. When they brought me things, they were usually in pieces, he explained. Then all of a sudden, everybody was just so excited. It was a white porcelain bust of Jesus about 6 inches tall. It survived through everything with no cracks, no dirt on it, nothing. It just survived. The figurine was originally located in an upstairs bedroom, meaning that in addition to exposure to heat and fire, it also fell from the upper floor down to the bottom. It is perfectly clean and perfectly whole, Rochelle explained. It was totally amazing, Everything else that was glass or porcelain was in bits and pieces but not Jesus. Then they found baby Jesus with Mary and one of the oxen from my moms nativity set that we put out every year. Its pretty cool. Also four of [my moms] little porcelain angels that we would set out every year next to the nativity, those came out. They need to be cleared up but four of them came out whole. The Kellys, who are active members of an Episcopalian church, said they believe God might've been trying to speak to them through the survival of the Jesus figurine. Dan said they believe it was God saying that He has different plans for us. The message was so clear, Rochelle agreed. We have the bust of Jesus, wherever we go. He is sitting right here on our nightstand in our hotel room right now. It is definitely a message of hope. 1 2 3 Next Alabama woman charged with murder after stray bullet kills pastors wife at Bible study Police have arrested and charged a 26-year-old Alabama woman with the murder of a pastor's wife after a stray bullet killed her as she attended a church Bible study. Police in Prichard, Mobile County, arrested the suspect, Kaillyn Christine Howard Harris, on charges of firing the shot that killed 65-year-old Grace Carter, the wife of a pastor at Sunlight Missionary Baptist Church, Fox 10 reported. Grace Carter was inside the Everlasting Life Holiness Church Tuesday night when she was shot in the chest. I just dont think that people should be shooting in places where you dont know where a stray bullet could do, the victim's husband, Cecil Carter, who's pastor-elect at a separate church, was quoted as saying. Police said they went to the church after 7 p.m. and began CPR on the victim but could not resuscitate her, WKRG reported. An investigator noticed a bullet hole in a door at the church and found she had been shot on her upper right chest. The church shooting was real gut-wrenching for us last night, Lt. Robert Martin with Prichard Police was quoted as saying. Anytime anyone is killed in our jurisdiction or any municipality, it touches the offices in a real compassionate way, and were just really fed up with it. Cecil Carter lost his wife while he was awaiting his installation as pastor at the church. She was really looking forward to it, he said about his wife of 35 years. "She was very proud" of him, he continued. But right now, the emptiness of her not being here for the installation is going to be hard for me. He added, Right now, Im getting strength from knowing that God is able, and knowing that my wife is in a better place with the Lord. And no doubt about it that she loved the Lord. So I have to be strong for her, and myself, and for my family, my children and all. This is the third homicide in the city since Christmas Eve, according to media reports. Its more of a retirement community. Ive been over here at night, no gunfire, no nothing. So its a big shock to hear, a neighbor was quoted as saying. Its sad and I hate that it happened to the church. Like I said, this is a quiet neighborhood and Ive actually met the neighbors; theyre good people, old-fashioned people. Police have said the incident doesnt appear to be an intentional shooting. Alabama woman charged with murder after stray bullet kills pastors wife at Bible study Police have arrested and charged a 26-year-old Alabama woman with the murder of a pastor's wife after a stray bullet killed her as she attended a church Bible study. Police in Prichard, Mobile County, arrested the suspect, Kaillyn Christine Howard Harris, on charges of firing the shot that killed 65-year-old Grace Carter, the wife of a pastor at Sunlight Missionary Baptist Church, Fox 10 reported. Grace Carter was inside the Everlasting Life Holiness Church Tuesday night when she was shot in the chest. I just dont think that people should be shooting in places where you dont know where a stray bullet could do, the victim's husband, Cecil Carter, who's pastor-elect at a separate church, was quoted as saying. Police said they went to the church after 7 p.m. and began CPR on the victim but could not resuscitate her, WKRG reported. An investigator noticed a bullet hole in a door at the church and found she had been shot on her upper right chest. The church shooting was real gut-wrenching for us last night, Lt. Robert Martin with Prichard Police was quoted as saying. Anytime anyone is killed in our jurisdiction or any municipality, it touches the offices in a real compassionate way, and were just really fed up with it. Cecil Carter lost his wife while he was awaiting his installation as pastor at the church. She was really looking forward to it, he said about his wife of 35 years. "She was very proud" of him, he continued. But right now, the emptiness of her not being here for the installation is going to be hard for me. He added, Right now, Im getting strength from knowing that God is able, and knowing that my wife is in a better place with the Lord. And no doubt about it that she loved the Lord. So I have to be strong for her, and myself, and for my family, my children and all. This is the third homicide in the city since Christmas Eve, according to media reports. Its more of a retirement community. Ive been over here at night, no gunfire, no nothing. So its a big shock to hear, a neighbor was quoted as saying. Its sad and I hate that it happened to the church. Like I said, this is a quiet neighborhood and Ive actually met the neighbors; theyre good people, old-fashioned people. Police have said the incident doesnt appear to be an intentional shooting. An 18-year-old man was fatally wounded New Years Eve in the Gresham neighborhood, marking the last fatal shooting in Chicago in 2021, according to the Chicago Police Department Media notifications. According to the Cook County medical examiners office, Anthony Watkins was pronounced dead at 8:25 p.m. Friday. Advertisement A police officer walks past a puddle of blood at the scene of a fatal shooting in the 7900 block of South Parnell Avenue on Dec. 31, 2021, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Police said Watkins was walking in the 7900 block of South Parnell Avenue shortly before 8:15 p.m. when he was shot in the neck. Watkins, of the 7500 block of South Kedzie Avenue, was taken to St. Bernard Hospital where he was pronounced dead, authorities said. Advertisement No one was in custody for the homicide, and detectives were investigating. LONG ISLAND, NY With the number of COVID-19 cases continuing to spike in New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul rolled out her "winter surge 2.0" plan Friday including announcements that all SUNY and CUNY students must be boosted before returning to classes, and that a mask-or-vaccination mandate for businesses will be extended through February. Hochul said there were five key points to the plan: Keeping kids in school, continuing to wear masks and test, preventing severe illness and death, increasing vaccines and boosters, and working in collaboration with local leaders. "We are working around the clock to fight this surge. And as we've been saying for a long time, we were going to experience a very serious winter surge," Hochul said. Statewide, as of Friday, there are 271 cases per 100,000 and 321 per 100,000 on Long Island. On Friday, there were 76,555 new positive cases reported as the omicron variant adds to the uptick, Hochul said. "It's almost not worth it to say we're breaking records. We're breaking records every day and we'll probably continue to do so until we hit that downward trend," Hochul said. The trends have been witnessed nationwide and globally, Hochul reminded. New York stands at number three in the nation for per capita testing and number one, in the large states, she said. Hospitalizations continue to rise, "closing in on 8,000 which is not a milestone we've hoped to hit, but it's also very concerning," Hochul said. Health care workers are exhausted and frustrated, she said, "because they know it did not have to be this way. If we had more people vaccinated, fully vaccinated, to deal with this highly transmittable variant known as omicron." On Long Island, 1,374 are hospitalized, the data indicates. And a total of 80 New Yorkers died in the 24 hours leading up to Friday's news briefing, Hochul said. "We're not out of this," Hochul said. "We're still addressing a very serious situation." Story continues In New York, 95 percent of adults over 18 have received their first dose, but there is a need for people to go receive their second doses, Hochul said adding that boosters, too, are critical. A person who is boosted can be protected within two to three days of receiving that shot, she said. The challenge also remains children in the 5 to 11 age group, Hochul said only 28 percent have received their first dose. Children in that age group who remain unvaccinated might be transmitting the virus to their younger siblings, she said. Discussing why she was releasing a 2.0 plan, Hochul said it's because the virus has changed so dramatically and quickly since November. "We have to adapt. We have to be very smart. We've been doing the right things, but 2.0 is simply improvements upon what we've been doing. And again, to sound the alarm, that the numbers are continuing to increase they don't have to, we can control this," she said. Hochul discussed the five key points of her 2.0 plan: Keeping kids in school The governor said planes are bringing testing kits to New York, so that the "Test to Stay" program can be rolled out. The tenet of that plan is that if a student's classmate tests positive, kids can take home test kits in their backpacks, and then come back the next day if they test negative, and get tested again in a few days. New York State Operations Director Kathryn Garcia said more than 37 million tests have been ordered; 5.28 million arrived this week, and another 6 million are arriving through Monday. The state will also supply tests to counties. Discussing college students, Hochul said students congregate and live on campus, so the experience is different. On Friday, the state issued new guidance for SUNY and CUNY schools for the spring semester. "We are asking all schools to ensure that students before they return are boosted," Hochul said. "They're required to be vaccinated. Now we're putting on an additional requirement: in order to return to your college campus you have to be boosted." College students are also required to wear masks in public spaces indoors and will have to quarantine and follow New York State and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines if anyone does test positive. Those students will also have to show a negative test when they return to campus, Hochul said. Random sampling will continue throughout the year, Hochul added. The requirement takes effect on January 15. The goal is not to just think of the health of students and staff, but also the local businesses that will suffer if college campuses are forced to shutter, Hochul said. Mask/vaccination requirement for businesses extended Testing and masks are an important line of defense, Hochul said. Although the mandate for businesses to either require masks or proof of vaccination was initially going to be re-evaluated on January 15, that has been extended for two weeks, due to the rapidly changing landscape, Hochul said. The plan has been geared all along to keeping the economy open, she said. "The other alternative is to say, shut it all down. The reason we don't have to do this is because we now have the defenses in place, the testing, the vaccines, the booster shots, the masks. So we're in a different dynamic now but I'm very conscious while this continues to spread that we can take steps to make sure that they are protected," Hochul said. To that end, Hochul urged the use of KN95 masks, which offer more protection; she said New Yorkers can use their favorite cloth masks over the KN95 masks to offer double protection. A total of 5 million KN95 masks have been sent out to counties statewide, she said. With 13 new testing sites launched recently, including two on Long Island, six others will be added next week, although none of those six are on Long Island. New MTA sites have also been added in New York City in the Bronx, she said. Preventing severe illness and death Hochul said supporting hospitals is a key factor in preventing severe illness and death. The federal government plays an important role, Hochul said. She is working with federal partners and advocating for the right to be able to protect nursing home occupants by requiring visitors to be vaccinated. "We've asked the federal government to revise their regulations that don't allow us to have any restrictions on visitors," Hochul said. "I understand that this was a reaction to the painful experience that so many families had to experience when they couldn't visit a loved one. Visit your loved one, but also don't be the reason that loved one does not survive." Hochul said she has also asked the federal government to make the antiviral treatment more widely available. Dr. Mary Bassett, New York's department of health commissioner, said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last week gave emergency approval to oral antiviral drugs. Before that, monoclonal antibodies were drugs that had to be administered in hospitals; the Pfizer drug is called Paxlovid, the Merck drug is Molnupiravir both are taken orally twice a day for five days. While New York received 3,180 doses of Paxlovid, far greater amounts are needed, Bassett said. The challenge is in production, she said. There has also been a focus on monoclonal antibodies, Bassett said, including one that's been the most protective for people who have omicron infection, called Sotrovimab. New York received 4,242 doses and then received an additional 5,580. "The federal government is now acknowledging that New York State has to receive not just proportional to our population but proportional to our disease burden," Bassett said. Jackie Bray, division of Homeland Security emergency services commissioner, said federal assistance has come in the form of new deployments statewide. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending a 35-member disaster medical assistance team to SUNY upstate in Syracuse, as well as a medical response team to Buffalo and 30 federal ambulance teams working upstate and in central New York. FEMA will also be sending 50 additional ambulance teams to New York City, Bray said. In addition to the federal aid, New York is opening its stockpiles and sending medical equipment, including oxygen tanks and other supplies, to hospitals statewide, Bray said. Hochul said there is good news: New York is down from 35 hospitals who had to put the brakes on elective surgeries, to 21. Vaccinated versus unvaccinated hospitalizations According to the latest data, 30 per 100,000 cases are unvaccinated, compared with 2.1 who are vaccinated. "If you are vaccinated you have a very low chance of being hospitalized," Hochul said. "Look at those numbers and see what percentage of people are in hospitals who are unvaccinated versus vaccinated, it's an extraordinary difference." Pediatric hospitalizations continue to rise, up to 299 statewide this week. Hochul said the FDA final approval date for the Pfizer booster is coming soon for 12 to 15 year olds and added that kids should not only be vaccinated but boosted. The governor also said communication with local leaders will continue. "This is the final message. 2022 is the year we beat this pandemic," Hochul said. This article originally appeared on the East Hampton Patch A man walks through a deserted Place Royale in Quebec City on the evening of Dec. 31, 2021, shortly before the provincial governments nightly curfew came into effect. (The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissinot) An Attitude of Change Is Whats Needed as We Enter 2022 Commentary The common salutation at the turn of the year is to wish somebody a happy New Year. It will be hard to find happiness if 2022 doesnt actually provide us with something new, however. The most striking thing that can be said about 2021 is how little different it was from 2020. The year 2020 was miserable for most of the world. The COVID-19 pandemic began spreading at the beginning of the year, causing fear, instability, and economic damage around the planet. Panicked governments imposed restrictions on work, travel, and social gatherings in hopes of controlling the spread of the disease. While we were all apprehensive, many of us took comfort in knowing that the lockdowns should be little more than two weeks to flatten the curve as our local governments told us. The two weeks turned into months that can now be measured in years. Businesses opened and closed as pandemic waves came and went. People stayed home on the Easter of 2020 under the assurances that they would be able to visit family in the summer. Summer vacations were deferred and people remained home while the state told them they would be able to reunite in gatherings at Christmas. Infections surged at Christmas and we were locked down again. It will be better in the new year! we were assured. Well, 2021 came and went and it was nearly identical to 2020. Not only did nothing change, but most Canadians didnt seek or demand any changes. Sure, we saw protests against government restrictions popping up across the country in major cities at times. Those protests never evolved into actions large enough to catch the attention of Canadas decision-makers, much less change the course of their decisions. The demonstrations were often dominated by people with some questionable views to say the least, and never brought out average Canadians in noteworthy numbers. Canadians claimed to be upset with the pandemic restrictions, but not upset enough to go out and protest against them. Canadians had the ultimate opportunity to pursue real change in the fall of 2021. We had a general election. We saw the election coming for months. The fall campaign was dominated by discussion on the pandemic as was to be expected. Many questions were asked regarding the degree of the governments pandemic response and the amount of money being borrowed in order to continue with that response. When given the opportunity to express a desire for change in a way as simple, safe, and potentially effective as casting a ballot in an election, Canadians resoundingly selected the status quo. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was returned to office with almost the exact same support numbers as he had when he dissolved the Parliament and called an election. Canadians may fear the pandemic and are concerned about the federal governments response to it, but not so much that they could overcome their fear of change. People look to the New Year as a time to embrace rejuvenation and fresh beginnings. It is a time to shed bad habits and embrace new ones. We should be looking back on the last two years and asking ourselves what we can do to make the coming one better. I think most people agree that the last two years have been terrible, but are most people ready to take a leap and embrace changes? We appear to be no closer to the end of the COVID-19 pandemic today than we were in February of 2020. While most of the population has been vaccinated, we are now seeing a massive rise in cases due to the new Omicron variant leading to lockdowns, stress, and restrictions yet again. We are always told that we must make sacrifices now so that we may all benefit later. It has been two years now; when are the benefits coming? I dont know what the most direct path out of the pandemic is, but with two years of pandemic experience under our belts, we can sure list a lot of things that dont work. Why do we keep trying them? As we enter what will be our third year of living in the COVID-19 age, are we ready to try something different yet? I do want to look forward to 2022 with optimism. I want it to be a year where we move beyond the pandemic and begin to enjoy prosperous lives again with free movement and no social restrictions. I do think we can get there. First, though, we have to embrace an attitude of change. This year, dont make the same old tired resolutions to quit smoking or lose weight. Make a resolution to stand up for yourself and tell your political leaders that its time to do things differently. If we dont do that, 2023 will be indistinguishable from the two years preceding it. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Wildfire victims find hope in Christ during record-setting 2020; millions of acres burned Dan and Rochelle Kelly thought they would only be gone from their Boulder Creek, California, home for a day when they received the reverse 911 call on Aug. 18 advising them to evacuate because of an approaching wildfire. Living in the mountain town that serves as the gateway to the Big Basin Redwoods State Park in Santa Cruz County, the Kellys have for years had an emergency evacuation plan for the summers, with bags ready to go and a list of the most important items in their home they dont want to lose if their home were to go up in flames. They grabbed family photo albums, ancestry documents, irreplaceable paintings, their dog, the tops of their wedding cakes and a gold teapot Rochelles great grandparents received for their 50th wedding anniversary. They filled up Dans truck and Rochelles car as best as they could before hitting the road to avoid getting stuck in evacuation traffic like they had heard about in other fires. My advice to people that are evacuating is when you are taking stuff, you need to imagine that your house is going to burn to the ground, Rochelle, a retired school administrator, told The Christian Post. We took things that were really important but left some things that were really special but not irreplaceable. We really thought wed be gone for a day and come back and move back in with our stuff. But what happened is the Kellys suffered a similar fate that hundreds of families across Santa Cruz County and thousands of others across the Pacific Northwest have suffered this year as a record wildfire season has seen thousands of fires engulf millions of acres across California, Oregon and Washington in recent months. Their home, as well as one of their neighbors' homes, burned to the ground with very little left to be salvaged. In California alone, over 4 million acres have burned and 8,819 structures have been destroyed during the 2020 wildfire season as of Oct. 7, according to the state's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. In Oregon, over 1 million acres have been burned by nearly 2,000 different fires, nearly double the 10-year average of 557,811 acres. In Washington, hundreds of thousands of acres burned in 2020, according to the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Tom OBrien, a retired firefighter who served 32 years in Rancho Cucamonga and who is now leading a relief effort for the evangelical humanitarian aid organization Samaritans Purse in Santa Cruz County, told CP that the CZU Lightning Complex fires in the area began on Aug. 16 when there was dry lightning that came through in the form of a large electrical storm. By the time fires in Santa Cruz County stopped burning, OBrien said that about 930 homes were destroyed along with an additional 1,000 other structures, including outbuildings, garages and sheds. Everything had been preheated, there was warm weather that preceded it. It just started igniting everything. Mountains were going up in just little spot fires, he said. What they began to call these fires as they began to merge and join together, they called them complex fires, meaning a whole series of small fires joining together to create one big fire. As fire burns going uphill, it begins to preheat as it goes. It draws in air along the sides of it so it can use that air and has plenty of fuel in the dry sticks and brush. It has plenty of heat as it goes up that hill. It continues to just feed itself on this dry tinder, grass and trees as it runs up. It creates its own wind as it draws in everything nearby and these large plumes of smoke tower up into the air. These dry leaves and embers, some very, very long distances, miles in some cases. At the time, OBrien said there were as many as 88 to 90 other wildfires ongoing caused by dry lightning across the three states. This year, it is not very good at all. It is a horrible year and we really havent even gotten the wind-driven fires yet, he said. Everybody needs to be on their knees praying to God to assist the firemen and give relief in the form of rain. Amid the tragedy and through the power of Christ, however, some have been able to find a sense of hope that had previously been lacking in their lives while others believe God sent them a sign that He has different plans for their lives. God does so many amazing things even through the devastation, Kristin Koning, a Samaritans Purse program manager overseeing efforts in Oregon, said. On any disaster, we see that. Certainly, this one is not an exception. We are seeing God open opportunities not only for people to come and accept Him for the first time but just for believers to be encouraged. Leaving their home behind Leaving their home behind, the Kellys went to stay for a week with friends in the town of Pleasanton, before going on to stay for a week at a friends beach rental home in Santa Cruz and then back up to their friends place in Pleasanton for another week. For the last four weeks, they have stayed at a hotel in Santa Cruz. The day after they left their home, the Kellys were informed by their 37-year-old son, who lived in the area but had not evacuated because his home was not in immediate danger, that their home, which was their sons childhood home, had burned down. He got on his dirtbike he knew all the mountains and trails and he came to the house as the fire was going away from the house, Rochelle said. He was riding through the fire lines and stuff. He was able to see that it had burned to the ground as well as all the outbuildings. He took pictures for us. Otherwise, like so many people, we would not have known the fate of our house for a month. That would have been just horribly anxiety-ridden. Many evacuees have been forced to wait for weeks to find out the fate of their homes because they have had to wait for authorities to tell them when it's safe to return to the area. As for the Kellys 20-acre property in Boulder Creek, different fires were coming from two directions that converged in the mountains, heading toward Boulder Creek and other small towns in the San Lorenzo Valley. The Kellys were able to return to their property after about four weeks on Sept. 13. When they returned, they said they were overwhelmed by the amount of work they would have to do just to sift through the ash to see if there was anything in the home that could be salvaged. Picking up the pieces As they left their burned-down property on the first day of their return, Dan said he and his wife encountered a husband-and-wife couple in a pick-up truck who stopped them to ask, Did you folks lose your house? Those people turned out to be OBrien and his wife. The OBriens arrived in Santa Cruz County on Sept. 10 to assess the area to see how Samaritan's Purse, a North Carolina-based organization run by Franklin Graham that helps victims of disasters all over the world, can help. The Kellys recalled the couple offering to send a team of volunteers to help them sift through the ash to find any valuables that survived the fire. They were just going up and down, just checking peoples houses, seeing what they can do. They gave us some information and a flyer and all that, Dan said. That was it. Just a few days later, a team of 10 or more Samaritans Purse volunteers arrived at their property. When we met them at the driveway there and they told us what they were about and what they could do for us, we were so relieved because we had just been at the site of our burned-out house and it was so overwhelming to us to have to get in there and sift through all that debris to look for anything that might have survived, Rochelle recalled. It was very difficult to even walk in the debris because it was a tangled mess of glass and nails [and screws]. When they told us what they did, we said, Thank God! We didnt think we would be able to do it ourselves. OBrien said that the team had to wait a few days for things to cool down before they could go to work. The charity had to get approval from the appropriate government agencies as well. We tied in with some other volunteer organizations working in this area and had a pastors conference and within just a few days after that, we got ourselves up and working to assist these homeowners in their time of need, he said. Samaritan's Purses efforts in Santa Cruz, which consists of three different teams of about 10 or more volunteers, are being headquartered at Felton Bible Church, just north of the town of Santa Cruz. Out-of-town volunteers who travel to Santa Cruz to help residents in need and plan to stay for three days or more are given a place to sleep at Mount Hermon, a Christian camp near Felton. OBrien said some volunteers have traveled from as far as Oklahoma and Ohio to aid those in Santa Cruz. Samaritans Purse has taken dozens of work orders in Santa Cruz County since Sept. 14. Each order is a little bit different," the retired firefighter said. "Some folks are looking for maybe a dozen items or so. Other owners just want one or two items. The timeline, we try to be very flexible to give it our best effort to try to salvage those items that are important to that homeowner. Volunteers from Samaritan's Purse wearing Tyvek suits, goggles, gloves and N-95 masks worked on the Kellys property for over two days. On the first day, Dan said, about 10 volunteers showed up. In the following two days, he said anywhere between 10 to 14 volunteers showed up to work on his home. Dan was there for most of the time that the volunteers were there. It was pretty neat because they would be sifting through and all of sudden they would find something, he explained. They didnt even want me in the rubble. They had the personal equipment on. They had everything there. They just wanted me to sit down. I brought in a pop-up tent, a table and some water to wash things off and some rags and stuff like that. As they would find it, they would bring it over to me. Jesus unscathed According to Rochelle, there wasnt much that survived the fire except for a few notable items. One thing that survived the fire was an American flag hanging from a flagpole on their side deck that was discovered by the fire department. Dan, a former scuba diving instructor-turned-business owner from Long Island, New York, said the fire department folded the flag military-style and placed it inside his damaged Mercedes-Benz convertible for him to find. Another thing that survived the fire was a porcelain figurine of Jesus Christ that Dans mother gave as a gift to Rochelle. They are sifting through an area that we had asked them to sift through. When they brought me things, they were usually in pieces, he explained. Then all of a sudden, everybody was just so excited. It was a white porcelain bust of Jesus about 6 inches tall. It survived through everything with no cracks, no dirt on it, nothing. It just survived. The figurine was originally located in an upstairs bedroom, meaning that in addition to exposure to heat and fire, it also fell from the upper floor down to the bottom. It is perfectly clean and perfectly whole, Rochelle explained. It was totally amazing, Everything else that was glass or porcelain was in bits and pieces but not Jesus. Then they found baby Jesus with Mary and one of the oxen from my moms nativity set that we put out every year. Its pretty cool. Also four of [my moms] little porcelain angels that we would set out every year next to the nativity, those came out. They need to be cleared up but four of them came out whole. The Kellys, who are active members of an Episcopalian church, said they believe God might've been trying to speak to them through the survival of the Jesus figurine. Dan said they believe it was God saying that He has different plans for us. The message was so clear, Rochelle agreed. We have the bust of Jesus, wherever we go. He is sitting right here on our nightstand in our hotel room right now. It is definitely a message of hope. 1 2 3 Next Texas Audit Finds Over 11,000 Potential Noncitizens Registered to Vote, Other Problems First phase of audit praised by secretary of state but criticized by some lawmakers who argue it isn't enough Voting irregularitiesincluding potentially thousands of votes cast by noncitizens and dead peoplewere reported during the first phase of the Texas secretary of states forensic audit of the 2020 general election, but critics deemed it more of a risk-limiting audit at this point. The secretary of states office released its findings on Dec. 31; the issues found arent enough to significantly affect 2020 election results of the four counties involved in the auditCollin, Dallas, Harris, and Tarrant countieswhich account for about 10 million people, or a third of Texass population. Generally speaking, nothing was found on such a large scale that could have altered any election, Sam Taylor, assistant secretary of state for communications, told The Epoch Times. Findings include: Statewide, a total of 11,737 potential non-U.S. citizens were identified as being registered to vote. Of these, 327 records were identified in Collin County, 1,385 in Dallas County, 3,063 in Harris County, and 708 in Tarrant County. So far, Dallas County has canceled 1,193 of these records, with Tarrant County canceling one. Neither Collin nor Harris have canceled any potential non-voting records. Since November 2020, 224,585 deceased voters have been removed from the voter rolls in Texas: Collin County removed 4,889 deceased voters, Dallas County removed 14,926 deceased voters, Harris County removed 23,914 deceased voters, and Tarrant County removed 13,955 deceased voters. Statewide, a total of 67 potential votes cast in the name of deceased people are under investigation. Of those, three were cast in Collin County, nine in Dallas County, four in Harris County, and one in Tarrant County. In a review of each countys partial manual count report required under Texas law, three of the four counties reported discrepancies between ballots counted electronically versus those counted by hand. The reported reasons for these discrepancies will be investigated and verified during phase two of the audit. Taylor said the states audit, currently moving into its second phase, is the first of its kind for Texas. Secretary of State John Scott portrayed the audit as the countrys most comprehensive forensic audit of the 2020 election, according to a November statement. He said the audit will use analytical tools to examine the literal nuts and bolts of election administration to determine if any illegal activity may have occurred. Of the four counties being audited, President Donald Trump won Collin County, with President Joe Biden taking Dallas and Harris counties. Tarrant County, traditionally a red county, flipped to Biden with a slim 1,826 vote margin. Overall, Trump carried Texas with 52.1 percent of the vote to Bidens 46.5 percent. The Texas audit was announced soon after Trump wrote a Sept. 23, 2021, open letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, whom Trump endorsed for reelection in 2022, pushing for a more thorough forensic audit of the 2020 election. Trumps letter asked Abbott to include legislation in the third special session that would allow for more comprehensive forensic audits of the 2020 presidential election in Texas, specifically pointing to House Bill 16 and Senate Bill 97. Those pieces of legislation would have allowed party officials to demand county-level audits in future elections and allowed for a 2020 audit as well. Ultimately SB 97, which had similar language as HB 16, was introduced but didnt pass both chambers before the clock ran out on the third and final session this fall. As it stands, the four-county audit is part of Senate Bill 1, a sweeping election bill passed by the Republican-led legislature in the second special session of 2021, but vehemently opposed by Democrats. Legislators hoping to revive a fourth legislative session to deal with voting fraud issues say the current audit is limited in scope. State Rep. Steve Toth (R-Woodlands), who sponsored HB 16, called the audit more of a risk-limiting exercise that wont adequately address all 2020 election problems. We know that fraud has been taking place in Texas, Toth told The Epoch Times. We need a forensic audit. Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), who introduced SB 97, agreed that Toth had a point. Bettencourts bill would have allowed audits to be conducted at the county level across Texas. However, he said the Secretary of States audit has the potential to become a forensic audit during phase two if it begins to dig into voting irregularities. My observation over time is that fraud is used against Democrats in their primaries and against the Republicans in the general election, Bettencourt told The Epoch Times. He pointed to some 3,000 nonresidents potentially voting in Harris County cited by the audit. Bettencourt said as far back as 20 years ago when he was a district voting clerk, he would use jury service data indicating noncitizens to purge them from the rolls. But at this point, he said the county appears to have abandoned such efforts. Bettencourt noted other irregularities not covered by the states audit, such as a situation in Wichita Falls where a single-family residence was home to more than 500 registered voters. While the Texas attorney generals office lists only 386 active election fraud investigations, cases of voter fraud have increased in the state. In a Texan article, Jonathan White, head of the election fraud section in the Texas attorney generals special prosecutions division, said cases were higher than our historical average by a long shot. There were 510 offenses pending against 43 defendants at the time, according to the article, with most stemming from mail-in ballots. Taylor said that the secretary of states audit was indeed a forensic exercise. During the second phase of the audit, the secretary of states forensic audit division will conduct on-site examinations in January and will compare machine tabulations with paper ballots when possible. Issues such as how drive-thru voting was conducted in Harris County in 2020, now prohibited by SB 1, will be reviewed, Taylor said, adding there were claims of a 1,800 vote discrepancy between the number of voters checked in and the number of votes cast at drive-thrus. About 127,000 votes were cast in the Houston area this way. But Leah Shah, communications director for Harris County Elections, said the county uses very strict protocol on how ballots are managed and couldnt confirm a voting discrepancy. We have heard that number, but we have no idea where that number came from, she told The Epoch Times. Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Happy Saturday, Toledo! Here's everything you need to know around town today. First, today's weather: Cloudy with a little rain. High: 42 Low: 28. Here are the top stories today in Toledo: The family of missing National Guardsman Xiao Lu, who was last seen leaving his job at the United States Post Office on South St. Clair in Downtown Toledo, is pleading for anyone with information to come forward. Described as an inspiration, the family says Lu had been struggling with some mental health issues in the past, and are hoping for his safe return. (WTOL) Several Toledo restaurants were all booked up for New Year's Eve celebrations. Two such restaurants, Angelo's Northwood Villa and Sakura Japanese Steakhouse, were lucky enough to stay open through the pandemic and have benefited from continued patronage. (WTOL) Toledo area hospitals are nearing their maximum capacity with critical COVID-19 patient numbers climbing. Dr. James Tita, Chief Medical Officer at Mercy Health St. Vincent's Hospital, anticipates surging hospitalizations due to the omicron variant. (WNWO NBC 24) Celebrating his re-election, Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz is holding an inauguration event this Monday at 4 P.M. at One Government Center in Downtown Toledo. Following the ceremony, the Toledo City Council will hold its first meeting of the new year at 5:30. (13abc Action News) Several first responders from around Northwest Ohio hosted a parade to support Wood County Road Sergeant Jody Swoap, who has been battling serious COVID complications in Wood County Hospital. Sgt. Swoap is a celebrated public servant and members of law enforcement, fire, EMS, and more well-wishers attended the event on Thursday. (13abc Action News) Today in Toledo: Greg Warren at Toledo Funny Bone , Fat Fish Blue Perrysburg (7:00 PM) Midnight Special 5K, Levis Commons (11:45 PM) Dance Fitness with Cari, Routines 2121 S. Reynolds Rd. (9:00 AM) The Great Art Escape at Toledo Museum of Art (11:00 AM) Toledo Walleye Winterfest Public Skate at Fifth Third Field (10:00 AM) Story continues From my notebook: - Click the link to see suggestions for fun things to do for teens in the Glass City. Mom on the Go in Holy Toledo does the research on all the latest events. (Mom On The Go In Holy Toledo) Loving the Toledo Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved: Send a friend or neighbor this link so they can subscribe Get your local business listed in front of readers Send me a news tip or suggestion at toledo@patch.com You're officially in the loop for today. I'll be in your inbox tomorrow morning with another update! Brad King About me: I have been a lifelong Northwest Ohio native and University of Toledo grad (Go Rockets!). I'm old enough to remember when the Mud Hens were still playing in Maumee. The Glass City has seen some amazing revitalization and I am so excited to share every update with you! This article originally appeared on the Toledo Patch Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Wildfire victims find hope in Christ during record-setting 2020; millions of acres burned Dan and Rochelle Kelly thought they would only be gone from their Boulder Creek, California, home for a day when they received the reverse 911 call on Aug. 18 advising them to evacuate because of an approaching wildfire. Living in the mountain town that serves as the gateway to the Big Basin Redwoods State Park in Santa Cruz County, the Kellys have for years had an emergency evacuation plan for the summers, with bags ready to go and a list of the most important items in their home they dont want to lose if their home were to go up in flames. They grabbed family photo albums, ancestry documents, irreplaceable paintings, their dog, the tops of their wedding cakes and a gold teapot Rochelles great grandparents received for their 50th wedding anniversary. They filled up Dans truck and Rochelles car as best as they could before hitting the road to avoid getting stuck in evacuation traffic like they had heard about in other fires. My advice to people that are evacuating is when you are taking stuff, you need to imagine that your house is going to burn to the ground, Rochelle, a retired school administrator, told The Christian Post. We took things that were really important but left some things that were really special but not irreplaceable. We really thought wed be gone for a day and come back and move back in with our stuff. But what happened is the Kellys suffered a similar fate that hundreds of families across Santa Cruz County and thousands of others across the Pacific Northwest have suffered this year as a record wildfire season has seen thousands of fires engulf millions of acres across California, Oregon and Washington in recent months. Their home, as well as one of their neighbors' homes, burned to the ground with very little left to be salvaged. In California alone, over 4 million acres have burned and 8,819 structures have been destroyed during the 2020 wildfire season as of Oct. 7, according to the state's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. In Oregon, over 1 million acres have been burned by nearly 2,000 different fires, nearly double the 10-year average of 557,811 acres. In Washington, hundreds of thousands of acres burned in 2020, according to the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Tom OBrien, a retired firefighter who served 32 years in Rancho Cucamonga and who is now leading a relief effort for the evangelical humanitarian aid organization Samaritans Purse in Santa Cruz County, told CP that the CZU Lightning Complex fires in the area began on Aug. 16 when there was dry lightning that came through in the form of a large electrical storm. By the time fires in Santa Cruz County stopped burning, OBrien said that about 930 homes were destroyed along with an additional 1,000 other structures, including outbuildings, garages and sheds. Everything had been preheated, there was warm weather that preceded it. It just started igniting everything. Mountains were going up in just little spot fires, he said. What they began to call these fires as they began to merge and join together, they called them complex fires, meaning a whole series of small fires joining together to create one big fire. As fire burns going uphill, it begins to preheat as it goes. It draws in air along the sides of it so it can use that air and has plenty of fuel in the dry sticks and brush. It has plenty of heat as it goes up that hill. It continues to just feed itself on this dry tinder, grass and trees as it runs up. It creates its own wind as it draws in everything nearby and these large plumes of smoke tower up into the air. These dry leaves and embers, some very, very long distances, miles in some cases. At the time, OBrien said there were as many as 88 to 90 other wildfires ongoing caused by dry lightning across the three states. This year, it is not very good at all. It is a horrible year and we really havent even gotten the wind-driven fires yet, he said. Everybody needs to be on their knees praying to God to assist the firemen and give relief in the form of rain. Amid the tragedy and through the power of Christ, however, some have been able to find a sense of hope that had previously been lacking in their lives while others believe God sent them a sign that He has different plans for their lives. God does so many amazing things even through the devastation, Kristin Koning, a Samaritans Purse program manager overseeing efforts in Oregon, said. On any disaster, we see that. Certainly, this one is not an exception. We are seeing God open opportunities not only for people to come and accept Him for the first time but just for believers to be encouraged. Leaving their home behind Leaving their home behind, the Kellys went to stay for a week with friends in the town of Pleasanton, before going on to stay for a week at a friends beach rental home in Santa Cruz and then back up to their friends place in Pleasanton for another week. For the last four weeks, they have stayed at a hotel in Santa Cruz. The day after they left their home, the Kellys were informed by their 37-year-old son, who lived in the area but had not evacuated because his home was not in immediate danger, that their home, which was their sons childhood home, had burned down. He got on his dirtbike he knew all the mountains and trails and he came to the house as the fire was going away from the house, Rochelle said. He was riding through the fire lines and stuff. He was able to see that it had burned to the ground as well as all the outbuildings. He took pictures for us. Otherwise, like so many people, we would not have known the fate of our house for a month. That would have been just horribly anxiety-ridden. Many evacuees have been forced to wait for weeks to find out the fate of their homes because they have had to wait for authorities to tell them when it's safe to return to the area. As for the Kellys 20-acre property in Boulder Creek, different fires were coming from two directions that converged in the mountains, heading toward Boulder Creek and other small towns in the San Lorenzo Valley. The Kellys were able to return to their property after about four weeks on Sept. 13. When they returned, they said they were overwhelmed by the amount of work they would have to do just to sift through the ash to see if there was anything in the home that could be salvaged. Picking up the pieces As they left their burned-down property on the first day of their return, Dan said he and his wife encountered a husband-and-wife couple in a pick-up truck who stopped them to ask, Did you folks lose your house? Those people turned out to be OBrien and his wife. The OBriens arrived in Santa Cruz County on Sept. 10 to assess the area to see how Samaritan's Purse, a North Carolina-based organization run by Franklin Graham that helps victims of disasters all over the world, can help. The Kellys recalled the couple offering to send a team of volunteers to help them sift through the ash to find any valuables that survived the fire. They were just going up and down, just checking peoples houses, seeing what they can do. They gave us some information and a flyer and all that, Dan said. That was it. Just a few days later, a team of 10 or more Samaritans Purse volunteers arrived at their property. When we met them at the driveway there and they told us what they were about and what they could do for us, we were so relieved because we had just been at the site of our burned-out house and it was so overwhelming to us to have to get in there and sift through all that debris to look for anything that might have survived, Rochelle recalled. It was very difficult to even walk in the debris because it was a tangled mess of glass and nails [and screws]. When they told us what they did, we said, Thank God! We didnt think we would be able to do it ourselves. OBrien said that the team had to wait a few days for things to cool down before they could go to work. The charity had to get approval from the appropriate government agencies as well. We tied in with some other volunteer organizations working in this area and had a pastors conference and within just a few days after that, we got ourselves up and working to assist these homeowners in their time of need, he said. Samaritan's Purses efforts in Santa Cruz, which consists of three different teams of about 10 or more volunteers, are being headquartered at Felton Bible Church, just north of the town of Santa Cruz. Out-of-town volunteers who travel to Santa Cruz to help residents in need and plan to stay for three days or more are given a place to sleep at Mount Hermon, a Christian camp near Felton. OBrien said some volunteers have traveled from as far as Oklahoma and Ohio to aid those in Santa Cruz. Samaritans Purse has taken dozens of work orders in Santa Cruz County since Sept. 14. Each order is a little bit different," the retired firefighter said. "Some folks are looking for maybe a dozen items or so. Other owners just want one or two items. The timeline, we try to be very flexible to give it our best effort to try to salvage those items that are important to that homeowner. Volunteers from Samaritan's Purse wearing Tyvek suits, goggles, gloves and N-95 masks worked on the Kellys property for over two days. On the first day, Dan said, about 10 volunteers showed up. In the following two days, he said anywhere between 10 to 14 volunteers showed up to work on his home. Dan was there for most of the time that the volunteers were there. It was pretty neat because they would be sifting through and all of sudden they would find something, he explained. They didnt even want me in the rubble. They had the personal equipment on. They had everything there. They just wanted me to sit down. I brought in a pop-up tent, a table and some water to wash things off and some rags and stuff like that. As they would find it, they would bring it over to me. Jesus unscathed According to Rochelle, there wasnt much that survived the fire except for a few notable items. One thing that survived the fire was an American flag hanging from a flagpole on their side deck that was discovered by the fire department. Dan, a former scuba diving instructor-turned-business owner from Long Island, New York, said the fire department folded the flag military-style and placed it inside his damaged Mercedes-Benz convertible for him to find. Another thing that survived the fire was a porcelain figurine of Jesus Christ that Dans mother gave as a gift to Rochelle. They are sifting through an area that we had asked them to sift through. When they brought me things, they were usually in pieces, he explained. Then all of a sudden, everybody was just so excited. It was a white porcelain bust of Jesus about 6 inches tall. It survived through everything with no cracks, no dirt on it, nothing. It just survived. The figurine was originally located in an upstairs bedroom, meaning that in addition to exposure to heat and fire, it also fell from the upper floor down to the bottom. It is perfectly clean and perfectly whole, Rochelle explained. It was totally amazing, Everything else that was glass or porcelain was in bits and pieces but not Jesus. Then they found baby Jesus with Mary and one of the oxen from my moms nativity set that we put out every year. Its pretty cool. Also four of [my moms] little porcelain angels that we would set out every year next to the nativity, those came out. They need to be cleared up but four of them came out whole. The Kellys, who are active members of an Episcopalian church, said they believe God might've been trying to speak to them through the survival of the Jesus figurine. Dan said they believe it was God saying that He has different plans for us. The message was so clear, Rochelle agreed. We have the bust of Jesus, wherever we go. He is sitting right here on our nightstand in our hotel room right now. It is definitely a message of hope. 1 2 3 Next Wildfire victims find hope in Christ during record-setting 2020; millions of acres burned Dan and Rochelle Kelly thought they would only be gone from their Boulder Creek, California, home for a day when they received the reverse 911 call on Aug. 18 advising them to evacuate because of an approaching wildfire. Living in the mountain town that serves as the gateway to the Big Basin Redwoods State Park in Santa Cruz County, the Kellys have for years had an emergency evacuation plan for the summers, with bags ready to go and a list of the most important items in their home they dont want to lose if their home were to go up in flames. They grabbed family photo albums, ancestry documents, irreplaceable paintings, their dog, the tops of their wedding cakes and a gold teapot Rochelles great grandparents received for their 50th wedding anniversary. They filled up Dans truck and Rochelles car as best as they could before hitting the road to avoid getting stuck in evacuation traffic like they had heard about in other fires. My advice to people that are evacuating is when you are taking stuff, you need to imagine that your house is going to burn to the ground, Rochelle, a retired school administrator, told The Christian Post. We took things that were really important but left some things that were really special but not irreplaceable. We really thought wed be gone for a day and come back and move back in with our stuff. But what happened is the Kellys suffered a similar fate that hundreds of families across Santa Cruz County and thousands of others across the Pacific Northwest have suffered this year as a record wildfire season has seen thousands of fires engulf millions of acres across California, Oregon and Washington in recent months. Their home, as well as one of their neighbors' homes, burned to the ground with very little left to be salvaged. In California alone, over 4 million acres have burned and 8,819 structures have been destroyed during the 2020 wildfire season as of Oct. 7, according to the state's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. In Oregon, over 1 million acres have been burned by nearly 2,000 different fires, nearly double the 10-year average of 557,811 acres. In Washington, hundreds of thousands of acres burned in 2020, according to the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Tom OBrien, a retired firefighter who served 32 years in Rancho Cucamonga and who is now leading a relief effort for the evangelical humanitarian aid organization Samaritans Purse in Santa Cruz County, told CP that the CZU Lightning Complex fires in the area began on Aug. 16 when there was dry lightning that came through in the form of a large electrical storm. By the time fires in Santa Cruz County stopped burning, OBrien said that about 930 homes were destroyed along with an additional 1,000 other structures, including outbuildings, garages and sheds. Everything had been preheated, there was warm weather that preceded it. It just started igniting everything. Mountains were going up in just little spot fires, he said. What they began to call these fires as they began to merge and join together, they called them complex fires, meaning a whole series of small fires joining together to create one big fire. As fire burns going uphill, it begins to preheat as it goes. It draws in air along the sides of it so it can use that air and has plenty of fuel in the dry sticks and brush. It has plenty of heat as it goes up that hill. It continues to just feed itself on this dry tinder, grass and trees as it runs up. It creates its own wind as it draws in everything nearby and these large plumes of smoke tower up into the air. These dry leaves and embers, some very, very long distances, miles in some cases. At the time, OBrien said there were as many as 88 to 90 other wildfires ongoing caused by dry lightning across the three states. This year, it is not very good at all. It is a horrible year and we really havent even gotten the wind-driven fires yet, he said. Everybody needs to be on their knees praying to God to assist the firemen and give relief in the form of rain. Amid the tragedy and through the power of Christ, however, some have been able to find a sense of hope that had previously been lacking in their lives while others believe God sent them a sign that He has different plans for their lives. God does so many amazing things even through the devastation, Kristin Koning, a Samaritans Purse program manager overseeing efforts in Oregon, said. On any disaster, we see that. Certainly, this one is not an exception. We are seeing God open opportunities not only for people to come and accept Him for the first time but just for believers to be encouraged. Leaving their home behind Leaving their home behind, the Kellys went to stay for a week with friends in the town of Pleasanton, before going on to stay for a week at a friends beach rental home in Santa Cruz and then back up to their friends place in Pleasanton for another week. For the last four weeks, they have stayed at a hotel in Santa Cruz. The day after they left their home, the Kellys were informed by their 37-year-old son, who lived in the area but had not evacuated because his home was not in immediate danger, that their home, which was their sons childhood home, had burned down. He got on his dirtbike he knew all the mountains and trails and he came to the house as the fire was going away from the house, Rochelle said. He was riding through the fire lines and stuff. He was able to see that it had burned to the ground as well as all the outbuildings. He took pictures for us. Otherwise, like so many people, we would not have known the fate of our house for a month. That would have been just horribly anxiety-ridden. Many evacuees have been forced to wait for weeks to find out the fate of their homes because they have had to wait for authorities to tell them when it's safe to return to the area. As for the Kellys 20-acre property in Boulder Creek, different fires were coming from two directions that converged in the mountains, heading toward Boulder Creek and other small towns in the San Lorenzo Valley. The Kellys were able to return to their property after about four weeks on Sept. 13. When they returned, they said they were overwhelmed by the amount of work they would have to do just to sift through the ash to see if there was anything in the home that could be salvaged. Picking up the pieces As they left their burned-down property on the first day of their return, Dan said he and his wife encountered a husband-and-wife couple in a pick-up truck who stopped them to ask, Did you folks lose your house? Those people turned out to be OBrien and his wife. The OBriens arrived in Santa Cruz County on Sept. 10 to assess the area to see how Samaritan's Purse, a North Carolina-based organization run by Franklin Graham that helps victims of disasters all over the world, can help. The Kellys recalled the couple offering to send a team of volunteers to help them sift through the ash to find any valuables that survived the fire. They were just going up and down, just checking peoples houses, seeing what they can do. They gave us some information and a flyer and all that, Dan said. That was it. Just a few days later, a team of 10 or more Samaritans Purse volunteers arrived at their property. When we met them at the driveway there and they told us what they were about and what they could do for us, we were so relieved because we had just been at the site of our burned-out house and it was so overwhelming to us to have to get in there and sift through all that debris to look for anything that might have survived, Rochelle recalled. It was very difficult to even walk in the debris because it was a tangled mess of glass and nails [and screws]. When they told us what they did, we said, Thank God! We didnt think we would be able to do it ourselves. OBrien said that the team had to wait a few days for things to cool down before they could go to work. The charity had to get approval from the appropriate government agencies as well. We tied in with some other volunteer organizations working in this area and had a pastors conference and within just a few days after that, we got ourselves up and working to assist these homeowners in their time of need, he said. Samaritan's Purses efforts in Santa Cruz, which consists of three different teams of about 10 or more volunteers, are being headquartered at Felton Bible Church, just north of the town of Santa Cruz. Out-of-town volunteers who travel to Santa Cruz to help residents in need and plan to stay for three days or more are given a place to sleep at Mount Hermon, a Christian camp near Felton. OBrien said some volunteers have traveled from as far as Oklahoma and Ohio to aid those in Santa Cruz. Samaritans Purse has taken dozens of work orders in Santa Cruz County since Sept. 14. Each order is a little bit different," the retired firefighter said. "Some folks are looking for maybe a dozen items or so. Other owners just want one or two items. The timeline, we try to be very flexible to give it our best effort to try to salvage those items that are important to that homeowner. Volunteers from Samaritan's Purse wearing Tyvek suits, goggles, gloves and N-95 masks worked on the Kellys property for over two days. On the first day, Dan said, about 10 volunteers showed up. In the following two days, he said anywhere between 10 to 14 volunteers showed up to work on his home. Dan was there for most of the time that the volunteers were there. It was pretty neat because they would be sifting through and all of sudden they would find something, he explained. They didnt even want me in the rubble. They had the personal equipment on. They had everything there. They just wanted me to sit down. I brought in a pop-up tent, a table and some water to wash things off and some rags and stuff like that. As they would find it, they would bring it over to me. Jesus unscathed According to Rochelle, there wasnt much that survived the fire except for a few notable items. One thing that survived the fire was an American flag hanging from a flagpole on their side deck that was discovered by the fire department. Dan, a former scuba diving instructor-turned-business owner from Long Island, New York, said the fire department folded the flag military-style and placed it inside his damaged Mercedes-Benz convertible for him to find. Another thing that survived the fire was a porcelain figurine of Jesus Christ that Dans mother gave as a gift to Rochelle. They are sifting through an area that we had asked them to sift through. When they brought me things, they were usually in pieces, he explained. Then all of a sudden, everybody was just so excited. It was a white porcelain bust of Jesus about 6 inches tall. It survived through everything with no cracks, no dirt on it, nothing. It just survived. The figurine was originally located in an upstairs bedroom, meaning that in addition to exposure to heat and fire, it also fell from the upper floor down to the bottom. It is perfectly clean and perfectly whole, Rochelle explained. It was totally amazing, Everything else that was glass or porcelain was in bits and pieces but not Jesus. Then they found baby Jesus with Mary and one of the oxen from my moms nativity set that we put out every year. Its pretty cool. Also four of [my moms] little porcelain angels that we would set out every year next to the nativity, those came out. They need to be cleared up but four of them came out whole. The Kellys, who are active members of an Episcopalian church, said they believe God might've been trying to speak to them through the survival of the Jesus figurine. Dan said they believe it was God saying that He has different plans for us. The message was so clear, Rochelle agreed. We have the bust of Jesus, wherever we go. He is sitting right here on our nightstand in our hotel room right now. It is definitely a message of hope. 1 2 3 Next Wildfire victims find hope in Christ during record-setting 2020; millions of acres burned Dan and Rochelle Kelly thought they would only be gone from their Boulder Creek, California, home for a day when they received the reverse 911 call on Aug. 18 advising them to evacuate because of an approaching wildfire. Living in the mountain town that serves as the gateway to the Big Basin Redwoods State Park in Santa Cruz County, the Kellys have for years had an emergency evacuation plan for the summers, with bags ready to go and a list of the most important items in their home they dont want to lose if their home were to go up in flames. They grabbed family photo albums, ancestry documents, irreplaceable paintings, their dog, the tops of their wedding cakes and a gold teapot Rochelles great grandparents received for their 50th wedding anniversary. They filled up Dans truck and Rochelles car as best as they could before hitting the road to avoid getting stuck in evacuation traffic like they had heard about in other fires. My advice to people that are evacuating is when you are taking stuff, you need to imagine that your house is going to burn to the ground, Rochelle, a retired school administrator, told The Christian Post. We took things that were really important but left some things that were really special but not irreplaceable. We really thought wed be gone for a day and come back and move back in with our stuff. But what happened is the Kellys suffered a similar fate that hundreds of families across Santa Cruz County and thousands of others across the Pacific Northwest have suffered this year as a record wildfire season has seen thousands of fires engulf millions of acres across California, Oregon and Washington in recent months. Their home, as well as one of their neighbors' homes, burned to the ground with very little left to be salvaged. In California alone, over 4 million acres have burned and 8,819 structures have been destroyed during the 2020 wildfire season as of Oct. 7, according to the state's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. In Oregon, over 1 million acres have been burned by nearly 2,000 different fires, nearly double the 10-year average of 557,811 acres. In Washington, hundreds of thousands of acres burned in 2020, according to the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Tom OBrien, a retired firefighter who served 32 years in Rancho Cucamonga and who is now leading a relief effort for the evangelical humanitarian aid organization Samaritans Purse in Santa Cruz County, told CP that the CZU Lightning Complex fires in the area began on Aug. 16 when there was dry lightning that came through in the form of a large electrical storm. By the time fires in Santa Cruz County stopped burning, OBrien said that about 930 homes were destroyed along with an additional 1,000 other structures, including outbuildings, garages and sheds. Everything had been preheated, there was warm weather that preceded it. It just started igniting everything. Mountains were going up in just little spot fires, he said. What they began to call these fires as they began to merge and join together, they called them complex fires, meaning a whole series of small fires joining together to create one big fire. As fire burns going uphill, it begins to preheat as it goes. It draws in air along the sides of it so it can use that air and has plenty of fuel in the dry sticks and brush. It has plenty of heat as it goes up that hill. It continues to just feed itself on this dry tinder, grass and trees as it runs up. It creates its own wind as it draws in everything nearby and these large plumes of smoke tower up into the air. These dry leaves and embers, some very, very long distances, miles in some cases. At the time, OBrien said there were as many as 88 to 90 other wildfires ongoing caused by dry lightning across the three states. This year, it is not very good at all. It is a horrible year and we really havent even gotten the wind-driven fires yet, he said. Everybody needs to be on their knees praying to God to assist the firemen and give relief in the form of rain. Amid the tragedy and through the power of Christ, however, some have been able to find a sense of hope that had previously been lacking in their lives while others believe God sent them a sign that He has different plans for their lives. God does so many amazing things even through the devastation, Kristin Koning, a Samaritans Purse program manager overseeing efforts in Oregon, said. On any disaster, we see that. Certainly, this one is not an exception. We are seeing God open opportunities not only for people to come and accept Him for the first time but just for believers to be encouraged. Leaving their home behind Leaving their home behind, the Kellys went to stay for a week with friends in the town of Pleasanton, before going on to stay for a week at a friends beach rental home in Santa Cruz and then back up to their friends place in Pleasanton for another week. For the last four weeks, they have stayed at a hotel in Santa Cruz. The day after they left their home, the Kellys were informed by their 37-year-old son, who lived in the area but had not evacuated because his home was not in immediate danger, that their home, which was their sons childhood home, had burned down. He got on his dirtbike he knew all the mountains and trails and he came to the house as the fire was going away from the house, Rochelle said. He was riding through the fire lines and stuff. He was able to see that it had burned to the ground as well as all the outbuildings. He took pictures for us. Otherwise, like so many people, we would not have known the fate of our house for a month. That would have been just horribly anxiety-ridden. Many evacuees have been forced to wait for weeks to find out the fate of their homes because they have had to wait for authorities to tell them when it's safe to return to the area. As for the Kellys 20-acre property in Boulder Creek, different fires were coming from two directions that converged in the mountains, heading toward Boulder Creek and other small towns in the San Lorenzo Valley. The Kellys were able to return to their property after about four weeks on Sept. 13. When they returned, they said they were overwhelmed by the amount of work they would have to do just to sift through the ash to see if there was anything in the home that could be salvaged. Picking up the pieces As they left their burned-down property on the first day of their return, Dan said he and his wife encountered a husband-and-wife couple in a pick-up truck who stopped them to ask, Did you folks lose your house? Those people turned out to be OBrien and his wife. The OBriens arrived in Santa Cruz County on Sept. 10 to assess the area to see how Samaritan's Purse, a North Carolina-based organization run by Franklin Graham that helps victims of disasters all over the world, can help. The Kellys recalled the couple offering to send a team of volunteers to help them sift through the ash to find any valuables that survived the fire. They were just going up and down, just checking peoples houses, seeing what they can do. They gave us some information and a flyer and all that, Dan said. That was it. Just a few days later, a team of 10 or more Samaritans Purse volunteers arrived at their property. When we met them at the driveway there and they told us what they were about and what they could do for us, we were so relieved because we had just been at the site of our burned-out house and it was so overwhelming to us to have to get in there and sift through all that debris to look for anything that might have survived, Rochelle recalled. It was very difficult to even walk in the debris because it was a tangled mess of glass and nails [and screws]. When they told us what they did, we said, Thank God! We didnt think we would be able to do it ourselves. OBrien said that the team had to wait a few days for things to cool down before they could go to work. The charity had to get approval from the appropriate government agencies as well. We tied in with some other volunteer organizations working in this area and had a pastors conference and within just a few days after that, we got ourselves up and working to assist these homeowners in their time of need, he said. Samaritan's Purses efforts in Santa Cruz, which consists of three different teams of about 10 or more volunteers, are being headquartered at Felton Bible Church, just north of the town of Santa Cruz. Out-of-town volunteers who travel to Santa Cruz to help residents in need and plan to stay for three days or more are given a place to sleep at Mount Hermon, a Christian camp near Felton. OBrien said some volunteers have traveled from as far as Oklahoma and Ohio to aid those in Santa Cruz. Samaritans Purse has taken dozens of work orders in Santa Cruz County since Sept. 14. Each order is a little bit different," the retired firefighter said. "Some folks are looking for maybe a dozen items or so. Other owners just want one or two items. The timeline, we try to be very flexible to give it our best effort to try to salvage those items that are important to that homeowner. Volunteers from Samaritan's Purse wearing Tyvek suits, goggles, gloves and N-95 masks worked on the Kellys property for over two days. On the first day, Dan said, about 10 volunteers showed up. In the following two days, he said anywhere between 10 to 14 volunteers showed up to work on his home. Dan was there for most of the time that the volunteers were there. It was pretty neat because they would be sifting through and all of sudden they would find something, he explained. They didnt even want me in the rubble. They had the personal equipment on. They had everything there. They just wanted me to sit down. I brought in a pop-up tent, a table and some water to wash things off and some rags and stuff like that. As they would find it, they would bring it over to me. Jesus unscathed According to Rochelle, there wasnt much that survived the fire except for a few notable items. One thing that survived the fire was an American flag hanging from a flagpole on their side deck that was discovered by the fire department. Dan, a former scuba diving instructor-turned-business owner from Long Island, New York, said the fire department folded the flag military-style and placed it inside his damaged Mercedes-Benz convertible for him to find. Another thing that survived the fire was a porcelain figurine of Jesus Christ that Dans mother gave as a gift to Rochelle. They are sifting through an area that we had asked them to sift through. When they brought me things, they were usually in pieces, he explained. Then all of a sudden, everybody was just so excited. It was a white porcelain bust of Jesus about 6 inches tall. It survived through everything with no cracks, no dirt on it, nothing. It just survived. The figurine was originally located in an upstairs bedroom, meaning that in addition to exposure to heat and fire, it also fell from the upper floor down to the bottom. It is perfectly clean and perfectly whole, Rochelle explained. It was totally amazing, Everything else that was glass or porcelain was in bits and pieces but not Jesus. Then they found baby Jesus with Mary and one of the oxen from my moms nativity set that we put out every year. Its pretty cool. Also four of [my moms] little porcelain angels that we would set out every year next to the nativity, those came out. They need to be cleared up but four of them came out whole. The Kellys, who are active members of an Episcopalian church, said they believe God might've been trying to speak to them through the survival of the Jesus figurine. Dan said they believe it was God saying that He has different plans for us. The message was so clear, Rochelle agreed. We have the bust of Jesus, wherever we go. He is sitting right here on our nightstand in our hotel room right now. It is definitely a message of hope. 1 2 3 Next Wildfire victims find hope in Christ during record-setting 2020; millions of acres burned Dan and Rochelle Kelly thought they would only be gone from their Boulder Creek, California, home for a day when they received the reverse 911 call on Aug. 18 advising them to evacuate because of an approaching wildfire. Living in the mountain town that serves as the gateway to the Big Basin Redwoods State Park in Santa Cruz County, the Kellys have for years had an emergency evacuation plan for the summers, with bags ready to go and a list of the most important items in their home they dont want to lose if their home were to go up in flames. They grabbed family photo albums, ancestry documents, irreplaceable paintings, their dog, the tops of their wedding cakes and a gold teapot Rochelles great grandparents received for their 50th wedding anniversary. They filled up Dans truck and Rochelles car as best as they could before hitting the road to avoid getting stuck in evacuation traffic like they had heard about in other fires. My advice to people that are evacuating is when you are taking stuff, you need to imagine that your house is going to burn to the ground, Rochelle, a retired school administrator, told The Christian Post. We took things that were really important but left some things that were really special but not irreplaceable. We really thought wed be gone for a day and come back and move back in with our stuff. But what happened is the Kellys suffered a similar fate that hundreds of families across Santa Cruz County and thousands of others across the Pacific Northwest have suffered this year as a record wildfire season has seen thousands of fires engulf millions of acres across California, Oregon and Washington in recent months. Their home, as well as one of their neighbors' homes, burned to the ground with very little left to be salvaged. In California alone, over 4 million acres have burned and 8,819 structures have been destroyed during the 2020 wildfire season as of Oct. 7, according to the state's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. In Oregon, over 1 million acres have been burned by nearly 2,000 different fires, nearly double the 10-year average of 557,811 acres. In Washington, hundreds of thousands of acres burned in 2020, according to the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Tom OBrien, a retired firefighter who served 32 years in Rancho Cucamonga and who is now leading a relief effort for the evangelical humanitarian aid organization Samaritans Purse in Santa Cruz County, told CP that the CZU Lightning Complex fires in the area began on Aug. 16 when there was dry lightning that came through in the form of a large electrical storm. By the time fires in Santa Cruz County stopped burning, OBrien said that about 930 homes were destroyed along with an additional 1,000 other structures, including outbuildings, garages and sheds. Everything had been preheated, there was warm weather that preceded it. It just started igniting everything. Mountains were going up in just little spot fires, he said. What they began to call these fires as they began to merge and join together, they called them complex fires, meaning a whole series of small fires joining together to create one big fire. As fire burns going uphill, it begins to preheat as it goes. It draws in air along the sides of it so it can use that air and has plenty of fuel in the dry sticks and brush. It has plenty of heat as it goes up that hill. It continues to just feed itself on this dry tinder, grass and trees as it runs up. It creates its own wind as it draws in everything nearby and these large plumes of smoke tower up into the air. These dry leaves and embers, some very, very long distances, miles in some cases. At the time, OBrien said there were as many as 88 to 90 other wildfires ongoing caused by dry lightning across the three states. This year, it is not very good at all. It is a horrible year and we really havent even gotten the wind-driven fires yet, he said. Everybody needs to be on their knees praying to God to assist the firemen and give relief in the form of rain. Amid the tragedy and through the power of Christ, however, some have been able to find a sense of hope that had previously been lacking in their lives while others believe God sent them a sign that He has different plans for their lives. God does so many amazing things even through the devastation, Kristin Koning, a Samaritans Purse program manager overseeing efforts in Oregon, said. On any disaster, we see that. Certainly, this one is not an exception. We are seeing God open opportunities not only for people to come and accept Him for the first time but just for believers to be encouraged. Leaving their home behind Leaving their home behind, the Kellys went to stay for a week with friends in the town of Pleasanton, before going on to stay for a week at a friends beach rental home in Santa Cruz and then back up to their friends place in Pleasanton for another week. For the last four weeks, they have stayed at a hotel in Santa Cruz. The day after they left their home, the Kellys were informed by their 37-year-old son, who lived in the area but had not evacuated because his home was not in immediate danger, that their home, which was their sons childhood home, had burned down. He got on his dirtbike he knew all the mountains and trails and he came to the house as the fire was going away from the house, Rochelle said. He was riding through the fire lines and stuff. He was able to see that it had burned to the ground as well as all the outbuildings. He took pictures for us. Otherwise, like so many people, we would not have known the fate of our house for a month. That would have been just horribly anxiety-ridden. Many evacuees have been forced to wait for weeks to find out the fate of their homes because they have had to wait for authorities to tell them when it's safe to return to the area. As for the Kellys 20-acre property in Boulder Creek, different fires were coming from two directions that converged in the mountains, heading toward Boulder Creek and other small towns in the San Lorenzo Valley. The Kellys were able to return to their property after about four weeks on Sept. 13. When they returned, they said they were overwhelmed by the amount of work they would have to do just to sift through the ash to see if there was anything in the home that could be salvaged. Picking up the pieces As they left their burned-down property on the first day of their return, Dan said he and his wife encountered a husband-and-wife couple in a pick-up truck who stopped them to ask, Did you folks lose your house? Those people turned out to be OBrien and his wife. The OBriens arrived in Santa Cruz County on Sept. 10 to assess the area to see how Samaritan's Purse, a North Carolina-based organization run by Franklin Graham that helps victims of disasters all over the world, can help. The Kellys recalled the couple offering to send a team of volunteers to help them sift through the ash to find any valuables that survived the fire. They were just going up and down, just checking peoples houses, seeing what they can do. They gave us some information and a flyer and all that, Dan said. That was it. Just a few days later, a team of 10 or more Samaritans Purse volunteers arrived at their property. When we met them at the driveway there and they told us what they were about and what they could do for us, we were so relieved because we had just been at the site of our burned-out house and it was so overwhelming to us to have to get in there and sift through all that debris to look for anything that might have survived, Rochelle recalled. It was very difficult to even walk in the debris because it was a tangled mess of glass and nails [and screws]. When they told us what they did, we said, Thank God! We didnt think we would be able to do it ourselves. OBrien said that the team had to wait a few days for things to cool down before they could go to work. The charity had to get approval from the appropriate government agencies as well. We tied in with some other volunteer organizations working in this area and had a pastors conference and within just a few days after that, we got ourselves up and working to assist these homeowners in their time of need, he said. Samaritan's Purses efforts in Santa Cruz, which consists of three different teams of about 10 or more volunteers, are being headquartered at Felton Bible Church, just north of the town of Santa Cruz. Out-of-town volunteers who travel to Santa Cruz to help residents in need and plan to stay for three days or more are given a place to sleep at Mount Hermon, a Christian camp near Felton. OBrien said some volunteers have traveled from as far as Oklahoma and Ohio to aid those in Santa Cruz. Samaritans Purse has taken dozens of work orders in Santa Cruz County since Sept. 14. Each order is a little bit different," the retired firefighter said. "Some folks are looking for maybe a dozen items or so. Other owners just want one or two items. The timeline, we try to be very flexible to give it our best effort to try to salvage those items that are important to that homeowner. Volunteers from Samaritan's Purse wearing Tyvek suits, goggles, gloves and N-95 masks worked on the Kellys property for over two days. On the first day, Dan said, about 10 volunteers showed up. In the following two days, he said anywhere between 10 to 14 volunteers showed up to work on his home. Dan was there for most of the time that the volunteers were there. It was pretty neat because they would be sifting through and all of sudden they would find something, he explained. They didnt even want me in the rubble. They had the personal equipment on. They had everything there. They just wanted me to sit down. I brought in a pop-up tent, a table and some water to wash things off and some rags and stuff like that. As they would find it, they would bring it over to me. Jesus unscathed According to Rochelle, there wasnt much that survived the fire except for a few notable items. One thing that survived the fire was an American flag hanging from a flagpole on their side deck that was discovered by the fire department. Dan, a former scuba diving instructor-turned-business owner from Long Island, New York, said the fire department folded the flag military-style and placed it inside his damaged Mercedes-Benz convertible for him to find. Another thing that survived the fire was a porcelain figurine of Jesus Christ that Dans mother gave as a gift to Rochelle. They are sifting through an area that we had asked them to sift through. When they brought me things, they were usually in pieces, he explained. Then all of a sudden, everybody was just so excited. It was a white porcelain bust of Jesus about 6 inches tall. It survived through everything with no cracks, no dirt on it, nothing. It just survived. The figurine was originally located in an upstairs bedroom, meaning that in addition to exposure to heat and fire, it also fell from the upper floor down to the bottom. It is perfectly clean and perfectly whole, Rochelle explained. It was totally amazing, Everything else that was glass or porcelain was in bits and pieces but not Jesus. Then they found baby Jesus with Mary and one of the oxen from my moms nativity set that we put out every year. Its pretty cool. Also four of [my moms] little porcelain angels that we would set out every year next to the nativity, those came out. They need to be cleared up but four of them came out whole. The Kellys, who are active members of an Episcopalian church, said they believe God might've been trying to speak to them through the survival of the Jesus figurine. Dan said they believe it was God saying that He has different plans for us. The message was so clear, Rochelle agreed. We have the bust of Jesus, wherever we go. He is sitting right here on our nightstand in our hotel room right now. It is definitely a message of hope. 1 2 3 Next Alabama woman charged with murder after stray bullet kills pastors wife at Bible study Police have arrested and charged a 26-year-old Alabama woman with the murder of a pastor's wife after a stray bullet killed her as she attended a church Bible study. Police in Prichard, Mobile County, arrested the suspect, Kaillyn Christine Howard Harris, on charges of firing the shot that killed 65-year-old Grace Carter, the wife of a pastor at Sunlight Missionary Baptist Church, Fox 10 reported. Grace Carter was inside the Everlasting Life Holiness Church Tuesday night when she was shot in the chest. I just dont think that people should be shooting in places where you dont know where a stray bullet could do, the victim's husband, Cecil Carter, who's pastor-elect at a separate church, was quoted as saying. Police said they went to the church after 7 p.m. and began CPR on the victim but could not resuscitate her, WKRG reported. An investigator noticed a bullet hole in a door at the church and found she had been shot on her upper right chest. The church shooting was real gut-wrenching for us last night, Lt. Robert Martin with Prichard Police was quoted as saying. Anytime anyone is killed in our jurisdiction or any municipality, it touches the offices in a real compassionate way, and were just really fed up with it. Cecil Carter lost his wife while he was awaiting his installation as pastor at the church. She was really looking forward to it, he said about his wife of 35 years. "She was very proud" of him, he continued. But right now, the emptiness of her not being here for the installation is going to be hard for me. He added, Right now, Im getting strength from knowing that God is able, and knowing that my wife is in a better place with the Lord. And no doubt about it that she loved the Lord. So I have to be strong for her, and myself, and for my family, my children and all. This is the third homicide in the city since Christmas Eve, according to media reports. Its more of a retirement community. Ive been over here at night, no gunfire, no nothing. So its a big shock to hear, a neighbor was quoted as saying. Its sad and I hate that it happened to the church. Like I said, this is a quiet neighborhood and Ive actually met the neighbors; theyre good people, old-fashioned people. Police have said the incident doesnt appear to be an intentional shooting. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 01/01/2022 (264 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. CALGARY In the nearly two years since the COVID-19 pandemic forced workers out of Calgarys downtown towers and into home offices, the citys core has changed. Many of the changes are subtle. On 4th Ave SW, the 1980s-era Sun Life Plaza building is now The Ampersand revamped and modernized by commercial landlord Aspen Properties in an effort to attract startups and companies of the future. In the revitalized East Village area, the massive $80-million parkade opened by the city last spring is home not just to car and bike stalls, but to Platform Calgary, a non-profit organization that will offer incubation space for startups and programming for entrepreneurs. The Calgary skyline is seen on Friday, Sept. 15, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh On 1st St. SE, 79,000 square feet of space in First Tower is now occupied by localsoftware company Symend, which shot to prominence in 2020 after receiving $73-million in a funding round. But perhaps the most significant change Calgarians will notice if they return to the office in 2022 is the composition of the downtown workforce itself. For the first time in Calgarys history, a city core that was once almost solely the domain of the energy sector and the various companies that service it is home to a small but growing contingent of technology workers. According to commercial real estate firm CBRE, Calgary has seen its ranks of technology workers grow by 17.9 per cent between 2015 and 2020 an increase of 46,700 workers. Calgary also moved up six spots last year to number 28 on CBREs 2021 Scoring Tech Talent report, which ranks 50 North American markets according to their ability to attract and grow tech talent. We used to have a few tech companies, but they occupied, I would suggest, less than 250,000 square feet of the downtown core. Which is a drop in the bucket, said Greg Kwong, Calgary-based regional managing director for CBRE. Now they represent anywhere from between 5 and 8 per cent of the occupying space in the downtown core. That still pales in comparison to the oilpatch, which occupies about 80 per cent, but its not bad. Calgary has been working hard in recent years to diversify its oil-and-gas-based economy and boost its burgeoning tech sector. Its also been trying to tackle its downtown vacancy rate problem, which has served as a dramatic illustration of the citys economic fortunes in recent years. Between the end of 2014 and the first quarter of 2020 a period defined by low oil prices, corporate downsizing and economic stagnation Calgarys downtown commercial vacancy rate increased from 9.8 per cent to 26.6 per cent. That rate has since ticked higher due to the impact of COVID-19 and 2020s sharp downturn in the price of oil. (The price of crude has since recovered to seven-year highs, but energy companies remain far below their 2014 numbers in terms of employee head counts). The citys downtown commercial vacancy rate sat at an eye-popping 32.9 per cent in the third quarter of 2021, according to CBRE. That amounts to 43 million square feet of space available to rent, and is by far the highest downtown vacancy rate of any major city in the country. But as oil and gas tenants have moved out of downtown, its created opportunities for tech startups to move in. Prime commercial real estate that was once leasing for $30 per square foot is now going for closer to $10. Among major markets, Calgary is now one of the lowest cost alternatives for tech companies, Kwong said. Far lower than Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. If you compare us to Kitchener-Waterloo, which is a hotbed of tech activity, its kind of on par. Calgary-based financial technology company Neo Financial, which has swelled to 400 employees since its founding in 2019, is one of those placing its bet on a future in the downtown core. The company plans to formally announce in January that it has leased 60,000 square feet of office space (the exact location is yet to be disclosed). Neo Financial co-founder Andrew Chau (who also co-founded Winnipeg-based food delivery giant Skip the Dishes), said being downtown makes it easier for talent-hungry tech companies to attract young workers who want to live in an urban environment and have access to transit and amenities. At the same time, he said Calgarys tech sector wants to play a role in helping to bring life back to downtown and solving the citys economic challenges by creating jobs and filling vacant real estate. The more that we can get that critical mass of exciting, fast-growing startups and tech companies into downtown, the better, Chau said. Because thats how were going to sort of chip away at that 30 per cent vacancy rate. Obviously, we wont fix it overnight, but we can continue to sort of build up and gradually sort of get back to where we were before. City officials have suggested it will take decades, not years, to solve Calgarys empty office tower crisis. But Susan Thompson, insight manager for Alberta with commercial real estate firm Avison Young, said there are reasons to be optimistic not the least of which is the City of Calgarys decision last year to approve $200-million in spending on downtown improvements. Thompson also pointed out that the trophy buildings in downtown Calgary the Class AA real estate which represent a third of the total office market, have a combined average vacancy rate of 7.7 per cent, proving that high-quality space in a downtown location remains attractive. Weve seen a number of these buildings try to kind of reinvent themselves to attract a different type of tenant particularly the tech sector versus the old school oil and gas sector, Thompson said. As they (the tech sector) start to approach that critical mass, its really going to start to grow faster. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 1, 2021. Eric Adams is sworn in as the 110th mayor of the city of New York in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Arturo Holmes/Getty Images) Eric Adams Sworn in as New York City Mayor, Succeeding de Blasio Democrat Eric Adams was sworn in as New York Citys mayor early Saturday, succeeding Bill de Blasio. Adams, 61, took his oath of office in Times Square after the ball dropped, signaling the New Year had arrived. Both he and his wife wore masks despite the event being outdoors, though he removed his for a period of time. Adams did not deliver a speech or answer questions from reporters. During an appearance shortly afterward on Dick Clarks New Years Rockin Eve with Ryan Seacrest, Adams told Seacrest he had a few parties to attend but that he would be up early in the morning, working for the city of New York. About 15,000 people gathered in central Manhattan for the event, about a quarter of the usual crowd. Adams won a contested Democratic primary race for the mayors office, which de Blasio, a Democrat, had to vacate due to term limits. Adams was the president of the Brooklyn borough and once served in the New York Police Department. He campaigned on police reform, improving city schools, and getting illegal guns off city streets, describing himself as a progressive Democrat. For now, Adams is continuing many of his predecessors policies, including a raft of COVID-19 vaccine mandates. New York has one of the strictest regimes in the country, imposing mandates on children as young as 5 to go out to eat and forcing all private employers of any size to require vaccination. Courts have so far upheld the mandates. Chirlane McCray and Bill de Blasio dance onstage after the ball drop during the Times Square New Years Eve 2022 Celebration in New York City, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Arturo Holmes/Getty Images) Adams told reporters in a briefing Thursday that he has a multipronged plan to curb COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Even with the strict rules, New York has seen record-highs in case numbers and an increase in hospital admissions with COVID-19. Adams main focus is on getting people vaccinated and boosted. Adams has vowed not to shut down the city and said the Times Square event was important. Even in the midst of COVID, in the midst of everything that were going through, this is a country where hope and opportunities is always, ever present, Adams said on stage before midnight Friday. Its just great when New York shows the entire country of how we come back, he added. We showed the entire globe what were made of. Were unbelievable. This is an unbelievable city and, trust me, were ready for a major comeback because this is New York. De Blasio, meanwhile, is expected to announce soon whether he will run for governor of New York. The ex-mayor had hinted repeatedly he would but said he wouldnt reveal his plans until after he left office. The Associated Press contributed to this report. London: His service as a cinematic hero may be over, but in her annual New Years honours list, the Queen has given actor Daniel Craig the same award as James Bond. Craig, who bowed out from playing the fictional British spy after five outings following the release of No Time to Die this year, was made a Companion in The Order of St Michael and St George in recognition of his outstanding contribution to film. Bond was also a CMG, so the honour means Craig has now matched all his titles, having been made an honorary Commander in the Royal Navy in September. Daniel Craig famously filmed a James Bond skit with the Queen for the Opening Ceremony of the London Olympics. Former UK prime minister Tony Blair will be knighted and become Sir Tony. Like many of his predecessors as Britains political leader, he will be given the highest ranking honour on the books, appointed a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. Eric Adams is sworn in as the 110th mayor of the city of New York in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Arturo Holmes/Getty Images) Eric Adams Sworn in as New York City Mayor, Succeeding de Blasio Democrat Eric Adams was sworn in as New York Citys mayor early Saturday, succeeding Bill de Blasio. Adams, 61, took his oath of office in Times Square after the ball dropped, signaling the New Year had arrived. Both he and his wife wore masks despite the event being outdoors, though he removed his for a period of time. Adams did not deliver a speech or answer questions from reporters. During an appearance shortly afterward on Dick Clarks New Years Rockin Eve with Ryan Seacrest, Adams told Seacrest he had a few parties to attend but that he would be up early in the morning, working for the city of New York. About 15,000 people gathered in central Manhattan for the event, about a quarter of the usual crowd. Adams won a contested Democratic primary race for the mayors office, which de Blasio, a Democrat, had to vacate due to term limits. Adams was the president of the Brooklyn borough and once served in the New York Police Department. He campaigned on police reform, improving city schools, and getting illegal guns off city streets, describing himself as a progressive Democrat. For now, Adams is continuing many of his predecessors policies, including a raft of COVID-19 vaccine mandates. New York has one of the strictest regimes in the country, imposing mandates on children as young as 5 to go out to eat and forcing all private employers of any size to require vaccination. Courts have so far upheld the mandates. Chirlane McCray and Bill de Blasio dance onstage after the ball drop during the Times Square New Years Eve 2022 Celebration in New York City, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Arturo Holmes/Getty Images) Adams told reporters in a briefing Thursday that he has a multipronged plan to curb COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Even with the strict rules, New York has seen record-highs in case numbers and an increase in hospital admissions with COVID-19. Adams main focus is on getting people vaccinated and boosted. Adams has vowed not to shut down the city and said the Times Square event was important. Even in the midst of COVID, in the midst of everything that were going through, this is a country where hope and opportunities is always, ever present, Adams said on stage before midnight Friday. Its just great when New York shows the entire country of how we come back, he added. We showed the entire globe what were made of. Were unbelievable. This is an unbelievable city and, trust me, were ready for a major comeback because this is New York. De Blasio, meanwhile, is expected to announce soon whether he will run for governor of New York. The ex-mayor had hinted repeatedly he would but said he wouldnt reveal his plans until after he left office. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 01/01/2022 (264 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. CALGARY In the nearly two years since the COVID-19 pandemic forced workers out of Calgarys downtown towers and into home offices, the citys core has changed. Many of the changes are subtle. On 4th Ave SW, the 1980s-era Sun Life Plaza building is now The Ampersand revamped and modernized by commercial landlord Aspen Properties in an effort to attract startups and companies of the future. In the revitalized East Village area, the massive $80-million parkade opened by the city last spring is home not just to car and bike stalls, but to Platform Calgary, a non-profit organization that will offer incubation space for startups and programming for entrepreneurs. The Calgary skyline is seen on Friday, Sept. 15, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh On 1st St. SE, 79,000 square feet of space in First Tower is now occupied by localsoftware company Symend, which shot to prominence in 2020 after receiving $73-million in a funding round. But perhaps the most significant change Calgarians will notice if they return to the office in 2022 is the composition of the downtown workforce itself. For the first time in Calgarys history, a city core that was once almost solely the domain of the energy sector and the various companies that service it is home to a small but growing contingent of technology workers. According to commercial real estate firm CBRE, Calgary has seen its ranks of technology workers grow by 17.9 per cent between 2015 and 2020 an increase of 46,700 workers. Calgary also moved up six spots last year to number 28 on CBREs 2021 Scoring Tech Talent report, which ranks 50 North American markets according to their ability to attract and grow tech talent. We used to have a few tech companies, but they occupied, I would suggest, less than 250,000 square feet of the downtown core. Which is a drop in the bucket, said Greg Kwong, Calgary-based regional managing director for CBRE. Now they represent anywhere from between 5 and 8 per cent of the occupying space in the downtown core. That still pales in comparison to the oilpatch, which occupies about 80 per cent, but its not bad. Calgary has been working hard in recent years to diversify its oil-and-gas-based economy and boost its burgeoning tech sector. Its also been trying to tackle its downtown vacancy rate problem, which has served as a dramatic illustration of the citys economic fortunes in recent years. Between the end of 2014 and the first quarter of 2020 a period defined by low oil prices, corporate downsizing and economic stagnation Calgarys downtown commercial vacancy rate increased from 9.8 per cent to 26.6 per cent. That rate has since ticked higher due to the impact of COVID-19 and 2020s sharp downturn in the price of oil. (The price of crude has since recovered to seven-year highs, but energy companies remain far below their 2014 numbers in terms of employee head counts). The citys downtown commercial vacancy rate sat at an eye-popping 32.9 per cent in the third quarter of 2021, according to CBRE. That amounts to 43 million square feet of space available to rent, and is by far the highest downtown vacancy rate of any major city in the country. But as oil and gas tenants have moved out of downtown, its created opportunities for tech startups to move in. Prime commercial real estate that was once leasing for $30 per square foot is now going for closer to $10. Among major markets, Calgary is now one of the lowest cost alternatives for tech companies, Kwong said. Far lower than Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. If you compare us to Kitchener-Waterloo, which is a hotbed of tech activity, its kind of on par. Calgary-based financial technology company Neo Financial, which has swelled to 400 employees since its founding in 2019, is one of those placing its bet on a future in the downtown core. The company plans to formally announce in January that it has leased 60,000 square feet of office space (the exact location is yet to be disclosed). Neo Financial co-founder Andrew Chau (who also co-founded Winnipeg-based food delivery giant Skip the Dishes), said being downtown makes it easier for talent-hungry tech companies to attract young workers who want to live in an urban environment and have access to transit and amenities. At the same time, he said Calgarys tech sector wants to play a role in helping to bring life back to downtown and solving the citys economic challenges by creating jobs and filling vacant real estate. The more that we can get that critical mass of exciting, fast-growing startups and tech companies into downtown, the better, Chau said. Because thats how were going to sort of chip away at that 30 per cent vacancy rate. Obviously, we wont fix it overnight, but we can continue to sort of build up and gradually sort of get back to where we were before. City officials have suggested it will take decades, not years, to solve Calgarys empty office tower crisis. But Susan Thompson, insight manager for Alberta with commercial real estate firm Avison Young, said there are reasons to be optimistic not the least of which is the City of Calgarys decision last year to approve $200-million in spending on downtown improvements. Thompson also pointed out that the trophy buildings in downtown Calgary the Class AA real estate which represent a third of the total office market, have a combined average vacancy rate of 7.7 per cent, proving that high-quality space in a downtown location remains attractive. Weve seen a number of these buildings try to kind of reinvent themselves to attract a different type of tenant particularly the tech sector versus the old school oil and gas sector, Thompson said. As they (the tech sector) start to approach that critical mass, its really going to start to grow faster. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 1, 2021. Richard Denzer and his wife, Toni, attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa, Calif., on Dec. 31, 2021. (Jana Li/The Epoch Times) COSTA MESA, Calif.It was New Years Eve at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, where Shen Yun Performing Arts presented for the last time in 2021. Richard Denzer and his wife finally had their opportunity to see the worlds premier classical Chinese dance and music performance after waiting many years. The performance was wonderful and really enjoyable, said Denzer, an architect and developer. He is the founder and owner of Studio Z Development. Denzer said he was impressed by the dancers and the color. Shen Yuns mission is to restore Chinas authentic five millennia culture which was teetering on the brink of extinction under the influence of the Chinese Communist regime. A great series of stories, said Denzer, adding that the program assisted with the interpretation of the stage action. Shen Yuns stories are mini-dramas with heavenly beings or heroic figures who embody great virtues. They teach moral values which are still relevant even today. By contrast, folk dances take the audience from the heights of Tibet to the plains of Mongolia. While the dancers depict cherished stories from Chinas past there are also pieces that portray modern-day China. One of those is the persecution of the spiritual group Falun Gong by the communist regime. Falun Gong is a peaceful practice whose adherents practice truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance in order to become better people. In The Display of Great Compassion, the dancers portray the struggle between good and evil in the modern world. Despite 20 years of persecution, Falun Gong practitioners were holding strong to their faith. Id like to see more freedom happening [in China.] I hate to see whats happening, said Denzer. There was depth in the display and presentation of Shen Yun. The orchestra was wonderful and it supported the dancers, he said. Shen Yuns orchestra combines Western classical instruments with traditional Chinese instruments producing a sound that is unique in the world of music. Shen Yun Uplifts Michael and Barbara Grossman and their grandchildren were also in the audience that night. Michael is a medical doctor and his wife, Barbara, is a psychotherapist. They are both ballroom dancers and authors. Michael was very moved by Shen Yun, repeating often how uplifted he felt. I had some very beautiful moments and points. Some of it was spiritualvery inspiring, he said. Shen Yun Performing Arts International Companys curtain call at Mesas Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Orange County, Calif., on Dec. 31, 2021. (Ji Yuan/The Epoch Times) Michael admired the way Shen Yun created a very clear distinction between the male and female dancers, each with distinct roles and costumes. So, its very traditionalI like that. And they mix the traditional and the modern very nicely, both in the music and in the dance, he said. He was also mesmerized by Shen Yuns technological innovation which creates a seamless interaction between projection and the players on the stage. Ive never seen that. That movement, from being on the stage live and you jump into the movie and then you come back from the movie onto the stagethat was just absolutely breathtaking, Michael said. The most moving part was the music. Beautiful Music Michael was particularly impressed by the erhu, a traditional Chinese violin that he had never seen before. Ive never realized that a two-string instrument could make that much beautiful music and [it] touched my heart. It was very, very lovely, inspiring, and very, very spiritually uplifting, he said. [Shen Yun] was spiritual in a variety of waysit had all kinds of layers of spirituality, and personal and [whats going on on] earth itself now. So, it was both things together. I was very uplifted by it. Michael said that he would tell his friends and family that Shen Yun expands your vision of what life can be [on] many different levels. And its just very uplifting to see modern dance, modern music, and the very classical ancient music come together. Barbara Grossman, a psychotherapist and author, had waited a long time to see Shen Yun and she was not disappointed. And I am moved inspired by the courage of these dancers. Very, very beautiful. She agreed that humanity was oppressed by atheism and evolution. Even our culture is being infused by those values and corrupted by those values. And I reach out to my brothers and sisters in China with compassion and support, she said. Reporting by Jana Li and Diane Cordemans. The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe A man walks through a deserted Place Royale in Quebec City on the evening of Dec. 31, 2021, shortly before the provincial governments nightly curfew came into effect. (The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissinot) An Attitude of Change Is Whats Needed as We Enter 2022 Commentary The common salutation at the turn of the year is to wish somebody a happy New Year. It will be hard to find happiness if 2022 doesnt actually provide us with something new, however. The most striking thing that can be said about 2021 is how little different it was from 2020. The year 2020 was miserable for most of the world. The COVID-19 pandemic began spreading at the beginning of the year, causing fear, instability, and economic damage around the planet. Panicked governments imposed restrictions on work, travel, and social gatherings in hopes of controlling the spread of the disease. While we were all apprehensive, many of us took comfort in knowing that the lockdowns should be little more than two weeks to flatten the curve as our local governments told us. The two weeks turned into months that can now be measured in years. Businesses opened and closed as pandemic waves came and went. People stayed home on the Easter of 2020 under the assurances that they would be able to visit family in the summer. Summer vacations were deferred and people remained home while the state told them they would be able to reunite in gatherings at Christmas. Infections surged at Christmas and we were locked down again. It will be better in the new year! we were assured. Well, 2021 came and went and it was nearly identical to 2020. Not only did nothing change, but most Canadians didnt seek or demand any changes. Sure, we saw protests against government restrictions popping up across the country in major cities at times. Those protests never evolved into actions large enough to catch the attention of Canadas decision-makers, much less change the course of their decisions. The demonstrations were often dominated by people with some questionable views to say the least, and never brought out average Canadians in noteworthy numbers. Canadians claimed to be upset with the pandemic restrictions, but not upset enough to go out and protest against them. Canadians had the ultimate opportunity to pursue real change in the fall of 2021. We had a general election. We saw the election coming for months. The fall campaign was dominated by discussion on the pandemic as was to be expected. Many questions were asked regarding the degree of the governments pandemic response and the amount of money being borrowed in order to continue with that response. When given the opportunity to express a desire for change in a way as simple, safe, and potentially effective as casting a ballot in an election, Canadians resoundingly selected the status quo. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was returned to office with almost the exact same support numbers as he had when he dissolved the Parliament and called an election. Canadians may fear the pandemic and are concerned about the federal governments response to it, but not so much that they could overcome their fear of change. People look to the New Year as a time to embrace rejuvenation and fresh beginnings. It is a time to shed bad habits and embrace new ones. We should be looking back on the last two years and asking ourselves what we can do to make the coming one better. I think most people agree that the last two years have been terrible, but are most people ready to take a leap and embrace changes? We appear to be no closer to the end of the COVID-19 pandemic today than we were in February of 2020. While most of the population has been vaccinated, we are now seeing a massive rise in cases due to the new Omicron variant leading to lockdowns, stress, and restrictions yet again. We are always told that we must make sacrifices now so that we may all benefit later. It has been two years now; when are the benefits coming? I dont know what the most direct path out of the pandemic is, but with two years of pandemic experience under our belts, we can sure list a lot of things that dont work. Why do we keep trying them? As we enter what will be our third year of living in the COVID-19 age, are we ready to try something different yet? I do want to look forward to 2022 with optimism. I want it to be a year where we move beyond the pandemic and begin to enjoy prosperous lives again with free movement and no social restrictions. I do think we can get there. First, though, we have to embrace an attitude of change. This year, dont make the same old tired resolutions to quit smoking or lose weight. Make a resolution to stand up for yourself and tell your political leaders that its time to do things differently. If we dont do that, 2023 will be indistinguishable from the two years preceding it. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. A man walks through a deserted Place Royale in Quebec City on the evening of Dec. 31, 2021, shortly before the provincial governments nightly curfew came into effect. (The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissinot) An Attitude of Change Is Whats Needed as We Enter 2022 Commentary The common salutation at the turn of the year is to wish somebody a happy New Year. It will be hard to find happiness if 2022 doesnt actually provide us with something new, however. The most striking thing that can be said about 2021 is how little different it was from 2020. The year 2020 was miserable for most of the world. The COVID-19 pandemic began spreading at the beginning of the year, causing fear, instability, and economic damage around the planet. Panicked governments imposed restrictions on work, travel, and social gatherings in hopes of controlling the spread of the disease. While we were all apprehensive, many of us took comfort in knowing that the lockdowns should be little more than two weeks to flatten the curve as our local governments told us. The two weeks turned into months that can now be measured in years. Businesses opened and closed as pandemic waves came and went. People stayed home on the Easter of 2020 under the assurances that they would be able to visit family in the summer. Summer vacations were deferred and people remained home while the state told them they would be able to reunite in gatherings at Christmas. Infections surged at Christmas and we were locked down again. It will be better in the new year! we were assured. Well, 2021 came and went and it was nearly identical to 2020. Not only did nothing change, but most Canadians didnt seek or demand any changes. Sure, we saw protests against government restrictions popping up across the country in major cities at times. Those protests never evolved into actions large enough to catch the attention of Canadas decision-makers, much less change the course of their decisions. The demonstrations were often dominated by people with some questionable views to say the least, and never brought out average Canadians in noteworthy numbers. Canadians claimed to be upset with the pandemic restrictions, but not upset enough to go out and protest against them. Canadians had the ultimate opportunity to pursue real change in the fall of 2021. We had a general election. We saw the election coming for months. The fall campaign was dominated by discussion on the pandemic as was to be expected. Many questions were asked regarding the degree of the governments pandemic response and the amount of money being borrowed in order to continue with that response. When given the opportunity to express a desire for change in a way as simple, safe, and potentially effective as casting a ballot in an election, Canadians resoundingly selected the status quo. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was returned to office with almost the exact same support numbers as he had when he dissolved the Parliament and called an election. Canadians may fear the pandemic and are concerned about the federal governments response to it, but not so much that they could overcome their fear of change. People look to the New Year as a time to embrace rejuvenation and fresh beginnings. It is a time to shed bad habits and embrace new ones. We should be looking back on the last two years and asking ourselves what we can do to make the coming one better. I think most people agree that the last two years have been terrible, but are most people ready to take a leap and embrace changes? We appear to be no closer to the end of the COVID-19 pandemic today than we were in February of 2020. While most of the population has been vaccinated, we are now seeing a massive rise in cases due to the new Omicron variant leading to lockdowns, stress, and restrictions yet again. We are always told that we must make sacrifices now so that we may all benefit later. It has been two years now; when are the benefits coming? I dont know what the most direct path out of the pandemic is, but with two years of pandemic experience under our belts, we can sure list a lot of things that dont work. Why do we keep trying them? As we enter what will be our third year of living in the COVID-19 age, are we ready to try something different yet? I do want to look forward to 2022 with optimism. I want it to be a year where we move beyond the pandemic and begin to enjoy prosperous lives again with free movement and no social restrictions. I do think we can get there. First, though, we have to embrace an attitude of change. This year, dont make the same old tired resolutions to quit smoking or lose weight. Make a resolution to stand up for yourself and tell your political leaders that its time to do things differently. If we dont do that, 2023 will be indistinguishable from the two years preceding it. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. A man walks through a deserted Place Royale in Quebec City on the evening of Dec. 31, 2021, shortly before the provincial governments nightly curfew came into effect. (The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissinot) An Attitude of Change Is Whats Needed as We Enter 2022 Commentary The common salutation at the turn of the year is to wish somebody a happy New Year. It will be hard to find happiness if 2022 doesnt actually provide us with something new, however. The most striking thing that can be said about 2021 is how little different it was from 2020. The year 2020 was miserable for most of the world. The COVID-19 pandemic began spreading at the beginning of the year, causing fear, instability, and economic damage around the planet. Panicked governments imposed restrictions on work, travel, and social gatherings in hopes of controlling the spread of the disease. While we were all apprehensive, many of us took comfort in knowing that the lockdowns should be little more than two weeks to flatten the curve as our local governments told us. The two weeks turned into months that can now be measured in years. Businesses opened and closed as pandemic waves came and went. People stayed home on the Easter of 2020 under the assurances that they would be able to visit family in the summer. Summer vacations were deferred and people remained home while the state told them they would be able to reunite in gatherings at Christmas. Infections surged at Christmas and we were locked down again. It will be better in the new year! we were assured. Well, 2021 came and went and it was nearly identical to 2020. Not only did nothing change, but most Canadians didnt seek or demand any changes. Sure, we saw protests against government restrictions popping up across the country in major cities at times. Those protests never evolved into actions large enough to catch the attention of Canadas decision-makers, much less change the course of their decisions. The demonstrations were often dominated by people with some questionable views to say the least, and never brought out average Canadians in noteworthy numbers. Canadians claimed to be upset with the pandemic restrictions, but not upset enough to go out and protest against them. Canadians had the ultimate opportunity to pursue real change in the fall of 2021. We had a general election. We saw the election coming for months. The fall campaign was dominated by discussion on the pandemic as was to be expected. Many questions were asked regarding the degree of the governments pandemic response and the amount of money being borrowed in order to continue with that response. When given the opportunity to express a desire for change in a way as simple, safe, and potentially effective as casting a ballot in an election, Canadians resoundingly selected the status quo. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was returned to office with almost the exact same support numbers as he had when he dissolved the Parliament and called an election. Canadians may fear the pandemic and are concerned about the federal governments response to it, but not so much that they could overcome their fear of change. People look to the New Year as a time to embrace rejuvenation and fresh beginnings. It is a time to shed bad habits and embrace new ones. We should be looking back on the last two years and asking ourselves what we can do to make the coming one better. I think most people agree that the last two years have been terrible, but are most people ready to take a leap and embrace changes? We appear to be no closer to the end of the COVID-19 pandemic today than we were in February of 2020. While most of the population has been vaccinated, we are now seeing a massive rise in cases due to the new Omicron variant leading to lockdowns, stress, and restrictions yet again. We are always told that we must make sacrifices now so that we may all benefit later. It has been two years now; when are the benefits coming? I dont know what the most direct path out of the pandemic is, but with two years of pandemic experience under our belts, we can sure list a lot of things that dont work. Why do we keep trying them? As we enter what will be our third year of living in the COVID-19 age, are we ready to try something different yet? I do want to look forward to 2022 with optimism. I want it to be a year where we move beyond the pandemic and begin to enjoy prosperous lives again with free movement and no social restrictions. I do think we can get there. First, though, we have to embrace an attitude of change. This year, dont make the same old tired resolutions to quit smoking or lose weight. Make a resolution to stand up for yourself and tell your political leaders that its time to do things differently. If we dont do that, 2023 will be indistinguishable from the two years preceding it. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Bradey Police Lt. Philip Trudeau (L) comforts Bourbonnais Police officer Andy Cox following a ceremonial procession for fallen Bradley Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, in Bourbonnais, Ill., on Dec. 30, 2021. (Tiffany Blanchette/The Daily Journal via AP) Suspect in Shooting of Illinois Officers Arrested in Indiana CHICAGOA man suspected in the shooting of one police officer and wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel has been taken into custody, authorities said Friday. Darius Sullivan, one of two people suspected in the shooting of the two Bradley police officers, was arrested Friday morning at a home in North Manchester, Indiana, Sgt. Glen Fifield of the Indiana State Police said at a news conference. Sullivan, 25, surrendered to a SWAT team that was assisting the U.S. Marshals with a search warrant for the property about 110 miles east of Bradley. Sullivans arrest came a day after Illinois authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The Illinois State Police did not release any updates on the investigation Friday other than a written statement confirming that Sullivan had been arrested and would be taken back to Kankakee County, where the shooting occurred late Wednesday. Fifield said he didnt have any details on the investigation into the shooting. He did name three other men but wouldnt discuss whether their arrests were connected to the officers shootings. Two of the men were arrested after police said they ran from their car during a traffic stop in Fulton County, Indiana. The third was arrested at the home where Sullivan was taken into custody. Fifield said police found weapons and drugs in the car that the two men fled from and at the North Manchester home. Authorities are still searching for 26-year-old Xandria A. Harris, of Bradley, who investigators believe was at the hotel when the shootings happened, the Illinois State Police said. The two officers were speaking to people in a room at a Comfort Inn along a highway in Kankakee County when they were shot, according to the county sheriffs office. They were taken to nearby hospitals, where 49-year-old Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic died. The other officeridentified by the Illinois State Police as 27-year-old Tyler J. Baileyunderwent surgery and was listed in critical condition on Thursday, according to the Bradley Police Department. Messages left with the department and Illinois State Police on Friday to update Baileys condition were not immediately returned. The officers were at the hotel to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, the sheriffs office said. They found the room where the vehicles possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, it said. Authorities arrested two other people Thursday on charges alleging they impeded the search for Sullivan and a woman also suspected in the shootings. Nichele Newton-Carroll, 42, and Jelman Sullivan, 21, face charges of obstructing justice/leaving the state, the (Kankakee) Daily Journal reported. Neither had an attorney listed Friday in court or jail records. Kankakee County States Attorney Jim Rowe identified Newton-Carroll as Sullivans mother. Rowe said he is not sure of the connection between Jelman Sullivan and Darius Sullivan. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriffs deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriffs Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputys squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. Many of us will be overindulging on alcohol to ring in 2022, but a new study warns that many popular bedside hangover cures won't be of much use on January 1. In a review of previous research papers, London academics have found 'no convincing scientific evidence' that hangover 'cures' are effective at all. These purported 'cures' include clove extract, red ginseng, Korean pear juice, Tolfenamic acid and extract from Hovenia dulcis, a Japanese tree species. The researchers say there's 'only very low quality evidence' that there's any effective 'pharmacologically active intervention for treatment or prevention of an alcohol-induced hangover'. They claim that the best method of preventing hangover symptoms is to completely avoid alcohol or drink in moderation. They also warn against potentially harmful 'hair of the dog' methods in other words, drinking alcoholic substances such as whisky the following morning. A new review has found only very low-quality evidence that substances claiming to treat or prevent alcohol-induced hangovers actually work. Pictured is essential oil from the extraction of clove seeds Korean pear juice has long been used as a hangover cure in Korea and China. However, there's no convincing scientific evidence that it and other hangover cures work, the new study says The study was led by a team of researchers from Kings College London and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. They warn that hangovers not only cause physical and mental discomfort, but can affect professional performance if we're working the following day. 'Hangover symptoms can cause significant distress and affect people's employment and academic performance,' said study author Dr Emmert Roberts at Kings College London. 'Given the continuing speculation in the media as to which hangover remedies work or not, the question around the effectiveness of substances that claim to treat or prevent a hangover appears to be one with considerable public interest. INEFFECTIVE HANGOVER 'CURES' - - Clovinol (extract of clove buds) - Red Ginseng - Curcumin - Duolac ProAP4 (probiotics) - L-cysteine - N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC) - Rapid Recovery (L-cysteine, thiamine, pyridoxine and ascorbic acid) - Loxoprofen (loxoprofen sodium) - SJP-001 (naproxen and fexofenadine) - Phyllpro (Phyllanthus amarus) - Hovenia dulcis Thunb. fruit extract (HDE) - Polysaccharide rich extract of Acanthopanax (PEA) - Korean Pear Juice - L-ornithine - Prickly Pear - Artichoke extract - 'Morning-Fit' (dried yeast, thiamine nitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, and riboflavin) - Propranolol - Tolfenamic acid - Chlormethiazole - Pyritinol Advertisement 'Our study has found that evidence on these hangover remedies is of very low quality and there is a need to provide more rigorous assessment. 'For now, the surest way of preventing hangover symptoms is to abstain from alcohol or drink in moderation.' Numerous remedies claim to be effective against hangover symptoms; however, up-to-date scientific examination of the literature is lacking. The new study, published in the early hours of New Year's Day in the scientific journal Addiction, assessed 21 placebo-controlled randomised trials of clove extract, red ginseng, Korean pear juice and other hangover cures. Closeup of red ginsengs. This is a plant that grows in Korea, China, and Siberia - but researchers say it doesn't effectively treat hangovers Although some studies showed statistically significant improvements in hangover symptoms, all evidence was of very low quality usually because of methodological limitations or imprecise measurements. In addition, no two studies reported on the same hangover remedy and no results had been independently replicated. When studies are replicated with the same or similar results, it gives greater validity to the findings. Three quarters of all included studies (16 out of 21, or 76 per cent) reported data on sample sizes of fewer than 30 participants. Dubiously, evidence for clove extract as a hangover cure was based on data from only 16 participants. Of the ultimate 386 analysed participants, only 149 (38.6 per cent) were female and eight included trials (38 per cent) were conducted exclusively with male participants. The new analysis has been published a minute into the new year, when revellers will be overindulging on alcohol to ring in 2022 (stock image) Differences in the effects of alcohol on men and women are well-documented for example, if a woman and a man drink the same amount, the womans blood alcohol level will almost always be higher than the mans. In terms of the methods, there were considerable differences in the type of alcohol given to participants and whether it was given alongside food, which likely influenced findings. According to the researchers, future studies should be more rigorous in their methods, for example by using validated scales to assess hangover symptoms. There is also a need to improve the participation of women in hangover research, they say. Overall, the researchers call for 'more rigorous scientific exploration' of the effectiveness of hangover remedies to convey to the public. If this is achieved, it could change alcohol consumption habits, which would go on to benefit public health. A man walks through a deserted Place Royale in Quebec City on the evening of Dec. 31, 2021, shortly before the provincial governments nightly curfew came into effect. (The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissinot) An Attitude of Change Is Whats Needed as We Enter 2022 Commentary The common salutation at the turn of the year is to wish somebody a happy New Year. It will be hard to find happiness if 2022 doesnt actually provide us with something new, however. The most striking thing that can be said about 2021 is how little different it was from 2020. The year 2020 was miserable for most of the world. The COVID-19 pandemic began spreading at the beginning of the year, causing fear, instability, and economic damage around the planet. Panicked governments imposed restrictions on work, travel, and social gatherings in hopes of controlling the spread of the disease. While we were all apprehensive, many of us took comfort in knowing that the lockdowns should be little more than two weeks to flatten the curve as our local governments told us. The two weeks turned into months that can now be measured in years. Businesses opened and closed as pandemic waves came and went. People stayed home on the Easter of 2020 under the assurances that they would be able to visit family in the summer. Summer vacations were deferred and people remained home while the state told them they would be able to reunite in gatherings at Christmas. Infections surged at Christmas and we were locked down again. It will be better in the new year! we were assured. Well, 2021 came and went and it was nearly identical to 2020. Not only did nothing change, but most Canadians didnt seek or demand any changes. Sure, we saw protests against government restrictions popping up across the country in major cities at times. Those protests never evolved into actions large enough to catch the attention of Canadas decision-makers, much less change the course of their decisions. The demonstrations were often dominated by people with some questionable views to say the least, and never brought out average Canadians in noteworthy numbers. Canadians claimed to be upset with the pandemic restrictions, but not upset enough to go out and protest against them. Canadians had the ultimate opportunity to pursue real change in the fall of 2021. We had a general election. We saw the election coming for months. The fall campaign was dominated by discussion on the pandemic as was to be expected. Many questions were asked regarding the degree of the governments pandemic response and the amount of money being borrowed in order to continue with that response. When given the opportunity to express a desire for change in a way as simple, safe, and potentially effective as casting a ballot in an election, Canadians resoundingly selected the status quo. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was returned to office with almost the exact same support numbers as he had when he dissolved the Parliament and called an election. Canadians may fear the pandemic and are concerned about the federal governments response to it, but not so much that they could overcome their fear of change. People look to the New Year as a time to embrace rejuvenation and fresh beginnings. It is a time to shed bad habits and embrace new ones. We should be looking back on the last two years and asking ourselves what we can do to make the coming one better. I think most people agree that the last two years have been terrible, but are most people ready to take a leap and embrace changes? We appear to be no closer to the end of the COVID-19 pandemic today than we were in February of 2020. While most of the population has been vaccinated, we are now seeing a massive rise in cases due to the new Omicron variant leading to lockdowns, stress, and restrictions yet again. We are always told that we must make sacrifices now so that we may all benefit later. It has been two years now; when are the benefits coming? I dont know what the most direct path out of the pandemic is, but with two years of pandemic experience under our belts, we can sure list a lot of things that dont work. Why do we keep trying them? As we enter what will be our third year of living in the COVID-19 age, are we ready to try something different yet? I do want to look forward to 2022 with optimism. I want it to be a year where we move beyond the pandemic and begin to enjoy prosperous lives again with free movement and no social restrictions. I do think we can get there. First, though, we have to embrace an attitude of change. This year, dont make the same old tired resolutions to quit smoking or lose weight. Make a resolution to stand up for yourself and tell your political leaders that its time to do things differently. If we dont do that, 2023 will be indistinguishable from the two years preceding it. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Richard Denzer and his wife, Toni, attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa, Calif., on Dec. 31, 2021. (Jana Li/The Epoch Times) COSTA MESA, Calif.It was New Years Eve at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, where Shen Yun Performing Arts presented for the last time in 2021. Richard Denzer and his wife finally had their opportunity to see the worlds premier classical Chinese dance and music performance after waiting many years. The performance was wonderful and really enjoyable, said Denzer, an architect and developer. He is the founder and owner of Studio Z Development. Denzer said he was impressed by the dancers and the color. Shen Yuns mission is to restore Chinas authentic five millennia culture which was teetering on the brink of extinction under the influence of the Chinese Communist regime. A great series of stories, said Denzer, adding that the program assisted with the interpretation of the stage action. Shen Yuns stories are mini-dramas with heavenly beings or heroic figures who embody great virtues. They teach moral values which are still relevant even today. By contrast, folk dances take the audience from the heights of Tibet to the plains of Mongolia. While the dancers depict cherished stories from Chinas past there are also pieces that portray modern-day China. One of those is the persecution of the spiritual group Falun Gong by the communist regime. Falun Gong is a peaceful practice whose adherents practice truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance in order to become better people. In The Display of Great Compassion, the dancers portray the struggle between good and evil in the modern world. Despite 20 years of persecution, Falun Gong practitioners were holding strong to their faith. Id like to see more freedom happening [in China.] I hate to see whats happening, said Denzer. There was depth in the display and presentation of Shen Yun. The orchestra was wonderful and it supported the dancers, he said. Shen Yuns orchestra combines Western classical instruments with traditional Chinese instruments producing a sound that is unique in the world of music. Shen Yun Uplifts Michael and Barbara Grossman and their grandchildren were also in the audience that night. Michael is a medical doctor and his wife, Barbara, is a psychotherapist. They are both ballroom dancers and authors. Michael was very moved by Shen Yun, repeating often how uplifted he felt. I had some very beautiful moments and points. Some of it was spiritualvery inspiring, he said. Shen Yun Performing Arts International Companys curtain call at Mesas Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Orange County, Calif., on Dec. 31, 2021. (Ji Yuan/The Epoch Times) Michael admired the way Shen Yun created a very clear distinction between the male and female dancers, each with distinct roles and costumes. So, its very traditionalI like that. And they mix the traditional and the modern very nicely, both in the music and in the dance, he said. He was also mesmerized by Shen Yuns technological innovation which creates a seamless interaction between projection and the players on the stage. Ive never seen that. That movement, from being on the stage live and you jump into the movie and then you come back from the movie onto the stagethat was just absolutely breathtaking, Michael said. The most moving part was the music. Beautiful Music Michael was particularly impressed by the erhu, a traditional Chinese violin that he had never seen before. Ive never realized that a two-string instrument could make that much beautiful music and [it] touched my heart. It was very, very lovely, inspiring, and very, very spiritually uplifting, he said. [Shen Yun] was spiritual in a variety of waysit had all kinds of layers of spirituality, and personal and [whats going on on] earth itself now. So, it was both things together. I was very uplifted by it. Michael said that he would tell his friends and family that Shen Yun expands your vision of what life can be [on] many different levels. And its just very uplifting to see modern dance, modern music, and the very classical ancient music come together. Barbara Grossman, a psychotherapist and author, had waited a long time to see Shen Yun and she was not disappointed. And I am moved inspired by the courage of these dancers. Very, very beautiful. She agreed that humanity was oppressed by atheism and evolution. Even our culture is being infused by those values and corrupted by those values. And I reach out to my brothers and sisters in China with compassion and support, she said. Reporting by Jana Li and Diane Cordemans. The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006. Richard Denzer and his wife, Toni, attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa, Calif., on Dec. 31, 2021. (Jana Li/The Epoch Times) COSTA MESA, Calif.It was New Years Eve at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, where Shen Yun Performing Arts presented for the last time in 2021. Richard Denzer and his wife finally had their opportunity to see the worlds premier classical Chinese dance and music performance after waiting many years. The performance was wonderful and really enjoyable, said Denzer, an architect and developer. He is the founder and owner of Studio Z Development. Denzer said he was impressed by the dancers and the color. Shen Yuns mission is to restore Chinas authentic five millennia culture which was teetering on the brink of extinction under the influence of the Chinese Communist regime. A great series of stories, said Denzer, adding that the program assisted with the interpretation of the stage action. Shen Yuns stories are mini-dramas with heavenly beings or heroic figures who embody great virtues. They teach moral values which are still relevant even today. By contrast, folk dances take the audience from the heights of Tibet to the plains of Mongolia. While the dancers depict cherished stories from Chinas past there are also pieces that portray modern-day China. One of those is the persecution of the spiritual group Falun Gong by the communist regime. Falun Gong is a peaceful practice whose adherents practice truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance in order to become better people. In The Display of Great Compassion, the dancers portray the struggle between good and evil in the modern world. Despite 20 years of persecution, Falun Gong practitioners were holding strong to their faith. Id like to see more freedom happening [in China.] I hate to see whats happening, said Denzer. There was depth in the display and presentation of Shen Yun. The orchestra was wonderful and it supported the dancers, he said. Shen Yuns orchestra combines Western classical instruments with traditional Chinese instruments producing a sound that is unique in the world of music. Shen Yun Uplifts Michael and Barbara Grossman and their grandchildren were also in the audience that night. Michael is a medical doctor and his wife, Barbara, is a psychotherapist. They are both ballroom dancers and authors. Michael was very moved by Shen Yun, repeating often how uplifted he felt. I had some very beautiful moments and points. Some of it was spiritualvery inspiring, he said. Shen Yun Performing Arts International Companys curtain call at Mesas Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Orange County, Calif., on Dec. 31, 2021. (Ji Yuan/The Epoch Times) Michael admired the way Shen Yun created a very clear distinction between the male and female dancers, each with distinct roles and costumes. So, its very traditionalI like that. And they mix the traditional and the modern very nicely, both in the music and in the dance, he said. He was also mesmerized by Shen Yuns technological innovation which creates a seamless interaction between projection and the players on the stage. Ive never seen that. That movement, from being on the stage live and you jump into the movie and then you come back from the movie onto the stagethat was just absolutely breathtaking, Michael said. The most moving part was the music. Beautiful Music Michael was particularly impressed by the erhu, a traditional Chinese violin that he had never seen before. Ive never realized that a two-string instrument could make that much beautiful music and [it] touched my heart. It was very, very lovely, inspiring, and very, very spiritually uplifting, he said. [Shen Yun] was spiritual in a variety of waysit had all kinds of layers of spirituality, and personal and [whats going on on] earth itself now. So, it was both things together. I was very uplifted by it. Michael said that he would tell his friends and family that Shen Yun expands your vision of what life can be [on] many different levels. And its just very uplifting to see modern dance, modern music, and the very classical ancient music come together. Barbara Grossman, a psychotherapist and author, had waited a long time to see Shen Yun and she was not disappointed. And I am moved inspired by the courage of these dancers. Very, very beautiful. She agreed that humanity was oppressed by atheism and evolution. Even our culture is being infused by those values and corrupted by those values. And I reach out to my brothers and sisters in China with compassion and support, she said. Reporting by Jana Li and Diane Cordemans. The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006. Richard Denzer and his wife, Toni, attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa, Calif., on Dec. 31, 2021. (Jana Li/The Epoch Times) COSTA MESA, Calif.It was New Years Eve at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, where Shen Yun Performing Arts presented for the last time in 2021. Richard Denzer and his wife finally had their opportunity to see the worlds premier classical Chinese dance and music performance after waiting many years. The performance was wonderful and really enjoyable, said Denzer, an architect and developer. He is the founder and owner of Studio Z Development. Denzer said he was impressed by the dancers and the color. Shen Yuns mission is to restore Chinas authentic five millennia culture which was teetering on the brink of extinction under the influence of the Chinese Communist regime. A great series of stories, said Denzer, adding that the program assisted with the interpretation of the stage action. Shen Yuns stories are mini-dramas with heavenly beings or heroic figures who embody great virtues. They teach moral values which are still relevant even today. By contrast, folk dances take the audience from the heights of Tibet to the plains of Mongolia. While the dancers depict cherished stories from Chinas past there are also pieces that portray modern-day China. One of those is the persecution of the spiritual group Falun Gong by the communist regime. Falun Gong is a peaceful practice whose adherents practice truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance in order to become better people. In The Display of Great Compassion, the dancers portray the struggle between good and evil in the modern world. Despite 20 years of persecution, Falun Gong practitioners were holding strong to their faith. Id like to see more freedom happening [in China.] I hate to see whats happening, said Denzer. There was depth in the display and presentation of Shen Yun. The orchestra was wonderful and it supported the dancers, he said. Shen Yuns orchestra combines Western classical instruments with traditional Chinese instruments producing a sound that is unique in the world of music. Shen Yun Uplifts Michael and Barbara Grossman and their grandchildren were also in the audience that night. Michael is a medical doctor and his wife, Barbara, is a psychotherapist. They are both ballroom dancers and authors. Michael was very moved by Shen Yun, repeating often how uplifted he felt. I had some very beautiful moments and points. Some of it was spiritualvery inspiring, he said. Shen Yun Performing Arts International Companys curtain call at Mesas Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Orange County, Calif., on Dec. 31, 2021. (Ji Yuan/The Epoch Times) Michael admired the way Shen Yun created a very clear distinction between the male and female dancers, each with distinct roles and costumes. So, its very traditionalI like that. And they mix the traditional and the modern very nicely, both in the music and in the dance, he said. He was also mesmerized by Shen Yuns technological innovation which creates a seamless interaction between projection and the players on the stage. Ive never seen that. That movement, from being on the stage live and you jump into the movie and then you come back from the movie onto the stagethat was just absolutely breathtaking, Michael said. The most moving part was the music. Beautiful Music Michael was particularly impressed by the erhu, a traditional Chinese violin that he had never seen before. Ive never realized that a two-string instrument could make that much beautiful music and [it] touched my heart. It was very, very lovely, inspiring, and very, very spiritually uplifting, he said. [Shen Yun] was spiritual in a variety of waysit had all kinds of layers of spirituality, and personal and [whats going on on] earth itself now. So, it was both things together. I was very uplifted by it. Michael said that he would tell his friends and family that Shen Yun expands your vision of what life can be [on] many different levels. And its just very uplifting to see modern dance, modern music, and the very classical ancient music come together. Barbara Grossman, a psychotherapist and author, had waited a long time to see Shen Yun and she was not disappointed. And I am moved inspired by the courage of these dancers. Very, very beautiful. She agreed that humanity was oppressed by atheism and evolution. Even our culture is being infused by those values and corrupted by those values. And I reach out to my brothers and sisters in China with compassion and support, she said. Reporting by Jana Li and Diane Cordemans. The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006. A Canton police officer shot and killed a man near this area in the 2300 block of 10th Street SW in the first few minutes of the new year. CANTON The investigation continues into the circumstances surrounding a city police officer's fatal shooting of a 46-year-old man on 10th Street SW shortly after the new year began. The man shot was armed when the shooting occurred, according to the Canton Police Department. He was later identified as James Williams. Police said they went to the 2300 block of 10th Street SW just after midnight Saturday in response to a report of gunfire. More: Man killed on 17th Street NW in Canton According to a statement from the Canton Police Chief Jack Angelo: ".... the officer, who was outside of his vehicle, confronted a subject that began shooting a firearm. The officer, in fear for his safety, fired his duty weapon at the subject and struck him." He wrote that the person who was shot got first aid before Canton fire paramedics rushed him in an ambulance to a hospital. The officer involved in the shooting was not named in the Police Department press statement. Harry Campbell, chief investigator of the Stark County Coroner's Office, said the shot person got to Aultman Hospital at 12:25 a.m. Aultman is about a half mile from where the police shooting occurred. A hospital doctor pronounced him dead at 12:27 a.m. Because it's an officer-involved shooting, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is overseeing the investigation, Angelo's statement said. He wrote that Canton Police have turned over all evidence in the case, including body camera footage and guns linked to the incident over to BCI investigators. Angelo referred questions to BCI and has not responded to additional inquiries about the fatal confrontation. A spokesman for the BCI declined to comment on specifics of the case Sunday,. Angelo wrote that the police officer has been placed on administrative leave, a standard move after an officer-involved shooting. Neighbors' accounts "That is a sad thing," said a neighbor, Douglas Smith of the 900 block of Smith Avenue SW. "I will never get over what happened. What they (police) did was very disrespectful. Their training, whatever they got going on. They don't protect us." Story continues Over a Christmas wreath on the door where the victim lived was a sign or sticker that said, "We the People are Pissed." When a reporter knocked on the door Saturday, a man could be heard inside saying he didn't want to talk. Stark County Auditor's records indicate the 103-year-old, three-bedroom home is an asset of a self-directed individual retirement account that's based at a North Canton residential address. It's not clear if the owner of the 10th Street SW home or a custodian for the owner lives at that home in North Canton. Tanika Blasingame, who lives next to the residence, said she got home sometime after midnight celebrating New Year's with a friend to find much of the block cordoned off by police tape. "I didn't know what was going on," she said. "I don't know what happened." She said a couple with several children none older than 15, had rented the home for at least two years. 'A sweetheart' Across the street, Nikki Neal, 19, said she arrived home around 12:30 a.m. to find police cars and crime scene tape preventing her from parking in front of her house. She had to get into her home through the back. She estimated that at least 10 police squad cars were parked on the narrow 10th Street NW. Police didn't leave the scene until about 7 a.m. Neighbor Nikki Neal talks about the family who lives in the 10th Street SW home where a Canton police officer killed a male in first few minutes of the new year. Neal said a crowd gathered near her home watching the police officers scour the scene as they speculated and shared unconfirmed reports of what they thought had happened. She said the couple who lived in the home "were very nice people. Super nice to me" and the man was "such a sweetheart" and that she never would have guessed a shooting would happen at their house. "If I see him outside, we have a little conversation. Just, 'How you're doing?' Neal said. "Make Tik-toks (videos with the Tik-Tok social media app) with his daughters and everything else, so it's just crazy kind of." A search of Canton Police's online database did not come up with any incident reports for the home the past two years. Autopsy Campbell said Saturday morning that his office had sent the shot person's body to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's office for an autopsy. The coroner's office during the past year has frequently sent bodies to Cuyahoga County for autopsy because Stark County has had difficulty hiring a new forensic pathologist to do autopsies at the coroner's office. Campbell had responded a few hours earlier to a man found shot dead in a vehicle sometime prior to 5:39 p.m. Friday on New Year's Eve. That man, later identified as Riquan L. Jennings, 25, was discovered at 121 17th Street NW just west of Market Avenue N. Staff writer Malcolm Hall contributed to this report. Reach Robert at (330) 580-8327 or robert.wang@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @rwangREP This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton police shoot, kill James Williams 10th Street SW Even Israels most hawkish defense officials now concede that the Trump administrations decision to cancel the Iran nuclear deal was a big mistake. The deal worked out by former President Barack Obama was far from perfect. But it appeared that President Donald Trump was more interested in delivering another humiliation to his predecessor than carefully considering the global-security implications of scrapping the one thing that stood between Iran and the ability to make its own nuclear weapons. Trumps main source of advice on killing the 2015 accord was then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had publicly criticized Obamas diplomatic overtures with Iran. The nuclear deal was the product of intense negotiations involving Russia, China, Britain and Germany. To make it happen, the major global economic powers had to agree on an intricate list of sanctions that prevented Iran from exporting its oil and blocked Tehran from accessing the international banking system. Keeping the major nations in line required delicate diplomacy, but it ultimately worked, forcing enough concessions from Iran to win a 10- to 15-year moratorium on its uranium-enrichment program. Iran agreed to dismantle some facilities and to permit international inspections. Netanyahu hated the deal, as did Saudi Arabia, because it only provided a temporary pause in Irans program. Trump canceled the deal in 2018. Russia and China resumed commercial ties with Iran, and it now has minimal incentives to continue restraining its nuclear program. Top Israeli defense officials now recognize the enormity of Trump and Netanyahus mistake. Defense Minister Benny Gantz told Foreign Policy that he would support efforts by President Joe Biden to resurrect a nuclear accord. The current U.S. approach of putting the Iran nuclear program back in a box, Id accept that, he said. Netanyahus successor, Naftali Bennett, is openly critical of Netanyahus military bluster, which helped persuade Trump that there were viable military options to keep Iran in line after killing the accord. Bennett told Israeli television: Israel inherited a situation in which Iran is at the most advanced point ever in its race to the bomb. ... The gap between (Netanyahus) rhetoric and speeches and actions is very big. Air Force Maj. Gen. Isaac Ben Israel was more direct in an interview published by Bloomberg: Netanyahus efforts to persuade the Trump administration to quit the nuclear agreement have turned out to be the worst strategic mistake in Israels history. Former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon echoed that sentiment in an interview with Israels Haaretz newspaper. Trump and Netanyahu now appear to have split because Netanyahu had the gall to phone Biden and congratulate him on his 2020 election victory another example of how emotions and political grudges, rather than thoughtful judgment, guide Trumps decision-making. A man who would put global security at risk without fully weighing the consequences must never again occupy the Oval Office. Even Israels most hawkish defense officials now concede that the Trump administrations decision to cancel the Iran nuclear deal was a big mistake. The deal worked out by former President Barack Obama was far from perfect. But it appeared that President Donald Trump was more interested in delivering another humiliation to his predecessor than carefully considering the global-security implications of scrapping the one thing that stood between Iran and the ability to make its own nuclear weapons. Trumps main source of advice on killing the 2015 accord was then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had publicly criticized Obamas diplomatic overtures with Iran. The nuclear deal was the product of intense negotiations involving Russia, China, Britain and Germany. To make it happen, the major global economic powers had to agree on an intricate list of sanctions that prevented Iran from exporting its oil and blocked Tehran from accessing the international banking system. Keeping the major nations in line required delicate diplomacy, but it ultimately worked, forcing enough concessions from Iran to win a 10- to 15-year moratorium on its uranium-enrichment program. Iran agreed to dismantle some facilities and to permit international inspections. Netanyahu hated the deal, as did Saudi Arabia, because it only provided a temporary pause in Irans program. Trump canceled the deal in 2018. Russia and China resumed commercial ties with Iran, and it now has minimal incentives to continue restraining its nuclear program. Top Israeli defense officials now recognize the enormity of Trump and Netanyahus mistake. Defense Minister Benny Gantz told Foreign Policy that he would support efforts by President Joe Biden to resurrect a nuclear accord. The current U.S. approach of putting the Iran nuclear program back in a box, Id accept that, he said. Netanyahus successor, Naftali Bennett, is openly critical of Netanyahus military bluster, which helped persuade Trump that there were viable military options to keep Iran in line after killing the accord. Bennett told Israeli television: Israel inherited a situation in which Iran is at the most advanced point ever in its race to the bomb. ... The gap between (Netanyahus) rhetoric and speeches and actions is very big. Air Force Maj. Gen. Isaac Ben Israel was more direct in an interview published by Bloomberg: Netanyahus efforts to persuade the Trump administration to quit the nuclear agreement have turned out to be the worst strategic mistake in Israels history. Former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon echoed that sentiment in an interview with Israels Haaretz newspaper. Trump and Netanyahu now appear to have split because Netanyahu had the gall to phone Biden and congratulate him on his 2020 election victory another example of how emotions and political grudges, rather than thoughtful judgment, guide Trumps decision-making. A man who would put global security at risk without fully weighing the consequences must never again occupy the Oval Office. Even Israels most hawkish defense officials now concede that the Trump administrations decision to cancel the Iran nuclear deal was a big mistake. The deal worked out by former President Barack Obama was far from perfect. But it appeared that President Donald Trump was more interested in delivering another humiliation to his predecessor than carefully considering the global-security implications of scrapping the one thing that stood between Iran and the ability to make its own nuclear weapons. Trumps main source of advice on killing the 2015 accord was then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had publicly criticized Obamas diplomatic overtures with Iran. The nuclear deal was the product of intense negotiations involving Russia, China, Britain and Germany. To make it happen, the major global economic powers had to agree on an intricate list of sanctions that prevented Iran from exporting its oil and blocked Tehran from accessing the international banking system. Keeping the major nations in line required delicate diplomacy, but it ultimately worked, forcing enough concessions from Iran to win a 10- to 15-year moratorium on its uranium-enrichment program. Iran agreed to dismantle some facilities and to permit international inspections. Netanyahu hated the deal, as did Saudi Arabia, because it only provided a temporary pause in Irans program. Trump canceled the deal in 2018. Russia and China resumed commercial ties with Iran, and it now has minimal incentives to continue restraining its nuclear program. Top Israeli defense officials now recognize the enormity of Trump and Netanyahus mistake. Defense Minister Benny Gantz told Foreign Policy that he would support efforts by President Joe Biden to resurrect a nuclear accord. The current U.S. approach of putting the Iran nuclear program back in a box, Id accept that, he said. Netanyahus successor, Naftali Bennett, is openly critical of Netanyahus military bluster, which helped persuade Trump that there were viable military options to keep Iran in line after killing the accord. Bennett told Israeli television: Israel inherited a situation in which Iran is at the most advanced point ever in its race to the bomb. ... The gap between (Netanyahus) rhetoric and speeches and actions is very big. Air Force Maj. Gen. Isaac Ben Israel was more direct in an interview published by Bloomberg: Netanyahus efforts to persuade the Trump administration to quit the nuclear agreement have turned out to be the worst strategic mistake in Israels history. Former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon echoed that sentiment in an interview with Israels Haaretz newspaper. Trump and Netanyahu now appear to have split because Netanyahu had the gall to phone Biden and congratulate him on his 2020 election victory another example of how emotions and political grudges, rather than thoughtful judgment, guide Trumps decision-making. A man who would put global security at risk without fully weighing the consequences must never again occupy the Oval Office. John Hood at the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance at Duke Energy Center for the Performing ArtsRaleigh Memorial Auditorium, on Dec. 31, 2021. (NTD Television) RALEIGH, NC.John Hood is a writer, president of a charitable foundation, and a tap dance teacher. His expertise in multiple areas gave him a unique perspective on Shen Yun Performing Arts. He took notice of Shen Yuns efforts to uphold tradition and he expressed his support for their work. Tradition is really the sum total of human experience. Its what people have learned over the course of generations of time, proving certain kinds of practices or beliefs or values to be useful, he said. Theres a famous writer that calls tradition the democracy of the dead. The idea being that people whove lived in the past were no less intelligent, no less wise, no less experienced than we are. He also spoke about the tragedy of communism when it tries to change or eliminate tradition. What happens with communism, or other kinds of ideologies that try to sweep away tradition is essentially youre throwing knowledge into the ocean. Youre just dumping it away, he said. We always have a lot to learn from tradition, and when systems have fought, whether it be communism or fascism or other kinds of modern ideologies attempt to sweep away all of the wisdom of the past, it leaves everyone ignorant. Mr. Hood described how the dances of New York-based Shen Yun infused traditional elements into their pieces. Its very obvious that the different pieces that Ive seen are influenced by traditional religious beliefs. You can see how the Daoists concepts, the Buddhist concepts, and the other kinds of traditions are interwoven into the story, and I think thats something that audiences around the world can appreciate, he said. Orchestra Gives Power to Performance He also expressed his appreciation for the live orchestra and the lively music of the production. I always like to see dance performances with live orchestras. It gives so much more meaning and power to a performance. What I particularly find interesting about this performance is the obvious mixture of western instruments, Chinese instruments, Western musical style, Chinese musical style. It creates a sum that is greater than the parts, he said. Im a tap dance teacher, Im particularly interested in rhythms, and I appreciate the music allowing these different ethnic and folk dances to illustrate different kinds of rhythms, and different kinds of patterns. He also elaborated on the role that music plays in life as well as in the performance. Music can bring you to tears, music can make you laugh, music can make you feel, music can make you angry, he said. You see in a lot of that, in this performance, you see a variety of different emotions. The piece that involves the modern-day story about the daughter of the surgeon. Theres some music in there that creates delight at the first part of the story, but later in the story it makes you angry. Mr. Hood was also highly impressed by the dancers. As a tap dance teacher who also has experience in ballet, the difference that he saw in classical Chinese dance was fascinating to him. Im just fascinated with the techniques. Some of it is similar to the western ballet that Ive studied in the past, and some of it is very different, particularly the arm movements. And so I just loved the performance, he said. Reporting by NTD Television and Maria Han. The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006. Richard Denzer and his wife, Toni, attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa, Calif., on Dec. 31, 2021. (Jana Li/The Epoch Times) COSTA MESA, Calif.It was New Years Eve at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, where Shen Yun Performing Arts presented for the last time in 2021. Richard Denzer and his wife finally had their opportunity to see the worlds premier classical Chinese dance and music performance after waiting many years. The performance was wonderful and really enjoyable, said Denzer, an architect and developer. He is the founder and owner of Studio Z Development. Denzer said he was impressed by the dancers and the color. Shen Yuns mission is to restore Chinas authentic five millennia culture which was teetering on the brink of extinction under the influence of the Chinese Communist regime. A great series of stories, said Denzer, adding that the program assisted with the interpretation of the stage action. Shen Yuns stories are mini-dramas with heavenly beings or heroic figures who embody great virtues. They teach moral values which are still relevant even today. By contrast, folk dances take the audience from the heights of Tibet to the plains of Mongolia. While the dancers depict cherished stories from Chinas past there are also pieces that portray modern-day China. One of those is the persecution of the spiritual group Falun Gong by the communist regime. Falun Gong is a peaceful practice whose adherents practice truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance in order to become better people. In The Display of Great Compassion, the dancers portray the struggle between good and evil in the modern world. Despite 20 years of persecution, Falun Gong practitioners were holding strong to their faith. Id like to see more freedom happening [in China.] I hate to see whats happening, said Denzer. There was depth in the display and presentation of Shen Yun. The orchestra was wonderful and it supported the dancers, he said. Shen Yuns orchestra combines Western classical instruments with traditional Chinese instruments producing a sound that is unique in the world of music. Shen Yun Uplifts Michael and Barbara Grossman and their grandchildren were also in the audience that night. Michael is a medical doctor and his wife, Barbara, is a psychotherapist. They are both ballroom dancers and authors. Michael was very moved by Shen Yun, repeating often how uplifted he felt. I had some very beautiful moments and points. Some of it was spiritualvery inspiring, he said. Shen Yun Performing Arts International Companys curtain call at Mesas Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Orange County, Calif., on Dec. 31, 2021. (Ji Yuan/The Epoch Times) Michael admired the way Shen Yun created a very clear distinction between the male and female dancers, each with distinct roles and costumes. So, its very traditionalI like that. And they mix the traditional and the modern very nicely, both in the music and in the dance, he said. He was also mesmerized by Shen Yuns technological innovation which creates a seamless interaction between projection and the players on the stage. Ive never seen that. That movement, from being on the stage live and you jump into the movie and then you come back from the movie onto the stagethat was just absolutely breathtaking, Michael said. The most moving part was the music. Beautiful Music Michael was particularly impressed by the erhu, a traditional Chinese violin that he had never seen before. Ive never realized that a two-string instrument could make that much beautiful music and [it] touched my heart. It was very, very lovely, inspiring, and very, very spiritually uplifting, he said. [Shen Yun] was spiritual in a variety of waysit had all kinds of layers of spirituality, and personal and [whats going on on] earth itself now. So, it was both things together. I was very uplifted by it. Michael said that he would tell his friends and family that Shen Yun expands your vision of what life can be [on] many different levels. And its just very uplifting to see modern dance, modern music, and the very classical ancient music come together. Barbara Grossman, a psychotherapist and author, had waited a long time to see Shen Yun and she was not disappointed. And I am moved inspired by the courage of these dancers. Very, very beautiful. She agreed that humanity was oppressed by atheism and evolution. Even our culture is being infused by those values and corrupted by those values. And I reach out to my brothers and sisters in China with compassion and support, she said. Reporting by Jana Li and Diane Cordemans. The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006. Many of us will be overindulging on alcohol to ring in 2022, but a new study warns that many popular bedside hangover cures won't be of much use on January 1. In a review of previous research papers, London academics have found 'no convincing scientific evidence' that hangover 'cures' are effective at all. These purported 'cures' include clove extract, red ginseng, Korean pear juice, Tolfenamic acid and extract from Hovenia dulcis, a Japanese tree species. The researchers say there's 'only very low quality evidence' that there's any effective 'pharmacologically active intervention for treatment or prevention of an alcohol-induced hangover'. They claim that the best method of preventing hangover symptoms is to completely avoid alcohol or drink in moderation. They also warn against potentially harmful 'hair of the dog' methods in other words, drinking alcoholic substances such as whisky the following morning. A new review has found only very low-quality evidence that substances claiming to treat or prevent alcohol-induced hangovers actually work. Pictured is essential oil from the extraction of clove seeds Korean pear juice has long been used as a hangover cure in Korea and China. However, there's no convincing scientific evidence that it and other hangover cures work, the new study says The study was led by a team of researchers from Kings College London and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. They warn that hangovers not only cause physical and mental discomfort, but can affect professional performance if we're working the following day. 'Hangover symptoms can cause significant distress and affect people's employment and academic performance,' said study author Dr Emmert Roberts at Kings College London. 'Given the continuing speculation in the media as to which hangover remedies work or not, the question around the effectiveness of substances that claim to treat or prevent a hangover appears to be one with considerable public interest. INEFFECTIVE HANGOVER 'CURES' - - Clovinol (extract of clove buds) - Red Ginseng - Curcumin - Duolac ProAP4 (probiotics) - L-cysteine - N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC) - Rapid Recovery (L-cysteine, thiamine, pyridoxine and ascorbic acid) - Loxoprofen (loxoprofen sodium) - SJP-001 (naproxen and fexofenadine) - Phyllpro (Phyllanthus amarus) - Hovenia dulcis Thunb. fruit extract (HDE) - Polysaccharide rich extract of Acanthopanax (PEA) - Korean Pear Juice - L-ornithine - Prickly Pear - Artichoke extract - 'Morning-Fit' (dried yeast, thiamine nitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, and riboflavin) - Propranolol - Tolfenamic acid - Chlormethiazole - Pyritinol Advertisement 'Our study has found that evidence on these hangover remedies is of very low quality and there is a need to provide more rigorous assessment. 'For now, the surest way of preventing hangover symptoms is to abstain from alcohol or drink in moderation.' Numerous remedies claim to be effective against hangover symptoms; however, up-to-date scientific examination of the literature is lacking. The new study, published in the early hours of New Year's Day in the scientific journal Addiction, assessed 21 placebo-controlled randomised trials of clove extract, red ginseng, Korean pear juice and other hangover cures. Closeup of red ginsengs. This is a plant that grows in Korea, China, and Siberia - but researchers say it doesn't effectively treat hangovers Although some studies showed statistically significant improvements in hangover symptoms, all evidence was of very low quality usually because of methodological limitations or imprecise measurements. In addition, no two studies reported on the same hangover remedy and no results had been independently replicated. When studies are replicated with the same or similar results, it gives greater validity to the findings. Three quarters of all included studies (16 out of 21, or 76 per cent) reported data on sample sizes of fewer than 30 participants. Dubiously, evidence for clove extract as a hangover cure was based on data from only 16 participants. Of the ultimate 386 analysed participants, only 149 (38.6 per cent) were female and eight included trials (38 per cent) were conducted exclusively with male participants. The new analysis has been published a minute into the new year, when revellers will be overindulging on alcohol to ring in 2022 (stock image) Differences in the effects of alcohol on men and women are well-documented for example, if a woman and a man drink the same amount, the womans blood alcohol level will almost always be higher than the mans. In terms of the methods, there were considerable differences in the type of alcohol given to participants and whether it was given alongside food, which likely influenced findings. According to the researchers, future studies should be more rigorous in their methods, for example by using validated scales to assess hangover symptoms. There is also a need to improve the participation of women in hangover research, they say. Overall, the researchers call for 'more rigorous scientific exploration' of the effectiveness of hangover remedies to convey to the public. If this is achieved, it could change alcohol consumption habits, which would go on to benefit public health. A Canton police officer shot and killed a man near this area in the 2300 block of 10th Street SW in the first few minutes of the new year. CANTON The investigation continues into the circumstances surrounding a city police officer's fatal shooting of a 46-year-old man on 10th Street SW shortly after the new year began. The man shot was armed when the shooting occurred, according to the Canton Police Department. He was later identified as James Williams. Police said they went to the 2300 block of 10th Street SW just after midnight Saturday in response to a report of gunfire. More: Man killed on 17th Street NW in Canton According to a statement from the Canton Police Chief Jack Angelo: ".... the officer, who was outside of his vehicle, confronted a subject that began shooting a firearm. The officer, in fear for his safety, fired his duty weapon at the subject and struck him." He wrote that the person who was shot got first aid before Canton fire paramedics rushed him in an ambulance to a hospital. The officer involved in the shooting was not named in the Police Department press statement. Harry Campbell, chief investigator of the Stark County Coroner's Office, said the shot person got to Aultman Hospital at 12:25 a.m. Aultman is about a half mile from where the police shooting occurred. A hospital doctor pronounced him dead at 12:27 a.m. Because it's an officer-involved shooting, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is overseeing the investigation, Angelo's statement said. He wrote that Canton Police have turned over all evidence in the case, including body camera footage and guns linked to the incident over to BCI investigators. Angelo referred questions to BCI and has not responded to additional inquiries about the fatal confrontation. A spokesman for the BCI declined to comment on specifics of the case Sunday,. Angelo wrote that the police officer has been placed on administrative leave, a standard move after an officer-involved shooting. Neighbors' accounts "That is a sad thing," said a neighbor, Douglas Smith of the 900 block of Smith Avenue SW. "I will never get over what happened. What they (police) did was very disrespectful. Their training, whatever they got going on. They don't protect us." Story continues Over a Christmas wreath on the door where the victim lived was a sign or sticker that said, "We the People are Pissed." When a reporter knocked on the door Saturday, a man could be heard inside saying he didn't want to talk. Stark County Auditor's records indicate the 103-year-old, three-bedroom home is an asset of a self-directed individual retirement account that's based at a North Canton residential address. It's not clear if the owner of the 10th Street SW home or a custodian for the owner lives at that home in North Canton. Tanika Blasingame, who lives next to the residence, said she got home sometime after midnight celebrating New Year's with a friend to find much of the block cordoned off by police tape. "I didn't know what was going on," she said. "I don't know what happened." She said a couple with several children none older than 15, had rented the home for at least two years. 'A sweetheart' Across the street, Nikki Neal, 19, said she arrived home around 12:30 a.m. to find police cars and crime scene tape preventing her from parking in front of her house. She had to get into her home through the back. She estimated that at least 10 police squad cars were parked on the narrow 10th Street NW. Police didn't leave the scene until about 7 a.m. Neighbor Nikki Neal talks about the family who lives in the 10th Street SW home where a Canton police officer killed a male in first few minutes of the new year. Neal said a crowd gathered near her home watching the police officers scour the scene as they speculated and shared unconfirmed reports of what they thought had happened. She said the couple who lived in the home "were very nice people. Super nice to me" and the man was "such a sweetheart" and that she never would have guessed a shooting would happen at their house. "If I see him outside, we have a little conversation. Just, 'How you're doing?' Neal said. "Make Tik-toks (videos with the Tik-Tok social media app) with his daughters and everything else, so it's just crazy kind of." A search of Canton Police's online database did not come up with any incident reports for the home the past two years. Autopsy Campbell said Saturday morning that his office had sent the shot person's body to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's office for an autopsy. The coroner's office during the past year has frequently sent bodies to Cuyahoga County for autopsy because Stark County has had difficulty hiring a new forensic pathologist to do autopsies at the coroner's office. Campbell had responded a few hours earlier to a man found shot dead in a vehicle sometime prior to 5:39 p.m. Friday on New Year's Eve. That man, later identified as Riquan L. Jennings, 25, was discovered at 121 17th Street NW just west of Market Avenue N. Staff writer Malcolm Hall contributed to this report. Reach Robert at (330) 580-8327 or robert.wang@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @rwangREP This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton police shoot, kill James Williams 10th Street SW Policemen secure a side entrance following the arrival of police vehicles at the Dandong Intermediate People's Court in China's northeast Liaoning province on March 19, 2021. (Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images) Chinese Researchers Build AI Prosecutor That Can File Charges by Itself Scientists in China said they have developed a machine that relies on artificial intelligence (AI) to charge offenders with crimes. Shanghai Pudong Procuratorate, the countrys largest prosecution office, built and tested the machine. So far, the machine is able to identify and file charges for the eight most common crimes in Shanghaicredit card fraud, running a gambling operation, reckless driving, intentional injury, obstructing official duties, theft, fraud, and picking a quarrel. The researchers said that, based on a written description of a case, the so-called AI prosecutor can file a charge with 97 percent accuracy. Professor Shi Yong, the projects lead scientist, said the AI technology could reduce prosecutors daily workloads, allowing them to focus on more challenging work. Shi also is the director of the big data and knowledge management laboratory at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the regimes top state-run research institute. The system can replace prosecutors in the decision-making process to a certain extent, Shi and his team said in a paper published in the Chinese peer-reviewed journal Management Review. The South China Morning Post first reported about the newly developed AI machine. Shi and his colleagues said that Chinese prosecutors began employing AI in 2016. Many of them now use an AI tool known as System 206. The system is able to evaluate the strength of evidence, conditions for an arrest, and how dangerous a suspect is considered to be to the public. But all existing AI tools only played a limited role, since they do not participate in the decision-making process of filing charges and [suggesting] sentences, the paper stated. To make such decisions requires a machine to identify and remove any contents of a case file that are irrelevant to a crime and keep the useful information, it added. The machine also needs to transform the complex, ever-changing human language into a standard mathematical or geometric format that a computer can understand, according to the paper. Chinas internet companies have developed powerful tools for natural language processing, but their operation often requires large computers that prosecutors do not have access to. The AI prosecutor developed by Shis team could operate on a desktop. For each suspect, it would press a charge based on 1,000 traits obtained from the human-generated case description text, most of which is too short or abstract to make sense to humans. System 206 would then assess the evidence. Shi said they used more than 17,000 cases from 2015 to 2020 to train the machine. The paper expected the AI prosecutor would soon become more competent with upgrades. It would be able to recognize less common crimes and file multiple charges against one suspect. But the new machine has raised questions among Chinese prosecutors. A prosecutor in Guangzhou stated in the report that he had some concerns about the use of an AI prosecutor in filing charges. The 97 percent accuracy may be high from a perspective of technology, but there will always be a chance of a mistake, the prosecutor said. Who will take responsibility when it happens? The prosecutor, the machine, or the designer of the algorithm? Direct application of AI in decision-making could also affect a human prosecutors autonomy. Most prosecutors dont want computer scientists to interfere with a legal judgment, the prosecutor added. Another question is that the AI prosecutor could file a charge based only on its previous experience, the prosecutor said. It couldnt foresee the public reaction to a case in a shifting social environment. AI may help detect a mistake, but it cannot replace humans in making a decision, the prosecutor stated. Chinas media celebrated the AI prosecutor as the worlds first achievement in this field. Unlike Western democracies, China doesnt have an independent legal system since the courts are controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. Those who speak or act in a way deemed unacceptable to the Party, such as dissidents, religious believers, rights lawyers, and citizens journalists, are often charged with vaguely defined offenses such as picking quarrels and provoking trouble or subversion of state power and invariably convicted in a justice system with a 99.9 percent conviction rate. For instance, citizen journalist Zhang Zhan is currently halfway into a four-year prison sentence for reporting on the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan in February 2020. Her conviction has drawn widespread condemnation from Western governments and rights groups. Zhangs health has drastically deteriorated in prison after staging a long-running hunger strike and being denied adequate medical care, her family said. Policemen secure a side entrance following the arrival of police vehicles at the Dandong Intermediate People's Court in China's northeast Liaoning province on March 19, 2021. (Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images) Chinese Researchers Build AI Prosecutor That Can File Charges by Itself Scientists in China said they have developed a machine that relies on artificial intelligence (AI) to charge offenders with crimes. Shanghai Pudong Procuratorate, the countrys largest prosecution office, built and tested the machine. So far, the machine is able to identify and file charges for the eight most common crimes in Shanghaicredit card fraud, running a gambling operation, reckless driving, intentional injury, obstructing official duties, theft, fraud, and picking a quarrel. The researchers said that, based on a written description of a case, the so-called AI prosecutor can file a charge with 97 percent accuracy. Professor Shi Yong, the projects lead scientist, said the AI technology could reduce prosecutors daily workloads, allowing them to focus on more challenging work. Shi also is the director of the big data and knowledge management laboratory at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the regimes top state-run research institute. The system can replace prosecutors in the decision-making process to a certain extent, Shi and his team said in a paper published in the Chinese peer-reviewed journal Management Review. The South China Morning Post first reported about the newly developed AI machine. Shi and his colleagues said that Chinese prosecutors began employing AI in 2016. Many of them now use an AI tool known as System 206. The system is able to evaluate the strength of evidence, conditions for an arrest, and how dangerous a suspect is considered to be to the public. But all existing AI tools only played a limited role, since they do not participate in the decision-making process of filing charges and [suggesting] sentences, the paper stated. To make such decisions requires a machine to identify and remove any contents of a case file that are irrelevant to a crime and keep the useful information, it added. The machine also needs to transform the complex, ever-changing human language into a standard mathematical or geometric format that a computer can understand, according to the paper. Chinas internet companies have developed powerful tools for natural language processing, but their operation often requires large computers that prosecutors do not have access to. The AI prosecutor developed by Shis team could operate on a desktop. For each suspect, it would press a charge based on 1,000 traits obtained from the human-generated case description text, most of which is too short or abstract to make sense to humans. System 206 would then assess the evidence. Shi said they used more than 17,000 cases from 2015 to 2020 to train the machine. The paper expected the AI prosecutor would soon become more competent with upgrades. It would be able to recognize less common crimes and file multiple charges against one suspect. But the new machine has raised questions among Chinese prosecutors. A prosecutor in Guangzhou stated in the report that he had some concerns about the use of an AI prosecutor in filing charges. The 97 percent accuracy may be high from a perspective of technology, but there will always be a chance of a mistake, the prosecutor said. Who will take responsibility when it happens? The prosecutor, the machine, or the designer of the algorithm? Direct application of AI in decision-making could also affect a human prosecutors autonomy. Most prosecutors dont want computer scientists to interfere with a legal judgment, the prosecutor added. Another question is that the AI prosecutor could file a charge based only on its previous experience, the prosecutor said. It couldnt foresee the public reaction to a case in a shifting social environment. AI may help detect a mistake, but it cannot replace humans in making a decision, the prosecutor stated. Chinas media celebrated the AI prosecutor as the worlds first achievement in this field. Unlike Western democracies, China doesnt have an independent legal system since the courts are controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. Those who speak or act in a way deemed unacceptable to the Party, such as dissidents, religious believers, rights lawyers, and citizens journalists, are often charged with vaguely defined offenses such as picking quarrels and provoking trouble or subversion of state power and invariably convicted in a justice system with a 99.9 percent conviction rate. For instance, citizen journalist Zhang Zhan is currently halfway into a four-year prison sentence for reporting on the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan in February 2020. Her conviction has drawn widespread condemnation from Western governments and rights groups. Zhangs health has drastically deteriorated in prison after staging a long-running hunger strike and being denied adequate medical care, her family said. Suicide bomber kills 6, over a dozen others suffer injuries in Christmas Day attack A suspected Islamist suicide bomber from a rebel group aligned with Islamic State killed at least six people, including children, and injured more than a dozen others when he used an explosive device to kill himself at the entrance of a busy restaurant where Christmas was being celebrated in the Democratic Republic of Congo. After the Christmas Day attack on a restaurant called In Box in the city of Beni in the eastern province of Ituri, green chairs could be seen scattered across the road, some melted or smoldering, and four bodies, including that of a small girl, as per images shared on social media, according to Reuters, which said six people died and 14 were injured, including two local officials. I was sitting there. There was a motorbike parked there. Suddenly the motorbike took off, then there was a deafening noise, local radio presenter Nicolas Ekila told AFP. The suicide bomber, prevented by security guards from entering a crowded bar, activated the bomb at the entrance of the bar, the regional governors spokesman, General Ekenge Sylvain, was quoted as saying in a statement. A Congolese partner agency of the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern called the blast an action of terror, saying the Islamist rebel group Allied Democratic Forces could be behind it. The deadly rebel group has been attacking Christians and clashing with the army in Nord Kivu and Ituri provinces which have been under a state of siege since May. The military, which has taken effective control in the two provinces, has still not been able to stop the armed militias attacks. The Anglican Bishop of Beni Diocese described the Christmas Day attack as a cowardice activity carried out by weak rebels who want to make followers of their faith by force, ICC said. Recently, the attacks have only been in the villages where there is not enough security watch but now it seems like the terrorists are trying to make a statement that they are still present even in cities, the bishop was quoted as saying. They targeted the hotel because they knew that many people would gather in the evening to continue celebrating Christmas. Today, churches met as usual to begin the Christmas holiday but now things have taken a new turn. However, we shall not let fear diminish the joy of Christ in this season, and we shall stand in prayer with the families of those killed today. ICCs local partner also called the attack unexpected because we are used to hearing incidences of Christians being killed in the villages. The last time we had such terror attacks in this town of Beni was in May and June, where the attackers also planted bombs in churches, but that was stopped by the government forces, the source recalled. In June, one woman was killed and others injured when a bomb planted inside a churchs compound exploded. Another bomb had been trapped at a bar that killed several revelers. The rebel group, against which Congo and Uganda launched a joint operation on Nov. 30, has killed hundreds of Christians and left thousands homeless and displaced this year. Alabama woman charged with murder after stray bullet kills pastors wife at Bible study Police have arrested and charged a 26-year-old Alabama woman with the murder of a pastor's wife after a stray bullet killed her as she attended a church Bible study. Police in Prichard, Mobile County, arrested the suspect, Kaillyn Christine Howard Harris, on charges of firing the shot that killed 65-year-old Grace Carter, the wife of a pastor at Sunlight Missionary Baptist Church, Fox 10 reported. Grace Carter was inside the Everlasting Life Holiness Church Tuesday night when she was shot in the chest. I just dont think that people should be shooting in places where you dont know where a stray bullet could do, the victim's husband, Cecil Carter, who's pastor-elect at a separate church, was quoted as saying. Police said they went to the church after 7 p.m. and began CPR on the victim but could not resuscitate her, WKRG reported. An investigator noticed a bullet hole in a door at the church and found she had been shot on her upper right chest. The church shooting was real gut-wrenching for us last night, Lt. Robert Martin with Prichard Police was quoted as saying. Anytime anyone is killed in our jurisdiction or any municipality, it touches the offices in a real compassionate way, and were just really fed up with it. Cecil Carter lost his wife while he was awaiting his installation as pastor at the church. She was really looking forward to it, he said about his wife of 35 years. "She was very proud" of him, he continued. But right now, the emptiness of her not being here for the installation is going to be hard for me. He added, Right now, Im getting strength from knowing that God is able, and knowing that my wife is in a better place with the Lord. And no doubt about it that she loved the Lord. So I have to be strong for her, and myself, and for my family, my children and all. This is the third homicide in the city since Christmas Eve, according to media reports. Its more of a retirement community. Ive been over here at night, no gunfire, no nothing. So its a big shock to hear, a neighbor was quoted as saying. Its sad and I hate that it happened to the church. Like I said, this is a quiet neighborhood and Ive actually met the neighbors; theyre good people, old-fashioned people. Police have said the incident doesnt appear to be an intentional shooting. Alabama woman charged with murder after stray bullet kills pastors wife at Bible study Police have arrested and charged a 26-year-old Alabama woman with the murder of a pastor's wife after a stray bullet killed her as she attended a church Bible study. Police in Prichard, Mobile County, arrested the suspect, Kaillyn Christine Howard Harris, on charges of firing the shot that killed 65-year-old Grace Carter, the wife of a pastor at Sunlight Missionary Baptist Church, Fox 10 reported. Grace Carter was inside the Everlasting Life Holiness Church Tuesday night when she was shot in the chest. I just dont think that people should be shooting in places where you dont know where a stray bullet could do, the victim's husband, Cecil Carter, who's pastor-elect at a separate church, was quoted as saying. Police said they went to the church after 7 p.m. and began CPR on the victim but could not resuscitate her, WKRG reported. An investigator noticed a bullet hole in a door at the church and found she had been shot on her upper right chest. The church shooting was real gut-wrenching for us last night, Lt. Robert Martin with Prichard Police was quoted as saying. Anytime anyone is killed in our jurisdiction or any municipality, it touches the offices in a real compassionate way, and were just really fed up with it. Cecil Carter lost his wife while he was awaiting his installation as pastor at the church. She was really looking forward to it, he said about his wife of 35 years. "She was very proud" of him, he continued. But right now, the emptiness of her not being here for the installation is going to be hard for me. He added, Right now, Im getting strength from knowing that God is able, and knowing that my wife is in a better place with the Lord. And no doubt about it that she loved the Lord. So I have to be strong for her, and myself, and for my family, my children and all. This is the third homicide in the city since Christmas Eve, according to media reports. Its more of a retirement community. Ive been over here at night, no gunfire, no nothing. So its a big shock to hear, a neighbor was quoted as saying. Its sad and I hate that it happened to the church. Like I said, this is a quiet neighborhood and Ive actually met the neighbors; theyre good people, old-fashioned people. Police have said the incident doesnt appear to be an intentional shooting. Policemen secure a side entrance following the arrival of police vehicles at the Dandong Intermediate People's Court in China's northeast Liaoning province on March 19, 2021. (Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images) Chinese Researchers Build AI Prosecutor That Can File Charges by Itself Scientists in China said they have developed a machine that relies on artificial intelligence (AI) to charge offenders with crimes. Shanghai Pudong Procuratorate, the countrys largest prosecution office, built and tested the machine. So far, the machine is able to identify and file charges for the eight most common crimes in Shanghaicredit card fraud, running a gambling operation, reckless driving, intentional injury, obstructing official duties, theft, fraud, and picking a quarrel. The researchers said that, based on a written description of a case, the so-called AI prosecutor can file a charge with 97 percent accuracy. Professor Shi Yong, the projects lead scientist, said the AI technology could reduce prosecutors daily workloads, allowing them to focus on more challenging work. Shi also is the director of the big data and knowledge management laboratory at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the regimes top state-run research institute. The system can replace prosecutors in the decision-making process to a certain extent, Shi and his team said in a paper published in the Chinese peer-reviewed journal Management Review. The South China Morning Post first reported about the newly developed AI machine. Shi and his colleagues said that Chinese prosecutors began employing AI in 2016. Many of them now use an AI tool known as System 206. The system is able to evaluate the strength of evidence, conditions for an arrest, and how dangerous a suspect is considered to be to the public. But all existing AI tools only played a limited role, since they do not participate in the decision-making process of filing charges and [suggesting] sentences, the paper stated. To make such decisions requires a machine to identify and remove any contents of a case file that are irrelevant to a crime and keep the useful information, it added. The machine also needs to transform the complex, ever-changing human language into a standard mathematical or geometric format that a computer can understand, according to the paper. Chinas internet companies have developed powerful tools for natural language processing, but their operation often requires large computers that prosecutors do not have access to. The AI prosecutor developed by Shis team could operate on a desktop. For each suspect, it would press a charge based on 1,000 traits obtained from the human-generated case description text, most of which is too short or abstract to make sense to humans. System 206 would then assess the evidence. Shi said they used more than 17,000 cases from 2015 to 2020 to train the machine. The paper expected the AI prosecutor would soon become more competent with upgrades. It would be able to recognize less common crimes and file multiple charges against one suspect. But the new machine has raised questions among Chinese prosecutors. A prosecutor in Guangzhou stated in the report that he had some concerns about the use of an AI prosecutor in filing charges. The 97 percent accuracy may be high from a perspective of technology, but there will always be a chance of a mistake, the prosecutor said. Who will take responsibility when it happens? The prosecutor, the machine, or the designer of the algorithm? Direct application of AI in decision-making could also affect a human prosecutors autonomy. Most prosecutors dont want computer scientists to interfere with a legal judgment, the prosecutor added. Another question is that the AI prosecutor could file a charge based only on its previous experience, the prosecutor said. It couldnt foresee the public reaction to a case in a shifting social environment. AI may help detect a mistake, but it cannot replace humans in making a decision, the prosecutor stated. Chinas media celebrated the AI prosecutor as the worlds first achievement in this field. Unlike Western democracies, China doesnt have an independent legal system since the courts are controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. Those who speak or act in a way deemed unacceptable to the Party, such as dissidents, religious believers, rights lawyers, and citizens journalists, are often charged with vaguely defined offenses such as picking quarrels and provoking trouble or subversion of state power and invariably convicted in a justice system with a 99.9 percent conviction rate. For instance, citizen journalist Zhang Zhan is currently halfway into a four-year prison sentence for reporting on the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan in February 2020. Her conviction has drawn widespread condemnation from Western governments and rights groups. Zhangs health has drastically deteriorated in prison after staging a long-running hunger strike and being denied adequate medical care, her family said. Policemen secure a side entrance following the arrival of police vehicles at the Dandong Intermediate People's Court in China's northeast Liaoning province on March 19, 2021. (Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images) Chinese Researchers Build AI Prosecutor That Can File Charges by Itself Scientists in China said they have developed a machine that relies on artificial intelligence (AI) to charge offenders with crimes. Shanghai Pudong Procuratorate, the countrys largest prosecution office, built and tested the machine. So far, the machine is able to identify and file charges for the eight most common crimes in Shanghaicredit card fraud, running a gambling operation, reckless driving, intentional injury, obstructing official duties, theft, fraud, and picking a quarrel. The researchers said that, based on a written description of a case, the so-called AI prosecutor can file a charge with 97 percent accuracy. Professor Shi Yong, the projects lead scientist, said the AI technology could reduce prosecutors daily workloads, allowing them to focus on more challenging work. Shi also is the director of the big data and knowledge management laboratory at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the regimes top state-run research institute. The system can replace prosecutors in the decision-making process to a certain extent, Shi and his team said in a paper published in the Chinese peer-reviewed journal Management Review. The South China Morning Post first reported about the newly developed AI machine. Shi and his colleagues said that Chinese prosecutors began employing AI in 2016. Many of them now use an AI tool known as System 206. The system is able to evaluate the strength of evidence, conditions for an arrest, and how dangerous a suspect is considered to be to the public. But all existing AI tools only played a limited role, since they do not participate in the decision-making process of filing charges and [suggesting] sentences, the paper stated. To make such decisions requires a machine to identify and remove any contents of a case file that are irrelevant to a crime and keep the useful information, it added. The machine also needs to transform the complex, ever-changing human language into a standard mathematical or geometric format that a computer can understand, according to the paper. Chinas internet companies have developed powerful tools for natural language processing, but their operation often requires large computers that prosecutors do not have access to. The AI prosecutor developed by Shis team could operate on a desktop. For each suspect, it would press a charge based on 1,000 traits obtained from the human-generated case description text, most of which is too short or abstract to make sense to humans. System 206 would then assess the evidence. Shi said they used more than 17,000 cases from 2015 to 2020 to train the machine. The paper expected the AI prosecutor would soon become more competent with upgrades. It would be able to recognize less common crimes and file multiple charges against one suspect. But the new machine has raised questions among Chinese prosecutors. A prosecutor in Guangzhou stated in the report that he had some concerns about the use of an AI prosecutor in filing charges. The 97 percent accuracy may be high from a perspective of technology, but there will always be a chance of a mistake, the prosecutor said. Who will take responsibility when it happens? The prosecutor, the machine, or the designer of the algorithm? Direct application of AI in decision-making could also affect a human prosecutors autonomy. Most prosecutors dont want computer scientists to interfere with a legal judgment, the prosecutor added. Another question is that the AI prosecutor could file a charge based only on its previous experience, the prosecutor said. It couldnt foresee the public reaction to a case in a shifting social environment. AI may help detect a mistake, but it cannot replace humans in making a decision, the prosecutor stated. Chinas media celebrated the AI prosecutor as the worlds first achievement in this field. Unlike Western democracies, China doesnt have an independent legal system since the courts are controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. Those who speak or act in a way deemed unacceptable to the Party, such as dissidents, religious believers, rights lawyers, and citizens journalists, are often charged with vaguely defined offenses such as picking quarrels and provoking trouble or subversion of state power and invariably convicted in a justice system with a 99.9 percent conviction rate. For instance, citizen journalist Zhang Zhan is currently halfway into a four-year prison sentence for reporting on the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan in February 2020. Her conviction has drawn widespread condemnation from Western governments and rights groups. Zhangs health has drastically deteriorated in prison after staging a long-running hunger strike and being denied adequate medical care, her family said. Six people were wounded in a Los Angeles shooting on Friday after two gunmen fired shots into a grocery store as the city ended a crime-filled year with one last fit of senseless violence. Two unidentified shooters fired into Superior Grocers around 4pm on Friday after driving up to the store and getting out of their vehicle, police said. The shooting at 102nd Street and Avalon Boulevard in Green Meadows allegedly occurred after the two men returned to the store with guns following an argument with another person inside the store, Los Angeles Police Department Captain Stacy Spell said. The two gunmen targeted only one person, but five others were injured in the process, leaving two in critical condition and two others in serious condition, according to Margaret Stewart, an LAPD spokesperson. Scroll down for video The shooting reportedly happened after the two men got into an argument with another person inside and came back with guns. Police believe the other person was the only target, but fie others were injured The other two victims reportedly declined transportation to the hospital, according to Fox News. A 54-year-old woman was shot in the back, a few others have glass wounds. The investigation is ongoing. It is unclear if the gunmen have been arrested. DailyMail.com reached out to the LAPD for comment. The shooting caps a year in which Los Angeles was ravaged by crime, including flash mobs who ransacked high-end stores in what officials called organized attacks. In the week between Christmas and New Year's, the city had 118 vehicle thefts, nearly 70 robberies and almost 100 assaults, according to the LAPD. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has blamed woke LA County District Attorney George Gascon, as well as his San Francisco counterpart Chesa Boudin, for the state's rampant crime 'I have a 92 percent increase in homicides in two years. I have a 16 percent increase in grand-theft auto. I have a 'zero bail' schedule, which means every person I catch with a stolen car gets a ticket, walks out of jailin fact, they're out of jail before [deputies are] even done writing the report,' Villanueva said. The sheriff added that Boudin turned against police as part of his political agenda, but doesn't realize how harmful it is for the community. 'And it's peopleThey live in this 'woke palace' where they're not affected by the policies, but the average person IS impacted by them.' Alabama woman charged with murder after stray bullet kills pastors wife at Bible study Police have arrested and charged a 26-year-old Alabama woman with the murder of a pastor's wife after a stray bullet killed her as she attended a church Bible study. Police in Prichard, Mobile County, arrested the suspect, Kaillyn Christine Howard Harris, on charges of firing the shot that killed 65-year-old Grace Carter, the wife of a pastor at Sunlight Missionary Baptist Church, Fox 10 reported. Grace Carter was inside the Everlasting Life Holiness Church Tuesday night when she was shot in the chest. I just dont think that people should be shooting in places where you dont know where a stray bullet could do, the victim's husband, Cecil Carter, who's pastor-elect at a separate church, was quoted as saying. Police said they went to the church after 7 p.m. and began CPR on the victim but could not resuscitate her, WKRG reported. An investigator noticed a bullet hole in a door at the church and found she had been shot on her upper right chest. The church shooting was real gut-wrenching for us last night, Lt. Robert Martin with Prichard Police was quoted as saying. Anytime anyone is killed in our jurisdiction or any municipality, it touches the offices in a real compassionate way, and were just really fed up with it. Cecil Carter lost his wife while he was awaiting his installation as pastor at the church. She was really looking forward to it, he said about his wife of 35 years. "She was very proud" of him, he continued. But right now, the emptiness of her not being here for the installation is going to be hard for me. He added, Right now, Im getting strength from knowing that God is able, and knowing that my wife is in a better place with the Lord. And no doubt about it that she loved the Lord. So I have to be strong for her, and myself, and for my family, my children and all. This is the third homicide in the city since Christmas Eve, according to media reports. Its more of a retirement community. Ive been over here at night, no gunfire, no nothing. So its a big shock to hear, a neighbor was quoted as saying. Its sad and I hate that it happened to the church. Like I said, this is a quiet neighborhood and Ive actually met the neighbors; theyre good people, old-fashioned people. Police have said the incident doesnt appear to be an intentional shooting. Atiwa Forest Reserve, and other 16 sites have been penned as future nominations into the World Network of Biosphere Reserves under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Biosphere Reserves are specially protected areas where diverse plants and animals exist with some level of human activity to conserve biodiversity and sustainable development. These sites serve as referral systems for monitoring and evaluating changes in natural ecosystems and are an effective instrument for mitigating climate change and serve as models for adaptation to the impacts of this change. They include Shai Hills Reserve, the Kakum, Mole, Digya, and Bui national parks, and Gbele Resources Reserve. The Tano-Ofei Range, Apedwa Hills, Kwahu Scarp, Kyaboo Transboundary Reserve, and Mount Afadzato and Agumatsa Wildlife Sanctuary are also part of the sites. Professor Dennis Aheto, the subcommittee chair of the National Committee of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) said this at the launch of a 47-page handbook on Biosphere Reserve concept at Sege in the Ada West District. It was designed by the National Committee of the UNESCO MAB hosted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with support from the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC); Forestry Commission, academia, and some district assemblies. The manual is seeking to make biosphere issues a normal component in Ghana's development planning and budgeting process at all levels as the basis for sustainable financing of its activities. He said out of the network of 727 reserves in 131countries, Ghana was hosting three, comprising Bia Biosphere Reserve, the largest, located in the Western Region, Songor Ramsar Site in Greater Accra, and Lake Bosomtwe Biosphere Reserve in Ashanti. Touching on the handbook, Prof. Aheto explained that its development, which started in 2018 in line with the Ghana Action plan (2018- 2025) for the MAB programme, was a requirement of the network of world biosphere reserves network as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The mainstreaming activities in the book, he said, included stakeholder engagements; communication and information sharing; capacity building, and conscious allocation of funds for biosphere related activities. Madam Ama Nerquaye-Tetteh, the Secretary-General for the Ghana Commission for UNESCO, commended Ghana for its tree planting exercise; support for global environmental initiatives, and the development of the manual and urged the country to do more to protect its reserves. Dr Kodjo Mensah-Abrampa, the Director-General of the NDPC, said the effective way of implementing national policies was through integration into all levels of planning. He urged all districts to take the handbook seriously and urged stakeholders to monitor and ensure its content was implemented. On behalf of the EPA, the Ghana MAB coordinator, Sheila Ashong, expressed the hope that the strong stakeholder engagement held over the period would propel the implementation of the activities outlined in the document for collective gains. GNA An 18-year-old man was fatally wounded New Years Eve in the Gresham neighborhood, marking the last fatal shooting in Chicago in 2021, according to the Chicago Police Department Media notifications. According to the Cook County medical examiners office, Anthony Watkins was pronounced dead at 8:25 p.m. Friday. Advertisement A police officer walks past a puddle of blood at the scene of a fatal shooting in the 7900 block of South Parnell Avenue on Dec. 31, 2021, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Police said Watkins was walking in the 7900 block of South Parnell Avenue shortly before 8:15 p.m. when he was shot in the neck. Watkins, of the 7500 block of South Kedzie Avenue, was taken to St. Bernard Hospital where he was pronounced dead, authorities said. Advertisement No one was in custody for the homicide, and detectives were investigating. An 18-year-old man was fatally wounded New Years Eve in the Gresham neighborhood, marking the last fatal shooting in Chicago in 2021, according to the Chicago Police Department Media notifications. According to the Cook County medical examiners office, Anthony Watkins was pronounced dead at 8:25 p.m. Friday. Advertisement A police officer walks past a puddle of blood at the scene of a fatal shooting in the 7900 block of South Parnell Avenue on Dec. 31, 2021, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Police said Watkins was walking in the 7900 block of South Parnell Avenue shortly before 8:15 p.m. when he was shot in the neck. Watkins, of the 7500 block of South Kedzie Avenue, was taken to St. Bernard Hospital where he was pronounced dead, authorities said. Advertisement No one was in custody for the homicide, and detectives were investigating. An 18-year-old man was fatally wounded New Years Eve in the Gresham neighborhood, marking the last fatal shooting in Chicago in 2021, according to the Chicago Police Department Media notifications. According to the Cook County medical examiners office, Anthony Watkins was pronounced dead at 8:25 p.m. Friday. Advertisement A police officer walks past a puddle of blood at the scene of a fatal shooting in the 7900 block of South Parnell Avenue on Dec. 31, 2021, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Police said Watkins was walking in the 7900 block of South Parnell Avenue shortly before 8:15 p.m. when he was shot in the neck. Watkins, of the 7500 block of South Kedzie Avenue, was taken to St. Bernard Hospital where he was pronounced dead, authorities said. Advertisement No one was in custody for the homicide, and detectives were investigating. Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Member of Parliament for the Klottey Korle constituency, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has said there is a breakdown in the structures that strengthen Ghana's democracy. She cited what she calls the high level of intolerance, corruption and misapplication of the law, as a basis for the decadence. She was speaking at the 40th Anniversary Commemoration of the 31st December Revolution in Accra on Friday, December 31, 2021. We are seeing a breakdown in the structures that keep our democracy alive; for those who know what it took to get to this point, she said. Dr. Agyeman Rawlings also lamented that there is poverty amidst plenty in Ghana. It is almost as if there are two different worlds in Ghana, where some people dont even know the level of suffering that is going on, and they cannot relate to it. The 31st December Revolution, which took place in 1981, terminated the 3rd Republican Constitution, ushering in the Provisional National Defence Council, PNDC. It was the second coming of Flt. Lt Jerry John Rawlings, who had staged an earlier coup on June 4, 1979, before handing over power. The 31st December Movement was a celebration for PNDC and NDC activists for several decades while the party was in power. It became a rallying point for the party in its opposition days against the John Kufuor government. The founder of the party, the late Flight Lt Jerry John Rawlings, often delivered fiery speeches at the celebrations. Since his demise in 2020, the party has continued with the celebration. Taking his turn, Minority Leader and NDC MP for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu assured Ghanaians that his side will continue to work in their interests. The Odododiodo Member of Parliament, Nii Lante Vanderpuye, spoke on his behalf, saying, your Members of Parliament are solidly behind you. We shall fight for you, we shall fight mother Ghana, and we shall fight for the people of this country. citinewsroom LONG ISLAND, NY With the number of COVID-19 cases continuing to spike in New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul rolled out her "winter surge 2.0" plan Friday including announcements that all SUNY and CUNY students must be boosted before returning to classes, and that a mask-or-vaccination mandate for businesses will be extended through February. Hochul said there were five key points to the plan: Keeping kids in school, continuing to wear masks and test, preventing severe illness and death, increasing vaccines and boosters, and working in collaboration with local leaders. "We are working around the clock to fight this surge. And as we've been saying for a long time, we were going to experience a very serious winter surge," Hochul said. Statewide, as of Friday, there are 271 cases per 100,000 and 321 per 100,000 on Long Island. On Friday, there were 76,555 new positive cases reported as the omicron variant adds to the uptick, Hochul said. "It's almost not worth it to say we're breaking records. We're breaking records every day and we'll probably continue to do so until we hit that downward trend," Hochul said. The trends have been witnessed nationwide and globally, Hochul reminded. New York stands at number three in the nation for per capita testing and number one, in the large states, she said. Hospitalizations continue to rise, "closing in on 8,000 which is not a milestone we've hoped to hit, but it's also very concerning," Hochul said. Health care workers are exhausted and frustrated, she said, "because they know it did not have to be this way. If we had more people vaccinated, fully vaccinated, to deal with this highly transmittable variant known as omicron." On Long Island, 1,374 are hospitalized, the data indicates. And a total of 80 New Yorkers died in the 24 hours leading up to Friday's news briefing, Hochul said. "We're not out of this," Hochul said. "We're still addressing a very serious situation." Story continues In New York, 95 percent of adults over 18 have received their first dose, but there is a need for people to go receive their second doses, Hochul said adding that boosters, too, are critical. A person who is boosted can be protected within two to three days of receiving that shot, she said. The challenge also remains children in the 5 to 11 age group, Hochul said only 28 percent have received their first dose. Children in that age group who remain unvaccinated might be transmitting the virus to their younger siblings, she said. Discussing why she was releasing a 2.0 plan, Hochul said it's because the virus has changed so dramatically and quickly since November. "We have to adapt. We have to be very smart. We've been doing the right things, but 2.0 is simply improvements upon what we've been doing. And again, to sound the alarm, that the numbers are continuing to increase they don't have to, we can control this," she said. Hochul discussed the five key points of her 2.0 plan: Keeping kids in school The governor said planes are bringing testing kits to New York, so that the "Test to Stay" program can be rolled out. The tenet of that plan is that if a student's classmate tests positive, kids can take home test kits in their backpacks, and then come back the next day if they test negative, and get tested again in a few days. New York State Operations Director Kathryn Garcia said more than 37 million tests have been ordered; 5.28 million arrived this week, and another 6 million are arriving through Monday. The state will also supply tests to counties. Discussing college students, Hochul said students congregate and live on campus, so the experience is different. On Friday, the state issued new guidance for SUNY and CUNY schools for the spring semester. "We are asking all schools to ensure that students before they return are boosted," Hochul said. "They're required to be vaccinated. Now we're putting on an additional requirement: in order to return to your college campus you have to be boosted." College students are also required to wear masks in public spaces indoors and will have to quarantine and follow New York State and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines if anyone does test positive. Those students will also have to show a negative test when they return to campus, Hochul said. Random sampling will continue throughout the year, Hochul added. The requirement takes effect on January 15. The goal is not to just think of the health of students and staff, but also the local businesses that will suffer if college campuses are forced to shutter, Hochul said. Mask/vaccination requirement for businesses extended Testing and masks are an important line of defense, Hochul said. Although the mandate for businesses to either require masks or proof of vaccination was initially going to be re-evaluated on January 15, that has been extended for two weeks, due to the rapidly changing landscape, Hochul said. The plan has been geared all along to keeping the economy open, she said. "The other alternative is to say, shut it all down. The reason we don't have to do this is because we now have the defenses in place, the testing, the vaccines, the booster shots, the masks. So we're in a different dynamic now but I'm very conscious while this continues to spread that we can take steps to make sure that they are protected," Hochul said. To that end, Hochul urged the use of KN95 masks, which offer more protection; she said New Yorkers can use their favorite cloth masks over the KN95 masks to offer double protection. A total of 5 million KN95 masks have been sent out to counties statewide, she said. With 13 new testing sites launched recently, including two on Long Island, six others will be added next week, although none of those six are on Long Island. New MTA sites have also been added in New York City in the Bronx, she said. Preventing severe illness and death Hochul said supporting hospitals is a key factor in preventing severe illness and death. The federal government plays an important role, Hochul said. She is working with federal partners and advocating for the right to be able to protect nursing home occupants by requiring visitors to be vaccinated. "We've asked the federal government to revise their regulations that don't allow us to have any restrictions on visitors," Hochul said. "I understand that this was a reaction to the painful experience that so many families had to experience when they couldn't visit a loved one. Visit your loved one, but also don't be the reason that loved one does not survive." Hochul said she has also asked the federal government to make the antiviral treatment more widely available. Dr. Mary Bassett, New York's department of health commissioner, said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last week gave emergency approval to oral antiviral drugs. Before that, monoclonal antibodies were drugs that had to be administered in hospitals; the Pfizer drug is called Paxlovid, the Merck drug is Molnupiravir both are taken orally twice a day for five days. While New York received 3,180 doses of Paxlovid, far greater amounts are needed, Bassett said. The challenge is in production, she said. There has also been a focus on monoclonal antibodies, Bassett said, including one that's been the most protective for people who have omicron infection, called Sotrovimab. New York received 4,242 doses and then received an additional 5,580. "The federal government is now acknowledging that New York State has to receive not just proportional to our population but proportional to our disease burden," Bassett said. Jackie Bray, division of Homeland Security emergency services commissioner, said federal assistance has come in the form of new deployments statewide. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending a 35-member disaster medical assistance team to SUNY upstate in Syracuse, as well as a medical response team to Buffalo and 30 federal ambulance teams working upstate and in central New York. FEMA will also be sending 50 additional ambulance teams to New York City, Bray said. In addition to the federal aid, New York is opening its stockpiles and sending medical equipment, including oxygen tanks and other supplies, to hospitals statewide, Bray said. Hochul said there is good news: New York is down from 35 hospitals who had to put the brakes on elective surgeries, to 21. Vaccinated versus unvaccinated hospitalizations According to the latest data, 30 per 100,000 cases are unvaccinated, compared with 2.1 who are vaccinated. "If you are vaccinated you have a very low chance of being hospitalized," Hochul said. "Look at those numbers and see what percentage of people are in hospitals who are unvaccinated versus vaccinated, it's an extraordinary difference." Pediatric hospitalizations continue to rise, up to 299 statewide this week. Hochul said the FDA final approval date for the Pfizer booster is coming soon for 12 to 15 year olds and added that kids should not only be vaccinated but boosted. The governor also said communication with local leaders will continue. "This is the final message. 2022 is the year we beat this pandemic," Hochul said. This article originally appeared on the East Hampton Patch LONG ISLAND, NY With the number of COVID-19 cases continuing to spike in New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul rolled out her "winter surge 2.0" plan Friday including announcements that all SUNY and CUNY students must be boosted before returning to classes, and that a mask-or-vaccination mandate for businesses will be extended through February. Hochul said there were five key points to the plan: Keeping kids in school, continuing to wear masks and test, preventing severe illness and death, increasing vaccines and boosters, and working in collaboration with local leaders. "We are working around the clock to fight this surge. And as we've been saying for a long time, we were going to experience a very serious winter surge," Hochul said. Statewide, as of Friday, there are 271 cases per 100,000 and 321 per 100,000 on Long Island. On Friday, there were 76,555 new positive cases reported as the omicron variant adds to the uptick, Hochul said. "It's almost not worth it to say we're breaking records. We're breaking records every day and we'll probably continue to do so until we hit that downward trend," Hochul said. The trends have been witnessed nationwide and globally, Hochul reminded. New York stands at number three in the nation for per capita testing and number one, in the large states, she said. Hospitalizations continue to rise, "closing in on 8,000 which is not a milestone we've hoped to hit, but it's also very concerning," Hochul said. Health care workers are exhausted and frustrated, she said, "because they know it did not have to be this way. If we had more people vaccinated, fully vaccinated, to deal with this highly transmittable variant known as omicron." On Long Island, 1,374 are hospitalized, the data indicates. And a total of 80 New Yorkers died in the 24 hours leading up to Friday's news briefing, Hochul said. "We're not out of this," Hochul said. "We're still addressing a very serious situation." Story continues In New York, 95 percent of adults over 18 have received their first dose, but there is a need for people to go receive their second doses, Hochul said adding that boosters, too, are critical. A person who is boosted can be protected within two to three days of receiving that shot, she said. The challenge also remains children in the 5 to 11 age group, Hochul said only 28 percent have received their first dose. Children in that age group who remain unvaccinated might be transmitting the virus to their younger siblings, she said. Discussing why she was releasing a 2.0 plan, Hochul said it's because the virus has changed so dramatically and quickly since November. "We have to adapt. We have to be very smart. We've been doing the right things, but 2.0 is simply improvements upon what we've been doing. And again, to sound the alarm, that the numbers are continuing to increase they don't have to, we can control this," she said. Hochul discussed the five key points of her 2.0 plan: Keeping kids in school The governor said planes are bringing testing kits to New York, so that the "Test to Stay" program can be rolled out. The tenet of that plan is that if a student's classmate tests positive, kids can take home test kits in their backpacks, and then come back the next day if they test negative, and get tested again in a few days. New York State Operations Director Kathryn Garcia said more than 37 million tests have been ordered; 5.28 million arrived this week, and another 6 million are arriving through Monday. The state will also supply tests to counties. Discussing college students, Hochul said students congregate and live on campus, so the experience is different. On Friday, the state issued new guidance for SUNY and CUNY schools for the spring semester. "We are asking all schools to ensure that students before they return are boosted," Hochul said. "They're required to be vaccinated. Now we're putting on an additional requirement: in order to return to your college campus you have to be boosted." College students are also required to wear masks in public spaces indoors and will have to quarantine and follow New York State and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines if anyone does test positive. Those students will also have to show a negative test when they return to campus, Hochul said. Random sampling will continue throughout the year, Hochul added. The requirement takes effect on January 15. The goal is not to just think of the health of students and staff, but also the local businesses that will suffer if college campuses are forced to shutter, Hochul said. Mask/vaccination requirement for businesses extended Testing and masks are an important line of defense, Hochul said. Although the mandate for businesses to either require masks or proof of vaccination was initially going to be re-evaluated on January 15, that has been extended for two weeks, due to the rapidly changing landscape, Hochul said. The plan has been geared all along to keeping the economy open, she said. "The other alternative is to say, shut it all down. The reason we don't have to do this is because we now have the defenses in place, the testing, the vaccines, the booster shots, the masks. So we're in a different dynamic now but I'm very conscious while this continues to spread that we can take steps to make sure that they are protected," Hochul said. To that end, Hochul urged the use of KN95 masks, which offer more protection; she said New Yorkers can use their favorite cloth masks over the KN95 masks to offer double protection. A total of 5 million KN95 masks have been sent out to counties statewide, she said. With 13 new testing sites launched recently, including two on Long Island, six others will be added next week, although none of those six are on Long Island. New MTA sites have also been added in New York City in the Bronx, she said. Preventing severe illness and death Hochul said supporting hospitals is a key factor in preventing severe illness and death. The federal government plays an important role, Hochul said. She is working with federal partners and advocating for the right to be able to protect nursing home occupants by requiring visitors to be vaccinated. "We've asked the federal government to revise their regulations that don't allow us to have any restrictions on visitors," Hochul said. "I understand that this was a reaction to the painful experience that so many families had to experience when they couldn't visit a loved one. Visit your loved one, but also don't be the reason that loved one does not survive." Hochul said she has also asked the federal government to make the antiviral treatment more widely available. Dr. Mary Bassett, New York's department of health commissioner, said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last week gave emergency approval to oral antiviral drugs. Before that, monoclonal antibodies were drugs that had to be administered in hospitals; the Pfizer drug is called Paxlovid, the Merck drug is Molnupiravir both are taken orally twice a day for five days. While New York received 3,180 doses of Paxlovid, far greater amounts are needed, Bassett said. The challenge is in production, she said. There has also been a focus on monoclonal antibodies, Bassett said, including one that's been the most protective for people who have omicron infection, called Sotrovimab. New York received 4,242 doses and then received an additional 5,580. "The federal government is now acknowledging that New York State has to receive not just proportional to our population but proportional to our disease burden," Bassett said. Jackie Bray, division of Homeland Security emergency services commissioner, said federal assistance has come in the form of new deployments statewide. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending a 35-member disaster medical assistance team to SUNY upstate in Syracuse, as well as a medical response team to Buffalo and 30 federal ambulance teams working upstate and in central New York. FEMA will also be sending 50 additional ambulance teams to New York City, Bray said. In addition to the federal aid, New York is opening its stockpiles and sending medical equipment, including oxygen tanks and other supplies, to hospitals statewide, Bray said. Hochul said there is good news: New York is down from 35 hospitals who had to put the brakes on elective surgeries, to 21. Vaccinated versus unvaccinated hospitalizations According to the latest data, 30 per 100,000 cases are unvaccinated, compared with 2.1 who are vaccinated. "If you are vaccinated you have a very low chance of being hospitalized," Hochul said. "Look at those numbers and see what percentage of people are in hospitals who are unvaccinated versus vaccinated, it's an extraordinary difference." Pediatric hospitalizations continue to rise, up to 299 statewide this week. Hochul said the FDA final approval date for the Pfizer booster is coming soon for 12 to 15 year olds and added that kids should not only be vaccinated but boosted. The governor also said communication with local leaders will continue. "This is the final message. 2022 is the year we beat this pandemic," Hochul said. This article originally appeared on the East Hampton Patch By the time he was thirty, Nicolas Steno had made a whole lifetime of discovery in several fields of science. Join the worldwide Magnificat family by subscribing now: Your prayer life will never be the same! Blessed Nicolas Steno 16381686 The year is 1684. Imagine a couple of rich merchants, well stuffed from a good dinner, walking the streets of Hamburg, the great mercantile city on the River Elbe. "The bishop is a fool or a hypocrite or both. No man can live the way he does." "They say he has only bread and beer four days a week." "It's gone to his brain." "He studies the brain, doesn't he?" "A heretic. Why would he sell his bishop's ring? Why doesn't he wear the robes of his office? Giving all to the poor, indeed!" "Regard the lilies of the field, how they grow." "Don't talk to me about lilies. We must get rid of this pest. The people of Hamburg know that God rewards the pious. He is an anatomist, yes? Let's give him some of his own to study." "What do you mean?" "Cut off his ears and nose." A man of careful observation The bishop, Nicolas Steno (1638-1686) Niels Steensen, as he was christened in his native Denmark had grown up as a frail little boy in a devoutly Lutheran home. He couldn't play with the other children, so instead he learned to listen to the grownups and their talk about serious matters. He became a man of many learned friends, with the patience to look at things very closely before pronouncing upon them. He was humble enough to admit it, and brave enough to rebuke famous men who claimed to know more than they did, such as his friend Descartes, who said that the human soul resided in the pineal gland. By the time he was thirty, Steno had made a whole lifetime of discovery in several fields of science. His first love was anatomy. He discovered the tube that brings saliva from the gland to the mouth; it is called Stensen's duct. He said, against common opinion, that when muscles contract, their shape changes but not their volume. The ancient physician Galen had said that the heart was the fireplace of the body, and most scientists agreed, but Steno, anticipating the anatomist William Harvey, described the heart as a double pump. He also said, correctly, that the body's cells are nourished by contact with all manner of fluids, not only by the blood in the tiniest capillaries. His Discourse on the Anatomy of the Brain is the first of its kind, treating of the folds and fibers and the different organs within the organ. "I must confess that I know nothing about it," he says in his introduction. He was humble enough to admit it, and brave enough to rebuke famous men who claimed to know more than they did, such as his friend Descartes, who said that the human soul resided in the pineal gland. They "will give you the history of the brain and the disposition of its parts as assuredly as if they had been present at the fashioning of that magnificent organ, and had penetrated into all the designs of its great Architect." It was, he said with deep wonder, "the most beautiful masterwork of Nature." Stone within stone In 1666, we find him in Italy, teaching at the University of Padua, where Harvey himself had studied, and where Vesalius, the founder of modern anatomy, had taught. He was an intellectual star. So when a couple of fishermen caught a huge shark off the Ligurian coast, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Ferdinand II de' Medici, ordered that the head be sent immediately to his friend, Steno. The triangular teeth interested him most. People had noticed odd triangular "stones" locked inside other stones, far from the sea. What were they, and where did they come from? Some said they were produced internally, by power inherent in the rock. Others said they were formed by the force of the sun or the moon. But Steno knew that the material was organic, not like inorganic rock: think of chalk or limestone, composed of the stuff of bones and shells. They must be the petrified remains of real teeth which meant that the hills where they were found must once have been underwater. Steno, a devout Christian, thought straightaway of Noah's flood. That led him to ask a tricky question: How can a solid end up wholly encased within another solid? How do we get stones inside stones? How do we get veins of metal between fissures of rock? What about crusts of crystals and gems? The principles he came up with are not obvious. They involve the gradual turning of fluid stuff to solid. Say you have a stone with an impression upon its surface what we now call a fossil. Steno said that the object that made the impression came before, or had been hardened before, the rock upon which it made its mark. New Hampshire, where I live, is full of conglomerate rocks, heavy things that seem made of hardened mud, studded with chunks of quartz and other crystals. Steno's Law says that the crystals came first. But what if you find copper running through layers of basalt, as they did in Italy? Then, said Steno, it was the basalt that came first, and the copper later. If you think of volcanic pumice, you will see how rock can, under great pressure and heat, be opened up with pores and veins into which liquid metal can flow. For all rock, he said, had once been fluid, and fluid settles evenly and horizontally, according to its weight. Suppose you are driving along a road cut through the granite of a hillside, and you notice strips of color in the rock, strips that are not parallel to the horizon. They must once have been parallel, Steno said, but now they are tilted because of subsequent events: think of the pressure of a slow collision, or, he said, of "the spontaneous slipping or downfall of the upper strata after they have begun to form cracks" what we now call faults. What about those crystals? Steno surmised that they did not grow from within, like organisms, but from without, by accretion think of coral. He did not know about electrical charges, but he guessed that some inner force, something like magnetism, made it so that a crystal of a certain material, regardless of its size, would always have the same angles between its faces. Think of the hexagons of a snowflake. Nicolas Steno is justly considered the father of paleontology, and of the study of geological strata. His work was far ahead of its time. Substance beneath accident "You're not afraid of the truth, young Nicolas," said the gentlewoman. "You must go where the truth leads." It was early summer in the port city of Livorno, under the jurisdiction of Ferdinand II de' Medici, the young scientist's friend and patron. People of all faiths lived and traded in Livorno. But today, a Thursday, Corpus Christi, was a holiday for the Catholics, and the great piazza in front of the Cathedral of Saint Francis was thronged with the faithful. The bishop came forth bearing the monstrance, followed by a long train of priests and altar boys, as the choir chanted from the hymn of Thomas Aquinas: Praestet fides supplementum sensuum defectui. "Fair are the things we see, and fairer are the things we know. But fairest of all are the things we do not know." "I do not see the Body of Christ," said the scientist. "Not with the eyes," said she, the good and pious lady of Lucca. "That's true. It's the mind that sees, not the eyes." The procession came their way. Signora Arnolfini fell to her knees. So did Nicolas Steno, humbly. "I'm not sure," he said. "Then you must study. Read the Fathers. Promise me," she said, smiling, but with urgency. "Promise me that. Ferdinand wishes the same." "I promise." The young man kept his word. He read his way into believing that Christ was truly present in the Eucharist, Body, Blood, soul, and divinity, under the appearances of bread. How can it be? Who can penetrate a miracle? Perhaps he was thinking of that too, along with all the other works of God that he had studied, when he said, "Fair are the things we see, and fairer are the things we know. But fairest of all are the things we do not know." On All Souls' Day in 1667, Steno entered the Catholic Church. He had long been a student of theology, and he continued in that work, even as he was engaging in his scientific investigations. In 1675, he was ordained a priest, in Florence, and celebrated his first Mass, fittingly enough at the Basilica of the Most Holy Lady of the Annunciation of that moment when divinity was enclosed within the matter of the womb of Mary. A pilgrim and preacher to the end Steno's scientific work had taken him far afield. So would his priestly work. Pope Innocent XI sent him back north to German lands, as the Vicar Apostolic for the Nordic Missions, a newly created vicariate that would last until 1930. He went to Hanover and then to Hamburg, where he was an auxiliary bishop. Those were wealthy cities, and the people made fun of him for his life of poverty and self-denial. They even threatened to mutilate the one-time anatomist. Worldly people do not like to be shown up. Blessed Nicolas Steno died, exhausted, in 1686. His bones rest in the Basilica of Saint Lawrence, in Florence, where he had known his happiest days. Would that we were all as devoted to the truth as he was. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 01/01/2022 (264 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS French authorities announced Saturday that children six and older will have to wear masks in indoor places open to the public as new cases of the highly contagious omicron variant surge past 200.000 for the fourth consecutive day. By lowering the age of children obligated to wear masks from 11 to 6, the government is hoping to avoid shutting down schools after the holiday break. Classes resume Monday and young children will have to wear masks in public transport, in sports complexes and places of worship. The mask mandate extends to outdoor spaces in cities such as Paris and Lyon that have recently re-introduced mask wearing outside. On the first day of the new year, France registered 219,126 new infections, down only slightly from the daily record of 232,200 noted on the last day of 2021. A medical technician performs a nasal swab test on a cyclist queued up in a line with motorists at a COVID-19 testing site near All City Stadium, Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021, in southeast Denver. With the rapid spread of the omicron variant paired with the Christmas holiday, testing sites have been strained to meet demand both in Colorado as well as across the country. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) French government is betting that fifth wave of the pandemic driven by the fast-spreading omicron variant can be tamed without returning to economically damaging lockdowns or curfews and without hospitals collapsing under growing numbers of gravely sick. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19. ___ HERES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC: Dozens of U.S. colleges move classes online temporarily to counter surge of infections Over 2,400 U.S. flights canceled on New Years Day as omicron rages on UK estimates 1 in 15 had virus in London before Christmas amid omicron surge New COVID-19 cases in US soar to highest levels on record ___ Follow APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic ___ HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING TODAY: PHOENIX Arizona on Saturday reported the largest number of additional confirmed COVID-19 cases since last January for the second day in a row and 125 more virus deaths. The state reported additional 8,220 cases as Arizonas pandemic totals increased to 1,389,708 cases and 24,354 deaths, according to the Department of Health Services coronavirus dashboard. Arizona on Friday reported 7,720 additional cases. The state reported over 8,000 additional cases on 13 days last January. COVID-19-related hospitalizations dropped slightly for the second straight day, with 2,283 virus patients occupying inpatient beds statewide Friday, the dashboard reported. According to Johns Hopkins University data, Arizonas seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Arizona rose over the past two weeks, increasing from 3,058.6 on Dec. 16 to 4,325 on Thursday. The rolling average of daily deaths dropped from 77.1 to 52.8 during the same period. ___ DALLAS For air travelers, the new year picked up where the old one left off - with lots of frustration. By late morning Saturday on the East Coast, more than 2,400 U.S. flights and nearly 4,200 worldwide had been canceled, according to tracking service FlightAware. That is the highest single-day toll yet since just before Christmas, when airlines began blaming staffing shortages on increasing COVID-19 infections among crews. More than 12,000 U.S. flights have been canceled since Dec. 24. Saturdays disruptions werent just due to the virus, however. Wintry weather made Chicago the worst place in the country for travelers, with 800 flights scrubbed at OHare Airport and more than 250 at Midway Airport. Forecasts called for nine inches of snow. Denver, Detroit and Newark, New Jersey, were hit with at least 100 cancellations each. Southwest Airlines, which has major operations at Chicago Midway and Denver, canceled more than 450 flights nationwide, or 13% of its schedule, by midmorning. American, Delta, United and JetBlue scrubbed more than 100 flights apiece. ___ LOS ANGELES A year after New Years Day passed without a Rose Parade due to the coronavirus pandemic, the floral spectacle celebrating the arrival of 2022 proceeded Saturday despite a new surge of infections due to the omicron variant. The 133rd edition of the Pasadena, California, tradition featured actor LeVar Burton as grand marshal, 20 marching bands, 18 equestrian units and dozens of floats reflecting the theme of Dream. Believe. Achieve. After days of record-smashing rains, there were sunny skies for the 8 a.m. start of the parade, which has an uncanny history of postcard weather. LeAnn Rimes kicked off the event with a performance of Throw My Arms Around the World followed by a military flyover of a B-2 bomber. Also on the performance list were American Idol winner Laine Hardy aboard Louisianas Feed Your Soul float and country singer-songwriter Jimmie Allen. A health worker prepares a sample taken for a COVID-19 test at a free testing center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Dec 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello) The parade and the afternoon Rose Bowl football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Utah Utes remained on track despite an explosion of COVID-19 infections in Los Angeles County, where daily new cases topped 27,000 on Friday. The county Department of Public Health said it was the highest number of new cases. ___ LISBON, Portugal A cruise ship carrying over 4,000 people has been held in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon after a COVID-19 outbreak infected crew members, the German news agency dpa reported Saturday. German company Aida Cruises told dpa that it discovered the positive coronavirus cases during routine health checks and has accommodated those infected ashore in coordination with Portuguese authorities in Lisbon. Portuguese media reported that 52 members of the crew of over 1,000 workers tested positive. None of the nearly 3,000 passengers had tested positive. All on board had passed a screening test and were vaccinated with two doses before the ship set sail from Germany. The ship is waiting for the arrival of new crew members to continue its journey to Spains Canary Islands, dpa said. ___ BOSTON With COVID-19 cases surging just as students are about to return from winter break, dozens of U.S. colleges are moving classes online again for at least the first week or so of the semester and some warn it could stretch longer if the wave of infection doesnt subside soon. Harvard is moving classes online for the first three weeks of the new year, with a return to campus scheduled for late January, conditions permitting. The University of Chicago is delaying the beginning of its new term and holding the first two weeks online. Some others are inviting students back to campus but starting classes online, including Michigan State University. Many colleges hope that an extra week or two will get them past the peak of the nationwide spike driven by the highly contagious omicron variant. Still, the surge is casting uncertainty over a semester many had hoped would be the closest to normal since the start of the pandemic. For some U.S. students, starting the term remotely is becoming routine many colleges used the strategy last year. But some fear the latest shift could extend well beyond a week or two. Jake Maynard, a student at George Washington University in the nations capital, said he is fine with a week of online classes, but beyond that, he hopes officials trust in the booster shots and provide a traditional college experience. ___ TOKYO Japans Emperor Naruhito offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic, taking to video for the second straight year for his New Years greeting on Saturday, having canceled public palace gatherings to curb coronavirus infections. Sitting before a bonsai tree with his wife Masako, Naruhito praised and thanked doctors and other health care workers, and expressed concern for countries lacking access to vaccines and adequate hospital systems. By treasuring more than ever the connections among people, sharing our pain and supporting each other, I hope from the bottom of my heart that we will overcome these hard times, he said. Japan has recorded more than 18,000 COVID-19-related deaths, but the pace of deaths has fallen in recent months. Naruhito also voiced worries about the fast-spreading omicron variant. - LAS VEGAS The annual CES gadget convention will be three days instead of four amid a jump in COVID-19 cases and the withdrawal of some of its best-known tech presenters. Convention organizer The Consumer Technology Association announced Friday that CES will run from Jan. 5-7, one day shorter than planned. The event still has over 2,200 exhibitors confirmed to show off their products at the Las Vegas convention, spokeswoman Jeanne Abella said. The announcement follows the withdrawal of tech giants from CES last week citing health risks of the omicron variant, including cellphone carriers like T-Mobile, whose CEO had been slated to deliver a keynote speech. Computer maker Lenovo and social media companies like Twitter and Facebook parent company Meta also canceled plans to attend. News outlets including CNN said they would cancel or reduce coverage. CES was held entirely virtually last year. It will be a hybrid of online and in-person this year, with organizers offering digital registration allowing access to around 40 livestreamed events, Abella said. ___ TAMPA, Fla. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday reported more than 75,900 new cases of COVID-19 in Florida. That tally raises the 7-day average daily to 42,600, which is twice as high as it was at the peak of this summers surge when the delta variant fueled a surge of infections in the state. Fridays report marks a single-day record for the number of new cases in Florida. It breaks the record set a day earlier when more than 58,000 cases were reported in the state. The omicron variant of the coronavirus has spiked in Florida and across the nation over the past few weeks. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) Soaring numbers during the holiday season have sent tens of thousands of people to COVID-19 testing centers across Florida, resulting in long lines in many areas. Three people collapsed while waiting in line at a Tampa testing site on Friday morning. ____ CARSON CITY, Nev. Hundreds of unvaccinated employees who work at public colleges and universities in Nevada were being fired Friday, a day after the state Board of Regents voted to keep a staff vaccine mandate in effect. The Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents on Thursday deadlocked 6-6 on a measure to repeal the staff vaccine mandate and then rejected a measure to push the effective termination date back two weeks. Without majority support for a repeal, the mandate which Gov. Steve Sisolak and the Nevada Faculty Alliance support remained in effect. Higher education officials said on Friday that 379 employees were being terminated, 188 attribution employees ended their contracts and 18 more voluntarily resigned. Employees who are fired can seek reinstatement if they show proof of vaccination in January, regents said. ___ PARIS Describing himself as resolutely optimistic, French President Emmanuel Macron has used the last New Years address of his current term to express the hope that, with vaccinations, 2022 will see the end of the coronavirus pandemic. Macron stopped short of saying that he will stand for re-election in April. He said only that he intends to continue serving the French whatever my place and the circumstances. The president appealed to the 5 million unvaccinated but eligible people in France to get coronavirus jabs, saying: All of France is counting on you. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19 and new cases are at unprecedented levels, surging with the highly contagious omicron variant. France reported a record 232,200 new cases on Friday, its third day running above the 200,000 mark. ___ ROME Italys president, Sergio Mattarella, has used the last New Years Eve speech of his term take to task those who waste opportunities to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, calling that choice an offense to all those who havent been able to receive the injection. In a televised speech to the nation Friday night, Mattarella, who is head of state, noted that he was serving in the final days of his seven-year term, with Parliament to elect his successor in the first weeks of 2022. Referring to recent COVID-19 surges in Italy and many other countries driven by virus variants, Mattarella noted a sense of frustration over the setbacks. ___ ALBANY, N.Y. Federal ambulance teams and additional National Guard members are headed for New York City, and western New York hospitals are getting more federal help as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations keep rising. State officials announced the new deployments Friday. Gov. Kathy Hochul also said students at state universities and the City University of New York will have to get coronavirus vaccine booster shots to be on campus in the spring semester and must test negative before returning from the holiday break. New confirmed case counts have been breaking records by the day in the state, topping 76,500 on Thursday, Hochul said at a news briefing. An average of 53,000 New Yorkers a day tested positive in the week that ended Thursday, compared to 13,000 per day two weeks earlier. Over 7,900 people with COVID-19 are hospitalized statewide, up 67% in a week. ___ ROME Italian health officials are warning that the rate of occupation by COVID-19 patients of hospital beds both in intensive care units and in regular wards has surpassed the critical level nationally. A top Health Ministry official, Gianni Rezza, also said on Friday evening that the incidence of cases is growing, with 783 confirmed COVID-19 infections per every 100,000 residents in Italy. The country hit another high for daily new caseloads 144,243 confirmed cases in the last 24 hours. Nearly 12% of some 1.234 million swab tests conducted since Thursday resulted positive, according to the ministry, which urged vaccinated persons to get a booster shot if they are eligible. With the nation slammed by a surge of infections largely driven by the omicron variant, the government banned public New Years Eve celebrations. LONG ISLAND, NY With the number of COVID-19 cases continuing to spike in New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul rolled out her "winter surge 2.0" plan Friday including announcements that all SUNY and CUNY students must be boosted before returning to classes, and that a mask-or-vaccination mandate for businesses will be extended through February. Hochul said there were five key points to the plan: Keeping kids in school, continuing to wear masks and test, preventing severe illness and death, increasing vaccines and boosters, and working in collaboration with local leaders. "We are working around the clock to fight this surge. And as we've been saying for a long time, we were going to experience a very serious winter surge," Hochul said. Statewide, as of Friday, there are 271 cases per 100,000 and 321 per 100,000 on Long Island. On Friday, there were 76,555 new positive cases reported as the omicron variant adds to the uptick, Hochul said. "It's almost not worth it to say we're breaking records. We're breaking records every day and we'll probably continue to do so until we hit that downward trend," Hochul said. The trends have been witnessed nationwide and globally, Hochul reminded. New York stands at number three in the nation for per capita testing and number one, in the large states, she said. Hospitalizations continue to rise, "closing in on 8,000 which is not a milestone we've hoped to hit, but it's also very concerning," Hochul said. Health care workers are exhausted and frustrated, she said, "because they know it did not have to be this way. If we had more people vaccinated, fully vaccinated, to deal with this highly transmittable variant known as omicron." On Long Island, 1,374 are hospitalized, the data indicates. And a total of 80 New Yorkers died in the 24 hours leading up to Friday's news briefing, Hochul said. "We're not out of this," Hochul said. "We're still addressing a very serious situation." Story continues In New York, 95 percent of adults over 18 have received their first dose, but there is a need for people to go receive their second doses, Hochul said adding that boosters, too, are critical. A person who is boosted can be protected within two to three days of receiving that shot, she said. The challenge also remains children in the 5 to 11 age group, Hochul said only 28 percent have received their first dose. Children in that age group who remain unvaccinated might be transmitting the virus to their younger siblings, she said. Discussing why she was releasing a 2.0 plan, Hochul said it's because the virus has changed so dramatically and quickly since November. "We have to adapt. We have to be very smart. We've been doing the right things, but 2.0 is simply improvements upon what we've been doing. And again, to sound the alarm, that the numbers are continuing to increase they don't have to, we can control this," she said. Hochul discussed the five key points of her 2.0 plan: Keeping kids in school The governor said planes are bringing testing kits to New York, so that the "Test to Stay" program can be rolled out. The tenet of that plan is that if a student's classmate tests positive, kids can take home test kits in their backpacks, and then come back the next day if they test negative, and get tested again in a few days. New York State Operations Director Kathryn Garcia said more than 37 million tests have been ordered; 5.28 million arrived this week, and another 6 million are arriving through Monday. The state will also supply tests to counties. Discussing college students, Hochul said students congregate and live on campus, so the experience is different. On Friday, the state issued new guidance for SUNY and CUNY schools for the spring semester. "We are asking all schools to ensure that students before they return are boosted," Hochul said. "They're required to be vaccinated. Now we're putting on an additional requirement: in order to return to your college campus you have to be boosted." College students are also required to wear masks in public spaces indoors and will have to quarantine and follow New York State and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines if anyone does test positive. Those students will also have to show a negative test when they return to campus, Hochul said. Random sampling will continue throughout the year, Hochul added. The requirement takes effect on January 15. The goal is not to just think of the health of students and staff, but also the local businesses that will suffer if college campuses are forced to shutter, Hochul said. Mask/vaccination requirement for businesses extended Testing and masks are an important line of defense, Hochul said. Although the mandate for businesses to either require masks or proof of vaccination was initially going to be re-evaluated on January 15, that has been extended for two weeks, due to the rapidly changing landscape, Hochul said. The plan has been geared all along to keeping the economy open, she said. "The other alternative is to say, shut it all down. The reason we don't have to do this is because we now have the defenses in place, the testing, the vaccines, the booster shots, the masks. So we're in a different dynamic now but I'm very conscious while this continues to spread that we can take steps to make sure that they are protected," Hochul said. To that end, Hochul urged the use of KN95 masks, which offer more protection; she said New Yorkers can use their favorite cloth masks over the KN95 masks to offer double protection. A total of 5 million KN95 masks have been sent out to counties statewide, she said. With 13 new testing sites launched recently, including two on Long Island, six others will be added next week, although none of those six are on Long Island. New MTA sites have also been added in New York City in the Bronx, she said. Preventing severe illness and death Hochul said supporting hospitals is a key factor in preventing severe illness and death. The federal government plays an important role, Hochul said. She is working with federal partners and advocating for the right to be able to protect nursing home occupants by requiring visitors to be vaccinated. "We've asked the federal government to revise their regulations that don't allow us to have any restrictions on visitors," Hochul said. "I understand that this was a reaction to the painful experience that so many families had to experience when they couldn't visit a loved one. Visit your loved one, but also don't be the reason that loved one does not survive." Hochul said she has also asked the federal government to make the antiviral treatment more widely available. Dr. Mary Bassett, New York's department of health commissioner, said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last week gave emergency approval to oral antiviral drugs. Before that, monoclonal antibodies were drugs that had to be administered in hospitals; the Pfizer drug is called Paxlovid, the Merck drug is Molnupiravir both are taken orally twice a day for five days. While New York received 3,180 doses of Paxlovid, far greater amounts are needed, Bassett said. The challenge is in production, she said. There has also been a focus on monoclonal antibodies, Bassett said, including one that's been the most protective for people who have omicron infection, called Sotrovimab. New York received 4,242 doses and then received an additional 5,580. "The federal government is now acknowledging that New York State has to receive not just proportional to our population but proportional to our disease burden," Bassett said. Jackie Bray, division of Homeland Security emergency services commissioner, said federal assistance has come in the form of new deployments statewide. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending a 35-member disaster medical assistance team to SUNY upstate in Syracuse, as well as a medical response team to Buffalo and 30 federal ambulance teams working upstate and in central New York. FEMA will also be sending 50 additional ambulance teams to New York City, Bray said. In addition to the federal aid, New York is opening its stockpiles and sending medical equipment, including oxygen tanks and other supplies, to hospitals statewide, Bray said. Hochul said there is good news: New York is down from 35 hospitals who had to put the brakes on elective surgeries, to 21. Vaccinated versus unvaccinated hospitalizations According to the latest data, 30 per 100,000 cases are unvaccinated, compared with 2.1 who are vaccinated. "If you are vaccinated you have a very low chance of being hospitalized," Hochul said. "Look at those numbers and see what percentage of people are in hospitals who are unvaccinated versus vaccinated, it's an extraordinary difference." Pediatric hospitalizations continue to rise, up to 299 statewide this week. Hochul said the FDA final approval date for the Pfizer booster is coming soon for 12 to 15 year olds and added that kids should not only be vaccinated but boosted. The governor also said communication with local leaders will continue. "This is the final message. 2022 is the year we beat this pandemic," Hochul said. This article originally appeared on the East Hampton Patch Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 01/01/2022 (264 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS French authorities announced Saturday that children six and older will have to wear masks in indoor places open to the public as new cases of the highly contagious omicron variant surge past 200.000 for the fourth consecutive day. By lowering the age of children obligated to wear masks from 11 to 6, the government is hoping to avoid shutting down schools after the holiday break. Classes resume Monday and young children will have to wear masks in public transport, in sports complexes and places of worship. The mask mandate extends to outdoor spaces in cities such as Paris and Lyon that have recently re-introduced mask wearing outside. On the first day of the new year, France registered 219,126 new infections, down only slightly from the daily record of 232,200 noted on the last day of 2021. A medical technician performs a nasal swab test on a cyclist queued up in a line with motorists at a COVID-19 testing site near All City Stadium, Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021, in southeast Denver. With the rapid spread of the omicron variant paired with the Christmas holiday, testing sites have been strained to meet demand both in Colorado as well as across the country. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) French government is betting that fifth wave of the pandemic driven by the fast-spreading omicron variant can be tamed without returning to economically damaging lockdowns or curfews and without hospitals collapsing under growing numbers of gravely sick. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19. ___ HERES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC: Dozens of U.S. colleges move classes online temporarily to counter surge of infections Over 2,400 U.S. flights canceled on New Years Day as omicron rages on UK estimates 1 in 15 had virus in London before Christmas amid omicron surge New COVID-19 cases in US soar to highest levels on record ___ Follow APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic ___ HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING TODAY: PHOENIX Arizona on Saturday reported the largest number of additional confirmed COVID-19 cases since last January for the second day in a row and 125 more virus deaths. The state reported additional 8,220 cases as Arizonas pandemic totals increased to 1,389,708 cases and 24,354 deaths, according to the Department of Health Services coronavirus dashboard. Arizona on Friday reported 7,720 additional cases. The state reported over 8,000 additional cases on 13 days last January. COVID-19-related hospitalizations dropped slightly for the second straight day, with 2,283 virus patients occupying inpatient beds statewide Friday, the dashboard reported. According to Johns Hopkins University data, Arizonas seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Arizona rose over the past two weeks, increasing from 3,058.6 on Dec. 16 to 4,325 on Thursday. The rolling average of daily deaths dropped from 77.1 to 52.8 during the same period. ___ DALLAS For air travelers, the new year picked up where the old one left off - with lots of frustration. By late morning Saturday on the East Coast, more than 2,400 U.S. flights and nearly 4,200 worldwide had been canceled, according to tracking service FlightAware. That is the highest single-day toll yet since just before Christmas, when airlines began blaming staffing shortages on increasing COVID-19 infections among crews. More than 12,000 U.S. flights have been canceled since Dec. 24. Saturdays disruptions werent just due to the virus, however. Wintry weather made Chicago the worst place in the country for travelers, with 800 flights scrubbed at OHare Airport and more than 250 at Midway Airport. Forecasts called for nine inches of snow. Denver, Detroit and Newark, New Jersey, were hit with at least 100 cancellations each. Southwest Airlines, which has major operations at Chicago Midway and Denver, canceled more than 450 flights nationwide, or 13% of its schedule, by midmorning. American, Delta, United and JetBlue scrubbed more than 100 flights apiece. ___ LOS ANGELES A year after New Years Day passed without a Rose Parade due to the coronavirus pandemic, the floral spectacle celebrating the arrival of 2022 proceeded Saturday despite a new surge of infections due to the omicron variant. The 133rd edition of the Pasadena, California, tradition featured actor LeVar Burton as grand marshal, 20 marching bands, 18 equestrian units and dozens of floats reflecting the theme of Dream. Believe. Achieve. After days of record-smashing rains, there were sunny skies for the 8 a.m. start of the parade, which has an uncanny history of postcard weather. LeAnn Rimes kicked off the event with a performance of Throw My Arms Around the World followed by a military flyover of a B-2 bomber. Also on the performance list were American Idol winner Laine Hardy aboard Louisianas Feed Your Soul float and country singer-songwriter Jimmie Allen. A health worker prepares a sample taken for a COVID-19 test at a free testing center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Dec 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello) The parade and the afternoon Rose Bowl football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Utah Utes remained on track despite an explosion of COVID-19 infections in Los Angeles County, where daily new cases topped 27,000 on Friday. The county Department of Public Health said it was the highest number of new cases. ___ LISBON, Portugal A cruise ship carrying over 4,000 people has been held in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon after a COVID-19 outbreak infected crew members, the German news agency dpa reported Saturday. German company Aida Cruises told dpa that it discovered the positive coronavirus cases during routine health checks and has accommodated those infected ashore in coordination with Portuguese authorities in Lisbon. Portuguese media reported that 52 members of the crew of over 1,000 workers tested positive. None of the nearly 3,000 passengers had tested positive. All on board had passed a screening test and were vaccinated with two doses before the ship set sail from Germany. The ship is waiting for the arrival of new crew members to continue its journey to Spains Canary Islands, dpa said. ___ BOSTON With COVID-19 cases surging just as students are about to return from winter break, dozens of U.S. colleges are moving classes online again for at least the first week or so of the semester and some warn it could stretch longer if the wave of infection doesnt subside soon. Harvard is moving classes online for the first three weeks of the new year, with a return to campus scheduled for late January, conditions permitting. The University of Chicago is delaying the beginning of its new term and holding the first two weeks online. Some others are inviting students back to campus but starting classes online, including Michigan State University. Many colleges hope that an extra week or two will get them past the peak of the nationwide spike driven by the highly contagious omicron variant. Still, the surge is casting uncertainty over a semester many had hoped would be the closest to normal since the start of the pandemic. For some U.S. students, starting the term remotely is becoming routine many colleges used the strategy last year. But some fear the latest shift could extend well beyond a week or two. Jake Maynard, a student at George Washington University in the nations capital, said he is fine with a week of online classes, but beyond that, he hopes officials trust in the booster shots and provide a traditional college experience. ___ TOKYO Japans Emperor Naruhito offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic, taking to video for the second straight year for his New Years greeting on Saturday, having canceled public palace gatherings to curb coronavirus infections. Sitting before a bonsai tree with his wife Masako, Naruhito praised and thanked doctors and other health care workers, and expressed concern for countries lacking access to vaccines and adequate hospital systems. By treasuring more than ever the connections among people, sharing our pain and supporting each other, I hope from the bottom of my heart that we will overcome these hard times, he said. Japan has recorded more than 18,000 COVID-19-related deaths, but the pace of deaths has fallen in recent months. Naruhito also voiced worries about the fast-spreading omicron variant. - LAS VEGAS The annual CES gadget convention will be three days instead of four amid a jump in COVID-19 cases and the withdrawal of some of its best-known tech presenters. Convention organizer The Consumer Technology Association announced Friday that CES will run from Jan. 5-7, one day shorter than planned. The event still has over 2,200 exhibitors confirmed to show off their products at the Las Vegas convention, spokeswoman Jeanne Abella said. The announcement follows the withdrawal of tech giants from CES last week citing health risks of the omicron variant, including cellphone carriers like T-Mobile, whose CEO had been slated to deliver a keynote speech. Computer maker Lenovo and social media companies like Twitter and Facebook parent company Meta also canceled plans to attend. News outlets including CNN said they would cancel or reduce coverage. CES was held entirely virtually last year. It will be a hybrid of online and in-person this year, with organizers offering digital registration allowing access to around 40 livestreamed events, Abella said. ___ TAMPA, Fla. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday reported more than 75,900 new cases of COVID-19 in Florida. That tally raises the 7-day average daily to 42,600, which is twice as high as it was at the peak of this summers surge when the delta variant fueled a surge of infections in the state. Fridays report marks a single-day record for the number of new cases in Florida. It breaks the record set a day earlier when more than 58,000 cases were reported in the state. The omicron variant of the coronavirus has spiked in Florida and across the nation over the past few weeks. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) Soaring numbers during the holiday season have sent tens of thousands of people to COVID-19 testing centers across Florida, resulting in long lines in many areas. Three people collapsed while waiting in line at a Tampa testing site on Friday morning. ____ CARSON CITY, Nev. Hundreds of unvaccinated employees who work at public colleges and universities in Nevada were being fired Friday, a day after the state Board of Regents voted to keep a staff vaccine mandate in effect. The Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents on Thursday deadlocked 6-6 on a measure to repeal the staff vaccine mandate and then rejected a measure to push the effective termination date back two weeks. Without majority support for a repeal, the mandate which Gov. Steve Sisolak and the Nevada Faculty Alliance support remained in effect. Higher education officials said on Friday that 379 employees were being terminated, 188 attribution employees ended their contracts and 18 more voluntarily resigned. Employees who are fired can seek reinstatement if they show proof of vaccination in January, regents said. ___ PARIS Describing himself as resolutely optimistic, French President Emmanuel Macron has used the last New Years address of his current term to express the hope that, with vaccinations, 2022 will see the end of the coronavirus pandemic. Macron stopped short of saying that he will stand for re-election in April. He said only that he intends to continue serving the French whatever my place and the circumstances. The president appealed to the 5 million unvaccinated but eligible people in France to get coronavirus jabs, saying: All of France is counting on you. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19 and new cases are at unprecedented levels, surging with the highly contagious omicron variant. France reported a record 232,200 new cases on Friday, its third day running above the 200,000 mark. ___ ROME Italys president, Sergio Mattarella, has used the last New Years Eve speech of his term take to task those who waste opportunities to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, calling that choice an offense to all those who havent been able to receive the injection. In a televised speech to the nation Friday night, Mattarella, who is head of state, noted that he was serving in the final days of his seven-year term, with Parliament to elect his successor in the first weeks of 2022. Referring to recent COVID-19 surges in Italy and many other countries driven by virus variants, Mattarella noted a sense of frustration over the setbacks. ___ ALBANY, N.Y. Federal ambulance teams and additional National Guard members are headed for New York City, and western New York hospitals are getting more federal help as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations keep rising. State officials announced the new deployments Friday. Gov. Kathy Hochul also said students at state universities and the City University of New York will have to get coronavirus vaccine booster shots to be on campus in the spring semester and must test negative before returning from the holiday break. New confirmed case counts have been breaking records by the day in the state, topping 76,500 on Thursday, Hochul said at a news briefing. An average of 53,000 New Yorkers a day tested positive in the week that ended Thursday, compared to 13,000 per day two weeks earlier. Over 7,900 people with COVID-19 are hospitalized statewide, up 67% in a week. ___ ROME Italian health officials are warning that the rate of occupation by COVID-19 patients of hospital beds both in intensive care units and in regular wards has surpassed the critical level nationally. A top Health Ministry official, Gianni Rezza, also said on Friday evening that the incidence of cases is growing, with 783 confirmed COVID-19 infections per every 100,000 residents in Italy. The country hit another high for daily new caseloads 144,243 confirmed cases in the last 24 hours. Nearly 12% of some 1.234 million swab tests conducted since Thursday resulted positive, according to the ministry, which urged vaccinated persons to get a booster shot if they are eligible. With the nation slammed by a surge of infections largely driven by the omicron variant, the government banned public New Years Eve celebrations. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 01/01/2022 (264 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS French authorities announced Saturday that children six and older will have to wear masks in indoor places open to the public as new cases of the highly contagious omicron variant surge past 200.000 for the fourth consecutive day. By lowering the age of children obligated to wear masks from 11 to 6, the government is hoping to avoid shutting down schools after the holiday break. Classes resume Monday and young children will have to wear masks in public transport, in sports complexes and places of worship. The mask mandate extends to outdoor spaces in cities such as Paris and Lyon that have recently re-introduced mask wearing outside. On the first day of the new year, France registered 219,126 new infections, down only slightly from the daily record of 232,200 noted on the last day of 2021. A medical technician performs a nasal swab test on a cyclist queued up in a line with motorists at a COVID-19 testing site near All City Stadium, Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021, in southeast Denver. With the rapid spread of the omicron variant paired with the Christmas holiday, testing sites have been strained to meet demand both in Colorado as well as across the country. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) French government is betting that fifth wave of the pandemic driven by the fast-spreading omicron variant can be tamed without returning to economically damaging lockdowns or curfews and without hospitals collapsing under growing numbers of gravely sick. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19. ___ HERES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC: Dozens of U.S. colleges move classes online temporarily to counter surge of infections Over 2,400 U.S. flights canceled on New Years Day as omicron rages on UK estimates 1 in 15 had virus in London before Christmas amid omicron surge New COVID-19 cases in US soar to highest levels on record ___ Follow APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic ___ HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING TODAY: PHOENIX Arizona on Saturday reported the largest number of additional confirmed COVID-19 cases since last January for the second day in a row and 125 more virus deaths. The state reported additional 8,220 cases as Arizonas pandemic totals increased to 1,389,708 cases and 24,354 deaths, according to the Department of Health Services coronavirus dashboard. Arizona on Friday reported 7,720 additional cases. The state reported over 8,000 additional cases on 13 days last January. COVID-19-related hospitalizations dropped slightly for the second straight day, with 2,283 virus patients occupying inpatient beds statewide Friday, the dashboard reported. According to Johns Hopkins University data, Arizonas seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Arizona rose over the past two weeks, increasing from 3,058.6 on Dec. 16 to 4,325 on Thursday. The rolling average of daily deaths dropped from 77.1 to 52.8 during the same period. ___ DALLAS For air travelers, the new year picked up where the old one left off - with lots of frustration. By late morning Saturday on the East Coast, more than 2,400 U.S. flights and nearly 4,200 worldwide had been canceled, according to tracking service FlightAware. That is the highest single-day toll yet since just before Christmas, when airlines began blaming staffing shortages on increasing COVID-19 infections among crews. More than 12,000 U.S. flights have been canceled since Dec. 24. Saturdays disruptions werent just due to the virus, however. Wintry weather made Chicago the worst place in the country for travelers, with 800 flights scrubbed at OHare Airport and more than 250 at Midway Airport. Forecasts called for nine inches of snow. Denver, Detroit and Newark, New Jersey, were hit with at least 100 cancellations each. Southwest Airlines, which has major operations at Chicago Midway and Denver, canceled more than 450 flights nationwide, or 13% of its schedule, by midmorning. American, Delta, United and JetBlue scrubbed more than 100 flights apiece. ___ LOS ANGELES A year after New Years Day passed without a Rose Parade due to the coronavirus pandemic, the floral spectacle celebrating the arrival of 2022 proceeded Saturday despite a new surge of infections due to the omicron variant. The 133rd edition of the Pasadena, California, tradition featured actor LeVar Burton as grand marshal, 20 marching bands, 18 equestrian units and dozens of floats reflecting the theme of Dream. Believe. Achieve. After days of record-smashing rains, there were sunny skies for the 8 a.m. start of the parade, which has an uncanny history of postcard weather. LeAnn Rimes kicked off the event with a performance of Throw My Arms Around the World followed by a military flyover of a B-2 bomber. Also on the performance list were American Idol winner Laine Hardy aboard Louisianas Feed Your Soul float and country singer-songwriter Jimmie Allen. A health worker prepares a sample taken for a COVID-19 test at a free testing center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Dec 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello) The parade and the afternoon Rose Bowl football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Utah Utes remained on track despite an explosion of COVID-19 infections in Los Angeles County, where daily new cases topped 27,000 on Friday. The county Department of Public Health said it was the highest number of new cases. ___ LISBON, Portugal A cruise ship carrying over 4,000 people has been held in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon after a COVID-19 outbreak infected crew members, the German news agency dpa reported Saturday. German company Aida Cruises told dpa that it discovered the positive coronavirus cases during routine health checks and has accommodated those infected ashore in coordination with Portuguese authorities in Lisbon. Portuguese media reported that 52 members of the crew of over 1,000 workers tested positive. None of the nearly 3,000 passengers had tested positive. All on board had passed a screening test and were vaccinated with two doses before the ship set sail from Germany. The ship is waiting for the arrival of new crew members to continue its journey to Spains Canary Islands, dpa said. ___ BOSTON With COVID-19 cases surging just as students are about to return from winter break, dozens of U.S. colleges are moving classes online again for at least the first week or so of the semester and some warn it could stretch longer if the wave of infection doesnt subside soon. Harvard is moving classes online for the first three weeks of the new year, with a return to campus scheduled for late January, conditions permitting. The University of Chicago is delaying the beginning of its new term and holding the first two weeks online. Some others are inviting students back to campus but starting classes online, including Michigan State University. Many colleges hope that an extra week or two will get them past the peak of the nationwide spike driven by the highly contagious omicron variant. Still, the surge is casting uncertainty over a semester many had hoped would be the closest to normal since the start of the pandemic. For some U.S. students, starting the term remotely is becoming routine many colleges used the strategy last year. But some fear the latest shift could extend well beyond a week or two. Jake Maynard, a student at George Washington University in the nations capital, said he is fine with a week of online classes, but beyond that, he hopes officials trust in the booster shots and provide a traditional college experience. ___ TOKYO Japans Emperor Naruhito offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic, taking to video for the second straight year for his New Years greeting on Saturday, having canceled public palace gatherings to curb coronavirus infections. Sitting before a bonsai tree with his wife Masako, Naruhito praised and thanked doctors and other health care workers, and expressed concern for countries lacking access to vaccines and adequate hospital systems. By treasuring more than ever the connections among people, sharing our pain and supporting each other, I hope from the bottom of my heart that we will overcome these hard times, he said. Japan has recorded more than 18,000 COVID-19-related deaths, but the pace of deaths has fallen in recent months. Naruhito also voiced worries about the fast-spreading omicron variant. - LAS VEGAS The annual CES gadget convention will be three days instead of four amid a jump in COVID-19 cases and the withdrawal of some of its best-known tech presenters. Convention organizer The Consumer Technology Association announced Friday that CES will run from Jan. 5-7, one day shorter than planned. The event still has over 2,200 exhibitors confirmed to show off their products at the Las Vegas convention, spokeswoman Jeanne Abella said. The announcement follows the withdrawal of tech giants from CES last week citing health risks of the omicron variant, including cellphone carriers like T-Mobile, whose CEO had been slated to deliver a keynote speech. Computer maker Lenovo and social media companies like Twitter and Facebook parent company Meta also canceled plans to attend. News outlets including CNN said they would cancel or reduce coverage. CES was held entirely virtually last year. It will be a hybrid of online and in-person this year, with organizers offering digital registration allowing access to around 40 livestreamed events, Abella said. ___ TAMPA, Fla. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday reported more than 75,900 new cases of COVID-19 in Florida. That tally raises the 7-day average daily to 42,600, which is twice as high as it was at the peak of this summers surge when the delta variant fueled a surge of infections in the state. Fridays report marks a single-day record for the number of new cases in Florida. It breaks the record set a day earlier when more than 58,000 cases were reported in the state. The omicron variant of the coronavirus has spiked in Florida and across the nation over the past few weeks. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) Soaring numbers during the holiday season have sent tens of thousands of people to COVID-19 testing centers across Florida, resulting in long lines in many areas. Three people collapsed while waiting in line at a Tampa testing site on Friday morning. ____ CARSON CITY, Nev. Hundreds of unvaccinated employees who work at public colleges and universities in Nevada were being fired Friday, a day after the state Board of Regents voted to keep a staff vaccine mandate in effect. The Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents on Thursday deadlocked 6-6 on a measure to repeal the staff vaccine mandate and then rejected a measure to push the effective termination date back two weeks. Without majority support for a repeal, the mandate which Gov. Steve Sisolak and the Nevada Faculty Alliance support remained in effect. Higher education officials said on Friday that 379 employees were being terminated, 188 attribution employees ended their contracts and 18 more voluntarily resigned. Employees who are fired can seek reinstatement if they show proof of vaccination in January, regents said. ___ PARIS Describing himself as resolutely optimistic, French President Emmanuel Macron has used the last New Years address of his current term to express the hope that, with vaccinations, 2022 will see the end of the coronavirus pandemic. Macron stopped short of saying that he will stand for re-election in April. He said only that he intends to continue serving the French whatever my place and the circumstances. The president appealed to the 5 million unvaccinated but eligible people in France to get coronavirus jabs, saying: All of France is counting on you. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19 and new cases are at unprecedented levels, surging with the highly contagious omicron variant. France reported a record 232,200 new cases on Friday, its third day running above the 200,000 mark. ___ ROME Italys president, Sergio Mattarella, has used the last New Years Eve speech of his term take to task those who waste opportunities to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, calling that choice an offense to all those who havent been able to receive the injection. In a televised speech to the nation Friday night, Mattarella, who is head of state, noted that he was serving in the final days of his seven-year term, with Parliament to elect his successor in the first weeks of 2022. Referring to recent COVID-19 surges in Italy and many other countries driven by virus variants, Mattarella noted a sense of frustration over the setbacks. ___ ALBANY, N.Y. Federal ambulance teams and additional National Guard members are headed for New York City, and western New York hospitals are getting more federal help as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations keep rising. State officials announced the new deployments Friday. Gov. Kathy Hochul also said students at state universities and the City University of New York will have to get coronavirus vaccine booster shots to be on campus in the spring semester and must test negative before returning from the holiday break. New confirmed case counts have been breaking records by the day in the state, topping 76,500 on Thursday, Hochul said at a news briefing. An average of 53,000 New Yorkers a day tested positive in the week that ended Thursday, compared to 13,000 per day two weeks earlier. Over 7,900 people with COVID-19 are hospitalized statewide, up 67% in a week. ___ ROME Italian health officials are warning that the rate of occupation by COVID-19 patients of hospital beds both in intensive care units and in regular wards has surpassed the critical level nationally. A top Health Ministry official, Gianni Rezza, also said on Friday evening that the incidence of cases is growing, with 783 confirmed COVID-19 infections per every 100,000 residents in Italy. The country hit another high for daily new caseloads 144,243 confirmed cases in the last 24 hours. Nearly 12% of some 1.234 million swab tests conducted since Thursday resulted positive, according to the ministry, which urged vaccinated persons to get a booster shot if they are eligible. With the nation slammed by a surge of infections largely driven by the omicron variant, the government banned public New Years Eve celebrations. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 01/01/2022 (264 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS French authorities announced Saturday that children six and older will have to wear masks in indoor places open to the public as new cases of the highly contagious omicron variant surge past 200.000 for the fourth consecutive day. By lowering the age of children obligated to wear masks from 11 to 6, the government is hoping to avoid shutting down schools after the holiday break. Classes resume Monday and young children will have to wear masks in public transport, in sports complexes and places of worship. The mask mandate extends to outdoor spaces in cities such as Paris and Lyon that have recently re-introduced mask wearing outside. On the first day of the new year, France registered 219,126 new infections, down only slightly from the daily record of 232,200 noted on the last day of 2021. A medical technician performs a nasal swab test on a cyclist queued up in a line with motorists at a COVID-19 testing site near All City Stadium, Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021, in southeast Denver. With the rapid spread of the omicron variant paired with the Christmas holiday, testing sites have been strained to meet demand both in Colorado as well as across the country. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) French government is betting that fifth wave of the pandemic driven by the fast-spreading omicron variant can be tamed without returning to economically damaging lockdowns or curfews and without hospitals collapsing under growing numbers of gravely sick. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19. ___ HERES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC: Dozens of U.S. colleges move classes online temporarily to counter surge of infections Over 2,400 U.S. flights canceled on New Years Day as omicron rages on UK estimates 1 in 15 had virus in London before Christmas amid omicron surge New COVID-19 cases in US soar to highest levels on record ___ Follow APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic ___ HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING TODAY: PHOENIX Arizona on Saturday reported the largest number of additional confirmed COVID-19 cases since last January for the second day in a row and 125 more virus deaths. The state reported additional 8,220 cases as Arizonas pandemic totals increased to 1,389,708 cases and 24,354 deaths, according to the Department of Health Services coronavirus dashboard. Arizona on Friday reported 7,720 additional cases. The state reported over 8,000 additional cases on 13 days last January. COVID-19-related hospitalizations dropped slightly for the second straight day, with 2,283 virus patients occupying inpatient beds statewide Friday, the dashboard reported. According to Johns Hopkins University data, Arizonas seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Arizona rose over the past two weeks, increasing from 3,058.6 on Dec. 16 to 4,325 on Thursday. The rolling average of daily deaths dropped from 77.1 to 52.8 during the same period. ___ DALLAS For air travelers, the new year picked up where the old one left off - with lots of frustration. By late morning Saturday on the East Coast, more than 2,400 U.S. flights and nearly 4,200 worldwide had been canceled, according to tracking service FlightAware. That is the highest single-day toll yet since just before Christmas, when airlines began blaming staffing shortages on increasing COVID-19 infections among crews. More than 12,000 U.S. flights have been canceled since Dec. 24. Saturdays disruptions werent just due to the virus, however. Wintry weather made Chicago the worst place in the country for travelers, with 800 flights scrubbed at OHare Airport and more than 250 at Midway Airport. Forecasts called for nine inches of snow. Denver, Detroit and Newark, New Jersey, were hit with at least 100 cancellations each. Southwest Airlines, which has major operations at Chicago Midway and Denver, canceled more than 450 flights nationwide, or 13% of its schedule, by midmorning. American, Delta, United and JetBlue scrubbed more than 100 flights apiece. ___ LOS ANGELES A year after New Years Day passed without a Rose Parade due to the coronavirus pandemic, the floral spectacle celebrating the arrival of 2022 proceeded Saturday despite a new surge of infections due to the omicron variant. The 133rd edition of the Pasadena, California, tradition featured actor LeVar Burton as grand marshal, 20 marching bands, 18 equestrian units and dozens of floats reflecting the theme of Dream. Believe. Achieve. After days of record-smashing rains, there were sunny skies for the 8 a.m. start of the parade, which has an uncanny history of postcard weather. LeAnn Rimes kicked off the event with a performance of Throw My Arms Around the World followed by a military flyover of a B-2 bomber. Also on the performance list were American Idol winner Laine Hardy aboard Louisianas Feed Your Soul float and country singer-songwriter Jimmie Allen. A health worker prepares a sample taken for a COVID-19 test at a free testing center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Dec 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello) The parade and the afternoon Rose Bowl football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Utah Utes remained on track despite an explosion of COVID-19 infections in Los Angeles County, where daily new cases topped 27,000 on Friday. The county Department of Public Health said it was the highest number of new cases. ___ LISBON, Portugal A cruise ship carrying over 4,000 people has been held in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon after a COVID-19 outbreak infected crew members, the German news agency dpa reported Saturday. German company Aida Cruises told dpa that it discovered the positive coronavirus cases during routine health checks and has accommodated those infected ashore in coordination with Portuguese authorities in Lisbon. Portuguese media reported that 52 members of the crew of over 1,000 workers tested positive. None of the nearly 3,000 passengers had tested positive. All on board had passed a screening test and were vaccinated with two doses before the ship set sail from Germany. The ship is waiting for the arrival of new crew members to continue its journey to Spains Canary Islands, dpa said. ___ BOSTON With COVID-19 cases surging just as students are about to return from winter break, dozens of U.S. colleges are moving classes online again for at least the first week or so of the semester and some warn it could stretch longer if the wave of infection doesnt subside soon. Harvard is moving classes online for the first three weeks of the new year, with a return to campus scheduled for late January, conditions permitting. The University of Chicago is delaying the beginning of its new term and holding the first two weeks online. Some others are inviting students back to campus but starting classes online, including Michigan State University. Many colleges hope that an extra week or two will get them past the peak of the nationwide spike driven by the highly contagious omicron variant. Still, the surge is casting uncertainty over a semester many had hoped would be the closest to normal since the start of the pandemic. For some U.S. students, starting the term remotely is becoming routine many colleges used the strategy last year. But some fear the latest shift could extend well beyond a week or two. Jake Maynard, a student at George Washington University in the nations capital, said he is fine with a week of online classes, but beyond that, he hopes officials trust in the booster shots and provide a traditional college experience. ___ TOKYO Japans Emperor Naruhito offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic, taking to video for the second straight year for his New Years greeting on Saturday, having canceled public palace gatherings to curb coronavirus infections. Sitting before a bonsai tree with his wife Masako, Naruhito praised and thanked doctors and other health care workers, and expressed concern for countries lacking access to vaccines and adequate hospital systems. By treasuring more than ever the connections among people, sharing our pain and supporting each other, I hope from the bottom of my heart that we will overcome these hard times, he said. Japan has recorded more than 18,000 COVID-19-related deaths, but the pace of deaths has fallen in recent months. Naruhito also voiced worries about the fast-spreading omicron variant. - LAS VEGAS The annual CES gadget convention will be three days instead of four amid a jump in COVID-19 cases and the withdrawal of some of its best-known tech presenters. Convention organizer The Consumer Technology Association announced Friday that CES will run from Jan. 5-7, one day shorter than planned. The event still has over 2,200 exhibitors confirmed to show off their products at the Las Vegas convention, spokeswoman Jeanne Abella said. The announcement follows the withdrawal of tech giants from CES last week citing health risks of the omicron variant, including cellphone carriers like T-Mobile, whose CEO had been slated to deliver a keynote speech. Computer maker Lenovo and social media companies like Twitter and Facebook parent company Meta also canceled plans to attend. News outlets including CNN said they would cancel or reduce coverage. CES was held entirely virtually last year. It will be a hybrid of online and in-person this year, with organizers offering digital registration allowing access to around 40 livestreamed events, Abella said. ___ TAMPA, Fla. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday reported more than 75,900 new cases of COVID-19 in Florida. That tally raises the 7-day average daily to 42,600, which is twice as high as it was at the peak of this summers surge when the delta variant fueled a surge of infections in the state. Fridays report marks a single-day record for the number of new cases in Florida. It breaks the record set a day earlier when more than 58,000 cases were reported in the state. The omicron variant of the coronavirus has spiked in Florida and across the nation over the past few weeks. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) Soaring numbers during the holiday season have sent tens of thousands of people to COVID-19 testing centers across Florida, resulting in long lines in many areas. Three people collapsed while waiting in line at a Tampa testing site on Friday morning. ____ CARSON CITY, Nev. Hundreds of unvaccinated employees who work at public colleges and universities in Nevada were being fired Friday, a day after the state Board of Regents voted to keep a staff vaccine mandate in effect. The Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents on Thursday deadlocked 6-6 on a measure to repeal the staff vaccine mandate and then rejected a measure to push the effective termination date back two weeks. Without majority support for a repeal, the mandate which Gov. Steve Sisolak and the Nevada Faculty Alliance support remained in effect. Higher education officials said on Friday that 379 employees were being terminated, 188 attribution employees ended their contracts and 18 more voluntarily resigned. Employees who are fired can seek reinstatement if they show proof of vaccination in January, regents said. ___ PARIS Describing himself as resolutely optimistic, French President Emmanuel Macron has used the last New Years address of his current term to express the hope that, with vaccinations, 2022 will see the end of the coronavirus pandemic. Macron stopped short of saying that he will stand for re-election in April. He said only that he intends to continue serving the French whatever my place and the circumstances. The president appealed to the 5 million unvaccinated but eligible people in France to get coronavirus jabs, saying: All of France is counting on you. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19 and new cases are at unprecedented levels, surging with the highly contagious omicron variant. France reported a record 232,200 new cases on Friday, its third day running above the 200,000 mark. ___ ROME Italys president, Sergio Mattarella, has used the last New Years Eve speech of his term take to task those who waste opportunities to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, calling that choice an offense to all those who havent been able to receive the injection. In a televised speech to the nation Friday night, Mattarella, who is head of state, noted that he was serving in the final days of his seven-year term, with Parliament to elect his successor in the first weeks of 2022. Referring to recent COVID-19 surges in Italy and many other countries driven by virus variants, Mattarella noted a sense of frustration over the setbacks. ___ ALBANY, N.Y. Federal ambulance teams and additional National Guard members are headed for New York City, and western New York hospitals are getting more federal help as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations keep rising. State officials announced the new deployments Friday. Gov. Kathy Hochul also said students at state universities and the City University of New York will have to get coronavirus vaccine booster shots to be on campus in the spring semester and must test negative before returning from the holiday break. New confirmed case counts have been breaking records by the day in the state, topping 76,500 on Thursday, Hochul said at a news briefing. An average of 53,000 New Yorkers a day tested positive in the week that ended Thursday, compared to 13,000 per day two weeks earlier. Over 7,900 people with COVID-19 are hospitalized statewide, up 67% in a week. ___ ROME Italian health officials are warning that the rate of occupation by COVID-19 patients of hospital beds both in intensive care units and in regular wards has surpassed the critical level nationally. A top Health Ministry official, Gianni Rezza, also said on Friday evening that the incidence of cases is growing, with 783 confirmed COVID-19 infections per every 100,000 residents in Italy. The country hit another high for daily new caseloads 144,243 confirmed cases in the last 24 hours. Nearly 12% of some 1.234 million swab tests conducted since Thursday resulted positive, according to the ministry, which urged vaccinated persons to get a booster shot if they are eligible. With the nation slammed by a surge of infections largely driven by the omicron variant, the government banned public New Years Eve celebrations. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 01/01/2022 (264 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS French authorities announced Saturday that children six and older will have to wear masks in indoor places open to the public as new cases of the highly contagious omicron variant surge past 200.000 for the fourth consecutive day. By lowering the age of children obligated to wear masks from 11 to 6, the government is hoping to avoid shutting down schools after the holiday break. Classes resume Monday and young children will have to wear masks in public transport, in sports complexes and places of worship. The mask mandate extends to outdoor spaces in cities such as Paris and Lyon that have recently re-introduced mask wearing outside. On the first day of the new year, France registered 219,126 new infections, down only slightly from the daily record of 232,200 noted on the last day of 2021. A medical technician performs a nasal swab test on a cyclist queued up in a line with motorists at a COVID-19 testing site near All City Stadium, Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021, in southeast Denver. With the rapid spread of the omicron variant paired with the Christmas holiday, testing sites have been strained to meet demand both in Colorado as well as across the country. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) French government is betting that fifth wave of the pandemic driven by the fast-spreading omicron variant can be tamed without returning to economically damaging lockdowns or curfews and without hospitals collapsing under growing numbers of gravely sick. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19. ___ HERES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC: Dozens of U.S. colleges move classes online temporarily to counter surge of infections Over 2,400 U.S. flights canceled on New Years Day as omicron rages on UK estimates 1 in 15 had virus in London before Christmas amid omicron surge New COVID-19 cases in US soar to highest levels on record ___ Follow APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic ___ HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING TODAY: PHOENIX Arizona on Saturday reported the largest number of additional confirmed COVID-19 cases since last January for the second day in a row and 125 more virus deaths. The state reported additional 8,220 cases as Arizonas pandemic totals increased to 1,389,708 cases and 24,354 deaths, according to the Department of Health Services coronavirus dashboard. Arizona on Friday reported 7,720 additional cases. The state reported over 8,000 additional cases on 13 days last January. COVID-19-related hospitalizations dropped slightly for the second straight day, with 2,283 virus patients occupying inpatient beds statewide Friday, the dashboard reported. According to Johns Hopkins University data, Arizonas seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Arizona rose over the past two weeks, increasing from 3,058.6 on Dec. 16 to 4,325 on Thursday. The rolling average of daily deaths dropped from 77.1 to 52.8 during the same period. ___ DALLAS For air travelers, the new year picked up where the old one left off - with lots of frustration. By late morning Saturday on the East Coast, more than 2,400 U.S. flights and nearly 4,200 worldwide had been canceled, according to tracking service FlightAware. That is the highest single-day toll yet since just before Christmas, when airlines began blaming staffing shortages on increasing COVID-19 infections among crews. More than 12,000 U.S. flights have been canceled since Dec. 24. Saturdays disruptions werent just due to the virus, however. Wintry weather made Chicago the worst place in the country for travelers, with 800 flights scrubbed at OHare Airport and more than 250 at Midway Airport. Forecasts called for nine inches of snow. Denver, Detroit and Newark, New Jersey, were hit with at least 100 cancellations each. Southwest Airlines, which has major operations at Chicago Midway and Denver, canceled more than 450 flights nationwide, or 13% of its schedule, by midmorning. American, Delta, United and JetBlue scrubbed more than 100 flights apiece. ___ LOS ANGELES A year after New Years Day passed without a Rose Parade due to the coronavirus pandemic, the floral spectacle celebrating the arrival of 2022 proceeded Saturday despite a new surge of infections due to the omicron variant. The 133rd edition of the Pasadena, California, tradition featured actor LeVar Burton as grand marshal, 20 marching bands, 18 equestrian units and dozens of floats reflecting the theme of Dream. Believe. Achieve. After days of record-smashing rains, there were sunny skies for the 8 a.m. start of the parade, which has an uncanny history of postcard weather. LeAnn Rimes kicked off the event with a performance of Throw My Arms Around the World followed by a military flyover of a B-2 bomber. Also on the performance list were American Idol winner Laine Hardy aboard Louisianas Feed Your Soul float and country singer-songwriter Jimmie Allen. A health worker prepares a sample taken for a COVID-19 test at a free testing center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Dec 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello) The parade and the afternoon Rose Bowl football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Utah Utes remained on track despite an explosion of COVID-19 infections in Los Angeles County, where daily new cases topped 27,000 on Friday. The county Department of Public Health said it was the highest number of new cases. ___ LISBON, Portugal A cruise ship carrying over 4,000 people has been held in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon after a COVID-19 outbreak infected crew members, the German news agency dpa reported Saturday. German company Aida Cruises told dpa that it discovered the positive coronavirus cases during routine health checks and has accommodated those infected ashore in coordination with Portuguese authorities in Lisbon. Portuguese media reported that 52 members of the crew of over 1,000 workers tested positive. None of the nearly 3,000 passengers had tested positive. All on board had passed a screening test and were vaccinated with two doses before the ship set sail from Germany. The ship is waiting for the arrival of new crew members to continue its journey to Spains Canary Islands, dpa said. ___ BOSTON With COVID-19 cases surging just as students are about to return from winter break, dozens of U.S. colleges are moving classes online again for at least the first week or so of the semester and some warn it could stretch longer if the wave of infection doesnt subside soon. Harvard is moving classes online for the first three weeks of the new year, with a return to campus scheduled for late January, conditions permitting. The University of Chicago is delaying the beginning of its new term and holding the first two weeks online. Some others are inviting students back to campus but starting classes online, including Michigan State University. Many colleges hope that an extra week or two will get them past the peak of the nationwide spike driven by the highly contagious omicron variant. Still, the surge is casting uncertainty over a semester many had hoped would be the closest to normal since the start of the pandemic. For some U.S. students, starting the term remotely is becoming routine many colleges used the strategy last year. But some fear the latest shift could extend well beyond a week or two. Jake Maynard, a student at George Washington University in the nations capital, said he is fine with a week of online classes, but beyond that, he hopes officials trust in the booster shots and provide a traditional college experience. ___ TOKYO Japans Emperor Naruhito offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic, taking to video for the second straight year for his New Years greeting on Saturday, having canceled public palace gatherings to curb coronavirus infections. Sitting before a bonsai tree with his wife Masako, Naruhito praised and thanked doctors and other health care workers, and expressed concern for countries lacking access to vaccines and adequate hospital systems. By treasuring more than ever the connections among people, sharing our pain and supporting each other, I hope from the bottom of my heart that we will overcome these hard times, he said. Japan has recorded more than 18,000 COVID-19-related deaths, but the pace of deaths has fallen in recent months. Naruhito also voiced worries about the fast-spreading omicron variant. - LAS VEGAS The annual CES gadget convention will be three days instead of four amid a jump in COVID-19 cases and the withdrawal of some of its best-known tech presenters. Convention organizer The Consumer Technology Association announced Friday that CES will run from Jan. 5-7, one day shorter than planned. The event still has over 2,200 exhibitors confirmed to show off their products at the Las Vegas convention, spokeswoman Jeanne Abella said. The announcement follows the withdrawal of tech giants from CES last week citing health risks of the omicron variant, including cellphone carriers like T-Mobile, whose CEO had been slated to deliver a keynote speech. Computer maker Lenovo and social media companies like Twitter and Facebook parent company Meta also canceled plans to attend. News outlets including CNN said they would cancel or reduce coverage. CES was held entirely virtually last year. It will be a hybrid of online and in-person this year, with organizers offering digital registration allowing access to around 40 livestreamed events, Abella said. ___ TAMPA, Fla. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday reported more than 75,900 new cases of COVID-19 in Florida. That tally raises the 7-day average daily to 42,600, which is twice as high as it was at the peak of this summers surge when the delta variant fueled a surge of infections in the state. Fridays report marks a single-day record for the number of new cases in Florida. It breaks the record set a day earlier when more than 58,000 cases were reported in the state. The omicron variant of the coronavirus has spiked in Florida and across the nation over the past few weeks. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) Soaring numbers during the holiday season have sent tens of thousands of people to COVID-19 testing centers across Florida, resulting in long lines in many areas. Three people collapsed while waiting in line at a Tampa testing site on Friday morning. ____ CARSON CITY, Nev. Hundreds of unvaccinated employees who work at public colleges and universities in Nevada were being fired Friday, a day after the state Board of Regents voted to keep a staff vaccine mandate in effect. The Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents on Thursday deadlocked 6-6 on a measure to repeal the staff vaccine mandate and then rejected a measure to push the effective termination date back two weeks. Without majority support for a repeal, the mandate which Gov. Steve Sisolak and the Nevada Faculty Alliance support remained in effect. Higher education officials said on Friday that 379 employees were being terminated, 188 attribution employees ended their contracts and 18 more voluntarily resigned. Employees who are fired can seek reinstatement if they show proof of vaccination in January, regents said. ___ PARIS Describing himself as resolutely optimistic, French President Emmanuel Macron has used the last New Years address of his current term to express the hope that, with vaccinations, 2022 will see the end of the coronavirus pandemic. Macron stopped short of saying that he will stand for re-election in April. He said only that he intends to continue serving the French whatever my place and the circumstances. The president appealed to the 5 million unvaccinated but eligible people in France to get coronavirus jabs, saying: All of France is counting on you. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19 and new cases are at unprecedented levels, surging with the highly contagious omicron variant. France reported a record 232,200 new cases on Friday, its third day running above the 200,000 mark. ___ ROME Italys president, Sergio Mattarella, has used the last New Years Eve speech of his term take to task those who waste opportunities to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, calling that choice an offense to all those who havent been able to receive the injection. In a televised speech to the nation Friday night, Mattarella, who is head of state, noted that he was serving in the final days of his seven-year term, with Parliament to elect his successor in the first weeks of 2022. Referring to recent COVID-19 surges in Italy and many other countries driven by virus variants, Mattarella noted a sense of frustration over the setbacks. ___ ALBANY, N.Y. Federal ambulance teams and additional National Guard members are headed for New York City, and western New York hospitals are getting more federal help as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations keep rising. State officials announced the new deployments Friday. Gov. Kathy Hochul also said students at state universities and the City University of New York will have to get coronavirus vaccine booster shots to be on campus in the spring semester and must test negative before returning from the holiday break. New confirmed case counts have been breaking records by the day in the state, topping 76,500 on Thursday, Hochul said at a news briefing. An average of 53,000 New Yorkers a day tested positive in the week that ended Thursday, compared to 13,000 per day two weeks earlier. Over 7,900 people with COVID-19 are hospitalized statewide, up 67% in a week. ___ ROME Italian health officials are warning that the rate of occupation by COVID-19 patients of hospital beds both in intensive care units and in regular wards has surpassed the critical level nationally. A top Health Ministry official, Gianni Rezza, also said on Friday evening that the incidence of cases is growing, with 783 confirmed COVID-19 infections per every 100,000 residents in Italy. The country hit another high for daily new caseloads 144,243 confirmed cases in the last 24 hours. Nearly 12% of some 1.234 million swab tests conducted since Thursday resulted positive, according to the ministry, which urged vaccinated persons to get a booster shot if they are eligible. With the nation slammed by a surge of infections largely driven by the omicron variant, the government banned public New Years Eve celebrations. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 01/01/2022 (264 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS French authorities announced Saturday that children six and older will have to wear masks in indoor places open to the public as new cases of the highly contagious omicron variant surge past 200.000 for the fourth consecutive day. By lowering the age of children obligated to wear masks from 11 to 6, the government is hoping to avoid shutting down schools after the holiday break. Classes resume Monday and young children will have to wear masks in public transport, in sports complexes and places of worship. The mask mandate extends to outdoor spaces in cities such as Paris and Lyon that have recently re-introduced mask wearing outside. On the first day of the new year, France registered 219,126 new infections, down only slightly from the daily record of 232,200 noted on the last day of 2021. A medical technician performs a nasal swab test on a cyclist queued up in a line with motorists at a COVID-19 testing site near All City Stadium, Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021, in southeast Denver. With the rapid spread of the omicron variant paired with the Christmas holiday, testing sites have been strained to meet demand both in Colorado as well as across the country. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) French government is betting that fifth wave of the pandemic driven by the fast-spreading omicron variant can be tamed without returning to economically damaging lockdowns or curfews and without hospitals collapsing under growing numbers of gravely sick. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19. ___ HERES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC: Dozens of U.S. colleges move classes online temporarily to counter surge of infections Over 2,400 U.S. flights canceled on New Years Day as omicron rages on UK estimates 1 in 15 had virus in London before Christmas amid omicron surge New COVID-19 cases in US soar to highest levels on record ___ Follow APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic ___ HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING TODAY: PHOENIX Arizona on Saturday reported the largest number of additional confirmed COVID-19 cases since last January for the second day in a row and 125 more virus deaths. The state reported additional 8,220 cases as Arizonas pandemic totals increased to 1,389,708 cases and 24,354 deaths, according to the Department of Health Services coronavirus dashboard. Arizona on Friday reported 7,720 additional cases. The state reported over 8,000 additional cases on 13 days last January. COVID-19-related hospitalizations dropped slightly for the second straight day, with 2,283 virus patients occupying inpatient beds statewide Friday, the dashboard reported. According to Johns Hopkins University data, Arizonas seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Arizona rose over the past two weeks, increasing from 3,058.6 on Dec. 16 to 4,325 on Thursday. The rolling average of daily deaths dropped from 77.1 to 52.8 during the same period. ___ DALLAS For air travelers, the new year picked up where the old one left off - with lots of frustration. By late morning Saturday on the East Coast, more than 2,400 U.S. flights and nearly 4,200 worldwide had been canceled, according to tracking service FlightAware. That is the highest single-day toll yet since just before Christmas, when airlines began blaming staffing shortages on increasing COVID-19 infections among crews. More than 12,000 U.S. flights have been canceled since Dec. 24. Saturdays disruptions werent just due to the virus, however. Wintry weather made Chicago the worst place in the country for travelers, with 800 flights scrubbed at OHare Airport and more than 250 at Midway Airport. Forecasts called for nine inches of snow. Denver, Detroit and Newark, New Jersey, were hit with at least 100 cancellations each. Southwest Airlines, which has major operations at Chicago Midway and Denver, canceled more than 450 flights nationwide, or 13% of its schedule, by midmorning. American, Delta, United and JetBlue scrubbed more than 100 flights apiece. ___ LOS ANGELES A year after New Years Day passed without a Rose Parade due to the coronavirus pandemic, the floral spectacle celebrating the arrival of 2022 proceeded Saturday despite a new surge of infections due to the omicron variant. The 133rd edition of the Pasadena, California, tradition featured actor LeVar Burton as grand marshal, 20 marching bands, 18 equestrian units and dozens of floats reflecting the theme of Dream. Believe. Achieve. After days of record-smashing rains, there were sunny skies for the 8 a.m. start of the parade, which has an uncanny history of postcard weather. LeAnn Rimes kicked off the event with a performance of Throw My Arms Around the World followed by a military flyover of a B-2 bomber. Also on the performance list were American Idol winner Laine Hardy aboard Louisianas Feed Your Soul float and country singer-songwriter Jimmie Allen. A health worker prepares a sample taken for a COVID-19 test at a free testing center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Dec 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello) The parade and the afternoon Rose Bowl football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Utah Utes remained on track despite an explosion of COVID-19 infections in Los Angeles County, where daily new cases topped 27,000 on Friday. The county Department of Public Health said it was the highest number of new cases. ___ LISBON, Portugal A cruise ship carrying over 4,000 people has been held in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon after a COVID-19 outbreak infected crew members, the German news agency dpa reported Saturday. German company Aida Cruises told dpa that it discovered the positive coronavirus cases during routine health checks and has accommodated those infected ashore in coordination with Portuguese authorities in Lisbon. Portuguese media reported that 52 members of the crew of over 1,000 workers tested positive. None of the nearly 3,000 passengers had tested positive. All on board had passed a screening test and were vaccinated with two doses before the ship set sail from Germany. The ship is waiting for the arrival of new crew members to continue its journey to Spains Canary Islands, dpa said. ___ BOSTON With COVID-19 cases surging just as students are about to return from winter break, dozens of U.S. colleges are moving classes online again for at least the first week or so of the semester and some warn it could stretch longer if the wave of infection doesnt subside soon. Harvard is moving classes online for the first three weeks of the new year, with a return to campus scheduled for late January, conditions permitting. The University of Chicago is delaying the beginning of its new term and holding the first two weeks online. Some others are inviting students back to campus but starting classes online, including Michigan State University. Many colleges hope that an extra week or two will get them past the peak of the nationwide spike driven by the highly contagious omicron variant. Still, the surge is casting uncertainty over a semester many had hoped would be the closest to normal since the start of the pandemic. For some U.S. students, starting the term remotely is becoming routine many colleges used the strategy last year. But some fear the latest shift could extend well beyond a week or two. Jake Maynard, a student at George Washington University in the nations capital, said he is fine with a week of online classes, but beyond that, he hopes officials trust in the booster shots and provide a traditional college experience. ___ TOKYO Japans Emperor Naruhito offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic, taking to video for the second straight year for his New Years greeting on Saturday, having canceled public palace gatherings to curb coronavirus infections. Sitting before a bonsai tree with his wife Masako, Naruhito praised and thanked doctors and other health care workers, and expressed concern for countries lacking access to vaccines and adequate hospital systems. By treasuring more than ever the connections among people, sharing our pain and supporting each other, I hope from the bottom of my heart that we will overcome these hard times, he said. Japan has recorded more than 18,000 COVID-19-related deaths, but the pace of deaths has fallen in recent months. Naruhito also voiced worries about the fast-spreading omicron variant. - LAS VEGAS The annual CES gadget convention will be three days instead of four amid a jump in COVID-19 cases and the withdrawal of some of its best-known tech presenters. Convention organizer The Consumer Technology Association announced Friday that CES will run from Jan. 5-7, one day shorter than planned. The event still has over 2,200 exhibitors confirmed to show off their products at the Las Vegas convention, spokeswoman Jeanne Abella said. The announcement follows the withdrawal of tech giants from CES last week citing health risks of the omicron variant, including cellphone carriers like T-Mobile, whose CEO had been slated to deliver a keynote speech. Computer maker Lenovo and social media companies like Twitter and Facebook parent company Meta also canceled plans to attend. News outlets including CNN said they would cancel or reduce coverage. CES was held entirely virtually last year. It will be a hybrid of online and in-person this year, with organizers offering digital registration allowing access to around 40 livestreamed events, Abella said. ___ TAMPA, Fla. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday reported more than 75,900 new cases of COVID-19 in Florida. That tally raises the 7-day average daily to 42,600, which is twice as high as it was at the peak of this summers surge when the delta variant fueled a surge of infections in the state. Fridays report marks a single-day record for the number of new cases in Florida. It breaks the record set a day earlier when more than 58,000 cases were reported in the state. The omicron variant of the coronavirus has spiked in Florida and across the nation over the past few weeks. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) Soaring numbers during the holiday season have sent tens of thousands of people to COVID-19 testing centers across Florida, resulting in long lines in many areas. Three people collapsed while waiting in line at a Tampa testing site on Friday morning. ____ CARSON CITY, Nev. Hundreds of unvaccinated employees who work at public colleges and universities in Nevada were being fired Friday, a day after the state Board of Regents voted to keep a staff vaccine mandate in effect. The Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents on Thursday deadlocked 6-6 on a measure to repeal the staff vaccine mandate and then rejected a measure to push the effective termination date back two weeks. Without majority support for a repeal, the mandate which Gov. Steve Sisolak and the Nevada Faculty Alliance support remained in effect. Higher education officials said on Friday that 379 employees were being terminated, 188 attribution employees ended their contracts and 18 more voluntarily resigned. Employees who are fired can seek reinstatement if they show proof of vaccination in January, regents said. ___ PARIS Describing himself as resolutely optimistic, French President Emmanuel Macron has used the last New Years address of his current term to express the hope that, with vaccinations, 2022 will see the end of the coronavirus pandemic. Macron stopped short of saying that he will stand for re-election in April. He said only that he intends to continue serving the French whatever my place and the circumstances. The president appealed to the 5 million unvaccinated but eligible people in France to get coronavirus jabs, saying: All of France is counting on you. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19 and new cases are at unprecedented levels, surging with the highly contagious omicron variant. France reported a record 232,200 new cases on Friday, its third day running above the 200,000 mark. ___ ROME Italys president, Sergio Mattarella, has used the last New Years Eve speech of his term take to task those who waste opportunities to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, calling that choice an offense to all those who havent been able to receive the injection. In a televised speech to the nation Friday night, Mattarella, who is head of state, noted that he was serving in the final days of his seven-year term, with Parliament to elect his successor in the first weeks of 2022. Referring to recent COVID-19 surges in Italy and many other countries driven by virus variants, Mattarella noted a sense of frustration over the setbacks. ___ ALBANY, N.Y. Federal ambulance teams and additional National Guard members are headed for New York City, and western New York hospitals are getting more federal help as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations keep rising. State officials announced the new deployments Friday. Gov. Kathy Hochul also said students at state universities and the City University of New York will have to get coronavirus vaccine booster shots to be on campus in the spring semester and must test negative before returning from the holiday break. New confirmed case counts have been breaking records by the day in the state, topping 76,500 on Thursday, Hochul said at a news briefing. An average of 53,000 New Yorkers a day tested positive in the week that ended Thursday, compared to 13,000 per day two weeks earlier. Over 7,900 people with COVID-19 are hospitalized statewide, up 67% in a week. ___ ROME Italian health officials are warning that the rate of occupation by COVID-19 patients of hospital beds both in intensive care units and in regular wards has surpassed the critical level nationally. A top Health Ministry official, Gianni Rezza, also said on Friday evening that the incidence of cases is growing, with 783 confirmed COVID-19 infections per every 100,000 residents in Italy. The country hit another high for daily new caseloads 144,243 confirmed cases in the last 24 hours. Nearly 12% of some 1.234 million swab tests conducted since Thursday resulted positive, according to the ministry, which urged vaccinated persons to get a booster shot if they are eligible. With the nation slammed by a surge of infections largely driven by the omicron variant, the government banned public New Years Eve celebrations. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 01/01/2022 (264 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS French authorities announced Saturday that children six and older will have to wear masks in indoor places open to the public as new cases of the highly contagious omicron variant surge past 200.000 for the fourth consecutive day. By lowering the age of children obligated to wear masks from 11 to 6, the government is hoping to avoid shutting down schools after the holiday break. Classes resume Monday and young children will have to wear masks in public transport, in sports complexes and places of worship. The mask mandate extends to outdoor spaces in cities such as Paris and Lyon that have recently re-introduced mask wearing outside. On the first day of the new year, France registered 219,126 new infections, down only slightly from the daily record of 232,200 noted on the last day of 2021. A medical technician performs a nasal swab test on a cyclist queued up in a line with motorists at a COVID-19 testing site near All City Stadium, Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021, in southeast Denver. With the rapid spread of the omicron variant paired with the Christmas holiday, testing sites have been strained to meet demand both in Colorado as well as across the country. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) French government is betting that fifth wave of the pandemic driven by the fast-spreading omicron variant can be tamed without returning to economically damaging lockdowns or curfews and without hospitals collapsing under growing numbers of gravely sick. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19. ___ HERES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC: Dozens of U.S. colleges move classes online temporarily to counter surge of infections Over 2,400 U.S. flights canceled on New Years Day as omicron rages on UK estimates 1 in 15 had virus in London before Christmas amid omicron surge New COVID-19 cases in US soar to highest levels on record ___ Follow APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic ___ HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING TODAY: PHOENIX Arizona on Saturday reported the largest number of additional confirmed COVID-19 cases since last January for the second day in a row and 125 more virus deaths. The state reported additional 8,220 cases as Arizonas pandemic totals increased to 1,389,708 cases and 24,354 deaths, according to the Department of Health Services coronavirus dashboard. Arizona on Friday reported 7,720 additional cases. The state reported over 8,000 additional cases on 13 days last January. COVID-19-related hospitalizations dropped slightly for the second straight day, with 2,283 virus patients occupying inpatient beds statewide Friday, the dashboard reported. According to Johns Hopkins University data, Arizonas seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Arizona rose over the past two weeks, increasing from 3,058.6 on Dec. 16 to 4,325 on Thursday. The rolling average of daily deaths dropped from 77.1 to 52.8 during the same period. ___ DALLAS For air travelers, the new year picked up where the old one left off - with lots of frustration. By late morning Saturday on the East Coast, more than 2,400 U.S. flights and nearly 4,200 worldwide had been canceled, according to tracking service FlightAware. That is the highest single-day toll yet since just before Christmas, when airlines began blaming staffing shortages on increasing COVID-19 infections among crews. More than 12,000 U.S. flights have been canceled since Dec. 24. Saturdays disruptions werent just due to the virus, however. Wintry weather made Chicago the worst place in the country for travelers, with 800 flights scrubbed at OHare Airport and more than 250 at Midway Airport. Forecasts called for nine inches of snow. Denver, Detroit and Newark, New Jersey, were hit with at least 100 cancellations each. Southwest Airlines, which has major operations at Chicago Midway and Denver, canceled more than 450 flights nationwide, or 13% of its schedule, by midmorning. American, Delta, United and JetBlue scrubbed more than 100 flights apiece. ___ LOS ANGELES A year after New Years Day passed without a Rose Parade due to the coronavirus pandemic, the floral spectacle celebrating the arrival of 2022 proceeded Saturday despite a new surge of infections due to the omicron variant. The 133rd edition of the Pasadena, California, tradition featured actor LeVar Burton as grand marshal, 20 marching bands, 18 equestrian units and dozens of floats reflecting the theme of Dream. Believe. Achieve. After days of record-smashing rains, there were sunny skies for the 8 a.m. start of the parade, which has an uncanny history of postcard weather. LeAnn Rimes kicked off the event with a performance of Throw My Arms Around the World followed by a military flyover of a B-2 bomber. Also on the performance list were American Idol winner Laine Hardy aboard Louisianas Feed Your Soul float and country singer-songwriter Jimmie Allen. A health worker prepares a sample taken for a COVID-19 test at a free testing center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Dec 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello) The parade and the afternoon Rose Bowl football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Utah Utes remained on track despite an explosion of COVID-19 infections in Los Angeles County, where daily new cases topped 27,000 on Friday. The county Department of Public Health said it was the highest number of new cases. ___ LISBON, Portugal A cruise ship carrying over 4,000 people has been held in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon after a COVID-19 outbreak infected crew members, the German news agency dpa reported Saturday. German company Aida Cruises told dpa that it discovered the positive coronavirus cases during routine health checks and has accommodated those infected ashore in coordination with Portuguese authorities in Lisbon. Portuguese media reported that 52 members of the crew of over 1,000 workers tested positive. None of the nearly 3,000 passengers had tested positive. All on board had passed a screening test and were vaccinated with two doses before the ship set sail from Germany. The ship is waiting for the arrival of new crew members to continue its journey to Spains Canary Islands, dpa said. ___ BOSTON With COVID-19 cases surging just as students are about to return from winter break, dozens of U.S. colleges are moving classes online again for at least the first week or so of the semester and some warn it could stretch longer if the wave of infection doesnt subside soon. Harvard is moving classes online for the first three weeks of the new year, with a return to campus scheduled for late January, conditions permitting. The University of Chicago is delaying the beginning of its new term and holding the first two weeks online. Some others are inviting students back to campus but starting classes online, including Michigan State University. Many colleges hope that an extra week or two will get them past the peak of the nationwide spike driven by the highly contagious omicron variant. Still, the surge is casting uncertainty over a semester many had hoped would be the closest to normal since the start of the pandemic. For some U.S. students, starting the term remotely is becoming routine many colleges used the strategy last year. But some fear the latest shift could extend well beyond a week or two. Jake Maynard, a student at George Washington University in the nations capital, said he is fine with a week of online classes, but beyond that, he hopes officials trust in the booster shots and provide a traditional college experience. ___ TOKYO Japans Emperor Naruhito offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic, taking to video for the second straight year for his New Years greeting on Saturday, having canceled public palace gatherings to curb coronavirus infections. Sitting before a bonsai tree with his wife Masako, Naruhito praised and thanked doctors and other health care workers, and expressed concern for countries lacking access to vaccines and adequate hospital systems. By treasuring more than ever the connections among people, sharing our pain and supporting each other, I hope from the bottom of my heart that we will overcome these hard times, he said. Japan has recorded more than 18,000 COVID-19-related deaths, but the pace of deaths has fallen in recent months. Naruhito also voiced worries about the fast-spreading omicron variant. - LAS VEGAS The annual CES gadget convention will be three days instead of four amid a jump in COVID-19 cases and the withdrawal of some of its best-known tech presenters. Convention organizer The Consumer Technology Association announced Friday that CES will run from Jan. 5-7, one day shorter than planned. The event still has over 2,200 exhibitors confirmed to show off their products at the Las Vegas convention, spokeswoman Jeanne Abella said. The announcement follows the withdrawal of tech giants from CES last week citing health risks of the omicron variant, including cellphone carriers like T-Mobile, whose CEO had been slated to deliver a keynote speech. Computer maker Lenovo and social media companies like Twitter and Facebook parent company Meta also canceled plans to attend. News outlets including CNN said they would cancel or reduce coverage. CES was held entirely virtually last year. It will be a hybrid of online and in-person this year, with organizers offering digital registration allowing access to around 40 livestreamed events, Abella said. ___ TAMPA, Fla. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday reported more than 75,900 new cases of COVID-19 in Florida. That tally raises the 7-day average daily to 42,600, which is twice as high as it was at the peak of this summers surge when the delta variant fueled a surge of infections in the state. Fridays report marks a single-day record for the number of new cases in Florida. It breaks the record set a day earlier when more than 58,000 cases were reported in the state. The omicron variant of the coronavirus has spiked in Florida and across the nation over the past few weeks. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) Soaring numbers during the holiday season have sent tens of thousands of people to COVID-19 testing centers across Florida, resulting in long lines in many areas. Three people collapsed while waiting in line at a Tampa testing site on Friday morning. ____ CARSON CITY, Nev. Hundreds of unvaccinated employees who work at public colleges and universities in Nevada were being fired Friday, a day after the state Board of Regents voted to keep a staff vaccine mandate in effect. The Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents on Thursday deadlocked 6-6 on a measure to repeal the staff vaccine mandate and then rejected a measure to push the effective termination date back two weeks. Without majority support for a repeal, the mandate which Gov. Steve Sisolak and the Nevada Faculty Alliance support remained in effect. Higher education officials said on Friday that 379 employees were being terminated, 188 attribution employees ended their contracts and 18 more voluntarily resigned. Employees who are fired can seek reinstatement if they show proof of vaccination in January, regents said. ___ PARIS Describing himself as resolutely optimistic, French President Emmanuel Macron has used the last New Years address of his current term to express the hope that, with vaccinations, 2022 will see the end of the coronavirus pandemic. Macron stopped short of saying that he will stand for re-election in April. He said only that he intends to continue serving the French whatever my place and the circumstances. The president appealed to the 5 million unvaccinated but eligible people in France to get coronavirus jabs, saying: All of France is counting on you. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19 and new cases are at unprecedented levels, surging with the highly contagious omicron variant. France reported a record 232,200 new cases on Friday, its third day running above the 200,000 mark. ___ ROME Italys president, Sergio Mattarella, has used the last New Years Eve speech of his term take to task those who waste opportunities to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, calling that choice an offense to all those who havent been able to receive the injection. In a televised speech to the nation Friday night, Mattarella, who is head of state, noted that he was serving in the final days of his seven-year term, with Parliament to elect his successor in the first weeks of 2022. Referring to recent COVID-19 surges in Italy and many other countries driven by virus variants, Mattarella noted a sense of frustration over the setbacks. ___ ALBANY, N.Y. Federal ambulance teams and additional National Guard members are headed for New York City, and western New York hospitals are getting more federal help as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations keep rising. State officials announced the new deployments Friday. Gov. Kathy Hochul also said students at state universities and the City University of New York will have to get coronavirus vaccine booster shots to be on campus in the spring semester and must test negative before returning from the holiday break. New confirmed case counts have been breaking records by the day in the state, topping 76,500 on Thursday, Hochul said at a news briefing. An average of 53,000 New Yorkers a day tested positive in the week that ended Thursday, compared to 13,000 per day two weeks earlier. Over 7,900 people with COVID-19 are hospitalized statewide, up 67% in a week. ___ ROME Italian health officials are warning that the rate of occupation by COVID-19 patients of hospital beds both in intensive care units and in regular wards has surpassed the critical level nationally. A top Health Ministry official, Gianni Rezza, also said on Friday evening that the incidence of cases is growing, with 783 confirmed COVID-19 infections per every 100,000 residents in Italy. The country hit another high for daily new caseloads 144,243 confirmed cases in the last 24 hours. Nearly 12% of some 1.234 million swab tests conducted since Thursday resulted positive, according to the ministry, which urged vaccinated persons to get a booster shot if they are eligible. With the nation slammed by a surge of infections largely driven by the omicron variant, the government banned public New Years Eve celebrations. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 01/01/2022 (264 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. VICTORIA Workers in British Columbia are now eligible for five paid sick days as the provincial government brings in changes to the policy affecting workers. The government says eligible employees will be guaranteed those sick days, provided theyve worked for their employer for at least 90 days. Labour Minister Harry Bains said the change will help lower-paid workers who can least afford to miss a day of paid work. Harry Bains arrives at the B.C. legislature in Victoria, June 26, 2017. Workers in British Columbia are now eligible for five paid sick days. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito The province says more than one million workers in B.C. did not have access to any paid sick leave before the new policy went into effect on Saturday. The paid sick leave protection will apply to all workers covered by the Employment Standards Act, including part-time employees. The decision to set the amount of leave at five days has been criticized by some labour groups. The B.C. Federation of Labour has said the B.C. governments data indicates that while workers may take an average of 4.8 sick days annually, countries like New Zealand, Australia, Sweden and Germany have 10 days or more. Bains said the governments decision to bring in a new policy on sick leave is good for businesses and workers. Paid sick leave is good for workers, good for employers and good for our economy, Bains said. The provincial government says other changes coming in 2022 include making public transit free for kids under the age of 12. It will also expand its $10-a-day child care program. The federal government and B.C. reached a deal in July with an aim of reaching an average of $10-per-day child care in regulated spaces for children under six years old before 2027. The deal aims to create 30,000 new spaces in B.C. in the next five years, with fees for regulated spaces cut in half by the end of 2022. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 1, 2022. Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version said Harry Bains was the jobs minister. Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. A man walks through a deserted Place Royale in Quebec City on the evening of Dec. 31, 2021, shortly before the provincial governments nightly curfew came into effect. (The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissinot) An Attitude of Change Is Whats Needed as We Enter 2022 Commentary The common salutation at the turn of the year is to wish somebody a happy New Year. It will be hard to find happiness if 2022 doesnt actually provide us with something new, however. The most striking thing that can be said about 2021 is how little different it was from 2020. The year 2020 was miserable for most of the world. The COVID-19 pandemic began spreading at the beginning of the year, causing fear, instability, and economic damage around the planet. Panicked governments imposed restrictions on work, travel, and social gatherings in hopes of controlling the spread of the disease. While we were all apprehensive, many of us took comfort in knowing that the lockdowns should be little more than two weeks to flatten the curve as our local governments told us. The two weeks turned into months that can now be measured in years. Businesses opened and closed as pandemic waves came and went. People stayed home on the Easter of 2020 under the assurances that they would be able to visit family in the summer. Summer vacations were deferred and people remained home while the state told them they would be able to reunite in gatherings at Christmas. Infections surged at Christmas and we were locked down again. It will be better in the new year! we were assured. Well, 2021 came and went and it was nearly identical to 2020. Not only did nothing change, but most Canadians didnt seek or demand any changes. Sure, we saw protests against government restrictions popping up across the country in major cities at times. Those protests never evolved into actions large enough to catch the attention of Canadas decision-makers, much less change the course of their decisions. The demonstrations were often dominated by people with some questionable views to say the least, and never brought out average Canadians in noteworthy numbers. Canadians claimed to be upset with the pandemic restrictions, but not upset enough to go out and protest against them. Canadians had the ultimate opportunity to pursue real change in the fall of 2021. We had a general election. We saw the election coming for months. The fall campaign was dominated by discussion on the pandemic as was to be expected. Many questions were asked regarding the degree of the governments pandemic response and the amount of money being borrowed in order to continue with that response. When given the opportunity to express a desire for change in a way as simple, safe, and potentially effective as casting a ballot in an election, Canadians resoundingly selected the status quo. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was returned to office with almost the exact same support numbers as he had when he dissolved the Parliament and called an election. Canadians may fear the pandemic and are concerned about the federal governments response to it, but not so much that they could overcome their fear of change. People look to the New Year as a time to embrace rejuvenation and fresh beginnings. It is a time to shed bad habits and embrace new ones. We should be looking back on the last two years and asking ourselves what we can do to make the coming one better. I think most people agree that the last two years have been terrible, but are most people ready to take a leap and embrace changes? We appear to be no closer to the end of the COVID-19 pandemic today than we were in February of 2020. While most of the population has been vaccinated, we are now seeing a massive rise in cases due to the new Omicron variant leading to lockdowns, stress, and restrictions yet again. We are always told that we must make sacrifices now so that we may all benefit later. It has been two years now; when are the benefits coming? I dont know what the most direct path out of the pandemic is, but with two years of pandemic experience under our belts, we can sure list a lot of things that dont work. Why do we keep trying them? As we enter what will be our third year of living in the COVID-19 age, are we ready to try something different yet? I do want to look forward to 2022 with optimism. I want it to be a year where we move beyond the pandemic and begin to enjoy prosperous lives again with free movement and no social restrictions. I do think we can get there. First, though, we have to embrace an attitude of change. This year, dont make the same old tired resolutions to quit smoking or lose weight. Make a resolution to stand up for yourself and tell your political leaders that its time to do things differently. If we dont do that, 2023 will be indistinguishable from the two years preceding it. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. LONG ISLAND, NY With the number of COVID-19 cases continuing to spike in New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul rolled out her "winter surge 2.0" plan Friday including announcements that all SUNY and CUNY students must be boosted before returning to classes, and that a mask-or-vaccination mandate for businesses will be extended through February. Hochul said there were five key points to the plan: Keeping kids in school, continuing to wear masks and test, preventing severe illness and death, increasing vaccines and boosters, and working in collaboration with local leaders. "We are working around the clock to fight this surge. And as we've been saying for a long time, we were going to experience a very serious winter surge," Hochul said. Statewide, as of Friday, there are 271 cases per 100,000 and 321 per 100,000 on Long Island. On Friday, there were 76,555 new positive cases reported as the omicron variant adds to the uptick, Hochul said. "It's almost not worth it to say we're breaking records. We're breaking records every day and we'll probably continue to do so until we hit that downward trend," Hochul said. The trends have been witnessed nationwide and globally, Hochul reminded. New York stands at number three in the nation for per capita testing and number one, in the large states, she said. Hospitalizations continue to rise, "closing in on 8,000 which is not a milestone we've hoped to hit, but it's also very concerning," Hochul said. Health care workers are exhausted and frustrated, she said, "because they know it did not have to be this way. If we had more people vaccinated, fully vaccinated, to deal with this highly transmittable variant known as omicron." On Long Island, 1,374 are hospitalized, the data indicates. And a total of 80 New Yorkers died in the 24 hours leading up to Friday's news briefing, Hochul said. "We're not out of this," Hochul said. "We're still addressing a very serious situation." Story continues In New York, 95 percent of adults over 18 have received their first dose, but there is a need for people to go receive their second doses, Hochul said adding that boosters, too, are critical. A person who is boosted can be protected within two to three days of receiving that shot, she said. The challenge also remains children in the 5 to 11 age group, Hochul said only 28 percent have received their first dose. Children in that age group who remain unvaccinated might be transmitting the virus to their younger siblings, she said. Discussing why she was releasing a 2.0 plan, Hochul said it's because the virus has changed so dramatically and quickly since November. "We have to adapt. We have to be very smart. We've been doing the right things, but 2.0 is simply improvements upon what we've been doing. And again, to sound the alarm, that the numbers are continuing to increase they don't have to, we can control this," she said. Hochul discussed the five key points of her 2.0 plan: Keeping kids in school The governor said planes are bringing testing kits to New York, so that the "Test to Stay" program can be rolled out. The tenet of that plan is that if a student's classmate tests positive, kids can take home test kits in their backpacks, and then come back the next day if they test negative, and get tested again in a few days. New York State Operations Director Kathryn Garcia said more than 37 million tests have been ordered; 5.28 million arrived this week, and another 6 million are arriving through Monday. The state will also supply tests to counties. Discussing college students, Hochul said students congregate and live on campus, so the experience is different. On Friday, the state issued new guidance for SUNY and CUNY schools for the spring semester. "We are asking all schools to ensure that students before they return are boosted," Hochul said. "They're required to be vaccinated. Now we're putting on an additional requirement: in order to return to your college campus you have to be boosted." College students are also required to wear masks in public spaces indoors and will have to quarantine and follow New York State and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines if anyone does test positive. Those students will also have to show a negative test when they return to campus, Hochul said. Random sampling will continue throughout the year, Hochul added. The requirement takes effect on January 15. The goal is not to just think of the health of students and staff, but also the local businesses that will suffer if college campuses are forced to shutter, Hochul said. Mask/vaccination requirement for businesses extended Testing and masks are an important line of defense, Hochul said. Although the mandate for businesses to either require masks or proof of vaccination was initially going to be re-evaluated on January 15, that has been extended for two weeks, due to the rapidly changing landscape, Hochul said. The plan has been geared all along to keeping the economy open, she said. "The other alternative is to say, shut it all down. The reason we don't have to do this is because we now have the defenses in place, the testing, the vaccines, the booster shots, the masks. So we're in a different dynamic now but I'm very conscious while this continues to spread that we can take steps to make sure that they are protected," Hochul said. To that end, Hochul urged the use of KN95 masks, which offer more protection; she said New Yorkers can use their favorite cloth masks over the KN95 masks to offer double protection. A total of 5 million KN95 masks have been sent out to counties statewide, she said. With 13 new testing sites launched recently, including two on Long Island, six others will be added next week, although none of those six are on Long Island. New MTA sites have also been added in New York City in the Bronx, she said. Preventing severe illness and death Hochul said supporting hospitals is a key factor in preventing severe illness and death. The federal government plays an important role, Hochul said. She is working with federal partners and advocating for the right to be able to protect nursing home occupants by requiring visitors to be vaccinated. "We've asked the federal government to revise their regulations that don't allow us to have any restrictions on visitors," Hochul said. "I understand that this was a reaction to the painful experience that so many families had to experience when they couldn't visit a loved one. Visit your loved one, but also don't be the reason that loved one does not survive." Hochul said she has also asked the federal government to make the antiviral treatment more widely available. Dr. Mary Bassett, New York's department of health commissioner, said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last week gave emergency approval to oral antiviral drugs. Before that, monoclonal antibodies were drugs that had to be administered in hospitals; the Pfizer drug is called Paxlovid, the Merck drug is Molnupiravir both are taken orally twice a day for five days. While New York received 3,180 doses of Paxlovid, far greater amounts are needed, Bassett said. The challenge is in production, she said. There has also been a focus on monoclonal antibodies, Bassett said, including one that's been the most protective for people who have omicron infection, called Sotrovimab. New York received 4,242 doses and then received an additional 5,580. "The federal government is now acknowledging that New York State has to receive not just proportional to our population but proportional to our disease burden," Bassett said. Jackie Bray, division of Homeland Security emergency services commissioner, said federal assistance has come in the form of new deployments statewide. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending a 35-member disaster medical assistance team to SUNY upstate in Syracuse, as well as a medical response team to Buffalo and 30 federal ambulance teams working upstate and in central New York. FEMA will also be sending 50 additional ambulance teams to New York City, Bray said. In addition to the federal aid, New York is opening its stockpiles and sending medical equipment, including oxygen tanks and other supplies, to hospitals statewide, Bray said. Hochul said there is good news: New York is down from 35 hospitals who had to put the brakes on elective surgeries, to 21. Vaccinated versus unvaccinated hospitalizations According to the latest data, 30 per 100,000 cases are unvaccinated, compared with 2.1 who are vaccinated. "If you are vaccinated you have a very low chance of being hospitalized," Hochul said. "Look at those numbers and see what percentage of people are in hospitals who are unvaccinated versus vaccinated, it's an extraordinary difference." Pediatric hospitalizations continue to rise, up to 299 statewide this week. Hochul said the FDA final approval date for the Pfizer booster is coming soon for 12 to 15 year olds and added that kids should not only be vaccinated but boosted. The governor also said communication with local leaders will continue. "This is the final message. 2022 is the year we beat this pandemic," Hochul said. This article originally appeared on the East Hampton Patch 13-y-o grandson of Enchanted Forest founder among multiple dead as wildfires ravage Western states Wyatte Tofte, the 13-year-old great-grandson of the creator of the Oregon fantasy theme park The Enchanted Forest, and his grandmother, Peggy Mosso, are among multiple people killed by wildfires that have razed homes, churches and millions of acres across the Pacific Northwest. Their deaths were confirmed by the park on Facebook Wednesday. Angela Mosso, Toftes mother, survived the Beachie Creek fire only after she was forced to leave her disabled mother behind. She suffered severe burns and is being treated in an intensive care unit. We are devastated to confirm that Wyatt Tofte has not survived. He was found a short while ago, the statement from the theme park reads. Wyatt was Rogers great-grandson and is loved and adored by all of his family and friends. His grandmother, Peggy Mosso, was also taken. She was also a loved and important member of our extended family. We ask for privacy and love right now. The harrowing details of how the Beachie Creek wildfires ravaged the family who lived near Lyons, Oregon, were shared by the 13-year-olds father, Chris Tofte, and a family friend in multiple interviews with The Statesman Journal. According to the report, the family had started preparations to leave when they were overwhelmed by the fire. While his wife packed a few things, Chris Tofte left her, his son, and his mother-in-law behind to go borrow a trailer from a friend. As Tofte made his way back to his family along a smoke-filled road, he almost ran over a woman in her underwear. Her hair was singed, her feet were badly burned and her mouth looked almost black, he recalled. He hurriedly tried to help her while explaining that he needed to find his wife and son only to realize that the woman was his wife. He was reportedly left numb by the revelation but turned the trailer around to get help for his wife. He soon connected with paramedics, who treated Angela Mosso, while he searched for his son. While waiting for her husband to return home on Tuesday, Mosso and the rest of her family went to bed. They later woke up with their house on fire. Everyone, including Duke, the family's 200-pound bull mastiff mix, and three cats, were able to get out. They were then supposed to leave the home. But Chris believes the car they could have used must have caught fire. The mother told her son to make a run for it with the dog, reports The Statesman Journal. Then, she was forced to make the difficult decision of leaving her 71-year-old mother behind. Peggy Mosso had suffered a broken leg in a fall, so she couldnt escape on foot. At the Legacy Emanuel Hospital Burn Center in Portland, where she remains in critical condition, Angela Mosso begged her husband to find her son. "Don't come back until you find him," she reportedly told him. The son was reportedly found next to the family dog, NBC News reported. Authorities are still searching for Peggy Mossos remains. There are more than 30 active fires in Oregon as of Friday and an estimated 500,000 residents are in mandatory evacuation zones, according to the Oregon joint information center. The death of Tofte and his grandmother are the first two casualties reported from fires in the state. The Assemblies of God reported Thursday that the Living Water Family Fellowship church located 2 miles outside of Blue River a community of about 800 was destroyed along with the town in a wildfire believed to have been sparked by a transformer that went down in high winds. Doug Fairrington, who has led the church with his wife, Cheri, for the past six years, said they lost power at around 8 p.m. Monday. Shortly after that, they were told by authorities that they had one hour to evacuate. The corridor is 50 miles long and one mile wide, Fairrington said. The transformer provided the spark and an unusual east winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour [gusting to 60 mph] did the rest it created a fire tunnel that literally gutted our area. The church and the parsonage are gone, Fairrington said in a statement. The high school, post office, ... all gone. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said more than 900,000 acres have burned as of Thursday, according to NBC News. Earlier this week, residents of Phoenix, another small town of about 4,000, returned to survey damage from the Almeda Fire. On Friday, a 41-year-old man was arrested and charged with two counts of arson after allegedly starting a fire in Phoenix. There were flames across the street from me, flames to the right of me, flames to the left of me. I just watched everything burn," Jonathan Weir, whose home was destroyed, told a local reporter. In Washington state, a series of wildfires have burned through nearly 587,000 acres since Monday, My Northwest reported. This is an extraordinary series of events we have suffered, Gov. Jay Inslee said at a press conference Wednesday where he declared a statewide emergency. On Thursday, Inslee also issued a proclamation to help families and individuals impacted by wildfires with cash assistance and immediate needs. For families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and now the devastating wildfires ravaging our state, funding from the Family Emergency Assistance Program can be, quite literally, a lifesaver, Inslee said. The state will continue to look for ways to support communities as we work together to recover from multiple economic and health emergencies. The northwest region of the U.S. Forest Service, which covers Washington state and Oregon, stated Thursday they had 5,117 fire personnel, 128 crews, 36 air resources and 431 engines battling 30 large fires burning 1,377,383 acres. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a briefing that with 2.3 million acres burned this year, 2020 is now the biggest wildfire season in the states modern history. At this time last year, only 118,000 acres had burned. The death toll from the fires was at least 12 for the month of September, NBC News reported. The National Interagency Fire Center reports that so far this year, 41,599 fires have burned 5,288,247 acres. California remains in the top spot for the state with the most acres burned, followed by Arizona, Colorado, Montana, and Texas. Texas Audit Finds Over 11,000 Potential Noncitizens Registered to Vote, Other Problems First phase of audit praised by secretary of state but criticized by some lawmakers who argue it isn't enough Voting irregularitiesincluding potentially thousands of votes cast by noncitizens and dead peoplewere reported during the first phase of the Texas secretary of states forensic audit of the 2020 general election, but critics deemed it more of a risk-limiting audit at this point. The secretary of states office released its findings on Dec. 31; the issues found arent enough to significantly affect 2020 election results of the four counties involved in the auditCollin, Dallas, Harris, and Tarrant countieswhich account for about 10 million people, or a third of Texass population. Generally speaking, nothing was found on such a large scale that could have altered any election, Sam Taylor, assistant secretary of state for communications, told The Epoch Times. Findings include: Statewide, a total of 11,737 potential non-U.S. citizens were identified as being registered to vote. Of these, 327 records were identified in Collin County, 1,385 in Dallas County, 3,063 in Harris County, and 708 in Tarrant County. So far, Dallas County has canceled 1,193 of these records, with Tarrant County canceling one. Neither Collin nor Harris have canceled any potential non-voting records. Since November 2020, 224,585 deceased voters have been removed from the voter rolls in Texas: Collin County removed 4,889 deceased voters, Dallas County removed 14,926 deceased voters, Harris County removed 23,914 deceased voters, and Tarrant County removed 13,955 deceased voters. Statewide, a total of 67 potential votes cast in the name of deceased people are under investigation. Of those, three were cast in Collin County, nine in Dallas County, four in Harris County, and one in Tarrant County. In a review of each countys partial manual count report required under Texas law, three of the four counties reported discrepancies between ballots counted electronically versus those counted by hand. The reported reasons for these discrepancies will be investigated and verified during phase two of the audit. Taylor said the states audit, currently moving into its second phase, is the first of its kind for Texas. Secretary of State John Scott portrayed the audit as the countrys most comprehensive forensic audit of the 2020 election, according to a November statement. He said the audit will use analytical tools to examine the literal nuts and bolts of election administration to determine if any illegal activity may have occurred. Of the four counties being audited, President Donald Trump won Collin County, with President Joe Biden taking Dallas and Harris counties. Tarrant County, traditionally a red county, flipped to Biden with a slim 1,826 vote margin. Overall, Trump carried Texas with 52.1 percent of the vote to Bidens 46.5 percent. The Texas audit was announced soon after Trump wrote a Sept. 23, 2021, open letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, whom Trump endorsed for reelection in 2022, pushing for a more thorough forensic audit of the 2020 election. Trumps letter asked Abbott to include legislation in the third special session that would allow for more comprehensive forensic audits of the 2020 presidential election in Texas, specifically pointing to House Bill 16 and Senate Bill 97. Those pieces of legislation would have allowed party officials to demand county-level audits in future elections and allowed for a 2020 audit as well. Ultimately SB 97, which had similar language as HB 16, was introduced but didnt pass both chambers before the clock ran out on the third and final session this fall. As it stands, the four-county audit is part of Senate Bill 1, a sweeping election bill passed by the Republican-led legislature in the second special session of 2021, but vehemently opposed by Democrats. Legislators hoping to revive a fourth legislative session to deal with voting fraud issues say the current audit is limited in scope. State Rep. Steve Toth (R-Woodlands), who sponsored HB 16, called the audit more of a risk-limiting exercise that wont adequately address all 2020 election problems. We know that fraud has been taking place in Texas, Toth told The Epoch Times. We need a forensic audit. Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), who introduced SB 97, agreed that Toth had a point. Bettencourts bill would have allowed audits to be conducted at the county level across Texas. However, he said the Secretary of States audit has the potential to become a forensic audit during phase two if it begins to dig into voting irregularities. My observation over time is that fraud is used against Democrats in their primaries and against the Republicans in the general election, Bettencourt told The Epoch Times. He pointed to some 3,000 nonresidents potentially voting in Harris County cited by the audit. Bettencourt said as far back as 20 years ago when he was a district voting clerk, he would use jury service data indicating noncitizens to purge them from the rolls. But at this point, he said the county appears to have abandoned such efforts. Bettencourt noted other irregularities not covered by the states audit, such as a situation in Wichita Falls where a single-family residence was home to more than 500 registered voters. While the Texas attorney generals office lists only 386 active election fraud investigations, cases of voter fraud have increased in the state. In a Texan article, Jonathan White, head of the election fraud section in the Texas attorney generals special prosecutions division, said cases were higher than our historical average by a long shot. There were 510 offenses pending against 43 defendants at the time, according to the article, with most stemming from mail-in ballots. Taylor said that the secretary of states audit was indeed a forensic exercise. During the second phase of the audit, the secretary of states forensic audit division will conduct on-site examinations in January and will compare machine tabulations with paper ballots when possible. Issues such as how drive-thru voting was conducted in Harris County in 2020, now prohibited by SB 1, will be reviewed, Taylor said, adding there were claims of a 1,800 vote discrepancy between the number of voters checked in and the number of votes cast at drive-thrus. About 127,000 votes were cast in the Houston area this way. But Leah Shah, communications director for Harris County Elections, said the county uses very strict protocol on how ballots are managed and couldnt confirm a voting discrepancy. We have heard that number, but we have no idea where that number came from, she told The Epoch Times. 13-y-o grandson of Enchanted Forest founder among multiple dead as wildfires ravage Western states Wyatte Tofte, the 13-year-old great-grandson of the creator of the Oregon fantasy theme park The Enchanted Forest, and his grandmother, Peggy Mosso, are among multiple people killed by wildfires that have razed homes, churches and millions of acres across the Pacific Northwest. Their deaths were confirmed by the park on Facebook Wednesday. Angela Mosso, Toftes mother, survived the Beachie Creek fire only after she was forced to leave her disabled mother behind. She suffered severe burns and is being treated in an intensive care unit. We are devastated to confirm that Wyatt Tofte has not survived. He was found a short while ago, the statement from the theme park reads. Wyatt was Rogers great-grandson and is loved and adored by all of his family and friends. His grandmother, Peggy Mosso, was also taken. She was also a loved and important member of our extended family. We ask for privacy and love right now. The harrowing details of how the Beachie Creek wildfires ravaged the family who lived near Lyons, Oregon, were shared by the 13-year-olds father, Chris Tofte, and a family friend in multiple interviews with The Statesman Journal. According to the report, the family had started preparations to leave when they were overwhelmed by the fire. While his wife packed a few things, Chris Tofte left her, his son, and his mother-in-law behind to go borrow a trailer from a friend. As Tofte made his way back to his family along a smoke-filled road, he almost ran over a woman in her underwear. Her hair was singed, her feet were badly burned and her mouth looked almost black, he recalled. He hurriedly tried to help her while explaining that he needed to find his wife and son only to realize that the woman was his wife. He was reportedly left numb by the revelation but turned the trailer around to get help for his wife. He soon connected with paramedics, who treated Angela Mosso, while he searched for his son. While waiting for her husband to return home on Tuesday, Mosso and the rest of her family went to bed. They later woke up with their house on fire. Everyone, including Duke, the family's 200-pound bull mastiff mix, and three cats, were able to get out. They were then supposed to leave the home. But Chris believes the car they could have used must have caught fire. The mother told her son to make a run for it with the dog, reports The Statesman Journal. Then, she was forced to make the difficult decision of leaving her 71-year-old mother behind. Peggy Mosso had suffered a broken leg in a fall, so she couldnt escape on foot. At the Legacy Emanuel Hospital Burn Center in Portland, where she remains in critical condition, Angela Mosso begged her husband to find her son. "Don't come back until you find him," she reportedly told him. The son was reportedly found next to the family dog, NBC News reported. Authorities are still searching for Peggy Mossos remains. There are more than 30 active fires in Oregon as of Friday and an estimated 500,000 residents are in mandatory evacuation zones, according to the Oregon joint information center. The death of Tofte and his grandmother are the first two casualties reported from fires in the state. The Assemblies of God reported Thursday that the Living Water Family Fellowship church located 2 miles outside of Blue River a community of about 800 was destroyed along with the town in a wildfire believed to have been sparked by a transformer that went down in high winds. Doug Fairrington, who has led the church with his wife, Cheri, for the past six years, said they lost power at around 8 p.m. Monday. Shortly after that, they were told by authorities that they had one hour to evacuate. The corridor is 50 miles long and one mile wide, Fairrington said. The transformer provided the spark and an unusual east winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour [gusting to 60 mph] did the rest it created a fire tunnel that literally gutted our area. The church and the parsonage are gone, Fairrington said in a statement. The high school, post office, ... all gone. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said more than 900,000 acres have burned as of Thursday, according to NBC News. Earlier this week, residents of Phoenix, another small town of about 4,000, returned to survey damage from the Almeda Fire. On Friday, a 41-year-old man was arrested and charged with two counts of arson after allegedly starting a fire in Phoenix. There were flames across the street from me, flames to the right of me, flames to the left of me. I just watched everything burn," Jonathan Weir, whose home was destroyed, told a local reporter. In Washington state, a series of wildfires have burned through nearly 587,000 acres since Monday, My Northwest reported. This is an extraordinary series of events we have suffered, Gov. Jay Inslee said at a press conference Wednesday where he declared a statewide emergency. On Thursday, Inslee also issued a proclamation to help families and individuals impacted by wildfires with cash assistance and immediate needs. For families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and now the devastating wildfires ravaging our state, funding from the Family Emergency Assistance Program can be, quite literally, a lifesaver, Inslee said. The state will continue to look for ways to support communities as we work together to recover from multiple economic and health emergencies. The northwest region of the U.S. Forest Service, which covers Washington state and Oregon, stated Thursday they had 5,117 fire personnel, 128 crews, 36 air resources and 431 engines battling 30 large fires burning 1,377,383 acres. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a briefing that with 2.3 million acres burned this year, 2020 is now the biggest wildfire season in the states modern history. At this time last year, only 118,000 acres had burned. The death toll from the fires was at least 12 for the month of September, NBC News reported. The National Interagency Fire Center reports that so far this year, 41,599 fires have burned 5,288,247 acres. California remains in the top spot for the state with the most acres burned, followed by Arizona, Colorado, Montana, and Texas. 13-y-o grandson of Enchanted Forest founder among multiple dead as wildfires ravage Western states Wyatte Tofte, the 13-year-old great-grandson of the creator of the Oregon fantasy theme park The Enchanted Forest, and his grandmother, Peggy Mosso, are among multiple people killed by wildfires that have razed homes, churches and millions of acres across the Pacific Northwest. Their deaths were confirmed by the park on Facebook Wednesday. Angela Mosso, Toftes mother, survived the Beachie Creek fire only after she was forced to leave her disabled mother behind. She suffered severe burns and is being treated in an intensive care unit. We are devastated to confirm that Wyatt Tofte has not survived. He was found a short while ago, the statement from the theme park reads. Wyatt was Rogers great-grandson and is loved and adored by all of his family and friends. His grandmother, Peggy Mosso, was also taken. She was also a loved and important member of our extended family. We ask for privacy and love right now. The harrowing details of how the Beachie Creek wildfires ravaged the family who lived near Lyons, Oregon, were shared by the 13-year-olds father, Chris Tofte, and a family friend in multiple interviews with The Statesman Journal. According to the report, the family had started preparations to leave when they were overwhelmed by the fire. While his wife packed a few things, Chris Tofte left her, his son, and his mother-in-law behind to go borrow a trailer from a friend. As Tofte made his way back to his family along a smoke-filled road, he almost ran over a woman in her underwear. Her hair was singed, her feet were badly burned and her mouth looked almost black, he recalled. He hurriedly tried to help her while explaining that he needed to find his wife and son only to realize that the woman was his wife. He was reportedly left numb by the revelation but turned the trailer around to get help for his wife. He soon connected with paramedics, who treated Angela Mosso, while he searched for his son. While waiting for her husband to return home on Tuesday, Mosso and the rest of her family went to bed. They later woke up with their house on fire. Everyone, including Duke, the family's 200-pound bull mastiff mix, and three cats, were able to get out. They were then supposed to leave the home. But Chris believes the car they could have used must have caught fire. The mother told her son to make a run for it with the dog, reports The Statesman Journal. Then, she was forced to make the difficult decision of leaving her 71-year-old mother behind. Peggy Mosso had suffered a broken leg in a fall, so she couldnt escape on foot. At the Legacy Emanuel Hospital Burn Center in Portland, where she remains in critical condition, Angela Mosso begged her husband to find her son. "Don't come back until you find him," she reportedly told him. The son was reportedly found next to the family dog, NBC News reported. Authorities are still searching for Peggy Mossos remains. There are more than 30 active fires in Oregon as of Friday and an estimated 500,000 residents are in mandatory evacuation zones, according to the Oregon joint information center. The death of Tofte and his grandmother are the first two casualties reported from fires in the state. The Assemblies of God reported Thursday that the Living Water Family Fellowship church located 2 miles outside of Blue River a community of about 800 was destroyed along with the town in a wildfire believed to have been sparked by a transformer that went down in high winds. Doug Fairrington, who has led the church with his wife, Cheri, for the past six years, said they lost power at around 8 p.m. Monday. Shortly after that, they were told by authorities that they had one hour to evacuate. The corridor is 50 miles long and one mile wide, Fairrington said. The transformer provided the spark and an unusual east winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour [gusting to 60 mph] did the rest it created a fire tunnel that literally gutted our area. The church and the parsonage are gone, Fairrington said in a statement. The high school, post office, ... all gone. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said more than 900,000 acres have burned as of Thursday, according to NBC News. Earlier this week, residents of Phoenix, another small town of about 4,000, returned to survey damage from the Almeda Fire. On Friday, a 41-year-old man was arrested and charged with two counts of arson after allegedly starting a fire in Phoenix. There were flames across the street from me, flames to the right of me, flames to the left of me. I just watched everything burn," Jonathan Weir, whose home was destroyed, told a local reporter. In Washington state, a series of wildfires have burned through nearly 587,000 acres since Monday, My Northwest reported. This is an extraordinary series of events we have suffered, Gov. Jay Inslee said at a press conference Wednesday where he declared a statewide emergency. On Thursday, Inslee also issued a proclamation to help families and individuals impacted by wildfires with cash assistance and immediate needs. For families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and now the devastating wildfires ravaging our state, funding from the Family Emergency Assistance Program can be, quite literally, a lifesaver, Inslee said. The state will continue to look for ways to support communities as we work together to recover from multiple economic and health emergencies. The northwest region of the U.S. Forest Service, which covers Washington state and Oregon, stated Thursday they had 5,117 fire personnel, 128 crews, 36 air resources and 431 engines battling 30 large fires burning 1,377,383 acres. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a briefing that with 2.3 million acres burned this year, 2020 is now the biggest wildfire season in the states modern history. At this time last year, only 118,000 acres had burned. The death toll from the fires was at least 12 for the month of September, NBC News reported. The National Interagency Fire Center reports that so far this year, 41,599 fires have burned 5,288,247 acres. California remains in the top spot for the state with the most acres burned, followed by Arizona, Colorado, Montana, and Texas. Texas Audit Finds Over 11,000 Potential Noncitizens Registered to Vote, Other Problems First phase of audit praised by secretary of state but criticized by some lawmakers who argue it isn't enough Voting irregularitiesincluding potentially thousands of votes cast by noncitizens and dead peoplewere reported during the first phase of the Texas secretary of states forensic audit of the 2020 general election, but critics deemed it more of a risk-limiting audit at this point. The secretary of states office released its findings on Dec. 31; the issues found arent enough to significantly affect 2020 election results of the four counties involved in the auditCollin, Dallas, Harris, and Tarrant countieswhich account for about 10 million people, or a third of Texass population. Generally speaking, nothing was found on such a large scale that could have altered any election, Sam Taylor, assistant secretary of state for communications, told The Epoch Times. Findings include: Statewide, a total of 11,737 potential non-U.S. citizens were identified as being registered to vote. Of these, 327 records were identified in Collin County, 1,385 in Dallas County, 3,063 in Harris County, and 708 in Tarrant County. So far, Dallas County has canceled 1,193 of these records, with Tarrant County canceling one. Neither Collin nor Harris have canceled any potential non-voting records. Since November 2020, 224,585 deceased voters have been removed from the voter rolls in Texas: Collin County removed 4,889 deceased voters, Dallas County removed 14,926 deceased voters, Harris County removed 23,914 deceased voters, and Tarrant County removed 13,955 deceased voters. Statewide, a total of 67 potential votes cast in the name of deceased people are under investigation. Of those, three were cast in Collin County, nine in Dallas County, four in Harris County, and one in Tarrant County. In a review of each countys partial manual count report required under Texas law, three of the four counties reported discrepancies between ballots counted electronically versus those counted by hand. The reported reasons for these discrepancies will be investigated and verified during phase two of the audit. Taylor said the states audit, currently moving into its second phase, is the first of its kind for Texas. Secretary of State John Scott portrayed the audit as the countrys most comprehensive forensic audit of the 2020 election, according to a November statement. He said the audit will use analytical tools to examine the literal nuts and bolts of election administration to determine if any illegal activity may have occurred. Of the four counties being audited, President Donald Trump won Collin County, with President Joe Biden taking Dallas and Harris counties. Tarrant County, traditionally a red county, flipped to Biden with a slim 1,826 vote margin. Overall, Trump carried Texas with 52.1 percent of the vote to Bidens 46.5 percent. The Texas audit was announced soon after Trump wrote a Sept. 23, 2021, open letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, whom Trump endorsed for reelection in 2022, pushing for a more thorough forensic audit of the 2020 election. Trumps letter asked Abbott to include legislation in the third special session that would allow for more comprehensive forensic audits of the 2020 presidential election in Texas, specifically pointing to House Bill 16 and Senate Bill 97. Those pieces of legislation would have allowed party officials to demand county-level audits in future elections and allowed for a 2020 audit as well. Ultimately SB 97, which had similar language as HB 16, was introduced but didnt pass both chambers before the clock ran out on the third and final session this fall. As it stands, the four-county audit is part of Senate Bill 1, a sweeping election bill passed by the Republican-led legislature in the second special session of 2021, but vehemently opposed by Democrats. Legislators hoping to revive a fourth legislative session to deal with voting fraud issues say the current audit is limited in scope. State Rep. Steve Toth (R-Woodlands), who sponsored HB 16, called the audit more of a risk-limiting exercise that wont adequately address all 2020 election problems. We know that fraud has been taking place in Texas, Toth told The Epoch Times. We need a forensic audit. Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), who introduced SB 97, agreed that Toth had a point. Bettencourts bill would have allowed audits to be conducted at the county level across Texas. However, he said the Secretary of States audit has the potential to become a forensic audit during phase two if it begins to dig into voting irregularities. My observation over time is that fraud is used against Democrats in their primaries and against the Republicans in the general election, Bettencourt told The Epoch Times. He pointed to some 3,000 nonresidents potentially voting in Harris County cited by the audit. Bettencourt said as far back as 20 years ago when he was a district voting clerk, he would use jury service data indicating noncitizens to purge them from the rolls. But at this point, he said the county appears to have abandoned such efforts. Bettencourt noted other irregularities not covered by the states audit, such as a situation in Wichita Falls where a single-family residence was home to more than 500 registered voters. While the Texas attorney generals office lists only 386 active election fraud investigations, cases of voter fraud have increased in the state. In a Texan article, Jonathan White, head of the election fraud section in the Texas attorney generals special prosecutions division, said cases were higher than our historical average by a long shot. There were 510 offenses pending against 43 defendants at the time, according to the article, with most stemming from mail-in ballots. Taylor said that the secretary of states audit was indeed a forensic exercise. During the second phase of the audit, the secretary of states forensic audit division will conduct on-site examinations in January and will compare machine tabulations with paper ballots when possible. Issues such as how drive-thru voting was conducted in Harris County in 2020, now prohibited by SB 1, will be reviewed, Taylor said, adding there were claims of a 1,800 vote discrepancy between the number of voters checked in and the number of votes cast at drive-thrus. About 127,000 votes were cast in the Houston area this way. But Leah Shah, communications director for Harris County Elections, said the county uses very strict protocol on how ballots are managed and couldnt confirm a voting discrepancy. We have heard that number, but we have no idea where that number came from, she told The Epoch Times. Texas Audit Finds Over 11,000 Potential Noncitizens Registered to Vote, Other Problems First phase of audit praised by secretary of state but criticized by some lawmakers who argue it isn't enough Voting irregularitiesincluding potentially thousands of votes cast by noncitizens and dead peoplewere reported during the first phase of the Texas secretary of states forensic audit of the 2020 general election, but critics deemed it more of a risk-limiting audit at this point. The secretary of states office released its findings on Dec. 31; the issues found arent enough to significantly affect 2020 election results of the four counties involved in the auditCollin, Dallas, Harris, and Tarrant countieswhich account for about 10 million people, or a third of Texass population. Generally speaking, nothing was found on such a large scale that could have altered any election, Sam Taylor, assistant secretary of state for communications, told The Epoch Times. Findings include: Statewide, a total of 11,737 potential non-U.S. citizens were identified as being registered to vote. Of these, 327 records were identified in Collin County, 1,385 in Dallas County, 3,063 in Harris County, and 708 in Tarrant County. So far, Dallas County has canceled 1,193 of these records, with Tarrant County canceling one. Neither Collin nor Harris have canceled any potential non-voting records. Since November 2020, 224,585 deceased voters have been removed from the voter rolls in Texas: Collin County removed 4,889 deceased voters, Dallas County removed 14,926 deceased voters, Harris County removed 23,914 deceased voters, and Tarrant County removed 13,955 deceased voters. Statewide, a total of 67 potential votes cast in the name of deceased people are under investigation. Of those, three were cast in Collin County, nine in Dallas County, four in Harris County, and one in Tarrant County. In a review of each countys partial manual count report required under Texas law, three of the four counties reported discrepancies between ballots counted electronically versus those counted by hand. The reported reasons for these discrepancies will be investigated and verified during phase two of the audit. Taylor said the states audit, currently moving into its second phase, is the first of its kind for Texas. Secretary of State John Scott portrayed the audit as the countrys most comprehensive forensic audit of the 2020 election, according to a November statement. He said the audit will use analytical tools to examine the literal nuts and bolts of election administration to determine if any illegal activity may have occurred. Of the four counties being audited, President Donald Trump won Collin County, with President Joe Biden taking Dallas and Harris counties. Tarrant County, traditionally a red county, flipped to Biden with a slim 1,826 vote margin. Overall, Trump carried Texas with 52.1 percent of the vote to Bidens 46.5 percent. The Texas audit was announced soon after Trump wrote a Sept. 23, 2021, open letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, whom Trump endorsed for reelection in 2022, pushing for a more thorough forensic audit of the 2020 election. Trumps letter asked Abbott to include legislation in the third special session that would allow for more comprehensive forensic audits of the 2020 presidential election in Texas, specifically pointing to House Bill 16 and Senate Bill 97. Those pieces of legislation would have allowed party officials to demand county-level audits in future elections and allowed for a 2020 audit as well. Ultimately SB 97, which had similar language as HB 16, was introduced but didnt pass both chambers before the clock ran out on the third and final session this fall. As it stands, the four-county audit is part of Senate Bill 1, a sweeping election bill passed by the Republican-led legislature in the second special session of 2021, but vehemently opposed by Democrats. Legislators hoping to revive a fourth legislative session to deal with voting fraud issues say the current audit is limited in scope. State Rep. Steve Toth (R-Woodlands), who sponsored HB 16, called the audit more of a risk-limiting exercise that wont adequately address all 2020 election problems. We know that fraud has been taking place in Texas, Toth told The Epoch Times. We need a forensic audit. Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), who introduced SB 97, agreed that Toth had a point. Bettencourts bill would have allowed audits to be conducted at the county level across Texas. However, he said the Secretary of States audit has the potential to become a forensic audit during phase two if it begins to dig into voting irregularities. My observation over time is that fraud is used against Democrats in their primaries and against the Republicans in the general election, Bettencourt told The Epoch Times. He pointed to some 3,000 nonresidents potentially voting in Harris County cited by the audit. Bettencourt said as far back as 20 years ago when he was a district voting clerk, he would use jury service data indicating noncitizens to purge them from the rolls. But at this point, he said the county appears to have abandoned such efforts. Bettencourt noted other irregularities not covered by the states audit, such as a situation in Wichita Falls where a single-family residence was home to more than 500 registered voters. While the Texas attorney generals office lists only 386 active election fraud investigations, cases of voter fraud have increased in the state. In a Texan article, Jonathan White, head of the election fraud section in the Texas attorney generals special prosecutions division, said cases were higher than our historical average by a long shot. There were 510 offenses pending against 43 defendants at the time, according to the article, with most stemming from mail-in ballots. Taylor said that the secretary of states audit was indeed a forensic exercise. During the second phase of the audit, the secretary of states forensic audit division will conduct on-site examinations in January and will compare machine tabulations with paper ballots when possible. Issues such as how drive-thru voting was conducted in Harris County in 2020, now prohibited by SB 1, will be reviewed, Taylor said, adding there were claims of a 1,800 vote discrepancy between the number of voters checked in and the number of votes cast at drive-thrus. About 127,000 votes were cast in the Houston area this way. But Leah Shah, communications director for Harris County Elections, said the county uses very strict protocol on how ballots are managed and couldnt confirm a voting discrepancy. We have heard that number, but we have no idea where that number came from, she told The Epoch Times. A man walks through a deserted Place Royale in Quebec City on the evening of Dec. 31, 2021, shortly before the provincial governments nightly curfew came into effect. (The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissinot) An Attitude of Change Is Whats Needed as We Enter 2022 Commentary The common salutation at the turn of the year is to wish somebody a happy New Year. It will be hard to find happiness if 2022 doesnt actually provide us with something new, however. The most striking thing that can be said about 2021 is how little different it was from 2020. The year 2020 was miserable for most of the world. The COVID-19 pandemic began spreading at the beginning of the year, causing fear, instability, and economic damage around the planet. Panicked governments imposed restrictions on work, travel, and social gatherings in hopes of controlling the spread of the disease. While we were all apprehensive, many of us took comfort in knowing that the lockdowns should be little more than two weeks to flatten the curve as our local governments told us. The two weeks turned into months that can now be measured in years. Businesses opened and closed as pandemic waves came and went. People stayed home on the Easter of 2020 under the assurances that they would be able to visit family in the summer. Summer vacations were deferred and people remained home while the state told them they would be able to reunite in gatherings at Christmas. Infections surged at Christmas and we were locked down again. It will be better in the new year! we were assured. Well, 2021 came and went and it was nearly identical to 2020. Not only did nothing change, but most Canadians didnt seek or demand any changes. Sure, we saw protests against government restrictions popping up across the country in major cities at times. Those protests never evolved into actions large enough to catch the attention of Canadas decision-makers, much less change the course of their decisions. The demonstrations were often dominated by people with some questionable views to say the least, and never brought out average Canadians in noteworthy numbers. Canadians claimed to be upset with the pandemic restrictions, but not upset enough to go out and protest against them. Canadians had the ultimate opportunity to pursue real change in the fall of 2021. We had a general election. We saw the election coming for months. The fall campaign was dominated by discussion on the pandemic as was to be expected. Many questions were asked regarding the degree of the governments pandemic response and the amount of money being borrowed in order to continue with that response. When given the opportunity to express a desire for change in a way as simple, safe, and potentially effective as casting a ballot in an election, Canadians resoundingly selected the status quo. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was returned to office with almost the exact same support numbers as he had when he dissolved the Parliament and called an election. Canadians may fear the pandemic and are concerned about the federal governments response to it, but not so much that they could overcome their fear of change. People look to the New Year as a time to embrace rejuvenation and fresh beginnings. It is a time to shed bad habits and embrace new ones. We should be looking back on the last two years and asking ourselves what we can do to make the coming one better. I think most people agree that the last two years have been terrible, but are most people ready to take a leap and embrace changes? We appear to be no closer to the end of the COVID-19 pandemic today than we were in February of 2020. While most of the population has been vaccinated, we are now seeing a massive rise in cases due to the new Omicron variant leading to lockdowns, stress, and restrictions yet again. We are always told that we must make sacrifices now so that we may all benefit later. It has been two years now; when are the benefits coming? I dont know what the most direct path out of the pandemic is, but with two years of pandemic experience under our belts, we can sure list a lot of things that dont work. Why do we keep trying them? As we enter what will be our third year of living in the COVID-19 age, are we ready to try something different yet? I do want to look forward to 2022 with optimism. I want it to be a year where we move beyond the pandemic and begin to enjoy prosperous lives again with free movement and no social restrictions. I do think we can get there. First, though, we have to embrace an attitude of change. This year, dont make the same old tired resolutions to quit smoking or lose weight. Make a resolution to stand up for yourself and tell your political leaders that its time to do things differently. If we dont do that, 2023 will be indistinguishable from the two years preceding it. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. LONG ISLAND, NY With the number of COVID-19 cases continuing to spike in New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul rolled out her "winter surge 2.0" plan Friday including announcements that all SUNY and CUNY students must be boosted before returning to classes, and that a mask-or-vaccination mandate for businesses will be extended through February. Hochul said there were five key points to the plan: Keeping kids in school, continuing to wear masks and test, preventing severe illness and death, increasing vaccines and boosters, and working in collaboration with local leaders. "We are working around the clock to fight this surge. And as we've been saying for a long time, we were going to experience a very serious winter surge," Hochul said. Statewide, as of Friday, there are 271 cases per 100,000 and 321 per 100,000 on Long Island. On Friday, there were 76,555 new positive cases reported as the omicron variant adds to the uptick, Hochul said. "It's almost not worth it to say we're breaking records. We're breaking records every day and we'll probably continue to do so until we hit that downward trend," Hochul said. The trends have been witnessed nationwide and globally, Hochul reminded. New York stands at number three in the nation for per capita testing and number one, in the large states, she said. Hospitalizations continue to rise, "closing in on 8,000 which is not a milestone we've hoped to hit, but it's also very concerning," Hochul said. Health care workers are exhausted and frustrated, she said, "because they know it did not have to be this way. If we had more people vaccinated, fully vaccinated, to deal with this highly transmittable variant known as omicron." On Long Island, 1,374 are hospitalized, the data indicates. And a total of 80 New Yorkers died in the 24 hours leading up to Friday's news briefing, Hochul said. "We're not out of this," Hochul said. "We're still addressing a very serious situation." Story continues In New York, 95 percent of adults over 18 have received their first dose, but there is a need for people to go receive their second doses, Hochul said adding that boosters, too, are critical. A person who is boosted can be protected within two to three days of receiving that shot, she said. The challenge also remains children in the 5 to 11 age group, Hochul said only 28 percent have received their first dose. Children in that age group who remain unvaccinated might be transmitting the virus to their younger siblings, she said. Discussing why she was releasing a 2.0 plan, Hochul said it's because the virus has changed so dramatically and quickly since November. "We have to adapt. We have to be very smart. We've been doing the right things, but 2.0 is simply improvements upon what we've been doing. And again, to sound the alarm, that the numbers are continuing to increase they don't have to, we can control this," she said. Hochul discussed the five key points of her 2.0 plan: Keeping kids in school The governor said planes are bringing testing kits to New York, so that the "Test to Stay" program can be rolled out. The tenet of that plan is that if a student's classmate tests positive, kids can take home test kits in their backpacks, and then come back the next day if they test negative, and get tested again in a few days. New York State Operations Director Kathryn Garcia said more than 37 million tests have been ordered; 5.28 million arrived this week, and another 6 million are arriving through Monday. The state will also supply tests to counties. Discussing college students, Hochul said students congregate and live on campus, so the experience is different. On Friday, the state issued new guidance for SUNY and CUNY schools for the spring semester. "We are asking all schools to ensure that students before they return are boosted," Hochul said. "They're required to be vaccinated. Now we're putting on an additional requirement: in order to return to your college campus you have to be boosted." College students are also required to wear masks in public spaces indoors and will have to quarantine and follow New York State and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines if anyone does test positive. Those students will also have to show a negative test when they return to campus, Hochul said. Random sampling will continue throughout the year, Hochul added. The requirement takes effect on January 15. The goal is not to just think of the health of students and staff, but also the local businesses that will suffer if college campuses are forced to shutter, Hochul said. Mask/vaccination requirement for businesses extended Testing and masks are an important line of defense, Hochul said. Although the mandate for businesses to either require masks or proof of vaccination was initially going to be re-evaluated on January 15, that has been extended for two weeks, due to the rapidly changing landscape, Hochul said. The plan has been geared all along to keeping the economy open, she said. "The other alternative is to say, shut it all down. The reason we don't have to do this is because we now have the defenses in place, the testing, the vaccines, the booster shots, the masks. So we're in a different dynamic now but I'm very conscious while this continues to spread that we can take steps to make sure that they are protected," Hochul said. To that end, Hochul urged the use of KN95 masks, which offer more protection; she said New Yorkers can use their favorite cloth masks over the KN95 masks to offer double protection. A total of 5 million KN95 masks have been sent out to counties statewide, she said. With 13 new testing sites launched recently, including two on Long Island, six others will be added next week, although none of those six are on Long Island. New MTA sites have also been added in New York City in the Bronx, she said. Preventing severe illness and death Hochul said supporting hospitals is a key factor in preventing severe illness and death. The federal government plays an important role, Hochul said. She is working with federal partners and advocating for the right to be able to protect nursing home occupants by requiring visitors to be vaccinated. "We've asked the federal government to revise their regulations that don't allow us to have any restrictions on visitors," Hochul said. "I understand that this was a reaction to the painful experience that so many families had to experience when they couldn't visit a loved one. Visit your loved one, but also don't be the reason that loved one does not survive." Hochul said she has also asked the federal government to make the antiviral treatment more widely available. Dr. Mary Bassett, New York's department of health commissioner, said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last week gave emergency approval to oral antiviral drugs. Before that, monoclonal antibodies were drugs that had to be administered in hospitals; the Pfizer drug is called Paxlovid, the Merck drug is Molnupiravir both are taken orally twice a day for five days. While New York received 3,180 doses of Paxlovid, far greater amounts are needed, Bassett said. The challenge is in production, she said. There has also been a focus on monoclonal antibodies, Bassett said, including one that's been the most protective for people who have omicron infection, called Sotrovimab. New York received 4,242 doses and then received an additional 5,580. "The federal government is now acknowledging that New York State has to receive not just proportional to our population but proportional to our disease burden," Bassett said. Jackie Bray, division of Homeland Security emergency services commissioner, said federal assistance has come in the form of new deployments statewide. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending a 35-member disaster medical assistance team to SUNY upstate in Syracuse, as well as a medical response team to Buffalo and 30 federal ambulance teams working upstate and in central New York. FEMA will also be sending 50 additional ambulance teams to New York City, Bray said. In addition to the federal aid, New York is opening its stockpiles and sending medical equipment, including oxygen tanks and other supplies, to hospitals statewide, Bray said. Hochul said there is good news: New York is down from 35 hospitals who had to put the brakes on elective surgeries, to 21. Vaccinated versus unvaccinated hospitalizations According to the latest data, 30 per 100,000 cases are unvaccinated, compared with 2.1 who are vaccinated. "If you are vaccinated you have a very low chance of being hospitalized," Hochul said. "Look at those numbers and see what percentage of people are in hospitals who are unvaccinated versus vaccinated, it's an extraordinary difference." Pediatric hospitalizations continue to rise, up to 299 statewide this week. Hochul said the FDA final approval date for the Pfizer booster is coming soon for 12 to 15 year olds and added that kids should not only be vaccinated but boosted. The governor also said communication with local leaders will continue. "This is the final message. 2022 is the year we beat this pandemic," Hochul said. This article originally appeared on the East Hampton Patch A man walks through a deserted Place Royale in Quebec City on the evening of Dec. 31, 2021, shortly before the provincial governments nightly curfew came into effect. (The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissinot) An Attitude of Change Is Whats Needed as We Enter 2022 Commentary The common salutation at the turn of the year is to wish somebody a happy New Year. It will be hard to find happiness if 2022 doesnt actually provide us with something new, however. The most striking thing that can be said about 2021 is how little different it was from 2020. The year 2020 was miserable for most of the world. The COVID-19 pandemic began spreading at the beginning of the year, causing fear, instability, and economic damage around the planet. Panicked governments imposed restrictions on work, travel, and social gatherings in hopes of controlling the spread of the disease. While we were all apprehensive, many of us took comfort in knowing that the lockdowns should be little more than two weeks to flatten the curve as our local governments told us. The two weeks turned into months that can now be measured in years. Businesses opened and closed as pandemic waves came and went. People stayed home on the Easter of 2020 under the assurances that they would be able to visit family in the summer. Summer vacations were deferred and people remained home while the state told them they would be able to reunite in gatherings at Christmas. Infections surged at Christmas and we were locked down again. It will be better in the new year! we were assured. Well, 2021 came and went and it was nearly identical to 2020. Not only did nothing change, but most Canadians didnt seek or demand any changes. Sure, we saw protests against government restrictions popping up across the country in major cities at times. Those protests never evolved into actions large enough to catch the attention of Canadas decision-makers, much less change the course of their decisions. The demonstrations were often dominated by people with some questionable views to say the least, and never brought out average Canadians in noteworthy numbers. Canadians claimed to be upset with the pandemic restrictions, but not upset enough to go out and protest against them. Canadians had the ultimate opportunity to pursue real change in the fall of 2021. We had a general election. We saw the election coming for months. The fall campaign was dominated by discussion on the pandemic as was to be expected. Many questions were asked regarding the degree of the governments pandemic response and the amount of money being borrowed in order to continue with that response. When given the opportunity to express a desire for change in a way as simple, safe, and potentially effective as casting a ballot in an election, Canadians resoundingly selected the status quo. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was returned to office with almost the exact same support numbers as he had when he dissolved the Parliament and called an election. Canadians may fear the pandemic and are concerned about the federal governments response to it, but not so much that they could overcome their fear of change. People look to the New Year as a time to embrace rejuvenation and fresh beginnings. It is a time to shed bad habits and embrace new ones. We should be looking back on the last two years and asking ourselves what we can do to make the coming one better. I think most people agree that the last two years have been terrible, but are most people ready to take a leap and embrace changes? We appear to be no closer to the end of the COVID-19 pandemic today than we were in February of 2020. While most of the population has been vaccinated, we are now seeing a massive rise in cases due to the new Omicron variant leading to lockdowns, stress, and restrictions yet again. We are always told that we must make sacrifices now so that we may all benefit later. It has been two years now; when are the benefits coming? I dont know what the most direct path out of the pandemic is, but with two years of pandemic experience under our belts, we can sure list a lot of things that dont work. Why do we keep trying them? As we enter what will be our third year of living in the COVID-19 age, are we ready to try something different yet? I do want to look forward to 2022 with optimism. I want it to be a year where we move beyond the pandemic and begin to enjoy prosperous lives again with free movement and no social restrictions. I do think we can get there. First, though, we have to embrace an attitude of change. This year, dont make the same old tired resolutions to quit smoking or lose weight. Make a resolution to stand up for yourself and tell your political leaders that its time to do things differently. If we dont do that, 2023 will be indistinguishable from the two years preceding it. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Texas Audit Finds Over 11,000 Potential Noncitizens Registered to Vote, Other Problems First phase of audit praised by secretary of state but criticized by some lawmakers who argue it isn't enough Voting irregularitiesincluding potentially thousands of votes cast by noncitizens and dead peoplewere reported during the first phase of the Texas secretary of states forensic audit of the 2020 general election, but critics deemed it more of a risk-limiting audit at this point. The secretary of states office released its findings on Dec. 31; the issues found arent enough to significantly affect 2020 election results of the four counties involved in the auditCollin, Dallas, Harris, and Tarrant countieswhich account for about 10 million people, or a third of Texass population. Generally speaking, nothing was found on such a large scale that could have altered any election, Sam Taylor, assistant secretary of state for communications, told The Epoch Times. Findings include: Statewide, a total of 11,737 potential non-U.S. citizens were identified as being registered to vote. Of these, 327 records were identified in Collin County, 1,385 in Dallas County, 3,063 in Harris County, and 708 in Tarrant County. So far, Dallas County has canceled 1,193 of these records, with Tarrant County canceling one. Neither Collin nor Harris have canceled any potential non-voting records. Since November 2020, 224,585 deceased voters have been removed from the voter rolls in Texas: Collin County removed 4,889 deceased voters, Dallas County removed 14,926 deceased voters, Harris County removed 23,914 deceased voters, and Tarrant County removed 13,955 deceased voters. Statewide, a total of 67 potential votes cast in the name of deceased people are under investigation. Of those, three were cast in Collin County, nine in Dallas County, four in Harris County, and one in Tarrant County. In a review of each countys partial manual count report required under Texas law, three of the four counties reported discrepancies between ballots counted electronically versus those counted by hand. The reported reasons for these discrepancies will be investigated and verified during phase two of the audit. Taylor said the states audit, currently moving into its second phase, is the first of its kind for Texas. Secretary of State John Scott portrayed the audit as the countrys most comprehensive forensic audit of the 2020 election, according to a November statement. He said the audit will use analytical tools to examine the literal nuts and bolts of election administration to determine if any illegal activity may have occurred. Of the four counties being audited, President Donald Trump won Collin County, with President Joe Biden taking Dallas and Harris counties. Tarrant County, traditionally a red county, flipped to Biden with a slim 1,826 vote margin. Overall, Trump carried Texas with 52.1 percent of the vote to Bidens 46.5 percent. The Texas audit was announced soon after Trump wrote a Sept. 23, 2021, open letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, whom Trump endorsed for reelection in 2022, pushing for a more thorough forensic audit of the 2020 election. Trumps letter asked Abbott to include legislation in the third special session that would allow for more comprehensive forensic audits of the 2020 presidential election in Texas, specifically pointing to House Bill 16 and Senate Bill 97. Those pieces of legislation would have allowed party officials to demand county-level audits in future elections and allowed for a 2020 audit as well. Ultimately SB 97, which had similar language as HB 16, was introduced but didnt pass both chambers before the clock ran out on the third and final session this fall. As it stands, the four-county audit is part of Senate Bill 1, a sweeping election bill passed by the Republican-led legislature in the second special session of 2021, but vehemently opposed by Democrats. Legislators hoping to revive a fourth legislative session to deal with voting fraud issues say the current audit is limited in scope. State Rep. Steve Toth (R-Woodlands), who sponsored HB 16, called the audit more of a risk-limiting exercise that wont adequately address all 2020 election problems. We know that fraud has been taking place in Texas, Toth told The Epoch Times. We need a forensic audit. Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), who introduced SB 97, agreed that Toth had a point. Bettencourts bill would have allowed audits to be conducted at the county level across Texas. However, he said the Secretary of States audit has the potential to become a forensic audit during phase two if it begins to dig into voting irregularities. My observation over time is that fraud is used against Democrats in their primaries and against the Republicans in the general election, Bettencourt told The Epoch Times. He pointed to some 3,000 nonresidents potentially voting in Harris County cited by the audit. Bettencourt said as far back as 20 years ago when he was a district voting clerk, he would use jury service data indicating noncitizens to purge them from the rolls. But at this point, he said the county appears to have abandoned such efforts. Bettencourt noted other irregularities not covered by the states audit, such as a situation in Wichita Falls where a single-family residence was home to more than 500 registered voters. While the Texas attorney generals office lists only 386 active election fraud investigations, cases of voter fraud have increased in the state. In a Texan article, Jonathan White, head of the election fraud section in the Texas attorney generals special prosecutions division, said cases were higher than our historical average by a long shot. There were 510 offenses pending against 43 defendants at the time, according to the article, with most stemming from mail-in ballots. Taylor said that the secretary of states audit was indeed a forensic exercise. During the second phase of the audit, the secretary of states forensic audit division will conduct on-site examinations in January and will compare machine tabulations with paper ballots when possible. Issues such as how drive-thru voting was conducted in Harris County in 2020, now prohibited by SB 1, will be reviewed, Taylor said, adding there were claims of a 1,800 vote discrepancy between the number of voters checked in and the number of votes cast at drive-thrus. About 127,000 votes were cast in the Houston area this way. But Leah Shah, communications director for Harris County Elections, said the county uses very strict protocol on how ballots are managed and couldnt confirm a voting discrepancy. We have heard that number, but we have no idea where that number came from, she told The Epoch Times. Texas Audit Finds Over 11,000 Potential Noncitizens Registered to Vote, Other Problems First phase of audit praised by secretary of state but criticized by some lawmakers who argue it isn't enough Voting irregularitiesincluding potentially thousands of votes cast by noncitizens and dead peoplewere reported during the first phase of the Texas secretary of states forensic audit of the 2020 general election, but critics deemed it more of a risk-limiting audit at this point. The secretary of states office released its findings on Dec. 31; the issues found arent enough to significantly affect 2020 election results of the four counties involved in the auditCollin, Dallas, Harris, and Tarrant countieswhich account for about 10 million people, or a third of Texass population. Generally speaking, nothing was found on such a large scale that could have altered any election, Sam Taylor, assistant secretary of state for communications, told The Epoch Times. Findings include: Statewide, a total of 11,737 potential non-U.S. citizens were identified as being registered to vote. Of these, 327 records were identified in Collin County, 1,385 in Dallas County, 3,063 in Harris County, and 708 in Tarrant County. So far, Dallas County has canceled 1,193 of these records, with Tarrant County canceling one. Neither Collin nor Harris have canceled any potential non-voting records. Since November 2020, 224,585 deceased voters have been removed from the voter rolls in Texas: Collin County removed 4,889 deceased voters, Dallas County removed 14,926 deceased voters, Harris County removed 23,914 deceased voters, and Tarrant County removed 13,955 deceased voters. Statewide, a total of 67 potential votes cast in the name of deceased people are under investigation. Of those, three were cast in Collin County, nine in Dallas County, four in Harris County, and one in Tarrant County. In a review of each countys partial manual count report required under Texas law, three of the four counties reported discrepancies between ballots counted electronically versus those counted by hand. The reported reasons for these discrepancies will be investigated and verified during phase two of the audit. Taylor said the states audit, currently moving into its second phase, is the first of its kind for Texas. Secretary of State John Scott portrayed the audit as the countrys most comprehensive forensic audit of the 2020 election, according to a November statement. He said the audit will use analytical tools to examine the literal nuts and bolts of election administration to determine if any illegal activity may have occurred. Of the four counties being audited, President Donald Trump won Collin County, with President Joe Biden taking Dallas and Harris counties. Tarrant County, traditionally a red county, flipped to Biden with a slim 1,826 vote margin. Overall, Trump carried Texas with 52.1 percent of the vote to Bidens 46.5 percent. The Texas audit was announced soon after Trump wrote a Sept. 23, 2021, open letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, whom Trump endorsed for reelection in 2022, pushing for a more thorough forensic audit of the 2020 election. Trumps letter asked Abbott to include legislation in the third special session that would allow for more comprehensive forensic audits of the 2020 presidential election in Texas, specifically pointing to House Bill 16 and Senate Bill 97. Those pieces of legislation would have allowed party officials to demand county-level audits in future elections and allowed for a 2020 audit as well. Ultimately SB 97, which had similar language as HB 16, was introduced but didnt pass both chambers before the clock ran out on the third and final session this fall. As it stands, the four-county audit is part of Senate Bill 1, a sweeping election bill passed by the Republican-led legislature in the second special session of 2021, but vehemently opposed by Democrats. Legislators hoping to revive a fourth legislative session to deal with voting fraud issues say the current audit is limited in scope. State Rep. Steve Toth (R-Woodlands), who sponsored HB 16, called the audit more of a risk-limiting exercise that wont adequately address all 2020 election problems. We know that fraud has been taking place in Texas, Toth told The Epoch Times. We need a forensic audit. Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), who introduced SB 97, agreed that Toth had a point. Bettencourts bill would have allowed audits to be conducted at the county level across Texas. However, he said the Secretary of States audit has the potential to become a forensic audit during phase two if it begins to dig into voting irregularities. My observation over time is that fraud is used against Democrats in their primaries and against the Republicans in the general election, Bettencourt told The Epoch Times. He pointed to some 3,000 nonresidents potentially voting in Harris County cited by the audit. Bettencourt said as far back as 20 years ago when he was a district voting clerk, he would use jury service data indicating noncitizens to purge them from the rolls. But at this point, he said the county appears to have abandoned such efforts. Bettencourt noted other irregularities not covered by the states audit, such as a situation in Wichita Falls where a single-family residence was home to more than 500 registered voters. While the Texas attorney generals office lists only 386 active election fraud investigations, cases of voter fraud have increased in the state. In a Texan article, Jonathan White, head of the election fraud section in the Texas attorney generals special prosecutions division, said cases were higher than our historical average by a long shot. There were 510 offenses pending against 43 defendants at the time, according to the article, with most stemming from mail-in ballots. Taylor said that the secretary of states audit was indeed a forensic exercise. During the second phase of the audit, the secretary of states forensic audit division will conduct on-site examinations in January and will compare machine tabulations with paper ballots when possible. Issues such as how drive-thru voting was conducted in Harris County in 2020, now prohibited by SB 1, will be reviewed, Taylor said, adding there were claims of a 1,800 vote discrepancy between the number of voters checked in and the number of votes cast at drive-thrus. About 127,000 votes were cast in the Houston area this way. But Leah Shah, communications director for Harris County Elections, said the county uses very strict protocol on how ballots are managed and couldnt confirm a voting discrepancy. We have heard that number, but we have no idea where that number came from, she told The Epoch Times. Even Israels most hawkish defense officials now concede that the Trump administrations decision to cancel the Iran nuclear deal was a big mistake. The deal worked out by former President Barack Obama was far from perfect. But it appeared that President Donald Trump was more interested in delivering another humiliation to his predecessor than carefully considering the global-security implications of scrapping the one thing that stood between Iran and the ability to make its own nuclear weapons. Trumps main source of advice on killing the 2015 accord was then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had publicly criticized Obamas diplomatic overtures with Iran. The nuclear deal was the product of intense negotiations involving Russia, China, Britain and Germany. To make it happen, the major global economic powers had to agree on an intricate list of sanctions that prevented Iran from exporting its oil and blocked Tehran from accessing the international banking system. Keeping the major nations in line required delicate diplomacy, but it ultimately worked, forcing enough concessions from Iran to win a 10- to 15-year moratorium on its uranium-enrichment program. Iran agreed to dismantle some facilities and to permit international inspections. Netanyahu hated the deal, as did Saudi Arabia, because it only provided a temporary pause in Irans program. Trump canceled the deal in 2018. Russia and China resumed commercial ties with Iran, and it now has minimal incentives to continue restraining its nuclear program. Top Israeli defense officials now recognize the enormity of Trump and Netanyahus mistake. Defense Minister Benny Gantz told Foreign Policy that he would support efforts by President Joe Biden to resurrect a nuclear accord. The current U.S. approach of putting the Iran nuclear program back in a box, Id accept that, he said. Netanyahus successor, Naftali Bennett, is openly critical of Netanyahus military bluster, which helped persuade Trump that there were viable military options to keep Iran in line after killing the accord. Bennett told Israeli television: Israel inherited a situation in which Iran is at the most advanced point ever in its race to the bomb. ... The gap between (Netanyahus) rhetoric and speeches and actions is very big. Air Force Maj. Gen. Isaac Ben Israel was more direct in an interview published by Bloomberg: Netanyahus efforts to persuade the Trump administration to quit the nuclear agreement have turned out to be the worst strategic mistake in Israels history. Former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon echoed that sentiment in an interview with Israels Haaretz newspaper. Trump and Netanyahu now appear to have split because Netanyahu had the gall to phone Biden and congratulate him on his 2020 election victory another example of how emotions and political grudges, rather than thoughtful judgment, guide Trumps decision-making. A man who would put global security at risk without fully weighing the consequences must never again occupy the Oval Office. Even Israels most hawkish defense officials now concede that the Trump administrations decision to cancel the Iran nuclear deal was a big mistake. The deal worked out by former President Barack Obama was far from perfect. But it appeared that President Donald Trump was more interested in delivering another humiliation to his predecessor than carefully considering the global-security implications of scrapping the one thing that stood between Iran and the ability to make its own nuclear weapons. Trumps main source of advice on killing the 2015 accord was then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had publicly criticized Obamas diplomatic overtures with Iran. The nuclear deal was the product of intense negotiations involving Russia, China, Britain and Germany. To make it happen, the major global economic powers had to agree on an intricate list of sanctions that prevented Iran from exporting its oil and blocked Tehran from accessing the international banking system. Keeping the major nations in line required delicate diplomacy, but it ultimately worked, forcing enough concessions from Iran to win a 10- to 15-year moratorium on its uranium-enrichment program. Iran agreed to dismantle some facilities and to permit international inspections. Netanyahu hated the deal, as did Saudi Arabia, because it only provided a temporary pause in Irans program. Trump canceled the deal in 2018. Russia and China resumed commercial ties with Iran, and it now has minimal incentives to continue restraining its nuclear program. Top Israeli defense officials now recognize the enormity of Trump and Netanyahus mistake. Defense Minister Benny Gantz told Foreign Policy that he would support efforts by President Joe Biden to resurrect a nuclear accord. The current U.S. approach of putting the Iran nuclear program back in a box, Id accept that, he said. Netanyahus successor, Naftali Bennett, is openly critical of Netanyahus military bluster, which helped persuade Trump that there were viable military options to keep Iran in line after killing the accord. Bennett told Israeli television: Israel inherited a situation in which Iran is at the most advanced point ever in its race to the bomb. ... The gap between (Netanyahus) rhetoric and speeches and actions is very big. Air Force Maj. Gen. Isaac Ben Israel was more direct in an interview published by Bloomberg: Netanyahus efforts to persuade the Trump administration to quit the nuclear agreement have turned out to be the worst strategic mistake in Israels history. Former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon echoed that sentiment in an interview with Israels Haaretz newspaper. Trump and Netanyahu now appear to have split because Netanyahu had the gall to phone Biden and congratulate him on his 2020 election victory another example of how emotions and political grudges, rather than thoughtful judgment, guide Trumps decision-making. A man who would put global security at risk without fully weighing the consequences must never again occupy the Oval Office. 13-y-o grandson of Enchanted Forest founder among multiple dead as wildfires ravage Western states Wyatte Tofte, the 13-year-old great-grandson of the creator of the Oregon fantasy theme park The Enchanted Forest, and his grandmother, Peggy Mosso, are among multiple people killed by wildfires that have razed homes, churches and millions of acres across the Pacific Northwest. Their deaths were confirmed by the park on Facebook Wednesday. Angela Mosso, Toftes mother, survived the Beachie Creek fire only after she was forced to leave her disabled mother behind. She suffered severe burns and is being treated in an intensive care unit. We are devastated to confirm that Wyatt Tofte has not survived. He was found a short while ago, the statement from the theme park reads. Wyatt was Rogers great-grandson and is loved and adored by all of his family and friends. His grandmother, Peggy Mosso, was also taken. She was also a loved and important member of our extended family. We ask for privacy and love right now. The harrowing details of how the Beachie Creek wildfires ravaged the family who lived near Lyons, Oregon, were shared by the 13-year-olds father, Chris Tofte, and a family friend in multiple interviews with The Statesman Journal. According to the report, the family had started preparations to leave when they were overwhelmed by the fire. While his wife packed a few things, Chris Tofte left her, his son, and his mother-in-law behind to go borrow a trailer from a friend. As Tofte made his way back to his family along a smoke-filled road, he almost ran over a woman in her underwear. Her hair was singed, her feet were badly burned and her mouth looked almost black, he recalled. He hurriedly tried to help her while explaining that he needed to find his wife and son only to realize that the woman was his wife. He was reportedly left numb by the revelation but turned the trailer around to get help for his wife. He soon connected with paramedics, who treated Angela Mosso, while he searched for his son. While waiting for her husband to return home on Tuesday, Mosso and the rest of her family went to bed. They later woke up with their house on fire. Everyone, including Duke, the family's 200-pound bull mastiff mix, and three cats, were able to get out. They were then supposed to leave the home. But Chris believes the car they could have used must have caught fire. The mother told her son to make a run for it with the dog, reports The Statesman Journal. Then, she was forced to make the difficult decision of leaving her 71-year-old mother behind. Peggy Mosso had suffered a broken leg in a fall, so she couldnt escape on foot. At the Legacy Emanuel Hospital Burn Center in Portland, where she remains in critical condition, Angela Mosso begged her husband to find her son. "Don't come back until you find him," she reportedly told him. The son was reportedly found next to the family dog, NBC News reported. Authorities are still searching for Peggy Mossos remains. There are more than 30 active fires in Oregon as of Friday and an estimated 500,000 residents are in mandatory evacuation zones, according to the Oregon joint information center. The death of Tofte and his grandmother are the first two casualties reported from fires in the state. The Assemblies of God reported Thursday that the Living Water Family Fellowship church located 2 miles outside of Blue River a community of about 800 was destroyed along with the town in a wildfire believed to have been sparked by a transformer that went down in high winds. Doug Fairrington, who has led the church with his wife, Cheri, for the past six years, said they lost power at around 8 p.m. Monday. Shortly after that, they were told by authorities that they had one hour to evacuate. The corridor is 50 miles long and one mile wide, Fairrington said. The transformer provided the spark and an unusual east winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour [gusting to 60 mph] did the rest it created a fire tunnel that literally gutted our area. The church and the parsonage are gone, Fairrington said in a statement. The high school, post office, ... all gone. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said more than 900,000 acres have burned as of Thursday, according to NBC News. Earlier this week, residents of Phoenix, another small town of about 4,000, returned to survey damage from the Almeda Fire. On Friday, a 41-year-old man was arrested and charged with two counts of arson after allegedly starting a fire in Phoenix. There were flames across the street from me, flames to the right of me, flames to the left of me. I just watched everything burn," Jonathan Weir, whose home was destroyed, told a local reporter. In Washington state, a series of wildfires have burned through nearly 587,000 acres since Monday, My Northwest reported. This is an extraordinary series of events we have suffered, Gov. Jay Inslee said at a press conference Wednesday where he declared a statewide emergency. On Thursday, Inslee also issued a proclamation to help families and individuals impacted by wildfires with cash assistance and immediate needs. For families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and now the devastating wildfires ravaging our state, funding from the Family Emergency Assistance Program can be, quite literally, a lifesaver, Inslee said. The state will continue to look for ways to support communities as we work together to recover from multiple economic and health emergencies. The northwest region of the U.S. Forest Service, which covers Washington state and Oregon, stated Thursday they had 5,117 fire personnel, 128 crews, 36 air resources and 431 engines battling 30 large fires burning 1,377,383 acres. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a briefing that with 2.3 million acres burned this year, 2020 is now the biggest wildfire season in the states modern history. At this time last year, only 118,000 acres had burned. The death toll from the fires was at least 12 for the month of September, NBC News reported. The National Interagency Fire Center reports that so far this year, 41,599 fires have burned 5,288,247 acres. California remains in the top spot for the state with the most acres burned, followed by Arizona, Colorado, Montana, and Texas. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 01/01/2022 (264 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS French authorities announced Saturday that children six and older will have to wear masks in indoor places open to the public as new cases of the highly contagious omicron variant surge past 200.000 for the fourth consecutive day. By lowering the age of children obligated to wear masks from 11 to 6, the government is hoping to avoid shutting down schools after the holiday break. Classes resume Monday and young children will have to wear masks in public transport, in sports complexes and places of worship. The mask mandate extends to outdoor spaces in cities such as Paris and Lyon that have recently re-introduced mask wearing outside. On the first day of the new year, France registered 219,126 new infections, down only slightly from the daily record of 232,200 noted on the last day of 2021. A medical technician performs a nasal swab test on a cyclist queued up in a line with motorists at a COVID-19 testing site near All City Stadium, Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021, in southeast Denver. With the rapid spread of the omicron variant paired with the Christmas holiday, testing sites have been strained to meet demand both in Colorado as well as across the country. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) French government is betting that fifth wave of the pandemic driven by the fast-spreading omicron variant can be tamed without returning to economically damaging lockdowns or curfews and without hospitals collapsing under growing numbers of gravely sick. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19. ___ HERES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC: Dozens of U.S. colleges move classes online temporarily to counter surge of infections Over 2,400 U.S. flights canceled on New Years Day as omicron rages on UK estimates 1 in 15 had virus in London before Christmas amid omicron surge New COVID-19 cases in US soar to highest levels on record ___ Follow APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic ___ HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING TODAY: PHOENIX Arizona on Saturday reported the largest number of additional confirmed COVID-19 cases since last January for the second day in a row and 125 more virus deaths. The state reported additional 8,220 cases as Arizonas pandemic totals increased to 1,389,708 cases and 24,354 deaths, according to the Department of Health Services coronavirus dashboard. Arizona on Friday reported 7,720 additional cases. The state reported over 8,000 additional cases on 13 days last January. COVID-19-related hospitalizations dropped slightly for the second straight day, with 2,283 virus patients occupying inpatient beds statewide Friday, the dashboard reported. According to Johns Hopkins University data, Arizonas seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Arizona rose over the past two weeks, increasing from 3,058.6 on Dec. 16 to 4,325 on Thursday. The rolling average of daily deaths dropped from 77.1 to 52.8 during the same period. ___ DALLAS For air travelers, the new year picked up where the old one left off - with lots of frustration. By late morning Saturday on the East Coast, more than 2,400 U.S. flights and nearly 4,200 worldwide had been canceled, according to tracking service FlightAware. That is the highest single-day toll yet since just before Christmas, when airlines began blaming staffing shortages on increasing COVID-19 infections among crews. More than 12,000 U.S. flights have been canceled since Dec. 24. Saturdays disruptions werent just due to the virus, however. Wintry weather made Chicago the worst place in the country for travelers, with 800 flights scrubbed at OHare Airport and more than 250 at Midway Airport. Forecasts called for nine inches of snow. Denver, Detroit and Newark, New Jersey, were hit with at least 100 cancellations each. Southwest Airlines, which has major operations at Chicago Midway and Denver, canceled more than 450 flights nationwide, or 13% of its schedule, by midmorning. American, Delta, United and JetBlue scrubbed more than 100 flights apiece. ___ LOS ANGELES A year after New Years Day passed without a Rose Parade due to the coronavirus pandemic, the floral spectacle celebrating the arrival of 2022 proceeded Saturday despite a new surge of infections due to the omicron variant. The 133rd edition of the Pasadena, California, tradition featured actor LeVar Burton as grand marshal, 20 marching bands, 18 equestrian units and dozens of floats reflecting the theme of Dream. Believe. Achieve. After days of record-smashing rains, there were sunny skies for the 8 a.m. start of the parade, which has an uncanny history of postcard weather. LeAnn Rimes kicked off the event with a performance of Throw My Arms Around the World followed by a military flyover of a B-2 bomber. Also on the performance list were American Idol winner Laine Hardy aboard Louisianas Feed Your Soul float and country singer-songwriter Jimmie Allen. A health worker prepares a sample taken for a COVID-19 test at a free testing center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Dec 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello) The parade and the afternoon Rose Bowl football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Utah Utes remained on track despite an explosion of COVID-19 infections in Los Angeles County, where daily new cases topped 27,000 on Friday. The county Department of Public Health said it was the highest number of new cases. ___ LISBON, Portugal A cruise ship carrying over 4,000 people has been held in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon after a COVID-19 outbreak infected crew members, the German news agency dpa reported Saturday. German company Aida Cruises told dpa that it discovered the positive coronavirus cases during routine health checks and has accommodated those infected ashore in coordination with Portuguese authorities in Lisbon. Portuguese media reported that 52 members of the crew of over 1,000 workers tested positive. None of the nearly 3,000 passengers had tested positive. All on board had passed a screening test and were vaccinated with two doses before the ship set sail from Germany. The ship is waiting for the arrival of new crew members to continue its journey to Spains Canary Islands, dpa said. ___ BOSTON With COVID-19 cases surging just as students are about to return from winter break, dozens of U.S. colleges are moving classes online again for at least the first week or so of the semester and some warn it could stretch longer if the wave of infection doesnt subside soon. Harvard is moving classes online for the first three weeks of the new year, with a return to campus scheduled for late January, conditions permitting. The University of Chicago is delaying the beginning of its new term and holding the first two weeks online. Some others are inviting students back to campus but starting classes online, including Michigan State University. Many colleges hope that an extra week or two will get them past the peak of the nationwide spike driven by the highly contagious omicron variant. Still, the surge is casting uncertainty over a semester many had hoped would be the closest to normal since the start of the pandemic. For some U.S. students, starting the term remotely is becoming routine many colleges used the strategy last year. But some fear the latest shift could extend well beyond a week or two. Jake Maynard, a student at George Washington University in the nations capital, said he is fine with a week of online classes, but beyond that, he hopes officials trust in the booster shots and provide a traditional college experience. ___ TOKYO Japans Emperor Naruhito offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic, taking to video for the second straight year for his New Years greeting on Saturday, having canceled public palace gatherings to curb coronavirus infections. Sitting before a bonsai tree with his wife Masako, Naruhito praised and thanked doctors and other health care workers, and expressed concern for countries lacking access to vaccines and adequate hospital systems. By treasuring more than ever the connections among people, sharing our pain and supporting each other, I hope from the bottom of my heart that we will overcome these hard times, he said. Japan has recorded more than 18,000 COVID-19-related deaths, but the pace of deaths has fallen in recent months. Naruhito also voiced worries about the fast-spreading omicron variant. - LAS VEGAS The annual CES gadget convention will be three days instead of four amid a jump in COVID-19 cases and the withdrawal of some of its best-known tech presenters. Convention organizer The Consumer Technology Association announced Friday that CES will run from Jan. 5-7, one day shorter than planned. The event still has over 2,200 exhibitors confirmed to show off their products at the Las Vegas convention, spokeswoman Jeanne Abella said. The announcement follows the withdrawal of tech giants from CES last week citing health risks of the omicron variant, including cellphone carriers like T-Mobile, whose CEO had been slated to deliver a keynote speech. Computer maker Lenovo and social media companies like Twitter and Facebook parent company Meta also canceled plans to attend. News outlets including CNN said they would cancel or reduce coverage. CES was held entirely virtually last year. It will be a hybrid of online and in-person this year, with organizers offering digital registration allowing access to around 40 livestreamed events, Abella said. ___ TAMPA, Fla. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday reported more than 75,900 new cases of COVID-19 in Florida. That tally raises the 7-day average daily to 42,600, which is twice as high as it was at the peak of this summers surge when the delta variant fueled a surge of infections in the state. Fridays report marks a single-day record for the number of new cases in Florida. It breaks the record set a day earlier when more than 58,000 cases were reported in the state. The omicron variant of the coronavirus has spiked in Florida and across the nation over the past few weeks. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) Soaring numbers during the holiday season have sent tens of thousands of people to COVID-19 testing centers across Florida, resulting in long lines in many areas. Three people collapsed while waiting in line at a Tampa testing site on Friday morning. ____ CARSON CITY, Nev. Hundreds of unvaccinated employees who work at public colleges and universities in Nevada were being fired Friday, a day after the state Board of Regents voted to keep a staff vaccine mandate in effect. The Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents on Thursday deadlocked 6-6 on a measure to repeal the staff vaccine mandate and then rejected a measure to push the effective termination date back two weeks. Without majority support for a repeal, the mandate which Gov. Steve Sisolak and the Nevada Faculty Alliance support remained in effect. Higher education officials said on Friday that 379 employees were being terminated, 188 attribution employees ended their contracts and 18 more voluntarily resigned. Employees who are fired can seek reinstatement if they show proof of vaccination in January, regents said. ___ PARIS Describing himself as resolutely optimistic, French President Emmanuel Macron has used the last New Years address of his current term to express the hope that, with vaccinations, 2022 will see the end of the coronavirus pandemic. Macron stopped short of saying that he will stand for re-election in April. He said only that he intends to continue serving the French whatever my place and the circumstances. The president appealed to the 5 million unvaccinated but eligible people in France to get coronavirus jabs, saying: All of France is counting on you. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19 and new cases are at unprecedented levels, surging with the highly contagious omicron variant. France reported a record 232,200 new cases on Friday, its third day running above the 200,000 mark. ___ ROME Italys president, Sergio Mattarella, has used the last New Years Eve speech of his term take to task those who waste opportunities to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, calling that choice an offense to all those who havent been able to receive the injection. In a televised speech to the nation Friday night, Mattarella, who is head of state, noted that he was serving in the final days of his seven-year term, with Parliament to elect his successor in the first weeks of 2022. Referring to recent COVID-19 surges in Italy and many other countries driven by virus variants, Mattarella noted a sense of frustration over the setbacks. ___ ALBANY, N.Y. Federal ambulance teams and additional National Guard members are headed for New York City, and western New York hospitals are getting more federal help as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations keep rising. State officials announced the new deployments Friday. Gov. Kathy Hochul also said students at state universities and the City University of New York will have to get coronavirus vaccine booster shots to be on campus in the spring semester and must test negative before returning from the holiday break. New confirmed case counts have been breaking records by the day in the state, topping 76,500 on Thursday, Hochul said at a news briefing. An average of 53,000 New Yorkers a day tested positive in the week that ended Thursday, compared to 13,000 per day two weeks earlier. Over 7,900 people with COVID-19 are hospitalized statewide, up 67% in a week. ___ ROME Italian health officials are warning that the rate of occupation by COVID-19 patients of hospital beds both in intensive care units and in regular wards has surpassed the critical level nationally. A top Health Ministry official, Gianni Rezza, also said on Friday evening that the incidence of cases is growing, with 783 confirmed COVID-19 infections per every 100,000 residents in Italy. The country hit another high for daily new caseloads 144,243 confirmed cases in the last 24 hours. Nearly 12% of some 1.234 million swab tests conducted since Thursday resulted positive, according to the ministry, which urged vaccinated persons to get a booster shot if they are eligible. With the nation slammed by a surge of infections largely driven by the omicron variant, the government banned public New Years Eve celebrations. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 01/01/2022 (264 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS French authorities announced Saturday that children six and older will have to wear masks in indoor places open to the public as new cases of the highly contagious omicron variant surge past 200.000 for the fourth consecutive day. By lowering the age of children obligated to wear masks from 11 to 6, the government is hoping to avoid shutting down schools after the holiday break. Classes resume Monday and young children will have to wear masks in public transport, in sports complexes and places of worship. The mask mandate extends to outdoor spaces in cities such as Paris and Lyon that have recently re-introduced mask wearing outside. On the first day of the new year, France registered 219,126 new infections, down only slightly from the daily record of 232,200 noted on the last day of 2021. A medical technician performs a nasal swab test on a cyclist queued up in a line with motorists at a COVID-19 testing site near All City Stadium, Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021, in southeast Denver. With the rapid spread of the omicron variant paired with the Christmas holiday, testing sites have been strained to meet demand both in Colorado as well as across the country. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) French government is betting that fifth wave of the pandemic driven by the fast-spreading omicron variant can be tamed without returning to economically damaging lockdowns or curfews and without hospitals collapsing under growing numbers of gravely sick. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19. ___ HERES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC: Dozens of U.S. colleges move classes online temporarily to counter surge of infections Over 2,400 U.S. flights canceled on New Years Day as omicron rages on UK estimates 1 in 15 had virus in London before Christmas amid omicron surge New COVID-19 cases in US soar to highest levels on record ___ Follow APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic ___ HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING TODAY: PHOENIX Arizona on Saturday reported the largest number of additional confirmed COVID-19 cases since last January for the second day in a row and 125 more virus deaths. The state reported additional 8,220 cases as Arizonas pandemic totals increased to 1,389,708 cases and 24,354 deaths, according to the Department of Health Services coronavirus dashboard. Arizona on Friday reported 7,720 additional cases. The state reported over 8,000 additional cases on 13 days last January. COVID-19-related hospitalizations dropped slightly for the second straight day, with 2,283 virus patients occupying inpatient beds statewide Friday, the dashboard reported. According to Johns Hopkins University data, Arizonas seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Arizona rose over the past two weeks, increasing from 3,058.6 on Dec. 16 to 4,325 on Thursday. The rolling average of daily deaths dropped from 77.1 to 52.8 during the same period. ___ DALLAS For air travelers, the new year picked up where the old one left off - with lots of frustration. By late morning Saturday on the East Coast, more than 2,400 U.S. flights and nearly 4,200 worldwide had been canceled, according to tracking service FlightAware. That is the highest single-day toll yet since just before Christmas, when airlines began blaming staffing shortages on increasing COVID-19 infections among crews. More than 12,000 U.S. flights have been canceled since Dec. 24. Saturdays disruptions werent just due to the virus, however. Wintry weather made Chicago the worst place in the country for travelers, with 800 flights scrubbed at OHare Airport and more than 250 at Midway Airport. Forecasts called for nine inches of snow. Denver, Detroit and Newark, New Jersey, were hit with at least 100 cancellations each. Southwest Airlines, which has major operations at Chicago Midway and Denver, canceled more than 450 flights nationwide, or 13% of its schedule, by midmorning. American, Delta, United and JetBlue scrubbed more than 100 flights apiece. ___ LOS ANGELES A year after New Years Day passed without a Rose Parade due to the coronavirus pandemic, the floral spectacle celebrating the arrival of 2022 proceeded Saturday despite a new surge of infections due to the omicron variant. The 133rd edition of the Pasadena, California, tradition featured actor LeVar Burton as grand marshal, 20 marching bands, 18 equestrian units and dozens of floats reflecting the theme of Dream. Believe. Achieve. After days of record-smashing rains, there were sunny skies for the 8 a.m. start of the parade, which has an uncanny history of postcard weather. LeAnn Rimes kicked off the event with a performance of Throw My Arms Around the World followed by a military flyover of a B-2 bomber. Also on the performance list were American Idol winner Laine Hardy aboard Louisianas Feed Your Soul float and country singer-songwriter Jimmie Allen. A health worker prepares a sample taken for a COVID-19 test at a free testing center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Dec 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello) The parade and the afternoon Rose Bowl football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Utah Utes remained on track despite an explosion of COVID-19 infections in Los Angeles County, where daily new cases topped 27,000 on Friday. The county Department of Public Health said it was the highest number of new cases. ___ LISBON, Portugal A cruise ship carrying over 4,000 people has been held in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon after a COVID-19 outbreak infected crew members, the German news agency dpa reported Saturday. German company Aida Cruises told dpa that it discovered the positive coronavirus cases during routine health checks and has accommodated those infected ashore in coordination with Portuguese authorities in Lisbon. Portuguese media reported that 52 members of the crew of over 1,000 workers tested positive. None of the nearly 3,000 passengers had tested positive. All on board had passed a screening test and were vaccinated with two doses before the ship set sail from Germany. The ship is waiting for the arrival of new crew members to continue its journey to Spains Canary Islands, dpa said. ___ BOSTON With COVID-19 cases surging just as students are about to return from winter break, dozens of U.S. colleges are moving classes online again for at least the first week or so of the semester and some warn it could stretch longer if the wave of infection doesnt subside soon. Harvard is moving classes online for the first three weeks of the new year, with a return to campus scheduled for late January, conditions permitting. The University of Chicago is delaying the beginning of its new term and holding the first two weeks online. Some others are inviting students back to campus but starting classes online, including Michigan State University. Many colleges hope that an extra week or two will get them past the peak of the nationwide spike driven by the highly contagious omicron variant. Still, the surge is casting uncertainty over a semester many had hoped would be the closest to normal since the start of the pandemic. For some U.S. students, starting the term remotely is becoming routine many colleges used the strategy last year. But some fear the latest shift could extend well beyond a week or two. Jake Maynard, a student at George Washington University in the nations capital, said he is fine with a week of online classes, but beyond that, he hopes officials trust in the booster shots and provide a traditional college experience. ___ TOKYO Japans Emperor Naruhito offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic, taking to video for the second straight year for his New Years greeting on Saturday, having canceled public palace gatherings to curb coronavirus infections. Sitting before a bonsai tree with his wife Masako, Naruhito praised and thanked doctors and other health care workers, and expressed concern for countries lacking access to vaccines and adequate hospital systems. By treasuring more than ever the connections among people, sharing our pain and supporting each other, I hope from the bottom of my heart that we will overcome these hard times, he said. Japan has recorded more than 18,000 COVID-19-related deaths, but the pace of deaths has fallen in recent months. Naruhito also voiced worries about the fast-spreading omicron variant. - LAS VEGAS The annual CES gadget convention will be three days instead of four amid a jump in COVID-19 cases and the withdrawal of some of its best-known tech presenters. Convention organizer The Consumer Technology Association announced Friday that CES will run from Jan. 5-7, one day shorter than planned. The event still has over 2,200 exhibitors confirmed to show off their products at the Las Vegas convention, spokeswoman Jeanne Abella said. The announcement follows the withdrawal of tech giants from CES last week citing health risks of the omicron variant, including cellphone carriers like T-Mobile, whose CEO had been slated to deliver a keynote speech. Computer maker Lenovo and social media companies like Twitter and Facebook parent company Meta also canceled plans to attend. News outlets including CNN said they would cancel or reduce coverage. CES was held entirely virtually last year. It will be a hybrid of online and in-person this year, with organizers offering digital registration allowing access to around 40 livestreamed events, Abella said. ___ TAMPA, Fla. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday reported more than 75,900 new cases of COVID-19 in Florida. That tally raises the 7-day average daily to 42,600, which is twice as high as it was at the peak of this summers surge when the delta variant fueled a surge of infections in the state. Fridays report marks a single-day record for the number of new cases in Florida. It breaks the record set a day earlier when more than 58,000 cases were reported in the state. The omicron variant of the coronavirus has spiked in Florida and across the nation over the past few weeks. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) Soaring numbers during the holiday season have sent tens of thousands of people to COVID-19 testing centers across Florida, resulting in long lines in many areas. Three people collapsed while waiting in line at a Tampa testing site on Friday morning. ____ CARSON CITY, Nev. Hundreds of unvaccinated employees who work at public colleges and universities in Nevada were being fired Friday, a day after the state Board of Regents voted to keep a staff vaccine mandate in effect. The Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents on Thursday deadlocked 6-6 on a measure to repeal the staff vaccine mandate and then rejected a measure to push the effective termination date back two weeks. Without majority support for a repeal, the mandate which Gov. Steve Sisolak and the Nevada Faculty Alliance support remained in effect. Higher education officials said on Friday that 379 employees were being terminated, 188 attribution employees ended their contracts and 18 more voluntarily resigned. Employees who are fired can seek reinstatement if they show proof of vaccination in January, regents said. ___ PARIS Describing himself as resolutely optimistic, French President Emmanuel Macron has used the last New Years address of his current term to express the hope that, with vaccinations, 2022 will see the end of the coronavirus pandemic. Macron stopped short of saying that he will stand for re-election in April. He said only that he intends to continue serving the French whatever my place and the circumstances. The president appealed to the 5 million unvaccinated but eligible people in France to get coronavirus jabs, saying: All of France is counting on you. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19 and new cases are at unprecedented levels, surging with the highly contagious omicron variant. France reported a record 232,200 new cases on Friday, its third day running above the 200,000 mark. ___ ROME Italys president, Sergio Mattarella, has used the last New Years Eve speech of his term take to task those who waste opportunities to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, calling that choice an offense to all those who havent been able to receive the injection. In a televised speech to the nation Friday night, Mattarella, who is head of state, noted that he was serving in the final days of his seven-year term, with Parliament to elect his successor in the first weeks of 2022. Referring to recent COVID-19 surges in Italy and many other countries driven by virus variants, Mattarella noted a sense of frustration over the setbacks. ___ ALBANY, N.Y. Federal ambulance teams and additional National Guard members are headed for New York City, and western New York hospitals are getting more federal help as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations keep rising. State officials announced the new deployments Friday. Gov. Kathy Hochul also said students at state universities and the City University of New York will have to get coronavirus vaccine booster shots to be on campus in the spring semester and must test negative before returning from the holiday break. New confirmed case counts have been breaking records by the day in the state, topping 76,500 on Thursday, Hochul said at a news briefing. An average of 53,000 New Yorkers a day tested positive in the week that ended Thursday, compared to 13,000 per day two weeks earlier. Over 7,900 people with COVID-19 are hospitalized statewide, up 67% in a week. ___ ROME Italian health officials are warning that the rate of occupation by COVID-19 patients of hospital beds both in intensive care units and in regular wards has surpassed the critical level nationally. A top Health Ministry official, Gianni Rezza, also said on Friday evening that the incidence of cases is growing, with 783 confirmed COVID-19 infections per every 100,000 residents in Italy. The country hit another high for daily new caseloads 144,243 confirmed cases in the last 24 hours. Nearly 12% of some 1.234 million swab tests conducted since Thursday resulted positive, according to the ministry, which urged vaccinated persons to get a booster shot if they are eligible. With the nation slammed by a surge of infections largely driven by the omicron variant, the government banned public New Years Eve celebrations. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 01/01/2022 (264 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS French authorities announced Saturday that children six and older will have to wear masks in indoor places open to the public as new cases of the highly contagious omicron variant surge past 200.000 for the fourth consecutive day. By lowering the age of children obligated to wear masks from 11 to 6, the government is hoping to avoid shutting down schools after the holiday break. Classes resume Monday and young children will have to wear masks in public transport, in sports complexes and places of worship. The mask mandate extends to outdoor spaces in cities such as Paris and Lyon that have recently re-introduced mask wearing outside. On the first day of the new year, France registered 219,126 new infections, down only slightly from the daily record of 232,200 noted on the last day of 2021. A medical technician performs a nasal swab test on a cyclist queued up in a line with motorists at a COVID-19 testing site near All City Stadium, Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021, in southeast Denver. With the rapid spread of the omicron variant paired with the Christmas holiday, testing sites have been strained to meet demand both in Colorado as well as across the country. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) French government is betting that fifth wave of the pandemic driven by the fast-spreading omicron variant can be tamed without returning to economically damaging lockdowns or curfews and without hospitals collapsing under growing numbers of gravely sick. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19. ___ HERES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC: Dozens of U.S. colleges move classes online temporarily to counter surge of infections Over 2,400 U.S. flights canceled on New Years Day as omicron rages on UK estimates 1 in 15 had virus in London before Christmas amid omicron surge New COVID-19 cases in US soar to highest levels on record ___ Follow APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic ___ HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING TODAY: PHOENIX Arizona on Saturday reported the largest number of additional confirmed COVID-19 cases since last January for the second day in a row and 125 more virus deaths. The state reported additional 8,220 cases as Arizonas pandemic totals increased to 1,389,708 cases and 24,354 deaths, according to the Department of Health Services coronavirus dashboard. Arizona on Friday reported 7,720 additional cases. The state reported over 8,000 additional cases on 13 days last January. COVID-19-related hospitalizations dropped slightly for the second straight day, with 2,283 virus patients occupying inpatient beds statewide Friday, the dashboard reported. According to Johns Hopkins University data, Arizonas seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Arizona rose over the past two weeks, increasing from 3,058.6 on Dec. 16 to 4,325 on Thursday. The rolling average of daily deaths dropped from 77.1 to 52.8 during the same period. ___ DALLAS For air travelers, the new year picked up where the old one left off - with lots of frustration. By late morning Saturday on the East Coast, more than 2,400 U.S. flights and nearly 4,200 worldwide had been canceled, according to tracking service FlightAware. That is the highest single-day toll yet since just before Christmas, when airlines began blaming staffing shortages on increasing COVID-19 infections among crews. More than 12,000 U.S. flights have been canceled since Dec. 24. Saturdays disruptions werent just due to the virus, however. Wintry weather made Chicago the worst place in the country for travelers, with 800 flights scrubbed at OHare Airport and more than 250 at Midway Airport. Forecasts called for nine inches of snow. Denver, Detroit and Newark, New Jersey, were hit with at least 100 cancellations each. Southwest Airlines, which has major operations at Chicago Midway and Denver, canceled more than 450 flights nationwide, or 13% of its schedule, by midmorning. American, Delta, United and JetBlue scrubbed more than 100 flights apiece. ___ LOS ANGELES A year after New Years Day passed without a Rose Parade due to the coronavirus pandemic, the floral spectacle celebrating the arrival of 2022 proceeded Saturday despite a new surge of infections due to the omicron variant. The 133rd edition of the Pasadena, California, tradition featured actor LeVar Burton as grand marshal, 20 marching bands, 18 equestrian units and dozens of floats reflecting the theme of Dream. Believe. Achieve. After days of record-smashing rains, there were sunny skies for the 8 a.m. start of the parade, which has an uncanny history of postcard weather. LeAnn Rimes kicked off the event with a performance of Throw My Arms Around the World followed by a military flyover of a B-2 bomber. Also on the performance list were American Idol winner Laine Hardy aboard Louisianas Feed Your Soul float and country singer-songwriter Jimmie Allen. A health worker prepares a sample taken for a COVID-19 test at a free testing center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Dec 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello) The parade and the afternoon Rose Bowl football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Utah Utes remained on track despite an explosion of COVID-19 infections in Los Angeles County, where daily new cases topped 27,000 on Friday. The county Department of Public Health said it was the highest number of new cases. ___ LISBON, Portugal A cruise ship carrying over 4,000 people has been held in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon after a COVID-19 outbreak infected crew members, the German news agency dpa reported Saturday. German company Aida Cruises told dpa that it discovered the positive coronavirus cases during routine health checks and has accommodated those infected ashore in coordination with Portuguese authorities in Lisbon. Portuguese media reported that 52 members of the crew of over 1,000 workers tested positive. None of the nearly 3,000 passengers had tested positive. All on board had passed a screening test and were vaccinated with two doses before the ship set sail from Germany. The ship is waiting for the arrival of new crew members to continue its journey to Spains Canary Islands, dpa said. ___ BOSTON With COVID-19 cases surging just as students are about to return from winter break, dozens of U.S. colleges are moving classes online again for at least the first week or so of the semester and some warn it could stretch longer if the wave of infection doesnt subside soon. Harvard is moving classes online for the first three weeks of the new year, with a return to campus scheduled for late January, conditions permitting. The University of Chicago is delaying the beginning of its new term and holding the first two weeks online. Some others are inviting students back to campus but starting classes online, including Michigan State University. Many colleges hope that an extra week or two will get them past the peak of the nationwide spike driven by the highly contagious omicron variant. Still, the surge is casting uncertainty over a semester many had hoped would be the closest to normal since the start of the pandemic. For some U.S. students, starting the term remotely is becoming routine many colleges used the strategy last year. But some fear the latest shift could extend well beyond a week or two. Jake Maynard, a student at George Washington University in the nations capital, said he is fine with a week of online classes, but beyond that, he hopes officials trust in the booster shots and provide a traditional college experience. ___ TOKYO Japans Emperor Naruhito offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic, taking to video for the second straight year for his New Years greeting on Saturday, having canceled public palace gatherings to curb coronavirus infections. Sitting before a bonsai tree with his wife Masako, Naruhito praised and thanked doctors and other health care workers, and expressed concern for countries lacking access to vaccines and adequate hospital systems. By treasuring more than ever the connections among people, sharing our pain and supporting each other, I hope from the bottom of my heart that we will overcome these hard times, he said. Japan has recorded more than 18,000 COVID-19-related deaths, but the pace of deaths has fallen in recent months. Naruhito also voiced worries about the fast-spreading omicron variant. - LAS VEGAS The annual CES gadget convention will be three days instead of four amid a jump in COVID-19 cases and the withdrawal of some of its best-known tech presenters. Convention organizer The Consumer Technology Association announced Friday that CES will run from Jan. 5-7, one day shorter than planned. The event still has over 2,200 exhibitors confirmed to show off their products at the Las Vegas convention, spokeswoman Jeanne Abella said. The announcement follows the withdrawal of tech giants from CES last week citing health risks of the omicron variant, including cellphone carriers like T-Mobile, whose CEO had been slated to deliver a keynote speech. Computer maker Lenovo and social media companies like Twitter and Facebook parent company Meta also canceled plans to attend. News outlets including CNN said they would cancel or reduce coverage. CES was held entirely virtually last year. It will be a hybrid of online and in-person this year, with organizers offering digital registration allowing access to around 40 livestreamed events, Abella said. ___ TAMPA, Fla. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday reported more than 75,900 new cases of COVID-19 in Florida. That tally raises the 7-day average daily to 42,600, which is twice as high as it was at the peak of this summers surge when the delta variant fueled a surge of infections in the state. Fridays report marks a single-day record for the number of new cases in Florida. It breaks the record set a day earlier when more than 58,000 cases were reported in the state. The omicron variant of the coronavirus has spiked in Florida and across the nation over the past few weeks. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) Soaring numbers during the holiday season have sent tens of thousands of people to COVID-19 testing centers across Florida, resulting in long lines in many areas. Three people collapsed while waiting in line at a Tampa testing site on Friday morning. ____ CARSON CITY, Nev. Hundreds of unvaccinated employees who work at public colleges and universities in Nevada were being fired Friday, a day after the state Board of Regents voted to keep a staff vaccine mandate in effect. The Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents on Thursday deadlocked 6-6 on a measure to repeal the staff vaccine mandate and then rejected a measure to push the effective termination date back two weeks. Without majority support for a repeal, the mandate which Gov. Steve Sisolak and the Nevada Faculty Alliance support remained in effect. Higher education officials said on Friday that 379 employees were being terminated, 188 attribution employees ended their contracts and 18 more voluntarily resigned. Employees who are fired can seek reinstatement if they show proof of vaccination in January, regents said. ___ PARIS Describing himself as resolutely optimistic, French President Emmanuel Macron has used the last New Years address of his current term to express the hope that, with vaccinations, 2022 will see the end of the coronavirus pandemic. Macron stopped short of saying that he will stand for re-election in April. He said only that he intends to continue serving the French whatever my place and the circumstances. The president appealed to the 5 million unvaccinated but eligible people in France to get coronavirus jabs, saying: All of France is counting on you. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19 and new cases are at unprecedented levels, surging with the highly contagious omicron variant. France reported a record 232,200 new cases on Friday, its third day running above the 200,000 mark. ___ ROME Italys president, Sergio Mattarella, has used the last New Years Eve speech of his term take to task those who waste opportunities to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, calling that choice an offense to all those who havent been able to receive the injection. In a televised speech to the nation Friday night, Mattarella, who is head of state, noted that he was serving in the final days of his seven-year term, with Parliament to elect his successor in the first weeks of 2022. Referring to recent COVID-19 surges in Italy and many other countries driven by virus variants, Mattarella noted a sense of frustration over the setbacks. ___ ALBANY, N.Y. Federal ambulance teams and additional National Guard members are headed for New York City, and western New York hospitals are getting more federal help as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations keep rising. State officials announced the new deployments Friday. Gov. Kathy Hochul also said students at state universities and the City University of New York will have to get coronavirus vaccine booster shots to be on campus in the spring semester and must test negative before returning from the holiday break. New confirmed case counts have been breaking records by the day in the state, topping 76,500 on Thursday, Hochul said at a news briefing. An average of 53,000 New Yorkers a day tested positive in the week that ended Thursday, compared to 13,000 per day two weeks earlier. Over 7,900 people with COVID-19 are hospitalized statewide, up 67% in a week. ___ ROME Italian health officials are warning that the rate of occupation by COVID-19 patients of hospital beds both in intensive care units and in regular wards has surpassed the critical level nationally. A top Health Ministry official, Gianni Rezza, also said on Friday evening that the incidence of cases is growing, with 783 confirmed COVID-19 infections per every 100,000 residents in Italy. The country hit another high for daily new caseloads 144,243 confirmed cases in the last 24 hours. Nearly 12% of some 1.234 million swab tests conducted since Thursday resulted positive, according to the ministry, which urged vaccinated persons to get a booster shot if they are eligible. With the nation slammed by a surge of infections largely driven by the omicron variant, the government banned public New Years Eve celebrations. One person died Thursday after a single-vehicle rollover crash that was caused in part by slippery roads and speed, the Columbia County Sheriff's Office said. Sheriff's deputies responded to a crash just after 4 p.m. on Sanderson Road in the town of Hampden, Sheriff Roger Brandner said in a statement. Emergency responders found a crashed Cadillac in a ditch. Brandner said his office believes the driver was traveling west on Sanderson Road when the person drove into the ditch, causing the vehicle to roll over and hit a powerline. The area experienced some power outages because of the crash. The driver, a 34-year-old from Marshall, died on the scene, Brandner said. A child, who was a passenger, was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. Their identities have not yet been released because family needs to be notified. The road was closed for about three-and-a-half hours while emergency crews responded to the crash, Brandner said. The Columbus Police Department and Fire Department, Deforest EMS, Lifestar EMS, 10-51 Towing, Alliant Energy and the Columbia County Medical Examiner's Office assisted on scene. Brandner said slippery conditions and speeding seem to have played a role in the crash. "With winter upon us, we want to remind everyone to drive with caution and slow down on snow- and ice-covered roads," Brandner said. 13-y-o grandson of Enchanted Forest founder among multiple dead as wildfires ravage Western states Wyatte Tofte, the 13-year-old great-grandson of the creator of the Oregon fantasy theme park The Enchanted Forest, and his grandmother, Peggy Mosso, are among multiple people killed by wildfires that have razed homes, churches and millions of acres across the Pacific Northwest. Their deaths were confirmed by the park on Facebook Wednesday. Angela Mosso, Toftes mother, survived the Beachie Creek fire only after she was forced to leave her disabled mother behind. She suffered severe burns and is being treated in an intensive care unit. We are devastated to confirm that Wyatt Tofte has not survived. He was found a short while ago, the statement from the theme park reads. Wyatt was Rogers great-grandson and is loved and adored by all of his family and friends. His grandmother, Peggy Mosso, was also taken. She was also a loved and important member of our extended family. We ask for privacy and love right now. The harrowing details of how the Beachie Creek wildfires ravaged the family who lived near Lyons, Oregon, were shared by the 13-year-olds father, Chris Tofte, and a family friend in multiple interviews with The Statesman Journal. According to the report, the family had started preparations to leave when they were overwhelmed by the fire. While his wife packed a few things, Chris Tofte left her, his son, and his mother-in-law behind to go borrow a trailer from a friend. As Tofte made his way back to his family along a smoke-filled road, he almost ran over a woman in her underwear. Her hair was singed, her feet were badly burned and her mouth looked almost black, he recalled. He hurriedly tried to help her while explaining that he needed to find his wife and son only to realize that the woman was his wife. He was reportedly left numb by the revelation but turned the trailer around to get help for his wife. He soon connected with paramedics, who treated Angela Mosso, while he searched for his son. While waiting for her husband to return home on Tuesday, Mosso and the rest of her family went to bed. They later woke up with their house on fire. Everyone, including Duke, the family's 200-pound bull mastiff mix, and three cats, were able to get out. They were then supposed to leave the home. But Chris believes the car they could have used must have caught fire. The mother told her son to make a run for it with the dog, reports The Statesman Journal. Then, she was forced to make the difficult decision of leaving her 71-year-old mother behind. Peggy Mosso had suffered a broken leg in a fall, so she couldnt escape on foot. At the Legacy Emanuel Hospital Burn Center in Portland, where she remains in critical condition, Angela Mosso begged her husband to find her son. "Don't come back until you find him," she reportedly told him. The son was reportedly found next to the family dog, NBC News reported. Authorities are still searching for Peggy Mossos remains. There are more than 30 active fires in Oregon as of Friday and an estimated 500,000 residents are in mandatory evacuation zones, according to the Oregon joint information center. The death of Tofte and his grandmother are the first two casualties reported from fires in the state. The Assemblies of God reported Thursday that the Living Water Family Fellowship church located 2 miles outside of Blue River a community of about 800 was destroyed along with the town in a wildfire believed to have been sparked by a transformer that went down in high winds. Doug Fairrington, who has led the church with his wife, Cheri, for the past six years, said they lost power at around 8 p.m. Monday. Shortly after that, they were told by authorities that they had one hour to evacuate. The corridor is 50 miles long and one mile wide, Fairrington said. The transformer provided the spark and an unusual east winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour [gusting to 60 mph] did the rest it created a fire tunnel that literally gutted our area. The church and the parsonage are gone, Fairrington said in a statement. The high school, post office, ... all gone. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said more than 900,000 acres have burned as of Thursday, according to NBC News. Earlier this week, residents of Phoenix, another small town of about 4,000, returned to survey damage from the Almeda Fire. On Friday, a 41-year-old man was arrested and charged with two counts of arson after allegedly starting a fire in Phoenix. There were flames across the street from me, flames to the right of me, flames to the left of me. I just watched everything burn," Jonathan Weir, whose home was destroyed, told a local reporter. In Washington state, a series of wildfires have burned through nearly 587,000 acres since Monday, My Northwest reported. This is an extraordinary series of events we have suffered, Gov. Jay Inslee said at a press conference Wednesday where he declared a statewide emergency. On Thursday, Inslee also issued a proclamation to help families and individuals impacted by wildfires with cash assistance and immediate needs. For families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and now the devastating wildfires ravaging our state, funding from the Family Emergency Assistance Program can be, quite literally, a lifesaver, Inslee said. The state will continue to look for ways to support communities as we work together to recover from multiple economic and health emergencies. The northwest region of the U.S. Forest Service, which covers Washington state and Oregon, stated Thursday they had 5,117 fire personnel, 128 crews, 36 air resources and 431 engines battling 30 large fires burning 1,377,383 acres. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a briefing that with 2.3 million acres burned this year, 2020 is now the biggest wildfire season in the states modern history. At this time last year, only 118,000 acres had burned. The death toll from the fires was at least 12 for the month of September, NBC News reported. The National Interagency Fire Center reports that so far this year, 41,599 fires have burned 5,288,247 acres. California remains in the top spot for the state with the most acres burned, followed by Arizona, Colorado, Montana, and Texas. LONG ISLAND, NY With the number of COVID-19 cases continuing to spike in New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul rolled out her "winter surge 2.0" plan Friday including announcements that all SUNY and CUNY students must be boosted before returning to classes, and that a mask-or-vaccination mandate for businesses will be extended through February. Hochul said there were five key points to the plan: Keeping kids in school, continuing to wear masks and test, preventing severe illness and death, increasing vaccines and boosters, and working in collaboration with local leaders. "We are working around the clock to fight this surge. And as we've been saying for a long time, we were going to experience a very serious winter surge," Hochul said. Statewide, as of Friday, there are 271 cases per 100,000 and 321 per 100,000 on Long Island. On Friday, there were 76,555 new positive cases reported as the omicron variant adds to the uptick, Hochul said. "It's almost not worth it to say we're breaking records. We're breaking records every day and we'll probably continue to do so until we hit that downward trend," Hochul said. The trends have been witnessed nationwide and globally, Hochul reminded. New York stands at number three in the nation for per capita testing and number one, in the large states, she said. Hospitalizations continue to rise, "closing in on 8,000 which is not a milestone we've hoped to hit, but it's also very concerning," Hochul said. Health care workers are exhausted and frustrated, she said, "because they know it did not have to be this way. If we had more people vaccinated, fully vaccinated, to deal with this highly transmittable variant known as omicron." On Long Island, 1,374 are hospitalized, the data indicates. And a total of 80 New Yorkers died in the 24 hours leading up to Friday's news briefing, Hochul said. "We're not out of this," Hochul said. "We're still addressing a very serious situation." Story continues In New York, 95 percent of adults over 18 have received their first dose, but there is a need for people to go receive their second doses, Hochul said adding that boosters, too, are critical. A person who is boosted can be protected within two to three days of receiving that shot, she said. The challenge also remains children in the 5 to 11 age group, Hochul said only 28 percent have received their first dose. Children in that age group who remain unvaccinated might be transmitting the virus to their younger siblings, she said. Discussing why she was releasing a 2.0 plan, Hochul said it's because the virus has changed so dramatically and quickly since November. "We have to adapt. We have to be very smart. We've been doing the right things, but 2.0 is simply improvements upon what we've been doing. And again, to sound the alarm, that the numbers are continuing to increase they don't have to, we can control this," she said. Hochul discussed the five key points of her 2.0 plan: Keeping kids in school The governor said planes are bringing testing kits to New York, so that the "Test to Stay" program can be rolled out. The tenet of that plan is that if a student's classmate tests positive, kids can take home test kits in their backpacks, and then come back the next day if they test negative, and get tested again in a few days. New York State Operations Director Kathryn Garcia said more than 37 million tests have been ordered; 5.28 million arrived this week, and another 6 million are arriving through Monday. The state will also supply tests to counties. Discussing college students, Hochul said students congregate and live on campus, so the experience is different. On Friday, the state issued new guidance for SUNY and CUNY schools for the spring semester. "We are asking all schools to ensure that students before they return are boosted," Hochul said. "They're required to be vaccinated. Now we're putting on an additional requirement: in order to return to your college campus you have to be boosted." College students are also required to wear masks in public spaces indoors and will have to quarantine and follow New York State and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines if anyone does test positive. Those students will also have to show a negative test when they return to campus, Hochul said. Random sampling will continue throughout the year, Hochul added. The requirement takes effect on January 15. The goal is not to just think of the health of students and staff, but also the local businesses that will suffer if college campuses are forced to shutter, Hochul said. Mask/vaccination requirement for businesses extended Testing and masks are an important line of defense, Hochul said. Although the mandate for businesses to either require masks or proof of vaccination was initially going to be re-evaluated on January 15, that has been extended for two weeks, due to the rapidly changing landscape, Hochul said. The plan has been geared all along to keeping the economy open, she said. "The other alternative is to say, shut it all down. The reason we don't have to do this is because we now have the defenses in place, the testing, the vaccines, the booster shots, the masks. So we're in a different dynamic now but I'm very conscious while this continues to spread that we can take steps to make sure that they are protected," Hochul said. To that end, Hochul urged the use of KN95 masks, which offer more protection; she said New Yorkers can use their favorite cloth masks over the KN95 masks to offer double protection. A total of 5 million KN95 masks have been sent out to counties statewide, she said. With 13 new testing sites launched recently, including two on Long Island, six others will be added next week, although none of those six are on Long Island. New MTA sites have also been added in New York City in the Bronx, she said. Preventing severe illness and death Hochul said supporting hospitals is a key factor in preventing severe illness and death. The federal government plays an important role, Hochul said. She is working with federal partners and advocating for the right to be able to protect nursing home occupants by requiring visitors to be vaccinated. "We've asked the federal government to revise their regulations that don't allow us to have any restrictions on visitors," Hochul said. "I understand that this was a reaction to the painful experience that so many families had to experience when they couldn't visit a loved one. Visit your loved one, but also don't be the reason that loved one does not survive." Hochul said she has also asked the federal government to make the antiviral treatment more widely available. Dr. Mary Bassett, New York's department of health commissioner, said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last week gave emergency approval to oral antiviral drugs. Before that, monoclonal antibodies were drugs that had to be administered in hospitals; the Pfizer drug is called Paxlovid, the Merck drug is Molnupiravir both are taken orally twice a day for five days. While New York received 3,180 doses of Paxlovid, far greater amounts are needed, Bassett said. The challenge is in production, she said. There has also been a focus on monoclonal antibodies, Bassett said, including one that's been the most protective for people who have omicron infection, called Sotrovimab. New York received 4,242 doses and then received an additional 5,580. "The federal government is now acknowledging that New York State has to receive not just proportional to our population but proportional to our disease burden," Bassett said. Jackie Bray, division of Homeland Security emergency services commissioner, said federal assistance has come in the form of new deployments statewide. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending a 35-member disaster medical assistance team to SUNY upstate in Syracuse, as well as a medical response team to Buffalo and 30 federal ambulance teams working upstate and in central New York. FEMA will also be sending 50 additional ambulance teams to New York City, Bray said. In addition to the federal aid, New York is opening its stockpiles and sending medical equipment, including oxygen tanks and other supplies, to hospitals statewide, Bray said. Hochul said there is good news: New York is down from 35 hospitals who had to put the brakes on elective surgeries, to 21. Vaccinated versus unvaccinated hospitalizations According to the latest data, 30 per 100,000 cases are unvaccinated, compared with 2.1 who are vaccinated. "If you are vaccinated you have a very low chance of being hospitalized," Hochul said. "Look at those numbers and see what percentage of people are in hospitals who are unvaccinated versus vaccinated, it's an extraordinary difference." Pediatric hospitalizations continue to rise, up to 299 statewide this week. Hochul said the FDA final approval date for the Pfizer booster is coming soon for 12 to 15 year olds and added that kids should not only be vaccinated but boosted. The governor also said communication with local leaders will continue. "This is the final message. 2022 is the year we beat this pandemic," Hochul said. This article originally appeared on the East Hampton Patch LONG ISLAND, NY With the number of COVID-19 cases continuing to spike in New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul rolled out her "winter surge 2.0" plan Friday including announcements that all SUNY and CUNY students must be boosted before returning to classes, and that a mask-or-vaccination mandate for businesses will be extended through February. Hochul said there were five key points to the plan: Keeping kids in school, continuing to wear masks and test, preventing severe illness and death, increasing vaccines and boosters, and working in collaboration with local leaders. "We are working around the clock to fight this surge. And as we've been saying for a long time, we were going to experience a very serious winter surge," Hochul said. Statewide, as of Friday, there are 271 cases per 100,000 and 321 per 100,000 on Long Island. On Friday, there were 76,555 new positive cases reported as the omicron variant adds to the uptick, Hochul said. "It's almost not worth it to say we're breaking records. We're breaking records every day and we'll probably continue to do so until we hit that downward trend," Hochul said. The trends have been witnessed nationwide and globally, Hochul reminded. New York stands at number three in the nation for per capita testing and number one, in the large states, she said. Hospitalizations continue to rise, "closing in on 8,000 which is not a milestone we've hoped to hit, but it's also very concerning," Hochul said. Health care workers are exhausted and frustrated, she said, "because they know it did not have to be this way. If we had more people vaccinated, fully vaccinated, to deal with this highly transmittable variant known as omicron." On Long Island, 1,374 are hospitalized, the data indicates. And a total of 80 New Yorkers died in the 24 hours leading up to Friday's news briefing, Hochul said. "We're not out of this," Hochul said. "We're still addressing a very serious situation." Story continues In New York, 95 percent of adults over 18 have received their first dose, but there is a need for people to go receive their second doses, Hochul said adding that boosters, too, are critical. A person who is boosted can be protected within two to three days of receiving that shot, she said. The challenge also remains children in the 5 to 11 age group, Hochul said only 28 percent have received their first dose. Children in that age group who remain unvaccinated might be transmitting the virus to their younger siblings, she said. Discussing why she was releasing a 2.0 plan, Hochul said it's because the virus has changed so dramatically and quickly since November. "We have to adapt. We have to be very smart. We've been doing the right things, but 2.0 is simply improvements upon what we've been doing. And again, to sound the alarm, that the numbers are continuing to increase they don't have to, we can control this," she said. Hochul discussed the five key points of her 2.0 plan: Keeping kids in school The governor said planes are bringing testing kits to New York, so that the "Test to Stay" program can be rolled out. The tenet of that plan is that if a student's classmate tests positive, kids can take home test kits in their backpacks, and then come back the next day if they test negative, and get tested again in a few days. New York State Operations Director Kathryn Garcia said more than 37 million tests have been ordered; 5.28 million arrived this week, and another 6 million are arriving through Monday. The state will also supply tests to counties. Discussing college students, Hochul said students congregate and live on campus, so the experience is different. On Friday, the state issued new guidance for SUNY and CUNY schools for the spring semester. "We are asking all schools to ensure that students before they return are boosted," Hochul said. "They're required to be vaccinated. Now we're putting on an additional requirement: in order to return to your college campus you have to be boosted." College students are also required to wear masks in public spaces indoors and will have to quarantine and follow New York State and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines if anyone does test positive. Those students will also have to show a negative test when they return to campus, Hochul said. Random sampling will continue throughout the year, Hochul added. The requirement takes effect on January 15. The goal is not to just think of the health of students and staff, but also the local businesses that will suffer if college campuses are forced to shutter, Hochul said. Mask/vaccination requirement for businesses extended Testing and masks are an important line of defense, Hochul said. Although the mandate for businesses to either require masks or proof of vaccination was initially going to be re-evaluated on January 15, that has been extended for two weeks, due to the rapidly changing landscape, Hochul said. The plan has been geared all along to keeping the economy open, she said. "The other alternative is to say, shut it all down. The reason we don't have to do this is because we now have the defenses in place, the testing, the vaccines, the booster shots, the masks. So we're in a different dynamic now but I'm very conscious while this continues to spread that we can take steps to make sure that they are protected," Hochul said. To that end, Hochul urged the use of KN95 masks, which offer more protection; she said New Yorkers can use their favorite cloth masks over the KN95 masks to offer double protection. A total of 5 million KN95 masks have been sent out to counties statewide, she said. With 13 new testing sites launched recently, including two on Long Island, six others will be added next week, although none of those six are on Long Island. New MTA sites have also been added in New York City in the Bronx, she said. Preventing severe illness and death Hochul said supporting hospitals is a key factor in preventing severe illness and death. The federal government plays an important role, Hochul said. She is working with federal partners and advocating for the right to be able to protect nursing home occupants by requiring visitors to be vaccinated. "We've asked the federal government to revise their regulations that don't allow us to have any restrictions on visitors," Hochul said. "I understand that this was a reaction to the painful experience that so many families had to experience when they couldn't visit a loved one. Visit your loved one, but also don't be the reason that loved one does not survive." Hochul said she has also asked the federal government to make the antiviral treatment more widely available. Dr. Mary Bassett, New York's department of health commissioner, said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last week gave emergency approval to oral antiviral drugs. Before that, monoclonal antibodies were drugs that had to be administered in hospitals; the Pfizer drug is called Paxlovid, the Merck drug is Molnupiravir both are taken orally twice a day for five days. While New York received 3,180 doses of Paxlovid, far greater amounts are needed, Bassett said. The challenge is in production, she said. There has also been a focus on monoclonal antibodies, Bassett said, including one that's been the most protective for people who have omicron infection, called Sotrovimab. New York received 4,242 doses and then received an additional 5,580. "The federal government is now acknowledging that New York State has to receive not just proportional to our population but proportional to our disease burden," Bassett said. Jackie Bray, division of Homeland Security emergency services commissioner, said federal assistance has come in the form of new deployments statewide. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending a 35-member disaster medical assistance team to SUNY upstate in Syracuse, as well as a medical response team to Buffalo and 30 federal ambulance teams working upstate and in central New York. FEMA will also be sending 50 additional ambulance teams to New York City, Bray said. In addition to the federal aid, New York is opening its stockpiles and sending medical equipment, including oxygen tanks and other supplies, to hospitals statewide, Bray said. Hochul said there is good news: New York is down from 35 hospitals who had to put the brakes on elective surgeries, to 21. Vaccinated versus unvaccinated hospitalizations According to the latest data, 30 per 100,000 cases are unvaccinated, compared with 2.1 who are vaccinated. "If you are vaccinated you have a very low chance of being hospitalized," Hochul said. "Look at those numbers and see what percentage of people are in hospitals who are unvaccinated versus vaccinated, it's an extraordinary difference." Pediatric hospitalizations continue to rise, up to 299 statewide this week. Hochul said the FDA final approval date for the Pfizer booster is coming soon for 12 to 15 year olds and added that kids should not only be vaccinated but boosted. The governor also said communication with local leaders will continue. "This is the final message. 2022 is the year we beat this pandemic," Hochul said. This article originally appeared on the East Hampton Patch LONG ISLAND, NY With the number of COVID-19 cases continuing to spike in New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul rolled out her "winter surge 2.0" plan Friday including announcements that all SUNY and CUNY students must be boosted before returning to classes, and that a mask-or-vaccination mandate for businesses will be extended through February. Hochul said there were five key points to the plan: Keeping kids in school, continuing to wear masks and test, preventing severe illness and death, increasing vaccines and boosters, and working in collaboration with local leaders. "We are working around the clock to fight this surge. And as we've been saying for a long time, we were going to experience a very serious winter surge," Hochul said. Statewide, as of Friday, there are 271 cases per 100,000 and 321 per 100,000 on Long Island. On Friday, there were 76,555 new positive cases reported as the omicron variant adds to the uptick, Hochul said. "It's almost not worth it to say we're breaking records. We're breaking records every day and we'll probably continue to do so until we hit that downward trend," Hochul said. The trends have been witnessed nationwide and globally, Hochul reminded. New York stands at number three in the nation for per capita testing and number one, in the large states, she said. Hospitalizations continue to rise, "closing in on 8,000 which is not a milestone we've hoped to hit, but it's also very concerning," Hochul said. Health care workers are exhausted and frustrated, she said, "because they know it did not have to be this way. If we had more people vaccinated, fully vaccinated, to deal with this highly transmittable variant known as omicron." On Long Island, 1,374 are hospitalized, the data indicates. And a total of 80 New Yorkers died in the 24 hours leading up to Friday's news briefing, Hochul said. "We're not out of this," Hochul said. "We're still addressing a very serious situation." Story continues In New York, 95 percent of adults over 18 have received their first dose, but there is a need for people to go receive their second doses, Hochul said adding that boosters, too, are critical. A person who is boosted can be protected within two to three days of receiving that shot, she said. The challenge also remains children in the 5 to 11 age group, Hochul said only 28 percent have received their first dose. Children in that age group who remain unvaccinated might be transmitting the virus to their younger siblings, she said. Discussing why she was releasing a 2.0 plan, Hochul said it's because the virus has changed so dramatically and quickly since November. "We have to adapt. We have to be very smart. We've been doing the right things, but 2.0 is simply improvements upon what we've been doing. And again, to sound the alarm, that the numbers are continuing to increase they don't have to, we can control this," she said. Hochul discussed the five key points of her 2.0 plan: Keeping kids in school The governor said planes are bringing testing kits to New York, so that the "Test to Stay" program can be rolled out. The tenet of that plan is that if a student's classmate tests positive, kids can take home test kits in their backpacks, and then come back the next day if they test negative, and get tested again in a few days. New York State Operations Director Kathryn Garcia said more than 37 million tests have been ordered; 5.28 million arrived this week, and another 6 million are arriving through Monday. The state will also supply tests to counties. Discussing college students, Hochul said students congregate and live on campus, so the experience is different. On Friday, the state issued new guidance for SUNY and CUNY schools for the spring semester. "We are asking all schools to ensure that students before they return are boosted," Hochul said. "They're required to be vaccinated. Now we're putting on an additional requirement: in order to return to your college campus you have to be boosted." College students are also required to wear masks in public spaces indoors and will have to quarantine and follow New York State and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines if anyone does test positive. Those students will also have to show a negative test when they return to campus, Hochul said. Random sampling will continue throughout the year, Hochul added. The requirement takes effect on January 15. The goal is not to just think of the health of students and staff, but also the local businesses that will suffer if college campuses are forced to shutter, Hochul said. Mask/vaccination requirement for businesses extended Testing and masks are an important line of defense, Hochul said. Although the mandate for businesses to either require masks or proof of vaccination was initially going to be re-evaluated on January 15, that has been extended for two weeks, due to the rapidly changing landscape, Hochul said. The plan has been geared all along to keeping the economy open, she said. "The other alternative is to say, shut it all down. The reason we don't have to do this is because we now have the defenses in place, the testing, the vaccines, the booster shots, the masks. So we're in a different dynamic now but I'm very conscious while this continues to spread that we can take steps to make sure that they are protected," Hochul said. To that end, Hochul urged the use of KN95 masks, which offer more protection; she said New Yorkers can use their favorite cloth masks over the KN95 masks to offer double protection. A total of 5 million KN95 masks have been sent out to counties statewide, she said. With 13 new testing sites launched recently, including two on Long Island, six others will be added next week, although none of those six are on Long Island. New MTA sites have also been added in New York City in the Bronx, she said. Preventing severe illness and death Hochul said supporting hospitals is a key factor in preventing severe illness and death. The federal government plays an important role, Hochul said. She is working with federal partners and advocating for the right to be able to protect nursing home occupants by requiring visitors to be vaccinated. "We've asked the federal government to revise their regulations that don't allow us to have any restrictions on visitors," Hochul said. "I understand that this was a reaction to the painful experience that so many families had to experience when they couldn't visit a loved one. Visit your loved one, but also don't be the reason that loved one does not survive." Hochul said she has also asked the federal government to make the antiviral treatment more widely available. Dr. Mary Bassett, New York's department of health commissioner, said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last week gave emergency approval to oral antiviral drugs. Before that, monoclonal antibodies were drugs that had to be administered in hospitals; the Pfizer drug is called Paxlovid, the Merck drug is Molnupiravir both are taken orally twice a day for five days. While New York received 3,180 doses of Paxlovid, far greater amounts are needed, Bassett said. The challenge is in production, she said. There has also been a focus on monoclonal antibodies, Bassett said, including one that's been the most protective for people who have omicron infection, called Sotrovimab. New York received 4,242 doses and then received an additional 5,580. "The federal government is now acknowledging that New York State has to receive not just proportional to our population but proportional to our disease burden," Bassett said. Jackie Bray, division of Homeland Security emergency services commissioner, said federal assistance has come in the form of new deployments statewide. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending a 35-member disaster medical assistance team to SUNY upstate in Syracuse, as well as a medical response team to Buffalo and 30 federal ambulance teams working upstate and in central New York. FEMA will also be sending 50 additional ambulance teams to New York City, Bray said. In addition to the federal aid, New York is opening its stockpiles and sending medical equipment, including oxygen tanks and other supplies, to hospitals statewide, Bray said. Hochul said there is good news: New York is down from 35 hospitals who had to put the brakes on elective surgeries, to 21. Vaccinated versus unvaccinated hospitalizations According to the latest data, 30 per 100,000 cases are unvaccinated, compared with 2.1 who are vaccinated. "If you are vaccinated you have a very low chance of being hospitalized," Hochul said. "Look at those numbers and see what percentage of people are in hospitals who are unvaccinated versus vaccinated, it's an extraordinary difference." Pediatric hospitalizations continue to rise, up to 299 statewide this week. Hochul said the FDA final approval date for the Pfizer booster is coming soon for 12 to 15 year olds and added that kids should not only be vaccinated but boosted. The governor also said communication with local leaders will continue. "This is the final message. 2022 is the year we beat this pandemic," Hochul said. This article originally appeared on the East Hampton Patch Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. As per an official statement from the Prime Minister's Office, this is in line with the government's continued commitment and resolve to empower grassroots level farmers. This will enable the transfer of an amount of more than Rs 20,000 crore to more than 10 crore beneficiary farmer families, said PMO Under the PM-KISAN scheme, a financial benefit of Rs 6,000 per year is provided to the eligible beneficiary farmer families, payable in three equal four-monthly instalments of Rs 2,000 each. The fund is transferred directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. In this scheme, Samman Rashi of over Rs 1.6 lakh crore has been transferred to farmer families so far. During the programme, Prime Minister will also release an equity grant of more than Rs 14 crores to about 351 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), which will benefit more than 1.24 lakh farmers. Prime Minister will interact with FPOs during the event and will also address the nation. Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar will also be present on the occasion. (ANI) Even Israels most hawkish defense officials now concede that the Trump administrations decision to cancel the Iran nuclear deal was a big mistake. The deal worked out by former President Barack Obama was far from perfect. But it appeared that President Donald Trump was more interested in delivering another humiliation to his predecessor than carefully considering the global-security implications of scrapping the one thing that stood between Iran and the ability to make its own nuclear weapons. Trumps main source of advice on killing the 2015 accord was then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had publicly criticized Obamas diplomatic overtures with Iran. The nuclear deal was the product of intense negotiations involving Russia, China, Britain and Germany. To make it happen, the major global economic powers had to agree on an intricate list of sanctions that prevented Iran from exporting its oil and blocked Tehran from accessing the international banking system. Keeping the major nations in line required delicate diplomacy, but it ultimately worked, forcing enough concessions from Iran to win a 10- to 15-year moratorium on its uranium-enrichment program. Iran agreed to dismantle some facilities and to permit international inspections. Netanyahu hated the deal, as did Saudi Arabia, because it only provided a temporary pause in Irans program. Trump canceled the deal in 2018. Russia and China resumed commercial ties with Iran, and it now has minimal incentives to continue restraining its nuclear program. Top Israeli defense officials now recognize the enormity of Trump and Netanyahus mistake. Defense Minister Benny Gantz told Foreign Policy that he would support efforts by President Joe Biden to resurrect a nuclear accord. The current U.S. approach of putting the Iran nuclear program back in a box, Id accept that, he said. Netanyahus successor, Naftali Bennett, is openly critical of Netanyahus military bluster, which helped persuade Trump that there were viable military options to keep Iran in line after killing the accord. Bennett told Israeli television: Israel inherited a situation in which Iran is at the most advanced point ever in its race to the bomb. ... The gap between (Netanyahus) rhetoric and speeches and actions is very big. Air Force Maj. Gen. Isaac Ben Israel was more direct in an interview published by Bloomberg: Netanyahus efforts to persuade the Trump administration to quit the nuclear agreement have turned out to be the worst strategic mistake in Israels history. Former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon echoed that sentiment in an interview with Israels Haaretz newspaper. Trump and Netanyahu now appear to have split because Netanyahu had the gall to phone Biden and congratulate him on his 2020 election victory another example of how emotions and political grudges, rather than thoughtful judgment, guide Trumps decision-making. A man who would put global security at risk without fully weighing the consequences must never again occupy the Oval Office. Even Israels most hawkish defense officials now concede that the Trump administrations decision to cancel the Iran nuclear deal was a big mistake. The deal worked out by former President Barack Obama was far from perfect. But it appeared that President Donald Trump was more interested in delivering another humiliation to his predecessor than carefully considering the global-security implications of scrapping the one thing that stood between Iran and the ability to make its own nuclear weapons. Trumps main source of advice on killing the 2015 accord was then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had publicly criticized Obamas diplomatic overtures with Iran. The nuclear deal was the product of intense negotiations involving Russia, China, Britain and Germany. To make it happen, the major global economic powers had to agree on an intricate list of sanctions that prevented Iran from exporting its oil and blocked Tehran from accessing the international banking system. Keeping the major nations in line required delicate diplomacy, but it ultimately worked, forcing enough concessions from Iran to win a 10- to 15-year moratorium on its uranium-enrichment program. Iran agreed to dismantle some facilities and to permit international inspections. Netanyahu hated the deal, as did Saudi Arabia, because it only provided a temporary pause in Irans program. Trump canceled the deal in 2018. Russia and China resumed commercial ties with Iran, and it now has minimal incentives to continue restraining its nuclear program. Top Israeli defense officials now recognize the enormity of Trump and Netanyahus mistake. Defense Minister Benny Gantz told Foreign Policy that he would support efforts by President Joe Biden to resurrect a nuclear accord. The current U.S. approach of putting the Iran nuclear program back in a box, Id accept that, he said. Netanyahus successor, Naftali Bennett, is openly critical of Netanyahus military bluster, which helped persuade Trump that there were viable military options to keep Iran in line after killing the accord. Bennett told Israeli television: Israel inherited a situation in which Iran is at the most advanced point ever in its race to the bomb. ... The gap between (Netanyahus) rhetoric and speeches and actions is very big. Air Force Maj. Gen. Isaac Ben Israel was more direct in an interview published by Bloomberg: Netanyahus efforts to persuade the Trump administration to quit the nuclear agreement have turned out to be the worst strategic mistake in Israels history. Former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon echoed that sentiment in an interview with Israels Haaretz newspaper. Trump and Netanyahu now appear to have split because Netanyahu had the gall to phone Biden and congratulate him on his 2020 election victory another example of how emotions and political grudges, rather than thoughtful judgment, guide Trumps decision-making. A man who would put global security at risk without fully weighing the consequences must never again occupy the Oval Office. Even Israels most hawkish defense officials now concede that the Trump administrations decision to cancel the Iran nuclear deal was a big mistake. The deal worked out by former President Barack Obama was far from perfect. But it appeared that President Donald Trump was more interested in delivering another humiliation to his predecessor than carefully considering the global-security implications of scrapping the one thing that stood between Iran and the ability to make its own nuclear weapons. Trumps main source of advice on killing the 2015 accord was then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had publicly criticized Obamas diplomatic overtures with Iran. The nuclear deal was the product of intense negotiations involving Russia, China, Britain and Germany. To make it happen, the major global economic powers had to agree on an intricate list of sanctions that prevented Iran from exporting its oil and blocked Tehran from accessing the international banking system. Keeping the major nations in line required delicate diplomacy, but it ultimately worked, forcing enough concessions from Iran to win a 10- to 15-year moratorium on its uranium-enrichment program. Iran agreed to dismantle some facilities and to permit international inspections. Netanyahu hated the deal, as did Saudi Arabia, because it only provided a temporary pause in Irans program. Trump canceled the deal in 2018. Russia and China resumed commercial ties with Iran, and it now has minimal incentives to continue restraining its nuclear program. Top Israeli defense officials now recognize the enormity of Trump and Netanyahus mistake. Defense Minister Benny Gantz told Foreign Policy that he would support efforts by President Joe Biden to resurrect a nuclear accord. The current U.S. approach of putting the Iran nuclear program back in a box, Id accept that, he said. Netanyahus successor, Naftali Bennett, is openly critical of Netanyahus military bluster, which helped persuade Trump that there were viable military options to keep Iran in line after killing the accord. Bennett told Israeli television: Israel inherited a situation in which Iran is at the most advanced point ever in its race to the bomb. ... The gap between (Netanyahus) rhetoric and speeches and actions is very big. Air Force Maj. Gen. Isaac Ben Israel was more direct in an interview published by Bloomberg: Netanyahus efforts to persuade the Trump administration to quit the nuclear agreement have turned out to be the worst strategic mistake in Israels history. Former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon echoed that sentiment in an interview with Israels Haaretz newspaper. Trump and Netanyahu now appear to have split because Netanyahu had the gall to phone Biden and congratulate him on his 2020 election victory another example of how emotions and political grudges, rather than thoughtful judgment, guide Trumps decision-making. A man who would put global security at risk without fully weighing the consequences must never again occupy the Oval Office. Even Israels most hawkish defense officials now concede that the Trump administrations decision to cancel the Iran nuclear deal was a big mistake. The deal worked out by former President Barack Obama was far from perfect. But it appeared that President Donald Trump was more interested in delivering another humiliation to his predecessor than carefully considering the global-security implications of scrapping the one thing that stood between Iran and the ability to make its own nuclear weapons. Trumps main source of advice on killing the 2015 accord was then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had publicly criticized Obamas diplomatic overtures with Iran. The nuclear deal was the product of intense negotiations involving Russia, China, Britain and Germany. To make it happen, the major global economic powers had to agree on an intricate list of sanctions that prevented Iran from exporting its oil and blocked Tehran from accessing the international banking system. Keeping the major nations in line required delicate diplomacy, but it ultimately worked, forcing enough concessions from Iran to win a 10- to 15-year moratorium on its uranium-enrichment program. Iran agreed to dismantle some facilities and to permit international inspections. Netanyahu hated the deal, as did Saudi Arabia, because it only provided a temporary pause in Irans program. Trump canceled the deal in 2018. Russia and China resumed commercial ties with Iran, and it now has minimal incentives to continue restraining its nuclear program. Top Israeli defense officials now recognize the enormity of Trump and Netanyahus mistake. Defense Minister Benny Gantz told Foreign Policy that he would support efforts by President Joe Biden to resurrect a nuclear accord. The current U.S. approach of putting the Iran nuclear program back in a box, Id accept that, he said. Netanyahus successor, Naftali Bennett, is openly critical of Netanyahus military bluster, which helped persuade Trump that there were viable military options to keep Iran in line after killing the accord. Bennett told Israeli television: Israel inherited a situation in which Iran is at the most advanced point ever in its race to the bomb. ... The gap between (Netanyahus) rhetoric and speeches and actions is very big. Air Force Maj. Gen. Isaac Ben Israel was more direct in an interview published by Bloomberg: Netanyahus efforts to persuade the Trump administration to quit the nuclear agreement have turned out to be the worst strategic mistake in Israels history. Former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon echoed that sentiment in an interview with Israels Haaretz newspaper. Trump and Netanyahu now appear to have split because Netanyahu had the gall to phone Biden and congratulate him on his 2020 election victory another example of how emotions and political grudges, rather than thoughtful judgment, guide Trumps decision-making. A man who would put global security at risk without fully weighing the consequences must never again occupy the Oval Office. Even Israels most hawkish defense officials now concede that the Trump administrations decision to cancel the Iran nuclear deal was a big mistake. The deal worked out by former President Barack Obama was far from perfect. But it appeared that President Donald Trump was more interested in delivering another humiliation to his predecessor than carefully considering the global-security implications of scrapping the one thing that stood between Iran and the ability to make its own nuclear weapons. Trumps main source of advice on killing the 2015 accord was then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had publicly criticized Obamas diplomatic overtures with Iran. The nuclear deal was the product of intense negotiations involving Russia, China, Britain and Germany. To make it happen, the major global economic powers had to agree on an intricate list of sanctions that prevented Iran from exporting its oil and blocked Tehran from accessing the international banking system. Keeping the major nations in line required delicate diplomacy, but it ultimately worked, forcing enough concessions from Iran to win a 10- to 15-year moratorium on its uranium-enrichment program. Iran agreed to dismantle some facilities and to permit international inspections. Netanyahu hated the deal, as did Saudi Arabia, because it only provided a temporary pause in Irans program. Trump canceled the deal in 2018. Russia and China resumed commercial ties with Iran, and it now has minimal incentives to continue restraining its nuclear program. Top Israeli defense officials now recognize the enormity of Trump and Netanyahus mistake. Defense Minister Benny Gantz told Foreign Policy that he would support efforts by President Joe Biden to resurrect a nuclear accord. The current U.S. approach of putting the Iran nuclear program back in a box, Id accept that, he said. Netanyahus successor, Naftali Bennett, is openly critical of Netanyahus military bluster, which helped persuade Trump that there were viable military options to keep Iran in line after killing the accord. Bennett told Israeli television: Israel inherited a situation in which Iran is at the most advanced point ever in its race to the bomb. ... The gap between (Netanyahus) rhetoric and speeches and actions is very big. Air Force Maj. Gen. Isaac Ben Israel was more direct in an interview published by Bloomberg: Netanyahus efforts to persuade the Trump administration to quit the nuclear agreement have turned out to be the worst strategic mistake in Israels history. Former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon echoed that sentiment in an interview with Israels Haaretz newspaper. Trump and Netanyahu now appear to have split because Netanyahu had the gall to phone Biden and congratulate him on his 2020 election victory another example of how emotions and political grudges, rather than thoughtful judgment, guide Trumps decision-making. A man who would put global security at risk without fully weighing the consequences must never again occupy the Oval Office. Even Israels most hawkish defense officials now concede that the Trump administrations decision to cancel the Iran nuclear deal was a big mistake. The deal worked out by former President Barack Obama was far from perfect. But it appeared that President Donald Trump was more interested in delivering another humiliation to his predecessor than carefully considering the global-security implications of scrapping the one thing that stood between Iran and the ability to make its own nuclear weapons. Trumps main source of advice on killing the 2015 accord was then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had publicly criticized Obamas diplomatic overtures with Iran. The nuclear deal was the product of intense negotiations involving Russia, China, Britain and Germany. To make it happen, the major global economic powers had to agree on an intricate list of sanctions that prevented Iran from exporting its oil and blocked Tehran from accessing the international banking system. Keeping the major nations in line required delicate diplomacy, but it ultimately worked, forcing enough concessions from Iran to win a 10- to 15-year moratorium on its uranium-enrichment program. Iran agreed to dismantle some facilities and to permit international inspections. Netanyahu hated the deal, as did Saudi Arabia, because it only provided a temporary pause in Irans program. Trump canceled the deal in 2018. Russia and China resumed commercial ties with Iran, and it now has minimal incentives to continue restraining its nuclear program. Top Israeli defense officials now recognize the enormity of Trump and Netanyahus mistake. Defense Minister Benny Gantz told Foreign Policy that he would support efforts by President Joe Biden to resurrect a nuclear accord. The current U.S. approach of putting the Iran nuclear program back in a box, Id accept that, he said. Netanyahus successor, Naftali Bennett, is openly critical of Netanyahus military bluster, which helped persuade Trump that there were viable military options to keep Iran in line after killing the accord. Bennett told Israeli television: Israel inherited a situation in which Iran is at the most advanced point ever in its race to the bomb. ... The gap between (Netanyahus) rhetoric and speeches and actions is very big. Air Force Maj. Gen. Isaac Ben Israel was more direct in an interview published by Bloomberg: Netanyahus efforts to persuade the Trump administration to quit the nuclear agreement have turned out to be the worst strategic mistake in Israels history. Former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon echoed that sentiment in an interview with Israels Haaretz newspaper. Trump and Netanyahu now appear to have split because Netanyahu had the gall to phone Biden and congratulate him on his 2020 election victory another example of how emotions and political grudges, rather than thoughtful judgment, guide Trumps decision-making. A man who would put global security at risk without fully weighing the consequences must never again occupy the Oval Office. Even Israels most hawkish defense officials now concede that the Trump administrations decision to cancel the Iran nuclear deal was a big mistake. The deal worked out by former President Barack Obama was far from perfect. But it appeared that President Donald Trump was more interested in delivering another humiliation to his predecessor than carefully considering the global-security implications of scrapping the one thing that stood between Iran and the ability to make its own nuclear weapons. Trumps main source of advice on killing the 2015 accord was then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had publicly criticized Obamas diplomatic overtures with Iran. The nuclear deal was the product of intense negotiations involving Russia, China, Britain and Germany. To make it happen, the major global economic powers had to agree on an intricate list of sanctions that prevented Iran from exporting its oil and blocked Tehran from accessing the international banking system. Keeping the major nations in line required delicate diplomacy, but it ultimately worked, forcing enough concessions from Iran to win a 10- to 15-year moratorium on its uranium-enrichment program. Iran agreed to dismantle some facilities and to permit international inspections. Netanyahu hated the deal, as did Saudi Arabia, because it only provided a temporary pause in Irans program. Trump canceled the deal in 2018. Russia and China resumed commercial ties with Iran, and it now has minimal incentives to continue restraining its nuclear program. Top Israeli defense officials now recognize the enormity of Trump and Netanyahus mistake. Defense Minister Benny Gantz told Foreign Policy that he would support efforts by President Joe Biden to resurrect a nuclear accord. The current U.S. approach of putting the Iran nuclear program back in a box, Id accept that, he said. Netanyahus successor, Naftali Bennett, is openly critical of Netanyahus military bluster, which helped persuade Trump that there were viable military options to keep Iran in line after killing the accord. Bennett told Israeli television: Israel inherited a situation in which Iran is at the most advanced point ever in its race to the bomb. ... The gap between (Netanyahus) rhetoric and speeches and actions is very big. Air Force Maj. Gen. Isaac Ben Israel was more direct in an interview published by Bloomberg: Netanyahus efforts to persuade the Trump administration to quit the nuclear agreement have turned out to be the worst strategic mistake in Israels history. Former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon echoed that sentiment in an interview with Israels Haaretz newspaper. Trump and Netanyahu now appear to have split because Netanyahu had the gall to phone Biden and congratulate him on his 2020 election victory another example of how emotions and political grudges, rather than thoughtful judgment, guide Trumps decision-making. A man who would put global security at risk without fully weighing the consequences must never again occupy the Oval Office. Even Israels most hawkish defense officials now concede that the Trump administrations decision to cancel the Iran nuclear deal was a big mistake. The deal worked out by former President Barack Obama was far from perfect. But it appeared that President Donald Trump was more interested in delivering another humiliation to his predecessor than carefully considering the global-security implications of scrapping the one thing that stood between Iran and the ability to make its own nuclear weapons. Trumps main source of advice on killing the 2015 accord was then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had publicly criticized Obamas diplomatic overtures with Iran. The nuclear deal was the product of intense negotiations involving Russia, China, Britain and Germany. To make it happen, the major global economic powers had to agree on an intricate list of sanctions that prevented Iran from exporting its oil and blocked Tehran from accessing the international banking system. Keeping the major nations in line required delicate diplomacy, but it ultimately worked, forcing enough concessions from Iran to win a 10- to 15-year moratorium on its uranium-enrichment program. Iran agreed to dismantle some facilities and to permit international inspections. Netanyahu hated the deal, as did Saudi Arabia, because it only provided a temporary pause in Irans program. Trump canceled the deal in 2018. Russia and China resumed commercial ties with Iran, and it now has minimal incentives to continue restraining its nuclear program. Top Israeli defense officials now recognize the enormity of Trump and Netanyahus mistake. Defense Minister Benny Gantz told Foreign Policy that he would support efforts by President Joe Biden to resurrect a nuclear accord. The current U.S. approach of putting the Iran nuclear program back in a box, Id accept that, he said. Netanyahus successor, Naftali Bennett, is openly critical of Netanyahus military bluster, which helped persuade Trump that there were viable military options to keep Iran in line after killing the accord. Bennett told Israeli television: Israel inherited a situation in which Iran is at the most advanced point ever in its race to the bomb. ... The gap between (Netanyahus) rhetoric and speeches and actions is very big. Air Force Maj. Gen. Isaac Ben Israel was more direct in an interview published by Bloomberg: Netanyahus efforts to persuade the Trump administration to quit the nuclear agreement have turned out to be the worst strategic mistake in Israels history. Former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon echoed that sentiment in an interview with Israels Haaretz newspaper. Trump and Netanyahu now appear to have split because Netanyahu had the gall to phone Biden and congratulate him on his 2020 election victory another example of how emotions and political grudges, rather than thoughtful judgment, guide Trumps decision-making. A man who would put global security at risk without fully weighing the consequences must never again occupy the Oval Office. Even Israels most hawkish defense officials now concede that the Trump administrations decision to cancel the Iran nuclear deal was a big mistake. The deal worked out by former President Barack Obama was far from perfect. But it appeared that President Donald Trump was more interested in delivering another humiliation to his predecessor than carefully considering the global-security implications of scrapping the one thing that stood between Iran and the ability to make its own nuclear weapons. Trumps main source of advice on killing the 2015 accord was then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had publicly criticized Obamas diplomatic overtures with Iran. The nuclear deal was the product of intense negotiations involving Russia, China, Britain and Germany. To make it happen, the major global economic powers had to agree on an intricate list of sanctions that prevented Iran from exporting its oil and blocked Tehran from accessing the international banking system. Keeping the major nations in line required delicate diplomacy, but it ultimately worked, forcing enough concessions from Iran to win a 10- to 15-year moratorium on its uranium-enrichment program. Iran agreed to dismantle some facilities and to permit international inspections. Netanyahu hated the deal, as did Saudi Arabia, because it only provided a temporary pause in Irans program. Trump canceled the deal in 2018. Russia and China resumed commercial ties with Iran, and it now has minimal incentives to continue restraining its nuclear program. Top Israeli defense officials now recognize the enormity of Trump and Netanyahus mistake. Defense Minister Benny Gantz told Foreign Policy that he would support efforts by President Joe Biden to resurrect a nuclear accord. The current U.S. approach of putting the Iran nuclear program back in a box, Id accept that, he said. Netanyahus successor, Naftali Bennett, is openly critical of Netanyahus military bluster, which helped persuade Trump that there were viable military options to keep Iran in line after killing the accord. Bennett told Israeli television: Israel inherited a situation in which Iran is at the most advanced point ever in its race to the bomb. ... The gap between (Netanyahus) rhetoric and speeches and actions is very big. Air Force Maj. Gen. Isaac Ben Israel was more direct in an interview published by Bloomberg: Netanyahus efforts to persuade the Trump administration to quit the nuclear agreement have turned out to be the worst strategic mistake in Israels history. Former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon echoed that sentiment in an interview with Israels Haaretz newspaper. Trump and Netanyahu now appear to have split because Netanyahu had the gall to phone Biden and congratulate him on his 2020 election victory another example of how emotions and political grudges, rather than thoughtful judgment, guide Trumps decision-making. A man who would put global security at risk without fully weighing the consequences must never again occupy the Oval Office. Even Israels most hawkish defense officials now concede that the Trump administrations decision to cancel the Iran nuclear deal was a big mistake. The deal worked out by former President Barack Obama was far from perfect. But it appeared that President Donald Trump was more interested in delivering another humiliation to his predecessor than carefully considering the global-security implications of scrapping the one thing that stood between Iran and the ability to make its own nuclear weapons. Trumps main source of advice on killing the 2015 accord was then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had publicly criticized Obamas diplomatic overtures with Iran. The nuclear deal was the product of intense negotiations involving Russia, China, Britain and Germany. To make it happen, the major global economic powers had to agree on an intricate list of sanctions that prevented Iran from exporting its oil and blocked Tehran from accessing the international banking system. Keeping the major nations in line required delicate diplomacy, but it ultimately worked, forcing enough concessions from Iran to win a 10- to 15-year moratorium on its uranium-enrichment program. Iran agreed to dismantle some facilities and to permit international inspections. Netanyahu hated the deal, as did Saudi Arabia, because it only provided a temporary pause in Irans program. Trump canceled the deal in 2018. Russia and China resumed commercial ties with Iran, and it now has minimal incentives to continue restraining its nuclear program. Top Israeli defense officials now recognize the enormity of Trump and Netanyahus mistake. Defense Minister Benny Gantz told Foreign Policy that he would support efforts by President Joe Biden to resurrect a nuclear accord. The current U.S. approach of putting the Iran nuclear program back in a box, Id accept that, he said. Netanyahus successor, Naftali Bennett, is openly critical of Netanyahus military bluster, which helped persuade Trump that there were viable military options to keep Iran in line after killing the accord. Bennett told Israeli television: Israel inherited a situation in which Iran is at the most advanced point ever in its race to the bomb. ... The gap between (Netanyahus) rhetoric and speeches and actions is very big. Air Force Maj. Gen. Isaac Ben Israel was more direct in an interview published by Bloomberg: Netanyahus efforts to persuade the Trump administration to quit the nuclear agreement have turned out to be the worst strategic mistake in Israels history. Former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon echoed that sentiment in an interview with Israels Haaretz newspaper. Trump and Netanyahu now appear to have split because Netanyahu had the gall to phone Biden and congratulate him on his 2020 election victory another example of how emotions and political grudges, rather than thoughtful judgment, guide Trumps decision-making. A man who would put global security at risk without fully weighing the consequences must never again occupy the Oval Office. As per an official statement from the Prime Minister's Office, this is in line with the government's continued commitment and resolve to empower grassroots level farmers. This will enable the transfer of an amount of more than Rs 20,000 crore to more than 10 crore beneficiary farmer families, said PMO Under the PM-KISAN scheme, a financial benefit of Rs 6,000 per year is provided to the eligible beneficiary farmer families, payable in three equal four-monthly instalments of Rs 2,000 each. The fund is transferred directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. In this scheme, Samman Rashi of over Rs 1.6 lakh crore has been transferred to farmer families so far. During the programme, Prime Minister will also release an equity grant of more than Rs 14 crores to about 351 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), which will benefit more than 1.24 lakh farmers. Prime Minister will interact with FPOs during the event and will also address the nation. Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar will also be present on the occasion. (ANI) Even Israels most hawkish defense officials now concede that the Trump administrations decision to cancel the Iran nuclear deal was a big mistake. The deal worked out by former President Barack Obama was far from perfect. But it appeared that President Donald Trump was more interested in delivering another humiliation to his predecessor than carefully considering the global-security implications of scrapping the one thing that stood between Iran and the ability to make its own nuclear weapons. Trumps main source of advice on killing the 2015 accord was then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had publicly criticized Obamas diplomatic overtures with Iran. The nuclear deal was the product of intense negotiations involving Russia, China, Britain and Germany. To make it happen, the major global economic powers had to agree on an intricate list of sanctions that prevented Iran from exporting its oil and blocked Tehran from accessing the international banking system. Keeping the major nations in line required delicate diplomacy, but it ultimately worked, forcing enough concessions from Iran to win a 10- to 15-year moratorium on its uranium-enrichment program. Iran agreed to dismantle some facilities and to permit international inspections. Netanyahu hated the deal, as did Saudi Arabia, because it only provided a temporary pause in Irans program. Trump canceled the deal in 2018. Russia and China resumed commercial ties with Iran, and it now has minimal incentives to continue restraining its nuclear program. Top Israeli defense officials now recognize the enormity of Trump and Netanyahus mistake. Defense Minister Benny Gantz told Foreign Policy that he would support efforts by President Joe Biden to resurrect a nuclear accord. The current U.S. approach of putting the Iran nuclear program back in a box, Id accept that, he said. Netanyahus successor, Naftali Bennett, is openly critical of Netanyahus military bluster, which helped persuade Trump that there were viable military options to keep Iran in line after killing the accord. Bennett told Israeli television: Israel inherited a situation in which Iran is at the most advanced point ever in its race to the bomb. ... The gap between (Netanyahus) rhetoric and speeches and actions is very big. Air Force Maj. Gen. Isaac Ben Israel was more direct in an interview published by Bloomberg: Netanyahus efforts to persuade the Trump administration to quit the nuclear agreement have turned out to be the worst strategic mistake in Israels history. Former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon echoed that sentiment in an interview with Israels Haaretz newspaper. Trump and Netanyahu now appear to have split because Netanyahu had the gall to phone Biden and congratulate him on his 2020 election victory another example of how emotions and political grudges, rather than thoughtful judgment, guide Trumps decision-making. A man who would put global security at risk without fully weighing the consequences must never again occupy the Oval Office. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 01/01/2022 (264 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS French authorities announced Saturday that children six and older will have to wear masks in indoor places open to the public as new cases of the highly contagious omicron variant surge past 200.000 for the fourth consecutive day. By lowering the age of children obligated to wear masks from 11 to 6, the government is hoping to avoid shutting down schools after the holiday break. Classes resume Monday and young children will have to wear masks in public transport, in sports complexes and places of worship. The mask mandate extends to outdoor spaces in cities such as Paris and Lyon that have recently re-introduced mask wearing outside. On the first day of the new year, France registered 219,126 new infections, down only slightly from the daily record of 232,200 noted on the last day of 2021. A medical technician performs a nasal swab test on a cyclist queued up in a line with motorists at a COVID-19 testing site near All City Stadium, Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021, in southeast Denver. With the rapid spread of the omicron variant paired with the Christmas holiday, testing sites have been strained to meet demand both in Colorado as well as across the country. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) French government is betting that fifth wave of the pandemic driven by the fast-spreading omicron variant can be tamed without returning to economically damaging lockdowns or curfews and without hospitals collapsing under growing numbers of gravely sick. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19. ___ HERES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC: Dozens of U.S. colleges move classes online temporarily to counter surge of infections Over 2,400 U.S. flights canceled on New Years Day as omicron rages on UK estimates 1 in 15 had virus in London before Christmas amid omicron surge New COVID-19 cases in US soar to highest levels on record ___ Follow APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic ___ HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING TODAY: PHOENIX Arizona on Saturday reported the largest number of additional confirmed COVID-19 cases since last January for the second day in a row and 125 more virus deaths. The state reported additional 8,220 cases as Arizonas pandemic totals increased to 1,389,708 cases and 24,354 deaths, according to the Department of Health Services coronavirus dashboard. Arizona on Friday reported 7,720 additional cases. The state reported over 8,000 additional cases on 13 days last January. COVID-19-related hospitalizations dropped slightly for the second straight day, with 2,283 virus patients occupying inpatient beds statewide Friday, the dashboard reported. According to Johns Hopkins University data, Arizonas seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Arizona rose over the past two weeks, increasing from 3,058.6 on Dec. 16 to 4,325 on Thursday. The rolling average of daily deaths dropped from 77.1 to 52.8 during the same period. ___ DALLAS For air travelers, the new year picked up where the old one left off - with lots of frustration. By late morning Saturday on the East Coast, more than 2,400 U.S. flights and nearly 4,200 worldwide had been canceled, according to tracking service FlightAware. That is the highest single-day toll yet since just before Christmas, when airlines began blaming staffing shortages on increasing COVID-19 infections among crews. More than 12,000 U.S. flights have been canceled since Dec. 24. Saturdays disruptions werent just due to the virus, however. Wintry weather made Chicago the worst place in the country for travelers, with 800 flights scrubbed at OHare Airport and more than 250 at Midway Airport. Forecasts called for nine inches of snow. Denver, Detroit and Newark, New Jersey, were hit with at least 100 cancellations each. Southwest Airlines, which has major operations at Chicago Midway and Denver, canceled more than 450 flights nationwide, or 13% of its schedule, by midmorning. American, Delta, United and JetBlue scrubbed more than 100 flights apiece. ___ LOS ANGELES A year after New Years Day passed without a Rose Parade due to the coronavirus pandemic, the floral spectacle celebrating the arrival of 2022 proceeded Saturday despite a new surge of infections due to the omicron variant. The 133rd edition of the Pasadena, California, tradition featured actor LeVar Burton as grand marshal, 20 marching bands, 18 equestrian units and dozens of floats reflecting the theme of Dream. Believe. Achieve. After days of record-smashing rains, there were sunny skies for the 8 a.m. start of the parade, which has an uncanny history of postcard weather. LeAnn Rimes kicked off the event with a performance of Throw My Arms Around the World followed by a military flyover of a B-2 bomber. Also on the performance list were American Idol winner Laine Hardy aboard Louisianas Feed Your Soul float and country singer-songwriter Jimmie Allen. A health worker prepares a sample taken for a COVID-19 test at a free testing center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Dec 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello) The parade and the afternoon Rose Bowl football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Utah Utes remained on track despite an explosion of COVID-19 infections in Los Angeles County, where daily new cases topped 27,000 on Friday. The county Department of Public Health said it was the highest number of new cases. ___ LISBON, Portugal A cruise ship carrying over 4,000 people has been held in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon after a COVID-19 outbreak infected crew members, the German news agency dpa reported Saturday. German company Aida Cruises told dpa that it discovered the positive coronavirus cases during routine health checks and has accommodated those infected ashore in coordination with Portuguese authorities in Lisbon. Portuguese media reported that 52 members of the crew of over 1,000 workers tested positive. None of the nearly 3,000 passengers had tested positive. All on board had passed a screening test and were vaccinated with two doses before the ship set sail from Germany. The ship is waiting for the arrival of new crew members to continue its journey to Spains Canary Islands, dpa said. ___ BOSTON With COVID-19 cases surging just as students are about to return from winter break, dozens of U.S. colleges are moving classes online again for at least the first week or so of the semester and some warn it could stretch longer if the wave of infection doesnt subside soon. Harvard is moving classes online for the first three weeks of the new year, with a return to campus scheduled for late January, conditions permitting. The University of Chicago is delaying the beginning of its new term and holding the first two weeks online. Some others are inviting students back to campus but starting classes online, including Michigan State University. Many colleges hope that an extra week or two will get them past the peak of the nationwide spike driven by the highly contagious omicron variant. Still, the surge is casting uncertainty over a semester many had hoped would be the closest to normal since the start of the pandemic. For some U.S. students, starting the term remotely is becoming routine many colleges used the strategy last year. But some fear the latest shift could extend well beyond a week or two. Jake Maynard, a student at George Washington University in the nations capital, said he is fine with a week of online classes, but beyond that, he hopes officials trust in the booster shots and provide a traditional college experience. ___ TOKYO Japans Emperor Naruhito offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic, taking to video for the second straight year for his New Years greeting on Saturday, having canceled public palace gatherings to curb coronavirus infections. Sitting before a bonsai tree with his wife Masako, Naruhito praised and thanked doctors and other health care workers, and expressed concern for countries lacking access to vaccines and adequate hospital systems. By treasuring more than ever the connections among people, sharing our pain and supporting each other, I hope from the bottom of my heart that we will overcome these hard times, he said. Japan has recorded more than 18,000 COVID-19-related deaths, but the pace of deaths has fallen in recent months. Naruhito also voiced worries about the fast-spreading omicron variant. - LAS VEGAS The annual CES gadget convention will be three days instead of four amid a jump in COVID-19 cases and the withdrawal of some of its best-known tech presenters. Convention organizer The Consumer Technology Association announced Friday that CES will run from Jan. 5-7, one day shorter than planned. The event still has over 2,200 exhibitors confirmed to show off their products at the Las Vegas convention, spokeswoman Jeanne Abella said. The announcement follows the withdrawal of tech giants from CES last week citing health risks of the omicron variant, including cellphone carriers like T-Mobile, whose CEO had been slated to deliver a keynote speech. Computer maker Lenovo and social media companies like Twitter and Facebook parent company Meta also canceled plans to attend. News outlets including CNN said they would cancel or reduce coverage. CES was held entirely virtually last year. It will be a hybrid of online and in-person this year, with organizers offering digital registration allowing access to around 40 livestreamed events, Abella said. ___ TAMPA, Fla. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday reported more than 75,900 new cases of COVID-19 in Florida. That tally raises the 7-day average daily to 42,600, which is twice as high as it was at the peak of this summers surge when the delta variant fueled a surge of infections in the state. Fridays report marks a single-day record for the number of new cases in Florida. It breaks the record set a day earlier when more than 58,000 cases were reported in the state. The omicron variant of the coronavirus has spiked in Florida and across the nation over the past few weeks. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) Soaring numbers during the holiday season have sent tens of thousands of people to COVID-19 testing centers across Florida, resulting in long lines in many areas. Three people collapsed while waiting in line at a Tampa testing site on Friday morning. ____ CARSON CITY, Nev. Hundreds of unvaccinated employees who work at public colleges and universities in Nevada were being fired Friday, a day after the state Board of Regents voted to keep a staff vaccine mandate in effect. The Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents on Thursday deadlocked 6-6 on a measure to repeal the staff vaccine mandate and then rejected a measure to push the effective termination date back two weeks. Without majority support for a repeal, the mandate which Gov. Steve Sisolak and the Nevada Faculty Alliance support remained in effect. Higher education officials said on Friday that 379 employees were being terminated, 188 attribution employees ended their contracts and 18 more voluntarily resigned. Employees who are fired can seek reinstatement if they show proof of vaccination in January, regents said. ___ PARIS Describing himself as resolutely optimistic, French President Emmanuel Macron has used the last New Years address of his current term to express the hope that, with vaccinations, 2022 will see the end of the coronavirus pandemic. Macron stopped short of saying that he will stand for re-election in April. He said only that he intends to continue serving the French whatever my place and the circumstances. The president appealed to the 5 million unvaccinated but eligible people in France to get coronavirus jabs, saying: All of France is counting on you. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19 and new cases are at unprecedented levels, surging with the highly contagious omicron variant. France reported a record 232,200 new cases on Friday, its third day running above the 200,000 mark. ___ ROME Italys president, Sergio Mattarella, has used the last New Years Eve speech of his term take to task those who waste opportunities to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, calling that choice an offense to all those who havent been able to receive the injection. In a televised speech to the nation Friday night, Mattarella, who is head of state, noted that he was serving in the final days of his seven-year term, with Parliament to elect his successor in the first weeks of 2022. Referring to recent COVID-19 surges in Italy and many other countries driven by virus variants, Mattarella noted a sense of frustration over the setbacks. ___ ALBANY, N.Y. Federal ambulance teams and additional National Guard members are headed for New York City, and western New York hospitals are getting more federal help as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations keep rising. State officials announced the new deployments Friday. Gov. Kathy Hochul also said students at state universities and the City University of New York will have to get coronavirus vaccine booster shots to be on campus in the spring semester and must test negative before returning from the holiday break. New confirmed case counts have been breaking records by the day in the state, topping 76,500 on Thursday, Hochul said at a news briefing. An average of 53,000 New Yorkers a day tested positive in the week that ended Thursday, compared to 13,000 per day two weeks earlier. Over 7,900 people with COVID-19 are hospitalized statewide, up 67% in a week. ___ ROME Italian health officials are warning that the rate of occupation by COVID-19 patients of hospital beds both in intensive care units and in regular wards has surpassed the critical level nationally. A top Health Ministry official, Gianni Rezza, also said on Friday evening that the incidence of cases is growing, with 783 confirmed COVID-19 infections per every 100,000 residents in Italy. The country hit another high for daily new caseloads 144,243 confirmed cases in the last 24 hours. Nearly 12% of some 1.234 million swab tests conducted since Thursday resulted positive, according to the ministry, which urged vaccinated persons to get a booster shot if they are eligible. With the nation slammed by a surge of infections largely driven by the omicron variant, the government banned public New Years Eve celebrations. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 01/01/2022 (264 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS French authorities announced Saturday that children six and older will have to wear masks in indoor places open to the public as new cases of the highly contagious omicron variant surge past 200.000 for the fourth consecutive day. By lowering the age of children obligated to wear masks from 11 to 6, the government is hoping to avoid shutting down schools after the holiday break. Classes resume Monday and young children will have to wear masks in public transport, in sports complexes and places of worship. The mask mandate extends to outdoor spaces in cities such as Paris and Lyon that have recently re-introduced mask wearing outside. On the first day of the new year, France registered 219,126 new infections, down only slightly from the daily record of 232,200 noted on the last day of 2021. A medical technician performs a nasal swab test on a cyclist queued up in a line with motorists at a COVID-19 testing site near All City Stadium, Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021, in southeast Denver. With the rapid spread of the omicron variant paired with the Christmas holiday, testing sites have been strained to meet demand both in Colorado as well as across the country. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) French government is betting that fifth wave of the pandemic driven by the fast-spreading omicron variant can be tamed without returning to economically damaging lockdowns or curfews and without hospitals collapsing under growing numbers of gravely sick. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19. ___ HERES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC: Dozens of U.S. colleges move classes online temporarily to counter surge of infections Over 2,400 U.S. flights canceled on New Years Day as omicron rages on UK estimates 1 in 15 had virus in London before Christmas amid omicron surge New COVID-19 cases in US soar to highest levels on record ___ Follow APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic ___ HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING TODAY: PHOENIX Arizona on Saturday reported the largest number of additional confirmed COVID-19 cases since last January for the second day in a row and 125 more virus deaths. The state reported additional 8,220 cases as Arizonas pandemic totals increased to 1,389,708 cases and 24,354 deaths, according to the Department of Health Services coronavirus dashboard. Arizona on Friday reported 7,720 additional cases. The state reported over 8,000 additional cases on 13 days last January. COVID-19-related hospitalizations dropped slightly for the second straight day, with 2,283 virus patients occupying inpatient beds statewide Friday, the dashboard reported. According to Johns Hopkins University data, Arizonas seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Arizona rose over the past two weeks, increasing from 3,058.6 on Dec. 16 to 4,325 on Thursday. The rolling average of daily deaths dropped from 77.1 to 52.8 during the same period. ___ DALLAS For air travelers, the new year picked up where the old one left off - with lots of frustration. By late morning Saturday on the East Coast, more than 2,400 U.S. flights and nearly 4,200 worldwide had been canceled, according to tracking service FlightAware. That is the highest single-day toll yet since just before Christmas, when airlines began blaming staffing shortages on increasing COVID-19 infections among crews. More than 12,000 U.S. flights have been canceled since Dec. 24. Saturdays disruptions werent just due to the virus, however. Wintry weather made Chicago the worst place in the country for travelers, with 800 flights scrubbed at OHare Airport and more than 250 at Midway Airport. Forecasts called for nine inches of snow. Denver, Detroit and Newark, New Jersey, were hit with at least 100 cancellations each. Southwest Airlines, which has major operations at Chicago Midway and Denver, canceled more than 450 flights nationwide, or 13% of its schedule, by midmorning. American, Delta, United and JetBlue scrubbed more than 100 flights apiece. ___ LOS ANGELES A year after New Years Day passed without a Rose Parade due to the coronavirus pandemic, the floral spectacle celebrating the arrival of 2022 proceeded Saturday despite a new surge of infections due to the omicron variant. The 133rd edition of the Pasadena, California, tradition featured actor LeVar Burton as grand marshal, 20 marching bands, 18 equestrian units and dozens of floats reflecting the theme of Dream. Believe. Achieve. After days of record-smashing rains, there were sunny skies for the 8 a.m. start of the parade, which has an uncanny history of postcard weather. LeAnn Rimes kicked off the event with a performance of Throw My Arms Around the World followed by a military flyover of a B-2 bomber. Also on the performance list were American Idol winner Laine Hardy aboard Louisianas Feed Your Soul float and country singer-songwriter Jimmie Allen. A health worker prepares a sample taken for a COVID-19 test at a free testing center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Dec 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello) The parade and the afternoon Rose Bowl football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Utah Utes remained on track despite an explosion of COVID-19 infections in Los Angeles County, where daily new cases topped 27,000 on Friday. The county Department of Public Health said it was the highest number of new cases. ___ LISBON, Portugal A cruise ship carrying over 4,000 people has been held in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon after a COVID-19 outbreak infected crew members, the German news agency dpa reported Saturday. German company Aida Cruises told dpa that it discovered the positive coronavirus cases during routine health checks and has accommodated those infected ashore in coordination with Portuguese authorities in Lisbon. Portuguese media reported that 52 members of the crew of over 1,000 workers tested positive. None of the nearly 3,000 passengers had tested positive. All on board had passed a screening test and were vaccinated with two doses before the ship set sail from Germany. The ship is waiting for the arrival of new crew members to continue its journey to Spains Canary Islands, dpa said. ___ BOSTON With COVID-19 cases surging just as students are about to return from winter break, dozens of U.S. colleges are moving classes online again for at least the first week or so of the semester and some warn it could stretch longer if the wave of infection doesnt subside soon. Harvard is moving classes online for the first three weeks of the new year, with a return to campus scheduled for late January, conditions permitting. The University of Chicago is delaying the beginning of its new term and holding the first two weeks online. Some others are inviting students back to campus but starting classes online, including Michigan State University. Many colleges hope that an extra week or two will get them past the peak of the nationwide spike driven by the highly contagious omicron variant. Still, the surge is casting uncertainty over a semester many had hoped would be the closest to normal since the start of the pandemic. For some U.S. students, starting the term remotely is becoming routine many colleges used the strategy last year. But some fear the latest shift could extend well beyond a week or two. Jake Maynard, a student at George Washington University in the nations capital, said he is fine with a week of online classes, but beyond that, he hopes officials trust in the booster shots and provide a traditional college experience. ___ TOKYO Japans Emperor Naruhito offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic, taking to video for the second straight year for his New Years greeting on Saturday, having canceled public palace gatherings to curb coronavirus infections. Sitting before a bonsai tree with his wife Masako, Naruhito praised and thanked doctors and other health care workers, and expressed concern for countries lacking access to vaccines and adequate hospital systems. By treasuring more than ever the connections among people, sharing our pain and supporting each other, I hope from the bottom of my heart that we will overcome these hard times, he said. Japan has recorded more than 18,000 COVID-19-related deaths, but the pace of deaths has fallen in recent months. Naruhito also voiced worries about the fast-spreading omicron variant. - LAS VEGAS The annual CES gadget convention will be three days instead of four amid a jump in COVID-19 cases and the withdrawal of some of its best-known tech presenters. Convention organizer The Consumer Technology Association announced Friday that CES will run from Jan. 5-7, one day shorter than planned. The event still has over 2,200 exhibitors confirmed to show off their products at the Las Vegas convention, spokeswoman Jeanne Abella said. The announcement follows the withdrawal of tech giants from CES last week citing health risks of the omicron variant, including cellphone carriers like T-Mobile, whose CEO had been slated to deliver a keynote speech. Computer maker Lenovo and social media companies like Twitter and Facebook parent company Meta also canceled plans to attend. News outlets including CNN said they would cancel or reduce coverage. CES was held entirely virtually last year. It will be a hybrid of online and in-person this year, with organizers offering digital registration allowing access to around 40 livestreamed events, Abella said. ___ TAMPA, Fla. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday reported more than 75,900 new cases of COVID-19 in Florida. That tally raises the 7-day average daily to 42,600, which is twice as high as it was at the peak of this summers surge when the delta variant fueled a surge of infections in the state. Fridays report marks a single-day record for the number of new cases in Florida. It breaks the record set a day earlier when more than 58,000 cases were reported in the state. The omicron variant of the coronavirus has spiked in Florida and across the nation over the past few weeks. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) Soaring numbers during the holiday season have sent tens of thousands of people to COVID-19 testing centers across Florida, resulting in long lines in many areas. Three people collapsed while waiting in line at a Tampa testing site on Friday morning. ____ CARSON CITY, Nev. Hundreds of unvaccinated employees who work at public colleges and universities in Nevada were being fired Friday, a day after the state Board of Regents voted to keep a staff vaccine mandate in effect. The Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents on Thursday deadlocked 6-6 on a measure to repeal the staff vaccine mandate and then rejected a measure to push the effective termination date back two weeks. Without majority support for a repeal, the mandate which Gov. Steve Sisolak and the Nevada Faculty Alliance support remained in effect. Higher education officials said on Friday that 379 employees were being terminated, 188 attribution employees ended their contracts and 18 more voluntarily resigned. Employees who are fired can seek reinstatement if they show proof of vaccination in January, regents said. ___ PARIS Describing himself as resolutely optimistic, French President Emmanuel Macron has used the last New Years address of his current term to express the hope that, with vaccinations, 2022 will see the end of the coronavirus pandemic. Macron stopped short of saying that he will stand for re-election in April. He said only that he intends to continue serving the French whatever my place and the circumstances. The president appealed to the 5 million unvaccinated but eligible people in France to get coronavirus jabs, saying: All of France is counting on you. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19 and new cases are at unprecedented levels, surging with the highly contagious omicron variant. France reported a record 232,200 new cases on Friday, its third day running above the 200,000 mark. ___ ROME Italys president, Sergio Mattarella, has used the last New Years Eve speech of his term take to task those who waste opportunities to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, calling that choice an offense to all those who havent been able to receive the injection. In a televised speech to the nation Friday night, Mattarella, who is head of state, noted that he was serving in the final days of his seven-year term, with Parliament to elect his successor in the first weeks of 2022. Referring to recent COVID-19 surges in Italy and many other countries driven by virus variants, Mattarella noted a sense of frustration over the setbacks. ___ ALBANY, N.Y. Federal ambulance teams and additional National Guard members are headed for New York City, and western New York hospitals are getting more federal help as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations keep rising. State officials announced the new deployments Friday. Gov. Kathy Hochul also said students at state universities and the City University of New York will have to get coronavirus vaccine booster shots to be on campus in the spring semester and must test negative before returning from the holiday break. New confirmed case counts have been breaking records by the day in the state, topping 76,500 on Thursday, Hochul said at a news briefing. An average of 53,000 New Yorkers a day tested positive in the week that ended Thursday, compared to 13,000 per day two weeks earlier. Over 7,900 people with COVID-19 are hospitalized statewide, up 67% in a week. ___ ROME Italian health officials are warning that the rate of occupation by COVID-19 patients of hospital beds both in intensive care units and in regular wards has surpassed the critical level nationally. A top Health Ministry official, Gianni Rezza, also said on Friday evening that the incidence of cases is growing, with 783 confirmed COVID-19 infections per every 100,000 residents in Italy. The country hit another high for daily new caseloads 144,243 confirmed cases in the last 24 hours. Nearly 12% of some 1.234 million swab tests conducted since Thursday resulted positive, according to the ministry, which urged vaccinated persons to get a booster shot if they are eligible. With the nation slammed by a surge of infections largely driven by the omicron variant, the government banned public New Years Eve celebrations. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 01/01/2022 (264 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS French authorities announced Saturday that children six and older will have to wear masks in indoor places open to the public as new cases of the highly contagious omicron variant surge past 200.000 for the fourth consecutive day. By lowering the age of children obligated to wear masks from 11 to 6, the government is hoping to avoid shutting down schools after the holiday break. Classes resume Monday and young children will have to wear masks in public transport, in sports complexes and places of worship. The mask mandate extends to outdoor spaces in cities such as Paris and Lyon that have recently re-introduced mask wearing outside. On the first day of the new year, France registered 219,126 new infections, down only slightly from the daily record of 232,200 noted on the last day of 2021. A medical technician performs a nasal swab test on a cyclist queued up in a line with motorists at a COVID-19 testing site near All City Stadium, Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021, in southeast Denver. With the rapid spread of the omicron variant paired with the Christmas holiday, testing sites have been strained to meet demand both in Colorado as well as across the country. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) French government is betting that fifth wave of the pandemic driven by the fast-spreading omicron variant can be tamed without returning to economically damaging lockdowns or curfews and without hospitals collapsing under growing numbers of gravely sick. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19. ___ HERES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC: Dozens of U.S. colleges move classes online temporarily to counter surge of infections Over 2,400 U.S. flights canceled on New Years Day as omicron rages on UK estimates 1 in 15 had virus in London before Christmas amid omicron surge New COVID-19 cases in US soar to highest levels on record ___ Follow APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic ___ HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING TODAY: PHOENIX Arizona on Saturday reported the largest number of additional confirmed COVID-19 cases since last January for the second day in a row and 125 more virus deaths. The state reported additional 8,220 cases as Arizonas pandemic totals increased to 1,389,708 cases and 24,354 deaths, according to the Department of Health Services coronavirus dashboard. Arizona on Friday reported 7,720 additional cases. The state reported over 8,000 additional cases on 13 days last January. COVID-19-related hospitalizations dropped slightly for the second straight day, with 2,283 virus patients occupying inpatient beds statewide Friday, the dashboard reported. According to Johns Hopkins University data, Arizonas seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Arizona rose over the past two weeks, increasing from 3,058.6 on Dec. 16 to 4,325 on Thursday. The rolling average of daily deaths dropped from 77.1 to 52.8 during the same period. ___ DALLAS For air travelers, the new year picked up where the old one left off - with lots of frustration. By late morning Saturday on the East Coast, more than 2,400 U.S. flights and nearly 4,200 worldwide had been canceled, according to tracking service FlightAware. That is the highest single-day toll yet since just before Christmas, when airlines began blaming staffing shortages on increasing COVID-19 infections among crews. More than 12,000 U.S. flights have been canceled since Dec. 24. Saturdays disruptions werent just due to the virus, however. Wintry weather made Chicago the worst place in the country for travelers, with 800 flights scrubbed at OHare Airport and more than 250 at Midway Airport. Forecasts called for nine inches of snow. Denver, Detroit and Newark, New Jersey, were hit with at least 100 cancellations each. Southwest Airlines, which has major operations at Chicago Midway and Denver, canceled more than 450 flights nationwide, or 13% of its schedule, by midmorning. American, Delta, United and JetBlue scrubbed more than 100 flights apiece. ___ LOS ANGELES A year after New Years Day passed without a Rose Parade due to the coronavirus pandemic, the floral spectacle celebrating the arrival of 2022 proceeded Saturday despite a new surge of infections due to the omicron variant. The 133rd edition of the Pasadena, California, tradition featured actor LeVar Burton as grand marshal, 20 marching bands, 18 equestrian units and dozens of floats reflecting the theme of Dream. Believe. Achieve. After days of record-smashing rains, there were sunny skies for the 8 a.m. start of the parade, which has an uncanny history of postcard weather. LeAnn Rimes kicked off the event with a performance of Throw My Arms Around the World followed by a military flyover of a B-2 bomber. Also on the performance list were American Idol winner Laine Hardy aboard Louisianas Feed Your Soul float and country singer-songwriter Jimmie Allen. A health worker prepares a sample taken for a COVID-19 test at a free testing center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Dec 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello) The parade and the afternoon Rose Bowl football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Utah Utes remained on track despite an explosion of COVID-19 infections in Los Angeles County, where daily new cases topped 27,000 on Friday. The county Department of Public Health said it was the highest number of new cases. ___ LISBON, Portugal A cruise ship carrying over 4,000 people has been held in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon after a COVID-19 outbreak infected crew members, the German news agency dpa reported Saturday. German company Aida Cruises told dpa that it discovered the positive coronavirus cases during routine health checks and has accommodated those infected ashore in coordination with Portuguese authorities in Lisbon. Portuguese media reported that 52 members of the crew of over 1,000 workers tested positive. None of the nearly 3,000 passengers had tested positive. All on board had passed a screening test and were vaccinated with two doses before the ship set sail from Germany. The ship is waiting for the arrival of new crew members to continue its journey to Spains Canary Islands, dpa said. ___ BOSTON With COVID-19 cases surging just as students are about to return from winter break, dozens of U.S. colleges are moving classes online again for at least the first week or so of the semester and some warn it could stretch longer if the wave of infection doesnt subside soon. Harvard is moving classes online for the first three weeks of the new year, with a return to campus scheduled for late January, conditions permitting. The University of Chicago is delaying the beginning of its new term and holding the first two weeks online. Some others are inviting students back to campus but starting classes online, including Michigan State University. Many colleges hope that an extra week or two will get them past the peak of the nationwide spike driven by the highly contagious omicron variant. Still, the surge is casting uncertainty over a semester many had hoped would be the closest to normal since the start of the pandemic. For some U.S. students, starting the term remotely is becoming routine many colleges used the strategy last year. But some fear the latest shift could extend well beyond a week or two. Jake Maynard, a student at George Washington University in the nations capital, said he is fine with a week of online classes, but beyond that, he hopes officials trust in the booster shots and provide a traditional college experience. ___ TOKYO Japans Emperor Naruhito offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic, taking to video for the second straight year for his New Years greeting on Saturday, having canceled public palace gatherings to curb coronavirus infections. Sitting before a bonsai tree with his wife Masako, Naruhito praised and thanked doctors and other health care workers, and expressed concern for countries lacking access to vaccines and adequate hospital systems. By treasuring more than ever the connections among people, sharing our pain and supporting each other, I hope from the bottom of my heart that we will overcome these hard times, he said. Japan has recorded more than 18,000 COVID-19-related deaths, but the pace of deaths has fallen in recent months. Naruhito also voiced worries about the fast-spreading omicron variant. - LAS VEGAS The annual CES gadget convention will be three days instead of four amid a jump in COVID-19 cases and the withdrawal of some of its best-known tech presenters. Convention organizer The Consumer Technology Association announced Friday that CES will run from Jan. 5-7, one day shorter than planned. The event still has over 2,200 exhibitors confirmed to show off their products at the Las Vegas convention, spokeswoman Jeanne Abella said. The announcement follows the withdrawal of tech giants from CES last week citing health risks of the omicron variant, including cellphone carriers like T-Mobile, whose CEO had been slated to deliver a keynote speech. Computer maker Lenovo and social media companies like Twitter and Facebook parent company Meta also canceled plans to attend. News outlets including CNN said they would cancel or reduce coverage. CES was held entirely virtually last year. It will be a hybrid of online and in-person this year, with organizers offering digital registration allowing access to around 40 livestreamed events, Abella said. ___ TAMPA, Fla. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday reported more than 75,900 new cases of COVID-19 in Florida. That tally raises the 7-day average daily to 42,600, which is twice as high as it was at the peak of this summers surge when the delta variant fueled a surge of infections in the state. Fridays report marks a single-day record for the number of new cases in Florida. It breaks the record set a day earlier when more than 58,000 cases were reported in the state. The omicron variant of the coronavirus has spiked in Florida and across the nation over the past few weeks. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) Soaring numbers during the holiday season have sent tens of thousands of people to COVID-19 testing centers across Florida, resulting in long lines in many areas. Three people collapsed while waiting in line at a Tampa testing site on Friday morning. ____ CARSON CITY, Nev. Hundreds of unvaccinated employees who work at public colleges and universities in Nevada were being fired Friday, a day after the state Board of Regents voted to keep a staff vaccine mandate in effect. The Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents on Thursday deadlocked 6-6 on a measure to repeal the staff vaccine mandate and then rejected a measure to push the effective termination date back two weeks. Without majority support for a repeal, the mandate which Gov. Steve Sisolak and the Nevada Faculty Alliance support remained in effect. Higher education officials said on Friday that 379 employees were being terminated, 188 attribution employees ended their contracts and 18 more voluntarily resigned. Employees who are fired can seek reinstatement if they show proof of vaccination in January, regents said. ___ PARIS Describing himself as resolutely optimistic, French President Emmanuel Macron has used the last New Years address of his current term to express the hope that, with vaccinations, 2022 will see the end of the coronavirus pandemic. Macron stopped short of saying that he will stand for re-election in April. He said only that he intends to continue serving the French whatever my place and the circumstances. The president appealed to the 5 million unvaccinated but eligible people in France to get coronavirus jabs, saying: All of France is counting on you. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19 and new cases are at unprecedented levels, surging with the highly contagious omicron variant. France reported a record 232,200 new cases on Friday, its third day running above the 200,000 mark. ___ ROME Italys president, Sergio Mattarella, has used the last New Years Eve speech of his term take to task those who waste opportunities to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, calling that choice an offense to all those who havent been able to receive the injection. In a televised speech to the nation Friday night, Mattarella, who is head of state, noted that he was serving in the final days of his seven-year term, with Parliament to elect his successor in the first weeks of 2022. Referring to recent COVID-19 surges in Italy and many other countries driven by virus variants, Mattarella noted a sense of frustration over the setbacks. ___ ALBANY, N.Y. Federal ambulance teams and additional National Guard members are headed for New York City, and western New York hospitals are getting more federal help as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations keep rising. State officials announced the new deployments Friday. Gov. Kathy Hochul also said students at state universities and the City University of New York will have to get coronavirus vaccine booster shots to be on campus in the spring semester and must test negative before returning from the holiday break. New confirmed case counts have been breaking records by the day in the state, topping 76,500 on Thursday, Hochul said at a news briefing. An average of 53,000 New Yorkers a day tested positive in the week that ended Thursday, compared to 13,000 per day two weeks earlier. Over 7,900 people with COVID-19 are hospitalized statewide, up 67% in a week. ___ ROME Italian health officials are warning that the rate of occupation by COVID-19 patients of hospital beds both in intensive care units and in regular wards has surpassed the critical level nationally. A top Health Ministry official, Gianni Rezza, also said on Friday evening that the incidence of cases is growing, with 783 confirmed COVID-19 infections per every 100,000 residents in Italy. The country hit another high for daily new caseloads 144,243 confirmed cases in the last 24 hours. Nearly 12% of some 1.234 million swab tests conducted since Thursday resulted positive, according to the ministry, which urged vaccinated persons to get a booster shot if they are eligible. With the nation slammed by a surge of infections largely driven by the omicron variant, the government banned public New Years Eve celebrations. Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. A man walks through a deserted Place Royale in Quebec City on the evening of Dec. 31, 2021, shortly before the provincial governments nightly curfew came into effect. (The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissinot) An Attitude of Change Is Whats Needed as We Enter 2022 Commentary The common salutation at the turn of the year is to wish somebody a happy New Year. It will be hard to find happiness if 2022 doesnt actually provide us with something new, however. The most striking thing that can be said about 2021 is how little different it was from 2020. The year 2020 was miserable for most of the world. The COVID-19 pandemic began spreading at the beginning of the year, causing fear, instability, and economic damage around the planet. Panicked governments imposed restrictions on work, travel, and social gatherings in hopes of controlling the spread of the disease. While we were all apprehensive, many of us took comfort in knowing that the lockdowns should be little more than two weeks to flatten the curve as our local governments told us. The two weeks turned into months that can now be measured in years. Businesses opened and closed as pandemic waves came and went. People stayed home on the Easter of 2020 under the assurances that they would be able to visit family in the summer. Summer vacations were deferred and people remained home while the state told them they would be able to reunite in gatherings at Christmas. Infections surged at Christmas and we were locked down again. It will be better in the new year! we were assured. Well, 2021 came and went and it was nearly identical to 2020. Not only did nothing change, but most Canadians didnt seek or demand any changes. Sure, we saw protests against government restrictions popping up across the country in major cities at times. Those protests never evolved into actions large enough to catch the attention of Canadas decision-makers, much less change the course of their decisions. The demonstrations were often dominated by people with some questionable views to say the least, and never brought out average Canadians in noteworthy numbers. Canadians claimed to be upset with the pandemic restrictions, but not upset enough to go out and protest against them. Canadians had the ultimate opportunity to pursue real change in the fall of 2021. We had a general election. We saw the election coming for months. The fall campaign was dominated by discussion on the pandemic as was to be expected. Many questions were asked regarding the degree of the governments pandemic response and the amount of money being borrowed in order to continue with that response. When given the opportunity to express a desire for change in a way as simple, safe, and potentially effective as casting a ballot in an election, Canadians resoundingly selected the status quo. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was returned to office with almost the exact same support numbers as he had when he dissolved the Parliament and called an election. Canadians may fear the pandemic and are concerned about the federal governments response to it, but not so much that they could overcome their fear of change. People look to the New Year as a time to embrace rejuvenation and fresh beginnings. It is a time to shed bad habits and embrace new ones. We should be looking back on the last two years and asking ourselves what we can do to make the coming one better. I think most people agree that the last two years have been terrible, but are most people ready to take a leap and embrace changes? We appear to be no closer to the end of the COVID-19 pandemic today than we were in February of 2020. While most of the population has been vaccinated, we are now seeing a massive rise in cases due to the new Omicron variant leading to lockdowns, stress, and restrictions yet again. We are always told that we must make sacrifices now so that we may all benefit later. It has been two years now; when are the benefits coming? I dont know what the most direct path out of the pandemic is, but with two years of pandemic experience under our belts, we can sure list a lot of things that dont work. Why do we keep trying them? As we enter what will be our third year of living in the COVID-19 age, are we ready to try something different yet? I do want to look forward to 2022 with optimism. I want it to be a year where we move beyond the pandemic and begin to enjoy prosperous lives again with free movement and no social restrictions. I do think we can get there. First, though, we have to embrace an attitude of change. This year, dont make the same old tired resolutions to quit smoking or lose weight. Make a resolution to stand up for yourself and tell your political leaders that its time to do things differently. If we dont do that, 2023 will be indistinguishable from the two years preceding it. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Six people were wounded in a Los Angeles shooting on Friday after two gunmen fired shots into a grocery store as the city ended a crime-filled year with one last fit of senseless violence. Two unidentified shooters fired into Superior Grocers around 4pm on Friday after driving up to the store and getting out of their vehicle, police said. The shooting at 102nd Street and Avalon Boulevard in Green Meadows allegedly occurred after the two men returned to the store with guns following an argument with another person inside the store, Los Angeles Police Department Captain Stacy Spell said. The two gunmen targeted only one person, but five others were injured in the process, leaving two in critical condition and two others in serious condition, according to Margaret Stewart, an LAPD spokesperson. Scroll down for video The shooting reportedly happened after the two men got into an argument with another person inside and came back with guns. Police believe the other person was the only target, but fie others were injured The other two victims reportedly declined transportation to the hospital, according to Fox News. A 54-year-old woman was shot in the back, a few others have glass wounds. The investigation is ongoing. It is unclear if the gunmen have been arrested. DailyMail.com reached out to the LAPD for comment. The shooting caps a year in which Los Angeles was ravaged by crime, including flash mobs who ransacked high-end stores in what officials called organized attacks. In the week between Christmas and New Year's, the city had 118 vehicle thefts, nearly 70 robberies and almost 100 assaults, according to the LAPD. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has blamed woke LA County District Attorney George Gascon, as well as his San Francisco counterpart Chesa Boudin, for the state's rampant crime 'I have a 92 percent increase in homicides in two years. I have a 16 percent increase in grand-theft auto. I have a 'zero bail' schedule, which means every person I catch with a stolen car gets a ticket, walks out of jailin fact, they're out of jail before [deputies are] even done writing the report,' Villanueva said. The sheriff added that Boudin turned against police as part of his political agenda, but doesn't realize how harmful it is for the community. 'And it's peopleThey live in this 'woke palace' where they're not affected by the policies, but the average person IS impacted by them.' Six people were wounded in a Los Angeles shooting on Friday after two gunmen fired shots into a grocery store as the city ended a crime-filled year with one last fit of senseless violence. Two unidentified shooters fired into Superior Grocers around 4pm on Friday after driving up to the store and getting out of their vehicle, police said. The shooting at 102nd Street and Avalon Boulevard in Green Meadows allegedly occurred after the two men returned to the store with guns following an argument with another person inside the store, Los Angeles Police Department Captain Stacy Spell said. The two gunmen targeted only one person, but five others were injured in the process, leaving two in critical condition and two others in serious condition, according to Margaret Stewart, an LAPD spokesperson. Scroll down for video The shooting reportedly happened after the two men got into an argument with another person inside and came back with guns. Police believe the other person was the only target, but fie others were injured The other two victims reportedly declined transportation to the hospital, according to Fox News. A 54-year-old woman was shot in the back, a few others have glass wounds. The investigation is ongoing. It is unclear if the gunmen have been arrested. DailyMail.com reached out to the LAPD for comment. The shooting caps a year in which Los Angeles was ravaged by crime, including flash mobs who ransacked high-end stores in what officials called organized attacks. In the week between Christmas and New Year's, the city had 118 vehicle thefts, nearly 70 robberies and almost 100 assaults, according to the LAPD. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has blamed woke LA County District Attorney George Gascon, as well as his San Francisco counterpart Chesa Boudin, for the state's rampant crime 'I have a 92 percent increase in homicides in two years. I have a 16 percent increase in grand-theft auto. I have a 'zero bail' schedule, which means every person I catch with a stolen car gets a ticket, walks out of jailin fact, they're out of jail before [deputies are] even done writing the report,' Villanueva said. The sheriff added that Boudin turned against police as part of his political agenda, but doesn't realize how harmful it is for the community. 'And it's peopleThey live in this 'woke palace' where they're not affected by the policies, but the average person IS impacted by them.' Suicide bomber kills 6, over a dozen others suffer injuries in Christmas Day attack A suspected Islamist suicide bomber from a rebel group aligned with Islamic State killed at least six people, including children, and injured more than a dozen others when he used an explosive device to kill himself at the entrance of a busy restaurant where Christmas was being celebrated in the Democratic Republic of Congo. After the Christmas Day attack on a restaurant called In Box in the city of Beni in the eastern province of Ituri, green chairs could be seen scattered across the road, some melted or smoldering, and four bodies, including that of a small girl, as per images shared on social media, according to Reuters, which said six people died and 14 were injured, including two local officials. I was sitting there. There was a motorbike parked there. Suddenly the motorbike took off, then there was a deafening noise, local radio presenter Nicolas Ekila told AFP. The suicide bomber, prevented by security guards from entering a crowded bar, activated the bomb at the entrance of the bar, the regional governors spokesman, General Ekenge Sylvain, was quoted as saying in a statement. A Congolese partner agency of the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern called the blast an action of terror, saying the Islamist rebel group Allied Democratic Forces could be behind it. The deadly rebel group has been attacking Christians and clashing with the army in Nord Kivu and Ituri provinces which have been under a state of siege since May. The military, which has taken effective control in the two provinces, has still not been able to stop the armed militias attacks. The Anglican Bishop of Beni Diocese described the Christmas Day attack as a cowardice activity carried out by weak rebels who want to make followers of their faith by force, ICC said. Recently, the attacks have only been in the villages where there is not enough security watch but now it seems like the terrorists are trying to make a statement that they are still present even in cities, the bishop was quoted as saying. They targeted the hotel because they knew that many people would gather in the evening to continue celebrating Christmas. Today, churches met as usual to begin the Christmas holiday but now things have taken a new turn. However, we shall not let fear diminish the joy of Christ in this season, and we shall stand in prayer with the families of those killed today. ICCs local partner also called the attack unexpected because we are used to hearing incidences of Christians being killed in the villages. The last time we had such terror attacks in this town of Beni was in May and June, where the attackers also planted bombs in churches, but that was stopped by the government forces, the source recalled. In June, one woman was killed and others injured when a bomb planted inside a churchs compound exploded. Another bomb had been trapped at a bar that killed several revelers. The rebel group, against which Congo and Uganda launched a joint operation on Nov. 30, has killed hundreds of Christians and left thousands homeless and displaced this year. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2021 (265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Well, Madame Speaker, there are no anti-vaxxers in our caucus. Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson, Nov. 30 in the Manitoba Legislature. I have been assured that they have the ability to enter the building and those are the rules that are there to enter the building for our elected officials. Springfield-Ritchot MLA and former Infrastructure minister Ron Schuler. (File/Winnipeg Free Press) Premier Stefanson on Dec. 14, one day before all elected members of the Manitoba Legislature were required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter. Liberty has its price, today I paid for mine. PC MLA for Springfield-Ritchot, Ron Schuler, Dec. 30, after being kicked out of cabinet. Self-proclaimed martyr, Ron Schuler, was finally turfed from Heather Stefansons cabinet this week, following weeks of speculation over his vaccination status. Stefansons decision to sideline Schuler who until Thursday served as infrastructure minister, and oversaw the Emergency Measures Organization came nearly two weeks after her Dec. 15 ultimatum for all elected members of the legislature, their constituency assistants, public servants who work elsewhere, and visiting members of the public, to be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination in order to enter the Manitoba Legislature building. Schuler, who consistently refused to disclose his vaccination status to the public and apparently to his fellow caucus members, claimed that his personal health information was a private matter one that he did not wish to discuss publicly. Since the Dec. 15 deadline passed, it was presumed that Schuler was vaccinated as the then-minister held a press conference on Dec. 16 related to ongoing drought conditions at the legislative building. But as reported earlier this month, Premier Stefanson had vowed to expel from caucus any Tory MLA who was not fully vaccinated, without exception. Though we are not privy to the details regarding exactly why the premier acted now more than two weeks after that deadline it would seem that someone was being lied to. Either Schuler somehow managed to trick his boss, Premier Stefanson, or the premier and her colleagues knew that the infrastructure minister fibbed and were lying to Manitobans until they couldnt anymore. At this point, its difficult to say which one is more likely, for it should have been easy for the government to demand to see his vaccination card the same one that all Manitobans have to show in order to get into restaurants or live sporting events. Did this not happen? And if not, why not? There is also the question of Schulers close ties with Heather Stefanson. Back on Aug. 17, Schuler posted a picture of himself with then-leadership candidate Stefanson, stating that he had endorsed his good friend as the next leader of the PC Party of Manitoba. I have known Heather and Jason Stefanson since I was 18 years, Schuler tweeted. Was the premier reluctant to bounce an old family friend from cabinet? Earlier this month, our sister paper, the Winnipeg Free Press, argued that Ron Schuler should be removed from cabinet as he continued to contradict his own governments policies on COVID-19 vaccinates. Mr. Schuler said he is not an anti-vaxxer and says he believes in vaccinations, the Free Press wrote. But he repeated several times that getting immunized is a personal choice, adding people shouldnt be bullied or cajoled. Not once did he support his governments position on vaccine mandates, proof-of-vaccination policies or its almost-daily messaging to get immunized. In fact, in the year that vaccines have been available to the public for COVID-19, Schuler has not once on his Twitter account urged anyone to get vaccinated, nor has he done so in any other form publicly. And his continued mantra that vaccination is a personal choice has only served to vindicate those who are vaccine hesitant in our society. Its not like he can say he doesnt know someone who has been impacted by COVID-19. Schulers own constituency assistant, Gladys Hayward Williams, died on Nov. 18 after battling COVID-19. A source close to the situation told the Free Press that Ms. Williams, who was unvaccinated, died as a direct result of the misinformation that had been fed to her by Ron Schuler as well as others in the community. There are consequences to spreading misinformation, and Mr. Schuler should know all too well what they are. Schulers tweet yesterday about how he has paid for his freedom is a slap in the face to those who have done their part, following health orders for two years, staying home when sick or when restrictions required it, who wore a mask and got vaccinated. And quite frankly, its an insult to the families of those who have died as a result of COVID-19. For a government that, until now, has been urging all Manitobans to roll up their sleeves and get vaccinated as the best way to end the pandemic, he should never have had a seat at the cabinet table for so long. Premier Stefanson, were glad you finally made the right decision. But it took you long enough to get there. Why is that? Even Israels most hawkish defense officials now concede that the Trump administrations decision to cancel the Iran nuclear deal was a big mistake. The deal worked out by former President Barack Obama was far from perfect. But it appeared that President Donald Trump was more interested in delivering another humiliation to his predecessor than carefully considering the global-security implications of scrapping the one thing that stood between Iran and the ability to make its own nuclear weapons. Trumps main source of advice on killing the 2015 accord was then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had publicly criticized Obamas diplomatic overtures with Iran. The nuclear deal was the product of intense negotiations involving Russia, China, Britain and Germany. To make it happen, the major global economic powers had to agree on an intricate list of sanctions that prevented Iran from exporting its oil and blocked Tehran from accessing the international banking system. Keeping the major nations in line required delicate diplomacy, but it ultimately worked, forcing enough concessions from Iran to win a 10- to 15-year moratorium on its uranium-enrichment program. Iran agreed to dismantle some facilities and to permit international inspections. Netanyahu hated the deal, as did Saudi Arabia, because it only provided a temporary pause in Irans program. Trump canceled the deal in 2018. Russia and China resumed commercial ties with Iran, and it now has minimal incentives to continue restraining its nuclear program. Top Israeli defense officials now recognize the enormity of Trump and Netanyahus mistake. Defense Minister Benny Gantz told Foreign Policy that he would support efforts by President Joe Biden to resurrect a nuclear accord. The current U.S. approach of putting the Iran nuclear program back in a box, Id accept that, he said. Netanyahus successor, Naftali Bennett, is openly critical of Netanyahus military bluster, which helped persuade Trump that there were viable military options to keep Iran in line after killing the accord. Bennett told Israeli television: Israel inherited a situation in which Iran is at the most advanced point ever in its race to the bomb. ... The gap between (Netanyahus) rhetoric and speeches and actions is very big. Air Force Maj. Gen. Isaac Ben Israel was more direct in an interview published by Bloomberg: Netanyahus efforts to persuade the Trump administration to quit the nuclear agreement have turned out to be the worst strategic mistake in Israels history. Former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon echoed that sentiment in an interview with Israels Haaretz newspaper. Trump and Netanyahu now appear to have split because Netanyahu had the gall to phone Biden and congratulate him on his 2020 election victory another example of how emotions and political grudges, rather than thoughtful judgment, guide Trumps decision-making. A man who would put global security at risk without fully weighing the consequences must never again occupy the Oval Office. Even Israels most hawkish defense officials now concede that the Trump administrations decision to cancel the Iran nuclear deal was a big mistake. The deal worked out by former President Barack Obama was far from perfect. But it appeared that President Donald Trump was more interested in delivering another humiliation to his predecessor than carefully considering the global-security implications of scrapping the one thing that stood between Iran and the ability to make its own nuclear weapons. Trumps main source of advice on killing the 2015 accord was then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had publicly criticized Obamas diplomatic overtures with Iran. The nuclear deal was the product of intense negotiations involving Russia, China, Britain and Germany. To make it happen, the major global economic powers had to agree on an intricate list of sanctions that prevented Iran from exporting its oil and blocked Tehran from accessing the international banking system. Keeping the major nations in line required delicate diplomacy, but it ultimately worked, forcing enough concessions from Iran to win a 10- to 15-year moratorium on its uranium-enrichment program. Iran agreed to dismantle some facilities and to permit international inspections. Netanyahu hated the deal, as did Saudi Arabia, because it only provided a temporary pause in Irans program. Trump canceled the deal in 2018. Russia and China resumed commercial ties with Iran, and it now has minimal incentives to continue restraining its nuclear program. Top Israeli defense officials now recognize the enormity of Trump and Netanyahus mistake. Defense Minister Benny Gantz told Foreign Policy that he would support efforts by President Joe Biden to resurrect a nuclear accord. The current U.S. approach of putting the Iran nuclear program back in a box, Id accept that, he said. Netanyahus successor, Naftali Bennett, is openly critical of Netanyahus military bluster, which helped persuade Trump that there were viable military options to keep Iran in line after killing the accord. Bennett told Israeli television: Israel inherited a situation in which Iran is at the most advanced point ever in its race to the bomb. ... The gap between (Netanyahus) rhetoric and speeches and actions is very big. Air Force Maj. Gen. Isaac Ben Israel was more direct in an interview published by Bloomberg: Netanyahus efforts to persuade the Trump administration to quit the nuclear agreement have turned out to be the worst strategic mistake in Israels history. Former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon echoed that sentiment in an interview with Israels Haaretz newspaper. Trump and Netanyahu now appear to have split because Netanyahu had the gall to phone Biden and congratulate him on his 2020 election victory another example of how emotions and political grudges, rather than thoughtful judgment, guide Trumps decision-making. A man who would put global security at risk without fully weighing the consequences must never again occupy the Oval Office. Eric Adams is sworn in as the 110th mayor of the city of New York in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Arturo Holmes/Getty Images) Eric Adams Sworn in as New York City Mayor, Succeeding de Blasio Democrat Eric Adams was sworn in as New York Citys mayor early Saturday, succeeding Bill de Blasio. Adams, 61, took his oath of office in Times Square after the ball dropped, signaling the New Year had arrived. Both he and his wife wore masks despite the event being outdoors, though he removed his for a period of time. Adams did not deliver a speech or answer questions from reporters. During an appearance shortly afterward on Dick Clarks New Years Rockin Eve with Ryan Seacrest, Adams told Seacrest he had a few parties to attend but that he would be up early in the morning, working for the city of New York. About 15,000 people gathered in central Manhattan for the event, about a quarter of the usual crowd. Adams won a contested Democratic primary race for the mayors office, which de Blasio, a Democrat, had to vacate due to term limits. Adams was the president of the Brooklyn borough and once served in the New York Police Department. He campaigned on police reform, improving city schools, and getting illegal guns off city streets, describing himself as a progressive Democrat. For now, Adams is continuing many of his predecessors policies, including a raft of COVID-19 vaccine mandates. New York has one of the strictest regimes in the country, imposing mandates on children as young as 5 to go out to eat and forcing all private employers of any size to require vaccination. Courts have so far upheld the mandates. Chirlane McCray and Bill de Blasio dance onstage after the ball drop during the Times Square New Years Eve 2022 Celebration in New York City, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Arturo Holmes/Getty Images) Adams told reporters in a briefing Thursday that he has a multipronged plan to curb COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Even with the strict rules, New York has seen record-highs in case numbers and an increase in hospital admissions with COVID-19. Adams main focus is on getting people vaccinated and boosted. Adams has vowed not to shut down the city and said the Times Square event was important. Even in the midst of COVID, in the midst of everything that were going through, this is a country where hope and opportunities is always, ever present, Adams said on stage before midnight Friday. Its just great when New York shows the entire country of how we come back, he added. We showed the entire globe what were made of. Were unbelievable. This is an unbelievable city and, trust me, were ready for a major comeback because this is New York. De Blasio, meanwhile, is expected to announce soon whether he will run for governor of New York. The ex-mayor had hinted repeatedly he would but said he wouldnt reveal his plans until after he left office. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Wildfire victims find hope in Christ during record-setting 2020; millions of acres burned Dan and Rochelle Kelly thought they would only be gone from their Boulder Creek, California, home for a day when they received the reverse 911 call on Aug. 18 advising them to evacuate because of an approaching wildfire. Living in the mountain town that serves as the gateway to the Big Basin Redwoods State Park in Santa Cruz County, the Kellys have for years had an emergency evacuation plan for the summers, with bags ready to go and a list of the most important items in their home they dont want to lose if their home were to go up in flames. They grabbed family photo albums, ancestry documents, irreplaceable paintings, their dog, the tops of their wedding cakes and a gold teapot Rochelles great grandparents received for their 50th wedding anniversary. They filled up Dans truck and Rochelles car as best as they could before hitting the road to avoid getting stuck in evacuation traffic like they had heard about in other fires. My advice to people that are evacuating is when you are taking stuff, you need to imagine that your house is going to burn to the ground, Rochelle, a retired school administrator, told The Christian Post. We took things that were really important but left some things that were really special but not irreplaceable. We really thought wed be gone for a day and come back and move back in with our stuff. But what happened is the Kellys suffered a similar fate that hundreds of families across Santa Cruz County and thousands of others across the Pacific Northwest have suffered this year as a record wildfire season has seen thousands of fires engulf millions of acres across California, Oregon and Washington in recent months. Their home, as well as one of their neighbors' homes, burned to the ground with very little left to be salvaged. In California alone, over 4 million acres have burned and 8,819 structures have been destroyed during the 2020 wildfire season as of Oct. 7, according to the state's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. In Oregon, over 1 million acres have been burned by nearly 2,000 different fires, nearly double the 10-year average of 557,811 acres. In Washington, hundreds of thousands of acres burned in 2020, according to the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Tom OBrien, a retired firefighter who served 32 years in Rancho Cucamonga and who is now leading a relief effort for the evangelical humanitarian aid organization Samaritans Purse in Santa Cruz County, told CP that the CZU Lightning Complex fires in the area began on Aug. 16 when there was dry lightning that came through in the form of a large electrical storm. By the time fires in Santa Cruz County stopped burning, OBrien said that about 930 homes were destroyed along with an additional 1,000 other structures, including outbuildings, garages and sheds. Everything had been preheated, there was warm weather that preceded it. It just started igniting everything. Mountains were going up in just little spot fires, he said. What they began to call these fires as they began to merge and join together, they called them complex fires, meaning a whole series of small fires joining together to create one big fire. As fire burns going uphill, it begins to preheat as it goes. It draws in air along the sides of it so it can use that air and has plenty of fuel in the dry sticks and brush. It has plenty of heat as it goes up that hill. It continues to just feed itself on this dry tinder, grass and trees as it runs up. It creates its own wind as it draws in everything nearby and these large plumes of smoke tower up into the air. These dry leaves and embers, some very, very long distances, miles in some cases. At the time, OBrien said there were as many as 88 to 90 other wildfires ongoing caused by dry lightning across the three states. This year, it is not very good at all. It is a horrible year and we really havent even gotten the wind-driven fires yet, he said. Everybody needs to be on their knees praying to God to assist the firemen and give relief in the form of rain. Amid the tragedy and through the power of Christ, however, some have been able to find a sense of hope that had previously been lacking in their lives while others believe God sent them a sign that He has different plans for their lives. God does so many amazing things even through the devastation, Kristin Koning, a Samaritans Purse program manager overseeing efforts in Oregon, said. On any disaster, we see that. Certainly, this one is not an exception. We are seeing God open opportunities not only for people to come and accept Him for the first time but just for believers to be encouraged. Leaving their home behind Leaving their home behind, the Kellys went to stay for a week with friends in the town of Pleasanton, before going on to stay for a week at a friends beach rental home in Santa Cruz and then back up to their friends place in Pleasanton for another week. For the last four weeks, they have stayed at a hotel in Santa Cruz. The day after they left their home, the Kellys were informed by their 37-year-old son, who lived in the area but had not evacuated because his home was not in immediate danger, that their home, which was their sons childhood home, had burned down. He got on his dirtbike he knew all the mountains and trails and he came to the house as the fire was going away from the house, Rochelle said. He was riding through the fire lines and stuff. He was able to see that it had burned to the ground as well as all the outbuildings. He took pictures for us. Otherwise, like so many people, we would not have known the fate of our house for a month. That would have been just horribly anxiety-ridden. Many evacuees have been forced to wait for weeks to find out the fate of their homes because they have had to wait for authorities to tell them when it's safe to return to the area. As for the Kellys 20-acre property in Boulder Creek, different fires were coming from two directions that converged in the mountains, heading toward Boulder Creek and other small towns in the San Lorenzo Valley. The Kellys were able to return to their property after about four weeks on Sept. 13. When they returned, they said they were overwhelmed by the amount of work they would have to do just to sift through the ash to see if there was anything in the home that could be salvaged. Picking up the pieces As they left their burned-down property on the first day of their return, Dan said he and his wife encountered a husband-and-wife couple in a pick-up truck who stopped them to ask, Did you folks lose your house? Those people turned out to be OBrien and his wife. The OBriens arrived in Santa Cruz County on Sept. 10 to assess the area to see how Samaritan's Purse, a North Carolina-based organization run by Franklin Graham that helps victims of disasters all over the world, can help. The Kellys recalled the couple offering to send a team of volunteers to help them sift through the ash to find any valuables that survived the fire. They were just going up and down, just checking peoples houses, seeing what they can do. They gave us some information and a flyer and all that, Dan said. That was it. Just a few days later, a team of 10 or more Samaritans Purse volunteers arrived at their property. When we met them at the driveway there and they told us what they were about and what they could do for us, we were so relieved because we had just been at the site of our burned-out house and it was so overwhelming to us to have to get in there and sift through all that debris to look for anything that might have survived, Rochelle recalled. It was very difficult to even walk in the debris because it was a tangled mess of glass and nails [and screws]. When they told us what they did, we said, Thank God! We didnt think we would be able to do it ourselves. OBrien said that the team had to wait a few days for things to cool down before they could go to work. The charity had to get approval from the appropriate government agencies as well. We tied in with some other volunteer organizations working in this area and had a pastors conference and within just a few days after that, we got ourselves up and working to assist these homeowners in their time of need, he said. Samaritan's Purses efforts in Santa Cruz, which consists of three different teams of about 10 or more volunteers, are being headquartered at Felton Bible Church, just north of the town of Santa Cruz. Out-of-town volunteers who travel to Santa Cruz to help residents in need and plan to stay for three days or more are given a place to sleep at Mount Hermon, a Christian camp near Felton. OBrien said some volunteers have traveled from as far as Oklahoma and Ohio to aid those in Santa Cruz. Samaritans Purse has taken dozens of work orders in Santa Cruz County since Sept. 14. Each order is a little bit different," the retired firefighter said. "Some folks are looking for maybe a dozen items or so. Other owners just want one or two items. The timeline, we try to be very flexible to give it our best effort to try to salvage those items that are important to that homeowner. Volunteers from Samaritan's Purse wearing Tyvek suits, goggles, gloves and N-95 masks worked on the Kellys property for over two days. On the first day, Dan said, about 10 volunteers showed up. In the following two days, he said anywhere between 10 to 14 volunteers showed up to work on his home. Dan was there for most of the time that the volunteers were there. It was pretty neat because they would be sifting through and all of sudden they would find something, he explained. They didnt even want me in the rubble. They had the personal equipment on. They had everything there. They just wanted me to sit down. I brought in a pop-up tent, a table and some water to wash things off and some rags and stuff like that. As they would find it, they would bring it over to me. Jesus unscathed According to Rochelle, there wasnt much that survived the fire except for a few notable items. One thing that survived the fire was an American flag hanging from a flagpole on their side deck that was discovered by the fire department. Dan, a former scuba diving instructor-turned-business owner from Long Island, New York, said the fire department folded the flag military-style and placed it inside his damaged Mercedes-Benz convertible for him to find. Another thing that survived the fire was a porcelain figurine of Jesus Christ that Dans mother gave as a gift to Rochelle. They are sifting through an area that we had asked them to sift through. When they brought me things, they were usually in pieces, he explained. Then all of a sudden, everybody was just so excited. It was a white porcelain bust of Jesus about 6 inches tall. It survived through everything with no cracks, no dirt on it, nothing. It just survived. The figurine was originally located in an upstairs bedroom, meaning that in addition to exposure to heat and fire, it also fell from the upper floor down to the bottom. It is perfectly clean and perfectly whole, Rochelle explained. It was totally amazing, Everything else that was glass or porcelain was in bits and pieces but not Jesus. Then they found baby Jesus with Mary and one of the oxen from my moms nativity set that we put out every year. Its pretty cool. Also four of [my moms] little porcelain angels that we would set out every year next to the nativity, those came out. They need to be cleared up but four of them came out whole. The Kellys, who are active members of an Episcopalian church, said they believe God might've been trying to speak to them through the survival of the Jesus figurine. Dan said they believe it was God saying that He has different plans for us. The message was so clear, Rochelle agreed. We have the bust of Jesus, wherever we go. He is sitting right here on our nightstand in our hotel room right now. It is definitely a message of hope. 1 2 3 Next Wildfire victims find hope in Christ during record-setting 2020; millions of acres burned Dan and Rochelle Kelly thought they would only be gone from their Boulder Creek, California, home for a day when they received the reverse 911 call on Aug. 18 advising them to evacuate because of an approaching wildfire. Living in the mountain town that serves as the gateway to the Big Basin Redwoods State Park in Santa Cruz County, the Kellys have for years had an emergency evacuation plan for the summers, with bags ready to go and a list of the most important items in their home they dont want to lose if their home were to go up in flames. They grabbed family photo albums, ancestry documents, irreplaceable paintings, their dog, the tops of their wedding cakes and a gold teapot Rochelles great grandparents received for their 50th wedding anniversary. They filled up Dans truck and Rochelles car as best as they could before hitting the road to avoid getting stuck in evacuation traffic like they had heard about in other fires. My advice to people that are evacuating is when you are taking stuff, you need to imagine that your house is going to burn to the ground, Rochelle, a retired school administrator, told The Christian Post. We took things that were really important but left some things that were really special but not irreplaceable. We really thought wed be gone for a day and come back and move back in with our stuff. But what happened is the Kellys suffered a similar fate that hundreds of families across Santa Cruz County and thousands of others across the Pacific Northwest have suffered this year as a record wildfire season has seen thousands of fires engulf millions of acres across California, Oregon and Washington in recent months. Their home, as well as one of their neighbors' homes, burned to the ground with very little left to be salvaged. In California alone, over 4 million acres have burned and 8,819 structures have been destroyed during the 2020 wildfire season as of Oct. 7, according to the state's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. In Oregon, over 1 million acres have been burned by nearly 2,000 different fires, nearly double the 10-year average of 557,811 acres. In Washington, hundreds of thousands of acres burned in 2020, according to the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Tom OBrien, a retired firefighter who served 32 years in Rancho Cucamonga and who is now leading a relief effort for the evangelical humanitarian aid organization Samaritans Purse in Santa Cruz County, told CP that the CZU Lightning Complex fires in the area began on Aug. 16 when there was dry lightning that came through in the form of a large electrical storm. By the time fires in Santa Cruz County stopped burning, OBrien said that about 930 homes were destroyed along with an additional 1,000 other structures, including outbuildings, garages and sheds. Everything had been preheated, there was warm weather that preceded it. It just started igniting everything. Mountains were going up in just little spot fires, he said. What they began to call these fires as they began to merge and join together, they called them complex fires, meaning a whole series of small fires joining together to create one big fire. As fire burns going uphill, it begins to preheat as it goes. It draws in air along the sides of it so it can use that air and has plenty of fuel in the dry sticks and brush. It has plenty of heat as it goes up that hill. It continues to just feed itself on this dry tinder, grass and trees as it runs up. It creates its own wind as it draws in everything nearby and these large plumes of smoke tower up into the air. These dry leaves and embers, some very, very long distances, miles in some cases. At the time, OBrien said there were as many as 88 to 90 other wildfires ongoing caused by dry lightning across the three states. This year, it is not very good at all. It is a horrible year and we really havent even gotten the wind-driven fires yet, he said. Everybody needs to be on their knees praying to God to assist the firemen and give relief in the form of rain. Amid the tragedy and through the power of Christ, however, some have been able to find a sense of hope that had previously been lacking in their lives while others believe God sent them a sign that He has different plans for their lives. God does so many amazing things even through the devastation, Kristin Koning, a Samaritans Purse program manager overseeing efforts in Oregon, said. On any disaster, we see that. Certainly, this one is not an exception. We are seeing God open opportunities not only for people to come and accept Him for the first time but just for believers to be encouraged. Leaving their home behind Leaving their home behind, the Kellys went to stay for a week with friends in the town of Pleasanton, before going on to stay for a week at a friends beach rental home in Santa Cruz and then back up to their friends place in Pleasanton for another week. For the last four weeks, they have stayed at a hotel in Santa Cruz. The day after they left their home, the Kellys were informed by their 37-year-old son, who lived in the area but had not evacuated because his home was not in immediate danger, that their home, which was their sons childhood home, had burned down. He got on his dirtbike he knew all the mountains and trails and he came to the house as the fire was going away from the house, Rochelle said. He was riding through the fire lines and stuff. He was able to see that it had burned to the ground as well as all the outbuildings. He took pictures for us. Otherwise, like so many people, we would not have known the fate of our house for a month. That would have been just horribly anxiety-ridden. Many evacuees have been forced to wait for weeks to find out the fate of their homes because they have had to wait for authorities to tell them when it's safe to return to the area. As for the Kellys 20-acre property in Boulder Creek, different fires were coming from two directions that converged in the mountains, heading toward Boulder Creek and other small towns in the San Lorenzo Valley. The Kellys were able to return to their property after about four weeks on Sept. 13. When they returned, they said they were overwhelmed by the amount of work they would have to do just to sift through the ash to see if there was anything in the home that could be salvaged. Picking up the pieces As they left their burned-down property on the first day of their return, Dan said he and his wife encountered a husband-and-wife couple in a pick-up truck who stopped them to ask, Did you folks lose your house? Those people turned out to be OBrien and his wife. The OBriens arrived in Santa Cruz County on Sept. 10 to assess the area to see how Samaritan's Purse, a North Carolina-based organization run by Franklin Graham that helps victims of disasters all over the world, can help. The Kellys recalled the couple offering to send a team of volunteers to help them sift through the ash to find any valuables that survived the fire. They were just going up and down, just checking peoples houses, seeing what they can do. They gave us some information and a flyer and all that, Dan said. That was it. Just a few days later, a team of 10 or more Samaritans Purse volunteers arrived at their property. When we met them at the driveway there and they told us what they were about and what they could do for us, we were so relieved because we had just been at the site of our burned-out house and it was so overwhelming to us to have to get in there and sift through all that debris to look for anything that might have survived, Rochelle recalled. It was very difficult to even walk in the debris because it was a tangled mess of glass and nails [and screws]. When they told us what they did, we said, Thank God! We didnt think we would be able to do it ourselves. OBrien said that the team had to wait a few days for things to cool down before they could go to work. The charity had to get approval from the appropriate government agencies as well. We tied in with some other volunteer organizations working in this area and had a pastors conference and within just a few days after that, we got ourselves up and working to assist these homeowners in their time of need, he said. Samaritan's Purses efforts in Santa Cruz, which consists of three different teams of about 10 or more volunteers, are being headquartered at Felton Bible Church, just north of the town of Santa Cruz. Out-of-town volunteers who travel to Santa Cruz to help residents in need and plan to stay for three days or more are given a place to sleep at Mount Hermon, a Christian camp near Felton. OBrien said some volunteers have traveled from as far as Oklahoma and Ohio to aid those in Santa Cruz. Samaritans Purse has taken dozens of work orders in Santa Cruz County since Sept. 14. Each order is a little bit different," the retired firefighter said. "Some folks are looking for maybe a dozen items or so. Other owners just want one or two items. The timeline, we try to be very flexible to give it our best effort to try to salvage those items that are important to that homeowner. Volunteers from Samaritan's Purse wearing Tyvek suits, goggles, gloves and N-95 masks worked on the Kellys property for over two days. On the first day, Dan said, about 10 volunteers showed up. In the following two days, he said anywhere between 10 to 14 volunteers showed up to work on his home. Dan was there for most of the time that the volunteers were there. It was pretty neat because they would be sifting through and all of sudden they would find something, he explained. They didnt even want me in the rubble. They had the personal equipment on. They had everything there. They just wanted me to sit down. I brought in a pop-up tent, a table and some water to wash things off and some rags and stuff like that. As they would find it, they would bring it over to me. Jesus unscathed According to Rochelle, there wasnt much that survived the fire except for a few notable items. One thing that survived the fire was an American flag hanging from a flagpole on their side deck that was discovered by the fire department. Dan, a former scuba diving instructor-turned-business owner from Long Island, New York, said the fire department folded the flag military-style and placed it inside his damaged Mercedes-Benz convertible for him to find. Another thing that survived the fire was a porcelain figurine of Jesus Christ that Dans mother gave as a gift to Rochelle. They are sifting through an area that we had asked them to sift through. When they brought me things, they were usually in pieces, he explained. Then all of a sudden, everybody was just so excited. It was a white porcelain bust of Jesus about 6 inches tall. It survived through everything with no cracks, no dirt on it, nothing. It just survived. The figurine was originally located in an upstairs bedroom, meaning that in addition to exposure to heat and fire, it also fell from the upper floor down to the bottom. It is perfectly clean and perfectly whole, Rochelle explained. It was totally amazing, Everything else that was glass or porcelain was in bits and pieces but not Jesus. Then they found baby Jesus with Mary and one of the oxen from my moms nativity set that we put out every year. Its pretty cool. Also four of [my moms] little porcelain angels that we would set out every year next to the nativity, those came out. They need to be cleared up but four of them came out whole. The Kellys, who are active members of an Episcopalian church, said they believe God might've been trying to speak to them through the survival of the Jesus figurine. Dan said they believe it was God saying that He has different plans for us. The message was so clear, Rochelle agreed. We have the bust of Jesus, wherever we go. He is sitting right here on our nightstand in our hotel room right now. It is definitely a message of hope. 1 2 3 Next Atiwa Forest Reserve, and other 16 sites have been penned as future nominations into the World Network of Biosphere Reserves under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Biosphere Reserves are specially protected areas where diverse plants and animals exist with some level of human activity to conserve biodiversity and sustainable development. These sites serve as referral systems for monitoring and evaluating changes in natural ecosystems and are an effective instrument for mitigating climate change and serve as models for adaptation to the impacts of this change. They include Shai Hills Reserve, the Kakum, Mole, Digya, and Bui national parks, and Gbele Resources Reserve. The Tano-Ofei Range, Apedwa Hills, Kwahu Scarp, Kyaboo Transboundary Reserve, and Mount Afadzato and Agumatsa Wildlife Sanctuary are also part of the sites. Professor Dennis Aheto, the subcommittee chair of the National Committee of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) said this at the launch of a 47-page handbook on Biosphere Reserve concept at Sege in the Ada West District. It was designed by the National Committee of the UNESCO MAB hosted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with support from the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC); Forestry Commission, academia, and some district assemblies. The manual is seeking to make biosphere issues a normal component in Ghana's development planning and budgeting process at all levels as the basis for sustainable financing of its activities. He said out of the network of 727 reserves in 131countries, Ghana was hosting three, comprising Bia Biosphere Reserve, the largest, located in the Western Region, Songor Ramsar Site in Greater Accra, and Lake Bosomtwe Biosphere Reserve in Ashanti. Touching on the handbook, Prof. Aheto explained that its development, which started in 2018 in line with the Ghana Action plan (2018- 2025) for the MAB programme, was a requirement of the network of world biosphere reserves network as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The mainstreaming activities in the book, he said, included stakeholder engagements; communication and information sharing; capacity building, and conscious allocation of funds for biosphere related activities. Madam Ama Nerquaye-Tetteh, the Secretary-General for the Ghana Commission for UNESCO, commended Ghana for its tree planting exercise; support for global environmental initiatives, and the development of the manual and urged the country to do more to protect its reserves. Dr Kodjo Mensah-Abrampa, the Director-General of the NDPC, said the effective way of implementing national policies was through integration into all levels of planning. He urged all districts to take the handbook seriously and urged stakeholders to monitor and ensure its content was implemented. On behalf of the EPA, the Ghana MAB coordinator, Sheila Ashong, expressed the hope that the strong stakeholder engagement held over the period would propel the implementation of the activities outlined in the document for collective gains. GNA Wildfire victims find hope in Christ during record-setting 2020; millions of acres burned Dan and Rochelle Kelly thought they would only be gone from their Boulder Creek, California, home for a day when they received the reverse 911 call on Aug. 18 advising them to evacuate because of an approaching wildfire. Living in the mountain town that serves as the gateway to the Big Basin Redwoods State Park in Santa Cruz County, the Kellys have for years had an emergency evacuation plan for the summers, with bags ready to go and a list of the most important items in their home they dont want to lose if their home were to go up in flames. They grabbed family photo albums, ancestry documents, irreplaceable paintings, their dog, the tops of their wedding cakes and a gold teapot Rochelles great grandparents received for their 50th wedding anniversary. They filled up Dans truck and Rochelles car as best as they could before hitting the road to avoid getting stuck in evacuation traffic like they had heard about in other fires. My advice to people that are evacuating is when you are taking stuff, you need to imagine that your house is going to burn to the ground, Rochelle, a retired school administrator, told The Christian Post. We took things that were really important but left some things that were really special but not irreplaceable. We really thought wed be gone for a day and come back and move back in with our stuff. But what happened is the Kellys suffered a similar fate that hundreds of families across Santa Cruz County and thousands of others across the Pacific Northwest have suffered this year as a record wildfire season has seen thousands of fires engulf millions of acres across California, Oregon and Washington in recent months. Their home, as well as one of their neighbors' homes, burned to the ground with very little left to be salvaged. In California alone, over 4 million acres have burned and 8,819 structures have been destroyed during the 2020 wildfire season as of Oct. 7, according to the state's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. In Oregon, over 1 million acres have been burned by nearly 2,000 different fires, nearly double the 10-year average of 557,811 acres. In Washington, hundreds of thousands of acres burned in 2020, according to the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Tom OBrien, a retired firefighter who served 32 years in Rancho Cucamonga and who is now leading a relief effort for the evangelical humanitarian aid organization Samaritans Purse in Santa Cruz County, told CP that the CZU Lightning Complex fires in the area began on Aug. 16 when there was dry lightning that came through in the form of a large electrical storm. By the time fires in Santa Cruz County stopped burning, OBrien said that about 930 homes were destroyed along with an additional 1,000 other structures, including outbuildings, garages and sheds. Everything had been preheated, there was warm weather that preceded it. It just started igniting everything. Mountains were going up in just little spot fires, he said. What they began to call these fires as they began to merge and join together, they called them complex fires, meaning a whole series of small fires joining together to create one big fire. As fire burns going uphill, it begins to preheat as it goes. It draws in air along the sides of it so it can use that air and has plenty of fuel in the dry sticks and brush. It has plenty of heat as it goes up that hill. It continues to just feed itself on this dry tinder, grass and trees as it runs up. It creates its own wind as it draws in everything nearby and these large plumes of smoke tower up into the air. These dry leaves and embers, some very, very long distances, miles in some cases. At the time, OBrien said there were as many as 88 to 90 other wildfires ongoing caused by dry lightning across the three states. This year, it is not very good at all. It is a horrible year and we really havent even gotten the wind-driven fires yet, he said. Everybody needs to be on their knees praying to God to assist the firemen and give relief in the form of rain. Amid the tragedy and through the power of Christ, however, some have been able to find a sense of hope that had previously been lacking in their lives while others believe God sent them a sign that He has different plans for their lives. God does so many amazing things even through the devastation, Kristin Koning, a Samaritans Purse program manager overseeing efforts in Oregon, said. On any disaster, we see that. Certainly, this one is not an exception. We are seeing God open opportunities not only for people to come and accept Him for the first time but just for believers to be encouraged. Leaving their home behind Leaving their home behind, the Kellys went to stay for a week with friends in the town of Pleasanton, before going on to stay for a week at a friends beach rental home in Santa Cruz and then back up to their friends place in Pleasanton for another week. For the last four weeks, they have stayed at a hotel in Santa Cruz. The day after they left their home, the Kellys were informed by their 37-year-old son, who lived in the area but had not evacuated because his home was not in immediate danger, that their home, which was their sons childhood home, had burned down. He got on his dirtbike he knew all the mountains and trails and he came to the house as the fire was going away from the house, Rochelle said. He was riding through the fire lines and stuff. He was able to see that it had burned to the ground as well as all the outbuildings. He took pictures for us. Otherwise, like so many people, we would not have known the fate of our house for a month. That would have been just horribly anxiety-ridden. Many evacuees have been forced to wait for weeks to find out the fate of their homes because they have had to wait for authorities to tell them when it's safe to return to the area. As for the Kellys 20-acre property in Boulder Creek, different fires were coming from two directions that converged in the mountains, heading toward Boulder Creek and other small towns in the San Lorenzo Valley. The Kellys were able to return to their property after about four weeks on Sept. 13. When they returned, they said they were overwhelmed by the amount of work they would have to do just to sift through the ash to see if there was anything in the home that could be salvaged. Picking up the pieces As they left their burned-down property on the first day of their return, Dan said he and his wife encountered a husband-and-wife couple in a pick-up truck who stopped them to ask, Did you folks lose your house? Those people turned out to be OBrien and his wife. The OBriens arrived in Santa Cruz County on Sept. 10 to assess the area to see how Samaritan's Purse, a North Carolina-based organization run by Franklin Graham that helps victims of disasters all over the world, can help. The Kellys recalled the couple offering to send a team of volunteers to help them sift through the ash to find any valuables that survived the fire. They were just going up and down, just checking peoples houses, seeing what they can do. They gave us some information and a flyer and all that, Dan said. That was it. Just a few days later, a team of 10 or more Samaritans Purse volunteers arrived at their property. When we met them at the driveway there and they told us what they were about and what they could do for us, we were so relieved because we had just been at the site of our burned-out house and it was so overwhelming to us to have to get in there and sift through all that debris to look for anything that might have survived, Rochelle recalled. It was very difficult to even walk in the debris because it was a tangled mess of glass and nails [and screws]. When they told us what they did, we said, Thank God! We didnt think we would be able to do it ourselves. OBrien said that the team had to wait a few days for things to cool down before they could go to work. The charity had to get approval from the appropriate government agencies as well. We tied in with some other volunteer organizations working in this area and had a pastors conference and within just a few days after that, we got ourselves up and working to assist these homeowners in their time of need, he said. Samaritan's Purses efforts in Santa Cruz, which consists of three different teams of about 10 or more volunteers, are being headquartered at Felton Bible Church, just north of the town of Santa Cruz. Out-of-town volunteers who travel to Santa Cruz to help residents in need and plan to stay for three days or more are given a place to sleep at Mount Hermon, a Christian camp near Felton. OBrien said some volunteers have traveled from as far as Oklahoma and Ohio to aid those in Santa Cruz. Samaritans Purse has taken dozens of work orders in Santa Cruz County since Sept. 14. Each order is a little bit different," the retired firefighter said. "Some folks are looking for maybe a dozen items or so. Other owners just want one or two items. The timeline, we try to be very flexible to give it our best effort to try to salvage those items that are important to that homeowner. Volunteers from Samaritan's Purse wearing Tyvek suits, goggles, gloves and N-95 masks worked on the Kellys property for over two days. On the first day, Dan said, about 10 volunteers showed up. In the following two days, he said anywhere between 10 to 14 volunteers showed up to work on his home. Dan was there for most of the time that the volunteers were there. It was pretty neat because they would be sifting through and all of sudden they would find something, he explained. They didnt even want me in the rubble. They had the personal equipment on. They had everything there. They just wanted me to sit down. I brought in a pop-up tent, a table and some water to wash things off and some rags and stuff like that. As they would find it, they would bring it over to me. Jesus unscathed According to Rochelle, there wasnt much that survived the fire except for a few notable items. One thing that survived the fire was an American flag hanging from a flagpole on their side deck that was discovered by the fire department. Dan, a former scuba diving instructor-turned-business owner from Long Island, New York, said the fire department folded the flag military-style and placed it inside his damaged Mercedes-Benz convertible for him to find. Another thing that survived the fire was a porcelain figurine of Jesus Christ that Dans mother gave as a gift to Rochelle. They are sifting through an area that we had asked them to sift through. When they brought me things, they were usually in pieces, he explained. Then all of a sudden, everybody was just so excited. It was a white porcelain bust of Jesus about 6 inches tall. It survived through everything with no cracks, no dirt on it, nothing. It just survived. The figurine was originally located in an upstairs bedroom, meaning that in addition to exposure to heat and fire, it also fell from the upper floor down to the bottom. It is perfectly clean and perfectly whole, Rochelle explained. It was totally amazing, Everything else that was glass or porcelain was in bits and pieces but not Jesus. Then they found baby Jesus with Mary and one of the oxen from my moms nativity set that we put out every year. Its pretty cool. Also four of [my moms] little porcelain angels that we would set out every year next to the nativity, those came out. They need to be cleared up but four of them came out whole. The Kellys, who are active members of an Episcopalian church, said they believe God might've been trying to speak to them through the survival of the Jesus figurine. Dan said they believe it was God saying that He has different plans for us. The message was so clear, Rochelle agreed. We have the bust of Jesus, wherever we go. He is sitting right here on our nightstand in our hotel room right now. It is definitely a message of hope. 1 2 3 Next Wildfire victims find hope in Christ during record-setting 2020; millions of acres burned Dan and Rochelle Kelly thought they would only be gone from their Boulder Creek, California, home for a day when they received the reverse 911 call on Aug. 18 advising them to evacuate because of an approaching wildfire. Living in the mountain town that serves as the gateway to the Big Basin Redwoods State Park in Santa Cruz County, the Kellys have for years had an emergency evacuation plan for the summers, with bags ready to go and a list of the most important items in their home they dont want to lose if their home were to go up in flames. They grabbed family photo albums, ancestry documents, irreplaceable paintings, their dog, the tops of their wedding cakes and a gold teapot Rochelles great grandparents received for their 50th wedding anniversary. They filled up Dans truck and Rochelles car as best as they could before hitting the road to avoid getting stuck in evacuation traffic like they had heard about in other fires. My advice to people that are evacuating is when you are taking stuff, you need to imagine that your house is going to burn to the ground, Rochelle, a retired school administrator, told The Christian Post. We took things that were really important but left some things that were really special but not irreplaceable. We really thought wed be gone for a day and come back and move back in with our stuff. But what happened is the Kellys suffered a similar fate that hundreds of families across Santa Cruz County and thousands of others across the Pacific Northwest have suffered this year as a record wildfire season has seen thousands of fires engulf millions of acres across California, Oregon and Washington in recent months. Their home, as well as one of their neighbors' homes, burned to the ground with very little left to be salvaged. In California alone, over 4 million acres have burned and 8,819 structures have been destroyed during the 2020 wildfire season as of Oct. 7, according to the state's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. In Oregon, over 1 million acres have been burned by nearly 2,000 different fires, nearly double the 10-year average of 557,811 acres. In Washington, hundreds of thousands of acres burned in 2020, according to the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Tom OBrien, a retired firefighter who served 32 years in Rancho Cucamonga and who is now leading a relief effort for the evangelical humanitarian aid organization Samaritans Purse in Santa Cruz County, told CP that the CZU Lightning Complex fires in the area began on Aug. 16 when there was dry lightning that came through in the form of a large electrical storm. By the time fires in Santa Cruz County stopped burning, OBrien said that about 930 homes were destroyed along with an additional 1,000 other structures, including outbuildings, garages and sheds. Everything had been preheated, there was warm weather that preceded it. It just started igniting everything. Mountains were going up in just little spot fires, he said. What they began to call these fires as they began to merge and join together, they called them complex fires, meaning a whole series of small fires joining together to create one big fire. As fire burns going uphill, it begins to preheat as it goes. It draws in air along the sides of it so it can use that air and has plenty of fuel in the dry sticks and brush. It has plenty of heat as it goes up that hill. It continues to just feed itself on this dry tinder, grass and trees as it runs up. It creates its own wind as it draws in everything nearby and these large plumes of smoke tower up into the air. These dry leaves and embers, some very, very long distances, miles in some cases. At the time, OBrien said there were as many as 88 to 90 other wildfires ongoing caused by dry lightning across the three states. This year, it is not very good at all. It is a horrible year and we really havent even gotten the wind-driven fires yet, he said. Everybody needs to be on their knees praying to God to assist the firemen and give relief in the form of rain. Amid the tragedy and through the power of Christ, however, some have been able to find a sense of hope that had previously been lacking in their lives while others believe God sent them a sign that He has different plans for their lives. God does so many amazing things even through the devastation, Kristin Koning, a Samaritans Purse program manager overseeing efforts in Oregon, said. On any disaster, we see that. Certainly, this one is not an exception. We are seeing God open opportunities not only for people to come and accept Him for the first time but just for believers to be encouraged. Leaving their home behind Leaving their home behind, the Kellys went to stay for a week with friends in the town of Pleasanton, before going on to stay for a week at a friends beach rental home in Santa Cruz and then back up to their friends place in Pleasanton for another week. For the last four weeks, they have stayed at a hotel in Santa Cruz. The day after they left their home, the Kellys were informed by their 37-year-old son, who lived in the area but had not evacuated because his home was not in immediate danger, that their home, which was their sons childhood home, had burned down. He got on his dirtbike he knew all the mountains and trails and he came to the house as the fire was going away from the house, Rochelle said. He was riding through the fire lines and stuff. He was able to see that it had burned to the ground as well as all the outbuildings. He took pictures for us. Otherwise, like so many people, we would not have known the fate of our house for a month. That would have been just horribly anxiety-ridden. Many evacuees have been forced to wait for weeks to find out the fate of their homes because they have had to wait for authorities to tell them when it's safe to return to the area. As for the Kellys 20-acre property in Boulder Creek, different fires were coming from two directions that converged in the mountains, heading toward Boulder Creek and other small towns in the San Lorenzo Valley. The Kellys were able to return to their property after about four weeks on Sept. 13. When they returned, they said they were overwhelmed by the amount of work they would have to do just to sift through the ash to see if there was anything in the home that could be salvaged. Picking up the pieces As they left their burned-down property on the first day of their return, Dan said he and his wife encountered a husband-and-wife couple in a pick-up truck who stopped them to ask, Did you folks lose your house? Those people turned out to be OBrien and his wife. The OBriens arrived in Santa Cruz County on Sept. 10 to assess the area to see how Samaritan's Purse, a North Carolina-based organization run by Franklin Graham that helps victims of disasters all over the world, can help. The Kellys recalled the couple offering to send a team of volunteers to help them sift through the ash to find any valuables that survived the fire. They were just going up and down, just checking peoples houses, seeing what they can do. They gave us some information and a flyer and all that, Dan said. That was it. Just a few days later, a team of 10 or more Samaritans Purse volunteers arrived at their property. When we met them at the driveway there and they told us what they were about and what they could do for us, we were so relieved because we had just been at the site of our burned-out house and it was so overwhelming to us to have to get in there and sift through all that debris to look for anything that might have survived, Rochelle recalled. It was very difficult to even walk in the debris because it was a tangled mess of glass and nails [and screws]. When they told us what they did, we said, Thank God! We didnt think we would be able to do it ourselves. OBrien said that the team had to wait a few days for things to cool down before they could go to work. The charity had to get approval from the appropriate government agencies as well. We tied in with some other volunteer organizations working in this area and had a pastors conference and within just a few days after that, we got ourselves up and working to assist these homeowners in their time of need, he said. Samaritan's Purses efforts in Santa Cruz, which consists of three different teams of about 10 or more volunteers, are being headquartered at Felton Bible Church, just north of the town of Santa Cruz. Out-of-town volunteers who travel to Santa Cruz to help residents in need and plan to stay for three days or more are given a place to sleep at Mount Hermon, a Christian camp near Felton. OBrien said some volunteers have traveled from as far as Oklahoma and Ohio to aid those in Santa Cruz. Samaritans Purse has taken dozens of work orders in Santa Cruz County since Sept. 14. Each order is a little bit different," the retired firefighter said. "Some folks are looking for maybe a dozen items or so. Other owners just want one or two items. The timeline, we try to be very flexible to give it our best effort to try to salvage those items that are important to that homeowner. Volunteers from Samaritan's Purse wearing Tyvek suits, goggles, gloves and N-95 masks worked on the Kellys property for over two days. On the first day, Dan said, about 10 volunteers showed up. In the following two days, he said anywhere between 10 to 14 volunteers showed up to work on his home. Dan was there for most of the time that the volunteers were there. It was pretty neat because they would be sifting through and all of sudden they would find something, he explained. They didnt even want me in the rubble. They had the personal equipment on. They had everything there. They just wanted me to sit down. I brought in a pop-up tent, a table and some water to wash things off and some rags and stuff like that. As they would find it, they would bring it over to me. Jesus unscathed According to Rochelle, there wasnt much that survived the fire except for a few notable items. One thing that survived the fire was an American flag hanging from a flagpole on their side deck that was discovered by the fire department. Dan, a former scuba diving instructor-turned-business owner from Long Island, New York, said the fire department folded the flag military-style and placed it inside his damaged Mercedes-Benz convertible for him to find. Another thing that survived the fire was a porcelain figurine of Jesus Christ that Dans mother gave as a gift to Rochelle. They are sifting through an area that we had asked them to sift through. When they brought me things, they were usually in pieces, he explained. Then all of a sudden, everybody was just so excited. It was a white porcelain bust of Jesus about 6 inches tall. It survived through everything with no cracks, no dirt on it, nothing. It just survived. The figurine was originally located in an upstairs bedroom, meaning that in addition to exposure to heat and fire, it also fell from the upper floor down to the bottom. It is perfectly clean and perfectly whole, Rochelle explained. It was totally amazing, Everything else that was glass or porcelain was in bits and pieces but not Jesus. Then they found baby Jesus with Mary and one of the oxen from my moms nativity set that we put out every year. Its pretty cool. Also four of [my moms] little porcelain angels that we would set out every year next to the nativity, those came out. They need to be cleared up but four of them came out whole. The Kellys, who are active members of an Episcopalian church, said they believe God might've been trying to speak to them through the survival of the Jesus figurine. Dan said they believe it was God saying that He has different plans for us. The message was so clear, Rochelle agreed. We have the bust of Jesus, wherever we go. He is sitting right here on our nightstand in our hotel room right now. It is definitely a message of hope. 1 2 3 Next Wildfire victims find hope in Christ during record-setting 2020; millions of acres burned Dan and Rochelle Kelly thought they would only be gone from their Boulder Creek, California, home for a day when they received the reverse 911 call on Aug. 18 advising them to evacuate because of an approaching wildfire. Living in the mountain town that serves as the gateway to the Big Basin Redwoods State Park in Santa Cruz County, the Kellys have for years had an emergency evacuation plan for the summers, with bags ready to go and a list of the most important items in their home they dont want to lose if their home were to go up in flames. They grabbed family photo albums, ancestry documents, irreplaceable paintings, their dog, the tops of their wedding cakes and a gold teapot Rochelles great grandparents received for their 50th wedding anniversary. They filled up Dans truck and Rochelles car as best as they could before hitting the road to avoid getting stuck in evacuation traffic like they had heard about in other fires. My advice to people that are evacuating is when you are taking stuff, you need to imagine that your house is going to burn to the ground, Rochelle, a retired school administrator, told The Christian Post. We took things that were really important but left some things that were really special but not irreplaceable. We really thought wed be gone for a day and come back and move back in with our stuff. But what happened is the Kellys suffered a similar fate that hundreds of families across Santa Cruz County and thousands of others across the Pacific Northwest have suffered this year as a record wildfire season has seen thousands of fires engulf millions of acres across California, Oregon and Washington in recent months. Their home, as well as one of their neighbors' homes, burned to the ground with very little left to be salvaged. In California alone, over 4 million acres have burned and 8,819 structures have been destroyed during the 2020 wildfire season as of Oct. 7, according to the state's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. In Oregon, over 1 million acres have been burned by nearly 2,000 different fires, nearly double the 10-year average of 557,811 acres. In Washington, hundreds of thousands of acres burned in 2020, according to the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Tom OBrien, a retired firefighter who served 32 years in Rancho Cucamonga and who is now leading a relief effort for the evangelical humanitarian aid organization Samaritans Purse in Santa Cruz County, told CP that the CZU Lightning Complex fires in the area began on Aug. 16 when there was dry lightning that came through in the form of a large electrical storm. By the time fires in Santa Cruz County stopped burning, OBrien said that about 930 homes were destroyed along with an additional 1,000 other structures, including outbuildings, garages and sheds. Everything had been preheated, there was warm weather that preceded it. It just started igniting everything. Mountains were going up in just little spot fires, he said. What they began to call these fires as they began to merge and join together, they called them complex fires, meaning a whole series of small fires joining together to create one big fire. As fire burns going uphill, it begins to preheat as it goes. It draws in air along the sides of it so it can use that air and has plenty of fuel in the dry sticks and brush. It has plenty of heat as it goes up that hill. It continues to just feed itself on this dry tinder, grass and trees as it runs up. It creates its own wind as it draws in everything nearby and these large plumes of smoke tower up into the air. These dry leaves and embers, some very, very long distances, miles in some cases. At the time, OBrien said there were as many as 88 to 90 other wildfires ongoing caused by dry lightning across the three states. This year, it is not very good at all. It is a horrible year and we really havent even gotten the wind-driven fires yet, he said. Everybody needs to be on their knees praying to God to assist the firemen and give relief in the form of rain. Amid the tragedy and through the power of Christ, however, some have been able to find a sense of hope that had previously been lacking in their lives while others believe God sent them a sign that He has different plans for their lives. God does so many amazing things even through the devastation, Kristin Koning, a Samaritans Purse program manager overseeing efforts in Oregon, said. On any disaster, we see that. Certainly, this one is not an exception. We are seeing God open opportunities not only for people to come and accept Him for the first time but just for believers to be encouraged. Leaving their home behind Leaving their home behind, the Kellys went to stay for a week with friends in the town of Pleasanton, before going on to stay for a week at a friends beach rental home in Santa Cruz and then back up to their friends place in Pleasanton for another week. For the last four weeks, they have stayed at a hotel in Santa Cruz. The day after they left their home, the Kellys were informed by their 37-year-old son, who lived in the area but had not evacuated because his home was not in immediate danger, that their home, which was their sons childhood home, had burned down. He got on his dirtbike he knew all the mountains and trails and he came to the house as the fire was going away from the house, Rochelle said. He was riding through the fire lines and stuff. He was able to see that it had burned to the ground as well as all the outbuildings. He took pictures for us. Otherwise, like so many people, we would not have known the fate of our house for a month. That would have been just horribly anxiety-ridden. Many evacuees have been forced to wait for weeks to find out the fate of their homes because they have had to wait for authorities to tell them when it's safe to return to the area. As for the Kellys 20-acre property in Boulder Creek, different fires were coming from two directions that converged in the mountains, heading toward Boulder Creek and other small towns in the San Lorenzo Valley. The Kellys were able to return to their property after about four weeks on Sept. 13. When they returned, they said they were overwhelmed by the amount of work they would have to do just to sift through the ash to see if there was anything in the home that could be salvaged. Picking up the pieces As they left their burned-down property on the first day of their return, Dan said he and his wife encountered a husband-and-wife couple in a pick-up truck who stopped them to ask, Did you folks lose your house? Those people turned out to be OBrien and his wife. The OBriens arrived in Santa Cruz County on Sept. 10 to assess the area to see how Samaritan's Purse, a North Carolina-based organization run by Franklin Graham that helps victims of disasters all over the world, can help. The Kellys recalled the couple offering to send a team of volunteers to help them sift through the ash to find any valuables that survived the fire. They were just going up and down, just checking peoples houses, seeing what they can do. They gave us some information and a flyer and all that, Dan said. That was it. Just a few days later, a team of 10 or more Samaritans Purse volunteers arrived at their property. When we met them at the driveway there and they told us what they were about and what they could do for us, we were so relieved because we had just been at the site of our burned-out house and it was so overwhelming to us to have to get in there and sift through all that debris to look for anything that might have survived, Rochelle recalled. It was very difficult to even walk in the debris because it was a tangled mess of glass and nails [and screws]. When they told us what they did, we said, Thank God! We didnt think we would be able to do it ourselves. OBrien said that the team had to wait a few days for things to cool down before they could go to work. The charity had to get approval from the appropriate government agencies as well. We tied in with some other volunteer organizations working in this area and had a pastors conference and within just a few days after that, we got ourselves up and working to assist these homeowners in their time of need, he said. Samaritan's Purses efforts in Santa Cruz, which consists of three different teams of about 10 or more volunteers, are being headquartered at Felton Bible Church, just north of the town of Santa Cruz. Out-of-town volunteers who travel to Santa Cruz to help residents in need and plan to stay for three days or more are given a place to sleep at Mount Hermon, a Christian camp near Felton. OBrien said some volunteers have traveled from as far as Oklahoma and Ohio to aid those in Santa Cruz. Samaritans Purse has taken dozens of work orders in Santa Cruz County since Sept. 14. Each order is a little bit different," the retired firefighter said. "Some folks are looking for maybe a dozen items or so. Other owners just want one or two items. The timeline, we try to be very flexible to give it our best effort to try to salvage those items that are important to that homeowner. Volunteers from Samaritan's Purse wearing Tyvek suits, goggles, gloves and N-95 masks worked on the Kellys property for over two days. On the first day, Dan said, about 10 volunteers showed up. In the following two days, he said anywhere between 10 to 14 volunteers showed up to work on his home. Dan was there for most of the time that the volunteers were there. It was pretty neat because they would be sifting through and all of sudden they would find something, he explained. They didnt even want me in the rubble. They had the personal equipment on. They had everything there. They just wanted me to sit down. I brought in a pop-up tent, a table and some water to wash things off and some rags and stuff like that. As they would find it, they would bring it over to me. Jesus unscathed According to Rochelle, there wasnt much that survived the fire except for a few notable items. One thing that survived the fire was an American flag hanging from a flagpole on their side deck that was discovered by the fire department. Dan, a former scuba diving instructor-turned-business owner from Long Island, New York, said the fire department folded the flag military-style and placed it inside his damaged Mercedes-Benz convertible for him to find. Another thing that survived the fire was a porcelain figurine of Jesus Christ that Dans mother gave as a gift to Rochelle. They are sifting through an area that we had asked them to sift through. When they brought me things, they were usually in pieces, he explained. Then all of a sudden, everybody was just so excited. It was a white porcelain bust of Jesus about 6 inches tall. It survived through everything with no cracks, no dirt on it, nothing. It just survived. The figurine was originally located in an upstairs bedroom, meaning that in addition to exposure to heat and fire, it also fell from the upper floor down to the bottom. It is perfectly clean and perfectly whole, Rochelle explained. It was totally amazing, Everything else that was glass or porcelain was in bits and pieces but not Jesus. Then they found baby Jesus with Mary and one of the oxen from my moms nativity set that we put out every year. Its pretty cool. Also four of [my moms] little porcelain angels that we would set out every year next to the nativity, those came out. They need to be cleared up but four of them came out whole. The Kellys, who are active members of an Episcopalian church, said they believe God might've been trying to speak to them through the survival of the Jesus figurine. Dan said they believe it was God saying that He has different plans for us. The message was so clear, Rochelle agreed. We have the bust of Jesus, wherever we go. He is sitting right here on our nightstand in our hotel room right now. It is definitely a message of hope. 1 2 3 Next Wildfire victims find hope in Christ during record-setting 2020; millions of acres burned Dan and Rochelle Kelly thought they would only be gone from their Boulder Creek, California, home for a day when they received the reverse 911 call on Aug. 18 advising them to evacuate because of an approaching wildfire. Living in the mountain town that serves as the gateway to the Big Basin Redwoods State Park in Santa Cruz County, the Kellys have for years had an emergency evacuation plan for the summers, with bags ready to go and a list of the most important items in their home they dont want to lose if their home were to go up in flames. They grabbed family photo albums, ancestry documents, irreplaceable paintings, their dog, the tops of their wedding cakes and a gold teapot Rochelles great grandparents received for their 50th wedding anniversary. They filled up Dans truck and Rochelles car as best as they could before hitting the road to avoid getting stuck in evacuation traffic like they had heard about in other fires. My advice to people that are evacuating is when you are taking stuff, you need to imagine that your house is going to burn to the ground, Rochelle, a retired school administrator, told The Christian Post. We took things that were really important but left some things that were really special but not irreplaceable. We really thought wed be gone for a day and come back and move back in with our stuff. But what happened is the Kellys suffered a similar fate that hundreds of families across Santa Cruz County and thousands of others across the Pacific Northwest have suffered this year as a record wildfire season has seen thousands of fires engulf millions of acres across California, Oregon and Washington in recent months. Their home, as well as one of their neighbors' homes, burned to the ground with very little left to be salvaged. In California alone, over 4 million acres have burned and 8,819 structures have been destroyed during the 2020 wildfire season as of Oct. 7, according to the state's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. In Oregon, over 1 million acres have been burned by nearly 2,000 different fires, nearly double the 10-year average of 557,811 acres. In Washington, hundreds of thousands of acres burned in 2020, according to the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Tom OBrien, a retired firefighter who served 32 years in Rancho Cucamonga and who is now leading a relief effort for the evangelical humanitarian aid organization Samaritans Purse in Santa Cruz County, told CP that the CZU Lightning Complex fires in the area began on Aug. 16 when there was dry lightning that came through in the form of a large electrical storm. By the time fires in Santa Cruz County stopped burning, OBrien said that about 930 homes were destroyed along with an additional 1,000 other structures, including outbuildings, garages and sheds. Everything had been preheated, there was warm weather that preceded it. It just started igniting everything. Mountains were going up in just little spot fires, he said. What they began to call these fires as they began to merge and join together, they called them complex fires, meaning a whole series of small fires joining together to create one big fire. As fire burns going uphill, it begins to preheat as it goes. It draws in air along the sides of it so it can use that air and has plenty of fuel in the dry sticks and brush. It has plenty of heat as it goes up that hill. It continues to just feed itself on this dry tinder, grass and trees as it runs up. It creates its own wind as it draws in everything nearby and these large plumes of smoke tower up into the air. These dry leaves and embers, some very, very long distances, miles in some cases. At the time, OBrien said there were as many as 88 to 90 other wildfires ongoing caused by dry lightning across the three states. This year, it is not very good at all. It is a horrible year and we really havent even gotten the wind-driven fires yet, he said. Everybody needs to be on their knees praying to God to assist the firemen and give relief in the form of rain. Amid the tragedy and through the power of Christ, however, some have been able to find a sense of hope that had previously been lacking in their lives while others believe God sent them a sign that He has different plans for their lives. God does so many amazing things even through the devastation, Kristin Koning, a Samaritans Purse program manager overseeing efforts in Oregon, said. On any disaster, we see that. Certainly, this one is not an exception. We are seeing God open opportunities not only for people to come and accept Him for the first time but just for believers to be encouraged. Leaving their home behind Leaving their home behind, the Kellys went to stay for a week with friends in the town of Pleasanton, before going on to stay for a week at a friends beach rental home in Santa Cruz and then back up to their friends place in Pleasanton for another week. For the last four weeks, they have stayed at a hotel in Santa Cruz. The day after they left their home, the Kellys were informed by their 37-year-old son, who lived in the area but had not evacuated because his home was not in immediate danger, that their home, which was their sons childhood home, had burned down. He got on his dirtbike he knew all the mountains and trails and he came to the house as the fire was going away from the house, Rochelle said. He was riding through the fire lines and stuff. He was able to see that it had burned to the ground as well as all the outbuildings. He took pictures for us. Otherwise, like so many people, we would not have known the fate of our house for a month. That would have been just horribly anxiety-ridden. Many evacuees have been forced to wait for weeks to find out the fate of their homes because they have had to wait for authorities to tell them when it's safe to return to the area. As for the Kellys 20-acre property in Boulder Creek, different fires were coming from two directions that converged in the mountains, heading toward Boulder Creek and other small towns in the San Lorenzo Valley. The Kellys were able to return to their property after about four weeks on Sept. 13. When they returned, they said they were overwhelmed by the amount of work they would have to do just to sift through the ash to see if there was anything in the home that could be salvaged. Picking up the pieces As they left their burned-down property on the first day of their return, Dan said he and his wife encountered a husband-and-wife couple in a pick-up truck who stopped them to ask, Did you folks lose your house? Those people turned out to be OBrien and his wife. The OBriens arrived in Santa Cruz County on Sept. 10 to assess the area to see how Samaritan's Purse, a North Carolina-based organization run by Franklin Graham that helps victims of disasters all over the world, can help. The Kellys recalled the couple offering to send a team of volunteers to help them sift through the ash to find any valuables that survived the fire. They were just going up and down, just checking peoples houses, seeing what they can do. They gave us some information and a flyer and all that, Dan said. That was it. Just a few days later, a team of 10 or more Samaritans Purse volunteers arrived at their property. When we met them at the driveway there and they told us what they were about and what they could do for us, we were so relieved because we had just been at the site of our burned-out house and it was so overwhelming to us to have to get in there and sift through all that debris to look for anything that might have survived, Rochelle recalled. It was very difficult to even walk in the debris because it was a tangled mess of glass and nails [and screws]. When they told us what they did, we said, Thank God! We didnt think we would be able to do it ourselves. OBrien said that the team had to wait a few days for things to cool down before they could go to work. The charity had to get approval from the appropriate government agencies as well. We tied in with some other volunteer organizations working in this area and had a pastors conference and within just a few days after that, we got ourselves up and working to assist these homeowners in their time of need, he said. Samaritan's Purses efforts in Santa Cruz, which consists of three different teams of about 10 or more volunteers, are being headquartered at Felton Bible Church, just north of the town of Santa Cruz. Out-of-town volunteers who travel to Santa Cruz to help residents in need and plan to stay for three days or more are given a place to sleep at Mount Hermon, a Christian camp near Felton. OBrien said some volunteers have traveled from as far as Oklahoma and Ohio to aid those in Santa Cruz. Samaritans Purse has taken dozens of work orders in Santa Cruz County since Sept. 14. Each order is a little bit different," the retired firefighter said. "Some folks are looking for maybe a dozen items or so. Other owners just want one or two items. The timeline, we try to be very flexible to give it our best effort to try to salvage those items that are important to that homeowner. Volunteers from Samaritan's Purse wearing Tyvek suits, goggles, gloves and N-95 masks worked on the Kellys property for over two days. On the first day, Dan said, about 10 volunteers showed up. In the following two days, he said anywhere between 10 to 14 volunteers showed up to work on his home. Dan was there for most of the time that the volunteers were there. It was pretty neat because they would be sifting through and all of sudden they would find something, he explained. They didnt even want me in the rubble. They had the personal equipment on. They had everything there. They just wanted me to sit down. I brought in a pop-up tent, a table and some water to wash things off and some rags and stuff like that. As they would find it, they would bring it over to me. Jesus unscathed According to Rochelle, there wasnt much that survived the fire except for a few notable items. One thing that survived the fire was an American flag hanging from a flagpole on their side deck that was discovered by the fire department. Dan, a former scuba diving instructor-turned-business owner from Long Island, New York, said the fire department folded the flag military-style and placed it inside his damaged Mercedes-Benz convertible for him to find. Another thing that survived the fire was a porcelain figurine of Jesus Christ that Dans mother gave as a gift to Rochelle. They are sifting through an area that we had asked them to sift through. When they brought me things, they were usually in pieces, he explained. Then all of a sudden, everybody was just so excited. It was a white porcelain bust of Jesus about 6 inches tall. It survived through everything with no cracks, no dirt on it, nothing. It just survived. The figurine was originally located in an upstairs bedroom, meaning that in addition to exposure to heat and fire, it also fell from the upper floor down to the bottom. It is perfectly clean and perfectly whole, Rochelle explained. It was totally amazing, Everything else that was glass or porcelain was in bits and pieces but not Jesus. Then they found baby Jesus with Mary and one of the oxen from my moms nativity set that we put out every year. Its pretty cool. Also four of [my moms] little porcelain angels that we would set out every year next to the nativity, those came out. They need to be cleared up but four of them came out whole. The Kellys, who are active members of an Episcopalian church, said they believe God might've been trying to speak to them through the survival of the Jesus figurine. Dan said they believe it was God saying that He has different plans for us. The message was so clear, Rochelle agreed. We have the bust of Jesus, wherever we go. He is sitting right here on our nightstand in our hotel room right now. It is definitely a message of hope. 1 2 3 Next Wildfire victims find hope in Christ during record-setting 2020; millions of acres burned Dan and Rochelle Kelly thought they would only be gone from their Boulder Creek, California, home for a day when they received the reverse 911 call on Aug. 18 advising them to evacuate because of an approaching wildfire. Living in the mountain town that serves as the gateway to the Big Basin Redwoods State Park in Santa Cruz County, the Kellys have for years had an emergency evacuation plan for the summers, with bags ready to go and a list of the most important items in their home they dont want to lose if their home were to go up in flames. They grabbed family photo albums, ancestry documents, irreplaceable paintings, their dog, the tops of their wedding cakes and a gold teapot Rochelles great grandparents received for their 50th wedding anniversary. They filled up Dans truck and Rochelles car as best as they could before hitting the road to avoid getting stuck in evacuation traffic like they had heard about in other fires. My advice to people that are evacuating is when you are taking stuff, you need to imagine that your house is going to burn to the ground, Rochelle, a retired school administrator, told The Christian Post. We took things that were really important but left some things that were really special but not irreplaceable. We really thought wed be gone for a day and come back and move back in with our stuff. But what happened is the Kellys suffered a similar fate that hundreds of families across Santa Cruz County and thousands of others across the Pacific Northwest have suffered this year as a record wildfire season has seen thousands of fires engulf millions of acres across California, Oregon and Washington in recent months. Their home, as well as one of their neighbors' homes, burned to the ground with very little left to be salvaged. In California alone, over 4 million acres have burned and 8,819 structures have been destroyed during the 2020 wildfire season as of Oct. 7, according to the state's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. In Oregon, over 1 million acres have been burned by nearly 2,000 different fires, nearly double the 10-year average of 557,811 acres. In Washington, hundreds of thousands of acres burned in 2020, according to the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Tom OBrien, a retired firefighter who served 32 years in Rancho Cucamonga and who is now leading a relief effort for the evangelical humanitarian aid organization Samaritans Purse in Santa Cruz County, told CP that the CZU Lightning Complex fires in the area began on Aug. 16 when there was dry lightning that came through in the form of a large electrical storm. By the time fires in Santa Cruz County stopped burning, OBrien said that about 930 homes were destroyed along with an additional 1,000 other structures, including outbuildings, garages and sheds. Everything had been preheated, there was warm weather that preceded it. It just started igniting everything. Mountains were going up in just little spot fires, he said. What they began to call these fires as they began to merge and join together, they called them complex fires, meaning a whole series of small fires joining together to create one big fire. As fire burns going uphill, it begins to preheat as it goes. It draws in air along the sides of it so it can use that air and has plenty of fuel in the dry sticks and brush. It has plenty of heat as it goes up that hill. It continues to just feed itself on this dry tinder, grass and trees as it runs up. It creates its own wind as it draws in everything nearby and these large plumes of smoke tower up into the air. These dry leaves and embers, some very, very long distances, miles in some cases. At the time, OBrien said there were as many as 88 to 90 other wildfires ongoing caused by dry lightning across the three states. This year, it is not very good at all. It is a horrible year and we really havent even gotten the wind-driven fires yet, he said. Everybody needs to be on their knees praying to God to assist the firemen and give relief in the form of rain. Amid the tragedy and through the power of Christ, however, some have been able to find a sense of hope that had previously been lacking in their lives while others believe God sent them a sign that He has different plans for their lives. God does so many amazing things even through the devastation, Kristin Koning, a Samaritans Purse program manager overseeing efforts in Oregon, said. On any disaster, we see that. Certainly, this one is not an exception. We are seeing God open opportunities not only for people to come and accept Him for the first time but just for believers to be encouraged. Leaving their home behind Leaving their home behind, the Kellys went to stay for a week with friends in the town of Pleasanton, before going on to stay for a week at a friends beach rental home in Santa Cruz and then back up to their friends place in Pleasanton for another week. For the last four weeks, they have stayed at a hotel in Santa Cruz. The day after they left their home, the Kellys were informed by their 37-year-old son, who lived in the area but had not evacuated because his home was not in immediate danger, that their home, which was their sons childhood home, had burned down. He got on his dirtbike he knew all the mountains and trails and he came to the house as the fire was going away from the house, Rochelle said. He was riding through the fire lines and stuff. He was able to see that it had burned to the ground as well as all the outbuildings. He took pictures for us. Otherwise, like so many people, we would not have known the fate of our house for a month. That would have been just horribly anxiety-ridden. Many evacuees have been forced to wait for weeks to find out the fate of their homes because they have had to wait for authorities to tell them when it's safe to return to the area. As for the Kellys 20-acre property in Boulder Creek, different fires were coming from two directions that converged in the mountains, heading toward Boulder Creek and other small towns in the San Lorenzo Valley. The Kellys were able to return to their property after about four weeks on Sept. 13. When they returned, they said they were overwhelmed by the amount of work they would have to do just to sift through the ash to see if there was anything in the home that could be salvaged. Picking up the pieces As they left their burned-down property on the first day of their return, Dan said he and his wife encountered a husband-and-wife couple in a pick-up truck who stopped them to ask, Did you folks lose your house? Those people turned out to be OBrien and his wife. The OBriens arrived in Santa Cruz County on Sept. 10 to assess the area to see how Samaritan's Purse, a North Carolina-based organization run by Franklin Graham that helps victims of disasters all over the world, can help. The Kellys recalled the couple offering to send a team of volunteers to help them sift through the ash to find any valuables that survived the fire. They were just going up and down, just checking peoples houses, seeing what they can do. They gave us some information and a flyer and all that, Dan said. That was it. Just a few days later, a team of 10 or more Samaritans Purse volunteers arrived at their property. When we met them at the driveway there and they told us what they were about and what they could do for us, we were so relieved because we had just been at the site of our burned-out house and it was so overwhelming to us to have to get in there and sift through all that debris to look for anything that might have survived, Rochelle recalled. It was very difficult to even walk in the debris because it was a tangled mess of glass and nails [and screws]. When they told us what they did, we said, Thank God! We didnt think we would be able to do it ourselves. OBrien said that the team had to wait a few days for things to cool down before they could go to work. The charity had to get approval from the appropriate government agencies as well. We tied in with some other volunteer organizations working in this area and had a pastors conference and within just a few days after that, we got ourselves up and working to assist these homeowners in their time of need, he said. Samaritan's Purses efforts in Santa Cruz, which consists of three different teams of about 10 or more volunteers, are being headquartered at Felton Bible Church, just north of the town of Santa Cruz. Out-of-town volunteers who travel to Santa Cruz to help residents in need and plan to stay for three days or more are given a place to sleep at Mount Hermon, a Christian camp near Felton. OBrien said some volunteers have traveled from as far as Oklahoma and Ohio to aid those in Santa Cruz. Samaritans Purse has taken dozens of work orders in Santa Cruz County since Sept. 14. Each order is a little bit different," the retired firefighter said. "Some folks are looking for maybe a dozen items or so. Other owners just want one or two items. The timeline, we try to be very flexible to give it our best effort to try to salvage those items that are important to that homeowner. Volunteers from Samaritan's Purse wearing Tyvek suits, goggles, gloves and N-95 masks worked on the Kellys property for over two days. On the first day, Dan said, about 10 volunteers showed up. In the following two days, he said anywhere between 10 to 14 volunteers showed up to work on his home. Dan was there for most of the time that the volunteers were there. It was pretty neat because they would be sifting through and all of sudden they would find something, he explained. They didnt even want me in the rubble. They had the personal equipment on. They had everything there. They just wanted me to sit down. I brought in a pop-up tent, a table and some water to wash things off and some rags and stuff like that. As they would find it, they would bring it over to me. Jesus unscathed According to Rochelle, there wasnt much that survived the fire except for a few notable items. One thing that survived the fire was an American flag hanging from a flagpole on their side deck that was discovered by the fire department. Dan, a former scuba diving instructor-turned-business owner from Long Island, New York, said the fire department folded the flag military-style and placed it inside his damaged Mercedes-Benz convertible for him to find. Another thing that survived the fire was a porcelain figurine of Jesus Christ that Dans mother gave as a gift to Rochelle. They are sifting through an area that we had asked them to sift through. When they brought me things, they were usually in pieces, he explained. Then all of a sudden, everybody was just so excited. It was a white porcelain bust of Jesus about 6 inches tall. It survived through everything with no cracks, no dirt on it, nothing. It just survived. The figurine was originally located in an upstairs bedroom, meaning that in addition to exposure to heat and fire, it also fell from the upper floor down to the bottom. It is perfectly clean and perfectly whole, Rochelle explained. It was totally amazing, Everything else that was glass or porcelain was in bits and pieces but not Jesus. Then they found baby Jesus with Mary and one of the oxen from my moms nativity set that we put out every year. Its pretty cool. Also four of [my moms] little porcelain angels that we would set out every year next to the nativity, those came out. They need to be cleared up but four of them came out whole. The Kellys, who are active members of an Episcopalian church, said they believe God might've been trying to speak to them through the survival of the Jesus figurine. Dan said they believe it was God saying that He has different plans for us. The message was so clear, Rochelle agreed. We have the bust of Jesus, wherever we go. He is sitting right here on our nightstand in our hotel room right now. It is definitely a message of hope. 1 2 3 Next Wildfire victims find hope in Christ during record-setting 2020; millions of acres burned Dan and Rochelle Kelly thought they would only be gone from their Boulder Creek, California, home for a day when they received the reverse 911 call on Aug. 18 advising them to evacuate because of an approaching wildfire. Living in the mountain town that serves as the gateway to the Big Basin Redwoods State Park in Santa Cruz County, the Kellys have for years had an emergency evacuation plan for the summers, with bags ready to go and a list of the most important items in their home they dont want to lose if their home were to go up in flames. They grabbed family photo albums, ancestry documents, irreplaceable paintings, their dog, the tops of their wedding cakes and a gold teapot Rochelles great grandparents received for their 50th wedding anniversary. They filled up Dans truck and Rochelles car as best as they could before hitting the road to avoid getting stuck in evacuation traffic like they had heard about in other fires. My advice to people that are evacuating is when you are taking stuff, you need to imagine that your house is going to burn to the ground, Rochelle, a retired school administrator, told The Christian Post. We took things that were really important but left some things that were really special but not irreplaceable. We really thought wed be gone for a day and come back and move back in with our stuff. But what happened is the Kellys suffered a similar fate that hundreds of families across Santa Cruz County and thousands of others across the Pacific Northwest have suffered this year as a record wildfire season has seen thousands of fires engulf millions of acres across California, Oregon and Washington in recent months. Their home, as well as one of their neighbors' homes, burned to the ground with very little left to be salvaged. In California alone, over 4 million acres have burned and 8,819 structures have been destroyed during the 2020 wildfire season as of Oct. 7, according to the state's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. In Oregon, over 1 million acres have been burned by nearly 2,000 different fires, nearly double the 10-year average of 557,811 acres. In Washington, hundreds of thousands of acres burned in 2020, according to the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Tom OBrien, a retired firefighter who served 32 years in Rancho Cucamonga and who is now leading a relief effort for the evangelical humanitarian aid organization Samaritans Purse in Santa Cruz County, told CP that the CZU Lightning Complex fires in the area began on Aug. 16 when there was dry lightning that came through in the form of a large electrical storm. By the time fires in Santa Cruz County stopped burning, OBrien said that about 930 homes were destroyed along with an additional 1,000 other structures, including outbuildings, garages and sheds. Everything had been preheated, there was warm weather that preceded it. It just started igniting everything. Mountains were going up in just little spot fires, he said. What they began to call these fires as they began to merge and join together, they called them complex fires, meaning a whole series of small fires joining together to create one big fire. As fire burns going uphill, it begins to preheat as it goes. It draws in air along the sides of it so it can use that air and has plenty of fuel in the dry sticks and brush. It has plenty of heat as it goes up that hill. It continues to just feed itself on this dry tinder, grass and trees as it runs up. It creates its own wind as it draws in everything nearby and these large plumes of smoke tower up into the air. These dry leaves and embers, some very, very long distances, miles in some cases. At the time, OBrien said there were as many as 88 to 90 other wildfires ongoing caused by dry lightning across the three states. This year, it is not very good at all. It is a horrible year and we really havent even gotten the wind-driven fires yet, he said. Everybody needs to be on their knees praying to God to assist the firemen and give relief in the form of rain. Amid the tragedy and through the power of Christ, however, some have been able to find a sense of hope that had previously been lacking in their lives while others believe God sent them a sign that He has different plans for their lives. God does so many amazing things even through the devastation, Kristin Koning, a Samaritans Purse program manager overseeing efforts in Oregon, said. On any disaster, we see that. Certainly, this one is not an exception. We are seeing God open opportunities not only for people to come and accept Him for the first time but just for believers to be encouraged. Leaving their home behind Leaving their home behind, the Kellys went to stay for a week with friends in the town of Pleasanton, before going on to stay for a week at a friends beach rental home in Santa Cruz and then back up to their friends place in Pleasanton for another week. For the last four weeks, they have stayed at a hotel in Santa Cruz. The day after they left their home, the Kellys were informed by their 37-year-old son, who lived in the area but had not evacuated because his home was not in immediate danger, that their home, which was their sons childhood home, had burned down. He got on his dirtbike he knew all the mountains and trails and he came to the house as the fire was going away from the house, Rochelle said. He was riding through the fire lines and stuff. He was able to see that it had burned to the ground as well as all the outbuildings. He took pictures for us. Otherwise, like so many people, we would not have known the fate of our house for a month. That would have been just horribly anxiety-ridden. Many evacuees have been forced to wait for weeks to find out the fate of their homes because they have had to wait for authorities to tell them when it's safe to return to the area. As for the Kellys 20-acre property in Boulder Creek, different fires were coming from two directions that converged in the mountains, heading toward Boulder Creek and other small towns in the San Lorenzo Valley. The Kellys were able to return to their property after about four weeks on Sept. 13. When they returned, they said they were overwhelmed by the amount of work they would have to do just to sift through the ash to see if there was anything in the home that could be salvaged. Picking up the pieces As they left their burned-down property on the first day of their return, Dan said he and his wife encountered a husband-and-wife couple in a pick-up truck who stopped them to ask, Did you folks lose your house? Those people turned out to be OBrien and his wife. The OBriens arrived in Santa Cruz County on Sept. 10 to assess the area to see how Samaritan's Purse, a North Carolina-based organization run by Franklin Graham that helps victims of disasters all over the world, can help. The Kellys recalled the couple offering to send a team of volunteers to help them sift through the ash to find any valuables that survived the fire. They were just going up and down, just checking peoples houses, seeing what they can do. They gave us some information and a flyer and all that, Dan said. That was it. Just a few days later, a team of 10 or more Samaritans Purse volunteers arrived at their property. When we met them at the driveway there and they told us what they were about and what they could do for us, we were so relieved because we had just been at the site of our burned-out house and it was so overwhelming to us to have to get in there and sift through all that debris to look for anything that might have survived, Rochelle recalled. It was very difficult to even walk in the debris because it was a tangled mess of glass and nails [and screws]. When they told us what they did, we said, Thank God! We didnt think we would be able to do it ourselves. OBrien said that the team had to wait a few days for things to cool down before they could go to work. The charity had to get approval from the appropriate government agencies as well. We tied in with some other volunteer organizations working in this area and had a pastors conference and within just a few days after that, we got ourselves up and working to assist these homeowners in their time of need, he said. Samaritan's Purses efforts in Santa Cruz, which consists of three different teams of about 10 or more volunteers, are being headquartered at Felton Bible Church, just north of the town of Santa Cruz. Out-of-town volunteers who travel to Santa Cruz to help residents in need and plan to stay for three days or more are given a place to sleep at Mount Hermon, a Christian camp near Felton. OBrien said some volunteers have traveled from as far as Oklahoma and Ohio to aid those in Santa Cruz. Samaritans Purse has taken dozens of work orders in Santa Cruz County since Sept. 14. Each order is a little bit different," the retired firefighter said. "Some folks are looking for maybe a dozen items or so. Other owners just want one or two items. The timeline, we try to be very flexible to give it our best effort to try to salvage those items that are important to that homeowner. Volunteers from Samaritan's Purse wearing Tyvek suits, goggles, gloves and N-95 masks worked on the Kellys property for over two days. On the first day, Dan said, about 10 volunteers showed up. In the following two days, he said anywhere between 10 to 14 volunteers showed up to work on his home. Dan was there for most of the time that the volunteers were there. It was pretty neat because they would be sifting through and all of sudden they would find something, he explained. They didnt even want me in the rubble. They had the personal equipment on. They had everything there. They just wanted me to sit down. I brought in a pop-up tent, a table and some water to wash things off and some rags and stuff like that. As they would find it, they would bring it over to me. Jesus unscathed According to Rochelle, there wasnt much that survived the fire except for a few notable items. One thing that survived the fire was an American flag hanging from a flagpole on their side deck that was discovered by the fire department. Dan, a former scuba diving instructor-turned-business owner from Long Island, New York, said the fire department folded the flag military-style and placed it inside his damaged Mercedes-Benz convertible for him to find. Another thing that survived the fire was a porcelain figurine of Jesus Christ that Dans mother gave as a gift to Rochelle. They are sifting through an area that we had asked them to sift through. When they brought me things, they were usually in pieces, he explained. Then all of a sudden, everybody was just so excited. It was a white porcelain bust of Jesus about 6 inches tall. It survived through everything with no cracks, no dirt on it, nothing. It just survived. The figurine was originally located in an upstairs bedroom, meaning that in addition to exposure to heat and fire, it also fell from the upper floor down to the bottom. It is perfectly clean and perfectly whole, Rochelle explained. It was totally amazing, Everything else that was glass or porcelain was in bits and pieces but not Jesus. Then they found baby Jesus with Mary and one of the oxen from my moms nativity set that we put out every year. Its pretty cool. Also four of [my moms] little porcelain angels that we would set out every year next to the nativity, those came out. They need to be cleared up but four of them came out whole. The Kellys, who are active members of an Episcopalian church, said they believe God might've been trying to speak to them through the survival of the Jesus figurine. Dan said they believe it was God saying that He has different plans for us. The message was so clear, Rochelle agreed. We have the bust of Jesus, wherever we go. He is sitting right here on our nightstand in our hotel room right now. It is definitely a message of hope. 1 2 3 Next Alabama woman charged with murder after stray bullet kills pastors wife at Bible study Police have arrested and charged a 26-year-old Alabama woman with the murder of a pastor's wife after a stray bullet killed her as she attended a church Bible study. Police in Prichard, Mobile County, arrested the suspect, Kaillyn Christine Howard Harris, on charges of firing the shot that killed 65-year-old Grace Carter, the wife of a pastor at Sunlight Missionary Baptist Church, Fox 10 reported. Grace Carter was inside the Everlasting Life Holiness Church Tuesday night when she was shot in the chest. I just dont think that people should be shooting in places where you dont know where a stray bullet could do, the victim's husband, Cecil Carter, who's pastor-elect at a separate church, was quoted as saying. Police said they went to the church after 7 p.m. and began CPR on the victim but could not resuscitate her, WKRG reported. An investigator noticed a bullet hole in a door at the church and found she had been shot on her upper right chest. The church shooting was real gut-wrenching for us last night, Lt. Robert Martin with Prichard Police was quoted as saying. Anytime anyone is killed in our jurisdiction or any municipality, it touches the offices in a real compassionate way, and were just really fed up with it. Cecil Carter lost his wife while he was awaiting his installation as pastor at the church. She was really looking forward to it, he said about his wife of 35 years. "She was very proud" of him, he continued. But right now, the emptiness of her not being here for the installation is going to be hard for me. He added, Right now, Im getting strength from knowing that God is able, and knowing that my wife is in a better place with the Lord. And no doubt about it that she loved the Lord. So I have to be strong for her, and myself, and for my family, my children and all. This is the third homicide in the city since Christmas Eve, according to media reports. Its more of a retirement community. Ive been over here at night, no gunfire, no nothing. So its a big shock to hear, a neighbor was quoted as saying. Its sad and I hate that it happened to the church. Like I said, this is a quiet neighborhood and Ive actually met the neighbors; theyre good people, old-fashioned people. Police have said the incident doesnt appear to be an intentional shooting. Texas Audit Finds Over 11,000 Potential Noncitizens Registered to Vote, Other Problems First phase of audit praised by secretary of state but criticized by some lawmakers who argue it isn't enough Voting irregularitiesincluding potentially thousands of votes cast by noncitizens and dead peoplewere reported during the first phase of the Texas secretary of states forensic audit of the 2020 general election, but critics deemed it more of a risk-limiting audit at this point. The secretary of states office released its findings on Dec. 31; the issues found arent enough to significantly affect 2020 election results of the four counties involved in the auditCollin, Dallas, Harris, and Tarrant countieswhich account for about 10 million people, or a third of Texass population. Generally speaking, nothing was found on such a large scale that could have altered any election, Sam Taylor, assistant secretary of state for communications, told The Epoch Times. Findings include: Statewide, a total of 11,737 potential non-U.S. citizens were identified as being registered to vote. Of these, 327 records were identified in Collin County, 1,385 in Dallas County, 3,063 in Harris County, and 708 in Tarrant County. So far, Dallas County has canceled 1,193 of these records, with Tarrant County canceling one. Neither Collin nor Harris have canceled any potential non-voting records. Since November 2020, 224,585 deceased voters have been removed from the voter rolls in Texas: Collin County removed 4,889 deceased voters, Dallas County removed 14,926 deceased voters, Harris County removed 23,914 deceased voters, and Tarrant County removed 13,955 deceased voters. Statewide, a total of 67 potential votes cast in the name of deceased people are under investigation. Of those, three were cast in Collin County, nine in Dallas County, four in Harris County, and one in Tarrant County. In a review of each countys partial manual count report required under Texas law, three of the four counties reported discrepancies between ballots counted electronically versus those counted by hand. The reported reasons for these discrepancies will be investigated and verified during phase two of the audit. Taylor said the states audit, currently moving into its second phase, is the first of its kind for Texas. Secretary of State John Scott portrayed the audit as the countrys most comprehensive forensic audit of the 2020 election, according to a November statement. He said the audit will use analytical tools to examine the literal nuts and bolts of election administration to determine if any illegal activity may have occurred. Of the four counties being audited, President Donald Trump won Collin County, with President Joe Biden taking Dallas and Harris counties. Tarrant County, traditionally a red county, flipped to Biden with a slim 1,826 vote margin. Overall, Trump carried Texas with 52.1 percent of the vote to Bidens 46.5 percent. The Texas audit was announced soon after Trump wrote a Sept. 23, 2021, open letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, whom Trump endorsed for reelection in 2022, pushing for a more thorough forensic audit of the 2020 election. Trumps letter asked Abbott to include legislation in the third special session that would allow for more comprehensive forensic audits of the 2020 presidential election in Texas, specifically pointing to House Bill 16 and Senate Bill 97. Those pieces of legislation would have allowed party officials to demand county-level audits in future elections and allowed for a 2020 audit as well. Ultimately SB 97, which had similar language as HB 16, was introduced but didnt pass both chambers before the clock ran out on the third and final session this fall. As it stands, the four-county audit is part of Senate Bill 1, a sweeping election bill passed by the Republican-led legislature in the second special session of 2021, but vehemently opposed by Democrats. Legislators hoping to revive a fourth legislative session to deal with voting fraud issues say the current audit is limited in scope. State Rep. Steve Toth (R-Woodlands), who sponsored HB 16, called the audit more of a risk-limiting exercise that wont adequately address all 2020 election problems. We know that fraud has been taking place in Texas, Toth told The Epoch Times. We need a forensic audit. Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), who introduced SB 97, agreed that Toth had a point. Bettencourts bill would have allowed audits to be conducted at the county level across Texas. However, he said the Secretary of States audit has the potential to become a forensic audit during phase two if it begins to dig into voting irregularities. My observation over time is that fraud is used against Democrats in their primaries and against the Republicans in the general election, Bettencourt told The Epoch Times. He pointed to some 3,000 nonresidents potentially voting in Harris County cited by the audit. Bettencourt said as far back as 20 years ago when he was a district voting clerk, he would use jury service data indicating noncitizens to purge them from the rolls. But at this point, he said the county appears to have abandoned such efforts. Bettencourt noted other irregularities not covered by the states audit, such as a situation in Wichita Falls where a single-family residence was home to more than 500 registered voters. While the Texas attorney generals office lists only 386 active election fraud investigations, cases of voter fraud have increased in the state. In a Texan article, Jonathan White, head of the election fraud section in the Texas attorney generals special prosecutions division, said cases were higher than our historical average by a long shot. There were 510 offenses pending against 43 defendants at the time, according to the article, with most stemming from mail-in ballots. Taylor said that the secretary of states audit was indeed a forensic exercise. During the second phase of the audit, the secretary of states forensic audit division will conduct on-site examinations in January and will compare machine tabulations with paper ballots when possible. Issues such as how drive-thru voting was conducted in Harris County in 2020, now prohibited by SB 1, will be reviewed, Taylor said, adding there were claims of a 1,800 vote discrepancy between the number of voters checked in and the number of votes cast at drive-thrus. About 127,000 votes were cast in the Houston area this way. But Leah Shah, communications director for Harris County Elections, said the county uses very strict protocol on how ballots are managed and couldnt confirm a voting discrepancy. We have heard that number, but we have no idea where that number came from, she told The Epoch Times. Texas Audit Finds Over 11,000 Potential Noncitizens Registered to Vote, Other Problems First phase of audit praised by secretary of state but criticized by some lawmakers who argue it isn't enough Voting irregularitiesincluding potentially thousands of votes cast by noncitizens and dead peoplewere reported during the first phase of the Texas secretary of states forensic audit of the 2020 general election, but critics deemed it more of a risk-limiting audit at this point. The secretary of states office released its findings on Dec. 31; the issues found arent enough to significantly affect 2020 election results of the four counties involved in the auditCollin, Dallas, Harris, and Tarrant countieswhich account for about 10 million people, or a third of Texass population. Generally speaking, nothing was found on such a large scale that could have altered any election, Sam Taylor, assistant secretary of state for communications, told The Epoch Times. Findings include: Statewide, a total of 11,737 potential non-U.S. citizens were identified as being registered to vote. Of these, 327 records were identified in Collin County, 1,385 in Dallas County, 3,063 in Harris County, and 708 in Tarrant County. So far, Dallas County has canceled 1,193 of these records, with Tarrant County canceling one. Neither Collin nor Harris have canceled any potential non-voting records. Since November 2020, 224,585 deceased voters have been removed from the voter rolls in Texas: Collin County removed 4,889 deceased voters, Dallas County removed 14,926 deceased voters, Harris County removed 23,914 deceased voters, and Tarrant County removed 13,955 deceased voters. Statewide, a total of 67 potential votes cast in the name of deceased people are under investigation. Of those, three were cast in Collin County, nine in Dallas County, four in Harris County, and one in Tarrant County. In a review of each countys partial manual count report required under Texas law, three of the four counties reported discrepancies between ballots counted electronically versus those counted by hand. The reported reasons for these discrepancies will be investigated and verified during phase two of the audit. Taylor said the states audit, currently moving into its second phase, is the first of its kind for Texas. Secretary of State John Scott portrayed the audit as the countrys most comprehensive forensic audit of the 2020 election, according to a November statement. He said the audit will use analytical tools to examine the literal nuts and bolts of election administration to determine if any illegal activity may have occurred. Of the four counties being audited, President Donald Trump won Collin County, with President Joe Biden taking Dallas and Harris counties. Tarrant County, traditionally a red county, flipped to Biden with a slim 1,826 vote margin. Overall, Trump carried Texas with 52.1 percent of the vote to Bidens 46.5 percent. The Texas audit was announced soon after Trump wrote a Sept. 23, 2021, open letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, whom Trump endorsed for reelection in 2022, pushing for a more thorough forensic audit of the 2020 election. Trumps letter asked Abbott to include legislation in the third special session that would allow for more comprehensive forensic audits of the 2020 presidential election in Texas, specifically pointing to House Bill 16 and Senate Bill 97. Those pieces of legislation would have allowed party officials to demand county-level audits in future elections and allowed for a 2020 audit as well. Ultimately SB 97, which had similar language as HB 16, was introduced but didnt pass both chambers before the clock ran out on the third and final session this fall. As it stands, the four-county audit is part of Senate Bill 1, a sweeping election bill passed by the Republican-led legislature in the second special session of 2021, but vehemently opposed by Democrats. Legislators hoping to revive a fourth legislative session to deal with voting fraud issues say the current audit is limited in scope. State Rep. Steve Toth (R-Woodlands), who sponsored HB 16, called the audit more of a risk-limiting exercise that wont adequately address all 2020 election problems. We know that fraud has been taking place in Texas, Toth told The Epoch Times. We need a forensic audit. Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), who introduced SB 97, agreed that Toth had a point. Bettencourts bill would have allowed audits to be conducted at the county level across Texas. However, he said the Secretary of States audit has the potential to become a forensic audit during phase two if it begins to dig into voting irregularities. My observation over time is that fraud is used against Democrats in their primaries and against the Republicans in the general election, Bettencourt told The Epoch Times. He pointed to some 3,000 nonresidents potentially voting in Harris County cited by the audit. Bettencourt said as far back as 20 years ago when he was a district voting clerk, he would use jury service data indicating noncitizens to purge them from the rolls. But at this point, he said the county appears to have abandoned such efforts. Bettencourt noted other irregularities not covered by the states audit, such as a situation in Wichita Falls where a single-family residence was home to more than 500 registered voters. While the Texas attorney generals office lists only 386 active election fraud investigations, cases of voter fraud have increased in the state. In a Texan article, Jonathan White, head of the election fraud section in the Texas attorney generals special prosecutions division, said cases were higher than our historical average by a long shot. There were 510 offenses pending against 43 defendants at the time, according to the article, with most stemming from mail-in ballots. Taylor said that the secretary of states audit was indeed a forensic exercise. During the second phase of the audit, the secretary of states forensic audit division will conduct on-site examinations in January and will compare machine tabulations with paper ballots when possible. Issues such as how drive-thru voting was conducted in Harris County in 2020, now prohibited by SB 1, will be reviewed, Taylor said, adding there were claims of a 1,800 vote discrepancy between the number of voters checked in and the number of votes cast at drive-thrus. About 127,000 votes were cast in the Houston area this way. But Leah Shah, communications director for Harris County Elections, said the county uses very strict protocol on how ballots are managed and couldnt confirm a voting discrepancy. We have heard that number, but we have no idea where that number came from, she told The Epoch Times. Atiwa Forest Reserve, and other 16 sites have been penned as future nominations into the World Network of Biosphere Reserves under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Biosphere Reserves are specially protected areas where diverse plants and animals exist with some level of human activity to conserve biodiversity and sustainable development. These sites serve as referral systems for monitoring and evaluating changes in natural ecosystems and are an effective instrument for mitigating climate change and serve as models for adaptation to the impacts of this change. They include Shai Hills Reserve, the Kakum, Mole, Digya, and Bui national parks, and Gbele Resources Reserve. The Tano-Ofei Range, Apedwa Hills, Kwahu Scarp, Kyaboo Transboundary Reserve, and Mount Afadzato and Agumatsa Wildlife Sanctuary are also part of the sites. Professor Dennis Aheto, the subcommittee chair of the National Committee of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) said this at the launch of a 47-page handbook on Biosphere Reserve concept at Sege in the Ada West District. It was designed by the National Committee of the UNESCO MAB hosted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with support from the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC); Forestry Commission, academia, and some district assemblies. The manual is seeking to make biosphere issues a normal component in Ghana's development planning and budgeting process at all levels as the basis for sustainable financing of its activities. He said out of the network of 727 reserves in 131countries, Ghana was hosting three, comprising Bia Biosphere Reserve, the largest, located in the Western Region, Songor Ramsar Site in Greater Accra, and Lake Bosomtwe Biosphere Reserve in Ashanti. Touching on the handbook, Prof. Aheto explained that its development, which started in 2018 in line with the Ghana Action plan (2018- 2025) for the MAB programme, was a requirement of the network of world biosphere reserves network as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The mainstreaming activities in the book, he said, included stakeholder engagements; communication and information sharing; capacity building, and conscious allocation of funds for biosphere related activities. Madam Ama Nerquaye-Tetteh, the Secretary-General for the Ghana Commission for UNESCO, commended Ghana for its tree planting exercise; support for global environmental initiatives, and the development of the manual and urged the country to do more to protect its reserves. Dr Kodjo Mensah-Abrampa, the Director-General of the NDPC, said the effective way of implementing national policies was through integration into all levels of planning. He urged all districts to take the handbook seriously and urged stakeholders to monitor and ensure its content was implemented. On behalf of the EPA, the Ghana MAB coordinator, Sheila Ashong, expressed the hope that the strong stakeholder engagement held over the period would propel the implementation of the activities outlined in the document for collective gains. GNA Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Six people were wounded in a Los Angeles shooting on Friday after two gunmen fired shots into a grocery store as the city ended a crime-filled year with one last fit of senseless violence. Two unidentified shooters fired into Superior Grocers around 4pm on Friday after driving up to the store and getting out of their vehicle, police said. The shooting at 102nd Street and Avalon Boulevard in Green Meadows allegedly occurred after the two men returned to the store with guns following an argument with another person inside the store, Los Angeles Police Department Captain Stacy Spell said. The two gunmen targeted only one person, but five others were injured in the process, leaving two in critical condition and two others in serious condition, according to Margaret Stewart, an LAPD spokesperson. Scroll down for video The shooting reportedly happened after the two men got into an argument with another person inside and came back with guns. Police believe the other person was the only target, but fie others were injured The other two victims reportedly declined transportation to the hospital, according to Fox News. A 54-year-old woman was shot in the back, a few others have glass wounds. The investigation is ongoing. It is unclear if the gunmen have been arrested. DailyMail.com reached out to the LAPD for comment. The shooting caps a year in which Los Angeles was ravaged by crime, including flash mobs who ransacked high-end stores in what officials called organized attacks. In the week between Christmas and New Year's, the city had 118 vehicle thefts, nearly 70 robberies and almost 100 assaults, according to the LAPD. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has blamed woke LA County District Attorney George Gascon, as well as his San Francisco counterpart Chesa Boudin, for the state's rampant crime 'I have a 92 percent increase in homicides in two years. I have a 16 percent increase in grand-theft auto. I have a 'zero bail' schedule, which means every person I catch with a stolen car gets a ticket, walks out of jailin fact, they're out of jail before [deputies are] even done writing the report,' Villanueva said. The sheriff added that Boudin turned against police as part of his political agenda, but doesn't realize how harmful it is for the community. 'And it's peopleThey live in this 'woke palace' where they're not affected by the policies, but the average person IS impacted by them.' Six people were wounded in a Los Angeles shooting on Friday after two gunmen fired shots into a grocery store as the city ended a crime-filled year with one last fit of senseless violence. Two unidentified shooters fired into Superior Grocers around 4pm on Friday after driving up to the store and getting out of their vehicle, police said. The shooting at 102nd Street and Avalon Boulevard in Green Meadows allegedly occurred after the two men returned to the store with guns following an argument with another person inside the store, Los Angeles Police Department Captain Stacy Spell said. The two gunmen targeted only one person, but five others were injured in the process, leaving two in critical condition and two others in serious condition, according to Margaret Stewart, an LAPD spokesperson. Scroll down for video The shooting reportedly happened after the two men got into an argument with another person inside and came back with guns. Police believe the other person was the only target, but fie others were injured The other two victims reportedly declined transportation to the hospital, according to Fox News. A 54-year-old woman was shot in the back, a few others have glass wounds. The investigation is ongoing. It is unclear if the gunmen have been arrested. DailyMail.com reached out to the LAPD for comment. The shooting caps a year in which Los Angeles was ravaged by crime, including flash mobs who ransacked high-end stores in what officials called organized attacks. In the week between Christmas and New Year's, the city had 118 vehicle thefts, nearly 70 robberies and almost 100 assaults, according to the LAPD. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has blamed woke LA County District Attorney George Gascon, as well as his San Francisco counterpart Chesa Boudin, for the state's rampant crime 'I have a 92 percent increase in homicides in two years. I have a 16 percent increase in grand-theft auto. I have a 'zero bail' schedule, which means every person I catch with a stolen car gets a ticket, walks out of jailin fact, they're out of jail before [deputies are] even done writing the report,' Villanueva said. The sheriff added that Boudin turned against police as part of his political agenda, but doesn't realize how harmful it is for the community. 'And it's peopleThey live in this 'woke palace' where they're not affected by the policies, but the average person IS impacted by them.' Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Eric Adams is sworn in as the 110th mayor of the city of New York in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Arturo Holmes/Getty Images) Eric Adams Sworn in as New York City Mayor, Succeeding de Blasio Democrat Eric Adams was sworn in as New York Citys mayor early Saturday, succeeding Bill de Blasio. Adams, 61, took his oath of office in Times Square after the ball dropped, signaling the New Year had arrived. Both he and his wife wore masks despite the event being outdoors, though he removed his for a period of time. Adams did not deliver a speech or answer questions from reporters. During an appearance shortly afterward on Dick Clarks New Years Rockin Eve with Ryan Seacrest, Adams told Seacrest he had a few parties to attend but that he would be up early in the morning, working for the city of New York. About 15,000 people gathered in central Manhattan for the event, about a quarter of the usual crowd. Adams won a contested Democratic primary race for the mayors office, which de Blasio, a Democrat, had to vacate due to term limits. Adams was the president of the Brooklyn borough and once served in the New York Police Department. He campaigned on police reform, improving city schools, and getting illegal guns off city streets, describing himself as a progressive Democrat. For now, Adams is continuing many of his predecessors policies, including a raft of COVID-19 vaccine mandates. New York has one of the strictest regimes in the country, imposing mandates on children as young as 5 to go out to eat and forcing all private employers of any size to require vaccination. Courts have so far upheld the mandates. Chirlane McCray and Bill de Blasio dance onstage after the ball drop during the Times Square New Years Eve 2022 Celebration in New York City, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Arturo Holmes/Getty Images) Adams told reporters in a briefing Thursday that he has a multipronged plan to curb COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Even with the strict rules, New York has seen record-highs in case numbers and an increase in hospital admissions with COVID-19. Adams main focus is on getting people vaccinated and boosted. Adams has vowed not to shut down the city and said the Times Square event was important. Even in the midst of COVID, in the midst of everything that were going through, this is a country where hope and opportunities is always, ever present, Adams said on stage before midnight Friday. Its just great when New York shows the entire country of how we come back, he added. We showed the entire globe what were made of. Were unbelievable. This is an unbelievable city and, trust me, were ready for a major comeback because this is New York. De Blasio, meanwhile, is expected to announce soon whether he will run for governor of New York. The ex-mayor had hinted repeatedly he would but said he wouldnt reveal his plans until after he left office. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Eric Adams is sworn in as the 110th mayor of the city of New York in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Arturo Holmes/Getty Images) Eric Adams Sworn in as New York City Mayor, Succeeding de Blasio Democrat Eric Adams was sworn in as New York Citys mayor early Saturday, succeeding Bill de Blasio. Adams, 61, took his oath of office in Times Square after the ball dropped, signaling the New Year had arrived. Both he and his wife wore masks despite the event being outdoors, though he removed his for a period of time. Adams did not deliver a speech or answer questions from reporters. During an appearance shortly afterward on Dick Clarks New Years Rockin Eve with Ryan Seacrest, Adams told Seacrest he had a few parties to attend but that he would be up early in the morning, working for the city of New York. About 15,000 people gathered in central Manhattan for the event, about a quarter of the usual crowd. Adams won a contested Democratic primary race for the mayors office, which de Blasio, a Democrat, had to vacate due to term limits. Adams was the president of the Brooklyn borough and once served in the New York Police Department. He campaigned on police reform, improving city schools, and getting illegal guns off city streets, describing himself as a progressive Democrat. For now, Adams is continuing many of his predecessors policies, including a raft of COVID-19 vaccine mandates. New York has one of the strictest regimes in the country, imposing mandates on children as young as 5 to go out to eat and forcing all private employers of any size to require vaccination. Courts have so far upheld the mandates. Chirlane McCray and Bill de Blasio dance onstage after the ball drop during the Times Square New Years Eve 2022 Celebration in New York City, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Arturo Holmes/Getty Images) Adams told reporters in a briefing Thursday that he has a multipronged plan to curb COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Even with the strict rules, New York has seen record-highs in case numbers and an increase in hospital admissions with COVID-19. Adams main focus is on getting people vaccinated and boosted. Adams has vowed not to shut down the city and said the Times Square event was important. Even in the midst of COVID, in the midst of everything that were going through, this is a country where hope and opportunities is always, ever present, Adams said on stage before midnight Friday. Its just great when New York shows the entire country of how we come back, he added. We showed the entire globe what were made of. Were unbelievable. This is an unbelievable city and, trust me, were ready for a major comeback because this is New York. De Blasio, meanwhile, is expected to announce soon whether he will run for governor of New York. The ex-mayor had hinted repeatedly he would but said he wouldnt reveal his plans until after he left office. The Associated Press contributed to this report. An 18-year-old man was fatally wounded New Years Eve in the Gresham neighborhood, marking the last fatal shooting in Chicago in 2021, according to the Chicago Police Department Media notifications. According to the Cook County medical examiners office, Anthony Watkins was pronounced dead at 8:25 p.m. Friday. Advertisement A police officer walks past a puddle of blood at the scene of a fatal shooting in the 7900 block of South Parnell Avenue on Dec. 31, 2021, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Police said Watkins was walking in the 7900 block of South Parnell Avenue shortly before 8:15 p.m. when he was shot in the neck. Watkins, of the 7500 block of South Kedzie Avenue, was taken to St. Bernard Hospital where he was pronounced dead, authorities said. Advertisement No one was in custody for the homicide, and detectives were investigating. An 18-year-old man was fatally wounded New Years Eve in the Gresham neighborhood, marking the last fatal shooting in Chicago in 2021, according to the Chicago Police Department Media notifications. According to the Cook County medical examiners office, Anthony Watkins was pronounced dead at 8:25 p.m. Friday. Advertisement A police officer walks past a puddle of blood at the scene of a fatal shooting in the 7900 block of South Parnell Avenue on Dec. 31, 2021, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Police said Watkins was walking in the 7900 block of South Parnell Avenue shortly before 8:15 p.m. when he was shot in the neck. Watkins, of the 7500 block of South Kedzie Avenue, was taken to St. Bernard Hospital where he was pronounced dead, authorities said. Advertisement No one was in custody for the homicide, and detectives were investigating. An 18-year-old man was fatally wounded New Years Eve in the Gresham neighborhood, marking the last fatal shooting in Chicago in 2021, according to the Chicago Police Department Media notifications. According to the Cook County medical examiners office, Anthony Watkins was pronounced dead at 8:25 p.m. Friday. Advertisement A police officer walks past a puddle of blood at the scene of a fatal shooting in the 7900 block of South Parnell Avenue on Dec. 31, 2021, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Police said Watkins was walking in the 7900 block of South Parnell Avenue shortly before 8:15 p.m. when he was shot in the neck. Watkins, of the 7500 block of South Kedzie Avenue, was taken to St. Bernard Hospital where he was pronounced dead, authorities said. Advertisement No one was in custody for the homicide, and detectives were investigating. An 18-year-old man was fatally wounded New Years Eve in the Gresham neighborhood, marking the last fatal shooting in Chicago in 2021, according to the Chicago Police Department Media notifications. According to the Cook County medical examiners office, Anthony Watkins was pronounced dead at 8:25 p.m. Friday. Advertisement A police officer walks past a puddle of blood at the scene of a fatal shooting in the 7900 block of South Parnell Avenue on Dec. 31, 2021, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Police said Watkins was walking in the 7900 block of South Parnell Avenue shortly before 8:15 p.m. when he was shot in the neck. Watkins, of the 7500 block of South Kedzie Avenue, was taken to St. Bernard Hospital where he was pronounced dead, authorities said. Advertisement No one was in custody for the homicide, and detectives were investigating. Atiwa Forest Reserve, and other 16 sites have been penned as future nominations into the World Network of Biosphere Reserves under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Biosphere Reserves are specially protected areas where diverse plants and animals exist with some level of human activity to conserve biodiversity and sustainable development. These sites serve as referral systems for monitoring and evaluating changes in natural ecosystems and are an effective instrument for mitigating climate change and serve as models for adaptation to the impacts of this change. They include Shai Hills Reserve, the Kakum, Mole, Digya, and Bui national parks, and Gbele Resources Reserve. The Tano-Ofei Range, Apedwa Hills, Kwahu Scarp, Kyaboo Transboundary Reserve, and Mount Afadzato and Agumatsa Wildlife Sanctuary are also part of the sites. Professor Dennis Aheto, the subcommittee chair of the National Committee of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) said this at the launch of a 47-page handbook on Biosphere Reserve concept at Sege in the Ada West District. It was designed by the National Committee of the UNESCO MAB hosted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with support from the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC); Forestry Commission, academia, and some district assemblies. The manual is seeking to make biosphere issues a normal component in Ghana's development planning and budgeting process at all levels as the basis for sustainable financing of its activities. He said out of the network of 727 reserves in 131countries, Ghana was hosting three, comprising Bia Biosphere Reserve, the largest, located in the Western Region, Songor Ramsar Site in Greater Accra, and Lake Bosomtwe Biosphere Reserve in Ashanti. Touching on the handbook, Prof. Aheto explained that its development, which started in 2018 in line with the Ghana Action plan (2018- 2025) for the MAB programme, was a requirement of the network of world biosphere reserves network as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The mainstreaming activities in the book, he said, included stakeholder engagements; communication and information sharing; capacity building, and conscious allocation of funds for biosphere related activities. Madam Ama Nerquaye-Tetteh, the Secretary-General for the Ghana Commission for UNESCO, commended Ghana for its tree planting exercise; support for global environmental initiatives, and the development of the manual and urged the country to do more to protect its reserves. Dr Kodjo Mensah-Abrampa, the Director-General of the NDPC, said the effective way of implementing national policies was through integration into all levels of planning. He urged all districts to take the handbook seriously and urged stakeholders to monitor and ensure its content was implemented. On behalf of the EPA, the Ghana MAB coordinator, Sheila Ashong, expressed the hope that the strong stakeholder engagement held over the period would propel the implementation of the activities outlined in the document for collective gains. GNA LONG ISLAND, NY With the number of COVID-19 cases continuing to spike in New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul rolled out her "winter surge 2.0" plan Friday including announcements that all SUNY and CUNY students must be boosted before returning to classes, and that a mask-or-vaccination mandate for businesses will be extended through February. Hochul said there were five key points to the plan: Keeping kids in school, continuing to wear masks and test, preventing severe illness and death, increasing vaccines and boosters, and working in collaboration with local leaders. "We are working around the clock to fight this surge. And as we've been saying for a long time, we were going to experience a very serious winter surge," Hochul said. Statewide, as of Friday, there are 271 cases per 100,000 and 321 per 100,000 on Long Island. On Friday, there were 76,555 new positive cases reported as the omicron variant adds to the uptick, Hochul said. "It's almost not worth it to say we're breaking records. We're breaking records every day and we'll probably continue to do so until we hit that downward trend," Hochul said. The trends have been witnessed nationwide and globally, Hochul reminded. New York stands at number three in the nation for per capita testing and number one, in the large states, she said. Hospitalizations continue to rise, "closing in on 8,000 which is not a milestone we've hoped to hit, but it's also very concerning," Hochul said. Health care workers are exhausted and frustrated, she said, "because they know it did not have to be this way. If we had more people vaccinated, fully vaccinated, to deal with this highly transmittable variant known as omicron." On Long Island, 1,374 are hospitalized, the data indicates. And a total of 80 New Yorkers died in the 24 hours leading up to Friday's news briefing, Hochul said. "We're not out of this," Hochul said. "We're still addressing a very serious situation." Story continues In New York, 95 percent of adults over 18 have received their first dose, but there is a need for people to go receive their second doses, Hochul said adding that boosters, too, are critical. A person who is boosted can be protected within two to three days of receiving that shot, she said. The challenge also remains children in the 5 to 11 age group, Hochul said only 28 percent have received their first dose. Children in that age group who remain unvaccinated might be transmitting the virus to their younger siblings, she said. Discussing why she was releasing a 2.0 plan, Hochul said it's because the virus has changed so dramatically and quickly since November. "We have to adapt. We have to be very smart. We've been doing the right things, but 2.0 is simply improvements upon what we've been doing. And again, to sound the alarm, that the numbers are continuing to increase they don't have to, we can control this," she said. Hochul discussed the five key points of her 2.0 plan: Keeping kids in school The governor said planes are bringing testing kits to New York, so that the "Test to Stay" program can be rolled out. The tenet of that plan is that if a student's classmate tests positive, kids can take home test kits in their backpacks, and then come back the next day if they test negative, and get tested again in a few days. New York State Operations Director Kathryn Garcia said more than 37 million tests have been ordered; 5.28 million arrived this week, and another 6 million are arriving through Monday. The state will also supply tests to counties. Discussing college students, Hochul said students congregate and live on campus, so the experience is different. On Friday, the state issued new guidance for SUNY and CUNY schools for the spring semester. "We are asking all schools to ensure that students before they return are boosted," Hochul said. "They're required to be vaccinated. Now we're putting on an additional requirement: in order to return to your college campus you have to be boosted." College students are also required to wear masks in public spaces indoors and will have to quarantine and follow New York State and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines if anyone does test positive. Those students will also have to show a negative test when they return to campus, Hochul said. Random sampling will continue throughout the year, Hochul added. The requirement takes effect on January 15. The goal is not to just think of the health of students and staff, but also the local businesses that will suffer if college campuses are forced to shutter, Hochul said. Mask/vaccination requirement for businesses extended Testing and masks are an important line of defense, Hochul said. Although the mandate for businesses to either require masks or proof of vaccination was initially going to be re-evaluated on January 15, that has been extended for two weeks, due to the rapidly changing landscape, Hochul said. The plan has been geared all along to keeping the economy open, she said. "The other alternative is to say, shut it all down. The reason we don't have to do this is because we now have the defenses in place, the testing, the vaccines, the booster shots, the masks. So we're in a different dynamic now but I'm very conscious while this continues to spread that we can take steps to make sure that they are protected," Hochul said. To that end, Hochul urged the use of KN95 masks, which offer more protection; she said New Yorkers can use their favorite cloth masks over the KN95 masks to offer double protection. A total of 5 million KN95 masks have been sent out to counties statewide, she said. With 13 new testing sites launched recently, including two on Long Island, six others will be added next week, although none of those six are on Long Island. New MTA sites have also been added in New York City in the Bronx, she said. Preventing severe illness and death Hochul said supporting hospitals is a key factor in preventing severe illness and death. The federal government plays an important role, Hochul said. She is working with federal partners and advocating for the right to be able to protect nursing home occupants by requiring visitors to be vaccinated. "We've asked the federal government to revise their regulations that don't allow us to have any restrictions on visitors," Hochul said. "I understand that this was a reaction to the painful experience that so many families had to experience when they couldn't visit a loved one. Visit your loved one, but also don't be the reason that loved one does not survive." Hochul said she has also asked the federal government to make the antiviral treatment more widely available. Dr. Mary Bassett, New York's department of health commissioner, said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last week gave emergency approval to oral antiviral drugs. Before that, monoclonal antibodies were drugs that had to be administered in hospitals; the Pfizer drug is called Paxlovid, the Merck drug is Molnupiravir both are taken orally twice a day for five days. While New York received 3,180 doses of Paxlovid, far greater amounts are needed, Bassett said. The challenge is in production, she said. There has also been a focus on monoclonal antibodies, Bassett said, including one that's been the most protective for people who have omicron infection, called Sotrovimab. New York received 4,242 doses and then received an additional 5,580. "The federal government is now acknowledging that New York State has to receive not just proportional to our population but proportional to our disease burden," Bassett said. Jackie Bray, division of Homeland Security emergency services commissioner, said federal assistance has come in the form of new deployments statewide. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending a 35-member disaster medical assistance team to SUNY upstate in Syracuse, as well as a medical response team to Buffalo and 30 federal ambulance teams working upstate and in central New York. FEMA will also be sending 50 additional ambulance teams to New York City, Bray said. In addition to the federal aid, New York is opening its stockpiles and sending medical equipment, including oxygen tanks and other supplies, to hospitals statewide, Bray said. Hochul said there is good news: New York is down from 35 hospitals who had to put the brakes on elective surgeries, to 21. Vaccinated versus unvaccinated hospitalizations According to the latest data, 30 per 100,000 cases are unvaccinated, compared with 2.1 who are vaccinated. "If you are vaccinated you have a very low chance of being hospitalized," Hochul said. "Look at those numbers and see what percentage of people are in hospitals who are unvaccinated versus vaccinated, it's an extraordinary difference." Pediatric hospitalizations continue to rise, up to 299 statewide this week. Hochul said the FDA final approval date for the Pfizer booster is coming soon for 12 to 15 year olds and added that kids should not only be vaccinated but boosted. The governor also said communication with local leaders will continue. "This is the final message. 2022 is the year we beat this pandemic," Hochul said. This article originally appeared on the East Hampton Patch Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. 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Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Atiwa Forest Reserve, and other 16 sites have been penned as future nominations into the World Network of Biosphere Reserves under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Biosphere Reserves are specially protected areas where diverse plants and animals exist with some level of human activity to conserve biodiversity and sustainable development. These sites serve as referral systems for monitoring and evaluating changes in natural ecosystems and are an effective instrument for mitigating climate change and serve as models for adaptation to the impacts of this change. They include Shai Hills Reserve, the Kakum, Mole, Digya, and Bui national parks, and Gbele Resources Reserve. The Tano-Ofei Range, Apedwa Hills, Kwahu Scarp, Kyaboo Transboundary Reserve, and Mount Afadzato and Agumatsa Wildlife Sanctuary are also part of the sites. Professor Dennis Aheto, the subcommittee chair of the National Committee of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) said this at the launch of a 47-page handbook on Biosphere Reserve concept at Sege in the Ada West District. It was designed by the National Committee of the UNESCO MAB hosted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with support from the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC); Forestry Commission, academia, and some district assemblies. The manual is seeking to make biosphere issues a normal component in Ghana's development planning and budgeting process at all levels as the basis for sustainable financing of its activities. He said out of the network of 727 reserves in 131countries, Ghana was hosting three, comprising Bia Biosphere Reserve, the largest, located in the Western Region, Songor Ramsar Site in Greater Accra, and Lake Bosomtwe Biosphere Reserve in Ashanti. Touching on the handbook, Prof. Aheto explained that its development, which started in 2018 in line with the Ghana Action plan (2018- 2025) for the MAB programme, was a requirement of the network of world biosphere reserves network as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The mainstreaming activities in the book, he said, included stakeholder engagements; communication and information sharing; capacity building, and conscious allocation of funds for biosphere related activities. Madam Ama Nerquaye-Tetteh, the Secretary-General for the Ghana Commission for UNESCO, commended Ghana for its tree planting exercise; support for global environmental initiatives, and the development of the manual and urged the country to do more to protect its reserves. Dr Kodjo Mensah-Abrampa, the Director-General of the NDPC, said the effective way of implementing national policies was through integration into all levels of planning. He urged all districts to take the handbook seriously and urged stakeholders to monitor and ensure its content was implemented. On behalf of the EPA, the Ghana MAB coordinator, Sheila Ashong, expressed the hope that the strong stakeholder engagement held over the period would propel the implementation of the activities outlined in the document for collective gains. GNA Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Six people were wounded in a Los Angeles shooting on Friday after two gunmen fired shots into a grocery store as the city ended a crime-filled year with one last fit of senseless violence. Two unidentified shooters fired into Superior Grocers around 4pm on Friday after driving up to the store and getting out of their vehicle, police said. The shooting at 102nd Street and Avalon Boulevard in Green Meadows allegedly occurred after the two men returned to the store with guns following an argument with another person inside the store, Los Angeles Police Department Captain Stacy Spell said. The two gunmen targeted only one person, but five others were injured in the process, leaving two in critical condition and two others in serious condition, according to Margaret Stewart, an LAPD spokesperson. Scroll down for video The shooting reportedly happened after the two men got into an argument with another person inside and came back with guns. Police believe the other person was the only target, but fie others were injured The other two victims reportedly declined transportation to the hospital, according to Fox News. A 54-year-old woman was shot in the back, a few others have glass wounds. The investigation is ongoing. It is unclear if the gunmen have been arrested. DailyMail.com reached out to the LAPD for comment. The shooting caps a year in which Los Angeles was ravaged by crime, including flash mobs who ransacked high-end stores in what officials called organized attacks. In the week between Christmas and New Year's, the city had 118 vehicle thefts, nearly 70 robberies and almost 100 assaults, according to the LAPD. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has blamed woke LA County District Attorney George Gascon, as well as his San Francisco counterpart Chesa Boudin, for the state's rampant crime 'I have a 92 percent increase in homicides in two years. I have a 16 percent increase in grand-theft auto. I have a 'zero bail' schedule, which means every person I catch with a stolen car gets a ticket, walks out of jailin fact, they're out of jail before [deputies are] even done writing the report,' Villanueva said. The sheriff added that Boudin turned against police as part of his political agenda, but doesn't realize how harmful it is for the community. 'And it's peopleThey live in this 'woke palace' where they're not affected by the policies, but the average person IS impacted by them.' Six people were wounded in a Los Angeles shooting on Friday after two gunmen fired shots into a grocery store as the city ended a crime-filled year with one last fit of senseless violence. Two unidentified shooters fired into Superior Grocers around 4pm on Friday after driving up to the store and getting out of their vehicle, police said. The shooting at 102nd Street and Avalon Boulevard in Green Meadows allegedly occurred after the two men returned to the store with guns following an argument with another person inside the store, Los Angeles Police Department Captain Stacy Spell said. The two gunmen targeted only one person, but five others were injured in the process, leaving two in critical condition and two others in serious condition, according to Margaret Stewart, an LAPD spokesperson. Scroll down for video The shooting reportedly happened after the two men got into an argument with another person inside and came back with guns. Police believe the other person was the only target, but fie others were injured The other two victims reportedly declined transportation to the hospital, according to Fox News. A 54-year-old woman was shot in the back, a few others have glass wounds. The investigation is ongoing. It is unclear if the gunmen have been arrested. DailyMail.com reached out to the LAPD for comment. The shooting caps a year in which Los Angeles was ravaged by crime, including flash mobs who ransacked high-end stores in what officials called organized attacks. In the week between Christmas and New Year's, the city had 118 vehicle thefts, nearly 70 robberies and almost 100 assaults, according to the LAPD. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has blamed woke LA County District Attorney George Gascon, as well as his San Francisco counterpart Chesa Boudin, for the state's rampant crime 'I have a 92 percent increase in homicides in two years. I have a 16 percent increase in grand-theft auto. I have a 'zero bail' schedule, which means every person I catch with a stolen car gets a ticket, walks out of jailin fact, they're out of jail before [deputies are] even done writing the report,' Villanueva said. The sheriff added that Boudin turned against police as part of his political agenda, but doesn't realize how harmful it is for the community. 'And it's peopleThey live in this 'woke palace' where they're not affected by the policies, but the average person IS impacted by them.' Texas Audit Finds Over 11,000 Potential Noncitizens Registered to Vote, Other Problems First phase of audit praised by secretary of state but criticized by some lawmakers who argue it isn't enough Voting irregularitiesincluding potentially thousands of votes cast by noncitizens and dead peoplewere reported during the first phase of the Texas secretary of states forensic audit of the 2020 general election, but critics deemed it more of a risk-limiting audit at this point. The secretary of states office released its findings on Dec. 31; the issues found arent enough to significantly affect 2020 election results of the four counties involved in the auditCollin, Dallas, Harris, and Tarrant countieswhich account for about 10 million people, or a third of Texass population. Generally speaking, nothing was found on such a large scale that could have altered any election, Sam Taylor, assistant secretary of state for communications, told The Epoch Times. Findings include: Statewide, a total of 11,737 potential non-U.S. citizens were identified as being registered to vote. Of these, 327 records were identified in Collin County, 1,385 in Dallas County, 3,063 in Harris County, and 708 in Tarrant County. So far, Dallas County has canceled 1,193 of these records, with Tarrant County canceling one. Neither Collin nor Harris have canceled any potential non-voting records. Since November 2020, 224,585 deceased voters have been removed from the voter rolls in Texas: Collin County removed 4,889 deceased voters, Dallas County removed 14,926 deceased voters, Harris County removed 23,914 deceased voters, and Tarrant County removed 13,955 deceased voters. Statewide, a total of 67 potential votes cast in the name of deceased people are under investigation. Of those, three were cast in Collin County, nine in Dallas County, four in Harris County, and one in Tarrant County. In a review of each countys partial manual count report required under Texas law, three of the four counties reported discrepancies between ballots counted electronically versus those counted by hand. The reported reasons for these discrepancies will be investigated and verified during phase two of the audit. Taylor said the states audit, currently moving into its second phase, is the first of its kind for Texas. Secretary of State John Scott portrayed the audit as the countrys most comprehensive forensic audit of the 2020 election, according to a November statement. He said the audit will use analytical tools to examine the literal nuts and bolts of election administration to determine if any illegal activity may have occurred. Of the four counties being audited, President Donald Trump won Collin County, with President Joe Biden taking Dallas and Harris counties. Tarrant County, traditionally a red county, flipped to Biden with a slim 1,826 vote margin. Overall, Trump carried Texas with 52.1 percent of the vote to Bidens 46.5 percent. The Texas audit was announced soon after Trump wrote a Sept. 23, 2021, open letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, whom Trump endorsed for reelection in 2022, pushing for a more thorough forensic audit of the 2020 election. Trumps letter asked Abbott to include legislation in the third special session that would allow for more comprehensive forensic audits of the 2020 presidential election in Texas, specifically pointing to House Bill 16 and Senate Bill 97. Those pieces of legislation would have allowed party officials to demand county-level audits in future elections and allowed for a 2020 audit as well. Ultimately SB 97, which had similar language as HB 16, was introduced but didnt pass both chambers before the clock ran out on the third and final session this fall. As it stands, the four-county audit is part of Senate Bill 1, a sweeping election bill passed by the Republican-led legislature in the second special session of 2021, but vehemently opposed by Democrats. Legislators hoping to revive a fourth legislative session to deal with voting fraud issues say the current audit is limited in scope. State Rep. Steve Toth (R-Woodlands), who sponsored HB 16, called the audit more of a risk-limiting exercise that wont adequately address all 2020 election problems. We know that fraud has been taking place in Texas, Toth told The Epoch Times. We need a forensic audit. Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), who introduced SB 97, agreed that Toth had a point. Bettencourts bill would have allowed audits to be conducted at the county level across Texas. However, he said the Secretary of States audit has the potential to become a forensic audit during phase two if it begins to dig into voting irregularities. My observation over time is that fraud is used against Democrats in their primaries and against the Republicans in the general election, Bettencourt told The Epoch Times. He pointed to some 3,000 nonresidents potentially voting in Harris County cited by the audit. Bettencourt said as far back as 20 years ago when he was a district voting clerk, he would use jury service data indicating noncitizens to purge them from the rolls. But at this point, he said the county appears to have abandoned such efforts. Bettencourt noted other irregularities not covered by the states audit, such as a situation in Wichita Falls where a single-family residence was home to more than 500 registered voters. While the Texas attorney generals office lists only 386 active election fraud investigations, cases of voter fraud have increased in the state. In a Texan article, Jonathan White, head of the election fraud section in the Texas attorney generals special prosecutions division, said cases were higher than our historical average by a long shot. There were 510 offenses pending against 43 defendants at the time, according to the article, with most stemming from mail-in ballots. Taylor said that the secretary of states audit was indeed a forensic exercise. During the second phase of the audit, the secretary of states forensic audit division will conduct on-site examinations in January and will compare machine tabulations with paper ballots when possible. Issues such as how drive-thru voting was conducted in Harris County in 2020, now prohibited by SB 1, will be reviewed, Taylor said, adding there were claims of a 1,800 vote discrepancy between the number of voters checked in and the number of votes cast at drive-thrus. About 127,000 votes were cast in the Houston area this way. But Leah Shah, communications director for Harris County Elections, said the county uses very strict protocol on how ballots are managed and couldnt confirm a voting discrepancy. We have heard that number, but we have no idea where that number came from, she told The Epoch Times. Texas Audit Finds Over 11,000 Potential Noncitizens Registered to Vote, Other Problems First phase of audit praised by secretary of state but criticized by some lawmakers who argue it isn't enough Voting irregularitiesincluding potentially thousands of votes cast by noncitizens and dead peoplewere reported during the first phase of the Texas secretary of states forensic audit of the 2020 general election, but critics deemed it more of a risk-limiting audit at this point. The secretary of states office released its findings on Dec. 31; the issues found arent enough to significantly affect 2020 election results of the four counties involved in the auditCollin, Dallas, Harris, and Tarrant countieswhich account for about 10 million people, or a third of Texass population. Generally speaking, nothing was found on such a large scale that could have altered any election, Sam Taylor, assistant secretary of state for communications, told The Epoch Times. Findings include: Statewide, a total of 11,737 potential non-U.S. citizens were identified as being registered to vote. Of these, 327 records were identified in Collin County, 1,385 in Dallas County, 3,063 in Harris County, and 708 in Tarrant County. So far, Dallas County has canceled 1,193 of these records, with Tarrant County canceling one. Neither Collin nor Harris have canceled any potential non-voting records. Since November 2020, 224,585 deceased voters have been removed from the voter rolls in Texas: Collin County removed 4,889 deceased voters, Dallas County removed 14,926 deceased voters, Harris County removed 23,914 deceased voters, and Tarrant County removed 13,955 deceased voters. Statewide, a total of 67 potential votes cast in the name of deceased people are under investigation. Of those, three were cast in Collin County, nine in Dallas County, four in Harris County, and one in Tarrant County. In a review of each countys partial manual count report required under Texas law, three of the four counties reported discrepancies between ballots counted electronically versus those counted by hand. The reported reasons for these discrepancies will be investigated and verified during phase two of the audit. Taylor said the states audit, currently moving into its second phase, is the first of its kind for Texas. Secretary of State John Scott portrayed the audit as the countrys most comprehensive forensic audit of the 2020 election, according to a November statement. He said the audit will use analytical tools to examine the literal nuts and bolts of election administration to determine if any illegal activity may have occurred. Of the four counties being audited, President Donald Trump won Collin County, with President Joe Biden taking Dallas and Harris counties. Tarrant County, traditionally a red county, flipped to Biden with a slim 1,826 vote margin. Overall, Trump carried Texas with 52.1 percent of the vote to Bidens 46.5 percent. The Texas audit was announced soon after Trump wrote a Sept. 23, 2021, open letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, whom Trump endorsed for reelection in 2022, pushing for a more thorough forensic audit of the 2020 election. Trumps letter asked Abbott to include legislation in the third special session that would allow for more comprehensive forensic audits of the 2020 presidential election in Texas, specifically pointing to House Bill 16 and Senate Bill 97. Those pieces of legislation would have allowed party officials to demand county-level audits in future elections and allowed for a 2020 audit as well. Ultimately SB 97, which had similar language as HB 16, was introduced but didnt pass both chambers before the clock ran out on the third and final session this fall. As it stands, the four-county audit is part of Senate Bill 1, a sweeping election bill passed by the Republican-led legislature in the second special session of 2021, but vehemently opposed by Democrats. Legislators hoping to revive a fourth legislative session to deal with voting fraud issues say the current audit is limited in scope. State Rep. Steve Toth (R-Woodlands), who sponsored HB 16, called the audit more of a risk-limiting exercise that wont adequately address all 2020 election problems. We know that fraud has been taking place in Texas, Toth told The Epoch Times. We need a forensic audit. Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), who introduced SB 97, agreed that Toth had a point. Bettencourts bill would have allowed audits to be conducted at the county level across Texas. However, he said the Secretary of States audit has the potential to become a forensic audit during phase two if it begins to dig into voting irregularities. My observation over time is that fraud is used against Democrats in their primaries and against the Republicans in the general election, Bettencourt told The Epoch Times. He pointed to some 3,000 nonresidents potentially voting in Harris County cited by the audit. Bettencourt said as far back as 20 years ago when he was a district voting clerk, he would use jury service data indicating noncitizens to purge them from the rolls. But at this point, he said the county appears to have abandoned such efforts. Bettencourt noted other irregularities not covered by the states audit, such as a situation in Wichita Falls where a single-family residence was home to more than 500 registered voters. While the Texas attorney generals office lists only 386 active election fraud investigations, cases of voter fraud have increased in the state. In a Texan article, Jonathan White, head of the election fraud section in the Texas attorney generals special prosecutions division, said cases were higher than our historical average by a long shot. There were 510 offenses pending against 43 defendants at the time, according to the article, with most stemming from mail-in ballots. Taylor said that the secretary of states audit was indeed a forensic exercise. During the second phase of the audit, the secretary of states forensic audit division will conduct on-site examinations in January and will compare machine tabulations with paper ballots when possible. Issues such as how drive-thru voting was conducted in Harris County in 2020, now prohibited by SB 1, will be reviewed, Taylor said, adding there were claims of a 1,800 vote discrepancy between the number of voters checked in and the number of votes cast at drive-thrus. About 127,000 votes were cast in the Houston area this way. But Leah Shah, communications director for Harris County Elections, said the county uses very strict protocol on how ballots are managed and couldnt confirm a voting discrepancy. We have heard that number, but we have no idea where that number came from, she told The Epoch Times. Six people were wounded in a Los Angeles shooting on Friday after two gunmen fired shots into a grocery store as the city ended a crime-filled year with one last fit of senseless violence. Two unidentified shooters fired into Superior Grocers around 4pm on Friday after driving up to the store and getting out of their vehicle, police said. The shooting at 102nd Street and Avalon Boulevard in Green Meadows allegedly occurred after the two men returned to the store with guns following an argument with another person inside the store, Los Angeles Police Department Captain Stacy Spell said. The two gunmen targeted only one person, but five others were injured in the process, leaving two in critical condition and two others in serious condition, according to Margaret Stewart, an LAPD spokesperson. Scroll down for video The shooting reportedly happened after the two men got into an argument with another person inside and came back with guns. Police believe the other person was the only target, but fie others were injured The other two victims reportedly declined transportation to the hospital, according to Fox News. A 54-year-old woman was shot in the back, a few others have glass wounds. The investigation is ongoing. It is unclear if the gunmen have been arrested. DailyMail.com reached out to the LAPD for comment. The shooting caps a year in which Los Angeles was ravaged by crime, including flash mobs who ransacked high-end stores in what officials called organized attacks. In the week between Christmas and New Year's, the city had 118 vehicle thefts, nearly 70 robberies and almost 100 assaults, according to the LAPD. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has blamed woke LA County District Attorney George Gascon, as well as his San Francisco counterpart Chesa Boudin, for the state's rampant crime 'I have a 92 percent increase in homicides in two years. I have a 16 percent increase in grand-theft auto. I have a 'zero bail' schedule, which means every person I catch with a stolen car gets a ticket, walks out of jailin fact, they're out of jail before [deputies are] even done writing the report,' Villanueva said. The sheriff added that Boudin turned against police as part of his political agenda, but doesn't realize how harmful it is for the community. 'And it's peopleThey live in this 'woke palace' where they're not affected by the policies, but the average person IS impacted by them.' Six people were wounded in a Los Angeles shooting on Friday after two gunmen fired shots into a grocery store as the city ended a crime-filled year with one last fit of senseless violence. Two unidentified shooters fired into Superior Grocers around 4pm on Friday after driving up to the store and getting out of their vehicle, police said. The shooting at 102nd Street and Avalon Boulevard in Green Meadows allegedly occurred after the two men returned to the store with guns following an argument with another person inside the store, Los Angeles Police Department Captain Stacy Spell said. The two gunmen targeted only one person, but five others were injured in the process, leaving two in critical condition and two others in serious condition, according to Margaret Stewart, an LAPD spokesperson. Scroll down for video The shooting reportedly happened after the two men got into an argument with another person inside and came back with guns. Police believe the other person was the only target, but fie others were injured The other two victims reportedly declined transportation to the hospital, according to Fox News. A 54-year-old woman was shot in the back, a few others have glass wounds. The investigation is ongoing. It is unclear if the gunmen have been arrested. DailyMail.com reached out to the LAPD for comment. The shooting caps a year in which Los Angeles was ravaged by crime, including flash mobs who ransacked high-end stores in what officials called organized attacks. In the week between Christmas and New Year's, the city had 118 vehicle thefts, nearly 70 robberies and almost 100 assaults, according to the LAPD. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has blamed woke LA County District Attorney George Gascon, as well as his San Francisco counterpart Chesa Boudin, for the state's rampant crime 'I have a 92 percent increase in homicides in two years. I have a 16 percent increase in grand-theft auto. I have a 'zero bail' schedule, which means every person I catch with a stolen car gets a ticket, walks out of jailin fact, they're out of jail before [deputies are] even done writing the report,' Villanueva said. The sheriff added that Boudin turned against police as part of his political agenda, but doesn't realize how harmful it is for the community. 'And it's peopleThey live in this 'woke palace' where they're not affected by the policies, but the average person IS impacted by them.' Texas Audit Finds Over 11,000 Potential Noncitizens Registered to Vote, Other Problems First phase of audit praised by secretary of state but criticized by some lawmakers who argue it isn't enough Voting irregularitiesincluding potentially thousands of votes cast by noncitizens and dead peoplewere reported during the first phase of the Texas secretary of states forensic audit of the 2020 general election, but critics deemed it more of a risk-limiting audit at this point. The secretary of states office released its findings on Dec. 31; the issues found arent enough to significantly affect 2020 election results of the four counties involved in the auditCollin, Dallas, Harris, and Tarrant countieswhich account for about 10 million people, or a third of Texass population. Generally speaking, nothing was found on such a large scale that could have altered any election, Sam Taylor, assistant secretary of state for communications, told The Epoch Times. Findings include: Statewide, a total of 11,737 potential non-U.S. citizens were identified as being registered to vote. Of these, 327 records were identified in Collin County, 1,385 in Dallas County, 3,063 in Harris County, and 708 in Tarrant County. So far, Dallas County has canceled 1,193 of these records, with Tarrant County canceling one. Neither Collin nor Harris have canceled any potential non-voting records. Since November 2020, 224,585 deceased voters have been removed from the voter rolls in Texas: Collin County removed 4,889 deceased voters, Dallas County removed 14,926 deceased voters, Harris County removed 23,914 deceased voters, and Tarrant County removed 13,955 deceased voters. Statewide, a total of 67 potential votes cast in the name of deceased people are under investigation. Of those, three were cast in Collin County, nine in Dallas County, four in Harris County, and one in Tarrant County. In a review of each countys partial manual count report required under Texas law, three of the four counties reported discrepancies between ballots counted electronically versus those counted by hand. The reported reasons for these discrepancies will be investigated and verified during phase two of the audit. Taylor said the states audit, currently moving into its second phase, is the first of its kind for Texas. Secretary of State John Scott portrayed the audit as the countrys most comprehensive forensic audit of the 2020 election, according to a November statement. He said the audit will use analytical tools to examine the literal nuts and bolts of election administration to determine if any illegal activity may have occurred. Of the four counties being audited, President Donald Trump won Collin County, with President Joe Biden taking Dallas and Harris counties. Tarrant County, traditionally a red county, flipped to Biden with a slim 1,826 vote margin. Overall, Trump carried Texas with 52.1 percent of the vote to Bidens 46.5 percent. The Texas audit was announced soon after Trump wrote a Sept. 23, 2021, open letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, whom Trump endorsed for reelection in 2022, pushing for a more thorough forensic audit of the 2020 election. Trumps letter asked Abbott to include legislation in the third special session that would allow for more comprehensive forensic audits of the 2020 presidential election in Texas, specifically pointing to House Bill 16 and Senate Bill 97. Those pieces of legislation would have allowed party officials to demand county-level audits in future elections and allowed for a 2020 audit as well. Ultimately SB 97, which had similar language as HB 16, was introduced but didnt pass both chambers before the clock ran out on the third and final session this fall. As it stands, the four-county audit is part of Senate Bill 1, a sweeping election bill passed by the Republican-led legislature in the second special session of 2021, but vehemently opposed by Democrats. Legislators hoping to revive a fourth legislative session to deal with voting fraud issues say the current audit is limited in scope. State Rep. Steve Toth (R-Woodlands), who sponsored HB 16, called the audit more of a risk-limiting exercise that wont adequately address all 2020 election problems. We know that fraud has been taking place in Texas, Toth told The Epoch Times. We need a forensic audit. Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), who introduced SB 97, agreed that Toth had a point. Bettencourts bill would have allowed audits to be conducted at the county level across Texas. However, he said the Secretary of States audit has the potential to become a forensic audit during phase two if it begins to dig into voting irregularities. My observation over time is that fraud is used against Democrats in their primaries and against the Republicans in the general election, Bettencourt told The Epoch Times. He pointed to some 3,000 nonresidents potentially voting in Harris County cited by the audit. Bettencourt said as far back as 20 years ago when he was a district voting clerk, he would use jury service data indicating noncitizens to purge them from the rolls. But at this point, he said the county appears to have abandoned such efforts. Bettencourt noted other irregularities not covered by the states audit, such as a situation in Wichita Falls where a single-family residence was home to more than 500 registered voters. While the Texas attorney generals office lists only 386 active election fraud investigations, cases of voter fraud have increased in the state. In a Texan article, Jonathan White, head of the election fraud section in the Texas attorney generals special prosecutions division, said cases were higher than our historical average by a long shot. There were 510 offenses pending against 43 defendants at the time, according to the article, with most stemming from mail-in ballots. Taylor said that the secretary of states audit was indeed a forensic exercise. During the second phase of the audit, the secretary of states forensic audit division will conduct on-site examinations in January and will compare machine tabulations with paper ballots when possible. Issues such as how drive-thru voting was conducted in Harris County in 2020, now prohibited by SB 1, will be reviewed, Taylor said, adding there were claims of a 1,800 vote discrepancy between the number of voters checked in and the number of votes cast at drive-thrus. About 127,000 votes were cast in the Houston area this way. But Leah Shah, communications director for Harris County Elections, said the county uses very strict protocol on how ballots are managed and couldnt confirm a voting discrepancy. We have heard that number, but we have no idea where that number came from, she told The Epoch Times. Texas Audit Finds Over 11,000 Potential Noncitizens Registered to Vote, Other Problems First phase of audit praised by secretary of state but criticized by some lawmakers who argue it isn't enough Voting irregularitiesincluding potentially thousands of votes cast by noncitizens and dead peoplewere reported during the first phase of the Texas secretary of states forensic audit of the 2020 general election, but critics deemed it more of a risk-limiting audit at this point. The secretary of states office released its findings on Dec. 31; the issues found arent enough to significantly affect 2020 election results of the four counties involved in the auditCollin, Dallas, Harris, and Tarrant countieswhich account for about 10 million people, or a third of Texass population. Generally speaking, nothing was found on such a large scale that could have altered any election, Sam Taylor, assistant secretary of state for communications, told The Epoch Times. Findings include: Statewide, a total of 11,737 potential non-U.S. citizens were identified as being registered to vote. Of these, 327 records were identified in Collin County, 1,385 in Dallas County, 3,063 in Harris County, and 708 in Tarrant County. So far, Dallas County has canceled 1,193 of these records, with Tarrant County canceling one. Neither Collin nor Harris have canceled any potential non-voting records. Since November 2020, 224,585 deceased voters have been removed from the voter rolls in Texas: Collin County removed 4,889 deceased voters, Dallas County removed 14,926 deceased voters, Harris County removed 23,914 deceased voters, and Tarrant County removed 13,955 deceased voters. Statewide, a total of 67 potential votes cast in the name of deceased people are under investigation. Of those, three were cast in Collin County, nine in Dallas County, four in Harris County, and one in Tarrant County. In a review of each countys partial manual count report required under Texas law, three of the four counties reported discrepancies between ballots counted electronically versus those counted by hand. The reported reasons for these discrepancies will be investigated and verified during phase two of the audit. Taylor said the states audit, currently moving into its second phase, is the first of its kind for Texas. Secretary of State John Scott portrayed the audit as the countrys most comprehensive forensic audit of the 2020 election, according to a November statement. He said the audit will use analytical tools to examine the literal nuts and bolts of election administration to determine if any illegal activity may have occurred. Of the four counties being audited, President Donald Trump won Collin County, with President Joe Biden taking Dallas and Harris counties. Tarrant County, traditionally a red county, flipped to Biden with a slim 1,826 vote margin. Overall, Trump carried Texas with 52.1 percent of the vote to Bidens 46.5 percent. The Texas audit was announced soon after Trump wrote a Sept. 23, 2021, open letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, whom Trump endorsed for reelection in 2022, pushing for a more thorough forensic audit of the 2020 election. Trumps letter asked Abbott to include legislation in the third special session that would allow for more comprehensive forensic audits of the 2020 presidential election in Texas, specifically pointing to House Bill 16 and Senate Bill 97. Those pieces of legislation would have allowed party officials to demand county-level audits in future elections and allowed for a 2020 audit as well. Ultimately SB 97, which had similar language as HB 16, was introduced but didnt pass both chambers before the clock ran out on the third and final session this fall. As it stands, the four-county audit is part of Senate Bill 1, a sweeping election bill passed by the Republican-led legislature in the second special session of 2021, but vehemently opposed by Democrats. Legislators hoping to revive a fourth legislative session to deal with voting fraud issues say the current audit is limited in scope. State Rep. Steve Toth (R-Woodlands), who sponsored HB 16, called the audit more of a risk-limiting exercise that wont adequately address all 2020 election problems. We know that fraud has been taking place in Texas, Toth told The Epoch Times. We need a forensic audit. Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), who introduced SB 97, agreed that Toth had a point. Bettencourts bill would have allowed audits to be conducted at the county level across Texas. However, he said the Secretary of States audit has the potential to become a forensic audit during phase two if it begins to dig into voting irregularities. My observation over time is that fraud is used against Democrats in their primaries and against the Republicans in the general election, Bettencourt told The Epoch Times. He pointed to some 3,000 nonresidents potentially voting in Harris County cited by the audit. Bettencourt said as far back as 20 years ago when he was a district voting clerk, he would use jury service data indicating noncitizens to purge them from the rolls. But at this point, he said the county appears to have abandoned such efforts. Bettencourt noted other irregularities not covered by the states audit, such as a situation in Wichita Falls where a single-family residence was home to more than 500 registered voters. While the Texas attorney generals office lists only 386 active election fraud investigations, cases of voter fraud have increased in the state. In a Texan article, Jonathan White, head of the election fraud section in the Texas attorney generals special prosecutions division, said cases were higher than our historical average by a long shot. There were 510 offenses pending against 43 defendants at the time, according to the article, with most stemming from mail-in ballots. Taylor said that the secretary of states audit was indeed a forensic exercise. During the second phase of the audit, the secretary of states forensic audit division will conduct on-site examinations in January and will compare machine tabulations with paper ballots when possible. Issues such as how drive-thru voting was conducted in Harris County in 2020, now prohibited by SB 1, will be reviewed, Taylor said, adding there were claims of a 1,800 vote discrepancy between the number of voters checked in and the number of votes cast at drive-thrus. About 127,000 votes were cast in the Houston area this way. But Leah Shah, communications director for Harris County Elections, said the county uses very strict protocol on how ballots are managed and couldnt confirm a voting discrepancy. We have heard that number, but we have no idea where that number came from, she told The Epoch Times. Six people were wounded in a Los Angeles shooting on Friday after two gunmen fired shots into a grocery store as the city ended a crime-filled year with one last fit of senseless violence. Two unidentified shooters fired into Superior Grocers around 4pm on Friday after driving up to the store and getting out of their vehicle, police said. The shooting at 102nd Street and Avalon Boulevard in Green Meadows allegedly occurred after the two men returned to the store with guns following an argument with another person inside the store, Los Angeles Police Department Captain Stacy Spell said. The two gunmen targeted only one person, but five others were injured in the process, leaving two in critical condition and two others in serious condition, according to Margaret Stewart, an LAPD spokesperson. Scroll down for video The shooting reportedly happened after the two men got into an argument with another person inside and came back with guns. Police believe the other person was the only target, but fie others were injured The other two victims reportedly declined transportation to the hospital, according to Fox News. A 54-year-old woman was shot in the back, a few others have glass wounds. The investigation is ongoing. It is unclear if the gunmen have been arrested. DailyMail.com reached out to the LAPD for comment. The shooting caps a year in which Los Angeles was ravaged by crime, including flash mobs who ransacked high-end stores in what officials called organized attacks. In the week between Christmas and New Year's, the city had 118 vehicle thefts, nearly 70 robberies and almost 100 assaults, according to the LAPD. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has blamed woke LA County District Attorney George Gascon, as well as his San Francisco counterpart Chesa Boudin, for the state's rampant crime 'I have a 92 percent increase in homicides in two years. I have a 16 percent increase in grand-theft auto. I have a 'zero bail' schedule, which means every person I catch with a stolen car gets a ticket, walks out of jailin fact, they're out of jail before [deputies are] even done writing the report,' Villanueva said. The sheriff added that Boudin turned against police as part of his political agenda, but doesn't realize how harmful it is for the community. 'And it's peopleThey live in this 'woke palace' where they're not affected by the policies, but the average person IS impacted by them.' Six people were wounded in a Los Angeles shooting on Friday after two gunmen fired shots into a grocery store as the city ended a crime-filled year with one last fit of senseless violence. Two unidentified shooters fired into Superior Grocers around 4pm on Friday after driving up to the store and getting out of their vehicle, police said. The shooting at 102nd Street and Avalon Boulevard in Green Meadows allegedly occurred after the two men returned to the store with guns following an argument with another person inside the store, Los Angeles Police Department Captain Stacy Spell said. The two gunmen targeted only one person, but five others were injured in the process, leaving two in critical condition and two others in serious condition, according to Margaret Stewart, an LAPD spokesperson. Scroll down for video The shooting reportedly happened after the two men got into an argument with another person inside and came back with guns. Police believe the other person was the only target, but fie others were injured The other two victims reportedly declined transportation to the hospital, according to Fox News. A 54-year-old woman was shot in the back, a few others have glass wounds. The investigation is ongoing. It is unclear if the gunmen have been arrested. DailyMail.com reached out to the LAPD for comment. The shooting caps a year in which Los Angeles was ravaged by crime, including flash mobs who ransacked high-end stores in what officials called organized attacks. In the week between Christmas and New Year's, the city had 118 vehicle thefts, nearly 70 robberies and almost 100 assaults, according to the LAPD. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has blamed woke LA County District Attorney George Gascon, as well as his San Francisco counterpart Chesa Boudin, for the state's rampant crime 'I have a 92 percent increase in homicides in two years. I have a 16 percent increase in grand-theft auto. I have a 'zero bail' schedule, which means every person I catch with a stolen car gets a ticket, walks out of jailin fact, they're out of jail before [deputies are] even done writing the report,' Villanueva said. The sheriff added that Boudin turned against police as part of his political agenda, but doesn't realize how harmful it is for the community. 'And it's peopleThey live in this 'woke palace' where they're not affected by the policies, but the average person IS impacted by them.' Even Israels most hawkish defense officials now concede that the Trump administrations decision to cancel the Iran nuclear deal was a big mistake. The deal worked out by former President Barack Obama was far from perfect. But it appeared that President Donald Trump was more interested in delivering another humiliation to his predecessor than carefully considering the global-security implications of scrapping the one thing that stood between Iran and the ability to make its own nuclear weapons. Trumps main source of advice on killing the 2015 accord was then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had publicly criticized Obamas diplomatic overtures with Iran. The nuclear deal was the product of intense negotiations involving Russia, China, Britain and Germany. To make it happen, the major global economic powers had to agree on an intricate list of sanctions that prevented Iran from exporting its oil and blocked Tehran from accessing the international banking system. Keeping the major nations in line required delicate diplomacy, but it ultimately worked, forcing enough concessions from Iran to win a 10- to 15-year moratorium on its uranium-enrichment program. Iran agreed to dismantle some facilities and to permit international inspections. Netanyahu hated the deal, as did Saudi Arabia, because it only provided a temporary pause in Irans program. Trump canceled the deal in 2018. Russia and China resumed commercial ties with Iran, and it now has minimal incentives to continue restraining its nuclear program. Top Israeli defense officials now recognize the enormity of Trump and Netanyahus mistake. Defense Minister Benny Gantz told Foreign Policy that he would support efforts by President Joe Biden to resurrect a nuclear accord. The current U.S. approach of putting the Iran nuclear program back in a box, Id accept that, he said. Netanyahus successor, Naftali Bennett, is openly critical of Netanyahus military bluster, which helped persuade Trump that there were viable military options to keep Iran in line after killing the accord. Bennett told Israeli television: Israel inherited a situation in which Iran is at the most advanced point ever in its race to the bomb. ... The gap between (Netanyahus) rhetoric and speeches and actions is very big. Air Force Maj. Gen. Isaac Ben Israel was more direct in an interview published by Bloomberg: Netanyahus efforts to persuade the Trump administration to quit the nuclear agreement have turned out to be the worst strategic mistake in Israels history. Former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon echoed that sentiment in an interview with Israels Haaretz newspaper. Trump and Netanyahu now appear to have split because Netanyahu had the gall to phone Biden and congratulate him on his 2020 election victory another example of how emotions and political grudges, rather than thoughtful judgment, guide Trumps decision-making. A man who would put global security at risk without fully weighing the consequences must never again occupy the Oval Office. Texas Audit Finds Over 11,000 Potential Noncitizens Registered to Vote, Other Problems First phase of audit praised by secretary of state but criticized by some lawmakers who argue it isn't enough Voting irregularitiesincluding potentially thousands of votes cast by noncitizens and dead peoplewere reported during the first phase of the Texas secretary of states forensic audit of the 2020 general election, but critics deemed it more of a risk-limiting audit at this point. The secretary of states office released its findings on Dec. 31; the issues found arent enough to significantly affect 2020 election results of the four counties involved in the auditCollin, Dallas, Harris, and Tarrant countieswhich account for about 10 million people, or a third of Texass population. Generally speaking, nothing was found on such a large scale that could have altered any election, Sam Taylor, assistant secretary of state for communications, told The Epoch Times. Findings include: Statewide, a total of 11,737 potential non-U.S. citizens were identified as being registered to vote. Of these, 327 records were identified in Collin County, 1,385 in Dallas County, 3,063 in Harris County, and 708 in Tarrant County. So far, Dallas County has canceled 1,193 of these records, with Tarrant County canceling one. Neither Collin nor Harris have canceled any potential non-voting records. Since November 2020, 224,585 deceased voters have been removed from the voter rolls in Texas: Collin County removed 4,889 deceased voters, Dallas County removed 14,926 deceased voters, Harris County removed 23,914 deceased voters, and Tarrant County removed 13,955 deceased voters. Statewide, a total of 67 potential votes cast in the name of deceased people are under investigation. Of those, three were cast in Collin County, nine in Dallas County, four in Harris County, and one in Tarrant County. In a review of each countys partial manual count report required under Texas law, three of the four counties reported discrepancies between ballots counted electronically versus those counted by hand. The reported reasons for these discrepancies will be investigated and verified during phase two of the audit. Taylor said the states audit, currently moving into its second phase, is the first of its kind for Texas. Secretary of State John Scott portrayed the audit as the countrys most comprehensive forensic audit of the 2020 election, according to a November statement. He said the audit will use analytical tools to examine the literal nuts and bolts of election administration to determine if any illegal activity may have occurred. Of the four counties being audited, President Donald Trump won Collin County, with President Joe Biden taking Dallas and Harris counties. Tarrant County, traditionally a red county, flipped to Biden with a slim 1,826 vote margin. Overall, Trump carried Texas with 52.1 percent of the vote to Bidens 46.5 percent. The Texas audit was announced soon after Trump wrote a Sept. 23, 2021, open letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, whom Trump endorsed for reelection in 2022, pushing for a more thorough forensic audit of the 2020 election. Trumps letter asked Abbott to include legislation in the third special session that would allow for more comprehensive forensic audits of the 2020 presidential election in Texas, specifically pointing to House Bill 16 and Senate Bill 97. Those pieces of legislation would have allowed party officials to demand county-level audits in future elections and allowed for a 2020 audit as well. Ultimately SB 97, which had similar language as HB 16, was introduced but didnt pass both chambers before the clock ran out on the third and final session this fall. As it stands, the four-county audit is part of Senate Bill 1, a sweeping election bill passed by the Republican-led legislature in the second special session of 2021, but vehemently opposed by Democrats. Legislators hoping to revive a fourth legislative session to deal with voting fraud issues say the current audit is limited in scope. State Rep. Steve Toth (R-Woodlands), who sponsored HB 16, called the audit more of a risk-limiting exercise that wont adequately address all 2020 election problems. We know that fraud has been taking place in Texas, Toth told The Epoch Times. We need a forensic audit. Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), who introduced SB 97, agreed that Toth had a point. Bettencourts bill would have allowed audits to be conducted at the county level across Texas. However, he said the Secretary of States audit has the potential to become a forensic audit during phase two if it begins to dig into voting irregularities. My observation over time is that fraud is used against Democrats in their primaries and against the Republicans in the general election, Bettencourt told The Epoch Times. He pointed to some 3,000 nonresidents potentially voting in Harris County cited by the audit. Bettencourt said as far back as 20 years ago when he was a district voting clerk, he would use jury service data indicating noncitizens to purge them from the rolls. But at this point, he said the county appears to have abandoned such efforts. Bettencourt noted other irregularities not covered by the states audit, such as a situation in Wichita Falls where a single-family residence was home to more than 500 registered voters. While the Texas attorney generals office lists only 386 active election fraud investigations, cases of voter fraud have increased in the state. In a Texan article, Jonathan White, head of the election fraud section in the Texas attorney generals special prosecutions division, said cases were higher than our historical average by a long shot. There were 510 offenses pending against 43 defendants at the time, according to the article, with most stemming from mail-in ballots. Taylor said that the secretary of states audit was indeed a forensic exercise. During the second phase of the audit, the secretary of states forensic audit division will conduct on-site examinations in January and will compare machine tabulations with paper ballots when possible. Issues such as how drive-thru voting was conducted in Harris County in 2020, now prohibited by SB 1, will be reviewed, Taylor said, adding there were claims of a 1,800 vote discrepancy between the number of voters checked in and the number of votes cast at drive-thrus. About 127,000 votes were cast in the Houston area this way. But Leah Shah, communications director for Harris County Elections, said the county uses very strict protocol on how ballots are managed and couldnt confirm a voting discrepancy. We have heard that number, but we have no idea where that number came from, she told The Epoch Times. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 01/01/2022 (264 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PARIS French authorities announced Saturday that children six and older will have to wear masks in indoor places open to the public as new cases of the highly contagious omicron variant surge past 200.000 for the fourth consecutive day. By lowering the age of children obligated to wear masks from 11 to 6, the government is hoping to avoid shutting down schools after the holiday break. Classes resume Monday and young children will have to wear masks in public transport, in sports complexes and places of worship. The mask mandate extends to outdoor spaces in cities such as Paris and Lyon that have recently re-introduced mask wearing outside. On the first day of the new year, France registered 219,126 new infections, down only slightly from the daily record of 232,200 noted on the last day of 2021. A medical technician performs a nasal swab test on a cyclist queued up in a line with motorists at a COVID-19 testing site near All City Stadium, Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021, in southeast Denver. With the rapid spread of the omicron variant paired with the Christmas holiday, testing sites have been strained to meet demand both in Colorado as well as across the country. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) French government is betting that fifth wave of the pandemic driven by the fast-spreading omicron variant can be tamed without returning to economically damaging lockdowns or curfews and without hospitals collapsing under growing numbers of gravely sick. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19. ___ HERES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC: Dozens of U.S. colleges move classes online temporarily to counter surge of infections Over 2,400 U.S. flights canceled on New Years Day as omicron rages on UK estimates 1 in 15 had virus in London before Christmas amid omicron surge New COVID-19 cases in US soar to highest levels on record ___ Follow APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic ___ HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING TODAY: PHOENIX Arizona on Saturday reported the largest number of additional confirmed COVID-19 cases since last January for the second day in a row and 125 more virus deaths. The state reported additional 8,220 cases as Arizonas pandemic totals increased to 1,389,708 cases and 24,354 deaths, according to the Department of Health Services coronavirus dashboard. Arizona on Friday reported 7,720 additional cases. The state reported over 8,000 additional cases on 13 days last January. COVID-19-related hospitalizations dropped slightly for the second straight day, with 2,283 virus patients occupying inpatient beds statewide Friday, the dashboard reported. According to Johns Hopkins University data, Arizonas seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Arizona rose over the past two weeks, increasing from 3,058.6 on Dec. 16 to 4,325 on Thursday. The rolling average of daily deaths dropped from 77.1 to 52.8 during the same period. ___ DALLAS For air travelers, the new year picked up where the old one left off - with lots of frustration. By late morning Saturday on the East Coast, more than 2,400 U.S. flights and nearly 4,200 worldwide had been canceled, according to tracking service FlightAware. That is the highest single-day toll yet since just before Christmas, when airlines began blaming staffing shortages on increasing COVID-19 infections among crews. More than 12,000 U.S. flights have been canceled since Dec. 24. Saturdays disruptions werent just due to the virus, however. Wintry weather made Chicago the worst place in the country for travelers, with 800 flights scrubbed at OHare Airport and more than 250 at Midway Airport. Forecasts called for nine inches of snow. Denver, Detroit and Newark, New Jersey, were hit with at least 100 cancellations each. Southwest Airlines, which has major operations at Chicago Midway and Denver, canceled more than 450 flights nationwide, or 13% of its schedule, by midmorning. American, Delta, United and JetBlue scrubbed more than 100 flights apiece. ___ LOS ANGELES A year after New Years Day passed without a Rose Parade due to the coronavirus pandemic, the floral spectacle celebrating the arrival of 2022 proceeded Saturday despite a new surge of infections due to the omicron variant. The 133rd edition of the Pasadena, California, tradition featured actor LeVar Burton as grand marshal, 20 marching bands, 18 equestrian units and dozens of floats reflecting the theme of Dream. Believe. Achieve. After days of record-smashing rains, there were sunny skies for the 8 a.m. start of the parade, which has an uncanny history of postcard weather. LeAnn Rimes kicked off the event with a performance of Throw My Arms Around the World followed by a military flyover of a B-2 bomber. Also on the performance list were American Idol winner Laine Hardy aboard Louisianas Feed Your Soul float and country singer-songwriter Jimmie Allen. A health worker prepares a sample taken for a COVID-19 test at a free testing center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Dec 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello) The parade and the afternoon Rose Bowl football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Utah Utes remained on track despite an explosion of COVID-19 infections in Los Angeles County, where daily new cases topped 27,000 on Friday. The county Department of Public Health said it was the highest number of new cases. ___ LISBON, Portugal A cruise ship carrying over 4,000 people has been held in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon after a COVID-19 outbreak infected crew members, the German news agency dpa reported Saturday. German company Aida Cruises told dpa that it discovered the positive coronavirus cases during routine health checks and has accommodated those infected ashore in coordination with Portuguese authorities in Lisbon. Portuguese media reported that 52 members of the crew of over 1,000 workers tested positive. None of the nearly 3,000 passengers had tested positive. All on board had passed a screening test and were vaccinated with two doses before the ship set sail from Germany. The ship is waiting for the arrival of new crew members to continue its journey to Spains Canary Islands, dpa said. ___ BOSTON With COVID-19 cases surging just as students are about to return from winter break, dozens of U.S. colleges are moving classes online again for at least the first week or so of the semester and some warn it could stretch longer if the wave of infection doesnt subside soon. Harvard is moving classes online for the first three weeks of the new year, with a return to campus scheduled for late January, conditions permitting. The University of Chicago is delaying the beginning of its new term and holding the first two weeks online. Some others are inviting students back to campus but starting classes online, including Michigan State University. Many colleges hope that an extra week or two will get them past the peak of the nationwide spike driven by the highly contagious omicron variant. Still, the surge is casting uncertainty over a semester many had hoped would be the closest to normal since the start of the pandemic. For some U.S. students, starting the term remotely is becoming routine many colleges used the strategy last year. But some fear the latest shift could extend well beyond a week or two. Jake Maynard, a student at George Washington University in the nations capital, said he is fine with a week of online classes, but beyond that, he hopes officials trust in the booster shots and provide a traditional college experience. ___ TOKYO Japans Emperor Naruhito offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic, taking to video for the second straight year for his New Years greeting on Saturday, having canceled public palace gatherings to curb coronavirus infections. Sitting before a bonsai tree with his wife Masako, Naruhito praised and thanked doctors and other health care workers, and expressed concern for countries lacking access to vaccines and adequate hospital systems. By treasuring more than ever the connections among people, sharing our pain and supporting each other, I hope from the bottom of my heart that we will overcome these hard times, he said. Japan has recorded more than 18,000 COVID-19-related deaths, but the pace of deaths has fallen in recent months. Naruhito also voiced worries about the fast-spreading omicron variant. - LAS VEGAS The annual CES gadget convention will be three days instead of four amid a jump in COVID-19 cases and the withdrawal of some of its best-known tech presenters. Convention organizer The Consumer Technology Association announced Friday that CES will run from Jan. 5-7, one day shorter than planned. The event still has over 2,200 exhibitors confirmed to show off their products at the Las Vegas convention, spokeswoman Jeanne Abella said. The announcement follows the withdrawal of tech giants from CES last week citing health risks of the omicron variant, including cellphone carriers like T-Mobile, whose CEO had been slated to deliver a keynote speech. Computer maker Lenovo and social media companies like Twitter and Facebook parent company Meta also canceled plans to attend. News outlets including CNN said they would cancel or reduce coverage. CES was held entirely virtually last year. It will be a hybrid of online and in-person this year, with organizers offering digital registration allowing access to around 40 livestreamed events, Abella said. ___ TAMPA, Fla. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday reported more than 75,900 new cases of COVID-19 in Florida. That tally raises the 7-day average daily to 42,600, which is twice as high as it was at the peak of this summers surge when the delta variant fueled a surge of infections in the state. Fridays report marks a single-day record for the number of new cases in Florida. It breaks the record set a day earlier when more than 58,000 cases were reported in the state. The omicron variant of the coronavirus has spiked in Florida and across the nation over the past few weeks. Nurse Bess Tribout, center, pops champagne to celebrate the new year in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the la Timone hospital in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) Soaring numbers during the holiday season have sent tens of thousands of people to COVID-19 testing centers across Florida, resulting in long lines in many areas. Three people collapsed while waiting in line at a Tampa testing site on Friday morning. ____ CARSON CITY, Nev. Hundreds of unvaccinated employees who work at public colleges and universities in Nevada were being fired Friday, a day after the state Board of Regents voted to keep a staff vaccine mandate in effect. The Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents on Thursday deadlocked 6-6 on a measure to repeal the staff vaccine mandate and then rejected a measure to push the effective termination date back two weeks. Without majority support for a repeal, the mandate which Gov. Steve Sisolak and the Nevada Faculty Alliance support remained in effect. Higher education officials said on Friday that 379 employees were being terminated, 188 attribution employees ended their contracts and 18 more voluntarily resigned. Employees who are fired can seek reinstatement if they show proof of vaccination in January, regents said. ___ PARIS Describing himself as resolutely optimistic, French President Emmanuel Macron has used the last New Years address of his current term to express the hope that, with vaccinations, 2022 will see the end of the coronavirus pandemic. Macron stopped short of saying that he will stand for re-election in April. He said only that he intends to continue serving the French whatever my place and the circumstances. The president appealed to the 5 million unvaccinated but eligible people in France to get coronavirus jabs, saying: All of France is counting on you. France has lost 123,000 people to COVID-19 and new cases are at unprecedented levels, surging with the highly contagious omicron variant. France reported a record 232,200 new cases on Friday, its third day running above the 200,000 mark. ___ ROME Italys president, Sergio Mattarella, has used the last New Years Eve speech of his term take to task those who waste opportunities to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, calling that choice an offense to all those who havent been able to receive the injection. In a televised speech to the nation Friday night, Mattarella, who is head of state, noted that he was serving in the final days of his seven-year term, with Parliament to elect his successor in the first weeks of 2022. Referring to recent COVID-19 surges in Italy and many other countries driven by virus variants, Mattarella noted a sense of frustration over the setbacks. ___ ALBANY, N.Y. Federal ambulance teams and additional National Guard members are headed for New York City, and western New York hospitals are getting more federal help as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations keep rising. State officials announced the new deployments Friday. Gov. Kathy Hochul also said students at state universities and the City University of New York will have to get coronavirus vaccine booster shots to be on campus in the spring semester and must test negative before returning from the holiday break. New confirmed case counts have been breaking records by the day in the state, topping 76,500 on Thursday, Hochul said at a news briefing. An average of 53,000 New Yorkers a day tested positive in the week that ended Thursday, compared to 13,000 per day two weeks earlier. Over 7,900 people with COVID-19 are hospitalized statewide, up 67% in a week. ___ ROME Italian health officials are warning that the rate of occupation by COVID-19 patients of hospital beds both in intensive care units and in regular wards has surpassed the critical level nationally. A top Health Ministry official, Gianni Rezza, also said on Friday evening that the incidence of cases is growing, with 783 confirmed COVID-19 infections per every 100,000 residents in Italy. The country hit another high for daily new caseloads 144,243 confirmed cases in the last 24 hours. Nearly 12% of some 1.234 million swab tests conducted since Thursday resulted positive, according to the ministry, which urged vaccinated persons to get a booster shot if they are eligible. With the nation slammed by a surge of infections largely driven by the omicron variant, the government banned public New Years Eve celebrations. Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday. Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together. His outing comes a month after it was revealed that he would have to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations... Out: Kevin Spacey was seen stepping out alongside film director Jakov Sedlar and his producer son Dominik in the moviemakers' native Zagreb, Croatia on Friday 'Kevin called me a month ago and told me he wanted to come to Croatia this summer, but business commitments and a pandemic prevented him from doing so. He asked me where we would celebrate the New Year.' Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship. The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts. Continuing his explanation of their friendship, Jakov said: 'He told me several times how enthusiastic he was about Croatia and that he would like to return... Sharing a laugh: Ukranian news site Fox-24 revealed that the disgraced actor, 62, landed at Croatia's Franjo Tuman Airport Zagreb on Thursday, where he was collected by Dominik ahead of spending New Year's together Understanding: The actor walked with the book 'Understanding Croatia' tucked under his arm, as he got involved in the chat with his hosts 'As he has never been to Zagreb, I will try to present Zagreb to him in the best light. As he stays at the Esplanade Hotel, we will definitely visit , will be guests for lunch in our family house, we will visit the most famous restaurants and cafes in Zagreb, and maybe go on a short trip to Opatija. 'Spacey is a big fan of theater, so I might take him to see the play.' Kevin was most recently spotted in August 2021, shooting a movie in California, after previously starring in an Italian film. He has been plotting a comeback to revive his stalled career - something he was no doubt discussing with Jakov and Dominik. The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards. Friends: The group stepped out together following Kevin's arrival, after Jakov previously revealed: 'I am very happy that we will welcome the new 2022 with our friend Kevin. I am most looking forward to our conversations' Sightseeing! The group were checking out he local attractions The case rounded out when an arbitrator found that he breached his contract by violating the company's sexual harassment policy. The arbitration took place behind closed doors last year, but it only came to light last month after the production company MRC filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to confirm the award after it was upheld in a confidential appeal, reported Variety. Following the eight-day arbitration in February 2020, the arbitrator found 'the allegations against Spacey to be true,' according to MRC's newly filed petition. Friends: Jakov and Dominik have a close friendship with Kevin that began in LA 12 years ago when Martin Sheen, who played Jura Zovko in Jakov's 1990 film Our Lady, introduced them at his villa, thus starting the friendship The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious.' The two-time Academy Award winner and his companies, M. Profitt Productions and Trigger Street Productions, were ordered to pay $29.5million in damages, $1.2million in attorneys fees and $235,000 in costs associated with the arbitration. The actor bstarred in the political thriller as the ruthlessly ambitious President Frank Underwood until he was suspended and ultimately fired from the show in the fall of 2017 over an avalanche of sexual misconduct claims. Ouch: The outing comes after it was revealed the actor has been ordered to pay $31million in damages and attorneys' fees to the producer of the Netflix series House of Cards Shock: The document also stated that the arbitrator concluded that Spacey's breaches of contract were 'egregious' What Kevin Spacey has been accused of: Kevin Spacey had been one of Hollywood's biggest stars but faced scandal after claims he sexually assaulted Star Trek actor Antony Rapp, who was 14 at the time. The pair were both in Broadway shows and met at a party in 1986 where, Rapp told Buzzfeed: 'My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me. 'He was trying to seduce me. I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.' On the day Rapp made his allegations, Spacey came out as gay and apologized to the actor, saying: 'I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. 'But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.' Others have since come forward with more claims of sexual misconduct, including Heather Unruh who alleged her 18-year-old son was sexually assaulted by the star in 2016. A civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice after it was revealed Unruh deleted texts off her son's phone before giving it to police, while a criminal assault charge was also dropped. Documentary filmmaker Tony Montana claims Spacey groped his penis in the Coronet Pub in Los Angeles in 2003, while Roberto Cavazos, a former actor at the Old Vic theater, said that he had fended off two 'unpleasant' advances made by the star in 2008 which 'bordered on harassment'. Harry Dreyfuss, the son of actor Richard, also claimed Spacey groped him when he was 18 years old. Spacey has also been accused of a number of sexual assaults in England between 1996 and 2013, including one claim he performed a sex act on someone asleep. Police have handed over their investigation to prosecutors who will decide whether to charge him. Spacey has denied the accusations. Advertisement It was alleged that Spacey inappropriately touched a young male production assistant and created a 'toxic' environment on set. Multiple sources claimed to The Hollywood Reporter at the time that Spacey 'groped the PA' who had been tasked with driving the actor to hospital after he injured his hand during a promotional shoot for the show. The assistant is said to have later complained to a superior about the incident. It is also alleged that he groped an actor who wanted to audition for the show. Around the same time, Anthony Rapp, the star of the original Broadway production of Rent, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986, when Spacey was 26. In all, more than 20 men have accused Spacey of sexually inappropriate behavior. He has denied all allegations of misconduct. At the time of Spacey's suspension from House of Cards, two episodes of Season 6 were in production and most of the anticipated 13-episode season had already been written. After the internal probe found that Spacey breached his acting and producing contract by violating sexual harassment policies, he was ousted from the show and the entire season had to be scrapped and re-written without his character. MRC in January 2019 demanded a confidential arbitration, seeking to recoup from Spacey and his business entities tens of millions of dollars that were spent on rewriting the final season of House of Cards, starring Robin Wright and Michael Kelly. Spacey filed a counterclaim, accusing MRC of wrongfully terminating his contract over 'exaggerated' claims of sexual misconduct and assault. In his claim, Spacey alleged that MRC still owed him money, MRC addressed the legal victory over Spacey in a statement on Monday. 'The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability,' the company stated. One of MRC's attorneys, Michael Kump, of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley LLP, also issued a statement that read: 'It was a privilege representing MRC in this matter. MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.' Spacey's original accuser, Rapp, sued him in federal court last year. That case is still pending. Spacey said in 2017 he did not remember climbing on top of Rapp but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Several other cases against the actor have unraveled, including a criminal case in Massachusetts alleging assault and battery against Spacey, who was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016. The case was dropped after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defense claimed were deleted. A criminal case against Spacey in Los Angeles was dropped after his accuser, a masseuse, died. In 2017, Anthony Rapp, the star of Rent on Broadway, publicly accused Spacey of climbing on top of him on a bed when Rapp was just 14 years old during a house party in 1986 In Britain, the Metropolitan Police investigated six claims of sexual assault and assault against Spacey, who ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. They have yet to say whether they will bring criminal charges. In May 2021, a New York judge ruled that a man accusing Spacey of sexually abusing him in the 1980s when he was 14 cannot proceed only as 'C.D.' in a federal lawsuit. The man had met Spacey in the actors suburban New York acting class before the alleged abuse, according to the lawsuit which seeks over $40million in damages. Eric Adams is sworn in as the 110th mayor of the city of New York in New York City on Jan. 1, 2022. (Arturo Holmes/Getty Images) Eric Adams Sworn in as New York City Mayor, Succeeding de Blasio Democrat Eric Adams was sworn in as New York Citys mayor early Saturday, succeeding Bill de Blasio. Adams, 61, took his oath of office in Times Square after the ball dropped, signaling the New Year had arrived. Both he and his wife wore masks despite the event being outdoors, though he removed his for a period of time. Adams did not deliver a speech or answer questions from reporters. During an appearance shortly afterward on Dick Clarks New Years Rockin Eve with Ryan Seacrest, Adams told Seacrest he had a few parties to attend but that he would be up early in the morning, working for the city of New York. About 15,000 people gathered in central Manhattan for the event, about a quarter of the usual crowd. Adams won a contested Democratic primary race for the mayors office, which de Blasio, a Democrat, had to vacate due to term limits. Adams was the president of the Brooklyn borough and once served in the New York Police Department. He campaigned on police reform, improving city schools, and getting illegal guns off city streets, describing himself as a progressive Democrat. For now, Adams is continuing many of his predecessors policies, including a raft of COVID-19 vaccine mandates. New York has one of the strictest regimes in the country, imposing mandates on children as young as 5 to go out to eat and forcing all private employers of any size to require vaccination. Courts have so far upheld the mandates. Chirlane McCray and Bill de Blasio dance onstage after the ball drop during the Times Square New Years Eve 2022 Celebration in New York City, on Jan. 1, 2022. (Arturo Holmes/Getty Images) Adams told reporters in a briefing Thursday that he has a multipronged plan to curb COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Even with the strict rules, New York has seen record-highs in case numbers and an increase in hospital admissions with COVID-19. Adams main focus is on getting people vaccinated and boosted. Adams has vowed not to shut down the city and said the Times Square event was important. Even in the midst of COVID, in the midst of everything that were going through, this is a country where hope and opportunities is always, ever present, Adams said on stage before midnight Friday. Its just great when New York shows the entire country of how we come back, he added. We showed the entire globe what were made of. Were unbelievable. This is an unbelievable city and, trust me, were ready for a major comeback because this is New York. De Blasio, meanwhile, is expected to announce soon whether he will run for governor of New York. The ex-mayor had hinted repeatedly he would but said he wouldnt reveal his plans until after he left office. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Vietnamese living abroad want to visit the country for Tet but are disappointed by the lack of clear quarantine and other policies. Regular international flights resume Jan. 1 to Cambodia, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and the U.S. William Le, a Vietnamese living in California, the U.S., says he is glad to hear the news since it means he can return to HCMC to celebrate Lunar New Year, which is a month away. "I miss my relatives and friends so much after two years of separation owing to Covid." But he has been finding things are not straightforward: ticket prices are high at $2,000-4,000 one way and quarantine regulations for people coming from the U.S. are not clear. Besides, he heard that in December his friends bought tickets to HCMC but ended up in Da Nang for quarantine. "So I have decided to wait until there are cheaper tickets, clear announcement about quarantine and a vaccine passport." He also hopes the Omicron variant will not make the situation worse. William Le in San Diego, the U.S., in October 2021. Photo courtesy of William Le Authorities in HCMC have mandated that visitors from countries and territories where the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has been detected must quarantine for seven days. Hanoi issued a similar announcement early this week but scrapped it on Thursday. The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) is unhappy with the quarantine requirement, saying the decision goes against the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and its own assurances to global partners. Ta Thuy Lien in Singapore is happy with the restart of international flights and Vietnam's resumption of economic activities and awareness of public demand for traveling. She plans to visit her parents in the northern Phu Tho Province for a few days by herself rather than with her husband and kids. She says this is because of the lack of clarity in policies. She read about the resumption of international flights in the media, but there has been nothing from airlines about it or about quarantine. Lien has only three to five days to spend Tet with her parents, so she hopes to quarantine at home. "I need to have certain information about isolation regulation to decide to return to Vietnam or not." Phan Phuong Thuy, who lives in Japan, says she looks forward to coming back to Vietnam during the Lunar New Year, but fears it is going to be difficult. The average cost of a ticket and hotel quarantine is VND40-50 million. With quarantine, she, her husband and their son will not have enough time to travel both to Phu Tho and Bac Giang to visit both sets of parents since Tet is not a holiday in Japan and she cannot get too many days off. She is also worried her family might contract Covid while traveling since the Omicron variant is spreading quickly. "Consequently, I decided to postponed our trip." Phan Phuong Thuy is in Nagano, Japan, in November 2021. Photo courtesy of Phan Phuong Thuy Pham Linh An in Taiwan says she and her husband badly want to visit Hanoi and the neighboring Thai Binh to celebrate Tet with their parents, but at the end of December she was not aware of any official announcements released by Vietnam authorities to airlines and travel agents about quarantine and other flight requirements. The news about international flights is in the media only. Another factor is possible flight delays, sometimes even by two or three days as her friends found out, she says. She is extremely concerned about the large number of new Covid cases in Vietnam and the fact her son has yet to be vaccinated. Besides, she does not want to self-isolate for 21 days when she returns as Taiwanese regulations require for countries with high infections. "I don't worry about Omicron but I need to delay my plan to visit Vietnam for those reasons." Before Covid she and her family used to visit Vietnam every month. Vietnam has been recording over 10,000 new Covid-19 cases every day, with new Omicron infections confirmed this week among foreign arrivals to Hanoi and Da Nang. The capital Hanoi has emerged as the country's epicenter, prompting authorities to suspend on-site dining and crowded events in many downtown districts. A public space near Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi, is quiet on December 26, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Chieu Sim Chy, who lives in Cambodia, says he was pleased to hear about the resumption of flights to Vietnam. But his biggest concern is whether or not he will have to quarantine if he visits his family in Soc Trang Province in the Mekong Delta. Sim says he used to visit Vietnam around five times a year before Covid erupted. Cambodia allows Vietnamese to travel freely if they are vaccinated against Covid and possess negative PCR and quick tests. A majority of people in Cambodia have got booster shots. "I am waiting to see if Vietnam has the same regulations for people coming from Cambodia before I decide to return for Tet." Vietnamese living abroad want to visit the country for Tet but are disappointed by the lack of clear quarantine and other policies. Regular international flights resume Jan. 1 to Cambodia, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and the U.S. William Le, a Vietnamese living in California, the U.S., says he is glad to hear the news since it means he can return to HCMC to celebrate Lunar New Year, which is a month away. "I miss my relatives and friends so much after two years of separation owing to Covid." But he has been finding things are not straightforward: ticket prices are high at $2,000-4,000 one way and quarantine regulations for people coming from the U.S. are not clear. Besides, he heard that in December his friends bought tickets to HCMC but ended up in Da Nang for quarantine. "So I have decided to wait until there are cheaper tickets, clear announcement about quarantine and a vaccine passport." He also hopes the Omicron variant will not make the situation worse. William Le in San Diego, the U.S., in October 2021. Photo courtesy of William Le Authorities in HCMC have mandated that visitors from countries and territories where the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has been detected must quarantine for seven days. Hanoi issued a similar announcement early this week but scrapped it on Thursday. The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) is unhappy with the quarantine requirement, saying the decision goes against the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and its own assurances to global partners. Ta Thuy Lien in Singapore is happy with the restart of international flights and Vietnam's resumption of economic activities and awareness of public demand for traveling. She plans to visit her parents in the northern Phu Tho Province for a few days by herself rather than with her husband and kids. She says this is because of the lack of clarity in policies. She read about the resumption of international flights in the media, but there has been nothing from airlines about it or about quarantine. Lien has only three to five days to spend Tet with her parents, so she hopes to quarantine at home. "I need to have certain information about isolation regulation to decide to return to Vietnam or not." Phan Phuong Thuy, who lives in Japan, says she looks forward to coming back to Vietnam during the Lunar New Year, but fears it is going to be difficult. The average cost of a ticket and hotel quarantine is VND40-50 million. With quarantine, she, her husband and their son will not have enough time to travel both to Phu Tho and Bac Giang to visit both sets of parents since Tet is not a holiday in Japan and she cannot get too many days off. She is also worried her family might contract Covid while traveling since the Omicron variant is spreading quickly. "Consequently, I decided to postponed our trip." Phan Phuong Thuy is in Nagano, Japan, in November 2021. Photo courtesy of Phan Phuong Thuy Pham Linh An in Taiwan says she and her husband badly want to visit Hanoi and the neighboring Thai Binh to celebrate Tet with their parents, but at the end of December she was not aware of any official announcements released by Vietnam authorities to airlines and travel agents about quarantine and other flight requirements. The news about international flights is in the media only. Another factor is possible flight delays, sometimes even by two or three days as her friends found out, she says. She is extremely concerned about the large number of new Covid cases in Vietnam and the fact her son has yet to be vaccinated. Besides, she does not want to self-isolate for 21 days when she returns as Taiwanese regulations require for countries with high infections. "I don't worry about Omicron but I need to delay my plan to visit Vietnam for those reasons." Before Covid she and her family used to visit Vietnam every month. Vietnam has been recording over 10,000 new Covid-19 cases every day, with new Omicron infections confirmed this week among foreign arrivals to Hanoi and Da Nang. The capital Hanoi has emerged as the country's epicenter, prompting authorities to suspend on-site dining and crowded events in many downtown districts. A public space near Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi, is quiet on December 26, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Chieu Sim Chy, who lives in Cambodia, says he was pleased to hear about the resumption of flights to Vietnam. But his biggest concern is whether or not he will have to quarantine if he visits his family in Soc Trang Province in the Mekong Delta. Sim says he used to visit Vietnam around five times a year before Covid erupted. Cambodia allows Vietnamese to travel freely if they are vaccinated against Covid and possess negative PCR and quick tests. A majority of people in Cambodia have got booster shots. "I am waiting to see if Vietnam has the same regulations for people coming from Cambodia before I decide to return for Tet." Moscow [Russia], January 1 (ANI): Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Also Read | Australia To Rename Aspen Island To Honor Queen Elizabeth II on Platinum Jubilee, Says PM Scott Morrison. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Also Read | Omicron Less Severe as it Mostly Avoids Attacking Lungs, Says Report. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Moscow [Russia], January 1 (ANI): Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Also Read | Australia To Rename Aspen Island To Honor Queen Elizabeth II on Platinum Jubilee, Says PM Scott Morrison. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Also Read | Omicron Less Severe as it Mostly Avoids Attacking Lungs, Says Report. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Moscow [Russia], January 1 (ANI): Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Also Read | Australia To Rename Aspen Island To Honor Queen Elizabeth II on Platinum Jubilee, Says PM Scott Morrison. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Also Read | Omicron Less Severe as it Mostly Avoids Attacking Lungs, Says Report. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Moscow [Russia], January 1 (ANI): Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Also Read | Australia To Rename Aspen Island To Honor Queen Elizabeth II on Platinum Jubilee, Says PM Scott Morrison. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Also Read | Omicron Less Severe as it Mostly Avoids Attacking Lungs, Says Report. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) One person died Thursday after a single-vehicle rollover crash that was caused in part by slippery roads and speed, the Columbia County Sheriff's Office said. Sheriff's deputies responded to a crash just after 4 p.m. on Sanderson Road in the town of Hampden, Sheriff Roger Brandner said in a statement. Emergency responders found a crashed Cadillac in a ditch. Brandner said his office believes the driver was traveling west on Sanderson Road when the person drove into the ditch, causing the vehicle to roll over and hit a powerline. The area experienced some power outages because of the crash. The driver, a 34-year-old from Marshall, died on the scene, Brandner said. A child, who was a passenger, was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. Their identities have not yet been released because family needs to be notified. The road was closed for about three-and-a-half hours while emergency crews responded to the crash, Brandner said. The Columbus Police Department and Fire Department, Deforest EMS, Lifestar EMS, 10-51 Towing, Alliant Energy and the Columbia County Medical Examiner's Office assisted on scene. Brandner said slippery conditions and speeding seem to have played a role in the crash. "With winter upon us, we want to remind everyone to drive with caution and slow down on snow- and ice-covered roads," Brandner said. James Xu started Avail Vapor in 2013 with the goal of building a business around what looked like a growing, disruptive force in the tobacco industry. Our mission was to help smokers to quit smoking, said Xu, who co-founded Avail Vapor as a chain of retail stores that specialize in selling electronic cigarettes, or e-cigs, now often referred to as vapes or vaping products. The company grew to become a major retailer and producer of e-vapor products, owning more than 100 retail stores in 12 states and a manufacturing facility in Chesterfield County. But Avail Vapor hit a wall as a business. It enters 2022 with what Xu says is essentially zero business. It had about 400 employees at the peak of its business operations. Right now, we are unwinding everything, Xu said in a recent interview, adding that the company hopes eventually to start everything fresh. The reason for shutting down the business, Xu said, is because the company and others like it faced an impossible task meeting regulatory requirements set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for vaping products. ****** Avail sold vaping products, which unlike traditional cigarettes, do not produce smoke. Instead, the battery-powered vaping devices, which were just exploding in the U.S. market when Avail Vapor first opened, heat a liquid solution of nicotine and flavorings to produce a vapor that the consumer inhales. With the idea of introducing the products to a burgeoning market of people looking for an alternative to smoking, the company opened a small, clean-lab production site on Southlake Boulevard just off Midlothian Turnpike in Chesterfield to manufacture vaping products. The goal was to switch smokers to a product that, while not without health risks, is generally considered to be less hazardous than inhaling smoke from conventional cigarettes. Everybody has tried to make a product that is less harmful, said Xu, adding that he still hopes his company eventually can be a force for change in the sale of nicotine products. It even got Henrico County-based Altria Group Inc., the nations largest tobacco company, to take a minority investment in Avail in 2017. But that business relationship ended in 2019, Xu said. This past summer, Avail Vapor was looking to capitalize on customers who wanted to cultivate cannabis plants at their homes under a new Virginia law, and the company partially converted some of its vape retail shops into selling those products. But Xu started dismantling the Avail Vapor business and sister companies in 2021. (Xu was a former executive and is still a shareholder with his sister in Evergreen Enterprises, the South Richmond-based global home decor manufacturer and distributor of home decor products that owns the Plow & Hearth retail store chain.) In the summer of 2021, Avail Vapor sold 30 of its stores to MadVapes, another growing chain of vaping stores. By late October, Avail had closed or sold all of its stores, including nine in the Richmond area, along with its production plant in Chesterfield. The local stores included the companys first locations in Carytown and Short Pump. The company also sold Giant Vapes LLC, an online seller of e-cigarette devices and liquids. Avail bought that business in 2020 with the idea it would help get Avail more firmly into the e-commerce market. Avail Vapor had divided its operations into three different businesses two years ago on Jan. 1, 2020. One was Avails retail business, which has shut down. Another business was called Blackbriar Regulatory Services LLC, created to provide FDA compliance consulting, laboratory services and contract manufacturing for other vaping products companies. The company transferred its contract manufacturing facility just off Midlothian Turnpike to another undisclosed company, Xu said. A few key members led a management buyout of the regulatory side of business, he said. The third business unit called Blackship Technologies LLC provided research and development services. Since its a holding company with no activities, Xu said he hasnt decided yet what to do with that business. ****** Xu said meeting regulatory requirements set by the FDA for vaping products was an impossible task. Under this environment, we cannot operate a legitimate business, he said. Our biggest problem was we tried to believe in the FDA that one day it would regulate this market with common sense. Under a 2016 rule, e-cigarettes were deemed by the FDA to be subject to regulation as tobacco products, which required makers of the products such as Avail Vapor to submit them for FDA approval. The applications were required to be submitted by Sept. 9, 2020. Vaping products companies must submit to the FDA information on each products health risks, ingredients and manufacturing process along with samples of the product and its proposed labeling. The FDA said it has received applications from more than 500 companies covering more than 6.5 million tobacco products. In August, the FDA rejected applications for about 55,000 flavored electronic nicotine delivery products, also known as ENDS. Among those rejected were some of Avails applications, Xu said. Avail spent more than $10 million over several years to prepare the FDA applications, Xu said. FDA rejected our application based on a certain test that they have repeatedly told the industry is not required, he said. The FDA said the products lacked sufficient evidence that they have a benefit to adult smokers sufficient to overcome the public health threat posed by the well-documented, alarming levels of youth use of such products. Specifically, the FDA cited vaping products with flavorings it contends would appeal to underage users and sold under brand names such as Apple Crumble, Dr. Cola and Cinnamon Toast Cereal. Xu contends that Avail Vapor took steps to prevent sales of its products to minors at its stores. He contends that the real reason for rising youth use of vaping products is a political backlash over the widespread availability of disposable vaping products that are sold at convenience stores, along with marketing tactics by some companies that appeal to youth. The FDA had an immediate reaction and tried to blame the flavors, which is not really the root cause, he said. In Europe, they have flavors, but they do not have a youth problem. It is really a marketing problem. Avail has filed an appeal of the FDAs decision in court. Its appeal with the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals argues that the FDAs denial of Avails application was arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law, according to the court documents. A spokesperson for the FDA said the agency does not comment on possible, pending or ongoing litigation. Avail isnt the only company that has challenged the FDAs decision to reject thousands of e-cig applications. In October, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Triton Distribution, a Texas-based manufacturer of e-cigarettes, could continue selling its products even though the FDA had rejected its applications. The appeals court ruled that the FDA did not give adequate consideration to the companys marketing plan to reduce the products appeal to youth. That court also said the FDA pull[ed] a surprise switcheroo on regulated entities by saying they likely would need to do long-term studies to show that the health benefits of adults using the products outweighed the risk of youth starting to sue them. Xu said the Triton case bodes well for other companies that have challenged the FDA decision. Our case is the strongest among all, he said. Thats because Avail is one of the few companies who submitted the most comprehensive applications to FDA according to their guidelines. Also from the formal communication that we received from FDA a year ago, it indicated that we were in a great position to receive the final approval. What has happened to Avail and other upstart makers of vaping products could be seen as part of ongoing nicotine wars in the U.S., said David Sweanor, a professor of law at the University of Ottawa and a tobacco control advocate who favors policies that push smokers toward less toxic nicotine products. Sweanor said the FDAs policies regarding e-cigarettes are making it harder for startup, innovative companies to compete in a market that still remains dominated by conventional cigarettes. The result is you kill the independents and the upstarts who have the greatest interest in replacing cigarettes, he said. It is very disappointing that a lot of public health groups have taken this abstinence-only approach, Sweanor said. They end up just supporting the cigarette business by taking away one of the alternative products. The United Kingdom is a good example of a country that acknowledged the [vaping] products are less hazardous and are encouraging people who smoke cigarettes to move to vaping products. James Xu started Avail Vapor in 2013 with the goal of building a business around what looked like a growing, disruptive force in the tobacco industry. Our mission was to help smokers to quit smoking, said Xu, who co-founded Avail Vapor as a chain of retail stores that specialize in selling electronic cigarettes, or e-cigs, now often referred to as vapes or vaping products. The company grew to become a major retailer and producer of e-vapor products, owning more than 100 retail stores in 12 states and a manufacturing facility in Chesterfield County. But Avail Vapor hit a wall as a business. It enters 2022 with what Xu says is essentially zero business. It had about 400 employees at the peak of its business operations. Right now, we are unwinding everything, Xu said in a recent interview, adding that the company hopes eventually to start everything fresh. The reason for shutting down the business, Xu said, is because the company and others like it faced an impossible task meeting regulatory requirements set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for vaping products. ****** Avail sold vaping products, which unlike traditional cigarettes, do not produce smoke. Instead, the battery-powered vaping devices, which were just exploding in the U.S. market when Avail Vapor first opened, heat a liquid solution of nicotine and flavorings to produce a vapor that the consumer inhales. With the idea of introducing the products to a burgeoning market of people looking for an alternative to smoking, the company opened a small, clean-lab production site on Southlake Boulevard just off Midlothian Turnpike in Chesterfield to manufacture vaping products. The goal was to switch smokers to a product that, while not without health risks, is generally considered to be less hazardous than inhaling smoke from conventional cigarettes. Everybody has tried to make a product that is less harmful, said Xu, adding that he still hopes his company eventually can be a force for change in the sale of nicotine products. It even got Henrico County-based Altria Group Inc., the nations largest tobacco company, to take a minority investment in Avail in 2017. But that business relationship ended in 2019, Xu said. This past summer, Avail Vapor was looking to capitalize on customers who wanted to cultivate cannabis plants at their homes under a new Virginia law, and the company partially converted some of its vape retail shops into selling those products. But Xu started dismantling the Avail Vapor business and sister companies in 2021. (Xu was a former executive and is still a shareholder with his sister in Evergreen Enterprises, the South Richmond-based global home decor manufacturer and distributor of home decor products that owns the Plow & Hearth retail store chain.) In the summer of 2021, Avail Vapor sold 30 of its stores to MadVapes, another growing chain of vaping stores. By late October, Avail had closed or sold all of its stores, including nine in the Richmond area, along with its production plant in Chesterfield. The local stores included the companys first locations in Carytown and Short Pump. The company also sold Giant Vapes LLC, an online seller of e-cigarette devices and liquids. Avail bought that business in 2020 with the idea it would help get Avail more firmly into the e-commerce market. Avail Vapor had divided its operations into three different businesses two years ago on Jan. 1, 2020. One was Avails retail business, which has shut down. Another business was called Blackbriar Regulatory Services LLC, created to provide FDA compliance consulting, laboratory services and contract manufacturing for other vaping products companies. The company transferred its contract manufacturing facility just off Midlothian Turnpike to another undisclosed company, Xu said. A few key members led a management buyout of the regulatory side of business, he said. The third business unit called Blackship Technologies LLC provided research and development services. Since its a holding company with no activities, Xu said he hasnt decided yet what to do with that business. ****** Xu said meeting regulatory requirements set by the FDA for vaping products was an impossible task. Under this environment, we cannot operate a legitimate business, he said. Our biggest problem was we tried to believe in the FDA that one day it would regulate this market with common sense. Under a 2016 rule, e-cigarettes were deemed by the FDA to be subject to regulation as tobacco products, which required makers of the products such as Avail Vapor to submit them for FDA approval. The applications were required to be submitted by Sept. 9, 2020. Vaping products companies must submit to the FDA information on each products health risks, ingredients and manufacturing process along with samples of the product and its proposed labeling. The FDA said it has received applications from more than 500 companies covering more than 6.5 million tobacco products. In August, the FDA rejected applications for about 55,000 flavored electronic nicotine delivery products, also known as ENDS. Among those rejected were some of Avails applications, Xu said. Avail spent more than $10 million over several years to prepare the FDA applications, Xu said. FDA rejected our application based on a certain test that they have repeatedly told the industry is not required, he said. The FDA said the products lacked sufficient evidence that they have a benefit to adult smokers sufficient to overcome the public health threat posed by the well-documented, alarming levels of youth use of such products. Specifically, the FDA cited vaping products with flavorings it contends would appeal to underage users and sold under brand names such as Apple Crumble, Dr. Cola and Cinnamon Toast Cereal. Xu contends that Avail Vapor took steps to prevent sales of its products to minors at its stores. He contends that the real reason for rising youth use of vaping products is a political backlash over the widespread availability of disposable vaping products that are sold at convenience stores, along with marketing tactics by some companies that appeal to youth. The FDA had an immediate reaction and tried to blame the flavors, which is not really the root cause, he said. In Europe, they have flavors, but they do not have a youth problem. It is really a marketing problem. Avail has filed an appeal of the FDAs decision in court. Its appeal with the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals argues that the FDAs denial of Avails application was arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law, according to the court documents. A spokesperson for the FDA said the agency does not comment on possible, pending or ongoing litigation. Avail isnt the only company that has challenged the FDAs decision to reject thousands of e-cig applications. In October, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Triton Distribution, a Texas-based manufacturer of e-cigarettes, could continue selling its products even though the FDA had rejected its applications. The appeals court ruled that the FDA did not give adequate consideration to the companys marketing plan to reduce the products appeal to youth. That court also said the FDA pull[ed] a surprise switcheroo on regulated entities by saying they likely would need to do long-term studies to show that the health benefits of adults using the products outweighed the risk of youth starting to sue them. Xu said the Triton case bodes well for other companies that have challenged the FDA decision. Our case is the strongest among all, he said. Thats because Avail is one of the few companies who submitted the most comprehensive applications to FDA according to their guidelines. Also from the formal communication that we received from FDA a year ago, it indicated that we were in a great position to receive the final approval. What has happened to Avail and other upstart makers of vaping products could be seen as part of ongoing nicotine wars in the U.S., said David Sweanor, a professor of law at the University of Ottawa and a tobacco control advocate who favors policies that push smokers toward less toxic nicotine products. Sweanor said the FDAs policies regarding e-cigarettes are making it harder for startup, innovative companies to compete in a market that still remains dominated by conventional cigarettes. The result is you kill the independents and the upstarts who have the greatest interest in replacing cigarettes, he said. It is very disappointing that a lot of public health groups have taken this abstinence-only approach, Sweanor said. They end up just supporting the cigarette business by taking away one of the alternative products. The United Kingdom is a good example of a country that acknowledged the [vaping] products are less hazardous and are encouraging people who smoke cigarettes to move to vaping products. James Xu started Avail Vapor in 2013 with the goal of building a business around what looked like a growing, disruptive force in the tobacco industry. Our mission was to help smokers to quit smoking, said Xu, who co-founded Avail Vapor as a chain of retail stores that specialize in selling electronic cigarettes, or e-cigs, now often referred to as vapes or vaping products. The company grew to become a major retailer and producer of e-vapor products, owning more than 100 retail stores in 12 states and a manufacturing facility in Chesterfield County. But Avail Vapor hit a wall as a business. It enters 2022 with what Xu says is essentially zero business. It had about 400 employees at the peak of its business operations. Right now, we are unwinding everything, Xu said in a recent interview, adding that the company hopes eventually to start everything fresh. The reason for shutting down the business, Xu said, is because the company and others like it faced an impossible task meeting regulatory requirements set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for vaping products. ****** Avail sold vaping products, which unlike traditional cigarettes, do not produce smoke. Instead, the battery-powered vaping devices, which were just exploding in the U.S. market when Avail Vapor first opened, heat a liquid solution of nicotine and flavorings to produce a vapor that the consumer inhales. With the idea of introducing the products to a burgeoning market of people looking for an alternative to smoking, the company opened a small, clean-lab production site on Southlake Boulevard just off Midlothian Turnpike in Chesterfield to manufacture vaping products. The goal was to switch smokers to a product that, while not without health risks, is generally considered to be less hazardous than inhaling smoke from conventional cigarettes. Everybody has tried to make a product that is less harmful, said Xu, adding that he still hopes his company eventually can be a force for change in the sale of nicotine products. It even got Henrico County-based Altria Group Inc., the nations largest tobacco company, to take a minority investment in Avail in 2017. But that business relationship ended in 2019, Xu said. This past summer, Avail Vapor was looking to capitalize on customers who wanted to cultivate cannabis plants at their homes under a new Virginia law, and the company partially converted some of its vape retail shops into selling those products. But Xu started dismantling the Avail Vapor business and sister companies in 2021. (Xu was a former executive and is still a shareholder with his sister in Evergreen Enterprises, the South Richmond-based global home decor manufacturer and distributor of home decor products that owns the Plow & Hearth retail store chain.) In the summer of 2021, Avail Vapor sold 30 of its stores to MadVapes, another growing chain of vaping stores. By late October, Avail had closed or sold all of its stores, including nine in the Richmond area, along with its production plant in Chesterfield. The local stores included the companys first locations in Carytown and Short Pump. The company also sold Giant Vapes LLC, an online seller of e-cigarette devices and liquids. Avail bought that business in 2020 with the idea it would help get Avail more firmly into the e-commerce market. Avail Vapor had divided its operations into three different businesses two years ago on Jan. 1, 2020. One was Avails retail business, which has shut down. Another business was called Blackbriar Regulatory Services LLC, created to provide FDA compliance consulting, laboratory services and contract manufacturing for other vaping products companies. The company transferred its contract manufacturing facility just off Midlothian Turnpike to another undisclosed company, Xu said. A few key members led a management buyout of the regulatory side of business, he said. The third business unit called Blackship Technologies LLC provided research and development services. Since its a holding company with no activities, Xu said he hasnt decided yet what to do with that business. ****** Xu said meeting regulatory requirements set by the FDA for vaping products was an impossible task. Under this environment, we cannot operate a legitimate business, he said. Our biggest problem was we tried to believe in the FDA that one day it would regulate this market with common sense. Under a 2016 rule, e-cigarettes were deemed by the FDA to be subject to regulation as tobacco products, which required makers of the products such as Avail Vapor to submit them for FDA approval. The applications were required to be submitted by Sept. 9, 2020. Vaping products companies must submit to the FDA information on each products health risks, ingredients and manufacturing process along with samples of the product and its proposed labeling. The FDA said it has received applications from more than 500 companies covering more than 6.5 million tobacco products. In August, the FDA rejected applications for about 55,000 flavored electronic nicotine delivery products, also known as ENDS. Among those rejected were some of Avails applications, Xu said. Avail spent more than $10 million over several years to prepare the FDA applications, Xu said. FDA rejected our application based on a certain test that they have repeatedly told the industry is not required, he said. The FDA said the products lacked sufficient evidence that they have a benefit to adult smokers sufficient to overcome the public health threat posed by the well-documented, alarming levels of youth use of such products. Specifically, the FDA cited vaping products with flavorings it contends would appeal to underage users and sold under brand names such as Apple Crumble, Dr. Cola and Cinnamon Toast Cereal. Xu contends that Avail Vapor took steps to prevent sales of its products to minors at its stores. He contends that the real reason for rising youth use of vaping products is a political backlash over the widespread availability of disposable vaping products that are sold at convenience stores, along with marketing tactics by some companies that appeal to youth. The FDA had an immediate reaction and tried to blame the flavors, which is not really the root cause, he said. In Europe, they have flavors, but they do not have a youth problem. It is really a marketing problem. Avail has filed an appeal of the FDAs decision in court. Its appeal with the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals argues that the FDAs denial of Avails application was arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law, according to the court documents. A spokesperson for the FDA said the agency does not comment on possible, pending or ongoing litigation. Avail isnt the only company that has challenged the FDAs decision to reject thousands of e-cig applications. In October, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Triton Distribution, a Texas-based manufacturer of e-cigarettes, could continue selling its products even though the FDA had rejected its applications. The appeals court ruled that the FDA did not give adequate consideration to the companys marketing plan to reduce the products appeal to youth. That court also said the FDA pull[ed] a surprise switcheroo on regulated entities by saying they likely would need to do long-term studies to show that the health benefits of adults using the products outweighed the risk of youth starting to sue them. Xu said the Triton case bodes well for other companies that have challenged the FDA decision. Our case is the strongest among all, he said. Thats because Avail is one of the few companies who submitted the most comprehensive applications to FDA according to their guidelines. Also from the formal communication that we received from FDA a year ago, it indicated that we were in a great position to receive the final approval. What has happened to Avail and other upstart makers of vaping products could be seen as part of ongoing nicotine wars in the U.S., said David Sweanor, a professor of law at the University of Ottawa and a tobacco control advocate who favors policies that push smokers toward less toxic nicotine products. Sweanor said the FDAs policies regarding e-cigarettes are making it harder for startup, innovative companies to compete in a market that still remains dominated by conventional cigarettes. The result is you kill the independents and the upstarts who have the greatest interest in replacing cigarettes, he said. It is very disappointing that a lot of public health groups have taken this abstinence-only approach, Sweanor said. They end up just supporting the cigarette business by taking away one of the alternative products. The United Kingdom is a good example of a country that acknowledged the [vaping] products are less hazardous and are encouraging people who smoke cigarettes to move to vaping products. James Xu started Avail Vapor in 2013 with the goal of building a business around what looked like a growing, disruptive force in the tobacco industry. Our mission was to help smokers to quit smoking, said Xu, who co-founded Avail Vapor as a chain of retail stores that specialize in selling electronic cigarettes, or e-cigs, now often referred to as vapes or vaping products. The company grew to become a major retailer and producer of e-vapor products, owning more than 100 retail stores in 12 states and a manufacturing facility in Chesterfield County. But Avail Vapor hit a wall as a business. It enters 2022 with what Xu says is essentially zero business. It had about 400 employees at the peak of its business operations. Right now, we are unwinding everything, Xu said in a recent interview, adding that the company hopes eventually to start everything fresh. The reason for shutting down the business, Xu said, is because the company and others like it faced an impossible task meeting regulatory requirements set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for vaping products. ****** Avail sold vaping products, which unlike traditional cigarettes, do not produce smoke. Instead, the battery-powered vaping devices, which were just exploding in the U.S. market when Avail Vapor first opened, heat a liquid solution of nicotine and flavorings to produce a vapor that the consumer inhales. With the idea of introducing the products to a burgeoning market of people looking for an alternative to smoking, the company opened a small, clean-lab production site on Southlake Boulevard just off Midlothian Turnpike in Chesterfield to manufacture vaping products. The goal was to switch smokers to a product that, while not without health risks, is generally considered to be less hazardous than inhaling smoke from conventional cigarettes. Everybody has tried to make a product that is less harmful, said Xu, adding that he still hopes his company eventually can be a force for change in the sale of nicotine products. It even got Henrico County-based Altria Group Inc., the nations largest tobacco company, to take a minority investment in Avail in 2017. But that business relationship ended in 2019, Xu said. This past summer, Avail Vapor was looking to capitalize on customers who wanted to cultivate cannabis plants at their homes under a new Virginia law, and the company partially converted some of its vape retail shops into selling those products. But Xu started dismantling the Avail Vapor business and sister companies in 2021. (Xu was a former executive and is still a shareholder with his sister in Evergreen Enterprises, the South Richmond-based global home decor manufacturer and distributor of home decor products that owns the Plow & Hearth retail store chain.) In the summer of 2021, Avail Vapor sold 30 of its stores to MadVapes, another growing chain of vaping stores. By late October, Avail had closed or sold all of its stores, including nine in the Richmond area, along with its production plant in Chesterfield. The local stores included the companys first locations in Carytown and Short Pump. The company also sold Giant Vapes LLC, an online seller of e-cigarette devices and liquids. Avail bought that business in 2020 with the idea it would help get Avail more firmly into the e-commerce market. Avail Vapor had divided its operations into three different businesses two years ago on Jan. 1, 2020. One was Avails retail business, which has shut down. Another business was called Blackbriar Regulatory Services LLC, created to provide FDA compliance consulting, laboratory services and contract manufacturing for other vaping products companies. The company transferred its contract manufacturing facility just off Midlothian Turnpike to another undisclosed company, Xu said. A few key members led a management buyout of the regulatory side of business, he said. The third business unit called Blackship Technologies LLC provided research and development services. Since its a holding company with no activities, Xu said he hasnt decided yet what to do with that business. ****** Xu said meeting regulatory requirements set by the FDA for vaping products was an impossible task. Under this environment, we cannot operate a legitimate business, he said. Our biggest problem was we tried to believe in the FDA that one day it would regulate this market with common sense. Under a 2016 rule, e-cigarettes were deemed by the FDA to be subject to regulation as tobacco products, which required makers of the products such as Avail Vapor to submit them for FDA approval. The applications were required to be submitted by Sept. 9, 2020. Vaping products companies must submit to the FDA information on each products health risks, ingredients and manufacturing process along with samples of the product and its proposed labeling. The FDA said it has received applications from more than 500 companies covering more than 6.5 million tobacco products. In August, the FDA rejected applications for about 55,000 flavored electronic nicotine delivery products, also known as ENDS. Among those rejected were some of Avails applications, Xu said. Avail spent more than $10 million over several years to prepare the FDA applications, Xu said. FDA rejected our application based on a certain test that they have repeatedly told the industry is not required, he said. The FDA said the products lacked sufficient evidence that they have a benefit to adult smokers sufficient to overcome the public health threat posed by the well-documented, alarming levels of youth use of such products. Specifically, the FDA cited vaping products with flavorings it contends would appeal to underage users and sold under brand names such as Apple Crumble, Dr. Cola and Cinnamon Toast Cereal. Xu contends that Avail Vapor took steps to prevent sales of its products to minors at its stores. He contends that the real reason for rising youth use of vaping products is a political backlash over the widespread availability of disposable vaping products that are sold at convenience stores, along with marketing tactics by some companies that appeal to youth. The FDA had an immediate reaction and tried to blame the flavors, which is not really the root cause, he said. In Europe, they have flavors, but they do not have a youth problem. It is really a marketing problem. Avail has filed an appeal of the FDAs decision in court. Its appeal with the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals argues that the FDAs denial of Avails application was arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law, according to the court documents. A spokesperson for the FDA said the agency does not comment on possible, pending or ongoing litigation. Avail isnt the only company that has challenged the FDAs decision to reject thousands of e-cig applications. In October, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Triton Distribution, a Texas-based manufacturer of e-cigarettes, could continue selling its products even though the FDA had rejected its applications. The appeals court ruled that the FDA did not give adequate consideration to the companys marketing plan to reduce the products appeal to youth. That court also said the FDA pull[ed] a surprise switcheroo on regulated entities by saying they likely would need to do long-term studies to show that the health benefits of adults using the products outweighed the risk of youth starting to sue them. Xu said the Triton case bodes well for other companies that have challenged the FDA decision. Our case is the strongest among all, he said. Thats because Avail is one of the few companies who submitted the most comprehensive applications to FDA according to their guidelines. Also from the formal communication that we received from FDA a year ago, it indicated that we were in a great position to receive the final approval. What has happened to Avail and other upstart makers of vaping products could be seen as part of ongoing nicotine wars in the U.S., said David Sweanor, a professor of law at the University of Ottawa and a tobacco control advocate who favors policies that push smokers toward less toxic nicotine products. Sweanor said the FDAs policies regarding e-cigarettes are making it harder for startup, innovative companies to compete in a market that still remains dominated by conventional cigarettes. The result is you kill the independents and the upstarts who have the greatest interest in replacing cigarettes, he said. It is very disappointing that a lot of public health groups have taken this abstinence-only approach, Sweanor said. They end up just supporting the cigarette business by taking away one of the alternative products. The United Kingdom is a good example of a country that acknowledged the [vaping] products are less hazardous and are encouraging people who smoke cigarettes to move to vaping products. Moscow [Russia], January 1 (ANI): Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Also Read | Australia To Rename Aspen Island To Honor Queen Elizabeth II on Platinum Jubilee, Says PM Scott Morrison. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Also Read | Omicron Less Severe as it Mostly Avoids Attacking Lungs, Says Report. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has said Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State and Senator Rochas Okorocha of Imo West should swear the... The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has said Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State and Senator Rochas Okorocha of Imo West should swear they are not sponsoring insecurity in the State. IPOB alleged that Okorocha and Uzodinma first created an alliance to oust former governor of the State, Emeka Ihedioha. Emma Powerful, IPOB spokesman, said Okorocha and Uzodinmas selfish reason was responsible for the activities of unknown gunmen. In a statement, Powerful said the politicians sponsor unknown gunmen and blame them on the Eastern Security Network, ESN. According to Powerful: We the great family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of our great prophet and indefatigable liberator, Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu KANU wish to draw the attention of the world that based on the unfolding security issues in Imo State, it has become very obvious that Gov. Hope Uzodinma and his predecessor Rochas Okorocha, are the sponsors of the so-called unknown gunmen perpetrating insecurity in Imo State for some time now. We have always explained that unknown gunmen were created by selfish and greedy politicians entangled in political war but many people did not believe us. Uzodinma and Okorocha first went into alliance in their desperation to oust Gov. Emeka Ihedioha, and they did a lot of abnormal things to achieve that selfish goal. Soon afterwards, they fell apart and resorted to other heinous schemes including but not limited to recruiting and arming hoodlums to outsmart each other. Their calculation was to blame the nefarious activities of their evil boys on IPOB and Eastern Security Network ESN operatives, an erroneous narrative many gullible minds had hitherto believed. Until the abduction of Okorochas son in-law, Uche Nwosu in the church by Uzodinmas hitmen, many didnt believe politicians were the masterminds of the insecurity and activities of unkown gunmen in Imo State and other parts of Biafra land. James Xu started Avail Vapor in 2013 with the goal of building a business around what looked like a growing, disruptive force in the tobacco industry. Our mission was to help smokers to quit smoking, said Xu, who co-founded Avail Vapor as a chain of retail stores that specialize in selling electronic cigarettes, or e-cigs, now often referred to as vapes or vaping products. The company grew to become a major retailer and producer of e-vapor products, owning more than 100 retail stores in 12 states and a manufacturing facility in Chesterfield County. But Avail Vapor hit a wall as a business. It enters 2022 with what Xu says is essentially zero business. It had about 400 employees at the peak of its business operations. Right now, we are unwinding everything, Xu said in a recent interview, adding that the company hopes eventually to start everything fresh. The reason for shutting down the business, Xu said, is because the company and others like it faced an impossible task meeting regulatory requirements set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for vaping products. ****** Avail sold vaping products, which unlike traditional cigarettes, do not produce smoke. Instead, the battery-powered vaping devices, which were just exploding in the U.S. market when Avail Vapor first opened, heat a liquid solution of nicotine and flavorings to produce a vapor that the consumer inhales. With the idea of introducing the products to a burgeoning market of people looking for an alternative to smoking, the company opened a small, clean-lab production site on Southlake Boulevard just off Midlothian Turnpike in Chesterfield to manufacture vaping products. The goal was to switch smokers to a product that, while not without health risks, is generally considered to be less hazardous than inhaling smoke from conventional cigarettes. Everybody has tried to make a product that is less harmful, said Xu, adding that he still hopes his company eventually can be a force for change in the sale of nicotine products. It even got Henrico County-based Altria Group Inc., the nations largest tobacco company, to take a minority investment in Avail in 2017. But that business relationship ended in 2019, Xu said. This past summer, Avail Vapor was looking to capitalize on customers who wanted to cultivate cannabis plants at their homes under a new Virginia law, and the company partially converted some of its vape retail shops into selling those products. But Xu started dismantling the Avail Vapor business and sister companies in 2021. (Xu was a former executive and is still a shareholder with his sister in Evergreen Enterprises, the South Richmond-based global home decor manufacturer and distributor of home decor products that owns the Plow & Hearth retail store chain.) In the summer of 2021, Avail Vapor sold 30 of its stores to MadVapes, another growing chain of vaping stores. By late October, Avail had closed or sold all of its stores, including nine in the Richmond area, along with its production plant in Chesterfield. The local stores included the companys first locations in Carytown and Short Pump. The company also sold Giant Vapes LLC, an online seller of e-cigarette devices and liquids. Avail bought that business in 2020 with the idea it would help get Avail more firmly into the e-commerce market. Avail Vapor had divided its operations into three different businesses two years ago on Jan. 1, 2020. One was Avails retail business, which has shut down. Another business was called Blackbriar Regulatory Services LLC, created to provide FDA compliance consulting, laboratory services and contract manufacturing for other vaping products companies. The company transferred its contract manufacturing facility just off Midlothian Turnpike to another undisclosed company, Xu said. A few key members led a management buyout of the regulatory side of business, he said. The third business unit called Blackship Technologies LLC provided research and development services. Since its a holding company with no activities, Xu said he hasnt decided yet what to do with that business. ****** Xu said meeting regulatory requirements set by the FDA for vaping products was an impossible task. Under this environment, we cannot operate a legitimate business, he said. Our biggest problem was we tried to believe in the FDA that one day it would regulate this market with common sense. Under a 2016 rule, e-cigarettes were deemed by the FDA to be subject to regulation as tobacco products, which required makers of the products such as Avail Vapor to submit them for FDA approval. The applications were required to be submitted by Sept. 9, 2020. Vaping products companies must submit to the FDA information on each products health risks, ingredients and manufacturing process along with samples of the product and its proposed labeling. The FDA said it has received applications from more than 500 companies covering more than 6.5 million tobacco products. In August, the FDA rejected applications for about 55,000 flavored electronic nicotine delivery products, also known as ENDS. Among those rejected were some of Avails applications, Xu said. Avail spent more than $10 million over several years to prepare the FDA applications, Xu said. FDA rejected our application based on a certain test that they have repeatedly told the industry is not required, he said. The FDA said the products lacked sufficient evidence that they have a benefit to adult smokers sufficient to overcome the public health threat posed by the well-documented, alarming levels of youth use of such products. Specifically, the FDA cited vaping products with flavorings it contends would appeal to underage users and sold under brand names such as Apple Crumble, Dr. Cola and Cinnamon Toast Cereal. Xu contends that Avail Vapor took steps to prevent sales of its products to minors at its stores. He contends that the real reason for rising youth use of vaping products is a political backlash over the widespread availability of disposable vaping products that are sold at convenience stores, along with marketing tactics by some companies that appeal to youth. The FDA had an immediate reaction and tried to blame the flavors, which is not really the root cause, he said. In Europe, they have flavors, but they do not have a youth problem. It is really a marketing problem. Avail has filed an appeal of the FDAs decision in court. Its appeal with the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals argues that the FDAs denial of Avails application was arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law, according to the court documents. A spokesperson for the FDA said the agency does not comment on possible, pending or ongoing litigation. Avail isnt the only company that has challenged the FDAs decision to reject thousands of e-cig applications. In October, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Triton Distribution, a Texas-based manufacturer of e-cigarettes, could continue selling its products even though the FDA had rejected its applications. The appeals court ruled that the FDA did not give adequate consideration to the companys marketing plan to reduce the products appeal to youth. That court also said the FDA pull[ed] a surprise switcheroo on regulated entities by saying they likely would need to do long-term studies to show that the health benefits of adults using the products outweighed the risk of youth starting to sue them. Xu said the Triton case bodes well for other companies that have challenged the FDA decision. Our case is the strongest among all, he said. Thats because Avail is one of the few companies who submitted the most comprehensive applications to FDA according to their guidelines. Also from the formal communication that we received from FDA a year ago, it indicated that we were in a great position to receive the final approval. What has happened to Avail and other upstart makers of vaping products could be seen as part of ongoing nicotine wars in the U.S., said David Sweanor, a professor of law at the University of Ottawa and a tobacco control advocate who favors policies that push smokers toward less toxic nicotine products. Sweanor said the FDAs policies regarding e-cigarettes are making it harder for startup, innovative companies to compete in a market that still remains dominated by conventional cigarettes. The result is you kill the independents and the upstarts who have the greatest interest in replacing cigarettes, he said. It is very disappointing that a lot of public health groups have taken this abstinence-only approach, Sweanor said. They end up just supporting the cigarette business by taking away one of the alternative products. The United Kingdom is a good example of a country that acknowledged the [vaping] products are less hazardous and are encouraging people who smoke cigarettes to move to vaping products. James Xu started Avail Vapor in 2013 with the goal of building a business around what looked like a growing, disruptive force in the tobacco industry. Our mission was to help smokers to quit smoking, said Xu, who co-founded Avail Vapor as a chain of retail stores that specialize in selling electronic cigarettes, or e-cigs, now often referred to as vapes or vaping products. The company grew to become a major retailer and producer of e-vapor products, owning more than 100 retail stores in 12 states and a manufacturing facility in Chesterfield County. But Avail Vapor hit a wall as a business. It enters 2022 with what Xu says is essentially zero business. It had about 400 employees at the peak of its business operations. Right now, we are unwinding everything, Xu said in a recent interview, adding that the company hopes eventually to start everything fresh. The reason for shutting down the business, Xu said, is because the company and others like it faced an impossible task meeting regulatory requirements set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for vaping products. ****** Avail sold vaping products, which unlike traditional cigarettes, do not produce smoke. Instead, the battery-powered vaping devices, which were just exploding in the U.S. market when Avail Vapor first opened, heat a liquid solution of nicotine and flavorings to produce a vapor that the consumer inhales. With the idea of introducing the products to a burgeoning market of people looking for an alternative to smoking, the company opened a small, clean-lab production site on Southlake Boulevard just off Midlothian Turnpike in Chesterfield to manufacture vaping products. The goal was to switch smokers to a product that, while not without health risks, is generally considered to be less hazardous than inhaling smoke from conventional cigarettes. Everybody has tried to make a product that is less harmful, said Xu, adding that he still hopes his company eventually can be a force for change in the sale of nicotine products. It even got Henrico County-based Altria Group Inc., the nations largest tobacco company, to take a minority investment in Avail in 2017. But that business relationship ended in 2019, Xu said. This past summer, Avail Vapor was looking to capitalize on customers who wanted to cultivate cannabis plants at their homes under a new Virginia law, and the company partially converted some of its vape retail shops into selling those products. But Xu started dismantling the Avail Vapor business and sister companies in 2021. (Xu was a former executive and is still a shareholder with his sister in Evergreen Enterprises, the South Richmond-based global home decor manufacturer and distributor of home decor products that owns the Plow & Hearth retail store chain.) In the summer of 2021, Avail Vapor sold 30 of its stores to MadVapes, another growing chain of vaping stores. By late October, Avail had closed or sold all of its stores, including nine in the Richmond area, along with its production plant in Chesterfield. The local stores included the companys first locations in Carytown and Short Pump. The company also sold Giant Vapes LLC, an online seller of e-cigarette devices and liquids. Avail bought that business in 2020 with the idea it would help get Avail more firmly into the e-commerce market. Avail Vapor had divided its operations into three different businesses two years ago on Jan. 1, 2020. One was Avails retail business, which has shut down. Another business was called Blackbriar Regulatory Services LLC, created to provide FDA compliance consulting, laboratory services and contract manufacturing for other vaping products companies. The company transferred its contract manufacturing facility just off Midlothian Turnpike to another undisclosed company, Xu said. A few key members led a management buyout of the regulatory side of business, he said. The third business unit called Blackship Technologies LLC provided research and development services. Since its a holding company with no activities, Xu said he hasnt decided yet what to do with that business. ****** Xu said meeting regulatory requirements set by the FDA for vaping products was an impossible task. Under this environment, we cannot operate a legitimate business, he said. Our biggest problem was we tried to believe in the FDA that one day it would regulate this market with common sense. Under a 2016 rule, e-cigarettes were deemed by the FDA to be subject to regulation as tobacco products, which required makers of the products such as Avail Vapor to submit them for FDA approval. The applications were required to be submitted by Sept. 9, 2020. Vaping products companies must submit to the FDA information on each products health risks, ingredients and manufacturing process along with samples of the product and its proposed labeling. The FDA said it has received applications from more than 500 companies covering more than 6.5 million tobacco products. In August, the FDA rejected applications for about 55,000 flavored electronic nicotine delivery products, also known as ENDS. Among those rejected were some of Avails applications, Xu said. Avail spent more than $10 million over several years to prepare the FDA applications, Xu said. FDA rejected our application based on a certain test that they have repeatedly told the industry is not required, he said. The FDA said the products lacked sufficient evidence that they have a benefit to adult smokers sufficient to overcome the public health threat posed by the well-documented, alarming levels of youth use of such products. Specifically, the FDA cited vaping products with flavorings it contends would appeal to underage users and sold under brand names such as Apple Crumble, Dr. Cola and Cinnamon Toast Cereal. Xu contends that Avail Vapor took steps to prevent sales of its products to minors at its stores. He contends that the real reason for rising youth use of vaping products is a political backlash over the widespread availability of disposable vaping products that are sold at convenience stores, along with marketing tactics by some companies that appeal to youth. The FDA had an immediate reaction and tried to blame the flavors, which is not really the root cause, he said. In Europe, they have flavors, but they do not have a youth problem. It is really a marketing problem. Avail has filed an appeal of the FDAs decision in court. Its appeal with the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals argues that the FDAs denial of Avails application was arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law, according to the court documents. A spokesperson for the FDA said the agency does not comment on possible, pending or ongoing litigation. Avail isnt the only company that has challenged the FDAs decision to reject thousands of e-cig applications. In October, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Triton Distribution, a Texas-based manufacturer of e-cigarettes, could continue selling its products even though the FDA had rejected its applications. The appeals court ruled that the FDA did not give adequate consideration to the companys marketing plan to reduce the products appeal to youth. That court also said the FDA pull[ed] a surprise switcheroo on regulated entities by saying they likely would need to do long-term studies to show that the health benefits of adults using the products outweighed the risk of youth starting to sue them. Xu said the Triton case bodes well for other companies that have challenged the FDA decision. Our case is the strongest among all, he said. Thats because Avail is one of the few companies who submitted the most comprehensive applications to FDA according to their guidelines. Also from the formal communication that we received from FDA a year ago, it indicated that we were in a great position to receive the final approval. What has happened to Avail and other upstart makers of vaping products could be seen as part of ongoing nicotine wars in the U.S., said David Sweanor, a professor of law at the University of Ottawa and a tobacco control advocate who favors policies that push smokers toward less toxic nicotine products. Sweanor said the FDAs policies regarding e-cigarettes are making it harder for startup, innovative companies to compete in a market that still remains dominated by conventional cigarettes. The result is you kill the independents and the upstarts who have the greatest interest in replacing cigarettes, he said. It is very disappointing that a lot of public health groups have taken this abstinence-only approach, Sweanor said. They end up just supporting the cigarette business by taking away one of the alternative products. The United Kingdom is a good example of a country that acknowledged the [vaping] products are less hazardous and are encouraging people who smoke cigarettes to move to vaping products. Moscow [Russia], January 1 (ANI): Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Also Read | Australia To Rename Aspen Island To Honor Queen Elizabeth II on Platinum Jubilee, Says PM Scott Morrison. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Also Read | Omicron Less Severe as it Mostly Avoids Attacking Lungs, Says Report. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Many of us will be overindulging on alcohol to ring in 2022, but a new study warns that many popular bedside hangover cures won't be of much use on January 1. In a review of previous research papers, London academics have found 'no convincing scientific evidence' that hangover 'cures' are effective at all. These purported 'cures' include clove extract, red ginseng, Korean pear juice, Tolfenamic acid and extract from Hovenia dulcis, a Japanese tree species. The researchers say there's 'only very low quality evidence' that there's any effective 'pharmacologically active intervention for treatment or prevention of an alcohol-induced hangover'. They claim that the best method of preventing hangover symptoms is to completely avoid alcohol or drink in moderation. They also warn against potentially harmful 'hair of the dog' methods in other words, drinking alcoholic substances such as whisky the following morning. A new review has found only very low-quality evidence that substances claiming to treat or prevent alcohol-induced hangovers actually work. Pictured is essential oil from the extraction of clove seeds Korean pear juice has long been used as a hangover cure in Korea and China. However, there's no convincing scientific evidence that it and other hangover cures work, the new study says The study was led by a team of researchers from Kings College London and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. They warn that hangovers not only cause physical and mental discomfort, but can affect professional performance if we're working the following day. 'Hangover symptoms can cause significant distress and affect people's employment and academic performance,' said study author Dr Emmert Roberts at Kings College London. 'Given the continuing speculation in the media as to which hangover remedies work or not, the question around the effectiveness of substances that claim to treat or prevent a hangover appears to be one with considerable public interest. INEFFECTIVE HANGOVER 'CURES' - - Clovinol (extract of clove buds) - Red Ginseng - Curcumin - Duolac ProAP4 (probiotics) - L-cysteine - N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC) - Rapid Recovery (L-cysteine, thiamine, pyridoxine and ascorbic acid) - Loxoprofen (loxoprofen sodium) - SJP-001 (naproxen and fexofenadine) - Phyllpro (Phyllanthus amarus) - Hovenia dulcis Thunb. fruit extract (HDE) - Polysaccharide rich extract of Acanthopanax (PEA) - Korean Pear Juice - L-ornithine - Prickly Pear - Artichoke extract - 'Morning-Fit' (dried yeast, thiamine nitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, and riboflavin) - Propranolol - Tolfenamic acid - Chlormethiazole - Pyritinol Advertisement 'Our study has found that evidence on these hangover remedies is of very low quality and there is a need to provide more rigorous assessment. 'For now, the surest way of preventing hangover symptoms is to abstain from alcohol or drink in moderation.' Numerous remedies claim to be effective against hangover symptoms; however, up-to-date scientific examination of the literature is lacking. The new study, published in the early hours of New Year's Day in the scientific journal Addiction, assessed 21 placebo-controlled randomised trials of clove extract, red ginseng, Korean pear juice and other hangover cures. Closeup of red ginsengs. This is a plant that grows in Korea, China, and Siberia - but researchers say it doesn't effectively treat hangovers Although some studies showed statistically significant improvements in hangover symptoms, all evidence was of very low quality usually because of methodological limitations or imprecise measurements. In addition, no two studies reported on the same hangover remedy and no results had been independently replicated. When studies are replicated with the same or similar results, it gives greater validity to the findings. Three quarters of all included studies (16 out of 21, or 76 per cent) reported data on sample sizes of fewer than 30 participants. Dubiously, evidence for clove extract as a hangover cure was based on data from only 16 participants. Of the ultimate 386 analysed participants, only 149 (38.6 per cent) were female and eight included trials (38 per cent) were conducted exclusively with male participants. The new analysis has been published a minute into the new year, when revellers will be overindulging on alcohol to ring in 2022 (stock image) Differences in the effects of alcohol on men and women are well-documented for example, if a woman and a man drink the same amount, the womans blood alcohol level will almost always be higher than the mans. In terms of the methods, there were considerable differences in the type of alcohol given to participants and whether it was given alongside food, which likely influenced findings. According to the researchers, future studies should be more rigorous in their methods, for example by using validated scales to assess hangover symptoms. There is also a need to improve the participation of women in hangover research, they say. Overall, the researchers call for 'more rigorous scientific exploration' of the effectiveness of hangover remedies to convey to the public. If this is achieved, it could change alcohol consumption habits, which would go on to benefit public health. Moscow [Russia], January 1 (ANI): Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Also Read | Australia To Rename Aspen Island To Honor Queen Elizabeth II on Platinum Jubilee, Says PM Scott Morrison. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Also Read | Omicron Less Severe as it Mostly Avoids Attacking Lungs, Says Report. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Vietnamese living abroad want to visit the country for Tet but are disappointed by the lack of clear quarantine and other policies. Regular international flights resume Jan. 1 to Cambodia, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and the U.S. William Le, a Vietnamese living in California, the U.S., says he is glad to hear the news since it means he can return to HCMC to celebrate Lunar New Year, which is a month away. "I miss my relatives and friends so much after two years of separation owing to Covid." But he has been finding things are not straightforward: ticket prices are high at $2,000-4,000 one way and quarantine regulations for people coming from the U.S. are not clear. Besides, he heard that in December his friends bought tickets to HCMC but ended up in Da Nang for quarantine. "So I have decided to wait until there are cheaper tickets, clear announcement about quarantine and a vaccine passport." He also hopes the Omicron variant will not make the situation worse. William Le in San Diego, the U.S., in October 2021. Photo courtesy of William Le Authorities in HCMC have mandated that visitors from countries and territories where the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has been detected must quarantine for seven days. Hanoi issued a similar announcement early this week but scrapped it on Thursday. The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) is unhappy with the quarantine requirement, saying the decision goes against the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and its own assurances to global partners. Ta Thuy Lien in Singapore is happy with the restart of international flights and Vietnam's resumption of economic activities and awareness of public demand for traveling. She plans to visit her parents in the northern Phu Tho Province for a few days by herself rather than with her husband and kids. She says this is because of the lack of clarity in policies. She read about the resumption of international flights in the media, but there has been nothing from airlines about it or about quarantine. Lien has only three to five days to spend Tet with her parents, so she hopes to quarantine at home. "I need to have certain information about isolation regulation to decide to return to Vietnam or not." Phan Phuong Thuy, who lives in Japan, says she looks forward to coming back to Vietnam during the Lunar New Year, but fears it is going to be difficult. The average cost of a ticket and hotel quarantine is VND40-50 million. With quarantine, she, her husband and their son will not have enough time to travel both to Phu Tho and Bac Giang to visit both sets of parents since Tet is not a holiday in Japan and she cannot get too many days off. She is also worried her family might contract Covid while traveling since the Omicron variant is spreading quickly. "Consequently, I decided to postponed our trip." Phan Phuong Thuy is in Nagano, Japan, in November 2021. Photo courtesy of Phan Phuong Thuy Pham Linh An in Taiwan says she and her husband badly want to visit Hanoi and the neighboring Thai Binh to celebrate Tet with their parents, but at the end of December she was not aware of any official announcements released by Vietnam authorities to airlines and travel agents about quarantine and other flight requirements. The news about international flights is in the media only. Another factor is possible flight delays, sometimes even by two or three days as her friends found out, she says. She is extremely concerned about the large number of new Covid cases in Vietnam and the fact her son has yet to be vaccinated. Besides, she does not want to self-isolate for 21 days when she returns as Taiwanese regulations require for countries with high infections. "I don't worry about Omicron but I need to delay my plan to visit Vietnam for those reasons." Before Covid she and her family used to visit Vietnam every month. Vietnam has been recording over 10,000 new Covid-19 cases every day, with new Omicron infections confirmed this week among foreign arrivals to Hanoi and Da Nang. The capital Hanoi has emerged as the country's epicenter, prompting authorities to suspend on-site dining and crowded events in many downtown districts. A public space near Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi, is quiet on December 26, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Chieu Sim Chy, who lives in Cambodia, says he was pleased to hear about the resumption of flights to Vietnam. But his biggest concern is whether or not he will have to quarantine if he visits his family in Soc Trang Province in the Mekong Delta. Sim says he used to visit Vietnam around five times a year before Covid erupted. Cambodia allows Vietnamese to travel freely if they are vaccinated against Covid and possess negative PCR and quick tests. A majority of people in Cambodia have got booster shots. "I am waiting to see if Vietnam has the same regulations for people coming from Cambodia before I decide to return for Tet." Vietnamese living abroad want to visit the country for Tet but are disappointed by the lack of clear quarantine and other policies. Regular international flights resume Jan. 1 to Cambodia, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and the U.S. William Le, a Vietnamese living in California, the U.S., says he is glad to hear the news since it means he can return to HCMC to celebrate Lunar New Year, which is a month away. "I miss my relatives and friends so much after two years of separation owing to Covid." But he has been finding things are not straightforward: ticket prices are high at $2,000-4,000 one way and quarantine regulations for people coming from the U.S. are not clear. Besides, he heard that in December his friends bought tickets to HCMC but ended up in Da Nang for quarantine. "So I have decided to wait until there are cheaper tickets, clear announcement about quarantine and a vaccine passport." He also hopes the Omicron variant will not make the situation worse. William Le in San Diego, the U.S., in October 2021. Photo courtesy of William Le Authorities in HCMC have mandated that visitors from countries and territories where the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has been detected must quarantine for seven days. Hanoi issued a similar announcement early this week but scrapped it on Thursday. The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) is unhappy with the quarantine requirement, saying the decision goes against the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and its own assurances to global partners. Ta Thuy Lien in Singapore is happy with the restart of international flights and Vietnam's resumption of economic activities and awareness of public demand for traveling. She plans to visit her parents in the northern Phu Tho Province for a few days by herself rather than with her husband and kids. She says this is because of the lack of clarity in policies. She read about the resumption of international flights in the media, but there has been nothing from airlines about it or about quarantine. Lien has only three to five days to spend Tet with her parents, so she hopes to quarantine at home. "I need to have certain information about isolation regulation to decide to return to Vietnam or not." Phan Phuong Thuy, who lives in Japan, says she looks forward to coming back to Vietnam during the Lunar New Year, but fears it is going to be difficult. The average cost of a ticket and hotel quarantine is VND40-50 million. With quarantine, she, her husband and their son will not have enough time to travel both to Phu Tho and Bac Giang to visit both sets of parents since Tet is not a holiday in Japan and she cannot get too many days off. She is also worried her family might contract Covid while traveling since the Omicron variant is spreading quickly. "Consequently, I decided to postponed our trip." Phan Phuong Thuy is in Nagano, Japan, in November 2021. Photo courtesy of Phan Phuong Thuy Pham Linh An in Taiwan says she and her husband badly want to visit Hanoi and the neighboring Thai Binh to celebrate Tet with their parents, but at the end of December she was not aware of any official announcements released by Vietnam authorities to airlines and travel agents about quarantine and other flight requirements. The news about international flights is in the media only. Another factor is possible flight delays, sometimes even by two or three days as her friends found out, she says. She is extremely concerned about the large number of new Covid cases in Vietnam and the fact her son has yet to be vaccinated. Besides, she does not want to self-isolate for 21 days when she returns as Taiwanese regulations require for countries with high infections. "I don't worry about Omicron but I need to delay my plan to visit Vietnam for those reasons." Before Covid she and her family used to visit Vietnam every month. Vietnam has been recording over 10,000 new Covid-19 cases every day, with new Omicron infections confirmed this week among foreign arrivals to Hanoi and Da Nang. The capital Hanoi has emerged as the country's epicenter, prompting authorities to suspend on-site dining and crowded events in many downtown districts. A public space near Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi, is quiet on December 26, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Chieu Sim Chy, who lives in Cambodia, says he was pleased to hear about the resumption of flights to Vietnam. But his biggest concern is whether or not he will have to quarantine if he visits his family in Soc Trang Province in the Mekong Delta. Sim says he used to visit Vietnam around five times a year before Covid erupted. Cambodia allows Vietnamese to travel freely if they are vaccinated against Covid and possess negative PCR and quick tests. A majority of people in Cambodia have got booster shots. "I am waiting to see if Vietnam has the same regulations for people coming from Cambodia before I decide to return for Tet." Vietnamese living abroad want to visit the country for Tet but are disappointed by the lack of clear quarantine and other policies. Regular international flights resume Jan. 1 to Cambodia, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and the U.S. William Le, a Vietnamese living in California, the U.S., says he is glad to hear the news since it means he can return to HCMC to celebrate Lunar New Year, which is a month away. "I miss my relatives and friends so much after two years of separation owing to Covid." But he has been finding things are not straightforward: ticket prices are high at $2,000-4,000 one way and quarantine regulations for people coming from the U.S. are not clear. Besides, he heard that in December his friends bought tickets to HCMC but ended up in Da Nang for quarantine. "So I have decided to wait until there are cheaper tickets, clear announcement about quarantine and a vaccine passport." He also hopes the Omicron variant will not make the situation worse. William Le in San Diego, the U.S., in October 2021. Photo courtesy of William Le Authorities in HCMC have mandated that visitors from countries and territories where the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has been detected must quarantine for seven days. Hanoi issued a similar announcement early this week but scrapped it on Thursday. The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) is unhappy with the quarantine requirement, saying the decision goes against the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and its own assurances to global partners. Ta Thuy Lien in Singapore is happy with the restart of international flights and Vietnam's resumption of economic activities and awareness of public demand for traveling. She plans to visit her parents in the northern Phu Tho Province for a few days by herself rather than with her husband and kids. She says this is because of the lack of clarity in policies. She read about the resumption of international flights in the media, but there has been nothing from airlines about it or about quarantine. Lien has only three to five days to spend Tet with her parents, so she hopes to quarantine at home. "I need to have certain information about isolation regulation to decide to return to Vietnam or not." Phan Phuong Thuy, who lives in Japan, says she looks forward to coming back to Vietnam during the Lunar New Year, but fears it is going to be difficult. The average cost of a ticket and hotel quarantine is VND40-50 million. With quarantine, she, her husband and their son will not have enough time to travel both to Phu Tho and Bac Giang to visit both sets of parents since Tet is not a holiday in Japan and she cannot get too many days off. She is also worried her family might contract Covid while traveling since the Omicron variant is spreading quickly. "Consequently, I decided to postponed our trip." Phan Phuong Thuy is in Nagano, Japan, in November 2021. Photo courtesy of Phan Phuong Thuy Pham Linh An in Taiwan says she and her husband badly want to visit Hanoi and the neighboring Thai Binh to celebrate Tet with their parents, but at the end of December she was not aware of any official announcements released by Vietnam authorities to airlines and travel agents about quarantine and other flight requirements. The news about international flights is in the media only. Another factor is possible flight delays, sometimes even by two or three days as her friends found out, she says. She is extremely concerned about the large number of new Covid cases in Vietnam and the fact her son has yet to be vaccinated. Besides, she does not want to self-isolate for 21 days when she returns as Taiwanese regulations require for countries with high infections. "I don't worry about Omicron but I need to delay my plan to visit Vietnam for those reasons." Before Covid she and her family used to visit Vietnam every month. Vietnam has been recording over 10,000 new Covid-19 cases every day, with new Omicron infections confirmed this week among foreign arrivals to Hanoi and Da Nang. The capital Hanoi has emerged as the country's epicenter, prompting authorities to suspend on-site dining and crowded events in many downtown districts. A public space near Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi, is quiet on December 26, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Chieu Sim Chy, who lives in Cambodia, says he was pleased to hear about the resumption of flights to Vietnam. But his biggest concern is whether or not he will have to quarantine if he visits his family in Soc Trang Province in the Mekong Delta. Sim says he used to visit Vietnam around five times a year before Covid erupted. Cambodia allows Vietnamese to travel freely if they are vaccinated against Covid and possess negative PCR and quick tests. A majority of people in Cambodia have got booster shots. "I am waiting to see if Vietnam has the same regulations for people coming from Cambodia before I decide to return for Tet." Vietnamese living abroad want to visit the country for Tet but are disappointed by the lack of clear quarantine and other policies. Regular international flights resume Jan. 1 to Cambodia, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and the U.S. William Le, a Vietnamese living in California, the U.S., says he is glad to hear the news since it means he can return to HCMC to celebrate Lunar New Year, which is a month away. "I miss my relatives and friends so much after two years of separation owing to Covid." But he has been finding things are not straightforward: ticket prices are high at $2,000-4,000 one way and quarantine regulations for people coming from the U.S. are not clear. Besides, he heard that in December his friends bought tickets to HCMC but ended up in Da Nang for quarantine. "So I have decided to wait until there are cheaper tickets, clear announcement about quarantine and a vaccine passport." He also hopes the Omicron variant will not make the situation worse. William Le in San Diego, the U.S., in October 2021. Photo courtesy of William Le Authorities in HCMC have mandated that visitors from countries and territories where the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has been detected must quarantine for seven days. Hanoi issued a similar announcement early this week but scrapped it on Thursday. The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) is unhappy with the quarantine requirement, saying the decision goes against the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and its own assurances to global partners. Ta Thuy Lien in Singapore is happy with the restart of international flights and Vietnam's resumption of economic activities and awareness of public demand for traveling. She plans to visit her parents in the northern Phu Tho Province for a few days by herself rather than with her husband and kids. She says this is because of the lack of clarity in policies. She read about the resumption of international flights in the media, but there has been nothing from airlines about it or about quarantine. Lien has only three to five days to spend Tet with her parents, so she hopes to quarantine at home. "I need to have certain information about isolation regulation to decide to return to Vietnam or not." Phan Phuong Thuy, who lives in Japan, says she looks forward to coming back to Vietnam during the Lunar New Year, but fears it is going to be difficult. The average cost of a ticket and hotel quarantine is VND40-50 million. With quarantine, she, her husband and their son will not have enough time to travel both to Phu Tho and Bac Giang to visit both sets of parents since Tet is not a holiday in Japan and she cannot get too many days off. She is also worried her family might contract Covid while traveling since the Omicron variant is spreading quickly. "Consequently, I decided to postponed our trip." Phan Phuong Thuy is in Nagano, Japan, in November 2021. Photo courtesy of Phan Phuong Thuy Pham Linh An in Taiwan says she and her husband badly want to visit Hanoi and the neighboring Thai Binh to celebrate Tet with their parents, but at the end of December she was not aware of any official announcements released by Vietnam authorities to airlines and travel agents about quarantine and other flight requirements. The news about international flights is in the media only. Another factor is possible flight delays, sometimes even by two or three days as her friends found out, she says. She is extremely concerned about the large number of new Covid cases in Vietnam and the fact her son has yet to be vaccinated. Besides, she does not want to self-isolate for 21 days when she returns as Taiwanese regulations require for countries with high infections. "I don't worry about Omicron but I need to delay my plan to visit Vietnam for those reasons." Before Covid she and her family used to visit Vietnam every month. Vietnam has been recording over 10,000 new Covid-19 cases every day, with new Omicron infections confirmed this week among foreign arrivals to Hanoi and Da Nang. The capital Hanoi has emerged as the country's epicenter, prompting authorities to suspend on-site dining and crowded events in many downtown districts. A public space near Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi, is quiet on December 26, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Chieu Sim Chy, who lives in Cambodia, says he was pleased to hear about the resumption of flights to Vietnam. But his biggest concern is whether or not he will have to quarantine if he visits his family in Soc Trang Province in the Mekong Delta. Sim says he used to visit Vietnam around five times a year before Covid erupted. Cambodia allows Vietnamese to travel freely if they are vaccinated against Covid and possess negative PCR and quick tests. A majority of people in Cambodia have got booster shots. "I am waiting to see if Vietnam has the same regulations for people coming from Cambodia before I decide to return for Tet." James Xu started Avail Vapor in 2013 with the goal of building a business around what looked like a growing, disruptive force in the tobacco industry. Our mission was to help smokers to quit smoking, said Xu, who co-founded Avail Vapor as a chain of retail stores that specialize in selling electronic cigarettes, or e-cigs, now often referred to as vapes or vaping products. The company grew to become a major retailer and producer of e-vapor products, owning more than 100 retail stores in 12 states and a manufacturing facility in Chesterfield County. But Avail Vapor hit a wall as a business. It enters 2022 with what Xu says is essentially zero business. It had about 400 employees at the peak of its business operations. Right now, we are unwinding everything, Xu said in a recent interview, adding that the company hopes eventually to start everything fresh. The reason for shutting down the business, Xu said, is because the company and others like it faced an impossible task meeting regulatory requirements set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for vaping products. ****** Avail sold vaping products, which unlike traditional cigarettes, do not produce smoke. Instead, the battery-powered vaping devices, which were just exploding in the U.S. market when Avail Vapor first opened, heat a liquid solution of nicotine and flavorings to produce a vapor that the consumer inhales. With the idea of introducing the products to a burgeoning market of people looking for an alternative to smoking, the company opened a small, clean-lab production site on Southlake Boulevard just off Midlothian Turnpike in Chesterfield to manufacture vaping products. The goal was to switch smokers to a product that, while not without health risks, is generally considered to be less hazardous than inhaling smoke from conventional cigarettes. Everybody has tried to make a product that is less harmful, said Xu, adding that he still hopes his company eventually can be a force for change in the sale of nicotine products. It even got Henrico County-based Altria Group Inc., the nations largest tobacco company, to take a minority investment in Avail in 2017. But that business relationship ended in 2019, Xu said. This past summer, Avail Vapor was looking to capitalize on customers who wanted to cultivate cannabis plants at their homes under a new Virginia law, and the company partially converted some of its vape retail shops into selling those products. But Xu started dismantling the Avail Vapor business and sister companies in 2021. (Xu was a former executive and is still a shareholder with his sister in Evergreen Enterprises, the South Richmond-based global home decor manufacturer and distributor of home decor products that owns the Plow & Hearth retail store chain.) In the summer of 2021, Avail Vapor sold 30 of its stores to MadVapes, another growing chain of vaping stores. By late October, Avail had closed or sold all of its stores, including nine in the Richmond area, along with its production plant in Chesterfield. The local stores included the companys first locations in Carytown and Short Pump. The company also sold Giant Vapes LLC, an online seller of e-cigarette devices and liquids. Avail bought that business in 2020 with the idea it would help get Avail more firmly into the e-commerce market. Avail Vapor had divided its operations into three different businesses two years ago on Jan. 1, 2020. One was Avails retail business, which has shut down. Another business was called Blackbriar Regulatory Services LLC, created to provide FDA compliance consulting, laboratory services and contract manufacturing for other vaping products companies. The company transferred its contract manufacturing facility just off Midlothian Turnpike to another undisclosed company, Xu said. A few key members led a management buyout of the regulatory side of business, he said. The third business unit called Blackship Technologies LLC provided research and development services. Since its a holding company with no activities, Xu said he hasnt decided yet what to do with that business. ****** Xu said meeting regulatory requirements set by the FDA for vaping products was an impossible task. Under this environment, we cannot operate a legitimate business, he said. Our biggest problem was we tried to believe in the FDA that one day it would regulate this market with common sense. Under a 2016 rule, e-cigarettes were deemed by the FDA to be subject to regulation as tobacco products, which required makers of the products such as Avail Vapor to submit them for FDA approval. The applications were required to be submitted by Sept. 9, 2020. Vaping products companies must submit to the FDA information on each products health risks, ingredients and manufacturing process along with samples of the product and its proposed labeling. The FDA said it has received applications from more than 500 companies covering more than 6.5 million tobacco products. In August, the FDA rejected applications for about 55,000 flavored electronic nicotine delivery products, also known as ENDS. Among those rejected were some of Avails applications, Xu said. Avail spent more than $10 million over several years to prepare the FDA applications, Xu said. FDA rejected our application based on a certain test that they have repeatedly told the industry is not required, he said. The FDA said the products lacked sufficient evidence that they have a benefit to adult smokers sufficient to overcome the public health threat posed by the well-documented, alarming levels of youth use of such products. Specifically, the FDA cited vaping products with flavorings it contends would appeal to underage users and sold under brand names such as Apple Crumble, Dr. Cola and Cinnamon Toast Cereal. Xu contends that Avail Vapor took steps to prevent sales of its products to minors at its stores. He contends that the real reason for rising youth use of vaping products is a political backlash over the widespread availability of disposable vaping products that are sold at convenience stores, along with marketing tactics by some companies that appeal to youth. The FDA had an immediate reaction and tried to blame the flavors, which is not really the root cause, he said. In Europe, they have flavors, but they do not have a youth problem. It is really a marketing problem. Avail has filed an appeal of the FDAs decision in court. Its appeal with the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals argues that the FDAs denial of Avails application was arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law, according to the court documents. A spokesperson for the FDA said the agency does not comment on possible, pending or ongoing litigation. Avail isnt the only company that has challenged the FDAs decision to reject thousands of e-cig applications. In October, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Triton Distribution, a Texas-based manufacturer of e-cigarettes, could continue selling its products even though the FDA had rejected its applications. The appeals court ruled that the FDA did not give adequate consideration to the companys marketing plan to reduce the products appeal to youth. That court also said the FDA pull[ed] a surprise switcheroo on regulated entities by saying they likely would need to do long-term studies to show that the health benefits of adults using the products outweighed the risk of youth starting to sue them. Xu said the Triton case bodes well for other companies that have challenged the FDA decision. Our case is the strongest among all, he said. Thats because Avail is one of the few companies who submitted the most comprehensive applications to FDA according to their guidelines. Also from the formal communication that we received from FDA a year ago, it indicated that we were in a great position to receive the final approval. What has happened to Avail and other upstart makers of vaping products could be seen as part of ongoing nicotine wars in the U.S., said David Sweanor, a professor of law at the University of Ottawa and a tobacco control advocate who favors policies that push smokers toward less toxic nicotine products. Sweanor said the FDAs policies regarding e-cigarettes are making it harder for startup, innovative companies to compete in a market that still remains dominated by conventional cigarettes. The result is you kill the independents and the upstarts who have the greatest interest in replacing cigarettes, he said. It is very disappointing that a lot of public health groups have taken this abstinence-only approach, Sweanor said. They end up just supporting the cigarette business by taking away one of the alternative products. The United Kingdom is a good example of a country that acknowledged the [vaping] products are less hazardous and are encouraging people who smoke cigarettes to move to vaping products. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2021 (265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. In response to surging COVID-19 cases across the province, Prairie Mountain Health officials announced that they are temporarily suspending group social visits at their hospitals and personal care homes. Now, according to a Friday afternoon notice from PMH, only one essential care partner or designated family caregiver per patient/resident will be allowed to enter these facilities provided they all pass the necessary screening requirements. After proving that they are fully immunized against COVID, a member of these designated groups will be able to visit the following PMH hospital areas while wearing a medical mask and eye protection: maternity ward, neonatal intensive care unit, pediatric ward and emergency department. However, Fridays notice also specified that these new restrictions can be lifted on a case-by-case basis for compassionate reasons, such as an end-of-life scenario. Meanwhile, PMH personal care homes are also not allowing general visitation at this time, including inside the recently built visitation pods. Instead, only one designated family caregiver can visit at a time, although exceptions can, again, be made on a case-by-case basis. Fridays news release specified that this move is being made in response to emergence of the omicron variant, which is highly infectious and necessitates some temporary additional precautions to ensure the protection of our residents, patients and staff. On Friday, the Manitoba government announced 1,494 new COVID cases and eight more deaths associated with the virus. This marks the second day in a row where the province has surpassed 1,000 new cases in a single day, pushing the provinces total reported cases past the 80,000-case mark since the pandemic began in early 2020. The Brandon Sun James Xu started Avail Vapor in 2013 with the goal of building a business around what looked like a growing, disruptive force in the tobacco industry. Our mission was to help smokers to quit smoking, said Xu, who co-founded Avail Vapor as a chain of retail stores that specialize in selling electronic cigarettes, or e-cigs, now often referred to as vapes or vaping products. The company grew to become a major retailer and producer of e-vapor products, owning more than 100 retail stores in 12 states and a manufacturing facility in Chesterfield County. But Avail Vapor hit a wall as a business. It enters 2022 with what Xu says is essentially zero business. It had about 400 employees at the peak of its business operations. Right now, we are unwinding everything, Xu said in a recent interview, adding that the company hopes eventually to start everything fresh. The reason for shutting down the business, Xu said, is because the company and others like it faced an impossible task meeting regulatory requirements set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for vaping products. ****** Avail sold vaping products, which unlike traditional cigarettes, do not produce smoke. Instead, the battery-powered vaping devices, which were just exploding in the U.S. market when Avail Vapor first opened, heat a liquid solution of nicotine and flavorings to produce a vapor that the consumer inhales. With the idea of introducing the products to a burgeoning market of people looking for an alternative to smoking, the company opened a small, clean-lab production site on Southlake Boulevard just off Midlothian Turnpike in Chesterfield to manufacture vaping products. The goal was to switch smokers to a product that, while not without health risks, is generally considered to be less hazardous than inhaling smoke from conventional cigarettes. Everybody has tried to make a product that is less harmful, said Xu, adding that he still hopes his company eventually can be a force for change in the sale of nicotine products. It even got Henrico County-based Altria Group Inc., the nations largest tobacco company, to take a minority investment in Avail in 2017. But that business relationship ended in 2019, Xu said. This past summer, Avail Vapor was looking to capitalize on customers who wanted to cultivate cannabis plants at their homes under a new Virginia law, and the company partially converted some of its vape retail shops into selling those products. But Xu started dismantling the Avail Vapor business and sister companies in 2021. (Xu was a former executive and is still a shareholder with his sister in Evergreen Enterprises, the South Richmond-based global home decor manufacturer and distributor of home decor products that owns the Plow & Hearth retail store chain.) In the summer of 2021, Avail Vapor sold 30 of its stores to MadVapes, another growing chain of vaping stores. By late October, Avail had closed or sold all of its stores, including nine in the Richmond area, along with its production plant in Chesterfield. The local stores included the companys first locations in Carytown and Short Pump. The company also sold Giant Vapes LLC, an online seller of e-cigarette devices and liquids. Avail bought that business in 2020 with the idea it would help get Avail more firmly into the e-commerce market. Avail Vapor had divided its operations into three different businesses two years ago on Jan. 1, 2020. One was Avails retail business, which has shut down. Another business was called Blackbriar Regulatory Services LLC, created to provide FDA compliance consulting, laboratory services and contract manufacturing for other vaping products companies. The company transferred its contract manufacturing facility just off Midlothian Turnpike to another undisclosed company, Xu said. A few key members led a management buyout of the regulatory side of business, he said. The third business unit called Blackship Technologies LLC provided research and development services. Since its a holding company with no activities, Xu said he hasnt decided yet what to do with that business. ****** Xu said meeting regulatory requirements set by the FDA for vaping products was an impossible task. Under this environment, we cannot operate a legitimate business, he said. Our biggest problem was we tried to believe in the FDA that one day it would regulate this market with common sense. Under a 2016 rule, e-cigarettes were deemed by the FDA to be subject to regulation as tobacco products, which required makers of the products such as Avail Vapor to submit them for FDA approval. The applications were required to be submitted by Sept. 9, 2020. Vaping products companies must submit to the FDA information on each products health risks, ingredients and manufacturing process along with samples of the product and its proposed labeling. The FDA said it has received applications from more than 500 companies covering more than 6.5 million tobacco products. In August, the FDA rejected applications for about 55,000 flavored electronic nicotine delivery products, also known as ENDS. Among those rejected were some of Avails applications, Xu said. Avail spent more than $10 million over several years to prepare the FDA applications, Xu said. FDA rejected our application based on a certain test that they have repeatedly told the industry is not required, he said. The FDA said the products lacked sufficient evidence that they have a benefit to adult smokers sufficient to overcome the public health threat posed by the well-documented, alarming levels of youth use of such products. Specifically, the FDA cited vaping products with flavorings it contends would appeal to underage users and sold under brand names such as Apple Crumble, Dr. Cola and Cinnamon Toast Cereal. Xu contends that Avail Vapor took steps to prevent sales of its products to minors at its stores. He contends that the real reason for rising youth use of vaping products is a political backlash over the widespread availability of disposable vaping products that are sold at convenience stores, along with marketing tactics by some companies that appeal to youth. The FDA had an immediate reaction and tried to blame the flavors, which is not really the root cause, he said. In Europe, they have flavors, but they do not have a youth problem. It is really a marketing problem. Avail has filed an appeal of the FDAs decision in court. Its appeal with the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals argues that the FDAs denial of Avails application was arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law, according to the court documents. A spokesperson for the FDA said the agency does not comment on possible, pending or ongoing litigation. Avail isnt the only company that has challenged the FDAs decision to reject thousands of e-cig applications. In October, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Triton Distribution, a Texas-based manufacturer of e-cigarettes, could continue selling its products even though the FDA had rejected its applications. The appeals court ruled that the FDA did not give adequate consideration to the companys marketing plan to reduce the products appeal to youth. That court also said the FDA pull[ed] a surprise switcheroo on regulated entities by saying they likely would need to do long-term studies to show that the health benefits of adults using the products outweighed the risk of youth starting to sue them. Xu said the Triton case bodes well for other companies that have challenged the FDA decision. Our case is the strongest among all, he said. Thats because Avail is one of the few companies who submitted the most comprehensive applications to FDA according to their guidelines. Also from the formal communication that we received from FDA a year ago, it indicated that we were in a great position to receive the final approval. What has happened to Avail and other upstart makers of vaping products could be seen as part of ongoing nicotine wars in the U.S., said David Sweanor, a professor of law at the University of Ottawa and a tobacco control advocate who favors policies that push smokers toward less toxic nicotine products. Sweanor said the FDAs policies regarding e-cigarettes are making it harder for startup, innovative companies to compete in a market that still remains dominated by conventional cigarettes. The result is you kill the independents and the upstarts who have the greatest interest in replacing cigarettes, he said. It is very disappointing that a lot of public health groups have taken this abstinence-only approach, Sweanor said. They end up just supporting the cigarette business by taking away one of the alternative products. The United Kingdom is a good example of a country that acknowledged the [vaping] products are less hazardous and are encouraging people who smoke cigarettes to move to vaping products. This was the topic of a scientific workshop, which was organized by the Provincial General Library on the afternoon of December 30. The workshop was aimed to comprehensively evaluate the conservation and promotion of the value of Han - Nom (Sino- Demotic characters) heritage, collected and digitized in the past time. The Researcher Nguyen Xuan Hoa affirmed that the Han - Nom documents in Thua Thien Hue were very valuable The presentations at the workshop focused on a number of issues such as the value of content of the Han - Nom documents, currently preserved and worshiped in villages, clans and families; the Buddhist woodblock heritage; the status and solutions to preserve and promote the value of Han - Nom heritage in the current context, as well as the coordination in collecting and digitizing Han-Nom heritage by the Provincial General Library and related units, etc. The workshop also focused on assessing the current situation, difficulties and advantages in the process of accessing Han - Nom documents in villages, clans, private houses and palaces in the province area; the cooperation in science, technical means, technologies and human resources to collect and digitize Han-Nom documents in the past time, and the orientation for future cooperation. At the same time, the workshop considered clarifying the role and value of various types of Han - Nom documents, which have been collected and digitized by the Provincial General Library over the past time; and proposing solutions to implement the Decision approving the plan of collection, digitization, preservation, restoration and promotion of the value of Han - Nom documents in the province area within the period of 2020-2024. The researcher Nguyen Xuan Hoa affirmed that the Han - Nom documents in Thua Thien Hue had added valuable documents to the Han - Nom archives in Vietnam. Through the collected documents, it is possible to imagine that the treasure of Han - Nom heritage of the Nguyen dynasty had been created and kept in Hue in the past was very abundant, and in very large volume. The researchers once evaluated this treasure as massive, which was several times more than the total amount of Han - Nom documents of the previous dynasties; and its value of the content was also of better quality. By Minh Hien The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has said Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State and Senator Rochas Okorocha of Imo West should swear the... The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has said Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State and Senator Rochas Okorocha of Imo West should swear they are not sponsoring insecurity in the State. IPOB alleged that Okorocha and Uzodinma first created an alliance to oust former governor of the State, Emeka Ihedioha. Emma Powerful, IPOB spokesman, said Okorocha and Uzodinmas selfish reason was responsible for the activities of unknown gunmen. In a statement, Powerful said the politicians sponsor unknown gunmen and blame them on the Eastern Security Network, ESN. According to Powerful: We the great family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of our great prophet and indefatigable liberator, Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu KANU wish to draw the attention of the world that based on the unfolding security issues in Imo State, it has become very obvious that Gov. Hope Uzodinma and his predecessor Rochas Okorocha, are the sponsors of the so-called unknown gunmen perpetrating insecurity in Imo State for some time now. We have always explained that unknown gunmen were created by selfish and greedy politicians entangled in political war but many people did not believe us. Uzodinma and Okorocha first went into alliance in their desperation to oust Gov. Emeka Ihedioha, and they did a lot of abnormal things to achieve that selfish goal. Soon afterwards, they fell apart and resorted to other heinous schemes including but not limited to recruiting and arming hoodlums to outsmart each other. Their calculation was to blame the nefarious activities of their evil boys on IPOB and Eastern Security Network ESN operatives, an erroneous narrative many gullible minds had hitherto believed. Until the abduction of Okorochas son in-law, Uche Nwosu in the church by Uzodinmas hitmen, many didnt believe politicians were the masterminds of the insecurity and activities of unkown gunmen in Imo State and other parts of Biafra land. The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has said Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State and Senator Rochas Okorocha of Imo West should swear the... The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has said Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State and Senator Rochas Okorocha of Imo West should swear they are not sponsoring insecurity in the State. IPOB alleged that Okorocha and Uzodinma first created an alliance to oust former governor of the State, Emeka Ihedioha. Emma Powerful, IPOB spokesman, said Okorocha and Uzodinmas selfish reason was responsible for the activities of unknown gunmen. In a statement, Powerful said the politicians sponsor unknown gunmen and blame them on the Eastern Security Network, ESN. According to Powerful: We the great family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of our great prophet and indefatigable liberator, Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu KANU wish to draw the attention of the world that based on the unfolding security issues in Imo State, it has become very obvious that Gov. Hope Uzodinma and his predecessor Rochas Okorocha, are the sponsors of the so-called unknown gunmen perpetrating insecurity in Imo State for some time now. We have always explained that unknown gunmen were created by selfish and greedy politicians entangled in political war but many people did not believe us. Uzodinma and Okorocha first went into alliance in their desperation to oust Gov. Emeka Ihedioha, and they did a lot of abnormal things to achieve that selfish goal. Soon afterwards, they fell apart and resorted to other heinous schemes including but not limited to recruiting and arming hoodlums to outsmart each other. Their calculation was to blame the nefarious activities of their evil boys on IPOB and Eastern Security Network ESN operatives, an erroneous narrative many gullible minds had hitherto believed. Until the abduction of Okorochas son in-law, Uche Nwosu in the church by Uzodinmas hitmen, many didnt believe politicians were the masterminds of the insecurity and activities of unkown gunmen in Imo State and other parts of Biafra land. The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has said Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State and Senator Rochas Okorocha of Imo West should swear the... The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has said Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State and Senator Rochas Okorocha of Imo West should swear they are not sponsoring insecurity in the State. IPOB alleged that Okorocha and Uzodinma first created an alliance to oust former governor of the State, Emeka Ihedioha. Emma Powerful, IPOB spokesman, said Okorocha and Uzodinmas selfish reason was responsible for the activities of unknown gunmen. In a statement, Powerful said the politicians sponsor unknown gunmen and blame them on the Eastern Security Network, ESN. According to Powerful: We the great family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of our great prophet and indefatigable liberator, Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu KANU wish to draw the attention of the world that based on the unfolding security issues in Imo State, it has become very obvious that Gov. Hope Uzodinma and his predecessor Rochas Okorocha, are the sponsors of the so-called unknown gunmen perpetrating insecurity in Imo State for some time now. We have always explained that unknown gunmen were created by selfish and greedy politicians entangled in political war but many people did not believe us. Uzodinma and Okorocha first went into alliance in their desperation to oust Gov. Emeka Ihedioha, and they did a lot of abnormal things to achieve that selfish goal. Soon afterwards, they fell apart and resorted to other heinous schemes including but not limited to recruiting and arming hoodlums to outsmart each other. Their calculation was to blame the nefarious activities of their evil boys on IPOB and Eastern Security Network ESN operatives, an erroneous narrative many gullible minds had hitherto believed. Until the abduction of Okorochas son in-law, Uche Nwosu in the church by Uzodinmas hitmen, many didnt believe politicians were the masterminds of the insecurity and activities of unkown gunmen in Imo State and other parts of Biafra land. Kayode Fayemi, governor of Ekiti, says the Buhari administration can still fix the nations security challenges in 17 months. The Ni... Kayode Fayemi, governor of Ekiti, says the Buhari administration can still fix the nations security challenges in 17 months. The Nigerias general election will be held on February 18, 2023. Speaking in an interview on Arise News on Saturday, Fayemi said tackling insecurity will change the popular opinion about the Buhari administration within the time left of the tenure. If we can destroy that monster of insecurity, the opinion in the country will change dramatically. If we decide to go after these people without to much attachment to human rights and issues that may come up from the international communities. these people are not ghosts, he said. We know where the bandits are, so we can neutralise them and then begin to have the opportunity. It may not be completely finished under this government, but you can do that part of it under this administration. Neutralise all these elements that are responsible for the chaos that they have thrown our nation into. Unless there are people within the security institutions who are benefiting from the war economy itself, there is no question that they know what to do and we can fix it in 17 months. When asked about his presidential interest, the chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) said his concern is on finishing well as the governor of Ekiti state. He said the country is at a critical juncture, and political stakeholders must rise above partisan interest to salvage the nation. There are range of factors to put in place, the first is finishing well here. This will put me on the pedestal for the presidential interest, he said. But there is no doubt that it is not about running or not running for president that Nigeria requires at this point. I think we need a collective position to save and rescue our country from agitations, all these resentment in and around the country. We need to come together and help president Buhari finish well, that is the task of the moment; not who get to be president. In due course that would happen. The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has said Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State and Senator Rochas Okorocha of Imo West should swear the... The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has said Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State and Senator Rochas Okorocha of Imo West should swear they are not sponsoring insecurity in the State. IPOB alleged that Okorocha and Uzodinma first created an alliance to oust former governor of the State, Emeka Ihedioha. Emma Powerful, IPOB spokesman, said Okorocha and Uzodinmas selfish reason was responsible for the activities of unknown gunmen. In a statement, Powerful said the politicians sponsor unknown gunmen and blame them on the Eastern Security Network, ESN. According to Powerful: We the great family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of our great prophet and indefatigable liberator, Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu KANU wish to draw the attention of the world that based on the unfolding security issues in Imo State, it has become very obvious that Gov. Hope Uzodinma and his predecessor Rochas Okorocha, are the sponsors of the so-called unknown gunmen perpetrating insecurity in Imo State for some time now. We have always explained that unknown gunmen were created by selfish and greedy politicians entangled in political war but many people did not believe us. Uzodinma and Okorocha first went into alliance in their desperation to oust Gov. Emeka Ihedioha, and they did a lot of abnormal things to achieve that selfish goal. Soon afterwards, they fell apart and resorted to other heinous schemes including but not limited to recruiting and arming hoodlums to outsmart each other. Their calculation was to blame the nefarious activities of their evil boys on IPOB and Eastern Security Network ESN operatives, an erroneous narrative many gullible minds had hitherto believed. Until the abduction of Okorochas son in-law, Uche Nwosu in the church by Uzodinmas hitmen, many didnt believe politicians were the masterminds of the insecurity and activities of unkown gunmen in Imo State and other parts of Biafra land. Moscow [Russia], January 1 (ANI): Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Also Read | Australia To Rename Aspen Island To Honor Queen Elizabeth II on Platinum Jubilee, Says PM Scott Morrison. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Also Read | Omicron Less Severe as it Mostly Avoids Attacking Lungs, Says Report. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Feeling worse for wear this morning after a night of ringing in the new year? Well, don't trust the latest hangover trends to stop a pounding headache. Cures such as red ginseng, Korean pear juice and artichokes do not work, scientists have found. In fact, the researchers from King's College London concluded that no hangover remedy ever studied in a 'gold-standard' trial showed convincing signs of alleviating symptoms. The most promising three remedies out of the 23 hangover trials they reviewed included clove extract, also used for toothache, which acts as a painkiller and may speed up the metabolism of alcohol and target important receptors in the brain linked to drinking. The most promising three remedies out of the 23 hangover trials they reviewed included clove extract, also used for toothache, which acts as a painkiller and may speed up the metabolism of alcohol and target important receptors in the brain linked to drinking (file image) It appears to help with the seven most common hangover symptoms headaches, nausea, dizziness, tiredness, loss of focus, thirst and stomach aches. However, the findings were based on a study of only 16 people, which scientists say is not enough to reach definitive conclusions. Otherwise, the most hopeful evidence was for tolfenamic acid a type of painkiller taken before and after drinking and pyritinol, which is a supplement containing vitamin B6, taken three times during an evening of drinking at three-hour intervals. However, these studies were also based on no more than 30 people taking the remedy. Dr Emmert Roberts, lead author of the review published in the journal Addiction, said: 'The message here is that anything being marketed as a hangover cure isn't based on good science, and there can be a lot of snake oil salesmen out there.' Globally, only 386 people aged 18 to 65 have ever taken part in gold-standard trials for hangover treatments. Most studies were conducted in South Korea and Japan and mainly involved men. Three-quarters had fewer than 30 participating and no remedy has been studied more than once. For those sticking to the popular cure of 'hair of the dog' drinking more to get over a hangover experts are adamant that you will end up feeling worse in the long run. Atiwa Forest Reserve, and other 16 sites have been penned as future nominations into the World Network of Biosphere Reserves under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Biosphere Reserves are specially protected areas where diverse plants and animals exist with some level of human activity to conserve biodiversity and sustainable development. These sites serve as referral systems for monitoring and evaluating changes in natural ecosystems and are an effective instrument for mitigating climate change and serve as models for adaptation to the impacts of this change. They include Shai Hills Reserve, the Kakum, Mole, Digya, and Bui national parks, and Gbele Resources Reserve. The Tano-Ofei Range, Apedwa Hills, Kwahu Scarp, Kyaboo Transboundary Reserve, and Mount Afadzato and Agumatsa Wildlife Sanctuary are also part of the sites. Professor Dennis Aheto, the subcommittee chair of the National Committee of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) said this at the launch of a 47-page handbook on Biosphere Reserve concept at Sege in the Ada West District. It was designed by the National Committee of the UNESCO MAB hosted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with support from the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC); Forestry Commission, academia, and some district assemblies. The manual is seeking to make biosphere issues a normal component in Ghana's development planning and budgeting process at all levels as the basis for sustainable financing of its activities. He said out of the network of 727 reserves in 131countries, Ghana was hosting three, comprising Bia Biosphere Reserve, the largest, located in the Western Region, Songor Ramsar Site in Greater Accra, and Lake Bosomtwe Biosphere Reserve in Ashanti. Touching on the handbook, Prof. Aheto explained that its development, which started in 2018 in line with the Ghana Action plan (2018- 2025) for the MAB programme, was a requirement of the network of world biosphere reserves network as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The mainstreaming activities in the book, he said, included stakeholder engagements; communication and information sharing; capacity building, and conscious allocation of funds for biosphere related activities. Madam Ama Nerquaye-Tetteh, the Secretary-General for the Ghana Commission for UNESCO, commended Ghana for its tree planting exercise; support for global environmental initiatives, and the development of the manual and urged the country to do more to protect its reserves. Dr Kodjo Mensah-Abrampa, the Director-General of the NDPC, said the effective way of implementing national policies was through integration into all levels of planning. He urged all districts to take the handbook seriously and urged stakeholders to monitor and ensure its content was implemented. On behalf of the EPA, the Ghana MAB coordinator, Sheila Ashong, expressed the hope that the strong stakeholder engagement held over the period would propel the implementation of the activities outlined in the document for collective gains. GNA Moscow [Russia], January 1 (ANI): Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that official recognition of Taliban regime in Afghanistan which took power in August last year is not possible despite maintaining working contacts. Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to Frontier Post. Also Read | Australia To Rename Aspen Island To Honor Queen Elizabeth II on Platinum Jubilee, Says PM Scott Morrison. Further, Russia maintains working contacts with representatives of the Taliban movement (banned in the Russian Federation) who came to power in Afghanistan, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We maintain working contacts with representatives of the new Afghan authorities, including through our embassy in Kabul. In the context of the socio-economic crisis, the humanitarian sphere is becoming a particularly urgent area of practical interaction," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. Also Read | Omicron Less Severe as it Mostly Avoids Attacking Lungs, Says Report. Russian Foreign Minister recalled that the Russian side delivered several consignments of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in November and December, and also helped Afghan students get to the Russian Federation to continue their studies. "Our colleagues from the Russian Ministry of Defense are making a great useful contribution to these noble efforts," he said. "Official recognition of the government of the Taliban movement in Kabul will depend on how their promises are fulfilled, including on countering threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan," he added. The Russian Foreign Minister further mentioned that Afghanistan's effort in counter-terrorism will be watched. "In connection with this, we will, in solidarity with the rest of the world community, gradually move towards the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the UN Security Council sanctions lists, which in turn would create the basis for the official recognition of the new government of Afghanistan," Lavrov said. Earlier, Russia delivered to Afghanistan the third batch of humanitarian aid weighing 36 tons, consisting of food and medicine in December. Meanwhile, a 200 passengers, including Russian citizens and Afghan students, who are studying in Russia, arrived in Moscow by special export flights of the Russian Defense Ministry from Kabul. In the period from August 26 to December 1, 770 citizens of the Russian Federation, the CSTO member states (Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), Ukraine and Afghanistan were evacuated from the territory of Afghanistan by military transport aircraft, and more than 100 tons of humanitarian cargo were delivered, according to Frontier Post. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Vietnamese living abroad want to visit the country for Tet but are disappointed by the lack of clear quarantine and other policies. Regular international flights resume Jan. 1 to Cambodia, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and the U.S. William Le, a Vietnamese living in California, the U.S., says he is glad to hear the news since it means he can return to HCMC to celebrate Lunar New Year, which is a month away. "I miss my relatives and friends so much after two years of separation owing to Covid." But he has been finding things are not straightforward: ticket prices are high at $2,000-4,000 one way and quarantine regulations for people coming from the U.S. are not clear. Besides, he heard that in December his friends bought tickets to HCMC but ended up in Da Nang for quarantine. "So I have decided to wait until there are cheaper tickets, clear announcement about quarantine and a vaccine passport." He also hopes the Omicron variant will not make the situation worse. William Le in San Diego, the U.S., in October 2021. Photo courtesy of William Le Authorities in HCMC have mandated that visitors from countries and territories where the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has been detected must quarantine for seven days. Hanoi issued a similar announcement early this week but scrapped it on Thursday. The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) is unhappy with the quarantine requirement, saying the decision goes against the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and its own assurances to global partners. Ta Thuy Lien in Singapore is happy with the restart of international flights and Vietnam's resumption of economic activities and awareness of public demand for traveling. She plans to visit her parents in the northern Phu Tho Province for a few days by herself rather than with her husband and kids. She says this is because of the lack of clarity in policies. She read about the resumption of international flights in the media, but there has been nothing from airlines about it or about quarantine. Lien has only three to five days to spend Tet with her parents, so she hopes to quarantine at home. "I need to have certain information about isolation regulation to decide to return to Vietnam or not." Phan Phuong Thuy, who lives in Japan, says she looks forward to coming back to Vietnam during the Lunar New Year, but fears it is going to be difficult. The average cost of a ticket and hotel quarantine is VND40-50 million. With quarantine, she, her husband and their son will not have enough time to travel both to Phu Tho and Bac Giang to visit both sets of parents since Tet is not a holiday in Japan and she cannot get too many days off. She is also worried her family might contract Covid while traveling since the Omicron variant is spreading quickly. "Consequently, I decided to postponed our trip." Phan Phuong Thuy is in Nagano, Japan, in November 2021. Photo courtesy of Phan Phuong Thuy Pham Linh An in Taiwan says she and her husband badly want to visit Hanoi and the neighboring Thai Binh to celebrate Tet with their parents, but at the end of December she was not aware of any official announcements released by Vietnam authorities to airlines and travel agents about quarantine and other flight requirements. The news about international flights is in the media only. Another factor is possible flight delays, sometimes even by two or three days as her friends found out, she says. She is extremely concerned about the large number of new Covid cases in Vietnam and the fact her son has yet to be vaccinated. Besides, she does not want to self-isolate for 21 days when she returns as Taiwanese regulations require for countries with high infections. "I don't worry about Omicron but I need to delay my plan to visit Vietnam for those reasons." Before Covid she and her family used to visit Vietnam every month. Vietnam has been recording over 10,000 new Covid-19 cases every day, with new Omicron infections confirmed this week among foreign arrivals to Hanoi and Da Nang. The capital Hanoi has emerged as the country's epicenter, prompting authorities to suspend on-site dining and crowded events in many downtown districts. A public space near Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi, is quiet on December 26, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Chieu Sim Chy, who lives in Cambodia, says he was pleased to hear about the resumption of flights to Vietnam. But his biggest concern is whether or not he will have to quarantine if he visits his family in Soc Trang Province in the Mekong Delta. Sim says he used to visit Vietnam around five times a year before Covid erupted. Cambodia allows Vietnamese to travel freely if they are vaccinated against Covid and possess negative PCR and quick tests. A majority of people in Cambodia have got booster shots. "I am waiting to see if Vietnam has the same regulations for people coming from Cambodia before I decide to return for Tet." Vietnamese living abroad want to visit the country for Tet but are disappointed by the lack of clear quarantine and other policies. Regular international flights resume Jan. 1 to Cambodia, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and the U.S. William Le, a Vietnamese living in California, the U.S., says he is glad to hear the news since it means he can return to HCMC to celebrate Lunar New Year, which is a month away. "I miss my relatives and friends so much after two years of separation owing to Covid." But he has been finding things are not straightforward: ticket prices are high at $2,000-4,000 one way and quarantine regulations for people coming from the U.S. are not clear. Besides, he heard that in December his friends bought tickets to HCMC but ended up in Da Nang for quarantine. "So I have decided to wait until there are cheaper tickets, clear announcement about quarantine and a vaccine passport." He also hopes the Omicron variant will not make the situation worse. William Le in San Diego, the U.S., in October 2021. Photo courtesy of William Le Authorities in HCMC have mandated that visitors from countries and territories where the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has been detected must quarantine for seven days. Hanoi issued a similar announcement early this week but scrapped it on Thursday. The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) is unhappy with the quarantine requirement, saying the decision goes against the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and its own assurances to global partners. Ta Thuy Lien in Singapore is happy with the restart of international flights and Vietnam's resumption of economic activities and awareness of public demand for traveling. She plans to visit her parents in the northern Phu Tho Province for a few days by herself rather than with her husband and kids. She says this is because of the lack of clarity in policies. She read about the resumption of international flights in the media, but there has been nothing from airlines about it or about quarantine. Lien has only three to five days to spend Tet with her parents, so she hopes to quarantine at home. "I need to have certain information about isolation regulation to decide to return to Vietnam or not." Phan Phuong Thuy, who lives in Japan, says she looks forward to coming back to Vietnam during the Lunar New Year, but fears it is going to be difficult. The average cost of a ticket and hotel quarantine is VND40-50 million. With quarantine, she, her husband and their son will not have enough time to travel both to Phu Tho and Bac Giang to visit both sets of parents since Tet is not a holiday in Japan and she cannot get too many days off. She is also worried her family might contract Covid while traveling since the Omicron variant is spreading quickly. "Consequently, I decided to postponed our trip." Phan Phuong Thuy is in Nagano, Japan, in November 2021. Photo courtesy of Phan Phuong Thuy Pham Linh An in Taiwan says she and her husband badly want to visit Hanoi and the neighboring Thai Binh to celebrate Tet with their parents, but at the end of December she was not aware of any official announcements released by Vietnam authorities to airlines and travel agents about quarantine and other flight requirements. The news about international flights is in the media only. Another factor is possible flight delays, sometimes even by two or three days as her friends found out, she says. She is extremely concerned about the large number of new Covid cases in Vietnam and the fact her son has yet to be vaccinated. Besides, she does not want to self-isolate for 21 days when she returns as Taiwanese regulations require for countries with high infections. "I don't worry about Omicron but I need to delay my plan to visit Vietnam for those reasons." Before Covid she and her family used to visit Vietnam every month. Vietnam has been recording over 10,000 new Covid-19 cases every day, with new Omicron infections confirmed this week among foreign arrivals to Hanoi and Da Nang. The capital Hanoi has emerged as the country's epicenter, prompting authorities to suspend on-site dining and crowded events in many downtown districts. A public space near Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi, is quiet on December 26, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Chieu Sim Chy, who lives in Cambodia, says he was pleased to hear about the resumption of flights to Vietnam. But his biggest concern is whether or not he will have to quarantine if he visits his family in Soc Trang Province in the Mekong Delta. Sim says he used to visit Vietnam around five times a year before Covid erupted. Cambodia allows Vietnamese to travel freely if they are vaccinated against Covid and possess negative PCR and quick tests. A majority of people in Cambodia have got booster shots. "I am waiting to see if Vietnam has the same regulations for people coming from Cambodia before I decide to return for Tet." Vietnamese living abroad want to visit the country for Tet but are disappointed by the lack of clear quarantine and other policies. Regular international flights resume Jan. 1 to Cambodia, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and the U.S. William Le, a Vietnamese living in California, the U.S., says he is glad to hear the news since it means he can return to HCMC to celebrate Lunar New Year, which is a month away. "I miss my relatives and friends so much after two years of separation owing to Covid." But he has been finding things are not straightforward: ticket prices are high at $2,000-4,000 one way and quarantine regulations for people coming from the U.S. are not clear. Besides, he heard that in December his friends bought tickets to HCMC but ended up in Da Nang for quarantine. "So I have decided to wait until there are cheaper tickets, clear announcement about quarantine and a vaccine passport." He also hopes the Omicron variant will not make the situation worse. William Le in San Diego, the U.S., in October 2021. Photo courtesy of William Le Authorities in HCMC have mandated that visitors from countries and territories where the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has been detected must quarantine for seven days. Hanoi issued a similar announcement early this week but scrapped it on Thursday. The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) is unhappy with the quarantine requirement, saying the decision goes against the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and its own assurances to global partners. Ta Thuy Lien in Singapore is happy with the restart of international flights and Vietnam's resumption of economic activities and awareness of public demand for traveling. She plans to visit her parents in the northern Phu Tho Province for a few days by herself rather than with her husband and kids. She says this is because of the lack of clarity in policies. She read about the resumption of international flights in the media, but there has been nothing from airlines about it or about quarantine. Lien has only three to five days to spend Tet with her parents, so she hopes to quarantine at home. "I need to have certain information about isolation regulation to decide to return to Vietnam or not." Phan Phuong Thuy, who lives in Japan, says she looks forward to coming back to Vietnam during the Lunar New Year, but fears it is going to be difficult. The average cost of a ticket and hotel quarantine is VND40-50 million. With quarantine, she, her husband and their son will not have enough time to travel both to Phu Tho and Bac Giang to visit both sets of parents since Tet is not a holiday in Japan and she cannot get too many days off. She is also worried her family might contract Covid while traveling since the Omicron variant is spreading quickly. "Consequently, I decided to postponed our trip." Phan Phuong Thuy is in Nagano, Japan, in November 2021. Photo courtesy of Phan Phuong Thuy Pham Linh An in Taiwan says she and her husband badly want to visit Hanoi and the neighboring Thai Binh to celebrate Tet with their parents, but at the end of December she was not aware of any official announcements released by Vietnam authorities to airlines and travel agents about quarantine and other flight requirements. The news about international flights is in the media only. Another factor is possible flight delays, sometimes even by two or three days as her friends found out, she says. She is extremely concerned about the large number of new Covid cases in Vietnam and the fact her son has yet to be vaccinated. Besides, she does not want to self-isolate for 21 days when she returns as Taiwanese regulations require for countries with high infections. "I don't worry about Omicron but I need to delay my plan to visit Vietnam for those reasons." Before Covid she and her family used to visit Vietnam every month. Vietnam has been recording over 10,000 new Covid-19 cases every day, with new Omicron infections confirmed this week among foreign arrivals to Hanoi and Da Nang. The capital Hanoi has emerged as the country's epicenter, prompting authorities to suspend on-site dining and crowded events in many downtown districts. A public space near Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi, is quiet on December 26, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Chieu Sim Chy, who lives in Cambodia, says he was pleased to hear about the resumption of flights to Vietnam. But his biggest concern is whether or not he will have to quarantine if he visits his family in Soc Trang Province in the Mekong Delta. Sim says he used to visit Vietnam around five times a year before Covid erupted. Cambodia allows Vietnamese to travel freely if they are vaccinated against Covid and possess negative PCR and quick tests. A majority of people in Cambodia have got booster shots. "I am waiting to see if Vietnam has the same regulations for people coming from Cambodia before I decide to return for Tet." Vietnamese living abroad want to visit the country for Tet but are disappointed by the lack of clear quarantine and other policies. Regular international flights resume Jan. 1 to Cambodia, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and the U.S. William Le, a Vietnamese living in California, the U.S., says he is glad to hear the news since it means he can return to HCMC to celebrate Lunar New Year, which is a month away. "I miss my relatives and friends so much after two years of separation owing to Covid." But he has been finding things are not straightforward: ticket prices are high at $2,000-4,000 one way and quarantine regulations for people coming from the U.S. are not clear. Besides, he heard that in December his friends bought tickets to HCMC but ended up in Da Nang for quarantine. "So I have decided to wait until there are cheaper tickets, clear announcement about quarantine and a vaccine passport." He also hopes the Omicron variant will not make the situation worse. William Le in San Diego, the U.S., in October 2021. Photo courtesy of William Le Authorities in HCMC have mandated that visitors from countries and territories where the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has been detected must quarantine for seven days. Hanoi issued a similar announcement early this week but scrapped it on Thursday. The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) is unhappy with the quarantine requirement, saying the decision goes against the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and its own assurances to global partners. Ta Thuy Lien in Singapore is happy with the restart of international flights and Vietnam's resumption of economic activities and awareness of public demand for traveling. She plans to visit her parents in the northern Phu Tho Province for a few days by herself rather than with her husband and kids. She says this is because of the lack of clarity in policies. She read about the resumption of international flights in the media, but there has been nothing from airlines about it or about quarantine. Lien has only three to five days to spend Tet with her parents, so she hopes to quarantine at home. "I need to have certain information about isolation regulation to decide to return to Vietnam or not." Phan Phuong Thuy, who lives in Japan, says she looks forward to coming back to Vietnam during the Lunar New Year, but fears it is going to be difficult. The average cost of a ticket and hotel quarantine is VND40-50 million. With quarantine, she, her husband and their son will not have enough time to travel both to Phu Tho and Bac Giang to visit both sets of parents since Tet is not a holiday in Japan and she cannot get too many days off. She is also worried her family might contract Covid while traveling since the Omicron variant is spreading quickly. "Consequently, I decided to postponed our trip." Phan Phuong Thuy is in Nagano, Japan, in November 2021. Photo courtesy of Phan Phuong Thuy Pham Linh An in Taiwan says she and her husband badly want to visit Hanoi and the neighboring Thai Binh to celebrate Tet with their parents, but at the end of December she was not aware of any official announcements released by Vietnam authorities to airlines and travel agents about quarantine and other flight requirements. The news about international flights is in the media only. Another factor is possible flight delays, sometimes even by two or three days as her friends found out, she says. She is extremely concerned about the large number of new Covid cases in Vietnam and the fact her son has yet to be vaccinated. Besides, she does not want to self-isolate for 21 days when she returns as Taiwanese regulations require for countries with high infections. "I don't worry about Omicron but I need to delay my plan to visit Vietnam for those reasons." Before Covid she and her family used to visit Vietnam every month. Vietnam has been recording over 10,000 new Covid-19 cases every day, with new Omicron infections confirmed this week among foreign arrivals to Hanoi and Da Nang. The capital Hanoi has emerged as the country's epicenter, prompting authorities to suspend on-site dining and crowded events in many downtown districts. A public space near Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi, is quiet on December 26, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Chieu Sim Chy, who lives in Cambodia, says he was pleased to hear about the resumption of flights to Vietnam. But his biggest concern is whether or not he will have to quarantine if he visits his family in Soc Trang Province in the Mekong Delta. Sim says he used to visit Vietnam around five times a year before Covid erupted. Cambodia allows Vietnamese to travel freely if they are vaccinated against Covid and possess negative PCR and quick tests. A majority of people in Cambodia have got booster shots. "I am waiting to see if Vietnam has the same regulations for people coming from Cambodia before I decide to return for Tet." Atiwa Forest Reserve, and other 16 sites have been penned as future nominations into the World Network of Biosphere Reserves under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Biosphere Reserves are specially protected areas where diverse plants and animals exist with some level of human activity to conserve biodiversity and sustainable development. These sites serve as referral systems for monitoring and evaluating changes in natural ecosystems and are an effective instrument for mitigating climate change and serve as models for adaptation to the impacts of this change. They include Shai Hills Reserve, the Kakum, Mole, Digya, and Bui national parks, and Gbele Resources Reserve. The Tano-Ofei Range, Apedwa Hills, Kwahu Scarp, Kyaboo Transboundary Reserve, and Mount Afadzato and Agumatsa Wildlife Sanctuary are also part of the sites. Professor Dennis Aheto, the subcommittee chair of the National Committee of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) said this at the launch of a 47-page handbook on Biosphere Reserve concept at Sege in the Ada West District. It was designed by the National Committee of the UNESCO MAB hosted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with support from the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC); Forestry Commission, academia, and some district assemblies. The manual is seeking to make biosphere issues a normal component in Ghana's development planning and budgeting process at all levels as the basis for sustainable financing of its activities. He said out of the network of 727 reserves in 131countries, Ghana was hosting three, comprising Bia Biosphere Reserve, the largest, located in the Western Region, Songor Ramsar Site in Greater Accra, and Lake Bosomtwe Biosphere Reserve in Ashanti. Touching on the handbook, Prof. Aheto explained that its development, which started in 2018 in line with the Ghana Action plan (2018- 2025) for the MAB programme, was a requirement of the network of world biosphere reserves network as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The mainstreaming activities in the book, he said, included stakeholder engagements; communication and information sharing; capacity building, and conscious allocation of funds for biosphere related activities. Madam Ama Nerquaye-Tetteh, the Secretary-General for the Ghana Commission for UNESCO, commended Ghana for its tree planting exercise; support for global environmental initiatives, and the development of the manual and urged the country to do more to protect its reserves. Dr Kodjo Mensah-Abrampa, the Director-General of the NDPC, said the effective way of implementing national policies was through integration into all levels of planning. He urged all districts to take the handbook seriously and urged stakeholders to monitor and ensure its content was implemented. On behalf of the EPA, the Ghana MAB coordinator, Sheila Ashong, expressed the hope that the strong stakeholder engagement held over the period would propel the implementation of the activities outlined in the document for collective gains. GNA Vietnamese living abroad want to visit the country for Tet but are disappointed by the lack of clear quarantine and other policies. Regular international flights resume Jan. 1 to Cambodia, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and the U.S. William Le, a Vietnamese living in California, the U.S., says he is glad to hear the news since it means he can return to HCMC to celebrate Lunar New Year, which is a month away. "I miss my relatives and friends so much after two years of separation owing to Covid." But he has been finding things are not straightforward: ticket prices are high at $2,000-4,000 one way and quarantine regulations for people coming from the U.S. are not clear. Besides, he heard that in December his friends bought tickets to HCMC but ended up in Da Nang for quarantine. "So I have decided to wait until there are cheaper tickets, clear announcement about quarantine and a vaccine passport." He also hopes the Omicron variant will not make the situation worse. William Le in San Diego, the U.S., in October 2021. Photo courtesy of William Le Authorities in HCMC have mandated that visitors from countries and territories where the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has been detected must quarantine for seven days. Hanoi issued a similar announcement early this week but scrapped it on Thursday. The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) is unhappy with the quarantine requirement, saying the decision goes against the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and its own assurances to global partners. Ta Thuy Lien in Singapore is happy with the restart of international flights and Vietnam's resumption of economic activities and awareness of public demand for traveling. She plans to visit her parents in the northern Phu Tho Province for a few days by herself rather than with her husband and kids. She says this is because of the lack of clarity in policies. She read about the resumption of international flights in the media, but there has been nothing from airlines about it or about quarantine. Lien has only three to five days to spend Tet with her parents, so she hopes to quarantine at home. "I need to have certain information about isolation regulation to decide to return to Vietnam or not." Phan Phuong Thuy, who lives in Japan, says she looks forward to coming back to Vietnam during the Lunar New Year, but fears it is going to be difficult. The average cost of a ticket and hotel quarantine is VND40-50 million. With quarantine, she, her husband and their son will not have enough time to travel both to Phu Tho and Bac Giang to visit both sets of parents since Tet is not a holiday in Japan and she cannot get too many days off. She is also worried her family might contract Covid while traveling since the Omicron variant is spreading quickly. "Consequently, I decided to postponed our trip." Phan Phuong Thuy is in Nagano, Japan, in November 2021. Photo courtesy of Phan Phuong Thuy Pham Linh An in Taiwan says she and her husband badly want to visit Hanoi and the neighboring Thai Binh to celebrate Tet with their parents, but at the end of December she was not aware of any official announcements released by Vietnam authorities to airlines and travel agents about quarantine and other flight requirements. The news about international flights is in the media only. Another factor is possible flight delays, sometimes even by two or three days as her friends found out, she says. She is extremely concerned about the large number of new Covid cases in Vietnam and the fact her son has yet to be vaccinated. Besides, she does not want to self-isolate for 21 days when she returns as Taiwanese regulations require for countries with high infections. "I don't worry about Omicron but I need to delay my plan to visit Vietnam for those reasons." Before Covid she and her family used to visit Vietnam every month. Vietnam has been recording over 10,000 new Covid-19 cases every day, with new Omicron infections confirmed this week among foreign arrivals to Hanoi and Da Nang. The capital Hanoi has emerged as the country's epicenter, prompting authorities to suspend on-site dining and crowded events in many downtown districts. A public space near Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi, is quiet on December 26, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Chieu Sim Chy, who lives in Cambodia, says he was pleased to hear about the resumption of flights to Vietnam. But his biggest concern is whether or not he will have to quarantine if he visits his family in Soc Trang Province in the Mekong Delta. Sim says he used to visit Vietnam around five times a year before Covid erupted. Cambodia allows Vietnamese to travel freely if they are vaccinated against Covid and possess negative PCR and quick tests. A majority of people in Cambodia have got booster shots. "I am waiting to see if Vietnam has the same regulations for people coming from Cambodia before I decide to return for Tet." Vietnamese living abroad want to visit the country for Tet but are disappointed by the lack of clear quarantine and other policies. Regular international flights resume Jan. 1 to Cambodia, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and the U.S. William Le, a Vietnamese living in California, the U.S., says he is glad to hear the news since it means he can return to HCMC to celebrate Lunar New Year, which is a month away. "I miss my relatives and friends so much after two years of separation owing to Covid." But he has been finding things are not straightforward: ticket prices are high at $2,000-4,000 one way and quarantine regulations for people coming from the U.S. are not clear. Besides, he heard that in December his friends bought tickets to HCMC but ended up in Da Nang for quarantine. "So I have decided to wait until there are cheaper tickets, clear announcement about quarantine and a vaccine passport." He also hopes the Omicron variant will not make the situation worse. William Le in San Diego, the U.S., in October 2021. Photo courtesy of William Le Authorities in HCMC have mandated that visitors from countries and territories where the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has been detected must quarantine for seven days. Hanoi issued a similar announcement early this week but scrapped it on Thursday. The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) is unhappy with the quarantine requirement, saying the decision goes against the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and its own assurances to global partners. Ta Thuy Lien in Singapore is happy with the restart of international flights and Vietnam's resumption of economic activities and awareness of public demand for traveling. She plans to visit her parents in the northern Phu Tho Province for a few days by herself rather than with her husband and kids. She says this is because of the lack of clarity in policies. She read about the resumption of international flights in the media, but there has been nothing from airlines about it or about quarantine. Lien has only three to five days to spend Tet with her parents, so she hopes to quarantine at home. "I need to have certain information about isolation regulation to decide to return to Vietnam or not." Phan Phuong Thuy, who lives in Japan, says she looks forward to coming back to Vietnam during the Lunar New Year, but fears it is going to be difficult. The average cost of a ticket and hotel quarantine is VND40-50 million. With quarantine, she, her husband and their son will not have enough time to travel both to Phu Tho and Bac Giang to visit both sets of parents since Tet is not a holiday in Japan and she cannot get too many days off. She is also worried her family might contract Covid while traveling since the Omicron variant is spreading quickly. "Consequently, I decided to postponed our trip." Phan Phuong Thuy is in Nagano, Japan, in November 2021. Photo courtesy of Phan Phuong Thuy Pham Linh An in Taiwan says she and her husband badly want to visit Hanoi and the neighboring Thai Binh to celebrate Tet with their parents, but at the end of December she was not aware of any official announcements released by Vietnam authorities to airlines and travel agents about quarantine and other flight requirements. The news about international flights is in the media only. Another factor is possible flight delays, sometimes even by two or three days as her friends found out, she says. She is extremely concerned about the large number of new Covid cases in Vietnam and the fact her son has yet to be vaccinated. Besides, she does not want to self-isolate for 21 days when she returns as Taiwanese regulations require for countries with high infections. "I don't worry about Omicron but I need to delay my plan to visit Vietnam for those reasons." Before Covid she and her family used to visit Vietnam every month. Vietnam has been recording over 10,000 new Covid-19 cases every day, with new Omicron infections confirmed this week among foreign arrivals to Hanoi and Da Nang. The capital Hanoi has emerged as the country's epicenter, prompting authorities to suspend on-site dining and crowded events in many downtown districts. A public space near Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi, is quiet on December 26, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Chieu Sim Chy, who lives in Cambodia, says he was pleased to hear about the resumption of flights to Vietnam. But his biggest concern is whether or not he will have to quarantine if he visits his family in Soc Trang Province in the Mekong Delta. Sim says he used to visit Vietnam around five times a year before Covid erupted. Cambodia allows Vietnamese to travel freely if they are vaccinated against Covid and possess negative PCR and quick tests. A majority of people in Cambodia have got booster shots. "I am waiting to see if Vietnam has the same regulations for people coming from Cambodia before I decide to return for Tet." At the age of 16, Vincent Ellis White found out that the man he shared a name with and who signed his birth certificate was, in fact, not his father. It would be another 11 years before White came face to face with his biological father. Throughout his journey of finding his dad and also a 14-year custody battle to have full custody of his own son, White has made it his lifes work to help others, especially fathers. He wants to support those who have gone through similar or identical situations as him. White, 41, said he works in foster care because of his fatherhood journey. After coming from a fragmented family, he didnt want that for this son or for other children. White became a father at age 25 to Jordan, his son who is now 15. The day White found out about his true father, it was like any other day. When he got home from Meadowbrook High School, his mother asked him to sit down and without giving great detail, said his real fathers name was Chris Anderson. White immediately became angry after finding out the truth. His grades dropped, and he began to steal. He was angry at his mother for keeping the decadeslong secret. He was mad at his real father for abandoning him. And he felt a mix of anger and relief toward the man he thought was his father. White describes his father as a habitual offender, as White spent most of his childhood visiting jail. When White figured out what jail was, he was embarrassed of the man he thought was his father. Later, White found out his mother never told Anderson about him. When she realized she was pregnant, they had already parted ways. In high school and college, White began to mask his feelings toward not knowing his dad by always having a big smile on his face. He didnt want those around him to know what he was dealing with. Thats my mask, White said. I know there are high schoolers and adults still wearing masks. If you cant heal from things or work through it and understand the importance of healing, you have to have the mask on. Fourteen Christmases ago, in 2007, White found his real father. He was a team leader for a catheterization lab at Chippenham Hospital. White had been at the hospital every single day in the week leading up to Christmas because his grandmother had fallen ill. One day, however, White couldnt make the visit to his grandmother, so his mom went in his place. He received a text from his mom, who excitedly said she had good news. But she kept the news to herself until Christmas Day. On Christmas, she handed White a journal. The first couple of pages made White angry as his mom rehashed the trauma of the secret about his true father. She also said she felt White had never truly forgiven him. However, on the last page she said she had recently found his father, Chris Anderson, at Chippenham. That very day, White called his father and went to Chippenham, with his then-2-year-old son to meet Anderson. They took a paternity test and talked every single day until the results. The bond was a strong and instant one. To this day, the pair have a close-knit relationship. A few years after meeting his father, White wrote a memoir about the experience that was later turned into a stage play. Both the book and play are called Finding Chris, My Father. White is currently working on his first childrens book, which is about bullying. Having worked in the foster care field for years, he currently works at Extra Special Parents, a therapeutic foster care agency, as a home studies specialist. It is Whites responsibility to decide if couples are eligible foster parents. In his individual and joint interviews, White asks a lot about trauma, grief, childhood and more to make sure the potential parents have healed or are healing so they can help their future child do the same. White also hosts monthly foster parent trainings and is a fatherhood facilitator and a Henrico County CASA, or a Court Appointed Special Advocate. As a CASA, White advocates for children who are coming out of homes of abuse and neglect, to transition into healthy, loving ones. White has also told his life story on countless college campuses. After each talk, students line up eagerly wanting to talk to him about their own lives. In his limited free time, White spends time with Jordan. The self-named Marvel heads are always the first to see the latest superhero movie. They also recently traveled to California to look at colleges. I made my whole life around being the best father I can be, White said, because I didnt have an example. 14 valuable coins that could be hiding in your change The next time you rummage through your spare change for laundry or your morning coffee, keep an eye out. A single coin can be worth a small fortune. Some of these coins were accidentally engraved with silly mistakes that didnt get caught until it was too late. Other runs were mostly destroyed, making the survivors an instant collector's item. Here are 15 rare coins that fetch a high price on eBay or at auction. If you don't find any in your pockets, don't despair you can get rich off spare change in other ways. 14. 1972 doubled die obverse Lincoln Memorial cent eBay The U.S. Mint released the 1972 Lincoln Memorial Cent in 1972 but some of them came with a rather embarrassing error. The words Liberty on the left and 1972 on the right of Abes profile were doubled on the error coins, and experts estimate 20,000 of them were accidentally created. One of these error coins was listed with a starting price of $1 on eBay.com but garnered 49 bids and sold for $325, reported The U.S. Sun in September 2021. The news outlet added that this penny in particular may have been worth more because of its distinctive color. 13. 2004 D Wisconsin quarter, Extra Leaf Low variety eBay The Wisconsin quarter, minted in 2004, bears the image of a cow, a wheel of cheese and an ear of corn. However, one variant is worth considerably more than 25 cents. The Extra Leaf Low quarter features an extra leaf on the left side of the ear of corn, but it sits lower and touches the cheese wheel. Some have suggested that someone deliberately sabotaged the die before it began production, but Coin World says that an investigation by the U.S. Mint determined that the flawed coins were produced by accident. These quarters are worth even more than the Kansas ones in Oct. 2021, one of these Extra Leaf Low variants sold for $152 on eBay.com. 12. Sacagawea Cheerios dollar eBay Back in early 2000, you might have found this rare coin in a box of your favorite cereal. The U.S. Mint promoted its new Golden Dollar by tucking a 2000 Lincoln cent into 10 million boxes of Cheerios 5,500 of which also contained the Sacagawea dollar. Story continues Some of those dollars, however, were a little different from the standard variety, with enhanced eagle tail feathers on the reverse. DIY site The Spruce Crafts says only about 60 to 70 of these coins have emerged since, but they can sell for between $5,000 to $25,000 depending on grade. 11. 2008-W silver eagle reverse of 2007 eBay The U.S. Mint released 47,000 uncirculated 2008-W American Eagle silver coins struck with the older reverse dies used in 2007, says numismatic magazine Coin World. You can spot the difference in the lettering. The u on the normal 2008 reverse has a spur on the right side of the letter, but the u on the 2007 reverse doesnt have a spur or downstroke. Two coins in this style sold on eBay.com recently for more than $1,000 each. 10. 1879 $4 Gold Stella eBay The Stella was designed to match the weight and composition of other coins in the Latin Monetary Union, an effort in Europe to form a single currency (the union was dissolved in 1927). Congressman John Kasson of Iowa proposed a $4 gold coin with a weight that matched the Austro-Hungarian 8 florin piece, after struggling to convert American dollars into Austrian florins, says Barrons. The coin was never approved for full-scale production, but collectors will pay a small fortune for one today. One two-coin set from the Smithsonian sold for nearly $5,000 in September 2021. 9. 1955 doubled die Lincoln penny eBay This other presidential penny has an obvious double imprinting on the words Liberty and In God We Trust. The Spruce Crafts says these coins may have passed inspection on an overnight shift without proper supervision. Thousands were released into circulation in 1955 before anyone noticed. Between 20,000 to 24,000 were believed to have been originally released, however experts think only 10,000 to 15,000 survived. One sold for a whopping $1,850 on eBay.com in November 2021. 8. 1927-D Saint-Gaudens double eagle eBay The 1927-D Saint-Gaudens double eagle is a $20 gold coin named after Augustus Saint-Gaudens, who designed the original 1905-1907 model. This coin is rare because most of its kind are thought to have been melted down during the gold recall of 1933, says Numismatic News. Its usually worth around $1 million today. The second-finest known 1927-D Saint-Gaudens double eagle sold for about $3 million in August 2021. The coin was reported to be in excellent condition and color. It was part of the prestigious Louis E. Eliasberg collection. 7. 1894-S Barber dime Professional Coin Grading Service / Wikimedia Commons Only 24 of these coins were ever created, and they're even more rare today. The 1894-S Barber dime was designed by engraver Charles E. Barber and produced at the San Francisco Mint, and today only nine still exist. Like other Barber dimes, it features the head of Liberty on one side. In 2016, one of the famous dimes sold for almost $2 million at a Florida auction, while another one belonging to late Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss was bought for $1.32 million in a Chicago auction, reports Fox 2 Detroit. 6. 1913 Liberty head nickel Crotalus horridus / Wikimedia Commons Only five of these valuable nickels are confirmed to exist in the world, says The Spruce Crafts so its unlikely youll spot one camping out in your wallet. Designed by Charles E. Barber, the Liberty head nickel had the Roman numeral V engraved on one side, but U.S. Mint officials failed to add the word Cents. Scammers took advantage of the missing value and began plating the coins in gold, attempting to pass them off as $5 coins instead. The mint later added Cents to the design. Rumors, media coverage, famous owners and escalating prices all helped add to the coins value among collectors. In 2018, one of these coins (from the Louis E. Eliasberg collection) sold for $4.56 million at a Philadelphia auction. 5. Flowing Hair dollar eBay The Flowing Hair $1 coin is thought to be the first official silver dollar issued by the U.S. government. The design features Miss Liberty with flowing hair on its obverse. Only 150 to 200 of the 1794 variety are left, while the 1795 coin is more common. The Flowing Hair design was later replaced by the Draped Bust. The 1795 Flowing Hair dollar can still rack up thousands of dollars online one sold for nearly $2,500 on eBay.com in September 2021. 4. 1943-S Lincoln wheat penny Wikimedia Commons During World War II, the U.S. Mint switched to zinc-coated steel coins because copper was needed for ammunition. However, a few leftover bronze planchets that is, the round metal disks ready to be struck as a coin from 1942 made their way into processing and entered circulation. The Spruce Crafts explains that some of these coins may have gotten wedged in the corners of the bins that moved the planchets around and then were dislodged during processing. In 2012, rare coin dealer Legend Numismatics sold a highly graded 1943-S Lincoln wheat penny for $1 million to Texas Rangers co-chairman Bob R. Simpson. 3. Morgan silver dollar eBay This $1 coin, named after designer George T. Morgan, features Liberty on one side and an eagle with its wings outstretched on the reverse. It was minted from 1878 to 1904 and in 1921, but hundreds of millions were melted down over the years, says The U.S. Sun. A special non-circulating edition was also released in 2021. This coins value might vary depending on its condition, mint year and rarity. One Brilliant Uncirculated 1884 Morgan silver dollar recently sold for $375 on eBay.com, while an 1893-S went for $1,805. 2. 2005-D 5C speared bison eBay The U.S. Mint decided to bring back the bison reverse design on the Jefferson nickel in 2005, but some of these coins had a distinctive marking that set them apart. According to the Professional Coin Grading Service, a noticeable die gouge along the back of the bison was found among several of these presidential nickels. Within a couple of days of the discovery, these error coins were selling for more than $100. Now referred to as speared bison nickels, they arent usually found in good condition or luster, which adds to their rarity among collectors today. One sold for $495 on eBay.com recently. 1. 2005 Kansas In God We Rust state quarter eBay Poke around in your wallet for one of these state quarters that fell victim to a hilarious blunder. The U.S. Mint produced a series of special quarters to celebrate each state over 10 years starting in 1999. However, the 2005 Kansas quarter reads "In God We Rust" instead of the U.S. motto "In God We Trust." Lubricant grease might have clogged up the T, preventing the letter from being transferred onto the coin, says The Spruce Crafts. One of these Kansas error coins sold for $45 on eBay.com in November 2021. Turn your pennies into a portfolio A_stockphoto / Shutterstock Didn't find any valuable coins in your pockets? Think again. Even if you only have a few ordinary quarters and dimes to spare, you can earn big returns by taking advantage of todays runaway stock market. A popular app will help you invest your "spare change from everyday purchases. You'll even get a $10 reward just for getting started. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. 14 valuable coins that could be hiding in your change The next time you rummage through your spare change for laundry or your morning coffee, keep an eye out. A single coin can be worth a small fortune. Some of these coins were accidentally engraved with silly mistakes that didnt get caught until it was too late. Other runs were mostly destroyed, making the survivors an instant collector's item. Here are 15 rare coins that fetch a high price on eBay or at auction. If you don't find any in your pockets, don't despair you can get rich off spare change in other ways. 14. 1972 doubled die obverse Lincoln Memorial cent eBay The U.S. Mint released the 1972 Lincoln Memorial Cent in 1972 but some of them came with a rather embarrassing error. The words Liberty on the left and 1972 on the right of Abes profile were doubled on the error coins, and experts estimate 20,000 of them were accidentally created. One of these error coins was listed with a starting price of $1 on eBay.com but garnered 49 bids and sold for $325, reported The U.S. Sun in September 2021. The news outlet added that this penny in particular may have been worth more because of its distinctive color. 13. 2004 D Wisconsin quarter, Extra Leaf Low variety eBay The Wisconsin quarter, minted in 2004, bears the image of a cow, a wheel of cheese and an ear of corn. However, one variant is worth considerably more than 25 cents. The Extra Leaf Low quarter features an extra leaf on the left side of the ear of corn, but it sits lower and touches the cheese wheel. Some have suggested that someone deliberately sabotaged the die before it began production, but Coin World says that an investigation by the U.S. Mint determined that the flawed coins were produced by accident. These quarters are worth even more than the Kansas ones in Oct. 2021, one of these Extra Leaf Low variants sold for $152 on eBay.com. 12. Sacagawea Cheerios dollar eBay Back in early 2000, you might have found this rare coin in a box of your favorite cereal. The U.S. Mint promoted its new Golden Dollar by tucking a 2000 Lincoln cent into 10 million boxes of Cheerios 5,500 of which also contained the Sacagawea dollar. Story continues Some of those dollars, however, were a little different from the standard variety, with enhanced eagle tail feathers on the reverse. DIY site The Spruce Crafts says only about 60 to 70 of these coins have emerged since, but they can sell for between $5,000 to $25,000 depending on grade. 11. 2008-W silver eagle reverse of 2007 eBay The U.S. Mint released 47,000 uncirculated 2008-W American Eagle silver coins struck with the older reverse dies used in 2007, says numismatic magazine Coin World. You can spot the difference in the lettering. The u on the normal 2008 reverse has a spur on the right side of the letter, but the u on the 2007 reverse doesnt have a spur or downstroke. Two coins in this style sold on eBay.com recently for more than $1,000 each. 10. 1879 $4 Gold Stella eBay The Stella was designed to match the weight and composition of other coins in the Latin Monetary Union, an effort in Europe to form a single currency (the union was dissolved in 1927). Congressman John Kasson of Iowa proposed a $4 gold coin with a weight that matched the Austro-Hungarian 8 florin piece, after struggling to convert American dollars into Austrian florins, says Barrons. The coin was never approved for full-scale production, but collectors will pay a small fortune for one today. One two-coin set from the Smithsonian sold for nearly $5,000 in September 2021. 9. 1955 doubled die Lincoln penny eBay This other presidential penny has an obvious double imprinting on the words Liberty and In God We Trust. The Spruce Crafts says these coins may have passed inspection on an overnight shift without proper supervision. Thousands were released into circulation in 1955 before anyone noticed. Between 20,000 to 24,000 were believed to have been originally released, however experts think only 10,000 to 15,000 survived. One sold for a whopping $1,850 on eBay.com in November 2021. 8. 1927-D Saint-Gaudens double eagle eBay The 1927-D Saint-Gaudens double eagle is a $20 gold coin named after Augustus Saint-Gaudens, who designed the original 1905-1907 model. This coin is rare because most of its kind are thought to have been melted down during the gold recall of 1933, says Numismatic News. Its usually worth around $1 million today. The second-finest known 1927-D Saint-Gaudens double eagle sold for about $3 million in August 2021. The coin was reported to be in excellent condition and color. It was part of the prestigious Louis E. Eliasberg collection. 7. 1894-S Barber dime Professional Coin Grading Service / Wikimedia Commons Only 24 of these coins were ever created, and they're even more rare today. The 1894-S Barber dime was designed by engraver Charles E. Barber and produced at the San Francisco Mint, and today only nine still exist. Like other Barber dimes, it features the head of Liberty on one side. In 2016, one of the famous dimes sold for almost $2 million at a Florida auction, while another one belonging to late Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss was bought for $1.32 million in a Chicago auction, reports Fox 2 Detroit. 6. 1913 Liberty head nickel Crotalus horridus / Wikimedia Commons Only five of these valuable nickels are confirmed to exist in the world, says The Spruce Crafts so its unlikely youll spot one camping out in your wallet. Designed by Charles E. Barber, the Liberty head nickel had the Roman numeral V engraved on one side, but U.S. Mint officials failed to add the word Cents. Scammers took advantage of the missing value and began plating the coins in gold, attempting to pass them off as $5 coins instead. The mint later added Cents to the design. Rumors, media coverage, famous owners and escalating prices all helped add to the coins value among collectors. In 2018, one of these coins (from the Louis E. Eliasberg collection) sold for $4.56 million at a Philadelphia auction. 5. Flowing Hair dollar eBay The Flowing Hair $1 coin is thought to be the first official silver dollar issued by the U.S. government. The design features Miss Liberty with flowing hair on its obverse. Only 150 to 200 of the 1794 variety are left, while the 1795 coin is more common. The Flowing Hair design was later replaced by the Draped Bust. The 1795 Flowing Hair dollar can still rack up thousands of dollars online one sold for nearly $2,500 on eBay.com in September 2021. 4. 1943-S Lincoln wheat penny Wikimedia Commons During World War II, the U.S. Mint switched to zinc-coated steel coins because copper was needed for ammunition. However, a few leftover bronze planchets that is, the round metal disks ready to be struck as a coin from 1942 made their way into processing and entered circulation. The Spruce Crafts explains that some of these coins may have gotten wedged in the corners of the bins that moved the planchets around and then were dislodged during processing. In 2012, rare coin dealer Legend Numismatics sold a highly graded 1943-S Lincoln wheat penny for $1 million to Texas Rangers co-chairman Bob R. Simpson. 3. Morgan silver dollar eBay This $1 coin, named after designer George T. Morgan, features Liberty on one side and an eagle with its wings outstretched on the reverse. It was minted from 1878 to 1904 and in 1921, but hundreds of millions were melted down over the years, says The U.S. Sun. A special non-circulating edition was also released in 2021. This coins value might vary depending on its condition, mint year and rarity. One Brilliant Uncirculated 1884 Morgan silver dollar recently sold for $375 on eBay.com, while an 1893-S went for $1,805. 2. 2005-D 5C speared bison eBay The U.S. Mint decided to bring back the bison reverse design on the Jefferson nickel in 2005, but some of these coins had a distinctive marking that set them apart. According to the Professional Coin Grading Service, a noticeable die gouge along the back of the bison was found among several of these presidential nickels. Within a couple of days of the discovery, these error coins were selling for more than $100. Now referred to as speared bison nickels, they arent usually found in good condition or luster, which adds to their rarity among collectors today. One sold for $495 on eBay.com recently. 1. 2005 Kansas In God We Rust state quarter eBay Poke around in your wallet for one of these state quarters that fell victim to a hilarious blunder. The U.S. Mint produced a series of special quarters to celebrate each state over 10 years starting in 1999. However, the 2005 Kansas quarter reads "In God We Rust" instead of the U.S. motto "In God We Trust." Lubricant grease might have clogged up the T, preventing the letter from being transferred onto the coin, says The Spruce Crafts. One of these Kansas error coins sold for $45 on eBay.com in November 2021. Turn your pennies into a portfolio A_stockphoto / Shutterstock Didn't find any valuable coins in your pockets? Think again. Even if you only have a few ordinary quarters and dimes to spare, you can earn big returns by taking advantage of todays runaway stock market. A popular app will help you invest your "spare change from everyday purchases. You'll even get a $10 reward just for getting started. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Speaking to media persons, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said, "I wish a happy and prosperous New Year to all the people across the country. People faced hardships due to COVID and there was farm movement in the bygone year. I wish this year to be a hopeful one. May God fill everyone's life with happiness." "Wishing everyone a prosperous year ahead. I wish God fulfill everyone's wishes and hope people will be relieved from the hardships they faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic till now," said Harsimrat Badal. (ANI) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) A member of the jury that convicted Minnesota police officer Kim Potter of manslaughter in the killing of Daunte Wright says jurors felt she made an honest mistake when she drew her firearm instead of her stun gun, but that she was still responsible for his death. The juror spoke with KARE-TV reporter Lou Raguse on the condition of anonymity due to what the station described as the "public animosity" surrounding the case. It published the story Wednesday. The juror said no one felt Potter was a racist or meant to kill Wright, but that doesn't mean she was above the law. "I don't want to speak for all the jurors, but I think we believed she was a good person and even believed she was a good cop," the juror said. "No one felt she was intentional in this. It's ludicrous that some people are assuming we thought she was a racist. That never came up or anything like that. We felt like she was a good person, we felt she made a mistake, and that a mistake does not absolve you from the fact she did commit a crime. "Being a good person doesn't mean you're above the law. I don't think anyone felt she wanted to kill anybody that day. ... This was just a tragedy all the way around." Potter shot and killed the 20-year-old Wright in April as he tried to drive away from a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, a Minneapolis suburb. Potter, a 26-year veteran on the city's police department, said she meant to use her stun gun on Wright but didn't realize she had actually drawn and fired her pistol. Wright was Black and the shooting happened as another white officer, Derek Chauvin, was standing trial in nearby Minneapolis for the killing of George Floyd. It set off waves of angry protests in Brooklyn Center. Potter, 49, resigned from the police department two days after the shooting. Prosecutors charged her with first- and second-degree manslaughter. Wright took the stand at her trial, saying she was sorry the incident happened and the traffic stop "just went chaotic." The jury deliberated for 27 hours over four days before convicting her of both counts on Dec. 23. She faces close to seven years in prison under Minnesota's sentencing guidelines, though prosecutors have said they would seek a longer term. The juror told KARE-TV's Raguse that jurors didn't feel Potter lied on the stand and instead felt she was fighting for her life. But the jury generally thought that Potter should have known she was holding a pistol and not a stun gun given her years of police experience. The juror said a turning point in deliberations came when jurors handled Potter's stun gun and pistol and felt the differences. "The gun was about twice as heavy, and the two weapons had several differences in how they are un-holstered and fired," the juror said. "The Taser kind of feels like a mouse click whereas the (pistol's) trigger has some trigger draw weight." The juror said Potter's attorneys seemed disorganized. The juror rejected their argument that Wright caused his own death by resisting. "We did talk about Daunte's actions, but we as a jury did a really good job of separating his actions from Kim Potter's actions," the juror said. "Daunte's actions clearly had consequences. So did Kim Potter's." The juror said that at times deliberations grew heated and discussions went in circles. Almost every juror cried at some point. "Once we came to final verdict . . . we still had to wait an hour and a half until it was read," the juror said. "So that last hour and a half, I was finally allowing myself to think of the consequences of this tragedy. Obviously we had been thinking about what this meant for Daunte Wright's family, but now I started to think about what this meant for Kim Potter's family." *** 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. CAPE TOWN In an almost empty cathedral, with an unvarnished, rope-handled coffin placed before the altar, South Africa said farewell on Saturday to Archbishop Desmond M. Tutu with the simplicity that he had planned. Archbishop Tutus death last Sunday at age 90 was followed by a week of mourning, as the world remembered his powerful role both in opposing apartheid and in promoting unity and reconciliation after its defeat. To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! CAPE TOWN In an almost empty cathedral, with an unvarnished, rope-handled coffin placed before the altar, South Africa said farewell on Saturday to Archbishop Desmond M. Tutu with the simplicity that he had planned. Archbishop Tutus death last Sunday at age 90 was followed by a week of mourning, as the world remembered his powerful role both in opposing apartheid and in promoting unity and reconciliation after its defeat. CAPE TOWN In an almost empty cathedral, with an unvarnished, rope-handled coffin placed before the altar, South Africa said farewell on Saturday to Archbishop Desmond M. Tutu with the simplicity that he had planned. Archbishop Tutus death last Sunday at age 90 was followed by a week of mourning, as the world remembered his powerful role both in opposing apartheid and in promoting unity and reconciliation after its defeat. CAPE TOWN In an almost empty cathedral, with an unvarnished, rope-handled coffin placed before the altar, South Africa said farewell on Saturday to Archbishop Desmond M. Tutu with the simplicity that he had planned. Archbishop Tutus death last Sunday at age 90 was followed by a week of mourning, as the world remembered his powerful role both in opposing apartheid and in promoting unity and reconciliation after its defeat. Jammu and Kashmir Police on Friday greeted citizens of the union territory on the occasion of New Year eve and advised the youth to channelize their energy in a positive direction. Jammu and Kashmir's Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh greeted people of the union territory, families of martyrs and all ranks of Jammu and Kashmir Police, Security Forces and their families on the eve of New Year. He also expressed hope that the New Year will bring peace, prosperity and happiness to Union Territory and its people. "He said that the Jammu and Kashmir Police will continue to fight every challenge with more dedication, devotion and valour and will work for consolidating peace. He expressed hope that New Year would bring joy and happiness to all," tweeted the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Friday evening. On this occasion, the DGP advised the youth to channelize their energy in a positive direction and contribute to nation-building. He also appealed to the misguided youth of Jammu and Kashmir to shun the path of violence and return to their parents and families, the tweet said. (ANI) A student adjusts her facemask at St. Joseph Catholic School in La Puente, Calif., on Nov. 16, 2020, where pre-kindergarten to second-grade students in need of special services returned to the classroom today for in-person instruction. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images) LA May Soon Mandate Outdoor Masks in Schools, Require Surgical or N95 Masks for Students LOS ANGELESChildren in Los Angeles may soon be required to wear masks outdoors, as well as an upgrade to surgical-grade or N95 respirator masks instead of using only cloth masks in schools. On Dec. 29, an email was sent by a Los Angeles school superintendent to a parent and shared on Twitter. Given the COVID-19 Omicron surge, [Los Angeles County Department of Public Health] has indicated that school districts should anticipate updated and more restrictive health protocols when schools resume in January, the email read. Though the revised protocols havent yet been issued, theyre expected to be announced in the coming days, according to the email. The email said that the county health department is highly likely to officially require both outdoor and indoor masking for all school activities except when eating, and staff and students may need to upgrade their masks to either surgical grade or N95 masks because cloth masks alone would not be sufficient. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) website, which cites recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cloth masks may or may not meet any fluid barrier or filtration efficiency levels. However, the same webpage said surgical masks do not provide complete protection from germs and other contaminants because of the loose fit between the surface of the mask and your face, but are meant to help block large-particle droplets, splashes, sprays, or splatter that may contain germs (viruses and bacteria), keeping it from reaching your mouth and nose. Students and parents arrive masked for the first day of the school year at Grant Elementary School in Los Angeles, on Aug. 16, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images) On the other hand, N95 respirator masks can form a seal around the nose and mouth and are designed to achieve very efficient filtration of airborne particles, according to the FDA. In addition to the masking protocol, the countys health department is considering more comprehensive testing regimens, though the email didnt elaborate on what those regimens might be. Currently, all school employees are required to get weekly COVID-19 tests, and staff and students with vaccine exemptions must get tested twice a week. Some parents raised concerns about the N95 respirator masks not fitting childrens small faces and not achieving the desired effect. Parent and community activist Scott Davison pointed out on Twitter that the FDA said N95 respirators cannot achieve a proper fit on children and thus may not provide full protection. The CDCs National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) page also states that NIOSH does not approve any type of respiratory protection for children. Students walk to their classrooms at a public middle school in Los Angeles on Sept. 10, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images) Sharon McKeeman, founder of parent advocacy group Let Them Breathe, told The Epoch Times that these mask evaluations reflect what Let Them Breathe has been saying all along and what we have been litigating overwhich is that cloth masks are not effective. But the health department is going in the wrong direction asking children to wear N95 masks, which can cause even more harm to students, McKeeman said. Our lawsuit has documented the mental, emotional, social, physical, and academic detriments of wearing masks, and the more restrictive the mask thats worn, [the more harm it can cause]. Let Them Breathe, which has more than 20,000 members across the nation, also filed a complaint in the San Diego County Superior Court in September regarding mask mandates for children. The complaint states, [Let Them Breathe] believes that masking students is unnecessary, ineffective, and harmful to their mental, physical, social, and emotional well-being, and the group is concerned that mask requirements prevent children from engaging in a quality in-person education. McKeeman said teachers are telling her group that children are having a hard time because they cant see their teachers and classmates faces. Its also very difficult for teachers to teach reading if students cant see how theyre forming those phonetic sounds with their mouth, she said. Were hearing from parents and counselors and psychologists that students are feeling anxious and depressed because theyre not having that positive reinforcement of smiles, and theyre becoming withdrawn and antisocial. Were hearing from school administration that theres a lot more violent and destructive behavior at school, and that the psychiatrist and counselors were speaking to are saying that its a direct result of not being able to see other humans faces and [of] experiencing detachment. Students attend an in-person English class at St. Anthony Catholic High School during the Covid-19 pandemic on March 24, 2021, in Long Beach, California. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images) The groups lawsuit gained a victory when their request for reconsideration was granted. The hearing is expected to take place on Jan 28. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health didnt respond to a request for comment by press time. Several parents of students in Los Angeles declined to comment for this article. The mother of two murdered sisters whose bodies were photographed by Met Police officers has said she wants to meet one of them. Mina Smallman, 65, said she 'can't wait to meet' ex-police officer Deniz Jaffer and shared her pain at losing her daughters Nicole Smallman, 27, and Bibaa Henry, 46, after the pair were stabbed to death in the early hours of June 6, 2020. The siblings had celebrated a birthday party in Fryent Country Park in Wembley, north-west London, when they were set upon by 19-year-old Danyal Hussein. Serving Met Police officers Deniz Jaffer, 47, and Jamie Lewis, 33, were standing at the murder scene in when it emerged they had taken pictures of the sisters' bodies and shared them in WhatsApp groups. During a guest editing appearance on BBC R4's Today programme today, Smallman admitted she was 'repulsed' by the pair but was willing to meet with them. She said: 'Im repulsed by them, if Im honest, and I cant wait to meet Jaffa. 'He said hed like to meet with the family and I dont believe he thought that that could happen, but it will because he said he wants it to happen. Im going to give him that invitation.' Jaffer resigned from the force five months ago, while Lewis was sacked following a tribunal hearing with the Independent Office for Police Complaints. Last month, Jaffer and Lewis were each jailed for two years and nine months for misconduct in public office after they were found guilty of sharing 'dehumanising' pictures of the two girls at the murder scene. Mina Smallman, 65, said she 'can't wait to meet' ex-police officer Deniz Jaffer and shared her pain at losing her daughters Nicole Smallman, 27, and Bibaa Henry, 46, after the pair were stabbed to death The women had been celebrating Ms Henry's birthday in Fryent Country Park in Wembley, north-west London, when they were set upon in the early hours of June 6, 2020 Deniz Jaffer and Jamie Lewis (right) were each jailed for two years and nine months for misconduct in public office after they were found guilty of sharing 'dehumanising' pictures of the two girls at the murder scene Smallman discussed frustrations at 'having to fight to find [her] own children', and said she was still not in a position to grieve 18 months after the sisters' murder. She said: 'Ive said once before, itd be great to have no news, good or bad. We just would like a flat line, just to gather speed and to find our way through the grieving process.' Following an independent investigation, the Met apologised to the Smallman family for failures in the way it had responded to reports that Bibaa and Nicole were missing. A missing persons log had been incorrectly closed and inquiries were never progressed - as Met commissioner Cressida Dick admitted a more thorough response would have prevented 'immeasurable pain' for their family and friends. During her guest editing appearance Smallman also slammed the 'clearly broken' system of policing. 'The system, clearly is broken. There are things being allowed to happen within the police force. 'There's obviously a core that are abusing their powers and a culture that is toxic. Well we need to change that because the only people who benefit from that are the perpetrators.' Deniz Jaffer was jailed for two years and nine months after taking photographs of Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman while policing a cordon where the sisters had been fatally stabbed in bushes at a country park in north London. His conduct, along with colleague Jamie Lewis, 33, was described as 'appalling and inexplicable'. The pair, neither of whom was wearing forensic protection, had arrived in the park at 3.30am. During the night, Jaffer took four pictures of the bodies in situ and Lewis took two, and superimposed his face on to one of them to create the 'selfie-style' image. Lewis wrote: 'Unfortunately I'm sat next to two dead birds full of stab wounds.' Jaffer posted on another WhatsApp group: 'I have pictures of the two dead victims. Let me know who doesn't want to see.' He also sent an inexperienced female officer at the scene photographs of the bodies as they lay intertwined in the bushes, including Lewis' 'selfie'. Jaffer then showed the images to two other officers, including a female probationary officer he was supposed to be mentoring at Forest Gate police station, who was 'shocked' and 'disgusted'. He deleted the pictures the same day Lewis was questioned by the police watchdog. In victim impact statements, family members described the defendants as a 'disgrace' to the police family and to mankind. 14 valuable coins that could be hiding in your change The next time you rummage through your spare change for laundry or your morning coffee, keep an eye out. A single coin can be worth a small fortune. Some of these coins were accidentally engraved with silly mistakes that didnt get caught until it was too late. Other runs were mostly destroyed, making the survivors an instant collector's item. Here are 15 rare coins that fetch a high price on eBay or at auction. If you don't find any in your pockets, don't despair you can get rich off spare change in other ways. 14. 1972 doubled die obverse Lincoln Memorial cent eBay The U.S. Mint released the 1972 Lincoln Memorial Cent in 1972 but some of them came with a rather embarrassing error. The words Liberty on the left and 1972 on the right of Abes profile were doubled on the error coins, and experts estimate 20,000 of them were accidentally created. One of these error coins was listed with a starting price of $1 on eBay.com but garnered 49 bids and sold for $325, reported The U.S. Sun in September 2021. The news outlet added that this penny in particular may have been worth more because of its distinctive color. 13. 2004 D Wisconsin quarter, Extra Leaf Low variety eBay The Wisconsin quarter, minted in 2004, bears the image of a cow, a wheel of cheese and an ear of corn. However, one variant is worth considerably more than 25 cents. The Extra Leaf Low quarter features an extra leaf on the left side of the ear of corn, but it sits lower and touches the cheese wheel. Some have suggested that someone deliberately sabotaged the die before it began production, but Coin World says that an investigation by the U.S. Mint determined that the flawed coins were produced by accident. These quarters are worth even more than the Kansas ones in Oct. 2021, one of these Extra Leaf Low variants sold for $152 on eBay.com. 12. Sacagawea Cheerios dollar eBay Back in early 2000, you might have found this rare coin in a box of your favorite cereal. The U.S. Mint promoted its new Golden Dollar by tucking a 2000 Lincoln cent into 10 million boxes of Cheerios 5,500 of which also contained the Sacagawea dollar. Story continues Some of those dollars, however, were a little different from the standard variety, with enhanced eagle tail feathers on the reverse. DIY site The Spruce Crafts says only about 60 to 70 of these coins have emerged since, but they can sell for between $5,000 to $25,000 depending on grade. 11. 2008-W silver eagle reverse of 2007 eBay The U.S. Mint released 47,000 uncirculated 2008-W American Eagle silver coins struck with the older reverse dies used in 2007, says numismatic magazine Coin World. You can spot the difference in the lettering. The u on the normal 2008 reverse has a spur on the right side of the letter, but the u on the 2007 reverse doesnt have a spur or downstroke. Two coins in this style sold on eBay.com recently for more than $1,000 each. 10. 1879 $4 Gold Stella eBay The Stella was designed to match the weight and composition of other coins in the Latin Monetary Union, an effort in Europe to form a single currency (the union was dissolved in 1927). Congressman John Kasson of Iowa proposed a $4 gold coin with a weight that matched the Austro-Hungarian 8 florin piece, after struggling to convert American dollars into Austrian florins, says Barrons. The coin was never approved for full-scale production, but collectors will pay a small fortune for one today. One two-coin set from the Smithsonian sold for nearly $5,000 in September 2021. 9. 1955 doubled die Lincoln penny eBay This other presidential penny has an obvious double imprinting on the words Liberty and In God We Trust. The Spruce Crafts says these coins may have passed inspection on an overnight shift without proper supervision. Thousands were released into circulation in 1955 before anyone noticed. Between 20,000 to 24,000 were believed to have been originally released, however experts think only 10,000 to 15,000 survived. One sold for a whopping $1,850 on eBay.com in November 2021. 8. 1927-D Saint-Gaudens double eagle eBay The 1927-D Saint-Gaudens double eagle is a $20 gold coin named after Augustus Saint-Gaudens, who designed the original 1905-1907 model. This coin is rare because most of its kind are thought to have been melted down during the gold recall of 1933, says Numismatic News. Its usually worth around $1 million today. The second-finest known 1927-D Saint-Gaudens double eagle sold for about $3 million in August 2021. The coin was reported to be in excellent condition and color. It was part of the prestigious Louis E. Eliasberg collection. 7. 1894-S Barber dime Professional Coin Grading Service / Wikimedia Commons Only 24 of these coins were ever created, and they're even more rare today. The 1894-S Barber dime was designed by engraver Charles E. Barber and produced at the San Francisco Mint, and today only nine still exist. Like other Barber dimes, it features the head of Liberty on one side. In 2016, one of the famous dimes sold for almost $2 million at a Florida auction, while another one belonging to late Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss was bought for $1.32 million in a Chicago auction, reports Fox 2 Detroit. 6. 1913 Liberty head nickel Crotalus horridus / Wikimedia Commons Only five of these valuable nickels are confirmed to exist in the world, says The Spruce Crafts so its unlikely youll spot one camping out in your wallet. Designed by Charles E. Barber, the Liberty head nickel had the Roman numeral V engraved on one side, but U.S. Mint officials failed to add the word Cents. Scammers took advantage of the missing value and began plating the coins in gold, attempting to pass them off as $5 coins instead. The mint later added Cents to the design. Rumors, media coverage, famous owners and escalating prices all helped add to the coins value among collectors. In 2018, one of these coins (from the Louis E. Eliasberg collection) sold for $4.56 million at a Philadelphia auction. 5. Flowing Hair dollar eBay The Flowing Hair $1 coin is thought to be the first official silver dollar issued by the U.S. government. The design features Miss Liberty with flowing hair on its obverse. Only 150 to 200 of the 1794 variety are left, while the 1795 coin is more common. The Flowing Hair design was later replaced by the Draped Bust. The 1795 Flowing Hair dollar can still rack up thousands of dollars online one sold for nearly $2,500 on eBay.com in September 2021. 4. 1943-S Lincoln wheat penny Wikimedia Commons During World War II, the U.S. Mint switched to zinc-coated steel coins because copper was needed for ammunition. However, a few leftover bronze planchets that is, the round metal disks ready to be struck as a coin from 1942 made their way into processing and entered circulation. The Spruce Crafts explains that some of these coins may have gotten wedged in the corners of the bins that moved the planchets around and then were dislodged during processing. In 2012, rare coin dealer Legend Numismatics sold a highly graded 1943-S Lincoln wheat penny for $1 million to Texas Rangers co-chairman Bob R. Simpson. 3. Morgan silver dollar eBay This $1 coin, named after designer George T. Morgan, features Liberty on one side and an eagle with its wings outstretched on the reverse. It was minted from 1878 to 1904 and in 1921, but hundreds of millions were melted down over the years, says The U.S. Sun. A special non-circulating edition was also released in 2021. This coins value might vary depending on its condition, mint year and rarity. One Brilliant Uncirculated 1884 Morgan silver dollar recently sold for $375 on eBay.com, while an 1893-S went for $1,805. 2. 2005-D 5C speared bison eBay The U.S. Mint decided to bring back the bison reverse design on the Jefferson nickel in 2005, but some of these coins had a distinctive marking that set them apart. According to the Professional Coin Grading Service, a noticeable die gouge along the back of the bison was found among several of these presidential nickels. Within a couple of days of the discovery, these error coins were selling for more than $100. Now referred to as speared bison nickels, they arent usually found in good condition or luster, which adds to their rarity among collectors today. One sold for $495 on eBay.com recently. 1. 2005 Kansas In God We Rust state quarter eBay Poke around in your wallet for one of these state quarters that fell victim to a hilarious blunder. The U.S. Mint produced a series of special quarters to celebrate each state over 10 years starting in 1999. However, the 2005 Kansas quarter reads "In God We Rust" instead of the U.S. motto "In God We Trust." Lubricant grease might have clogged up the T, preventing the letter from being transferred onto the coin, says The Spruce Crafts. One of these Kansas error coins sold for $45 on eBay.com in November 2021. Turn your pennies into a portfolio A_stockphoto / Shutterstock Didn't find any valuable coins in your pockets? Think again. Even if you only have a few ordinary quarters and dimes to spare, you can earn big returns by taking advantage of todays runaway stock market. A popular app will help you invest your "spare change from everyday purchases. You'll even get a $10 reward just for getting started. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. On June 2, TerraPower announced that it would build a demonstration nuclear reactor, known as Natrium, at a retiring Wyoming coal plant. The Bill Gates-fronted nuclear developer had joined forces with utility Rocky Mountain Power, after receiving an $80 million Department of Energy grant, to build one of the countrys first small modular reactors. Wyoming has been a leader in energy for over a century, Gates said during a news conference at the time, and we hope our investment in Natrium will allow Wyoming to stay in the lead for many decades to come. All four candidate communities Rock Springs, Kemmerer, Glenrock and Gillette soon made it clear to TerraPower that they would welcome the nuclear plant. But in November, Kemmerer, home to 2,750 people and the 448-megawatt Naughton Coal Plant, won. Now that a site has been announced, things will move quickly at least as nuclear projects go. As the clock runs out on 2021, it reinforces the urgency for focus as TerraPower seeks to meet the aggressive timeline to complete construction and begin operations at the first Natrium plant, Amber Schwab, a TerraPower spokesperson, wrote in an email to the Star-Tribune. The (Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program) schedule, mandated by Congress, requires the plant to be complete by 2028. The Department of Energy has promised to fund half the project, up to $1.6 billion, as long as Natrium is operational on time. Its an ambitious goal. Construction of earlier nuclear reactors has often stretched for a decade or more, straining developers already tight budgets; Congress hopes that the time pressure, on top of the plants smaller size, will bring down costs in the long run. Compared with the fanfare that surrounded this years two big announcements, 2022 is looking like a quieter year for Natrium. Before TerraPower can start building the reactor, it needs to have the first of two major permits approved. The submission of both applications is built into the seven-year timeline: a construction license in August 2023 and an operating license in March 2026. Meeting the congressional deadline means packing 2022 with preliminary meetings and reports on in-the-weeds subjects like radionuclide transport methodology, design basis accident transient methodology and core flow blockage detection and prevention, along with environmental coordination with various government agencies. The time is right for the next generation of nuclear energy, Schwab wrote. Just as 2021 was pivotal in the TerraPower story, the coming year will represent another significant step in the companys efforts to move from research, development and design into the concrete future of advanced nuclear power. Uranium producers, frustrated by international fuel prices that remained too low for U.S. mines to compete, have also been galvanized by global nuclear growth and the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program. Texas-based Uranium Energy Corp, which recently purchased several Wyoming assets from Russian-owned Uranium One, hopes market prices will rise high enough this year for idling U.S. mines to begin ramping up production for the first time in years the first step toward establishing a domestic supply chain for the more highly enriched uranium used in next-generation reactors like Natrium. And itll be a busy year in Kemmerer, too. Construction of the project is expected to last several years and employ roughly 2,000 temporary workers nearly doubling the towns population. A small town like ours, which right now is about 2,750 or so in population, you dont have the accommodations for a few thousand extra people, Kemmerer mayor Bill Thek told the Star-Tribune in November. Some of those workers will end up driving in from out of town, Thek said. But with more than two years before construction is set to begin, the town has time to update a few existing apartment buildings and expand local services, like police presence, before the influx arrives. I feel fortunate there, Thek said. Its not going to be overnight that this is going to happen. Jammu and Kashmir Police on Friday greeted citizens of the union territory on the occasion of New Year eve and advised the youth to channelize their energy in a positive direction. Jammu and Kashmir's Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh greeted people of the union territory, families of martyrs and all ranks of Jammu and Kashmir Police, Security Forces and their families on the eve of New Year. He also expressed hope that the New Year will bring peace, prosperity and happiness to Union Territory and its people. "He said that the Jammu and Kashmir Police will continue to fight every challenge with more dedication, devotion and valour and will work for consolidating peace. He expressed hope that New Year would bring joy and happiness to all," tweeted the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Friday evening. On this occasion, the DGP advised the youth to channelize their energy in a positive direction and contribute to nation-building. He also appealed to the misguided youth of Jammu and Kashmir to shun the path of violence and return to their parents and families, the tweet said. (ANI) A student adjusts her facemask at St. Joseph Catholic School in La Puente, Calif., on Nov. 16, 2020, where pre-kindergarten to second-grade students in need of special services returned to the classroom today for in-person instruction. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images) LA May Soon Mandate Outdoor Masks in Schools, Require Surgical or N95 Masks for Students LOS ANGELESChildren in Los Angeles may soon be required to wear masks outdoors, as well as an upgrade to surgical-grade or N95 respirator masks instead of using only cloth masks in schools. On Dec. 29, an email was sent by a Los Angeles school superintendent to a parent and shared on Twitter. Given the COVID-19 Omicron surge, [Los Angeles County Department of Public Health] has indicated that school districts should anticipate updated and more restrictive health protocols when schools resume in January, the email read. Though the revised protocols havent yet been issued, theyre expected to be announced in the coming days, according to the email. The email said that the county health department is highly likely to officially require both outdoor and indoor masking for all school activities except when eating, and staff and students may need to upgrade their masks to either surgical grade or N95 masks because cloth masks alone would not be sufficient. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) website, which cites recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cloth masks may or may not meet any fluid barrier or filtration efficiency levels. However, the same webpage said surgical masks do not provide complete protection from germs and other contaminants because of the loose fit between the surface of the mask and your face, but are meant to help block large-particle droplets, splashes, sprays, or splatter that may contain germs (viruses and bacteria), keeping it from reaching your mouth and nose. Students and parents arrive masked for the first day of the school year at Grant Elementary School in Los Angeles, on Aug. 16, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images) On the other hand, N95 respirator masks can form a seal around the nose and mouth and are designed to achieve very efficient filtration of airborne particles, according to the FDA. In addition to the masking protocol, the countys health department is considering more comprehensive testing regimens, though the email didnt elaborate on what those regimens might be. Currently, all school employees are required to get weekly COVID-19 tests, and staff and students with vaccine exemptions must get tested twice a week. Some parents raised concerns about the N95 respirator masks not fitting childrens small faces and not achieving the desired effect. Parent and community activist Scott Davison pointed out on Twitter that the FDA said N95 respirators cannot achieve a proper fit on children and thus may not provide full protection. The CDCs National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) page also states that NIOSH does not approve any type of respiratory protection for children. Students walk to their classrooms at a public middle school in Los Angeles on Sept. 10, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images) Sharon McKeeman, founder of parent advocacy group Let Them Breathe, told The Epoch Times that these mask evaluations reflect what Let Them Breathe has been saying all along and what we have been litigating overwhich is that cloth masks are not effective. But the health department is going in the wrong direction asking children to wear N95 masks, which can cause even more harm to students, McKeeman said. Our lawsuit has documented the mental, emotional, social, physical, and academic detriments of wearing masks, and the more restrictive the mask thats worn, [the more harm it can cause]. Let Them Breathe, which has more than 20,000 members across the nation, also filed a complaint in the San Diego County Superior Court in September regarding mask mandates for children. The complaint states, [Let Them Breathe] believes that masking students is unnecessary, ineffective, and harmful to their mental, physical, social, and emotional well-being, and the group is concerned that mask requirements prevent children from engaging in a quality in-person education. McKeeman said teachers are telling her group that children are having a hard time because they cant see their teachers and classmates faces. Its also very difficult for teachers to teach reading if students cant see how theyre forming those phonetic sounds with their mouth, she said. Were hearing from parents and counselors and psychologists that students are feeling anxious and depressed because theyre not having that positive reinforcement of smiles, and theyre becoming withdrawn and antisocial. Were hearing from school administration that theres a lot more violent and destructive behavior at school, and that the psychiatrist and counselors were speaking to are saying that its a direct result of not being able to see other humans faces and [of] experiencing detachment. Students attend an in-person English class at St. Anthony Catholic High School during the Covid-19 pandemic on March 24, 2021, in Long Beach, California. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images) The groups lawsuit gained a victory when their request for reconsideration was granted. The hearing is expected to take place on Jan 28. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health didnt respond to a request for comment by press time. Several parents of students in Los Angeles declined to comment for this article. A student adjusts her facemask at St. Joseph Catholic School in La Puente, Calif., on Nov. 16, 2020, where pre-kindergarten to second-grade students in need of special services returned to the classroom today for in-person instruction. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images) LA May Soon Mandate Outdoor Masks in Schools, Require Surgical or N95 Masks for Students LOS ANGELESChildren in Los Angeles may soon be required to wear masks outdoors, as well as an upgrade to surgical-grade or N95 respirator masks instead of using only cloth masks in schools. On Dec. 29, an email was sent by a Los Angeles school superintendent to a parent and shared on Twitter. Given the COVID-19 Omicron surge, [Los Angeles County Department of Public Health] has indicated that school districts should anticipate updated and more restrictive health protocols when schools resume in January, the email read. Though the revised protocols havent yet been issued, theyre expected to be announced in the coming days, according to the email. The email said that the county health department is highly likely to officially require both outdoor and indoor masking for all school activities except when eating, and staff and students may need to upgrade their masks to either surgical grade or N95 masks because cloth masks alone would not be sufficient. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) website, which cites recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cloth masks may or may not meet any fluid barrier or filtration efficiency levels. However, the same webpage said surgical masks do not provide complete protection from germs and other contaminants because of the loose fit between the surface of the mask and your face, but are meant to help block large-particle droplets, splashes, sprays, or splatter that may contain germs (viruses and bacteria), keeping it from reaching your mouth and nose. Students and parents arrive masked for the first day of the school year at Grant Elementary School in Los Angeles, on Aug. 16, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images) On the other hand, N95 respirator masks can form a seal around the nose and mouth and are designed to achieve very efficient filtration of airborne particles, according to the FDA. In addition to the masking protocol, the countys health department is considering more comprehensive testing regimens, though the email didnt elaborate on what those regimens might be. Currently, all school employees are required to get weekly COVID-19 tests, and staff and students with vaccine exemptions must get tested twice a week. Some parents raised concerns about the N95 respirator masks not fitting childrens small faces and not achieving the desired effect. Parent and community activist Scott Davison pointed out on Twitter that the FDA said N95 respirators cannot achieve a proper fit on children and thus may not provide full protection. The CDCs National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) page also states that NIOSH does not approve any type of respiratory protection for children. Students walk to their classrooms at a public middle school in Los Angeles on Sept. 10, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images) Sharon McKeeman, founder of parent advocacy group Let Them Breathe, told The Epoch Times that these mask evaluations reflect what Let Them Breathe has been saying all along and what we have been litigating overwhich is that cloth masks are not effective. But the health department is going in the wrong direction asking children to wear N95 masks, which can cause even more harm to students, McKeeman said. Our lawsuit has documented the mental, emotional, social, physical, and academic detriments of wearing masks, and the more restrictive the mask thats worn, [the more harm it can cause]. Let Them Breathe, which has more than 20,000 members across the nation, also filed a complaint in the San Diego County Superior Court in September regarding mask mandates for children. The complaint states, [Let Them Breathe] believes that masking students is unnecessary, ineffective, and harmful to their mental, physical, social, and emotional well-being, and the group is concerned that mask requirements prevent children from engaging in a quality in-person education. McKeeman said teachers are telling her group that children are having a hard time because they cant see their teachers and classmates faces. Its also very difficult for teachers to teach reading if students cant see how theyre forming those phonetic sounds with their mouth, she said. Were hearing from parents and counselors and psychologists that students are feeling anxious and depressed because theyre not having that positive reinforcement of smiles, and theyre becoming withdrawn and antisocial. Were hearing from school administration that theres a lot more violent and destructive behavior at school, and that the psychiatrist and counselors were speaking to are saying that its a direct result of not being able to see other humans faces and [of] experiencing detachment. Students attend an in-person English class at St. Anthony Catholic High School during the Covid-19 pandemic on March 24, 2021, in Long Beach, California. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images) The groups lawsuit gained a victory when their request for reconsideration was granted. The hearing is expected to take place on Jan 28. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health didnt respond to a request for comment by press time. Several parents of students in Los Angeles declined to comment for this article. A student adjusts her facemask at St. Joseph Catholic School in La Puente, Calif., on Nov. 16, 2020, where pre-kindergarten to second-grade students in need of special services returned to the classroom today for in-person instruction. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images) LA May Soon Mandate Outdoor Masks in Schools, Require Surgical or N95 Masks for Students LOS ANGELESChildren in Los Angeles may soon be required to wear masks outdoors, as well as an upgrade to surgical-grade or N95 respirator masks instead of using only cloth masks in schools. On Dec. 29, an email was sent by a Los Angeles school superintendent to a parent and shared on Twitter. Given the COVID-19 Omicron surge, [Los Angeles County Department of Public Health] has indicated that school districts should anticipate updated and more restrictive health protocols when schools resume in January, the email read. Though the revised protocols havent yet been issued, theyre expected to be announced in the coming days, according to the email. The email said that the county health department is highly likely to officially require both outdoor and indoor masking for all school activities except when eating, and staff and students may need to upgrade their masks to either surgical grade or N95 masks because cloth masks alone would not be sufficient. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) website, which cites recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cloth masks may or may not meet any fluid barrier or filtration efficiency levels. However, the same webpage said surgical masks do not provide complete protection from germs and other contaminants because of the loose fit between the surface of the mask and your face, but are meant to help block large-particle droplets, splashes, sprays, or splatter that may contain germs (viruses and bacteria), keeping it from reaching your mouth and nose. Students and parents arrive masked for the first day of the school year at Grant Elementary School in Los Angeles, on Aug. 16, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images) On the other hand, N95 respirator masks can form a seal around the nose and mouth and are designed to achieve very efficient filtration of airborne particles, according to the FDA. In addition to the masking protocol, the countys health department is considering more comprehensive testing regimens, though the email didnt elaborate on what those regimens might be. Currently, all school employees are required to get weekly COVID-19 tests, and staff and students with vaccine exemptions must get tested twice a week. Some parents raised concerns about the N95 respirator masks not fitting childrens small faces and not achieving the desired effect. Parent and community activist Scott Davison pointed out on Twitter that the FDA said N95 respirators cannot achieve a proper fit on children and thus may not provide full protection. The CDCs National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) page also states that NIOSH does not approve any type of respiratory protection for children. Students walk to their classrooms at a public middle school in Los Angeles on Sept. 10, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images) Sharon McKeeman, founder of parent advocacy group Let Them Breathe, told The Epoch Times that these mask evaluations reflect what Let Them Breathe has been saying all along and what we have been litigating overwhich is that cloth masks are not effective. But the health department is going in the wrong direction asking children to wear N95 masks, which can cause even more harm to students, McKeeman said. Our lawsuit has documented the mental, emotional, social, physical, and academic detriments of wearing masks, and the more restrictive the mask thats worn, [the more harm it can cause]. Let Them Breathe, which has more than 20,000 members across the nation, also filed a complaint in the San Diego County Superior Court in September regarding mask mandates for children. The complaint states, [Let Them Breathe] believes that masking students is unnecessary, ineffective, and harmful to their mental, physical, social, and emotional well-being, and the group is concerned that mask requirements prevent children from engaging in a quality in-person education. McKeeman said teachers are telling her group that children are having a hard time because they cant see their teachers and classmates faces. Its also very difficult for teachers to teach reading if students cant see how theyre forming those phonetic sounds with their mouth, she said. Were hearing from parents and counselors and psychologists that students are feeling anxious and depressed because theyre not having that positive reinforcement of smiles, and theyre becoming withdrawn and antisocial. Were hearing from school administration that theres a lot more violent and destructive behavior at school, and that the psychiatrist and counselors were speaking to are saying that its a direct result of not being able to see other humans faces and [of] experiencing detachment. Students attend an in-person English class at St. Anthony Catholic High School during the Covid-19 pandemic on March 24, 2021, in Long Beach, California. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images) The groups lawsuit gained a victory when their request for reconsideration was granted. The hearing is expected to take place on Jan 28. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health didnt respond to a request for comment by press time. Several parents of students in Los Angeles declined to comment for this article. The stars aligned for a group of artists and artisans to pay proper homage to the Declaration of Independence Back in 1992, artist Jose-Maria Cundin, originally from the Basque Country, Spain, released a hand-engraved facsimile of the United States Declaration of Independence, after three years of hard work and collaboration with craftsmen from his homelanda papermaker and a renowned metal engraver. But the project didnt draw broader interest from the American public. Sara Fattori, who owned a fine art gallery in Palm Beach, Florida, before starting her interior design business, knew of Cundins work, but it wasnt until her fathers passing, around 2007, that she pondered more deeply the meaning of the countrys founding document and the possibility of promoting Cundins hand-engraved version. Her father had fought in World War II and was part of an aviation force in the Normandy invasion. The reality of war, she said, and the sacrifices made by previous generations to preserve freedom, moved her. The Perfect Frame Around 2014, when an opportunity arose to donate a Cundin engraving for an auction event benefiting the Carson Scholars Funds initiative to promote literacy in low-income neighborhoods, Fattori began searching for a frame worthy of encasing the document. While researching online, she discovered Marcelo Bavaro, a fourth-generation historical frame maker based in New York, whose Italian family inherited a century of craftsmanship in carpentry and gilding. Fattori instinctively knew he was the right fit. When they met, Bavaro said the Declaration should be encased in a Federal-style frame befitting the time period when the original document was draftedthe newly formed country wanted to distinguish itself from its former ruler, so a style emphasizing simple, clean lines was popularized, contrasting sharply with ornate British detailing. I knew I was with the right person when Marcelo said, Oh, it should be in a Federal-style frame, Fattori said during a recent interview at Bavaros Brooklyn firm Quebracho Inc., which restores and makes frames for top museums, art galleries, and auction houses. Bavaro was intrigued by the project: I always wondered how this country was guided by this piece of paper for centuries. And everybody respects it. I come from a country where nobody respects anything. He was referring to Argentinahis family emigrated there in the early 20th century. In the early 1980s, when Argentina was under military rule, Bavaro himself was caught in the political turmoil and jailed for writing articles that criticized the government. Due to his familys influence, he managed to escape and was on the run for five days before crossing the Brazilian border and taking a plane to the United States, where he met up with his father, the first of his family to settle here. Federal-style frames require incredible carpentry skills; an artisan must shape the wood into a narrow concave shape. There are few workshops left in the world that are still engaged in this artwork. Craftsmanship is something that is dying out, Bavaro said. Its so simple to make money sitting in front of a computer; why are you going to break your hands doing what we do? A craftsperson working on gilding a frame, at the Quebracho studio in Brooklyn, New York City. (Lux Aeterna Photography) A craftsperson works on etching a pattern on a frame. (Lux Aeterna Photography) While working on the Declaration project in 2014, Bavaro, together with Fattori and her husband, Paul, joined forces to launch a new company, Fattori Fine Frames, that would provide custom-made, handcrafted frames for people looking to frame artwork and mirrors in their homes. The auction event that took place the following year was a success, with a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution buying the framed document. A selection of frames made by the Quebracho workshop in Brooklyn. (Lux Aeterna Photography) History Cundins facsimile is a copy of William J. Stones engravingthe latter was commissioned by then-Secretary of State John Quincy Adams during the 1820s as an official government copy, because Adams had grown concerned over the fragile condition of the original Declaration. In Stones tradition, Cundin set out to make a hand-engraved brass plateit would be the first such engraving since Stones time. Cundin always had a personal connection to America, even before becoming a citizen in 1971. His father was born on July 4 and frequently joked about how his birthday coincided with that of Americas. Cundin was moved by the content of the Declaration upon reading it in its entirety. The demand for freedomthat is the connection that I found most touching in my heart, he said in a recent phone interview. The brass plate etched with the Declaration of Independence. (Courtesy of Jose-Maria Cundin) When he began the engraving project in 1989, out of curiosity he started researching the founding fathers who signed the document. Cundin found out that John Adams had visited the Basque Country in 1780, and had been so inspired by the local governance system that he kept it in mind while drafting the United States Constitution years later. Adams also wrote about the Biscay government in his treatise, A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America, stating, While their neighbors have long since resigned all their pretensions into the hands of kings and priests, this extraordinary people have preserved their ancient language, genius, laws, government, and manners their love of liberty, and unconquerable aversion to a foreign servitude. Engraver Pedro Aspiazu (L) and artist Jose-Maria Cundin studying a proof of the printed Declaration. (Courtesy of Jose-Maria Cundin) The connection with Cundins homeland convinced him to look for artisans there for the engraving project. Pedro Aspiazu, who was born into a multi-generational family of engravers, hand-chiseled the plate, while a Basque company handmade the paper from pure cotton, and a Madrid company did the printing. Cundin retained the same paper size as the original, but reduced the text size so there would be empty spacea visual environment, to make it a document that everybody could receive in the mail, but in a magnificent size, he said. The framed engraving resembles a painting, yet is humble in its quiet dignity. Cundins team made 1,200 copiesthe first few were gifted to George H.W. Bush during his presidency, the king of Spain, and the United States Congress. Today, there are about 1,000 copies still available for purchase. Independence Day Paul Fattori hopes that younger generations can truly appreciate what this document means and the extent to which the signees risked their lives to publicly protest the British monarchy. It symbolizes all that freedom, that libertyand its about the people, consent of the people, he said. Sara Fattori hopes Americans neither take their freedoms for granted nor forget about the balance of powers in government. Im looking at a country like a family unit; like, if someone is too powerful and controlling, then the other people are not going to thrive and be able to flourish as a human being, she said. This article was originally published in American Essence magazine. The stars aligned for a group of artists and artisans to pay proper homage to the Declaration of Independence Back in 1992, artist Jose-Maria Cundin, originally from the Basque Country, Spain, released a hand-engraved facsimile of the United States Declaration of Independence, after three years of hard work and collaboration with craftsmen from his homelanda papermaker and a renowned metal engraver. But the project didnt draw broader interest from the American public. Sara Fattori, who owned a fine art gallery in Palm Beach, Florida, before starting her interior design business, knew of Cundins work, but it wasnt until her fathers passing, around 2007, that she pondered more deeply the meaning of the countrys founding document and the possibility of promoting Cundins hand-engraved version. Her father had fought in World War II and was part of an aviation force in the Normandy invasion. The reality of war, she said, and the sacrifices made by previous generations to preserve freedom, moved her. The Perfect Frame Around 2014, when an opportunity arose to donate a Cundin engraving for an auction event benefiting the Carson Scholars Funds initiative to promote literacy in low-income neighborhoods, Fattori began searching for a frame worthy of encasing the document. While researching online, she discovered Marcelo Bavaro, a fourth-generation historical frame maker based in New York, whose Italian family inherited a century of craftsmanship in carpentry and gilding. Fattori instinctively knew he was the right fit. When they met, Bavaro said the Declaration should be encased in a Federal-style frame befitting the time period when the original document was draftedthe newly formed country wanted to distinguish itself from its former ruler, so a style emphasizing simple, clean lines was popularized, contrasting sharply with ornate British detailing. I knew I was with the right person when Marcelo said, Oh, it should be in a Federal-style frame, Fattori said during a recent interview at Bavaros Brooklyn firm Quebracho Inc., which restores and makes frames for top museums, art galleries, and auction houses. Bavaro was intrigued by the project: I always wondered how this country was guided by this piece of paper for centuries. And everybody respects it. I come from a country where nobody respects anything. He was referring to Argentinahis family emigrated there in the early 20th century. In the early 1980s, when Argentina was under military rule, Bavaro himself was caught in the political turmoil and jailed for writing articles that criticized the government. Due to his familys influence, he managed to escape and was on the run for five days before crossing the Brazilian border and taking a plane to the United States, where he met up with his father, the first of his family to settle here. Federal-style frames require incredible carpentry skills; an artisan must shape the wood into a narrow concave shape. There are few workshops left in the world that are still engaged in this artwork. Craftsmanship is something that is dying out, Bavaro said. Its so simple to make money sitting in front of a computer; why are you going to break your hands doing what we do? A craftsperson working on gilding a frame, at the Quebracho studio in Brooklyn, New York City. (Lux Aeterna Photography) A craftsperson works on etching a pattern on a frame. (Lux Aeterna Photography) While working on the Declaration project in 2014, Bavaro, together with Fattori and her husband, Paul, joined forces to launch a new company, Fattori Fine Frames, that would provide custom-made, handcrafted frames for people looking to frame artwork and mirrors in their homes. The auction event that took place the following year was a success, with a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution buying the framed document. A selection of frames made by the Quebracho workshop in Brooklyn. (Lux Aeterna Photography) History Cundins facsimile is a copy of William J. Stones engravingthe latter was commissioned by then-Secretary of State John Quincy Adams during the 1820s as an official government copy, because Adams had grown concerned over the fragile condition of the original Declaration. In Stones tradition, Cundin set out to make a hand-engraved brass plateit would be the first such engraving since Stones time. Cundin always had a personal connection to America, even before becoming a citizen in 1971. His father was born on July 4 and frequently joked about how his birthday coincided with that of Americas. Cundin was moved by the content of the Declaration upon reading it in its entirety. The demand for freedomthat is the connection that I found most touching in my heart, he said in a recent phone interview. The brass plate etched with the Declaration of Independence. (Courtesy of Jose-Maria Cundin) When he began the engraving project in 1989, out of curiosity he started researching the founding fathers who signed the document. Cundin found out that John Adams had visited the Basque Country in 1780, and had been so inspired by the local governance system that he kept it in mind while drafting the United States Constitution years later. Adams also wrote about the Biscay government in his treatise, A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America, stating, While their neighbors have long since resigned all their pretensions into the hands of kings and priests, this extraordinary people have preserved their ancient language, genius, laws, government, and manners their love of liberty, and unconquerable aversion to a foreign servitude. Engraver Pedro Aspiazu (L) and artist Jose-Maria Cundin studying a proof of the printed Declaration. (Courtesy of Jose-Maria Cundin) The connection with Cundins homeland convinced him to look for artisans there for the engraving project. Pedro Aspiazu, who was born into a multi-generational family of engravers, hand-chiseled the plate, while a Basque company handmade the paper from pure cotton, and a Madrid company did the printing. Cundin retained the same paper size as the original, but reduced the text size so there would be empty spacea visual environment, to make it a document that everybody could receive in the mail, but in a magnificent size, he said. The framed engraving resembles a painting, yet is humble in its quiet dignity. Cundins team made 1,200 copiesthe first few were gifted to George H.W. Bush during his presidency, the king of Spain, and the United States Congress. Today, there are about 1,000 copies still available for purchase. Independence Day Paul Fattori hopes that younger generations can truly appreciate what this document means and the extent to which the signees risked their lives to publicly protest the British monarchy. It symbolizes all that freedom, that libertyand its about the people, consent of the people, he said. Sara Fattori hopes Americans neither take their freedoms for granted nor forget about the balance of powers in government. Im looking at a country like a family unit; like, if someone is too powerful and controlling, then the other people are not going to thrive and be able to flourish as a human being, she said. This article was originally published in American Essence magazine. A Boeing 737 MAX airplane prepares to land after a test flight at Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington, U.S., June 29, 2020. Photo by Reuters/Karen Ducey The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has lifted a ban on the Boeing 737 Max and allowed airlines to operate the jet in the country after evaluating its safety. The decision is based on safety measures that its maker, Boeing, has added after the jet was involved in two major accidents in two countries. The Boeing 737 Max aircraft was grounded worldwide in March 2019 after 346 people were killed in two crashes in the space of a few months in Indonesia and Ethiopia. So far, 178 of 195 aviation authorities in the world have lifted their bans on the jet, and over 360 aircraft are in operation again. U.S. authorities lifted the ban on the jet in December 2020 after Boeing made changes in its design. Jammu and Kashmir Police on Friday greeted citizens of the union territory on the occasion of New Year eve and advised the youth to channelize their energy in a positive direction. Jammu and Kashmir's Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh greeted people of the union territory, families of martyrs and all ranks of Jammu and Kashmir Police, Security Forces and their families on the eve of New Year. He also expressed hope that the New Year will bring peace, prosperity and happiness to Union Territory and its people. "He said that the Jammu and Kashmir Police will continue to fight every challenge with more dedication, devotion and valour and will work for consolidating peace. He expressed hope that New Year would bring joy and happiness to all," tweeted the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Friday evening. On this occasion, the DGP advised the youth to channelize their energy in a positive direction and contribute to nation-building. He also appealed to the misguided youth of Jammu and Kashmir to shun the path of violence and return to their parents and families, the tweet said. (ANI) A Boeing 737 MAX airplane prepares to land after a test flight at Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington, U.S., June 29, 2020. Photo by Reuters/Karen Ducey The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has lifted a ban on the Boeing 737 Max and allowed airlines to operate the jet in the country after evaluating its safety. The decision is based on safety measures that its maker, Boeing, has added after the jet was involved in two major accidents in two countries. The Boeing 737 Max aircraft was grounded worldwide in March 2019 after 346 people were killed in two crashes in the space of a few months in Indonesia and Ethiopia. So far, 178 of 195 aviation authorities in the world have lifted their bans on the jet, and over 360 aircraft are in operation again. U.S. authorities lifted the ban on the jet in December 2020 after Boeing made changes in its design. According to information published by the "Zone Militaire" website on December 31, 2021, French Company Nexter was contacted by the Indian Government in the framework to participate to the Future Ready Combat Vehicles (FRCVs) program of the Indian Army and could propose the modernized Leclerc XLR Main Battle Tank. Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link Nexter has developed the Leclerc XLR main battle tank, a modernized version of the Leclerc tank in service with the French army. (Picture source Army Recognition ) In June 2021, Army Recognition has reported that India published a Request for Information (RFI) for the procurement of 1,700 main battle tanks that would replace the old Russian-designed T-72M/M1 Ajeya MBTs (Main Battle Tanks). Currently, the French army has launched a program to modernize its fleet of Leclerc Main Battle Tanks (MBT) to the standard Leclerc XLR for 2028. This program constitutes the third operation launched by the French Ministry of Defense under the SCORPION program intended to modernize the French Army's contact forces. Valued at approximately 330 million, the contract provides for the delivery of 200 "Renovated Leclerc" tanks and 18 "Renovated DCL" armored recovery vehicles based on the Leclerc MBT from 2020. The upgraded Leclerc MBT will have more firepower and protection. It also will be fitted with a new remotely operated weapon station mounted on the roof of the turret as well as a new modernized computerized firing control system. Citing the "Zone Militaire" website, following a question asked by the French Deputy Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, if the French company Nexter could win the procurement of the 1,700 MBTs for India, French industry could relaunch production of the Leclerc tanks for India and France will be able to offer a new competitive price of Leclerc tank for the Indian army and for the export market. According to the military balance 2020, currently, the French army has a total of 222 Leclerc MBTs, but the French Deputy Nicolas Dupont-Aignan said, today the needs of the French army would be to have 400 tanks. India could start the replacement of its old T-72 MBTS from 2030, and the French defense minister said, Nexter with the German company Kraus-Maffei Wegman under the umbrella of KNDS are studying solutions to meet Indian demand. Nexter Leclerc XLR Main Battle Tank was unveiled at the Eurosatory defense exhibition in France, June 2018. The Leclerc XLR is a modernized version of the French-made Leclerc Main Battle Tank (MBT) designed and manufactured by the French Company Nexter Systems. will keep the same armament as the standard Leclerc tank which consists of a Giat 120 mm 52 caliber smoothbore gun designated the CN 120-26. The turret of the Leclerc XLR is equipped with an automatic loading system that contains 22 rounds of ready-use ammunition normally loaded from outside through a small hatch in the back of the turret bustle. The new Leclerc will be able to fire two main types of 120 mm ammunition, the APFSDS (Armour-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding-Sabot) with a muzzle velocity of 1,790 m/s and HEAT (High-Explosive Anti-Tank) with a muzzle velocity of 1,100 m/s, both having a semi-combustible cartridge case containing a dual-base solid propellant. The Leclerc XLR is upgraded with a new armor package that includes additional modular armor on the hull and the turret. The front part of the hull side is protected by thick passive armor, while the rear part is fitted with wire cage armor to protect the engine compartment against attacks of RPGs (Rocket-Propelled Grenade). According to information published by the "Zone Militaire" website on December 31, 2021, French Company Nexter was contacted by the Indian Government in the framework to participate to the Future Ready Combat Vehicles (FRCVs) program of the Indian Army and could propose the modernized Leclerc XLR Main Battle Tank. Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link Nexter has developed the Leclerc XLR main battle tank, a modernized version of the Leclerc tank in service with the French army. (Picture source Army Recognition ) In June 2021, Army Recognition has reported that India published a Request for Information (RFI) for the procurement of 1,700 main battle tanks that would replace the old Russian-designed T-72M/M1 Ajeya MBTs (Main Battle Tanks). Currently, the French army has launched a program to modernize its fleet of Leclerc Main Battle Tanks (MBT) to the standard Leclerc XLR for 2028. This program constitutes the third operation launched by the French Ministry of Defense under the SCORPION program intended to modernize the French Army's contact forces. Valued at approximately 330 million, the contract provides for the delivery of 200 "Renovated Leclerc" tanks and 18 "Renovated DCL" armored recovery vehicles based on the Leclerc MBT from 2020. The upgraded Leclerc MBT will have more firepower and protection. It also will be fitted with a new remotely operated weapon station mounted on the roof of the turret as well as a new modernized computerized firing control system. Citing the "Zone Militaire" website, following a question asked by the French Deputy Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, if the French company Nexter could win the procurement of the 1,700 MBTs for India, French industry could relaunch production of the Leclerc tanks for India and France will be able to offer a new competitive price of Leclerc tank for the Indian army and for the export market. According to the military balance 2020, currently, the French army has a total of 222 Leclerc MBTs, but the French Deputy Nicolas Dupont-Aignan said, today the needs of the French army would be to have 400 tanks. India could start the replacement of its old T-72 MBTS from 2030, and the French defense minister said, Nexter with the German company Kraus-Maffei Wegman under the umbrella of KNDS are studying solutions to meet Indian demand. Nexter Leclerc XLR Main Battle Tank was unveiled at the Eurosatory defense exhibition in France, June 2018. The Leclerc XLR is a modernized version of the French-made Leclerc Main Battle Tank (MBT) designed and manufactured by the French Company Nexter Systems. will keep the same armament as the standard Leclerc tank which consists of a Giat 120 mm 52 caliber smoothbore gun designated the CN 120-26. The turret of the Leclerc XLR is equipped with an automatic loading system that contains 22 rounds of ready-use ammunition normally loaded from outside through a small hatch in the back of the turret bustle. The new Leclerc will be able to fire two main types of 120 mm ammunition, the APFSDS (Armour-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding-Sabot) with a muzzle velocity of 1,790 m/s and HEAT (High-Explosive Anti-Tank) with a muzzle velocity of 1,100 m/s, both having a semi-combustible cartridge case containing a dual-base solid propellant. The Leclerc XLR is upgraded with a new armor package that includes additional modular armor on the hull and the turret. The front part of the hull side is protected by thick passive armor, while the rear part is fitted with wire cage armor to protect the engine compartment against attacks of RPGs (Rocket-Propelled Grenade). According to information published by the "Zone Militaire" website on December 31, 2021, French Company Nexter was contacted by the Indian Government in the framework to participate to the Future Ready Combat Vehicles (FRCVs) program of the Indian Army and could propose the modernized Leclerc XLR Main Battle Tank. Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link Nexter has developed the Leclerc XLR main battle tank, a modernized version of the Leclerc tank in service with the French army. (Picture source Army Recognition ) In June 2021, Army Recognition has reported that India published a Request for Information (RFI) for the procurement of 1,700 main battle tanks that would replace the old Russian-designed T-72M/M1 Ajeya MBTs (Main Battle Tanks). Currently, the French army has launched a program to modernize its fleet of Leclerc Main Battle Tanks (MBT) to the standard Leclerc XLR for 2028. This program constitutes the third operation launched by the French Ministry of Defense under the SCORPION program intended to modernize the French Army's contact forces. Valued at approximately 330 million, the contract provides for the delivery of 200 "Renovated Leclerc" tanks and 18 "Renovated DCL" armored recovery vehicles based on the Leclerc MBT from 2020. The upgraded Leclerc MBT will have more firepower and protection. It also will be fitted with a new remotely operated weapon station mounted on the roof of the turret as well as a new modernized computerized firing control system. Citing the "Zone Militaire" website, following a question asked by the French Deputy Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, if the French company Nexter could win the procurement of the 1,700 MBTs for India, French industry could relaunch production of the Leclerc tanks for India and France will be able to offer a new competitive price of Leclerc tank for the Indian army and for the export market. According to the military balance 2020, currently, the French army has a total of 222 Leclerc MBTs, but the French Deputy Nicolas Dupont-Aignan said, today the needs of the French army would be to have 400 tanks. India could start the replacement of its old T-72 MBTS from 2030, and the French defense minister said, Nexter with the German company Kraus-Maffei Wegman under the umbrella of KNDS are studying solutions to meet Indian demand. Nexter Leclerc XLR Main Battle Tank was unveiled at the Eurosatory defense exhibition in France, June 2018. The Leclerc XLR is a modernized version of the French-made Leclerc Main Battle Tank (MBT) designed and manufactured by the French Company Nexter Systems. will keep the same armament as the standard Leclerc tank which consists of a Giat 120 mm 52 caliber smoothbore gun designated the CN 120-26. The turret of the Leclerc XLR is equipped with an automatic loading system that contains 22 rounds of ready-use ammunition normally loaded from outside through a small hatch in the back of the turret bustle. The new Leclerc will be able to fire two main types of 120 mm ammunition, the APFSDS (Armour-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding-Sabot) with a muzzle velocity of 1,790 m/s and HEAT (High-Explosive Anti-Tank) with a muzzle velocity of 1,100 m/s, both having a semi-combustible cartridge case containing a dual-base solid propellant. The Leclerc XLR is upgraded with a new armor package that includes additional modular armor on the hull and the turret. The front part of the hull side is protected by thick passive armor, while the rear part is fitted with wire cage armor to protect the engine compartment against attacks of RPGs (Rocket-Propelled Grenade). The mother of two murdered sisters whose bodies were photographed by Met Police officers has said she wants to meet one of them. Mina Smallman, 65, said she 'can't wait to meet' ex-police officer Deniz Jaffer and shared her pain at losing her daughters Nicole Smallman, 27, and Bibaa Henry, 46, after the pair were stabbed to death in the early hours of June 6, 2020. The siblings had celebrated a birthday party in Fryent Country Park in Wembley, north-west London, when they were set upon by 19-year-old Danyal Hussein. Serving Met Police officers Deniz Jaffer, 47, and Jamie Lewis, 33, were standing at the murder scene in when it emerged they had taken pictures of the sisters' bodies and shared them in WhatsApp groups. During a guest editing appearance on BBC R4's Today programme today, Smallman admitted she was 'repulsed' by the pair but was willing to meet with them. She said: 'Im repulsed by them, if Im honest, and I cant wait to meet Jaffa. 'He said hed like to meet with the family and I dont believe he thought that that could happen, but it will because he said he wants it to happen. Im going to give him that invitation.' Jaffer resigned from the force five months ago, while Lewis was sacked following a tribunal hearing with the Independent Office for Police Complaints. Last month, Jaffer and Lewis were each jailed for two years and nine months for misconduct in public office after they were found guilty of sharing 'dehumanising' pictures of the two girls at the murder scene. Mina Smallman, 65, said she 'can't wait to meet' ex-police officer Deniz Jaffer and shared her pain at losing her daughters Nicole Smallman, 27, and Bibaa Henry, 46, after the pair were stabbed to death The women had been celebrating Ms Henry's birthday in Fryent Country Park in Wembley, north-west London, when they were set upon in the early hours of June 6, 2020 Deniz Jaffer and Jamie Lewis (right) were each jailed for two years and nine months for misconduct in public office after they were found guilty of sharing 'dehumanising' pictures of the two girls at the murder scene Smallman discussed frustrations at 'having to fight to find [her] own children', and said she was still not in a position to grieve 18 months after the sisters' murder. She said: 'Ive said once before, itd be great to have no news, good or bad. We just would like a flat line, just to gather speed and to find our way through the grieving process.' Following an independent investigation, the Met apologised to the Smallman family for failures in the way it had responded to reports that Bibaa and Nicole were missing. A missing persons log had been incorrectly closed and inquiries were never progressed - as Met commissioner Cressida Dick admitted a more thorough response would have prevented 'immeasurable pain' for their family and friends. During her guest editing appearance Smallman also slammed the 'clearly broken' system of policing. 'The system, clearly is broken. There are things being allowed to happen within the police force. 'There's obviously a core that are abusing their powers and a culture that is toxic. Well we need to change that because the only people who benefit from that are the perpetrators.' Deniz Jaffer was jailed for two years and nine months after taking photographs of Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman while policing a cordon where the sisters had been fatally stabbed in bushes at a country park in north London. His conduct, along with colleague Jamie Lewis, 33, was described as 'appalling and inexplicable'. The pair, neither of whom was wearing forensic protection, had arrived in the park at 3.30am. During the night, Jaffer took four pictures of the bodies in situ and Lewis took two, and superimposed his face on to one of them to create the 'selfie-style' image. Lewis wrote: 'Unfortunately I'm sat next to two dead birds full of stab wounds.' Jaffer posted on another WhatsApp group: 'I have pictures of the two dead victims. Let me know who doesn't want to see.' He also sent an inexperienced female officer at the scene photographs of the bodies as they lay intertwined in the bushes, including Lewis' 'selfie'. Jaffer then showed the images to two other officers, including a female probationary officer he was supposed to be mentoring at Forest Gate police station, who was 'shocked' and 'disgusted'. He deleted the pictures the same day Lewis was questioned by the police watchdog. In victim impact statements, family members described the defendants as a 'disgrace' to the police family and to mankind. The mother of two murdered sisters whose bodies were photographed by Met Police officers has said she wants to meet one of them. Mina Smallman, 65, said she 'can't wait to meet' ex-police officer Deniz Jaffer and shared her pain at losing her daughters Nicole Smallman, 27, and Bibaa Henry, 46, after the pair were stabbed to death in the early hours of June 6, 2020. The siblings had celebrated a birthday party in Fryent Country Park in Wembley, north-west London, when they were set upon by 19-year-old Danyal Hussein. Serving Met Police officers Deniz Jaffer, 47, and Jamie Lewis, 33, were standing at the murder scene in when it emerged they had taken pictures of the sisters' bodies and shared them in WhatsApp groups. During a guest editing appearance on BBC R4's Today programme today, Smallman admitted she was 'repulsed' by the pair but was willing to meet with them. She said: 'Im repulsed by them, if Im honest, and I cant wait to meet Jaffa. 'He said hed like to meet with the family and I dont believe he thought that that could happen, but it will because he said he wants it to happen. Im going to give him that invitation.' Jaffer resigned from the force five months ago, while Lewis was sacked following a tribunal hearing with the Independent Office for Police Complaints. Last month, Jaffer and Lewis were each jailed for two years and nine months for misconduct in public office after they were found guilty of sharing 'dehumanising' pictures of the two girls at the murder scene. Mina Smallman, 65, said she 'can't wait to meet' ex-police officer Deniz Jaffer and shared her pain at losing her daughters Nicole Smallman, 27, and Bibaa Henry, 46, after the pair were stabbed to death The women had been celebrating Ms Henry's birthday in Fryent Country Park in Wembley, north-west London, when they were set upon in the early hours of June 6, 2020 Deniz Jaffer and Jamie Lewis (right) were each jailed for two years and nine months for misconduct in public office after they were found guilty of sharing 'dehumanising' pictures of the two girls at the murder scene Smallman discussed frustrations at 'having to fight to find [her] own children', and said she was still not in a position to grieve 18 months after the sisters' murder. She said: 'Ive said once before, itd be great to have no news, good or bad. We just would like a flat line, just to gather speed and to find our way through the grieving process.' Following an independent investigation, the Met apologised to the Smallman family for failures in the way it had responded to reports that Bibaa and Nicole were missing. A missing persons log had been incorrectly closed and inquiries were never progressed - as Met commissioner Cressida Dick admitted a more thorough response would have prevented 'immeasurable pain' for their family and friends. During her guest editing appearance Smallman also slammed the 'clearly broken' system of policing. 'The system, clearly is broken. There are things being allowed to happen within the police force. 'There's obviously a core that are abusing their powers and a culture that is toxic. Well we need to change that because the only people who benefit from that are the perpetrators.' Deniz Jaffer was jailed for two years and nine months after taking photographs of Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman while policing a cordon where the sisters had been fatally stabbed in bushes at a country park in north London. His conduct, along with colleague Jamie Lewis, 33, was described as 'appalling and inexplicable'. The pair, neither of whom was wearing forensic protection, had arrived in the park at 3.30am. During the night, Jaffer took four pictures of the bodies in situ and Lewis took two, and superimposed his face on to one of them to create the 'selfie-style' image. Lewis wrote: 'Unfortunately I'm sat next to two dead birds full of stab wounds.' Jaffer posted on another WhatsApp group: 'I have pictures of the two dead victims. Let me know who doesn't want to see.' He also sent an inexperienced female officer at the scene photographs of the bodies as they lay intertwined in the bushes, including Lewis' 'selfie'. Jaffer then showed the images to two other officers, including a female probationary officer he was supposed to be mentoring at Forest Gate police station, who was 'shocked' and 'disgusted'. He deleted the pictures the same day Lewis was questioned by the police watchdog. In victim impact statements, family members described the defendants as a 'disgrace' to the police family and to mankind. A Boeing 737 MAX airplane prepares to land after a test flight at Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington, U.S., June 29, 2020. Photo by Reuters/Karen Ducey The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has lifted a ban on the Boeing 737 Max and allowed airlines to operate the jet in the country after evaluating its safety. The decision is based on safety measures that its maker, Boeing, has added after the jet was involved in two major accidents in two countries. The Boeing 737 Max aircraft was grounded worldwide in March 2019 after 346 people were killed in two crashes in the space of a few months in Indonesia and Ethiopia. So far, 178 of 195 aviation authorities in the world have lifted their bans on the jet, and over 360 aircraft are in operation again. U.S. authorities lifted the ban on the jet in December 2020 after Boeing made changes in its design. The stars aligned for a group of artists and artisans to pay proper homage to the Declaration of Independence Back in 1992, artist Jose-Maria Cundin, originally from the Basque Country, Spain, released a hand-engraved facsimile of the United States Declaration of Independence, after three years of hard work and collaboration with craftsmen from his homelanda papermaker and a renowned metal engraver. But the project didnt draw broader interest from the American public. Sara Fattori, who owned a fine art gallery in Palm Beach, Florida, before starting her interior design business, knew of Cundins work, but it wasnt until her fathers passing, around 2007, that she pondered more deeply the meaning of the countrys founding document and the possibility of promoting Cundins hand-engraved version. Her father had fought in World War II and was part of an aviation force in the Normandy invasion. The reality of war, she said, and the sacrifices made by previous generations to preserve freedom, moved her. The Perfect Frame Around 2014, when an opportunity arose to donate a Cundin engraving for an auction event benefiting the Carson Scholars Funds initiative to promote literacy in low-income neighborhoods, Fattori began searching for a frame worthy of encasing the document. While researching online, she discovered Marcelo Bavaro, a fourth-generation historical frame maker based in New York, whose Italian family inherited a century of craftsmanship in carpentry and gilding. Fattori instinctively knew he was the right fit. When they met, Bavaro said the Declaration should be encased in a Federal-style frame befitting the time period when the original document was draftedthe newly formed country wanted to distinguish itself from its former ruler, so a style emphasizing simple, clean lines was popularized, contrasting sharply with ornate British detailing. I knew I was with the right person when Marcelo said, Oh, it should be in a Federal-style frame, Fattori said during a recent interview at Bavaros Brooklyn firm Quebracho Inc., which restores and makes frames for top museums, art galleries, and auction houses. Bavaro was intrigued by the project: I always wondered how this country was guided by this piece of paper for centuries. And everybody respects it. I come from a country where nobody respects anything. He was referring to Argentinahis family emigrated there in the early 20th century. In the early 1980s, when Argentina was under military rule, Bavaro himself was caught in the political turmoil and jailed for writing articles that criticized the government. Due to his familys influence, he managed to escape and was on the run for five days before crossing the Brazilian border and taking a plane to the United States, where he met up with his father, the first of his family to settle here. Federal-style frames require incredible carpentry skills; an artisan must shape the wood into a narrow concave shape. There are few workshops left in the world that are still engaged in this artwork. Craftsmanship is something that is dying out, Bavaro said. Its so simple to make money sitting in front of a computer; why are you going to break your hands doing what we do? A craftsperson working on gilding a frame, at the Quebracho studio in Brooklyn, New York City. (Lux Aeterna Photography) A craftsperson works on etching a pattern on a frame. (Lux Aeterna Photography) While working on the Declaration project in 2014, Bavaro, together with Fattori and her husband, Paul, joined forces to launch a new company, Fattori Fine Frames, that would provide custom-made, handcrafted frames for people looking to frame artwork and mirrors in their homes. The auction event that took place the following year was a success, with a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution buying the framed document. A selection of frames made by the Quebracho workshop in Brooklyn. (Lux Aeterna Photography) History Cundins facsimile is a copy of William J. Stones engravingthe latter was commissioned by then-Secretary of State John Quincy Adams during the 1820s as an official government copy, because Adams had grown concerned over the fragile condition of the original Declaration. In Stones tradition, Cundin set out to make a hand-engraved brass plateit would be the first such engraving since Stones time. Cundin always had a personal connection to America, even before becoming a citizen in 1971. His father was born on July 4 and frequently joked about how his birthday coincided with that of Americas. Cundin was moved by the content of the Declaration upon reading it in its entirety. The demand for freedomthat is the connection that I found most touching in my heart, he said in a recent phone interview. The brass plate etched with the Declaration of Independence. (Courtesy of Jose-Maria Cundin) When he began the engraving project in 1989, out of curiosity he started researching the founding fathers who signed the document. Cundin found out that John Adams had visited the Basque Country in 1780, and had been so inspired by the local governance system that he kept it in mind while drafting the United States Constitution years later. Adams also wrote about the Biscay government in his treatise, A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America, stating, While their neighbors have long since resigned all their pretensions into the hands of kings and priests, this extraordinary people have preserved their ancient language, genius, laws, government, and manners their love of liberty, and unconquerable aversion to a foreign servitude. Engraver Pedro Aspiazu (L) and artist Jose-Maria Cundin studying a proof of the printed Declaration. (Courtesy of Jose-Maria Cundin) The connection with Cundins homeland convinced him to look for artisans there for the engraving project. Pedro Aspiazu, who was born into a multi-generational family of engravers, hand-chiseled the plate, while a Basque company handmade the paper from pure cotton, and a Madrid company did the printing. Cundin retained the same paper size as the original, but reduced the text size so there would be empty spacea visual environment, to make it a document that everybody could receive in the mail, but in a magnificent size, he said. The framed engraving resembles a painting, yet is humble in its quiet dignity. Cundins team made 1,200 copiesthe first few were gifted to George H.W. Bush during his presidency, the king of Spain, and the United States Congress. Today, there are about 1,000 copies still available for purchase. Independence Day Paul Fattori hopes that younger generations can truly appreciate what this document means and the extent to which the signees risked their lives to publicly protest the British monarchy. It symbolizes all that freedom, that libertyand its about the people, consent of the people, he said. Sara Fattori hopes Americans neither take their freedoms for granted nor forget about the balance of powers in government. Im looking at a country like a family unit; like, if someone is too powerful and controlling, then the other people are not going to thrive and be able to flourish as a human being, she said. This article was originally published in American Essence magazine. The stars aligned for a group of artists and artisans to pay proper homage to the Declaration of Independence Back in 1992, artist Jose-Maria Cundin, originally from the Basque Country, Spain, released a hand-engraved facsimile of the United States Declaration of Independence, after three years of hard work and collaboration with craftsmen from his homelanda papermaker and a renowned metal engraver. But the project didnt draw broader interest from the American public. Sara Fattori, who owned a fine art gallery in Palm Beach, Florida, before starting her interior design business, knew of Cundins work, but it wasnt until her fathers passing, around 2007, that she pondered more deeply the meaning of the countrys founding document and the possibility of promoting Cundins hand-engraved version. Her father had fought in World War II and was part of an aviation force in the Normandy invasion. The reality of war, she said, and the sacrifices made by previous generations to preserve freedom, moved her. The Perfect Frame Around 2014, when an opportunity arose to donate a Cundin engraving for an auction event benefiting the Carson Scholars Funds initiative to promote literacy in low-income neighborhoods, Fattori began searching for a frame worthy of encasing the document. While researching online, she discovered Marcelo Bavaro, a fourth-generation historical frame maker based in New York, whose Italian family inherited a century of craftsmanship in carpentry and gilding. Fattori instinctively knew he was the right fit. When they met, Bavaro said the Declaration should be encased in a Federal-style frame befitting the time period when the original document was draftedthe newly formed country wanted to distinguish itself from its former ruler, so a style emphasizing simple, clean lines was popularized, contrasting sharply with ornate British detailing. I knew I was with the right person when Marcelo said, Oh, it should be in a Federal-style frame, Fattori said during a recent interview at Bavaros Brooklyn firm Quebracho Inc., which restores and makes frames for top museums, art galleries, and auction houses. Bavaro was intrigued by the project: I always wondered how this country was guided by this piece of paper for centuries. And everybody respects it. I come from a country where nobody respects anything. He was referring to Argentinahis family emigrated there in the early 20th century. In the early 1980s, when Argentina was under military rule, Bavaro himself was caught in the political turmoil and jailed for writing articles that criticized the government. Due to his familys influence, he managed to escape and was on the run for five days before crossing the Brazilian border and taking a plane to the United States, where he met up with his father, the first of his family to settle here. Federal-style frames require incredible carpentry skills; an artisan must shape the wood into a narrow concave shape. There are few workshops left in the world that are still engaged in this artwork. Craftsmanship is something that is dying out, Bavaro said. Its so simple to make money sitting in front of a computer; why are you going to break your hands doing what we do? A craftsperson working on gilding a frame, at the Quebracho studio in Brooklyn, New York City. (Lux Aeterna Photography) A craftsperson works on etching a pattern on a frame. (Lux Aeterna Photography) While working on the Declaration project in 2014, Bavaro, together with Fattori and her husband, Paul, joined forces to launch a new company, Fattori Fine Frames, that would provide custom-made, handcrafted frames for people looking to frame artwork and mirrors in their homes. The auction event that took place the following year was a success, with a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution buying the framed document. A selection of frames made by the Quebracho workshop in Brooklyn. (Lux Aeterna Photography) History Cundins facsimile is a copy of William J. Stones engravingthe latter was commissioned by then-Secretary of State John Quincy Adams during the 1820s as an official government copy, because Adams had grown concerned over the fragile condition of the original Declaration. In Stones tradition, Cundin set out to make a hand-engraved brass plateit would be the first such engraving since Stones time. Cundin always had a personal connection to America, even before becoming a citizen in 1971. His father was born on July 4 and frequently joked about how his birthday coincided with that of Americas. Cundin was moved by the content of the Declaration upon reading it in its entirety. The demand for freedomthat is the connection that I found most touching in my heart, he said in a recent phone interview. The brass plate etched with the Declaration of Independence. (Courtesy of Jose-Maria Cundin) When he began the engraving project in 1989, out of curiosity he started researching the founding fathers who signed the document. Cundin found out that John Adams had visited the Basque Country in 1780, and had been so inspired by the local governance system that he kept it in mind while drafting the United States Constitution years later. Adams also wrote about the Biscay government in his treatise, A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America, stating, While their neighbors have long since resigned all their pretensions into the hands of kings and priests, this extraordinary people have preserved their ancient language, genius, laws, government, and manners their love of liberty, and unconquerable aversion to a foreign servitude. Engraver Pedro Aspiazu (L) and artist Jose-Maria Cundin studying a proof of the printed Declaration. (Courtesy of Jose-Maria Cundin) The connection with Cundins homeland convinced him to look for artisans there for the engraving project. Pedro Aspiazu, who was born into a multi-generational family of engravers, hand-chiseled the plate, while a Basque company handmade the paper from pure cotton, and a Madrid company did the printing. Cundin retained the same paper size as the original, but reduced the text size so there would be empty spacea visual environment, to make it a document that everybody could receive in the mail, but in a magnificent size, he said. The framed engraving resembles a painting, yet is humble in its quiet dignity. Cundins team made 1,200 copiesthe first few were gifted to George H.W. Bush during his presidency, the king of Spain, and the United States Congress. Today, there are about 1,000 copies still available for purchase. Independence Day Paul Fattori hopes that younger generations can truly appreciate what this document means and the extent to which the signees risked their lives to publicly protest the British monarchy. It symbolizes all that freedom, that libertyand its about the people, consent of the people, he said. Sara Fattori hopes Americans neither take their freedoms for granted nor forget about the balance of powers in government. Im looking at a country like a family unit; like, if someone is too powerful and controlling, then the other people are not going to thrive and be able to flourish as a human being, she said. This article was originally published in American Essence magazine. Jammu and Kashmir Police on Friday greeted citizens of the union territory on the occasion of New Year eve and advised the youth to channelize their energy in a positive direction. Jammu and Kashmir's Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh greeted people of the union territory, families of martyrs and all ranks of Jammu and Kashmir Police, Security Forces and their families on the eve of New Year. He also expressed hope that the New Year will bring peace, prosperity and happiness to Union Territory and its people. "He said that the Jammu and Kashmir Police will continue to fight every challenge with more dedication, devotion and valour and will work for consolidating peace. He expressed hope that New Year would bring joy and happiness to all," tweeted the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Friday evening. On this occasion, the DGP advised the youth to channelize their energy in a positive direction and contribute to nation-building. He also appealed to the misguided youth of Jammu and Kashmir to shun the path of violence and return to their parents and families, the tweet said. (ANI) The stars aligned for a group of artists and artisans to pay proper homage to the Declaration of Independence Back in 1992, artist Jose-Maria Cundin, originally from the Basque Country, Spain, released a hand-engraved facsimile of the United States Declaration of Independence, after three years of hard work and collaboration with craftsmen from his homelanda papermaker and a renowned metal engraver. But the project didnt draw broader interest from the American public. Sara Fattori, who owned a fine art gallery in Palm Beach, Florida, before starting her interior design business, knew of Cundins work, but it wasnt until her fathers passing, around 2007, that she pondered more deeply the meaning of the countrys founding document and the possibility of promoting Cundins hand-engraved version. Her father had fought in World War II and was part of an aviation force in the Normandy invasion. The reality of war, she said, and the sacrifices made by previous generations to preserve freedom, moved her. The Perfect Frame Around 2014, when an opportunity arose to donate a Cundin engraving for an auction event benefiting the Carson Scholars Funds initiative to promote literacy in low-income neighborhoods, Fattori began searching for a frame worthy of encasing the document. While researching online, she discovered Marcelo Bavaro, a fourth-generation historical frame maker based in New York, whose Italian family inherited a century of craftsmanship in carpentry and gilding. Fattori instinctively knew he was the right fit. When they met, Bavaro said the Declaration should be encased in a Federal-style frame befitting the time period when the original document was draftedthe newly formed country wanted to distinguish itself from its former ruler, so a style emphasizing simple, clean lines was popularized, contrasting sharply with ornate British detailing. I knew I was with the right person when Marcelo said, Oh, it should be in a Federal-style frame, Fattori said during a recent interview at Bavaros Brooklyn firm Quebracho Inc., which restores and makes frames for top museums, art galleries, and auction houses. Bavaro was intrigued by the project: I always wondered how this country was guided by this piece of paper for centuries. And everybody respects it. I come from a country where nobody respects anything. He was referring to Argentinahis family emigrated there in the early 20th century. In the early 1980s, when Argentina was under military rule, Bavaro himself was caught in the political turmoil and jailed for writing articles that criticized the government. Due to his familys influence, he managed to escape and was on the run for five days before crossing the Brazilian border and taking a plane to the United States, where he met up with his father, the first of his family to settle here. Federal-style frames require incredible carpentry skills; an artisan must shape the wood into a narrow concave shape. There are few workshops left in the world that are still engaged in this artwork. Craftsmanship is something that is dying out, Bavaro said. Its so simple to make money sitting in front of a computer; why are you going to break your hands doing what we do? A craftsperson working on gilding a frame, at the Quebracho studio in Brooklyn, New York City. (Lux Aeterna Photography) A craftsperson works on etching a pattern on a frame. (Lux Aeterna Photography) While working on the Declaration project in 2014, Bavaro, together with Fattori and her husband, Paul, joined forces to launch a new company, Fattori Fine Frames, that would provide custom-made, handcrafted frames for people looking to frame artwork and mirrors in their homes. The auction event that took place the following year was a success, with a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution buying the framed document. A selection of frames made by the Quebracho workshop in Brooklyn. (Lux Aeterna Photography) History Cundins facsimile is a copy of William J. Stones engravingthe latter was commissioned by then-Secretary of State John Quincy Adams during the 1820s as an official government copy, because Adams had grown concerned over the fragile condition of the original Declaration. In Stones tradition, Cundin set out to make a hand-engraved brass plateit would be the first such engraving since Stones time. Cundin always had a personal connection to America, even before becoming a citizen in 1971. His father was born on July 4 and frequently joked about how his birthday coincided with that of Americas. Cundin was moved by the content of the Declaration upon reading it in its entirety. The demand for freedomthat is the connection that I found most touching in my heart, he said in a recent phone interview. The brass plate etched with the Declaration of Independence. (Courtesy of Jose-Maria Cundin) When he began the engraving project in 1989, out of curiosity he started researching the founding fathers who signed the document. Cundin found out that John Adams had visited the Basque Country in 1780, and had been so inspired by the local governance system that he kept it in mind while drafting the United States Constitution years later. Adams also wrote about the Biscay government in his treatise, A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America, stating, While their neighbors have long since resigned all their pretensions into the hands of kings and priests, this extraordinary people have preserved their ancient language, genius, laws, government, and manners their love of liberty, and unconquerable aversion to a foreign servitude. Engraver Pedro Aspiazu (L) and artist Jose-Maria Cundin studying a proof of the printed Declaration. (Courtesy of Jose-Maria Cundin) The connection with Cundins homeland convinced him to look for artisans there for the engraving project. Pedro Aspiazu, who was born into a multi-generational family of engravers, hand-chiseled the plate, while a Basque company handmade the paper from pure cotton, and a Madrid company did the printing. Cundin retained the same paper size as the original, but reduced the text size so there would be empty spacea visual environment, to make it a document that everybody could receive in the mail, but in a magnificent size, he said. The framed engraving resembles a painting, yet is humble in its quiet dignity. Cundins team made 1,200 copiesthe first few were gifted to George H.W. Bush during his presidency, the king of Spain, and the United States Congress. Today, there are about 1,000 copies still available for purchase. Independence Day Paul Fattori hopes that younger generations can truly appreciate what this document means and the extent to which the signees risked their lives to publicly protest the British monarchy. It symbolizes all that freedom, that libertyand its about the people, consent of the people, he said. Sara Fattori hopes Americans neither take their freedoms for granted nor forget about the balance of powers in government. Im looking at a country like a family unit; like, if someone is too powerful and controlling, then the other people are not going to thrive and be able to flourish as a human being, she said. This article was originally published in American Essence magazine. A Boeing 737 MAX airplane prepares to land after a test flight at Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington, U.S., June 29, 2020. Photo by Reuters/Karen Ducey The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has lifted a ban on the Boeing 737 Max and allowed airlines to operate the jet in the country after evaluating its safety. The decision is based on safety measures that its maker, Boeing, has added after the jet was involved in two major accidents in two countries. The Boeing 737 Max aircraft was grounded worldwide in March 2019 after 346 people were killed in two crashes in the space of a few months in Indonesia and Ethiopia. So far, 178 of 195 aviation authorities in the world have lifted their bans on the jet, and over 360 aircraft are in operation again. U.S. authorities lifted the ban on the jet in December 2020 after Boeing made changes in its design. CAPE TOWN In an almost empty cathedral, with an unvarnished, rope-handled coffin placed before the altar, South Africa said farewell on Saturday to Archbishop Desmond M. Tutu with the simplicity that he had planned. Archbishop Tutus death last Sunday at age 90 was followed by a week of mourning, as the world remembered his powerful role both in opposing apartheid and in promoting unity and reconciliation after its defeat. The stars aligned for a group of artists and artisans to pay proper homage to the Declaration of Independence Back in 1992, artist Jose-Maria Cundin, originally from the Basque Country, Spain, released a hand-engraved facsimile of the United States Declaration of Independence, after three years of hard work and collaboration with craftsmen from his homelanda papermaker and a renowned metal engraver. But the project didnt draw broader interest from the American public. Sara Fattori, who owned a fine art gallery in Palm Beach, Florida, before starting her interior design business, knew of Cundins work, but it wasnt until her fathers passing, around 2007, that she pondered more deeply the meaning of the countrys founding document and the possibility of promoting Cundins hand-engraved version. Her father had fought in World War II and was part of an aviation force in the Normandy invasion. The reality of war, she said, and the sacrifices made by previous generations to preserve freedom, moved her. The Perfect Frame Around 2014, when an opportunity arose to donate a Cundin engraving for an auction event benefiting the Carson Scholars Funds initiative to promote literacy in low-income neighborhoods, Fattori began searching for a frame worthy of encasing the document. While researching online, she discovered Marcelo Bavaro, a fourth-generation historical frame maker based in New York, whose Italian family inherited a century of craftsmanship in carpentry and gilding. Fattori instinctively knew he was the right fit. When they met, Bavaro said the Declaration should be encased in a Federal-style frame befitting the time period when the original document was draftedthe newly formed country wanted to distinguish itself from its former ruler, so a style emphasizing simple, clean lines was popularized, contrasting sharply with ornate British detailing. I knew I was with the right person when Marcelo said, Oh, it should be in a Federal-style frame, Fattori said during a recent interview at Bavaros Brooklyn firm Quebracho Inc., which restores and makes frames for top museums, art galleries, and auction houses. Bavaro was intrigued by the project: I always wondered how this country was guided by this piece of paper for centuries. And everybody respects it. I come from a country where nobody respects anything. He was referring to Argentinahis family emigrated there in the early 20th century. In the early 1980s, when Argentina was under military rule, Bavaro himself was caught in the political turmoil and jailed for writing articles that criticized the government. Due to his familys influence, he managed to escape and was on the run for five days before crossing the Brazilian border and taking a plane to the United States, where he met up with his father, the first of his family to settle here. Federal-style frames require incredible carpentry skills; an artisan must shape the wood into a narrow concave shape. There are few workshops left in the world that are still engaged in this artwork. Craftsmanship is something that is dying out, Bavaro said. Its so simple to make money sitting in front of a computer; why are you going to break your hands doing what we do? A craftsperson working on gilding a frame, at the Quebracho studio in Brooklyn, New York City. (Lux Aeterna Photography) A craftsperson works on etching a pattern on a frame. (Lux Aeterna Photography) While working on the Declaration project in 2014, Bavaro, together with Fattori and her husband, Paul, joined forces to launch a new company, Fattori Fine Frames, that would provide custom-made, handcrafted frames for people looking to frame artwork and mirrors in their homes. The auction event that took place the following year was a success, with a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution buying the framed document. A selection of frames made by the Quebracho workshop in Brooklyn. (Lux Aeterna Photography) History Cundins facsimile is a copy of William J. Stones engravingthe latter was commissioned by then-Secretary of State John Quincy Adams during the 1820s as an official government copy, because Adams had grown concerned over the fragile condition of the original Declaration. In Stones tradition, Cundin set out to make a hand-engraved brass plateit would be the first such engraving since Stones time. Cundin always had a personal connection to America, even before becoming a citizen in 1971. His father was born on July 4 and frequently joked about how his birthday coincided with that of Americas. Cundin was moved by the content of the Declaration upon reading it in its entirety. The demand for freedomthat is the connection that I found most touching in my heart, he said in a recent phone interview. The brass plate etched with the Declaration of Independence. (Courtesy of Jose-Maria Cundin) When he began the engraving project in 1989, out of curiosity he started researching the founding fathers who signed the document. Cundin found out that John Adams had visited the Basque Country in 1780, and had been so inspired by the local governance system that he kept it in mind while drafting the United States Constitution years later. Adams also wrote about the Biscay government in his treatise, A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America, stating, While their neighbors have long since resigned all their pretensions into the hands of kings and priests, this extraordinary people have preserved their ancient language, genius, laws, government, and manners their love of liberty, and unconquerable aversion to a foreign servitude. Engraver Pedro Aspiazu (L) and artist Jose-Maria Cundin studying a proof of the printed Declaration. (Courtesy of Jose-Maria Cundin) The connection with Cundins homeland convinced him to look for artisans there for the engraving project. Pedro Aspiazu, who was born into a multi-generational family of engravers, hand-chiseled the plate, while a Basque company handmade the paper from pure cotton, and a Madrid company did the printing. Cundin retained the same paper size as the original, but reduced the text size so there would be empty spacea visual environment, to make it a document that everybody could receive in the mail, but in a magnificent size, he said. The framed engraving resembles a painting, yet is humble in its quiet dignity. Cundins team made 1,200 copiesthe first few were gifted to George H.W. Bush during his presidency, the king of Spain, and the United States Congress. Today, there are about 1,000 copies still available for purchase. Independence Day Paul Fattori hopes that younger generations can truly appreciate what this document means and the extent to which the signees risked their lives to publicly protest the British monarchy. It symbolizes all that freedom, that libertyand its about the people, consent of the people, he said. Sara Fattori hopes Americans neither take their freedoms for granted nor forget about the balance of powers in government. Im looking at a country like a family unit; like, if someone is too powerful and controlling, then the other people are not going to thrive and be able to flourish as a human being, she said. This article was originally published in American Essence magazine. A Boeing 737 MAX airplane prepares to land after a test flight at Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington, U.S., June 29, 2020. Photo by Reuters/Karen Ducey The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has lifted a ban on the Boeing 737 Max and allowed airlines to operate the jet in the country after evaluating its safety. The decision is based on safety measures that its maker, Boeing, has added after the jet was involved in two major accidents in two countries. The Boeing 737 Max aircraft was grounded worldwide in March 2019 after 346 people were killed in two crashes in the space of a few months in Indonesia and Ethiopia. So far, 178 of 195 aviation authorities in the world have lifted their bans on the jet, and over 360 aircraft are in operation again. U.S. authorities lifted the ban on the jet in December 2020 after Boeing made changes in its design. The stars aligned for a group of artists and artisans to pay proper homage to the Declaration of Independence Back in 1992, artist Jose-Maria Cundin, originally from the Basque Country, Spain, released a hand-engraved facsimile of the United States Declaration of Independence, after three years of hard work and collaboration with craftsmen from his homelanda papermaker and a renowned metal engraver. But the project didnt draw broader interest from the American public. Sara Fattori, who owned a fine art gallery in Palm Beach, Florida, before starting her interior design business, knew of Cundins work, but it wasnt until her fathers passing, around 2007, that she pondered more deeply the meaning of the countrys founding document and the possibility of promoting Cundins hand-engraved version. Her father had fought in World War II and was part of an aviation force in the Normandy invasion. The reality of war, she said, and the sacrifices made by previous generations to preserve freedom, moved her. The Perfect Frame Around 2014, when an opportunity arose to donate a Cundin engraving for an auction event benefiting the Carson Scholars Funds initiative to promote literacy in low-income neighborhoods, Fattori began searching for a frame worthy of encasing the document. While researching online, she discovered Marcelo Bavaro, a fourth-generation historical frame maker based in New York, whose Italian family inherited a century of craftsmanship in carpentry and gilding. Fattori instinctively knew he was the right fit. When they met, Bavaro said the Declaration should be encased in a Federal-style frame befitting the time period when the original document was draftedthe newly formed country wanted to distinguish itself from its former ruler, so a style emphasizing simple, clean lines was popularized, contrasting sharply with ornate British detailing. I knew I was with the right person when Marcelo said, Oh, it should be in a Federal-style frame, Fattori said during a recent interview at Bavaros Brooklyn firm Quebracho Inc., which restores and makes frames for top museums, art galleries, and auction houses. Bavaro was intrigued by the project: I always wondered how this country was guided by this piece of paper for centuries. And everybody respects it. I come from a country where nobody respects anything. He was referring to Argentinahis family emigrated there in the early 20th century. In the early 1980s, when Argentina was under military rule, Bavaro himself was caught in the political turmoil and jailed for writing articles that criticized the government. Due to his familys influence, he managed to escape and was on the run for five days before crossing the Brazilian border and taking a plane to the United States, where he met up with his father, the first of his family to settle here. Federal-style frames require incredible carpentry skills; an artisan must shape the wood into a narrow concave shape. There are few workshops left in the world that are still engaged in this artwork. Craftsmanship is something that is dying out, Bavaro said. Its so simple to make money sitting in front of a computer; why are you going to break your hands doing what we do? A craftsperson working on gilding a frame, at the Quebracho studio in Brooklyn, New York City. (Lux Aeterna Photography) A craftsperson works on etching a pattern on a frame. (Lux Aeterna Photography) While working on the Declaration project in 2014, Bavaro, together with Fattori and her husband, Paul, joined forces to launch a new company, Fattori Fine Frames, that would provide custom-made, handcrafted frames for people looking to frame artwork and mirrors in their homes. The auction event that took place the following year was a success, with a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution buying the framed document. A selection of frames made by the Quebracho workshop in Brooklyn. (Lux Aeterna Photography) History Cundins facsimile is a copy of William J. Stones engravingthe latter was commissioned by then-Secretary of State John Quincy Adams during the 1820s as an official government copy, because Adams had grown concerned over the fragile condition of the original Declaration. In Stones tradition, Cundin set out to make a hand-engraved brass plateit would be the first such engraving since Stones time. Cundin always had a personal connection to America, even before becoming a citizen in 1971. His father was born on July 4 and frequently joked about how his birthday coincided with that of Americas. Cundin was moved by the content of the Declaration upon reading it in its entirety. The demand for freedomthat is the connection that I found most touching in my heart, he said in a recent phone interview. The brass plate etched with the Declaration of Independence. (Courtesy of Jose-Maria Cundin) When he began the engraving project in 1989, out of curiosity he started researching the founding fathers who signed the document. Cundin found out that John Adams had visited the Basque Country in 1780, and had been so inspired by the local governance system that he kept it in mind while drafting the United States Constitution years later. Adams also wrote about the Biscay government in his treatise, A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America, stating, While their neighbors have long since resigned all their pretensions into the hands of kings and priests, this extraordinary people have preserved their ancient language, genius, laws, government, and manners their love of liberty, and unconquerable aversion to a foreign servitude. Engraver Pedro Aspiazu (L) and artist Jose-Maria Cundin studying a proof of the printed Declaration. (Courtesy of Jose-Maria Cundin) The connection with Cundins homeland convinced him to look for artisans there for the engraving project. Pedro Aspiazu, who was born into a multi-generational family of engravers, hand-chiseled the plate, while a Basque company handmade the paper from pure cotton, and a Madrid company did the printing. Cundin retained the same paper size as the original, but reduced the text size so there would be empty spacea visual environment, to make it a document that everybody could receive in the mail, but in a magnificent size, he said. The framed engraving resembles a painting, yet is humble in its quiet dignity. Cundins team made 1,200 copiesthe first few were gifted to George H.W. Bush during his presidency, the king of Spain, and the United States Congress. Today, there are about 1,000 copies still available for purchase. Independence Day Paul Fattori hopes that younger generations can truly appreciate what this document means and the extent to which the signees risked their lives to publicly protest the British monarchy. It symbolizes all that freedom, that libertyand its about the people, consent of the people, he said. Sara Fattori hopes Americans neither take their freedoms for granted nor forget about the balance of powers in government. Im looking at a country like a family unit; like, if someone is too powerful and controlling, then the other people are not going to thrive and be able to flourish as a human being, she said. This article was originally published in American Essence magazine. Ahead of the assembly elections, the Department of Information and Public Relations of the Uttarakhand Government on Friday said that the program will be addressed by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. Arrangements for a live telecast of the program will be made at all the venues through LEDs. The programs to be held in the assembly constituencies will be presided over by the regional MLA. A committee of Deputy District Magistrates and other officers concerned has also been formed for the successful conduct of the event. In connection with this event, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday evening reviewed a high level meeting with officials of the government through video conferencing and directed them to include in it if any scheme is to be inaugurated or the foundation stone is to be laid in the respective assembly constituencies. Uttarakhand will go for assembly polls in 2022. (ANI) The stars aligned for a group of artists and artisans to pay proper homage to the Declaration of Independence Back in 1992, artist Jose-Maria Cundin, originally from the Basque Country, Spain, released a hand-engraved facsimile of the United States Declaration of Independence, after three years of hard work and collaboration with craftsmen from his homelanda papermaker and a renowned metal engraver. But the project didnt draw broader interest from the American public. Sara Fattori, who owned a fine art gallery in Palm Beach, Florida, before starting her interior design business, knew of Cundins work, but it wasnt until her fathers passing, around 2007, that she pondered more deeply the meaning of the countrys founding document and the possibility of promoting Cundins hand-engraved version. Her father had fought in World War II and was part of an aviation force in the Normandy invasion. The reality of war, she said, and the sacrifices made by previous generations to preserve freedom, moved her. The Perfect Frame Around 2014, when an opportunity arose to donate a Cundin engraving for an auction event benefiting the Carson Scholars Funds initiative to promote literacy in low-income neighborhoods, Fattori began searching for a frame worthy of encasing the document. While researching online, she discovered Marcelo Bavaro, a fourth-generation historical frame maker based in New York, whose Italian family inherited a century of craftsmanship in carpentry and gilding. Fattori instinctively knew he was the right fit. When they met, Bavaro said the Declaration should be encased in a Federal-style frame befitting the time period when the original document was draftedthe newly formed country wanted to distinguish itself from its former ruler, so a style emphasizing simple, clean lines was popularized, contrasting sharply with ornate British detailing. I knew I was with the right person when Marcelo said, Oh, it should be in a Federal-style frame, Fattori said during a recent interview at Bavaros Brooklyn firm Quebracho Inc., which restores and makes frames for top museums, art galleries, and auction houses. Bavaro was intrigued by the project: I always wondered how this country was guided by this piece of paper for centuries. And everybody respects it. I come from a country where nobody respects anything. He was referring to Argentinahis family emigrated there in the early 20th century. In the early 1980s, when Argentina was under military rule, Bavaro himself was caught in the political turmoil and jailed for writing articles that criticized the government. Due to his familys influence, he managed to escape and was on the run for five days before crossing the Brazilian border and taking a plane to the United States, where he met up with his father, the first of his family to settle here. Federal-style frames require incredible carpentry skills; an artisan must shape the wood into a narrow concave shape. There are few workshops left in the world that are still engaged in this artwork. Craftsmanship is something that is dying out, Bavaro said. Its so simple to make money sitting in front of a computer; why are you going to break your hands doing what we do? A craftsperson working on gilding a frame, at the Quebracho studio in Brooklyn, New York City. (Lux Aeterna Photography) A craftsperson works on etching a pattern on a frame. (Lux Aeterna Photography) While working on the Declaration project in 2014, Bavaro, together with Fattori and her husband, Paul, joined forces to launch a new company, Fattori Fine Frames, that would provide custom-made, handcrafted frames for people looking to frame artwork and mirrors in their homes. The auction event that took place the following year was a success, with a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution buying the framed document. A selection of frames made by the Quebracho workshop in Brooklyn. (Lux Aeterna Photography) History Cundins facsimile is a copy of William J. Stones engravingthe latter was commissioned by then-Secretary of State John Quincy Adams during the 1820s as an official government copy, because Adams had grown concerned over the fragile condition of the original Declaration. In Stones tradition, Cundin set out to make a hand-engraved brass plateit would be the first such engraving since Stones time. Cundin always had a personal connection to America, even before becoming a citizen in 1971. His father was born on July 4 and frequently joked about how his birthday coincided with that of Americas. Cundin was moved by the content of the Declaration upon reading it in its entirety. The demand for freedomthat is the connection that I found most touching in my heart, he said in a recent phone interview. The brass plate etched with the Declaration of Independence. (Courtesy of Jose-Maria Cundin) When he began the engraving project in 1989, out of curiosity he started researching the founding fathers who signed the document. Cundin found out that John Adams had visited the Basque Country in 1780, and had been so inspired by the local governance system that he kept it in mind while drafting the United States Constitution years later. Adams also wrote about the Biscay government in his treatise, A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America, stating, While their neighbors have long since resigned all their pretensions into the hands of kings and priests, this extraordinary people have preserved their ancient language, genius, laws, government, and manners their love of liberty, and unconquerable aversion to a foreign servitude. Engraver Pedro Aspiazu (L) and artist Jose-Maria Cundin studying a proof of the printed Declaration. (Courtesy of Jose-Maria Cundin) The connection with Cundins homeland convinced him to look for artisans there for the engraving project. Pedro Aspiazu, who was born into a multi-generational family of engravers, hand-chiseled the plate, while a Basque company handmade the paper from pure cotton, and a Madrid company did the printing. Cundin retained the same paper size as the original, but reduced the text size so there would be empty spacea visual environment, to make it a document that everybody could receive in the mail, but in a magnificent size, he said. The framed engraving resembles a painting, yet is humble in its quiet dignity. Cundins team made 1,200 copiesthe first few were gifted to George H.W. Bush during his presidency, the king of Spain, and the United States Congress. Today, there are about 1,000 copies still available for purchase. Independence Day Paul Fattori hopes that younger generations can truly appreciate what this document means and the extent to which the signees risked their lives to publicly protest the British monarchy. It symbolizes all that freedom, that libertyand its about the people, consent of the people, he said. Sara Fattori hopes Americans neither take their freedoms for granted nor forget about the balance of powers in government. Im looking at a country like a family unit; like, if someone is too powerful and controlling, then the other people are not going to thrive and be able to flourish as a human being, she said. This article was originally published in American Essence magazine. The stars aligned for a group of artists and artisans to pay proper homage to the Declaration of Independence Back in 1992, artist Jose-Maria Cundin, originally from the Basque Country, Spain, released a hand-engraved facsimile of the United States Declaration of Independence, after three years of hard work and collaboration with craftsmen from his homelanda papermaker and a renowned metal engraver. But the project didnt draw broader interest from the American public. Sara Fattori, who owned a fine art gallery in Palm Beach, Florida, before starting her interior design business, knew of Cundins work, but it wasnt until her fathers passing, around 2007, that she pondered more deeply the meaning of the countrys founding document and the possibility of promoting Cundins hand-engraved version. Her father had fought in World War II and was part of an aviation force in the Normandy invasion. The reality of war, she said, and the sacrifices made by previous generations to preserve freedom, moved her. The Perfect Frame Around 2014, when an opportunity arose to donate a Cundin engraving for an auction event benefiting the Carson Scholars Funds initiative to promote literacy in low-income neighborhoods, Fattori began searching for a frame worthy of encasing the document. While researching online, she discovered Marcelo Bavaro, a fourth-generation historical frame maker based in New York, whose Italian family inherited a century of craftsmanship in carpentry and gilding. Fattori instinctively knew he was the right fit. When they met, Bavaro said the Declaration should be encased in a Federal-style frame befitting the time period when the original document was draftedthe newly formed country wanted to distinguish itself from its former ruler, so a style emphasizing simple, clean lines was popularized, contrasting sharply with ornate British detailing. I knew I was with the right person when Marcelo said, Oh, it should be in a Federal-style frame, Fattori said during a recent interview at Bavaros Brooklyn firm Quebracho Inc., which restores and makes frames for top museums, art galleries, and auction houses. Bavaro was intrigued by the project: I always wondered how this country was guided by this piece of paper for centuries. And everybody respects it. I come from a country where nobody respects anything. He was referring to Argentinahis family emigrated there in the early 20th century. In the early 1980s, when Argentina was under military rule, Bavaro himself was caught in the political turmoil and jailed for writing articles that criticized the government. Due to his familys influence, he managed to escape and was on the run for five days before crossing the Brazilian border and taking a plane to the United States, where he met up with his father, the first of his family to settle here. Federal-style frames require incredible carpentry skills; an artisan must shape the wood into a narrow concave shape. There are few workshops left in the world that are still engaged in this artwork. Craftsmanship is something that is dying out, Bavaro said. Its so simple to make money sitting in front of a computer; why are you going to break your hands doing what we do? A craftsperson working on gilding a frame, at the Quebracho studio in Brooklyn, New York City. (Lux Aeterna Photography) A craftsperson works on etching a pattern on a frame. (Lux Aeterna Photography) While working on the Declaration project in 2014, Bavaro, together with Fattori and her husband, Paul, joined forces to launch a new company, Fattori Fine Frames, that would provide custom-made, handcrafted frames for people looking to frame artwork and mirrors in their homes. The auction event that took place the following year was a success, with a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution buying the framed document. A selection of frames made by the Quebracho workshop in Brooklyn. (Lux Aeterna Photography) History Cundins facsimile is a copy of William J. Stones engravingthe latter was commissioned by then-Secretary of State John Quincy Adams during the 1820s as an official government copy, because Adams had grown concerned over the fragile condition of the original Declaration. In Stones tradition, Cundin set out to make a hand-engraved brass plateit would be the first such engraving since Stones time. Cundin always had a personal connection to America, even before becoming a citizen in 1971. His father was born on July 4 and frequently joked about how his birthday coincided with that of Americas. Cundin was moved by the content of the Declaration upon reading it in its entirety. The demand for freedomthat is the connection that I found most touching in my heart, he said in a recent phone interview. The brass plate etched with the Declaration of Independence. (Courtesy of Jose-Maria Cundin) When he began the engraving project in 1989, out of curiosity he started researching the founding fathers who signed the document. Cundin found out that John Adams had visited the Basque Country in 1780, and had been so inspired by the local governance system that he kept it in mind while drafting the United States Constitution years later. Adams also wrote about the Biscay government in his treatise, A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America, stating, While their neighbors have long since resigned all their pretensions into the hands of kings and priests, this extraordinary people have preserved their ancient language, genius, laws, government, and manners their love of liberty, and unconquerable aversion to a foreign servitude. Engraver Pedro Aspiazu (L) and artist Jose-Maria Cundin studying a proof of the printed Declaration. (Courtesy of Jose-Maria Cundin) The connection with Cundins homeland convinced him to look for artisans there for the engraving project. Pedro Aspiazu, who was born into a multi-generational family of engravers, hand-chiseled the plate, while a Basque company handmade the paper from pure cotton, and a Madrid company did the printing. Cundin retained the same paper size as the original, but reduced the text size so there would be empty spacea visual environment, to make it a document that everybody could receive in the mail, but in a magnificent size, he said. The framed engraving resembles a painting, yet is humble in its quiet dignity. Cundins team made 1,200 copiesthe first few were gifted to George H.W. Bush during his presidency, the king of Spain, and the United States Congress. Today, there are about 1,000 copies still available for purchase. Independence Day Paul Fattori hopes that younger generations can truly appreciate what this document means and the extent to which the signees risked their lives to publicly protest the British monarchy. It symbolizes all that freedom, that libertyand its about the people, consent of the people, he said. Sara Fattori hopes Americans neither take their freedoms for granted nor forget about the balance of powers in government. Im looking at a country like a family unit; like, if someone is too powerful and controlling, then the other people are not going to thrive and be able to flourish as a human being, she said. This article was originally published in American Essence magazine. BCCI president had tested positive for the delta plus variant of COVID-19 but was discharged after four days of hospitalisation as the infection was not severe and could be managed in home isolation, a hospital official said on Saturday. Though the former India captain has not been infected with the Omicron variant, his samples taken two days back returned positive for the Delta plus variant of the COVID-19. "Ganguly's samples tested positive for the Delta plus variant. We are treating him for that," the official said. Ganguly, who was discharged on Friday after testing negative for the Omicron variant, will remain in home isolation for the next fortnight under doctors' supervision, he said. The 49-year-old was rushed to the Woodlands Multispeciality hospital on Monday night as a precautionary measure after his RT-PCR test came positive for COVID-19. Ganguly received "Monoclonal Antibody Cocktail therapy" after admission. He was admitted to hospital twice earlier this year and underwent emergency angioplasty after having complained of cardiac issues. His elder brother Snehasish Ganguly had also tested positive for COVID-19 early this year. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Boeing 737 MAX airplane prepares to land after a test flight at Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington, U.S., June 29, 2020. Photo by Reuters/Karen Ducey The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has lifted a ban on the Boeing 737 Max and allowed airlines to operate the jet in the country after evaluating its safety. The decision is based on safety measures that its maker, Boeing, has added after the jet was involved in two major accidents in two countries. The Boeing 737 Max aircraft was grounded worldwide in March 2019 after 346 people were killed in two crashes in the space of a few months in Indonesia and Ethiopia. So far, 178 of 195 aviation authorities in the world have lifted their bans on the jet, and over 360 aircraft are in operation again. U.S. authorities lifted the ban on the jet in December 2020 after Boeing made changes in its design. A Boeing 737 MAX airplane prepares to land after a test flight at Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington, U.S., June 29, 2020. Photo by Reuters/Karen Ducey The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has lifted a ban on the Boeing 737 Max and allowed airlines to operate the jet in the country after evaluating its safety. The decision is based on safety measures that its maker, Boeing, has added after the jet was involved in two major accidents in two countries. The Boeing 737 Max aircraft was grounded worldwide in March 2019 after 346 people were killed in two crashes in the space of a few months in Indonesia and Ethiopia. So far, 178 of 195 aviation authorities in the world have lifted their bans on the jet, and over 360 aircraft are in operation again. U.S. authorities lifted the ban on the jet in December 2020 after Boeing made changes in its design. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2021 (265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A man accused of assaulting a convenience store worker while trying to steal cigarettes was denied bail Thursday morning. Blaine Morrice, 39, is charged in the Dec. 27 incident. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty and the charges have not been proven in court. At approximately 4 a.m., Morrice allegedly went into a 7-Eleven convenience store in Brandon and went behind the front counter, Crown attorney Jonathan Mays told the court. He reportedly started filling a green shopping bag with cigarettes before he was confronted by an employee, the Crown said. He then allegedly punched her in the face several times and another customer tried to intervene. Mays said the customer tried to stop the attack by grabbing Morrices arms, but Morrice allegedly started kneeing the complainant in the stomach. When police arrived a few minutes later, the accused still had hold of the victim, Mays said, but let go. Morrice was arrested without further incident and taken into custody. The store employee had a cut to the bridge of her nose, the Crown said, adding further followup is needed on her injuries. Mays opposed Morrice being released on bail and called the allegations very serious. Convenience store workers are highly vulnerable people. This [occurred] at 4 a.m., he said. Their safety is of particular concern to the public because theyre working dangerous jobs, alone at night. Defence lawyer Bob Harrison said Morrice was intoxicated at the time of the incident and he initially went to the store for food. Harrison said he wants to review any surveillance footage from the store to see what was captured. Harrison added Morrice said he hadnt consumed alcohol for more than two years before the Dec. 27 incident. He suggested a bail plan that would have barred Morrice from attending the store where the incident allegedly happened or from drinking alcohol. The proposed plan would also have banned him from owning weapons. Judge Shauna Hewitt-Michta called the allegations frightening and seemingly unexplained. I do have real concern that he poses a danger to the public if released on bail, she said. Hewitt-Michta denied Morrices release on bail. He is next scheduled to appear in court in January. dmay@brandonsun.com Twitter: @DrewMay_ Demonstrators gathered outside Baghdad's Green Zone which includes the US Embassy compound on Friday to remember Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian anti-terror commander who was killed on January 3, 2020. Media reports suggest that he was killed by a US drone strike. The demonstrators created a model of the US Embassy, painting it with graffiti and lighting it on fire while waving Iraqi flags. The demonstrators also gathered to remember Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Iraqi anti-Daesh commander who was killed along with Soleimani. According to Sputnik, one of the protesters said that today, they recall the day the evil embassy entered Iraq, the embassy of the great Satan, the American embassy that never gives good to any country. They also said it brought misery to the Iraqi people. Late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of PMF The late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), and his killing alongside Soleimani in January 2020 infuriated militia leaders, prompting them to warn that they would not stop rocket attacks on US military facilities, according to Sputnik. The United States Embassy in Baghdad issued an alert earlier this week, citing increased demonstration activity related to the certification of Iraqi elections, as well as the December 31 deadline for the transition of US military operations in Iraq and the 3 January anniversary of the airstrike that killed Qasem Soleimani. Soleimani and al-Muhandis were killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad International Airport on 3 January 2020, with US officials initially claiming that the Iranian counter-terror commander was planning attacks on US forces, but later admitting that there was no specific intelligence pointing to any Soleimani plots, according to Sputnik. The assassination prompted Iran to launch over a dozen ballistic missiles at two US sites in Iraq, injuring over 100 American troops and bringing Tehran and Washington to the verge of war. Iran will continue to pursue individuals responsible for Soleimani's death Iran has reiterated that it will continue to pursue individuals responsible for Soleimani's death, including then US President Donald Trump, with Iranian and Iraqi authorities issuing arrest warrants for the former president, according to Sputnik. Iran's Foreign Ministry stated on Friday that the US accepts definitive international responsibility for Soleimani's killing and that the Biden administration is now ultimately accountable for the predecessor's attack that was orchestrated and carried out in a systematic manner. Image: @politicalpen_/Twitter At the age of 16, Vincent Ellis White found out that the man he shared a name with and who signed his birth certificate was, in fact, not his father. It would be another 11 years before White came face to face with his biological father. Throughout his journey of finding his dad and also a 14-year custody battle to have full custody of his own son, White has made it his lifes work to help others, especially fathers. He wants to support those who have gone through similar or identical situations as him. White, 41, said he works in foster care because of his fatherhood journey. After coming from a fragmented family, he didnt want that for this son or for other children. White became a father at age 25 to Jordan, his son who is now 15. The day White found out about his true father, it was like any other day. When he got home from Meadowbrook High School, his mother asked him to sit down and without giving great detail, said his real fathers name was Chris Anderson. White immediately became angry after finding out the truth. His grades dropped, and he began to steal. He was angry at his mother for keeping the decadeslong secret. He was mad at his real father for abandoning him. And he felt a mix of anger and relief toward the man he thought was his father. White describes his father as a habitual offender, as White spent most of his childhood visiting jail. When White figured out what jail was, he was embarrassed of the man he thought was his father. Later, White found out his mother never told Anderson about him. When she realized she was pregnant, they had already parted ways. In high school and college, White began to mask his feelings toward not knowing his dad by always having a big smile on his face. He didnt want those around him to know what he was dealing with. Thats my mask, White said. I know there are high schoolers and adults still wearing masks. If you cant heal from things or work through it and understand the importance of healing, you have to have the mask on. Fourteen Christmases ago, in 2007, White found his real father. He was a team leader for a catheterization lab at Chippenham Hospital. White had been at the hospital every single day in the week leading up to Christmas because his grandmother had fallen ill. One day, however, White couldnt make the visit to his grandmother, so his mom went in his place. He received a text from his mom, who excitedly said she had good news. But she kept the news to herself until Christmas Day. On Christmas, she handed White a journal. The first couple of pages made White angry as his mom rehashed the trauma of the secret about his true father. She also said she felt White had never truly forgiven him. However, on the last page she said she had recently found his father, Chris Anderson, at Chippenham. That very day, White called his father and went to Chippenham, with his then-2-year-old son to meet Anderson. They took a paternity test and talked every single day until the results. The bond was a strong and instant one. To this day, the pair have a close-knit relationship. A few years after meeting his father, White wrote a memoir about the experience that was later turned into a stage play. Both the book and play are called Finding Chris, My Father. White is currently working on his first childrens book, which is about bullying. Having worked in the foster care field for years, he currently works at Extra Special Parents, a therapeutic foster care agency, as a home studies specialist. It is Whites responsibility to decide if couples are eligible foster parents. In his individual and joint interviews, White asks a lot about trauma, grief, childhood and more to make sure the potential parents have healed or are healing so they can help their future child do the same. White also hosts monthly foster parent trainings and is a fatherhood facilitator and a Henrico County CASA, or a Court Appointed Special Advocate. As a CASA, White advocates for children who are coming out of homes of abuse and neglect, to transition into healthy, loving ones. White has also told his life story on countless college campuses. After each talk, students line up eagerly wanting to talk to him about their own lives. In his limited free time, White spends time with Jordan. The self-named Marvel heads are always the first to see the latest superhero movie. They also recently traveled to California to look at colleges. I made my whole life around being the best father I can be, White said, because I didnt have an example. At the age of 16, Vincent Ellis White found out that the man he shared a name with and who signed his birth certificate was, in fact, not his father. It would be another 11 years before White came face to face with his biological father. Throughout his journey of finding his dad and also a 14-year custody battle to have full custody of his own son, White has made it his lifes work to help others, especially fathers. He wants to support those who have gone through similar or identical situations as him. White, 41, said he works in foster care because of his fatherhood journey. After coming from a fragmented family, he didnt want that for this son or for other children. White became a father at age 25 to Jordan, his son who is now 15. The day White found out about his true father, it was like any other day. When he got home from Meadowbrook High School, his mother asked him to sit down and without giving great detail, said his real fathers name was Chris Anderson. White immediately became angry after finding out the truth. His grades dropped, and he began to steal. He was angry at his mother for keeping the decadeslong secret. He was mad at his real father for abandoning him. And he felt a mix of anger and relief toward the man he thought was his father. White describes his father as a habitual offender, as White spent most of his childhood visiting jail. When White figured out what jail was, he was embarrassed of the man he thought was his father. Later, White found out his mother never told Anderson about him. When she realized she was pregnant, they had already parted ways. In high school and college, White began to mask his feelings toward not knowing his dad by always having a big smile on his face. He didnt want those around him to know what he was dealing with. Thats my mask, White said. I know there are high schoolers and adults still wearing masks. If you cant heal from things or work through it and understand the importance of healing, you have to have the mask on. Fourteen Christmases ago, in 2007, White found his real father. He was a team leader for a catheterization lab at Chippenham Hospital. White had been at the hospital every single day in the week leading up to Christmas because his grandmother had fallen ill. One day, however, White couldnt make the visit to his grandmother, so his mom went in his place. He received a text from his mom, who excitedly said she had good news. But she kept the news to herself until Christmas Day. On Christmas, she handed White a journal. The first couple of pages made White angry as his mom rehashed the trauma of the secret about his true father. She also said she felt White had never truly forgiven him. However, on the last page she said she had recently found his father, Chris Anderson, at Chippenham. That very day, White called his father and went to Chippenham, with his then-2-year-old son to meet Anderson. They took a paternity test and talked every single day until the results. The bond was a strong and instant one. To this day, the pair have a close-knit relationship. A few years after meeting his father, White wrote a memoir about the experience that was later turned into a stage play. Both the book and play are called Finding Chris, My Father. White is currently working on his first childrens book, which is about bullying. Having worked in the foster care field for years, he currently works at Extra Special Parents, a therapeutic foster care agency, as a home studies specialist. It is Whites responsibility to decide if couples are eligible foster parents. In his individual and joint interviews, White asks a lot about trauma, grief, childhood and more to make sure the potential parents have healed or are healing so they can help their future child do the same. White also hosts monthly foster parent trainings and is a fatherhood facilitator and a Henrico County CASA, or a Court Appointed Special Advocate. As a CASA, White advocates for children who are coming out of homes of abuse and neglect, to transition into healthy, loving ones. White has also told his life story on countless college campuses. After each talk, students line up eagerly wanting to talk to him about their own lives. In his limited free time, White spends time with Jordan. The self-named Marvel heads are always the first to see the latest superhero movie. They also recently traveled to California to look at colleges. I made my whole life around being the best father I can be, White said, because I didnt have an example. On June 2, TerraPower announced that it would build a demonstration nuclear reactor, known as Natrium, at a retiring Wyoming coal plant. The Bill Gates-fronted nuclear developer had joined forces with utility Rocky Mountain Power, after receiving an $80 million Department of Energy grant, to build one of the countrys first small modular reactors. Wyoming has been a leader in energy for over a century, Gates said during a news conference at the time, and we hope our investment in Natrium will allow Wyoming to stay in the lead for many decades to come. All four candidate communities Rock Springs, Kemmerer, Glenrock and Gillette soon made it clear to TerraPower that they would welcome the nuclear plant. But in November, Kemmerer, home to 2,750 people and the 448-megawatt Naughton Coal Plant, won. Now that a site has been announced, things will move quickly at least as nuclear projects go. As the clock runs out on 2021, it reinforces the urgency for focus as TerraPower seeks to meet the aggressive timeline to complete construction and begin operations at the first Natrium plant, Amber Schwab, a TerraPower spokesperson, wrote in an email to the Star-Tribune. The (Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program) schedule, mandated by Congress, requires the plant to be complete by 2028. The Department of Energy has promised to fund half the project, up to $1.6 billion, as long as Natrium is operational on time. Its an ambitious goal. Construction of earlier nuclear reactors has often stretched for a decade or more, straining developers already tight budgets; Congress hopes that the time pressure, on top of the plants smaller size, will bring down costs in the long run. Compared with the fanfare that surrounded this years two big announcements, 2022 is looking like a quieter year for Natrium. Before TerraPower can start building the reactor, it needs to have the first of two major permits approved. The submission of both applications is built into the seven-year timeline: a construction license in August 2023 and an operating license in March 2026. Meeting the congressional deadline means packing 2022 with preliminary meetings and reports on in-the-weeds subjects like radionuclide transport methodology, design basis accident transient methodology and core flow blockage detection and prevention, along with environmental coordination with various government agencies. The time is right for the next generation of nuclear energy, Schwab wrote. Just as 2021 was pivotal in the TerraPower story, the coming year will represent another significant step in the companys efforts to move from research, development and design into the concrete future of advanced nuclear power. Uranium producers, frustrated by international fuel prices that remained too low for U.S. mines to compete, have also been galvanized by global nuclear growth and the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program. Texas-based Uranium Energy Corp, which recently purchased several Wyoming assets from Russian-owned Uranium One, hopes market prices will rise high enough this year for idling U.S. mines to begin ramping up production for the first time in years the first step toward establishing a domestic supply chain for the more highly enriched uranium used in next-generation reactors like Natrium. And itll be a busy year in Kemmerer, too. Construction of the project is expected to last several years and employ roughly 2,000 temporary workers nearly doubling the towns population. A small town like ours, which right now is about 2,750 or so in population, you dont have the accommodations for a few thousand extra people, Kemmerer mayor Bill Thek told the Star-Tribune in November. Some of those workers will end up driving in from out of town, Thek said. But with more than two years before construction is set to begin, the town has time to update a few existing apartment buildings and expand local services, like police presence, before the influx arrives. I feel fortunate there, Thek said. Its not going to be overnight that this is going to happen. 14 valuable coins that could be hiding in your change The next time you rummage through your spare change for laundry or your morning coffee, keep an eye out. A single coin can be worth a small fortune. Some of these coins were accidentally engraved with silly mistakes that didnt get caught until it was too late. Other runs were mostly destroyed, making the survivors an instant collector's item. Here are 15 rare coins that fetch a high price on eBay or at auction. If you don't find any in your pockets, don't despair you can get rich off spare change in other ways. 14. 1972 doubled die obverse Lincoln Memorial cent eBay The U.S. Mint released the 1972 Lincoln Memorial Cent in 1972 but some of them came with a rather embarrassing error. The words Liberty on the left and 1972 on the right of Abes profile were doubled on the error coins, and experts estimate 20,000 of them were accidentally created. One of these error coins was listed with a starting price of $1 on eBay.com but garnered 49 bids and sold for $325, reported The U.S. Sun in September 2021. The news outlet added that this penny in particular may have been worth more because of its distinctive color. 13. 2004 D Wisconsin quarter, Extra Leaf Low variety eBay The Wisconsin quarter, minted in 2004, bears the image of a cow, a wheel of cheese and an ear of corn. However, one variant is worth considerably more than 25 cents. The Extra Leaf Low quarter features an extra leaf on the left side of the ear of corn, but it sits lower and touches the cheese wheel. Some have suggested that someone deliberately sabotaged the die before it began production, but Coin World says that an investigation by the U.S. Mint determined that the flawed coins were produced by accident. These quarters are worth even more than the Kansas ones in Oct. 2021, one of these Extra Leaf Low variants sold for $152 on eBay.com. 12. Sacagawea Cheerios dollar eBay Back in early 2000, you might have found this rare coin in a box of your favorite cereal. The U.S. Mint promoted its new Golden Dollar by tucking a 2000 Lincoln cent into 10 million boxes of Cheerios 5,500 of which also contained the Sacagawea dollar. Story continues Some of those dollars, however, were a little different from the standard variety, with enhanced eagle tail feathers on the reverse. DIY site The Spruce Crafts says only about 60 to 70 of these coins have emerged since, but they can sell for between $5,000 to $25,000 depending on grade. 11. 2008-W silver eagle reverse of 2007 eBay The U.S. Mint released 47,000 uncirculated 2008-W American Eagle silver coins struck with the older reverse dies used in 2007, says numismatic magazine Coin World. You can spot the difference in the lettering. The u on the normal 2008 reverse has a spur on the right side of the letter, but the u on the 2007 reverse doesnt have a spur or downstroke. Two coins in this style sold on eBay.com recently for more than $1,000 each. 10. 1879 $4 Gold Stella eBay The Stella was designed to match the weight and composition of other coins in the Latin Monetary Union, an effort in Europe to form a single currency (the union was dissolved in 1927). Congressman John Kasson of Iowa proposed a $4 gold coin with a weight that matched the Austro-Hungarian 8 florin piece, after struggling to convert American dollars into Austrian florins, says Barrons. The coin was never approved for full-scale production, but collectors will pay a small fortune for one today. One two-coin set from the Smithsonian sold for nearly $5,000 in September 2021. 9. 1955 doubled die Lincoln penny eBay This other presidential penny has an obvious double imprinting on the words Liberty and In God We Trust. The Spruce Crafts says these coins may have passed inspection on an overnight shift without proper supervision. Thousands were released into circulation in 1955 before anyone noticed. Between 20,000 to 24,000 were believed to have been originally released, however experts think only 10,000 to 15,000 survived. One sold for a whopping $1,850 on eBay.com in November 2021. 8. 1927-D Saint-Gaudens double eagle eBay The 1927-D Saint-Gaudens double eagle is a $20 gold coin named after Augustus Saint-Gaudens, who designed the original 1905-1907 model. This coin is rare because most of its kind are thought to have been melted down during the gold recall of 1933, says Numismatic News. Its usually worth around $1 million today. The second-finest known 1927-D Saint-Gaudens double eagle sold for about $3 million in August 2021. The coin was reported to be in excellent condition and color. It was part of the prestigious Louis E. Eliasberg collection. 7. 1894-S Barber dime Professional Coin Grading Service / Wikimedia Commons Only 24 of these coins were ever created, and they're even more rare today. The 1894-S Barber dime was designed by engraver Charles E. Barber and produced at the San Francisco Mint, and today only nine still exist. Like other Barber dimes, it features the head of Liberty on one side. In 2016, one of the famous dimes sold for almost $2 million at a Florida auction, while another one belonging to late Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss was bought for $1.32 million in a Chicago auction, reports Fox 2 Detroit. 6. 1913 Liberty head nickel Crotalus horridus / Wikimedia Commons Only five of these valuable nickels are confirmed to exist in the world, says The Spruce Crafts so its unlikely youll spot one camping out in your wallet. Designed by Charles E. Barber, the Liberty head nickel had the Roman numeral V engraved on one side, but U.S. Mint officials failed to add the word Cents. Scammers took advantage of the missing value and began plating the coins in gold, attempting to pass them off as $5 coins instead. The mint later added Cents to the design. Rumors, media coverage, famous owners and escalating prices all helped add to the coins value among collectors. In 2018, one of these coins (from the Louis E. Eliasberg collection) sold for $4.56 million at a Philadelphia auction. 5. Flowing Hair dollar eBay The Flowing Hair $1 coin is thought to be the first official silver dollar issued by the U.S. government. The design features Miss Liberty with flowing hair on its obverse. Only 150 to 200 of the 1794 variety are left, while the 1795 coin is more common. The Flowing Hair design was later replaced by the Draped Bust. The 1795 Flowing Hair dollar can still rack up thousands of dollars online one sold for nearly $2,500 on eBay.com in September 2021. 4. 1943-S Lincoln wheat penny Wikimedia Commons During World War II, the U.S. Mint switched to zinc-coated steel coins because copper was needed for ammunition. However, a few leftover bronze planchets that is, the round metal disks ready to be struck as a coin from 1942 made their way into processing and entered circulation. The Spruce Crafts explains that some of these coins may have gotten wedged in the corners of the bins that moved the planchets around and then were dislodged during processing. In 2012, rare coin dealer Legend Numismatics sold a highly graded 1943-S Lincoln wheat penny for $1 million to Texas Rangers co-chairman Bob R. Simpson. 3. Morgan silver dollar eBay This $1 coin, named after designer George T. Morgan, features Liberty on one side and an eagle with its wings outstretched on the reverse. It was minted from 1878 to 1904 and in 1921, but hundreds of millions were melted down over the years, says The U.S. Sun. A special non-circulating edition was also released in 2021. This coins value might vary depending on its condition, mint year and rarity. One Brilliant Uncirculated 1884 Morgan silver dollar recently sold for $375 on eBay.com, while an 1893-S went for $1,805. 2. 2005-D 5C speared bison eBay The U.S. Mint decided to bring back the bison reverse design on the Jefferson nickel in 2005, but some of these coins had a distinctive marking that set them apart. According to the Professional Coin Grading Service, a noticeable die gouge along the back of the bison was found among several of these presidential nickels. Within a couple of days of the discovery, these error coins were selling for more than $100. Now referred to as speared bison nickels, they arent usually found in good condition or luster, which adds to their rarity among collectors today. One sold for $495 on eBay.com recently. 1. 2005 Kansas In God We Rust state quarter eBay Poke around in your wallet for one of these state quarters that fell victim to a hilarious blunder. The U.S. Mint produced a series of special quarters to celebrate each state over 10 years starting in 1999. However, the 2005 Kansas quarter reads "In God We Rust" instead of the U.S. motto "In God We Trust." Lubricant grease might have clogged up the T, preventing the letter from being transferred onto the coin, says The Spruce Crafts. One of these Kansas error coins sold for $45 on eBay.com in November 2021. Turn your pennies into a portfolio A_stockphoto / Shutterstock Didn't find any valuable coins in your pockets? Think again. Even if you only have a few ordinary quarters and dimes to spare, you can earn big returns by taking advantage of todays runaway stock market. A popular app will help you invest your "spare change from everyday purchases. You'll even get a $10 reward just for getting started. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Grand Island Senior High show choir members steadied the stacks of risers on GISHs auditoriums stage. They were ready to knock their upcoming performance out of the park. The GISH show choir was gifted with an opportunity many a school-aged performer would be jealous of. Thanks to the Clark W. Reese Memorial Endowed Fund, through the Grand Island Public Schools Foundation, professional dancer, teacher and choreographer Danny Dwaine Wells was on hand, ready to inspire the young artists and help them perfect their performance. Wellss resume is impressive. His credits include creating choreography for the popular reality show Dance Moms, and he has toured with national shows. Still, the bright lights of the stage havent blinded Wells to the importance of fostering a love of the arts and, especially, confidence in oneself. Wells recalled his first professional gig, and how it helped shape his life. I got my first performance job working at Disneyland and parades, and I thought it was the coolest thing. I was 15, but I was actually helping keep the lights on" he said. "Now I feel like its my time to not only pay it forward, but I feel like thats my calling. And I feel like thats what Im here for is one of those moments and definitely being in Grand Island has like really encouraged me to do a lot more with pedagogy and choreography and just enhancing mindsets. Gage Brockmeier is one of GISHs dance captains. He said the show choir is excited to work with Wells. Were extremely grateful to have him here. Not a lot of schools get to have professional dancers come down and help them out, so we just want to use them as best as we can, not take it for granted. Wells lived in Grand Island for a year, but even after moving to cities far bigger than Grand Island, he finds himself coming back. For several years he has worked with the schools musical. The reason I love working with the Grand Island kids is because my thought is if one person can ignite the passion inside of them, and they leave outside of the Midwest and train somewhere else, just to gain experience, Wells said. And then they come back, it only brings Grand Island that much closer to fulfilling what it could be. Traci Skalberg, executive director of the Grand Island Public Schools Foundation, said Wells has been a valuable contributor to the district through the years. Knowing what I know about Danny, hes hard on the kids, but the kids are so good when he gets done with them. Our kids really want to excel. They go to competitions all spring. Its an important time in which theyre really developing that show, and getting it ready for competition for them to have that experience. Haley Wiemers, a senior at GISH and one of the show choirs dance captains, said Wells is inspiring to them. He definitely knows what hes talking about. When hes looking at the performance, he can see what aspects need to be fixed, what weve got to do better we just want to make our show as competition ready as we can. Grand Island Senior High vocal music teacher Jesse LaBrie said bringing in guest clinicians like Wells offers a different perspective from what they regularly have. We brought in (Wells) to breathe some life into the show and pick out some things in terms of performance that can be more impactful, he said. Its nice to know that hell bring fresh ideas, it also validates what were working on. LaBrie chuckled, saying, I think whenever you bring in a guest artist, what they say sticks, better than the everyday grind of their old music teacher. Without the help of the Clark W. Reese Memorial Endowed Fund, it would likely stay a grind, LaBrie said. We wouldnt have been able to do it otherwise. It would not have been part of our normal budget. Its special that we get to use that. The kids can take away a more enriched experience. That experience brings inspiration. Speaking from an judges point of view, Wells said, I tell the kids like when you walk in, you already have a perfect score. Its almost like an audition for Broadway. We want you to be successful. We want you to be the person we book. Wells said he encourages students to get out into the world, but also to bring their talents back. I feel like Grand Island gets underestimated. When I moved here, I got to teach so many young artists and dancers, and I was like, theres a ton of talent here. Often, they get stuck in this mindset of, okay, well, Im the best right here. Therefore, if I leave the no ones going to think Im the best or no ones going think Im as great. You should be even more proud that you came from Grand Island. If youre in New York City as a Rockette, or youre in on a Broadway show, the next young artist who sees that is going to be like, well, I could do that as well. You should also not be afraid to leave and bring back what youve learned," he added. Thats a philosophy the funds namesake would be proud of, Skalberg said. I think he would just be thrilled. Clark would be absolutely thrilled that he could impact those kids. Kids like Reeses son, Ryan, who graduated from GISH. Reese was a dedicated band dad and also served on the GIPS Foundation. He died several years ago, and his wife and Ryan decided to create a fund through the foundation to benefit the schools fine arts efforts. Wiemers said she and her fellow performers appreciate the Reese familys gift. Were extremely grateful to the Grand Island Public Schools Foundation for able to even have Danny come down here because it is an extra expense. Were extremely lucky to have him here. Enjoying the experience is just as important as perfecting the performance, Wells said. At the end of the day, this is not like a Broadway call. This is yet you getting on stage and sharing your passion. A passion that, because of gifts like the Reese familys, can be sparked into a lifelong passion. Wiemers said, Once you start in this kind of program, its kind of something that you just have to carry on, whether thats singing in your car or singing at church or something like that. Its something that always sticks with you. Its a very valuable life experience. Grand Island Senior High show choir members steadied the stacks of risers on GISHs auditoriums stage. They were ready to knock their upcoming performance out of the park. The GISH show choir was gifted with an opportunity many a school-aged performer would be jealous of. Thanks to the Clark W. Reese Memorial Endowed Fund, through the Grand Island Public Schools Foundation, professional dancer, teacher and choreographer Danny Dwaine Wells was on hand, ready to inspire the young artists and help them perfect their performance. Wellss resume is impressive. His credits include creating choreography for the popular reality show Dance Moms, and he has toured with national shows. Still, the bright lights of the stage havent blinded Wells to the importance of fostering a love of the arts and, especially, confidence in oneself. Wells recalled his first professional gig, and how it helped shape his life. I got my first performance job working at Disneyland and parades, and I thought it was the coolest thing. I was 15, but I was actually helping keep the lights on" he said. "Now I feel like its my time to not only pay it forward, but I feel like thats my calling. And I feel like thats what Im here for is one of those moments and definitely being in Grand Island has like really encouraged me to do a lot more with pedagogy and choreography and just enhancing mindsets. Gage Brockmeier is one of GISHs dance captains. He said the show choir is excited to work with Wells. Were extremely grateful to have him here. Not a lot of schools get to have professional dancers come down and help them out, so we just want to use them as best as we can, not take it for granted. Wells lived in Grand Island for a year, but even after moving to cities far bigger than Grand Island, he finds himself coming back. For several years he has worked with the schools musical. The reason I love working with the Grand Island kids is because my thought is if one person can ignite the passion inside of them, and they leave outside of the Midwest and train somewhere else, just to gain experience, Wells said. And then they come back, it only brings Grand Island that much closer to fulfilling what it could be. Traci Skalberg, executive director of the Grand Island Public Schools Foundation, said Wells has been a valuable contributor to the district through the years. Knowing what I know about Danny, hes hard on the kids, but the kids are so good when he gets done with them. Our kids really want to excel. They go to competitions all spring. Its an important time in which theyre really developing that show, and getting it ready for competition for them to have that experience. Haley Wiemers, a senior at GISH and one of the show choirs dance captains, said Wells is inspiring to them. He definitely knows what hes talking about. When hes looking at the performance, he can see what aspects need to be fixed, what weve got to do better we just want to make our show as competition ready as we can. Grand Island Senior High vocal music teacher Jesse LaBrie said bringing in guest clinicians like Wells offers a different perspective from what they regularly have. We brought in (Wells) to breathe some life into the show and pick out some things in terms of performance that can be more impactful, he said. Its nice to know that hell bring fresh ideas, it also validates what were working on. LaBrie chuckled, saying, I think whenever you bring in a guest artist, what they say sticks, better than the everyday grind of their old music teacher. Without the help of the Clark W. Reese Memorial Endowed Fund, it would likely stay a grind, LaBrie said. We wouldnt have been able to do it otherwise. It would not have been part of our normal budget. Its special that we get to use that. The kids can take away a more enriched experience. That experience brings inspiration. Speaking from an judges point of view, Wells said, I tell the kids like when you walk in, you already have a perfect score. Its almost like an audition for Broadway. We want you to be successful. We want you to be the person we book. Wells said he encourages students to get out into the world, but also to bring their talents back. I feel like Grand Island gets underestimated. When I moved here, I got to teach so many young artists and dancers, and I was like, theres a ton of talent here. Often, they get stuck in this mindset of, okay, well, Im the best right here. Therefore, if I leave the no ones going to think Im the best or no ones going think Im as great. You should be even more proud that you came from Grand Island. If youre in New York City as a Rockette, or youre in on a Broadway show, the next young artist who sees that is going to be like, well, I could do that as well. You should also not be afraid to leave and bring back what youve learned," he added. Thats a philosophy the funds namesake would be proud of, Skalberg said. I think he would just be thrilled. Clark would be absolutely thrilled that he could impact those kids. Kids like Reeses son, Ryan, who graduated from GISH. Reese was a dedicated band dad and also served on the GIPS Foundation. He died several years ago, and his wife and Ryan decided to create a fund through the foundation to benefit the schools fine arts efforts. Wiemers said she and her fellow performers appreciate the Reese familys gift. Were extremely grateful to the Grand Island Public Schools Foundation for able to even have Danny come down here because it is an extra expense. Were extremely lucky to have him here. Enjoying the experience is just as important as perfecting the performance, Wells said. At the end of the day, this is not like a Broadway call. This is yet you getting on stage and sharing your passion. A passion that, because of gifts like the Reese familys, can be sparked into a lifelong passion. Wiemers said, Once you start in this kind of program, its kind of something that you just have to carry on, whether thats singing in your car or singing at church or something like that. Its something that always sticks with you. Its a very valuable life experience. Demonstrators gathered outside Baghdad's Green Zone which includes the US Embassy compound on Friday to remember Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian anti-terror commander who was killed on January 3, 2020. Media reports suggest that he was killed by a US drone strike. The demonstrators created a model of the US Embassy, painting it with graffiti and lighting it on fire while waving Iraqi flags. The demonstrators also gathered to remember Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Iraqi anti-Daesh commander who was killed along with Soleimani. According to Sputnik, one of the protesters said that today, they recall the day the evil embassy entered Iraq, the embassy of the great Satan, the American embassy that never gives good to any country. They also said it brought misery to the Iraqi people. Late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of PMF The late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), and his killing alongside Soleimani in January 2020 infuriated militia leaders, prompting them to warn that they would not stop rocket attacks on US military facilities, according to Sputnik. The United States Embassy in Baghdad issued an alert earlier this week, citing increased demonstration activity related to the certification of Iraqi elections, as well as the December 31 deadline for the transition of US military operations in Iraq and the 3 January anniversary of the airstrike that killed Qasem Soleimani. Soleimani and al-Muhandis were killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad International Airport on 3 January 2020, with US officials initially claiming that the Iranian counter-terror commander was planning attacks on US forces, but later admitting that there was no specific intelligence pointing to any Soleimani plots, according to Sputnik. The assassination prompted Iran to launch over a dozen ballistic missiles at two US sites in Iraq, injuring over 100 American troops and bringing Tehran and Washington to the verge of war. Iran will continue to pursue individuals responsible for Soleimani's death Iran has reiterated that it will continue to pursue individuals responsible for Soleimani's death, including then US President Donald Trump, with Iranian and Iraqi authorities issuing arrest warrants for the former president, according to Sputnik. Iran's Foreign Ministry stated on Friday that the US accepts definitive international responsibility for Soleimani's killing and that the Biden administration is now ultimately accountable for the predecessor's attack that was orchestrated and carried out in a systematic manner. Image: @politicalpen_/Twitter Demonstrators gathered outside Baghdad's Green Zone which includes the US Embassy compound on Friday to remember Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian anti-terror commander who was killed on January 3, 2020. Media reports suggest that he was killed by a US drone strike. The demonstrators created a model of the US Embassy, painting it with graffiti and lighting it on fire while waving Iraqi flags. The demonstrators also gathered to remember Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Iraqi anti-Daesh commander who was killed along with Soleimani. According to Sputnik, one of the protesters said that today, they recall the day the evil embassy entered Iraq, the embassy of the great Satan, the American embassy that never gives good to any country. They also said it brought misery to the Iraqi people. Late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of PMF The late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), and his killing alongside Soleimani in January 2020 infuriated militia leaders, prompting them to warn that they would not stop rocket attacks on US military facilities, according to Sputnik. The United States Embassy in Baghdad issued an alert earlier this week, citing increased demonstration activity related to the certification of Iraqi elections, as well as the December 31 deadline for the transition of US military operations in Iraq and the 3 January anniversary of the airstrike that killed Qasem Soleimani. Soleimani and al-Muhandis were killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad International Airport on 3 January 2020, with US officials initially claiming that the Iranian counter-terror commander was planning attacks on US forces, but later admitting that there was no specific intelligence pointing to any Soleimani plots, according to Sputnik. The assassination prompted Iran to launch over a dozen ballistic missiles at two US sites in Iraq, injuring over 100 American troops and bringing Tehran and Washington to the verge of war. Iran will continue to pursue individuals responsible for Soleimani's death Iran has reiterated that it will continue to pursue individuals responsible for Soleimani's death, including then US President Donald Trump, with Iranian and Iraqi authorities issuing arrest warrants for the former president, according to Sputnik. Iran's Foreign Ministry stated on Friday that the US accepts definitive international responsibility for Soleimani's killing and that the Biden administration is now ultimately accountable for the predecessor's attack that was orchestrated and carried out in a systematic manner. Image: @politicalpen_/Twitter Demonstrators gathered outside Baghdad's Green Zone which includes the US Embassy compound on Friday to remember Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian anti-terror commander who was killed on January 3, 2020. Media reports suggest that he was killed by a US drone strike. The demonstrators created a model of the US Embassy, painting it with graffiti and lighting it on fire while waving Iraqi flags. The demonstrators also gathered to remember Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Iraqi anti-Daesh commander who was killed along with Soleimani. According to Sputnik, one of the protesters said that today, they recall the day the evil embassy entered Iraq, the embassy of the great Satan, the American embassy that never gives good to any country. They also said it brought misery to the Iraqi people. Late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of PMF The late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), and his killing alongside Soleimani in January 2020 infuriated militia leaders, prompting them to warn that they would not stop rocket attacks on US military facilities, according to Sputnik. The United States Embassy in Baghdad issued an alert earlier this week, citing increased demonstration activity related to the certification of Iraqi elections, as well as the December 31 deadline for the transition of US military operations in Iraq and the 3 January anniversary of the airstrike that killed Qasem Soleimani. Soleimani and al-Muhandis were killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad International Airport on 3 January 2020, with US officials initially claiming that the Iranian counter-terror commander was planning attacks on US forces, but later admitting that there was no specific intelligence pointing to any Soleimani plots, according to Sputnik. The assassination prompted Iran to launch over a dozen ballistic missiles at two US sites in Iraq, injuring over 100 American troops and bringing Tehran and Washington to the verge of war. Iran will continue to pursue individuals responsible for Soleimani's death Iran has reiterated that it will continue to pursue individuals responsible for Soleimani's death, including then US President Donald Trump, with Iranian and Iraqi authorities issuing arrest warrants for the former president, according to Sputnik. Iran's Foreign Ministry stated on Friday that the US accepts definitive international responsibility for Soleimani's killing and that the Biden administration is now ultimately accountable for the predecessor's attack that was orchestrated and carried out in a systematic manner. Image: @politicalpen_/Twitter Demonstrators gathered outside Baghdad's Green Zone which includes the US Embassy compound on Friday to remember Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian anti-terror commander who was killed on January 3, 2020. Media reports suggest that he was killed by a US drone strike. The demonstrators created a model of the US Embassy, painting it with graffiti and lighting it on fire while waving Iraqi flags. The demonstrators also gathered to remember Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Iraqi anti-Daesh commander who was killed along with Soleimani. According to Sputnik, one of the protesters said that today, they recall the day the evil embassy entered Iraq, the embassy of the great Satan, the American embassy that never gives good to any country. They also said it brought misery to the Iraqi people. Late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of PMF The late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), and his killing alongside Soleimani in January 2020 infuriated militia leaders, prompting them to warn that they would not stop rocket attacks on US military facilities, according to Sputnik. The United States Embassy in Baghdad issued an alert earlier this week, citing increased demonstration activity related to the certification of Iraqi elections, as well as the December 31 deadline for the transition of US military operations in Iraq and the 3 January anniversary of the airstrike that killed Qasem Soleimani. Soleimani and al-Muhandis were killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad International Airport on 3 January 2020, with US officials initially claiming that the Iranian counter-terror commander was planning attacks on US forces, but later admitting that there was no specific intelligence pointing to any Soleimani plots, according to Sputnik. The assassination prompted Iran to launch over a dozen ballistic missiles at two US sites in Iraq, injuring over 100 American troops and bringing Tehran and Washington to the verge of war. Iran will continue to pursue individuals responsible for Soleimani's death Iran has reiterated that it will continue to pursue individuals responsible for Soleimani's death, including then US President Donald Trump, with Iranian and Iraqi authorities issuing arrest warrants for the former president, according to Sputnik. Iran's Foreign Ministry stated on Friday that the US accepts definitive international responsibility for Soleimani's killing and that the Biden administration is now ultimately accountable for the predecessor's attack that was orchestrated and carried out in a systematic manner. Image: @politicalpen_/Twitter Demonstrators gathered outside Baghdad's Green Zone which includes the US Embassy compound on Friday to remember Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian anti-terror commander who was killed on January 3, 2020. Media reports suggest that he was killed by a US drone strike. The demonstrators created a model of the US Embassy, painting it with graffiti and lighting it on fire while waving Iraqi flags. The demonstrators also gathered to remember Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Iraqi anti-Daesh commander who was killed along with Soleimani. According to Sputnik, one of the protesters said that today, they recall the day the evil embassy entered Iraq, the embassy of the great Satan, the American embassy that never gives good to any country. They also said it brought misery to the Iraqi people. Late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of PMF The late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), and his killing alongside Soleimani in January 2020 infuriated militia leaders, prompting them to warn that they would not stop rocket attacks on US military facilities, according to Sputnik. The United States Embassy in Baghdad issued an alert earlier this week, citing increased demonstration activity related to the certification of Iraqi elections, as well as the December 31 deadline for the transition of US military operations in Iraq and the 3 January anniversary of the airstrike that killed Qasem Soleimani. Soleimani and al-Muhandis were killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad International Airport on 3 January 2020, with US officials initially claiming that the Iranian counter-terror commander was planning attacks on US forces, but later admitting that there was no specific intelligence pointing to any Soleimani plots, according to Sputnik. The assassination prompted Iran to launch over a dozen ballistic missiles at two US sites in Iraq, injuring over 100 American troops and bringing Tehran and Washington to the verge of war. Iran will continue to pursue individuals responsible for Soleimani's death Iran has reiterated that it will continue to pursue individuals responsible for Soleimani's death, including then US President Donald Trump, with Iranian and Iraqi authorities issuing arrest warrants for the former president, according to Sputnik. Iran's Foreign Ministry stated on Friday that the US accepts definitive international responsibility for Soleimani's killing and that the Biden administration is now ultimately accountable for the predecessor's attack that was orchestrated and carried out in a systematic manner. Image: @politicalpen_/Twitter CAPE TOWN In an almost empty cathedral, with an unvarnished, rope-handled coffin placed before the altar, South Africa said farewell on Saturday to Archbishop Desmond M. Tutu with the simplicity that he had planned. Archbishop Tutus death last Sunday at age 90 was followed by a week of mourning, as the world remembered his powerful role both in opposing apartheid and in promoting unity and reconciliation after its defeat. On June 2, TerraPower announced that it would build a demonstration nuclear reactor, known as Natrium, at a retiring Wyoming coal plant. The Bill Gates-fronted nuclear developer had joined forces with utility Rocky Mountain Power, after receiving an $80 million Department of Energy grant, to build one of the countrys first small modular reactors. Wyoming has been a leader in energy for over a century, Gates said during a news conference at the time, and we hope our investment in Natrium will allow Wyoming to stay in the lead for many decades to come. All four candidate communities Rock Springs, Kemmerer, Glenrock and Gillette soon made it clear to TerraPower that they would welcome the nuclear plant. But in November, Kemmerer, home to 2,750 people and the 448-megawatt Naughton Coal Plant, won. Now that a site has been announced, things will move quickly at least as nuclear projects go. As the clock runs out on 2021, it reinforces the urgency for focus as TerraPower seeks to meet the aggressive timeline to complete construction and begin operations at the first Natrium plant, Amber Schwab, a TerraPower spokesperson, wrote in an email to the Star-Tribune. The (Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program) schedule, mandated by Congress, requires the plant to be complete by 2028. The Department of Energy has promised to fund half the project, up to $1.6 billion, as long as Natrium is operational on time. Its an ambitious goal. Construction of earlier nuclear reactors has often stretched for a decade or more, straining developers already tight budgets; Congress hopes that the time pressure, on top of the plants smaller size, will bring down costs in the long run. Compared with the fanfare that surrounded this years two big announcements, 2022 is looking like a quieter year for Natrium. Before TerraPower can start building the reactor, it needs to have the first of two major permits approved. The submission of both applications is built into the seven-year timeline: a construction license in August 2023 and an operating license in March 2026. Meeting the congressional deadline means packing 2022 with preliminary meetings and reports on in-the-weeds subjects like radionuclide transport methodology, design basis accident transient methodology and core flow blockage detection and prevention, along with environmental coordination with various government agencies. The time is right for the next generation of nuclear energy, Schwab wrote. Just as 2021 was pivotal in the TerraPower story, the coming year will represent another significant step in the companys efforts to move from research, development and design into the concrete future of advanced nuclear power. Uranium producers, frustrated by international fuel prices that remained too low for U.S. mines to compete, have also been galvanized by global nuclear growth and the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program. Texas-based Uranium Energy Corp, which recently purchased several Wyoming assets from Russian-owned Uranium One, hopes market prices will rise high enough this year for idling U.S. mines to begin ramping up production for the first time in years the first step toward establishing a domestic supply chain for the more highly enriched uranium used in next-generation reactors like Natrium. And itll be a busy year in Kemmerer, too. Construction of the project is expected to last several years and employ roughly 2,000 temporary workers nearly doubling the towns population. A small town like ours, which right now is about 2,750 or so in population, you dont have the accommodations for a few thousand extra people, Kemmerer mayor Bill Thek told the Star-Tribune in November. Some of those workers will end up driving in from out of town, Thek said. But with more than two years before construction is set to begin, the town has time to update a few existing apartment buildings and expand local services, like police presence, before the influx arrives. I feel fortunate there, Thek said. Its not going to be overnight that this is going to happen. On June 2, TerraPower announced that it would build a demonstration nuclear reactor, known as Natrium, at a retiring Wyoming coal plant. The Bill Gates-fronted nuclear developer had joined forces with utility Rocky Mountain Power, after receiving an $80 million Department of Energy grant, to build one of the countrys first small modular reactors. Wyoming has been a leader in energy for over a century, Gates said during a news conference at the time, and we hope our investment in Natrium will allow Wyoming to stay in the lead for many decades to come. All four candidate communities Rock Springs, Kemmerer, Glenrock and Gillette soon made it clear to TerraPower that they would welcome the nuclear plant. But in November, Kemmerer, home to 2,750 people and the 448-megawatt Naughton Coal Plant, won. Now that a site has been announced, things will move quickly at least as nuclear projects go. As the clock runs out on 2021, it reinforces the urgency for focus as TerraPower seeks to meet the aggressive timeline to complete construction and begin operations at the first Natrium plant, Amber Schwab, a TerraPower spokesperson, wrote in an email to the Star-Tribune. The (Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program) schedule, mandated by Congress, requires the plant to be complete by 2028. The Department of Energy has promised to fund half the project, up to $1.6 billion, as long as Natrium is operational on time. Its an ambitious goal. Construction of earlier nuclear reactors has often stretched for a decade or more, straining developers already tight budgets; Congress hopes that the time pressure, on top of the plants smaller size, will bring down costs in the long run. Compared with the fanfare that surrounded this years two big announcements, 2022 is looking like a quieter year for Natrium. Before TerraPower can start building the reactor, it needs to have the first of two major permits approved. The submission of both applications is built into the seven-year timeline: a construction license in August 2023 and an operating license in March 2026. Meeting the congressional deadline means packing 2022 with preliminary meetings and reports on in-the-weeds subjects like radionuclide transport methodology, design basis accident transient methodology and core flow blockage detection and prevention, along with environmental coordination with various government agencies. The time is right for the next generation of nuclear energy, Schwab wrote. Just as 2021 was pivotal in the TerraPower story, the coming year will represent another significant step in the companys efforts to move from research, development and design into the concrete future of advanced nuclear power. Uranium producers, frustrated by international fuel prices that remained too low for U.S. mines to compete, have also been galvanized by global nuclear growth and the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program. Texas-based Uranium Energy Corp, which recently purchased several Wyoming assets from Russian-owned Uranium One, hopes market prices will rise high enough this year for idling U.S. mines to begin ramping up production for the first time in years the first step toward establishing a domestic supply chain for the more highly enriched uranium used in next-generation reactors like Natrium. And itll be a busy year in Kemmerer, too. Construction of the project is expected to last several years and employ roughly 2,000 temporary workers nearly doubling the towns population. A small town like ours, which right now is about 2,750 or so in population, you dont have the accommodations for a few thousand extra people, Kemmerer mayor Bill Thek told the Star-Tribune in November. Some of those workers will end up driving in from out of town, Thek said. But with more than two years before construction is set to begin, the town has time to update a few existing apartment buildings and expand local services, like police presence, before the influx arrives. I feel fortunate there, Thek said. Its not going to be overnight that this is going to happen. A student adjusts her facemask at St. Joseph Catholic School in La Puente, Calif., on Nov. 16, 2020, where pre-kindergarten to second-grade students in need of special services returned to the classroom today for in-person instruction. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images) LA May Soon Mandate Outdoor Masks in Schools, Require Surgical or N95 Masks for Students LOS ANGELESChildren in Los Angeles may soon be required to wear masks outdoors, as well as an upgrade to surgical-grade or N95 respirator masks instead of using only cloth masks in schools. On Dec. 29, an email was sent by a Los Angeles school superintendent to a parent and shared on Twitter. Given the COVID-19 Omicron surge, [Los Angeles County Department of Public Health] has indicated that school districts should anticipate updated and more restrictive health protocols when schools resume in January, the email read. Though the revised protocols havent yet been issued, theyre expected to be announced in the coming days, according to the email. The email said that the county health department is highly likely to officially require both outdoor and indoor masking for all school activities except when eating, and staff and students may need to upgrade their masks to either surgical grade or N95 masks because cloth masks alone would not be sufficient. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) website, which cites recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cloth masks may or may not meet any fluid barrier or filtration efficiency levels. However, the same webpage said surgical masks do not provide complete protection from germs and other contaminants because of the loose fit between the surface of the mask and your face, but are meant to help block large-particle droplets, splashes, sprays, or splatter that may contain germs (viruses and bacteria), keeping it from reaching your mouth and nose. Students and parents arrive masked for the first day of the school year at Grant Elementary School in Los Angeles, on Aug. 16, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images) On the other hand, N95 respirator masks can form a seal around the nose and mouth and are designed to achieve very efficient filtration of airborne particles, according to the FDA. In addition to the masking protocol, the countys health department is considering more comprehensive testing regimens, though the email didnt elaborate on what those regimens might be. Currently, all school employees are required to get weekly COVID-19 tests, and staff and students with vaccine exemptions must get tested twice a week. Some parents raised concerns about the N95 respirator masks not fitting childrens small faces and not achieving the desired effect. Parent and community activist Scott Davison pointed out on Twitter that the FDA said N95 respirators cannot achieve a proper fit on children and thus may not provide full protection. The CDCs National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) page also states that NIOSH does not approve any type of respiratory protection for children. Students walk to their classrooms at a public middle school in Los Angeles on Sept. 10, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images) Sharon McKeeman, founder of parent advocacy group Let Them Breathe, told The Epoch Times that these mask evaluations reflect what Let Them Breathe has been saying all along and what we have been litigating overwhich is that cloth masks are not effective. But the health department is going in the wrong direction asking children to wear N95 masks, which can cause even more harm to students, McKeeman said. Our lawsuit has documented the mental, emotional, social, physical, and academic detriments of wearing masks, and the more restrictive the mask thats worn, [the more harm it can cause]. Let Them Breathe, which has more than 20,000 members across the nation, also filed a complaint in the San Diego County Superior Court in September regarding mask mandates for children. The complaint states, [Let Them Breathe] believes that masking students is unnecessary, ineffective, and harmful to their mental, physical, social, and emotional well-being, and the group is concerned that mask requirements prevent children from engaging in a quality in-person education. McKeeman said teachers are telling her group that children are having a hard time because they cant see their teachers and classmates faces. Its also very difficult for teachers to teach reading if students cant see how theyre forming those phonetic sounds with their mouth, she said. Were hearing from parents and counselors and psychologists that students are feeling anxious and depressed because theyre not having that positive reinforcement of smiles, and theyre becoming withdrawn and antisocial. Were hearing from school administration that theres a lot more violent and destructive behavior at school, and that the psychiatrist and counselors were speaking to are saying that its a direct result of not being able to see other humans faces and [of] experiencing detachment. Students attend an in-person English class at St. Anthony Catholic High School during the Covid-19 pandemic on March 24, 2021, in Long Beach, California. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images) The groups lawsuit gained a victory when their request for reconsideration was granted. The hearing is expected to take place on Jan 28. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health didnt respond to a request for comment by press time. Several parents of students in Los Angeles declined to comment for this article. A student adjusts her facemask at St. Joseph Catholic School in La Puente, Calif., on Nov. 16, 2020, where pre-kindergarten to second-grade students in need of special services returned to the classroom today for in-person instruction. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images) LA May Soon Mandate Outdoor Masks in Schools, Require Surgical or N95 Masks for Students LOS ANGELESChildren in Los Angeles may soon be required to wear masks outdoors, as well as an upgrade to surgical-grade or N95 respirator masks instead of using only cloth masks in schools. On Dec. 29, an email was sent by a Los Angeles school superintendent to a parent and shared on Twitter. Given the COVID-19 Omicron surge, [Los Angeles County Department of Public Health] has indicated that school districts should anticipate updated and more restrictive health protocols when schools resume in January, the email read. Though the revised protocols havent yet been issued, theyre expected to be announced in the coming days, according to the email. The email said that the county health department is highly likely to officially require both outdoor and indoor masking for all school activities except when eating, and staff and students may need to upgrade their masks to either surgical grade or N95 masks because cloth masks alone would not be sufficient. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) website, which cites recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cloth masks may or may not meet any fluid barrier or filtration efficiency levels. However, the same webpage said surgical masks do not provide complete protection from germs and other contaminants because of the loose fit between the surface of the mask and your face, but are meant to help block large-particle droplets, splashes, sprays, or splatter that may contain germs (viruses and bacteria), keeping it from reaching your mouth and nose. Students and parents arrive masked for the first day of the school year at Grant Elementary School in Los Angeles, on Aug. 16, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images) On the other hand, N95 respirator masks can form a seal around the nose and mouth and are designed to achieve very efficient filtration of airborne particles, according to the FDA. In addition to the masking protocol, the countys health department is considering more comprehensive testing regimens, though the email didnt elaborate on what those regimens might be. Currently, all school employees are required to get weekly COVID-19 tests, and staff and students with vaccine exemptions must get tested twice a week. Some parents raised concerns about the N95 respirator masks not fitting childrens small faces and not achieving the desired effect. Parent and community activist Scott Davison pointed out on Twitter that the FDA said N95 respirators cannot achieve a proper fit on children and thus may not provide full protection. The CDCs National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) page also states that NIOSH does not approve any type of respiratory protection for children. Students walk to their classrooms at a public middle school in Los Angeles on Sept. 10, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images) Sharon McKeeman, founder of parent advocacy group Let Them Breathe, told The Epoch Times that these mask evaluations reflect what Let Them Breathe has been saying all along and what we have been litigating overwhich is that cloth masks are not effective. But the health department is going in the wrong direction asking children to wear N95 masks, which can cause even more harm to students, McKeeman said. Our lawsuit has documented the mental, emotional, social, physical, and academic detriments of wearing masks, and the more restrictive the mask thats worn, [the more harm it can cause]. Let Them Breathe, which has more than 20,000 members across the nation, also filed a complaint in the San Diego County Superior Court in September regarding mask mandates for children. The complaint states, [Let Them Breathe] believes that masking students is unnecessary, ineffective, and harmful to their mental, physical, social, and emotional well-being, and the group is concerned that mask requirements prevent children from engaging in a quality in-person education. McKeeman said teachers are telling her group that children are having a hard time because they cant see their teachers and classmates faces. Its also very difficult for teachers to teach reading if students cant see how theyre forming those phonetic sounds with their mouth, she said. Were hearing from parents and counselors and psychologists that students are feeling anxious and depressed because theyre not having that positive reinforcement of smiles, and theyre becoming withdrawn and antisocial. Were hearing from school administration that theres a lot more violent and destructive behavior at school, and that the psychiatrist and counselors were speaking to are saying that its a direct result of not being able to see other humans faces and [of] experiencing detachment. Students attend an in-person English class at St. Anthony Catholic High School during the Covid-19 pandemic on March 24, 2021, in Long Beach, California. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images) The groups lawsuit gained a victory when their request for reconsideration was granted. The hearing is expected to take place on Jan 28. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health didnt respond to a request for comment by press time. Several parents of students in Los Angeles declined to comment for this article. On June 2, TerraPower announced that it would build a demonstration nuclear reactor, known as Natrium, at a retiring Wyoming coal plant. The Bill Gates-fronted nuclear developer had joined forces with utility Rocky Mountain Power, after receiving an $80 million Department of Energy grant, to build one of the countrys first small modular reactors. Wyoming has been a leader in energy for over a century, Gates said during a news conference at the time, and we hope our investment in Natrium will allow Wyoming to stay in the lead for many decades to come. All four candidate communities Rock Springs, Kemmerer, Glenrock and Gillette soon made it clear to TerraPower that they would welcome the nuclear plant. But in November, Kemmerer, home to 2,750 people and the 448-megawatt Naughton Coal Plant, won. Now that a site has been announced, things will move quickly at least as nuclear projects go. As the clock runs out on 2021, it reinforces the urgency for focus as TerraPower seeks to meet the aggressive timeline to complete construction and begin operations at the first Natrium plant, Amber Schwab, a TerraPower spokesperson, wrote in an email to the Star-Tribune. The (Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program) schedule, mandated by Congress, requires the plant to be complete by 2028. The Department of Energy has promised to fund half the project, up to $1.6 billion, as long as Natrium is operational on time. Its an ambitious goal. Construction of earlier nuclear reactors has often stretched for a decade or more, straining developers already tight budgets; Congress hopes that the time pressure, on top of the plants smaller size, will bring down costs in the long run. Compared with the fanfare that surrounded this years two big announcements, 2022 is looking like a quieter year for Natrium. Before TerraPower can start building the reactor, it needs to have the first of two major permits approved. The submission of both applications is built into the seven-year timeline: a construction license in August 2023 and an operating license in March 2026. Meeting the congressional deadline means packing 2022 with preliminary meetings and reports on in-the-weeds subjects like radionuclide transport methodology, design basis accident transient methodology and core flow blockage detection and prevention, along with environmental coordination with various government agencies. The time is right for the next generation of nuclear energy, Schwab wrote. Just as 2021 was pivotal in the TerraPower story, the coming year will represent another significant step in the companys efforts to move from research, development and design into the concrete future of advanced nuclear power. Uranium producers, frustrated by international fuel prices that remained too low for U.S. mines to compete, have also been galvanized by global nuclear growth and the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program. Texas-based Uranium Energy Corp, which recently purchased several Wyoming assets from Russian-owned Uranium One, hopes market prices will rise high enough this year for idling U.S. mines to begin ramping up production for the first time in years the first step toward establishing a domestic supply chain for the more highly enriched uranium used in next-generation reactors like Natrium. And itll be a busy year in Kemmerer, too. Construction of the project is expected to last several years and employ roughly 2,000 temporary workers nearly doubling the towns population. A small town like ours, which right now is about 2,750 or so in population, you dont have the accommodations for a few thousand extra people, Kemmerer mayor Bill Thek told the Star-Tribune in November. Some of those workers will end up driving in from out of town, Thek said. But with more than two years before construction is set to begin, the town has time to update a few existing apartment buildings and expand local services, like police presence, before the influx arrives. I feel fortunate there, Thek said. Its not going to be overnight that this is going to happen. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) A member of the jury that convicted Minnesota police officer Kim Potter of manslaughter in the killing of Daunte Wright says jurors felt she made an honest mistake when she drew her firearm instead of her stun gun, but that she was still responsible for his death. The juror spoke with KARE-TV reporter Lou Raguse on the condition of anonymity due to what the station described as the "public animosity" surrounding the case. It published the story Wednesday. The juror said no one felt Potter was a racist or meant to kill Wright, but that doesn't mean she was above the law. "I don't want to speak for all the jurors, but I think we believed she was a good person and even believed she was a good cop," the juror said. "No one felt she was intentional in this. It's ludicrous that some people are assuming we thought she was a racist. That never came up or anything like that. We felt like she was a good person, we felt she made a mistake, and that a mistake does not absolve you from the fact she did commit a crime. "Being a good person doesn't mean you're above the law. I don't think anyone felt she wanted to kill anybody that day. ... This was just a tragedy all the way around." Potter shot and killed the 20-year-old Wright in April as he tried to drive away from a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, a Minneapolis suburb. Potter, a 26-year veteran on the city's police department, said she meant to use her stun gun on Wright but didn't realize she had actually drawn and fired her pistol. Wright was Black and the shooting happened as another white officer, Derek Chauvin, was standing trial in nearby Minneapolis for the killing of George Floyd. It set off waves of angry protests in Brooklyn Center. Potter, 49, resigned from the police department two days after the shooting. Prosecutors charged her with first- and second-degree manslaughter. Wright took the stand at her trial, saying she was sorry the incident happened and the traffic stop "just went chaotic." The jury deliberated for 27 hours over four days before convicting her of both counts on Dec. 23. She faces close to seven years in prison under Minnesota's sentencing guidelines, though prosecutors have said they would seek a longer term. The juror told KARE-TV's Raguse that jurors didn't feel Potter lied on the stand and instead felt she was fighting for her life. But the jury generally thought that Potter should have known she was holding a pistol and not a stun gun given her years of police experience. The juror said a turning point in deliberations came when jurors handled Potter's stun gun and pistol and felt the differences. "The gun was about twice as heavy, and the two weapons had several differences in how they are un-holstered and fired," the juror said. "The Taser kind of feels like a mouse click whereas the (pistol's) trigger has some trigger draw weight." The juror said Potter's attorneys seemed disorganized. The juror rejected their argument that Wright caused his own death by resisting. "We did talk about Daunte's actions, but we as a jury did a really good job of separating his actions from Kim Potter's actions," the juror said. "Daunte's actions clearly had consequences. So did Kim Potter's." The juror said that at times deliberations grew heated and discussions went in circles. Almost every juror cried at some point. "Once we came to final verdict . . . we still had to wait an hour and a half until it was read," the juror said. "So that last hour and a half, I was finally allowing myself to think of the consequences of this tragedy. Obviously we had been thinking about what this meant for Daunte Wright's family, but now I started to think about what this meant for Kim Potter's family." *** MINNEAPOLIS (AP) A member of the jury that convicted Minnesota police officer Kim Potter of manslaughter in the killing of Daunte Wright says jurors felt she made an honest mistake when she drew her firearm instead of her stun gun, but that she was still responsible for his death. The juror spoke with KARE-TV reporter Lou Raguse on the condition of anonymity due to what the station described as the "public animosity" surrounding the case. It published the story Wednesday. The juror said no one felt Potter was a racist or meant to kill Wright, but that doesn't mean she was above the law. "I don't want to speak for all the jurors, but I think we believed she was a good person and even believed she was a good cop," the juror said. "No one felt she was intentional in this. It's ludicrous that some people are assuming we thought she was a racist. That never came up or anything like that. We felt like she was a good person, we felt she made a mistake, and that a mistake does not absolve you from the fact she did commit a crime. "Being a good person doesn't mean you're above the law. I don't think anyone felt she wanted to kill anybody that day. ... This was just a tragedy all the way around." Potter shot and killed the 20-year-old Wright in April as he tried to drive away from a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, a Minneapolis suburb. Potter, a 26-year veteran on the city's police department, said she meant to use her stun gun on Wright but didn't realize she had actually drawn and fired her pistol. Wright was Black and the shooting happened as another white officer, Derek Chauvin, was standing trial in nearby Minneapolis for the killing of George Floyd. It set off waves of angry protests in Brooklyn Center. Potter, 49, resigned from the police department two days after the shooting. Prosecutors charged her with first- and second-degree manslaughter. Wright took the stand at her trial, saying she was sorry the incident happened and the traffic stop "just went chaotic." The jury deliberated for 27 hours over four days before convicting her of both counts on Dec. 23. She faces close to seven years in prison under Minnesota's sentencing guidelines, though prosecutors have said they would seek a longer term. The juror told KARE-TV's Raguse that jurors didn't feel Potter lied on the stand and instead felt she was fighting for her life. But the jury generally thought that Potter should have known she was holding a pistol and not a stun gun given her years of police experience. The juror said a turning point in deliberations came when jurors handled Potter's stun gun and pistol and felt the differences. "The gun was about twice as heavy, and the two weapons had several differences in how they are un-holstered and fired," the juror said. "The Taser kind of feels like a mouse click whereas the (pistol's) trigger has some trigger draw weight." The juror said Potter's attorneys seemed disorganized. The juror rejected their argument that Wright caused his own death by resisting. "We did talk about Daunte's actions, but we as a jury did a really good job of separating his actions from Kim Potter's actions," the juror said. "Daunte's actions clearly had consequences. So did Kim Potter's." The juror said that at times deliberations grew heated and discussions went in circles. Almost every juror cried at some point. "Once we came to final verdict . . . we still had to wait an hour and a half until it was read," the juror said. "So that last hour and a half, I was finally allowing myself to think of the consequences of this tragedy. Obviously we had been thinking about what this meant for Daunte Wright's family, but now I started to think about what this meant for Kim Potter's family." *** The stars aligned for a group of artists and artisans to pay proper homage to the Declaration of Independence Back in 1992, artist Jose-Maria Cundin, originally from the Basque Country, Spain, released a hand-engraved facsimile of the United States Declaration of Independence, after three years of hard work and collaboration with craftsmen from his homelanda papermaker and a renowned metal engraver. But the project didnt draw broader interest from the American public. Sara Fattori, who owned a fine art gallery in Palm Beach, Florida, before starting her interior design business, knew of Cundins work, but it wasnt until her fathers passing, around 2007, that she pondered more deeply the meaning of the countrys founding document and the possibility of promoting Cundins hand-engraved version. Her father had fought in World War II and was part of an aviation force in the Normandy invasion. The reality of war, she said, and the sacrifices made by previous generations to preserve freedom, moved her. The Perfect Frame Around 2014, when an opportunity arose to donate a Cundin engraving for an auction event benefiting the Carson Scholars Funds initiative to promote literacy in low-income neighborhoods, Fattori began searching for a frame worthy of encasing the document. While researching online, she discovered Marcelo Bavaro, a fourth-generation historical frame maker based in New York, whose Italian family inherited a century of craftsmanship in carpentry and gilding. Fattori instinctively knew he was the right fit. When they met, Bavaro said the Declaration should be encased in a Federal-style frame befitting the time period when the original document was draftedthe newly formed country wanted to distinguish itself from its former ruler, so a style emphasizing simple, clean lines was popularized, contrasting sharply with ornate British detailing. I knew I was with the right person when Marcelo said, Oh, it should be in a Federal-style frame, Fattori said during a recent interview at Bavaros Brooklyn firm Quebracho Inc., which restores and makes frames for top museums, art galleries, and auction houses. Bavaro was intrigued by the project: I always wondered how this country was guided by this piece of paper for centuries. And everybody respects it. I come from a country where nobody respects anything. He was referring to Argentinahis family emigrated there in the early 20th century. In the early 1980s, when Argentina was under military rule, Bavaro himself was caught in the political turmoil and jailed for writing articles that criticized the government. Due to his familys influence, he managed to escape and was on the run for five days before crossing the Brazilian border and taking a plane to the United States, where he met up with his father, the first of his family to settle here. Federal-style frames require incredible carpentry skills; an artisan must shape the wood into a narrow concave shape. There are few workshops left in the world that are still engaged in this artwork. Craftsmanship is something that is dying out, Bavaro said. Its so simple to make money sitting in front of a computer; why are you going to break your hands doing what we do? A craftsperson working on gilding a frame, at the Quebracho studio in Brooklyn, New York City. (Lux Aeterna Photography) A craftsperson works on etching a pattern on a frame. (Lux Aeterna Photography) While working on the Declaration project in 2014, Bavaro, together with Fattori and her husband, Paul, joined forces to launch a new company, Fattori Fine Frames, that would provide custom-made, handcrafted frames for people looking to frame artwork and mirrors in their homes. The auction event that took place the following year was a success, with a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution buying the framed document. A selection of frames made by the Quebracho workshop in Brooklyn. (Lux Aeterna Photography) History Cundins facsimile is a copy of William J. Stones engravingthe latter was commissioned by then-Secretary of State John Quincy Adams during the 1820s as an official government copy, because Adams had grown concerned over the fragile condition of the original Declaration. In Stones tradition, Cundin set out to make a hand-engraved brass plateit would be the first such engraving since Stones time. Cundin always had a personal connection to America, even before becoming a citizen in 1971. His father was born on July 4 and frequently joked about how his birthday coincided with that of Americas. Cundin was moved by the content of the Declaration upon reading it in its entirety. The demand for freedomthat is the connection that I found most touching in my heart, he said in a recent phone interview. The brass plate etched with the Declaration of Independence. (Courtesy of Jose-Maria Cundin) When he began the engraving project in 1989, out of curiosity he started researching the founding fathers who signed the document. Cundin found out that John Adams had visited the Basque Country in 1780, and had been so inspired by the local governance system that he kept it in mind while drafting the United States Constitution years later. Adams also wrote about the Biscay government in his treatise, A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America, stating, While their neighbors have long since resigned all their pretensions into the hands of kings and priests, this extraordinary people have preserved their ancient language, genius, laws, government, and manners their love of liberty, and unconquerable aversion to a foreign servitude. Engraver Pedro Aspiazu (L) and artist Jose-Maria Cundin studying a proof of the printed Declaration. (Courtesy of Jose-Maria Cundin) The connection with Cundins homeland convinced him to look for artisans there for the engraving project. Pedro Aspiazu, who was born into a multi-generational family of engravers, hand-chiseled the plate, while a Basque company handmade the paper from pure cotton, and a Madrid company did the printing. Cundin retained the same paper size as the original, but reduced the text size so there would be empty spacea visual environment, to make it a document that everybody could receive in the mail, but in a magnificent size, he said. The framed engraving resembles a painting, yet is humble in its quiet dignity. Cundins team made 1,200 copiesthe first few were gifted to George H.W. Bush during his presidency, the king of Spain, and the United States Congress. Today, there are about 1,000 copies still available for purchase. Independence Day Paul Fattori hopes that younger generations can truly appreciate what this document means and the extent to which the signees risked their lives to publicly protest the British monarchy. It symbolizes all that freedom, that libertyand its about the people, consent of the people, he said. Sara Fattori hopes Americans neither take their freedoms for granted nor forget about the balance of powers in government. Im looking at a country like a family unit; like, if someone is too powerful and controlling, then the other people are not going to thrive and be able to flourish as a human being, she said. This article was originally published in American Essence magazine. Demonstrators gathered outside Baghdad's Green Zone which includes the US Embassy compound on Friday to remember Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian anti-terror commander who was killed on January 3, 2020. Media reports suggest that he was killed by a US drone strike. The demonstrators created a model of the US Embassy, painting it with graffiti and lighting it on fire while waving Iraqi flags. The demonstrators also gathered to remember Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Iraqi anti-Daesh commander who was killed along with Soleimani. According to Sputnik, one of the protesters said that today, they recall the day the evil embassy entered Iraq, the embassy of the great Satan, the American embassy that never gives good to any country. They also said it brought misery to the Iraqi people. Late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of PMF The late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), and his killing alongside Soleimani in January 2020 infuriated militia leaders, prompting them to warn that they would not stop rocket attacks on US military facilities, according to Sputnik. The United States Embassy in Baghdad issued an alert earlier this week, citing increased demonstration activity related to the certification of Iraqi elections, as well as the December 31 deadline for the transition of US military operations in Iraq and the 3 January anniversary of the airstrike that killed Qasem Soleimani. Soleimani and al-Muhandis were killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad International Airport on 3 January 2020, with US officials initially claiming that the Iranian counter-terror commander was planning attacks on US forces, but later admitting that there was no specific intelligence pointing to any Soleimani plots, according to Sputnik. The assassination prompted Iran to launch over a dozen ballistic missiles at two US sites in Iraq, injuring over 100 American troops and bringing Tehran and Washington to the verge of war. Iran will continue to pursue individuals responsible for Soleimani's death Iran has reiterated that it will continue to pursue individuals responsible for Soleimani's death, including then US President Donald Trump, with Iranian and Iraqi authorities issuing arrest warrants for the former president, according to Sputnik. Iran's Foreign Ministry stated on Friday that the US accepts definitive international responsibility for Soleimani's killing and that the Biden administration is now ultimately accountable for the predecessor's attack that was orchestrated and carried out in a systematic manner. Image: @politicalpen_/Twitter The stars aligned for a group of artists and artisans to pay proper homage to the Declaration of Independence Back in 1992, artist Jose-Maria Cundin, originally from the Basque Country, Spain, released a hand-engraved facsimile of the United States Declaration of Independence, after three years of hard work and collaboration with craftsmen from his homelanda papermaker and a renowned metal engraver. But the project didnt draw broader interest from the American public. Sara Fattori, who owned a fine art gallery in Palm Beach, Florida, before starting her interior design business, knew of Cundins work, but it wasnt until her fathers passing, around 2007, that she pondered more deeply the meaning of the countrys founding document and the possibility of promoting Cundins hand-engraved version. Her father had fought in World War II and was part of an aviation force in the Normandy invasion. The reality of war, she said, and the sacrifices made by previous generations to preserve freedom, moved her. The Perfect Frame Around 2014, when an opportunity arose to donate a Cundin engraving for an auction event benefiting the Carson Scholars Funds initiative to promote literacy in low-income neighborhoods, Fattori began searching for a frame worthy of encasing the document. While researching online, she discovered Marcelo Bavaro, a fourth-generation historical frame maker based in New York, whose Italian family inherited a century of craftsmanship in carpentry and gilding. Fattori instinctively knew he was the right fit. When they met, Bavaro said the Declaration should be encased in a Federal-style frame befitting the time period when the original document was draftedthe newly formed country wanted to distinguish itself from its former ruler, so a style emphasizing simple, clean lines was popularized, contrasting sharply with ornate British detailing. I knew I was with the right person when Marcelo said, Oh, it should be in a Federal-style frame, Fattori said during a recent interview at Bavaros Brooklyn firm Quebracho Inc., which restores and makes frames for top museums, art galleries, and auction houses. Bavaro was intrigued by the project: I always wondered how this country was guided by this piece of paper for centuries. And everybody respects it. I come from a country where nobody respects anything. He was referring to Argentinahis family emigrated there in the early 20th century. In the early 1980s, when Argentina was under military rule, Bavaro himself was caught in the political turmoil and jailed for writing articles that criticized the government. Due to his familys influence, he managed to escape and was on the run for five days before crossing the Brazilian border and taking a plane to the United States, where he met up with his father, the first of his family to settle here. Federal-style frames require incredible carpentry skills; an artisan must shape the wood into a narrow concave shape. There are few workshops left in the world that are still engaged in this artwork. Craftsmanship is something that is dying out, Bavaro said. Its so simple to make money sitting in front of a computer; why are you going to break your hands doing what we do? A craftsperson working on gilding a frame, at the Quebracho studio in Brooklyn, New York City. (Lux Aeterna Photography) A craftsperson works on etching a pattern on a frame. (Lux Aeterna Photography) While working on the Declaration project in 2014, Bavaro, together with Fattori and her husband, Paul, joined forces to launch a new company, Fattori Fine Frames, that would provide custom-made, handcrafted frames for people looking to frame artwork and mirrors in their homes. The auction event that took place the following year was a success, with a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution buying the framed document. A selection of frames made by the Quebracho workshop in Brooklyn. (Lux Aeterna Photography) History Cundins facsimile is a copy of William J. Stones engravingthe latter was commissioned by then-Secretary of State John Quincy Adams during the 1820s as an official government copy, because Adams had grown concerned over the fragile condition of the original Declaration. In Stones tradition, Cundin set out to make a hand-engraved brass plateit would be the first such engraving since Stones time. Cundin always had a personal connection to America, even before becoming a citizen in 1971. His father was born on July 4 and frequently joked about how his birthday coincided with that of Americas. Cundin was moved by the content of the Declaration upon reading it in its entirety. The demand for freedomthat is the connection that I found most touching in my heart, he said in a recent phone interview. The brass plate etched with the Declaration of Independence. (Courtesy of Jose-Maria Cundin) When he began the engraving project in 1989, out of curiosity he started researching the founding fathers who signed the document. Cundin found out that John Adams had visited the Basque Country in 1780, and had been so inspired by the local governance system that he kept it in mind while drafting the United States Constitution years later. Adams also wrote about the Biscay government in his treatise, A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America, stating, While their neighbors have long since resigned all their pretensions into the hands of kings and priests, this extraordinary people have preserved their ancient language, genius, laws, government, and manners their love of liberty, and unconquerable aversion to a foreign servitude. Engraver Pedro Aspiazu (L) and artist Jose-Maria Cundin studying a proof of the printed Declaration. (Courtesy of Jose-Maria Cundin) The connection with Cundins homeland convinced him to look for artisans there for the engraving project. Pedro Aspiazu, who was born into a multi-generational family of engravers, hand-chiseled the plate, while a Basque company handmade the paper from pure cotton, and a Madrid company did the printing. Cundin retained the same paper size as the original, but reduced the text size so there would be empty spacea visual environment, to make it a document that everybody could receive in the mail, but in a magnificent size, he said. The framed engraving resembles a painting, yet is humble in its quiet dignity. Cundins team made 1,200 copiesthe first few were gifted to George H.W. Bush during his presidency, the king of Spain, and the United States Congress. Today, there are about 1,000 copies still available for purchase. Independence Day Paul Fattori hopes that younger generations can truly appreciate what this document means and the extent to which the signees risked their lives to publicly protest the British monarchy. It symbolizes all that freedom, that libertyand its about the people, consent of the people, he said. Sara Fattori hopes Americans neither take their freedoms for granted nor forget about the balance of powers in government. Im looking at a country like a family unit; like, if someone is too powerful and controlling, then the other people are not going to thrive and be able to flourish as a human being, she said. This article was originally published in American Essence magazine. 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. Reporter Debra Pressey is a reporter covering health care at The News-Gazette. Her email is dpressey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@DLPressey). 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. A student adjusts her facemask at St. Joseph Catholic School in La Puente, Calif., on Nov. 16, 2020, where pre-kindergarten to second-grade students in need of special services returned to the classroom today for in-person instruction. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images) LA May Soon Mandate Outdoor Masks in Schools, Require Surgical or N95 Masks for Students LOS ANGELESChildren in Los Angeles may soon be required to wear masks outdoors, as well as an upgrade to surgical-grade or N95 respirator masks instead of using only cloth masks in schools. On Dec. 29, an email was sent by a Los Angeles school superintendent to a parent and shared on Twitter. Given the COVID-19 Omicron surge, [Los Angeles County Department of Public Health] has indicated that school districts should anticipate updated and more restrictive health protocols when schools resume in January, the email read. Though the revised protocols havent yet been issued, theyre expected to be announced in the coming days, according to the email. The email said that the county health department is highly likely to officially require both outdoor and indoor masking for all school activities except when eating, and staff and students may need to upgrade their masks to either surgical grade or N95 masks because cloth masks alone would not be sufficient. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) website, which cites recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cloth masks may or may not meet any fluid barrier or filtration efficiency levels. However, the same webpage said surgical masks do not provide complete protection from germs and other contaminants because of the loose fit between the surface of the mask and your face, but are meant to help block large-particle droplets, splashes, sprays, or splatter that may contain germs (viruses and bacteria), keeping it from reaching your mouth and nose. Students and parents arrive masked for the first day of the school year at Grant Elementary School in Los Angeles, on Aug. 16, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images) On the other hand, N95 respirator masks can form a seal around the nose and mouth and are designed to achieve very efficient filtration of airborne particles, according to the FDA. In addition to the masking protocol, the countys health department is considering more comprehensive testing regimens, though the email didnt elaborate on what those regimens might be. Currently, all school employees are required to get weekly COVID-19 tests, and staff and students with vaccine exemptions must get tested twice a week. Some parents raised concerns about the N95 respirator masks not fitting childrens small faces and not achieving the desired effect. Parent and community activist Scott Davison pointed out on Twitter that the FDA said N95 respirators cannot achieve a proper fit on children and thus may not provide full protection. The CDCs National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) page also states that NIOSH does not approve any type of respiratory protection for children. Students walk to their classrooms at a public middle school in Los Angeles on Sept. 10, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images) Sharon McKeeman, founder of parent advocacy group Let Them Breathe, told The Epoch Times that these mask evaluations reflect what Let Them Breathe has been saying all along and what we have been litigating overwhich is that cloth masks are not effective. But the health department is going in the wrong direction asking children to wear N95 masks, which can cause even more harm to students, McKeeman said. Our lawsuit has documented the mental, emotional, social, physical, and academic detriments of wearing masks, and the more restrictive the mask thats worn, [the more harm it can cause]. Let Them Breathe, which has more than 20,000 members across the nation, also filed a complaint in the San Diego County Superior Court in September regarding mask mandates for children. The complaint states, [Let Them Breathe] believes that masking students is unnecessary, ineffective, and harmful to their mental, physical, social, and emotional well-being, and the group is concerned that mask requirements prevent children from engaging in a quality in-person education. McKeeman said teachers are telling her group that children are having a hard time because they cant see their teachers and classmates faces. Its also very difficult for teachers to teach reading if students cant see how theyre forming those phonetic sounds with their mouth, she said. Were hearing from parents and counselors and psychologists that students are feeling anxious and depressed because theyre not having that positive reinforcement of smiles, and theyre becoming withdrawn and antisocial. Were hearing from school administration that theres a lot more violent and destructive behavior at school, and that the psychiatrist and counselors were speaking to are saying that its a direct result of not being able to see other humans faces and [of] experiencing detachment. Students attend an in-person English class at St. Anthony Catholic High School during the Covid-19 pandemic on March 24, 2021, in Long Beach, California. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images) The groups lawsuit gained a victory when their request for reconsideration was granted. The hearing is expected to take place on Jan 28. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health didnt respond to a request for comment by press time. Several parents of students in Los Angeles declined to comment for this article. Demonstrators gathered outside Baghdad's Green Zone which includes the US Embassy compound on Friday to remember Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian anti-terror commander who was killed on January 3, 2020. Media reports suggest that he was killed by a US drone strike. The demonstrators created a model of the US Embassy, painting it with graffiti and lighting it on fire while waving Iraqi flags. The demonstrators also gathered to remember Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Iraqi anti-Daesh commander who was killed along with Soleimani. According to Sputnik, one of the protesters said that today, they recall the day the evil embassy entered Iraq, the embassy of the great Satan, the American embassy that never gives good to any country. They also said it brought misery to the Iraqi people. Late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of PMF The late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), and his killing alongside Soleimani in January 2020 infuriated militia leaders, prompting them to warn that they would not stop rocket attacks on US military facilities, according to Sputnik. The United States Embassy in Baghdad issued an alert earlier this week, citing increased demonstration activity related to the certification of Iraqi elections, as well as the December 31 deadline for the transition of US military operations in Iraq and the 3 January anniversary of the airstrike that killed Qasem Soleimani. Soleimani and al-Muhandis were killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad International Airport on 3 January 2020, with US officials initially claiming that the Iranian counter-terror commander was planning attacks on US forces, but later admitting that there was no specific intelligence pointing to any Soleimani plots, according to Sputnik. The assassination prompted Iran to launch over a dozen ballistic missiles at two US sites in Iraq, injuring over 100 American troops and bringing Tehran and Washington to the verge of war. Iran will continue to pursue individuals responsible for Soleimani's death Iran has reiterated that it will continue to pursue individuals responsible for Soleimani's death, including then US President Donald Trump, with Iranian and Iraqi authorities issuing arrest warrants for the former president, according to Sputnik. Iran's Foreign Ministry stated on Friday that the US accepts definitive international responsibility for Soleimani's killing and that the Biden administration is now ultimately accountable for the predecessor's attack that was orchestrated and carried out in a systematic manner. Image: @politicalpen_/Twitter Demonstrators gathered outside Baghdad's Green Zone which includes the US Embassy compound on Friday to remember Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian anti-terror commander who was killed on January 3, 2020. Media reports suggest that he was killed by a US drone strike. The demonstrators created a model of the US Embassy, painting it with graffiti and lighting it on fire while waving Iraqi flags. The demonstrators also gathered to remember Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Iraqi anti-Daesh commander who was killed along with Soleimani. According to Sputnik, one of the protesters said that today, they recall the day the evil embassy entered Iraq, the embassy of the great Satan, the American embassy that never gives good to any country. They also said it brought misery to the Iraqi people. Late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of PMF The late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), and his killing alongside Soleimani in January 2020 infuriated militia leaders, prompting them to warn that they would not stop rocket attacks on US military facilities, according to Sputnik. The United States Embassy in Baghdad issued an alert earlier this week, citing increased demonstration activity related to the certification of Iraqi elections, as well as the December 31 deadline for the transition of US military operations in Iraq and the 3 January anniversary of the airstrike that killed Qasem Soleimani. Soleimani and al-Muhandis were killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad International Airport on 3 January 2020, with US officials initially claiming that the Iranian counter-terror commander was planning attacks on US forces, but later admitting that there was no specific intelligence pointing to any Soleimani plots, according to Sputnik. The assassination prompted Iran to launch over a dozen ballistic missiles at two US sites in Iraq, injuring over 100 American troops and bringing Tehran and Washington to the verge of war. Iran will continue to pursue individuals responsible for Soleimani's death Iran has reiterated that it will continue to pursue individuals responsible for Soleimani's death, including then US President Donald Trump, with Iranian and Iraqi authorities issuing arrest warrants for the former president, according to Sputnik. Iran's Foreign Ministry stated on Friday that the US accepts definitive international responsibility for Soleimani's killing and that the Biden administration is now ultimately accountable for the predecessor's attack that was orchestrated and carried out in a systematic manner. Image: @politicalpen_/Twitter Demonstrators gathered outside Baghdad's Green Zone which includes the US Embassy compound on Friday to remember Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian anti-terror commander who was killed on January 3, 2020. Media reports suggest that he was killed by a US drone strike. The demonstrators created a model of the US Embassy, painting it with graffiti and lighting it on fire while waving Iraqi flags. The demonstrators also gathered to remember Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Iraqi anti-Daesh commander who was killed along with Soleimani. According to Sputnik, one of the protesters said that today, they recall the day the evil embassy entered Iraq, the embassy of the great Satan, the American embassy that never gives good to any country. They also said it brought misery to the Iraqi people. Late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of PMF The late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), and his killing alongside Soleimani in January 2020 infuriated militia leaders, prompting them to warn that they would not stop rocket attacks on US military facilities, according to Sputnik. The United States Embassy in Baghdad issued an alert earlier this week, citing increased demonstration activity related to the certification of Iraqi elections, as well as the December 31 deadline for the transition of US military operations in Iraq and the 3 January anniversary of the airstrike that killed Qasem Soleimani. Soleimani and al-Muhandis were killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad International Airport on 3 January 2020, with US officials initially claiming that the Iranian counter-terror commander was planning attacks on US forces, but later admitting that there was no specific intelligence pointing to any Soleimani plots, according to Sputnik. The assassination prompted Iran to launch over a dozen ballistic missiles at two US sites in Iraq, injuring over 100 American troops and bringing Tehran and Washington to the verge of war. Iran will continue to pursue individuals responsible for Soleimani's death Iran has reiterated that it will continue to pursue individuals responsible for Soleimani's death, including then US President Donald Trump, with Iranian and Iraqi authorities issuing arrest warrants for the former president, according to Sputnik. Iran's Foreign Ministry stated on Friday that the US accepts definitive international responsibility for Soleimani's killing and that the Biden administration is now ultimately accountable for the predecessor's attack that was orchestrated and carried out in a systematic manner. Image: @politicalpen_/Twitter Demonstrators gathered outside Baghdad's Green Zone which includes the US Embassy compound on Friday to remember Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian anti-terror commander who was killed on January 3, 2020. Media reports suggest that he was killed by a US drone strike. The demonstrators created a model of the US Embassy, painting it with graffiti and lighting it on fire while waving Iraqi flags. The demonstrators also gathered to remember Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Iraqi anti-Daesh commander who was killed along with Soleimani. According to Sputnik, one of the protesters said that today, they recall the day the evil embassy entered Iraq, the embassy of the great Satan, the American embassy that never gives good to any country. They also said it brought misery to the Iraqi people. Late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of PMF The late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was a deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), and his killing alongside Soleimani in January 2020 infuriated militia leaders, prompting them to warn that they would not stop rocket attacks on US military facilities, according to Sputnik. The United States Embassy in Baghdad issued an alert earlier this week, citing increased demonstration activity related to the certification of Iraqi elections, as well as the December 31 deadline for the transition of US military operations in Iraq and the 3 January anniversary of the airstrike that killed Qasem Soleimani. Soleimani and al-Muhandis were killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad International Airport on 3 January 2020, with US officials initially claiming that the Iranian counter-terror commander was planning attacks on US forces, but later admitting that there was no specific intelligence pointing to any Soleimani plots, according to Sputnik. The assassination prompted Iran to launch over a dozen ballistic missiles at two US sites in Iraq, injuring over 100 American troops and bringing Tehran and Washington to the verge of war. Iran will continue to pursue individuals responsible for Soleimani's death Iran has reiterated that it will continue to pursue individuals responsible for Soleimani's death, including then US President Donald Trump, with Iranian and Iraqi authorities issuing arrest warrants for the former president, according to Sputnik. Iran's Foreign Ministry stated on Friday that the US accepts definitive international responsibility for Soleimani's killing and that the Biden administration is now ultimately accountable for the predecessor's attack that was orchestrated and carried out in a systematic manner. Image: @politicalpen_/Twitter The stars aligned for a group of artists and artisans to pay proper homage to the Declaration of Independence Back in 1992, artist Jose-Maria Cundin, originally from the Basque Country, Spain, released a hand-engraved facsimile of the United States Declaration of Independence, after three years of hard work and collaboration with craftsmen from his homelanda papermaker and a renowned metal engraver. But the project didnt draw broader interest from the American public. Sara Fattori, who owned a fine art gallery in Palm Beach, Florida, before starting her interior design business, knew of Cundins work, but it wasnt until her fathers passing, around 2007, that she pondered more deeply the meaning of the countrys founding document and the possibility of promoting Cundins hand-engraved version. Her father had fought in World War II and was part of an aviation force in the Normandy invasion. The reality of war, she said, and the sacrifices made by previous generations to preserve freedom, moved her. The Perfect Frame Around 2014, when an opportunity arose to donate a Cundin engraving for an auction event benefiting the Carson Scholars Funds initiative to promote literacy in low-income neighborhoods, Fattori began searching for a frame worthy of encasing the document. While researching online, she discovered Marcelo Bavaro, a fourth-generation historical frame maker based in New York, whose Italian family inherited a century of craftsmanship in carpentry and gilding. Fattori instinctively knew he was the right fit. When they met, Bavaro said the Declaration should be encased in a Federal-style frame befitting the time period when the original document was draftedthe newly formed country wanted to distinguish itself from its former ruler, so a style emphasizing simple, clean lines was popularized, contrasting sharply with ornate British detailing. I knew I was with the right person when Marcelo said, Oh, it should be in a Federal-style frame, Fattori said during a recent interview at Bavaros Brooklyn firm Quebracho Inc., which restores and makes frames for top museums, art galleries, and auction houses. Bavaro was intrigued by the project: I always wondered how this country was guided by this piece of paper for centuries. And everybody respects it. I come from a country where nobody respects anything. He was referring to Argentinahis family emigrated there in the early 20th century. In the early 1980s, when Argentina was under military rule, Bavaro himself was caught in the political turmoil and jailed for writing articles that criticized the government. Due to his familys influence, he managed to escape and was on the run for five days before crossing the Brazilian border and taking a plane to the United States, where he met up with his father, the first of his family to settle here. Federal-style frames require incredible carpentry skills; an artisan must shape the wood into a narrow concave shape. There are few workshops left in the world that are still engaged in this artwork. Craftsmanship is something that is dying out, Bavaro said. Its so simple to make money sitting in front of a computer; why are you going to break your hands doing what we do? A craftsperson working on gilding a frame, at the Quebracho studio in Brooklyn, New York City. (Lux Aeterna Photography) A craftsperson works on etching a pattern on a frame. (Lux Aeterna Photography) While working on the Declaration project in 2014, Bavaro, together with Fattori and her husband, Paul, joined forces to launch a new company, Fattori Fine Frames, that would provide custom-made, handcrafted frames for people looking to frame artwork and mirrors in their homes. The auction event that took place the following year was a success, with a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution buying the framed document. A selection of frames made by the Quebracho workshop in Brooklyn. (Lux Aeterna Photography) History Cundins facsimile is a copy of William J. Stones engravingthe latter was commissioned by then-Secretary of State John Quincy Adams during the 1820s as an official government copy, because Adams had grown concerned over the fragile condition of the original Declaration. In Stones tradition, Cundin set out to make a hand-engraved brass plateit would be the first such engraving since Stones time. Cundin always had a personal connection to America, even before becoming a citizen in 1971. His father was born on July 4 and frequently joked about how his birthday coincided with that of Americas. Cundin was moved by the content of the Declaration upon reading it in its entirety. The demand for freedomthat is the connection that I found most touching in my heart, he said in a recent phone interview. The brass plate etched with the Declaration of Independence. (Courtesy of Jose-Maria Cundin) When he began the engraving project in 1989, out of curiosity he started researching the founding fathers who signed the document. Cundin found out that John Adams had visited the Basque Country in 1780, and had been so inspired by the local governance system that he kept it in mind while drafting the United States Constitution years later. Adams also wrote about the Biscay government in his treatise, A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America, stating, While their neighbors have long since resigned all their pretensions into the hands of kings and priests, this extraordinary people have preserved their ancient language, genius, laws, government, and manners their love of liberty, and unconquerable aversion to a foreign servitude. Engraver Pedro Aspiazu (L) and artist Jose-Maria Cundin studying a proof of the printed Declaration. (Courtesy of Jose-Maria Cundin) The connection with Cundins homeland convinced him to look for artisans there for the engraving project. Pedro Aspiazu, who was born into a multi-generational family of engravers, hand-chiseled the plate, while a Basque company handmade the paper from pure cotton, and a Madrid company did the printing. Cundin retained the same paper size as the original, but reduced the text size so there would be empty spacea visual environment, to make it a document that everybody could receive in the mail, but in a magnificent size, he said. The framed engraving resembles a painting, yet is humble in its quiet dignity. Cundins team made 1,200 copiesthe first few were gifted to George H.W. Bush during his presidency, the king of Spain, and the United States Congress. Today, there are about 1,000 copies still available for purchase. Independence Day Paul Fattori hopes that younger generations can truly appreciate what this document means and the extent to which the signees risked their lives to publicly protest the British monarchy. It symbolizes all that freedom, that libertyand its about the people, consent of the people, he said. Sara Fattori hopes Americans neither take their freedoms for granted nor forget about the balance of powers in government. Im looking at a country like a family unit; like, if someone is too powerful and controlling, then the other people are not going to thrive and be able to flourish as a human being, she said. This article was originally published in American Essence magazine. 14 valuable coins that could be hiding in your change The next time you rummage through your spare change for laundry or your morning coffee, keep an eye out. A single coin can be worth a small fortune. Some of these coins were accidentally engraved with silly mistakes that didnt get caught until it was too late. Other runs were mostly destroyed, making the survivors an instant collector's item. Here are 15 rare coins that fetch a high price on eBay or at auction. If you don't find any in your pockets, don't despair you can get rich off spare change in other ways. 14. 1972 doubled die obverse Lincoln Memorial cent eBay The U.S. Mint released the 1972 Lincoln Memorial Cent in 1972 but some of them came with a rather embarrassing error. The words Liberty on the left and 1972 on the right of Abes profile were doubled on the error coins, and experts estimate 20,000 of them were accidentally created. One of these error coins was listed with a starting price of $1 on eBay.com but garnered 49 bids and sold for $325, reported The U.S. Sun in September 2021. The news outlet added that this penny in particular may have been worth more because of its distinctive color. 13. 2004 D Wisconsin quarter, Extra Leaf Low variety eBay The Wisconsin quarter, minted in 2004, bears the image of a cow, a wheel of cheese and an ear of corn. However, one variant is worth considerably more than 25 cents. The Extra Leaf Low quarter features an extra leaf on the left side of the ear of corn, but it sits lower and touches the cheese wheel. Some have suggested that someone deliberately sabotaged the die before it began production, but Coin World says that an investigation by the U.S. Mint determined that the flawed coins were produced by accident. These quarters are worth even more than the Kansas ones in Oct. 2021, one of these Extra Leaf Low variants sold for $152 on eBay.com. 12. Sacagawea Cheerios dollar eBay Back in early 2000, you might have found this rare coin in a box of your favorite cereal. The U.S. Mint promoted its new Golden Dollar by tucking a 2000 Lincoln cent into 10 million boxes of Cheerios 5,500 of which also contained the Sacagawea dollar. Story continues Some of those dollars, however, were a little different from the standard variety, with enhanced eagle tail feathers on the reverse. DIY site The Spruce Crafts says only about 60 to 70 of these coins have emerged since, but they can sell for between $5,000 to $25,000 depending on grade. 11. 2008-W silver eagle reverse of 2007 eBay The U.S. Mint released 47,000 uncirculated 2008-W American Eagle silver coins struck with the older reverse dies used in 2007, says numismatic magazine Coin World. You can spot the difference in the lettering. The u on the normal 2008 reverse has a spur on the right side of the letter, but the u on the 2007 reverse doesnt have a spur or downstroke. Two coins in this style sold on eBay.com recently for more than $1,000 each. 10. 1879 $4 Gold Stella eBay The Stella was designed to match the weight and composition of other coins in the Latin Monetary Union, an effort in Europe to form a single currency (the union was dissolved in 1927). Congressman John Kasson of Iowa proposed a $4 gold coin with a weight that matched the Austro-Hungarian 8 florin piece, after struggling to convert American dollars into Austrian florins, says Barrons. The coin was never approved for full-scale production, but collectors will pay a small fortune for one today. One two-coin set from the Smithsonian sold for nearly $5,000 in September 2021. 9. 1955 doubled die Lincoln penny eBay This other presidential penny has an obvious double imprinting on the words Liberty and In God We Trust. The Spruce Crafts says these coins may have passed inspection on an overnight shift without proper supervision. Thousands were released into circulation in 1955 before anyone noticed. Between 20,000 to 24,000 were believed to have been originally released, however experts think only 10,000 to 15,000 survived. One sold for a whopping $1,850 on eBay.com in November 2021. 8. 1927-D Saint-Gaudens double eagle eBay The 1927-D Saint-Gaudens double eagle is a $20 gold coin named after Augustus Saint-Gaudens, who designed the original 1905-1907 model. This coin is rare because most of its kind are thought to have been melted down during the gold recall of 1933, says Numismatic News. Its usually worth around $1 million today. The second-finest known 1927-D Saint-Gaudens double eagle sold for about $3 million in August 2021. The coin was reported to be in excellent condition and color. It was part of the prestigious Louis E. Eliasberg collection. 7. 1894-S Barber dime Professional Coin Grading Service / Wikimedia Commons Only 24 of these coins were ever created, and they're even more rare today. The 1894-S Barber dime was designed by engraver Charles E. Barber and produced at the San Francisco Mint, and today only nine still exist. Like other Barber dimes, it features the head of Liberty on one side. In 2016, one of the famous dimes sold for almost $2 million at a Florida auction, while another one belonging to late Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss was bought for $1.32 million in a Chicago auction, reports Fox 2 Detroit. 6. 1913 Liberty head nickel Crotalus horridus / Wikimedia Commons Only five of these valuable nickels are confirmed to exist in the world, says The Spruce Crafts so its unlikely youll spot one camping out in your wallet. Designed by Charles E. Barber, the Liberty head nickel had the Roman numeral V engraved on one side, but U.S. Mint officials failed to add the word Cents. Scammers took advantage of the missing value and began plating the coins in gold, attempting to pass them off as $5 coins instead. The mint later added Cents to the design. Rumors, media coverage, famous owners and escalating prices all helped add to the coins value among collectors. In 2018, one of these coins (from the Louis E. Eliasberg collection) sold for $4.56 million at a Philadelphia auction. 5. Flowing Hair dollar eBay The Flowing Hair $1 coin is thought to be the first official silver dollar issued by the U.S. government. The design features Miss Liberty with flowing hair on its obverse. Only 150 to 200 of the 1794 variety are left, while the 1795 coin is more common. The Flowing Hair design was later replaced by the Draped Bust. The 1795 Flowing Hair dollar can still rack up thousands of dollars online one sold for nearly $2,500 on eBay.com in September 2021. 4. 1943-S Lincoln wheat penny Wikimedia Commons During World War II, the U.S. Mint switched to zinc-coated steel coins because copper was needed for ammunition. However, a few leftover bronze planchets that is, the round metal disks ready to be struck as a coin from 1942 made their way into processing and entered circulation. The Spruce Crafts explains that some of these coins may have gotten wedged in the corners of the bins that moved the planchets around and then were dislodged during processing. In 2012, rare coin dealer Legend Numismatics sold a highly graded 1943-S Lincoln wheat penny for $1 million to Texas Rangers co-chairman Bob R. Simpson. 3. Morgan silver dollar eBay This $1 coin, named after designer George T. Morgan, features Liberty on one side and an eagle with its wings outstretched on the reverse. It was minted from 1878 to 1904 and in 1921, but hundreds of millions were melted down over the years, says The U.S. Sun. A special non-circulating edition was also released in 2021. This coins value might vary depending on its condition, mint year and rarity. One Brilliant Uncirculated 1884 Morgan silver dollar recently sold for $375 on eBay.com, while an 1893-S went for $1,805. 2. 2005-D 5C speared bison eBay The U.S. Mint decided to bring back the bison reverse design on the Jefferson nickel in 2005, but some of these coins had a distinctive marking that set them apart. According to the Professional Coin Grading Service, a noticeable die gouge along the back of the bison was found among several of these presidential nickels. Within a couple of days of the discovery, these error coins were selling for more than $100. Now referred to as speared bison nickels, they arent usually found in good condition or luster, which adds to their rarity among collectors today. One sold for $495 on eBay.com recently. 1. 2005 Kansas In God We Rust state quarter eBay Poke around in your wallet for one of these state quarters that fell victim to a hilarious blunder. The U.S. Mint produced a series of special quarters to celebrate each state over 10 years starting in 1999. However, the 2005 Kansas quarter reads "In God We Rust" instead of the U.S. motto "In God We Trust." Lubricant grease might have clogged up the T, preventing the letter from being transferred onto the coin, says The Spruce Crafts. One of these Kansas error coins sold for $45 on eBay.com in November 2021. Turn your pennies into a portfolio A_stockphoto / Shutterstock Didn't find any valuable coins in your pockets? Think again. Even if you only have a few ordinary quarters and dimes to spare, you can earn big returns by taking advantage of todays runaway stock market. A popular app will help you invest your "spare change from everyday purchases. You'll even get a $10 reward just for getting started. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Reporter Debra Pressey is a reporter covering health care at The News-Gazette. Her email is dpressey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@DLPressey). A Boeing 737 MAX airplane prepares to land after a test flight at Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington, U.S., June 29, 2020. Photo by Reuters/Karen Ducey The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has lifted a ban on the Boeing 737 Max and allowed airlines to operate the jet in the country after evaluating its safety. The decision is based on safety measures that its maker, Boeing, has added after the jet was involved in two major accidents in two countries. The Boeing 737 Max aircraft was grounded worldwide in March 2019 after 346 people were killed in two crashes in the space of a few months in Indonesia and Ethiopia. So far, 178 of 195 aviation authorities in the world have lifted their bans on the jet, and over 360 aircraft are in operation again. U.S. authorities lifted the ban on the jet in December 2020 after Boeing made changes in its design. A Boeing 737 MAX airplane prepares to land after a test flight at Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington, U.S., June 29, 2020. Photo by Reuters/Karen Ducey The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has lifted a ban on the Boeing 737 Max and allowed airlines to operate the jet in the country after evaluating its safety. The decision is based on safety measures that its maker, Boeing, has added after the jet was involved in two major accidents in two countries. The Boeing 737 Max aircraft was grounded worldwide in March 2019 after 346 people were killed in two crashes in the space of a few months in Indonesia and Ethiopia. So far, 178 of 195 aviation authorities in the world have lifted their bans on the jet, and over 360 aircraft are in operation again. U.S. authorities lifted the ban on the jet in December 2020 after Boeing made changes in its design. CAPE TOWN In an almost empty cathedral, with an unvarnished, rope-handled coffin placed before the altar, South Africa said farewell on Saturday to Archbishop Desmond M. Tutu with the simplicity that he had planned. Archbishop Tutus death last Sunday at age 90 was followed by a week of mourning, as the world remembered his powerful role both in opposing apartheid and in promoting unity and reconciliation after its defeat. CAPE TOWN In an almost empty cathedral, with an unvarnished, rope-handled coffin placed before the altar, South Africa said farewell on Saturday to Archbishop Desmond M. Tutu with the simplicity that he had planned. Archbishop Tutus death last Sunday at age 90 was followed by a week of mourning, as the world remembered his powerful role both in opposing apartheid and in promoting unity and reconciliation after its defeat. CAPE TOWN In an almost empty cathedral, with an unvarnished, rope-handled coffin placed before the altar, South Africa said farewell on Saturday to Archbishop Desmond M. Tutu with the simplicity that he had planned. Archbishop Tutus death last Sunday at age 90 was followed by a week of mourning, as the world remembered his powerful role both in opposing apartheid and in promoting unity and reconciliation after its defeat. New Delhi: India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said that wheat will be sent to Afghanistan in the "coming weeks" after vaccines were supplied on the first day of the New Year 2022. The MEA in a statement said, "In coming weeks, we would be undertaking the supply of wheat and the remaining medical assistance" and "in this regard, we are in touch with UN agencies and others for finalizing the modalities for transportation." India has committed to providing 50,000 MT of wheat, essential lifesaving medicines and COVID vaccines to the Afghan people. One of the proposals to send the supplies has been via overland Pakistan. While Islamabad has publicly stated it will allow the movement of supplies, no transfer has started even as New Delhi and Islamabad continue to discuss the modalities of transfer. Meanwhile, since the Talibans takeover in August of last year, India has sent humanitarian support to Afghanistan via Iran's Mahan air as commercial cargo. New Delhi sent second batch of 500,000 doses of COVID vaccine (COVAXIN) to Afghanistan which has been handed over to Indira Gandhi Hospital, Kabul. Another batch of additional 500,000 doses would be supplied in the coming weeks. The MEA in a release said, "Government of India has committed to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghan people consisting of food grains, one million doses of COVID Vaccine and essential life saving drugs." Last month, India sent 1.6 metric tons of medicines to Afghanistan via Kam airways, the first such consignment under the Taliban regime. The support comes even as India and Afghanistan's Taliban govt has no formal ties but two times New Delhi has publicly accepted that it has held talks with the group--one in Doha and another in Moscow. Taliban has also accepted that it has had conversations with the Indian govt. When the first supplies came, the Taliban had welcomed them. Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson of Taliban foreign ministry said, "We appreciate the arrival of 2 tons of Indian assisted medicine to Indira Gandhi Children Hospital in Kabul." The same flight saw many Afghan Hindus and Sikhs coming to India while 85 Afghan nationals stuck in India reaching back to homeland. Live TV Desmond Tutu,the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. Ubuntu: I am because you are, because we are. But beyond that, I am because I belong, and I have chosen to belong, to form a part of, participate in, and unite with others and their ideas and ideologies, despite the realistic existence of nuances and differences. This was perhaps the strongest lesson humans learnt in the year 2020. Some might think it has become cliche that everything in the world goes back to the year 2020. But then, we have never seen any like it, and until we fully stretch the elastics of discourse around that year and the new realities, revelations, and awakenings that came with it, then our conversation will continue to revolve around it, whether it is boring to some unfocused people or not. The year 2020 taught us to embrace Ubuntu more than ever before; to be humans first, unite first, because Mmatsie, Serges, and Edith exist only because the human entity exists. But before this message got aggravated in 2020, some people were already living by its principles. These people saw it as their culture, as their philosophy of life. As a matter of fact, some propounded the theology and championed it. The most remarkable of them? Reverend Desmond Mpilo Tutu! May God rest his soul. Desmond Tutu, the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. I met the great man on several occasions: In Cambridge in 1988, where we had dinner as part of a group of admirers. In London, then in South Africa, with a group of people, to appeal to him to speak with the president to end Xenophobia. He even gave me his phone number, but I did not call him once. When I did a tribute book in honour of Nelson Mandela, he sent a message that I left out some names. Tutu was a South African Anglican archbishop, a true humanist, and a firm believer in communalistic humanism. He was born in Klerksdorp, South Africa, on October 7, 1931. The circumstances surrounding his birth did not boast of financial buoyancy in the least; yet, Desmond was destined to be great and influential, and he became exactly those. Between 1931 and 1960, when he became a priest of the Anglican Church, he went through a series of training and development. This training would later help him form the basis of his faith, beliefs, philosophy, and culture. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. The quintessential Tutu was born and raised in South Africa when the apartheid system was thriving. Of course, a part of the country was seeing progress and advancement. However, a good part of the country, particularly the area inhabited by the black people, the true owners of the land, knew little to no progress, and the people were subjected to severe oppression. Desmond Tutu was well aware that he got his training and education swaddled in costly privilege, which came at the expense of several thousand other children. He was one of the beneficiaries of a grossly unjust system, and he never forgot that. Therefore, when that privilege provided him with a most-prized education and empowered him in 1960, when he joined the league of some of the most powerful people in South Africa the priests Desmond Tutu knew it was time to use what he had gained for the good of his people. And that was what he did. He fought relentlessly against the apartheid government of South Africa. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. But did that dissuade Tutu? Far from it. Rather, it strengthened him and pushed him to go further. It encouraged him to persevere against all odds and in the face of persecution. Desmond Tutu made the most of what he had his voice, faith, position, and influence. He was a man with a mission, and he had a clear understanding of his goals. The archbishop was at the forefront of pulling in national and international commentators on the deeds of the apartheid government in South Africa. Although the South African people passed through what would go down as one of their worst times in history, Tutu preached the importance of making grievances known in a peaceful and non-violent way. The people were angry and fed up, and Tutu knew that humans are naturally inclined to be violent in such a state of mind, especially when it involves a high level of depravity on their soil. But he knew yet another thing that violence hardly ever solves the problem and that in the rare instances where violence solves the problem, it causes much bigger damage. The Bishop was not a man of violence. He demonstrated an exceptional quality by keeping the Nationalist Party in check when they became violent in their ways and dealings. During the last decade of the last millennium, when our people finally won their battle against oppression and the apartheid government, Tutu was there to celebrate with his people. There was also the factional disagreement that threatened the embryonic freedom that the South African people had just gotten. And who else but the Very Reverend Demond Tutu, preacher and practitioner of the Ubuntu theology, would step in at that critical moment? He persuaded both warring parties that each party is because the other is; therefore, we all are Africans. Thus, the war against apartheid was won through a united front of activism. People must not forget this as quickly as they got the freedom they desperately sought. Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. Simply put, Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights. Tutu was a brilliant and convincing orator. Soon after he became ordained, he rose through the ranks to become the Bishop of Johannesburg in 1985, and a year later, he became the Archbishop of Cape Town. He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. The late Bishop was a man who understood the futility in trying to please humans, so he just lived his life and embarked on endeavours based on his strong convictions. He never had a herd mentality. His support was always deep-seated and well-thought-out, making some people think he was always overly cautious in playing safe. Archbishop Tutu had the life, although it did not come to him as easily as it came to many others. He lived and worked in different capacities at different times. More so, he died at the ripe old age of 90. What more could a human being want? The anti-apartheid hero might not have wanted more, but more things surely came to him. When we, as humans, do good in whatever position we find ourselves, and if we do it because we have chosen to be innately good and because we believe so much in the potency of doing good, then the recognition we deserve will come, even if we do not actively seek it. Such was the case with our beloved Tutu. He won several awards for his contributions to humanity and relentlessly pushed for the betterment of his people and the world at large. Among the awards he received was the prestigious Nobel Prize for Peace, which he received in 1984. The Royal Swedish Academy deemed the reverend worthy of the award for his immense contributions to the fight against the oppression of the apartheid government and especially for his struggles to ensure a peaceful and non-violent demand for the peoples rights. Another award that the merry reverend and preacher of peace received was the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, considered one of the two most prestigious awards the United States of America can bestow on a civilian, was given to Tutu for his consistent contributions to the stability of world peace and other significant contributions to the fight for the peaceful co-existence of humans. In 2012, he received another prestigious award from the Mo Ibrahim Foundation for consistently speaking truth to power. This is a quality that many cannot boast of. Power corrupts, and once they have access to power, many activists soon fail to see the need to continue to champion the struggle for the rights of the oppressed. Also, there is the avoidance of truth to not lose the power bestowed on one. But not Tutu. He was a man who spent his life believing that his power and position were given him to help champion the cause of the marginalised and the oppressed, and if the oppressor were the leaders, so be it! Champion he must, and champion he was, speaking the truth, whether it went well with the powerful or not. On Sunday, December 26, 2021, a day after Christmas, Desmond Tutu went to rest. The gravity of this demise is still a shock coursing through our veins, one that our brain has neither readily nor fully processed. We are still talking about his demise, and the largeness of the void it has left in true humanism is still unknown to us, until the moments we would need a fearless commentator and wonder what Desmond Tutu would have said. This humanist lived his life for the people. He believed in the people and believed God had plans for humanity. He believed that one of the greatest resources made available to us as humans is the ability to practice Ubuntu, and he preached this with every fibre of his being. Rest easy, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. You were an invaluable treasure and a blessing to the world. The whole world will sorely miss you. Toyin Falola, a professor of History and University Distinguished Teaching Professor, is Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin. Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno has lauded the improved security in the state, praying for improvement in the New Year. Mr Zulum in his New Year message on Saturday in Maiduguri said his administration would continue to do more in the area of security for lasting peace in the state. He also defended his governments closure of camps meant for internally displaced persons. We must be very clear that there can be no livelihoods without lives. We continue to work tirelessly on issues of security so that we can guaranty physical security that would allow citizens to pursue their legitimate livelihoods in safety. In 2021, we took a number of steps to improve and strengthen security by supporting our forces, including the vigilantes with tools, equipment and resources to discharge their duties well. The results of our proactive measures are beginning to show as we recorded fewer attacks and the security forces did marvellously well in protecting us. We are not yet where we would like to be but we are certainly making progress in the right direction. Consequently, I am committed to ensuring more support for our security forces and the indefatigable local vigilantes that are helping us, Mr Zulum said. The governor who spoke on the ongoing closure of camps and resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) back to their recovered communities, said the measure was to give the people back their dignity and check some of the vices going on in the camps. The governor listed some of the vices to include, prostitution, thuggery and drug abuse. Mr Zulum said his administration was implementing the resettlement in line with international best practices and was providing palliatives for the resettled. Our administration puts the Borno people first in every decision. Our people remain the centrepiece of our strategy. We are aware that there will be some temporary inconvenience to people as they relocate. That is why we provide different palliative measures to strengthen their initial installation and stability in the new location. In our plans, we have made for short, medium and long term measures to support our people returning to their original places of origin where we can guaranty safety. We know that the return strategy will have some issues we need to address or things we need to change. We will not abandon our people as we continue to work for the betterment of all, Mr Zulum said. On the problem of electricity blackout facing Maiduguri and environs, Mr Zulum said the work on Maiduguri Gas Power Plant by the federal government was progressing and would be delivered in good time. He lauded the federal government, international partners, private sectors and other stakeholders for their sustained support to Borno, and reiterated his administrations commitment to quality leadership for the people of the state. (NAN) Reporter Debra Pressey is a reporter covering health care at The News-Gazette. Her email is dpressey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@DLPressey). Omicron is less severe than previous Covid variants because it does not cause as much damage in the lungs, a spate of studies have suggested. A study by a consortium of US and Japanese scientists on hamsters and mice found those infected with Omicron had less lung damage, lost less weight and were less likely to die than those that had other variants. It found mice infected with Omicron had a tenth less of the virus in their lungs compared to those with other variants. The findings backed up another paper by researchers at the University of Hong Kong, who studied human tissue in Omicron victims. They found Omicron grew significantly more slowly in 12 lung samples than earlier strains of the virus. Experts believe the fact the super mutant variant tends not to replicate as much in the lower parts of the lungs means it causes less significant damage, which could be behind its reduced severity. Data from South Africa showed Omicron sufferers are up to 80 per cent less likely to end up in hospital than those with Delta. And a similar study by the UK Health and Security estimated the risk was 70 per cent less. Roland Eils, a computational biologist at the Berlin Institute of Health, said there is an emerging theme in the literature suggesting the variant tends to stay outside the lungs. A study by a consortium of US and Japanese scientists on Syrian mice found those infected with Omicron (right) had less lung damage, lost less weight and were less likely to die than those that had the Delta variant (left) The findings backed up another paper by researchers at the University of Hong Kong, who studied human tissue in Omicron victims (purple bars). They found Omicron grew significantly more slowly in 12 lung samples than earlier strains of the virus Their study, which has not been peer-reviewed and was published on pre-print website medRxiv , found that among the 10,547 Omicron cases identified between October 1 and November 30, 261 (2.5 per cent) were admitted to hospital. For comparison, among the 948 non-Omicron cases in the same period - almost all of which would have been Delta, which was behind 95 per cent of cases before Omicron emerged - 121 people were hospitalised (12.8 per cent). The researchers said shows that those who caught Omicron had a 80 per cent lower risk of requiring hospital care Omicron IS milder, another study finds People who catch Omicron are 80 per cent less likely to be hospitalised than those who get Delta, a major study from South Africa suggests. The real-world analysis, of more than 160,000 people, showed Omicron sufferers were also 70 per cent less likely to be admitted to ICU or put on a ventilator compared to those with Delta. South African doctors have insisted for weeks that Omicron is milder since raising the alarm about it on November 24 and accused the UK of panicking about Omicron. But the researchers at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) who carried out the study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, said it still doesn't answer whether Omicron is intrinsically weaker than Delta. 'It is difficult to disentangle the relative contribution of high levels of previous population immunity versus intrinsic lower virulence to the observed lower disease severity,' the researchers concluded. Built-up immunity from three previous waves of the virus and vaccines are believed to be doing most of the heavy lifting in keeping patients out of hospital this time around. Up to 70 per cent of South Africans are believed to have had Covid before and only around a quarter are double vaccinated, with boosters not widely available yet. Advertisement He told the New York Times: 'It's fair to say that the idea of a disease that manifests itself primarily in the upper respiratory system is emerging.' The first paper, which has been published as a pre-print on Research Gate and has not yet been peer-reviewed, looked at tissue samples in mice and hamsters. Researchers assessed different parts of the lungs for mice infected with the Omicron variant as well as other strains of the virus including Delta. They found those infected with Omicron experienced much less severe symptoms. And they were particularly struck by how Syrian hamsters a breed which is particularly susceptible to previous strains had lower levels of illness with the variant. Dr Michael Diamond, a virologist at Washington University and a co-author of the study, said: 'This was surprising, since every other variant has robustly infected these hamsters.' Meanwhile, the second study by Hong Kong scientists also not peer-reviewed looked at Omicron in the lung cells of humans. They found the virus replicates significantly less in the lower parts of the lung. The researchers also studied cells in the bronchi the tubes in the upper chest delivering air to the lungs finding that the variant 70 times as apparent in those cells. They said the virus' prevalence in higher parts of the chest make it more transmissible because it is expelled more quickly in breath. But they said its lower levels in the lungs could also be behind the reduced severity suggested by swathes of other studies. They wrote: 'These observations may suggest that Omicron may have reduced clinical severity but such interpretations need to be qualified because the disease severity of Covid-19 is determined not only by virus replication but also by dysregulated innate immune responses.' It comes after a British analysis of more than a million cases of Omicron and Delta in recent weeks found the risk of hospitalisation with the now dominant variant is about one-third that of its predecessor. Britain is experiencing a surge in Covid cases driven by the highly-transmissible variant, with record daily infections of 189,846 yesterday. While hospital admissions have started to rise, the government has said it believes the new variant is milder than the Delta variant. The number of patients needing mechanical ventilation beds has also remained steady through December, unlike previous peaks in the pandemic. The analysis was published by the UK Health Security Agency, after it worked alongside Cambridge University MRC Biostatistics unit to analyse 528,176 Omicron cases and 573,012 Delta cases. It also found that vaccines can work well against Omicron. 'In this analysis, the risk of hospitalisation is lower for Omicron cases with symptomatic or asymptomatic infection after two and three doses of vaccine, with an 81 per cent ... reduction in the risk of hospitalisation after three doses compared to unvaccinated Omicron cases,' the UKHSA said. Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said the analysis was in keeping with other encouraging signs on Omicron but said the health service could still struggle with such high transmission rates. 'It remains too early to draw any definitive conclusions on hospital severity, and the increased transmissibility of Omicron and the rising cases in the over 60s population in England means it remains highly likely that there will be significant pressure on the NHS in coming weeks,' she said. The Delhi government will provide free and personalised online yoga classes to Covid-19 patients in home isolation to boost their immunity, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Saturday. This comes weeks after the Delhi government launched the 'Dilli Ki Yogshala' programme to help the city residents practise yoga regularly under the guidance of trained teachers. Sisodia said as soon as a Covid-19 case will be reported, the patient will receive an SMS from the Delhi government with a link to register for a yoga class. Each class will have about 25-35 people who will be taught by trained yoga instructors. Also Read | Delhi: Second wave wreaked havoc in 2021, Omicron shadows 2022 "The number of Covid patients is rising in Delhi, but they are mostly asymptomatic and are being advised to stay in home isolation. Along with medical treatment, we will help them boost their immunity through online yoga sessions," he said during an interaction with yoga instructors of 'Dilli Ki Yogshala'. According to an official statement, the deputy chief minister said the slots for online classes will be released soon and directed officials to prepare a plan of action. People can choose their slot and they will be able to attend classes as per their convenience. Under the pilot project of 'Dilli Ki Yogashala', yoga teachers are already conducting classes at 65 places across the national capital. The vision of the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led government is to make yoga a part of every Delhiite's daily life, Sisodia said. "Dilli Ki Yogshala is changing the lives of people in Delhi. It will be launched for all Delhi residents soon and will bring a yoga revolution in the capital," he said. Currently, 61 yoga instructors trained by the Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University (DPSRU) are conducting sessions under 'Dilli Ki Yogshala'. The yoga instructors told Sisodia that 'Dilli Ki Yogshala' has given an opportunity to a large number of housewives to learn yoga, with most attending classes during the afternoon, when they are free. Check out DH's latest videos: Ioan Gruffudd and girlfriend Bianca Wallace stepped out for a romantic New Year's Day dog walk in Los Angeles on Saturday, just hours after the latest jibe from his ex Alice Evans. The Welsh actor, 48, looked content as he strolled along with his beaming Australian actress girlfriend, 29, with the pair looking as though they didn't have a care in the world amid the drama on social media. The couple sported matching padded jackets, with Bianca in white and Ioan donning a black jacket as he held the lead of her adorable Golden doodle Bear. What drama? Ioan Gruffudd and girlfriend Bianca Wallace stepped out for a romantic New Year's Day dog walk in Los Angeles on Saturday, just hours after the latest jibe from his ex Alice Evans The Liar star added to his low-key look with a black cap and a grey face mask, finishing things off with blue chinos and brown lace-up boots. Bianca meanwhile opted to show off her toned physique in form-fitting black leggings which she teamed with black trainers. As the couple walked along, Bianca pulled down her black face mask, with the beauty seen smiling away as she chatted to her beau. Carefree: The Welsh actor, 48, looked content as he strolled along with his beaming Australian actress girlfriend, 29, with the pair looking as though they didn't have a care in the world Her carefree stroll and smiles comes shortly after Alice Evans accused her of editing her new bikini snap, which she shared on New Year's Eve to reflect on 2021. Bianca posted a snap of her in a black bikini and a romantic beach shot of her and who is presumed to be Ioan among other pictures as she looked back on 2021 which had 'the highest highs and the lowest lows.' The 'lowest lows' is perhaps in reference to the fallout from the reveal of her relationship with the Welsh actor in October and the backlash faced from his estranged wife Alice , 53, who claimed Bianca had 'ruined her life'. His and hers: The couple sported matching padded jackets, with Bianca in white and Ioan donning a black jacket as he held the lead of her adorable Golden doodle Bear Outing: The Liar star added to his low-key look with a black cap and a grey face mask, finishing things off with blue chinos and brown lace-up boots Low-key look: Bianca meanwhile opted to show off her toned physique in form-fitting black leggings which she teamed with black trainers Taking to Twitter after Bianca posted the snap, Alice penned: 'It's ok Bianca. We believe you. Your "instas" are gorgeous. Which filter is it by the way? I NEED it!' Bianca flashed a radiant smile as she showed off her toned figure in a black two-piece while posing at an idyllic beach setting. While another shot showed two shadows, presumed to be herself and Ioan, holding hands on a beach in Nice, with Ioan having been spotted filming in the South of France in November. Happy: As the couple walked along, Bianca pulled down her black face mask, with the beauty seen smiling away as she chatted to her beau Romantic walk: The couple stayed close to one another as they made their way down the street in Los Angeles Chilled: Bianca couldn't keep the smile off her face as she walked with the father-of-two Walking away from the drama: The couple seem unperturbed by his estranged wife's jibe on Twitter Other images showed Bianca posing for fun, smiley snaps in various locations, including on of her posing topless with a towel on her head. While another saw her showing a glimpse of her taut midriff in a white crop top. Captioning her post, Bianca wrote: '2021! A balancing act of a year with the lowest of lows and the highest of highs. 'I am going with what I always say on NYE. As long as you try your best, lead & live life with your heart and never give up on yourself, then that is all that matters. Looking good:Her carefree stroll and smiles comes shortly after Alice Evans accused her of editing her new bikini snap, which she shared on New Year's Eve to reflect on 2021 Eek: Taking to Twitter after Bianca posted the snap, Alice penned: 'It's ok Bianca. We believe you. Your "instas" are gorgeous. Which filter is it by the way? I NEED it!' 'Onwards and upwards for 2022.' It follows in the wake of the scorn she faced from her boyfriend's estranged wife Alice, who initially lashed out at their romance and called Bianca 'a b***h who manifested Ioan away from their daughters.' However, she's since appeared to have changed her tune and recently stated she 'needs to accept' that her estranged husband and his girlfriend 'are besotted' with one another. Couple: Bianca posted a snap of her in a black bikini and a romantic beach shot of her and who is presumed to be Ioan, 48, among other pictures as she looked back on 2021 which had 'the highest highs and the lowest lows' Drama: The 'lowest lows' is perhaps in reference to the fallout from the reveal of her relationship with the Welsh actor in October and the backlash faced from his estranged wife Alice Evans, 53, who claimed Bianca had 'ruined her life' The actress has made her split from Ioan extremely public, after their 14-year marriage broke down in January last year, with tensions only further rising when the actor stepped out with Bianca in November. In the wake of their appearance together, Alice, who is in a custody battle over her and Ioan's daughters Ella, 12, and Elsie, eight, took to Instagram once again to send her regards and also reveal she was seeing a rise in her own popularity. Following the release of images of the couple making their first public outing together, Alice then reflected on how she felt about the shots in a kind message. In her post, Alice penned: 'Ive been so careful for 20 years. because I wanted a private life. so I looked at them, felt a little embarrassed, also a little warm... A look back: Other images showed Bianca posing for fun, smiley snaps in various locations, including on of her posing topless with a towel on her head Stunner: While another saw her showing a glimpse of her taut midriff in a white crop top What a year: Bianca looked happy and content in the plethora of images as she summed up her 2021 Reflections: Captioning her post, Bianca wrote: '2021! A balancing act of a year with the lowest of lows and the highest of highs' 'If theyre that in love then lets try to make it work for them. and I deliberately did not post or mention anything. and no longer intend to... 'Theyre clearly besotted with each other abs i need to accept that. ( Besides, ive never had so many hot guys ask me out on DM Im quite overwhelmed!!!' Evans is now adjusting to life on her own after he publicly confirmed a new relationship with his Harrow co-star on Instagram, a move she described as 'every woman's nightmare.' Ioan filed for divorce in March, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason behind their split. Acceptance: Alice appears to have changed her tune and recently stated she 'needs to accept' that her estranged husband and his girlfriend 'are besotted' with one another. In November, Alice claimed Bianca 'ruined her life' in a scathing social media post. Hitting back at trolls claiming they're defending the actress, the star took to Instagram to share a playful snap, along with a caption claiming Bianca was 'a b***h who manifested Ioan away from their daughters.' Alice claimed the pair had been embroiled in a three-year affair - which has been denied by a friend of the couple. Bitter: The actress has made her split from Ioan extremely public, after their 14-year marriage broke down in January, with tensions only further rising when the actor stepped out with Bianca in November Warmed up: In the wake of their appearance together, Alice, who is in a custody battle over her and Ioan's daughters Ella, 12, and Elsie, eight, took to Instagram once again to send her regards and also reveal she was seeing a rise in her own popularity Evans and Gruffudd met on the set of 102 Dalmatians in 2000, when Alice was in a relationship with Pablo Picasso's grandson Olivier. The former couple became engaged six years later after she gave him an ultimatum about their relationship, and they tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in Mexico in September 2007. Gruffudd hasn't publicly addressed the couple's divorce. Desmond Tutu,the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. Ubuntu: I am because you are, because we are. But beyond that, I am because I belong, and I have chosen to belong, to form a part of, participate in, and unite with others and their ideas and ideologies, despite the realistic existence of nuances and differences. This was perhaps the strongest lesson humans learnt in the year 2020. Some might think it has become cliche that everything in the world goes back to the year 2020. But then, we have never seen any like it, and until we fully stretch the elastics of discourse around that year and the new realities, revelations, and awakenings that came with it, then our conversation will continue to revolve around it, whether it is boring to some unfocused people or not. The year 2020 taught us to embrace Ubuntu more than ever before; to be humans first, unite first, because Mmatsie, Serges, and Edith exist only because the human entity exists. But before this message got aggravated in 2020, some people were already living by its principles. These people saw it as their culture, as their philosophy of life. As a matter of fact, some propounded the theology and championed it. The most remarkable of them? Reverend Desmond Mpilo Tutu! May God rest his soul. Desmond Tutu, the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. I met the great man on several occasions: In Cambridge in 1988, where we had dinner as part of a group of admirers. In London, then in South Africa, with a group of people, to appeal to him to speak with the president to end Xenophobia. He even gave me his phone number, but I did not call him once. When I did a tribute book in honour of Nelson Mandela, he sent a message that I left out some names. Tutu was a South African Anglican archbishop, a true humanist, and a firm believer in communalistic humanism. He was born in Klerksdorp, South Africa, on October 7, 1931. The circumstances surrounding his birth did not boast of financial buoyancy in the least; yet, Desmond was destined to be great and influential, and he became exactly those. Between 1931 and 1960, when he became a priest of the Anglican Church, he went through a series of training and development. This training would later help him form the basis of his faith, beliefs, philosophy, and culture. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. The quintessential Tutu was born and raised in South Africa when the apartheid system was thriving. Of course, a part of the country was seeing progress and advancement. However, a good part of the country, particularly the area inhabited by the black people, the true owners of the land, knew little to no progress, and the people were subjected to severe oppression. Desmond Tutu was well aware that he got his training and education swaddled in costly privilege, which came at the expense of several thousand other children. He was one of the beneficiaries of a grossly unjust system, and he never forgot that. Therefore, when that privilege provided him with a most-prized education and empowered him in 1960, when he joined the league of some of the most powerful people in South Africa the priests Desmond Tutu knew it was time to use what he had gained for the good of his people. And that was what he did. He fought relentlessly against the apartheid government of South Africa. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. But did that dissuade Tutu? Far from it. Rather, it strengthened him and pushed him to go further. It encouraged him to persevere against all odds and in the face of persecution. Desmond Tutu made the most of what he had his voice, faith, position, and influence. He was a man with a mission, and he had a clear understanding of his goals. The archbishop was at the forefront of pulling in national and international commentators on the deeds of the apartheid government in South Africa. Although the South African people passed through what would go down as one of their worst times in history, Tutu preached the importance of making grievances known in a peaceful and non-violent way. The people were angry and fed up, and Tutu knew that humans are naturally inclined to be violent in such a state of mind, especially when it involves a high level of depravity on their soil. But he knew yet another thing that violence hardly ever solves the problem and that in the rare instances where violence solves the problem, it causes much bigger damage. The Bishop was not a man of violence. He demonstrated an exceptional quality by keeping the Nationalist Party in check when they became violent in their ways and dealings. During the last decade of the last millennium, when our people finally won their battle against oppression and the apartheid government, Tutu was there to celebrate with his people. There was also the factional disagreement that threatened the embryonic freedom that the South African people had just gotten. And who else but the Very Reverend Demond Tutu, preacher and practitioner of the Ubuntu theology, would step in at that critical moment? He persuaded both warring parties that each party is because the other is; therefore, we all are Africans. Thus, the war against apartheid was won through a united front of activism. People must not forget this as quickly as they got the freedom they desperately sought. Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. Simply put, Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights. Tutu was a brilliant and convincing orator. Soon after he became ordained, he rose through the ranks to become the Bishop of Johannesburg in 1985, and a year later, he became the Archbishop of Cape Town. He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. The late Bishop was a man who understood the futility in trying to please humans, so he just lived his life and embarked on endeavours based on his strong convictions. He never had a herd mentality. His support was always deep-seated and well-thought-out, making some people think he was always overly cautious in playing safe. Archbishop Tutu had the life, although it did not come to him as easily as it came to many others. He lived and worked in different capacities at different times. More so, he died at the ripe old age of 90. What more could a human being want? The anti-apartheid hero might not have wanted more, but more things surely came to him. When we, as humans, do good in whatever position we find ourselves, and if we do it because we have chosen to be innately good and because we believe so much in the potency of doing good, then the recognition we deserve will come, even if we do not actively seek it. Such was the case with our beloved Tutu. He won several awards for his contributions to humanity and relentlessly pushed for the betterment of his people and the world at large. Among the awards he received was the prestigious Nobel Prize for Peace, which he received in 1984. The Royal Swedish Academy deemed the reverend worthy of the award for his immense contributions to the fight against the oppression of the apartheid government and especially for his struggles to ensure a peaceful and non-violent demand for the peoples rights. Another award that the merry reverend and preacher of peace received was the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, considered one of the two most prestigious awards the United States of America can bestow on a civilian, was given to Tutu for his consistent contributions to the stability of world peace and other significant contributions to the fight for the peaceful co-existence of humans. In 2012, he received another prestigious award from the Mo Ibrahim Foundation for consistently speaking truth to power. This is a quality that many cannot boast of. Power corrupts, and once they have access to power, many activists soon fail to see the need to continue to champion the struggle for the rights of the oppressed. Also, there is the avoidance of truth to not lose the power bestowed on one. But not Tutu. He was a man who spent his life believing that his power and position were given him to help champion the cause of the marginalised and the oppressed, and if the oppressor were the leaders, so be it! Champion he must, and champion he was, speaking the truth, whether it went well with the powerful or not. On Sunday, December 26, 2021, a day after Christmas, Desmond Tutu went to rest. The gravity of this demise is still a shock coursing through our veins, one that our brain has neither readily nor fully processed. We are still talking about his demise, and the largeness of the void it has left in true humanism is still unknown to us, until the moments we would need a fearless commentator and wonder what Desmond Tutu would have said. This humanist lived his life for the people. He believed in the people and believed God had plans for humanity. He believed that one of the greatest resources made available to us as humans is the ability to practice Ubuntu, and he preached this with every fibre of his being. Rest easy, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. You were an invaluable treasure and a blessing to the world. The whole world will sorely miss you. Toyin Falola, a professor of History and University Distinguished Teaching Professor, is Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin. Desmond Tutu,the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. Ubuntu: I am because you are, because we are. But beyond that, I am because I belong, and I have chosen to belong, to form a part of, participate in, and unite with others and their ideas and ideologies, despite the realistic existence of nuances and differences. This was perhaps the strongest lesson humans learnt in the year 2020. Some might think it has become cliche that everything in the world goes back to the year 2020. But then, we have never seen any like it, and until we fully stretch the elastics of discourse around that year and the new realities, revelations, and awakenings that came with it, then our conversation will continue to revolve around it, whether it is boring to some unfocused people or not. The year 2020 taught us to embrace Ubuntu more than ever before; to be humans first, unite first, because Mmatsie, Serges, and Edith exist only because the human entity exists. But before this message got aggravated in 2020, some people were already living by its principles. These people saw it as their culture, as their philosophy of life. As a matter of fact, some propounded the theology and championed it. The most remarkable of them? Reverend Desmond Mpilo Tutu! May God rest his soul. Desmond Tutu, the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. I met the great man on several occasions: In Cambridge in 1988, where we had dinner as part of a group of admirers. In London, then in South Africa, with a group of people, to appeal to him to speak with the president to end Xenophobia. He even gave me his phone number, but I did not call him once. When I did a tribute book in honour of Nelson Mandela, he sent a message that I left out some names. Tutu was a South African Anglican archbishop, a true humanist, and a firm believer in communalistic humanism. He was born in Klerksdorp, South Africa, on October 7, 1931. The circumstances surrounding his birth did not boast of financial buoyancy in the least; yet, Desmond was destined to be great and influential, and he became exactly those. Between 1931 and 1960, when he became a priest of the Anglican Church, he went through a series of training and development. This training would later help him form the basis of his faith, beliefs, philosophy, and culture. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. The quintessential Tutu was born and raised in South Africa when the apartheid system was thriving. Of course, a part of the country was seeing progress and advancement. However, a good part of the country, particularly the area inhabited by the black people, the true owners of the land, knew little to no progress, and the people were subjected to severe oppression. Desmond Tutu was well aware that he got his training and education swaddled in costly privilege, which came at the expense of several thousand other children. He was one of the beneficiaries of a grossly unjust system, and he never forgot that. Therefore, when that privilege provided him with a most-prized education and empowered him in 1960, when he joined the league of some of the most powerful people in South Africa the priests Desmond Tutu knew it was time to use what he had gained for the good of his people. And that was what he did. He fought relentlessly against the apartheid government of South Africa. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. But did that dissuade Tutu? Far from it. Rather, it strengthened him and pushed him to go further. It encouraged him to persevere against all odds and in the face of persecution. Desmond Tutu made the most of what he had his voice, faith, position, and influence. He was a man with a mission, and he had a clear understanding of his goals. The archbishop was at the forefront of pulling in national and international commentators on the deeds of the apartheid government in South Africa. Although the South African people passed through what would go down as one of their worst times in history, Tutu preached the importance of making grievances known in a peaceful and non-violent way. The people were angry and fed up, and Tutu knew that humans are naturally inclined to be violent in such a state of mind, especially when it involves a high level of depravity on their soil. But he knew yet another thing that violence hardly ever solves the problem and that in the rare instances where violence solves the problem, it causes much bigger damage. The Bishop was not a man of violence. He demonstrated an exceptional quality by keeping the Nationalist Party in check when they became violent in their ways and dealings. During the last decade of the last millennium, when our people finally won their battle against oppression and the apartheid government, Tutu was there to celebrate with his people. There was also the factional disagreement that threatened the embryonic freedom that the South African people had just gotten. And who else but the Very Reverend Demond Tutu, preacher and practitioner of the Ubuntu theology, would step in at that critical moment? He persuaded both warring parties that each party is because the other is; therefore, we all are Africans. Thus, the war against apartheid was won through a united front of activism. People must not forget this as quickly as they got the freedom they desperately sought. Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. Simply put, Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights. Tutu was a brilliant and convincing orator. Soon after he became ordained, he rose through the ranks to become the Bishop of Johannesburg in 1985, and a year later, he became the Archbishop of Cape Town. He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. The late Bishop was a man who understood the futility in trying to please humans, so he just lived his life and embarked on endeavours based on his strong convictions. He never had a herd mentality. His support was always deep-seated and well-thought-out, making some people think he was always overly cautious in playing safe. Archbishop Tutu had the life, although it did not come to him as easily as it came to many others. He lived and worked in different capacities at different times. More so, he died at the ripe old age of 90. What more could a human being want? The anti-apartheid hero might not have wanted more, but more things surely came to him. When we, as humans, do good in whatever position we find ourselves, and if we do it because we have chosen to be innately good and because we believe so much in the potency of doing good, then the recognition we deserve will come, even if we do not actively seek it. Such was the case with our beloved Tutu. He won several awards for his contributions to humanity and relentlessly pushed for the betterment of his people and the world at large. Among the awards he received was the prestigious Nobel Prize for Peace, which he received in 1984. The Royal Swedish Academy deemed the reverend worthy of the award for his immense contributions to the fight against the oppression of the apartheid government and especially for his struggles to ensure a peaceful and non-violent demand for the peoples rights. Another award that the merry reverend and preacher of peace received was the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, considered one of the two most prestigious awards the United States of America can bestow on a civilian, was given to Tutu for his consistent contributions to the stability of world peace and other significant contributions to the fight for the peaceful co-existence of humans. In 2012, he received another prestigious award from the Mo Ibrahim Foundation for consistently speaking truth to power. This is a quality that many cannot boast of. Power corrupts, and once they have access to power, many activists soon fail to see the need to continue to champion the struggle for the rights of the oppressed. Also, there is the avoidance of truth to not lose the power bestowed on one. But not Tutu. He was a man who spent his life believing that his power and position were given him to help champion the cause of the marginalised and the oppressed, and if the oppressor were the leaders, so be it! Champion he must, and champion he was, speaking the truth, whether it went well with the powerful or not. On Sunday, December 26, 2021, a day after Christmas, Desmond Tutu went to rest. The gravity of this demise is still a shock coursing through our veins, one that our brain has neither readily nor fully processed. We are still talking about his demise, and the largeness of the void it has left in true humanism is still unknown to us, until the moments we would need a fearless commentator and wonder what Desmond Tutu would have said. This humanist lived his life for the people. He believed in the people and believed God had plans for humanity. He believed that one of the greatest resources made available to us as humans is the ability to practice Ubuntu, and he preached this with every fibre of his being. Rest easy, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. You were an invaluable treasure and a blessing to the world. The whole world will sorely miss you. Toyin Falola, a professor of History and University Distinguished Teaching Professor, is Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin. Desmond Tutu,the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. Ubuntu: I am because you are, because we are. But beyond that, I am because I belong, and I have chosen to belong, to form a part of, participate in, and unite with others and their ideas and ideologies, despite the realistic existence of nuances and differences. This was perhaps the strongest lesson humans learnt in the year 2020. Some might think it has become cliche that everything in the world goes back to the year 2020. But then, we have never seen any like it, and until we fully stretch the elastics of discourse around that year and the new realities, revelations, and awakenings that came with it, then our conversation will continue to revolve around it, whether it is boring to some unfocused people or not. The year 2020 taught us to embrace Ubuntu more than ever before; to be humans first, unite first, because Mmatsie, Serges, and Edith exist only because the human entity exists. But before this message got aggravated in 2020, some people were already living by its principles. These people saw it as their culture, as their philosophy of life. As a matter of fact, some propounded the theology and championed it. The most remarkable of them? Reverend Desmond Mpilo Tutu! May God rest his soul. Desmond Tutu, the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. I met the great man on several occasions: In Cambridge in 1988, where we had dinner as part of a group of admirers. In London, then in South Africa, with a group of people, to appeal to him to speak with the president to end Xenophobia. He even gave me his phone number, but I did not call him once. When I did a tribute book in honour of Nelson Mandela, he sent a message that I left out some names. Tutu was a South African Anglican archbishop, a true humanist, and a firm believer in communalistic humanism. He was born in Klerksdorp, South Africa, on October 7, 1931. The circumstances surrounding his birth did not boast of financial buoyancy in the least; yet, Desmond was destined to be great and influential, and he became exactly those. Between 1931 and 1960, when he became a priest of the Anglican Church, he went through a series of training and development. This training would later help him form the basis of his faith, beliefs, philosophy, and culture. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. The quintessential Tutu was born and raised in South Africa when the apartheid system was thriving. Of course, a part of the country was seeing progress and advancement. However, a good part of the country, particularly the area inhabited by the black people, the true owners of the land, knew little to no progress, and the people were subjected to severe oppression. Desmond Tutu was well aware that he got his training and education swaddled in costly privilege, which came at the expense of several thousand other children. He was one of the beneficiaries of a grossly unjust system, and he never forgot that. Therefore, when that privilege provided him with a most-prized education and empowered him in 1960, when he joined the league of some of the most powerful people in South Africa the priests Desmond Tutu knew it was time to use what he had gained for the good of his people. And that was what he did. He fought relentlessly against the apartheid government of South Africa. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. But did that dissuade Tutu? Far from it. Rather, it strengthened him and pushed him to go further. It encouraged him to persevere against all odds and in the face of persecution. Desmond Tutu made the most of what he had his voice, faith, position, and influence. He was a man with a mission, and he had a clear understanding of his goals. The archbishop was at the forefront of pulling in national and international commentators on the deeds of the apartheid government in South Africa. Although the South African people passed through what would go down as one of their worst times in history, Tutu preached the importance of making grievances known in a peaceful and non-violent way. The people were angry and fed up, and Tutu knew that humans are naturally inclined to be violent in such a state of mind, especially when it involves a high level of depravity on their soil. But he knew yet another thing that violence hardly ever solves the problem and that in the rare instances where violence solves the problem, it causes much bigger damage. The Bishop was not a man of violence. He demonstrated an exceptional quality by keeping the Nationalist Party in check when they became violent in their ways and dealings. During the last decade of the last millennium, when our people finally won their battle against oppression and the apartheid government, Tutu was there to celebrate with his people. There was also the factional disagreement that threatened the embryonic freedom that the South African people had just gotten. And who else but the Very Reverend Demond Tutu, preacher and practitioner of the Ubuntu theology, would step in at that critical moment? He persuaded both warring parties that each party is because the other is; therefore, we all are Africans. Thus, the war against apartheid was won through a united front of activism. People must not forget this as quickly as they got the freedom they desperately sought. Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. Simply put, Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights. Tutu was a brilliant and convincing orator. Soon after he became ordained, he rose through the ranks to become the Bishop of Johannesburg in 1985, and a year later, he became the Archbishop of Cape Town. He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. The late Bishop was a man who understood the futility in trying to please humans, so he just lived his life and embarked on endeavours based on his strong convictions. He never had a herd mentality. His support was always deep-seated and well-thought-out, making some people think he was always overly cautious in playing safe. Archbishop Tutu had the life, although it did not come to him as easily as it came to many others. He lived and worked in different capacities at different times. More so, he died at the ripe old age of 90. What more could a human being want? The anti-apartheid hero might not have wanted more, but more things surely came to him. When we, as humans, do good in whatever position we find ourselves, and if we do it because we have chosen to be innately good and because we believe so much in the potency of doing good, then the recognition we deserve will come, even if we do not actively seek it. Such was the case with our beloved Tutu. He won several awards for his contributions to humanity and relentlessly pushed for the betterment of his people and the world at large. Among the awards he received was the prestigious Nobel Prize for Peace, which he received in 1984. The Royal Swedish Academy deemed the reverend worthy of the award for his immense contributions to the fight against the oppression of the apartheid government and especially for his struggles to ensure a peaceful and non-violent demand for the peoples rights. Another award that the merry reverend and preacher of peace received was the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, considered one of the two most prestigious awards the United States of America can bestow on a civilian, was given to Tutu for his consistent contributions to the stability of world peace and other significant contributions to the fight for the peaceful co-existence of humans. In 2012, he received another prestigious award from the Mo Ibrahim Foundation for consistently speaking truth to power. This is a quality that many cannot boast of. Power corrupts, and once they have access to power, many activists soon fail to see the need to continue to champion the struggle for the rights of the oppressed. Also, there is the avoidance of truth to not lose the power bestowed on one. But not Tutu. He was a man who spent his life believing that his power and position were given him to help champion the cause of the marginalised and the oppressed, and if the oppressor were the leaders, so be it! Champion he must, and champion he was, speaking the truth, whether it went well with the powerful or not. On Sunday, December 26, 2021, a day after Christmas, Desmond Tutu went to rest. The gravity of this demise is still a shock coursing through our veins, one that our brain has neither readily nor fully processed. We are still talking about his demise, and the largeness of the void it has left in true humanism is still unknown to us, until the moments we would need a fearless commentator and wonder what Desmond Tutu would have said. This humanist lived his life for the people. He believed in the people and believed God had plans for humanity. He believed that one of the greatest resources made available to us as humans is the ability to practice Ubuntu, and he preached this with every fibre of his being. Rest easy, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. You were an invaluable treasure and a blessing to the world. The whole world will sorely miss you. Toyin Falola, a professor of History and University Distinguished Teaching Professor, is Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin. New Delhi: India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said that wheat will be sent to Afghanistan in the "coming weeks" after vaccines were supplied on the first day of the New Year 2022. The MEA in a statement said, "In coming weeks, we would be undertaking the supply of wheat and the remaining medical assistance" and "in this regard, we are in touch with UN agencies and others for finalizing the modalities for transportation." India has committed to providing 50,000 MT of wheat, essential lifesaving medicines and COVID vaccines to the Afghan people. One of the proposals to send the supplies has been via overland Pakistan. While Islamabad has publicly stated it will allow the movement of supplies, no transfer has started even as New Delhi and Islamabad continue to discuss the modalities of transfer. Meanwhile, since the Talibans takeover in August of last year, India has sent humanitarian support to Afghanistan via Iran's Mahan air as commercial cargo. New Delhi sent second batch of 500,000 doses of COVID vaccine (COVAXIN) to Afghanistan which has been handed over to Indira Gandhi Hospital, Kabul. Another batch of additional 500,000 doses would be supplied in the coming weeks. The MEA in a release said, "Government of India has committed to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghan people consisting of food grains, one million doses of COVID Vaccine and essential life saving drugs." Last month, India sent 1.6 metric tons of medicines to Afghanistan via Kam airways, the first such consignment under the Taliban regime. The support comes even as India and Afghanistan's Taliban govt has no formal ties but two times New Delhi has publicly accepted that it has held talks with the group--one in Doha and another in Moscow. Taliban has also accepted that it has had conversations with the Indian govt. When the first supplies came, the Taliban had welcomed them. Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson of Taliban foreign ministry said, "We appreciate the arrival of 2 tons of Indian assisted medicine to Indira Gandhi Children Hospital in Kabul." The same flight saw many Afghan Hindus and Sikhs coming to India while 85 Afghan nationals stuck in India reaching back to homeland. Live TV New Delhi: India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said that wheat will be sent to Afghanistan in the "coming weeks" after vaccines were supplied on the first day of the New Year 2022. The MEA in a statement said, "In coming weeks, we would be undertaking the supply of wheat and the remaining medical assistance" and "in this regard, we are in touch with UN agencies and others for finalizing the modalities for transportation." India has committed to providing 50,000 MT of wheat, essential lifesaving medicines and COVID vaccines to the Afghan people. One of the proposals to send the supplies has been via overland Pakistan. While Islamabad has publicly stated it will allow the movement of supplies, no transfer has started even as New Delhi and Islamabad continue to discuss the modalities of transfer. Meanwhile, since the Talibans takeover in August of last year, India has sent humanitarian support to Afghanistan via Iran's Mahan air as commercial cargo. New Delhi sent second batch of 500,000 doses of COVID vaccine (COVAXIN) to Afghanistan which has been handed over to Indira Gandhi Hospital, Kabul. Another batch of additional 500,000 doses would be supplied in the coming weeks. The MEA in a release said, "Government of India has committed to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghan people consisting of food grains, one million doses of COVID Vaccine and essential life saving drugs." Last month, India sent 1.6 metric tons of medicines to Afghanistan via Kam airways, the first such consignment under the Taliban regime. The support comes even as India and Afghanistan's Taliban govt has no formal ties but two times New Delhi has publicly accepted that it has held talks with the group--one in Doha and another in Moscow. Taliban has also accepted that it has had conversations with the Indian govt. When the first supplies came, the Taliban had welcomed them. Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson of Taliban foreign ministry said, "We appreciate the arrival of 2 tons of Indian assisted medicine to Indira Gandhi Children Hospital in Kabul." The same flight saw many Afghan Hindus and Sikhs coming to India while 85 Afghan nationals stuck in India reaching back to homeland. Live TV New Delhi: India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said that wheat will be sent to Afghanistan in the "coming weeks" after vaccines were supplied on the first day of the New Year 2022. The MEA in a statement said, "In coming weeks, we would be undertaking the supply of wheat and the remaining medical assistance" and "in this regard, we are in touch with UN agencies and others for finalizing the modalities for transportation." India has committed to providing 50,000 MT of wheat, essential lifesaving medicines and COVID vaccines to the Afghan people. One of the proposals to send the supplies has been via overland Pakistan. While Islamabad has publicly stated it will allow the movement of supplies, no transfer has started even as New Delhi and Islamabad continue to discuss the modalities of transfer. Meanwhile, since the Talibans takeover in August of last year, India has sent humanitarian support to Afghanistan via Iran's Mahan air as commercial cargo. New Delhi sent second batch of 500,000 doses of COVID vaccine (COVAXIN) to Afghanistan which has been handed over to Indira Gandhi Hospital, Kabul. Another batch of additional 500,000 doses would be supplied in the coming weeks. The MEA in a release said, "Government of India has committed to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghan people consisting of food grains, one million doses of COVID Vaccine and essential life saving drugs." Last month, India sent 1.6 metric tons of medicines to Afghanistan via Kam airways, the first such consignment under the Taliban regime. The support comes even as India and Afghanistan's Taliban govt has no formal ties but two times New Delhi has publicly accepted that it has held talks with the group--one in Doha and another in Moscow. Taliban has also accepted that it has had conversations with the Indian govt. When the first supplies came, the Taliban had welcomed them. Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson of Taliban foreign ministry said, "We appreciate the arrival of 2 tons of Indian assisted medicine to Indira Gandhi Children Hospital in Kabul." The same flight saw many Afghan Hindus and Sikhs coming to India while 85 Afghan nationals stuck in India reaching back to homeland. Live TV Desmond Tutu,the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. Ubuntu: I am because you are, because we are. But beyond that, I am because I belong, and I have chosen to belong, to form a part of, participate in, and unite with others and their ideas and ideologies, despite the realistic existence of nuances and differences. This was perhaps the strongest lesson humans learnt in the year 2020. Some might think it has become cliche that everything in the world goes back to the year 2020. But then, we have never seen any like it, and until we fully stretch the elastics of discourse around that year and the new realities, revelations, and awakenings that came with it, then our conversation will continue to revolve around it, whether it is boring to some unfocused people or not. The year 2020 taught us to embrace Ubuntu more than ever before; to be humans first, unite first, because Mmatsie, Serges, and Edith exist only because the human entity exists. But before this message got aggravated in 2020, some people were already living by its principles. These people saw it as their culture, as their philosophy of life. As a matter of fact, some propounded the theology and championed it. The most remarkable of them? Reverend Desmond Mpilo Tutu! May God rest his soul. Desmond Tutu, the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. I met the great man on several occasions: In Cambridge in 1988, where we had dinner as part of a group of admirers. In London, then in South Africa, with a group of people, to appeal to him to speak with the president to end Xenophobia. He even gave me his phone number, but I did not call him once. When I did a tribute book in honour of Nelson Mandela, he sent a message that I left out some names. Tutu was a South African Anglican archbishop, a true humanist, and a firm believer in communalistic humanism. He was born in Klerksdorp, South Africa, on October 7, 1931. The circumstances surrounding his birth did not boast of financial buoyancy in the least; yet, Desmond was destined to be great and influential, and he became exactly those. Between 1931 and 1960, when he became a priest of the Anglican Church, he went through a series of training and development. This training would later help him form the basis of his faith, beliefs, philosophy, and culture. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. The quintessential Tutu was born and raised in South Africa when the apartheid system was thriving. Of course, a part of the country was seeing progress and advancement. However, a good part of the country, particularly the area inhabited by the black people, the true owners of the land, knew little to no progress, and the people were subjected to severe oppression. Desmond Tutu was well aware that he got his training and education swaddled in costly privilege, which came at the expense of several thousand other children. He was one of the beneficiaries of a grossly unjust system, and he never forgot that. Therefore, when that privilege provided him with a most-prized education and empowered him in 1960, when he joined the league of some of the most powerful people in South Africa the priests Desmond Tutu knew it was time to use what he had gained for the good of his people. And that was what he did. He fought relentlessly against the apartheid government of South Africa. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. But did that dissuade Tutu? Far from it. Rather, it strengthened him and pushed him to go further. It encouraged him to persevere against all odds and in the face of persecution. Desmond Tutu made the most of what he had his voice, faith, position, and influence. He was a man with a mission, and he had a clear understanding of his goals. The archbishop was at the forefront of pulling in national and international commentators on the deeds of the apartheid government in South Africa. Although the South African people passed through what would go down as one of their worst times in history, Tutu preached the importance of making grievances known in a peaceful and non-violent way. The people were angry and fed up, and Tutu knew that humans are naturally inclined to be violent in such a state of mind, especially when it involves a high level of depravity on their soil. But he knew yet another thing that violence hardly ever solves the problem and that in the rare instances where violence solves the problem, it causes much bigger damage. The Bishop was not a man of violence. He demonstrated an exceptional quality by keeping the Nationalist Party in check when they became violent in their ways and dealings. During the last decade of the last millennium, when our people finally won their battle against oppression and the apartheid government, Tutu was there to celebrate with his people. There was also the factional disagreement that threatened the embryonic freedom that the South African people had just gotten. And who else but the Very Reverend Demond Tutu, preacher and practitioner of the Ubuntu theology, would step in at that critical moment? He persuaded both warring parties that each party is because the other is; therefore, we all are Africans. Thus, the war against apartheid was won through a united front of activism. People must not forget this as quickly as they got the freedom they desperately sought. Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. Simply put, Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights. Tutu was a brilliant and convincing orator. Soon after he became ordained, he rose through the ranks to become the Bishop of Johannesburg in 1985, and a year later, he became the Archbishop of Cape Town. He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. The late Bishop was a man who understood the futility in trying to please humans, so he just lived his life and embarked on endeavours based on his strong convictions. He never had a herd mentality. His support was always deep-seated and well-thought-out, making some people think he was always overly cautious in playing safe. Archbishop Tutu had the life, although it did not come to him as easily as it came to many others. He lived and worked in different capacities at different times. More so, he died at the ripe old age of 90. What more could a human being want? The anti-apartheid hero might not have wanted more, but more things surely came to him. When we, as humans, do good in whatever position we find ourselves, and if we do it because we have chosen to be innately good and because we believe so much in the potency of doing good, then the recognition we deserve will come, even if we do not actively seek it. Such was the case with our beloved Tutu. He won several awards for his contributions to humanity and relentlessly pushed for the betterment of his people and the world at large. Among the awards he received was the prestigious Nobel Prize for Peace, which he received in 1984. The Royal Swedish Academy deemed the reverend worthy of the award for his immense contributions to the fight against the oppression of the apartheid government and especially for his struggles to ensure a peaceful and non-violent demand for the peoples rights. Another award that the merry reverend and preacher of peace received was the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, considered one of the two most prestigious awards the United States of America can bestow on a civilian, was given to Tutu for his consistent contributions to the stability of world peace and other significant contributions to the fight for the peaceful co-existence of humans. In 2012, he received another prestigious award from the Mo Ibrahim Foundation for consistently speaking truth to power. This is a quality that many cannot boast of. Power corrupts, and once they have access to power, many activists soon fail to see the need to continue to champion the struggle for the rights of the oppressed. Also, there is the avoidance of truth to not lose the power bestowed on one. But not Tutu. He was a man who spent his life believing that his power and position were given him to help champion the cause of the marginalised and the oppressed, and if the oppressor were the leaders, so be it! Champion he must, and champion he was, speaking the truth, whether it went well with the powerful or not. On Sunday, December 26, 2021, a day after Christmas, Desmond Tutu went to rest. The gravity of this demise is still a shock coursing through our veins, one that our brain has neither readily nor fully processed. We are still talking about his demise, and the largeness of the void it has left in true humanism is still unknown to us, until the moments we would need a fearless commentator and wonder what Desmond Tutu would have said. This humanist lived his life for the people. He believed in the people and believed God had plans for humanity. He believed that one of the greatest resources made available to us as humans is the ability to practice Ubuntu, and he preached this with every fibre of his being. Rest easy, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. You were an invaluable treasure and a blessing to the world. The whole world will sorely miss you. Toyin Falola, a professor of History and University Distinguished Teaching Professor, is Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin. Desmond Tutu,the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. Ubuntu: I am because you are, because we are. But beyond that, I am because I belong, and I have chosen to belong, to form a part of, participate in, and unite with others and their ideas and ideologies, despite the realistic existence of nuances and differences. This was perhaps the strongest lesson humans learnt in the year 2020. Some might think it has become cliche that everything in the world goes back to the year 2020. But then, we have never seen any like it, and until we fully stretch the elastics of discourse around that year and the new realities, revelations, and awakenings that came with it, then our conversation will continue to revolve around it, whether it is boring to some unfocused people or not. The year 2020 taught us to embrace Ubuntu more than ever before; to be humans first, unite first, because Mmatsie, Serges, and Edith exist only because the human entity exists. But before this message got aggravated in 2020, some people were already living by its principles. These people saw it as their culture, as their philosophy of life. As a matter of fact, some propounded the theology and championed it. The most remarkable of them? Reverend Desmond Mpilo Tutu! May God rest his soul. Desmond Tutu, the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. I met the great man on several occasions: In Cambridge in 1988, where we had dinner as part of a group of admirers. In London, then in South Africa, with a group of people, to appeal to him to speak with the president to end Xenophobia. He even gave me his phone number, but I did not call him once. When I did a tribute book in honour of Nelson Mandela, he sent a message that I left out some names. Tutu was a South African Anglican archbishop, a true humanist, and a firm believer in communalistic humanism. He was born in Klerksdorp, South Africa, on October 7, 1931. The circumstances surrounding his birth did not boast of financial buoyancy in the least; yet, Desmond was destined to be great and influential, and he became exactly those. Between 1931 and 1960, when he became a priest of the Anglican Church, he went through a series of training and development. This training would later help him form the basis of his faith, beliefs, philosophy, and culture. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. The quintessential Tutu was born and raised in South Africa when the apartheid system was thriving. Of course, a part of the country was seeing progress and advancement. However, a good part of the country, particularly the area inhabited by the black people, the true owners of the land, knew little to no progress, and the people were subjected to severe oppression. Desmond Tutu was well aware that he got his training and education swaddled in costly privilege, which came at the expense of several thousand other children. He was one of the beneficiaries of a grossly unjust system, and he never forgot that. Therefore, when that privilege provided him with a most-prized education and empowered him in 1960, when he joined the league of some of the most powerful people in South Africa the priests Desmond Tutu knew it was time to use what he had gained for the good of his people. And that was what he did. He fought relentlessly against the apartheid government of South Africa. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. But did that dissuade Tutu? Far from it. Rather, it strengthened him and pushed him to go further. It encouraged him to persevere against all odds and in the face of persecution. Desmond Tutu made the most of what he had his voice, faith, position, and influence. He was a man with a mission, and he had a clear understanding of his goals. The archbishop was at the forefront of pulling in national and international commentators on the deeds of the apartheid government in South Africa. Although the South African people passed through what would go down as one of their worst times in history, Tutu preached the importance of making grievances known in a peaceful and non-violent way. The people were angry and fed up, and Tutu knew that humans are naturally inclined to be violent in such a state of mind, especially when it involves a high level of depravity on their soil. But he knew yet another thing that violence hardly ever solves the problem and that in the rare instances where violence solves the problem, it causes much bigger damage. The Bishop was not a man of violence. He demonstrated an exceptional quality by keeping the Nationalist Party in check when they became violent in their ways and dealings. During the last decade of the last millennium, when our people finally won their battle against oppression and the apartheid government, Tutu was there to celebrate with his people. There was also the factional disagreement that threatened the embryonic freedom that the South African people had just gotten. And who else but the Very Reverend Demond Tutu, preacher and practitioner of the Ubuntu theology, would step in at that critical moment? He persuaded both warring parties that each party is because the other is; therefore, we all are Africans. Thus, the war against apartheid was won through a united front of activism. People must not forget this as quickly as they got the freedom they desperately sought. Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. Simply put, Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights. Tutu was a brilliant and convincing orator. Soon after he became ordained, he rose through the ranks to become the Bishop of Johannesburg in 1985, and a year later, he became the Archbishop of Cape Town. He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. The late Bishop was a man who understood the futility in trying to please humans, so he just lived his life and embarked on endeavours based on his strong convictions. He never had a herd mentality. His support was always deep-seated and well-thought-out, making some people think he was always overly cautious in playing safe. Archbishop Tutu had the life, although it did not come to him as easily as it came to many others. He lived and worked in different capacities at different times. More so, he died at the ripe old age of 90. What more could a human being want? The anti-apartheid hero might not have wanted more, but more things surely came to him. When we, as humans, do good in whatever position we find ourselves, and if we do it because we have chosen to be innately good and because we believe so much in the potency of doing good, then the recognition we deserve will come, even if we do not actively seek it. Such was the case with our beloved Tutu. He won several awards for his contributions to humanity and relentlessly pushed for the betterment of his people and the world at large. Among the awards he received was the prestigious Nobel Prize for Peace, which he received in 1984. The Royal Swedish Academy deemed the reverend worthy of the award for his immense contributions to the fight against the oppression of the apartheid government and especially for his struggles to ensure a peaceful and non-violent demand for the peoples rights. Another award that the merry reverend and preacher of peace received was the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, considered one of the two most prestigious awards the United States of America can bestow on a civilian, was given to Tutu for his consistent contributions to the stability of world peace and other significant contributions to the fight for the peaceful co-existence of humans. In 2012, he received another prestigious award from the Mo Ibrahim Foundation for consistently speaking truth to power. This is a quality that many cannot boast of. Power corrupts, and once they have access to power, many activists soon fail to see the need to continue to champion the struggle for the rights of the oppressed. Also, there is the avoidance of truth to not lose the power bestowed on one. But not Tutu. He was a man who spent his life believing that his power and position were given him to help champion the cause of the marginalised and the oppressed, and if the oppressor were the leaders, so be it! Champion he must, and champion he was, speaking the truth, whether it went well with the powerful or not. On Sunday, December 26, 2021, a day after Christmas, Desmond Tutu went to rest. The gravity of this demise is still a shock coursing through our veins, one that our brain has neither readily nor fully processed. We are still talking about his demise, and the largeness of the void it has left in true humanism is still unknown to us, until the moments we would need a fearless commentator and wonder what Desmond Tutu would have said. This humanist lived his life for the people. He believed in the people and believed God had plans for humanity. He believed that one of the greatest resources made available to us as humans is the ability to practice Ubuntu, and he preached this with every fibre of his being. Rest easy, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. You were an invaluable treasure and a blessing to the world. The whole world will sorely miss you. Toyin Falola, a professor of History and University Distinguished Teaching Professor, is Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin. Desmond Tutu,the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. Ubuntu: I am because you are, because we are. But beyond that, I am because I belong, and I have chosen to belong, to form a part of, participate in, and unite with others and their ideas and ideologies, despite the realistic existence of nuances and differences. This was perhaps the strongest lesson humans learnt in the year 2020. Some might think it has become cliche that everything in the world goes back to the year 2020. But then, we have never seen any like it, and until we fully stretch the elastics of discourse around that year and the new realities, revelations, and awakenings that came with it, then our conversation will continue to revolve around it, whether it is boring to some unfocused people or not. The year 2020 taught us to embrace Ubuntu more than ever before; to be humans first, unite first, because Mmatsie, Serges, and Edith exist only because the human entity exists. But before this message got aggravated in 2020, some people were already living by its principles. These people saw it as their culture, as their philosophy of life. As a matter of fact, some propounded the theology and championed it. The most remarkable of them? Reverend Desmond Mpilo Tutu! May God rest his soul. Desmond Tutu, the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. I met the great man on several occasions: In Cambridge in 1988, where we had dinner as part of a group of admirers. In London, then in South Africa, with a group of people, to appeal to him to speak with the president to end Xenophobia. He even gave me his phone number, but I did not call him once. When I did a tribute book in honour of Nelson Mandela, he sent a message that I left out some names. Tutu was a South African Anglican archbishop, a true humanist, and a firm believer in communalistic humanism. He was born in Klerksdorp, South Africa, on October 7, 1931. The circumstances surrounding his birth did not boast of financial buoyancy in the least; yet, Desmond was destined to be great and influential, and he became exactly those. Between 1931 and 1960, when he became a priest of the Anglican Church, he went through a series of training and development. This training would later help him form the basis of his faith, beliefs, philosophy, and culture. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. The quintessential Tutu was born and raised in South Africa when the apartheid system was thriving. Of course, a part of the country was seeing progress and advancement. However, a good part of the country, particularly the area inhabited by the black people, the true owners of the land, knew little to no progress, and the people were subjected to severe oppression. Desmond Tutu was well aware that he got his training and education swaddled in costly privilege, which came at the expense of several thousand other children. He was one of the beneficiaries of a grossly unjust system, and he never forgot that. Therefore, when that privilege provided him with a most-prized education and empowered him in 1960, when he joined the league of some of the most powerful people in South Africa the priests Desmond Tutu knew it was time to use what he had gained for the good of his people. And that was what he did. He fought relentlessly against the apartheid government of South Africa. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. But did that dissuade Tutu? Far from it. Rather, it strengthened him and pushed him to go further. It encouraged him to persevere against all odds and in the face of persecution. Desmond Tutu made the most of what he had his voice, faith, position, and influence. He was a man with a mission, and he had a clear understanding of his goals. The archbishop was at the forefront of pulling in national and international commentators on the deeds of the apartheid government in South Africa. Although the South African people passed through what would go down as one of their worst times in history, Tutu preached the importance of making grievances known in a peaceful and non-violent way. The people were angry and fed up, and Tutu knew that humans are naturally inclined to be violent in such a state of mind, especially when it involves a high level of depravity on their soil. But he knew yet another thing that violence hardly ever solves the problem and that in the rare instances where violence solves the problem, it causes much bigger damage. The Bishop was not a man of violence. He demonstrated an exceptional quality by keeping the Nationalist Party in check when they became violent in their ways and dealings. During the last decade of the last millennium, when our people finally won their battle against oppression and the apartheid government, Tutu was there to celebrate with his people. There was also the factional disagreement that threatened the embryonic freedom that the South African people had just gotten. And who else but the Very Reverend Demond Tutu, preacher and practitioner of the Ubuntu theology, would step in at that critical moment? He persuaded both warring parties that each party is because the other is; therefore, we all are Africans. Thus, the war against apartheid was won through a united front of activism. People must not forget this as quickly as they got the freedom they desperately sought. Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. Simply put, Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights. Tutu was a brilliant and convincing orator. Soon after he became ordained, he rose through the ranks to become the Bishop of Johannesburg in 1985, and a year later, he became the Archbishop of Cape Town. He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. The late Bishop was a man who understood the futility in trying to please humans, so he just lived his life and embarked on endeavours based on his strong convictions. He never had a herd mentality. His support was always deep-seated and well-thought-out, making some people think he was always overly cautious in playing safe. Archbishop Tutu had the life, although it did not come to him as easily as it came to many others. He lived and worked in different capacities at different times. More so, he died at the ripe old age of 90. What more could a human being want? The anti-apartheid hero might not have wanted more, but more things surely came to him. When we, as humans, do good in whatever position we find ourselves, and if we do it because we have chosen to be innately good and because we believe so much in the potency of doing good, then the recognition we deserve will come, even if we do not actively seek it. Such was the case with our beloved Tutu. He won several awards for his contributions to humanity and relentlessly pushed for the betterment of his people and the world at large. Among the awards he received was the prestigious Nobel Prize for Peace, which he received in 1984. The Royal Swedish Academy deemed the reverend worthy of the award for his immense contributions to the fight against the oppression of the apartheid government and especially for his struggles to ensure a peaceful and non-violent demand for the peoples rights. Another award that the merry reverend and preacher of peace received was the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, considered one of the two most prestigious awards the United States of America can bestow on a civilian, was given to Tutu for his consistent contributions to the stability of world peace and other significant contributions to the fight for the peaceful co-existence of humans. In 2012, he received another prestigious award from the Mo Ibrahim Foundation for consistently speaking truth to power. This is a quality that many cannot boast of. Power corrupts, and once they have access to power, many activists soon fail to see the need to continue to champion the struggle for the rights of the oppressed. Also, there is the avoidance of truth to not lose the power bestowed on one. But not Tutu. He was a man who spent his life believing that his power and position were given him to help champion the cause of the marginalised and the oppressed, and if the oppressor were the leaders, so be it! Champion he must, and champion he was, speaking the truth, whether it went well with the powerful or not. On Sunday, December 26, 2021, a day after Christmas, Desmond Tutu went to rest. The gravity of this demise is still a shock coursing through our veins, one that our brain has neither readily nor fully processed. We are still talking about his demise, and the largeness of the void it has left in true humanism is still unknown to us, until the moments we would need a fearless commentator and wonder what Desmond Tutu would have said. This humanist lived his life for the people. He believed in the people and believed God had plans for humanity. He believed that one of the greatest resources made available to us as humans is the ability to practice Ubuntu, and he preached this with every fibre of his being. Rest easy, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. You were an invaluable treasure and a blessing to the world. The whole world will sorely miss you. Toyin Falola, a professor of History and University Distinguished Teaching Professor, is Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin. In all, as in Kanus, a political solution could be thrown into the mix, with compromise reached from both sides. Whats not in doubt is that brawn and vindictiveness arent the solutions to the Igboho conundrum. He may have been demystified as the braggart that he is, but he remains a fly on the most delicate part of Nigerias phallus. He wanted to fly, but he eventually became a fly. Sunday Igboho sneaked into Cotonou with a secret plan to fly to Germany, but, accidentally, he landed on the most sensitive part of Nigerias genitals. What do our elders say about a fly that perches on the scrotum? Caution. In July, weeks after he was declared wanted by Nigerias secret police, Sunday Adeyemo a.k.a Sunday Igboho was arrested by the Beninese police while trying to travel to Germany, and then transferred to the Cotonou Criminal Brigade. He has since remained in Benin, his fate hanging in the balance. In the turbulent years of the Yoruba fratricidal wars, dubbed the era of revolution, brain and brawn separated men who survived or died in the numerous battles for crowns and kingdoms across the Yoruba country. Amid sounds of gunfire, kingdoms were founded and wiped off, warriors birthed and put to the sword, hamlets built and razed to the ground. From the ruins of wars, heroes emerged as villains, and villains strutted around as heroes. Many who made names were thrown up by a blend of myth and might, especially from military cities like Ibadan, Ijaye, and Abeokuta. Enter Ogedengbe, Ogunmola, Ibikunle, Odenlo, Kurunmi, Sodeke, Aole, Fabunmi, etc. Like the Oduduwa era before it, the Yoruba have since moved past the revolutionary era. But in the first half of 2021, some towns and villages in Yorubaland fell into the hands of marauders and murderous gunmen. The people screamed and cried for help. It was as though they had been transported yet again to the revolutionary era when carcasses of humans littered the streets in a barbaric show of force. But this time, they reasoned, the war wasnt fratricidal. In some places, especially in Oyo, survival became a matter of utmost savagery. Those who went to farm had their heads plucked off whimsically, and women who went to the stream returned with tales of carnal violence. The hotbed of the crisis was the Oke-Ogun region, where the streets of Igangan in the heart of Ibarapaland flowed with the blood of innocent souls. In December 2020, a known philanthropist and influential employer of labour, Dr Fatai Aborode, was murdered in cold blood. The murder, at the time, was just one of many other tales of deadly attacks and incidents of rape in the town, including the massacre of 20 people in June 2021. Meanwhile, in almost all of the narratives surrounding the criminal attacks in Igangan, as in other parts of Yorubaland, Fulani herdsmen appeared prominently as alleged masterminds. In the minds of many who werent witnesses to the crimes in those villages, including me, it was not as though some criminal elements of Yoruba descent couldnt have been behind some of the evil acts. After all, crime has no ethnicity, as investigations into the late Aborodes murder would later suggest. But at the height of the killings, many were genuinely worried about the laissez faire reactions of the Oyo State Government and, more ominously, the do-nothing posture of the Federal Government, headed by the insouciant Muhammadu Buhari. In some ways, Igboho embodies these contradictions, appearing as both hero and villain in equal measure. So, when he hugged media headlines and threatened to sack marauding herders from Yorubaland, many observers took his interventions with practiced caution: His inflammatory rhetoric was dangerous because of its dire consequences, still an urgent intervention was necessary because of the carnage, which the government had failed to arrest. As such, those who saw through the folly of campaigns and conspiracy theories premised on claims of ethnic cleansing sweeping across villages and cities in Oke-Ogun, could do little or nothing to keep peoples anger in check, in the face of the clear absence of governance. When the din got to its crescendo, a certain Sunday Igboho emerged from the rubble, threatening fire and brimstone. He would move through crowds of angry indigenes, appeal to their emotional needs, assure them of safety, and threaten to sack the invaders maiming and raping awon anti ati broda wa (our aunts and brothers) from Ori Ile Baba wa (our fathers land). Given the scale of criminality, and near-total collapse of governance in the region, he became an instant hero among the people, understandably so, and began to enjoy a cult followership, like a true revolutionary. Yet up until he was thrust forward by the vacuum of governance, Igboho was no revolutionary, at least in the estimation of many. He was, at best, an irritant, a ready-made weapon of political violence in the hands of the highest bidder. In that sense, he was no Yoruba hero in the mould of Awo, or Ajasin, or Adesanya, or Ige. He possessed not Awos moral stature, nor Ajasins sagely wisdom, or Adesanyas principled doggedness, or Iges oratory prowess. Even though all of these leaders didnt enjoy unanimous support among the Yoruba in their times, Igboho wasnt even any close to them in terms of respectability and charisma. Yet, when the marauding men came, it was in Igbohos direction that the people looked. And so, Igbohos story reflects yet again why all heroes arent necessarily heroic in the eyes of all. Awo, bar Oduduwa, remains the most important leader of the Yoruba race. But the same revered sage, among a significant section of Igbos, remains an ethnic jingoist, who starved innocent children to death during the civil war. Achebe even claimed that Awo was driven by an overriding ambition for power Ojukwu, who, at the height of the progrom up North, faced the challenge of shouldering the burden of Ndigbo, was widely considered a beastly war monger in songs among folks in the North. Ahmadu Bello, whose death Northerners still lament till today whenever issues of leadership failure comes up, remains a rabid Igbo hater in the minds of some Igbo compatriots. Even Zik, who once loomed large across the African horizon, ended up as the Owelle of Onitsha. Yet, they are all heroes, these men. In some ways, Igboho embodies these contradictions, appearing as both hero and villain in equal measure. So, when he hugged media headlines and threatened to sack marauding herders from Yorubaland, many observers took his interventions with practiced caution: His inflammatory rhetoric was dangerous because of its dire consequences, still an urgent intervention was necessary because of the carnage, which the government had failed to arrest. Igbohos excesses notwithstanding, how the nation treats him matters in conversations around Nigerias march towards peace and development, as well as discourses around the twin concepts of justice and equity, in the context of its treatment of repentant Boko Haram members, bandits and their apologists. And in this case, it matters not what the government does behind the camera; perception is stronger than reality. But Igboho, ever brash and restless, failed to keep his excesses at bay. Led on by excitable profiteers like Olayemi Koiki, the philistine who failed in his desire to hide his commercial intent under some phantom media agitation, Igboho became a castrated bulldog, barking at almost everyone in sight. His Yoruba Nation secessionist agenda, about which he has no ideological clarity nor depth of vision, collided with a more popular campaign to install peace in troubled parts of Yorubaland. He would only have it his way or the highway; anyone, including kings, who expressed reservations about secession became a traitor that must be gunned down. He mimics Ojo Agunbambaru, one of the surviving sons of Bashorun Gaa, who escaped to the Bariba country, at the massacre of Gaas children under Abiodun. Agunbambaru indiscriminately slaughtered Oyo chiefs and threatened the Onikoyi, two major flaws that weakened his strength. It was plausible that if Ojo had acted with prudence, he would have succeeded in his mission, and wouldnt have been deserted at the most critical moment. Like Agunbambaru, by the time Igboho was nabbed in Cotonou, he had cursed and abused almost everyone who mattered, thus alienating so many people from himself. And, as such, when his ordeal began, and there were claims of vindictiveness on the part of Nigerian government, many paid little or no attention. Still, Igbohos excesses notwithstanding, how the nation treats him matters in conversations around Nigerias march towards peace and development, as well as discourses around the twin concepts of justice and equity, in the context of its treatment of repentant Boko Haram members, bandits and their apologists. And in this case, it matters not what the government does behind the camera; perception is stronger than reality. For one, although he isnt Nnamdi Kanu, whose voice envelopes governments directive on the streets of Igboland, Igboho remains a hero in the hearts of many, especially in Igangan and environs, where the people now enjoy relative safety. As such, whatever happens to him and his presumed followers (like the so-called Babalawo that was so unfairly punished for months, despite having no strong connection with Igboho) would have ripple effects, at least, on how the people view the state which failed to protect them, yet chose to punish their hero. Given the near-helpless posture of the government on present insecurity matters nationwide, it appears better to ply a less turbulent route. Again, any discerning observer could see through the sombre, penitent direction of Igbohos recent interventions. Of course it could be a decoy, given his present condition, but then it could as well be genuine. In all, as in Kanus, a political solution could be thrown into the mix, with compromise reached from both sides. Whats not in doubt is that brawn and vindictiveness arent the solutions to the Igboho conundrum. He may have been demystified as the braggart that he is, but he remains a fly on the most delicate part of Nigerias phallus. And, most importantly, until the government delivers on good, inclusive governance that guarantees safety and equity in distribution of democratic dividends, its only a matter of time before another Igboho emerges from the trenches. Caution. Oladeinde Olawoyin tweets via @Ola_deinde. In all, as in Kanus, a political solution could be thrown into the mix, with compromise reached from both sides. Whats not in doubt is that brawn and vindictiveness arent the solutions to the Igboho conundrum. He may have been demystified as the braggart that he is, but he remains a fly on the most delicate part of Nigerias phallus. He wanted to fly, but he eventually became a fly. Sunday Igboho sneaked into Cotonou with a secret plan to fly to Germany, but, accidentally, he landed on the most sensitive part of Nigerias genitals. What do our elders say about a fly that perches on the scrotum? Caution. In July, weeks after he was declared wanted by Nigerias secret police, Sunday Adeyemo a.k.a Sunday Igboho was arrested by the Beninese police while trying to travel to Germany, and then transferred to the Cotonou Criminal Brigade. He has since remained in Benin, his fate hanging in the balance. In the turbulent years of the Yoruba fratricidal wars, dubbed the era of revolution, brain and brawn separated men who survived or died in the numerous battles for crowns and kingdoms across the Yoruba country. Amid sounds of gunfire, kingdoms were founded and wiped off, warriors birthed and put to the sword, hamlets built and razed to the ground. From the ruins of wars, heroes emerged as villains, and villains strutted around as heroes. Many who made names were thrown up by a blend of myth and might, especially from military cities like Ibadan, Ijaye, and Abeokuta. Enter Ogedengbe, Ogunmola, Ibikunle, Odenlo, Kurunmi, Sodeke, Aole, Fabunmi, etc. Like the Oduduwa era before it, the Yoruba have since moved past the revolutionary era. But in the first half of 2021, some towns and villages in Yorubaland fell into the hands of marauders and murderous gunmen. The people screamed and cried for help. It was as though they had been transported yet again to the revolutionary era when carcasses of humans littered the streets in a barbaric show of force. But this time, they reasoned, the war wasnt fratricidal. In some places, especially in Oyo, survival became a matter of utmost savagery. Those who went to farm had their heads plucked off whimsically, and women who went to the stream returned with tales of carnal violence. The hotbed of the crisis was the Oke-Ogun region, where the streets of Igangan in the heart of Ibarapaland flowed with the blood of innocent souls. In December 2020, a known philanthropist and influential employer of labour, Dr Fatai Aborode, was murdered in cold blood. The murder, at the time, was just one of many other tales of deadly attacks and incidents of rape in the town, including the massacre of 20 people in June 2021. Meanwhile, in almost all of the narratives surrounding the criminal attacks in Igangan, as in other parts of Yorubaland, Fulani herdsmen appeared prominently as alleged masterminds. In the minds of many who werent witnesses to the crimes in those villages, including me, it was not as though some criminal elements of Yoruba descent couldnt have been behind some of the evil acts. After all, crime has no ethnicity, as investigations into the late Aborodes murder would later suggest. But at the height of the killings, many were genuinely worried about the laissez faire reactions of the Oyo State Government and, more ominously, the do-nothing posture of the Federal Government, headed by the insouciant Muhammadu Buhari. In some ways, Igboho embodies these contradictions, appearing as both hero and villain in equal measure. So, when he hugged media headlines and threatened to sack marauding herders from Yorubaland, many observers took his interventions with practiced caution: His inflammatory rhetoric was dangerous because of its dire consequences, still an urgent intervention was necessary because of the carnage, which the government had failed to arrest. As such, those who saw through the folly of campaigns and conspiracy theories premised on claims of ethnic cleansing sweeping across villages and cities in Oke-Ogun, could do little or nothing to keep peoples anger in check, in the face of the clear absence of governance. When the din got to its crescendo, a certain Sunday Igboho emerged from the rubble, threatening fire and brimstone. He would move through crowds of angry indigenes, appeal to their emotional needs, assure them of safety, and threaten to sack the invaders maiming and raping awon anti ati broda wa (our aunts and brothers) from Ori Ile Baba wa (our fathers land). Given the scale of criminality, and near-total collapse of governance in the region, he became an instant hero among the people, understandably so, and began to enjoy a cult followership, like a true revolutionary. Yet up until he was thrust forward by the vacuum of governance, Igboho was no revolutionary, at least in the estimation of many. He was, at best, an irritant, a ready-made weapon of political violence in the hands of the highest bidder. In that sense, he was no Yoruba hero in the mould of Awo, or Ajasin, or Adesanya, or Ige. He possessed not Awos moral stature, nor Ajasins sagely wisdom, or Adesanyas principled doggedness, or Iges oratory prowess. Even though all of these leaders didnt enjoy unanimous support among the Yoruba in their times, Igboho wasnt even any close to them in terms of respectability and charisma. Yet, when the marauding men came, it was in Igbohos direction that the people looked. And so, Igbohos story reflects yet again why all heroes arent necessarily heroic in the eyes of all. Awo, bar Oduduwa, remains the most important leader of the Yoruba race. But the same revered sage, among a significant section of Igbos, remains an ethnic jingoist, who starved innocent children to death during the civil war. Achebe even claimed that Awo was driven by an overriding ambition for power Ojukwu, who, at the height of the progrom up North, faced the challenge of shouldering the burden of Ndigbo, was widely considered a beastly war monger in songs among folks in the North. Ahmadu Bello, whose death Northerners still lament till today whenever issues of leadership failure comes up, remains a rabid Igbo hater in the minds of some Igbo compatriots. Even Zik, who once loomed large across the African horizon, ended up as the Owelle of Onitsha. Yet, they are all heroes, these men. In some ways, Igboho embodies these contradictions, appearing as both hero and villain in equal measure. So, when he hugged media headlines and threatened to sack marauding herders from Yorubaland, many observers took his interventions with practiced caution: His inflammatory rhetoric was dangerous because of its dire consequences, still an urgent intervention was necessary because of the carnage, which the government had failed to arrest. Igbohos excesses notwithstanding, how the nation treats him matters in conversations around Nigerias march towards peace and development, as well as discourses around the twin concepts of justice and equity, in the context of its treatment of repentant Boko Haram members, bandits and their apologists. And in this case, it matters not what the government does behind the camera; perception is stronger than reality. But Igboho, ever brash and restless, failed to keep his excesses at bay. Led on by excitable profiteers like Olayemi Koiki, the philistine who failed in his desire to hide his commercial intent under some phantom media agitation, Igboho became a castrated bulldog, barking at almost everyone in sight. His Yoruba Nation secessionist agenda, about which he has no ideological clarity nor depth of vision, collided with a more popular campaign to install peace in troubled parts of Yorubaland. He would only have it his way or the highway; anyone, including kings, who expressed reservations about secession became a traitor that must be gunned down. He mimics Ojo Agunbambaru, one of the surviving sons of Bashorun Gaa, who escaped to the Bariba country, at the massacre of Gaas children under Abiodun. Agunbambaru indiscriminately slaughtered Oyo chiefs and threatened the Onikoyi, two major flaws that weakened his strength. It was plausible that if Ojo had acted with prudence, he would have succeeded in his mission, and wouldnt have been deserted at the most critical moment. Like Agunbambaru, by the time Igboho was nabbed in Cotonou, he had cursed and abused almost everyone who mattered, thus alienating so many people from himself. And, as such, when his ordeal began, and there were claims of vindictiveness on the part of Nigerian government, many paid little or no attention. Still, Igbohos excesses notwithstanding, how the nation treats him matters in conversations around Nigerias march towards peace and development, as well as discourses around the twin concepts of justice and equity, in the context of its treatment of repentant Boko Haram members, bandits and their apologists. And in this case, it matters not what the government does behind the camera; perception is stronger than reality. For one, although he isnt Nnamdi Kanu, whose voice envelopes governments directive on the streets of Igboland, Igboho remains a hero in the hearts of many, especially in Igangan and environs, where the people now enjoy relative safety. As such, whatever happens to him and his presumed followers (like the so-called Babalawo that was so unfairly punished for months, despite having no strong connection with Igboho) would have ripple effects, at least, on how the people view the state which failed to protect them, yet chose to punish their hero. Given the near-helpless posture of the government on present insecurity matters nationwide, it appears better to ply a less turbulent route. Again, any discerning observer could see through the sombre, penitent direction of Igbohos recent interventions. Of course it could be a decoy, given his present condition, but then it could as well be genuine. In all, as in Kanus, a political solution could be thrown into the mix, with compromise reached from both sides. Whats not in doubt is that brawn and vindictiveness arent the solutions to the Igboho conundrum. He may have been demystified as the braggart that he is, but he remains a fly on the most delicate part of Nigerias phallus. And, most importantly, until the government delivers on good, inclusive governance that guarantees safety and equity in distribution of democratic dividends, its only a matter of time before another Igboho emerges from the trenches. Caution. Oladeinde Olawoyin tweets via @Ola_deinde. In all, as in Kanus, a political solution could be thrown into the mix, with compromise reached from both sides. Whats not in doubt is that brawn and vindictiveness arent the solutions to the Igboho conundrum. He may have been demystified as the braggart that he is, but he remains a fly on the most delicate part of Nigerias phallus. He wanted to fly, but he eventually became a fly. Sunday Igboho sneaked into Cotonou with a secret plan to fly to Germany, but, accidentally, he landed on the most sensitive part of Nigerias genitals. What do our elders say about a fly that perches on the scrotum? Caution. In July, weeks after he was declared wanted by Nigerias secret police, Sunday Adeyemo a.k.a Sunday Igboho was arrested by the Beninese police while trying to travel to Germany, and then transferred to the Cotonou Criminal Brigade. He has since remained in Benin, his fate hanging in the balance. In the turbulent years of the Yoruba fratricidal wars, dubbed the era of revolution, brain and brawn separated men who survived or died in the numerous battles for crowns and kingdoms across the Yoruba country. Amid sounds of gunfire, kingdoms were founded and wiped off, warriors birthed and put to the sword, hamlets built and razed to the ground. From the ruins of wars, heroes emerged as villains, and villains strutted around as heroes. Many who made names were thrown up by a blend of myth and might, especially from military cities like Ibadan, Ijaye, and Abeokuta. Enter Ogedengbe, Ogunmola, Ibikunle, Odenlo, Kurunmi, Sodeke, Aole, Fabunmi, etc. Like the Oduduwa era before it, the Yoruba have since moved past the revolutionary era. But in the first half of 2021, some towns and villages in Yorubaland fell into the hands of marauders and murderous gunmen. The people screamed and cried for help. It was as though they had been transported yet again to the revolutionary era when carcasses of humans littered the streets in a barbaric show of force. But this time, they reasoned, the war wasnt fratricidal. In some places, especially in Oyo, survival became a matter of utmost savagery. Those who went to farm had their heads plucked off whimsically, and women who went to the stream returned with tales of carnal violence. The hotbed of the crisis was the Oke-Ogun region, where the streets of Igangan in the heart of Ibarapaland flowed with the blood of innocent souls. In December 2020, a known philanthropist and influential employer of labour, Dr Fatai Aborode, was murdered in cold blood. The murder, at the time, was just one of many other tales of deadly attacks and incidents of rape in the town, including the massacre of 20 people in June 2021. Meanwhile, in almost all of the narratives surrounding the criminal attacks in Igangan, as in other parts of Yorubaland, Fulani herdsmen appeared prominently as alleged masterminds. In the minds of many who werent witnesses to the crimes in those villages, including me, it was not as though some criminal elements of Yoruba descent couldnt have been behind some of the evil acts. After all, crime has no ethnicity, as investigations into the late Aborodes murder would later suggest. But at the height of the killings, many were genuinely worried about the laissez faire reactions of the Oyo State Government and, more ominously, the do-nothing posture of the Federal Government, headed by the insouciant Muhammadu Buhari. In some ways, Igboho embodies these contradictions, appearing as both hero and villain in equal measure. So, when he hugged media headlines and threatened to sack marauding herders from Yorubaland, many observers took his interventions with practiced caution: His inflammatory rhetoric was dangerous because of its dire consequences, still an urgent intervention was necessary because of the carnage, which the government had failed to arrest. As such, those who saw through the folly of campaigns and conspiracy theories premised on claims of ethnic cleansing sweeping across villages and cities in Oke-Ogun, could do little or nothing to keep peoples anger in check, in the face of the clear absence of governance. When the din got to its crescendo, a certain Sunday Igboho emerged from the rubble, threatening fire and brimstone. He would move through crowds of angry indigenes, appeal to their emotional needs, assure them of safety, and threaten to sack the invaders maiming and raping awon anti ati broda wa (our aunts and brothers) from Ori Ile Baba wa (our fathers land). Given the scale of criminality, and near-total collapse of governance in the region, he became an instant hero among the people, understandably so, and began to enjoy a cult followership, like a true revolutionary. Yet up until he was thrust forward by the vacuum of governance, Igboho was no revolutionary, at least in the estimation of many. He was, at best, an irritant, a ready-made weapon of political violence in the hands of the highest bidder. In that sense, he was no Yoruba hero in the mould of Awo, or Ajasin, or Adesanya, or Ige. He possessed not Awos moral stature, nor Ajasins sagely wisdom, or Adesanyas principled doggedness, or Iges oratory prowess. Even though all of these leaders didnt enjoy unanimous support among the Yoruba in their times, Igboho wasnt even any close to them in terms of respectability and charisma. Yet, when the marauding men came, it was in Igbohos direction that the people looked. And so, Igbohos story reflects yet again why all heroes arent necessarily heroic in the eyes of all. Awo, bar Oduduwa, remains the most important leader of the Yoruba race. But the same revered sage, among a significant section of Igbos, remains an ethnic jingoist, who starved innocent children to death during the civil war. Achebe even claimed that Awo was driven by an overriding ambition for power Ojukwu, who, at the height of the progrom up North, faced the challenge of shouldering the burden of Ndigbo, was widely considered a beastly war monger in songs among folks in the North. Ahmadu Bello, whose death Northerners still lament till today whenever issues of leadership failure comes up, remains a rabid Igbo hater in the minds of some Igbo compatriots. Even Zik, who once loomed large across the African horizon, ended up as the Owelle of Onitsha. Yet, they are all heroes, these men. In some ways, Igboho embodies these contradictions, appearing as both hero and villain in equal measure. So, when he hugged media headlines and threatened to sack marauding herders from Yorubaland, many observers took his interventions with practiced caution: His inflammatory rhetoric was dangerous because of its dire consequences, still an urgent intervention was necessary because of the carnage, which the government had failed to arrest. Igbohos excesses notwithstanding, how the nation treats him matters in conversations around Nigerias march towards peace and development, as well as discourses around the twin concepts of justice and equity, in the context of its treatment of repentant Boko Haram members, bandits and their apologists. And in this case, it matters not what the government does behind the camera; perception is stronger than reality. But Igboho, ever brash and restless, failed to keep his excesses at bay. Led on by excitable profiteers like Olayemi Koiki, the philistine who failed in his desire to hide his commercial intent under some phantom media agitation, Igboho became a castrated bulldog, barking at almost everyone in sight. His Yoruba Nation secessionist agenda, about which he has no ideological clarity nor depth of vision, collided with a more popular campaign to install peace in troubled parts of Yorubaland. He would only have it his way or the highway; anyone, including kings, who expressed reservations about secession became a traitor that must be gunned down. He mimics Ojo Agunbambaru, one of the surviving sons of Bashorun Gaa, who escaped to the Bariba country, at the massacre of Gaas children under Abiodun. Agunbambaru indiscriminately slaughtered Oyo chiefs and threatened the Onikoyi, two major flaws that weakened his strength. It was plausible that if Ojo had acted with prudence, he would have succeeded in his mission, and wouldnt have been deserted at the most critical moment. Like Agunbambaru, by the time Igboho was nabbed in Cotonou, he had cursed and abused almost everyone who mattered, thus alienating so many people from himself. And, as such, when his ordeal began, and there were claims of vindictiveness on the part of Nigerian government, many paid little or no attention. Still, Igbohos excesses notwithstanding, how the nation treats him matters in conversations around Nigerias march towards peace and development, as well as discourses around the twin concepts of justice and equity, in the context of its treatment of repentant Boko Haram members, bandits and their apologists. And in this case, it matters not what the government does behind the camera; perception is stronger than reality. For one, although he isnt Nnamdi Kanu, whose voice envelopes governments directive on the streets of Igboland, Igboho remains a hero in the hearts of many, especially in Igangan and environs, where the people now enjoy relative safety. As such, whatever happens to him and his presumed followers (like the so-called Babalawo that was so unfairly punished for months, despite having no strong connection with Igboho) would have ripple effects, at least, on how the people view the state which failed to protect them, yet chose to punish their hero. Given the near-helpless posture of the government on present insecurity matters nationwide, it appears better to ply a less turbulent route. Again, any discerning observer could see through the sombre, penitent direction of Igbohos recent interventions. Of course it could be a decoy, given his present condition, but then it could as well be genuine. In all, as in Kanus, a political solution could be thrown into the mix, with compromise reached from both sides. Whats not in doubt is that brawn and vindictiveness arent the solutions to the Igboho conundrum. He may have been demystified as the braggart that he is, but he remains a fly on the most delicate part of Nigerias phallus. And, most importantly, until the government delivers on good, inclusive governance that guarantees safety and equity in distribution of democratic dividends, its only a matter of time before another Igboho emerges from the trenches. Caution. Oladeinde Olawoyin tweets via @Ola_deinde. New Delhi, Jan 1 : Automobile major Maruti Suzuki India on Saturday reported a 4.41 per cent decline in its December 2021 sales on a YoY basis. Total sales including exports in December 2021 fell to 153,149 units from 160,226 units sold during the same period of the previous corresponding year. Besides, domestic sales including sales to other OEM fell to 130,869 units from 150,288 units sold during December 2020. However, the automaker's exports rose to 22,280 units in December 2021 up from 9,938 units shipped out during the corresponding period of 2020. "The shortage of electronic components had a minor impact on the production of vehicles during the month," the company said. "The shortage primarily affected the production of vehicles sold in domestic market." In all, as in Kanus, a political solution could be thrown into the mix, with compromise reached from both sides. Whats not in doubt is that brawn and vindictiveness arent the solutions to the Igboho conundrum. He may have been demystified as the braggart that he is, but he remains a fly on the most delicate part of Nigerias phallus. He wanted to fly, but he eventually became a fly. Sunday Igboho sneaked into Cotonou with a secret plan to fly to Germany, but, accidentally, he landed on the most sensitive part of Nigerias genitals. What do our elders say about a fly that perches on the scrotum? Caution. In July, weeks after he was declared wanted by Nigerias secret police, Sunday Adeyemo a.k.a Sunday Igboho was arrested by the Beninese police while trying to travel to Germany, and then transferred to the Cotonou Criminal Brigade. He has since remained in Benin, his fate hanging in the balance. In the turbulent years of the Yoruba fratricidal wars, dubbed the era of revolution, brain and brawn separated men who survived or died in the numerous battles for crowns and kingdoms across the Yoruba country. Amid sounds of gunfire, kingdoms were founded and wiped off, warriors birthed and put to the sword, hamlets built and razed to the ground. From the ruins of wars, heroes emerged as villains, and villains strutted around as heroes. Many who made names were thrown up by a blend of myth and might, especially from military cities like Ibadan, Ijaye, and Abeokuta. Enter Ogedengbe, Ogunmola, Ibikunle, Odenlo, Kurunmi, Sodeke, Aole, Fabunmi, etc. Like the Oduduwa era before it, the Yoruba have since moved past the revolutionary era. But in the first half of 2021, some towns and villages in Yorubaland fell into the hands of marauders and murderous gunmen. The people screamed and cried for help. It was as though they had been transported yet again to the revolutionary era when carcasses of humans littered the streets in a barbaric show of force. But this time, they reasoned, the war wasnt fratricidal. In some places, especially in Oyo, survival became a matter of utmost savagery. Those who went to farm had their heads plucked off whimsically, and women who went to the stream returned with tales of carnal violence. The hotbed of the crisis was the Oke-Ogun region, where the streets of Igangan in the heart of Ibarapaland flowed with the blood of innocent souls. In December 2020, a known philanthropist and influential employer of labour, Dr Fatai Aborode, was murdered in cold blood. The murder, at the time, was just one of many other tales of deadly attacks and incidents of rape in the town, including the massacre of 20 people in June 2021. Meanwhile, in almost all of the narratives surrounding the criminal attacks in Igangan, as in other parts of Yorubaland, Fulani herdsmen appeared prominently as alleged masterminds. In the minds of many who werent witnesses to the crimes in those villages, including me, it was not as though some criminal elements of Yoruba descent couldnt have been behind some of the evil acts. After all, crime has no ethnicity, as investigations into the late Aborodes murder would later suggest. But at the height of the killings, many were genuinely worried about the laissez faire reactions of the Oyo State Government and, more ominously, the do-nothing posture of the Federal Government, headed by the insouciant Muhammadu Buhari. In some ways, Igboho embodies these contradictions, appearing as both hero and villain in equal measure. So, when he hugged media headlines and threatened to sack marauding herders from Yorubaland, many observers took his interventions with practiced caution: His inflammatory rhetoric was dangerous because of its dire consequences, still an urgent intervention was necessary because of the carnage, which the government had failed to arrest. As such, those who saw through the folly of campaigns and conspiracy theories premised on claims of ethnic cleansing sweeping across villages and cities in Oke-Ogun, could do little or nothing to keep peoples anger in check, in the face of the clear absence of governance. When the din got to its crescendo, a certain Sunday Igboho emerged from the rubble, threatening fire and brimstone. He would move through crowds of angry indigenes, appeal to their emotional needs, assure them of safety, and threaten to sack the invaders maiming and raping awon anti ati broda wa (our aunts and brothers) from Ori Ile Baba wa (our fathers land). Given the scale of criminality, and near-total collapse of governance in the region, he became an instant hero among the people, understandably so, and began to enjoy a cult followership, like a true revolutionary. Yet up until he was thrust forward by the vacuum of governance, Igboho was no revolutionary, at least in the estimation of many. He was, at best, an irritant, a ready-made weapon of political violence in the hands of the highest bidder. In that sense, he was no Yoruba hero in the mould of Awo, or Ajasin, or Adesanya, or Ige. He possessed not Awos moral stature, nor Ajasins sagely wisdom, or Adesanyas principled doggedness, or Iges oratory prowess. Even though all of these leaders didnt enjoy unanimous support among the Yoruba in their times, Igboho wasnt even any close to them in terms of respectability and charisma. Yet, when the marauding men came, it was in Igbohos direction that the people looked. And so, Igbohos story reflects yet again why all heroes arent necessarily heroic in the eyes of all. Awo, bar Oduduwa, remains the most important leader of the Yoruba race. But the same revered sage, among a significant section of Igbos, remains an ethnic jingoist, who starved innocent children to death during the civil war. Achebe even claimed that Awo was driven by an overriding ambition for power Ojukwu, who, at the height of the progrom up North, faced the challenge of shouldering the burden of Ndigbo, was widely considered a beastly war monger in songs among folks in the North. Ahmadu Bello, whose death Northerners still lament till today whenever issues of leadership failure comes up, remains a rabid Igbo hater in the minds of some Igbo compatriots. Even Zik, who once loomed large across the African horizon, ended up as the Owelle of Onitsha. Yet, they are all heroes, these men. In some ways, Igboho embodies these contradictions, appearing as both hero and villain in equal measure. So, when he hugged media headlines and threatened to sack marauding herders from Yorubaland, many observers took his interventions with practiced caution: His inflammatory rhetoric was dangerous because of its dire consequences, still an urgent intervention was necessary because of the carnage, which the government had failed to arrest. Igbohos excesses notwithstanding, how the nation treats him matters in conversations around Nigerias march towards peace and development, as well as discourses around the twin concepts of justice and equity, in the context of its treatment of repentant Boko Haram members, bandits and their apologists. And in this case, it matters not what the government does behind the camera; perception is stronger than reality. But Igboho, ever brash and restless, failed to keep his excesses at bay. Led on by excitable profiteers like Olayemi Koiki, the philistine who failed in his desire to hide his commercial intent under some phantom media agitation, Igboho became a castrated bulldog, barking at almost everyone in sight. His Yoruba Nation secessionist agenda, about which he has no ideological clarity nor depth of vision, collided with a more popular campaign to install peace in troubled parts of Yorubaland. He would only have it his way or the highway; anyone, including kings, who expressed reservations about secession became a traitor that must be gunned down. He mimics Ojo Agunbambaru, one of the surviving sons of Bashorun Gaa, who escaped to the Bariba country, at the massacre of Gaas children under Abiodun. Agunbambaru indiscriminately slaughtered Oyo chiefs and threatened the Onikoyi, two major flaws that weakened his strength. It was plausible that if Ojo had acted with prudence, he would have succeeded in his mission, and wouldnt have been deserted at the most critical moment. Like Agunbambaru, by the time Igboho was nabbed in Cotonou, he had cursed and abused almost everyone who mattered, thus alienating so many people from himself. And, as such, when his ordeal began, and there were claims of vindictiveness on the part of Nigerian government, many paid little or no attention. Still, Igbohos excesses notwithstanding, how the nation treats him matters in conversations around Nigerias march towards peace and development, as well as discourses around the twin concepts of justice and equity, in the context of its treatment of repentant Boko Haram members, bandits and their apologists. And in this case, it matters not what the government does behind the camera; perception is stronger than reality. For one, although he isnt Nnamdi Kanu, whose voice envelopes governments directive on the streets of Igboland, Igboho remains a hero in the hearts of many, especially in Igangan and environs, where the people now enjoy relative safety. As such, whatever happens to him and his presumed followers (like the so-called Babalawo that was so unfairly punished for months, despite having no strong connection with Igboho) would have ripple effects, at least, on how the people view the state which failed to protect them, yet chose to punish their hero. Given the near-helpless posture of the government on present insecurity matters nationwide, it appears better to ply a less turbulent route. Again, any discerning observer could see through the sombre, penitent direction of Igbohos recent interventions. Of course it could be a decoy, given his present condition, but then it could as well be genuine. In all, as in Kanus, a political solution could be thrown into the mix, with compromise reached from both sides. Whats not in doubt is that brawn and vindictiveness arent the solutions to the Igboho conundrum. He may have been demystified as the braggart that he is, but he remains a fly on the most delicate part of Nigerias phallus. And, most importantly, until the government delivers on good, inclusive governance that guarantees safety and equity in distribution of democratic dividends, its only a matter of time before another Igboho emerges from the trenches. Caution. Oladeinde Olawoyin tweets via @Ola_deinde. In all, as in Kanus, a political solution could be thrown into the mix, with compromise reached from both sides. Whats not in doubt is that brawn and vindictiveness arent the solutions to the Igboho conundrum. He may have been demystified as the braggart that he is, but he remains a fly on the most delicate part of Nigerias phallus. He wanted to fly, but he eventually became a fly. Sunday Igboho sneaked into Cotonou with a secret plan to fly to Germany, but, accidentally, he landed on the most sensitive part of Nigerias genitals. What do our elders say about a fly that perches on the scrotum? Caution. In July, weeks after he was declared wanted by Nigerias secret police, Sunday Adeyemo a.k.a Sunday Igboho was arrested by the Beninese police while trying to travel to Germany, and then transferred to the Cotonou Criminal Brigade. He has since remained in Benin, his fate hanging in the balance. In the turbulent years of the Yoruba fratricidal wars, dubbed the era of revolution, brain and brawn separated men who survived or died in the numerous battles for crowns and kingdoms across the Yoruba country. Amid sounds of gunfire, kingdoms were founded and wiped off, warriors birthed and put to the sword, hamlets built and razed to the ground. From the ruins of wars, heroes emerged as villains, and villains strutted around as heroes. Many who made names were thrown up by a blend of myth and might, especially from military cities like Ibadan, Ijaye, and Abeokuta. Enter Ogedengbe, Ogunmola, Ibikunle, Odenlo, Kurunmi, Sodeke, Aole, Fabunmi, etc. Like the Oduduwa era before it, the Yoruba have since moved past the revolutionary era. But in the first half of 2021, some towns and villages in Yorubaland fell into the hands of marauders and murderous gunmen. The people screamed and cried for help. It was as though they had been transported yet again to the revolutionary era when carcasses of humans littered the streets in a barbaric show of force. But this time, they reasoned, the war wasnt fratricidal. In some places, especially in Oyo, survival became a matter of utmost savagery. Those who went to farm had their heads plucked off whimsically, and women who went to the stream returned with tales of carnal violence. The hotbed of the crisis was the Oke-Ogun region, where the streets of Igangan in the heart of Ibarapaland flowed with the blood of innocent souls. In December 2020, a known philanthropist and influential employer of labour, Dr Fatai Aborode, was murdered in cold blood. The murder, at the time, was just one of many other tales of deadly attacks and incidents of rape in the town, including the massacre of 20 people in June 2021. Meanwhile, in almost all of the narratives surrounding the criminal attacks in Igangan, as in other parts of Yorubaland, Fulani herdsmen appeared prominently as alleged masterminds. In the minds of many who werent witnesses to the crimes in those villages, including me, it was not as though some criminal elements of Yoruba descent couldnt have been behind some of the evil acts. After all, crime has no ethnicity, as investigations into the late Aborodes murder would later suggest. But at the height of the killings, many were genuinely worried about the laissez faire reactions of the Oyo State Government and, more ominously, the do-nothing posture of the Federal Government, headed by the insouciant Muhammadu Buhari. In some ways, Igboho embodies these contradictions, appearing as both hero and villain in equal measure. So, when he hugged media headlines and threatened to sack marauding herders from Yorubaland, many observers took his interventions with practiced caution: His inflammatory rhetoric was dangerous because of its dire consequences, still an urgent intervention was necessary because of the carnage, which the government had failed to arrest. As such, those who saw through the folly of campaigns and conspiracy theories premised on claims of ethnic cleansing sweeping across villages and cities in Oke-Ogun, could do little or nothing to keep peoples anger in check, in the face of the clear absence of governance. When the din got to its crescendo, a certain Sunday Igboho emerged from the rubble, threatening fire and brimstone. He would move through crowds of angry indigenes, appeal to their emotional needs, assure them of safety, and threaten to sack the invaders maiming and raping awon anti ati broda wa (our aunts and brothers) from Ori Ile Baba wa (our fathers land). Given the scale of criminality, and near-total collapse of governance in the region, he became an instant hero among the people, understandably so, and began to enjoy a cult followership, like a true revolutionary. Yet up until he was thrust forward by the vacuum of governance, Igboho was no revolutionary, at least in the estimation of many. He was, at best, an irritant, a ready-made weapon of political violence in the hands of the highest bidder. In that sense, he was no Yoruba hero in the mould of Awo, or Ajasin, or Adesanya, or Ige. He possessed not Awos moral stature, nor Ajasins sagely wisdom, or Adesanyas principled doggedness, or Iges oratory prowess. Even though all of these leaders didnt enjoy unanimous support among the Yoruba in their times, Igboho wasnt even any close to them in terms of respectability and charisma. Yet, when the marauding men came, it was in Igbohos direction that the people looked. And so, Igbohos story reflects yet again why all heroes arent necessarily heroic in the eyes of all. Awo, bar Oduduwa, remains the most important leader of the Yoruba race. But the same revered sage, among a significant section of Igbos, remains an ethnic jingoist, who starved innocent children to death during the civil war. Achebe even claimed that Awo was driven by an overriding ambition for power Ojukwu, who, at the height of the progrom up North, faced the challenge of shouldering the burden of Ndigbo, was widely considered a beastly war monger in songs among folks in the North. Ahmadu Bello, whose death Northerners still lament till today whenever issues of leadership failure comes up, remains a rabid Igbo hater in the minds of some Igbo compatriots. Even Zik, who once loomed large across the African horizon, ended up as the Owelle of Onitsha. Yet, they are all heroes, these men. In some ways, Igboho embodies these contradictions, appearing as both hero and villain in equal measure. So, when he hugged media headlines and threatened to sack marauding herders from Yorubaland, many observers took his interventions with practiced caution: His inflammatory rhetoric was dangerous because of its dire consequences, still an urgent intervention was necessary because of the carnage, which the government had failed to arrest. Igbohos excesses notwithstanding, how the nation treats him matters in conversations around Nigerias march towards peace and development, as well as discourses around the twin concepts of justice and equity, in the context of its treatment of repentant Boko Haram members, bandits and their apologists. And in this case, it matters not what the government does behind the camera; perception is stronger than reality. But Igboho, ever brash and restless, failed to keep his excesses at bay. Led on by excitable profiteers like Olayemi Koiki, the philistine who failed in his desire to hide his commercial intent under some phantom media agitation, Igboho became a castrated bulldog, barking at almost everyone in sight. His Yoruba Nation secessionist agenda, about which he has no ideological clarity nor depth of vision, collided with a more popular campaign to install peace in troubled parts of Yorubaland. He would only have it his way or the highway; anyone, including kings, who expressed reservations about secession became a traitor that must be gunned down. He mimics Ojo Agunbambaru, one of the surviving sons of Bashorun Gaa, who escaped to the Bariba country, at the massacre of Gaas children under Abiodun. Agunbambaru indiscriminately slaughtered Oyo chiefs and threatened the Onikoyi, two major flaws that weakened his strength. It was plausible that if Ojo had acted with prudence, he would have succeeded in his mission, and wouldnt have been deserted at the most critical moment. Like Agunbambaru, by the time Igboho was nabbed in Cotonou, he had cursed and abused almost everyone who mattered, thus alienating so many people from himself. And, as such, when his ordeal began, and there were claims of vindictiveness on the part of Nigerian government, many paid little or no attention. Still, Igbohos excesses notwithstanding, how the nation treats him matters in conversations around Nigerias march towards peace and development, as well as discourses around the twin concepts of justice and equity, in the context of its treatment of repentant Boko Haram members, bandits and their apologists. And in this case, it matters not what the government does behind the camera; perception is stronger than reality. For one, although he isnt Nnamdi Kanu, whose voice envelopes governments directive on the streets of Igboland, Igboho remains a hero in the hearts of many, especially in Igangan and environs, where the people now enjoy relative safety. As such, whatever happens to him and his presumed followers (like the so-called Babalawo that was so unfairly punished for months, despite having no strong connection with Igboho) would have ripple effects, at least, on how the people view the state which failed to protect them, yet chose to punish their hero. Given the near-helpless posture of the government on present insecurity matters nationwide, it appears better to ply a less turbulent route. Again, any discerning observer could see through the sombre, penitent direction of Igbohos recent interventions. Of course it could be a decoy, given his present condition, but then it could as well be genuine. In all, as in Kanus, a political solution could be thrown into the mix, with compromise reached from both sides. Whats not in doubt is that brawn and vindictiveness arent the solutions to the Igboho conundrum. He may have been demystified as the braggart that he is, but he remains a fly on the most delicate part of Nigerias phallus. And, most importantly, until the government delivers on good, inclusive governance that guarantees safety and equity in distribution of democratic dividends, its only a matter of time before another Igboho emerges from the trenches. Caution. Oladeinde Olawoyin tweets via @Ola_deinde. New Delhi, Jan 1 : Four Delhi Police personnel were injured while two others, of which one has been identified as a notorious criminal, received bullet injuries on Saturday when a police team had gone to nab a drugs supplier in the Indrapuri area of the national capital. Furnishing details about the encounter, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer North District), Brijendra Kumar Yadav, told IANS that the incident took place at around 8.30 a.m. when a narcotics team reached Indrapuri to arrest drug smuggler Dharamveer alias Palla and conducted a raid at his house. However, the accused was not present there at the time of the raid. "As the police team came out of the house, Dharamveer came from the front with about 50-60 people carrying sticks and stones. The mob attacked the police team and pelted stones on them," the DCP said. Seeing the furious mob, the police retaliated and fired shots in the air. However, Yadav said, the rioters also opened fire on the police party. During the exchange of gunfire, two rioters received bullet injuries. "In an attempt to defend the police party, Inspector Brijpal opened fire by aiming at the feet of the attackers," Yadav said. The two injured persons have been identified as Amit and Shoaib. Amit, who is a relative of drug kingpin Dharamveer, was involved in six criminal cases in the past, including cases of robbery, dacoity and attempt to murder. The injured have been admitted to the hospital. The condition of Shoaib is stated to be critical. "Both Amit and Shoaib were active part of the mob that attacked the police," the DCP said, adding that the police are currently collecting more details about Shoaib. The four police personnel injured in the incident are Brijpal, ASI Rajesh, and Constables Rinku and Vinod. Meanwhile, Dharamveer took advantage of the chaos and fled from the spot, the senior official added. New Delhi, Jan 1 : Four Delhi Police personnel were injured while two others, of which one has been identified as a notorious criminal, received bullet injuries on Saturday when a police team had gone to nab a drugs supplier in the Indrapuri area of the national capital. Furnishing details about the encounter, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer North District), Brijendra Kumar Yadav, told IANS that the incident took place at around 8.30 a.m. when a narcotics team reached Indrapuri to arrest drug smuggler Dharamveer alias Palla and conducted a raid at his house. However, the accused was not present there at the time of the raid. "As the police team came out of the house, Dharamveer came from the front with about 50-60 people carrying sticks and stones. The mob attacked the police team and pelted stones on them," the DCP said. Seeing the furious mob, the police retaliated and fired shots in the air. However, Yadav said, the rioters also opened fire on the police party. During the exchange of gunfire, two rioters received bullet injuries. "In an attempt to defend the police party, Inspector Brijpal opened fire by aiming at the feet of the attackers," Yadav said. The two injured persons have been identified as Amit and Shoaib. Amit, who is a relative of drug kingpin Dharamveer, was involved in six criminal cases in the past, including cases of robbery, dacoity and attempt to murder. The injured have been admitted to the hospital. The condition of Shoaib is stated to be critical. "Both Amit and Shoaib were active part of the mob that attacked the police," the DCP said, adding that the police are currently collecting more details about Shoaib. The four police personnel injured in the incident are Brijpal, ASI Rajesh, and Constables Rinku and Vinod. Meanwhile, Dharamveer took advantage of the chaos and fled from the spot, the senior official added. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Omicron is less severe than previous Covid variants because it does not cause as much damage in the lungs, a spate of studies have suggested. A study by a consortium of US and Japanese scientists on hamsters and mice found those infected with Omicron had less lung damage, lost less weight and were less likely to die than those that had other variants. It found mice infected with Omicron had a tenth less of the virus in their lungs compared to those with other variants. The findings backed up another paper by researchers at the University of Hong Kong, who studied human tissue in Omicron victims. They found Omicron grew significantly more slowly in 12 lung samples than earlier strains of the virus. Experts believe the fact the super mutant variant tends not to replicate as much in the lower parts of the lungs means it causes less significant damage, which could be behind its reduced severity. Data from South Africa showed Omicron sufferers are up to 80 per cent less likely to end up in hospital than those with Delta. And a similar study by the UK Health and Security estimated the risk was 70 per cent less. Roland Eils, a computational biologist at the Berlin Institute of Health, said there is an emerging theme in the literature suggesting the variant tends to stay outside the lungs. A study by a consortium of US and Japanese scientists on Syrian mice found those infected with Omicron (right) had less lung damage, lost less weight and were less likely to die than those that had the Delta variant (left) The findings backed up another paper by researchers at the University of Hong Kong, who studied human tissue in Omicron victims (purple bars). They found Omicron grew significantly more slowly in 12 lung samples than earlier strains of the virus Their study, which has not been peer-reviewed and was published on pre-print website medRxiv , found that among the 10,547 Omicron cases identified between October 1 and November 30, 261 (2.5 per cent) were admitted to hospital. For comparison, among the 948 non-Omicron cases in the same period - almost all of which would have been Delta, which was behind 95 per cent of cases before Omicron emerged - 121 people were hospitalised (12.8 per cent). The researchers said shows that those who caught Omicron had a 80 per cent lower risk of requiring hospital care Omicron IS milder, another study finds People who catch Omicron are 80 per cent less likely to be hospitalised than those who get Delta, a major study from South Africa suggests. The real-world analysis, of more than 160,000 people, showed Omicron sufferers were also 70 per cent less likely to be admitted to ICU or put on a ventilator compared to those with Delta. South African doctors have insisted for weeks that Omicron is milder since raising the alarm about it on November 24 and accused the UK of panicking about Omicron. But the researchers at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) who carried out the study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, said it still doesn't answer whether Omicron is intrinsically weaker than Delta. 'It is difficult to disentangle the relative contribution of high levels of previous population immunity versus intrinsic lower virulence to the observed lower disease severity,' the researchers concluded. Built-up immunity from three previous waves of the virus and vaccines are believed to be doing most of the heavy lifting in keeping patients out of hospital this time around. Up to 70 per cent of South Africans are believed to have had Covid before and only around a quarter are double vaccinated, with boosters not widely available yet. Advertisement He told the New York Times: 'It's fair to say that the idea of a disease that manifests itself primarily in the upper respiratory system is emerging.' The first paper, which has been published as a pre-print on Research Gate and has not yet been peer-reviewed, looked at tissue samples in mice and hamsters. Researchers assessed different parts of the lungs for mice infected with the Omicron variant as well as other strains of the virus including Delta. They found those infected with Omicron experienced much less severe symptoms. And they were particularly struck by how Syrian hamsters a breed which is particularly susceptible to previous strains had lower levels of illness with the variant. Dr Michael Diamond, a virologist at Washington University and a co-author of the study, said: 'This was surprising, since every other variant has robustly infected these hamsters.' Meanwhile, the second study by Hong Kong scientists also not peer-reviewed looked at Omicron in the lung cells of humans. They found the virus replicates significantly less in the lower parts of the lung. The researchers also studied cells in the bronchi the tubes in the upper chest delivering air to the lungs finding that the variant 70 times as apparent in those cells. They said the virus' prevalence in higher parts of the chest make it more transmissible because it is expelled more quickly in breath. But they said its lower levels in the lungs could also be behind the reduced severity suggested by swathes of other studies. They wrote: 'These observations may suggest that Omicron may have reduced clinical severity but such interpretations need to be qualified because the disease severity of Covid-19 is determined not only by virus replication but also by dysregulated innate immune responses.' It comes after a British analysis of more than a million cases of Omicron and Delta in recent weeks found the risk of hospitalisation with the now dominant variant is about one-third that of its predecessor. Britain is experiencing a surge in Covid cases driven by the highly-transmissible variant, with record daily infections of 189,846 yesterday. While hospital admissions have started to rise, the government has said it believes the new variant is milder than the Delta variant. The number of patients needing mechanical ventilation beds has also remained steady through December, unlike previous peaks in the pandemic. The analysis was published by the UK Health Security Agency, after it worked alongside Cambridge University MRC Biostatistics unit to analyse 528,176 Omicron cases and 573,012 Delta cases. It also found that vaccines can work well against Omicron. 'In this analysis, the risk of hospitalisation is lower for Omicron cases with symptomatic or asymptomatic infection after two and three doses of vaccine, with an 81 per cent ... reduction in the risk of hospitalisation after three doses compared to unvaccinated Omicron cases,' the UKHSA said. Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said the analysis was in keeping with other encouraging signs on Omicron but said the health service could still struggle with such high transmission rates. 'It remains too early to draw any definitive conclusions on hospital severity, and the increased transmissibility of Omicron and the rising cases in the over 60s population in England means it remains highly likely that there will be significant pressure on the NHS in coming weeks,' she said. Omicron is less severe than previous Covid variants because it does not cause as much damage in the lungs, a spate of studies have suggested. A study by a consortium of US and Japanese scientists on hamsters and mice found those infected with Omicron had less lung damage, lost less weight and were less likely to die than those that had other variants. It found mice infected with Omicron had a tenth less of the virus in their lungs compared to those with other variants. The findings backed up another paper by researchers at the University of Hong Kong, who studied human tissue in Omicron victims. They found Omicron grew significantly more slowly in 12 lung samples than earlier strains of the virus. Experts believe the fact the super mutant variant tends not to replicate as much in the lower parts of the lungs means it causes less significant damage, which could be behind its reduced severity. Data from South Africa showed Omicron sufferers are up to 80 per cent less likely to end up in hospital than those with Delta. And a similar study by the UK Health and Security estimated the risk was 70 per cent less. Roland Eils, a computational biologist at the Berlin Institute of Health, said there is an emerging theme in the literature suggesting the variant tends to stay outside the lungs. A study by a consortium of US and Japanese scientists on Syrian mice found those infected with Omicron (right) had less lung damage, lost less weight and were less likely to die than those that had the Delta variant (left) The findings backed up another paper by researchers at the University of Hong Kong, who studied human tissue in Omicron victims (purple bars). They found Omicron grew significantly more slowly in 12 lung samples than earlier strains of the virus Their study, which has not been peer-reviewed and was published on pre-print website medRxiv , found that among the 10,547 Omicron cases identified between October 1 and November 30, 261 (2.5 per cent) were admitted to hospital. For comparison, among the 948 non-Omicron cases in the same period - almost all of which would have been Delta, which was behind 95 per cent of cases before Omicron emerged - 121 people were hospitalised (12.8 per cent). The researchers said shows that those who caught Omicron had a 80 per cent lower risk of requiring hospital care Omicron IS milder, another study finds People who catch Omicron are 80 per cent less likely to be hospitalised than those who get Delta, a major study from South Africa suggests. The real-world analysis, of more than 160,000 people, showed Omicron sufferers were also 70 per cent less likely to be admitted to ICU or put on a ventilator compared to those with Delta. South African doctors have insisted for weeks that Omicron is milder since raising the alarm about it on November 24 and accused the UK of panicking about Omicron. But the researchers at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) who carried out the study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, said it still doesn't answer whether Omicron is intrinsically weaker than Delta. 'It is difficult to disentangle the relative contribution of high levels of previous population immunity versus intrinsic lower virulence to the observed lower disease severity,' the researchers concluded. Built-up immunity from three previous waves of the virus and vaccines are believed to be doing most of the heavy lifting in keeping patients out of hospital this time around. Up to 70 per cent of South Africans are believed to have had Covid before and only around a quarter are double vaccinated, with boosters not widely available yet. Advertisement He told the New York Times: 'It's fair to say that the idea of a disease that manifests itself primarily in the upper respiratory system is emerging.' The first paper, which has been published as a pre-print on Research Gate and has not yet been peer-reviewed, looked at tissue samples in mice and hamsters. Researchers assessed different parts of the lungs for mice infected with the Omicron variant as well as other strains of the virus including Delta. They found those infected with Omicron experienced much less severe symptoms. And they were particularly struck by how Syrian hamsters a breed which is particularly susceptible to previous strains had lower levels of illness with the variant. Dr Michael Diamond, a virologist at Washington University and a co-author of the study, said: 'This was surprising, since every other variant has robustly infected these hamsters.' Meanwhile, the second study by Hong Kong scientists also not peer-reviewed looked at Omicron in the lung cells of humans. They found the virus replicates significantly less in the lower parts of the lung. The researchers also studied cells in the bronchi the tubes in the upper chest delivering air to the lungs finding that the variant 70 times as apparent in those cells. They said the virus' prevalence in higher parts of the chest make it more transmissible because it is expelled more quickly in breath. But they said its lower levels in the lungs could also be behind the reduced severity suggested by swathes of other studies. They wrote: 'These observations may suggest that Omicron may have reduced clinical severity but such interpretations need to be qualified because the disease severity of Covid-19 is determined not only by virus replication but also by dysregulated innate immune responses.' It comes after a British analysis of more than a million cases of Omicron and Delta in recent weeks found the risk of hospitalisation with the now dominant variant is about one-third that of its predecessor. Britain is experiencing a surge in Covid cases driven by the highly-transmissible variant, with record daily infections of 189,846 yesterday. While hospital admissions have started to rise, the government has said it believes the new variant is milder than the Delta variant. The number of patients needing mechanical ventilation beds has also remained steady through December, unlike previous peaks in the pandemic. The analysis was published by the UK Health Security Agency, after it worked alongside Cambridge University MRC Biostatistics unit to analyse 528,176 Omicron cases and 573,012 Delta cases. It also found that vaccines can work well against Omicron. 'In this analysis, the risk of hospitalisation is lower for Omicron cases with symptomatic or asymptomatic infection after two and three doses of vaccine, with an 81 per cent ... reduction in the risk of hospitalisation after three doses compared to unvaccinated Omicron cases,' the UKHSA said. Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said the analysis was in keeping with other encouraging signs on Omicron but said the health service could still struggle with such high transmission rates. 'It remains too early to draw any definitive conclusions on hospital severity, and the increased transmissibility of Omicron and the rising cases in the over 60s population in England means it remains highly likely that there will be significant pressure on the NHS in coming weeks,' she said. Helsinki [Finland], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said on Saturday that Europe should not be merely listening to Russia and NATO discussing a new security architecture for Europe, which he said was in conflict with the current order. "We must ... be careful about what is being talked about and with whom. Many Europeans have asked, and not for the first time: are we being discussed without us being included?" he said in a message on New Year's Day. He argued proposals that Russia gave to the United States and NATO in December to ensure that the alliance did not expand eastward or place mid-range nuclear weapons on its border were "in conflict with the European security order" and challenged Finland's sovereignty. "The sovereignty of several Member States, also Sweden and Finland, has been challenged from outside the Union. This makes the EU an involved party. The EU must not settle merely with the role of a technical coordinator of sanctions," Niinisto said. Senior Russian and US diplomats will sit down for a strategic stability dialogue in Geneva on January 10 to discuss new security guarantees that Russia demanded amid tensions over Ukraine. The bilateral talks will be followed by a NATO-Russia Council meeting in Brussels on January 12. (ANI/Sputnik) Helsinki [Finland], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said on Saturday that Europe should not be merely listening to Russia and NATO discussing a new security architecture for Europe, which he said was in conflict with the current order. "We must ... be careful about what is being talked about and with whom. Many Europeans have asked, and not for the first time: are we being discussed without us being included?" he said in a message on New Year's Day. He argued proposals that Russia gave to the United States and NATO in December to ensure that the alliance did not expand eastward or place mid-range nuclear weapons on its border were "in conflict with the European security order" and challenged Finland's sovereignty. "The sovereignty of several Member States, also Sweden and Finland, has been challenged from outside the Union. This makes the EU an involved party. The EU must not settle merely with the role of a technical coordinator of sanctions," Niinisto said. Senior Russian and US diplomats will sit down for a strategic stability dialogue in Geneva on January 10 to discuss new security guarantees that Russia demanded amid tensions over Ukraine. The bilateral talks will be followed by a NATO-Russia Council meeting in Brussels on January 12. (ANI/Sputnik) Helsinki [Finland], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said on Saturday that Europe should not be merely listening to Russia and NATO discussing a new security architecture for Europe, which he said was in conflict with the current order. "We must ... be careful about what is being talked about and with whom. Many Europeans have asked, and not for the first time: are we being discussed without us being included?" he said in a message on New Year's Day. He argued proposals that Russia gave to the United States and NATO in December to ensure that the alliance did not expand eastward or place mid-range nuclear weapons on its border were "in conflict with the European security order" and challenged Finland's sovereignty. "The sovereignty of several Member States, also Sweden and Finland, has been challenged from outside the Union. This makes the EU an involved party. The EU must not settle merely with the role of a technical coordinator of sanctions," Niinisto said. Senior Russian and US diplomats will sit down for a strategic stability dialogue in Geneva on January 10 to discuss new security guarantees that Russia demanded amid tensions over Ukraine. The bilateral talks will be followed by a NATO-Russia Council meeting in Brussels on January 12. (ANI/Sputnik) Desmond Tutu,the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. Ubuntu: I am because you are, because we are. But beyond that, I am because I belong, and I have chosen to belong, to form a part of, participate in, and unite with others and their ideas and ideologies, despite the realistic existence of nuances and differences. This was perhaps the strongest lesson humans learnt in the year 2020. Some might think it has become cliche that everything in the world goes back to the year 2020. But then, we have never seen any like it, and until we fully stretch the elastics of discourse around that year and the new realities, revelations, and awakenings that came with it, then our conversation will continue to revolve around it, whether it is boring to some unfocused people or not. The year 2020 taught us to embrace Ubuntu more than ever before; to be humans first, unite first, because Mmatsie, Serges, and Edith exist only because the human entity exists. But before this message got aggravated in 2020, some people were already living by its principles. These people saw it as their culture, as their philosophy of life. As a matter of fact, some propounded the theology and championed it. The most remarkable of them? Reverend Desmond Mpilo Tutu! May God rest his soul. Desmond Tutu, the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. I met the great man on several occasions: In Cambridge in 1988, where we had dinner as part of a group of admirers. In London, then in South Africa, with a group of people, to appeal to him to speak with the president to end Xenophobia. He even gave me his phone number, but I did not call him once. When I did a tribute book in honour of Nelson Mandela, he sent a message that I left out some names. Tutu was a South African Anglican archbishop, a true humanist, and a firm believer in communalistic humanism. He was born in Klerksdorp, South Africa, on October 7, 1931. The circumstances surrounding his birth did not boast of financial buoyancy in the least; yet, Desmond was destined to be great and influential, and he became exactly those. Between 1931 and 1960, when he became a priest of the Anglican Church, he went through a series of training and development. This training would later help him form the basis of his faith, beliefs, philosophy, and culture. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. The quintessential Tutu was born and raised in South Africa when the apartheid system was thriving. Of course, a part of the country was seeing progress and advancement. However, a good part of the country, particularly the area inhabited by the black people, the true owners of the land, knew little to no progress, and the people were subjected to severe oppression. Desmond Tutu was well aware that he got his training and education swaddled in costly privilege, which came at the expense of several thousand other children. He was one of the beneficiaries of a grossly unjust system, and he never forgot that. Therefore, when that privilege provided him with a most-prized education and empowered him in 1960, when he joined the league of some of the most powerful people in South Africa the priests Desmond Tutu knew it was time to use what he had gained for the good of his people. And that was what he did. He fought relentlessly against the apartheid government of South Africa. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. But did that dissuade Tutu? Far from it. Rather, it strengthened him and pushed him to go further. It encouraged him to persevere against all odds and in the face of persecution. Desmond Tutu made the most of what he had his voice, faith, position, and influence. He was a man with a mission, and he had a clear understanding of his goals. The archbishop was at the forefront of pulling in national and international commentators on the deeds of the apartheid government in South Africa. Although the South African people passed through what would go down as one of their worst times in history, Tutu preached the importance of making grievances known in a peaceful and non-violent way. The people were angry and fed up, and Tutu knew that humans are naturally inclined to be violent in such a state of mind, especially when it involves a high level of depravity on their soil. But he knew yet another thing that violence hardly ever solves the problem and that in the rare instances where violence solves the problem, it causes much bigger damage. The Bishop was not a man of violence. He demonstrated an exceptional quality by keeping the Nationalist Party in check when they became violent in their ways and dealings. During the last decade of the last millennium, when our people finally won their battle against oppression and the apartheid government, Tutu was there to celebrate with his people. There was also the factional disagreement that threatened the embryonic freedom that the South African people had just gotten. And who else but the Very Reverend Demond Tutu, preacher and practitioner of the Ubuntu theology, would step in at that critical moment? He persuaded both warring parties that each party is because the other is; therefore, we all are Africans. Thus, the war against apartheid was won through a united front of activism. People must not forget this as quickly as they got the freedom they desperately sought. Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. Simply put, Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights. Tutu was a brilliant and convincing orator. Soon after he became ordained, he rose through the ranks to become the Bishop of Johannesburg in 1985, and a year later, he became the Archbishop of Cape Town. He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. The late Bishop was a man who understood the futility in trying to please humans, so he just lived his life and embarked on endeavours based on his strong convictions. He never had a herd mentality. His support was always deep-seated and well-thought-out, making some people think he was always overly cautious in playing safe. Archbishop Tutu had the life, although it did not come to him as easily as it came to many others. He lived and worked in different capacities at different times. More so, he died at the ripe old age of 90. What more could a human being want? The anti-apartheid hero might not have wanted more, but more things surely came to him. When we, as humans, do good in whatever position we find ourselves, and if we do it because we have chosen to be innately good and because we believe so much in the potency of doing good, then the recognition we deserve will come, even if we do not actively seek it. Such was the case with our beloved Tutu. He won several awards for his contributions to humanity and relentlessly pushed for the betterment of his people and the world at large. Among the awards he received was the prestigious Nobel Prize for Peace, which he received in 1984. The Royal Swedish Academy deemed the reverend worthy of the award for his immense contributions to the fight against the oppression of the apartheid government and especially for his struggles to ensure a peaceful and non-violent demand for the peoples rights. Another award that the merry reverend and preacher of peace received was the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, considered one of the two most prestigious awards the United States of America can bestow on a civilian, was given to Tutu for his consistent contributions to the stability of world peace and other significant contributions to the fight for the peaceful co-existence of humans. In 2012, he received another prestigious award from the Mo Ibrahim Foundation for consistently speaking truth to power. This is a quality that many cannot boast of. Power corrupts, and once they have access to power, many activists soon fail to see the need to continue to champion the struggle for the rights of the oppressed. Also, there is the avoidance of truth to not lose the power bestowed on one. But not Tutu. He was a man who spent his life believing that his power and position were given him to help champion the cause of the marginalised and the oppressed, and if the oppressor were the leaders, so be it! Champion he must, and champion he was, speaking the truth, whether it went well with the powerful or not. On Sunday, December 26, 2021, a day after Christmas, Desmond Tutu went to rest. The gravity of this demise is still a shock coursing through our veins, one that our brain has neither readily nor fully processed. We are still talking about his demise, and the largeness of the void it has left in true humanism is still unknown to us, until the moments we would need a fearless commentator and wonder what Desmond Tutu would have said. This humanist lived his life for the people. He believed in the people and believed God had plans for humanity. He believed that one of the greatest resources made available to us as humans is the ability to practice Ubuntu, and he preached this with every fibre of his being. Rest easy, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. You were an invaluable treasure and a blessing to the world. The whole world will sorely miss you. Toyin Falola, a professor of History and University Distinguished Teaching Professor, is Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin. Desmond Tutu,the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. Ubuntu: I am because you are, because we are. But beyond that, I am because I belong, and I have chosen to belong, to form a part of, participate in, and unite with others and their ideas and ideologies, despite the realistic existence of nuances and differences. This was perhaps the strongest lesson humans learnt in the year 2020. Some might think it has become cliche that everything in the world goes back to the year 2020. But then, we have never seen any like it, and until we fully stretch the elastics of discourse around that year and the new realities, revelations, and awakenings that came with it, then our conversation will continue to revolve around it, whether it is boring to some unfocused people or not. The year 2020 taught us to embrace Ubuntu more than ever before; to be humans first, unite first, because Mmatsie, Serges, and Edith exist only because the human entity exists. But before this message got aggravated in 2020, some people were already living by its principles. These people saw it as their culture, as their philosophy of life. As a matter of fact, some propounded the theology and championed it. The most remarkable of them? Reverend Desmond Mpilo Tutu! May God rest his soul. Desmond Tutu, the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. I met the great man on several occasions: In Cambridge in 1988, where we had dinner as part of a group of admirers. In London, then in South Africa, with a group of people, to appeal to him to speak with the president to end Xenophobia. He even gave me his phone number, but I did not call him once. When I did a tribute book in honour of Nelson Mandela, he sent a message that I left out some names. Tutu was a South African Anglican archbishop, a true humanist, and a firm believer in communalistic humanism. He was born in Klerksdorp, South Africa, on October 7, 1931. The circumstances surrounding his birth did not boast of financial buoyancy in the least; yet, Desmond was destined to be great and influential, and he became exactly those. Between 1931 and 1960, when he became a priest of the Anglican Church, he went through a series of training and development. This training would later help him form the basis of his faith, beliefs, philosophy, and culture. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. The quintessential Tutu was born and raised in South Africa when the apartheid system was thriving. Of course, a part of the country was seeing progress and advancement. However, a good part of the country, particularly the area inhabited by the black people, the true owners of the land, knew little to no progress, and the people were subjected to severe oppression. Desmond Tutu was well aware that he got his training and education swaddled in costly privilege, which came at the expense of several thousand other children. He was one of the beneficiaries of a grossly unjust system, and he never forgot that. Therefore, when that privilege provided him with a most-prized education and empowered him in 1960, when he joined the league of some of the most powerful people in South Africa the priests Desmond Tutu knew it was time to use what he had gained for the good of his people. And that was what he did. He fought relentlessly against the apartheid government of South Africa. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. But did that dissuade Tutu? Far from it. Rather, it strengthened him and pushed him to go further. It encouraged him to persevere against all odds and in the face of persecution. Desmond Tutu made the most of what he had his voice, faith, position, and influence. He was a man with a mission, and he had a clear understanding of his goals. The archbishop was at the forefront of pulling in national and international commentators on the deeds of the apartheid government in South Africa. Although the South African people passed through what would go down as one of their worst times in history, Tutu preached the importance of making grievances known in a peaceful and non-violent way. The people were angry and fed up, and Tutu knew that humans are naturally inclined to be violent in such a state of mind, especially when it involves a high level of depravity on their soil. But he knew yet another thing that violence hardly ever solves the problem and that in the rare instances where violence solves the problem, it causes much bigger damage. The Bishop was not a man of violence. He demonstrated an exceptional quality by keeping the Nationalist Party in check when they became violent in their ways and dealings. During the last decade of the last millennium, when our people finally won their battle against oppression and the apartheid government, Tutu was there to celebrate with his people. There was also the factional disagreement that threatened the embryonic freedom that the South African people had just gotten. And who else but the Very Reverend Demond Tutu, preacher and practitioner of the Ubuntu theology, would step in at that critical moment? He persuaded both warring parties that each party is because the other is; therefore, we all are Africans. Thus, the war against apartheid was won through a united front of activism. People must not forget this as quickly as they got the freedom they desperately sought. Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. Simply put, Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights. Tutu was a brilliant and convincing orator. Soon after he became ordained, he rose through the ranks to become the Bishop of Johannesburg in 1985, and a year later, he became the Archbishop of Cape Town. He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. The late Bishop was a man who understood the futility in trying to please humans, so he just lived his life and embarked on endeavours based on his strong convictions. He never had a herd mentality. His support was always deep-seated and well-thought-out, making some people think he was always overly cautious in playing safe. Archbishop Tutu had the life, although it did not come to him as easily as it came to many others. He lived and worked in different capacities at different times. More so, he died at the ripe old age of 90. What more could a human being want? The anti-apartheid hero might not have wanted more, but more things surely came to him. When we, as humans, do good in whatever position we find ourselves, and if we do it because we have chosen to be innately good and because we believe so much in the potency of doing good, then the recognition we deserve will come, even if we do not actively seek it. Such was the case with our beloved Tutu. He won several awards for his contributions to humanity and relentlessly pushed for the betterment of his people and the world at large. Among the awards he received was the prestigious Nobel Prize for Peace, which he received in 1984. The Royal Swedish Academy deemed the reverend worthy of the award for his immense contributions to the fight against the oppression of the apartheid government and especially for his struggles to ensure a peaceful and non-violent demand for the peoples rights. Another award that the merry reverend and preacher of peace received was the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, considered one of the two most prestigious awards the United States of America can bestow on a civilian, was given to Tutu for his consistent contributions to the stability of world peace and other significant contributions to the fight for the peaceful co-existence of humans. In 2012, he received another prestigious award from the Mo Ibrahim Foundation for consistently speaking truth to power. This is a quality that many cannot boast of. Power corrupts, and once they have access to power, many activists soon fail to see the need to continue to champion the struggle for the rights of the oppressed. Also, there is the avoidance of truth to not lose the power bestowed on one. But not Tutu. He was a man who spent his life believing that his power and position were given him to help champion the cause of the marginalised and the oppressed, and if the oppressor were the leaders, so be it! Champion he must, and champion he was, speaking the truth, whether it went well with the powerful or not. On Sunday, December 26, 2021, a day after Christmas, Desmond Tutu went to rest. The gravity of this demise is still a shock coursing through our veins, one that our brain has neither readily nor fully processed. We are still talking about his demise, and the largeness of the void it has left in true humanism is still unknown to us, until the moments we would need a fearless commentator and wonder what Desmond Tutu would have said. This humanist lived his life for the people. He believed in the people and believed God had plans for humanity. He believed that one of the greatest resources made available to us as humans is the ability to practice Ubuntu, and he preached this with every fibre of his being. Rest easy, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. You were an invaluable treasure and a blessing to the world. The whole world will sorely miss you. Toyin Falola, a professor of History and University Distinguished Teaching Professor, is Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin. Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno has lauded the improved security in the state, praying for improvement in the New Year. Mr Zulum in his New Year message on Saturday in Maiduguri said his administration would continue to do more in the area of security for lasting peace in the state. He also defended his governments closure of camps meant for internally displaced persons. We must be very clear that there can be no livelihoods without lives. We continue to work tirelessly on issues of security so that we can guaranty physical security that would allow citizens to pursue their legitimate livelihoods in safety. In 2021, we took a number of steps to improve and strengthen security by supporting our forces, including the vigilantes with tools, equipment and resources to discharge their duties well. The results of our proactive measures are beginning to show as we recorded fewer attacks and the security forces did marvellously well in protecting us. We are not yet where we would like to be but we are certainly making progress in the right direction. Consequently, I am committed to ensuring more support for our security forces and the indefatigable local vigilantes that are helping us, Mr Zulum said. The governor who spoke on the ongoing closure of camps and resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) back to their recovered communities, said the measure was to give the people back their dignity and check some of the vices going on in the camps. The governor listed some of the vices to include, prostitution, thuggery and drug abuse. Mr Zulum said his administration was implementing the resettlement in line with international best practices and was providing palliatives for the resettled. Our administration puts the Borno people first in every decision. Our people remain the centrepiece of our strategy. We are aware that there will be some temporary inconvenience to people as they relocate. That is why we provide different palliative measures to strengthen their initial installation and stability in the new location. In our plans, we have made for short, medium and long term measures to support our people returning to their original places of origin where we can guaranty safety. We know that the return strategy will have some issues we need to address or things we need to change. We will not abandon our people as we continue to work for the betterment of all, Mr Zulum said. On the problem of electricity blackout facing Maiduguri and environs, Mr Zulum said the work on Maiduguri Gas Power Plant by the federal government was progressing and would be delivered in good time. He lauded the federal government, international partners, private sectors and other stakeholders for their sustained support to Borno, and reiterated his administrations commitment to quality leadership for the people of the state. (NAN) New Delhi: India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said that wheat will be sent to Afghanistan in the "coming weeks" after vaccines were supplied on the first day of the New Year 2022. The MEA in a statement said, "In coming weeks, we would be undertaking the supply of wheat and the remaining medical assistance" and "in this regard, we are in touch with UN agencies and others for finalizing the modalities for transportation." India has committed to providing 50,000 MT of wheat, essential lifesaving medicines and COVID vaccines to the Afghan people. One of the proposals to send the supplies has been via overland Pakistan. While Islamabad has publicly stated it will allow the movement of supplies, no transfer has started even as New Delhi and Islamabad continue to discuss the modalities of transfer. Meanwhile, since the Talibans takeover in August of last year, India has sent humanitarian support to Afghanistan via Iran's Mahan air as commercial cargo. New Delhi sent second batch of 500,000 doses of COVID vaccine (COVAXIN) to Afghanistan which has been handed over to Indira Gandhi Hospital, Kabul. Another batch of additional 500,000 doses would be supplied in the coming weeks. The MEA in a release said, "Government of India has committed to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghan people consisting of food grains, one million doses of COVID Vaccine and essential life saving drugs." Last month, India sent 1.6 metric tons of medicines to Afghanistan via Kam airways, the first such consignment under the Taliban regime. The support comes even as India and Afghanistan's Taliban govt has no formal ties but two times New Delhi has publicly accepted that it has held talks with the group--one in Doha and another in Moscow. Taliban has also accepted that it has had conversations with the Indian govt. When the first supplies came, the Taliban had welcomed them. Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson of Taliban foreign ministry said, "We appreciate the arrival of 2 tons of Indian assisted medicine to Indira Gandhi Children Hospital in Kabul." The same flight saw many Afghan Hindus and Sikhs coming to India while 85 Afghan nationals stuck in India reaching back to homeland. Live TV New Delhi: India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said that wheat will be sent to Afghanistan in the "coming weeks" after vaccines were supplied on the first day of the New Year 2022. The MEA in a statement said, "In coming weeks, we would be undertaking the supply of wheat and the remaining medical assistance" and "in this regard, we are in touch with UN agencies and others for finalizing the modalities for transportation." India has committed to providing 50,000 MT of wheat, essential lifesaving medicines and COVID vaccines to the Afghan people. One of the proposals to send the supplies has been via overland Pakistan. While Islamabad has publicly stated it will allow the movement of supplies, no transfer has started even as New Delhi and Islamabad continue to discuss the modalities of transfer. Meanwhile, since the Talibans takeover in August of last year, India has sent humanitarian support to Afghanistan via Iran's Mahan air as commercial cargo. New Delhi sent second batch of 500,000 doses of COVID vaccine (COVAXIN) to Afghanistan which has been handed over to Indira Gandhi Hospital, Kabul. Another batch of additional 500,000 doses would be supplied in the coming weeks. The MEA in a release said, "Government of India has committed to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghan people consisting of food grains, one million doses of COVID Vaccine and essential life saving drugs." Last month, India sent 1.6 metric tons of medicines to Afghanistan via Kam airways, the first such consignment under the Taliban regime. The support comes even as India and Afghanistan's Taliban govt has no formal ties but two times New Delhi has publicly accepted that it has held talks with the group--one in Doha and another in Moscow. Taliban has also accepted that it has had conversations with the Indian govt. When the first supplies came, the Taliban had welcomed them. Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson of Taliban foreign ministry said, "We appreciate the arrival of 2 tons of Indian assisted medicine to Indira Gandhi Children Hospital in Kabul." The same flight saw many Afghan Hindus and Sikhs coming to India while 85 Afghan nationals stuck in India reaching back to homeland. Live TV Many of us will be overindulging on alcohol to ring in 2022, but a new study warns that many popular bedside hangover cures won't be of much use on January 1. In a review of previous research papers, London academics have found 'no convincing scientific evidence' that hangover 'cures' are effective at all. These purported 'cures' include clove extract, red ginseng, Korean pear juice, Tolfenamic acid and extract from Hovenia dulcis, a Japanese tree species. The researchers say there's 'only very low quality evidence' that there's any effective 'pharmacologically active intervention for treatment or prevention of an alcohol-induced hangover'. They claim that the best method of preventing hangover symptoms is to completely avoid alcohol or drink in moderation. They also warn against potentially harmful 'hair of the dog' methods in other words, drinking alcoholic substances such as whisky the following morning. A new review has found only very low-quality evidence that substances claiming to treat or prevent alcohol-induced hangovers actually work. Pictured is essential oil from the extraction of clove seeds Korean pear juice has long been used as a hangover cure in Korea and China. However, there's no convincing scientific evidence that it and other hangover cures work, the new study says The study was led by a team of researchers from Kings College London and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. They warn that hangovers not only cause physical and mental discomfort, but can affect professional performance if we're working the following day. 'Hangover symptoms can cause significant distress and affect people's employment and academic performance,' said study author Dr Emmert Roberts at Kings College London. 'Given the continuing speculation in the media as to which hangover remedies work or not, the question around the effectiveness of substances that claim to treat or prevent a hangover appears to be one with considerable public interest. INEFFECTIVE HANGOVER 'CURES' - - Clovinol (extract of clove buds) - Red Ginseng - Curcumin - Duolac ProAP4 (probiotics) - L-cysteine - N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC) - Rapid Recovery (L-cysteine, thiamine, pyridoxine and ascorbic acid) - Loxoprofen (loxoprofen sodium) - SJP-001 (naproxen and fexofenadine) - Phyllpro (Phyllanthus amarus) - Hovenia dulcis Thunb. fruit extract (HDE) - Polysaccharide rich extract of Acanthopanax (PEA) - Korean Pear Juice - L-ornithine - Prickly Pear - Artichoke extract - 'Morning-Fit' (dried yeast, thiamine nitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, and riboflavin) - Propranolol - Tolfenamic acid - Chlormethiazole - Pyritinol Advertisement 'Our study has found that evidence on these hangover remedies is of very low quality and there is a need to provide more rigorous assessment. 'For now, the surest way of preventing hangover symptoms is to abstain from alcohol or drink in moderation.' Numerous remedies claim to be effective against hangover symptoms; however, up-to-date scientific examination of the literature is lacking. The new study, published in the early hours of New Year's Day in the scientific journal Addiction, assessed 21 placebo-controlled randomised trials of clove extract, red ginseng, Korean pear juice and other hangover cures. Closeup of red ginsengs. This is a plant that grows in Korea, China, and Siberia - but researchers say it doesn't effectively treat hangovers Although some studies showed statistically significant improvements in hangover symptoms, all evidence was of very low quality usually because of methodological limitations or imprecise measurements. In addition, no two studies reported on the same hangover remedy and no results had been independently replicated. When studies are replicated with the same or similar results, it gives greater validity to the findings. Three quarters of all included studies (16 out of 21, or 76 per cent) reported data on sample sizes of fewer than 30 participants. Dubiously, evidence for clove extract as a hangover cure was based on data from only 16 participants. Of the ultimate 386 analysed participants, only 149 (38.6 per cent) were female and eight included trials (38 per cent) were conducted exclusively with male participants. The new analysis has been published a minute into the new year, when revellers will be overindulging on alcohol to ring in 2022 (stock image) Differences in the effects of alcohol on men and women are well-documented for example, if a woman and a man drink the same amount, the womans blood alcohol level will almost always be higher than the mans. In terms of the methods, there were considerable differences in the type of alcohol given to participants and whether it was given alongside food, which likely influenced findings. According to the researchers, future studies should be more rigorous in their methods, for example by using validated scales to assess hangover symptoms. There is also a need to improve the participation of women in hangover research, they say. Overall, the researchers call for 'more rigorous scientific exploration' of the effectiveness of hangover remedies to convey to the public. If this is achieved, it could change alcohol consumption habits, which would go on to benefit public health. New Delhi: India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said that wheat will be sent to Afghanistan in the "coming weeks" after vaccines were supplied on the first day of the New Year 2022. The MEA in a statement said, "In coming weeks, we would be undertaking the supply of wheat and the remaining medical assistance" and "in this regard, we are in touch with UN agencies and others for finalizing the modalities for transportation." India has committed to providing 50,000 MT of wheat, essential lifesaving medicines and COVID vaccines to the Afghan people. One of the proposals to send the supplies has been via overland Pakistan. While Islamabad has publicly stated it will allow the movement of supplies, no transfer has started even as New Delhi and Islamabad continue to discuss the modalities of transfer. Meanwhile, since the Talibans takeover in August of last year, India has sent humanitarian support to Afghanistan via Iran's Mahan air as commercial cargo. New Delhi sent second batch of 500,000 doses of COVID vaccine (COVAXIN) to Afghanistan which has been handed over to Indira Gandhi Hospital, Kabul. Another batch of additional 500,000 doses would be supplied in the coming weeks. The MEA in a release said, "Government of India has committed to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghan people consisting of food grains, one million doses of COVID Vaccine and essential life saving drugs." Last month, India sent 1.6 metric tons of medicines to Afghanistan via Kam airways, the first such consignment under the Taliban regime. The support comes even as India and Afghanistan's Taliban govt has no formal ties but two times New Delhi has publicly accepted that it has held talks with the group--one in Doha and another in Moscow. Taliban has also accepted that it has had conversations with the Indian govt. When the first supplies came, the Taliban had welcomed them. Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson of Taliban foreign ministry said, "We appreciate the arrival of 2 tons of Indian assisted medicine to Indira Gandhi Children Hospital in Kabul." The same flight saw many Afghan Hindus and Sikhs coming to India while 85 Afghan nationals stuck in India reaching back to homeland. Live TV The Delhi government will provide free and personalised online yoga classes to Covid-19 patients in home isolation to boost their immunity, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Saturday. This comes weeks after the Delhi government launched the 'Dilli Ki Yogshala' programme to help the city residents practise yoga regularly under the guidance of trained teachers. Sisodia said as soon as a Covid-19 case will be reported, the patient will receive an SMS from the Delhi government with a link to register for a yoga class. Each class will have about 25-35 people who will be taught by trained yoga instructors. Also Read | Delhi: Second wave wreaked havoc in 2021, Omicron shadows 2022 "The number of Covid patients is rising in Delhi, but they are mostly asymptomatic and are being advised to stay in home isolation. Along with medical treatment, we will help them boost their immunity through online yoga sessions," he said during an interaction with yoga instructors of 'Dilli Ki Yogshala'. According to an official statement, the deputy chief minister said the slots for online classes will be released soon and directed officials to prepare a plan of action. People can choose their slot and they will be able to attend classes as per their convenience. Under the pilot project of 'Dilli Ki Yogashala', yoga teachers are already conducting classes at 65 places across the national capital. The vision of the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led government is to make yoga a part of every Delhiite's daily life, Sisodia said. "Dilli Ki Yogshala is changing the lives of people in Delhi. It will be launched for all Delhi residents soon and will bring a yoga revolution in the capital," he said. Currently, 61 yoga instructors trained by the Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University (DPSRU) are conducting sessions under 'Dilli Ki Yogshala'. The yoga instructors told Sisodia that 'Dilli Ki Yogshala' has given an opportunity to a large number of housewives to learn yoga, with most attending classes during the afternoon, when they are free. Check out DH's latest videos: The Delhi government will provide free and personalised online yoga classes to Covid-19 patients in home isolation to boost their immunity, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Saturday. This comes weeks after the Delhi government launched the 'Dilli Ki Yogshala' programme to help the city residents practise yoga regularly under the guidance of trained teachers. Sisodia said as soon as a Covid-19 case will be reported, the patient will receive an SMS from the Delhi government with a link to register for a yoga class. Each class will have about 25-35 people who will be taught by trained yoga instructors. Also Read | Delhi: Second wave wreaked havoc in 2021, Omicron shadows 2022 "The number of Covid patients is rising in Delhi, but they are mostly asymptomatic and are being advised to stay in home isolation. Along with medical treatment, we will help them boost their immunity through online yoga sessions," he said during an interaction with yoga instructors of 'Dilli Ki Yogshala'. According to an official statement, the deputy chief minister said the slots for online classes will be released soon and directed officials to prepare a plan of action. People can choose their slot and they will be able to attend classes as per their convenience. Under the pilot project of 'Dilli Ki Yogashala', yoga teachers are already conducting classes at 65 places across the national capital. The vision of the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led government is to make yoga a part of every Delhiite's daily life, Sisodia said. "Dilli Ki Yogshala is changing the lives of people in Delhi. It will be launched for all Delhi residents soon and will bring a yoga revolution in the capital," he said. Currently, 61 yoga instructors trained by the Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University (DPSRU) are conducting sessions under 'Dilli Ki Yogshala'. The yoga instructors told Sisodia that 'Dilli Ki Yogshala' has given an opportunity to a large number of housewives to learn yoga, with most attending classes during the afternoon, when they are free. Check out DH's latest videos: Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno has lauded the improved security in the state, praying for improvement in the New Year. Mr Zulum in his New Year message on Saturday in Maiduguri said his administration would continue to do more in the area of security for lasting peace in the state. He also defended his governments closure of camps meant for internally displaced persons. We must be very clear that there can be no livelihoods without lives. We continue to work tirelessly on issues of security so that we can guaranty physical security that would allow citizens to pursue their legitimate livelihoods in safety. In 2021, we took a number of steps to improve and strengthen security by supporting our forces, including the vigilantes with tools, equipment and resources to discharge their duties well. The results of our proactive measures are beginning to show as we recorded fewer attacks and the security forces did marvellously well in protecting us. We are not yet where we would like to be but we are certainly making progress in the right direction. Consequently, I am committed to ensuring more support for our security forces and the indefatigable local vigilantes that are helping us, Mr Zulum said. The governor who spoke on the ongoing closure of camps and resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) back to their recovered communities, said the measure was to give the people back their dignity and check some of the vices going on in the camps. The governor listed some of the vices to include, prostitution, thuggery and drug abuse. Mr Zulum said his administration was implementing the resettlement in line with international best practices and was providing palliatives for the resettled. Our administration puts the Borno people first in every decision. Our people remain the centrepiece of our strategy. We are aware that there will be some temporary inconvenience to people as they relocate. That is why we provide different palliative measures to strengthen their initial installation and stability in the new location. In our plans, we have made for short, medium and long term measures to support our people returning to their original places of origin where we can guaranty safety. We know that the return strategy will have some issues we need to address or things we need to change. We will not abandon our people as we continue to work for the betterment of all, Mr Zulum said. On the problem of electricity blackout facing Maiduguri and environs, Mr Zulum said the work on Maiduguri Gas Power Plant by the federal government was progressing and would be delivered in good time. He lauded the federal government, international partners, private sectors and other stakeholders for their sustained support to Borno, and reiterated his administrations commitment to quality leadership for the people of the state. (NAN) Helsinki [Finland], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said on Saturday that Europe should not be merely listening to Russia and NATO discussing a new security architecture for Europe, which he said was in conflict with the current order. "We must ... be careful about what is being talked about and with whom. Many Europeans have asked, and not for the first time: are we being discussed without us being included?" he said in a message on New Year's Day. He argued proposals that Russia gave to the United States and NATO in December to ensure that the alliance did not expand eastward or place mid-range nuclear weapons on its border were "in conflict with the European security order" and challenged Finland's sovereignty. "The sovereignty of several Member States, also Sweden and Finland, has been challenged from outside the Union. This makes the EU an involved party. The EU must not settle merely with the role of a technical coordinator of sanctions," Niinisto said. Senior Russian and US diplomats will sit down for a strategic stability dialogue in Geneva on January 10 to discuss new security guarantees that Russia demanded amid tensions over Ukraine. The bilateral talks will be followed by a NATO-Russia Council meeting in Brussels on January 12. (ANI/Sputnik) SRINAGAR, India A crowd surge at a popular Hindu shrine in Indian-controlled Kashmir killed at least 12 people and injured 15 others on New Years Day, officials said. Initial reports suggested an altercation between a group of devotees led to the crush early Saturday at the Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine, where tens of thousands of Hindus gathered to pay respects in the hilly town of Katra near southern Jammu city. Something happened near one of the gates and I found myself under a crush of people. I suffocated and fell but somehow managed to stand up, said Mahesh, who gave only one name. I saw people moving over the bodies. It was a horrifying sight, but I managed to help in rescuing some injured people, he said. Press Trust of India news agency quoted police chief Dilbag Singh as saying that authorities were quick to respond and the order within the crowd was immediately restored. The pilgrimage resumed after nearly four hours, officials said. An investigation was underway. Another devotee named Priyansh said he and 10 friends from New Delhi arrived Friday night to visit the shrine. He said two of his friends died in the crush. Indian Prime Minster Narendra Modi expressed his condolences in a message on Twitter. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede, Modi wrote. Pilgrims often trek on foot to reach the hilltop temple, which is one of the most visited shrines in northern India. Deadly crowd surges are fairly common during Indian religious festivals where huge gatherings, sometimes in the millions, cover small areas with few safety or control measures. In 2013, pilgrims visiting a temple for a popular Hindu festival in central Madhya Pradesh state trampled over each other amid fears that a bridge would collapse, and at least 115 people were crushed to death or died in the river below. More than 100 Hindu devotees died in a 2011 crush at a religious festival in the southern state of Kerala. SRINAGAR, India A crowd surge at a popular Hindu shrine in Indian-controlled Kashmir killed at least 12 people and injured 15 others on New Years Day, officials said. Initial reports suggested an altercation between a group of devotees led to the crush early Saturday at the Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine, where tens of thousands of Hindus gathered to pay respects in the hilly town of Katra near southern Jammu city. Something happened near one of the gates and I found myself under a crush of people. I suffocated and fell but somehow managed to stand up, said Mahesh, who gave only one name. I saw people moving over the bodies. It was a horrifying sight, but I managed to help in rescuing some injured people, he said. Press Trust of India news agency quoted police chief Dilbag Singh as saying that authorities were quick to respond and the order within the crowd was immediately restored. The pilgrimage resumed after nearly four hours, officials said. An investigation was underway. Another devotee named Priyansh said he and 10 friends from New Delhi arrived Friday night to visit the shrine. He said two of his friends died in the crush. Indian Prime Minster Narendra Modi expressed his condolences in a message on Twitter. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede, Modi wrote. Pilgrims often trek on foot to reach the hilltop temple, which is one of the most visited shrines in northern India. Deadly crowd surges are fairly common during Indian religious festivals where huge gatherings, sometimes in the millions, cover small areas with few safety or control measures. In 2013, pilgrims visiting a temple for a popular Hindu festival in central Madhya Pradesh state trampled over each other amid fears that a bridge would collapse, and at least 115 people were crushed to death or died in the river below. More than 100 Hindu devotees died in a 2011 crush at a religious festival in the southern state of Kerala. The Delhi government will provide free and personalised online yoga classes to Covid-19 patients in home isolation to boost their immunity, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Saturday. This comes weeks after the Delhi government launched the 'Dilli Ki Yogshala' programme to help the city residents practise yoga regularly under the guidance of trained teachers. Sisodia said as soon as a Covid-19 case will be reported, the patient will receive an SMS from the Delhi government with a link to register for a yoga class. Each class will have about 25-35 people who will be taught by trained yoga instructors. Also Read | Delhi: Second wave wreaked havoc in 2021, Omicron shadows 2022 "The number of Covid patients is rising in Delhi, but they are mostly asymptomatic and are being advised to stay in home isolation. Along with medical treatment, we will help them boost their immunity through online yoga sessions," he said during an interaction with yoga instructors of 'Dilli Ki Yogshala'. According to an official statement, the deputy chief minister said the slots for online classes will be released soon and directed officials to prepare a plan of action. People can choose their slot and they will be able to attend classes as per their convenience. Under the pilot project of 'Dilli Ki Yogashala', yoga teachers are already conducting classes at 65 places across the national capital. The vision of the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led government is to make yoga a part of every Delhiite's daily life, Sisodia said. "Dilli Ki Yogshala is changing the lives of people in Delhi. It will be launched for all Delhi residents soon and will bring a yoga revolution in the capital," he said. Currently, 61 yoga instructors trained by the Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University (DPSRU) are conducting sessions under 'Dilli Ki Yogshala'. The yoga instructors told Sisodia that 'Dilli Ki Yogshala' has given an opportunity to a large number of housewives to learn yoga, with most attending classes during the afternoon, when they are free. Check out DH's latest videos: The Delhi government will provide free and personalised online yoga classes to Covid-19 patients in home isolation to boost their immunity, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Saturday. This comes weeks after the Delhi government launched the 'Dilli Ki Yogshala' programme to help the city residents practise yoga regularly under the guidance of trained teachers. Sisodia said as soon as a Covid-19 case will be reported, the patient will receive an SMS from the Delhi government with a link to register for a yoga class. Each class will have about 25-35 people who will be taught by trained yoga instructors. Also Read | Delhi: Second wave wreaked havoc in 2021, Omicron shadows 2022 "The number of Covid patients is rising in Delhi, but they are mostly asymptomatic and are being advised to stay in home isolation. Along with medical treatment, we will help them boost their immunity through online yoga sessions," he said during an interaction with yoga instructors of 'Dilli Ki Yogshala'. According to an official statement, the deputy chief minister said the slots for online classes will be released soon and directed officials to prepare a plan of action. People can choose their slot and they will be able to attend classes as per their convenience. Under the pilot project of 'Dilli Ki Yogashala', yoga teachers are already conducting classes at 65 places across the national capital. The vision of the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led government is to make yoga a part of every Delhiite's daily life, Sisodia said. "Dilli Ki Yogshala is changing the lives of people in Delhi. It will be launched for all Delhi residents soon and will bring a yoga revolution in the capital," he said. Currently, 61 yoga instructors trained by the Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University (DPSRU) are conducting sessions under 'Dilli Ki Yogshala'. The yoga instructors told Sisodia that 'Dilli Ki Yogshala' has given an opportunity to a large number of housewives to learn yoga, with most attending classes during the afternoon, when they are free. Check out DH's latest videos: New Delhi, Jan 1 : Another day of isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall activity is in store for coastal Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal even as northwest India would continue to witness cold wave conditions, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted on Saturday. "A cyclonic circulation lies over southwest Bay of Bengal, off south Sri Lanka coast at middle tropospheric level. Under its influence, scattered to fairly widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall activity is very likely to continue over coastal Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & Karaikal on Sunday and isolated heavy rainfall over the same region during subsequent 24 hours and decrease thereafter," the IMD said. A fresh active 'Western Disturbance' and its associated induced cyclonic circulation is likely to affect northwest Indian region from January 3, and under its influence, fairly widespread to widespread rainfall/snowfall is likely during January 3 to 7 with possibility of isolated heavy rainfall over Jammu and Kashmir on January 4 and 5 and over Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand on January 5, the IMD said, adding, isolated hailstorms are also likely over Jammu and Kashmir on January 4 and 5 and over Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand on January 5. Scattered to fairly widespread light/moderate rainfall is likely over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi, north Rajasthan and west Uttar Pradesh during January 5 to 7 and light isolated rainfall is also likely over west Madhya Pradesh on January 5. Isolated thunderstorms activity is likely over Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan, accompanied with hail storms over Punjab on January 5. Earlier on Friday, the minimum temperatures were in the range of 2 to 6 degrees Celsius over Punjab, north Rajasthan, Haryana and adjoining west Uttar Pradesh. Cold wave to severe cold wave conditions prevailed in over isolated pockets over Punjab, Haryana and northeast Rajasthan and cold wave conditions were also witnessed in isolated pockets over Himachal Pradesh, east Uttar Pradesh and northwest Rajasthan. Cold day to severe cold day conditions prevailed in isolated pockets over Punjab and Madhya Pradesh, the IMD said. Dense to very dense fog occurred in isolated pockets over Punjab, Haryana, west Madhya Pradesh and East Rajasthan and moderate fog in isolated pockets over west Uttar Pradesh and east Madhya Pradesh. Many of us will be overindulging on alcohol to ring in 2022, but a new study warns that many popular bedside hangover cures won't be of much use on January 1. In a review of previous research papers, London academics have found 'no convincing scientific evidence' that hangover 'cures' are effective at all. These purported 'cures' include clove extract, red ginseng, Korean pear juice, Tolfenamic acid and extract from Hovenia dulcis, a Japanese tree species. The researchers say there's 'only very low quality evidence' that there's any effective 'pharmacologically active intervention for treatment or prevention of an alcohol-induced hangover'. They claim that the best method of preventing hangover symptoms is to completely avoid alcohol or drink in moderation. They also warn against potentially harmful 'hair of the dog' methods in other words, drinking alcoholic substances such as whisky the following morning. A new review has found only very low-quality evidence that substances claiming to treat or prevent alcohol-induced hangovers actually work. Pictured is essential oil from the extraction of clove seeds Korean pear juice has long been used as a hangover cure in Korea and China. However, there's no convincing scientific evidence that it and other hangover cures work, the new study says The study was led by a team of researchers from Kings College London and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. They warn that hangovers not only cause physical and mental discomfort, but can affect professional performance if we're working the following day. 'Hangover symptoms can cause significant distress and affect people's employment and academic performance,' said study author Dr Emmert Roberts at Kings College London. 'Given the continuing speculation in the media as to which hangover remedies work or not, the question around the effectiveness of substances that claim to treat or prevent a hangover appears to be one with considerable public interest. INEFFECTIVE HANGOVER 'CURES' - - Clovinol (extract of clove buds) - Red Ginseng - Curcumin - Duolac ProAP4 (probiotics) - L-cysteine - N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC) - Rapid Recovery (L-cysteine, thiamine, pyridoxine and ascorbic acid) - Loxoprofen (loxoprofen sodium) - SJP-001 (naproxen and fexofenadine) - Phyllpro (Phyllanthus amarus) - Hovenia dulcis Thunb. fruit extract (HDE) - Polysaccharide rich extract of Acanthopanax (PEA) - Korean Pear Juice - L-ornithine - Prickly Pear - Artichoke extract - 'Morning-Fit' (dried yeast, thiamine nitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, and riboflavin) - Propranolol - Tolfenamic acid - Chlormethiazole - Pyritinol Advertisement 'Our study has found that evidence on these hangover remedies is of very low quality and there is a need to provide more rigorous assessment. 'For now, the surest way of preventing hangover symptoms is to abstain from alcohol or drink in moderation.' Numerous remedies claim to be effective against hangover symptoms; however, up-to-date scientific examination of the literature is lacking. The new study, published in the early hours of New Year's Day in the scientific journal Addiction, assessed 21 placebo-controlled randomised trials of clove extract, red ginseng, Korean pear juice and other hangover cures. Closeup of red ginsengs. This is a plant that grows in Korea, China, and Siberia - but researchers say it doesn't effectively treat hangovers Although some studies showed statistically significant improvements in hangover symptoms, all evidence was of very low quality usually because of methodological limitations or imprecise measurements. In addition, no two studies reported on the same hangover remedy and no results had been independently replicated. When studies are replicated with the same or similar results, it gives greater validity to the findings. Three quarters of all included studies (16 out of 21, or 76 per cent) reported data on sample sizes of fewer than 30 participants. Dubiously, evidence for clove extract as a hangover cure was based on data from only 16 participants. Of the ultimate 386 analysed participants, only 149 (38.6 per cent) were female and eight included trials (38 per cent) were conducted exclusively with male participants. The new analysis has been published a minute into the new year, when revellers will be overindulging on alcohol to ring in 2022 (stock image) Differences in the effects of alcohol on men and women are well-documented for example, if a woman and a man drink the same amount, the womans blood alcohol level will almost always be higher than the mans. In terms of the methods, there were considerable differences in the type of alcohol given to participants and whether it was given alongside food, which likely influenced findings. According to the researchers, future studies should be more rigorous in their methods, for example by using validated scales to assess hangover symptoms. There is also a need to improve the participation of women in hangover research, they say. Overall, the researchers call for 'more rigorous scientific exploration' of the effectiveness of hangover remedies to convey to the public. If this is achieved, it could change alcohol consumption habits, which would go on to benefit public health. Bengaluru, Jan 1 : The Haryana Steelers will be looking to bounce back in their next Pro Kabaddi League Season 8 match after going down 28-42 against Bengaluru Bulls on Thursday. The Steelers will be up against the Gujarat Giants in their next game in Bengaluru on Sunday. Haryana Steelers' defender Surender Nada said that the team will play with more aggression in their upcoming matches. "In our last match, we made a lot of mistakes in both departments -- offense and defense. We couldn't score the number of points that we hoped for and we also couldn't tackle well. The entire team has to improve its performance in our next game. We will play with more aggression in our upcoming matches. It's very important for us to be aggressive." Speaking about their encounter against Gujarat, Nada said, "We are well prepared for our next match. Gujarat Giants have a great defense unit in Sunil Kumar, Parvesh Bhainswal, and Ravinder Pahal, but we have good raiders in our team. We will work on the mistakes we made in our previous matches and try to improve as a unit. We will plan our strategies and look to perform well against Gujarat." The defender added that the Haryana team always believes in themselves. "We will always keep our confidence up regardless of the results. We need to have confidence in our abilities and we will always believe in ourselves. We won't be able to perform if we lose hope and therefore, we will continue to keep backing ourselves in all matches." New Delhi, Jan 1 : Automobile major Maruti Suzuki India on Saturday reported a 4.41 per cent decline in its December 2021 sales on a YoY basis. Total sales including exports in December 2021 fell to 153,149 units from 160,226 units sold during the same period of the previous corresponding year. Besides, domestic sales including sales to other OEM fell to 130,869 units from 150,288 units sold during December 2020. However, the automaker's exports rose to 22,280 units in December 2021 up from 9,938 units shipped out during the corresponding period of 2020. "The shortage of electronic components had a minor impact on the production of vehicles during the month," the company said. "The shortage primarily affected the production of vehicles sold in domestic market." As many as 2,33,85,266 farmers from Uttar Pradesh benefited with Rs 47,80,18,82,000 as Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday released the first instalment of 2022 to the farmers across states as part of the Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. The scheme envisages Rs 6,000 in three instalments of Rs 2,000 per farmer. Today's was the 10th instalment since the scheme was launched. Maharashtra farmers were next, a total of 1,03,84,298 farmers received Rs 21,37,19,60,000; followed by Madhya Pradesh where 83,43,390 farmers received Rs 16,89,21,18,000; Bihar (81,23,446 farmers, Rs 16,71,68,06,000) and Rajasthan (70,25,125 farmers and Rs 14,65,40,18,000) under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi funds. Even smaller states such as Delhi had 11,842 beneficiaries who received Rs 2,37,62,000 and Union Territories of Puducherry (10,142 farmers received Rs 2,03,70,000), Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu (8,279 farmers, Rs 1,97,34,000) and Chandigarh (379 and Rs 7,70,000). Earlier in the day, a government statement claimed that this release of funds to the farmers under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme was "in line with the continued commitment and resolve to empower grassroots level farmers." During the virtual programme, the Prime Minister also released an equity grant of more than Rs 14 crore to about 351 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), which will benefit more than 1.24 lakh farmers. Check out latest DH videos here As many as 2,33,85,266 farmers from Uttar Pradesh benefited with Rs 47,80,18,82,000 as Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday released the first instalment of 2022 to the farmers across states as part of the Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. The scheme envisages Rs 6,000 in three instalments of Rs 2,000 per farmer. Today's was the 10th instalment since the scheme was launched. Maharashtra farmers were next, a total of 1,03,84,298 farmers received Rs 21,37,19,60,000; followed by Madhya Pradesh where 83,43,390 farmers received Rs 16,89,21,18,000; Bihar (81,23,446 farmers, Rs 16,71,68,06,000) and Rajasthan (70,25,125 farmers and Rs 14,65,40,18,000) under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi funds. Even smaller states such as Delhi had 11,842 beneficiaries who received Rs 2,37,62,000 and Union Territories of Puducherry (10,142 farmers received Rs 2,03,70,000), Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu (8,279 farmers, Rs 1,97,34,000) and Chandigarh (379 and Rs 7,70,000). Earlier in the day, a government statement claimed that this release of funds to the farmers under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme was "in line with the continued commitment and resolve to empower grassroots level farmers." During the virtual programme, the Prime Minister also released an equity grant of more than Rs 14 crore to about 351 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), which will benefit more than 1.24 lakh farmers. Check out latest DH videos here The Delhi government will provide free and personalised online yoga classes to Covid-19 patients in home isolation to boost their immunity, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Saturday. This comes weeks after the Delhi government launched the 'Dilli Ki Yogshala' programme to help the city residents practise yoga regularly under the guidance of trained teachers. Sisodia said as soon as a Covid-19 case will be reported, the patient will receive an SMS from the Delhi government with a link to register for a yoga class. Each class will have about 25-35 people who will be taught by trained yoga instructors. Also Read | Delhi: Second wave wreaked havoc in 2021, Omicron shadows 2022 "The number of Covid patients is rising in Delhi, but they are mostly asymptomatic and are being advised to stay in home isolation. Along with medical treatment, we will help them boost their immunity through online yoga sessions," he said during an interaction with yoga instructors of 'Dilli Ki Yogshala'. According to an official statement, the deputy chief minister said the slots for online classes will be released soon and directed officials to prepare a plan of action. People can choose their slot and they will be able to attend classes as per their convenience. Under the pilot project of 'Dilli Ki Yogashala', yoga teachers are already conducting classes at 65 places across the national capital. The vision of the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led government is to make yoga a part of every Delhiite's daily life, Sisodia said. "Dilli Ki Yogshala is changing the lives of people in Delhi. It will be launched for all Delhi residents soon and will bring a yoga revolution in the capital," he said. Currently, 61 yoga instructors trained by the Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University (DPSRU) are conducting sessions under 'Dilli Ki Yogshala'. The yoga instructors told Sisodia that 'Dilli Ki Yogshala' has given an opportunity to a large number of housewives to learn yoga, with most attending classes during the afternoon, when they are free. Check out DH's latest videos: At least a dozen pilgrims died and 15 others were injured after a stampede occurred at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in the Katra area of Jammu and Kashmirs Reasi district on Saturday. The incident occurred at around 2:45 am on the first day of the New Year, when a large number of devotees queued to have darshan (glimpse) of sanctum sanctorum inside the cave shrine on Trikuta hills in Katra, officials said. A minor altercation among some young boys amid a massive rush of devotees triggered the stampede. Twelve pilgrims lost their lives and 15 were injured in the incident, they said and added the rescue operations started immediately and all the injured were shifted to hospitals, where the condition of four among them is stated to be critical. Also read: Jammu and Kashmir's L-G Manoj Sinha orders probe into Vaishno Devi stampede Preliminary information from the scene suggests that a minor altercation among some young boys led to the stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in which 12 people unfortunately died," J&K Police chief Dilbag Singh said. Eight of the 12 people killed in the incident were identified as 26-year-old Dheeraj Kumar, 35-year-old Shweta Singh, 24-year-old Viney Kumar, 24-year-old Sonu Pandey, 38-year-old Mamata, 35-year-old Dharmveer Singh, 38-year-old Vaneet Kumar and 30-year-old Arun Partap Singh. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_ Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSingh Ji, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 1, 2022 Jammu and Kashmir government led by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha ordered a high-level inquiry into the stampede. The inquiry committee headed by J&K Principal Secretary (Home) has been asked to submit its report to the government within a week. The Committee has been asked to point out the lapses and fix the responsibility thereof, besides suggesting the measures to prevent reoccurrence of such incidents in future. While the survivors blamed mismanagement and poor deployment of policemen to regulate pilgrims for the tragedy, the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board denied the charge, saying all necessary arrangements were made given the expected rush of pilgrims. The pilgrimage resumed after a brief suspension and was going on smoothly with strict adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs), including Covid-19 guidelines, officials said. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 1, 2022 J&K government announced an amount of Rs10 lakh and the Center Rs two lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the stampede while the injured will be provided Rs 2.5 lakh. Jitendra Singh, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, visited the shrine to take stock of the situation. We are exploring the possible use of technology to avoid such incidents in the future, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and J&K LG also expressed their condolences. J&K Amit Shah (@AmitShah) January 1, 2022 Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSinghJi, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation, Modi tweeted. Amit Shah in a tweet said: The tragedy due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Bhawan is heart-wrenching. Anguished by the loss of lives due to it. My condolences to the bereaved families in this sad hour. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. Mata Vaishno Devi is a religious pilgrimage atop a hilltop in Katra town of Jammu that attracts millions of devotees from across the world every year. Ex-gratia of Rs.10 lakh each would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to stampede and Rs.2 lakh to injured. Shrine board to bear the cost of treatment of injured. Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) January 1, 2022 Watch the latest DH Videos here: At least a dozen pilgrims died and 15 others were injured after a stampede occurred at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in the Katra area of Jammu and Kashmirs Reasi district on Saturday. The incident occurred at around 2:45 am on the first day of the New Year, when a large number of devotees queued to have darshan (glimpse) of sanctum sanctorum inside the cave shrine on Trikuta hills in Katra, officials said. A minor altercation among some young boys amid a massive rush of devotees triggered the stampede. Twelve pilgrims lost their lives and 15 were injured in the incident, they said and added the rescue operations started immediately and all the injured were shifted to hospitals, where the condition of four among them is stated to be critical. Also read: Jammu and Kashmir's L-G Manoj Sinha orders probe into Vaishno Devi stampede Preliminary information from the scene suggests that a minor altercation among some young boys led to the stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in which 12 people unfortunately died," J&K Police chief Dilbag Singh said. Eight of the 12 people killed in the incident were identified as 26-year-old Dheeraj Kumar, 35-year-old Shweta Singh, 24-year-old Viney Kumar, 24-year-old Sonu Pandey, 38-year-old Mamata, 35-year-old Dharmveer Singh, 38-year-old Vaneet Kumar and 30-year-old Arun Partap Singh. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_ Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSingh Ji, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 1, 2022 Jammu and Kashmir government led by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha ordered a high-level inquiry into the stampede. The inquiry committee headed by J&K Principal Secretary (Home) has been asked to submit its report to the government within a week. The Committee has been asked to point out the lapses and fix the responsibility thereof, besides suggesting the measures to prevent reoccurrence of such incidents in future. While the survivors blamed mismanagement and poor deployment of policemen to regulate pilgrims for the tragedy, the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board denied the charge, saying all necessary arrangements were made given the expected rush of pilgrims. The pilgrimage resumed after a brief suspension and was going on smoothly with strict adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs), including Covid-19 guidelines, officials said. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 1, 2022 J&K government announced an amount of Rs10 lakh and the Center Rs two lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the stampede while the injured will be provided Rs 2.5 lakh. Jitendra Singh, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, visited the shrine to take stock of the situation. We are exploring the possible use of technology to avoid such incidents in the future, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and J&K LG also expressed their condolences. J&K Amit Shah (@AmitShah) January 1, 2022 Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSinghJi, @nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation, Modi tweeted. Amit Shah in a tweet said: The tragedy due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Bhawan is heart-wrenching. Anguished by the loss of lives due to it. My condolences to the bereaved families in this sad hour. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. Mata Vaishno Devi is a religious pilgrimage atop a hilltop in Katra town of Jammu that attracts millions of devotees from across the world every year. Ex-gratia of Rs.10 lakh each would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to stampede and Rs.2 lakh to injured. Shrine board to bear the cost of treatment of injured. Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) January 1, 2022 Watch the latest DH Videos here: The Delhi government will provide free and personalised online yoga classes to Covid-19 patients in home isolation to boost their immunity, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Saturday. This comes weeks after the Delhi government launched the 'Dilli Ki Yogshala' programme to help the city residents practise yoga regularly under the guidance of trained teachers. Sisodia said as soon as a Covid-19 case will be reported, the patient will receive an SMS from the Delhi government with a link to register for a yoga class. Each class will have about 25-35 people who will be taught by trained yoga instructors. Also Read | Delhi: Second wave wreaked havoc in 2021, Omicron shadows 2022 "The number of Covid patients is rising in Delhi, but they are mostly asymptomatic and are being advised to stay in home isolation. Along with medical treatment, we will help them boost their immunity through online yoga sessions," he said during an interaction with yoga instructors of 'Dilli Ki Yogshala'. According to an official statement, the deputy chief minister said the slots for online classes will be released soon and directed officials to prepare a plan of action. People can choose their slot and they will be able to attend classes as per their convenience. Under the pilot project of 'Dilli Ki Yogashala', yoga teachers are already conducting classes at 65 places across the national capital. The vision of the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led government is to make yoga a part of every Delhiite's daily life, Sisodia said. "Dilli Ki Yogshala is changing the lives of people in Delhi. It will be launched for all Delhi residents soon and will bring a yoga revolution in the capital," he said. Currently, 61 yoga instructors trained by the Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University (DPSRU) are conducting sessions under 'Dilli Ki Yogshala'. The yoga instructors told Sisodia that 'Dilli Ki Yogshala' has given an opportunity to a large number of housewives to learn yoga, with most attending classes during the afternoon, when they are free. Check out DH's latest videos: Prince Andrew's lawyers have admitted he has no documents to support claim that he has the 'inability to sweat', and there are also no witnesses to confirm he was in Pizza Express on night he's accused of having sex with Virginia Giuffre. The Duke of York infamously claimed in his car-crash Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis in 2019 that a medical condition after being shot at during the Falklands War left him unable to perspire. However, Ms Giuffre, who was 17 at the time, claimed that they danced together in a London nightclub and he had been 'sweating profusely'. Andrew vehemently denies her assertions and says he cannot recall meeting her, despite the picture of them together at the London home of Ghislaine Maxwell - the British socialite convicted of multiple counts of child sex trafficking for her billionaire paedophile boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein - in March 2001. The Duke of York infamously claimed in his car-crash Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis in 2019 that a medical condition after being shot at during the Falklands War left him unable to perspire Andrew vehemently denies her assertions and says he cannot recall meeting her, despite the picture of them together at the London home of Ghislaine Maxwell - the British socialite convicted of multiple counts of child sex trafficking for her billionaire paedophile boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein - in March 2001 Furthermore, the Duke revealed he was also unable to put forward any witnesses to corroborate his claim that he was at Pizza Express in Woking (pictured) on the night it's alleged he slept with Miss Giuffre Lawyers for Ms Giuffre want the court to order him to hand over proof about his 'alleged medical condition of anhidrosis'. But his legal team said 'no documents exist in his possession, custody or control' to back the claim. Furthermore, the Duke revealed he was also unable to put forward any witnesses to corroborate his claim that he was at Pizza Express in Woking on the night it's alleged he slept with Miss Giuffre. He said it could not have happened because he spent the day with his daughter. 'I was with the children and I'd taken Beatrice to a Pizza Express in Woking for a party at, I suppose, sort of 4pm or 5pm in the afternoon,' he said. When asked why he would remember a meal at Pizza Express 18 years later, he said: 'Because going to Pizza Express in Woking is an unusual thing for me to do, a very unusual thing for me to do ... I've only been to Woking a couple of times and I remember it weirdly distinctly. 'As soon as somebody reminded me of it, I went, 'Oh yes, I remember that'. It comes after it emerged that Ms Giuffre could be set to give a victim impact statement to a New York judge for the sentencing of Ghislaine Maxwell. Although a number of accusers did not give evidence at the trial, the women, including Ms Giuffre, will instead be given the chance to make a statement to Judge Alison Nathan, according to the Telegraph. Victim impact statements are testimonies presented to the court which outline the effects of an offender's actions. While guidelines and reports are what are primarily used to determine the length of sentence, a judge should also consider victim impact statements. Sigrid McCawley, who represents Ms Giuffre, told the paper: 'At the sentencing, I anticipate that there will be a lot of testimony from many, many other women who were not able to be heard at the trial, who will come forward and bring information about their suffering at the hands of Ghislaine Maxwell. 'I believe this will be considered by the court before Judge Nathan renders her decision on the length of time Ghislaine will serve behind bars.' Pakistan Human Rights under Imran Khan is going from bad to worse as noted by Human Rights agencies. The case of Idris Khattak is illustrative of the state of human rights and the hold of the Pakistan military over any criticism of the government and deep state, according to International Forum for Rights and Security. Meanwhile, International human rights organizations have correctly raised the Khattak matter with the Imran Khan government. Earlier, it took a year for Pakistan to admit the whereabouts of human rights activist Idris Khattak. This happened only after the family filed a petition in the Peshawar High Court. For those interested in statistics, Khattak has been missing for two years, 4 months and one day. It is tragic that Khattak should have been missing since 2019 and in December 2021, a military tribunal should have sentenced him to 14 years in prison under Pakistan's Official Secrets Act. Clearly, the military and government in Pakistan are dead against those who fight for their human rights, according to The International Forum for Rights and Security. Also, Human Rights Watch mentions that Khattak's conviction under these circumstances is the culmination of a series of egregious abuses that began with his abduction, seven-month enforced disappearance, and subsequent secret trial that violated due process and fair trial standards. Meanwhile, the US State Department's 2020 Country Report on Human Rights Practices sums up the prevailing crisis within Pakistan with regard to human rights abuses in the following words: "There was a lack of government accountability, and abuses often went unpunished, fostering a culture of impunity among perpetrators, whether official or unofficial. Authorities seldom punished government officials for human rights abuses." (ANI) Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno has lauded the improved security in the state, praying for improvement in the New Year. Mr Zulum in his New Year message on Saturday in Maiduguri said his administration would continue to do more in the area of security for lasting peace in the state. He also defended his governments closure of camps meant for internally displaced persons. We must be very clear that there can be no livelihoods without lives. We continue to work tirelessly on issues of security so that we can guaranty physical security that would allow citizens to pursue their legitimate livelihoods in safety. In 2021, we took a number of steps to improve and strengthen security by supporting our forces, including the vigilantes with tools, equipment and resources to discharge their duties well. The results of our proactive measures are beginning to show as we recorded fewer attacks and the security forces did marvellously well in protecting us. We are not yet where we would like to be but we are certainly making progress in the right direction. Consequently, I am committed to ensuring more support for our security forces and the indefatigable local vigilantes that are helping us, Mr Zulum said. The governor who spoke on the ongoing closure of camps and resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) back to their recovered communities, said the measure was to give the people back their dignity and check some of the vices going on in the camps. The governor listed some of the vices to include, prostitution, thuggery and drug abuse. Mr Zulum said his administration was implementing the resettlement in line with international best practices and was providing palliatives for the resettled. Our administration puts the Borno people first in every decision. Our people remain the centrepiece of our strategy. We are aware that there will be some temporary inconvenience to people as they relocate. That is why we provide different palliative measures to strengthen their initial installation and stability in the new location. In our plans, we have made for short, medium and long term measures to support our people returning to their original places of origin where we can guaranty safety. We know that the return strategy will have some issues we need to address or things we need to change. We will not abandon our people as we continue to work for the betterment of all, Mr Zulum said. On the problem of electricity blackout facing Maiduguri and environs, Mr Zulum said the work on Maiduguri Gas Power Plant by the federal government was progressing and would be delivered in good time. He lauded the federal government, international partners, private sectors and other stakeholders for their sustained support to Borno, and reiterated his administrations commitment to quality leadership for the people of the state. (NAN) In all, as in Kanus, a political solution could be thrown into the mix, with compromise reached from both sides. Whats not in doubt is that brawn and vindictiveness arent the solutions to the Igboho conundrum. He may have been demystified as the braggart that he is, but he remains a fly on the most delicate part of Nigerias phallus. He wanted to fly, but he eventually became a fly. Sunday Igboho sneaked into Cotonou with a secret plan to fly to Germany, but, accidentally, he landed on the most sensitive part of Nigerias genitals. What do our elders say about a fly that perches on the scrotum? Caution. In July, weeks after he was declared wanted by Nigerias secret police, Sunday Adeyemo a.k.a Sunday Igboho was arrested by the Beninese police while trying to travel to Germany, and then transferred to the Cotonou Criminal Brigade. He has since remained in Benin, his fate hanging in the balance. In the turbulent years of the Yoruba fratricidal wars, dubbed the era of revolution, brain and brawn separated men who survived or died in the numerous battles for crowns and kingdoms across the Yoruba country. Amid sounds of gunfire, kingdoms were founded and wiped off, warriors birthed and put to the sword, hamlets built and razed to the ground. From the ruins of wars, heroes emerged as villains, and villains strutted around as heroes. Many who made names were thrown up by a blend of myth and might, especially from military cities like Ibadan, Ijaye, and Abeokuta. Enter Ogedengbe, Ogunmola, Ibikunle, Odenlo, Kurunmi, Sodeke, Aole, Fabunmi, etc. Like the Oduduwa era before it, the Yoruba have since moved past the revolutionary era. But in the first half of 2021, some towns and villages in Yorubaland fell into the hands of marauders and murderous gunmen. The people screamed and cried for help. It was as though they had been transported yet again to the revolutionary era when carcasses of humans littered the streets in a barbaric show of force. But this time, they reasoned, the war wasnt fratricidal. In some places, especially in Oyo, survival became a matter of utmost savagery. Those who went to farm had their heads plucked off whimsically, and women who went to the stream returned with tales of carnal violence. The hotbed of the crisis was the Oke-Ogun region, where the streets of Igangan in the heart of Ibarapaland flowed with the blood of innocent souls. In December 2020, a known philanthropist and influential employer of labour, Dr Fatai Aborode, was murdered in cold blood. The murder, at the time, was just one of many other tales of deadly attacks and incidents of rape in the town, including the massacre of 20 people in June 2021. Meanwhile, in almost all of the narratives surrounding the criminal attacks in Igangan, as in other parts of Yorubaland, Fulani herdsmen appeared prominently as alleged masterminds. In the minds of many who werent witnesses to the crimes in those villages, including me, it was not as though some criminal elements of Yoruba descent couldnt have been behind some of the evil acts. After all, crime has no ethnicity, as investigations into the late Aborodes murder would later suggest. But at the height of the killings, many were genuinely worried about the laissez faire reactions of the Oyo State Government and, more ominously, the do-nothing posture of the Federal Government, headed by the insouciant Muhammadu Buhari. In some ways, Igboho embodies these contradictions, appearing as both hero and villain in equal measure. So, when he hugged media headlines and threatened to sack marauding herders from Yorubaland, many observers took his interventions with practiced caution: His inflammatory rhetoric was dangerous because of its dire consequences, still an urgent intervention was necessary because of the carnage, which the government had failed to arrest. As such, those who saw through the folly of campaigns and conspiracy theories premised on claims of ethnic cleansing sweeping across villages and cities in Oke-Ogun, could do little or nothing to keep peoples anger in check, in the face of the clear absence of governance. When the din got to its crescendo, a certain Sunday Igboho emerged from the rubble, threatening fire and brimstone. He would move through crowds of angry indigenes, appeal to their emotional needs, assure them of safety, and threaten to sack the invaders maiming and raping awon anti ati broda wa (our aunts and brothers) from Ori Ile Baba wa (our fathers land). Given the scale of criminality, and near-total collapse of governance in the region, he became an instant hero among the people, understandably so, and began to enjoy a cult followership, like a true revolutionary. Yet up until he was thrust forward by the vacuum of governance, Igboho was no revolutionary, at least in the estimation of many. He was, at best, an irritant, a ready-made weapon of political violence in the hands of the highest bidder. In that sense, he was no Yoruba hero in the mould of Awo, or Ajasin, or Adesanya, or Ige. He possessed not Awos moral stature, nor Ajasins sagely wisdom, or Adesanyas principled doggedness, or Iges oratory prowess. Even though all of these leaders didnt enjoy unanimous support among the Yoruba in their times, Igboho wasnt even any close to them in terms of respectability and charisma. Yet, when the marauding men came, it was in Igbohos direction that the people looked. And so, Igbohos story reflects yet again why all heroes arent necessarily heroic in the eyes of all. Awo, bar Oduduwa, remains the most important leader of the Yoruba race. But the same revered sage, among a significant section of Igbos, remains an ethnic jingoist, who starved innocent children to death during the civil war. Achebe even claimed that Awo was driven by an overriding ambition for power Ojukwu, who, at the height of the progrom up North, faced the challenge of shouldering the burden of Ndigbo, was widely considered a beastly war monger in songs among folks in the North. Ahmadu Bello, whose death Northerners still lament till today whenever issues of leadership failure comes up, remains a rabid Igbo hater in the minds of some Igbo compatriots. Even Zik, who once loomed large across the African horizon, ended up as the Owelle of Onitsha. Yet, they are all heroes, these men. In some ways, Igboho embodies these contradictions, appearing as both hero and villain in equal measure. So, when he hugged media headlines and threatened to sack marauding herders from Yorubaland, many observers took his interventions with practiced caution: His inflammatory rhetoric was dangerous because of its dire consequences, still an urgent intervention was necessary because of the carnage, which the government had failed to arrest. Igbohos excesses notwithstanding, how the nation treats him matters in conversations around Nigerias march towards peace and development, as well as discourses around the twin concepts of justice and equity, in the context of its treatment of repentant Boko Haram members, bandits and their apologists. And in this case, it matters not what the government does behind the camera; perception is stronger than reality. But Igboho, ever brash and restless, failed to keep his excesses at bay. Led on by excitable profiteers like Olayemi Koiki, the philistine who failed in his desire to hide his commercial intent under some phantom media agitation, Igboho became a castrated bulldog, barking at almost everyone in sight. His Yoruba Nation secessionist agenda, about which he has no ideological clarity nor depth of vision, collided with a more popular campaign to install peace in troubled parts of Yorubaland. He would only have it his way or the highway; anyone, including kings, who expressed reservations about secession became a traitor that must be gunned down. He mimics Ojo Agunbambaru, one of the surviving sons of Bashorun Gaa, who escaped to the Bariba country, at the massacre of Gaas children under Abiodun. Agunbambaru indiscriminately slaughtered Oyo chiefs and threatened the Onikoyi, two major flaws that weakened his strength. It was plausible that if Ojo had acted with prudence, he would have succeeded in his mission, and wouldnt have been deserted at the most critical moment. Like Agunbambaru, by the time Igboho was nabbed in Cotonou, he had cursed and abused almost everyone who mattered, thus alienating so many people from himself. And, as such, when his ordeal began, and there were claims of vindictiveness on the part of Nigerian government, many paid little or no attention. Still, Igbohos excesses notwithstanding, how the nation treats him matters in conversations around Nigerias march towards peace and development, as well as discourses around the twin concepts of justice and equity, in the context of its treatment of repentant Boko Haram members, bandits and their apologists. And in this case, it matters not what the government does behind the camera; perception is stronger than reality. For one, although he isnt Nnamdi Kanu, whose voice envelopes governments directive on the streets of Igboland, Igboho remains a hero in the hearts of many, especially in Igangan and environs, where the people now enjoy relative safety. As such, whatever happens to him and his presumed followers (like the so-called Babalawo that was so unfairly punished for months, despite having no strong connection with Igboho) would have ripple effects, at least, on how the people view the state which failed to protect them, yet chose to punish their hero. Given the near-helpless posture of the government on present insecurity matters nationwide, it appears better to ply a less turbulent route. Again, any discerning observer could see through the sombre, penitent direction of Igbohos recent interventions. Of course it could be a decoy, given his present condition, but then it could as well be genuine. In all, as in Kanus, a political solution could be thrown into the mix, with compromise reached from both sides. Whats not in doubt is that brawn and vindictiveness arent the solutions to the Igboho conundrum. He may have been demystified as the braggart that he is, but he remains a fly on the most delicate part of Nigerias phallus. And, most importantly, until the government delivers on good, inclusive governance that guarantees safety and equity in distribution of democratic dividends, its only a matter of time before another Igboho emerges from the trenches. Caution. Oladeinde Olawoyin tweets via @Ola_deinde. New Delhi, Jan 1 : Four Delhi Police personnel were injured while two others, of which one has been identified as a notorious criminal, received bullet injuries on Saturday when a police team had gone to nab a drugs supplier in the Indrapuri area of the national capital. Furnishing details about the encounter, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer North District), Brijendra Kumar Yadav, told IANS that the incident took place at around 8.30 a.m. when a narcotics team reached Indrapuri to arrest drug smuggler Dharamveer alias Palla and conducted a raid at his house. However, the accused was not present there at the time of the raid. "As the police team came out of the house, Dharamveer came from the front with about 50-60 people carrying sticks and stones. The mob attacked the police team and pelted stones on them," the DCP said. Seeing the furious mob, the police retaliated and fired shots in the air. However, Yadav said, the rioters also opened fire on the police party. During the exchange of gunfire, two rioters received bullet injuries. "In an attempt to defend the police party, Inspector Brijpal opened fire by aiming at the feet of the attackers," Yadav said. The two injured persons have been identified as Amit and Shoaib. Amit, who is a relative of drug kingpin Dharamveer, was involved in six criminal cases in the past, including cases of robbery, dacoity and attempt to murder. The injured have been admitted to the hospital. The condition of Shoaib is stated to be critical. "Both Amit and Shoaib were active part of the mob that attacked the police," the DCP said, adding that the police are currently collecting more details about Shoaib. The four police personnel injured in the incident are Brijpal, ASI Rajesh, and Constables Rinku and Vinod. Meanwhile, Dharamveer took advantage of the chaos and fled from the spot, the senior official added. Desmond Tutu,the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. Ubuntu: I am because you are, because we are. But beyond that, I am because I belong, and I have chosen to belong, to form a part of, participate in, and unite with others and their ideas and ideologies, despite the realistic existence of nuances and differences. This was perhaps the strongest lesson humans learnt in the year 2020. Some might think it has become cliche that everything in the world goes back to the year 2020. But then, we have never seen any like it, and until we fully stretch the elastics of discourse around that year and the new realities, revelations, and awakenings that came with it, then our conversation will continue to revolve around it, whether it is boring to some unfocused people or not. The year 2020 taught us to embrace Ubuntu more than ever before; to be humans first, unite first, because Mmatsie, Serges, and Edith exist only because the human entity exists. But before this message got aggravated in 2020, some people were already living by its principles. These people saw it as their culture, as their philosophy of life. As a matter of fact, some propounded the theology and championed it. The most remarkable of them? Reverend Desmond Mpilo Tutu! May God rest his soul. Desmond Tutu, the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. I met the great man on several occasions: In Cambridge in 1988, where we had dinner as part of a group of admirers. In London, then in South Africa, with a group of people, to appeal to him to speak with the president to end Xenophobia. He even gave me his phone number, but I did not call him once. When I did a tribute book in honour of Nelson Mandela, he sent a message that I left out some names. Tutu was a South African Anglican archbishop, a true humanist, and a firm believer in communalistic humanism. He was born in Klerksdorp, South Africa, on October 7, 1931. The circumstances surrounding his birth did not boast of financial buoyancy in the least; yet, Desmond was destined to be great and influential, and he became exactly those. Between 1931 and 1960, when he became a priest of the Anglican Church, he went through a series of training and development. This training would later help him form the basis of his faith, beliefs, philosophy, and culture. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. The quintessential Tutu was born and raised in South Africa when the apartheid system was thriving. Of course, a part of the country was seeing progress and advancement. However, a good part of the country, particularly the area inhabited by the black people, the true owners of the land, knew little to no progress, and the people were subjected to severe oppression. Desmond Tutu was well aware that he got his training and education swaddled in costly privilege, which came at the expense of several thousand other children. He was one of the beneficiaries of a grossly unjust system, and he never forgot that. Therefore, when that privilege provided him with a most-prized education and empowered him in 1960, when he joined the league of some of the most powerful people in South Africa the priests Desmond Tutu knew it was time to use what he had gained for the good of his people. And that was what he did. He fought relentlessly against the apartheid government of South Africa. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. But did that dissuade Tutu? Far from it. Rather, it strengthened him and pushed him to go further. It encouraged him to persevere against all odds and in the face of persecution. Desmond Tutu made the most of what he had his voice, faith, position, and influence. He was a man with a mission, and he had a clear understanding of his goals. The archbishop was at the forefront of pulling in national and international commentators on the deeds of the apartheid government in South Africa. Although the South African people passed through what would go down as one of their worst times in history, Tutu preached the importance of making grievances known in a peaceful and non-violent way. The people were angry and fed up, and Tutu knew that humans are naturally inclined to be violent in such a state of mind, especially when it involves a high level of depravity on their soil. But he knew yet another thing that violence hardly ever solves the problem and that in the rare instances where violence solves the problem, it causes much bigger damage. The Bishop was not a man of violence. He demonstrated an exceptional quality by keeping the Nationalist Party in check when they became violent in their ways and dealings. During the last decade of the last millennium, when our people finally won their battle against oppression and the apartheid government, Tutu was there to celebrate with his people. There was also the factional disagreement that threatened the embryonic freedom that the South African people had just gotten. And who else but the Very Reverend Demond Tutu, preacher and practitioner of the Ubuntu theology, would step in at that critical moment? He persuaded both warring parties that each party is because the other is; therefore, we all are Africans. Thus, the war against apartheid was won through a united front of activism. People must not forget this as quickly as they got the freedom they desperately sought. Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. Simply put, Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights. Tutu was a brilliant and convincing orator. Soon after he became ordained, he rose through the ranks to become the Bishop of Johannesburg in 1985, and a year later, he became the Archbishop of Cape Town. He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. The late Bishop was a man who understood the futility in trying to please humans, so he just lived his life and embarked on endeavours based on his strong convictions. He never had a herd mentality. His support was always deep-seated and well-thought-out, making some people think he was always overly cautious in playing safe. Archbishop Tutu had the life, although it did not come to him as easily as it came to many others. He lived and worked in different capacities at different times. More so, he died at the ripe old age of 90. What more could a human being want? The anti-apartheid hero might not have wanted more, but more things surely came to him. When we, as humans, do good in whatever position we find ourselves, and if we do it because we have chosen to be innately good and because we believe so much in the potency of doing good, then the recognition we deserve will come, even if we do not actively seek it. Such was the case with our beloved Tutu. He won several awards for his contributions to humanity and relentlessly pushed for the betterment of his people and the world at large. Among the awards he received was the prestigious Nobel Prize for Peace, which he received in 1984. The Royal Swedish Academy deemed the reverend worthy of the award for his immense contributions to the fight against the oppression of the apartheid government and especially for his struggles to ensure a peaceful and non-violent demand for the peoples rights. Another award that the merry reverend and preacher of peace received was the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, considered one of the two most prestigious awards the United States of America can bestow on a civilian, was given to Tutu for his consistent contributions to the stability of world peace and other significant contributions to the fight for the peaceful co-existence of humans. In 2012, he received another prestigious award from the Mo Ibrahim Foundation for consistently speaking truth to power. This is a quality that many cannot boast of. Power corrupts, and once they have access to power, many activists soon fail to see the need to continue to champion the struggle for the rights of the oppressed. Also, there is the avoidance of truth to not lose the power bestowed on one. But not Tutu. He was a man who spent his life believing that his power and position were given him to help champion the cause of the marginalised and the oppressed, and if the oppressor were the leaders, so be it! Champion he must, and champion he was, speaking the truth, whether it went well with the powerful or not. On Sunday, December 26, 2021, a day after Christmas, Desmond Tutu went to rest. The gravity of this demise is still a shock coursing through our veins, one that our brain has neither readily nor fully processed. We are still talking about his demise, and the largeness of the void it has left in true humanism is still unknown to us, until the moments we would need a fearless commentator and wonder what Desmond Tutu would have said. This humanist lived his life for the people. He believed in the people and believed God had plans for humanity. He believed that one of the greatest resources made available to us as humans is the ability to practice Ubuntu, and he preached this with every fibre of his being. Rest easy, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. You were an invaluable treasure and a blessing to the world. The whole world will sorely miss you. Toyin Falola, a professor of History and University Distinguished Teaching Professor, is Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin. Desmond Tutu,the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. Ubuntu: I am because you are, because we are. But beyond that, I am because I belong, and I have chosen to belong, to form a part of, participate in, and unite with others and their ideas and ideologies, despite the realistic existence of nuances and differences. This was perhaps the strongest lesson humans learnt in the year 2020. Some might think it has become cliche that everything in the world goes back to the year 2020. But then, we have never seen any like it, and until we fully stretch the elastics of discourse around that year and the new realities, revelations, and awakenings that came with it, then our conversation will continue to revolve around it, whether it is boring to some unfocused people or not. The year 2020 taught us to embrace Ubuntu more than ever before; to be humans first, unite first, because Mmatsie, Serges, and Edith exist only because the human entity exists. But before this message got aggravated in 2020, some people were already living by its principles. These people saw it as their culture, as their philosophy of life. As a matter of fact, some propounded the theology and championed it. The most remarkable of them? Reverend Desmond Mpilo Tutu! May God rest his soul. Desmond Tutu, the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. I met the great man on several occasions: In Cambridge in 1988, where we had dinner as part of a group of admirers. In London, then in South Africa, with a group of people, to appeal to him to speak with the president to end Xenophobia. He even gave me his phone number, but I did not call him once. When I did a tribute book in honour of Nelson Mandela, he sent a message that I left out some names. Tutu was a South African Anglican archbishop, a true humanist, and a firm believer in communalistic humanism. He was born in Klerksdorp, South Africa, on October 7, 1931. The circumstances surrounding his birth did not boast of financial buoyancy in the least; yet, Desmond was destined to be great and influential, and he became exactly those. Between 1931 and 1960, when he became a priest of the Anglican Church, he went through a series of training and development. This training would later help him form the basis of his faith, beliefs, philosophy, and culture. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. The quintessential Tutu was born and raised in South Africa when the apartheid system was thriving. Of course, a part of the country was seeing progress and advancement. However, a good part of the country, particularly the area inhabited by the black people, the true owners of the land, knew little to no progress, and the people were subjected to severe oppression. Desmond Tutu was well aware that he got his training and education swaddled in costly privilege, which came at the expense of several thousand other children. He was one of the beneficiaries of a grossly unjust system, and he never forgot that. Therefore, when that privilege provided him with a most-prized education and empowered him in 1960, when he joined the league of some of the most powerful people in South Africa the priests Desmond Tutu knew it was time to use what he had gained for the good of his people. And that was what he did. He fought relentlessly against the apartheid government of South Africa. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. But did that dissuade Tutu? Far from it. Rather, it strengthened him and pushed him to go further. It encouraged him to persevere against all odds and in the face of persecution. Desmond Tutu made the most of what he had his voice, faith, position, and influence. He was a man with a mission, and he had a clear understanding of his goals. The archbishop was at the forefront of pulling in national and international commentators on the deeds of the apartheid government in South Africa. Although the South African people passed through what would go down as one of their worst times in history, Tutu preached the importance of making grievances known in a peaceful and non-violent way. The people were angry and fed up, and Tutu knew that humans are naturally inclined to be violent in such a state of mind, especially when it involves a high level of depravity on their soil. But he knew yet another thing that violence hardly ever solves the problem and that in the rare instances where violence solves the problem, it causes much bigger damage. The Bishop was not a man of violence. He demonstrated an exceptional quality by keeping the Nationalist Party in check when they became violent in their ways and dealings. During the last decade of the last millennium, when our people finally won their battle against oppression and the apartheid government, Tutu was there to celebrate with his people. There was also the factional disagreement that threatened the embryonic freedom that the South African people had just gotten. And who else but the Very Reverend Demond Tutu, preacher and practitioner of the Ubuntu theology, would step in at that critical moment? He persuaded both warring parties that each party is because the other is; therefore, we all are Africans. Thus, the war against apartheid was won through a united front of activism. People must not forget this as quickly as they got the freedom they desperately sought. Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. Simply put, Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights. Tutu was a brilliant and convincing orator. Soon after he became ordained, he rose through the ranks to become the Bishop of Johannesburg in 1985, and a year later, he became the Archbishop of Cape Town. He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. The late Bishop was a man who understood the futility in trying to please humans, so he just lived his life and embarked on endeavours based on his strong convictions. He never had a herd mentality. His support was always deep-seated and well-thought-out, making some people think he was always overly cautious in playing safe. Archbishop Tutu had the life, although it did not come to him as easily as it came to many others. He lived and worked in different capacities at different times. More so, he died at the ripe old age of 90. What more could a human being want? The anti-apartheid hero might not have wanted more, but more things surely came to him. When we, as humans, do good in whatever position we find ourselves, and if we do it because we have chosen to be innately good and because we believe so much in the potency of doing good, then the recognition we deserve will come, even if we do not actively seek it. Such was the case with our beloved Tutu. He won several awards for his contributions to humanity and relentlessly pushed for the betterment of his people and the world at large. Among the awards he received was the prestigious Nobel Prize for Peace, which he received in 1984. The Royal Swedish Academy deemed the reverend worthy of the award for his immense contributions to the fight against the oppression of the apartheid government and especially for his struggles to ensure a peaceful and non-violent demand for the peoples rights. Another award that the merry reverend and preacher of peace received was the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, considered one of the two most prestigious awards the United States of America can bestow on a civilian, was given to Tutu for his consistent contributions to the stability of world peace and other significant contributions to the fight for the peaceful co-existence of humans. In 2012, he received another prestigious award from the Mo Ibrahim Foundation for consistently speaking truth to power. This is a quality that many cannot boast of. Power corrupts, and once they have access to power, many activists soon fail to see the need to continue to champion the struggle for the rights of the oppressed. Also, there is the avoidance of truth to not lose the power bestowed on one. But not Tutu. He was a man who spent his life believing that his power and position were given him to help champion the cause of the marginalised and the oppressed, and if the oppressor were the leaders, so be it! Champion he must, and champion he was, speaking the truth, whether it went well with the powerful or not. On Sunday, December 26, 2021, a day after Christmas, Desmond Tutu went to rest. The gravity of this demise is still a shock coursing through our veins, one that our brain has neither readily nor fully processed. We are still talking about his demise, and the largeness of the void it has left in true humanism is still unknown to us, until the moments we would need a fearless commentator and wonder what Desmond Tutu would have said. This humanist lived his life for the people. He believed in the people and believed God had plans for humanity. He believed that one of the greatest resources made available to us as humans is the ability to practice Ubuntu, and he preached this with every fibre of his being. Rest easy, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. You were an invaluable treasure and a blessing to the world. The whole world will sorely miss you. Toyin Falola, a professor of History and University Distinguished Teaching Professor, is Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin. Desmond Tutu,the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. Ubuntu: I am because you are, because we are. But beyond that, I am because I belong, and I have chosen to belong, to form a part of, participate in, and unite with others and their ideas and ideologies, despite the realistic existence of nuances and differences. This was perhaps the strongest lesson humans learnt in the year 2020. Some might think it has become cliche that everything in the world goes back to the year 2020. But then, we have never seen any like it, and until we fully stretch the elastics of discourse around that year and the new realities, revelations, and awakenings that came with it, then our conversation will continue to revolve around it, whether it is boring to some unfocused people or not. The year 2020 taught us to embrace Ubuntu more than ever before; to be humans first, unite first, because Mmatsie, Serges, and Edith exist only because the human entity exists. But before this message got aggravated in 2020, some people were already living by its principles. These people saw it as their culture, as their philosophy of life. As a matter of fact, some propounded the theology and championed it. The most remarkable of them? Reverend Desmond Mpilo Tutu! May God rest his soul. Desmond Tutu, the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. I met the great man on several occasions: In Cambridge in 1988, where we had dinner as part of a group of admirers. In London, then in South Africa, with a group of people, to appeal to him to speak with the president to end Xenophobia. He even gave me his phone number, but I did not call him once. When I did a tribute book in honour of Nelson Mandela, he sent a message that I left out some names. Tutu was a South African Anglican archbishop, a true humanist, and a firm believer in communalistic humanism. He was born in Klerksdorp, South Africa, on October 7, 1931. The circumstances surrounding his birth did not boast of financial buoyancy in the least; yet, Desmond was destined to be great and influential, and he became exactly those. Between 1931 and 1960, when he became a priest of the Anglican Church, he went through a series of training and development. This training would later help him form the basis of his faith, beliefs, philosophy, and culture. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. The quintessential Tutu was born and raised in South Africa when the apartheid system was thriving. Of course, a part of the country was seeing progress and advancement. However, a good part of the country, particularly the area inhabited by the black people, the true owners of the land, knew little to no progress, and the people were subjected to severe oppression. Desmond Tutu was well aware that he got his training and education swaddled in costly privilege, which came at the expense of several thousand other children. He was one of the beneficiaries of a grossly unjust system, and he never forgot that. Therefore, when that privilege provided him with a most-prized education and empowered him in 1960, when he joined the league of some of the most powerful people in South Africa the priests Desmond Tutu knew it was time to use what he had gained for the good of his people. And that was what he did. He fought relentlessly against the apartheid government of South Africa. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. But did that dissuade Tutu? Far from it. Rather, it strengthened him and pushed him to go further. It encouraged him to persevere against all odds and in the face of persecution. Desmond Tutu made the most of what he had his voice, faith, position, and influence. He was a man with a mission, and he had a clear understanding of his goals. The archbishop was at the forefront of pulling in national and international commentators on the deeds of the apartheid government in South Africa. Although the South African people passed through what would go down as one of their worst times in history, Tutu preached the importance of making grievances known in a peaceful and non-violent way. The people were angry and fed up, and Tutu knew that humans are naturally inclined to be violent in such a state of mind, especially when it involves a high level of depravity on their soil. But he knew yet another thing that violence hardly ever solves the problem and that in the rare instances where violence solves the problem, it causes much bigger damage. The Bishop was not a man of violence. He demonstrated an exceptional quality by keeping the Nationalist Party in check when they became violent in their ways and dealings. During the last decade of the last millennium, when our people finally won their battle against oppression and the apartheid government, Tutu was there to celebrate with his people. There was also the factional disagreement that threatened the embryonic freedom that the South African people had just gotten. And who else but the Very Reverend Demond Tutu, preacher and practitioner of the Ubuntu theology, would step in at that critical moment? He persuaded both warring parties that each party is because the other is; therefore, we all are Africans. Thus, the war against apartheid was won through a united front of activism. People must not forget this as quickly as they got the freedom they desperately sought. Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. Simply put, Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights. Tutu was a brilliant and convincing orator. Soon after he became ordained, he rose through the ranks to become the Bishop of Johannesburg in 1985, and a year later, he became the Archbishop of Cape Town. He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. The late Bishop was a man who understood the futility in trying to please humans, so he just lived his life and embarked on endeavours based on his strong convictions. He never had a herd mentality. His support was always deep-seated and well-thought-out, making some people think he was always overly cautious in playing safe. Archbishop Tutu had the life, although it did not come to him as easily as it came to many others. He lived and worked in different capacities at different times. More so, he died at the ripe old age of 90. What more could a human being want? The anti-apartheid hero might not have wanted more, but more things surely came to him. When we, as humans, do good in whatever position we find ourselves, and if we do it because we have chosen to be innately good and because we believe so much in the potency of doing good, then the recognition we deserve will come, even if we do not actively seek it. Such was the case with our beloved Tutu. He won several awards for his contributions to humanity and relentlessly pushed for the betterment of his people and the world at large. Among the awards he received was the prestigious Nobel Prize for Peace, which he received in 1984. The Royal Swedish Academy deemed the reverend worthy of the award for his immense contributions to the fight against the oppression of the apartheid government and especially for his struggles to ensure a peaceful and non-violent demand for the peoples rights. Another award that the merry reverend and preacher of peace received was the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, considered one of the two most prestigious awards the United States of America can bestow on a civilian, was given to Tutu for his consistent contributions to the stability of world peace and other significant contributions to the fight for the peaceful co-existence of humans. In 2012, he received another prestigious award from the Mo Ibrahim Foundation for consistently speaking truth to power. This is a quality that many cannot boast of. Power corrupts, and once they have access to power, many activists soon fail to see the need to continue to champion the struggle for the rights of the oppressed. Also, there is the avoidance of truth to not lose the power bestowed on one. But not Tutu. He was a man who spent his life believing that his power and position were given him to help champion the cause of the marginalised and the oppressed, and if the oppressor were the leaders, so be it! Champion he must, and champion he was, speaking the truth, whether it went well with the powerful or not. On Sunday, December 26, 2021, a day after Christmas, Desmond Tutu went to rest. The gravity of this demise is still a shock coursing through our veins, one that our brain has neither readily nor fully processed. We are still talking about his demise, and the largeness of the void it has left in true humanism is still unknown to us, until the moments we would need a fearless commentator and wonder what Desmond Tutu would have said. This humanist lived his life for the people. He believed in the people and believed God had plans for humanity. He believed that one of the greatest resources made available to us as humans is the ability to practice Ubuntu, and he preached this with every fibre of his being. Rest easy, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. You were an invaluable treasure and a blessing to the world. The whole world will sorely miss you. Toyin Falola, a professor of History and University Distinguished Teaching Professor, is Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin. Desmond Tutu,the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. Ubuntu: I am because you are, because we are. But beyond that, I am because I belong, and I have chosen to belong, to form a part of, participate in, and unite with others and their ideas and ideologies, despite the realistic existence of nuances and differences. This was perhaps the strongest lesson humans learnt in the year 2020. Some might think it has become cliche that everything in the world goes back to the year 2020. But then, we have never seen any like it, and until we fully stretch the elastics of discourse around that year and the new realities, revelations, and awakenings that came with it, then our conversation will continue to revolve around it, whether it is boring to some unfocused people or not. The year 2020 taught us to embrace Ubuntu more than ever before; to be humans first, unite first, because Mmatsie, Serges, and Edith exist only because the human entity exists. But before this message got aggravated in 2020, some people were already living by its principles. These people saw it as their culture, as their philosophy of life. As a matter of fact, some propounded the theology and championed it. The most remarkable of them? Reverend Desmond Mpilo Tutu! May God rest his soul. Desmond Tutu, the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. I met the great man on several occasions: In Cambridge in 1988, where we had dinner as part of a group of admirers. In London, then in South Africa, with a group of people, to appeal to him to speak with the president to end Xenophobia. He even gave me his phone number, but I did not call him once. When I did a tribute book in honour of Nelson Mandela, he sent a message that I left out some names. Tutu was a South African Anglican archbishop, a true humanist, and a firm believer in communalistic humanism. He was born in Klerksdorp, South Africa, on October 7, 1931. The circumstances surrounding his birth did not boast of financial buoyancy in the least; yet, Desmond was destined to be great and influential, and he became exactly those. Between 1931 and 1960, when he became a priest of the Anglican Church, he went through a series of training and development. This training would later help him form the basis of his faith, beliefs, philosophy, and culture. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. The quintessential Tutu was born and raised in South Africa when the apartheid system was thriving. Of course, a part of the country was seeing progress and advancement. However, a good part of the country, particularly the area inhabited by the black people, the true owners of the land, knew little to no progress, and the people were subjected to severe oppression. Desmond Tutu was well aware that he got his training and education swaddled in costly privilege, which came at the expense of several thousand other children. He was one of the beneficiaries of a grossly unjust system, and he never forgot that. Therefore, when that privilege provided him with a most-prized education and empowered him in 1960, when he joined the league of some of the most powerful people in South Africa the priests Desmond Tutu knew it was time to use what he had gained for the good of his people. And that was what he did. He fought relentlessly against the apartheid government of South Africa. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. But did that dissuade Tutu? Far from it. Rather, it strengthened him and pushed him to go further. It encouraged him to persevere against all odds and in the face of persecution. Desmond Tutu made the most of what he had his voice, faith, position, and influence. He was a man with a mission, and he had a clear understanding of his goals. The archbishop was at the forefront of pulling in national and international commentators on the deeds of the apartheid government in South Africa. Although the South African people passed through what would go down as one of their worst times in history, Tutu preached the importance of making grievances known in a peaceful and non-violent way. The people were angry and fed up, and Tutu knew that humans are naturally inclined to be violent in such a state of mind, especially when it involves a high level of depravity on their soil. But he knew yet another thing that violence hardly ever solves the problem and that in the rare instances where violence solves the problem, it causes much bigger damage. The Bishop was not a man of violence. He demonstrated an exceptional quality by keeping the Nationalist Party in check when they became violent in their ways and dealings. During the last decade of the last millennium, when our people finally won their battle against oppression and the apartheid government, Tutu was there to celebrate with his people. There was also the factional disagreement that threatened the embryonic freedom that the South African people had just gotten. And who else but the Very Reverend Demond Tutu, preacher and practitioner of the Ubuntu theology, would step in at that critical moment? He persuaded both warring parties that each party is because the other is; therefore, we all are Africans. Thus, the war against apartheid was won through a united front of activism. People must not forget this as quickly as they got the freedom they desperately sought. Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. Simply put, Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights. Tutu was a brilliant and convincing orator. Soon after he became ordained, he rose through the ranks to become the Bishop of Johannesburg in 1985, and a year later, he became the Archbishop of Cape Town. He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. The late Bishop was a man who understood the futility in trying to please humans, so he just lived his life and embarked on endeavours based on his strong convictions. He never had a herd mentality. His support was always deep-seated and well-thought-out, making some people think he was always overly cautious in playing safe. Archbishop Tutu had the life, although it did not come to him as easily as it came to many others. He lived and worked in different capacities at different times. More so, he died at the ripe old age of 90. What more could a human being want? The anti-apartheid hero might not have wanted more, but more things surely came to him. When we, as humans, do good in whatever position we find ourselves, and if we do it because we have chosen to be innately good and because we believe so much in the potency of doing good, then the recognition we deserve will come, even if we do not actively seek it. Such was the case with our beloved Tutu. He won several awards for his contributions to humanity and relentlessly pushed for the betterment of his people and the world at large. Among the awards he received was the prestigious Nobel Prize for Peace, which he received in 1984. The Royal Swedish Academy deemed the reverend worthy of the award for his immense contributions to the fight against the oppression of the apartheid government and especially for his struggles to ensure a peaceful and non-violent demand for the peoples rights. Another award that the merry reverend and preacher of peace received was the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, considered one of the two most prestigious awards the United States of America can bestow on a civilian, was given to Tutu for his consistent contributions to the stability of world peace and other significant contributions to the fight for the peaceful co-existence of humans. In 2012, he received another prestigious award from the Mo Ibrahim Foundation for consistently speaking truth to power. This is a quality that many cannot boast of. Power corrupts, and once they have access to power, many activists soon fail to see the need to continue to champion the struggle for the rights of the oppressed. Also, there is the avoidance of truth to not lose the power bestowed on one. But not Tutu. He was a man who spent his life believing that his power and position were given him to help champion the cause of the marginalised and the oppressed, and if the oppressor were the leaders, so be it! Champion he must, and champion he was, speaking the truth, whether it went well with the powerful or not. On Sunday, December 26, 2021, a day after Christmas, Desmond Tutu went to rest. The gravity of this demise is still a shock coursing through our veins, one that our brain has neither readily nor fully processed. We are still talking about his demise, and the largeness of the void it has left in true humanism is still unknown to us, until the moments we would need a fearless commentator and wonder what Desmond Tutu would have said. This humanist lived his life for the people. He believed in the people and believed God had plans for humanity. He believed that one of the greatest resources made available to us as humans is the ability to practice Ubuntu, and he preached this with every fibre of his being. Rest easy, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. You were an invaluable treasure and a blessing to the world. The whole world will sorely miss you. Toyin Falola, a professor of History and University Distinguished Teaching Professor, is Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin. Desmond Tutu,the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. Ubuntu: I am because you are, because we are. But beyond that, I am because I belong, and I have chosen to belong, to form a part of, participate in, and unite with others and their ideas and ideologies, despite the realistic existence of nuances and differences. This was perhaps the strongest lesson humans learnt in the year 2020. Some might think it has become cliche that everything in the world goes back to the year 2020. But then, we have never seen any like it, and until we fully stretch the elastics of discourse around that year and the new realities, revelations, and awakenings that came with it, then our conversation will continue to revolve around it, whether it is boring to some unfocused people or not. The year 2020 taught us to embrace Ubuntu more than ever before; to be humans first, unite first, because Mmatsie, Serges, and Edith exist only because the human entity exists. But before this message got aggravated in 2020, some people were already living by its principles. These people saw it as their culture, as their philosophy of life. As a matter of fact, some propounded the theology and championed it. The most remarkable of them? Reverend Desmond Mpilo Tutu! May God rest his soul. Desmond Tutu, the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. I met the great man on several occasions: In Cambridge in 1988, where we had dinner as part of a group of admirers. In London, then in South Africa, with a group of people, to appeal to him to speak with the president to end Xenophobia. He even gave me his phone number, but I did not call him once. When I did a tribute book in honour of Nelson Mandela, he sent a message that I left out some names. Tutu was a South African Anglican archbishop, a true humanist, and a firm believer in communalistic humanism. He was born in Klerksdorp, South Africa, on October 7, 1931. The circumstances surrounding his birth did not boast of financial buoyancy in the least; yet, Desmond was destined to be great and influential, and he became exactly those. Between 1931 and 1960, when he became a priest of the Anglican Church, he went through a series of training and development. This training would later help him form the basis of his faith, beliefs, philosophy, and culture. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. The quintessential Tutu was born and raised in South Africa when the apartheid system was thriving. Of course, a part of the country was seeing progress and advancement. However, a good part of the country, particularly the area inhabited by the black people, the true owners of the land, knew little to no progress, and the people were subjected to severe oppression. Desmond Tutu was well aware that he got his training and education swaddled in costly privilege, which came at the expense of several thousand other children. He was one of the beneficiaries of a grossly unjust system, and he never forgot that. Therefore, when that privilege provided him with a most-prized education and empowered him in 1960, when he joined the league of some of the most powerful people in South Africa the priests Desmond Tutu knew it was time to use what he had gained for the good of his people. And that was what he did. He fought relentlessly against the apartheid government of South Africa. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. But did that dissuade Tutu? Far from it. Rather, it strengthened him and pushed him to go further. It encouraged him to persevere against all odds and in the face of persecution. Desmond Tutu made the most of what he had his voice, faith, position, and influence. He was a man with a mission, and he had a clear understanding of his goals. The archbishop was at the forefront of pulling in national and international commentators on the deeds of the apartheid government in South Africa. Although the South African people passed through what would go down as one of their worst times in history, Tutu preached the importance of making grievances known in a peaceful and non-violent way. The people were angry and fed up, and Tutu knew that humans are naturally inclined to be violent in such a state of mind, especially when it involves a high level of depravity on their soil. But he knew yet another thing that violence hardly ever solves the problem and that in the rare instances where violence solves the problem, it causes much bigger damage. The Bishop was not a man of violence. He demonstrated an exceptional quality by keeping the Nationalist Party in check when they became violent in their ways and dealings. During the last decade of the last millennium, when our people finally won their battle against oppression and the apartheid government, Tutu was there to celebrate with his people. There was also the factional disagreement that threatened the embryonic freedom that the South African people had just gotten. And who else but the Very Reverend Demond Tutu, preacher and practitioner of the Ubuntu theology, would step in at that critical moment? He persuaded both warring parties that each party is because the other is; therefore, we all are Africans. Thus, the war against apartheid was won through a united front of activism. People must not forget this as quickly as they got the freedom they desperately sought. Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. Simply put, Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights. Tutu was a brilliant and convincing orator. Soon after he became ordained, he rose through the ranks to become the Bishop of Johannesburg in 1985, and a year later, he became the Archbishop of Cape Town. He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. The late Bishop was a man who understood the futility in trying to please humans, so he just lived his life and embarked on endeavours based on his strong convictions. He never had a herd mentality. His support was always deep-seated and well-thought-out, making some people think he was always overly cautious in playing safe. Archbishop Tutu had the life, although it did not come to him as easily as it came to many others. He lived and worked in different capacities at different times. More so, he died at the ripe old age of 90. What more could a human being want? The anti-apartheid hero might not have wanted more, but more things surely came to him. When we, as humans, do good in whatever position we find ourselves, and if we do it because we have chosen to be innately good and because we believe so much in the potency of doing good, then the recognition we deserve will come, even if we do not actively seek it. Such was the case with our beloved Tutu. He won several awards for his contributions to humanity and relentlessly pushed for the betterment of his people and the world at large. Among the awards he received was the prestigious Nobel Prize for Peace, which he received in 1984. The Royal Swedish Academy deemed the reverend worthy of the award for his immense contributions to the fight against the oppression of the apartheid government and especially for his struggles to ensure a peaceful and non-violent demand for the peoples rights. Another award that the merry reverend and preacher of peace received was the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, considered one of the two most prestigious awards the United States of America can bestow on a civilian, was given to Tutu for his consistent contributions to the stability of world peace and other significant contributions to the fight for the peaceful co-existence of humans. In 2012, he received another prestigious award from the Mo Ibrahim Foundation for consistently speaking truth to power. This is a quality that many cannot boast of. Power corrupts, and once they have access to power, many activists soon fail to see the need to continue to champion the struggle for the rights of the oppressed. Also, there is the avoidance of truth to not lose the power bestowed on one. But not Tutu. He was a man who spent his life believing that his power and position were given him to help champion the cause of the marginalised and the oppressed, and if the oppressor were the leaders, so be it! Champion he must, and champion he was, speaking the truth, whether it went well with the powerful or not. On Sunday, December 26, 2021, a day after Christmas, Desmond Tutu went to rest. The gravity of this demise is still a shock coursing through our veins, one that our brain has neither readily nor fully processed. We are still talking about his demise, and the largeness of the void it has left in true humanism is still unknown to us, until the moments we would need a fearless commentator and wonder what Desmond Tutu would have said. This humanist lived his life for the people. He believed in the people and believed God had plans for humanity. He believed that one of the greatest resources made available to us as humans is the ability to practice Ubuntu, and he preached this with every fibre of his being. Rest easy, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. You were an invaluable treasure and a blessing to the world. The whole world will sorely miss you. Toyin Falola, a professor of History and University Distinguished Teaching Professor, is Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin. Desmond Tutu,the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. Ubuntu: I am because you are, because we are. But beyond that, I am because I belong, and I have chosen to belong, to form a part of, participate in, and unite with others and their ideas and ideologies, despite the realistic existence of nuances and differences. This was perhaps the strongest lesson humans learnt in the year 2020. Some might think it has become cliche that everything in the world goes back to the year 2020. But then, we have never seen any like it, and until we fully stretch the elastics of discourse around that year and the new realities, revelations, and awakenings that came with it, then our conversation will continue to revolve around it, whether it is boring to some unfocused people or not. The year 2020 taught us to embrace Ubuntu more than ever before; to be humans first, unite first, because Mmatsie, Serges, and Edith exist only because the human entity exists. But before this message got aggravated in 2020, some people were already living by its principles. These people saw it as their culture, as their philosophy of life. As a matter of fact, some propounded the theology and championed it. The most remarkable of them? Reverend Desmond Mpilo Tutu! May God rest his soul. Desmond Tutu, the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. I met the great man on several occasions: In Cambridge in 1988, where we had dinner as part of a group of admirers. In London, then in South Africa, with a group of people, to appeal to him to speak with the president to end Xenophobia. He even gave me his phone number, but I did not call him once. When I did a tribute book in honour of Nelson Mandela, he sent a message that I left out some names. Tutu was a South African Anglican archbishop, a true humanist, and a firm believer in communalistic humanism. He was born in Klerksdorp, South Africa, on October 7, 1931. The circumstances surrounding his birth did not boast of financial buoyancy in the least; yet, Desmond was destined to be great and influential, and he became exactly those. Between 1931 and 1960, when he became a priest of the Anglican Church, he went through a series of training and development. This training would later help him form the basis of his faith, beliefs, philosophy, and culture. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. The quintessential Tutu was born and raised in South Africa when the apartheid system was thriving. Of course, a part of the country was seeing progress and advancement. However, a good part of the country, particularly the area inhabited by the black people, the true owners of the land, knew little to no progress, and the people were subjected to severe oppression. Desmond Tutu was well aware that he got his training and education swaddled in costly privilege, which came at the expense of several thousand other children. He was one of the beneficiaries of a grossly unjust system, and he never forgot that. Therefore, when that privilege provided him with a most-prized education and empowered him in 1960, when he joined the league of some of the most powerful people in South Africa the priests Desmond Tutu knew it was time to use what he had gained for the good of his people. And that was what he did. He fought relentlessly against the apartheid government of South Africa. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. But did that dissuade Tutu? Far from it. Rather, it strengthened him and pushed him to go further. It encouraged him to persevere against all odds and in the face of persecution. Desmond Tutu made the most of what he had his voice, faith, position, and influence. He was a man with a mission, and he had a clear understanding of his goals. The archbishop was at the forefront of pulling in national and international commentators on the deeds of the apartheid government in South Africa. Although the South African people passed through what would go down as one of their worst times in history, Tutu preached the importance of making grievances known in a peaceful and non-violent way. The people were angry and fed up, and Tutu knew that humans are naturally inclined to be violent in such a state of mind, especially when it involves a high level of depravity on their soil. But he knew yet another thing that violence hardly ever solves the problem and that in the rare instances where violence solves the problem, it causes much bigger damage. The Bishop was not a man of violence. He demonstrated an exceptional quality by keeping the Nationalist Party in check when they became violent in their ways and dealings. During the last decade of the last millennium, when our people finally won their battle against oppression and the apartheid government, Tutu was there to celebrate with his people. There was also the factional disagreement that threatened the embryonic freedom that the South African people had just gotten. And who else but the Very Reverend Demond Tutu, preacher and practitioner of the Ubuntu theology, would step in at that critical moment? He persuaded both warring parties that each party is because the other is; therefore, we all are Africans. Thus, the war against apartheid was won through a united front of activism. People must not forget this as quickly as they got the freedom they desperately sought. Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. Simply put, Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights. Tutu was a brilliant and convincing orator. Soon after he became ordained, he rose through the ranks to become the Bishop of Johannesburg in 1985, and a year later, he became the Archbishop of Cape Town. He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. The late Bishop was a man who understood the futility in trying to please humans, so he just lived his life and embarked on endeavours based on his strong convictions. He never had a herd mentality. His support was always deep-seated and well-thought-out, making some people think he was always overly cautious in playing safe. Archbishop Tutu had the life, although it did not come to him as easily as it came to many others. He lived and worked in different capacities at different times. More so, he died at the ripe old age of 90. What more could a human being want? The anti-apartheid hero might not have wanted more, but more things surely came to him. When we, as humans, do good in whatever position we find ourselves, and if we do it because we have chosen to be innately good and because we believe so much in the potency of doing good, then the recognition we deserve will come, even if we do not actively seek it. Such was the case with our beloved Tutu. He won several awards for his contributions to humanity and relentlessly pushed for the betterment of his people and the world at large. Among the awards he received was the prestigious Nobel Prize for Peace, which he received in 1984. The Royal Swedish Academy deemed the reverend worthy of the award for his immense contributions to the fight against the oppression of the apartheid government and especially for his struggles to ensure a peaceful and non-violent demand for the peoples rights. Another award that the merry reverend and preacher of peace received was the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, considered one of the two most prestigious awards the United States of America can bestow on a civilian, was given to Tutu for his consistent contributions to the stability of world peace and other significant contributions to the fight for the peaceful co-existence of humans. In 2012, he received another prestigious award from the Mo Ibrahim Foundation for consistently speaking truth to power. This is a quality that many cannot boast of. Power corrupts, and once they have access to power, many activists soon fail to see the need to continue to champion the struggle for the rights of the oppressed. Also, there is the avoidance of truth to not lose the power bestowed on one. But not Tutu. He was a man who spent his life believing that his power and position were given him to help champion the cause of the marginalised and the oppressed, and if the oppressor were the leaders, so be it! Champion he must, and champion he was, speaking the truth, whether it went well with the powerful or not. On Sunday, December 26, 2021, a day after Christmas, Desmond Tutu went to rest. The gravity of this demise is still a shock coursing through our veins, one that our brain has neither readily nor fully processed. We are still talking about his demise, and the largeness of the void it has left in true humanism is still unknown to us, until the moments we would need a fearless commentator and wonder what Desmond Tutu would have said. This humanist lived his life for the people. He believed in the people and believed God had plans for humanity. He believed that one of the greatest resources made available to us as humans is the ability to practice Ubuntu, and he preached this with every fibre of his being. Rest easy, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. You were an invaluable treasure and a blessing to the world. The whole world will sorely miss you. Toyin Falola, a professor of History and University Distinguished Teaching Professor, is Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin. Desmond Tutu,the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. Ubuntu: I am because you are, because we are. But beyond that, I am because I belong, and I have chosen to belong, to form a part of, participate in, and unite with others and their ideas and ideologies, despite the realistic existence of nuances and differences. This was perhaps the strongest lesson humans learnt in the year 2020. Some might think it has become cliche that everything in the world goes back to the year 2020. But then, we have never seen any like it, and until we fully stretch the elastics of discourse around that year and the new realities, revelations, and awakenings that came with it, then our conversation will continue to revolve around it, whether it is boring to some unfocused people or not. The year 2020 taught us to embrace Ubuntu more than ever before; to be humans first, unite first, because Mmatsie, Serges, and Edith exist only because the human entity exists. But before this message got aggravated in 2020, some people were already living by its principles. These people saw it as their culture, as their philosophy of life. As a matter of fact, some propounded the theology and championed it. The most remarkable of them? Reverend Desmond Mpilo Tutu! May God rest his soul. Desmond Tutu, the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. I met the great man on several occasions: In Cambridge in 1988, where we had dinner as part of a group of admirers. In London, then in South Africa, with a group of people, to appeal to him to speak with the president to end Xenophobia. He even gave me his phone number, but I did not call him once. When I did a tribute book in honour of Nelson Mandela, he sent a message that I left out some names. Tutu was a South African Anglican archbishop, a true humanist, and a firm believer in communalistic humanism. He was born in Klerksdorp, South Africa, on October 7, 1931. The circumstances surrounding his birth did not boast of financial buoyancy in the least; yet, Desmond was destined to be great and influential, and he became exactly those. Between 1931 and 1960, when he became a priest of the Anglican Church, he went through a series of training and development. This training would later help him form the basis of his faith, beliefs, philosophy, and culture. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. The quintessential Tutu was born and raised in South Africa when the apartheid system was thriving. Of course, a part of the country was seeing progress and advancement. However, a good part of the country, particularly the area inhabited by the black people, the true owners of the land, knew little to no progress, and the people were subjected to severe oppression. Desmond Tutu was well aware that he got his training and education swaddled in costly privilege, which came at the expense of several thousand other children. He was one of the beneficiaries of a grossly unjust system, and he never forgot that. Therefore, when that privilege provided him with a most-prized education and empowered him in 1960, when he joined the league of some of the most powerful people in South Africa the priests Desmond Tutu knew it was time to use what he had gained for the good of his people. And that was what he did. He fought relentlessly against the apartheid government of South Africa. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. But did that dissuade Tutu? Far from it. Rather, it strengthened him and pushed him to go further. It encouraged him to persevere against all odds and in the face of persecution. Desmond Tutu made the most of what he had his voice, faith, position, and influence. He was a man with a mission, and he had a clear understanding of his goals. The archbishop was at the forefront of pulling in national and international commentators on the deeds of the apartheid government in South Africa. Although the South African people passed through what would go down as one of their worst times in history, Tutu preached the importance of making grievances known in a peaceful and non-violent way. The people were angry and fed up, and Tutu knew that humans are naturally inclined to be violent in such a state of mind, especially when it involves a high level of depravity on their soil. But he knew yet another thing that violence hardly ever solves the problem and that in the rare instances where violence solves the problem, it causes much bigger damage. The Bishop was not a man of violence. He demonstrated an exceptional quality by keeping the Nationalist Party in check when they became violent in their ways and dealings. During the last decade of the last millennium, when our people finally won their battle against oppression and the apartheid government, Tutu was there to celebrate with his people. There was also the factional disagreement that threatened the embryonic freedom that the South African people had just gotten. And who else but the Very Reverend Demond Tutu, preacher and practitioner of the Ubuntu theology, would step in at that critical moment? He persuaded both warring parties that each party is because the other is; therefore, we all are Africans. Thus, the war against apartheid was won through a united front of activism. People must not forget this as quickly as they got the freedom they desperately sought. Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. Simply put, Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights. Tutu was a brilliant and convincing orator. Soon after he became ordained, he rose through the ranks to become the Bishop of Johannesburg in 1985, and a year later, he became the Archbishop of Cape Town. He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. The late Bishop was a man who understood the futility in trying to please humans, so he just lived his life and embarked on endeavours based on his strong convictions. He never had a herd mentality. His support was always deep-seated and well-thought-out, making some people think he was always overly cautious in playing safe. Archbishop Tutu had the life, although it did not come to him as easily as it came to many others. He lived and worked in different capacities at different times. More so, he died at the ripe old age of 90. What more could a human being want? The anti-apartheid hero might not have wanted more, but more things surely came to him. When we, as humans, do good in whatever position we find ourselves, and if we do it because we have chosen to be innately good and because we believe so much in the potency of doing good, then the recognition we deserve will come, even if we do not actively seek it. Such was the case with our beloved Tutu. He won several awards for his contributions to humanity and relentlessly pushed for the betterment of his people and the world at large. Among the awards he received was the prestigious Nobel Prize for Peace, which he received in 1984. The Royal Swedish Academy deemed the reverend worthy of the award for his immense contributions to the fight against the oppression of the apartheid government and especially for his struggles to ensure a peaceful and non-violent demand for the peoples rights. Another award that the merry reverend and preacher of peace received was the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, considered one of the two most prestigious awards the United States of America can bestow on a civilian, was given to Tutu for his consistent contributions to the stability of world peace and other significant contributions to the fight for the peaceful co-existence of humans. In 2012, he received another prestigious award from the Mo Ibrahim Foundation for consistently speaking truth to power. This is a quality that many cannot boast of. Power corrupts, and once they have access to power, many activists soon fail to see the need to continue to champion the struggle for the rights of the oppressed. Also, there is the avoidance of truth to not lose the power bestowed on one. But not Tutu. He was a man who spent his life believing that his power and position were given him to help champion the cause of the marginalised and the oppressed, and if the oppressor were the leaders, so be it! Champion he must, and champion he was, speaking the truth, whether it went well with the powerful or not. On Sunday, December 26, 2021, a day after Christmas, Desmond Tutu went to rest. The gravity of this demise is still a shock coursing through our veins, one that our brain has neither readily nor fully processed. We are still talking about his demise, and the largeness of the void it has left in true humanism is still unknown to us, until the moments we would need a fearless commentator and wonder what Desmond Tutu would have said. This humanist lived his life for the people. He believed in the people and believed God had plans for humanity. He believed that one of the greatest resources made available to us as humans is the ability to practice Ubuntu, and he preached this with every fibre of his being. Rest easy, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. You were an invaluable treasure and a blessing to the world. The whole world will sorely miss you. Toyin Falola, a professor of History and University Distinguished Teaching Professor, is Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Desmond Tutu,the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. Ubuntu: I am because you are, because we are. But beyond that, I am because I belong, and I have chosen to belong, to form a part of, participate in, and unite with others and their ideas and ideologies, despite the realistic existence of nuances and differences. This was perhaps the strongest lesson humans learnt in the year 2020. Some might think it has become cliche that everything in the world goes back to the year 2020. But then, we have never seen any like it, and until we fully stretch the elastics of discourse around that year and the new realities, revelations, and awakenings that came with it, then our conversation will continue to revolve around it, whether it is boring to some unfocused people or not. The year 2020 taught us to embrace Ubuntu more than ever before; to be humans first, unite first, because Mmatsie, Serges, and Edith exist only because the human entity exists. But before this message got aggravated in 2020, some people were already living by its principles. These people saw it as their culture, as their philosophy of life. As a matter of fact, some propounded the theology and championed it. The most remarkable of them? Reverend Desmond Mpilo Tutu! May God rest his soul. Desmond Tutu, the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. I met the great man on several occasions: In Cambridge in 1988, where we had dinner as part of a group of admirers. In London, then in South Africa, with a group of people, to appeal to him to speak with the president to end Xenophobia. He even gave me his phone number, but I did not call him once. When I did a tribute book in honour of Nelson Mandela, he sent a message that I left out some names. Tutu was a South African Anglican archbishop, a true humanist, and a firm believer in communalistic humanism. He was born in Klerksdorp, South Africa, on October 7, 1931. The circumstances surrounding his birth did not boast of financial buoyancy in the least; yet, Desmond was destined to be great and influential, and he became exactly those. Between 1931 and 1960, when he became a priest of the Anglican Church, he went through a series of training and development. This training would later help him form the basis of his faith, beliefs, philosophy, and culture. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. The quintessential Tutu was born and raised in South Africa when the apartheid system was thriving. Of course, a part of the country was seeing progress and advancement. However, a good part of the country, particularly the area inhabited by the black people, the true owners of the land, knew little to no progress, and the people were subjected to severe oppression. Desmond Tutu was well aware that he got his training and education swaddled in costly privilege, which came at the expense of several thousand other children. He was one of the beneficiaries of a grossly unjust system, and he never forgot that. Therefore, when that privilege provided him with a most-prized education and empowered him in 1960, when he joined the league of some of the most powerful people in South Africa the priests Desmond Tutu knew it was time to use what he had gained for the good of his people. And that was what he did. He fought relentlessly against the apartheid government of South Africa. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. But did that dissuade Tutu? Far from it. Rather, it strengthened him and pushed him to go further. It encouraged him to persevere against all odds and in the face of persecution. Desmond Tutu made the most of what he had his voice, faith, position, and influence. He was a man with a mission, and he had a clear understanding of his goals. The archbishop was at the forefront of pulling in national and international commentators on the deeds of the apartheid government in South Africa. Although the South African people passed through what would go down as one of their worst times in history, Tutu preached the importance of making grievances known in a peaceful and non-violent way. The people were angry and fed up, and Tutu knew that humans are naturally inclined to be violent in such a state of mind, especially when it involves a high level of depravity on their soil. But he knew yet another thing that violence hardly ever solves the problem and that in the rare instances where violence solves the problem, it causes much bigger damage. The Bishop was not a man of violence. He demonstrated an exceptional quality by keeping the Nationalist Party in check when they became violent in their ways and dealings. During the last decade of the last millennium, when our people finally won their battle against oppression and the apartheid government, Tutu was there to celebrate with his people. There was also the factional disagreement that threatened the embryonic freedom that the South African people had just gotten. And who else but the Very Reverend Demond Tutu, preacher and practitioner of the Ubuntu theology, would step in at that critical moment? He persuaded both warring parties that each party is because the other is; therefore, we all are Africans. Thus, the war against apartheid was won through a united front of activism. People must not forget this as quickly as they got the freedom they desperately sought. Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. Simply put, Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights. Tutu was a brilliant and convincing orator. Soon after he became ordained, he rose through the ranks to become the Bishop of Johannesburg in 1985, and a year later, he became the Archbishop of Cape Town. He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. The late Bishop was a man who understood the futility in trying to please humans, so he just lived his life and embarked on endeavours based on his strong convictions. He never had a herd mentality. His support was always deep-seated and well-thought-out, making some people think he was always overly cautious in playing safe. Archbishop Tutu had the life, although it did not come to him as easily as it came to many others. He lived and worked in different capacities at different times. More so, he died at the ripe old age of 90. What more could a human being want? The anti-apartheid hero might not have wanted more, but more things surely came to him. When we, as humans, do good in whatever position we find ourselves, and if we do it because we have chosen to be innately good and because we believe so much in the potency of doing good, then the recognition we deserve will come, even if we do not actively seek it. Such was the case with our beloved Tutu. He won several awards for his contributions to humanity and relentlessly pushed for the betterment of his people and the world at large. Among the awards he received was the prestigious Nobel Prize for Peace, which he received in 1984. The Royal Swedish Academy deemed the reverend worthy of the award for his immense contributions to the fight against the oppression of the apartheid government and especially for his struggles to ensure a peaceful and non-violent demand for the peoples rights. Another award that the merry reverend and preacher of peace received was the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, considered one of the two most prestigious awards the United States of America can bestow on a civilian, was given to Tutu for his consistent contributions to the stability of world peace and other significant contributions to the fight for the peaceful co-existence of humans. In 2012, he received another prestigious award from the Mo Ibrahim Foundation for consistently speaking truth to power. This is a quality that many cannot boast of. Power corrupts, and once they have access to power, many activists soon fail to see the need to continue to champion the struggle for the rights of the oppressed. Also, there is the avoidance of truth to not lose the power bestowed on one. But not Tutu. He was a man who spent his life believing that his power and position were given him to help champion the cause of the marginalised and the oppressed, and if the oppressor were the leaders, so be it! Champion he must, and champion he was, speaking the truth, whether it went well with the powerful or not. On Sunday, December 26, 2021, a day after Christmas, Desmond Tutu went to rest. The gravity of this demise is still a shock coursing through our veins, one that our brain has neither readily nor fully processed. We are still talking about his demise, and the largeness of the void it has left in true humanism is still unknown to us, until the moments we would need a fearless commentator and wonder what Desmond Tutu would have said. This humanist lived his life for the people. He believed in the people and believed God had plans for humanity. He believed that one of the greatest resources made available to us as humans is the ability to practice Ubuntu, and he preached this with every fibre of his being. Rest easy, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. You were an invaluable treasure and a blessing to the world. The whole world will sorely miss you. Toyin Falola, a professor of History and University Distinguished Teaching Professor, is Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com The Indian Embassy organised a virtual Open House during which Ambassador Piyush Srivastava interacted with the members of the Indian community. Ambassador urged the Community member to follow Covid-19 safety measures and protocols as Bahrain adopted the yellow alert level. Moving on, the Ambassador reviewed the functioning of the IVS Centre at Dana Mall, EoIBhCONNECT App and sought feedback from community members. Ambassador Srivastava also informed members about the recent decision of Bahrain to allow Bahrain Post offices to process Resident Permit stickers for the Expat Community. Indian Ambassador further thanked local government authorities and Indian associations, particularly ICRF, World NRI council and Budaiya Gurudwara, for their support in resolving issues concerning community members. Seven fishermen stranded in Bahrain for more than two months travelled back to India this week. The travel ban imposed on Mani Komban, Sasidharan Pullot, and Arsh Preet Kaur, were resolved and they travelled back to India, the Ambassador told the meeting. Ambassador thanked all the Indian associations and community members for their active participation. I do not want to ask you for too much. If you cannot help me, do not get involved with the terrorist warlords. It is very shameful, a Myanmarese based in the United States tweeted, reacting to a post by the Indian embassy in Nay Pyi Taw about Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringlas visit to the neighbouring country on December 22 and 23 last. Shringlas visit to Nay Pyi Taw was the first high-level engagement between New Delhi and the military junta that took over power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and detaining the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. The foreign secretary called on Myanmar Army chief and de facto ruler senior general Min Aung Hlaing during his visit. This is a blatant affront to Myanmar people. Please note that the military doesnt represent the people of Myanmar at all. Shameful, India! another staunch supporter of the NLD tweeted, using the handle @AhLynn_Light. He also slammed the Indian embassy for failing to publicly condemn military coup and the crimes against humanity committed by the Tatmadaw or the Myanmar Army. Also read | FS Shringla emphasises Indias interest in seeing Myanmars return to democracy at earliest New Delhi has indeed been very cautious in its response to the military coup in Myanmar. It has been repeatedly calling for an early return to democracy in Myanmar. It also stressed the release of Suu Kyi and other political leaders and activists, whom the junta had put behind bars soon after staging the coup d'etat on February 1 last year as well as over the past few months to curb widespread protests against its takeover. It did not join the US and the European Union to respond to the coup with sanctions in Myanmar but rather pledged that it would continue its development projects in the country. India extended its support to the initiative by the Association of South-East Asian Nations to end violence and facilitate dialogue to restore peace in Myanmar. New Delhis strategic interests have always been holding it back from condemning the Myanmar Army. India has since long been trying to resist Chinas bid to expand its geopolitical influence in the South-East Asian nation. Even when Suu Kyi was held in detention by the military junta for 15 years between 1989 and 2010, New Delhi trod cautiously, avoiding ganging up with the western nations, which used sanctions to facilitate her release and return to democracy. It, however, did warm up to Suu Kyi after her release in 2010, led the NLD to victory in the 2015 elections and took over as the state counselor of the government. New Delhi also refrained from criticising Suu Kyi's government, when it drew flak for failing to stop the ethnic cleansing targeting the minority Rohingyas in Myanmar. Shringla did request a meeting with Suu Kyi, who continued to be held captive in an undisclosed location and was recently sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of one of the many charges the junta levelled against her. His request was turned down though. Shringla reiterated New Delhis call for the early return of democracy in Myanmar. But soon after his visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Hlaing made it clear that he had no plan to hold elections before August 2023. India in March 2020 gifted one of its submarines to Myanmar. It was the first submarine to be acquired by the Myanmar Navy and it signalled a success in New Delhis endeavours to limit the Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys influence on the military establishment in the neighbouring country. But soon after Shringalas visit, the Myanmar Navy unveiled another submarine it had received from the PLA. Myanmar army's brutal crackdown to curb protests against its rule has triggered an influx of refugees to Mizoram and Manipur. New Delhis reliance on its security cooperation with Myanmar Army to deal with the insurgency in its northeastern states also limited Indias scope to call out the military leaders for atrocities and human rights violations in the neighbouring country. Shringla conveyed New Delhis concerns to the military regime over the recent attack that killed a commander of the Assam Rifles, his wife and his son as well as four other soldiers in Churachandpur in Manipur on November 13 last. The attack was carried out by the militants who had sneaked into India from Myanmar. The Myanmar Army purportedly arrested some of the militants after the incident and handed them over to the security agencies of India. New Delhi will obviously be guided by its interests in its engagement with the military junta, even if its cautious approach disappoints democracy activists in Myanmar. Check out latest DH videos here Applicants will no longer need a positive PCR Covid test to qualify for the 350 Enhanced Illness Benefit, under new changes announced by the social protection minister. Heather Humphries this evening announced that her department will now accept a Health Service Executive (HSE) antigen test to qualify for the benefit, as well as a text message from the HSE that you are a close contact or a cert from your GP. The PCR testing system has come under severe strain in recent days with some people having to wait a number of days before they can get an appointment for one, and then waiting for up to 72 hours for a result. Ms Humphrey's said her department has expanded the range of documentation people can use to apply to include: Confirmation from the HSE that you have ordered an antigen test (system will be in place from Monday) Text message from the HSE that you are a close contact Certification from your GP that you have symptoms of Covid-19 and/or are a probable source of infection. As has been the case to date, a positive PCR test result will also qualify for Enhanced Illness Benefit. Announcing the changes, Minister Humphreys said this was an "anxious time" for families. "Following discussions between my officials and the HSE, I have this evening introduced new flexibilities to enable customers easier access to Enhanced Illness Benefit," she said. "As a result of these changes, a person who applies for an antigen test from the HSE can use this proof of application to apply for Enhanced Illness Benefit for the days that they are out of work. "Its so important that anyone who receives a positive test or is displaying symptoms self-isolates and follows the public health advice. "I know that these new flexibilities that I am announcing today will give people that peace of mind that my Department is here to support them if they become ill or are required to take time off work due to Covid-19." Covid boosters available to all ages from Sunday - Donnelly The booster jabs will be available from HSE vaccination centres as well as GPs and community pharmacies. The Covid-19 booster vaccination programme will open to all remaining age groups from Sunday, January 2 with initial appointments available for booking from later this evening. Announcing the news on Twitter, the minister for health, Stephen Donnelly, said all those aged 16 years and above who are eligible for a booster vaccine will be able to access the service "earlier than scheduled". The booster jabs will be available from HSE vaccination centres as well as GPs and community pharmacies. Ireland has the second-highest uptake of Covid-19 boosters in the European Union. As of December 31, more than two million booster vaccines have been administered, with 130,000 doses in the past five days. On Thursday, 58,000 vaccines were administered, while more than 6,400 people presented for their first or second jabs. Mr Donnelly added that he would like to "thank healthcare staff and the public for their huge support of our vaccine programme". This acceleration of the programmes means that many of our vaccination centres will now be administering primary, booster and paediatric doses of Covid-19 vaccine," he said. "Further clinics will be scheduled over the coming days. Appointments will be booked through the HSEs online system." 20,110 new cases with 682 in hospital A further 20,110 confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been notified in Ireland. At 8am on Friday there were 682 Covid positive patients in hospital, a rise of 63 since yesterday. Of these, 86 were in intensive care, down two. In the North, a record 7,215 positive cases of Covid-19 have been notified by the Department of Health with one further death. Dr Holohan said it it was timely to remember frontline healthcare workers "who are now facing into a third year of pandemic response" and thank them for their efforts . Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said: Once again, we are reporting another very high number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland. The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 is continuing to increase. I know many people have cancelled or postponed planned social and family events, not just for News Years Eve, but right throughout the Christmas period. The occasions in life we most look forward to have been changed utterly by this pandemic. However, these collective efforts are necessary to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our health service. Dr Holohan said it it was timely to remember frontline healthcare workers "who are now facing into a third year of pandemic response" and thank them for their efforts . "In the most challenging of circumstances, they continue to work to protect public health and to maintain access to services across all parts of our health service. "In the delivery of both Covid and non-Covid services, patients and their families have benefitted from their empathy, skill, and care." He also paid tribute to those who have "sadly died with Covid-19 in Ireland since the beginning of this pandemic, along with their families and loved ones who are grieving their loss". Dr Holohan added that there were "many reasons for cautious optimism" in 2022. "Advances in science and public health including the development of new treatments like antivirals and monoclonal antibodies and the continued evolution of our understanding of this virus give us grounds to hope that 2022 may be a better year from a COVID point of view than either 2020 or 2021," he said. Health minister defends new testing and isolation rules The Health Minister understands the frustration of many people who cannot get a PCR test, but has denied new guidelines on testing and social contacts are confusing. Stephen Donnelly has admitted that in "most cases" people will not be able to use a positive antigen test for work purposes or social welfare purposes. "The advice I have is that in most cases right now, you can't use that, it is a positive PCR test that is used for those," he said. Mr Donnelly said that many people will still want to get a PCR test and argued that the reason behind the new requirement to have a positive antigen before booking a PCR is to ensure people can get the test "as quickly as they need it". Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said that people with a positive antigen test can now register their close contacts on an online portal. He agreed with chief medical officer Tony Holohan who has advised people not to meet indoors with other households as it is "simply not safe". However, he has admitted that this advice is against the current Government policy which still allows up to four households to meet together. "I think Dr Holohan is correct," Mr Donnelly. "There is a genuine concern around super-spreader events. People should to the greatest extent possible reduce the other households that they meet indoors." He added: "Government policy, as you'll be aware, was last agreed on December 22, and Government policy is that there should be a maximum of three other households. "But as we said at the time, we were very aware of the cases we're going to rise. It is a maximum and I think Dr Holohan is correct that right now what we need to do is minimise to the greatest extent possible the other households that we meet up with." The Health Minister has said he understands the frustration of many people who cannot get a PCR test, but the testing system is being kept under "constant review". "The Department has been working very closely with the HSE to come up with the best balance between being able to make sure we know how many people have tested positive, making sure the systems are integrated and making sure that the PCR test is available for those high risk groups." Mr Donnelly said that people with a positive antigen test can now register their close contacts on an online portal. "Anyone can now self-register online on HSE and you can upload your close contacts," he said. Mr Donnelly said those with symptoms but who do not test positive should stay at home and continue to take tests. But he added: "If you have a negative antigen test, then you're not deemed to be positive with Covid." He said it is still the intention that schools will reopen after the Christmas break. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com The Indian Embassy organised a virtual Open House during which Ambassador Piyush Srivastava interacted with the members of the Indian community. Ambassador urged the Community member to follow Covid-19 safety measures and protocols as Bahrain adopted the yellow alert level. Moving on, the Ambassador reviewed the functioning of the IVS Centre at Dana Mall, EoIBhCONNECT App and sought feedback from community members. Ambassador Srivastava also informed members about the recent decision of Bahrain to allow Bahrain Post offices to process Resident Permit stickers for the Expat Community. Indian Ambassador further thanked local government authorities and Indian associations, particularly ICRF, World NRI council and Budaiya Gurudwara, for their support in resolving issues concerning community members. Seven fishermen stranded in Bahrain for more than two months travelled back to India this week. The travel ban imposed on Mani Komban, Sasidharan Pullot, and Arsh Preet Kaur, were resolved and they travelled back to India, the Ambassador told the meeting. Ambassador thanked all the Indian associations and community members for their active participation. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com The Indian Embassy organised a virtual Open House during which Ambassador Piyush Srivastava interacted with the members of the Indian community. Ambassador urged the Community member to follow Covid-19 safety measures and protocols as Bahrain adopted the yellow alert level. Moving on, the Ambassador reviewed the functioning of the IVS Centre at Dana Mall, EoIBhCONNECT App and sought feedback from community members. Ambassador Srivastava also informed members about the recent decision of Bahrain to allow Bahrain Post offices to process Resident Permit stickers for the Expat Community. Indian Ambassador further thanked local government authorities and Indian associations, particularly ICRF, World NRI council and Budaiya Gurudwara, for their support in resolving issues concerning community members. Seven fishermen stranded in Bahrain for more than two months travelled back to India this week. The travel ban imposed on Mani Komban, Sasidharan Pullot, and Arsh Preet Kaur, were resolved and they travelled back to India, the Ambassador told the meeting. Ambassador thanked all the Indian associations and community members for their active participation. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com The Indian Embassy organised a virtual Open House during which Ambassador Piyush Srivastava interacted with the members of the Indian community. Ambassador urged the Community member to follow Covid-19 safety measures and protocols as Bahrain adopted the yellow alert level. Moving on, the Ambassador reviewed the functioning of the IVS Centre at Dana Mall, EoIBhCONNECT App and sought feedback from community members. Ambassador Srivastava also informed members about the recent decision of Bahrain to allow Bahrain Post offices to process Resident Permit stickers for the Expat Community. Indian Ambassador further thanked local government authorities and Indian associations, particularly ICRF, World NRI council and Budaiya Gurudwara, for their support in resolving issues concerning community members. Seven fishermen stranded in Bahrain for more than two months travelled back to India this week. The travel ban imposed on Mani Komban, Sasidharan Pullot, and Arsh Preet Kaur, were resolved and they travelled back to India, the Ambassador told the meeting. Ambassador thanked all the Indian associations and community members for their active participation. NEW YORK, Jan. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces the filing of a class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers of the securities of Chegg, Inc. ( NYSE: CHGG) between May 5, 2020 and November 1, 2021, inclusive (the "Class Period"). A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than February 22, 2022. SO WHAT: If you purchased Chegg securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Chegg class action, go to http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases-register-2232.html or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than February 22, 2022. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Chegg's increase in subscribers, growth, and revenue had been a temporary effect of the COVID-19 pandemic that resulted in remote education for the vast majority of United States students and once the pandemic-related restrictions eased and students returned to campuses nationwide, Chegg's extraordinary growth trends would end; (ii) Chegg's subscriber and revenue growth were largely due to the facilitation of remote education cheating an unstable business proposition rather than the strength of its business model or the acumen of its senior executives and directors; and (iii) as a result, the Company's current business metrics and financial prospects were not as strong as it had led the market to believe during the Class Period. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the Chegg class action, go to http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases-register-2232.html or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.rosenlegal.com SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A. Applicants will no longer need a positive PCR Covid test to qualify for the 350 Enhanced Illness Benefit, under new changes announced by the social protection minister. Heather Humphries this evening announced that her department will now accept a Health Service Executive (HSE) antigen test to qualify for the benefit, as well as a text message from the HSE that you are a close contact or a cert from your GP. The PCR testing system has come under severe strain in recent days with some people having to wait a number of days before they can get an appointment for one, and then waiting for up to 72 hours for a result. Ms Humphrey's said her department has expanded the range of documentation people can use to apply to include: Confirmation from the HSE that you have ordered an antigen test (system will be in place from Monday) Text message from the HSE that you are a close contact Certification from your GP that you have symptoms of Covid-19 and/or are a probable source of infection. As has been the case to date, a positive PCR test result will also qualify for Enhanced Illness Benefit. Announcing the changes, Minister Humphreys said this was an "anxious time" for families. "Following discussions between my officials and the HSE, I have this evening introduced new flexibilities to enable customers easier access to Enhanced Illness Benefit," she said. "As a result of these changes, a person who applies for an antigen test from the HSE can use this proof of application to apply for Enhanced Illness Benefit for the days that they are out of work. "Its so important that anyone who receives a positive test or is displaying symptoms self-isolates and follows the public health advice. "I know that these new flexibilities that I am announcing today will give people that peace of mind that my Department is here to support them if they become ill or are required to take time off work due to Covid-19." Covid boosters available to all ages from Sunday - Donnelly The booster jabs will be available from HSE vaccination centres as well as GPs and community pharmacies. The Covid-19 booster vaccination programme will open to all remaining age groups from Sunday, January 2 with initial appointments available for booking from later this evening. Announcing the news on Twitter, the minister for health, Stephen Donnelly, said all those aged 16 years and above who are eligible for a booster vaccine will be able to access the service "earlier than scheduled". The booster jabs will be available from HSE vaccination centres as well as GPs and community pharmacies. Ireland has the second-highest uptake of Covid-19 boosters in the European Union. As of December 31, more than two million booster vaccines have been administered, with 130,000 doses in the past five days. On Thursday, 58,000 vaccines were administered, while more than 6,400 people presented for their first or second jabs. Mr Donnelly added that he would like to "thank healthcare staff and the public for their huge support of our vaccine programme". This acceleration of the programmes means that many of our vaccination centres will now be administering primary, booster and paediatric doses of Covid-19 vaccine," he said. "Further clinics will be scheduled over the coming days. Appointments will be booked through the HSEs online system." 20,110 new cases with 682 in hospital A further 20,110 confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been notified in Ireland. At 8am on Friday there were 682 Covid positive patients in hospital, a rise of 63 since yesterday. Of these, 86 were in intensive care, down two. In the North, a record 7,215 positive cases of Covid-19 have been notified by the Department of Health with one further death. Dr Holohan said it it was timely to remember frontline healthcare workers "who are now facing into a third year of pandemic response" and thank them for their efforts . Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said: Once again, we are reporting another very high number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland. The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 is continuing to increase. I know many people have cancelled or postponed planned social and family events, not just for News Years Eve, but right throughout the Christmas period. The occasions in life we most look forward to have been changed utterly by this pandemic. However, these collective efforts are necessary to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our health service. Dr Holohan said it it was timely to remember frontline healthcare workers "who are now facing into a third year of pandemic response" and thank them for their efforts . "In the most challenging of circumstances, they continue to work to protect public health and to maintain access to services across all parts of our health service. "In the delivery of both Covid and non-Covid services, patients and their families have benefitted from their empathy, skill, and care." He also paid tribute to those who have "sadly died with Covid-19 in Ireland since the beginning of this pandemic, along with their families and loved ones who are grieving their loss". Dr Holohan added that there were "many reasons for cautious optimism" in 2022. "Advances in science and public health including the development of new treatments like antivirals and monoclonal antibodies and the continued evolution of our understanding of this virus give us grounds to hope that 2022 may be a better year from a COVID point of view than either 2020 or 2021," he said. Health minister defends new testing and isolation rules The Health Minister understands the frustration of many people who cannot get a PCR test, but has denied new guidelines on testing and social contacts are confusing. Stephen Donnelly has admitted that in "most cases" people will not be able to use a positive antigen test for work purposes or social welfare purposes. "The advice I have is that in most cases right now, you can't use that, it is a positive PCR test that is used for those," he said. Mr Donnelly said that many people will still want to get a PCR test and argued that the reason behind the new requirement to have a positive antigen before booking a PCR is to ensure people can get the test "as quickly as they need it". Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said that people with a positive antigen test can now register their close contacts on an online portal. He agreed with chief medical officer Tony Holohan who has advised people not to meet indoors with other households as it is "simply not safe". However, he has admitted that this advice is against the current Government policy which still allows up to four households to meet together. "I think Dr Holohan is correct," Mr Donnelly. "There is a genuine concern around super-spreader events. People should to the greatest extent possible reduce the other households that they meet indoors." He added: "Government policy, as you'll be aware, was last agreed on December 22, and Government policy is that there should be a maximum of three other households. "But as we said at the time, we were very aware of the cases we're going to rise. It is a maximum and I think Dr Holohan is correct that right now what we need to do is minimise to the greatest extent possible the other households that we meet up with." The Health Minister has said he understands the frustration of many people who cannot get a PCR test, but the testing system is being kept under "constant review". "The Department has been working very closely with the HSE to come up with the best balance between being able to make sure we know how many people have tested positive, making sure the systems are integrated and making sure that the PCR test is available for those high risk groups." Mr Donnelly said that people with a positive antigen test can now register their close contacts on an online portal. "Anyone can now self-register online on HSE and you can upload your close contacts," he said. Mr Donnelly said those with symptoms but who do not test positive should stay at home and continue to take tests. But he added: "If you have a negative antigen test, then you're not deemed to be positive with Covid." He said it is still the intention that schools will reopen after the Christmas break. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com The Indian Embassy organised a virtual Open House during which Ambassador Piyush Srivastava interacted with the members of the Indian community. Ambassador urged the Community member to follow Covid-19 safety measures and protocols as Bahrain adopted the yellow alert level. Moving on, the Ambassador reviewed the functioning of the IVS Centre at Dana Mall, EoIBhCONNECT App and sought feedback from community members. Ambassador Srivastava also informed members about the recent decision of Bahrain to allow Bahrain Post offices to process Resident Permit stickers for the Expat Community. Indian Ambassador further thanked local government authorities and Indian associations, particularly ICRF, World NRI council and Budaiya Gurudwara, for their support in resolving issues concerning community members. Seven fishermen stranded in Bahrain for more than two months travelled back to India this week. The travel ban imposed on Mani Komban, Sasidharan Pullot, and Arsh Preet Kaur, were resolved and they travelled back to India, the Ambassador told the meeting. Ambassador thanked all the Indian associations and community members for their active participation. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com The Indian Embassy organised a virtual Open House during which Ambassador Piyush Srivastava interacted with the members of the Indian community. Ambassador urged the Community member to follow Covid-19 safety measures and protocols as Bahrain adopted the yellow alert level. Moving on, the Ambassador reviewed the functioning of the IVS Centre at Dana Mall, EoIBhCONNECT App and sought feedback from community members. Ambassador Srivastava also informed members about the recent decision of Bahrain to allow Bahrain Post offices to process Resident Permit stickers for the Expat Community. Indian Ambassador further thanked local government authorities and Indian associations, particularly ICRF, World NRI council and Budaiya Gurudwara, for their support in resolving issues concerning community members. Seven fishermen stranded in Bahrain for more than two months travelled back to India this week. The travel ban imposed on Mani Komban, Sasidharan Pullot, and Arsh Preet Kaur, were resolved and they travelled back to India, the Ambassador told the meeting. Ambassador thanked all the Indian associations and community members for their active participation. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com The Indian Embassy organised a virtual Open House during which Ambassador Piyush Srivastava interacted with the members of the Indian community. Ambassador urged the Community member to follow Covid-19 safety measures and protocols as Bahrain adopted the yellow alert level. Moving on, the Ambassador reviewed the functioning of the IVS Centre at Dana Mall, EoIBhCONNECT App and sought feedback from community members. Ambassador Srivastava also informed members about the recent decision of Bahrain to allow Bahrain Post offices to process Resident Permit stickers for the Expat Community. Indian Ambassador further thanked local government authorities and Indian associations, particularly ICRF, World NRI council and Budaiya Gurudwara, for their support in resolving issues concerning community members. Seven fishermen stranded in Bahrain for more than two months travelled back to India this week. The travel ban imposed on Mani Komban, Sasidharan Pullot, and Arsh Preet Kaur, were resolved and they travelled back to India, the Ambassador told the meeting. Ambassador thanked all the Indian associations and community members for their active participation. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com The Indian Embassy organised a virtual Open House during which Ambassador Piyush Srivastava interacted with the members of the Indian community. Ambassador urged the Community member to follow Covid-19 safety measures and protocols as Bahrain adopted the yellow alert level. Moving on, the Ambassador reviewed the functioning of the IVS Centre at Dana Mall, EoIBhCONNECT App and sought feedback from community members. Ambassador Srivastava also informed members about the recent decision of Bahrain to allow Bahrain Post offices to process Resident Permit stickers for the Expat Community. Indian Ambassador further thanked local government authorities and Indian associations, particularly ICRF, World NRI council and Budaiya Gurudwara, for their support in resolving issues concerning community members. Seven fishermen stranded in Bahrain for more than two months travelled back to India this week. The travel ban imposed on Mani Komban, Sasidharan Pullot, and Arsh Preet Kaur, were resolved and they travelled back to India, the Ambassador told the meeting. Ambassador thanked all the Indian associations and community members for their active participation. I do not want to ask you for too much. If you cannot help me, do not get involved with the terrorist warlords. It is very shameful, a Myanmarese based in the United States tweeted, reacting to a post by the Indian embassy in Nay Pyi Taw about Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringlas visit to the neighbouring country on December 22 and 23 last. Shringlas visit to Nay Pyi Taw was the first high-level engagement between New Delhi and the military junta that took over power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and detaining the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. The foreign secretary called on Myanmar Army chief and de facto ruler senior general Min Aung Hlaing during his visit. This is a blatant affront to Myanmar people. Please note that the military doesnt represent the people of Myanmar at all. Shameful, India! another staunch supporter of the NLD tweeted, using the handle @AhLynn_Light. He also slammed the Indian embassy for failing to publicly condemn military coup and the crimes against humanity committed by the Tatmadaw or the Myanmar Army. Also read | FS Shringla emphasises Indias interest in seeing Myanmars return to democracy at earliest New Delhi has indeed been very cautious in its response to the military coup in Myanmar. It has been repeatedly calling for an early return to democracy in Myanmar. It also stressed the release of Suu Kyi and other political leaders and activists, whom the junta had put behind bars soon after staging the coup d'etat on February 1 last year as well as over the past few months to curb widespread protests against its takeover. It did not join the US and the European Union to respond to the coup with sanctions in Myanmar but rather pledged that it would continue its development projects in the country. India extended its support to the initiative by the Association of South-East Asian Nations to end violence and facilitate dialogue to restore peace in Myanmar. New Delhis strategic interests have always been holding it back from condemning the Myanmar Army. India has since long been trying to resist Chinas bid to expand its geopolitical influence in the South-East Asian nation. Even when Suu Kyi was held in detention by the military junta for 15 years between 1989 and 2010, New Delhi trod cautiously, avoiding ganging up with the western nations, which used sanctions to facilitate her release and return to democracy. It, however, did warm up to Suu Kyi after her release in 2010, led the NLD to victory in the 2015 elections and took over as the state counselor of the government. New Delhi also refrained from criticising Suu Kyi's government, when it drew flak for failing to stop the ethnic cleansing targeting the minority Rohingyas in Myanmar. Shringla did request a meeting with Suu Kyi, who continued to be held captive in an undisclosed location and was recently sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of one of the many charges the junta levelled against her. His request was turned down though. Shringla reiterated New Delhis call for the early return of democracy in Myanmar. But soon after his visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Hlaing made it clear that he had no plan to hold elections before August 2023. India in March 2020 gifted one of its submarines to Myanmar. It was the first submarine to be acquired by the Myanmar Navy and it signalled a success in New Delhis endeavours to limit the Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys influence on the military establishment in the neighbouring country. But soon after Shringalas visit, the Myanmar Navy unveiled another submarine it had received from the PLA. Myanmar army's brutal crackdown to curb protests against its rule has triggered an influx of refugees to Mizoram and Manipur. New Delhis reliance on its security cooperation with Myanmar Army to deal with the insurgency in its northeastern states also limited Indias scope to call out the military leaders for atrocities and human rights violations in the neighbouring country. Shringla conveyed New Delhis concerns to the military regime over the recent attack that killed a commander of the Assam Rifles, his wife and his son as well as four other soldiers in Churachandpur in Manipur on November 13 last. The attack was carried out by the militants who had sneaked into India from Myanmar. The Myanmar Army purportedly arrested some of the militants after the incident and handed them over to the security agencies of India. New Delhi will obviously be guided by its interests in its engagement with the military junta, even if its cautious approach disappoints democracy activists in Myanmar. Check out latest DH videos here I do not want to ask you for too much. If you cannot help me, do not get involved with the terrorist warlords. It is very shameful, a Myanmarese based in the United States tweeted, reacting to a post by the Indian embassy in Nay Pyi Taw about Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringlas visit to the neighbouring country on December 22 and 23 last. Shringlas visit to Nay Pyi Taw was the first high-level engagement between New Delhi and the military junta that took over power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and detaining the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. The foreign secretary called on Myanmar Army chief and de facto ruler senior general Min Aung Hlaing during his visit. This is a blatant affront to Myanmar people. Please note that the military doesnt represent the people of Myanmar at all. Shameful, India! another staunch supporter of the NLD tweeted, using the handle @AhLynn_Light. He also slammed the Indian embassy for failing to publicly condemn military coup and the crimes against humanity committed by the Tatmadaw or the Myanmar Army. Also read | FS Shringla emphasises Indias interest in seeing Myanmars return to democracy at earliest New Delhi has indeed been very cautious in its response to the military coup in Myanmar. It has been repeatedly calling for an early return to democracy in Myanmar. It also stressed the release of Suu Kyi and other political leaders and activists, whom the junta had put behind bars soon after staging the coup d'etat on February 1 last year as well as over the past few months to curb widespread protests against its takeover. It did not join the US and the European Union to respond to the coup with sanctions in Myanmar but rather pledged that it would continue its development projects in the country. India extended its support to the initiative by the Association of South-East Asian Nations to end violence and facilitate dialogue to restore peace in Myanmar. New Delhis strategic interests have always been holding it back from condemning the Myanmar Army. India has since long been trying to resist Chinas bid to expand its geopolitical influence in the South-East Asian nation. Even when Suu Kyi was held in detention by the military junta for 15 years between 1989 and 2010, New Delhi trod cautiously, avoiding ganging up with the western nations, which used sanctions to facilitate her release and return to democracy. It, however, did warm up to Suu Kyi after her release in 2010, led the NLD to victory in the 2015 elections and took over as the state counselor of the government. New Delhi also refrained from criticising Suu Kyi's government, when it drew flak for failing to stop the ethnic cleansing targeting the minority Rohingyas in Myanmar. Shringla did request a meeting with Suu Kyi, who continued to be held captive in an undisclosed location and was recently sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of one of the many charges the junta levelled against her. His request was turned down though. Shringla reiterated New Delhis call for the early return of democracy in Myanmar. But soon after his visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Hlaing made it clear that he had no plan to hold elections before August 2023. India in March 2020 gifted one of its submarines to Myanmar. It was the first submarine to be acquired by the Myanmar Navy and it signalled a success in New Delhis endeavours to limit the Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys influence on the military establishment in the neighbouring country. But soon after Shringalas visit, the Myanmar Navy unveiled another submarine it had received from the PLA. Myanmar army's brutal crackdown to curb protests against its rule has triggered an influx of refugees to Mizoram and Manipur. New Delhis reliance on its security cooperation with Myanmar Army to deal with the insurgency in its northeastern states also limited Indias scope to call out the military leaders for atrocities and human rights violations in the neighbouring country. Shringla conveyed New Delhis concerns to the military regime over the recent attack that killed a commander of the Assam Rifles, his wife and his son as well as four other soldiers in Churachandpur in Manipur on November 13 last. The attack was carried out by the militants who had sneaked into India from Myanmar. The Myanmar Army purportedly arrested some of the militants after the incident and handed them over to the security agencies of India. New Delhi will obviously be guided by its interests in its engagement with the military junta, even if its cautious approach disappoints democracy activists in Myanmar. Check out latest DH videos here Applicants will no longer need a positive PCR Covid test to qualify for the 350 Enhanced Illness Benefit, under new changes announced by the social protection minister. Heather Humphries this evening announced that her department will now accept a Health Service Executive (HSE) antigen test to qualify for the benefit, as well as a text message from the HSE that you are a close contact or a cert from your GP. The PCR testing system has come under severe strain in recent days with some people having to wait a number of days before they can get an appointment for one, and then waiting for up to 72 hours for a result. Ms Humphrey's said her department has expanded the range of documentation people can use to apply to include: Confirmation from the HSE that you have ordered an antigen test (system will be in place from Monday) Text message from the HSE that you are a close contact Certification from your GP that you have symptoms of Covid-19 and/or are a probable source of infection. As has been the case to date, a positive PCR test result will also qualify for Enhanced Illness Benefit. Announcing the changes, Minister Humphreys said this was an "anxious time" for families. "Following discussions between my officials and the HSE, I have this evening introduced new flexibilities to enable customers easier access to Enhanced Illness Benefit," she said. "As a result of these changes, a person who applies for an antigen test from the HSE can use this proof of application to apply for Enhanced Illness Benefit for the days that they are out of work. "Its so important that anyone who receives a positive test or is displaying symptoms self-isolates and follows the public health advice. "I know that these new flexibilities that I am announcing today will give people that peace of mind that my Department is here to support them if they become ill or are required to take time off work due to Covid-19." Covid boosters available to all ages from Sunday - Donnelly The booster jabs will be available from HSE vaccination centres as well as GPs and community pharmacies. The Covid-19 booster vaccination programme will open to all remaining age groups from Sunday, January 2 with initial appointments available for booking from later this evening. Announcing the news on Twitter, the minister for health, Stephen Donnelly, said all those aged 16 years and above who are eligible for a booster vaccine will be able to access the service "earlier than scheduled". The booster jabs will be available from HSE vaccination centres as well as GPs and community pharmacies. Ireland has the second-highest uptake of Covid-19 boosters in the European Union. As of December 31, more than two million booster vaccines have been administered, with 130,000 doses in the past five days. On Thursday, 58,000 vaccines were administered, while more than 6,400 people presented for their first or second jabs. Mr Donnelly added that he would like to "thank healthcare staff and the public for their huge support of our vaccine programme". This acceleration of the programmes means that many of our vaccination centres will now be administering primary, booster and paediatric doses of Covid-19 vaccine," he said. "Further clinics will be scheduled over the coming days. Appointments will be booked through the HSEs online system." 20,110 new cases with 682 in hospital A further 20,110 confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been notified in Ireland. At 8am on Friday there were 682 Covid positive patients in hospital, a rise of 63 since yesterday. Of these, 86 were in intensive care, down two. In the North, a record 7,215 positive cases of Covid-19 have been notified by the Department of Health with one further death. Dr Holohan said it it was timely to remember frontline healthcare workers "who are now facing into a third year of pandemic response" and thank them for their efforts . Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said: Once again, we are reporting another very high number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland. The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 is continuing to increase. I know many people have cancelled or postponed planned social and family events, not just for News Years Eve, but right throughout the Christmas period. The occasions in life we most look forward to have been changed utterly by this pandemic. However, these collective efforts are necessary to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our health service. Dr Holohan said it it was timely to remember frontline healthcare workers "who are now facing into a third year of pandemic response" and thank them for their efforts . "In the most challenging of circumstances, they continue to work to protect public health and to maintain access to services across all parts of our health service. "In the delivery of both Covid and non-Covid services, patients and their families have benefitted from their empathy, skill, and care." He also paid tribute to those who have "sadly died with Covid-19 in Ireland since the beginning of this pandemic, along with their families and loved ones who are grieving their loss". Dr Holohan added that there were "many reasons for cautious optimism" in 2022. "Advances in science and public health including the development of new treatments like antivirals and monoclonal antibodies and the continued evolution of our understanding of this virus give us grounds to hope that 2022 may be a better year from a COVID point of view than either 2020 or 2021," he said. Health minister defends new testing and isolation rules The Health Minister understands the frustration of many people who cannot get a PCR test, but has denied new guidelines on testing and social contacts are confusing. Stephen Donnelly has admitted that in "most cases" people will not be able to use a positive antigen test for work purposes or social welfare purposes. "The advice I have is that in most cases right now, you can't use that, it is a positive PCR test that is used for those," he said. Mr Donnelly said that many people will still want to get a PCR test and argued that the reason behind the new requirement to have a positive antigen before booking a PCR is to ensure people can get the test "as quickly as they need it". Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said that people with a positive antigen test can now register their close contacts on an online portal. He agreed with chief medical officer Tony Holohan who has advised people not to meet indoors with other households as it is "simply not safe". However, he has admitted that this advice is against the current Government policy which still allows up to four households to meet together. "I think Dr Holohan is correct," Mr Donnelly. "There is a genuine concern around super-spreader events. People should to the greatest extent possible reduce the other households that they meet indoors." He added: "Government policy, as you'll be aware, was last agreed on December 22, and Government policy is that there should be a maximum of three other households. "But as we said at the time, we were very aware of the cases we're going to rise. It is a maximum and I think Dr Holohan is correct that right now what we need to do is minimise to the greatest extent possible the other households that we meet up with." The Health Minister has said he understands the frustration of many people who cannot get a PCR test, but the testing system is being kept under "constant review". "The Department has been working very closely with the HSE to come up with the best balance between being able to make sure we know how many people have tested positive, making sure the systems are integrated and making sure that the PCR test is available for those high risk groups." Mr Donnelly said that people with a positive antigen test can now register their close contacts on an online portal. "Anyone can now self-register online on HSE and you can upload your close contacts," he said. Mr Donnelly said those with symptoms but who do not test positive should stay at home and continue to take tests. But he added: "If you have a negative antigen test, then you're not deemed to be positive with Covid." He said it is still the intention that schools will reopen after the Christmas break. Applicants will no longer need a positive PCR Covid test to qualify for the 350 Enhanced Illness Benefit, under new changes announced by the social protection minister. Heather Humphries this evening announced that her department will now accept a Health Service Executive (HSE) antigen test to qualify for the benefit, as well as a text message from the HSE that you are a close contact or a cert from your GP. The PCR testing system has come under severe strain in recent days with some people having to wait a number of days before they can get an appointment for one, and then waiting for up to 72 hours for a result. Ms Humphrey's said her department has expanded the range of documentation people can use to apply to include: Confirmation from the HSE that you have ordered an antigen test (system will be in place from Monday) Text message from the HSE that you are a close contact Certification from your GP that you have symptoms of Covid-19 and/or are a probable source of infection. As has been the case to date, a positive PCR test result will also qualify for Enhanced Illness Benefit. Announcing the changes, Minister Humphreys said this was an "anxious time" for families. "Following discussions between my officials and the HSE, I have this evening introduced new flexibilities to enable customers easier access to Enhanced Illness Benefit," she said. "As a result of these changes, a person who applies for an antigen test from the HSE can use this proof of application to apply for Enhanced Illness Benefit for the days that they are out of work. "Its so important that anyone who receives a positive test or is displaying symptoms self-isolates and follows the public health advice. "I know that these new flexibilities that I am announcing today will give people that peace of mind that my Department is here to support them if they become ill or are required to take time off work due to Covid-19." Covid boosters available to all ages from Sunday - Donnelly The booster jabs will be available from HSE vaccination centres as well as GPs and community pharmacies. The Covid-19 booster vaccination programme will open to all remaining age groups from Sunday, January 2 with initial appointments available for booking from later this evening. Announcing the news on Twitter, the minister for health, Stephen Donnelly, said all those aged 16 years and above who are eligible for a booster vaccine will be able to access the service "earlier than scheduled". The booster jabs will be available from HSE vaccination centres as well as GPs and community pharmacies. Ireland has the second-highest uptake of Covid-19 boosters in the European Union. As of December 31, more than two million booster vaccines have been administered, with 130,000 doses in the past five days. On Thursday, 58,000 vaccines were administered, while more than 6,400 people presented for their first or second jabs. Mr Donnelly added that he would like to "thank healthcare staff and the public for their huge support of our vaccine programme". This acceleration of the programmes means that many of our vaccination centres will now be administering primary, booster and paediatric doses of Covid-19 vaccine," he said. "Further clinics will be scheduled over the coming days. Appointments will be booked through the HSEs online system." 20,110 new cases with 682 in hospital A further 20,110 confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been notified in Ireland. At 8am on Friday there were 682 Covid positive patients in hospital, a rise of 63 since yesterday. Of these, 86 were in intensive care, down two. In the North, a record 7,215 positive cases of Covid-19 have been notified by the Department of Health with one further death. Dr Holohan said it it was timely to remember frontline healthcare workers "who are now facing into a third year of pandemic response" and thank them for their efforts . Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said: Once again, we are reporting another very high number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland. The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 is continuing to increase. I know many people have cancelled or postponed planned social and family events, not just for News Years Eve, but right throughout the Christmas period. The occasions in life we most look forward to have been changed utterly by this pandemic. However, these collective efforts are necessary to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our health service. Dr Holohan said it it was timely to remember frontline healthcare workers "who are now facing into a third year of pandemic response" and thank them for their efforts . "In the most challenging of circumstances, they continue to work to protect public health and to maintain access to services across all parts of our health service. "In the delivery of both Covid and non-Covid services, patients and their families have benefitted from their empathy, skill, and care." He also paid tribute to those who have "sadly died with Covid-19 in Ireland since the beginning of this pandemic, along with their families and loved ones who are grieving their loss". Dr Holohan added that there were "many reasons for cautious optimism" in 2022. "Advances in science and public health including the development of new treatments like antivirals and monoclonal antibodies and the continued evolution of our understanding of this virus give us grounds to hope that 2022 may be a better year from a COVID point of view than either 2020 or 2021," he said. Health minister defends new testing and isolation rules The Health Minister understands the frustration of many people who cannot get a PCR test, but has denied new guidelines on testing and social contacts are confusing. Stephen Donnelly has admitted that in "most cases" people will not be able to use a positive antigen test for work purposes or social welfare purposes. "The advice I have is that in most cases right now, you can't use that, it is a positive PCR test that is used for those," he said. Mr Donnelly said that many people will still want to get a PCR test and argued that the reason behind the new requirement to have a positive antigen before booking a PCR is to ensure people can get the test "as quickly as they need it". Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said that people with a positive antigen test can now register their close contacts on an online portal. He agreed with chief medical officer Tony Holohan who has advised people not to meet indoors with other households as it is "simply not safe". However, he has admitted that this advice is against the current Government policy which still allows up to four households to meet together. "I think Dr Holohan is correct," Mr Donnelly. "There is a genuine concern around super-spreader events. People should to the greatest extent possible reduce the other households that they meet indoors." He added: "Government policy, as you'll be aware, was last agreed on December 22, and Government policy is that there should be a maximum of three other households. "But as we said at the time, we were very aware of the cases we're going to rise. It is a maximum and I think Dr Holohan is correct that right now what we need to do is minimise to the greatest extent possible the other households that we meet up with." The Health Minister has said he understands the frustration of many people who cannot get a PCR test, but the testing system is being kept under "constant review". "The Department has been working very closely with the HSE to come up with the best balance between being able to make sure we know how many people have tested positive, making sure the systems are integrated and making sure that the PCR test is available for those high risk groups." Mr Donnelly said that people with a positive antigen test can now register their close contacts on an online portal. "Anyone can now self-register online on HSE and you can upload your close contacts," he said. Mr Donnelly said those with symptoms but who do not test positive should stay at home and continue to take tests. But he added: "If you have a negative antigen test, then you're not deemed to be positive with Covid." He said it is still the intention that schools will reopen after the Christmas break. I do not want to ask you for too much. If you cannot help me, do not get involved with the terrorist warlords. It is very shameful, a Myanmarese based in the United States tweeted, reacting to a post by the Indian embassy in Nay Pyi Taw about Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringlas visit to the neighbouring country on December 22 and 23 last. Shringlas visit to Nay Pyi Taw was the first high-level engagement between New Delhi and the military junta that took over power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and detaining the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. The foreign secretary called on Myanmar Army chief and de facto ruler senior general Min Aung Hlaing during his visit. This is a blatant affront to Myanmar people. Please note that the military doesnt represent the people of Myanmar at all. Shameful, India! another staunch supporter of the NLD tweeted, using the handle @AhLynn_Light. He also slammed the Indian embassy for failing to publicly condemn military coup and the crimes against humanity committed by the Tatmadaw or the Myanmar Army. Also read | FS Shringla emphasises Indias interest in seeing Myanmars return to democracy at earliest New Delhi has indeed been very cautious in its response to the military coup in Myanmar. It has been repeatedly calling for an early return to democracy in Myanmar. It also stressed the release of Suu Kyi and other political leaders and activists, whom the junta had put behind bars soon after staging the coup d'etat on February 1 last year as well as over the past few months to curb widespread protests against its takeover. It did not join the US and the European Union to respond to the coup with sanctions in Myanmar but rather pledged that it would continue its development projects in the country. India extended its support to the initiative by the Association of South-East Asian Nations to end violence and facilitate dialogue to restore peace in Myanmar. New Delhis strategic interests have always been holding it back from condemning the Myanmar Army. India has since long been trying to resist Chinas bid to expand its geopolitical influence in the South-East Asian nation. Even when Suu Kyi was held in detention by the military junta for 15 years between 1989 and 2010, New Delhi trod cautiously, avoiding ganging up with the western nations, which used sanctions to facilitate her release and return to democracy. It, however, did warm up to Suu Kyi after her release in 2010, led the NLD to victory in the 2015 elections and took over as the state counselor of the government. New Delhi also refrained from criticising Suu Kyi's government, when it drew flak for failing to stop the ethnic cleansing targeting the minority Rohingyas in Myanmar. Shringla did request a meeting with Suu Kyi, who continued to be held captive in an undisclosed location and was recently sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of one of the many charges the junta levelled against her. His request was turned down though. Shringla reiterated New Delhis call for the early return of democracy in Myanmar. But soon after his visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Hlaing made it clear that he had no plan to hold elections before August 2023. India in March 2020 gifted one of its submarines to Myanmar. It was the first submarine to be acquired by the Myanmar Navy and it signalled a success in New Delhis endeavours to limit the Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys influence on the military establishment in the neighbouring country. But soon after Shringalas visit, the Myanmar Navy unveiled another submarine it had received from the PLA. Myanmar army's brutal crackdown to curb protests against its rule has triggered an influx of refugees to Mizoram and Manipur. New Delhis reliance on its security cooperation with Myanmar Army to deal with the insurgency in its northeastern states also limited Indias scope to call out the military leaders for atrocities and human rights violations in the neighbouring country. Shringla conveyed New Delhis concerns to the military regime over the recent attack that killed a commander of the Assam Rifles, his wife and his son as well as four other soldiers in Churachandpur in Manipur on November 13 last. The attack was carried out by the militants who had sneaked into India from Myanmar. The Myanmar Army purportedly arrested some of the militants after the incident and handed them over to the security agencies of India. New Delhi will obviously be guided by its interests in its engagement with the military junta, even if its cautious approach disappoints democracy activists in Myanmar. Check out latest DH videos here I do not want to ask you for too much. If you cannot help me, do not get involved with the terrorist warlords. It is very shameful, a Myanmarese based in the United States tweeted, reacting to a post by the Indian embassy in Nay Pyi Taw about Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringlas visit to the neighbouring country on December 22 and 23 last. Shringlas visit to Nay Pyi Taw was the first high-level engagement between New Delhi and the military junta that took over power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and detaining the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. The foreign secretary called on Myanmar Army chief and de facto ruler senior general Min Aung Hlaing during his visit. This is a blatant affront to Myanmar people. Please note that the military doesnt represent the people of Myanmar at all. Shameful, India! another staunch supporter of the NLD tweeted, using the handle @AhLynn_Light. He also slammed the Indian embassy for failing to publicly condemn military coup and the crimes against humanity committed by the Tatmadaw or the Myanmar Army. Also read | FS Shringla emphasises Indias interest in seeing Myanmars return to democracy at earliest New Delhi has indeed been very cautious in its response to the military coup in Myanmar. It has been repeatedly calling for an early return to democracy in Myanmar. It also stressed the release of Suu Kyi and other political leaders and activists, whom the junta had put behind bars soon after staging the coup d'etat on February 1 last year as well as over the past few months to curb widespread protests against its takeover. It did not join the US and the European Union to respond to the coup with sanctions in Myanmar but rather pledged that it would continue its development projects in the country. India extended its support to the initiative by the Association of South-East Asian Nations to end violence and facilitate dialogue to restore peace in Myanmar. New Delhis strategic interests have always been holding it back from condemning the Myanmar Army. India has since long been trying to resist Chinas bid to expand its geopolitical influence in the South-East Asian nation. Even when Suu Kyi was held in detention by the military junta for 15 years between 1989 and 2010, New Delhi trod cautiously, avoiding ganging up with the western nations, which used sanctions to facilitate her release and return to democracy. It, however, did warm up to Suu Kyi after her release in 2010, led the NLD to victory in the 2015 elections and took over as the state counselor of the government. New Delhi also refrained from criticising Suu Kyi's government, when it drew flak for failing to stop the ethnic cleansing targeting the minority Rohingyas in Myanmar. Shringla did request a meeting with Suu Kyi, who continued to be held captive in an undisclosed location and was recently sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of one of the many charges the junta levelled against her. His request was turned down though. Shringla reiterated New Delhis call for the early return of democracy in Myanmar. But soon after his visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Hlaing made it clear that he had no plan to hold elections before August 2023. India in March 2020 gifted one of its submarines to Myanmar. It was the first submarine to be acquired by the Myanmar Navy and it signalled a success in New Delhis endeavours to limit the Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys influence on the military establishment in the neighbouring country. But soon after Shringalas visit, the Myanmar Navy unveiled another submarine it had received from the PLA. Myanmar army's brutal crackdown to curb protests against its rule has triggered an influx of refugees to Mizoram and Manipur. New Delhis reliance on its security cooperation with Myanmar Army to deal with the insurgency in its northeastern states also limited Indias scope to call out the military leaders for atrocities and human rights violations in the neighbouring country. Shringla conveyed New Delhis concerns to the military regime over the recent attack that killed a commander of the Assam Rifles, his wife and his son as well as four other soldiers in Churachandpur in Manipur on November 13 last. The attack was carried out by the militants who had sneaked into India from Myanmar. The Myanmar Army purportedly arrested some of the militants after the incident and handed them over to the security agencies of India. New Delhi will obviously be guided by its interests in its engagement with the military junta, even if its cautious approach disappoints democracy activists in Myanmar. Check out latest DH videos here I do not want to ask you for too much. If you cannot help me, do not get involved with the terrorist warlords. It is very shameful, a Myanmarese based in the United States tweeted, reacting to a post by the Indian embassy in Nay Pyi Taw about Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringlas visit to the neighbouring country on December 22 and 23 last. Shringlas visit to Nay Pyi Taw was the first high-level engagement between New Delhi and the military junta that took over power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and detaining the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. The foreign secretary called on Myanmar Army chief and de facto ruler senior general Min Aung Hlaing during his visit. This is a blatant affront to Myanmar people. Please note that the military doesnt represent the people of Myanmar at all. Shameful, India! another staunch supporter of the NLD tweeted, using the handle @AhLynn_Light. He also slammed the Indian embassy for failing to publicly condemn military coup and the crimes against humanity committed by the Tatmadaw or the Myanmar Army. Also read | FS Shringla emphasises Indias interest in seeing Myanmars return to democracy at earliest New Delhi has indeed been very cautious in its response to the military coup in Myanmar. It has been repeatedly calling for an early return to democracy in Myanmar. It also stressed the release of Suu Kyi and other political leaders and activists, whom the junta had put behind bars soon after staging the coup d'etat on February 1 last year as well as over the past few months to curb widespread protests against its takeover. It did not join the US and the European Union to respond to the coup with sanctions in Myanmar but rather pledged that it would continue its development projects in the country. India extended its support to the initiative by the Association of South-East Asian Nations to end violence and facilitate dialogue to restore peace in Myanmar. New Delhis strategic interests have always been holding it back from condemning the Myanmar Army. India has since long been trying to resist Chinas bid to expand its geopolitical influence in the South-East Asian nation. Even when Suu Kyi was held in detention by the military junta for 15 years between 1989 and 2010, New Delhi trod cautiously, avoiding ganging up with the western nations, which used sanctions to facilitate her release and return to democracy. It, however, did warm up to Suu Kyi after her release in 2010, led the NLD to victory in the 2015 elections and took over as the state counselor of the government. New Delhi also refrained from criticising Suu Kyi's government, when it drew flak for failing to stop the ethnic cleansing targeting the minority Rohingyas in Myanmar. Shringla did request a meeting with Suu Kyi, who continued to be held captive in an undisclosed location and was recently sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of one of the many charges the junta levelled against her. His request was turned down though. Shringla reiterated New Delhis call for the early return of democracy in Myanmar. But soon after his visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Hlaing made it clear that he had no plan to hold elections before August 2023. India in March 2020 gifted one of its submarines to Myanmar. It was the first submarine to be acquired by the Myanmar Navy and it signalled a success in New Delhis endeavours to limit the Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys influence on the military establishment in the neighbouring country. But soon after Shringalas visit, the Myanmar Navy unveiled another submarine it had received from the PLA. Myanmar army's brutal crackdown to curb protests against its rule has triggered an influx of refugees to Mizoram and Manipur. New Delhis reliance on its security cooperation with Myanmar Army to deal with the insurgency in its northeastern states also limited Indias scope to call out the military leaders for atrocities and human rights violations in the neighbouring country. Shringla conveyed New Delhis concerns to the military regime over the recent attack that killed a commander of the Assam Rifles, his wife and his son as well as four other soldiers in Churachandpur in Manipur on November 13 last. The attack was carried out by the militants who had sneaked into India from Myanmar. The Myanmar Army purportedly arrested some of the militants after the incident and handed them over to the security agencies of India. New Delhi will obviously be guided by its interests in its engagement with the military junta, even if its cautious approach disappoints democracy activists in Myanmar. Check out latest DH videos here I do not want to ask you for too much. If you cannot help me, do not get involved with the terrorist warlords. It is very shameful, a Myanmarese based in the United States tweeted, reacting to a post by the Indian embassy in Nay Pyi Taw about Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringlas visit to the neighbouring country on December 22 and 23 last. Shringlas visit to Nay Pyi Taw was the first high-level engagement between New Delhi and the military junta that took over power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and detaining the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. The foreign secretary called on Myanmar Army chief and de facto ruler senior general Min Aung Hlaing during his visit. This is a blatant affront to Myanmar people. Please note that the military doesnt represent the people of Myanmar at all. Shameful, India! another staunch supporter of the NLD tweeted, using the handle @AhLynn_Light. He also slammed the Indian embassy for failing to publicly condemn military coup and the crimes against humanity committed by the Tatmadaw or the Myanmar Army. Also read | FS Shringla emphasises Indias interest in seeing Myanmars return to democracy at earliest New Delhi has indeed been very cautious in its response to the military coup in Myanmar. It has been repeatedly calling for an early return to democracy in Myanmar. It also stressed the release of Suu Kyi and other political leaders and activists, whom the junta had put behind bars soon after staging the coup d'etat on February 1 last year as well as over the past few months to curb widespread protests against its takeover. It did not join the US and the European Union to respond to the coup with sanctions in Myanmar but rather pledged that it would continue its development projects in the country. India extended its support to the initiative by the Association of South-East Asian Nations to end violence and facilitate dialogue to restore peace in Myanmar. New Delhis strategic interests have always been holding it back from condemning the Myanmar Army. India has since long been trying to resist Chinas bid to expand its geopolitical influence in the South-East Asian nation. Even when Suu Kyi was held in detention by the military junta for 15 years between 1989 and 2010, New Delhi trod cautiously, avoiding ganging up with the western nations, which used sanctions to facilitate her release and return to democracy. It, however, did warm up to Suu Kyi after her release in 2010, led the NLD to victory in the 2015 elections and took over as the state counselor of the government. New Delhi also refrained from criticising Suu Kyi's government, when it drew flak for failing to stop the ethnic cleansing targeting the minority Rohingyas in Myanmar. Shringla did request a meeting with Suu Kyi, who continued to be held captive in an undisclosed location and was recently sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of one of the many charges the junta levelled against her. His request was turned down though. Shringla reiterated New Delhis call for the early return of democracy in Myanmar. But soon after his visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Hlaing made it clear that he had no plan to hold elections before August 2023. India in March 2020 gifted one of its submarines to Myanmar. It was the first submarine to be acquired by the Myanmar Navy and it signalled a success in New Delhis endeavours to limit the Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys influence on the military establishment in the neighbouring country. But soon after Shringalas visit, the Myanmar Navy unveiled another submarine it had received from the PLA. Myanmar army's brutal crackdown to curb protests against its rule has triggered an influx of refugees to Mizoram and Manipur. New Delhis reliance on its security cooperation with Myanmar Army to deal with the insurgency in its northeastern states also limited Indias scope to call out the military leaders for atrocities and human rights violations in the neighbouring country. Shringla conveyed New Delhis concerns to the military regime over the recent attack that killed a commander of the Assam Rifles, his wife and his son as well as four other soldiers in Churachandpur in Manipur on November 13 last. The attack was carried out by the militants who had sneaked into India from Myanmar. The Myanmar Army purportedly arrested some of the militants after the incident and handed them over to the security agencies of India. New Delhi will obviously be guided by its interests in its engagement with the military junta, even if its cautious approach disappoints democracy activists in Myanmar. Check out latest DH videos here I do not want to ask you for too much. If you cannot help me, do not get involved with the terrorist warlords. It is very shameful, a Myanmarese based in the United States tweeted, reacting to a post by the Indian embassy in Nay Pyi Taw about Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringlas visit to the neighbouring country on December 22 and 23 last. Shringlas visit to Nay Pyi Taw was the first high-level engagement between New Delhi and the military junta that took over power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and detaining the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. The foreign secretary called on Myanmar Army chief and de facto ruler senior general Min Aung Hlaing during his visit. This is a blatant affront to Myanmar people. Please note that the military doesnt represent the people of Myanmar at all. Shameful, India! another staunch supporter of the NLD tweeted, using the handle @AhLynn_Light. He also slammed the Indian embassy for failing to publicly condemn military coup and the crimes against humanity committed by the Tatmadaw or the Myanmar Army. Also read | FS Shringla emphasises Indias interest in seeing Myanmars return to democracy at earliest New Delhi has indeed been very cautious in its response to the military coup in Myanmar. It has been repeatedly calling for an early return to democracy in Myanmar. It also stressed the release of Suu Kyi and other political leaders and activists, whom the junta had put behind bars soon after staging the coup d'etat on February 1 last year as well as over the past few months to curb widespread protests against its takeover. It did not join the US and the European Union to respond to the coup with sanctions in Myanmar but rather pledged that it would continue its development projects in the country. India extended its support to the initiative by the Association of South-East Asian Nations to end violence and facilitate dialogue to restore peace in Myanmar. New Delhis strategic interests have always been holding it back from condemning the Myanmar Army. India has since long been trying to resist Chinas bid to expand its geopolitical influence in the South-East Asian nation. Even when Suu Kyi was held in detention by the military junta for 15 years between 1989 and 2010, New Delhi trod cautiously, avoiding ganging up with the western nations, which used sanctions to facilitate her release and return to democracy. It, however, did warm up to Suu Kyi after her release in 2010, led the NLD to victory in the 2015 elections and took over as the state counselor of the government. New Delhi also refrained from criticising Suu Kyi's government, when it drew flak for failing to stop the ethnic cleansing targeting the minority Rohingyas in Myanmar. Shringla did request a meeting with Suu Kyi, who continued to be held captive in an undisclosed location and was recently sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of one of the many charges the junta levelled against her. His request was turned down though. Shringla reiterated New Delhis call for the early return of democracy in Myanmar. But soon after his visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Hlaing made it clear that he had no plan to hold elections before August 2023. India in March 2020 gifted one of its submarines to Myanmar. It was the first submarine to be acquired by the Myanmar Navy and it signalled a success in New Delhis endeavours to limit the Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys influence on the military establishment in the neighbouring country. But soon after Shringalas visit, the Myanmar Navy unveiled another submarine it had received from the PLA. Myanmar army's brutal crackdown to curb protests against its rule has triggered an influx of refugees to Mizoram and Manipur. New Delhis reliance on its security cooperation with Myanmar Army to deal with the insurgency in its northeastern states also limited Indias scope to call out the military leaders for atrocities and human rights violations in the neighbouring country. Shringla conveyed New Delhis concerns to the military regime over the recent attack that killed a commander of the Assam Rifles, his wife and his son as well as four other soldiers in Churachandpur in Manipur on November 13 last. The attack was carried out by the militants who had sneaked into India from Myanmar. The Myanmar Army purportedly arrested some of the militants after the incident and handed them over to the security agencies of India. New Delhi will obviously be guided by its interests in its engagement with the military junta, even if its cautious approach disappoints democracy activists in Myanmar. Check out latest DH videos here I do not want to ask you for too much. If you cannot help me, do not get involved with the terrorist warlords. It is very shameful, a Myanmarese based in the United States tweeted, reacting to a post by the Indian embassy in Nay Pyi Taw about Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringlas visit to the neighbouring country on December 22 and 23 last. Shringlas visit to Nay Pyi Taw was the first high-level engagement between New Delhi and the military junta that took over power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and detaining the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. The foreign secretary called on Myanmar Army chief and de facto ruler senior general Min Aung Hlaing during his visit. This is a blatant affront to Myanmar people. Please note that the military doesnt represent the people of Myanmar at all. Shameful, India! another staunch supporter of the NLD tweeted, using the handle @AhLynn_Light. He also slammed the Indian embassy for failing to publicly condemn military coup and the crimes against humanity committed by the Tatmadaw or the Myanmar Army. Also read | FS Shringla emphasises Indias interest in seeing Myanmars return to democracy at earliest New Delhi has indeed been very cautious in its response to the military coup in Myanmar. It has been repeatedly calling for an early return to democracy in Myanmar. It also stressed the release of Suu Kyi and other political leaders and activists, whom the junta had put behind bars soon after staging the coup d'etat on February 1 last year as well as over the past few months to curb widespread protests against its takeover. It did not join the US and the European Union to respond to the coup with sanctions in Myanmar but rather pledged that it would continue its development projects in the country. India extended its support to the initiative by the Association of South-East Asian Nations to end violence and facilitate dialogue to restore peace in Myanmar. New Delhis strategic interests have always been holding it back from condemning the Myanmar Army. India has since long been trying to resist Chinas bid to expand its geopolitical influence in the South-East Asian nation. Even when Suu Kyi was held in detention by the military junta for 15 years between 1989 and 2010, New Delhi trod cautiously, avoiding ganging up with the western nations, which used sanctions to facilitate her release and return to democracy. It, however, did warm up to Suu Kyi after her release in 2010, led the NLD to victory in the 2015 elections and took over as the state counselor of the government. New Delhi also refrained from criticising Suu Kyi's government, when it drew flak for failing to stop the ethnic cleansing targeting the minority Rohingyas in Myanmar. Shringla did request a meeting with Suu Kyi, who continued to be held captive in an undisclosed location and was recently sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of one of the many charges the junta levelled against her. His request was turned down though. Shringla reiterated New Delhis call for the early return of democracy in Myanmar. But soon after his visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Hlaing made it clear that he had no plan to hold elections before August 2023. India in March 2020 gifted one of its submarines to Myanmar. It was the first submarine to be acquired by the Myanmar Navy and it signalled a success in New Delhis endeavours to limit the Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys influence on the military establishment in the neighbouring country. But soon after Shringalas visit, the Myanmar Navy unveiled another submarine it had received from the PLA. Myanmar army's brutal crackdown to curb protests against its rule has triggered an influx of refugees to Mizoram and Manipur. New Delhis reliance on its security cooperation with Myanmar Army to deal with the insurgency in its northeastern states also limited Indias scope to call out the military leaders for atrocities and human rights violations in the neighbouring country. Shringla conveyed New Delhis concerns to the military regime over the recent attack that killed a commander of the Assam Rifles, his wife and his son as well as four other soldiers in Churachandpur in Manipur on November 13 last. The attack was carried out by the militants who had sneaked into India from Myanmar. The Myanmar Army purportedly arrested some of the militants after the incident and handed them over to the security agencies of India. New Delhi will obviously be guided by its interests in its engagement with the military junta, even if its cautious approach disappoints democracy activists in Myanmar. Check out latest DH videos here Applicants will no longer need a positive PCR Covid test to qualify for the 350 Enhanced Illness Benefit, under new changes announced by the social protection minister. Heather Humphries this evening announced that her department will now accept a Health Service Executive (HSE) antigen test to qualify for the benefit, as well as a text message from the HSE that you are a close contact or a cert from your GP. The PCR testing system has come under severe strain in recent days with some people having to wait a number of days before they can get an appointment for one, and then waiting for up to 72 hours for a result. Ms Humphrey's said her department has expanded the range of documentation people can use to apply to include: Confirmation from the HSE that you have ordered an antigen test (system will be in place from Monday) Text message from the HSE that you are a close contact Certification from your GP that you have symptoms of Covid-19 and/or are a probable source of infection. As has been the case to date, a positive PCR test result will also qualify for Enhanced Illness Benefit. Announcing the changes, Minister Humphreys said this was an "anxious time" for families. "Following discussions between my officials and the HSE, I have this evening introduced new flexibilities to enable customers easier access to Enhanced Illness Benefit," she said. "As a result of these changes, a person who applies for an antigen test from the HSE can use this proof of application to apply for Enhanced Illness Benefit for the days that they are out of work. "Its so important that anyone who receives a positive test or is displaying symptoms self-isolates and follows the public health advice. "I know that these new flexibilities that I am announcing today will give people that peace of mind that my Department is here to support them if they become ill or are required to take time off work due to Covid-19." Covid boosters available to all ages from Sunday - Donnelly The booster jabs will be available from HSE vaccination centres as well as GPs and community pharmacies. The Covid-19 booster vaccination programme will open to all remaining age groups from Sunday, January 2 with initial appointments available for booking from later this evening. Announcing the news on Twitter, the minister for health, Stephen Donnelly, said all those aged 16 years and above who are eligible for a booster vaccine will be able to access the service "earlier than scheduled". The booster jabs will be available from HSE vaccination centres as well as GPs and community pharmacies. Ireland has the second-highest uptake of Covid-19 boosters in the European Union. As of December 31, more than two million booster vaccines have been administered, with 130,000 doses in the past five days. On Thursday, 58,000 vaccines were administered, while more than 6,400 people presented for their first or second jabs. Mr Donnelly added that he would like to "thank healthcare staff and the public for their huge support of our vaccine programme". This acceleration of the programmes means that many of our vaccination centres will now be administering primary, booster and paediatric doses of Covid-19 vaccine," he said. "Further clinics will be scheduled over the coming days. Appointments will be booked through the HSEs online system." 20,110 new cases with 682 in hospital A further 20,110 confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been notified in Ireland. At 8am on Friday there were 682 Covid positive patients in hospital, a rise of 63 since yesterday. Of these, 86 were in intensive care, down two. In the North, a record 7,215 positive cases of Covid-19 have been notified by the Department of Health with one further death. Dr Holohan said it it was timely to remember frontline healthcare workers "who are now facing into a third year of pandemic response" and thank them for their efforts . Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said: Once again, we are reporting another very high number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland. The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 is continuing to increase. I know many people have cancelled or postponed planned social and family events, not just for News Years Eve, but right throughout the Christmas period. The occasions in life we most look forward to have been changed utterly by this pandemic. However, these collective efforts are necessary to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our health service. Dr Holohan said it it was timely to remember frontline healthcare workers "who are now facing into a third year of pandemic response" and thank them for their efforts . "In the most challenging of circumstances, they continue to work to protect public health and to maintain access to services across all parts of our health service. "In the delivery of both Covid and non-Covid services, patients and their families have benefitted from their empathy, skill, and care." He also paid tribute to those who have "sadly died with Covid-19 in Ireland since the beginning of this pandemic, along with their families and loved ones who are grieving their loss". Dr Holohan added that there were "many reasons for cautious optimism" in 2022. "Advances in science and public health including the development of new treatments like antivirals and monoclonal antibodies and the continued evolution of our understanding of this virus give us grounds to hope that 2022 may be a better year from a COVID point of view than either 2020 or 2021," he said. Health minister defends new testing and isolation rules The Health Minister understands the frustration of many people who cannot get a PCR test, but has denied new guidelines on testing and social contacts are confusing. Stephen Donnelly has admitted that in "most cases" people will not be able to use a positive antigen test for work purposes or social welfare purposes. "The advice I have is that in most cases right now, you can't use that, it is a positive PCR test that is used for those," he said. Mr Donnelly said that many people will still want to get a PCR test and argued that the reason behind the new requirement to have a positive antigen before booking a PCR is to ensure people can get the test "as quickly as they need it". Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said that people with a positive antigen test can now register their close contacts on an online portal. He agreed with chief medical officer Tony Holohan who has advised people not to meet indoors with other households as it is "simply not safe". However, he has admitted that this advice is against the current Government policy which still allows up to four households to meet together. "I think Dr Holohan is correct," Mr Donnelly. "There is a genuine concern around super-spreader events. People should to the greatest extent possible reduce the other households that they meet indoors." He added: "Government policy, as you'll be aware, was last agreed on December 22, and Government policy is that there should be a maximum of three other households. "But as we said at the time, we were very aware of the cases we're going to rise. It is a maximum and I think Dr Holohan is correct that right now what we need to do is minimise to the greatest extent possible the other households that we meet up with." The Health Minister has said he understands the frustration of many people who cannot get a PCR test, but the testing system is being kept under "constant review". "The Department has been working very closely with the HSE to come up with the best balance between being able to make sure we know how many people have tested positive, making sure the systems are integrated and making sure that the PCR test is available for those high risk groups." Mr Donnelly said that people with a positive antigen test can now register their close contacts on an online portal. "Anyone can now self-register online on HSE and you can upload your close contacts," he said. Mr Donnelly said those with symptoms but who do not test positive should stay at home and continue to take tests. But he added: "If you have a negative antigen test, then you're not deemed to be positive with Covid." He said it is still the intention that schools will reopen after the Christmas break. Applicants will no longer need a positive PCR Covid test to qualify for the 350 Enhanced Illness Benefit, under new changes announced by the social protection minister. Heather Humphries this evening announced that her department will now accept a Health Service Executive (HSE) antigen test to qualify for the benefit, as well as a text message from the HSE that you are a close contact or a cert from your GP. The PCR testing system has come under severe strain in recent days with some people having to wait a number of days before they can get an appointment for one, and then waiting for up to 72 hours for a result. Ms Humphrey's said her department has expanded the range of documentation people can use to apply to include: Confirmation from the HSE that you have ordered an antigen test (system will be in place from Monday) Text message from the HSE that you are a close contact Certification from your GP that you have symptoms of Covid-19 and/or are a probable source of infection. As has been the case to date, a positive PCR test result will also qualify for Enhanced Illness Benefit. Announcing the changes, Minister Humphreys said this was an "anxious time" for families. "Following discussions between my officials and the HSE, I have this evening introduced new flexibilities to enable customers easier access to Enhanced Illness Benefit," she said. "As a result of these changes, a person who applies for an antigen test from the HSE can use this proof of application to apply for Enhanced Illness Benefit for the days that they are out of work. "Its so important that anyone who receives a positive test or is displaying symptoms self-isolates and follows the public health advice. "I know that these new flexibilities that I am announcing today will give people that peace of mind that my Department is here to support them if they become ill or are required to take time off work due to Covid-19." Covid boosters available to all ages from Sunday - Donnelly The booster jabs will be available from HSE vaccination centres as well as GPs and community pharmacies. The Covid-19 booster vaccination programme will open to all remaining age groups from Sunday, January 2 with initial appointments available for booking from later this evening. Announcing the news on Twitter, the minister for health, Stephen Donnelly, said all those aged 16 years and above who are eligible for a booster vaccine will be able to access the service "earlier than scheduled". The booster jabs will be available from HSE vaccination centres as well as GPs and community pharmacies. Ireland has the second-highest uptake of Covid-19 boosters in the European Union. As of December 31, more than two million booster vaccines have been administered, with 130,000 doses in the past five days. On Thursday, 58,000 vaccines were administered, while more than 6,400 people presented for their first or second jabs. Mr Donnelly added that he would like to "thank healthcare staff and the public for their huge support of our vaccine programme". This acceleration of the programmes means that many of our vaccination centres will now be administering primary, booster and paediatric doses of Covid-19 vaccine," he said. "Further clinics will be scheduled over the coming days. Appointments will be booked through the HSEs online system." 20,110 new cases with 682 in hospital A further 20,110 confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been notified in Ireland. At 8am on Friday there were 682 Covid positive patients in hospital, a rise of 63 since yesterday. Of these, 86 were in intensive care, down two. In the North, a record 7,215 positive cases of Covid-19 have been notified by the Department of Health with one further death. Dr Holohan said it it was timely to remember frontline healthcare workers "who are now facing into a third year of pandemic response" and thank them for their efforts . Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said: Once again, we are reporting another very high number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland. The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 is continuing to increase. I know many people have cancelled or postponed planned social and family events, not just for News Years Eve, but right throughout the Christmas period. The occasions in life we most look forward to have been changed utterly by this pandemic. However, these collective efforts are necessary to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our health service. Dr Holohan said it it was timely to remember frontline healthcare workers "who are now facing into a third year of pandemic response" and thank them for their efforts . "In the most challenging of circumstances, they continue to work to protect public health and to maintain access to services across all parts of our health service. "In the delivery of both Covid and non-Covid services, patients and their families have benefitted from their empathy, skill, and care." He also paid tribute to those who have "sadly died with Covid-19 in Ireland since the beginning of this pandemic, along with their families and loved ones who are grieving their loss". Dr Holohan added that there were "many reasons for cautious optimism" in 2022. "Advances in science and public health including the development of new treatments like antivirals and monoclonal antibodies and the continued evolution of our understanding of this virus give us grounds to hope that 2022 may be a better year from a COVID point of view than either 2020 or 2021," he said. Health minister defends new testing and isolation rules The Health Minister understands the frustration of many people who cannot get a PCR test, but has denied new guidelines on testing and social contacts are confusing. Stephen Donnelly has admitted that in "most cases" people will not be able to use a positive antigen test for work purposes or social welfare purposes. "The advice I have is that in most cases right now, you can't use that, it is a positive PCR test that is used for those," he said. Mr Donnelly said that many people will still want to get a PCR test and argued that the reason behind the new requirement to have a positive antigen before booking a PCR is to ensure people can get the test "as quickly as they need it". Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said that people with a positive antigen test can now register their close contacts on an online portal. He agreed with chief medical officer Tony Holohan who has advised people not to meet indoors with other households as it is "simply not safe". However, he has admitted that this advice is against the current Government policy which still allows up to four households to meet together. "I think Dr Holohan is correct," Mr Donnelly. "There is a genuine concern around super-spreader events. People should to the greatest extent possible reduce the other households that they meet indoors." He added: "Government policy, as you'll be aware, was last agreed on December 22, and Government policy is that there should be a maximum of three other households. "But as we said at the time, we were very aware of the cases we're going to rise. It is a maximum and I think Dr Holohan is correct that right now what we need to do is minimise to the greatest extent possible the other households that we meet up with." The Health Minister has said he understands the frustration of many people who cannot get a PCR test, but the testing system is being kept under "constant review". "The Department has been working very closely with the HSE to come up with the best balance between being able to make sure we know how many people have tested positive, making sure the systems are integrated and making sure that the PCR test is available for those high risk groups." Mr Donnelly said that people with a positive antigen test can now register their close contacts on an online portal. "Anyone can now self-register online on HSE and you can upload your close contacts," he said. Mr Donnelly said those with symptoms but who do not test positive should stay at home and continue to take tests. But he added: "If you have a negative antigen test, then you're not deemed to be positive with Covid." He said it is still the intention that schools will reopen after the Christmas break. I do not want to ask you for too much. If you cannot help me, do not get involved with the terrorist warlords. It is very shameful, a Myanmarese based in the United States tweeted, reacting to a post by the Indian embassy in Nay Pyi Taw about Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringlas visit to the neighbouring country on December 22 and 23 last. Shringlas visit to Nay Pyi Taw was the first high-level engagement between New Delhi and the military junta that took over power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and detaining the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. The foreign secretary called on Myanmar Army chief and de facto ruler senior general Min Aung Hlaing during his visit. This is a blatant affront to Myanmar people. Please note that the military doesnt represent the people of Myanmar at all. Shameful, India! another staunch supporter of the NLD tweeted, using the handle @AhLynn_Light. He also slammed the Indian embassy for failing to publicly condemn military coup and the crimes against humanity committed by the Tatmadaw or the Myanmar Army. Also read | FS Shringla emphasises Indias interest in seeing Myanmars return to democracy at earliest New Delhi has indeed been very cautious in its response to the military coup in Myanmar. It has been repeatedly calling for an early return to democracy in Myanmar. It also stressed the release of Suu Kyi and other political leaders and activists, whom the junta had put behind bars soon after staging the coup d'etat on February 1 last year as well as over the past few months to curb widespread protests against its takeover. It did not join the US and the European Union to respond to the coup with sanctions in Myanmar but rather pledged that it would continue its development projects in the country. India extended its support to the initiative by the Association of South-East Asian Nations to end violence and facilitate dialogue to restore peace in Myanmar. New Delhis strategic interests have always been holding it back from condemning the Myanmar Army. India has since long been trying to resist Chinas bid to expand its geopolitical influence in the South-East Asian nation. Even when Suu Kyi was held in detention by the military junta for 15 years between 1989 and 2010, New Delhi trod cautiously, avoiding ganging up with the western nations, which used sanctions to facilitate her release and return to democracy. It, however, did warm up to Suu Kyi after her release in 2010, led the NLD to victory in the 2015 elections and took over as the state counselor of the government. New Delhi also refrained from criticising Suu Kyi's government, when it drew flak for failing to stop the ethnic cleansing targeting the minority Rohingyas in Myanmar. Shringla did request a meeting with Suu Kyi, who continued to be held captive in an undisclosed location and was recently sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of one of the many charges the junta levelled against her. His request was turned down though. Shringla reiterated New Delhis call for the early return of democracy in Myanmar. But soon after his visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Hlaing made it clear that he had no plan to hold elections before August 2023. India in March 2020 gifted one of its submarines to Myanmar. It was the first submarine to be acquired by the Myanmar Navy and it signalled a success in New Delhis endeavours to limit the Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys influence on the military establishment in the neighbouring country. But soon after Shringalas visit, the Myanmar Navy unveiled another submarine it had received from the PLA. Myanmar army's brutal crackdown to curb protests against its rule has triggered an influx of refugees to Mizoram and Manipur. New Delhis reliance on its security cooperation with Myanmar Army to deal with the insurgency in its northeastern states also limited Indias scope to call out the military leaders for atrocities and human rights violations in the neighbouring country. Shringla conveyed New Delhis concerns to the military regime over the recent attack that killed a commander of the Assam Rifles, his wife and his son as well as four other soldiers in Churachandpur in Manipur on November 13 last. The attack was carried out by the militants who had sneaked into India from Myanmar. The Myanmar Army purportedly arrested some of the militants after the incident and handed them over to the security agencies of India. New Delhi will obviously be guided by its interests in its engagement with the military junta, even if its cautious approach disappoints democracy activists in Myanmar. Check out latest DH videos here I do not want to ask you for too much. If you cannot help me, do not get involved with the terrorist warlords. It is very shameful, a Myanmarese based in the United States tweeted, reacting to a post by the Indian embassy in Nay Pyi Taw about Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringlas visit to the neighbouring country on December 22 and 23 last. Shringlas visit to Nay Pyi Taw was the first high-level engagement between New Delhi and the military junta that took over power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and detaining the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. The foreign secretary called on Myanmar Army chief and de facto ruler senior general Min Aung Hlaing during his visit. This is a blatant affront to Myanmar people. Please note that the military doesnt represent the people of Myanmar at all. Shameful, India! another staunch supporter of the NLD tweeted, using the handle @AhLynn_Light. He also slammed the Indian embassy for failing to publicly condemn military coup and the crimes against humanity committed by the Tatmadaw or the Myanmar Army. Also read | FS Shringla emphasises Indias interest in seeing Myanmars return to democracy at earliest New Delhi has indeed been very cautious in its response to the military coup in Myanmar. It has been repeatedly calling for an early return to democracy in Myanmar. It also stressed the release of Suu Kyi and other political leaders and activists, whom the junta had put behind bars soon after staging the coup d'etat on February 1 last year as well as over the past few months to curb widespread protests against its takeover. It did not join the US and the European Union to respond to the coup with sanctions in Myanmar but rather pledged that it would continue its development projects in the country. India extended its support to the initiative by the Association of South-East Asian Nations to end violence and facilitate dialogue to restore peace in Myanmar. New Delhis strategic interests have always been holding it back from condemning the Myanmar Army. India has since long been trying to resist Chinas bid to expand its geopolitical influence in the South-East Asian nation. Even when Suu Kyi was held in detention by the military junta for 15 years between 1989 and 2010, New Delhi trod cautiously, avoiding ganging up with the western nations, which used sanctions to facilitate her release and return to democracy. It, however, did warm up to Suu Kyi after her release in 2010, led the NLD to victory in the 2015 elections and took over as the state counselor of the government. New Delhi also refrained from criticising Suu Kyi's government, when it drew flak for failing to stop the ethnic cleansing targeting the minority Rohingyas in Myanmar. Shringla did request a meeting with Suu Kyi, who continued to be held captive in an undisclosed location and was recently sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of one of the many charges the junta levelled against her. His request was turned down though. Shringla reiterated New Delhis call for the early return of democracy in Myanmar. But soon after his visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Hlaing made it clear that he had no plan to hold elections before August 2023. India in March 2020 gifted one of its submarines to Myanmar. It was the first submarine to be acquired by the Myanmar Navy and it signalled a success in New Delhis endeavours to limit the Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys influence on the military establishment in the neighbouring country. But soon after Shringalas visit, the Myanmar Navy unveiled another submarine it had received from the PLA. Myanmar army's brutal crackdown to curb protests against its rule has triggered an influx of refugees to Mizoram and Manipur. New Delhis reliance on its security cooperation with Myanmar Army to deal with the insurgency in its northeastern states also limited Indias scope to call out the military leaders for atrocities and human rights violations in the neighbouring country. Shringla conveyed New Delhis concerns to the military regime over the recent attack that killed a commander of the Assam Rifles, his wife and his son as well as four other soldiers in Churachandpur in Manipur on November 13 last. The attack was carried out by the militants who had sneaked into India from Myanmar. The Myanmar Army purportedly arrested some of the militants after the incident and handed them over to the security agencies of India. New Delhi will obviously be guided by its interests in its engagement with the military junta, even if its cautious approach disappoints democracy activists in Myanmar. Check out latest DH videos here I do not want to ask you for too much. If you cannot help me, do not get involved with the terrorist warlords. It is very shameful, a Myanmarese based in the United States tweeted, reacting to a post by the Indian embassy in Nay Pyi Taw about Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringlas visit to the neighbouring country on December 22 and 23 last. Shringlas visit to Nay Pyi Taw was the first high-level engagement between New Delhi and the military junta that took over power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and detaining the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. The foreign secretary called on Myanmar Army chief and de facto ruler senior general Min Aung Hlaing during his visit. This is a blatant affront to Myanmar people. Please note that the military doesnt represent the people of Myanmar at all. Shameful, India! another staunch supporter of the NLD tweeted, using the handle @AhLynn_Light. He also slammed the Indian embassy for failing to publicly condemn military coup and the crimes against humanity committed by the Tatmadaw or the Myanmar Army. Also read | FS Shringla emphasises Indias interest in seeing Myanmars return to democracy at earliest New Delhi has indeed been very cautious in its response to the military coup in Myanmar. It has been repeatedly calling for an early return to democracy in Myanmar. It also stressed the release of Suu Kyi and other political leaders and activists, whom the junta had put behind bars soon after staging the coup d'etat on February 1 last year as well as over the past few months to curb widespread protests against its takeover. It did not join the US and the European Union to respond to the coup with sanctions in Myanmar but rather pledged that it would continue its development projects in the country. India extended its support to the initiative by the Association of South-East Asian Nations to end violence and facilitate dialogue to restore peace in Myanmar. New Delhis strategic interests have always been holding it back from condemning the Myanmar Army. India has since long been trying to resist Chinas bid to expand its geopolitical influence in the South-East Asian nation. Even when Suu Kyi was held in detention by the military junta for 15 years between 1989 and 2010, New Delhi trod cautiously, avoiding ganging up with the western nations, which used sanctions to facilitate her release and return to democracy. It, however, did warm up to Suu Kyi after her release in 2010, led the NLD to victory in the 2015 elections and took over as the state counselor of the government. New Delhi also refrained from criticising Suu Kyi's government, when it drew flak for failing to stop the ethnic cleansing targeting the minority Rohingyas in Myanmar. Shringla did request a meeting with Suu Kyi, who continued to be held captive in an undisclosed location and was recently sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of one of the many charges the junta levelled against her. His request was turned down though. Shringla reiterated New Delhis call for the early return of democracy in Myanmar. But soon after his visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Hlaing made it clear that he had no plan to hold elections before August 2023. India in March 2020 gifted one of its submarines to Myanmar. It was the first submarine to be acquired by the Myanmar Navy and it signalled a success in New Delhis endeavours to limit the Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys influence on the military establishment in the neighbouring country. But soon after Shringalas visit, the Myanmar Navy unveiled another submarine it had received from the PLA. Myanmar army's brutal crackdown to curb protests against its rule has triggered an influx of refugees to Mizoram and Manipur. New Delhis reliance on its security cooperation with Myanmar Army to deal with the insurgency in its northeastern states also limited Indias scope to call out the military leaders for atrocities and human rights violations in the neighbouring country. Shringla conveyed New Delhis concerns to the military regime over the recent attack that killed a commander of the Assam Rifles, his wife and his son as well as four other soldiers in Churachandpur in Manipur on November 13 last. The attack was carried out by the militants who had sneaked into India from Myanmar. The Myanmar Army purportedly arrested some of the militants after the incident and handed them over to the security agencies of India. New Delhi will obviously be guided by its interests in its engagement with the military junta, even if its cautious approach disappoints democracy activists in Myanmar. Check out latest DH videos here A 20-year-old soldier of the Indian Army allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree in a cantonment area in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior district, police said on Saturday. The incident occurred in the Murar cantonment area of Gwalior on Friday, an official said. Manish Singh, a resident of Bihar, went missing from his barrack on Friday evening and when he did not return till the next day morning, his colleagues launched a search for him, Murar police station in-charge Shailendra Bhargava said. Singh was found hanging from a tree in a deserted area near the barracks, he said. A preliminary probe has revealed that the deceased had spoken to his mother before taking the extreme step, the official said, adding that the police have seized the deceased soldier's mobile phone and other documents. Further investigation is underway to ascertain the exact cause for the suicide, Bhargava said. Check out the latest videos from DH: I do not want to ask you for too much. If you cannot help me, do not get involved with the terrorist warlords. It is very shameful, a Myanmarese based in the United States tweeted, reacting to a post by the Indian embassy in Nay Pyi Taw about Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringlas visit to the neighbouring country on December 22 and 23 last. Shringlas visit to Nay Pyi Taw was the first high-level engagement between New Delhi and the military junta that took over power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and detaining the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. The foreign secretary called on Myanmar Army chief and de facto ruler senior general Min Aung Hlaing during his visit. This is a blatant affront to Myanmar people. Please note that the military doesnt represent the people of Myanmar at all. Shameful, India! another staunch supporter of the NLD tweeted, using the handle @AhLynn_Light. He also slammed the Indian embassy for failing to publicly condemn military coup and the crimes against humanity committed by the Tatmadaw or the Myanmar Army. Also read | FS Shringla emphasises Indias interest in seeing Myanmars return to democracy at earliest New Delhi has indeed been very cautious in its response to the military coup in Myanmar. It has been repeatedly calling for an early return to democracy in Myanmar. It also stressed the release of Suu Kyi and other political leaders and activists, whom the junta had put behind bars soon after staging the coup d'etat on February 1 last year as well as over the past few months to curb widespread protests against its takeover. It did not join the US and the European Union to respond to the coup with sanctions in Myanmar but rather pledged that it would continue its development projects in the country. India extended its support to the initiative by the Association of South-East Asian Nations to end violence and facilitate dialogue to restore peace in Myanmar. New Delhis strategic interests have always been holding it back from condemning the Myanmar Army. India has since long been trying to resist Chinas bid to expand its geopolitical influence in the South-East Asian nation. Even when Suu Kyi was held in detention by the military junta for 15 years between 1989 and 2010, New Delhi trod cautiously, avoiding ganging up with the western nations, which used sanctions to facilitate her release and return to democracy. It, however, did warm up to Suu Kyi after her release in 2010, led the NLD to victory in the 2015 elections and took over as the state counselor of the government. New Delhi also refrained from criticising Suu Kyi's government, when it drew flak for failing to stop the ethnic cleansing targeting the minority Rohingyas in Myanmar. Shringla did request a meeting with Suu Kyi, who continued to be held captive in an undisclosed location and was recently sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of one of the many charges the junta levelled against her. His request was turned down though. Shringla reiterated New Delhis call for the early return of democracy in Myanmar. But soon after his visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Hlaing made it clear that he had no plan to hold elections before August 2023. India in March 2020 gifted one of its submarines to Myanmar. It was the first submarine to be acquired by the Myanmar Navy and it signalled a success in New Delhis endeavours to limit the Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys influence on the military establishment in the neighbouring country. But soon after Shringalas visit, the Myanmar Navy unveiled another submarine it had received from the PLA. Myanmar army's brutal crackdown to curb protests against its rule has triggered an influx of refugees to Mizoram and Manipur. New Delhis reliance on its security cooperation with Myanmar Army to deal with the insurgency in its northeastern states also limited Indias scope to call out the military leaders for atrocities and human rights violations in the neighbouring country. Shringla conveyed New Delhis concerns to the military regime over the recent attack that killed a commander of the Assam Rifles, his wife and his son as well as four other soldiers in Churachandpur in Manipur on November 13 last. The attack was carried out by the militants who had sneaked into India from Myanmar. The Myanmar Army purportedly arrested some of the militants after the incident and handed them over to the security agencies of India. New Delhi will obviously be guided by its interests in its engagement with the military junta, even if its cautious approach disappoints democracy activists in Myanmar. Check out latest DH videos here I do not want to ask you for too much. If you cannot help me, do not get involved with the terrorist warlords. It is very shameful, a Myanmarese based in the United States tweeted, reacting to a post by the Indian embassy in Nay Pyi Taw about Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringlas visit to the neighbouring country on December 22 and 23 last. Shringlas visit to Nay Pyi Taw was the first high-level engagement between New Delhi and the military junta that took over power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and detaining the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. The foreign secretary called on Myanmar Army chief and de facto ruler senior general Min Aung Hlaing during his visit. This is a blatant affront to Myanmar people. Please note that the military doesnt represent the people of Myanmar at all. Shameful, India! another staunch supporter of the NLD tweeted, using the handle @AhLynn_Light. He also slammed the Indian embassy for failing to publicly condemn military coup and the crimes against humanity committed by the Tatmadaw or the Myanmar Army. Also read | FS Shringla emphasises Indias interest in seeing Myanmars return to democracy at earliest New Delhi has indeed been very cautious in its response to the military coup in Myanmar. It has been repeatedly calling for an early return to democracy in Myanmar. It also stressed the release of Suu Kyi and other political leaders and activists, whom the junta had put behind bars soon after staging the coup d'etat on February 1 last year as well as over the past few months to curb widespread protests against its takeover. It did not join the US and the European Union to respond to the coup with sanctions in Myanmar but rather pledged that it would continue its development projects in the country. India extended its support to the initiative by the Association of South-East Asian Nations to end violence and facilitate dialogue to restore peace in Myanmar. New Delhis strategic interests have always been holding it back from condemning the Myanmar Army. India has since long been trying to resist Chinas bid to expand its geopolitical influence in the South-East Asian nation. Even when Suu Kyi was held in detention by the military junta for 15 years between 1989 and 2010, New Delhi trod cautiously, avoiding ganging up with the western nations, which used sanctions to facilitate her release and return to democracy. It, however, did warm up to Suu Kyi after her release in 2010, led the NLD to victory in the 2015 elections and took over as the state counselor of the government. New Delhi also refrained from criticising Suu Kyi's government, when it drew flak for failing to stop the ethnic cleansing targeting the minority Rohingyas in Myanmar. Shringla did request a meeting with Suu Kyi, who continued to be held captive in an undisclosed location and was recently sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of one of the many charges the junta levelled against her. His request was turned down though. Shringla reiterated New Delhis call for the early return of democracy in Myanmar. But soon after his visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Hlaing made it clear that he had no plan to hold elections before August 2023. India in March 2020 gifted one of its submarines to Myanmar. It was the first submarine to be acquired by the Myanmar Navy and it signalled a success in New Delhis endeavours to limit the Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys influence on the military establishment in the neighbouring country. But soon after Shringalas visit, the Myanmar Navy unveiled another submarine it had received from the PLA. Myanmar army's brutal crackdown to curb protests against its rule has triggered an influx of refugees to Mizoram and Manipur. New Delhis reliance on its security cooperation with Myanmar Army to deal with the insurgency in its northeastern states also limited Indias scope to call out the military leaders for atrocities and human rights violations in the neighbouring country. Shringla conveyed New Delhis concerns to the military regime over the recent attack that killed a commander of the Assam Rifles, his wife and his son as well as four other soldiers in Churachandpur in Manipur on November 13 last. The attack was carried out by the militants who had sneaked into India from Myanmar. The Myanmar Army purportedly arrested some of the militants after the incident and handed them over to the security agencies of India. New Delhi will obviously be guided by its interests in its engagement with the military junta, even if its cautious approach disappoints democracy activists in Myanmar. Check out latest DH videos here I do not want to ask you for too much. If you cannot help me, do not get involved with the terrorist warlords. It is very shameful, a Myanmarese based in the United States tweeted, reacting to a post by the Indian embassy in Nay Pyi Taw about Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringlas visit to the neighbouring country on December 22 and 23 last. Shringlas visit to Nay Pyi Taw was the first high-level engagement between New Delhi and the military junta that took over power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and detaining the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. The foreign secretary called on Myanmar Army chief and de facto ruler senior general Min Aung Hlaing during his visit. This is a blatant affront to Myanmar people. Please note that the military doesnt represent the people of Myanmar at all. Shameful, India! another staunch supporter of the NLD tweeted, using the handle @AhLynn_Light. He also slammed the Indian embassy for failing to publicly condemn military coup and the crimes against humanity committed by the Tatmadaw or the Myanmar Army. Also read | FS Shringla emphasises Indias interest in seeing Myanmars return to democracy at earliest New Delhi has indeed been very cautious in its response to the military coup in Myanmar. It has been repeatedly calling for an early return to democracy in Myanmar. It also stressed the release of Suu Kyi and other political leaders and activists, whom the junta had put behind bars soon after staging the coup d'etat on February 1 last year as well as over the past few months to curb widespread protests against its takeover. It did not join the US and the European Union to respond to the coup with sanctions in Myanmar but rather pledged that it would continue its development projects in the country. India extended its support to the initiative by the Association of South-East Asian Nations to end violence and facilitate dialogue to restore peace in Myanmar. New Delhis strategic interests have always been holding it back from condemning the Myanmar Army. India has since long been trying to resist Chinas bid to expand its geopolitical influence in the South-East Asian nation. Even when Suu Kyi was held in detention by the military junta for 15 years between 1989 and 2010, New Delhi trod cautiously, avoiding ganging up with the western nations, which used sanctions to facilitate her release and return to democracy. It, however, did warm up to Suu Kyi after her release in 2010, led the NLD to victory in the 2015 elections and took over as the state counselor of the government. New Delhi also refrained from criticising Suu Kyi's government, when it drew flak for failing to stop the ethnic cleansing targeting the minority Rohingyas in Myanmar. Shringla did request a meeting with Suu Kyi, who continued to be held captive in an undisclosed location and was recently sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of one of the many charges the junta levelled against her. His request was turned down though. Shringla reiterated New Delhis call for the early return of democracy in Myanmar. But soon after his visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Hlaing made it clear that he had no plan to hold elections before August 2023. India in March 2020 gifted one of its submarines to Myanmar. It was the first submarine to be acquired by the Myanmar Navy and it signalled a success in New Delhis endeavours to limit the Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys influence on the military establishment in the neighbouring country. But soon after Shringalas visit, the Myanmar Navy unveiled another submarine it had received from the PLA. Myanmar army's brutal crackdown to curb protests against its rule has triggered an influx of refugees to Mizoram and Manipur. New Delhis reliance on its security cooperation with Myanmar Army to deal with the insurgency in its northeastern states also limited Indias scope to call out the military leaders for atrocities and human rights violations in the neighbouring country. Shringla conveyed New Delhis concerns to the military regime over the recent attack that killed a commander of the Assam Rifles, his wife and his son as well as four other soldiers in Churachandpur in Manipur on November 13 last. The attack was carried out by the militants who had sneaked into India from Myanmar. The Myanmar Army purportedly arrested some of the militants after the incident and handed them over to the security agencies of India. New Delhi will obviously be guided by its interests in its engagement with the military junta, even if its cautious approach disappoints democracy activists in Myanmar. Check out latest DH videos here I do not want to ask you for too much. If you cannot help me, do not get involved with the terrorist warlords. It is very shameful, a Myanmarese based in the United States tweeted, reacting to a post by the Indian embassy in Nay Pyi Taw about Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringlas visit to the neighbouring country on December 22 and 23 last. Shringlas visit to Nay Pyi Taw was the first high-level engagement between New Delhi and the military junta that took over power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and detaining the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. The foreign secretary called on Myanmar Army chief and de facto ruler senior general Min Aung Hlaing during his visit. This is a blatant affront to Myanmar people. Please note that the military doesnt represent the people of Myanmar at all. Shameful, India! another staunch supporter of the NLD tweeted, using the handle @AhLynn_Light. He also slammed the Indian embassy for failing to publicly condemn military coup and the crimes against humanity committed by the Tatmadaw or the Myanmar Army. Also read | FS Shringla emphasises Indias interest in seeing Myanmars return to democracy at earliest New Delhi has indeed been very cautious in its response to the military coup in Myanmar. It has been repeatedly calling for an early return to democracy in Myanmar. It also stressed the release of Suu Kyi and other political leaders and activists, whom the junta had put behind bars soon after staging the coup d'etat on February 1 last year as well as over the past few months to curb widespread protests against its takeover. It did not join the US and the European Union to respond to the coup with sanctions in Myanmar but rather pledged that it would continue its development projects in the country. India extended its support to the initiative by the Association of South-East Asian Nations to end violence and facilitate dialogue to restore peace in Myanmar. New Delhis strategic interests have always been holding it back from condemning the Myanmar Army. India has since long been trying to resist Chinas bid to expand its geopolitical influence in the South-East Asian nation. Even when Suu Kyi was held in detention by the military junta for 15 years between 1989 and 2010, New Delhi trod cautiously, avoiding ganging up with the western nations, which used sanctions to facilitate her release and return to democracy. It, however, did warm up to Suu Kyi after her release in 2010, led the NLD to victory in the 2015 elections and took over as the state counselor of the government. New Delhi also refrained from criticising Suu Kyi's government, when it drew flak for failing to stop the ethnic cleansing targeting the minority Rohingyas in Myanmar. Shringla did request a meeting with Suu Kyi, who continued to be held captive in an undisclosed location and was recently sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of one of the many charges the junta levelled against her. His request was turned down though. Shringla reiterated New Delhis call for the early return of democracy in Myanmar. But soon after his visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Hlaing made it clear that he had no plan to hold elections before August 2023. India in March 2020 gifted one of its submarines to Myanmar. It was the first submarine to be acquired by the Myanmar Navy and it signalled a success in New Delhis endeavours to limit the Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys influence on the military establishment in the neighbouring country. But soon after Shringalas visit, the Myanmar Navy unveiled another submarine it had received from the PLA. Myanmar army's brutal crackdown to curb protests against its rule has triggered an influx of refugees to Mizoram and Manipur. New Delhis reliance on its security cooperation with Myanmar Army to deal with the insurgency in its northeastern states also limited Indias scope to call out the military leaders for atrocities and human rights violations in the neighbouring country. Shringla conveyed New Delhis concerns to the military regime over the recent attack that killed a commander of the Assam Rifles, his wife and his son as well as four other soldiers in Churachandpur in Manipur on November 13 last. The attack was carried out by the militants who had sneaked into India from Myanmar. The Myanmar Army purportedly arrested some of the militants after the incident and handed them over to the security agencies of India. New Delhi will obviously be guided by its interests in its engagement with the military junta, even if its cautious approach disappoints democracy activists in Myanmar. Check out latest DH videos here I do not want to ask you for too much. If you cannot help me, do not get involved with the terrorist warlords. It is very shameful, a Myanmarese based in the United States tweeted, reacting to a post by the Indian embassy in Nay Pyi Taw about Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringlas visit to the neighbouring country on December 22 and 23 last. Shringlas visit to Nay Pyi Taw was the first high-level engagement between New Delhi and the military junta that took over power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and detaining the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. The foreign secretary called on Myanmar Army chief and de facto ruler senior general Min Aung Hlaing during his visit. This is a blatant affront to Myanmar people. Please note that the military doesnt represent the people of Myanmar at all. Shameful, India! another staunch supporter of the NLD tweeted, using the handle @AhLynn_Light. He also slammed the Indian embassy for failing to publicly condemn military coup and the crimes against humanity committed by the Tatmadaw or the Myanmar Army. Also read | FS Shringla emphasises Indias interest in seeing Myanmars return to democracy at earliest New Delhi has indeed been very cautious in its response to the military coup in Myanmar. It has been repeatedly calling for an early return to democracy in Myanmar. It also stressed the release of Suu Kyi and other political leaders and activists, whom the junta had put behind bars soon after staging the coup d'etat on February 1 last year as well as over the past few months to curb widespread protests against its takeover. It did not join the US and the European Union to respond to the coup with sanctions in Myanmar but rather pledged that it would continue its development projects in the country. India extended its support to the initiative by the Association of South-East Asian Nations to end violence and facilitate dialogue to restore peace in Myanmar. New Delhis strategic interests have always been holding it back from condemning the Myanmar Army. India has since long been trying to resist Chinas bid to expand its geopolitical influence in the South-East Asian nation. Even when Suu Kyi was held in detention by the military junta for 15 years between 1989 and 2010, New Delhi trod cautiously, avoiding ganging up with the western nations, which used sanctions to facilitate her release and return to democracy. It, however, did warm up to Suu Kyi after her release in 2010, led the NLD to victory in the 2015 elections and took over as the state counselor of the government. New Delhi also refrained from criticising Suu Kyi's government, when it drew flak for failing to stop the ethnic cleansing targeting the minority Rohingyas in Myanmar. Shringla did request a meeting with Suu Kyi, who continued to be held captive in an undisclosed location and was recently sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of one of the many charges the junta levelled against her. His request was turned down though. Shringla reiterated New Delhis call for the early return of democracy in Myanmar. But soon after his visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Hlaing made it clear that he had no plan to hold elections before August 2023. India in March 2020 gifted one of its submarines to Myanmar. It was the first submarine to be acquired by the Myanmar Navy and it signalled a success in New Delhis endeavours to limit the Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys influence on the military establishment in the neighbouring country. But soon after Shringalas visit, the Myanmar Navy unveiled another submarine it had received from the PLA. Myanmar army's brutal crackdown to curb protests against its rule has triggered an influx of refugees to Mizoram and Manipur. New Delhis reliance on its security cooperation with Myanmar Army to deal with the insurgency in its northeastern states also limited Indias scope to call out the military leaders for atrocities and human rights violations in the neighbouring country. Shringla conveyed New Delhis concerns to the military regime over the recent attack that killed a commander of the Assam Rifles, his wife and his son as well as four other soldiers in Churachandpur in Manipur on November 13 last. The attack was carried out by the militants who had sneaked into India from Myanmar. The Myanmar Army purportedly arrested some of the militants after the incident and handed them over to the security agencies of India. New Delhi will obviously be guided by its interests in its engagement with the military junta, even if its cautious approach disappoints democracy activists in Myanmar. Check out latest DH videos here I do not want to ask you for too much. If you cannot help me, do not get involved with the terrorist warlords. It is very shameful, a Myanmarese based in the United States tweeted, reacting to a post by the Indian embassy in Nay Pyi Taw about Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringlas visit to the neighbouring country on December 22 and 23 last. Shringlas visit to Nay Pyi Taw was the first high-level engagement between New Delhi and the military junta that took over power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and detaining the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. The foreign secretary called on Myanmar Army chief and de facto ruler senior general Min Aung Hlaing during his visit. This is a blatant affront to Myanmar people. Please note that the military doesnt represent the people of Myanmar at all. Shameful, India! another staunch supporter of the NLD tweeted, using the handle @AhLynn_Light. He also slammed the Indian embassy for failing to publicly condemn military coup and the crimes against humanity committed by the Tatmadaw or the Myanmar Army. Also read | FS Shringla emphasises Indias interest in seeing Myanmars return to democracy at earliest New Delhi has indeed been very cautious in its response to the military coup in Myanmar. It has been repeatedly calling for an early return to democracy in Myanmar. It also stressed the release of Suu Kyi and other political leaders and activists, whom the junta had put behind bars soon after staging the coup d'etat on February 1 last year as well as over the past few months to curb widespread protests against its takeover. It did not join the US and the European Union to respond to the coup with sanctions in Myanmar but rather pledged that it would continue its development projects in the country. India extended its support to the initiative by the Association of South-East Asian Nations to end violence and facilitate dialogue to restore peace in Myanmar. New Delhis strategic interests have always been holding it back from condemning the Myanmar Army. India has since long been trying to resist Chinas bid to expand its geopolitical influence in the South-East Asian nation. Even when Suu Kyi was held in detention by the military junta for 15 years between 1989 and 2010, New Delhi trod cautiously, avoiding ganging up with the western nations, which used sanctions to facilitate her release and return to democracy. It, however, did warm up to Suu Kyi after her release in 2010, led the NLD to victory in the 2015 elections and took over as the state counselor of the government. New Delhi also refrained from criticising Suu Kyi's government, when it drew flak for failing to stop the ethnic cleansing targeting the minority Rohingyas in Myanmar. Shringla did request a meeting with Suu Kyi, who continued to be held captive in an undisclosed location and was recently sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of one of the many charges the junta levelled against her. His request was turned down though. Shringla reiterated New Delhis call for the early return of democracy in Myanmar. But soon after his visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Hlaing made it clear that he had no plan to hold elections before August 2023. India in March 2020 gifted one of its submarines to Myanmar. It was the first submarine to be acquired by the Myanmar Navy and it signalled a success in New Delhis endeavours to limit the Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys influence on the military establishment in the neighbouring country. But soon after Shringalas visit, the Myanmar Navy unveiled another submarine it had received from the PLA. Myanmar army's brutal crackdown to curb protests against its rule has triggered an influx of refugees to Mizoram and Manipur. New Delhis reliance on its security cooperation with Myanmar Army to deal with the insurgency in its northeastern states also limited Indias scope to call out the military leaders for atrocities and human rights violations in the neighbouring country. Shringla conveyed New Delhis concerns to the military regime over the recent attack that killed a commander of the Assam Rifles, his wife and his son as well as four other soldiers in Churachandpur in Manipur on November 13 last. The attack was carried out by the militants who had sneaked into India from Myanmar. The Myanmar Army purportedly arrested some of the militants after the incident and handed them over to the security agencies of India. New Delhi will obviously be guided by its interests in its engagement with the military junta, even if its cautious approach disappoints democracy activists in Myanmar. Check out latest DH videos here I do not want to ask you for too much. If you cannot help me, do not get involved with the terrorist warlords. It is very shameful, a Myanmarese based in the United States tweeted, reacting to a post by the Indian embassy in Nay Pyi Taw about Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringlas visit to the neighbouring country on December 22 and 23 last. Shringlas visit to Nay Pyi Taw was the first high-level engagement between New Delhi and the military junta that took over power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and detaining the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. The foreign secretary called on Myanmar Army chief and de facto ruler senior general Min Aung Hlaing during his visit. This is a blatant affront to Myanmar people. Please note that the military doesnt represent the people of Myanmar at all. Shameful, India! another staunch supporter of the NLD tweeted, using the handle @AhLynn_Light. He also slammed the Indian embassy for failing to publicly condemn military coup and the crimes against humanity committed by the Tatmadaw or the Myanmar Army. Also read | FS Shringla emphasises Indias interest in seeing Myanmars return to democracy at earliest New Delhi has indeed been very cautious in its response to the military coup in Myanmar. It has been repeatedly calling for an early return to democracy in Myanmar. It also stressed the release of Suu Kyi and other political leaders and activists, whom the junta had put behind bars soon after staging the coup d'etat on February 1 last year as well as over the past few months to curb widespread protests against its takeover. It did not join the US and the European Union to respond to the coup with sanctions in Myanmar but rather pledged that it would continue its development projects in the country. India extended its support to the initiative by the Association of South-East Asian Nations to end violence and facilitate dialogue to restore peace in Myanmar. New Delhis strategic interests have always been holding it back from condemning the Myanmar Army. India has since long been trying to resist Chinas bid to expand its geopolitical influence in the South-East Asian nation. Even when Suu Kyi was held in detention by the military junta for 15 years between 1989 and 2010, New Delhi trod cautiously, avoiding ganging up with the western nations, which used sanctions to facilitate her release and return to democracy. It, however, did warm up to Suu Kyi after her release in 2010, led the NLD to victory in the 2015 elections and took over as the state counselor of the government. New Delhi also refrained from criticising Suu Kyi's government, when it drew flak for failing to stop the ethnic cleansing targeting the minority Rohingyas in Myanmar. Shringla did request a meeting with Suu Kyi, who continued to be held captive in an undisclosed location and was recently sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of one of the many charges the junta levelled against her. His request was turned down though. Shringla reiterated New Delhis call for the early return of democracy in Myanmar. But soon after his visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Hlaing made it clear that he had no plan to hold elections before August 2023. India in March 2020 gifted one of its submarines to Myanmar. It was the first submarine to be acquired by the Myanmar Navy and it signalled a success in New Delhis endeavours to limit the Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys influence on the military establishment in the neighbouring country. But soon after Shringalas visit, the Myanmar Navy unveiled another submarine it had received from the PLA. Myanmar army's brutal crackdown to curb protests against its rule has triggered an influx of refugees to Mizoram and Manipur. New Delhis reliance on its security cooperation with Myanmar Army to deal with the insurgency in its northeastern states also limited Indias scope to call out the military leaders for atrocities and human rights violations in the neighbouring country. Shringla conveyed New Delhis concerns to the military regime over the recent attack that killed a commander of the Assam Rifles, his wife and his son as well as four other soldiers in Churachandpur in Manipur on November 13 last. The attack was carried out by the militants who had sneaked into India from Myanmar. The Myanmar Army purportedly arrested some of the militants after the incident and handed them over to the security agencies of India. New Delhi will obviously be guided by its interests in its engagement with the military junta, even if its cautious approach disappoints democracy activists in Myanmar. Check out latest DH videos here I do not want to ask you for too much. If you cannot help me, do not get involved with the terrorist warlords. It is very shameful, a Myanmarese based in the United States tweeted, reacting to a post by the Indian embassy in Nay Pyi Taw about Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringlas visit to the neighbouring country on December 22 and 23 last. Shringlas visit to Nay Pyi Taw was the first high-level engagement between New Delhi and the military junta that took over power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and detaining the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. The foreign secretary called on Myanmar Army chief and de facto ruler senior general Min Aung Hlaing during his visit. This is a blatant affront to Myanmar people. Please note that the military doesnt represent the people of Myanmar at all. Shameful, India! another staunch supporter of the NLD tweeted, using the handle @AhLynn_Light. He also slammed the Indian embassy for failing to publicly condemn military coup and the crimes against humanity committed by the Tatmadaw or the Myanmar Army. Also read | FS Shringla emphasises Indias interest in seeing Myanmars return to democracy at earliest New Delhi has indeed been very cautious in its response to the military coup in Myanmar. It has been repeatedly calling for an early return to democracy in Myanmar. It also stressed the release of Suu Kyi and other political leaders and activists, whom the junta had put behind bars soon after staging the coup d'etat on February 1 last year as well as over the past few months to curb widespread protests against its takeover. It did not join the US and the European Union to respond to the coup with sanctions in Myanmar but rather pledged that it would continue its development projects in the country. India extended its support to the initiative by the Association of South-East Asian Nations to end violence and facilitate dialogue to restore peace in Myanmar. New Delhis strategic interests have always been holding it back from condemning the Myanmar Army. India has since long been trying to resist Chinas bid to expand its geopolitical influence in the South-East Asian nation. Even when Suu Kyi was held in detention by the military junta for 15 years between 1989 and 2010, New Delhi trod cautiously, avoiding ganging up with the western nations, which used sanctions to facilitate her release and return to democracy. It, however, did warm up to Suu Kyi after her release in 2010, led the NLD to victory in the 2015 elections and took over as the state counselor of the government. New Delhi also refrained from criticising Suu Kyi's government, when it drew flak for failing to stop the ethnic cleansing targeting the minority Rohingyas in Myanmar. Shringla did request a meeting with Suu Kyi, who continued to be held captive in an undisclosed location and was recently sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of one of the many charges the junta levelled against her. His request was turned down though. Shringla reiterated New Delhis call for the early return of democracy in Myanmar. But soon after his visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Hlaing made it clear that he had no plan to hold elections before August 2023. India in March 2020 gifted one of its submarines to Myanmar. It was the first submarine to be acquired by the Myanmar Navy and it signalled a success in New Delhis endeavours to limit the Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys influence on the military establishment in the neighbouring country. But soon after Shringalas visit, the Myanmar Navy unveiled another submarine it had received from the PLA. Myanmar army's brutal crackdown to curb protests against its rule has triggered an influx of refugees to Mizoram and Manipur. New Delhis reliance on its security cooperation with Myanmar Army to deal with the insurgency in its northeastern states also limited Indias scope to call out the military leaders for atrocities and human rights violations in the neighbouring country. Shringla conveyed New Delhis concerns to the military regime over the recent attack that killed a commander of the Assam Rifles, his wife and his son as well as four other soldiers in Churachandpur in Manipur on November 13 last. The attack was carried out by the militants who had sneaked into India from Myanmar. The Myanmar Army purportedly arrested some of the militants after the incident and handed them over to the security agencies of India. New Delhi will obviously be guided by its interests in its engagement with the military junta, even if its cautious approach disappoints democracy activists in Myanmar. Check out latest DH videos here I do not want to ask you for too much. If you cannot help me, do not get involved with the terrorist warlords. It is very shameful, a Myanmarese based in the United States tweeted, reacting to a post by the Indian embassy in Nay Pyi Taw about Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringlas visit to the neighbouring country on December 22 and 23 last. Shringlas visit to Nay Pyi Taw was the first high-level engagement between New Delhi and the military junta that took over power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and detaining the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. The foreign secretary called on Myanmar Army chief and de facto ruler senior general Min Aung Hlaing during his visit. This is a blatant affront to Myanmar people. Please note that the military doesnt represent the people of Myanmar at all. Shameful, India! another staunch supporter of the NLD tweeted, using the handle @AhLynn_Light. He also slammed the Indian embassy for failing to publicly condemn military coup and the crimes against humanity committed by the Tatmadaw or the Myanmar Army. Also read | FS Shringla emphasises Indias interest in seeing Myanmars return to democracy at earliest New Delhi has indeed been very cautious in its response to the military coup in Myanmar. It has been repeatedly calling for an early return to democracy in Myanmar. It also stressed the release of Suu Kyi and other political leaders and activists, whom the junta had put behind bars soon after staging the coup d'etat on February 1 last year as well as over the past few months to curb widespread protests against its takeover. It did not join the US and the European Union to respond to the coup with sanctions in Myanmar but rather pledged that it would continue its development projects in the country. India extended its support to the initiative by the Association of South-East Asian Nations to end violence and facilitate dialogue to restore peace in Myanmar. New Delhis strategic interests have always been holding it back from condemning the Myanmar Army. India has since long been trying to resist Chinas bid to expand its geopolitical influence in the South-East Asian nation. Even when Suu Kyi was held in detention by the military junta for 15 years between 1989 and 2010, New Delhi trod cautiously, avoiding ganging up with the western nations, which used sanctions to facilitate her release and return to democracy. It, however, did warm up to Suu Kyi after her release in 2010, led the NLD to victory in the 2015 elections and took over as the state counselor of the government. New Delhi also refrained from criticising Suu Kyi's government, when it drew flak for failing to stop the ethnic cleansing targeting the minority Rohingyas in Myanmar. Shringla did request a meeting with Suu Kyi, who continued to be held captive in an undisclosed location and was recently sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of one of the many charges the junta levelled against her. His request was turned down though. Shringla reiterated New Delhis call for the early return of democracy in Myanmar. But soon after his visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Hlaing made it clear that he had no plan to hold elections before August 2023. India in March 2020 gifted one of its submarines to Myanmar. It was the first submarine to be acquired by the Myanmar Navy and it signalled a success in New Delhis endeavours to limit the Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys influence on the military establishment in the neighbouring country. But soon after Shringalas visit, the Myanmar Navy unveiled another submarine it had received from the PLA. Myanmar army's brutal crackdown to curb protests against its rule has triggered an influx of refugees to Mizoram and Manipur. New Delhis reliance on its security cooperation with Myanmar Army to deal with the insurgency in its northeastern states also limited Indias scope to call out the military leaders for atrocities and human rights violations in the neighbouring country. Shringla conveyed New Delhis concerns to the military regime over the recent attack that killed a commander of the Assam Rifles, his wife and his son as well as four other soldiers in Churachandpur in Manipur on November 13 last. The attack was carried out by the militants who had sneaked into India from Myanmar. The Myanmar Army purportedly arrested some of the militants after the incident and handed them over to the security agencies of India. New Delhi will obviously be guided by its interests in its engagement with the military junta, even if its cautious approach disappoints democracy activists in Myanmar. Check out latest DH videos here I do not want to ask you for too much. If you cannot help me, do not get involved with the terrorist warlords. It is very shameful, a Myanmarese based in the United States tweeted, reacting to a post by the Indian embassy in Nay Pyi Taw about Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringlas visit to the neighbouring country on December 22 and 23 last. Shringlas visit to Nay Pyi Taw was the first high-level engagement between New Delhi and the military junta that took over power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and detaining the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. The foreign secretary called on Myanmar Army chief and de facto ruler senior general Min Aung Hlaing during his visit. This is a blatant affront to Myanmar people. Please note that the military doesnt represent the people of Myanmar at all. Shameful, India! another staunch supporter of the NLD tweeted, using the handle @AhLynn_Light. He also slammed the Indian embassy for failing to publicly condemn military coup and the crimes against humanity committed by the Tatmadaw or the Myanmar Army. Also read | FS Shringla emphasises Indias interest in seeing Myanmars return to democracy at earliest New Delhi has indeed been very cautious in its response to the military coup in Myanmar. It has been repeatedly calling for an early return to democracy in Myanmar. It also stressed the release of Suu Kyi and other political leaders and activists, whom the junta had put behind bars soon after staging the coup d'etat on February 1 last year as well as over the past few months to curb widespread protests against its takeover. It did not join the US and the European Union to respond to the coup with sanctions in Myanmar but rather pledged that it would continue its development projects in the country. India extended its support to the initiative by the Association of South-East Asian Nations to end violence and facilitate dialogue to restore peace in Myanmar. New Delhis strategic interests have always been holding it back from condemning the Myanmar Army. India has since long been trying to resist Chinas bid to expand its geopolitical influence in the South-East Asian nation. Even when Suu Kyi was held in detention by the military junta for 15 years between 1989 and 2010, New Delhi trod cautiously, avoiding ganging up with the western nations, which used sanctions to facilitate her release and return to democracy. It, however, did warm up to Suu Kyi after her release in 2010, led the NLD to victory in the 2015 elections and took over as the state counselor of the government. New Delhi also refrained from criticising Suu Kyi's government, when it drew flak for failing to stop the ethnic cleansing targeting the minority Rohingyas in Myanmar. Shringla did request a meeting with Suu Kyi, who continued to be held captive in an undisclosed location and was recently sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of one of the many charges the junta levelled against her. His request was turned down though. Shringla reiterated New Delhis call for the early return of democracy in Myanmar. But soon after his visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Hlaing made it clear that he had no plan to hold elections before August 2023. India in March 2020 gifted one of its submarines to Myanmar. It was the first submarine to be acquired by the Myanmar Navy and it signalled a success in New Delhis endeavours to limit the Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys influence on the military establishment in the neighbouring country. But soon after Shringalas visit, the Myanmar Navy unveiled another submarine it had received from the PLA. Myanmar army's brutal crackdown to curb protests against its rule has triggered an influx of refugees to Mizoram and Manipur. New Delhis reliance on its security cooperation with Myanmar Army to deal with the insurgency in its northeastern states also limited Indias scope to call out the military leaders for atrocities and human rights violations in the neighbouring country. Shringla conveyed New Delhis concerns to the military regime over the recent attack that killed a commander of the Assam Rifles, his wife and his son as well as four other soldiers in Churachandpur in Manipur on November 13 last. The attack was carried out by the militants who had sneaked into India from Myanmar. The Myanmar Army purportedly arrested some of the militants after the incident and handed them over to the security agencies of India. New Delhi will obviously be guided by its interests in its engagement with the military junta, even if its cautious approach disappoints democracy activists in Myanmar. Check out latest DH videos here I do not want to ask you for too much. If you cannot help me, do not get involved with the terrorist warlords. It is very shameful, a Myanmarese based in the United States tweeted, reacting to a post by the Indian embassy in Nay Pyi Taw about Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringlas visit to the neighbouring country on December 22 and 23 last. Shringlas visit to Nay Pyi Taw was the first high-level engagement between New Delhi and the military junta that took over power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and detaining the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. The foreign secretary called on Myanmar Army chief and de facto ruler senior general Min Aung Hlaing during his visit. This is a blatant affront to Myanmar people. Please note that the military doesnt represent the people of Myanmar at all. Shameful, India! another staunch supporter of the NLD tweeted, using the handle @AhLynn_Light. He also slammed the Indian embassy for failing to publicly condemn military coup and the crimes against humanity committed by the Tatmadaw or the Myanmar Army. Also read | FS Shringla emphasises Indias interest in seeing Myanmars return to democracy at earliest New Delhi has indeed been very cautious in its response to the military coup in Myanmar. It has been repeatedly calling for an early return to democracy in Myanmar. It also stressed the release of Suu Kyi and other political leaders and activists, whom the junta had put behind bars soon after staging the coup d'etat on February 1 last year as well as over the past few months to curb widespread protests against its takeover. It did not join the US and the European Union to respond to the coup with sanctions in Myanmar but rather pledged that it would continue its development projects in the country. India extended its support to the initiative by the Association of South-East Asian Nations to end violence and facilitate dialogue to restore peace in Myanmar. New Delhis strategic interests have always been holding it back from condemning the Myanmar Army. India has since long been trying to resist Chinas bid to expand its geopolitical influence in the South-East Asian nation. Even when Suu Kyi was held in detention by the military junta for 15 years between 1989 and 2010, New Delhi trod cautiously, avoiding ganging up with the western nations, which used sanctions to facilitate her release and return to democracy. It, however, did warm up to Suu Kyi after her release in 2010, led the NLD to victory in the 2015 elections and took over as the state counselor of the government. New Delhi also refrained from criticising Suu Kyi's government, when it drew flak for failing to stop the ethnic cleansing targeting the minority Rohingyas in Myanmar. Shringla did request a meeting with Suu Kyi, who continued to be held captive in an undisclosed location and was recently sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of one of the many charges the junta levelled against her. His request was turned down though. Shringla reiterated New Delhis call for the early return of democracy in Myanmar. But soon after his visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Hlaing made it clear that he had no plan to hold elections before August 2023. India in March 2020 gifted one of its submarines to Myanmar. It was the first submarine to be acquired by the Myanmar Navy and it signalled a success in New Delhis endeavours to limit the Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys influence on the military establishment in the neighbouring country. But soon after Shringalas visit, the Myanmar Navy unveiled another submarine it had received from the PLA. Myanmar army's brutal crackdown to curb protests against its rule has triggered an influx of refugees to Mizoram and Manipur. New Delhis reliance on its security cooperation with Myanmar Army to deal with the insurgency in its northeastern states also limited Indias scope to call out the military leaders for atrocities and human rights violations in the neighbouring country. Shringla conveyed New Delhis concerns to the military regime over the recent attack that killed a commander of the Assam Rifles, his wife and his son as well as four other soldiers in Churachandpur in Manipur on November 13 last. The attack was carried out by the militants who had sneaked into India from Myanmar. The Myanmar Army purportedly arrested some of the militants after the incident and handed them over to the security agencies of India. New Delhi will obviously be guided by its interests in its engagement with the military junta, even if its cautious approach disappoints democracy activists in Myanmar. Check out latest DH videos here I do not want to ask you for too much. If you cannot help me, do not get involved with the terrorist warlords. It is very shameful, a Myanmarese based in the United States tweeted, reacting to a post by the Indian embassy in Nay Pyi Taw about Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringlas visit to the neighbouring country on December 22 and 23 last. Shringlas visit to Nay Pyi Taw was the first high-level engagement between New Delhi and the military junta that took over power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and detaining the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. The foreign secretary called on Myanmar Army chief and de facto ruler senior general Min Aung Hlaing during his visit. This is a blatant affront to Myanmar people. Please note that the military doesnt represent the people of Myanmar at all. Shameful, India! another staunch supporter of the NLD tweeted, using the handle @AhLynn_Light. He also slammed the Indian embassy for failing to publicly condemn military coup and the crimes against humanity committed by the Tatmadaw or the Myanmar Army. Also read | FS Shringla emphasises Indias interest in seeing Myanmars return to democracy at earliest New Delhi has indeed been very cautious in its response to the military coup in Myanmar. It has been repeatedly calling for an early return to democracy in Myanmar. It also stressed the release of Suu Kyi and other political leaders and activists, whom the junta had put behind bars soon after staging the coup d'etat on February 1 last year as well as over the past few months to curb widespread protests against its takeover. It did not join the US and the European Union to respond to the coup with sanctions in Myanmar but rather pledged that it would continue its development projects in the country. India extended its support to the initiative by the Association of South-East Asian Nations to end violence and facilitate dialogue to restore peace in Myanmar. New Delhis strategic interests have always been holding it back from condemning the Myanmar Army. India has since long been trying to resist Chinas bid to expand its geopolitical influence in the South-East Asian nation. Even when Suu Kyi was held in detention by the military junta for 15 years between 1989 and 2010, New Delhi trod cautiously, avoiding ganging up with the western nations, which used sanctions to facilitate her release and return to democracy. It, however, did warm up to Suu Kyi after her release in 2010, led the NLD to victory in the 2015 elections and took over as the state counselor of the government. New Delhi also refrained from criticising Suu Kyi's government, when it drew flak for failing to stop the ethnic cleansing targeting the minority Rohingyas in Myanmar. Shringla did request a meeting with Suu Kyi, who continued to be held captive in an undisclosed location and was recently sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of one of the many charges the junta levelled against her. His request was turned down though. Shringla reiterated New Delhis call for the early return of democracy in Myanmar. But soon after his visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Hlaing made it clear that he had no plan to hold elections before August 2023. India in March 2020 gifted one of its submarines to Myanmar. It was the first submarine to be acquired by the Myanmar Navy and it signalled a success in New Delhis endeavours to limit the Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys influence on the military establishment in the neighbouring country. But soon after Shringalas visit, the Myanmar Navy unveiled another submarine it had received from the PLA. Myanmar army's brutal crackdown to curb protests against its rule has triggered an influx of refugees to Mizoram and Manipur. New Delhis reliance on its security cooperation with Myanmar Army to deal with the insurgency in its northeastern states also limited Indias scope to call out the military leaders for atrocities and human rights violations in the neighbouring country. Shringla conveyed New Delhis concerns to the military regime over the recent attack that killed a commander of the Assam Rifles, his wife and his son as well as four other soldiers in Churachandpur in Manipur on November 13 last. The attack was carried out by the militants who had sneaked into India from Myanmar. The Myanmar Army purportedly arrested some of the militants after the incident and handed them over to the security agencies of India. New Delhi will obviously be guided by its interests in its engagement with the military junta, even if its cautious approach disappoints democracy activists in Myanmar. Check out latest DH videos here https://sputniknews.com/20220101/india-may-complete-s-400-missile-rollout-in-punjab-in-february-reports-say-1091964978.html India May Complete S-400 Missile Rollout in Punjab in February, Reports Say India May Complete S-400 Missile Rollout in Punjab in February, Reports Say India may complete the rollout of new S-400 air defene weapons it bought from Russia at a Punjab air base near the Chinese and Pakistani border in February, the Republic World news website said on Saturday. 2022-01-01T16:30+0000 2022-01-01T16:30+0000 2022-07-19T10:41+0000 russia s-400 pakistan /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107666/51/1076665101_0:131:2501:1537_1920x0_80_0_0_15fe950852bd93b0218f55f42361897c.jpg The first regiment of Russian missiles was being moved to the northern frontier province of Punjab and it would take the air force at least six weeks to complete the deployment, the website added. India signed a $5.4 billion deal with the Russian arms maker Almaz-Antey in 2018 for the purchase of five surface-to-air missile systems as a deterrent against the neighbours, who lay rival claims to border territories. Relations between India and Pakistan have been particularly strained after New Delhi had stripped the state of Jammu and Kashmir of the semi-autonomous status in August 2019. Pakistan, which controls part of the region, slammed India's decision and cut diplomatic ties with the country. China, which controls some 20% of the Kashmir region, also criticised New Delhi's decision. India, however, argued that was "an internal matter concerning the territory of India" and added that the change of Jammu and Kashmir's status would "ensure integration and empowerment" in the region. Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International india-pakistan relations, s-400 https://sputniknews.com/20220101/india-may-complete-s-400-missile-rollout-in-punjab-in-february-reports-say-1091964978.html India May Complete S-400 Missile Rollout in Punjab in February, Reports Say India May Complete S-400 Missile Rollout in Punjab in February, Reports Say India may complete the rollout of new S-400 air defene weapons it bought from Russia at a Punjab air base near the Chinese and Pakistani border in February, the Republic World news website said on Saturday. 2022-01-01T16:30+0000 2022-01-01T16:30+0000 2022-07-19T10:41+0000 russia s-400 pakistan /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107666/51/1076665101_0:131:2501:1537_1920x0_80_0_0_15fe950852bd93b0218f55f42361897c.jpg The first regiment of Russian missiles was being moved to the northern frontier province of Punjab and it would take the air force at least six weeks to complete the deployment, the website added. India signed a $5.4 billion deal with the Russian arms maker Almaz-Antey in 2018 for the purchase of five surface-to-air missile systems as a deterrent against the neighbours, who lay rival claims to border territories. Relations between India and Pakistan have been particularly strained after New Delhi had stripped the state of Jammu and Kashmir of the semi-autonomous status in August 2019. Pakistan, which controls part of the region, slammed India's decision and cut diplomatic ties with the country. China, which controls some 20% of the Kashmir region, also criticised New Delhi's decision. India, however, argued that was "an internal matter concerning the territory of India" and added that the change of Jammu and Kashmir's status would "ensure integration and empowerment" in the region. Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International india-pakistan relations, s-400 Home Secretary Priti Patel has used her New Year message to promise a fresh crackdown on Insulate Britain's eco-mob and vowed to end the 'legal merry-go-round' of 'spurious' asylum seeker claims in 2022. In a video message shared across social media Ms Patel praised the Goverment's many achievements across 2021, such as its hiring of new police officers and publishing an anti-violence strategy to help women and girls. She also pointed to statistics showing that Britain's streets were safer than before following a significant drop in knife and gun crime and murders. But, the Home Secretary insisted there was still 'much more to do' in 2022, pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public'. She also said plans to introduce the new Nationality and Borders Bill would finally afford Britain the 'powers we need to deliver long overdue change' in our immigration system. Home Secretary Priti Patel has used her New Year message to promise a fresh crackdown on Insulate Britain's eco-mob and vowed to end the 'legal merry-go-round' of 'spurious' asylum seeker claims in 2022 In a video message, the Home Secretary insisted there was still 'much more to do' in 2022, pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public'. It follows a record-breaking year for migration into the UK, as 28,381 people made the perilous journey in 2021 - dwarfing the 8,410 who made the same treacherous trip in 2020. They came in at least 1,020 boats which were intercepted by UK authorities in the last 12 months. It means an average of 78 migrants arrived in three boats every day. Looking ahead to 2022, Ms Patel said it was 'vital' the Government's Police and Crime Bill passed through Parliament. 'The Bill will introduce mandatory life sentences for those who kill an emergency worker in the course of their duty and also crack down on the so-called eco-protesters on our roads and motorways that have caused misery to the law-abiding public,' she said. 'I will also continue to prioritise fixing our broken asylum system. It has been untouched for two decades, but passing our (Nationality and) Borders Bill into law in 2022 will finally give us the powers we need to deliver long overdue change. Ms Patel pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters such as Insulate Britain (above) who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public' Ms Patel praised the Goverment's many achievements across 2021, such as its hiring of new police officers and publishing an anti-violence strategy to help women and girls She also said plans to introduce the new Nationality and Borders Bill would finally afford Britain the 'powers we need to deliver long overdue change' in our immigration system 'A fairer system deterring illegal entry across the channel by cracking down on people smugglers and ending the legal merry-go-round of spurious asylum claims is what the British people expect and we will deliver.' Insulate Britain embarked on a two-month campaign of repeated motorway disruption throughout the end of 2021 before protestors were finally arrested and charged. The Home Secretary said she was proud that the Government had recruited more than 11,000 of the extra 20,000 police officers promised. Home Office figures to the end of September put the overall provisional headcount of officers in England and Wales at 139,908. This included 11,053 hired as part of the 20,000 pledge, a quarterly report on the progress of the scheme said, suggesting forces had recruited 55% of the total target. Ms Patel also said the streets were safer thanks to a reduction in knife crime, gun crime and murders. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there was an 8% decrease in knife-enabled crime in the year ending June 2021, compared with the previous year. It follows a record-breaking year or migration into the UK, with more than 26,000 migrants reaching Britain's shores since the start of the 2021. Pictured: A boat of migrants arrives at the Port of Dover, Kent Homicides were also down 11%, it said, while offences involving firearms fell by 6%. All figures were for crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales. However the ONS stressed that patterns of crime over that period had been 'significantly affected' by the Covid pandemic and Government instructions to limit social contact. Ms Patel said: 'The start of a new year is always a special time to reflect upon the previous year, but also to look ahead to what we want to achieve in the year to come.' She added: 'Whether it be cutting crime, keeping our country safe from terrorism, or controlling our borders, we have a range of plans in progress to deliver for the British people. 'That is an ambitious programme, but one I will be relentless in delivering as we focus on building back safer in the year ahead. I know we've got a lot of work to do in 2022. So let's get to it.' Home Secretary Priti Patel has used her New Year message to promise a fresh crackdown on Insulate Britain's eco-mob and vowed to end the 'legal merry-go-round' of 'spurious' asylum seeker claims in 2022. In a video message shared across social media Ms Patel praised the Goverment's many achievements across 2021, such as its hiring of new police officers and publishing an anti-violence strategy to help women and girls. She also pointed to statistics showing that Britain's streets were safer than before following a significant drop in knife and gun crime and murders. But, the Home Secretary insisted there was still 'much more to do' in 2022, pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public'. She also said plans to introduce the new Nationality and Borders Bill would finally afford Britain the 'powers we need to deliver long overdue change' in our immigration system. Home Secretary Priti Patel has used her New Year message to promise a fresh crackdown on Insulate Britain's eco-mob and vowed to end the 'legal merry-go-round' of 'spurious' asylum seeker claims in 2022 In a video message, the Home Secretary insisted there was still 'much more to do' in 2022, pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public'. It follows a record-breaking year for migration into the UK, as 28,381 people made the perilous journey in 2021 - dwarfing the 8,410 who made the same treacherous trip in 2020. They came in at least 1,020 boats which were intercepted by UK authorities in the last 12 months. It means an average of 78 migrants arrived in three boats every day. Looking ahead to 2022, Ms Patel said it was 'vital' the Government's Police and Crime Bill passed through Parliament. 'The Bill will introduce mandatory life sentences for those who kill an emergency worker in the course of their duty and also crack down on the so-called eco-protesters on our roads and motorways that have caused misery to the law-abiding public,' she said. 'I will also continue to prioritise fixing our broken asylum system. It has been untouched for two decades, but passing our (Nationality and) Borders Bill into law in 2022 will finally give us the powers we need to deliver long overdue change. Ms Patel pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters such as Insulate Britain (above) who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public' Ms Patel praised the Goverment's many achievements across 2021, such as its hiring of new police officers and publishing an anti-violence strategy to help women and girls She also said plans to introduce the new Nationality and Borders Bill would finally afford Britain the 'powers we need to deliver long overdue change' in our immigration system 'A fairer system deterring illegal entry across the channel by cracking down on people smugglers and ending the legal merry-go-round of spurious asylum claims is what the British people expect and we will deliver.' Insulate Britain embarked on a two-month campaign of repeated motorway disruption throughout the end of 2021 before protestors were finally arrested and charged. The Home Secretary said she was proud that the Government had recruited more than 11,000 of the extra 20,000 police officers promised. Home Office figures to the end of September put the overall provisional headcount of officers in England and Wales at 139,908. This included 11,053 hired as part of the 20,000 pledge, a quarterly report on the progress of the scheme said, suggesting forces had recruited 55% of the total target. Ms Patel also said the streets were safer thanks to a reduction in knife crime, gun crime and murders. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there was an 8% decrease in knife-enabled crime in the year ending June 2021, compared with the previous year. It follows a record-breaking year or migration into the UK, with more than 26,000 migrants reaching Britain's shores since the start of the 2021. Pictured: A boat of migrants arrives at the Port of Dover, Kent Homicides were also down 11%, it said, while offences involving firearms fell by 6%. All figures were for crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales. However the ONS stressed that patterns of crime over that period had been 'significantly affected' by the Covid pandemic and Government instructions to limit social contact. Ms Patel said: 'The start of a new year is always a special time to reflect upon the previous year, but also to look ahead to what we want to achieve in the year to come.' She added: 'Whether it be cutting crime, keeping our country safe from terrorism, or controlling our borders, we have a range of plans in progress to deliver for the British people. 'That is an ambitious programme, but one I will be relentless in delivering as we focus on building back safer in the year ahead. I know we've got a lot of work to do in 2022. So let's get to it.' Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Saturday said "some positive development" could be expected during the year with regard to Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in the state where militancy is on the wane. Sarma, a senior BJP leader of the North East, said "certain positive development" regarding the Act will take place soon in neighbouring Nagaland, where too it is in force. With militancy on the wane the Army has virtually withdrawn from Assam, except from five-six districts and when AFSPA comes up for renewal after four months the state government will take a pragmatic decision, he said. AFSPA has often been termed as "draconian" by political parties of the north east because of the special powers it grants to the Indian Armed Forces to maintain public order in "disturbed areas" and its withdrawal has been demanded by civil society groups and rights activists. It was imposed in Assam in November 1990 and has been extended every six months since then after a review by the state government. As far as AFSPA is concerned, Assam will see some rationalising in 2022 ... How and when we don't know. But I am an optimistic man. We are looking at 2022 as a year of hope. There will be some positive moments regarding the Act, Sarma told reporters here. On the continuation of AFSPA in Nagaland, he said the Centre has already formed a committee to look into the matter. "The committee will submit its report in 45 days and I am hopeful there will be certain positive development," he added. The Centre had on December 26 constituted a high-level committee headed by a secretary rank officer to examine the possibility of lifting the controversial AFSPA in Nagaland, apparently to soothe the rising tension in the northeastern state over the killing of 14 civilians. The committee was set up three days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting with Sarma and his Nagaland counterpart Neiphiu Rio. The demand for repeal of AFSPA from the north east came to the fore in December last year after 13 civilians were gunned down by the Army in a botched anti-insurgency operation in Nagaland and another person was killed in subsequent violence. The demand was made to the Centre even by the chief ministers of Nagaland and Meghalaya. The Act is in force in Manipur (excluding Imphal Municipal Council Area), in Changlang, Longding and Tirap districts of Arunachal Pradesh and areas falling within the jurisdiction of eight police stations of its districts bordering Assam, besides Nagaland and Assam. It was extended by six months in Nagaland by the Centre earlier this week. Sarma said tribal insurgency is almost over in Assam and credited the civil society organisations and students bodies for it. The era of tribal militancy is over. All militant groups, but the ULFA have come overground and deposited arms ... Our last hurdle is ULFA(I), he said. The tribals are now firm on standing against insurgency. There won't be any resurgence of militancy among them if we do not inflict any injustice on them, the chief minister said. Sarma said he has learnt from his personal interactions with people who are directly or indirectly in touch with ULFA(I) chief, Paresh Barua that the militant leader wants a negotiated settlement like the government. The stumbling block is sovereignty'. ULFA(I) will want discussion over it, which we cannot hold. We are working on breaking the deadlock, he said. The unilateral ceasefire called by ULFA(I) in response to his call for peace after assuming office in May last year is a positive step. The Assam government reciprocated by not engaging in any "direct conflict" with the outfit in the last eight months, Sarma said. But if we get information that people are trying to join ULFA(I) or its members are demanding money from the people then as the government we have to intervene, he added. Live TV President Joe Biden, right, accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, speaks to reporters after dining in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 31, 2021. (NIcholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) Biden to Speak With Zelensky After Warning Russia Not to Invade Ukraine U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak to Ukraines president this weekend after warning Russia not to invade Ukraine. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russias military build-up on Ukraines borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region, according to a White House official. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said in a statement that he looked forward to speaking to Biden to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe. Biden last spoke with Zelensky last month, when he promised no decisions or discussions would be made about Ukraine without Ukraine. Biden talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week for nearly an hour. According to the White House, Biden attempted to de-escalate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which was once part of the Soviet Union. I made it clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves and goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe with our NATO allies, and it will have to be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters on Friday in Wilmington, Delaware, where he and First Lady Jill Biden retreat to virtually every weekend. We laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, and we laid out ours. And we said wed begin to negotiate some of those issues. But I made it clear that they only could work if, in fact, he deescalated, not escalated, the situation there, Biden added. Russia has amassed troops at its border with Ukraine in recent weeks with estimates of more than 90,000 along the border and in Russian-annexed Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a recording of his annual televised New Years message on New Years eve in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. (Kremlin/Pool via AP) Russia has also repeatedly said Ukraine must not join NATO, a bloc of mostly European countries. The United States and its allies, though, have refused to offer Russia any guarantees, citing NATOs principle that membership is open to any qualifying country. Biden was vice president when Russia invaded Crimea. The Obama administration did not take military action but imposed sanctions on Russian leadership over the move. U.S. officials are set to meet in person with Russian counterparts in Geneva later this month to go over sticking points in ongoing negotiations. The talks will be supervised by the two presidents personally, Yuri Ushakov, a Putin aide, told reporters on Friday. Biden mentioned that if tension along Ukraines borders keeps escalating, Western countries will impose large-scale sanctions in economic, finance, and military spheres, Ushakov said. But our president immediately responded that if the West decides in this or other circumstances to impose the unprecedented sanctions mentioned, that could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries and cause the most severe damage to relations between Russia and the West. Nick Ciolino contributed to this report. President Joe Biden, right, accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, speaks to reporters after dining in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 31, 2021. (NIcholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) Biden to Speak With Zelensky After Warning Russia Not to Invade Ukraine U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak to Ukraines president this weekend after warning Russia not to invade Ukraine. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russias military build-up on Ukraines borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region, according to a White House official. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said in a statement that he looked forward to speaking to Biden to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe. Biden last spoke with Zelensky last month, when he promised no decisions or discussions would be made about Ukraine without Ukraine. Biden talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week for nearly an hour. According to the White House, Biden attempted to de-escalate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which was once part of the Soviet Union. I made it clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves and goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe with our NATO allies, and it will have to be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters on Friday in Wilmington, Delaware, where he and First Lady Jill Biden retreat to virtually every weekend. We laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, and we laid out ours. And we said wed begin to negotiate some of those issues. But I made it clear that they only could work if, in fact, he deescalated, not escalated, the situation there, Biden added. Russia has amassed troops at its border with Ukraine in recent weeks with estimates of more than 90,000 along the border and in Russian-annexed Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a recording of his annual televised New Years message on New Years eve in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. (Kremlin/Pool via AP) Russia has also repeatedly said Ukraine must not join NATO, a bloc of mostly European countries. The United States and its allies, though, have refused to offer Russia any guarantees, citing NATOs principle that membership is open to any qualifying country. Biden was vice president when Russia invaded Crimea. The Obama administration did not take military action but imposed sanctions on Russian leadership over the move. U.S. officials are set to meet in person with Russian counterparts in Geneva later this month to go over sticking points in ongoing negotiations. The talks will be supervised by the two presidents personally, Yuri Ushakov, a Putin aide, told reporters on Friday. Biden mentioned that if tension along Ukraines borders keeps escalating, Western countries will impose large-scale sanctions in economic, finance, and military spheres, Ushakov said. But our president immediately responded that if the West decides in this or other circumstances to impose the unprecedented sanctions mentioned, that could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries and cause the most severe damage to relations between Russia and the West. Nick Ciolino contributed to this report. In just his first few hours as mayor, Eric Adams had to confront New York City's spiraling crime problem head-on as he called police about an assault in progress. Footage posted to social media on Saturday showed Adams calling 911 as he passed through the Kosciuszko J stop in Brooklyn on his way to City Hall - and witnessed three men fighting on the street below. One of the men was seen punching another man on the ground. Later, one of the suspects lifts a victim up and continues to punch him. 'Yes, I'm at Broadway and Kosciuszko and I have an assault in progress,' Adams told officers on the phone as reporters followed the newly sworn-in mayor around town on his first day in office. 'No - assault in progress, not past assault,' the mayor soon clarifies. 'They are fighting each other on the street right now, three males.' The fight ended and two of the men left by the time two police patrol cars arrived. Officers spoke to the remaining man but stayed in their car, and Adams told reporters he would have investigated more had he been the officer at the scene. DailyMail.com has reached out to the NYPD for more information. As he made his way to City Hall for the first time on Saturday, New York City's new Mayor Eric Adams called 911 about three men brawling on the street Adams was passing through the Kosciuszko J stop in Brooklyn when he spotted the men They were seen in video tackling each other and punching one another in broad daylight Adams said that if he had been the officer on duty he would have handled the situation differently after cops spoke to the two men remaining on the street but stayed in their car Adams, 61, was sworn in as New York City's new mayor just after the ball dropped in Times Square at midnight on New Year's amid a 10-year-high murder rate. As of Thursday, the city had recorded 481 murders, which have been fueled by an increase in gun crime, according to city data. The last time the city hit more than 500 murders was 2011, under then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg, when homicides ended up totaling 515. The rest of the decade had seen a sharp decrease in murders, going down to 419 in 2012 and heading as low as 292 in 2017 under now former Mayor Bill de Blasio. But the numbers have climbed since, up to 462 in 2020 during the lockdown phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the city, which also saw stores hit by looting, and riots in the wake of George Floyd's murder. Those numbers have continued to go up this year, even as the city reopens, and are on pace to hit 10-year highs and the numbers continue to increase of late. Between November 28 and December 26, homicides were double what they were in the same period last year, with 41 murders compared to 24 in 2020. Overall, crime has risen 6.13 percent in New York City over 2020 through December 26. The biggest rise came in felony assaults like the ones previously mentioned, which rose 9.6 percent from 2020. Murders (4.1 percent), shooting victims (0.6 percent), rapes (3.3 percent), and robberies (4.7 percent) have also risen this year. Murders have gone up in New York City each of the last three years, with numbers hitting a 10-year high in 2021 As a mayoral candidate, Adams has said he wants to see a return of the kind of community policing of the mid-20th century that saw officers posted to certain blocks to 'rebuild trust.' Adams, a 22-year NYPD veteran who ran his campaign on public safety, said he will target areas where confidence in the police is low and give officers promotions based on how they are rated by local residents. 'The goal is to rebuild trust,' Adams told the New York Daily News. 'We can show people that these officers are human beings just like them. They have children. They have families. They have spouses. They want to go home safe, and they want you to go home safe.' He said he remembered an officer who walked the working-class neighborhood of Jamaica, Queens, where he grew up. 'He knew how to keep you out of trouble,' said Adams, noting that cops who are out in the community learn better to understand the people they are dealing with. 'I believe that that steady cop could differentiate between little Johnny just acting up,' Adams told the paper, 'and little Johnny carrying a gun.' He has also advocated for a return of the controversial stop-and-frisk policy, claiming it 'is a perfectly legal, appropriate and constitutional tool, when used smartly,' and has vowed to bring back an anticrime unit after it was disbanded by Police Commissioner Dermot Shea last year. When he got on the subway Saturday morning, Adams hugged commuter Pauline Munemya Adams held his first cabinet meeting at City Hall on Saturday morning Adams will also face a surge in new COVID cases amid the spread of the Omicron variant. As of Friday, New York City was seeing a daily average 26.94 percent positivity rate, with 22,964 confirmed cases over the past week, 329 hospitalizations and 23 deaths. The surge in cases has shut down some Broadway shows and left restaurants and bars crunched as workers tested positive for the virus. Several subway lines were also suspended because positive test results among transit workers left too few staffers to run regular trains. Adams said this week that he plans to keep in place many of the policies of outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio, including vaccine mandates that are among the strictest in the nation. The city's municipal workforce is required to be vaccinated, as is anyone trying to dine indoors, see a show, workout at a gym or attend a conference. But New York City has also newly required employees in the private sector to get their shots, the most sweeping mandate of any state or big city and a policy Adams said he will preserve. De Blasio said Thursday that 94 percent of the city's public workforce is vaccinated. Adams said 72 percent of New Yorkers are fully vaccinated. In total, 72.3 percent of all New York City residents were fully vaccinated by Friday, with 9 percent partially vaccinated and 18.7 percent not yet vaccinated. The new mayor is now considering whether to expand vaccine mandates and plans to distribute face masks and rapid tests, as well as introduce a color-coded system alerting New Yorkers to the current threat level. Adams has said he is excited to show New Yorkers he is one of them Adams spoke to New Yorkers on his way to work, as he vowed to keep kids in school amid a surge in COVID cases Still, Adams said on Saturday he is prepared to meet the challenges ahead, outlining to reporters how he wants an analysis of the city employees out sick with COVID and 'make sure we have a real plan in place for Monday for testing for analysis of the number of students that we believe will appear in school and just get that plan together for Monday because schools will be open.' Adams arrived at City Hall at around 8.30am after taking the subway to work, and said he was excited to start the day. 'I'm looking forward to showing New Yorkers that I'm one of them. I take the train, I'm going to put in long hours - no one in this city is going to outwork me, they trusted me. 'As I move around this city, I'm seeing the energy from New Yorkers. 'You know, there's a new hope that I'm seeing that's just amazing, there's a feeling of "You know, Eric, we're going to give you the support you need," and you know, you saw the excitement that we now have someone who has gone through a lot, who is now going to help people who are going through a lot.' Adams held his first cabinet meeting Saturday morning and planned to give a speech at noon. On Saturday afternoon, he is scheduled to visit a police precinct in Queens where he was beaten by police officers as a teenager. Home Secretary Priti Patel has used her New Year message to promise a fresh crackdown on Insulate Britain's eco-mob and vowed to end the 'legal merry-go-round' of 'spurious' asylum seeker claims in 2022. In a video message shared across social media Ms Patel praised the Goverment's many achievements across 2021, such as its hiring of new police officers and publishing an anti-violence strategy to help women and girls. She also pointed to statistics showing that Britain's streets were safer than before following a significant drop in knife and gun crime and murders. But, the Home Secretary insisted there was still 'much more to do' in 2022, pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public'. She also said plans to introduce the new Nationality and Borders Bill would finally afford Britain the 'powers we need to deliver long overdue change' in our immigration system. Home Secretary Priti Patel has used her New Year message to promise a fresh crackdown on Insulate Britain's eco-mob and vowed to end the 'legal merry-go-round' of 'spurious' asylum seeker claims in 2022 In a video message, the Home Secretary insisted there was still 'much more to do' in 2022, pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public'. It follows a record-breaking year for migration into the UK, as 28,381 people made the perilous journey in 2021 - dwarfing the 8,410 who made the same treacherous trip in 2020. They came in at least 1,020 boats which were intercepted by UK authorities in the last 12 months. It means an average of 78 migrants arrived in three boats every day. Looking ahead to 2022, Ms Patel said it was 'vital' the Government's Police and Crime Bill passed through Parliament. 'The Bill will introduce mandatory life sentences for those who kill an emergency worker in the course of their duty and also crack down on the so-called eco-protesters on our roads and motorways that have caused misery to the law-abiding public,' she said. 'I will also continue to prioritise fixing our broken asylum system. It has been untouched for two decades, but passing our (Nationality and) Borders Bill into law in 2022 will finally give us the powers we need to deliver long overdue change. Ms Patel pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters such as Insulate Britain (above) who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public' Ms Patel praised the Goverment's many achievements across 2021, such as its hiring of new police officers and publishing an anti-violence strategy to help women and girls She also said plans to introduce the new Nationality and Borders Bill would finally afford Britain the 'powers we need to deliver long overdue change' in our immigration system 'A fairer system deterring illegal entry across the channel by cracking down on people smugglers and ending the legal merry-go-round of spurious asylum claims is what the British people expect and we will deliver.' Insulate Britain embarked on a two-month campaign of repeated motorway disruption throughout the end of 2021 before protestors were finally arrested and charged. The Home Secretary said she was proud that the Government had recruited more than 11,000 of the extra 20,000 police officers promised. Home Office figures to the end of September put the overall provisional headcount of officers in England and Wales at 139,908. This included 11,053 hired as part of the 20,000 pledge, a quarterly report on the progress of the scheme said, suggesting forces had recruited 55% of the total target. Ms Patel also said the streets were safer thanks to a reduction in knife crime, gun crime and murders. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there was an 8% decrease in knife-enabled crime in the year ending June 2021, compared with the previous year. It follows a record-breaking year or migration into the UK, with more than 26,000 migrants reaching Britain's shores since the start of the 2021. Pictured: A boat of migrants arrives at the Port of Dover, Kent Homicides were also down 11%, it said, while offences involving firearms fell by 6%. All figures were for crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales. However the ONS stressed that patterns of crime over that period had been 'significantly affected' by the Covid pandemic and Government instructions to limit social contact. Ms Patel said: 'The start of a new year is always a special time to reflect upon the previous year, but also to look ahead to what we want to achieve in the year to come.' She added: 'Whether it be cutting crime, keeping our country safe from terrorism, or controlling our borders, we have a range of plans in progress to deliver for the British people. 'That is an ambitious programme, but one I will be relentless in delivering as we focus on building back safer in the year ahead. I know we've got a lot of work to do in 2022. So let's get to it.' The announcement was made by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray at a meeting of the urban development department today. Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde, Guardian Minister of Mumbai Aslam Shaikh, Maharashtra Minister Aaditya Thackeray and Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar attended the meeting. Thackeray directed officials to implement the decision with immediate effect, said the Chief Minister's Office. According to the Maharashtra government, the decision will benefit owners of over 16 lakh houses below 500 sq feet in Mumbai. Worth mentioning, the move comes ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls to be held next month. Waiving of property tax of small residential units was the part of the election manifesto of Shiv Sena that rules the BMC, in the 2017 BMC polls. (ANI) A new 9-unit classroom block with a Mosque has been built for the Saquafiyya Islamic school in the Obuasi Municipality. The facility was initiated by two Arab brothers from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Hassan Al- Karbi and Saad Al Quarni. At a short ceremony to commission the two magnificent projects, Hassan Al- Karbi said they were moved to assist the school after one Alhaji Abdul Basit contacted them about the plight of the school. He appealed to Muslim parents to make the education of their children a priority by investing in it. He again called on Muslims to unite and support each other. He said, " as Muslims, we should not always rely on the benevolence of others. We should unite, work hard and support each other. This is the only way the Muslim communities can develop". The Headmaster of Saquafiyya JHS lauded the two brothers for coming to the aid of the school. He said though Government is doing its bit to assist the school, the benevolence of individuals and groups is needed to complement the efforts of Government. He said it behoves on management of the school as well as students to do their best to protect the facilities to stand the test of time. He made a passionate appeal to other benevolent groups to come to the aid of the school. He said " with such assistance coming from groups and individuals, we believe that the Saquafiyya Islamic school can compete with other schools within the Municipality ". Suleman Dawud who represented the Municipal Director of Education added his voice on the need for Muslims to prioritize education. He mentioned that Islam was founded on education. He said Islamic history has it when the Quran was handed over to the Prophet Muhammad, he was told IQRA which means to recite. He stressed, " you cannot recite if you do not know anything hence knowledge acquisition is compulsory for all Muslims ". Whiles praising the two brothers for their kind gesture, Mr. Dawud appealed to them and other benevolent organisations to help develop a project that was handed over to the Obuasi Chief Zongo by the Muslim Workers Association, to be converted into a vocational school. A representative of the Obuasi Chief Zongo, Alhaji Abdul Karim Cesay appealed to the school authorities to make sure they protect the facilities to become useful in the future. He also emphasised the importance of education to the Muslim community. The Assemblymember for Gauso East Electoral area Hon. Dauda Tahiru added his voice to the calls for Muslim groups and individuals to invest in education. He said, " As Muslims, we must see education as the only means through which we can prosper hence the need for all well meaning Muslims to invest in education". Leaders of the Muslim community in Obuasi, teachers and students of the school as well as members of the community were present at the ceremony. President Joe Biden, right, accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, speaks to reporters after dining in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 31, 2021. (NIcholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) Biden to Speak With Zelensky After Warning Russia Not to Invade Ukraine U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak to Ukraines president this weekend after warning Russia not to invade Ukraine. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russias military build-up on Ukraines borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region, according to a White House official. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said in a statement that he looked forward to speaking to Biden to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe. Biden last spoke with Zelensky last month, when he promised no decisions or discussions would be made about Ukraine without Ukraine. Biden talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week for nearly an hour. According to the White House, Biden attempted to de-escalate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which was once part of the Soviet Union. I made it clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves and goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe with our NATO allies, and it will have to be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters on Friday in Wilmington, Delaware, where he and First Lady Jill Biden retreat to virtually every weekend. We laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, and we laid out ours. And we said wed begin to negotiate some of those issues. But I made it clear that they only could work if, in fact, he deescalated, not escalated, the situation there, Biden added. Russia has amassed troops at its border with Ukraine in recent weeks with estimates of more than 90,000 along the border and in Russian-annexed Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a recording of his annual televised New Years message on New Years eve in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. (Kremlin/Pool via AP) Russia has also repeatedly said Ukraine must not join NATO, a bloc of mostly European countries. The United States and its allies, though, have refused to offer Russia any guarantees, citing NATOs principle that membership is open to any qualifying country. Biden was vice president when Russia invaded Crimea. The Obama administration did not take military action but imposed sanctions on Russian leadership over the move. U.S. officials are set to meet in person with Russian counterparts in Geneva later this month to go over sticking points in ongoing negotiations. The talks will be supervised by the two presidents personally, Yuri Ushakov, a Putin aide, told reporters on Friday. Biden mentioned that if tension along Ukraines borders keeps escalating, Western countries will impose large-scale sanctions in economic, finance, and military spheres, Ushakov said. But our president immediately responded that if the West decides in this or other circumstances to impose the unprecedented sanctions mentioned, that could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries and cause the most severe damage to relations between Russia and the West. Nick Ciolino contributed to this report. Vietnam has taken 17 years to build 1,163 km (723 miles) of expressways, far short of the original goal to have 5,870 km built by 2020. The construction of Vietnam's expressways was planned in the 2000s in the context of the transnational highway system's deterioration, the absence of an expressway system to connect commercial hub HCMC with agriculture and aquaculture hub Mekong Delta and neighboring localities. In December 2004, work began on the country's first expressway the HCMC-Trung Luong Expressway. Stretching 61 km (38 miles), the much-anticipated VND9.88 trillion ($433.6 million) project and was funded with official development assistance (ODA) loans. After six years, the project has been completed, shortening the traveling time from HCMC to Tien Giang Province from 90 to 30 minutes and helping ease traffic gridlocks along the National Highway 1A through Long An Province. It is still the only expressway to connect HCMC and the Mekong Delta to date. Trung Luong - My Thuan Expressway, the extension of the HCMC Trung Luong route, is under construction in Tien Giang Province, January 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran In 2006, the first expressway in the north, Cau Gie - Ninh Binh, was built with ODA loans to connect Hanoi and neighboring Ninh Binh Province, facilitating traffic flow at the southern gateway of the capital city. Following up on the efficiency of the first two expressways and the urgency of investing in traffic infrastructure to serve socio-economic development, the government approved in 2008 a master plan on developing an expressway network until 2020 with vision until 2020. The plan comprised 22 expressway projects with a total length of 5,873 km. In Jan. 2011, the 11th Party Congress passed a resolution which identified many limitations in the traffic infrastructure system that were a bottleneck of the nation's development. The resolution said investing in the expressway system was an important driving force for the country's progress. It set a target of having 2,000 km of expressways by 2020. However, Vietnam has only finished building 1,163 km (723 miles) of expressways, with 89 km opened to traffic by 2010 and another 1,074 km by 2020. Construction is underway on another 916 km, with the completion target set for 2023. The Ministry of Transport estimates the speed of expressway construction in Vietnam at 74 km per year on average, just 1.5 percent that of China. Explaining the slow progress, the ministry has cited the country's limited financial resources, saying the state budget can only meet investment for renovating and upgrading the national highway system. This is why several expressways before 2010 were built with ODA loans, it has said. Tran Chung, chairman of the Vietnam Association of Road Traffic Investors, also said that before 2015, the budget was limited and it was not easy to access ODA loans. The policy framework for attracting private investment into public projects had not been completed, creating difficulties in implementing expressway projects. In the 2010-2015 period, the investment policy in the form of public-private partnership (PPP) had become more complete, allowing the government to start work on more expressways under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) format, including four in the north: Hoa Lac Hoa Binh, Thai Nguyen Cho Moi, Bac Giang Lang Son; and the Trung Luong My Thuan Expressway in the south, which is also an extension of the HCMC Trung Luong route. However, private investors found problems with the PPP mechanisms. For example, the Hanoi Hai Phong Expressway was finished in 2015, but a sum of more than VND4.7 trillion ($206 million) that the state had pledged for the project is yet to be paid to the investor, the Vietnam Infrastructure Development and Finance Investment Joint Stock Company. In a similar situation, the investor of the Deo Ca Tunnel, which connects the central provinces of Khanh Hoa and Phu Yen, has not received the VND1.18 trillion pledged by the state since its completion in 2017. A part of the Noi Bai - Lao Cai Expressway that connects Hanoi with Lao Cai Province, home to tourist town Sa Pa, November 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy In addition to the slow pace progress and difficulties in attracting private investment, Vietnam's expressway network is not evenly distributed among regions. It remains limited in the Mekong Delta, the southeast (home to HCMC and industrial hubs of Binh Duong and Dong Nai), the Central Highlands and the northwest regions. The Mekong Delta is home to 20 million people, or a fifth of Vietnam's population, but there is only one expressway to connect it with the rest of the country. This has made the transportation of goods more difficult, increased logistics costs and exerted greater pressure on National Highway 1A, resulting in chronic congestion on this route. The four Central Highlands provinces of Dak Lak, Kon Tum, Gia Lai and Dak Nong do not have any expressways while national highways and provincial roads are not in good condition, making it difficult for local agricultural products to access seaports and reach domestic and international markets. Many legislators have more than once raised the issue at parliament sessions and called on the transport sector to speed up construction of expressways in these areas. President Joe Biden, right, accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, speaks to reporters after dining in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 31, 2021. (NIcholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) Biden to Speak With Zelensky After Warning Russia Not to Invade Ukraine U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak to Ukraines president this weekend after warning Russia not to invade Ukraine. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russias military build-up on Ukraines borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region, according to a White House official. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said in a statement that he looked forward to speaking to Biden to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe. Biden last spoke with Zelensky last month, when he promised no decisions or discussions would be made about Ukraine without Ukraine. Biden talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week for nearly an hour. According to the White House, Biden attempted to de-escalate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which was once part of the Soviet Union. I made it clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves and goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe with our NATO allies, and it will have to be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters on Friday in Wilmington, Delaware, where he and First Lady Jill Biden retreat to virtually every weekend. We laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, and we laid out ours. And we said wed begin to negotiate some of those issues. But I made it clear that they only could work if, in fact, he deescalated, not escalated, the situation there, Biden added. Russia has amassed troops at its border with Ukraine in recent weeks with estimates of more than 90,000 along the border and in Russian-annexed Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a recording of his annual televised New Years message on New Years eve in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. (Kremlin/Pool via AP) Russia has also repeatedly said Ukraine must not join NATO, a bloc of mostly European countries. The United States and its allies, though, have refused to offer Russia any guarantees, citing NATOs principle that membership is open to any qualifying country. Biden was vice president when Russia invaded Crimea. The Obama administration did not take military action but imposed sanctions on Russian leadership over the move. U.S. officials are set to meet in person with Russian counterparts in Geneva later this month to go over sticking points in ongoing negotiations. The talks will be supervised by the two presidents personally, Yuri Ushakov, a Putin aide, told reporters on Friday. Biden mentioned that if tension along Ukraines borders keeps escalating, Western countries will impose large-scale sanctions in economic, finance, and military spheres, Ushakov said. But our president immediately responded that if the West decides in this or other circumstances to impose the unprecedented sanctions mentioned, that could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries and cause the most severe damage to relations between Russia and the West. Nick Ciolino contributed to this report. President Joe Biden, right, accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, speaks to reporters after dining in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 31, 2021. (NIcholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) Biden to Speak With Zelensky After Warning Russia Not to Invade Ukraine U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak to Ukraines president this weekend after warning Russia not to invade Ukraine. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russias military build-up on Ukraines borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region, according to a White House official. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said in a statement that he looked forward to speaking to Biden to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe. Biden last spoke with Zelensky last month, when he promised no decisions or discussions would be made about Ukraine without Ukraine. Biden talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week for nearly an hour. According to the White House, Biden attempted to de-escalate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which was once part of the Soviet Union. I made it clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves and goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe with our NATO allies, and it will have to be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters on Friday in Wilmington, Delaware, where he and First Lady Jill Biden retreat to virtually every weekend. We laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, and we laid out ours. And we said wed begin to negotiate some of those issues. But I made it clear that they only could work if, in fact, he deescalated, not escalated, the situation there, Biden added. Russia has amassed troops at its border with Ukraine in recent weeks with estimates of more than 90,000 along the border and in Russian-annexed Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a recording of his annual televised New Years message on New Years eve in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. (Kremlin/Pool via AP) Russia has also repeatedly said Ukraine must not join NATO, a bloc of mostly European countries. The United States and its allies, though, have refused to offer Russia any guarantees, citing NATOs principle that membership is open to any qualifying country. Biden was vice president when Russia invaded Crimea. The Obama administration did not take military action but imposed sanctions on Russian leadership over the move. U.S. officials are set to meet in person with Russian counterparts in Geneva later this month to go over sticking points in ongoing negotiations. The talks will be supervised by the two presidents personally, Yuri Ushakov, a Putin aide, told reporters on Friday. Biden mentioned that if tension along Ukraines borders keeps escalating, Western countries will impose large-scale sanctions in economic, finance, and military spheres, Ushakov said. But our president immediately responded that if the West decides in this or other circumstances to impose the unprecedented sanctions mentioned, that could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries and cause the most severe damage to relations between Russia and the West. Nick Ciolino contributed to this report. Home Secretary Priti Patel has used her New Year message to promise a fresh crackdown on Insulate Britain's eco-mob and vowed to end the 'legal merry-go-round' of 'spurious' asylum seeker claims in 2022. In a video message shared across social media Ms Patel praised the Goverment's many achievements across 2021, such as its hiring of new police officers and publishing an anti-violence strategy to help women and girls. She also pointed to statistics showing that Britain's streets were safer than before following a significant drop in knife and gun crime and murders. But, the Home Secretary insisted there was still 'much more to do' in 2022, pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public'. She also said plans to introduce the new Nationality and Borders Bill would finally afford Britain the 'powers we need to deliver long overdue change' in our immigration system. Home Secretary Priti Patel has used her New Year message to promise a fresh crackdown on Insulate Britain's eco-mob and vowed to end the 'legal merry-go-round' of 'spurious' asylum seeker claims in 2022 In a video message, the Home Secretary insisted there was still 'much more to do' in 2022, pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public'. It follows a record-breaking year for migration into the UK, as 28,381 people made the perilous journey in 2021 - dwarfing the 8,410 who made the same treacherous trip in 2020. They came in at least 1,020 boats which were intercepted by UK authorities in the last 12 months. It means an average of 78 migrants arrived in three boats every day. Looking ahead to 2022, Ms Patel said it was 'vital' the Government's Police and Crime Bill passed through Parliament. 'The Bill will introduce mandatory life sentences for those who kill an emergency worker in the course of their duty and also crack down on the so-called eco-protesters on our roads and motorways that have caused misery to the law-abiding public,' she said. 'I will also continue to prioritise fixing our broken asylum system. It has been untouched for two decades, but passing our (Nationality and) Borders Bill into law in 2022 will finally give us the powers we need to deliver long overdue change. Ms Patel pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters such as Insulate Britain (above) who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public' Ms Patel praised the Goverment's many achievements across 2021, such as its hiring of new police officers and publishing an anti-violence strategy to help women and girls She also said plans to introduce the new Nationality and Borders Bill would finally afford Britain the 'powers we need to deliver long overdue change' in our immigration system 'A fairer system deterring illegal entry across the channel by cracking down on people smugglers and ending the legal merry-go-round of spurious asylum claims is what the British people expect and we will deliver.' Insulate Britain embarked on a two-month campaign of repeated motorway disruption throughout the end of 2021 before protestors were finally arrested and charged. The Home Secretary said she was proud that the Government had recruited more than 11,000 of the extra 20,000 police officers promised. Home Office figures to the end of September put the overall provisional headcount of officers in England and Wales at 139,908. This included 11,053 hired as part of the 20,000 pledge, a quarterly report on the progress of the scheme said, suggesting forces had recruited 55% of the total target. Ms Patel also said the streets were safer thanks to a reduction in knife crime, gun crime and murders. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there was an 8% decrease in knife-enabled crime in the year ending June 2021, compared with the previous year. It follows a record-breaking year or migration into the UK, with more than 26,000 migrants reaching Britain's shores since the start of the 2021. Pictured: A boat of migrants arrives at the Port of Dover, Kent Homicides were also down 11%, it said, while offences involving firearms fell by 6%. All figures were for crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales. However the ONS stressed that patterns of crime over that period had been 'significantly affected' by the Covid pandemic and Government instructions to limit social contact. Ms Patel said: 'The start of a new year is always a special time to reflect upon the previous year, but also to look ahead to what we want to achieve in the year to come.' She added: 'Whether it be cutting crime, keeping our country safe from terrorism, or controlling our borders, we have a range of plans in progress to deliver for the British people. 'That is an ambitious programme, but one I will be relentless in delivering as we focus on building back safer in the year ahead. I know we've got a lot of work to do in 2022. So let's get to it.' A new 9-unit classroom block with a Mosque has been built for the Saquafiyya Islamic school in the Obuasi Municipality. The facility was initiated by two Arab brothers from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Hassan Al- Karbi and Saad Al Quarni. At a short ceremony to commission the two magnificent projects, Hassan Al- Karbi said they were moved to assist the school after one Alhaji Abdul Basit contacted them about the plight of the school. He appealed to Muslim parents to make the education of their children a priority by investing in it. He again called on Muslims to unite and support each other. He said, " as Muslims, we should not always rely on the benevolence of others. We should unite, work hard and support each other. This is the only way the Muslim communities can develop". The Headmaster of Saquafiyya JHS lauded the two brothers for coming to the aid of the school. He said though Government is doing its bit to assist the school, the benevolence of individuals and groups is needed to complement the efforts of Government. He said it behoves on management of the school as well as students to do their best to protect the facilities to stand the test of time. He made a passionate appeal to other benevolent groups to come to the aid of the school. He said " with such assistance coming from groups and individuals, we believe that the Saquafiyya Islamic school can compete with other schools within the Municipality ". Suleman Dawud who represented the Municipal Director of Education added his voice on the need for Muslims to prioritize education. He mentioned that Islam was founded on education. He said Islamic history has it when the Quran was handed over to the Prophet Muhammad, he was told IQRA which means to recite. He stressed, " you cannot recite if you do not know anything hence knowledge acquisition is compulsory for all Muslims ". Whiles praising the two brothers for their kind gesture, Mr. Dawud appealed to them and other benevolent organisations to help develop a project that was handed over to the Obuasi Chief Zongo by the Muslim Workers Association, to be converted into a vocational school. A representative of the Obuasi Chief Zongo, Alhaji Abdul Karim Cesay appealed to the school authorities to make sure they protect the facilities to become useful in the future. He also emphasised the importance of education to the Muslim community. The Assemblymember for Gauso East Electoral area Hon. Dauda Tahiru added his voice to the calls for Muslim groups and individuals to invest in education. He said, " As Muslims, we must see education as the only means through which we can prosper hence the need for all well meaning Muslims to invest in education". Leaders of the Muslim community in Obuasi, teachers and students of the school as well as members of the community were present at the ceremony. In just his first few hours as mayor, Eric Adams had to confront New York City's spiraling crime problem head-on as he called police about an assault in progress. Footage posted to social media on Saturday showed Adams calling 911 as he passed through the Kosciuszko J stop in Brooklyn on his way to City Hall - and witnessed three men fighting on the street below. One of the men was seen punching another man on the ground. Later, one of the suspects lifts a victim up and continues to punch him. 'Yes, I'm at Broadway and Kosciuszko and I have an assault in progress,' Adams told officers on the phone as reporters followed the newly sworn-in mayor around town on his first day in office. 'No - assault in progress, not past assault,' the mayor soon clarifies. 'They are fighting each other on the street right now, three males.' The fight ended and two of the men left by the time two police patrol cars arrived. Officers spoke to the remaining man but stayed in their car, and Adams told reporters he would have investigated more had he been the officer at the scene. DailyMail.com has reached out to the NYPD for more information. As he made his way to City Hall for the first time on Saturday, New York City's new Mayor Eric Adams called 911 about three men brawling on the street Adams was passing through the Kosciuszko J stop in Brooklyn when he spotted the men They were seen in video tackling each other and punching one another in broad daylight Adams said that if he had been the officer on duty he would have handled the situation differently after cops spoke to the two men remaining on the street but stayed in their car Adams, 61, was sworn in as New York City's new mayor just after the ball dropped in Times Square at midnight on New Year's amid a 10-year-high murder rate. As of Thursday, the city had recorded 481 murders, which have been fueled by an increase in gun crime, according to city data. The last time the city hit more than 500 murders was 2011, under then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg, when homicides ended up totaling 515. The rest of the decade had seen a sharp decrease in murders, going down to 419 in 2012 and heading as low as 292 in 2017 under now former Mayor Bill de Blasio. But the numbers have climbed since, up to 462 in 2020 during the lockdown phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the city, which also saw stores hit by looting, and riots in the wake of George Floyd's murder. Those numbers have continued to go up this year, even as the city reopens, and are on pace to hit 10-year highs and the numbers continue to increase of late. Between November 28 and December 26, homicides were double what they were in the same period last year, with 41 murders compared to 24 in 2020. Overall, crime has risen 6.13 percent in New York City over 2020 through December 26. The biggest rise came in felony assaults like the ones previously mentioned, which rose 9.6 percent from 2020. Murders (4.1 percent), shooting victims (0.6 percent), rapes (3.3 percent), and robberies (4.7 percent) have also risen this year. Murders have gone up in New York City each of the last three years, with numbers hitting a 10-year high in 2021 As a mayoral candidate, Adams has said he wants to see a return of the kind of community policing of the mid-20th century that saw officers posted to certain blocks to 'rebuild trust.' Adams, a 22-year NYPD veteran who ran his campaign on public safety, said he will target areas where confidence in the police is low and give officers promotions based on how they are rated by local residents. 'The goal is to rebuild trust,' Adams told the New York Daily News. 'We can show people that these officers are human beings just like them. They have children. They have families. They have spouses. They want to go home safe, and they want you to go home safe.' He said he remembered an officer who walked the working-class neighborhood of Jamaica, Queens, where he grew up. 'He knew how to keep you out of trouble,' said Adams, noting that cops who are out in the community learn better to understand the people they are dealing with. 'I believe that that steady cop could differentiate between little Johnny just acting up,' Adams told the paper, 'and little Johnny carrying a gun.' He has also advocated for a return of the controversial stop-and-frisk policy, claiming it 'is a perfectly legal, appropriate and constitutional tool, when used smartly,' and has vowed to bring back an anticrime unit after it was disbanded by Police Commissioner Dermot Shea last year. When he got on the subway Saturday morning, Adams hugged commuter Pauline Munemya Adams held his first cabinet meeting at City Hall on Saturday morning Adams will also face a surge in new COVID cases amid the spread of the Omicron variant. As of Friday, New York City was seeing a daily average 26.94 percent positivity rate, with 22,964 confirmed cases over the past week, 329 hospitalizations and 23 deaths. The surge in cases has shut down some Broadway shows and left restaurants and bars crunched as workers tested positive for the virus. Several subway lines were also suspended because positive test results among transit workers left too few staffers to run regular trains. Adams said this week that he plans to keep in place many of the policies of outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio, including vaccine mandates that are among the strictest in the nation. The city's municipal workforce is required to be vaccinated, as is anyone trying to dine indoors, see a show, workout at a gym or attend a conference. But New York City has also newly required employees in the private sector to get their shots, the most sweeping mandate of any state or big city and a policy Adams said he will preserve. De Blasio said Thursday that 94 percent of the city's public workforce is vaccinated. Adams said 72 percent of New Yorkers are fully vaccinated. In total, 72.3 percent of all New York City residents were fully vaccinated by Friday, with 9 percent partially vaccinated and 18.7 percent not yet vaccinated. The new mayor is now considering whether to expand vaccine mandates and plans to distribute face masks and rapid tests, as well as introduce a color-coded system alerting New Yorkers to the current threat level. Adams has said he is excited to show New Yorkers he is one of them Adams spoke to New Yorkers on his way to work, as he vowed to keep kids in school amid a surge in COVID cases Still, Adams said on Saturday he is prepared to meet the challenges ahead, outlining to reporters how he wants an analysis of the city employees out sick with COVID and 'make sure we have a real plan in place for Monday for testing for analysis of the number of students that we believe will appear in school and just get that plan together for Monday because schools will be open.' Adams arrived at City Hall at around 8.30am after taking the subway to work, and said he was excited to start the day. 'I'm looking forward to showing New Yorkers that I'm one of them. I take the train, I'm going to put in long hours - no one in this city is going to outwork me, they trusted me. 'As I move around this city, I'm seeing the energy from New Yorkers. 'You know, there's a new hope that I'm seeing that's just amazing, there's a feeling of "You know, Eric, we're going to give you the support you need," and you know, you saw the excitement that we now have someone who has gone through a lot, who is now going to help people who are going through a lot.' Adams held his first cabinet meeting Saturday morning and planned to give a speech at noon. On Saturday afternoon, he is scheduled to visit a police precinct in Queens where he was beaten by police officers as a teenager. Seems like hormones were flying all around by the time the 'Harry Potter' kid actors became teenagers in 'Goblet of Fire'. According to EW, Daniel Radcliffe confirmed that instalment did indeed mark "peak hormone" for the troupe, who were coming of age themselves over the years making the eight movies. During the 'Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts' reunion special, Radcliffe said, "That film was probably peak hormone, at least for me. It was exactly what you expect." He added, "The fourth film was the one with the Beauxbatons and the Durmstrangs. So, like, you had a bunch of hormonal teenagers anyway and then bring in two massive groups of new people, all of them purposefully hot for the film. So, yeah... it was all kicking off." 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire', which was directed by Mike Newell, adapted from the fourth book of same name in J.K. Rowling's best-selling series. In this instalment, students from the French Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and northern Europe's Durmstrang Institute arrive at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to compete in the Triwizard Tournament. Harry (Radcliffe), though underage, is mysteriously entered into the competition and chosen as one of Hogwarts' representatives alongside Cedric Diggory (Robert Pattinson), which kick starts a new mystery for him and his best friends Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint). Radcliffe and Grint were 11 when they were first cast in the first movie, 2001's 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone', while Watson was 10. By the time 'Goblet of Fire' started filming in May 2004, Radcliffe, Watson and Grint had all entered their teenage years. Bonnie Wright, who played Ginny Weasley and Harry's main love interest in the franchise, said, "That film is just all about teenagers having crushes for the first time, asking someone to the date to the Yule Ball. They just mirrored all those awkward phases you go through as a teenager. And they really felt like that, too, because we were literally having the same experiences." Grint reiterated there were "a lot of hormones flying around" on set. Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) remembered, "There were crushes, and people went out with each other and broke up, just like you do at school. It was exactly the same environment, but it was just in a Defense Against the Dark Arts class." As per EW, Radcliffe explained that, at this point in the movies, Harry is "a slightly awkward teenage boy in a very unremarkable way, which I suppose feels remarkable for a hero character in something. It did not take a huge acting stretch to tap into my awkward nerdy teenage side." 'Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts' is currently available to stream on HBO Max and on Amazon Prime Video in India. (ANI) The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed disappointment at the Islamabad High Court (IHC)'s decision to frame charges against journalists for covering a case pertaining to the former chief judge of Gilgit-Baltistan, Rana Shamim, local media reported on Saturday. On December 28, last year, the IHC chief justice ordered to frame charges against main contemnor besides the three media persons -Jang Group's Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, The News Editor Aamir Ghauri and Editor Investigations Ansar Abbasi-- for reporting the affidavit which former top Gilgit-Baltistan judge recorded to accuse former chief justice of Pakistan of allegedly "colluding" to deny bail to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif before the 2018 general elections, The News International reported. Citing HRCP statement, the media outlet reported: "It is in as much in the public interest to protect the Press Freedom and allow journalists to fulfill their responsibility of holding those in power to account, as it is to ensure that the judiciary remains unencumbered by the external pressure. Expressing solidarity with the journalists Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) also called on the IHC to drop contempt proceedings against them for publishing a verified story. In a statement, PILDAT said it believes that to protect freedom of media in Pakistan, no journalist should be penalized by the honourable courts for reporting on a news story. Earlier, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has called for the annulment of the Islamabad High Court judicial inquiry for contempt proceedings against two journalists for having published the affidavit of a former judge highlighting a suspect influencing peddling case. The Paris-based NGO RSF said that the proceeding against two journalists from the daily The News International as well as its owner violates the fundamental principles of the rule of law in Pakistan, reported The News International. Pakistan occupies 145th place out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index published in 2021 by RSF. (ANI) The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed disappointment at the Islamabad High Court (IHC)'s decision to frame charges against journalists for covering a case pertaining to the former chief judge of Gilgit-Baltistan, Rana Shamim, local media reported on Saturday. On December 28, last year, the IHC chief justice ordered to frame charges against main contemnor besides the three media persons -Jang Group's Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, The News Editor Aamir Ghauri and Editor Investigations Ansar Abbasi-- for reporting the affidavit which former top Gilgit-Baltistan judge recorded to accuse former chief justice of Pakistan of allegedly "colluding" to deny bail to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif before the 2018 general elections, The News International reported. Citing HRCP statement, the media outlet reported: "It is in as much in the public interest to protect the Press Freedom and allow journalists to fulfill their responsibility of holding those in power to account, as it is to ensure that the judiciary remains unencumbered by the external pressure. Expressing solidarity with the journalists Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) also called on the IHC to drop contempt proceedings against them for publishing a verified story. In a statement, PILDAT said it believes that to protect freedom of media in Pakistan, no journalist should be penalized by the honourable courts for reporting on a news story. Earlier, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has called for the annulment of the Islamabad High Court judicial inquiry for contempt proceedings against two journalists for having published the affidavit of a former judge highlighting a suspect influencing peddling case. The Paris-based NGO RSF said that the proceeding against two journalists from the daily The News International as well as its owner violates the fundamental principles of the rule of law in Pakistan, reported The News International. Pakistan occupies 145th place out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index published in 2021 by RSF. (ANI) Home Secretary Priti Patel has used her New Year message to promise a fresh crackdown on Insulate Britain's eco-mob and vowed to end the 'legal merry-go-round' of 'spurious' asylum seeker claims in 2022. In a video message shared across social media Ms Patel praised the Goverment's many achievements across 2021, such as its hiring of new police officers and publishing an anti-violence strategy to help women and girls. She also pointed to statistics showing that Britain's streets were safer than before following a significant drop in knife and gun crime and murders. But, the Home Secretary insisted there was still 'much more to do' in 2022, pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public'. She also said plans to introduce the new Nationality and Borders Bill would finally afford Britain the 'powers we need to deliver long overdue change' in our immigration system. Home Secretary Priti Patel has used her New Year message to promise a fresh crackdown on Insulate Britain's eco-mob and vowed to end the 'legal merry-go-round' of 'spurious' asylum seeker claims in 2022 In a video message, the Home Secretary insisted there was still 'much more to do' in 2022, pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public'. It follows a record-breaking year for migration into the UK, as 28,381 people made the perilous journey in 2021 - dwarfing the 8,410 who made the same treacherous trip in 2020. They came in at least 1,020 boats which were intercepted by UK authorities in the last 12 months. It means an average of 78 migrants arrived in three boats every day. Looking ahead to 2022, Ms Patel said it was 'vital' the Government's Police and Crime Bill passed through Parliament. 'The Bill will introduce mandatory life sentences for those who kill an emergency worker in the course of their duty and also crack down on the so-called eco-protesters on our roads and motorways that have caused misery to the law-abiding public,' she said. 'I will also continue to prioritise fixing our broken asylum system. It has been untouched for two decades, but passing our (Nationality and) Borders Bill into law in 2022 will finally give us the powers we need to deliver long overdue change. Ms Patel pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters such as Insulate Britain (above) who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public' Ms Patel praised the Goverment's many achievements across 2021, such as its hiring of new police officers and publishing an anti-violence strategy to help women and girls She also said plans to introduce the new Nationality and Borders Bill would finally afford Britain the 'powers we need to deliver long overdue change' in our immigration system 'A fairer system deterring illegal entry across the channel by cracking down on people smugglers and ending the legal merry-go-round of spurious asylum claims is what the British people expect and we will deliver.' Insulate Britain embarked on a two-month campaign of repeated motorway disruption throughout the end of 2021 before protestors were finally arrested and charged. The Home Secretary said she was proud that the Government had recruited more than 11,000 of the extra 20,000 police officers promised. Home Office figures to the end of September put the overall provisional headcount of officers in England and Wales at 139,908. This included 11,053 hired as part of the 20,000 pledge, a quarterly report on the progress of the scheme said, suggesting forces had recruited 55% of the total target. Ms Patel also said the streets were safer thanks to a reduction in knife crime, gun crime and murders. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there was an 8% decrease in knife-enabled crime in the year ending June 2021, compared with the previous year. It follows a record-breaking year or migration into the UK, with more than 26,000 migrants reaching Britain's shores since the start of the 2021. Pictured: A boat of migrants arrives at the Port of Dover, Kent Homicides were also down 11%, it said, while offences involving firearms fell by 6%. All figures were for crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales. However the ONS stressed that patterns of crime over that period had been 'significantly affected' by the Covid pandemic and Government instructions to limit social contact. Ms Patel said: 'The start of a new year is always a special time to reflect upon the previous year, but also to look ahead to what we want to achieve in the year to come.' She added: 'Whether it be cutting crime, keeping our country safe from terrorism, or controlling our borders, we have a range of plans in progress to deliver for the British people. 'That is an ambitious programme, but one I will be relentless in delivering as we focus on building back safer in the year ahead. I know we've got a lot of work to do in 2022. So let's get to it.' Home Secretary Priti Patel has used her New Year message to promise a fresh crackdown on Insulate Britain's eco-mob and vowed to end the 'legal merry-go-round' of 'spurious' asylum seeker claims in 2022. In a video message shared across social media Ms Patel praised the Goverment's many achievements across 2021, such as its hiring of new police officers and publishing an anti-violence strategy to help women and girls. She also pointed to statistics showing that Britain's streets were safer than before following a significant drop in knife and gun crime and murders. But, the Home Secretary insisted there was still 'much more to do' in 2022, pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public'. She also said plans to introduce the new Nationality and Borders Bill would finally afford Britain the 'powers we need to deliver long overdue change' in our immigration system. Home Secretary Priti Patel has used her New Year message to promise a fresh crackdown on Insulate Britain's eco-mob and vowed to end the 'legal merry-go-round' of 'spurious' asylum seeker claims in 2022 In a video message, the Home Secretary insisted there was still 'much more to do' in 2022, pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public'. It follows a record-breaking year for migration into the UK, as 28,381 people made the perilous journey in 2021 - dwarfing the 8,410 who made the same treacherous trip in 2020. They came in at least 1,020 boats which were intercepted by UK authorities in the last 12 months. It means an average of 78 migrants arrived in three boats every day. Looking ahead to 2022, Ms Patel said it was 'vital' the Government's Police and Crime Bill passed through Parliament. 'The Bill will introduce mandatory life sentences for those who kill an emergency worker in the course of their duty and also crack down on the so-called eco-protesters on our roads and motorways that have caused misery to the law-abiding public,' she said. 'I will also continue to prioritise fixing our broken asylum system. It has been untouched for two decades, but passing our (Nationality and) Borders Bill into law in 2022 will finally give us the powers we need to deliver long overdue change. Ms Patel pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters such as Insulate Britain (above) who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public' Ms Patel praised the Goverment's many achievements across 2021, such as its hiring of new police officers and publishing an anti-violence strategy to help women and girls She also said plans to introduce the new Nationality and Borders Bill would finally afford Britain the 'powers we need to deliver long overdue change' in our immigration system 'A fairer system deterring illegal entry across the channel by cracking down on people smugglers and ending the legal merry-go-round of spurious asylum claims is what the British people expect and we will deliver.' Insulate Britain embarked on a two-month campaign of repeated motorway disruption throughout the end of 2021 before protestors were finally arrested and charged. The Home Secretary said she was proud that the Government had recruited more than 11,000 of the extra 20,000 police officers promised. Home Office figures to the end of September put the overall provisional headcount of officers in England and Wales at 139,908. This included 11,053 hired as part of the 20,000 pledge, a quarterly report on the progress of the scheme said, suggesting forces had recruited 55% of the total target. Ms Patel also said the streets were safer thanks to a reduction in knife crime, gun crime and murders. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there was an 8% decrease in knife-enabled crime in the year ending June 2021, compared with the previous year. It follows a record-breaking year or migration into the UK, with more than 26,000 migrants reaching Britain's shores since the start of the 2021. Pictured: A boat of migrants arrives at the Port of Dover, Kent Homicides were also down 11%, it said, while offences involving firearms fell by 6%. All figures were for crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales. However the ONS stressed that patterns of crime over that period had been 'significantly affected' by the Covid pandemic and Government instructions to limit social contact. Ms Patel said: 'The start of a new year is always a special time to reflect upon the previous year, but also to look ahead to what we want to achieve in the year to come.' She added: 'Whether it be cutting crime, keeping our country safe from terrorism, or controlling our borders, we have a range of plans in progress to deliver for the British people. 'That is an ambitious programme, but one I will be relentless in delivering as we focus on building back safer in the year ahead. I know we've got a lot of work to do in 2022. So let's get to it.' Home Secretary Priti Patel has used her New Year message to promise a fresh crackdown on Insulate Britain's eco-mob and vowed to end the 'legal merry-go-round' of 'spurious' asylum seeker claims in 2022. In a video message shared across social media Ms Patel praised the Goverment's many achievements across 2021, such as its hiring of new police officers and publishing an anti-violence strategy to help women and girls. She also pointed to statistics showing that Britain's streets were safer than before following a significant drop in knife and gun crime and murders. But, the Home Secretary insisted there was still 'much more to do' in 2022, pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public'. She also said plans to introduce the new Nationality and Borders Bill would finally afford Britain the 'powers we need to deliver long overdue change' in our immigration system. Home Secretary Priti Patel has used her New Year message to promise a fresh crackdown on Insulate Britain's eco-mob and vowed to end the 'legal merry-go-round' of 'spurious' asylum seeker claims in 2022 In a video message, the Home Secretary insisted there was still 'much more to do' in 2022, pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public'. It follows a record-breaking year for migration into the UK, as 28,381 people made the perilous journey in 2021 - dwarfing the 8,410 who made the same treacherous trip in 2020. They came in at least 1,020 boats which were intercepted by UK authorities in the last 12 months. It means an average of 78 migrants arrived in three boats every day. Looking ahead to 2022, Ms Patel said it was 'vital' the Government's Police and Crime Bill passed through Parliament. 'The Bill will introduce mandatory life sentences for those who kill an emergency worker in the course of their duty and also crack down on the so-called eco-protesters on our roads and motorways that have caused misery to the law-abiding public,' she said. 'I will also continue to prioritise fixing our broken asylum system. It has been untouched for two decades, but passing our (Nationality and) Borders Bill into law in 2022 will finally give us the powers we need to deliver long overdue change. Ms Patel pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters such as Insulate Britain (above) who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public' Ms Patel praised the Goverment's many achievements across 2021, such as its hiring of new police officers and publishing an anti-violence strategy to help women and girls She also said plans to introduce the new Nationality and Borders Bill would finally afford Britain the 'powers we need to deliver long overdue change' in our immigration system 'A fairer system deterring illegal entry across the channel by cracking down on people smugglers and ending the legal merry-go-round of spurious asylum claims is what the British people expect and we will deliver.' Insulate Britain embarked on a two-month campaign of repeated motorway disruption throughout the end of 2021 before protestors were finally arrested and charged. The Home Secretary said she was proud that the Government had recruited more than 11,000 of the extra 20,000 police officers promised. Home Office figures to the end of September put the overall provisional headcount of officers in England and Wales at 139,908. This included 11,053 hired as part of the 20,000 pledge, a quarterly report on the progress of the scheme said, suggesting forces had recruited 55% of the total target. Ms Patel also said the streets were safer thanks to a reduction in knife crime, gun crime and murders. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there was an 8% decrease in knife-enabled crime in the year ending June 2021, compared with the previous year. It follows a record-breaking year or migration into the UK, with more than 26,000 migrants reaching Britain's shores since the start of the 2021. Pictured: A boat of migrants arrives at the Port of Dover, Kent Homicides were also down 11%, it said, while offences involving firearms fell by 6%. All figures were for crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales. However the ONS stressed that patterns of crime over that period had been 'significantly affected' by the Covid pandemic and Government instructions to limit social contact. Ms Patel said: 'The start of a new year is always a special time to reflect upon the previous year, but also to look ahead to what we want to achieve in the year to come.' She added: 'Whether it be cutting crime, keeping our country safe from terrorism, or controlling our borders, we have a range of plans in progress to deliver for the British people. 'That is an ambitious programme, but one I will be relentless in delivering as we focus on building back safer in the year ahead. I know we've got a lot of work to do in 2022. So let's get to it.' Home Secretary Priti Patel has used her New Year message to promise a fresh crackdown on Insulate Britain's eco-mob and vowed to end the 'legal merry-go-round' of 'spurious' asylum seeker claims in 2022. In a video message shared across social media Ms Patel praised the Goverment's many achievements across 2021, such as its hiring of new police officers and publishing an anti-violence strategy to help women and girls. She also pointed to statistics showing that Britain's streets were safer than before following a significant drop in knife and gun crime and murders. But, the Home Secretary insisted there was still 'much more to do' in 2022, pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public'. She also said plans to introduce the new Nationality and Borders Bill would finally afford Britain the 'powers we need to deliver long overdue change' in our immigration system. Home Secretary Priti Patel has used her New Year message to promise a fresh crackdown on Insulate Britain's eco-mob and vowed to end the 'legal merry-go-round' of 'spurious' asylum seeker claims in 2022 In a video message, the Home Secretary insisted there was still 'much more to do' in 2022, pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public'. It follows a record-breaking year for migration into the UK, as 28,381 people made the perilous journey in 2021 - dwarfing the 8,410 who made the same treacherous trip in 2020. They came in at least 1,020 boats which were intercepted by UK authorities in the last 12 months. It means an average of 78 migrants arrived in three boats every day. Looking ahead to 2022, Ms Patel said it was 'vital' the Government's Police and Crime Bill passed through Parliament. 'The Bill will introduce mandatory life sentences for those who kill an emergency worker in the course of their duty and also crack down on the so-called eco-protesters on our roads and motorways that have caused misery to the law-abiding public,' she said. 'I will also continue to prioritise fixing our broken asylum system. It has been untouched for two decades, but passing our (Nationality and) Borders Bill into law in 2022 will finally give us the powers we need to deliver long overdue change. Ms Patel pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters such as Insulate Britain (above) who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public' Ms Patel praised the Goverment's many achievements across 2021, such as its hiring of new police officers and publishing an anti-violence strategy to help women and girls She also said plans to introduce the new Nationality and Borders Bill would finally afford Britain the 'powers we need to deliver long overdue change' in our immigration system 'A fairer system deterring illegal entry across the channel by cracking down on people smugglers and ending the legal merry-go-round of spurious asylum claims is what the British people expect and we will deliver.' Insulate Britain embarked on a two-month campaign of repeated motorway disruption throughout the end of 2021 before protestors were finally arrested and charged. The Home Secretary said she was proud that the Government had recruited more than 11,000 of the extra 20,000 police officers promised. Home Office figures to the end of September put the overall provisional headcount of officers in England and Wales at 139,908. This included 11,053 hired as part of the 20,000 pledge, a quarterly report on the progress of the scheme said, suggesting forces had recruited 55% of the total target. Ms Patel also said the streets were safer thanks to a reduction in knife crime, gun crime and murders. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there was an 8% decrease in knife-enabled crime in the year ending June 2021, compared with the previous year. It follows a record-breaking year or migration into the UK, with more than 26,000 migrants reaching Britain's shores since the start of the 2021. Pictured: A boat of migrants arrives at the Port of Dover, Kent Homicides were also down 11%, it said, while offences involving firearms fell by 6%. All figures were for crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales. However the ONS stressed that patterns of crime over that period had been 'significantly affected' by the Covid pandemic and Government instructions to limit social contact. Ms Patel said: 'The start of a new year is always a special time to reflect upon the previous year, but also to look ahead to what we want to achieve in the year to come.' She added: 'Whether it be cutting crime, keeping our country safe from terrorism, or controlling our borders, we have a range of plans in progress to deliver for the British people. 'That is an ambitious programme, but one I will be relentless in delivering as we focus on building back safer in the year ahead. I know we've got a lot of work to do in 2022. So let's get to it.' President Joe Biden, right, accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, speaks to reporters after dining in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 31, 2021. (NIcholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) Biden to Speak With Zelensky After Warning Russia Not to Invade Ukraine U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak to Ukraines president this weekend after warning Russia not to invade Ukraine. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russias military build-up on Ukraines borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region, according to a White House official. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said in a statement that he looked forward to speaking to Biden to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe. Biden last spoke with Zelensky last month, when he promised no decisions or discussions would be made about Ukraine without Ukraine. Biden talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week for nearly an hour. According to the White House, Biden attempted to de-escalate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which was once part of the Soviet Union. I made it clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves and goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe with our NATO allies, and it will have to be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters on Friday in Wilmington, Delaware, where he and First Lady Jill Biden retreat to virtually every weekend. We laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, and we laid out ours. And we said wed begin to negotiate some of those issues. But I made it clear that they only could work if, in fact, he deescalated, not escalated, the situation there, Biden added. Russia has amassed troops at its border with Ukraine in recent weeks with estimates of more than 90,000 along the border and in Russian-annexed Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a recording of his annual televised New Years message on New Years eve in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. (Kremlin/Pool via AP) Russia has also repeatedly said Ukraine must not join NATO, a bloc of mostly European countries. The United States and its allies, though, have refused to offer Russia any guarantees, citing NATOs principle that membership is open to any qualifying country. Biden was vice president when Russia invaded Crimea. The Obama administration did not take military action but imposed sanctions on Russian leadership over the move. U.S. officials are set to meet in person with Russian counterparts in Geneva later this month to go over sticking points in ongoing negotiations. The talks will be supervised by the two presidents personally, Yuri Ushakov, a Putin aide, told reporters on Friday. Biden mentioned that if tension along Ukraines borders keeps escalating, Western countries will impose large-scale sanctions in economic, finance, and military spheres, Ushakov said. But our president immediately responded that if the West decides in this or other circumstances to impose the unprecedented sanctions mentioned, that could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries and cause the most severe damage to relations between Russia and the West. Nick Ciolino contributed to this report. A new 9-unit classroom block with a Mosque has been built for the Saquafiyya Islamic school in the Obuasi Municipality. The facility was initiated by two Arab brothers from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Hassan Al- Karbi and Saad Al Quarni. At a short ceremony to commission the two magnificent projects, Hassan Al- Karbi said they were moved to assist the school after one Alhaji Abdul Basit contacted them about the plight of the school. He appealed to Muslim parents to make the education of their children a priority by investing in it. He again called on Muslims to unite and support each other. He said, " as Muslims, we should not always rely on the benevolence of others. We should unite, work hard and support each other. This is the only way the Muslim communities can develop". The Headmaster of Saquafiyya JHS lauded the two brothers for coming to the aid of the school. He said though Government is doing its bit to assist the school, the benevolence of individuals and groups is needed to complement the efforts of Government. He said it behoves on management of the school as well as students to do their best to protect the facilities to stand the test of time. He made a passionate appeal to other benevolent groups to come to the aid of the school. He said " with such assistance coming from groups and individuals, we believe that the Saquafiyya Islamic school can compete with other schools within the Municipality ". Suleman Dawud who represented the Municipal Director of Education added his voice on the need for Muslims to prioritize education. He mentioned that Islam was founded on education. He said Islamic history has it when the Quran was handed over to the Prophet Muhammad, he was told IQRA which means to recite. He stressed, " you cannot recite if you do not know anything hence knowledge acquisition is compulsory for all Muslims ". Whiles praising the two brothers for their kind gesture, Mr. Dawud appealed to them and other benevolent organisations to help develop a project that was handed over to the Obuasi Chief Zongo by the Muslim Workers Association, to be converted into a vocational school. A representative of the Obuasi Chief Zongo, Alhaji Abdul Karim Cesay appealed to the school authorities to make sure they protect the facilities to become useful in the future. He also emphasised the importance of education to the Muslim community. The Assemblymember for Gauso East Electoral area Hon. Dauda Tahiru added his voice to the calls for Muslim groups and individuals to invest in education. He said, " As Muslims, we must see education as the only means through which we can prosper hence the need for all well meaning Muslims to invest in education". Leaders of the Muslim community in Obuasi, teachers and students of the school as well as members of the community were present at the ceremony. The announcement was made by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray at a meeting of the urban development department today. Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde, Guardian Minister of Mumbai Aslam Shaikh, Maharashtra Minister Aaditya Thackeray and Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar attended the meeting. Thackeray directed officials to implement the decision with immediate effect, said the Chief Minister's Office. According to the Maharashtra government, the decision will benefit owners of over 16 lakh houses below 500 sq feet in Mumbai. Worth mentioning, the move comes ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls to be held next month. Waiving of property tax of small residential units was the part of the election manifesto of Shiv Sena that rules the BMC, in the 2017 BMC polls. (ANI) India's GST collection rose 13 per cent in December 2021 on a year-on-year basis to Rs 1,29,780 crore. However, December's collections declined on a sequential basis from Rs 1,31,526 crore reported for November. "The revenues for the month of December 2021 are 13 per cent higher than the GST revenues in the same month last year and 26 per cent higher than the GST revenues in December 2019," the Ministry of Finance said in a statement. "During the month, revenues from import of goods was 36 per cent higher and the revenues from domestic transaction (including import of services) are 5 per cent higher than the revenues from these sources during the same month last year." Accordingly, the overall collection includes CGST of Rs 22,578 crore, SGST of Rs 28,658 crore, IGST of Rs 69,155 crore and cess of Rs 9,389 crore. Besides, the Centre has settled Rs 25,568 crore to CGST and Rs 21,102 crore to SGST from IGST as regular settlement. Consequently, the total revenue of Centre and the States last month after settlements is Rs 48,146 crore for CGST and Rs 49,760 crore for the SGST. "The GST collection in the month is close to Rs 1.30 lakh crore despite reduction of 17 per cent in the number of e-way bills generated in the month of November, 2021 (Rs 6.1 crore) as compared to the month of October, 2021 (Rs 7.4 crore) due to improved tax compliance and better tax administration by both Central and State Tax authorities." "The average monthly gross GST collection for the third quarter of the current year has been Rs 1.30 lakh crore against the average monthly collection of Rs 1.10 lakh crore and Rs 1.15 lakh crore in the first and second quarters respectively." In addition, the ministry cited that economic recovery, anti-evasion activities, especially action against fake billers have been contributing to the enhanced GST. "The improvement in revenue has also been due to various rate rationalisation measures undertaken by the Council to correct inverted duty structure." "It is expected that the positive trend in the revenues will continue in the last quarter as well." --IANS rv/skp/ ( 373 Words) 2022-01-01-15:50:02 (IANS) Home Secretary Priti Patel has used her New Year message to promise a fresh crackdown on Insulate Britain's eco-mob and vowed to end the 'legal merry-go-round' of 'spurious' asylum seeker claims in 2022. In a video message shared across social media Ms Patel praised the Goverment's many achievements across 2021, such as its hiring of new police officers and publishing an anti-violence strategy to help women and girls. She also pointed to statistics showing that Britain's streets were safer than before following a significant drop in knife and gun crime and murders. But, the Home Secretary insisted there was still 'much more to do' in 2022, pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public'. She also said plans to introduce the new Nationality and Borders Bill would finally afford Britain the 'powers we need to deliver long overdue change' in our immigration system. Home Secretary Priti Patel has used her New Year message to promise a fresh crackdown on Insulate Britain's eco-mob and vowed to end the 'legal merry-go-round' of 'spurious' asylum seeker claims in 2022 In a video message, the Home Secretary insisted there was still 'much more to do' in 2022, pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public'. It follows a record-breaking year for migration into the UK, as 28,381 people made the perilous journey in 2021 - dwarfing the 8,410 who made the same treacherous trip in 2020. They came in at least 1,020 boats which were intercepted by UK authorities in the last 12 months. It means an average of 78 migrants arrived in three boats every day. Looking ahead to 2022, Ms Patel said it was 'vital' the Government's Police and Crime Bill passed through Parliament. 'The Bill will introduce mandatory life sentences for those who kill an emergency worker in the course of their duty and also crack down on the so-called eco-protesters on our roads and motorways that have caused misery to the law-abiding public,' she said. 'I will also continue to prioritise fixing our broken asylum system. It has been untouched for two decades, but passing our (Nationality and) Borders Bill into law in 2022 will finally give us the powers we need to deliver long overdue change. Ms Patel pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters such as Insulate Britain (above) who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public' Ms Patel praised the Goverment's many achievements across 2021, such as its hiring of new police officers and publishing an anti-violence strategy to help women and girls She also said plans to introduce the new Nationality and Borders Bill would finally afford Britain the 'powers we need to deliver long overdue change' in our immigration system 'A fairer system deterring illegal entry across the channel by cracking down on people smugglers and ending the legal merry-go-round of spurious asylum claims is what the British people expect and we will deliver.' Insulate Britain embarked on a two-month campaign of repeated motorway disruption throughout the end of 2021 before protestors were finally arrested and charged. The Home Secretary said she was proud that the Government had recruited more than 11,000 of the extra 20,000 police officers promised. Home Office figures to the end of September put the overall provisional headcount of officers in England and Wales at 139,908. This included 11,053 hired as part of the 20,000 pledge, a quarterly report on the progress of the scheme said, suggesting forces had recruited 55% of the total target. Ms Patel also said the streets were safer thanks to a reduction in knife crime, gun crime and murders. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there was an 8% decrease in knife-enabled crime in the year ending June 2021, compared with the previous year. It follows a record-breaking year or migration into the UK, with more than 26,000 migrants reaching Britain's shores since the start of the 2021. Pictured: A boat of migrants arrives at the Port of Dover, Kent Homicides were also down 11%, it said, while offences involving firearms fell by 6%. All figures were for crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales. However the ONS stressed that patterns of crime over that period had been 'significantly affected' by the Covid pandemic and Government instructions to limit social contact. Ms Patel said: 'The start of a new year is always a special time to reflect upon the previous year, but also to look ahead to what we want to achieve in the year to come.' She added: 'Whether it be cutting crime, keeping our country safe from terrorism, or controlling our borders, we have a range of plans in progress to deliver for the British people. 'That is an ambitious programme, but one I will be relentless in delivering as we focus on building back safer in the year ahead. I know we've got a lot of work to do in 2022. So let's get to it.' A new 9-unit classroom block with a Mosque has been built for the Saquafiyya Islamic school in the Obuasi Municipality. The facility was initiated by two Arab brothers from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Hassan Al- Karbi and Saad Al Quarni. At a short ceremony to commission the two magnificent projects, Hassan Al- Karbi said they were moved to assist the school after one Alhaji Abdul Basit contacted them about the plight of the school. He appealed to Muslim parents to make the education of their children a priority by investing in it. He again called on Muslims to unite and support each other. He said, " as Muslims, we should not always rely on the benevolence of others. We should unite, work hard and support each other. This is the only way the Muslim communities can develop". The Headmaster of Saquafiyya JHS lauded the two brothers for coming to the aid of the school. He said though Government is doing its bit to assist the school, the benevolence of individuals and groups is needed to complement the efforts of Government. He said it behoves on management of the school as well as students to do their best to protect the facilities to stand the test of time. He made a passionate appeal to other benevolent groups to come to the aid of the school. He said " with such assistance coming from groups and individuals, we believe that the Saquafiyya Islamic school can compete with other schools within the Municipality ". Suleman Dawud who represented the Municipal Director of Education added his voice on the need for Muslims to prioritize education. He mentioned that Islam was founded on education. He said Islamic history has it when the Quran was handed over to the Prophet Muhammad, he was told IQRA which means to recite. He stressed, " you cannot recite if you do not know anything hence knowledge acquisition is compulsory for all Muslims ". Whiles praising the two brothers for their kind gesture, Mr. Dawud appealed to them and other benevolent organisations to help develop a project that was handed over to the Obuasi Chief Zongo by the Muslim Workers Association, to be converted into a vocational school. A representative of the Obuasi Chief Zongo, Alhaji Abdul Karim Cesay appealed to the school authorities to make sure they protect the facilities to become useful in the future. He also emphasised the importance of education to the Muslim community. The Assemblymember for Gauso East Electoral area Hon. Dauda Tahiru added his voice to the calls for Muslim groups and individuals to invest in education. He said, " As Muslims, we must see education as the only means through which we can prosper hence the need for all well meaning Muslims to invest in education". Leaders of the Muslim community in Obuasi, teachers and students of the school as well as members of the community were present at the ceremony. The announcement was made by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray at a meeting of the urban development department today. Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde, Guardian Minister of Mumbai Aslam Shaikh, Maharashtra Minister Aaditya Thackeray and Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar attended the meeting. Thackeray directed officials to implement the decision with immediate effect, said the Chief Minister's Office. According to the Maharashtra government, the decision will benefit owners of over 16 lakh houses below 500 sq feet in Mumbai. Worth mentioning, the move comes ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls to be held next month. Waiving of property tax of small residential units was the part of the election manifesto of Shiv Sena that rules the BMC, in the 2017 BMC polls. (ANI) US District Court Northern District of Texas Judge James 'Wesley' Hendrix blocked Biden's mandate on Friday, which would have required children ages two and up in the program to wear a mask and for staff to be vaccinated A federal judge in Texas blocked President Joe Biden's vaccine and mask mandates for the Head Start program, ruling that the Biden Administration 'cannot act without Congressional authorization.' Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 59, brought a 'first of its kind' lawsuit against Biden's vaccine and mask mandate for children in Head Start programs. US Northern District Court of Texas Judge James 'Wesley' Hendrix blocked Biden's mandate on Friday, which would have required children ages two and up in the program to wear a mask and for staff to be vaccinated. Hendrix ruled that the President didn't have the power to make decisions without Congress and ruled the mandates 'violates various Constitutional doctrines.' 'It is undisputed that an agency cannot act without Congressional authorization,' he wrote in the ruling. Biden's vaccine mandate for the Head Start programs mandated staff get vaccinated and everyone - including children - to wear a mask He ruled the Biden Administration 'cannot act without Congressional authorization,' he wrote in his ruling (pictured) Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 59, (right) sued in a 'first of its kind' lawsuit against the Biden's Administration's vaccine and mask mandates. Governor Abbott, 64, (left) also celebrate Texas' 'win' over Biden Hendrix also argued that the Head Start program did not follow the Administrative Procedure Act, and therefore, 'failed' to properly authorize the mandates. Paxton celebrated New Year early with the announcement, writing on Twitter: 'Thanks to my [law]suit (first of its kind in the nation), Prez Brandon is barred from using the Head Start Program to force vax & masks in [Texas].' Paxton said he brought forth the lawsuit because the decision should be 'given' to parents and not 'Prez Brandon' - a derogatory slang term used to show dislike toward Biden. He and Governor Greg Abbott, 64, (left) celebrate their 'win' against 'Prez Brandon' on Twitter, with Abbott writing: 'Texas just beat Biden again' 'This is a win for the children of Texas for sure, given that parents should be making these decisions, not the Biden administration,' Paxton told Fox News. 'We didn't think that was right,' he said. 'We thought that was a parental choice, not a Joe Biden choice, so we sued them, arguing that he didn't have the authority statutory or constitutional to do this.' He claimed the 'win' a 'victory for freedom in America' and that he thinks 'parents are going to be glad they get to make the decision.' Texas Governor Greg Abbott, 64, also celebrated the 'win,' writing on Twitter that 'Texas just beat Biden again.' Late last month, 25 states sued the Biden Administration over the Head Start mandates. The program is designed to help students up to five years old prepare for school. Twenty-five other states are suing Biden over the mandate. The president initiated the mandate as Omicron began to rise in cases in December Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Wyoming and West Virginia are suing over the mandates. 'Our Nations children have faced enough setbacks and difficulties during the last two years; they cannot afford another government attack on their development,' Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry told Fox News in December. 'My office has had great success in blocking Biden's mandates on many hard-working Americans, and we will work tirelessly to achieve the same victories for toddlers and teachers.' The Biden Administration enacted the mandates as Omicron began to surge in the US. Texas saw a spike in COVID-19 numbers on December 27 with the state reaching 53,000 cases. The total number of cases up to December 31 are reaching almost 165,000, with a seven-day average of almost 15,000. Hospitalizations for children have reached an all-time high, according to Bloomberg, which has risen almost 70 per cent to almost 400 children a day. The Northeast and Midwest are reaching higher numbers than ever, while Southern states are doubling the number, Bloomberg reported. President Joe Biden, right, accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, speaks to reporters after dining in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 31, 2021. (NIcholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) Biden to Speak With Zelensky After Warning Russia Not to Invade Ukraine U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak to Ukraines president this weekend after warning Russia not to invade Ukraine. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russias military build-up on Ukraines borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region, according to a White House official. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said in a statement that he looked forward to speaking to Biden to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe. Biden last spoke with Zelensky last month, when he promised no decisions or discussions would be made about Ukraine without Ukraine. Biden talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week for nearly an hour. According to the White House, Biden attempted to de-escalate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which was once part of the Soviet Union. I made it clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves and goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe with our NATO allies, and it will have to be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters on Friday in Wilmington, Delaware, where he and First Lady Jill Biden retreat to virtually every weekend. We laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, and we laid out ours. And we said wed begin to negotiate some of those issues. But I made it clear that they only could work if, in fact, he deescalated, not escalated, the situation there, Biden added. Russia has amassed troops at its border with Ukraine in recent weeks with estimates of more than 90,000 along the border and in Russian-annexed Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a recording of his annual televised New Years message on New Years eve in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. (Kremlin/Pool via AP) Russia has also repeatedly said Ukraine must not join NATO, a bloc of mostly European countries. The United States and its allies, though, have refused to offer Russia any guarantees, citing NATOs principle that membership is open to any qualifying country. Biden was vice president when Russia invaded Crimea. The Obama administration did not take military action but imposed sanctions on Russian leadership over the move. U.S. officials are set to meet in person with Russian counterparts in Geneva later this month to go over sticking points in ongoing negotiations. The talks will be supervised by the two presidents personally, Yuri Ushakov, a Putin aide, told reporters on Friday. Biden mentioned that if tension along Ukraines borders keeps escalating, Western countries will impose large-scale sanctions in economic, finance, and military spheres, Ushakov said. But our president immediately responded that if the West decides in this or other circumstances to impose the unprecedented sanctions mentioned, that could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries and cause the most severe damage to relations between Russia and the West. Nick Ciolino contributed to this report. President Joe Biden, right, accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, speaks to reporters after dining in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 31, 2021. (NIcholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) Biden to Speak With Zelensky After Warning Russia Not to Invade Ukraine U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak to Ukraines president this weekend after warning Russia not to invade Ukraine. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russias military build-up on Ukraines borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region, according to a White House official. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said in a statement that he looked forward to speaking to Biden to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe. Biden last spoke with Zelensky last month, when he promised no decisions or discussions would be made about Ukraine without Ukraine. Biden talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week for nearly an hour. According to the White House, Biden attempted to de-escalate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which was once part of the Soviet Union. I made it clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves and goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe with our NATO allies, and it will have to be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters on Friday in Wilmington, Delaware, where he and First Lady Jill Biden retreat to virtually every weekend. We laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, and we laid out ours. And we said wed begin to negotiate some of those issues. But I made it clear that they only could work if, in fact, he deescalated, not escalated, the situation there, Biden added. Russia has amassed troops at its border with Ukraine in recent weeks with estimates of more than 90,000 along the border and in Russian-annexed Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a recording of his annual televised New Years message on New Years eve in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. (Kremlin/Pool via AP) Russia has also repeatedly said Ukraine must not join NATO, a bloc of mostly European countries. The United States and its allies, though, have refused to offer Russia any guarantees, citing NATOs principle that membership is open to any qualifying country. Biden was vice president when Russia invaded Crimea. The Obama administration did not take military action but imposed sanctions on Russian leadership over the move. U.S. officials are set to meet in person with Russian counterparts in Geneva later this month to go over sticking points in ongoing negotiations. The talks will be supervised by the two presidents personally, Yuri Ushakov, a Putin aide, told reporters on Friday. Biden mentioned that if tension along Ukraines borders keeps escalating, Western countries will impose large-scale sanctions in economic, finance, and military spheres, Ushakov said. But our president immediately responded that if the West decides in this or other circumstances to impose the unprecedented sanctions mentioned, that could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries and cause the most severe damage to relations between Russia and the West. Nick Ciolino contributed to this report. President Joe Biden, right, accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, speaks to reporters after dining in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 31, 2021. (NIcholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) Biden to Speak With Zelensky After Warning Russia Not to Invade Ukraine U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak to Ukraines president this weekend after warning Russia not to invade Ukraine. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russias military build-up on Ukraines borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region, according to a White House official. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said in a statement that he looked forward to speaking to Biden to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe. Biden last spoke with Zelensky last month, when he promised no decisions or discussions would be made about Ukraine without Ukraine. Biden talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week for nearly an hour. According to the White House, Biden attempted to de-escalate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which was once part of the Soviet Union. I made it clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves and goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe with our NATO allies, and it will have to be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters on Friday in Wilmington, Delaware, where he and First Lady Jill Biden retreat to virtually every weekend. We laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, and we laid out ours. And we said wed begin to negotiate some of those issues. But I made it clear that they only could work if, in fact, he deescalated, not escalated, the situation there, Biden added. Russia has amassed troops at its border with Ukraine in recent weeks with estimates of more than 90,000 along the border and in Russian-annexed Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a recording of his annual televised New Years message on New Years eve in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. (Kremlin/Pool via AP) Russia has also repeatedly said Ukraine must not join NATO, a bloc of mostly European countries. The United States and its allies, though, have refused to offer Russia any guarantees, citing NATOs principle that membership is open to any qualifying country. Biden was vice president when Russia invaded Crimea. The Obama administration did not take military action but imposed sanctions on Russian leadership over the move. U.S. officials are set to meet in person with Russian counterparts in Geneva later this month to go over sticking points in ongoing negotiations. The talks will be supervised by the two presidents personally, Yuri Ushakov, a Putin aide, told reporters on Friday. Biden mentioned that if tension along Ukraines borders keeps escalating, Western countries will impose large-scale sanctions in economic, finance, and military spheres, Ushakov said. But our president immediately responded that if the West decides in this or other circumstances to impose the unprecedented sanctions mentioned, that could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries and cause the most severe damage to relations between Russia and the West. Nick Ciolino contributed to this report. US District Court Northern District of Texas Judge James 'Wesley' Hendrix blocked Biden's mandate on Friday, which would have required children ages two and up in the program to wear a mask and for staff to be vaccinated A federal judge in Texas blocked President Joe Biden's vaccine and mask mandates for the Head Start program, ruling that the Biden Administration 'cannot act without Congressional authorization.' Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 59, brought a 'first of its kind' lawsuit against Biden's vaccine and mask mandate for children in Head Start programs. US Northern District Court of Texas Judge James 'Wesley' Hendrix blocked Biden's mandate on Friday, which would have required children ages two and up in the program to wear a mask and for staff to be vaccinated. Hendrix ruled that the President didn't have the power to make decisions without Congress and ruled the mandates 'violates various Constitutional doctrines.' 'It is undisputed that an agency cannot act without Congressional authorization,' he wrote in the ruling. Biden's vaccine mandate for the Head Start programs mandated staff get vaccinated and everyone - including children - to wear a mask He ruled the Biden Administration 'cannot act without Congressional authorization,' he wrote in his ruling (pictured) Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 59, (right) sued in a 'first of its kind' lawsuit against the Biden's Administration's vaccine and mask mandates. Governor Abbott, 64, (left) also celebrate Texas' 'win' over Biden Hendrix also argued that the Head Start program did not follow the Administrative Procedure Act, and therefore, 'failed' to properly authorize the mandates. Paxton celebrated New Year early with the announcement, writing on Twitter: 'Thanks to my [law]suit (first of its kind in the nation), Prez Brandon is barred from using the Head Start Program to force vax & masks in [Texas].' Paxton said he brought forth the lawsuit because the decision should be 'given' to parents and not 'Prez Brandon' - a derogatory slang term used to show dislike toward Biden. He and Governor Greg Abbott, 64, (left) celebrate their 'win' against 'Prez Brandon' on Twitter, with Abbott writing: 'Texas just beat Biden again' 'This is a win for the children of Texas for sure, given that parents should be making these decisions, not the Biden administration,' Paxton told Fox News. 'We didn't think that was right,' he said. 'We thought that was a parental choice, not a Joe Biden choice, so we sued them, arguing that he didn't have the authority statutory or constitutional to do this.' He claimed the 'win' a 'victory for freedom in America' and that he thinks 'parents are going to be glad they get to make the decision.' Texas Governor Greg Abbott, 64, also celebrated the 'win,' writing on Twitter that 'Texas just beat Biden again.' Late last month, 25 states sued the Biden Administration over the Head Start mandates. The program is designed to help students up to five years old prepare for school. Twenty-five other states are suing Biden over the mandate. The president initiated the mandate as Omicron began to rise in cases in December Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Wyoming and West Virginia are suing over the mandates. 'Our Nations children have faced enough setbacks and difficulties during the last two years; they cannot afford another government attack on their development,' Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry told Fox News in December. 'My office has had great success in blocking Biden's mandates on many hard-working Americans, and we will work tirelessly to achieve the same victories for toddlers and teachers.' The Biden Administration enacted the mandates as Omicron began to surge in the US. Texas saw a spike in COVID-19 numbers on December 27 with the state reaching 53,000 cases. The total number of cases up to December 31 are reaching almost 165,000, with a seven-day average of almost 15,000. Hospitalizations for children have reached an all-time high, according to Bloomberg, which has risen almost 70 per cent to almost 400 children a day. The Northeast and Midwest are reaching higher numbers than ever, while Southern states are doubling the number, Bloomberg reported. These cases have been reported from 48,658 samples tested for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours. The health department also informed that as many as 2,704 people recovered from the virus, taking the total recoveries in the state to 51,81,981. Presently, there are 18,904 active COVID-19 cases in the state. As per the state health department, 219 deaths related to COVID-19 were added as backlog, as per the new guidelines of the Centre. With this, the death toll in Kerala stands at 48,035. (ANI) As per the Union Health Ministry, there are a total of 109 cases of Omicron variant in Kerala, of which only 1 has been recovered/discharged so far. Omicron case tally in India stands at 1,431. (ANI) Obuasi Rotary Club (district 9102) in collaboration with Wheelchair Foundation has donated wheelchairs to Obuasi Government Hospital. The Club presented five wheelchairs to the health facility in a brief ceremony at the forecourt of the Hospital in Obuasi. Present at the short gathering were the Obuasi Municipal Health Director Margaret Yaa Manu, the Medical Superintendant Kwadwo Nyarko-Jectey, as well as the Nurses in Charge of the Emergency Unit and some Staff of the hospital. According to the President of Obuasi Rotary Club Rotarian Sarwan Kumar after a thorough assessment, the club realized that the hospital had limited number of wheelchairs to serve patients. This forms part of our commitment to help our communities in terms of assisting in provision of quality health care services therefore this is a Christmas gift from Rotary to the hospital, he said. Rotarian Joe-Steve Atta Annan, occupational health and safety professional also added that this initiative is to address the OHS concerns faced by the hospital staff and patients in handling weak patients. He also charged the hospital to man the wheelchairs properly to ensure they are being used for its intended objective. "Rotary support in the communities span from polio vaccinations, provision of medical supplies and covid-19 items, provision of water and sanitation, support for maternal and child health among many. Our theme for the 2021-2022 'Rotary year is serve' to change lives," he stated. Receiving the items on behalf of the hospital, the health director, Margaret Yaa Manu thanked Obuasi rotarians for coming to their aid with the wheelchairs. The wheel chairs have come at the right time to salvage a very big challenge for us because patients are mostly been carried at the back of their relatives which is not always a pleasant sight, she stated. Medical Superintendant of Obuasi Government Hospital Dr. Kwadwo Nyarko-Jectey also praised Rotary Club of Obuasi for their great support to health delivery at the hospital. He described the gesture from Rotary Club as God sent since for a long time the hospital has not received any brand new wheelchairs. He said mostly they receive used wheelchairs which have a shorter life span as compared to brand new ones. Future Commitments to the hospital Rotarians in Obuasi also commit to support health workers through the provision of bed linens, Personal Protective Equipment such as gloves, nurses caps and sanitiser especially in the current COVID-19 era, and other sanitation items. Aside health oriental issues, the hospital needs high efficiency light bulbs and industrial washing machine to help keep contaminated bed linens and washable materials clean, Dr. Nyarko-Jectey said in his remarks and pleaded for support from Rotarians. President Joe Biden speaks during a speech at the White House on Dec. 21, 2021. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters) Federal Judge Blocks Biden Administrations Head Start Vaccine Mandate in Texas Mask mandate also blocked President Joe Bidens administration was ordered late on Dec. 31 to halt mask and vaccine mandates for workers and volunteers in the Head Start program in Texas. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) likely acted without congressional authorization when it imposed the mandates in response to the presidents push to increase COVID-19 vaccinations, U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, a Trump nominee, said in a 56-page ruling. HHSs Nov. 30 interim final rule said all workers and some volunteers and contractors must get a COVID-19 vaccine and that all volunteers and workers, and children 2 or older, must wear masks. The deadline for vaccination compliance was listed as Jan. 31, 2022, while the masking rule took effect immediately. The agency said it was given the authority to implement such rules in the Head Start Act, specifically citing how the law lets the health secretary modify, as necessary, program performance standards by regulation applicable to Head Start agencies and programs under this subchapter, including (C) administrative and financial management standards; (D) standards relating to the condition and location of facilities (including indoor air quality assessment standards, where appropriate) [and] (E) such other standards as the Secretary finds to be appropriate. But the standards clearly dont include vaccine or mask mandates, the state of Texas argued in its brief to the court in support of a filing for a preliminary injunction. The act does not authorize defendants to mandate an invasive, permanent medical treatment for or mask mandates for Head Start program children, staff, contractors, and volunteers, Texas lawyers said. Notably, it does not mention vaccinations or masking requirements at all. Head Start is a federal grant program aimed at helping young children in low-income households prepare for school. Approximately 864,289 children are enrolled in Head Start. Congress may not have mentioned vaccinations or masking, but did say the health secretary can implement health-related standards, Biden administration lawyers said in an opposition motion earlier last week. Hendrix didnt agree, siding with Texas. The judge referred to how government lawyers conceded during a recent hearing that vaccine and mask mandates are not health services and that Head Start had never mandated a medical procedure as a precondition for current or prospective workers. The court finds that plaintiffs have demonstrated a substantial likelihood of success on their claim that the secretary issued the rule without statutory authority, Hendrix said. Congress could have spoken directly to the issue of vaccination, masking, or other precautions in the last year when passing other COVID-19-related legislation, but it did not and has not. A preliminary injunction means the rule is blocked in Texas while the case moves forward. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks at a border town hall in Brackettville, Texas, on Oct. 11, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Texas originally asked for a nationwide injunction, but lawyers for the state clarified in the hearing that most evidence before the court was about the effect of the mandates on Texas, and the judge decided to restrict the block to the state. Twenty-four other states have sued over the mandates, but that case hasnt yet been ruled on. Biden administration lawyers declined to comment. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, said in a statement on Twitter that I just halted another illegal fed vax & mask mandate. Because of the suit, the president is barred from using the Head Start Program to force vax & masks in [Texas]both of which this admin embarrassingly admitted dont stop Covid anyway! he wrote. COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Vaccines effectiveness against CCP virus infection drops over time, studies and real-world data show. Against the Omicron virus variant, the protection is so low that it isnt considered high enough for a viable vaccine, according to World Health Organization standards. Masks are recommended by federal officials to curb transmission of the virus, although experts are divided on whether masks, particularly cloth ones, have any real effect on reducing the spread of the illness. Texas just beat Biden again. Another of Bidens vaccine & mask mandates was just halted by a federal judge in Texas, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, wrote on Twitter. The Court writes: It is undisputed that an agency cannot act without Congressional authorization. That would apply to all of Bidens orders. President Joe Biden speaks during a speech at the White House on Dec. 21, 2021. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters) Federal Judge Blocks Biden Administrations Head Start Vaccine Mandate in Texas Mask mandate also blocked President Joe Bidens administration was ordered late on Dec. 31 to halt mask and vaccine mandates for workers and volunteers in the Head Start program in Texas. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) likely acted without congressional authorization when it imposed the mandates in response to the presidents push to increase COVID-19 vaccinations, U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, a Trump nominee, said in a 56-page ruling. HHSs Nov. 30 interim final rule said all workers and some volunteers and contractors must get a COVID-19 vaccine and that all volunteers and workers, and children 2 or older, must wear masks. The deadline for vaccination compliance was listed as Jan. 31, 2022, while the masking rule took effect immediately. The agency said it was given the authority to implement such rules in the Head Start Act, specifically citing how the law lets the health secretary modify, as necessary, program performance standards by regulation applicable to Head Start agencies and programs under this subchapter, including (C) administrative and financial management standards; (D) standards relating to the condition and location of facilities (including indoor air quality assessment standards, where appropriate) [and] (E) such other standards as the Secretary finds to be appropriate. But the standards clearly dont include vaccine or mask mandates, the state of Texas argued in its brief to the court in support of a filing for a preliminary injunction. The act does not authorize defendants to mandate an invasive, permanent medical treatment for or mask mandates for Head Start program children, staff, contractors, and volunteers, Texas lawyers said. Notably, it does not mention vaccinations or masking requirements at all. Head Start is a federal grant program aimed at helping young children in low-income households prepare for school. Approximately 864,289 children are enrolled in Head Start. Congress may not have mentioned vaccinations or masking, but did say the health secretary can implement health-related standards, Biden administration lawyers said in an opposition motion earlier last week. Hendrix didnt agree, siding with Texas. The judge referred to how government lawyers conceded during a recent hearing that vaccine and mask mandates are not health services and that Head Start had never mandated a medical procedure as a precondition for current or prospective workers. The court finds that plaintiffs have demonstrated a substantial likelihood of success on their claim that the secretary issued the rule without statutory authority, Hendrix said. Congress could have spoken directly to the issue of vaccination, masking, or other precautions in the last year when passing other COVID-19-related legislation, but it did not and has not. A preliminary injunction means the rule is blocked in Texas while the case moves forward. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks at a border town hall in Brackettville, Texas, on Oct. 11, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Texas originally asked for a nationwide injunction, but lawyers for the state clarified in the hearing that most evidence before the court was about the effect of the mandates on Texas, and the judge decided to restrict the block to the state. Twenty-four other states have sued over the mandates, but that case hasnt yet been ruled on. Biden administration lawyers declined to comment. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, said in a statement on Twitter that I just halted another illegal fed vax & mask mandate. Because of the suit, the president is barred from using the Head Start Program to force vax & masks in [Texas]both of which this admin embarrassingly admitted dont stop Covid anyway! he wrote. COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Vaccines effectiveness against CCP virus infection drops over time, studies and real-world data show. Against the Omicron virus variant, the protection is so low that it isnt considered high enough for a viable vaccine, according to World Health Organization standards. Masks are recommended by federal officials to curb transmission of the virus, although experts are divided on whether masks, particularly cloth ones, have any real effect on reducing the spread of the illness. Texas just beat Biden again. Another of Bidens vaccine & mask mandates was just halted by a federal judge in Texas, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, wrote on Twitter. The Court writes: It is undisputed that an agency cannot act without Congressional authorization. That would apply to all of Bidens orders. The announcement was made by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray at a meeting of the urban development department today. Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde, Guardian Minister of Mumbai Aslam Shaikh, Maharashtra Minister Aaditya Thackeray and Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar attended the meeting. Thackeray directed officials to implement the decision with immediate effect, said the Chief Minister's Office. According to the Maharashtra government, the decision will benefit owners of over 16 lakh houses below 500 sq feet in Mumbai. Worth mentioning, the move comes ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls to be held next month. Waiving of property tax of small residential units was the part of the election manifesto of Shiv Sena that rules the BMC, in the 2017 BMC polls. (ANI) The announcement was made by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray at a meeting of the urban development department today. Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde, Guardian Minister of Mumbai Aslam Shaikh, Maharashtra Minister Aaditya Thackeray and Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar attended the meeting. Thackeray directed officials to implement the decision with immediate effect, said the Chief Minister's Office. According to the Maharashtra government, the decision will benefit owners of over 16 lakh houses below 500 sq feet in Mumbai. Worth mentioning, the move comes ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls to be held next month. Waiving of property tax of small residential units was the part of the election manifesto of Shiv Sena that rules the BMC, in the 2017 BMC polls. (ANI) The announcement was made by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray at a meeting of the urban development department today. Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde, Guardian Minister of Mumbai Aslam Shaikh, Maharashtra Minister Aaditya Thackeray and Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar attended the meeting. Thackeray directed officials to implement the decision with immediate effect, said the Chief Minister's Office. According to the Maharashtra government, the decision will benefit owners of over 16 lakh houses below 500 sq feet in Mumbai. Worth mentioning, the move comes ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls to be held next month. Waiving of property tax of small residential units was the part of the election manifesto of Shiv Sena that rules the BMC, in the 2017 BMC polls. (ANI) Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Saturday said "some positive development" could be expected during the year with regard to Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in the state where militancy is on the wane. Sarma, a senior BJP leader of the North East, said "certain positive development" regarding the Act will take place soon in neighbouring Nagaland, where too it is in force. With militancy on the wane the Army has virtually withdrawn from Assam, except from five-six districts and when AFSPA comes up for renewal after four months the state government will take a pragmatic decision, he said. AFSPA has often been termed as "draconian" by political parties of the north east because of the special powers it grants to the Indian Armed Forces to maintain public order in "disturbed areas" and its withdrawal has been demanded by civil society groups and rights activists. It was imposed in Assam in November 1990 and has been extended every six months since then after a review by the state government. As far as AFSPA is concerned, Assam will see some rationalising in 2022 ... How and when we don't know. But I am an optimistic man. We are looking at 2022 as a year of hope. There will be some positive moments regarding the Act, Sarma told reporters here. On the continuation of AFSPA in Nagaland, he said the Centre has already formed a committee to look into the matter. "The committee will submit its report in 45 days and I am hopeful there will be certain positive development," he added. The Centre had on December 26 constituted a high-level committee headed by a secretary rank officer to examine the possibility of lifting the controversial AFSPA in Nagaland, apparently to soothe the rising tension in the northeastern state over the killing of 14 civilians. The committee was set up three days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting with Sarma and his Nagaland counterpart Neiphiu Rio. The demand for repeal of AFSPA from the north east came to the fore in December last year after 13 civilians were gunned down by the Army in a botched anti-insurgency operation in Nagaland and another person was killed in subsequent violence. The demand was made to the Centre even by the chief ministers of Nagaland and Meghalaya. The Act is in force in Manipur (excluding Imphal Municipal Council Area), in Changlang, Longding and Tirap districts of Arunachal Pradesh and areas falling within the jurisdiction of eight police stations of its districts bordering Assam, besides Nagaland and Assam. It was extended by six months in Nagaland by the Centre earlier this week. Sarma said tribal insurgency is almost over in Assam and credited the civil society organisations and students bodies for it. The era of tribal militancy is over. All militant groups, but the ULFA have come overground and deposited arms ... Our last hurdle is ULFA(I), he said. The tribals are now firm on standing against insurgency. There won't be any resurgence of militancy among them if we do not inflict any injustice on them, the chief minister said. Sarma said he has learnt from his personal interactions with people who are directly or indirectly in touch with ULFA(I) chief, Paresh Barua that the militant leader wants a negotiated settlement like the government. The stumbling block is sovereignty'. ULFA(I) will want discussion over it, which we cannot hold. We are working on breaking the deadlock, he said. The unilateral ceasefire called by ULFA(I) in response to his call for peace after assuming office in May last year is a positive step. The Assam government reciprocated by not engaging in any "direct conflict" with the outfit in the last eight months, Sarma said. But if we get information that people are trying to join ULFA(I) or its members are demanding money from the people then as the government we have to intervene, he added. Live TV A woman driving the other vehicle was also killed, officials have confirmed The driver and passenger - both in their 20s - of one of the cars were killed A young couple were among the three people killed in a car crash in the Republic of Ireland on New Year's Eve. Saoirse Corrigan and her partner Shane Gilchrist, both in their 20s, died in a two-car collision in Kells, County Meath. The vehicles crashed on the N52 slip road in Kells, just off the M3 motorway, at around 4.45pm yesterday. Saoirse and Shane, who were the only occupants of one the cars, were both killed. A woman in her mid-20s, who was driving the second car, was rushed to hospital with serious injures after the head-on collision, but was later pronounced dead. Young couple Saoirse Corrigan and partner Shane Gilchrist were among the three people killed in a car crash in the Republic of Ireland on New Year's Eve The vehicles crashed on the N52 slip road in Kells, just off the M3 motorway near Kells, County Meath at around 4.45pm yesterday Three children who were travelling in the second car - two baby girls and a 12-year-old boy - were also taken to hospital. The boy is said to be in a critical condition, while the girls were not said to have life-threatening injuries. The road was closed for a technical examination, but has since reopened. The Irish Sun reported that Saoirse had only just started a new job as a teacher. It was today reported that Saoirse had only just started a new job as a teacher Her family told of their agony at losing her in a death notice published today. 'The death has occurred, on Friday 31st December, of Saoirse Corrigan, Whitehall, Castlepollard, tragically, following an accident,' it read. 'Pre-deceased by her grandfather Michael. Deeply regretted by her loving mother Orlene, loving father Michael, Andy, Keri, brothers Cathal and Cillian, sisters Bronagh and Grainne, grandparents Michael-John, Josephine and Beatrice, uncles, aunts, extended family, all the staff and students at St. Clare's College, Ballyjamesduff and a wide circle of friends. 'May Saoirse's gentle soul Rest in Peace.' Gardai are appealing to witnesses, particularly any road users who were travelling in the area at the time. Meath East TD Thomas Byrne has expressed his condolences to the families of the three people who died. Gardai are appealing to witnesses, particularly any road users who were travelling in the area at the time In a post on Twitter, the Minister for European Affairs said: "My deepest sympathies to the families of the bereaved and prayerful thoughts with the injured." Gardai have launched an appeal for information with witnesses and drivers with dash-cam footage who were in the area asked to come forward. A garda spokesman said: 'Kells Gardai are investigating a 2 car fatal traffic collision on the N52, Lloyds, Kells, Co.Meath which occurred 31/12/2021 shortly after 4pm. 'Any person travelling in the area or with any information or dashcam footage is asked to contact Gardai at Kells at 046 9280820. '3 persons (2 female and 1 male all in their 20s were deceased), 3 children were taken to hospital for treatment. Gardai have completed a forensic examination of the scene, investigations are ongoing.' A woman driving the other vehicle was also killed, officials have confirmed The driver and passenger - both in their 20s - of one of the cars were killed A young couple were among the three people killed in a car crash in the Republic of Ireland on New Year's Eve. Saoirse Corrigan and her partner Shane Gilchrist, both in their 20s, died in a two-car collision in Kells, County Meath. The vehicles crashed on the N52 slip road in Kells, just off the M3 motorway, at around 4.45pm yesterday. Saoirse and Shane, who were the only occupants of one the cars, were both killed. A woman in her mid-20s, who was driving the second car, was rushed to hospital with serious injures after the head-on collision, but was later pronounced dead. Young couple Saoirse Corrigan and partner Shane Gilchrist were among the three people killed in a car crash in the Republic of Ireland on New Year's Eve The vehicles crashed on the N52 slip road in Kells, just off the M3 motorway near Kells, County Meath at around 4.45pm yesterday Three children who were travelling in the second car - two baby girls and a 12-year-old boy - were also taken to hospital. The boy is said to be in a critical condition, while the girls were not said to have life-threatening injuries. The road was closed for a technical examination, but has since reopened. The Irish Sun reported that Saoirse had only just started a new job as a teacher. It was today reported that Saoirse had only just started a new job as a teacher Her family told of their agony at losing her in a death notice published today. 'The death has occurred, on Friday 31st December, of Saoirse Corrigan, Whitehall, Castlepollard, tragically, following an accident,' it read. 'Pre-deceased by her grandfather Michael. Deeply regretted by her loving mother Orlene, loving father Michael, Andy, Keri, brothers Cathal and Cillian, sisters Bronagh and Grainne, grandparents Michael-John, Josephine and Beatrice, uncles, aunts, extended family, all the staff and students at St. Clare's College, Ballyjamesduff and a wide circle of friends. 'May Saoirse's gentle soul Rest in Peace.' Gardai are appealing to witnesses, particularly any road users who were travelling in the area at the time. Meath East TD Thomas Byrne has expressed his condolences to the families of the three people who died. Gardai are appealing to witnesses, particularly any road users who were travelling in the area at the time In a post on Twitter, the Minister for European Affairs said: "My deepest sympathies to the families of the bereaved and prayerful thoughts with the injured." Gardai have launched an appeal for information with witnesses and drivers with dash-cam footage who were in the area asked to come forward. A garda spokesman said: 'Kells Gardai are investigating a 2 car fatal traffic collision on the N52, Lloyds, Kells, Co.Meath which occurred 31/12/2021 shortly after 4pm. 'Any person travelling in the area or with any information or dashcam footage is asked to contact Gardai at Kells at 046 9280820. '3 persons (2 female and 1 male all in their 20s were deceased), 3 children were taken to hospital for treatment. Gardai have completed a forensic examination of the scene, investigations are ongoing.' A woman driving the other vehicle was also killed, officials have confirmed The driver and passenger - both in their 20s - of one of the cars were killed A young couple were among the three people killed in a car crash in the Republic of Ireland on New Year's Eve. Saoirse Corrigan and her partner Shane Gilchrist, both in their 20s, died in a two-car collision in Kells, County Meath. The vehicles crashed on the N52 slip road in Kells, just off the M3 motorway, at around 4.45pm yesterday. Saoirse and Shane, who were the only occupants of one the cars, were both killed. A woman in her mid-20s, who was driving the second car, was rushed to hospital with serious injures after the head-on collision, but was later pronounced dead. Young couple Saoirse Corrigan and partner Shane Gilchrist were among the three people killed in a car crash in the Republic of Ireland on New Year's Eve The vehicles crashed on the N52 slip road in Kells, just off the M3 motorway near Kells, County Meath at around 4.45pm yesterday Three children who were travelling in the second car - two baby girls and a 12-year-old boy - were also taken to hospital. The boy is said to be in a critical condition, while the girls were not said to have life-threatening injuries. The road was closed for a technical examination, but has since reopened. The Irish Sun reported that Saoirse had only just started a new job as a teacher. It was today reported that Saoirse had only just started a new job as a teacher Her family told of their agony at losing her in a death notice published today. 'The death has occurred, on Friday 31st December, of Saoirse Corrigan, Whitehall, Castlepollard, tragically, following an accident,' it read. 'Pre-deceased by her grandfather Michael. Deeply regretted by her loving mother Orlene, loving father Michael, Andy, Keri, brothers Cathal and Cillian, sisters Bronagh and Grainne, grandparents Michael-John, Josephine and Beatrice, uncles, aunts, extended family, all the staff and students at St. Clare's College, Ballyjamesduff and a wide circle of friends. 'May Saoirse's gentle soul Rest in Peace.' Gardai are appealing to witnesses, particularly any road users who were travelling in the area at the time. Meath East TD Thomas Byrne has expressed his condolences to the families of the three people who died. Gardai are appealing to witnesses, particularly any road users who were travelling in the area at the time In a post on Twitter, the Minister for European Affairs said: "My deepest sympathies to the families of the bereaved and prayerful thoughts with the injured." Gardai have launched an appeal for information with witnesses and drivers with dash-cam footage who were in the area asked to come forward. A garda spokesman said: 'Kells Gardai are investigating a 2 car fatal traffic collision on the N52, Lloyds, Kells, Co.Meath which occurred 31/12/2021 shortly after 4pm. 'Any person travelling in the area or with any information or dashcam footage is asked to contact Gardai at Kells at 046 9280820. '3 persons (2 female and 1 male all in their 20s were deceased), 3 children were taken to hospital for treatment. Gardai have completed a forensic examination of the scene, investigations are ongoing.' President Joe Biden speaks during a speech at the White House on Dec. 21, 2021. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters) Federal Judge Blocks Biden Administrations Head Start Vaccine Mandate in Texas Mask mandate also blocked President Joe Bidens administration was ordered late on Dec. 31 to halt mask and vaccine mandates for workers and volunteers in the Head Start program in Texas. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) likely acted without congressional authorization when it imposed the mandates in response to the presidents push to increase COVID-19 vaccinations, U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, a Trump nominee, said in a 56-page ruling. HHSs Nov. 30 interim final rule said all workers and some volunteers and contractors must get a COVID-19 vaccine and that all volunteers and workers, and children 2 or older, must wear masks. The deadline for vaccination compliance was listed as Jan. 31, 2022, while the masking rule took effect immediately. The agency said it was given the authority to implement such rules in the Head Start Act, specifically citing how the law lets the health secretary modify, as necessary, program performance standards by regulation applicable to Head Start agencies and programs under this subchapter, including (C) administrative and financial management standards; (D) standards relating to the condition and location of facilities (including indoor air quality assessment standards, where appropriate) [and] (E) such other standards as the Secretary finds to be appropriate. But the standards clearly dont include vaccine or mask mandates, the state of Texas argued in its brief to the court in support of a filing for a preliminary injunction. The act does not authorize defendants to mandate an invasive, permanent medical treatment for or mask mandates for Head Start program children, staff, contractors, and volunteers, Texas lawyers said. Notably, it does not mention vaccinations or masking requirements at all. Head Start is a federal grant program aimed at helping young children in low-income households prepare for school. Approximately 864,289 children are enrolled in Head Start. Congress may not have mentioned vaccinations or masking, but did say the health secretary can implement health-related standards, Biden administration lawyers said in an opposition motion earlier last week. Hendrix didnt agree, siding with Texas. The judge referred to how government lawyers conceded during a recent hearing that vaccine and mask mandates are not health services and that Head Start had never mandated a medical procedure as a precondition for current or prospective workers. The court finds that plaintiffs have demonstrated a substantial likelihood of success on their claim that the secretary issued the rule without statutory authority, Hendrix said. Congress could have spoken directly to the issue of vaccination, masking, or other precautions in the last year when passing other COVID-19-related legislation, but it did not and has not. A preliminary injunction means the rule is blocked in Texas while the case moves forward. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks at a border town hall in Brackettville, Texas, on Oct. 11, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Texas originally asked for a nationwide injunction, but lawyers for the state clarified in the hearing that most evidence before the court was about the effect of the mandates on Texas, and the judge decided to restrict the block to the state. Twenty-four other states have sued over the mandates, but that case hasnt yet been ruled on. Biden administration lawyers declined to comment. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, said in a statement on Twitter that I just halted another illegal fed vax & mask mandate. Because of the suit, the president is barred from using the Head Start Program to force vax & masks in [Texas]both of which this admin embarrassingly admitted dont stop Covid anyway! he wrote. COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Vaccines effectiveness against CCP virus infection drops over time, studies and real-world data show. Against the Omicron virus variant, the protection is so low that it isnt considered high enough for a viable vaccine, according to World Health Organization standards. Masks are recommended by federal officials to curb transmission of the virus, although experts are divided on whether masks, particularly cloth ones, have any real effect on reducing the spread of the illness. Texas just beat Biden again. Another of Bidens vaccine & mask mandates was just halted by a federal judge in Texas, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, wrote on Twitter. The Court writes: It is undisputed that an agency cannot act without Congressional authorization. That would apply to all of Bidens orders. President Joe Biden speaks during a speech at the White House on Dec. 21, 2021. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters) Federal Judge Blocks Biden Administrations Head Start Vaccine Mandate in Texas Mask mandate also blocked President Joe Bidens administration was ordered late on Dec. 31 to halt mask and vaccine mandates for workers and volunteers in the Head Start program in Texas. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) likely acted without congressional authorization when it imposed the mandates in response to the presidents push to increase COVID-19 vaccinations, U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, a Trump nominee, said in a 56-page ruling. HHSs Nov. 30 interim final rule said all workers and some volunteers and contractors must get a COVID-19 vaccine and that all volunteers and workers, and children 2 or older, must wear masks. The deadline for vaccination compliance was listed as Jan. 31, 2022, while the masking rule took effect immediately. The agency said it was given the authority to implement such rules in the Head Start Act, specifically citing how the law lets the health secretary modify, as necessary, program performance standards by regulation applicable to Head Start agencies and programs under this subchapter, including (C) administrative and financial management standards; (D) standards relating to the condition and location of facilities (including indoor air quality assessment standards, where appropriate) [and] (E) such other standards as the Secretary finds to be appropriate. But the standards clearly dont include vaccine or mask mandates, the state of Texas argued in its brief to the court in support of a filing for a preliminary injunction. The act does not authorize defendants to mandate an invasive, permanent medical treatment for or mask mandates for Head Start program children, staff, contractors, and volunteers, Texas lawyers said. Notably, it does not mention vaccinations or masking requirements at all. Head Start is a federal grant program aimed at helping young children in low-income households prepare for school. Approximately 864,289 children are enrolled in Head Start. Congress may not have mentioned vaccinations or masking, but did say the health secretary can implement health-related standards, Biden administration lawyers said in an opposition motion earlier last week. Hendrix didnt agree, siding with Texas. The judge referred to how government lawyers conceded during a recent hearing that vaccine and mask mandates are not health services and that Head Start had never mandated a medical procedure as a precondition for current or prospective workers. The court finds that plaintiffs have demonstrated a substantial likelihood of success on their claim that the secretary issued the rule without statutory authority, Hendrix said. Congress could have spoken directly to the issue of vaccination, masking, or other precautions in the last year when passing other COVID-19-related legislation, but it did not and has not. A preliminary injunction means the rule is blocked in Texas while the case moves forward. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks at a border town hall in Brackettville, Texas, on Oct. 11, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Texas originally asked for a nationwide injunction, but lawyers for the state clarified in the hearing that most evidence before the court was about the effect of the mandates on Texas, and the judge decided to restrict the block to the state. Twenty-four other states have sued over the mandates, but that case hasnt yet been ruled on. Biden administration lawyers declined to comment. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, said in a statement on Twitter that I just halted another illegal fed vax & mask mandate. Because of the suit, the president is barred from using the Head Start Program to force vax & masks in [Texas]both of which this admin embarrassingly admitted dont stop Covid anyway! he wrote. COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Vaccines effectiveness against CCP virus infection drops over time, studies and real-world data show. Against the Omicron virus variant, the protection is so low that it isnt considered high enough for a viable vaccine, according to World Health Organization standards. Masks are recommended by federal officials to curb transmission of the virus, although experts are divided on whether masks, particularly cloth ones, have any real effect on reducing the spread of the illness. Texas just beat Biden again. Another of Bidens vaccine & mask mandates was just halted by a federal judge in Texas, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, wrote on Twitter. The Court writes: It is undisputed that an agency cannot act without Congressional authorization. That would apply to all of Bidens orders. US District Court Northern District of Texas Judge James 'Wesley' Hendrix blocked Biden's mandate on Friday, which would have required children ages two and up in the program to wear a mask and for staff to be vaccinated A federal judge in Texas blocked President Joe Biden's vaccine and mask mandates for the Head Start program, ruling that the Biden Administration 'cannot act without Congressional authorization.' Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 59, brought a 'first of its kind' lawsuit against Biden's vaccine and mask mandate for children in Head Start programs. US Northern District Court of Texas Judge James 'Wesley' Hendrix blocked Biden's mandate on Friday, which would have required children ages two and up in the program to wear a mask and for staff to be vaccinated. Hendrix ruled that the President didn't have the power to make decisions without Congress and ruled the mandates 'violates various Constitutional doctrines.' 'It is undisputed that an agency cannot act without Congressional authorization,' he wrote in the ruling. Biden's vaccine mandate for the Head Start programs mandated staff get vaccinated and everyone - including children - to wear a mask He ruled the Biden Administration 'cannot act without Congressional authorization,' he wrote in his ruling (pictured) Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 59, (right) sued in a 'first of its kind' lawsuit against the Biden's Administration's vaccine and mask mandates. Governor Abbott, 64, (left) also celebrate Texas' 'win' over Biden Hendrix also argued that the Head Start program did not follow the Administrative Procedure Act, and therefore, 'failed' to properly authorize the mandates. Paxton celebrated New Year early with the announcement, writing on Twitter: 'Thanks to my [law]suit (first of its kind in the nation), Prez Brandon is barred from using the Head Start Program to force vax & masks in [Texas].' Paxton said he brought forth the lawsuit because the decision should be 'given' to parents and not 'Prez Brandon' - a derogatory slang term used to show dislike toward Biden. He and Governor Greg Abbott, 64, (left) celebrate their 'win' against 'Prez Brandon' on Twitter, with Abbott writing: 'Texas just beat Biden again' 'This is a win for the children of Texas for sure, given that parents should be making these decisions, not the Biden administration,' Paxton told Fox News. 'We didn't think that was right,' he said. 'We thought that was a parental choice, not a Joe Biden choice, so we sued them, arguing that he didn't have the authority statutory or constitutional to do this.' He claimed the 'win' a 'victory for freedom in America' and that he thinks 'parents are going to be glad they get to make the decision.' Texas Governor Greg Abbott, 64, also celebrated the 'win,' writing on Twitter that 'Texas just beat Biden again.' Late last month, 25 states sued the Biden Administration over the Head Start mandates. The program is designed to help students up to five years old prepare for school. Twenty-five other states are suing Biden over the mandate. The president initiated the mandate as Omicron began to rise in cases in December Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Wyoming and West Virginia are suing over the mandates. 'Our Nations children have faced enough setbacks and difficulties during the last two years; they cannot afford another government attack on their development,' Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry told Fox News in December. 'My office has had great success in blocking Biden's mandates on many hard-working Americans, and we will work tirelessly to achieve the same victories for toddlers and teachers.' The Biden Administration enacted the mandates as Omicron began to surge in the US. Texas saw a spike in COVID-19 numbers on December 27 with the state reaching 53,000 cases. The total number of cases up to December 31 are reaching almost 165,000, with a seven-day average of almost 15,000. Hospitalizations for children have reached an all-time high, according to Bloomberg, which has risen almost 70 per cent to almost 400 children a day. The Northeast and Midwest are reaching higher numbers than ever, while Southern states are doubling the number, Bloomberg reported. US District Court Northern District of Texas Judge James 'Wesley' Hendrix blocked Biden's mandate on Friday, which would have required children ages two and up in the program to wear a mask and for staff to be vaccinated A federal judge in Texas blocked President Joe Biden's vaccine and mask mandates for the Head Start program, ruling that the Biden Administration 'cannot act without Congressional authorization.' Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 59, brought a 'first of its kind' lawsuit against Biden's vaccine and mask mandate for children in Head Start programs. US Northern District Court of Texas Judge James 'Wesley' Hendrix blocked Biden's mandate on Friday, which would have required children ages two and up in the program to wear a mask and for staff to be vaccinated. Hendrix ruled that the President didn't have the power to make decisions without Congress and ruled the mandates 'violates various Constitutional doctrines.' 'It is undisputed that an agency cannot act without Congressional authorization,' he wrote in the ruling. Biden's vaccine mandate for the Head Start programs mandated staff get vaccinated and everyone - including children - to wear a mask He ruled the Biden Administration 'cannot act without Congressional authorization,' he wrote in his ruling (pictured) Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 59, (right) sued in a 'first of its kind' lawsuit against the Biden's Administration's vaccine and mask mandates. Governor Abbott, 64, (left) also celebrate Texas' 'win' over Biden Hendrix also argued that the Head Start program did not follow the Administrative Procedure Act, and therefore, 'failed' to properly authorize the mandates. Paxton celebrated New Year early with the announcement, writing on Twitter: 'Thanks to my [law]suit (first of its kind in the nation), Prez Brandon is barred from using the Head Start Program to force vax & masks in [Texas].' Paxton said he brought forth the lawsuit because the decision should be 'given' to parents and not 'Prez Brandon' - a derogatory slang term used to show dislike toward Biden. He and Governor Greg Abbott, 64, (left) celebrate their 'win' against 'Prez Brandon' on Twitter, with Abbott writing: 'Texas just beat Biden again' 'This is a win for the children of Texas for sure, given that parents should be making these decisions, not the Biden administration,' Paxton told Fox News. 'We didn't think that was right,' he said. 'We thought that was a parental choice, not a Joe Biden choice, so we sued them, arguing that he didn't have the authority statutory or constitutional to do this.' He claimed the 'win' a 'victory for freedom in America' and that he thinks 'parents are going to be glad they get to make the decision.' Texas Governor Greg Abbott, 64, also celebrated the 'win,' writing on Twitter that 'Texas just beat Biden again.' Late last month, 25 states sued the Biden Administration over the Head Start mandates. The program is designed to help students up to five years old prepare for school. Twenty-five other states are suing Biden over the mandate. The president initiated the mandate as Omicron began to rise in cases in December Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Wyoming and West Virginia are suing over the mandates. 'Our Nations children have faced enough setbacks and difficulties during the last two years; they cannot afford another government attack on their development,' Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry told Fox News in December. 'My office has had great success in blocking Biden's mandates on many hard-working Americans, and we will work tirelessly to achieve the same victories for toddlers and teachers.' The Biden Administration enacted the mandates as Omicron began to surge in the US. Texas saw a spike in COVID-19 numbers on December 27 with the state reaching 53,000 cases. The total number of cases up to December 31 are reaching almost 165,000, with a seven-day average of almost 15,000. Hospitalizations for children have reached an all-time high, according to Bloomberg, which has risen almost 70 per cent to almost 400 children a day. The Northeast and Midwest are reaching higher numbers than ever, while Southern states are doubling the number, Bloomberg reported. Washington [US], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): US President Joe Biden has expressed hope that the security guarantees negotiations with Russia will result in significant progress. On late Thursday, Biden held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which the leaders agreed to hold security guarantees talks in three formats: in Vienna, Geneva and Brussels. "Well, I got the sense of it that he's agreed that we would have three major conferences in Europe at the beginning of the middle of the month ... He laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, we laid out ours. I made it clear that they only could work if he deescalated ... Well, I always expect to negotiate and make progress," Biden said on late Friday, as quoted by the White House. (ANI/Sputnik) A woman driving the other vehicle was also killed, officials have confirmed The driver and passenger - both in their 20s - of one of the cars were killed A young couple were among the three people killed in a car crash in the Republic of Ireland on New Year's Eve. Saoirse Corrigan and her partner Shane Gilchrist, both in their 20s, died in a two-car collision in Kells, County Meath. The vehicles crashed on the N52 slip road in Kells, just off the M3 motorway, at around 4.45pm yesterday. Saoirse and Shane, who were the only occupants of one the cars, were both killed. A woman in her mid-20s, who was driving the second car, was rushed to hospital with serious injures after the head-on collision, but was later pronounced dead. Young couple Saoirse Corrigan and partner Shane Gilchrist were among the three people killed in a car crash in the Republic of Ireland on New Year's Eve The vehicles crashed on the N52 slip road in Kells, just off the M3 motorway near Kells, County Meath at around 4.45pm yesterday Three children who were travelling in the second car - two baby girls and a 12-year-old boy - were also taken to hospital. The boy is said to be in a critical condition, while the girls were not said to have life-threatening injuries. The road was closed for a technical examination, but has since reopened. The Irish Sun reported that Saoirse had only just started a new job as a teacher. It was today reported that Saoirse had only just started a new job as a teacher Her family told of their agony at losing her in a death notice published today. 'The death has occurred, on Friday 31st December, of Saoirse Corrigan, Whitehall, Castlepollard, tragically, following an accident,' it read. 'Pre-deceased by her grandfather Michael. Deeply regretted by her loving mother Orlene, loving father Michael, Andy, Keri, brothers Cathal and Cillian, sisters Bronagh and Grainne, grandparents Michael-John, Josephine and Beatrice, uncles, aunts, extended family, all the staff and students at St. Clare's College, Ballyjamesduff and a wide circle of friends. 'May Saoirse's gentle soul Rest in Peace.' Gardai are appealing to witnesses, particularly any road users who were travelling in the area at the time. Meath East TD Thomas Byrne has expressed his condolences to the families of the three people who died. Gardai are appealing to witnesses, particularly any road users who were travelling in the area at the time In a post on Twitter, the Minister for European Affairs said: "My deepest sympathies to the families of the bereaved and prayerful thoughts with the injured." Gardai have launched an appeal for information with witnesses and drivers with dash-cam footage who were in the area asked to come forward. A garda spokesman said: 'Kells Gardai are investigating a 2 car fatal traffic collision on the N52, Lloyds, Kells, Co.Meath which occurred 31/12/2021 shortly after 4pm. 'Any person travelling in the area or with any information or dashcam footage is asked to contact Gardai at Kells at 046 9280820. '3 persons (2 female and 1 male all in their 20s were deceased), 3 children were taken to hospital for treatment. Gardai have completed a forensic examination of the scene, investigations are ongoing.' JOHN HOOD: My fight with Facebook over political ads Its not personal, its just business or so Facebook assures me. Related Stories On this matter, Im inclined to believe the company (now called Meta by its CEO and nearly a dozen other human beings). That doesnt make my latest encounter with the social-media giant any less frustrating, however. I just spent many days jumping through its authorization hoops so I could run political ads on a Facebook page I manage. And even after finishing the process, I still had my ad rejected and had to appeal the decision multiple times. Before you accuse me of burying the lede, let me clarify. I am not abandoning my longtime role as political commentator in order to run for office. I am, of course, unelectable. Thousands of highly opinionated newspaper columns and TV appearances over more than three decades will do that to the best of men, and also to me. No, what set off Facebooks alarm was something else entirely. It flagged me as attempting to use boosted posts on a non-political page in order to promote a political cause. Thats a no-no, according to the policies Facebook adopted amidst criticism of the role its ads played in the 2016 election and subsequent controversies. The company now requires special authorization and disclosures in order to run ads made by, on behalf of, or about a candidate for public office. Facebook imposes the same requirements for ads about social issues that are sensitive topics that are heavily debated and may influence the outcome of an election or result in/relate to existing or proposed legislation. Earlier this year I published my first novel, Mountain Folk. Its a historical fantasy set during the Revolutionary War. To promote the book, I set up a Facebook page and occasionally spend a few dollars boosting posts about its characters, settings and themes. It was one of those boosted posts that Facebook rejected multiple times. The post consisted almost entirely of review excerpts. As best I can determine, this was the offending passage, taken from a magazine review: Fairies, elves, dwarves, water maidens, monsters, and more. Soldiers and heroes of the American Revolution. Founding Fathers of our country like Washington and Jefferson. Cherokee and Shawnee women and warriors. A minister turned soldier and politician who is unembarrassed to quote Scripture. Throw all these ingredients into a stew pot of fiction, turn up the burner, and you soon have bubbling on the stove John Hoods Mountain Folk. See the problem? The reviewer described George Washington and Thomas Jefferson as Founding Fathers of our country. That could be construed as an implicit endorsement of candidates for public office assuming Facebook readers possess time machines, that is, or that some evil genius is reanimating the corpses of dead presidents to effect a zombie takeover of the federal government (which would, I admit, be something of an improvement). Another explanation may be that the post described a Revolutionary War hero as a minister unembarrassed to quote Scripture. The role of devout Christians in the founding of the country could be construed as a sensitive topic, as could the roles of Cherokee and Shawnee leaders. Or perhaps the post was deemed an attempt to hinder the legislative prospects of the Elf Liberation Act. Okay, I know perfectly well that algorithms are involved, and that Facebook felt compelled to tighten up its advertising policies after a slew of politically charged attacks by powerful individuals and activist groups. But the absurdity of my case merely serves to illustrate the greater absurdity of the present moment. Upset by claims you consider baseless or ideas you consider objectionable? The proper remedy is neither government restrictions on political speech nor heavy-handed policies by social-media platforms. Dont hinder debate. Encourage it. We are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead, Jefferson famously said, nor to tolerate any error so long as reason is left free to combat it. Official disclaimer: this is not an endorsement of Washington/Jefferson 24. * * * * * John Hood is a John Locke Foundation board member and author of the new novel Mountain Folk, a historical fantasy set during the American Revolution (MountainFolkBook.com). Home Secretary Priti Patel has used her New Year message to promise a fresh crackdown on Insulate Britain's eco-mob and vowed to end the 'legal merry-go-round' of 'spurious' asylum seeker claims in 2022. In a video message shared across social media Ms Patel praised the Goverment's many achievements across 2021, such as its hiring of new police officers and publishing an anti-violence strategy to help women and girls. She also pointed to statistics showing that Britain's streets were safer than before following a significant drop in knife and gun crime and murders. But, the Home Secretary insisted there was still 'much more to do' in 2022, pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public'. She also said plans to introduce the new Nationality and Borders Bill would finally afford Britain the 'powers we need to deliver long overdue change' in our immigration system. Home Secretary Priti Patel has used her New Year message to promise a fresh crackdown on Insulate Britain's eco-mob and vowed to end the 'legal merry-go-round' of 'spurious' asylum seeker claims in 2022 In a video message, the Home Secretary insisted there was still 'much more to do' in 2022, pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public'. It follows a record-breaking year for migration into the UK, as 28,381 people made the perilous journey in 2021 - dwarfing the 8,410 who made the same treacherous trip in 2020. They came in at least 1,020 boats which were intercepted by UK authorities in the last 12 months. It means an average of 78 migrants arrived in three boats every day. Looking ahead to 2022, Ms Patel said it was 'vital' the Government's Police and Crime Bill passed through Parliament. 'The Bill will introduce mandatory life sentences for those who kill an emergency worker in the course of their duty and also crack down on the so-called eco-protesters on our roads and motorways that have caused misery to the law-abiding public,' she said. 'I will also continue to prioritise fixing our broken asylum system. It has been untouched for two decades, but passing our (Nationality and) Borders Bill into law in 2022 will finally give us the powers we need to deliver long overdue change. Ms Patel pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters such as Insulate Britain (above) who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public' Ms Patel praised the Goverment's many achievements across 2021, such as its hiring of new police officers and publishing an anti-violence strategy to help women and girls She also said plans to introduce the new Nationality and Borders Bill would finally afford Britain the 'powers we need to deliver long overdue change' in our immigration system 'A fairer system deterring illegal entry across the channel by cracking down on people smugglers and ending the legal merry-go-round of spurious asylum claims is what the British people expect and we will deliver.' Insulate Britain embarked on a two-month campaign of repeated motorway disruption throughout the end of 2021 before protestors were finally arrested and charged. The Home Secretary said she was proud that the Government had recruited more than 11,000 of the extra 20,000 police officers promised. Home Office figures to the end of September put the overall provisional headcount of officers in England and Wales at 139,908. This included 11,053 hired as part of the 20,000 pledge, a quarterly report on the progress of the scheme said, suggesting forces had recruited 55% of the total target. Ms Patel also said the streets were safer thanks to a reduction in knife crime, gun crime and murders. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there was an 8% decrease in knife-enabled crime in the year ending June 2021, compared with the previous year. It follows a record-breaking year or migration into the UK, with more than 26,000 migrants reaching Britain's shores since the start of the 2021. Pictured: A boat of migrants arrives at the Port of Dover, Kent Homicides were also down 11%, it said, while offences involving firearms fell by 6%. All figures were for crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales. However the ONS stressed that patterns of crime over that period had been 'significantly affected' by the Covid pandemic and Government instructions to limit social contact. Ms Patel said: 'The start of a new year is always a special time to reflect upon the previous year, but also to look ahead to what we want to achieve in the year to come.' She added: 'Whether it be cutting crime, keeping our country safe from terrorism, or controlling our borders, we have a range of plans in progress to deliver for the British people. 'That is an ambitious programme, but one I will be relentless in delivering as we focus on building back safer in the year ahead. I know we've got a lot of work to do in 2022. So let's get to it.' A woman driving the other vehicle was also killed, officials have confirmed The driver and passenger - both in their 20s - of one of the cars were killed A young couple were among the three people killed in a car crash in the Republic of Ireland on New Year's Eve. Saoirse Corrigan and her partner Shane Gilchrist, both in their 20s, died in a two-car collision in Kells, County Meath. The vehicles crashed on the N52 slip road in Kells, just off the M3 motorway, at around 4.45pm yesterday. Saoirse and Shane, who were the only occupants of one the cars, were both killed. A woman in her mid-20s, who was driving the second car, was rushed to hospital with serious injures after the head-on collision, but was later pronounced dead. Young couple Saoirse Corrigan and partner Shane Gilchrist were among the three people killed in a car crash in the Republic of Ireland on New Year's Eve The vehicles crashed on the N52 slip road in Kells, just off the M3 motorway near Kells, County Meath at around 4.45pm yesterday Three children who were travelling in the second car - two baby girls and a 12-year-old boy - were also taken to hospital. The boy is said to be in a critical condition, while the girls were not said to have life-threatening injuries. The road was closed for a technical examination, but has since reopened. The Irish Sun reported that Saoirse had only just started a new job as a teacher. It was today reported that Saoirse had only just started a new job as a teacher Her family told of their agony at losing her in a death notice published today. 'The death has occurred, on Friday 31st December, of Saoirse Corrigan, Whitehall, Castlepollard, tragically, following an accident,' it read. 'Pre-deceased by her grandfather Michael. Deeply regretted by her loving mother Orlene, loving father Michael, Andy, Keri, brothers Cathal and Cillian, sisters Bronagh and Grainne, grandparents Michael-John, Josephine and Beatrice, uncles, aunts, extended family, all the staff and students at St. Clare's College, Ballyjamesduff and a wide circle of friends. 'May Saoirse's gentle soul Rest in Peace.' Gardai are appealing to witnesses, particularly any road users who were travelling in the area at the time. Meath East TD Thomas Byrne has expressed his condolences to the families of the three people who died. Gardai are appealing to witnesses, particularly any road users who were travelling in the area at the time In a post on Twitter, the Minister for European Affairs said: "My deepest sympathies to the families of the bereaved and prayerful thoughts with the injured." Gardai have launched an appeal for information with witnesses and drivers with dash-cam footage who were in the area asked to come forward. A garda spokesman said: 'Kells Gardai are investigating a 2 car fatal traffic collision on the N52, Lloyds, Kells, Co.Meath which occurred 31/12/2021 shortly after 4pm. 'Any person travelling in the area or with any information or dashcam footage is asked to contact Gardai at Kells at 046 9280820. '3 persons (2 female and 1 male all in their 20s were deceased), 3 children were taken to hospital for treatment. Gardai have completed a forensic examination of the scene, investigations are ongoing.' A new 9-unit classroom block with a Mosque has been built for the Saquafiyya Islamic school in the Obuasi Municipality. The facility was initiated by two Arab brothers from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Hassan Al- Karbi and Saad Al Quarni. At a short ceremony to commission the two magnificent projects, Hassan Al- Karbi said they were moved to assist the school after one Alhaji Abdul Basit contacted them about the plight of the school. He appealed to Muslim parents to make the education of their children a priority by investing in it. He again called on Muslims to unite and support each other. He said, " as Muslims, we should not always rely on the benevolence of others. We should unite, work hard and support each other. This is the only way the Muslim communities can develop". The Headmaster of Saquafiyya JHS lauded the two brothers for coming to the aid of the school. He said though Government is doing its bit to assist the school, the benevolence of individuals and groups is needed to complement the efforts of Government. He said it behoves on management of the school as well as students to do their best to protect the facilities to stand the test of time. He made a passionate appeal to other benevolent groups to come to the aid of the school. He said " with such assistance coming from groups and individuals, we believe that the Saquafiyya Islamic school can compete with other schools within the Municipality ". Suleman Dawud who represented the Municipal Director of Education added his voice on the need for Muslims to prioritize education. He mentioned that Islam was founded on education. He said Islamic history has it when the Quran was handed over to the Prophet Muhammad, he was told IQRA which means to recite. He stressed, " you cannot recite if you do not know anything hence knowledge acquisition is compulsory for all Muslims ". Whiles praising the two brothers for their kind gesture, Mr. Dawud appealed to them and other benevolent organisations to help develop a project that was handed over to the Obuasi Chief Zongo by the Muslim Workers Association, to be converted into a vocational school. A representative of the Obuasi Chief Zongo, Alhaji Abdul Karim Cesay appealed to the school authorities to make sure they protect the facilities to become useful in the future. He also emphasised the importance of education to the Muslim community. The Assemblymember for Gauso East Electoral area Hon. Dauda Tahiru added his voice to the calls for Muslim groups and individuals to invest in education. He said, " As Muslims, we must see education as the only means through which we can prosper hence the need for all well meaning Muslims to invest in education". Leaders of the Muslim community in Obuasi, teachers and students of the school as well as members of the community were present at the ceremony. A new 9-unit classroom block with a Mosque has been built for the Saquafiyya Islamic school in the Obuasi Municipality. The facility was initiated by two Arab brothers from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Hassan Al- Karbi and Saad Al Quarni. At a short ceremony to commission the two magnificent projects, Hassan Al- Karbi said they were moved to assist the school after one Alhaji Abdul Basit contacted them about the plight of the school. He appealed to Muslim parents to make the education of their children a priority by investing in it. He again called on Muslims to unite and support each other. He said, " as Muslims, we should not always rely on the benevolence of others. We should unite, work hard and support each other. This is the only way the Muslim communities can develop". The Headmaster of Saquafiyya JHS lauded the two brothers for coming to the aid of the school. He said though Government is doing its bit to assist the school, the benevolence of individuals and groups is needed to complement the efforts of Government. He said it behoves on management of the school as well as students to do their best to protect the facilities to stand the test of time. He made a passionate appeal to other benevolent groups to come to the aid of the school. He said " with such assistance coming from groups and individuals, we believe that the Saquafiyya Islamic school can compete with other schools within the Municipality ". Suleman Dawud who represented the Municipal Director of Education added his voice on the need for Muslims to prioritize education. He mentioned that Islam was founded on education. He said Islamic history has it when the Quran was handed over to the Prophet Muhammad, he was told IQRA which means to recite. He stressed, " you cannot recite if you do not know anything hence knowledge acquisition is compulsory for all Muslims ". Whiles praising the two brothers for their kind gesture, Mr. Dawud appealed to them and other benevolent organisations to help develop a project that was handed over to the Obuasi Chief Zongo by the Muslim Workers Association, to be converted into a vocational school. A representative of the Obuasi Chief Zongo, Alhaji Abdul Karim Cesay appealed to the school authorities to make sure they protect the facilities to become useful in the future. He also emphasised the importance of education to the Muslim community. The Assemblymember for Gauso East Electoral area Hon. Dauda Tahiru added his voice to the calls for Muslim groups and individuals to invest in education. He said, " As Muslims, we must see education as the only means through which we can prosper hence the need for all well meaning Muslims to invest in education". Leaders of the Muslim community in Obuasi, teachers and students of the school as well as members of the community were present at the ceremony. Washington [US], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): US President Joe Biden has expressed hope that the security guarantees negotiations with Russia will result in significant progress. On late Thursday, Biden held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which the leaders agreed to hold security guarantees talks in three formats: in Vienna, Geneva and Brussels. "Well, I got the sense of it that he's agreed that we would have three major conferences in Europe at the beginning of the middle of the month ... He laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, we laid out ours. I made it clear that they only could work if he deescalated ... Well, I always expect to negotiate and make progress," Biden said on late Friday, as quoted by the White House. (ANI/Sputnik) Obuasi Rotary Club (district 9102) in collaboration with Wheelchair Foundation has donated wheelchairs to Obuasi Government Hospital. The Club presented five wheelchairs to the health facility in a brief ceremony at the forecourt of the Hospital in Obuasi. Present at the short gathering were the Obuasi Municipal Health Director Margaret Yaa Manu, the Medical Superintendant Kwadwo Nyarko-Jectey, as well as the Nurses in Charge of the Emergency Unit and some Staff of the hospital. According to the President of Obuasi Rotary Club Rotarian Sarwan Kumar after a thorough assessment, the club realized that the hospital had limited number of wheelchairs to serve patients. This forms part of our commitment to help our communities in terms of assisting in provision of quality health care services therefore this is a Christmas gift from Rotary to the hospital, he said. Rotarian Joe-Steve Atta Annan, occupational health and safety professional also added that this initiative is to address the OHS concerns faced by the hospital staff and patients in handling weak patients. He also charged the hospital to man the wheelchairs properly to ensure they are being used for its intended objective. "Rotary support in the communities span from polio vaccinations, provision of medical supplies and covid-19 items, provision of water and sanitation, support for maternal and child health among many. Our theme for the 2021-2022 'Rotary year is serve' to change lives," he stated. Receiving the items on behalf of the hospital, the health director, Margaret Yaa Manu thanked Obuasi rotarians for coming to their aid with the wheelchairs. The wheel chairs have come at the right time to salvage a very big challenge for us because patients are mostly been carried at the back of their relatives which is not always a pleasant sight, she stated. Medical Superintendant of Obuasi Government Hospital Dr. Kwadwo Nyarko-Jectey also praised Rotary Club of Obuasi for their great support to health delivery at the hospital. He described the gesture from Rotary Club as God sent since for a long time the hospital has not received any brand new wheelchairs. He said mostly they receive used wheelchairs which have a shorter life span as compared to brand new ones. Future Commitments to the hospital Rotarians in Obuasi also commit to support health workers through the provision of bed linens, Personal Protective Equipment such as gloves, nurses caps and sanitiser especially in the current COVID-19 era, and other sanitation items. Aside health oriental issues, the hospital needs high efficiency light bulbs and industrial washing machine to help keep contaminated bed linens and washable materials clean, Dr. Nyarko-Jectey said in his remarks and pleaded for support from Rotarians. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed disappointment at the Islamabad High Court (IHC)'s decision to frame charges against journalists for covering a case pertaining to the former chief judge of Gilgit-Baltistan, Rana Shamim, local media reported on Saturday. On December 28, last year, the IHC chief justice ordered to frame charges against main contemnor besides the three media persons -Jang Group's Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, The News Editor Aamir Ghauri and Editor Investigations Ansar Abbasi-- for reporting the affidavit which former top Gilgit-Baltistan judge recorded to accuse former chief justice of Pakistan of allegedly "colluding" to deny bail to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif before the 2018 general elections, The News International reported. Citing HRCP statement, the media outlet reported: "It is in as much in the public interest to protect the Press Freedom and allow journalists to fulfill their responsibility of holding those in power to account, as it is to ensure that the judiciary remains unencumbered by the external pressure. Expressing solidarity with the journalists Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) also called on the IHC to drop contempt proceedings against them for publishing a verified story. In a statement, PILDAT said it believes that to protect freedom of media in Pakistan, no journalist should be penalized by the honourable courts for reporting on a news story. Earlier, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has called for the annulment of the Islamabad High Court judicial inquiry for contempt proceedings against two journalists for having published the affidavit of a former judge highlighting a suspect influencing peddling case. The Paris-based NGO RSF said that the proceeding against two journalists from the daily The News International as well as its owner violates the fundamental principles of the rule of law in Pakistan, reported The News International. Pakistan occupies 145th place out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index published in 2021 by RSF. (ANI) The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed disappointment at the Islamabad High Court (IHC)'s decision to frame charges against journalists for covering a case pertaining to the former chief judge of Gilgit-Baltistan, Rana Shamim, local media reported on Saturday. On December 28, last year, the IHC chief justice ordered to frame charges against main contemnor besides the three media persons -Jang Group's Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, The News Editor Aamir Ghauri and Editor Investigations Ansar Abbasi-- for reporting the affidavit which former top Gilgit-Baltistan judge recorded to accuse former chief justice of Pakistan of allegedly "colluding" to deny bail to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif before the 2018 general elections, The News International reported. Citing HRCP statement, the media outlet reported: "It is in as much in the public interest to protect the Press Freedom and allow journalists to fulfill their responsibility of holding those in power to account, as it is to ensure that the judiciary remains unencumbered by the external pressure. Expressing solidarity with the journalists Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) also called on the IHC to drop contempt proceedings against them for publishing a verified story. In a statement, PILDAT said it believes that to protect freedom of media in Pakistan, no journalist should be penalized by the honourable courts for reporting on a news story. Earlier, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has called for the annulment of the Islamabad High Court judicial inquiry for contempt proceedings against two journalists for having published the affidavit of a former judge highlighting a suspect influencing peddling case. The Paris-based NGO RSF said that the proceeding against two journalists from the daily The News International as well as its owner violates the fundamental principles of the rule of law in Pakistan, reported The News International. Pakistan occupies 145th place out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index published in 2021 by RSF. (ANI) The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed disappointment at the Islamabad High Court (IHC)'s decision to frame charges against journalists for covering a case pertaining to the former chief judge of Gilgit-Baltistan, Rana Shamim, local media reported on Saturday. On December 28, last year, the IHC chief justice ordered to frame charges against main contemnor besides the three media persons -Jang Group's Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, The News Editor Aamir Ghauri and Editor Investigations Ansar Abbasi-- for reporting the affidavit which former top Gilgit-Baltistan judge recorded to accuse former chief justice of Pakistan of allegedly "colluding" to deny bail to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif before the 2018 general elections, The News International reported. Citing HRCP statement, the media outlet reported: "It is in as much in the public interest to protect the Press Freedom and allow journalists to fulfill their responsibility of holding those in power to account, as it is to ensure that the judiciary remains unencumbered by the external pressure. Expressing solidarity with the journalists Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) also called on the IHC to drop contempt proceedings against them for publishing a verified story. In a statement, PILDAT said it believes that to protect freedom of media in Pakistan, no journalist should be penalized by the honourable courts for reporting on a news story. Earlier, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has called for the annulment of the Islamabad High Court judicial inquiry for contempt proceedings against two journalists for having published the affidavit of a former judge highlighting a suspect influencing peddling case. The Paris-based NGO RSF said that the proceeding against two journalists from the daily The News International as well as its owner violates the fundamental principles of the rule of law in Pakistan, reported The News International. Pakistan occupies 145th place out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index published in 2021 by RSF. (ANI) The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed disappointment at the Islamabad High Court (IHC)'s decision to frame charges against journalists for covering a case pertaining to the former chief judge of Gilgit-Baltistan, Rana Shamim, local media reported on Saturday. On December 28, last year, the IHC chief justice ordered to frame charges against main contemnor besides the three media persons -Jang Group's Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, The News Editor Aamir Ghauri and Editor Investigations Ansar Abbasi-- for reporting the affidavit which former top Gilgit-Baltistan judge recorded to accuse former chief justice of Pakistan of allegedly "colluding" to deny bail to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif before the 2018 general elections, The News International reported. Citing HRCP statement, the media outlet reported: "It is in as much in the public interest to protect the Press Freedom and allow journalists to fulfill their responsibility of holding those in power to account, as it is to ensure that the judiciary remains unencumbered by the external pressure. Expressing solidarity with the journalists Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) also called on the IHC to drop contempt proceedings against them for publishing a verified story. In a statement, PILDAT said it believes that to protect freedom of media in Pakistan, no journalist should be penalized by the honourable courts for reporting on a news story. Earlier, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has called for the annulment of the Islamabad High Court judicial inquiry for contempt proceedings against two journalists for having published the affidavit of a former judge highlighting a suspect influencing peddling case. The Paris-based NGO RSF said that the proceeding against two journalists from the daily The News International as well as its owner violates the fundamental principles of the rule of law in Pakistan, reported The News International. Pakistan occupies 145th place out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index published in 2021 by RSF. (ANI) The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed disappointment at the Islamabad High Court (IHC)'s decision to frame charges against journalists for covering a case pertaining to the former chief judge of Gilgit-Baltistan, Rana Shamim, local media reported on Saturday. On December 28, last year, the IHC chief justice ordered to frame charges against main contemnor besides the three media persons -Jang Group's Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, The News Editor Aamir Ghauri and Editor Investigations Ansar Abbasi-- for reporting the affidavit which former top Gilgit-Baltistan judge recorded to accuse former chief justice of Pakistan of allegedly "colluding" to deny bail to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif before the 2018 general elections, The News International reported. Citing HRCP statement, the media outlet reported: "It is in as much in the public interest to protect the Press Freedom and allow journalists to fulfill their responsibility of holding those in power to account, as it is to ensure that the judiciary remains unencumbered by the external pressure. Expressing solidarity with the journalists Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) also called on the IHC to drop contempt proceedings against them for publishing a verified story. In a statement, PILDAT said it believes that to protect freedom of media in Pakistan, no journalist should be penalized by the honourable courts for reporting on a news story. Earlier, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has called for the annulment of the Islamabad High Court judicial inquiry for contempt proceedings against two journalists for having published the affidavit of a former judge highlighting a suspect influencing peddling case. The Paris-based NGO RSF said that the proceeding against two journalists from the daily The News International as well as its owner violates the fundamental principles of the rule of law in Pakistan, reported The News International. Pakistan occupies 145th place out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index published in 2021 by RSF. (ANI) The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed disappointment at the Islamabad High Court (IHC)'s decision to frame charges against journalists for covering a case pertaining to the former chief judge of Gilgit-Baltistan, Rana Shamim, local media reported on Saturday. On December 28, last year, the IHC chief justice ordered to frame charges against main contemnor besides the three media persons -Jang Group's Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, The News Editor Aamir Ghauri and Editor Investigations Ansar Abbasi-- for reporting the affidavit which former top Gilgit-Baltistan judge recorded to accuse former chief justice of Pakistan of allegedly "colluding" to deny bail to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif before the 2018 general elections, The News International reported. Citing HRCP statement, the media outlet reported: "It is in as much in the public interest to protect the Press Freedom and allow journalists to fulfill their responsibility of holding those in power to account, as it is to ensure that the judiciary remains unencumbered by the external pressure. Expressing solidarity with the journalists Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) also called on the IHC to drop contempt proceedings against them for publishing a verified story. In a statement, PILDAT said it believes that to protect freedom of media in Pakistan, no journalist should be penalized by the honourable courts for reporting on a news story. Earlier, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has called for the annulment of the Islamabad High Court judicial inquiry for contempt proceedings against two journalists for having published the affidavit of a former judge highlighting a suspect influencing peddling case. The Paris-based NGO RSF said that the proceeding against two journalists from the daily The News International as well as its owner violates the fundamental principles of the rule of law in Pakistan, reported The News International. Pakistan occupies 145th place out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index published in 2021 by RSF. (ANI) The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed disappointment at the Islamabad High Court (IHC)'s decision to frame charges against journalists for covering a case pertaining to the former chief judge of Gilgit-Baltistan, Rana Shamim, local media reported on Saturday. On December 28, last year, the IHC chief justice ordered to frame charges against main contemnor besides the three media persons -Jang Group's Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, The News Editor Aamir Ghauri and Editor Investigations Ansar Abbasi-- for reporting the affidavit which former top Gilgit-Baltistan judge recorded to accuse former chief justice of Pakistan of allegedly "colluding" to deny bail to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif before the 2018 general elections, The News International reported. Citing HRCP statement, the media outlet reported: "It is in as much in the public interest to protect the Press Freedom and allow journalists to fulfill their responsibility of holding those in power to account, as it is to ensure that the judiciary remains unencumbered by the external pressure. Expressing solidarity with the journalists Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) also called on the IHC to drop contempt proceedings against them for publishing a verified story. In a statement, PILDAT said it believes that to protect freedom of media in Pakistan, no journalist should be penalized by the honourable courts for reporting on a news story. Earlier, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has called for the annulment of the Islamabad High Court judicial inquiry for contempt proceedings against two journalists for having published the affidavit of a former judge highlighting a suspect influencing peddling case. The Paris-based NGO RSF said that the proceeding against two journalists from the daily The News International as well as its owner violates the fundamental principles of the rule of law in Pakistan, reported The News International. Pakistan occupies 145th place out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index published in 2021 by RSF. (ANI) JOHN HOOD: My fight with Facebook over political ads Its not personal, its just business or so Facebook assures me. Related Stories On this matter, Im inclined to believe the company (now called Meta by its CEO and nearly a dozen other human beings). That doesnt make my latest encounter with the social-media giant any less frustrating, however. I just spent many days jumping through its authorization hoops so I could run political ads on a Facebook page I manage. And even after finishing the process, I still had my ad rejected and had to appeal the decision multiple times. Before you accuse me of burying the lede, let me clarify. I am not abandoning my longtime role as political commentator in order to run for office. I am, of course, unelectable. Thousands of highly opinionated newspaper columns and TV appearances over more than three decades will do that to the best of men, and also to me. No, what set off Facebooks alarm was something else entirely. It flagged me as attempting to use boosted posts on a non-political page in order to promote a political cause. Thats a no-no, according to the policies Facebook adopted amidst criticism of the role its ads played in the 2016 election and subsequent controversies. The company now requires special authorization and disclosures in order to run ads made by, on behalf of, or about a candidate for public office. Facebook imposes the same requirements for ads about social issues that are sensitive topics that are heavily debated and may influence the outcome of an election or result in/relate to existing or proposed legislation. Earlier this year I published my first novel, Mountain Folk. Its a historical fantasy set during the Revolutionary War. To promote the book, I set up a Facebook page and occasionally spend a few dollars boosting posts about its characters, settings and themes. It was one of those boosted posts that Facebook rejected multiple times. The post consisted almost entirely of review excerpts. As best I can determine, this was the offending passage, taken from a magazine review: Fairies, elves, dwarves, water maidens, monsters, and more. Soldiers and heroes of the American Revolution. Founding Fathers of our country like Washington and Jefferson. Cherokee and Shawnee women and warriors. A minister turned soldier and politician who is unembarrassed to quote Scripture. Throw all these ingredients into a stew pot of fiction, turn up the burner, and you soon have bubbling on the stove John Hoods Mountain Folk. See the problem? The reviewer described George Washington and Thomas Jefferson as Founding Fathers of our country. That could be construed as an implicit endorsement of candidates for public office assuming Facebook readers possess time machines, that is, or that some evil genius is reanimating the corpses of dead presidents to effect a zombie takeover of the federal government (which would, I admit, be something of an improvement). Another explanation may be that the post described a Revolutionary War hero as a minister unembarrassed to quote Scripture. The role of devout Christians in the founding of the country could be construed as a sensitive topic, as could the roles of Cherokee and Shawnee leaders. Or perhaps the post was deemed an attempt to hinder the legislative prospects of the Elf Liberation Act. Okay, I know perfectly well that algorithms are involved, and that Facebook felt compelled to tighten up its advertising policies after a slew of politically charged attacks by powerful individuals and activist groups. But the absurdity of my case merely serves to illustrate the greater absurdity of the present moment. Upset by claims you consider baseless or ideas you consider objectionable? The proper remedy is neither government restrictions on political speech nor heavy-handed policies by social-media platforms. Dont hinder debate. Encourage it. We are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead, Jefferson famously said, nor to tolerate any error so long as reason is left free to combat it. Official disclaimer: this is not an endorsement of Washington/Jefferson 24. * * * * * John Hood is a John Locke Foundation board member and author of the new novel Mountain Folk, a historical fantasy set during the American Revolution (MountainFolkBook.com). Washington [US], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): US President Joe Biden has expressed hope that the security guarantees negotiations with Russia will result in significant progress. On late Thursday, Biden held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which the leaders agreed to hold security guarantees talks in three formats: in Vienna, Geneva and Brussels. "Well, I got the sense of it that he's agreed that we would have three major conferences in Europe at the beginning of the middle of the month ... He laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, we laid out ours. I made it clear that they only could work if he deescalated ... Well, I always expect to negotiate and make progress," Biden said on late Friday, as quoted by the White House. (ANI/Sputnik) President Joe Biden, right, accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, speaks to reporters after dining in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 31, 2021. (NIcholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) Biden to Speak With Zelensky After Warning Russia Not to Invade Ukraine U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak to Ukraines president this weekend after warning Russia not to invade Ukraine. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russias military build-up on Ukraines borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region, according to a White House official. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said in a statement that he looked forward to speaking to Biden to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe. Biden last spoke with Zelensky last month, when he promised no decisions or discussions would be made about Ukraine without Ukraine. Biden talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week for nearly an hour. According to the White House, Biden attempted to de-escalate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which was once part of the Soviet Union. I made it clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves and goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe with our NATO allies, and it will have to be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters on Friday in Wilmington, Delaware, where he and First Lady Jill Biden retreat to virtually every weekend. We laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, and we laid out ours. And we said wed begin to negotiate some of those issues. But I made it clear that they only could work if, in fact, he deescalated, not escalated, the situation there, Biden added. Russia has amassed troops at its border with Ukraine in recent weeks with estimates of more than 90,000 along the border and in Russian-annexed Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a recording of his annual televised New Years message on New Years eve in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. (Kremlin/Pool via AP) Russia has also repeatedly said Ukraine must not join NATO, a bloc of mostly European countries. The United States and its allies, though, have refused to offer Russia any guarantees, citing NATOs principle that membership is open to any qualifying country. Biden was vice president when Russia invaded Crimea. The Obama administration did not take military action but imposed sanctions on Russian leadership over the move. U.S. officials are set to meet in person with Russian counterparts in Geneva later this month to go over sticking points in ongoing negotiations. The talks will be supervised by the two presidents personally, Yuri Ushakov, a Putin aide, told reporters on Friday. Biden mentioned that if tension along Ukraines borders keeps escalating, Western countries will impose large-scale sanctions in economic, finance, and military spheres, Ushakov said. But our president immediately responded that if the West decides in this or other circumstances to impose the unprecedented sanctions mentioned, that could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries and cause the most severe damage to relations between Russia and the West. Nick Ciolino contributed to this report. President Joe Biden, right, accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, speaks to reporters after dining in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 31, 2021. (NIcholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) Biden to Speak With Zelensky After Warning Russia Not to Invade Ukraine U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak to Ukraines president this weekend after warning Russia not to invade Ukraine. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russias military build-up on Ukraines borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region, according to a White House official. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said in a statement that he looked forward to speaking to Biden to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe. Biden last spoke with Zelensky last month, when he promised no decisions or discussions would be made about Ukraine without Ukraine. Biden talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week for nearly an hour. According to the White House, Biden attempted to de-escalate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which was once part of the Soviet Union. I made it clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves and goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe with our NATO allies, and it will have to be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters on Friday in Wilmington, Delaware, where he and First Lady Jill Biden retreat to virtually every weekend. We laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, and we laid out ours. And we said wed begin to negotiate some of those issues. But I made it clear that they only could work if, in fact, he deescalated, not escalated, the situation there, Biden added. Russia has amassed troops at its border with Ukraine in recent weeks with estimates of more than 90,000 along the border and in Russian-annexed Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a recording of his annual televised New Years message on New Years eve in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. (Kremlin/Pool via AP) Russia has also repeatedly said Ukraine must not join NATO, a bloc of mostly European countries. The United States and its allies, though, have refused to offer Russia any guarantees, citing NATOs principle that membership is open to any qualifying country. Biden was vice president when Russia invaded Crimea. The Obama administration did not take military action but imposed sanctions on Russian leadership over the move. U.S. officials are set to meet in person with Russian counterparts in Geneva later this month to go over sticking points in ongoing negotiations. The talks will be supervised by the two presidents personally, Yuri Ushakov, a Putin aide, told reporters on Friday. Biden mentioned that if tension along Ukraines borders keeps escalating, Western countries will impose large-scale sanctions in economic, finance, and military spheres, Ushakov said. But our president immediately responded that if the West decides in this or other circumstances to impose the unprecedented sanctions mentioned, that could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries and cause the most severe damage to relations between Russia and the West. Nick Ciolino contributed to this report. President Joe Biden, right, accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, speaks to reporters after dining in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 31, 2021. (NIcholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) Biden to Speak With Zelensky After Warning Russia Not to Invade Ukraine U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak to Ukraines president this weekend after warning Russia not to invade Ukraine. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russias military build-up on Ukraines borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region, according to a White House official. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said in a statement that he looked forward to speaking to Biden to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe. Biden last spoke with Zelensky last month, when he promised no decisions or discussions would be made about Ukraine without Ukraine. Biden talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week for nearly an hour. According to the White House, Biden attempted to de-escalate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which was once part of the Soviet Union. I made it clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves and goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe with our NATO allies, and it will have to be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters on Friday in Wilmington, Delaware, where he and First Lady Jill Biden retreat to virtually every weekend. We laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, and we laid out ours. And we said wed begin to negotiate some of those issues. But I made it clear that they only could work if, in fact, he deescalated, not escalated, the situation there, Biden added. Russia has amassed troops at its border with Ukraine in recent weeks with estimates of more than 90,000 along the border and in Russian-annexed Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a recording of his annual televised New Years message on New Years eve in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. (Kremlin/Pool via AP) Russia has also repeatedly said Ukraine must not join NATO, a bloc of mostly European countries. The United States and its allies, though, have refused to offer Russia any guarantees, citing NATOs principle that membership is open to any qualifying country. Biden was vice president when Russia invaded Crimea. The Obama administration did not take military action but imposed sanctions on Russian leadership over the move. U.S. officials are set to meet in person with Russian counterparts in Geneva later this month to go over sticking points in ongoing negotiations. The talks will be supervised by the two presidents personally, Yuri Ushakov, a Putin aide, told reporters on Friday. Biden mentioned that if tension along Ukraines borders keeps escalating, Western countries will impose large-scale sanctions in economic, finance, and military spheres, Ushakov said. But our president immediately responded that if the West decides in this or other circumstances to impose the unprecedented sanctions mentioned, that could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries and cause the most severe damage to relations between Russia and the West. Nick Ciolino contributed to this report. President Joe Biden, right, accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, speaks to reporters after dining in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 31, 2021. (NIcholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) Biden to Speak With Zelensky After Warning Russia Not to Invade Ukraine U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak to Ukraines president this weekend after warning Russia not to invade Ukraine. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russias military build-up on Ukraines borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region, according to a White House official. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said in a statement that he looked forward to speaking to Biden to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe. Biden last spoke with Zelensky last month, when he promised no decisions or discussions would be made about Ukraine without Ukraine. Biden talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week for nearly an hour. According to the White House, Biden attempted to de-escalate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which was once part of the Soviet Union. I made it clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves and goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe with our NATO allies, and it will have to be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters on Friday in Wilmington, Delaware, where he and First Lady Jill Biden retreat to virtually every weekend. We laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, and we laid out ours. And we said wed begin to negotiate some of those issues. But I made it clear that they only could work if, in fact, he deescalated, not escalated, the situation there, Biden added. Russia has amassed troops at its border with Ukraine in recent weeks with estimates of more than 90,000 along the border and in Russian-annexed Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a recording of his annual televised New Years message on New Years eve in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. (Kremlin/Pool via AP) Russia has also repeatedly said Ukraine must not join NATO, a bloc of mostly European countries. The United States and its allies, though, have refused to offer Russia any guarantees, citing NATOs principle that membership is open to any qualifying country. Biden was vice president when Russia invaded Crimea. The Obama administration did not take military action but imposed sanctions on Russian leadership over the move. U.S. officials are set to meet in person with Russian counterparts in Geneva later this month to go over sticking points in ongoing negotiations. The talks will be supervised by the two presidents personally, Yuri Ushakov, a Putin aide, told reporters on Friday. Biden mentioned that if tension along Ukraines borders keeps escalating, Western countries will impose large-scale sanctions in economic, finance, and military spheres, Ushakov said. But our president immediately responded that if the West decides in this or other circumstances to impose the unprecedented sanctions mentioned, that could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries and cause the most severe damage to relations between Russia and the West. Nick Ciolino contributed to this report. President Joe Biden, right, accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, speaks to reporters after dining in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 31, 2021. (NIcholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) Biden to Speak With Zelensky After Warning Russia Not to Invade Ukraine U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak to Ukraines president this weekend after warning Russia not to invade Ukraine. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russias military build-up on Ukraines borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region, according to a White House official. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said in a statement that he looked forward to speaking to Biden to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe. Biden last spoke with Zelensky last month, when he promised no decisions or discussions would be made about Ukraine without Ukraine. Biden talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week for nearly an hour. According to the White House, Biden attempted to de-escalate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which was once part of the Soviet Union. I made it clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves and goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe with our NATO allies, and it will have to be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters on Friday in Wilmington, Delaware, where he and First Lady Jill Biden retreat to virtually every weekend. We laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, and we laid out ours. And we said wed begin to negotiate some of those issues. But I made it clear that they only could work if, in fact, he deescalated, not escalated, the situation there, Biden added. Russia has amassed troops at its border with Ukraine in recent weeks with estimates of more than 90,000 along the border and in Russian-annexed Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a recording of his annual televised New Years message on New Years eve in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. (Kremlin/Pool via AP) Russia has also repeatedly said Ukraine must not join NATO, a bloc of mostly European countries. The United States and its allies, though, have refused to offer Russia any guarantees, citing NATOs principle that membership is open to any qualifying country. Biden was vice president when Russia invaded Crimea. The Obama administration did not take military action but imposed sanctions on Russian leadership over the move. U.S. officials are set to meet in person with Russian counterparts in Geneva later this month to go over sticking points in ongoing negotiations. The talks will be supervised by the two presidents personally, Yuri Ushakov, a Putin aide, told reporters on Friday. Biden mentioned that if tension along Ukraines borders keeps escalating, Western countries will impose large-scale sanctions in economic, finance, and military spheres, Ushakov said. But our president immediately responded that if the West decides in this or other circumstances to impose the unprecedented sanctions mentioned, that could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries and cause the most severe damage to relations between Russia and the West. Nick Ciolino contributed to this report. President Joe Biden, right, accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, speaks to reporters after dining in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 31, 2021. (NIcholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) Biden to Speak With Zelensky After Warning Russia Not to Invade Ukraine U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak to Ukraines president this weekend after warning Russia not to invade Ukraine. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russias military build-up on Ukraines borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region, according to a White House official. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said in a statement that he looked forward to speaking to Biden to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe. Biden last spoke with Zelensky last month, when he promised no decisions or discussions would be made about Ukraine without Ukraine. Biden talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week for nearly an hour. According to the White House, Biden attempted to de-escalate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which was once part of the Soviet Union. I made it clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves and goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe with our NATO allies, and it will have to be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters on Friday in Wilmington, Delaware, where he and First Lady Jill Biden retreat to virtually every weekend. We laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, and we laid out ours. And we said wed begin to negotiate some of those issues. But I made it clear that they only could work if, in fact, he deescalated, not escalated, the situation there, Biden added. Russia has amassed troops at its border with Ukraine in recent weeks with estimates of more than 90,000 along the border and in Russian-annexed Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a recording of his annual televised New Years message on New Years eve in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. (Kremlin/Pool via AP) Russia has also repeatedly said Ukraine must not join NATO, a bloc of mostly European countries. The United States and its allies, though, have refused to offer Russia any guarantees, citing NATOs principle that membership is open to any qualifying country. Biden was vice president when Russia invaded Crimea. The Obama administration did not take military action but imposed sanctions on Russian leadership over the move. U.S. officials are set to meet in person with Russian counterparts in Geneva later this month to go over sticking points in ongoing negotiations. The talks will be supervised by the two presidents personally, Yuri Ushakov, a Putin aide, told reporters on Friday. Biden mentioned that if tension along Ukraines borders keeps escalating, Western countries will impose large-scale sanctions in economic, finance, and military spheres, Ushakov said. But our president immediately responded that if the West decides in this or other circumstances to impose the unprecedented sanctions mentioned, that could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries and cause the most severe damage to relations between Russia and the West. Nick Ciolino contributed to this report. President Joe Biden, right, accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, speaks to reporters after dining in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 31, 2021. (NIcholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) Biden to Speak With Zelensky After Warning Russia Not to Invade Ukraine U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak to Ukraines president this weekend after warning Russia not to invade Ukraine. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russias military build-up on Ukraines borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region, according to a White House official. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said in a statement that he looked forward to speaking to Biden to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe. Biden last spoke with Zelensky last month, when he promised no decisions or discussions would be made about Ukraine without Ukraine. Biden talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week for nearly an hour. According to the White House, Biden attempted to de-escalate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which was once part of the Soviet Union. I made it clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves and goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe with our NATO allies, and it will have to be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters on Friday in Wilmington, Delaware, where he and First Lady Jill Biden retreat to virtually every weekend. We laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, and we laid out ours. And we said wed begin to negotiate some of those issues. But I made it clear that they only could work if, in fact, he deescalated, not escalated, the situation there, Biden added. Russia has amassed troops at its border with Ukraine in recent weeks with estimates of more than 90,000 along the border and in Russian-annexed Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a recording of his annual televised New Years message on New Years eve in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. (Kremlin/Pool via AP) Russia has also repeatedly said Ukraine must not join NATO, a bloc of mostly European countries. The United States and its allies, though, have refused to offer Russia any guarantees, citing NATOs principle that membership is open to any qualifying country. Biden was vice president when Russia invaded Crimea. The Obama administration did not take military action but imposed sanctions on Russian leadership over the move. U.S. officials are set to meet in person with Russian counterparts in Geneva later this month to go over sticking points in ongoing negotiations. The talks will be supervised by the two presidents personally, Yuri Ushakov, a Putin aide, told reporters on Friday. Biden mentioned that if tension along Ukraines borders keeps escalating, Western countries will impose large-scale sanctions in economic, finance, and military spheres, Ushakov said. But our president immediately responded that if the West decides in this or other circumstances to impose the unprecedented sanctions mentioned, that could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries and cause the most severe damage to relations between Russia and the West. Nick Ciolino contributed to this report. President Joe Biden, right, accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, speaks to reporters after dining in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 31, 2021. (NIcholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) Biden to Speak With Zelensky After Warning Russia Not to Invade Ukraine U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak to Ukraines president this weekend after warning Russia not to invade Ukraine. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russias military build-up on Ukraines borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region, according to a White House official. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said in a statement that he looked forward to speaking to Biden to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe. Biden last spoke with Zelensky last month, when he promised no decisions or discussions would be made about Ukraine without Ukraine. Biden talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week for nearly an hour. According to the White House, Biden attempted to de-escalate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which was once part of the Soviet Union. I made it clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves and goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe with our NATO allies, and it will have to be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters on Friday in Wilmington, Delaware, where he and First Lady Jill Biden retreat to virtually every weekend. We laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, and we laid out ours. And we said wed begin to negotiate some of those issues. But I made it clear that they only could work if, in fact, he deescalated, not escalated, the situation there, Biden added. Russia has amassed troops at its border with Ukraine in recent weeks with estimates of more than 90,000 along the border and in Russian-annexed Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a recording of his annual televised New Years message on New Years eve in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. (Kremlin/Pool via AP) Russia has also repeatedly said Ukraine must not join NATO, a bloc of mostly European countries. The United States and its allies, though, have refused to offer Russia any guarantees, citing NATOs principle that membership is open to any qualifying country. Biden was vice president when Russia invaded Crimea. The Obama administration did not take military action but imposed sanctions on Russian leadership over the move. U.S. officials are set to meet in person with Russian counterparts in Geneva later this month to go over sticking points in ongoing negotiations. The talks will be supervised by the two presidents personally, Yuri Ushakov, a Putin aide, told reporters on Friday. Biden mentioned that if tension along Ukraines borders keeps escalating, Western countries will impose large-scale sanctions in economic, finance, and military spheres, Ushakov said. But our president immediately responded that if the West decides in this or other circumstances to impose the unprecedented sanctions mentioned, that could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries and cause the most severe damage to relations between Russia and the West. Nick Ciolino contributed to this report. A new 9-unit classroom block with a Mosque has been built for the Saquafiyya Islamic school in the Obuasi Municipality. The facility was initiated by two Arab brothers from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Hassan Al- Karbi and Saad Al Quarni. At a short ceremony to commission the two magnificent projects, Hassan Al- Karbi said they were moved to assist the school after one Alhaji Abdul Basit contacted them about the plight of the school. He appealed to Muslim parents to make the education of their children a priority by investing in it. He again called on Muslims to unite and support each other. He said, " as Muslims, we should not always rely on the benevolence of others. We should unite, work hard and support each other. This is the only way the Muslim communities can develop". The Headmaster of Saquafiyya JHS lauded the two brothers for coming to the aid of the school. He said though Government is doing its bit to assist the school, the benevolence of individuals and groups is needed to complement the efforts of Government. He said it behoves on management of the school as well as students to do their best to protect the facilities to stand the test of time. He made a passionate appeal to other benevolent groups to come to the aid of the school. He said " with such assistance coming from groups and individuals, we believe that the Saquafiyya Islamic school can compete with other schools within the Municipality ". Suleman Dawud who represented the Municipal Director of Education added his voice on the need for Muslims to prioritize education. He mentioned that Islam was founded on education. He said Islamic history has it when the Quran was handed over to the Prophet Muhammad, he was told IQRA which means to recite. He stressed, " you cannot recite if you do not know anything hence knowledge acquisition is compulsory for all Muslims ". Whiles praising the two brothers for their kind gesture, Mr. Dawud appealed to them and other benevolent organisations to help develop a project that was handed over to the Obuasi Chief Zongo by the Muslim Workers Association, to be converted into a vocational school. A representative of the Obuasi Chief Zongo, Alhaji Abdul Karim Cesay appealed to the school authorities to make sure they protect the facilities to become useful in the future. He also emphasised the importance of education to the Muslim community. The Assemblymember for Gauso East Electoral area Hon. Dauda Tahiru added his voice to the calls for Muslim groups and individuals to invest in education. He said, " As Muslims, we must see education as the only means through which we can prosper hence the need for all well meaning Muslims to invest in education". Leaders of the Muslim community in Obuasi, teachers and students of the school as well as members of the community were present at the ceremony. President Joe Biden, right, accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, speaks to reporters after dining in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 31, 2021. (NIcholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) Biden to Speak With Zelensky After Warning Russia Not to Invade Ukraine U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak to Ukraines president this weekend after warning Russia not to invade Ukraine. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russias military build-up on Ukraines borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region, according to a White House official. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said in a statement that he looked forward to speaking to Biden to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe. Biden last spoke with Zelensky last month, when he promised no decisions or discussions would be made about Ukraine without Ukraine. Biden talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week for nearly an hour. According to the White House, Biden attempted to de-escalate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which was once part of the Soviet Union. I made it clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves and goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe with our NATO allies, and it will have to be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters on Friday in Wilmington, Delaware, where he and First Lady Jill Biden retreat to virtually every weekend. We laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, and we laid out ours. And we said wed begin to negotiate some of those issues. But I made it clear that they only could work if, in fact, he deescalated, not escalated, the situation there, Biden added. Russia has amassed troops at its border with Ukraine in recent weeks with estimates of more than 90,000 along the border and in Russian-annexed Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a recording of his annual televised New Years message on New Years eve in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. (Kremlin/Pool via AP) Russia has also repeatedly said Ukraine must not join NATO, a bloc of mostly European countries. The United States and its allies, though, have refused to offer Russia any guarantees, citing NATOs principle that membership is open to any qualifying country. Biden was vice president when Russia invaded Crimea. The Obama administration did not take military action but imposed sanctions on Russian leadership over the move. U.S. officials are set to meet in person with Russian counterparts in Geneva later this month to go over sticking points in ongoing negotiations. The talks will be supervised by the two presidents personally, Yuri Ushakov, a Putin aide, told reporters on Friday. Biden mentioned that if tension along Ukraines borders keeps escalating, Western countries will impose large-scale sanctions in economic, finance, and military spheres, Ushakov said. But our president immediately responded that if the West decides in this or other circumstances to impose the unprecedented sanctions mentioned, that could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries and cause the most severe damage to relations between Russia and the West. Nick Ciolino contributed to this report. President Joe Biden, right, accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, speaks to reporters after dining in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 31, 2021. (NIcholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) Biden to Speak With Zelensky After Warning Russia Not to Invade Ukraine U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak to Ukraines president this weekend after warning Russia not to invade Ukraine. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russias military build-up on Ukraines borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region, according to a White House official. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said in a statement that he looked forward to speaking to Biden to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe. Biden last spoke with Zelensky last month, when he promised no decisions or discussions would be made about Ukraine without Ukraine. Biden talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week for nearly an hour. According to the White House, Biden attempted to de-escalate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which was once part of the Soviet Union. I made it clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves and goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe with our NATO allies, and it will have to be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters on Friday in Wilmington, Delaware, where he and First Lady Jill Biden retreat to virtually every weekend. We laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, and we laid out ours. And we said wed begin to negotiate some of those issues. But I made it clear that they only could work if, in fact, he deescalated, not escalated, the situation there, Biden added. Russia has amassed troops at its border with Ukraine in recent weeks with estimates of more than 90,000 along the border and in Russian-annexed Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a recording of his annual televised New Years message on New Years eve in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. (Kremlin/Pool via AP) Russia has also repeatedly said Ukraine must not join NATO, a bloc of mostly European countries. The United States and its allies, though, have refused to offer Russia any guarantees, citing NATOs principle that membership is open to any qualifying country. Biden was vice president when Russia invaded Crimea. The Obama administration did not take military action but imposed sanctions on Russian leadership over the move. U.S. officials are set to meet in person with Russian counterparts in Geneva later this month to go over sticking points in ongoing negotiations. The talks will be supervised by the two presidents personally, Yuri Ushakov, a Putin aide, told reporters on Friday. Biden mentioned that if tension along Ukraines borders keeps escalating, Western countries will impose large-scale sanctions in economic, finance, and military spheres, Ushakov said. But our president immediately responded that if the West decides in this or other circumstances to impose the unprecedented sanctions mentioned, that could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries and cause the most severe damage to relations between Russia and the West. Nick Ciolino contributed to this report. US District Court Northern District of Texas Judge James 'Wesley' Hendrix blocked Biden's mandate on Friday, which would have required children ages two and up in the program to wear a mask and for staff to be vaccinated A federal judge in Texas blocked President Joe Biden's vaccine and mask mandates for the Head Start program, ruling that the Biden Administration 'cannot act without Congressional authorization.' Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 59, brought a 'first of its kind' lawsuit against Biden's vaccine and mask mandate for children in Head Start programs. US Northern District Court of Texas Judge James 'Wesley' Hendrix blocked Biden's mandate on Friday, which would have required children ages two and up in the program to wear a mask and for staff to be vaccinated. Hendrix ruled that the President didn't have the power to make decisions without Congress and ruled the mandates 'violates various Constitutional doctrines.' 'It is undisputed that an agency cannot act without Congressional authorization,' he wrote in the ruling. Biden's vaccine mandate for the Head Start programs mandated staff get vaccinated and everyone - including children - to wear a mask He ruled the Biden Administration 'cannot act without Congressional authorization,' he wrote in his ruling (pictured) Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 59, (right) sued in a 'first of its kind' lawsuit against the Biden's Administration's vaccine and mask mandates. Governor Abbott, 64, (left) also celebrate Texas' 'win' over Biden Hendrix also argued that the Head Start program did not follow the Administrative Procedure Act, and therefore, 'failed' to properly authorize the mandates. Paxton celebrated New Year early with the announcement, writing on Twitter: 'Thanks to my [law]suit (first of its kind in the nation), Prez Brandon is barred from using the Head Start Program to force vax & masks in [Texas].' Paxton said he brought forth the lawsuit because the decision should be 'given' to parents and not 'Prez Brandon' - a derogatory slang term used to show dislike toward Biden. He and Governor Greg Abbott, 64, (left) celebrate their 'win' against 'Prez Brandon' on Twitter, with Abbott writing: 'Texas just beat Biden again' 'This is a win for the children of Texas for sure, given that parents should be making these decisions, not the Biden administration,' Paxton told Fox News. 'We didn't think that was right,' he said. 'We thought that was a parental choice, not a Joe Biden choice, so we sued them, arguing that he didn't have the authority statutory or constitutional to do this.' He claimed the 'win' a 'victory for freedom in America' and that he thinks 'parents are going to be glad they get to make the decision.' Texas Governor Greg Abbott, 64, also celebrated the 'win,' writing on Twitter that 'Texas just beat Biden again.' Late last month, 25 states sued the Biden Administration over the Head Start mandates. The program is designed to help students up to five years old prepare for school. Twenty-five other states are suing Biden over the mandate. The president initiated the mandate as Omicron began to rise in cases in December Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Wyoming and West Virginia are suing over the mandates. 'Our Nations children have faced enough setbacks and difficulties during the last two years; they cannot afford another government attack on their development,' Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry told Fox News in December. 'My office has had great success in blocking Biden's mandates on many hard-working Americans, and we will work tirelessly to achieve the same victories for toddlers and teachers.' The Biden Administration enacted the mandates as Omicron began to surge in the US. Texas saw a spike in COVID-19 numbers on December 27 with the state reaching 53,000 cases. The total number of cases up to December 31 are reaching almost 165,000, with a seven-day average of almost 15,000. Hospitalizations for children have reached an all-time high, according to Bloomberg, which has risen almost 70 per cent to almost 400 children a day. The Northeast and Midwest are reaching higher numbers than ever, while Southern states are doubling the number, Bloomberg reported. In just his first few hours as mayor, Eric Adams had to confront New York City's spiraling crime problem head-on as he called police about an assault in progress. Footage posted to social media on Saturday showed Adams calling 911 as he passed through the Kosciuszko J stop in Brooklyn on his way to City Hall - and witnessed three men fighting on the street below. One of the men was seen punching another man on the ground. Later, one of the suspects lifts a victim up and continues to punch him. 'Yes, I'm at Broadway and Kosciuszko and I have an assault in progress,' Adams told officers on the phone as reporters followed the newly sworn-in mayor around town on his first day in office. 'No - assault in progress, not past assault,' the mayor soon clarifies. 'They are fighting each other on the street right now, three males.' The fight ended and two of the men left by the time two police patrol cars arrived. Officers spoke to the remaining man but stayed in their car, and Adams told reporters he would have investigated more had he been the officer at the scene. DailyMail.com has reached out to the NYPD for more information. As he made his way to City Hall for the first time on Saturday, New York City's new Mayor Eric Adams called 911 about three men brawling on the street Adams was passing through the Kosciuszko J stop in Brooklyn when he spotted the men They were seen in video tackling each other and punching one another in broad daylight Adams said that if he had been the officer on duty he would have handled the situation differently after cops spoke to the two men remaining on the street but stayed in their car Adams, 61, was sworn in as New York City's new mayor just after the ball dropped in Times Square at midnight on New Year's amid a 10-year-high murder rate. As of Thursday, the city had recorded 481 murders, which have been fueled by an increase in gun crime, according to city data. The last time the city hit more than 500 murders was 2011, under then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg, when homicides ended up totaling 515. The rest of the decade had seen a sharp decrease in murders, going down to 419 in 2012 and heading as low as 292 in 2017 under now former Mayor Bill de Blasio. But the numbers have climbed since, up to 462 in 2020 during the lockdown phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the city, which also saw stores hit by looting, and riots in the wake of George Floyd's murder. Those numbers have continued to go up this year, even as the city reopens, and are on pace to hit 10-year highs and the numbers continue to increase of late. Between November 28 and December 26, homicides were double what they were in the same period last year, with 41 murders compared to 24 in 2020. Overall, crime has risen 6.13 percent in New York City over 2020 through December 26. The biggest rise came in felony assaults like the ones previously mentioned, which rose 9.6 percent from 2020. Murders (4.1 percent), shooting victims (0.6 percent), rapes (3.3 percent), and robberies (4.7 percent) have also risen this year. Murders have gone up in New York City each of the last three years, with numbers hitting a 10-year high in 2021 As a mayoral candidate, Adams has said he wants to see a return of the kind of community policing of the mid-20th century that saw officers posted to certain blocks to 'rebuild trust.' Adams, a 22-year NYPD veteran who ran his campaign on public safety, said he will target areas where confidence in the police is low and give officers promotions based on how they are rated by local residents. 'The goal is to rebuild trust,' Adams told the New York Daily News. 'We can show people that these officers are human beings just like them. They have children. They have families. They have spouses. They want to go home safe, and they want you to go home safe.' He said he remembered an officer who walked the working-class neighborhood of Jamaica, Queens, where he grew up. 'He knew how to keep you out of trouble,' said Adams, noting that cops who are out in the community learn better to understand the people they are dealing with. 'I believe that that steady cop could differentiate between little Johnny just acting up,' Adams told the paper, 'and little Johnny carrying a gun.' He has also advocated for a return of the controversial stop-and-frisk policy, claiming it 'is a perfectly legal, appropriate and constitutional tool, when used smartly,' and has vowed to bring back an anticrime unit after it was disbanded by Police Commissioner Dermot Shea last year. When he got on the subway Saturday morning, Adams hugged commuter Pauline Munemya Adams held his first cabinet meeting at City Hall on Saturday morning Adams will also face a surge in new COVID cases amid the spread of the Omicron variant. As of Friday, New York City was seeing a daily average 26.94 percent positivity rate, with 22,964 confirmed cases over the past week, 329 hospitalizations and 23 deaths. The surge in cases has shut down some Broadway shows and left restaurants and bars crunched as workers tested positive for the virus. Several subway lines were also suspended because positive test results among transit workers left too few staffers to run regular trains. Adams said this week that he plans to keep in place many of the policies of outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio, including vaccine mandates that are among the strictest in the nation. The city's municipal workforce is required to be vaccinated, as is anyone trying to dine indoors, see a show, workout at a gym or attend a conference. But New York City has also newly required employees in the private sector to get their shots, the most sweeping mandate of any state or big city and a policy Adams said he will preserve. De Blasio said Thursday that 94 percent of the city's public workforce is vaccinated. Adams said 72 percent of New Yorkers are fully vaccinated. In total, 72.3 percent of all New York City residents were fully vaccinated by Friday, with 9 percent partially vaccinated and 18.7 percent not yet vaccinated. The new mayor is now considering whether to expand vaccine mandates and plans to distribute face masks and rapid tests, as well as introduce a color-coded system alerting New Yorkers to the current threat level. Adams has said he is excited to show New Yorkers he is one of them Adams spoke to New Yorkers on his way to work, as he vowed to keep kids in school amid a surge in COVID cases Still, Adams said on Saturday he is prepared to meet the challenges ahead, outlining to reporters how he wants an analysis of the city employees out sick with COVID and 'make sure we have a real plan in place for Monday for testing for analysis of the number of students that we believe will appear in school and just get that plan together for Monday because schools will be open.' Adams arrived at City Hall at around 8.30am after taking the subway to work, and said he was excited to start the day. 'I'm looking forward to showing New Yorkers that I'm one of them. I take the train, I'm going to put in long hours - no one in this city is going to outwork me, they trusted me. 'As I move around this city, I'm seeing the energy from New Yorkers. 'You know, there's a new hope that I'm seeing that's just amazing, there's a feeling of "You know, Eric, we're going to give you the support you need," and you know, you saw the excitement that we now have someone who has gone through a lot, who is now going to help people who are going through a lot.' Adams held his first cabinet meeting Saturday morning and planned to give a speech at noon. On Saturday afternoon, he is scheduled to visit a police precinct in Queens where he was beaten by police officers as a teenager. In just his first few hours as mayor, Eric Adams had to confront New York City's spiraling crime problem head-on as he called police about an assault in progress. Footage posted to social media on Saturday showed Adams calling 911 as he passed through the Kosciuszko J stop in Brooklyn on his way to City Hall - and witnessed three men fighting on the street below. One of the men was seen punching another man on the ground. Later, one of the suspects lifts a victim up and continues to punch him. 'Yes, I'm at Broadway and Kosciuszko and I have an assault in progress,' Adams told officers on the phone as reporters followed the newly sworn-in mayor around town on his first day in office. 'No - assault in progress, not past assault,' the mayor soon clarifies. 'They are fighting each other on the street right now, three males.' The fight ended and two of the men left by the time two police patrol cars arrived. Officers spoke to the remaining man but stayed in their car, and Adams told reporters he would have investigated more had he been the officer at the scene. DailyMail.com has reached out to the NYPD for more information. As he made his way to City Hall for the first time on Saturday, New York City's new Mayor Eric Adams called 911 about three men brawling on the street Adams was passing through the Kosciuszko J stop in Brooklyn when he spotted the men They were seen in video tackling each other and punching one another in broad daylight Adams said that if he had been the officer on duty he would have handled the situation differently after cops spoke to the two men remaining on the street but stayed in their car Adams, 61, was sworn in as New York City's new mayor just after the ball dropped in Times Square at midnight on New Year's amid a 10-year-high murder rate. As of Thursday, the city had recorded 481 murders, which have been fueled by an increase in gun crime, according to city data. The last time the city hit more than 500 murders was 2011, under then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg, when homicides ended up totaling 515. The rest of the decade had seen a sharp decrease in murders, going down to 419 in 2012 and heading as low as 292 in 2017 under now former Mayor Bill de Blasio. But the numbers have climbed since, up to 462 in 2020 during the lockdown phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the city, which also saw stores hit by looting, and riots in the wake of George Floyd's murder. Those numbers have continued to go up this year, even as the city reopens, and are on pace to hit 10-year highs and the numbers continue to increase of late. Between November 28 and December 26, homicides were double what they were in the same period last year, with 41 murders compared to 24 in 2020. Overall, crime has risen 6.13 percent in New York City over 2020 through December 26. The biggest rise came in felony assaults like the ones previously mentioned, which rose 9.6 percent from 2020. Murders (4.1 percent), shooting victims (0.6 percent), rapes (3.3 percent), and robberies (4.7 percent) have also risen this year. Murders have gone up in New York City each of the last three years, with numbers hitting a 10-year high in 2021 As a mayoral candidate, Adams has said he wants to see a return of the kind of community policing of the mid-20th century that saw officers posted to certain blocks to 'rebuild trust.' Adams, a 22-year NYPD veteran who ran his campaign on public safety, said he will target areas where confidence in the police is low and give officers promotions based on how they are rated by local residents. 'The goal is to rebuild trust,' Adams told the New York Daily News. 'We can show people that these officers are human beings just like them. They have children. They have families. They have spouses. They want to go home safe, and they want you to go home safe.' He said he remembered an officer who walked the working-class neighborhood of Jamaica, Queens, where he grew up. 'He knew how to keep you out of trouble,' said Adams, noting that cops who are out in the community learn better to understand the people they are dealing with. 'I believe that that steady cop could differentiate between little Johnny just acting up,' Adams told the paper, 'and little Johnny carrying a gun.' He has also advocated for a return of the controversial stop-and-frisk policy, claiming it 'is a perfectly legal, appropriate and constitutional tool, when used smartly,' and has vowed to bring back an anticrime unit after it was disbanded by Police Commissioner Dermot Shea last year. When he got on the subway Saturday morning, Adams hugged commuter Pauline Munemya Adams held his first cabinet meeting at City Hall on Saturday morning Adams will also face a surge in new COVID cases amid the spread of the Omicron variant. As of Friday, New York City was seeing a daily average 26.94 percent positivity rate, with 22,964 confirmed cases over the past week, 329 hospitalizations and 23 deaths. The surge in cases has shut down some Broadway shows and left restaurants and bars crunched as workers tested positive for the virus. Several subway lines were also suspended because positive test results among transit workers left too few staffers to run regular trains. Adams said this week that he plans to keep in place many of the policies of outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio, including vaccine mandates that are among the strictest in the nation. The city's municipal workforce is required to be vaccinated, as is anyone trying to dine indoors, see a show, workout at a gym or attend a conference. But New York City has also newly required employees in the private sector to get their shots, the most sweeping mandate of any state or big city and a policy Adams said he will preserve. De Blasio said Thursday that 94 percent of the city's public workforce is vaccinated. Adams said 72 percent of New Yorkers are fully vaccinated. In total, 72.3 percent of all New York City residents were fully vaccinated by Friday, with 9 percent partially vaccinated and 18.7 percent not yet vaccinated. The new mayor is now considering whether to expand vaccine mandates and plans to distribute face masks and rapid tests, as well as introduce a color-coded system alerting New Yorkers to the current threat level. Adams has said he is excited to show New Yorkers he is one of them Adams spoke to New Yorkers on his way to work, as he vowed to keep kids in school amid a surge in COVID cases Still, Adams said on Saturday he is prepared to meet the challenges ahead, outlining to reporters how he wants an analysis of the city employees out sick with COVID and 'make sure we have a real plan in place for Monday for testing for analysis of the number of students that we believe will appear in school and just get that plan together for Monday because schools will be open.' Adams arrived at City Hall at around 8.30am after taking the subway to work, and said he was excited to start the day. 'I'm looking forward to showing New Yorkers that I'm one of them. I take the train, I'm going to put in long hours - no one in this city is going to outwork me, they trusted me. 'As I move around this city, I'm seeing the energy from New Yorkers. 'You know, there's a new hope that I'm seeing that's just amazing, there's a feeling of "You know, Eric, we're going to give you the support you need," and you know, you saw the excitement that we now have someone who has gone through a lot, who is now going to help people who are going through a lot.' Adams held his first cabinet meeting Saturday morning and planned to give a speech at noon. On Saturday afternoon, he is scheduled to visit a police precinct in Queens where he was beaten by police officers as a teenager. President Joe Biden, right, accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, speaks to reporters after dining in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 31, 2021. (NIcholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) Biden to Speak With Zelensky After Warning Russia Not to Invade Ukraine U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak to Ukraines president this weekend after warning Russia not to invade Ukraine. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russias military build-up on Ukraines borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region, according to a White House official. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said in a statement that he looked forward to speaking to Biden to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe. Biden last spoke with Zelensky last month, when he promised no decisions or discussions would be made about Ukraine without Ukraine. Biden talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week for nearly an hour. According to the White House, Biden attempted to de-escalate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which was once part of the Soviet Union. I made it clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves and goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe with our NATO allies, and it will have to be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters on Friday in Wilmington, Delaware, where he and First Lady Jill Biden retreat to virtually every weekend. We laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, and we laid out ours. And we said wed begin to negotiate some of those issues. But I made it clear that they only could work if, in fact, he deescalated, not escalated, the situation there, Biden added. Russia has amassed troops at its border with Ukraine in recent weeks with estimates of more than 90,000 along the border and in Russian-annexed Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a recording of his annual televised New Years message on New Years eve in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. (Kremlin/Pool via AP) Russia has also repeatedly said Ukraine must not join NATO, a bloc of mostly European countries. The United States and its allies, though, have refused to offer Russia any guarantees, citing NATOs principle that membership is open to any qualifying country. Biden was vice president when Russia invaded Crimea. The Obama administration did not take military action but imposed sanctions on Russian leadership over the move. U.S. officials are set to meet in person with Russian counterparts in Geneva later this month to go over sticking points in ongoing negotiations. The talks will be supervised by the two presidents personally, Yuri Ushakov, a Putin aide, told reporters on Friday. Biden mentioned that if tension along Ukraines borders keeps escalating, Western countries will impose large-scale sanctions in economic, finance, and military spheres, Ushakov said. But our president immediately responded that if the West decides in this or other circumstances to impose the unprecedented sanctions mentioned, that could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries and cause the most severe damage to relations between Russia and the West. Nick Ciolino contributed to this report. President Joe Biden, right, accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, speaks to reporters after dining in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 31, 2021. (NIcholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) Biden to Speak With Zelensky After Warning Russia Not to Invade Ukraine U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak to Ukraines president this weekend after warning Russia not to invade Ukraine. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russias military build-up on Ukraines borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region, according to a White House official. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said in a statement that he looked forward to speaking to Biden to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe. Biden last spoke with Zelensky last month, when he promised no decisions or discussions would be made about Ukraine without Ukraine. Biden talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week for nearly an hour. According to the White House, Biden attempted to de-escalate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which was once part of the Soviet Union. I made it clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves and goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe with our NATO allies, and it will have to be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters on Friday in Wilmington, Delaware, where he and First Lady Jill Biden retreat to virtually every weekend. We laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, and we laid out ours. And we said wed begin to negotiate some of those issues. But I made it clear that they only could work if, in fact, he deescalated, not escalated, the situation there, Biden added. Russia has amassed troops at its border with Ukraine in recent weeks with estimates of more than 90,000 along the border and in Russian-annexed Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a recording of his annual televised New Years message on New Years eve in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. (Kremlin/Pool via AP) Russia has also repeatedly said Ukraine must not join NATO, a bloc of mostly European countries. The United States and its allies, though, have refused to offer Russia any guarantees, citing NATOs principle that membership is open to any qualifying country. Biden was vice president when Russia invaded Crimea. The Obama administration did not take military action but imposed sanctions on Russian leadership over the move. U.S. officials are set to meet in person with Russian counterparts in Geneva later this month to go over sticking points in ongoing negotiations. The talks will be supervised by the two presidents personally, Yuri Ushakov, a Putin aide, told reporters on Friday. Biden mentioned that if tension along Ukraines borders keeps escalating, Western countries will impose large-scale sanctions in economic, finance, and military spheres, Ushakov said. But our president immediately responded that if the West decides in this or other circumstances to impose the unprecedented sanctions mentioned, that could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries and cause the most severe damage to relations between Russia and the West. Nick Ciolino contributed to this report. President Joe Biden speaks during a speech at the White House on Dec. 21, 2021. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters) Federal Judge Blocks Biden Administrations Head Start Vaccine Mandate in Texas Mask mandate also blocked President Joe Bidens administration was ordered late on Dec. 31 to halt mask and vaccine mandates for workers and volunteers in the Head Start program in Texas. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) likely acted without congressional authorization when it imposed the mandates in response to the presidents push to increase COVID-19 vaccinations, U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, a Trump nominee, said in a 56-page ruling. HHSs Nov. 30 interim final rule said all workers and some volunteers and contractors must get a COVID-19 vaccine and that all volunteers and workers, and children 2 or older, must wear masks. The deadline for vaccination compliance was listed as Jan. 31, 2022, while the masking rule took effect immediately. The agency said it was given the authority to implement such rules in the Head Start Act, specifically citing how the law lets the health secretary modify, as necessary, program performance standards by regulation applicable to Head Start agencies and programs under this subchapter, including (C) administrative and financial management standards; (D) standards relating to the condition and location of facilities (including indoor air quality assessment standards, where appropriate) [and] (E) such other standards as the Secretary finds to be appropriate. But the standards clearly dont include vaccine or mask mandates, the state of Texas argued in its brief to the court in support of a filing for a preliminary injunction. The act does not authorize defendants to mandate an invasive, permanent medical treatment for or mask mandates for Head Start program children, staff, contractors, and volunteers, Texas lawyers said. Notably, it does not mention vaccinations or masking requirements at all. Head Start is a federal grant program aimed at helping young children in low-income households prepare for school. Approximately 864,289 children are enrolled in Head Start. Congress may not have mentioned vaccinations or masking, but did say the health secretary can implement health-related standards, Biden administration lawyers said in an opposition motion earlier last week. Hendrix didnt agree, siding with Texas. The judge referred to how government lawyers conceded during a recent hearing that vaccine and mask mandates are not health services and that Head Start had never mandated a medical procedure as a precondition for current or prospective workers. The court finds that plaintiffs have demonstrated a substantial likelihood of success on their claim that the secretary issued the rule without statutory authority, Hendrix said. Congress could have spoken directly to the issue of vaccination, masking, or other precautions in the last year when passing other COVID-19-related legislation, but it did not and has not. A preliminary injunction means the rule is blocked in Texas while the case moves forward. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks at a border town hall in Brackettville, Texas, on Oct. 11, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Texas originally asked for a nationwide injunction, but lawyers for the state clarified in the hearing that most evidence before the court was about the effect of the mandates on Texas, and the judge decided to restrict the block to the state. Twenty-four other states have sued over the mandates, but that case hasnt yet been ruled on. Biden administration lawyers declined to comment. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, said in a statement on Twitter that I just halted another illegal fed vax & mask mandate. Because of the suit, the president is barred from using the Head Start Program to force vax & masks in [Texas]both of which this admin embarrassingly admitted dont stop Covid anyway! he wrote. COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Vaccines effectiveness against CCP virus infection drops over time, studies and real-world data show. Against the Omicron virus variant, the protection is so low that it isnt considered high enough for a viable vaccine, according to World Health Organization standards. Masks are recommended by federal officials to curb transmission of the virus, although experts are divided on whether masks, particularly cloth ones, have any real effect on reducing the spread of the illness. Texas just beat Biden again. Another of Bidens vaccine & mask mandates was just halted by a federal judge in Texas, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, wrote on Twitter. The Court writes: It is undisputed that an agency cannot act without Congressional authorization. That would apply to all of Bidens orders. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. US District Court Northern District of Texas Judge James 'Wesley' Hendrix blocked Biden's mandate on Friday, which would have required children ages two and up in the program to wear a mask and for staff to be vaccinated A federal judge in Texas blocked President Joe Biden's vaccine and mask mandates for the Head Start program, ruling that the Biden Administration 'cannot act without Congressional authorization.' Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 59, brought a 'first of its kind' lawsuit against Biden's vaccine and mask mandate for children in Head Start programs. US Northern District Court of Texas Judge James 'Wesley' Hendrix blocked Biden's mandate on Friday, which would have required children ages two and up in the program to wear a mask and for staff to be vaccinated. Hendrix ruled that the President didn't have the power to make decisions without Congress and ruled the mandates 'violates various Constitutional doctrines.' 'It is undisputed that an agency cannot act without Congressional authorization,' he wrote in the ruling. Biden's vaccine mandate for the Head Start programs mandated staff get vaccinated and everyone - including children - to wear a mask He ruled the Biden Administration 'cannot act without Congressional authorization,' he wrote in his ruling (pictured) Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 59, (right) sued in a 'first of its kind' lawsuit against the Biden's Administration's vaccine and mask mandates. Governor Abbott, 64, (left) also celebrate Texas' 'win' over Biden Hendrix also argued that the Head Start program did not follow the Administrative Procedure Act, and therefore, 'failed' to properly authorize the mandates. Paxton celebrated New Year early with the announcement, writing on Twitter: 'Thanks to my [law]suit (first of its kind in the nation), Prez Brandon is barred from using the Head Start Program to force vax & masks in [Texas].' Paxton said he brought forth the lawsuit because the decision should be 'given' to parents and not 'Prez Brandon' - a derogatory slang term used to show dislike toward Biden. He and Governor Greg Abbott, 64, (left) celebrate their 'win' against 'Prez Brandon' on Twitter, with Abbott writing: 'Texas just beat Biden again' 'This is a win for the children of Texas for sure, given that parents should be making these decisions, not the Biden administration,' Paxton told Fox News. 'We didn't think that was right,' he said. 'We thought that was a parental choice, not a Joe Biden choice, so we sued them, arguing that he didn't have the authority statutory or constitutional to do this.' He claimed the 'win' a 'victory for freedom in America' and that he thinks 'parents are going to be glad they get to make the decision.' Texas Governor Greg Abbott, 64, also celebrated the 'win,' writing on Twitter that 'Texas just beat Biden again.' Late last month, 25 states sued the Biden Administration over the Head Start mandates. The program is designed to help students up to five years old prepare for school. Twenty-five other states are suing Biden over the mandate. The president initiated the mandate as Omicron began to rise in cases in December Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Wyoming and West Virginia are suing over the mandates. 'Our Nations children have faced enough setbacks and difficulties during the last two years; they cannot afford another government attack on their development,' Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry told Fox News in December. 'My office has had great success in blocking Biden's mandates on many hard-working Americans, and we will work tirelessly to achieve the same victories for toddlers and teachers.' The Biden Administration enacted the mandates as Omicron began to surge in the US. Texas saw a spike in COVID-19 numbers on December 27 with the state reaching 53,000 cases. The total number of cases up to December 31 are reaching almost 165,000, with a seven-day average of almost 15,000. Hospitalizations for children have reached an all-time high, according to Bloomberg, which has risen almost 70 per cent to almost 400 children a day. The Northeast and Midwest are reaching higher numbers than ever, while Southern states are doubling the number, Bloomberg reported. US District Court Northern District of Texas Judge James 'Wesley' Hendrix blocked Biden's mandate on Friday, which would have required children ages two and up in the program to wear a mask and for staff to be vaccinated A federal judge in Texas blocked President Joe Biden's vaccine and mask mandates for the Head Start program, ruling that the Biden Administration 'cannot act without Congressional authorization.' Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 59, brought a 'first of its kind' lawsuit against Biden's vaccine and mask mandate for children in Head Start programs. US Northern District Court of Texas Judge James 'Wesley' Hendrix blocked Biden's mandate on Friday, which would have required children ages two and up in the program to wear a mask and for staff to be vaccinated. Hendrix ruled that the President didn't have the power to make decisions without Congress and ruled the mandates 'violates various Constitutional doctrines.' 'It is undisputed that an agency cannot act without Congressional authorization,' he wrote in the ruling. Biden's vaccine mandate for the Head Start programs mandated staff get vaccinated and everyone - including children - to wear a mask He ruled the Biden Administration 'cannot act without Congressional authorization,' he wrote in his ruling (pictured) Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 59, (right) sued in a 'first of its kind' lawsuit against the Biden's Administration's vaccine and mask mandates. Governor Abbott, 64, (left) also celebrate Texas' 'win' over Biden Hendrix also argued that the Head Start program did not follow the Administrative Procedure Act, and therefore, 'failed' to properly authorize the mandates. Paxton celebrated New Year early with the announcement, writing on Twitter: 'Thanks to my [law]suit (first of its kind in the nation), Prez Brandon is barred from using the Head Start Program to force vax & masks in [Texas].' Paxton said he brought forth the lawsuit because the decision should be 'given' to parents and not 'Prez Brandon' - a derogatory slang term used to show dislike toward Biden. He and Governor Greg Abbott, 64, (left) celebrate their 'win' against 'Prez Brandon' on Twitter, with Abbott writing: 'Texas just beat Biden again' 'This is a win for the children of Texas for sure, given that parents should be making these decisions, not the Biden administration,' Paxton told Fox News. 'We didn't think that was right,' he said. 'We thought that was a parental choice, not a Joe Biden choice, so we sued them, arguing that he didn't have the authority statutory or constitutional to do this.' He claimed the 'win' a 'victory for freedom in America' and that he thinks 'parents are going to be glad they get to make the decision.' Texas Governor Greg Abbott, 64, also celebrated the 'win,' writing on Twitter that 'Texas just beat Biden again.' Late last month, 25 states sued the Biden Administration over the Head Start mandates. The program is designed to help students up to five years old prepare for school. Twenty-five other states are suing Biden over the mandate. The president initiated the mandate as Omicron began to rise in cases in December Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Wyoming and West Virginia are suing over the mandates. 'Our Nations children have faced enough setbacks and difficulties during the last two years; they cannot afford another government attack on their development,' Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry told Fox News in December. 'My office has had great success in blocking Biden's mandates on many hard-working Americans, and we will work tirelessly to achieve the same victories for toddlers and teachers.' The Biden Administration enacted the mandates as Omicron began to surge in the US. Texas saw a spike in COVID-19 numbers on December 27 with the state reaching 53,000 cases. The total number of cases up to December 31 are reaching almost 165,000, with a seven-day average of almost 15,000. Hospitalizations for children have reached an all-time high, according to Bloomberg, which has risen almost 70 per cent to almost 400 children a day. The Northeast and Midwest are reaching higher numbers than ever, while Southern states are doubling the number, Bloomberg reported. President Joe Biden speaks during a speech at the White House on Dec. 21, 2021. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters) Federal Judge Blocks Biden Administrations Head Start Vaccine Mandate in Texas Mask mandate also blocked President Joe Bidens administration was ordered late on Dec. 31 to halt mask and vaccine mandates for workers and volunteers in the Head Start program in Texas. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) likely acted without congressional authorization when it imposed the mandates in response to the presidents push to increase COVID-19 vaccinations, U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, a Trump nominee, said in a 56-page ruling. HHSs Nov. 30 interim final rule said all workers and some volunteers and contractors must get a COVID-19 vaccine and that all volunteers and workers, and children 2 or older, must wear masks. The deadline for vaccination compliance was listed as Jan. 31, 2022, while the masking rule took effect immediately. The agency said it was given the authority to implement such rules in the Head Start Act, specifically citing how the law lets the health secretary modify, as necessary, program performance standards by regulation applicable to Head Start agencies and programs under this subchapter, including (C) administrative and financial management standards; (D) standards relating to the condition and location of facilities (including indoor air quality assessment standards, where appropriate) [and] (E) such other standards as the Secretary finds to be appropriate. But the standards clearly dont include vaccine or mask mandates, the state of Texas argued in its brief to the court in support of a filing for a preliminary injunction. The act does not authorize defendants to mandate an invasive, permanent medical treatment for or mask mandates for Head Start program children, staff, contractors, and volunteers, Texas lawyers said. Notably, it does not mention vaccinations or masking requirements at all. Head Start is a federal grant program aimed at helping young children in low-income households prepare for school. Approximately 864,289 children are enrolled in Head Start. Congress may not have mentioned vaccinations or masking, but did say the health secretary can implement health-related standards, Biden administration lawyers said in an opposition motion earlier last week. Hendrix didnt agree, siding with Texas. The judge referred to how government lawyers conceded during a recent hearing that vaccine and mask mandates are not health services and that Head Start had never mandated a medical procedure as a precondition for current or prospective workers. The court finds that plaintiffs have demonstrated a substantial likelihood of success on their claim that the secretary issued the rule without statutory authority, Hendrix said. Congress could have spoken directly to the issue of vaccination, masking, or other precautions in the last year when passing other COVID-19-related legislation, but it did not and has not. A preliminary injunction means the rule is blocked in Texas while the case moves forward. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks at a border town hall in Brackettville, Texas, on Oct. 11, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Texas originally asked for a nationwide injunction, but lawyers for the state clarified in the hearing that most evidence before the court was about the effect of the mandates on Texas, and the judge decided to restrict the block to the state. Twenty-four other states have sued over the mandates, but that case hasnt yet been ruled on. Biden administration lawyers declined to comment. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, said in a statement on Twitter that I just halted another illegal fed vax & mask mandate. Because of the suit, the president is barred from using the Head Start Program to force vax & masks in [Texas]both of which this admin embarrassingly admitted dont stop Covid anyway! he wrote. COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Vaccines effectiveness against CCP virus infection drops over time, studies and real-world data show. Against the Omicron virus variant, the protection is so low that it isnt considered high enough for a viable vaccine, according to World Health Organization standards. Masks are recommended by federal officials to curb transmission of the virus, although experts are divided on whether masks, particularly cloth ones, have any real effect on reducing the spread of the illness. Texas just beat Biden again. Another of Bidens vaccine & mask mandates was just halted by a federal judge in Texas, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, wrote on Twitter. The Court writes: It is undisputed that an agency cannot act without Congressional authorization. That would apply to all of Bidens orders. In just his first few hours as mayor, Eric Adams had to confront New York City's spiraling crime problem head-on as he called police about an assault in progress. Footage posted to social media on Saturday showed Adams calling 911 as he passed through the Kosciuszko J stop in Brooklyn on his way to City Hall - and witnessed three men fighting on the street below. One of the men was seen punching another man on the ground. Later, one of the suspects lifts a victim up and continues to punch him. 'Yes, I'm at Broadway and Kosciuszko and I have an assault in progress,' Adams told officers on the phone as reporters followed the newly sworn-in mayor around town on his first day in office. 'No - assault in progress, not past assault,' the mayor soon clarifies. 'They are fighting each other on the street right now, three males.' The fight ended and two of the men left by the time two police patrol cars arrived. Officers spoke to the remaining man but stayed in their car, and Adams told reporters he would have investigated more had he been the officer at the scene. DailyMail.com has reached out to the NYPD for more information. As he made his way to City Hall for the first time on Saturday, New York City's new Mayor Eric Adams called 911 about three men brawling on the street Adams was passing through the Kosciuszko J stop in Brooklyn when he spotted the men They were seen in video tackling each other and punching one another in broad daylight Adams said that if he had been the officer on duty he would have handled the situation differently after cops spoke to the two men remaining on the street but stayed in their car Adams, 61, was sworn in as New York City's new mayor just after the ball dropped in Times Square at midnight on New Year's amid a 10-year-high murder rate. As of Thursday, the city had recorded 481 murders, which have been fueled by an increase in gun crime, according to city data. The last time the city hit more than 500 murders was 2011, under then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg, when homicides ended up totaling 515. The rest of the decade had seen a sharp decrease in murders, going down to 419 in 2012 and heading as low as 292 in 2017 under now former Mayor Bill de Blasio. But the numbers have climbed since, up to 462 in 2020 during the lockdown phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the city, which also saw stores hit by looting, and riots in the wake of George Floyd's murder. Those numbers have continued to go up this year, even as the city reopens, and are on pace to hit 10-year highs and the numbers continue to increase of late. Between November 28 and December 26, homicides were double what they were in the same period last year, with 41 murders compared to 24 in 2020. Overall, crime has risen 6.13 percent in New York City over 2020 through December 26. The biggest rise came in felony assaults like the ones previously mentioned, which rose 9.6 percent from 2020. Murders (4.1 percent), shooting victims (0.6 percent), rapes (3.3 percent), and robberies (4.7 percent) have also risen this year. Murders have gone up in New York City each of the last three years, with numbers hitting a 10-year high in 2021 As a mayoral candidate, Adams has said he wants to see a return of the kind of community policing of the mid-20th century that saw officers posted to certain blocks to 'rebuild trust.' Adams, a 22-year NYPD veteran who ran his campaign on public safety, said he will target areas where confidence in the police is low and give officers promotions based on how they are rated by local residents. 'The goal is to rebuild trust,' Adams told the New York Daily News. 'We can show people that these officers are human beings just like them. They have children. They have families. They have spouses. They want to go home safe, and they want you to go home safe.' He said he remembered an officer who walked the working-class neighborhood of Jamaica, Queens, where he grew up. 'He knew how to keep you out of trouble,' said Adams, noting that cops who are out in the community learn better to understand the people they are dealing with. 'I believe that that steady cop could differentiate between little Johnny just acting up,' Adams told the paper, 'and little Johnny carrying a gun.' He has also advocated for a return of the controversial stop-and-frisk policy, claiming it 'is a perfectly legal, appropriate and constitutional tool, when used smartly,' and has vowed to bring back an anticrime unit after it was disbanded by Police Commissioner Dermot Shea last year. When he got on the subway Saturday morning, Adams hugged commuter Pauline Munemya Adams held his first cabinet meeting at City Hall on Saturday morning Adams will also face a surge in new COVID cases amid the spread of the Omicron variant. As of Friday, New York City was seeing a daily average 26.94 percent positivity rate, with 22,964 confirmed cases over the past week, 329 hospitalizations and 23 deaths. The surge in cases has shut down some Broadway shows and left restaurants and bars crunched as workers tested positive for the virus. Several subway lines were also suspended because positive test results among transit workers left too few staffers to run regular trains. Adams said this week that he plans to keep in place many of the policies of outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio, including vaccine mandates that are among the strictest in the nation. The city's municipal workforce is required to be vaccinated, as is anyone trying to dine indoors, see a show, workout at a gym or attend a conference. But New York City has also newly required employees in the private sector to get their shots, the most sweeping mandate of any state or big city and a policy Adams said he will preserve. De Blasio said Thursday that 94 percent of the city's public workforce is vaccinated. Adams said 72 percent of New Yorkers are fully vaccinated. In total, 72.3 percent of all New York City residents were fully vaccinated by Friday, with 9 percent partially vaccinated and 18.7 percent not yet vaccinated. The new mayor is now considering whether to expand vaccine mandates and plans to distribute face masks and rapid tests, as well as introduce a color-coded system alerting New Yorkers to the current threat level. Adams has said he is excited to show New Yorkers he is one of them Adams spoke to New Yorkers on his way to work, as he vowed to keep kids in school amid a surge in COVID cases Still, Adams said on Saturday he is prepared to meet the challenges ahead, outlining to reporters how he wants an analysis of the city employees out sick with COVID and 'make sure we have a real plan in place for Monday for testing for analysis of the number of students that we believe will appear in school and just get that plan together for Monday because schools will be open.' Adams arrived at City Hall at around 8.30am after taking the subway to work, and said he was excited to start the day. 'I'm looking forward to showing New Yorkers that I'm one of them. I take the train, I'm going to put in long hours - no one in this city is going to outwork me, they trusted me. 'As I move around this city, I'm seeing the energy from New Yorkers. 'You know, there's a new hope that I'm seeing that's just amazing, there's a feeling of "You know, Eric, we're going to give you the support you need," and you know, you saw the excitement that we now have someone who has gone through a lot, who is now going to help people who are going through a lot.' Adams held his first cabinet meeting Saturday morning and planned to give a speech at noon. On Saturday afternoon, he is scheduled to visit a police precinct in Queens where he was beaten by police officers as a teenager. US District Court Northern District of Texas Judge James 'Wesley' Hendrix blocked Biden's mandate on Friday, which would have required children ages two and up in the program to wear a mask and for staff to be vaccinated A federal judge in Texas blocked President Joe Biden's vaccine and mask mandates for the Head Start program, ruling that the Biden Administration 'cannot act without Congressional authorization.' Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 59, brought a 'first of its kind' lawsuit against Biden's vaccine and mask mandate for children in Head Start programs. US Northern District Court of Texas Judge James 'Wesley' Hendrix blocked Biden's mandate on Friday, which would have required children ages two and up in the program to wear a mask and for staff to be vaccinated. Hendrix ruled that the President didn't have the power to make decisions without Congress and ruled the mandates 'violates various Constitutional doctrines.' 'It is undisputed that an agency cannot act without Congressional authorization,' he wrote in the ruling. Biden's vaccine mandate for the Head Start programs mandated staff get vaccinated and everyone - including children - to wear a mask He ruled the Biden Administration 'cannot act without Congressional authorization,' he wrote in his ruling (pictured) Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 59, (right) sued in a 'first of its kind' lawsuit against the Biden's Administration's vaccine and mask mandates. Governor Abbott, 64, (left) also celebrate Texas' 'win' over Biden Hendrix also argued that the Head Start program did not follow the Administrative Procedure Act, and therefore, 'failed' to properly authorize the mandates. Paxton celebrated New Year early with the announcement, writing on Twitter: 'Thanks to my [law]suit (first of its kind in the nation), Prez Brandon is barred from using the Head Start Program to force vax & masks in [Texas].' Paxton said he brought forth the lawsuit because the decision should be 'given' to parents and not 'Prez Brandon' - a derogatory slang term used to show dislike toward Biden. He and Governor Greg Abbott, 64, (left) celebrate their 'win' against 'Prez Brandon' on Twitter, with Abbott writing: 'Texas just beat Biden again' 'This is a win for the children of Texas for sure, given that parents should be making these decisions, not the Biden administration,' Paxton told Fox News. 'We didn't think that was right,' he said. 'We thought that was a parental choice, not a Joe Biden choice, so we sued them, arguing that he didn't have the authority statutory or constitutional to do this.' He claimed the 'win' a 'victory for freedom in America' and that he thinks 'parents are going to be glad they get to make the decision.' Texas Governor Greg Abbott, 64, also celebrated the 'win,' writing on Twitter that 'Texas just beat Biden again.' Late last month, 25 states sued the Biden Administration over the Head Start mandates. The program is designed to help students up to five years old prepare for school. Twenty-five other states are suing Biden over the mandate. The president initiated the mandate as Omicron began to rise in cases in December Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Wyoming and West Virginia are suing over the mandates. 'Our Nations children have faced enough setbacks and difficulties during the last two years; they cannot afford another government attack on their development,' Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry told Fox News in December. 'My office has had great success in blocking Biden's mandates on many hard-working Americans, and we will work tirelessly to achieve the same victories for toddlers and teachers.' The Biden Administration enacted the mandates as Omicron began to surge in the US. Texas saw a spike in COVID-19 numbers on December 27 with the state reaching 53,000 cases. The total number of cases up to December 31 are reaching almost 165,000, with a seven-day average of almost 15,000. Hospitalizations for children have reached an all-time high, according to Bloomberg, which has risen almost 70 per cent to almost 400 children a day. The Northeast and Midwest are reaching higher numbers than ever, while Southern states are doubling the number, Bloomberg reported. US District Court Northern District of Texas Judge James 'Wesley' Hendrix blocked Biden's mandate on Friday, which would have required children ages two and up in the program to wear a mask and for staff to be vaccinated A federal judge in Texas blocked President Joe Biden's vaccine and mask mandates for the Head Start program, ruling that the Biden Administration 'cannot act without Congressional authorization.' Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 59, brought a 'first of its kind' lawsuit against Biden's vaccine and mask mandate for children in Head Start programs. US Northern District Court of Texas Judge James 'Wesley' Hendrix blocked Biden's mandate on Friday, which would have required children ages two and up in the program to wear a mask and for staff to be vaccinated. Hendrix ruled that the President didn't have the power to make decisions without Congress and ruled the mandates 'violates various Constitutional doctrines.' 'It is undisputed that an agency cannot act without Congressional authorization,' he wrote in the ruling. Biden's vaccine mandate for the Head Start programs mandated staff get vaccinated and everyone - including children - to wear a mask He ruled the Biden Administration 'cannot act without Congressional authorization,' he wrote in his ruling (pictured) Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 59, (right) sued in a 'first of its kind' lawsuit against the Biden's Administration's vaccine and mask mandates. Governor Abbott, 64, (left) also celebrate Texas' 'win' over Biden Hendrix also argued that the Head Start program did not follow the Administrative Procedure Act, and therefore, 'failed' to properly authorize the mandates. Paxton celebrated New Year early with the announcement, writing on Twitter: 'Thanks to my [law]suit (first of its kind in the nation), Prez Brandon is barred from using the Head Start Program to force vax & masks in [Texas].' Paxton said he brought forth the lawsuit because the decision should be 'given' to parents and not 'Prez Brandon' - a derogatory slang term used to show dislike toward Biden. He and Governor Greg Abbott, 64, (left) celebrate their 'win' against 'Prez Brandon' on Twitter, with Abbott writing: 'Texas just beat Biden again' 'This is a win for the children of Texas for sure, given that parents should be making these decisions, not the Biden administration,' Paxton told Fox News. 'We didn't think that was right,' he said. 'We thought that was a parental choice, not a Joe Biden choice, so we sued them, arguing that he didn't have the authority statutory or constitutional to do this.' He claimed the 'win' a 'victory for freedom in America' and that he thinks 'parents are going to be glad they get to make the decision.' Texas Governor Greg Abbott, 64, also celebrated the 'win,' writing on Twitter that 'Texas just beat Biden again.' Late last month, 25 states sued the Biden Administration over the Head Start mandates. The program is designed to help students up to five years old prepare for school. Twenty-five other states are suing Biden over the mandate. The president initiated the mandate as Omicron began to rise in cases in December Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Wyoming and West Virginia are suing over the mandates. 'Our Nations children have faced enough setbacks and difficulties during the last two years; they cannot afford another government attack on their development,' Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry told Fox News in December. 'My office has had great success in blocking Biden's mandates on many hard-working Americans, and we will work tirelessly to achieve the same victories for toddlers and teachers.' The Biden Administration enacted the mandates as Omicron began to surge in the US. Texas saw a spike in COVID-19 numbers on December 27 with the state reaching 53,000 cases. The total number of cases up to December 31 are reaching almost 165,000, with a seven-day average of almost 15,000. Hospitalizations for children have reached an all-time high, according to Bloomberg, which has risen almost 70 per cent to almost 400 children a day. The Northeast and Midwest are reaching higher numbers than ever, while Southern states are doubling the number, Bloomberg reported. US District Court Northern District of Texas Judge James 'Wesley' Hendrix blocked Biden's mandate on Friday, which would have required children ages two and up in the program to wear a mask and for staff to be vaccinated A federal judge in Texas blocked President Joe Biden's vaccine and mask mandates for the Head Start program, ruling that the Biden Administration 'cannot act without Congressional authorization.' Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 59, brought a 'first of its kind' lawsuit against Biden's vaccine and mask mandate for children in Head Start programs. US Northern District Court of Texas Judge James 'Wesley' Hendrix blocked Biden's mandate on Friday, which would have required children ages two and up in the program to wear a mask and for staff to be vaccinated. Hendrix ruled that the President didn't have the power to make decisions without Congress and ruled the mandates 'violates various Constitutional doctrines.' 'It is undisputed that an agency cannot act without Congressional authorization,' he wrote in the ruling. Biden's vaccine mandate for the Head Start programs mandated staff get vaccinated and everyone - including children - to wear a mask He ruled the Biden Administration 'cannot act without Congressional authorization,' he wrote in his ruling (pictured) Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 59, (right) sued in a 'first of its kind' lawsuit against the Biden's Administration's vaccine and mask mandates. Governor Abbott, 64, (left) also celebrate Texas' 'win' over Biden Hendrix also argued that the Head Start program did not follow the Administrative Procedure Act, and therefore, 'failed' to properly authorize the mandates. Paxton celebrated New Year early with the announcement, writing on Twitter: 'Thanks to my [law]suit (first of its kind in the nation), Prez Brandon is barred from using the Head Start Program to force vax & masks in [Texas].' Paxton said he brought forth the lawsuit because the decision should be 'given' to parents and not 'Prez Brandon' - a derogatory slang term used to show dislike toward Biden. He and Governor Greg Abbott, 64, (left) celebrate their 'win' against 'Prez Brandon' on Twitter, with Abbott writing: 'Texas just beat Biden again' 'This is a win for the children of Texas for sure, given that parents should be making these decisions, not the Biden administration,' Paxton told Fox News. 'We didn't think that was right,' he said. 'We thought that was a parental choice, not a Joe Biden choice, so we sued them, arguing that he didn't have the authority statutory or constitutional to do this.' He claimed the 'win' a 'victory for freedom in America' and that he thinks 'parents are going to be glad they get to make the decision.' Texas Governor Greg Abbott, 64, also celebrated the 'win,' writing on Twitter that 'Texas just beat Biden again.' Late last month, 25 states sued the Biden Administration over the Head Start mandates. The program is designed to help students up to five years old prepare for school. Twenty-five other states are suing Biden over the mandate. The president initiated the mandate as Omicron began to rise in cases in December Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Wyoming and West Virginia are suing over the mandates. 'Our Nations children have faced enough setbacks and difficulties during the last two years; they cannot afford another government attack on their development,' Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry told Fox News in December. 'My office has had great success in blocking Biden's mandates on many hard-working Americans, and we will work tirelessly to achieve the same victories for toddlers and teachers.' The Biden Administration enacted the mandates as Omicron began to surge in the US. Texas saw a spike in COVID-19 numbers on December 27 with the state reaching 53,000 cases. The total number of cases up to December 31 are reaching almost 165,000, with a seven-day average of almost 15,000. Hospitalizations for children have reached an all-time high, according to Bloomberg, which has risen almost 70 per cent to almost 400 children a day. The Northeast and Midwest are reaching higher numbers than ever, while Southern states are doubling the number, Bloomberg reported. People in large numbers gathered at popular tourist spots in Kolkata and elsewhere in West Bengal to celebrate the new year on Saturday, while Covid-19 cases are rising alarmingly in the state. Revellers throng places such as the Alipore Zoo, Eco Park, Victoria Memorial and the Indian Museum in and around the metropolis, and sea beaches of Digha, Mandarmani, and Bakkhali. Though the number of people appears to be less compared to that during Christmas day, the police had a tough time controlling the crowd and making them follow Covid-19 preventive protocols such as wearing masks and maintaining a physical distance. Also Read | No lockdown in Bengal, government likely to impose curbs in phases as Covid cases surge A section of people also went to theatres to enjoy movies or to restaurants for a meal on the occasion. The famous Kali temples at Kalighat and Dakshineswar which usually draw a large number of devotees on the new year's day were closed for visitors and so was the Belur Math, the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission (RKM). The annual 'Kalpataru Utsav' held on January 1 at Kashipur Udyanbati, which also attracts thousands of people, was out of bounds for devotees like last year, an RKM spokesperson said. Monks of the order believe that on this day in 1886, Sri Ramakrishna had been blessed with the inner vision ('Chaitanya') at this north Kolkata house. It is also believed that he had become 'Kalpataru', the mythical wish-fulfilling tree, on the same day. Also Read | Kolkata accounts for 56% of Bengal Covid cases amid spike in state However, the Kamarpukur and Joyrambati units of the RKM in Hooghly and Bankura districts respectively were open and many visited the two places. Sri Ramakrishna and Sarada Devi, his spiritual consort, were born in Kamarpukur and Joyrambati respectively. West Bengal is witnessing a spurt in Covid-19 cases for the last few days. On Saturday, it reported 4,512 fresh infections, 1,061 more than the previous day's figure, with Kolkata accounting for 2,398 fresh cases. Greeting people on the occasion of the new year, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged them to follow Covid-19 protocols. Check out the latest videos from DH: South Africa bade farewell on Saturday to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the last great hero of the struggle against apartheid, in a funeral stripped of pomp but freighted with tears and showered with drizzles of rain. Tutu died last Sunday at the age of 90, triggering grief among South Africans and tributes from world leaders for a life spent fighting injustice. Famous for his modesty, Tutu gave instructions for a simple, no-frills ceremony, with a cheap coffin, donations for charity instead of floral tributes, followed by an eco-friendly cremation. Pallbearers carry the coffin of South African anti-Apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu during the requiem mass at St George's Cathedral in Cape Town. By Marco Longari (AFP) Family, friends, clergy and politicians gathered at Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral where, for years, Tutu used the pulpit to rail against a brutal white minority regime. That is where he will be buried. "We thank you for loving our father... because we shared him with the world, you share part of the love you held for with us, so we are thankful," said Tutu's daughter Mpho. President Cyril Ramaphosa, who will deliver the eulogy, accorded Tutu a special category funeral, usually designated for presidents and very important people. He was to hand South Africa's multicoloured flag to the "chief mourner", Tutu's widow, Leah -- a reminder of her husband's description of the post-apartheid country as the "Rainbow Nation". Mpho Tutu van Furth, child of South African anti-Apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu, sits next to his coffin. By Nic BOTHMA (POOL/AFP) South Africa has marked a week of mourning, with several thousand people, filing past a diminutive rope-handled casket made of pine, adorned by a plain bunch of carnations. Under a grey sky and drizzle, mourners were ushered into the cathedral. Rains, according to historian Khaya Ndwandwe "are a blessing" and show that Tutu's "soul is welcome" to heaven. Mourners included close friends and family, clergy and guests, including former Irish president Mary Robinson, and Nelson Mandela's widow Graca Machel -- with both reading prayers. Others mourners were Elita, the widow of the last apartheid leader FW de Klerk, who died in November. Desmond Tutu died last Sunday at the age of 90. By Nic BOTHMA (POOL/AFP) Conspicously absent from the funeral is one of Tutu's best friends, the Dalai Lama. He failed to travel due to advanced age and Covid restrictions, his representative Ngodup Dorjee, told AFP outside the church. Tutu's longtime friend, retired bishop Michael Nuttall, who was Anglican Church dean when Tutu was the archbishop of Cape Town, delivered a sombre sermon. "Our partnership struck a chord perhaps in the hearts and minds of many people: a dynamic black leader and his white deputy in the dying years of apartheid; and hey presto, the heavens did not collapse," said Nuttal. "We were a foretaste,...of what could be in our wayward, divided nation". Tutu and Mandela, his fellow Nobel laureate, forged a lifelong bond. By ALEXANDER JOE, - (AFP/File) The two forged a strong relationship, illustrating for many how a white leader could work for a black leader. Nuttall went on write a memoir titled "Tutu's Number Two" about their friendship. Fighter Under apartheid, South Africa's white minority cemented its grip with a panoply of laws based on the notion of race and racial segregation, and the police ruthlessly hunted down opponents, killing or jailing them. With Nelson Mandela and other leaders sentenced to decades in prison, Tutu in the 1970s became the emblem of the struggle. The purple-gowned figure campaigned relentlessly abroad, administering public lashings to the United States, Britain, Germany and others for failing to slap sanctions on the apartheid regime. Archbishop Thabo Makgoba heads pallbearers carrying Tutu's coffin into the cathedral for the lying in state. By GIANLUIGI GUERCIA (AFP) At home, from his pulpit, he slammed police violence against blacks, including the gunning down of school students during the 1976 Soweto uprising. Only his robes saved him from prison and were a shield from police brutality for many protesters. Humour After apartheid was dismantled and South Africa ushered in the first free elections in 1994, Tutu chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which exposed the horrors of the past in grim detail. He would later speak out fearlessly against the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for corruption and leadership incompetence. Tutu's moral firmness and passion went hand-in-hand with self-deprecatory humour and a famously cackling laugh. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here South Africa bade farewell on Saturday to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the last great hero of the struggle against apartheid, in a funeral stripped of pomp but freighted with tears and showered with drizzles of rain. Tutu died last Sunday at the age of 90, triggering grief among South Africans and tributes from world leaders for a life spent fighting injustice. Famous for his modesty, Tutu gave instructions for a simple, no-frills ceremony, with a cheap coffin, donations for charity instead of floral tributes, followed by an eco-friendly cremation. Pallbearers carry the coffin of South African anti-Apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu during the requiem mass at St George's Cathedral in Cape Town. By Marco Longari (AFP) Family, friends, clergy and politicians gathered at Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral where, for years, Tutu used the pulpit to rail against a brutal white minority regime. That is where he will be buried. "We thank you for loving our father... because we shared him with the world, you share part of the love you held for with us, so we are thankful," said Tutu's daughter Mpho. President Cyril Ramaphosa, who will deliver the eulogy, accorded Tutu a special category funeral, usually designated for presidents and very important people. He was to hand South Africa's multicoloured flag to the "chief mourner", Tutu's widow, Leah -- a reminder of her husband's description of the post-apartheid country as the "Rainbow Nation". Mpho Tutu van Furth, child of South African anti-Apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu, sits next to his coffin. By Nic BOTHMA (POOL/AFP) South Africa has marked a week of mourning, with several thousand people, filing past a diminutive rope-handled casket made of pine, adorned by a plain bunch of carnations. Under a grey sky and drizzle, mourners were ushered into the cathedral. Rains, according to historian Khaya Ndwandwe "are a blessing" and show that Tutu's "soul is welcome" to heaven. Mourners included close friends and family, clergy and guests, including former Irish president Mary Robinson, and Nelson Mandela's widow Graca Machel -- with both reading prayers. Others mourners were Elita, the widow of the last apartheid leader FW de Klerk, who died in November. Desmond Tutu died last Sunday at the age of 90. By Nic BOTHMA (POOL/AFP) Conspicously absent from the funeral is one of Tutu's best friends, the Dalai Lama. He failed to travel due to advanced age and Covid restrictions, his representative Ngodup Dorjee, told AFP outside the church. Tutu's longtime friend, retired bishop Michael Nuttall, who was Anglican Church dean when Tutu was the archbishop of Cape Town, delivered a sombre sermon. "Our partnership struck a chord perhaps in the hearts and minds of many people: a dynamic black leader and his white deputy in the dying years of apartheid; and hey presto, the heavens did not collapse," said Nuttal. "We were a foretaste,...of what could be in our wayward, divided nation". Tutu and Mandela, his fellow Nobel laureate, forged a lifelong bond. By ALEXANDER JOE, - (AFP/File) The two forged a strong relationship, illustrating for many how a white leader could work for a black leader. Nuttall went on write a memoir titled "Tutu's Number Two" about their friendship. Fighter Under apartheid, South Africa's white minority cemented its grip with a panoply of laws based on the notion of race and racial segregation, and the police ruthlessly hunted down opponents, killing or jailing them. With Nelson Mandela and other leaders sentenced to decades in prison, Tutu in the 1970s became the emblem of the struggle. The purple-gowned figure campaigned relentlessly abroad, administering public lashings to the United States, Britain, Germany and others for failing to slap sanctions on the apartheid regime. Archbishop Thabo Makgoba heads pallbearers carrying Tutu's coffin into the cathedral for the lying in state. By GIANLUIGI GUERCIA (AFP) At home, from his pulpit, he slammed police violence against blacks, including the gunning down of school students during the 1976 Soweto uprising. Only his robes saved him from prison and were a shield from police brutality for many protesters. Humour After apartheid was dismantled and South Africa ushered in the first free elections in 1994, Tutu chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which exposed the horrors of the past in grim detail. He would later speak out fearlessly against the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for corruption and leadership incompetence. Tutu's moral firmness and passion went hand-in-hand with self-deprecatory humour and a famously cackling laugh. 01.01.2022 LISTEN As his 90 years old body and significations lie in state at the St. George's Cathedral (his former Cape Town parish), ahead of his funeral on New Year's Day January 1, 2022, I pray and wish this simple but great man of lucidity, empowerment and compassion, this unique man of traditions and change, an active witness for Christ here on earth, the inclusive champion and anti-apartheid icon, the peoples Archbishop Desmond Tutu, eternal rest in the glory and grace of God! Archbishop Desmond Tutu earned his progressive credentials and global recognition as one of the worlds great moral leaders of the 21st-century and the 20th century. He earned it from his life of fighting, dedicated struggles and opposition to the evil of the theology and military police state called apartheid in South Africa! He earned it by being opposed, like Nelson Mandela, to all forms of discrimination and bigotry. He earned it by living a life that was transparent. He earned it by being manifestly modest without all the embarrassing corruption, shameful waste of resources and some of the criminal indulgences exhibited by some of the so-called brother comrades in the struggle and fight against apartheid especially within the recent ANC. The man spoke in opposition to the lifestyle and corruption of some of his old friends and colleagues in the struggle. Let me contextualize Tutu, additionally, in the prism and preserve of history. While Mandela lived as the catalyst and most important political and militant leader of the African national Congress, the first black Archbishop of Cape Town, Tutu, in terms of moral persuasion and establishment of the globally faith-based alliance of churches and worship heritages effectively networked key, principled leaders around the world. The first time I saw this great man of faith and conciliation, Archbishop Tutu, was on March 26, 1998 in his beautiful city of Cape Town when former President of the United States Bill Clinton made history as the first U.S. President to visit South Africa. Mandela was President; democratically elected from the countrys first multi racial election. Clinton who addressed South Africa's first democratically elected Parliament, and in part tribute, respect and appreciation of the sacrifices and efforts made by Mandela, Desmond Desmond Tutu, the Mbekis, Bikos, and freedom fighters in the country, remarkably, said: "The courage and imagination that created this new South Africa inspire all of us to be animated by the belief that one day, humanity all the world over can at last be freed from the bonds of hatred and bigotry. I was inside that parliament in Cape Town as a part of the U.S White House accredited press corps who traveled with Clinton to South Africa. Some of these events are analyzed and reported in my 2022 new book titled MLK, Mandela & Achebe: Power, Leadership and Identity. The priest, Tutu, was on the frontlines of the vanguard and movement engaged in confronting, especially, the theological falsehoods and propaganda whereby the White racists in south and southern Africa claimed superiority over the African people and the so-called colored people of South Africa. Finally, as his 90 years old body and significations lie in state at the St. George's Cathedral (his former Cape Town parish), ahead of his funeral on New Year's Day January 1, 2022, I pray and wish this simple but great man of lucidity, empowerment and compassion, this unique man of traditions and change, an active witness for Christ here on earth, the inclusive champion and anti-apartheid icon, the peoples Archbishop Desmond Tutu, eternal rest in the glory and grace of God! *Dr. Chido Nwangwu, author of the 2022 book, MLK, Mandela & Achebe: Power, Leadership and Identity , serves as Founder & Publisher of the first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper on the internet, USAfricaonline.com, USAfrica magazine; established USAfrica in 1992 in Houston. He has appeared severally as an analyst on CNN, SABC, SKYnews; and served as an adviser on Africa business to Houstons former Mayor Lee Brown. @Chido247 / USAfrica +1-832-45-CHIDO (24436) [email protected] 01.01.2022 LISTEN As his 90 years old body and significations lie in state at the St. George's Cathedral (his former Cape Town parish), ahead of his funeral on New Year's Day January 1, 2022, I pray and wish this simple but great man of lucidity, empowerment and compassion, this unique man of traditions and change, an active witness for Christ here on earth, the inclusive champion and anti-apartheid icon, the peoples Archbishop Desmond Tutu, eternal rest in the glory and grace of God! Archbishop Desmond Tutu earned his progressive credentials and global recognition as one of the worlds great moral leaders of the 21st-century and the 20th century. He earned it from his life of fighting, dedicated struggles and opposition to the evil of the theology and military police state called apartheid in South Africa! He earned it by being opposed, like Nelson Mandela, to all forms of discrimination and bigotry. He earned it by living a life that was transparent. He earned it by being manifestly modest without all the embarrassing corruption, shameful waste of resources and some of the criminal indulgences exhibited by some of the so-called brother comrades in the struggle and fight against apartheid especially within the recent ANC. The man spoke in opposition to the lifestyle and corruption of some of his old friends and colleagues in the struggle. Let me contextualize Tutu, additionally, in the prism and preserve of history. While Mandela lived as the catalyst and most important political and militant leader of the African national Congress, the first black Archbishop of Cape Town, Tutu, in terms of moral persuasion and establishment of the globally faith-based alliance of churches and worship heritages effectively networked key, principled leaders around the world. The first time I saw this great man of faith and conciliation, Archbishop Tutu, was on March 26, 1998 in his beautiful city of Cape Town when former President of the United States Bill Clinton made history as the first U.S. President to visit South Africa. Mandela was President; democratically elected from the countrys first multi racial election. Clinton who addressed South Africa's first democratically elected Parliament, and in part tribute, respect and appreciation of the sacrifices and efforts made by Mandela, Desmond Desmond Tutu, the Mbekis, Bikos, and freedom fighters in the country, remarkably, said: "The courage and imagination that created this new South Africa inspire all of us to be animated by the belief that one day, humanity all the world over can at last be freed from the bonds of hatred and bigotry. I was inside that parliament in Cape Town as a part of the U.S White House accredited press corps who traveled with Clinton to South Africa. Some of these events are analyzed and reported in my 2022 new book titled MLK, Mandela & Achebe: Power, Leadership and Identity. The priest, Tutu, was on the frontlines of the vanguard and movement engaged in confronting, especially, the theological falsehoods and propaganda whereby the White racists in south and southern Africa claimed superiority over the African people and the so-called colored people of South Africa. Finally, as his 90 years old body and significations lie in state at the St. George's Cathedral (his former Cape Town parish), ahead of his funeral on New Year's Day January 1, 2022, I pray and wish this simple but great man of lucidity, empowerment and compassion, this unique man of traditions and change, an active witness for Christ here on earth, the inclusive champion and anti-apartheid icon, the peoples Archbishop Desmond Tutu, eternal rest in the glory and grace of God! *Dr. Chido Nwangwu, author of the 2022 book, MLK, Mandela & Achebe: Power, Leadership and Identity , serves as Founder & Publisher of the first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper on the internet, USAfricaonline.com, USAfrica magazine; established USAfrica in 1992 in Houston. He has appeared severally as an analyst on CNN, SABC, SKYnews; and served as an adviser on Africa business to Houstons former Mayor Lee Brown. @Chido247 / USAfrica +1-832-45-CHIDO (24436) [email protected] 01.01.2022 LISTEN As his 90 years old body and significations lie in state at the St. George's Cathedral (his former Cape Town parish), ahead of his funeral on New Year's Day January 1, 2022, I pray and wish this simple but great man of lucidity, empowerment and compassion, this unique man of traditions and change, an active witness for Christ here on earth, the inclusive champion and anti-apartheid icon, the peoples Archbishop Desmond Tutu, eternal rest in the glory and grace of God! Archbishop Desmond Tutu earned his progressive credentials and global recognition as one of the worlds great moral leaders of the 21st-century and the 20th century. He earned it from his life of fighting, dedicated struggles and opposition to the evil of the theology and military police state called apartheid in South Africa! He earned it by being opposed, like Nelson Mandela, to all forms of discrimination and bigotry. He earned it by living a life that was transparent. He earned it by being manifestly modest without all the embarrassing corruption, shameful waste of resources and some of the criminal indulgences exhibited by some of the so-called brother comrades in the struggle and fight against apartheid especially within the recent ANC. The man spoke in opposition to the lifestyle and corruption of some of his old friends and colleagues in the struggle. Let me contextualize Tutu, additionally, in the prism and preserve of history. While Mandela lived as the catalyst and most important political and militant leader of the African national Congress, the first black Archbishop of Cape Town, Tutu, in terms of moral persuasion and establishment of the globally faith-based alliance of churches and worship heritages effectively networked key, principled leaders around the world. The first time I saw this great man of faith and conciliation, Archbishop Tutu, was on March 26, 1998 in his beautiful city of Cape Town when former President of the United States Bill Clinton made history as the first U.S. President to visit South Africa. Mandela was President; democratically elected from the countrys first multi racial election. Clinton who addressed South Africa's first democratically elected Parliament, and in part tribute, respect and appreciation of the sacrifices and efforts made by Mandela, Desmond Desmond Tutu, the Mbekis, Bikos, and freedom fighters in the country, remarkably, said: "The courage and imagination that created this new South Africa inspire all of us to be animated by the belief that one day, humanity all the world over can at last be freed from the bonds of hatred and bigotry. I was inside that parliament in Cape Town as a part of the U.S White House accredited press corps who traveled with Clinton to South Africa. Some of these events are analyzed and reported in my 2022 new book titled MLK, Mandela & Achebe: Power, Leadership and Identity. The priest, Tutu, was on the frontlines of the vanguard and movement engaged in confronting, especially, the theological falsehoods and propaganda whereby the White racists in south and southern Africa claimed superiority over the African people and the so-called colored people of South Africa. Finally, as his 90 years old body and significations lie in state at the St. George's Cathedral (his former Cape Town parish), ahead of his funeral on New Year's Day January 1, 2022, I pray and wish this simple but great man of lucidity, empowerment and compassion, this unique man of traditions and change, an active witness for Christ here on earth, the inclusive champion and anti-apartheid icon, the peoples Archbishop Desmond Tutu, eternal rest in the glory and grace of God! *Dr. Chido Nwangwu, author of the 2022 book, MLK, Mandela & Achebe: Power, Leadership and Identity , serves as Founder & Publisher of the first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper on the internet, USAfricaonline.com, USAfrica magazine; established USAfrica in 1992 in Houston. He has appeared severally as an analyst on CNN, SABC, SKYnews; and served as an adviser on Africa business to Houstons former Mayor Lee Brown. @Chido247 / USAfrica +1-832-45-CHIDO (24436) [email protected] 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. Jarga Kebba Gigo 01.01.2022 LISTEN The number 22 has been tied to my life in many ways and year 22 must also mean super special to me. Are you ready to learn, work, and/or have fun with me in 2022? Jinack Island of the Gambia is where the fun will largely take place, but the learning and working can be anywhere. Of course we are ready to realize worldwide marijuana legalization, especially medical cannabis; help defeat the u.s democrats in mid term elections for allowing ungrateful Biden to deny cannabis users working opportunities and other blessings; help defeat UDP candidates in the Gambia for under resisting Ousainou Darboe's evil ways and attempts; try to become a Billionaire or at least a millionaire by serving billions or at least millions in significant ways and help others make enough money too; raise my health and establish at least a sample of preventive health centre and Badafos Green Fence; and every good the intelligent, truthful, and kind Lord will allow me. So I wish you a great year and life, unless you are among those who believe I should be in prison just over marijuana or the illusions of hypocritical lawmakers and beyond? Better to start with the fun, what everyone can relate to. Plan at least one weekend to visit Jinack Island and locate me for extreme fun that will be hard to express in words. I declare to help bring at least one million visitors , per annum, to Jinack Island, hopefully from 2022; may the Kind Lord help those who push along with me, proportionately punish those who put hurdles or delay me in any way... Ungrateful Joe Biden is verifiably ungrateful and must be punished with his enablers. An ex marijuana user called Barrack Obama helped Biden to vice presidency, then another ex cannabis user called Kamala Harris helped Biden to the presidency, but Biden reportedly denied working opportunities not just to present cannabis users, but even ex users who confessed it, excluding the toady called Harris? This explicitly means Biden would not have picked A marijuana user like Barrack Obama as cleaner in 2004 or even 2016 and Kamala Harris is a resort pick for political reasons to get questionable women and black votes... can you ask or imagine what Biden said to Obama when Colorado legalized marijuana? How did he feel when he sees sick people use marijuana and go to work where he couldn't fire them? 'Wait! If I win the Whitehouse, i will deny you work there and delay your freedom in other states as long as the hypocrites and the good allow me'? He probably felt bad when Trump legalized hemp and said thank God he did not legalize medical marijuana, I will delay that and the fake or questionable media will still call me 'empathic"? if it was Trump who denied working opportunities to ex cannabis users where it is legal, the democrats and even decent Republicans would have condemned him? So the silence of Obama, Harris, and others must also be qualified as indifferent or beyond, and the party be punished enough for Biden to resign or at least not run for second term. Every democrat and independent who understands the dangers of unnecessary denying of working opportunities must also understand Biden and few others deserve to be denied privileged working opportunities, even if it means terrible republicans. VOTE at least against one democrat in 2022 or God's proportionate curse be upon you, including work denial you indirectly approve through Biden? May there be limited exceptions, I am seriously ready to curse anyone who stand on my way for worldwide marijuana legalization. Biden's and others refusal to legalize even medical marijuana at the federal level is another great reason to make democrats pay at the polls and be historically question as excuse mongers and delayer of good. S/he who believes a sick person in u.s or anywhere is worse than LGBTQ Pete or xyz, then may sickness or God's proportionate curse be upon him or her. You cannot wish/put us in the worst place called prison, even while sick, and accuse us of being mean for wishing you small or up to the second worse place call hospital? The imprecations of the victims must be adhered to by a just God, because respite given to even Satan does not necessarily include sins between creatures , forever. We demand Biden ask what past illegalities anyone at the white house ever did and be fired for it or why are ex marijuana users paying? Similarly, We urge Gambians to understand the dangerous crimes of Ousainou Darboe and his enablers must also pay or what will I explain to God on consistency? Darboe is our Trump in many ways and enabling such is in the millions or billions of atom's weight (mizghalazaratin), but some people foolishly think God will skip political choices and consistencies? You think voters of Trump in 2020 and his defenders after the insurrection are worse than his 2016 supporters, but where is the bar for democrats and UDP elite and voters in the Gambia? Hope you understand ch.103 has a hidden major branch called consistency, through the root word... Not even the jinns, Angels of God can shake me or God on fractional punishment on sins between creatures, including political choices. We will turn against Adama Barrow and others in due time unless he repents, including legalizing at least medical cannabis and hemp... The worst of your advisors will claim that is 'political suicide' , which implicitly means a desire to run again, or 'political survival' of a person or party is above the rights of Sick Gambians or xyz? Some claimed it was political suicide to promise legalization or to actually legalize cannabis in different countries/states, but how many politicians died or suffered over cannabis legalization? They will claim Gambia or xyz is different, but God's proportionate curse be upon who think sick Gambians have to take marabous, questionable doctors, or travel to Canada to get medical Cannabis? Please send me seeds and every good to help myself and my people. I called on sick Gambians and Any sick African to consider coming to jinack for medical cannabis in quality and reasonable rates. I ask God to give me more abilities to create every form of good cannabis for and beyond patients. We must resist laws beyond words and Marc Emery of Canada is an imperfect example, but was very right in helping bring marijuana legalization in the u.s and beyond. After helping legalize marijuana, many make millions through it while myself and Marc are financially poor? My Lord says no more, I can make money through tourism, marijuana, making movies, writing contracts, etc . May God help me build a marvellous team in and beyond jinack. If you are or want to be a great sales person, actor, video editor, etc, then consider contacting me or coming to Barra, then jinack... We will have so much fun and edutainment, Lord Be Willing (LBW). Good and great men and women of the world, turn your eyes towards jinack and say God's curse be upon even the guilty ones in and beyond jinack who may unnecessary fight this beyond writer. Support me in ways you can and say may God bless my visible and invisible supporters. God has chosen me and I accept to be a spirit of truth of our time. Push along with me for your own Good, resist and/or delay against yourself, proportionately. The respite of the disbelievers and hypocrites against marijuana users is over... may God bless us and showlove trinity: Let's learn, let's work, let's have fun. By Jarga Kebba Gigo An Activist and Transformer BEIJING, Jan. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- China Media Group (CMG) President Shen Haixiong addressed the global audience on the first day of 2022, with the focus on the reflection of the CMG's work over the past year and the group's great roles in future news coverage. "The New Year's first ray of sunshine is illuminating the world. The new year is the Year of the Tiger on the Chinese lunar calendar. I would like to extend my best wishes from Beijing, wishing you a year full of prosperity and vitality!" Shen said. Noting that the CMG has served as a witness to the remarkable past and recorded the country's achievements through its dedicated work, Shen said that China's overseas broadcasting services will continue this in 2022. Shen also said that presenting China's stories well to global audiences remains the CMG's mission. The CMG president said that reporting based on facts should be the fundamental principle of global journalists, and in the meantime, the group has debunked lies and myths in news stories regarding issues such as COVID-19 and Afghanistan. He said the group has established a diverse and inclusive cooperation mechanism with international media partners. The CMG president also referred to China's scheduled hosting of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games and Paralympic Games - the world's biggest sporting event of 2022. Shen said China Media Group is ready to bring the event to global audiences, with cutting-edge technologies and its newly-launched Olympic Channel. "During the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, CMG broadcast the world's first live coverage of Olympic events on a 4K Ultra HD channel. The channel attracted more than 400 million viewers within three months of its launch. In just over 30 days, the Olympic flame will once again be lit in Beijing, during Chinese New Year. With the technologies of '5G+4K/8K+AI', CMG has set up a livestreaming carriage on the high-speed train from Beijing to Zhangjiakou, Hebei province. It's the first tech solution in the world to record and broadcast with Ultra HD streaming on high-speed trains," Shen said. Shen also said that in 2022, the CPC will hold its 20th National Congress to draw a blueprint for China's future. Link: https://youtu.be/tgS2VG4TRQs SOURCE CCTV+ Police broke up a New Year's Eve orgy after two of the invited guests gave away the private love-in by knocking on the door of the wrong house. Officers discovered more than 50 people had breached local Covid restrictions by turning up at the property in LIica d'Amunt near Barcelona for the sex party. Spanish daily El Mundo said a local raised the alarm after two people tried to enter his house wrongly thinking it was the orgy venue. Guests were 'having sex' in upstairs rooms in the property located by police. The sex party was reportedly organised by a group of Americans who allegedly hired prostitutes to celebrate New Year's Eve and the arrival of 2022. Officers discovered more than 50 people had breached local Covid restrictions by turning up at the property in LIica d'Amunt near Barcelona for the sex party (stock image of Spanish police) The homeowner is said to have been aware of the type of gathering that took place. An unidentified number of people believed to be between 50 and 70 have been identified and now face fines. A maximum of 10 people were able to meet up for New Year's Eve in Spain's north-east Catalan region under newly-introduced Covid restrictions. A night-time curfew lasting from 1am to 6am is also in force. In February, Spanish police raided an illegal brothel to find 19 Frenchmen had breached Covid regulations in force at the time by crossing the border in search of sex. The men were among 39 punters and 21 sex workers identified during the operation at an unnamed hotel in Capmany, a 20-minute drive from France. Catalan officers said it was functioning 'discreetly' as a brothel. Detectives made no arrests but identified the men and warned them they would face heavy fines that would be sent to their home addresses. The women were also identified before being questioned as part of a human trafficking investigation. Spanish daily El Mundo said a local raised the alarm after two people tried to enter his house wrongly thinking it was the orgy venue in LIica d'Amunt. Pictured: A general view of LIica d'Amunt Police sources said at the time the operation was organised after they became aware the hotel was opening for business in a discreet way so as not to attract attention.' It is understood to have had a licence to operate as a hotel which rented rooms by the hour. Knives and drugs were also confiscated during the raid. Earlier the same week French police had dispersed 100 people gathered for a warehouse orgy in Paris because it broke coronavirus rules. Officers raided the love-in at Collegien, a Paris suburb, following reports of men and women meeting for the so-called 'libertine' party. Police broke up a New Year's Eve orgy after two of the invited guests gave away the private love-in by knocking on the door of the wrong house. Officers discovered more than 50 people had breached local Covid restrictions by turning up at the property in LIica d'Amunt near Barcelona for the sex party. Spanish daily El Mundo said a local raised the alarm after two people tried to enter his house wrongly thinking it was the orgy venue. Guests were 'having sex' in upstairs rooms in the property located by police. The sex party was reportedly organised by a group of Americans who allegedly hired prostitutes to celebrate New Year's Eve and the arrival of 2022. Officers discovered more than 50 people had breached local Covid restrictions by turning up at the property in LIica d'Amunt near Barcelona for the sex party (stock image of Spanish police) The homeowner is said to have been aware of the type of gathering that took place. An unidentified number of people believed to be between 50 and 70 have been identified and now face fines. A maximum of 10 people were able to meet up for New Year's Eve in Spain's north-east Catalan region under newly-introduced Covid restrictions. A night-time curfew lasting from 1am to 6am is also in force. In February, Spanish police raided an illegal brothel to find 19 Frenchmen had breached Covid regulations in force at the time by crossing the border in search of sex. The men were among 39 punters and 21 sex workers identified during the operation at an unnamed hotel in Capmany, a 20-minute drive from France. Catalan officers said it was functioning 'discreetly' as a brothel. Detectives made no arrests but identified the men and warned them they would face heavy fines that would be sent to their home addresses. The women were also identified before being questioned as part of a human trafficking investigation. Spanish daily El Mundo said a local raised the alarm after two people tried to enter his house wrongly thinking it was the orgy venue in LIica d'Amunt. Pictured: A general view of LIica d'Amunt Police sources said at the time the operation was organised after they became aware the hotel was opening for business in a discreet way so as not to attract attention.' It is understood to have had a licence to operate as a hotel which rented rooms by the hour. Knives and drugs were also confiscated during the raid. Earlier the same week French police had dispersed 100 people gathered for a warehouse orgy in Paris because it broke coronavirus rules. Officers raided the love-in at Collegien, a Paris suburb, following reports of men and women meeting for the so-called 'libertine' party. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Police broke up a New Year's Eve orgy after two of the invited guests gave away the private love-in by knocking on the door of the wrong house. Officers discovered more than 50 people had breached local Covid restrictions by turning up at the property in LIica d'Amunt near Barcelona for the sex party. Spanish daily El Mundo said a local raised the alarm after two people tried to enter his house wrongly thinking it was the orgy venue. Guests were 'having sex' in upstairs rooms in the property located by police. The sex party was reportedly organised by a group of Americans who allegedly hired prostitutes to celebrate New Year's Eve and the arrival of 2022. Officers discovered more than 50 people had breached local Covid restrictions by turning up at the property in LIica d'Amunt near Barcelona for the sex party (stock image of Spanish police) The homeowner is said to have been aware of the type of gathering that took place. An unidentified number of people believed to be between 50 and 70 have been identified and now face fines. A maximum of 10 people were able to meet up for New Year's Eve in Spain's north-east Catalan region under newly-introduced Covid restrictions. A night-time curfew lasting from 1am to 6am is also in force. In February, Spanish police raided an illegal brothel to find 19 Frenchmen had breached Covid regulations in force at the time by crossing the border in search of sex. The men were among 39 punters and 21 sex workers identified during the operation at an unnamed hotel in Capmany, a 20-minute drive from France. Catalan officers said it was functioning 'discreetly' as a brothel. Detectives made no arrests but identified the men and warned them they would face heavy fines that would be sent to their home addresses. The women were also identified before being questioned as part of a human trafficking investigation. Spanish daily El Mundo said a local raised the alarm after two people tried to enter his house wrongly thinking it was the orgy venue in LIica d'Amunt. Pictured: A general view of LIica d'Amunt Police sources said at the time the operation was organised after they became aware the hotel was opening for business in a discreet way so as not to attract attention.' It is understood to have had a licence to operate as a hotel which rented rooms by the hour. Knives and drugs were also confiscated during the raid. Earlier the same week French police had dispersed 100 people gathered for a warehouse orgy in Paris because it broke coronavirus rules. Officers raided the love-in at Collegien, a Paris suburb, following reports of men and women meeting for the so-called 'libertine' party. Police broke up a New Year's Eve orgy after two of the invited guests gave away the private love-in by knocking on the door of the wrong house. Officers discovered more than 50 people had breached local Covid restrictions by turning up at the property in LIica d'Amunt near Barcelona for the sex party. Spanish daily El Mundo said a local raised the alarm after two people tried to enter his house wrongly thinking it was the orgy venue. Guests were 'having sex' in upstairs rooms in the property located by police. The sex party was reportedly organised by a group of Americans who allegedly hired prostitutes to celebrate New Year's Eve and the arrival of 2022. Officers discovered more than 50 people had breached local Covid restrictions by turning up at the property in LIica d'Amunt near Barcelona for the sex party (stock image of Spanish police) The homeowner is said to have been aware of the type of gathering that took place. An unidentified number of people believed to be between 50 and 70 have been identified and now face fines. A maximum of 10 people were able to meet up for New Year's Eve in Spain's north-east Catalan region under newly-introduced Covid restrictions. A night-time curfew lasting from 1am to 6am is also in force. In February, Spanish police raided an illegal brothel to find 19 Frenchmen had breached Covid regulations in force at the time by crossing the border in search of sex. The men were among 39 punters and 21 sex workers identified during the operation at an unnamed hotel in Capmany, a 20-minute drive from France. Catalan officers said it was functioning 'discreetly' as a brothel. Detectives made no arrests but identified the men and warned them they would face heavy fines that would be sent to their home addresses. The women were also identified before being questioned as part of a human trafficking investigation. Spanish daily El Mundo said a local raised the alarm after two people tried to enter his house wrongly thinking it was the orgy venue in LIica d'Amunt. Pictured: A general view of LIica d'Amunt Police sources said at the time the operation was organised after they became aware the hotel was opening for business in a discreet way so as not to attract attention.' It is understood to have had a licence to operate as a hotel which rented rooms by the hour. Knives and drugs were also confiscated during the raid. Earlier the same week French police had dispersed 100 people gathered for a warehouse orgy in Paris because it broke coronavirus rules. Officers raided the love-in at Collegien, a Paris suburb, following reports of men and women meeting for the so-called 'libertine' party. People in large numbers gathered at popular tourist spots in Kolkata and elsewhere in West Bengal to celebrate the new year on Saturday, while Covid-19 cases are rising alarmingly in the state. Revellers throng places such as the Alipore Zoo, Eco Park, Victoria Memorial and the Indian Museum in and around the metropolis, and sea beaches of Digha, Mandarmani, and Bakkhali. Though the number of people appears to be less compared to that during Christmas day, the police had a tough time controlling the crowd and making them follow Covid-19 preventive protocols such as wearing masks and maintaining a physical distance. Also Read | No lockdown in Bengal, government likely to impose curbs in phases as Covid cases surge A section of people also went to theatres to enjoy movies or to restaurants for a meal on the occasion. The famous Kali temples at Kalighat and Dakshineswar which usually draw a large number of devotees on the new year's day were closed for visitors and so was the Belur Math, the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission (RKM). The annual 'Kalpataru Utsav' held on January 1 at Kashipur Udyanbati, which also attracts thousands of people, was out of bounds for devotees like last year, an RKM spokesperson said. Monks of the order believe that on this day in 1886, Sri Ramakrishna had been blessed with the inner vision ('Chaitanya') at this north Kolkata house. It is also believed that he had become 'Kalpataru', the mythical wish-fulfilling tree, on the same day. Also Read | Kolkata accounts for 56% of Bengal Covid cases amid spike in state However, the Kamarpukur and Joyrambati units of the RKM in Hooghly and Bankura districts respectively were open and many visited the two places. Sri Ramakrishna and Sarada Devi, his spiritual consort, were born in Kamarpukur and Joyrambati respectively. West Bengal is witnessing a spurt in Covid-19 cases for the last few days. On Saturday, it reported 4,512 fresh infections, 1,061 more than the previous day's figure, with Kolkata accounting for 2,398 fresh cases. Greeting people on the occasion of the new year, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged them to follow Covid-19 protocols. Check out the latest videos from DH: People in large numbers gathered at popular tourist spots in Kolkata and elsewhere in West Bengal to celebrate the new year on Saturday, while Covid-19 cases are rising alarmingly in the state. Revellers throng places such as the Alipore Zoo, Eco Park, Victoria Memorial and the Indian Museum in and around the metropolis, and sea beaches of Digha, Mandarmani, and Bakkhali. Though the number of people appears to be less compared to that during Christmas day, the police had a tough time controlling the crowd and making them follow Covid-19 preventive protocols such as wearing masks and maintaining a physical distance. Also Read | No lockdown in Bengal, government likely to impose curbs in phases as Covid cases surge A section of people also went to theatres to enjoy movies or to restaurants for a meal on the occasion. The famous Kali temples at Kalighat and Dakshineswar which usually draw a large number of devotees on the new year's day were closed for visitors and so was the Belur Math, the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission (RKM). The annual 'Kalpataru Utsav' held on January 1 at Kashipur Udyanbati, which also attracts thousands of people, was out of bounds for devotees like last year, an RKM spokesperson said. Monks of the order believe that on this day in 1886, Sri Ramakrishna had been blessed with the inner vision ('Chaitanya') at this north Kolkata house. It is also believed that he had become 'Kalpataru', the mythical wish-fulfilling tree, on the same day. Also Read | Kolkata accounts for 56% of Bengal Covid cases amid spike in state However, the Kamarpukur and Joyrambati units of the RKM in Hooghly and Bankura districts respectively were open and many visited the two places. Sri Ramakrishna and Sarada Devi, his spiritual consort, were born in Kamarpukur and Joyrambati respectively. West Bengal is witnessing a spurt in Covid-19 cases for the last few days. On Saturday, it reported 4,512 fresh infections, 1,061 more than the previous day's figure, with Kolkata accounting for 2,398 fresh cases. Greeting people on the occasion of the new year, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged them to follow Covid-19 protocols. Check out the latest videos from DH: People in large numbers gathered at popular tourist spots in Kolkata and elsewhere in West Bengal to celebrate the new year on Saturday, while Covid-19 cases are rising alarmingly in the state. Revellers throng places such as the Alipore Zoo, Eco Park, Victoria Memorial and the Indian Museum in and around the metropolis, and sea beaches of Digha, Mandarmani, and Bakkhali. Though the number of people appears to be less compared to that during Christmas day, the police had a tough time controlling the crowd and making them follow Covid-19 preventive protocols such as wearing masks and maintaining a physical distance. Also Read | No lockdown in Bengal, government likely to impose curbs in phases as Covid cases surge A section of people also went to theatres to enjoy movies or to restaurants for a meal on the occasion. The famous Kali temples at Kalighat and Dakshineswar which usually draw a large number of devotees on the new year's day were closed for visitors and so was the Belur Math, the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission (RKM). The annual 'Kalpataru Utsav' held on January 1 at Kashipur Udyanbati, which also attracts thousands of people, was out of bounds for devotees like last year, an RKM spokesperson said. Monks of the order believe that on this day in 1886, Sri Ramakrishna had been blessed with the inner vision ('Chaitanya') at this north Kolkata house. It is also believed that he had become 'Kalpataru', the mythical wish-fulfilling tree, on the same day. Also Read | Kolkata accounts for 56% of Bengal Covid cases amid spike in state However, the Kamarpukur and Joyrambati units of the RKM in Hooghly and Bankura districts respectively were open and many visited the two places. Sri Ramakrishna and Sarada Devi, his spiritual consort, were born in Kamarpukur and Joyrambati respectively. West Bengal is witnessing a spurt in Covid-19 cases for the last few days. On Saturday, it reported 4,512 fresh infections, 1,061 more than the previous day's figure, with Kolkata accounting for 2,398 fresh cases. Greeting people on the occasion of the new year, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged them to follow Covid-19 protocols. Check out the latest videos from DH: South Africa bade farewell on Saturday to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the last great hero of the struggle against apartheid, in a funeral stripped of pomp but freighted with tears and showered with drizzles of rain. Tutu died last Sunday at the age of 90, triggering grief among South Africans and tributes from world leaders for a life spent fighting injustice. Famous for his modesty, Tutu gave instructions for a simple, no-frills ceremony, with a cheap coffin, donations for charity instead of floral tributes, followed by an eco-friendly cremation. Pallbearers carry the coffin of South African anti-Apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu during the requiem mass at St George's Cathedral in Cape Town. By Marco Longari (AFP) Family, friends, clergy and politicians gathered at Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral where, for years, Tutu used the pulpit to rail against a brutal white minority regime. That is where he will be buried. "We thank you for loving our father... because we shared him with the world, you share part of the love you held for with us, so we are thankful," said Tutu's daughter Mpho. President Cyril Ramaphosa, who will deliver the eulogy, accorded Tutu a special category funeral, usually designated for presidents and very important people. He was to hand South Africa's multicoloured flag to the "chief mourner", Tutu's widow, Leah -- a reminder of her husband's description of the post-apartheid country as the "Rainbow Nation". Mpho Tutu van Furth, child of South African anti-Apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu, sits next to his coffin. By Nic BOTHMA (POOL/AFP) South Africa has marked a week of mourning, with several thousand people, filing past a diminutive rope-handled casket made of pine, adorned by a plain bunch of carnations. Under a grey sky and drizzle, mourners were ushered into the cathedral. Rains, according to historian Khaya Ndwandwe "are a blessing" and show that Tutu's "soul is welcome" to heaven. Mourners included close friends and family, clergy and guests, including former Irish president Mary Robinson, and Nelson Mandela's widow Graca Machel -- with both reading prayers. Others mourners were Elita, the widow of the last apartheid leader FW de Klerk, who died in November. Desmond Tutu died last Sunday at the age of 90. By Nic BOTHMA (POOL/AFP) Conspicously absent from the funeral is one of Tutu's best friends, the Dalai Lama. He failed to travel due to advanced age and Covid restrictions, his representative Ngodup Dorjee, told AFP outside the church. Tutu's longtime friend, retired bishop Michael Nuttall, who was Anglican Church dean when Tutu was the archbishop of Cape Town, delivered a sombre sermon. "Our partnership struck a chord perhaps in the hearts and minds of many people: a dynamic black leader and his white deputy in the dying years of apartheid; and hey presto, the heavens did not collapse," said Nuttal. "We were a foretaste,...of what could be in our wayward, divided nation". Tutu and Mandela, his fellow Nobel laureate, forged a lifelong bond. By ALEXANDER JOE, - (AFP/File) The two forged a strong relationship, illustrating for many how a white leader could work for a black leader. Nuttall went on write a memoir titled "Tutu's Number Two" about their friendship. Fighter Under apartheid, South Africa's white minority cemented its grip with a panoply of laws based on the notion of race and racial segregation, and the police ruthlessly hunted down opponents, killing or jailing them. With Nelson Mandela and other leaders sentenced to decades in prison, Tutu in the 1970s became the emblem of the struggle. The purple-gowned figure campaigned relentlessly abroad, administering public lashings to the United States, Britain, Germany and others for failing to slap sanctions on the apartheid regime. Archbishop Thabo Makgoba heads pallbearers carrying Tutu's coffin into the cathedral for the lying in state. By GIANLUIGI GUERCIA (AFP) At home, from his pulpit, he slammed police violence against blacks, including the gunning down of school students during the 1976 Soweto uprising. Only his robes saved him from prison and were a shield from police brutality for many protesters. Humour After apartheid was dismantled and South Africa ushered in the first free elections in 1994, Tutu chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which exposed the horrors of the past in grim detail. He would later speak out fearlessly against the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for corruption and leadership incompetence. Tutu's moral firmness and passion went hand-in-hand with self-deprecatory humour and a famously cackling laugh. South Africa bade farewell on Saturday to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the last great hero of the struggle against apartheid, in a funeral stripped of pomp but freighted with tears and showered with drizzles of rain. Tutu died last Sunday at the age of 90, triggering grief among South Africans and tributes from world leaders for a life spent fighting injustice. Famous for his modesty, Tutu gave instructions for a simple, no-frills ceremony, with a cheap coffin, donations for charity instead of floral tributes, followed by an eco-friendly cremation. Pallbearers carry the coffin of South African anti-Apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu during the requiem mass at St George's Cathedral in Cape Town. By Marco Longari (AFP) Family, friends, clergy and politicians gathered at Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral where, for years, Tutu used the pulpit to rail against a brutal white minority regime. That is where he will be buried. "We thank you for loving our father... because we shared him with the world, you share part of the love you held for with us, so we are thankful," said Tutu's daughter Mpho. President Cyril Ramaphosa, who will deliver the eulogy, accorded Tutu a special category funeral, usually designated for presidents and very important people. He was to hand South Africa's multicoloured flag to the "chief mourner", Tutu's widow, Leah -- a reminder of her husband's description of the post-apartheid country as the "Rainbow Nation". Mpho Tutu van Furth, child of South African anti-Apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu, sits next to his coffin. By Nic BOTHMA (POOL/AFP) South Africa has marked a week of mourning, with several thousand people, filing past a diminutive rope-handled casket made of pine, adorned by a plain bunch of carnations. Under a grey sky and drizzle, mourners were ushered into the cathedral. Rains, according to historian Khaya Ndwandwe "are a blessing" and show that Tutu's "soul is welcome" to heaven. Mourners included close friends and family, clergy and guests, including former Irish president Mary Robinson, and Nelson Mandela's widow Graca Machel -- with both reading prayers. Others mourners were Elita, the widow of the last apartheid leader FW de Klerk, who died in November. Desmond Tutu died last Sunday at the age of 90. By Nic BOTHMA (POOL/AFP) Conspicously absent from the funeral is one of Tutu's best friends, the Dalai Lama. He failed to travel due to advanced age and Covid restrictions, his representative Ngodup Dorjee, told AFP outside the church. Tutu's longtime friend, retired bishop Michael Nuttall, who was Anglican Church dean when Tutu was the archbishop of Cape Town, delivered a sombre sermon. "Our partnership struck a chord perhaps in the hearts and minds of many people: a dynamic black leader and his white deputy in the dying years of apartheid; and hey presto, the heavens did not collapse," said Nuttal. "We were a foretaste,...of what could be in our wayward, divided nation". Tutu and Mandela, his fellow Nobel laureate, forged a lifelong bond. By ALEXANDER JOE, - (AFP/File) The two forged a strong relationship, illustrating for many how a white leader could work for a black leader. Nuttall went on write a memoir titled "Tutu's Number Two" about their friendship. Fighter Under apartheid, South Africa's white minority cemented its grip with a panoply of laws based on the notion of race and racial segregation, and the police ruthlessly hunted down opponents, killing or jailing them. With Nelson Mandela and other leaders sentenced to decades in prison, Tutu in the 1970s became the emblem of the struggle. The purple-gowned figure campaigned relentlessly abroad, administering public lashings to the United States, Britain, Germany and others for failing to slap sanctions on the apartheid regime. Archbishop Thabo Makgoba heads pallbearers carrying Tutu's coffin into the cathedral for the lying in state. By GIANLUIGI GUERCIA (AFP) At home, from his pulpit, he slammed police violence against blacks, including the gunning down of school students during the 1976 Soweto uprising. Only his robes saved him from prison and were a shield from police brutality for many protesters. Humour After apartheid was dismantled and South Africa ushered in the first free elections in 1994, Tutu chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which exposed the horrors of the past in grim detail. He would later speak out fearlessly against the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for corruption and leadership incompetence. Tutu's moral firmness and passion went hand-in-hand with self-deprecatory humour and a famously cackling laugh. A young pregnant woman has become the first person in the world to be infected with both Covid and the flu. The woman tested positive for both viruses in Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikva city, Israel, on Thursday. She is suffering mild symptoms and Israeli health officials are studying her case to determine whether the combination causes any greater severity of illness. Her case is first documented in the world but doctors believe there could be more 'flurona' infections in the country. A young pregnant woman in Israel has become the first person in the world to be infected with both Covid and the flu. Pictured: A woman receives her fourth dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against the coronavirus, at the outpatient clinics of the cardiovascular centre at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, near the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv yesterday Professor Arnon Vizhnitser, director of the hospitals' Gynaecology Department, told Hamodia: 'She was diagnosed with the flu and coronavirus as soon as she arrived. 'Both tests came back positive, even after we checked again. 'The disease is the same disease. They're viral and cause difficulty breathing since both attack the upper respiratory tract.' The woman is expected to be discharged on Thursday. Professor Vizhnitser said: 'We are seeing more and more pregnant women with the flu. It is definitely a great challenge dealing with a woman who comes in with a fever at childbirth. Israel's health minister yesterday said the country is extending its offer of a fourth vaccine dose to elderly people in care facilities.. Pictured: A man receives his fourth dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against the coronavirus, at the outpatient clinics of the cardiovascular centre at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, near the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv yesterday 'This is especially when you do not know if its coronavirus or the flu, so you refer to them the same. Most of the illness is respiratory.' It comes after Israel's health minister yesterday said the country is extending its offer of a fourth vaccine dose to elderly people in care facilities. Nitzan Horowitz announced the move on Friday, citing their high exposure and vulnerability to infections. Israel had already extended the rollout of fourth doses to people with weakened immunity, becoming one of the first countries to do so in hopes of countering a case surge driven by the Omicron variant. The country is in the midst of a surge in cases, with more than 5,000 cases recorded yesterday. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Police broke up a New Year's Eve orgy after two of the invited guests gave away the private love-in by knocking on the door of the wrong house. Officers discovered more than 50 people had breached local Covid restrictions by turning up at the property in LIica d'Amunt near Barcelona for the sex party. Spanish daily El Mundo said a local raised the alarm after two people tried to enter his house wrongly thinking it was the orgy venue. Guests were 'having sex' in upstairs rooms in the property located by police. The sex party was reportedly organised by a group of Americans who allegedly hired prostitutes to celebrate New Year's Eve and the arrival of 2022. Officers discovered more than 50 people had breached local Covid restrictions by turning up at the property in LIica d'Amunt near Barcelona for the sex party (stock image of Spanish police) The homeowner is said to have been aware of the type of gathering that took place. An unidentified number of people believed to be between 50 and 70 have been identified and now face fines. A maximum of 10 people were able to meet up for New Year's Eve in Spain's north-east Catalan region under newly-introduced Covid restrictions. A night-time curfew lasting from 1am to 6am is also in force. In February, Spanish police raided an illegal brothel to find 19 Frenchmen had breached Covid regulations in force at the time by crossing the border in search of sex. The men were among 39 punters and 21 sex workers identified during the operation at an unnamed hotel in Capmany, a 20-minute drive from France. Catalan officers said it was functioning 'discreetly' as a brothel. Detectives made no arrests but identified the men and warned them they would face heavy fines that would be sent to their home addresses. The women were also identified before being questioned as part of a human trafficking investigation. Spanish daily El Mundo said a local raised the alarm after two people tried to enter his house wrongly thinking it was the orgy venue in LIica d'Amunt. Pictured: A general view of LIica d'Amunt Police sources said at the time the operation was organised after they became aware the hotel was opening for business in a discreet way so as not to attract attention.' It is understood to have had a licence to operate as a hotel which rented rooms by the hour. Knives and drugs were also confiscated during the raid. Earlier the same week French police had dispersed 100 people gathered for a warehouse orgy in Paris because it broke coronavirus rules. Officers raided the love-in at Collegien, a Paris suburb, following reports of men and women meeting for the so-called 'libertine' party. Police broke up a New Year's Eve orgy after two of the invited guests gave away the private love-in by knocking on the door of the wrong house. Officers discovered more than 50 people had breached local Covid restrictions by turning up at the property in LIica d'Amunt near Barcelona for the sex party. Spanish daily El Mundo said a local raised the alarm after two people tried to enter his house wrongly thinking it was the orgy venue. Guests were 'having sex' in upstairs rooms in the property located by police. The sex party was reportedly organised by a group of Americans who allegedly hired prostitutes to celebrate New Year's Eve and the arrival of 2022. Officers discovered more than 50 people had breached local Covid restrictions by turning up at the property in LIica d'Amunt near Barcelona for the sex party (stock image of Spanish police) The homeowner is said to have been aware of the type of gathering that took place. An unidentified number of people believed to be between 50 and 70 have been identified and now face fines. A maximum of 10 people were able to meet up for New Year's Eve in Spain's north-east Catalan region under newly-introduced Covid restrictions. A night-time curfew lasting from 1am to 6am is also in force. In February, Spanish police raided an illegal brothel to find 19 Frenchmen had breached Covid regulations in force at the time by crossing the border in search of sex. The men were among 39 punters and 21 sex workers identified during the operation at an unnamed hotel in Capmany, a 20-minute drive from France. Catalan officers said it was functioning 'discreetly' as a brothel. Detectives made no arrests but identified the men and warned them they would face heavy fines that would be sent to their home addresses. The women were also identified before being questioned as part of a human trafficking investigation. Spanish daily El Mundo said a local raised the alarm after two people tried to enter his house wrongly thinking it was the orgy venue in LIica d'Amunt. Pictured: A general view of LIica d'Amunt Police sources said at the time the operation was organised after they became aware the hotel was opening for business in a discreet way so as not to attract attention.' It is understood to have had a licence to operate as a hotel which rented rooms by the hour. Knives and drugs were also confiscated during the raid. Earlier the same week French police had dispersed 100 people gathered for a warehouse orgy in Paris because it broke coronavirus rules. Officers raided the love-in at Collegien, a Paris suburb, following reports of men and women meeting for the so-called 'libertine' party. Police broke up a New Year's Eve orgy after two of the invited guests gave away the private love-in by knocking on the door of the wrong house. Officers discovered more than 50 people had breached local Covid restrictions by turning up at the property in LIica d'Amunt near Barcelona for the sex party. Spanish daily El Mundo said a local raised the alarm after two people tried to enter his house wrongly thinking it was the orgy venue. Guests were 'having sex' in upstairs rooms in the property located by police. The sex party was reportedly organised by a group of Americans who allegedly hired prostitutes to celebrate New Year's Eve and the arrival of 2022. Officers discovered more than 50 people had breached local Covid restrictions by turning up at the property in LIica d'Amunt near Barcelona for the sex party (stock image of Spanish police) The homeowner is said to have been aware of the type of gathering that took place. An unidentified number of people believed to be between 50 and 70 have been identified and now face fines. A maximum of 10 people were able to meet up for New Year's Eve in Spain's north-east Catalan region under newly-introduced Covid restrictions. A night-time curfew lasting from 1am to 6am is also in force. In February, Spanish police raided an illegal brothel to find 19 Frenchmen had breached Covid regulations in force at the time by crossing the border in search of sex. The men were among 39 punters and 21 sex workers identified during the operation at an unnamed hotel in Capmany, a 20-minute drive from France. Catalan officers said it was functioning 'discreetly' as a brothel. Detectives made no arrests but identified the men and warned them they would face heavy fines that would be sent to their home addresses. The women were also identified before being questioned as part of a human trafficking investigation. Spanish daily El Mundo said a local raised the alarm after two people tried to enter his house wrongly thinking it was the orgy venue in LIica d'Amunt. Pictured: A general view of LIica d'Amunt Police sources said at the time the operation was organised after they became aware the hotel was opening for business in a discreet way so as not to attract attention.' It is understood to have had a licence to operate as a hotel which rented rooms by the hour. Knives and drugs were also confiscated during the raid. Earlier the same week French police had dispersed 100 people gathered for a warehouse orgy in Paris because it broke coronavirus rules. Officers raided the love-in at Collegien, a Paris suburb, following reports of men and women meeting for the so-called 'libertine' party. Helsinki [Finland], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said on Saturday that Europe should not be merely listening to Russia and NATO discussing a new security architecture for Europe, which he said was in conflict with the current order. "We must ... be careful about what is being talked about and with whom. Many Europeans have asked, and not for the first time: are we being discussed without us being included?" he said in a message on New Year's Day. Also Read | Australia To Rename Aspen Island To Honor Queen Elizabeth II on Platinum Jubilee, Says PM Scott Morrison. He argued proposals that Russia gave to the United States and NATO in December to ensure that the alliance did not expand eastward or place mid-range nuclear weapons on its border were "in conflict with the European security order" and challenged Finland's sovereignty. "The sovereignty of several Member States, also Sweden and Finland, has been challenged from outside the Union. This makes the EU an involved party. The EU must not settle merely with the role of a technical coordinator of sanctions," Niinisto said. Also Read | Omicron Less Severe as it Mostly Avoids Attacking Lungs, Says Report. Senior Russian and US diplomats will sit down for a strategic stability dialogue in Geneva on January 10 to discuss new security guarantees that Russia demanded amid tensions over Ukraine. The bilateral talks will be followed by a NATO-Russia Council meeting in Brussels on January 12. (ANI/Sputnik) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Helsinki [Finland], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said on Saturday that Europe should not be merely listening to Russia and NATO discussing a new security architecture for Europe, which he said was in conflict with the current order. "We must ... be careful about what is being talked about and with whom. Many Europeans have asked, and not for the first time: are we being discussed without us being included?" he said in a message on New Year's Day. Also Read | Australia To Rename Aspen Island To Honor Queen Elizabeth II on Platinum Jubilee, Says PM Scott Morrison. He argued proposals that Russia gave to the United States and NATO in December to ensure that the alliance did not expand eastward or place mid-range nuclear weapons on its border were "in conflict with the European security order" and challenged Finland's sovereignty. "The sovereignty of several Member States, also Sweden and Finland, has been challenged from outside the Union. This makes the EU an involved party. The EU must not settle merely with the role of a technical coordinator of sanctions," Niinisto said. Also Read | Omicron Less Severe as it Mostly Avoids Attacking Lungs, Says Report. Senior Russian and US diplomats will sit down for a strategic stability dialogue in Geneva on January 10 to discuss new security guarantees that Russia demanded amid tensions over Ukraine. The bilateral talks will be followed by a NATO-Russia Council meeting in Brussels on January 12. (ANI/Sputnik) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Police broke up a New Year's Eve orgy after two of the invited guests gave away the private love-in by knocking on the door of the wrong house. Officers discovered more than 50 people had breached local Covid restrictions by turning up at the property in LIica d'Amunt near Barcelona for the sex party. Spanish daily El Mundo said a local raised the alarm after two people tried to enter his house wrongly thinking it was the orgy venue. Guests were 'having sex' in upstairs rooms in the property located by police. The sex party was reportedly organised by a group of Americans who allegedly hired prostitutes to celebrate New Year's Eve and the arrival of 2022. Officers discovered more than 50 people had breached local Covid restrictions by turning up at the property in LIica d'Amunt near Barcelona for the sex party (stock image of Spanish police) The homeowner is said to have been aware of the type of gathering that took place. An unidentified number of people believed to be between 50 and 70 have been identified and now face fines. A maximum of 10 people were able to meet up for New Year's Eve in Spain's north-east Catalan region under newly-introduced Covid restrictions. A night-time curfew lasting from 1am to 6am is also in force. In February, Spanish police raided an illegal brothel to find 19 Frenchmen had breached Covid regulations in force at the time by crossing the border in search of sex. The men were among 39 punters and 21 sex workers identified during the operation at an unnamed hotel in Capmany, a 20-minute drive from France. Catalan officers said it was functioning 'discreetly' as a brothel. Detectives made no arrests but identified the men and warned them they would face heavy fines that would be sent to their home addresses. The women were also identified before being questioned as part of a human trafficking investigation. Spanish daily El Mundo said a local raised the alarm after two people tried to enter his house wrongly thinking it was the orgy venue in LIica d'Amunt. Pictured: A general view of LIica d'Amunt Police sources said at the time the operation was organised after they became aware the hotel was opening for business in a discreet way so as not to attract attention.' It is understood to have had a licence to operate as a hotel which rented rooms by the hour. Knives and drugs were also confiscated during the raid. Earlier the same week French police had dispersed 100 people gathered for a warehouse orgy in Paris because it broke coronavirus rules. Officers raided the love-in at Collegien, a Paris suburb, following reports of men and women meeting for the so-called 'libertine' party. Police broke up a New Year's Eve orgy after two of the invited guests gave away the private love-in by knocking on the door of the wrong house. Officers discovered more than 50 people had breached local Covid restrictions by turning up at the property in LIica d'Amunt near Barcelona for the sex party. Spanish daily El Mundo said a local raised the alarm after two people tried to enter his house wrongly thinking it was the orgy venue. Guests were 'having sex' in upstairs rooms in the property located by police. The sex party was reportedly organised by a group of Americans who allegedly hired prostitutes to celebrate New Year's Eve and the arrival of 2022. Officers discovered more than 50 people had breached local Covid restrictions by turning up at the property in LIica d'Amunt near Barcelona for the sex party (stock image of Spanish police) The homeowner is said to have been aware of the type of gathering that took place. An unidentified number of people believed to be between 50 and 70 have been identified and now face fines. A maximum of 10 people were able to meet up for New Year's Eve in Spain's north-east Catalan region under newly-introduced Covid restrictions. A night-time curfew lasting from 1am to 6am is also in force. In February, Spanish police raided an illegal brothel to find 19 Frenchmen had breached Covid regulations in force at the time by crossing the border in search of sex. The men were among 39 punters and 21 sex workers identified during the operation at an unnamed hotel in Capmany, a 20-minute drive from France. Catalan officers said it was functioning 'discreetly' as a brothel. Detectives made no arrests but identified the men and warned them they would face heavy fines that would be sent to their home addresses. The women were also identified before being questioned as part of a human trafficking investigation. Spanish daily El Mundo said a local raised the alarm after two people tried to enter his house wrongly thinking it was the orgy venue in LIica d'Amunt. Pictured: A general view of LIica d'Amunt Police sources said at the time the operation was organised after they became aware the hotel was opening for business in a discreet way so as not to attract attention.' It is understood to have had a licence to operate as a hotel which rented rooms by the hour. Knives and drugs were also confiscated during the raid. Earlier the same week French police had dispersed 100 people gathered for a warehouse orgy in Paris because it broke coronavirus rules. Officers raided the love-in at Collegien, a Paris suburb, following reports of men and women meeting for the so-called 'libertine' party. Police broke up a New Year's Eve orgy after two of the invited guests gave away the private love-in by knocking on the door of the wrong house. Officers discovered more than 50 people had breached local Covid restrictions by turning up at the property in LIica d'Amunt near Barcelona for the sex party. Spanish daily El Mundo said a local raised the alarm after two people tried to enter his house wrongly thinking it was the orgy venue. Guests were 'having sex' in upstairs rooms in the property located by police. The sex party was reportedly organised by a group of Americans who allegedly hired prostitutes to celebrate New Year's Eve and the arrival of 2022. Officers discovered more than 50 people had breached local Covid restrictions by turning up at the property in LIica d'Amunt near Barcelona for the sex party (stock image of Spanish police) The homeowner is said to have been aware of the type of gathering that took place. An unidentified number of people believed to be between 50 and 70 have been identified and now face fines. A maximum of 10 people were able to meet up for New Year's Eve in Spain's north-east Catalan region under newly-introduced Covid restrictions. A night-time curfew lasting from 1am to 6am is also in force. In February, Spanish police raided an illegal brothel to find 19 Frenchmen had breached Covid regulations in force at the time by crossing the border in search of sex. The men were among 39 punters and 21 sex workers identified during the operation at an unnamed hotel in Capmany, a 20-minute drive from France. Catalan officers said it was functioning 'discreetly' as a brothel. Detectives made no arrests but identified the men and warned them they would face heavy fines that would be sent to their home addresses. The women were also identified before being questioned as part of a human trafficking investigation. Spanish daily El Mundo said a local raised the alarm after two people tried to enter his house wrongly thinking it was the orgy venue in LIica d'Amunt. Pictured: A general view of LIica d'Amunt Police sources said at the time the operation was organised after they became aware the hotel was opening for business in a discreet way so as not to attract attention.' It is understood to have had a licence to operate as a hotel which rented rooms by the hour. Knives and drugs were also confiscated during the raid. Earlier the same week French police had dispersed 100 people gathered for a warehouse orgy in Paris because it broke coronavirus rules. Officers raided the love-in at Collegien, a Paris suburb, following reports of men and women meeting for the so-called 'libertine' party. Desmond Tutu,the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. Ubuntu: I am because you are, because we are. But beyond that, I am because I belong, and I have chosen to belong, to form a part of, participate in, and unite with others and their ideas and ideologies, despite the realistic existence of nuances and differences. This was perhaps the strongest lesson humans learnt in the year 2020. Some might think it has become cliche that everything in the world goes back to the year 2020. But then, we have never seen any like it, and until we fully stretch the elastics of discourse around that year and the new realities, revelations, and awakenings that came with it, then our conversation will continue to revolve around it, whether it is boring to some unfocused people or not. The year 2020 taught us to embrace Ubuntu more than ever before; to be humans first, unite first, because Mmatsie, Serges, and Edith exist only because the human entity exists. But before this message got aggravated in 2020, some people were already living by its principles. These people saw it as their culture, as their philosophy of life. As a matter of fact, some propounded the theology and championed it. The most remarkable of them? Reverend Desmond Mpilo Tutu! May God rest his soul. Desmond Tutu, the South African Anglican reverend, champion of the communalistic humanist cause of Ubuntu, and hardcore lover of peace and unity, took his last breath on Sunday, December 26, 2021. He went to rest on the God-ordained day of rest. While we mourn the loss of a colossus and invariably a core part in the sturdy armour of truthful humanism, we cannot but reminisce, in gratitude, on a life that was well-spent and impactful. I met the great man on several occasions: In Cambridge in 1988, where we had dinner as part of a group of admirers. In London, then in South Africa, with a group of people, to appeal to him to speak with the president to end Xenophobia. He even gave me his phone number, but I did not call him once. When I did a tribute book in honour of Nelson Mandela, he sent a message that I left out some names. Tutu was a South African Anglican archbishop, a true humanist, and a firm believer in communalistic humanism. He was born in Klerksdorp, South Africa, on October 7, 1931. The circumstances surrounding his birth did not boast of financial buoyancy in the least; yet, Desmond was destined to be great and influential, and he became exactly those. Between 1931 and 1960, when he became a priest of the Anglican Church, he went through a series of training and development. This training would later help him form the basis of his faith, beliefs, philosophy, and culture. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. The quintessential Tutu was born and raised in South Africa when the apartheid system was thriving. Of course, a part of the country was seeing progress and advancement. However, a good part of the country, particularly the area inhabited by the black people, the true owners of the land, knew little to no progress, and the people were subjected to severe oppression. Desmond Tutu was well aware that he got his training and education swaddled in costly privilege, which came at the expense of several thousand other children. He was one of the beneficiaries of a grossly unjust system, and he never forgot that. Therefore, when that privilege provided him with a most-prized education and empowered him in 1960, when he joined the league of some of the most powerful people in South Africa the priests Desmond Tutu knew it was time to use what he had gained for the good of his people. And that was what he did. He fought relentlessly against the apartheid government of South Africa. Here was a man who was brave to the core. A man who knew the circumstances surrounding how he came to possess the power he had begun to wield. A man who knew the rarity of the privilege he got, the wickedness of the system that operated in his country, and the overbearing likelihood of losing all that came into his possession through rare privilege if he pursued the much-despised path of fighting for the freedom of the South African people. But did that dissuade Tutu? Far from it. Rather, it strengthened him and pushed him to go further. It encouraged him to persevere against all odds and in the face of persecution. Desmond Tutu made the most of what he had his voice, faith, position, and influence. He was a man with a mission, and he had a clear understanding of his goals. The archbishop was at the forefront of pulling in national and international commentators on the deeds of the apartheid government in South Africa. Although the South African people passed through what would go down as one of their worst times in history, Tutu preached the importance of making grievances known in a peaceful and non-violent way. The people were angry and fed up, and Tutu knew that humans are naturally inclined to be violent in such a state of mind, especially when it involves a high level of depravity on their soil. But he knew yet another thing that violence hardly ever solves the problem and that in the rare instances where violence solves the problem, it causes much bigger damage. The Bishop was not a man of violence. He demonstrated an exceptional quality by keeping the Nationalist Party in check when they became violent in their ways and dealings. During the last decade of the last millennium, when our people finally won their battle against oppression and the apartheid government, Tutu was there to celebrate with his people. There was also the factional disagreement that threatened the embryonic freedom that the South African people had just gotten. And who else but the Very Reverend Demond Tutu, preacher and practitioner of the Ubuntu theology, would step in at that critical moment? He persuaded both warring parties that each party is because the other is; therefore, we all are Africans. Thus, the war against apartheid was won through a united front of activism. People must not forget this as quickly as they got the freedom they desperately sought. Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. Simply put, Desmond Tutu lived for rights. He firmly believed that people should have the right to associate with, possess, or become anything that was not harmful to the generality of humans. He assiduously fought against any movement or organisation that sought to oppress others and rob them of their rights. Tutu was a brilliant and convincing orator. Soon after he became ordained, he rose through the ranks to become the Bishop of Johannesburg in 1985, and a year later, he became the Archbishop of Cape Town. He removed the gender barrier to priesthood in the country, while in this primal position of the South African Anglican Church. The late Bishop was a man who understood the futility in trying to please humans, so he just lived his life and embarked on endeavours based on his strong convictions. He never had a herd mentality. His support was always deep-seated and well-thought-out, making some people think he was always overly cautious in playing safe. Archbishop Tutu had the life, although it did not come to him as easily as it came to many others. He lived and worked in different capacities at different times. More so, he died at the ripe old age of 90. What more could a human being want? The anti-apartheid hero might not have wanted more, but more things surely came to him. When we, as humans, do good in whatever position we find ourselves, and if we do it because we have chosen to be innately good and because we believe so much in the potency of doing good, then the recognition we deserve will come, even if we do not actively seek it. Such was the case with our beloved Tutu. He won several awards for his contributions to humanity and relentlessly pushed for the betterment of his people and the world at large. Among the awards he received was the prestigious Nobel Prize for Peace, which he received in 1984. The Royal Swedish Academy deemed the reverend worthy of the award for his immense contributions to the fight against the oppression of the apartheid government and especially for his struggles to ensure a peaceful and non-violent demand for the peoples rights. Another award that the merry reverend and preacher of peace received was the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, considered one of the two most prestigious awards the United States of America can bestow on a civilian, was given to Tutu for his consistent contributions to the stability of world peace and other significant contributions to the fight for the peaceful co-existence of humans. In 2012, he received another prestigious award from the Mo Ibrahim Foundation for consistently speaking truth to power. This is a quality that many cannot boast of. Power corrupts, and once they have access to power, many activists soon fail to see the need to continue to champion the struggle for the rights of the oppressed. Also, there is the avoidance of truth to not lose the power bestowed on one. But not Tutu. He was a man who spent his life believing that his power and position were given him to help champion the cause of the marginalised and the oppressed, and if the oppressor were the leaders, so be it! Champion he must, and champion he was, speaking the truth, whether it went well with the powerful or not. On Sunday, December 26, 2021, a day after Christmas, Desmond Tutu went to rest. The gravity of this demise is still a shock coursing through our veins, one that our brain has neither readily nor fully processed. We are still talking about his demise, and the largeness of the void it has left in true humanism is still unknown to us, until the moments we would need a fearless commentator and wonder what Desmond Tutu would have said. This humanist lived his life for the people. He believed in the people and believed God had plans for humanity. He believed that one of the greatest resources made available to us as humans is the ability to practice Ubuntu, and he preached this with every fibre of his being. Rest easy, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. You were an invaluable treasure and a blessing to the world. The whole world will sorely miss you. Toyin Falola, a professor of History and University Distinguished Teaching Professor, is Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin. Former President John Dramani Mahama on Friday, December 31 joined NDC in a ceremony to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 31st December Revolution. The ceremony was organised by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and held at the Town Council Line Park in Accra. It was characterised by a route march, lighting of the perpetual flame, and durbar. The members of the NDC reminisced on the core values of the 31st December Revolution, based on which the 4th Republic was established. Here are pictures from the ceremony: citinewsroom RTHK: S Africa holds funeral for 'spiritual father' Tutu South Africa on Saturday held a state funeral for Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the last great hero of the struggle against apartheid, that was stripped of pomp but rich in glowing tributes. Tutu died last Sunday, aged 90, triggering grief at home and abroad for a life spent fighting injustice. Famous for his modesty, Tutu gave instructions for a simple, no-frills ceremony, with a cheap coffin, followed by an eco-friendly cremation. Family, friends, clergy and politicians gathered at Cape Town's St George's Anglican Cathedral, which was illuminated in purple, the colour of his clerical robes. It was there where Tutu used the pulpit to rail against a brutal white-minority regime and it's there he will be buried. President Cyril Ramaphosa, who accorded Tutu the official funeral usually reserved for presidents, described the ceremony as "category-one funeral with religious characteristic". "Our departed father was a crusader in the struggle for freedom, for justice, for equality and for peace, not just in South Africa... but around the world as well," said Ramaphosa. "While our beloved (Nelson Mandela) was the father of our democracy, Archbishop Tutu was the spiritual father of our new nation", lauding him as "our moral compass and national conscience". "His was a life lived honestly and completely. He has left the world a better place. We remember him with a smile," said Ramaphosa before handing South Africa's multicoloured flag to the "chief mourner", Tutu's widow, Leah. The flag a reminder of Tutu's description of the post-apartheid country as the "Rainbow Nation", was the only military rite accorded to him, respecting his request before he died that military protocol be minimal. The funeral ended South Africa's week of mourning, with the diminutive rope-handled pinewood coffin, adorned by a small bunch of carnations, immediately removed from the church by vicars in cream robes. Under a grey sky and drizzle, among the mourners ushered into the cathedral were ex-Irish president Mary Robinson, and Mandela's widow Graca Machel. Both read out prayers. Others included the widow of the last apartheid leader FW de Klerk, who died in November, and former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2022-01-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. 01.01.2022 LISTEN As his 90 years old body and significations lie in state at the St. George's Cathedral (his former Cape Town parish), ahead of his funeral on New Year's Day January 1, 2022, I pray and wish this simple but great man of lucidity, empowerment and compassion, this unique man of traditions and change, an active witness for Christ here on earth, the inclusive champion and anti-apartheid icon, the peoples Archbishop Desmond Tutu, eternal rest in the glory and grace of God! Archbishop Desmond Tutu earned his progressive credentials and global recognition as one of the worlds great moral leaders of the 21st-century and the 20th century. He earned it from his life of fighting, dedicated struggles and opposition to the evil of the theology and military police state called apartheid in South Africa! He earned it by being opposed, like Nelson Mandela, to all forms of discrimination and bigotry. He earned it by living a life that was transparent. He earned it by being manifestly modest without all the embarrassing corruption, shameful waste of resources and some of the criminal indulgences exhibited by some of the so-called brother comrades in the struggle and fight against apartheid especially within the recent ANC. The man spoke in opposition to the lifestyle and corruption of some of his old friends and colleagues in the struggle. Let me contextualize Tutu, additionally, in the prism and preserve of history. While Mandela lived as the catalyst and most important political and militant leader of the African national Congress, the first black Archbishop of Cape Town, Tutu, in terms of moral persuasion and establishment of the globally faith-based alliance of churches and worship heritages effectively networked key, principled leaders around the world. The first time I saw this great man of faith and conciliation, Archbishop Tutu, was on March 26, 1998 in his beautiful city of Cape Town when former President of the United States Bill Clinton made history as the first U.S. President to visit South Africa. Mandela was President; democratically elected from the countrys first multi racial election. Clinton who addressed South Africa's first democratically elected Parliament, and in part tribute, respect and appreciation of the sacrifices and efforts made by Mandela, Desmond Desmond Tutu, the Mbekis, Bikos, and freedom fighters in the country, remarkably, said: "The courage and imagination that created this new South Africa inspire all of us to be animated by the belief that one day, humanity all the world over can at last be freed from the bonds of hatred and bigotry. I was inside that parliament in Cape Town as a part of the U.S White House accredited press corps who traveled with Clinton to South Africa. Some of these events are analyzed and reported in my 2022 new book titled MLK, Mandela & Achebe: Power, Leadership and Identity. The priest, Tutu, was on the frontlines of the vanguard and movement engaged in confronting, especially, the theological falsehoods and propaganda whereby the White racists in south and southern Africa claimed superiority over the African people and the so-called colored people of South Africa. Finally, as his 90 years old body and significations lie in state at the St. George's Cathedral (his former Cape Town parish), ahead of his funeral on New Year's Day January 1, 2022, I pray and wish this simple but great man of lucidity, empowerment and compassion, this unique man of traditions and change, an active witness for Christ here on earth, the inclusive champion and anti-apartheid icon, the peoples Archbishop Desmond Tutu, eternal rest in the glory and grace of God! *Dr. Chido Nwangwu, author of the 2022 book, MLK, Mandela & Achebe: Power, Leadership and Identity , serves as Founder & Publisher of the first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper on the internet, USAfricaonline.com, USAfrica magazine; established USAfrica in 1992 in Houston. He has appeared severally as an analyst on CNN, SABC, SKYnews; and served as an adviser on Africa business to Houstons former Mayor Lee Brown. @Chido247 / USAfrica +1-832-45-CHIDO (24436) [email protected] The Saturday stampede that killed 12 people occurred due to a scuffle between two groups of pilgrims, the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board said in a statement, emphasising only 35,000 pilgrims were allowed to proceed for the yatra against the normal capacity of 50,000 in view of the pandemic. The board said Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, who is also the Chairman of the Board, was informed about the stampede at 3 am and he has been continuously monitoring the situation since then. Read | Vaishno Devi stampede: PM Modi assures relief measures National Green Tribunal has capped the normal capacity of Yatra per day to 50,000. Pertinently, keeping in view the Covid-19 Pandemic, 35,000 pilgrims were allowed to proceed for yatra on 31st December 2021 and for 1st Jan. 2022, SMVDSB said in a detailed statement on the tragic incident. It said around 2:15 am on January 1, the stampede happened near Gate No 3 at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. The unfortunate incident, due to a scuffle between two groups of pilgrims, resulted in the stampede. In this ill-fated incident, a total of 12 pilgrims lost their lives and 16 others were injured," it said. The statement said the Board as well as the Reasi District Administration promptly shifted the injured pilgrims immediately to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, Kakryal, after providing first aid at Medical Unit Bhawan, for specialised treatment. Watch latest videos by DH here: For now, the committees work continues. It has scheduled a series of public hearings in the new year to lay out these and other details, and it plans to release a full report of its findings before the midterm elections after which, should Republicans regain control of the House as expected, the committee will undoubtedly be dissolved. This is where looking forward comes in. Over the past year, Republican lawmakers in 41 states have been trying to advance the goals of the Jan. 6 rioters not by breaking laws but by making them. Hundreds of bills have been proposed and nearly three dozen laws have been passed that empower state legislatures to sabotage their own elections and overturn the will of their voters, according to a running tally by a nonpartisan consortium of pro-democracy organizations. Some bills would change the rules to make it easier for lawmakers to reject the votes of their citizens if they dont like the outcome. Others replace professional election officials with partisan actors who have a vested interest in seeing their preferred candidate win. Yet more attempt to criminalize human errors by election officials, in some cases even threatening prison. Many of these laws are being proposed and passed in crucial battleground states like Arizona, Wisconsin, Georgia and Pennsylvania. In the aftermath of the 2020 election, the Trump campaign targeted voting results in all these states, suing for recounts or trying to intimidate officials into finding missing votes. The effort failed, thanks primarily to the professionalism and integrity of election officials. Many of those officials have since been stripped of their power or pushed out of office and replaced by people who openly say the last election was fraudulent. Thus the Capitol riot continues in statehouses across the country, in a bloodless, legalized form that no police officer can arrest and that no prosecutor can try in court. This isnt the first time state legislatures have tried to wrest control of electoral votes from their own people, nor is it the first time that the dangers of such a ploy have been pointed out. In 1891, President Benjamin Harrison warned Congress of the risk that such a trick could determine the outcome of a presidential election. For now, the committees work continues. It has scheduled a series of public hearings in the new year to lay out these and other details, and it plans to release a full report of its findings before the midterm elections after which, should Republicans regain control of the House as expected, the committee will undoubtedly be dissolved. This is where looking forward comes in. Over the past year, Republican lawmakers in 41 states have been trying to advance the goals of the Jan. 6 rioters not by breaking laws but by making them. Hundreds of bills have been proposed and nearly three dozen laws have been passed that empower state legislatures to sabotage their own elections and overturn the will of their voters, according to a running tally by a nonpartisan consortium of pro-democracy organizations. Some bills would change the rules to make it easier for lawmakers to reject the votes of their citizens if they dont like the outcome. Others replace professional election officials with partisan actors who have a vested interest in seeing their preferred candidate win. Yet more attempt to criminalize human errors by election officials, in some cases even threatening prison. Many of these laws are being proposed and passed in crucial battleground states like Arizona, Wisconsin, Georgia and Pennsylvania. In the aftermath of the 2020 election, the Trump campaign targeted voting results in all these states, suing for recounts or trying to intimidate officials into finding missing votes. The effort failed, thanks primarily to the professionalism and integrity of election officials. Many of those officials have since been stripped of their power or pushed out of office and replaced by people who openly say the last election was fraudulent. Thus the Capitol riot continues in statehouses across the country, in a bloodless, legalized form that no police officer can arrest and that no prosecutor can try in court. This isnt the first time state legislatures have tried to wrest control of electoral votes from their own people, nor is it the first time that the dangers of such a ploy have been pointed out. In 1891, President Benjamin Harrison warned Congress of the risk that such a trick could determine the outcome of a presidential election. For now, the committees work continues. It has scheduled a series of public hearings in the new year to lay out these and other details, and it plans to release a full report of its findings before the midterm elections after which, should Republicans regain control of the House as expected, the committee will undoubtedly be dissolved. This is where looking forward comes in. Over the past year, Republican lawmakers in 41 states have been trying to advance the goals of the Jan. 6 rioters not by breaking laws but by making them. Hundreds of bills have been proposed and nearly three dozen laws have been passed that empower state legislatures to sabotage their own elections and overturn the will of their voters, according to a running tally by a nonpartisan consortium of pro-democracy organizations. Some bills would change the rules to make it easier for lawmakers to reject the votes of their citizens if they dont like the outcome. Others replace professional election officials with partisan actors who have a vested interest in seeing their preferred candidate win. Yet more attempt to criminalize human errors by election officials, in some cases even threatening prison. Many of these laws are being proposed and passed in crucial battleground states like Arizona, Wisconsin, Georgia and Pennsylvania. In the aftermath of the 2020 election, the Trump campaign targeted voting results in all these states, suing for recounts or trying to intimidate officials into finding missing votes. The effort failed, thanks primarily to the professionalism and integrity of election officials. Many of those officials have since been stripped of their power or pushed out of office and replaced by people who openly say the last election was fraudulent. Thus the Capitol riot continues in statehouses across the country, in a bloodless, legalized form that no police officer can arrest and that no prosecutor can try in court. This isnt the first time state legislatures have tried to wrest control of electoral votes from their own people, nor is it the first time that the dangers of such a ploy have been pointed out. In 1891, President Benjamin Harrison warned Congress of the risk that such a trick could determine the outcome of a presidential election. 01.01.2022 LISTEN As his 90 years old body and significations lie in state at the St. George's Cathedral (his former Cape Town parish), ahead of his funeral on New Year's Day January 1, 2022, I pray and wish this simple but great man of lucidity, empowerment and compassion, this unique man of traditions and change, an active witness for Christ here on earth, the inclusive champion and anti-apartheid icon, the peoples Archbishop Desmond Tutu, eternal rest in the glory and grace of God! Archbishop Desmond Tutu earned his progressive credentials and global recognition as one of the worlds great moral leaders of the 21st-century and the 20th century. He earned it from his life of fighting, dedicated struggles and opposition to the evil of the theology and military police state called apartheid in South Africa! He earned it by being opposed, like Nelson Mandela, to all forms of discrimination and bigotry. He earned it by living a life that was transparent. He earned it by being manifestly modest without all the embarrassing corruption, shameful waste of resources and some of the criminal indulgences exhibited by some of the so-called brother comrades in the struggle and fight against apartheid especially within the recent ANC. The man spoke in opposition to the lifestyle and corruption of some of his old friends and colleagues in the struggle. Let me contextualize Tutu, additionally, in the prism and preserve of history. While Mandela lived as the catalyst and most important political and militant leader of the African national Congress, the first black Archbishop of Cape Town, Tutu, in terms of moral persuasion and establishment of the globally faith-based alliance of churches and worship heritages effectively networked key, principled leaders around the world. The first time I saw this great man of faith and conciliation, Archbishop Tutu, was on March 26, 1998 in his beautiful city of Cape Town when former President of the United States Bill Clinton made history as the first U.S. President to visit South Africa. Mandela was President; democratically elected from the countrys first multi racial election. Clinton who addressed South Africa's first democratically elected Parliament, and in part tribute, respect and appreciation of the sacrifices and efforts made by Mandela, Desmond Desmond Tutu, the Mbekis, Bikos, and freedom fighters in the country, remarkably, said: "The courage and imagination that created this new South Africa inspire all of us to be animated by the belief that one day, humanity all the world over can at last be freed from the bonds of hatred and bigotry. I was inside that parliament in Cape Town as a part of the U.S White House accredited press corps who traveled with Clinton to South Africa. Some of these events are analyzed and reported in my 2022 new book titled MLK, Mandela & Achebe: Power, Leadership and Identity. The priest, Tutu, was on the frontlines of the vanguard and movement engaged in confronting, especially, the theological falsehoods and propaganda whereby the White racists in south and southern Africa claimed superiority over the African people and the so-called colored people of South Africa. Finally, as his 90 years old body and significations lie in state at the St. George's Cathedral (his former Cape Town parish), ahead of his funeral on New Year's Day January 1, 2022, I pray and wish this simple but great man of lucidity, empowerment and compassion, this unique man of traditions and change, an active witness for Christ here on earth, the inclusive champion and anti-apartheid icon, the peoples Archbishop Desmond Tutu, eternal rest in the glory and grace of God! *Dr. Chido Nwangwu, author of the 2022 book, MLK, Mandela & Achebe: Power, Leadership and Identity , serves as Founder & Publisher of the first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper on the internet, USAfricaonline.com, USAfrica magazine; established USAfrica in 1992 in Houston. He has appeared severally as an analyst on CNN, SABC, SKYnews; and served as an adviser on Africa business to Houstons former Mayor Lee Brown. @Chido247 / USAfrica +1-832-45-CHIDO (24436) [email protected] For now, the committees work continues. It has scheduled a series of public hearings in the new year to lay out these and other details, and it plans to release a full report of its findings before the midterm elections after which, should Republicans regain control of the House as expected, the committee will undoubtedly be dissolved. This is where looking forward comes in. Over the past year, Republican lawmakers in 41 states have been trying to advance the goals of the Jan. 6 rioters not by breaking laws but by making them. Hundreds of bills have been proposed and nearly three dozen laws have been passed that empower state legislatures to sabotage their own elections and overturn the will of their voters, according to a running tally by a nonpartisan consortium of pro-democracy organizations. Some bills would change the rules to make it easier for lawmakers to reject the votes of their citizens if they dont like the outcome. Others replace professional election officials with partisan actors who have a vested interest in seeing their preferred candidate win. Yet more attempt to criminalize human errors by election officials, in some cases even threatening prison. Many of these laws are being proposed and passed in crucial battleground states like Arizona, Wisconsin, Georgia and Pennsylvania. In the aftermath of the 2020 election, the Trump campaign targeted voting results in all these states, suing for recounts or trying to intimidate officials into finding missing votes. The effort failed, thanks primarily to the professionalism and integrity of election officials. Many of those officials have since been stripped of their power or pushed out of office and replaced by people who openly say the last election was fraudulent. Thus the Capitol riot continues in statehouses across the country, in a bloodless, legalized form that no police officer can arrest and that no prosecutor can try in court. This isnt the first time state legislatures have tried to wrest control of electoral votes from their own people, nor is it the first time that the dangers of such a ploy have been pointed out. In 1891, President Benjamin Harrison warned Congress of the risk that such a trick could determine the outcome of a presidential election. Happy Saturday, Toledo! Here's everything you need to know around town today. First, today's weather: Cloudy with a little rain. High: 42 Low: 28. Here are the top stories today in Toledo: The family of missing National Guardsman Xiao Lu, who was last seen leaving his job at the United States Post Office on South St. Clair in Downtown Toledo, is pleading for anyone with information to come forward. Described as an inspiration, the family says Lu had been struggling with some mental health issues in the past, and are hoping for his safe return. (WTOL) Several Toledo restaurants were all booked up for New Year's Eve celebrations. Two such restaurants, Angelo's Northwood Villa and Sakura Japanese Steakhouse, were lucky enough to stay open through the pandemic and have benefited from continued patronage. (WTOL) Toledo area hospitals are nearing their maximum capacity with critical COVID-19 patient numbers climbing. Dr. James Tita, Chief Medical Officer at Mercy Health St. Vincent's Hospital, anticipates surging hospitalizations due to the omicron variant. (WNWO NBC 24) Celebrating his re-election, Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz is holding an inauguration event this Monday at 4 P.M. at One Government Center in Downtown Toledo. Following the ceremony, the Toledo City Council will hold its first meeting of the new year at 5:30. (13abc Action News) Several first responders from around Northwest Ohio hosted a parade to support Wood County Road Sergeant Jody Swoap, who has been battling serious COVID complications in Wood County Hospital. Sgt. Swoap is a celebrated public servant and members of law enforcement, fire, EMS, and more well-wishers attended the event on Thursday. (13abc Action News) Today in Toledo: Greg Warren at Toledo Funny Bone , Fat Fish Blue Perrysburg (7:00 PM) Midnight Special 5K, Levis Commons (11:45 PM) Dance Fitness with Cari, Routines 2121 S. Reynolds Rd. (9:00 AM) The Great Art Escape at Toledo Museum of Art (11:00 AM) Toledo Walleye Winterfest Public Skate at Fifth Third Field (10:00 AM) Story continues From my notebook: - Click the link to see suggestions for fun things to do for teens in the Glass City. Mom on the Go in Holy Toledo does the research on all the latest events. (Mom On The Go In Holy Toledo) Loving the Toledo Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved: Send a friend or neighbor this link so they can subscribe Get your local business listed in front of readers Send me a news tip or suggestion at toledo@patch.com You're officially in the loop for today. I'll be in your inbox tomorrow morning with another update! Brad King About me: I have been a lifelong Northwest Ohio native and University of Toledo grad (Go Rockets!). I'm old enough to remember when the Mud Hens were still playing in Maumee. The Glass City has seen some amazing revitalization and I am so excited to share every update with you! This article originally appeared on the Toledo Patch 01.01.2022 LISTEN As his 90 years old body and significations lie in state at the St. George's Cathedral (his former Cape Town parish), ahead of his funeral on New Year's Day January 1, 2022, I pray and wish this simple but great man of lucidity, empowerment and compassion, this unique man of traditions and change, an active witness for Christ here on earth, the inclusive champion and anti-apartheid icon, the peoples Archbishop Desmond Tutu, eternal rest in the glory and grace of God! Archbishop Desmond Tutu earned his progressive credentials and global recognition as one of the worlds great moral leaders of the 21st-century and the 20th century. He earned it from his life of fighting, dedicated struggles and opposition to the evil of the theology and military police state called apartheid in South Africa! He earned it by being opposed, like Nelson Mandela, to all forms of discrimination and bigotry. He earned it by living a life that was transparent. He earned it by being manifestly modest without all the embarrassing corruption, shameful waste of resources and some of the criminal indulgences exhibited by some of the so-called brother comrades in the struggle and fight against apartheid especially within the recent ANC. The man spoke in opposition to the lifestyle and corruption of some of his old friends and colleagues in the struggle. Let me contextualize Tutu, additionally, in the prism and preserve of history. While Mandela lived as the catalyst and most important political and militant leader of the African national Congress, the first black Archbishop of Cape Town, Tutu, in terms of moral persuasion and establishment of the globally faith-based alliance of churches and worship heritages effectively networked key, principled leaders around the world. The first time I saw this great man of faith and conciliation, Archbishop Tutu, was on March 26, 1998 in his beautiful city of Cape Town when former President of the United States Bill Clinton made history as the first U.S. President to visit South Africa. Mandela was President; democratically elected from the countrys first multi racial election. Clinton who addressed South Africa's first democratically elected Parliament, and in part tribute, respect and appreciation of the sacrifices and efforts made by Mandela, Desmond Desmond Tutu, the Mbekis, Bikos, and freedom fighters in the country, remarkably, said: "The courage and imagination that created this new South Africa inspire all of us to be animated by the belief that one day, humanity all the world over can at last be freed from the bonds of hatred and bigotry. I was inside that parliament in Cape Town as a part of the U.S White House accredited press corps who traveled with Clinton to South Africa. Some of these events are analyzed and reported in my 2022 new book titled MLK, Mandela & Achebe: Power, Leadership and Identity. The priest, Tutu, was on the frontlines of the vanguard and movement engaged in confronting, especially, the theological falsehoods and propaganda whereby the White racists in south and southern Africa claimed superiority over the African people and the so-called colored people of South Africa. Finally, as his 90 years old body and significations lie in state at the St. George's Cathedral (his former Cape Town parish), ahead of his funeral on New Year's Day January 1, 2022, I pray and wish this simple but great man of lucidity, empowerment and compassion, this unique man of traditions and change, an active witness for Christ here on earth, the inclusive champion and anti-apartheid icon, the peoples Archbishop Desmond Tutu, eternal rest in the glory and grace of God! *Dr. Chido Nwangwu, author of the 2022 book, MLK, Mandela & Achebe: Power, Leadership and Identity , serves as Founder & Publisher of the first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper on the internet, USAfricaonline.com, USAfrica magazine; established USAfrica in 1992 in Houston. He has appeared severally as an analyst on CNN, SABC, SKYnews; and served as an adviser on Africa business to Houstons former Mayor Lee Brown. @Chido247 / USAfrica +1-832-45-CHIDO (24436) [email protected] A young pregnant woman has become the first person in the world to be infected with both Covid and the flu. The woman tested positive for both viruses in Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikva city, Israel, on Thursday. She is suffering mild symptoms and Israeli health officials are studying her case to determine whether the combination causes any greater severity of illness. Her case is first documented in the world but doctors believe there could be more 'flurona' infections in the country. A young pregnant woman in Israel has become the first person in the world to be infected with both Covid and the flu. Pictured: A woman receives her fourth dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against the coronavirus, at the outpatient clinics of the cardiovascular centre at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, near the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv yesterday Professor Arnon Vizhnitser, director of the hospitals' Gynaecology Department, told Hamodia: 'She was diagnosed with the flu and coronavirus as soon as she arrived. 'Both tests came back positive, even after we checked again. 'The disease is the same disease. They're viral and cause difficulty breathing since both attack the upper respiratory tract.' The woman is expected to be discharged on Thursday. Professor Vizhnitser said: 'We are seeing more and more pregnant women with the flu. It is definitely a great challenge dealing with a woman who comes in with a fever at childbirth. Israel's health minister yesterday said the country is extending its offer of a fourth vaccine dose to elderly people in care facilities.. Pictured: A man receives his fourth dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against the coronavirus, at the outpatient clinics of the cardiovascular centre at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, near the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv yesterday 'This is especially when you do not know if its coronavirus or the flu, so you refer to them the same. Most of the illness is respiratory.' It comes after Israel's health minister yesterday said the country is extending its offer of a fourth vaccine dose to elderly people in care facilities. Nitzan Horowitz announced the move on Friday, citing their high exposure and vulnerability to infections. Israel had already extended the rollout of fourth doses to people with weakened immunity, becoming one of the first countries to do so in hopes of countering a case surge driven by the Omicron variant. The country is in the midst of a surge in cases, with more than 5,000 cases recorded yesterday. A young pregnant woman has become the first person in the world to be infected with both Covid and the flu. The woman tested positive for both viruses in Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikva city, Israel, on Thursday. She is suffering mild symptoms and Israeli health officials are studying her case to determine whether the combination causes any greater severity of illness. Her case is first documented in the world but doctors believe there could be more 'flurona' infections in the country. A young pregnant woman in Israel has become the first person in the world to be infected with both Covid and the flu. Pictured: A woman receives her fourth dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against the coronavirus, at the outpatient clinics of the cardiovascular centre at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, near the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv yesterday Professor Arnon Vizhnitser, director of the hospitals' Gynaecology Department, told Hamodia: 'She was diagnosed with the flu and coronavirus as soon as she arrived. 'Both tests came back positive, even after we checked again. 'The disease is the same disease. They're viral and cause difficulty breathing since both attack the upper respiratory tract.' The woman is expected to be discharged on Thursday. Professor Vizhnitser said: 'We are seeing more and more pregnant women with the flu. It is definitely a great challenge dealing with a woman who comes in with a fever at childbirth. Israel's health minister yesterday said the country is extending its offer of a fourth vaccine dose to elderly people in care facilities.. Pictured: A man receives his fourth dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against the coronavirus, at the outpatient clinics of the cardiovascular centre at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, near the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv yesterday 'This is especially when you do not know if its coronavirus or the flu, so you refer to them the same. Most of the illness is respiratory.' It comes after Israel's health minister yesterday said the country is extending its offer of a fourth vaccine dose to elderly people in care facilities. Nitzan Horowitz announced the move on Friday, citing their high exposure and vulnerability to infections. Israel had already extended the rollout of fourth doses to people with weakened immunity, becoming one of the first countries to do so in hopes of countering a case surge driven by the Omicron variant. The country is in the midst of a surge in cases, with more than 5,000 cases recorded yesterday. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. A young pregnant woman has become the first person in the world to be infected with both Covid and the flu. The woman tested positive for both viruses in Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikva city, Israel, on Thursday. She is suffering mild symptoms and Israeli health officials are studying her case to determine whether the combination causes any greater severity of illness. Her case is first documented in the world but doctors believe there could be more 'flurona' infections in the country. A young pregnant woman in Israel has become the first person in the world to be infected with both Covid and the flu. Pictured: A woman receives her fourth dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against the coronavirus, at the outpatient clinics of the cardiovascular centre at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, near the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv yesterday Professor Arnon Vizhnitser, director of the hospitals' Gynaecology Department, told Hamodia: 'She was diagnosed with the flu and coronavirus as soon as she arrived. 'Both tests came back positive, even after we checked again. 'The disease is the same disease. They're viral and cause difficulty breathing since both attack the upper respiratory tract.' The woman is expected to be discharged on Thursday. Professor Vizhnitser said: 'We are seeing more and more pregnant women with the flu. It is definitely a great challenge dealing with a woman who comes in with a fever at childbirth. Israel's health minister yesterday said the country is extending its offer of a fourth vaccine dose to elderly people in care facilities.. Pictured: A man receives his fourth dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against the coronavirus, at the outpatient clinics of the cardiovascular centre at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, near the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv yesterday 'This is especially when you do not know if its coronavirus or the flu, so you refer to them the same. Most of the illness is respiratory.' It comes after Israel's health minister yesterday said the country is extending its offer of a fourth vaccine dose to elderly people in care facilities. Nitzan Horowitz announced the move on Friday, citing their high exposure and vulnerability to infections. Israel had already extended the rollout of fourth doses to people with weakened immunity, becoming one of the first countries to do so in hopes of countering a case surge driven by the Omicron variant. The country is in the midst of a surge in cases, with more than 5,000 cases recorded yesterday. A young pregnant woman has become the first person in the world to be infected with both Covid and the flu. The woman tested positive for both viruses in Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikva city, Israel, on Thursday. She is suffering mild symptoms and Israeli health officials are studying her case to determine whether the combination causes any greater severity of illness. Her case is first documented in the world but doctors believe there could be more 'flurona' infections in the country. A young pregnant woman in Israel has become the first person in the world to be infected with both Covid and the flu. Pictured: A woman receives her fourth dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against the coronavirus, at the outpatient clinics of the cardiovascular centre at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, near the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv yesterday Professor Arnon Vizhnitser, director of the hospitals' Gynaecology Department, told Hamodia: 'She was diagnosed with the flu and coronavirus as soon as she arrived. 'Both tests came back positive, even after we checked again. 'The disease is the same disease. They're viral and cause difficulty breathing since both attack the upper respiratory tract.' The woman is expected to be discharged on Thursday. Professor Vizhnitser said: 'We are seeing more and more pregnant women with the flu. It is definitely a great challenge dealing with a woman who comes in with a fever at childbirth. Israel's health minister yesterday said the country is extending its offer of a fourth vaccine dose to elderly people in care facilities.. Pictured: A man receives his fourth dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against the coronavirus, at the outpatient clinics of the cardiovascular centre at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, near the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv yesterday 'This is especially when you do not know if its coronavirus or the flu, so you refer to them the same. Most of the illness is respiratory.' It comes after Israel's health minister yesterday said the country is extending its offer of a fourth vaccine dose to elderly people in care facilities. Nitzan Horowitz announced the move on Friday, citing their high exposure and vulnerability to infections. Israel had already extended the rollout of fourth doses to people with weakened immunity, becoming one of the first countries to do so in hopes of countering a case surge driven by the Omicron variant. The country is in the midst of a surge in cases, with more than 5,000 cases recorded yesterday. . Minor opposition People Party presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo answers reporters' questions during a visit to a traditional market in Gangbuk District, Seoul, Friday. Yonhap By Nam Hyun-woo Minor opposition People Party presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo is quickly enhancing his presence and chipping away at the support of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) candidate Yoon Suk-yeol. In a number of recent surveys, No. 3 candidate Ahn is showing meaningful growth in public support, tempting the two major candidates Yoon and ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) candidate Lee Jae-myung to potentially ask the center-right candidate to unify behind their respective candidacies. With the election coming in less than 70 days, Ahn's choice of whether he will maintain his candidacy or form a coalition with another candidate is expected to determine how the presidential race will unfold in the remaining period. . Minor opposition People Party presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo answers reporters' questions during a visit to a traditional market in Gangbuk District, Seoul, Friday. Yonhap By Nam Hyun-woo Minor opposition People Party presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo is quickly enhancing his presence and chipping away at the support of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) candidate Yoon Suk-yeol. In a number of recent surveys, No. 3 candidate Ahn is showing meaningful growth in public support, tempting the two major candidates Yoon and ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) candidate Lee Jae-myung to potentially ask the center-right candidate to unify behind their respective candidacies. With the election coming in less than 70 days, Ahn's choice of whether he will maintain his candidacy or form a coalition with another candidate is expected to determine how the presidential race will unfold in the remaining period. If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here For now, the committees work continues. It has scheduled a series of public hearings in the new year to lay out these and other details, and it plans to release a full report of its findings before the midterm elections after which, should Republicans regain control of the House as expected, the committee will undoubtedly be dissolved. This is where looking forward comes in. Over the past year, Republican lawmakers in 41 states have been trying to advance the goals of the Jan. 6 rioters not by breaking laws but by making them. Hundreds of bills have been proposed and nearly three dozen laws have been passed that empower state legislatures to sabotage their own elections and overturn the will of their voters, according to a running tally by a nonpartisan consortium of pro-democracy organizations. Some bills would change the rules to make it easier for lawmakers to reject the votes of their citizens if they dont like the outcome. Others replace professional election officials with partisan actors who have a vested interest in seeing their preferred candidate win. Yet more attempt to criminalize human errors by election officials, in some cases even threatening prison. Many of these laws are being proposed and passed in crucial battleground states like Arizona, Wisconsin, Georgia and Pennsylvania. In the aftermath of the 2020 election, the Trump campaign targeted voting results in all these states, suing for recounts or trying to intimidate officials into finding missing votes. The effort failed, thanks primarily to the professionalism and integrity of election officials. Many of those officials have since been stripped of their power or pushed out of office and replaced by people who openly say the last election was fraudulent. Thus the Capitol riot continues in statehouses across the country, in a bloodless, legalized form that no police officer can arrest and that no prosecutor can try in court. This isnt the first time state legislatures have tried to wrest control of electoral votes from their own people, nor is it the first time that the dangers of such a ploy have been pointed out. In 1891, President Benjamin Harrison warned Congress of the risk that such a trick could determine the outcome of a presidential election. 01.01.2022 LISTEN As his 90 years old body and significations lie in state at the St. George's Cathedral (his former Cape Town parish), ahead of his funeral on New Year's Day January 1, 2022, I pray and wish this simple but great man of lucidity, empowerment and compassion, this unique man of traditions and change, an active witness for Christ here on earth, the inclusive champion and anti-apartheid icon, the peoples Archbishop Desmond Tutu, eternal rest in the glory and grace of God! Archbishop Desmond Tutu earned his progressive credentials and global recognition as one of the worlds great moral leaders of the 21st-century and the 20th century. He earned it from his life of fighting, dedicated struggles and opposition to the evil of the theology and military police state called apartheid in South Africa! He earned it by being opposed, like Nelson Mandela, to all forms of discrimination and bigotry. He earned it by living a life that was transparent. He earned it by being manifestly modest without all the embarrassing corruption, shameful waste of resources and some of the criminal indulgences exhibited by some of the so-called brother comrades in the struggle and fight against apartheid especially within the recent ANC. The man spoke in opposition to the lifestyle and corruption of some of his old friends and colleagues in the struggle. Let me contextualize Tutu, additionally, in the prism and preserve of history. While Mandela lived as the catalyst and most important political and militant leader of the African national Congress, the first black Archbishop of Cape Town, Tutu, in terms of moral persuasion and establishment of the globally faith-based alliance of churches and worship heritages effectively networked key, principled leaders around the world. The first time I saw this great man of faith and conciliation, Archbishop Tutu, was on March 26, 1998 in his beautiful city of Cape Town when former President of the United States Bill Clinton made history as the first U.S. President to visit South Africa. Mandela was President; democratically elected from the countrys first multi racial election. Clinton who addressed South Africa's first democratically elected Parliament, and in part tribute, respect and appreciation of the sacrifices and efforts made by Mandela, Desmond Desmond Tutu, the Mbekis, Bikos, and freedom fighters in the country, remarkably, said: "The courage and imagination that created this new South Africa inspire all of us to be animated by the belief that one day, humanity all the world over can at last be freed from the bonds of hatred and bigotry. I was inside that parliament in Cape Town as a part of the U.S White House accredited press corps who traveled with Clinton to South Africa. Some of these events are analyzed and reported in my 2022 new book titled MLK, Mandela & Achebe: Power, Leadership and Identity. The priest, Tutu, was on the frontlines of the vanguard and movement engaged in confronting, especially, the theological falsehoods and propaganda whereby the White racists in south and southern Africa claimed superiority over the African people and the so-called colored people of South Africa. Finally, as his 90 years old body and significations lie in state at the St. George's Cathedral (his former Cape Town parish), ahead of his funeral on New Year's Day January 1, 2022, I pray and wish this simple but great man of lucidity, empowerment and compassion, this unique man of traditions and change, an active witness for Christ here on earth, the inclusive champion and anti-apartheid icon, the peoples Archbishop Desmond Tutu, eternal rest in the glory and grace of God! *Dr. Chido Nwangwu, author of the 2022 book, MLK, Mandela & Achebe: Power, Leadership and Identity , serves as Founder & Publisher of the first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper on the internet, USAfricaonline.com, USAfrica magazine; established USAfrica in 1992 in Houston. He has appeared severally as an analyst on CNN, SABC, SKYnews; and served as an adviser on Africa business to Houstons former Mayor Lee Brown. @Chido247 / USAfrica +1-832-45-CHIDO (24436) [email protected] For now, the committees work continues. It has scheduled a series of public hearings in the new year to lay out these and other details, and it plans to release a full report of its findings before the midterm elections after which, should Republicans regain control of the House as expected, the committee will undoubtedly be dissolved. This is where looking forward comes in. Over the past year, Republican lawmakers in 41 states have been trying to advance the goals of the Jan. 6 rioters not by breaking laws but by making them. Hundreds of bills have been proposed and nearly three dozen laws have been passed that empower state legislatures to sabotage their own elections and overturn the will of their voters, according to a running tally by a nonpartisan consortium of pro-democracy organizations. Some bills would change the rules to make it easier for lawmakers to reject the votes of their citizens if they dont like the outcome. Others replace professional election officials with partisan actors who have a vested interest in seeing their preferred candidate win. Yet more attempt to criminalize human errors by election officials, in some cases even threatening prison. Many of these laws are being proposed and passed in crucial battleground states like Arizona, Wisconsin, Georgia and Pennsylvania. In the aftermath of the 2020 election, the Trump campaign targeted voting results in all these states, suing for recounts or trying to intimidate officials into finding missing votes. The effort failed, thanks primarily to the professionalism and integrity of election officials. Many of those officials have since been stripped of their power or pushed out of office and replaced by people who openly say the last election was fraudulent. Thus the Capitol riot continues in statehouses across the country, in a bloodless, legalized form that no police officer can arrest and that no prosecutor can try in court. This isnt the first time state legislatures have tried to wrest control of electoral votes from their own people, nor is it the first time that the dangers of such a ploy have been pointed out. In 1891, President Benjamin Harrison warned Congress of the risk that such a trick could determine the outcome of a presidential election. RTHK: S Africa holds funeral for 'spiritual father' Tutu South Africa on Saturday held a state funeral for Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the last great hero of the struggle against apartheid, that was stripped of pomp but rich in glowing tributes. Tutu died last Sunday, aged 90, triggering grief at home and abroad for a life spent fighting injustice. Famous for his modesty, Tutu gave instructions for a simple, no-frills ceremony, with a cheap coffin, followed by an eco-friendly cremation. Family, friends, clergy and politicians gathered at Cape Town's St George's Anglican Cathedral, which was illuminated in purple, the colour of his clerical robes. It was there where Tutu used the pulpit to rail against a brutal white-minority regime and it's there he will be buried. President Cyril Ramaphosa, who accorded Tutu the official funeral usually reserved for presidents, described the ceremony as "category-one funeral with religious characteristic". "Our departed father was a crusader in the struggle for freedom, for justice, for equality and for peace, not just in South Africa... but around the world as well," said Ramaphosa. "While our beloved (Nelson Mandela) was the father of our democracy, Archbishop Tutu was the spiritual father of our new nation", lauding him as "our moral compass and national conscience". "His was a life lived honestly and completely. He has left the world a better place. We remember him with a smile," said Ramaphosa before handing South Africa's multicoloured flag to the "chief mourner", Tutu's widow, Leah. The flag a reminder of Tutu's description of the post-apartheid country as the "Rainbow Nation", was the only military rite accorded to him, respecting his request before he died that military protocol be minimal. The funeral ended South Africa's week of mourning, with the diminutive rope-handled pinewood coffin, adorned by a small bunch of carnations, immediately removed from the church by vicars in cream robes. Under a grey sky and drizzle, among the mourners ushered into the cathedral were ex-Irish president Mary Robinson, and Mandela's widow Graca Machel. Both read out prayers. Others included the widow of the last apartheid leader FW de Klerk, who died in November, and former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2022-01-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Tunisia on Saturday launched a wide-ranging national consultation that will feed into drafting a new constitution, the North African country's technology ministry said Tunis, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Jan, 2022 ) :Tunisia on Saturday launched a wide-ranging national consultation that will feed into drafting a new constitution, the North African country's technology ministry said. Part of a reform package pushed by President Kais Saied, who is seeking to bolster his authority, the exercise calls on citizens to send in suggestions and will last until March 20. Eligible topics include electoral, economic, financial, social, developmental, health, education and cultural affairs. The constitutional referendum is planned for July 25, 2022 -- exactly a year after Saied sacked the government, suspended parliament and seized wide-ranging powers. His power grab was initially supported by many Tunisians, amid frustration surrounding repeated deadlocks within the fractious legislature in recent years. The president later took steps to rule by decree, and in early December vowed to press on with reforms to the political system. The consultation -- dubbed "Your opinion, our decision" -- is initially targeting youth centres through an electronic platform across the country's 24 regions, the technology ministry said. "The platform will be open to everyone from January 15," it added. Citizens will alternatively be able to give their views in local committees, since only 45 percent of Tunisian homes are connected to the internet. Critics have said the move underlines the "populist" approach of the president, who won elections in 2019 with a landslide 73 percent of votes. Saied's one-man crusade to rebuild Tunisia's broken political structures has sparked accusations that he is establishing a new autocracy in the birthplace of the Arab Spring uprisings. Rights groups have pointed to military trials of opposition figures on charges such as "insulting the president". A senior official of Islamist-inspired Ennahdha -- one of the country's main political parties -- was arrested by plainclothes officers on Friday. The party decried Noureddine Bhiri's arrest as "a kidnapping and dangerous precedent marking the country's entry into a tunnel to dictatorship". For now, the committees work continues. It has scheduled a series of public hearings in the new year to lay out these and other details, and it plans to release a full report of its findings before the midterm elections after which, should Republicans regain control of the House as expected, the committee will undoubtedly be dissolved. This is where looking forward comes in. Over the past year, Republican lawmakers in 41 states have been trying to advance the goals of the Jan. 6 rioters not by breaking laws but by making them. Hundreds of bills have been proposed and nearly three dozen laws have been passed that empower state legislatures to sabotage their own elections and overturn the will of their voters, according to a running tally by a nonpartisan consortium of pro-democracy organizations. Some bills would change the rules to make it easier for lawmakers to reject the votes of their citizens if they dont like the outcome. Others replace professional election officials with partisan actors who have a vested interest in seeing their preferred candidate win. Yet more attempt to criminalize human errors by election officials, in some cases even threatening prison. Many of these laws are being proposed and passed in crucial battleground states like Arizona, Wisconsin, Georgia and Pennsylvania. In the aftermath of the 2020 election, the Trump campaign targeted voting results in all these states, suing for recounts or trying to intimidate officials into finding missing votes. The effort failed, thanks primarily to the professionalism and integrity of election officials. Many of those officials have since been stripped of their power or pushed out of office and replaced by people who openly say the last election was fraudulent. Thus the Capitol riot continues in statehouses across the country, in a bloodless, legalized form that no police officer can arrest and that no prosecutor can try in court. This isnt the first time state legislatures have tried to wrest control of electoral votes from their own people, nor is it the first time that the dangers of such a ploy have been pointed out. In 1891, President Benjamin Harrison warned Congress of the risk that such a trick could determine the outcome of a presidential election. RTHK: S Africa holds funeral for 'spiritual father' Tutu South Africa on Saturday held a state funeral for Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the last great hero of the struggle against apartheid, that was stripped of pomp but rich in glowing tributes. Tutu died last Sunday, aged 90, triggering grief at home and abroad for a life spent fighting injustice. Famous for his modesty, Tutu gave instructions for a simple, no-frills ceremony, with a cheap coffin, followed by an eco-friendly cremation. Family, friends, clergy and politicians gathered at Cape Town's St George's Anglican Cathedral, which was illuminated in purple, the colour of his clerical robes. It was there where Tutu used the pulpit to rail against a brutal white-minority regime and it's there he will be buried. President Cyril Ramaphosa, who accorded Tutu the official funeral usually reserved for presidents, described the ceremony as "category-one funeral with religious characteristic". "Our departed father was a crusader in the struggle for freedom, for justice, for equality and for peace, not just in South Africa... but around the world as well," said Ramaphosa. "While our beloved (Nelson Mandela) was the father of our democracy, Archbishop Tutu was the spiritual father of our new nation", lauding him as "our moral compass and national conscience". "His was a life lived honestly and completely. He has left the world a better place. We remember him with a smile," said Ramaphosa before handing South Africa's multicoloured flag to the "chief mourner", Tutu's widow, Leah. The flag a reminder of Tutu's description of the post-apartheid country as the "Rainbow Nation", was the only military rite accorded to him, respecting his request before he died that military protocol be minimal. The funeral ended South Africa's week of mourning, with the diminutive rope-handled pinewood coffin, adorned by a small bunch of carnations, immediately removed from the church by vicars in cream robes. Under a grey sky and drizzle, among the mourners ushered into the cathedral were ex-Irish president Mary Robinson, and Mandela's widow Graca Machel. Both read out prayers. Others included the widow of the last apartheid leader FW de Klerk, who died in November, and former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2022-01-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. For now, the committees work continues. It has scheduled a series of public hearings in the new year to lay out these and other details, and it plans to release a full report of its findings before the midterm elections after which, should Republicans regain control of the House as expected, the committee will undoubtedly be dissolved. This is where looking forward comes in. Over the past year, Republican lawmakers in 41 states have been trying to advance the goals of the Jan. 6 rioters not by breaking laws but by making them. Hundreds of bills have been proposed and nearly three dozen laws have been passed that empower state legislatures to sabotage their own elections and overturn the will of their voters, according to a running tally by a nonpartisan consortium of pro-democracy organizations. Some bills would change the rules to make it easier for lawmakers to reject the votes of their citizens if they dont like the outcome. Others replace professional election officials with partisan actors who have a vested interest in seeing their preferred candidate win. Yet more attempt to criminalize human errors by election officials, in some cases even threatening prison. Many of these laws are being proposed and passed in crucial battleground states like Arizona, Wisconsin, Georgia and Pennsylvania. In the aftermath of the 2020 election, the Trump campaign targeted voting results in all these states, suing for recounts or trying to intimidate officials into finding missing votes. The effort failed, thanks primarily to the professionalism and integrity of election officials. Many of those officials have since been stripped of their power or pushed out of office and replaced by people who openly say the last election was fraudulent. Thus the Capitol riot continues in statehouses across the country, in a bloodless, legalized form that no police officer can arrest and that no prosecutor can try in court. This isnt the first time state legislatures have tried to wrest control of electoral votes from their own people, nor is it the first time that the dangers of such a ploy have been pointed out. In 1891, President Benjamin Harrison warned Congress of the risk that such a trick could determine the outcome of a presidential election. South Africa bade farewell on Saturday to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the last great hero of the struggle against apartheid, in a funeral stripped of pomp but freighted with tears and showered with drizzles of rain. Tutu died last Sunday at the age of 90, triggering grief among South Africans and tributes from world leaders for a life spent fighting injustice. Famous for his modesty, Tutu gave instructions for a simple, no-frills ceremony, with a cheap coffin, donations for charity instead of floral tributes, followed by an eco-friendly cremation. Pallbearers carry the coffin of South African anti-Apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu during the requiem mass at St George's Cathedral in Cape Town. By Marco Longari (AFP) Family, friends, clergy and politicians gathered at Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral where, for years, Tutu used the pulpit to rail against a brutal white minority regime. That is where he will be buried. "We thank you for loving our father... because we shared him with the world, you share part of the love you held for with us, so we are thankful," said Tutu's daughter Mpho. President Cyril Ramaphosa, who will deliver the eulogy, accorded Tutu a special category funeral, usually designated for presidents and very important people. He was to hand South Africa's multicoloured flag to the "chief mourner", Tutu's widow, Leah -- a reminder of her husband's description of the post-apartheid country as the "Rainbow Nation". Mpho Tutu van Furth, child of South African anti-Apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu, sits next to his coffin. By Nic BOTHMA (POOL/AFP) South Africa has marked a week of mourning, with several thousand people, filing past a diminutive rope-handled casket made of pine, adorned by a plain bunch of carnations. Under a grey sky and drizzle, mourners were ushered into the cathedral. Rains, according to historian Khaya Ndwandwe "are a blessing" and show that Tutu's "soul is welcome" to heaven. Mourners included close friends and family, clergy and guests, including former Irish president Mary Robinson, and Nelson Mandela's widow Graca Machel -- with both reading prayers. Others mourners were Elita, the widow of the last apartheid leader FW de Klerk, who died in November. Desmond Tutu died last Sunday at the age of 90. By Nic BOTHMA (POOL/AFP) Conspicously absent from the funeral is one of Tutu's best friends, the Dalai Lama. He failed to travel due to advanced age and Covid restrictions, his representative Ngodup Dorjee, told AFP outside the church. Tutu's longtime friend, retired bishop Michael Nuttall, who was Anglican Church dean when Tutu was the archbishop of Cape Town, delivered a sombre sermon. "Our partnership struck a chord perhaps in the hearts and minds of many people: a dynamic black leader and his white deputy in the dying years of apartheid; and hey presto, the heavens did not collapse," said Nuttal. "We were a foretaste,...of what could be in our wayward, divided nation". Tutu and Mandela, his fellow Nobel laureate, forged a lifelong bond. By ALEXANDER JOE, - (AFP/File) The two forged a strong relationship, illustrating for many how a white leader could work for a black leader. Nuttall went on write a memoir titled "Tutu's Number Two" about their friendship. Fighter Under apartheid, South Africa's white minority cemented its grip with a panoply of laws based on the notion of race and racial segregation, and the police ruthlessly hunted down opponents, killing or jailing them. With Nelson Mandela and other leaders sentenced to decades in prison, Tutu in the 1970s became the emblem of the struggle. The purple-gowned figure campaigned relentlessly abroad, administering public lashings to the United States, Britain, Germany and others for failing to slap sanctions on the apartheid regime. Archbishop Thabo Makgoba heads pallbearers carrying Tutu's coffin into the cathedral for the lying in state. By GIANLUIGI GUERCIA (AFP) At home, from his pulpit, he slammed police violence against blacks, including the gunning down of school students during the 1976 Soweto uprising. Only his robes saved him from prison and were a shield from police brutality for many protesters. Humour After apartheid was dismantled and South Africa ushered in the first free elections in 1994, Tutu chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which exposed the horrors of the past in grim detail. He would later speak out fearlessly against the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for corruption and leadership incompetence. Tutu's moral firmness and passion went hand-in-hand with self-deprecatory humour and a famously cackling laugh. People in large numbers gathered at popular tourist spots in Kolkata and elsewhere in West Bengal to celebrate the new year on Saturday, while Covid-19 cases are rising alarmingly in the state. Revellers throng places such as the Alipore Zoo, Eco Park, Victoria Memorial and the Indian Museum in and around the metropolis, and sea beaches of Digha, Mandarmani, and Bakkhali. Though the number of people appears to be less compared to that during Christmas day, the police had a tough time controlling the crowd and making them follow Covid-19 preventive protocols such as wearing masks and maintaining a physical distance. Also Read | No lockdown in Bengal, government likely to impose curbs in phases as Covid cases surge A section of people also went to theatres to enjoy movies or to restaurants for a meal on the occasion. The famous Kali temples at Kalighat and Dakshineswar which usually draw a large number of devotees on the new year's day were closed for visitors and so was the Belur Math, the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission (RKM). The annual 'Kalpataru Utsav' held on January 1 at Kashipur Udyanbati, which also attracts thousands of people, was out of bounds for devotees like last year, an RKM spokesperson said. Monks of the order believe that on this day in 1886, Sri Ramakrishna had been blessed with the inner vision ('Chaitanya') at this north Kolkata house. It is also believed that he had become 'Kalpataru', the mythical wish-fulfilling tree, on the same day. Also Read | Kolkata accounts for 56% of Bengal Covid cases amid spike in state However, the Kamarpukur and Joyrambati units of the RKM in Hooghly and Bankura districts respectively were open and many visited the two places. Sri Ramakrishna and Sarada Devi, his spiritual consort, were born in Kamarpukur and Joyrambati respectively. West Bengal is witnessing a spurt in Covid-19 cases for the last few days. On Saturday, it reported 4,512 fresh infections, 1,061 more than the previous day's figure, with Kolkata accounting for 2,398 fresh cases. Greeting people on the occasion of the new year, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged them to follow Covid-19 protocols. Check out the latest videos from DH: South Africa bade farewell on Saturday to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the last great hero of the struggle against apartheid, in a funeral stripped of pomp but freighted with tears and showered with drizzles of rain. Tutu died last Sunday at the age of 90, triggering grief among South Africans and tributes from world leaders for a life spent fighting injustice. Famous for his modesty, Tutu gave instructions for a simple, no-frills ceremony, with a cheap coffin, donations for charity instead of floral tributes, followed by an eco-friendly cremation. Pallbearers carry the coffin of South African anti-Apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu during the requiem mass at St George's Cathedral in Cape Town. By Marco Longari (AFP) Family, friends, clergy and politicians gathered at Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral where, for years, Tutu used the pulpit to rail against a brutal white minority regime. That is where he will be buried. "We thank you for loving our father... because we shared him with the world, you share part of the love you held for with us, so we are thankful," said Tutu's daughter Mpho. President Cyril Ramaphosa, who will deliver the eulogy, accorded Tutu a special category funeral, usually designated for presidents and very important people. He was to hand South Africa's multicoloured flag to the "chief mourner", Tutu's widow, Leah -- a reminder of her husband's description of the post-apartheid country as the "Rainbow Nation". Mpho Tutu van Furth, child of South African anti-Apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu, sits next to his coffin. By Nic BOTHMA (POOL/AFP) South Africa has marked a week of mourning, with several thousand people, filing past a diminutive rope-handled casket made of pine, adorned by a plain bunch of carnations. Under a grey sky and drizzle, mourners were ushered into the cathedral. Rains, according to historian Khaya Ndwandwe "are a blessing" and show that Tutu's "soul is welcome" to heaven. Mourners included close friends and family, clergy and guests, including former Irish president Mary Robinson, and Nelson Mandela's widow Graca Machel -- with both reading prayers. Others mourners were Elita, the widow of the last apartheid leader FW de Klerk, who died in November. Desmond Tutu died last Sunday at the age of 90. By Nic BOTHMA (POOL/AFP) Conspicously absent from the funeral is one of Tutu's best friends, the Dalai Lama. He failed to travel due to advanced age and Covid restrictions, his representative Ngodup Dorjee, told AFP outside the church. Tutu's longtime friend, retired bishop Michael Nuttall, who was Anglican Church dean when Tutu was the archbishop of Cape Town, delivered a sombre sermon. "Our partnership struck a chord perhaps in the hearts and minds of many people: a dynamic black leader and his white deputy in the dying years of apartheid; and hey presto, the heavens did not collapse," said Nuttal. "We were a foretaste,...of what could be in our wayward, divided nation". Tutu and Mandela, his fellow Nobel laureate, forged a lifelong bond. By ALEXANDER JOE, - (AFP/File) The two forged a strong relationship, illustrating for many how a white leader could work for a black leader. Nuttall went on write a memoir titled "Tutu's Number Two" about their friendship. Fighter Under apartheid, South Africa's white minority cemented its grip with a panoply of laws based on the notion of race and racial segregation, and the police ruthlessly hunted down opponents, killing or jailing them. With Nelson Mandela and other leaders sentenced to decades in prison, Tutu in the 1970s became the emblem of the struggle. The purple-gowned figure campaigned relentlessly abroad, administering public lashings to the United States, Britain, Germany and others for failing to slap sanctions on the apartheid regime. Archbishop Thabo Makgoba heads pallbearers carrying Tutu's coffin into the cathedral for the lying in state. By GIANLUIGI GUERCIA (AFP) At home, from his pulpit, he slammed police violence against blacks, including the gunning down of school students during the 1976 Soweto uprising. Only his robes saved him from prison and were a shield from police brutality for many protesters. Humour After apartheid was dismantled and South Africa ushered in the first free elections in 1994, Tutu chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which exposed the horrors of the past in grim detail. He would later speak out fearlessly against the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for corruption and leadership incompetence. Tutu's moral firmness and passion went hand-in-hand with self-deprecatory humour and a famously cackling laugh. 01.01.2022 LISTEN As his 90 years old body and significations lie in state at the St. George's Cathedral (his former Cape Town parish), ahead of his funeral on New Year's Day January 1, 2022, I pray and wish this simple but great man of lucidity, empowerment and compassion, this unique man of traditions and change, an active witness for Christ here on earth, the inclusive champion and anti-apartheid icon, the peoples Archbishop Desmond Tutu, eternal rest in the glory and grace of God! Archbishop Desmond Tutu earned his progressive credentials and global recognition as one of the worlds great moral leaders of the 21st-century and the 20th century. He earned it from his life of fighting, dedicated struggles and opposition to the evil of the theology and military police state called apartheid in South Africa! He earned it by being opposed, like Nelson Mandela, to all forms of discrimination and bigotry. He earned it by living a life that was transparent. He earned it by being manifestly modest without all the embarrassing corruption, shameful waste of resources and some of the criminal indulgences exhibited by some of the so-called brother comrades in the struggle and fight against apartheid especially within the recent ANC. The man spoke in opposition to the lifestyle and corruption of some of his old friends and colleagues in the struggle. Let me contextualize Tutu, additionally, in the prism and preserve of history. While Mandela lived as the catalyst and most important political and militant leader of the African national Congress, the first black Archbishop of Cape Town, Tutu, in terms of moral persuasion and establishment of the globally faith-based alliance of churches and worship heritages effectively networked key, principled leaders around the world. The first time I saw this great man of faith and conciliation, Archbishop Tutu, was on March 26, 1998 in his beautiful city of Cape Town when former President of the United States Bill Clinton made history as the first U.S. President to visit South Africa. Mandela was President; democratically elected from the countrys first multi racial election. Clinton who addressed South Africa's first democratically elected Parliament, and in part tribute, respect and appreciation of the sacrifices and efforts made by Mandela, Desmond Desmond Tutu, the Mbekis, Bikos, and freedom fighters in the country, remarkably, said: "The courage and imagination that created this new South Africa inspire all of us to be animated by the belief that one day, humanity all the world over can at last be freed from the bonds of hatred and bigotry. I was inside that parliament in Cape Town as a part of the U.S White House accredited press corps who traveled with Clinton to South Africa. Some of these events are analyzed and reported in my 2022 new book titled MLK, Mandela & Achebe: Power, Leadership and Identity. The priest, Tutu, was on the frontlines of the vanguard and movement engaged in confronting, especially, the theological falsehoods and propaganda whereby the White racists in south and southern Africa claimed superiority over the African people and the so-called colored people of South Africa. Finally, as his 90 years old body and significations lie in state at the St. George's Cathedral (his former Cape Town parish), ahead of his funeral on New Year's Day January 1, 2022, I pray and wish this simple but great man of lucidity, empowerment and compassion, this unique man of traditions and change, an active witness for Christ here on earth, the inclusive champion and anti-apartheid icon, the peoples Archbishop Desmond Tutu, eternal rest in the glory and grace of God! *Dr. Chido Nwangwu, author of the 2022 book, MLK, Mandela & Achebe: Power, Leadership and Identity , serves as Founder & Publisher of the first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper on the internet, USAfricaonline.com, USAfrica magazine; established USAfrica in 1992 in Houston. He has appeared severally as an analyst on CNN, SABC, SKYnews; and served as an adviser on Africa business to Houstons former Mayor Lee Brown. @Chido247 / USAfrica +1-832-45-CHIDO (24436) [email protected] People in large numbers gathered at popular tourist spots in Kolkata and elsewhere in West Bengal to celebrate the new year on Saturday, while Covid-19 cases are rising alarmingly in the state. Revellers throng places such as the Alipore Zoo, Eco Park, Victoria Memorial and the Indian Museum in and around the metropolis, and sea beaches of Digha, Mandarmani, and Bakkhali. Though the number of people appears to be less compared to that during Christmas day, the police had a tough time controlling the crowd and making them follow Covid-19 preventive protocols such as wearing masks and maintaining a physical distance. Also Read | No lockdown in Bengal, government likely to impose curbs in phases as Covid cases surge A section of people also went to theatres to enjoy movies or to restaurants for a meal on the occasion. The famous Kali temples at Kalighat and Dakshineswar which usually draw a large number of devotees on the new year's day were closed for visitors and so was the Belur Math, the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission (RKM). The annual 'Kalpataru Utsav' held on January 1 at Kashipur Udyanbati, which also attracts thousands of people, was out of bounds for devotees like last year, an RKM spokesperson said. Monks of the order believe that on this day in 1886, Sri Ramakrishna had been blessed with the inner vision ('Chaitanya') at this north Kolkata house. It is also believed that he had become 'Kalpataru', the mythical wish-fulfilling tree, on the same day. Also Read | Kolkata accounts for 56% of Bengal Covid cases amid spike in state However, the Kamarpukur and Joyrambati units of the RKM in Hooghly and Bankura districts respectively were open and many visited the two places. Sri Ramakrishna and Sarada Devi, his spiritual consort, were born in Kamarpukur and Joyrambati respectively. West Bengal is witnessing a spurt in Covid-19 cases for the last few days. On Saturday, it reported 4,512 fresh infections, 1,061 more than the previous day's figure, with Kolkata accounting for 2,398 fresh cases. Greeting people on the occasion of the new year, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged them to follow Covid-19 protocols. Check out the latest videos from DH: People in large numbers gathered at popular tourist spots in Kolkata and elsewhere in West Bengal to celebrate the new year on Saturday, while Covid-19 cases are rising alarmingly in the state. Revellers throng places such as the Alipore Zoo, Eco Park, Victoria Memorial and the Indian Museum in and around the metropolis, and sea beaches of Digha, Mandarmani, and Bakkhali. Though the number of people appears to be less compared to that during Christmas day, the police had a tough time controlling the crowd and making them follow Covid-19 preventive protocols such as wearing masks and maintaining a physical distance. Also Read | No lockdown in Bengal, government likely to impose curbs in phases as Covid cases surge A section of people also went to theatres to enjoy movies or to restaurants for a meal on the occasion. The famous Kali temples at Kalighat and Dakshineswar which usually draw a large number of devotees on the new year's day were closed for visitors and so was the Belur Math, the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission (RKM). The annual 'Kalpataru Utsav' held on January 1 at Kashipur Udyanbati, which also attracts thousands of people, was out of bounds for devotees like last year, an RKM spokesperson said. Monks of the order believe that on this day in 1886, Sri Ramakrishna had been blessed with the inner vision ('Chaitanya') at this north Kolkata house. It is also believed that he had become 'Kalpataru', the mythical wish-fulfilling tree, on the same day. Also Read | Kolkata accounts for 56% of Bengal Covid cases amid spike in state However, the Kamarpukur and Joyrambati units of the RKM in Hooghly and Bankura districts respectively were open and many visited the two places. Sri Ramakrishna and Sarada Devi, his spiritual consort, were born in Kamarpukur and Joyrambati respectively. West Bengal is witnessing a spurt in Covid-19 cases for the last few days. On Saturday, it reported 4,512 fresh infections, 1,061 more than the previous day's figure, with Kolkata accounting for 2,398 fresh cases. Greeting people on the occasion of the new year, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged them to follow Covid-19 protocols. Check out the latest videos from DH: RTHK: S Africa holds funeral for 'spiritual father' Tutu South Africa on Saturday held a state funeral for Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the last great hero of the struggle against apartheid, that was stripped of pomp but rich in glowing tributes. Tutu died last Sunday, aged 90, triggering grief at home and abroad for a life spent fighting injustice. Famous for his modesty, Tutu gave instructions for a simple, no-frills ceremony, with a cheap coffin, followed by an eco-friendly cremation. Family, friends, clergy and politicians gathered at Cape Town's St George's Anglican Cathedral, which was illuminated in purple, the colour of his clerical robes. It was there where Tutu used the pulpit to rail against a brutal white-minority regime and it's there he will be buried. President Cyril Ramaphosa, who accorded Tutu the official funeral usually reserved for presidents, described the ceremony as "category-one funeral with religious characteristic". "Our departed father was a crusader in the struggle for freedom, for justice, for equality and for peace, not just in South Africa... but around the world as well," said Ramaphosa. "While our beloved (Nelson Mandela) was the father of our democracy, Archbishop Tutu was the spiritual father of our new nation", lauding him as "our moral compass and national conscience". "His was a life lived honestly and completely. He has left the world a better place. We remember him with a smile," said Ramaphosa before handing South Africa's multicoloured flag to the "chief mourner", Tutu's widow, Leah. The flag a reminder of Tutu's description of the post-apartheid country as the "Rainbow Nation", was the only military rite accorded to him, respecting his request before he died that military protocol be minimal. The funeral ended South Africa's week of mourning, with the diminutive rope-handled pinewood coffin, adorned by a small bunch of carnations, immediately removed from the church by vicars in cream robes. Under a grey sky and drizzle, among the mourners ushered into the cathedral were ex-Irish president Mary Robinson, and Mandela's widow Graca Machel. Both read out prayers. Others included the widow of the last apartheid leader FW de Klerk, who died in November, and former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2022-01-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Tunisia on Saturday launched a wide-ranging national consultation that will feed into drafting a new constitution, the North African country's technology ministry said Tunis, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Jan, 2022 ) :Tunisia on Saturday launched a wide-ranging national consultation that will feed into drafting a new constitution, the North African country's technology ministry said. Part of a reform package pushed by President Kais Saied, who is seeking to bolster his authority, the exercise calls on citizens to send in suggestions and will last until March 20. Eligible topics include electoral, economic, financial, social, developmental, health, education and cultural affairs. The constitutional referendum is planned for July 25, 2022 -- exactly a year after Saied sacked the government, suspended parliament and seized wide-ranging powers. His power grab was initially supported by many Tunisians, amid frustration surrounding repeated deadlocks within the fractious legislature in recent years. The president later took steps to rule by decree, and in early December vowed to press on with reforms to the political system. The consultation -- dubbed "Your opinion, our decision" -- is initially targeting youth centres through an electronic platform across the country's 24 regions, the technology ministry said. "The platform will be open to everyone from January 15," it added. Citizens will alternatively be able to give their views in local committees, since only 45 percent of Tunisian homes are connected to the internet. Critics have said the move underlines the "populist" approach of the president, who won elections in 2019 with a landslide 73 percent of votes. Saied's one-man crusade to rebuild Tunisia's broken political structures has sparked accusations that he is establishing a new autocracy in the birthplace of the Arab Spring uprisings. Rights groups have pointed to military trials of opposition figures on charges such as "insulting the president". A senior official of Islamist-inspired Ennahdha -- one of the country's main political parties -- was arrested by plainclothes officers on Friday. The party decried Noureddine Bhiri's arrest as "a kidnapping and dangerous precedent marking the country's entry into a tunnel to dictatorship". Tunisia on Saturday launched a wide-ranging national consultation that will feed into drafting a new constitution, the North African country's technology ministry said Tunis, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Jan, 2022 ) :Tunisia on Saturday launched a wide-ranging national consultation that will feed into drafting a new constitution, the North African country's technology ministry said. Part of a reform package pushed by President Kais Saied, who is seeking to bolster his authority, the exercise calls on citizens to send in suggestions and will last until March 20. Eligible topics include electoral, economic, financial, social, developmental, health, education and cultural affairs. The constitutional referendum is planned for July 25, 2022 -- exactly a year after Saied sacked the government, suspended parliament and seized wide-ranging powers. His power grab was initially supported by many Tunisians, amid frustration surrounding repeated deadlocks within the fractious legislature in recent years. The president later took steps to rule by decree, and in early December vowed to press on with reforms to the political system. The consultation -- dubbed "Your opinion, our decision" -- is initially targeting youth centres through an electronic platform across the country's 24 regions, the technology ministry said. "The platform will be open to everyone from January 15," it added. Citizens will alternatively be able to give their views in local committees, since only 45 percent of Tunisian homes are connected to the internet. Critics have said the move underlines the "populist" approach of the president, who won elections in 2019 with a landslide 73 percent of votes. Saied's one-man crusade to rebuild Tunisia's broken political structures has sparked accusations that he is establishing a new autocracy in the birthplace of the Arab Spring uprisings. Rights groups have pointed to military trials of opposition figures on charges such as "insulting the president". A senior official of Islamist-inspired Ennahdha -- one of the country's main political parties -- was arrested by plainclothes officers on Friday. The party decried Noureddine Bhiri's arrest as "a kidnapping and dangerous precedent marking the country's entry into a tunnel to dictatorship". 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. Police broke up a New Year's Eve orgy after two of the invited guests gave away the private love-in by knocking on the door of the wrong house. Officers discovered more than 50 people had breached local Covid restrictions by turning up at the property in LIica d'Amunt near Barcelona for the sex party. Spanish daily El Mundo said a local raised the alarm after two people tried to enter his house wrongly thinking it was the orgy venue. Guests were 'having sex' in upstairs rooms in the property located by police. The sex party was reportedly organised by a group of Americans who allegedly hired prostitutes to celebrate New Year's Eve and the arrival of 2022. Officers discovered more than 50 people had breached local Covid restrictions by turning up at the property in LIica d'Amunt near Barcelona for the sex party (stock image of Spanish police) The homeowner is said to have been aware of the type of gathering that took place. An unidentified number of people believed to be between 50 and 70 have been identified and now face fines. A maximum of 10 people were able to meet up for New Year's Eve in Spain's north-east Catalan region under newly-introduced Covid restrictions. A night-time curfew lasting from 1am to 6am is also in force. In February, Spanish police raided an illegal brothel to find 19 Frenchmen had breached Covid regulations in force at the time by crossing the border in search of sex. The men were among 39 punters and 21 sex workers identified during the operation at an unnamed hotel in Capmany, a 20-minute drive from France. Catalan officers said it was functioning 'discreetly' as a brothel. Detectives made no arrests but identified the men and warned them they would face heavy fines that would be sent to their home addresses. The women were also identified before being questioned as part of a human trafficking investigation. Spanish daily El Mundo said a local raised the alarm after two people tried to enter his house wrongly thinking it was the orgy venue in LIica d'Amunt. Pictured: A general view of LIica d'Amunt Police sources said at the time the operation was organised after they became aware the hotel was opening for business in a discreet way so as not to attract attention.' It is understood to have had a licence to operate as a hotel which rented rooms by the hour. Knives and drugs were also confiscated during the raid. Earlier the same week French police had dispersed 100 people gathered for a warehouse orgy in Paris because it broke coronavirus rules. Officers raided the love-in at Collegien, a Paris suburb, following reports of men and women meeting for the so-called 'libertine' party. If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here For now, the committees work continues. It has scheduled a series of public hearings in the new year to lay out these and other details, and it plans to release a full report of its findings before the midterm elections after which, should Republicans regain control of the House as expected, the committee will undoubtedly be dissolved. This is where looking forward comes in. Over the past year, Republican lawmakers in 41 states have been trying to advance the goals of the Jan. 6 rioters not by breaking laws but by making them. Hundreds of bills have been proposed and nearly three dozen laws have been passed that empower state legislatures to sabotage their own elections and overturn the will of their voters, according to a running tally by a nonpartisan consortium of pro-democracy organizations. Some bills would change the rules to make it easier for lawmakers to reject the votes of their citizens if they dont like the outcome. Others replace professional election officials with partisan actors who have a vested interest in seeing their preferred candidate win. Yet more attempt to criminalize human errors by election officials, in some cases even threatening prison. Many of these laws are being proposed and passed in crucial battleground states like Arizona, Wisconsin, Georgia and Pennsylvania. In the aftermath of the 2020 election, the Trump campaign targeted voting results in all these states, suing for recounts or trying to intimidate officials into finding missing votes. The effort failed, thanks primarily to the professionalism and integrity of election officials. Many of those officials have since been stripped of their power or pushed out of office and replaced by people who openly say the last election was fraudulent. Thus the Capitol riot continues in statehouses across the country, in a bloodless, legalized form that no police officer can arrest and that no prosecutor can try in court. This isnt the first time state legislatures have tried to wrest control of electoral votes from their own people, nor is it the first time that the dangers of such a ploy have been pointed out. In 1891, President Benjamin Harrison warned Congress of the risk that such a trick could determine the outcome of a presidential election. 01.01.2022 LISTEN As his 90 years old body and significations lie in state at the St. George's Cathedral (his former Cape Town parish), ahead of his funeral on New Year's Day January 1, 2022, I pray and wish this simple but great man of lucidity, empowerment and compassion, this unique man of traditions and change, an active witness for Christ here on earth, the inclusive champion and anti-apartheid icon, the peoples Archbishop Desmond Tutu, eternal rest in the glory and grace of God! Archbishop Desmond Tutu earned his progressive credentials and global recognition as one of the worlds great moral leaders of the 21st-century and the 20th century. He earned it from his life of fighting, dedicated struggles and opposition to the evil of the theology and military police state called apartheid in South Africa! He earned it by being opposed, like Nelson Mandela, to all forms of discrimination and bigotry. He earned it by living a life that was transparent. He earned it by being manifestly modest without all the embarrassing corruption, shameful waste of resources and some of the criminal indulgences exhibited by some of the so-called brother comrades in the struggle and fight against apartheid especially within the recent ANC. The man spoke in opposition to the lifestyle and corruption of some of his old friends and colleagues in the struggle. Let me contextualize Tutu, additionally, in the prism and preserve of history. While Mandela lived as the catalyst and most important political and militant leader of the African national Congress, the first black Archbishop of Cape Town, Tutu, in terms of moral persuasion and establishment of the globally faith-based alliance of churches and worship heritages effectively networked key, principled leaders around the world. The first time I saw this great man of faith and conciliation, Archbishop Tutu, was on March 26, 1998 in his beautiful city of Cape Town when former President of the United States Bill Clinton made history as the first U.S. President to visit South Africa. Mandela was President; democratically elected from the countrys first multi racial election. Clinton who addressed South Africa's first democratically elected Parliament, and in part tribute, respect and appreciation of the sacrifices and efforts made by Mandela, Desmond Desmond Tutu, the Mbekis, Bikos, and freedom fighters in the country, remarkably, said: "The courage and imagination that created this new South Africa inspire all of us to be animated by the belief that one day, humanity all the world over can at last be freed from the bonds of hatred and bigotry. I was inside that parliament in Cape Town as a part of the U.S White House accredited press corps who traveled with Clinton to South Africa. Some of these events are analyzed and reported in my 2022 new book titled MLK, Mandela & Achebe: Power, Leadership and Identity. The priest, Tutu, was on the frontlines of the vanguard and movement engaged in confronting, especially, the theological falsehoods and propaganda whereby the White racists in south and southern Africa claimed superiority over the African people and the so-called colored people of South Africa. Finally, as his 90 years old body and significations lie in state at the St. George's Cathedral (his former Cape Town parish), ahead of his funeral on New Year's Day January 1, 2022, I pray and wish this simple but great man of lucidity, empowerment and compassion, this unique man of traditions and change, an active witness for Christ here on earth, the inclusive champion and anti-apartheid icon, the peoples Archbishop Desmond Tutu, eternal rest in the glory and grace of God! *Dr. Chido Nwangwu, author of the 2022 book, MLK, Mandela & Achebe: Power, Leadership and Identity , serves as Founder & Publisher of the first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper on the internet, USAfricaonline.com, USAfrica magazine; established USAfrica in 1992 in Houston. He has appeared severally as an analyst on CNN, SABC, SKYnews; and served as an adviser on Africa business to Houstons former Mayor Lee Brown. @Chido247 / USAfrica +1-832-45-CHIDO (24436) [email protected] RTHK: S Africa holds funeral for 'spiritual father' Tutu South Africa on Saturday held a state funeral for Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the last great hero of the struggle against apartheid, that was stripped of pomp but rich in glowing tributes. Tutu died last Sunday, aged 90, triggering grief at home and abroad for a life spent fighting injustice. Famous for his modesty, Tutu gave instructions for a simple, no-frills ceremony, with a cheap coffin, followed by an eco-friendly cremation. Family, friends, clergy and politicians gathered at Cape Town's St George's Anglican Cathedral, which was illuminated in purple, the colour of his clerical robes. It was there where Tutu used the pulpit to rail against a brutal white-minority regime and it's there he will be buried. President Cyril Ramaphosa, who accorded Tutu the official funeral usually reserved for presidents, described the ceremony as "category-one funeral with religious characteristic". "Our departed father was a crusader in the struggle for freedom, for justice, for equality and for peace, not just in South Africa... but around the world as well," said Ramaphosa. "While our beloved (Nelson Mandela) was the father of our democracy, Archbishop Tutu was the spiritual father of our new nation", lauding him as "our moral compass and national conscience". "His was a life lived honestly and completely. He has left the world a better place. We remember him with a smile," said Ramaphosa before handing South Africa's multicoloured flag to the "chief mourner", Tutu's widow, Leah. The flag a reminder of Tutu's description of the post-apartheid country as the "Rainbow Nation", was the only military rite accorded to him, respecting his request before he died that military protocol be minimal. The funeral ended South Africa's week of mourning, with the diminutive rope-handled pinewood coffin, adorned by a small bunch of carnations, immediately removed from the church by vicars in cream robes. Under a grey sky and drizzle, among the mourners ushered into the cathedral were ex-Irish president Mary Robinson, and Mandela's widow Graca Machel. Both read out prayers. Others included the widow of the last apartheid leader FW de Klerk, who died in November, and former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2022-01-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. RTHK: S Africa holds funeral for 'spiritual father' Tutu South Africa on Saturday held a state funeral for Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the last great hero of the struggle against apartheid, that was stripped of pomp but rich in glowing tributes. Tutu died last Sunday, aged 90, triggering grief at home and abroad for a life spent fighting injustice. Famous for his modesty, Tutu gave instructions for a simple, no-frills ceremony, with a cheap coffin, followed by an eco-friendly cremation. Family, friends, clergy and politicians gathered at Cape Town's St George's Anglican Cathedral, which was illuminated in purple, the colour of his clerical robes. It was there where Tutu used the pulpit to rail against a brutal white-minority regime and it's there he will be buried. President Cyril Ramaphosa, who accorded Tutu the official funeral usually reserved for presidents, described the ceremony as "category-one funeral with religious characteristic". "Our departed father was a crusader in the struggle for freedom, for justice, for equality and for peace, not just in South Africa... but around the world as well," said Ramaphosa. "While our beloved (Nelson Mandela) was the father of our democracy, Archbishop Tutu was the spiritual father of our new nation", lauding him as "our moral compass and national conscience". "His was a life lived honestly and completely. He has left the world a better place. We remember him with a smile," said Ramaphosa before handing South Africa's multicoloured flag to the "chief mourner", Tutu's widow, Leah. The flag a reminder of Tutu's description of the post-apartheid country as the "Rainbow Nation", was the only military rite accorded to him, respecting his request before he died that military protocol be minimal. The funeral ended South Africa's week of mourning, with the diminutive rope-handled pinewood coffin, adorned by a small bunch of carnations, immediately removed from the church by vicars in cream robes. Under a grey sky and drizzle, among the mourners ushered into the cathedral were ex-Irish president Mary Robinson, and Mandela's widow Graca Machel. Both read out prayers. Others included the widow of the last apartheid leader FW de Klerk, who died in November, and former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2022-01-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. 01.01.2022 LISTEN As his 90 years old body and significations lie in state at the St. George's Cathedral (his former Cape Town parish), ahead of his funeral on New Year's Day January 1, 2022, I pray and wish this simple but great man of lucidity, empowerment and compassion, this unique man of traditions and change, an active witness for Christ here on earth, the inclusive champion and anti-apartheid icon, the peoples Archbishop Desmond Tutu, eternal rest in the glory and grace of God! Archbishop Desmond Tutu earned his progressive credentials and global recognition as one of the worlds great moral leaders of the 21st-century and the 20th century. He earned it from his life of fighting, dedicated struggles and opposition to the evil of the theology and military police state called apartheid in South Africa! He earned it by being opposed, like Nelson Mandela, to all forms of discrimination and bigotry. He earned it by living a life that was transparent. He earned it by being manifestly modest without all the embarrassing corruption, shameful waste of resources and some of the criminal indulgences exhibited by some of the so-called brother comrades in the struggle and fight against apartheid especially within the recent ANC. The man spoke in opposition to the lifestyle and corruption of some of his old friends and colleagues in the struggle. Let me contextualize Tutu, additionally, in the prism and preserve of history. While Mandela lived as the catalyst and most important political and militant leader of the African national Congress, the first black Archbishop of Cape Town, Tutu, in terms of moral persuasion and establishment of the globally faith-based alliance of churches and worship heritages effectively networked key, principled leaders around the world. The first time I saw this great man of faith and conciliation, Archbishop Tutu, was on March 26, 1998 in his beautiful city of Cape Town when former President of the United States Bill Clinton made history as the first U.S. President to visit South Africa. Mandela was President; democratically elected from the countrys first multi racial election. Clinton who addressed South Africa's first democratically elected Parliament, and in part tribute, respect and appreciation of the sacrifices and efforts made by Mandela, Desmond Desmond Tutu, the Mbekis, Bikos, and freedom fighters in the country, remarkably, said: "The courage and imagination that created this new South Africa inspire all of us to be animated by the belief that one day, humanity all the world over can at last be freed from the bonds of hatred and bigotry. I was inside that parliament in Cape Town as a part of the U.S White House accredited press corps who traveled with Clinton to South Africa. Some of these events are analyzed and reported in my 2022 new book titled MLK, Mandela & Achebe: Power, Leadership and Identity. The priest, Tutu, was on the frontlines of the vanguard and movement engaged in confronting, especially, the theological falsehoods and propaganda whereby the White racists in south and southern Africa claimed superiority over the African people and the so-called colored people of South Africa. Finally, as his 90 years old body and significations lie in state at the St. George's Cathedral (his former Cape Town parish), ahead of his funeral on New Year's Day January 1, 2022, I pray and wish this simple but great man of lucidity, empowerment and compassion, this unique man of traditions and change, an active witness for Christ here on earth, the inclusive champion and anti-apartheid icon, the peoples Archbishop Desmond Tutu, eternal rest in the glory and grace of God! *Dr. Chido Nwangwu, author of the 2022 book, MLK, Mandela & Achebe: Power, Leadership and Identity , serves as Founder & Publisher of the first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper on the internet, USAfricaonline.com, USAfrica magazine; established USAfrica in 1992 in Houston. He has appeared severally as an analyst on CNN, SABC, SKYnews; and served as an adviser on Africa business to Houstons former Mayor Lee Brown. @Chido247 / USAfrica +1-832-45-CHIDO (24436) [email protected] Police broke up a New Year's Eve orgy after two of the invited guests gave away the private love-in by knocking on the door of the wrong house. Officers discovered more than 50 people had breached local Covid restrictions by turning up at the property in LIica d'Amunt near Barcelona for the sex party. Spanish daily El Mundo said a local raised the alarm after two people tried to enter his house wrongly thinking it was the orgy venue. Guests were 'having sex' in upstairs rooms in the property located by police. The sex party was reportedly organised by a group of Americans who allegedly hired prostitutes to celebrate New Year's Eve and the arrival of 2022. Officers discovered more than 50 people had breached local Covid restrictions by turning up at the property in LIica d'Amunt near Barcelona for the sex party (stock image of Spanish police) The homeowner is said to have been aware of the type of gathering that took place. An unidentified number of people believed to be between 50 and 70 have been identified and now face fines. A maximum of 10 people were able to meet up for New Year's Eve in Spain's north-east Catalan region under newly-introduced Covid restrictions. A night-time curfew lasting from 1am to 6am is also in force. In February, Spanish police raided an illegal brothel to find 19 Frenchmen had breached Covid regulations in force at the time by crossing the border in search of sex. The men were among 39 punters and 21 sex workers identified during the operation at an unnamed hotel in Capmany, a 20-minute drive from France. Catalan officers said it was functioning 'discreetly' as a brothel. Detectives made no arrests but identified the men and warned them they would face heavy fines that would be sent to their home addresses. The women were also identified before being questioned as part of a human trafficking investigation. Spanish daily El Mundo said a local raised the alarm after two people tried to enter his house wrongly thinking it was the orgy venue in LIica d'Amunt. Pictured: A general view of LIica d'Amunt Police sources said at the time the operation was organised after they became aware the hotel was opening for business in a discreet way so as not to attract attention.' It is understood to have had a licence to operate as a hotel which rented rooms by the hour. Knives and drugs were also confiscated during the raid. Earlier the same week French police had dispersed 100 people gathered for a warehouse orgy in Paris because it broke coronavirus rules. Officers raided the love-in at Collegien, a Paris suburb, following reports of men and women meeting for the so-called 'libertine' party. 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. With just eight days to the commencement of the 33rd Africa Cup of Nations Cup tournament in Cameroon, the Super Eagles camp in Abuja is still scanty. However, more players are expected to trickle into camp on Saturday to continue preparations. The interim manager, Augustine Eguavoen believes he does not need to start from scratch in building a team that can compete. Speaking to the NFF TV, Eguavoen said, There is a team on ground and I think this team is ready to compete any time. By the night of December 31, there were just eight players in camp, out of the 28 expected. The early arrivals are Chidera Ejuke, Daniel Akpeyi, Olisa Ndah, Sadiq Umar, John Noble, Taiwo Awoniyi, Peter Olayinka, and Chidozie Awaziem. The Super Eagles have been shorn of their most potent striker, Victor Osimhen, and there may not be enough time to get an adequate replacement in place before that very important first match against Egypt on January 11. Eguavoen agreed the time was short but, with the quality of players we have, I dont think we will struggle, Eguavoen said. But the only thing is that there will be no time for friendlies when you can actually assess your team if they can actually do what you want, he added. The spine of the team-players from the EPL have until January 3 to arrive with the Eagles scheduled to depart for Garoua, Cameroon on January 6 with a friendly match against Cameroonian side, Coton Sport, being planned. The campaign for a fourth Nations Cup title kicks off on January 11, with a clash against record AFCON winners, Egypt, before matches against Sudan and Guinea-Bissau on January 15 and 19. With just eight days to the commencement of the 33rd Africa Cup of Nations Cup tournament in Cameroon, the Super Eagles camp in Abuja is still scanty. However, more players are expected to trickle into camp on Saturday to continue preparations. The interim manager, Augustine Eguavoen believes he does not need to start from scratch in building a team that can compete. Speaking to the NFF TV, Eguavoen said, There is a team on ground and I think this team is ready to compete any time. By the night of December 31, there were just eight players in camp, out of the 28 expected. The early arrivals are Chidera Ejuke, Daniel Akpeyi, Olisa Ndah, Sadiq Umar, John Noble, Taiwo Awoniyi, Peter Olayinka, and Chidozie Awaziem. The Super Eagles have been shorn of their most potent striker, Victor Osimhen, and there may not be enough time to get an adequate replacement in place before that very important first match against Egypt on January 11. Eguavoen agreed the time was short but, with the quality of players we have, I dont think we will struggle, Eguavoen said. But the only thing is that there will be no time for friendlies when you can actually assess your team if they can actually do what you want, he added. The spine of the team-players from the EPL have until January 3 to arrive with the Eagles scheduled to depart for Garoua, Cameroon on January 6 with a friendly match against Cameroonian side, Coton Sport, being planned. The campaign for a fourth Nations Cup title kicks off on January 11, with a clash against record AFCON winners, Egypt, before matches against Sudan and Guinea-Bissau on January 15 and 19. BLOOMINGTON Debbie Reese loves her residents and learning their stories at Home Sweet Home Ministries in Bloomington. As the director of client services, covering McLean County and all surrounding counties, she sees peoples lives transform. She said it might take a week or even a day for new residents to go from feeling so broken and so discouraged to feeling safe. We in the upper-middle class dont know how close we are to becoming homeless, she said. It doesnt take much. Higher rental prices and diminished vacancy are making it difficult for the shelter to help solve housing crises for families and individuals. HSHM CEO Matt Burgess said the lack of affordable, permanent housing in Bloomington-Normal is a big issue. He pointed to new jobs being offered to people out of town: As those people move to the area, the local housing supply gets smaller. Burgess added landlords are demanding more from tenants to move in, with security deposits and monthly rental amounts on the rise. Reese said: We used to have these units that we could get to, and now we can't, because of price. She also said the shelter is full for the first time in three years since she started working there. They havent had openings since about a month before the eviction moratorium ended Oct. 3. Eviction filings doubled McLean County Circuit Clerk Don Everhart told The Pantagraph there have been 274 residential eviction cases filed between Oct. 4 and Dec. 17. Of those, 103 cases have closed, with 78 being approved for eviction. Compared to the same dates in 2019, 157 cases were filed, with 127 eviction orders approved. The lower number of evictions approved this year shows Illinois Rental Payment programs are providing a lifeline to renters at risk of being de-homed due to impacts from COVID. Adrian Barr is the managing attorney for Prairie State Legal Services, which serves low-income people and seniors at no cost. He told The Pantagraph that theyre working through a backlog of eviction cases and its the highest hes seen in 10 years of working in McLean County. Barr advised those struggling with making rent to keep open communications with their landlord and pay as much as they can, as well as immediately apply for rental assistance. He also said people must show up for their court case. He noted that not everyone appears, which means some get evicted without his agency ever touching their case. He said they work as a team with municipalities and rental assistance programs, which are managed by Mid Central Community Action Agency, to save peoples housing when possible. Burgess said evictions restarting have exacerbated the situation for their clients. Reese said theyre not getting a lot of new shelter residents directly from evictions. But she questioned how many people are couch-surfing with friends or relatives until theyre kicked out. They dont report that, she said. What they say is, Ive been living with so-and-so and I cant live there anymore. Then there are cases where people leave their homes on their own when they get behind on rent, without an eviction order, she said. Best occupancy ever Kurt Hoeferle, owner and president of Apartment Mart in Bloomington, said theres been strong demand for housing for a while. While this is typically a slow time of the year, he said theyre seeing constant turnover, with maybe 10 to 15 people moving out each month. Hoeferle said at first, they didnt see their tenants fall behind during COVID. After the stimulus checks slowed down, they had some late accounts, but not as many as you might think," he said. Hoeferle said his company stopped charging late fees and just worked with their tenants who were struggling. He could tell when long-term renters with good payment history were in circumstances beyond their control. For a company managing about 1,600 units, he said a handful of their tenants fell behind, and their staff connected them with rental assistance programs or offered payment plans to those who couldnt get resources. While it is a tighter market, and some places get rented in a hurry, there are affordable places available, Hoeferle said. He encouraged people searching for a rental unit to call property management offices to get put on their list. Thriving income Edgar Miller is the rapid rehousing navigator at HSHM helping clients find their next home. He said landlords tend to look for tenants who make 2.5 times the monthly rent amount, so a comfortable living wage would be $13 per hour with full-time employment. He said a few restaurants and fast food places are offering $13 to $14 per hour now, but thats typically for part-time work. And, Miller said, they have to compete with high school and college-aged students for those jobs. For someone in their 30s, their chances of being hired are slim. Miller also said the cost of rent has gone up: a one-bedroom apartment that used to rent for $450 can now go for $650 a month. We as a community need to work together to build more or convert more homes into multifamily units to reduce the price of rent, he said. Reese added the biggest effect of COVID is on childcare: People cant work if their kids school or daycare is closed. And not many employers can offer two weeks of paid time off. Steve Tassio, case management supervisor at HSHM, knows this struggle well with his clients. He said many parents dont have the option of working from home when their kids are kept from school because of a COVID exposure. He describes it as the Zoom-ocracy. Theres just not readily available daycare at the whim like that," Tassio said. Reese added parents cant find a sitter whod knowingly take a child exposed to COVID. No safety net Reese recalled that if anything happened when she was first married and having kids, she could rely on her parents for help. Many of her clients dont have that safety net but she knows they still need a helping hand. With their shelter filled up, her only recourse is to try to refer them to others. They are human beings that have had some rough times, she said. There's a lot of trauma that has happened in their lives. They've learned not to trust people. So when they come here and begin to trust us, that warms my heart. The world has taught them not to trust. Popular Nigerian actress, Tayo Sobola, better known as Sotayo Gaga, has been conferred with a chieftaincy title in Nasarawa State. The actress, on Friday, became the new Sarauniya (Queen Mother), of Uke Kingdom, at a well-attended ceremony in Nasarawa State. Ms Sobola, joins the likes of Dbanj, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Tonto Dikeh, Ngozi Ezeonu, Amechi Muonagor and Genevieve Nnaji, who have been conferred with chieftaincy titles in the recent past. The well attended event was graced by the likes of Tonto Dikeh, Femi Adebayo, socialite, T-pumpy, some lawmakers amongst others. In her acceptance speech, the excited actress thanked the people of Uke for the honour. She said: I am super proud that as a Yoruba girl I am here holding a staff of office in the Uke Kingdom as this is an indication that it preaches one Nigeria and togetherness. As the Queen mother, the palace would now begin to see the impact of women in decision making amongst others. Justifying the decision to crown the actress in his kingdom, the Emir of Uke, Abdullah Hassan, said her passion for women empowerment has not gone unnoticed. He also disclosed that his fathers twin sister was the first queen Mother as far back as 1970. He said, ever since, no individual has emerged queen in Uke. In his message to the actress, the Emir said: Congratulations to you for being the youngest among the sarauniya in the northern Emirates. It is pertinent to note that the title conferment is the second in the history of the kingdom. Background She graduated from Olabisi Onabanjo University and Lagos State University where she bagged degrees in law and public administration respectively. The actress started out as a model by starring in music videos and as a video vixen. She has featured in over 70 Yoruba and English movies. Some of her most popular works include Idakeji Ife, Egan, Corper Jide, Bella, Ojuloge Obinrin, Arewa Onijogbon, and several others. She was introduced to acting by Emeka Okoro who reportedly informed her about the Actors Guild of Nigeria. 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. 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. 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. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Popular Nigerian actress, Tayo Sobola, better known as Sotayo Gaga, has been conferred with a chieftaincy title in Nasarawa State. The actress, on Friday, became the new Sarauniya (Queen Mother), of Uke Kingdom, at a well-attended ceremony in Nasarawa State. Ms Sobola, joins the likes of Dbanj, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Tonto Dikeh, Ngozi Ezeonu, Amechi Muonagor and Genevieve Nnaji, who have been conferred with chieftaincy titles in the recent past. The well attended event was graced by the likes of Tonto Dikeh, Femi Adebayo, socialite, T-pumpy, some lawmakers amongst others. In her acceptance speech, the excited actress thanked the people of Uke for the honour. She said: I am super proud that as a Yoruba girl I am here holding a staff of office in the Uke Kingdom as this is an indication that it preaches one Nigeria and togetherness. As the Queen mother, the palace would now begin to see the impact of women in decision making amongst others. Justifying the decision to crown the actress in his kingdom, the Emir of Uke, Abdullah Hassan, said her passion for women empowerment has not gone unnoticed. He also disclosed that his fathers twin sister was the first queen Mother as far back as 1970. He said, ever since, no individual has emerged queen in Uke. In his message to the actress, the Emir said: Congratulations to you for being the youngest among the sarauniya in the northern Emirates. It is pertinent to note that the title conferment is the second in the history of the kingdom. Background She graduated from Olabisi Onabanjo University and Lagos State University where she bagged degrees in law and public administration respectively. The actress started out as a model by starring in music videos and as a video vixen. She has featured in over 70 Yoruba and English movies. Some of her most popular works include Idakeji Ife, Egan, Corper Jide, Bella, Ojuloge Obinrin, Arewa Onijogbon, and several others. She was introduced to acting by Emeka Okoro who reportedly informed her about the Actors Guild of Nigeria. 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. 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. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe 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. 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. Though most of the institutes titles are not recognizable to the general public the six-volume, 19th-century Eastern Orthodox canon collection Syntagma ton theion kai hieron kanonon never did make a best-seller list they are precious to scholars. They include volumes like a Greek first edition of liturgies of John Chrysostom, an early church father, printed in Rome in 1526. The library is unique in the world, said Gabriel Radle, a professor at the University of Notre Dame who studied at the institute a decade ago. Its volumes cover the broad gamut that is Eastern Christianity, a catchall term for the traditions and denominations that developed in the first centuries of the church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, spreading through Greece, Turkey and Eastern Europe, north to Russia, south to Egypt and Ethiopia, and as far east as India. The first set of books to be digitized were scanned by an eight-member team from a Long Island company, Seery Systems Group, using scanning technology from SMA of Germany. The project was somewhat unusual for Richard Seery, whose companys clients are typically state and local governments. I told people I usually dont travel over the bridge to New Jersey on business, and now Im going to Rome, Mr. Seery said in a telephone interview. The material was a first for him, too. 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. Pakistan's foreign policy will have to face increasing challenges to be addressed from the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban. As 2021 proved to be a watershed movement for Afghanistan, something that shaped Pakistan's foreign policy, the year 2022 would bring more challenges for the country on the external front, according to Express Tribune. Further, a lot would depend on how the situation unfolds in the neighbouring country. Unrest and a new cycle of instability in Afghanistan would certainly put Pakistan's strategy pitching itself as a geo-economic hub in jeopardy. Earlier, in 2021 began, few would have thought by the end of year the Afghan Taliban would be in charge in Kabul. However, such was the swiftness of the Taliban takeover that all the intelligence assessments of the US and other players in Afghanistan proved wrong. On the other hand, President Joe Biden walked into the White House in 2021, he had a choice either to reverse the Doha deal his predecessor had signed with the Taliban or stick with it. However, the Doha deal stipulated a timeframe for US troops' withdrawal from Afghanistan which eased the timetable for the takeover of Kabul by Taliban. Also, the Taliban promised not to allow the Afghan soil to be used again by terrorist groups and enter into talks with other groups. Under the deal, the US was to complete the troops' withdrawal by May 1, 2021. After assuming office, Joe Biden however, ordered a review of the Afghan situation and following the months of assessments by the Pentagon and the State Department, he had to stick with the Doha plan albeit with a change of withdrawal date. Instead of the May 1 deadline set in the Doha deal for the troops' withdrawal, Biden approved that the last US soldier would leave Afghanistan by September 11. The announcement was met with a strong reaction from the Taliban, who called it a violation of the Doha deal and threatened to resume attacks against the US led foreign forces if they stayed in the war-torn country beyond May 1, according to Express Tribune. (ANI) Pakistan's foreign policy will have to face increasing challenges to be addressed from the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban. As 2021 proved to be a watershed movement for Afghanistan, something that shaped Pakistan's foreign policy, the year 2022 would bring more challenges for the country on the external front, according to Express Tribune. Further, a lot would depend on how the situation unfolds in the neighbouring country. Unrest and a new cycle of instability in Afghanistan would certainly put Pakistan's strategy pitching itself as a geo-economic hub in jeopardy. Earlier, in 2021 began, few would have thought by the end of year the Afghan Taliban would be in charge in Kabul. However, such was the swiftness of the Taliban takeover that all the intelligence assessments of the US and other players in Afghanistan proved wrong. On the other hand, President Joe Biden walked into the White House in 2021, he had a choice either to reverse the Doha deal his predecessor had signed with the Taliban or stick with it. However, the Doha deal stipulated a timeframe for US troops' withdrawal from Afghanistan which eased the timetable for the takeover of Kabul by Taliban. Also, the Taliban promised not to allow the Afghan soil to be used again by terrorist groups and enter into talks with other groups. Under the deal, the US was to complete the troops' withdrawal by May 1, 2021. After assuming office, Joe Biden however, ordered a review of the Afghan situation and following the months of assessments by the Pentagon and the State Department, he had to stick with the Doha plan albeit with a change of withdrawal date. Instead of the May 1 deadline set in the Doha deal for the troops' withdrawal, Biden approved that the last US soldier would leave Afghanistan by September 11. The announcement was met with a strong reaction from the Taliban, who called it a violation of the Doha deal and threatened to resume attacks against the US led foreign forces if they stayed in the war-torn country beyond May 1, according to Express Tribune. (ANI) 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. 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. BLOOMINGTON Debbie Reese loves her residents and learning their stories at Home Sweet Home Ministries in Bloomington. As the director of client services, covering McLean County and all surrounding counties, she sees peoples lives transform. She said it might take a week or even a day for new residents to go from feeling so broken and so discouraged to feeling safe. We in the upper-middle class dont know how close we are to becoming homeless, she said. It doesnt take much. Higher rental prices and diminished vacancy are making it difficult for the shelter to help solve housing crises for families and individuals. HSHM CEO Matt Burgess said the lack of affordable, permanent housing in Bloomington-Normal is a big issue. He pointed to new jobs being offered to people out of town: As those people move to the area, the local housing supply gets smaller. Burgess added landlords are demanding more from tenants to move in, with security deposits and monthly rental amounts on the rise. Reese said: We used to have these units that we could get to, and now we can't, because of price. She also said the shelter is full for the first time in three years since she started working there. They havent had openings since about a month before the eviction moratorium ended Oct. 3. Eviction filings doubled McLean County Circuit Clerk Don Everhart told The Pantagraph there have been 274 residential eviction cases filed between Oct. 4 and Dec. 17. Of those, 103 cases have closed, with 78 being approved for eviction. Compared to the same dates in 2019, 157 cases were filed, with 127 eviction orders approved. The lower number of evictions approved this year shows Illinois Rental Payment programs are providing a lifeline to renters at risk of being de-homed due to impacts from COVID. Adrian Barr is the managing attorney for Prairie State Legal Services, which serves low-income people and seniors at no cost. He told The Pantagraph that theyre working through a backlog of eviction cases and its the highest hes seen in 10 years of working in McLean County. Barr advised those struggling with making rent to keep open communications with their landlord and pay as much as they can, as well as immediately apply for rental assistance. He also said people must show up for their court case. He noted that not everyone appears, which means some get evicted without his agency ever touching their case. He said they work as a team with municipalities and rental assistance programs, which are managed by Mid Central Community Action Agency, to save peoples housing when possible. Burgess said evictions restarting have exacerbated the situation for their clients. Reese said theyre not getting a lot of new shelter residents directly from evictions. But she questioned how many people are couch-surfing with friends or relatives until theyre kicked out. They dont report that, she said. What they say is, Ive been living with so-and-so and I cant live there anymore. Then there are cases where people leave their homes on their own when they get behind on rent, without an eviction order, she said. Best occupancy ever Kurt Hoeferle, owner and president of Apartment Mart in Bloomington, said theres been strong demand for housing for a while. While this is typically a slow time of the year, he said theyre seeing constant turnover, with maybe 10 to 15 people moving out each month. Hoeferle said at first, they didnt see their tenants fall behind during COVID. After the stimulus checks slowed down, they had some late accounts, but not as many as you might think," he said. Hoeferle said his company stopped charging late fees and just worked with their tenants who were struggling. He could tell when long-term renters with good payment history were in circumstances beyond their control. For a company managing about 1,600 units, he said a handful of their tenants fell behind, and their staff connected them with rental assistance programs or offered payment plans to those who couldnt get resources. While it is a tighter market, and some places get rented in a hurry, there are affordable places available, Hoeferle said. He encouraged people searching for a rental unit to call property management offices to get put on their list. Thriving income Edgar Miller is the rapid rehousing navigator at HSHM helping clients find their next home. He said landlords tend to look for tenants who make 2.5 times the monthly rent amount, so a comfortable living wage would be $13 per hour with full-time employment. He said a few restaurants and fast food places are offering $13 to $14 per hour now, but thats typically for part-time work. And, Miller said, they have to compete with high school and college-aged students for those jobs. For someone in their 30s, their chances of being hired are slim. Miller also said the cost of rent has gone up: a one-bedroom apartment that used to rent for $450 can now go for $650 a month. We as a community need to work together to build more or convert more homes into multifamily units to reduce the price of rent, he said. Reese added the biggest effect of COVID is on childcare: People cant work if their kids school or daycare is closed. And not many employers can offer two weeks of paid time off. Steve Tassio, case management supervisor at HSHM, knows this struggle well with his clients. He said many parents dont have the option of working from home when their kids are kept from school because of a COVID exposure. He describes it as the Zoom-ocracy. Theres just not readily available daycare at the whim like that," Tassio said. Reese added parents cant find a sitter whod knowingly take a child exposed to COVID. No safety net Reese recalled that if anything happened when she was first married and having kids, she could rely on her parents for help. Many of her clients dont have that safety net but she knows they still need a helping hand. With their shelter filled up, her only recourse is to try to refer them to others. They are human beings that have had some rough times, she said. There's a lot of trauma that has happened in their lives. They've learned not to trust people. So when they come here and begin to trust us, that warms my heart. The world has taught them not to trust. Though most of the institutes titles are not recognizable to the general public the six-volume, 19th-century Eastern Orthodox canon collection Syntagma ton theion kai hieron kanonon never did make a best-seller list they are precious to scholars. They include volumes like a Greek first edition of liturgies of John Chrysostom, an early church father, printed in Rome in 1526. The library is unique in the world, said Gabriel Radle, a professor at the University of Notre Dame who studied at the institute a decade ago. Its volumes cover the broad gamut that is Eastern Christianity, a catchall term for the traditions and denominations that developed in the first centuries of the church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, spreading through Greece, Turkey and Eastern Europe, north to Russia, south to Egypt and Ethiopia, and as far east as India. The first set of books to be digitized were scanned by an eight-member team from a Long Island company, Seery Systems Group, using scanning technology from SMA of Germany. The project was somewhat unusual for Richard Seery, whose companys clients are typically state and local governments. I told people I usually dont travel over the bridge to New Jersey on business, and now Im going to Rome, Mr. Seery said in a telephone interview. The material was a first for him, too. Though most of the institutes titles are not recognizable to the general public the six-volume, 19th-century Eastern Orthodox canon collection Syntagma ton theion kai hieron kanonon never did make a best-seller list they are precious to scholars. They include volumes like a Greek first edition of liturgies of John Chrysostom, an early church father, printed in Rome in 1526. The library is unique in the world, said Gabriel Radle, a professor at the University of Notre Dame who studied at the institute a decade ago. Its volumes cover the broad gamut that is Eastern Christianity, a catchall term for the traditions and denominations that developed in the first centuries of the church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, spreading through Greece, Turkey and Eastern Europe, north to Russia, south to Egypt and Ethiopia, and as far east as India. The first set of books to be digitized were scanned by an eight-member team from a Long Island company, Seery Systems Group, using scanning technology from SMA of Germany. The project was somewhat unusual for Richard Seery, whose companys clients are typically state and local governments. I told people I usually dont travel over the bridge to New Jersey on business, and now Im going to Rome, Mr. Seery said in a telephone interview. The material was a first for him, too. Though most of the institutes titles are not recognizable to the general public the six-volume, 19th-century Eastern Orthodox canon collection Syntagma ton theion kai hieron kanonon never did make a best-seller list they are precious to scholars. They include volumes like a Greek first edition of liturgies of John Chrysostom, an early church father, printed in Rome in 1526. The library is unique in the world, said Gabriel Radle, a professor at the University of Notre Dame who studied at the institute a decade ago. Its volumes cover the broad gamut that is Eastern Christianity, a catchall term for the traditions and denominations that developed in the first centuries of the church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, spreading through Greece, Turkey and Eastern Europe, north to Russia, south to Egypt and Ethiopia, and as far east as India. The first set of books to be digitized were scanned by an eight-member team from a Long Island company, Seery Systems Group, using scanning technology from SMA of Germany. The project was somewhat unusual for Richard Seery, whose companys clients are typically state and local governments. I told people I usually dont travel over the bridge to New Jersey on business, and now Im going to Rome, Mr. Seery said in a telephone interview. The material was a first for him, too. Though most of the institutes titles are not recognizable to the general public the six-volume, 19th-century Eastern Orthodox canon collection Syntagma ton theion kai hieron kanonon never did make a best-seller list they are precious to scholars. They include volumes like a Greek first edition of liturgies of John Chrysostom, an early church father, printed in Rome in 1526. The library is unique in the world, said Gabriel Radle, a professor at the University of Notre Dame who studied at the institute a decade ago. Its volumes cover the broad gamut that is Eastern Christianity, a catchall term for the traditions and denominations that developed in the first centuries of the church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, spreading through Greece, Turkey and Eastern Europe, north to Russia, south to Egypt and Ethiopia, and as far east as India. The first set of books to be digitized were scanned by an eight-member team from a Long Island company, Seery Systems Group, using scanning technology from SMA of Germany. The project was somewhat unusual for Richard Seery, whose companys clients are typically state and local governments. I told people I usually dont travel over the bridge to New Jersey on business, and now Im going to Rome, Mr. Seery said in a telephone interview. The material was a first for him, too. With just eight days to the commencement of the 33rd Africa Cup of Nations Cup tournament in Cameroon, the Super Eagles camp in Abuja is still scanty. However, more players are expected to trickle into camp on Saturday to continue preparations. The interim manager, Augustine Eguavoen believes he does not need to start from scratch in building a team that can compete. Speaking to the NFF TV, Eguavoen said, There is a team on ground and I think this team is ready to compete any time. By the night of December 31, there were just eight players in camp, out of the 28 expected. The early arrivals are Chidera Ejuke, Daniel Akpeyi, Olisa Ndah, Sadiq Umar, John Noble, Taiwo Awoniyi, Peter Olayinka, and Chidozie Awaziem. The Super Eagles have been shorn of their most potent striker, Victor Osimhen, and there may not be enough time to get an adequate replacement in place before that very important first match against Egypt on January 11. Eguavoen agreed the time was short but, with the quality of players we have, I dont think we will struggle, Eguavoen said. But the only thing is that there will be no time for friendlies when you can actually assess your team if they can actually do what you want, he added. The spine of the team-players from the EPL have until January 3 to arrive with the Eagles scheduled to depart for Garoua, Cameroon on January 6 with a friendly match against Cameroonian side, Coton Sport, being planned. The campaign for a fourth Nations Cup title kicks off on January 11, with a clash against record AFCON winners, Egypt, before matches against Sudan and Guinea-Bissau on January 15 and 19. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe 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. 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. Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe 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. 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. Though most of the institutes titles are not recognizable to the general public the six-volume, 19th-century Eastern Orthodox canon collection Syntagma ton theion kai hieron kanonon never did make a best-seller list they are precious to scholars. They include volumes like a Greek first edition of liturgies of John Chrysostom, an early church father, printed in Rome in 1526. The library is unique in the world, said Gabriel Radle, a professor at the University of Notre Dame who studied at the institute a decade ago. Its volumes cover the broad gamut that is Eastern Christianity, a catchall term for the traditions and denominations that developed in the first centuries of the church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, spreading through Greece, Turkey and Eastern Europe, north to Russia, south to Egypt and Ethiopia, and as far east as India. The first set of books to be digitized were scanned by an eight-member team from a Long Island company, Seery Systems Group, using scanning technology from SMA of Germany. The project was somewhat unusual for Richard Seery, whose companys clients are typically state and local governments. I told people I usually dont travel over the bridge to New Jersey on business, and now Im going to Rome, Mr. Seery said in a telephone interview. The material was a first for him, too. Though most of the institutes titles are not recognizable to the general public the six-volume, 19th-century Eastern Orthodox canon collection Syntagma ton theion kai hieron kanonon never did make a best-seller list they are precious to scholars. They include volumes like a Greek first edition of liturgies of John Chrysostom, an early church father, printed in Rome in 1526. The library is unique in the world, said Gabriel Radle, a professor at the University of Notre Dame who studied at the institute a decade ago. Its volumes cover the broad gamut that is Eastern Christianity, a catchall term for the traditions and denominations that developed in the first centuries of the church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, spreading through Greece, Turkey and Eastern Europe, north to Russia, south to Egypt and Ethiopia, and as far east as India. The first set of books to be digitized were scanned by an eight-member team from a Long Island company, Seery Systems Group, using scanning technology from SMA of Germany. The project was somewhat unusual for Richard Seery, whose companys clients are typically state and local governments. I told people I usually dont travel over the bridge to New Jersey on business, and now Im going to Rome, Mr. Seery said in a telephone interview. The material was a first for him, too. Though most of the institutes titles are not recognizable to the general public the six-volume, 19th-century Eastern Orthodox canon collection Syntagma ton theion kai hieron kanonon never did make a best-seller list they are precious to scholars. They include volumes like a Greek first edition of liturgies of John Chrysostom, an early church father, printed in Rome in 1526. The library is unique in the world, said Gabriel Radle, a professor at the University of Notre Dame who studied at the institute a decade ago. Its volumes cover the broad gamut that is Eastern Christianity, a catchall term for the traditions and denominations that developed in the first centuries of the church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, spreading through Greece, Turkey and Eastern Europe, north to Russia, south to Egypt and Ethiopia, and as far east as India. The first set of books to be digitized were scanned by an eight-member team from a Long Island company, Seery Systems Group, using scanning technology from SMA of Germany. The project was somewhat unusual for Richard Seery, whose companys clients are typically state and local governments. I told people I usually dont travel over the bridge to New Jersey on business, and now Im going to Rome, Mr. Seery said in a telephone interview. The material was a first for him, too. Though most of the institutes titles are not recognizable to the general public the six-volume, 19th-century Eastern Orthodox canon collection Syntagma ton theion kai hieron kanonon never did make a best-seller list they are precious to scholars. They include volumes like a Greek first edition of liturgies of John Chrysostom, an early church father, printed in Rome in 1526. The library is unique in the world, said Gabriel Radle, a professor at the University of Notre Dame who studied at the institute a decade ago. Its volumes cover the broad gamut that is Eastern Christianity, a catchall term for the traditions and denominations that developed in the first centuries of the church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, spreading through Greece, Turkey and Eastern Europe, north to Russia, south to Egypt and Ethiopia, and as far east as India. The first set of books to be digitized were scanned by an eight-member team from a Long Island company, Seery Systems Group, using scanning technology from SMA of Germany. The project was somewhat unusual for Richard Seery, whose companys clients are typically state and local governments. I told people I usually dont travel over the bridge to New Jersey on business, and now Im going to Rome, Mr. Seery said in a telephone interview. The material was a first for him, too. Though most of the institutes titles are not recognizable to the general public the six-volume, 19th-century Eastern Orthodox canon collection Syntagma ton theion kai hieron kanonon never did make a best-seller list they are precious to scholars. They include volumes like a Greek first edition of liturgies of John Chrysostom, an early church father, printed in Rome in 1526. The library is unique in the world, said Gabriel Radle, a professor at the University of Notre Dame who studied at the institute a decade ago. Its volumes cover the broad gamut that is Eastern Christianity, a catchall term for the traditions and denominations that developed in the first centuries of the church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, spreading through Greece, Turkey and Eastern Europe, north to Russia, south to Egypt and Ethiopia, and as far east as India. The first set of books to be digitized were scanned by an eight-member team from a Long Island company, Seery Systems Group, using scanning technology from SMA of Germany. The project was somewhat unusual for Richard Seery, whose companys clients are typically state and local governments. I told people I usually dont travel over the bridge to New Jersey on business, and now Im going to Rome, Mr. Seery said in a telephone interview. The material was a first for him, too. 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. Popular Nigerian actress, Tayo Sobola, better known as Sotayo Gaga, has been conferred with a chieftaincy title in Nasarawa State. The actress, on Friday, became the new Sarauniya (Queen Mother), of Uke Kingdom, at a well-attended ceremony in Nasarawa State. Ms Sobola, joins the likes of Dbanj, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Tonto Dikeh, Ngozi Ezeonu, Amechi Muonagor and Genevieve Nnaji, who have been conferred with chieftaincy titles in the recent past. The well attended event was graced by the likes of Tonto Dikeh, Femi Adebayo, socialite, T-pumpy, some lawmakers amongst others. In her acceptance speech, the excited actress thanked the people of Uke for the honour. She said: I am super proud that as a Yoruba girl I am here holding a staff of office in the Uke Kingdom as this is an indication that it preaches one Nigeria and togetherness. As the Queen mother, the palace would now begin to see the impact of women in decision making amongst others. Justifying the decision to crown the actress in his kingdom, the Emir of Uke, Abdullah Hassan, said her passion for women empowerment has not gone unnoticed. He also disclosed that his fathers twin sister was the first queen Mother as far back as 1970. He said, ever since, no individual has emerged queen in Uke. In his message to the actress, the Emir said: Congratulations to you for being the youngest among the sarauniya in the northern Emirates. It is pertinent to note that the title conferment is the second in the history of the kingdom. Background She graduated from Olabisi Onabanjo University and Lagos State University where she bagged degrees in law and public administration respectively. The actress started out as a model by starring in music videos and as a video vixen. She has featured in over 70 Yoruba and English movies. Some of her most popular works include Idakeji Ife, Egan, Corper Jide, Bella, Ojuloge Obinrin, Arewa Onijogbon, and several others. She was introduced to acting by Emeka Okoro who reportedly informed her about the Actors Guild of Nigeria. Popular Nigerian actress, Tayo Sobola, better known as Sotayo Gaga, has been conferred with a chieftaincy title in Nasarawa State. The actress, on Friday, became the new Sarauniya (Queen Mother), of Uke Kingdom, at a well-attended ceremony in Nasarawa State. Ms Sobola, joins the likes of Dbanj, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Tonto Dikeh, Ngozi Ezeonu, Amechi Muonagor and Genevieve Nnaji, who have been conferred with chieftaincy titles in the recent past. The well attended event was graced by the likes of Tonto Dikeh, Femi Adebayo, socialite, T-pumpy, some lawmakers amongst others. In her acceptance speech, the excited actress thanked the people of Uke for the honour. She said: I am super proud that as a Yoruba girl I am here holding a staff of office in the Uke Kingdom as this is an indication that it preaches one Nigeria and togetherness. As the Queen mother, the palace would now begin to see the impact of women in decision making amongst others. Justifying the decision to crown the actress in his kingdom, the Emir of Uke, Abdullah Hassan, said her passion for women empowerment has not gone unnoticed. He also disclosed that his fathers twin sister was the first queen Mother as far back as 1970. He said, ever since, no individual has emerged queen in Uke. In his message to the actress, the Emir said: Congratulations to you for being the youngest among the sarauniya in the northern Emirates. It is pertinent to note that the title conferment is the second in the history of the kingdom. Background She graduated from Olabisi Onabanjo University and Lagos State University where she bagged degrees in law and public administration respectively. The actress started out as a model by starring in music videos and as a video vixen. She has featured in over 70 Yoruba and English movies. Some of her most popular works include Idakeji Ife, Egan, Corper Jide, Bella, Ojuloge Obinrin, Arewa Onijogbon, and several others. She was introduced to acting by Emeka Okoro who reportedly informed her about the Actors Guild of Nigeria. Saudi Arabia's decision to ban the Tablighi Jamaat has sent ripples across South Asia. Over the past two weeks, news of Saudi Arabia banning the Islamic religious revivalist movement the Tablighi Jamaat (TJ) and branding it a terrorist group has elicited much interest in the media across South Asia, according to The European Foundation for South Asian Studies. Saudi religious leaders have for long viewed the TJ as "deviants". Part of the reason for the ban was that the TJ does not see eye to eye with the kingdom's own established revivalist movement, popularly referred to as Wahhabism. Established in 1926 by the Sufi Muhammad Ilyas al-Kandhlawi, of Chisti Tariqa, in the Mewat region of India, it began as an offshoot of the Deobandi movement. The reaction of countries such as Pakistan, which condemned the Saudi decision to ban the TJ, and of several Muslim religious bodies and personalities across the sub-continent, that also took umbrage to it, left little doubt that the ban was on none other than the TJ, according to the European Foundation for South Asian Studies. Meanwhile, the Saudi ban threatens to adversely impact the TJ's sizeable presence and its activities in South Asia. Further, the Pew Research Center, for example, drew attention to the fact that some TJ followers have been accused of having ties to radical networks. On the other hand, Pakistan was quick to react to the Saudi ban, and it adopted a rather confrontational tone towards a patron nation that it is still working on mending frayed relations with. Also, The assembly of the Pakistani province of Punjab, in which Prime Minister Imran Khan's party is in majority, unanimously adopted a resolution calling the TJ a force for good. The merits or otherwise of the Saudi decision notwithstanding, the ban will certainly impact upon the TJ's activities in South Asia. In addition to the Saudi regime's dislike of the TJ as brought out afore, the winds of change that are flowing through the Saudi Kingdom may also have played their part in the decision being taken, according to the European Foundation for South Asian Studies. (ANI) Saudi Arabia's decision to ban the Tablighi Jamaat has sent ripples across South Asia. Over the past two weeks, news of Saudi Arabia banning the Islamic religious revivalist movement the Tablighi Jamaat (TJ) and branding it a terrorist group has elicited much interest in the media across South Asia, according to The European Foundation for South Asian Studies. Saudi religious leaders have for long viewed the TJ as "deviants". Part of the reason for the ban was that the TJ does not see eye to eye with the kingdom's own established revivalist movement, popularly referred to as Wahhabism. Established in 1926 by the Sufi Muhammad Ilyas al-Kandhlawi, of Chisti Tariqa, in the Mewat region of India, it began as an offshoot of the Deobandi movement. The reaction of countries such as Pakistan, which condemned the Saudi decision to ban the TJ, and of several Muslim religious bodies and personalities across the sub-continent, that also took umbrage to it, left little doubt that the ban was on none other than the TJ, according to the European Foundation for South Asian Studies. Meanwhile, the Saudi ban threatens to adversely impact the TJ's sizeable presence and its activities in South Asia. Further, the Pew Research Center, for example, drew attention to the fact that some TJ followers have been accused of having ties to radical networks. On the other hand, Pakistan was quick to react to the Saudi ban, and it adopted a rather confrontational tone towards a patron nation that it is still working on mending frayed relations with. Also, The assembly of the Pakistani province of Punjab, in which Prime Minister Imran Khan's party is in majority, unanimously adopted a resolution calling the TJ a force for good. The merits or otherwise of the Saudi decision notwithstanding, the ban will certainly impact upon the TJ's activities in South Asia. In addition to the Saudi regime's dislike of the TJ as brought out afore, the winds of change that are flowing through the Saudi Kingdom may also have played their part in the decision being taken, according to the European Foundation for South Asian Studies. (ANI) Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. 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. 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. Popular Nigerian actress, Tayo Sobola, better known as Sotayo Gaga, has been conferred with a chieftaincy title in Nasarawa State. The actress, on Friday, became the new Sarauniya (Queen Mother), of Uke Kingdom, at a well-attended ceremony in Nasarawa State. Ms Sobola, joins the likes of Dbanj, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Tonto Dikeh, Ngozi Ezeonu, Amechi Muonagor and Genevieve Nnaji, who have been conferred with chieftaincy titles in the recent past. The well attended event was graced by the likes of Tonto Dikeh, Femi Adebayo, socialite, T-pumpy, some lawmakers amongst others. In her acceptance speech, the excited actress thanked the people of Uke for the honour. She said: I am super proud that as a Yoruba girl I am here holding a staff of office in the Uke Kingdom as this is an indication that it preaches one Nigeria and togetherness. As the Queen mother, the palace would now begin to see the impact of women in decision making amongst others. Justifying the decision to crown the actress in his kingdom, the Emir of Uke, Abdullah Hassan, said her passion for women empowerment has not gone unnoticed. He also disclosed that his fathers twin sister was the first queen Mother as far back as 1970. He said, ever since, no individual has emerged queen in Uke. In his message to the actress, the Emir said: Congratulations to you for being the youngest among the sarauniya in the northern Emirates. It is pertinent to note that the title conferment is the second in the history of the kingdom. Background She graduated from Olabisi Onabanjo University and Lagos State University where she bagged degrees in law and public administration respectively. The actress started out as a model by starring in music videos and as a video vixen. She has featured in over 70 Yoruba and English movies. Some of her most popular works include Idakeji Ife, Egan, Corper Jide, Bella, Ojuloge Obinrin, Arewa Onijogbon, and several others. She was introduced to acting by Emeka Okoro who reportedly informed her about the Actors Guild of Nigeria. Popular Nigerian actress, Tayo Sobola, better known as Sotayo Gaga, has been conferred with a chieftaincy title in Nasarawa State. The actress, on Friday, became the new Sarauniya (Queen Mother), of Uke Kingdom, at a well-attended ceremony in Nasarawa State. Ms Sobola, joins the likes of Dbanj, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Tonto Dikeh, Ngozi Ezeonu, Amechi Muonagor and Genevieve Nnaji, who have been conferred with chieftaincy titles in the recent past. The well attended event was graced by the likes of Tonto Dikeh, Femi Adebayo, socialite, T-pumpy, some lawmakers amongst others. In her acceptance speech, the excited actress thanked the people of Uke for the honour. She said: I am super proud that as a Yoruba girl I am here holding a staff of office in the Uke Kingdom as this is an indication that it preaches one Nigeria and togetherness. As the Queen mother, the palace would now begin to see the impact of women in decision making amongst others. Justifying the decision to crown the actress in his kingdom, the Emir of Uke, Abdullah Hassan, said her passion for women empowerment has not gone unnoticed. He also disclosed that his fathers twin sister was the first queen Mother as far back as 1970. He said, ever since, no individual has emerged queen in Uke. In his message to the actress, the Emir said: Congratulations to you for being the youngest among the sarauniya in the northern Emirates. It is pertinent to note that the title conferment is the second in the history of the kingdom. Background She graduated from Olabisi Onabanjo University and Lagos State University where she bagged degrees in law and public administration respectively. The actress started out as a model by starring in music videos and as a video vixen. She has featured in over 70 Yoruba and English movies. Some of her most popular works include Idakeji Ife, Egan, Corper Jide, Bella, Ojuloge Obinrin, Arewa Onijogbon, and several others. She was introduced to acting by Emeka Okoro who reportedly informed her about the Actors Guild of Nigeria. Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. Christopher Tufton, had Dancehall diva Spice blushing after he bragged to her that being fully vaccinated has not affected his libido, and that his tumescence was in perfect order. The Minister was one of two special guests on a recent episode of the Cool It artists Magnum Spice It Up show, during which he responded to a pre-recorded question that was posed by a member of the public, as to whether vaccinations could result in her partners penis disintegrating if he took the vaccine. Spice erupted in laughter after the clip of the womans question was posed, and then even more so when Tufton responded. I was talking about the spirit and I almost draw fi a likkle drink a while ago for that. A lot of men have said it, but I can tell you something story that will address the question, Tufton began. But first of all, I took the vaccine and I am quite in order, just to respond to the lady and the direct question, Tufton boasted, evoking another peal of laughter from a highly-amused Spice who stood up and playfully brushed off her hands while laughing. A few minutes earlier, Spice had suggested that the Ministry of Health rely more on medical doctors to urge people to get vaccinated as people were less trustworthy of politicians who appeared to be at the forefront of the inoculation campaign. I know why they are suspicious caw remember me inna di street now enuh suh mi like weh wi a get inna. I know why they are suspicious because there is a trust issue with politicians against the people of Jamaica. So, is it that we need to find maybe doctors to come to the forefront to start explaining this to people? So that they will be more comfortable? Spice asked. As a politician, sad to say we have a trust issue, with the public a credibility issue, which is why we try to use influencers. We try to use the church we use doctors in fact my recommendation to persons who are unsure, I would say to dem guh visit yuh doctor, whether in the public health system or privately, the Minister responded. Spice also pointed out that aside from politicians, the influencers which the Ministry was using on the campaign were also not being seen as credible by members of the general population. I feel like we should do more of that so that the community people who trust dem doctors will take it from them. You know why? Influencers, I remember I post something and they (fans) were like: Spice a weh yah a do? A sell yuh a sell wi out? A pay dem pay yuh fi seh wi fi teck it? But they will more trust their doctors, she explained. Former Miss World and Member of Parliament for South East St. Ann, Lisa Hanna, who was the second guest on the show, said she was taken aback at the resistance most Jamaicans had towards the COVID vaccine, as inoculations were not new, Jamaica having a mandatory vaccination policy for years which saw childhood diseases like measles, polio and rubella being eradicated. The COVID one is a bit of a conundrum for me because I think maybe because of how shocking and bizarre this thing was, that it frightens people, she said. When asked by Spice for her opinion on why people are so fearful of this vaccine in particular Hanna concurred with Spices earlier point regarding who should be at the campaigns forefront. I am gonna say two things that might shock you. I think one, because everytime you looked at a platform globally and locally, it was the politicians talking about COVID. And in Jamaica 70 percent a di people nuh trust politician. Politician and police: they dont trust them. And thats data driven thats not me coming up with some statistic, Hanna stated. When asked what she would do differently from what the Andrew Holness administration has been doing, Hanna, who declared herself a vaccine advocate, told Spice that she would reopen the country, as among other things, she was not entirely with the curfew. I would open back the country because we have to learn to live with COVIOD. Let me qualify; you cant have it on one hand, a whole section of your population taking public transportation and bungling up in different spaces, but then say at a certain time they are to lock down. Its better that you teach them how to live safely with COVID, she explained. Hanna said that along with a granular public education campaign, she would establish COIVID testing centres and subsidize testing so people can know what their COVOD status is as well as have the vaccines administered by private clinicians and dispensed by clinics across the island. So if you are able to put those things in place, then you can open back and say look, if we do this correctly, yes we will have cases of COVID, but you need to be vaccinated, wear your mask, wash your han those different things and you can go forward with it, she said. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Though most of the institutes titles are not recognizable to the general public the six-volume, 19th-century Eastern Orthodox canon collection Syntagma ton theion kai hieron kanonon never did make a best-seller list they are precious to scholars. They include volumes like a Greek first edition of liturgies of John Chrysostom, an early church father, printed in Rome in 1526. The library is unique in the world, said Gabriel Radle, a professor at the University of Notre Dame who studied at the institute a decade ago. Its volumes cover the broad gamut that is Eastern Christianity, a catchall term for the traditions and denominations that developed in the first centuries of the church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, spreading through Greece, Turkey and Eastern Europe, north to Russia, south to Egypt and Ethiopia, and as far east as India. The first set of books to be digitized were scanned by an eight-member team from a Long Island company, Seery Systems Group, using scanning technology from SMA of Germany. The project was somewhat unusual for Richard Seery, whose companys clients are typically state and local governments. I told people I usually dont travel over the bridge to New Jersey on business, and now Im going to Rome, Mr. Seery said in a telephone interview. The material was a first for him, too. Though most of the institutes titles are not recognizable to the general public the six-volume, 19th-century Eastern Orthodox canon collection Syntagma ton theion kai hieron kanonon never did make a best-seller list they are precious to scholars. They include volumes like a Greek first edition of liturgies of John Chrysostom, an early church father, printed in Rome in 1526. The library is unique in the world, said Gabriel Radle, a professor at the University of Notre Dame who studied at the institute a decade ago. Its volumes cover the broad gamut that is Eastern Christianity, a catchall term for the traditions and denominations that developed in the first centuries of the church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, spreading through Greece, Turkey and Eastern Europe, north to Russia, south to Egypt and Ethiopia, and as far east as India. The first set of books to be digitized were scanned by an eight-member team from a Long Island company, Seery Systems Group, using scanning technology from SMA of Germany. The project was somewhat unusual for Richard Seery, whose companys clients are typically state and local governments. I told people I usually dont travel over the bridge to New Jersey on business, and now Im going to Rome, Mr. Seery said in a telephone interview. The material was a first for him, too. Though most of the institutes titles are not recognizable to the general public the six-volume, 19th-century Eastern Orthodox canon collection Syntagma ton theion kai hieron kanonon never did make a best-seller list they are precious to scholars. They include volumes like a Greek first edition of liturgies of John Chrysostom, an early church father, printed in Rome in 1526. The library is unique in the world, said Gabriel Radle, a professor at the University of Notre Dame who studied at the institute a decade ago. Its volumes cover the broad gamut that is Eastern Christianity, a catchall term for the traditions and denominations that developed in the first centuries of the church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, spreading through Greece, Turkey and Eastern Europe, north to Russia, south to Egypt and Ethiopia, and as far east as India. The first set of books to be digitized were scanned by an eight-member team from a Long Island company, Seery Systems Group, using scanning technology from SMA of Germany. The project was somewhat unusual for Richard Seery, whose companys clients are typically state and local governments. I told people I usually dont travel over the bridge to New Jersey on business, and now Im going to Rome, Mr. Seery said in a telephone interview. The material was a first for him, too. Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Popular Nigerian actress, Tayo Sobola, better known as Sotayo Gaga, has been conferred with a chieftaincy title in Nasarawa State. The actress, on Friday, became the new Sarauniya (Queen Mother), of Uke Kingdom, at a well-attended ceremony in Nasarawa State. Ms Sobola, joins the likes of Dbanj, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Tonto Dikeh, Ngozi Ezeonu, Amechi Muonagor and Genevieve Nnaji, who have been conferred with chieftaincy titles in the recent past. The well attended event was graced by the likes of Tonto Dikeh, Femi Adebayo, socialite, T-pumpy, some lawmakers amongst others. In her acceptance speech, the excited actress thanked the people of Uke for the honour. She said: I am super proud that as a Yoruba girl I am here holding a staff of office in the Uke Kingdom as this is an indication that it preaches one Nigeria and togetherness. As the Queen mother, the palace would now begin to see the impact of women in decision making amongst others. Justifying the decision to crown the actress in his kingdom, the Emir of Uke, Abdullah Hassan, said her passion for women empowerment has not gone unnoticed. He also disclosed that his fathers twin sister was the first queen Mother as far back as 1970. He said, ever since, no individual has emerged queen in Uke. In his message to the actress, the Emir said: Congratulations to you for being the youngest among the sarauniya in the northern Emirates. It is pertinent to note that the title conferment is the second in the history of the kingdom. Background She graduated from Olabisi Onabanjo University and Lagos State University where she bagged degrees in law and public administration respectively. The actress started out as a model by starring in music videos and as a video vixen. She has featured in over 70 Yoruba and English movies. Some of her most popular works include Idakeji Ife, Egan, Corper Jide, Bella, Ojuloge Obinrin, Arewa Onijogbon, and several others. She was introduced to acting by Emeka Okoro who reportedly informed her about the Actors Guild of Nigeria. Popular Nigerian actress, Tayo Sobola, better known as Sotayo Gaga, has been conferred with a chieftaincy title in Nasarawa State. The actress, on Friday, became the new Sarauniya (Queen Mother), of Uke Kingdom, at a well-attended ceremony in Nasarawa State. Ms Sobola, joins the likes of Dbanj, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Tonto Dikeh, Ngozi Ezeonu, Amechi Muonagor and Genevieve Nnaji, who have been conferred with chieftaincy titles in the recent past. The well attended event was graced by the likes of Tonto Dikeh, Femi Adebayo, socialite, T-pumpy, some lawmakers amongst others. In her acceptance speech, the excited actress thanked the people of Uke for the honour. She said: I am super proud that as a Yoruba girl I am here holding a staff of office in the Uke Kingdom as this is an indication that it preaches one Nigeria and togetherness. As the Queen mother, the palace would now begin to see the impact of women in decision making amongst others. Justifying the decision to crown the actress in his kingdom, the Emir of Uke, Abdullah Hassan, said her passion for women empowerment has not gone unnoticed. He also disclosed that his fathers twin sister was the first queen Mother as far back as 1970. He said, ever since, no individual has emerged queen in Uke. In his message to the actress, the Emir said: Congratulations to you for being the youngest among the sarauniya in the northern Emirates. It is pertinent to note that the title conferment is the second in the history of the kingdom. Background She graduated from Olabisi Onabanjo University and Lagos State University where she bagged degrees in law and public administration respectively. The actress started out as a model by starring in music videos and as a video vixen. She has featured in over 70 Yoruba and English movies. Some of her most popular works include Idakeji Ife, Egan, Corper Jide, Bella, Ojuloge Obinrin, Arewa Onijogbon, and several others. She was introduced to acting by Emeka Okoro who reportedly informed her about the Actors Guild of Nigeria. Popular Nigerian actress, Tayo Sobola, better known as Sotayo Gaga, has been conferred with a chieftaincy title in Nasarawa State. The actress, on Friday, became the new Sarauniya (Queen Mother), of Uke Kingdom, at a well-attended ceremony in Nasarawa State. Ms Sobola, joins the likes of Dbanj, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Tonto Dikeh, Ngozi Ezeonu, Amechi Muonagor and Genevieve Nnaji, who have been conferred with chieftaincy titles in the recent past. The well attended event was graced by the likes of Tonto Dikeh, Femi Adebayo, socialite, T-pumpy, some lawmakers amongst others. In her acceptance speech, the excited actress thanked the people of Uke for the honour. She said: I am super proud that as a Yoruba girl I am here holding a staff of office in the Uke Kingdom as this is an indication that it preaches one Nigeria and togetherness. As the Queen mother, the palace would now begin to see the impact of women in decision making amongst others. Justifying the decision to crown the actress in his kingdom, the Emir of Uke, Abdullah Hassan, said her passion for women empowerment has not gone unnoticed. He also disclosed that his fathers twin sister was the first queen Mother as far back as 1970. He said, ever since, no individual has emerged queen in Uke. In his message to the actress, the Emir said: Congratulations to you for being the youngest among the sarauniya in the northern Emirates. It is pertinent to note that the title conferment is the second in the history of the kingdom. Background She graduated from Olabisi Onabanjo University and Lagos State University where she bagged degrees in law and public administration respectively. The actress started out as a model by starring in music videos and as a video vixen. She has featured in over 70 Yoruba and English movies. Some of her most popular works include Idakeji Ife, Egan, Corper Jide, Bella, Ojuloge Obinrin, Arewa Onijogbon, and several others. She was introduced to acting by Emeka Okoro who reportedly informed her about the Actors Guild of Nigeria. Saudi Arabia's decision to ban the Tablighi Jamaat has sent ripples across South Asia. Over the past two weeks, news of Saudi Arabia banning the Islamic religious revivalist movement the Tablighi Jamaat (TJ) and branding it a terrorist group has elicited much interest in the media across South Asia, according to The European Foundation for South Asian Studies. Saudi religious leaders have for long viewed the TJ as "deviants". Part of the reason for the ban was that the TJ does not see eye to eye with the kingdom's own established revivalist movement, popularly referred to as Wahhabism. Established in 1926 by the Sufi Muhammad Ilyas al-Kandhlawi, of Chisti Tariqa, in the Mewat region of India, it began as an offshoot of the Deobandi movement. The reaction of countries such as Pakistan, which condemned the Saudi decision to ban the TJ, and of several Muslim religious bodies and personalities across the sub-continent, that also took umbrage to it, left little doubt that the ban was on none other than the TJ, according to the European Foundation for South Asian Studies. Meanwhile, the Saudi ban threatens to adversely impact the TJ's sizeable presence and its activities in South Asia. Further, the Pew Research Center, for example, drew attention to the fact that some TJ followers have been accused of having ties to radical networks. On the other hand, Pakistan was quick to react to the Saudi ban, and it adopted a rather confrontational tone towards a patron nation that it is still working on mending frayed relations with. Also, The assembly of the Pakistani province of Punjab, in which Prime Minister Imran Khan's party is in majority, unanimously adopted a resolution calling the TJ a force for good. The merits or otherwise of the Saudi decision notwithstanding, the ban will certainly impact upon the TJ's activities in South Asia. In addition to the Saudi regime's dislike of the TJ as brought out afore, the winds of change that are flowing through the Saudi Kingdom may also have played their part in the decision being taken, according to the European Foundation for South Asian Studies. (ANI) Saudi Arabia's decision to ban the Tablighi Jamaat has sent ripples across South Asia. Over the past two weeks, news of Saudi Arabia banning the Islamic religious revivalist movement the Tablighi Jamaat (TJ) and branding it a terrorist group has elicited much interest in the media across South Asia, according to The European Foundation for South Asian Studies. Saudi religious leaders have for long viewed the TJ as "deviants". Part of the reason for the ban was that the TJ does not see eye to eye with the kingdom's own established revivalist movement, popularly referred to as Wahhabism. Established in 1926 by the Sufi Muhammad Ilyas al-Kandhlawi, of Chisti Tariqa, in the Mewat region of India, it began as an offshoot of the Deobandi movement. The reaction of countries such as Pakistan, which condemned the Saudi decision to ban the TJ, and of several Muslim religious bodies and personalities across the sub-continent, that also took umbrage to it, left little doubt that the ban was on none other than the TJ, according to the European Foundation for South Asian Studies. Meanwhile, the Saudi ban threatens to adversely impact the TJ's sizeable presence and its activities in South Asia. Further, the Pew Research Center, for example, drew attention to the fact that some TJ followers have been accused of having ties to radical networks. On the other hand, Pakistan was quick to react to the Saudi ban, and it adopted a rather confrontational tone towards a patron nation that it is still working on mending frayed relations with. Also, The assembly of the Pakistani province of Punjab, in which Prime Minister Imran Khan's party is in majority, unanimously adopted a resolution calling the TJ a force for good. The merits or otherwise of the Saudi decision notwithstanding, the ban will certainly impact upon the TJ's activities in South Asia. In addition to the Saudi regime's dislike of the TJ as brought out afore, the winds of change that are flowing through the Saudi Kingdom may also have played their part in the decision being taken, according to the European Foundation for South Asian Studies. (ANI) Saudi Arabia's decision to ban the Tablighi Jamaat has sent ripples across South Asia. Over the past two weeks, news of Saudi Arabia banning the Islamic religious revivalist movement the Tablighi Jamaat (TJ) and branding it a terrorist group has elicited much interest in the media across South Asia, according to The European Foundation for South Asian Studies. Saudi religious leaders have for long viewed the TJ as "deviants". Part of the reason for the ban was that the TJ does not see eye to eye with the kingdom's own established revivalist movement, popularly referred to as Wahhabism. Established in 1926 by the Sufi Muhammad Ilyas al-Kandhlawi, of Chisti Tariqa, in the Mewat region of India, it began as an offshoot of the Deobandi movement. The reaction of countries such as Pakistan, which condemned the Saudi decision to ban the TJ, and of several Muslim religious bodies and personalities across the sub-continent, that also took umbrage to it, left little doubt that the ban was on none other than the TJ, according to the European Foundation for South Asian Studies. Meanwhile, the Saudi ban threatens to adversely impact the TJ's sizeable presence and its activities in South Asia. Further, the Pew Research Center, for example, drew attention to the fact that some TJ followers have been accused of having ties to radical networks. On the other hand, Pakistan was quick to react to the Saudi ban, and it adopted a rather confrontational tone towards a patron nation that it is still working on mending frayed relations with. Also, The assembly of the Pakistani province of Punjab, in which Prime Minister Imran Khan's party is in majority, unanimously adopted a resolution calling the TJ a force for good. The merits or otherwise of the Saudi decision notwithstanding, the ban will certainly impact upon the TJ's activities in South Asia. In addition to the Saudi regime's dislike of the TJ as brought out afore, the winds of change that are flowing through the Saudi Kingdom may also have played their part in the decision being taken, according to the European Foundation for South Asian Studies. (ANI) 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. Pakistan's foreign policy will have to face increasing challenges to be addressed from the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban. As 2021 proved to be a watershed movement for Afghanistan, something that shaped Pakistan's foreign policy, the year 2022 would bring more challenges for the country on the external front, according to Express Tribune. Further, a lot would depend on how the situation unfolds in the neighbouring country. Unrest and a new cycle of instability in Afghanistan would certainly put Pakistan's strategy pitching itself as a geo-economic hub in jeopardy. Earlier, in 2021 began, few would have thought by the end of year the Afghan Taliban would be in charge in Kabul. However, such was the swiftness of the Taliban takeover that all the intelligence assessments of the US and other players in Afghanistan proved wrong. On the other hand, President Joe Biden walked into the White House in 2021, he had a choice either to reverse the Doha deal his predecessor had signed with the Taliban or stick with it. However, the Doha deal stipulated a timeframe for US troops' withdrawal from Afghanistan which eased the timetable for the takeover of Kabul by Taliban. Also, the Taliban promised not to allow the Afghan soil to be used again by terrorist groups and enter into talks with other groups. Under the deal, the US was to complete the troops' withdrawal by May 1, 2021. After assuming office, Joe Biden however, ordered a review of the Afghan situation and following the months of assessments by the Pentagon and the State Department, he had to stick with the Doha plan albeit with a change of withdrawal date. Instead of the May 1 deadline set in the Doha deal for the troops' withdrawal, Biden approved that the last US soldier would leave Afghanistan by September 11. The announcement was met with a strong reaction from the Taliban, who called it a violation of the Doha deal and threatened to resume attacks against the US led foreign forces if they stayed in the war-torn country beyond May 1, according to Express Tribune. (ANI) Pakistan's foreign policy will have to face increasing challenges to be addressed from the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban. As 2021 proved to be a watershed movement for Afghanistan, something that shaped Pakistan's foreign policy, the year 2022 would bring more challenges for the country on the external front, according to Express Tribune. Further, a lot would depend on how the situation unfolds in the neighbouring country. Unrest and a new cycle of instability in Afghanistan would certainly put Pakistan's strategy pitching itself as a geo-economic hub in jeopardy. Earlier, in 2021 began, few would have thought by the end of year the Afghan Taliban would be in charge in Kabul. However, such was the swiftness of the Taliban takeover that all the intelligence assessments of the US and other players in Afghanistan proved wrong. On the other hand, President Joe Biden walked into the White House in 2021, he had a choice either to reverse the Doha deal his predecessor had signed with the Taliban or stick with it. However, the Doha deal stipulated a timeframe for US troops' withdrawal from Afghanistan which eased the timetable for the takeover of Kabul by Taliban. Also, the Taliban promised not to allow the Afghan soil to be used again by terrorist groups and enter into talks with other groups. Under the deal, the US was to complete the troops' withdrawal by May 1, 2021. After assuming office, Joe Biden however, ordered a review of the Afghan situation and following the months of assessments by the Pentagon and the State Department, he had to stick with the Doha plan albeit with a change of withdrawal date. Instead of the May 1 deadline set in the Doha deal for the troops' withdrawal, Biden approved that the last US soldier would leave Afghanistan by September 11. The announcement was met with a strong reaction from the Taliban, who called it a violation of the Doha deal and threatened to resume attacks against the US led foreign forces if they stayed in the war-torn country beyond May 1, according to Express Tribune. (ANI) Pakistan's foreign policy will have to face increasing challenges to be addressed from the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban. As 2021 proved to be a watershed movement for Afghanistan, something that shaped Pakistan's foreign policy, the year 2022 would bring more challenges for the country on the external front, according to Express Tribune. Further, a lot would depend on how the situation unfolds in the neighbouring country. Unrest and a new cycle of instability in Afghanistan would certainly put Pakistan's strategy pitching itself as a geo-economic hub in jeopardy. Earlier, in 2021 began, few would have thought by the end of year the Afghan Taliban would be in charge in Kabul. However, such was the swiftness of the Taliban takeover that all the intelligence assessments of the US and other players in Afghanistan proved wrong. On the other hand, President Joe Biden walked into the White House in 2021, he had a choice either to reverse the Doha deal his predecessor had signed with the Taliban or stick with it. However, the Doha deal stipulated a timeframe for US troops' withdrawal from Afghanistan which eased the timetable for the takeover of Kabul by Taliban. Also, the Taliban promised not to allow the Afghan soil to be used again by terrorist groups and enter into talks with other groups. Under the deal, the US was to complete the troops' withdrawal by May 1, 2021. After assuming office, Joe Biden however, ordered a review of the Afghan situation and following the months of assessments by the Pentagon and the State Department, he had to stick with the Doha plan albeit with a change of withdrawal date. Instead of the May 1 deadline set in the Doha deal for the troops' withdrawal, Biden approved that the last US soldier would leave Afghanistan by September 11. The announcement was met with a strong reaction from the Taliban, who called it a violation of the Doha deal and threatened to resume attacks against the US led foreign forces if they stayed in the war-torn country beyond May 1, according to Express Tribune. (ANI) 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. 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. 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. 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. Though most of the institutes titles are not recognizable to the general public the six-volume, 19th-century Eastern Orthodox canon collection Syntagma ton theion kai hieron kanonon never did make a best-seller list they are precious to scholars. They include volumes like a Greek first edition of liturgies of John Chrysostom, an early church father, printed in Rome in 1526. The library is unique in the world, said Gabriel Radle, a professor at the University of Notre Dame who studied at the institute a decade ago. Its volumes cover the broad gamut that is Eastern Christianity, a catchall term for the traditions and denominations that developed in the first centuries of the church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, spreading through Greece, Turkey and Eastern Europe, north to Russia, south to Egypt and Ethiopia, and as far east as India. The first set of books to be digitized were scanned by an eight-member team from a Long Island company, Seery Systems Group, using scanning technology from SMA of Germany. The project was somewhat unusual for Richard Seery, whose companys clients are typically state and local governments. I told people I usually dont travel over the bridge to New Jersey on business, and now Im going to Rome, Mr. Seery said in a telephone interview. The material was a first for him, too. Though most of the institutes titles are not recognizable to the general public the six-volume, 19th-century Eastern Orthodox canon collection Syntagma ton theion kai hieron kanonon never did make a best-seller list they are precious to scholars. They include volumes like a Greek first edition of liturgies of John Chrysostom, an early church father, printed in Rome in 1526. The library is unique in the world, said Gabriel Radle, a professor at the University of Notre Dame who studied at the institute a decade ago. Its volumes cover the broad gamut that is Eastern Christianity, a catchall term for the traditions and denominations that developed in the first centuries of the church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, spreading through Greece, Turkey and Eastern Europe, north to Russia, south to Egypt and Ethiopia, and as far east as India. The first set of books to be digitized were scanned by an eight-member team from a Long Island company, Seery Systems Group, using scanning technology from SMA of Germany. The project was somewhat unusual for Richard Seery, whose companys clients are typically state and local governments. I told people I usually dont travel over the bridge to New Jersey on business, and now Im going to Rome, Mr. Seery said in a telephone interview. The material was a first for him, too. Saudi Arabia's decision to ban the Tablighi Jamaat has sent ripples across South Asia. Over the past two weeks, news of Saudi Arabia banning the Islamic religious revivalist movement the Tablighi Jamaat (TJ) and branding it a terrorist group has elicited much interest in the media across South Asia, according to The European Foundation for South Asian Studies. Saudi religious leaders have for long viewed the TJ as "deviants". Part of the reason for the ban was that the TJ does not see eye to eye with the kingdom's own established revivalist movement, popularly referred to as Wahhabism. Established in 1926 by the Sufi Muhammad Ilyas al-Kandhlawi, of Chisti Tariqa, in the Mewat region of India, it began as an offshoot of the Deobandi movement. The reaction of countries such as Pakistan, which condemned the Saudi decision to ban the TJ, and of several Muslim religious bodies and personalities across the sub-continent, that also took umbrage to it, left little doubt that the ban was on none other than the TJ, according to the European Foundation for South Asian Studies. Meanwhile, the Saudi ban threatens to adversely impact the TJ's sizeable presence and its activities in South Asia. Further, the Pew Research Center, for example, drew attention to the fact that some TJ followers have been accused of having ties to radical networks. On the other hand, Pakistan was quick to react to the Saudi ban, and it adopted a rather confrontational tone towards a patron nation that it is still working on mending frayed relations with. Also, The assembly of the Pakistani province of Punjab, in which Prime Minister Imran Khan's party is in majority, unanimously adopted a resolution calling the TJ a force for good. The merits or otherwise of the Saudi decision notwithstanding, the ban will certainly impact upon the TJ's activities in South Asia. In addition to the Saudi regime's dislike of the TJ as brought out afore, the winds of change that are flowing through the Saudi Kingdom may also have played their part in the decision being taken, according to the European Foundation for South Asian Studies. (ANI) Though most of the institutes titles are not recognizable to the general public the six-volume, 19th-century Eastern Orthodox canon collection Syntagma ton theion kai hieron kanonon never did make a best-seller list they are precious to scholars. They include volumes like a Greek first edition of liturgies of John Chrysostom, an early church father, printed in Rome in 1526. The library is unique in the world, said Gabriel Radle, a professor at the University of Notre Dame who studied at the institute a decade ago. Its volumes cover the broad gamut that is Eastern Christianity, a catchall term for the traditions and denominations that developed in the first centuries of the church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, spreading through Greece, Turkey and Eastern Europe, north to Russia, south to Egypt and Ethiopia, and as far east as India. The first set of books to be digitized were scanned by an eight-member team from a Long Island company, Seery Systems Group, using scanning technology from SMA of Germany. The project was somewhat unusual for Richard Seery, whose companys clients are typically state and local governments. I told people I usually dont travel over the bridge to New Jersey on business, and now Im going to Rome, Mr. Seery said in a telephone interview. The material was a first for him, too. Saudi Arabia's decision to ban the Tablighi Jamaat has sent ripples across South Asia. Over the past two weeks, news of Saudi Arabia banning the Islamic religious revivalist movement the Tablighi Jamaat (TJ) and branding it a terrorist group has elicited much interest in the media across South Asia, according to The European Foundation for South Asian Studies. Saudi religious leaders have for long viewed the TJ as "deviants". Part of the reason for the ban was that the TJ does not see eye to eye with the kingdom's own established revivalist movement, popularly referred to as Wahhabism. Established in 1926 by the Sufi Muhammad Ilyas al-Kandhlawi, of Chisti Tariqa, in the Mewat region of India, it began as an offshoot of the Deobandi movement. The reaction of countries such as Pakistan, which condemned the Saudi decision to ban the TJ, and of several Muslim religious bodies and personalities across the sub-continent, that also took umbrage to it, left little doubt that the ban was on none other than the TJ, according to the European Foundation for South Asian Studies. Meanwhile, the Saudi ban threatens to adversely impact the TJ's sizeable presence and its activities in South Asia. Further, the Pew Research Center, for example, drew attention to the fact that some TJ followers have been accused of having ties to radical networks. On the other hand, Pakistan was quick to react to the Saudi ban, and it adopted a rather confrontational tone towards a patron nation that it is still working on mending frayed relations with. Also, The assembly of the Pakistani province of Punjab, in which Prime Minister Imran Khan's party is in majority, unanimously adopted a resolution calling the TJ a force for good. The merits or otherwise of the Saudi decision notwithstanding, the ban will certainly impact upon the TJ's activities in South Asia. In addition to the Saudi regime's dislike of the TJ as brought out afore, the winds of change that are flowing through the Saudi Kingdom may also have played their part in the decision being taken, according to the European Foundation for South Asian Studies. (ANI) 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. 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Pakistan's foreign policy will have to face increasing challenges to be addressed from the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban. As 2021 proved to be a watershed movement for Afghanistan, something that shaped Pakistan's foreign policy, the year 2022 would bring more challenges for the country on the external front, according to Express Tribune. Further, a lot would depend on how the situation unfolds in the neighbouring country. Unrest and a new cycle of instability in Afghanistan would certainly put Pakistan's strategy pitching itself as a geo-economic hub in jeopardy. Earlier, in 2021 began, few would have thought by the end of year the Afghan Taliban would be in charge in Kabul. However, such was the swiftness of the Taliban takeover that all the intelligence assessments of the US and other players in Afghanistan proved wrong. On the other hand, President Joe Biden walked into the White House in 2021, he had a choice either to reverse the Doha deal his predecessor had signed with the Taliban or stick with it. However, the Doha deal stipulated a timeframe for US troops' withdrawal from Afghanistan which eased the timetable for the takeover of Kabul by Taliban. Also, the Taliban promised not to allow the Afghan soil to be used again by terrorist groups and enter into talks with other groups. Under the deal, the US was to complete the troops' withdrawal by May 1, 2021. After assuming office, Joe Biden however, ordered a review of the Afghan situation and following the months of assessments by the Pentagon and the State Department, he had to stick with the Doha plan albeit with a change of withdrawal date. Instead of the May 1 deadline set in the Doha deal for the troops' withdrawal, Biden approved that the last US soldier would leave Afghanistan by September 11. The announcement was met with a strong reaction from the Taliban, who called it a violation of the Doha deal and threatened to resume attacks against the US led foreign forces if they stayed in the war-torn country beyond May 1, according to Express Tribune. 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Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Though most of the institutes titles are not recognizable to the general public the six-volume, 19th-century Eastern Orthodox canon collection Syntagma ton theion kai hieron kanonon never did make a best-seller list they are precious to scholars. They include volumes like a Greek first edition of liturgies of John Chrysostom, an early church father, printed in Rome in 1526. The library is unique in the world, said Gabriel Radle, a professor at the University of Notre Dame who studied at the institute a decade ago. Its volumes cover the broad gamut that is Eastern Christianity, a catchall term for the traditions and denominations that developed in the first centuries of the church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, spreading through Greece, Turkey and Eastern Europe, north to Russia, south to Egypt and Ethiopia, and as far east as India. The first set of books to be digitized were scanned by an eight-member team from a Long Island company, Seery Systems Group, using scanning technology from SMA of Germany. The project was somewhat unusual for Richard Seery, whose companys clients are typically state and local governments. I told people I usually dont travel over the bridge to New Jersey on business, and now Im going to Rome, Mr. Seery said in a telephone interview. The material was a first for him, too. Though most of the institutes titles are not recognizable to the general public the six-volume, 19th-century Eastern Orthodox canon collection Syntagma ton theion kai hieron kanonon never did make a best-seller list they are precious to scholars. They include volumes like a Greek first edition of liturgies of John Chrysostom, an early church father, printed in Rome in 1526. The library is unique in the world, said Gabriel Radle, a professor at the University of Notre Dame who studied at the institute a decade ago. Its volumes cover the broad gamut that is Eastern Christianity, a catchall term for the traditions and denominations that developed in the first centuries of the church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, spreading through Greece, Turkey and Eastern Europe, north to Russia, south to Egypt and Ethiopia, and as far east as India. The first set of books to be digitized were scanned by an eight-member team from a Long Island company, Seery Systems Group, using scanning technology from SMA of Germany. The project was somewhat unusual for Richard Seery, whose companys clients are typically state and local governments. I told people I usually dont travel over the bridge to New Jersey on business, and now Im going to Rome, Mr. Seery said in a telephone interview. The material was a first for him, too. Though most of the institutes titles are not recognizable to the general public the six-volume, 19th-century Eastern Orthodox canon collection Syntagma ton theion kai hieron kanonon never did make a best-seller list they are precious to scholars. They include volumes like a Greek first edition of liturgies of John Chrysostom, an early church father, printed in Rome in 1526. The library is unique in the world, said Gabriel Radle, a professor at the University of Notre Dame who studied at the institute a decade ago. Its volumes cover the broad gamut that is Eastern Christianity, a catchall term for the traditions and denominations that developed in the first centuries of the church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, spreading through Greece, Turkey and Eastern Europe, north to Russia, south to Egypt and Ethiopia, and as far east as India. The first set of books to be digitized were scanned by an eight-member team from a Long Island company, Seery Systems Group, using scanning technology from SMA of Germany. The project was somewhat unusual for Richard Seery, whose companys clients are typically state and local governments. I told people I usually dont travel over the bridge to New Jersey on business, and now Im going to Rome, Mr. Seery said in a telephone interview. The material was a first for him, too. Popular Nigerian actress, Tayo Sobola, better known as Sotayo Gaga, has been conferred with a chieftaincy title in Nasarawa State. The actress, on Friday, became the new Sarauniya (Queen Mother), of Uke Kingdom, at a well-attended ceremony in Nasarawa State. Ms Sobola, joins the likes of Dbanj, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Tonto Dikeh, Ngozi Ezeonu, Amechi Muonagor and Genevieve Nnaji, who have been conferred with chieftaincy titles in the recent past. The well attended event was graced by the likes of Tonto Dikeh, Femi Adebayo, socialite, T-pumpy, some lawmakers amongst others. In her acceptance speech, the excited actress thanked the people of Uke for the honour. She said: I am super proud that as a Yoruba girl I am here holding a staff of office in the Uke Kingdom as this is an indication that it preaches one Nigeria and togetherness. As the Queen mother, the palace would now begin to see the impact of women in decision making amongst others. Justifying the decision to crown the actress in his kingdom, the Emir of Uke, Abdullah Hassan, said her passion for women empowerment has not gone unnoticed. He also disclosed that his fathers twin sister was the first queen Mother as far back as 1970. He said, ever since, no individual has emerged queen in Uke. In his message to the actress, the Emir said: Congratulations to you for being the youngest among the sarauniya in the northern Emirates. It is pertinent to note that the title conferment is the second in the history of the kingdom. Background She graduated from Olabisi Onabanjo University and Lagos State University where she bagged degrees in law and public administration respectively. The actress started out as a model by starring in music videos and as a video vixen. She has featured in over 70 Yoruba and English movies. Some of her most popular works include Idakeji Ife, Egan, Corper Jide, Bella, Ojuloge Obinrin, Arewa Onijogbon, and several others. She was introduced to acting by Emeka Okoro who reportedly informed her about the Actors Guild of Nigeria. Popular Nigerian actress, Tayo Sobola, better known as Sotayo Gaga, has been conferred with a chieftaincy title in Nasarawa State. The actress, on Friday, became the new Sarauniya (Queen Mother), of Uke Kingdom, at a well-attended ceremony in Nasarawa State. Ms Sobola, joins the likes of Dbanj, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Tonto Dikeh, Ngozi Ezeonu, Amechi Muonagor and Genevieve Nnaji, who have been conferred with chieftaincy titles in the recent past. The well attended event was graced by the likes of Tonto Dikeh, Femi Adebayo, socialite, T-pumpy, some lawmakers amongst others. In her acceptance speech, the excited actress thanked the people of Uke for the honour. She said: I am super proud that as a Yoruba girl I am here holding a staff of office in the Uke Kingdom as this is an indication that it preaches one Nigeria and togetherness. As the Queen mother, the palace would now begin to see the impact of women in decision making amongst others. Justifying the decision to crown the actress in his kingdom, the Emir of Uke, Abdullah Hassan, said her passion for women empowerment has not gone unnoticed. He also disclosed that his fathers twin sister was the first queen Mother as far back as 1970. He said, ever since, no individual has emerged queen in Uke. In his message to the actress, the Emir said: Congratulations to you for being the youngest among the sarauniya in the northern Emirates. It is pertinent to note that the title conferment is the second in the history of the kingdom. Background She graduated from Olabisi Onabanjo University and Lagos State University where she bagged degrees in law and public administration respectively. The actress started out as a model by starring in music videos and as a video vixen. She has featured in over 70 Yoruba and English movies. Some of her most popular works include Idakeji Ife, Egan, Corper Jide, Bella, Ojuloge Obinrin, Arewa Onijogbon, and several others. She was introduced to acting by Emeka Okoro who reportedly informed her about the Actors Guild of Nigeria. Palaeontologists, who discovered a nest of five eggs that got buried in loose sediment some 60 to 80 million years ago, have finally confirmed the origins of the fossils. Discovered by a research team in Brazil last year, the fossilized eggs were initially believed to have belonged to crocodiles, however, a deeper study has shed a different light. According to lead researcher William Roberto Nava, the eggs have a thick shell and were too large to be that of crocodiles and confirmed that the eggs belong to carnivorous dinosaurs. The expert from the Paleontological Museum in Marilia also revealed that the eggs of dinosaurs and crocodiles also differ in size as the former measure four to five inches long and two to three inches wide whereas the latter measure no longer than three inches. Moreover, he said that a porous or smooth texture is a characteristic associated with the eggs of prehistoric crocodiles also called 'crocodylomorph' whereas the egg-shells of dinosaurs have a 'ripple-shaped' texture. "The eggs are a little bigger than those of crocodylomorph. So we're associating these larger eggs, which are five, with some kind of theropod dinosaur, that is, a carnivorous dinosaur that lived at this point and used it millions of years ago to lay these eggs", Nava said in an interview with g1. How were the eggs preserved for so long? Unearthed in Presidente Prudente city of Brazil's Sao Paulo, the transformation of soil into sandstone over time had a big role in preserving the eggs. Over a course of millions of years, the eggs got covered with layers of sand which turned into sandstone allowing the egg to withstand the test of time." Who knows if in one of these [five] eggs we have a fossilized embryo. It would be super cool, it would be something new for Brazil", Nava was quoted as saying by g1. Here's another ground-breaking discovery of dinosaur egg Earlier in December 2021, scientists in Ganzhou, China had discovered a perfectly preserved embryo of a dinosaur, which was at least 66 million years old. The embryo reportedly belonged to a toothless theropod dinosaur or oviraptorosaur, which is a feathered maniraptoran dinosaur from the Cretaceous Period. Tap here to read more about the discovered fossil. Image: Twitter/@NNivak Palaeontologists, who discovered a nest of five eggs that got buried in loose sediment some 60 to 80 million years ago, have finally confirmed the origins of the fossils. Discovered by a research team in Brazil last year, the fossilized eggs were initially believed to have belonged to crocodiles, however, a deeper study has shed a different light. According to lead researcher William Roberto Nava, the eggs have a thick shell and were too large to be that of crocodiles and confirmed that the eggs belong to carnivorous dinosaurs. The expert from the Paleontological Museum in Marilia also revealed that the eggs of dinosaurs and crocodiles also differ in size as the former measure four to five inches long and two to three inches wide whereas the latter measure no longer than three inches. Moreover, he said that a porous or smooth texture is a characteristic associated with the eggs of prehistoric crocodiles also called 'crocodylomorph' whereas the egg-shells of dinosaurs have a 'ripple-shaped' texture. "The eggs are a little bigger than those of crocodylomorph. So we're associating these larger eggs, which are five, with some kind of theropod dinosaur, that is, a carnivorous dinosaur that lived at this point and used it millions of years ago to lay these eggs", Nava said in an interview with g1. How were the eggs preserved for so long? Unearthed in Presidente Prudente city of Brazil's Sao Paulo, the transformation of soil into sandstone over time had a big role in preserving the eggs. Over a course of millions of years, the eggs got covered with layers of sand which turned into sandstone allowing the egg to withstand the test of time." Who knows if in one of these [five] eggs we have a fossilized embryo. It would be super cool, it would be something new for Brazil", Nava was quoted as saying by g1. Here's another ground-breaking discovery of dinosaur egg Earlier in December 2021, scientists in Ganzhou, China had discovered a perfectly preserved embryo of a dinosaur, which was at least 66 million years old. The embryo reportedly belonged to a toothless theropod dinosaur or oviraptorosaur, which is a feathered maniraptoran dinosaur from the Cretaceous Period. Tap here to read more about the discovered fossil. Image: Twitter/@NNivak Our children are dying: Faith-based groups look to heal Chicago amid rising violence 2021 was the most violent year Chicago has experienced since the birth of the 21st century, according to recently released data from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. The office reported 820 homicides in the Windy City in 2021, the highest since 1995, when 828 murders were reported, according to the Sun-Times Media Wire. "We all know this has been a challenging year here in the city of Chicago," said Police Superintendent David Brown on Thursday. "Too many families are reeling from the loss of loved ones due to senseless gun violence ... Too many residents are dealing with the ripple effects of this trauma due to crime in our community." In late November, the Cook County Medical Examiners Office issued a report confirming that the number of homicides in the county had passed 1,000 by the end of Thanksgiving. Of the 1,009 confirmed homicides, 777 of them occurred in Chicago. It was the largest number of murders in the county since 1994, when the office reported 1,141 homicides. In early July, The Chicago Tribune's crime team released data showing that there had been 2,021 shooting victims in the city through July 7, which was 164 more than at the same point in 2020. These and other statistics have led many to call Chicago the pejorative nickname Chiraq, the idea being that some parts of the city are more violent than war-torn countries like Iraq. Pastor Isaac Paintsil, head of Christs Oasis Ministries, a multisite congregation with campuses in and near Chicago, told The Christian Post that the rising violence is horrendous and heartbreaking. At a certain point, how can mothers be grieving and families be grieving, fathers be grieving week after week after week after week?" Paintsil asked. "This is the real challenge that we are having, and the emotional toll on us is just unbelievable." Paintsil is among a number of pastors who connected through a group called the Chicago Pastors Rally, which brings together clergy from across the city to engage in events, such as a prayer rally held every two weeks and breakfasts with local officials. We have what we call the unity torch, said Paintsil, noting that the object symbolizes peace and is comparable to the Olympic torch. It just passes from one church to another. Wherever the torch is located, they spend a certain amount of time in prayer, praying for peace and harmony among our communities and churches. CP reached out to several ministries and faith-based groups to learn more about how the violent crime rate has impacted them and find out what they're doing to improve their city and what they believe needs to be done to bring about sustainable change. Our children are dying Sylvia Bennett-Stone is executive director of the Voices of Black Mothers United, an organization with chapters across the country that seeks to heal crime-ridden communities. The organization is overseen by black mothers and community leaders. It is supported by the Woodson Center, a nonprofit that focuses on improving low-income neighborhoods. Bennett-Stone, whose daughter was killed in a crossfire between two gunmen in 2004, told CP that her organization was in the process of setting up a new chapter in Chicago. "We recruit mothers who have lost children and are well enough and cared enough to go back into the community and make some changes, said Bennett-Stone. "We've lost children to violence, but we also are mothers who are healed. And we believe, we totally believe that if mothers heal, then families heal. And if the family heals, then the community heals." Bennett-Stone says Chicago's problems are multifaceted" and are impacted by drug addiction, gang violence, lack of income and mental illness. "Our children are dying. Its no longer just adults or people who are involved in the violence. It is our babies that are dying. It is our babies that are getting caught in the crossfire, she said. My baby was caught in the crossfire. And its no longer just an issue that's contained in one area. Its everywhere." Pastor Ira Acree, who leads Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago, said his congregation has been devastated by the rising violence in the city and surrounding county. Our community, everybody in our church, they either have someone in their family that has been affected by violence or they know someone personally, whether its a friend or neighbor, who has been impacted, said Acree. We are quite familiar and quite acquainted with the impact of violence." Acree agrees that a myriad of things are driving the rising violence, including a decision by the Chicago Board of Education in 2013 to close 50 schools, the shuttering of multiple mental units, and what he described as disinvestment by powers that be. There's been a cumulative failure in multiple institutions, he said. They have concentrated on building up the North Side and the downtown parts of our city, which are the more affluent areas, and they have left the poor communities out here by themselves." He also cited issues like police reform, telling CP that we are still hoping for that to take place, but there's still an issue with police being trusted in our community." Action and prayer Chicago Pastors Rally member Pastor Joseph Rhoiney of First Progressive Church of Chicago said that member churches are each doing things in their individual locations that they feel are working. The idea is that there is a branch that guides to the root, and the root is faith, hope, and love and peace. And we continue to multiply and magnify that as manifested in different areas, he said. As an example, Rhoiney described an intergenerational buddy system." "We have the young people buddy with somebody. Something happens that they feel unsure about, they can call the buddy," he explained. The buddy system says, Im not in this by myself, he added. Somebody else is partnered with me, and were partnered with another group for this one thing called peace within the community, peace within ourselves. There were also events that included competitions involving mental, physical and spiritual prowess played between younger and older individuals to help get the two generations talking, physically engaging one another. The ultimate goal is to have the connections between the older generation and the younger generation. And every time weve done it, weve had tremendous success with it, continued Rhoiney. Because we see that peace can abide between the two, and the young people can learn to trust the old people, and the old people can see how they can share and receive openly how the young people feel. Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago said his church has an after-school program that aims to keep a lot of children out of harm's way" and offers safe party events on Friday evenings twice a month. Greater St. John Bible Church also coordinates a faith-based first responders training to help with trauma alongside other local congregations, according to Acree. "Although we try to be proactive in these urban communities, until there's a radical change, there will be trauma. And so, we deal with how to respond to violence when it happens, he added. Gun buyback events Some congregations in Chicago and elsewhere have held gun buyback events with the intention of helping to stem the tide of firearms-related violence in the city. These events typically involve people bringing guns to a church and anonymously selling them to the congregation without any questions being asked. In July, the Chicago-based Faith Community of Saint Sabina held a multiday buyback event that saw 123 handguns, 31 rifles and one assault weapon bought in the first two days. The Rev. Michael L. Pfleger of Saint Sabina Church told CP in an interview that they were able to meet and speak to many young brothers to help turn their lives around. We are continuing to try many things to stop this senseless killing, Pfleger said at the time, listing other events centered on this effort, including weekly peace walks and block parties. This is just one more application. Acree of Greater St. John said that while his congregation has done such events in the past, he has had some doubts about their effectiveness. "I'm not a real big fan of it. If the police want to do it, the superintendent wants to do it, I'll try to support them. I've got to give them an opportunity to work his vision for what he believes," said Acree. "I'm certainly not a police officer. I'm not a law enforcement expert. But I personally have my thoughts about how all the good guys are turning in their guns but the thugs still have theirs." Paintsil noted that he was unaware of any of CPRs member churches doing a gun buyback event and felt he could not respond on whether they worked. Boots on the ground Bennett-Stone of Voices of Black Mothers United, told CP that she believes there needs to be more direct engagement between officials and the community. "Based upon my observations, they need to come outside and work with the boots on the ground, Bennett-Stone asserted. Typically, city officials in government agencies engage more with larger organizations. However, larger organizations deal with people that come to them. The boots on the ground go to the people. So they need to look at the real grassroots organizations that [are] going to the neighborhood where it is gang-infested and work with those people; help them, help support those grassroots. Because they are meeting people where they are." Bennett-Stone told CP that houses of worship have a role to play in combating the violence, but stressed that they need to come outside of the walls. Churches have been the guiding light for years in urban communities, she said. However, churches need to come outside of the walls and engage with the community and understand what are the factors, what ministering can be done." Acree echoed the boots on the ground comment, believing that there needs to be more investment in the South Side and West Side, including investment in education. They need to also realize that building up schools is a path out of this trauma that we are in, the mayhem that we're in. Building an education, eliminating schools is not the answer, he said. "I also believe they can build to capacity of these community organizations are there already with boots on the ground. Acree felt that officials tend to fund the outside organizations who come in as the savior." "They give them tons of money, but I think ... they should make a concerted effort to build up the people who are there on the frontlines," he said. Some of these churches have feeding programs, some have afterschool programs, some have mentoring programs. These [are] people that live here, that work here and they are going to be here, for the most part, the pastor added. "They need to learn how to see the importance of building up these home-grown institutions who are going to be here, come what may." Paintsil also believes there needs to be stronger relationships with the faith-based communities." He said one reason we are not able to carry out the work at the degree that we would like to, definitely is finances. I know that quite a lot of support comes in for different things, but I always call the Church the spiritual levy. Because when the levy is breached, everything breaks down, said Paintsil. Rhoiney of First Progressive Church stressed the spiritual need that must be part of the change. He noted that in the Bible, whenever the land was in turmoil, rulers went to the prophets and the Church for help. I think we all need to stand up and say thats what we are, and respond in such a way that affects peace and harmony and goodwill for all men, said Rhoiney. We all carry multiple titles, whether we are editors, writers, reporters, pastors, doctors, engineers, accountants, global communicators, broadcasters, it makes no difference. You are Christians. Your witness should rise inside your office to affect the change for the greater good and the greater community. An African-American voters rights organization is calling for police in Pittsburgh to arrest the individual responsible for the death of a Black man. Despite weeks passing since his death, Pennsylvania State Police have only questioned people in connection with the case. Local station WTAE reports that initially, a 25-year-old white man was detained in connection to the shooting death of a Jamaican immigrant, Peter Bernardo Spencer, 29. Several guns were also retrieved from the location where the unnamed man was taken in by police. Peter Bernardo Spencer (GoFundMe) The Black Political Empowerment Project (BPEP) wants answers regarding why no charges have been filed. Spencer was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds in the western Pennsylvania town of Rockland Township in the early morning hours of Dec. 12, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Police discovered his body in someones front yard. Troopers were alerted of a shooting that occurred between 1 a.m. and 2:26 a.m. On Wednesday, Dec. 29, the Pennsylvania State Police released an initial report but has stated the an ongoing investigation is awaiting additional autopsy results, toxicology reports, ballistic reports and lab results to be submitted. After analysis of the evidence is complete, the Venango County District Attorneys Office will review all reports on the case, and then make a recommendation on charges. The authorities also revealed there was some sort of gathering that involved alcohol and gunplay, and since the original detainment of the 25-year-old white man, three other people were brought in for questioning by troopers. They all were released by the DA pending additional evidence. The investigation will also be continued by the state police Troop E Major Case Team and members of the agencys Heritage Affairs, a section that is responsible for training officers on how to handle hate/biased related crimes. William Anderson, chair of the Allegheny County Democratic Black Caucus, has been working closely with Spencers family since his death and spoke about the trauma this has caused them. Story continues This was a whole family that came to this country seeking a better life and their life is destroyed, he said. It will never be the same this is not America, and I am even further outraged that this is someone that came from another country and was slaughtered, shot nine times. According to Anderson and BPEP CEO Tim Stevens, his fiancee Carmela King dropped him off in Venango County to go hunting with a friend and when she returned to pick him up less than 24 hours later, he was dead. The friend, according to the family, was arrested and claimed that the slaying was self-defense. The BPEP rep said, Which we think is a defenseless defense, an unexplainable defense we cant help but wonder if there was some racial animosity and if this possibly could be a hate crime. This is serious and people need to know they cant do this in Pennsylvania or hopefully anywhere in the nation, he concluded. There is nothing in the information released by police to say that anyone claimed self-defense in the shooting of Spencer. The family has set up two crowdfunding efforts: one to support his memorialization costs, to help start a restaurant in his honor, and another for legal expenses. His sister Tehiliah Spencer wrote in the funeral GoFundMe, My brother Peter Spencer was MURDERED IN COLD BLOOD! She added that the man who invited Spencer camping was a co-worker, who then brought three of his own friends and a girlfriend. All of whom are white, according to Tehiliah. She later described her brother as friendly and outgoing. The other was set up by his fiancee. She shares more details about the last night she saw Spencer. He was invited on a camping trip by a friend on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021, in Venango county, Emlenton Pennsylvania. This invitation ultimately resulted in Peter being shot multiple times while in the presence of five white men. He was the only black individual at the campsite and is being portrayed as the aggressor, she wrote. The Franklin state troopers office will not give Peters family nor myself any information regarding this incident, she continued. We have been turned away several times while trying to reach out for information regarding what happened. In doing so, I am forced to hire a criminal attorney to help investigate the matter and receive justice. In efforts to get justice, Stevens stated to WTAE that they wanted to send a formal note. I found this story beyond tragic we decided that we needed to send a letter to some of the key members that be in Pennsylvania, he said. We are talking six bullets into the chest, two into the buttocks, and one we have a different opinion either through the mouth or from the neck out of the mouth, he continued. The BPEP letter demanding decisive action be taken in this case was sent to various government officials such as U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, the Venango County DAs office and also forwarded the press. We demand the immediate investigation of this murder by the Venango County district attorney, the U.S. attorney general, and the PA state attorney general, and that this murder be considered as a hate crime and an act of domestic terrorism, the letter stated. More news from our partners: I Basically Felt Like They Were Trying to Kidnap Me: L.A. Music Producer Sues LAPD After Neighbor Calls Police on Her White Ex-Boyfriend But Black Man Gets Arrested Instead Finurah Funding Friday: Operation Hope, FedEx, and the New York Public Library Are Offering Up Grants for Small Businesses Top 10 NBA Moments Of 2021| KDs Big Toe, Valley-Oops, Greek Freaks To Kings Disease Washington [US], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): US President Joe Biden has expressed hope that the security guarantees negotiations with Russia will result in significant progress. On late Thursday, Biden held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which the leaders agreed to hold security guarantees talks in three formats: in Vienna, Geneva and Brussels. "Well, I got the sense of it that he's agreed that we would have three major conferences in Europe at the beginning of the middle of the month ... He laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, we laid out ours. I made it clear that they only could work if he deescalated ... Well, I always expect to negotiate and make progress," Biden said on late Friday, as quoted by the White House. (ANI/Sputnik) An African-American voters rights organization is calling for police in Pittsburgh to arrest the individual responsible for the death of a Black man. Despite weeks passing since his death, Pennsylvania State Police have only questioned people in connection with the case. Local station WTAE reports that initially, a 25-year-old white man was detained in connection to the shooting death of a Jamaican immigrant, Peter Bernardo Spencer, 29. Several guns were also retrieved from the location where the unnamed man was taken in by police. Peter Bernardo Spencer (GoFundMe) The Black Political Empowerment Project (BPEP) wants answers regarding why no charges have been filed. Spencer was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds in the western Pennsylvania town of Rockland Township in the early morning hours of Dec. 12, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Police discovered his body in someones front yard. Troopers were alerted of a shooting that occurred between 1 a.m. and 2:26 a.m. On Wednesday, Dec. 29, the Pennsylvania State Police released an initial report but has stated the an ongoing investigation is awaiting additional autopsy results, toxicology reports, ballistic reports and lab results to be submitted. After analysis of the evidence is complete, the Venango County District Attorneys Office will review all reports on the case, and then make a recommendation on charges. The authorities also revealed there was some sort of gathering that involved alcohol and gunplay, and since the original detainment of the 25-year-old white man, three other people were brought in for questioning by troopers. They all were released by the DA pending additional evidence. The investigation will also be continued by the state police Troop E Major Case Team and members of the agencys Heritage Affairs, a section that is responsible for training officers on how to handle hate/biased related crimes. William Anderson, chair of the Allegheny County Democratic Black Caucus, has been working closely with Spencers family since his death and spoke about the trauma this has caused them. Story continues This was a whole family that came to this country seeking a better life and their life is destroyed, he said. It will never be the same this is not America, and I am even further outraged that this is someone that came from another country and was slaughtered, shot nine times. According to Anderson and BPEP CEO Tim Stevens, his fiancee Carmela King dropped him off in Venango County to go hunting with a friend and when she returned to pick him up less than 24 hours later, he was dead. The friend, according to the family, was arrested and claimed that the slaying was self-defense. The BPEP rep said, Which we think is a defenseless defense, an unexplainable defense we cant help but wonder if there was some racial animosity and if this possibly could be a hate crime. This is serious and people need to know they cant do this in Pennsylvania or hopefully anywhere in the nation, he concluded. There is nothing in the information released by police to say that anyone claimed self-defense in the shooting of Spencer. The family has set up two crowdfunding efforts: one to support his memorialization costs, to help start a restaurant in his honor, and another for legal expenses. His sister Tehiliah Spencer wrote in the funeral GoFundMe, My brother Peter Spencer was MURDERED IN COLD BLOOD! She added that the man who invited Spencer camping was a co-worker, who then brought three of his own friends and a girlfriend. All of whom are white, according to Tehiliah. She later described her brother as friendly and outgoing. The other was set up by his fiancee. She shares more details about the last night she saw Spencer. He was invited on a camping trip by a friend on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021, in Venango county, Emlenton Pennsylvania. This invitation ultimately resulted in Peter being shot multiple times while in the presence of five white men. He was the only black individual at the campsite and is being portrayed as the aggressor, she wrote. The Franklin state troopers office will not give Peters family nor myself any information regarding this incident, she continued. We have been turned away several times while trying to reach out for information regarding what happened. In doing so, I am forced to hire a criminal attorney to help investigate the matter and receive justice. In efforts to get justice, Stevens stated to WTAE that they wanted to send a formal note. I found this story beyond tragic we decided that we needed to send a letter to some of the key members that be in Pennsylvania, he said. We are talking six bullets into the chest, two into the buttocks, and one we have a different opinion either through the mouth or from the neck out of the mouth, he continued. The BPEP letter demanding decisive action be taken in this case was sent to various government officials such as U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, the Venango County DAs office and also forwarded the press. We demand the immediate investigation of this murder by the Venango County district attorney, the U.S. attorney general, and the PA state attorney general, and that this murder be considered as a hate crime and an act of domestic terrorism, the letter stated. More news from our partners: I Basically Felt Like They Were Trying to Kidnap Me: L.A. Music Producer Sues LAPD After Neighbor Calls Police on Her White Ex-Boyfriend But Black Man Gets Arrested Instead Finurah Funding Friday: Operation Hope, FedEx, and the New York Public Library Are Offering Up Grants for Small Businesses Top 10 NBA Moments Of 2021| KDs Big Toe, Valley-Oops, Greek Freaks To Kings Disease An African-American voters rights organization is calling for police in Pittsburgh to arrest the individual responsible for the death of a Black man. Despite weeks passing since his death, Pennsylvania State Police have only questioned people in connection with the case. Local station WTAE reports that initially, a 25-year-old white man was detained in connection to the shooting death of a Jamaican immigrant, Peter Bernardo Spencer, 29. Several guns were also retrieved from the location where the unnamed man was taken in by police. Peter Bernardo Spencer (GoFundMe) The Black Political Empowerment Project (BPEP) wants answers regarding why no charges have been filed. Spencer was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds in the western Pennsylvania town of Rockland Township in the early morning hours of Dec. 12, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Police discovered his body in someones front yard. Troopers were alerted of a shooting that occurred between 1 a.m. and 2:26 a.m. On Wednesday, Dec. 29, the Pennsylvania State Police released an initial report but has stated the an ongoing investigation is awaiting additional autopsy results, toxicology reports, ballistic reports and lab results to be submitted. After analysis of the evidence is complete, the Venango County District Attorneys Office will review all reports on the case, and then make a recommendation on charges. The authorities also revealed there was some sort of gathering that involved alcohol and gunplay, and since the original detainment of the 25-year-old white man, three other people were brought in for questioning by troopers. They all were released by the DA pending additional evidence. The investigation will also be continued by the state police Troop E Major Case Team and members of the agencys Heritage Affairs, a section that is responsible for training officers on how to handle hate/biased related crimes. William Anderson, chair of the Allegheny County Democratic Black Caucus, has been working closely with Spencers family since his death and spoke about the trauma this has caused them. Story continues This was a whole family that came to this country seeking a better life and their life is destroyed, he said. It will never be the same this is not America, and I am even further outraged that this is someone that came from another country and was slaughtered, shot nine times. According to Anderson and BPEP CEO Tim Stevens, his fiancee Carmela King dropped him off in Venango County to go hunting with a friend and when she returned to pick him up less than 24 hours later, he was dead. The friend, according to the family, was arrested and claimed that the slaying was self-defense. The BPEP rep said, Which we think is a defenseless defense, an unexplainable defense we cant help but wonder if there was some racial animosity and if this possibly could be a hate crime. This is serious and people need to know they cant do this in Pennsylvania or hopefully anywhere in the nation, he concluded. There is nothing in the information released by police to say that anyone claimed self-defense in the shooting of Spencer. The family has set up two crowdfunding efforts: one to support his memorialization costs, to help start a restaurant in his honor, and another for legal expenses. His sister Tehiliah Spencer wrote in the funeral GoFundMe, My brother Peter Spencer was MURDERED IN COLD BLOOD! She added that the man who invited Spencer camping was a co-worker, who then brought three of his own friends and a girlfriend. All of whom are white, according to Tehiliah. She later described her brother as friendly and outgoing. The other was set up by his fiancee. She shares more details about the last night she saw Spencer. He was invited on a camping trip by a friend on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021, in Venango county, Emlenton Pennsylvania. This invitation ultimately resulted in Peter being shot multiple times while in the presence of five white men. He was the only black individual at the campsite and is being portrayed as the aggressor, she wrote. The Franklin state troopers office will not give Peters family nor myself any information regarding this incident, she continued. We have been turned away several times while trying to reach out for information regarding what happened. In doing so, I am forced to hire a criminal attorney to help investigate the matter and receive justice. In efforts to get justice, Stevens stated to WTAE that they wanted to send a formal note. I found this story beyond tragic we decided that we needed to send a letter to some of the key members that be in Pennsylvania, he said. We are talking six bullets into the chest, two into the buttocks, and one we have a different opinion either through the mouth or from the neck out of the mouth, he continued. The BPEP letter demanding decisive action be taken in this case was sent to various government officials such as U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, the Venango County DAs office and also forwarded the press. We demand the immediate investigation of this murder by the Venango County district attorney, the U.S. attorney general, and the PA state attorney general, and that this murder be considered as a hate crime and an act of domestic terrorism, the letter stated. More news from our partners: I Basically Felt Like They Were Trying to Kidnap Me: L.A. Music Producer Sues LAPD After Neighbor Calls Police on Her White Ex-Boyfriend But Black Man Gets Arrested Instead Finurah Funding Friday: Operation Hope, FedEx, and the New York Public Library Are Offering Up Grants for Small Businesses Top 10 NBA Moments Of 2021| KDs Big Toe, Valley-Oops, Greek Freaks To Kings Disease An African-American voters rights organization is calling for police in Pittsburgh to arrest the individual responsible for the death of a Black man. Despite weeks passing since his death, Pennsylvania State Police have only questioned people in connection with the case. Local station WTAE reports that initially, a 25-year-old white man was detained in connection to the shooting death of a Jamaican immigrant, Peter Bernardo Spencer, 29. Several guns were also retrieved from the location where the unnamed man was taken in by police. Peter Bernardo Spencer (GoFundMe) The Black Political Empowerment Project (BPEP) wants answers regarding why no charges have been filed. Spencer was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds in the western Pennsylvania town of Rockland Township in the early morning hours of Dec. 12, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Police discovered his body in someones front yard. Troopers were alerted of a shooting that occurred between 1 a.m. and 2:26 a.m. On Wednesday, Dec. 29, the Pennsylvania State Police released an initial report but has stated the an ongoing investigation is awaiting additional autopsy results, toxicology reports, ballistic reports and lab results to be submitted. After analysis of the evidence is complete, the Venango County District Attorneys Office will review all reports on the case, and then make a recommendation on charges. The authorities also revealed there was some sort of gathering that involved alcohol and gunplay, and since the original detainment of the 25-year-old white man, three other people were brought in for questioning by troopers. They all were released by the DA pending additional evidence. The investigation will also be continued by the state police Troop E Major Case Team and members of the agencys Heritage Affairs, a section that is responsible for training officers on how to handle hate/biased related crimes. William Anderson, chair of the Allegheny County Democratic Black Caucus, has been working closely with Spencers family since his death and spoke about the trauma this has caused them. Story continues This was a whole family that came to this country seeking a better life and their life is destroyed, he said. It will never be the same this is not America, and I am even further outraged that this is someone that came from another country and was slaughtered, shot nine times. According to Anderson and BPEP CEO Tim Stevens, his fiancee Carmela King dropped him off in Venango County to go hunting with a friend and when she returned to pick him up less than 24 hours later, he was dead. The friend, according to the family, was arrested and claimed that the slaying was self-defense. The BPEP rep said, Which we think is a defenseless defense, an unexplainable defense we cant help but wonder if there was some racial animosity and if this possibly could be a hate crime. This is serious and people need to know they cant do this in Pennsylvania or hopefully anywhere in the nation, he concluded. There is nothing in the information released by police to say that anyone claimed self-defense in the shooting of Spencer. The family has set up two crowdfunding efforts: one to support his memorialization costs, to help start a restaurant in his honor, and another for legal expenses. His sister Tehiliah Spencer wrote in the funeral GoFundMe, My brother Peter Spencer was MURDERED IN COLD BLOOD! She added that the man who invited Spencer camping was a co-worker, who then brought three of his own friends and a girlfriend. All of whom are white, according to Tehiliah. She later described her brother as friendly and outgoing. The other was set up by his fiancee. She shares more details about the last night she saw Spencer. He was invited on a camping trip by a friend on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021, in Venango county, Emlenton Pennsylvania. This invitation ultimately resulted in Peter being shot multiple times while in the presence of five white men. He was the only black individual at the campsite and is being portrayed as the aggressor, she wrote. The Franklin state troopers office will not give Peters family nor myself any information regarding this incident, she continued. We have been turned away several times while trying to reach out for information regarding what happened. In doing so, I am forced to hire a criminal attorney to help investigate the matter and receive justice. In efforts to get justice, Stevens stated to WTAE that they wanted to send a formal note. I found this story beyond tragic we decided that we needed to send a letter to some of the key members that be in Pennsylvania, he said. We are talking six bullets into the chest, two into the buttocks, and one we have a different opinion either through the mouth or from the neck out of the mouth, he continued. The BPEP letter demanding decisive action be taken in this case was sent to various government officials such as U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, the Venango County DAs office and also forwarded the press. We demand the immediate investigation of this murder by the Venango County district attorney, the U.S. attorney general, and the PA state attorney general, and that this murder be considered as a hate crime and an act of domestic terrorism, the letter stated. More news from our partners: I Basically Felt Like They Were Trying to Kidnap Me: L.A. Music Producer Sues LAPD After Neighbor Calls Police on Her White Ex-Boyfriend But Black Man Gets Arrested Instead Finurah Funding Friday: Operation Hope, FedEx, and the New York Public Library Are Offering Up Grants for Small Businesses Top 10 NBA Moments Of 2021| KDs Big Toe, Valley-Oops, Greek Freaks To Kings Disease The first baby born at a Bismarck hospital in 2022 waited until just after midnight to make her arrival in the new year. Jo'halaniJane Wolford was born at 12:11 a.m. Saturday to parents Jeannyann Dejapa and Joel Wolford. Dejapa said her labor did not last long, and the experience at Sanford Medical Center in Bismarck was different than in Guam, where she's had her previous children. In Guam, she took medication that caused her to sleep while giving birth. That wasn't the case here with Jo'halaniJane. "When she came out, they were like, 'Do you want her on your chest?'" she said. "It was really a happy feeling." The family moved last August from Guam to Bismarck, where they have relatives. Dejapa said Jo'halaniJane's siblings met her via video chat Saturday morning, as they are staying with relatives. "They were so quiet at first and then they were excited knowing that I gave birth already," she said. "Now they want to come and see her." The young children, including two brothers and a sister, will get to meet their new sister when Dejapa and Wolford bring her home from the hospital. Jo'halaniJane also has another brother who died. Jo'halaniJane is 7 pounds, 3 ounces with a height of 20 inches. Palaeontologists, who discovered a nest of five eggs that got buried in loose sediment some 60 to 80 million years ago, have finally confirmed the origins of the fossils. Discovered by a research team in Brazil last year, the fossilized eggs were initially believed to have belonged to crocodiles, however, a deeper study has shed a different light. According to lead researcher William Roberto Nava, the eggs have a thick shell and were too large to be that of crocodiles and confirmed that the eggs belong to carnivorous dinosaurs. The expert from the Paleontological Museum in Marilia also revealed that the eggs of dinosaurs and crocodiles also differ in size as the former measure four to five inches long and two to three inches wide whereas the latter measure no longer than three inches. Moreover, he said that a porous or smooth texture is a characteristic associated with the eggs of prehistoric crocodiles also called 'crocodylomorph' whereas the egg-shells of dinosaurs have a 'ripple-shaped' texture. "The eggs are a little bigger than those of crocodylomorph. So we're associating these larger eggs, which are five, with some kind of theropod dinosaur, that is, a carnivorous dinosaur that lived at this point and used it millions of years ago to lay these eggs", Nava said in an interview with g1. How were the eggs preserved for so long? Unearthed in Presidente Prudente city of Brazil's Sao Paulo, the transformation of soil into sandstone over time had a big role in preserving the eggs. Over a course of millions of years, the eggs got covered with layers of sand which turned into sandstone allowing the egg to withstand the test of time." Who knows if in one of these [five] eggs we have a fossilized embryo. It would be super cool, it would be something new for Brazil", Nava was quoted as saying by g1. Here's another ground-breaking discovery of dinosaur egg Earlier in December 2021, scientists in Ganzhou, China had discovered a perfectly preserved embryo of a dinosaur, which was at least 66 million years old. The embryo reportedly belonged to a toothless theropod dinosaur or oviraptorosaur, which is a feathered maniraptoran dinosaur from the Cretaceous Period. Tap here to read more about the discovered fossil. Image: Twitter/@NNivak As restaurants and retail customers have started buying beef heading into summer, the wholesale market has been extremely tight, the analysts for Daily Livestock Report wrote in a report released on Tuesday. They noted that a small restaurant in southern Utah had started to charge an extra $4 for dishes that contained carne asada. Retailers and beef processors are coming from a long weekend and need to catch up with orders and make sure to fill the meat case, the analysts wrote. If they suddenly get a call saying that product may not deliver tomorrow or this week, it will create very significant challenges in keeping plants in operation and the retail case stocked up. An extended disruption, the analysts warned, could add gasoline to an already large flame. JBS has said that it was the target of an organized cybersecurity attack that affected systems in North America and Australia, that its backup servers were not affected and that it did not expect that any customer, supplier or employee data was exposed. Karine Jean-Pierre, a White House deputy press secretary, told reporters on Air Force One on Tuesday that JBS had told the Biden administration that it was a ransomware attack, and that the ransom demand had come from a criminal organization likely based in Russia. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was investigating the hack, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency was also involved, Ms. Jean-Pierre said. The White House is engaging directly with the Russian government on this matter and delivering the message that responsible states do not harbor ransomware criminals, she said. As restaurants and retail customers have started buying beef heading into summer, the wholesale market has been extremely tight, the analysts for Daily Livestock Report wrote in a report released on Tuesday. They noted that a small restaurant in southern Utah had started to charge an extra $4 for dishes that contained carne asada. Retailers and beef processors are coming from a long weekend and need to catch up with orders and make sure to fill the meat case, the analysts wrote. If they suddenly get a call saying that product may not deliver tomorrow or this week, it will create very significant challenges in keeping plants in operation and the retail case stocked up. An extended disruption, the analysts warned, could add gasoline to an already large flame. JBS has said that it was the target of an organized cybersecurity attack that affected systems in North America and Australia, that its backup servers were not affected and that it did not expect that any customer, supplier or employee data was exposed. Karine Jean-Pierre, a White House deputy press secretary, told reporters on Air Force One on Tuesday that JBS had told the Biden administration that it was a ransomware attack, and that the ransom demand had come from a criminal organization likely based in Russia. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was investigating the hack, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency was also involved, Ms. Jean-Pierre said. The White House is engaging directly with the Russian government on this matter and delivering the message that responsible states do not harbor ransomware criminals, she said. As restaurants and retail customers have started buying beef heading into summer, the wholesale market has been extremely tight, the analysts for Daily Livestock Report wrote in a report released on Tuesday. They noted that a small restaurant in southern Utah had started to charge an extra $4 for dishes that contained carne asada. Retailers and beef processors are coming from a long weekend and need to catch up with orders and make sure to fill the meat case, the analysts wrote. If they suddenly get a call saying that product may not deliver tomorrow or this week, it will create very significant challenges in keeping plants in operation and the retail case stocked up. An extended disruption, the analysts warned, could add gasoline to an already large flame. JBS has said that it was the target of an organized cybersecurity attack that affected systems in North America and Australia, that its backup servers were not affected and that it did not expect that any customer, supplier or employee data was exposed. Karine Jean-Pierre, a White House deputy press secretary, told reporters on Air Force One on Tuesday that JBS had told the Biden administration that it was a ransomware attack, and that the ransom demand had come from a criminal organization likely based in Russia. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was investigating the hack, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency was also involved, Ms. Jean-Pierre said. The White House is engaging directly with the Russian government on this matter and delivering the message that responsible states do not harbor ransomware criminals, she said. As restaurants and retail customers have started buying beef heading into summer, the wholesale market has been extremely tight, the analysts for Daily Livestock Report wrote in a report released on Tuesday. They noted that a small restaurant in southern Utah had started to charge an extra $4 for dishes that contained carne asada. Retailers and beef processors are coming from a long weekend and need to catch up with orders and make sure to fill the meat case, the analysts wrote. If they suddenly get a call saying that product may not deliver tomorrow or this week, it will create very significant challenges in keeping plants in operation and the retail case stocked up. An extended disruption, the analysts warned, could add gasoline to an already large flame. JBS has said that it was the target of an organized cybersecurity attack that affected systems in North America and Australia, that its backup servers were not affected and that it did not expect that any customer, supplier or employee data was exposed. Karine Jean-Pierre, a White House deputy press secretary, told reporters on Air Force One on Tuesday that JBS had told the Biden administration that it was a ransomware attack, and that the ransom demand had come from a criminal organization likely based in Russia. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was investigating the hack, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency was also involved, Ms. Jean-Pierre said. The White House is engaging directly with the Russian government on this matter and delivering the message that responsible states do not harbor ransomware criminals, she said. Washington [US], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): US President Joe Biden has expressed hope that the security guarantees negotiations with Russia will result in significant progress. On late Thursday, Biden held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which the leaders agreed to hold security guarantees talks in three formats: in Vienna, Geneva and Brussels. "Well, I got the sense of it that he's agreed that we would have three major conferences in Europe at the beginning of the middle of the month ... He laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, we laid out ours. I made it clear that they only could work if he deescalated ... Well, I always expect to negotiate and make progress," Biden said on late Friday, as quoted by the White House. (ANI/Sputnik) Funding from Nelligan MNA Monsef Derraji to help with expansion of compassionate community initiatives in the West Island BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. Astronaut Zhai Zhigang, the commander of the Shenzhou-13 mission, shared his experience with the young people and encouraged them to overcome difficulties and dangers. "No matter how far we fly, the motherland is forever our strongest supporter. Love for the country always inspires us in space flights," Zhai said. Astronaut Wang Yaping expressed hope that the live class from Tiangong could guide more young people to look up at the stars and plant the seeds of "loving science, pursuing dreams and exploring the unknown" in their hearts. Wang earned the title of China's first space teacher after delivering a televised science lecture during the Shenzhou-10 space mission in June 2013. While in the Shenzhou-13 mission, she and the other two crew members also gave a lecture in Tiangong in December 2021. As China's national space laboratory, the space station Tiangong is expected to play a unique role in encouraging the public, especially the youth, to explore space and carry forward the scientific spirit. "Despite being weightless in space, we feel firmly grounded at heart," said astronaut Ye Guangfu, a newcomer to space. With the support of space professionals, painstaking trainings, and valuable experience from aerospace predecessors, Ye said that they have the confidence, determination and ability to accomplish the mission. During the video talk, the trio also showed the people on the ground around a painting exhibition in the space station. Around 20 paintings drawn by teenagers from central and western China were displayed in the exhibition. The activity, co-hosted by the Hong Kong SAR government, the Macao SAR government, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong SAR, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao SAR, the China Manned Space Agency and the China Media Group, was broadcast live. The three astronauts went into space onboard the Shenzhou-13 spaceship and entered the space station on Oct. 16, embarking on the country's longest crewed mission for space station construction. Enditem BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. Astronaut Zhai Zhigang, the commander of the Shenzhou-13 mission, shared his experience with the young people and encouraged them to overcome difficulties and dangers. "No matter how far we fly, the motherland is forever our strongest supporter. Love for the country always inspires us in space flights," Zhai said. Astronaut Wang Yaping expressed hope that the live class from Tiangong could guide more young people to look up at the stars and plant the seeds of "loving science, pursuing dreams and exploring the unknown" in their hearts. Wang earned the title of China's first space teacher after delivering a televised science lecture during the Shenzhou-10 space mission in June 2013. While in the Shenzhou-13 mission, she and the other two crew members also gave a lecture in Tiangong in December 2021. As China's national space laboratory, the space station Tiangong is expected to play a unique role in encouraging the public, especially the youth, to explore space and carry forward the scientific spirit. "Despite being weightless in space, we feel firmly grounded at heart," said astronaut Ye Guangfu, a newcomer to space. With the support of space professionals, painstaking trainings, and valuable experience from aerospace predecessors, Ye said that they have the confidence, determination and ability to accomplish the mission. During the video talk, the trio also showed the people on the ground around a painting exhibition in the space station. Around 20 paintings drawn by teenagers from central and western China were displayed in the exhibition. The activity, co-hosted by the Hong Kong SAR government, the Macao SAR government, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong SAR, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao SAR, the China Manned Space Agency and the China Media Group, was broadcast live. The three astronauts went into space onboard the Shenzhou-13 spaceship and entered the space station on Oct. 16, embarking on the country's longest crewed mission for space station construction. Enditem BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. Astronaut Zhai Zhigang, the commander of the Shenzhou-13 mission, shared his experience with the young people and encouraged them to overcome difficulties and dangers. "No matter how far we fly, the motherland is forever our strongest supporter. Love for the country always inspires us in space flights," Zhai said. Astronaut Wang Yaping expressed hope that the live class from Tiangong could guide more young people to look up at the stars and plant the seeds of "loving science, pursuing dreams and exploring the unknown" in their hearts. Wang earned the title of China's first space teacher after delivering a televised science lecture during the Shenzhou-10 space mission in June 2013. While in the Shenzhou-13 mission, she and the other two crew members also gave a lecture in Tiangong in December 2021. As China's national space laboratory, the space station Tiangong is expected to play a unique role in encouraging the public, especially the youth, to explore space and carry forward the scientific spirit. "Despite being weightless in space, we feel firmly grounded at heart," said astronaut Ye Guangfu, a newcomer to space. With the support of space professionals, painstaking trainings, and valuable experience from aerospace predecessors, Ye said that they have the confidence, determination and ability to accomplish the mission. During the video talk, the trio also showed the people on the ground around a painting exhibition in the space station. Around 20 paintings drawn by teenagers from central and western China were displayed in the exhibition. The activity, co-hosted by the Hong Kong SAR government, the Macao SAR government, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong SAR, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao SAR, the China Manned Space Agency and the China Media Group, was broadcast live. The three astronauts went into space onboard the Shenzhou-13 spaceship and entered the space station on Oct. 16, embarking on the country's longest crewed mission for space station construction. Enditem Our children are dying: Faith-based groups look to heal Chicago amid rising violence 2021 was the most violent year Chicago has experienced since the birth of the 21st century, according to recently released data from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. The office reported 820 homicides in the Windy City in 2021, the highest since 1995, when 828 murders were reported, according to the Sun-Times Media Wire. "We all know this has been a challenging year here in the city of Chicago," said Police Superintendent David Brown on Thursday. "Too many families are reeling from the loss of loved ones due to senseless gun violence ... Too many residents are dealing with the ripple effects of this trauma due to crime in our community." In late November, the Cook County Medical Examiners Office issued a report confirming that the number of homicides in the county had passed 1,000 by the end of Thanksgiving. Of the 1,009 confirmed homicides, 777 of them occurred in Chicago. It was the largest number of murders in the county since 1994, when the office reported 1,141 homicides. In early July, The Chicago Tribune's crime team released data showing that there had been 2,021 shooting victims in the city through July 7, which was 164 more than at the same point in 2020. These and other statistics have led many to call Chicago the pejorative nickname Chiraq, the idea being that some parts of the city are more violent than war-torn countries like Iraq. Pastor Isaac Paintsil, head of Christs Oasis Ministries, a multisite congregation with campuses in and near Chicago, told The Christian Post that the rising violence is horrendous and heartbreaking. At a certain point, how can mothers be grieving and families be grieving, fathers be grieving week after week after week after week?" Paintsil asked. "This is the real challenge that we are having, and the emotional toll on us is just unbelievable." Paintsil is among a number of pastors who connected through a group called the Chicago Pastors Rally, which brings together clergy from across the city to engage in events, such as a prayer rally held every two weeks and breakfasts with local officials. We have what we call the unity torch, said Paintsil, noting that the object symbolizes peace and is comparable to the Olympic torch. It just passes from one church to another. Wherever the torch is located, they spend a certain amount of time in prayer, praying for peace and harmony among our communities and churches. CP reached out to several ministries and faith-based groups to learn more about how the violent crime rate has impacted them and find out what they're doing to improve their city and what they believe needs to be done to bring about sustainable change. Our children are dying Sylvia Bennett-Stone is executive director of the Voices of Black Mothers United, an organization with chapters across the country that seeks to heal crime-ridden communities. The organization is overseen by black mothers and community leaders. It is supported by the Woodson Center, a nonprofit that focuses on improving low-income neighborhoods. Bennett-Stone, whose daughter was killed in a crossfire between two gunmen in 2004, told CP that her organization was in the process of setting up a new chapter in Chicago. "We recruit mothers who have lost children and are well enough and cared enough to go back into the community and make some changes, said Bennett-Stone. "We've lost children to violence, but we also are mothers who are healed. And we believe, we totally believe that if mothers heal, then families heal. And if the family heals, then the community heals." Bennett-Stone says Chicago's problems are multifaceted" and are impacted by drug addiction, gang violence, lack of income and mental illness. "Our children are dying. Its no longer just adults or people who are involved in the violence. It is our babies that are dying. It is our babies that are getting caught in the crossfire, she said. My baby was caught in the crossfire. And its no longer just an issue that's contained in one area. Its everywhere." Pastor Ira Acree, who leads Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago, said his congregation has been devastated by the rising violence in the city and surrounding county. Our community, everybody in our church, they either have someone in their family that has been affected by violence or they know someone personally, whether its a friend or neighbor, who has been impacted, said Acree. We are quite familiar and quite acquainted with the impact of violence." Acree agrees that a myriad of things are driving the rising violence, including a decision by the Chicago Board of Education in 2013 to close 50 schools, the shuttering of multiple mental units, and what he described as disinvestment by powers that be. There's been a cumulative failure in multiple institutions, he said. They have concentrated on building up the North Side and the downtown parts of our city, which are the more affluent areas, and they have left the poor communities out here by themselves." He also cited issues like police reform, telling CP that we are still hoping for that to take place, but there's still an issue with police being trusted in our community." Action and prayer Chicago Pastors Rally member Pastor Joseph Rhoiney of First Progressive Church of Chicago said that member churches are each doing things in their individual locations that they feel are working. The idea is that there is a branch that guides to the root, and the root is faith, hope, and love and peace. And we continue to multiply and magnify that as manifested in different areas, he said. As an example, Rhoiney described an intergenerational buddy system." "We have the young people buddy with somebody. Something happens that they feel unsure about, they can call the buddy," he explained. The buddy system says, Im not in this by myself, he added. Somebody else is partnered with me, and were partnered with another group for this one thing called peace within the community, peace within ourselves. There were also events that included competitions involving mental, physical and spiritual prowess played between younger and older individuals to help get the two generations talking, physically engaging one another. The ultimate goal is to have the connections between the older generation and the younger generation. And every time weve done it, weve had tremendous success with it, continued Rhoiney. Because we see that peace can abide between the two, and the young people can learn to trust the old people, and the old people can see how they can share and receive openly how the young people feel. Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago said his church has an after-school program that aims to keep a lot of children out of harm's way" and offers safe party events on Friday evenings twice a month. Greater St. John Bible Church also coordinates a faith-based first responders training to help with trauma alongside other local congregations, according to Acree. "Although we try to be proactive in these urban communities, until there's a radical change, there will be trauma. And so, we deal with how to respond to violence when it happens, he added. Gun buyback events Some congregations in Chicago and elsewhere have held gun buyback events with the intention of helping to stem the tide of firearms-related violence in the city. These events typically involve people bringing guns to a church and anonymously selling them to the congregation without any questions being asked. In July, the Chicago-based Faith Community of Saint Sabina held a multiday buyback event that saw 123 handguns, 31 rifles and one assault weapon bought in the first two days. The Rev. Michael L. Pfleger of Saint Sabina Church told CP in an interview that they were able to meet and speak to many young brothers to help turn their lives around. We are continuing to try many things to stop this senseless killing, Pfleger said at the time, listing other events centered on this effort, including weekly peace walks and block parties. This is just one more application. Acree of Greater St. John said that while his congregation has done such events in the past, he has had some doubts about their effectiveness. "I'm not a real big fan of it. If the police want to do it, the superintendent wants to do it, I'll try to support them. I've got to give them an opportunity to work his vision for what he believes," said Acree. "I'm certainly not a police officer. I'm not a law enforcement expert. But I personally have my thoughts about how all the good guys are turning in their guns but the thugs still have theirs." Paintsil noted that he was unaware of any of CPRs member churches doing a gun buyback event and felt he could not respond on whether they worked. Boots on the ground Bennett-Stone of Voices of Black Mothers United, told CP that she believes there needs to be more direct engagement between officials and the community. "Based upon my observations, they need to come outside and work with the boots on the ground, Bennett-Stone asserted. Typically, city officials in government agencies engage more with larger organizations. However, larger organizations deal with people that come to them. The boots on the ground go to the people. So they need to look at the real grassroots organizations that [are] going to the neighborhood where it is gang-infested and work with those people; help them, help support those grassroots. Because they are meeting people where they are." Bennett-Stone told CP that houses of worship have a role to play in combating the violence, but stressed that they need to come outside of the walls. Churches have been the guiding light for years in urban communities, she said. However, churches need to come outside of the walls and engage with the community and understand what are the factors, what ministering can be done." Acree echoed the boots on the ground comment, believing that there needs to be more investment in the South Side and West Side, including investment in education. They need to also realize that building up schools is a path out of this trauma that we are in, the mayhem that we're in. Building an education, eliminating schools is not the answer, he said. "I also believe they can build to capacity of these community organizations are there already with boots on the ground. Acree felt that officials tend to fund the outside organizations who come in as the savior." "They give them tons of money, but I think ... they should make a concerted effort to build up the people who are there on the frontlines," he said. Some of these churches have feeding programs, some have afterschool programs, some have mentoring programs. These [are] people that live here, that work here and they are going to be here, for the most part, the pastor added. "They need to learn how to see the importance of building up these home-grown institutions who are going to be here, come what may." Paintsil also believes there needs to be stronger relationships with the faith-based communities." He said one reason we are not able to carry out the work at the degree that we would like to, definitely is finances. I know that quite a lot of support comes in for different things, but I always call the Church the spiritual levy. Because when the levy is breached, everything breaks down, said Paintsil. Rhoiney of First Progressive Church stressed the spiritual need that must be part of the change. He noted that in the Bible, whenever the land was in turmoil, rulers went to the prophets and the Church for help. I think we all need to stand up and say thats what we are, and respond in such a way that affects peace and harmony and goodwill for all men, said Rhoiney. We all carry multiple titles, whether we are editors, writers, reporters, pastors, doctors, engineers, accountants, global communicators, broadcasters, it makes no difference. You are Christians. Your witness should rise inside your office to affect the change for the greater good and the greater community. According to police, the arrested SDPI workers Zafar and Navaz were directly involved in the murder of Sreenivasan. Both the accused were taken into police custody from Perumbavoor. So far, nine persons have been arrested in connection with the murder. Of the nine, seven were arrested earlier. Renjith Sreenivasan was hacked to death in Alappuzha district on December 19 following the murder of SDPI state secretary KS Shaan a day earlier. According to the police, Shaan was on a two-wheeler when a gang in a car attacked him on Saturday night. SDPI has alleged that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers are behind this attack. On November 15, an RSS worker S Sanjith was hacked to death allegedly by the workers of the SDPI, the political wing of the Popular Front of India. (ANI) According to police, the arrested SDPI workers Zafar and Navaz were directly involved in the murder of Sreenivasan. Both the accused were taken into police custody from Perumbavoor. So far, nine persons have been arrested in connection with the murder. Of the nine, seven were arrested earlier. Renjith Sreenivasan was hacked to death in Alappuzha district on December 19 following the murder of SDPI state secretary KS Shaan a day earlier. According to the police, Shaan was on a two-wheeler when a gang in a car attacked him on Saturday night. SDPI has alleged that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers are behind this attack. On November 15, an RSS worker S Sanjith was hacked to death allegedly by the workers of the SDPI, the political wing of the Popular Front of India. (ANI) A woman is being sought after authorities said she shot three people on New Year's Eve in an armed robbery near a home in an unincorporated area near North Charleston. Deputies were sent about 9 p.m. to a residence in a mobile home park off the 7500 block of Tedder Street after the shooting, according to Charleston County sheriff's spokesman Andrew Knapp. He said witnesses told deputies the woman went to the residence and demanded money before opening fire. Three people were struck by the gunfire. They were taken to a hospital with wounds that were not considered life-threatening. Police dogs and their handlers searched the area but could not find the woman, who was described as wearing a black sweatshirt and camo pants. Detectives are investigating and had no suspects by the morning of Jan. 1. Knapp said anyone with information on the case can call the Sheriffs Office at 843-743-7200 or Crime Stoppers at 843-554-1111. According to police, the arrested SDPI workers Zafar and Navaz were directly involved in the murder of Sreenivasan. Both the accused were taken into police custody from Perumbavoor. So far, nine persons have been arrested in connection with the murder. Of the nine, seven were arrested earlier. Renjith Sreenivasan was hacked to death in Alappuzha district on December 19 following the murder of SDPI state secretary KS Shaan a day earlier. According to the police, Shaan was on a two-wheeler when a gang in a car attacked him on Saturday night. SDPI has alleged that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers are behind this attack. On November 15, an RSS worker S Sanjith was hacked to death allegedly by the workers of the SDPI, the political wing of the Popular Front of India. (ANI) As restaurants and retail customers have started buying beef heading into summer, the wholesale market has been extremely tight, the analysts for Daily Livestock Report wrote in a report released on Tuesday. They noted that a small restaurant in southern Utah had started to charge an extra $4 for dishes that contained carne asada. Retailers and beef processors are coming from a long weekend and need to catch up with orders and make sure to fill the meat case, the analysts wrote. If they suddenly get a call saying that product may not deliver tomorrow or this week, it will create very significant challenges in keeping plants in operation and the retail case stocked up. An extended disruption, the analysts warned, could add gasoline to an already large flame. JBS has said that it was the target of an organized cybersecurity attack that affected systems in North America and Australia, that its backup servers were not affected and that it did not expect that any customer, supplier or employee data was exposed. Karine Jean-Pierre, a White House deputy press secretary, told reporters on Air Force One on Tuesday that JBS had told the Biden administration that it was a ransomware attack, and that the ransom demand had come from a criminal organization likely based in Russia. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was investigating the hack, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency was also involved, Ms. Jean-Pierre said. The White House is engaging directly with the Russian government on this matter and delivering the message that responsible states do not harbor ransomware criminals, she said. Washington [US], January 1 (ANI/Sputnik): US President Joe Biden has expressed hope that the security guarantees negotiations with Russia will result in significant progress. On late Thursday, Biden held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which the leaders agreed to hold security guarantees talks in three formats: in Vienna, Geneva and Brussels. "Well, I got the sense of it that he's agreed that we would have three major conferences in Europe at the beginning of the middle of the month ... He laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, we laid out ours. I made it clear that they only could work if he deescalated ... Well, I always expect to negotiate and make progress," Biden said on late Friday, as quoted by the White House. (ANI/Sputnik) As restaurants and retail customers have started buying beef heading into summer, the wholesale market has been extremely tight, the analysts for Daily Livestock Report wrote in a report released on Tuesday. They noted that a small restaurant in southern Utah had started to charge an extra $4 for dishes that contained carne asada. Retailers and beef processors are coming from a long weekend and need to catch up with orders and make sure to fill the meat case, the analysts wrote. If they suddenly get a call saying that product may not deliver tomorrow or this week, it will create very significant challenges in keeping plants in operation and the retail case stocked up. An extended disruption, the analysts warned, could add gasoline to an already large flame. JBS has said that it was the target of an organized cybersecurity attack that affected systems in North America and Australia, that its backup servers were not affected and that it did not expect that any customer, supplier or employee data was exposed. Karine Jean-Pierre, a White House deputy press secretary, told reporters on Air Force One on Tuesday that JBS had told the Biden administration that it was a ransomware attack, and that the ransom demand had come from a criminal organization likely based in Russia. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was investigating the hack, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency was also involved, Ms. Jean-Pierre said. The White House is engaging directly with the Russian government on this matter and delivering the message that responsible states do not harbor ransomware criminals, she said. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Crime operations have even used the Essex tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities, says a report by the Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. The phone rang in the middle of the night at a small apartment on the outskirts of London, waking Tim Tran as he was sleeping. But what the caller on the other end of the line relayed, woke him from his daze immediately and he got ready to go to work. Tim Tran, a pseudonym he has asked RFA to use to protect his identify, has lived in the United Kingdom for several decades. For the past seven years, he has provided support for Englands social services and the police in cases involving victims of human trafficking from Vietnam. That early morning, staff from Britains Department of Health and Social Care told him two boys from Vietnam had been arrested at Londons Heathrow Airport. Tran was asked to come to the office to assist with the case. When I arrived, there were the police, social care officers and others. The two boys were so relieved when I entered the room, because they could see I was Vietnamese. They only spoke a couple of words of English, he said. They were sweet and friendly, about 15 years of age, Tran recounted. They had arrived on a flight in the middle of the night, but instead of getting their luggage and exiting the airport, they hung around with seemingly nowhere to go. When customs approached and questioned them, they couldnt answer. Tran interviewed the boys and noted one important detail: The boys did not travel alone. The two boys said they posed as children of a Vietnamese diplomat to travel by plane to England. All three had visas from the British government to legally enter at Heathrow airport. They said once they arrived, the diplomat who posed as their dad took all their documents and disappeared. By 2018 the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45 percent (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims, according to data from the U.K. Ministry of Justice. Credit: AFP Policies and treatment of minors In 2009, the U.K. expanded its Children Act 2004 and enacted a new law under the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act to add the U.K. Border Agency to the list of government bodies required to safeguard and promote the welfare of unaccompanied minors. The case of the two boys found at Heathrow would end up being adjudicated as a case of human trafficking. The children were placed in foster care and allowed to stay in Great Britain. The U.K. Childrens Act (of 2004) makes it very clear that it does not matter if the child is a victim of human trafficking or a victim of domestic violence, or whatever. The blame for the illegal action lies at the feet of the adults. The British government considers the children innocent. Thats what makes England progressive and its admirable, said Tim Tran. Maybe its because of this act that so many people choose to come to the U.K.? he pondered. According to data from the Ministry of Justice, in 2010 there were 187 victims of human trafficking who were minors, representing about a quarter of the total number (710) of trafficked people in the U.K. By 2018, the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45% (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims. But experts say the true number of victims, and likely the proportion of child victims, is much higher. The Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) in a 2016 review of Britains efforts to fight modern slavery highlighted a persistent phenomenon among minors, similar of the incident Tim Tran described at Heathrow airport: A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities. It was a way for smugglers to get people into the country, Tran explained. Then theyd pick up the kids from the shelter home or wherever they were placed, and continue the journey they had originally planned. Migrants are brought ashore by RNLI Lifeboat staff, police officers and Border Force staff, after having crossed the channel, in Dungeness, Britain, Nov. 24, 2021. Credit: Reuters Trafficking victims persecuted as perpetrators A migrant who is connecting with smuggling rings to help him or her cross borders illegally might be seen as a willing participant of a crime. In the eyes of many, including the laws of various countries, they can still be seen as perpetrators, even when they have been exploited or abused, says Kevin Hyland, a former independent anti-slavery commissioner for the U.K. He now is a member of GRETA. They're looked upon as illegal immigrants and therefore are dealt with in a very robust way, for example with deportation, he said. Across Europe and in the U.K. specifically, I know it's a problem. What happens when Vietnamese nationals are found in, say, a cannabis farm, is that they are very often arrested. Even when these farm hands are held in prison-like conditions, unable to leave the premises and with neither the financial nor language capabilities to run large, multi-million cannabis operations, the law might be slow to recognize them as victims. That was the case of a woman arrested at a farm in Dublin in 2012, Hyland said. This was a young Vietnamese woman who couldn't speak English, who was on the premises and her role was to keep the plants watered. It was beyond her capability to be able to go and rent this very large property, set up this network. But she was charged with the offence of manufacturing the drugs or cultivating the drugs. The woman was jailed for two and half years before the Supreme Court of Ireland recognized her as a victim of human trafficking. The case illustrates the difficulties in identifying victims of human trafficking. In 2009, the U.K. established the National Referral Mechanism with the goal of identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery. Hyland says its a laudable effort, with first responders referring more victims into the system every year, but it falls short in getting justice and help for the victims. The waiting list, including a large number of Vietnamese nationals, is currently running at about 22,000 waiting for entry into the system. Those people will have been waiting one to two years, some even more. Sometimes its four years, he said. So what's happening is the victims are not being identified and the criminals are operating with impunity. And there's a lot of money being made out of this and Vietnamese nationals are seen as a good source of income. Essex tragedy used to charge higher prices Even in the incident that would kill 39 Vietnamese migrants in October of 2019, nobody has been convicted of human trafficking. Essex police recently charged Dragos Stefan Damien, the man who provided the lorry in which the victims perished, with conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. Damien was caught in Milan, Italy, on June 10 and extradited to the U.K. where he pled guilty earlier last month. Court records show that the gang involved in the Essex 39 tragedy had a long-standing smuggling operation and profited 1 million (U.S. $1.35 million) in that month alone. In the aftermath of the tragedy, crime operations have even used the tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. People that are organizing this in Vietnam, they've actually used the deaths of the 39 people as a promotion type, by saying, Yes those were the bad smugglers. They were the bad people to get you there. We do it properly. We can charge a little bit more but you'll get there safely, said Hyland. Demonstrators hold banners and candles during a vigil for the 39 Vietnamese lorry victims, outside the Home Office in London, in 2019. Credit: AP Fighting a multi-million dollar business The smuggling of Vietnamese nationals continues to be a lucrative $300 million business, the Council of Europe estimates. The complex network across Europe where each stage, each country, might be run by a different group, can make prosecution that much harder. For Hyland the number of prosecutions is shockingly low. The solution needs to be a two-pronged approach: Targeting businesses that profit directly or indirectly from unlawfully cheap labor and exploitation, and educating vulnerable populations in the source country. If we really want to tackle human trafficking, we need to start hitting businesses, landlords, transport companies, whoever it may be, including countries. We need to hit them about the money that they make from this enterprise, he said. The 2015 U.K. Modern Slavery Act aims to tackle the problem by requiring companies to show that modern slavery is not taking place in their business operations or their supply chains. In Germany, the Federal Police Office is trying to combat human trafficking by going after other crimes connected to it. For us it is very important that the different manifestations of this type of crime arent considered separately, but seen as a whole and connected. That means that we dont consider smuggling as a separate crime, or human trafficking, or the illegal sale of cigarettes, as separate crimes, said Chief Detective Nicole Baumann of the German Federal Police Office. Many Vietnamese illegals can be seen peddling cigarettes at busy commercial centers. We have to try to look at these forms of crime as under one roof, and every agency has to be practically involved in the prosecution. Germanys federal police agents work closely with state police and customs and border agencies, youth welfare offices, even unions and professional counseling services, expanding control activities that could uncover human trafficking crimes. A key element for German law enforcement is to involve and cooperate with NGOs who provide cultural training and other forms of collaboration, and work with the government of the source country, Chief Detective Baumann said. Our efforts have got to go across agencies and be multi-disciplinary in order to successfully combat this crime, Baumann said. While tackling the demand for illegal and forced labor in Europe, anti-modern slavery experts agree, any approach to combat trafficking from Vietnam must tackle conditions in the source country, such as few educational or economic opportunities, that are pushing citizens to leave their homes and risk becoming trafficked. Until governments start to take control of the options provided for their citizens, by providing education, training for work, and properly paying jobs, it will be difficult to stem the flow of migrants seeking better opportunities elsewhere. That is a challenge not unique to Vietnam, said anti-slavery advocate Kevin Hyland. Crime operations have even used the Essex tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities, says a report by the Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. The phone rang in the middle of the night at a small apartment on the outskirts of London, waking Tim Tran as he was sleeping. But what the caller on the other end of the line relayed, woke him from his daze immediately and he got ready to go to work. Tim Tran, a pseudonym he has asked RFA to use to protect his identify, has lived in the United Kingdom for several decades. For the past seven years, he has provided support for Englands social services and the police in cases involving victims of human trafficking from Vietnam. That early morning, staff from Britains Department of Health and Social Care told him two boys from Vietnam had been arrested at Londons Heathrow Airport. Tran was asked to come to the office to assist with the case. When I arrived, there were the police, social care officers and others. The two boys were so relieved when I entered the room, because they could see I was Vietnamese. They only spoke a couple of words of English, he said. They were sweet and friendly, about 15 years of age, Tran recounted. They had arrived on a flight in the middle of the night, but instead of getting their luggage and exiting the airport, they hung around with seemingly nowhere to go. When customs approached and questioned them, they couldnt answer. Tran interviewed the boys and noted one important detail: The boys did not travel alone. The two boys said they posed as children of a Vietnamese diplomat to travel by plane to England. All three had visas from the British government to legally enter at Heathrow airport. They said once they arrived, the diplomat who posed as their dad took all their documents and disappeared. By 2018 the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45 percent (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims, according to data from the U.K. Ministry of Justice. Credit: AFP Policies and treatment of minors In 2009, the U.K. expanded its Children Act 2004 and enacted a new law under the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act to add the U.K. Border Agency to the list of government bodies required to safeguard and promote the welfare of unaccompanied minors. The case of the two boys found at Heathrow would end up being adjudicated as a case of human trafficking. The children were placed in foster care and allowed to stay in Great Britain. The U.K. Childrens Act (of 2004) makes it very clear that it does not matter if the child is a victim of human trafficking or a victim of domestic violence, or whatever. The blame for the illegal action lies at the feet of the adults. The British government considers the children innocent. Thats what makes England progressive and its admirable, said Tim Tran. Maybe its because of this act that so many people choose to come to the U.K.? he pondered. According to data from the Ministry of Justice, in 2010 there were 187 victims of human trafficking who were minors, representing about a quarter of the total number (710) of trafficked people in the U.K. By 2018, the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45% (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims. But experts say the true number of victims, and likely the proportion of child victims, is much higher. The Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) in a 2016 review of Britains efforts to fight modern slavery highlighted a persistent phenomenon among minors, similar of the incident Tim Tran described at Heathrow airport: A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities. It was a way for smugglers to get people into the country, Tran explained. Then theyd pick up the kids from the shelter home or wherever they were placed, and continue the journey they had originally planned. Migrants are brought ashore by RNLI Lifeboat staff, police officers and Border Force staff, after having crossed the channel, in Dungeness, Britain, Nov. 24, 2021. Credit: Reuters Trafficking victims persecuted as perpetrators A migrant who is connecting with smuggling rings to help him or her cross borders illegally might be seen as a willing participant of a crime. In the eyes of many, including the laws of various countries, they can still be seen as perpetrators, even when they have been exploited or abused, says Kevin Hyland, a former independent anti-slavery commissioner for the U.K. He now is a member of GRETA. They're looked upon as illegal immigrants and therefore are dealt with in a very robust way, for example with deportation, he said. Across Europe and in the U.K. specifically, I know it's a problem. What happens when Vietnamese nationals are found in, say, a cannabis farm, is that they are very often arrested. Even when these farm hands are held in prison-like conditions, unable to leave the premises and with neither the financial nor language capabilities to run large, multi-million cannabis operations, the law might be slow to recognize them as victims. That was the case of a woman arrested at a farm in Dublin in 2012, Hyland said. This was a young Vietnamese woman who couldn't speak English, who was on the premises and her role was to keep the plants watered. It was beyond her capability to be able to go and rent this very large property, set up this network. But she was charged with the offence of manufacturing the drugs or cultivating the drugs. The woman was jailed for two and half years before the Supreme Court of Ireland recognized her as a victim of human trafficking. The case illustrates the difficulties in identifying victims of human trafficking. In 2009, the U.K. established the National Referral Mechanism with the goal of identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery. Hyland says its a laudable effort, with first responders referring more victims into the system every year, but it falls short in getting justice and help for the victims. The waiting list, including a large number of Vietnamese nationals, is currently running at about 22,000 waiting for entry into the system. Those people will have been waiting one to two years, some even more. Sometimes its four years, he said. So what's happening is the victims are not being identified and the criminals are operating with impunity. And there's a lot of money being made out of this and Vietnamese nationals are seen as a good source of income. Essex tragedy used to charge higher prices Even in the incident that would kill 39 Vietnamese migrants in October of 2019, nobody has been convicted of human trafficking. Essex police recently charged Dragos Stefan Damien, the man who provided the lorry in which the victims perished, with conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. Damien was caught in Milan, Italy, on June 10 and extradited to the U.K. where he pled guilty earlier last month. Court records show that the gang involved in the Essex 39 tragedy had a long-standing smuggling operation and profited 1 million (U.S. $1.35 million) in that month alone. In the aftermath of the tragedy, crime operations have even used the tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. People that are organizing this in Vietnam, they've actually used the deaths of the 39 people as a promotion type, by saying, Yes those were the bad smugglers. They were the bad people to get you there. We do it properly. We can charge a little bit more but you'll get there safely, said Hyland. Demonstrators hold banners and candles during a vigil for the 39 Vietnamese lorry victims, outside the Home Office in London, in 2019. Credit: AP Fighting a multi-million dollar business The smuggling of Vietnamese nationals continues to be a lucrative $300 million business, the Council of Europe estimates. The complex network across Europe where each stage, each country, might be run by a different group, can make prosecution that much harder. For Hyland the number of prosecutions is shockingly low. The solution needs to be a two-pronged approach: Targeting businesses that profit directly or indirectly from unlawfully cheap labor and exploitation, and educating vulnerable populations in the source country. If we really want to tackle human trafficking, we need to start hitting businesses, landlords, transport companies, whoever it may be, including countries. We need to hit them about the money that they make from this enterprise, he said. The 2015 U.K. Modern Slavery Act aims to tackle the problem by requiring companies to show that modern slavery is not taking place in their business operations or their supply chains. In Germany, the Federal Police Office is trying to combat human trafficking by going after other crimes connected to it. For us it is very important that the different manifestations of this type of crime arent considered separately, but seen as a whole and connected. That means that we dont consider smuggling as a separate crime, or human trafficking, or the illegal sale of cigarettes, as separate crimes, said Chief Detective Nicole Baumann of the German Federal Police Office. Many Vietnamese illegals can be seen peddling cigarettes at busy commercial centers. We have to try to look at these forms of crime as under one roof, and every agency has to be practically involved in the prosecution. Germanys federal police agents work closely with state police and customs and border agencies, youth welfare offices, even unions and professional counseling services, expanding control activities that could uncover human trafficking crimes. A key element for German law enforcement is to involve and cooperate with NGOs who provide cultural training and other forms of collaboration, and work with the government of the source country, Chief Detective Baumann said. Our efforts have got to go across agencies and be multi-disciplinary in order to successfully combat this crime, Baumann said. While tackling the demand for illegal and forced labor in Europe, anti-modern slavery experts agree, any approach to combat trafficking from Vietnam must tackle conditions in the source country, such as few educational or economic opportunities, that are pushing citizens to leave their homes and risk becoming trafficked. Until governments start to take control of the options provided for their citizens, by providing education, training for work, and properly paying jobs, it will be difficult to stem the flow of migrants seeking better opportunities elsewhere. That is a challenge not unique to Vietnam, said anti-slavery advocate Kevin Hyland. Crime operations have even used the Essex tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities, says a report by the Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. The phone rang in the middle of the night at a small apartment on the outskirts of London, waking Tim Tran as he was sleeping. But what the caller on the other end of the line relayed, woke him from his daze immediately and he got ready to go to work. Tim Tran, a pseudonym he has asked RFA to use to protect his identify, has lived in the United Kingdom for several decades. For the past seven years, he has provided support for Englands social services and the police in cases involving victims of human trafficking from Vietnam. That early morning, staff from Britains Department of Health and Social Care told him two boys from Vietnam had been arrested at Londons Heathrow Airport. Tran was asked to come to the office to assist with the case. When I arrived, there were the police, social care officers and others. The two boys were so relieved when I entered the room, because they could see I was Vietnamese. They only spoke a couple of words of English, he said. They were sweet and friendly, about 15 years of age, Tran recounted. They had arrived on a flight in the middle of the night, but instead of getting their luggage and exiting the airport, they hung around with seemingly nowhere to go. When customs approached and questioned them, they couldnt answer. Tran interviewed the boys and noted one important detail: The boys did not travel alone. The two boys said they posed as children of a Vietnamese diplomat to travel by plane to England. All three had visas from the British government to legally enter at Heathrow airport. They said once they arrived, the diplomat who posed as their dad took all their documents and disappeared. By 2018 the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45 percent (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims, according to data from the U.K. Ministry of Justice. Credit: AFP Policies and treatment of minors In 2009, the U.K. expanded its Children Act 2004 and enacted a new law under the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act to add the U.K. Border Agency to the list of government bodies required to safeguard and promote the welfare of unaccompanied minors. The case of the two boys found at Heathrow would end up being adjudicated as a case of human trafficking. The children were placed in foster care and allowed to stay in Great Britain. The U.K. Childrens Act (of 2004) makes it very clear that it does not matter if the child is a victim of human trafficking or a victim of domestic violence, or whatever. The blame for the illegal action lies at the feet of the adults. The British government considers the children innocent. Thats what makes England progressive and its admirable, said Tim Tran. Maybe its because of this act that so many people choose to come to the U.K.? he pondered. According to data from the Ministry of Justice, in 2010 there were 187 victims of human trafficking who were minors, representing about a quarter of the total number (710) of trafficked people in the U.K. By 2018, the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45% (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims. But experts say the true number of victims, and likely the proportion of child victims, is much higher. The Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) in a 2016 review of Britains efforts to fight modern slavery highlighted a persistent phenomenon among minors, similar of the incident Tim Tran described at Heathrow airport: A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities. It was a way for smugglers to get people into the country, Tran explained. Then theyd pick up the kids from the shelter home or wherever they were placed, and continue the journey they had originally planned. Migrants are brought ashore by RNLI Lifeboat staff, police officers and Border Force staff, after having crossed the channel, in Dungeness, Britain, Nov. 24, 2021. Credit: Reuters Trafficking victims persecuted as perpetrators A migrant who is connecting with smuggling rings to help him or her cross borders illegally might be seen as a willing participant of a crime. In the eyes of many, including the laws of various countries, they can still be seen as perpetrators, even when they have been exploited or abused, says Kevin Hyland, a former independent anti-slavery commissioner for the U.K. He now is a member of GRETA. They're looked upon as illegal immigrants and therefore are dealt with in a very robust way, for example with deportation, he said. Across Europe and in the U.K. specifically, I know it's a problem. What happens when Vietnamese nationals are found in, say, a cannabis farm, is that they are very often arrested. Even when these farm hands are held in prison-like conditions, unable to leave the premises and with neither the financial nor language capabilities to run large, multi-million cannabis operations, the law might be slow to recognize them as victims. That was the case of a woman arrested at a farm in Dublin in 2012, Hyland said. This was a young Vietnamese woman who couldn't speak English, who was on the premises and her role was to keep the plants watered. It was beyond her capability to be able to go and rent this very large property, set up this network. But she was charged with the offence of manufacturing the drugs or cultivating the drugs. The woman was jailed for two and half years before the Supreme Court of Ireland recognized her as a victim of human trafficking. The case illustrates the difficulties in identifying victims of human trafficking. In 2009, the U.K. established the National Referral Mechanism with the goal of identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery. Hyland says its a laudable effort, with first responders referring more victims into the system every year, but it falls short in getting justice and help for the victims. The waiting list, including a large number of Vietnamese nationals, is currently running at about 22,000 waiting for entry into the system. Those people will have been waiting one to two years, some even more. Sometimes its four years, he said. So what's happening is the victims are not being identified and the criminals are operating with impunity. And there's a lot of money being made out of this and Vietnamese nationals are seen as a good source of income. Essex tragedy used to charge higher prices Even in the incident that would kill 39 Vietnamese migrants in October of 2019, nobody has been convicted of human trafficking. Essex police recently charged Dragos Stefan Damien, the man who provided the lorry in which the victims perished, with conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. Damien was caught in Milan, Italy, on June 10 and extradited to the U.K. where he pled guilty earlier last month. Court records show that the gang involved in the Essex 39 tragedy had a long-standing smuggling operation and profited 1 million (U.S. $1.35 million) in that month alone. In the aftermath of the tragedy, crime operations have even used the tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. People that are organizing this in Vietnam, they've actually used the deaths of the 39 people as a promotion type, by saying, Yes those were the bad smugglers. They were the bad people to get you there. We do it properly. We can charge a little bit more but you'll get there safely, said Hyland. Demonstrators hold banners and candles during a vigil for the 39 Vietnamese lorry victims, outside the Home Office in London, in 2019. Credit: AP Fighting a multi-million dollar business The smuggling of Vietnamese nationals continues to be a lucrative $300 million business, the Council of Europe estimates. The complex network across Europe where each stage, each country, might be run by a different group, can make prosecution that much harder. For Hyland the number of prosecutions is shockingly low. The solution needs to be a two-pronged approach: Targeting businesses that profit directly or indirectly from unlawfully cheap labor and exploitation, and educating vulnerable populations in the source country. If we really want to tackle human trafficking, we need to start hitting businesses, landlords, transport companies, whoever it may be, including countries. We need to hit them about the money that they make from this enterprise, he said. The 2015 U.K. Modern Slavery Act aims to tackle the problem by requiring companies to show that modern slavery is not taking place in their business operations or their supply chains. In Germany, the Federal Police Office is trying to combat human trafficking by going after other crimes connected to it. For us it is very important that the different manifestations of this type of crime arent considered separately, but seen as a whole and connected. That means that we dont consider smuggling as a separate crime, or human trafficking, or the illegal sale of cigarettes, as separate crimes, said Chief Detective Nicole Baumann of the German Federal Police Office. Many Vietnamese illegals can be seen peddling cigarettes at busy commercial centers. We have to try to look at these forms of crime as under one roof, and every agency has to be practically involved in the prosecution. Germanys federal police agents work closely with state police and customs and border agencies, youth welfare offices, even unions and professional counseling services, expanding control activities that could uncover human trafficking crimes. A key element for German law enforcement is to involve and cooperate with NGOs who provide cultural training and other forms of collaboration, and work with the government of the source country, Chief Detective Baumann said. Our efforts have got to go across agencies and be multi-disciplinary in order to successfully combat this crime, Baumann said. While tackling the demand for illegal and forced labor in Europe, anti-modern slavery experts agree, any approach to combat trafficking from Vietnam must tackle conditions in the source country, such as few educational or economic opportunities, that are pushing citizens to leave their homes and risk becoming trafficked. Until governments start to take control of the options provided for their citizens, by providing education, training for work, and properly paying jobs, it will be difficult to stem the flow of migrants seeking better opportunities elsewhere. That is a challenge not unique to Vietnam, said anti-slavery advocate Kevin Hyland. Crime operations have even used the Essex tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities, says a report by the Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. The phone rang in the middle of the night at a small apartment on the outskirts of London, waking Tim Tran as he was sleeping. But what the caller on the other end of the line relayed, woke him from his daze immediately and he got ready to go to work. Tim Tran, a pseudonym he has asked RFA to use to protect his identify, has lived in the United Kingdom for several decades. For the past seven years, he has provided support for Englands social services and the police in cases involving victims of human trafficking from Vietnam. That early morning, staff from Britains Department of Health and Social Care told him two boys from Vietnam had been arrested at Londons Heathrow Airport. Tran was asked to come to the office to assist with the case. When I arrived, there were the police, social care officers and others. The two boys were so relieved when I entered the room, because they could see I was Vietnamese. They only spoke a couple of words of English, he said. They were sweet and friendly, about 15 years of age, Tran recounted. They had arrived on a flight in the middle of the night, but instead of getting their luggage and exiting the airport, they hung around with seemingly nowhere to go. When customs approached and questioned them, they couldnt answer. Tran interviewed the boys and noted one important detail: The boys did not travel alone. The two boys said they posed as children of a Vietnamese diplomat to travel by plane to England. All three had visas from the British government to legally enter at Heathrow airport. They said once they arrived, the diplomat who posed as their dad took all their documents and disappeared. By 2018 the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45 percent (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims, according to data from the U.K. Ministry of Justice. Credit: AFP Policies and treatment of minors In 2009, the U.K. expanded its Children Act 2004 and enacted a new law under the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act to add the U.K. Border Agency to the list of government bodies required to safeguard and promote the welfare of unaccompanied minors. The case of the two boys found at Heathrow would end up being adjudicated as a case of human trafficking. The children were placed in foster care and allowed to stay in Great Britain. The U.K. Childrens Act (of 2004) makes it very clear that it does not matter if the child is a victim of human trafficking or a victim of domestic violence, or whatever. The blame for the illegal action lies at the feet of the adults. The British government considers the children innocent. Thats what makes England progressive and its admirable, said Tim Tran. Maybe its because of this act that so many people choose to come to the U.K.? he pondered. According to data from the Ministry of Justice, in 2010 there were 187 victims of human trafficking who were minors, representing about a quarter of the total number (710) of trafficked people in the U.K. By 2018, the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45% (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims. But experts say the true number of victims, and likely the proportion of child victims, is much higher. The Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) in a 2016 review of Britains efforts to fight modern slavery highlighted a persistent phenomenon among minors, similar of the incident Tim Tran described at Heathrow airport: A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities. It was a way for smugglers to get people into the country, Tran explained. Then theyd pick up the kids from the shelter home or wherever they were placed, and continue the journey they had originally planned. Migrants are brought ashore by RNLI Lifeboat staff, police officers and Border Force staff, after having crossed the channel, in Dungeness, Britain, Nov. 24, 2021. Credit: Reuters Trafficking victims persecuted as perpetrators A migrant who is connecting with smuggling rings to help him or her cross borders illegally might be seen as a willing participant of a crime. In the eyes of many, including the laws of various countries, they can still be seen as perpetrators, even when they have been exploited or abused, says Kevin Hyland, a former independent anti-slavery commissioner for the U.K. He now is a member of GRETA. They're looked upon as illegal immigrants and therefore are dealt with in a very robust way, for example with deportation, he said. Across Europe and in the U.K. specifically, I know it's a problem. What happens when Vietnamese nationals are found in, say, a cannabis farm, is that they are very often arrested. Even when these farm hands are held in prison-like conditions, unable to leave the premises and with neither the financial nor language capabilities to run large, multi-million cannabis operations, the law might be slow to recognize them as victims. That was the case of a woman arrested at a farm in Dublin in 2012, Hyland said. This was a young Vietnamese woman who couldn't speak English, who was on the premises and her role was to keep the plants watered. It was beyond her capability to be able to go and rent this very large property, set up this network. But she was charged with the offence of manufacturing the drugs or cultivating the drugs. The woman was jailed for two and half years before the Supreme Court of Ireland recognized her as a victim of human trafficking. The case illustrates the difficulties in identifying victims of human trafficking. In 2009, the U.K. established the National Referral Mechanism with the goal of identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery. Hyland says its a laudable effort, with first responders referring more victims into the system every year, but it falls short in getting justice and help for the victims. The waiting list, including a large number of Vietnamese nationals, is currently running at about 22,000 waiting for entry into the system. Those people will have been waiting one to two years, some even more. Sometimes its four years, he said. So what's happening is the victims are not being identified and the criminals are operating with impunity. And there's a lot of money being made out of this and Vietnamese nationals are seen as a good source of income. Essex tragedy used to charge higher prices Even in the incident that would kill 39 Vietnamese migrants in October of 2019, nobody has been convicted of human trafficking. Essex police recently charged Dragos Stefan Damien, the man who provided the lorry in which the victims perished, with conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. Damien was caught in Milan, Italy, on June 10 and extradited to the U.K. where he pled guilty earlier last month. Court records show that the gang involved in the Essex 39 tragedy had a long-standing smuggling operation and profited 1 million (U.S. $1.35 million) in that month alone. In the aftermath of the tragedy, crime operations have even used the tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. People that are organizing this in Vietnam, they've actually used the deaths of the 39 people as a promotion type, by saying, Yes those were the bad smugglers. They were the bad people to get you there. We do it properly. We can charge a little bit more but you'll get there safely, said Hyland. Demonstrators hold banners and candles during a vigil for the 39 Vietnamese lorry victims, outside the Home Office in London, in 2019. Credit: AP Fighting a multi-million dollar business The smuggling of Vietnamese nationals continues to be a lucrative $300 million business, the Council of Europe estimates. The complex network across Europe where each stage, each country, might be run by a different group, can make prosecution that much harder. For Hyland the number of prosecutions is shockingly low. The solution needs to be a two-pronged approach: Targeting businesses that profit directly or indirectly from unlawfully cheap labor and exploitation, and educating vulnerable populations in the source country. If we really want to tackle human trafficking, we need to start hitting businesses, landlords, transport companies, whoever it may be, including countries. We need to hit them about the money that they make from this enterprise, he said. The 2015 U.K. Modern Slavery Act aims to tackle the problem by requiring companies to show that modern slavery is not taking place in their business operations or their supply chains. In Germany, the Federal Police Office is trying to combat human trafficking by going after other crimes connected to it. For us it is very important that the different manifestations of this type of crime arent considered separately, but seen as a whole and connected. That means that we dont consider smuggling as a separate crime, or human trafficking, or the illegal sale of cigarettes, as separate crimes, said Chief Detective Nicole Baumann of the German Federal Police Office. Many Vietnamese illegals can be seen peddling cigarettes at busy commercial centers. We have to try to look at these forms of crime as under one roof, and every agency has to be practically involved in the prosecution. Germanys federal police agents work closely with state police and customs and border agencies, youth welfare offices, even unions and professional counseling services, expanding control activities that could uncover human trafficking crimes. A key element for German law enforcement is to involve and cooperate with NGOs who provide cultural training and other forms of collaboration, and work with the government of the source country, Chief Detective Baumann said. Our efforts have got to go across agencies and be multi-disciplinary in order to successfully combat this crime, Baumann said. While tackling the demand for illegal and forced labor in Europe, anti-modern slavery experts agree, any approach to combat trafficking from Vietnam must tackle conditions in the source country, such as few educational or economic opportunities, that are pushing citizens to leave their homes and risk becoming trafficked. Until governments start to take control of the options provided for their citizens, by providing education, training for work, and properly paying jobs, it will be difficult to stem the flow of migrants seeking better opportunities elsewhere. That is a challenge not unique to Vietnam, said anti-slavery advocate Kevin Hyland. Crime operations have even used the Essex tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities, says a report by the Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. The phone rang in the middle of the night at a small apartment on the outskirts of London, waking Tim Tran as he was sleeping. But what the caller on the other end of the line relayed, woke him from his daze immediately and he got ready to go to work. Tim Tran, a pseudonym he has asked RFA to use to protect his identify, has lived in the United Kingdom for several decades. For the past seven years, he has provided support for Englands social services and the police in cases involving victims of human trafficking from Vietnam. That early morning, staff from Britains Department of Health and Social Care told him two boys from Vietnam had been arrested at Londons Heathrow Airport. Tran was asked to come to the office to assist with the case. When I arrived, there were the police, social care officers and others. The two boys were so relieved when I entered the room, because they could see I was Vietnamese. They only spoke a couple of words of English, he said. They were sweet and friendly, about 15 years of age, Tran recounted. They had arrived on a flight in the middle of the night, but instead of getting their luggage and exiting the airport, they hung around with seemingly nowhere to go. When customs approached and questioned them, they couldnt answer. Tran interviewed the boys and noted one important detail: The boys did not travel alone. The two boys said they posed as children of a Vietnamese diplomat to travel by plane to England. All three had visas from the British government to legally enter at Heathrow airport. They said once they arrived, the diplomat who posed as their dad took all their documents and disappeared. By 2018 the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45 percent (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims, according to data from the U.K. Ministry of Justice. Credit: AFP Policies and treatment of minors In 2009, the U.K. expanded its Children Act 2004 and enacted a new law under the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act to add the U.K. Border Agency to the list of government bodies required to safeguard and promote the welfare of unaccompanied minors. The case of the two boys found at Heathrow would end up being adjudicated as a case of human trafficking. The children were placed in foster care and allowed to stay in Great Britain. The U.K. Childrens Act (of 2004) makes it very clear that it does not matter if the child is a victim of human trafficking or a victim of domestic violence, or whatever. The blame for the illegal action lies at the feet of the adults. The British government considers the children innocent. Thats what makes England progressive and its admirable, said Tim Tran. Maybe its because of this act that so many people choose to come to the U.K.? he pondered. According to data from the Ministry of Justice, in 2010 there were 187 victims of human trafficking who were minors, representing about a quarter of the total number (710) of trafficked people in the U.K. By 2018, the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45% (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims. But experts say the true number of victims, and likely the proportion of child victims, is much higher. The Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) in a 2016 review of Britains efforts to fight modern slavery highlighted a persistent phenomenon among minors, similar of the incident Tim Tran described at Heathrow airport: A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities. It was a way for smugglers to get people into the country, Tran explained. Then theyd pick up the kids from the shelter home or wherever they were placed, and continue the journey they had originally planned. Migrants are brought ashore by RNLI Lifeboat staff, police officers and Border Force staff, after having crossed the channel, in Dungeness, Britain, Nov. 24, 2021. Credit: Reuters Trafficking victims persecuted as perpetrators A migrant who is connecting with smuggling rings to help him or her cross borders illegally might be seen as a willing participant of a crime. In the eyes of many, including the laws of various countries, they can still be seen as perpetrators, even when they have been exploited or abused, says Kevin Hyland, a former independent anti-slavery commissioner for the U.K. He now is a member of GRETA. They're looked upon as illegal immigrants and therefore are dealt with in a very robust way, for example with deportation, he said. Across Europe and in the U.K. specifically, I know it's a problem. What happens when Vietnamese nationals are found in, say, a cannabis farm, is that they are very often arrested. Even when these farm hands are held in prison-like conditions, unable to leave the premises and with neither the financial nor language capabilities to run large, multi-million cannabis operations, the law might be slow to recognize them as victims. That was the case of a woman arrested at a farm in Dublin in 2012, Hyland said. This was a young Vietnamese woman who couldn't speak English, who was on the premises and her role was to keep the plants watered. It was beyond her capability to be able to go and rent this very large property, set up this network. But she was charged with the offence of manufacturing the drugs or cultivating the drugs. The woman was jailed for two and half years before the Supreme Court of Ireland recognized her as a victim of human trafficking. The case illustrates the difficulties in identifying victims of human trafficking. In 2009, the U.K. established the National Referral Mechanism with the goal of identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery. Hyland says its a laudable effort, with first responders referring more victims into the system every year, but it falls short in getting justice and help for the victims. The waiting list, including a large number of Vietnamese nationals, is currently running at about 22,000 waiting for entry into the system. Those people will have been waiting one to two years, some even more. Sometimes its four years, he said. So what's happening is the victims are not being identified and the criminals are operating with impunity. And there's a lot of money being made out of this and Vietnamese nationals are seen as a good source of income. Essex tragedy used to charge higher prices Even in the incident that would kill 39 Vietnamese migrants in October of 2019, nobody has been convicted of human trafficking. Essex police recently charged Dragos Stefan Damien, the man who provided the lorry in which the victims perished, with conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. Damien was caught in Milan, Italy, on June 10 and extradited to the U.K. where he pled guilty earlier last month. Court records show that the gang involved in the Essex 39 tragedy had a long-standing smuggling operation and profited 1 million (U.S. $1.35 million) in that month alone. In the aftermath of the tragedy, crime operations have even used the tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. People that are organizing this in Vietnam, they've actually used the deaths of the 39 people as a promotion type, by saying, Yes those were the bad smugglers. They were the bad people to get you there. We do it properly. We can charge a little bit more but you'll get there safely, said Hyland. Demonstrators hold banners and candles during a vigil for the 39 Vietnamese lorry victims, outside the Home Office in London, in 2019. Credit: AP Fighting a multi-million dollar business The smuggling of Vietnamese nationals continues to be a lucrative $300 million business, the Council of Europe estimates. The complex network across Europe where each stage, each country, might be run by a different group, can make prosecution that much harder. For Hyland the number of prosecutions is shockingly low. The solution needs to be a two-pronged approach: Targeting businesses that profit directly or indirectly from unlawfully cheap labor and exploitation, and educating vulnerable populations in the source country. If we really want to tackle human trafficking, we need to start hitting businesses, landlords, transport companies, whoever it may be, including countries. We need to hit them about the money that they make from this enterprise, he said. The 2015 U.K. Modern Slavery Act aims to tackle the problem by requiring companies to show that modern slavery is not taking place in their business operations or their supply chains. In Germany, the Federal Police Office is trying to combat human trafficking by going after other crimes connected to it. For us it is very important that the different manifestations of this type of crime arent considered separately, but seen as a whole and connected. That means that we dont consider smuggling as a separate crime, or human trafficking, or the illegal sale of cigarettes, as separate crimes, said Chief Detective Nicole Baumann of the German Federal Police Office. Many Vietnamese illegals can be seen peddling cigarettes at busy commercial centers. We have to try to look at these forms of crime as under one roof, and every agency has to be practically involved in the prosecution. Germanys federal police agents work closely with state police and customs and border agencies, youth welfare offices, even unions and professional counseling services, expanding control activities that could uncover human trafficking crimes. A key element for German law enforcement is to involve and cooperate with NGOs who provide cultural training and other forms of collaboration, and work with the government of the source country, Chief Detective Baumann said. Our efforts have got to go across agencies and be multi-disciplinary in order to successfully combat this crime, Baumann said. While tackling the demand for illegal and forced labor in Europe, anti-modern slavery experts agree, any approach to combat trafficking from Vietnam must tackle conditions in the source country, such as few educational or economic opportunities, that are pushing citizens to leave their homes and risk becoming trafficked. Until governments start to take control of the options provided for their citizens, by providing education, training for work, and properly paying jobs, it will be difficult to stem the flow of migrants seeking better opportunities elsewhere. That is a challenge not unique to Vietnam, said anti-slavery advocate Kevin Hyland. Crime operations have even used the Essex tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities, says a report by the Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. The phone rang in the middle of the night at a small apartment on the outskirts of London, waking Tim Tran as he was sleeping. But what the caller on the other end of the line relayed, woke him from his daze immediately and he got ready to go to work. Tim Tran, a pseudonym he has asked RFA to use to protect his identify, has lived in the United Kingdom for several decades. For the past seven years, he has provided support for Englands social services and the police in cases involving victims of human trafficking from Vietnam. That early morning, staff from Britains Department of Health and Social Care told him two boys from Vietnam had been arrested at Londons Heathrow Airport. Tran was asked to come to the office to assist with the case. When I arrived, there were the police, social care officers and others. The two boys were so relieved when I entered the room, because they could see I was Vietnamese. They only spoke a couple of words of English, he said. They were sweet and friendly, about 15 years of age, Tran recounted. They had arrived on a flight in the middle of the night, but instead of getting their luggage and exiting the airport, they hung around with seemingly nowhere to go. When customs approached and questioned them, they couldnt answer. Tran interviewed the boys and noted one important detail: The boys did not travel alone. The two boys said they posed as children of a Vietnamese diplomat to travel by plane to England. All three had visas from the British government to legally enter at Heathrow airport. They said once they arrived, the diplomat who posed as their dad took all their documents and disappeared. By 2018 the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45 percent (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims, according to data from the U.K. Ministry of Justice. Credit: AFP Policies and treatment of minors In 2009, the U.K. expanded its Children Act 2004 and enacted a new law under the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act to add the U.K. Border Agency to the list of government bodies required to safeguard and promote the welfare of unaccompanied minors. The case of the two boys found at Heathrow would end up being adjudicated as a case of human trafficking. The children were placed in foster care and allowed to stay in Great Britain. The U.K. Childrens Act (of 2004) makes it very clear that it does not matter if the child is a victim of human trafficking or a victim of domestic violence, or whatever. The blame for the illegal action lies at the feet of the adults. The British government considers the children innocent. Thats what makes England progressive and its admirable, said Tim Tran. Maybe its because of this act that so many people choose to come to the U.K.? he pondered. According to data from the Ministry of Justice, in 2010 there were 187 victims of human trafficking who were minors, representing about a quarter of the total number (710) of trafficked people in the U.K. By 2018, the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45% (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims. But experts say the true number of victims, and likely the proportion of child victims, is much higher. The Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) in a 2016 review of Britains efforts to fight modern slavery highlighted a persistent phenomenon among minors, similar of the incident Tim Tran described at Heathrow airport: A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities. It was a way for smugglers to get people into the country, Tran explained. Then theyd pick up the kids from the shelter home or wherever they were placed, and continue the journey they had originally planned. Migrants are brought ashore by RNLI Lifeboat staff, police officers and Border Force staff, after having crossed the channel, in Dungeness, Britain, Nov. 24, 2021. Credit: Reuters Trafficking victims persecuted as perpetrators A migrant who is connecting with smuggling rings to help him or her cross borders illegally might be seen as a willing participant of a crime. In the eyes of many, including the laws of various countries, they can still be seen as perpetrators, even when they have been exploited or abused, says Kevin Hyland, a former independent anti-slavery commissioner for the U.K. He now is a member of GRETA. They're looked upon as illegal immigrants and therefore are dealt with in a very robust way, for example with deportation, he said. Across Europe and in the U.K. specifically, I know it's a problem. What happens when Vietnamese nationals are found in, say, a cannabis farm, is that they are very often arrested. Even when these farm hands are held in prison-like conditions, unable to leave the premises and with neither the financial nor language capabilities to run large, multi-million cannabis operations, the law might be slow to recognize them as victims. That was the case of a woman arrested at a farm in Dublin in 2012, Hyland said. This was a young Vietnamese woman who couldn't speak English, who was on the premises and her role was to keep the plants watered. It was beyond her capability to be able to go and rent this very large property, set up this network. But she was charged with the offence of manufacturing the drugs or cultivating the drugs. The woman was jailed for two and half years before the Supreme Court of Ireland recognized her as a victim of human trafficking. The case illustrates the difficulties in identifying victims of human trafficking. In 2009, the U.K. established the National Referral Mechanism with the goal of identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery. Hyland says its a laudable effort, with first responders referring more victims into the system every year, but it falls short in getting justice and help for the victims. The waiting list, including a large number of Vietnamese nationals, is currently running at about 22,000 waiting for entry into the system. Those people will have been waiting one to two years, some even more. Sometimes its four years, he said. So what's happening is the victims are not being identified and the criminals are operating with impunity. And there's a lot of money being made out of this and Vietnamese nationals are seen as a good source of income. Essex tragedy used to charge higher prices Even in the incident that would kill 39 Vietnamese migrants in October of 2019, nobody has been convicted of human trafficking. Essex police recently charged Dragos Stefan Damien, the man who provided the lorry in which the victims perished, with conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. Damien was caught in Milan, Italy, on June 10 and extradited to the U.K. where he pled guilty earlier last month. Court records show that the gang involved in the Essex 39 tragedy had a long-standing smuggling operation and profited 1 million (U.S. $1.35 million) in that month alone. In the aftermath of the tragedy, crime operations have even used the tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. People that are organizing this in Vietnam, they've actually used the deaths of the 39 people as a promotion type, by saying, Yes those were the bad smugglers. They were the bad people to get you there. We do it properly. We can charge a little bit more but you'll get there safely, said Hyland. Demonstrators hold banners and candles during a vigil for the 39 Vietnamese lorry victims, outside the Home Office in London, in 2019. Credit: AP Fighting a multi-million dollar business The smuggling of Vietnamese nationals continues to be a lucrative $300 million business, the Council of Europe estimates. The complex network across Europe where each stage, each country, might be run by a different group, can make prosecution that much harder. For Hyland the number of prosecutions is shockingly low. The solution needs to be a two-pronged approach: Targeting businesses that profit directly or indirectly from unlawfully cheap labor and exploitation, and educating vulnerable populations in the source country. If we really want to tackle human trafficking, we need to start hitting businesses, landlords, transport companies, whoever it may be, including countries. We need to hit them about the money that they make from this enterprise, he said. The 2015 U.K. Modern Slavery Act aims to tackle the problem by requiring companies to show that modern slavery is not taking place in their business operations or their supply chains. In Germany, the Federal Police Office is trying to combat human trafficking by going after other crimes connected to it. For us it is very important that the different manifestations of this type of crime arent considered separately, but seen as a whole and connected. That means that we dont consider smuggling as a separate crime, or human trafficking, or the illegal sale of cigarettes, as separate crimes, said Chief Detective Nicole Baumann of the German Federal Police Office. Many Vietnamese illegals can be seen peddling cigarettes at busy commercial centers. We have to try to look at these forms of crime as under one roof, and every agency has to be practically involved in the prosecution. Germanys federal police agents work closely with state police and customs and border agencies, youth welfare offices, even unions and professional counseling services, expanding control activities that could uncover human trafficking crimes. A key element for German law enforcement is to involve and cooperate with NGOs who provide cultural training and other forms of collaboration, and work with the government of the source country, Chief Detective Baumann said. Our efforts have got to go across agencies and be multi-disciplinary in order to successfully combat this crime, Baumann said. While tackling the demand for illegal and forced labor in Europe, anti-modern slavery experts agree, any approach to combat trafficking from Vietnam must tackle conditions in the source country, such as few educational or economic opportunities, that are pushing citizens to leave their homes and risk becoming trafficked. Until governments start to take control of the options provided for their citizens, by providing education, training for work, and properly paying jobs, it will be difficult to stem the flow of migrants seeking better opportunities elsewhere. That is a challenge not unique to Vietnam, said anti-slavery advocate Kevin Hyland. Crime operations have even used the Essex tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities, says a report by the Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. The phone rang in the middle of the night at a small apartment on the outskirts of London, waking Tim Tran as he was sleeping. But what the caller on the other end of the line relayed, woke him from his daze immediately and he got ready to go to work. Tim Tran, a pseudonym he has asked RFA to use to protect his identify, has lived in the United Kingdom for several decades. For the past seven years, he has provided support for Englands social services and the police in cases involving victims of human trafficking from Vietnam. That early morning, staff from Britains Department of Health and Social Care told him two boys from Vietnam had been arrested at Londons Heathrow Airport. Tran was asked to come to the office to assist with the case. When I arrived, there were the police, social care officers and others. The two boys were so relieved when I entered the room, because they could see I was Vietnamese. They only spoke a couple of words of English, he said. They were sweet and friendly, about 15 years of age, Tran recounted. They had arrived on a flight in the middle of the night, but instead of getting their luggage and exiting the airport, they hung around with seemingly nowhere to go. When customs approached and questioned them, they couldnt answer. Tran interviewed the boys and noted one important detail: The boys did not travel alone. The two boys said they posed as children of a Vietnamese diplomat to travel by plane to England. All three had visas from the British government to legally enter at Heathrow airport. They said once they arrived, the diplomat who posed as their dad took all their documents and disappeared. By 2018 the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45 percent (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims, according to data from the U.K. Ministry of Justice. Credit: AFP Policies and treatment of minors In 2009, the U.K. expanded its Children Act 2004 and enacted a new law under the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act to add the U.K. Border Agency to the list of government bodies required to safeguard and promote the welfare of unaccompanied minors. The case of the two boys found at Heathrow would end up being adjudicated as a case of human trafficking. The children were placed in foster care and allowed to stay in Great Britain. The U.K. Childrens Act (of 2004) makes it very clear that it does not matter if the child is a victim of human trafficking or a victim of domestic violence, or whatever. The blame for the illegal action lies at the feet of the adults. The British government considers the children innocent. Thats what makes England progressive and its admirable, said Tim Tran. Maybe its because of this act that so many people choose to come to the U.K.? he pondered. According to data from the Ministry of Justice, in 2010 there were 187 victims of human trafficking who were minors, representing about a quarter of the total number (710) of trafficked people in the U.K. By 2018, the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45% (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims. But experts say the true number of victims, and likely the proportion of child victims, is much higher. The Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) in a 2016 review of Britains efforts to fight modern slavery highlighted a persistent phenomenon among minors, similar of the incident Tim Tran described at Heathrow airport: A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities. It was a way for smugglers to get people into the country, Tran explained. Then theyd pick up the kids from the shelter home or wherever they were placed, and continue the journey they had originally planned. Migrants are brought ashore by RNLI Lifeboat staff, police officers and Border Force staff, after having crossed the channel, in Dungeness, Britain, Nov. 24, 2021. Credit: Reuters Trafficking victims persecuted as perpetrators A migrant who is connecting with smuggling rings to help him or her cross borders illegally might be seen as a willing participant of a crime. In the eyes of many, including the laws of various countries, they can still be seen as perpetrators, even when they have been exploited or abused, says Kevin Hyland, a former independent anti-slavery commissioner for the U.K. He now is a member of GRETA. They're looked upon as illegal immigrants and therefore are dealt with in a very robust way, for example with deportation, he said. Across Europe and in the U.K. specifically, I know it's a problem. What happens when Vietnamese nationals are found in, say, a cannabis farm, is that they are very often arrested. Even when these farm hands are held in prison-like conditions, unable to leave the premises and with neither the financial nor language capabilities to run large, multi-million cannabis operations, the law might be slow to recognize them as victims. That was the case of a woman arrested at a farm in Dublin in 2012, Hyland said. This was a young Vietnamese woman who couldn't speak English, who was on the premises and her role was to keep the plants watered. It was beyond her capability to be able to go and rent this very large property, set up this network. But she was charged with the offence of manufacturing the drugs or cultivating the drugs. The woman was jailed for two and half years before the Supreme Court of Ireland recognized her as a victim of human trafficking. The case illustrates the difficulties in identifying victims of human trafficking. In 2009, the U.K. established the National Referral Mechanism with the goal of identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery. Hyland says its a laudable effort, with first responders referring more victims into the system every year, but it falls short in getting justice and help for the victims. The waiting list, including a large number of Vietnamese nationals, is currently running at about 22,000 waiting for entry into the system. Those people will have been waiting one to two years, some even more. Sometimes its four years, he said. So what's happening is the victims are not being identified and the criminals are operating with impunity. And there's a lot of money being made out of this and Vietnamese nationals are seen as a good source of income. Essex tragedy used to charge higher prices Even in the incident that would kill 39 Vietnamese migrants in October of 2019, nobody has been convicted of human trafficking. Essex police recently charged Dragos Stefan Damien, the man who provided the lorry in which the victims perished, with conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. Damien was caught in Milan, Italy, on June 10 and extradited to the U.K. where he pled guilty earlier last month. Court records show that the gang involved in the Essex 39 tragedy had a long-standing smuggling operation and profited 1 million (U.S. $1.35 million) in that month alone. In the aftermath of the tragedy, crime operations have even used the tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. People that are organizing this in Vietnam, they've actually used the deaths of the 39 people as a promotion type, by saying, Yes those were the bad smugglers. They were the bad people to get you there. We do it properly. We can charge a little bit more but you'll get there safely, said Hyland. Demonstrators hold banners and candles during a vigil for the 39 Vietnamese lorry victims, outside the Home Office in London, in 2019. Credit: AP Fighting a multi-million dollar business The smuggling of Vietnamese nationals continues to be a lucrative $300 million business, the Council of Europe estimates. The complex network across Europe where each stage, each country, might be run by a different group, can make prosecution that much harder. For Hyland the number of prosecutions is shockingly low. The solution needs to be a two-pronged approach: Targeting businesses that profit directly or indirectly from unlawfully cheap labor and exploitation, and educating vulnerable populations in the source country. If we really want to tackle human trafficking, we need to start hitting businesses, landlords, transport companies, whoever it may be, including countries. We need to hit them about the money that they make from this enterprise, he said. The 2015 U.K. Modern Slavery Act aims to tackle the problem by requiring companies to show that modern slavery is not taking place in their business operations or their supply chains. In Germany, the Federal Police Office is trying to combat human trafficking by going after other crimes connected to it. For us it is very important that the different manifestations of this type of crime arent considered separately, but seen as a whole and connected. That means that we dont consider smuggling as a separate crime, or human trafficking, or the illegal sale of cigarettes, as separate crimes, said Chief Detective Nicole Baumann of the German Federal Police Office. Many Vietnamese illegals can be seen peddling cigarettes at busy commercial centers. We have to try to look at these forms of crime as under one roof, and every agency has to be practically involved in the prosecution. Germanys federal police agents work closely with state police and customs and border agencies, youth welfare offices, even unions and professional counseling services, expanding control activities that could uncover human trafficking crimes. A key element for German law enforcement is to involve and cooperate with NGOs who provide cultural training and other forms of collaboration, and work with the government of the source country, Chief Detective Baumann said. Our efforts have got to go across agencies and be multi-disciplinary in order to successfully combat this crime, Baumann said. While tackling the demand for illegal and forced labor in Europe, anti-modern slavery experts agree, any approach to combat trafficking from Vietnam must tackle conditions in the source country, such as few educational or economic opportunities, that are pushing citizens to leave their homes and risk becoming trafficked. Until governments start to take control of the options provided for their citizens, by providing education, training for work, and properly paying jobs, it will be difficult to stem the flow of migrants seeking better opportunities elsewhere. That is a challenge not unique to Vietnam, said anti-slavery advocate Kevin Hyland. Crime operations have even used the Essex tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities, says a report by the Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. The phone rang in the middle of the night at a small apartment on the outskirts of London, waking Tim Tran as he was sleeping. But what the caller on the other end of the line relayed, woke him from his daze immediately and he got ready to go to work. Tim Tran, a pseudonym he has asked RFA to use to protect his identify, has lived in the United Kingdom for several decades. For the past seven years, he has provided support for Englands social services and the police in cases involving victims of human trafficking from Vietnam. That early morning, staff from Britains Department of Health and Social Care told him two boys from Vietnam had been arrested at Londons Heathrow Airport. Tran was asked to come to the office to assist with the case. When I arrived, there were the police, social care officers and others. The two boys were so relieved when I entered the room, because they could see I was Vietnamese. They only spoke a couple of words of English, he said. They were sweet and friendly, about 15 years of age, Tran recounted. They had arrived on a flight in the middle of the night, but instead of getting their luggage and exiting the airport, they hung around with seemingly nowhere to go. When customs approached and questioned them, they couldnt answer. Tran interviewed the boys and noted one important detail: The boys did not travel alone. The two boys said they posed as children of a Vietnamese diplomat to travel by plane to England. All three had visas from the British government to legally enter at Heathrow airport. They said once they arrived, the diplomat who posed as their dad took all their documents and disappeared. By 2018 the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45 percent (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims, according to data from the U.K. Ministry of Justice. Credit: AFP Policies and treatment of minors In 2009, the U.K. expanded its Children Act 2004 and enacted a new law under the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act to add the U.K. Border Agency to the list of government bodies required to safeguard and promote the welfare of unaccompanied minors. The case of the two boys found at Heathrow would end up being adjudicated as a case of human trafficking. The children were placed in foster care and allowed to stay in Great Britain. The U.K. Childrens Act (of 2004) makes it very clear that it does not matter if the child is a victim of human trafficking or a victim of domestic violence, or whatever. The blame for the illegal action lies at the feet of the adults. The British government considers the children innocent. Thats what makes England progressive and its admirable, said Tim Tran. Maybe its because of this act that so many people choose to come to the U.K.? he pondered. According to data from the Ministry of Justice, in 2010 there were 187 victims of human trafficking who were minors, representing about a quarter of the total number (710) of trafficked people in the U.K. By 2018, the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45% (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims. But experts say the true number of victims, and likely the proportion of child victims, is much higher. The Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) in a 2016 review of Britains efforts to fight modern slavery highlighted a persistent phenomenon among minors, similar of the incident Tim Tran described at Heathrow airport: A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities. It was a way for smugglers to get people into the country, Tran explained. Then theyd pick up the kids from the shelter home or wherever they were placed, and continue the journey they had originally planned. Migrants are brought ashore by RNLI Lifeboat staff, police officers and Border Force staff, after having crossed the channel, in Dungeness, Britain, Nov. 24, 2021. Credit: Reuters Trafficking victims persecuted as perpetrators A migrant who is connecting with smuggling rings to help him or her cross borders illegally might be seen as a willing participant of a crime. In the eyes of many, including the laws of various countries, they can still be seen as perpetrators, even when they have been exploited or abused, says Kevin Hyland, a former independent anti-slavery commissioner for the U.K. He now is a member of GRETA. They're looked upon as illegal immigrants and therefore are dealt with in a very robust way, for example with deportation, he said. Across Europe and in the U.K. specifically, I know it's a problem. What happens when Vietnamese nationals are found in, say, a cannabis farm, is that they are very often arrested. Even when these farm hands are held in prison-like conditions, unable to leave the premises and with neither the financial nor language capabilities to run large, multi-million cannabis operations, the law might be slow to recognize them as victims. That was the case of a woman arrested at a farm in Dublin in 2012, Hyland said. This was a young Vietnamese woman who couldn't speak English, who was on the premises and her role was to keep the plants watered. It was beyond her capability to be able to go and rent this very large property, set up this network. But she was charged with the offence of manufacturing the drugs or cultivating the drugs. The woman was jailed for two and half years before the Supreme Court of Ireland recognized her as a victim of human trafficking. The case illustrates the difficulties in identifying victims of human trafficking. In 2009, the U.K. established the National Referral Mechanism with the goal of identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery. Hyland says its a laudable effort, with first responders referring more victims into the system every year, but it falls short in getting justice and help for the victims. The waiting list, including a large number of Vietnamese nationals, is currently running at about 22,000 waiting for entry into the system. Those people will have been waiting one to two years, some even more. Sometimes its four years, he said. So what's happening is the victims are not being identified and the criminals are operating with impunity. And there's a lot of money being made out of this and Vietnamese nationals are seen as a good source of income. Essex tragedy used to charge higher prices Even in the incident that would kill 39 Vietnamese migrants in October of 2019, nobody has been convicted of human trafficking. Essex police recently charged Dragos Stefan Damien, the man who provided the lorry in which the victims perished, with conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. Damien was caught in Milan, Italy, on June 10 and extradited to the U.K. where he pled guilty earlier last month. Court records show that the gang involved in the Essex 39 tragedy had a long-standing smuggling operation and profited 1 million (U.S. $1.35 million) in that month alone. In the aftermath of the tragedy, crime operations have even used the tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. People that are organizing this in Vietnam, they've actually used the deaths of the 39 people as a promotion type, by saying, Yes those were the bad smugglers. They were the bad people to get you there. We do it properly. We can charge a little bit more but you'll get there safely, said Hyland. Demonstrators hold banners and candles during a vigil for the 39 Vietnamese lorry victims, outside the Home Office in London, in 2019. Credit: AP Fighting a multi-million dollar business The smuggling of Vietnamese nationals continues to be a lucrative $300 million business, the Council of Europe estimates. The complex network across Europe where each stage, each country, might be run by a different group, can make prosecution that much harder. For Hyland the number of prosecutions is shockingly low. The solution needs to be a two-pronged approach: Targeting businesses that profit directly or indirectly from unlawfully cheap labor and exploitation, and educating vulnerable populations in the source country. If we really want to tackle human trafficking, we need to start hitting businesses, landlords, transport companies, whoever it may be, including countries. We need to hit them about the money that they make from this enterprise, he said. The 2015 U.K. Modern Slavery Act aims to tackle the problem by requiring companies to show that modern slavery is not taking place in their business operations or their supply chains. In Germany, the Federal Police Office is trying to combat human trafficking by going after other crimes connected to it. For us it is very important that the different manifestations of this type of crime arent considered separately, but seen as a whole and connected. That means that we dont consider smuggling as a separate crime, or human trafficking, or the illegal sale of cigarettes, as separate crimes, said Chief Detective Nicole Baumann of the German Federal Police Office. Many Vietnamese illegals can be seen peddling cigarettes at busy commercial centers. We have to try to look at these forms of crime as under one roof, and every agency has to be practically involved in the prosecution. Germanys federal police agents work closely with state police and customs and border agencies, youth welfare offices, even unions and professional counseling services, expanding control activities that could uncover human trafficking crimes. A key element for German law enforcement is to involve and cooperate with NGOs who provide cultural training and other forms of collaboration, and work with the government of the source country, Chief Detective Baumann said. Our efforts have got to go across agencies and be multi-disciplinary in order to successfully combat this crime, Baumann said. While tackling the demand for illegal and forced labor in Europe, anti-modern slavery experts agree, any approach to combat trafficking from Vietnam must tackle conditions in the source country, such as few educational or economic opportunities, that are pushing citizens to leave their homes and risk becoming trafficked. Until governments start to take control of the options provided for their citizens, by providing education, training for work, and properly paying jobs, it will be difficult to stem the flow of migrants seeking better opportunities elsewhere. That is a challenge not unique to Vietnam, said anti-slavery advocate Kevin Hyland. Crime operations have even used the Essex tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities, says a report by the Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. The phone rang in the middle of the night at a small apartment on the outskirts of London, waking Tim Tran as he was sleeping. But what the caller on the other end of the line relayed, woke him from his daze immediately and he got ready to go to work. Tim Tran, a pseudonym he has asked RFA to use to protect his identify, has lived in the United Kingdom for several decades. For the past seven years, he has provided support for Englands social services and the police in cases involving victims of human trafficking from Vietnam. That early morning, staff from Britains Department of Health and Social Care told him two boys from Vietnam had been arrested at Londons Heathrow Airport. Tran was asked to come to the office to assist with the case. When I arrived, there were the police, social care officers and others. The two boys were so relieved when I entered the room, because they could see I was Vietnamese. They only spoke a couple of words of English, he said. They were sweet and friendly, about 15 years of age, Tran recounted. They had arrived on a flight in the middle of the night, but instead of getting their luggage and exiting the airport, they hung around with seemingly nowhere to go. When customs approached and questioned them, they couldnt answer. Tran interviewed the boys and noted one important detail: The boys did not travel alone. The two boys said they posed as children of a Vietnamese diplomat to travel by plane to England. All three had visas from the British government to legally enter at Heathrow airport. They said once they arrived, the diplomat who posed as their dad took all their documents and disappeared. By 2018 the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45 percent (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims, according to data from the U.K. Ministry of Justice. Credit: AFP Policies and treatment of minors In 2009, the U.K. expanded its Children Act 2004 and enacted a new law under the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act to add the U.K. Border Agency to the list of government bodies required to safeguard and promote the welfare of unaccompanied minors. The case of the two boys found at Heathrow would end up being adjudicated as a case of human trafficking. The children were placed in foster care and allowed to stay in Great Britain. The U.K. Childrens Act (of 2004) makes it very clear that it does not matter if the child is a victim of human trafficking or a victim of domestic violence, or whatever. The blame for the illegal action lies at the feet of the adults. The British government considers the children innocent. Thats what makes England progressive and its admirable, said Tim Tran. Maybe its because of this act that so many people choose to come to the U.K.? he pondered. According to data from the Ministry of Justice, in 2010 there were 187 victims of human trafficking who were minors, representing about a quarter of the total number (710) of trafficked people in the U.K. By 2018, the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45% (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims. But experts say the true number of victims, and likely the proportion of child victims, is much higher. The Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) in a 2016 review of Britains efforts to fight modern slavery highlighted a persistent phenomenon among minors, similar of the incident Tim Tran described at Heathrow airport: A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities. It was a way for smugglers to get people into the country, Tran explained. Then theyd pick up the kids from the shelter home or wherever they were placed, and continue the journey they had originally planned. Migrants are brought ashore by RNLI Lifeboat staff, police officers and Border Force staff, after having crossed the channel, in Dungeness, Britain, Nov. 24, 2021. Credit: Reuters Trafficking victims persecuted as perpetrators A migrant who is connecting with smuggling rings to help him or her cross borders illegally might be seen as a willing participant of a crime. In the eyes of many, including the laws of various countries, they can still be seen as perpetrators, even when they have been exploited or abused, says Kevin Hyland, a former independent anti-slavery commissioner for the U.K. He now is a member of GRETA. They're looked upon as illegal immigrants and therefore are dealt with in a very robust way, for example with deportation, he said. Across Europe and in the U.K. specifically, I know it's a problem. What happens when Vietnamese nationals are found in, say, a cannabis farm, is that they are very often arrested. Even when these farm hands are held in prison-like conditions, unable to leave the premises and with neither the financial nor language capabilities to run large, multi-million cannabis operations, the law might be slow to recognize them as victims. That was the case of a woman arrested at a farm in Dublin in 2012, Hyland said. This was a young Vietnamese woman who couldn't speak English, who was on the premises and her role was to keep the plants watered. It was beyond her capability to be able to go and rent this very large property, set up this network. But she was charged with the offence of manufacturing the drugs or cultivating the drugs. The woman was jailed for two and half years before the Supreme Court of Ireland recognized her as a victim of human trafficking. The case illustrates the difficulties in identifying victims of human trafficking. In 2009, the U.K. established the National Referral Mechanism with the goal of identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery. Hyland says its a laudable effort, with first responders referring more victims into the system every year, but it falls short in getting justice and help for the victims. The waiting list, including a large number of Vietnamese nationals, is currently running at about 22,000 waiting for entry into the system. Those people will have been waiting one to two years, some even more. Sometimes its four years, he said. So what's happening is the victims are not being identified and the criminals are operating with impunity. And there's a lot of money being made out of this and Vietnamese nationals are seen as a good source of income. Essex tragedy used to charge higher prices Even in the incident that would kill 39 Vietnamese migrants in October of 2019, nobody has been convicted of human trafficking. Essex police recently charged Dragos Stefan Damien, the man who provided the lorry in which the victims perished, with conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. Damien was caught in Milan, Italy, on June 10 and extradited to the U.K. where he pled guilty earlier last month. Court records show that the gang involved in the Essex 39 tragedy had a long-standing smuggling operation and profited 1 million (U.S. $1.35 million) in that month alone. In the aftermath of the tragedy, crime operations have even used the tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. People that are organizing this in Vietnam, they've actually used the deaths of the 39 people as a promotion type, by saying, Yes those were the bad smugglers. They were the bad people to get you there. We do it properly. We can charge a little bit more but you'll get there safely, said Hyland. Demonstrators hold banners and candles during a vigil for the 39 Vietnamese lorry victims, outside the Home Office in London, in 2019. Credit: AP Fighting a multi-million dollar business The smuggling of Vietnamese nationals continues to be a lucrative $300 million business, the Council of Europe estimates. The complex network across Europe where each stage, each country, might be run by a different group, can make prosecution that much harder. For Hyland the number of prosecutions is shockingly low. The solution needs to be a two-pronged approach: Targeting businesses that profit directly or indirectly from unlawfully cheap labor and exploitation, and educating vulnerable populations in the source country. If we really want to tackle human trafficking, we need to start hitting businesses, landlords, transport companies, whoever it may be, including countries. We need to hit them about the money that they make from this enterprise, he said. The 2015 U.K. Modern Slavery Act aims to tackle the problem by requiring companies to show that modern slavery is not taking place in their business operations or their supply chains. In Germany, the Federal Police Office is trying to combat human trafficking by going after other crimes connected to it. For us it is very important that the different manifestations of this type of crime arent considered separately, but seen as a whole and connected. That means that we dont consider smuggling as a separate crime, or human trafficking, or the illegal sale of cigarettes, as separate crimes, said Chief Detective Nicole Baumann of the German Federal Police Office. Many Vietnamese illegals can be seen peddling cigarettes at busy commercial centers. We have to try to look at these forms of crime as under one roof, and every agency has to be practically involved in the prosecution. Germanys federal police agents work closely with state police and customs and border agencies, youth welfare offices, even unions and professional counseling services, expanding control activities that could uncover human trafficking crimes. A key element for German law enforcement is to involve and cooperate with NGOs who provide cultural training and other forms of collaboration, and work with the government of the source country, Chief Detective Baumann said. Our efforts have got to go across agencies and be multi-disciplinary in order to successfully combat this crime, Baumann said. While tackling the demand for illegal and forced labor in Europe, anti-modern slavery experts agree, any approach to combat trafficking from Vietnam must tackle conditions in the source country, such as few educational or economic opportunities, that are pushing citizens to leave their homes and risk becoming trafficked. Until governments start to take control of the options provided for their citizens, by providing education, training for work, and properly paying jobs, it will be difficult to stem the flow of migrants seeking better opportunities elsewhere. That is a challenge not unique to Vietnam, said anti-slavery advocate Kevin Hyland. Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Friday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking to announce Madurai airport as an international airport. Tagore, who is also the Chairman of Madurai airport, in his letter said that the Prime Minister is proposed to visit Tamil Nadu on January 12 and the announcement of the airport as an international airport would be a gift to Madurai for Pongal. "Since, Prime Minister is proposed to visit Tamil Nadu on 12 January 2022, I would like to take this opportunity to bring to your notice about the long pending demand of announcing the Madurai Airport as the International Airport and get the cabinet approval accordingly," his letter read. Noting that on many occasions he has brought the importance of upgrading the airport as an international airport to the Union Government, the Congress MP said, "Madurai airfield was used in World War II in 1942 by the Royal Air Force (British India) and most importantly the first passenger flight Fokker Friendship was operated in 1956 from Chennai to Madurai via Trivandrum." "Further, after construction new terminal in the year 2010 by the UPA Government, it has become International Customs Airport in the year 2012 & started its operations to Dubai & Colombo," he added. Underlining that many airports established in recent years have been upgraded as international airports, Tagore said, "If we have a glance on the map of business activities, it would be justifiable to make it the international airport." "Though there were only three international services, this airport handled 15,32,071 passengers - 11,78,738 domestic and, 3,53,333 international passengers - in 2018-19, an increase of 6.1 per cent over the previous year's figures. International passenger traffic for the said period at other airports is the same are very low compared to Madurai," he said. "However, Minister of Civil Aviation, GOI in his recent reply dated 8th December 2021 has informed several reasons along with the necessity for getting approval from the Union Cabinet. In case of upgrading airport, it would lead to increase in the GDP of the state and Country with enhanced business activities as well as employment in the State," he added. Stating that the upgradation would lead to increase in the GDP of the state and country with enhanced business activities as well as employment in the State, the Congress MP concluded by saying: "Keeping in view of the above and the fact that Madura' Airport comes near the Virudhunagar, Lok Sabha Constituency, I request you in my personal capacity as the Chairman, Madurai Airport to announce the Madurai Airport as the International Airport which is the real Pongal Gift by your goodself for the State. Accordingly. I hope strongly that you would announce during your visit on the 12th January 2022 and decide the same in the Union Cabinet as was informed by the Minister of Civil Aviation." (ANI) An African-American voters rights organization is calling for police in Pittsburgh to arrest the individual responsible for the death of a Black man. Despite weeks passing since his death, Pennsylvania State Police have only questioned people in connection with the case. Local station WTAE reports that initially, a 25-year-old white man was detained in connection to the shooting death of a Jamaican immigrant, Peter Bernardo Spencer, 29. Several guns were also retrieved from the location where the unnamed man was taken in by police. Peter Bernardo Spencer (GoFundMe) The Black Political Empowerment Project (BPEP) wants answers regarding why no charges have been filed. Spencer was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds in the western Pennsylvania town of Rockland Township in the early morning hours of Dec. 12, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Police discovered his body in someones front yard. Troopers were alerted of a shooting that occurred between 1 a.m. and 2:26 a.m. On Wednesday, Dec. 29, the Pennsylvania State Police released an initial report but has stated the an ongoing investigation is awaiting additional autopsy results, toxicology reports, ballistic reports and lab results to be submitted. After analysis of the evidence is complete, the Venango County District Attorneys Office will review all reports on the case, and then make a recommendation on charges. The authorities also revealed there was some sort of gathering that involved alcohol and gunplay, and since the original detainment of the 25-year-old white man, three other people were brought in for questioning by troopers. They all were released by the DA pending additional evidence. The investigation will also be continued by the state police Troop E Major Case Team and members of the agencys Heritage Affairs, a section that is responsible for training officers on how to handle hate/biased related crimes. William Anderson, chair of the Allegheny County Democratic Black Caucus, has been working closely with Spencers family since his death and spoke about the trauma this has caused them. Story continues This was a whole family that came to this country seeking a better life and their life is destroyed, he said. It will never be the same this is not America, and I am even further outraged that this is someone that came from another country and was slaughtered, shot nine times. According to Anderson and BPEP CEO Tim Stevens, his fiancee Carmela King dropped him off in Venango County to go hunting with a friend and when she returned to pick him up less than 24 hours later, he was dead. The friend, according to the family, was arrested and claimed that the slaying was self-defense. The BPEP rep said, Which we think is a defenseless defense, an unexplainable defense we cant help but wonder if there was some racial animosity and if this possibly could be a hate crime. This is serious and people need to know they cant do this in Pennsylvania or hopefully anywhere in the nation, he concluded. There is nothing in the information released by police to say that anyone claimed self-defense in the shooting of Spencer. The family has set up two crowdfunding efforts: one to support his memorialization costs, to help start a restaurant in his honor, and another for legal expenses. His sister Tehiliah Spencer wrote in the funeral GoFundMe, My brother Peter Spencer was MURDERED IN COLD BLOOD! She added that the man who invited Spencer camping was a co-worker, who then brought three of his own friends and a girlfriend. All of whom are white, according to Tehiliah. She later described her brother as friendly and outgoing. The other was set up by his fiancee. She shares more details about the last night she saw Spencer. He was invited on a camping trip by a friend on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021, in Venango county, Emlenton Pennsylvania. This invitation ultimately resulted in Peter being shot multiple times while in the presence of five white men. He was the only black individual at the campsite and is being portrayed as the aggressor, she wrote. The Franklin state troopers office will not give Peters family nor myself any information regarding this incident, she continued. We have been turned away several times while trying to reach out for information regarding what happened. In doing so, I am forced to hire a criminal attorney to help investigate the matter and receive justice. In efforts to get justice, Stevens stated to WTAE that they wanted to send a formal note. I found this story beyond tragic we decided that we needed to send a letter to some of the key members that be in Pennsylvania, he said. We are talking six bullets into the chest, two into the buttocks, and one we have a different opinion either through the mouth or from the neck out of the mouth, he continued. The BPEP letter demanding decisive action be taken in this case was sent to various government officials such as U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, the Venango County DAs office and also forwarded the press. We demand the immediate investigation of this murder by the Venango County district attorney, the U.S. attorney general, and the PA state attorney general, and that this murder be considered as a hate crime and an act of domestic terrorism, the letter stated. More news from our partners: I Basically Felt Like They Were Trying to Kidnap Me: L.A. Music Producer Sues LAPD After Neighbor Calls Police on Her White Ex-Boyfriend But Black Man Gets Arrested Instead Finurah Funding Friday: Operation Hope, FedEx, and the New York Public Library Are Offering Up Grants for Small Businesses Top 10 NBA Moments Of 2021| KDs Big Toe, Valley-Oops, Greek Freaks To Kings Disease Our children are dying: Faith-based groups look to heal Chicago amid rising violence 2021 was the most violent year Chicago has experienced since the birth of the 21st century, according to recently released data from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. The office reported 820 homicides in the Windy City in 2021, the highest since 1995, when 828 murders were reported, according to the Sun-Times Media Wire. "We all know this has been a challenging year here in the city of Chicago," said Police Superintendent David Brown on Thursday. "Too many families are reeling from the loss of loved ones due to senseless gun violence ... Too many residents are dealing with the ripple effects of this trauma due to crime in our community." In late November, the Cook County Medical Examiners Office issued a report confirming that the number of homicides in the county had passed 1,000 by the end of Thanksgiving. Of the 1,009 confirmed homicides, 777 of them occurred in Chicago. It was the largest number of murders in the county since 1994, when the office reported 1,141 homicides. In early July, The Chicago Tribune's crime team released data showing that there had been 2,021 shooting victims in the city through July 7, which was 164 more than at the same point in 2020. These and other statistics have led many to call Chicago the pejorative nickname Chiraq, the idea being that some parts of the city are more violent than war-torn countries like Iraq. Pastor Isaac Paintsil, head of Christs Oasis Ministries, a multisite congregation with campuses in and near Chicago, told The Christian Post that the rising violence is horrendous and heartbreaking. At a certain point, how can mothers be grieving and families be grieving, fathers be grieving week after week after week after week?" Paintsil asked. "This is the real challenge that we are having, and the emotional toll on us is just unbelievable." Paintsil is among a number of pastors who connected through a group called the Chicago Pastors Rally, which brings together clergy from across the city to engage in events, such as a prayer rally held every two weeks and breakfasts with local officials. We have what we call the unity torch, said Paintsil, noting that the object symbolizes peace and is comparable to the Olympic torch. It just passes from one church to another. Wherever the torch is located, they spend a certain amount of time in prayer, praying for peace and harmony among our communities and churches. CP reached out to several ministries and faith-based groups to learn more about how the violent crime rate has impacted them and find out what they're doing to improve their city and what they believe needs to be done to bring about sustainable change. Our children are dying Sylvia Bennett-Stone is executive director of the Voices of Black Mothers United, an organization with chapters across the country that seeks to heal crime-ridden communities. The organization is overseen by black mothers and community leaders. It is supported by the Woodson Center, a nonprofit that focuses on improving low-income neighborhoods. Bennett-Stone, whose daughter was killed in a crossfire between two gunmen in 2004, told CP that her organization was in the process of setting up a new chapter in Chicago. "We recruit mothers who have lost children and are well enough and cared enough to go back into the community and make some changes, said Bennett-Stone. "We've lost children to violence, but we also are mothers who are healed. And we believe, we totally believe that if mothers heal, then families heal. And if the family heals, then the community heals." Bennett-Stone says Chicago's problems are multifaceted" and are impacted by drug addiction, gang violence, lack of income and mental illness. "Our children are dying. Its no longer just adults or people who are involved in the violence. It is our babies that are dying. It is our babies that are getting caught in the crossfire, she said. My baby was caught in the crossfire. And its no longer just an issue that's contained in one area. Its everywhere." Pastor Ira Acree, who leads Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago, said his congregation has been devastated by the rising violence in the city and surrounding county. Our community, everybody in our church, they either have someone in their family that has been affected by violence or they know someone personally, whether its a friend or neighbor, who has been impacted, said Acree. We are quite familiar and quite acquainted with the impact of violence." Acree agrees that a myriad of things are driving the rising violence, including a decision by the Chicago Board of Education in 2013 to close 50 schools, the shuttering of multiple mental units, and what he described as disinvestment by powers that be. There's been a cumulative failure in multiple institutions, he said. They have concentrated on building up the North Side and the downtown parts of our city, which are the more affluent areas, and they have left the poor communities out here by themselves." He also cited issues like police reform, telling CP that we are still hoping for that to take place, but there's still an issue with police being trusted in our community." Action and prayer Chicago Pastors Rally member Pastor Joseph Rhoiney of First Progressive Church of Chicago said that member churches are each doing things in their individual locations that they feel are working. The idea is that there is a branch that guides to the root, and the root is faith, hope, and love and peace. And we continue to multiply and magnify that as manifested in different areas, he said. As an example, Rhoiney described an intergenerational buddy system." "We have the young people buddy with somebody. Something happens that they feel unsure about, they can call the buddy," he explained. The buddy system says, Im not in this by myself, he added. Somebody else is partnered with me, and were partnered with another group for this one thing called peace within the community, peace within ourselves. There were also events that included competitions involving mental, physical and spiritual prowess played between younger and older individuals to help get the two generations talking, physically engaging one another. The ultimate goal is to have the connections between the older generation and the younger generation. And every time weve done it, weve had tremendous success with it, continued Rhoiney. Because we see that peace can abide between the two, and the young people can learn to trust the old people, and the old people can see how they can share and receive openly how the young people feel. Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago said his church has an after-school program that aims to keep a lot of children out of harm's way" and offers safe party events on Friday evenings twice a month. Greater St. John Bible Church also coordinates a faith-based first responders training to help with trauma alongside other local congregations, according to Acree. "Although we try to be proactive in these urban communities, until there's a radical change, there will be trauma. And so, we deal with how to respond to violence when it happens, he added. Gun buyback events Some congregations in Chicago and elsewhere have held gun buyback events with the intention of helping to stem the tide of firearms-related violence in the city. These events typically involve people bringing guns to a church and anonymously selling them to the congregation without any questions being asked. In July, the Chicago-based Faith Community of Saint Sabina held a multiday buyback event that saw 123 handguns, 31 rifles and one assault weapon bought in the first two days. The Rev. Michael L. Pfleger of Saint Sabina Church told CP in an interview that they were able to meet and speak to many young brothers to help turn their lives around. We are continuing to try many things to stop this senseless killing, Pfleger said at the time, listing other events centered on this effort, including weekly peace walks and block parties. This is just one more application. Acree of Greater St. John said that while his congregation has done such events in the past, he has had some doubts about their effectiveness. "I'm not a real big fan of it. If the police want to do it, the superintendent wants to do it, I'll try to support them. I've got to give them an opportunity to work his vision for what he believes," said Acree. "I'm certainly not a police officer. I'm not a law enforcement expert. But I personally have my thoughts about how all the good guys are turning in their guns but the thugs still have theirs." Paintsil noted that he was unaware of any of CPRs member churches doing a gun buyback event and felt he could not respond on whether they worked. Boots on the ground Bennett-Stone of Voices of Black Mothers United, told CP that she believes there needs to be more direct engagement between officials and the community. "Based upon my observations, they need to come outside and work with the boots on the ground, Bennett-Stone asserted. Typically, city officials in government agencies engage more with larger organizations. However, larger organizations deal with people that come to them. The boots on the ground go to the people. So they need to look at the real grassroots organizations that [are] going to the neighborhood where it is gang-infested and work with those people; help them, help support those grassroots. Because they are meeting people where they are." Bennett-Stone told CP that houses of worship have a role to play in combating the violence, but stressed that they need to come outside of the walls. Churches have been the guiding light for years in urban communities, she said. However, churches need to come outside of the walls and engage with the community and understand what are the factors, what ministering can be done." Acree echoed the boots on the ground comment, believing that there needs to be more investment in the South Side and West Side, including investment in education. They need to also realize that building up schools is a path out of this trauma that we are in, the mayhem that we're in. Building an education, eliminating schools is not the answer, he said. "I also believe they can build to capacity of these community organizations are there already with boots on the ground. Acree felt that officials tend to fund the outside organizations who come in as the savior." "They give them tons of money, but I think ... they should make a concerted effort to build up the people who are there on the frontlines," he said. Some of these churches have feeding programs, some have afterschool programs, some have mentoring programs. These [are] people that live here, that work here and they are going to be here, for the most part, the pastor added. "They need to learn how to see the importance of building up these home-grown institutions who are going to be here, come what may." Paintsil also believes there needs to be stronger relationships with the faith-based communities." He said one reason we are not able to carry out the work at the degree that we would like to, definitely is finances. I know that quite a lot of support comes in for different things, but I always call the Church the spiritual levy. Because when the levy is breached, everything breaks down, said Paintsil. Rhoiney of First Progressive Church stressed the spiritual need that must be part of the change. He noted that in the Bible, whenever the land was in turmoil, rulers went to the prophets and the Church for help. I think we all need to stand up and say thats what we are, and respond in such a way that affects peace and harmony and goodwill for all men, said Rhoiney. We all carry multiple titles, whether we are editors, writers, reporters, pastors, doctors, engineers, accountants, global communicators, broadcasters, it makes no difference. You are Christians. Your witness should rise inside your office to affect the change for the greater good and the greater community. Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Friday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking to announce Madurai airport as an international airport. Tagore, who is also the Chairman of Madurai airport, in his letter said that the Prime Minister is proposed to visit Tamil Nadu on January 12 and the announcement of the airport as an international airport would be a gift to Madurai for Pongal. "Since, Prime Minister is proposed to visit Tamil Nadu on 12 January 2022, I would like to take this opportunity to bring to your notice about the long pending demand of announcing the Madurai Airport as the International Airport and get the cabinet approval accordingly," his letter read. Noting that on many occasions he has brought the importance of upgrading the airport as an international airport to the Union Government, the Congress MP said, "Madurai airfield was used in World War II in 1942 by the Royal Air Force (British India) and most importantly the first passenger flight Fokker Friendship was operated in 1956 from Chennai to Madurai via Trivandrum." "Further, after construction new terminal in the year 2010 by the UPA Government, it has become International Customs Airport in the year 2012 & started its operations to Dubai & Colombo," he added. Underlining that many airports established in recent years have been upgraded as international airports, Tagore said, "If we have a glance on the map of business activities, it would be justifiable to make it the international airport." "Though there were only three international services, this airport handled 15,32,071 passengers - 11,78,738 domestic and, 3,53,333 international passengers - in 2018-19, an increase of 6.1 per cent over the previous year's figures. International passenger traffic for the said period at other airports is the same are very low compared to Madurai," he said. "However, Minister of Civil Aviation, GOI in his recent reply dated 8th December 2021 has informed several reasons along with the necessity for getting approval from the Union Cabinet. In case of upgrading airport, it would lead to increase in the GDP of the state and Country with enhanced business activities as well as employment in the State," he added. Stating that the upgradation would lead to increase in the GDP of the state and country with enhanced business activities as well as employment in the State, the Congress MP concluded by saying: "Keeping in view of the above and the fact that Madura' Airport comes near the Virudhunagar, Lok Sabha Constituency, I request you in my personal capacity as the Chairman, Madurai Airport to announce the Madurai Airport as the International Airport which is the real Pongal Gift by your goodself for the State. Accordingly. I hope strongly that you would announce during your visit on the 12th January 2022 and decide the same in the Union Cabinet as was informed by the Minister of Civil Aviation." (ANI) Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Friday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking to announce Madurai airport as an international airport. Tagore, who is also the Chairman of Madurai airport, in his letter said that the Prime Minister is proposed to visit Tamil Nadu on January 12 and the announcement of the airport as an international airport would be a gift to Madurai for Pongal. "Since, Prime Minister is proposed to visit Tamil Nadu on 12 January 2022, I would like to take this opportunity to bring to your notice about the long pending demand of announcing the Madurai Airport as the International Airport and get the cabinet approval accordingly," his letter read. Noting that on many occasions he has brought the importance of upgrading the airport as an international airport to the Union Government, the Congress MP said, "Madurai airfield was used in World War II in 1942 by the Royal Air Force (British India) and most importantly the first passenger flight Fokker Friendship was operated in 1956 from Chennai to Madurai via Trivandrum." "Further, after construction new terminal in the year 2010 by the UPA Government, it has become International Customs Airport in the year 2012 & started its operations to Dubai & Colombo," he added. Underlining that many airports established in recent years have been upgraded as international airports, Tagore said, "If we have a glance on the map of business activities, it would be justifiable to make it the international airport." "Though there were only three international services, this airport handled 15,32,071 passengers - 11,78,738 domestic and, 3,53,333 international passengers - in 2018-19, an increase of 6.1 per cent over the previous year's figures. International passenger traffic for the said period at other airports is the same are very low compared to Madurai," he said. "However, Minister of Civil Aviation, GOI in his recent reply dated 8th December 2021 has informed several reasons along with the necessity for getting approval from the Union Cabinet. In case of upgrading airport, it would lead to increase in the GDP of the state and Country with enhanced business activities as well as employment in the State," he added. Stating that the upgradation would lead to increase in the GDP of the state and country with enhanced business activities as well as employment in the State, the Congress MP concluded by saying: "Keeping in view of the above and the fact that Madura' Airport comes near the Virudhunagar, Lok Sabha Constituency, I request you in my personal capacity as the Chairman, Madurai Airport to announce the Madurai Airport as the International Airport which is the real Pongal Gift by your goodself for the State. Accordingly. I hope strongly that you would announce during your visit on the 12th January 2022 and decide the same in the Union Cabinet as was informed by the Minister of Civil Aviation." (ANI) As restaurants and retail customers have started buying beef heading into summer, the wholesale market has been extremely tight, the analysts for Daily Livestock Report wrote in a report released on Tuesday. They noted that a small restaurant in southern Utah had started to charge an extra $4 for dishes that contained carne asada. Retailers and beef processors are coming from a long weekend and need to catch up with orders and make sure to fill the meat case, the analysts wrote. If they suddenly get a call saying that product may not deliver tomorrow or this week, it will create very significant challenges in keeping plants in operation and the retail case stocked up. An extended disruption, the analysts warned, could add gasoline to an already large flame. JBS has said that it was the target of an organized cybersecurity attack that affected systems in North America and Australia, that its backup servers were not affected and that it did not expect that any customer, supplier or employee data was exposed. Karine Jean-Pierre, a White House deputy press secretary, told reporters on Air Force One on Tuesday that JBS had told the Biden administration that it was a ransomware attack, and that the ransom demand had come from a criminal organization likely based in Russia. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was investigating the hack, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency was also involved, Ms. Jean-Pierre said. The White House is engaging directly with the Russian government on this matter and delivering the message that responsible states do not harbor ransomware criminals, she said. As restaurants and retail customers have started buying beef heading into summer, the wholesale market has been extremely tight, the analysts for Daily Livestock Report wrote in a report released on Tuesday. They noted that a small restaurant in southern Utah had started to charge an extra $4 for dishes that contained carne asada. Retailers and beef processors are coming from a long weekend and need to catch up with orders and make sure to fill the meat case, the analysts wrote. If they suddenly get a call saying that product may not deliver tomorrow or this week, it will create very significant challenges in keeping plants in operation and the retail case stocked up. An extended disruption, the analysts warned, could add gasoline to an already large flame. JBS has said that it was the target of an organized cybersecurity attack that affected systems in North America and Australia, that its backup servers were not affected and that it did not expect that any customer, supplier or employee data was exposed. Karine Jean-Pierre, a White House deputy press secretary, told reporters on Air Force One on Tuesday that JBS had told the Biden administration that it was a ransomware attack, and that the ransom demand had come from a criminal organization likely based in Russia. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was investigating the hack, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency was also involved, Ms. Jean-Pierre said. The White House is engaging directly with the Russian government on this matter and delivering the message that responsible states do not harbor ransomware criminals, she said. Public health warnings haven't inspired much more than panicked talk and we kind that that more serious action might be merited given so much fearsome chatter directed at the media. To be fair, there are plenty of reasons to stay home tonight. COVID is just one. Nevertheless, here's a TKC glimpse at more warnings for tonight that will mostly be ignored . . . Kansas City area health leaders stress skipping crowded NYE parties as COVID cases surge KANSAS CITY, Mo. - It's been another tough year dealing with the pandemic so as you can imagine a lot of people are wanting to let loose and enjoy the night at parties like Power and Light's New Year's Live! While others are choosing a low-key route to ring in the new year. Testing center in Overland Park offers new test that detects omicron variant Antigen test manufacturer Quidel announced this week that its new COVID-19 antigen test now detects the omicron variant.Overland Park-based COVID-19 testing center Health Gauge said that it now offers the test.It's by drive-up appointment only at Health Gauge in Overland Park."Over the course of the last week and a half, we've seen a real pickup in testing," said Scott McGlothlen, of Health Gauge.Scott McGlothlen said his company had nearly closed shop on COVID-19 testing at its Overland Park center. KC bars, restaurants and businesses prepare for another pandemic New Year's Eve KANSAS CITY, Mo. - As New Year's Eve celebrations return this year, some businesses are taking extra safety precautions due to the recent rise in COVID-19 cases. Last year, a lot of New Year's Eve celebrations were called off due to the pandemic, but many restaurants, bars and businesses are bringing back the festivities this year. Metro hospitals brace for more COVID patients while battling the flu KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) --- Hospitals across the Kansas City metro area and all of Kansas will host a conference Jan. 3 to discuss capacity issues and staffing challenges. They're dealing with a new Covid-19 variant, staffing shortages and high rates of flu. Fauci Warns Against 'Hugging and Kissing' in New Year's Eve Celebrations The nation's leading infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci OK'd small, at-home New Year's Eve gatherings among vaccinated and boosted individuals on Wednesday, but he urged Americans to cancel plans to attend larger parties as conditions become more grim amid the omicron variant. Developing . . . An African-American voters rights organization is calling for police in Pittsburgh to arrest the individual responsible for the death of a Black man. Despite weeks passing since his death, Pennsylvania State Police have only questioned people in connection with the case. Local station WTAE reports that initially, a 25-year-old white man was detained in connection to the shooting death of a Jamaican immigrant, Peter Bernardo Spencer, 29. Several guns were also retrieved from the location where the unnamed man was taken in by police. Peter Bernardo Spencer (GoFundMe) The Black Political Empowerment Project (BPEP) wants answers regarding why no charges have been filed. Spencer was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds in the western Pennsylvania town of Rockland Township in the early morning hours of Dec. 12, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Police discovered his body in someones front yard. Troopers were alerted of a shooting that occurred between 1 a.m. and 2:26 a.m. On Wednesday, Dec. 29, the Pennsylvania State Police released an initial report but has stated the an ongoing investigation is awaiting additional autopsy results, toxicology reports, ballistic reports and lab results to be submitted. After analysis of the evidence is complete, the Venango County District Attorneys Office will review all reports on the case, and then make a recommendation on charges. The authorities also revealed there was some sort of gathering that involved alcohol and gunplay, and since the original detainment of the 25-year-old white man, three other people were brought in for questioning by troopers. They all were released by the DA pending additional evidence. The investigation will also be continued by the state police Troop E Major Case Team and members of the agencys Heritage Affairs, a section that is responsible for training officers on how to handle hate/biased related crimes. William Anderson, chair of the Allegheny County Democratic Black Caucus, has been working closely with Spencers family since his death and spoke about the trauma this has caused them. Story continues This was a whole family that came to this country seeking a better life and their life is destroyed, he said. It will never be the same this is not America, and I am even further outraged that this is someone that came from another country and was slaughtered, shot nine times. According to Anderson and BPEP CEO Tim Stevens, his fiancee Carmela King dropped him off in Venango County to go hunting with a friend and when she returned to pick him up less than 24 hours later, he was dead. The friend, according to the family, was arrested and claimed that the slaying was self-defense. The BPEP rep said, Which we think is a defenseless defense, an unexplainable defense we cant help but wonder if there was some racial animosity and if this possibly could be a hate crime. This is serious and people need to know they cant do this in Pennsylvania or hopefully anywhere in the nation, he concluded. There is nothing in the information released by police to say that anyone claimed self-defense in the shooting of Spencer. The family has set up two crowdfunding efforts: one to support his memorialization costs, to help start a restaurant in his honor, and another for legal expenses. His sister Tehiliah Spencer wrote in the funeral GoFundMe, My brother Peter Spencer was MURDERED IN COLD BLOOD! She added that the man who invited Spencer camping was a co-worker, who then brought three of his own friends and a girlfriend. All of whom are white, according to Tehiliah. She later described her brother as friendly and outgoing. The other was set up by his fiancee. She shares more details about the last night she saw Spencer. He was invited on a camping trip by a friend on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021, in Venango county, Emlenton Pennsylvania. This invitation ultimately resulted in Peter being shot multiple times while in the presence of five white men. He was the only black individual at the campsite and is being portrayed as the aggressor, she wrote. The Franklin state troopers office will not give Peters family nor myself any information regarding this incident, she continued. We have been turned away several times while trying to reach out for information regarding what happened. In doing so, I am forced to hire a criminal attorney to help investigate the matter and receive justice. In efforts to get justice, Stevens stated to WTAE that they wanted to send a formal note. I found this story beyond tragic we decided that we needed to send a letter to some of the key members that be in Pennsylvania, he said. We are talking six bullets into the chest, two into the buttocks, and one we have a different opinion either through the mouth or from the neck out of the mouth, he continued. The BPEP letter demanding decisive action be taken in this case was sent to various government officials such as U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, the Venango County DAs office and also forwarded the press. We demand the immediate investigation of this murder by the Venango County district attorney, the U.S. attorney general, and the PA state attorney general, and that this murder be considered as a hate crime and an act of domestic terrorism, the letter stated. More news from our partners: I Basically Felt Like They Were Trying to Kidnap Me: L.A. Music Producer Sues LAPD After Neighbor Calls Police on Her White Ex-Boyfriend But Black Man Gets Arrested Instead Finurah Funding Friday: Operation Hope, FedEx, and the New York Public Library Are Offering Up Grants for Small Businesses Top 10 NBA Moments Of 2021| KDs Big Toe, Valley-Oops, Greek Freaks To Kings Disease An African-American voters rights organization is calling for police in Pittsburgh to arrest the individual responsible for the death of a Black man. Despite weeks passing since his death, Pennsylvania State Police have only questioned people in connection with the case. Local station WTAE reports that initially, a 25-year-old white man was detained in connection to the shooting death of a Jamaican immigrant, Peter Bernardo Spencer, 29. Several guns were also retrieved from the location where the unnamed man was taken in by police. Peter Bernardo Spencer (GoFundMe) The Black Political Empowerment Project (BPEP) wants answers regarding why no charges have been filed. Spencer was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds in the western Pennsylvania town of Rockland Township in the early morning hours of Dec. 12, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Police discovered his body in someones front yard. Troopers were alerted of a shooting that occurred between 1 a.m. and 2:26 a.m. On Wednesday, Dec. 29, the Pennsylvania State Police released an initial report but has stated the an ongoing investigation is awaiting additional autopsy results, toxicology reports, ballistic reports and lab results to be submitted. After analysis of the evidence is complete, the Venango County District Attorneys Office will review all reports on the case, and then make a recommendation on charges. The authorities also revealed there was some sort of gathering that involved alcohol and gunplay, and since the original detainment of the 25-year-old white man, three other people were brought in for questioning by troopers. They all were released by the DA pending additional evidence. The investigation will also be continued by the state police Troop E Major Case Team and members of the agencys Heritage Affairs, a section that is responsible for training officers on how to handle hate/biased related crimes. William Anderson, chair of the Allegheny County Democratic Black Caucus, has been working closely with Spencers family since his death and spoke about the trauma this has caused them. Story continues This was a whole family that came to this country seeking a better life and their life is destroyed, he said. It will never be the same this is not America, and I am even further outraged that this is someone that came from another country and was slaughtered, shot nine times. According to Anderson and BPEP CEO Tim Stevens, his fiancee Carmela King dropped him off in Venango County to go hunting with a friend and when she returned to pick him up less than 24 hours later, he was dead. The friend, according to the family, was arrested and claimed that the slaying was self-defense. The BPEP rep said, Which we think is a defenseless defense, an unexplainable defense we cant help but wonder if there was some racial animosity and if this possibly could be a hate crime. This is serious and people need to know they cant do this in Pennsylvania or hopefully anywhere in the nation, he concluded. There is nothing in the information released by police to say that anyone claimed self-defense in the shooting of Spencer. The family has set up two crowdfunding efforts: one to support his memorialization costs, to help start a restaurant in his honor, and another for legal expenses. His sister Tehiliah Spencer wrote in the funeral GoFundMe, My brother Peter Spencer was MURDERED IN COLD BLOOD! She added that the man who invited Spencer camping was a co-worker, who then brought three of his own friends and a girlfriend. All of whom are white, according to Tehiliah. She later described her brother as friendly and outgoing. The other was set up by his fiancee. She shares more details about the last night she saw Spencer. He was invited on a camping trip by a friend on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021, in Venango county, Emlenton Pennsylvania. This invitation ultimately resulted in Peter being shot multiple times while in the presence of five white men. He was the only black individual at the campsite and is being portrayed as the aggressor, she wrote. The Franklin state troopers office will not give Peters family nor myself any information regarding this incident, she continued. We have been turned away several times while trying to reach out for information regarding what happened. In doing so, I am forced to hire a criminal attorney to help investigate the matter and receive justice. In efforts to get justice, Stevens stated to WTAE that they wanted to send a formal note. I found this story beyond tragic we decided that we needed to send a letter to some of the key members that be in Pennsylvania, he said. We are talking six bullets into the chest, two into the buttocks, and one we have a different opinion either through the mouth or from the neck out of the mouth, he continued. The BPEP letter demanding decisive action be taken in this case was sent to various government officials such as U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, the Venango County DAs office and also forwarded the press. We demand the immediate investigation of this murder by the Venango County district attorney, the U.S. attorney general, and the PA state attorney general, and that this murder be considered as a hate crime and an act of domestic terrorism, the letter stated. More news from our partners: I Basically Felt Like They Were Trying to Kidnap Me: L.A. Music Producer Sues LAPD After Neighbor Calls Police on Her White Ex-Boyfriend But Black Man Gets Arrested Instead Finurah Funding Friday: Operation Hope, FedEx, and the New York Public Library Are Offering Up Grants for Small Businesses Top 10 NBA Moments Of 2021| KDs Big Toe, Valley-Oops, Greek Freaks To Kings Disease As restaurants and retail customers have started buying beef heading into summer, the wholesale market has been extremely tight, the analysts for Daily Livestock Report wrote in a report released on Tuesday. They noted that a small restaurant in southern Utah had started to charge an extra $4 for dishes that contained carne asada. Retailers and beef processors are coming from a long weekend and need to catch up with orders and make sure to fill the meat case, the analysts wrote. If they suddenly get a call saying that product may not deliver tomorrow or this week, it will create very significant challenges in keeping plants in operation and the retail case stocked up. An extended disruption, the analysts warned, could add gasoline to an already large flame. JBS has said that it was the target of an organized cybersecurity attack that affected systems in North America and Australia, that its backup servers were not affected and that it did not expect that any customer, supplier or employee data was exposed. Karine Jean-Pierre, a White House deputy press secretary, told reporters on Air Force One on Tuesday that JBS had told the Biden administration that it was a ransomware attack, and that the ransom demand had come from a criminal organization likely based in Russia. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was investigating the hack, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency was also involved, Ms. Jean-Pierre said. The White House is engaging directly with the Russian government on this matter and delivering the message that responsible states do not harbor ransomware criminals, she said. A woman is being sought after authorities said she shot three people on New Year's Eve in an armed robbery near a home in an unincorporated area near North Charleston. Deputies were sent about 9 p.m. to a residence in a mobile home park off the 7500 block of Tedder Street after the shooting, according to Charleston County sheriff's spokesman Andrew Knapp. He said witnesses told deputies the woman went to the residence and demanded money before opening fire. Three people were struck by the gunfire. They were taken to a hospital with wounds that were not considered life-threatening. Police dogs and their handlers searched the area but could not find the woman, who was described as wearing a black sweatshirt and camo pants. Detectives are investigating and had no suspects by the morning of Jan. 1. Knapp said anyone with information on the case can call the Sheriffs Office at 843-743-7200 or Crime Stoppers at 843-554-1111. The first baby born at a Bismarck hospital in 2022 waited until just after midnight to make her arrival in the new year. Jo'halaniJane Wolford was born at 12:11 a.m. Saturday to parents Jeannyann Dejapa and Joel Wolford. Dejapa said her labor did not last long, and the experience at Sanford Medical Center in Bismarck was different than in Guam, where she's had her previous children. In Guam, she took medication that caused her to sleep while giving birth. That wasn't the case here with Jo'halaniJane. "When she came out, they were like, 'Do you want her on your chest?'" she said. "It was really a happy feeling." The family moved last August from Guam to Bismarck, where they have relatives. Dejapa said Jo'halaniJane's siblings met her via video chat Saturday morning, as they are staying with relatives. "They were so quiet at first and then they were excited knowing that I gave birth already," she said. "Now they want to come and see her." The young children, including two brothers and a sister, will get to meet their new sister when Dejapa and Wolford bring her home from the hospital. Jo'halaniJane also has another brother who died. Jo'halaniJane is 7 pounds, 3 ounces with a height of 20 inches. Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Friday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking to announce Madurai airport as an international airport. Tagore, who is also the Chairman of Madurai airport, in his letter said that the Prime Minister is proposed to visit Tamil Nadu on January 12 and the announcement of the airport as an international airport would be a gift to Madurai for Pongal. "Since, Prime Minister is proposed to visit Tamil Nadu on 12 January 2022, I would like to take this opportunity to bring to your notice about the long pending demand of announcing the Madurai Airport as the International Airport and get the cabinet approval accordingly," his letter read. Noting that on many occasions he has brought the importance of upgrading the airport as an international airport to the Union Government, the Congress MP said, "Madurai airfield was used in World War II in 1942 by the Royal Air Force (British India) and most importantly the first passenger flight Fokker Friendship was operated in 1956 from Chennai to Madurai via Trivandrum." "Further, after construction new terminal in the year 2010 by the UPA Government, it has become International Customs Airport in the year 2012 & started its operations to Dubai & Colombo," he added. Underlining that many airports established in recent years have been upgraded as international airports, Tagore said, "If we have a glance on the map of business activities, it would be justifiable to make it the international airport." "Though there were only three international services, this airport handled 15,32,071 passengers - 11,78,738 domestic and, 3,53,333 international passengers - in 2018-19, an increase of 6.1 per cent over the previous year's figures. International passenger traffic for the said period at other airports is the same are very low compared to Madurai," he said. "However, Minister of Civil Aviation, GOI in his recent reply dated 8th December 2021 has informed several reasons along with the necessity for getting approval from the Union Cabinet. In case of upgrading airport, it would lead to increase in the GDP of the state and Country with enhanced business activities as well as employment in the State," he added. Stating that the upgradation would lead to increase in the GDP of the state and country with enhanced business activities as well as employment in the State, the Congress MP concluded by saying: "Keeping in view of the above and the fact that Madura' Airport comes near the Virudhunagar, Lok Sabha Constituency, I request you in my personal capacity as the Chairman, Madurai Airport to announce the Madurai Airport as the International Airport which is the real Pongal Gift by your goodself for the State. Accordingly. I hope strongly that you would announce during your visit on the 12th January 2022 and decide the same in the Union Cabinet as was informed by the Minister of Civil Aviation." (ANI) Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Friday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking to announce Madurai airport as an international airport. Tagore, who is also the Chairman of Madurai airport, in his letter said that the Prime Minister is proposed to visit Tamil Nadu on January 12 and the announcement of the airport as an international airport would be a gift to Madurai for Pongal. "Since, Prime Minister is proposed to visit Tamil Nadu on 12 January 2022, I would like to take this opportunity to bring to your notice about the long pending demand of announcing the Madurai Airport as the International Airport and get the cabinet approval accordingly," his letter read. Noting that on many occasions he has brought the importance of upgrading the airport as an international airport to the Union Government, the Congress MP said, "Madurai airfield was used in World War II in 1942 by the Royal Air Force (British India) and most importantly the first passenger flight Fokker Friendship was operated in 1956 from Chennai to Madurai via Trivandrum." "Further, after construction new terminal in the year 2010 by the UPA Government, it has become International Customs Airport in the year 2012 & started its operations to Dubai & Colombo," he added. Underlining that many airports established in recent years have been upgraded as international airports, Tagore said, "If we have a glance on the map of business activities, it would be justifiable to make it the international airport." "Though there were only three international services, this airport handled 15,32,071 passengers - 11,78,738 domestic and, 3,53,333 international passengers - in 2018-19, an increase of 6.1 per cent over the previous year's figures. International passenger traffic for the said period at other airports is the same are very low compared to Madurai," he said. "However, Minister of Civil Aviation, GOI in his recent reply dated 8th December 2021 has informed several reasons along with the necessity for getting approval from the Union Cabinet. In case of upgrading airport, it would lead to increase in the GDP of the state and Country with enhanced business activities as well as employment in the State," he added. Stating that the upgradation would lead to increase in the GDP of the state and country with enhanced business activities as well as employment in the State, the Congress MP concluded by saying: "Keeping in view of the above and the fact that Madura' Airport comes near the Virudhunagar, Lok Sabha Constituency, I request you in my personal capacity as the Chairman, Madurai Airport to announce the Madurai Airport as the International Airport which is the real Pongal Gift by your goodself for the State. Accordingly. I hope strongly that you would announce during your visit on the 12th January 2022 and decide the same in the Union Cabinet as was informed by the Minister of Civil Aviation." (ANI) According to police, the arrested SDPI workers Zafar and Navaz were directly involved in the murder of Sreenivasan. Both the accused were taken into police custody from Perumbavoor. So far, nine persons have been arrested in connection with the murder. Of the nine, seven were arrested earlier. Renjith Sreenivasan was hacked to death in Alappuzha district on December 19 following the murder of SDPI state secretary KS Shaan a day earlier. According to the police, Shaan was on a two-wheeler when a gang in a car attacked him on Saturday night. SDPI has alleged that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers are behind this attack. On November 15, an RSS worker S Sanjith was hacked to death allegedly by the workers of the SDPI, the political wing of the Popular Front of India. (ANI) According to police, the arrested SDPI workers Zafar and Navaz were directly involved in the murder of Sreenivasan. Both the accused were taken into police custody from Perumbavoor. So far, nine persons have been arrested in connection with the murder. Of the nine, seven were arrested earlier. Renjith Sreenivasan was hacked to death in Alappuzha district on December 19 following the murder of SDPI state secretary KS Shaan a day earlier. According to the police, Shaan was on a two-wheeler when a gang in a car attacked him on Saturday night. SDPI has alleged that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers are behind this attack. On November 15, an RSS worker S Sanjith was hacked to death allegedly by the workers of the SDPI, the political wing of the Popular Front of India. (ANI) According to police, the arrested SDPI workers Zafar and Navaz were directly involved in the murder of Sreenivasan. Both the accused were taken into police custody from Perumbavoor. So far, nine persons have been arrested in connection with the murder. Of the nine, seven were arrested earlier. Renjith Sreenivasan was hacked to death in Alappuzha district on December 19 following the murder of SDPI state secretary KS Shaan a day earlier. According to the police, Shaan was on a two-wheeler when a gang in a car attacked him on Saturday night. SDPI has alleged that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers are behind this attack. On November 15, an RSS worker S Sanjith was hacked to death allegedly by the workers of the SDPI, the political wing of the Popular Front of India. (ANI) Public health warnings haven't inspired much more than panicked talk and we kind that that more serious action might be merited given so much fearsome chatter directed at the media. To be fair, there are plenty of reasons to stay home tonight. COVID is just one. Nevertheless, here's a TKC glimpse at more warnings for tonight that will mostly be ignored . . . Kansas City area health leaders stress skipping crowded NYE parties as COVID cases surge KANSAS CITY, Mo. - It's been another tough year dealing with the pandemic so as you can imagine a lot of people are wanting to let loose and enjoy the night at parties like Power and Light's New Year's Live! While others are choosing a low-key route to ring in the new year. Testing center in Overland Park offers new test that detects omicron variant Antigen test manufacturer Quidel announced this week that its new COVID-19 antigen test now detects the omicron variant.Overland Park-based COVID-19 testing center Health Gauge said that it now offers the test.It's by drive-up appointment only at Health Gauge in Overland Park."Over the course of the last week and a half, we've seen a real pickup in testing," said Scott McGlothlen, of Health Gauge.Scott McGlothlen said his company had nearly closed shop on COVID-19 testing at its Overland Park center. KC bars, restaurants and businesses prepare for another pandemic New Year's Eve KANSAS CITY, Mo. - As New Year's Eve celebrations return this year, some businesses are taking extra safety precautions due to the recent rise in COVID-19 cases. Last year, a lot of New Year's Eve celebrations were called off due to the pandemic, but many restaurants, bars and businesses are bringing back the festivities this year. Metro hospitals brace for more COVID patients while battling the flu KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) --- Hospitals across the Kansas City metro area and all of Kansas will host a conference Jan. 3 to discuss capacity issues and staffing challenges. They're dealing with a new Covid-19 variant, staffing shortages and high rates of flu. Fauci Warns Against 'Hugging and Kissing' in New Year's Eve Celebrations The nation's leading infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci OK'd small, at-home New Year's Eve gatherings among vaccinated and boosted individuals on Wednesday, but he urged Americans to cancel plans to attend larger parties as conditions become more grim amid the omicron variant. Developing . . . According to police, the arrested SDPI workers Zafar and Navaz were directly involved in the murder of Sreenivasan. Both the accused were taken into police custody from Perumbavoor. So far, nine persons have been arrested in connection with the murder. Of the nine, seven were arrested earlier. Renjith Sreenivasan was hacked to death in Alappuzha district on December 19 following the murder of SDPI state secretary KS Shaan a day earlier. According to the police, Shaan was on a two-wheeler when a gang in a car attacked him on Saturday night. SDPI has alleged that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers are behind this attack. On November 15, an RSS worker S Sanjith was hacked to death allegedly by the workers of the SDPI, the political wing of the Popular Front of India. (ANI) According to police, the arrested SDPI workers Zafar and Navaz were directly involved in the murder of Sreenivasan. Both the accused were taken into police custody from Perumbavoor. So far, nine persons have been arrested in connection with the murder. Of the nine, seven were arrested earlier. Renjith Sreenivasan was hacked to death in Alappuzha district on December 19 following the murder of SDPI state secretary KS Shaan a day earlier. According to the police, Shaan was on a two-wheeler when a gang in a car attacked him on Saturday night. SDPI has alleged that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers are behind this attack. On November 15, an RSS worker S Sanjith was hacked to death allegedly by the workers of the SDPI, the political wing of the Popular Front of India. (ANI) According to police, the arrested SDPI workers Zafar and Navaz were directly involved in the murder of Sreenivasan. Both the accused were taken into police custody from Perumbavoor. So far, nine persons have been arrested in connection with the murder. Of the nine, seven were arrested earlier. Renjith Sreenivasan was hacked to death in Alappuzha district on December 19 following the murder of SDPI state secretary KS Shaan a day earlier. According to the police, Shaan was on a two-wheeler when a gang in a car attacked him on Saturday night. SDPI has alleged that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers are behind this attack. On November 15, an RSS worker S Sanjith was hacked to death allegedly by the workers of the SDPI, the political wing of the Popular Front of India. (ANI) Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Saturday expressed grief over the landslide that took place at a mining site in the Bhiwani district of the state. He questioned how was mining going on at the site despite the Supreme Court's direction to 'not destroy' the Aravalli Hills. "Today, the news of the death of many labourers, many trapped and injured in the accident in Dadam-Bhiwani area is sad. I pay tribute to the dead and wish the injured a speedy recovery. How was the mining going on despite the Supreme Court's direction not to destroy the Aravalli hills?," said Hooda in a tweet. He said that the Haryana government is responsible for the incident. He demanded a judicial inquiry into the 'mining scam' and urged the government to give adequate compensation to the families of the ones who died in the incident. "The present Haryana government is fully responsible for this accident. A judicial inquiry should be conducted into the mining scam worth thousands of crores. Also, the government should give adequate compensation to the families of those who lost their lives in this accident. The government should ensure rescue operations and aid to the victims on a war footing ," said Hooda in another tweet. Four people have died in the landslide that took place in Bhiwani district at a mining site, said Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij. The workers were reportedly travelling to another site when the landslide took place and they got trapped in their vehicles. The district administration has launched a rescue operation at the Dadam mining zone in Tosham block. Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed grief over the incident and also spoke to Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. Taking to Twitter, the Home Minister also wished speedy recovery to those injured and informed that local administration is engaged in the rescue operation. "Accident due to landslide at the mining site in Bhiwani district of Haryana is very sad. I have spoken to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar ji. The local administration is engaged in the rescue work. Our priority is to save as many lives as possible. I wish the injured a speedy recovery," Shah tweeted. Meanwhile, Khattar also took to Twitter to express grief and said, "Saddened by the unfortunate landslide accident in Dadam mining zone at Bhiwani. I am in constant touch with the local administration to ensure swift rescue operations and immediate assistance to the injured." (ANI) IT TOOK just 14 seconds for the first baby of 2022 to be born at University Maternity Hospital Limerick. Pictured is proud mum Jennifer Leahy with her beautiful daughter Ruth Hogan, who was born at just 14 seconds past midnight - weighing 3.37kgs. Ruth's dad is Patrick Hogan and she has three older sisters - Emma, Lucy and Isabel. The family are from Croagh, County Limerick. Despite arriving so early in the new year, Baby Ruth was the second baby to be born in Ireland in 2022. The first - another baby girl - was born at the National Maternity Hospital at Holles Street in Dublin, just after the stroke of midnight. The baby girl, who has yet to be named, was born to parents Selina and Nathan Burke from Dublin, at one second past midnight. Other early 2022 births were celebrated at the Rotunda Hospital, University Hospital Galway and Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda. IT TOOK just 14 seconds for the first baby of 2022 to be born at University Maternity Hospital Limerick. Pictured is proud mum Jennifer Leahy with her beautiful daughter Ruth Hogan, who was born at just 14 seconds past midnight - weighing 3.37kgs. Ruth's dad is Patrick Hogan and she has three older sisters - Emma, Lucy and Isabel. The family are from Croagh, County Limerick. Despite arriving so early in the new year, Baby Ruth was the second baby to be born in Ireland in 2022. The first - another baby girl - was born at the National Maternity Hospital at Holles Street in Dublin, just after the stroke of midnight. The baby girl, who has yet to be named, was born to parents Selina and Nathan Burke from Dublin, at one second past midnight. Other early 2022 births were celebrated at the Rotunda Hospital, University Hospital Galway and Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Medical workers encourage a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) after the injection of Spinraza at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) Medical workers prepare to inject Spinraza to a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) Medical workers prepare to inject Spinraza to a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) A medical worker injects Spinraza to a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) Medical workers prepare to inject Spinraza to a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) Medical workers prepare to inject Spinraza to a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) Medical workers prepare to inject Spinraza to a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) A medical worker injects Spinraza to a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) Medical workers encourage a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) after the injection of Spinraza at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) Medical workers encourage a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) after the injection of Spinraza at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) Medical workers prepare to inject Spinraza to a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) Medical workers prepare to inject Spinraza to a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) A medical worker injects Spinraza to a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) Medical workers prepare to inject Spinraza to a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) Medical workers prepare to inject Spinraza to a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) Medical workers prepare to inject Spinraza to a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) A medical worker injects Spinraza to a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) Medical workers encourage a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) after the injection of Spinraza at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) Medical workers encourage a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) after the injection of Spinraza at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) Medical workers prepare to inject Spinraza to a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) Medical workers prepare to inject Spinraza to a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) A medical worker injects Spinraza to a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) Medical workers prepare to inject Spinraza to a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) Medical workers prepare to inject Spinraza to a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) Medical workers prepare to inject Spinraza to a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) A medical worker injects Spinraza to a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) Medical workers encourage a 4-year-old child diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) after the injection of Spinraza at a hospital in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 1, 2022. China is striving to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Recently, a tear-jerking video showing how a national health insurance negotiator helped cut down the bidding price of Spinraza from over 53,680 yuan (8,422 U.S. dollars) per dose to 33,000 yuan went viral online and was lauded by netizens. Spinraza, a medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was once priced at a whopping 700,000 yuan. Seven rare-disease medicines were included in the country's medicare reimbursement list in 2021, with an average price reduction of 65 percent. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei) Public health warnings haven't inspired much more than panicked talk and we kind that that more serious action might be merited given so much fearsome chatter directed at the media. To be fair, there are plenty of reasons to stay home tonight. COVID is just one. Nevertheless, here's a TKC glimpse at more warnings for tonight that will mostly be ignored . . . Kansas City area health leaders stress skipping crowded NYE parties as COVID cases surge KANSAS CITY, Mo. - It's been another tough year dealing with the pandemic so as you can imagine a lot of people are wanting to let loose and enjoy the night at parties like Power and Light's New Year's Live! While others are choosing a low-key route to ring in the new year. Testing center in Overland Park offers new test that detects omicron variant Antigen test manufacturer Quidel announced this week that its new COVID-19 antigen test now detects the omicron variant.Overland Park-based COVID-19 testing center Health Gauge said that it now offers the test.It's by drive-up appointment only at Health Gauge in Overland Park."Over the course of the last week and a half, we've seen a real pickup in testing," said Scott McGlothlen, of Health Gauge.Scott McGlothlen said his company had nearly closed shop on COVID-19 testing at its Overland Park center. KC bars, restaurants and businesses prepare for another pandemic New Year's Eve KANSAS CITY, Mo. - As New Year's Eve celebrations return this year, some businesses are taking extra safety precautions due to the recent rise in COVID-19 cases. Last year, a lot of New Year's Eve celebrations were called off due to the pandemic, but many restaurants, bars and businesses are bringing back the festivities this year. Metro hospitals brace for more COVID patients while battling the flu KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) --- Hospitals across the Kansas City metro area and all of Kansas will host a conference Jan. 3 to discuss capacity issues and staffing challenges. They're dealing with a new Covid-19 variant, staffing shortages and high rates of flu. Fauci Warns Against 'Hugging and Kissing' in New Year's Eve Celebrations The nation's leading infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci OK'd small, at-home New Year's Eve gatherings among vaccinated and boosted individuals on Wednesday, but he urged Americans to cancel plans to attend larger parties as conditions become more grim amid the omicron variant. Developing . . . BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. Astronaut Zhai Zhigang, the commander of the Shenzhou-13 mission, shared his experience with the young people and encouraged them to overcome difficulties and dangers. "No matter how far we fly, the motherland is forever our strongest supporter. Love for the country always inspires us in space flights," Zhai said. Astronaut Wang Yaping expressed hope that the live class from Tiangong could guide more young people to look up at the stars and plant the seeds of "loving science, pursuing dreams and exploring the unknown" in their hearts. Wang earned the title of China's first space teacher after delivering a televised science lecture during the Shenzhou-10 space mission in June 2013. While in the Shenzhou-13 mission, she and the other two crew members also gave a lecture in Tiangong in December 2021. As China's national space laboratory, the space station Tiangong is expected to play a unique role in encouraging the public, especially the youth, to explore space and carry forward the scientific spirit. "Despite being weightless in space, we feel firmly grounded at heart," said astronaut Ye Guangfu, a newcomer to space. With the support of space professionals, painstaking trainings, and valuable experience from aerospace predecessors, Ye said that they have the confidence, determination and ability to accomplish the mission. During the video talk, the trio also showed the people on the ground around a painting exhibition in the space station. Around 20 paintings drawn by teenagers from central and western China were displayed in the exhibition. The activity, co-hosted by the Hong Kong SAR government, the Macao SAR government, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong SAR, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao SAR, the China Manned Space Agency and the China Media Group, was broadcast live. The three astronauts went into space onboard the Shenzhou-13 spaceship and entered the space station on Oct. 16, embarking on the country's longest crewed mission for space station construction. Enditem BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. Astronaut Zhai Zhigang, the commander of the Shenzhou-13 mission, shared his experience with the young people and encouraged them to overcome difficulties and dangers. "No matter how far we fly, the motherland is forever our strongest supporter. Love for the country always inspires us in space flights," Zhai said. Astronaut Wang Yaping expressed hope that the live class from Tiangong could guide more young people to look up at the stars and plant the seeds of "loving science, pursuing dreams and exploring the unknown" in their hearts. Wang earned the title of China's first space teacher after delivering a televised science lecture during the Shenzhou-10 space mission in June 2013. While in the Shenzhou-13 mission, she and the other two crew members also gave a lecture in Tiangong in December 2021. As China's national space laboratory, the space station Tiangong is expected to play a unique role in encouraging the public, especially the youth, to explore space and carry forward the scientific spirit. "Despite being weightless in space, we feel firmly grounded at heart," said astronaut Ye Guangfu, a newcomer to space. With the support of space professionals, painstaking trainings, and valuable experience from aerospace predecessors, Ye said that they have the confidence, determination and ability to accomplish the mission. During the video talk, the trio also showed the people on the ground around a painting exhibition in the space station. Around 20 paintings drawn by teenagers from central and western China were displayed in the exhibition. The activity, co-hosted by the Hong Kong SAR government, the Macao SAR government, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong SAR, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao SAR, the China Manned Space Agency and the China Media Group, was broadcast live. The three astronauts went into space onboard the Shenzhou-13 spaceship and entered the space station on Oct. 16, embarking on the country's longest crewed mission for space station construction. Enditem BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. Astronaut Zhai Zhigang, the commander of the Shenzhou-13 mission, shared his experience with the young people and encouraged them to overcome difficulties and dangers. "No matter how far we fly, the motherland is forever our strongest supporter. Love for the country always inspires us in space flights," Zhai said. Astronaut Wang Yaping expressed hope that the live class from Tiangong could guide more young people to look up at the stars and plant the seeds of "loving science, pursuing dreams and exploring the unknown" in their hearts. Wang earned the title of China's first space teacher after delivering a televised science lecture during the Shenzhou-10 space mission in June 2013. While in the Shenzhou-13 mission, she and the other two crew members also gave a lecture in Tiangong in December 2021. As China's national space laboratory, the space station Tiangong is expected to play a unique role in encouraging the public, especially the youth, to explore space and carry forward the scientific spirit. "Despite being weightless in space, we feel firmly grounded at heart," said astronaut Ye Guangfu, a newcomer to space. With the support of space professionals, painstaking trainings, and valuable experience from aerospace predecessors, Ye said that they have the confidence, determination and ability to accomplish the mission. During the video talk, the trio also showed the people on the ground around a painting exhibition in the space station. Around 20 paintings drawn by teenagers from central and western China were displayed in the exhibition. The activity, co-hosted by the Hong Kong SAR government, the Macao SAR government, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong SAR, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao SAR, the China Manned Space Agency and the China Media Group, was broadcast live. The three astronauts went into space onboard the Shenzhou-13 spaceship and entered the space station on Oct. 16, embarking on the country's longest crewed mission for space station construction. Enditem BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. Astronaut Zhai Zhigang, the commander of the Shenzhou-13 mission, shared his experience with the young people and encouraged them to overcome difficulties and dangers. "No matter how far we fly, the motherland is forever our strongest supporter. Love for the country always inspires us in space flights," Zhai said. Astronaut Wang Yaping expressed hope that the live class from Tiangong could guide more young people to look up at the stars and plant the seeds of "loving science, pursuing dreams and exploring the unknown" in their hearts. Wang earned the title of China's first space teacher after delivering a televised science lecture during the Shenzhou-10 space mission in June 2013. While in the Shenzhou-13 mission, she and the other two crew members also gave a lecture in Tiangong in December 2021. As China's national space laboratory, the space station Tiangong is expected to play a unique role in encouraging the public, especially the youth, to explore space and carry forward the scientific spirit. "Despite being weightless in space, we feel firmly grounded at heart," said astronaut Ye Guangfu, a newcomer to space. With the support of space professionals, painstaking trainings, and valuable experience from aerospace predecessors, Ye said that they have the confidence, determination and ability to accomplish the mission. During the video talk, the trio also showed the people on the ground around a painting exhibition in the space station. Around 20 paintings drawn by teenagers from central and western China were displayed in the exhibition. The activity, co-hosted by the Hong Kong SAR government, the Macao SAR government, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong SAR, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao SAR, the China Manned Space Agency and the China Media Group, was broadcast live. The three astronauts went into space onboard the Shenzhou-13 spaceship and entered the space station on Oct. 16, embarking on the country's longest crewed mission for space station construction. Enditem Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Saturday expressed grief over the landslide that took place at a mining site in the Bhiwani district of the state. He questioned how was mining going on at the site despite the Supreme Court's direction to 'not destroy' the Aravalli Hills. "Today, the news of the death of many labourers, many trapped and injured in the accident in Dadam-Bhiwani area is sad. I pay tribute to the dead and wish the injured a speedy recovery. How was the mining going on despite the Supreme Court's direction not to destroy the Aravalli hills?," said Hooda in a tweet. He said that the Haryana government is responsible for the incident. He demanded a judicial inquiry into the 'mining scam' and urged the government to give adequate compensation to the families of the ones who died in the incident. "The present Haryana government is fully responsible for this accident. A judicial inquiry should be conducted into the mining scam worth thousands of crores. Also, the government should give adequate compensation to the families of those who lost their lives in this accident. The government should ensure rescue operations and aid to the victims on a war footing ," said Hooda in another tweet. Four people have died in the landslide that took place in Bhiwani district at a mining site, said Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij. The workers were reportedly travelling to another site when the landslide took place and they got trapped in their vehicles. The district administration has launched a rescue operation at the Dadam mining zone in Tosham block. Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed grief over the incident and also spoke to Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. Taking to Twitter, the Home Minister also wished speedy recovery to those injured and informed that local administration is engaged in the rescue operation. "Accident due to landslide at the mining site in Bhiwani district of Haryana is very sad. I have spoken to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar ji. The local administration is engaged in the rescue work. Our priority is to save as many lives as possible. I wish the injured a speedy recovery," Shah tweeted. Meanwhile, Khattar also took to Twitter to express grief and said, "Saddened by the unfortunate landslide accident in Dadam mining zone at Bhiwani. I am in constant touch with the local administration to ensure swift rescue operations and immediate assistance to the injured." (ANI) According to police, the arrested SDPI workers Zafar and Navaz were directly involved in the murder of Sreenivasan. Both the accused were taken into police custody from Perumbavoor. So far, nine persons have been arrested in connection with the murder. Of the nine, seven were arrested earlier. Renjith Sreenivasan was hacked to death in Alappuzha district on December 19 following the murder of SDPI state secretary KS Shaan a day earlier. According to the police, Shaan was on a two-wheeler when a gang in a car attacked him on Saturday night. SDPI has alleged that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers are behind this attack. On November 15, an RSS worker S Sanjith was hacked to death allegedly by the workers of the SDPI, the political wing of the Popular Front of India. (ANI) As restaurants and retail customers have started buying beef heading into summer, the wholesale market has been extremely tight, the analysts for Daily Livestock Report wrote in a report released on Tuesday. They noted that a small restaurant in southern Utah had started to charge an extra $4 for dishes that contained carne asada. Retailers and beef processors are coming from a long weekend and need to catch up with orders and make sure to fill the meat case, the analysts wrote. If they suddenly get a call saying that product may not deliver tomorrow or this week, it will create very significant challenges in keeping plants in operation and the retail case stocked up. An extended disruption, the analysts warned, could add gasoline to an already large flame. JBS has said that it was the target of an organized cybersecurity attack that affected systems in North America and Australia, that its backup servers were not affected and that it did not expect that any customer, supplier or employee data was exposed. Karine Jean-Pierre, a White House deputy press secretary, told reporters on Air Force One on Tuesday that JBS had told the Biden administration that it was a ransomware attack, and that the ransom demand had come from a criminal organization likely based in Russia. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was investigating the hack, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency was also involved, Ms. Jean-Pierre said. The White House is engaging directly with the Russian government on this matter and delivering the message that responsible states do not harbor ransomware criminals, she said. The event is part of the Pongal festival being organised by the state unit of the BJP. Modi will be in the state to inaugurate 11 new medical colleges in Tamil Nadu at Virudhunagar on January 12, and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin will also be present in the programme. BJP General Secretary, Karu Nagarajan, will be in-charge of the 'Modi Pongal' event for which an integrated committee has already been constituted. Pongal is the harvest festival of Tamil Nadu which marks the beginning of the Tamil month of Thai, usually in mid-January. The four-day Pongal festival commences on January 14 and ends on January 17. The 'Modi Pongal' event will be celebrated by the state unit of the BJP as a prelude to the Pongal festival in Tamil Nadu. --IANS aal/arm ( 181 Words) 2021-12-31-22:08:01 (IANS) Our children are dying: Faith-based groups look to heal Chicago amid rising violence 2021 was the most violent year Chicago has experienced since the birth of the 21st century, according to recently released data from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. The office reported 820 homicides in the Windy City in 2021, the highest since 1995, when 828 murders were reported, according to the Sun-Times Media Wire. "We all know this has been a challenging year here in the city of Chicago," said Police Superintendent David Brown on Thursday. "Too many families are reeling from the loss of loved ones due to senseless gun violence ... Too many residents are dealing with the ripple effects of this trauma due to crime in our community." In late November, the Cook County Medical Examiners Office issued a report confirming that the number of homicides in the county had passed 1,000 by the end of Thanksgiving. Of the 1,009 confirmed homicides, 777 of them occurred in Chicago. It was the largest number of murders in the county since 1994, when the office reported 1,141 homicides. In early July, The Chicago Tribune's crime team released data showing that there had been 2,021 shooting victims in the city through July 7, which was 164 more than at the same point in 2020. These and other statistics have led many to call Chicago the pejorative nickname Chiraq, the idea being that some parts of the city are more violent than war-torn countries like Iraq. Pastor Isaac Paintsil, head of Christs Oasis Ministries, a multisite congregation with campuses in and near Chicago, told The Christian Post that the rising violence is horrendous and heartbreaking. At a certain point, how can mothers be grieving and families be grieving, fathers be grieving week after week after week after week?" Paintsil asked. "This is the real challenge that we are having, and the emotional toll on us is just unbelievable." Paintsil is among a number of pastors who connected through a group called the Chicago Pastors Rally, which brings together clergy from across the city to engage in events, such as a prayer rally held every two weeks and breakfasts with local officials. We have what we call the unity torch, said Paintsil, noting that the object symbolizes peace and is comparable to the Olympic torch. It just passes from one church to another. Wherever the torch is located, they spend a certain amount of time in prayer, praying for peace and harmony among our communities and churches. CP reached out to several ministries and faith-based groups to learn more about how the violent crime rate has impacted them and find out what they're doing to improve their city and what they believe needs to be done to bring about sustainable change. Our children are dying Sylvia Bennett-Stone is executive director of the Voices of Black Mothers United, an organization with chapters across the country that seeks to heal crime-ridden communities. The organization is overseen by black mothers and community leaders. It is supported by the Woodson Center, a nonprofit that focuses on improving low-income neighborhoods. Bennett-Stone, whose daughter was killed in a crossfire between two gunmen in 2004, told CP that her organization was in the process of setting up a new chapter in Chicago. "We recruit mothers who have lost children and are well enough and cared enough to go back into the community and make some changes, said Bennett-Stone. "We've lost children to violence, but we also are mothers who are healed. And we believe, we totally believe that if mothers heal, then families heal. And if the family heals, then the community heals." Bennett-Stone says Chicago's problems are multifaceted" and are impacted by drug addiction, gang violence, lack of income and mental illness. "Our children are dying. Its no longer just adults or people who are involved in the violence. It is our babies that are dying. It is our babies that are getting caught in the crossfire, she said. My baby was caught in the crossfire. And its no longer just an issue that's contained in one area. Its everywhere." Pastor Ira Acree, who leads Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago, said his congregation has been devastated by the rising violence in the city and surrounding county. Our community, everybody in our church, they either have someone in their family that has been affected by violence or they know someone personally, whether its a friend or neighbor, who has been impacted, said Acree. We are quite familiar and quite acquainted with the impact of violence." Acree agrees that a myriad of things are driving the rising violence, including a decision by the Chicago Board of Education in 2013 to close 50 schools, the shuttering of multiple mental units, and what he described as disinvestment by powers that be. There's been a cumulative failure in multiple institutions, he said. They have concentrated on building up the North Side and the downtown parts of our city, which are the more affluent areas, and they have left the poor communities out here by themselves." He also cited issues like police reform, telling CP that we are still hoping for that to take place, but there's still an issue with police being trusted in our community." Action and prayer Chicago Pastors Rally member Pastor Joseph Rhoiney of First Progressive Church of Chicago said that member churches are each doing things in their individual locations that they feel are working. The idea is that there is a branch that guides to the root, and the root is faith, hope, and love and peace. And we continue to multiply and magnify that as manifested in different areas, he said. As an example, Rhoiney described an intergenerational buddy system." "We have the young people buddy with somebody. Something happens that they feel unsure about, they can call the buddy," he explained. The buddy system says, Im not in this by myself, he added. Somebody else is partnered with me, and were partnered with another group for this one thing called peace within the community, peace within ourselves. There were also events that included competitions involving mental, physical and spiritual prowess played between younger and older individuals to help get the two generations talking, physically engaging one another. The ultimate goal is to have the connections between the older generation and the younger generation. And every time weve done it, weve had tremendous success with it, continued Rhoiney. Because we see that peace can abide between the two, and the young people can learn to trust the old people, and the old people can see how they can share and receive openly how the young people feel. Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago said his church has an after-school program that aims to keep a lot of children out of harm's way" and offers safe party events on Friday evenings twice a month. Greater St. John Bible Church also coordinates a faith-based first responders training to help with trauma alongside other local congregations, according to Acree. "Although we try to be proactive in these urban communities, until there's a radical change, there will be trauma. And so, we deal with how to respond to violence when it happens, he added. Gun buyback events Some congregations in Chicago and elsewhere have held gun buyback events with the intention of helping to stem the tide of firearms-related violence in the city. These events typically involve people bringing guns to a church and anonymously selling them to the congregation without any questions being asked. In July, the Chicago-based Faith Community of Saint Sabina held a multiday buyback event that saw 123 handguns, 31 rifles and one assault weapon bought in the first two days. The Rev. Michael L. Pfleger of Saint Sabina Church told CP in an interview that they were able to meet and speak to many young brothers to help turn their lives around. We are continuing to try many things to stop this senseless killing, Pfleger said at the time, listing other events centered on this effort, including weekly peace walks and block parties. This is just one more application. Acree of Greater St. John said that while his congregation has done such events in the past, he has had some doubts about their effectiveness. "I'm not a real big fan of it. If the police want to do it, the superintendent wants to do it, I'll try to support them. I've got to give them an opportunity to work his vision for what he believes," said Acree. "I'm certainly not a police officer. I'm not a law enforcement expert. But I personally have my thoughts about how all the good guys are turning in their guns but the thugs still have theirs." Paintsil noted that he was unaware of any of CPRs member churches doing a gun buyback event and felt he could not respond on whether they worked. Boots on the ground Bennett-Stone of Voices of Black Mothers United, told CP that she believes there needs to be more direct engagement between officials and the community. "Based upon my observations, they need to come outside and work with the boots on the ground, Bennett-Stone asserted. Typically, city officials in government agencies engage more with larger organizations. However, larger organizations deal with people that come to them. The boots on the ground go to the people. So they need to look at the real grassroots organizations that [are] going to the neighborhood where it is gang-infested and work with those people; help them, help support those grassroots. Because they are meeting people where they are." Bennett-Stone told CP that houses of worship have a role to play in combating the violence, but stressed that they need to come outside of the walls. Churches have been the guiding light for years in urban communities, she said. However, churches need to come outside of the walls and engage with the community and understand what are the factors, what ministering can be done." Acree echoed the boots on the ground comment, believing that there needs to be more investment in the South Side and West Side, including investment in education. They need to also realize that building up schools is a path out of this trauma that we are in, the mayhem that we're in. Building an education, eliminating schools is not the answer, he said. "I also believe they can build to capacity of these community organizations are there already with boots on the ground. Acree felt that officials tend to fund the outside organizations who come in as the savior." "They give them tons of money, but I think ... they should make a concerted effort to build up the people who are there on the frontlines," he said. Some of these churches have feeding programs, some have afterschool programs, some have mentoring programs. These [are] people that live here, that work here and they are going to be here, for the most part, the pastor added. "They need to learn how to see the importance of building up these home-grown institutions who are going to be here, come what may." Paintsil also believes there needs to be stronger relationships with the faith-based communities." He said one reason we are not able to carry out the work at the degree that we would like to, definitely is finances. I know that quite a lot of support comes in for different things, but I always call the Church the spiritual levy. Because when the levy is breached, everything breaks down, said Paintsil. Rhoiney of First Progressive Church stressed the spiritual need that must be part of the change. He noted that in the Bible, whenever the land was in turmoil, rulers went to the prophets and the Church for help. I think we all need to stand up and say thats what we are, and respond in such a way that affects peace and harmony and goodwill for all men, said Rhoiney. We all carry multiple titles, whether we are editors, writers, reporters, pastors, doctors, engineers, accountants, global communicators, broadcasters, it makes no difference. You are Christians. Your witness should rise inside your office to affect the change for the greater good and the greater community. Our children are dying: Faith-based groups look to heal Chicago amid rising violence 2021 was the most violent year Chicago has experienced since the birth of the 21st century, according to recently released data from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. The office reported 820 homicides in the Windy City in 2021, the highest since 1995, when 828 murders were reported, according to the Sun-Times Media Wire. "We all know this has been a challenging year here in the city of Chicago," said Police Superintendent David Brown on Thursday. "Too many families are reeling from the loss of loved ones due to senseless gun violence ... Too many residents are dealing with the ripple effects of this trauma due to crime in our community." In late November, the Cook County Medical Examiners Office issued a report confirming that the number of homicides in the county had passed 1,000 by the end of Thanksgiving. Of the 1,009 confirmed homicides, 777 of them occurred in Chicago. It was the largest number of murders in the county since 1994, when the office reported 1,141 homicides. In early July, The Chicago Tribune's crime team released data showing that there had been 2,021 shooting victims in the city through July 7, which was 164 more than at the same point in 2020. These and other statistics have led many to call Chicago the pejorative nickname Chiraq, the idea being that some parts of the city are more violent than war-torn countries like Iraq. Pastor Isaac Paintsil, head of Christs Oasis Ministries, a multisite congregation with campuses in and near Chicago, told The Christian Post that the rising violence is horrendous and heartbreaking. At a certain point, how can mothers be grieving and families be grieving, fathers be grieving week after week after week after week?" Paintsil asked. "This is the real challenge that we are having, and the emotional toll on us is just unbelievable." Paintsil is among a number of pastors who connected through a group called the Chicago Pastors Rally, which brings together clergy from across the city to engage in events, such as a prayer rally held every two weeks and breakfasts with local officials. We have what we call the unity torch, said Paintsil, noting that the object symbolizes peace and is comparable to the Olympic torch. It just passes from one church to another. Wherever the torch is located, they spend a certain amount of time in prayer, praying for peace and harmony among our communities and churches. CP reached out to several ministries and faith-based groups to learn more about how the violent crime rate has impacted them and find out what they're doing to improve their city and what they believe needs to be done to bring about sustainable change. Our children are dying Sylvia Bennett-Stone is executive director of the Voices of Black Mothers United, an organization with chapters across the country that seeks to heal crime-ridden communities. The organization is overseen by black mothers and community leaders. It is supported by the Woodson Center, a nonprofit that focuses on improving low-income neighborhoods. Bennett-Stone, whose daughter was killed in a crossfire between two gunmen in 2004, told CP that her organization was in the process of setting up a new chapter in Chicago. "We recruit mothers who have lost children and are well enough and cared enough to go back into the community and make some changes, said Bennett-Stone. "We've lost children to violence, but we also are mothers who are healed. And we believe, we totally believe that if mothers heal, then families heal. And if the family heals, then the community heals." Bennett-Stone says Chicago's problems are multifaceted" and are impacted by drug addiction, gang violence, lack of income and mental illness. "Our children are dying. Its no longer just adults or people who are involved in the violence. It is our babies that are dying. It is our babies that are getting caught in the crossfire, she said. My baby was caught in the crossfire. And its no longer just an issue that's contained in one area. Its everywhere." Pastor Ira Acree, who leads Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago, said his congregation has been devastated by the rising violence in the city and surrounding county. Our community, everybody in our church, they either have someone in their family that has been affected by violence or they know someone personally, whether its a friend or neighbor, who has been impacted, said Acree. We are quite familiar and quite acquainted with the impact of violence." Acree agrees that a myriad of things are driving the rising violence, including a decision by the Chicago Board of Education in 2013 to close 50 schools, the shuttering of multiple mental units, and what he described as disinvestment by powers that be. There's been a cumulative failure in multiple institutions, he said. They have concentrated on building up the North Side and the downtown parts of our city, which are the more affluent areas, and they have left the poor communities out here by themselves." He also cited issues like police reform, telling CP that we are still hoping for that to take place, but there's still an issue with police being trusted in our community." Action and prayer Chicago Pastors Rally member Pastor Joseph Rhoiney of First Progressive Church of Chicago said that member churches are each doing things in their individual locations that they feel are working. The idea is that there is a branch that guides to the root, and the root is faith, hope, and love and peace. And we continue to multiply and magnify that as manifested in different areas, he said. As an example, Rhoiney described an intergenerational buddy system." "We have the young people buddy with somebody. Something happens that they feel unsure about, they can call the buddy," he explained. The buddy system says, Im not in this by myself, he added. Somebody else is partnered with me, and were partnered with another group for this one thing called peace within the community, peace within ourselves. There were also events that included competitions involving mental, physical and spiritual prowess played between younger and older individuals to help get the two generations talking, physically engaging one another. The ultimate goal is to have the connections between the older generation and the younger generation. And every time weve done it, weve had tremendous success with it, continued Rhoiney. Because we see that peace can abide between the two, and the young people can learn to trust the old people, and the old people can see how they can share and receive openly how the young people feel. Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago said his church has an after-school program that aims to keep a lot of children out of harm's way" and offers safe party events on Friday evenings twice a month. Greater St. John Bible Church also coordinates a faith-based first responders training to help with trauma alongside other local congregations, according to Acree. "Although we try to be proactive in these urban communities, until there's a radical change, there will be trauma. And so, we deal with how to respond to violence when it happens, he added. Gun buyback events Some congregations in Chicago and elsewhere have held gun buyback events with the intention of helping to stem the tide of firearms-related violence in the city. These events typically involve people bringing guns to a church and anonymously selling them to the congregation without any questions being asked. In July, the Chicago-based Faith Community of Saint Sabina held a multiday buyback event that saw 123 handguns, 31 rifles and one assault weapon bought in the first two days. The Rev. Michael L. Pfleger of Saint Sabina Church told CP in an interview that they were able to meet and speak to many young brothers to help turn their lives around. We are continuing to try many things to stop this senseless killing, Pfleger said at the time, listing other events centered on this effort, including weekly peace walks and block parties. This is just one more application. Acree of Greater St. John said that while his congregation has done such events in the past, he has had some doubts about their effectiveness. "I'm not a real big fan of it. If the police want to do it, the superintendent wants to do it, I'll try to support them. I've got to give them an opportunity to work his vision for what he believes," said Acree. "I'm certainly not a police officer. I'm not a law enforcement expert. But I personally have my thoughts about how all the good guys are turning in their guns but the thugs still have theirs." Paintsil noted that he was unaware of any of CPRs member churches doing a gun buyback event and felt he could not respond on whether they worked. Boots on the ground Bennett-Stone of Voices of Black Mothers United, told CP that she believes there needs to be more direct engagement between officials and the community. "Based upon my observations, they need to come outside and work with the boots on the ground, Bennett-Stone asserted. Typically, city officials in government agencies engage more with larger organizations. However, larger organizations deal with people that come to them. The boots on the ground go to the people. So they need to look at the real grassroots organizations that [are] going to the neighborhood where it is gang-infested and work with those people; help them, help support those grassroots. Because they are meeting people where they are." Bennett-Stone told CP that houses of worship have a role to play in combating the violence, but stressed that they need to come outside of the walls. Churches have been the guiding light for years in urban communities, she said. However, churches need to come outside of the walls and engage with the community and understand what are the factors, what ministering can be done." Acree echoed the boots on the ground comment, believing that there needs to be more investment in the South Side and West Side, including investment in education. They need to also realize that building up schools is a path out of this trauma that we are in, the mayhem that we're in. Building an education, eliminating schools is not the answer, he said. "I also believe they can build to capacity of these community organizations are there already with boots on the ground. Acree felt that officials tend to fund the outside organizations who come in as the savior." "They give them tons of money, but I think ... they should make a concerted effort to build up the people who are there on the frontlines," he said. Some of these churches have feeding programs, some have afterschool programs, some have mentoring programs. These [are] people that live here, that work here and they are going to be here, for the most part, the pastor added. "They need to learn how to see the importance of building up these home-grown institutions who are going to be here, come what may." Paintsil also believes there needs to be stronger relationships with the faith-based communities." He said one reason we are not able to carry out the work at the degree that we would like to, definitely is finances. I know that quite a lot of support comes in for different things, but I always call the Church the spiritual levy. Because when the levy is breached, everything breaks down, said Paintsil. Rhoiney of First Progressive Church stressed the spiritual need that must be part of the change. He noted that in the Bible, whenever the land was in turmoil, rulers went to the prophets and the Church for help. I think we all need to stand up and say thats what we are, and respond in such a way that affects peace and harmony and goodwill for all men, said Rhoiney. We all carry multiple titles, whether we are editors, writers, reporters, pastors, doctors, engineers, accountants, global communicators, broadcasters, it makes no difference. You are Christians. Your witness should rise inside your office to affect the change for the greater good and the greater community. WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed by a man who went on to carjack, rob and shoot more people during a two-state manhunt this week said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters, Missouri. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a "series" of carjackings, robberies and shootings on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities eventually caught up to him in Clinton County, Illinois, where he held a person hostage in a home. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. The family's full statement is below: The Family of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley mourns the loss of their husband, father, son and friend. We could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support. To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero. Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. -Matthew 5:9 Visitation for Sean Riley will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m., Monday January 3, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with a first responder walk thru at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials in his honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. Memorials will be accepted at the services and the Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, IL which is assisting with arrangements. Additional information will be released in the coming days. We ask the community to show their support by lining the procession route. Our children are dying: Faith-based groups look to heal Chicago amid rising violence 2021 was the most violent year Chicago has experienced since the birth of the 21st century, according to recently released data from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. The office reported 820 homicides in the Windy City in 2021, the highest since 1995, when 828 murders were reported, according to the Sun-Times Media Wire. "We all know this has been a challenging year here in the city of Chicago," said Police Superintendent David Brown on Thursday. "Too many families are reeling from the loss of loved ones due to senseless gun violence ... Too many residents are dealing with the ripple effects of this trauma due to crime in our community." In late November, the Cook County Medical Examiners Office issued a report confirming that the number of homicides in the county had passed 1,000 by the end of Thanksgiving. Of the 1,009 confirmed homicides, 777 of them occurred in Chicago. It was the largest number of murders in the county since 1994, when the office reported 1,141 homicides. In early July, The Chicago Tribune's crime team released data showing that there had been 2,021 shooting victims in the city through July 7, which was 164 more than at the same point in 2020. These and other statistics have led many to call Chicago the pejorative nickname Chiraq, the idea being that some parts of the city are more violent than war-torn countries like Iraq. Pastor Isaac Paintsil, head of Christs Oasis Ministries, a multisite congregation with campuses in and near Chicago, told The Christian Post that the rising violence is horrendous and heartbreaking. At a certain point, how can mothers be grieving and families be grieving, fathers be grieving week after week after week after week?" Paintsil asked. "This is the real challenge that we are having, and the emotional toll on us is just unbelievable." Paintsil is among a number of pastors who connected through a group called the Chicago Pastors Rally, which brings together clergy from across the city to engage in events, such as a prayer rally held every two weeks and breakfasts with local officials. We have what we call the unity torch, said Paintsil, noting that the object symbolizes peace and is comparable to the Olympic torch. It just passes from one church to another. Wherever the torch is located, they spend a certain amount of time in prayer, praying for peace and harmony among our communities and churches. CP reached out to several ministries and faith-based groups to learn more about how the violent crime rate has impacted them and find out what they're doing to improve their city and what they believe needs to be done to bring about sustainable change. Our children are dying Sylvia Bennett-Stone is executive director of the Voices of Black Mothers United, an organization with chapters across the country that seeks to heal crime-ridden communities. The organization is overseen by black mothers and community leaders. It is supported by the Woodson Center, a nonprofit that focuses on improving low-income neighborhoods. Bennett-Stone, whose daughter was killed in a crossfire between two gunmen in 2004, told CP that her organization was in the process of setting up a new chapter in Chicago. "We recruit mothers who have lost children and are well enough and cared enough to go back into the community and make some changes, said Bennett-Stone. "We've lost children to violence, but we also are mothers who are healed. And we believe, we totally believe that if mothers heal, then families heal. And if the family heals, then the community heals." Bennett-Stone says Chicago's problems are multifaceted" and are impacted by drug addiction, gang violence, lack of income and mental illness. "Our children are dying. Its no longer just adults or people who are involved in the violence. It is our babies that are dying. It is our babies that are getting caught in the crossfire, she said. My baby was caught in the crossfire. And its no longer just an issue that's contained in one area. Its everywhere." Pastor Ira Acree, who leads Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago, said his congregation has been devastated by the rising violence in the city and surrounding county. Our community, everybody in our church, they either have someone in their family that has been affected by violence or they know someone personally, whether its a friend or neighbor, who has been impacted, said Acree. We are quite familiar and quite acquainted with the impact of violence." Acree agrees that a myriad of things are driving the rising violence, including a decision by the Chicago Board of Education in 2013 to close 50 schools, the shuttering of multiple mental units, and what he described as disinvestment by powers that be. There's been a cumulative failure in multiple institutions, he said. They have concentrated on building up the North Side and the downtown parts of our city, which are the more affluent areas, and they have left the poor communities out here by themselves." He also cited issues like police reform, telling CP that we are still hoping for that to take place, but there's still an issue with police being trusted in our community." Action and prayer Chicago Pastors Rally member Pastor Joseph Rhoiney of First Progressive Church of Chicago said that member churches are each doing things in their individual locations that they feel are working. The idea is that there is a branch that guides to the root, and the root is faith, hope, and love and peace. And we continue to multiply and magnify that as manifested in different areas, he said. As an example, Rhoiney described an intergenerational buddy system." "We have the young people buddy with somebody. Something happens that they feel unsure about, they can call the buddy," he explained. The buddy system says, Im not in this by myself, he added. Somebody else is partnered with me, and were partnered with another group for this one thing called peace within the community, peace within ourselves. There were also events that included competitions involving mental, physical and spiritual prowess played between younger and older individuals to help get the two generations talking, physically engaging one another. The ultimate goal is to have the connections between the older generation and the younger generation. And every time weve done it, weve had tremendous success with it, continued Rhoiney. Because we see that peace can abide between the two, and the young people can learn to trust the old people, and the old people can see how they can share and receive openly how the young people feel. Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago said his church has an after-school program that aims to keep a lot of children out of harm's way" and offers safe party events on Friday evenings twice a month. Greater St. John Bible Church also coordinates a faith-based first responders training to help with trauma alongside other local congregations, according to Acree. "Although we try to be proactive in these urban communities, until there's a radical change, there will be trauma. And so, we deal with how to respond to violence when it happens, he added. Gun buyback events Some congregations in Chicago and elsewhere have held gun buyback events with the intention of helping to stem the tide of firearms-related violence in the city. These events typically involve people bringing guns to a church and anonymously selling them to the congregation without any questions being asked. In July, the Chicago-based Faith Community of Saint Sabina held a multiday buyback event that saw 123 handguns, 31 rifles and one assault weapon bought in the first two days. The Rev. Michael L. Pfleger of Saint Sabina Church told CP in an interview that they were able to meet and speak to many young brothers to help turn their lives around. We are continuing to try many things to stop this senseless killing, Pfleger said at the time, listing other events centered on this effort, including weekly peace walks and block parties. This is just one more application. Acree of Greater St. John said that while his congregation has done such events in the past, he has had some doubts about their effectiveness. "I'm not a real big fan of it. If the police want to do it, the superintendent wants to do it, I'll try to support them. I've got to give them an opportunity to work his vision for what he believes," said Acree. "I'm certainly not a police officer. I'm not a law enforcement expert. But I personally have my thoughts about how all the good guys are turning in their guns but the thugs still have theirs." Paintsil noted that he was unaware of any of CPRs member churches doing a gun buyback event and felt he could not respond on whether they worked. Boots on the ground Bennett-Stone of Voices of Black Mothers United, told CP that she believes there needs to be more direct engagement between officials and the community. "Based upon my observations, they need to come outside and work with the boots on the ground, Bennett-Stone asserted. Typically, city officials in government agencies engage more with larger organizations. However, larger organizations deal with people that come to them. The boots on the ground go to the people. So they need to look at the real grassroots organizations that [are] going to the neighborhood where it is gang-infested and work with those people; help them, help support those grassroots. Because they are meeting people where they are." Bennett-Stone told CP that houses of worship have a role to play in combating the violence, but stressed that they need to come outside of the walls. Churches have been the guiding light for years in urban communities, she said. However, churches need to come outside of the walls and engage with the community and understand what are the factors, what ministering can be done." Acree echoed the boots on the ground comment, believing that there needs to be more investment in the South Side and West Side, including investment in education. They need to also realize that building up schools is a path out of this trauma that we are in, the mayhem that we're in. Building an education, eliminating schools is not the answer, he said. "I also believe they can build to capacity of these community organizations are there already with boots on the ground. Acree felt that officials tend to fund the outside organizations who come in as the savior." "They give them tons of money, but I think ... they should make a concerted effort to build up the people who are there on the frontlines," he said. Some of these churches have feeding programs, some have afterschool programs, some have mentoring programs. These [are] people that live here, that work here and they are going to be here, for the most part, the pastor added. "They need to learn how to see the importance of building up these home-grown institutions who are going to be here, come what may." Paintsil also believes there needs to be stronger relationships with the faith-based communities." He said one reason we are not able to carry out the work at the degree that we would like to, definitely is finances. I know that quite a lot of support comes in for different things, but I always call the Church the spiritual levy. Because when the levy is breached, everything breaks down, said Paintsil. Rhoiney of First Progressive Church stressed the spiritual need that must be part of the change. He noted that in the Bible, whenever the land was in turmoil, rulers went to the prophets and the Church for help. I think we all need to stand up and say thats what we are, and respond in such a way that affects peace and harmony and goodwill for all men, said Rhoiney. We all carry multiple titles, whether we are editors, writers, reporters, pastors, doctors, engineers, accountants, global communicators, broadcasters, it makes no difference. You are Christians. Your witness should rise inside your office to affect the change for the greater good and the greater community. Our children are dying: Faith-based groups look to heal Chicago amid rising violence 2021 was the most violent year Chicago has experienced since the birth of the 21st century, according to recently released data from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. The office reported 820 homicides in the Windy City in 2021, the highest since 1995, when 828 murders were reported, according to the Sun-Times Media Wire. "We all know this has been a challenging year here in the city of Chicago," said Police Superintendent David Brown on Thursday. "Too many families are reeling from the loss of loved ones due to senseless gun violence ... Too many residents are dealing with the ripple effects of this trauma due to crime in our community." In late November, the Cook County Medical Examiners Office issued a report confirming that the number of homicides in the county had passed 1,000 by the end of Thanksgiving. Of the 1,009 confirmed homicides, 777 of them occurred in Chicago. It was the largest number of murders in the county since 1994, when the office reported 1,141 homicides. In early July, The Chicago Tribune's crime team released data showing that there had been 2,021 shooting victims in the city through July 7, which was 164 more than at the same point in 2020. These and other statistics have led many to call Chicago the pejorative nickname Chiraq, the idea being that some parts of the city are more violent than war-torn countries like Iraq. Pastor Isaac Paintsil, head of Christs Oasis Ministries, a multisite congregation with campuses in and near Chicago, told The Christian Post that the rising violence is horrendous and heartbreaking. At a certain point, how can mothers be grieving and families be grieving, fathers be grieving week after week after week after week?" Paintsil asked. "This is the real challenge that we are having, and the emotional toll on us is just unbelievable." Paintsil is among a number of pastors who connected through a group called the Chicago Pastors Rally, which brings together clergy from across the city to engage in events, such as a prayer rally held every two weeks and breakfasts with local officials. We have what we call the unity torch, said Paintsil, noting that the object symbolizes peace and is comparable to the Olympic torch. It just passes from one church to another. Wherever the torch is located, they spend a certain amount of time in prayer, praying for peace and harmony among our communities and churches. CP reached out to several ministries and faith-based groups to learn more about how the violent crime rate has impacted them and find out what they're doing to improve their city and what they believe needs to be done to bring about sustainable change. Our children are dying Sylvia Bennett-Stone is executive director of the Voices of Black Mothers United, an organization with chapters across the country that seeks to heal crime-ridden communities. The organization is overseen by black mothers and community leaders. It is supported by the Woodson Center, a nonprofit that focuses on improving low-income neighborhoods. Bennett-Stone, whose daughter was killed in a crossfire between two gunmen in 2004, told CP that her organization was in the process of setting up a new chapter in Chicago. "We recruit mothers who have lost children and are well enough and cared enough to go back into the community and make some changes, said Bennett-Stone. "We've lost children to violence, but we also are mothers who are healed. And we believe, we totally believe that if mothers heal, then families heal. And if the family heals, then the community heals." Bennett-Stone says Chicago's problems are multifaceted" and are impacted by drug addiction, gang violence, lack of income and mental illness. "Our children are dying. Its no longer just adults or people who are involved in the violence. It is our babies that are dying. It is our babies that are getting caught in the crossfire, she said. My baby was caught in the crossfire. And its no longer just an issue that's contained in one area. Its everywhere." Pastor Ira Acree, who leads Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago, said his congregation has been devastated by the rising violence in the city and surrounding county. Our community, everybody in our church, they either have someone in their family that has been affected by violence or they know someone personally, whether its a friend or neighbor, who has been impacted, said Acree. We are quite familiar and quite acquainted with the impact of violence." Acree agrees that a myriad of things are driving the rising violence, including a decision by the Chicago Board of Education in 2013 to close 50 schools, the shuttering of multiple mental units, and what he described as disinvestment by powers that be. There's been a cumulative failure in multiple institutions, he said. They have concentrated on building up the North Side and the downtown parts of our city, which are the more affluent areas, and they have left the poor communities out here by themselves." He also cited issues like police reform, telling CP that we are still hoping for that to take place, but there's still an issue with police being trusted in our community." Action and prayer Chicago Pastors Rally member Pastor Joseph Rhoiney of First Progressive Church of Chicago said that member churches are each doing things in their individual locations that they feel are working. The idea is that there is a branch that guides to the root, and the root is faith, hope, and love and peace. And we continue to multiply and magnify that as manifested in different areas, he said. As an example, Rhoiney described an intergenerational buddy system." "We have the young people buddy with somebody. Something happens that they feel unsure about, they can call the buddy," he explained. The buddy system says, Im not in this by myself, he added. Somebody else is partnered with me, and were partnered with another group for this one thing called peace within the community, peace within ourselves. There were also events that included competitions involving mental, physical and spiritual prowess played between younger and older individuals to help get the two generations talking, physically engaging one another. The ultimate goal is to have the connections between the older generation and the younger generation. And every time weve done it, weve had tremendous success with it, continued Rhoiney. Because we see that peace can abide between the two, and the young people can learn to trust the old people, and the old people can see how they can share and receive openly how the young people feel. Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago said his church has an after-school program that aims to keep a lot of children out of harm's way" and offers safe party events on Friday evenings twice a month. Greater St. John Bible Church also coordinates a faith-based first responders training to help with trauma alongside other local congregations, according to Acree. "Although we try to be proactive in these urban communities, until there's a radical change, there will be trauma. And so, we deal with how to respond to violence when it happens, he added. Gun buyback events Some congregations in Chicago and elsewhere have held gun buyback events with the intention of helping to stem the tide of firearms-related violence in the city. These events typically involve people bringing guns to a church and anonymously selling them to the congregation without any questions being asked. In July, the Chicago-based Faith Community of Saint Sabina held a multiday buyback event that saw 123 handguns, 31 rifles and one assault weapon bought in the first two days. The Rev. Michael L. Pfleger of Saint Sabina Church told CP in an interview that they were able to meet and speak to many young brothers to help turn their lives around. We are continuing to try many things to stop this senseless killing, Pfleger said at the time, listing other events centered on this effort, including weekly peace walks and block parties. This is just one more application. Acree of Greater St. John said that while his congregation has done such events in the past, he has had some doubts about their effectiveness. "I'm not a real big fan of it. If the police want to do it, the superintendent wants to do it, I'll try to support them. I've got to give them an opportunity to work his vision for what he believes," said Acree. "I'm certainly not a police officer. I'm not a law enforcement expert. But I personally have my thoughts about how all the good guys are turning in their guns but the thugs still have theirs." Paintsil noted that he was unaware of any of CPRs member churches doing a gun buyback event and felt he could not respond on whether they worked. Boots on the ground Bennett-Stone of Voices of Black Mothers United, told CP that she believes there needs to be more direct engagement between officials and the community. "Based upon my observations, they need to come outside and work with the boots on the ground, Bennett-Stone asserted. Typically, city officials in government agencies engage more with larger organizations. However, larger organizations deal with people that come to them. The boots on the ground go to the people. So they need to look at the real grassroots organizations that [are] going to the neighborhood where it is gang-infested and work with those people; help them, help support those grassroots. Because they are meeting people where they are." Bennett-Stone told CP that houses of worship have a role to play in combating the violence, but stressed that they need to come outside of the walls. Churches have been the guiding light for years in urban communities, she said. However, churches need to come outside of the walls and engage with the community and understand what are the factors, what ministering can be done." Acree echoed the boots on the ground comment, believing that there needs to be more investment in the South Side and West Side, including investment in education. They need to also realize that building up schools is a path out of this trauma that we are in, the mayhem that we're in. Building an education, eliminating schools is not the answer, he said. "I also believe they can build to capacity of these community organizations are there already with boots on the ground. Acree felt that officials tend to fund the outside organizations who come in as the savior." "They give them tons of money, but I think ... they should make a concerted effort to build up the people who are there on the frontlines," he said. Some of these churches have feeding programs, some have afterschool programs, some have mentoring programs. These [are] people that live here, that work here and they are going to be here, for the most part, the pastor added. "They need to learn how to see the importance of building up these home-grown institutions who are going to be here, come what may." Paintsil also believes there needs to be stronger relationships with the faith-based communities." He said one reason we are not able to carry out the work at the degree that we would like to, definitely is finances. I know that quite a lot of support comes in for different things, but I always call the Church the spiritual levy. Because when the levy is breached, everything breaks down, said Paintsil. Rhoiney of First Progressive Church stressed the spiritual need that must be part of the change. He noted that in the Bible, whenever the land was in turmoil, rulers went to the prophets and the Church for help. I think we all need to stand up and say thats what we are, and respond in such a way that affects peace and harmony and goodwill for all men, said Rhoiney. We all carry multiple titles, whether we are editors, writers, reporters, pastors, doctors, engineers, accountants, global communicators, broadcasters, it makes no difference. You are Christians. Your witness should rise inside your office to affect the change for the greater good and the greater community. Our children are dying: Faith-based groups look to heal Chicago amid rising violence 2021 was the most violent year Chicago has experienced since the birth of the 21st century, according to recently released data from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. The office reported 820 homicides in the Windy City in 2021, the highest since 1995, when 828 murders were reported, according to the Sun-Times Media Wire. "We all know this has been a challenging year here in the city of Chicago," said Police Superintendent David Brown on Thursday. "Too many families are reeling from the loss of loved ones due to senseless gun violence ... Too many residents are dealing with the ripple effects of this trauma due to crime in our community." In late November, the Cook County Medical Examiners Office issued a report confirming that the number of homicides in the county had passed 1,000 by the end of Thanksgiving. Of the 1,009 confirmed homicides, 777 of them occurred in Chicago. It was the largest number of murders in the county since 1994, when the office reported 1,141 homicides. In early July, The Chicago Tribune's crime team released data showing that there had been 2,021 shooting victims in the city through July 7, which was 164 more than at the same point in 2020. These and other statistics have led many to call Chicago the pejorative nickname Chiraq, the idea being that some parts of the city are more violent than war-torn countries like Iraq. Pastor Isaac Paintsil, head of Christs Oasis Ministries, a multisite congregation with campuses in and near Chicago, told The Christian Post that the rising violence is horrendous and heartbreaking. At a certain point, how can mothers be grieving and families be grieving, fathers be grieving week after week after week after week?" Paintsil asked. "This is the real challenge that we are having, and the emotional toll on us is just unbelievable." Paintsil is among a number of pastors who connected through a group called the Chicago Pastors Rally, which brings together clergy from across the city to engage in events, such as a prayer rally held every two weeks and breakfasts with local officials. We have what we call the unity torch, said Paintsil, noting that the object symbolizes peace and is comparable to the Olympic torch. It just passes from one church to another. Wherever the torch is located, they spend a certain amount of time in prayer, praying for peace and harmony among our communities and churches. CP reached out to several ministries and faith-based groups to learn more about how the violent crime rate has impacted them and find out what they're doing to improve their city and what they believe needs to be done to bring about sustainable change. Our children are dying Sylvia Bennett-Stone is executive director of the Voices of Black Mothers United, an organization with chapters across the country that seeks to heal crime-ridden communities. The organization is overseen by black mothers and community leaders. It is supported by the Woodson Center, a nonprofit that focuses on improving low-income neighborhoods. Bennett-Stone, whose daughter was killed in a crossfire between two gunmen in 2004, told CP that her organization was in the process of setting up a new chapter in Chicago. "We recruit mothers who have lost children and are well enough and cared enough to go back into the community and make some changes, said Bennett-Stone. "We've lost children to violence, but we also are mothers who are healed. And we believe, we totally believe that if mothers heal, then families heal. And if the family heals, then the community heals." Bennett-Stone says Chicago's problems are multifaceted" and are impacted by drug addiction, gang violence, lack of income and mental illness. "Our children are dying. Its no longer just adults or people who are involved in the violence. It is our babies that are dying. It is our babies that are getting caught in the crossfire, she said. My baby was caught in the crossfire. And its no longer just an issue that's contained in one area. Its everywhere." Pastor Ira Acree, who leads Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago, said his congregation has been devastated by the rising violence in the city and surrounding county. Our community, everybody in our church, they either have someone in their family that has been affected by violence or they know someone personally, whether its a friend or neighbor, who has been impacted, said Acree. We are quite familiar and quite acquainted with the impact of violence." Acree agrees that a myriad of things are driving the rising violence, including a decision by the Chicago Board of Education in 2013 to close 50 schools, the shuttering of multiple mental units, and what he described as disinvestment by powers that be. There's been a cumulative failure in multiple institutions, he said. They have concentrated on building up the North Side and the downtown parts of our city, which are the more affluent areas, and they have left the poor communities out here by themselves." He also cited issues like police reform, telling CP that we are still hoping for that to take place, but there's still an issue with police being trusted in our community." Action and prayer Chicago Pastors Rally member Pastor Joseph Rhoiney of First Progressive Church of Chicago said that member churches are each doing things in their individual locations that they feel are working. The idea is that there is a branch that guides to the root, and the root is faith, hope, and love and peace. And we continue to multiply and magnify that as manifested in different areas, he said. As an example, Rhoiney described an intergenerational buddy system." "We have the young people buddy with somebody. Something happens that they feel unsure about, they can call the buddy," he explained. The buddy system says, Im not in this by myself, he added. Somebody else is partnered with me, and were partnered with another group for this one thing called peace within the community, peace within ourselves. There were also events that included competitions involving mental, physical and spiritual prowess played between younger and older individuals to help get the two generations talking, physically engaging one another. The ultimate goal is to have the connections between the older generation and the younger generation. And every time weve done it, weve had tremendous success with it, continued Rhoiney. Because we see that peace can abide between the two, and the young people can learn to trust the old people, and the old people can see how they can share and receive openly how the young people feel. Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago said his church has an after-school program that aims to keep a lot of children out of harm's way" and offers safe party events on Friday evenings twice a month. Greater St. John Bible Church also coordinates a faith-based first responders training to help with trauma alongside other local congregations, according to Acree. "Although we try to be proactive in these urban communities, until there's a radical change, there will be trauma. And so, we deal with how to respond to violence when it happens, he added. Gun buyback events Some congregations in Chicago and elsewhere have held gun buyback events with the intention of helping to stem the tide of firearms-related violence in the city. These events typically involve people bringing guns to a church and anonymously selling them to the congregation without any questions being asked. In July, the Chicago-based Faith Community of Saint Sabina held a multiday buyback event that saw 123 handguns, 31 rifles and one assault weapon bought in the first two days. The Rev. Michael L. Pfleger of Saint Sabina Church told CP in an interview that they were able to meet and speak to many young brothers to help turn their lives around. We are continuing to try many things to stop this senseless killing, Pfleger said at the time, listing other events centered on this effort, including weekly peace walks and block parties. This is just one more application. Acree of Greater St. John said that while his congregation has done such events in the past, he has had some doubts about their effectiveness. "I'm not a real big fan of it. If the police want to do it, the superintendent wants to do it, I'll try to support them. I've got to give them an opportunity to work his vision for what he believes," said Acree. "I'm certainly not a police officer. I'm not a law enforcement expert. But I personally have my thoughts about how all the good guys are turning in their guns but the thugs still have theirs." Paintsil noted that he was unaware of any of CPRs member churches doing a gun buyback event and felt he could not respond on whether they worked. Boots on the ground Bennett-Stone of Voices of Black Mothers United, told CP that she believes there needs to be more direct engagement between officials and the community. "Based upon my observations, they need to come outside and work with the boots on the ground, Bennett-Stone asserted. Typically, city officials in government agencies engage more with larger organizations. However, larger organizations deal with people that come to them. The boots on the ground go to the people. So they need to look at the real grassroots organizations that [are] going to the neighborhood where it is gang-infested and work with those people; help them, help support those grassroots. Because they are meeting people where they are." Bennett-Stone told CP that houses of worship have a role to play in combating the violence, but stressed that they need to come outside of the walls. Churches have been the guiding light for years in urban communities, she said. However, churches need to come outside of the walls and engage with the community and understand what are the factors, what ministering can be done." Acree echoed the boots on the ground comment, believing that there needs to be more investment in the South Side and West Side, including investment in education. They need to also realize that building up schools is a path out of this trauma that we are in, the mayhem that we're in. Building an education, eliminating schools is not the answer, he said. "I also believe they can build to capacity of these community organizations are there already with boots on the ground. Acree felt that officials tend to fund the outside organizations who come in as the savior." "They give them tons of money, but I think ... they should make a concerted effort to build up the people who are there on the frontlines," he said. Some of these churches have feeding programs, some have afterschool programs, some have mentoring programs. These [are] people that live here, that work here and they are going to be here, for the most part, the pastor added. "They need to learn how to see the importance of building up these home-grown institutions who are going to be here, come what may." Paintsil also believes there needs to be stronger relationships with the faith-based communities." He said one reason we are not able to carry out the work at the degree that we would like to, definitely is finances. I know that quite a lot of support comes in for different things, but I always call the Church the spiritual levy. Because when the levy is breached, everything breaks down, said Paintsil. Rhoiney of First Progressive Church stressed the spiritual need that must be part of the change. He noted that in the Bible, whenever the land was in turmoil, rulers went to the prophets and the Church for help. I think we all need to stand up and say thats what we are, and respond in such a way that affects peace and harmony and goodwill for all men, said Rhoiney. We all carry multiple titles, whether we are editors, writers, reporters, pastors, doctors, engineers, accountants, global communicators, broadcasters, it makes no difference. You are Christians. Your witness should rise inside your office to affect the change for the greater good and the greater community. Our children are dying: Faith-based groups look to heal Chicago amid rising violence 2021 was the most violent year Chicago has experienced since the birth of the 21st century, according to recently released data from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. The office reported 820 homicides in the Windy City in 2021, the highest since 1995, when 828 murders were reported, according to the Sun-Times Media Wire. "We all know this has been a challenging year here in the city of Chicago," said Police Superintendent David Brown on Thursday. "Too many families are reeling from the loss of loved ones due to senseless gun violence ... Too many residents are dealing with the ripple effects of this trauma due to crime in our community." In late November, the Cook County Medical Examiners Office issued a report confirming that the number of homicides in the county had passed 1,000 by the end of Thanksgiving. Of the 1,009 confirmed homicides, 777 of them occurred in Chicago. It was the largest number of murders in the county since 1994, when the office reported 1,141 homicides. In early July, The Chicago Tribune's crime team released data showing that there had been 2,021 shooting victims in the city through July 7, which was 164 more than at the same point in 2020. These and other statistics have led many to call Chicago the pejorative nickname Chiraq, the idea being that some parts of the city are more violent than war-torn countries like Iraq. Pastor Isaac Paintsil, head of Christs Oasis Ministries, a multisite congregation with campuses in and near Chicago, told The Christian Post that the rising violence is horrendous and heartbreaking. At a certain point, how can mothers be grieving and families be grieving, fathers be grieving week after week after week after week?" Paintsil asked. "This is the real challenge that we are having, and the emotional toll on us is just unbelievable." Paintsil is among a number of pastors who connected through a group called the Chicago Pastors Rally, which brings together clergy from across the city to engage in events, such as a prayer rally held every two weeks and breakfasts with local officials. We have what we call the unity torch, said Paintsil, noting that the object symbolizes peace and is comparable to the Olympic torch. It just passes from one church to another. Wherever the torch is located, they spend a certain amount of time in prayer, praying for peace and harmony among our communities and churches. CP reached out to several ministries and faith-based groups to learn more about how the violent crime rate has impacted them and find out what they're doing to improve their city and what they believe needs to be done to bring about sustainable change. Our children are dying Sylvia Bennett-Stone is executive director of the Voices of Black Mothers United, an organization with chapters across the country that seeks to heal crime-ridden communities. The organization is overseen by black mothers and community leaders. It is supported by the Woodson Center, a nonprofit that focuses on improving low-income neighborhoods. Bennett-Stone, whose daughter was killed in a crossfire between two gunmen in 2004, told CP that her organization was in the process of setting up a new chapter in Chicago. "We recruit mothers who have lost children and are well enough and cared enough to go back into the community and make some changes, said Bennett-Stone. "We've lost children to violence, but we also are mothers who are healed. And we believe, we totally believe that if mothers heal, then families heal. And if the family heals, then the community heals." Bennett-Stone says Chicago's problems are multifaceted" and are impacted by drug addiction, gang violence, lack of income and mental illness. "Our children are dying. Its no longer just adults or people who are involved in the violence. It is our babies that are dying. It is our babies that are getting caught in the crossfire, she said. My baby was caught in the crossfire. And its no longer just an issue that's contained in one area. Its everywhere." Pastor Ira Acree, who leads Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago, said his congregation has been devastated by the rising violence in the city and surrounding county. Our community, everybody in our church, they either have someone in their family that has been affected by violence or they know someone personally, whether its a friend or neighbor, who has been impacted, said Acree. We are quite familiar and quite acquainted with the impact of violence." Acree agrees that a myriad of things are driving the rising violence, including a decision by the Chicago Board of Education in 2013 to close 50 schools, the shuttering of multiple mental units, and what he described as disinvestment by powers that be. There's been a cumulative failure in multiple institutions, he said. They have concentrated on building up the North Side and the downtown parts of our city, which are the more affluent areas, and they have left the poor communities out here by themselves." He also cited issues like police reform, telling CP that we are still hoping for that to take place, but there's still an issue with police being trusted in our community." Action and prayer Chicago Pastors Rally member Pastor Joseph Rhoiney of First Progressive Church of Chicago said that member churches are each doing things in their individual locations that they feel are working. The idea is that there is a branch that guides to the root, and the root is faith, hope, and love and peace. And we continue to multiply and magnify that as manifested in different areas, he said. As an example, Rhoiney described an intergenerational buddy system." "We have the young people buddy with somebody. Something happens that they feel unsure about, they can call the buddy," he explained. The buddy system says, Im not in this by myself, he added. Somebody else is partnered with me, and were partnered with another group for this one thing called peace within the community, peace within ourselves. There were also events that included competitions involving mental, physical and spiritual prowess played between younger and older individuals to help get the two generations talking, physically engaging one another. The ultimate goal is to have the connections between the older generation and the younger generation. And every time weve done it, weve had tremendous success with it, continued Rhoiney. Because we see that peace can abide between the two, and the young people can learn to trust the old people, and the old people can see how they can share and receive openly how the young people feel. Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago said his church has an after-school program that aims to keep a lot of children out of harm's way" and offers safe party events on Friday evenings twice a month. Greater St. John Bible Church also coordinates a faith-based first responders training to help with trauma alongside other local congregations, according to Acree. "Although we try to be proactive in these urban communities, until there's a radical change, there will be trauma. And so, we deal with how to respond to violence when it happens, he added. Gun buyback events Some congregations in Chicago and elsewhere have held gun buyback events with the intention of helping to stem the tide of firearms-related violence in the city. These events typically involve people bringing guns to a church and anonymously selling them to the congregation without any questions being asked. In July, the Chicago-based Faith Community of Saint Sabina held a multiday buyback event that saw 123 handguns, 31 rifles and one assault weapon bought in the first two days. The Rev. Michael L. Pfleger of Saint Sabina Church told CP in an interview that they were able to meet and speak to many young brothers to help turn their lives around. We are continuing to try many things to stop this senseless killing, Pfleger said at the time, listing other events centered on this effort, including weekly peace walks and block parties. This is just one more application. Acree of Greater St. John said that while his congregation has done such events in the past, he has had some doubts about their effectiveness. "I'm not a real big fan of it. If the police want to do it, the superintendent wants to do it, I'll try to support them. I've got to give them an opportunity to work his vision for what he believes," said Acree. "I'm certainly not a police officer. I'm not a law enforcement expert. But I personally have my thoughts about how all the good guys are turning in their guns but the thugs still have theirs." Paintsil noted that he was unaware of any of CPRs member churches doing a gun buyback event and felt he could not respond on whether they worked. Boots on the ground Bennett-Stone of Voices of Black Mothers United, told CP that she believes there needs to be more direct engagement between officials and the community. "Based upon my observations, they need to come outside and work with the boots on the ground, Bennett-Stone asserted. Typically, city officials in government agencies engage more with larger organizations. However, larger organizations deal with people that come to them. The boots on the ground go to the people. So they need to look at the real grassroots organizations that [are] going to the neighborhood where it is gang-infested and work with those people; help them, help support those grassroots. Because they are meeting people where they are." Bennett-Stone told CP that houses of worship have a role to play in combating the violence, but stressed that they need to come outside of the walls. Churches have been the guiding light for years in urban communities, she said. However, churches need to come outside of the walls and engage with the community and understand what are the factors, what ministering can be done." Acree echoed the boots on the ground comment, believing that there needs to be more investment in the South Side and West Side, including investment in education. They need to also realize that building up schools is a path out of this trauma that we are in, the mayhem that we're in. Building an education, eliminating schools is not the answer, he said. "I also believe they can build to capacity of these community organizations are there already with boots on the ground. Acree felt that officials tend to fund the outside organizations who come in as the savior." "They give them tons of money, but I think ... they should make a concerted effort to build up the people who are there on the frontlines," he said. Some of these churches have feeding programs, some have afterschool programs, some have mentoring programs. These [are] people that live here, that work here and they are going to be here, for the most part, the pastor added. "They need to learn how to see the importance of building up these home-grown institutions who are going to be here, come what may." Paintsil also believes there needs to be stronger relationships with the faith-based communities." He said one reason we are not able to carry out the work at the degree that we would like to, definitely is finances. I know that quite a lot of support comes in for different things, but I always call the Church the spiritual levy. Because when the levy is breached, everything breaks down, said Paintsil. Rhoiney of First Progressive Church stressed the spiritual need that must be part of the change. He noted that in the Bible, whenever the land was in turmoil, rulers went to the prophets and the Church for help. I think we all need to stand up and say thats what we are, and respond in such a way that affects peace and harmony and goodwill for all men, said Rhoiney. We all carry multiple titles, whether we are editors, writers, reporters, pastors, doctors, engineers, accountants, global communicators, broadcasters, it makes no difference. You are Christians. Your witness should rise inside your office to affect the change for the greater good and the greater community. Our children are dying: Faith-based groups look to heal Chicago amid rising violence 2021 was the most violent year Chicago has experienced since the birth of the 21st century, according to recently released data from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. The office reported 820 homicides in the Windy City in 2021, the highest since 1995, when 828 murders were reported, according to the Sun-Times Media Wire. "We all know this has been a challenging year here in the city of Chicago," said Police Superintendent David Brown on Thursday. "Too many families are reeling from the loss of loved ones due to senseless gun violence ... Too many residents are dealing with the ripple effects of this trauma due to crime in our community." In late November, the Cook County Medical Examiners Office issued a report confirming that the number of homicides in the county had passed 1,000 by the end of Thanksgiving. Of the 1,009 confirmed homicides, 777 of them occurred in Chicago. It was the largest number of murders in the county since 1994, when the office reported 1,141 homicides. In early July, The Chicago Tribune's crime team released data showing that there had been 2,021 shooting victims in the city through July 7, which was 164 more than at the same point in 2020. These and other statistics have led many to call Chicago the pejorative nickname Chiraq, the idea being that some parts of the city are more violent than war-torn countries like Iraq. Pastor Isaac Paintsil, head of Christs Oasis Ministries, a multisite congregation with campuses in and near Chicago, told The Christian Post that the rising violence is horrendous and heartbreaking. At a certain point, how can mothers be grieving and families be grieving, fathers be grieving week after week after week after week?" Paintsil asked. "This is the real challenge that we are having, and the emotional toll on us is just unbelievable." Paintsil is among a number of pastors who connected through a group called the Chicago Pastors Rally, which brings together clergy from across the city to engage in events, such as a prayer rally held every two weeks and breakfasts with local officials. We have what we call the unity torch, said Paintsil, noting that the object symbolizes peace and is comparable to the Olympic torch. It just passes from one church to another. Wherever the torch is located, they spend a certain amount of time in prayer, praying for peace and harmony among our communities and churches. CP reached out to several ministries and faith-based groups to learn more about how the violent crime rate has impacted them and find out what they're doing to improve their city and what they believe needs to be done to bring about sustainable change. Our children are dying Sylvia Bennett-Stone is executive director of the Voices of Black Mothers United, an organization with chapters across the country that seeks to heal crime-ridden communities. The organization is overseen by black mothers and community leaders. It is supported by the Woodson Center, a nonprofit that focuses on improving low-income neighborhoods. Bennett-Stone, whose daughter was killed in a crossfire between two gunmen in 2004, told CP that her organization was in the process of setting up a new chapter in Chicago. "We recruit mothers who have lost children and are well enough and cared enough to go back into the community and make some changes, said Bennett-Stone. "We've lost children to violence, but we also are mothers who are healed. And we believe, we totally believe that if mothers heal, then families heal. And if the family heals, then the community heals." Bennett-Stone says Chicago's problems are multifaceted" and are impacted by drug addiction, gang violence, lack of income and mental illness. "Our children are dying. Its no longer just adults or people who are involved in the violence. It is our babies that are dying. It is our babies that are getting caught in the crossfire, she said. My baby was caught in the crossfire. And its no longer just an issue that's contained in one area. Its everywhere." Pastor Ira Acree, who leads Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago, said his congregation has been devastated by the rising violence in the city and surrounding county. Our community, everybody in our church, they either have someone in their family that has been affected by violence or they know someone personally, whether its a friend or neighbor, who has been impacted, said Acree. We are quite familiar and quite acquainted with the impact of violence." Acree agrees that a myriad of things are driving the rising violence, including a decision by the Chicago Board of Education in 2013 to close 50 schools, the shuttering of multiple mental units, and what he described as disinvestment by powers that be. There's been a cumulative failure in multiple institutions, he said. They have concentrated on building up the North Side and the downtown parts of our city, which are the more affluent areas, and they have left the poor communities out here by themselves." He also cited issues like police reform, telling CP that we are still hoping for that to take place, but there's still an issue with police being trusted in our community." Action and prayer Chicago Pastors Rally member Pastor Joseph Rhoiney of First Progressive Church of Chicago said that member churches are each doing things in their individual locations that they feel are working. The idea is that there is a branch that guides to the root, and the root is faith, hope, and love and peace. And we continue to multiply and magnify that as manifested in different areas, he said. As an example, Rhoiney described an intergenerational buddy system." "We have the young people buddy with somebody. Something happens that they feel unsure about, they can call the buddy," he explained. The buddy system says, Im not in this by myself, he added. Somebody else is partnered with me, and were partnered with another group for this one thing called peace within the community, peace within ourselves. There were also events that included competitions involving mental, physical and spiritual prowess played between younger and older individuals to help get the two generations talking, physically engaging one another. The ultimate goal is to have the connections between the older generation and the younger generation. And every time weve done it, weve had tremendous success with it, continued Rhoiney. Because we see that peace can abide between the two, and the young people can learn to trust the old people, and the old people can see how they can share and receive openly how the young people feel. Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago said his church has an after-school program that aims to keep a lot of children out of harm's way" and offers safe party events on Friday evenings twice a month. Greater St. John Bible Church also coordinates a faith-based first responders training to help with trauma alongside other local congregations, according to Acree. "Although we try to be proactive in these urban communities, until there's a radical change, there will be trauma. And so, we deal with how to respond to violence when it happens, he added. Gun buyback events Some congregations in Chicago and elsewhere have held gun buyback events with the intention of helping to stem the tide of firearms-related violence in the city. These events typically involve people bringing guns to a church and anonymously selling them to the congregation without any questions being asked. In July, the Chicago-based Faith Community of Saint Sabina held a multiday buyback event that saw 123 handguns, 31 rifles and one assault weapon bought in the first two days. The Rev. Michael L. Pfleger of Saint Sabina Church told CP in an interview that they were able to meet and speak to many young brothers to help turn their lives around. We are continuing to try many things to stop this senseless killing, Pfleger said at the time, listing other events centered on this effort, including weekly peace walks and block parties. This is just one more application. Acree of Greater St. John said that while his congregation has done such events in the past, he has had some doubts about their effectiveness. "I'm not a real big fan of it. If the police want to do it, the superintendent wants to do it, I'll try to support them. I've got to give them an opportunity to work his vision for what he believes," said Acree. "I'm certainly not a police officer. I'm not a law enforcement expert. But I personally have my thoughts about how all the good guys are turning in their guns but the thugs still have theirs." Paintsil noted that he was unaware of any of CPRs member churches doing a gun buyback event and felt he could not respond on whether they worked. Boots on the ground Bennett-Stone of Voices of Black Mothers United, told CP that she believes there needs to be more direct engagement between officials and the community. "Based upon my observations, they need to come outside and work with the boots on the ground, Bennett-Stone asserted. Typically, city officials in government agencies engage more with larger organizations. However, larger organizations deal with people that come to them. The boots on the ground go to the people. So they need to look at the real grassroots organizations that [are] going to the neighborhood where it is gang-infested and work with those people; help them, help support those grassroots. Because they are meeting people where they are." Bennett-Stone told CP that houses of worship have a role to play in combating the violence, but stressed that they need to come outside of the walls. Churches have been the guiding light for years in urban communities, she said. However, churches need to come outside of the walls and engage with the community and understand what are the factors, what ministering can be done." Acree echoed the boots on the ground comment, believing that there needs to be more investment in the South Side and West Side, including investment in education. They need to also realize that building up schools is a path out of this trauma that we are in, the mayhem that we're in. Building an education, eliminating schools is not the answer, he said. "I also believe they can build to capacity of these community organizations are there already with boots on the ground. Acree felt that officials tend to fund the outside organizations who come in as the savior." "They give them tons of money, but I think ... they should make a concerted effort to build up the people who are there on the frontlines," he said. Some of these churches have feeding programs, some have afterschool programs, some have mentoring programs. These [are] people that live here, that work here and they are going to be here, for the most part, the pastor added. "They need to learn how to see the importance of building up these home-grown institutions who are going to be here, come what may." Paintsil also believes there needs to be stronger relationships with the faith-based communities." He said one reason we are not able to carry out the work at the degree that we would like to, definitely is finances. I know that quite a lot of support comes in for different things, but I always call the Church the spiritual levy. Because when the levy is breached, everything breaks down, said Paintsil. Rhoiney of First Progressive Church stressed the spiritual need that must be part of the change. He noted that in the Bible, whenever the land was in turmoil, rulers went to the prophets and the Church for help. I think we all need to stand up and say thats what we are, and respond in such a way that affects peace and harmony and goodwill for all men, said Rhoiney. We all carry multiple titles, whether we are editors, writers, reporters, pastors, doctors, engineers, accountants, global communicators, broadcasters, it makes no difference. You are Christians. Your witness should rise inside your office to affect the change for the greater good and the greater community. Our children are dying: Faith-based groups look to heal Chicago amid rising violence 2021 was the most violent year Chicago has experienced since the birth of the 21st century, according to recently released data from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. The office reported 820 homicides in the Windy City in 2021, the highest since 1995, when 828 murders were reported, according to the Sun-Times Media Wire. "We all know this has been a challenging year here in the city of Chicago," said Police Superintendent David Brown on Thursday. "Too many families are reeling from the loss of loved ones due to senseless gun violence ... Too many residents are dealing with the ripple effects of this trauma due to crime in our community." In late November, the Cook County Medical Examiners Office issued a report confirming that the number of homicides in the county had passed 1,000 by the end of Thanksgiving. Of the 1,009 confirmed homicides, 777 of them occurred in Chicago. It was the largest number of murders in the county since 1994, when the office reported 1,141 homicides. In early July, The Chicago Tribune's crime team released data showing that there had been 2,021 shooting victims in the city through July 7, which was 164 more than at the same point in 2020. These and other statistics have led many to call Chicago the pejorative nickname Chiraq, the idea being that some parts of the city are more violent than war-torn countries like Iraq. Pastor Isaac Paintsil, head of Christs Oasis Ministries, a multisite congregation with campuses in and near Chicago, told The Christian Post that the rising violence is horrendous and heartbreaking. At a certain point, how can mothers be grieving and families be grieving, fathers be grieving week after week after week after week?" Paintsil asked. "This is the real challenge that we are having, and the emotional toll on us is just unbelievable." Paintsil is among a number of pastors who connected through a group called the Chicago Pastors Rally, which brings together clergy from across the city to engage in events, such as a prayer rally held every two weeks and breakfasts with local officials. We have what we call the unity torch, said Paintsil, noting that the object symbolizes peace and is comparable to the Olympic torch. It just passes from one church to another. Wherever the torch is located, they spend a certain amount of time in prayer, praying for peace and harmony among our communities and churches. CP reached out to several ministries and faith-based groups to learn more about how the violent crime rate has impacted them and find out what they're doing to improve their city and what they believe needs to be done to bring about sustainable change. Our children are dying Sylvia Bennett-Stone is executive director of the Voices of Black Mothers United, an organization with chapters across the country that seeks to heal crime-ridden communities. The organization is overseen by black mothers and community leaders. It is supported by the Woodson Center, a nonprofit that focuses on improving low-income neighborhoods. Bennett-Stone, whose daughter was killed in a crossfire between two gunmen in 2004, told CP that her organization was in the process of setting up a new chapter in Chicago. "We recruit mothers who have lost children and are well enough and cared enough to go back into the community and make some changes, said Bennett-Stone. "We've lost children to violence, but we also are mothers who are healed. And we believe, we totally believe that if mothers heal, then families heal. And if the family heals, then the community heals." Bennett-Stone says Chicago's problems are multifaceted" and are impacted by drug addiction, gang violence, lack of income and mental illness. "Our children are dying. Its no longer just adults or people who are involved in the violence. It is our babies that are dying. It is our babies that are getting caught in the crossfire, she said. My baby was caught in the crossfire. And its no longer just an issue that's contained in one area. Its everywhere." Pastor Ira Acree, who leads Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago, said his congregation has been devastated by the rising violence in the city and surrounding county. Our community, everybody in our church, they either have someone in their family that has been affected by violence or they know someone personally, whether its a friend or neighbor, who has been impacted, said Acree. We are quite familiar and quite acquainted with the impact of violence." Acree agrees that a myriad of things are driving the rising violence, including a decision by the Chicago Board of Education in 2013 to close 50 schools, the shuttering of multiple mental units, and what he described as disinvestment by powers that be. There's been a cumulative failure in multiple institutions, he said. They have concentrated on building up the North Side and the downtown parts of our city, which are the more affluent areas, and they have left the poor communities out here by themselves." He also cited issues like police reform, telling CP that we are still hoping for that to take place, but there's still an issue with police being trusted in our community." Action and prayer Chicago Pastors Rally member Pastor Joseph Rhoiney of First Progressive Church of Chicago said that member churches are each doing things in their individual locations that they feel are working. The idea is that there is a branch that guides to the root, and the root is faith, hope, and love and peace. And we continue to multiply and magnify that as manifested in different areas, he said. As an example, Rhoiney described an intergenerational buddy system." "We have the young people buddy with somebody. Something happens that they feel unsure about, they can call the buddy," he explained. The buddy system says, Im not in this by myself, he added. Somebody else is partnered with me, and were partnered with another group for this one thing called peace within the community, peace within ourselves. There were also events that included competitions involving mental, physical and spiritual prowess played between younger and older individuals to help get the two generations talking, physically engaging one another. The ultimate goal is to have the connections between the older generation and the younger generation. And every time weve done it, weve had tremendous success with it, continued Rhoiney. Because we see that peace can abide between the two, and the young people can learn to trust the old people, and the old people can see how they can share and receive openly how the young people feel. Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago said his church has an after-school program that aims to keep a lot of children out of harm's way" and offers safe party events on Friday evenings twice a month. Greater St. John Bible Church also coordinates a faith-based first responders training to help with trauma alongside other local congregations, according to Acree. "Although we try to be proactive in these urban communities, until there's a radical change, there will be trauma. And so, we deal with how to respond to violence when it happens, he added. Gun buyback events Some congregations in Chicago and elsewhere have held gun buyback events with the intention of helping to stem the tide of firearms-related violence in the city. These events typically involve people bringing guns to a church and anonymously selling them to the congregation without any questions being asked. In July, the Chicago-based Faith Community of Saint Sabina held a multiday buyback event that saw 123 handguns, 31 rifles and one assault weapon bought in the first two days. The Rev. Michael L. Pfleger of Saint Sabina Church told CP in an interview that they were able to meet and speak to many young brothers to help turn their lives around. We are continuing to try many things to stop this senseless killing, Pfleger said at the time, listing other events centered on this effort, including weekly peace walks and block parties. This is just one more application. Acree of Greater St. John said that while his congregation has done such events in the past, he has had some doubts about their effectiveness. "I'm not a real big fan of it. If the police want to do it, the superintendent wants to do it, I'll try to support them. I've got to give them an opportunity to work his vision for what he believes," said Acree. "I'm certainly not a police officer. I'm not a law enforcement expert. But I personally have my thoughts about how all the good guys are turning in their guns but the thugs still have theirs." Paintsil noted that he was unaware of any of CPRs member churches doing a gun buyback event and felt he could not respond on whether they worked. Boots on the ground Bennett-Stone of Voices of Black Mothers United, told CP that she believes there needs to be more direct engagement between officials and the community. "Based upon my observations, they need to come outside and work with the boots on the ground, Bennett-Stone asserted. Typically, city officials in government agencies engage more with larger organizations. However, larger organizations deal with people that come to them. The boots on the ground go to the people. So they need to look at the real grassroots organizations that [are] going to the neighborhood where it is gang-infested and work with those people; help them, help support those grassroots. Because they are meeting people where they are." Bennett-Stone told CP that houses of worship have a role to play in combating the violence, but stressed that they need to come outside of the walls. Churches have been the guiding light for years in urban communities, she said. However, churches need to come outside of the walls and engage with the community and understand what are the factors, what ministering can be done." Acree echoed the boots on the ground comment, believing that there needs to be more investment in the South Side and West Side, including investment in education. They need to also realize that building up schools is a path out of this trauma that we are in, the mayhem that we're in. Building an education, eliminating schools is not the answer, he said. "I also believe they can build to capacity of these community organizations are there already with boots on the ground. Acree felt that officials tend to fund the outside organizations who come in as the savior." "They give them tons of money, but I think ... they should make a concerted effort to build up the people who are there on the frontlines," he said. Some of these churches have feeding programs, some have afterschool programs, some have mentoring programs. These [are] people that live here, that work here and they are going to be here, for the most part, the pastor added. "They need to learn how to see the importance of building up these home-grown institutions who are going to be here, come what may." Paintsil also believes there needs to be stronger relationships with the faith-based communities." He said one reason we are not able to carry out the work at the degree that we would like to, definitely is finances. I know that quite a lot of support comes in for different things, but I always call the Church the spiritual levy. Because when the levy is breached, everything breaks down, said Paintsil. Rhoiney of First Progressive Church stressed the spiritual need that must be part of the change. He noted that in the Bible, whenever the land was in turmoil, rulers went to the prophets and the Church for help. I think we all need to stand up and say thats what we are, and respond in such a way that affects peace and harmony and goodwill for all men, said Rhoiney. We all carry multiple titles, whether we are editors, writers, reporters, pastors, doctors, engineers, accountants, global communicators, broadcasters, it makes no difference. You are Christians. Your witness should rise inside your office to affect the change for the greater good and the greater community. Our children are dying: Faith-based groups look to heal Chicago amid rising violence 2021 was the most violent year Chicago has experienced since the birth of the 21st century, according to recently released data from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. The office reported 820 homicides in the Windy City in 2021, the highest since 1995, when 828 murders were reported, according to the Sun-Times Media Wire. "We all know this has been a challenging year here in the city of Chicago," said Police Superintendent David Brown on Thursday. "Too many families are reeling from the loss of loved ones due to senseless gun violence ... Too many residents are dealing with the ripple effects of this trauma due to crime in our community." In late November, the Cook County Medical Examiners Office issued a report confirming that the number of homicides in the county had passed 1,000 by the end of Thanksgiving. Of the 1,009 confirmed homicides, 777 of them occurred in Chicago. It was the largest number of murders in the county since 1994, when the office reported 1,141 homicides. In early July, The Chicago Tribune's crime team released data showing that there had been 2,021 shooting victims in the city through July 7, which was 164 more than at the same point in 2020. These and other statistics have led many to call Chicago the pejorative nickname Chiraq, the idea being that some parts of the city are more violent than war-torn countries like Iraq. Pastor Isaac Paintsil, head of Christs Oasis Ministries, a multisite congregation with campuses in and near Chicago, told The Christian Post that the rising violence is horrendous and heartbreaking. At a certain point, how can mothers be grieving and families be grieving, fathers be grieving week after week after week after week?" Paintsil asked. "This is the real challenge that we are having, and the emotional toll on us is just unbelievable." Paintsil is among a number of pastors who connected through a group called the Chicago Pastors Rally, which brings together clergy from across the city to engage in events, such as a prayer rally held every two weeks and breakfasts with local officials. We have what we call the unity torch, said Paintsil, noting that the object symbolizes peace and is comparable to the Olympic torch. It just passes from one church to another. Wherever the torch is located, they spend a certain amount of time in prayer, praying for peace and harmony among our communities and churches. CP reached out to several ministries and faith-based groups to learn more about how the violent crime rate has impacted them and find out what they're doing to improve their city and what they believe needs to be done to bring about sustainable change. Our children are dying Sylvia Bennett-Stone is executive director of the Voices of Black Mothers United, an organization with chapters across the country that seeks to heal crime-ridden communities. The organization is overseen by black mothers and community leaders. It is supported by the Woodson Center, a nonprofit that focuses on improving low-income neighborhoods. Bennett-Stone, whose daughter was killed in a crossfire between two gunmen in 2004, told CP that her organization was in the process of setting up a new chapter in Chicago. "We recruit mothers who have lost children and are well enough and cared enough to go back into the community and make some changes, said Bennett-Stone. "We've lost children to violence, but we also are mothers who are healed. And we believe, we totally believe that if mothers heal, then families heal. And if the family heals, then the community heals." Bennett-Stone says Chicago's problems are multifaceted" and are impacted by drug addiction, gang violence, lack of income and mental illness. "Our children are dying. Its no longer just adults or people who are involved in the violence. It is our babies that are dying. It is our babies that are getting caught in the crossfire, she said. My baby was caught in the crossfire. And its no longer just an issue that's contained in one area. Its everywhere." Pastor Ira Acree, who leads Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago, said his congregation has been devastated by the rising violence in the city and surrounding county. Our community, everybody in our church, they either have someone in their family that has been affected by violence or they know someone personally, whether its a friend or neighbor, who has been impacted, said Acree. We are quite familiar and quite acquainted with the impact of violence." Acree agrees that a myriad of things are driving the rising violence, including a decision by the Chicago Board of Education in 2013 to close 50 schools, the shuttering of multiple mental units, and what he described as disinvestment by powers that be. There's been a cumulative failure in multiple institutions, he said. They have concentrated on building up the North Side and the downtown parts of our city, which are the more affluent areas, and they have left the poor communities out here by themselves." He also cited issues like police reform, telling CP that we are still hoping for that to take place, but there's still an issue with police being trusted in our community." Action and prayer Chicago Pastors Rally member Pastor Joseph Rhoiney of First Progressive Church of Chicago said that member churches are each doing things in their individual locations that they feel are working. The idea is that there is a branch that guides to the root, and the root is faith, hope, and love and peace. And we continue to multiply and magnify that as manifested in different areas, he said. As an example, Rhoiney described an intergenerational buddy system." "We have the young people buddy with somebody. Something happens that they feel unsure about, they can call the buddy," he explained. The buddy system says, Im not in this by myself, he added. Somebody else is partnered with me, and were partnered with another group for this one thing called peace within the community, peace within ourselves. There were also events that included competitions involving mental, physical and spiritual prowess played between younger and older individuals to help get the two generations talking, physically engaging one another. The ultimate goal is to have the connections between the older generation and the younger generation. And every time weve done it, weve had tremendous success with it, continued Rhoiney. Because we see that peace can abide between the two, and the young people can learn to trust the old people, and the old people can see how they can share and receive openly how the young people feel. Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago said his church has an after-school program that aims to keep a lot of children out of harm's way" and offers safe party events on Friday evenings twice a month. Greater St. John Bible Church also coordinates a faith-based first responders training to help with trauma alongside other local congregations, according to Acree. "Although we try to be proactive in these urban communities, until there's a radical change, there will be trauma. And so, we deal with how to respond to violence when it happens, he added. Gun buyback events Some congregations in Chicago and elsewhere have held gun buyback events with the intention of helping to stem the tide of firearms-related violence in the city. These events typically involve people bringing guns to a church and anonymously selling them to the congregation without any questions being asked. In July, the Chicago-based Faith Community of Saint Sabina held a multiday buyback event that saw 123 handguns, 31 rifles and one assault weapon bought in the first two days. The Rev. Michael L. Pfleger of Saint Sabina Church told CP in an interview that they were able to meet and speak to many young brothers to help turn their lives around. We are continuing to try many things to stop this senseless killing, Pfleger said at the time, listing other events centered on this effort, including weekly peace walks and block parties. This is just one more application. Acree of Greater St. John said that while his congregation has done such events in the past, he has had some doubts about their effectiveness. "I'm not a real big fan of it. If the police want to do it, the superintendent wants to do it, I'll try to support them. I've got to give them an opportunity to work his vision for what he believes," said Acree. "I'm certainly not a police officer. I'm not a law enforcement expert. But I personally have my thoughts about how all the good guys are turning in their guns but the thugs still have theirs." Paintsil noted that he was unaware of any of CPRs member churches doing a gun buyback event and felt he could not respond on whether they worked. Boots on the ground Bennett-Stone of Voices of Black Mothers United, told CP that she believes there needs to be more direct engagement between officials and the community. "Based upon my observations, they need to come outside and work with the boots on the ground, Bennett-Stone asserted. Typically, city officials in government agencies engage more with larger organizations. However, larger organizations deal with people that come to them. The boots on the ground go to the people. So they need to look at the real grassroots organizations that [are] going to the neighborhood where it is gang-infested and work with those people; help them, help support those grassroots. Because they are meeting people where they are." Bennett-Stone told CP that houses of worship have a role to play in combating the violence, but stressed that they need to come outside of the walls. Churches have been the guiding light for years in urban communities, she said. However, churches need to come outside of the walls and engage with the community and understand what are the factors, what ministering can be done." Acree echoed the boots on the ground comment, believing that there needs to be more investment in the South Side and West Side, including investment in education. They need to also realize that building up schools is a path out of this trauma that we are in, the mayhem that we're in. Building an education, eliminating schools is not the answer, he said. "I also believe they can build to capacity of these community organizations are there already with boots on the ground. Acree felt that officials tend to fund the outside organizations who come in as the savior." "They give them tons of money, but I think ... they should make a concerted effort to build up the people who are there on the frontlines," he said. Some of these churches have feeding programs, some have afterschool programs, some have mentoring programs. These [are] people that live here, that work here and they are going to be here, for the most part, the pastor added. "They need to learn how to see the importance of building up these home-grown institutions who are going to be here, come what may." Paintsil also believes there needs to be stronger relationships with the faith-based communities." He said one reason we are not able to carry out the work at the degree that we would like to, definitely is finances. I know that quite a lot of support comes in for different things, but I always call the Church the spiritual levy. Because when the levy is breached, everything breaks down, said Paintsil. Rhoiney of First Progressive Church stressed the spiritual need that must be part of the change. He noted that in the Bible, whenever the land was in turmoil, rulers went to the prophets and the Church for help. I think we all need to stand up and say thats what we are, and respond in such a way that affects peace and harmony and goodwill for all men, said Rhoiney. We all carry multiple titles, whether we are editors, writers, reporters, pastors, doctors, engineers, accountants, global communicators, broadcasters, it makes no difference. You are Christians. Your witness should rise inside your office to affect the change for the greater good and the greater community. Our children are dying: Faith-based groups look to heal Chicago amid rising violence 2021 was the most violent year Chicago has experienced since the birth of the 21st century, according to recently released data from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. The office reported 820 homicides in the Windy City in 2021, the highest since 1995, when 828 murders were reported, according to the Sun-Times Media Wire. "We all know this has been a challenging year here in the city of Chicago," said Police Superintendent David Brown on Thursday. "Too many families are reeling from the loss of loved ones due to senseless gun violence ... Too many residents are dealing with the ripple effects of this trauma due to crime in our community." In late November, the Cook County Medical Examiners Office issued a report confirming that the number of homicides in the county had passed 1,000 by the end of Thanksgiving. Of the 1,009 confirmed homicides, 777 of them occurred in Chicago. It was the largest number of murders in the county since 1994, when the office reported 1,141 homicides. In early July, The Chicago Tribune's crime team released data showing that there had been 2,021 shooting victims in the city through July 7, which was 164 more than at the same point in 2020. These and other statistics have led many to call Chicago the pejorative nickname Chiraq, the idea being that some parts of the city are more violent than war-torn countries like Iraq. Pastor Isaac Paintsil, head of Christs Oasis Ministries, a multisite congregation with campuses in and near Chicago, told The Christian Post that the rising violence is horrendous and heartbreaking. At a certain point, how can mothers be grieving and families be grieving, fathers be grieving week after week after week after week?" Paintsil asked. "This is the real challenge that we are having, and the emotional toll on us is just unbelievable." Paintsil is among a number of pastors who connected through a group called the Chicago Pastors Rally, which brings together clergy from across the city to engage in events, such as a prayer rally held every two weeks and breakfasts with local officials. We have what we call the unity torch, said Paintsil, noting that the object symbolizes peace and is comparable to the Olympic torch. It just passes from one church to another. Wherever the torch is located, they spend a certain amount of time in prayer, praying for peace and harmony among our communities and churches. CP reached out to several ministries and faith-based groups to learn more about how the violent crime rate has impacted them and find out what they're doing to improve their city and what they believe needs to be done to bring about sustainable change. Our children are dying Sylvia Bennett-Stone is executive director of the Voices of Black Mothers United, an organization with chapters across the country that seeks to heal crime-ridden communities. The organization is overseen by black mothers and community leaders. It is supported by the Woodson Center, a nonprofit that focuses on improving low-income neighborhoods. Bennett-Stone, whose daughter was killed in a crossfire between two gunmen in 2004, told CP that her organization was in the process of setting up a new chapter in Chicago. "We recruit mothers who have lost children and are well enough and cared enough to go back into the community and make some changes, said Bennett-Stone. "We've lost children to violence, but we also are mothers who are healed. And we believe, we totally believe that if mothers heal, then families heal. And if the family heals, then the community heals." Bennett-Stone says Chicago's problems are multifaceted" and are impacted by drug addiction, gang violence, lack of income and mental illness. "Our children are dying. Its no longer just adults or people who are involved in the violence. It is our babies that are dying. It is our babies that are getting caught in the crossfire, she said. My baby was caught in the crossfire. And its no longer just an issue that's contained in one area. Its everywhere." Pastor Ira Acree, who leads Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago, said his congregation has been devastated by the rising violence in the city and surrounding county. Our community, everybody in our church, they either have someone in their family that has been affected by violence or they know someone personally, whether its a friend or neighbor, who has been impacted, said Acree. We are quite familiar and quite acquainted with the impact of violence." Acree agrees that a myriad of things are driving the rising violence, including a decision by the Chicago Board of Education in 2013 to close 50 schools, the shuttering of multiple mental units, and what he described as disinvestment by powers that be. There's been a cumulative failure in multiple institutions, he said. They have concentrated on building up the North Side and the downtown parts of our city, which are the more affluent areas, and they have left the poor communities out here by themselves." He also cited issues like police reform, telling CP that we are still hoping for that to take place, but there's still an issue with police being trusted in our community." Action and prayer Chicago Pastors Rally member Pastor Joseph Rhoiney of First Progressive Church of Chicago said that member churches are each doing things in their individual locations that they feel are working. The idea is that there is a branch that guides to the root, and the root is faith, hope, and love and peace. And we continue to multiply and magnify that as manifested in different areas, he said. As an example, Rhoiney described an intergenerational buddy system." "We have the young people buddy with somebody. Something happens that they feel unsure about, they can call the buddy," he explained. The buddy system says, Im not in this by myself, he added. Somebody else is partnered with me, and were partnered with another group for this one thing called peace within the community, peace within ourselves. There were also events that included competitions involving mental, physical and spiritual prowess played between younger and older individuals to help get the two generations talking, physically engaging one another. The ultimate goal is to have the connections between the older generation and the younger generation. And every time weve done it, weve had tremendous success with it, continued Rhoiney. Because we see that peace can abide between the two, and the young people can learn to trust the old people, and the old people can see how they can share and receive openly how the young people feel. Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago said his church has an after-school program that aims to keep a lot of children out of harm's way" and offers safe party events on Friday evenings twice a month. Greater St. John Bible Church also coordinates a faith-based first responders training to help with trauma alongside other local congregations, according to Acree. "Although we try to be proactive in these urban communities, until there's a radical change, there will be trauma. And so, we deal with how to respond to violence when it happens, he added. Gun buyback events Some congregations in Chicago and elsewhere have held gun buyback events with the intention of helping to stem the tide of firearms-related violence in the city. These events typically involve people bringing guns to a church and anonymously selling them to the congregation without any questions being asked. In July, the Chicago-based Faith Community of Saint Sabina held a multiday buyback event that saw 123 handguns, 31 rifles and one assault weapon bought in the first two days. The Rev. Michael L. Pfleger of Saint Sabina Church told CP in an interview that they were able to meet and speak to many young brothers to help turn their lives around. We are continuing to try many things to stop this senseless killing, Pfleger said at the time, listing other events centered on this effort, including weekly peace walks and block parties. This is just one more application. Acree of Greater St. John said that while his congregation has done such events in the past, he has had some doubts about their effectiveness. "I'm not a real big fan of it. If the police want to do it, the superintendent wants to do it, I'll try to support them. I've got to give them an opportunity to work his vision for what he believes," said Acree. "I'm certainly not a police officer. I'm not a law enforcement expert. But I personally have my thoughts about how all the good guys are turning in their guns but the thugs still have theirs." Paintsil noted that he was unaware of any of CPRs member churches doing a gun buyback event and felt he could not respond on whether they worked. Boots on the ground Bennett-Stone of Voices of Black Mothers United, told CP that she believes there needs to be more direct engagement between officials and the community. "Based upon my observations, they need to come outside and work with the boots on the ground, Bennett-Stone asserted. Typically, city officials in government agencies engage more with larger organizations. However, larger organizations deal with people that come to them. The boots on the ground go to the people. So they need to look at the real grassroots organizations that [are] going to the neighborhood where it is gang-infested and work with those people; help them, help support those grassroots. Because they are meeting people where they are." Bennett-Stone told CP that houses of worship have a role to play in combating the violence, but stressed that they need to come outside of the walls. Churches have been the guiding light for years in urban communities, she said. However, churches need to come outside of the walls and engage with the community and understand what are the factors, what ministering can be done." Acree echoed the boots on the ground comment, believing that there needs to be more investment in the South Side and West Side, including investment in education. They need to also realize that building up schools is a path out of this trauma that we are in, the mayhem that we're in. Building an education, eliminating schools is not the answer, he said. "I also believe they can build to capacity of these community organizations are there already with boots on the ground. Acree felt that officials tend to fund the outside organizations who come in as the savior." "They give them tons of money, but I think ... they should make a concerted effort to build up the people who are there on the frontlines," he said. Some of these churches have feeding programs, some have afterschool programs, some have mentoring programs. These [are] people that live here, that work here and they are going to be here, for the most part, the pastor added. "They need to learn how to see the importance of building up these home-grown institutions who are going to be here, come what may." Paintsil also believes there needs to be stronger relationships with the faith-based communities." He said one reason we are not able to carry out the work at the degree that we would like to, definitely is finances. I know that quite a lot of support comes in for different things, but I always call the Church the spiritual levy. Because when the levy is breached, everything breaks down, said Paintsil. Rhoiney of First Progressive Church stressed the spiritual need that must be part of the change. He noted that in the Bible, whenever the land was in turmoil, rulers went to the prophets and the Church for help. I think we all need to stand up and say thats what we are, and respond in such a way that affects peace and harmony and goodwill for all men, said Rhoiney. We all carry multiple titles, whether we are editors, writers, reporters, pastors, doctors, engineers, accountants, global communicators, broadcasters, it makes no difference. You are Christians. Your witness should rise inside your office to affect the change for the greater good and the greater community. WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed by a man who went on to carjack, rob and shoot more people during a two-state manhunt this week said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters, Missouri. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a "series" of carjackings, robberies and shootings on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities eventually caught up to him in Clinton County, Illinois, where he held a person hostage in a home. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. The family's full statement is below: The Family of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley mourns the loss of their husband, father, son and friend. We could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support. To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero. Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. -Matthew 5:9 Visitation for Sean Riley will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m., Monday January 3, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with a first responder walk thru at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials in his honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. Memorials will be accepted at the services and the Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, IL which is assisting with arrangements. Additional information will be released in the coming days. We ask the community to show their support by lining the procession route. Our children are dying: Faith-based groups look to heal Chicago amid rising violence 2021 was the most violent year Chicago has experienced since the birth of the 21st century, according to recently released data from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. The office reported 820 homicides in the Windy City in 2021, the highest since 1995, when 828 murders were reported, according to the Sun-Times Media Wire. "We all know this has been a challenging year here in the city of Chicago," said Police Superintendent David Brown on Thursday. "Too many families are reeling from the loss of loved ones due to senseless gun violence ... Too many residents are dealing with the ripple effects of this trauma due to crime in our community." In late November, the Cook County Medical Examiners Office issued a report confirming that the number of homicides in the county had passed 1,000 by the end of Thanksgiving. Of the 1,009 confirmed homicides, 777 of them occurred in Chicago. It was the largest number of murders in the county since 1994, when the office reported 1,141 homicides. In early July, The Chicago Tribune's crime team released data showing that there had been 2,021 shooting victims in the city through July 7, which was 164 more than at the same point in 2020. These and other statistics have led many to call Chicago the pejorative nickname Chiraq, the idea being that some parts of the city are more violent than war-torn countries like Iraq. Pastor Isaac Paintsil, head of Christs Oasis Ministries, a multisite congregation with campuses in and near Chicago, told The Christian Post that the rising violence is horrendous and heartbreaking. At a certain point, how can mothers be grieving and families be grieving, fathers be grieving week after week after week after week?" Paintsil asked. "This is the real challenge that we are having, and the emotional toll on us is just unbelievable." Paintsil is among a number of pastors who connected through a group called the Chicago Pastors Rally, which brings together clergy from across the city to engage in events, such as a prayer rally held every two weeks and breakfasts with local officials. We have what we call the unity torch, said Paintsil, noting that the object symbolizes peace and is comparable to the Olympic torch. It just passes from one church to another. Wherever the torch is located, they spend a certain amount of time in prayer, praying for peace and harmony among our communities and churches. CP reached out to several ministries and faith-based groups to learn more about how the violent crime rate has impacted them and find out what they're doing to improve their city and what they believe needs to be done to bring about sustainable change. Our children are dying Sylvia Bennett-Stone is executive director of the Voices of Black Mothers United, an organization with chapters across the country that seeks to heal crime-ridden communities. The organization is overseen by black mothers and community leaders. It is supported by the Woodson Center, a nonprofit that focuses on improving low-income neighborhoods. Bennett-Stone, whose daughter was killed in a crossfire between two gunmen in 2004, told CP that her organization was in the process of setting up a new chapter in Chicago. "We recruit mothers who have lost children and are well enough and cared enough to go back into the community and make some changes, said Bennett-Stone. "We've lost children to violence, but we also are mothers who are healed. And we believe, we totally believe that if mothers heal, then families heal. And if the family heals, then the community heals." Bennett-Stone says Chicago's problems are multifaceted" and are impacted by drug addiction, gang violence, lack of income and mental illness. "Our children are dying. Its no longer just adults or people who are involved in the violence. It is our babies that are dying. It is our babies that are getting caught in the crossfire, she said. My baby was caught in the crossfire. And its no longer just an issue that's contained in one area. Its everywhere." Pastor Ira Acree, who leads Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago, said his congregation has been devastated by the rising violence in the city and surrounding county. Our community, everybody in our church, they either have someone in their family that has been affected by violence or they know someone personally, whether its a friend or neighbor, who has been impacted, said Acree. We are quite familiar and quite acquainted with the impact of violence." Acree agrees that a myriad of things are driving the rising violence, including a decision by the Chicago Board of Education in 2013 to close 50 schools, the shuttering of multiple mental units, and what he described as disinvestment by powers that be. There's been a cumulative failure in multiple institutions, he said. They have concentrated on building up the North Side and the downtown parts of our city, which are the more affluent areas, and they have left the poor communities out here by themselves." He also cited issues like police reform, telling CP that we are still hoping for that to take place, but there's still an issue with police being trusted in our community." Action and prayer Chicago Pastors Rally member Pastor Joseph Rhoiney of First Progressive Church of Chicago said that member churches are each doing things in their individual locations that they feel are working. The idea is that there is a branch that guides to the root, and the root is faith, hope, and love and peace. And we continue to multiply and magnify that as manifested in different areas, he said. As an example, Rhoiney described an intergenerational buddy system." "We have the young people buddy with somebody. Something happens that they feel unsure about, they can call the buddy," he explained. The buddy system says, Im not in this by myself, he added. Somebody else is partnered with me, and were partnered with another group for this one thing called peace within the community, peace within ourselves. There were also events that included competitions involving mental, physical and spiritual prowess played between younger and older individuals to help get the two generations talking, physically engaging one another. The ultimate goal is to have the connections between the older generation and the younger generation. And every time weve done it, weve had tremendous success with it, continued Rhoiney. Because we see that peace can abide between the two, and the young people can learn to trust the old people, and the old people can see how they can share and receive openly how the young people feel. Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago said his church has an after-school program that aims to keep a lot of children out of harm's way" and offers safe party events on Friday evenings twice a month. Greater St. John Bible Church also coordinates a faith-based first responders training to help with trauma alongside other local congregations, according to Acree. "Although we try to be proactive in these urban communities, until there's a radical change, there will be trauma. And so, we deal with how to respond to violence when it happens, he added. Gun buyback events Some congregations in Chicago and elsewhere have held gun buyback events with the intention of helping to stem the tide of firearms-related violence in the city. These events typically involve people bringing guns to a church and anonymously selling them to the congregation without any questions being asked. In July, the Chicago-based Faith Community of Saint Sabina held a multiday buyback event that saw 123 handguns, 31 rifles and one assault weapon bought in the first two days. The Rev. Michael L. Pfleger of Saint Sabina Church told CP in an interview that they were able to meet and speak to many young brothers to help turn their lives around. We are continuing to try many things to stop this senseless killing, Pfleger said at the time, listing other events centered on this effort, including weekly peace walks and block parties. This is just one more application. Acree of Greater St. John said that while his congregation has done such events in the past, he has had some doubts about their effectiveness. "I'm not a real big fan of it. If the police want to do it, the superintendent wants to do it, I'll try to support them. I've got to give them an opportunity to work his vision for what he believes," said Acree. "I'm certainly not a police officer. I'm not a law enforcement expert. But I personally have my thoughts about how all the good guys are turning in their guns but the thugs still have theirs." Paintsil noted that he was unaware of any of CPRs member churches doing a gun buyback event and felt he could not respond on whether they worked. Boots on the ground Bennett-Stone of Voices of Black Mothers United, told CP that she believes there needs to be more direct engagement between officials and the community. "Based upon my observations, they need to come outside and work with the boots on the ground, Bennett-Stone asserted. Typically, city officials in government agencies engage more with larger organizations. However, larger organizations deal with people that come to them. The boots on the ground go to the people. So they need to look at the real grassroots organizations that [are] going to the neighborhood where it is gang-infested and work with those people; help them, help support those grassroots. Because they are meeting people where they are." Bennett-Stone told CP that houses of worship have a role to play in combating the violence, but stressed that they need to come outside of the walls. Churches have been the guiding light for years in urban communities, she said. However, churches need to come outside of the walls and engage with the community and understand what are the factors, what ministering can be done." Acree echoed the boots on the ground comment, believing that there needs to be more investment in the South Side and West Side, including investment in education. They need to also realize that building up schools is a path out of this trauma that we are in, the mayhem that we're in. Building an education, eliminating schools is not the answer, he said. "I also believe they can build to capacity of these community organizations are there already with boots on the ground. Acree felt that officials tend to fund the outside organizations who come in as the savior." "They give them tons of money, but I think ... they should make a concerted effort to build up the people who are there on the frontlines," he said. Some of these churches have feeding programs, some have afterschool programs, some have mentoring programs. These [are] people that live here, that work here and they are going to be here, for the most part, the pastor added. "They need to learn how to see the importance of building up these home-grown institutions who are going to be here, come what may." Paintsil also believes there needs to be stronger relationships with the faith-based communities." He said one reason we are not able to carry out the work at the degree that we would like to, definitely is finances. I know that quite a lot of support comes in for different things, but I always call the Church the spiritual levy. Because when the levy is breached, everything breaks down, said Paintsil. Rhoiney of First Progressive Church stressed the spiritual need that must be part of the change. He noted that in the Bible, whenever the land was in turmoil, rulers went to the prophets and the Church for help. I think we all need to stand up and say thats what we are, and respond in such a way that affects peace and harmony and goodwill for all men, said Rhoiney. We all carry multiple titles, whether we are editors, writers, reporters, pastors, doctors, engineers, accountants, global communicators, broadcasters, it makes no difference. You are Christians. Your witness should rise inside your office to affect the change for the greater good and the greater community. An African-American voters rights organization is calling for police in Pittsburgh to arrest the individual responsible for the death of a Black man. Despite weeks passing since his death, Pennsylvania State Police have only questioned people in connection with the case. Local station WTAE reports that initially, a 25-year-old white man was detained in connection to the shooting death of a Jamaican immigrant, Peter Bernardo Spencer, 29. Several guns were also retrieved from the location where the unnamed man was taken in by police. Peter Bernardo Spencer (GoFundMe) The Black Political Empowerment Project (BPEP) wants answers regarding why no charges have been filed. Spencer was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds in the western Pennsylvania town of Rockland Township in the early morning hours of Dec. 12, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Police discovered his body in someones front yard. Troopers were alerted of a shooting that occurred between 1 a.m. and 2:26 a.m. On Wednesday, Dec. 29, the Pennsylvania State Police released an initial report but has stated the an ongoing investigation is awaiting additional autopsy results, toxicology reports, ballistic reports and lab results to be submitted. After analysis of the evidence is complete, the Venango County District Attorneys Office will review all reports on the case, and then make a recommendation on charges. The authorities also revealed there was some sort of gathering that involved alcohol and gunplay, and since the original detainment of the 25-year-old white man, three other people were brought in for questioning by troopers. They all were released by the DA pending additional evidence. The investigation will also be continued by the state police Troop E Major Case Team and members of the agencys Heritage Affairs, a section that is responsible for training officers on how to handle hate/biased related crimes. William Anderson, chair of the Allegheny County Democratic Black Caucus, has been working closely with Spencers family since his death and spoke about the trauma this has caused them. Story continues This was a whole family that came to this country seeking a better life and their life is destroyed, he said. It will never be the same this is not America, and I am even further outraged that this is someone that came from another country and was slaughtered, shot nine times. According to Anderson and BPEP CEO Tim Stevens, his fiancee Carmela King dropped him off in Venango County to go hunting with a friend and when she returned to pick him up less than 24 hours later, he was dead. The friend, according to the family, was arrested and claimed that the slaying was self-defense. The BPEP rep said, Which we think is a defenseless defense, an unexplainable defense we cant help but wonder if there was some racial animosity and if this possibly could be a hate crime. This is serious and people need to know they cant do this in Pennsylvania or hopefully anywhere in the nation, he concluded. There is nothing in the information released by police to say that anyone claimed self-defense in the shooting of Spencer. The family has set up two crowdfunding efforts: one to support his memorialization costs, to help start a restaurant in his honor, and another for legal expenses. His sister Tehiliah Spencer wrote in the funeral GoFundMe, My brother Peter Spencer was MURDERED IN COLD BLOOD! She added that the man who invited Spencer camping was a co-worker, who then brought three of his own friends and a girlfriend. All of whom are white, according to Tehiliah. She later described her brother as friendly and outgoing. The other was set up by his fiancee. She shares more details about the last night she saw Spencer. He was invited on a camping trip by a friend on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021, in Venango county, Emlenton Pennsylvania. This invitation ultimately resulted in Peter being shot multiple times while in the presence of five white men. He was the only black individual at the campsite and is being portrayed as the aggressor, she wrote. The Franklin state troopers office will not give Peters family nor myself any information regarding this incident, she continued. We have been turned away several times while trying to reach out for information regarding what happened. In doing so, I am forced to hire a criminal attorney to help investigate the matter and receive justice. In efforts to get justice, Stevens stated to WTAE that they wanted to send a formal note. I found this story beyond tragic we decided that we needed to send a letter to some of the key members that be in Pennsylvania, he said. We are talking six bullets into the chest, two into the buttocks, and one we have a different opinion either through the mouth or from the neck out of the mouth, he continued. The BPEP letter demanding decisive action be taken in this case was sent to various government officials such as U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, the Venango County DAs office and also forwarded the press. We demand the immediate investigation of this murder by the Venango County district attorney, the U.S. attorney general, and the PA state attorney general, and that this murder be considered as a hate crime and an act of domestic terrorism, the letter stated. More news from our partners: I Basically Felt Like They Were Trying to Kidnap Me: L.A. Music Producer Sues LAPD After Neighbor Calls Police on Her White Ex-Boyfriend But Black Man Gets Arrested Instead Finurah Funding Friday: Operation Hope, FedEx, and the New York Public Library Are Offering Up Grants for Small Businesses Top 10 NBA Moments Of 2021| KDs Big Toe, Valley-Oops, Greek Freaks To Kings Disease Our children are dying: Faith-based groups look to heal Chicago amid rising violence 2021 was the most violent year Chicago has experienced since the birth of the 21st century, according to recently released data from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. The office reported 820 homicides in the Windy City in 2021, the highest since 1995, when 828 murders were reported, according to the Sun-Times Media Wire. "We all know this has been a challenging year here in the city of Chicago," said Police Superintendent David Brown on Thursday. "Too many families are reeling from the loss of loved ones due to senseless gun violence ... Too many residents are dealing with the ripple effects of this trauma due to crime in our community." In late November, the Cook County Medical Examiners Office issued a report confirming that the number of homicides in the county had passed 1,000 by the end of Thanksgiving. Of the 1,009 confirmed homicides, 777 of them occurred in Chicago. It was the largest number of murders in the county since 1994, when the office reported 1,141 homicides. In early July, The Chicago Tribune's crime team released data showing that there had been 2,021 shooting victims in the city through July 7, which was 164 more than at the same point in 2020. These and other statistics have led many to call Chicago the pejorative nickname Chiraq, the idea being that some parts of the city are more violent than war-torn countries like Iraq. Pastor Isaac Paintsil, head of Christs Oasis Ministries, a multisite congregation with campuses in and near Chicago, told The Christian Post that the rising violence is horrendous and heartbreaking. At a certain point, how can mothers be grieving and families be grieving, fathers be grieving week after week after week after week?" Paintsil asked. "This is the real challenge that we are having, and the emotional toll on us is just unbelievable." Paintsil is among a number of pastors who connected through a group called the Chicago Pastors Rally, which brings together clergy from across the city to engage in events, such as a prayer rally held every two weeks and breakfasts with local officials. We have what we call the unity torch, said Paintsil, noting that the object symbolizes peace and is comparable to the Olympic torch. It just passes from one church to another. Wherever the torch is located, they spend a certain amount of time in prayer, praying for peace and harmony among our communities and churches. CP reached out to several ministries and faith-based groups to learn more about how the violent crime rate has impacted them and find out what they're doing to improve their city and what they believe needs to be done to bring about sustainable change. Our children are dying Sylvia Bennett-Stone is executive director of the Voices of Black Mothers United, an organization with chapters across the country that seeks to heal crime-ridden communities. The organization is overseen by black mothers and community leaders. It is supported by the Woodson Center, a nonprofit that focuses on improving low-income neighborhoods. Bennett-Stone, whose daughter was killed in a crossfire between two gunmen in 2004, told CP that her organization was in the process of setting up a new chapter in Chicago. "We recruit mothers who have lost children and are well enough and cared enough to go back into the community and make some changes, said Bennett-Stone. "We've lost children to violence, but we also are mothers who are healed. And we believe, we totally believe that if mothers heal, then families heal. And if the family heals, then the community heals." Bennett-Stone says Chicago's problems are multifaceted" and are impacted by drug addiction, gang violence, lack of income and mental illness. "Our children are dying. Its no longer just adults or people who are involved in the violence. It is our babies that are dying. It is our babies that are getting caught in the crossfire, she said. My baby was caught in the crossfire. And its no longer just an issue that's contained in one area. Its everywhere." Pastor Ira Acree, who leads Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago, said his congregation has been devastated by the rising violence in the city and surrounding county. Our community, everybody in our church, they either have someone in their family that has been affected by violence or they know someone personally, whether its a friend or neighbor, who has been impacted, said Acree. We are quite familiar and quite acquainted with the impact of violence." Acree agrees that a myriad of things are driving the rising violence, including a decision by the Chicago Board of Education in 2013 to close 50 schools, the shuttering of multiple mental units, and what he described as disinvestment by powers that be. There's been a cumulative failure in multiple institutions, he said. They have concentrated on building up the North Side and the downtown parts of our city, which are the more affluent areas, and they have left the poor communities out here by themselves." He also cited issues like police reform, telling CP that we are still hoping for that to take place, but there's still an issue with police being trusted in our community." Action and prayer Chicago Pastors Rally member Pastor Joseph Rhoiney of First Progressive Church of Chicago said that member churches are each doing things in their individual locations that they feel are working. The idea is that there is a branch that guides to the root, and the root is faith, hope, and love and peace. And we continue to multiply and magnify that as manifested in different areas, he said. As an example, Rhoiney described an intergenerational buddy system." "We have the young people buddy with somebody. Something happens that they feel unsure about, they can call the buddy," he explained. The buddy system says, Im not in this by myself, he added. Somebody else is partnered with me, and were partnered with another group for this one thing called peace within the community, peace within ourselves. There were also events that included competitions involving mental, physical and spiritual prowess played between younger and older individuals to help get the two generations talking, physically engaging one another. The ultimate goal is to have the connections between the older generation and the younger generation. And every time weve done it, weve had tremendous success with it, continued Rhoiney. Because we see that peace can abide between the two, and the young people can learn to trust the old people, and the old people can see how they can share and receive openly how the young people feel. Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago said his church has an after-school program that aims to keep a lot of children out of harm's way" and offers safe party events on Friday evenings twice a month. Greater St. John Bible Church also coordinates a faith-based first responders training to help with trauma alongside other local congregations, according to Acree. "Although we try to be proactive in these urban communities, until there's a radical change, there will be trauma. And so, we deal with how to respond to violence when it happens, he added. Gun buyback events Some congregations in Chicago and elsewhere have held gun buyback events with the intention of helping to stem the tide of firearms-related violence in the city. These events typically involve people bringing guns to a church and anonymously selling them to the congregation without any questions being asked. In July, the Chicago-based Faith Community of Saint Sabina held a multiday buyback event that saw 123 handguns, 31 rifles and one assault weapon bought in the first two days. The Rev. Michael L. Pfleger of Saint Sabina Church told CP in an interview that they were able to meet and speak to many young brothers to help turn their lives around. We are continuing to try many things to stop this senseless killing, Pfleger said at the time, listing other events centered on this effort, including weekly peace walks and block parties. This is just one more application. Acree of Greater St. John said that while his congregation has done such events in the past, he has had some doubts about their effectiveness. "I'm not a real big fan of it. If the police want to do it, the superintendent wants to do it, I'll try to support them. I've got to give them an opportunity to work his vision for what he believes," said Acree. "I'm certainly not a police officer. I'm not a law enforcement expert. But I personally have my thoughts about how all the good guys are turning in their guns but the thugs still have theirs." Paintsil noted that he was unaware of any of CPRs member churches doing a gun buyback event and felt he could not respond on whether they worked. Boots on the ground Bennett-Stone of Voices of Black Mothers United, told CP that she believes there needs to be more direct engagement between officials and the community. "Based upon my observations, they need to come outside and work with the boots on the ground, Bennett-Stone asserted. Typically, city officials in government agencies engage more with larger organizations. However, larger organizations deal with people that come to them. The boots on the ground go to the people. So they need to look at the real grassroots organizations that [are] going to the neighborhood where it is gang-infested and work with those people; help them, help support those grassroots. Because they are meeting people where they are." Bennett-Stone told CP that houses of worship have a role to play in combating the violence, but stressed that they need to come outside of the walls. Churches have been the guiding light for years in urban communities, she said. However, churches need to come outside of the walls and engage with the community and understand what are the factors, what ministering can be done." Acree echoed the boots on the ground comment, believing that there needs to be more investment in the South Side and West Side, including investment in education. They need to also realize that building up schools is a path out of this trauma that we are in, the mayhem that we're in. Building an education, eliminating schools is not the answer, he said. "I also believe they can build to capacity of these community organizations are there already with boots on the ground. Acree felt that officials tend to fund the outside organizations who come in as the savior." "They give them tons of money, but I think ... they should make a concerted effort to build up the people who are there on the frontlines," he said. Some of these churches have feeding programs, some have afterschool programs, some have mentoring programs. These [are] people that live here, that work here and they are going to be here, for the most part, the pastor added. "They need to learn how to see the importance of building up these home-grown institutions who are going to be here, come what may." Paintsil also believes there needs to be stronger relationships with the faith-based communities." He said one reason we are not able to carry out the work at the degree that we would like to, definitely is finances. I know that quite a lot of support comes in for different things, but I always call the Church the spiritual levy. Because when the levy is breached, everything breaks down, said Paintsil. Rhoiney of First Progressive Church stressed the spiritual need that must be part of the change. He noted that in the Bible, whenever the land was in turmoil, rulers went to the prophets and the Church for help. I think we all need to stand up and say thats what we are, and respond in such a way that affects peace and harmony and goodwill for all men, said Rhoiney. We all carry multiple titles, whether we are editors, writers, reporters, pastors, doctors, engineers, accountants, global communicators, broadcasters, it makes no difference. You are Christians. Your witness should rise inside your office to affect the change for the greater good and the greater community. Our children are dying: Faith-based groups look to heal Chicago amid rising violence 2021 was the most violent year Chicago has experienced since the birth of the 21st century, according to recently released data from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. The office reported 820 homicides in the Windy City in 2021, the highest since 1995, when 828 murders were reported, according to the Sun-Times Media Wire. "We all know this has been a challenging year here in the city of Chicago," said Police Superintendent David Brown on Thursday. "Too many families are reeling from the loss of loved ones due to senseless gun violence ... Too many residents are dealing with the ripple effects of this trauma due to crime in our community." In late November, the Cook County Medical Examiners Office issued a report confirming that the number of homicides in the county had passed 1,000 by the end of Thanksgiving. Of the 1,009 confirmed homicides, 777 of them occurred in Chicago. It was the largest number of murders in the county since 1994, when the office reported 1,141 homicides. In early July, The Chicago Tribune's crime team released data showing that there had been 2,021 shooting victims in the city through July 7, which was 164 more than at the same point in 2020. These and other statistics have led many to call Chicago the pejorative nickname Chiraq, the idea being that some parts of the city are more violent than war-torn countries like Iraq. Pastor Isaac Paintsil, head of Christs Oasis Ministries, a multisite congregation with campuses in and near Chicago, told The Christian Post that the rising violence is horrendous and heartbreaking. At a certain point, how can mothers be grieving and families be grieving, fathers be grieving week after week after week after week?" Paintsil asked. "This is the real challenge that we are having, and the emotional toll on us is just unbelievable." Paintsil is among a number of pastors who connected through a group called the Chicago Pastors Rally, which brings together clergy from across the city to engage in events, such as a prayer rally held every two weeks and breakfasts with local officials. We have what we call the unity torch, said Paintsil, noting that the object symbolizes peace and is comparable to the Olympic torch. It just passes from one church to another. Wherever the torch is located, they spend a certain amount of time in prayer, praying for peace and harmony among our communities and churches. CP reached out to several ministries and faith-based groups to learn more about how the violent crime rate has impacted them and find out what they're doing to improve their city and what they believe needs to be done to bring about sustainable change. Our children are dying Sylvia Bennett-Stone is executive director of the Voices of Black Mothers United, an organization with chapters across the country that seeks to heal crime-ridden communities. The organization is overseen by black mothers and community leaders. It is supported by the Woodson Center, a nonprofit that focuses on improving low-income neighborhoods. Bennett-Stone, whose daughter was killed in a crossfire between two gunmen in 2004, told CP that her organization was in the process of setting up a new chapter in Chicago. "We recruit mothers who have lost children and are well enough and cared enough to go back into the community and make some changes, said Bennett-Stone. "We've lost children to violence, but we also are mothers who are healed. And we believe, we totally believe that if mothers heal, then families heal. And if the family heals, then the community heals." Bennett-Stone says Chicago's problems are multifaceted" and are impacted by drug addiction, gang violence, lack of income and mental illness. "Our children are dying. Its no longer just adults or people who are involved in the violence. It is our babies that are dying. It is our babies that are getting caught in the crossfire, she said. My baby was caught in the crossfire. And its no longer just an issue that's contained in one area. Its everywhere." Pastor Ira Acree, who leads Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago, said his congregation has been devastated by the rising violence in the city and surrounding county. Our community, everybody in our church, they either have someone in their family that has been affected by violence or they know someone personally, whether its a friend or neighbor, who has been impacted, said Acree. We are quite familiar and quite acquainted with the impact of violence." Acree agrees that a myriad of things are driving the rising violence, including a decision by the Chicago Board of Education in 2013 to close 50 schools, the shuttering of multiple mental units, and what he described as disinvestment by powers that be. There's been a cumulative failure in multiple institutions, he said. They have concentrated on building up the North Side and the downtown parts of our city, which are the more affluent areas, and they have left the poor communities out here by themselves." He also cited issues like police reform, telling CP that we are still hoping for that to take place, but there's still an issue with police being trusted in our community." Action and prayer Chicago Pastors Rally member Pastor Joseph Rhoiney of First Progressive Church of Chicago said that member churches are each doing things in their individual locations that they feel are working. The idea is that there is a branch that guides to the root, and the root is faith, hope, and love and peace. And we continue to multiply and magnify that as manifested in different areas, he said. As an example, Rhoiney described an intergenerational buddy system." "We have the young people buddy with somebody. Something happens that they feel unsure about, they can call the buddy," he explained. The buddy system says, Im not in this by myself, he added. Somebody else is partnered with me, and were partnered with another group for this one thing called peace within the community, peace within ourselves. There were also events that included competitions involving mental, physical and spiritual prowess played between younger and older individuals to help get the two generations talking, physically engaging one another. The ultimate goal is to have the connections between the older generation and the younger generation. And every time weve done it, weve had tremendous success with it, continued Rhoiney. Because we see that peace can abide between the two, and the young people can learn to trust the old people, and the old people can see how they can share and receive openly how the young people feel. Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago said his church has an after-school program that aims to keep a lot of children out of harm's way" and offers safe party events on Friday evenings twice a month. Greater St. John Bible Church also coordinates a faith-based first responders training to help with trauma alongside other local congregations, according to Acree. "Although we try to be proactive in these urban communities, until there's a radical change, there will be trauma. And so, we deal with how to respond to violence when it happens, he added. Gun buyback events Some congregations in Chicago and elsewhere have held gun buyback events with the intention of helping to stem the tide of firearms-related violence in the city. These events typically involve people bringing guns to a church and anonymously selling them to the congregation without any questions being asked. In July, the Chicago-based Faith Community of Saint Sabina held a multiday buyback event that saw 123 handguns, 31 rifles and one assault weapon bought in the first two days. The Rev. Michael L. Pfleger of Saint Sabina Church told CP in an interview that they were able to meet and speak to many young brothers to help turn their lives around. We are continuing to try many things to stop this senseless killing, Pfleger said at the time, listing other events centered on this effort, including weekly peace walks and block parties. This is just one more application. Acree of Greater St. John said that while his congregation has done such events in the past, he has had some doubts about their effectiveness. "I'm not a real big fan of it. If the police want to do it, the superintendent wants to do it, I'll try to support them. I've got to give them an opportunity to work his vision for what he believes," said Acree. "I'm certainly not a police officer. I'm not a law enforcement expert. But I personally have my thoughts about how all the good guys are turning in their guns but the thugs still have theirs." Paintsil noted that he was unaware of any of CPRs member churches doing a gun buyback event and felt he could not respond on whether they worked. Boots on the ground Bennett-Stone of Voices of Black Mothers United, told CP that she believes there needs to be more direct engagement between officials and the community. "Based upon my observations, they need to come outside and work with the boots on the ground, Bennett-Stone asserted. Typically, city officials in government agencies engage more with larger organizations. However, larger organizations deal with people that come to them. The boots on the ground go to the people. So they need to look at the real grassroots organizations that [are] going to the neighborhood where it is gang-infested and work with those people; help them, help support those grassroots. Because they are meeting people where they are." Bennett-Stone told CP that houses of worship have a role to play in combating the violence, but stressed that they need to come outside of the walls. Churches have been the guiding light for years in urban communities, she said. However, churches need to come outside of the walls and engage with the community and understand what are the factors, what ministering can be done." Acree echoed the boots on the ground comment, believing that there needs to be more investment in the South Side and West Side, including investment in education. They need to also realize that building up schools is a path out of this trauma that we are in, the mayhem that we're in. Building an education, eliminating schools is not the answer, he said. "I also believe they can build to capacity of these community organizations are there already with boots on the ground. Acree felt that officials tend to fund the outside organizations who come in as the savior." "They give them tons of money, but I think ... they should make a concerted effort to build up the people who are there on the frontlines," he said. Some of these churches have feeding programs, some have afterschool programs, some have mentoring programs. These [are] people that live here, that work here and they are going to be here, for the most part, the pastor added. "They need to learn how to see the importance of building up these home-grown institutions who are going to be here, come what may." Paintsil also believes there needs to be stronger relationships with the faith-based communities." He said one reason we are not able to carry out the work at the degree that we would like to, definitely is finances. I know that quite a lot of support comes in for different things, but I always call the Church the spiritual levy. Because when the levy is breached, everything breaks down, said Paintsil. Rhoiney of First Progressive Church stressed the spiritual need that must be part of the change. He noted that in the Bible, whenever the land was in turmoil, rulers went to the prophets and the Church for help. I think we all need to stand up and say thats what we are, and respond in such a way that affects peace and harmony and goodwill for all men, said Rhoiney. We all carry multiple titles, whether we are editors, writers, reporters, pastors, doctors, engineers, accountants, global communicators, broadcasters, it makes no difference. You are Christians. Your witness should rise inside your office to affect the change for the greater good and the greater community. Our children are dying: Faith-based groups look to heal Chicago amid rising violence 2021 was the most violent year Chicago has experienced since the birth of the 21st century, according to recently released data from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. The office reported 820 homicides in the Windy City in 2021, the highest since 1995, when 828 murders were reported, according to the Sun-Times Media Wire. "We all know this has been a challenging year here in the city of Chicago," said Police Superintendent David Brown on Thursday. "Too many families are reeling from the loss of loved ones due to senseless gun violence ... Too many residents are dealing with the ripple effects of this trauma due to crime in our community." In late November, the Cook County Medical Examiners Office issued a report confirming that the number of homicides in the county had passed 1,000 by the end of Thanksgiving. Of the 1,009 confirmed homicides, 777 of them occurred in Chicago. It was the largest number of murders in the county since 1994, when the office reported 1,141 homicides. In early July, The Chicago Tribune's crime team released data showing that there had been 2,021 shooting victims in the city through July 7, which was 164 more than at the same point in 2020. These and other statistics have led many to call Chicago the pejorative nickname Chiraq, the idea being that some parts of the city are more violent than war-torn countries like Iraq. Pastor Isaac Paintsil, head of Christs Oasis Ministries, a multisite congregation with campuses in and near Chicago, told The Christian Post that the rising violence is horrendous and heartbreaking. At a certain point, how can mothers be grieving and families be grieving, fathers be grieving week after week after week after week?" Paintsil asked. "This is the real challenge that we are having, and the emotional toll on us is just unbelievable." Paintsil is among a number of pastors who connected through a group called the Chicago Pastors Rally, which brings together clergy from across the city to engage in events, such as a prayer rally held every two weeks and breakfasts with local officials. We have what we call the unity torch, said Paintsil, noting that the object symbolizes peace and is comparable to the Olympic torch. It just passes from one church to another. Wherever the torch is located, they spend a certain amount of time in prayer, praying for peace and harmony among our communities and churches. CP reached out to several ministries and faith-based groups to learn more about how the violent crime rate has impacted them and find out what they're doing to improve their city and what they believe needs to be done to bring about sustainable change. Our children are dying Sylvia Bennett-Stone is executive director of the Voices of Black Mothers United, an organization with chapters across the country that seeks to heal crime-ridden communities. The organization is overseen by black mothers and community leaders. It is supported by the Woodson Center, a nonprofit that focuses on improving low-income neighborhoods. Bennett-Stone, whose daughter was killed in a crossfire between two gunmen in 2004, told CP that her organization was in the process of setting up a new chapter in Chicago. "We recruit mothers who have lost children and are well enough and cared enough to go back into the community and make some changes, said Bennett-Stone. "We've lost children to violence, but we also are mothers who are healed. And we believe, we totally believe that if mothers heal, then families heal. And if the family heals, then the community heals." Bennett-Stone says Chicago's problems are multifaceted" and are impacted by drug addiction, gang violence, lack of income and mental illness. "Our children are dying. Its no longer just adults or people who are involved in the violence. It is our babies that are dying. It is our babies that are getting caught in the crossfire, she said. My baby was caught in the crossfire. And its no longer just an issue that's contained in one area. Its everywhere." Pastor Ira Acree, who leads Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago, said his congregation has been devastated by the rising violence in the city and surrounding county. Our community, everybody in our church, they either have someone in their family that has been affected by violence or they know someone personally, whether its a friend or neighbor, who has been impacted, said Acree. We are quite familiar and quite acquainted with the impact of violence." Acree agrees that a myriad of things are driving the rising violence, including a decision by the Chicago Board of Education in 2013 to close 50 schools, the shuttering of multiple mental units, and what he described as disinvestment by powers that be. There's been a cumulative failure in multiple institutions, he said. They have concentrated on building up the North Side and the downtown parts of our city, which are the more affluent areas, and they have left the poor communities out here by themselves." He also cited issues like police reform, telling CP that we are still hoping for that to take place, but there's still an issue with police being trusted in our community." Action and prayer Chicago Pastors Rally member Pastor Joseph Rhoiney of First Progressive Church of Chicago said that member churches are each doing things in their individual locations that they feel are working. The idea is that there is a branch that guides to the root, and the root is faith, hope, and love and peace. And we continue to multiply and magnify that as manifested in different areas, he said. As an example, Rhoiney described an intergenerational buddy system." "We have the young people buddy with somebody. Something happens that they feel unsure about, they can call the buddy," he explained. The buddy system says, Im not in this by myself, he added. Somebody else is partnered with me, and were partnered with another group for this one thing called peace within the community, peace within ourselves. There were also events that included competitions involving mental, physical and spiritual prowess played between younger and older individuals to help get the two generations talking, physically engaging one another. The ultimate goal is to have the connections between the older generation and the younger generation. And every time weve done it, weve had tremendous success with it, continued Rhoiney. Because we see that peace can abide between the two, and the young people can learn to trust the old people, and the old people can see how they can share and receive openly how the young people feel. Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago said his church has an after-school program that aims to keep a lot of children out of harm's way" and offers safe party events on Friday evenings twice a month. Greater St. John Bible Church also coordinates a faith-based first responders training to help with trauma alongside other local congregations, according to Acree. "Although we try to be proactive in these urban communities, until there's a radical change, there will be trauma. And so, we deal with how to respond to violence when it happens, he added. Gun buyback events Some congregations in Chicago and elsewhere have held gun buyback events with the intention of helping to stem the tide of firearms-related violence in the city. These events typically involve people bringing guns to a church and anonymously selling them to the congregation without any questions being asked. In July, the Chicago-based Faith Community of Saint Sabina held a multiday buyback event that saw 123 handguns, 31 rifles and one assault weapon bought in the first two days. The Rev. Michael L. Pfleger of Saint Sabina Church told CP in an interview that they were able to meet and speak to many young brothers to help turn their lives around. We are continuing to try many things to stop this senseless killing, Pfleger said at the time, listing other events centered on this effort, including weekly peace walks and block parties. This is just one more application. Acree of Greater St. John said that while his congregation has done such events in the past, he has had some doubts about their effectiveness. "I'm not a real big fan of it. If the police want to do it, the superintendent wants to do it, I'll try to support them. I've got to give them an opportunity to work his vision for what he believes," said Acree. "I'm certainly not a police officer. I'm not a law enforcement expert. But I personally have my thoughts about how all the good guys are turning in their guns but the thugs still have theirs." Paintsil noted that he was unaware of any of CPRs member churches doing a gun buyback event and felt he could not respond on whether they worked. Boots on the ground Bennett-Stone of Voices of Black Mothers United, told CP that she believes there needs to be more direct engagement between officials and the community. "Based upon my observations, they need to come outside and work with the boots on the ground, Bennett-Stone asserted. Typically, city officials in government agencies engage more with larger organizations. However, larger organizations deal with people that come to them. The boots on the ground go to the people. So they need to look at the real grassroots organizations that [are] going to the neighborhood where it is gang-infested and work with those people; help them, help support those grassroots. Because they are meeting people where they are." Bennett-Stone told CP that houses of worship have a role to play in combating the violence, but stressed that they need to come outside of the walls. Churches have been the guiding light for years in urban communities, she said. However, churches need to come outside of the walls and engage with the community and understand what are the factors, what ministering can be done." Acree echoed the boots on the ground comment, believing that there needs to be more investment in the South Side and West Side, including investment in education. They need to also realize that building up schools is a path out of this trauma that we are in, the mayhem that we're in. Building an education, eliminating schools is not the answer, he said. "I also believe they can build to capacity of these community organizations are there already with boots on the ground. Acree felt that officials tend to fund the outside organizations who come in as the savior." "They give them tons of money, but I think ... they should make a concerted effort to build up the people who are there on the frontlines," he said. Some of these churches have feeding programs, some have afterschool programs, some have mentoring programs. These [are] people that live here, that work here and they are going to be here, for the most part, the pastor added. "They need to learn how to see the importance of building up these home-grown institutions who are going to be here, come what may." Paintsil also believes there needs to be stronger relationships with the faith-based communities." He said one reason we are not able to carry out the work at the degree that we would like to, definitely is finances. I know that quite a lot of support comes in for different things, but I always call the Church the spiritual levy. Because when the levy is breached, everything breaks down, said Paintsil. Rhoiney of First Progressive Church stressed the spiritual need that must be part of the change. He noted that in the Bible, whenever the land was in turmoil, rulers went to the prophets and the Church for help. I think we all need to stand up and say thats what we are, and respond in such a way that affects peace and harmony and goodwill for all men, said Rhoiney. We all carry multiple titles, whether we are editors, writers, reporters, pastors, doctors, engineers, accountants, global communicators, broadcasters, it makes no difference. You are Christians. Your witness should rise inside your office to affect the change for the greater good and the greater community. WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed by a man who went on to carjack, rob and shoot more people during a two-state manhunt this week said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters, Missouri. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a "series" of carjackings, robberies and shootings on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities eventually caught up to him in Clinton County, Illinois, where he held a person hostage in a home. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. The family's full statement is below: The Family of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley mourns the loss of their husband, father, son and friend. We could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support. To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero. Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. -Matthew 5:9 Visitation for Sean Riley will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m., Monday January 3, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with a first responder walk thru at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials in his honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. Memorials will be accepted at the services and the Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, IL which is assisting with arrangements. Additional information will be released in the coming days. We ask the community to show their support by lining the procession route. As restaurants and retail customers have started buying beef heading into summer, the wholesale market has been extremely tight, the analysts for Daily Livestock Report wrote in a report released on Tuesday. They noted that a small restaurant in southern Utah had started to charge an extra $4 for dishes that contained carne asada. Retailers and beef processors are coming from a long weekend and need to catch up with orders and make sure to fill the meat case, the analysts wrote. If they suddenly get a call saying that product may not deliver tomorrow or this week, it will create very significant challenges in keeping plants in operation and the retail case stocked up. An extended disruption, the analysts warned, could add gasoline to an already large flame. JBS has said that it was the target of an organized cybersecurity attack that affected systems in North America and Australia, that its backup servers were not affected and that it did not expect that any customer, supplier or employee data was exposed. Karine Jean-Pierre, a White House deputy press secretary, told reporters on Air Force One on Tuesday that JBS had told the Biden administration that it was a ransomware attack, and that the ransom demand had come from a criminal organization likely based in Russia. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was investigating the hack, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency was also involved, Ms. Jean-Pierre said. The White House is engaging directly with the Russian government on this matter and delivering the message that responsible states do not harbor ransomware criminals, she said. Our children are dying: Faith-based groups look to heal Chicago amid rising violence 2021 was the most violent year Chicago has experienced since the birth of the 21st century, according to recently released data from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. The office reported 820 homicides in the Windy City in 2021, the highest since 1995, when 828 murders were reported, according to the Sun-Times Media Wire. "We all know this has been a challenging year here in the city of Chicago," said Police Superintendent David Brown on Thursday. "Too many families are reeling from the loss of loved ones due to senseless gun violence ... Too many residents are dealing with the ripple effects of this trauma due to crime in our community." In late November, the Cook County Medical Examiners Office issued a report confirming that the number of homicides in the county had passed 1,000 by the end of Thanksgiving. Of the 1,009 confirmed homicides, 777 of them occurred in Chicago. It was the largest number of murders in the county since 1994, when the office reported 1,141 homicides. In early July, The Chicago Tribune's crime team released data showing that there had been 2,021 shooting victims in the city through July 7, which was 164 more than at the same point in 2020. These and other statistics have led many to call Chicago the pejorative nickname Chiraq, the idea being that some parts of the city are more violent than war-torn countries like Iraq. Pastor Isaac Paintsil, head of Christs Oasis Ministries, a multisite congregation with campuses in and near Chicago, told The Christian Post that the rising violence is horrendous and heartbreaking. At a certain point, how can mothers be grieving and families be grieving, fathers be grieving week after week after week after week?" Paintsil asked. "This is the real challenge that we are having, and the emotional toll on us is just unbelievable." Paintsil is among a number of pastors who connected through a group called the Chicago Pastors Rally, which brings together clergy from across the city to engage in events, such as a prayer rally held every two weeks and breakfasts with local officials. We have what we call the unity torch, said Paintsil, noting that the object symbolizes peace and is comparable to the Olympic torch. It just passes from one church to another. Wherever the torch is located, they spend a certain amount of time in prayer, praying for peace and harmony among our communities and churches. CP reached out to several ministries and faith-based groups to learn more about how the violent crime rate has impacted them and find out what they're doing to improve their city and what they believe needs to be done to bring about sustainable change. Our children are dying Sylvia Bennett-Stone is executive director of the Voices of Black Mothers United, an organization with chapters across the country that seeks to heal crime-ridden communities. The organization is overseen by black mothers and community leaders. It is supported by the Woodson Center, a nonprofit that focuses on improving low-income neighborhoods. Bennett-Stone, whose daughter was killed in a crossfire between two gunmen in 2004, told CP that her organization was in the process of setting up a new chapter in Chicago. "We recruit mothers who have lost children and are well enough and cared enough to go back into the community and make some changes, said Bennett-Stone. "We've lost children to violence, but we also are mothers who are healed. And we believe, we totally believe that if mothers heal, then families heal. And if the family heals, then the community heals." Bennett-Stone says Chicago's problems are multifaceted" and are impacted by drug addiction, gang violence, lack of income and mental illness. "Our children are dying. Its no longer just adults or people who are involved in the violence. It is our babies that are dying. It is our babies that are getting caught in the crossfire, she said. My baby was caught in the crossfire. And its no longer just an issue that's contained in one area. Its everywhere." Pastor Ira Acree, who leads Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago, said his congregation has been devastated by the rising violence in the city and surrounding county. Our community, everybody in our church, they either have someone in their family that has been affected by violence or they know someone personally, whether its a friend or neighbor, who has been impacted, said Acree. We are quite familiar and quite acquainted with the impact of violence." Acree agrees that a myriad of things are driving the rising violence, including a decision by the Chicago Board of Education in 2013 to close 50 schools, the shuttering of multiple mental units, and what he described as disinvestment by powers that be. There's been a cumulative failure in multiple institutions, he said. They have concentrated on building up the North Side and the downtown parts of our city, which are the more affluent areas, and they have left the poor communities out here by themselves." He also cited issues like police reform, telling CP that we are still hoping for that to take place, but there's still an issue with police being trusted in our community." Action and prayer Chicago Pastors Rally member Pastor Joseph Rhoiney of First Progressive Church of Chicago said that member churches are each doing things in their individual locations that they feel are working. The idea is that there is a branch that guides to the root, and the root is faith, hope, and love and peace. And we continue to multiply and magnify that as manifested in different areas, he said. As an example, Rhoiney described an intergenerational buddy system." "We have the young people buddy with somebody. Something happens that they feel unsure about, they can call the buddy," he explained. The buddy system says, Im not in this by myself, he added. Somebody else is partnered with me, and were partnered with another group for this one thing called peace within the community, peace within ourselves. There were also events that included competitions involving mental, physical and spiritual prowess played between younger and older individuals to help get the two generations talking, physically engaging one another. The ultimate goal is to have the connections between the older generation and the younger generation. And every time weve done it, weve had tremendous success with it, continued Rhoiney. Because we see that peace can abide between the two, and the young people can learn to trust the old people, and the old people can see how they can share and receive openly how the young people feel. Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago said his church has an after-school program that aims to keep a lot of children out of harm's way" and offers safe party events on Friday evenings twice a month. Greater St. John Bible Church also coordinates a faith-based first responders training to help with trauma alongside other local congregations, according to Acree. "Although we try to be proactive in these urban communities, until there's a radical change, there will be trauma. And so, we deal with how to respond to violence when it happens, he added. Gun buyback events Some congregations in Chicago and elsewhere have held gun buyback events with the intention of helping to stem the tide of firearms-related violence in the city. These events typically involve people bringing guns to a church and anonymously selling them to the congregation without any questions being asked. In July, the Chicago-based Faith Community of Saint Sabina held a multiday buyback event that saw 123 handguns, 31 rifles and one assault weapon bought in the first two days. The Rev. Michael L. Pfleger of Saint Sabina Church told CP in an interview that they were able to meet and speak to many young brothers to help turn their lives around. We are continuing to try many things to stop this senseless killing, Pfleger said at the time, listing other events centered on this effort, including weekly peace walks and block parties. This is just one more application. Acree of Greater St. John said that while his congregation has done such events in the past, he has had some doubts about their effectiveness. "I'm not a real big fan of it. If the police want to do it, the superintendent wants to do it, I'll try to support them. I've got to give them an opportunity to work his vision for what he believes," said Acree. "I'm certainly not a police officer. I'm not a law enforcement expert. But I personally have my thoughts about how all the good guys are turning in their guns but the thugs still have theirs." Paintsil noted that he was unaware of any of CPRs member churches doing a gun buyback event and felt he could not respond on whether they worked. Boots on the ground Bennett-Stone of Voices of Black Mothers United, told CP that she believes there needs to be more direct engagement between officials and the community. "Based upon my observations, they need to come outside and work with the boots on the ground, Bennett-Stone asserted. Typically, city officials in government agencies engage more with larger organizations. However, larger organizations deal with people that come to them. The boots on the ground go to the people. So they need to look at the real grassroots organizations that [are] going to the neighborhood where it is gang-infested and work with those people; help them, help support those grassroots. Because they are meeting people where they are." Bennett-Stone told CP that houses of worship have a role to play in combating the violence, but stressed that they need to come outside of the walls. Churches have been the guiding light for years in urban communities, she said. However, churches need to come outside of the walls and engage with the community and understand what are the factors, what ministering can be done." Acree echoed the boots on the ground comment, believing that there needs to be more investment in the South Side and West Side, including investment in education. They need to also realize that building up schools is a path out of this trauma that we are in, the mayhem that we're in. Building an education, eliminating schools is not the answer, he said. "I also believe they can build to capacity of these community organizations are there already with boots on the ground. Acree felt that officials tend to fund the outside organizations who come in as the savior." "They give them tons of money, but I think ... they should make a concerted effort to build up the people who are there on the frontlines," he said. Some of these churches have feeding programs, some have afterschool programs, some have mentoring programs. These [are] people that live here, that work here and they are going to be here, for the most part, the pastor added. "They need to learn how to see the importance of building up these home-grown institutions who are going to be here, come what may." Paintsil also believes there needs to be stronger relationships with the faith-based communities." He said one reason we are not able to carry out the work at the degree that we would like to, definitely is finances. I know that quite a lot of support comes in for different things, but I always call the Church the spiritual levy. Because when the levy is breached, everything breaks down, said Paintsil. Rhoiney of First Progressive Church stressed the spiritual need that must be part of the change. He noted that in the Bible, whenever the land was in turmoil, rulers went to the prophets and the Church for help. I think we all need to stand up and say thats what we are, and respond in such a way that affects peace and harmony and goodwill for all men, said Rhoiney. We all carry multiple titles, whether we are editors, writers, reporters, pastors, doctors, engineers, accountants, global communicators, broadcasters, it makes no difference. You are Christians. Your witness should rise inside your office to affect the change for the greater good and the greater community. As restaurants and retail customers have started buying beef heading into summer, the wholesale market has been extremely tight, the analysts for Daily Livestock Report wrote in a report released on Tuesday. They noted that a small restaurant in southern Utah had started to charge an extra $4 for dishes that contained carne asada. Retailers and beef processors are coming from a long weekend and need to catch up with orders and make sure to fill the meat case, the analysts wrote. If they suddenly get a call saying that product may not deliver tomorrow or this week, it will create very significant challenges in keeping plants in operation and the retail case stocked up. An extended disruption, the analysts warned, could add gasoline to an already large flame. JBS has said that it was the target of an organized cybersecurity attack that affected systems in North America and Australia, that its backup servers were not affected and that it did not expect that any customer, supplier or employee data was exposed. Karine Jean-Pierre, a White House deputy press secretary, told reporters on Air Force One on Tuesday that JBS had told the Biden administration that it was a ransomware attack, and that the ransom demand had come from a criminal organization likely based in Russia. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was investigating the hack, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency was also involved, Ms. Jean-Pierre said. The White House is engaging directly with the Russian government on this matter and delivering the message that responsible states do not harbor ransomware criminals, she said. As restaurants and retail customers have started buying beef heading into summer, the wholesale market has been extremely tight, the analysts for Daily Livestock Report wrote in a report released on Tuesday. They noted that a small restaurant in southern Utah had started to charge an extra $4 for dishes that contained carne asada. Retailers and beef processors are coming from a long weekend and need to catch up with orders and make sure to fill the meat case, the analysts wrote. If they suddenly get a call saying that product may not deliver tomorrow or this week, it will create very significant challenges in keeping plants in operation and the retail case stocked up. An extended disruption, the analysts warned, could add gasoline to an already large flame. JBS has said that it was the target of an organized cybersecurity attack that affected systems in North America and Australia, that its backup servers were not affected and that it did not expect that any customer, supplier or employee data was exposed. Karine Jean-Pierre, a White House deputy press secretary, told reporters on Air Force One on Tuesday that JBS had told the Biden administration that it was a ransomware attack, and that the ransom demand had come from a criminal organization likely based in Russia. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was investigating the hack, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency was also involved, Ms. Jean-Pierre said. The White House is engaging directly with the Russian government on this matter and delivering the message that responsible states do not harbor ransomware criminals, she said. The first baby born at a Bismarck hospital in 2022 waited until just after midnight to make her arrival in the new year. Jo'halaniJane Wolford was born at 12:11 a.m. Saturday to parents Jeannyann Dejapa and Joel Wolford. Dejapa said her labor did not last long, and the experience at Sanford Medical Center in Bismarck was different than in Guam, where she's had her previous children. In Guam, she took medication that caused her to sleep while giving birth. That wasn't the case here with Jo'halaniJane. "When she came out, they were like, 'Do you want her on your chest?'" she said. "It was really a happy feeling." The family moved last August from Guam to Bismarck, where they have relatives. Dejapa said Jo'halaniJane's siblings met her via video chat Saturday morning, as they are staying with relatives. "They were so quiet at first and then they were excited knowing that I gave birth already," she said. "Now they want to come and see her." The young children, including two brothers and a sister, will get to meet their new sister when Dejapa and Wolford bring her home from the hospital. Jo'halaniJane also has another brother who died. Jo'halaniJane is 7 pounds, 3 ounces with a height of 20 inches. The first baby born at a Bismarck hospital in 2022 waited until just after midnight to make her arrival in the new year. Jo'halaniJane Wolford was born at 12:11 a.m. Saturday to parents Jeannyann Dejapa and Joel Wolford. Dejapa said her labor did not last long, and the experience at Sanford Medical Center in Bismarck was different than in Guam, where she's had her previous children. In Guam, she took medication that caused her to sleep while giving birth. That wasn't the case here with Jo'halaniJane. "When she came out, they were like, 'Do you want her on your chest?'" she said. "It was really a happy feeling." The family moved last August from Guam to Bismarck, where they have relatives. Dejapa said Jo'halaniJane's siblings met her via video chat Saturday morning, as they are staying with relatives. "They were so quiet at first and then they were excited knowing that I gave birth already," she said. "Now they want to come and see her." The young children, including two brothers and a sister, will get to meet their new sister when Dejapa and Wolford bring her home from the hospital. Jo'halaniJane also has another brother who died. Jo'halaniJane is 7 pounds, 3 ounces with a height of 20 inches. The first baby born at a Bismarck hospital in 2022 waited until just after midnight to make her arrival in the new year. Jo'halaniJane Wolford was born at 12:11 a.m. Saturday to parents Jeannyann Dejapa and Joel Wolford. Dejapa said her labor did not last long, and the experience at Sanford Medical Center in Bismarck was different than in Guam, where she's had her previous children. In Guam, she took medication that caused her to sleep while giving birth. That wasn't the case here with Jo'halaniJane. "When she came out, they were like, 'Do you want her on your chest?'" she said. "It was really a happy feeling." The family moved last August from Guam to Bismarck, where they have relatives. Dejapa said Jo'halaniJane's siblings met her via video chat Saturday morning, as they are staying with relatives. "They were so quiet at first and then they were excited knowing that I gave birth already," she said. "Now they want to come and see her." The young children, including two brothers and a sister, will get to meet their new sister when Dejapa and Wolford bring her home from the hospital. Jo'halaniJane also has another brother who died. Jo'halaniJane is 7 pounds, 3 ounces with a height of 20 inches. Crime operations have even used the Essex tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities, says a report by the Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. The phone rang in the middle of the night at a small apartment on the outskirts of London, waking Tim Tran as he was sleeping. But what the caller on the other end of the line relayed, woke him from his daze immediately and he got ready to go to work. Tim Tran, a pseudonym he has asked RFA to use to protect his identify, has lived in the United Kingdom for several decades. For the past seven years, he has provided support for Englands social services and the police in cases involving victims of human trafficking from Vietnam. That early morning, staff from Britains Department of Health and Social Care told him two boys from Vietnam had been arrested at Londons Heathrow Airport. Tran was asked to come to the office to assist with the case. When I arrived, there were the police, social care officers and others. The two boys were so relieved when I entered the room, because they could see I was Vietnamese. They only spoke a couple of words of English, he said. They were sweet and friendly, about 15 years of age, Tran recounted. They had arrived on a flight in the middle of the night, but instead of getting their luggage and exiting the airport, they hung around with seemingly nowhere to go. When customs approached and questioned them, they couldnt answer. Tran interviewed the boys and noted one important detail: The boys did not travel alone. The two boys said they posed as children of a Vietnamese diplomat to travel by plane to England. All three had visas from the British government to legally enter at Heathrow airport. They said once they arrived, the diplomat who posed as their dad took all their documents and disappeared. By 2018 the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45 percent (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims, according to data from the U.K. Ministry of Justice. Credit: AFP Policies and treatment of minors In 2009, the U.K. expanded its Children Act 2004 and enacted a new law under the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act to add the U.K. Border Agency to the list of government bodies required to safeguard and promote the welfare of unaccompanied minors. The case of the two boys found at Heathrow would end up being adjudicated as a case of human trafficking. The children were placed in foster care and allowed to stay in Great Britain. The U.K. Childrens Act (of 2004) makes it very clear that it does not matter if the child is a victim of human trafficking or a victim of domestic violence, or whatever. The blame for the illegal action lies at the feet of the adults. The British government considers the children innocent. Thats what makes England progressive and its admirable, said Tim Tran. Maybe its because of this act that so many people choose to come to the U.K.? he pondered. According to data from the Ministry of Justice, in 2010 there were 187 victims of human trafficking who were minors, representing about a quarter of the total number (710) of trafficked people in the U.K. By 2018, the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45% (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims. But experts say the true number of victims, and likely the proportion of child victims, is much higher. The Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) in a 2016 review of Britains efforts to fight modern slavery highlighted a persistent phenomenon among minors, similar of the incident Tim Tran described at Heathrow airport: A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities. It was a way for smugglers to get people into the country, Tran explained. Then theyd pick up the kids from the shelter home or wherever they were placed, and continue the journey they had originally planned. Migrants are brought ashore by RNLI Lifeboat staff, police officers and Border Force staff, after having crossed the channel, in Dungeness, Britain, Nov. 24, 2021. Credit: Reuters Trafficking victims persecuted as perpetrators A migrant who is connecting with smuggling rings to help him or her cross borders illegally might be seen as a willing participant of a crime. In the eyes of many, including the laws of various countries, they can still be seen as perpetrators, even when they have been exploited or abused, says Kevin Hyland, a former independent anti-slavery commissioner for the U.K. He now is a member of GRETA. They're looked upon as illegal immigrants and therefore are dealt with in a very robust way, for example with deportation, he said. Across Europe and in the U.K. specifically, I know it's a problem. What happens when Vietnamese nationals are found in, say, a cannabis farm, is that they are very often arrested. Even when these farm hands are held in prison-like conditions, unable to leave the premises and with neither the financial nor language capabilities to run large, multi-million cannabis operations, the law might be slow to recognize them as victims. That was the case of a woman arrested at a farm in Dublin in 2012, Hyland said. This was a young Vietnamese woman who couldn't speak English, who was on the premises and her role was to keep the plants watered. It was beyond her capability to be able to go and rent this very large property, set up this network. But she was charged with the offence of manufacturing the drugs or cultivating the drugs. The woman was jailed for two and half years before the Supreme Court of Ireland recognized her as a victim of human trafficking. The case illustrates the difficulties in identifying victims of human trafficking. In 2009, the U.K. established the National Referral Mechanism with the goal of identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery. Hyland says its a laudable effort, with first responders referring more victims into the system every year, but it falls short in getting justice and help for the victims. The waiting list, including a large number of Vietnamese nationals, is currently running at about 22,000 waiting for entry into the system. Those people will have been waiting one to two years, some even more. Sometimes its four years, he said. So what's happening is the victims are not being identified and the criminals are operating with impunity. And there's a lot of money being made out of this and Vietnamese nationals are seen as a good source of income. Essex tragedy used to charge higher prices Even in the incident that would kill 39 Vietnamese migrants in October of 2019, nobody has been convicted of human trafficking. Essex police recently charged Dragos Stefan Damien, the man who provided the lorry in which the victims perished, with conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. Damien was caught in Milan, Italy, on June 10 and extradited to the U.K. where he pled guilty earlier last month. Court records show that the gang involved in the Essex 39 tragedy had a long-standing smuggling operation and profited 1 million (U.S. $1.35 million) in that month alone. In the aftermath of the tragedy, crime operations have even used the tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. People that are organizing this in Vietnam, they've actually used the deaths of the 39 people as a promotion type, by saying, Yes those were the bad smugglers. They were the bad people to get you there. We do it properly. We can charge a little bit more but you'll get there safely, said Hyland. Demonstrators hold banners and candles during a vigil for the 39 Vietnamese lorry victims, outside the Home Office in London, in 2019. Credit: AP Fighting a multi-million dollar business The smuggling of Vietnamese nationals continues to be a lucrative $300 million business, the Council of Europe estimates. The complex network across Europe where each stage, each country, might be run by a different group, can make prosecution that much harder. For Hyland the number of prosecutions is shockingly low. The solution needs to be a two-pronged approach: Targeting businesses that profit directly or indirectly from unlawfully cheap labor and exploitation, and educating vulnerable populations in the source country. If we really want to tackle human trafficking, we need to start hitting businesses, landlords, transport companies, whoever it may be, including countries. We need to hit them about the money that they make from this enterprise, he said. The 2015 U.K. Modern Slavery Act aims to tackle the problem by requiring companies to show that modern slavery is not taking place in their business operations or their supply chains. In Germany, the Federal Police Office is trying to combat human trafficking by going after other crimes connected to it. For us it is very important that the different manifestations of this type of crime arent considered separately, but seen as a whole and connected. That means that we dont consider smuggling as a separate crime, or human trafficking, or the illegal sale of cigarettes, as separate crimes, said Chief Detective Nicole Baumann of the German Federal Police Office. Many Vietnamese illegals can be seen peddling cigarettes at busy commercial centers. We have to try to look at these forms of crime as under one roof, and every agency has to be practically involved in the prosecution. Germanys federal police agents work closely with state police and customs and border agencies, youth welfare offices, even unions and professional counseling services, expanding control activities that could uncover human trafficking crimes. A key element for German law enforcement is to involve and cooperate with NGOs who provide cultural training and other forms of collaboration, and work with the government of the source country, Chief Detective Baumann said. Our efforts have got to go across agencies and be multi-disciplinary in order to successfully combat this crime, Baumann said. While tackling the demand for illegal and forced labor in Europe, anti-modern slavery experts agree, any approach to combat trafficking from Vietnam must tackle conditions in the source country, such as few educational or economic opportunities, that are pushing citizens to leave their homes and risk becoming trafficked. Until governments start to take control of the options provided for their citizens, by providing education, training for work, and properly paying jobs, it will be difficult to stem the flow of migrants seeking better opportunities elsewhere. That is a challenge not unique to Vietnam, said anti-slavery advocate Kevin Hyland. Crime operations have even used the Essex tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities, says a report by the Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. The phone rang in the middle of the night at a small apartment on the outskirts of London, waking Tim Tran as he was sleeping. But what the caller on the other end of the line relayed, woke him from his daze immediately and he got ready to go to work. Tim Tran, a pseudonym he has asked RFA to use to protect his identify, has lived in the United Kingdom for several decades. For the past seven years, he has provided support for Englands social services and the police in cases involving victims of human trafficking from Vietnam. That early morning, staff from Britains Department of Health and Social Care told him two boys from Vietnam had been arrested at Londons Heathrow Airport. Tran was asked to come to the office to assist with the case. When I arrived, there were the police, social care officers and others. The two boys were so relieved when I entered the room, because they could see I was Vietnamese. They only spoke a couple of words of English, he said. They were sweet and friendly, about 15 years of age, Tran recounted. They had arrived on a flight in the middle of the night, but instead of getting their luggage and exiting the airport, they hung around with seemingly nowhere to go. When customs approached and questioned them, they couldnt answer. Tran interviewed the boys and noted one important detail: The boys did not travel alone. The two boys said they posed as children of a Vietnamese diplomat to travel by plane to England. All three had visas from the British government to legally enter at Heathrow airport. They said once they arrived, the diplomat who posed as their dad took all their documents and disappeared. By 2018 the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45 percent (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims, according to data from the U.K. Ministry of Justice. Credit: AFP Policies and treatment of minors In 2009, the U.K. expanded its Children Act 2004 and enacted a new law under the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act to add the U.K. Border Agency to the list of government bodies required to safeguard and promote the welfare of unaccompanied minors. The case of the two boys found at Heathrow would end up being adjudicated as a case of human trafficking. The children were placed in foster care and allowed to stay in Great Britain. The U.K. Childrens Act (of 2004) makes it very clear that it does not matter if the child is a victim of human trafficking or a victim of domestic violence, or whatever. The blame for the illegal action lies at the feet of the adults. The British government considers the children innocent. Thats what makes England progressive and its admirable, said Tim Tran. Maybe its because of this act that so many people choose to come to the U.K.? he pondered. According to data from the Ministry of Justice, in 2010 there were 187 victims of human trafficking who were minors, representing about a quarter of the total number (710) of trafficked people in the U.K. By 2018, the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45% (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims. But experts say the true number of victims, and likely the proportion of child victims, is much higher. The Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) in a 2016 review of Britains efforts to fight modern slavery highlighted a persistent phenomenon among minors, similar of the incident Tim Tran described at Heathrow airport: A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities. It was a way for smugglers to get people into the country, Tran explained. Then theyd pick up the kids from the shelter home or wherever they were placed, and continue the journey they had originally planned. Migrants are brought ashore by RNLI Lifeboat staff, police officers and Border Force staff, after having crossed the channel, in Dungeness, Britain, Nov. 24, 2021. Credit: Reuters Trafficking victims persecuted as perpetrators A migrant who is connecting with smuggling rings to help him or her cross borders illegally might be seen as a willing participant of a crime. In the eyes of many, including the laws of various countries, they can still be seen as perpetrators, even when they have been exploited or abused, says Kevin Hyland, a former independent anti-slavery commissioner for the U.K. He now is a member of GRETA. They're looked upon as illegal immigrants and therefore are dealt with in a very robust way, for example with deportation, he said. Across Europe and in the U.K. specifically, I know it's a problem. What happens when Vietnamese nationals are found in, say, a cannabis farm, is that they are very often arrested. Even when these farm hands are held in prison-like conditions, unable to leave the premises and with neither the financial nor language capabilities to run large, multi-million cannabis operations, the law might be slow to recognize them as victims. That was the case of a woman arrested at a farm in Dublin in 2012, Hyland said. This was a young Vietnamese woman who couldn't speak English, who was on the premises and her role was to keep the plants watered. It was beyond her capability to be able to go and rent this very large property, set up this network. But she was charged with the offence of manufacturing the drugs or cultivating the drugs. The woman was jailed for two and half years before the Supreme Court of Ireland recognized her as a victim of human trafficking. The case illustrates the difficulties in identifying victims of human trafficking. In 2009, the U.K. established the National Referral Mechanism with the goal of identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery. Hyland says its a laudable effort, with first responders referring more victims into the system every year, but it falls short in getting justice and help for the victims. The waiting list, including a large number of Vietnamese nationals, is currently running at about 22,000 waiting for entry into the system. Those people will have been waiting one to two years, some even more. Sometimes its four years, he said. So what's happening is the victims are not being identified and the criminals are operating with impunity. And there's a lot of money being made out of this and Vietnamese nationals are seen as a good source of income. Essex tragedy used to charge higher prices Even in the incident that would kill 39 Vietnamese migrants in October of 2019, nobody has been convicted of human trafficking. Essex police recently charged Dragos Stefan Damien, the man who provided the lorry in which the victims perished, with conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. Damien was caught in Milan, Italy, on June 10 and extradited to the U.K. where he pled guilty earlier last month. Court records show that the gang involved in the Essex 39 tragedy had a long-standing smuggling operation and profited 1 million (U.S. $1.35 million) in that month alone. In the aftermath of the tragedy, crime operations have even used the tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. People that are organizing this in Vietnam, they've actually used the deaths of the 39 people as a promotion type, by saying, Yes those were the bad smugglers. They were the bad people to get you there. We do it properly. We can charge a little bit more but you'll get there safely, said Hyland. Demonstrators hold banners and candles during a vigil for the 39 Vietnamese lorry victims, outside the Home Office in London, in 2019. Credit: AP Fighting a multi-million dollar business The smuggling of Vietnamese nationals continues to be a lucrative $300 million business, the Council of Europe estimates. The complex network across Europe where each stage, each country, might be run by a different group, can make prosecution that much harder. For Hyland the number of prosecutions is shockingly low. The solution needs to be a two-pronged approach: Targeting businesses that profit directly or indirectly from unlawfully cheap labor and exploitation, and educating vulnerable populations in the source country. If we really want to tackle human trafficking, we need to start hitting businesses, landlords, transport companies, whoever it may be, including countries. We need to hit them about the money that they make from this enterprise, he said. The 2015 U.K. Modern Slavery Act aims to tackle the problem by requiring companies to show that modern slavery is not taking place in their business operations or their supply chains. In Germany, the Federal Police Office is trying to combat human trafficking by going after other crimes connected to it. For us it is very important that the different manifestations of this type of crime arent considered separately, but seen as a whole and connected. That means that we dont consider smuggling as a separate crime, or human trafficking, or the illegal sale of cigarettes, as separate crimes, said Chief Detective Nicole Baumann of the German Federal Police Office. Many Vietnamese illegals can be seen peddling cigarettes at busy commercial centers. We have to try to look at these forms of crime as under one roof, and every agency has to be practically involved in the prosecution. Germanys federal police agents work closely with state police and customs and border agencies, youth welfare offices, even unions and professional counseling services, expanding control activities that could uncover human trafficking crimes. A key element for German law enforcement is to involve and cooperate with NGOs who provide cultural training and other forms of collaboration, and work with the government of the source country, Chief Detective Baumann said. Our efforts have got to go across agencies and be multi-disciplinary in order to successfully combat this crime, Baumann said. While tackling the demand for illegal and forced labor in Europe, anti-modern slavery experts agree, any approach to combat trafficking from Vietnam must tackle conditions in the source country, such as few educational or economic opportunities, that are pushing citizens to leave their homes and risk becoming trafficked. Until governments start to take control of the options provided for their citizens, by providing education, training for work, and properly paying jobs, it will be difficult to stem the flow of migrants seeking better opportunities elsewhere. That is a challenge not unique to Vietnam, said anti-slavery advocate Kevin Hyland. WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed by a man who went on to carjack, rob and shoot more people during a two-state manhunt this week said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters, Missouri. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a "series" of carjackings, robberies and shootings on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities eventually caught up to him in Clinton County, Illinois, where he held a person hostage in a home. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. The family's full statement is below: The Family of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley mourns the loss of their husband, father, son and friend. We could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support. To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero. Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. -Matthew 5:9 Visitation for Sean Riley will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m., Monday January 3, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with a first responder walk thru at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials in his honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. Memorials will be accepted at the services and the Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, IL which is assisting with arrangements. Additional information will be released in the coming days. We ask the community to show their support by lining the procession route. Crime operations have even used the Essex tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities, says a report by the Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. The phone rang in the middle of the night at a small apartment on the outskirts of London, waking Tim Tran as he was sleeping. But what the caller on the other end of the line relayed, woke him from his daze immediately and he got ready to go to work. Tim Tran, a pseudonym he has asked RFA to use to protect his identify, has lived in the United Kingdom for several decades. For the past seven years, he has provided support for Englands social services and the police in cases involving victims of human trafficking from Vietnam. That early morning, staff from Britains Department of Health and Social Care told him two boys from Vietnam had been arrested at Londons Heathrow Airport. Tran was asked to come to the office to assist with the case. When I arrived, there were the police, social care officers and others. The two boys were so relieved when I entered the room, because they could see I was Vietnamese. They only spoke a couple of words of English, he said. They were sweet and friendly, about 15 years of age, Tran recounted. They had arrived on a flight in the middle of the night, but instead of getting their luggage and exiting the airport, they hung around with seemingly nowhere to go. When customs approached and questioned them, they couldnt answer. Tran interviewed the boys and noted one important detail: The boys did not travel alone. The two boys said they posed as children of a Vietnamese diplomat to travel by plane to England. All three had visas from the British government to legally enter at Heathrow airport. They said once they arrived, the diplomat who posed as their dad took all their documents and disappeared. By 2018 the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45 percent (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims, according to data from the U.K. Ministry of Justice. Credit: AFP Policies and treatment of minors In 2009, the U.K. expanded its Children Act 2004 and enacted a new law under the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act to add the U.K. Border Agency to the list of government bodies required to safeguard and promote the welfare of unaccompanied minors. The case of the two boys found at Heathrow would end up being adjudicated as a case of human trafficking. The children were placed in foster care and allowed to stay in Great Britain. The U.K. Childrens Act (of 2004) makes it very clear that it does not matter if the child is a victim of human trafficking or a victim of domestic violence, or whatever. The blame for the illegal action lies at the feet of the adults. The British government considers the children innocent. Thats what makes England progressive and its admirable, said Tim Tran. Maybe its because of this act that so many people choose to come to the U.K.? he pondered. According to data from the Ministry of Justice, in 2010 there were 187 victims of human trafficking who were minors, representing about a quarter of the total number (710) of trafficked people in the U.K. By 2018, the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45% (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims. But experts say the true number of victims, and likely the proportion of child victims, is much higher. The Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) in a 2016 review of Britains efforts to fight modern slavery highlighted a persistent phenomenon among minors, similar of the incident Tim Tran described at Heathrow airport: A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities. It was a way for smugglers to get people into the country, Tran explained. Then theyd pick up the kids from the shelter home or wherever they were placed, and continue the journey they had originally planned. Migrants are brought ashore by RNLI Lifeboat staff, police officers and Border Force staff, after having crossed the channel, in Dungeness, Britain, Nov. 24, 2021. Credit: Reuters Trafficking victims persecuted as perpetrators A migrant who is connecting with smuggling rings to help him or her cross borders illegally might be seen as a willing participant of a crime. In the eyes of many, including the laws of various countries, they can still be seen as perpetrators, even when they have been exploited or abused, says Kevin Hyland, a former independent anti-slavery commissioner for the U.K. He now is a member of GRETA. They're looked upon as illegal immigrants and therefore are dealt with in a very robust way, for example with deportation, he said. Across Europe and in the U.K. specifically, I know it's a problem. What happens when Vietnamese nationals are found in, say, a cannabis farm, is that they are very often arrested. Even when these farm hands are held in prison-like conditions, unable to leave the premises and with neither the financial nor language capabilities to run large, multi-million cannabis operations, the law might be slow to recognize them as victims. That was the case of a woman arrested at a farm in Dublin in 2012, Hyland said. This was a young Vietnamese woman who couldn't speak English, who was on the premises and her role was to keep the plants watered. It was beyond her capability to be able to go and rent this very large property, set up this network. But she was charged with the offence of manufacturing the drugs or cultivating the drugs. The woman was jailed for two and half years before the Supreme Court of Ireland recognized her as a victim of human trafficking. The case illustrates the difficulties in identifying victims of human trafficking. In 2009, the U.K. established the National Referral Mechanism with the goal of identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery. Hyland says its a laudable effort, with first responders referring more victims into the system every year, but it falls short in getting justice and help for the victims. The waiting list, including a large number of Vietnamese nationals, is currently running at about 22,000 waiting for entry into the system. Those people will have been waiting one to two years, some even more. Sometimes its four years, he said. So what's happening is the victims are not being identified and the criminals are operating with impunity. And there's a lot of money being made out of this and Vietnamese nationals are seen as a good source of income. Essex tragedy used to charge higher prices Even in the incident that would kill 39 Vietnamese migrants in October of 2019, nobody has been convicted of human trafficking. Essex police recently charged Dragos Stefan Damien, the man who provided the lorry in which the victims perished, with conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. Damien was caught in Milan, Italy, on June 10 and extradited to the U.K. where he pled guilty earlier last month. Court records show that the gang involved in the Essex 39 tragedy had a long-standing smuggling operation and profited 1 million (U.S. $1.35 million) in that month alone. In the aftermath of the tragedy, crime operations have even used the tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. People that are organizing this in Vietnam, they've actually used the deaths of the 39 people as a promotion type, by saying, Yes those were the bad smugglers. They were the bad people to get you there. We do it properly. We can charge a little bit more but you'll get there safely, said Hyland. Demonstrators hold banners and candles during a vigil for the 39 Vietnamese lorry victims, outside the Home Office in London, in 2019. Credit: AP Fighting a multi-million dollar business The smuggling of Vietnamese nationals continues to be a lucrative $300 million business, the Council of Europe estimates. The complex network across Europe where each stage, each country, might be run by a different group, can make prosecution that much harder. For Hyland the number of prosecutions is shockingly low. The solution needs to be a two-pronged approach: Targeting businesses that profit directly or indirectly from unlawfully cheap labor and exploitation, and educating vulnerable populations in the source country. If we really want to tackle human trafficking, we need to start hitting businesses, landlords, transport companies, whoever it may be, including countries. We need to hit them about the money that they make from this enterprise, he said. The 2015 U.K. Modern Slavery Act aims to tackle the problem by requiring companies to show that modern slavery is not taking place in their business operations or their supply chains. In Germany, the Federal Police Office is trying to combat human trafficking by going after other crimes connected to it. For us it is very important that the different manifestations of this type of crime arent considered separately, but seen as a whole and connected. That means that we dont consider smuggling as a separate crime, or human trafficking, or the illegal sale of cigarettes, as separate crimes, said Chief Detective Nicole Baumann of the German Federal Police Office. Many Vietnamese illegals can be seen peddling cigarettes at busy commercial centers. We have to try to look at these forms of crime as under one roof, and every agency has to be practically involved in the prosecution. Germanys federal police agents work closely with state police and customs and border agencies, youth welfare offices, even unions and professional counseling services, expanding control activities that could uncover human trafficking crimes. A key element for German law enforcement is to involve and cooperate with NGOs who provide cultural training and other forms of collaboration, and work with the government of the source country, Chief Detective Baumann said. Our efforts have got to go across agencies and be multi-disciplinary in order to successfully combat this crime, Baumann said. While tackling the demand for illegal and forced labor in Europe, anti-modern slavery experts agree, any approach to combat trafficking from Vietnam must tackle conditions in the source country, such as few educational or economic opportunities, that are pushing citizens to leave their homes and risk becoming trafficked. Until governments start to take control of the options provided for their citizens, by providing education, training for work, and properly paying jobs, it will be difficult to stem the flow of migrants seeking better opportunities elsewhere. That is a challenge not unique to Vietnam, said anti-slavery advocate Kevin Hyland. Crime operations have even used the Essex tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities, says a report by the Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. The phone rang in the middle of the night at a small apartment on the outskirts of London, waking Tim Tran as he was sleeping. But what the caller on the other end of the line relayed, woke him from his daze immediately and he got ready to go to work. Tim Tran, a pseudonym he has asked RFA to use to protect his identify, has lived in the United Kingdom for several decades. For the past seven years, he has provided support for Englands social services and the police in cases involving victims of human trafficking from Vietnam. That early morning, staff from Britains Department of Health and Social Care told him two boys from Vietnam had been arrested at Londons Heathrow Airport. Tran was asked to come to the office to assist with the case. When I arrived, there were the police, social care officers and others. The two boys were so relieved when I entered the room, because they could see I was Vietnamese. They only spoke a couple of words of English, he said. They were sweet and friendly, about 15 years of age, Tran recounted. They had arrived on a flight in the middle of the night, but instead of getting their luggage and exiting the airport, they hung around with seemingly nowhere to go. When customs approached and questioned them, they couldnt answer. Tran interviewed the boys and noted one important detail: The boys did not travel alone. The two boys said they posed as children of a Vietnamese diplomat to travel by plane to England. All three had visas from the British government to legally enter at Heathrow airport. They said once they arrived, the diplomat who posed as their dad took all their documents and disappeared. By 2018 the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45 percent (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims, according to data from the U.K. Ministry of Justice. Credit: AFP Policies and treatment of minors In 2009, the U.K. expanded its Children Act 2004 and enacted a new law under the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act to add the U.K. Border Agency to the list of government bodies required to safeguard and promote the welfare of unaccompanied minors. The case of the two boys found at Heathrow would end up being adjudicated as a case of human trafficking. The children were placed in foster care and allowed to stay in Great Britain. The U.K. Childrens Act (of 2004) makes it very clear that it does not matter if the child is a victim of human trafficking or a victim of domestic violence, or whatever. The blame for the illegal action lies at the feet of the adults. The British government considers the children innocent. Thats what makes England progressive and its admirable, said Tim Tran. Maybe its because of this act that so many people choose to come to the U.K.? he pondered. According to data from the Ministry of Justice, in 2010 there were 187 victims of human trafficking who were minors, representing about a quarter of the total number (710) of trafficked people in the U.K. By 2018, the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45% (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims. But experts say the true number of victims, and likely the proportion of child victims, is much higher. The Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) in a 2016 review of Britains efforts to fight modern slavery highlighted a persistent phenomenon among minors, similar of the incident Tim Tran described at Heathrow airport: A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities. It was a way for smugglers to get people into the country, Tran explained. Then theyd pick up the kids from the shelter home or wherever they were placed, and continue the journey they had originally planned. Migrants are brought ashore by RNLI Lifeboat staff, police officers and Border Force staff, after having crossed the channel, in Dungeness, Britain, Nov. 24, 2021. Credit: Reuters Trafficking victims persecuted as perpetrators A migrant who is connecting with smuggling rings to help him or her cross borders illegally might be seen as a willing participant of a crime. In the eyes of many, including the laws of various countries, they can still be seen as perpetrators, even when they have been exploited or abused, says Kevin Hyland, a former independent anti-slavery commissioner for the U.K. He now is a member of GRETA. They're looked upon as illegal immigrants and therefore are dealt with in a very robust way, for example with deportation, he said. Across Europe and in the U.K. specifically, I know it's a problem. What happens when Vietnamese nationals are found in, say, a cannabis farm, is that they are very often arrested. Even when these farm hands are held in prison-like conditions, unable to leave the premises and with neither the financial nor language capabilities to run large, multi-million cannabis operations, the law might be slow to recognize them as victims. That was the case of a woman arrested at a farm in Dublin in 2012, Hyland said. This was a young Vietnamese woman who couldn't speak English, who was on the premises and her role was to keep the plants watered. It was beyond her capability to be able to go and rent this very large property, set up this network. But she was charged with the offence of manufacturing the drugs or cultivating the drugs. The woman was jailed for two and half years before the Supreme Court of Ireland recognized her as a victim of human trafficking. The case illustrates the difficulties in identifying victims of human trafficking. In 2009, the U.K. established the National Referral Mechanism with the goal of identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery. Hyland says its a laudable effort, with first responders referring more victims into the system every year, but it falls short in getting justice and help for the victims. The waiting list, including a large number of Vietnamese nationals, is currently running at about 22,000 waiting for entry into the system. Those people will have been waiting one to two years, some even more. Sometimes its four years, he said. So what's happening is the victims are not being identified and the criminals are operating with impunity. And there's a lot of money being made out of this and Vietnamese nationals are seen as a good source of income. Essex tragedy used to charge higher prices Even in the incident that would kill 39 Vietnamese migrants in October of 2019, nobody has been convicted of human trafficking. Essex police recently charged Dragos Stefan Damien, the man who provided the lorry in which the victims perished, with conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. Damien was caught in Milan, Italy, on June 10 and extradited to the U.K. where he pled guilty earlier last month. Court records show that the gang involved in the Essex 39 tragedy had a long-standing smuggling operation and profited 1 million (U.S. $1.35 million) in that month alone. In the aftermath of the tragedy, crime operations have even used the tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. People that are organizing this in Vietnam, they've actually used the deaths of the 39 people as a promotion type, by saying, Yes those were the bad smugglers. They were the bad people to get you there. We do it properly. We can charge a little bit more but you'll get there safely, said Hyland. Demonstrators hold banners and candles during a vigil for the 39 Vietnamese lorry victims, outside the Home Office in London, in 2019. Credit: AP Fighting a multi-million dollar business The smuggling of Vietnamese nationals continues to be a lucrative $300 million business, the Council of Europe estimates. The complex network across Europe where each stage, each country, might be run by a different group, can make prosecution that much harder. For Hyland the number of prosecutions is shockingly low. The solution needs to be a two-pronged approach: Targeting businesses that profit directly or indirectly from unlawfully cheap labor and exploitation, and educating vulnerable populations in the source country. If we really want to tackle human trafficking, we need to start hitting businesses, landlords, transport companies, whoever it may be, including countries. We need to hit them about the money that they make from this enterprise, he said. The 2015 U.K. Modern Slavery Act aims to tackle the problem by requiring companies to show that modern slavery is not taking place in their business operations or their supply chains. In Germany, the Federal Police Office is trying to combat human trafficking by going after other crimes connected to it. For us it is very important that the different manifestations of this type of crime arent considered separately, but seen as a whole and connected. That means that we dont consider smuggling as a separate crime, or human trafficking, or the illegal sale of cigarettes, as separate crimes, said Chief Detective Nicole Baumann of the German Federal Police Office. Many Vietnamese illegals can be seen peddling cigarettes at busy commercial centers. We have to try to look at these forms of crime as under one roof, and every agency has to be practically involved in the prosecution. Germanys federal police agents work closely with state police and customs and border agencies, youth welfare offices, even unions and professional counseling services, expanding control activities that could uncover human trafficking crimes. A key element for German law enforcement is to involve and cooperate with NGOs who provide cultural training and other forms of collaboration, and work with the government of the source country, Chief Detective Baumann said. Our efforts have got to go across agencies and be multi-disciplinary in order to successfully combat this crime, Baumann said. While tackling the demand for illegal and forced labor in Europe, anti-modern slavery experts agree, any approach to combat trafficking from Vietnam must tackle conditions in the source country, such as few educational or economic opportunities, that are pushing citizens to leave their homes and risk becoming trafficked. Until governments start to take control of the options provided for their citizens, by providing education, training for work, and properly paying jobs, it will be difficult to stem the flow of migrants seeking better opportunities elsewhere. That is a challenge not unique to Vietnam, said anti-slavery advocate Kevin Hyland. Members of the Vietnam Red Cross Society present Tet gift sets to beneficiaries. (Photo: VNA) It is part of the VNRC's movement to support the poor and Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin victims ahead of the upcoming Tet, which is the biggest traditional festival of Vietnamese people. Donors can download Thien nguyen (Benevolent) application developed by the MB Bank to join the programme. They can transfer money to the banks account 2022 owned by the VNRC with a message Tetbinhan (safe Tet). The VNRC will hand over the donations to needy people nationwide. Bank statements and activities of the campaign will be regularly updated at https://thiennguyen.app/donate-target/1476496130551336960./. Crime operations have even used the Essex tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities, says a report by the Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. The phone rang in the middle of the night at a small apartment on the outskirts of London, waking Tim Tran as he was sleeping. But what the caller on the other end of the line relayed, woke him from his daze immediately and he got ready to go to work. Tim Tran, a pseudonym he has asked RFA to use to protect his identify, has lived in the United Kingdom for several decades. For the past seven years, he has provided support for Englands social services and the police in cases involving victims of human trafficking from Vietnam. That early morning, staff from Britains Department of Health and Social Care told him two boys from Vietnam had been arrested at Londons Heathrow Airport. Tran was asked to come to the office to assist with the case. When I arrived, there were the police, social care officers and others. The two boys were so relieved when I entered the room, because they could see I was Vietnamese. They only spoke a couple of words of English, he said. They were sweet and friendly, about 15 years of age, Tran recounted. They had arrived on a flight in the middle of the night, but instead of getting their luggage and exiting the airport, they hung around with seemingly nowhere to go. When customs approached and questioned them, they couldnt answer. Tran interviewed the boys and noted one important detail: The boys did not travel alone. The two boys said they posed as children of a Vietnamese diplomat to travel by plane to England. All three had visas from the British government to legally enter at Heathrow airport. They said once they arrived, the diplomat who posed as their dad took all their documents and disappeared. By 2018 the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45 percent (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims, according to data from the U.K. Ministry of Justice. Credit: AFP Policies and treatment of minors In 2009, the U.K. expanded its Children Act 2004 and enacted a new law under the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act to add the U.K. Border Agency to the list of government bodies required to safeguard and promote the welfare of unaccompanied minors. The case of the two boys found at Heathrow would end up being adjudicated as a case of human trafficking. The children were placed in foster care and allowed to stay in Great Britain. The U.K. Childrens Act (of 2004) makes it very clear that it does not matter if the child is a victim of human trafficking or a victim of domestic violence, or whatever. The blame for the illegal action lies at the feet of the adults. The British government considers the children innocent. Thats what makes England progressive and its admirable, said Tim Tran. Maybe its because of this act that so many people choose to come to the U.K.? he pondered. According to data from the Ministry of Justice, in 2010 there were 187 victims of human trafficking who were minors, representing about a quarter of the total number (710) of trafficked people in the U.K. By 2018, the percentage of trafficking victims who were minors rose to 45% (3,128) of a total of 6,985 victims. But experts say the true number of victims, and likely the proportion of child victims, is much higher. The Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) in a 2016 review of Britains efforts to fight modern slavery highlighted a persistent phenomenon among minors, similar of the incident Tim Tran described at Heathrow airport: A recurrent pattern is for unaccompanied minors to be left by traffickers in transit at the airport, before picking them up from where they have been accommodated by the local authorities. It was a way for smugglers to get people into the country, Tran explained. Then theyd pick up the kids from the shelter home or wherever they were placed, and continue the journey they had originally planned. Migrants are brought ashore by RNLI Lifeboat staff, police officers and Border Force staff, after having crossed the channel, in Dungeness, Britain, Nov. 24, 2021. Credit: Reuters Trafficking victims persecuted as perpetrators A migrant who is connecting with smuggling rings to help him or her cross borders illegally might be seen as a willing participant of a crime. In the eyes of many, including the laws of various countries, they can still be seen as perpetrators, even when they have been exploited or abused, says Kevin Hyland, a former independent anti-slavery commissioner for the U.K. He now is a member of GRETA. They're looked upon as illegal immigrants and therefore are dealt with in a very robust way, for example with deportation, he said. Across Europe and in the U.K. specifically, I know it's a problem. What happens when Vietnamese nationals are found in, say, a cannabis farm, is that they are very often arrested. Even when these farm hands are held in prison-like conditions, unable to leave the premises and with neither the financial nor language capabilities to run large, multi-million cannabis operations, the law might be slow to recognize them as victims. That was the case of a woman arrested at a farm in Dublin in 2012, Hyland said. This was a young Vietnamese woman who couldn't speak English, who was on the premises and her role was to keep the plants watered. It was beyond her capability to be able to go and rent this very large property, set up this network. But she was charged with the offence of manufacturing the drugs or cultivating the drugs. The woman was jailed for two and half years before the Supreme Court of Ireland recognized her as a victim of human trafficking. The case illustrates the difficulties in identifying victims of human trafficking. In 2009, the U.K. established the National Referral Mechanism with the goal of identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery. Hyland says its a laudable effort, with first responders referring more victims into the system every year, but it falls short in getting justice and help for the victims. The waiting list, including a large number of Vietnamese nationals, is currently running at about 22,000 waiting for entry into the system. Those people will have been waiting one to two years, some even more. Sometimes its four years, he said. So what's happening is the victims are not being identified and the criminals are operating with impunity. And there's a lot of money being made out of this and Vietnamese nationals are seen as a good source of income. Essex tragedy used to charge higher prices Even in the incident that would kill 39 Vietnamese migrants in October of 2019, nobody has been convicted of human trafficking. Essex police recently charged Dragos Stefan Damien, the man who provided the lorry in which the victims perished, with conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. Damien was caught in Milan, Italy, on June 10 and extradited to the U.K. where he pled guilty earlier last month. Court records show that the gang involved in the Essex 39 tragedy had a long-standing smuggling operation and profited 1 million (U.S. $1.35 million) in that month alone. In the aftermath of the tragedy, crime operations have even used the tragedy to continue to recruit migrants, and bolster their bottom lines. People that are organizing this in Vietnam, they've actually used the deaths of the 39 people as a promotion type, by saying, Yes those were the bad smugglers. They were the bad people to get you there. We do it properly. We can charge a little bit more but you'll get there safely, said Hyland. Demonstrators hold banners and candles during a vigil for the 39 Vietnamese lorry victims, outside the Home Office in London, in 2019. Credit: AP Fighting a multi-million dollar business The smuggling of Vietnamese nationals continues to be a lucrative $300 million business, the Council of Europe estimates. The complex network across Europe where each stage, each country, might be run by a different group, can make prosecution that much harder. For Hyland the number of prosecutions is shockingly low. The solution needs to be a two-pronged approach: Targeting businesses that profit directly or indirectly from unlawfully cheap labor and exploitation, and educating vulnerable populations in the source country. If we really want to tackle human trafficking, we need to start hitting businesses, landlords, transport companies, whoever it may be, including countries. We need to hit them about the money that they make from this enterprise, he said. The 2015 U.K. Modern Slavery Act aims to tackle the problem by requiring companies to show that modern slavery is not taking place in their business operations or their supply chains. In Germany, the Federal Police Office is trying to combat human trafficking by going after other crimes connected to it. For us it is very important that the different manifestations of this type of crime arent considered separately, but seen as a whole and connected. That means that we dont consider smuggling as a separate crime, or human trafficking, or the illegal sale of cigarettes, as separate crimes, said Chief Detective Nicole Baumann of the German Federal Police Office. Many Vietnamese illegals can be seen peddling cigarettes at busy commercial centers. We have to try to look at these forms of crime as under one roof, and every agency has to be practically involved in the prosecution. Germanys federal police agents work closely with state police and customs and border agencies, youth welfare offices, even unions and professional counseling services, expanding control activities that could uncover human trafficking crimes. A key element for German law enforcement is to involve and cooperate with NGOs who provide cultural training and other forms of collaboration, and work with the government of the source country, Chief Detective Baumann said. Our efforts have got to go across agencies and be multi-disciplinary in order to successfully combat this crime, Baumann said. While tackling the demand for illegal and forced labor in Europe, anti-modern slavery experts agree, any approach to combat trafficking from Vietnam must tackle conditions in the source country, such as few educational or economic opportunities, that are pushing citizens to leave their homes and risk becoming trafficked. Until governments start to take control of the options provided for their citizens, by providing education, training for work, and properly paying jobs, it will be difficult to stem the flow of migrants seeking better opportunities elsewhere. That is a challenge not unique to Vietnam, said anti-slavery advocate Kevin Hyland. New Delhi, Jan 1 : The Crime Branch of Delhi Police has nabbed a gold smuggler who was wanted in an gold seizure case at the IGI Airport in Delhi. The accused, Mohammed Shakeel, was wanted in a Customs gold seizure case, in which the police seized 7.790 kg gold at the IGI Airport on February 20, 2021, the police said. During the investigation, it was found that the owner of the gold consignment was Mohammad Shakeel, who ran a gold smuggling racket with the help of two others -- Mohammad Irfan and Mohammad Kashif. The travel records of Kashif indicated that he left India for Dubai on August 31, 2021. Irfan was arrested on October 1, 2021. Shakeel was not joining the investigation and was still at large, despite being served notice under, officials said. On the request of the Customs department, the task was assigned to a team of narcotics cell of Crime Branch to render assistance in arresting Shakeel. During the probe, the police team got the information of Shakeel's presence in the Jama Masjid area, and a secret informer was deployed. On Friday, secret information was received that Shakeel would come to the New Delhi Railway Station in the evening. Accordingly, a trap was laid and Shakeel was nabbed by a team of the Crime Branch from outside the railway station while he was trying to flee. The police said that Shakeel was the kingpin of the gold smuggling racket. New Delhi, Jan 1 : The Crime Branch of Delhi Police has nabbed a gold smuggler who was wanted in an gold seizure case at the IGI Airport in Delhi. The accused, Mohammed Shakeel, was wanted in a Customs gold seizure case, in which the police seized 7.790 kg gold at the IGI Airport on February 20, 2021, the police said. During the investigation, it was found that the owner of the gold consignment was Mohammad Shakeel, who ran a gold smuggling racket with the help of two others -- Mohammad Irfan and Mohammad Kashif. The travel records of Kashif indicated that he left India for Dubai on August 31, 2021. Irfan was arrested on October 1, 2021. Shakeel was not joining the investigation and was still at large, despite being served notice under, officials said. On the request of the Customs department, the task was assigned to a team of narcotics cell of Crime Branch to render assistance in arresting Shakeel. During the probe, the police team got the information of Shakeel's presence in the Jama Masjid area, and a secret informer was deployed. On Friday, secret information was received that Shakeel would come to the New Delhi Railway Station in the evening. Accordingly, a trap was laid and Shakeel was nabbed by a team of the Crime Branch from outside the railway station while he was trying to flee. The police said that Shakeel was the kingpin of the gold smuggling racket. Guwahati, Jan 1 : Amidst the strong demand to repeal the Armed Forces (Special Power) Act from the entire northeastern region, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that some "rationalisation" regarding the contentious act is expected in the new year. He said that the Army, which deployed in the disturbed areas under the AFSPA, has virtually withdrawn from Assam, except for five-six districts and when the current term of the AFSPA end after four months, the state government would take a "pragmatic decision" in consultation with the Union Home Ministry. "A dynamic situation is now prevailing in Assam. Some rationalisation will be seen on AFSPA in 2022," Sarma told the media. The AFSPA was enforced in Assam in November 1990 and has been extended every six months. He said that the Centre has formed a high-powered committee to look into the demand about the AFSPA in Nagaland and in the next 45 days, some positive development is expected. A vociferous agitations by almost all political parties, NGOs and Naga civil society organisations are going on in Nagaland to repeal the AFSPA after 14 people were killed and 30 other injured by the security forces in its Mon district. The Chief Minister claimed that militancy was on the wane in Assam, with all tribal militant groups already coming forward for talks and depositing their arms and ammunition. "The ULFA-I (United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent) has shown a positive attitude. There has been no conflict between the ULFA-I and the security forces during the past eight months. The demand for sovereignty remained the main hurdle to take forward the talks with ULFA-I," he said. Sarma also said that with the initiatives of the civil society and tribal organisations, specially the students' organisation, the tribal insurgency in Assam is almost over. "Paresh Barua (self-styled ULFA-I Commander-in-Chief) has been in the jungle since 1982. He is very positive about negotiating with the government. The Government of India and Assam government also shown very positive attitude towards the ULFA-I," the Chief Minister said. Guwahati, Jan 1 : Amidst the strong demand to repeal the Armed Forces (Special Power) Act from the entire northeastern region, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that some "rationalisation" regarding the contentious act is expected in the new year. He said that the Army, which deployed in the disturbed areas under the AFSPA, has virtually withdrawn from Assam, except for five-six districts and when the current term of the AFSPA end after four months, the state government would take a "pragmatic decision" in consultation with the Union Home Ministry. "A dynamic situation is now prevailing in Assam. Some rationalisation will be seen on AFSPA in 2022," Sarma told the media. The AFSPA was enforced in Assam in November 1990 and has been extended every six months. He said that the Centre has formed a high-powered committee to look into the demand about the AFSPA in Nagaland and in the next 45 days, some positive development is expected. A vociferous agitations by almost all political parties, NGOs and Naga civil society organisations are going on in Nagaland to repeal the AFSPA after 14 people were killed and 30 other injured by the security forces in its Mon district. The Chief Minister claimed that militancy was on the wane in Assam, with all tribal militant groups already coming forward for talks and depositing their arms and ammunition. "The ULFA-I (United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent) has shown a positive attitude. There has been no conflict between the ULFA-I and the security forces during the past eight months. The demand for sovereignty remained the main hurdle to take forward the talks with ULFA-I," he said. Sarma also said that with the initiatives of the civil society and tribal organisations, specially the students' organisation, the tribal insurgency in Assam is almost over. "Paresh Barua (self-styled ULFA-I Commander-in-Chief) has been in the jungle since 1982. He is very positive about negotiating with the government. The Government of India and Assam government also shown very positive attitude towards the ULFA-I," the Chief Minister said. Its 2022, two years into a global pandemic, and mid-valley residents still cant consistently find at-home COVID-19 testing kits. Two presidential administrations have promised tests will be available for anyone who wants them, and efforts to ramp up production of rapid testing kits, also called antigen tests, have been bolstered. Still, pharmacy shelves are empty, and inventories of at-home tests tend to sell out the second shipments come in. Calls to local pharmacies in Albany and Corvallis revealed a lack of rapid tests, the kind you can take at home and get results in minutes. It was also clear from the disgruntled tone of pharmacy employees that they have to explain their lack of inventory all day, every day. To be transparent, these calls were placed anonymously and simply inquired about test availability. COVID-19 everywhere and not a test to take An employee at the Safeway pharmacy on Circle Boulevard in Corvallis said people were better off looking on Amazon if they needed tests promptly. Others said that Walmart.com typically has tests that can be purchased and shipped directly to your home or nearest store for pick-up. A pharmacist at Rite Aid on Ninth Street in Corvallis said that its shipments of at-home COVID-19 tests typically come in on Thursdays and sell out immediately. In an interview with Mid-Valley Media, Tom Field of Rices Pharmacy in Corvallis said the store had 17 rapid tests on hand at the start of Tuesday, Dec. 28, and sold out about an hour before closing. The pharmacy only sells them to people who are symptomatic. Were still waiting and watching. We check the wholesaler multiple times per day to see if we can get more for people because theres obviously a very high demand, Field said. Weve had these issues since the beginning of the pandemic. Over the last two years we were sometimes short on gloves, masks, wipes, he said. And sometimes, when that happens, we try to get a program together where those in the greatest need can get supplies of whatever kind that they might need. But its a tough situation when youre just trying to do whats right for the most people, and it kind of doesnt always work. Most pharmacies and private retailers are in the same boat, standing by for more batches of tests with stores around the country all competing for kits from the same few wholesalers. Meanwhile, the official advice for family gatherings over the holidays and in light of a new surge prompted by the omicron variant is to test before get-togethers. The Biden administration committed $3 billion to the Health and Human Services agency to bolster manufacturing of more tests back in November, about $650 million of which was earmarked specifically for development of more rapid testing. It also, at the beginning of December, announced that 50 million rapid tests would be distributed nationwide for those without insurance. Oregon just announced that it secured its largest ever order of at-home tests: 6 million testing kits that will begin distribution to local public health agencies on Jan. 10. That eclipses OHAs previous largest shipment of tests (1.46 million) by millions. OHA said in its news release issued Thursday, Dec 30, that the purchase was made so (people) can find out, at home, if they are carrying the virus, and take steps to prevent its spread. But it has taken time for these funds and extra tests to translate to more readily available testing for the average American. We are at the mercy of the forces that be in terms of getting those kits out, Field said. Weve been in the pipeline for vaccines, so Im confident that were in the pipeline for upcoming ramping up of these tests. But I dont have any timelines at all. Thats been the basic problem with COVID all along: We just dont have good timelines. Outside the U.S. And some call these efforts too little too late. It would have been nice to have rapid tests more widely available and more prioritized than weve seen now, Benton County Public Health Administrator April Holland said. Rapid tests are something that have been used more widely in other countries, and they are very available and inexpensive. Holland provided the example of the United Kingdom, where residents can walk into pretty much any pharmacy and find packs of at-home kits for just a couple of pounds. Compounding the problem is how the distribution of tests has been prioritized. Health care organizations and other operations get first dibs over private retail sales. Representatives from Samaritan Health Services and the Corvallis Clinic say they are fully stocked on COVID-19 tests. Doctors offices and hospitals administer both rapid tests and polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, tests, whose results come back more slowly but are more accurate. Hospital networks like Samaritan order directly from manufacturers, too, but they are also aided by local public health agencies, like county health departments and the Oregon Health Authority, which can funnel more tests and vaccines to them as needed. Hospital officials say their wealth of tests is partly because the pipeline for the health care industry is more streamlined but also because they have devised strategies that better prepare them for supply chain issues. I will say that after many iterations and months of the pandemic and having supply chain issues, we have really ensured we have a healthy stock on hand, Jane Russell, chief operating officer of Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital in Newport, said. Currently, we have plenty in stock and have several more ordered online as well. Government doesnt have the surplus Local public health departments also receive allotments from the OHA and the CDC through the states emergency management system, but even they say they have struggled to maintain a large inventory of rapid tests. The rapid tests are hard to find even for governments, Holland said. We certainly dont have a large supply of them. Even ordering them from the state, its not always a given, and we have limits on how many we can order. And sometimes the lag in receipts takes a little while. Reached by email, Linn County Emergency Management Coordinator Neva Anderson said the states supply of rapid test kits is stretched. (The) Oregon Health Authority is still limiting rapid test kits to local public health authorities, due to supply chain concerns from the manufacturer, she said. Thus, we are limited to supporting the hospital systems, long term care facilities, Fire/EMS, and group homes, with the minimal test kits we have on hand. This is why most people who need testing have had to seek it at their doctors office or via drive-thru clinics, which can range in affordability and access depending on the requirements at each site. Willamette Valley Toxicology, which operates drive-thru clinics in Corvallis and Albany, offers free PCR testing to anyone who has an appointment. Results are viewed through an online portal called Lab Dash, with folks receiving directions on how to access that when they make their appointment. Samaritan also offers drive-thru testing in Newport, Corvallis, Albany and Lebanon. Samaritan uses an online portal called MyChart for test results, though the organization also directly calls those who test positive. Testing is not free across-the-board at Samaritan sites. Russell said they do bill insurance, though they offer the tests for free to those who are uninsured and for those whose insurance does not cover the full cost of the test. The OHA is also providing financial assistance for uninsured people to get tested. Further complicating matters at the moment is the recent news from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that says antigen tests may provide less reliable results for those infected with the omicron variant of the virus. Early data suggests that antigen tests do detect the omicron variant but may have reduced sensitivity, a Dec. 28 announcement from the FDA says. If a person tests positive with an antigen test, they should self-isolate and seek follow-up care with a health care provider to determine the next steps. Some agencies, including the FDA, have gone so far as to specifically direct people not to use antigen tests at all, at least until more data can be gathered and potential deficiencies with the sensitivity of the tests can be corrected. These findings come just weeks after both the FDA and CDC recommended people stock up on antigen tests for the holidays. Officials say that all this highlights just how rapidly information can change during a public health crisis. And how reliable testing remains elusive in this country. I think the truth of it is that we just dont have enough of the testing yet in the United States, and its going to take time to get enough of them, Holland said. WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed by a man who went on to carjack, rob and shoot more people during a two-state manhunt this week said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters, Missouri. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a "series" of carjackings, robberies and shootings on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities eventually caught up to him in Clinton County, Illinois, where he held a person hostage in a home. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. The family's full statement is below: The Family of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley mourns the loss of their husband, father, son and friend. We could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support. To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero. Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. -Matthew 5:9 Visitation for Sean Riley will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m., Monday January 3, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with a first responder walk thru at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials in his honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. Memorials will be accepted at the services and the Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, IL which is assisting with arrangements. Additional information will be released in the coming days. We ask the community to show their support by lining the procession route. Leonard Cox of Clinton County said a man wanted in the fatal shooting of a sheriffs deputy was pointing a gun at his forehead when hostage negotiators were talking to the suspect. He grabs the gun, sticks it right on my forehead and he tells them, Tell them where the guns at. I told them, Its right on my forehead, Cox said in a KSDK-Channel 5 interview as he described how the suspect had forced Cox and another man into Coxs basement on Wednesday. A short time after that, SWAT officers entered Coxs home and were able to arrest Ray Tate, 40, of Kentucky. Tate has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley, 38, on Interstate 64 on Wednesday just hours before Cox was held hostage. Cox told the television station that police were able to track the suspect to the home in Clinton County because of the smart watch the other hostage was wearing. Cox said he tried to follow all of the suspects commands but he figured there was a really good possibility that he would not get out of his house alive. I didnt want to do anything else to set him off, Cox told KSDK. The suspect had fired off several shots inside the home before police arrested him. Cox also said the suspect had told him that he didnt want to hurt him or cause him any trouble and that he just needed a place to lay low for a little bit. Before the police entered the home, Cox said the other hostage was able to escape. Cox told Channel 5 that during the ordeal he was making his final prayers. Im praying that hopefully I get to see another day and if I dont Im praying, God, hope Im good enough where I get to go to heaven. Leonard Cox of Clinton County said a man wanted in the fatal shooting of a sheriffs deputy was pointing a gun at his forehead when hostage negotiators were talking to the suspect. He grabs the gun, sticks it right on my forehead and he tells them, Tell them where the guns at. I told them, Its right on my forehead, Cox said in a KSDK-Channel 5 interview as he described how the suspect had forced Cox and another man into Coxs basement on Wednesday. A short time after that, SWAT officers entered Coxs home and were able to arrest Ray Tate, 40, of Kentucky. Tate has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley, 38, on Interstate 64 on Wednesday just hours before Cox was held hostage. Cox told the television station that police were able to track the suspect to the home in Clinton County because of the smart watch the other hostage was wearing. Cox said he tried to follow all of the suspects commands but he figured there was a really good possibility that he would not get out of his house alive. I didnt want to do anything else to set him off, Cox told KSDK. The suspect had fired off several shots inside the home before police arrested him. Cox also said the suspect had told him that he didnt want to hurt him or cause him any trouble and that he just needed a place to lay low for a little bit. Before the police entered the home, Cox said the other hostage was able to escape. Cox told Channel 5 that during the ordeal he was making his final prayers. Im praying that hopefully I get to see another day and if I dont Im praying, God, hope Im good enough where I get to go to heaven. Leonard Cox of Clinton County said a man wanted in the fatal shooting of a sheriffs deputy was pointing a gun at his forehead when hostage negotiators were talking to the suspect. He grabs the gun, sticks it right on my forehead and he tells them, Tell them where the guns at. I told them, Its right on my forehead, Cox said in a KSDK-Channel 5 interview as he described how the suspect had forced Cox and another man into Coxs basement on Wednesday. A short time after that, SWAT officers entered Coxs home and were able to arrest Ray Tate, 40, of Kentucky. Tate has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley, 38, on Interstate 64 on Wednesday just hours before Cox was held hostage. Cox told the television station that police were able to track the suspect to the home in Clinton County because of the smart watch the other hostage was wearing. Cox said he tried to follow all of the suspects commands but he figured there was a really good possibility that he would not get out of his house alive. I didnt want to do anything else to set him off, Cox told KSDK. The suspect had fired off several shots inside the home before police arrested him. Cox also said the suspect had told him that he didnt want to hurt him or cause him any trouble and that he just needed a place to lay low for a little bit. Before the police entered the home, Cox said the other hostage was able to escape. Cox told Channel 5 that during the ordeal he was making his final prayers. Im praying that hopefully I get to see another day and if I dont Im praying, God, hope Im good enough where I get to go to heaven. The acting Public Health Minister of Afghanistan, Dr Abdul Bari Omar, said nearly ten thousand people were infected with the coronavirus and 650 people died in the past five months. Citing a press conference by Dr Omar, Pajhwok news agency reported that the country has been administering at least 8000-10,000 vaccines on a daily basis. However, he acknowledged the county has witnessed an umpteen number of problems including, lack of health infrastructure and medical staff. According to Dr Omar, Afghanistan was coordinating with UNICEF to get the best possible help from the United Nations agency. He informed that the agency has promised to establish ten oxygen-producing plants in order to avoid its shortage. Further, he urged the international communities to extend their hands to help lakhs of Afghans who have been facing an unprecedented crisis since the Taliban ousted the democratically elected government in mid-August last year. "The health sector was 90% dependent on foreign aid, which has been suspended, but efforts are being made to convince the world and solve the existing problems," Pajhwok quoted the acting Public Health Minister as saying. It should be mentioned here that the condition of the war-torn country further deteriorated after the extremist group seized power from the democratic Ashraf Ghani-led government on August 15, this year, resulting in the total collapse of the system. Though the Taliban assumed control nearly a month after ousting Ashraf Ghani, it was too late to address the concerns of citizens. A top Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) who had visited the country noted more than 24 million people require life-saving assistance in Afghanistan. India sends 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Afghanistan India on Thursday sent a batch of 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, to Afghanistan. According to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday, the batch of humanitarian assistance consisting of five lakh COVID vaccines was received by the Taliban extremist group on 1 January 2022. A statement by the MEA mentioned that the humanitarian assistance was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul. Further, the Ministry said that New Delhi will release another batch of additional five lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks. (Image: Unsplash/AP) The acting Public Health Minister of Afghanistan, Dr Abdul Bari Omar, said nearly ten thousand people were infected with the coronavirus and 650 people died in the past five months. Citing a press conference by Dr Omar, Pajhwok news agency reported that the country has been administering at least 8000-10,000 vaccines on a daily basis. However, he acknowledged the county has witnessed an umpteen number of problems including, lack of health infrastructure and medical staff. According to Dr Omar, Afghanistan was coordinating with UNICEF to get the best possible help from the United Nations agency. He informed that the agency has promised to establish ten oxygen-producing plants in order to avoid its shortage. Further, he urged the international communities to extend their hands to help lakhs of Afghans who have been facing an unprecedented crisis since the Taliban ousted the democratically elected government in mid-August last year. "The health sector was 90% dependent on foreign aid, which has been suspended, but efforts are being made to convince the world and solve the existing problems," Pajhwok quoted the acting Public Health Minister as saying. It should be mentioned here that the condition of the war-torn country further deteriorated after the extremist group seized power from the democratic Ashraf Ghani-led government on August 15, this year, resulting in the total collapse of the system. Though the Taliban assumed control nearly a month after ousting Ashraf Ghani, it was too late to address the concerns of citizens. A top Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) who had visited the country noted more than 24 million people require life-saving assistance in Afghanistan. India sends 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Afghanistan India on Thursday sent a batch of 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, to Afghanistan. According to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday, the batch of humanitarian assistance consisting of five lakh COVID vaccines was received by the Taliban extremist group on 1 January 2022. A statement by the MEA mentioned that the humanitarian assistance was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul. Further, the Ministry said that New Delhi will release another batch of additional five lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks. (Image: Unsplash/AP) Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikat on Saturday said that decision to import milk from Australia will pose an existential crisis for cattle farmers. Tikait also said that decision to import milk from abroad will pose an existential crisis for the cattle farmers. In a tweet, Tikait said, "The government is going to enter into an agreement with Australia next month to buy milk, under which it plans to sell milk at Rs 20-22 per litre. The decision of the government to import milk from abroad will pose an existential crisis for the cattle farmers of the country. Farmers will oppose it." (ANI) Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikat on Saturday said that decision to import milk from Australia will pose an existential crisis for cattle farmers. Tikait also said that decision to import milk from abroad will pose an existential crisis for the cattle farmers. In a tweet, Tikait said, "The government is going to enter into an agreement with Australia next month to buy milk, under which it plans to sell milk at Rs 20-22 per litre. The decision of the government to import milk from abroad will pose an existential crisis for the cattle farmers of the country. Farmers will oppose it." (ANI) Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. New Delhi, Jan 1 : The Crime Branch of Delhi Police has nabbed a gold smuggler who was wanted in an gold seizure case at the IGI Airport in Delhi. The accused, Mohammed Shakeel, was wanted in a Customs gold seizure case, in which the police seized 7.790 kg gold at the IGI Airport on February 20, 2021, the police said. During the investigation, it was found that the owner of the gold consignment was Mohammad Shakeel, who ran a gold smuggling racket with the help of two others -- Mohammad Irfan and Mohammad Kashif. The travel records of Kashif indicated that he left India for Dubai on August 31, 2021. Irfan was arrested on October 1, 2021. Shakeel was not joining the investigation and was still at large, despite being served notice under, officials said. On the request of the Customs department, the task was assigned to a team of narcotics cell of Crime Branch to render assistance in arresting Shakeel. During the probe, the police team got the information of Shakeel's presence in the Jama Masjid area, and a secret informer was deployed. On Friday, secret information was received that Shakeel would come to the New Delhi Railway Station in the evening. Accordingly, a trap was laid and Shakeel was nabbed by a team of the Crime Branch from outside the railway station while he was trying to flee. The police said that Shakeel was the kingpin of the gold smuggling racket. New Delhi, Jan 1 : The Crime Branch of Delhi Police has nabbed a gold smuggler who was wanted in an gold seizure case at the IGI Airport in Delhi. The accused, Mohammed Shakeel, was wanted in a Customs gold seizure case, in which the police seized 7.790 kg gold at the IGI Airport on February 20, 2021, the police said. During the investigation, it was found that the owner of the gold consignment was Mohammad Shakeel, who ran a gold smuggling racket with the help of two others -- Mohammad Irfan and Mohammad Kashif. The travel records of Kashif indicated that he left India for Dubai on August 31, 2021. Irfan was arrested on October 1, 2021. Shakeel was not joining the investigation and was still at large, despite being served notice under, officials said. On the request of the Customs department, the task was assigned to a team of narcotics cell of Crime Branch to render assistance in arresting Shakeel. During the probe, the police team got the information of Shakeel's presence in the Jama Masjid area, and a secret informer was deployed. On Friday, secret information was received that Shakeel would come to the New Delhi Railway Station in the evening. Accordingly, a trap was laid and Shakeel was nabbed by a team of the Crime Branch from outside the railway station while he was trying to flee. The police said that Shakeel was the kingpin of the gold smuggling racket. Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikat on Saturday said that decision to import milk from Australia will pose an existential crisis for cattle farmers. Tikait also said that decision to import milk from abroad will pose an existential crisis for the cattle farmers. In a tweet, Tikait said, "The government is going to enter into an agreement with Australia next month to buy milk, under which it plans to sell milk at Rs 20-22 per litre. The decision of the government to import milk from abroad will pose an existential crisis for the cattle farmers of the country. Farmers will oppose it." (ANI) Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikat on Saturday said that decision to import milk from Australia will pose an existential crisis for cattle farmers. Tikait also said that decision to import milk from abroad will pose an existential crisis for the cattle farmers. In a tweet, Tikait said, "The government is going to enter into an agreement with Australia next month to buy milk, under which it plans to sell milk at Rs 20-22 per litre. The decision of the government to import milk from abroad will pose an existential crisis for the cattle farmers of the country. Farmers will oppose it." (ANI) BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem AARP is the nations biggest and most influential advocacy group for seniors. It has about 38 million members more than 11% of the U.S. population. From lobbying for better conditions in nursing homes to getting travel discounts for members, the organization has done much to help retired people over the years. When it comes to one of AARPs signature products, though, it may not always be putting its members first. The problem is that the organization is dependent on revenue from insurance companies. And while sometimes the interests of insurance companies and seniors align, at times they dont. This potential for conflict of interest has become starkly visible in recent months, as Congress seeks to pass drug pricing measures that would hurt seniors and help insurers. Lets pull back the curtain. AARP earned $1.7 billion in revenue last year. About 45% $752 million came from deals between the organization and insurance companies to sell AARP-branded plans. AARP gets paid every time one of its members signs up for one of these branded policies. Millions of Americans trust the AARP name, making these insurance plans highly popular. More than 10 million seniors hold health plans just through AARPs partnership with insurance giant UnitedHealthcare, according to a recent report from the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest. That means AARP has a vested interest in insurance companies getting their way in policy debates, regardless of the outcome for seniors. This may account for the organizations support of the $2 trillion Build Back Better Act. The bill would make a host of sweeping changes to Medicare, the federal health insurance program that serves some 60 million seniors. One such change would allow the government to impose price controls on prescription drugs a move thats expected to save the federal government about $160 billion over a decade. It would also save insurers billions of dollars both by making medicines cheaper for those that sponsor Medicare drug plans and by giving the companies more leverage to demand lower drug prices for their other plans as well. Unfortunately, though, the drug pricing measures in the bill are not designed to actually save money for patients. And they could have a devastating impact on seniors. Specifically, the price caps would slash drug company revenue, dismantling their business model in one fell swoop. Research and development budgets would quickly shrink. Analysts at the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office have evaluated several proposed price-cap measures and concluded that they would slightly decrease the development of new treatments and reduce access to many advanced medicines. Moreover, a study by a University of Chicago economist estimated that an earlier version of the drug pricing bill would prevent up to 342 new drugs from being invented over the next two decades. Any one of those medicines could be a cure for Alzheimers, heart disease, diabetes or any of the dozens of other ailments that disproportionately plague seniors. Yet AARP has spoken favorably about the Build Back Better drug pricing plan. At the same time, it opposes letting consumers count cash rebates from pharmaceutical companies toward their insurance plan deductibles a policy that would help patients but hurt insurers. AARP presents itself as a champion for older Americans, and in some respects, it has been. But as a major beneficiary of insurance industry profits, its hard to see how it can represent its members fairly. Today the organization is supporting policies that will lead to barer medicine cabinets tomorrow. BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem A fight that turned into a shootout at a New Years Eve party late Friday night left seven people wounded from gunshots, three of them dead and one in critical condition, Gulfport police said on Saturday. The mass shooting took place at a residence on Lewis Avenue in west Gulfport where a group of people gathered to celebrate the end of 2021. Gulfport police Sgt. Clayton Fulks said a fight erupted at the party and quickly escalated when multiple people began firing shots in the crowd. The 911 call came in at 11:58 p.m. Seven people were struck by bullets in the crossfire. Three were confirmed dead by Harrison County Coroner Brian Switzer: Corey Dubose, 23, of DIberville Sedrick McCord, 28, of Gulfport Aubrey Lewis, 22, of Bay St. Louis Dubose and McCord were both brought to Memorial Hospital at Gulfport and died from multiple gunshots wounds, Switzer said. Lewis was taken to Singing River Hospital in Gulfport and died in surgery from multiple gunshot wounds. A fourth victim is in critical condition at Memorial. Fulks said three others, two men and a woman, were also shot but suffered non-life threatening injuries. Scene of the shootout The shooting occurred outside of a home in the 1200 block of Lewis Avenue, near the intersection of Old Pass Road in the Gaston Point community. Empty chairs sat in a semicircle outside of a makeshift fire pit on Saturday morning. A basketball sat underneath a chair. Closer to the street, a childs riding toy was parked near the party scene. Neighbors on the street said the gathering was supposed to be a family event to celebrate the beginning of a new year, but quickly grew to a block party. The homeowner declined to speak to the Sun Herald. Police chief asks witnesses to come forward At a press conference at the police department on Saturday afternoon, Gulfport Police Chief Chris Ryle begged witnesses to come forward and give police information that could lead to arrests in the case. So far, nobody in attendance at the party has cooperated with authorities, Ryle said. Story continues Anyone with information can report it anonymously to the police department or Crime Stoppers. It is unfortunate that such a tragic incident occurred in such a great neighborhood, Ryle said. The police chief said shell casings recovered at the scene indicate handguns and assault rifles were fired during the shooting. Chairs sit around a makeshift fire pit from a party on a property on Lewis Avenue in the Gaston Point community in Gulfport, the site of a New Years Eve shooting that killed three, on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2021. The intersection of Lewis Avenue and Old Pass Road in the Gaston Point community in Gulfport on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2021. A shooting took place at a New Years Eve party the night before, killing three and injuring four. A fight that turned into a shootout at a New Years Eve party late Friday night left seven people wounded from gunshots, three of them dead and one in critical condition, Gulfport police said on Saturday. The mass shooting took place at a residence on Lewis Avenue in west Gulfport where a group of people gathered to celebrate the end of 2021. Gulfport police Sgt. Clayton Fulks said a fight erupted at the party and quickly escalated when multiple people began firing shots in the crowd. The 911 call came in at 11:58 p.m. Seven people were struck by bullets in the crossfire. Three were confirmed dead by Harrison County Coroner Brian Switzer: Corey Dubose, 23, of DIberville Sedrick McCord, 28, of Gulfport Aubrey Lewis, 22, of Bay St. Louis Dubose and McCord were both brought to Memorial Hospital at Gulfport and died from multiple gunshots wounds, Switzer said. Lewis was taken to Singing River Hospital in Gulfport and died in surgery from multiple gunshot wounds. A fourth victim is in critical condition at Memorial. Fulks said three others, two men and a woman, were also shot but suffered non-life threatening injuries. Scene of the shootout The shooting occurred outside of a home in the 1200 block of Lewis Avenue, near the intersection of Old Pass Road in the Gaston Point community. Empty chairs sat in a semicircle outside of a makeshift fire pit on Saturday morning. A basketball sat underneath a chair. Closer to the street, a childs riding toy was parked near the party scene. Neighbors on the street said the gathering was supposed to be a family event to celebrate the beginning of a new year, but quickly grew to a block party. The homeowner declined to speak to the Sun Herald. Police chief asks witnesses to come forward At a press conference at the police department on Saturday afternoon, Gulfport Police Chief Chris Ryle begged witnesses to come forward and give police information that could lead to arrests in the case. So far, nobody in attendance at the party has cooperated with authorities, Ryle said. Story continues Anyone with information can report it anonymously to the police department or Crime Stoppers. It is unfortunate that such a tragic incident occurred in such a great neighborhood, Ryle said. The police chief said shell casings recovered at the scene indicate handguns and assault rifles were fired during the shooting. Chairs sit around a makeshift fire pit from a party on a property on Lewis Avenue in the Gaston Point community in Gulfport, the site of a New Years Eve shooting that killed three, on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2021. The intersection of Lewis Avenue and Old Pass Road in the Gaston Point community in Gulfport on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2021. A shooting took place at a New Years Eve party the night before, killing three and injuring four. A fight that turned into a shootout at a New Years Eve party late Friday night left seven people wounded from gunshots, three of them dead and one in critical condition, Gulfport police said on Saturday. The mass shooting took place at a residence on Lewis Avenue in west Gulfport where a group of people gathered to celebrate the end of 2021. Gulfport police Sgt. Clayton Fulks said a fight erupted at the party and quickly escalated when multiple people began firing shots in the crowd. The 911 call came in at 11:58 p.m. Seven people were struck by bullets in the crossfire. Three were confirmed dead by Harrison County Coroner Brian Switzer: Corey Dubose, 23, of DIberville Sedrick McCord, 28, of Gulfport Aubrey Lewis, 22, of Bay St. Louis Dubose and McCord were both brought to Memorial Hospital at Gulfport and died from multiple gunshots wounds, Switzer said. Lewis was taken to Singing River Hospital in Gulfport and died in surgery from multiple gunshot wounds. A fourth victim is in critical condition at Memorial. Fulks said three others, two men and a woman, were also shot but suffered non-life threatening injuries. Scene of the shootout The shooting occurred outside of a home in the 1200 block of Lewis Avenue, near the intersection of Old Pass Road in the Gaston Point community. Empty chairs sat in a semicircle outside of a makeshift fire pit on Saturday morning. A basketball sat underneath a chair. Closer to the street, a childs riding toy was parked near the party scene. Neighbors on the street said the gathering was supposed to be a family event to celebrate the beginning of a new year, but quickly grew to a block party. The homeowner declined to speak to the Sun Herald. Police chief asks witnesses to come forward At a press conference at the police department on Saturday afternoon, Gulfport Police Chief Chris Ryle begged witnesses to come forward and give police information that could lead to arrests in the case. So far, nobody in attendance at the party has cooperated with authorities, Ryle said. Story continues Anyone with information can report it anonymously to the police department or Crime Stoppers. It is unfortunate that such a tragic incident occurred in such a great neighborhood, Ryle said. The police chief said shell casings recovered at the scene indicate handguns and assault rifles were fired during the shooting. Chairs sit around a makeshift fire pit from a party on a property on Lewis Avenue in the Gaston Point community in Gulfport, the site of a New Years Eve shooting that killed three, on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2021. The intersection of Lewis Avenue and Old Pass Road in the Gaston Point community in Gulfport on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2021. A shooting took place at a New Years Eve party the night before, killing three and injuring four. A fight that turned into a shootout at a New Years Eve party late Friday night left seven people wounded from gunshots, three of them dead and one in critical condition, Gulfport police said on Saturday. The mass shooting took place at a residence on Lewis Avenue in west Gulfport where a group of people gathered to celebrate the end of 2021. Gulfport police Sgt. Clayton Fulks said a fight erupted at the party and quickly escalated when multiple people began firing shots in the crowd. The 911 call came in at 11:58 p.m. Seven people were struck by bullets in the crossfire. Three were confirmed dead by Harrison County Coroner Brian Switzer: Corey Dubose, 23, of DIberville Sedrick McCord, 28, of Gulfport Aubrey Lewis, 22, of Bay St. Louis Dubose and McCord were both brought to Memorial Hospital at Gulfport and died from multiple gunshots wounds, Switzer said. Lewis was taken to Singing River Hospital in Gulfport and died in surgery from multiple gunshot wounds. A fourth victim is in critical condition at Memorial. Fulks said three others, two men and a woman, were also shot but suffered non-life threatening injuries. Scene of the shootout The shooting occurred outside of a home in the 1200 block of Lewis Avenue, near the intersection of Old Pass Road in the Gaston Point community. Empty chairs sat in a semicircle outside of a makeshift fire pit on Saturday morning. A basketball sat underneath a chair. Closer to the street, a childs riding toy was parked near the party scene. Neighbors on the street said the gathering was supposed to be a family event to celebrate the beginning of a new year, but quickly grew to a block party. The homeowner declined to speak to the Sun Herald. Police chief asks witnesses to come forward At a press conference at the police department on Saturday afternoon, Gulfport Police Chief Chris Ryle begged witnesses to come forward and give police information that could lead to arrests in the case. So far, nobody in attendance at the party has cooperated with authorities, Ryle said. Story continues Anyone with information can report it anonymously to the police department or Crime Stoppers. It is unfortunate that such a tragic incident occurred in such a great neighborhood, Ryle said. The police chief said shell casings recovered at the scene indicate handguns and assault rifles were fired during the shooting. Chairs sit around a makeshift fire pit from a party on a property on Lewis Avenue in the Gaston Point community in Gulfport, the site of a New Years Eve shooting that killed three, on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2021. The intersection of Lewis Avenue and Old Pass Road in the Gaston Point community in Gulfport on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2021. A shooting took place at a New Years Eve party the night before, killing three and injuring four. New Delhi, Jan 1 : The Crime Branch of Delhi Police has nabbed a gold smuggler who was wanted in an gold seizure case at the IGI Airport in Delhi. The accused, Mohammed Shakeel, was wanted in a Customs gold seizure case, in which the police seized 7.790 kg gold at the IGI Airport on February 20, 2021, the police said. During the investigation, it was found that the owner of the gold consignment was Mohammad Shakeel, who ran a gold smuggling racket with the help of two others -- Mohammad Irfan and Mohammad Kashif. The travel records of Kashif indicated that he left India for Dubai on August 31, 2021. Irfan was arrested on October 1, 2021. Shakeel was not joining the investigation and was still at large, despite being served notice under, officials said. On the request of the Customs department, the task was assigned to a team of narcotics cell of Crime Branch to render assistance in arresting Shakeel. During the probe, the police team got the information of Shakeel's presence in the Jama Masjid area, and a secret informer was deployed. On Friday, secret information was received that Shakeel would come to the New Delhi Railway Station in the evening. Accordingly, a trap was laid and Shakeel was nabbed by a team of the Crime Branch from outside the railway station while he was trying to flee. The police said that Shakeel was the kingpin of the gold smuggling racket. Leonard Cox of Clinton County said a man wanted in the fatal shooting of a sheriffs deputy was pointing a gun at his forehead when hostage negotiators were talking to the suspect. He grabs the gun, sticks it right on my forehead and he tells them, Tell them where the guns at. I told them, Its right on my forehead, Cox said in a KSDK-Channel 5 interview as he described how the suspect had forced Cox and another man into Coxs basement on Wednesday. A short time after that, SWAT officers entered Coxs home and were able to arrest Ray Tate, 40, of Kentucky. Tate has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley, 38, on Interstate 64 on Wednesday just hours before Cox was held hostage. Cox told the television station that police were able to track the suspect to the home in Clinton County because of the smart watch the other hostage was wearing. Cox said he tried to follow all of the suspects commands but he figured there was a really good possibility that he would not get out of his house alive. I didnt want to do anything else to set him off, Cox told KSDK. The suspect had fired off several shots inside the home before police arrested him. Cox also said the suspect had told him that he didnt want to hurt him or cause him any trouble and that he just needed a place to lay low for a little bit. Before the police entered the home, Cox said the other hostage was able to escape. Cox told Channel 5 that during the ordeal he was making his final prayers. Im praying that hopefully I get to see another day and if I dont Im praying, God, hope Im good enough where I get to go to heaven. Leonard Cox of Clinton County said a man wanted in the fatal shooting of a sheriffs deputy was pointing a gun at his forehead when hostage negotiators were talking to the suspect. He grabs the gun, sticks it right on my forehead and he tells them, Tell them where the guns at. I told them, Its right on my forehead, Cox said in a KSDK-Channel 5 interview as he described how the suspect had forced Cox and another man into Coxs basement on Wednesday. A short time after that, SWAT officers entered Coxs home and were able to arrest Ray Tate, 40, of Kentucky. Tate has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley, 38, on Interstate 64 on Wednesday just hours before Cox was held hostage. Cox told the television station that police were able to track the suspect to the home in Clinton County because of the smart watch the other hostage was wearing. Cox said he tried to follow all of the suspects commands but he figured there was a really good possibility that he would not get out of his house alive. I didnt want to do anything else to set him off, Cox told KSDK. The suspect had fired off several shots inside the home before police arrested him. Cox also said the suspect had told him that he didnt want to hurt him or cause him any trouble and that he just needed a place to lay low for a little bit. Before the police entered the home, Cox said the other hostage was able to escape. Cox told Channel 5 that during the ordeal he was making his final prayers. Im praying that hopefully I get to see another day and if I dont Im praying, God, hope Im good enough where I get to go to heaven. WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed by a man who went on to carjack, rob and shoot more people during a two-state manhunt this week said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters, Missouri. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a "series" of carjackings, robberies and shootings on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities eventually caught up to him in Clinton County, Illinois, where he held a person hostage in a home. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. The family's full statement is below: The Family of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley mourns the loss of their husband, father, son and friend. We could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support. To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero. Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. -Matthew 5:9 Visitation for Sean Riley will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m., Monday January 3, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with a first responder walk thru at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials in his honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. Memorials will be accepted at the services and the Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, IL which is assisting with arrangements. Additional information will be released in the coming days. We ask the community to show their support by lining the procession route. New Delhi, Jan 1 : The Crime Branch of Delhi Police has nabbed a gold smuggler who was wanted in an gold seizure case at the IGI Airport in Delhi. The accused, Mohammed Shakeel, was wanted in a Customs gold seizure case, in which the police seized 7.790 kg gold at the IGI Airport on February 20, 2021, the police said. During the investigation, it was found that the owner of the gold consignment was Mohammad Shakeel, who ran a gold smuggling racket with the help of two others -- Mohammad Irfan and Mohammad Kashif. The travel records of Kashif indicated that he left India for Dubai on August 31, 2021. Irfan was arrested on October 1, 2021. Shakeel was not joining the investigation and was still at large, despite being served notice under, officials said. On the request of the Customs department, the task was assigned to a team of narcotics cell of Crime Branch to render assistance in arresting Shakeel. During the probe, the police team got the information of Shakeel's presence in the Jama Masjid area, and a secret informer was deployed. On Friday, secret information was received that Shakeel would come to the New Delhi Railway Station in the evening. Accordingly, a trap was laid and Shakeel was nabbed by a team of the Crime Branch from outside the railway station while he was trying to flee. The police said that Shakeel was the kingpin of the gold smuggling racket. New Delhi, Jan 1 : The Crime Branch of Delhi Police has nabbed a gold smuggler who was wanted in an gold seizure case at the IGI Airport in Delhi. The accused, Mohammed Shakeel, was wanted in a Customs gold seizure case, in which the police seized 7.790 kg gold at the IGI Airport on February 20, 2021, the police said. During the investigation, it was found that the owner of the gold consignment was Mohammad Shakeel, who ran a gold smuggling racket with the help of two others -- Mohammad Irfan and Mohammad Kashif. The travel records of Kashif indicated that he left India for Dubai on August 31, 2021. Irfan was arrested on October 1, 2021. Shakeel was not joining the investigation and was still at large, despite being served notice under, officials said. On the request of the Customs department, the task was assigned to a team of narcotics cell of Crime Branch to render assistance in arresting Shakeel. During the probe, the police team got the information of Shakeel's presence in the Jama Masjid area, and a secret informer was deployed. On Friday, secret information was received that Shakeel would come to the New Delhi Railway Station in the evening. Accordingly, a trap was laid and Shakeel was nabbed by a team of the Crime Branch from outside the railway station while he was trying to flee. The police said that Shakeel was the kingpin of the gold smuggling racket. New Delhi, Jan 1 : The Crime Branch of Delhi Police has nabbed a gold smuggler who was wanted in an gold seizure case at the IGI Airport in Delhi. The accused, Mohammed Shakeel, was wanted in a Customs gold seizure case, in which the police seized 7.790 kg gold at the IGI Airport on February 20, 2021, the police said. During the investigation, it was found that the owner of the gold consignment was Mohammad Shakeel, who ran a gold smuggling racket with the help of two others -- Mohammad Irfan and Mohammad Kashif. The travel records of Kashif indicated that he left India for Dubai on August 31, 2021. Irfan was arrested on October 1, 2021. Shakeel was not joining the investigation and was still at large, despite being served notice under, officials said. On the request of the Customs department, the task was assigned to a team of narcotics cell of Crime Branch to render assistance in arresting Shakeel. During the probe, the police team got the information of Shakeel's presence in the Jama Masjid area, and a secret informer was deployed. On Friday, secret information was received that Shakeel would come to the New Delhi Railway Station in the evening. Accordingly, a trap was laid and Shakeel was nabbed by a team of the Crime Branch from outside the railway station while he was trying to flee. The police said that Shakeel was the kingpin of the gold smuggling racket. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/iran-slaps-down-us-concerns-over-space-programme-after-satellite-launch-1091965452.html Iran Slaps Down US Concerns Over Space Programme After Satellite Launch Iran Slaps Down US Concerns Over Space Programme After Satellite Launch Iran launched a rocket carrying three satellites into space on Thursday. The US and France condemned the launch, and Washington called it a proliferation... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T17:11+0000 2022-01-01T17:11+0000 2022-01-02T09:18+0000 america iran satellite space rockets /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107220/00/1072200057_0:220:2001:1345_1920x0_80_0_0_b62775247f5c3d8355978cdf413ddfa9.jpg Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh slapped down US and European criticism of Tehrans space launch, saying the Islamic Republic doesnt really care about the opinions of others regarding the matter.After Thursdays launch of the Simorgh space rocket, a US State Department spokesman said Washington remains concerned with Irans development of space launch vehicles, suggesting that these pose a significant proliferation concern.According to the spokesman, these rockets incorporate technologies that are virtually identical to, and interchangeable with, those used in ballistic missiles, including longer-range systems, and Thursdays launch was a violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231, which calls on Iran not to conduct any nuclear-capable missile testing.France also criticised the launch, with the French Foreign Ministry calling it regrettable amid progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna".We call on Iran not to launch further ballistic missiles designed to be capable of carrying nuclear weapons, including space launchers, Paris said.The spokesman praised the efforts of Iranian rocket scientists and their homegrown scientific innovations in the field of aerospace technologies, pointing out that they have been accomplished in the face of illegal foreign sanctions.Mystery Space LaunchA Simorgh rocket carried three satellites into space on Thursday, with the payload reaching an altitude of 470km. Defence Ministry spokesman Ahmad Hosseini announced that the performance of the space centre and the performance of the satellite carrier were adequate, and that the intended research goals of this launch were achieved.NASA later reported that the satellites had apparently failed to reach their intended orbit, with no objects detected in the space they were expected to be occupying after the launch.Hosseini provided little additional information on the nature of the space research mission". Earlier last month, Iranian media reported on preparations for the launch of four different satellites in the near future, including the Zafar 2 Earth-imaging microsatellite, the Pars 1 remote-sensing satellite, and the Nahid 1 and 2 low Earth orbit communications microsatellites.Iran has one of the most advanced home-grown space programmes in the Middle East, and in 2009 became the first Muslim nation independently to launch a satellite into orbit.The United States has consistently condemned the Iranian space programmes activities, in part because of their perceived connections to the military. In 2020, after the US Department of Defense dismissed the Noor 1 military satellite as just a tumbling webcam in space, Iran trolled the Pentagon by releasing high-res images of Al-Udeid Air Base Americas largest military facility in the Middle East, snapped by the satellite.Irans space programme has ambitious goals, including plans to send astronauts into orbit later in the decade, work on new more powerful solid fuel launch vehicles, satellites with an imaging accuracy of within one metre, and the creation of a new type of satellite capable of operating in geostationary orbit. https://sputniknews.com/20211230/iran-launches-three-new-satellites-into-low-earth-orbit-1091912618.html https://sputniknews.com/20200730/iranian-satellite-once-derided-as-tumbling-webcam-in-space-snaps-pics-of-uss-largest-mideast-base-1080015559.html iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov america, iran, satellite, space rockets https://sputniknews.com/20220101/iran-slaps-down-us-concerns-over-space-programme-after-satellite-launch-1091965452.html Iran Slaps Down US Concerns Over Space Programme After Satellite Launch Iran Slaps Down US Concerns Over Space Programme After Satellite Launch Iran launched a rocket carrying three satellites into space on Thursday. The US and France condemned the launch, and Washington called it a proliferation... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T17:11+0000 2022-01-01T17:11+0000 2022-01-02T09:18+0000 america iran satellite space rockets /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107220/00/1072200057_0:220:2001:1345_1920x0_80_0_0_b62775247f5c3d8355978cdf413ddfa9.jpg Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh slapped down US and European criticism of Tehrans space launch, saying the Islamic Republic doesnt really care about the opinions of others regarding the matter.After Thursdays launch of the Simorgh space rocket, a US State Department spokesman said Washington remains concerned with Irans development of space launch vehicles, suggesting that these pose a significant proliferation concern.According to the spokesman, these rockets incorporate technologies that are virtually identical to, and interchangeable with, those used in ballistic missiles, including longer-range systems, and Thursdays launch was a violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231, which calls on Iran not to conduct any nuclear-capable missile testing.France also criticised the launch, with the French Foreign Ministry calling it regrettable amid progress in the nuclear negotiations in Vienna".We call on Iran not to launch further ballistic missiles designed to be capable of carrying nuclear weapons, including space launchers, Paris said.The spokesman praised the efforts of Iranian rocket scientists and their homegrown scientific innovations in the field of aerospace technologies, pointing out that they have been accomplished in the face of illegal foreign sanctions.Mystery Space LaunchA Simorgh rocket carried three satellites into space on Thursday, with the payload reaching an altitude of 470km. Defence Ministry spokesman Ahmad Hosseini announced that the performance of the space centre and the performance of the satellite carrier were adequate, and that the intended research goals of this launch were achieved.NASA later reported that the satellites had apparently failed to reach their intended orbit, with no objects detected in the space they were expected to be occupying after the launch.Hosseini provided little additional information on the nature of the space research mission". Earlier last month, Iranian media reported on preparations for the launch of four different satellites in the near future, including the Zafar 2 Earth-imaging microsatellite, the Pars 1 remote-sensing satellite, and the Nahid 1 and 2 low Earth orbit communications microsatellites.Iran has one of the most advanced home-grown space programmes in the Middle East, and in 2009 became the first Muslim nation independently to launch a satellite into orbit.The United States has consistently condemned the Iranian space programmes activities, in part because of their perceived connections to the military. In 2020, after the US Department of Defense dismissed the Noor 1 military satellite as just a tumbling webcam in space, Iran trolled the Pentagon by releasing high-res images of Al-Udeid Air Base Americas largest military facility in the Middle East, snapped by the satellite.Irans space programme has ambitious goals, including plans to send astronauts into orbit later in the decade, work on new more powerful solid fuel launch vehicles, satellites with an imaging accuracy of within one metre, and the creation of a new type of satellite capable of operating in geostationary orbit. https://sputniknews.com/20211230/iran-launches-three-new-satellites-into-low-earth-orbit-1091912618.html https://sputniknews.com/20200730/iranian-satellite-once-derided-as-tumbling-webcam-in-space-snaps-pics-of-uss-largest-mideast-base-1080015559.html iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov america, iran, satellite, space rockets (Alliance News) - Restrictions on freedom "must be an absolute last resort", UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said, as a health boss warned that the prevalence of the Omicron coronavirus variant could prompt hospital managers to close wards to visitors. Javid and NHS Confederation Chief Executive Matthew Taylor agreed that the record-breaking Omicron wave of infection will "test the limits of finite NHS capacity even more than a typical winter", with reports suggesting a requirement to work from home in England could be in place for most of January. And Taylor said some hospitals could be forced to exclude visitors as part of the "difficult choices" made to stymie the spread of Omicron on wards. It came as figures showed that hospital admissions in England have risen to their highest level since January 2021, while the number of NHS hospital staff absent due to the virus nearly doubled in a month. A further 189,846 lab-confirmed Covid-19 cases were recorded in the UK on Friday, another new daily record, as the British Medical Association called for further public health measures "urgently to prevent the health service being completely overwhelmed". And David Spiegelhalter, a Cambridge University statistician and UK government adviser, said the actual number of daily cases could be closer to half a million. Javid, writing in the Daily Mail, said England had "welcomed in 2022 with some of the least restrictive measures in Europe", with the UK government at odds with the devolved nations in choosing to keep nightclubs open and to allow hospitality to operate without further measures for new year celebrations. "Curbs on our freedom must be an absolute last resort and the British people rightly expect us to do everything in our power to avert them," the Health secretary continued. "Since I came into this role six months ago, I've also been acutely conscious of the enormous health, social and economic costs of lockdowns. "So I've been determined that we must give ourselves the best chance of living alongside the virus and avoiding strict measures in the future." The Daily Telegraph reported that work from home guidance, which is in place as part of England's Plan B measures that also include widespread mask-wearing in public places and mandatory Covid passes for large events a could be set to roll on for another three weeks. The most recent restrictions are set to expire six weeks after implementation, with a review after three weeks, which is expected on or close to Tuesday January 4. But the newspaper said the review, likely to be timed for when members of Parliament return to Westminster on Wednesday, could see the work-from-home guidance remain in place into the latter half of the month. Taylor, who heads up the body that represents NHS trusts, said the pressures hospitals continue to face will have an impact on decisions. He told BBC Breakfast: "Hospital managers have to make very difficult choices and excluding visitors is one of those very difficult choices. "It's not something that anybody wants to do, it's a last resort. "But, when you're facing the kind of pressures the health service is going to be under for the next few weeks, this is the kind of thing managers have to do." He added: "I understand how much people want to return to normal and I'm confident that, as this year progresses, we will be able to do that, and we all hope that 2022 is the year in which coronavirus just becomes an illness that we live with, not an illness that dominates our lives. "But you can have the optimism but still recognise the next few weeks are going to be very tough and we need to do whatever is necessary to get us through these next few weeks." It came as a number of high-profile advisers on the front line of the UK's Covid response were recognised in the New Year Honours list, including England's chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, Deputy CMO Jonathan Van-Tam, and Wales' and Scotland's CMOs, Frank Atherton and Gregor Smith, who have all been given knighthoods. By Patrick Daly and Ryan Hooper, PA source: PA Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. People commute in the city of Srinagar, in Kashmir, India, on Sept. 17, 2018. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) New Years Eve Stampede at India Temple Kills 12 Pilgrims, Injures Dozens At least 12 people were killed in a stampede at a religious shrine in Kashmir, India, while a dozen others were injured as tens of thousands of pilgrims came to the temple to offer prayers on New Years Eve. The incident happened at around 2:40 a.m. on Saturday at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan shrine, one of the most popular temples in India, Press Trust of Kashmir reported. Police were quick to launch a rescue operation and found that at least 12 people were crushed to death in the stampede incident, and 15 others were injured and hospitalized. Officials believe that the stampede was triggered by a large crowd of devotees who gathered at the shrine to pay their respects on New Years Eve. One devotee, who only identified as Mahesh, claimed that the stampede occurred near one of the gates where pilgrims entered and exited the route to the shrine. Something happened near one of the gates and I found myself under a crush of people. I suffocated and fell but somehow managed to stand up, Mahesh said. I saw people moving over the bodies. It was a horrifying sight, but I managed to help in rescuing some injured people. Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to his Twitter account to express his condolences to the victims, saying that he is extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to the stampede incident. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon, Modi said. Pilgrims often trek on foot to reach the hilltop temple, which is one of the most visited shrines in northern India. Deadly crowd surges are fairly common during Indian religious festivals where huge gatherings, sometimes in the millions, cover small areas with few safety or control measures. A similar incident happened in 2013, when a stampede broke out near a temple at Ratangarh in Madhya Pradeshs Datia district, killing at least 115 people and injuring more than 80. Officials believed a rumor that the bridge near the Ratangarh temple was collapsing had led to the stampede, The Hindu reported. In 2011, a vehicle carrying pilgrims plowed into a crowd and overturned, causing people to panic and triggering a stampede near the Hindu shrine of Sabarimala at Pulmedu in Keralas Idduki district. At least 104 people were killed and 50 others were injured, according to The Indian Express. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Guwahati, Jan 1 : Amidst the strong demand to repeal the Armed Forces (Special Power) Act from the entire northeastern region, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that some "rationalisation" regarding the contentious act is expected in the new year. He said that the Army, which deployed in the disturbed areas under the AFSPA, has virtually withdrawn from Assam, except for five-six districts and when the current term of the AFSPA end after four months, the state government would take a "pragmatic decision" in consultation with the Union Home Ministry. "A dynamic situation is now prevailing in Assam. Some rationalisation will be seen on AFSPA in 2022," Sarma told the media. The AFSPA was enforced in Assam in November 1990 and has been extended every six months. He said that the Centre has formed a high-powered committee to look into the demand about the AFSPA in Nagaland and in the next 45 days, some positive development is expected. A vociferous agitations by almost all political parties, NGOs and Naga civil society organisations are going on in Nagaland to repeal the AFSPA after 14 people were killed and 30 other injured by the security forces in its Mon district. The Chief Minister claimed that militancy was on the wane in Assam, with all tribal militant groups already coming forward for talks and depositing their arms and ammunition. "The ULFA-I (United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent) has shown a positive attitude. There has been no conflict between the ULFA-I and the security forces during the past eight months. The demand for sovereignty remained the main hurdle to take forward the talks with ULFA-I," he said. Sarma also said that with the initiatives of the civil society and tribal organisations, specially the students' organisation, the tribal insurgency in Assam is almost over. "Paresh Barua (self-styled ULFA-I Commander-in-Chief) has been in the jungle since 1982. He is very positive about negotiating with the government. The Government of India and Assam government also shown very positive attitude towards the ULFA-I," the Chief Minister said. Guwahati, Jan 1 : Amidst the strong demand to repeal the Armed Forces (Special Power) Act from the entire northeastern region, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that some "rationalisation" regarding the contentious act is expected in the new year. He said that the Army, which deployed in the disturbed areas under the AFSPA, has virtually withdrawn from Assam, except for five-six districts and when the current term of the AFSPA end after four months, the state government would take a "pragmatic decision" in consultation with the Union Home Ministry. "A dynamic situation is now prevailing in Assam. Some rationalisation will be seen on AFSPA in 2022," Sarma told the media. The AFSPA was enforced in Assam in November 1990 and has been extended every six months. He said that the Centre has formed a high-powered committee to look into the demand about the AFSPA in Nagaland and in the next 45 days, some positive development is expected. A vociferous agitations by almost all political parties, NGOs and Naga civil society organisations are going on in Nagaland to repeal the AFSPA after 14 people were killed and 30 other injured by the security forces in its Mon district. The Chief Minister claimed that militancy was on the wane in Assam, with all tribal militant groups already coming forward for talks and depositing their arms and ammunition. "The ULFA-I (United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent) has shown a positive attitude. There has been no conflict between the ULFA-I and the security forces during the past eight months. The demand for sovereignty remained the main hurdle to take forward the talks with ULFA-I," he said. Sarma also said that with the initiatives of the civil society and tribal organisations, specially the students' organisation, the tribal insurgency in Assam is almost over. "Paresh Barua (self-styled ULFA-I Commander-in-Chief) has been in the jungle since 1982. He is very positive about negotiating with the government. The Government of India and Assam government also shown very positive attitude towards the ULFA-I," the Chief Minister said. WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed by a man who went on to carjack, rob and shoot more people during a two-state manhunt this week said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters, Missouri. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a "series" of carjackings, robberies and shootings on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities eventually caught up to him in Clinton County, Illinois, where he held a person hostage in a home. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. The family's full statement is below: The Family of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley mourns the loss of their husband, father, son and friend. We could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support. To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero. Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. -Matthew 5:9 Visitation for Sean Riley will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m., Monday January 3, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with a first responder walk thru at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials in his honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. Memorials will be accepted at the services and the Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, IL which is assisting with arrangements. Additional information will be released in the coming days. We ask the community to show their support by lining the procession route. The acting Public Health Minister of Afghanistan, Dr Abdul Bari Omar, said nearly ten thousand people were infected with the coronavirus and 650 people died in the past five months. Citing a press conference by Dr Omar, Pajhwok news agency reported that the country has been administering at least 8000-10,000 vaccines on a daily basis. However, he acknowledged the county has witnessed an umpteen number of problems including, lack of health infrastructure and medical staff. According to Dr Omar, Afghanistan was coordinating with UNICEF to get the best possible help from the United Nations agency. He informed that the agency has promised to establish ten oxygen-producing plants in order to avoid its shortage. Further, he urged the international communities to extend their hands to help lakhs of Afghans who have been facing an unprecedented crisis since the Taliban ousted the democratically elected government in mid-August last year. "The health sector was 90% dependent on foreign aid, which has been suspended, but efforts are being made to convince the world and solve the existing problems," Pajhwok quoted the acting Public Health Minister as saying. It should be mentioned here that the condition of the war-torn country further deteriorated after the extremist group seized power from the democratic Ashraf Ghani-led government on August 15, this year, resulting in the total collapse of the system. Though the Taliban assumed control nearly a month after ousting Ashraf Ghani, it was too late to address the concerns of citizens. A top Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) who had visited the country noted more than 24 million people require life-saving assistance in Afghanistan. India sends 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Afghanistan India on Thursday sent a batch of 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, to Afghanistan. According to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday, the batch of humanitarian assistance consisting of five lakh COVID vaccines was received by the Taliban extremist group on 1 January 2022. A statement by the MEA mentioned that the humanitarian assistance was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul. Further, the Ministry said that New Delhi will release another batch of additional five lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks. (Image: Unsplash/AP) Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikat on Saturday said that decision to import milk from Australia will pose an existential crisis for cattle farmers. Tikait also said that decision to import milk from abroad will pose an existential crisis for the cattle farmers. In a tweet, Tikait said, "The government is going to enter into an agreement with Australia next month to buy milk, under which it plans to sell milk at Rs 20-22 per litre. The decision of the government to import milk from abroad will pose an existential crisis for the cattle farmers of the country. Farmers will oppose it." (ANI) The acting Public Health Minister of Afghanistan, Dr Abdul Bari Omar, said nearly ten thousand people were infected with the coronavirus and 650 people died in the past five months. Citing a press conference by Dr Omar, Pajhwok news agency reported that the country has been administering at least 8000-10,000 vaccines on a daily basis. However, he acknowledged the county has witnessed an umpteen number of problems including, lack of health infrastructure and medical staff. According to Dr Omar, Afghanistan was coordinating with UNICEF to get the best possible help from the United Nations agency. He informed that the agency has promised to establish ten oxygen-producing plants in order to avoid its shortage. Further, he urged the international communities to extend their hands to help lakhs of Afghans who have been facing an unprecedented crisis since the Taliban ousted the democratically elected government in mid-August last year. "The health sector was 90% dependent on foreign aid, which has been suspended, but efforts are being made to convince the world and solve the existing problems," Pajhwok quoted the acting Public Health Minister as saying. It should be mentioned here that the condition of the war-torn country further deteriorated after the extremist group seized power from the democratic Ashraf Ghani-led government on August 15, this year, resulting in the total collapse of the system. Though the Taliban assumed control nearly a month after ousting Ashraf Ghani, it was too late to address the concerns of citizens. A top Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) who had visited the country noted more than 24 million people require life-saving assistance in Afghanistan. India sends 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Afghanistan India on Thursday sent a batch of 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, to Afghanistan. According to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday, the batch of humanitarian assistance consisting of five lakh COVID vaccines was received by the Taliban extremist group on 1 January 2022. A statement by the MEA mentioned that the humanitarian assistance was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul. Further, the Ministry said that New Delhi will release another batch of additional five lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks. (Image: Unsplash/AP) The acting Public Health Minister of Afghanistan, Dr Abdul Bari Omar, said nearly ten thousand people were infected with the coronavirus and 650 people died in the past five months. Citing a press conference by Dr Omar, Pajhwok news agency reported that the country has been administering at least 8000-10,000 vaccines on a daily basis. However, he acknowledged the county has witnessed an umpteen number of problems including, lack of health infrastructure and medical staff. According to Dr Omar, Afghanistan was coordinating with UNICEF to get the best possible help from the United Nations agency. He informed that the agency has promised to establish ten oxygen-producing plants in order to avoid its shortage. Further, he urged the international communities to extend their hands to help lakhs of Afghans who have been facing an unprecedented crisis since the Taliban ousted the democratically elected government in mid-August last year. "The health sector was 90% dependent on foreign aid, which has been suspended, but efforts are being made to convince the world and solve the existing problems," Pajhwok quoted the acting Public Health Minister as saying. It should be mentioned here that the condition of the war-torn country further deteriorated after the extremist group seized power from the democratic Ashraf Ghani-led government on August 15, this year, resulting in the total collapse of the system. Though the Taliban assumed control nearly a month after ousting Ashraf Ghani, it was too late to address the concerns of citizens. A top Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) who had visited the country noted more than 24 million people require life-saving assistance in Afghanistan. India sends 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Afghanistan India on Thursday sent a batch of 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, to Afghanistan. According to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday, the batch of humanitarian assistance consisting of five lakh COVID vaccines was received by the Taliban extremist group on 1 January 2022. A statement by the MEA mentioned that the humanitarian assistance was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul. Further, the Ministry said that New Delhi will release another batch of additional five lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks. (Image: Unsplash/AP) From: Arun Lakshman ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Arun Lakshman Date: Sat, 1 Jan, 2022, 5:40 pm Subject: BJP comes out against Kerala government decision to deny Dlitt to President To: Venkatram NarendraPuppala A Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 1 (IANS) Senior BJP leader and Union Minister of State for External Affairs, V. Muraleedharan, on Saturday strongly condemned the alleged decision of the Kerala government to deny an honourary D.Litt to President Ram Nath Kovind. The Union minister termed the 'decision' of the state government, if true, as a shame. It may be noted that senior Congress leader and former Opposition leader in Kerala, Ramesh Chennithala, had alleged that the state government sabotaged the recommendation of Governor Arif Mohammed Khan to confer an honorary D.Litt on President Ram Nath Kovind. Speaking to reporters at Thrissur, Muraleedharan said that more clarity is required on the D.Litt conferment from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The minister asked the Chief Minister as to whether the state government had taken a decision not to confer D.Litt on the President. He said this is a clear example of the anti-Dalit stand of the Kerala government, adding that the incident has brought shame to the country and humiliated the President. Meanwhile, BJP's Kerala unit chief K. Surendran also came out strongly against the alleged decision of the state government not to confer D.Litt on the President. He said that the Chief Minister must come out with details of the incident and not keep the people of the state in the dark. New Delhi, Jan 1 : The Crime Branch of Delhi Police has nabbed a gold smuggler who was wanted in an gold seizure case at the IGI Airport in Delhi. The accused, Mohammed Shakeel, was wanted in a Customs gold seizure case, in which the police seized 7.790 kg gold at the IGI Airport on February 20, 2021, the police said. During the investigation, it was found that the owner of the gold consignment was Mohammad Shakeel, who ran a gold smuggling racket with the help of two others -- Mohammad Irfan and Mohammad Kashif. The travel records of Kashif indicated that he left India for Dubai on August 31, 2021. Irfan was arrested on October 1, 2021. Shakeel was not joining the investigation and was still at large, despite being served notice under, officials said. On the request of the Customs department, the task was assigned to a team of narcotics cell of Crime Branch to render assistance in arresting Shakeel. During the probe, the police team got the information of Shakeel's presence in the Jama Masjid area, and a secret informer was deployed. On Friday, secret information was received that Shakeel would come to the New Delhi Railway Station in the evening. Accordingly, a trap was laid and Shakeel was nabbed by a team of the Crime Branch from outside the railway station while he was trying to flee. The police said that Shakeel was the kingpin of the gold smuggling racket. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. From: Arun Lakshman ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Arun Lakshman Date: Sat, 1 Jan, 2022, 5:40 pm Subject: BJP comes out against Kerala government decision to deny Dlitt to President To: Venkatram NarendraPuppala A Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 1 (IANS) Senior BJP leader and Union Minister of State for External Affairs, V. Muraleedharan, on Saturday strongly condemned the alleged decision of the Kerala government to deny an honourary D.Litt to President Ram Nath Kovind. The Union minister termed the 'decision' of the state government, if true, as a shame. It may be noted that senior Congress leader and former Opposition leader in Kerala, Ramesh Chennithala, had alleged that the state government sabotaged the recommendation of Governor Arif Mohammed Khan to confer an honorary D.Litt on President Ram Nath Kovind. Speaking to reporters at Thrissur, Muraleedharan said that more clarity is required on the D.Litt conferment from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The minister asked the Chief Minister as to whether the state government had taken a decision not to confer D.Litt on the President. He said this is a clear example of the anti-Dalit stand of the Kerala government, adding that the incident has brought shame to the country and humiliated the President. Meanwhile, BJP's Kerala unit chief K. Surendran also came out strongly against the alleged decision of the state government not to confer D.Litt on the President. He said that the Chief Minister must come out with details of the incident and not keep the people of the state in the dark. From: Arun Lakshman ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Arun Lakshman Date: Sat, 1 Jan, 2022, 5:40 pm Subject: BJP comes out against Kerala government decision to deny Dlitt to President To: Venkatram NarendraPuppala A Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 1 (IANS) Senior BJP leader and Union Minister of State for External Affairs, V. Muraleedharan, on Saturday strongly condemned the alleged decision of the Kerala government to deny an honourary D.Litt to President Ram Nath Kovind. The Union minister termed the 'decision' of the state government, if true, as a shame. It may be noted that senior Congress leader and former Opposition leader in Kerala, Ramesh Chennithala, had alleged that the state government sabotaged the recommendation of Governor Arif Mohammed Khan to confer an honorary D.Litt on President Ram Nath Kovind. Speaking to reporters at Thrissur, Muraleedharan said that more clarity is required on the D.Litt conferment from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The minister asked the Chief Minister as to whether the state government had taken a decision not to confer D.Litt on the President. He said this is a clear example of the anti-Dalit stand of the Kerala government, adding that the incident has brought shame to the country and humiliated the President. Meanwhile, BJP's Kerala unit chief K. Surendran also came out strongly against the alleged decision of the state government not to confer D.Litt on the President. He said that the Chief Minister must come out with details of the incident and not keep the people of the state in the dark. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of lives in a stampede incident at the Vaishno Devi temple in Katra and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured. "Deeply saddened to learn about this incident that occurred at Mata Vaishno Devi temple premises. My condolences to the families of the deceased. I pray to God for the speedy recovery of all the injured," Kejriwal said in a tweet. As per the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board's statement at around 2:15 am, the stampede occurred near Gate No. 3 at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan, in which 12 pilgrims lost their lives and 15 pilgrims got injured. Four have been discharged so far from hospital. According to Jammu and Kashmir's Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh, an argument broke out which resulted in people pushing each other, followed by a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine early on Saturday morning. The injured pilgrims were provided with the first aid at Medical Unit Bhawan and subsequently shifted to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Super Specialty Hospital, Kakryal for specialised treatment. Dr JP Singh, Neurosurgeon, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, said that of all the 15 injured people four were admitted to ICU. The dead bodies of the deceased have been shifted to Community Health Centres in Katra for further legal formalities. A three-member high-level team has been ordered by the government to probe the stampede. As per an official statement issued by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, the team will be headed by the Principal Secretary Home, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Jammu Zone, and Divisional Commissioner of Jammu. Meanwhile, Union Minister Jitendra Singh Jammu and Kashmir's Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh, also reached the Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital where the injured are undergoing treatment. Speaking to ANI, Singh said, People who got admitted here are stable. We may add some technical solutions for the yatra. Earlier, people used to visit the shrine during festivals, nowadays youngsters want to visit the shrine on 1st day of the year: PM Modi is monitoring the situation." Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured. Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh for the next of kin of those who died and Rs 2 lakh for the injured. The cave shrine is situated at an altitude of 5,200 feet in the Reasi district and generally attracts close to a million devotees every year. The operations of the pilgrimage site are managed by the Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, which provides battery car and ropeway services to the pilgrims to reach the top of Trikuta hills for darshan. Vaishno Devi Yatra has also resumed today after being suspended briefly following the stampede incident. (ANI) Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) killed six "armed bandits" in the country's southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan, the IRGC said in a statement on January 1. Three local members of the volunteer Basij militia fighting alongside the IRGC forces were killed in the clashes, the statement said, adding that at least five bandits were wounded. Sistan-Baluchistan, one of Irans poorest provinces, is a volatile area near Iran's borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan where drug smugglers and militant groups operate. On December 31, the IRGC shot dead three men believed to have been involved in a deadly attack that left two guards dead on December 25, Iranian media reported. Based on reporting by Reuters and IRNA Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) killed six "armed bandits" in the country's southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan, the IRGC said in a statement on January 1. Three local members of the volunteer Basij militia fighting alongside the IRGC forces were killed in the clashes, the statement said, adding that at least five bandits were wounded. Sistan-Baluchistan, one of Irans poorest provinces, is a volatile area near Iran's borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan where drug smugglers and militant groups operate. On December 31, the IRGC shot dead three men believed to have been involved in a deadly attack that left two guards dead on December 25, Iranian media reported. Based on reporting by Reuters and IRNA Delhi's Sessions Court has stayed a magistrate court order directing to lodge a First Information Report (FIR) against the concerned Station House Officer (SHO) and erring police personnel. Additional Sessions Judge Rajesh Malik stayed the December 22 order passed by a magistrate court directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Rohini district to lodge a First Information Report (FIR) against the concerned Station House Officer (SHO) and erring police personnel for offences under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 342 (Wrongful confinement), 506 (criminal intimidation), 509 (intending to insult the modesty of any woman), 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 429 (Mischief by killing or maiming cattle), 166A (Public servant disobeying law) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and other relevant provisions. The court was hearing the revision petition filed by three constables against December 22 order passed by a magistrate. The magistrate directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Rohini district to lodge a First Information Report (FIR) against the concerned Station House Officer (SHO) and erring police personnel for offences under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 342(Wrongful confinement),506 (criminal intimidation), 509 (intending to insult the modesty of any woman), 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 429 (Mischief by killing or maiming cattle), 166A (Public servant disobeying law) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and other relevant provisions. "Considering the submissions, let the notice of present revision petition be issued to the respondents. In the meanwhile, operation of the impugned order dated December 22 stands stayed, " ASJ Malik said. Earlier the magistrate court had pulled up a team of Delhi Police, who had allegedly barged into a house and staged a dog fight. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Babru Bhan had observed that the injuries on the accused were apparently a result of a 'calculated assault' after overpowering the accused. The magistrate court noted that the bruises on parts of the accused were so serious that the same were present even on December 16 and said that such injuries cannot be caused in a free fight, as alleged by the police. Delhi Police had claimed that during the arrest of the accused, a team reached his house at about 10:11 pm on December 8 and when they knocked at the door, it was not opened by the woman present in the house. The police had further claimed that they used 'reasonable force' to break open the door of the house but family members of the accused put forth some resistance in the apprehension of the accused and their pet dog started barking. But the court noted that the concerned SHO had admitted the fact before the Duty MM during judicial proceedings that the accused was apprehended at 11.00 pm on December 8, 2021. At this juncture, this court has no reason to ignore the said judicial record, the court said. (ANI) 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. 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. 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. 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. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem Buc-ee's is known for its large stores with dozens of gas pumps, lots of bathrooms and aisles of snacks. Merchandise with its mascot, a beaver in a red cap, is also popular. The stores are open 24 hours, 365 days of the year. (2015 file photo by Ron Baselice/The Dallas Morning News) Its 2022, two years into a global pandemic, and mid-valley residents still cant consistently find at-home COVID-19 testing kits. Two presidential administrations have promised tests will be available for anyone who wants them, and efforts to ramp up production of rapid testing kits, also called antigen tests, have been bolstered. Still, pharmacy shelves are empty, and inventories of at-home tests tend to sell out the second shipments come in. Calls to local pharmacies in Albany and Corvallis revealed a lack of rapid tests, the kind you can take at home and get results in minutes. It was also clear from the disgruntled tone of pharmacy employees that they have to explain their lack of inventory all day, every day. To be transparent, these calls were placed anonymously and simply inquired about test availability. COVID-19 everywhere and not a test to take An employee at the Safeway pharmacy on Circle Boulevard in Corvallis said people were better off looking on Amazon if they needed tests promptly. Others said that Walmart.com typically has tests that can be purchased and shipped directly to your home or nearest store for pick-up. A pharmacist at Rite Aid on Ninth Street in Corvallis said that its shipments of at-home COVID-19 tests typically come in on Thursdays and sell out immediately. In an interview with Mid-Valley Media, Tom Field of Rices Pharmacy in Corvallis said the store had 17 rapid tests on hand at the start of Tuesday, Dec. 28, and sold out about an hour before closing. The pharmacy only sells them to people who are symptomatic. Were still waiting and watching. We check the wholesaler multiple times per day to see if we can get more for people because theres obviously a very high demand, Field said. Weve had these issues since the beginning of the pandemic. Over the last two years we were sometimes short on gloves, masks, wipes, he said. And sometimes, when that happens, we try to get a program together where those in the greatest need can get supplies of whatever kind that they might need. But its a tough situation when youre just trying to do whats right for the most people, and it kind of doesnt always work. Most pharmacies and private retailers are in the same boat, standing by for more batches of tests with stores around the country all competing for kits from the same few wholesalers. Meanwhile, the official advice for family gatherings over the holidays and in light of a new surge prompted by the omicron variant is to test before get-togethers. The Biden administration committed $3 billion to the Health and Human Services agency to bolster manufacturing of more tests back in November, about $650 million of which was earmarked specifically for development of more rapid testing. It also, at the beginning of December, announced that 50 million rapid tests would be distributed nationwide for those without insurance. Oregon just announced that it secured its largest ever order of at-home tests: 6 million testing kits that will begin distribution to local public health agencies on Jan. 10. That eclipses OHAs previous largest shipment of tests (1.46 million) by millions. OHA said in its news release issued Thursday, Dec 30, that the purchase was made so (people) can find out, at home, if they are carrying the virus, and take steps to prevent its spread. But it has taken time for these funds and extra tests to translate to more readily available testing for the average American. We are at the mercy of the forces that be in terms of getting those kits out, Field said. Weve been in the pipeline for vaccines, so Im confident that were in the pipeline for upcoming ramping up of these tests. But I dont have any timelines at all. Thats been the basic problem with COVID all along: We just dont have good timelines. Outside the U.S. And some call these efforts too little too late. It would have been nice to have rapid tests more widely available and more prioritized than weve seen now, Benton County Public Health Administrator April Holland said. Rapid tests are something that have been used more widely in other countries, and they are very available and inexpensive. Holland provided the example of the United Kingdom, where residents can walk into pretty much any pharmacy and find packs of at-home kits for just a couple of pounds. Compounding the problem is how the distribution of tests has been prioritized. Health care organizations and other operations get first dibs over private retail sales. Representatives from Samaritan Health Services and the Corvallis Clinic say they are fully stocked on COVID-19 tests. Doctors offices and hospitals administer both rapid tests and polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, tests, whose results come back more slowly but are more accurate. Hospital networks like Samaritan order directly from manufacturers, too, but they are also aided by local public health agencies, like county health departments and the Oregon Health Authority, which can funnel more tests and vaccines to them as needed. Hospital officials say their wealth of tests is partly because the pipeline for the health care industry is more streamlined but also because they have devised strategies that better prepare them for supply chain issues. I will say that after many iterations and months of the pandemic and having supply chain issues, we have really ensured we have a healthy stock on hand, Jane Russell, chief operating officer of Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital in Newport, said. Currently, we have plenty in stock and have several more ordered online as well. Government doesnt have the surplus Local public health departments also receive allotments from the OHA and the CDC through the states emergency management system, but even they say they have struggled to maintain a large inventory of rapid tests. The rapid tests are hard to find even for governments, Holland said. We certainly dont have a large supply of them. Even ordering them from the state, its not always a given, and we have limits on how many we can order. And sometimes the lag in receipts takes a little while. Reached by email, Linn County Emergency Management Coordinator Neva Anderson said the states supply of rapid test kits is stretched. (The) Oregon Health Authority is still limiting rapid test kits to local public health authorities, due to supply chain concerns from the manufacturer, she said. Thus, we are limited to supporting the hospital systems, long term care facilities, Fire/EMS, and group homes, with the minimal test kits we have on hand. This is why most people who need testing have had to seek it at their doctors office or via drive-thru clinics, which can range in affordability and access depending on the requirements at each site. Willamette Valley Toxicology, which operates drive-thru clinics in Corvallis and Albany, offers free PCR testing to anyone who has an appointment. Results are viewed through an online portal called Lab Dash, with folks receiving directions on how to access that when they make their appointment. Samaritan also offers drive-thru testing in Newport, Corvallis, Albany and Lebanon. Samaritan uses an online portal called MyChart for test results, though the organization also directly calls those who test positive. Testing is not free across-the-board at Samaritan sites. Russell said they do bill insurance, though they offer the tests for free to those who are uninsured and for those whose insurance does not cover the full cost of the test. The OHA is also providing financial assistance for uninsured people to get tested. Further complicating matters at the moment is the recent news from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that says antigen tests may provide less reliable results for those infected with the omicron variant of the virus. Early data suggests that antigen tests do detect the omicron variant but may have reduced sensitivity, a Dec. 28 announcement from the FDA says. If a person tests positive with an antigen test, they should self-isolate and seek follow-up care with a health care provider to determine the next steps. Some agencies, including the FDA, have gone so far as to specifically direct people not to use antigen tests at all, at least until more data can be gathered and potential deficiencies with the sensitivity of the tests can be corrected. These findings come just weeks after both the FDA and CDC recommended people stock up on antigen tests for the holidays. Officials say that all this highlights just how rapidly information can change during a public health crisis. And how reliable testing remains elusive in this country. I think the truth of it is that we just dont have enough of the testing yet in the United States, and its going to take time to get enough of them, Holland said. 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. BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem 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. BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem 1. Yes. The current shelter is too small to serve the growing city; build a larger one soon. 2. Yes. The high number of animals being euthanized at the shelter makes this urgent. 3. No. The city has far more important things to spend millions of dollars on. 4. No. Having a larger shelter might be nice, but it is by no means a city priority. 5. Unsure. It would depend on whether the current surge in shelter animals continues. Vote View Results 1. Yes. The current shelter is too small to serve the growing city; build a larger one soon. 2. Yes. The high number of animals being euthanized at the shelter makes this urgent. 3. No. The city has far more important things to spend millions of dollars on. 4. No. Having a larger shelter might be nice, but it is by no means a city priority. 5. Unsure. It would depend on whether the current surge in shelter animals continues. Vote View Results Islamabad [Pakistan], January 1 (ANI): The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed disappointment at the Islamabad High Court (IHC)'s decision to frame charges against journalists for covering a case pertaining to the former chief judge of Gilgit-Baltistan, Rana Shamim, local media reported on Saturday. On December 28, last year, the IHC chief justice ordered to frame charges against main contemnor besides the three media persons -Jang Group's Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, The News Editor Aamir Ghauri and Editor Investigations Ansar Abbasi-- for reporting the affidavit which former top Gilgit-Baltistan judge recorded to accuse former chief justice of Pakistan of allegedly "colluding" to deny bail to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif before the 2018 general elections, The News International reported. Also Read | Elon Musk's Tesla Hike Prices of Model 3 and Model Y for Rear Wheel Drive Variant in China. Citing HRCP statement, the media outlet reported: "It is in as much in the public interest to protect the Press Freedom and allow journalists to fulfill their responsibility of holding those in power to account, as it is to ensure that the judiciary remains unencumbered by the external pressure. Expressing solidarity with the journalists Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) also called on the IHC to drop contempt proceedings against them for publishing a verified story. Also Read | Australia To Rename Aspen Island To Honor Queen Elizabeth II on Platinum Jubilee, Says PM Scott Morrison. In a statement, PILDAT said it believes that to protect freedom of media in Pakistan, no journalist should be penalized by the honourable courts for reporting on a news story. Earlier, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has called for the annulment of the Islamabad High Court judicial inquiry for contempt proceedings against two journalists for having published the affidavit of a former judge highlighting a suspect influencing peddling case. The Paris-based NGO RSF said that the proceeding against two journalists from the daily The News International as well as its owner violates the fundamental principles of the rule of law in Pakistan, reported The News International. Pakistan occupies 145th place out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index published in 2021 by RSF. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) The acting Public Health Minister of Afghanistan, Dr Abdul Bari Omar, said nearly ten thousand people were infected with the coronavirus and 650 people died in the past five months. Citing a press conference by Dr Omar, Pajhwok news agency reported that the country has been administering at least 8000-10,000 vaccines on a daily basis. However, he acknowledged the county has witnessed an umpteen number of problems including, lack of health infrastructure and medical staff. According to Dr Omar, Afghanistan was coordinating with UNICEF to get the best possible help from the United Nations agency. He informed that the agency has promised to establish ten oxygen-producing plants in order to avoid its shortage. Further, he urged the international communities to extend their hands to help lakhs of Afghans who have been facing an unprecedented crisis since the Taliban ousted the democratically elected government in mid-August last year. "The health sector was 90% dependent on foreign aid, which has been suspended, but efforts are being made to convince the world and solve the existing problems," Pajhwok quoted the acting Public Health Minister as saying. It should be mentioned here that the condition of the war-torn country further deteriorated after the extremist group seized power from the democratic Ashraf Ghani-led government on August 15, this year, resulting in the total collapse of the system. Though the Taliban assumed control nearly a month after ousting Ashraf Ghani, it was too late to address the concerns of citizens. A top Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) who had visited the country noted more than 24 million people require life-saving assistance in Afghanistan. India sends 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Afghanistan India on Thursday sent a batch of 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, to Afghanistan. According to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday, the batch of humanitarian assistance consisting of five lakh COVID vaccines was received by the Taliban extremist group on 1 January 2022. A statement by the MEA mentioned that the humanitarian assistance was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul. Further, the Ministry said that New Delhi will release another batch of additional five lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks. (Image: Unsplash/AP) The acting Public Health Minister of Afghanistan, Dr Abdul Bari Omar, said nearly ten thousand people were infected with the coronavirus and 650 people died in the past five months. Citing a press conference by Dr Omar, Pajhwok news agency reported that the country has been administering at least 8000-10,000 vaccines on a daily basis. However, he acknowledged the county has witnessed an umpteen number of problems including, lack of health infrastructure and medical staff. According to Dr Omar, Afghanistan was coordinating with UNICEF to get the best possible help from the United Nations agency. He informed that the agency has promised to establish ten oxygen-producing plants in order to avoid its shortage. Further, he urged the international communities to extend their hands to help lakhs of Afghans who have been facing an unprecedented crisis since the Taliban ousted the democratically elected government in mid-August last year. "The health sector was 90% dependent on foreign aid, which has been suspended, but efforts are being made to convince the world and solve the existing problems," Pajhwok quoted the acting Public Health Minister as saying. It should be mentioned here that the condition of the war-torn country further deteriorated after the extremist group seized power from the democratic Ashraf Ghani-led government on August 15, this year, resulting in the total collapse of the system. Though the Taliban assumed control nearly a month after ousting Ashraf Ghani, it was too late to address the concerns of citizens. A top Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) who had visited the country noted more than 24 million people require life-saving assistance in Afghanistan. India sends 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Afghanistan India on Thursday sent a batch of 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, to Afghanistan. According to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday, the batch of humanitarian assistance consisting of five lakh COVID vaccines was received by the Taliban extremist group on 1 January 2022. A statement by the MEA mentioned that the humanitarian assistance was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul. Further, the Ministry said that New Delhi will release another batch of additional five lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks. (Image: Unsplash/AP) The acting Public Health Minister of Afghanistan, Dr Abdul Bari Omar, said nearly ten thousand people were infected with the coronavirus and 650 people died in the past five months. Citing a press conference by Dr Omar, Pajhwok news agency reported that the country has been administering at least 8000-10,000 vaccines on a daily basis. However, he acknowledged the county has witnessed an umpteen number of problems including, lack of health infrastructure and medical staff. According to Dr Omar, Afghanistan was coordinating with UNICEF to get the best possible help from the United Nations agency. He informed that the agency has promised to establish ten oxygen-producing plants in order to avoid its shortage. Further, he urged the international communities to extend their hands to help lakhs of Afghans who have been facing an unprecedented crisis since the Taliban ousted the democratically elected government in mid-August last year. "The health sector was 90% dependent on foreign aid, which has been suspended, but efforts are being made to convince the world and solve the existing problems," Pajhwok quoted the acting Public Health Minister as saying. It should be mentioned here that the condition of the war-torn country further deteriorated after the extremist group seized power from the democratic Ashraf Ghani-led government on August 15, this year, resulting in the total collapse of the system. Though the Taliban assumed control nearly a month after ousting Ashraf Ghani, it was too late to address the concerns of citizens. A top Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) who had visited the country noted more than 24 million people require life-saving assistance in Afghanistan. India sends 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Afghanistan India on Thursday sent a batch of 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, to Afghanistan. According to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday, the batch of humanitarian assistance consisting of five lakh COVID vaccines was received by the Taliban extremist group on 1 January 2022. A statement by the MEA mentioned that the humanitarian assistance was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul. Further, the Ministry said that New Delhi will release another batch of additional five lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks. (Image: Unsplash/AP) The acting Public Health Minister of Afghanistan, Dr Abdul Bari Omar, said nearly ten thousand people were infected with the coronavirus and 650 people died in the past five months. Citing a press conference by Dr Omar, Pajhwok news agency reported that the country has been administering at least 8000-10,000 vaccines on a daily basis. However, he acknowledged the county has witnessed an umpteen number of problems including, lack of health infrastructure and medical staff. According to Dr Omar, Afghanistan was coordinating with UNICEF to get the best possible help from the United Nations agency. He informed that the agency has promised to establish ten oxygen-producing plants in order to avoid its shortage. Further, he urged the international communities to extend their hands to help lakhs of Afghans who have been facing an unprecedented crisis since the Taliban ousted the democratically elected government in mid-August last year. "The health sector was 90% dependent on foreign aid, which has been suspended, but efforts are being made to convince the world and solve the existing problems," Pajhwok quoted the acting Public Health Minister as saying. It should be mentioned here that the condition of the war-torn country further deteriorated after the extremist group seized power from the democratic Ashraf Ghani-led government on August 15, this year, resulting in the total collapse of the system. Though the Taliban assumed control nearly a month after ousting Ashraf Ghani, it was too late to address the concerns of citizens. A top Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) who had visited the country noted more than 24 million people require life-saving assistance in Afghanistan. India sends 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Afghanistan India on Thursday sent a batch of 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, to Afghanistan. According to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday, the batch of humanitarian assistance consisting of five lakh COVID vaccines was received by the Taliban extremist group on 1 January 2022. A statement by the MEA mentioned that the humanitarian assistance was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul. Further, the Ministry said that New Delhi will release another batch of additional five lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks. (Image: Unsplash/AP) The acting Public Health Minister of Afghanistan, Dr Abdul Bari Omar, said nearly ten thousand people were infected with the coronavirus and 650 people died in the past five months. Citing a press conference by Dr Omar, Pajhwok news agency reported that the country has been administering at least 8000-10,000 vaccines on a daily basis. However, he acknowledged the county has witnessed an umpteen number of problems including, lack of health infrastructure and medical staff. According to Dr Omar, Afghanistan was coordinating with UNICEF to get the best possible help from the United Nations agency. He informed that the agency has promised to establish ten oxygen-producing plants in order to avoid its shortage. Further, he urged the international communities to extend their hands to help lakhs of Afghans who have been facing an unprecedented crisis since the Taliban ousted the democratically elected government in mid-August last year. "The health sector was 90% dependent on foreign aid, which has been suspended, but efforts are being made to convince the world and solve the existing problems," Pajhwok quoted the acting Public Health Minister as saying. It should be mentioned here that the condition of the war-torn country further deteriorated after the extremist group seized power from the democratic Ashraf Ghani-led government on August 15, this year, resulting in the total collapse of the system. Though the Taliban assumed control nearly a month after ousting Ashraf Ghani, it was too late to address the concerns of citizens. A top Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) who had visited the country noted more than 24 million people require life-saving assistance in Afghanistan. India sends 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Afghanistan India on Thursday sent a batch of 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, to Afghanistan. According to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday, the batch of humanitarian assistance consisting of five lakh COVID vaccines was received by the Taliban extremist group on 1 January 2022. A statement by the MEA mentioned that the humanitarian assistance was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul. Further, the Ministry said that New Delhi will release another batch of additional five lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks. (Image: Unsplash/AP) WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed by a man who went on to carjack, rob and shoot more people during a two-state manhunt this week said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters, Missouri. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a "series" of carjackings, robberies and shootings on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities eventually caught up to him in Clinton County, Illinois, where he held a person hostage in a home. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. The family's full statement is below: The Family of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley mourns the loss of their husband, father, son and friend. We could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support. To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero. Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. -Matthew 5:9 Visitation for Sean Riley will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m., Monday January 3, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with a first responder walk thru at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials in his honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. Memorials will be accepted at the services and the Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, IL which is assisting with arrangements. Additional information will be released in the coming days. We ask the community to show their support by lining the procession route. The acting Public Health Minister of Afghanistan, Dr Abdul Bari Omar, said nearly ten thousand people were infected with the coronavirus and 650 people died in the past five months. Citing a press conference by Dr Omar, Pajhwok news agency reported that the country has been administering at least 8000-10,000 vaccines on a daily basis. However, he acknowledged the county has witnessed an umpteen number of problems including, lack of health infrastructure and medical staff. According to Dr Omar, Afghanistan was coordinating with UNICEF to get the best possible help from the United Nations agency. He informed that the agency has promised to establish ten oxygen-producing plants in order to avoid its shortage. Further, he urged the international communities to extend their hands to help lakhs of Afghans who have been facing an unprecedented crisis since the Taliban ousted the democratically elected government in mid-August last year. "The health sector was 90% dependent on foreign aid, which has been suspended, but efforts are being made to convince the world and solve the existing problems," Pajhwok quoted the acting Public Health Minister as saying. It should be mentioned here that the condition of the war-torn country further deteriorated after the extremist group seized power from the democratic Ashraf Ghani-led government on August 15, this year, resulting in the total collapse of the system. Though the Taliban assumed control nearly a month after ousting Ashraf Ghani, it was too late to address the concerns of citizens. A top Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) who had visited the country noted more than 24 million people require life-saving assistance in Afghanistan. India sends 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Afghanistan India on Thursday sent a batch of 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, to Afghanistan. According to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday, the batch of humanitarian assistance consisting of five lakh COVID vaccines was received by the Taliban extremist group on 1 January 2022. A statement by the MEA mentioned that the humanitarian assistance was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul. Further, the Ministry said that New Delhi will release another batch of additional five lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks. (Image: Unsplash/AP) The acting Public Health Minister of Afghanistan, Dr Abdul Bari Omar, said nearly ten thousand people were infected with the coronavirus and 650 people died in the past five months. Citing a press conference by Dr Omar, Pajhwok news agency reported that the country has been administering at least 8000-10,000 vaccines on a daily basis. However, he acknowledged the county has witnessed an umpteen number of problems including, lack of health infrastructure and medical staff. According to Dr Omar, Afghanistan was coordinating with UNICEF to get the best possible help from the United Nations agency. He informed that the agency has promised to establish ten oxygen-producing plants in order to avoid its shortage. Further, he urged the international communities to extend their hands to help lakhs of Afghans who have been facing an unprecedented crisis since the Taliban ousted the democratically elected government in mid-August last year. "The health sector was 90% dependent on foreign aid, which has been suspended, but efforts are being made to convince the world and solve the existing problems," Pajhwok quoted the acting Public Health Minister as saying. It should be mentioned here that the condition of the war-torn country further deteriorated after the extremist group seized power from the democratic Ashraf Ghani-led government on August 15, this year, resulting in the total collapse of the system. Though the Taliban assumed control nearly a month after ousting Ashraf Ghani, it was too late to address the concerns of citizens. A top Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) who had visited the country noted more than 24 million people require life-saving assistance in Afghanistan. India sends 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Afghanistan India on Thursday sent a batch of 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, to Afghanistan. According to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday, the batch of humanitarian assistance consisting of five lakh COVID vaccines was received by the Taliban extremist group on 1 January 2022. A statement by the MEA mentioned that the humanitarian assistance was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul. Further, the Ministry said that New Delhi will release another batch of additional five lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks. (Image: Unsplash/AP) The acting Public Health Minister of Afghanistan, Dr Abdul Bari Omar, said nearly ten thousand people were infected with the coronavirus and 650 people died in the past five months. Citing a press conference by Dr Omar, Pajhwok news agency reported that the country has been administering at least 8000-10,000 vaccines on a daily basis. However, he acknowledged the county has witnessed an umpteen number of problems including, lack of health infrastructure and medical staff. According to Dr Omar, Afghanistan was coordinating with UNICEF to get the best possible help from the United Nations agency. He informed that the agency has promised to establish ten oxygen-producing plants in order to avoid its shortage. Further, he urged the international communities to extend their hands to help lakhs of Afghans who have been facing an unprecedented crisis since the Taliban ousted the democratically elected government in mid-August last year. "The health sector was 90% dependent on foreign aid, which has been suspended, but efforts are being made to convince the world and solve the existing problems," Pajhwok quoted the acting Public Health Minister as saying. It should be mentioned here that the condition of the war-torn country further deteriorated after the extremist group seized power from the democratic Ashraf Ghani-led government on August 15, this year, resulting in the total collapse of the system. Though the Taliban assumed control nearly a month after ousting Ashraf Ghani, it was too late to address the concerns of citizens. A top Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) who had visited the country noted more than 24 million people require life-saving assistance in Afghanistan. India sends 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Afghanistan India on Thursday sent a batch of 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, to Afghanistan. According to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday, the batch of humanitarian assistance consisting of five lakh COVID vaccines was received by the Taliban extremist group on 1 January 2022. A statement by the MEA mentioned that the humanitarian assistance was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul. Further, the Ministry said that New Delhi will release another batch of additional five lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks. (Image: Unsplash/AP) The acting Public Health Minister of Afghanistan, Dr Abdul Bari Omar, said nearly ten thousand people were infected with the coronavirus and 650 people died in the past five months. Citing a press conference by Dr Omar, Pajhwok news agency reported that the country has been administering at least 8000-10,000 vaccines on a daily basis. However, he acknowledged the county has witnessed an umpteen number of problems including, lack of health infrastructure and medical staff. According to Dr Omar, Afghanistan was coordinating with UNICEF to get the best possible help from the United Nations agency. He informed that the agency has promised to establish ten oxygen-producing plants in order to avoid its shortage. Further, he urged the international communities to extend their hands to help lakhs of Afghans who have been facing an unprecedented crisis since the Taliban ousted the democratically elected government in mid-August last year. "The health sector was 90% dependent on foreign aid, which has been suspended, but efforts are being made to convince the world and solve the existing problems," Pajhwok quoted the acting Public Health Minister as saying. It should be mentioned here that the condition of the war-torn country further deteriorated after the extremist group seized power from the democratic Ashraf Ghani-led government on August 15, this year, resulting in the total collapse of the system. Though the Taliban assumed control nearly a month after ousting Ashraf Ghani, it was too late to address the concerns of citizens. A top Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) who had visited the country noted more than 24 million people require life-saving assistance in Afghanistan. India sends 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Afghanistan India on Thursday sent a batch of 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, to Afghanistan. According to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday, the batch of humanitarian assistance consisting of five lakh COVID vaccines was received by the Taliban extremist group on 1 January 2022. A statement by the MEA mentioned that the humanitarian assistance was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul. Further, the Ministry said that New Delhi will release another batch of additional five lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks. (Image: Unsplash/AP) The acting Public Health Minister of Afghanistan, Dr Abdul Bari Omar, said nearly ten thousand people were infected with the coronavirus and 650 people died in the past five months. Citing a press conference by Dr Omar, Pajhwok news agency reported that the country has been administering at least 8000-10,000 vaccines on a daily basis. However, he acknowledged the county has witnessed an umpteen number of problems including, lack of health infrastructure and medical staff. According to Dr Omar, Afghanistan was coordinating with UNICEF to get the best possible help from the United Nations agency. He informed that the agency has promised to establish ten oxygen-producing plants in order to avoid its shortage. Further, he urged the international communities to extend their hands to help lakhs of Afghans who have been facing an unprecedented crisis since the Taliban ousted the democratically elected government in mid-August last year. "The health sector was 90% dependent on foreign aid, which has been suspended, but efforts are being made to convince the world and solve the existing problems," Pajhwok quoted the acting Public Health Minister as saying. It should be mentioned here that the condition of the war-torn country further deteriorated after the extremist group seized power from the democratic Ashraf Ghani-led government on August 15, this year, resulting in the total collapse of the system. Though the Taliban assumed control nearly a month after ousting Ashraf Ghani, it was too late to address the concerns of citizens. A top Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) who had visited the country noted more than 24 million people require life-saving assistance in Afghanistan. India sends 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Afghanistan India on Thursday sent a batch of 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, to Afghanistan. According to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday, the batch of humanitarian assistance consisting of five lakh COVID vaccines was received by the Taliban extremist group on 1 January 2022. A statement by the MEA mentioned that the humanitarian assistance was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul. Further, the Ministry said that New Delhi will release another batch of additional five lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks. (Image: Unsplash/AP) The acting Public Health Minister of Afghanistan, Dr Abdul Bari Omar, said nearly ten thousand people were infected with the coronavirus and 650 people died in the past five months. Citing a press conference by Dr Omar, Pajhwok news agency reported that the country has been administering at least 8000-10,000 vaccines on a daily basis. However, he acknowledged the county has witnessed an umpteen number of problems including, lack of health infrastructure and medical staff. According to Dr Omar, Afghanistan was coordinating with UNICEF to get the best possible help from the United Nations agency. He informed that the agency has promised to establish ten oxygen-producing plants in order to avoid its shortage. Further, he urged the international communities to extend their hands to help lakhs of Afghans who have been facing an unprecedented crisis since the Taliban ousted the democratically elected government in mid-August last year. "The health sector was 90% dependent on foreign aid, which has been suspended, but efforts are being made to convince the world and solve the existing problems," Pajhwok quoted the acting Public Health Minister as saying. It should be mentioned here that the condition of the war-torn country further deteriorated after the extremist group seized power from the democratic Ashraf Ghani-led government on August 15, this year, resulting in the total collapse of the system. Though the Taliban assumed control nearly a month after ousting Ashraf Ghani, it was too late to address the concerns of citizens. A top Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) who had visited the country noted more than 24 million people require life-saving assistance in Afghanistan. India sends 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Afghanistan India on Thursday sent a batch of 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, to Afghanistan. According to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday, the batch of humanitarian assistance consisting of five lakh COVID vaccines was received by the Taliban extremist group on 1 January 2022. A statement by the MEA mentioned that the humanitarian assistance was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul. Further, the Ministry said that New Delhi will release another batch of additional five lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks. (Image: Unsplash/AP) The acting Public Health Minister of Afghanistan, Dr Abdul Bari Omar, said nearly ten thousand people were infected with the coronavirus and 650 people died in the past five months. Citing a press conference by Dr Omar, Pajhwok news agency reported that the country has been administering at least 8000-10,000 vaccines on a daily basis. However, he acknowledged the county has witnessed an umpteen number of problems including, lack of health infrastructure and medical staff. According to Dr Omar, Afghanistan was coordinating with UNICEF to get the best possible help from the United Nations agency. He informed that the agency has promised to establish ten oxygen-producing plants in order to avoid its shortage. Further, he urged the international communities to extend their hands to help lakhs of Afghans who have been facing an unprecedented crisis since the Taliban ousted the democratically elected government in mid-August last year. "The health sector was 90% dependent on foreign aid, which has been suspended, but efforts are being made to convince the world and solve the existing problems," Pajhwok quoted the acting Public Health Minister as saying. It should be mentioned here that the condition of the war-torn country further deteriorated after the extremist group seized power from the democratic Ashraf Ghani-led government on August 15, this year, resulting in the total collapse of the system. Though the Taliban assumed control nearly a month after ousting Ashraf Ghani, it was too late to address the concerns of citizens. A top Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) who had visited the country noted more than 24 million people require life-saving assistance in Afghanistan. India sends 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Afghanistan India on Thursday sent a batch of 5,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, to Afghanistan. According to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday, the batch of humanitarian assistance consisting of five lakh COVID vaccines was received by the Taliban extremist group on 1 January 2022. A statement by the MEA mentioned that the humanitarian assistance was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul. Further, the Ministry said that New Delhi will release another batch of additional five lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks. (Image: Unsplash/AP) People commute in the city of Srinagar, in Kashmir, India, on Sept. 17, 2018. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) New Years Eve Stampede at India Temple Kills 12 Pilgrims, Injures Dozens At least 12 people were killed in a stampede at a religious shrine in Kashmir, India, while a dozen others were injured as tens of thousands of pilgrims came to the temple to offer prayers on New Years Eve. The incident happened at around 2:40 a.m. on Saturday at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan shrine, one of the most popular temples in India, Press Trust of Kashmir reported. Police were quick to launch a rescue operation and found that at least 12 people were crushed to death in the stampede incident, and 15 others were injured and hospitalized. Officials believe that the stampede was triggered by a large crowd of devotees who gathered at the shrine to pay their respects on New Years Eve. One devotee, who only identified as Mahesh, claimed that the stampede occurred near one of the gates where pilgrims entered and exited the route to the shrine. Something happened near one of the gates and I found myself under a crush of people. I suffocated and fell but somehow managed to stand up, Mahesh said. I saw people moving over the bodies. It was a horrifying sight, but I managed to help in rescuing some injured people. Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to his Twitter account to express his condolences to the victims, saying that he is extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to the stampede incident. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon, Modi said. Pilgrims often trek on foot to reach the hilltop temple, which is one of the most visited shrines in northern India. Deadly crowd surges are fairly common during Indian religious festivals where huge gatherings, sometimes in the millions, cover small areas with few safety or control measures. A similar incident happened in 2013, when a stampede broke out near a temple at Ratangarh in Madhya Pradeshs Datia district, killing at least 115 people and injuring more than 80. Officials believed a rumor that the bridge near the Ratangarh temple was collapsing had led to the stampede, The Hindu reported. In 2011, a vehicle carrying pilgrims plowed into a crowd and overturned, causing people to panic and triggering a stampede near the Hindu shrine of Sabarimala at Pulmedu in Keralas Idduki district. At least 104 people were killed and 50 others were injured, according to The Indian Express. The Associated Press contributed to this report. BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed by a man who went on to carjack, rob and shoot more people during a two-state manhunt this week said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters, Missouri. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a "series" of carjackings, robberies and shootings on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities eventually caught up to him in Clinton County, Illinois, where he held a person hostage in a home. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. The family's full statement is below: The Family of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley mourns the loss of their husband, father, son and friend. We could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support. To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero. Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. -Matthew 5:9 Visitation for Sean Riley will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m., Monday January 3, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with a first responder walk thru at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials in his honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. Memorials will be accepted at the services and the Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, IL which is assisting with arrangements. Additional information will be released in the coming days. We ask the community to show their support by lining the procession route. BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem Leonard Cox of Clinton County said a man wanted in the fatal shooting of a sheriffs deputy was pointing a gun at his forehead when hostage negotiators were talking to the suspect. He grabs the gun, sticks it right on my forehead and he tells them, Tell them where the guns at. I told them, Its right on my forehead, Cox said in a KSDK-Channel 5 interview as he described how the suspect had forced Cox and another man into Coxs basement on Wednesday. A short time after that, SWAT officers entered Coxs home and were able to arrest Ray Tate, 40, of Kentucky. Tate has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley, 38, on Interstate 64 on Wednesday just hours before Cox was held hostage. Cox told the television station that police were able to track the suspect to the home in Clinton County because of the smart watch the other hostage was wearing. Cox said he tried to follow all of the suspects commands but he figured there was a really good possibility that he would not get out of his house alive. I didnt want to do anything else to set him off, Cox told KSDK. The suspect had fired off several shots inside the home before police arrested him. Cox also said the suspect had told him that he didnt want to hurt him or cause him any trouble and that he just needed a place to lay low for a little bit. Before the police entered the home, Cox said the other hostage was able to escape. Cox told Channel 5 that during the ordeal he was making his final prayers. Im praying that hopefully I get to see another day and if I dont Im praying, God, hope Im good enough where I get to go to heaven. Individuals facing mental health crises could find comfort and added anonymity when they gain the option to text a suicide prevention hotline, local experts say. The Federal Communications Commission in 2020 voted to require phone companies to support the 988 number to allow people to reach an existing suicide prevention hotline. In November, the commission voted to require a texting option, too. Phone companies have until July 2022 to implement the 988 number for calling and texting. People facing a physical injury don't hesitate to call 911, head to the emergency room and seek treatment, said Sheri Dawson, behavioral health director within the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. But individuals facing mental health issues still feel a stigma. "There's still shame," Dawson said. "It's OK not to be OK, just like it is on the physical health side." Texting allows for more anonymity, which may make people in crisis more apt to be honest about their thoughts and feelings, said Kris Bosiljevac, manager of the Boys Town National Crisis Line. Texting could prove popular with younger people, who over the years have been less likely to pick up the phone to reach out for help, Bosiljevac said. Instead, they're more comfortable chatting online. But the option to text also benefits individuals who are deaf, have hearing loss or speech disabilities. "It's a wonderful move," Bosiljevac said. "Everybody knows to call 911 when they've got a police emergency. The 988 is kind of that number for mental health situations. It's the whole continuum." The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline currently uses a 10-digit number, 800-273-8255, which routes calls to about 170 crisis centers, including the one at Boys Town. The FCC said that 988 already is accessible via the country's largest cellphone companies AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. Suicide rates largely have been going up in the U.S. for the past two decades, although they dropped slightly last year, when officials say nearly 45,000 people died by suicide. Suicide was the ninth-leading cause of death in 2019, according to the latest data provided by the state. It was the second-leading cause in those ages 15 to 24 and 25 to 34. When state officials started planning for the 988 rollout, they also decided to look at other protocols that aid those facing mental health crises, Dawson said. State officials knew the call center would need updates as far as how to answer calls and texts, Dawson said. But with additional grant funds, they decided to also consider the state's mobile crisis response teams and making sure individuals have somewhere to go after a crisis, if needed. "Within the state of Nebraska, in terms of crisis services, there has been active work in trying to continue to grow that continuum," Dawson said. Making sure people have someone to talk to, someone to respond and somewhere to go will help to "level the playing field across Nebraska" and ensure consistent standards of care, Dawson said. If you need help If you or a loved one need assistance, reach out to: * National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 * A faith-based leader, health care professional or student health center on campus * Nebraska Family Helpline at 888-866-8660 * Rural Response Hotline at 800-464-0258 * Disaster Distress Helpline at 800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746 * National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or test LOVEIS to 22522 * National Child Abuse Hotline at 800-422-4453 or text 800-422-4453 * National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673 A fight that turned into a shootout at a New Years Eve party late Friday night left seven people wounded from gunshots, three of them dead and one in critical condition, Gulfport police said on Saturday. The mass shooting took place at a residence on Lewis Avenue in west Gulfport where a group of people gathered to celebrate the end of 2021. Gulfport police Sgt. Clayton Fulks said a fight erupted at the party and quickly escalated when multiple people began firing shots in the crowd. The 911 call came in at 11:58 p.m. Seven people were struck by bullets in the crossfire. Three were confirmed dead by Harrison County Coroner Brian Switzer: Corey Dubose, 23, of DIberville Sedrick McCord, 28, of Gulfport Aubrey Lewis, 22, of Bay St. Louis Dubose and McCord were both brought to Memorial Hospital at Gulfport and died from multiple gunshots wounds, Switzer said. Lewis was taken to Singing River Hospital in Gulfport and died in surgery from multiple gunshot wounds. A fourth victim is in critical condition at Memorial. Fulks said three others, two men and a woman, were also shot but suffered non-life threatening injuries. Scene of the shootout The shooting occurred outside of a home in the 1200 block of Lewis Avenue, near the intersection of Old Pass Road in the Gaston Point community. Empty chairs sat in a semicircle outside of a makeshift fire pit on Saturday morning. A basketball sat underneath a chair. Closer to the street, a childs riding toy was parked near the party scene. Neighbors on the street said the gathering was supposed to be a family event to celebrate the beginning of a new year, but quickly grew to a block party. The homeowner declined to speak to the Sun Herald. Police chief asks witnesses to come forward At a press conference at the police department on Saturday afternoon, Gulfport Police Chief Chris Ryle begged witnesses to come forward and give police information that could lead to arrests in the case. So far, nobody in attendance at the party has cooperated with authorities, Ryle said. Story continues Anyone with information can report it anonymously to the police department or Crime Stoppers. It is unfortunate that such a tragic incident occurred in such a great neighborhood, Ryle said. The police chief said shell casings recovered at the scene indicate handguns and assault rifles were fired during the shooting. Chairs sit around a makeshift fire pit from a party on a property on Lewis Avenue in the Gaston Point community in Gulfport, the site of a New Years Eve shooting that killed three, on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2021. The intersection of Lewis Avenue and Old Pass Road in the Gaston Point community in Gulfport on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2021. A shooting took place at a New Years Eve party the night before, killing three and injuring four. A fight that turned into a shootout at a New Years Eve party late Friday night left seven people wounded from gunshots, three of them dead and one in critical condition, Gulfport police said on Saturday. The mass shooting took place at a residence on Lewis Avenue in west Gulfport where a group of people gathered to celebrate the end of 2021. Gulfport police Sgt. Clayton Fulks said a fight erupted at the party and quickly escalated when multiple people began firing shots in the crowd. The 911 call came in at 11:58 p.m. Seven people were struck by bullets in the crossfire. Three were confirmed dead by Harrison County Coroner Brian Switzer: Corey Dubose, 23, of DIberville Sedrick McCord, 28, of Gulfport Aubrey Lewis, 22, of Bay St. Louis Dubose and McCord were both brought to Memorial Hospital at Gulfport and died from multiple gunshots wounds, Switzer said. Lewis was taken to Singing River Hospital in Gulfport and died in surgery from multiple gunshot wounds. A fourth victim is in critical condition at Memorial. Fulks said three others, two men and a woman, were also shot but suffered non-life threatening injuries. Scene of the shootout The shooting occurred outside of a home in the 1200 block of Lewis Avenue, near the intersection of Old Pass Road in the Gaston Point community. Empty chairs sat in a semicircle outside of a makeshift fire pit on Saturday morning. A basketball sat underneath a chair. Closer to the street, a childs riding toy was parked near the party scene. Neighbors on the street said the gathering was supposed to be a family event to celebrate the beginning of a new year, but quickly grew to a block party. The homeowner declined to speak to the Sun Herald. Police chief asks witnesses to come forward At a press conference at the police department on Saturday afternoon, Gulfport Police Chief Chris Ryle begged witnesses to come forward and give police information that could lead to arrests in the case. So far, nobody in attendance at the party has cooperated with authorities, Ryle said. Story continues Anyone with information can report it anonymously to the police department or Crime Stoppers. It is unfortunate that such a tragic incident occurred in such a great neighborhood, Ryle said. The police chief said shell casings recovered at the scene indicate handguns and assault rifles were fired during the shooting. Chairs sit around a makeshift fire pit from a party on a property on Lewis Avenue in the Gaston Point community in Gulfport, the site of a New Years Eve shooting that killed three, on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2021. The intersection of Lewis Avenue and Old Pass Road in the Gaston Point community in Gulfport on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2021. A shooting took place at a New Years Eve party the night before, killing three and injuring four. Saturday marked the 14th anniversary of Wisconsins newborn screening program for SCID, the first in the world to routinely test all infants for the very rare genetic disorder. On Jan. 1, 2008, the state implemented routine, required testing for severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), a group of conditions in which genetic defects impair the development of T cells. This can leave newborns highly susceptible to viral, bacterial and fungal infections, which morph into critical conditions that result in intensive hospitalizations and often lead to death by age one. Newborn screening started in Wisconsin in 1965, with testing for phenylketonuria (PKU), and now the state screens for 47 disorders including cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease and spinal muscular atrophy. According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, the program has prevented death and disability for hundreds of Wisconsin residents since its inception. A Wisconsin lab was the first to identify a baby with SCID the child was successfully treated, according to the CDC. Currently, 32 states and District of Columbia screen for SCID, a process using a blood sample from the infants heel, and the condition has been detected in 19 babies in Wisconsin via screening. (Its important) to screen for a disorder like this which can be devastating in the first year of life. This condition is lethal, says Dr. Samantha Knox, immunologist and pediatric specialist at Gundersen Health System. Recognizing this early on can help isolate these kids and protect them while they are undergoing treatment at a center that does this. Because there are no obvious physical signs of SCID, testing a child soon after birth is critical in identifying if the condition is present and implementing immediate interventions. If treated by 14 weeks, newborns with SCID have a 95% chance of long-term survival, a rate that drops by more than 25% when not treated in that window. Once known as the bubble boy disease, SCID treatment requires isolation of the child to avoid exposure to outside germs They have an immune system that cannot fight it, Knox says and an allogeneic stem cell transplant. Gundersen in La Crosse does not perform stem cell transplants, so infants may be transferred to UW Hospital in Madison or Mayo Clinic Rochester. Swift detection for SCID is also imperative in regards to childhood vaccinations, as infants with the condition should not receive live viral vaccinations, some of which are routinely done at two months old. If there is a known family history of any of the 47 conditions in the newborn screening set, it is important for parents to discuss that with their childs physician prior to birth. Parents should discuss any concerns with their pediatrician and keep up with newborn follow up appointments. Pediatricians will review with parents their childs test results, which come back in around a week. They can go through anything that is abnormal. Sometimes they do pick up abnormalities and further testing comes back normal, Knox says. We want to pick up things as early as possible, and best case scenario is a false positive. In most cases additional screening will be needed, as its such a severe disorder we need to make sure we diagnose correctly. Newborn screening is required by law, per DHS, and parents can refuse only if religious beliefs and practices or personal convictions do not allow this testing. Those who decline the tests may have to sign a form. For more information on newborn screening, visit www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/newbornscreening/index.htm. Leonard Cox of Clinton County said a man wanted in the fatal shooting of a sheriffs deputy was pointing a gun at his forehead when hostage negotiators were talking to the suspect. He grabs the gun, sticks it right on my forehead and he tells them, Tell them where the guns at. I told them, Its right on my forehead, Cox said in a KSDK-Channel 5 interview as he described how the suspect had forced Cox and another man into Coxs basement on Wednesday. A short time after that, SWAT officers entered Coxs home and were able to arrest Ray Tate, 40, of Kentucky. Tate has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley, 38, on Interstate 64 on Wednesday just hours before Cox was held hostage. Cox told the television station that police were able to track the suspect to the home in Clinton County because of the smart watch the other hostage was wearing. Cox said he tried to follow all of the suspects commands but he figured there was a really good possibility that he would not get out of his house alive. I didnt want to do anything else to set him off, Cox told KSDK. The suspect had fired off several shots inside the home before police arrested him. Cox also said the suspect had told him that he didnt want to hurt him or cause him any trouble and that he just needed a place to lay low for a little bit. Before the police entered the home, Cox said the other hostage was able to escape. Cox told Channel 5 that during the ordeal he was making his final prayers. Im praying that hopefully I get to see another day and if I dont Im praying, God, hope Im good enough where I get to go to heaven. Leonard Cox of Clinton County said a man wanted in the fatal shooting of a sheriffs deputy was pointing a gun at his forehead when hostage negotiators were talking to the suspect. He grabs the gun, sticks it right on my forehead and he tells them, Tell them where the guns at. I told them, Its right on my forehead, Cox said in a KSDK-Channel 5 interview as he described how the suspect had forced Cox and another man into Coxs basement on Wednesday. A short time after that, SWAT officers entered Coxs home and were able to arrest Ray Tate, 40, of Kentucky. Tate has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley, 38, on Interstate 64 on Wednesday just hours before Cox was held hostage. Cox told the television station that police were able to track the suspect to the home in Clinton County because of the smart watch the other hostage was wearing. Cox said he tried to follow all of the suspects commands but he figured there was a really good possibility that he would not get out of his house alive. I didnt want to do anything else to set him off, Cox told KSDK. The suspect had fired off several shots inside the home before police arrested him. Cox also said the suspect had told him that he didnt want to hurt him or cause him any trouble and that he just needed a place to lay low for a little bit. Before the police entered the home, Cox said the other hostage was able to escape. Cox told Channel 5 that during the ordeal he was making his final prayers. Im praying that hopefully I get to see another day and if I dont Im praying, God, hope Im good enough where I get to go to heaven. Leonard Cox of Clinton County said a man wanted in the fatal shooting of a sheriffs deputy was pointing a gun at his forehead when hostage negotiators were talking to the suspect. He grabs the gun, sticks it right on my forehead and he tells them, Tell them where the guns at. I told them, Its right on my forehead, Cox said in a KSDK-Channel 5 interview as he described how the suspect had forced Cox and another man into Coxs basement on Wednesday. A short time after that, SWAT officers entered Coxs home and were able to arrest Ray Tate, 40, of Kentucky. Tate has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley, 38, on Interstate 64 on Wednesday just hours before Cox was held hostage. Cox told the television station that police were able to track the suspect to the home in Clinton County because of the smart watch the other hostage was wearing. Cox said he tried to follow all of the suspects commands but he figured there was a really good possibility that he would not get out of his house alive. I didnt want to do anything else to set him off, Cox told KSDK. The suspect had fired off several shots inside the home before police arrested him. Cox also said the suspect had told him that he didnt want to hurt him or cause him any trouble and that he just needed a place to lay low for a little bit. Before the police entered the home, Cox said the other hostage was able to escape. Cox told Channel 5 that during the ordeal he was making his final prayers. Im praying that hopefully I get to see another day and if I dont Im praying, God, hope Im good enough where I get to go to heaven. A fight that turned into a shootout at a New Years Eve party late Friday night left seven people wounded from gunshots, three of them dead and one in critical condition, Gulfport police said on Saturday. The mass shooting took place at a residence on Lewis Avenue in west Gulfport where a group of people gathered to celebrate the end of 2021. Gulfport police Sgt. Clayton Fulks said a fight erupted at the party and quickly escalated when multiple people began firing shots in the crowd. The 911 call came in at 11:58 p.m. Seven people were struck by bullets in the crossfire. Three were confirmed dead by Harrison County Coroner Brian Switzer: Corey Dubose, 23, of DIberville Sedrick McCord, 28, of Gulfport Aubrey Lewis, 22, of Bay St. Louis Dubose and McCord were both brought to Memorial Hospital at Gulfport and died from multiple gunshots wounds, Switzer said. Lewis was taken to Singing River Hospital in Gulfport and died in surgery from multiple gunshot wounds. A fourth victim is in critical condition at Memorial. Fulks said three others, two men and a woman, were also shot but suffered non-life threatening injuries. Scene of the shootout The shooting occurred outside of a home in the 1200 block of Lewis Avenue, near the intersection of Old Pass Road in the Gaston Point community. Empty chairs sat in a semicircle outside of a makeshift fire pit on Saturday morning. A basketball sat underneath a chair. Closer to the street, a childs riding toy was parked near the party scene. Neighbors on the street said the gathering was supposed to be a family event to celebrate the beginning of a new year, but quickly grew to a block party. The homeowner declined to speak to the Sun Herald. Police chief asks witnesses to come forward At a press conference at the police department on Saturday afternoon, Gulfport Police Chief Chris Ryle begged witnesses to come forward and give police information that could lead to arrests in the case. So far, nobody in attendance at the party has cooperated with authorities, Ryle said. Story continues Anyone with information can report it anonymously to the police department or Crime Stoppers. It is unfortunate that such a tragic incident occurred in such a great neighborhood, Ryle said. The police chief said shell casings recovered at the scene indicate handguns and assault rifles were fired during the shooting. Chairs sit around a makeshift fire pit from a party on a property on Lewis Avenue in the Gaston Point community in Gulfport, the site of a New Years Eve shooting that killed three, on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2021. The intersection of Lewis Avenue and Old Pass Road in the Gaston Point community in Gulfport on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2021. A shooting took place at a New Years Eve party the night before, killing three and injuring four. 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. A new year brings a new mayor for New York City and new laws in many of the 50 U.S. states. Democrat Eric Adams was elected in November to be the next leader of the largest city in the United States. He succeeds Bill de Blasio, who served two terms as mayor, beginning in 2014. An inauguration ceremony planned for Saturday was postponed because of the rise in cases of the omicron variant of COVID-19. On the other side of the country, the city of Seattle is getting a new mayor as well, with Bruce Harrell assuming the post Saturday. Among the many new laws going into effect at the state level are increases in the minimum wage in a number of states, including California, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New Mexico. Such laws are the result of legislation approved by state legislatures and governors, and in some cases, the minimum wage increases will go into effect in stages over the course of several years. Animal rights, voting rights Virginia has a new law preventing cosmetics companies from testing their products on animals. In Washington state, people who have served prison time for felony crimes now regain their right to vote as soon as they leave prison. Nevada is making it easier for people to cast their votes by mail with a new law requiring that all registered voters receive a ballot by mail for each election. Helping others A new Texas law provides property tax exemptions for certain charity groups that provide housing or other aid to people experiencing homelessness. In Illinois, people who work at restaurants and truck stops will receive required training to help them identify potential instances of human trafficking and report suspected cases to authorities. A New Hampshire law strengthens penalties against people convicted of multiple offenses of drunken driving in cases where they harm or kill someone. A new law in Colorado will make it easier for people who were victims of sexual assault as children to report their assaults, removing the existing statute of limitations for prosecuting such lawsuits. Health, wellness The state of Connecticut is enacting caps on how much people pay for insulin and other diabetes management supplies. Montana is joining the states that allow recreational sales of marijuana. It will be legal in parts of the state where a majority of voters approved it. In Pennsylvania, the city of Philadelphia is banning employers from conducting pre-employment testing for marijuana. And in Missouri, health insurance providers must make coverage available for certain mental health conditions as part of their plans. Leonard Cox of Clinton County said a man wanted in the fatal shooting of a sheriffs deputy was pointing a gun at his forehead when hostage negotiators were talking to the suspect. He grabs the gun, sticks it right on my forehead and he tells them, Tell them where the guns at. I told them, Its right on my forehead, Cox said in a KSDK-Channel 5 interview as he described how the suspect had forced Cox and another man into Coxs basement on Wednesday. A short time after that, SWAT officers entered Coxs home and were able to arrest Ray Tate, 40, of Kentucky. Tate has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley, 38, on Interstate 64 on Wednesday just hours before Cox was held hostage. Cox told the television station that police were able to track the suspect to the home in Clinton County because of the smart watch the other hostage was wearing. Cox said he tried to follow all of the suspects commands but he figured there was a really good possibility that he would not get out of his house alive. I didnt want to do anything else to set him off, Cox told KSDK. The suspect had fired off several shots inside the home before police arrested him. Cox also said the suspect had told him that he didnt want to hurt him or cause him any trouble and that he just needed a place to lay low for a little bit. Before the police entered the home, Cox said the other hostage was able to escape. Cox told Channel 5 that during the ordeal he was making his final prayers. Im praying that hopefully I get to see another day and if I dont Im praying, God, hope Im good enough where I get to go to heaven. Leonard Cox of Clinton County said a man wanted in the fatal shooting of a sheriffs deputy was pointing a gun at his forehead when hostage negotiators were talking to the suspect. He grabs the gun, sticks it right on my forehead and he tells them, Tell them where the guns at. I told them, Its right on my forehead, Cox said in a KSDK-Channel 5 interview as he described how the suspect had forced Cox and another man into Coxs basement on Wednesday. A short time after that, SWAT officers entered Coxs home and were able to arrest Ray Tate, 40, of Kentucky. Tate has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley, 38, on Interstate 64 on Wednesday just hours before Cox was held hostage. Cox told the television station that police were able to track the suspect to the home in Clinton County because of the smart watch the other hostage was wearing. Cox said he tried to follow all of the suspects commands but he figured there was a really good possibility that he would not get out of his house alive. I didnt want to do anything else to set him off, Cox told KSDK. The suspect had fired off several shots inside the home before police arrested him. Cox also said the suspect had told him that he didnt want to hurt him or cause him any trouble and that he just needed a place to lay low for a little bit. Before the police entered the home, Cox said the other hostage was able to escape. Cox told Channel 5 that during the ordeal he was making his final prayers. Im praying that hopefully I get to see another day and if I dont Im praying, God, hope Im good enough where I get to go to heaven. Leonard Cox of Clinton County said a man wanted in the fatal shooting of a sheriffs deputy was pointing a gun at his forehead when hostage negotiators were talking to the suspect. He grabs the gun, sticks it right on my forehead and he tells them, Tell them where the guns at. I told them, Its right on my forehead, Cox said in a KSDK-Channel 5 interview as he described how the suspect had forced Cox and another man into Coxs basement on Wednesday. A short time after that, SWAT officers entered Coxs home and were able to arrest Ray Tate, 40, of Kentucky. Tate has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley, 38, on Interstate 64 on Wednesday just hours before Cox was held hostage. Cox told the television station that police were able to track the suspect to the home in Clinton County because of the smart watch the other hostage was wearing. Cox said he tried to follow all of the suspects commands but he figured there was a really good possibility that he would not get out of his house alive. I didnt want to do anything else to set him off, Cox told KSDK. The suspect had fired off several shots inside the home before police arrested him. Cox also said the suspect had told him that he didnt want to hurt him or cause him any trouble and that he just needed a place to lay low for a little bit. Before the police entered the home, Cox said the other hostage was able to escape. Cox told Channel 5 that during the ordeal he was making his final prayers. Im praying that hopefully I get to see another day and if I dont Im praying, God, hope Im good enough where I get to go to heaven. Leonard Cox of Clinton County said a man wanted in the fatal shooting of a sheriffs deputy was pointing a gun at his forehead when hostage negotiators were talking to the suspect. He grabs the gun, sticks it right on my forehead and he tells them, Tell them where the guns at. I told them, Its right on my forehead, Cox said in a KSDK-Channel 5 interview as he described how the suspect had forced Cox and another man into Coxs basement on Wednesday. A short time after that, SWAT officers entered Coxs home and were able to arrest Ray Tate, 40, of Kentucky. Tate has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley, 38, on Interstate 64 on Wednesday just hours before Cox was held hostage. Cox told the television station that police were able to track the suspect to the home in Clinton County because of the smart watch the other hostage was wearing. Cox said he tried to follow all of the suspects commands but he figured there was a really good possibility that he would not get out of his house alive. I didnt want to do anything else to set him off, Cox told KSDK. The suspect had fired off several shots inside the home before police arrested him. Cox also said the suspect had told him that he didnt want to hurt him or cause him any trouble and that he just needed a place to lay low for a little bit. Before the police entered the home, Cox said the other hostage was able to escape. Cox told Channel 5 that during the ordeal he was making his final prayers. Im praying that hopefully I get to see another day and if I dont Im praying, God, hope Im good enough where I get to go to heaven. A film celebrating the 100th birthday of Betty White, who died Friday, will still be released as planned. The producers of Betty White: 100 Years Young said in a statement that they 'will go forward' with plans to release the movie special on January 17. The Golden Girls star passed away from natural causes just shy of her landmark birthday and the film, featuring a star-studded roster of celebrities, will serve as a celebration of her incredible life and career. Going ahead: A film celebrating the 100th birthday of Betty White will still be released as planned on January 17, producers said Friday following new of the comedy legend's death Producers Steve Boettcher and Mike Trinklein explained, as reported by People: 'Our hearts mourn today with the passing of Betty White. During the many years we worked with her, we developed a great love and admiration for Betty as a person, and as an accomplished entertainer. 'We are thankful for the many decades of delight she brought to everyone. Betty always said she was the 'luckiest broad on two feet' to have had a career as long as she did. And honestly, we were the lucky ones to have had her for so long.' In conclusion, Boettcher and Trinklein stated: 'We will go forward with our plans to show the film on January 17 in hopes our film will provide a way for all who loved her to celebrate her life and experience what made her such a national treasure.' Tribute: The film, featuring a star-studded roster of celebrities including Ryan Reynolds, Clint Eastwood and Robert Redford, will now serve as a celebration of her incredible life and career White appears in the film along with the likes of Ryan Reynolds, Tina Fey, Robert Redford, Lin Manuel- Miranda, Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Jay Leno, Carol Burnett, Craig Ferguson, Jimmy Kimmel, Valerie Bertinelli, James Corden, Wendy Malick and Jennifer Love Hewitt. It includes highlights of her most famous roles as well as stories about her life and her long career in Hollywood. White made her name on The Mary Tyler Moore Show as Sue Ann Nivens and cemented her star status with TV's The Golden Girls and Hot In Cleveland. Legend: White made her name on The Mary Tyler Moore Show as Sue Ann Nivens. She's pictured backstage at the Emmys in 1976 with Ed Asner, Moore and Ted Knight Popular star: White cemented her star status on popular sitcom The Golden Girls in the 80s, left, and in the comedy Hot In Cleveland in the 2010s Her death was confirmed by her longtime agent Jeff Witjas, who told The Associated Press that she had passed away at her home in Los Angeles. He added that she had not been suffering from any diagnosed illness. 'I truly never thought she was going to pass away,' Witjas said. 'She meant the world to me as a friend. She was the most positive person I've ever known.' Ryan Reynolds, who starred with White in the big screen comedy The Proposal, tweeted: 'She was great at defying expectation. She managed to grow very old and somehow, not old enough. Well miss you, Betty.' White was pre-deceased by her beloved husband Allen Ludden, whom she met in 1961 when she appeared on an episode of his daytime game show Password. Ludden, a widower with three children, proposed to her in 1963 and they were happily married until his death from cancer in 1981. R.I.P.: White's death was confirmed by her longtime agent Jeff Witjas, who said she had passed away at her home in Los Angeles and had not been suffering from any diagnosed illness Leonard Cox of Clinton County said a man wanted in the fatal shooting of a sheriffs deputy was pointing a gun at his forehead when hostage negotiators were talking to the suspect. He grabs the gun, sticks it right on my forehead and he tells them, Tell them where the guns at. I told them, Its right on my forehead, Cox said in a KSDK-Channel 5 interview as he described how the suspect had forced Cox and another man into Coxs basement on Wednesday. A short time after that, SWAT officers entered Coxs home and were able to arrest Ray Tate, 40, of Kentucky. Tate has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley, 38, on Interstate 64 on Wednesday just hours before Cox was held hostage. Cox told the television station that police were able to track the suspect to the home in Clinton County because of the smart watch the other hostage was wearing. Cox said he tried to follow all of the suspects commands but he figured there was a really good possibility that he would not get out of his house alive. I didnt want to do anything else to set him off, Cox told KSDK. The suspect had fired off several shots inside the home before police arrested him. Cox also said the suspect had told him that he didnt want to hurt him or cause him any trouble and that he just needed a place to lay low for a little bit. Before the police entered the home, Cox said the other hostage was able to escape. Cox told Channel 5 that during the ordeal he was making his final prayers. Im praying that hopefully I get to see another day and if I dont Im praying, God, hope Im good enough where I get to go to heaven. A fight that turned into a shootout at a New Years Eve party late Friday night left seven people wounded from gunshots, three of them dead and one in critical condition, Gulfport police said on Saturday. The mass shooting took place at a residence on Lewis Avenue in west Gulfport where a group of people gathered to celebrate the end of 2021. Gulfport police Sgt. Clayton Fulks said a fight erupted at the party and quickly escalated when multiple people began firing shots in the crowd. The 911 call came in at 11:58 p.m. Seven people were struck by bullets in the crossfire. Three were confirmed dead by Harrison County Coroner Brian Switzer: Corey Dubose, 23, of DIberville Sedrick McCord, 28, of Gulfport Aubrey Lewis, 22, of Bay St. Louis Dubose and McCord were both brought to Memorial Hospital at Gulfport and died from multiple gunshots wounds, Switzer said. Lewis was taken to Singing River Hospital in Gulfport and died in surgery from multiple gunshot wounds. A fourth victim is in critical condition at Memorial. Fulks said three others, two men and a woman, were also shot but suffered non-life threatening injuries. Scene of the shootout The shooting occurred outside of a home in the 1200 block of Lewis Avenue, near the intersection of Old Pass Road in the Gaston Point community. Empty chairs sat in a semicircle outside of a makeshift fire pit on Saturday morning. A basketball sat underneath a chair. Closer to the street, a childs riding toy was parked near the party scene. Neighbors on the street said the gathering was supposed to be a family event to celebrate the beginning of a new year, but quickly grew to a block party. The homeowner declined to speak to the Sun Herald. Police chief asks witnesses to come forward At a press conference at the police department on Saturday afternoon, Gulfport Police Chief Chris Ryle begged witnesses to come forward and give police information that could lead to arrests in the case. So far, nobody in attendance at the party has cooperated with authorities, Ryle said. Story continues Anyone with information can report it anonymously to the police department or Crime Stoppers. It is unfortunate that such a tragic incident occurred in such a great neighborhood, Ryle said. The police chief said shell casings recovered at the scene indicate handguns and assault rifles were fired during the shooting. Chairs sit around a makeshift fire pit from a party on a property on Lewis Avenue in the Gaston Point community in Gulfport, the site of a New Years Eve shooting that killed three, on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2021. The intersection of Lewis Avenue and Old Pass Road in the Gaston Point community in Gulfport on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2021. A shooting took place at a New Years Eve party the night before, killing three and injuring four. Leonard Cox of Clinton County said a man wanted in the fatal shooting of a sheriffs deputy was pointing a gun at his forehead when hostage negotiators were talking to the suspect. He grabs the gun, sticks it right on my forehead and he tells them, Tell them where the guns at. I told them, Its right on my forehead, Cox said in a KSDK-Channel 5 interview as he described how the suspect had forced Cox and another man into Coxs basement on Wednesday. A short time after that, SWAT officers entered Coxs home and were able to arrest Ray Tate, 40, of Kentucky. Tate has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley, 38, on Interstate 64 on Wednesday just hours before Cox was held hostage. Cox told the television station that police were able to track the suspect to the home in Clinton County because of the smart watch the other hostage was wearing. Cox said he tried to follow all of the suspects commands but he figured there was a really good possibility that he would not get out of his house alive. I didnt want to do anything else to set him off, Cox told KSDK. The suspect had fired off several shots inside the home before police arrested him. Cox also said the suspect had told him that he didnt want to hurt him or cause him any trouble and that he just needed a place to lay low for a little bit. Before the police entered the home, Cox said the other hostage was able to escape. Cox told Channel 5 that during the ordeal he was making his final prayers. Im praying that hopefully I get to see another day and if I dont Im praying, God, hope Im good enough where I get to go to heaven. Leonard Cox of Clinton County said a man wanted in the fatal shooting of a sheriffs deputy was pointing a gun at his forehead when hostage negotiators were talking to the suspect. He grabs the gun, sticks it right on my forehead and he tells them, Tell them where the guns at. I told them, Its right on my forehead, Cox said in a KSDK-Channel 5 interview as he described how the suspect had forced Cox and another man into Coxs basement on Wednesday. A short time after that, SWAT officers entered Coxs home and were able to arrest Ray Tate, 40, of Kentucky. Tate has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley, 38, on Interstate 64 on Wednesday just hours before Cox was held hostage. Cox told the television station that police were able to track the suspect to the home in Clinton County because of the smart watch the other hostage was wearing. Cox said he tried to follow all of the suspects commands but he figured there was a really good possibility that he would not get out of his house alive. I didnt want to do anything else to set him off, Cox told KSDK. The suspect had fired off several shots inside the home before police arrested him. Cox also said the suspect had told him that he didnt want to hurt him or cause him any trouble and that he just needed a place to lay low for a little bit. Before the police entered the home, Cox said the other hostage was able to escape. Cox told Channel 5 that during the ordeal he was making his final prayers. Im praying that hopefully I get to see another day and if I dont Im praying, God, hope Im good enough where I get to go to heaven. Leonard Cox of Clinton County said a man wanted in the fatal shooting of a sheriffs deputy was pointing a gun at his forehead when hostage negotiators were talking to the suspect. He grabs the gun, sticks it right on my forehead and he tells them, Tell them where the guns at. I told them, Its right on my forehead, Cox said in a KSDK-Channel 5 interview as he described how the suspect had forced Cox and another man into Coxs basement on Wednesday. A short time after that, SWAT officers entered Coxs home and were able to arrest Ray Tate, 40, of Kentucky. Tate has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley, 38, on Interstate 64 on Wednesday just hours before Cox was held hostage. Cox told the television station that police were able to track the suspect to the home in Clinton County because of the smart watch the other hostage was wearing. Cox said he tried to follow all of the suspects commands but he figured there was a really good possibility that he would not get out of his house alive. I didnt want to do anything else to set him off, Cox told KSDK. The suspect had fired off several shots inside the home before police arrested him. Cox also said the suspect had told him that he didnt want to hurt him or cause him any trouble and that he just needed a place to lay low for a little bit. Before the police entered the home, Cox said the other hostage was able to escape. Cox told Channel 5 that during the ordeal he was making his final prayers. Im praying that hopefully I get to see another day and if I dont Im praying, God, hope Im good enough where I get to go to heaven. Leonard Cox of Clinton County said a man wanted in the fatal shooting of a sheriffs deputy was pointing a gun at his forehead when hostage negotiators were talking to the suspect. He grabs the gun, sticks it right on my forehead and he tells them, Tell them where the guns at. I told them, Its right on my forehead, Cox said in a KSDK-Channel 5 interview as he described how the suspect had forced Cox and another man into Coxs basement on Wednesday. A short time after that, SWAT officers entered Coxs home and were able to arrest Ray Tate, 40, of Kentucky. Tate has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley, 38, on Interstate 64 on Wednesday just hours before Cox was held hostage. Cox told the television station that police were able to track the suspect to the home in Clinton County because of the smart watch the other hostage was wearing. Cox said he tried to follow all of the suspects commands but he figured there was a really good possibility that he would not get out of his house alive. I didnt want to do anything else to set him off, Cox told KSDK. The suspect had fired off several shots inside the home before police arrested him. Cox also said the suspect had told him that he didnt want to hurt him or cause him any trouble and that he just needed a place to lay low for a little bit. Before the police entered the home, Cox said the other hostage was able to escape. Cox told Channel 5 that during the ordeal he was making his final prayers. Im praying that hopefully I get to see another day and if I dont Im praying, God, hope Im good enough where I get to go to heaven. Leonard Cox of Clinton County said a man wanted in the fatal shooting of a sheriffs deputy was pointing a gun at his forehead when hostage negotiators were talking to the suspect. He grabs the gun, sticks it right on my forehead and he tells them, Tell them where the guns at. I told them, Its right on my forehead, Cox said in a KSDK-Channel 5 interview as he described how the suspect had forced Cox and another man into Coxs basement on Wednesday. A short time after that, SWAT officers entered Coxs home and were able to arrest Ray Tate, 40, of Kentucky. Tate has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley, 38, on Interstate 64 on Wednesday just hours before Cox was held hostage. Cox told the television station that police were able to track the suspect to the home in Clinton County because of the smart watch the other hostage was wearing. Cox said he tried to follow all of the suspects commands but he figured there was a really good possibility that he would not get out of his house alive. I didnt want to do anything else to set him off, Cox told KSDK. The suspect had fired off several shots inside the home before police arrested him. Cox also said the suspect had told him that he didnt want to hurt him or cause him any trouble and that he just needed a place to lay low for a little bit. Before the police entered the home, Cox said the other hostage was able to escape. Cox told Channel 5 that during the ordeal he was making his final prayers. Im praying that hopefully I get to see another day and if I dont Im praying, God, hope Im good enough where I get to go to heaven. AARP is the nations biggest and most influential advocacy group for seniors. It has about 38 million members more than 11% of the U.S. population. From lobbying for better conditions in nursing homes to getting travel discounts for members, the organization has done much to help retired people over the years. When it comes to one of AARPs signature products, though, it may not always be putting its members first. The problem is that the organization is dependent on revenue from insurance companies. And while sometimes the interests of insurance companies and seniors align, at times they dont. This potential for conflict of interest has become starkly visible in recent months, as Congress seeks to pass drug pricing measures that would hurt seniors and help insurers. Lets pull back the curtain. AARP earned $1.7 billion in revenue last year. About 45% $752 million came from deals between the organization and insurance companies to sell AARP-branded plans. AARP gets paid every time one of its members signs up for one of these branded policies. Millions of Americans trust the AARP name, making these insurance plans highly popular. More than 10 million seniors hold health plans just through AARPs partnership with insurance giant UnitedHealthcare, according to a recent report from the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest. That means AARP has a vested interest in insurance companies getting their way in policy debates, regardless of the outcome for seniors. This may account for the organizations support of the $2 trillion Build Back Better Act. The bill would make a host of sweeping changes to Medicare, the federal health insurance program that serves some 60 million seniors. One such change would allow the government to impose price controls on prescription drugs a move thats expected to save the federal government about $160 billion over a decade. It would also save insurers billions of dollars both by making medicines cheaper for those that sponsor Medicare drug plans and by giving the companies more leverage to demand lower drug prices for their other plans as well. Unfortunately, though, the drug pricing measures in the bill are not designed to actually save money for patients. And they could have a devastating impact on seniors. Specifically, the price caps would slash drug company revenue, dismantling their business model in one fell swoop. Research and development budgets would quickly shrink. Analysts at the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office have evaluated several proposed price-cap measures and concluded that they would slightly decrease the development of new treatments and reduce access to many advanced medicines. Moreover, a study by a University of Chicago economist estimated that an earlier version of the drug pricing bill would prevent up to 342 new drugs from being invented over the next two decades. Any one of those medicines could be a cure for Alzheimers, heart disease, diabetes or any of the dozens of other ailments that disproportionately plague seniors. Yet AARP has spoken favorably about the Build Back Better drug pricing plan. At the same time, it opposes letting consumers count cash rebates from pharmaceutical companies toward their insurance plan deductibles a policy that would help patients but hurt insurers. AARP presents itself as a champion for older Americans, and in some respects, it has been. But as a major beneficiary of insurance industry profits, its hard to see how it can represent its members fairly. Today the organization is supporting policies that will lead to barer medicine cabinets tomorrow. 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. 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. BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - December 31, 2021) - High Fusion Inc. (CSE: FUZN) ("High Fusion" or the "Company") announced that, as requested by the Company, it has been granted a Management Cease Trade Order ("MCTO") today by the Ontario Securities Commission ("OSC") as a result of its December 16, 2021 announcement that it would be late in filing its interim financial statements for the three month period ended October 31, 2021 and related Management's Discussion & Analysis, and CEO and CFO certification of filings (collectively, the "Q1 2022 Filings"). The late filing is due to the complexity associated with consolidating the purchase of the assets and business of OutCo Labs Inc. completed on August 31, 2021. In order to complete the process, the Issuer will establish a timetable with its audit committee with the aim of completing specific tasks in the process on a daily basis. As a result of this delay in filing, the OSC, the principal regulator of the Company, today issued a MCTO, which imposed restrictions on all trading in and all acquisitions of securities of the Company, whether direct or indirect, by the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company. The MCTO will not affect the ability of persons who are not insiders of the Company to trade its securities. The Company intends to satisfy the provisions of the Alternative Information Guidelines as set out in National Policy 12-203 so long as the Q1 2022 Filings are outstanding. This includes the issuance of further by-weekly default status reports, each of which will be issued in the form of a press release. A general cease trade order may be issued if the Company fails to file such default status reports on a timely basis. About High Fusion Inc. High Fusion Inc. (formerly Nutritional High International Inc.) is focused on developing and manufacturing branded products in the cannabis industry with a specific focus on flower, pro-rolls, vapes, edibles and oil extracts for medical and adult recreational use. The Company operates and controls licenses in California, Colorado and Oregon. Story continues High Fusion has manufacturing, retail and grow operations in California through its acquisition of the business of OutCo and owns and operates oil extraction and edible manufacturing facilities in Colorado and Oregon. The Company's brand portfolio includes its award winning FLI edibles and vape product, along with a number of new brands including Red Octopus and Dubbi Brothers in addition to the OutCo and Thrive brands recently acquired. Neural Therapeutics Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of High Fusion focused on ethnobotanical drug-discovery and development company. Neural Therapeutics is focused on developing products and conducting research on the psychoactive cacti plants with the primary objective to find where the historical use in traditional medicine has proven to be effective and capitalize on the opportunities that can be applied in modern medical and natural health product markets. For updates on the Company's activities and highlights of the Company's press releases and other media coverage, please visit www.high-fusion.com. For further information, please contact: High Fusion Inc. Robert Wilson, Chief Financial Officer 416-666-4005 Email: rwilson@nutritionalhigh.com Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information: NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR OTC MARKETS GROUP INC., NOR THEIR REGULATIONS SERVICES PROVIDERS HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information based on current expectations. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. Risks that may have an impact on the ability for these events to be achieved include completion of the Q1 2022 Filings. Although such statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be correct. We assume no responsibility to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. The Company's securities have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or applicable state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or "U.S. Persons", as such term is defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act, absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in the United States or any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking information expressed in this press release include, but are not limited to: obtaining and maintaining regulatory approvals including acquiring and renewing U.S. state, local or other licenses, the uncertainty of existing protection from U.S. federal or other prosecution, regulatory or political change such as changes in applicable laws and regulations, including U.S. state-law legalization, market and general economic conditions of the cannabis sector or otherwise.. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/108863 BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, shows the region's resolve to keep markets open and support a multilateral trading system, The Bruneian government said on Saturday. The RCEP deal entered into force on the first day of 2022 for the six ASEAN members of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and for the four non-ASEAN signatories of China, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. South Korea will join the implementation on Feb. 1. "The entry into force of the RCEP agreement will pave the way for the creation of a free trade area that covers, based on World Bank data, 2.3 billion people or 30 percent of the world's population, contributes 25.8 trillion U.S. dollars or about 30 percent of global GDP, and accounts for 12.7 trillion U.S. dollars or over a quarter of global trade in goods and services, and 31 percent of global foreign direct investment inflows," Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy said in a statement. "These figures make RCEP the world's biggest free trade agreement that will facilitate global value chains and trade within the region," it noted. "As the world continues to grapple with the economic havoc caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the entry into force of the RCEP agreement is a strong manifestation of the region's resolve to keep markets open; boost regional economic integration; support an open, free, fair, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system; and, ultimately, contribute to global post-pandemic recovery efforts," the ministry added. The ministry also called on all exporters in Brunei to utilize opportunities presented by the RCEP agreement, in particular the preferential tariff rates on offer and the potential for optimization of the supply chain. Enditem After more than 30,000 Victorians missed out on Christmas Day and with tens of thousands of cases of COVID-19 popping up each day, it could be easy to fall into a slump about the start of another pandemic-plagued year. But pull yourself away from doomscrolling headlines and head outside, says a leading psychologist, as this summer could be one of the most enjoyable, meaningful and spontaneous. The Costin family are having an idyllic time compared to their 2020 holiday nightmare. The Costin family picking fruit at Paynes Orchard this week. After COVID blew up their holiday plans last summer, this summer they are keeping things low-risk. Credit:Justin McManus Last year the Bacchus Marsh family drove north to Queensland just after Christmas to visit family, but had the entire trip derailed by border restrictions. New Delhi: On Bigg Boss 15 Weekend Ka Vaar, host Salman Khan scolded the contestants for stopping the Ticket To Finale tasks in the past week. At the beginning of the episode, veteran actor and superstar Dharmendra graced the stage and interacted with comedian Bharti Singh and Salman. Bharti Singh joked about being Dharmendra's 'basanti' and even danced with him on stage. Later, Bharti asked Salman about his snake bite incident and he described how the snake bit him thrice. Bharti then conducted a competition within the housemates to see who would make the perfect 'basanti'. Tejasswi showed off her singing skills and Shamita Shetty flaunted her dancing skills. The comedian lightened up the mood by tickling Salman Khan which got quite a few laughs from the actor. Later, Salman Khan announced that in tomorrow's episode, there may be four more contestants coming in the house. The details are under wraps at the moment. The actor then finally interacted with contestants and verbally thrashed them for delaying and stopping tasks in the house. He got angry at Abhijit Bichukale for sleeping and told him to leave the conversation and go to sleep. Salman also got irritated with Shamita Shetty and told her to not make everything about herself. At one point, he said, "What the f***, Shamita?" which shocked everyone. Shamita was in tears and explained to everyone that she doesn't Rakhi Sawant in a different way. Salman also called out Tejasswi Prakash and Karan Kundrra for being unfair during a task but otherwise advocating for fairness. There's trouble in paradise again as Karan and Tejasswi have a fight and Karan told Teja to not be so negative. Comedian couple Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa also entered the house and had a fun roast with the contestants. They also announced that there will be no weekend elimination but contestants will get evicted on Monday. As a theology student, in the distant past, I was introduced to the writings of Episcopal priest and philosopher Geddes MacGregor. At that stage I apparently found humour more meaningful than philosophy and so I mentally recorded the following poem: If one day whilst roaming around A noble wild beast greets you With black stripes on a yellow ground Just notice if he eats you. This simple test will help you learn The Bengal Tiger to discern. Later in life the depth of those words gradually seeped into my own understanding of religion and ministry. Its possible to approach faith from a solely observational point of view, gathering pieces of information, using them to prove something to ourselves or others, supposedly weighing them in the balance. It can be a rather seductive process during which we may be gradually consumed by the mental gymnastics of it all without acknowledging along the way that faith doesnt rely on intellectual nutrition alone. A Bengal tiger in the forests of Indias Bandhavgarh National Park. Credit:Shutterstock Jack was a firefighter deployed to Cann River in Eastern Victoria during the horrendous bushfires of late December 2019. On New Years Eve, he and his crew found themselves trapped by a wall of flames many metres high. When Devin Pearson pushed the buzzer to use a family restroom at Crabtree Valley Mall this summer, they didnt think theyd have to wait nearly half an hour, only to end up leaving the mall without being able to use the bathroom. Pearson, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, said a routine trip to the mall in late August left them feeling personally humiliated when they were repeatedly refused access to a vacant, single-occupancy family restroom. Mall representatives apologized to Pearson, assuring them days later that the private bathrooms would be made available to anyone who needed them. But Pearson, determined to see a more inclusive policy put into effect, continued to push for a permanent solution. This fall, the mall converted its family restrooms to all gender restrooms, replacing signs and taking down security cameras and buzzers. Pearson told The News & Observer the situation was unfortunate but that they were glad the mall listened to their feedback and made their restrooms more accessible. They wanted to share their experience to raise awareness about the need for gender-neutral bathrooms in malls, hotels and other public places. I think we can definitely be more mindful of those needs, and hopefully this can be a conversation that can start getting those gears going. I sure hope so, Pearson said. Mall management and other mall representatives did not respond to numerous messages from The News & Observer seeking comments for this story. Being denied access to the bathroom Pearson, an author of childrens books, moved to the Triangle over the summer from Central Virginia. They were visiting the mall on the afternoon of Aug. 26 to explore the possibility of promoting their new book, The Awakening of Princess Treshawn, a story about a boy with dreams of becoming a princess and embracing his gender identity. Pearson went to a family restroom on the malls lower level and found a buzzer and a camera. A sign by the bathroom advised it was especially designed for the comfort of adults with young children. Pearson pressed the buzzer and waited to hear a response, before pressing it a few more times. A person answered after a few minutes and recommended using a different restroom. Pearson was told the family restroom was only available to someone accompanying a child. I did not want to reveal my gender identity, I didnt feel that was necessary, but as the conversation continued, it was very clear that I was not going to be permitted to use the restroom, Pearson said in an interview with The News & Observer in November. Reluctantly, Pearson told the person over the speaker that they are non-binary. The person replied that Pearson would have to choose between the mens and womens restrooms. I pressed forward and said, Well, I feel uncomfortable choosing one way or the other, and I explained that to them, and the circumstance, and was still told that no, I was still not allowed to use the restroom, Pearson recalled. Two other mall representatives spoke to Pearson, repeating the rules about that bathrooms access. About 20 minutes passed before Pearson was able to speak with the malls general manager, Debora Overholt. Pearson said Overholt apologized to them and said their experience was the result of a lack of training. Overholt said such an incident wouldnt happen again, but Pearson said Overholts words felt empty. It wasnt clear what steps the mall would take to prevent someone from being refused access to a restroom in the future, Pearson said. Pearson followed up by email with Overholt and other Crabtree Valley representatives the next morning. I felt personally humiliated by the experience. Like all customers, I want to feel comfortable using the restroom, Pearson wrote in an email to them on Aug. 27. As a member of the transgender community, it is always my hope to find inclusive spaces to work and collaborate. Where all customers feel welcome. In an email Pearson shared with The N&O, Overholt responded to them on Aug. 31, and apologized again for the unacceptable lack of access to the family restroom and sought to assure Pearson that the family restroom would be made available to anyone who needed to use it. Overholt said management wanted to ensure our guests feel comfortable and safe while shopping at Crabtree, and that Pearsons feedback had prompted the mall to better train staff so that the family restroom would be accessible to anyone. The mall makes a change Pearson returned to Crabtree Valley Mall a few days after the incident and noticed the security camera and buzzer outside the bathroom had been disconnected. In early November, Pearson saw the family restroom sign had been replaced with a sign that read all gender restroom. The sign outside another family restroom by the food court had been replaced as well. Mall management did not respond to The N&Os messages to clarify when the restroom signs were changed. Other Triangle shopping centers report they have gender-neutral restrooms, though they are not labeled that way. The Streets at Southpoint in Durham has two family restrooms, which are available for anyone to use, said Lindsay Kahn, a spokesperson for Brookfield Properties, the malls owner. Raleighs Triangle Town Center has multiple family restrooms, but they are also available to anyone who needs to use them, according to Rachel Dooley, the malls marketing manager. The bathrooms dont have all gender signs, but arent restricted to people with young children, Dooley said. Pearson said they hope those who design public spaces or facilities consider the importance of offering a private, single-occupancy restroom that doesnt necessarily have to be used only by non-binary people. Other people could stand to benefit from more inclusive bathrooms too. I try to think beyond myself, and think what if this was an elderly person who needed to use the restroom, Pearson said. Would they be included in the same policy, would they be permitted to use the restroom? I would hope so, but by the given policy, the answer would have to be no. HB2 and the fight over public bathrooms The push for more all-gender or gender-neutral bathrooms in public settings has been going on for years. Access to public restrooms for LGBTQ people was a major political issue across the country in 2016, particularly in North Carolina. Lawmakers passed and then-Gov. Pat McCrory signed House Bill 2 into law, which required transgender people in schools and government buildings to use public restrooms matching the gender on their birth certificate. The law drew robust opposition, including from cities that passed their own anti-discrimination ordinances allowing transgender people to use public restrooms of the gender with which they identify. Some businesses responded to the law by trying to make their restrooms more inclusive. The 21c Museum Hotel in Durham installed gender-neutral signs outside its single-occupancy bathrooms showing both the male and female symbols. The bottom of the signs read We Dont Care. HB2 was partially repealed in March 2017. But despite having a visa, travel exemption, Australian Travel Declaration, Victorian border pass and Victorian hotel quarantine forms, the older couple were denied boarding in Colombo. New parents Anuradha Madugalla and Chamath Divarathne, from Cranbourne East in Melbourne, had been looking forward to Ms Madugallas parents visiting from Sri Lanka for Christmas and New Years Eve to meet their one-month-old baby. Anuradha Madugalla and Chamath Divarathne have had their hopes dashed of having their parents visit to meet their newborn. Credit:Simon Schluter The federal government changed the border restrictions to allow the parents of Australian citizens and permanent residents to enter the county in November. Hopes of a family reunion this holiday season have been dashed for many Australians whose overseas-based parents have been turned away from flights because they were dosed with foreign COVID-19 vaccines. When we got pregnant we were ready to handle this without our parents but then we received information that parents will be able to come in, so we built up all the hopes just to get shattered three weeks later, Ms Madugalla said. Her parents have been vaccinated with the Russian vaccine Sputnik V, which is not recognised for travel to Australia. Ms Madugalla said they disclosed the type of vaccine and the dates of the doses on all the forms and they were given official confirmation her parents could fly to Australia but must go into hotel quarantine in Melbourne. But, when the airline called the Australian authorities, they were told not to allow them to board the flight. Since then, the family has been unable to get clarification from the Australian or Victorian governments about whether their parents are allowed to come. In NSW and Victoria, vaccinated people can isolate at home, while unvaccinated travellers and all travellers in most other states must complete 14 days of hotel quarantine. However, hotel quarantine capacity has been wound back. For example, in NSW the capacity in hotel quarantine is now 210 a week, down from about 5000 a week a few months ago. Even as the Board of Regents for the Nevada System of Higher Education deadlocked 6-6 with one absent on a vote to keep in place the COVID vaccine mandate for employees, it also failed to approve a motion that would have delayed firings related to the mandate. The two votes effectively left the policy as-is just hours before terminations for noncompliance became effective. Thursdays meeting was the latest turn in the months-long effort by policy makers to establish vaccine requirements for more than 22,000 employees and more than 100,000 students ahead of the start of the spring semester next year. The inaction came amid mounting concerns that the delay or revocation of terminations the day before they were planned would create operational chaos across all eight NSHE institutions. Operationally, for us to go back and to revisit this on Jan. 15, that change becomes highly problematic, Nevada State College President DeRionne Pollard told regents. And I think it sends a mixed message about the intent of both this policy and also our commitments around public health. Still, an expanding core of regents opposed the employee mandate on varying grounds from individual freedom to concerns over the lack of a student equivalent. On Thursday, that included Regents Byron Brooks, Patrick Boylan, Laura Perkins, Patrick Carter and Cathy McAdoo. I take issue with even one faculty member or one classified worker being terminated for not having the vaccine when clearly the student vaccine mandate has been dropped, Brooks said. So it really becomes about equitable policy for all, rather than for some. However, it was the absence of one Regent Lois Tarkanian an opponent of the mandate in the last two votes on the issue that likely doomed any delay or repeal of the vaccine requirement as the board was left at an even twelve members. That absence briefly became a sticking point as some anti-mandate regents, including Brooks, postulated on the possibility of Tarkanian tipping the vote though the possibility of her favorable vote did little to tip the balance in favor of the motion that would have delayed firings from the vaccine mandate to mid-January. Regents initially voted to create the mandate in late September, following the creation of a student mandate by the Board of Health one month earlier. Nearly 1,700 employees not in compliance were sent termination letters on Dec. 1, but all were allowed stays if they received the vaccine before the end of the month. In the final days before the firings became permanent, only a small fraction of NSHE employees 2.3 percent remained unvaccinated, or just over 500 employees, according to data shared with regents by institutions on Wednesday. The board also voted 10-2 to direct the chancellor to draft a letter in support of a student vaccine requirement to be sent to the governor, Board of Health and Legislature. That letter will be reviewed by regents at an open meeting next month. The vote marked the first time since the pandemic began that regents held a formal vote on the increasingly politically charged issue of student vaccine requirements, as regents have clashed over the specifics of mandates and mitigation policies just as major student and faculty groups who have long supported such mandates have simmered at the inaction. Im kind of floored that we're arguing over whether or not to send a letter, when us, as students and instructors, have to be in the classroom in two weeks, Nicole Thomas, president of the UNLV Graduate and Professional Student Association, said during the meeting. We have to deal with the fallout. Though students enrolling in in-person classes next spring were initially required to prove COVID vaccination status or receive a valid exemption under an emergency regulation created by the state Board of Health, a partisan deadlock on a procedural vote in the Legislative Commission last week effectively ended that mandate. Gov. Steve Sisolak has indicated his office will continue to pursue a student mandate through normal regulatory channels, though that process is not likely to be completed ahead of the start of the spring semester in January. Ahead of Thursdays meeting, Sisolak and all eight presidents or acting heads of the states colleges and universities voiced their support for the continuation of the employee mandate. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION DIRECTLY, OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 31, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Immutable Holdings Inc. (NEO:HOLD) (Immutable Holdings or the Company), a publicly-traded blockchain holding company, is pleased to announce that, further to its press releases of November 23, 2021, November 29, 2021 and December 17, 2021, Immutable Holdings has closed a second tranche (the Second Tranche) of its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the Offering) of units (the Units) at a price of $2.60 per Unit for additional gross proceeds of approximately $5.04 million. Together with the first tranche of the Offering (the First Tranche), which closed on December 17, 2021 for gross proceeds of approximately $10 million, the Company raised approximately $15.04 million through the issuance of 5,783,280 Units under the Offering. Due to excess demand, the Company increased the size of the Offering by an additional $1,036,528, which upsized amount was previously reserved for an option of the Agents (as defined below) to increase the size of the Offering by up to approximately $3 million. The brokered portion of the First Tranche was made through a syndicate of agents comprised of Stifel GMP, as lead agent, and Canaccord Genuity Corp., Eight Capital, Gravitas Securities Inc., Paradigm Capital Inc. and Beacon Securities Limited (collectively, the Agents). Second Tranche In connection with the Second Tranche, the Company issued a total of 1,937,126 Units for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $5.04 million. Each Unit consists of one class A subordinate voting share (each, a Share) and one-half of one Share purchase warrant of the Company (each whole Share purchase warrant, a Warrant). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one Share at a price of $4.00, until the date which is 36 months following the closing of the Second Tranche (the Expiry Date), subject to adjustment in certain events. In the event the volume weighted average trading price of the Shares on the NEO Exchange (the Exchange) is equal to or greater than $8.00 for a period of 20 consecutive trading days at any time following the date which is four months and a day after the closing date of the Second Tranche, the Company may, at its sole option, accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants by giving notice to the holders thereof and in such case the Warrants will expire at 4:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on the date which is the earlier of: (i) the 60th day after the date on which such notice is given by the Company; and (ii) the Expiry Date. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, a portion of the Units issued under the Second Tranche, as well as the shares underlying the Warrants, were comprised of class B multiple voting shares in the capital of the Company rather than class A subordinate voting shares. All of the Units issued under the Second Tranche were issued and sold by the Company on a non-brokered basis. Pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws, all securities issued pursuant to the Second Tranche are subject to a hold period of four months and one day, expiring on May 1, 2022. Additional hold periods and/or trading or resale restrictions may also apply in the United States. The Offering remains subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the final acceptance of the Exchange. As previously announced, the Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for working capital and general corporate purposes. Pursuant to the Second Tranche, a certain director of the Company subscribed for 96,154 Units for gross proceeds to the Company of $250,000.40, which is considered a related party transaction within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI 61-101). Full details of this transaction will be available on the System for Electronic Disclosure by Insiders (SEDI) at: www.sedi.ca. The Offering is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of the subject matter of the Offering, nor the consideration paid, exceed 25% of the Companys market capitalization. No additional insiders or related parties of the Company participated in the Offering. No new insiders or control persons were created in connection with the closing of the Offering. In connection with the Offering, the Agents received an aggregate of $100,730.55 as a cash advisory fee and an aggregate of 38,742 advisor warrants, which are each exercisable until the Expiry Date to acquire a Unit of the Company (having the same terms as set out above) at a price of $2.60 per Unit. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to or for the account or benefit of a U.S. person (as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. About Immutable Holdings Inc. Immutable Holdings (NEO:HOLD), the Blockchain Holding Company, is on a mission to democratize access to Web3 and blockchain-based products and services. Founded by Jordan Fried, a founding team member of the multibillion-dollar Hedera Hashgraph network, Immutable Holdings already boasts over $120M under management and a portfolio of businesses and brands built on the blockchain ecosystem: 1800Bitcoin.com, Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC.com), HBAR Labs, Immutable Advisory, Immutable Asset Management and NFT.com. To learn more, visit https://immutableholdings.com/. Contact: finance@immutableholdings.com This news release contains certain statements which constitute forward-looking statements or information under applicable Canadian securities laws, including statements relating to the expected use of proceeds from the Offering. Such forward-looking statements are subject to numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond the Companys control, which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those stated, anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include changes to applicable laws or the regulatory sphere in which the Company operates, general economic and capital markets conditions, stock market volatility and the ability of the Company to obtain necessary consents and approvals for the Offering, including the final acceptance of the Exchange. Although the Company believes that the forward-looking statements in this news release are reasonable, they are based on factors and assumptions, based on currently available information, concerning future events, which may prove to be inaccurate. As such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, as no assurance can be provided as to future plans, operations, results, levels of activity or achievements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and, except as required by applicable law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or to revise any of the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. KHARTOUM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The UN special envoy for Sudan on Saturday called for trust among all parties in the country to find a mutually agreed path out of the ongoing crisis. Volker Perthes, the UN special representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan, made the appeal in a statement on the 66th anniversary of Sudan's Independence. The UN envoy urged the authorities to respect the right of peaceful assembly and to allow protesters adhering to non-violence to express themselves freely. Perthes stressed that the UN remained committed to supporting the people of Sudan in realizing their aspirations for a democratic and stable Sudan. Sudan has been rocked by regular mass protests demanding civilian rule in recent weeks. At least 52 people were killed in 11 large-scale street protests since Oct. 25 when the general commander of the Sudanese army Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency and dissolved the government, a move which triggered a political crisis in the country. On Nov. 21, Al-Burhan and then removed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok signed a political declaration, which included reinstating Hamdok as prime minister, but the deal has so far failed to calm the street. The protests were also fuelled by sky-rocketing prices of foods, gases and household essentials in the country. Enditem KHARTOUM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The UN special envoy for Sudan on Saturday called for trust among all parties in the country to find a mutually agreed path out of the ongoing crisis. Volker Perthes, the UN special representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan, made the appeal in a statement on the 66th anniversary of Sudan's Independence. The UN envoy urged the authorities to respect the right of peaceful assembly and to allow protesters adhering to non-violence to express themselves freely. Perthes stressed that the UN remained committed to supporting the people of Sudan in realizing their aspirations for a democratic and stable Sudan. Sudan has been rocked by regular mass protests demanding civilian rule in recent weeks. At least 52 people were killed in 11 large-scale street protests since Oct. 25 when the general commander of the Sudanese army Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency and dissolved the government, a move which triggered a political crisis in the country. On Nov. 21, Al-Burhan and then removed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok signed a political declaration, which included reinstating Hamdok as prime minister, but the deal has so far failed to calm the street. The protests were also fuelled by sky-rocketing prices of foods, gases and household essentials in the country. Enditem The Bush administrations decision not to ratify the Kyoto Protocol to reduce Americas greenhouse gas emissions prompted fears in the Howard government the move would undermine global efforts to curb climate change. Previously secret cabinet documents from 2001 released by the National Archives also show concerns within the federal bureaucracy that Australias high per capita greenhouse gas emissions could be exposed by the ongoing global debate over key elements of Kyoto. Woodsides Pluto LNG plant near Karratha in WA. Cabinet papers from 2001 show the governments concern over greenhouse policy, here and in the United States. And they show the divisions within the Howard government over the approach to climate change divisions that continue today within the Coalition. While Australia had signed the Kyoto Protocol under which it agreed to limit the nations emissions increase to 8 per cent above its 1990 levels in 1998, the Howard government did not ratify the agreement. That would be one of the first actions taken by the government of Kevin Rudd in 2007. The Bush administrations decision not to ratify the Kyoto Protocol to reduce Americas greenhouse gas emissions prompted fears in the Howard government the move would undermine global efforts to curb climate change. Previously secret cabinet documents from 2001 released by the National Archives also show concerns within the federal bureaucracy that Australias high per capita greenhouse gas emissions could be exposed by the ongoing global debate over key elements of Kyoto. Woodsides Pluto LNG plant near Karratha in WA. Cabinet papers from 2001 show the governments concern over greenhouse policy, here and in the United States. And they show the divisions within the Howard government over the approach to climate change divisions that continue today within the Coalition. While Australia had signed the Kyoto Protocol under which it agreed to limit the nations emissions increase to 8 per cent above its 1990 levels in 1998, the Howard government did not ratify the agreement. That would be one of the first actions taken by the government of Kevin Rudd in 2007. The Bush administrations decision not to ratify the Kyoto Protocol to reduce Americas greenhouse gas emissions prompted fears in the Howard government the move would undermine global efforts to curb climate change. Previously secret cabinet documents from 2001 released by the National Archives also show concerns within the federal bureaucracy that Australias high per capita greenhouse gas emissions could be exposed by the ongoing global debate over key elements of Kyoto. Woodsides Pluto LNG plant near Karratha in WA. Cabinet papers from 2001 show the governments concern over greenhouse policy, here and in the United States. And they show the divisions within the Howard government over the approach to climate change divisions that continue today within the Coalition. While Australia had signed the Kyoto Protocol under which it agreed to limit the nations emissions increase to 8 per cent above its 1990 levels in 1998, the Howard government did not ratify the agreement. That would be one of the first actions taken by the government of Kevin Rudd in 2007. A legal expert has warned of the powers that religious organisations have to hire and fire staff after a fringe church sacked a worker who got the COVID-19 jab because it said that went against its beliefs. Lainie Chait is seeking damages for unfair dismissal after she was allegedly sacked by the Newcastle-based Church of Ubuntu for getting a COVID-19 vaccination. Lainie Chait claims she was unfairly dismissed by her employer after she received the COVID-19 jab. Credit:Elise Derwin Ms Chait worked for the church, which runs a wellness clinic that sells medicinal hemp products, as a client consultant for 12 months but was dismissed in October after her boss found out she had received the jab. A letter from the churchs vice-president Karen Burge praised Ms Chaits work but said getting a vaccination was inconsistent with its religious teachings. New Delhi: On Bigg Boss 15 Weekend Ka Vaar, host Salman Khan scolded the contestants for stopping the Ticket To Finale tasks in the past week. At the beginning of the episode, veteran actor and superstar Dharmendra graced the stage and interacted with comedian Bharti Singh and Salman. Bharti Singh joked about being Dharmendra's 'basanti' and even danced with him on stage. Later, Bharti asked Salman about his snake bite incident and he described how the snake bit him thrice. Bharti then conducted a competition within the housemates to see who would make the perfect 'basanti'. Tejasswi showed off her singing skills and Shamita Shetty flaunted her dancing skills. The comedian lightened up the mood by tickling Salman Khan which got quite a few laughs from the actor. Later, Salman Khan announced that in tomorrow's episode, there may be four more contestants coming in the house. The details are under wraps at the moment. The actor then finally interacted with contestants and verbally thrashed them for delaying and stopping tasks in the house. He got angry at Abhijit Bichukale for sleeping and told him to leave the conversation and go to sleep. Salman also got irritated with Shamita Shetty and told her to not make everything about herself. At one point, he said, "What the f***, Shamita?" which shocked everyone. Shamita was in tears and explained to everyone that she doesn't Rakhi Sawant in a different way. Salman also called out Tejasswi Prakash and Karan Kundrra for being unfair during a task but otherwise advocating for fairness. There's trouble in paradise again as Karan and Tejasswi have a fight and Karan told Teja to not be so negative. Comedian couple Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa also entered the house and had a fun roast with the contestants. They also announced that there will be no weekend elimination but contestants will get evicted on Monday. New Delhi: On Bigg Boss 15 Weekend Ka Vaar, host Salman Khan scolded the contestants for stopping the Ticket To Finale tasks in the past week. At the beginning of the episode, veteran actor and superstar Dharmendra graced the stage and interacted with comedian Bharti Singh and Salman. Bharti Singh joked about being Dharmendra's 'basanti' and even danced with him on stage. Later, Bharti asked Salman about his snake bite incident and he described how the snake bit him thrice. Bharti then conducted a competition within the housemates to see who would make the perfect 'basanti'. Tejasswi showed off her singing skills and Shamita Shetty flaunted her dancing skills. The comedian lightened up the mood by tickling Salman Khan which got quite a few laughs from the actor. Later, Salman Khan announced that in tomorrow's episode, there may be four more contestants coming in the house. The details are under wraps at the moment. The actor then finally interacted with contestants and verbally thrashed them for delaying and stopping tasks in the house. He got angry at Abhijit Bichukale for sleeping and told him to leave the conversation and go to sleep. Salman also got irritated with Shamita Shetty and told her to not make everything about herself. At one point, he said, "What the f***, Shamita?" which shocked everyone. Shamita was in tears and explained to everyone that she doesn't Rakhi Sawant in a different way. Salman also called out Tejasswi Prakash and Karan Kundrra for being unfair during a task but otherwise advocating for fairness. There's trouble in paradise again as Karan and Tejasswi have a fight and Karan told Teja to not be so negative. Comedian couple Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa also entered the house and had a fun roast with the contestants. They also announced that there will be no weekend elimination but contestants will get evicted on Monday. New Delhi: On Bigg Boss 15 Weekend Ka Vaar, host Salman Khan scolded the contestants for stopping the Ticket To Finale tasks in the past week. At the beginning of the episode, veteran actor and superstar Dharmendra graced the stage and interacted with comedian Bharti Singh and Salman. Bharti Singh joked about being Dharmendra's 'basanti' and even danced with him on stage. Later, Bharti asked Salman about his snake bite incident and he described how the snake bit him thrice. Bharti then conducted a competition within the housemates to see who would make the perfect 'basanti'. Tejasswi showed off her singing skills and Shamita Shetty flaunted her dancing skills. The comedian lightened up the mood by tickling Salman Khan which got quite a few laughs from the actor. Later, Salman Khan announced that in tomorrow's episode, there may be four more contestants coming in the house. The details are under wraps at the moment. The actor then finally interacted with contestants and verbally thrashed them for delaying and stopping tasks in the house. He got angry at Abhijit Bichukale for sleeping and told him to leave the conversation and go to sleep. Salman also got irritated with Shamita Shetty and told her to not make everything about herself. At one point, he said, "What the f***, Shamita?" which shocked everyone. Shamita was in tears and explained to everyone that she doesn't Rakhi Sawant in a different way. Salman also called out Tejasswi Prakash and Karan Kundrra for being unfair during a task but otherwise advocating for fairness. There's trouble in paradise again as Karan and Tejasswi have a fight and Karan told Teja to not be so negative. Comedian couple Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa also entered the house and had a fun roast with the contestants. They also announced that there will be no weekend elimination but contestants will get evicted on Monday. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 New Delhi: The security forces in the border district of Jammu and Kashmirs Kupwara claimed to have foiled an infiltration bid and killed one terrorist. In a joint operation of Army and Jammu and Kashmir police, in jungles of Jumagund area close to the Line of Control in border district of Kupwara, an unidentified terrorist was killed in an operation. Searches in the area are still going on. Kashmir zone police tweeted, One unidentified #terrorist killed in an #encounter at Jumagund area of #Kupwara. Army & Police are on the job. Further details shall follow. One unidentified #terrorist killed in an #encounter at Jumagund area of #Kupwara. Army & Police are on the job. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) January 1, 2022 As per sources, Infiltration bid has been foiled in Jumagand area at line of control. A terrorist is killed while search operation is still on to see if there any more terrorists hiding in the area. ALSO READ: Last surviving terrorist involved in 2019 Pulwama attack likely killed in Anantnag encounter Live TV New Delhi: The security forces in the border district of Jammu and Kashmirs Kupwara claimed to have foiled an infiltration bid and killed one terrorist. In a joint operation of Army and Jammu and Kashmir police, in jungles of Jumagund area close to the Line of Control in border district of Kupwara, an unidentified terrorist was killed in an operation. Searches in the area are still going on. Kashmir zone police tweeted, One unidentified #terrorist killed in an #encounter at Jumagund area of #Kupwara. Army & Police are on the job. Further details shall follow. One unidentified #terrorist killed in an #encounter at Jumagund area of #Kupwara. Army & Police are on the job. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) January 1, 2022 As per sources, Infiltration bid has been foiled in Jumagand area at line of control. A terrorist is killed while search operation is still on to see if there any more terrorists hiding in the area. ALSO READ: Last surviving terrorist involved in 2019 Pulwama attack likely killed in Anantnag encounter Live TV New Delhi: The security forces in the border district of Jammu and Kashmirs Kupwara claimed to have foiled an infiltration bid and killed one terrorist. In a joint operation of Army and Jammu and Kashmir police, in jungles of Jumagund area close to the Line of Control in border district of Kupwara, an unidentified terrorist was killed in an operation. Searches in the area are still going on. Kashmir zone police tweeted, One unidentified #terrorist killed in an #encounter at Jumagund area of #Kupwara. Army & Police are on the job. Further details shall follow. One unidentified #terrorist killed in an #encounter at Jumagund area of #Kupwara. Army & Police are on the job. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) January 1, 2022 As per sources, Infiltration bid has been foiled in Jumagand area at line of control. A terrorist is killed while search operation is still on to see if there any more terrorists hiding in the area. ALSO READ: Last surviving terrorist involved in 2019 Pulwama attack likely killed in Anantnag encounter Live TV From funding buildings and services to changing village names, senators of the 36th Guam Legislature passed 72 new laws in 2021. Here are some of the laws that will have an impact on the day-to-day lives of residents. Hospital, prison After months of debate, lawmakers approved the spending of up to $35 million annually for an expansive medical campus, and up $5 million annually for a new prison. Public Law 36-56 authorizes the financing of a single facility for Guam Memorial Hospital, the Department of Public Health and Social Services and the Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center. Public Law 36-57 will fund the beginning of a multi-stage plan to modernize the Department of Corrections prison and eventually increase capacity to more than 1,000 inmates. Stricter sentences Those found guilty of criminal sexual conduct will face stricter sentences. Public Law 36-18 institutes mandatory minimum sentences of up to 25 years for repeat sexual offenders. Those convicted of first or second-degree criminal sexual conduct will no longer be eligible for sentencing reductions, under Public Law 36-17. Any person charged with criminal sexual conduct also will have to submit to STD testing, at the request of a victim, with Public Law 36-58. Voting, transparency Early voting will be a permanent option in all future elections and voters will have a 30-day window prior to Election Day to cast a ballot in person, thanks to Public Law 36-41. With Public Law 36-34, all government of Guam agencies, boards and commissions must broadcast all regular and special meetings for the public to view, and post agenda items up ahead of time. Businesses All business license fees up to Sept. 30 are waived under Public Law 36-4. Small businesses that earn between $50,000 and $500,000 in gross annual income will now have their business privilege taxes limited to 3% on the first $250,000 they earn annually, under Public Law 36-27. Economy In an effort to incentivize new hotel construction, Public Law 36-72 extends the Guam Economic Development Authoritys Special Qualifying Hotel Certificate Program for another 10 years. The program gives tax exemptions to developers looking to build new hotels on Guam, and was set to expire at the end of 2021. Public Law 36-23 created a task force to create a plan to implement a transshipment industry on Guam. Land Trust The CHamoru Land Trust Commission can enter into a lease with GTA to lay undersea cables on submerged land through Public Law 36-46. No more than six cables can be landed and GTA will have to pay a $100,000 landing fee and an additional $100,000 annually. Money will be used for surveying and installing infrastructure on Land Trust property. Permanent placards There no longer are expiration dates on accessible windshield placards for people with certified permanent disabilities. People with temporary disabilities must renew them annually under Public Law 36-62. Elder law center Guams seniors are able to get free legal advice and services from the Public Defender Service Corporations Elder Justice Center, which began as a pilot program and was extended under Public Law 36-19. Environment After Marbo Cave was contaminated by the construction of a solar farm, the Guam Environmental Protection Agency was able to issue a maximum fine of $125,000 to Samsung E&C America, Inc. The cap has been removed under Public Law 36-60. Agriculture Farms of any size wont be forced to stop production because of zoning changes with the removal of a minimum acreage requirement through Public Law 36-43. Anyone who sells crops must register as a bonafide farmer with the Department of Agriculture, with the passage of Public Law 36-24. Anyone who steals livestock or agricultural products will have to pay the owner the value of what was taken, through Public Law 36-10. Village names Period poverty All public and charter schools, along with the University of Guam and the Guam Community College, have to stock menstrual products and make them available to students for free, through Public Law 36-66. War Claims World War II survivors and their eligible descendants who missed the 2018 filing deadline for the federal war reparations program will be able to apply for compensation through a local program, with the passage of the Guam World War II Reconciliation Act. The details of the program were, as of Dec. 30, 2021, still being ironed out in the Legislature. Child placement In an effort to relieve pressure on Guams foster care system, private adoption agencies can assist the Department of Public Health and Social Services in the placement of children who are up for adoption, under Public Law 36-69. Adoption agencies also will be included in the chain of custody for children who are relinquished by their parents under the Newborn Safe Haven Act, though Public Law 36-40. 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Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Pulitzer-winning multimedia journalist Manny Crisostomo chronicles the journeys of the CHamoru diaspora in "Manaotao Sanlagu," an ongoing visual documentary featured weekly in the Pacific Daily News. New Delhi: Sharpening its attack on the government, the Congress Saturday presented a set of New Year resolutions for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ministerial colleagues, asking them to work for the welfare of 130 crore Indians and not just some. "New Year Resolution for PM Modi: Focus on people, not PR," the Congress said on Twitter, hoping that the prime minister "realises 130 crore Indians are greater than (>>>) 1". This 2022, we hope PM Modi realises 130 crore Indians >>> 1. pic.twitter.com/Vobzp0eYJ0 Congress (@INCIndia) January 1, 2022 For Home Minister Amit Shah, the Congress said "not elections, not criminals, not his party, we hope his duties towards our nation take precedence over all...This 2022". "Protect citizens, not criminals," read the Congress' resolution for Shah. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi set a "lifelong resolution" for his own party, Whatever that needs to be done to uphold truth, justice and peoples' rights will be done, earlier too and always in the future. The Congress asked Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to aid our annadatas (farmers), not attack them. Annadatas satisfy the nation's need, crony capitalists satisfy their own greed; this 2022, we hope BJP chooses the right side," the main opposition party said on Twitter. "Stop holding onions, millennials or acts of god responsible for government failures," read the Congress resolution for Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Sitharaman had in August 2020 blamed the shortfall in GST collections to the Covid pandemic, which she described as "an act of god". "Not silence, not lies, give the nation the truth about Chinese incursions," read the resolution the Congress set for Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. "Since the PM has failed to show 'laal aankh' to the Chinese, here's hoping the Defence Minister will this 2022," the Congress said. "Manage the impending third wave, unlike the last two," read the Congress resolution for Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. "And most importantly, we hope BJP focuses on saving lives, not saving face this 2022," the Congress said. Live TV Even in the days of smallpox, some people objected to vaccinations. Benjamin Franklin apparently "long regretted" his decision not to inoculate his oldest son, who died of smallpox at age 4 in 1736. Yet skepticism over the vaccine persisted, even into the early 20th century, when it was routinely required. By then, the virus had mutated to become less severe. Some argued the vaccine was no longer necessary and would create more risk than it resolved. Yet vaccination requirements continued, and smallpox remains the only human disease ever eradicated from Earth. Public skepticism has always been a part of vaccine history, even as doctors and other officials praise the shots' safety, effectiveness and importance. "The idea that there was less resistance to vaccination in the past is really misleading," said Elena Conis, a historian of medicine at the University of California, Berkeley. "The amount of resistance we have (today) is pretty proportional to the amount of vaccination we expect the public to accept." Conis got interested in vaccine history during the public outcry over the HPV vaccine first approved in 2006 and given to pre-pubescent girls to prevent cervical cancer resulting from a sexually transmitted virus. A study published in November in The Lancet shows that a national HPV vaccination campaign in the U.K. cut cervical cancer rates by 87%. More recently, some people have questioned whether COVID-19 vaccines are necessary for children ages 5-11. Children are less likely than adults to suffer dangerous bouts of illness with COVID-19. But they can still fall ill, and just over 1,000 minors have died of the disease since the pandemic began, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including 219 ages 5-11. COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to be as safe as those vaccines, too. In a study released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children reported fewer side effects from the vaccine than adolescents. Of more than 4,000 side effects reported to the government, after the first 8 million vaccines shots, only 2% were considered serious, including 11 cases of swelling of the heart, called myocarditis. Livia Carbino, 8, gets a high five from her grandmother, registered nurse Livia Gifford, after getting her covid vaccine shot at the Orange City office of the Florida Department of Health in Volusia County on Dec. 3. Experts say that risk-benefit ratio is enough to justify widespread vaccination against COVID-19. Other diseases were even less dangerous when vaccines against them were approved and mandated, statistics show. Between 1990 and 1995, just before that vaccine was introduced, only three children died of hepatitis A. Eight children ages 11-18 died of meningococcus in the two years before vaccination began. And 16 children ages 5-9 died of chicken pox between 1990 and 1994. Of course these diseases also caused other problems for children, including missed school, pain, itching, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures and overall misery. "It is very logical and reasonable that if we protect kids from these other infections that we protect kids from COVID," said Dr. John Bradley, an infectious disease pediatrician at Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego. Omicron makes people sick faster: Heres what else you need to know for New Year's weekend Good news about omicron: It may pass quickly, pose small threat to vaccinated, experts say Although low in absolute numbers, COVID-19 was the eighth-biggest killer of children ages 5-11 in 2020, data shows, and even more children fell ill in 2021because of the more contagious delta variant even before omicron arrived. COVID-19 vaccines protect children from getting seriously ill as well as the potentially lingering effects of the virus. Vaccinated kids won't be as likely to pass on the virus, they won't have to miss school as they recover and eventually, when infection rates come down, they won't have to wear masks all the time, Bradley said. "When you put in public health as another factor in the equation, the equation is completely favorably weighted toward giving the vaccine," he said. "Vaccines are the ultimate solution to getting kids back to school safely." Bradley recalls the 1989 arrival of a vaccine for bacterial meningitis. Before then, his hospital saw about 100 cases a year, including kids enduring seizures and ventilators. "When those vaccines came out, it was night and day," he said. "You were saving lives, brains. It was a miracle, frankly." Rotavirus "only caused about 20 deaths a year" before the vaccine was introduced in 2006, Bradley said, "but we had wards that were packed with kids with diarrhea." The resulting dehydration could be life-threatening to children who lived far from a hospital or emergency room. Persons handling international travelers at Pier 88 in New York City are shown Jan. 12, 1962, inoculating disembarking passengers against smallpox, after the arrival of the north German liner Bremen. Human life expectancy jumped from about 40 years to 80 in the past century, in part because of vaccines, said Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Stanford University. "We've gained basically another lifetime since 1900," she said, and "it wasn't because of fancy, smart things." The extra years came mostly from ending deaths in infancy and early childhood, thanks to improved sewer and water systems, pasteurization, antibiotics and vaccines. Though people may think parents were more focused on their communities in the past getting their children vaccinated to protect others as well as themselves that's never really been true, Conis said. The polio vaccine, introduced in 1955, shifted people's mindsets on childhood vaccines, Conis said. That vaccine was made available at no cost, as the COVID-19 vaccine has been, and polio cases quickly started to fall. After they started to creep up again in the late 1950s, a few states, starting with California, began to require the polio vaccine for schoolchildren. President Franklin D. Roosevelt carves the turkey during the annual Thanksgiving dinner in 1933 for polio patients at Warm Springs, Georgia., with first lady Eleanor Roosevelt smiling beside him. Roosevelt was among the most famous Americans to get polio, and he helped start what eventually would become the March of Dimes. That organization raised money for a vaccine, which was found in 1955 by Jonas Salk. Once the worst viruses, like smallpox, polio and meningitis, had been brought under control, researchers moved on to addressing less serious illnesses, like chicken pox. Chicken pox, Bradley said, "isn't killing children right and left, but to create a vaccine to prevent those few deaths seemed quite reasonable. ... Society really prizes children, which I'm deeply appreciative of." The 1960s saw a burgeoning of vaccines, including a second one for polio, one for mumps and one against rubella, Conis said. By the end of the 1960s, thanks to vaccinations, measles cases were way down in communities generally white and middle class where children routinely saw pediatricians. But children of color and those whose parents didn't speak English well were still getting sick. That, Conis said, motivated more states to introduce school vaccination mandates. By 1980, every state had adopted school vaccination laws, she said. In the 1960s, when health officials were trying to encourage vaccinations, they warned parents that measles could in rare cases cause encephalitis, reducing their child's IQ. "If that one is your kid, how are you going to feel?" was the message, Conis said. More recently, vaccine opponents have turned that argument on its head, saying, "How are you going to feel" if your child is the one in a million who is harmed by vaccination? "Different members of our society have different reasons for seeing the risk of disease as the greater threat or the risk of the vaccine as the greater threat," Conis said. Those who have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine for kids should know, she said, that they come from a long line of people who have wondered whether getting the disease is truly more dangerous than getting a shot. "I think it would be helpful," Conis said, "to make some room for people in the middle to express their concerns and ask their questions." Contact Karen Weintraub at kweintraub@usatoday.com 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 didn't start vaccine skepticism. The history of kids and shots. New Delhi: Sharpening its attack on the government, the Congress Saturday presented a set of New Year resolutions for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ministerial colleagues, asking them to work for the welfare of 130 crore Indians and not just some. "New Year Resolution for PM Modi: Focus on people, not PR," the Congress said on Twitter, hoping that the prime minister "realises 130 crore Indians are greater than (>>>) 1". This 2022, we hope PM Modi realises 130 crore Indians >>> 1. pic.twitter.com/Vobzp0eYJ0 Congress (@INCIndia) January 1, 2022 For Home Minister Amit Shah, the Congress said "not elections, not criminals, not his party, we hope his duties towards our nation take precedence over all...This 2022". "Protect citizens, not criminals," read the Congress' resolution for Shah. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi set a "lifelong resolution" for his own party, Whatever that needs to be done to uphold truth, justice and peoples' rights will be done, earlier too and always in the future. The Congress asked Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to aid our annadatas (farmers), not attack them. Annadatas satisfy the nation's need, crony capitalists satisfy their own greed; this 2022, we hope BJP chooses the right side," the main opposition party said on Twitter. "Stop holding onions, millennials or acts of god responsible for government failures," read the Congress resolution for Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Sitharaman had in August 2020 blamed the shortfall in GST collections to the Covid pandemic, which she described as "an act of god". "Not silence, not lies, give the nation the truth about Chinese incursions," read the resolution the Congress set for Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. "Since the PM has failed to show 'laal aankh' to the Chinese, here's hoping the Defence Minister will this 2022," the Congress said. "Manage the impending third wave, unlike the last two," read the Congress resolution for Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. "And most importantly, we hope BJP focuses on saving lives, not saving face this 2022," the Congress said. Live TV Chandigarh: Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Saturday (January 1) expressed grief over the landslide that took place at a mining site in the Bhiwani district of the state. He questioned how was mining going on at the site despite the Supreme Court`s direction to `not destroy` the Aravalli Hills. "Today, the news of the death of many labourers, many trapped and injured in the accident in Dadam-Bhiwani area is sad. I pay tribute to the dead and wish the injured a speedy recovery. How was the mining going on despite the Supreme Court`s direction not to destroy the Aravalli hills?," said Hooda in a tweet. He said that the Haryana government is responsible for the incident. He demanded a judicial inquiry into the `mining scam` and urged the government to give adequate compensation to the families of the ones who died in the incident. "The present Haryana government is fully responsible for this accident. A judicial inquiry should be conducted into the mining scam worth thousands of crores. Also, the government should give adequate compensation to the families of those who lost their lives in this accident. The government should ensure rescue operations and aid to the victims on a war footing ," said Hooda in another tweet. Four people have died in the landslide that took place in Bhiwani district at a mining site, said Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij. The workers were reportedly travelling to another site when the landslide took place and they got trapped in their vehicles. The district administration has launched a rescue operation at the Dadam mining zone in Tosham block.Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed grief over the incident and also spoke to Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. Taking to Twitter, the Home Minister also wished speedy recovery to those injured and informed that local administration is engaged in the rescue operation."Accident due to landslide at the mining site in Bhiwani district of Haryana is very sad. I have spoken to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar ji. The local administration is engaged in the rescue work. Our priority is to save as many lives as possible. I wish the injured a speedy recovery," Shah tweeted. Meanwhile, Khattar also took to Twitter to express grief and said, "Saddened by the unfortunate landslide accident in Dadam mining zone at Bhiwani. I am in constant touch with the local administration to ensure swift rescue operations and immediate assistance to the injured." Live TV New Delhi: Sharpening its attack on the government, the Congress Saturday presented a set of New Year resolutions for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ministerial colleagues, asking them to work for the welfare of 130 crore Indians and not just some. "New Year Resolution for PM Modi: Focus on people, not PR," the Congress said on Twitter, hoping that the prime minister "realises 130 crore Indians are greater than (>>>) 1". This 2022, we hope PM Modi realises 130 crore Indians >>> 1. pic.twitter.com/Vobzp0eYJ0 Congress (@INCIndia) January 1, 2022 For Home Minister Amit Shah, the Congress said "not elections, not criminals, not his party, we hope his duties towards our nation take precedence over all...This 2022". "Protect citizens, not criminals," read the Congress' resolution for Shah. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi set a "lifelong resolution" for his own party, Whatever that needs to be done to uphold truth, justice and peoples' rights will be done, earlier too and always in the future. The Congress asked Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to aid our annadatas (farmers), not attack them. Annadatas satisfy the nation's need, crony capitalists satisfy their own greed; this 2022, we hope BJP chooses the right side," the main opposition party said on Twitter. "Stop holding onions, millennials or acts of god responsible for government failures," read the Congress resolution for Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Sitharaman had in August 2020 blamed the shortfall in GST collections to the Covid pandemic, which she described as "an act of god". "Not silence, not lies, give the nation the truth about Chinese incursions," read the resolution the Congress set for Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. "Since the PM has failed to show 'laal aankh' to the Chinese, here's hoping the Defence Minister will this 2022," the Congress said. "Manage the impending third wave, unlike the last two," read the Congress resolution for Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. "And most importantly, we hope BJP focuses on saving lives, not saving face this 2022," the Congress said. Live TV Chandigarh: Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Saturday (January 1) expressed grief over the landslide that took place at a mining site in the Bhiwani district of the state. He questioned how was mining going on at the site despite the Supreme Court`s direction to `not destroy` the Aravalli Hills. "Today, the news of the death of many labourers, many trapped and injured in the accident in Dadam-Bhiwani area is sad. I pay tribute to the dead and wish the injured a speedy recovery. How was the mining going on despite the Supreme Court`s direction not to destroy the Aravalli hills?," said Hooda in a tweet. He said that the Haryana government is responsible for the incident. He demanded a judicial inquiry into the `mining scam` and urged the government to give adequate compensation to the families of the ones who died in the incident. "The present Haryana government is fully responsible for this accident. A judicial inquiry should be conducted into the mining scam worth thousands of crores. Also, the government should give adequate compensation to the families of those who lost their lives in this accident. The government should ensure rescue operations and aid to the victims on a war footing ," said Hooda in another tweet. Four people have died in the landslide that took place in Bhiwani district at a mining site, said Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij. The workers were reportedly travelling to another site when the landslide took place and they got trapped in their vehicles. The district administration has launched a rescue operation at the Dadam mining zone in Tosham block.Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed grief over the incident and also spoke to Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. Taking to Twitter, the Home Minister also wished speedy recovery to those injured and informed that local administration is engaged in the rescue operation."Accident due to landslide at the mining site in Bhiwani district of Haryana is very sad. I have spoken to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar ji. The local administration is engaged in the rescue work. Our priority is to save as many lives as possible. I wish the injured a speedy recovery," Shah tweeted. Meanwhile, Khattar also took to Twitter to express grief and said, "Saddened by the unfortunate landslide accident in Dadam mining zone at Bhiwani. I am in constant touch with the local administration to ensure swift rescue operations and immediate assistance to the injured." Live TV (Newser) A New York resident who was stumped by a Jeopardy! question about his state's governor got a do-over Friday, joining Gov. Kathy Hochul's virtual COVID-19 briefing to tell her he knows who she is now. Here in New York we actually believe in second chances, Hochul said before introducing Ben Walthall, the Brooklyn resident who failed to buzz in on the following clue: In 2021, she became the first female governor of New York state. The clue was read again Friday by a Hochul staff member who at first said first female president and then corrected himself to governor of New York state. Walthall correctly responded, Who is Kathy Hochul?" per the AP. None of the contestants in the episode that aired Wednesday answered the question about Hochul, not even Amy Schneider, the show's current, record-breaking champ. Walthall told Hochul that his episode was filmed a couple months ago, right when you took office, so thats part of the reason why I may have sat out on that question. Hochul, the former lieutenant governor, took over as governor in August when fellow Democrat Andrew Cuomo resigned amid sexual misconduct allegations. A Jeopardy! spokesperson said Wednesday's episode was filmed Oct. 12. I dont have a long memory, the governor told Walthall, so were good. (Read more Kathy Hochul stories.) The Bush administrations decision not to ratify the Kyoto Protocol to reduce Americas greenhouse gas emissions prompted fears in the Howard government the move would undermine global efforts to curb climate change. Previously secret cabinet documents from 2001 released by the National Archives also show concerns within the federal bureaucracy that Australias high per capita greenhouse gas emissions could be exposed by the ongoing global debate over key elements of Kyoto. Woodsides Pluto LNG plant near Karratha in WA. Cabinet papers from 2001 show the governments concern over greenhouse policy, here and in the United States. And they show the divisions within the Howard government over the approach to climate change divisions that continue today within the Coalition. While Australia had signed the Kyoto Protocol under which it agreed to limit the nations emissions increase to 8 per cent above its 1990 levels in 1998, the Howard government did not ratify the agreement. That would be one of the first actions taken by the government of Kevin Rudd in 2007. The summers final Live on the Waterfront concert was held Wednesday evening at Prince Arthurs Landing. The popular series in Thunder Bay has completed nine weekly shows that began on July 13. Wednesdays concert was unique as it was held one hour later in the evening to mesh with the 10 p. Even in the days of smallpox, some people objected to vaccinations. Benjamin Franklin apparently "long regretted" his decision not to inoculate his oldest son, who died of smallpox at age 4 in 1736. Yet skepticism over the vaccine persisted, even into the early 20th century, when it was routinely required. By then, the virus had mutated to become less severe. Some argued the vaccine was no longer necessary and would create more risk than it resolved. Yet vaccination requirements continued, and smallpox remains the only human disease ever eradicated from Earth. Public skepticism has always been a part of vaccine history, even as doctors and other officials praise the shots' safety, effectiveness and importance. "The idea that there was less resistance to vaccination in the past is really misleading," said Elena Conis, a historian of medicine at the University of California, Berkeley. "The amount of resistance we have (today) is pretty proportional to the amount of vaccination we expect the public to accept." Conis got interested in vaccine history during the public outcry over the HPV vaccine first approved in 2006 and given to pre-pubescent girls to prevent cervical cancer resulting from a sexually transmitted virus. A study published in November in The Lancet shows that a national HPV vaccination campaign in the U.K. cut cervical cancer rates by 87%. More recently, some people have questioned whether COVID-19 vaccines are necessary for children ages 5-11. Children are less likely than adults to suffer dangerous bouts of illness with COVID-19. But they can still fall ill, and just over 1,000 minors have died of the disease since the pandemic began, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including 219 ages 5-11. COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to be as safe as those vaccines, too. In a study released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children reported fewer side effects from the vaccine than adolescents. Of more than 4,000 side effects reported to the government, after the first 8 million vaccines shots, only 2% were considered serious, including 11 cases of swelling of the heart, called myocarditis. Livia Carbino, 8, gets a high five from her grandmother, registered nurse Livia Gifford, after getting her covid vaccine shot at the Orange City office of the Florida Department of Health in Volusia County on Dec. 3. Experts say that risk-benefit ratio is enough to justify widespread vaccination against COVID-19. Other diseases were even less dangerous when vaccines against them were approved and mandated, statistics show. Between 1990 and 1995, just before that vaccine was introduced, only three children died of hepatitis A. Eight children ages 11-18 died of meningococcus in the two years before vaccination began. And 16 children ages 5-9 died of chicken pox between 1990 and 1994. Of course these diseases also caused other problems for children, including missed school, pain, itching, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures and overall misery. "It is very logical and reasonable that if we protect kids from these other infections that we protect kids from COVID," said Dr. John Bradley, an infectious disease pediatrician at Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego. Omicron makes people sick faster: Heres what else you need to know for New Year's weekend Good news about omicron: It may pass quickly, pose small threat to vaccinated, experts say Although low in absolute numbers, COVID-19 was the eighth-biggest killer of children ages 5-11 in 2020, data shows, and even more children fell ill in 2021because of the more contagious delta variant even before omicron arrived. COVID-19 vaccines protect children from getting seriously ill as well as the potentially lingering effects of the virus. Vaccinated kids won't be as likely to pass on the virus, they won't have to miss school as they recover and eventually, when infection rates come down, they won't have to wear masks all the time, Bradley said. "When you put in public health as another factor in the equation, the equation is completely favorably weighted toward giving the vaccine," he said. "Vaccines are the ultimate solution to getting kids back to school safely." Bradley recalls the 1989 arrival of a vaccine for bacterial meningitis. Before then, his hospital saw about 100 cases a year, including kids enduring seizures and ventilators. "When those vaccines came out, it was night and day," he said. "You were saving lives, brains. It was a miracle, frankly." Rotavirus "only caused about 20 deaths a year" before the vaccine was introduced in 2006, Bradley said, "but we had wards that were packed with kids with diarrhea." The resulting dehydration could be life-threatening to children who lived far from a hospital or emergency room. Persons handling international travelers at Pier 88 in New York City are shown Jan. 12, 1962, inoculating disembarking passengers against smallpox, after the arrival of the north German liner Bremen. Human life expectancy jumped from about 40 years to 80 in the past century, in part because of vaccines, said Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Stanford University. "We've gained basically another lifetime since 1900," she said, and "it wasn't because of fancy, smart things." The extra years came mostly from ending deaths in infancy and early childhood, thanks to improved sewer and water systems, pasteurization, antibiotics and vaccines. Though people may think parents were more focused on their communities in the past getting their children vaccinated to protect others as well as themselves that's never really been true, Conis said. The polio vaccine, introduced in 1955, shifted people's mindsets on childhood vaccines, Conis said. That vaccine was made available at no cost, as the COVID-19 vaccine has been, and polio cases quickly started to fall. After they started to creep up again in the late 1950s, a few states, starting with California, began to require the polio vaccine for schoolchildren. President Franklin D. Roosevelt carves the turkey during the annual Thanksgiving dinner in 1933 for polio patients at Warm Springs, Georgia., with first lady Eleanor Roosevelt smiling beside him. Roosevelt was among the most famous Americans to get polio, and he helped start what eventually would become the March of Dimes. That organization raised money for a vaccine, which was found in 1955 by Jonas Salk. Once the worst viruses, like smallpox, polio and meningitis, had been brought under control, researchers moved on to addressing less serious illnesses, like chicken pox. Chicken pox, Bradley said, "isn't killing children right and left, but to create a vaccine to prevent those few deaths seemed quite reasonable. ... Society really prizes children, which I'm deeply appreciative of." The 1960s saw a burgeoning of vaccines, including a second one for polio, one for mumps and one against rubella, Conis said. By the end of the 1960s, thanks to vaccinations, measles cases were way down in communities generally white and middle class where children routinely saw pediatricians. But children of color and those whose parents didn't speak English well were still getting sick. That, Conis said, motivated more states to introduce school vaccination mandates. By 1980, every state had adopted school vaccination laws, she said. In the 1960s, when health officials were trying to encourage vaccinations, they warned parents that measles could in rare cases cause encephalitis, reducing their child's IQ. "If that one is your kid, how are you going to feel?" was the message, Conis said. More recently, vaccine opponents have turned that argument on its head, saying, "How are you going to feel" if your child is the one in a million who is harmed by vaccination? "Different members of our society have different reasons for seeing the risk of disease as the greater threat or the risk of the vaccine as the greater threat," Conis said. Those who have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine for kids should know, she said, that they come from a long line of people who have wondered whether getting the disease is truly more dangerous than getting a shot. "I think it would be helpful," Conis said, "to make some room for people in the middle to express their concerns and ask their questions." Contact Karen Weintraub at kweintraub@usatoday.com 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 didn't start vaccine skepticism. The history of kids and shots. Even in the days of smallpox, some people objected to vaccinations. Benjamin Franklin apparently "long regretted" his decision not to inoculate his oldest son, who died of smallpox at age 4 in 1736. Yet skepticism over the vaccine persisted, even into the early 20th century, when it was routinely required. By then, the virus had mutated to become less severe. Some argued the vaccine was no longer necessary and would create more risk than it resolved. Yet vaccination requirements continued, and smallpox remains the only human disease ever eradicated from Earth. Public skepticism has always been a part of vaccine history, even as doctors and other officials praise the shots' safety, effectiveness and importance. "The idea that there was less resistance to vaccination in the past is really misleading," said Elena Conis, a historian of medicine at the University of California, Berkeley. "The amount of resistance we have (today) is pretty proportional to the amount of vaccination we expect the public to accept." Conis got interested in vaccine history during the public outcry over the HPV vaccine first approved in 2006 and given to pre-pubescent girls to prevent cervical cancer resulting from a sexually transmitted virus. A study published in November in The Lancet shows that a national HPV vaccination campaign in the U.K. cut cervical cancer rates by 87%. More recently, some people have questioned whether COVID-19 vaccines are necessary for children ages 5-11. Children are less likely than adults to suffer dangerous bouts of illness with COVID-19. But they can still fall ill, and just over 1,000 minors have died of the disease since the pandemic began, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including 219 ages 5-11. COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to be as safe as those vaccines, too. In a study released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children reported fewer side effects from the vaccine than adolescents. Of more than 4,000 side effects reported to the government, after the first 8 million vaccines shots, only 2% were considered serious, including 11 cases of swelling of the heart, called myocarditis. Livia Carbino, 8, gets a high five from her grandmother, registered nurse Livia Gifford, after getting her covid vaccine shot at the Orange City office of the Florida Department of Health in Volusia County on Dec. 3. Experts say that risk-benefit ratio is enough to justify widespread vaccination against COVID-19. Other diseases were even less dangerous when vaccines against them were approved and mandated, statistics show. Between 1990 and 1995, just before that vaccine was introduced, only three children died of hepatitis A. Eight children ages 11-18 died of meningococcus in the two years before vaccination began. And 16 children ages 5-9 died of chicken pox between 1990 and 1994. Of course these diseases also caused other problems for children, including missed school, pain, itching, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures and overall misery. "It is very logical and reasonable that if we protect kids from these other infections that we protect kids from COVID," said Dr. John Bradley, an infectious disease pediatrician at Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego. Omicron makes people sick faster: Heres what else you need to know for New Year's weekend Good news about omicron: It may pass quickly, pose small threat to vaccinated, experts say Although low in absolute numbers, COVID-19 was the eighth-biggest killer of children ages 5-11 in 2020, data shows, and even more children fell ill in 2021because of the more contagious delta variant even before omicron arrived. COVID-19 vaccines protect children from getting seriously ill as well as the potentially lingering effects of the virus. Vaccinated kids won't be as likely to pass on the virus, they won't have to miss school as they recover and eventually, when infection rates come down, they won't have to wear masks all the time, Bradley said. "When you put in public health as another factor in the equation, the equation is completely favorably weighted toward giving the vaccine," he said. "Vaccines are the ultimate solution to getting kids back to school safely." Bradley recalls the 1989 arrival of a vaccine for bacterial meningitis. Before then, his hospital saw about 100 cases a year, including kids enduring seizures and ventilators. "When those vaccines came out, it was night and day," he said. "You were saving lives, brains. It was a miracle, frankly." Rotavirus "only caused about 20 deaths a year" before the vaccine was introduced in 2006, Bradley said, "but we had wards that were packed with kids with diarrhea." The resulting dehydration could be life-threatening to children who lived far from a hospital or emergency room. Persons handling international travelers at Pier 88 in New York City are shown Jan. 12, 1962, inoculating disembarking passengers against smallpox, after the arrival of the north German liner Bremen. Human life expectancy jumped from about 40 years to 80 in the past century, in part because of vaccines, said Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Stanford University. "We've gained basically another lifetime since 1900," she said, and "it wasn't because of fancy, smart things." The extra years came mostly from ending deaths in infancy and early childhood, thanks to improved sewer and water systems, pasteurization, antibiotics and vaccines. Though people may think parents were more focused on their communities in the past getting their children vaccinated to protect others as well as themselves that's never really been true, Conis said. The polio vaccine, introduced in 1955, shifted people's mindsets on childhood vaccines, Conis said. That vaccine was made available at no cost, as the COVID-19 vaccine has been, and polio cases quickly started to fall. After they started to creep up again in the late 1950s, a few states, starting with California, began to require the polio vaccine for schoolchildren. President Franklin D. Roosevelt carves the turkey during the annual Thanksgiving dinner in 1933 for polio patients at Warm Springs, Georgia., with first lady Eleanor Roosevelt smiling beside him. Roosevelt was among the most famous Americans to get polio, and he helped start what eventually would become the March of Dimes. That organization raised money for a vaccine, which was found in 1955 by Jonas Salk. Once the worst viruses, like smallpox, polio and meningitis, had been brought under control, researchers moved on to addressing less serious illnesses, like chicken pox. Chicken pox, Bradley said, "isn't killing children right and left, but to create a vaccine to prevent those few deaths seemed quite reasonable. ... Society really prizes children, which I'm deeply appreciative of." The 1960s saw a burgeoning of vaccines, including a second one for polio, one for mumps and one against rubella, Conis said. By the end of the 1960s, thanks to vaccinations, measles cases were way down in communities generally white and middle class where children routinely saw pediatricians. But children of color and those whose parents didn't speak English well were still getting sick. That, Conis said, motivated more states to introduce school vaccination mandates. By 1980, every state had adopted school vaccination laws, she said. In the 1960s, when health officials were trying to encourage vaccinations, they warned parents that measles could in rare cases cause encephalitis, reducing their child's IQ. "If that one is your kid, how are you going to feel?" was the message, Conis said. More recently, vaccine opponents have turned that argument on its head, saying, "How are you going to feel" if your child is the one in a million who is harmed by vaccination? "Different members of our society have different reasons for seeing the risk of disease as the greater threat or the risk of the vaccine as the greater threat," Conis said. Those who have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine for kids should know, she said, that they come from a long line of people who have wondered whether getting the disease is truly more dangerous than getting a shot. "I think it would be helpful," Conis said, "to make some room for people in the middle to express their concerns and ask their questions." Contact Karen Weintraub at kweintraub@usatoday.com 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 didn't start vaccine skepticism. The history of kids and shots. KHARTOUM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The UN special envoy for Sudan on Saturday called for trust among all parties in the country to find a mutually agreed path out of the ongoing crisis. Volker Perthes, the UN special representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan, made the appeal in a statement on the 66th anniversary of Sudan's Independence. The UN envoy urged the authorities to respect the right of peaceful assembly and to allow protesters adhering to non-violence to express themselves freely. Perthes stressed that the UN remained committed to supporting the people of Sudan in realizing their aspirations for a democratic and stable Sudan. Sudan has been rocked by regular mass protests demanding civilian rule in recent weeks. At least 52 people were killed in 11 large-scale street protests since Oct. 25 when the general commander of the Sudanese army Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency and dissolved the government, a move which triggered a political crisis in the country. On Nov. 21, Al-Burhan and then removed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok signed a political declaration, which included reinstating Hamdok as prime minister, but the deal has so far failed to calm the street. The protests were also fuelled by sky-rocketing prices of foods, gases and household essentials in the country. Enditem New Delhi: On Bigg Boss 15 Weekend Ka Vaar, host Salman Khan scolded the contestants for stopping the Ticket To Finale tasks in the past week. At the beginning of the episode, veteran actor and superstar Dharmendra graced the stage and interacted with comedian Bharti Singh and Salman. Bharti Singh joked about being Dharmendra's 'basanti' and even danced with him on stage. Later, Bharti asked Salman about his snake bite incident and he described how the snake bit him thrice. Bharti then conducted a competition within the housemates to see who would make the perfect 'basanti'. Tejasswi showed off her singing skills and Shamita Shetty flaunted her dancing skills. The comedian lightened up the mood by tickling Salman Khan which got quite a few laughs from the actor. Later, Salman Khan announced that in tomorrow's episode, there may be four more contestants coming in the house. The details are under wraps at the moment. The actor then finally interacted with contestants and verbally thrashed them for delaying and stopping tasks in the house. He got angry at Abhijit Bichukale for sleeping and told him to leave the conversation and go to sleep. Salman also got irritated with Shamita Shetty and told her to not make everything about herself. At one point, he said, "What the f***, Shamita?" which shocked everyone. Shamita was in tears and explained to everyone that she doesn't Rakhi Sawant in a different way. Salman also called out Tejasswi Prakash and Karan Kundrra for being unfair during a task but otherwise advocating for fairness. There's trouble in paradise again as Karan and Tejasswi have a fight and Karan told Teja to not be so negative. Comedian couple Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa also entered the house and had a fun roast with the contestants. They also announced that there will be no weekend elimination but contestants will get evicted on Monday. MONTICELLO Going on the offensive, so its said, is always the most effective form of defense. Amber Oberheim, the widow of slain Champaign Police Officer Chris Oberheim, has mounted a defiant push back against those who seek to defund police, revile them or in any way disparage and disrespect them. Its been, she believes, her God-given mission since that day in May when, as she phrases it, My husband went to work and never came home. The advocacy of Oberheim and her family is, on a personal level, also proving to be a way to attack the onset of crushing grief and channel it into something positive and uplifting in the face of darkness and pain. Backed by her four daughters Hannah, 22, Avery, 19, and 14-year-old twins Addison and Aubree Amber Oberheim said the Monticello family made a solemn commitment to police officers everywhere on May 26, the day of her husbands funeral. They committed to defend their name, their purpose, their honor, and their badge, said the Oberheims of themselves in a declaration of intent on their web page. As a result, Amber and her daughters created a God-serving foundation in Chriss honor called Peacemaker Project 703. And so the campaign of playing offense polite but respectful and determined began. Named for her late husbands badge number, Peacemaker Project 703 is a not-for-profit entity with Amber Oberheim as founder and president and her children serving on its board. For those continuing efforts, Amber Oberheim and her family are the Newsmaker of the Year for 2021. The Herald & Review each year recognizes the person who had the biggest impact on the community. As Hannah Oberheim puts it, Although I will never understand why my Dad was taken away from me, nothing catches the Lord by surprise. I know that He has a purpose for my Mom, my sisters and me. We will live life intentionally, seeking that purpose. That purpose involves being willing to speak out constantly, advocating for respect for the role of law enforcement as an essential bulwark of our civilization and insisting that efforts to defund and marginalize police are misguided and wrong, symptoms of a society in danger of losing its moral compass. Paws & Stripes The Oberheims, particularly Amber Oberheim, speak to the media and at public events, local government meetings and other venues to hammer home their message. They also advocate for better and more easily accessed mental health services to support police officers under stress from their jobs. They get involved at the detail level, too, for example, supporting the work of a group called Paws & Stripes which trains police comfort dogs. Amber Oberheim said the dogs are used by police to comfort civilian victims caught-up in traumatic situations and to ease their stress and, by default, make the work of law enforcement easier. But its multi-faceted, she added. Having a dog like that at the station actually provides comfort for the officers, too, whether they want to see it that way or not. A nurse practitioner who has set aside her day job to spearhead Project 703, Oberheim isnt trying to pretend that we live in a world where the police dont make mistakes or act wrongly, sometimes with tragic results. Undoubtedly there are situations that happened with law enforcement officers that needed to be different, I will be the first to admit that, she said. The Oberheim family view, however, is that when police screw up, we tend to get widespread campaigns to vilify the work of all police officers, regardless of who they are. Amber Oberheim draws a comparison with her own field, medicine. As a nurse practitioner, I know surgeons I would never send a patient to because their outcomes aren't good, she said. But when a surgeon whose lack of training, poor decision making or whatever you want to call it has put patients in the ground, we dont look at all surgeons as being bad because one of them had a bad outcome. There can have been few outcomes more tragic than the death of 44-year-old Chris Oberheim in the early morning hours of May 19. The former Decatur officer, who has a brother, Joe, still serving with Decatur police, was responding to a domestic violence call when suspect Darion Lafayette, 24, opened fire. Oberheim suffered fatal injuries and his partner, fellow Champaign Officer Jeffrey Creel, was shot three times but survived to return fire, killing Lafayette. Chris Oberheim was lauded as a dedicated law enforcement officer who gave his life in the service of others and was also a devoted dad and husband. Chris made it very apparent that his family was his first priority. His four daughters were his absolute pride and joy, the Project 703 website proclaims above nine family snaps showing the Oberheims living and enjoying life as a family. Going on without him And now that family continues to come to terms with the harsh reality that their dad and husband is no longer with them. The first Christmas, always a time of heightened emotion, memory and longing, has already been and gone absent the man who was the center of their lives. For Amber Oberheim, the Project 703 public relations offense in honor of her husbands memory maintains a thin blue line arresting grief and pain and that overriding sense of loss that looms over the lives of all who grieve and yet must cope. I am guilty of probably making myself so busy that I dont have to deal with the reality of the situation, she said. And I am not surprised that our daughters want to be involved although in some ways, honestly, I sometimes think Am I delaying their mourning process? while were doing all of these things. But they are all very willing and they want to be there and they want to speak out and they want to support the people who are supporting us. Theyve always had the choice about how involved they want or not want to be. Asked if she thinks that involvement and advocacy is helping her children cope with their loss, she replied: Yes, I hope so; I hope so. As for their Mom, she said her whole-hearted response to the tragedy visited on her family has been only natural for a woman who sees herself as one of lifes doers. That is just my personality type, that is just who I am: and so I am a fixer, Im a healer. It didn't even occur to me not to do any of this, she explained. A person of strong faith, Oberheim also believes she is on a mission from God and that, fueled by tragedy, she has found new purpose. This has been a complete epiphany for me, she said. God knew that if this happened, this is what I was going to do in response. He knew that if something happened to Chris, this is how I would handle it. Taking on and trying to reshape the way society treats its law enforcement officers is no small task, however, even for a mother and her daughters who all believe their wills are now bent to divine purpose. And yet the head of the family remains undaunted by the sheer enormity of it all. If not us, who? she asked. What do you do? Do you just sit back and continue to watch things happen around you that just dont sit well with your soul? No, you stand up and you pray, you just say God, speak to me so that I can hear. I will listen. You tell me what to do and I will go do it. I have no fear because that is the path I am taking. New Delhi: On Bigg Boss 15 Weekend Ka Vaar, host Salman Khan scolded the contestants for stopping the Ticket To Finale tasks in the past week. At the beginning of the episode, veteran actor and superstar Dharmendra graced the stage and interacted with comedian Bharti Singh and Salman. Bharti Singh joked about being Dharmendra's 'basanti' and even danced with him on stage. Later, Bharti asked Salman about his snake bite incident and he described how the snake bit him thrice. Bharti then conducted a competition within the housemates to see who would make the perfect 'basanti'. Tejasswi showed off her singing skills and Shamita Shetty flaunted her dancing skills. The comedian lightened up the mood by tickling Salman Khan which got quite a few laughs from the actor. Later, Salman Khan announced that in tomorrow's episode, there may be four more contestants coming in the house. The details are under wraps at the moment. The actor then finally interacted with contestants and verbally thrashed them for delaying and stopping tasks in the house. He got angry at Abhijit Bichukale for sleeping and told him to leave the conversation and go to sleep. Salman also got irritated with Shamita Shetty and told her to not make everything about herself. At one point, he said, "What the f***, Shamita?" which shocked everyone. Shamita was in tears and explained to everyone that she doesn't Rakhi Sawant in a different way. Salman also called out Tejasswi Prakash and Karan Kundrra for being unfair during a task but otherwise advocating for fairness. There's trouble in paradise again as Karan and Tejasswi have a fight and Karan told Teja to not be so negative. Comedian couple Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa also entered the house and had a fun roast with the contestants. They also announced that there will be no weekend elimination but contestants will get evicted on Monday. New Delhi: On Bigg Boss 15 Weekend Ka Vaar, host Salman Khan scolded the contestants for stopping the Ticket To Finale tasks in the past week. At the beginning of the episode, veteran actor and superstar Dharmendra graced the stage and interacted with comedian Bharti Singh and Salman. Bharti Singh joked about being Dharmendra's 'basanti' and even danced with him on stage. Later, Bharti asked Salman about his snake bite incident and he described how the snake bit him thrice. Bharti then conducted a competition within the housemates to see who would make the perfect 'basanti'. Tejasswi showed off her singing skills and Shamita Shetty flaunted her dancing skills. The comedian lightened up the mood by tickling Salman Khan which got quite a few laughs from the actor. Later, Salman Khan announced that in tomorrow's episode, there may be four more contestants coming in the house. The details are under wraps at the moment. The actor then finally interacted with contestants and verbally thrashed them for delaying and stopping tasks in the house. He got angry at Abhijit Bichukale for sleeping and told him to leave the conversation and go to sleep. Salman also got irritated with Shamita Shetty and told her to not make everything about herself. At one point, he said, "What the f***, Shamita?" which shocked everyone. Shamita was in tears and explained to everyone that she doesn't Rakhi Sawant in a different way. Salman also called out Tejasswi Prakash and Karan Kundrra for being unfair during a task but otherwise advocating for fairness. There's trouble in paradise again as Karan and Tejasswi have a fight and Karan told Teja to not be so negative. Comedian couple Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa also entered the house and had a fun roast with the contestants. They also announced that there will be no weekend elimination but contestants will get evicted on Monday. New Delhi: The security forces in the border district of Jammu and Kashmirs Kupwara claimed to have foiled an infiltration bid and killed one terrorist. In a joint operation of Army and Jammu and Kashmir police, in jungles of Jumagund area close to the Line of Control in border district of Kupwara, an unidentified terrorist was killed in an operation. Searches in the area are still going on. Kashmir zone police tweeted, One unidentified #terrorist killed in an #encounter at Jumagund area of #Kupwara. Army & Police are on the job. Further details shall follow. One unidentified #terrorist killed in an #encounter at Jumagund area of #Kupwara. Army & Police are on the job. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) January 1, 2022 As per sources, Infiltration bid has been foiled in Jumagand area at line of control. A terrorist is killed while search operation is still on to see if there any more terrorists hiding in the area. ALSO READ: Last surviving terrorist involved in 2019 Pulwama attack likely killed in Anantnag encounter Live TV New Delhi: The security forces in the border district of Jammu and Kashmirs Kupwara claimed to have foiled an infiltration bid and killed one terrorist. In a joint operation of Army and Jammu and Kashmir police, in jungles of Jumagund area close to the Line of Control in border district of Kupwara, an unidentified terrorist was killed in an operation. Searches in the area are still going on. Kashmir zone police tweeted, One unidentified #terrorist killed in an #encounter at Jumagund area of #Kupwara. Army & Police are on the job. Further details shall follow. One unidentified #terrorist killed in an #encounter at Jumagund area of #Kupwara. Army & Police are on the job. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) January 1, 2022 As per sources, Infiltration bid has been foiled in Jumagand area at line of control. A terrorist is killed while search operation is still on to see if there any more terrorists hiding in the area. ALSO READ: Last surviving terrorist involved in 2019 Pulwama attack likely killed in Anantnag encounter Live TV The Bush administrations decision not to ratify the Kyoto Protocol to reduce Americas greenhouse gas emissions prompted fears in the Howard government the move would undermine global efforts to curb climate change. Previously secret cabinet documents from 2001 released by the National Archives also show concerns within the federal bureaucracy that Australias high per capita greenhouse gas emissions could be exposed by the ongoing global debate over key elements of Kyoto. Woodsides Pluto LNG plant near Karratha in WA. Cabinet papers from 2001 show the governments concern over greenhouse policy, here and in the United States. And they show the divisions within the Howard government over the approach to climate change divisions that continue today within the Coalition. While Australia had signed the Kyoto Protocol under which it agreed to limit the nations emissions increase to 8 per cent above its 1990 levels in 1998, the Howard government did not ratify the agreement. That would be one of the first actions taken by the government of Kevin Rudd in 2007. When Devin Pearson pushed the buzzer to use a family restroom at Crabtree Valley Mall this summer, they didnt think theyd have to wait nearly half an hour, only to end up leaving the mall without being able to use the bathroom. Pearson, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, said a routine trip to the mall in late August left them feeling personally humiliated when they were repeatedly refused access to a vacant, single-occupancy family restroom. Mall representatives apologized to Pearson, assuring them days later that the private bathrooms would be made available to anyone who needed them. But Pearson, determined to see a more inclusive policy put into effect, continued to push for a permanent solution. This fall, the mall converted its family restrooms to all gender restrooms, replacing signs and taking down security cameras and buzzers. Pearson told The News & Observer the situation was unfortunate but that they were glad the mall listened to their feedback and made their restrooms more accessible. They wanted to share their experience to raise awareness about the need for gender-neutral bathrooms in malls, hotels and other public places. I think we can definitely be more mindful of those needs, and hopefully this can be a conversation that can start getting those gears going. I sure hope so, Pearson said. Mall management and other mall representatives did not respond to numerous messages from The News & Observer seeking comments for this story. Being denied access to the bathroom Pearson, an author of childrens books, moved to the Triangle over the summer from Central Virginia. They were visiting the mall on the afternoon of Aug. 26 to explore the possibility of promoting their new book, The Awakening of Princess Treshawn, a story about a boy with dreams of becoming a princess and embracing his gender identity. Pearson went to a family restroom on the malls lower level and found a buzzer and a camera. A sign by the bathroom advised it was especially designed for the comfort of adults with young children. Pearson pressed the buzzer and waited to hear a response, before pressing it a few more times. A person answered after a few minutes and recommended using a different restroom. Pearson was told the family restroom was only available to someone accompanying a child. I did not want to reveal my gender identity, I didnt feel that was necessary, but as the conversation continued, it was very clear that I was not going to be permitted to use the restroom, Pearson said in an interview with The News & Observer in November. Reluctantly, Pearson told the person over the speaker that they are non-binary. The person replied that Pearson would have to choose between the mens and womens restrooms. I pressed forward and said, Well, I feel uncomfortable choosing one way or the other, and I explained that to them, and the circumstance, and was still told that no, I was still not allowed to use the restroom, Pearson recalled. Two other mall representatives spoke to Pearson, repeating the rules about that bathrooms access. About 20 minutes passed before Pearson was able to speak with the malls general manager, Debora Overholt. Pearson said Overholt apologized to them and said their experience was the result of a lack of training. Overholt said such an incident wouldnt happen again, but Pearson said Overholts words felt empty. It wasnt clear what steps the mall would take to prevent someone from being refused access to a restroom in the future, Pearson said. Pearson followed up by email with Overholt and other Crabtree Valley representatives the next morning. I felt personally humiliated by the experience. Like all customers, I want to feel comfortable using the restroom, Pearson wrote in an email to them on Aug. 27. As a member of the transgender community, it is always my hope to find inclusive spaces to work and collaborate. Where all customers feel welcome. In an email Pearson shared with The N&O, Overholt responded to them on Aug. 31, and apologized again for the unacceptable lack of access to the family restroom and sought to assure Pearson that the family restroom would be made available to anyone who needed to use it. Overholt said management wanted to ensure our guests feel comfortable and safe while shopping at Crabtree, and that Pearsons feedback had prompted the mall to better train staff so that the family restroom would be accessible to anyone. The mall makes a change Pearson returned to Crabtree Valley Mall a few days after the incident and noticed the security camera and buzzer outside the bathroom had been disconnected. In early November, Pearson saw the family restroom sign had been replaced with a sign that read all gender restroom. The sign outside another family restroom by the food court had been replaced as well. Mall management did not respond to The N&Os messages to clarify when the restroom signs were changed. Other Triangle shopping centers report they have gender-neutral restrooms, though they are not labeled that way. The Streets at Southpoint in Durham has two family restrooms, which are available for anyone to use, said Lindsay Kahn, a spokesperson for Brookfield Properties, the malls owner. Raleighs Triangle Town Center has multiple family restrooms, but they are also available to anyone who needs to use them, according to Rachel Dooley, the malls marketing manager. The bathrooms dont have all gender signs, but arent restricted to people with young children, Dooley said. Pearson said they hope those who design public spaces or facilities consider the importance of offering a private, single-occupancy restroom that doesnt necessarily have to be used only by non-binary people. Other people could stand to benefit from more inclusive bathrooms too. I try to think beyond myself, and think what if this was an elderly person who needed to use the restroom, Pearson said. Would they be included in the same policy, would they be permitted to use the restroom? I would hope so, but by the given policy, the answer would have to be no. HB2 and the fight over public bathrooms The push for more all-gender or gender-neutral bathrooms in public settings has been going on for years. Access to public restrooms for LGBTQ people was a major political issue across the country in 2016, particularly in North Carolina. Lawmakers passed and then-Gov. Pat McCrory signed House Bill 2 into law, which required transgender people in schools and government buildings to use public restrooms matching the gender on their birth certificate. The law drew robust opposition, including from cities that passed their own anti-discrimination ordinances allowing transgender people to use public restrooms of the gender with which they identify. Some businesses responded to the law by trying to make their restrooms more inclusive. The 21c Museum Hotel in Durham installed gender-neutral signs outside its single-occupancy bathrooms showing both the male and female symbols. The bottom of the signs read We Dont Care. HB2 was partially repealed in March 2017. When Devin Pearson pushed the buzzer to use a family restroom at Crabtree Valley Mall this summer, they didnt think theyd have to wait nearly half an hour, only to end up leaving the mall without being able to use the bathroom. Pearson, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, said a routine trip to the mall in late August left them feeling personally humiliated when they were repeatedly refused access to a vacant, single-occupancy family restroom. Mall representatives apologized to Pearson, assuring them days later that the private bathrooms would be made available to anyone who needed them. But Pearson, determined to see a more inclusive policy put into effect, continued to push for a permanent solution. This fall, the mall converted its family restrooms to all gender restrooms, replacing signs and taking down security cameras and buzzers. Pearson told The News & Observer the situation was unfortunate but that they were glad the mall listened to their feedback and made their restrooms more accessible. They wanted to share their experience to raise awareness about the need for gender-neutral bathrooms in malls, hotels and other public places. I think we can definitely be more mindful of those needs, and hopefully this can be a conversation that can start getting those gears going. I sure hope so, Pearson said. Mall management and other mall representatives did not respond to numerous messages from The News & Observer seeking comments for this story. Being denied access to the bathroom Pearson, an author of childrens books, moved to the Triangle over the summer from Central Virginia. They were visiting the mall on the afternoon of Aug. 26 to explore the possibility of promoting their new book, The Awakening of Princess Treshawn, a story about a boy with dreams of becoming a princess and embracing his gender identity. Pearson went to a family restroom on the malls lower level and found a buzzer and a camera. A sign by the bathroom advised it was especially designed for the comfort of adults with young children. Pearson pressed the buzzer and waited to hear a response, before pressing it a few more times. A person answered after a few minutes and recommended using a different restroom. Pearson was told the family restroom was only available to someone accompanying a child. I did not want to reveal my gender identity, I didnt feel that was necessary, but as the conversation continued, it was very clear that I was not going to be permitted to use the restroom, Pearson said in an interview with The News & Observer in November. Reluctantly, Pearson told the person over the speaker that they are non-binary. The person replied that Pearson would have to choose between the mens and womens restrooms. I pressed forward and said, Well, I feel uncomfortable choosing one way or the other, and I explained that to them, and the circumstance, and was still told that no, I was still not allowed to use the restroom, Pearson recalled. Two other mall representatives spoke to Pearson, repeating the rules about that bathrooms access. About 20 minutes passed before Pearson was able to speak with the malls general manager, Debora Overholt. Pearson said Overholt apologized to them and said their experience was the result of a lack of training. Overholt said such an incident wouldnt happen again, but Pearson said Overholts words felt empty. It wasnt clear what steps the mall would take to prevent someone from being refused access to a restroom in the future, Pearson said. Pearson followed up by email with Overholt and other Crabtree Valley representatives the next morning. I felt personally humiliated by the experience. Like all customers, I want to feel comfortable using the restroom, Pearson wrote in an email to them on Aug. 27. As a member of the transgender community, it is always my hope to find inclusive spaces to work and collaborate. Where all customers feel welcome. In an email Pearson shared with The N&O, Overholt responded to them on Aug. 31, and apologized again for the unacceptable lack of access to the family restroom and sought to assure Pearson that the family restroom would be made available to anyone who needed to use it. Overholt said management wanted to ensure our guests feel comfortable and safe while shopping at Crabtree, and that Pearsons feedback had prompted the mall to better train staff so that the family restroom would be accessible to anyone. The mall makes a change Pearson returned to Crabtree Valley Mall a few days after the incident and noticed the security camera and buzzer outside the bathroom had been disconnected. In early November, Pearson saw the family restroom sign had been replaced with a sign that read all gender restroom. The sign outside another family restroom by the food court had been replaced as well. Mall management did not respond to The N&Os messages to clarify when the restroom signs were changed. Other Triangle shopping centers report they have gender-neutral restrooms, though they are not labeled that way. The Streets at Southpoint in Durham has two family restrooms, which are available for anyone to use, said Lindsay Kahn, a spokesperson for Brookfield Properties, the malls owner. Raleighs Triangle Town Center has multiple family restrooms, but they are also available to anyone who needs to use them, according to Rachel Dooley, the malls marketing manager. The bathrooms dont have all gender signs, but arent restricted to people with young children, Dooley said. Pearson said they hope those who design public spaces or facilities consider the importance of offering a private, single-occupancy restroom that doesnt necessarily have to be used only by non-binary people. Other people could stand to benefit from more inclusive bathrooms too. I try to think beyond myself, and think what if this was an elderly person who needed to use the restroom, Pearson said. Would they be included in the same policy, would they be permitted to use the restroom? I would hope so, but by the given policy, the answer would have to be no. HB2 and the fight over public bathrooms The push for more all-gender or gender-neutral bathrooms in public settings has been going on for years. Access to public restrooms for LGBTQ people was a major political issue across the country in 2016, particularly in North Carolina. Lawmakers passed and then-Gov. Pat McCrory signed House Bill 2 into law, which required transgender people in schools and government buildings to use public restrooms matching the gender on their birth certificate. The law drew robust opposition, including from cities that passed their own anti-discrimination ordinances allowing transgender people to use public restrooms of the gender with which they identify. Some businesses responded to the law by trying to make their restrooms more inclusive. The 21c Museum Hotel in Durham installed gender-neutral signs outside its single-occupancy bathrooms showing both the male and female symbols. The bottom of the signs read We Dont Care. HB2 was partially repealed in March 2017. WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed by a man who went on to carjack, rob and shoot more people during a two-state manhunt this week said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters, Missouri. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a "series" of carjackings, robberies and shootings on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities eventually caught up to him in Clinton County, Illinois, where he held a person hostage in a home. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. The family's full statement is below: The Family of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley mourns the loss of their husband, father, son and friend. We could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support. To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero. Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. -Matthew 5:9 Visitation for Sean Riley will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m., Monday January 3, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with a first responder walk thru at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials in his honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. Memorials will be accepted at the services and the Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, IL which is assisting with arrangements. Additional information will be released in the coming days. We ask the community to show their support by lining the procession route. The Bush administrations decision not to ratify the Kyoto Protocol to reduce Americas greenhouse gas emissions prompted fears in the Howard government the move would undermine global efforts to curb climate change. Previously secret cabinet documents from 2001 released by the National Archives also show concerns within the federal bureaucracy that Australias high per capita greenhouse gas emissions could be exposed by the ongoing global debate over key elements of Kyoto. Woodsides Pluto LNG plant near Karratha in WA. Cabinet papers from 2001 show the governments concern over greenhouse policy, here and in the United States. And they show the divisions within the Howard government over the approach to climate change divisions that continue today within the Coalition. While Australia had signed the Kyoto Protocol under which it agreed to limit the nations emissions increase to 8 per cent above its 1990 levels in 1998, the Howard government did not ratify the agreement. That would be one of the first actions taken by the government of Kevin Rudd in 2007. When Devin Pearson pushed the buzzer to use a family restroom at Crabtree Valley Mall this summer, they didnt think theyd have to wait nearly half an hour, only to end up leaving the mall without being able to use the bathroom. Pearson, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, said a routine trip to the mall in late August left them feeling personally humiliated when they were repeatedly refused access to a vacant, single-occupancy family restroom. Mall representatives apologized to Pearson, assuring them days later that the private bathrooms would be made available to anyone who needed them. But Pearson, determined to see a more inclusive policy put into effect, continued to push for a permanent solution. This fall, the mall converted its family restrooms to all gender restrooms, replacing signs and taking down security cameras and buzzers. Pearson told The News & Observer the situation was unfortunate but that they were glad the mall listened to their feedback and made their restrooms more accessible. They wanted to share their experience to raise awareness about the need for gender-neutral bathrooms in malls, hotels and other public places. I think we can definitely be more mindful of those needs, and hopefully this can be a conversation that can start getting those gears going. I sure hope so, Pearson said. Mall management and other mall representatives did not respond to numerous messages from The News & Observer seeking comments for this story. Being denied access to the bathroom Pearson, an author of childrens books, moved to the Triangle over the summer from Central Virginia. They were visiting the mall on the afternoon of Aug. 26 to explore the possibility of promoting their new book, The Awakening of Princess Treshawn, a story about a boy with dreams of becoming a princess and embracing his gender identity. Pearson went to a family restroom on the malls lower level and found a buzzer and a camera. A sign by the bathroom advised it was especially designed for the comfort of adults with young children. Pearson pressed the buzzer and waited to hear a response, before pressing it a few more times. A person answered after a few minutes and recommended using a different restroom. Pearson was told the family restroom was only available to someone accompanying a child. I did not want to reveal my gender identity, I didnt feel that was necessary, but as the conversation continued, it was very clear that I was not going to be permitted to use the restroom, Pearson said in an interview with The News & Observer in November. Reluctantly, Pearson told the person over the speaker that they are non-binary. The person replied that Pearson would have to choose between the mens and womens restrooms. I pressed forward and said, Well, I feel uncomfortable choosing one way or the other, and I explained that to them, and the circumstance, and was still told that no, I was still not allowed to use the restroom, Pearson recalled. Two other mall representatives spoke to Pearson, repeating the rules about that bathrooms access. About 20 minutes passed before Pearson was able to speak with the malls general manager, Debora Overholt. Pearson said Overholt apologized to them and said their experience was the result of a lack of training. Overholt said such an incident wouldnt happen again, but Pearson said Overholts words felt empty. It wasnt clear what steps the mall would take to prevent someone from being refused access to a restroom in the future, Pearson said. Pearson followed up by email with Overholt and other Crabtree Valley representatives the next morning. I felt personally humiliated by the experience. Like all customers, I want to feel comfortable using the restroom, Pearson wrote in an email to them on Aug. 27. As a member of the transgender community, it is always my hope to find inclusive spaces to work and collaborate. Where all customers feel welcome. In an email Pearson shared with The N&O, Overholt responded to them on Aug. 31, and apologized again for the unacceptable lack of access to the family restroom and sought to assure Pearson that the family restroom would be made available to anyone who needed to use it. Overholt said management wanted to ensure our guests feel comfortable and safe while shopping at Crabtree, and that Pearsons feedback had prompted the mall to better train staff so that the family restroom would be accessible to anyone. The mall makes a change Pearson returned to Crabtree Valley Mall a few days after the incident and noticed the security camera and buzzer outside the bathroom had been disconnected. In early November, Pearson saw the family restroom sign had been replaced with a sign that read all gender restroom. The sign outside another family restroom by the food court had been replaced as well. Mall management did not respond to The N&Os messages to clarify when the restroom signs were changed. Other Triangle shopping centers report they have gender-neutral restrooms, though they are not labeled that way. The Streets at Southpoint in Durham has two family restrooms, which are available for anyone to use, said Lindsay Kahn, a spokesperson for Brookfield Properties, the malls owner. Raleighs Triangle Town Center has multiple family restrooms, but they are also available to anyone who needs to use them, according to Rachel Dooley, the malls marketing manager. The bathrooms dont have all gender signs, but arent restricted to people with young children, Dooley said. Pearson said they hope those who design public spaces or facilities consider the importance of offering a private, single-occupancy restroom that doesnt necessarily have to be used only by non-binary people. Other people could stand to benefit from more inclusive bathrooms too. I try to think beyond myself, and think what if this was an elderly person who needed to use the restroom, Pearson said. Would they be included in the same policy, would they be permitted to use the restroom? I would hope so, but by the given policy, the answer would have to be no. HB2 and the fight over public bathrooms The push for more all-gender or gender-neutral bathrooms in public settings has been going on for years. Access to public restrooms for LGBTQ people was a major political issue across the country in 2016, particularly in North Carolina. Lawmakers passed and then-Gov. Pat McCrory signed House Bill 2 into law, which required transgender people in schools and government buildings to use public restrooms matching the gender on their birth certificate. The law drew robust opposition, including from cities that passed their own anti-discrimination ordinances allowing transgender people to use public restrooms of the gender with which they identify. Some businesses responded to the law by trying to make their restrooms more inclusive. The 21c Museum Hotel in Durham installed gender-neutral signs outside its single-occupancy bathrooms showing both the male and female symbols. The bottom of the signs read We Dont Care. HB2 was partially repealed in March 2017. When Devin Pearson pushed the buzzer to use a family restroom at Crabtree Valley Mall this summer, they didnt think theyd have to wait nearly half an hour, only to end up leaving the mall without being able to use the bathroom. Pearson, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, said a routine trip to the mall in late August left them feeling personally humiliated when they were repeatedly refused access to a vacant, single-occupancy family restroom. Mall representatives apologized to Pearson, assuring them days later that the private bathrooms would be made available to anyone who needed them. But Pearson, determined to see a more inclusive policy put into effect, continued to push for a permanent solution. This fall, the mall converted its family restrooms to all gender restrooms, replacing signs and taking down security cameras and buzzers. Pearson told The News & Observer the situation was unfortunate but that they were glad the mall listened to their feedback and made their restrooms more accessible. They wanted to share their experience to raise awareness about the need for gender-neutral bathrooms in malls, hotels and other public places. I think we can definitely be more mindful of those needs, and hopefully this can be a conversation that can start getting those gears going. I sure hope so, Pearson said. Mall management and other mall representatives did not respond to numerous messages from The News & Observer seeking comments for this story. Being denied access to the bathroom Pearson, an author of childrens books, moved to the Triangle over the summer from Central Virginia. They were visiting the mall on the afternoon of Aug. 26 to explore the possibility of promoting their new book, The Awakening of Princess Treshawn, a story about a boy with dreams of becoming a princess and embracing his gender identity. Pearson went to a family restroom on the malls lower level and found a buzzer and a camera. A sign by the bathroom advised it was especially designed for the comfort of adults with young children. Pearson pressed the buzzer and waited to hear a response, before pressing it a few more times. A person answered after a few minutes and recommended using a different restroom. Pearson was told the family restroom was only available to someone accompanying a child. I did not want to reveal my gender identity, I didnt feel that was necessary, but as the conversation continued, it was very clear that I was not going to be permitted to use the restroom, Pearson said in an interview with The News & Observer in November. Reluctantly, Pearson told the person over the speaker that they are non-binary. The person replied that Pearson would have to choose between the mens and womens restrooms. I pressed forward and said, Well, I feel uncomfortable choosing one way or the other, and I explained that to them, and the circumstance, and was still told that no, I was still not allowed to use the restroom, Pearson recalled. Two other mall representatives spoke to Pearson, repeating the rules about that bathrooms access. About 20 minutes passed before Pearson was able to speak with the malls general manager, Debora Overholt. Pearson said Overholt apologized to them and said their experience was the result of a lack of training. Overholt said such an incident wouldnt happen again, but Pearson said Overholts words felt empty. It wasnt clear what steps the mall would take to prevent someone from being refused access to a restroom in the future, Pearson said. Pearson followed up by email with Overholt and other Crabtree Valley representatives the next morning. I felt personally humiliated by the experience. Like all customers, I want to feel comfortable using the restroom, Pearson wrote in an email to them on Aug. 27. As a member of the transgender community, it is always my hope to find inclusive spaces to work and collaborate. Where all customers feel welcome. In an email Pearson shared with The N&O, Overholt responded to them on Aug. 31, and apologized again for the unacceptable lack of access to the family restroom and sought to assure Pearson that the family restroom would be made available to anyone who needed to use it. Overholt said management wanted to ensure our guests feel comfortable and safe while shopping at Crabtree, and that Pearsons feedback had prompted the mall to better train staff so that the family restroom would be accessible to anyone. The mall makes a change Pearson returned to Crabtree Valley Mall a few days after the incident and noticed the security camera and buzzer outside the bathroom had been disconnected. In early November, Pearson saw the family restroom sign had been replaced with a sign that read all gender restroom. The sign outside another family restroom by the food court had been replaced as well. Mall management did not respond to The N&Os messages to clarify when the restroom signs were changed. Other Triangle shopping centers report they have gender-neutral restrooms, though they are not labeled that way. The Streets at Southpoint in Durham has two family restrooms, which are available for anyone to use, said Lindsay Kahn, a spokesperson for Brookfield Properties, the malls owner. Raleighs Triangle Town Center has multiple family restrooms, but they are also available to anyone who needs to use them, according to Rachel Dooley, the malls marketing manager. The bathrooms dont have all gender signs, but arent restricted to people with young children, Dooley said. Pearson said they hope those who design public spaces or facilities consider the importance of offering a private, single-occupancy restroom that doesnt necessarily have to be used only by non-binary people. Other people could stand to benefit from more inclusive bathrooms too. I try to think beyond myself, and think what if this was an elderly person who needed to use the restroom, Pearson said. Would they be included in the same policy, would they be permitted to use the restroom? I would hope so, but by the given policy, the answer would have to be no. HB2 and the fight over public bathrooms The push for more all-gender or gender-neutral bathrooms in public settings has been going on for years. Access to public restrooms for LGBTQ people was a major political issue across the country in 2016, particularly in North Carolina. Lawmakers passed and then-Gov. Pat McCrory signed House Bill 2 into law, which required transgender people in schools and government buildings to use public restrooms matching the gender on their birth certificate. The law drew robust opposition, including from cities that passed their own anti-discrimination ordinances allowing transgender people to use public restrooms of the gender with which they identify. Some businesses responded to the law by trying to make their restrooms more inclusive. The 21c Museum Hotel in Durham installed gender-neutral signs outside its single-occupancy bathrooms showing both the male and female symbols. The bottom of the signs read We Dont Care. HB2 was partially repealed in March 2017. New Delhi: Sharpening its attack on the government, the Congress Saturday presented a set of New Year resolutions for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ministerial colleagues, asking them to work for the welfare of 130 crore Indians and not just some. "New Year Resolution for PM Modi: Focus on people, not PR," the Congress said on Twitter, hoping that the prime minister "realises 130 crore Indians are greater than (>>>) 1". This 2022, we hope PM Modi realises 130 crore Indians >>> 1. pic.twitter.com/Vobzp0eYJ0 Congress (@INCIndia) January 1, 2022 For Home Minister Amit Shah, the Congress said "not elections, not criminals, not his party, we hope his duties towards our nation take precedence over all...This 2022". "Protect citizens, not criminals," read the Congress' resolution for Shah. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi set a "lifelong resolution" for his own party, Whatever that needs to be done to uphold truth, justice and peoples' rights will be done, earlier too and always in the future. The Congress asked Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to aid our annadatas (farmers), not attack them. Annadatas satisfy the nation's need, crony capitalists satisfy their own greed; this 2022, we hope BJP chooses the right side," the main opposition party said on Twitter. "Stop holding onions, millennials or acts of god responsible for government failures," read the Congress resolution for Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Sitharaman had in August 2020 blamed the shortfall in GST collections to the Covid pandemic, which she described as "an act of god". "Not silence, not lies, give the nation the truth about Chinese incursions," read the resolution the Congress set for Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. "Since the PM has failed to show 'laal aankh' to the Chinese, here's hoping the Defence Minister will this 2022," the Congress said. "Manage the impending third wave, unlike the last two," read the Congress resolution for Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. "And most importantly, we hope BJP focuses on saving lives, not saving face this 2022," the Congress said. Live TV New Delhi: Sharpening its attack on the government, the Congress Saturday presented a set of New Year resolutions for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ministerial colleagues, asking them to work for the welfare of 130 crore Indians and not just some. "New Year Resolution for PM Modi: Focus on people, not PR," the Congress said on Twitter, hoping that the prime minister "realises 130 crore Indians are greater than (>>>) 1". This 2022, we hope PM Modi realises 130 crore Indians >>> 1. pic.twitter.com/Vobzp0eYJ0 Congress (@INCIndia) January 1, 2022 For Home Minister Amit Shah, the Congress said "not elections, not criminals, not his party, we hope his duties towards our nation take precedence over all...This 2022". "Protect citizens, not criminals," read the Congress' resolution for Shah. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi set a "lifelong resolution" for his own party, Whatever that needs to be done to uphold truth, justice and peoples' rights will be done, earlier too and always in the future. The Congress asked Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to aid our annadatas (farmers), not attack them. Annadatas satisfy the nation's need, crony capitalists satisfy their own greed; this 2022, we hope BJP chooses the right side," the main opposition party said on Twitter. "Stop holding onions, millennials or acts of god responsible for government failures," read the Congress resolution for Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Sitharaman had in August 2020 blamed the shortfall in GST collections to the Covid pandemic, which she described as "an act of god". "Not silence, not lies, give the nation the truth about Chinese incursions," read the resolution the Congress set for Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. "Since the PM has failed to show 'laal aankh' to the Chinese, here's hoping the Defence Minister will this 2022," the Congress said. "Manage the impending third wave, unlike the last two," read the Congress resolution for Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. "And most importantly, we hope BJP focuses on saving lives, not saving face this 2022," the Congress said. Live TV When Devin Pearson pushed the buzzer to use a family restroom at Crabtree Valley Mall this summer, they didnt think theyd have to wait nearly half an hour, only to end up leaving the mall without being able to use the bathroom. Pearson, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, said a routine trip to the mall in late August left them feeling personally humiliated when they were repeatedly refused access to a vacant, single-occupancy family restroom. Mall representatives apologized to Pearson, assuring them days later that the private bathrooms would be made available to anyone who needed them. But Pearson, determined to see a more inclusive policy put into effect, continued to push for a permanent solution. This fall, the mall converted its family restrooms to all gender restrooms, replacing signs and taking down security cameras and buzzers. Pearson told The News & Observer the situation was unfortunate but that they were glad the mall listened to their feedback and made their restrooms more accessible. They wanted to share their experience to raise awareness about the need for gender-neutral bathrooms in malls, hotels and other public places. I think we can definitely be more mindful of those needs, and hopefully this can be a conversation that can start getting those gears going. I sure hope so, Pearson said. Mall management and other mall representatives did not respond to numerous messages from The News & Observer seeking comments for this story. Being denied access to the bathroom Pearson, an author of childrens books, moved to the Triangle over the summer from Central Virginia. They were visiting the mall on the afternoon of Aug. 26 to explore the possibility of promoting their new book, The Awakening of Princess Treshawn, a story about a boy with dreams of becoming a princess and embracing his gender identity. Pearson went to a family restroom on the malls lower level and found a buzzer and a camera. A sign by the bathroom advised it was especially designed for the comfort of adults with young children. Pearson pressed the buzzer and waited to hear a response, before pressing it a few more times. A person answered after a few minutes and recommended using a different restroom. Pearson was told the family restroom was only available to someone accompanying a child. I did not want to reveal my gender identity, I didnt feel that was necessary, but as the conversation continued, it was very clear that I was not going to be permitted to use the restroom, Pearson said in an interview with The News & Observer in November. Reluctantly, Pearson told the person over the speaker that they are non-binary. The person replied that Pearson would have to choose between the mens and womens restrooms. I pressed forward and said, Well, I feel uncomfortable choosing one way or the other, and I explained that to them, and the circumstance, and was still told that no, I was still not allowed to use the restroom, Pearson recalled. Two other mall representatives spoke to Pearson, repeating the rules about that bathrooms access. About 20 minutes passed before Pearson was able to speak with the malls general manager, Debora Overholt. Pearson said Overholt apologized to them and said their experience was the result of a lack of training. Overholt said such an incident wouldnt happen again, but Pearson said Overholts words felt empty. It wasnt clear what steps the mall would take to prevent someone from being refused access to a restroom in the future, Pearson said. Pearson followed up by email with Overholt and other Crabtree Valley representatives the next morning. I felt personally humiliated by the experience. Like all customers, I want to feel comfortable using the restroom, Pearson wrote in an email to them on Aug. 27. As a member of the transgender community, it is always my hope to find inclusive spaces to work and collaborate. Where all customers feel welcome. In an email Pearson shared with The N&O, Overholt responded to them on Aug. 31, and apologized again for the unacceptable lack of access to the family restroom and sought to assure Pearson that the family restroom would be made available to anyone who needed to use it. Overholt said management wanted to ensure our guests feel comfortable and safe while shopping at Crabtree, and that Pearsons feedback had prompted the mall to better train staff so that the family restroom would be accessible to anyone. The mall makes a change Pearson returned to Crabtree Valley Mall a few days after the incident and noticed the security camera and buzzer outside the bathroom had been disconnected. In early November, Pearson saw the family restroom sign had been replaced with a sign that read all gender restroom. The sign outside another family restroom by the food court had been replaced as well. Mall management did not respond to The N&Os messages to clarify when the restroom signs were changed. Other Triangle shopping centers report they have gender-neutral restrooms, though they are not labeled that way. The Streets at Southpoint in Durham has two family restrooms, which are available for anyone to use, said Lindsay Kahn, a spokesperson for Brookfield Properties, the malls owner. Raleighs Triangle Town Center has multiple family restrooms, but they are also available to anyone who needs to use them, according to Rachel Dooley, the malls marketing manager. The bathrooms dont have all gender signs, but arent restricted to people with young children, Dooley said. Pearson said they hope those who design public spaces or facilities consider the importance of offering a private, single-occupancy restroom that doesnt necessarily have to be used only by non-binary people. Other people could stand to benefit from more inclusive bathrooms too. I try to think beyond myself, and think what if this was an elderly person who needed to use the restroom, Pearson said. Would they be included in the same policy, would they be permitted to use the restroom? I would hope so, but by the given policy, the answer would have to be no. HB2 and the fight over public bathrooms The push for more all-gender or gender-neutral bathrooms in public settings has been going on for years. Access to public restrooms for LGBTQ people was a major political issue across the country in 2016, particularly in North Carolina. Lawmakers passed and then-Gov. Pat McCrory signed House Bill 2 into law, which required transgender people in schools and government buildings to use public restrooms matching the gender on their birth certificate. The law drew robust opposition, including from cities that passed their own anti-discrimination ordinances allowing transgender people to use public restrooms of the gender with which they identify. Some businesses responded to the law by trying to make their restrooms more inclusive. The 21c Museum Hotel in Durham installed gender-neutral signs outside its single-occupancy bathrooms showing both the male and female symbols. The bottom of the signs read We Dont Care. HB2 was partially repealed in March 2017. New Delhi: Director Srijit Mukherji has tested positive for COVID-19 and informed his social media followers about the same on Saturday night (January 1). He wrote on Twitter, "I have tested positive for Covid and am isolating myself. For everyone who has come in contact with me in the last 72 hrs, please test yourself." Take a look at his tweet: I have tested positive for Covid and am isolating myself. For everyone who has come in contact with me in the last 72 hrs, please test yourself. January 1, 2022 Sriji is a popular Bengali director and has directed award-winning films over the span of his career. In fact, his first film Autograph gained a lot of critical acclaims and even commercial success. He won our national awards at India's 61st National Film Awards for this fifth movie 'Jaatishwar'. For his sixth film, Srijit won the National Film Award for Best Direction and Best Original Screenplay. He made his Bollywood debut with the 2017 film 'Begum Jaan' starring Vidya Balan, it is a remake of his eighth film 'Rajkahini'. WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed by a man who went on to carjack, rob and shoot more people during a two-state manhunt this week said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters, Missouri. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a "series" of carjackings, robberies and shootings on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities eventually caught up to him in Clinton County, Illinois, where he held a person hostage in a home. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. The family's full statement is below: The Family of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley mourns the loss of their husband, father, son and friend. We could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support. To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero. Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. -Matthew 5:9 Visitation for Sean Riley will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m., Monday January 3, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with a first responder walk thru at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials in his honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. Memorials will be accepted at the services and the Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, IL which is assisting with arrangements. Additional information will be released in the coming days. We ask the community to show their support by lining the procession route. New Delhi: The security forces in the border district of Jammu and Kashmirs Kupwara claimed to have foiled an infiltration bid and killed one terrorist. In a joint operation of Army and Jammu and Kashmir police, in jungles of Jumagund area close to the Line of Control in border district of Kupwara, an unidentified terrorist was killed in an operation. Searches in the area are still going on. Kashmir zone police tweeted, One unidentified #terrorist killed in an #encounter at Jumagund area of #Kupwara. Army & Police are on the job. Further details shall follow. One unidentified #terrorist killed in an #encounter at Jumagund area of #Kupwara. Army & Police are on the job. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) January 1, 2022 As per sources, Infiltration bid has been foiled in Jumagand area at line of control. A terrorist is killed while search operation is still on to see if there any more terrorists hiding in the area. ALSO READ: Last surviving terrorist involved in 2019 Pulwama attack likely killed in Anantnag encounter Live TV New Delhi: The security forces in the border district of Jammu and Kashmirs Kupwara claimed to have foiled an infiltration bid and killed one terrorist. In a joint operation of Army and Jammu and Kashmir police, in jungles of Jumagund area close to the Line of Control in border district of Kupwara, an unidentified terrorist was killed in an operation. Searches in the area are still going on. Kashmir zone police tweeted, One unidentified #terrorist killed in an #encounter at Jumagund area of #Kupwara. Army & Police are on the job. Further details shall follow. One unidentified #terrorist killed in an #encounter at Jumagund area of #Kupwara. Army & Police are on the job. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) January 1, 2022 As per sources, Infiltration bid has been foiled in Jumagand area at line of control. A terrorist is killed while search operation is still on to see if there any more terrorists hiding in the area. ALSO READ: Last surviving terrorist involved in 2019 Pulwama attack likely killed in Anantnag encounter Live TV New Delhi: The security forces in the border district of Jammu and Kashmirs Kupwara claimed to have foiled an infiltration bid and killed one terrorist. In a joint operation of Army and Jammu and Kashmir police, in jungles of Jumagund area close to the Line of Control in border district of Kupwara, an unidentified terrorist was killed in an operation. Searches in the area are still going on. Kashmir zone police tweeted, One unidentified #terrorist killed in an #encounter at Jumagund area of #Kupwara. Army & Police are on the job. Further details shall follow. One unidentified #terrorist killed in an #encounter at Jumagund area of #Kupwara. Army & Police are on the job. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) January 1, 2022 As per sources, Infiltration bid has been foiled in Jumagand area at line of control. A terrorist is killed while search operation is still on to see if there any more terrorists hiding in the area. ALSO READ: Last surviving terrorist involved in 2019 Pulwama attack likely killed in Anantnag encounter Live TV New Delhi: Sharpening its attack on the government, the Congress Saturday presented a set of New Year resolutions for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ministerial colleagues, asking them to work for the welfare of 130 crore Indians and not just some. "New Year Resolution for PM Modi: Focus on people, not PR," the Congress said on Twitter, hoping that the prime minister "realises 130 crore Indians are greater than (>>>) 1". This 2022, we hope PM Modi realises 130 crore Indians >>> 1. pic.twitter.com/Vobzp0eYJ0 Congress (@INCIndia) January 1, 2022 For Home Minister Amit Shah, the Congress said "not elections, not criminals, not his party, we hope his duties towards our nation take precedence over all...This 2022". "Protect citizens, not criminals," read the Congress' resolution for Shah. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi set a "lifelong resolution" for his own party, Whatever that needs to be done to uphold truth, justice and peoples' rights will be done, earlier too and always in the future. The Congress asked Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to aid our annadatas (farmers), not attack them. Annadatas satisfy the nation's need, crony capitalists satisfy their own greed; this 2022, we hope BJP chooses the right side," the main opposition party said on Twitter. "Stop holding onions, millennials or acts of god responsible for government failures," read the Congress resolution for Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Sitharaman had in August 2020 blamed the shortfall in GST collections to the Covid pandemic, which she described as "an act of god". "Not silence, not lies, give the nation the truth about Chinese incursions," read the resolution the Congress set for Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. "Since the PM has failed to show 'laal aankh' to the Chinese, here's hoping the Defence Minister will this 2022," the Congress said. "Manage the impending third wave, unlike the last two," read the Congress resolution for Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. "And most importantly, we hope BJP focuses on saving lives, not saving face this 2022," the Congress said. Live TV WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed by a man who went on to carjack, rob and shoot more people during a two-state manhunt this week said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters, Missouri. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a "series" of carjackings, robberies and shootings on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities eventually caught up to him in Clinton County, Illinois, where he held a person hostage in a home. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. The family's full statement is below: The Family of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley mourns the loss of their husband, father, son and friend. We could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support. To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero. Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. -Matthew 5:9 Visitation for Sean Riley will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m., Monday January 3, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with a first responder walk thru at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials in his honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. Memorials will be accepted at the services and the Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, IL which is assisting with arrangements. Additional information will be released in the coming days. We ask the community to show their support by lining the procession route. KHARTOUM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The UN special envoy for Sudan on Saturday called for trust among all parties in the country to find a mutually agreed path out of the ongoing crisis. Volker Perthes, the UN special representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan, made the appeal in a statement on the 66th anniversary of Sudan's Independence. The UN envoy urged the authorities to respect the right of peaceful assembly and to allow protesters adhering to non-violence to express themselves freely. Perthes stressed that the UN remained committed to supporting the people of Sudan in realizing their aspirations for a democratic and stable Sudan. Sudan has been rocked by regular mass protests demanding civilian rule in recent weeks. At least 52 people were killed in 11 large-scale street protests since Oct. 25 when the general commander of the Sudanese army Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency and dissolved the government, a move which triggered a political crisis in the country. On Nov. 21, Al-Burhan and then removed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok signed a political declaration, which included reinstating Hamdok as prime minister, but the deal has so far failed to calm the street. The protests were also fuelled by sky-rocketing prices of foods, gases and household essentials in the country. Enditem KHARTOUM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The UN special envoy for Sudan on Saturday called for trust among all parties in the country to find a mutually agreed path out of the ongoing crisis. Volker Perthes, the UN special representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan, made the appeal in a statement on the 66th anniversary of Sudan's Independence. The UN envoy urged the authorities to respect the right of peaceful assembly and to allow protesters adhering to non-violence to express themselves freely. Perthes stressed that the UN remained committed to supporting the people of Sudan in realizing their aspirations for a democratic and stable Sudan. Sudan has been rocked by regular mass protests demanding civilian rule in recent weeks. At least 52 people were killed in 11 large-scale street protests since Oct. 25 when the general commander of the Sudanese army Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency and dissolved the government, a move which triggered a political crisis in the country. On Nov. 21, Al-Burhan and then removed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok signed a political declaration, which included reinstating Hamdok as prime minister, but the deal has so far failed to calm the street. The protests were also fuelled by sky-rocketing prices of foods, gases and household essentials in the country. Enditem KHARTOUM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The UN special envoy for Sudan on Saturday called for trust among all parties in the country to find a mutually agreed path out of the ongoing crisis. Volker Perthes, the UN special representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan, made the appeal in a statement on the 66th anniversary of Sudan's Independence. The UN envoy urged the authorities to respect the right of peaceful assembly and to allow protesters adhering to non-violence to express themselves freely. Perthes stressed that the UN remained committed to supporting the people of Sudan in realizing their aspirations for a democratic and stable Sudan. Sudan has been rocked by regular mass protests demanding civilian rule in recent weeks. At least 52 people were killed in 11 large-scale street protests since Oct. 25 when the general commander of the Sudanese army Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency and dissolved the government, a move which triggered a political crisis in the country. On Nov. 21, Al-Burhan and then removed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok signed a political declaration, which included reinstating Hamdok as prime minister, but the deal has so far failed to calm the street. The protests were also fuelled by sky-rocketing prices of foods, gases and household essentials in the country. Enditem KHARTOUM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The UN special envoy for Sudan on Saturday called for trust among all parties in the country to find a mutually agreed path out of the ongoing crisis. Volker Perthes, the UN special representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan, made the appeal in a statement on the 66th anniversary of Sudan's Independence. The UN envoy urged the authorities to respect the right of peaceful assembly and to allow protesters adhering to non-violence to express themselves freely. Perthes stressed that the UN remained committed to supporting the people of Sudan in realizing their aspirations for a democratic and stable Sudan. Sudan has been rocked by regular mass protests demanding civilian rule in recent weeks. At least 52 people were killed in 11 large-scale street protests since Oct. 25 when the general commander of the Sudanese army Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency and dissolved the government, a move which triggered a political crisis in the country. On Nov. 21, Al-Burhan and then removed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok signed a political declaration, which included reinstating Hamdok as prime minister, but the deal has so far failed to calm the street. The protests were also fuelled by sky-rocketing prices of foods, gases and household essentials in the country. Enditem Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe New Delhi: The security forces in the border district of Jammu and Kashmirs Kupwara claimed to have foiled an infiltration bid and killed one terrorist. In a joint operation of Army and Jammu and Kashmir police, in jungles of Jumagund area close to the Line of Control in border district of Kupwara, an unidentified terrorist was killed in an operation. Searches in the area are still going on. Kashmir zone police tweeted, One unidentified #terrorist killed in an #encounter at Jumagund area of #Kupwara. Army & Police are on the job. Further details shall follow. One unidentified #terrorist killed in an #encounter at Jumagund area of #Kupwara. Army & Police are on the job. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) January 1, 2022 As per sources, Infiltration bid has been foiled in Jumagand area at line of control. A terrorist is killed while search operation is still on to see if there any more terrorists hiding in the area. ALSO READ: Last surviving terrorist involved in 2019 Pulwama attack likely killed in Anantnag encounter Live TV New Delhi: The security forces in the border district of Jammu and Kashmirs Kupwara claimed to have foiled an infiltration bid and killed one terrorist. In a joint operation of Army and Jammu and Kashmir police, in jungles of Jumagund area close to the Line of Control in border district of Kupwara, an unidentified terrorist was killed in an operation. Searches in the area are still going on. Kashmir zone police tweeted, One unidentified #terrorist killed in an #encounter at Jumagund area of #Kupwara. Army & Police are on the job. Further details shall follow. One unidentified #terrorist killed in an #encounter at Jumagund area of #Kupwara. Army & Police are on the job. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) January 1, 2022 As per sources, Infiltration bid has been foiled in Jumagand area at line of control. A terrorist is killed while search operation is still on to see if there any more terrorists hiding in the area. ALSO READ: Last surviving terrorist involved in 2019 Pulwama attack likely killed in Anantnag encounter Live TV https://sputniknews.com/20220101/minnesotas-mall-of-america-put-on-lockdown-after-shooting-injures-two-shoppers-1091953374.html Minnesota's Mall of America Put on Lockdown After Shooting Injures Two Shoppers Minnesota's Mall of America Put on Lockdown After Shooting Injures Two Shoppers Two people are injured following a shooting late Friday evening at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T00:39+0000 2022-01-01T00:39+0000 2022-01-01T01:10+0000 minnesota shooting mall of america /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/101860/81/1018608174_0:0:1280:721_1920x0_80_0_0_812a6e0d0f9871e105cbc06ace6021e2.jpg According to police, the victims' injuries are not life-threatening and it is not considered an active shooter situation. The shooting occurred around 5 p.m., US central time. It is believed that the suspects fled the scene and are no longer at the mall. Police are currently searching for suspects. It is unclear if police have taken any suspects into custody. Police are expected to release more details later. Some stores went into lockdown, but the entire mall did not. As of 5:45 p.m., local time, the scene was secured and the mall had resumed normal operations. The Mall of America is reportedly the seventh-largest shopping mall in the world and the largest in the Western hemisphere. The mall claims approximately 40 million visitors annually. minnesota Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International mall of america, minnesota, shooting When Devin Pearson pushed the buzzer to use a family restroom at Crabtree Valley Mall this summer, they didnt think theyd have to wait nearly half an hour, only to end up leaving the mall without being able to use the bathroom. Pearson, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, said a routine trip to the mall in late August left them feeling personally humiliated when they were repeatedly refused access to a vacant, single-occupancy family restroom. Mall representatives apologized to Pearson, assuring them days later that the private bathrooms would be made available to anyone who needed them. But Pearson, determined to see a more inclusive policy put into effect, continued to push for a permanent solution. This fall, the mall converted its family restrooms to all gender restrooms, replacing signs and taking down security cameras and buzzers. Pearson told The News & Observer the situation was unfortunate but that they were glad the mall listened to their feedback and made their restrooms more accessible. They wanted to share their experience to raise awareness about the need for gender-neutral bathrooms in malls, hotels and other public places. I think we can definitely be more mindful of those needs, and hopefully this can be a conversation that can start getting those gears going. I sure hope so, Pearson said. Mall management and other mall representatives did not respond to numerous messages from The News & Observer seeking comments for this story. Being denied access to the bathroom Pearson, an author of childrens books, moved to the Triangle over the summer from Central Virginia. They were visiting the mall on the afternoon of Aug. 26 to explore the possibility of promoting their new book, The Awakening of Princess Treshawn, a story about a boy with dreams of becoming a princess and embracing his gender identity. Pearson went to a family restroom on the malls lower level and found a buzzer and a camera. A sign by the bathroom advised it was especially designed for the comfort of adults with young children. Pearson pressed the buzzer and waited to hear a response, before pressing it a few more times. A person answered after a few minutes and recommended using a different restroom. Pearson was told the family restroom was only available to someone accompanying a child. I did not want to reveal my gender identity, I didnt feel that was necessary, but as the conversation continued, it was very clear that I was not going to be permitted to use the restroom, Pearson said in an interview with The News & Observer in November. Reluctantly, Pearson told the person over the speaker that they are non-binary. The person replied that Pearson would have to choose between the mens and womens restrooms. I pressed forward and said, Well, I feel uncomfortable choosing one way or the other, and I explained that to them, and the circumstance, and was still told that no, I was still not allowed to use the restroom, Pearson recalled. Two other mall representatives spoke to Pearson, repeating the rules about that bathrooms access. About 20 minutes passed before Pearson was able to speak with the malls general manager, Debora Overholt. Pearson said Overholt apologized to them and said their experience was the result of a lack of training. Overholt said such an incident wouldnt happen again, but Pearson said Overholts words felt empty. It wasnt clear what steps the mall would take to prevent someone from being refused access to a restroom in the future, Pearson said. Pearson followed up by email with Overholt and other Crabtree Valley representatives the next morning. I felt personally humiliated by the experience. Like all customers, I want to feel comfortable using the restroom, Pearson wrote in an email to them on Aug. 27. As a member of the transgender community, it is always my hope to find inclusive spaces to work and collaborate. Where all customers feel welcome. In an email Pearson shared with The N&O, Overholt responded to them on Aug. 31, and apologized again for the unacceptable lack of access to the family restroom and sought to assure Pearson that the family restroom would be made available to anyone who needed to use it. Overholt said management wanted to ensure our guests feel comfortable and safe while shopping at Crabtree, and that Pearsons feedback had prompted the mall to better train staff so that the family restroom would be accessible to anyone. The mall makes a change Pearson returned to Crabtree Valley Mall a few days after the incident and noticed the security camera and buzzer outside the bathroom had been disconnected. In early November, Pearson saw the family restroom sign had been replaced with a sign that read all gender restroom. The sign outside another family restroom by the food court had been replaced as well. Mall management did not respond to The N&Os messages to clarify when the restroom signs were changed. Other Triangle shopping centers report they have gender-neutral restrooms, though they are not labeled that way. The Streets at Southpoint in Durham has two family restrooms, which are available for anyone to use, said Lindsay Kahn, a spokesperson for Brookfield Properties, the malls owner. Raleighs Triangle Town Center has multiple family restrooms, but they are also available to anyone who needs to use them, according to Rachel Dooley, the malls marketing manager. The bathrooms dont have all gender signs, but arent restricted to people with young children, Dooley said. Pearson said they hope those who design public spaces or facilities consider the importance of offering a private, single-occupancy restroom that doesnt necessarily have to be used only by non-binary people. Other people could stand to benefit from more inclusive bathrooms too. I try to think beyond myself, and think what if this was an elderly person who needed to use the restroom, Pearson said. Would they be included in the same policy, would they be permitted to use the restroom? I would hope so, but by the given policy, the answer would have to be no. HB2 and the fight over public bathrooms The push for more all-gender or gender-neutral bathrooms in public settings has been going on for years. Access to public restrooms for LGBTQ people was a major political issue across the country in 2016, particularly in North Carolina. Lawmakers passed and then-Gov. Pat McCrory signed House Bill 2 into law, which required transgender people in schools and government buildings to use public restrooms matching the gender on their birth certificate. The law drew robust opposition, including from cities that passed their own anti-discrimination ordinances allowing transgender people to use public restrooms of the gender with which they identify. Some businesses responded to the law by trying to make their restrooms more inclusive. The 21c Museum Hotel in Durham installed gender-neutral signs outside its single-occupancy bathrooms showing both the male and female symbols. The bottom of the signs read We Dont Care. HB2 was partially repealed in March 2017. When Devin Pearson pushed the buzzer to use a family restroom at Crabtree Valley Mall this summer, they didnt think theyd have to wait nearly half an hour, only to end up leaving the mall without being able to use the bathroom. Pearson, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, said a routine trip to the mall in late August left them feeling personally humiliated when they were repeatedly refused access to a vacant, single-occupancy family restroom. Mall representatives apologized to Pearson, assuring them days later that the private bathrooms would be made available to anyone who needed them. But Pearson, determined to see a more inclusive policy put into effect, continued to push for a permanent solution. This fall, the mall converted its family restrooms to all gender restrooms, replacing signs and taking down security cameras and buzzers. Pearson told The News & Observer the situation was unfortunate but that they were glad the mall listened to their feedback and made their restrooms more accessible. They wanted to share their experience to raise awareness about the need for gender-neutral bathrooms in malls, hotels and other public places. I think we can definitely be more mindful of those needs, and hopefully this can be a conversation that can start getting those gears going. I sure hope so, Pearson said. Mall management and other mall representatives did not respond to numerous messages from The News & Observer seeking comments for this story. Being denied access to the bathroom Pearson, an author of childrens books, moved to the Triangle over the summer from Central Virginia. They were visiting the mall on the afternoon of Aug. 26 to explore the possibility of promoting their new book, The Awakening of Princess Treshawn, a story about a boy with dreams of becoming a princess and embracing his gender identity. Pearson went to a family restroom on the malls lower level and found a buzzer and a camera. A sign by the bathroom advised it was especially designed for the comfort of adults with young children. Pearson pressed the buzzer and waited to hear a response, before pressing it a few more times. A person answered after a few minutes and recommended using a different restroom. Pearson was told the family restroom was only available to someone accompanying a child. I did not want to reveal my gender identity, I didnt feel that was necessary, but as the conversation continued, it was very clear that I was not going to be permitted to use the restroom, Pearson said in an interview with The News & Observer in November. Reluctantly, Pearson told the person over the speaker that they are non-binary. The person replied that Pearson would have to choose between the mens and womens restrooms. I pressed forward and said, Well, I feel uncomfortable choosing one way or the other, and I explained that to them, and the circumstance, and was still told that no, I was still not allowed to use the restroom, Pearson recalled. Two other mall representatives spoke to Pearson, repeating the rules about that bathrooms access. About 20 minutes passed before Pearson was able to speak with the malls general manager, Debora Overholt. Pearson said Overholt apologized to them and said their experience was the result of a lack of training. Overholt said such an incident wouldnt happen again, but Pearson said Overholts words felt empty. It wasnt clear what steps the mall would take to prevent someone from being refused access to a restroom in the future, Pearson said. Pearson followed up by email with Overholt and other Crabtree Valley representatives the next morning. I felt personally humiliated by the experience. Like all customers, I want to feel comfortable using the restroom, Pearson wrote in an email to them on Aug. 27. As a member of the transgender community, it is always my hope to find inclusive spaces to work and collaborate. Where all customers feel welcome. In an email Pearson shared with The N&O, Overholt responded to them on Aug. 31, and apologized again for the unacceptable lack of access to the family restroom and sought to assure Pearson that the family restroom would be made available to anyone who needed to use it. Overholt said management wanted to ensure our guests feel comfortable and safe while shopping at Crabtree, and that Pearsons feedback had prompted the mall to better train staff so that the family restroom would be accessible to anyone. The mall makes a change Pearson returned to Crabtree Valley Mall a few days after the incident and noticed the security camera and buzzer outside the bathroom had been disconnected. In early November, Pearson saw the family restroom sign had been replaced with a sign that read all gender restroom. The sign outside another family restroom by the food court had been replaced as well. Mall management did not respond to The N&Os messages to clarify when the restroom signs were changed. Other Triangle shopping centers report they have gender-neutral restrooms, though they are not labeled that way. The Streets at Southpoint in Durham has two family restrooms, which are available for anyone to use, said Lindsay Kahn, a spokesperson for Brookfield Properties, the malls owner. Raleighs Triangle Town Center has multiple family restrooms, but they are also available to anyone who needs to use them, according to Rachel Dooley, the malls marketing manager. The bathrooms dont have all gender signs, but arent restricted to people with young children, Dooley said. Pearson said they hope those who design public spaces or facilities consider the importance of offering a private, single-occupancy restroom that doesnt necessarily have to be used only by non-binary people. Other people could stand to benefit from more inclusive bathrooms too. I try to think beyond myself, and think what if this was an elderly person who needed to use the restroom, Pearson said. Would they be included in the same policy, would they be permitted to use the restroom? I would hope so, but by the given policy, the answer would have to be no. HB2 and the fight over public bathrooms The push for more all-gender or gender-neutral bathrooms in public settings has been going on for years. Access to public restrooms for LGBTQ people was a major political issue across the country in 2016, particularly in North Carolina. Lawmakers passed and then-Gov. Pat McCrory signed House Bill 2 into law, which required transgender people in schools and government buildings to use public restrooms matching the gender on their birth certificate. The law drew robust opposition, including from cities that passed their own anti-discrimination ordinances allowing transgender people to use public restrooms of the gender with which they identify. Some businesses responded to the law by trying to make their restrooms more inclusive. The 21c Museum Hotel in Durham installed gender-neutral signs outside its single-occupancy bathrooms showing both the male and female symbols. The bottom of the signs read We Dont Care. HB2 was partially repealed in March 2017. Even in the days of smallpox, some people objected to vaccinations. Benjamin Franklin apparently "long regretted" his decision not to inoculate his oldest son, who died of smallpox at age 4 in 1736. Yet skepticism over the vaccine persisted, even into the early 20th century, when it was routinely required. By then, the virus had mutated to become less severe. Some argued the vaccine was no longer necessary and would create more risk than it resolved. Yet vaccination requirements continued, and smallpox remains the only human disease ever eradicated from Earth. Public skepticism has always been a part of vaccine history, even as doctors and other officials praise the shots' safety, effectiveness and importance. "The idea that there was less resistance to vaccination in the past is really misleading," said Elena Conis, a historian of medicine at the University of California, Berkeley. "The amount of resistance we have (today) is pretty proportional to the amount of vaccination we expect the public to accept." Conis got interested in vaccine history during the public outcry over the HPV vaccine first approved in 2006 and given to pre-pubescent girls to prevent cervical cancer resulting from a sexually transmitted virus. A study published in November in The Lancet shows that a national HPV vaccination campaign in the U.K. cut cervical cancer rates by 87%. More recently, some people have questioned whether COVID-19 vaccines are necessary for children ages 5-11. Children are less likely than adults to suffer dangerous bouts of illness with COVID-19. But they can still fall ill, and just over 1,000 minors have died of the disease since the pandemic began, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including 219 ages 5-11. COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to be as safe as those vaccines, too. In a study released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children reported fewer side effects from the vaccine than adolescents. Of more than 4,000 side effects reported to the government, after the first 8 million vaccines shots, only 2% were considered serious, including 11 cases of swelling of the heart, called myocarditis. Livia Carbino, 8, gets a high five from her grandmother, registered nurse Livia Gifford, after getting her covid vaccine shot at the Orange City office of the Florida Department of Health in Volusia County on Dec. 3. Experts say that risk-benefit ratio is enough to justify widespread vaccination against COVID-19. Other diseases were even less dangerous when vaccines against them were approved and mandated, statistics show. Between 1990 and 1995, just before that vaccine was introduced, only three children died of hepatitis A. Eight children ages 11-18 died of meningococcus in the two years before vaccination began. And 16 children ages 5-9 died of chicken pox between 1990 and 1994. Of course these diseases also caused other problems for children, including missed school, pain, itching, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures and overall misery. "It is very logical and reasonable that if we protect kids from these other infections that we protect kids from COVID," said Dr. John Bradley, an infectious disease pediatrician at Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego. Omicron makes people sick faster: Heres what else you need to know for New Year's weekend Good news about omicron: It may pass quickly, pose small threat to vaccinated, experts say Although low in absolute numbers, COVID-19 was the eighth-biggest killer of children ages 5-11 in 2020, data shows, and even more children fell ill in 2021because of the more contagious delta variant even before omicron arrived. COVID-19 vaccines protect children from getting seriously ill as well as the potentially lingering effects of the virus. Vaccinated kids won't be as likely to pass on the virus, they won't have to miss school as they recover and eventually, when infection rates come down, they won't have to wear masks all the time, Bradley said. "When you put in public health as another factor in the equation, the equation is completely favorably weighted toward giving the vaccine," he said. "Vaccines are the ultimate solution to getting kids back to school safely." Bradley recalls the 1989 arrival of a vaccine for bacterial meningitis. Before then, his hospital saw about 100 cases a year, including kids enduring seizures and ventilators. "When those vaccines came out, it was night and day," he said. "You were saving lives, brains. It was a miracle, frankly." Rotavirus "only caused about 20 deaths a year" before the vaccine was introduced in 2006, Bradley said, "but we had wards that were packed with kids with diarrhea." The resulting dehydration could be life-threatening to children who lived far from a hospital or emergency room. Persons handling international travelers at Pier 88 in New York City are shown Jan. 12, 1962, inoculating disembarking passengers against smallpox, after the arrival of the north German liner Bremen. Human life expectancy jumped from about 40 years to 80 in the past century, in part because of vaccines, said Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Stanford University. "We've gained basically another lifetime since 1900," she said, and "it wasn't because of fancy, smart things." The extra years came mostly from ending deaths in infancy and early childhood, thanks to improved sewer and water systems, pasteurization, antibiotics and vaccines. Though people may think parents were more focused on their communities in the past getting their children vaccinated to protect others as well as themselves that's never really been true, Conis said. The polio vaccine, introduced in 1955, shifted people's mindsets on childhood vaccines, Conis said. That vaccine was made available at no cost, as the COVID-19 vaccine has been, and polio cases quickly started to fall. After they started to creep up again in the late 1950s, a few states, starting with California, began to require the polio vaccine for schoolchildren. President Franklin D. Roosevelt carves the turkey during the annual Thanksgiving dinner in 1933 for polio patients at Warm Springs, Georgia., with first lady Eleanor Roosevelt smiling beside him. Roosevelt was among the most famous Americans to get polio, and he helped start what eventually would become the March of Dimes. That organization raised money for a vaccine, which was found in 1955 by Jonas Salk. Once the worst viruses, like smallpox, polio and meningitis, had been brought under control, researchers moved on to addressing less serious illnesses, like chicken pox. Chicken pox, Bradley said, "isn't killing children right and left, but to create a vaccine to prevent those few deaths seemed quite reasonable. ... Society really prizes children, which I'm deeply appreciative of." The 1960s saw a burgeoning of vaccines, including a second one for polio, one for mumps and one against rubella, Conis said. By the end of the 1960s, thanks to vaccinations, measles cases were way down in communities generally white and middle class where children routinely saw pediatricians. But children of color and those whose parents didn't speak English well were still getting sick. That, Conis said, motivated more states to introduce school vaccination mandates. By 1980, every state had adopted school vaccination laws, she said. In the 1960s, when health officials were trying to encourage vaccinations, they warned parents that measles could in rare cases cause encephalitis, reducing their child's IQ. "If that one is your kid, how are you going to feel?" was the message, Conis said. More recently, vaccine opponents have turned that argument on its head, saying, "How are you going to feel" if your child is the one in a million who is harmed by vaccination? "Different members of our society have different reasons for seeing the risk of disease as the greater threat or the risk of the vaccine as the greater threat," Conis said. Those who have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine for kids should know, she said, that they come from a long line of people who have wondered whether getting the disease is truly more dangerous than getting a shot. "I think it would be helpful," Conis said, "to make some room for people in the middle to express their concerns and ask their questions." Contact Karen Weintraub at kweintraub@usatoday.com 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 didn't start vaccine skepticism. The history of kids and shots. When Devin Pearson pushed the buzzer to use a family restroom at Crabtree Valley Mall this summer, they didnt think theyd have to wait nearly half an hour, only to end up leaving the mall without being able to use the bathroom. Pearson, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, said a routine trip to the mall in late August left them feeling personally humiliated when they were repeatedly refused access to a vacant, single-occupancy family restroom. Mall representatives apologized to Pearson, assuring them days later that the private bathrooms would be made available to anyone who needed them. But Pearson, determined to see a more inclusive policy put into effect, continued to push for a permanent solution. This fall, the mall converted its family restrooms to all gender restrooms, replacing signs and taking down security cameras and buzzers. Pearson told The News & Observer the situation was unfortunate but that they were glad the mall listened to their feedback and made their restrooms more accessible. They wanted to share their experience to raise awareness about the need for gender-neutral bathrooms in malls, hotels and other public places. I think we can definitely be more mindful of those needs, and hopefully this can be a conversation that can start getting those gears going. I sure hope so, Pearson said. Mall management and other mall representatives did not respond to numerous messages from The News & Observer seeking comments for this story. Being denied access to the bathroom Pearson, an author of childrens books, moved to the Triangle over the summer from Central Virginia. They were visiting the mall on the afternoon of Aug. 26 to explore the possibility of promoting their new book, The Awakening of Princess Treshawn, a story about a boy with dreams of becoming a princess and embracing his gender identity. Pearson went to a family restroom on the malls lower level and found a buzzer and a camera. A sign by the bathroom advised it was especially designed for the comfort of adults with young children. Pearson pressed the buzzer and waited to hear a response, before pressing it a few more times. A person answered after a few minutes and recommended using a different restroom. Pearson was told the family restroom was only available to someone accompanying a child. I did not want to reveal my gender identity, I didnt feel that was necessary, but as the conversation continued, it was very clear that I was not going to be permitted to use the restroom, Pearson said in an interview with The News & Observer in November. Reluctantly, Pearson told the person over the speaker that they are non-binary. The person replied that Pearson would have to choose between the mens and womens restrooms. I pressed forward and said, Well, I feel uncomfortable choosing one way or the other, and I explained that to them, and the circumstance, and was still told that no, I was still not allowed to use the restroom, Pearson recalled. Two other mall representatives spoke to Pearson, repeating the rules about that bathrooms access. About 20 minutes passed before Pearson was able to speak with the malls general manager, Debora Overholt. Pearson said Overholt apologized to them and said their experience was the result of a lack of training. Overholt said such an incident wouldnt happen again, but Pearson said Overholts words felt empty. It wasnt clear what steps the mall would take to prevent someone from being refused access to a restroom in the future, Pearson said. Pearson followed up by email with Overholt and other Crabtree Valley representatives the next morning. I felt personally humiliated by the experience. Like all customers, I want to feel comfortable using the restroom, Pearson wrote in an email to them on Aug. 27. As a member of the transgender community, it is always my hope to find inclusive spaces to work and collaborate. Where all customers feel welcome. In an email Pearson shared with The N&O, Overholt responded to them on Aug. 31, and apologized again for the unacceptable lack of access to the family restroom and sought to assure Pearson that the family restroom would be made available to anyone who needed to use it. Overholt said management wanted to ensure our guests feel comfortable and safe while shopping at Crabtree, and that Pearsons feedback had prompted the mall to better train staff so that the family restroom would be accessible to anyone. The mall makes a change Pearson returned to Crabtree Valley Mall a few days after the incident and noticed the security camera and buzzer outside the bathroom had been disconnected. In early November, Pearson saw the family restroom sign had been replaced with a sign that read all gender restroom. The sign outside another family restroom by the food court had been replaced as well. Mall management did not respond to The N&Os messages to clarify when the restroom signs were changed. Other Triangle shopping centers report they have gender-neutral restrooms, though they are not labeled that way. The Streets at Southpoint in Durham has two family restrooms, which are available for anyone to use, said Lindsay Kahn, a spokesperson for Brookfield Properties, the malls owner. Raleighs Triangle Town Center has multiple family restrooms, but they are also available to anyone who needs to use them, according to Rachel Dooley, the malls marketing manager. The bathrooms dont have all gender signs, but arent restricted to people with young children, Dooley said. Pearson said they hope those who design public spaces or facilities consider the importance of offering a private, single-occupancy restroom that doesnt necessarily have to be used only by non-binary people. Other people could stand to benefit from more inclusive bathrooms too. I try to think beyond myself, and think what if this was an elderly person who needed to use the restroom, Pearson said. Would they be included in the same policy, would they be permitted to use the restroom? I would hope so, but by the given policy, the answer would have to be no. HB2 and the fight over public bathrooms The push for more all-gender or gender-neutral bathrooms in public settings has been going on for years. Access to public restrooms for LGBTQ people was a major political issue across the country in 2016, particularly in North Carolina. Lawmakers passed and then-Gov. Pat McCrory signed House Bill 2 into law, which required transgender people in schools and government buildings to use public restrooms matching the gender on their birth certificate. The law drew robust opposition, including from cities that passed their own anti-discrimination ordinances allowing transgender people to use public restrooms of the gender with which they identify. Some businesses responded to the law by trying to make their restrooms more inclusive. The 21c Museum Hotel in Durham installed gender-neutral signs outside its single-occupancy bathrooms showing both the male and female symbols. The bottom of the signs read We Dont Care. HB2 was partially repealed in March 2017. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/minnesotas-mall-of-america-put-on-lockdown-after-shooting-injures-two-shoppers-1091953374.html Minnesota's Mall of America Put on Lockdown After Shooting Injures Two Shoppers Minnesota's Mall of America Put on Lockdown After Shooting Injures Two Shoppers Two people are injured following a shooting late Friday evening at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T00:39+0000 2022-01-01T00:39+0000 2022-01-01T01:10+0000 minnesota shooting mall of america /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/101860/81/1018608174_0:0:1280:721_1920x0_80_0_0_812a6e0d0f9871e105cbc06ace6021e2.jpg According to police, the victims' injuries are not life-threatening and it is not considered an active shooter situation. The shooting occurred around 5 p.m., US central time. It is believed that the suspects fled the scene and are no longer at the mall. Police are currently searching for suspects. It is unclear if police have taken any suspects into custody. Police are expected to release more details later. Some stores went into lockdown, but the entire mall did not. As of 5:45 p.m., local time, the scene was secured and the mall had resumed normal operations. The Mall of America is reportedly the seventh-largest shopping mall in the world and the largest in the Western hemisphere. The mall claims approximately 40 million visitors annually. minnesota Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International mall of america, minnesota, shooting When Devin Pearson pushed the buzzer to use a family restroom at Crabtree Valley Mall this summer, they didnt think theyd have to wait nearly half an hour, only to end up leaving the mall without being able to use the bathroom. Pearson, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, said a routine trip to the mall in late August left them feeling personally humiliated when they were repeatedly refused access to a vacant, single-occupancy family restroom. Mall representatives apologized to Pearson, assuring them days later that the private bathrooms would be made available to anyone who needed them. But Pearson, determined to see a more inclusive policy put into effect, continued to push for a permanent solution. This fall, the mall converted its family restrooms to all gender restrooms, replacing signs and taking down security cameras and buzzers. Pearson told The News & Observer the situation was unfortunate but that they were glad the mall listened to their feedback and made their restrooms more accessible. They wanted to share their experience to raise awareness about the need for gender-neutral bathrooms in malls, hotels and other public places. I think we can definitely be more mindful of those needs, and hopefully this can be a conversation that can start getting those gears going. I sure hope so, Pearson said. Mall management and other mall representatives did not respond to numerous messages from The News & Observer seeking comments for this story. Being denied access to the bathroom Pearson, an author of childrens books, moved to the Triangle over the summer from Central Virginia. They were visiting the mall on the afternoon of Aug. 26 to explore the possibility of promoting their new book, The Awakening of Princess Treshawn, a story about a boy with dreams of becoming a princess and embracing his gender identity. Pearson went to a family restroom on the malls lower level and found a buzzer and a camera. A sign by the bathroom advised it was especially designed for the comfort of adults with young children. Pearson pressed the buzzer and waited to hear a response, before pressing it a few more times. A person answered after a few minutes and recommended using a different restroom. Pearson was told the family restroom was only available to someone accompanying a child. I did not want to reveal my gender identity, I didnt feel that was necessary, but as the conversation continued, it was very clear that I was not going to be permitted to use the restroom, Pearson said in an interview with The News & Observer in November. Reluctantly, Pearson told the person over the speaker that they are non-binary. The person replied that Pearson would have to choose between the mens and womens restrooms. I pressed forward and said, Well, I feel uncomfortable choosing one way or the other, and I explained that to them, and the circumstance, and was still told that no, I was still not allowed to use the restroom, Pearson recalled. Two other mall representatives spoke to Pearson, repeating the rules about that bathrooms access. About 20 minutes passed before Pearson was able to speak with the malls general manager, Debora Overholt. Pearson said Overholt apologized to them and said their experience was the result of a lack of training. Overholt said such an incident wouldnt happen again, but Pearson said Overholts words felt empty. It wasnt clear what steps the mall would take to prevent someone from being refused access to a restroom in the future, Pearson said. Pearson followed up by email with Overholt and other Crabtree Valley representatives the next morning. I felt personally humiliated by the experience. Like all customers, I want to feel comfortable using the restroom, Pearson wrote in an email to them on Aug. 27. As a member of the transgender community, it is always my hope to find inclusive spaces to work and collaborate. Where all customers feel welcome. In an email Pearson shared with The N&O, Overholt responded to them on Aug. 31, and apologized again for the unacceptable lack of access to the family restroom and sought to assure Pearson that the family restroom would be made available to anyone who needed to use it. Overholt said management wanted to ensure our guests feel comfortable and safe while shopping at Crabtree, and that Pearsons feedback had prompted the mall to better train staff so that the family restroom would be accessible to anyone. The mall makes a change Pearson returned to Crabtree Valley Mall a few days after the incident and noticed the security camera and buzzer outside the bathroom had been disconnected. In early November, Pearson saw the family restroom sign had been replaced with a sign that read all gender restroom. The sign outside another family restroom by the food court had been replaced as well. Mall management did not respond to The N&Os messages to clarify when the restroom signs were changed. Other Triangle shopping centers report they have gender-neutral restrooms, though they are not labeled that way. The Streets at Southpoint in Durham has two family restrooms, which are available for anyone to use, said Lindsay Kahn, a spokesperson for Brookfield Properties, the malls owner. Raleighs Triangle Town Center has multiple family restrooms, but they are also available to anyone who needs to use them, according to Rachel Dooley, the malls marketing manager. The bathrooms dont have all gender signs, but arent restricted to people with young children, Dooley said. Pearson said they hope those who design public spaces or facilities consider the importance of offering a private, single-occupancy restroom that doesnt necessarily have to be used only by non-binary people. Other people could stand to benefit from more inclusive bathrooms too. I try to think beyond myself, and think what if this was an elderly person who needed to use the restroom, Pearson said. Would they be included in the same policy, would they be permitted to use the restroom? I would hope so, but by the given policy, the answer would have to be no. HB2 and the fight over public bathrooms The push for more all-gender or gender-neutral bathrooms in public settings has been going on for years. Access to public restrooms for LGBTQ people was a major political issue across the country in 2016, particularly in North Carolina. Lawmakers passed and then-Gov. Pat McCrory signed House Bill 2 into law, which required transgender people in schools and government buildings to use public restrooms matching the gender on their birth certificate. The law drew robust opposition, including from cities that passed their own anti-discrimination ordinances allowing transgender people to use public restrooms of the gender with which they identify. Some businesses responded to the law by trying to make their restrooms more inclusive. The 21c Museum Hotel in Durham installed gender-neutral signs outside its single-occupancy bathrooms showing both the male and female symbols. The bottom of the signs read We Dont Care. HB2 was partially repealed in March 2017. Even in the days of smallpox, some people objected to vaccinations. Benjamin Franklin apparently "long regretted" his decision not to inoculate his oldest son, who died of smallpox at age 4 in 1736. Yet skepticism over the vaccine persisted, even into the early 20th century, when it was routinely required. By then, the virus had mutated to become less severe. Some argued the vaccine was no longer necessary and would create more risk than it resolved. Yet vaccination requirements continued, and smallpox remains the only human disease ever eradicated from Earth. Public skepticism has always been a part of vaccine history, even as doctors and other officials praise the shots' safety, effectiveness and importance. "The idea that there was less resistance to vaccination in the past is really misleading," said Elena Conis, a historian of medicine at the University of California, Berkeley. "The amount of resistance we have (today) is pretty proportional to the amount of vaccination we expect the public to accept." Conis got interested in vaccine history during the public outcry over the HPV vaccine first approved in 2006 and given to pre-pubescent girls to prevent cervical cancer resulting from a sexually transmitted virus. A study published in November in The Lancet shows that a national HPV vaccination campaign in the U.K. cut cervical cancer rates by 87%. More recently, some people have questioned whether COVID-19 vaccines are necessary for children ages 5-11. Children are less likely than adults to suffer dangerous bouts of illness with COVID-19. But they can still fall ill, and just over 1,000 minors have died of the disease since the pandemic began, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including 219 ages 5-11. COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to be as safe as those vaccines, too. In a study released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children reported fewer side effects from the vaccine than adolescents. Of more than 4,000 side effects reported to the government, after the first 8 million vaccines shots, only 2% were considered serious, including 11 cases of swelling of the heart, called myocarditis. Livia Carbino, 8, gets a high five from her grandmother, registered nurse Livia Gifford, after getting her covid vaccine shot at the Orange City office of the Florida Department of Health in Volusia County on Dec. 3. Experts say that risk-benefit ratio is enough to justify widespread vaccination against COVID-19. Other diseases were even less dangerous when vaccines against them were approved and mandated, statistics show. Between 1990 and 1995, just before that vaccine was introduced, only three children died of hepatitis A. Eight children ages 11-18 died of meningococcus in the two years before vaccination began. And 16 children ages 5-9 died of chicken pox between 1990 and 1994. Of course these diseases also caused other problems for children, including missed school, pain, itching, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures and overall misery. "It is very logical and reasonable that if we protect kids from these other infections that we protect kids from COVID," said Dr. John Bradley, an infectious disease pediatrician at Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego. Omicron makes people sick faster: Heres what else you need to know for New Year's weekend Good news about omicron: It may pass quickly, pose small threat to vaccinated, experts say Although low in absolute numbers, COVID-19 was the eighth-biggest killer of children ages 5-11 in 2020, data shows, and even more children fell ill in 2021because of the more contagious delta variant even before omicron arrived. COVID-19 vaccines protect children from getting seriously ill as well as the potentially lingering effects of the virus. Vaccinated kids won't be as likely to pass on the virus, they won't have to miss school as they recover and eventually, when infection rates come down, they won't have to wear masks all the time, Bradley said. "When you put in public health as another factor in the equation, the equation is completely favorably weighted toward giving the vaccine," he said. "Vaccines are the ultimate solution to getting kids back to school safely." Bradley recalls the 1989 arrival of a vaccine for bacterial meningitis. Before then, his hospital saw about 100 cases a year, including kids enduring seizures and ventilators. "When those vaccines came out, it was night and day," he said. "You were saving lives, brains. It was a miracle, frankly." Rotavirus "only caused about 20 deaths a year" before the vaccine was introduced in 2006, Bradley said, "but we had wards that were packed with kids with diarrhea." The resulting dehydration could be life-threatening to children who lived far from a hospital or emergency room. Persons handling international travelers at Pier 88 in New York City are shown Jan. 12, 1962, inoculating disembarking passengers against smallpox, after the arrival of the north German liner Bremen. Human life expectancy jumped from about 40 years to 80 in the past century, in part because of vaccines, said Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Stanford University. "We've gained basically another lifetime since 1900," she said, and "it wasn't because of fancy, smart things." The extra years came mostly from ending deaths in infancy and early childhood, thanks to improved sewer and water systems, pasteurization, antibiotics and vaccines. Though people may think parents were more focused on their communities in the past getting their children vaccinated to protect others as well as themselves that's never really been true, Conis said. The polio vaccine, introduced in 1955, shifted people's mindsets on childhood vaccines, Conis said. That vaccine was made available at no cost, as the COVID-19 vaccine has been, and polio cases quickly started to fall. After they started to creep up again in the late 1950s, a few states, starting with California, began to require the polio vaccine for schoolchildren. President Franklin D. Roosevelt carves the turkey during the annual Thanksgiving dinner in 1933 for polio patients at Warm Springs, Georgia., with first lady Eleanor Roosevelt smiling beside him. Roosevelt was among the most famous Americans to get polio, and he helped start what eventually would become the March of Dimes. That organization raised money for a vaccine, which was found in 1955 by Jonas Salk. Once the worst viruses, like smallpox, polio and meningitis, had been brought under control, researchers moved on to addressing less serious illnesses, like chicken pox. Chicken pox, Bradley said, "isn't killing children right and left, but to create a vaccine to prevent those few deaths seemed quite reasonable. ... Society really prizes children, which I'm deeply appreciative of." The 1960s saw a burgeoning of vaccines, including a second one for polio, one for mumps and one against rubella, Conis said. By the end of the 1960s, thanks to vaccinations, measles cases were way down in communities generally white and middle class where children routinely saw pediatricians. But children of color and those whose parents didn't speak English well were still getting sick. That, Conis said, motivated more states to introduce school vaccination mandates. By 1980, every state had adopted school vaccination laws, she said. In the 1960s, when health officials were trying to encourage vaccinations, they warned parents that measles could in rare cases cause encephalitis, reducing their child's IQ. "If that one is your kid, how are you going to feel?" was the message, Conis said. More recently, vaccine opponents have turned that argument on its head, saying, "How are you going to feel" if your child is the one in a million who is harmed by vaccination? "Different members of our society have different reasons for seeing the risk of disease as the greater threat or the risk of the vaccine as the greater threat," Conis said. Those who have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine for kids should know, she said, that they come from a long line of people who have wondered whether getting the disease is truly more dangerous than getting a shot. "I think it would be helpful," Conis said, "to make some room for people in the middle to express their concerns and ask their questions." Contact Karen Weintraub at kweintraub@usatoday.com 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 didn't start vaccine skepticism. The history of kids and shots. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe At least 35 civilians burned alive by Burmese army on Christmas Eve Myanmars ruling military burned alive at least 35 internally displaced people, including elders, women and children, in a village in eastern Kayah State on Christmas Eve, according to human rights groups. The Karenni Human Rights Group said it discovered the victims' bodies on Saturday, the day after the massacre near the Mo So village of Hpruso town. We were so shocked at seeing that all the dead bodies were different sizes, including children, women and old people, a commander from the Karenni National Defense Force, one of the largest of several civilian militias opposing the junta that led to a Feb. 1 coup, told Reuters. I went to see this morning. I saw dead bodies that had been burned, and also the clothes of children and women spread around, a local villager was quoted as saying. The international aid group Save the Children said two of its staffers were missing in that massacre, adding that it was suspending operations in that region in Myanmar, previously known as Burma, NPR reported. The military, also known as Tatmadaw, admitted it shot and killed an unspecified number of terrorists with weapons from the KNDF in the village, adding that the people were in seven vehicles and did not stop for the military, Reuters added. The presence of the Buddhist nationalist military makes civilians and militias in conflict-ridden states nervous. The military has been accused of damaging places of worship and civilians homes, raping girls and women, abducting civilians to be used for forced labor and executing civilians. Myanmars ethnic minorities, including Christians, live in the various conflict zones across the countrys borders with Thailand, China and India. Hundreds of thousands of civilians, many of them Christians, have been displaced due to the escalation of conflicts in the zones since the military coup on Feb. 1. Militias in those areas have been supporting pro-democracy protesters since the coup, which has led to the use of heavy weapons by the Myanmar army. Thousands of civilians in the conflict zones have sought shelter in churches when their villages are under attack. Today the 25th of December, Christmas Day, is an important day of celebration and peace for the world. However, today the genocidal junta made their choice to say clearly that peace is..., tweeted Dr. Sasa, who is Union Minister of the Ministry of International Cooperation, Spokesperson of the National Unity Government of Myanmar and the Myanmar Special Envoy to the United Nations. These acts clearly constitute the worst crimes against humanity and we expect that all peoples and governments the world over should condemn these acts, he said in a statement. With the condemnation, however, should come a commitment that these criminals be brought to justice and held fully accountable for their actions. According to the KHRG, at least 651 houses, six churches and at least one clinic in Kayah state, also known as Karenni, were destroyed between May 21 and Dec. 20, the U.K.-based group Christian Solidarity Worldwide said in a statement. From June to May, at least eight churches were damaged in 30 days in the Kayah and Shan states. According to Radio Free Asia, five civilians sheltering inside the churches were killed. In May, four civilians were reportedly killed and around eight others were injured when security forces fired artillery shells at a Catholic church in the Kayah state. Myanmar is ranked No. 18 on Open Doors USAs 2021 World Watch List of 50 countries where Christians face the most severe persecution. The persecution level in Myanmar is very high due to Buddhist nationalism. Burma is recognized by the U.S. State Department as a country of particular concern for egregious violations of religious liberty. The Bush administrations decision not to ratify the Kyoto Protocol to reduce Americas greenhouse gas emissions prompted fears in the Howard government the move would undermine global efforts to curb climate change. Previously secret cabinet documents from 2001 released by the National Archives also show concerns within the federal bureaucracy that Australias high per capita greenhouse gas emissions could be exposed by the ongoing global debate over key elements of Kyoto. Woodsides Pluto LNG plant near Karratha in WA. Cabinet papers from 2001 show the governments concern over greenhouse policy, here and in the United States. And they show the divisions within the Howard government over the approach to climate change divisions that continue today within the Coalition. While Australia had signed the Kyoto Protocol under which it agreed to limit the nations emissions increase to 8 per cent above its 1990 levels in 1998, the Howard government did not ratify the agreement. That would be one of the first actions taken by the government of Kevin Rudd in 2007. The Bush administrations decision not to ratify the Kyoto Protocol to reduce Americas greenhouse gas emissions prompted fears in the Howard government the move would undermine global efforts to curb climate change. Previously secret cabinet documents from 2001 released by the National Archives also show concerns within the federal bureaucracy that Australias high per capita greenhouse gas emissions could be exposed by the ongoing global debate over key elements of Kyoto. Woodsides Pluto LNG plant near Karratha in WA. Cabinet papers from 2001 show the governments concern over greenhouse policy, here and in the United States. And they show the divisions within the Howard government over the approach to climate change divisions that continue today within the Coalition. While Australia had signed the Kyoto Protocol under which it agreed to limit the nations emissions increase to 8 per cent above its 1990 levels in 1998, the Howard government did not ratify the agreement. That would be one of the first actions taken by the government of Kevin Rudd in 2007. When Devin Pearson pushed the buzzer to use a family restroom at Crabtree Valley Mall this summer, they didnt think theyd have to wait nearly half an hour, only to end up leaving the mall without being able to use the bathroom. Pearson, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, said a routine trip to the mall in late August left them feeling personally humiliated when they were repeatedly refused access to a vacant, single-occupancy family restroom. Mall representatives apologized to Pearson, assuring them days later that the private bathrooms would be made available to anyone who needed them. But Pearson, determined to see a more inclusive policy put into effect, continued to push for a permanent solution. This fall, the mall converted its family restrooms to all gender restrooms, replacing signs and taking down security cameras and buzzers. Pearson told The News & Observer the situation was unfortunate but that they were glad the mall listened to their feedback and made their restrooms more accessible. They wanted to share their experience to raise awareness about the need for gender-neutral bathrooms in malls, hotels and other public places. I think we can definitely be more mindful of those needs, and hopefully this can be a conversation that can start getting those gears going. I sure hope so, Pearson said. Mall management and other mall representatives did not respond to numerous messages from The News & Observer seeking comments for this story. Being denied access to the bathroom Pearson, an author of childrens books, moved to the Triangle over the summer from Central Virginia. They were visiting the mall on the afternoon of Aug. 26 to explore the possibility of promoting their new book, The Awakening of Princess Treshawn, a story about a boy with dreams of becoming a princess and embracing his gender identity. Pearson went to a family restroom on the malls lower level and found a buzzer and a camera. A sign by the bathroom advised it was especially designed for the comfort of adults with young children. Pearson pressed the buzzer and waited to hear a response, before pressing it a few more times. A person answered after a few minutes and recommended using a different restroom. Pearson was told the family restroom was only available to someone accompanying a child. I did not want to reveal my gender identity, I didnt feel that was necessary, but as the conversation continued, it was very clear that I was not going to be permitted to use the restroom, Pearson said in an interview with The News & Observer in November. Reluctantly, Pearson told the person over the speaker that they are non-binary. The person replied that Pearson would have to choose between the mens and womens restrooms. I pressed forward and said, Well, I feel uncomfortable choosing one way or the other, and I explained that to them, and the circumstance, and was still told that no, I was still not allowed to use the restroom, Pearson recalled. Two other mall representatives spoke to Pearson, repeating the rules about that bathrooms access. About 20 minutes passed before Pearson was able to speak with the malls general manager, Debora Overholt. Pearson said Overholt apologized to them and said their experience was the result of a lack of training. Overholt said such an incident wouldnt happen again, but Pearson said Overholts words felt empty. It wasnt clear what steps the mall would take to prevent someone from being refused access to a restroom in the future, Pearson said. Pearson followed up by email with Overholt and other Crabtree Valley representatives the next morning. I felt personally humiliated by the experience. Like all customers, I want to feel comfortable using the restroom, Pearson wrote in an email to them on Aug. 27. As a member of the transgender community, it is always my hope to find inclusive spaces to work and collaborate. Where all customers feel welcome. In an email Pearson shared with The N&O, Overholt responded to them on Aug. 31, and apologized again for the unacceptable lack of access to the family restroom and sought to assure Pearson that the family restroom would be made available to anyone who needed to use it. Overholt said management wanted to ensure our guests feel comfortable and safe while shopping at Crabtree, and that Pearsons feedback had prompted the mall to better train staff so that the family restroom would be accessible to anyone. The mall makes a change Pearson returned to Crabtree Valley Mall a few days after the incident and noticed the security camera and buzzer outside the bathroom had been disconnected. In early November, Pearson saw the family restroom sign had been replaced with a sign that read all gender restroom. The sign outside another family restroom by the food court had been replaced as well. Mall management did not respond to The N&Os messages to clarify when the restroom signs were changed. Other Triangle shopping centers report they have gender-neutral restrooms, though they are not labeled that way. The Streets at Southpoint in Durham has two family restrooms, which are available for anyone to use, said Lindsay Kahn, a spokesperson for Brookfield Properties, the malls owner. Raleighs Triangle Town Center has multiple family restrooms, but they are also available to anyone who needs to use them, according to Rachel Dooley, the malls marketing manager. The bathrooms dont have all gender signs, but arent restricted to people with young children, Dooley said. Pearson said they hope those who design public spaces or facilities consider the importance of offering a private, single-occupancy restroom that doesnt necessarily have to be used only by non-binary people. Other people could stand to benefit from more inclusive bathrooms too. I try to think beyond myself, and think what if this was an elderly person who needed to use the restroom, Pearson said. Would they be included in the same policy, would they be permitted to use the restroom? I would hope so, but by the given policy, the answer would have to be no. HB2 and the fight over public bathrooms The push for more all-gender or gender-neutral bathrooms in public settings has been going on for years. Access to public restrooms for LGBTQ people was a major political issue across the country in 2016, particularly in North Carolina. Lawmakers passed and then-Gov. Pat McCrory signed House Bill 2 into law, which required transgender people in schools and government buildings to use public restrooms matching the gender on their birth certificate. The law drew robust opposition, including from cities that passed their own anti-discrimination ordinances allowing transgender people to use public restrooms of the gender with which they identify. Some businesses responded to the law by trying to make their restrooms more inclusive. The 21c Museum Hotel in Durham installed gender-neutral signs outside its single-occupancy bathrooms showing both the male and female symbols. The bottom of the signs read We Dont Care. HB2 was partially repealed in March 2017. At least 35 civilians burned alive by Burmese army on Christmas Eve Myanmars ruling military burned alive at least 35 internally displaced people, including elders, women and children, in a village in eastern Kayah State on Christmas Eve, according to human rights groups. The Karenni Human Rights Group said it discovered the victims' bodies on Saturday, the day after the massacre near the Mo So village of Hpruso town. We were so shocked at seeing that all the dead bodies were different sizes, including children, women and old people, a commander from the Karenni National Defense Force, one of the largest of several civilian militias opposing the junta that led to a Feb. 1 coup, told Reuters. I went to see this morning. I saw dead bodies that had been burned, and also the clothes of children and women spread around, a local villager was quoted as saying. The international aid group Save the Children said two of its staffers were missing in that massacre, adding that it was suspending operations in that region in Myanmar, previously known as Burma, NPR reported. The military, also known as Tatmadaw, admitted it shot and killed an unspecified number of terrorists with weapons from the KNDF in the village, adding that the people were in seven vehicles and did not stop for the military, Reuters added. The presence of the Buddhist nationalist military makes civilians and militias in conflict-ridden states nervous. The military has been accused of damaging places of worship and civilians homes, raping girls and women, abducting civilians to be used for forced labor and executing civilians. Myanmars ethnic minorities, including Christians, live in the various conflict zones across the countrys borders with Thailand, China and India. Hundreds of thousands of civilians, many of them Christians, have been displaced due to the escalation of conflicts in the zones since the military coup on Feb. 1. Militias in those areas have been supporting pro-democracy protesters since the coup, which has led to the use of heavy weapons by the Myanmar army. Thousands of civilians in the conflict zones have sought shelter in churches when their villages are under attack. Today the 25th of December, Christmas Day, is an important day of celebration and peace for the world. However, today the genocidal junta made their choice to say clearly that peace is..., tweeted Dr. Sasa, who is Union Minister of the Ministry of International Cooperation, Spokesperson of the National Unity Government of Myanmar and the Myanmar Special Envoy to the United Nations. These acts clearly constitute the worst crimes against humanity and we expect that all peoples and governments the world over should condemn these acts, he said in a statement. With the condemnation, however, should come a commitment that these criminals be brought to justice and held fully accountable for their actions. According to the KHRG, at least 651 houses, six churches and at least one clinic in Kayah state, also known as Karenni, were destroyed between May 21 and Dec. 20, the U.K.-based group Christian Solidarity Worldwide said in a statement. From June to May, at least eight churches were damaged in 30 days in the Kayah and Shan states. According to Radio Free Asia, five civilians sheltering inside the churches were killed. In May, four civilians were reportedly killed and around eight others were injured when security forces fired artillery shells at a Catholic church in the Kayah state. Myanmar is ranked No. 18 on Open Doors USAs 2021 World Watch List of 50 countries where Christians face the most severe persecution. The persecution level in Myanmar is very high due to Buddhist nationalism. Burma is recognized by the U.S. State Department as a country of particular concern for egregious violations of religious liberty. Pulitzer-winning multimedia journalist Manny Crisostomo chronicles the journeys of the CHamoru diaspora in "Manaotao Sanlagu," an ongoing visual documentary featured weekly in the Pacific Daily News. Guam residents are encouraged to recycle their Christmas trees by dropping them off at a Department of Agriculture facility during the next two weeks. The agency is once again offering its annual Christmas Tree Chipping Program to encourage people not to burn their trees, according to a press release. We are now in dry season and windy conditions can spread embers, according to the press release. Also, backyard burning is prohibited without a permit. Tree disposal After cleaning your tree of all ornaments, including tinsel and lights, you can bring it to the warehouse parking lot diagonally across the street from the agencys main building at 163 Dairy Road in Mangilao. There, the trees will be chipped, then staff will process and treat the chips for any invasive species. Resident can pick up processed wood chips while supplies last during chipping operations; you will need to bring a bag and shovel to collect the chips. The mulch is available only for personal use, and may not be sold. Days and times You can bring your trees and pick up mulch from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays the next two weeks: Jan. 3, 5, 7, 10, 12 and 14. No trees will be accepted after 12:30 p.m. Other options Some businesses are offering tree and green waste disposal for a fee. If youre storing any green waste for mulching for long periods, the Agriculture department advises using fishing net to cover any vegetation to prevent the spread of rhino beetles. Up to three households may mulch together without a permit at these businesses: LMS: Call (671) 647-2617 for details. Northern Hardfill/Primo Heavy Equipment: Monday and Saturday 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday to Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Regular and full size truck rates apply. Cash or company check only. Call (671) 687-3709 for details. Pacific Soils and Compost: Monday to Friday 8 a.m.- 12 p.m. Cash only, cost is $9 per tree. Call (671) 898-5661 and ask for Danica, the project manager. UMS: Call (671) 637-3213 for details. Efforts are underway to form a new military force comprised of 100,000 members, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) said on Saturday. They emphasized that Islamic Emirate forces would be prioritized, according to Tolo News. "When they are enrolled, they will be sent to duties in squadrons. The process is about 80 percent complete," said Inayatullah Khwarazami, the Defense Ministry's Spokesman. With the fall of the former government, the 350,000 Afghan National Defense and Security Forces also disbanded by August last year. Of the 350,000 former Afghan security forces, 150,000 of them were under the Defense Ministry. Taliban said that some former security officials have maintained their positions and are active. A delegation of 20 members has been appointed to follow up on the process, the Defense Ministry said. The current Afghan government has repeatedly called on the former security forces, who fled the country due to security threats, to come back and work for a developed Afghanistan, according to Tolo News. ( ANI) Delhi Government on Saturday said that it will provide free customised online yoga classes for COVID patients in home isolation. "Immunity booster yoga along with medical treatment will help them recover fast," Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said while interacting with the yoga instructors of Dilli Ki Yogshala today. In this interaction, Yoga instructors shared their experiences with the Deputy CM and told how yoga has helped them change their lives, and now the lives of residents. Reacting to it, Manish Sisodia said, ''Yoga has the magical power of healing all kinds of ailments. Thus, those suffering from COVID need yoga the most. It is seen that the number of COVID patients are rising in Delhi, but they are mostly asymptomatic and are being advised to stay in home isolation.'' ''Thus, along with medical treatment, we will help them boost their immunity through online yoga sessions. Slots for the same will be released soon,'' he added. While directing the officials the Deputy CM said, ''Prepare the plan of action soon. As soon as a case of COVID will be reported, the patient will receive an SMS from the Delhi government with a link to register for classes." "Thereafter, a link to the classes will be shared with them regularly. Each class will have about 25-35 people, who will be taught yoga by the best-trained yoga instructors of Delhi. People can choose their slot and they will be given classes as per their requirement,'' he added. Sisodia further said that yoga in India has a history of thousands of years, and researchers spent many years working on its technicalities and has made the human body a moving laboratory. "We can't let this effort go to waste. So whenever Delhi residents will need a yoga instructor, they will be just a call away. ''Dilli ki Yogashala'' will bring this yoga revolution to the capital,'' he said. Notably, on December 13, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had launched ''Dilli ki Yogashala''. At present, 61 yoga instructors are conducting yoga sessions under ''Dilli Ki Yogshala'' at 65 places across Delhi. Sisodia said, ''Demand for this type of yoga session is rising and it is clear that people want trained yoga instructors to teach them the correct form of yoga.'' (ANI) Delhi Government on Saturday said that it will provide free customised online yoga classes for COVID patients in home isolation. "Immunity booster yoga along with medical treatment will help them recover fast," Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said while interacting with the yoga instructors of Dilli Ki Yogshala today. In this interaction, Yoga instructors shared their experiences with the Deputy CM and told how yoga has helped them change their lives, and now the lives of residents. Reacting to it, Manish Sisodia said, ''Yoga has the magical power of healing all kinds of ailments. Thus, those suffering from COVID need yoga the most. It is seen that the number of COVID patients are rising in Delhi, but they are mostly asymptomatic and are being advised to stay in home isolation.'' ''Thus, along with medical treatment, we will help them boost their immunity through online yoga sessions. Slots for the same will be released soon,'' he added. While directing the officials the Deputy CM said, ''Prepare the plan of action soon. As soon as a case of COVID will be reported, the patient will receive an SMS from the Delhi government with a link to register for classes." "Thereafter, a link to the classes will be shared with them regularly. Each class will have about 25-35 people, who will be taught yoga by the best-trained yoga instructors of Delhi. People can choose their slot and they will be given classes as per their requirement,'' he added. Sisodia further said that yoga in India has a history of thousands of years, and researchers spent many years working on its technicalities and has made the human body a moving laboratory. "We can't let this effort go to waste. So whenever Delhi residents will need a yoga instructor, they will be just a call away. ''Dilli ki Yogashala'' will bring this yoga revolution to the capital,'' he said. Notably, on December 13, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had launched ''Dilli ki Yogashala''. At present, 61 yoga instructors are conducting yoga sessions under ''Dilli Ki Yogshala'' at 65 places across Delhi. Sisodia said, ''Demand for this type of yoga session is rising and it is clear that people want trained yoga instructors to teach them the correct form of yoga.'' (ANI) At least 35 civilians burned alive by Burmese army on Christmas Eve Myanmars ruling military burned alive at least 35 internally displaced people, including elders, women and children, in a village in eastern Kayah State on Christmas Eve, according to human rights groups. The Karenni Human Rights Group said it discovered the victims' bodies on Saturday, the day after the massacre near the Mo So village of Hpruso town. We were so shocked at seeing that all the dead bodies were different sizes, including children, women and old people, a commander from the Karenni National Defense Force, one of the largest of several civilian militias opposing the junta that led to a Feb. 1 coup, told Reuters. I went to see this morning. I saw dead bodies that had been burned, and also the clothes of children and women spread around, a local villager was quoted as saying. The international aid group Save the Children said two of its staffers were missing in that massacre, adding that it was suspending operations in that region in Myanmar, previously known as Burma, NPR reported. The military, also known as Tatmadaw, admitted it shot and killed an unspecified number of terrorists with weapons from the KNDF in the village, adding that the people were in seven vehicles and did not stop for the military, Reuters added. The presence of the Buddhist nationalist military makes civilians and militias in conflict-ridden states nervous. The military has been accused of damaging places of worship and civilians homes, raping girls and women, abducting civilians to be used for forced labor and executing civilians. Myanmars ethnic minorities, including Christians, live in the various conflict zones across the countrys borders with Thailand, China and India. Hundreds of thousands of civilians, many of them Christians, have been displaced due to the escalation of conflicts in the zones since the military coup on Feb. 1. Militias in those areas have been supporting pro-democracy protesters since the coup, which has led to the use of heavy weapons by the Myanmar army. Thousands of civilians in the conflict zones have sought shelter in churches when their villages are under attack. Today the 25th of December, Christmas Day, is an important day of celebration and peace for the world. However, today the genocidal junta made their choice to say clearly that peace is..., tweeted Dr. Sasa, who is Union Minister of the Ministry of International Cooperation, Spokesperson of the National Unity Government of Myanmar and the Myanmar Special Envoy to the United Nations. These acts clearly constitute the worst crimes against humanity and we expect that all peoples and governments the world over should condemn these acts, he said in a statement. With the condemnation, however, should come a commitment that these criminals be brought to justice and held fully accountable for their actions. According to the KHRG, at least 651 houses, six churches and at least one clinic in Kayah state, also known as Karenni, were destroyed between May 21 and Dec. 20, the U.K.-based group Christian Solidarity Worldwide said in a statement. From June to May, at least eight churches were damaged in 30 days in the Kayah and Shan states. According to Radio Free Asia, five civilians sheltering inside the churches were killed. In May, four civilians were reportedly killed and around eight others were injured when security forces fired artillery shells at a Catholic church in the Kayah state. Myanmar is ranked No. 18 on Open Doors USAs 2021 World Watch List of 50 countries where Christians face the most severe persecution. The persecution level in Myanmar is very high due to Buddhist nationalism. Burma is recognized by the U.S. State Department as a country of particular concern for egregious violations of religious liberty. In 1923, Kevin OHiggins, then the Minister for Home Affairs described the Dail courts, Republican courts or Sinn Fein courts, which had been abolished in 1922, as an improvised system of justice that: was forged more as a weapon against the British administration in exceptional times and exceptional circumstances than as a definite system which would meet and answer the needs of normal times. I am meeting one of County Leitrims illustrious sons, Noel McPartland, whose grandfather, John McPartland, was a judge in those courts. He was a judge from 1918 until the Civil War started. It would have been illegal in terms of the English system. They would be court-marshalling some fella for something and he would be the judge at that particular trial, signing documents and all that. He supported the cause right up to the treaty. He was anti-treaty. Later he worked as a haulier, mainly collecting and delivering coal from the Arigna coal mines. The McPartlands opened their newsagents and confectionery shop in Drumshanbo in 1885 and kept it going until 1994 with Noels mum running it until she was 90. It became one of the casualties of the Black and Tans visit to the town, however, when they burned it out in 1922. My father, Hubert, worked in the shop but he was also a hackney driver and the Black and Tans heard that he had driven some of the local IRA fellows to a meeting in Ballinamore. The front door, which was also the entrance to our house, was blown in, they destroyed the stock and set fire to the shop. The attack happened at night, the family were all in bed but they got out safely as the fire was confined to the shop. Of course there was no fire brigade at that time, it was the bucket brigade. Buckets of water put the fire out. They also damaged my fathers car, which was also his livelihood. But the Black and Tans didnt stop with the McPartlands shop, going on to burn several premises in the town. They burned a house up the road near the church, a man who was very involved in the IRA. They burned his house to the ground, and almost burned the occupants as well but they were got out on time. They were completely uncontrollable. People were very much afraid of them. They were the dregs of an army that was sent over here. They went around and abused people, beat people up for no reason, and that was everywhere, not just Drumshanbo. Noel McPartland spent 5 years in the US Army My father was on de Valeras side. Dev gave a great speech here in 1932, I have a film of it. It was during the 1932 election. My father was a de Valera man all his life. Afterwards, Hubert and another man from the local cumann, Willie Moran, were delegates at the treaty talks in the Mansion House in Dublin. Then Hubert married a local girl, Bridie, who had emigrated to America in 1925. She visited home in 1927 and met Hubert and returned for good in 1930. When they married in the Pro Cathedral in Dublin they moved in and ran the shop. They had six children, three girls and then three boys. Moira, 90, is a St Louis nun in California; Frances is 88 and living in New York, and the youngest sister, Rosalie, died in 2017. Then we have the three boys Noel and Sean (Im a twin) (sadly, Sean passed away on September 17 this year), and the youngest, Ronnie. Because my mother and a lot of her brothers emigrated in the 1800s and early 1900s, my mother always thought the answer to everything, especially living in Leitrim in those tough days, was to get them off to America. Educate them and send them to America! And Hubert had the unenviable task of driving most of his children, one after another, to the boat in Cobh, County Cork, or later to Shannon airport as they emigrated to America. Moira went first, she went out there on the missions. After Sean did his Leaving Cert in St Mels in Longford (thats where we attended boarding school), he went to America in 1956. I stayed on here for another couple of years doing different jobs, and then I emigrated in 1958; I went to Chicago and then on to New York. My younger brother, Ronnie, lives in Howth hes a retired Aer Lingus pilot. He went to school in the Franciscan college in Gormanstown, County Meath. His class was the first class in it when it opened. The school had been located in Multyfarnham in County Westmeath, but they bought this place and he was in the first class in about 1954. Noel remembers his parents as a great couple, very religious, very into their family. We had a good childhood, even during the tough years. My mother didnt suffer fools gladly, now; she didnt like anyone who was trying to pull a fast one. She was a very tough lady. She had to be. Noel completed his Leaving Certificate and started his working life in 1951 as a junior assistant master around Drumshanbo. Back then, women had to retire from teaching when they married, so there were plenty of opportunities for a young, newly qualified teacher in the local schools. Noel was living at home with his parents at the time and he remembers one particular night very well. We were listening to the radio, it was Radio Luxembourg, and there was a knock on the shop door. It was one of the coal miners from Arigna, in his twenties, but a big man. Come on, he said to me, and we walked up the street. We got into a car and travelled to the home of another miner where our job was to collect gelignite that had been taken from the mine. I was sweating! He opened the boot of a car and there were five or six sticks of gelignite in a bag. I immediately asked what would happen if we were stopped on the way home. Dont worry about it, he said. When Noel returned home, the door was locked and he had no key. His father was sitting up waiting for him. Where were you? he asked me. Up the town, I replied. Then he gave me a slap on the side of my face and sent me spinning into the shop. I got caught up with these guys and my father saw and he knew who they were. Then I told him what I had been doing and thank God I told him. He gave me the best advice ever. He said, If youre caught with those guys again, you may go to jail, but you will never come back here. That woke me up. He had been through it all in the twenties; he had seen it all. He wasnt a man to talk an awful lot about those things. Noel had already been introduced to the IRA through his friends brother but he says their main interest was in having access to a car! He recalls the evening he was introduced to John Joe McGirl in a pub in Ballinamore. I remember walking into the pub and the place was packed. My friends brother introduced the two of us as two men who wouldnt be afraid to shoulder a gun. We just looked at one another our interest was in the car! After the meeting we went to a marquee dance in Mohill. Later, we got involved in the 1957 general election and we canvassed for McGirl, who topped the poll. Noel says feelings were very high following the killing of Sean South and Fergal OHanlon on New Years Day in Brookeborough. The two were part of an IRA military column that planned to blow up an RUC barracks in the town. But it was a botched operation, and in the ensuing gun battle South and OHanlon were shot dead by the police. Noel still has his fathers ledgers. He was a man of few words. When Noel and his twin brother were born in the Rotunda hospital in Dublin in 1936, the ledger entry is simply Dublin with Mother and on his return to Drumshanbo three days later, Drumshanbo with Mother. No mention of the twins! Noel says they had a good childhood but he and his twin hated school. School was really a jail. Sean and myself were sent to boarding school in Longford, and we were noted renegades. Their parents would send them to boarding school for the three months coming up to Christmas to get rid of us; we would go in September until Christmas Eve and then return home. Noels own American odyssey included working in the Hilton hotel in Chicago and being drafted into the US army around the time of the Cuban crisis; he spent five years in the military. After boarding school, he says, the American army was like a holiday! He spent 30 years working for Lairds Jams in Drumshanbo and was named Leitrim Person of the Year in 2019 for his work in supporting the development of the old site into The Food Hub and the establishment of The Shed, home of Gunpowder Gin and the first distillery to open in Connacht in over a century. Independence Memories: A Peoples Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation By Valerie Cox. Published by Hachette Ireland in Trade Paperback and eBook / 14.99. In 1923, Kevin OHiggins, then the Minister for Home Affairs described the Dail courts, Republican courts or Sinn Fein courts, which had been abolished in 1922, as an improvised system of justice that: was forged more as a weapon against the British administration in exceptional times and exceptional circumstances than as a definite system which would meet and answer the needs of normal times. I am meeting one of County Leitrims illustrious sons, Noel McPartland, whose grandfather, John McPartland, was a judge in those courts. He was a judge from 1918 until the Civil War started. It would have been illegal in terms of the English system. They would be court-marshalling some fella for something and he would be the judge at that particular trial, signing documents and all that. He supported the cause right up to the treaty. He was anti-treaty. Later he worked as a haulier, mainly collecting and delivering coal from the Arigna coal mines. The McPartlands opened their newsagents and confectionery shop in Drumshanbo in 1885 and kept it going until 1994 with Noels mum running it until she was 90. It became one of the casualties of the Black and Tans visit to the town, however, when they burned it out in 1922. My father, Hubert, worked in the shop but he was also a hackney driver and the Black and Tans heard that he had driven some of the local IRA fellows to a meeting in Ballinamore. The front door, which was also the entrance to our house, was blown in, they destroyed the stock and set fire to the shop. The attack happened at night, the family were all in bed but they got out safely as the fire was confined to the shop. Of course there was no fire brigade at that time, it was the bucket brigade. Buckets of water put the fire out. They also damaged my fathers car, which was also his livelihood. But the Black and Tans didnt stop with the McPartlands shop, going on to burn several premises in the town. They burned a house up the road near the church, a man who was very involved in the IRA. They burned his house to the ground, and almost burned the occupants as well but they were got out on time. They were completely uncontrollable. People were very much afraid of them. They were the dregs of an army that was sent over here. They went around and abused people, beat people up for no reason, and that was everywhere, not just Drumshanbo. Noel McPartland spent 5 years in the US Army My father was on de Valeras side. Dev gave a great speech here in 1932, I have a film of it. It was during the 1932 election. My father was a de Valera man all his life. Afterwards, Hubert and another man from the local cumann, Willie Moran, were delegates at the treaty talks in the Mansion House in Dublin. Then Hubert married a local girl, Bridie, who had emigrated to America in 1925. She visited home in 1927 and met Hubert and returned for good in 1930. When they married in the Pro Cathedral in Dublin they moved in and ran the shop. They had six children, three girls and then three boys. Moira, 90, is a St Louis nun in California; Frances is 88 and living in New York, and the youngest sister, Rosalie, died in 2017. Then we have the three boys Noel and Sean (Im a twin) (sadly, Sean passed away on September 17 this year), and the youngest, Ronnie. Because my mother and a lot of her brothers emigrated in the 1800s and early 1900s, my mother always thought the answer to everything, especially living in Leitrim in those tough days, was to get them off to America. Educate them and send them to America! And Hubert had the unenviable task of driving most of his children, one after another, to the boat in Cobh, County Cork, or later to Shannon airport as they emigrated to America. Moira went first, she went out there on the missions. After Sean did his Leaving Cert in St Mels in Longford (thats where we attended boarding school), he went to America in 1956. I stayed on here for another couple of years doing different jobs, and then I emigrated in 1958; I went to Chicago and then on to New York. My younger brother, Ronnie, lives in Howth hes a retired Aer Lingus pilot. He went to school in the Franciscan college in Gormanstown, County Meath. His class was the first class in it when it opened. The school had been located in Multyfarnham in County Westmeath, but they bought this place and he was in the first class in about 1954. Noel remembers his parents as a great couple, very religious, very into their family. We had a good childhood, even during the tough years. My mother didnt suffer fools gladly, now; she didnt like anyone who was trying to pull a fast one. She was a very tough lady. She had to be. Noel completed his Leaving Certificate and started his working life in 1951 as a junior assistant master around Drumshanbo. Back then, women had to retire from teaching when they married, so there were plenty of opportunities for a young, newly qualified teacher in the local schools. Noel was living at home with his parents at the time and he remembers one particular night very well. We were listening to the radio, it was Radio Luxembourg, and there was a knock on the shop door. It was one of the coal miners from Arigna, in his twenties, but a big man. Come on, he said to me, and we walked up the street. We got into a car and travelled to the home of another miner where our job was to collect gelignite that had been taken from the mine. I was sweating! He opened the boot of a car and there were five or six sticks of gelignite in a bag. I immediately asked what would happen if we were stopped on the way home. Dont worry about it, he said. When Noel returned home, the door was locked and he had no key. His father was sitting up waiting for him. Where were you? he asked me. Up the town, I replied. Then he gave me a slap on the side of my face and sent me spinning into the shop. I got caught up with these guys and my father saw and he knew who they were. Then I told him what I had been doing and thank God I told him. He gave me the best advice ever. He said, If youre caught with those guys again, you may go to jail, but you will never come back here. That woke me up. He had been through it all in the twenties; he had seen it all. He wasnt a man to talk an awful lot about those things. Noel had already been introduced to the IRA through his friends brother but he says their main interest was in having access to a car! He recalls the evening he was introduced to John Joe McGirl in a pub in Ballinamore. I remember walking into the pub and the place was packed. My friends brother introduced the two of us as two men who wouldnt be afraid to shoulder a gun. We just looked at one another our interest was in the car! After the meeting we went to a marquee dance in Mohill. Later, we got involved in the 1957 general election and we canvassed for McGirl, who topped the poll. Noel says feelings were very high following the killing of Sean South and Fergal OHanlon on New Years Day in Brookeborough. The two were part of an IRA military column that planned to blow up an RUC barracks in the town. But it was a botched operation, and in the ensuing gun battle South and OHanlon were shot dead by the police. Noel still has his fathers ledgers. He was a man of few words. When Noel and his twin brother were born in the Rotunda hospital in Dublin in 1936, the ledger entry is simply Dublin with Mother and on his return to Drumshanbo three days later, Drumshanbo with Mother. No mention of the twins! Noel says they had a good childhood but he and his twin hated school. School was really a jail. Sean and myself were sent to boarding school in Longford, and we were noted renegades. Their parents would send them to boarding school for the three months coming up to Christmas to get rid of us; we would go in September until Christmas Eve and then return home. Noels own American odyssey included working in the Hilton hotel in Chicago and being drafted into the US army around the time of the Cuban crisis; he spent five years in the military. After boarding school, he says, the American army was like a holiday! He spent 30 years working for Lairds Jams in Drumshanbo and was named Leitrim Person of the Year in 2019 for his work in supporting the development of the old site into The Food Hub and the establishment of The Shed, home of Gunpowder Gin and the first distillery to open in Connacht in over a century. Independence Memories: A Peoples Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation By Valerie Cox. Published by Hachette Ireland in Trade Paperback and eBook / 14.99. In 1923, Kevin OHiggins, then the Minister for Home Affairs described the Dail courts, Republican courts or Sinn Fein courts, which had been abolished in 1922, as an improvised system of justice that: was forged more as a weapon against the British administration in exceptional times and exceptional circumstances than as a definite system which would meet and answer the needs of normal times. I am meeting one of County Leitrims illustrious sons, Noel McPartland, whose grandfather, John McPartland, was a judge in those courts. He was a judge from 1918 until the Civil War started. It would have been illegal in terms of the English system. They would be court-marshalling some fella for something and he would be the judge at that particular trial, signing documents and all that. He supported the cause right up to the treaty. He was anti-treaty. Later he worked as a haulier, mainly collecting and delivering coal from the Arigna coal mines. The McPartlands opened their newsagents and confectionery shop in Drumshanbo in 1885 and kept it going until 1994 with Noels mum running it until she was 90. It became one of the casualties of the Black and Tans visit to the town, however, when they burned it out in 1922. My father, Hubert, worked in the shop but he was also a hackney driver and the Black and Tans heard that he had driven some of the local IRA fellows to a meeting in Ballinamore. The front door, which was also the entrance to our house, was blown in, they destroyed the stock and set fire to the shop. The attack happened at night, the family were all in bed but they got out safely as the fire was confined to the shop. Of course there was no fire brigade at that time, it was the bucket brigade. Buckets of water put the fire out. They also damaged my fathers car, which was also his livelihood. But the Black and Tans didnt stop with the McPartlands shop, going on to burn several premises in the town. They burned a house up the road near the church, a man who was very involved in the IRA. They burned his house to the ground, and almost burned the occupants as well but they were got out on time. They were completely uncontrollable. People were very much afraid of them. They were the dregs of an army that was sent over here. They went around and abused people, beat people up for no reason, and that was everywhere, not just Drumshanbo. Noel McPartland spent 5 years in the US Army My father was on de Valeras side. Dev gave a great speech here in 1932, I have a film of it. It was during the 1932 election. My father was a de Valera man all his life. Afterwards, Hubert and another man from the local cumann, Willie Moran, were delegates at the treaty talks in the Mansion House in Dublin. Then Hubert married a local girl, Bridie, who had emigrated to America in 1925. She visited home in 1927 and met Hubert and returned for good in 1930. When they married in the Pro Cathedral in Dublin they moved in and ran the shop. They had six children, three girls and then three boys. Moira, 90, is a St Louis nun in California; Frances is 88 and living in New York, and the youngest sister, Rosalie, died in 2017. Then we have the three boys Noel and Sean (Im a twin) (sadly, Sean passed away on September 17 this year), and the youngest, Ronnie. Because my mother and a lot of her brothers emigrated in the 1800s and early 1900s, my mother always thought the answer to everything, especially living in Leitrim in those tough days, was to get them off to America. Educate them and send them to America! And Hubert had the unenviable task of driving most of his children, one after another, to the boat in Cobh, County Cork, or later to Shannon airport as they emigrated to America. Moira went first, she went out there on the missions. After Sean did his Leaving Cert in St Mels in Longford (thats where we attended boarding school), he went to America in 1956. I stayed on here for another couple of years doing different jobs, and then I emigrated in 1958; I went to Chicago and then on to New York. My younger brother, Ronnie, lives in Howth hes a retired Aer Lingus pilot. He went to school in the Franciscan college in Gormanstown, County Meath. His class was the first class in it when it opened. The school had been located in Multyfarnham in County Westmeath, but they bought this place and he was in the first class in about 1954. Noel remembers his parents as a great couple, very religious, very into their family. We had a good childhood, even during the tough years. My mother didnt suffer fools gladly, now; she didnt like anyone who was trying to pull a fast one. She was a very tough lady. She had to be. Noel completed his Leaving Certificate and started his working life in 1951 as a junior assistant master around Drumshanbo. Back then, women had to retire from teaching when they married, so there were plenty of opportunities for a young, newly qualified teacher in the local schools. Noel was living at home with his parents at the time and he remembers one particular night very well. We were listening to the radio, it was Radio Luxembourg, and there was a knock on the shop door. It was one of the coal miners from Arigna, in his twenties, but a big man. Come on, he said to me, and we walked up the street. We got into a car and travelled to the home of another miner where our job was to collect gelignite that had been taken from the mine. I was sweating! He opened the boot of a car and there were five or six sticks of gelignite in a bag. I immediately asked what would happen if we were stopped on the way home. Dont worry about it, he said. When Noel returned home, the door was locked and he had no key. His father was sitting up waiting for him. Where were you? he asked me. Up the town, I replied. Then he gave me a slap on the side of my face and sent me spinning into the shop. I got caught up with these guys and my father saw and he knew who they were. Then I told him what I had been doing and thank God I told him. He gave me the best advice ever. He said, If youre caught with those guys again, you may go to jail, but you will never come back here. That woke me up. He had been through it all in the twenties; he had seen it all. He wasnt a man to talk an awful lot about those things. Noel had already been introduced to the IRA through his friends brother but he says their main interest was in having access to a car! He recalls the evening he was introduced to John Joe McGirl in a pub in Ballinamore. I remember walking into the pub and the place was packed. My friends brother introduced the two of us as two men who wouldnt be afraid to shoulder a gun. We just looked at one another our interest was in the car! After the meeting we went to a marquee dance in Mohill. Later, we got involved in the 1957 general election and we canvassed for McGirl, who topped the poll. Noel says feelings were very high following the killing of Sean South and Fergal OHanlon on New Years Day in Brookeborough. The two were part of an IRA military column that planned to blow up an RUC barracks in the town. But it was a botched operation, and in the ensuing gun battle South and OHanlon were shot dead by the police. Noel still has his fathers ledgers. He was a man of few words. When Noel and his twin brother were born in the Rotunda hospital in Dublin in 1936, the ledger entry is simply Dublin with Mother and on his return to Drumshanbo three days later, Drumshanbo with Mother. No mention of the twins! Noel says they had a good childhood but he and his twin hated school. School was really a jail. Sean and myself were sent to boarding school in Longford, and we were noted renegades. Their parents would send them to boarding school for the three months coming up to Christmas to get rid of us; we would go in September until Christmas Eve and then return home. Noels own American odyssey included working in the Hilton hotel in Chicago and being drafted into the US army around the time of the Cuban crisis; he spent five years in the military. After boarding school, he says, the American army was like a holiday! He spent 30 years working for Lairds Jams in Drumshanbo and was named Leitrim Person of the Year in 2019 for his work in supporting the development of the old site into The Food Hub and the establishment of The Shed, home of Gunpowder Gin and the first distillery to open in Connacht in over a century. Independence Memories: A Peoples Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation By Valerie Cox. Published by Hachette Ireland in Trade Paperback and eBook / 14.99. Winter got you down? Bust out this mind-altering novel, which centers on a criminal trial closely resembling that of the Menendez brothers, who were convicted in 1996 of murdering their parents. Seth is a magazine writer who has flown from New York to California to profile a vacuous celebrity while simultaneously working out his fixation on what Indiana calls the Martinez brothers. Jack is Seths former lover, JD is a popular radio host, and the three spend their nights at a cocktail lounge called the Black Light among meth-addled Hells Angels and bewigged drag queens and boozy actresses who are in the third acts (possibly even the epilogues) of their careers. Its Los Angeles circa 1994: a Bosch painting in neon colors; a place where its possible to get strangled by a puppeteer in a basement dungeon or smile at Matthew Modine in the Chateau Marmont elevator or eat a piece of fatty tuna while someone tells you that you have a really negative, pessimistic aura. Indiana has the kind of ruthless comic intelligence that I cherish in my friends and fear in my enemies. Theres no better describer of people (one guy is a slice of pathos; a womans hair is ratted up like the high note of a show tune) or conjurer of dread and lust. Reading Resentment is one of very few times recently that the phrase Great American Novel has obtruded on my thoughts. Read if you like: Kathy Acker, being in the grip of an obsession, Patricia Lockwood, Tom Wolfes The Bonfire of the Vanities Available from: MIT Press COLUMBIA A South Carolina lawmaker wants the state to pay for those people it wrongfully executes, beginning with the family of George Stinney. A bill filed in the House of Representatives ahead of the upcoming legislative session would establish the George Stinney Fund, which would provide $10 million to families of those exonerated after being executed, no matter how much time has lapsed. The bill is named for the 14-year-old Black teen convicted in the brutal murder of two White girls in Clarendon County and executed by electrocution in June 1944. A judge vacated Stinney's conviction in 2014, finding numerous instances of his constitutional rights being violated, from his arrest to an hours-long trial and conviction by an all-White jury only months after the girls were found dead. "We can't do justice, because justice would be us resurrecting Mr. Stinney and allowing him to have a good life," said state Rep. Cezar McKnight, D-Kingstree, who sponsored the bill. "But what we can do is atone for what we've done, and that's what we need to do." McKnight said he was moved to author the bill during a ceremony to unveil a portrait for Judge Clifton Newman in the Williamsburg County Courthouse. Newman remarked that he was honored by the portrait but not that it would share space with a picture of Judge Phillip Stoll, who presided over Stinney's trial and sentenced him to death. Funding for the measure, co-sponsored by Greenville Republican Mike Burns and Orangeburg Democrat Gilda Cobb-Hunter, would be created with $10 million from a Department of Administration reserve fund. The money would be awarded in the form of a grant application to the family of anyone executed and later exonerated by a court in South Carolina, regardless of when. Circuit Judge Carmen Mullen, in overturning Stinney's conviction, wrote that significant progress had been made toward racial equality in the years after Stinney's death. "Regardless of that progress, from time to time we are called to look back to examine our still-recent history and correct injustice when possible," Mullen wrote. South Carolina made headlines in 2021 when lawmakers passed a bill allowing prison officials to execute death-row inmates by electric chair or firing squad amid a shortage in drugs used in lethal injection. In a debate over the bill in April, McKnight said he agreed with the death penalty in principle but that he opposed the state carrying out executions because of cases of people known to have been wrongfully executed or where there was significant doubt over their guilt. "It's not one of those black-and-white issues, because I can't sit here and tell you that I wouldn't want someone executed for harming a loved one of mine," McKnight told The Post and Courier. "But by the same token, we don't have the ability to resurrect people that we execute, so I've got some trepidations about it. I just do." COLUMBIA A South Carolina lawmaker wants the state to pay for those people it wrongfully executes, beginning with the family of George Stinney. A bill filed in the House of Representatives ahead of the upcoming legislative session would establish the George Stinney Fund, which would provide $10 million to families of those exonerated after being executed, no matter how much time has lapsed. The bill is named for the 14-year-old Black teen convicted in the brutal murder of two White girls in Clarendon County and executed by electrocution in June 1944. A judge vacated Stinney's conviction in 2014, finding numerous instances of his constitutional rights being violated, from his arrest to an hours-long trial and conviction by an all-White jury only months after the girls were found dead. "We can't do justice, because justice would be us resurrecting Mr. Stinney and allowing him to have a good life," said state Rep. Cezar McKnight, D-Kingstree, who sponsored the bill. "But what we can do is atone for what we've done, and that's what we need to do." McKnight said he was moved to author the bill during a ceremony to unveil a portrait for Judge Clifton Newman in the Williamsburg County Courthouse. Newman remarked that he was honored by the portrait but not that it would share space with a picture of Judge Phillip Stoll, who presided over Stinney's trial and sentenced him to death. Funding for the measure, co-sponsored by Greenville Republican Mike Burns and Orangeburg Democrat Gilda Cobb-Hunter, would be created with $10 million from a Department of Administration reserve fund. The money would be awarded in the form of a grant application to the family of anyone executed and later exonerated by a court in South Carolina, regardless of when. Circuit Judge Carmen Mullen, in overturning Stinney's conviction, wrote that significant progress had been made toward racial equality in the years after Stinney's death. "Regardless of that progress, from time to time we are called to look back to examine our still-recent history and correct injustice when possible," Mullen wrote. South Carolina made headlines in 2021 when lawmakers passed a bill allowing prison officials to execute death-row inmates by electric chair or firing squad amid a shortage in drugs used in lethal injection. In a debate over the bill in April, McKnight said he agreed with the death penalty in principle but that he opposed the state carrying out executions because of cases of people known to have been wrongfully executed or where there was significant doubt over their guilt. "It's not one of those black-and-white issues, because I can't sit here and tell you that I wouldn't want someone executed for harming a loved one of mine," McKnight told The Post and Courier. "But by the same token, we don't have the ability to resurrect people that we execute, so I've got some trepidations about it. I just do." Thousands gathered Saturday in Baghdad to mark the second anniversary of the death of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani and protest the U.S., with crowds calling for the expulsion of American forces still in Iraq. In a live news feed captured by a Turkish broadcast company, protesters can be seen flooding a square in the Iraqi capital and hoisting up a flag depicting an image of Soleimani, a top Iranian general and Iraqi militia leader who was killed near Baghdad's airport on Jan. 3, 2020, in a drone strike ordered by former President Donald Trump. The crowd chanted "Death to America" and called for an end to what they called U.S. terrorism. Soleimani's assassination exacerbated long-standing tensions between the U.S. and Iran, prompting Iranian leaders to threaten retaliation. The Baghdad square was filled with allies of the Iraqi organization Hashed al-Shaabi, which includes factions closely associated with Iran and has called for the removal of U.S. forces, according to Agence France-Presse. About 2,500 American troops still remain in Iraq, per the outlet. A candle-lit vigil is scheduled to take place at the airport in Baghdad on Sunday and Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is set to meet with Soleimani's family on Saturday ahead of a main commemoration on Monday, the official anniversary of his death, Agence France-Press reported. Efforts are underway to form a new military force comprised of 100,000 members, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) said on Saturday. They emphasized that Islamic Emirate forces would be prioritized, according to Tolo News. "When they are enrolled, they will be sent to duties in squadrons. The process is about 80 percent complete," said Inayatullah Khwarazami, the Defense Ministry's Spokesman. With the fall of the former government, the 350,000 Afghan National Defense and Security Forces also disbanded by August last year. Of the 350,000 former Afghan security forces, 150,000 of them were under the Defense Ministry. Taliban said that some former security officials have maintained their positions and are active. A delegation of 20 members has been appointed to follow up on the process, the Defense Ministry said. The current Afghan government has repeatedly called on the former security forces, who fled the country due to security threats, to come back and work for a developed Afghanistan, according to Tolo News. ( ANI) The logo of SK Innovation is seen at the company booth during the InterBattery 2021 exhibition at COEX in Seoul on June 11, 2021. (Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images) South Koreas Battery Giants Forced to Increase Prices Due to Price Hike of Raw Materials From China The three top battery manufacturers in South Korea will have to increase the prices of their products soon because the cost of raw materials from China has skyrocketed since the beginning of last year. South Koreas output of rechargeable batteries comprises nearly half of the global production, but the countrys key battery materials are heavily dependent on imports, especially rare earths and other raw materials from China. South Koreas three leading battery manufacturersLG Energy Solution, SK Innovation, and Samsung SDIhave all issued notices of price hikes. LG Energy Solution plans to increase the price of cylindrical cells by 10 percent in January 2022. Previously, Samsung SDIs 21700 cylindrical cells, one of the most commonly used models, increased by over 7 percent in November. An insider in the industry recently told The Korea Economic Daily that as Chinese companies continue to increase the prices of raw materials, Korean companies have no other choices. He believes that the price competitiveness of Korean companies in the global market will decline. According to the report, China is not a major producer of cobalt, nickel, and lithium, but it imports these key raw materials from South America and Africa to process them. Due to the dominance of Chinese manufacturers over these materials, lithium is priced in yuan instead of U.S. dollars in the global market. The industry insider also revealed that, if China ever cuts off the supply of battery materials, it will be a terrible situation for Korean companies and other battery manufacturers around the world. Public data shows that on Dec. 23, battery-grade lithium carbonate was priced at 267,000 yuan (about $40,000) per ton, up 13,000 yuan (about $2,041) from Dec. 20. In this 4-day period, the average daily increase was as high as about 4,000 yuan (about $628). Four months ago, the price of lithium carbonate was less than 95,000 yuan ($15,000) per ton. Since the beginning of 2021, the increase in lithium carbonate price has exceeded 230 percent. The domestic average price of phosphoric acid, an essential ingredient for the production of lithium iron phosphate batteries, has risen to 10,500 yuan ($1,652) per ton, a 109 percent increase compared to early 2021. The prices of nickel, cobalt, and manganese have also risen continuously. As of Dec. 23, the price of cobalt went up to $70,205 per ton, the highest level in three years; the price of nickel exceeded $20,000 per ton in November, the highest in seven years. According to insiders from Chinas battery industry, the reason for the price hike is that the development speed of new energy vehicles has exceeded expectations, which means the demand for car batteries, and in turn, the upstream raw materials, have both increased dramatically. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic and the insufficient production capacity of upstream minerals are also taking a toll. Driven by the global shift to electric vehicles, South Korean companies have also established battery factories overseas, including plants in the United States and Hungary. But analysts warned that China has a near-monopoly in the field of rare earth metals, and it will take several years to get rid of the dependence on China. Political commentator Lu Tianming told The Epoch Times on Dec. 30 that the underlying reason behind South Koreas battery price hike is the countrys overdependence on raw material imports. This is similar to previous incidents of the urea shortage and snow melting agents shortage in South Korea, Lu said. Its supply chain is problematic and there are inherent security risks. If South Korea is working with Western democracies, the risk is minimal. But now it is working with the CCP, its reliance of China will definitely be exploited by the CCP sooner or later. Lu believes that the urea shortage, which occurred in South Korea earlier this year, was due to the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) intentional manipulation to strangle South Korea. Because the U.S.-China friction is getting very fierce, both countries want to win over South Korea, as it has mastered relatively important chip technology, he said. And South Korea has always been playing a balance game between China and the United States, just to make money. In fact, to a certain extent, it was trying to inch closer to the CCP, despite the bullying it had suffered from Beijing. But South Korea is now leaning towards the United States. The CCP will definitely use battery raw materials to create chaos and put pressure on it. Lu believes that, fundamentally, South Korea still needs to make long-term considerations and decentralize its supply chain. Its very dangerous to put all the eggs in one basket, especially when the basket is in the hands of a rogue regime such as the CCP, he concluded. At least 35 civilians burned alive by Burmese army on Christmas Eve Myanmars ruling military burned alive at least 35 internally displaced people, including elders, women and children, in a village in eastern Kayah State on Christmas Eve, according to human rights groups. The Karenni Human Rights Group said it discovered the victims' bodies on Saturday, the day after the massacre near the Mo So village of Hpruso town. We were so shocked at seeing that all the dead bodies were different sizes, including children, women and old people, a commander from the Karenni National Defense Force, one of the largest of several civilian militias opposing the junta that led to a Feb. 1 coup, told Reuters. I went to see this morning. I saw dead bodies that had been burned, and also the clothes of children and women spread around, a local villager was quoted as saying. The international aid group Save the Children said two of its staffers were missing in that massacre, adding that it was suspending operations in that region in Myanmar, previously known as Burma, NPR reported. The military, also known as Tatmadaw, admitted it shot and killed an unspecified number of terrorists with weapons from the KNDF in the village, adding that the people were in seven vehicles and did not stop for the military, Reuters added. The presence of the Buddhist nationalist military makes civilians and militias in conflict-ridden states nervous. The military has been accused of damaging places of worship and civilians homes, raping girls and women, abducting civilians to be used for forced labor and executing civilians. Myanmars ethnic minorities, including Christians, live in the various conflict zones across the countrys borders with Thailand, China and India. Hundreds of thousands of civilians, many of them Christians, have been displaced due to the escalation of conflicts in the zones since the military coup on Feb. 1. Militias in those areas have been supporting pro-democracy protesters since the coup, which has led to the use of heavy weapons by the Myanmar army. Thousands of civilians in the conflict zones have sought shelter in churches when their villages are under attack. Today the 25th of December, Christmas Day, is an important day of celebration and peace for the world. However, today the genocidal junta made their choice to say clearly that peace is..., tweeted Dr. Sasa, who is Union Minister of the Ministry of International Cooperation, Spokesperson of the National Unity Government of Myanmar and the Myanmar Special Envoy to the United Nations. These acts clearly constitute the worst crimes against humanity and we expect that all peoples and governments the world over should condemn these acts, he said in a statement. With the condemnation, however, should come a commitment that these criminals be brought to justice and held fully accountable for their actions. According to the KHRG, at least 651 houses, six churches and at least one clinic in Kayah state, also known as Karenni, were destroyed between May 21 and Dec. 20, the U.K.-based group Christian Solidarity Worldwide said in a statement. From June to May, at least eight churches were damaged in 30 days in the Kayah and Shan states. According to Radio Free Asia, five civilians sheltering inside the churches were killed. In May, four civilians were reportedly killed and around eight others were injured when security forces fired artillery shells at a Catholic church in the Kayah state. Myanmar is ranked No. 18 on Open Doors USAs 2021 World Watch List of 50 countries where Christians face the most severe persecution. The persecution level in Myanmar is very high due to Buddhist nationalism. Burma is recognized by the U.S. State Department as a country of particular concern for egregious violations of religious liberty. The logo of SK Innovation is seen at the company booth during the InterBattery 2021 exhibition at COEX in Seoul on June 11, 2021. (Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images) South Koreas Battery Giants Forced to Increase Prices Due to Price Hike of Raw Materials From China The three top battery manufacturers in South Korea will have to increase the prices of their products soon because the cost of raw materials from China has skyrocketed since the beginning of last year. South Koreas output of rechargeable batteries comprises nearly half of the global production, but the countrys key battery materials are heavily dependent on imports, especially rare earths and other raw materials from China. South Koreas three leading battery manufacturersLG Energy Solution, SK Innovation, and Samsung SDIhave all issued notices of price hikes. LG Energy Solution plans to increase the price of cylindrical cells by 10 percent in January 2022. Previously, Samsung SDIs 21700 cylindrical cells, one of the most commonly used models, increased by over 7 percent in November. An insider in the industry recently told The Korea Economic Daily that as Chinese companies continue to increase the prices of raw materials, Korean companies have no other choices. He believes that the price competitiveness of Korean companies in the global market will decline. According to the report, China is not a major producer of cobalt, nickel, and lithium, but it imports these key raw materials from South America and Africa to process them. Due to the dominance of Chinese manufacturers over these materials, lithium is priced in yuan instead of U.S. dollars in the global market. The industry insider also revealed that, if China ever cuts off the supply of battery materials, it will be a terrible situation for Korean companies and other battery manufacturers around the world. Public data shows that on Dec. 23, battery-grade lithium carbonate was priced at 267,000 yuan (about $40,000) per ton, up 13,000 yuan (about $2,041) from Dec. 20. In this 4-day period, the average daily increase was as high as about 4,000 yuan (about $628). Four months ago, the price of lithium carbonate was less than 95,000 yuan ($15,000) per ton. Since the beginning of 2021, the increase in lithium carbonate price has exceeded 230 percent. The domestic average price of phosphoric acid, an essential ingredient for the production of lithium iron phosphate batteries, has risen to 10,500 yuan ($1,652) per ton, a 109 percent increase compared to early 2021. The prices of nickel, cobalt, and manganese have also risen continuously. As of Dec. 23, the price of cobalt went up to $70,205 per ton, the highest level in three years; the price of nickel exceeded $20,000 per ton in November, the highest in seven years. According to insiders from Chinas battery industry, the reason for the price hike is that the development speed of new energy vehicles has exceeded expectations, which means the demand for car batteries, and in turn, the upstream raw materials, have both increased dramatically. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic and the insufficient production capacity of upstream minerals are also taking a toll. Driven by the global shift to electric vehicles, South Korean companies have also established battery factories overseas, including plants in the United States and Hungary. But analysts warned that China has a near-monopoly in the field of rare earth metals, and it will take several years to get rid of the dependence on China. Political commentator Lu Tianming told The Epoch Times on Dec. 30 that the underlying reason behind South Koreas battery price hike is the countrys overdependence on raw material imports. This is similar to previous incidents of the urea shortage and snow melting agents shortage in South Korea, Lu said. Its supply chain is problematic and there are inherent security risks. If South Korea is working with Western democracies, the risk is minimal. But now it is working with the CCP, its reliance of China will definitely be exploited by the CCP sooner or later. Lu believes that the urea shortage, which occurred in South Korea earlier this year, was due to the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) intentional manipulation to strangle South Korea. Because the U.S.-China friction is getting very fierce, both countries want to win over South Korea, as it has mastered relatively important chip technology, he said. And South Korea has always been playing a balance game between China and the United States, just to make money. In fact, to a certain extent, it was trying to inch closer to the CCP, despite the bullying it had suffered from Beijing. But South Korea is now leaning towards the United States. The CCP will definitely use battery raw materials to create chaos and put pressure on it. Lu believes that, fundamentally, South Korea still needs to make long-term considerations and decentralize its supply chain. Its very dangerous to put all the eggs in one basket, especially when the basket is in the hands of a rogue regime such as the CCP, he concluded. The logo of SK Innovation is seen at the company booth during the InterBattery 2021 exhibition at COEX in Seoul on June 11, 2021. (Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images) South Koreas Battery Giants Forced to Increase Prices Due to Price Hike of Raw Materials From China The three top battery manufacturers in South Korea will have to increase the prices of their products soon because the cost of raw materials from China has skyrocketed since the beginning of last year. South Koreas output of rechargeable batteries comprises nearly half of the global production, but the countrys key battery materials are heavily dependent on imports, especially rare earths and other raw materials from China. South Koreas three leading battery manufacturersLG Energy Solution, SK Innovation, and Samsung SDIhave all issued notices of price hikes. LG Energy Solution plans to increase the price of cylindrical cells by 10 percent in January 2022. Previously, Samsung SDIs 21700 cylindrical cells, one of the most commonly used models, increased by over 7 percent in November. An insider in the industry recently told The Korea Economic Daily that as Chinese companies continue to increase the prices of raw materials, Korean companies have no other choices. He believes that the price competitiveness of Korean companies in the global market will decline. According to the report, China is not a major producer of cobalt, nickel, and lithium, but it imports these key raw materials from South America and Africa to process them. Due to the dominance of Chinese manufacturers over these materials, lithium is priced in yuan instead of U.S. dollars in the global market. The industry insider also revealed that, if China ever cuts off the supply of battery materials, it will be a terrible situation for Korean companies and other battery manufacturers around the world. Public data shows that on Dec. 23, battery-grade lithium carbonate was priced at 267,000 yuan (about $40,000) per ton, up 13,000 yuan (about $2,041) from Dec. 20. In this 4-day period, the average daily increase was as high as about 4,000 yuan (about $628). Four months ago, the price of lithium carbonate was less than 95,000 yuan ($15,000) per ton. Since the beginning of 2021, the increase in lithium carbonate price has exceeded 230 percent. The domestic average price of phosphoric acid, an essential ingredient for the production of lithium iron phosphate batteries, has risen to 10,500 yuan ($1,652) per ton, a 109 percent increase compared to early 2021. The prices of nickel, cobalt, and manganese have also risen continuously. As of Dec. 23, the price of cobalt went up to $70,205 per ton, the highest level in three years; the price of nickel exceeded $20,000 per ton in November, the highest in seven years. According to insiders from Chinas battery industry, the reason for the price hike is that the development speed of new energy vehicles has exceeded expectations, which means the demand for car batteries, and in turn, the upstream raw materials, have both increased dramatically. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic and the insufficient production capacity of upstream minerals are also taking a toll. Driven by the global shift to electric vehicles, South Korean companies have also established battery factories overseas, including plants in the United States and Hungary. But analysts warned that China has a near-monopoly in the field of rare earth metals, and it will take several years to get rid of the dependence on China. Political commentator Lu Tianming told The Epoch Times on Dec. 30 that the underlying reason behind South Koreas battery price hike is the countrys overdependence on raw material imports. This is similar to previous incidents of the urea shortage and snow melting agents shortage in South Korea, Lu said. Its supply chain is problematic and there are inherent security risks. If South Korea is working with Western democracies, the risk is minimal. But now it is working with the CCP, its reliance of China will definitely be exploited by the CCP sooner or later. Lu believes that the urea shortage, which occurred in South Korea earlier this year, was due to the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) intentional manipulation to strangle South Korea. Because the U.S.-China friction is getting very fierce, both countries want to win over South Korea, as it has mastered relatively important chip technology, he said. And South Korea has always been playing a balance game between China and the United States, just to make money. In fact, to a certain extent, it was trying to inch closer to the CCP, despite the bullying it had suffered from Beijing. But South Korea is now leaning towards the United States. The CCP will definitely use battery raw materials to create chaos and put pressure on it. Lu believes that, fundamentally, South Korea still needs to make long-term considerations and decentralize its supply chain. Its very dangerous to put all the eggs in one basket, especially when the basket is in the hands of a rogue regime such as the CCP, he concluded. The logo of SK Innovation is seen at the company booth during the InterBattery 2021 exhibition at COEX in Seoul on June 11, 2021. (Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images) South Koreas Battery Giants Forced to Increase Prices Due to Price Hike of Raw Materials From China The three top battery manufacturers in South Korea will have to increase the prices of their products soon because the cost of raw materials from China has skyrocketed since the beginning of last year. South Koreas output of rechargeable batteries comprises nearly half of the global production, but the countrys key battery materials are heavily dependent on imports, especially rare earths and other raw materials from China. South Koreas three leading battery manufacturersLG Energy Solution, SK Innovation, and Samsung SDIhave all issued notices of price hikes. LG Energy Solution plans to increase the price of cylindrical cells by 10 percent in January 2022. Previously, Samsung SDIs 21700 cylindrical cells, one of the most commonly used models, increased by over 7 percent in November. An insider in the industry recently told The Korea Economic Daily that as Chinese companies continue to increase the prices of raw materials, Korean companies have no other choices. He believes that the price competitiveness of Korean companies in the global market will decline. According to the report, China is not a major producer of cobalt, nickel, and lithium, but it imports these key raw materials from South America and Africa to process them. Due to the dominance of Chinese manufacturers over these materials, lithium is priced in yuan instead of U.S. dollars in the global market. The industry insider also revealed that, if China ever cuts off the supply of battery materials, it will be a terrible situation for Korean companies and other battery manufacturers around the world. Public data shows that on Dec. 23, battery-grade lithium carbonate was priced at 267,000 yuan (about $40,000) per ton, up 13,000 yuan (about $2,041) from Dec. 20. In this 4-day period, the average daily increase was as high as about 4,000 yuan (about $628). Four months ago, the price of lithium carbonate was less than 95,000 yuan ($15,000) per ton. Since the beginning of 2021, the increase in lithium carbonate price has exceeded 230 percent. The domestic average price of phosphoric acid, an essential ingredient for the production of lithium iron phosphate batteries, has risen to 10,500 yuan ($1,652) per ton, a 109 percent increase compared to early 2021. The prices of nickel, cobalt, and manganese have also risen continuously. As of Dec. 23, the price of cobalt went up to $70,205 per ton, the highest level in three years; the price of nickel exceeded $20,000 per ton in November, the highest in seven years. According to insiders from Chinas battery industry, the reason for the price hike is that the development speed of new energy vehicles has exceeded expectations, which means the demand for car batteries, and in turn, the upstream raw materials, have both increased dramatically. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic and the insufficient production capacity of upstream minerals are also taking a toll. Driven by the global shift to electric vehicles, South Korean companies have also established battery factories overseas, including plants in the United States and Hungary. But analysts warned that China has a near-monopoly in the field of rare earth metals, and it will take several years to get rid of the dependence on China. Political commentator Lu Tianming told The Epoch Times on Dec. 30 that the underlying reason behind South Koreas battery price hike is the countrys overdependence on raw material imports. This is similar to previous incidents of the urea shortage and snow melting agents shortage in South Korea, Lu said. Its supply chain is problematic and there are inherent security risks. If South Korea is working with Western democracies, the risk is minimal. But now it is working with the CCP, its reliance of China will definitely be exploited by the CCP sooner or later. Lu believes that the urea shortage, which occurred in South Korea earlier this year, was due to the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) intentional manipulation to strangle South Korea. Because the U.S.-China friction is getting very fierce, both countries want to win over South Korea, as it has mastered relatively important chip technology, he said. And South Korea has always been playing a balance game between China and the United States, just to make money. In fact, to a certain extent, it was trying to inch closer to the CCP, despite the bullying it had suffered from Beijing. But South Korea is now leaning towards the United States. The CCP will definitely use battery raw materials to create chaos and put pressure on it. Lu believes that, fundamentally, South Korea still needs to make long-term considerations and decentralize its supply chain. Its very dangerous to put all the eggs in one basket, especially when the basket is in the hands of a rogue regime such as the CCP, he concluded. A worker goes up the escalator at Sam's Club, the first branch of a Walmart owned store in Beijing on Dec. 9, 2004. (Cancan Chu/Getty Images) Walmart Faces Backlash in China Over Disappeared Xinjiang Products U.S. retail giant Walmart Inc. is the latest Western company to be caught in a storm of nationalist outrage in Chinawhich isnt unusualafter its subsidiary allegedly pulled Xinjiang-sourced products from its locally based stores. Retail warehouse Sams Club, a division of Walmart, responded by indicating that the products werent removed but were out of stock, Chinese media outlets said. However, that failed to quell the anger of Chinese consumers, and Chinas anti-graft agency on Dec. 31 accused the company of stupidity and shorted-sightedness. The dispute began a week ago, when members of Sams Club found no results for products with the keyword Xinjiang when they searched via the companys app. Relevant products, including red dates, raisins, apples, and honey melons grown in Xinjiang, didnt turn up on Dec. 31 in an app search, according to an Epoch Times review. Some products from the region were still available at a local Walmart store in Beijing, according to The Wall Street Journal. A screenshot of the search results went viral on Chinese social media Weibo. The hashtag #CancelCardOfSam has generated almost 500 million views since Dec. 29 on the Twitter-like platform. The effects to Walmart, which generated revenue of $11.43 billion in China during its fiscal year that ended Jan. 31, 2021, remain to be seen. Of the 423 retail units that Walmart operates in China, 36 are Sams Club stores, according to its website. Chinese media outlet Jiemian News said it found no customers on Dec. 29 applying for card refunds at a local store in the Shijingshan District of Beijing, even amid widespread online outcries. A staff member also confirmed that the store hadnt seen a sudden increase in membership withdrawals recently. Sams Club Shijiangshan is the second largest store among its warehouse chain worldwide in terms of sales volume, and the second one opened in China. On Dec. 31, the ruling Communist Partys Central Commission for Discipline Inspection accused Sams Club of boycotting Xinjiang products and trying to muddle through the controversy by remaining silent. Two days earlier, the Party-affiliated Communist Youth League Central Committee also called on the public to boycott the members-only warehouse stores. China never lacks supermarkets, the committee said via its official social media account. President Joe Biden signed on Dec. 23 a bill banning imports from Chinas Xinjiang region amid concerns over forced labor and other abusesaccusations that Beijing rejects. The provision is set to take effect 180 days after enactment. Hyping Nationalism Critics say the Chinese Communist Party deems hyping nationalist sentiment a basic practice to rally the people and consolidate its rule. The central regime in China has been stirring up frenzied national sentiment by accusing foreign entities of insulting China, said Li Yuanhua, a former associate professor at Capital Normal University. On the one hand, Beijing hopes to provoke mass movements to demonstrate support at home and fire up nationalism. On the other hand, it hopes to warn foreign businesses in China to stand by the Party on global issues, he told the Chinese language edition of The Epoch Times. But some say they joined the boycott just to follow the trend. I bought the membership card but have not consumed much, feeling its sort of a loss. Id take advantage of this opportunity to simply cancel it, a member told media in China. Not canceling your membership does not mean you are not patriotic, another wrote on social media. Last month, the chipmaker Intel stoked nationalist fervor in China by asking suppliers not to source products or labor from the northwestern region of Xinjiang, where more than 1 million Uyghurs are held in detention camps. [China] has been abusing this concept [China being insulted] to suppress political speech of dissenting views, said Feng Chongyi, a professor of China studies at the University of Technology Sydney. Challenges came to clothing brands earlier this year. In March, the Communist Youth League criticized clothing brand H&Ms year-old statement on banning Xinjiang cotton. Major Chinese e-commerce companies removed the companys products and stores from their platforms. Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, Converse, Puma, and Calvin Klein also triggered a full boycott and lost brand ambassadors during the campaign. Reuters contributed to this report. A worker goes up the escalator at Sam's Club, the first branch of a Walmart owned store in Beijing on Dec. 9, 2004. (Cancan Chu/Getty Images) Walmart Faces Backlash in China Over Disappeared Xinjiang Products U.S. retail giant Walmart Inc. is the latest Western company to be caught in a storm of nationalist outrage in Chinawhich isnt unusualafter its subsidiary allegedly pulled Xinjiang-sourced products from its locally based stores. Retail warehouse Sams Club, a division of Walmart, responded by indicating that the products werent removed but were out of stock, Chinese media outlets said. However, that failed to quell the anger of Chinese consumers, and Chinas anti-graft agency on Dec. 31 accused the company of stupidity and shorted-sightedness. The dispute began a week ago, when members of Sams Club found no results for products with the keyword Xinjiang when they searched via the companys app. Relevant products, including red dates, raisins, apples, and honey melons grown in Xinjiang, didnt turn up on Dec. 31 in an app search, according to an Epoch Times review. Some products from the region were still available at a local Walmart store in Beijing, according to The Wall Street Journal. A screenshot of the search results went viral on Chinese social media Weibo. The hashtag #CancelCardOfSam has generated almost 500 million views since Dec. 29 on the Twitter-like platform. The effects to Walmart, which generated revenue of $11.43 billion in China during its fiscal year that ended Jan. 31, 2021, remain to be seen. Of the 423 retail units that Walmart operates in China, 36 are Sams Club stores, according to its website. Chinese media outlet Jiemian News said it found no customers on Dec. 29 applying for card refunds at a local store in the Shijingshan District of Beijing, even amid widespread online outcries. A staff member also confirmed that the store hadnt seen a sudden increase in membership withdrawals recently. Sams Club Shijiangshan is the second largest store among its warehouse chain worldwide in terms of sales volume, and the second one opened in China. On Dec. 31, the ruling Communist Partys Central Commission for Discipline Inspection accused Sams Club of boycotting Xinjiang products and trying to muddle through the controversy by remaining silent. Two days earlier, the Party-affiliated Communist Youth League Central Committee also called on the public to boycott the members-only warehouse stores. China never lacks supermarkets, the committee said via its official social media account. President Joe Biden signed on Dec. 23 a bill banning imports from Chinas Xinjiang region amid concerns over forced labor and other abusesaccusations that Beijing rejects. The provision is set to take effect 180 days after enactment. Hyping Nationalism Critics say the Chinese Communist Party deems hyping nationalist sentiment a basic practice to rally the people and consolidate its rule. The central regime in China has been stirring up frenzied national sentiment by accusing foreign entities of insulting China, said Li Yuanhua, a former associate professor at Capital Normal University. On the one hand, Beijing hopes to provoke mass movements to demonstrate support at home and fire up nationalism. On the other hand, it hopes to warn foreign businesses in China to stand by the Party on global issues, he told the Chinese language edition of The Epoch Times. But some say they joined the boycott just to follow the trend. I bought the membership card but have not consumed much, feeling its sort of a loss. Id take advantage of this opportunity to simply cancel it, a member told media in China. Not canceling your membership does not mean you are not patriotic, another wrote on social media. Last month, the chipmaker Intel stoked nationalist fervor in China by asking suppliers not to source products or labor from the northwestern region of Xinjiang, where more than 1 million Uyghurs are held in detention camps. [China] has been abusing this concept [China being insulted] to suppress political speech of dissenting views, said Feng Chongyi, a professor of China studies at the University of Technology Sydney. Challenges came to clothing brands earlier this year. In March, the Communist Youth League criticized clothing brand H&Ms year-old statement on banning Xinjiang cotton. Major Chinese e-commerce companies removed the companys products and stores from their platforms. Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, Converse, Puma, and Calvin Klein also triggered a full boycott and lost brand ambassadors during the campaign. Reuters contributed to this report. The logo of SK Innovation is seen at the company booth during the InterBattery 2021 exhibition at COEX in Seoul on June 11, 2021. (Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images) South Koreas Battery Giants Forced to Increase Prices Due to Price Hike of Raw Materials From China The three top battery manufacturers in South Korea will have to increase the prices of their products soon because the cost of raw materials from China has skyrocketed since the beginning of last year. South Koreas output of rechargeable batteries comprises nearly half of the global production, but the countrys key battery materials are heavily dependent on imports, especially rare earths and other raw materials from China. South Koreas three leading battery manufacturersLG Energy Solution, SK Innovation, and Samsung SDIhave all issued notices of price hikes. LG Energy Solution plans to increase the price of cylindrical cells by 10 percent in January 2022. Previously, Samsung SDIs 21700 cylindrical cells, one of the most commonly used models, increased by over 7 percent in November. An insider in the industry recently told The Korea Economic Daily that as Chinese companies continue to increase the prices of raw materials, Korean companies have no other choices. He believes that the price competitiveness of Korean companies in the global market will decline. According to the report, China is not a major producer of cobalt, nickel, and lithium, but it imports these key raw materials from South America and Africa to process them. Due to the dominance of Chinese manufacturers over these materials, lithium is priced in yuan instead of U.S. dollars in the global market. The industry insider also revealed that, if China ever cuts off the supply of battery materials, it will be a terrible situation for Korean companies and other battery manufacturers around the world. Public data shows that on Dec. 23, battery-grade lithium carbonate was priced at 267,000 yuan (about $40,000) per ton, up 13,000 yuan (about $2,041) from Dec. 20. In this 4-day period, the average daily increase was as high as about 4,000 yuan (about $628). Four months ago, the price of lithium carbonate was less than 95,000 yuan ($15,000) per ton. Since the beginning of 2021, the increase in lithium carbonate price has exceeded 230 percent. The domestic average price of phosphoric acid, an essential ingredient for the production of lithium iron phosphate batteries, has risen to 10,500 yuan ($1,652) per ton, a 109 percent increase compared to early 2021. The prices of nickel, cobalt, and manganese have also risen continuously. As of Dec. 23, the price of cobalt went up to $70,205 per ton, the highest level in three years; the price of nickel exceeded $20,000 per ton in November, the highest in seven years. According to insiders from Chinas battery industry, the reason for the price hike is that the development speed of new energy vehicles has exceeded expectations, which means the demand for car batteries, and in turn, the upstream raw materials, have both increased dramatically. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic and the insufficient production capacity of upstream minerals are also taking a toll. Driven by the global shift to electric vehicles, South Korean companies have also established battery factories overseas, including plants in the United States and Hungary. But analysts warned that China has a near-monopoly in the field of rare earth metals, and it will take several years to get rid of the dependence on China. Political commentator Lu Tianming told The Epoch Times on Dec. 30 that the underlying reason behind South Koreas battery price hike is the countrys overdependence on raw material imports. This is similar to previous incidents of the urea shortage and snow melting agents shortage in South Korea, Lu said. Its supply chain is problematic and there are inherent security risks. If South Korea is working with Western democracies, the risk is minimal. But now it is working with the CCP, its reliance of China will definitely be exploited by the CCP sooner or later. Lu believes that the urea shortage, which occurred in South Korea earlier this year, was due to the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) intentional manipulation to strangle South Korea. Because the U.S.-China friction is getting very fierce, both countries want to win over South Korea, as it has mastered relatively important chip technology, he said. And South Korea has always been playing a balance game between China and the United States, just to make money. In fact, to a certain extent, it was trying to inch closer to the CCP, despite the bullying it had suffered from Beijing. But South Korea is now leaning towards the United States. The CCP will definitely use battery raw materials to create chaos and put pressure on it. Lu believes that, fundamentally, South Korea still needs to make long-term considerations and decentralize its supply chain. Its very dangerous to put all the eggs in one basket, especially when the basket is in the hands of a rogue regime such as the CCP, he concluded. The logo of SK Innovation is seen at the company booth during the InterBattery 2021 exhibition at COEX in Seoul on June 11, 2021. (Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images) South Koreas Battery Giants Forced to Increase Prices Due to Price Hike of Raw Materials From China The three top battery manufacturers in South Korea will have to increase the prices of their products soon because the cost of raw materials from China has skyrocketed since the beginning of last year. South Koreas output of rechargeable batteries comprises nearly half of the global production, but the countrys key battery materials are heavily dependent on imports, especially rare earths and other raw materials from China. South Koreas three leading battery manufacturersLG Energy Solution, SK Innovation, and Samsung SDIhave all issued notices of price hikes. LG Energy Solution plans to increase the price of cylindrical cells by 10 percent in January 2022. Previously, Samsung SDIs 21700 cylindrical cells, one of the most commonly used models, increased by over 7 percent in November. An insider in the industry recently told The Korea Economic Daily that as Chinese companies continue to increase the prices of raw materials, Korean companies have no other choices. He believes that the price competitiveness of Korean companies in the global market will decline. According to the report, China is not a major producer of cobalt, nickel, and lithium, but it imports these key raw materials from South America and Africa to process them. Due to the dominance of Chinese manufacturers over these materials, lithium is priced in yuan instead of U.S. dollars in the global market. The industry insider also revealed that, if China ever cuts off the supply of battery materials, it will be a terrible situation for Korean companies and other battery manufacturers around the world. Public data shows that on Dec. 23, battery-grade lithium carbonate was priced at 267,000 yuan (about $40,000) per ton, up 13,000 yuan (about $2,041) from Dec. 20. In this 4-day period, the average daily increase was as high as about 4,000 yuan (about $628). Four months ago, the price of lithium carbonate was less than 95,000 yuan ($15,000) per ton. Since the beginning of 2021, the increase in lithium carbonate price has exceeded 230 percent. The domestic average price of phosphoric acid, an essential ingredient for the production of lithium iron phosphate batteries, has risen to 10,500 yuan ($1,652) per ton, a 109 percent increase compared to early 2021. The prices of nickel, cobalt, and manganese have also risen continuously. As of Dec. 23, the price of cobalt went up to $70,205 per ton, the highest level in three years; the price of nickel exceeded $20,000 per ton in November, the highest in seven years. According to insiders from Chinas battery industry, the reason for the price hike is that the development speed of new energy vehicles has exceeded expectations, which means the demand for car batteries, and in turn, the upstream raw materials, have both increased dramatically. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic and the insufficient production capacity of upstream minerals are also taking a toll. Driven by the global shift to electric vehicles, South Korean companies have also established battery factories overseas, including plants in the United States and Hungary. But analysts warned that China has a near-monopoly in the field of rare earth metals, and it will take several years to get rid of the dependence on China. Political commentator Lu Tianming told The Epoch Times on Dec. 30 that the underlying reason behind South Koreas battery price hike is the countrys overdependence on raw material imports. This is similar to previous incidents of the urea shortage and snow melting agents shortage in South Korea, Lu said. Its supply chain is problematic and there are inherent security risks. If South Korea is working with Western democracies, the risk is minimal. But now it is working with the CCP, its reliance of China will definitely be exploited by the CCP sooner or later. Lu believes that the urea shortage, which occurred in South Korea earlier this year, was due to the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) intentional manipulation to strangle South Korea. Because the U.S.-China friction is getting very fierce, both countries want to win over South Korea, as it has mastered relatively important chip technology, he said. And South Korea has always been playing a balance game between China and the United States, just to make money. In fact, to a certain extent, it was trying to inch closer to the CCP, despite the bullying it had suffered from Beijing. But South Korea is now leaning towards the United States. The CCP will definitely use battery raw materials to create chaos and put pressure on it. Lu believes that, fundamentally, South Korea still needs to make long-term considerations and decentralize its supply chain. Its very dangerous to put all the eggs in one basket, especially when the basket is in the hands of a rogue regime such as the CCP, he concluded. The logo of SK Innovation is seen at the company booth during the InterBattery 2021 exhibition at COEX in Seoul on June 11, 2021. (Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images) South Koreas Battery Giants Forced to Increase Prices Due to Price Hike of Raw Materials From China The three top battery manufacturers in South Korea will have to increase the prices of their products soon because the cost of raw materials from China has skyrocketed since the beginning of last year. South Koreas output of rechargeable batteries comprises nearly half of the global production, but the countrys key battery materials are heavily dependent on imports, especially rare earths and other raw materials from China. South Koreas three leading battery manufacturersLG Energy Solution, SK Innovation, and Samsung SDIhave all issued notices of price hikes. LG Energy Solution plans to increase the price of cylindrical cells by 10 percent in January 2022. Previously, Samsung SDIs 21700 cylindrical cells, one of the most commonly used models, increased by over 7 percent in November. An insider in the industry recently told The Korea Economic Daily that as Chinese companies continue to increase the prices of raw materials, Korean companies have no other choices. He believes that the price competitiveness of Korean companies in the global market will decline. According to the report, China is not a major producer of cobalt, nickel, and lithium, but it imports these key raw materials from South America and Africa to process them. Due to the dominance of Chinese manufacturers over these materials, lithium is priced in yuan instead of U.S. dollars in the global market. The industry insider also revealed that, if China ever cuts off the supply of battery materials, it will be a terrible situation for Korean companies and other battery manufacturers around the world. Public data shows that on Dec. 23, battery-grade lithium carbonate was priced at 267,000 yuan (about $40,000) per ton, up 13,000 yuan (about $2,041) from Dec. 20. In this 4-day period, the average daily increase was as high as about 4,000 yuan (about $628). Four months ago, the price of lithium carbonate was less than 95,000 yuan ($15,000) per ton. Since the beginning of 2021, the increase in lithium carbonate price has exceeded 230 percent. The domestic average price of phosphoric acid, an essential ingredient for the production of lithium iron phosphate batteries, has risen to 10,500 yuan ($1,652) per ton, a 109 percent increase compared to early 2021. The prices of nickel, cobalt, and manganese have also risen continuously. As of Dec. 23, the price of cobalt went up to $70,205 per ton, the highest level in three years; the price of nickel exceeded $20,000 per ton in November, the highest in seven years. According to insiders from Chinas battery industry, the reason for the price hike is that the development speed of new energy vehicles has exceeded expectations, which means the demand for car batteries, and in turn, the upstream raw materials, have both increased dramatically. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic and the insufficient production capacity of upstream minerals are also taking a toll. Driven by the global shift to electric vehicles, South Korean companies have also established battery factories overseas, including plants in the United States and Hungary. But analysts warned that China has a near-monopoly in the field of rare earth metals, and it will take several years to get rid of the dependence on China. Political commentator Lu Tianming told The Epoch Times on Dec. 30 that the underlying reason behind South Koreas battery price hike is the countrys overdependence on raw material imports. This is similar to previous incidents of the urea shortage and snow melting agents shortage in South Korea, Lu said. Its supply chain is problematic and there are inherent security risks. If South Korea is working with Western democracies, the risk is minimal. But now it is working with the CCP, its reliance of China will definitely be exploited by the CCP sooner or later. Lu believes that the urea shortage, which occurred in South Korea earlier this year, was due to the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) intentional manipulation to strangle South Korea. Because the U.S.-China friction is getting very fierce, both countries want to win over South Korea, as it has mastered relatively important chip technology, he said. And South Korea has always been playing a balance game between China and the United States, just to make money. In fact, to a certain extent, it was trying to inch closer to the CCP, despite the bullying it had suffered from Beijing. But South Korea is now leaning towards the United States. The CCP will definitely use battery raw materials to create chaos and put pressure on it. Lu believes that, fundamentally, South Korea still needs to make long-term considerations and decentralize its supply chain. Its very dangerous to put all the eggs in one basket, especially when the basket is in the hands of a rogue regime such as the CCP, he concluded. The logo of SK Innovation is seen at the company booth during the InterBattery 2021 exhibition at COEX in Seoul on June 11, 2021. (Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images) South Koreas Battery Giants Forced to Increase Prices Due to Price Hike of Raw Materials From China The three top battery manufacturers in South Korea will have to increase the prices of their products soon because the cost of raw materials from China has skyrocketed since the beginning of last year. South Koreas output of rechargeable batteries comprises nearly half of the global production, but the countrys key battery materials are heavily dependent on imports, especially rare earths and other raw materials from China. South Koreas three leading battery manufacturersLG Energy Solution, SK Innovation, and Samsung SDIhave all issued notices of price hikes. LG Energy Solution plans to increase the price of cylindrical cells by 10 percent in January 2022. Previously, Samsung SDIs 21700 cylindrical cells, one of the most commonly used models, increased by over 7 percent in November. An insider in the industry recently told The Korea Economic Daily that as Chinese companies continue to increase the prices of raw materials, Korean companies have no other choices. He believes that the price competitiveness of Korean companies in the global market will decline. According to the report, China is not a major producer of cobalt, nickel, and lithium, but it imports these key raw materials from South America and Africa to process them. Due to the dominance of Chinese manufacturers over these materials, lithium is priced in yuan instead of U.S. dollars in the global market. The industry insider also revealed that, if China ever cuts off the supply of battery materials, it will be a terrible situation for Korean companies and other battery manufacturers around the world. Public data shows that on Dec. 23, battery-grade lithium carbonate was priced at 267,000 yuan (about $40,000) per ton, up 13,000 yuan (about $2,041) from Dec. 20. In this 4-day period, the average daily increase was as high as about 4,000 yuan (about $628). Four months ago, the price of lithium carbonate was less than 95,000 yuan ($15,000) per ton. Since the beginning of 2021, the increase in lithium carbonate price has exceeded 230 percent. The domestic average price of phosphoric acid, an essential ingredient for the production of lithium iron phosphate batteries, has risen to 10,500 yuan ($1,652) per ton, a 109 percent increase compared to early 2021. The prices of nickel, cobalt, and manganese have also risen continuously. As of Dec. 23, the price of cobalt went up to $70,205 per ton, the highest level in three years; the price of nickel exceeded $20,000 per ton in November, the highest in seven years. According to insiders from Chinas battery industry, the reason for the price hike is that the development speed of new energy vehicles has exceeded expectations, which means the demand for car batteries, and in turn, the upstream raw materials, have both increased dramatically. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic and the insufficient production capacity of upstream minerals are also taking a toll. Driven by the global shift to electric vehicles, South Korean companies have also established battery factories overseas, including plants in the United States and Hungary. But analysts warned that China has a near-monopoly in the field of rare earth metals, and it will take several years to get rid of the dependence on China. Political commentator Lu Tianming told The Epoch Times on Dec. 30 that the underlying reason behind South Koreas battery price hike is the countrys overdependence on raw material imports. This is similar to previous incidents of the urea shortage and snow melting agents shortage in South Korea, Lu said. Its supply chain is problematic and there are inherent security risks. If South Korea is working with Western democracies, the risk is minimal. But now it is working with the CCP, its reliance of China will definitely be exploited by the CCP sooner or later. Lu believes that the urea shortage, which occurred in South Korea earlier this year, was due to the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) intentional manipulation to strangle South Korea. Because the U.S.-China friction is getting very fierce, both countries want to win over South Korea, as it has mastered relatively important chip technology, he said. And South Korea has always been playing a balance game between China and the United States, just to make money. In fact, to a certain extent, it was trying to inch closer to the CCP, despite the bullying it had suffered from Beijing. But South Korea is now leaning towards the United States. The CCP will definitely use battery raw materials to create chaos and put pressure on it. Lu believes that, fundamentally, South Korea still needs to make long-term considerations and decentralize its supply chain. Its very dangerous to put all the eggs in one basket, especially when the basket is in the hands of a rogue regime such as the CCP, he concluded. An NYPD officer catching a nap in his car between two New Years shifts took a random bullet to the head outside a Harlem precinct house early Saturday, authorities said. The officer awoke in the parking lot outside the 25th Precinct stationhouse to find the window of his personal vehicle shattered and blood dripping from a painful head wound, police said. He was taken to New York Presbyterian Hospital, where a bullet fragment was removed from his fractured skull, authorities said. He was expected to make a full recovery from the bizarre shooting, as the closed window absorbed most of the impact. New Mayor Eric Adams, in his first day on the job, promised to rein in the citywide gun violence under his administration. This is not going to be a city of disorder, this is not going to be a city of violence, said the ex-NYPD captain. This city is returning from the violent past to a place that is safe to raise our children and families. According to NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig, the officer was awakened around 6:15 a.m. by rain coming through the broken glass and quickly felt the pain in his head. When the cop got out of the car, he and a sergeant found the deformed bullet. The officer was asleep inside the lot on E. 119th St. after finishing an eight-hour New Years Eve shift in Central Park around 2 a.m., with a second tour set to begin at 7 a.m. Police officials said he opted to sleep in his car because the precincts dormitory was full. The cop, whose wife was with him at the hospital, was not the target of the gunshot which was likely fired from some distance away, said new Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell. Bullet fragments were pulled from the car as well as his head, and she added there were no 911 calls for a gunshot nor did any officers outside the precinct hear anything.. We are extremely grateful that our officer is recovering as we know this could have been a very tragic outcome, said Sewell, who has vowed to bring down gun violence in the five boroughs. I also do believe this incident underscores that there are far too many guns out there in the wrong hands. Story continues Cops were searching the area for video and checking area rooftops for ballistic evidence. The shot came through the rear drivers side window as the cop slept behind the wheel. The precinct parking lot was roped off as detectives collected evidence. No arrests have been made. Pat Lynch, the president of the Police Benevolent Association, the citys largest police union, said the shooting shows the magnitude of the issues and the problems we face. He was in a police parking lot and was still shot, Lynch said. It shows us the dangers police officers face always. WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed by a man who went on to carjack, rob and shoot more people during a two-state manhunt this week said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters, Missouri. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a "series" of carjackings, robberies and shootings on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities eventually caught up to him in Clinton County, Illinois, where he held a person hostage in a home. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. The family's full statement is below: The Family of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley mourns the loss of their husband, father, son and friend. We could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support. To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero. Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. -Matthew 5:9 Visitation for Sean Riley will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m., Monday January 3, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with a first responder walk thru at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials in his honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. Memorials will be accepted at the services and the Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, IL which is assisting with arrangements. Additional information will be released in the coming days. We ask the community to show their support by lining the procession route. KENOSHA One person was killed and three others injured, leaving one in critical condition, in a shooting before dawn Saturday, according to a news release from the Kenosha Police Department. Shortly before 4 a.m., Kenosha Police responded to reports of multiple shots being fired in the parking lot of a business in the 1700 block of 52nd Street. Police arrived to find vehicles fleeing the scene and people running from the parking lot. Police located several victims, including two 27-year-old men, a 23-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman. All of the victims are believed to be residents of Illinois. Names are not being released at this time. Despite first aid rendered by police, one victim died at the scene. The other victims were transported to area hospitals. One is in critical condition, another in serious condition and the third suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Police do not have anyone in custody; however, we do not believe this to be a random act and feel there is no continued threat to our community regarding this incident, according to the news release. Law enforcement units had cleared the scene by 6:30 a.m. Saturday. This is an active investigation, the news release stated. Anyone having any information regarding this incident is urged to call the Kenosha Police Departments Detective Bureau at 262-605-5203. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call the Kenosha Area Crime Stoppers at 262-656-7333. Chandigarh: Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Saturday (January 1) said he was ready to work with Punjab Congress Chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and is ready to make any "sacrifice" for the party. The CM's comment came in the backdrop of an ongoing cold war between him and Sidhu, with the latter often indulging in criticism of the state government led by his own party. Asked about Sidhu's adverse comments against his government, Channi said he was a "loyal soldier" of the party and was discharging the duty assigned with complete honesty. "I am ready to work with Sidhu Sahab, and I am already doing it. I am always ready to make any sacrifice for the party. I will go by whatever is told to me by the party," Channi said. "I always welcome criticism. It may come from anyone, even if my brother tries to criticise, I listen to him and correct myself," he said. Sidhu has been targeting the government in Punjab at public rallies. During one rally he asked people whether they were getting cable TV connection and sand at cheap rates, as promised by the CM. Replying to the comment, Channi said sand was being delivered at the rate Rs 5.50 per cubic feet at quarries and the cable sector was under the Centre's jurisdiction. Channi also said when Sidhu was a minister, he had proposed a law on cable for ending the cable mafia but that "was not up to the mark." In November, Channi had announced fixed charges for cable TV at Rs 100 for a month. To a question on Sidhu questioning the government over the Bikram Majithia case, Channi said the first step to catch a criminal was to lodge an FIR. The Shiromani Akali Dal leader was booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The case was filed against him on the basis of a 2018 report of a probe into a drug racket in the state, said Channi while addressing the media in Chandigarh. Asked why Sidhu was not satisfied with the FIR, Channi said he will be, and added: "Aate Aate aayega dil ko karar, jaate jaate bekrari jaayegi." Sidhu had earlier said that FIR filed against the Akali leader will result in nothing. Responding to the sacrilege case, Channi said a probe in the matter by a special investigation team was already underway and will be brought to a logical end at the earliest. He said all "big fish" in the drug mafia will also be dealt with severely as per the law of the land. On the recent alleged sacrilege bid inside the Golden Temple, Channi said his government has already offered full support and cooperation to the SGPC who was conducting an investigation in the case at their own level. Live TV DAR ES SALAAM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said on Friday night that 1.4 million tourists visited the east African nation in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic that hugely affected the tourism industry. In her message to bid farewell to 2021 and welcome the New Year, President Hassan said only 620,867 tourists visited the country in 2020, the year that the pandemic was first reported in Tanzania and in several other countries across the world. "In 2021, there was an increase of 779,133 tourists who visited Tanzania," she said in her address televised live by the state-run Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation. "Our expectations are that the tourism industry will continue to flourish in 2022 and beyond," she said. Enditem A worker goes up the escalator at Sam's Club, the first branch of a Walmart owned store in Beijing on Dec. 9, 2004. (Cancan Chu/Getty Images) Walmart Faces Backlash in China Over Disappeared Xinjiang Products U.S. retail giant Walmart Inc. is the latest Western company to be caught in a storm of nationalist outrage in Chinawhich isnt unusualafter its subsidiary allegedly pulled Xinjiang-sourced products from its locally based stores. Retail warehouse Sams Club, a division of Walmart, responded by indicating that the products werent removed but were out of stock, Chinese media outlets said. However, that failed to quell the anger of Chinese consumers, and Chinas anti-graft agency on Dec. 31 accused the company of stupidity and shorted-sightedness. The dispute began a week ago, when members of Sams Club found no results for products with the keyword Xinjiang when they searched via the companys app. Relevant products, including red dates, raisins, apples, and honey melons grown in Xinjiang, didnt turn up on Dec. 31 in an app search, according to an Epoch Times review. Some products from the region were still available at a local Walmart store in Beijing, according to The Wall Street Journal. A screenshot of the search results went viral on Chinese social media Weibo. The hashtag #CancelCardOfSam has generated almost 500 million views since Dec. 29 on the Twitter-like platform. The effects to Walmart, which generated revenue of $11.43 billion in China during its fiscal year that ended Jan. 31, 2021, remain to be seen. Of the 423 retail units that Walmart operates in China, 36 are Sams Club stores, according to its website. Chinese media outlet Jiemian News said it found no customers on Dec. 29 applying for card refunds at a local store in the Shijingshan District of Beijing, even amid widespread online outcries. A staff member also confirmed that the store hadnt seen a sudden increase in membership withdrawals recently. Sams Club Shijiangshan is the second largest store among its warehouse chain worldwide in terms of sales volume, and the second one opened in China. On Dec. 31, the ruling Communist Partys Central Commission for Discipline Inspection accused Sams Club of boycotting Xinjiang products and trying to muddle through the controversy by remaining silent. Two days earlier, the Party-affiliated Communist Youth League Central Committee also called on the public to boycott the members-only warehouse stores. China never lacks supermarkets, the committee said via its official social media account. President Joe Biden signed on Dec. 23 a bill banning imports from Chinas Xinjiang region amid concerns over forced labor and other abusesaccusations that Beijing rejects. The provision is set to take effect 180 days after enactment. Hyping Nationalism Critics say the Chinese Communist Party deems hyping nationalist sentiment a basic practice to rally the people and consolidate its rule. The central regime in China has been stirring up frenzied national sentiment by accusing foreign entities of insulting China, said Li Yuanhua, a former associate professor at Capital Normal University. On the one hand, Beijing hopes to provoke mass movements to demonstrate support at home and fire up nationalism. On the other hand, it hopes to warn foreign businesses in China to stand by the Party on global issues, he told the Chinese language edition of The Epoch Times. But some say they joined the boycott just to follow the trend. I bought the membership card but have not consumed much, feeling its sort of a loss. Id take advantage of this opportunity to simply cancel it, a member told media in China. Not canceling your membership does not mean you are not patriotic, another wrote on social media. Last month, the chipmaker Intel stoked nationalist fervor in China by asking suppliers not to source products or labor from the northwestern region of Xinjiang, where more than 1 million Uyghurs are held in detention camps. [China] has been abusing this concept [China being insulted] to suppress political speech of dissenting views, said Feng Chongyi, a professor of China studies at the University of Technology Sydney. Challenges came to clothing brands earlier this year. In March, the Communist Youth League criticized clothing brand H&Ms year-old statement on banning Xinjiang cotton. Major Chinese e-commerce companies removed the companys products and stores from their platforms. Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, Converse, Puma, and Calvin Klein also triggered a full boycott and lost brand ambassadors during the campaign. Reuters contributed to this report. A worker goes up the escalator at Sam's Club, the first branch of a Walmart owned store in Beijing on Dec. 9, 2004. (Cancan Chu/Getty Images) Walmart Faces Backlash in China Over Disappeared Xinjiang Products U.S. retail giant Walmart Inc. is the latest Western company to be caught in a storm of nationalist outrage in Chinawhich isnt unusualafter its subsidiary allegedly pulled Xinjiang-sourced products from its locally based stores. Retail warehouse Sams Club, a division of Walmart, responded by indicating that the products werent removed but were out of stock, Chinese media outlets said. However, that failed to quell the anger of Chinese consumers, and Chinas anti-graft agency on Dec. 31 accused the company of stupidity and shorted-sightedness. The dispute began a week ago, when members of Sams Club found no results for products with the keyword Xinjiang when they searched via the companys app. Relevant products, including red dates, raisins, apples, and honey melons grown in Xinjiang, didnt turn up on Dec. 31 in an app search, according to an Epoch Times review. Some products from the region were still available at a local Walmart store in Beijing, according to The Wall Street Journal. A screenshot of the search results went viral on Chinese social media Weibo. The hashtag #CancelCardOfSam has generated almost 500 million views since Dec. 29 on the Twitter-like platform. The effects to Walmart, which generated revenue of $11.43 billion in China during its fiscal year that ended Jan. 31, 2021, remain to be seen. Of the 423 retail units that Walmart operates in China, 36 are Sams Club stores, according to its website. Chinese media outlet Jiemian News said it found no customers on Dec. 29 applying for card refunds at a local store in the Shijingshan District of Beijing, even amid widespread online outcries. A staff member also confirmed that the store hadnt seen a sudden increase in membership withdrawals recently. Sams Club Shijiangshan is the second largest store among its warehouse chain worldwide in terms of sales volume, and the second one opened in China. On Dec. 31, the ruling Communist Partys Central Commission for Discipline Inspection accused Sams Club of boycotting Xinjiang products and trying to muddle through the controversy by remaining silent. Two days earlier, the Party-affiliated Communist Youth League Central Committee also called on the public to boycott the members-only warehouse stores. China never lacks supermarkets, the committee said via its official social media account. President Joe Biden signed on Dec. 23 a bill banning imports from Chinas Xinjiang region amid concerns over forced labor and other abusesaccusations that Beijing rejects. The provision is set to take effect 180 days after enactment. Hyping Nationalism Critics say the Chinese Communist Party deems hyping nationalist sentiment a basic practice to rally the people and consolidate its rule. The central regime in China has been stirring up frenzied national sentiment by accusing foreign entities of insulting China, said Li Yuanhua, a former associate professor at Capital Normal University. On the one hand, Beijing hopes to provoke mass movements to demonstrate support at home and fire up nationalism. On the other hand, it hopes to warn foreign businesses in China to stand by the Party on global issues, he told the Chinese language edition of The Epoch Times. But some say they joined the boycott just to follow the trend. I bought the membership card but have not consumed much, feeling its sort of a loss. Id take advantage of this opportunity to simply cancel it, a member told media in China. Not canceling your membership does not mean you are not patriotic, another wrote on social media. Last month, the chipmaker Intel stoked nationalist fervor in China by asking suppliers not to source products or labor from the northwestern region of Xinjiang, where more than 1 million Uyghurs are held in detention camps. [China] has been abusing this concept [China being insulted] to suppress political speech of dissenting views, said Feng Chongyi, a professor of China studies at the University of Technology Sydney. Challenges came to clothing brands earlier this year. In March, the Communist Youth League criticized clothing brand H&Ms year-old statement on banning Xinjiang cotton. Major Chinese e-commerce companies removed the companys products and stores from their platforms. Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, Converse, Puma, and Calvin Klein also triggered a full boycott and lost brand ambassadors during the campaign. Reuters contributed to this report. A blind UW-Madison professor requested to teach online this fall semester. She had the support of her department, documentation from her doctor and a long history of receiving disability accommodations from the university. UW-Madison instead offered English professor Elizabeth Bearden an N95 mask to wear while teaching. It was just so heartbreaking, she said. I feel betrayed by my institution. The accommodation, she said, didnt address her concerns about being unable to tell whether students were following the campus mask mandate nor alleviate her fears about an infection leading to a loss of taste or smell, which the blind rely on more than those with all five senses. Declining to risk her health, Bearden spent the semester on medical leave, earning 60% of her salary. She also filed a discrimination complaint last month with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging UW-Madison violated her rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Bearden and at least two others who sought online teaching flexibility said they were told by their disability representative this summer that UW-Madison is denying most online teaching requests because of a need to offer as many in-person classes as possible. The university offered the same explanation in its initial denial letter to Bearden. UW-Madison spokesperson John Lucas said he is unable to discuss the details of individual cases, including Beardens, but said the university values the contributions of its employees with disabilities and remains committed to careful and thoughtful review of each accommodation request. He also noted the low number of COVID-19 cases on campus this fall due to a vaccination rate of more than 95%. A recently concluded internal review of how UW-Madison handled the three dozen accommodation requests made under the ADA, including Beardens, drew no broad conclusions about whether the university did right by some of its most vulnerable instructors who remain at particularly high risk during the pandemic. Conducted by the universitys Office of Strategic Consulting and released to the Wisconsin State Journal under the states open records law, the review, which came in the form of a 13-slide PowerPoint presentation, seemed to blame staff in the Employee Disability Resources office for misinterpreting messages from university leadership. Disability representatives heard the message, perceived to be from the Chancellor and Provost, that fall semester teaching was to be in person, the review noted. This was interpreted in an inflexible way. At the same time, the review also found that while administrators desired to be flexible, the reluctance to offer changes in course modality led to perceptions of inflexibility. Many modified approvals Of the 36 ADA accommodation requests for the fall semester, the review found: Two cases in which the instructor was moved to a course already designated to be online; Seven cases where a course was moved online as requested; 10 cases that were withdrawn; One case that was denied; 14 cases designated as a modified approval, examples of which included offering an N95 mask, larger classroom or temporary online instruction that transitioned to in-person after the instructor received a booster shot; Two cases listed as in progress as of Sept. 22. The accommodations process was executed consistently across campus, the review found, with additional resources devoted in the second half of the summer. Thats when the majority of requests seeking workplace flexibility, including many that did not fall under the ADA, poured into department chairs as the delta variant of the coronavirus swept across the country. The unique nature of many requests, such as having an immunocompromised family member or unvaccinated child at home, were complex scenarios that UW-Madison lawyers and others hadnt previously dealt with under the ADA process, leading to longer processing times, the review said. Messaging on campus that attempted to educate people about the limits of the ADA process was interpreted (incorrectly) by some as a rejection of requests for flexibility, read one bullet point. No instructor interviews While Bearden submitted her request in May, four months before classes began in September, Lucas said nearly three-fourths of the requests to move classes online were submitted in August or later, leaving staff less time to respond. The unnamed employees who conducted the review interviewed 13 disability representatives, four associate deans, several individuals who work in human resources, someone in the Office of Compliance and the vice provost for teaching and learning. But they did not speak with Bearden or any other instructors who requested workplace flexibility. The omission stood out to Michael Bernard-Donals, who is president of a faculty advocacy group known as PROFS, one of several groups that raised concerns to administrators this summer about their handling of accommodation requests. You cannot get at what the failures are unless you talk to the people who feel they were failed, he said. This sounds like a rationalization more than any kind of critical study. The ADA accommodations process involves medical records, so the identity of employees making a request is protected under the federal medical privacy law, Lucas said. For that reason, the Office of Strategic Consulting did not request access to the identity of nor documentation related to individual requests. But the reviewers did attempt to understand the faculty requests by looking at data and interviewing a professor who leads a committee that regularly meets with administrators to discuss faculty concerns. Terribly eroding Bearden, too, took issue with the universitys review. Where are the voices of the people who actually experienced this? she asked. This document says very little, mostly in the passive voice. It does not in any way demand accountability for what in my experience was and continues to be at minimum a dreadfully unfair accommodations process. She remains troubled by UW-Madisons argument that allowing her to teach online presents the school with an undue hardship, considering she taught all of last year online and several students wrote in evaluations that her class was the best they had ever taken. Bearden asked to teach her two classes for the upcoming spring semester online, including one course that focuses on disability studies. UW-Madison, she said, again denied her request. I feel like Ive been treated like Im trash, she said. Like Im disposable. This experience has been terribly eroding. In 1923, Kevin OHiggins, then the Minister for Home Affairs described the Dail courts, Republican courts or Sinn Fein courts, which had been abolished in 1922, as an improvised system of justice that: was forged more as a weapon against the British administration in exceptional times and exceptional circumstances than as a definite system which would meet and answer the needs of normal times. I am meeting one of County Leitrims illustrious sons, Noel McPartland, whose grandfather, John McPartland, was a judge in those courts. He was a judge from 1918 until the Civil War started. It would have been illegal in terms of the English system. They would be court-marshalling some fella for something and he would be the judge at that particular trial, signing documents and all that. He supported the cause right up to the treaty. He was anti-treaty. Later he worked as a haulier, mainly collecting and delivering coal from the Arigna coal mines. The McPartlands opened their newsagents and confectionery shop in Drumshanbo in 1885 and kept it going until 1994 with Noels mum running it until she was 90. It became one of the casualties of the Black and Tans visit to the town, however, when they burned it out in 1922. My father, Hubert, worked in the shop but he was also a hackney driver and the Black and Tans heard that he had driven some of the local IRA fellows to a meeting in Ballinamore. The front door, which was also the entrance to our house, was blown in, they destroyed the stock and set fire to the shop. The attack happened at night, the family were all in bed but they got out safely as the fire was confined to the shop. Of course there was no fire brigade at that time, it was the bucket brigade. Buckets of water put the fire out. They also damaged my fathers car, which was also his livelihood. But the Black and Tans didnt stop with the McPartlands shop, going on to burn several premises in the town. They burned a house up the road near the church, a man who was very involved in the IRA. They burned his house to the ground, and almost burned the occupants as well but they were got out on time. They were completely uncontrollable. People were very much afraid of them. They were the dregs of an army that was sent over here. They went around and abused people, beat people up for no reason, and that was everywhere, not just Drumshanbo. Noel McPartland spent 5 years in the US Army My father was on de Valeras side. Dev gave a great speech here in 1932, I have a film of it. It was during the 1932 election. My father was a de Valera man all his life. Afterwards, Hubert and another man from the local cumann, Willie Moran, were delegates at the treaty talks in the Mansion House in Dublin. Then Hubert married a local girl, Bridie, who had emigrated to America in 1925. She visited home in 1927 and met Hubert and returned for good in 1930. When they married in the Pro Cathedral in Dublin they moved in and ran the shop. They had six children, three girls and then three boys. Moira, 90, is a St Louis nun in California; Frances is 88 and living in New York, and the youngest sister, Rosalie, died in 2017. Then we have the three boys Noel and Sean (Im a twin) (sadly, Sean passed away on September 17 this year), and the youngest, Ronnie. Because my mother and a lot of her brothers emigrated in the 1800s and early 1900s, my mother always thought the answer to everything, especially living in Leitrim in those tough days, was to get them off to America. Educate them and send them to America! And Hubert had the unenviable task of driving most of his children, one after another, to the boat in Cobh, County Cork, or later to Shannon airport as they emigrated to America. Moira went first, she went out there on the missions. After Sean did his Leaving Cert in St Mels in Longford (thats where we attended boarding school), he went to America in 1956. I stayed on here for another couple of years doing different jobs, and then I emigrated in 1958; I went to Chicago and then on to New York. My younger brother, Ronnie, lives in Howth hes a retired Aer Lingus pilot. He went to school in the Franciscan college in Gormanstown, County Meath. His class was the first class in it when it opened. The school had been located in Multyfarnham in County Westmeath, but they bought this place and he was in the first class in about 1954. Noel remembers his parents as a great couple, very religious, very into their family. We had a good childhood, even during the tough years. My mother didnt suffer fools gladly, now; she didnt like anyone who was trying to pull a fast one. She was a very tough lady. She had to be. Noel completed his Leaving Certificate and started his working life in 1951 as a junior assistant master around Drumshanbo. Back then, women had to retire from teaching when they married, so there were plenty of opportunities for a young, newly qualified teacher in the local schools. Noel was living at home with his parents at the time and he remembers one particular night very well. We were listening to the radio, it was Radio Luxembourg, and there was a knock on the shop door. It was one of the coal miners from Arigna, in his twenties, but a big man. Come on, he said to me, and we walked up the street. We got into a car and travelled to the home of another miner where our job was to collect gelignite that had been taken from the mine. I was sweating! He opened the boot of a car and there were five or six sticks of gelignite in a bag. I immediately asked what would happen if we were stopped on the way home. Dont worry about it, he said. When Noel returned home, the door was locked and he had no key. His father was sitting up waiting for him. Where were you? he asked me. Up the town, I replied. Then he gave me a slap on the side of my face and sent me spinning into the shop. I got caught up with these guys and my father saw and he knew who they were. Then I told him what I had been doing and thank God I told him. He gave me the best advice ever. He said, If youre caught with those guys again, you may go to jail, but you will never come back here. That woke me up. He had been through it all in the twenties; he had seen it all. He wasnt a man to talk an awful lot about those things. Noel had already been introduced to the IRA through his friends brother but he says their main interest was in having access to a car! He recalls the evening he was introduced to John Joe McGirl in a pub in Ballinamore. I remember walking into the pub and the place was packed. My friends brother introduced the two of us as two men who wouldnt be afraid to shoulder a gun. We just looked at one another our interest was in the car! After the meeting we went to a marquee dance in Mohill. Later, we got involved in the 1957 general election and we canvassed for McGirl, who topped the poll. Noel says feelings were very high following the killing of Sean South and Fergal OHanlon on New Years Day in Brookeborough. The two were part of an IRA military column that planned to blow up an RUC barracks in the town. But it was a botched operation, and in the ensuing gun battle South and OHanlon were shot dead by the police. Noel still has his fathers ledgers. He was a man of few words. When Noel and his twin brother were born in the Rotunda hospital in Dublin in 1936, the ledger entry is simply Dublin with Mother and on his return to Drumshanbo three days later, Drumshanbo with Mother. No mention of the twins! Noel says they had a good childhood but he and his twin hated school. School was really a jail. Sean and myself were sent to boarding school in Longford, and we were noted renegades. Their parents would send them to boarding school for the three months coming up to Christmas to get rid of us; we would go in September until Christmas Eve and then return home. Noels own American odyssey included working in the Hilton hotel in Chicago and being drafted into the US army around the time of the Cuban crisis; he spent five years in the military. After boarding school, he says, the American army was like a holiday! He spent 30 years working for Lairds Jams in Drumshanbo and was named Leitrim Person of the Year in 2019 for his work in supporting the development of the old site into The Food Hub and the establishment of The Shed, home of Gunpowder Gin and the first distillery to open in Connacht in over a century. Independence Memories: A Peoples Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation By Valerie Cox. Published by Hachette Ireland in Trade Paperback and eBook / 14.99. WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed by a man who went on to carjack, rob and shoot more people during a two-state manhunt this week said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters, Missouri. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a "series" of carjackings, robberies and shootings on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities eventually caught up to him in Clinton County, Illinois, where he held a person hostage in a home. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. The family's full statement is below: The Family of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley mourns the loss of their husband, father, son and friend. We could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support. To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero. Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. -Matthew 5:9 Visitation for Sean Riley will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m., Monday January 3, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with a first responder walk thru at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials in his honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. Memorials will be accepted at the services and the Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, IL which is assisting with arrangements. Additional information will be released in the coming days. We ask the community to show their support by lining the procession route. In 1923, Kevin OHiggins, then the Minister for Home Affairs described the Dail courts, Republican courts or Sinn Fein courts, which had been abolished in 1922, as an improvised system of justice that: was forged more as a weapon against the British administration in exceptional times and exceptional circumstances than as a definite system which would meet and answer the needs of normal times. I am meeting one of County Leitrims illustrious sons, Noel McPartland, whose grandfather, John McPartland, was a judge in those courts. He was a judge from 1918 until the Civil War started. It would have been illegal in terms of the English system. They would be court-marshalling some fella for something and he would be the judge at that particular trial, signing documents and all that. He supported the cause right up to the treaty. He was anti-treaty. Later he worked as a haulier, mainly collecting and delivering coal from the Arigna coal mines. The McPartlands opened their newsagents and confectionery shop in Drumshanbo in 1885 and kept it going until 1994 with Noels mum running it until she was 90. It became one of the casualties of the Black and Tans visit to the town, however, when they burned it out in 1922. My father, Hubert, worked in the shop but he was also a hackney driver and the Black and Tans heard that he had driven some of the local IRA fellows to a meeting in Ballinamore. The front door, which was also the entrance to our house, was blown in, they destroyed the stock and set fire to the shop. The attack happened at night, the family were all in bed but they got out safely as the fire was confined to the shop. Of course there was no fire brigade at that time, it was the bucket brigade. Buckets of water put the fire out. They also damaged my fathers car, which was also his livelihood. But the Black and Tans didnt stop with the McPartlands shop, going on to burn several premises in the town. They burned a house up the road near the church, a man who was very involved in the IRA. They burned his house to the ground, and almost burned the occupants as well but they were got out on time. They were completely uncontrollable. People were very much afraid of them. They were the dregs of an army that was sent over here. They went around and abused people, beat people up for no reason, and that was everywhere, not just Drumshanbo. Noel McPartland spent 5 years in the US Army My father was on de Valeras side. Dev gave a great speech here in 1932, I have a film of it. It was during the 1932 election. My father was a de Valera man all his life. Afterwards, Hubert and another man from the local cumann, Willie Moran, were delegates at the treaty talks in the Mansion House in Dublin. Then Hubert married a local girl, Bridie, who had emigrated to America in 1925. She visited home in 1927 and met Hubert and returned for good in 1930. When they married in the Pro Cathedral in Dublin they moved in and ran the shop. They had six children, three girls and then three boys. Moira, 90, is a St Louis nun in California; Frances is 88 and living in New York, and the youngest sister, Rosalie, died in 2017. Then we have the three boys Noel and Sean (Im a twin) (sadly, Sean passed away on September 17 this year), and the youngest, Ronnie. Because my mother and a lot of her brothers emigrated in the 1800s and early 1900s, my mother always thought the answer to everything, especially living in Leitrim in those tough days, was to get them off to America. Educate them and send them to America! And Hubert had the unenviable task of driving most of his children, one after another, to the boat in Cobh, County Cork, or later to Shannon airport as they emigrated to America. Moira went first, she went out there on the missions. After Sean did his Leaving Cert in St Mels in Longford (thats where we attended boarding school), he went to America in 1956. I stayed on here for another couple of years doing different jobs, and then I emigrated in 1958; I went to Chicago and then on to New York. My younger brother, Ronnie, lives in Howth hes a retired Aer Lingus pilot. He went to school in the Franciscan college in Gormanstown, County Meath. His class was the first class in it when it opened. The school had been located in Multyfarnham in County Westmeath, but they bought this place and he was in the first class in about 1954. Noel remembers his parents as a great couple, very religious, very into their family. We had a good childhood, even during the tough years. My mother didnt suffer fools gladly, now; she didnt like anyone who was trying to pull a fast one. She was a very tough lady. She had to be. Noel completed his Leaving Certificate and started his working life in 1951 as a junior assistant master around Drumshanbo. Back then, women had to retire from teaching when they married, so there were plenty of opportunities for a young, newly qualified teacher in the local schools. Noel was living at home with his parents at the time and he remembers one particular night very well. We were listening to the radio, it was Radio Luxembourg, and there was a knock on the shop door. It was one of the coal miners from Arigna, in his twenties, but a big man. Come on, he said to me, and we walked up the street. We got into a car and travelled to the home of another miner where our job was to collect gelignite that had been taken from the mine. I was sweating! He opened the boot of a car and there were five or six sticks of gelignite in a bag. I immediately asked what would happen if we were stopped on the way home. Dont worry about it, he said. When Noel returned home, the door was locked and he had no key. His father was sitting up waiting for him. Where were you? he asked me. Up the town, I replied. Then he gave me a slap on the side of my face and sent me spinning into the shop. I got caught up with these guys and my father saw and he knew who they were. Then I told him what I had been doing and thank God I told him. He gave me the best advice ever. He said, If youre caught with those guys again, you may go to jail, but you will never come back here. That woke me up. He had been through it all in the twenties; he had seen it all. He wasnt a man to talk an awful lot about those things. Noel had already been introduced to the IRA through his friends brother but he says their main interest was in having access to a car! He recalls the evening he was introduced to John Joe McGirl in a pub in Ballinamore. I remember walking into the pub and the place was packed. My friends brother introduced the two of us as two men who wouldnt be afraid to shoulder a gun. We just looked at one another our interest was in the car! After the meeting we went to a marquee dance in Mohill. Later, we got involved in the 1957 general election and we canvassed for McGirl, who topped the poll. Noel says feelings were very high following the killing of Sean South and Fergal OHanlon on New Years Day in Brookeborough. The two were part of an IRA military column that planned to blow up an RUC barracks in the town. But it was a botched operation, and in the ensuing gun battle South and OHanlon were shot dead by the police. Noel still has his fathers ledgers. He was a man of few words. When Noel and his twin brother were born in the Rotunda hospital in Dublin in 1936, the ledger entry is simply Dublin with Mother and on his return to Drumshanbo three days later, Drumshanbo with Mother. No mention of the twins! Noel says they had a good childhood but he and his twin hated school. School was really a jail. Sean and myself were sent to boarding school in Longford, and we were noted renegades. Their parents would send them to boarding school for the three months coming up to Christmas to get rid of us; we would go in September until Christmas Eve and then return home. Noels own American odyssey included working in the Hilton hotel in Chicago and being drafted into the US army around the time of the Cuban crisis; he spent five years in the military. After boarding school, he says, the American army was like a holiday! He spent 30 years working for Lairds Jams in Drumshanbo and was named Leitrim Person of the Year in 2019 for his work in supporting the development of the old site into The Food Hub and the establishment of The Shed, home of Gunpowder Gin and the first distillery to open in Connacht in over a century. Independence Memories: A Peoples Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation By Valerie Cox. Published by Hachette Ireland in Trade Paperback and eBook / 14.99. In 1923, Kevin OHiggins, then the Minister for Home Affairs described the Dail courts, Republican courts or Sinn Fein courts, which had been abolished in 1922, as an improvised system of justice that: was forged more as a weapon against the British administration in exceptional times and exceptional circumstances than as a definite system which would meet and answer the needs of normal times. I am meeting one of County Leitrims illustrious sons, Noel McPartland, whose grandfather, John McPartland, was a judge in those courts. He was a judge from 1918 until the Civil War started. It would have been illegal in terms of the English system. They would be court-marshalling some fella for something and he would be the judge at that particular trial, signing documents and all that. He supported the cause right up to the treaty. He was anti-treaty. Later he worked as a haulier, mainly collecting and delivering coal from the Arigna coal mines. The McPartlands opened their newsagents and confectionery shop in Drumshanbo in 1885 and kept it going until 1994 with Noels mum running it until she was 90. It became one of the casualties of the Black and Tans visit to the town, however, when they burned it out in 1922. My father, Hubert, worked in the shop but he was also a hackney driver and the Black and Tans heard that he had driven some of the local IRA fellows to a meeting in Ballinamore. The front door, which was also the entrance to our house, was blown in, they destroyed the stock and set fire to the shop. The attack happened at night, the family were all in bed but they got out safely as the fire was confined to the shop. Of course there was no fire brigade at that time, it was the bucket brigade. Buckets of water put the fire out. They also damaged my fathers car, which was also his livelihood. But the Black and Tans didnt stop with the McPartlands shop, going on to burn several premises in the town. They burned a house up the road near the church, a man who was very involved in the IRA. They burned his house to the ground, and almost burned the occupants as well but they were got out on time. They were completely uncontrollable. People were very much afraid of them. They were the dregs of an army that was sent over here. They went around and abused people, beat people up for no reason, and that was everywhere, not just Drumshanbo. Noel McPartland spent 5 years in the US Army My father was on de Valeras side. Dev gave a great speech here in 1932, I have a film of it. It was during the 1932 election. My father was a de Valera man all his life. Afterwards, Hubert and another man from the local cumann, Willie Moran, were delegates at the treaty talks in the Mansion House in Dublin. Then Hubert married a local girl, Bridie, who had emigrated to America in 1925. She visited home in 1927 and met Hubert and returned for good in 1930. When they married in the Pro Cathedral in Dublin they moved in and ran the shop. They had six children, three girls and then three boys. Moira, 90, is a St Louis nun in California; Frances is 88 and living in New York, and the youngest sister, Rosalie, died in 2017. Then we have the three boys Noel and Sean (Im a twin) (sadly, Sean passed away on September 17 this year), and the youngest, Ronnie. Because my mother and a lot of her brothers emigrated in the 1800s and early 1900s, my mother always thought the answer to everything, especially living in Leitrim in those tough days, was to get them off to America. Educate them and send them to America! And Hubert had the unenviable task of driving most of his children, one after another, to the boat in Cobh, County Cork, or later to Shannon airport as they emigrated to America. Moira went first, she went out there on the missions. After Sean did his Leaving Cert in St Mels in Longford (thats where we attended boarding school), he went to America in 1956. I stayed on here for another couple of years doing different jobs, and then I emigrated in 1958; I went to Chicago and then on to New York. My younger brother, Ronnie, lives in Howth hes a retired Aer Lingus pilot. He went to school in the Franciscan college in Gormanstown, County Meath. His class was the first class in it when it opened. The school had been located in Multyfarnham in County Westmeath, but they bought this place and he was in the first class in about 1954. Noel remembers his parents as a great couple, very religious, very into their family. We had a good childhood, even during the tough years. My mother didnt suffer fools gladly, now; she didnt like anyone who was trying to pull a fast one. She was a very tough lady. She had to be. Noel completed his Leaving Certificate and started his working life in 1951 as a junior assistant master around Drumshanbo. Back then, women had to retire from teaching when they married, so there were plenty of opportunities for a young, newly qualified teacher in the local schools. Noel was living at home with his parents at the time and he remembers one particular night very well. We were listening to the radio, it was Radio Luxembourg, and there was a knock on the shop door. It was one of the coal miners from Arigna, in his twenties, but a big man. Come on, he said to me, and we walked up the street. We got into a car and travelled to the home of another miner where our job was to collect gelignite that had been taken from the mine. I was sweating! He opened the boot of a car and there were five or six sticks of gelignite in a bag. I immediately asked what would happen if we were stopped on the way home. Dont worry about it, he said. When Noel returned home, the door was locked and he had no key. His father was sitting up waiting for him. Where were you? he asked me. Up the town, I replied. Then he gave me a slap on the side of my face and sent me spinning into the shop. I got caught up with these guys and my father saw and he knew who they were. Then I told him what I had been doing and thank God I told him. He gave me the best advice ever. He said, If youre caught with those guys again, you may go to jail, but you will never come back here. That woke me up. He had been through it all in the twenties; he had seen it all. He wasnt a man to talk an awful lot about those things. Noel had already been introduced to the IRA through his friends brother but he says their main interest was in having access to a car! He recalls the evening he was introduced to John Joe McGirl in a pub in Ballinamore. I remember walking into the pub and the place was packed. My friends brother introduced the two of us as two men who wouldnt be afraid to shoulder a gun. We just looked at one another our interest was in the car! After the meeting we went to a marquee dance in Mohill. Later, we got involved in the 1957 general election and we canvassed for McGirl, who topped the poll. Noel says feelings were very high following the killing of Sean South and Fergal OHanlon on New Years Day in Brookeborough. The two were part of an IRA military column that planned to blow up an RUC barracks in the town. But it was a botched operation, and in the ensuing gun battle South and OHanlon were shot dead by the police. Noel still has his fathers ledgers. He was a man of few words. When Noel and his twin brother were born in the Rotunda hospital in Dublin in 1936, the ledger entry is simply Dublin with Mother and on his return to Drumshanbo three days later, Drumshanbo with Mother. No mention of the twins! Noel says they had a good childhood but he and his twin hated school. School was really a jail. Sean and myself were sent to boarding school in Longford, and we were noted renegades. Their parents would send them to boarding school for the three months coming up to Christmas to get rid of us; we would go in September until Christmas Eve and then return home. Noels own American odyssey included working in the Hilton hotel in Chicago and being drafted into the US army around the time of the Cuban crisis; he spent five years in the military. After boarding school, he says, the American army was like a holiday! He spent 30 years working for Lairds Jams in Drumshanbo and was named Leitrim Person of the Year in 2019 for his work in supporting the development of the old site into The Food Hub and the establishment of The Shed, home of Gunpowder Gin and the first distillery to open in Connacht in over a century. Independence Memories: A Peoples Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation By Valerie Cox. Published by Hachette Ireland in Trade Paperback and eBook / 14.99. At a very young age, Lisa Peyton-Caire became aware her parents and elders were preparing her and peers to lead, and that they were willing to make sacrifices and bear cruel inequalities to open a way to the future. Peyton-Caire came from a large, tight-knit, working-class family in greater Richmond, Virginia, her first job as an 11-year-old shampoo girl in her mothers hair salon, The Beauty Hut, where she worked until she left for college. From that upbringing, she became determined to live her life in a way to open opportunities for the next generation. She augmented that legacy with a commitment to self-care and wellness a luxury her elders often lacked to preserve community health. In 2012, she founded and still serves as president and CEO of the nonprofit Foundation for Black Womens Wellness and is also founder of Black Womens Wellness Day. As an undergraduate at Hampton University, a historically Black college, she met and fell in love with a Madison native, Kaleem Caire, a U.S. Navy man stationed in Norfolk, Virginia. In 1993, they moved to Madison, she a young married mother and undergraduate transfer student to UW-Madison with a child on the way. Peyton-Caire earned bachelors and masters degrees from the university and in the past 25 years has had a professional career in education, social services, mental health, nonprofit leadership, womens health advocacy, diversity, equity and inclusion and executive leadership in financial services. At UW-Madison, she worked in learning technology and distance education, and with colleagues launched the DoIt Information Technology Academy in 1999, now in its 23rd year of driving college access and career opportunities for young local people. Among civic endeavors, she has served on the boards of UnityPoint-Health Meriter, the Center for Resilient Cities, Sustain Dane, and A Fund for Women, and presently serves on the UW Population Health Institute Advisory Board and the Governors Health Equity Council. She has received many honors. Kaleem Caire is the founder and CEO of One City Schools and former president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Madison. They have five children. On Nov. 30, Peyton-Caire was named recipient of Madisons Jeffrey Clay Erlanger Civility in Public Discourse Award for 2021. In December, Madison Magazine named Peyton-Caire and Kaleem Caire winners of the Best of Madison Business Brian Howell Excellence in Innovation Award for 2022. What are the most troubling and challenging disparities in maternal and child health? It should alarm everyone that Wisconsin ranks first in the nation for Black infant mortality and simultaneously top in the nation for racial inequality. The two measures go hand in hand. This is layered on top of the higher rates of chronic disease and early death Black women face in Wisconsin and our lower life expectancy. The urgency to solve this crisis is what fuels our work and it will take collective effort. Why do these disparities exist? At the root of racial health/birth, social, economic and education disparities is racism and the inequitable access to resources, opportunity and well-being that racism creates. When we eliminate racism and its companion threat of classism, we will see these disparities diminish. Why did you found the Foundation for Black Womens Wellness? I started the foundation in 2012 out of necessity to address the gaping hole in urgent advocacy for Black womens health in our community and state. My own life experience in watching Black women suffer with deteriorating health in their mid-60s and younger, including my mother, who died at age 64 from congestive heart failure, was the catalyst that sparked this work. I recognized that regardless of where I was, Virginia, Maryland, California or Wisconsin anywhere in America the health of Black women was under attack by failed systems, inadequate health care, and by the daily battles we have to fight against racism. Nowhere in the country is that more true than here in Wisconsin. If we can transform Black womens health in Wisconsin, we can do it anywhere. What sorts of inroads have been made? We have not seen large-scale sustainable change in closing or eliminating racial gaps. In Wisconsin, there has been no measurable change over the last three decades in racial health disparities, and in fact, gaps appear to be widening. What is critical to change this is to acknowledge what drives these inequities and to be courageous enough to change the status quo. Whats most promising? To make real progress in dismantling racial disparities in health or anywhere else, we have to get to the root causes. One example of this would be the Saving Our Babies Initiative that the foundation is co-leading with the Dane County Health Council to transform Black birth outcomes locally. This is really an unprecedented effort that is mobilizing Black women, communities and systems to work together in powerful ways to co-create the solutions we need, and with dollar investments and infrastructure to sustain the work over the long haul. A blind UW-Madison professor requested to teach online this fall semester. She had the support of her department, documentation from her doctor and a long history of receiving disability accommodations from the university. UW-Madison instead offered English professor Elizabeth Bearden an N95 mask to wear while teaching. It was just so heartbreaking, she said. I feel betrayed by my institution. The accommodation, she said, didnt address her concerns about being unable to tell whether students were following the campus mask mandate nor alleviate her fears about an infection leading to a loss of taste or smell, which the blind rely on more than those with all five senses. Declining to risk her health, Bearden spent the semester on medical leave, earning 60% of her salary. She also filed a discrimination complaint last month with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging UW-Madison violated her rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Bearden and at least two others who sought online teaching flexibility said they were told by their disability representative this summer that UW-Madison is denying most online teaching requests because of a need to offer as many in-person classes as possible. The university offered the same explanation in its initial denial letter to Bearden. UW-Madison spokesperson John Lucas said he is unable to discuss the details of individual cases, including Beardens, but said the university values the contributions of its employees with disabilities and remains committed to careful and thoughtful review of each accommodation request. He also noted the low number of COVID-19 cases on campus this fall due to a vaccination rate of more than 95%. A recently concluded internal review of how UW-Madison handled the three dozen accommodation requests made under the ADA, including Beardens, drew no broad conclusions about whether the university did right by some of its most vulnerable instructors who remain at particularly high risk during the pandemic. Conducted by the universitys Office of Strategic Consulting and released to the Wisconsin State Journal under the states open records law, the review, which came in the form of a 13-slide PowerPoint presentation, seemed to blame staff in the Employee Disability Resources office for misinterpreting messages from university leadership. Disability representatives heard the message, perceived to be from the Chancellor and Provost, that fall semester teaching was to be in person, the review noted. This was interpreted in an inflexible way. At the same time, the review also found that while administrators desired to be flexible, the reluctance to offer changes in course modality led to perceptions of inflexibility. Many modified approvals Of the 36 ADA accommodation requests for the fall semester, the review found: Two cases in which the instructor was moved to a course already designated to be online; Seven cases where a course was moved online as requested; 10 cases that were withdrawn; One case that was denied; 14 cases designated as a modified approval, examples of which included offering an N95 mask, larger classroom or temporary online instruction that transitioned to in-person after the instructor received a booster shot; Two cases listed as in progress as of Sept. 22. The accommodations process was executed consistently across campus, the review found, with additional resources devoted in the second half of the summer. Thats when the majority of requests seeking workplace flexibility, including many that did not fall under the ADA, poured into department chairs as the delta variant of the coronavirus swept across the country. The unique nature of many requests, such as having an immunocompromised family member or unvaccinated child at home, were complex scenarios that UW-Madison lawyers and others hadnt previously dealt with under the ADA process, leading to longer processing times, the review said. Messaging on campus that attempted to educate people about the limits of the ADA process was interpreted (incorrectly) by some as a rejection of requests for flexibility, read one bullet point. No instructor interviews While Bearden submitted her request in May, four months before classes began in September, Lucas said nearly three-fourths of the requests to move classes online were submitted in August or later, leaving staff less time to respond. The unnamed employees who conducted the review interviewed 13 disability representatives, four associate deans, several individuals who work in human resources, someone in the Office of Compliance and the vice provost for teaching and learning. But they did not speak with Bearden or any other instructors who requested workplace flexibility. The omission stood out to Michael Bernard-Donals, who is president of a faculty advocacy group known as PROFS, one of several groups that raised concerns to administrators this summer about their handling of accommodation requests. You cannot get at what the failures are unless you talk to the people who feel they were failed, he said. This sounds like a rationalization more than any kind of critical study. The ADA accommodations process involves medical records, so the identity of employees making a request is protected under the federal medical privacy law, Lucas said. For that reason, the Office of Strategic Consulting did not request access to the identity of nor documentation related to individual requests. But the reviewers did attempt to understand the faculty requests by looking at data and interviewing a professor who leads a committee that regularly meets with administrators to discuss faculty concerns. Terribly eroding Bearden, too, took issue with the universitys review. Where are the voices of the people who actually experienced this? she asked. This document says very little, mostly in the passive voice. It does not in any way demand accountability for what in my experience was and continues to be at minimum a dreadfully unfair accommodations process. She remains troubled by UW-Madisons argument that allowing her to teach online presents the school with an undue hardship, considering she taught all of last year online and several students wrote in evaluations that her class was the best they had ever taken. Bearden asked to teach her two classes for the upcoming spring semester online, including one course that focuses on disability studies. UW-Madison, she said, again denied her request. I feel like Ive been treated like Im trash, she said. Like Im disposable. This experience has been terribly eroding. A blind UW-Madison professor requested to teach online this fall semester. She had the support of her department, documentation from her doctor and a long history of receiving disability accommodations from the university. UW-Madison instead offered English professor Elizabeth Bearden an N95 mask to wear while teaching. It was just so heartbreaking, she said. I feel betrayed by my institution. The accommodation, she said, didnt address her concerns about being unable to tell whether students were following the campus mask mandate nor alleviate her fears about an infection leading to a loss of taste or smell, which the blind rely on more than those with all five senses. Declining to risk her health, Bearden spent the semester on medical leave, earning 60% of her salary. She also filed a discrimination complaint last month with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging UW-Madison violated her rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Bearden and at least two others who sought online teaching flexibility said they were told by their disability representative this summer that UW-Madison is denying most online teaching requests because of a need to offer as many in-person classes as possible. The university offered the same explanation in its initial denial letter to Bearden. UW-Madison spokesperson John Lucas said he is unable to discuss the details of individual cases, including Beardens, but said the university values the contributions of its employees with disabilities and remains committed to careful and thoughtful review of each accommodation request. He also noted the low number of COVID-19 cases on campus this fall due to a vaccination rate of more than 95%. A recently concluded internal review of how UW-Madison handled the three dozen accommodation requests made under the ADA, including Beardens, drew no broad conclusions about whether the university did right by some of its most vulnerable instructors who remain at particularly high risk during the pandemic. Conducted by the universitys Office of Strategic Consulting and released to the Wisconsin State Journal under the states open records law, the review, which came in the form of a 13-slide PowerPoint presentation, seemed to blame staff in the Employee Disability Resources office for misinterpreting messages from university leadership. Disability representatives heard the message, perceived to be from the Chancellor and Provost, that fall semester teaching was to be in person, the review noted. This was interpreted in an inflexible way. At the same time, the review also found that while administrators desired to be flexible, the reluctance to offer changes in course modality led to perceptions of inflexibility. Many modified approvals Of the 36 ADA accommodation requests for the fall semester, the review found: Two cases in which the instructor was moved to a course already designated to be online; Seven cases where a course was moved online as requested; 10 cases that were withdrawn; One case that was denied; 14 cases designated as a modified approval, examples of which included offering an N95 mask, larger classroom or temporary online instruction that transitioned to in-person after the instructor received a booster shot; Two cases listed as in progress as of Sept. 22. The accommodations process was executed consistently across campus, the review found, with additional resources devoted in the second half of the summer. Thats when the majority of requests seeking workplace flexibility, including many that did not fall under the ADA, poured into department chairs as the delta variant of the coronavirus swept across the country. The unique nature of many requests, such as having an immunocompromised family member or unvaccinated child at home, were complex scenarios that UW-Madison lawyers and others hadnt previously dealt with under the ADA process, leading to longer processing times, the review said. Messaging on campus that attempted to educate people about the limits of the ADA process was interpreted (incorrectly) by some as a rejection of requests for flexibility, read one bullet point. No instructor interviews While Bearden submitted her request in May, four months before classes began in September, Lucas said nearly three-fourths of the requests to move classes online were submitted in August or later, leaving staff less time to respond. The unnamed employees who conducted the review interviewed 13 disability representatives, four associate deans, several individuals who work in human resources, someone in the Office of Compliance and the vice provost for teaching and learning. But they did not speak with Bearden or any other instructors who requested workplace flexibility. The omission stood out to Michael Bernard-Donals, who is president of a faculty advocacy group known as PROFS, one of several groups that raised concerns to administrators this summer about their handling of accommodation requests. You cannot get at what the failures are unless you talk to the people who feel they were failed, he said. This sounds like a rationalization more than any kind of critical study. The ADA accommodations process involves medical records, so the identity of employees making a request is protected under the federal medical privacy law, Lucas said. For that reason, the Office of Strategic Consulting did not request access to the identity of nor documentation related to individual requests. But the reviewers did attempt to understand the faculty requests by looking at data and interviewing a professor who leads a committee that regularly meets with administrators to discuss faculty concerns. Terribly eroding Bearden, too, took issue with the universitys review. Where are the voices of the people who actually experienced this? she asked. This document says very little, mostly in the passive voice. It does not in any way demand accountability for what in my experience was and continues to be at minimum a dreadfully unfair accommodations process. She remains troubled by UW-Madisons argument that allowing her to teach online presents the school with an undue hardship, considering she taught all of last year online and several students wrote in evaluations that her class was the best they had ever taken. Bearden asked to teach her two classes for the upcoming spring semester online, including one course that focuses on disability studies. UW-Madison, she said, again denied her request. I feel like Ive been treated like Im trash, she said. Like Im disposable. This experience has been terribly eroding. Confidential records of meetings and phone conversations between Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair reveal the close relationship the pair had before and after the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. The records from the Irish state archives show how the Taoiseach and the British prime minister talked regularly, speaking candidly about everything from frustrations with political parties in Northern Ireland to inclement summer weather. In the days leading up to the Good Friday Agreement, Mr Blair and Mr Ahern communicated constantly even as the Fianna Fail leader rushed between Dublin and Hillsborough following the death of his mother. In one exchange that week, Mr Blair says: I know obviously you have got your mother's funeral tomorrow, havent you. Mr Ahern says: Yes, well it actually goes to the Church tonight, this is our problem. But anyway when are you thinking, have you made up your mind what time you are going Tony, or have you made up your mind yet? The prime minister responds: I wanted to talk to you frankly before I did it. Later, Mr Ahern tells the Labour leader: Well lets have a crack Tony. It was always going to come down to this. It was Im afraid and Im so sorry for you. You dont wan [sic] to be thinking about it tonight and tomorrow morning, Mr Blair replies. Mr Ahern tells him: Its okay she, no better woman, she would want to see me trying to solve the problem. One conversation in July between the pair sees Mr Blair tell the Taoiseach: Im fine but Im desperate for my holiday. And we havent had a Summer here at all. Mr Ahern responds: It is absolutely disastrous, this week its just been torrential rain here and its lashing rain now and the weather for the next four or five days is rain. Mr Blair tells him he thinks people are blaming the government for the bad weather. Mr Ahern tells him: Well its natural we get blamed anyway. That conversation, one among dozens recorded as the Irish and British governments worked to deliver a peace settlement in Northern Ireland, reveals the level of co-operation and closeness between the two leaders. During one call, Mr Ahern told Mr Blair: I am doing a European lunch of journalists today Tony, its a speech and then its a questions and answers so needless to say the whole bloody thing is going to be on the North, because its European journalists all your guys are there. In terms of you know not saying anything wrong or being helpful, if I say I have been, you know we have been in touch again this morning at this stage, you would rather me not say that you are trying in any initiative. On a call between the two leaders in 1998, Mr Ahern asks about a recent trip to China. Yes, well I can tell you, Id say theres bugs everywhere. We had a very funny experience because I couldnt work the TV you see, so we were talking about trying to work this TV. So we went out said nothing to nobody, we came back and this guy was in there helping us to operate the TV. In other exchanges, the leaders compared notes on how conversations were going with key figures in negotiations including former Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams. Confidential records of meetings and phone conversations between Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair reveal the close relationship the pair had before and after the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. The records from the Irish state archives show how the Taoiseach and the British prime minister talked regularly, speaking candidly about everything from frustrations with political parties in Northern Ireland to inclement summer weather. In the days leading up to the Good Friday Agreement, Mr Blair and Mr Ahern communicated constantly even as the Fianna Fail leader rushed between Dublin and Hillsborough following the death of his mother. In one exchange that week, Mr Blair says: I know obviously you have got your mother's funeral tomorrow, havent you. Mr Ahern says: Yes, well it actually goes to the Church tonight, this is our problem. But anyway when are you thinking, have you made up your mind what time you are going Tony, or have you made up your mind yet? The prime minister responds: I wanted to talk to you frankly before I did it. Later, Mr Ahern tells the Labour leader: Well lets have a crack Tony. It was always going to come down to this. It was Im afraid and Im so sorry for you. You dont wan [sic] to be thinking about it tonight and tomorrow morning, Mr Blair replies. Mr Ahern tells him: Its okay she, no better woman, she would want to see me trying to solve the problem. One conversation in July between the pair sees Mr Blair tell the Taoiseach: Im fine but Im desperate for my holiday. And we havent had a Summer here at all. Mr Ahern responds: It is absolutely disastrous, this week its just been torrential rain here and its lashing rain now and the weather for the next four or five days is rain. Mr Blair tells him he thinks people are blaming the government for the bad weather. Mr Ahern tells him: Well its natural we get blamed anyway. That conversation, one among dozens recorded as the Irish and British governments worked to deliver a peace settlement in Northern Ireland, reveals the level of co-operation and closeness between the two leaders. During one call, Mr Ahern told Mr Blair: I am doing a European lunch of journalists today Tony, its a speech and then its a questions and answers so needless to say the whole bloody thing is going to be on the North, because its European journalists all your guys are there. In terms of you know not saying anything wrong or being helpful, if I say I have been, you know we have been in touch again this morning at this stage, you would rather me not say that you are trying in any initiative. On a call between the two leaders in 1998, Mr Ahern asks about a recent trip to China. Yes, well I can tell you, Id say theres bugs everywhere. We had a very funny experience because I couldnt work the TV you see, so we were talking about trying to work this TV. So we went out said nothing to nobody, we came back and this guy was in there helping us to operate the TV. In other exchanges, the leaders compared notes on how conversations were going with key figures in negotiations including former Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/ghislaine-maxwell-gave-oral-sex-masterclass-at-new-york-cocktail-party-writer-reveals-1091965716.html Ghislaine Maxwell Gave 'Oral Sex Masterclass' at New York Cocktail Party, Writer Reveals Ghislaine Maxwell Gave 'Oral Sex Masterclass' at New York Cocktail Party, Writer Reveals The memoirist - the daughter of celebrated politician and author, Woodrow, Lord Wyatt, and a former mistress of Boris Johnson - also wrote that Maxwell was... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T18:19+0000 2022-01-01T18:19+0000 2022-01-01T18:19+0000 world ghislaine maxwell meeting journalist oral sex /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/07/10/1083399463_0:927:2039:2074_1920x0_80_0_0_65c6a5e727435bc03f8872626685cb61.jpg As Jeffrey Epsteins former associate was found guilty on five of the six sex-trafficking counts she faced, British journalist Petronella Wyatt shared some details about her encounters with the socialite, some of which date back more than three decades.Their first meeting occurred in the Eighties at a fancy Italian restaurant in London when Wyatt was 16. She recalls how Maxwell, seven years her senior, was sitting at the best table, her contralto voice holding court to a group of 10 or 12, most of them men".She mentioned that there was something very sexual about Maxwell, and an almost Geisha-like desire to please her male companions.When the two met again at a cocktail party in New York almost a decade later, Wyatt noted that Maxwell seemed harder, as the latter had lost her charm and appeared to be playing a role.Wyatt also pointed out that, while she pulled away, some of the younger girls came forward to take advantage of Ghislaines masterclass.The journalist also suggested that the death of Maxwells father - British media proprietor Robert Maxwell - changed Ghislaine and perhaps sent her on her headlong rush towards a man like Jeffrey Epstein".She mentioned that Robert Maxwell allegedly abused Ghislaine both verbally and physically and also taught her to despise members of her own sex.Ghislaine Maxwell gained quite a bit of notoriety in recent years over her ties to the late Jeffrey Epstein, a disgraced financier and convicted sex offender who was found dead in 2019 in his prison cell in New York where he was awaiting trial on charges of sex-trafficking of minors.Maxwell herself was arrested in the United States in July 2020 and stood trial on charges of procuring underage girls for Jeffrey Epstein, with the guilty verdict announced by the court shortly before the end of 2021. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/ghislaine-maxwell-prevented-vanity-fair-20-years-ago-from-airing-thoroughly-untrue-epstein-abuses-1091954898.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Andrei Dergalin Andrei Dergalin News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Andrei Dergalin ghislaine maxwell, meeting, journalist, oral sex Confidential records of meetings and phone conversations between Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair reveal the close relationship the pair had before and after the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. The records from the Irish state archives show how the Taoiseach and the British prime minister talked regularly, speaking candidly about everything from frustrations with political parties in Northern Ireland to inclement summer weather. In the days leading up to the Good Friday Agreement, Mr Blair and Mr Ahern communicated constantly even as the Fianna Fail leader rushed between Dublin and Hillsborough following the death of his mother. In one exchange that week, Mr Blair says: I know obviously you have got your mother's funeral tomorrow, havent you. Mr Ahern says: Yes, well it actually goes to the Church tonight, this is our problem. But anyway when are you thinking, have you made up your mind what time you are going Tony, or have you made up your mind yet? The prime minister responds: I wanted to talk to you frankly before I did it. Later, Mr Ahern tells the Labour leader: Well lets have a crack Tony. It was always going to come down to this. It was Im afraid and Im so sorry for you. You dont wan [sic] to be thinking about it tonight and tomorrow morning, Mr Blair replies. Mr Ahern tells him: Its okay she, no better woman, she would want to see me trying to solve the problem. One conversation in July between the pair sees Mr Blair tell the Taoiseach: Im fine but Im desperate for my holiday. And we havent had a Summer here at all. Mr Ahern responds: It is absolutely disastrous, this week its just been torrential rain here and its lashing rain now and the weather for the next four or five days is rain. Mr Blair tells him he thinks people are blaming the government for the bad weather. Mr Ahern tells him: Well its natural we get blamed anyway. That conversation, one among dozens recorded as the Irish and British governments worked to deliver a peace settlement in Northern Ireland, reveals the level of co-operation and closeness between the two leaders. During one call, Mr Ahern told Mr Blair: I am doing a European lunch of journalists today Tony, its a speech and then its a questions and answers so needless to say the whole bloody thing is going to be on the North, because its European journalists all your guys are there. In terms of you know not saying anything wrong or being helpful, if I say I have been, you know we have been in touch again this morning at this stage, you would rather me not say that you are trying in any initiative. On a call between the two leaders in 1998, Mr Ahern asks about a recent trip to China. Yes, well I can tell you, Id say theres bugs everywhere. We had a very funny experience because I couldnt work the TV you see, so we were talking about trying to work this TV. So we went out said nothing to nobody, we came back and this guy was in there helping us to operate the TV. In other exchanges, the leaders compared notes on how conversations were going with key figures in negotiations including former Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams. Confidential records of meetings and phone conversations between Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair reveal the close relationship the pair had before and after the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. The records from the Irish state archives show how the Taoiseach and the British prime minister talked regularly, speaking candidly about everything from frustrations with political parties in Northern Ireland to inclement summer weather. In the days leading up to the Good Friday Agreement, Mr Blair and Mr Ahern communicated constantly even as the Fianna Fail leader rushed between Dublin and Hillsborough following the death of his mother. In one exchange that week, Mr Blair says: I know obviously you have got your mother's funeral tomorrow, havent you. Mr Ahern says: Yes, well it actually goes to the Church tonight, this is our problem. But anyway when are you thinking, have you made up your mind what time you are going Tony, or have you made up your mind yet? The prime minister responds: I wanted to talk to you frankly before I did it. Later, Mr Ahern tells the Labour leader: Well lets have a crack Tony. It was always going to come down to this. It was Im afraid and Im so sorry for you. You dont wan [sic] to be thinking about it tonight and tomorrow morning, Mr Blair replies. Mr Ahern tells him: Its okay she, no better woman, she would want to see me trying to solve the problem. One conversation in July between the pair sees Mr Blair tell the Taoiseach: Im fine but Im desperate for my holiday. And we havent had a Summer here at all. Mr Ahern responds: It is absolutely disastrous, this week its just been torrential rain here and its lashing rain now and the weather for the next four or five days is rain. Mr Blair tells him he thinks people are blaming the government for the bad weather. Mr Ahern tells him: Well its natural we get blamed anyway. That conversation, one among dozens recorded as the Irish and British governments worked to deliver a peace settlement in Northern Ireland, reveals the level of co-operation and closeness between the two leaders. During one call, Mr Ahern told Mr Blair: I am doing a European lunch of journalists today Tony, its a speech and then its a questions and answers so needless to say the whole bloody thing is going to be on the North, because its European journalists all your guys are there. In terms of you know not saying anything wrong or being helpful, if I say I have been, you know we have been in touch again this morning at this stage, you would rather me not say that you are trying in any initiative. On a call between the two leaders in 1998, Mr Ahern asks about a recent trip to China. Yes, well I can tell you, Id say theres bugs everywhere. We had a very funny experience because I couldnt work the TV you see, so we were talking about trying to work this TV. So we went out said nothing to nobody, we came back and this guy was in there helping us to operate the TV. In other exchanges, the leaders compared notes on how conversations were going with key figures in negotiations including former Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams. Confidential records of meetings and phone conversations between Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair reveal the close relationship the pair had before and after the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. The records from the Irish state archives show how the Taoiseach and the British prime minister talked regularly, speaking candidly about everything from frustrations with political parties in Northern Ireland to inclement summer weather. In the days leading up to the Good Friday Agreement, Mr Blair and Mr Ahern communicated constantly even as the Fianna Fail leader rushed between Dublin and Hillsborough following the death of his mother. In one exchange that week, Mr Blair says: I know obviously you have got your mother's funeral tomorrow, havent you. Mr Ahern says: Yes, well it actually goes to the Church tonight, this is our problem. But anyway when are you thinking, have you made up your mind what time you are going Tony, or have you made up your mind yet? The prime minister responds: I wanted to talk to you frankly before I did it. Later, Mr Ahern tells the Labour leader: Well lets have a crack Tony. It was always going to come down to this. It was Im afraid and Im so sorry for you. You dont wan [sic] to be thinking about it tonight and tomorrow morning, Mr Blair replies. Mr Ahern tells him: Its okay she, no better woman, she would want to see me trying to solve the problem. One conversation in July between the pair sees Mr Blair tell the Taoiseach: Im fine but Im desperate for my holiday. And we havent had a Summer here at all. Mr Ahern responds: It is absolutely disastrous, this week its just been torrential rain here and its lashing rain now and the weather for the next four or five days is rain. Mr Blair tells him he thinks people are blaming the government for the bad weather. Mr Ahern tells him: Well its natural we get blamed anyway. That conversation, one among dozens recorded as the Irish and British governments worked to deliver a peace settlement in Northern Ireland, reveals the level of co-operation and closeness between the two leaders. During one call, Mr Ahern told Mr Blair: I am doing a European lunch of journalists today Tony, its a speech and then its a questions and answers so needless to say the whole bloody thing is going to be on the North, because its European journalists all your guys are there. In terms of you know not saying anything wrong or being helpful, if I say I have been, you know we have been in touch again this morning at this stage, you would rather me not say that you are trying in any initiative. On a call between the two leaders in 1998, Mr Ahern asks about a recent trip to China. Yes, well I can tell you, Id say theres bugs everywhere. We had a very funny experience because I couldnt work the TV you see, so we were talking about trying to work this TV. So we went out said nothing to nobody, we came back and this guy was in there helping us to operate the TV. In other exchanges, the leaders compared notes on how conversations were going with key figures in negotiations including former Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams. Confidential records of meetings and phone conversations between Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair reveal the close relationship the pair had before and after the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. The records from the Irish state archives show how the Taoiseach and the British prime minister talked regularly, speaking candidly about everything from frustrations with political parties in Northern Ireland to inclement summer weather. In the days leading up to the Good Friday Agreement, Mr Blair and Mr Ahern communicated constantly even as the Fianna Fail leader rushed between Dublin and Hillsborough following the death of his mother. In one exchange that week, Mr Blair says: I know obviously you have got your mother's funeral tomorrow, havent you. Mr Ahern says: Yes, well it actually goes to the Church tonight, this is our problem. But anyway when are you thinking, have you made up your mind what time you are going Tony, or have you made up your mind yet? The prime minister responds: I wanted to talk to you frankly before I did it. Later, Mr Ahern tells the Labour leader: Well lets have a crack Tony. It was always going to come down to this. It was Im afraid and Im so sorry for you. You dont wan [sic] to be thinking about it tonight and tomorrow morning, Mr Blair replies. Mr Ahern tells him: Its okay she, no better woman, she would want to see me trying to solve the problem. One conversation in July between the pair sees Mr Blair tell the Taoiseach: Im fine but Im desperate for my holiday. And we havent had a Summer here at all. Mr Ahern responds: It is absolutely disastrous, this week its just been torrential rain here and its lashing rain now and the weather for the next four or five days is rain. Mr Blair tells him he thinks people are blaming the government for the bad weather. Mr Ahern tells him: Well its natural we get blamed anyway. That conversation, one among dozens recorded as the Irish and British governments worked to deliver a peace settlement in Northern Ireland, reveals the level of co-operation and closeness between the two leaders. During one call, Mr Ahern told Mr Blair: I am doing a European lunch of journalists today Tony, its a speech and then its a questions and answers so needless to say the whole bloody thing is going to be on the North, because its European journalists all your guys are there. In terms of you know not saying anything wrong or being helpful, if I say I have been, you know we have been in touch again this morning at this stage, you would rather me not say that you are trying in any initiative. On a call between the two leaders in 1998, Mr Ahern asks about a recent trip to China. Yes, well I can tell you, Id say theres bugs everywhere. We had a very funny experience because I couldnt work the TV you see, so we were talking about trying to work this TV. So we went out said nothing to nobody, we came back and this guy was in there helping us to operate the TV. In other exchanges, the leaders compared notes on how conversations were going with key figures in negotiations including former Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams. In 1923, Kevin OHiggins, then the Minister for Home Affairs described the Dail courts, Republican courts or Sinn Fein courts, which had been abolished in 1922, as an improvised system of justice that: was forged more as a weapon against the British administration in exceptional times and exceptional circumstances than as a definite system which would meet and answer the needs of normal times. I am meeting one of County Leitrims illustrious sons, Noel McPartland, whose grandfather, John McPartland, was a judge in those courts. He was a judge from 1918 until the Civil War started. It would have been illegal in terms of the English system. They would be court-marshalling some fella for something and he would be the judge at that particular trial, signing documents and all that. He supported the cause right up to the treaty. He was anti-treaty. Later he worked as a haulier, mainly collecting and delivering coal from the Arigna coal mines. The McPartlands opened their newsagents and confectionery shop in Drumshanbo in 1885 and kept it going until 1994 with Noels mum running it until she was 90. It became one of the casualties of the Black and Tans visit to the town, however, when they burned it out in 1922. My father, Hubert, worked in the shop but he was also a hackney driver and the Black and Tans heard that he had driven some of the local IRA fellows to a meeting in Ballinamore. The front door, which was also the entrance to our house, was blown in, they destroyed the stock and set fire to the shop. The attack happened at night, the family were all in bed but they got out safely as the fire was confined to the shop. Of course there was no fire brigade at that time, it was the bucket brigade. Buckets of water put the fire out. They also damaged my fathers car, which was also his livelihood. But the Black and Tans didnt stop with the McPartlands shop, going on to burn several premises in the town. They burned a house up the road near the church, a man who was very involved in the IRA. They burned his house to the ground, and almost burned the occupants as well but they were got out on time. They were completely uncontrollable. People were very much afraid of them. They were the dregs of an army that was sent over here. They went around and abused people, beat people up for no reason, and that was everywhere, not just Drumshanbo. Noel McPartland spent 5 years in the US Army My father was on de Valeras side. Dev gave a great speech here in 1932, I have a film of it. It was during the 1932 election. My father was a de Valera man all his life. Afterwards, Hubert and another man from the local cumann, Willie Moran, were delegates at the treaty talks in the Mansion House in Dublin. Then Hubert married a local girl, Bridie, who had emigrated to America in 1925. She visited home in 1927 and met Hubert and returned for good in 1930. When they married in the Pro Cathedral in Dublin they moved in and ran the shop. They had six children, three girls and then three boys. Moira, 90, is a St Louis nun in California; Frances is 88 and living in New York, and the youngest sister, Rosalie, died in 2017. Then we have the three boys Noel and Sean (Im a twin) (sadly, Sean passed away on September 17 this year), and the youngest, Ronnie. Because my mother and a lot of her brothers emigrated in the 1800s and early 1900s, my mother always thought the answer to everything, especially living in Leitrim in those tough days, was to get them off to America. Educate them and send them to America! And Hubert had the unenviable task of driving most of his children, one after another, to the boat in Cobh, County Cork, or later to Shannon airport as they emigrated to America. Moira went first, she went out there on the missions. After Sean did his Leaving Cert in St Mels in Longford (thats where we attended boarding school), he went to America in 1956. I stayed on here for another couple of years doing different jobs, and then I emigrated in 1958; I went to Chicago and then on to New York. My younger brother, Ronnie, lives in Howth hes a retired Aer Lingus pilot. He went to school in the Franciscan college in Gormanstown, County Meath. His class was the first class in it when it opened. The school had been located in Multyfarnham in County Westmeath, but they bought this place and he was in the first class in about 1954. Noel remembers his parents as a great couple, very religious, very into their family. We had a good childhood, even during the tough years. My mother didnt suffer fools gladly, now; she didnt like anyone who was trying to pull a fast one. She was a very tough lady. She had to be. Noel completed his Leaving Certificate and started his working life in 1951 as a junior assistant master around Drumshanbo. Back then, women had to retire from teaching when they married, so there were plenty of opportunities for a young, newly qualified teacher in the local schools. Noel was living at home with his parents at the time and he remembers one particular night very well. We were listening to the radio, it was Radio Luxembourg, and there was a knock on the shop door. It was one of the coal miners from Arigna, in his twenties, but a big man. Come on, he said to me, and we walked up the street. We got into a car and travelled to the home of another miner where our job was to collect gelignite that had been taken from the mine. I was sweating! He opened the boot of a car and there were five or six sticks of gelignite in a bag. I immediately asked what would happen if we were stopped on the way home. Dont worry about it, he said. When Noel returned home, the door was locked and he had no key. His father was sitting up waiting for him. Where were you? he asked me. Up the town, I replied. Then he gave me a slap on the side of my face and sent me spinning into the shop. I got caught up with these guys and my father saw and he knew who they were. Then I told him what I had been doing and thank God I told him. He gave me the best advice ever. He said, If youre caught with those guys again, you may go to jail, but you will never come back here. That woke me up. He had been through it all in the twenties; he had seen it all. He wasnt a man to talk an awful lot about those things. Noel had already been introduced to the IRA through his friends brother but he says their main interest was in having access to a car! He recalls the evening he was introduced to John Joe McGirl in a pub in Ballinamore. I remember walking into the pub and the place was packed. My friends brother introduced the two of us as two men who wouldnt be afraid to shoulder a gun. We just looked at one another our interest was in the car! After the meeting we went to a marquee dance in Mohill. Later, we got involved in the 1957 general election and we canvassed for McGirl, who topped the poll. Noel says feelings were very high following the killing of Sean South and Fergal OHanlon on New Years Day in Brookeborough. The two were part of an IRA military column that planned to blow up an RUC barracks in the town. But it was a botched operation, and in the ensuing gun battle South and OHanlon were shot dead by the police. Noel still has his fathers ledgers. He was a man of few words. When Noel and his twin brother were born in the Rotunda hospital in Dublin in 1936, the ledger entry is simply Dublin with Mother and on his return to Drumshanbo three days later, Drumshanbo with Mother. No mention of the twins! Noel says they had a good childhood but he and his twin hated school. School was really a jail. Sean and myself were sent to boarding school in Longford, and we were noted renegades. Their parents would send them to boarding school for the three months coming up to Christmas to get rid of us; we would go in September until Christmas Eve and then return home. Noels own American odyssey included working in the Hilton hotel in Chicago and being drafted into the US army around the time of the Cuban crisis; he spent five years in the military. After boarding school, he says, the American army was like a holiday! He spent 30 years working for Lairds Jams in Drumshanbo and was named Leitrim Person of the Year in 2019 for his work in supporting the development of the old site into The Food Hub and the establishment of The Shed, home of Gunpowder Gin and the first distillery to open in Connacht in over a century. Independence Memories: A Peoples Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation By Valerie Cox. Published by Hachette Ireland in Trade Paperback and eBook / 14.99. In 1923, Kevin OHiggins, then the Minister for Home Affairs described the Dail courts, Republican courts or Sinn Fein courts, which had been abolished in 1922, as an improvised system of justice that: was forged more as a weapon against the British administration in exceptional times and exceptional circumstances than as a definite system which would meet and answer the needs of normal times. I am meeting one of County Leitrims illustrious sons, Noel McPartland, whose grandfather, John McPartland, was a judge in those courts. He was a judge from 1918 until the Civil War started. It would have been illegal in terms of the English system. They would be court-marshalling some fella for something and he would be the judge at that particular trial, signing documents and all that. He supported the cause right up to the treaty. He was anti-treaty. Later he worked as a haulier, mainly collecting and delivering coal from the Arigna coal mines. The McPartlands opened their newsagents and confectionery shop in Drumshanbo in 1885 and kept it going until 1994 with Noels mum running it until she was 90. It became one of the casualties of the Black and Tans visit to the town, however, when they burned it out in 1922. My father, Hubert, worked in the shop but he was also a hackney driver and the Black and Tans heard that he had driven some of the local IRA fellows to a meeting in Ballinamore. The front door, which was also the entrance to our house, was blown in, they destroyed the stock and set fire to the shop. The attack happened at night, the family were all in bed but they got out safely as the fire was confined to the shop. Of course there was no fire brigade at that time, it was the bucket brigade. Buckets of water put the fire out. They also damaged my fathers car, which was also his livelihood. But the Black and Tans didnt stop with the McPartlands shop, going on to burn several premises in the town. They burned a house up the road near the church, a man who was very involved in the IRA. They burned his house to the ground, and almost burned the occupants as well but they were got out on time. They were completely uncontrollable. People were very much afraid of them. They were the dregs of an army that was sent over here. They went around and abused people, beat people up for no reason, and that was everywhere, not just Drumshanbo. Noel McPartland spent 5 years in the US Army My father was on de Valeras side. Dev gave a great speech here in 1932, I have a film of it. It was during the 1932 election. My father was a de Valera man all his life. Afterwards, Hubert and another man from the local cumann, Willie Moran, were delegates at the treaty talks in the Mansion House in Dublin. Then Hubert married a local girl, Bridie, who had emigrated to America in 1925. She visited home in 1927 and met Hubert and returned for good in 1930. When they married in the Pro Cathedral in Dublin they moved in and ran the shop. They had six children, three girls and then three boys. Moira, 90, is a St Louis nun in California; Frances is 88 and living in New York, and the youngest sister, Rosalie, died in 2017. Then we have the three boys Noel and Sean (Im a twin) (sadly, Sean passed away on September 17 this year), and the youngest, Ronnie. Because my mother and a lot of her brothers emigrated in the 1800s and early 1900s, my mother always thought the answer to everything, especially living in Leitrim in those tough days, was to get them off to America. Educate them and send them to America! And Hubert had the unenviable task of driving most of his children, one after another, to the boat in Cobh, County Cork, or later to Shannon airport as they emigrated to America. Moira went first, she went out there on the missions. After Sean did his Leaving Cert in St Mels in Longford (thats where we attended boarding school), he went to America in 1956. I stayed on here for another couple of years doing different jobs, and then I emigrated in 1958; I went to Chicago and then on to New York. My younger brother, Ronnie, lives in Howth hes a retired Aer Lingus pilot. He went to school in the Franciscan college in Gormanstown, County Meath. His class was the first class in it when it opened. The school had been located in Multyfarnham in County Westmeath, but they bought this place and he was in the first class in about 1954. Noel remembers his parents as a great couple, very religious, very into their family. We had a good childhood, even during the tough years. My mother didnt suffer fools gladly, now; she didnt like anyone who was trying to pull a fast one. She was a very tough lady. She had to be. Noel completed his Leaving Certificate and started his working life in 1951 as a junior assistant master around Drumshanbo. Back then, women had to retire from teaching when they married, so there were plenty of opportunities for a young, newly qualified teacher in the local schools. Noel was living at home with his parents at the time and he remembers one particular night very well. We were listening to the radio, it was Radio Luxembourg, and there was a knock on the shop door. It was one of the coal miners from Arigna, in his twenties, but a big man. Come on, he said to me, and we walked up the street. We got into a car and travelled to the home of another miner where our job was to collect gelignite that had been taken from the mine. I was sweating! He opened the boot of a car and there were five or six sticks of gelignite in a bag. I immediately asked what would happen if we were stopped on the way home. Dont worry about it, he said. When Noel returned home, the door was locked and he had no key. His father was sitting up waiting for him. Where were you? he asked me. Up the town, I replied. Then he gave me a slap on the side of my face and sent me spinning into the shop. I got caught up with these guys and my father saw and he knew who they were. Then I told him what I had been doing and thank God I told him. He gave me the best advice ever. He said, If youre caught with those guys again, you may go to jail, but you will never come back here. That woke me up. He had been through it all in the twenties; he had seen it all. He wasnt a man to talk an awful lot about those things. Noel had already been introduced to the IRA through his friends brother but he says their main interest was in having access to a car! He recalls the evening he was introduced to John Joe McGirl in a pub in Ballinamore. I remember walking into the pub and the place was packed. My friends brother introduced the two of us as two men who wouldnt be afraid to shoulder a gun. We just looked at one another our interest was in the car! After the meeting we went to a marquee dance in Mohill. Later, we got involved in the 1957 general election and we canvassed for McGirl, who topped the poll. Noel says feelings were very high following the killing of Sean South and Fergal OHanlon on New Years Day in Brookeborough. The two were part of an IRA military column that planned to blow up an RUC barracks in the town. But it was a botched operation, and in the ensuing gun battle South and OHanlon were shot dead by the police. Noel still has his fathers ledgers. He was a man of few words. When Noel and his twin brother were born in the Rotunda hospital in Dublin in 1936, the ledger entry is simply Dublin with Mother and on his return to Drumshanbo three days later, Drumshanbo with Mother. No mention of the twins! Noel says they had a good childhood but he and his twin hated school. School was really a jail. Sean and myself were sent to boarding school in Longford, and we were noted renegades. Their parents would send them to boarding school for the three months coming up to Christmas to get rid of us; we would go in September until Christmas Eve and then return home. Noels own American odyssey included working in the Hilton hotel in Chicago and being drafted into the US army around the time of the Cuban crisis; he spent five years in the military. After boarding school, he says, the American army was like a holiday! He spent 30 years working for Lairds Jams in Drumshanbo and was named Leitrim Person of the Year in 2019 for his work in supporting the development of the old site into The Food Hub and the establishment of The Shed, home of Gunpowder Gin and the first distillery to open in Connacht in over a century. Independence Memories: A Peoples Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation By Valerie Cox. Published by Hachette Ireland in Trade Paperback and eBook / 14.99. Delhi Government on Saturday said that it will provide free customised online yoga classes for COVID patients in home isolation. "Immunity booster yoga along with medical treatment will help them recover fast," Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said while interacting with the yoga instructors of Dilli Ki Yogshala today. In this interaction, Yoga instructors shared their experiences with the Deputy CM and told how yoga has helped them change their lives, and now the lives of residents. Reacting to it, Manish Sisodia said, ''Yoga has the magical power of healing all kinds of ailments. Thus, those suffering from COVID need yoga the most. It is seen that the number of COVID patients are rising in Delhi, but they are mostly asymptomatic and are being advised to stay in home isolation.'' ''Thus, along with medical treatment, we will help them boost their immunity through online yoga sessions. Slots for the same will be released soon,'' he added. While directing the officials the Deputy CM said, ''Prepare the plan of action soon. As soon as a case of COVID will be reported, the patient will receive an SMS from the Delhi government with a link to register for classes." "Thereafter, a link to the classes will be shared with them regularly. Each class will have about 25-35 people, who will be taught yoga by the best-trained yoga instructors of Delhi. People can choose their slot and they will be given classes as per their requirement,'' he added. Sisodia further said that yoga in India has a history of thousands of years, and researchers spent many years working on its technicalities and has made the human body a moving laboratory. "We can't let this effort go to waste. So whenever Delhi residents will need a yoga instructor, they will be just a call away. ''Dilli ki Yogashala'' will bring this yoga revolution to the capital,'' he said. Notably, on December 13, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had launched ''Dilli ki Yogashala''. At present, 61 yoga instructors are conducting yoga sessions under ''Dilli Ki Yogshala'' at 65 places across Delhi. Sisodia said, ''Demand for this type of yoga session is rising and it is clear that people want trained yoga instructors to teach them the correct form of yoga.'' (ANI) Chandigarh: Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Saturday (January 1) said he was ready to work with Punjab Congress Chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and is ready to make any "sacrifice" for the party. The CM's comment came in the backdrop of an ongoing cold war between him and Sidhu, with the latter often indulging in criticism of the state government led by his own party. Asked about Sidhu's adverse comments against his government, Channi said he was a "loyal soldier" of the party and was discharging the duty assigned with complete honesty. "I am ready to work with Sidhu Sahab, and I am already doing it. I am always ready to make any sacrifice for the party. I will go by whatever is told to me by the party," Channi said. "I always welcome criticism. It may come from anyone, even if my brother tries to criticise, I listen to him and correct myself," he said. Sidhu has been targeting the government in Punjab at public rallies. During one rally he asked people whether they were getting cable TV connection and sand at cheap rates, as promised by the CM. Replying to the comment, Channi said sand was being delivered at the rate Rs 5.50 per cubic feet at quarries and the cable sector was under the Centre's jurisdiction. Channi also said when Sidhu was a minister, he had proposed a law on cable for ending the cable mafia but that "was not up to the mark." In November, Channi had announced fixed charges for cable TV at Rs 100 for a month. To a question on Sidhu questioning the government over the Bikram Majithia case, Channi said the first step to catch a criminal was to lodge an FIR. The Shiromani Akali Dal leader was booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The case was filed against him on the basis of a 2018 report of a probe into a drug racket in the state, said Channi while addressing the media in Chandigarh. Asked why Sidhu was not satisfied with the FIR, Channi said he will be, and added: "Aate Aate aayega dil ko karar, jaate jaate bekrari jaayegi." Sidhu had earlier said that FIR filed against the Akali leader will result in nothing. Responding to the sacrilege case, Channi said a probe in the matter by a special investigation team was already underway and will be brought to a logical end at the earliest. He said all "big fish" in the drug mafia will also be dealt with severely as per the law of the land. On the recent alleged sacrilege bid inside the Golden Temple, Channi said his government has already offered full support and cooperation to the SGPC who was conducting an investigation in the case at their own level. Live TV Delhi Government on Saturday said that it will provide free customised online yoga classes for COVID patients in home isolation. "Immunity booster yoga along with medical treatment will help them recover fast," Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said while interacting with the yoga instructors of Dilli Ki Yogshala today. In this interaction, Yoga instructors shared their experiences with the Deputy CM and told how yoga has helped them change their lives, and now the lives of residents. Reacting to it, Manish Sisodia said, ''Yoga has the magical power of healing all kinds of ailments. Thus, those suffering from COVID need yoga the most. It is seen that the number of COVID patients are rising in Delhi, but they are mostly asymptomatic and are being advised to stay in home isolation.'' ''Thus, along with medical treatment, we will help them boost their immunity through online yoga sessions. Slots for the same will be released soon,'' he added. While directing the officials the Deputy CM said, ''Prepare the plan of action soon. As soon as a case of COVID will be reported, the patient will receive an SMS from the Delhi government with a link to register for classes." "Thereafter, a link to the classes will be shared with them regularly. Each class will have about 25-35 people, who will be taught yoga by the best-trained yoga instructors of Delhi. People can choose their slot and they will be given classes as per their requirement,'' he added. Sisodia further said that yoga in India has a history of thousands of years, and researchers spent many years working on its technicalities and has made the human body a moving laboratory. "We can't let this effort go to waste. So whenever Delhi residents will need a yoga instructor, they will be just a call away. ''Dilli ki Yogashala'' will bring this yoga revolution to the capital,'' he said. Notably, on December 13, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had launched ''Dilli ki Yogashala''. At present, 61 yoga instructors are conducting yoga sessions under ''Dilli Ki Yogshala'' at 65 places across Delhi. Sisodia said, ''Demand for this type of yoga session is rising and it is clear that people want trained yoga instructors to teach them the correct form of yoga.'' (ANI) At least 35 civilians burned alive by Burmese army on Christmas Eve Myanmars ruling military burned alive at least 35 internally displaced people, including elders, women and children, in a village in eastern Kayah State on Christmas Eve, according to human rights groups. The Karenni Human Rights Group said it discovered the victims' bodies on Saturday, the day after the massacre near the Mo So village of Hpruso town. We were so shocked at seeing that all the dead bodies were different sizes, including children, women and old people, a commander from the Karenni National Defense Force, one of the largest of several civilian militias opposing the junta that led to a Feb. 1 coup, told Reuters. I went to see this morning. I saw dead bodies that had been burned, and also the clothes of children and women spread around, a local villager was quoted as saying. The international aid group Save the Children said two of its staffers were missing in that massacre, adding that it was suspending operations in that region in Myanmar, previously known as Burma, NPR reported. The military, also known as Tatmadaw, admitted it shot and killed an unspecified number of terrorists with weapons from the KNDF in the village, adding that the people were in seven vehicles and did not stop for the military, Reuters added. The presence of the Buddhist nationalist military makes civilians and militias in conflict-ridden states nervous. The military has been accused of damaging places of worship and civilians homes, raping girls and women, abducting civilians to be used for forced labor and executing civilians. Myanmars ethnic minorities, including Christians, live in the various conflict zones across the countrys borders with Thailand, China and India. Hundreds of thousands of civilians, many of them Christians, have been displaced due to the escalation of conflicts in the zones since the military coup on Feb. 1. Militias in those areas have been supporting pro-democracy protesters since the coup, which has led to the use of heavy weapons by the Myanmar army. Thousands of civilians in the conflict zones have sought shelter in churches when their villages are under attack. Today the 25th of December, Christmas Day, is an important day of celebration and peace for the world. However, today the genocidal junta made their choice to say clearly that peace is..., tweeted Dr. Sasa, who is Union Minister of the Ministry of International Cooperation, Spokesperson of the National Unity Government of Myanmar and the Myanmar Special Envoy to the United Nations. These acts clearly constitute the worst crimes against humanity and we expect that all peoples and governments the world over should condemn these acts, he said in a statement. With the condemnation, however, should come a commitment that these criminals be brought to justice and held fully accountable for their actions. According to the KHRG, at least 651 houses, six churches and at least one clinic in Kayah state, also known as Karenni, were destroyed between May 21 and Dec. 20, the U.K.-based group Christian Solidarity Worldwide said in a statement. From June to May, at least eight churches were damaged in 30 days in the Kayah and Shan states. According to Radio Free Asia, five civilians sheltering inside the churches were killed. In May, four civilians were reportedly killed and around eight others were injured when security forces fired artillery shells at a Catholic church in the Kayah state. Myanmar is ranked No. 18 on Open Doors USAs 2021 World Watch List of 50 countries where Christians face the most severe persecution. The persecution level in Myanmar is very high due to Buddhist nationalism. Burma is recognized by the U.S. State Department as a country of particular concern for egregious violations of religious liberty. Delhi Government on Saturday said that it will provide free customised online yoga classes for COVID patients in home isolation. "Immunity booster yoga along with medical treatment will help them recover fast," Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said while interacting with the yoga instructors of Dilli Ki Yogshala today. In this interaction, Yoga instructors shared their experiences with the Deputy CM and told how yoga has helped them change their lives, and now the lives of residents. Reacting to it, Manish Sisodia said, ''Yoga has the magical power of healing all kinds of ailments. Thus, those suffering from COVID need yoga the most. It is seen that the number of COVID patients are rising in Delhi, but they are mostly asymptomatic and are being advised to stay in home isolation.'' ''Thus, along with medical treatment, we will help them boost their immunity through online yoga sessions. Slots for the same will be released soon,'' he added. While directing the officials the Deputy CM said, ''Prepare the plan of action soon. As soon as a case of COVID will be reported, the patient will receive an SMS from the Delhi government with a link to register for classes." "Thereafter, a link to the classes will be shared with them regularly. Each class will have about 25-35 people, who will be taught yoga by the best-trained yoga instructors of Delhi. People can choose their slot and they will be given classes as per their requirement,'' he added. Sisodia further said that yoga in India has a history of thousands of years, and researchers spent many years working on its technicalities and has made the human body a moving laboratory. "We can't let this effort go to waste. So whenever Delhi residents will need a yoga instructor, they will be just a call away. ''Dilli ki Yogashala'' will bring this yoga revolution to the capital,'' he said. Notably, on December 13, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had launched ''Dilli ki Yogashala''. At present, 61 yoga instructors are conducting yoga sessions under ''Dilli Ki Yogshala'' at 65 places across Delhi. Sisodia said, ''Demand for this type of yoga session is rising and it is clear that people want trained yoga instructors to teach them the correct form of yoga.'' (ANI) In 1923, Kevin OHiggins, then the Minister for Home Affairs described the Dail courts, Republican courts or Sinn Fein courts, which had been abolished in 1922, as an improvised system of justice that: was forged more as a weapon against the British administration in exceptional times and exceptional circumstances than as a definite system which would meet and answer the needs of normal times. I am meeting one of County Leitrims illustrious sons, Noel McPartland, whose grandfather, John McPartland, was a judge in those courts. He was a judge from 1918 until the Civil War started. It would have been illegal in terms of the English system. They would be court-marshalling some fella for something and he would be the judge at that particular trial, signing documents and all that. He supported the cause right up to the treaty. He was anti-treaty. Later he worked as a haulier, mainly collecting and delivering coal from the Arigna coal mines. The McPartlands opened their newsagents and confectionery shop in Drumshanbo in 1885 and kept it going until 1994 with Noels mum running it until she was 90. It became one of the casualties of the Black and Tans visit to the town, however, when they burned it out in 1922. My father, Hubert, worked in the shop but he was also a hackney driver and the Black and Tans heard that he had driven some of the local IRA fellows to a meeting in Ballinamore. The front door, which was also the entrance to our house, was blown in, they destroyed the stock and set fire to the shop. The attack happened at night, the family were all in bed but they got out safely as the fire was confined to the shop. Of course there was no fire brigade at that time, it was the bucket brigade. Buckets of water put the fire out. They also damaged my fathers car, which was also his livelihood. But the Black and Tans didnt stop with the McPartlands shop, going on to burn several premises in the town. They burned a house up the road near the church, a man who was very involved in the IRA. They burned his house to the ground, and almost burned the occupants as well but they were got out on time. They were completely uncontrollable. People were very much afraid of them. They were the dregs of an army that was sent over here. They went around and abused people, beat people up for no reason, and that was everywhere, not just Drumshanbo. Noel McPartland spent 5 years in the US Army My father was on de Valeras side. Dev gave a great speech here in 1932, I have a film of it. It was during the 1932 election. My father was a de Valera man all his life. Afterwards, Hubert and another man from the local cumann, Willie Moran, were delegates at the treaty talks in the Mansion House in Dublin. Then Hubert married a local girl, Bridie, who had emigrated to America in 1925. She visited home in 1927 and met Hubert and returned for good in 1930. When they married in the Pro Cathedral in Dublin they moved in and ran the shop. They had six children, three girls and then three boys. Moira, 90, is a St Louis nun in California; Frances is 88 and living in New York, and the youngest sister, Rosalie, died in 2017. Then we have the three boys Noel and Sean (Im a twin) (sadly, Sean passed away on September 17 this year), and the youngest, Ronnie. Because my mother and a lot of her brothers emigrated in the 1800s and early 1900s, my mother always thought the answer to everything, especially living in Leitrim in those tough days, was to get them off to America. Educate them and send them to America! And Hubert had the unenviable task of driving most of his children, one after another, to the boat in Cobh, County Cork, or later to Shannon airport as they emigrated to America. Moira went first, she went out there on the missions. After Sean did his Leaving Cert in St Mels in Longford (thats where we attended boarding school), he went to America in 1956. I stayed on here for another couple of years doing different jobs, and then I emigrated in 1958; I went to Chicago and then on to New York. My younger brother, Ronnie, lives in Howth hes a retired Aer Lingus pilot. He went to school in the Franciscan college in Gormanstown, County Meath. His class was the first class in it when it opened. The school had been located in Multyfarnham in County Westmeath, but they bought this place and he was in the first class in about 1954. Noel remembers his parents as a great couple, very religious, very into their family. We had a good childhood, even during the tough years. My mother didnt suffer fools gladly, now; she didnt like anyone who was trying to pull a fast one. She was a very tough lady. She had to be. Noel completed his Leaving Certificate and started his working life in 1951 as a junior assistant master around Drumshanbo. Back then, women had to retire from teaching when they married, so there were plenty of opportunities for a young, newly qualified teacher in the local schools. Noel was living at home with his parents at the time and he remembers one particular night very well. We were listening to the radio, it was Radio Luxembourg, and there was a knock on the shop door. It was one of the coal miners from Arigna, in his twenties, but a big man. Come on, he said to me, and we walked up the street. We got into a car and travelled to the home of another miner where our job was to collect gelignite that had been taken from the mine. I was sweating! He opened the boot of a car and there were five or six sticks of gelignite in a bag. I immediately asked what would happen if we were stopped on the way home. Dont worry about it, he said. When Noel returned home, the door was locked and he had no key. His father was sitting up waiting for him. Where were you? he asked me. Up the town, I replied. Then he gave me a slap on the side of my face and sent me spinning into the shop. I got caught up with these guys and my father saw and he knew who they were. Then I told him what I had been doing and thank God I told him. He gave me the best advice ever. He said, If youre caught with those guys again, you may go to jail, but you will never come back here. That woke me up. He had been through it all in the twenties; he had seen it all. He wasnt a man to talk an awful lot about those things. Noel had already been introduced to the IRA through his friends brother but he says their main interest was in having access to a car! He recalls the evening he was introduced to John Joe McGirl in a pub in Ballinamore. I remember walking into the pub and the place was packed. My friends brother introduced the two of us as two men who wouldnt be afraid to shoulder a gun. We just looked at one another our interest was in the car! After the meeting we went to a marquee dance in Mohill. Later, we got involved in the 1957 general election and we canvassed for McGirl, who topped the poll. Noel says feelings were very high following the killing of Sean South and Fergal OHanlon on New Years Day in Brookeborough. The two were part of an IRA military column that planned to blow up an RUC barracks in the town. But it was a botched operation, and in the ensuing gun battle South and OHanlon were shot dead by the police. Noel still has his fathers ledgers. He was a man of few words. When Noel and his twin brother were born in the Rotunda hospital in Dublin in 1936, the ledger entry is simply Dublin with Mother and on his return to Drumshanbo three days later, Drumshanbo with Mother. No mention of the twins! Noel says they had a good childhood but he and his twin hated school. School was really a jail. Sean and myself were sent to boarding school in Longford, and we were noted renegades. Their parents would send them to boarding school for the three months coming up to Christmas to get rid of us; we would go in September until Christmas Eve and then return home. Noels own American odyssey included working in the Hilton hotel in Chicago and being drafted into the US army around the time of the Cuban crisis; he spent five years in the military. After boarding school, he says, the American army was like a holiday! He spent 30 years working for Lairds Jams in Drumshanbo and was named Leitrim Person of the Year in 2019 for his work in supporting the development of the old site into The Food Hub and the establishment of The Shed, home of Gunpowder Gin and the first distillery to open in Connacht in over a century. Independence Memories: A Peoples Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation By Valerie Cox. Published by Hachette Ireland in Trade Paperback and eBook / 14.99. In 1923, Kevin OHiggins, then the Minister for Home Affairs described the Dail courts, Republican courts or Sinn Fein courts, which had been abolished in 1922, as an improvised system of justice that: was forged more as a weapon against the British administration in exceptional times and exceptional circumstances than as a definite system which would meet and answer the needs of normal times. I am meeting one of County Leitrims illustrious sons, Noel McPartland, whose grandfather, John McPartland, was a judge in those courts. He was a judge from 1918 until the Civil War started. It would have been illegal in terms of the English system. They would be court-marshalling some fella for something and he would be the judge at that particular trial, signing documents and all that. He supported the cause right up to the treaty. He was anti-treaty. Later he worked as a haulier, mainly collecting and delivering coal from the Arigna coal mines. The McPartlands opened their newsagents and confectionery shop in Drumshanbo in 1885 and kept it going until 1994 with Noels mum running it until she was 90. It became one of the casualties of the Black and Tans visit to the town, however, when they burned it out in 1922. My father, Hubert, worked in the shop but he was also a hackney driver and the Black and Tans heard that he had driven some of the local IRA fellows to a meeting in Ballinamore. The front door, which was also the entrance to our house, was blown in, they destroyed the stock and set fire to the shop. The attack happened at night, the family were all in bed but they got out safely as the fire was confined to the shop. Of course there was no fire brigade at that time, it was the bucket brigade. Buckets of water put the fire out. They also damaged my fathers car, which was also his livelihood. But the Black and Tans didnt stop with the McPartlands shop, going on to burn several premises in the town. They burned a house up the road near the church, a man who was very involved in the IRA. They burned his house to the ground, and almost burned the occupants as well but they were got out on time. They were completely uncontrollable. People were very much afraid of them. They were the dregs of an army that was sent over here. They went around and abused people, beat people up for no reason, and that was everywhere, not just Drumshanbo. Noel McPartland spent 5 years in the US Army My father was on de Valeras side. Dev gave a great speech here in 1932, I have a film of it. It was during the 1932 election. My father was a de Valera man all his life. Afterwards, Hubert and another man from the local cumann, Willie Moran, were delegates at the treaty talks in the Mansion House in Dublin. Then Hubert married a local girl, Bridie, who had emigrated to America in 1925. She visited home in 1927 and met Hubert and returned for good in 1930. When they married in the Pro Cathedral in Dublin they moved in and ran the shop. They had six children, three girls and then three boys. Moira, 90, is a St Louis nun in California; Frances is 88 and living in New York, and the youngest sister, Rosalie, died in 2017. Then we have the three boys Noel and Sean (Im a twin) (sadly, Sean passed away on September 17 this year), and the youngest, Ronnie. Because my mother and a lot of her brothers emigrated in the 1800s and early 1900s, my mother always thought the answer to everything, especially living in Leitrim in those tough days, was to get them off to America. Educate them and send them to America! And Hubert had the unenviable task of driving most of his children, one after another, to the boat in Cobh, County Cork, or later to Shannon airport as they emigrated to America. Moira went first, she went out there on the missions. After Sean did his Leaving Cert in St Mels in Longford (thats where we attended boarding school), he went to America in 1956. I stayed on here for another couple of years doing different jobs, and then I emigrated in 1958; I went to Chicago and then on to New York. My younger brother, Ronnie, lives in Howth hes a retired Aer Lingus pilot. He went to school in the Franciscan college in Gormanstown, County Meath. His class was the first class in it when it opened. The school had been located in Multyfarnham in County Westmeath, but they bought this place and he was in the first class in about 1954. Noel remembers his parents as a great couple, very religious, very into their family. We had a good childhood, even during the tough years. My mother didnt suffer fools gladly, now; she didnt like anyone who was trying to pull a fast one. She was a very tough lady. She had to be. Noel completed his Leaving Certificate and started his working life in 1951 as a junior assistant master around Drumshanbo. Back then, women had to retire from teaching when they married, so there were plenty of opportunities for a young, newly qualified teacher in the local schools. Noel was living at home with his parents at the time and he remembers one particular night very well. We were listening to the radio, it was Radio Luxembourg, and there was a knock on the shop door. It was one of the coal miners from Arigna, in his twenties, but a big man. Come on, he said to me, and we walked up the street. We got into a car and travelled to the home of another miner where our job was to collect gelignite that had been taken from the mine. I was sweating! He opened the boot of a car and there were five or six sticks of gelignite in a bag. I immediately asked what would happen if we were stopped on the way home. Dont worry about it, he said. When Noel returned home, the door was locked and he had no key. His father was sitting up waiting for him. Where were you? he asked me. Up the town, I replied. Then he gave me a slap on the side of my face and sent me spinning into the shop. I got caught up with these guys and my father saw and he knew who they were. Then I told him what I had been doing and thank God I told him. He gave me the best advice ever. He said, If youre caught with those guys again, you may go to jail, but you will never come back here. That woke me up. He had been through it all in the twenties; he had seen it all. He wasnt a man to talk an awful lot about those things. Noel had already been introduced to the IRA through his friends brother but he says their main interest was in having access to a car! He recalls the evening he was introduced to John Joe McGirl in a pub in Ballinamore. I remember walking into the pub and the place was packed. My friends brother introduced the two of us as two men who wouldnt be afraid to shoulder a gun. We just looked at one another our interest was in the car! After the meeting we went to a marquee dance in Mohill. Later, we got involved in the 1957 general election and we canvassed for McGirl, who topped the poll. Noel says feelings were very high following the killing of Sean South and Fergal OHanlon on New Years Day in Brookeborough. The two were part of an IRA military column that planned to blow up an RUC barracks in the town. But it was a botched operation, and in the ensuing gun battle South and OHanlon were shot dead by the police. Noel still has his fathers ledgers. He was a man of few words. When Noel and his twin brother were born in the Rotunda hospital in Dublin in 1936, the ledger entry is simply Dublin with Mother and on his return to Drumshanbo three days later, Drumshanbo with Mother. No mention of the twins! Noel says they had a good childhood but he and his twin hated school. School was really a jail. Sean and myself were sent to boarding school in Longford, and we were noted renegades. Their parents would send them to boarding school for the three months coming up to Christmas to get rid of us; we would go in September until Christmas Eve and then return home. Noels own American odyssey included working in the Hilton hotel in Chicago and being drafted into the US army around the time of the Cuban crisis; he spent five years in the military. After boarding school, he says, the American army was like a holiday! He spent 30 years working for Lairds Jams in Drumshanbo and was named Leitrim Person of the Year in 2019 for his work in supporting the development of the old site into The Food Hub and the establishment of The Shed, home of Gunpowder Gin and the first distillery to open in Connacht in over a century. Independence Memories: A Peoples Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation By Valerie Cox. Published by Hachette Ireland in Trade Paperback and eBook / 14.99. In 1923, Kevin OHiggins, then the Minister for Home Affairs described the Dail courts, Republican courts or Sinn Fein courts, which had been abolished in 1922, as an improvised system of justice that: was forged more as a weapon against the British administration in exceptional times and exceptional circumstances than as a definite system which would meet and answer the needs of normal times. I am meeting one of County Leitrims illustrious sons, Noel McPartland, whose grandfather, John McPartland, was a judge in those courts. He was a judge from 1918 until the Civil War started. It would have been illegal in terms of the English system. They would be court-marshalling some fella for something and he would be the judge at that particular trial, signing documents and all that. He supported the cause right up to the treaty. He was anti-treaty. Later he worked as a haulier, mainly collecting and delivering coal from the Arigna coal mines. The McPartlands opened their newsagents and confectionery shop in Drumshanbo in 1885 and kept it going until 1994 with Noels mum running it until she was 90. It became one of the casualties of the Black and Tans visit to the town, however, when they burned it out in 1922. My father, Hubert, worked in the shop but he was also a hackney driver and the Black and Tans heard that he had driven some of the local IRA fellows to a meeting in Ballinamore. The front door, which was also the entrance to our house, was blown in, they destroyed the stock and set fire to the shop. The attack happened at night, the family were all in bed but they got out safely as the fire was confined to the shop. Of course there was no fire brigade at that time, it was the bucket brigade. Buckets of water put the fire out. They also damaged my fathers car, which was also his livelihood. But the Black and Tans didnt stop with the McPartlands shop, going on to burn several premises in the town. They burned a house up the road near the church, a man who was very involved in the IRA. They burned his house to the ground, and almost burned the occupants as well but they were got out on time. They were completely uncontrollable. People were very much afraid of them. They were the dregs of an army that was sent over here. They went around and abused people, beat people up for no reason, and that was everywhere, not just Drumshanbo. Noel McPartland spent 5 years in the US Army My father was on de Valeras side. Dev gave a great speech here in 1932, I have a film of it. It was during the 1932 election. My father was a de Valera man all his life. Afterwards, Hubert and another man from the local cumann, Willie Moran, were delegates at the treaty talks in the Mansion House in Dublin. Then Hubert married a local girl, Bridie, who had emigrated to America in 1925. She visited home in 1927 and met Hubert and returned for good in 1930. When they married in the Pro Cathedral in Dublin they moved in and ran the shop. They had six children, three girls and then three boys. Moira, 90, is a St Louis nun in California; Frances is 88 and living in New York, and the youngest sister, Rosalie, died in 2017. Then we have the three boys Noel and Sean (Im a twin) (sadly, Sean passed away on September 17 this year), and the youngest, Ronnie. Because my mother and a lot of her brothers emigrated in the 1800s and early 1900s, my mother always thought the answer to everything, especially living in Leitrim in those tough days, was to get them off to America. Educate them and send them to America! And Hubert had the unenviable task of driving most of his children, one after another, to the boat in Cobh, County Cork, or later to Shannon airport as they emigrated to America. Moira went first, she went out there on the missions. After Sean did his Leaving Cert in St Mels in Longford (thats where we attended boarding school), he went to America in 1956. I stayed on here for another couple of years doing different jobs, and then I emigrated in 1958; I went to Chicago and then on to New York. My younger brother, Ronnie, lives in Howth hes a retired Aer Lingus pilot. He went to school in the Franciscan college in Gormanstown, County Meath. His class was the first class in it when it opened. The school had been located in Multyfarnham in County Westmeath, but they bought this place and he was in the first class in about 1954. Noel remembers his parents as a great couple, very religious, very into their family. We had a good childhood, even during the tough years. My mother didnt suffer fools gladly, now; she didnt like anyone who was trying to pull a fast one. She was a very tough lady. She had to be. Noel completed his Leaving Certificate and started his working life in 1951 as a junior assistant master around Drumshanbo. Back then, women had to retire from teaching when they married, so there were plenty of opportunities for a young, newly qualified teacher in the local schools. Noel was living at home with his parents at the time and he remembers one particular night very well. We were listening to the radio, it was Radio Luxembourg, and there was a knock on the shop door. It was one of the coal miners from Arigna, in his twenties, but a big man. Come on, he said to me, and we walked up the street. We got into a car and travelled to the home of another miner where our job was to collect gelignite that had been taken from the mine. I was sweating! He opened the boot of a car and there were five or six sticks of gelignite in a bag. I immediately asked what would happen if we were stopped on the way home. Dont worry about it, he said. When Noel returned home, the door was locked and he had no key. His father was sitting up waiting for him. Where were you? he asked me. Up the town, I replied. Then he gave me a slap on the side of my face and sent me spinning into the shop. I got caught up with these guys and my father saw and he knew who they were. Then I told him what I had been doing and thank God I told him. He gave me the best advice ever. He said, If youre caught with those guys again, you may go to jail, but you will never come back here. That woke me up. He had been through it all in the twenties; he had seen it all. He wasnt a man to talk an awful lot about those things. Noel had already been introduced to the IRA through his friends brother but he says their main interest was in having access to a car! He recalls the evening he was introduced to John Joe McGirl in a pub in Ballinamore. I remember walking into the pub and the place was packed. My friends brother introduced the two of us as two men who wouldnt be afraid to shoulder a gun. We just looked at one another our interest was in the car! After the meeting we went to a marquee dance in Mohill. Later, we got involved in the 1957 general election and we canvassed for McGirl, who topped the poll. Noel says feelings were very high following the killing of Sean South and Fergal OHanlon on New Years Day in Brookeborough. The two were part of an IRA military column that planned to blow up an RUC barracks in the town. But it was a botched operation, and in the ensuing gun battle South and OHanlon were shot dead by the police. Noel still has his fathers ledgers. He was a man of few words. When Noel and his twin brother were born in the Rotunda hospital in Dublin in 1936, the ledger entry is simply Dublin with Mother and on his return to Drumshanbo three days later, Drumshanbo with Mother. No mention of the twins! Noel says they had a good childhood but he and his twin hated school. School was really a jail. Sean and myself were sent to boarding school in Longford, and we were noted renegades. Their parents would send them to boarding school for the three months coming up to Christmas to get rid of us; we would go in September until Christmas Eve and then return home. Noels own American odyssey included working in the Hilton hotel in Chicago and being drafted into the US army around the time of the Cuban crisis; he spent five years in the military. After boarding school, he says, the American army was like a holiday! He spent 30 years working for Lairds Jams in Drumshanbo and was named Leitrim Person of the Year in 2019 for his work in supporting the development of the old site into The Food Hub and the establishment of The Shed, home of Gunpowder Gin and the first distillery to open in Connacht in over a century. Independence Memories: A Peoples Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation By Valerie Cox. Published by Hachette Ireland in Trade Paperback and eBook / 14.99. In 1923, Kevin OHiggins, then the Minister for Home Affairs described the Dail courts, Republican courts or Sinn Fein courts, which had been abolished in 1922, as an improvised system of justice that: was forged more as a weapon against the British administration in exceptional times and exceptional circumstances than as a definite system which would meet and answer the needs of normal times. I am meeting one of County Leitrims illustrious sons, Noel McPartland, whose grandfather, John McPartland, was a judge in those courts. He was a judge from 1918 until the Civil War started. It would have been illegal in terms of the English system. They would be court-marshalling some fella for something and he would be the judge at that particular trial, signing documents and all that. He supported the cause right up to the treaty. He was anti-treaty. Later he worked as a haulier, mainly collecting and delivering coal from the Arigna coal mines. The McPartlands opened their newsagents and confectionery shop in Drumshanbo in 1885 and kept it going until 1994 with Noels mum running it until she was 90. It became one of the casualties of the Black and Tans visit to the town, however, when they burned it out in 1922. My father, Hubert, worked in the shop but he was also a hackney driver and the Black and Tans heard that he had driven some of the local IRA fellows to a meeting in Ballinamore. The front door, which was also the entrance to our house, was blown in, they destroyed the stock and set fire to the shop. The attack happened at night, the family were all in bed but they got out safely as the fire was confined to the shop. Of course there was no fire brigade at that time, it was the bucket brigade. Buckets of water put the fire out. They also damaged my fathers car, which was also his livelihood. But the Black and Tans didnt stop with the McPartlands shop, going on to burn several premises in the town. They burned a house up the road near the church, a man who was very involved in the IRA. They burned his house to the ground, and almost burned the occupants as well but they were got out on time. They were completely uncontrollable. People were very much afraid of them. They were the dregs of an army that was sent over here. They went around and abused people, beat people up for no reason, and that was everywhere, not just Drumshanbo. Noel McPartland spent 5 years in the US Army My father was on de Valeras side. Dev gave a great speech here in 1932, I have a film of it. It was during the 1932 election. My father was a de Valera man all his life. Afterwards, Hubert and another man from the local cumann, Willie Moran, were delegates at the treaty talks in the Mansion House in Dublin. Then Hubert married a local girl, Bridie, who had emigrated to America in 1925. She visited home in 1927 and met Hubert and returned for good in 1930. When they married in the Pro Cathedral in Dublin they moved in and ran the shop. They had six children, three girls and then three boys. Moira, 90, is a St Louis nun in California; Frances is 88 and living in New York, and the youngest sister, Rosalie, died in 2017. Then we have the three boys Noel and Sean (Im a twin) (sadly, Sean passed away on September 17 this year), and the youngest, Ronnie. Because my mother and a lot of her brothers emigrated in the 1800s and early 1900s, my mother always thought the answer to everything, especially living in Leitrim in those tough days, was to get them off to America. Educate them and send them to America! And Hubert had the unenviable task of driving most of his children, one after another, to the boat in Cobh, County Cork, or later to Shannon airport as they emigrated to America. Moira went first, she went out there on the missions. After Sean did his Leaving Cert in St Mels in Longford (thats where we attended boarding school), he went to America in 1956. I stayed on here for another couple of years doing different jobs, and then I emigrated in 1958; I went to Chicago and then on to New York. My younger brother, Ronnie, lives in Howth hes a retired Aer Lingus pilot. He went to school in the Franciscan college in Gormanstown, County Meath. His class was the first class in it when it opened. The school had been located in Multyfarnham in County Westmeath, but they bought this place and he was in the first class in about 1954. Noel remembers his parents as a great couple, very religious, very into their family. We had a good childhood, even during the tough years. My mother didnt suffer fools gladly, now; she didnt like anyone who was trying to pull a fast one. She was a very tough lady. She had to be. Noel completed his Leaving Certificate and started his working life in 1951 as a junior assistant master around Drumshanbo. Back then, women had to retire from teaching when they married, so there were plenty of opportunities for a young, newly qualified teacher in the local schools. Noel was living at home with his parents at the time and he remembers one particular night very well. We were listening to the radio, it was Radio Luxembourg, and there was a knock on the shop door. It was one of the coal miners from Arigna, in his twenties, but a big man. Come on, he said to me, and we walked up the street. We got into a car and travelled to the home of another miner where our job was to collect gelignite that had been taken from the mine. I was sweating! He opened the boot of a car and there were five or six sticks of gelignite in a bag. I immediately asked what would happen if we were stopped on the way home. Dont worry about it, he said. When Noel returned home, the door was locked and he had no key. His father was sitting up waiting for him. Where were you? he asked me. Up the town, I replied. Then he gave me a slap on the side of my face and sent me spinning into the shop. I got caught up with these guys and my father saw and he knew who they were. Then I told him what I had been doing and thank God I told him. He gave me the best advice ever. He said, If youre caught with those guys again, you may go to jail, but you will never come back here. That woke me up. He had been through it all in the twenties; he had seen it all. He wasnt a man to talk an awful lot about those things. Noel had already been introduced to the IRA through his friends brother but he says their main interest was in having access to a car! He recalls the evening he was introduced to John Joe McGirl in a pub in Ballinamore. I remember walking into the pub and the place was packed. My friends brother introduced the two of us as two men who wouldnt be afraid to shoulder a gun. We just looked at one another our interest was in the car! After the meeting we went to a marquee dance in Mohill. Later, we got involved in the 1957 general election and we canvassed for McGirl, who topped the poll. Noel says feelings were very high following the killing of Sean South and Fergal OHanlon on New Years Day in Brookeborough. The two were part of an IRA military column that planned to blow up an RUC barracks in the town. But it was a botched operation, and in the ensuing gun battle South and OHanlon were shot dead by the police. Noel still has his fathers ledgers. He was a man of few words. When Noel and his twin brother were born in the Rotunda hospital in Dublin in 1936, the ledger entry is simply Dublin with Mother and on his return to Drumshanbo three days later, Drumshanbo with Mother. No mention of the twins! Noel says they had a good childhood but he and his twin hated school. School was really a jail. Sean and myself were sent to boarding school in Longford, and we were noted renegades. Their parents would send them to boarding school for the three months coming up to Christmas to get rid of us; we would go in September until Christmas Eve and then return home. Noels own American odyssey included working in the Hilton hotel in Chicago and being drafted into the US army around the time of the Cuban crisis; he spent five years in the military. After boarding school, he says, the American army was like a holiday! He spent 30 years working for Lairds Jams in Drumshanbo and was named Leitrim Person of the Year in 2019 for his work in supporting the development of the old site into The Food Hub and the establishment of The Shed, home of Gunpowder Gin and the first distillery to open in Connacht in over a century. Independence Memories: A Peoples Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation By Valerie Cox. Published by Hachette Ireland in Trade Paperback and eBook / 14.99. Confidential records of meetings and phone conversations between Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair reveal the close relationship the pair had before and after the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. The records from the Irish state archives show how the Taoiseach and the British prime minister talked regularly, speaking candidly about everything from frustrations with political parties in Northern Ireland to inclement summer weather. In the days leading up to the Good Friday Agreement, Mr Blair and Mr Ahern communicated constantly even as the Fianna Fail leader rushed between Dublin and Hillsborough following the death of his mother. In one exchange that week, Mr Blair says: I know obviously you have got your mother's funeral tomorrow, havent you. Mr Ahern says: Yes, well it actually goes to the Church tonight, this is our problem. But anyway when are you thinking, have you made up your mind what time you are going Tony, or have you made up your mind yet? The prime minister responds: I wanted to talk to you frankly before I did it. Later, Mr Ahern tells the Labour leader: Well lets have a crack Tony. It was always going to come down to this. It was Im afraid and Im so sorry for you. You dont wan [sic] to be thinking about it tonight and tomorrow morning, Mr Blair replies. Mr Ahern tells him: Its okay she, no better woman, she would want to see me trying to solve the problem. One conversation in July between the pair sees Mr Blair tell the Taoiseach: Im fine but Im desperate for my holiday. And we havent had a Summer here at all. Mr Ahern responds: It is absolutely disastrous, this week its just been torrential rain here and its lashing rain now and the weather for the next four or five days is rain. Mr Blair tells him he thinks people are blaming the government for the bad weather. Mr Ahern tells him: Well its natural we get blamed anyway. That conversation, one among dozens recorded as the Irish and British governments worked to deliver a peace settlement in Northern Ireland, reveals the level of co-operation and closeness between the two leaders. During one call, Mr Ahern told Mr Blair: I am doing a European lunch of journalists today Tony, its a speech and then its a questions and answers so needless to say the whole bloody thing is going to be on the North, because its European journalists all your guys are there. In terms of you know not saying anything wrong or being helpful, if I say I have been, you know we have been in touch again this morning at this stage, you would rather me not say that you are trying in any initiative. On a call between the two leaders in 1998, Mr Ahern asks about a recent trip to China. Yes, well I can tell you, Id say theres bugs everywhere. We had a very funny experience because I couldnt work the TV you see, so we were talking about trying to work this TV. So we went out said nothing to nobody, we came back and this guy was in there helping us to operate the TV. In other exchanges, the leaders compared notes on how conversations were going with key figures in negotiations including former Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams. Confidential records of meetings and phone conversations between Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair reveal the close relationship the pair had before and after the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. The records from the Irish state archives show how the Taoiseach and the British prime minister talked regularly, speaking candidly about everything from frustrations with political parties in Northern Ireland to inclement summer weather. In the days leading up to the Good Friday Agreement, Mr Blair and Mr Ahern communicated constantly even as the Fianna Fail leader rushed between Dublin and Hillsborough following the death of his mother. In one exchange that week, Mr Blair says: I know obviously you have got your mother's funeral tomorrow, havent you. Mr Ahern says: Yes, well it actually goes to the Church tonight, this is our problem. But anyway when are you thinking, have you made up your mind what time you are going Tony, or have you made up your mind yet? The prime minister responds: I wanted to talk to you frankly before I did it. Later, Mr Ahern tells the Labour leader: Well lets have a crack Tony. It was always going to come down to this. It was Im afraid and Im so sorry for you. You dont wan [sic] to be thinking about it tonight and tomorrow morning, Mr Blair replies. Mr Ahern tells him: Its okay she, no better woman, she would want to see me trying to solve the problem. One conversation in July between the pair sees Mr Blair tell the Taoiseach: Im fine but Im desperate for my holiday. And we havent had a Summer here at all. Mr Ahern responds: It is absolutely disastrous, this week its just been torrential rain here and its lashing rain now and the weather for the next four or five days is rain. Mr Blair tells him he thinks people are blaming the government for the bad weather. Mr Ahern tells him: Well its natural we get blamed anyway. That conversation, one among dozens recorded as the Irish and British governments worked to deliver a peace settlement in Northern Ireland, reveals the level of co-operation and closeness between the two leaders. During one call, Mr Ahern told Mr Blair: I am doing a European lunch of journalists today Tony, its a speech and then its a questions and answers so needless to say the whole bloody thing is going to be on the North, because its European journalists all your guys are there. In terms of you know not saying anything wrong or being helpful, if I say I have been, you know we have been in touch again this morning at this stage, you would rather me not say that you are trying in any initiative. On a call between the two leaders in 1998, Mr Ahern asks about a recent trip to China. Yes, well I can tell you, Id say theres bugs everywhere. We had a very funny experience because I couldnt work the TV you see, so we were talking about trying to work this TV. So we went out said nothing to nobody, we came back and this guy was in there helping us to operate the TV. In other exchanges, the leaders compared notes on how conversations were going with key figures in negotiations including former Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams. DECATUR The city's COVID-19 rent relief program would get a $300,000 boost under a proposal to be considered by the city council on Monday. The ordinance would amend the city's contract with Decatur-based social service agency Dove Inc., which has administered the relief program on the city's behalf since August 2021, from $450,000 to $750,000. The agreement would utilize funds the city received from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan signed by President Joe Biden in March 2021. So far, 160 Decatur families have received help with rent, mortgage and utility payments to the tune of $414,793, or about $2,592 per family, through the program. About 300 applications have been denied, with most due to the lack of required paperwork, inability to prove hardship or lack of follow-up. "We are continuing to see a need," said Dove executive director Tammy Wilcox in a memo to city council. "Particularly for the working family that has to stay at home with their children because of COVID exposure or due to having COVID. We see families who live paycheck to paycheck, so losing even a weeks income puts them behind." Assistant city manager Jon Kindseth said Dove "had already received applications that had exceeded the amount of resources that they had to fund and they came to us probably two weeks ago" asking for more resources. The relatively fast pace funds are going out the door is a change from earlier in 2021, when "very difficult compliance requirements" attached to the funds resulted in few dollars getting into the hands of those who need it most. However, the council voted earlier this year to shift the funding source from Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant funds to monies received under the ARP, which allows for greater flexibility. The amount dedicated towards the program is just a small fraction of the nearly $17 million the city received in COVID-19 stimulus funds in 2021. Much of the rest is earmarked for infrastructure projects and neighborhood revitalization initiatives. The city will receive additional $17 million in 2022. The application for rental assistance can be downloaded at https://doveinc.org/information/city-decatur-cdbg-cv-funding. Also Monday, the council will likely deem seven properties, including the former Walrus Manufacturing Co. warehouse, 650 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, "dangerous and unsafe," the first step towards their likely demolitions. Portions of the four-story warehouse were in rubble in late October when an exterior wall started to collapse. This led to a lengthy closure of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive as that portion was demolished. Kindseth said that the entire building likely "needs to be demolished" and is "slightly beyond salvaging at this point." "The structural failure that happened on the west side of the building is likely going to happen to the rest of the building sometime in the future," Kindseth said. "I think the owner and the structural engineer were already aware of it, but this is our way to make sure that it doesn't get stalled out anywhere else in the process," he said. Structures that end up on the "unsafe" list typically get demolished within six months, though it often depends on funding levels. The demolition could cost upwards of $1 million, Kindseth said. That responsibility will likely lay with the property owner. In 2020, the building was listed by the History of the Heartland as one of the "Top Eight Most Endangered Non-residential Structures List." The structure was built in 1904. Robert Faries began the Walrus Manufacturing Company, building and installing equipment for soda fountains used in drug stores throughout the country. By the 1950s, the industry had changed, leading the Walrus Manufacturing Company to change products, such as making coffins. After Walrus Manufacturing closed, the building was filled by Cash Acme, the successor to A.W. Cash Valve. Other properties added to the demolition list include 2461 E. Eldorado, 1196 W. Green, 426 W. Olive, 884 W. Packard, 1442 N. Union and 555 W. William. Also Monday, the council will consider an ordinance that would increase in the annual per machine fee paid by video gaming terminal operators from $500 to $750. The cost would be split between terminal operators and establishments. In 1923, Kevin OHiggins, then the Minister for Home Affairs described the Dail courts, Republican courts or Sinn Fein courts, which had been abolished in 1922, as an improvised system of justice that: was forged more as a weapon against the British administration in exceptional times and exceptional circumstances than as a definite system which would meet and answer the needs of normal times. I am meeting one of County Leitrims illustrious sons, Noel McPartland, whose grandfather, John McPartland, was a judge in those courts. He was a judge from 1918 until the Civil War started. It would have been illegal in terms of the English system. They would be court-marshalling some fella for something and he would be the judge at that particular trial, signing documents and all that. He supported the cause right up to the treaty. He was anti-treaty. Later he worked as a haulier, mainly collecting and delivering coal from the Arigna coal mines. The McPartlands opened their newsagents and confectionery shop in Drumshanbo in 1885 and kept it going until 1994 with Noels mum running it until she was 90. It became one of the casualties of the Black and Tans visit to the town, however, when they burned it out in 1922. My father, Hubert, worked in the shop but he was also a hackney driver and the Black and Tans heard that he had driven some of the local IRA fellows to a meeting in Ballinamore. The front door, which was also the entrance to our house, was blown in, they destroyed the stock and set fire to the shop. The attack happened at night, the family were all in bed but they got out safely as the fire was confined to the shop. Of course there was no fire brigade at that time, it was the bucket brigade. Buckets of water put the fire out. They also damaged my fathers car, which was also his livelihood. But the Black and Tans didnt stop with the McPartlands shop, going on to burn several premises in the town. They burned a house up the road near the church, a man who was very involved in the IRA. They burned his house to the ground, and almost burned the occupants as well but they were got out on time. They were completely uncontrollable. People were very much afraid of them. They were the dregs of an army that was sent over here. They went around and abused people, beat people up for no reason, and that was everywhere, not just Drumshanbo. Noel McPartland spent 5 years in the US Army My father was on de Valeras side. Dev gave a great speech here in 1932, I have a film of it. It was during the 1932 election. My father was a de Valera man all his life. Afterwards, Hubert and another man from the local cumann, Willie Moran, were delegates at the treaty talks in the Mansion House in Dublin. Then Hubert married a local girl, Bridie, who had emigrated to America in 1925. She visited home in 1927 and met Hubert and returned for good in 1930. When they married in the Pro Cathedral in Dublin they moved in and ran the shop. They had six children, three girls and then three boys. Moira, 90, is a St Louis nun in California; Frances is 88 and living in New York, and the youngest sister, Rosalie, died in 2017. Then we have the three boys Noel and Sean (Im a twin) (sadly, Sean passed away on September 17 this year), and the youngest, Ronnie. Because my mother and a lot of her brothers emigrated in the 1800s and early 1900s, my mother always thought the answer to everything, especially living in Leitrim in those tough days, was to get them off to America. Educate them and send them to America! And Hubert had the unenviable task of driving most of his children, one after another, to the boat in Cobh, County Cork, or later to Shannon airport as they emigrated to America. Moira went first, she went out there on the missions. After Sean did his Leaving Cert in St Mels in Longford (thats where we attended boarding school), he went to America in 1956. I stayed on here for another couple of years doing different jobs, and then I emigrated in 1958; I went to Chicago and then on to New York. My younger brother, Ronnie, lives in Howth hes a retired Aer Lingus pilot. He went to school in the Franciscan college in Gormanstown, County Meath. His class was the first class in it when it opened. The school had been located in Multyfarnham in County Westmeath, but they bought this place and he was in the first class in about 1954. Noel remembers his parents as a great couple, very religious, very into their family. We had a good childhood, even during the tough years. My mother didnt suffer fools gladly, now; she didnt like anyone who was trying to pull a fast one. She was a very tough lady. She had to be. Noel completed his Leaving Certificate and started his working life in 1951 as a junior assistant master around Drumshanbo. Back then, women had to retire from teaching when they married, so there were plenty of opportunities for a young, newly qualified teacher in the local schools. Noel was living at home with his parents at the time and he remembers one particular night very well. We were listening to the radio, it was Radio Luxembourg, and there was a knock on the shop door. It was one of the coal miners from Arigna, in his twenties, but a big man. Come on, he said to me, and we walked up the street. We got into a car and travelled to the home of another miner where our job was to collect gelignite that had been taken from the mine. I was sweating! He opened the boot of a car and there were five or six sticks of gelignite in a bag. I immediately asked what would happen if we were stopped on the way home. Dont worry about it, he said. When Noel returned home, the door was locked and he had no key. His father was sitting up waiting for him. Where were you? he asked me. Up the town, I replied. Then he gave me a slap on the side of my face and sent me spinning into the shop. I got caught up with these guys and my father saw and he knew who they were. Then I told him what I had been doing and thank God I told him. He gave me the best advice ever. He said, If youre caught with those guys again, you may go to jail, but you will never come back here. That woke me up. He had been through it all in the twenties; he had seen it all. He wasnt a man to talk an awful lot about those things. Noel had already been introduced to the IRA through his friends brother but he says their main interest was in having access to a car! He recalls the evening he was introduced to John Joe McGirl in a pub in Ballinamore. I remember walking into the pub and the place was packed. My friends brother introduced the two of us as two men who wouldnt be afraid to shoulder a gun. We just looked at one another our interest was in the car! After the meeting we went to a marquee dance in Mohill. Later, we got involved in the 1957 general election and we canvassed for McGirl, who topped the poll. Noel says feelings were very high following the killing of Sean South and Fergal OHanlon on New Years Day in Brookeborough. The two were part of an IRA military column that planned to blow up an RUC barracks in the town. But it was a botched operation, and in the ensuing gun battle South and OHanlon were shot dead by the police. Noel still has his fathers ledgers. He was a man of few words. When Noel and his twin brother were born in the Rotunda hospital in Dublin in 1936, the ledger entry is simply Dublin with Mother and on his return to Drumshanbo three days later, Drumshanbo with Mother. No mention of the twins! Noel says they had a good childhood but he and his twin hated school. School was really a jail. Sean and myself were sent to boarding school in Longford, and we were noted renegades. Their parents would send them to boarding school for the three months coming up to Christmas to get rid of us; we would go in September until Christmas Eve and then return home. Noels own American odyssey included working in the Hilton hotel in Chicago and being drafted into the US army around the time of the Cuban crisis; he spent five years in the military. After boarding school, he says, the American army was like a holiday! He spent 30 years working for Lairds Jams in Drumshanbo and was named Leitrim Person of the Year in 2019 for his work in supporting the development of the old site into The Food Hub and the establishment of The Shed, home of Gunpowder Gin and the first distillery to open in Connacht in over a century. Independence Memories: A Peoples Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation By Valerie Cox. Published by Hachette Ireland in Trade Paperback and eBook / 14.99. In 1923, Kevin OHiggins, then the Minister for Home Affairs described the Dail courts, Republican courts or Sinn Fein courts, which had been abolished in 1922, as an improvised system of justice that: was forged more as a weapon against the British administration in exceptional times and exceptional circumstances than as a definite system which would meet and answer the needs of normal times. I am meeting one of County Leitrims illustrious sons, Noel McPartland, whose grandfather, John McPartland, was a judge in those courts. He was a judge from 1918 until the Civil War started. It would have been illegal in terms of the English system. They would be court-marshalling some fella for something and he would be the judge at that particular trial, signing documents and all that. He supported the cause right up to the treaty. He was anti-treaty. Later he worked as a haulier, mainly collecting and delivering coal from the Arigna coal mines. The McPartlands opened their newsagents and confectionery shop in Drumshanbo in 1885 and kept it going until 1994 with Noels mum running it until she was 90. It became one of the casualties of the Black and Tans visit to the town, however, when they burned it out in 1922. My father, Hubert, worked in the shop but he was also a hackney driver and the Black and Tans heard that he had driven some of the local IRA fellows to a meeting in Ballinamore. The front door, which was also the entrance to our house, was blown in, they destroyed the stock and set fire to the shop. The attack happened at night, the family were all in bed but they got out safely as the fire was confined to the shop. Of course there was no fire brigade at that time, it was the bucket brigade. Buckets of water put the fire out. They also damaged my fathers car, which was also his livelihood. But the Black and Tans didnt stop with the McPartlands shop, going on to burn several premises in the town. They burned a house up the road near the church, a man who was very involved in the IRA. They burned his house to the ground, and almost burned the occupants as well but they were got out on time. They were completely uncontrollable. People were very much afraid of them. They were the dregs of an army that was sent over here. They went around and abused people, beat people up for no reason, and that was everywhere, not just Drumshanbo. Noel McPartland spent 5 years in the US Army My father was on de Valeras side. Dev gave a great speech here in 1932, I have a film of it. It was during the 1932 election. My father was a de Valera man all his life. Afterwards, Hubert and another man from the local cumann, Willie Moran, were delegates at the treaty talks in the Mansion House in Dublin. Then Hubert married a local girl, Bridie, who had emigrated to America in 1925. She visited home in 1927 and met Hubert and returned for good in 1930. When they married in the Pro Cathedral in Dublin they moved in and ran the shop. They had six children, three girls and then three boys. Moira, 90, is a St Louis nun in California; Frances is 88 and living in New York, and the youngest sister, Rosalie, died in 2017. Then we have the three boys Noel and Sean (Im a twin) (sadly, Sean passed away on September 17 this year), and the youngest, Ronnie. Because my mother and a lot of her brothers emigrated in the 1800s and early 1900s, my mother always thought the answer to everything, especially living in Leitrim in those tough days, was to get them off to America. Educate them and send them to America! And Hubert had the unenviable task of driving most of his children, one after another, to the boat in Cobh, County Cork, or later to Shannon airport as they emigrated to America. Moira went first, she went out there on the missions. After Sean did his Leaving Cert in St Mels in Longford (thats where we attended boarding school), he went to America in 1956. I stayed on here for another couple of years doing different jobs, and then I emigrated in 1958; I went to Chicago and then on to New York. My younger brother, Ronnie, lives in Howth hes a retired Aer Lingus pilot. He went to school in the Franciscan college in Gormanstown, County Meath. His class was the first class in it when it opened. The school had been located in Multyfarnham in County Westmeath, but they bought this place and he was in the first class in about 1954. Noel remembers his parents as a great couple, very religious, very into their family. We had a good childhood, even during the tough years. My mother didnt suffer fools gladly, now; she didnt like anyone who was trying to pull a fast one. She was a very tough lady. She had to be. Noel completed his Leaving Certificate and started his working life in 1951 as a junior assistant master around Drumshanbo. Back then, women had to retire from teaching when they married, so there were plenty of opportunities for a young, newly qualified teacher in the local schools. Noel was living at home with his parents at the time and he remembers one particular night very well. We were listening to the radio, it was Radio Luxembourg, and there was a knock on the shop door. It was one of the coal miners from Arigna, in his twenties, but a big man. Come on, he said to me, and we walked up the street. We got into a car and travelled to the home of another miner where our job was to collect gelignite that had been taken from the mine. I was sweating! He opened the boot of a car and there were five or six sticks of gelignite in a bag. I immediately asked what would happen if we were stopped on the way home. Dont worry about it, he said. When Noel returned home, the door was locked and he had no key. His father was sitting up waiting for him. Where were you? he asked me. Up the town, I replied. Then he gave me a slap on the side of my face and sent me spinning into the shop. I got caught up with these guys and my father saw and he knew who they were. Then I told him what I had been doing and thank God I told him. He gave me the best advice ever. He said, If youre caught with those guys again, you may go to jail, but you will never come back here. That woke me up. He had been through it all in the twenties; he had seen it all. He wasnt a man to talk an awful lot about those things. Noel had already been introduced to the IRA through his friends brother but he says their main interest was in having access to a car! He recalls the evening he was introduced to John Joe McGirl in a pub in Ballinamore. I remember walking into the pub and the place was packed. My friends brother introduced the two of us as two men who wouldnt be afraid to shoulder a gun. We just looked at one another our interest was in the car! After the meeting we went to a marquee dance in Mohill. Later, we got involved in the 1957 general election and we canvassed for McGirl, who topped the poll. Noel says feelings were very high following the killing of Sean South and Fergal OHanlon on New Years Day in Brookeborough. The two were part of an IRA military column that planned to blow up an RUC barracks in the town. But it was a botched operation, and in the ensuing gun battle South and OHanlon were shot dead by the police. Noel still has his fathers ledgers. He was a man of few words. When Noel and his twin brother were born in the Rotunda hospital in Dublin in 1936, the ledger entry is simply Dublin with Mother and on his return to Drumshanbo three days later, Drumshanbo with Mother. No mention of the twins! Noel says they had a good childhood but he and his twin hated school. School was really a jail. Sean and myself were sent to boarding school in Longford, and we were noted renegades. Their parents would send them to boarding school for the three months coming up to Christmas to get rid of us; we would go in September until Christmas Eve and then return home. Noels own American odyssey included working in the Hilton hotel in Chicago and being drafted into the US army around the time of the Cuban crisis; he spent five years in the military. After boarding school, he says, the American army was like a holiday! He spent 30 years working for Lairds Jams in Drumshanbo and was named Leitrim Person of the Year in 2019 for his work in supporting the development of the old site into The Food Hub and the establishment of The Shed, home of Gunpowder Gin and the first distillery to open in Connacht in over a century. Independence Memories: A Peoples Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation By Valerie Cox. Published by Hachette Ireland in Trade Paperback and eBook / 14.99. Confidential records of meetings and phone conversations between Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair reveal the close relationship the pair had before and after the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. The records from the Irish state archives show how the Taoiseach and the British prime minister talked regularly, speaking candidly about everything from frustrations with political parties in Northern Ireland to inclement summer weather. In the days leading up to the Good Friday Agreement, Mr Blair and Mr Ahern communicated constantly even as the Fianna Fail leader rushed between Dublin and Hillsborough following the death of his mother. In one exchange that week, Mr Blair says: I know obviously you have got your mother's funeral tomorrow, havent you. Mr Ahern says: Yes, well it actually goes to the Church tonight, this is our problem. But anyway when are you thinking, have you made up your mind what time you are going Tony, or have you made up your mind yet? The prime minister responds: I wanted to talk to you frankly before I did it. Later, Mr Ahern tells the Labour leader: Well lets have a crack Tony. It was always going to come down to this. It was Im afraid and Im so sorry for you. You dont wan [sic] to be thinking about it tonight and tomorrow morning, Mr Blair replies. Mr Ahern tells him: Its okay she, no better woman, she would want to see me trying to solve the problem. One conversation in July between the pair sees Mr Blair tell the Taoiseach: Im fine but Im desperate for my holiday. And we havent had a Summer here at all. Mr Ahern responds: It is absolutely disastrous, this week its just been torrential rain here and its lashing rain now and the weather for the next four or five days is rain. Mr Blair tells him he thinks people are blaming the government for the bad weather. Mr Ahern tells him: Well its natural we get blamed anyway. That conversation, one among dozens recorded as the Irish and British governments worked to deliver a peace settlement in Northern Ireland, reveals the level of co-operation and closeness between the two leaders. During one call, Mr Ahern told Mr Blair: I am doing a European lunch of journalists today Tony, its a speech and then its a questions and answers so needless to say the whole bloody thing is going to be on the North, because its European journalists all your guys are there. In terms of you know not saying anything wrong or being helpful, if I say I have been, you know we have been in touch again this morning at this stage, you would rather me not say that you are trying in any initiative. On a call between the two leaders in 1998, Mr Ahern asks about a recent trip to China. Yes, well I can tell you, Id say theres bugs everywhere. We had a very funny experience because I couldnt work the TV you see, so we were talking about trying to work this TV. So we went out said nothing to nobody, we came back and this guy was in there helping us to operate the TV. In other exchanges, the leaders compared notes on how conversations were going with key figures in negotiations including former Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams. In 1923, Kevin OHiggins, then the Minister for Home Affairs described the Dail courts, Republican courts or Sinn Fein courts, which had been abolished in 1922, as an improvised system of justice that: was forged more as a weapon against the British administration in exceptional times and exceptional circumstances than as a definite system which would meet and answer the needs of normal times. I am meeting one of County Leitrims illustrious sons, Noel McPartland, whose grandfather, John McPartland, was a judge in those courts. He was a judge from 1918 until the Civil War started. It would have been illegal in terms of the English system. They would be court-marshalling some fella for something and he would be the judge at that particular trial, signing documents and all that. He supported the cause right up to the treaty. He was anti-treaty. Later he worked as a haulier, mainly collecting and delivering coal from the Arigna coal mines. The McPartlands opened their newsagents and confectionery shop in Drumshanbo in 1885 and kept it going until 1994 with Noels mum running it until she was 90. It became one of the casualties of the Black and Tans visit to the town, however, when they burned it out in 1922. My father, Hubert, worked in the shop but he was also a hackney driver and the Black and Tans heard that he had driven some of the local IRA fellows to a meeting in Ballinamore. The front door, which was also the entrance to our house, was blown in, they destroyed the stock and set fire to the shop. The attack happened at night, the family were all in bed but they got out safely as the fire was confined to the shop. Of course there was no fire brigade at that time, it was the bucket brigade. Buckets of water put the fire out. They also damaged my fathers car, which was also his livelihood. But the Black and Tans didnt stop with the McPartlands shop, going on to burn several premises in the town. They burned a house up the road near the church, a man who was very involved in the IRA. They burned his house to the ground, and almost burned the occupants as well but they were got out on time. They were completely uncontrollable. People were very much afraid of them. They were the dregs of an army that was sent over here. They went around and abused people, beat people up for no reason, and that was everywhere, not just Drumshanbo. Noel McPartland spent 5 years in the US Army My father was on de Valeras side. Dev gave a great speech here in 1932, I have a film of it. It was during the 1932 election. My father was a de Valera man all his life. Afterwards, Hubert and another man from the local cumann, Willie Moran, were delegates at the treaty talks in the Mansion House in Dublin. Then Hubert married a local girl, Bridie, who had emigrated to America in 1925. She visited home in 1927 and met Hubert and returned for good in 1930. When they married in the Pro Cathedral in Dublin they moved in and ran the shop. They had six children, three girls and then three boys. Moira, 90, is a St Louis nun in California; Frances is 88 and living in New York, and the youngest sister, Rosalie, died in 2017. Then we have the three boys Noel and Sean (Im a twin) (sadly, Sean passed away on September 17 this year), and the youngest, Ronnie. Because my mother and a lot of her brothers emigrated in the 1800s and early 1900s, my mother always thought the answer to everything, especially living in Leitrim in those tough days, was to get them off to America. Educate them and send them to America! And Hubert had the unenviable task of driving most of his children, one after another, to the boat in Cobh, County Cork, or later to Shannon airport as they emigrated to America. Moira went first, she went out there on the missions. After Sean did his Leaving Cert in St Mels in Longford (thats where we attended boarding school), he went to America in 1956. I stayed on here for another couple of years doing different jobs, and then I emigrated in 1958; I went to Chicago and then on to New York. My younger brother, Ronnie, lives in Howth hes a retired Aer Lingus pilot. He went to school in the Franciscan college in Gormanstown, County Meath. His class was the first class in it when it opened. The school had been located in Multyfarnham in County Westmeath, but they bought this place and he was in the first class in about 1954. Noel remembers his parents as a great couple, very religious, very into their family. We had a good childhood, even during the tough years. My mother didnt suffer fools gladly, now; she didnt like anyone who was trying to pull a fast one. She was a very tough lady. She had to be. Noel completed his Leaving Certificate and started his working life in 1951 as a junior assistant master around Drumshanbo. Back then, women had to retire from teaching when they married, so there were plenty of opportunities for a young, newly qualified teacher in the local schools. Noel was living at home with his parents at the time and he remembers one particular night very well. We were listening to the radio, it was Radio Luxembourg, and there was a knock on the shop door. It was one of the coal miners from Arigna, in his twenties, but a big man. Come on, he said to me, and we walked up the street. We got into a car and travelled to the home of another miner where our job was to collect gelignite that had been taken from the mine. I was sweating! He opened the boot of a car and there were five or six sticks of gelignite in a bag. I immediately asked what would happen if we were stopped on the way home. Dont worry about it, he said. When Noel returned home, the door was locked and he had no key. His father was sitting up waiting for him. Where were you? he asked me. Up the town, I replied. Then he gave me a slap on the side of my face and sent me spinning into the shop. I got caught up with these guys and my father saw and he knew who they were. Then I told him what I had been doing and thank God I told him. He gave me the best advice ever. He said, If youre caught with those guys again, you may go to jail, but you will never come back here. That woke me up. He had been through it all in the twenties; he had seen it all. He wasnt a man to talk an awful lot about those things. Noel had already been introduced to the IRA through his friends brother but he says their main interest was in having access to a car! He recalls the evening he was introduced to John Joe McGirl in a pub in Ballinamore. I remember walking into the pub and the place was packed. My friends brother introduced the two of us as two men who wouldnt be afraid to shoulder a gun. We just looked at one another our interest was in the car! After the meeting we went to a marquee dance in Mohill. Later, we got involved in the 1957 general election and we canvassed for McGirl, who topped the poll. Noel says feelings were very high following the killing of Sean South and Fergal OHanlon on New Years Day in Brookeborough. The two were part of an IRA military column that planned to blow up an RUC barracks in the town. But it was a botched operation, and in the ensuing gun battle South and OHanlon were shot dead by the police. Noel still has his fathers ledgers. He was a man of few words. When Noel and his twin brother were born in the Rotunda hospital in Dublin in 1936, the ledger entry is simply Dublin with Mother and on his return to Drumshanbo three days later, Drumshanbo with Mother. No mention of the twins! Noel says they had a good childhood but he and his twin hated school. School was really a jail. Sean and myself were sent to boarding school in Longford, and we were noted renegades. Their parents would send them to boarding school for the three months coming up to Christmas to get rid of us; we would go in September until Christmas Eve and then return home. Noels own American odyssey included working in the Hilton hotel in Chicago and being drafted into the US army around the time of the Cuban crisis; he spent five years in the military. After boarding school, he says, the American army was like a holiday! He spent 30 years working for Lairds Jams in Drumshanbo and was named Leitrim Person of the Year in 2019 for his work in supporting the development of the old site into The Food Hub and the establishment of The Shed, home of Gunpowder Gin and the first distillery to open in Connacht in over a century. Independence Memories: A Peoples Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation By Valerie Cox. Published by Hachette Ireland in Trade Paperback and eBook / 14.99. In 1923, Kevin OHiggins, then the Minister for Home Affairs described the Dail courts, Republican courts or Sinn Fein courts, which had been abolished in 1922, as an improvised system of justice that: was forged more as a weapon against the British administration in exceptional times and exceptional circumstances than as a definite system which would meet and answer the needs of normal times. I am meeting one of County Leitrims illustrious sons, Noel McPartland, whose grandfather, John McPartland, was a judge in those courts. He was a judge from 1918 until the Civil War started. It would have been illegal in terms of the English system. They would be court-marshalling some fella for something and he would be the judge at that particular trial, signing documents and all that. He supported the cause right up to the treaty. He was anti-treaty. Later he worked as a haulier, mainly collecting and delivering coal from the Arigna coal mines. The McPartlands opened their newsagents and confectionery shop in Drumshanbo in 1885 and kept it going until 1994 with Noels mum running it until she was 90. It became one of the casualties of the Black and Tans visit to the town, however, when they burned it out in 1922. My father, Hubert, worked in the shop but he was also a hackney driver and the Black and Tans heard that he had driven some of the local IRA fellows to a meeting in Ballinamore. The front door, which was also the entrance to our house, was blown in, they destroyed the stock and set fire to the shop. The attack happened at night, the family were all in bed but they got out safely as the fire was confined to the shop. Of course there was no fire brigade at that time, it was the bucket brigade. Buckets of water put the fire out. They also damaged my fathers car, which was also his livelihood. But the Black and Tans didnt stop with the McPartlands shop, going on to burn several premises in the town. They burned a house up the road near the church, a man who was very involved in the IRA. They burned his house to the ground, and almost burned the occupants as well but they were got out on time. They were completely uncontrollable. People were very much afraid of them. They were the dregs of an army that was sent over here. They went around and abused people, beat people up for no reason, and that was everywhere, not just Drumshanbo. Noel McPartland spent 5 years in the US Army My father was on de Valeras side. Dev gave a great speech here in 1932, I have a film of it. It was during the 1932 election. My father was a de Valera man all his life. Afterwards, Hubert and another man from the local cumann, Willie Moran, were delegates at the treaty talks in the Mansion House in Dublin. Then Hubert married a local girl, Bridie, who had emigrated to America in 1925. She visited home in 1927 and met Hubert and returned for good in 1930. When they married in the Pro Cathedral in Dublin they moved in and ran the shop. They had six children, three girls and then three boys. Moira, 90, is a St Louis nun in California; Frances is 88 and living in New York, and the youngest sister, Rosalie, died in 2017. Then we have the three boys Noel and Sean (Im a twin) (sadly, Sean passed away on September 17 this year), and the youngest, Ronnie. Because my mother and a lot of her brothers emigrated in the 1800s and early 1900s, my mother always thought the answer to everything, especially living in Leitrim in those tough days, was to get them off to America. Educate them and send them to America! And Hubert had the unenviable task of driving most of his children, one after another, to the boat in Cobh, County Cork, or later to Shannon airport as they emigrated to America. Moira went first, she went out there on the missions. After Sean did his Leaving Cert in St Mels in Longford (thats where we attended boarding school), he went to America in 1956. I stayed on here for another couple of years doing different jobs, and then I emigrated in 1958; I went to Chicago and then on to New York. My younger brother, Ronnie, lives in Howth hes a retired Aer Lingus pilot. He went to school in the Franciscan college in Gormanstown, County Meath. His class was the first class in it when it opened. The school had been located in Multyfarnham in County Westmeath, but they bought this place and he was in the first class in about 1954. Noel remembers his parents as a great couple, very religious, very into their family. We had a good childhood, even during the tough years. My mother didnt suffer fools gladly, now; she didnt like anyone who was trying to pull a fast one. She was a very tough lady. She had to be. Noel completed his Leaving Certificate and started his working life in 1951 as a junior assistant master around Drumshanbo. Back then, women had to retire from teaching when they married, so there were plenty of opportunities for a young, newly qualified teacher in the local schools. Noel was living at home with his parents at the time and he remembers one particular night very well. We were listening to the radio, it was Radio Luxembourg, and there was a knock on the shop door. It was one of the coal miners from Arigna, in his twenties, but a big man. Come on, he said to me, and we walked up the street. We got into a car and travelled to the home of another miner where our job was to collect gelignite that had been taken from the mine. I was sweating! He opened the boot of a car and there were five or six sticks of gelignite in a bag. I immediately asked what would happen if we were stopped on the way home. Dont worry about it, he said. When Noel returned home, the door was locked and he had no key. His father was sitting up waiting for him. Where were you? he asked me. Up the town, I replied. Then he gave me a slap on the side of my face and sent me spinning into the shop. I got caught up with these guys and my father saw and he knew who they were. Then I told him what I had been doing and thank God I told him. He gave me the best advice ever. He said, If youre caught with those guys again, you may go to jail, but you will never come back here. That woke me up. He had been through it all in the twenties; he had seen it all. He wasnt a man to talk an awful lot about those things. Noel had already been introduced to the IRA through his friends brother but he says their main interest was in having access to a car! He recalls the evening he was introduced to John Joe McGirl in a pub in Ballinamore. I remember walking into the pub and the place was packed. My friends brother introduced the two of us as two men who wouldnt be afraid to shoulder a gun. We just looked at one another our interest was in the car! After the meeting we went to a marquee dance in Mohill. Later, we got involved in the 1957 general election and we canvassed for McGirl, who topped the poll. Noel says feelings were very high following the killing of Sean South and Fergal OHanlon on New Years Day in Brookeborough. The two were part of an IRA military column that planned to blow up an RUC barracks in the town. But it was a botched operation, and in the ensuing gun battle South and OHanlon were shot dead by the police. Noel still has his fathers ledgers. He was a man of few words. When Noel and his twin brother were born in the Rotunda hospital in Dublin in 1936, the ledger entry is simply Dublin with Mother and on his return to Drumshanbo three days later, Drumshanbo with Mother. No mention of the twins! Noel says they had a good childhood but he and his twin hated school. School was really a jail. Sean and myself were sent to boarding school in Longford, and we were noted renegades. Their parents would send them to boarding school for the three months coming up to Christmas to get rid of us; we would go in September until Christmas Eve and then return home. Noels own American odyssey included working in the Hilton hotel in Chicago and being drafted into the US army around the time of the Cuban crisis; he spent five years in the military. After boarding school, he says, the American army was like a holiday! He spent 30 years working for Lairds Jams in Drumshanbo and was named Leitrim Person of the Year in 2019 for his work in supporting the development of the old site into The Food Hub and the establishment of The Shed, home of Gunpowder Gin and the first distillery to open in Connacht in over a century. Independence Memories: A Peoples Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation By Valerie Cox. Published by Hachette Ireland in Trade Paperback and eBook / 14.99. Thousands gathered Saturday in Baghdad to mark the second anniversary of the death of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani and protest the U.S., with crowds calling for the expulsion of American forces still in Iraq. In a live news feed captured by a Turkish broadcast company, protesters can be seen flooding a square in the Iraqi capital and hoisting up a flag depicting an image of Soleimani, a top Iranian general and Iraqi militia leader who was killed near Baghdad's airport on Jan. 3, 2020, in a drone strike ordered by former President Donald Trump. The crowd chanted "Death to America" and called for an end to what they called U.S. terrorism. Soleimani's assassination exacerbated long-standing tensions between the U.S. and Iran, prompting Iranian leaders to threaten retaliation. The Baghdad square was filled with allies of the Iraqi organization Hashed al-Shaabi, which includes factions closely associated with Iran and has called for the removal of U.S. forces, according to Agence France-Presse. About 2,500 American troops still remain in Iraq, per the outlet. A candle-lit vigil is scheduled to take place at the airport in Baghdad on Sunday and Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is set to meet with Soleimani's family on Saturday ahead of a main commemoration on Monday, the official anniversary of his death, Agence France-Press reported. Thousands gathered Saturday in Baghdad to mark the second anniversary of the death of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani and protest the U.S., with crowds calling for the expulsion of American forces still in Iraq. In a live news feed captured by a Turkish broadcast company, protesters can be seen flooding a square in the Iraqi capital and hoisting up a flag depicting an image of Soleimani, a top Iranian general and Iraqi militia leader who was killed near Baghdad's airport on Jan. 3, 2020, in a drone strike ordered by former President Donald Trump. The crowd chanted "Death to America" and called for an end to what they called U.S. terrorism. Soleimani's assassination exacerbated long-standing tensions between the U.S. and Iran, prompting Iranian leaders to threaten retaliation. The Baghdad square was filled with allies of the Iraqi organization Hashed al-Shaabi, which includes factions closely associated with Iran and has called for the removal of U.S. forces, according to Agence France-Presse. About 2,500 American troops still remain in Iraq, per the outlet. A candle-lit vigil is scheduled to take place at the airport in Baghdad on Sunday and Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is set to meet with Soleimani's family on Saturday ahead of a main commemoration on Monday, the official anniversary of his death, Agence France-Press reported. COLUMBIA A South Carolina lawmaker wants the state to pay for those people it wrongfully executes, beginning with the family of George Stinney. A bill filed in the House of Representatives ahead of the upcoming legislative session would establish the George Stinney Fund, which would provide $10 million to families of those exonerated after being executed, no matter how much time has lapsed. The bill is named for the 14-year-old Black teen convicted in the brutal murder of two White girls in Clarendon County and executed by electrocution in June 1944. A judge vacated Stinney's conviction in 2014, finding numerous instances of his constitutional rights being violated, from his arrest to an hours-long trial and conviction by an all-White jury only months after the girls were found dead. "We can't do justice, because justice would be us resurrecting Mr. Stinney and allowing him to have a good life," said state Rep. Cezar McKnight, D-Kingstree, who sponsored the bill. "But what we can do is atone for what we've done, and that's what we need to do." McKnight said he was moved to author the bill during a ceremony to unveil a portrait for Judge Clifton Newman in the Williamsburg County Courthouse. Newman remarked that he was honored by the portrait but not that it would share space with a picture of Judge Phillip Stoll, who presided over Stinney's trial and sentenced him to death. Funding for the measure, co-sponsored by Greenville Republican Mike Burns and Orangeburg Democrat Gilda Cobb-Hunter, would be created with $10 million from a Department of Administration reserve fund. The money would be awarded in the form of a grant application to the family of anyone executed and later exonerated by a court in South Carolina, regardless of when. Circuit Judge Carmen Mullen, in overturning Stinney's conviction, wrote that significant progress had been made toward racial equality in the years after Stinney's death. "Regardless of that progress, from time to time we are called to look back to examine our still-recent history and correct injustice when possible," Mullen wrote. South Carolina made headlines in 2021 when lawmakers passed a bill allowing prison officials to execute death-row inmates by electric chair or firing squad amid a shortage in drugs used in lethal injection. In a debate over the bill in April, McKnight said he agreed with the death penalty in principle but that he opposed the state carrying out executions because of cases of people known to have been wrongfully executed or where there was significant doubt over their guilt. "It's not one of those black-and-white issues, because I can't sit here and tell you that I wouldn't want someone executed for harming a loved one of mine," McKnight told The Post and Courier. "But by the same token, we don't have the ability to resurrect people that we execute, so I've got some trepidations about it. I just do." In 1923, Kevin OHiggins, then the Minister for Home Affairs described the Dail courts, Republican courts or Sinn Fein courts, which had been abolished in 1922, as an improvised system of justice that: was forged more as a weapon against the British administration in exceptional times and exceptional circumstances than as a definite system which would meet and answer the needs of normal times. I am meeting one of County Leitrims illustrious sons, Noel McPartland, whose grandfather, John McPartland, was a judge in those courts. He was a judge from 1918 until the Civil War started. It would have been illegal in terms of the English system. They would be court-marshalling some fella for something and he would be the judge at that particular trial, signing documents and all that. He supported the cause right up to the treaty. He was anti-treaty. Later he worked as a haulier, mainly collecting and delivering coal from the Arigna coal mines. The McPartlands opened their newsagents and confectionery shop in Drumshanbo in 1885 and kept it going until 1994 with Noels mum running it until she was 90. It became one of the casualties of the Black and Tans visit to the town, however, when they burned it out in 1922. My father, Hubert, worked in the shop but he was also a hackney driver and the Black and Tans heard that he had driven some of the local IRA fellows to a meeting in Ballinamore. The front door, which was also the entrance to our house, was blown in, they destroyed the stock and set fire to the shop. The attack happened at night, the family were all in bed but they got out safely as the fire was confined to the shop. Of course there was no fire brigade at that time, it was the bucket brigade. Buckets of water put the fire out. They also damaged my fathers car, which was also his livelihood. But the Black and Tans didnt stop with the McPartlands shop, going on to burn several premises in the town. They burned a house up the road near the church, a man who was very involved in the IRA. They burned his house to the ground, and almost burned the occupants as well but they were got out on time. They were completely uncontrollable. People were very much afraid of them. They were the dregs of an army that was sent over here. They went around and abused people, beat people up for no reason, and that was everywhere, not just Drumshanbo. Noel McPartland spent 5 years in the US Army My father was on de Valeras side. Dev gave a great speech here in 1932, I have a film of it. It was during the 1932 election. My father was a de Valera man all his life. Afterwards, Hubert and another man from the local cumann, Willie Moran, were delegates at the treaty talks in the Mansion House in Dublin. Then Hubert married a local girl, Bridie, who had emigrated to America in 1925. She visited home in 1927 and met Hubert and returned for good in 1930. When they married in the Pro Cathedral in Dublin they moved in and ran the shop. They had six children, three girls and then three boys. Moira, 90, is a St Louis nun in California; Frances is 88 and living in New York, and the youngest sister, Rosalie, died in 2017. Then we have the three boys Noel and Sean (Im a twin) (sadly, Sean passed away on September 17 this year), and the youngest, Ronnie. Because my mother and a lot of her brothers emigrated in the 1800s and early 1900s, my mother always thought the answer to everything, especially living in Leitrim in those tough days, was to get them off to America. Educate them and send them to America! And Hubert had the unenviable task of driving most of his children, one after another, to the boat in Cobh, County Cork, or later to Shannon airport as they emigrated to America. Moira went first, she went out there on the missions. After Sean did his Leaving Cert in St Mels in Longford (thats where we attended boarding school), he went to America in 1956. I stayed on here for another couple of years doing different jobs, and then I emigrated in 1958; I went to Chicago and then on to New York. My younger brother, Ronnie, lives in Howth hes a retired Aer Lingus pilot. He went to school in the Franciscan college in Gormanstown, County Meath. His class was the first class in it when it opened. The school had been located in Multyfarnham in County Westmeath, but they bought this place and he was in the first class in about 1954. Noel remembers his parents as a great couple, very religious, very into their family. We had a good childhood, even during the tough years. My mother didnt suffer fools gladly, now; she didnt like anyone who was trying to pull a fast one. She was a very tough lady. She had to be. Noel completed his Leaving Certificate and started his working life in 1951 as a junior assistant master around Drumshanbo. Back then, women had to retire from teaching when they married, so there were plenty of opportunities for a young, newly qualified teacher in the local schools. Noel was living at home with his parents at the time and he remembers one particular night very well. We were listening to the radio, it was Radio Luxembourg, and there was a knock on the shop door. It was one of the coal miners from Arigna, in his twenties, but a big man. Come on, he said to me, and we walked up the street. We got into a car and travelled to the home of another miner where our job was to collect gelignite that had been taken from the mine. I was sweating! He opened the boot of a car and there were five or six sticks of gelignite in a bag. I immediately asked what would happen if we were stopped on the way home. Dont worry about it, he said. When Noel returned home, the door was locked and he had no key. His father was sitting up waiting for him. Where were you? he asked me. Up the town, I replied. Then he gave me a slap on the side of my face and sent me spinning into the shop. I got caught up with these guys and my father saw and he knew who they were. Then I told him what I had been doing and thank God I told him. He gave me the best advice ever. He said, If youre caught with those guys again, you may go to jail, but you will never come back here. That woke me up. He had been through it all in the twenties; he had seen it all. He wasnt a man to talk an awful lot about those things. Noel had already been introduced to the IRA through his friends brother but he says their main interest was in having access to a car! He recalls the evening he was introduced to John Joe McGirl in a pub in Ballinamore. I remember walking into the pub and the place was packed. My friends brother introduced the two of us as two men who wouldnt be afraid to shoulder a gun. We just looked at one another our interest was in the car! After the meeting we went to a marquee dance in Mohill. Later, we got involved in the 1957 general election and we canvassed for McGirl, who topped the poll. Noel says feelings were very high following the killing of Sean South and Fergal OHanlon on New Years Day in Brookeborough. The two were part of an IRA military column that planned to blow up an RUC barracks in the town. But it was a botched operation, and in the ensuing gun battle South and OHanlon were shot dead by the police. Noel still has his fathers ledgers. He was a man of few words. When Noel and his twin brother were born in the Rotunda hospital in Dublin in 1936, the ledger entry is simply Dublin with Mother and on his return to Drumshanbo three days later, Drumshanbo with Mother. No mention of the twins! Noel says they had a good childhood but he and his twin hated school. School was really a jail. Sean and myself were sent to boarding school in Longford, and we were noted renegades. Their parents would send them to boarding school for the three months coming up to Christmas to get rid of us; we would go in September until Christmas Eve and then return home. Noels own American odyssey included working in the Hilton hotel in Chicago and being drafted into the US army around the time of the Cuban crisis; he spent five years in the military. After boarding school, he says, the American army was like a holiday! He spent 30 years working for Lairds Jams in Drumshanbo and was named Leitrim Person of the Year in 2019 for his work in supporting the development of the old site into The Food Hub and the establishment of The Shed, home of Gunpowder Gin and the first distillery to open in Connacht in over a century. Independence Memories: A Peoples Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation By Valerie Cox. Published by Hachette Ireland in Trade Paperback and eBook / 14.99. At least 35 civilians burned alive by Burmese army on Christmas Eve Myanmars ruling military burned alive at least 35 internally displaced people, including elders, women and children, in a village in eastern Kayah State on Christmas Eve, according to human rights groups. The Karenni Human Rights Group said it discovered the victims' bodies on Saturday, the day after the massacre near the Mo So village of Hpruso town. We were so shocked at seeing that all the dead bodies were different sizes, including children, women and old people, a commander from the Karenni National Defense Force, one of the largest of several civilian militias opposing the junta that led to a Feb. 1 coup, told Reuters. I went to see this morning. I saw dead bodies that had been burned, and also the clothes of children and women spread around, a local villager was quoted as saying. The international aid group Save the Children said two of its staffers were missing in that massacre, adding that it was suspending operations in that region in Myanmar, previously known as Burma, NPR reported. The military, also known as Tatmadaw, admitted it shot and killed an unspecified number of terrorists with weapons from the KNDF in the village, adding that the people were in seven vehicles and did not stop for the military, Reuters added. The presence of the Buddhist nationalist military makes civilians and militias in conflict-ridden states nervous. The military has been accused of damaging places of worship and civilians homes, raping girls and women, abducting civilians to be used for forced labor and executing civilians. Myanmars ethnic minorities, including Christians, live in the various conflict zones across the countrys borders with Thailand, China and India. Hundreds of thousands of civilians, many of them Christians, have been displaced due to the escalation of conflicts in the zones since the military coup on Feb. 1. Militias in those areas have been supporting pro-democracy protesters since the coup, which has led to the use of heavy weapons by the Myanmar army. Thousands of civilians in the conflict zones have sought shelter in churches when their villages are under attack. Today the 25th of December, Christmas Day, is an important day of celebration and peace for the world. However, today the genocidal junta made their choice to say clearly that peace is..., tweeted Dr. Sasa, who is Union Minister of the Ministry of International Cooperation, Spokesperson of the National Unity Government of Myanmar and the Myanmar Special Envoy to the United Nations. These acts clearly constitute the worst crimes against humanity and we expect that all peoples and governments the world over should condemn these acts, he said in a statement. With the condemnation, however, should come a commitment that these criminals be brought to justice and held fully accountable for their actions. According to the KHRG, at least 651 houses, six churches and at least one clinic in Kayah state, also known as Karenni, were destroyed between May 21 and Dec. 20, the U.K.-based group Christian Solidarity Worldwide said in a statement. From June to May, at least eight churches were damaged in 30 days in the Kayah and Shan states. According to Radio Free Asia, five civilians sheltering inside the churches were killed. In May, four civilians were reportedly killed and around eight others were injured when security forces fired artillery shells at a Catholic church in the Kayah state. Myanmar is ranked No. 18 on Open Doors USAs 2021 World Watch List of 50 countries where Christians face the most severe persecution. The persecution level in Myanmar is very high due to Buddhist nationalism. Burma is recognized by the U.S. State Department as a country of particular concern for egregious violations of religious liberty. In 1923, Kevin OHiggins, then the Minister for Home Affairs described the Dail courts, Republican courts or Sinn Fein courts, which had been abolished in 1922, as an improvised system of justice that: was forged more as a weapon against the British administration in exceptional times and exceptional circumstances than as a definite system which would meet and answer the needs of normal times. I am meeting one of County Leitrims illustrious sons, Noel McPartland, whose grandfather, John McPartland, was a judge in those courts. He was a judge from 1918 until the Civil War started. It would have been illegal in terms of the English system. They would be court-marshalling some fella for something and he would be the judge at that particular trial, signing documents and all that. He supported the cause right up to the treaty. He was anti-treaty. Later he worked as a haulier, mainly collecting and delivering coal from the Arigna coal mines. The McPartlands opened their newsagents and confectionery shop in Drumshanbo in 1885 and kept it going until 1994 with Noels mum running it until she was 90. It became one of the casualties of the Black and Tans visit to the town, however, when they burned it out in 1922. My father, Hubert, worked in the shop but he was also a hackney driver and the Black and Tans heard that he had driven some of the local IRA fellows to a meeting in Ballinamore. The front door, which was also the entrance to our house, was blown in, they destroyed the stock and set fire to the shop. The attack happened at night, the family were all in bed but they got out safely as the fire was confined to the shop. Of course there was no fire brigade at that time, it was the bucket brigade. Buckets of water put the fire out. They also damaged my fathers car, which was also his livelihood. But the Black and Tans didnt stop with the McPartlands shop, going on to burn several premises in the town. They burned a house up the road near the church, a man who was very involved in the IRA. They burned his house to the ground, and almost burned the occupants as well but they were got out on time. They were completely uncontrollable. People were very much afraid of them. They were the dregs of an army that was sent over here. They went around and abused people, beat people up for no reason, and that was everywhere, not just Drumshanbo. Noel McPartland spent 5 years in the US Army My father was on de Valeras side. Dev gave a great speech here in 1932, I have a film of it. It was during the 1932 election. My father was a de Valera man all his life. Afterwards, Hubert and another man from the local cumann, Willie Moran, were delegates at the treaty talks in the Mansion House in Dublin. Then Hubert married a local girl, Bridie, who had emigrated to America in 1925. She visited home in 1927 and met Hubert and returned for good in 1930. When they married in the Pro Cathedral in Dublin they moved in and ran the shop. They had six children, three girls and then three boys. Moira, 90, is a St Louis nun in California; Frances is 88 and living in New York, and the youngest sister, Rosalie, died in 2017. Then we have the three boys Noel and Sean (Im a twin) (sadly, Sean passed away on September 17 this year), and the youngest, Ronnie. Because my mother and a lot of her brothers emigrated in the 1800s and early 1900s, my mother always thought the answer to everything, especially living in Leitrim in those tough days, was to get them off to America. Educate them and send them to America! And Hubert had the unenviable task of driving most of his children, one after another, to the boat in Cobh, County Cork, or later to Shannon airport as they emigrated to America. Moira went first, she went out there on the missions. After Sean did his Leaving Cert in St Mels in Longford (thats where we attended boarding school), he went to America in 1956. I stayed on here for another couple of years doing different jobs, and then I emigrated in 1958; I went to Chicago and then on to New York. My younger brother, Ronnie, lives in Howth hes a retired Aer Lingus pilot. He went to school in the Franciscan college in Gormanstown, County Meath. His class was the first class in it when it opened. The school had been located in Multyfarnham in County Westmeath, but they bought this place and he was in the first class in about 1954. Noel remembers his parents as a great couple, very religious, very into their family. We had a good childhood, even during the tough years. My mother didnt suffer fools gladly, now; she didnt like anyone who was trying to pull a fast one. She was a very tough lady. She had to be. Noel completed his Leaving Certificate and started his working life in 1951 as a junior assistant master around Drumshanbo. Back then, women had to retire from teaching when they married, so there were plenty of opportunities for a young, newly qualified teacher in the local schools. Noel was living at home with his parents at the time and he remembers one particular night very well. We were listening to the radio, it was Radio Luxembourg, and there was a knock on the shop door. It was one of the coal miners from Arigna, in his twenties, but a big man. Come on, he said to me, and we walked up the street. We got into a car and travelled to the home of another miner where our job was to collect gelignite that had been taken from the mine. I was sweating! He opened the boot of a car and there were five or six sticks of gelignite in a bag. I immediately asked what would happen if we were stopped on the way home. Dont worry about it, he said. When Noel returned home, the door was locked and he had no key. His father was sitting up waiting for him. Where were you? he asked me. Up the town, I replied. Then he gave me a slap on the side of my face and sent me spinning into the shop. I got caught up with these guys and my father saw and he knew who they were. Then I told him what I had been doing and thank God I told him. He gave me the best advice ever. He said, If youre caught with those guys again, you may go to jail, but you will never come back here. That woke me up. He had been through it all in the twenties; he had seen it all. He wasnt a man to talk an awful lot about those things. Noel had already been introduced to the IRA through his friends brother but he says their main interest was in having access to a car! He recalls the evening he was introduced to John Joe McGirl in a pub in Ballinamore. I remember walking into the pub and the place was packed. My friends brother introduced the two of us as two men who wouldnt be afraid to shoulder a gun. We just looked at one another our interest was in the car! After the meeting we went to a marquee dance in Mohill. Later, we got involved in the 1957 general election and we canvassed for McGirl, who topped the poll. Noel says feelings were very high following the killing of Sean South and Fergal OHanlon on New Years Day in Brookeborough. The two were part of an IRA military column that planned to blow up an RUC barracks in the town. But it was a botched operation, and in the ensuing gun battle South and OHanlon were shot dead by the police. Noel still has his fathers ledgers. He was a man of few words. When Noel and his twin brother were born in the Rotunda hospital in Dublin in 1936, the ledger entry is simply Dublin with Mother and on his return to Drumshanbo three days later, Drumshanbo with Mother. No mention of the twins! Noel says they had a good childhood but he and his twin hated school. School was really a jail. Sean and myself were sent to boarding school in Longford, and we were noted renegades. Their parents would send them to boarding school for the three months coming up to Christmas to get rid of us; we would go in September until Christmas Eve and then return home. Noels own American odyssey included working in the Hilton hotel in Chicago and being drafted into the US army around the time of the Cuban crisis; he spent five years in the military. After boarding school, he says, the American army was like a holiday! He spent 30 years working for Lairds Jams in Drumshanbo and was named Leitrim Person of the Year in 2019 for his work in supporting the development of the old site into The Food Hub and the establishment of The Shed, home of Gunpowder Gin and the first distillery to open in Connacht in over a century. Independence Memories: A Peoples Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation By Valerie Cox. Published by Hachette Ireland in Trade Paperback and eBook / 14.99. The logo of SK Innovation is seen at the company booth during the InterBattery 2021 exhibition at COEX in Seoul on June 11, 2021. (Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images) South Koreas Battery Giants Forced to Increase Prices Due to Price Hike of Raw Materials From China The three top battery manufacturers in South Korea will have to increase the prices of their products soon because the cost of raw materials from China has skyrocketed since the beginning of last year. South Koreas output of rechargeable batteries comprises nearly half of the global production, but the countrys key battery materials are heavily dependent on imports, especially rare earths and other raw materials from China. South Koreas three leading battery manufacturersLG Energy Solution, SK Innovation, and Samsung SDIhave all issued notices of price hikes. LG Energy Solution plans to increase the price of cylindrical cells by 10 percent in January 2022. Previously, Samsung SDIs 21700 cylindrical cells, one of the most commonly used models, increased by over 7 percent in November. An insider in the industry recently told The Korea Economic Daily that as Chinese companies continue to increase the prices of raw materials, Korean companies have no other choices. He believes that the price competitiveness of Korean companies in the global market will decline. According to the report, China is not a major producer of cobalt, nickel, and lithium, but it imports these key raw materials from South America and Africa to process them. Due to the dominance of Chinese manufacturers over these materials, lithium is priced in yuan instead of U.S. dollars in the global market. The industry insider also revealed that, if China ever cuts off the supply of battery materials, it will be a terrible situation for Korean companies and other battery manufacturers around the world. Public data shows that on Dec. 23, battery-grade lithium carbonate was priced at 267,000 yuan (about $40,000) per ton, up 13,000 yuan (about $2,041) from Dec. 20. In this 4-day period, the average daily increase was as high as about 4,000 yuan (about $628). Four months ago, the price of lithium carbonate was less than 95,000 yuan ($15,000) per ton. Since the beginning of 2021, the increase in lithium carbonate price has exceeded 230 percent. The domestic average price of phosphoric acid, an essential ingredient for the production of lithium iron phosphate batteries, has risen to 10,500 yuan ($1,652) per ton, a 109 percent increase compared to early 2021. The prices of nickel, cobalt, and manganese have also risen continuously. As of Dec. 23, the price of cobalt went up to $70,205 per ton, the highest level in three years; the price of nickel exceeded $20,000 per ton in November, the highest in seven years. According to insiders from Chinas battery industry, the reason for the price hike is that the development speed of new energy vehicles has exceeded expectations, which means the demand for car batteries, and in turn, the upstream raw materials, have both increased dramatically. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic and the insufficient production capacity of upstream minerals are also taking a toll. Driven by the global shift to electric vehicles, South Korean companies have also established battery factories overseas, including plants in the United States and Hungary. But analysts warned that China has a near-monopoly in the field of rare earth metals, and it will take several years to get rid of the dependence on China. Political commentator Lu Tianming told The Epoch Times on Dec. 30 that the underlying reason behind South Koreas battery price hike is the countrys overdependence on raw material imports. This is similar to previous incidents of the urea shortage and snow melting agents shortage in South Korea, Lu said. Its supply chain is problematic and there are inherent security risks. If South Korea is working with Western democracies, the risk is minimal. But now it is working with the CCP, its reliance of China will definitely be exploited by the CCP sooner or later. Lu believes that the urea shortage, which occurred in South Korea earlier this year, was due to the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) intentional manipulation to strangle South Korea. Because the U.S.-China friction is getting very fierce, both countries want to win over South Korea, as it has mastered relatively important chip technology, he said. And South Korea has always been playing a balance game between China and the United States, just to make money. In fact, to a certain extent, it was trying to inch closer to the CCP, despite the bullying it had suffered from Beijing. But South Korea is now leaning towards the United States. The CCP will definitely use battery raw materials to create chaos and put pressure on it. Lu believes that, fundamentally, South Korea still needs to make long-term considerations and decentralize its supply chain. Its very dangerous to put all the eggs in one basket, especially when the basket is in the hands of a rogue regime such as the CCP, he concluded. Ahmedabad, Jan 1 (PTI) Gujarat AAP leader Isudan Gadhvi was on Saturday booked under the state's prohibition law after a test of his blood sample revealed the presence of alcohol, Gandhinagar police said. Also Read | Sulli Deals 2.0: GitHub App 'Bulli Bai' Targets Muslim Women, Shares Pictures of Journalists, Social Workers, Students, Famous Personalities. Gadhvi was among the 55 Aam Aadmi Party functionaries who were arrested on charges of rioting, sexual assault, assault and forcible entry for barging into the ruling BJP's headquarters 'Kamalam' on December 20 and he was granted bail in the case by a court on Thursday. Also Read | Omicron Spread: No Lockdown in West Bengal, Govt Likely To Impose Curbs in Phases. However, on the basis of a test run on the blood sample collected from him post the December 20 protest, Gadhvi was booked under sections 66 (1)B and 85 (1) of the Gujarat Prohibition Act, said an Infocity police station official in Gandhinagar. Gadhvi, meanwhile, said he had never consumed alcohol in his life and was not drunk during the December 20 protest as well, adding that the medical report was false. He said this episode was part of the ruling BJP's "low level politics". After the December 20 protest by the AAP against a paper leak in a state recruitment exam, Gadhvi was taken to the Gandhinagar civil hospital as some women workers of the BJP had accused him of being in an inebriated state. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Ahmedabad, Jan 1 (PTI) Gujarat AAP leader Isudan Gadhvi was on Saturday booked under the state's prohibition law after a test of his blood sample revealed the presence of alcohol, Gandhinagar police said. Also Read | Sulli Deals 2.0: GitHub App 'Bulli Bai' Targets Muslim Women, Shares Pictures of Journalists, Social Workers, Students, Famous Personalities. Gadhvi was among the 55 Aam Aadmi Party functionaries who were arrested on charges of rioting, sexual assault, assault and forcible entry for barging into the ruling BJP's headquarters 'Kamalam' on December 20 and he was granted bail in the case by a court on Thursday. Also Read | Omicron Spread: No Lockdown in West Bengal, Govt Likely To Impose Curbs in Phases. However, on the basis of a test run on the blood sample collected from him post the December 20 protest, Gadhvi was booked under sections 66 (1)B and 85 (1) of the Gujarat Prohibition Act, said an Infocity police station official in Gandhinagar. Gadhvi, meanwhile, said he had never consumed alcohol in his life and was not drunk during the December 20 protest as well, adding that the medical report was false. He said this episode was part of the ruling BJP's "low level politics". After the December 20 protest by the AAP against a paper leak in a state recruitment exam, Gadhvi was taken to the Gandhinagar civil hospital as some women workers of the BJP had accused him of being in an inebriated state. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Ahmedabad, Jan 1 (PTI) Gujarat AAP leader Isudan Gadhvi was on Saturday booked under the state's prohibition law after a test of his blood sample revealed the presence of alcohol, Gandhinagar police said. Also Read | Sulli Deals 2.0: GitHub App 'Bulli Bai' Targets Muslim Women, Shares Pictures of Journalists, Social Workers, Students, Famous Personalities. Gadhvi was among the 55 Aam Aadmi Party functionaries who were arrested on charges of rioting, sexual assault, assault and forcible entry for barging into the ruling BJP's headquarters 'Kamalam' on December 20 and he was granted bail in the case by a court on Thursday. Also Read | Omicron Spread: No Lockdown in West Bengal, Govt Likely To Impose Curbs in Phases. However, on the basis of a test run on the blood sample collected from him post the December 20 protest, Gadhvi was booked under sections 66 (1)B and 85 (1) of the Gujarat Prohibition Act, said an Infocity police station official in Gandhinagar. Gadhvi, meanwhile, said he had never consumed alcohol in his life and was not drunk during the December 20 protest as well, adding that the medical report was false. He said this episode was part of the ruling BJP's "low level politics". After the December 20 protest by the AAP against a paper leak in a state recruitment exam, Gadhvi was taken to the Gandhinagar civil hospital as some women workers of the BJP had accused him of being in an inebriated state. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Even as the Board of Regents for the Nevada System of Higher Education deadlocked 6-6 with one absent on a vote to keep in place the COVID vaccine mandate for employees, it also failed to approve a motion that would have delayed firings related to the mandate. The two votes effectively left the policy as-is just hours before terminations for noncompliance became effective. Thursdays meeting was the latest turn in the months-long effort by policy makers to establish vaccine requirements for more than 22,000 employees and more than 100,000 students ahead of the start of the spring semester next year. The inaction came amid mounting concerns that the delay or revocation of terminations the day before they were planned would create operational chaos across all eight NSHE institutions. Operationally, for us to go back and to revisit this on Jan. 15, that change becomes highly problematic, Nevada State College President DeRionne Pollard told regents. And I think it sends a mixed message about the intent of both this policy and also our commitments around public health. Still, an expanding core of regents opposed the employee mandate on varying grounds from individual freedom to concerns over the lack of a student equivalent. On Thursday, that included Regents Byron Brooks, Patrick Boylan, Laura Perkins, Patrick Carter and Cathy McAdoo. I take issue with even one faculty member or one classified worker being terminated for not having the vaccine when clearly the student vaccine mandate has been dropped, Brooks said. So it really becomes about equitable policy for all, rather than for some. However, it was the absence of one Regent Lois Tarkanian an opponent of the mandate in the last two votes on the issue that likely doomed any delay or repeal of the vaccine requirement as the board was left at an even twelve members. That absence briefly became a sticking point as some anti-mandate regents, including Brooks, postulated on the possibility of Tarkanian tipping the vote though the possibility of her favorable vote did little to tip the balance in favor of the motion that would have delayed firings from the vaccine mandate to mid-January. Regents initially voted to create the mandate in late September, following the creation of a student mandate by the Board of Health one month earlier. Nearly 1,700 employees not in compliance were sent termination letters on Dec. 1, but all were allowed stays if they received the vaccine before the end of the month. In the final days before the firings became permanent, only a small fraction of NSHE employees 2.3 percent remained unvaccinated, or just over 500 employees, according to data shared with regents by institutions on Wednesday. The board also voted 10-2 to direct the chancellor to draft a letter in support of a student vaccine requirement to be sent to the governor, Board of Health and Legislature. That letter will be reviewed by regents at an open meeting next month. The vote marked the first time since the pandemic began that regents held a formal vote on the increasingly politically charged issue of student vaccine requirements, as regents have clashed over the specifics of mandates and mitigation policies just as major student and faculty groups who have long supported such mandates have simmered at the inaction. Im kind of floored that we're arguing over whether or not to send a letter, when us, as students and instructors, have to be in the classroom in two weeks, Nicole Thomas, president of the UNLV Graduate and Professional Student Association, said during the meeting. We have to deal with the fallout. Though students enrolling in in-person classes next spring were initially required to prove COVID vaccination status or receive a valid exemption under an emergency regulation created by the state Board of Health, a partisan deadlock on a procedural vote in the Legislative Commission last week effectively ended that mandate. Gov. Steve Sisolak has indicated his office will continue to pursue a student mandate through normal regulatory channels, though that process is not likely to be completed ahead of the start of the spring semester in January. Ahead of Thursdays meeting, Sisolak and all eight presidents or acting heads of the states colleges and universities voiced their support for the continuation of the employee mandate. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Ahmedabad, Jan 1 (PTI) Gujarat AAP leader Isudan Gadhvi was on Saturday booked under the state's prohibition law after a test of his blood sample revealed the presence of alcohol, Gandhinagar police said. Also Read | Sulli Deals 2.0: GitHub App 'Bulli Bai' Targets Muslim Women, Shares Pictures of Journalists, Social Workers, Students, Famous Personalities. Gadhvi was among the 55 Aam Aadmi Party functionaries who were arrested on charges of rioting, sexual assault, assault and forcible entry for barging into the ruling BJP's headquarters 'Kamalam' on December 20 and he was granted bail in the case by a court on Thursday. Also Read | Omicron Spread: No Lockdown in West Bengal, Govt Likely To Impose Curbs in Phases. However, on the basis of a test run on the blood sample collected from him post the December 20 protest, Gadhvi was booked under sections 66 (1)B and 85 (1) of the Gujarat Prohibition Act, said an Infocity police station official in Gandhinagar. Gadhvi, meanwhile, said he had never consumed alcohol in his life and was not drunk during the December 20 protest as well, adding that the medical report was false. He said this episode was part of the ruling BJP's "low level politics". After the December 20 protest by the AAP against a paper leak in a state recruitment exam, Gadhvi was taken to the Gandhinagar civil hospital as some women workers of the BJP had accused him of being in an inebriated state. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Ahmedabad, Jan 1 (PTI) Gujarat AAP leader Isudan Gadhvi was on Saturday booked under the state's prohibition law after a test of his blood sample revealed the presence of alcohol, Gandhinagar police said. Also Read | Sulli Deals 2.0: GitHub App 'Bulli Bai' Targets Muslim Women, Shares Pictures of Journalists, Social Workers, Students, Famous Personalities. Gadhvi was among the 55 Aam Aadmi Party functionaries who were arrested on charges of rioting, sexual assault, assault and forcible entry for barging into the ruling BJP's headquarters 'Kamalam' on December 20 and he was granted bail in the case by a court on Thursday. Also Read | Omicron Spread: No Lockdown in West Bengal, Govt Likely To Impose Curbs in Phases. However, on the basis of a test run on the blood sample collected from him post the December 20 protest, Gadhvi was booked under sections 66 (1)B and 85 (1) of the Gujarat Prohibition Act, said an Infocity police station official in Gandhinagar. Gadhvi, meanwhile, said he had never consumed alcohol in his life and was not drunk during the December 20 protest as well, adding that the medical report was false. He said this episode was part of the ruling BJP's "low level politics". After the December 20 protest by the AAP against a paper leak in a state recruitment exam, Gadhvi was taken to the Gandhinagar civil hospital as some women workers of the BJP had accused him of being in an inebriated state. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) The logo of SK Innovation is seen at the company booth during the InterBattery 2021 exhibition at COEX in Seoul on June 11, 2021. (Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images) South Koreas Battery Giants Forced to Increase Prices Due to Price Hike of Raw Materials From China The three top battery manufacturers in South Korea will have to increase the prices of their products soon because the cost of raw materials from China has skyrocketed since the beginning of last year. South Koreas output of rechargeable batteries comprises nearly half of the global production, but the countrys key battery materials are heavily dependent on imports, especially rare earths and other raw materials from China. South Koreas three leading battery manufacturersLG Energy Solution, SK Innovation, and Samsung SDIhave all issued notices of price hikes. LG Energy Solution plans to increase the price of cylindrical cells by 10 percent in January 2022. Previously, Samsung SDIs 21700 cylindrical cells, one of the most commonly used models, increased by over 7 percent in November. An insider in the industry recently told The Korea Economic Daily that as Chinese companies continue to increase the prices of raw materials, Korean companies have no other choices. He believes that the price competitiveness of Korean companies in the global market will decline. According to the report, China is not a major producer of cobalt, nickel, and lithium, but it imports these key raw materials from South America and Africa to process them. Due to the dominance of Chinese manufacturers over these materials, lithium is priced in yuan instead of U.S. dollars in the global market. The industry insider also revealed that, if China ever cuts off the supply of battery materials, it will be a terrible situation for Korean companies and other battery manufacturers around the world. Public data shows that on Dec. 23, battery-grade lithium carbonate was priced at 267,000 yuan (about $40,000) per ton, up 13,000 yuan (about $2,041) from Dec. 20. In this 4-day period, the average daily increase was as high as about 4,000 yuan (about $628). Four months ago, the price of lithium carbonate was less than 95,000 yuan ($15,000) per ton. Since the beginning of 2021, the increase in lithium carbonate price has exceeded 230 percent. The domestic average price of phosphoric acid, an essential ingredient for the production of lithium iron phosphate batteries, has risen to 10,500 yuan ($1,652) per ton, a 109 percent increase compared to early 2021. The prices of nickel, cobalt, and manganese have also risen continuously. As of Dec. 23, the price of cobalt went up to $70,205 per ton, the highest level in three years; the price of nickel exceeded $20,000 per ton in November, the highest in seven years. According to insiders from Chinas battery industry, the reason for the price hike is that the development speed of new energy vehicles has exceeded expectations, which means the demand for car batteries, and in turn, the upstream raw materials, have both increased dramatically. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic and the insufficient production capacity of upstream minerals are also taking a toll. Driven by the global shift to electric vehicles, South Korean companies have also established battery factories overseas, including plants in the United States and Hungary. But analysts warned that China has a near-monopoly in the field of rare earth metals, and it will take several years to get rid of the dependence on China. Political commentator Lu Tianming told The Epoch Times on Dec. 30 that the underlying reason behind South Koreas battery price hike is the countrys overdependence on raw material imports. This is similar to previous incidents of the urea shortage and snow melting agents shortage in South Korea, Lu said. Its supply chain is problematic and there are inherent security risks. If South Korea is working with Western democracies, the risk is minimal. But now it is working with the CCP, its reliance of China will definitely be exploited by the CCP sooner or later. Lu believes that the urea shortage, which occurred in South Korea earlier this year, was due to the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) intentional manipulation to strangle South Korea. Because the U.S.-China friction is getting very fierce, both countries want to win over South Korea, as it has mastered relatively important chip technology, he said. And South Korea has always been playing a balance game between China and the United States, just to make money. In fact, to a certain extent, it was trying to inch closer to the CCP, despite the bullying it had suffered from Beijing. But South Korea is now leaning towards the United States. The CCP will definitely use battery raw materials to create chaos and put pressure on it. Lu believes that, fundamentally, South Korea still needs to make long-term considerations and decentralize its supply chain. Its very dangerous to put all the eggs in one basket, especially when the basket is in the hands of a rogue regime such as the CCP, he concluded. Two officers of Pakistan Navy on Saturday got promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral with immediate effect ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Jan, 2022 ) :Two officers of Pakistan Navy on Saturday got promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral with immediate effect. Rear Admiral Faisal Amin got commission in Operations Branch of Pakistan Navy in 1992. The Flag Officer was a graduate of Command and Staff College, Quetta, National Defence University, Islamabad and Royal College of Defence Studies, United Kingdom, said a Pakistan Navy media release. The Admiral has an illustrious naval career covering vast experience of various Command and Staff appointments. His major Command appointments included Commanding of PN Ships RAJSHAHI and ALAMGIR and 18th Destroyer Squadron. His prominent Staff appointments included Director Naval Developmental Plans (Platform), Principal Secretary to the Chief of the Naval Staff and Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Operations) at Naval Headquarter, Islamabad. Currently, Rear Admiral Faisal Amin is appointed as Additional Secretary III at Minister of Defence. The Admiral is a recipient of Sitara-i-lmtiaz (Military). Rear Admiral Syed Faisal Ali Shah was commissioned in Operations Branch of Pakistan Navy in 1992. The Flag Officer's distinguished academic career included MSc in Defence & Strategic Studies from Quaid e Azam University Islamabad Masters in War Studies (Maritime) from Bahria University, Master of Military Studies from US and M Phil in Public Policy and Strategic Security Management from National Defence University, Islamabad. He is a graduate of Pakistan Navy War College, US Marine Corps Command and Staff College and National Defence University Islamabad. The Admiral has a vast experience of command and staff appointments which include command of a Marines Operational unit, Commander West and Commander Creeks. He has also served as Director Marines and Special Service Group (Navy) at Naval Headquarters as well as Naval & Air Attach of Pakistan in Iran. Rear Admiral Syed Faisal Ali Shah is presently appointed as Director General Joint Cantonment Gwadar (DGJCG) at Joint Staff Headquarters. The Admiral is a recipient of Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Military). Two officers of Pakistan Navy on Saturday got promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral with immediate effect ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Jan, 2022 ) :Two officers of Pakistan Navy on Saturday got promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral with immediate effect. Rear Admiral Faisal Amin got commission in Operations Branch of Pakistan Navy in 1992. The Flag Officer was a graduate of Command and Staff College, Quetta, National Defence University, Islamabad and Royal College of Defence Studies, United Kingdom, said a Pakistan Navy media release. The Admiral has an illustrious naval career covering vast experience of various Command and Staff appointments. His major Command appointments included Commanding of PN Ships RAJSHAHI and ALAMGIR and 18th Destroyer Squadron. His prominent Staff appointments included Director Naval Developmental Plans (Platform), Principal Secretary to the Chief of the Naval Staff and Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Operations) at Naval Headquarter, Islamabad. Currently, Rear Admiral Faisal Amin is appointed as Additional Secretary III at Minister of Defence. The Admiral is a recipient of Sitara-i-lmtiaz (Military). Rear Admiral Syed Faisal Ali Shah was commissioned in Operations Branch of Pakistan Navy in 1992. The Flag Officer's distinguished academic career included MSc in Defence & Strategic Studies from Quaid e Azam University Islamabad Masters in War Studies (Maritime) from Bahria University, Master of Military Studies from US and M Phil in Public Policy and Strategic Security Management from National Defence University, Islamabad. He is a graduate of Pakistan Navy War College, US Marine Corps Command and Staff College and National Defence University Islamabad. The Admiral has a vast experience of command and staff appointments which include command of a Marines Operational unit, Commander West and Commander Creeks. He has also served as Director Marines and Special Service Group (Navy) at Naval Headquarters as well as Naval & Air Attach of Pakistan in Iran. Rear Admiral Syed Faisal Ali Shah is presently appointed as Director General Joint Cantonment Gwadar (DGJCG) at Joint Staff Headquarters. The Admiral is a recipient of Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Military). AARP is the nations biggest and most influential advocacy group for seniors. It has about 38 million members more than 11% of the U.S. population. From lobbying for better conditions in nursing homes to getting travel discounts for members, the organization has done much to help retired people over the years. When it comes to one of AARPs signature products, though, it may not always be putting its members first. The problem is that the organization is dependent on revenue from insurance companies. And while sometimes the interests of insurance companies and seniors align, at times they dont. This potential for conflict of interest has become starkly visible in recent months, as Congress seeks to pass drug pricing measures that would hurt seniors and help insurers. Lets pull back the curtain. AARP earned $1.7 billion in revenue last year. About 45% $752 million came from deals between the organization and insurance companies to sell AARP-branded plans. AARP gets paid every time one of its members signs up for one of these branded policies. Millions of Americans trust the AARP name, making these insurance plans highly popular. More than 10 million seniors hold health plans just through AARPs partnership with insurance giant UnitedHealthcare, according to a recent report from the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest. That means AARP has a vested interest in insurance companies getting their way in policy debates, regardless of the outcome for seniors. This may account for the organizations support of the $2 trillion Build Back Better Act. The bill would make a host of sweeping changes to Medicare, the federal health insurance program that serves some 60 million seniors. One such change would allow the government to impose price controls on prescription drugs a move thats expected to save the federal government about $160 billion over a decade. It would also save insurers billions of dollars both by making medicines cheaper for those that sponsor Medicare drug plans and by giving the companies more leverage to demand lower drug prices for their other plans as well. Unfortunately, though, the drug pricing measures in the bill are not designed to actually save money for patients. And they could have a devastating impact on seniors. Specifically, the price caps would slash drug company revenue, dismantling their business model in one fell swoop. Research and development budgets would quickly shrink. Analysts at the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office have evaluated several proposed price-cap measures and concluded that they would slightly decrease the development of new treatments and reduce access to many advanced medicines. Moreover, a study by a University of Chicago economist estimated that an earlier version of the drug pricing bill would prevent up to 342 new drugs from being invented over the next two decades. Any one of those medicines could be a cure for Alzheimers, heart disease, diabetes or any of the dozens of other ailments that disproportionately plague seniors. Yet AARP has spoken favorably about the Build Back Better drug pricing plan. At the same time, it opposes letting consumers count cash rebates from pharmaceutical companies toward their insurance plan deductibles a policy that would help patients but hurt insurers. AARP presents itself as a champion for older Americans, and in some respects, it has been. But as a major beneficiary of insurance industry profits, its hard to see how it can represent its members fairly. Today the organization is supporting policies that will lead to barer medicine cabinets tomorrow. Confidential records of meetings and phone conversations between Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair reveal the close relationship the pair had before and after the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. The records from the Irish state archives show how the Taoiseach and the British prime minister talked regularly, speaking candidly about everything from frustrations with political parties in Northern Ireland to inclement summer weather. In the days leading up to the Good Friday Agreement, Mr Blair and Mr Ahern communicated constantly even as the Fianna Fail leader rushed between Dublin and Hillsborough following the death of his mother. In one exchange that week, Mr Blair says: I know obviously you have got your mother's funeral tomorrow, havent you. Mr Ahern says: Yes, well it actually goes to the Church tonight, this is our problem. But anyway when are you thinking, have you made up your mind what time you are going Tony, or have you made up your mind yet? The prime minister responds: I wanted to talk to you frankly before I did it. Later, Mr Ahern tells the Labour leader: Well lets have a crack Tony. It was always going to come down to this. It was Im afraid and Im so sorry for you. You dont wan [sic] to be thinking about it tonight and tomorrow morning, Mr Blair replies. Mr Ahern tells him: Its okay she, no better woman, she would want to see me trying to solve the problem. One conversation in July between the pair sees Mr Blair tell the Taoiseach: Im fine but Im desperate for my holiday. And we havent had a Summer here at all. Mr Ahern responds: It is absolutely disastrous, this week its just been torrential rain here and its lashing rain now and the weather for the next four or five days is rain. Mr Blair tells him he thinks people are blaming the government for the bad weather. Mr Ahern tells him: Well its natural we get blamed anyway. That conversation, one among dozens recorded as the Irish and British governments worked to deliver a peace settlement in Northern Ireland, reveals the level of co-operation and closeness between the two leaders. During one call, Mr Ahern told Mr Blair: I am doing a European lunch of journalists today Tony, its a speech and then its a questions and answers so needless to say the whole bloody thing is going to be on the North, because its European journalists all your guys are there. In terms of you know not saying anything wrong or being helpful, if I say I have been, you know we have been in touch again this morning at this stage, you would rather me not say that you are trying in any initiative. On a call between the two leaders in 1998, Mr Ahern asks about a recent trip to China. Yes, well I can tell you, Id say theres bugs everywhere. We had a very funny experience because I couldnt work the TV you see, so we were talking about trying to work this TV. So we went out said nothing to nobody, we came back and this guy was in there helping us to operate the TV. In other exchanges, the leaders compared notes on how conversations were going with key figures in negotiations including former Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams. Confidential records of meetings and phone conversations between Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair reveal the close relationship the pair had before and after the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. The records from the Irish state archives show how the Taoiseach and the British prime minister talked regularly, speaking candidly about everything from frustrations with political parties in Northern Ireland to inclement summer weather. In the days leading up to the Good Friday Agreement, Mr Blair and Mr Ahern communicated constantly even as the Fianna Fail leader rushed between Dublin and Hillsborough following the death of his mother. In one exchange that week, Mr Blair says: I know obviously you have got your mother's funeral tomorrow, havent you. Mr Ahern says: Yes, well it actually goes to the Church tonight, this is our problem. But anyway when are you thinking, have you made up your mind what time you are going Tony, or have you made up your mind yet? The prime minister responds: I wanted to talk to you frankly before I did it. Later, Mr Ahern tells the Labour leader: Well lets have a crack Tony. It was always going to come down to this. It was Im afraid and Im so sorry for you. You dont wan [sic] to be thinking about it tonight and tomorrow morning, Mr Blair replies. Mr Ahern tells him: Its okay she, no better woman, she would want to see me trying to solve the problem. One conversation in July between the pair sees Mr Blair tell the Taoiseach: Im fine but Im desperate for my holiday. And we havent had a Summer here at all. Mr Ahern responds: It is absolutely disastrous, this week its just been torrential rain here and its lashing rain now and the weather for the next four or five days is rain. Mr Blair tells him he thinks people are blaming the government for the bad weather. Mr Ahern tells him: Well its natural we get blamed anyway. That conversation, one among dozens recorded as the Irish and British governments worked to deliver a peace settlement in Northern Ireland, reveals the level of co-operation and closeness between the two leaders. During one call, Mr Ahern told Mr Blair: I am doing a European lunch of journalists today Tony, its a speech and then its a questions and answers so needless to say the whole bloody thing is going to be on the North, because its European journalists all your guys are there. In terms of you know not saying anything wrong or being helpful, if I say I have been, you know we have been in touch again this morning at this stage, you would rather me not say that you are trying in any initiative. On a call between the two leaders in 1998, Mr Ahern asks about a recent trip to China. Yes, well I can tell you, Id say theres bugs everywhere. We had a very funny experience because I couldnt work the TV you see, so we were talking about trying to work this TV. So we went out said nothing to nobody, we came back and this guy was in there helping us to operate the TV. In other exchanges, the leaders compared notes on how conversations were going with key figures in negotiations including former Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams. Confidential records of meetings and phone conversations between Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair reveal the close relationship the pair had before and after the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. The records from the Irish state archives show how the Taoiseach and the British prime minister talked regularly, speaking candidly about everything from frustrations with political parties in Northern Ireland to inclement summer weather. In the days leading up to the Good Friday Agreement, Mr Blair and Mr Ahern communicated constantly even as the Fianna Fail leader rushed between Dublin and Hillsborough following the death of his mother. In one exchange that week, Mr Blair says: I know obviously you have got your mother's funeral tomorrow, havent you. Mr Ahern says: Yes, well it actually goes to the Church tonight, this is our problem. But anyway when are you thinking, have you made up your mind what time you are going Tony, or have you made up your mind yet? The prime minister responds: I wanted to talk to you frankly before I did it. Later, Mr Ahern tells the Labour leader: Well lets have a crack Tony. It was always going to come down to this. It was Im afraid and Im so sorry for you. You dont wan [sic] to be thinking about it tonight and tomorrow morning, Mr Blair replies. Mr Ahern tells him: Its okay she, no better woman, she would want to see me trying to solve the problem. One conversation in July between the pair sees Mr Blair tell the Taoiseach: Im fine but Im desperate for my holiday. And we havent had a Summer here at all. Mr Ahern responds: It is absolutely disastrous, this week its just been torrential rain here and its lashing rain now and the weather for the next four or five days is rain. Mr Blair tells him he thinks people are blaming the government for the bad weather. Mr Ahern tells him: Well its natural we get blamed anyway. That conversation, one among dozens recorded as the Irish and British governments worked to deliver a peace settlement in Northern Ireland, reveals the level of co-operation and closeness between the two leaders. During one call, Mr Ahern told Mr Blair: I am doing a European lunch of journalists today Tony, its a speech and then its a questions and answers so needless to say the whole bloody thing is going to be on the North, because its European journalists all your guys are there. In terms of you know not saying anything wrong or being helpful, if I say I have been, you know we have been in touch again this morning at this stage, you would rather me not say that you are trying in any initiative. On a call between the two leaders in 1998, Mr Ahern asks about a recent trip to China. Yes, well I can tell you, Id say theres bugs everywhere. We had a very funny experience because I couldnt work the TV you see, so we were talking about trying to work this TV. So we went out said nothing to nobody, we came back and this guy was in there helping us to operate the TV. In other exchanges, the leaders compared notes on how conversations were going with key figures in negotiations including former Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams. Winter got you down? Bust out this mind-altering novel, which centers on a criminal trial closely resembling that of the Menendez brothers, who were convicted in 1996 of murdering their parents. Seth is a magazine writer who has flown from New York to California to profile a vacuous celebrity while simultaneously working out his fixation on what Indiana calls the Martinez brothers. Jack is Seths former lover, JD is a popular radio host, and the three spend their nights at a cocktail lounge called the Black Light among meth-addled Hells Angels and bewigged drag queens and boozy actresses who are in the third acts (possibly even the epilogues) of their careers. Its Los Angeles circa 1994: a Bosch painting in neon colors; a place where its possible to get strangled by a puppeteer in a basement dungeon or smile at Matthew Modine in the Chateau Marmont elevator or eat a piece of fatty tuna while someone tells you that you have a really negative, pessimistic aura. Indiana has the kind of ruthless comic intelligence that I cherish in my friends and fear in my enemies. Theres no better describer of people (one guy is a slice of pathos; a womans hair is ratted up like the high note of a show tune) or conjurer of dread and lust. Reading Resentment is one of very few times recently that the phrase Great American Novel has obtruded on my thoughts. Read if you like: Kathy Acker, being in the grip of an obsession, Patricia Lockwood, Tom Wolfes The Bonfire of the Vanities Available from: MIT Press Winter got you down? Bust out this mind-altering novel, which centers on a criminal trial closely resembling that of the Menendez brothers, who were convicted in 1996 of murdering their parents. Seth is a magazine writer who has flown from New York to California to profile a vacuous celebrity while simultaneously working out his fixation on what Indiana calls the Martinez brothers. Jack is Seths former lover, JD is a popular radio host, and the three spend their nights at a cocktail lounge called the Black Light among meth-addled Hells Angels and bewigged drag queens and boozy actresses who are in the third acts (possibly even the epilogues) of their careers. Its Los Angeles circa 1994: a Bosch painting in neon colors; a place where its possible to get strangled by a puppeteer in a basement dungeon or smile at Matthew Modine in the Chateau Marmont elevator or eat a piece of fatty tuna while someone tells you that you have a really negative, pessimistic aura. Indiana has the kind of ruthless comic intelligence that I cherish in my friends and fear in my enemies. Theres no better describer of people (one guy is a slice of pathos; a womans hair is ratted up like the high note of a show tune) or conjurer of dread and lust. Reading Resentment is one of very few times recently that the phrase Great American Novel has obtruded on my thoughts. Read if you like: Kathy Acker, being in the grip of an obsession, Patricia Lockwood, Tom Wolfes The Bonfire of the Vanities Available from: MIT Press Winter got you down? Bust out this mind-altering novel, which centers on a criminal trial closely resembling that of the Menendez brothers, who were convicted in 1996 of murdering their parents. Seth is a magazine writer who has flown from New York to California to profile a vacuous celebrity while simultaneously working out his fixation on what Indiana calls the Martinez brothers. Jack is Seths former lover, JD is a popular radio host, and the three spend their nights at a cocktail lounge called the Black Light among meth-addled Hells Angels and bewigged drag queens and boozy actresses who are in the third acts (possibly even the epilogues) of their careers. Its Los Angeles circa 1994: a Bosch painting in neon colors; a place where its possible to get strangled by a puppeteer in a basement dungeon or smile at Matthew Modine in the Chateau Marmont elevator or eat a piece of fatty tuna while someone tells you that you have a really negative, pessimistic aura. Indiana has the kind of ruthless comic intelligence that I cherish in my friends and fear in my enemies. Theres no better describer of people (one guy is a slice of pathos; a womans hair is ratted up like the high note of a show tune) or conjurer of dread and lust. Reading Resentment is one of very few times recently that the phrase Great American Novel has obtruded on my thoughts. Read if you like: Kathy Acker, being in the grip of an obsession, Patricia Lockwood, Tom Wolfes The Bonfire of the Vanities Available from: MIT Press Winter got you down? Bust out this mind-altering novel, which centers on a criminal trial closely resembling that of the Menendez brothers, who were convicted in 1996 of murdering their parents. Seth is a magazine writer who has flown from New York to California to profile a vacuous celebrity while simultaneously working out his fixation on what Indiana calls the Martinez brothers. Jack is Seths former lover, JD is a popular radio host, and the three spend their nights at a cocktail lounge called the Black Light among meth-addled Hells Angels and bewigged drag queens and boozy actresses who are in the third acts (possibly even the epilogues) of their careers. Its Los Angeles circa 1994: a Bosch painting in neon colors; a place where its possible to get strangled by a puppeteer in a basement dungeon or smile at Matthew Modine in the Chateau Marmont elevator or eat a piece of fatty tuna while someone tells you that you have a really negative, pessimistic aura. Indiana has the kind of ruthless comic intelligence that I cherish in my friends and fear in my enemies. Theres no better describer of people (one guy is a slice of pathos; a womans hair is ratted up like the high note of a show tune) or conjurer of dread and lust. Reading Resentment is one of very few times recently that the phrase Great American Novel has obtruded on my thoughts. Read if you like: Kathy Acker, being in the grip of an obsession, Patricia Lockwood, Tom Wolfes The Bonfire of the Vanities Available from: MIT Press Winter got you down? Bust out this mind-altering novel, which centers on a criminal trial closely resembling that of the Menendez brothers, who were convicted in 1996 of murdering their parents. Seth is a magazine writer who has flown from New York to California to profile a vacuous celebrity while simultaneously working out his fixation on what Indiana calls the Martinez brothers. Jack is Seths former lover, JD is a popular radio host, and the three spend their nights at a cocktail lounge called the Black Light among meth-addled Hells Angels and bewigged drag queens and boozy actresses who are in the third acts (possibly even the epilogues) of their careers. Its Los Angeles circa 1994: a Bosch painting in neon colors; a place where its possible to get strangled by a puppeteer in a basement dungeon or smile at Matthew Modine in the Chateau Marmont elevator or eat a piece of fatty tuna while someone tells you that you have a really negative, pessimistic aura. Indiana has the kind of ruthless comic intelligence that I cherish in my friends and fear in my enemies. Theres no better describer of people (one guy is a slice of pathos; a womans hair is ratted up like the high note of a show tune) or conjurer of dread and lust. Reading Resentment is one of very few times recently that the phrase Great American Novel has obtruded on my thoughts. Read if you like: Kathy Acker, being in the grip of an obsession, Patricia Lockwood, Tom Wolfes The Bonfire of the Vanities Available from: MIT Press Thousands gathered Saturday in Baghdad to mark the second anniversary of the death of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani and protest the U.S., with crowds calling for the expulsion of American forces still in Iraq. In a live news feed captured by a Turkish broadcast company, protesters can be seen flooding a square in the Iraqi capital and hoisting up a flag depicting an image of Soleimani, a top Iranian general and Iraqi militia leader who was killed near Baghdad's airport on Jan. 3, 2020, in a drone strike ordered by former President Donald Trump. The crowd chanted "Death to America" and called for an end to what they called U.S. terrorism. Soleimani's assassination exacerbated long-standing tensions between the U.S. and Iran, prompting Iranian leaders to threaten retaliation. The Baghdad square was filled with allies of the Iraqi organization Hashed al-Shaabi, which includes factions closely associated with Iran and has called for the removal of U.S. forces, according to Agence France-Presse. About 2,500 American troops still remain in Iraq, per the outlet. A candle-lit vigil is scheduled to take place at the airport in Baghdad on Sunday and Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is set to meet with Soleimani's family on Saturday ahead of a main commemoration on Monday, the official anniversary of his death, Agence France-Press reported. Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share In his Dec. 26 op-ed, The common enemy of the left and the right, George F. Will stated that critical race theory subsumes individualism, dissolving it into group membership racial solidarity. My understanding of critical race theory is that it is the reverse: It is a factual analysis of economic, cultural, historical and political structures that negate Black Americans individual rights. Throughout history, Black Americans were not treated as individuals; they were and are treated as a group a despised group. As a group, they were enslaved. As a group, they were denied the right to vote. As a group, they were redlined out of neighborhoods, denied government services and consigned to poor schools and poor jobs. Because of their membership in a group, Black men are presumed to be criminals, jailed in staggeringly disproportionate numbers and murdered by police and White vigilantes. Critical race theory holds that Black Americans possess individual rights and it exposes and condemns the history, culture and institutions that deny the enjoyment of them. Mr. Will, given his career-long defense of individual rights, should be CRTs foremost proponent. Advertisement Holly Burkhalter, Washington George F. Will cited the great British thinker Michael Oakeshott to argue that the invention of the individual occurred with the emergence of modern democracy. Perhaps the concept of the conscious individual as an existence separate and apart from the group arose much earlier. From Julian Jayness book The Origins of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind, we may conclude that there was a point when language enabled the individual to realize that he or she was mortal and would die and the group would live on. If so, the liberation of the individual and individualism could be seen in early literature in Beowulf or in The Iliad. The fathers of sociology, such as Emile Durkheim, saw society as always exercising coercive control over us; the individual is a creation of the group, controlled and shaped by a dominating society and the collective consciousness, not the other way around. This can be seen through the development of institutions, mores and customs. More recent sociologists and psychologists see the individual as a complex of forces or, more precisely, the resultant of the interplay of a great number of social and physical pressures. Philosophers similarly examined the antinomy of the individual and the group, shaped by the periods of history and the dialectic. Advertisement A comparative study of civilizations might yield that the nature of consciousness and the role of the individual as distinct from the society developed in manifold ways. Indeed, the invention of the individual might have occurred when civilization began and the predominance of hunter-gatherers receded. Joseph Drew, Washington The writer is editor in chief of the journal Comparative Civilizations Review. GiftOutline Gift Article An NYPD officer catching a nap in his car between two New Years shifts took a random bullet to the head outside a Harlem precinct house early Saturday, authorities said. The officer awoke in the parking lot outside the 25th Precinct stationhouse to find the window of his personal vehicle shattered and blood dripping from a painful head wound, police said. He was taken to New York Presbyterian Hospital, where a bullet fragment was removed from his fractured skull, authorities said. He was expected to make a full recovery from the bizarre shooting, as the closed window absorbed most of the impact. New Mayor Eric Adams, in his first day on the job, promised to rein in the citywide gun violence under his administration. This is not going to be a city of disorder, this is not going to be a city of violence, said the ex-NYPD captain. This city is returning from the violent past to a place that is safe to raise our children and families. According to NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig, the officer was awakened around 6:15 a.m. by rain coming through the broken glass and quickly felt the pain in his head. When the cop got out of the car, he and a sergeant found the deformed bullet. The officer was asleep inside the lot on E. 119th St. after finishing an eight-hour New Years Eve shift in Central Park around 2 a.m., with a second tour set to begin at 7 a.m. Police officials said he opted to sleep in his car because the precincts dormitory was full. The cop, whose wife was with him at the hospital, was not the target of the gunshot which was likely fired from some distance away, said new Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell. Bullet fragments were pulled from the car as well as his head, and she added there were no 911 calls for a gunshot nor did any officers outside the precinct hear anything.. We are extremely grateful that our officer is recovering as we know this could have been a very tragic outcome, said Sewell, who has vowed to bring down gun violence in the five boroughs. I also do believe this incident underscores that there are far too many guns out there in the wrong hands. Story continues Cops were searching the area for video and checking area rooftops for ballistic evidence. The shot came through the rear drivers side window as the cop slept behind the wheel. The precinct parking lot was roped off as detectives collected evidence. No arrests have been made. Pat Lynch, the president of the Police Benevolent Association, the citys largest police union, said the shooting shows the magnitude of the issues and the problems we face. He was in a police parking lot and was still shot, Lynch said. It shows us the dangers police officers face always. At a very young age, Lisa Peyton-Caire became aware her parents and elders were preparing her and peers to lead, and that they were willing to make sacrifices and bear cruel inequalities to open a way to the future. Peyton-Caire came from a large, tight-knit, working-class family in greater Richmond, Virginia, her first job as an 11-year-old shampoo girl in her mothers hair salon, The Beauty Hut, where she worked until she left for college. From that upbringing, she became determined to live her life in a way to open opportunities for the next generation. She augmented that legacy with a commitment to self-care and wellness a luxury her elders often lacked to preserve community health. In 2012, she founded and still serves as president and CEO of the nonprofit Foundation for Black Womens Wellness and is also founder of Black Womens Wellness Day. As an undergraduate at Hampton University, a historically Black college, she met and fell in love with a Madison native, Kaleem Caire, a U.S. Navy man stationed in Norfolk, Virginia. In 1993, they moved to Madison, she a young married mother and undergraduate transfer student to UW-Madison with a child on the way. Peyton-Caire earned bachelors and masters degrees from the university and in the past 25 years has had a professional career in education, social services, mental health, nonprofit leadership, womens health advocacy, diversity, equity and inclusion and executive leadership in financial services. At UW-Madison, she worked in learning technology and distance education, and with colleagues launched the DoIt Information Technology Academy in 1999, now in its 23rd year of driving college access and career opportunities for young local people. Among civic endeavors, she has served on the boards of UnityPoint-Health Meriter, the Center for Resilient Cities, Sustain Dane, and A Fund for Women, and presently serves on the UW Population Health Institute Advisory Board and the Governors Health Equity Council. She has received many honors. Kaleem Caire is the founder and CEO of One City Schools and former president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Madison. They have five children. On Nov. 30, Peyton-Caire was named recipient of Madisons Jeffrey Clay Erlanger Civility in Public Discourse Award for 2021. In December, Madison Magazine named Peyton-Caire and Kaleem Caire winners of the Best of Madison Business Brian Howell Excellence in Innovation Award for 2022. What are the most troubling and challenging disparities in maternal and child health? It should alarm everyone that Wisconsin ranks first in the nation for Black infant mortality and simultaneously top in the nation for racial inequality. The two measures go hand in hand. This is layered on top of the higher rates of chronic disease and early death Black women face in Wisconsin and our lower life expectancy. The urgency to solve this crisis is what fuels our work and it will take collective effort. Why do these disparities exist? At the root of racial health/birth, social, economic and education disparities is racism and the inequitable access to resources, opportunity and well-being that racism creates. When we eliminate racism and its companion threat of classism, we will see these disparities diminish. Why did you found the Foundation for Black Womens Wellness? I started the foundation in 2012 out of necessity to address the gaping hole in urgent advocacy for Black womens health in our community and state. My own life experience in watching Black women suffer with deteriorating health in their mid-60s and younger, including my mother, who died at age 64 from congestive heart failure, was the catalyst that sparked this work. I recognized that regardless of where I was, Virginia, Maryland, California or Wisconsin anywhere in America the health of Black women was under attack by failed systems, inadequate health care, and by the daily battles we have to fight against racism. Nowhere in the country is that more true than here in Wisconsin. If we can transform Black womens health in Wisconsin, we can do it anywhere. What sorts of inroads have been made? We have not seen large-scale sustainable change in closing or eliminating racial gaps. In Wisconsin, there has been no measurable change over the last three decades in racial health disparities, and in fact, gaps appear to be widening. What is critical to change this is to acknowledge what drives these inequities and to be courageous enough to change the status quo. Whats most promising? To make real progress in dismantling racial disparities in health or anywhere else, we have to get to the root causes. One example of this would be the Saving Our Babies Initiative that the foundation is co-leading with the Dane County Health Council to transform Black birth outcomes locally. This is really an unprecedented effort that is mobilizing Black women, communities and systems to work together in powerful ways to co-create the solutions we need, and with dollar investments and infrastructure to sustain the work over the long haul. At a very young age, Lisa Peyton-Caire became aware her parents and elders were preparing her and peers to lead, and that they were willing to make sacrifices and bear cruel inequalities to open a way to the future. Peyton-Caire came from a large, tight-knit, working-class family in greater Richmond, Virginia, her first job as an 11-year-old shampoo girl in her mothers hair salon, The Beauty Hut, where she worked until she left for college. From that upbringing, she became determined to live her life in a way to open opportunities for the next generation. She augmented that legacy with a commitment to self-care and wellness a luxury her elders often lacked to preserve community health. In 2012, she founded and still serves as president and CEO of the nonprofit Foundation for Black Womens Wellness and is also founder of Black Womens Wellness Day. As an undergraduate at Hampton University, a historically Black college, she met and fell in love with a Madison native, Kaleem Caire, a U.S. Navy man stationed in Norfolk, Virginia. In 1993, they moved to Madison, she a young married mother and undergraduate transfer student to UW-Madison with a child on the way. Peyton-Caire earned bachelors and masters degrees from the university and in the past 25 years has had a professional career in education, social services, mental health, nonprofit leadership, womens health advocacy, diversity, equity and inclusion and executive leadership in financial services. At UW-Madison, she worked in learning technology and distance education, and with colleagues launched the DoIt Information Technology Academy in 1999, now in its 23rd year of driving college access and career opportunities for young local people. Among civic endeavors, she has served on the boards of UnityPoint-Health Meriter, the Center for Resilient Cities, Sustain Dane, and A Fund for Women, and presently serves on the UW Population Health Institute Advisory Board and the Governors Health Equity Council. She has received many honors. Kaleem Caire is the founder and CEO of One City Schools and former president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Madison. They have five children. On Nov. 30, Peyton-Caire was named recipient of Madisons Jeffrey Clay Erlanger Civility in Public Discourse Award for 2021. In December, Madison Magazine named Peyton-Caire and Kaleem Caire winners of the Best of Madison Business Brian Howell Excellence in Innovation Award for 2022. What are the most troubling and challenging disparities in maternal and child health? It should alarm everyone that Wisconsin ranks first in the nation for Black infant mortality and simultaneously top in the nation for racial inequality. The two measures go hand in hand. This is layered on top of the higher rates of chronic disease and early death Black women face in Wisconsin and our lower life expectancy. The urgency to solve this crisis is what fuels our work and it will take collective effort. Why do these disparities exist? At the root of racial health/birth, social, economic and education disparities is racism and the inequitable access to resources, opportunity and well-being that racism creates. When we eliminate racism and its companion threat of classism, we will see these disparities diminish. Why did you found the Foundation for Black Womens Wellness? I started the foundation in 2012 out of necessity to address the gaping hole in urgent advocacy for Black womens health in our community and state. My own life experience in watching Black women suffer with deteriorating health in their mid-60s and younger, including my mother, who died at age 64 from congestive heart failure, was the catalyst that sparked this work. I recognized that regardless of where I was, Virginia, Maryland, California or Wisconsin anywhere in America the health of Black women was under attack by failed systems, inadequate health care, and by the daily battles we have to fight against racism. Nowhere in the country is that more true than here in Wisconsin. If we can transform Black womens health in Wisconsin, we can do it anywhere. What sorts of inroads have been made? We have not seen large-scale sustainable change in closing or eliminating racial gaps. In Wisconsin, there has been no measurable change over the last three decades in racial health disparities, and in fact, gaps appear to be widening. What is critical to change this is to acknowledge what drives these inequities and to be courageous enough to change the status quo. Whats most promising? To make real progress in dismantling racial disparities in health or anywhere else, we have to get to the root causes. One example of this would be the Saving Our Babies Initiative that the foundation is co-leading with the Dane County Health Council to transform Black birth outcomes locally. This is really an unprecedented effort that is mobilizing Black women, communities and systems to work together in powerful ways to co-create the solutions we need, and with dollar investments and infrastructure to sustain the work over the long haul. At a very young age, Lisa Peyton-Caire became aware her parents and elders were preparing her and peers to lead, and that they were willing to make sacrifices and bear cruel inequalities to open a way to the future. Peyton-Caire came from a large, tight-knit, working-class family in greater Richmond, Virginia, her first job as an 11-year-old shampoo girl in her mothers hair salon, The Beauty Hut, where she worked until she left for college. From that upbringing, she became determined to live her life in a way to open opportunities for the next generation. She augmented that legacy with a commitment to self-care and wellness a luxury her elders often lacked to preserve community health. In 2012, she founded and still serves as president and CEO of the nonprofit Foundation for Black Womens Wellness and is also founder of Black Womens Wellness Day. As an undergraduate at Hampton University, a historically Black college, she met and fell in love with a Madison native, Kaleem Caire, a U.S. Navy man stationed in Norfolk, Virginia. In 1993, they moved to Madison, she a young married mother and undergraduate transfer student to UW-Madison with a child on the way. Peyton-Caire earned bachelors and masters degrees from the university and in the past 25 years has had a professional career in education, social services, mental health, nonprofit leadership, womens health advocacy, diversity, equity and inclusion and executive leadership in financial services. At UW-Madison, she worked in learning technology and distance education, and with colleagues launched the DoIt Information Technology Academy in 1999, now in its 23rd year of driving college access and career opportunities for young local people. Among civic endeavors, she has served on the boards of UnityPoint-Health Meriter, the Center for Resilient Cities, Sustain Dane, and A Fund for Women, and presently serves on the UW Population Health Institute Advisory Board and the Governors Health Equity Council. She has received many honors. Kaleem Caire is the founder and CEO of One City Schools and former president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Madison. They have five children. On Nov. 30, Peyton-Caire was named recipient of Madisons Jeffrey Clay Erlanger Civility in Public Discourse Award for 2021. In December, Madison Magazine named Peyton-Caire and Kaleem Caire winners of the Best of Madison Business Brian Howell Excellence in Innovation Award for 2022. What are the most troubling and challenging disparities in maternal and child health? It should alarm everyone that Wisconsin ranks first in the nation for Black infant mortality and simultaneously top in the nation for racial inequality. The two measures go hand in hand. This is layered on top of the higher rates of chronic disease and early death Black women face in Wisconsin and our lower life expectancy. The urgency to solve this crisis is what fuels our work and it will take collective effort. Why do these disparities exist? At the root of racial health/birth, social, economic and education disparities is racism and the inequitable access to resources, opportunity and well-being that racism creates. When we eliminate racism and its companion threat of classism, we will see these disparities diminish. Why did you found the Foundation for Black Womens Wellness? I started the foundation in 2012 out of necessity to address the gaping hole in urgent advocacy for Black womens health in our community and state. My own life experience in watching Black women suffer with deteriorating health in their mid-60s and younger, including my mother, who died at age 64 from congestive heart failure, was the catalyst that sparked this work. I recognized that regardless of where I was, Virginia, Maryland, California or Wisconsin anywhere in America the health of Black women was under attack by failed systems, inadequate health care, and by the daily battles we have to fight against racism. Nowhere in the country is that more true than here in Wisconsin. If we can transform Black womens health in Wisconsin, we can do it anywhere. What sorts of inroads have been made? We have not seen large-scale sustainable change in closing or eliminating racial gaps. In Wisconsin, there has been no measurable change over the last three decades in racial health disparities, and in fact, gaps appear to be widening. What is critical to change this is to acknowledge what drives these inequities and to be courageous enough to change the status quo. Whats most promising? To make real progress in dismantling racial disparities in health or anywhere else, we have to get to the root causes. One example of this would be the Saving Our Babies Initiative that the foundation is co-leading with the Dane County Health Council to transform Black birth outcomes locally. This is really an unprecedented effort that is mobilizing Black women, communities and systems to work together in powerful ways to co-create the solutions we need, and with dollar investments and infrastructure to sustain the work over the long haul. At a very young age, Lisa Peyton-Caire became aware her parents and elders were preparing her and peers to lead, and that they were willing to make sacrifices and bear cruel inequalities to open a way to the future. Peyton-Caire came from a large, tight-knit, working-class family in greater Richmond, Virginia, her first job as an 11-year-old shampoo girl in her mothers hair salon, The Beauty Hut, where she worked until she left for college. From that upbringing, she became determined to live her life in a way to open opportunities for the next generation. She augmented that legacy with a commitment to self-care and wellness a luxury her elders often lacked to preserve community health. In 2012, she founded and still serves as president and CEO of the nonprofit Foundation for Black Womens Wellness and is also founder of Black Womens Wellness Day. As an undergraduate at Hampton University, a historically Black college, she met and fell in love with a Madison native, Kaleem Caire, a U.S. Navy man stationed in Norfolk, Virginia. In 1993, they moved to Madison, she a young married mother and undergraduate transfer student to UW-Madison with a child on the way. Peyton-Caire earned bachelors and masters degrees from the university and in the past 25 years has had a professional career in education, social services, mental health, nonprofit leadership, womens health advocacy, diversity, equity and inclusion and executive leadership in financial services. At UW-Madison, she worked in learning technology and distance education, and with colleagues launched the DoIt Information Technology Academy in 1999, now in its 23rd year of driving college access and career opportunities for young local people. Among civic endeavors, she has served on the boards of UnityPoint-Health Meriter, the Center for Resilient Cities, Sustain Dane, and A Fund for Women, and presently serves on the UW Population Health Institute Advisory Board and the Governors Health Equity Council. She has received many honors. Kaleem Caire is the founder and CEO of One City Schools and former president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Madison. They have five children. On Nov. 30, Peyton-Caire was named recipient of Madisons Jeffrey Clay Erlanger Civility in Public Discourse Award for 2021. In December, Madison Magazine named Peyton-Caire and Kaleem Caire winners of the Best of Madison Business Brian Howell Excellence in Innovation Award for 2022. What are the most troubling and challenging disparities in maternal and child health? It should alarm everyone that Wisconsin ranks first in the nation for Black infant mortality and simultaneously top in the nation for racial inequality. The two measures go hand in hand. This is layered on top of the higher rates of chronic disease and early death Black women face in Wisconsin and our lower life expectancy. The urgency to solve this crisis is what fuels our work and it will take collective effort. Why do these disparities exist? At the root of racial health/birth, social, economic and education disparities is racism and the inequitable access to resources, opportunity and well-being that racism creates. When we eliminate racism and its companion threat of classism, we will see these disparities diminish. Why did you found the Foundation for Black Womens Wellness? I started the foundation in 2012 out of necessity to address the gaping hole in urgent advocacy for Black womens health in our community and state. My own life experience in watching Black women suffer with deteriorating health in their mid-60s and younger, including my mother, who died at age 64 from congestive heart failure, was the catalyst that sparked this work. I recognized that regardless of where I was, Virginia, Maryland, California or Wisconsin anywhere in America the health of Black women was under attack by failed systems, inadequate health care, and by the daily battles we have to fight against racism. Nowhere in the country is that more true than here in Wisconsin. If we can transform Black womens health in Wisconsin, we can do it anywhere. What sorts of inroads have been made? We have not seen large-scale sustainable change in closing or eliminating racial gaps. In Wisconsin, there has been no measurable change over the last three decades in racial health disparities, and in fact, gaps appear to be widening. What is critical to change this is to acknowledge what drives these inequities and to be courageous enough to change the status quo. Whats most promising? To make real progress in dismantling racial disparities in health or anywhere else, we have to get to the root causes. One example of this would be the Saving Our Babies Initiative that the foundation is co-leading with the Dane County Health Council to transform Black birth outcomes locally. This is really an unprecedented effort that is mobilizing Black women, communities and systems to work together in powerful ways to co-create the solutions we need, and with dollar investments and infrastructure to sustain the work over the long haul. A blind UW-Madison professor requested to teach online this fall semester. She had the support of her department, documentation from her doctor and a long history of receiving disability accommodations from the university. UW-Madison instead offered English professor Elizabeth Bearden an N95 mask to wear while teaching. It was just so heartbreaking, she said. I feel betrayed by my institution. The accommodation, she said, didnt address her concerns about being unable to tell whether students were following the campus mask mandate nor alleviate her fears about an infection leading to a loss of taste or smell, which the blind rely on more than those with all five senses. Declining to risk her health, Bearden spent the semester on medical leave, earning 60% of her salary. She also filed a discrimination complaint last month with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging UW-Madison violated her rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Bearden and at least two others who sought online teaching flexibility said they were told by their disability representative this summer that UW-Madison is denying most online teaching requests because of a need to offer as many in-person classes as possible. The university offered the same explanation in its initial denial letter to Bearden. UW-Madison spokesperson John Lucas said he is unable to discuss the details of individual cases, including Beardens, but said the university values the contributions of its employees with disabilities and remains committed to careful and thoughtful review of each accommodation request. He also noted the low number of COVID-19 cases on campus this fall due to a vaccination rate of more than 95%. A recently concluded internal review of how UW-Madison handled the three dozen accommodation requests made under the ADA, including Beardens, drew no broad conclusions about whether the university did right by some of its most vulnerable instructors who remain at particularly high risk during the pandemic. Conducted by the universitys Office of Strategic Consulting and released to the Wisconsin State Journal under the states open records law, the review, which came in the form of a 13-slide PowerPoint presentation, seemed to blame staff in the Employee Disability Resources office for misinterpreting messages from university leadership. Disability representatives heard the message, perceived to be from the Chancellor and Provost, that fall semester teaching was to be in person, the review noted. This was interpreted in an inflexible way. At the same time, the review also found that while administrators desired to be flexible, the reluctance to offer changes in course modality led to perceptions of inflexibility. Many modified approvals Of the 36 ADA accommodation requests for the fall semester, the review found: Two cases in which the instructor was moved to a course already designated to be online; Seven cases where a course was moved online as requested; 10 cases that were withdrawn; One case that was denied; 14 cases designated as a modified approval, examples of which included offering an N95 mask, larger classroom or temporary online instruction that transitioned to in-person after the instructor received a booster shot; Two cases listed as in progress as of Sept. 22. The accommodations process was executed consistently across campus, the review found, with additional resources devoted in the second half of the summer. Thats when the majority of requests seeking workplace flexibility, including many that did not fall under the ADA, poured into department chairs as the delta variant of the coronavirus swept across the country. The unique nature of many requests, such as having an immunocompromised family member or unvaccinated child at home, were complex scenarios that UW-Madison lawyers and others hadnt previously dealt with under the ADA process, leading to longer processing times, the review said. Messaging on campus that attempted to educate people about the limits of the ADA process was interpreted (incorrectly) by some as a rejection of requests for flexibility, read one bullet point. No instructor interviews While Bearden submitted her request in May, four months before classes began in September, Lucas said nearly three-fourths of the requests to move classes online were submitted in August or later, leaving staff less time to respond. The unnamed employees who conducted the review interviewed 13 disability representatives, four associate deans, several individuals who work in human resources, someone in the Office of Compliance and the vice provost for teaching and learning. But they did not speak with Bearden or any other instructors who requested workplace flexibility. The omission stood out to Michael Bernard-Donals, who is president of a faculty advocacy group known as PROFS, one of several groups that raised concerns to administrators this summer about their handling of accommodation requests. You cannot get at what the failures are unless you talk to the people who feel they were failed, he said. This sounds like a rationalization more than any kind of critical study. The ADA accommodations process involves medical records, so the identity of employees making a request is protected under the federal medical privacy law, Lucas said. For that reason, the Office of Strategic Consulting did not request access to the identity of nor documentation related to individual requests. But the reviewers did attempt to understand the faculty requests by looking at data and interviewing a professor who leads a committee that regularly meets with administrators to discuss faculty concerns. Terribly eroding Bearden, too, took issue with the universitys review. Where are the voices of the people who actually experienced this? she asked. This document says very little, mostly in the passive voice. It does not in any way demand accountability for what in my experience was and continues to be at minimum a dreadfully unfair accommodations process. She remains troubled by UW-Madisons argument that allowing her to teach online presents the school with an undue hardship, considering she taught all of last year online and several students wrote in evaluations that her class was the best they had ever taken. Bearden asked to teach her two classes for the upcoming spring semester online, including one course that focuses on disability studies. UW-Madison, she said, again denied her request. I feel like Ive been treated like Im trash, she said. Like Im disposable. This experience has been terribly eroding. Apocalypse ... if not now then when? (Getty) Not that I have anything against Slough as such, but I get why John Betjeman would have written: Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough. Slough, it should be noted, is really (pre-war) Slough in this poem, but it also represents everything that Betjeman does not like (Its not fit for humans now). My own preferred solution to all architectural and other disasters is to have an asteroid wipe out the entire earth. Either that or a Death Star. It would solve the litter problem at a stroke too although I guess there would be an awful lot of terrestrial garbage flying through space. Our final all too appropriate legacy would be KFC cartons and Coke bottles scattered all over the interstellar void. We could, perhaps, take off in a star ship bound for a new Eden, but lets face it we would be bound to screw that up too. Better to let the beetles or the Triffids take over here surely. Maybe the dinosaurs could make a comeback in a new Jurassic world. The sad truth is that on a par with being spirited away by friendly aliens in their flying saucer the total instant annihilation scenario is sadly improbable. Those friendly asteroids always seem to miss the bullseye by several million miles. Far more likely than Apocalypse Now is as someone once described the male menopause to me a long slow steady decline, punctuated by ever more overwhelming catastrophes. That really only leaves two distinctive mechanisms of destruction cock-up or conspiracy, or possibly a cocktail of the two. Demonstrator with a sandwich board reading The End Is Nigh protests in Westminster on Budget Day in 2017 (In Pictures via Getty) None of which stops us from contemplating extinction. And even betting on it. Would the guy who used to troop around Oxford Street brandishing the placard, THE END IS NIGH, have been willing to put his house on that prophecy (assuming he had a house)? The main problem with betting on the end of the world is that youre not going to be around to collect your winnings. Having said that, I can imagine that there would be a certain grim satisfaction, as the lights finally go out, in muttering, I told you so and perhaps hearing all the unrepentant optimists recant and admit, Yep, looks like you were right all along. The odds on an Ape Uprising at 4,600-1, were only slightly less than the 5,000-1 offered on Leicester City winning the Premiership title William Hill says it is not currently offering odds on the end of the world. Perhaps because it thinks it is imminent. But Paddy Power certainly used to offer odds on the apocalypse. Perhaps in these dark days it should not surprise us that its not that much of a longshot. The odds on an Ape Uprising, at 4,600-1, were only slightly less than the 5000-1 offered on Leicester City winning the Premiership title (as they did in 2016). The idea that zombies would take over was a mere 1000-1. Slightly more of a longshot than the inevitable alien invasion. I guess Hollywood has a lot to answer for. But the grim reality of the slow (or not so slow) steady decline is becoming all too manifest. Just as Slough represented contemporary society to Betjeman, so I tend to think of the fate of islands as exemplary. As a result of being born in the East End of London, I used to fantasise about the South Pacific as being a decent slice of paradise. Now I gather that Vanuatu is slowly disappearing under a tide of non-biodegradable nappies (and has now passed a law prohibiting them). What a way to go! Hawaii (more north than south Pacific, to be exact) is also doomed. I always imagined it would perish beneath a massive tsunami, and that a few extremely gifted surfers would manage to escape. Either that or the imminent collapse of the Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica would trigger if not a giant wave at least a rise in sea levels enough to wipe out at least Honolulu and other coastal cities. At least the astronomical observatories atop Mt Mauna Kea would survive. But no matter what you expect its always something else. It turns out that the American Navy is in fact torpedoing its own people. Metaphorically speaking. What they are actually doing may be worse. The gigantic cavity at the bottom of Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica signals rapid decay and helps Nasa predict rising sea levels (Nasa/Shutterstock) Contrary to planning regulations and completely in defiance of any shred of common sense or decency, they chose to locate their underground fuel storage tanks, containing as much as one hundred million gallons of some extremely toxic and highly inflammable liquid, right over the top of the aquifer that serves approximately half a million people on the south side of the island of Oahu, from Pearl Harbour to Diamond Head and beyond. Needless to say there have been leaks and fossil fuels are now coming out of Hawaiian taps. The nearby army base has already stopped using tap water. A major shopping centre has shut. Navy families are being offered hotel rooms somewhere else. There is a threat of mass evacuation and residents at the northern end of the island, unaffected by leakages, are already panicking about the deluge of fugitives from the south. Hawaii is a little like the canary down the coal mine what happens there will eventually hit the rest of us, one way or another. Consider some of the myriad effects of climate change: deforestation, desertification, fire, drought, flooding. Quite enough, when combined, to put the continuity of civilisation in jeopardy The only remaining question, therefore, is: cock-up or conspiracy? I note that there is a grand total of 130 assorted risks (malicious or otherwise) listed in the 2019 National Security Risk Assessment. I am reasonably relaxed about the prospect of unleashing a modern day Frankensteins monster in the shape of a superintelligent AI machine intent on terminating the stupid humans that get in its way. I like to imagine that the rogue computer of the future with an IQ of a million will be too preoccupied with playing chess or Go against itself or exploring way more exciting parallel universes to be bothered with the fate of us numbskulls. Do we worry about what ants are getting up to? The jury is still out on Covid-19 and perhaps always will be. Bat or Wuhan lab? Could a bat pathogen have the distinctive furin cleavage site? If it was the lab it seems more likely to have been an accidental release rather than a deliberate act in the manner of the Salisbury Novichok poisonings. But there is always the possibility of bad actors at work. Consider some of the myriad effects of climate change: deforestation, desertification, fire, drought, flooding. Quite enough, when combined, to put the continuity of civilisation in jeopardy. Some will survive, many wont, and those that do probably wont be too happy about it either. But in amidst all the involuntary self-destruction and anti-Gaia anthropocentric activities, we also have to take into account the few dedicated arsonists and pyromaniacs (which paradoxically includes a very small number of firefighters) who set about deliberately lighting a fuse. Lets not forget the dedicated pyromaniacs who deliberately light the fuse (Getty) Thats what we really ought to worry about, says Martin Rees. The bad actors: theyre hard to forestall. His full title is Lord Rees of Ludlow and he is the Astronomer Royal. And he is one of the authors of the recent House of Lords report on Preparing for Extreme Risks: Building a Resilient Society. And he has an enlightening book out in paperback, On the Future: Prospects For Humanity. So he has really thought about the way the world is going to end. He wont be putting a bet on the zombie apocalypse any time soon, but he has co-founded the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk. I popped round to his house in Cambridge to have a chat with the silver-maned cosmologist about the end times. Its funny how the semantics of existential has shifted in the last half-century. It used to refer to something like a personal sense of angst in the face of pervasive absurdity and death; now it has become synonymous with the fate of the planet as a whole. Weve gone from nervous breakdown to social collapse. Existential used to refer to something like a personal sense of angst in the face of pervasive absurdity and death; now it has become synonymous with the fate of the planet as a whole Rees has calculated the probability of an asteroid hitting or us getting wiped out by a gamma ray blast from a neighbouring star. Once every 10 million years or so the Earth is liable to have a close encounter with a wrecking ball. But Rees is confident we can out-general it. Contrary to his old colleague, Stephen Hawking, he is also not a fan of a select crew of extremely wealthy airline and online supermarket magnates blasting off to another planet, mainly because he finds the idea a distraction from the real business of having a shot at fixing the one we are already on. My own existential philosophy, which is a loose translation from the French, is everything always goes wrong. Rees agrees with this, but reckons the more serious problem is wrong-uns making everything go wrong. The more interconnected we are, the more dependent we are on tech, the more likely society is to fall apart when/if the internet goes on the blink or gets hacked to hell. As the novelist Robert Harris neatly put it: Sophisticated societies do collapse. You cannot think of one that did not face some terrible crisis, partly because they became so sophisticated. The chances of being hit by an asteroid are about once every 10 million years (Getty/iStock) Rees fears the disappointed loner beavering away in their back room or in the lab, whether for the purpose of cyber or bio-terrorism, driven by what HG Wells called the wrecking madness in the mind of man. Its becoming easier to engineer viruses. And thereby cause massive disruption. It could be more transmissible than Covid. And more virulent. It could make the current pandemic look like a trial run. Some years ago, Rees placed a long bet with the more optimistically minded psychologist Stephen Pinker on whether there would be an incident of bio-terrorism that would kill at least a million people by 2020. Rees bet for, Pinker against. In the light of the raging pandemic, they had to suspend the bet because we dont yet know if this is exactly what it is, or accidental, or spontaneous. But if this was with William Hill rather than in the pages of The New Statesman, I reckon I would be demanding a payout. Bio-error or bio-terror: its a fine line. Only 0.3 per cent of the population in the US and UK have died from Covid-19, points out Rees. At approaching 1 per cent the hospitals would be inundated. Its becoming easier to engineer viruses. And thereby cause massive disruption. It could be more transmissible than Covid. And more virulent. It could make the current pandemic look like a trial run Given the way we are teetering on the brink anyway, it only needs a little push to finish us off. Its like the bad guys would only be taking the line of least resistance, collaborating with the zeitgeist. In a similar vein, Rees sees a fully intentional thermonuclear-style World War 3 as relatively far-fetched (although not impossible), but rates some kind of half-cocked hack into all that assembled military hardware as likely to become more common. The different ways of destroying society beyond climate change are becoming more numerous. Imagine if the internet had gone down during the pandemic! A cyber attack is far more likely than a zombie uprising (Getty/iStock) The creaky energy infrastructure of the United States is becoming a regular haunt of cybernauts (possibly based in China or Russia, but also not implausibly in the US itself) who steal information and sow panic and disruption, latterly shutting down a major pipeline. Its not hard to imagine the grid being taken offline and the lights going out. Its not just the internet that will go down, much to the consternation of Jeff Bezos, but whole transport systems, finance, and hospitals too. Could the other side end up pushing your nuclear buttons? I would rate that a lot more likely than a zombie uprising. Our inegalitarian future will be one in which vast swathes of the population are cut down and whole civilisations go up in smoke while a small handful of ultra-wealthy tech moguls are preserved in their insular fortresses Rees, like a latterday Orwell, looks forward to a dystopian future in which we are more vulnerable than ever and liberty, security and privacy are all hanging by a thread. Is there anything we can do about it? Obviously we need to put our vampiric guzzling of fossil fuels into reverse and pump it all back where it came from. And keep working towards new energy sources like nuclear fusion. But, in the meantime, Rees has a modest proposal: What we can do is try to decrease the number of embittered individuals. He and his fellow peers are talking about a new Marshall Plan (like the post-Second World War American initiative) that could see funds and international collaboration underpinning the development of whole countries and continents in the post-plague period in a spirit of self-preservation. Given that we have recently cut overseas aid, it is safe to say that this idea hasnt yet caught fire in Whitehall. Even when Hawaii is going down the drain, it is good to know that Mark Zuckerberg is safely squirreled away in his meta-universe on the island of Kauai. Such is the tragic fate of the world. This could be our increasingly inegalitarian future, one in which vast swathes of the population are cut down and whole civilisations go up in smoke while a small handful of ultra-wealthy tech moguls are preserved in their insular fortresses. I imagine that Meta-man has made sure to have a secure source of energy, perhaps his own meta-grid. In the event of an emergency, Facebook and Instagram will live on, forever recyling photographs of how incredibly perfect our lives are (or were). As for the rest of us, I think it would be wise to practise living without a phone or a computer. We may be locked in an irreversible, self-inflicted death spiral. Humanity is extinguishing itself. An esteemed colleague reckons we have at best two hundred years before doomsday. We are such a cruel, stupid, heartless, murderous bunch, do we even deserve more of an innings? I have an old friend who has settled down in a shack on the side of a mountain in Montana, together with an ample collection of guns and a bow and arrow for the day he runs out of ammo. He already refuses to touch Starbucks with a bargepole. Call him Mad Max if you will. But when the apocalypse finally comes, he is going to be laughing. @andymartinink Andy Martin is the author of Surf, Sweat and Tears: the Epic Life and Mysterious Death of Edward George William Omar Deerhurst (OR Books) https://sputniknews.com/20220101/ghislaine-maxwell-gave-oral-sex-masterclass-at-new-york-cocktail-party-writer-reveals-1091965716.html Ghislaine Maxwell Gave 'Oral Sex Masterclass' at New York Cocktail Party, Writer Reveals Ghislaine Maxwell Gave 'Oral Sex Masterclass' at New York Cocktail Party, Writer Reveals The memoirist - the daughter of celebrated politician and author, Woodrow, Lord Wyatt, and a former mistress of Boris Johnson - also wrote that Maxwell was... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T18:19+0000 2022-01-01T18:19+0000 2022-01-01T18:19+0000 world ghislaine maxwell meeting journalist oral sex /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/07/10/1083399463_0:927:2039:2074_1920x0_80_0_0_65c6a5e727435bc03f8872626685cb61.jpg As Jeffrey Epsteins former associate was found guilty on five of the six sex-trafficking counts she faced, British journalist Petronella Wyatt shared some details about her encounters with the socialite, some of which date back more than three decades.Their first meeting occurred in the Eighties at a fancy Italian restaurant in London when Wyatt was 16. She recalls how Maxwell, seven years her senior, was sitting at the best table, her contralto voice holding court to a group of 10 or 12, most of them men".She mentioned that there was something very sexual about Maxwell, and an almost Geisha-like desire to please her male companions.When the two met again at a cocktail party in New York almost a decade later, Wyatt noted that Maxwell seemed harder, as the latter had lost her charm and appeared to be playing a role.Wyatt also pointed out that, while she pulled away, some of the younger girls came forward to take advantage of Ghislaines masterclass.The journalist also suggested that the death of Maxwells father - British media proprietor Robert Maxwell - changed Ghislaine and perhaps sent her on her headlong rush towards a man like Jeffrey Epstein".She mentioned that Robert Maxwell allegedly abused Ghislaine both verbally and physically and also taught her to despise members of her own sex.Ghislaine Maxwell gained quite a bit of notoriety in recent years over her ties to the late Jeffrey Epstein, a disgraced financier and convicted sex offender who was found dead in 2019 in his prison cell in New York where he was awaiting trial on charges of sex-trafficking of minors.Maxwell herself was arrested in the United States in July 2020 and stood trial on charges of procuring underage girls for Jeffrey Epstein, with the guilty verdict announced by the court shortly before the end of 2021. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/ghislaine-maxwell-prevented-vanity-fair-20-years-ago-from-airing-thoroughly-untrue-epstein-abuses-1091954898.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Andrei Dergalin Andrei Dergalin News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Andrei Dergalin ghislaine maxwell, meeting, journalist, oral sex https://sputniknews.com/20220101/ghislaine-maxwell-gave-oral-sex-masterclass-at-new-york-cocktail-party-writer-reveals-1091965716.html Ghislaine Maxwell Gave 'Oral Sex Masterclass' at New York Cocktail Party, Writer Reveals Ghislaine Maxwell Gave 'Oral Sex Masterclass' at New York Cocktail Party, Writer Reveals The memoirist - the daughter of celebrated politician and author, Woodrow, Lord Wyatt, and a former mistress of Boris Johnson - also wrote that Maxwell was... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T18:19+0000 2022-01-01T18:19+0000 2022-01-01T18:19+0000 world ghislaine maxwell meeting journalist oral sex /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/07/10/1083399463_0:927:2039:2074_1920x0_80_0_0_65c6a5e727435bc03f8872626685cb61.jpg As Jeffrey Epsteins former associate was found guilty on five of the six sex-trafficking counts she faced, British journalist Petronella Wyatt shared some details about her encounters with the socialite, some of which date back more than three decades.Their first meeting occurred in the Eighties at a fancy Italian restaurant in London when Wyatt was 16. She recalls how Maxwell, seven years her senior, was sitting at the best table, her contralto voice holding court to a group of 10 or 12, most of them men".She mentioned that there was something very sexual about Maxwell, and an almost Geisha-like desire to please her male companions.When the two met again at a cocktail party in New York almost a decade later, Wyatt noted that Maxwell seemed harder, as the latter had lost her charm and appeared to be playing a role.Wyatt also pointed out that, while she pulled away, some of the younger girls came forward to take advantage of Ghislaines masterclass.The journalist also suggested that the death of Maxwells father - British media proprietor Robert Maxwell - changed Ghislaine and perhaps sent her on her headlong rush towards a man like Jeffrey Epstein".She mentioned that Robert Maxwell allegedly abused Ghislaine both verbally and physically and also taught her to despise members of her own sex.Ghislaine Maxwell gained quite a bit of notoriety in recent years over her ties to the late Jeffrey Epstein, a disgraced financier and convicted sex offender who was found dead in 2019 in his prison cell in New York where he was awaiting trial on charges of sex-trafficking of minors.Maxwell herself was arrested in the United States in July 2020 and stood trial on charges of procuring underage girls for Jeffrey Epstein, with the guilty verdict announced by the court shortly before the end of 2021. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/ghislaine-maxwell-prevented-vanity-fair-20-years-ago-from-airing-thoroughly-untrue-epstein-abuses-1091954898.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Andrei Dergalin Andrei Dergalin News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Andrei Dergalin ghislaine maxwell, meeting, journalist, oral sex In 1923, Kevin OHiggins, then the Minister for Home Affairs described the Dail courts, Republican courts or Sinn Fein courts, which had been abolished in 1922, as an improvised system of justice that: was forged more as a weapon against the British administration in exceptional times and exceptional circumstances than as a definite system which would meet and answer the needs of normal times. I am meeting one of County Leitrims illustrious sons, Noel McPartland, whose grandfather, John McPartland, was a judge in those courts. He was a judge from 1918 until the Civil War started. It would have been illegal in terms of the English system. They would be court-marshalling some fella for something and he would be the judge at that particular trial, signing documents and all that. He supported the cause right up to the treaty. He was anti-treaty. Later he worked as a haulier, mainly collecting and delivering coal from the Arigna coal mines. The McPartlands opened their newsagents and confectionery shop in Drumshanbo in 1885 and kept it going until 1994 with Noels mum running it until she was 90. It became one of the casualties of the Black and Tans visit to the town, however, when they burned it out in 1922. My father, Hubert, worked in the shop but he was also a hackney driver and the Black and Tans heard that he had driven some of the local IRA fellows to a meeting in Ballinamore. The front door, which was also the entrance to our house, was blown in, they destroyed the stock and set fire to the shop. The attack happened at night, the family were all in bed but they got out safely as the fire was confined to the shop. Of course there was no fire brigade at that time, it was the bucket brigade. Buckets of water put the fire out. They also damaged my fathers car, which was also his livelihood. But the Black and Tans didnt stop with the McPartlands shop, going on to burn several premises in the town. They burned a house up the road near the church, a man who was very involved in the IRA. They burned his house to the ground, and almost burned the occupants as well but they were got out on time. They were completely uncontrollable. People were very much afraid of them. They were the dregs of an army that was sent over here. They went around and abused people, beat people up for no reason, and that was everywhere, not just Drumshanbo. Noel McPartland spent 5 years in the US Army My father was on de Valeras side. Dev gave a great speech here in 1932, I have a film of it. It was during the 1932 election. My father was a de Valera man all his life. Afterwards, Hubert and another man from the local cumann, Willie Moran, were delegates at the treaty talks in the Mansion House in Dublin. Then Hubert married a local girl, Bridie, who had emigrated to America in 1925. She visited home in 1927 and met Hubert and returned for good in 1930. When they married in the Pro Cathedral in Dublin they moved in and ran the shop. They had six children, three girls and then three boys. Moira, 90, is a St Louis nun in California; Frances is 88 and living in New York, and the youngest sister, Rosalie, died in 2017. Then we have the three boys Noel and Sean (Im a twin) (sadly, Sean passed away on September 17 this year), and the youngest, Ronnie. Because my mother and a lot of her brothers emigrated in the 1800s and early 1900s, my mother always thought the answer to everything, especially living in Leitrim in those tough days, was to get them off to America. Educate them and send them to America! And Hubert had the unenviable task of driving most of his children, one after another, to the boat in Cobh, County Cork, or later to Shannon airport as they emigrated to America. Moira went first, she went out there on the missions. After Sean did his Leaving Cert in St Mels in Longford (thats where we attended boarding school), he went to America in 1956. I stayed on here for another couple of years doing different jobs, and then I emigrated in 1958; I went to Chicago and then on to New York. My younger brother, Ronnie, lives in Howth hes a retired Aer Lingus pilot. He went to school in the Franciscan college in Gormanstown, County Meath. His class was the first class in it when it opened. The school had been located in Multyfarnham in County Westmeath, but they bought this place and he was in the first class in about 1954. Noel remembers his parents as a great couple, very religious, very into their family. We had a good childhood, even during the tough years. My mother didnt suffer fools gladly, now; she didnt like anyone who was trying to pull a fast one. She was a very tough lady. She had to be. Noel completed his Leaving Certificate and started his working life in 1951 as a junior assistant master around Drumshanbo. Back then, women had to retire from teaching when they married, so there were plenty of opportunities for a young, newly qualified teacher in the local schools. Noel was living at home with his parents at the time and he remembers one particular night very well. We were listening to the radio, it was Radio Luxembourg, and there was a knock on the shop door. It was one of the coal miners from Arigna, in his twenties, but a big man. Come on, he said to me, and we walked up the street. We got into a car and travelled to the home of another miner where our job was to collect gelignite that had been taken from the mine. I was sweating! He opened the boot of a car and there were five or six sticks of gelignite in a bag. I immediately asked what would happen if we were stopped on the way home. Dont worry about it, he said. When Noel returned home, the door was locked and he had no key. His father was sitting up waiting for him. Where were you? he asked me. Up the town, I replied. Then he gave me a slap on the side of my face and sent me spinning into the shop. I got caught up with these guys and my father saw and he knew who they were. Then I told him what I had been doing and thank God I told him. He gave me the best advice ever. He said, If youre caught with those guys again, you may go to jail, but you will never come back here. That woke me up. He had been through it all in the twenties; he had seen it all. He wasnt a man to talk an awful lot about those things. Noel had already been introduced to the IRA through his friends brother but he says their main interest was in having access to a car! He recalls the evening he was introduced to John Joe McGirl in a pub in Ballinamore. I remember walking into the pub and the place was packed. My friends brother introduced the two of us as two men who wouldnt be afraid to shoulder a gun. We just looked at one another our interest was in the car! After the meeting we went to a marquee dance in Mohill. Later, we got involved in the 1957 general election and we canvassed for McGirl, who topped the poll. Noel says feelings were very high following the killing of Sean South and Fergal OHanlon on New Years Day in Brookeborough. The two were part of an IRA military column that planned to blow up an RUC barracks in the town. But it was a botched operation, and in the ensuing gun battle South and OHanlon were shot dead by the police. Noel still has his fathers ledgers. He was a man of few words. When Noel and his twin brother were born in the Rotunda hospital in Dublin in 1936, the ledger entry is simply Dublin with Mother and on his return to Drumshanbo three days later, Drumshanbo with Mother. No mention of the twins! Noel says they had a good childhood but he and his twin hated school. School was really a jail. Sean and myself were sent to boarding school in Longford, and we were noted renegades. Their parents would send them to boarding school for the three months coming up to Christmas to get rid of us; we would go in September until Christmas Eve and then return home. Noels own American odyssey included working in the Hilton hotel in Chicago and being drafted into the US army around the time of the Cuban crisis; he spent five years in the military. After boarding school, he says, the American army was like a holiday! He spent 30 years working for Lairds Jams in Drumshanbo and was named Leitrim Person of the Year in 2019 for his work in supporting the development of the old site into The Food Hub and the establishment of The Shed, home of Gunpowder Gin and the first distillery to open in Connacht in over a century. Independence Memories: A Peoples Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation By Valerie Cox. Published by Hachette Ireland in Trade Paperback and eBook / 14.99. In 1923, Kevin OHiggins, then the Minister for Home Affairs described the Dail courts, Republican courts or Sinn Fein courts, which had been abolished in 1922, as an improvised system of justice that: was forged more as a weapon against the British administration in exceptional times and exceptional circumstances than as a definite system which would meet and answer the needs of normal times. I am meeting one of County Leitrims illustrious sons, Noel McPartland, whose grandfather, John McPartland, was a judge in those courts. He was a judge from 1918 until the Civil War started. It would have been illegal in terms of the English system. They would be court-marshalling some fella for something and he would be the judge at that particular trial, signing documents and all that. He supported the cause right up to the treaty. He was anti-treaty. Later he worked as a haulier, mainly collecting and delivering coal from the Arigna coal mines. The McPartlands opened their newsagents and confectionery shop in Drumshanbo in 1885 and kept it going until 1994 with Noels mum running it until she was 90. It became one of the casualties of the Black and Tans visit to the town, however, when they burned it out in 1922. My father, Hubert, worked in the shop but he was also a hackney driver and the Black and Tans heard that he had driven some of the local IRA fellows to a meeting in Ballinamore. The front door, which was also the entrance to our house, was blown in, they destroyed the stock and set fire to the shop. The attack happened at night, the family were all in bed but they got out safely as the fire was confined to the shop. Of course there was no fire brigade at that time, it was the bucket brigade. Buckets of water put the fire out. They also damaged my fathers car, which was also his livelihood. But the Black and Tans didnt stop with the McPartlands shop, going on to burn several premises in the town. They burned a house up the road near the church, a man who was very involved in the IRA. They burned his house to the ground, and almost burned the occupants as well but they were got out on time. They were completely uncontrollable. People were very much afraid of them. They were the dregs of an army that was sent over here. They went around and abused people, beat people up for no reason, and that was everywhere, not just Drumshanbo. Noel McPartland spent 5 years in the US Army My father was on de Valeras side. Dev gave a great speech here in 1932, I have a film of it. It was during the 1932 election. My father was a de Valera man all his life. Afterwards, Hubert and another man from the local cumann, Willie Moran, were delegates at the treaty talks in the Mansion House in Dublin. Then Hubert married a local girl, Bridie, who had emigrated to America in 1925. She visited home in 1927 and met Hubert and returned for good in 1930. When they married in the Pro Cathedral in Dublin they moved in and ran the shop. They had six children, three girls and then three boys. Moira, 90, is a St Louis nun in California; Frances is 88 and living in New York, and the youngest sister, Rosalie, died in 2017. Then we have the three boys Noel and Sean (Im a twin) (sadly, Sean passed away on September 17 this year), and the youngest, Ronnie. Because my mother and a lot of her brothers emigrated in the 1800s and early 1900s, my mother always thought the answer to everything, especially living in Leitrim in those tough days, was to get them off to America. Educate them and send them to America! And Hubert had the unenviable task of driving most of his children, one after another, to the boat in Cobh, County Cork, or later to Shannon airport as they emigrated to America. Moira went first, she went out there on the missions. After Sean did his Leaving Cert in St Mels in Longford (thats where we attended boarding school), he went to America in 1956. I stayed on here for another couple of years doing different jobs, and then I emigrated in 1958; I went to Chicago and then on to New York. My younger brother, Ronnie, lives in Howth hes a retired Aer Lingus pilot. He went to school in the Franciscan college in Gormanstown, County Meath. His class was the first class in it when it opened. The school had been located in Multyfarnham in County Westmeath, but they bought this place and he was in the first class in about 1954. Noel remembers his parents as a great couple, very religious, very into their family. We had a good childhood, even during the tough years. My mother didnt suffer fools gladly, now; she didnt like anyone who was trying to pull a fast one. She was a very tough lady. She had to be. Noel completed his Leaving Certificate and started his working life in 1951 as a junior assistant master around Drumshanbo. Back then, women had to retire from teaching when they married, so there were plenty of opportunities for a young, newly qualified teacher in the local schools. Noel was living at home with his parents at the time and he remembers one particular night very well. We were listening to the radio, it was Radio Luxembourg, and there was a knock on the shop door. It was one of the coal miners from Arigna, in his twenties, but a big man. Come on, he said to me, and we walked up the street. We got into a car and travelled to the home of another miner where our job was to collect gelignite that had been taken from the mine. I was sweating! He opened the boot of a car and there were five or six sticks of gelignite in a bag. I immediately asked what would happen if we were stopped on the way home. Dont worry about it, he said. When Noel returned home, the door was locked and he had no key. His father was sitting up waiting for him. Where were you? he asked me. Up the town, I replied. Then he gave me a slap on the side of my face and sent me spinning into the shop. I got caught up with these guys and my father saw and he knew who they were. Then I told him what I had been doing and thank God I told him. He gave me the best advice ever. He said, If youre caught with those guys again, you may go to jail, but you will never come back here. That woke me up. He had been through it all in the twenties; he had seen it all. He wasnt a man to talk an awful lot about those things. Noel had already been introduced to the IRA through his friends brother but he says their main interest was in having access to a car! He recalls the evening he was introduced to John Joe McGirl in a pub in Ballinamore. I remember walking into the pub and the place was packed. My friends brother introduced the two of us as two men who wouldnt be afraid to shoulder a gun. We just looked at one another our interest was in the car! After the meeting we went to a marquee dance in Mohill. Later, we got involved in the 1957 general election and we canvassed for McGirl, who topped the poll. Noel says feelings were very high following the killing of Sean South and Fergal OHanlon on New Years Day in Brookeborough. The two were part of an IRA military column that planned to blow up an RUC barracks in the town. But it was a botched operation, and in the ensuing gun battle South and OHanlon were shot dead by the police. Noel still has his fathers ledgers. He was a man of few words. When Noel and his twin brother were born in the Rotunda hospital in Dublin in 1936, the ledger entry is simply Dublin with Mother and on his return to Drumshanbo three days later, Drumshanbo with Mother. No mention of the twins! Noel says they had a good childhood but he and his twin hated school. School was really a jail. Sean and myself were sent to boarding school in Longford, and we were noted renegades. Their parents would send them to boarding school for the three months coming up to Christmas to get rid of us; we would go in September until Christmas Eve and then return home. Noels own American odyssey included working in the Hilton hotel in Chicago and being drafted into the US army around the time of the Cuban crisis; he spent five years in the military. After boarding school, he says, the American army was like a holiday! He spent 30 years working for Lairds Jams in Drumshanbo and was named Leitrim Person of the Year in 2019 for his work in supporting the development of the old site into The Food Hub and the establishment of The Shed, home of Gunpowder Gin and the first distillery to open in Connacht in over a century. Independence Memories: A Peoples Portrait of the Early Days of the Irish Nation By Valerie Cox. Published by Hachette Ireland in Trade Paperback and eBook / 14.99. Apocalypse ... if not now then when? (Getty) Not that I have anything against Slough as such, but I get why John Betjeman would have written: Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough. Slough, it should be noted, is really (pre-war) Slough in this poem, but it also represents everything that Betjeman does not like (Its not fit for humans now). My own preferred solution to all architectural and other disasters is to have an asteroid wipe out the entire earth. Either that or a Death Star. It would solve the litter problem at a stroke too although I guess there would be an awful lot of terrestrial garbage flying through space. Our final all too appropriate legacy would be KFC cartons and Coke bottles scattered all over the interstellar void. We could, perhaps, take off in a star ship bound for a new Eden, but lets face it we would be bound to screw that up too. Better to let the beetles or the Triffids take over here surely. Maybe the dinosaurs could make a comeback in a new Jurassic world. The sad truth is that on a par with being spirited away by friendly aliens in their flying saucer the total instant annihilation scenario is sadly improbable. Those friendly asteroids always seem to miss the bullseye by several million miles. Far more likely than Apocalypse Now is as someone once described the male menopause to me a long slow steady decline, punctuated by ever more overwhelming catastrophes. That really only leaves two distinctive mechanisms of destruction cock-up or conspiracy, or possibly a cocktail of the two. Demonstrator with a sandwich board reading The End Is Nigh protests in Westminster on Budget Day in 2017 (In Pictures via Getty) None of which stops us from contemplating extinction. And even betting on it. Would the guy who used to troop around Oxford Street brandishing the placard, THE END IS NIGH, have been willing to put his house on that prophecy (assuming he had a house)? The main problem with betting on the end of the world is that youre not going to be around to collect your winnings. Having said that, I can imagine that there would be a certain grim satisfaction, as the lights finally go out, in muttering, I told you so and perhaps hearing all the unrepentant optimists recant and admit, Yep, looks like you were right all along. The odds on an Ape Uprising at 4,600-1, were only slightly less than the 5,000-1 offered on Leicester City winning the Premiership title William Hill says it is not currently offering odds on the end of the world. Perhaps because it thinks it is imminent. But Paddy Power certainly used to offer odds on the apocalypse. Perhaps in these dark days it should not surprise us that its not that much of a longshot. The odds on an Ape Uprising, at 4,600-1, were only slightly less than the 5000-1 offered on Leicester City winning the Premiership title (as they did in 2016). The idea that zombies would take over was a mere 1000-1. Slightly more of a longshot than the inevitable alien invasion. I guess Hollywood has a lot to answer for. But the grim reality of the slow (or not so slow) steady decline is becoming all too manifest. Just as Slough represented contemporary society to Betjeman, so I tend to think of the fate of islands as exemplary. As a result of being born in the East End of London, I used to fantasise about the South Pacific as being a decent slice of paradise. Now I gather that Vanuatu is slowly disappearing under a tide of non-biodegradable nappies (and has now passed a law prohibiting them). What a way to go! Hawaii (more north than south Pacific, to be exact) is also doomed. I always imagined it would perish beneath a massive tsunami, and that a few extremely gifted surfers would manage to escape. Either that or the imminent collapse of the Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica would trigger if not a giant wave at least a rise in sea levels enough to wipe out at least Honolulu and other coastal cities. At least the astronomical observatories atop Mt Mauna Kea would survive. But no matter what you expect its always something else. It turns out that the American Navy is in fact torpedoing its own people. Metaphorically speaking. What they are actually doing may be worse. The gigantic cavity at the bottom of Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica signals rapid decay and helps Nasa predict rising sea levels (Nasa/Shutterstock) Contrary to planning regulations and completely in defiance of any shred of common sense or decency, they chose to locate their underground fuel storage tanks, containing as much as one hundred million gallons of some extremely toxic and highly inflammable liquid, right over the top of the aquifer that serves approximately half a million people on the south side of the island of Oahu, from Pearl Harbour to Diamond Head and beyond. Needless to say there have been leaks and fossil fuels are now coming out of Hawaiian taps. The nearby army base has already stopped using tap water. A major shopping centre has shut. Navy families are being offered hotel rooms somewhere else. There is a threat of mass evacuation and residents at the northern end of the island, unaffected by leakages, are already panicking about the deluge of fugitives from the south. Hawaii is a little like the canary down the coal mine what happens there will eventually hit the rest of us, one way or another. Consider some of the myriad effects of climate change: deforestation, desertification, fire, drought, flooding. Quite enough, when combined, to put the continuity of civilisation in jeopardy The only remaining question, therefore, is: cock-up or conspiracy? I note that there is a grand total of 130 assorted risks (malicious or otherwise) listed in the 2019 National Security Risk Assessment. I am reasonably relaxed about the prospect of unleashing a modern day Frankensteins monster in the shape of a superintelligent AI machine intent on terminating the stupid humans that get in its way. I like to imagine that the rogue computer of the future with an IQ of a million will be too preoccupied with playing chess or Go against itself or exploring way more exciting parallel universes to be bothered with the fate of us numbskulls. Do we worry about what ants are getting up to? The jury is still out on Covid-19 and perhaps always will be. Bat or Wuhan lab? Could a bat pathogen have the distinctive furin cleavage site? If it was the lab it seems more likely to have been an accidental release rather than a deliberate act in the manner of the Salisbury Novichok poisonings. But there is always the possibility of bad actors at work. Consider some of the myriad effects of climate change: deforestation, desertification, fire, drought, flooding. Quite enough, when combined, to put the continuity of civilisation in jeopardy. Some will survive, many wont, and those that do probably wont be too happy about it either. But in amidst all the involuntary self-destruction and anti-Gaia anthropocentric activities, we also have to take into account the few dedicated arsonists and pyromaniacs (which paradoxically includes a very small number of firefighters) who set about deliberately lighting a fuse. Lets not forget the dedicated pyromaniacs who deliberately light the fuse (Getty) Thats what we really ought to worry about, says Martin Rees. The bad actors: theyre hard to forestall. His full title is Lord Rees of Ludlow and he is the Astronomer Royal. And he is one of the authors of the recent House of Lords report on Preparing for Extreme Risks: Building a Resilient Society. And he has an enlightening book out in paperback, On the Future: Prospects For Humanity. So he has really thought about the way the world is going to end. He wont be putting a bet on the zombie apocalypse any time soon, but he has co-founded the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk. I popped round to his house in Cambridge to have a chat with the silver-maned cosmologist about the end times. Its funny how the semantics of existential has shifted in the last half-century. It used to refer to something like a personal sense of angst in the face of pervasive absurdity and death; now it has become synonymous with the fate of the planet as a whole. Weve gone from nervous breakdown to social collapse. Existential used to refer to something like a personal sense of angst in the face of pervasive absurdity and death; now it has become synonymous with the fate of the planet as a whole Rees has calculated the probability of an asteroid hitting or us getting wiped out by a gamma ray blast from a neighbouring star. Once every 10 million years or so the Earth is liable to have a close encounter with a wrecking ball. But Rees is confident we can out-general it. Contrary to his old colleague, Stephen Hawking, he is also not a fan of a select crew of extremely wealthy airline and online supermarket magnates blasting off to another planet, mainly because he finds the idea a distraction from the real business of having a shot at fixing the one we are already on. My own existential philosophy, which is a loose translation from the French, is everything always goes wrong. Rees agrees with this, but reckons the more serious problem is wrong-uns making everything go wrong. The more interconnected we are, the more dependent we are on tech, the more likely society is to fall apart when/if the internet goes on the blink or gets hacked to hell. As the novelist Robert Harris neatly put it: Sophisticated societies do collapse. You cannot think of one that did not face some terrible crisis, partly because they became so sophisticated. The chances of being hit by an asteroid are about once every 10 million years (Getty/iStock) Rees fears the disappointed loner beavering away in their back room or in the lab, whether for the purpose of cyber or bio-terrorism, driven by what HG Wells called the wrecking madness in the mind of man. Its becoming easier to engineer viruses. And thereby cause massive disruption. It could be more transmissible than Covid. And more virulent. It could make the current pandemic look like a trial run. Some years ago, Rees placed a long bet with the more optimistically minded psychologist Stephen Pinker on whether there would be an incident of bio-terrorism that would kill at least a million people by 2020. Rees bet for, Pinker against. In the light of the raging pandemic, they had to suspend the bet because we dont yet know if this is exactly what it is, or accidental, or spontaneous. But if this was with William Hill rather than in the pages of The New Statesman, I reckon I would be demanding a payout. Bio-error or bio-terror: its a fine line. Only 0.3 per cent of the population in the US and UK have died from Covid-19, points out Rees. At approaching 1 per cent the hospitals would be inundated. Its becoming easier to engineer viruses. And thereby cause massive disruption. It could be more transmissible than Covid. And more virulent. It could make the current pandemic look like a trial run Given the way we are teetering on the brink anyway, it only needs a little push to finish us off. Its like the bad guys would only be taking the line of least resistance, collaborating with the zeitgeist. In a similar vein, Rees sees a fully intentional thermonuclear-style World War 3 as relatively far-fetched (although not impossible), but rates some kind of half-cocked hack into all that assembled military hardware as likely to become more common. The different ways of destroying society beyond climate change are becoming more numerous. Imagine if the internet had gone down during the pandemic! A cyber attack is far more likely than a zombie uprising (Getty/iStock) The creaky energy infrastructure of the United States is becoming a regular haunt of cybernauts (possibly based in China or Russia, but also not implausibly in the US itself) who steal information and sow panic and disruption, latterly shutting down a major pipeline. Its not hard to imagine the grid being taken offline and the lights going out. Its not just the internet that will go down, much to the consternation of Jeff Bezos, but whole transport systems, finance, and hospitals too. Could the other side end up pushing your nuclear buttons? I would rate that a lot more likely than a zombie uprising. Our inegalitarian future will be one in which vast swathes of the population are cut down and whole civilisations go up in smoke while a small handful of ultra-wealthy tech moguls are preserved in their insular fortresses Rees, like a latterday Orwell, looks forward to a dystopian future in which we are more vulnerable than ever and liberty, security and privacy are all hanging by a thread. Is there anything we can do about it? Obviously we need to put our vampiric guzzling of fossil fuels into reverse and pump it all back where it came from. And keep working towards new energy sources like nuclear fusion. But, in the meantime, Rees has a modest proposal: What we can do is try to decrease the number of embittered individuals. He and his fellow peers are talking about a new Marshall Plan (like the post-Second World War American initiative) that could see funds and international collaboration underpinning the development of whole countries and continents in the post-plague period in a spirit of self-preservation. Given that we have recently cut overseas aid, it is safe to say that this idea hasnt yet caught fire in Whitehall. Even when Hawaii is going down the drain, it is good to know that Mark Zuckerberg is safely squirreled away in his meta-universe on the island of Kauai. Such is the tragic fate of the world. This could be our increasingly inegalitarian future, one in which vast swathes of the population are cut down and whole civilisations go up in smoke while a small handful of ultra-wealthy tech moguls are preserved in their insular fortresses. I imagine that Meta-man has made sure to have a secure source of energy, perhaps his own meta-grid. In the event of an emergency, Facebook and Instagram will live on, forever recyling photographs of how incredibly perfect our lives are (or were). As for the rest of us, I think it would be wise to practise living without a phone or a computer. We may be locked in an irreversible, self-inflicted death spiral. Humanity is extinguishing itself. An esteemed colleague reckons we have at best two hundred years before doomsday. We are such a cruel, stupid, heartless, murderous bunch, do we even deserve more of an innings? I have an old friend who has settled down in a shack on the side of a mountain in Montana, together with an ample collection of guns and a bow and arrow for the day he runs out of ammo. He already refuses to touch Starbucks with a bargepole. Call him Mad Max if you will. But when the apocalypse finally comes, he is going to be laughing. @andymartinink Andy Martin is the author of Surf, Sweat and Tears: the Epic Life and Mysterious Death of Edward George William Omar Deerhurst (OR Books) A worker goes up the escalator at Sam's Club, the first branch of a Walmart owned store in Beijing on Dec. 9, 2004. (Cancan Chu/Getty Images) Walmart Faces Backlash in China Over Disappeared Xinjiang Products U.S. retail giant Walmart Inc. is the latest Western company to be caught in a storm of nationalist outrage in Chinawhich isnt unusualafter its subsidiary allegedly pulled Xinjiang-sourced products from its locally based stores. Retail warehouse Sams Club, a division of Walmart, responded by indicating that the products werent removed but were out of stock, Chinese media outlets said. However, that failed to quell the anger of Chinese consumers, and Chinas anti-graft agency on Dec. 31 accused the company of stupidity and shorted-sightedness. The dispute began a week ago, when members of Sams Club found no results for products with the keyword Xinjiang when they searched via the companys app. Relevant products, including red dates, raisins, apples, and honey melons grown in Xinjiang, didnt turn up on Dec. 31 in an app search, according to an Epoch Times review. Some products from the region were still available at a local Walmart store in Beijing, according to The Wall Street Journal. A screenshot of the search results went viral on Chinese social media Weibo. The hashtag #CancelCardOfSam has generated almost 500 million views since Dec. 29 on the Twitter-like platform. The effects to Walmart, which generated revenue of $11.43 billion in China during its fiscal year that ended Jan. 31, 2021, remain to be seen. Of the 423 retail units that Walmart operates in China, 36 are Sams Club stores, according to its website. Chinese media outlet Jiemian News said it found no customers on Dec. 29 applying for card refunds at a local store in the Shijingshan District of Beijing, even amid widespread online outcries. A staff member also confirmed that the store hadnt seen a sudden increase in membership withdrawals recently. Sams Club Shijiangshan is the second largest store among its warehouse chain worldwide in terms of sales volume, and the second one opened in China. On Dec. 31, the ruling Communist Partys Central Commission for Discipline Inspection accused Sams Club of boycotting Xinjiang products and trying to muddle through the controversy by remaining silent. Two days earlier, the Party-affiliated Communist Youth League Central Committee also called on the public to boycott the members-only warehouse stores. China never lacks supermarkets, the committee said via its official social media account. President Joe Biden signed on Dec. 23 a bill banning imports from Chinas Xinjiang region amid concerns over forced labor and other abusesaccusations that Beijing rejects. The provision is set to take effect 180 days after enactment. Hyping Nationalism Critics say the Chinese Communist Party deems hyping nationalist sentiment a basic practice to rally the people and consolidate its rule. The central regime in China has been stirring up frenzied national sentiment by accusing foreign entities of insulting China, said Li Yuanhua, a former associate professor at Capital Normal University. On the one hand, Beijing hopes to provoke mass movements to demonstrate support at home and fire up nationalism. On the other hand, it hopes to warn foreign businesses in China to stand by the Party on global issues, he told the Chinese language edition of The Epoch Times. But some say they joined the boycott just to follow the trend. I bought the membership card but have not consumed much, feeling its sort of a loss. Id take advantage of this opportunity to simply cancel it, a member told media in China. Not canceling your membership does not mean you are not patriotic, another wrote on social media. Last month, the chipmaker Intel stoked nationalist fervor in China by asking suppliers not to source products or labor from the northwestern region of Xinjiang, where more than 1 million Uyghurs are held in detention camps. [China] has been abusing this concept [China being insulted] to suppress political speech of dissenting views, said Feng Chongyi, a professor of China studies at the University of Technology Sydney. Challenges came to clothing brands earlier this year. In March, the Communist Youth League criticized clothing brand H&Ms year-old statement on banning Xinjiang cotton. Major Chinese e-commerce companies removed the companys products and stores from their platforms. Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, Converse, Puma, and Calvin Klein also triggered a full boycott and lost brand ambassadors during the campaign. Reuters contributed to this report. (Natural News) Left-wing billionaire George Soros is on a mission to use law enforcement to his own advantage and for his own political gain. George Soros uses his vast financial resources to install Marxists into District Attorneys offices around the country. Once these left-wing district attorneys are installed, they begin to target their political opposition, while making a mockery of the rule of law. Most shocking of all, these left-wing district attorneys try to make it easier for felons to get out of jail, allowing them back onto the streets with no bail. Republican Senator Tom Cotton sees this corruption for what it really is, which is why he is calling on the American people to recall, remove and replace every last prosecutor who is financially backed by George Soros. Every last George Soros installation must be removed from office These Marxists prosecutors are dangerous to the security and prosperity of their districts and to the country as a whole. As they are installed across the country, they become a force of insurrection and sedition, eating away at the rule of law and subverting the justice system. Senator Cotton warns: Last year, our nation experienced the largest increase in murder in American history and the largest number of drug overdose deaths ever recorded. This carnage continues today and is not distributed equally. Instead, it is concentrated in cities and localities where radical, left-wing, George Soros progressives have captured state and district attorney offices. These legal arsonists condemn our rule of law as systemically racist and have not simply abused prosecutorial discretion, they have embraced prosecutorial nullification. As a result, a contagion of crime has infected virtually every neighborhood under their charge. The George Soros mafia has been targeting inner city district attorneys offices and funneling large amounts of money to ensure that left-wing candidates take over these positions. Once these puppets are installed, they quickly vouch for bail reform. These bail reforms are sold to the public under the guise of combating systemic racism. In truth, these reforms simply allow criminals to walk right back onto the streets, right after they have been arrested for serious crimes. This has led to historic increases in crime throughout these cities in 2020 and 2021. Left-wing District Attorneys are behind the historic rate of murder, property, and drug crimes These left-wing installations allow violent criminals and drug dealers to walk right back onto the streets, where they end up committing more property crimes and threatening more lives. For instance, young hero Kyle Rittenhouse would have never had to defend himself and be traumatized, had these left-wing district attorneys not allowed violent criminals back onto the streets. In the middle of the worst drug crisis in American history, states attorneys like Baltimores Marilyn Mosby refuse to press charges for drug crimes, claiming the drug war is over. In Chicagos Cook County, State attorney Kim Foxx wont prosecute any theft that is under $1,000. In Manhattan, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. openly allows prostitution. Philadelphias District Attorney Larry Krasner is combative toward the police, routinely slashes bond, and lets criminals go free, accelerating crime rates throughout the city. San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin has such disdain for law enforcement, she led the city to suffer through routine downtown shutdowns that allow smash-and-grab looters to take what they want. Los Angeles DA George Gascon openly invites the waves of crime that are plaguing California because he stopped enforcing laws for disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and making criminal threats. In Boston, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins created a do not prosecute list that includes trespassing, destruction of property, and drug trafficking. Consequentially, the number of homicides is rising in these cities specifically. In Cook county Chicago, there were more than 1,000 people murdered in 2021 alone. Los Angeles and Baltimore have seen murder rates skyrocket as well. These left-wing district attorneys tell the public they are for police reforms and de-funding the police. After the police departments are disrespected, de-funded and gutted, criminal operations gain power in the district. This lax policing environment allows drug and sex trafficking rings to dictate law enforcement operations. Drug rings are empowered and more people are left to fear for their lives as their family members suffer under the crushing weight of drug addiction, moral depravity and overdose. Read Tom Cottons statement for yourself to learn more: Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com NaturalNews.com RealClearPolitics.com (Natural News) Left-wing billionaire George Soros is on a mission to use law enforcement to his own advantage and for his own political gain. George Soros uses his vast financial resources to install Marxists into District Attorneys offices around the country. Once these left-wing district attorneys are installed, they begin to target their political opposition, while making a mockery of the rule of law. Most shocking of all, these left-wing district attorneys try to make it easier for felons to get out of jail, allowing them back onto the streets with no bail. Republican Senator Tom Cotton sees this corruption for what it really is, which is why he is calling on the American people to recall, remove and replace every last prosecutor who is financially backed by George Soros. Every last George Soros installation must be removed from office These Marxists prosecutors are dangerous to the security and prosperity of their districts and to the country as a whole. As they are installed across the country, they become a force of insurrection and sedition, eating away at the rule of law and subverting the justice system. Senator Cotton warns: Last year, our nation experienced the largest increase in murder in American history and the largest number of drug overdose deaths ever recorded. This carnage continues today and is not distributed equally. Instead, it is concentrated in cities and localities where radical, left-wing, George Soros progressives have captured state and district attorney offices. These legal arsonists condemn our rule of law as systemically racist and have not simply abused prosecutorial discretion, they have embraced prosecutorial nullification. As a result, a contagion of crime has infected virtually every neighborhood under their charge. The George Soros mafia has been targeting inner city district attorneys offices and funneling large amounts of money to ensure that left-wing candidates take over these positions. Once these puppets are installed, they quickly vouch for bail reform. These bail reforms are sold to the public under the guise of combating systemic racism. In truth, these reforms simply allow criminals to walk right back onto the streets, right after they have been arrested for serious crimes. This has led to historic increases in crime throughout these cities in 2020 and 2021. Left-wing District Attorneys are behind the historic rate of murder, property, and drug crimes These left-wing installations allow violent criminals and drug dealers to walk right back onto the streets, where they end up committing more property crimes and threatening more lives. For instance, young hero Kyle Rittenhouse would have never had to defend himself and be traumatized, had these left-wing district attorneys not allowed violent criminals back onto the streets. In the middle of the worst drug crisis in American history, states attorneys like Baltimores Marilyn Mosby refuse to press charges for drug crimes, claiming the drug war is over. In Chicagos Cook County, State attorney Kim Foxx wont prosecute any theft that is under $1,000. In Manhattan, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. openly allows prostitution. Philadelphias District Attorney Larry Krasner is combative toward the police, routinely slashes bond, and lets criminals go free, accelerating crime rates throughout the city. San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin has such disdain for law enforcement, she led the city to suffer through routine downtown shutdowns that allow smash-and-grab looters to take what they want. Los Angeles DA George Gascon openly invites the waves of crime that are plaguing California because he stopped enforcing laws for disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and making criminal threats. In Boston, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins created a do not prosecute list that includes trespassing, destruction of property, and drug trafficking. Consequentially, the number of homicides is rising in these cities specifically. In Cook county Chicago, there were more than 1,000 people murdered in 2021 alone. Los Angeles and Baltimore have seen murder rates skyrocket as well. These left-wing district attorneys tell the public they are for police reforms and de-funding the police. After the police departments are disrespected, de-funded and gutted, criminal operations gain power in the district. This lax policing environment allows drug and sex trafficking rings to dictate law enforcement operations. Drug rings are empowered and more people are left to fear for their lives as their family members suffer under the crushing weight of drug addiction, moral depravity and overdose. Read Tom Cottons statement for yourself to learn more: Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com NaturalNews.com RealClearPolitics.com She's away on a luxury holiday with her family to Antigua. And on Saturday, Amanda Holden paraded her toned frame in a pretty blue and white bikini while by the beach. The Britain's Got Talent judge, 50, took to her Instagram grid where she uploaded the sultry snap of herself lounging by the edge of the sea. Wow: Amanda Holden, 50, flaunted her tanned and toned frame in a pretty blue and white bikini as she enjoyed her last few days in Antigua on Saturday She teased a hint of her taut abs and her holiday tan while completing the look with a baggy blue shirt and huge black sunglasses. In another snap shared to her Instagram Story she posed up a storm as he walked out of the ocean. She captioned her sizzling post: 'Happy New Year. Looking forward to coming home! Back on @thisisheartnext week. Bring on 2022! .' Work it: In another snap shared to her Instagram Story she posed up a storm as he walked out of the ocean It comes after Amanda looked stunning in an off-the-shoulder red silk dress as she posed on the set of the I Can See Your Voice Christmas special recently. Amanda, who is a judge on the series, showcased her stunning figure in the gown, which she wore for the Christmas Eve episode on Friday. Heart FM host displayed her ample cleavage as she took an elegant stance in front of a white Christmas tree with sparkling fairy lights while filming the BBC show. Luxury: She's away on a luxury holiday with her family to Antigua but will soon be returning to work at Heart FM Amanda looked every inch the Hollywood siren as she smiled from ear-to-ear, showing off a glowing tan in the fitted garment. She wore a pair of diamond earrings and a statement necklace while she had a simple gold bracelet on her wrist. Her blonde hair was styled into loose curls which tumbled down onto her shoulders and back. Amanda, Paddy McGuinness, Jimmy Carr and Alison Hammond put their lip-syncing to the test as they performed Mariah Carey 's All I Want For Christmas Is You on the programme. She's away on a luxury holiday with her family to Antigua. And on Saturday, Amanda Holden paraded her toned frame in a pretty blue and white bikini while by the beach. The Britain's Got Talent judge, 50, took to her Instagram grid where she uploaded the sultry snap of herself lounging by the edge of the sea. Wow: Amanda Holden, 50, flaunted her tanned and toned frame in a pretty blue and white bikini as she enjoyed her last few days in Antigua on Saturday She teased a hint of her taut abs and her holiday tan while completing the look with a baggy blue shirt and huge black sunglasses. In another snap shared to her Instagram Story she posed up a storm as he walked out of the ocean. She captioned her sizzling post: 'Happy New Year. Looking forward to coming home! Back on @thisisheartnext week. Bring on 2022! .' Work it: In another snap shared to her Instagram Story she posed up a storm as he walked out of the ocean It comes after Amanda looked stunning in an off-the-shoulder red silk dress as she posed on the set of the I Can See Your Voice Christmas special recently. Amanda, who is a judge on the series, showcased her stunning figure in the gown, which she wore for the Christmas Eve episode on Friday. Heart FM host displayed her ample cleavage as she took an elegant stance in front of a white Christmas tree with sparkling fairy lights while filming the BBC show. Luxury: She's away on a luxury holiday with her family to Antigua but will soon be returning to work at Heart FM Amanda looked every inch the Hollywood siren as she smiled from ear-to-ear, showing off a glowing tan in the fitted garment. She wore a pair of diamond earrings and a statement necklace while she had a simple gold bracelet on her wrist. Her blonde hair was styled into loose curls which tumbled down onto her shoulders and back. Amanda, Paddy McGuinness, Jimmy Carr and Alison Hammond put their lip-syncing to the test as they performed Mariah Carey 's All I Want For Christmas Is You on the programme. U.S. imposes sanctions on Iranian vice police Liz Truss considers moving British embassy in Israel to Jerusalem Speaker of Iranian Parliament: Security in Persian Gulf will be achieved by withdrawal of extra-regional powers CSTO exercises will be held in Kazakhstan Lawyer: Mothers of deceased servicemen in Yerablur are subjected to different bodily injuries Erdogan will hold meeting on Russian 'Mir' cards and possible sanctions Erdogan does not rule out meeting with Pashinyan in Prague: We will have certain initiatives on Caucasus Iran demonstrates new long-range ballistic missiles for first time Two servicemen of Armenian Armed Forces are out of encirclement after 9 days Karekin II to meet today with Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan Trump: Conflict in Ukraine can lead to World War III Russia's budget deficit in 2022 will amount to 1.3 trillion rubles One of Armenia civilians wounded in recent Azerbaijan military aggression dies France says it will continue helping Ukraine with arms UN Armenia office team visits Gegharkunik Province communities affected by Azerbaijan shootings (PHOTOS) Dollar increases slightly, euro drops considerably in Armenia Armenia ombudswoman briefs EU envoy on closed part of her ad hoc report on recent Azerbaijan attack State assistance being provided to Armenia brandy businesses to be extended by one year Bloomberg: UK intends to sign agreement on LNG supplies from U.S. for up to 20 years China's former justice minister sentenced to death Jermuk: Changes in Jermuk resort town after Azerbaijani attack (photo report) Jermuk-Yerevan-Jermuk shuttle service already operating Armenian Genocide Memorials Memory Ally area to be expanded Biden to Pashinyan: We remain committed to promote peaceful resolution to conflict, including for people of Karabakh Internal investigation underway into police actions at Yerevan military pantheon on Independence Day anniversary Aggression-affected IDPs from Gegharkunik, Syunik and Vayots Dzor to be provided with financial assistance Peskov declines to comment on his son's refusal to report to military registration and enlistment office Belgian parliamentary delegation visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Missing, captured Armenian civilians families to get financial support for another month Turkish lira hits new historic low Peskov comments on reports of agitation at airports and checkpoints Russia air carrier to conduct additional flights to Armenia, Turkey Kazakhstan parliament passes law to exclude Day of First President from state holidays US Congressman Schiff: These atrocities will continue until international community condemns Aliyev Jim Costa talks Azerbaijani attack on Armenia: It was an attack on sovereign territory Greece official: Azerbaijan war against Armenia not on newspapers front pages as it is in Ukraine case Senator: the U.S. must stop providing security assistance to Azerbaijan Armenia, Finland FMs discuss Karabakh conflict settlement process CSTO Secretary General, Armenia army chief discuss situation on border with Azerbaijan Moscow agrees to appointing Lynne Tracy as new US envoy to Russia Armenia FM to Red Cross president: Azerbaijan crimes impunity makes aggressor more reckless (PHOTOS) Greece politician condemns Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia Iran, Russia and China to hold joint naval drills Iran army chief: We will not allow changes in borders in region Parliament speaker: We expect our Belgian colleagues to continue efforts for Armenian POWs return from Azerbaijan Karabakh FM discusses Artsakh foreign policy with group of US Congress members, senators Relatives of those who died and those who were injured in Yerevan market explosion to get one-time financial aid Copper rises in price Truss says Russia is not threatened by anyone Crime report is sent to Armenia Prosecutor General regarding recent harassment toward reporters in parliament Armenia FM to International Crisis Group head: Azerbaijan trying to achieve its maximalist demands by using force Gold prices fall below $1670 per ounce Borrell announces new sanctions on Russia because of referendums Oil prices move to some growth Blinken says US will continue to support Ukraine Newspaper: Armenia 3 ex-presidents, Catholicos to meet soon Armenia FM in New York, meets with UN Secretary General special adviser on genocide prevention Russian soldiers are exchanged with 215 Ukrainian POWs Newspaper: PM urges political teammates not to do anything drastic regarding topic of Armenia leaving CSTO Bulgaria gets closer to buying the second batch of eight new F-16s Armenia FM to Sweden counterpart: International community must restrain Azerbaijan military aggression FM briefs Nicaragua colleague on consequences of Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia 2 of 3 injured in Yerevan market damaged building collapse discharged from hospital Britain decides to revise its defense and security plan Iranian parliament says border violation due to aggravation between Armenia and Azerbaijan unacceptable Pashinyan leaves for New York Biden not to restrict imports of neodymium magnets from China No threat to life of serviceman wounded by Azerbaijani Armed Forces shelling EU's desire for independence from Russian gas will lead to slowdown of economy, rising inflation and fall of euro Biden to release 10 million barrels of oil ahead of EU ban on Russian oil Earthquake in Iran felt in Armenia Armenian Defense Ministry: Azerbaijan opens fire at Armenian positions, one wounded EU begins to develop new sanctions against Russia Canada is committed to further deepening bilateral relations and supporting strengthening of democracy in Armenia MEPs investigating use of spyware by EU governments criticize Poland and Israel Union of Armenians of Russia plans to send help to Armenia, Ara Abrahamyan holds meetings with Russian leadership Armenian FM meets with USAID Director Germany, Slovenia sign agreement for Slovenia to send 28 Soviet tanks to Ukraine Azerbaijani president makes aggressive statements about Armenia Greece extends subsidies for energy bills ahead of 'winter battle' Iset Tower in Yekaterinburg is painted in colors of Armenian flag NEWS.am digest: Azerbaijan violates ceasefire, Russia announces mobilization U.S. supports increasing number of permanent and non-permanent members of UN Security Council Biden accuses Russia of violating basic principles of UN membership Germany nationalizes energy giant Uniper CSTO foreign ministers hold working meeting under coordination of Armenian foreign minister European governments spend half trillion euros to fight energy crisis Cavusoglu: Announcement of partial mobilization in Russia is indicator of situation's seriousness Ebrahim Raisi: Iran is ready for comprehensive deepening of relations with Armenia, using common historical border 3 people hospitalized in Yerevan amid collapse of Surmalu shopping center's building subject to demolition NATO should view Beijing as a security threat Is West starting to insist on opening of so-called Zangezur corridor? Forest fire breaks out and fire helicopter crashes in Turkish city of Marmaris Wall of building subject to demolition collapses on territory of burnt-out Surmalu shopping center Queen of Denmark tests positive for COVID-19 after Elizabeth II's funeral Price of air ticket from Moscow to Yerevan is approaching $5,000 NATO Secretary General: Partial mobilization in Russia will lead to escalation of conflict Bloomberg: Qatar wants to supply energy to Europe under long-term contracts Yeghishe Kirakosyan tells US Congress about war crimes committed by Azerbaijanis Putin's speech sends pound to new 37-year low Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, has announced the Clean Hydrogen Partnership will provide EUR2.5 million ($2.82 million) to help fund a project to develop low-carbon fuel cells to power data centres. It is hoped this could reduce carbon emissions from operations by up to 100%. The EcoEdge PrimePower (E2P2) project is a novel proof-of-concept initiative aiming to develop and demonstrate low environmental impact fuel cells that provide economic and resilient prime power solutions for the data centre environment. A consortium of seven companiesEquinix, InfraPrime, RISE, Snam, SolidPower, TEC4FUELS and Vertivwill explore an innovative integration of solid-oxide fuel cells with uninterruptible power supply (UPS) technology and lithium-ion batteries to provide resilient and clean primary power to data centre deployments and other critical infrastructure. Implementing natural gas solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) as a prime power application will be instrumental to pave the way for the use of green hydrogen for fuel cells application, for both backup and prime power systems. Digitalisation and the data centre industry are growing at an increasing pace and thus it is even more vital to fast-track our journey towards an environmentally sustainable future, said Giordano Albertazzi, president for Vertiv in Europe, Middle East, and Africa. This can only be made possible by developing clean, innovative technologies such as fuel-cell solutions to provide sustainable power for the digital world. Vertiv is proud to actively contribute to the E2P2 proof-of-concept initiative and looks forward to provide next-generation power solutions to its global customers. The E2P2 project is the latest in a series of initiatives Vertiv has conducted around sustainability and the wider Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) arena. Vertiv is also part of the Sustainable Digital Infrastructure Alliance (SDIA) and the European Data Centre Association (EUDCA) and contributes to the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact with the aim to meet the European Commissions goal for climate-neutral data centres by 2030. The E2P2 project is part of the companys effort to prioritise and support the development of clean, sustainable and renewable power solutions for application across the data centre industry. GREENER FUTURE Fuel cells are recognised as a cleaner and quieter power solution that can alleviate demand on urban power grids. They can be deployed on-site at a data centre campus, and operate using natural gas, biogas, LPG or green hydrogenwhich can be transported and distributed over existing gas networks. The E2P2 project marks an exciting step toward significant carbon reduction, whilst still meeting requirements for a highly resilient critical power supply to data centres. At the heart of this vision, is a market-oriented approach that integrates innovation and stakeholder engagement to maximise acceptance and uptake opportunities of stationary fuel cells as reliable, efficient and decentralised prime power sources for other industrial scale applications. The consortium hopes to develop the authoritative open standard for fuel cell applications to pave the way toward commercialisation of fuel cell energy for data centres in Europe, demonstrating the industrys potential role in achieving EU carbon reduction targets. E2P2 is a joint project from Equinix, InfraPrime, RISE, Snam, SolidPower, TEC4FUELS and Vertiv, partially funded with a grant by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, from the Horizon 2020 programme of the European Commission. The consortium will engage with the organisations that work on developing European best practices and standards to facilitate high-level concept design and interface definitions. The E2P2 project goals are aligned to the objectives of the European Commission to rapidly accelerate the application of fuel cells to power the needs of energy intensive sectors while achieving a greener grid. E2P2 aims to achieve multiple environmental objectives, including showcasing a real-world proof of concept of 24/7 low-carbon power that does not rely on diesel generators and supports the growing hydrogen and renewable energy economy across Europe. The intention is for the resulting units to replace the traditional power supply and generators, with additional redundancies built in to maintain uptime standards. Vertiv will leverage its extensive experience in AC power systems as well as in prefabricated modular solutions for data centres to design and develop an integrated fuel-cell power module, including the Vertiv Liebert EXL S1 uninterruptible power supply (UPS). Close collaboration between the Vertiv AC Power line of business based in Italy and its Integrated Modular Solutions line of business based in Croatia will be key to engineer an all-in-one 100 kW module as a proof-of-concept by 2023, with the final goal of developing a commercially viable product that can support multiple MWs of critical load and facilitate a greener future for data centres worldwide. In parallel, Vertiv is also working with key global customers to develop new hydrogen-based generators that will help replace diesel generators. Bart Biebuyck, Executive Director, Clean Hydrogen Partnership said: With its ongoing support of research and development of fuel cells for stationary applications, the Clean Hydrogen Partnership (previously FCH JU) managed to set a strong basis for European industry to lead in the deployment of new technologies. We are proud to see that the E2P2 project will provide clean fuel cell-based applications for the decarbonisation of data centres within a solid consortium gathering fuel cell providers, system integrators as well as data centre operators and energy utilities. Projects such as E2P2 are absolutely essential in offering solutions to un-tap markets with great potential and contribute to our ambitious EU climate targets. Eugene Bergen Henegouwen, President, EMEA, Equinix, stated: The E2P2 project hopes to be a breakthrough in making data centres more environmentally sustainable worldwide. Equinix has committed to mitigating our environmental impact, and this project provides a unique opportunity to demonstrate the use of an innovative, clean, primary energy source. We hope it will make a considerable impact towards reaching our global commitment of 100% renewable energy and climate neutrality by 2030, as well as advancing our industrys sustainability goals. Its important we support the growth of the market in Europe for clean and reliable on-site power. Dr Jon Summers, Scientific Lead in Data Centres, RISE, said: This decade is undeniably focused on building a future that is environmentally sustainable. We all know that digitisation and data centres are key elements of this future, where innovation is at the heart of our journey to our global 2030 goals. As researchers at RISE, we are invested to be a strong part of the E2P2 team, to push the technology envelope and to transparently demonstrate new sustainable approaches of prime power for the future digital infrastructure. Susanna Kass and Dr Alberto Ravagni, Co-Founders, InfraPrime, said: The E2P2 clean energy standard is an inflection point for clean cloud providers to achieve Carbon Neutral (Positive) cloud infrastructure on a global scale. InfraPrime is proud to lead in this project on the creation of an open industry standard to support the global adoption of eco edge prime power solutions with fuel cells across clean cloud infrastructure, to support industries and applications at hyperscale. Cosma Panzacchi, Executive Vice President Hydrogen, Snam, said: We are happy to contribute our know-how to the E2P2 alliance to help tackle the issue of powering urban data centres with clean and competitive energy solutions. The concept of connecting fuel cells to gas networks to power resilient urban and edge data centres overcomes the need to have backup generation in such areas, thus reducing emissions as well as noise impact. This project is part of Snam's efforts to foster the use of hydrogen to decarbonise economic sectors, leveraging existing gas networks and sustainable technologies like hydrogen-ready fuel cells. Dr Klaus Lucka, Managing Director, TEC4FUELS, said: TEC4FUELS is a competence centre for sustainable liquid and gaseous energy carriers (fuels) and operating fluids in technical systems. For the operation of the fuel cells, the company contributes its know-how to the research project in the supply and purification of the process gas medium and water. In addition, TEC4FUELS is developing a sensor-based fluid condition monitoring system to monitor gas and water quality. The aim is to help reduce system-related greenhouse gas emissions by optimising the operational reliability and service life of technical components and increasing the efficiency of this subsystem.-- TradeArabia News Service Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, has announced the Clean Hydrogen Partnership will provide EUR2.5 million ($2.82 million) to help fund a project to develop low-carbon fuel cells to power data centres. It is hoped this could reduce carbon emissions from operations by up to 100%. The EcoEdge PrimePower (E2P2) project is a novel proof-of-concept initiative aiming to develop and demonstrate low environmental impact fuel cells that provide economic and resilient prime power solutions for the data centre environment. A consortium of seven companiesEquinix, InfraPrime, RISE, Snam, SolidPower, TEC4FUELS and Vertivwill explore an innovative integration of solid-oxide fuel cells with uninterruptible power supply (UPS) technology and lithium-ion batteries to provide resilient and clean primary power to data centre deployments and other critical infrastructure. Implementing natural gas solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) as a prime power application will be instrumental to pave the way for the use of green hydrogen for fuel cells application, for both backup and prime power systems. Digitalisation and the data centre industry are growing at an increasing pace and thus it is even more vital to fast-track our journey towards an environmentally sustainable future, said Giordano Albertazzi, president for Vertiv in Europe, Middle East, and Africa. This can only be made possible by developing clean, innovative technologies such as fuel-cell solutions to provide sustainable power for the digital world. Vertiv is proud to actively contribute to the E2P2 proof-of-concept initiative and looks forward to provide next-generation power solutions to its global customers. The E2P2 project is the latest in a series of initiatives Vertiv has conducted around sustainability and the wider Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) arena. Vertiv is also part of the Sustainable Digital Infrastructure Alliance (SDIA) and the European Data Centre Association (EUDCA) and contributes to the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact with the aim to meet the European Commissions goal for climate-neutral data centres by 2030. The E2P2 project is part of the companys effort to prioritise and support the development of clean, sustainable and renewable power solutions for application across the data centre industry. GREENER FUTURE Fuel cells are recognised as a cleaner and quieter power solution that can alleviate demand on urban power grids. They can be deployed on-site at a data centre campus, and operate using natural gas, biogas, LPG or green hydrogenwhich can be transported and distributed over existing gas networks. The E2P2 project marks an exciting step toward significant carbon reduction, whilst still meeting requirements for a highly resilient critical power supply to data centres. At the heart of this vision, is a market-oriented approach that integrates innovation and stakeholder engagement to maximise acceptance and uptake opportunities of stationary fuel cells as reliable, efficient and decentralised prime power sources for other industrial scale applications. The consortium hopes to develop the authoritative open standard for fuel cell applications to pave the way toward commercialisation of fuel cell energy for data centres in Europe, demonstrating the industrys potential role in achieving EU carbon reduction targets. E2P2 is a joint project from Equinix, InfraPrime, RISE, Snam, SolidPower, TEC4FUELS and Vertiv, partially funded with a grant by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, from the Horizon 2020 programme of the European Commission. The consortium will engage with the organisations that work on developing European best practices and standards to facilitate high-level concept design and interface definitions. The E2P2 project goals are aligned to the objectives of the European Commission to rapidly accelerate the application of fuel cells to power the needs of energy intensive sectors while achieving a greener grid. E2P2 aims to achieve multiple environmental objectives, including showcasing a real-world proof of concept of 24/7 low-carbon power that does not rely on diesel generators and supports the growing hydrogen and renewable energy economy across Europe. The intention is for the resulting units to replace the traditional power supply and generators, with additional redundancies built in to maintain uptime standards. Vertiv will leverage its extensive experience in AC power systems as well as in prefabricated modular solutions for data centres to design and develop an integrated fuel-cell power module, including the Vertiv Liebert EXL S1 uninterruptible power supply (UPS). Close collaboration between the Vertiv AC Power line of business based in Italy and its Integrated Modular Solutions line of business based in Croatia will be key to engineer an all-in-one 100 kW module as a proof-of-concept by 2023, with the final goal of developing a commercially viable product that can support multiple MWs of critical load and facilitate a greener future for data centres worldwide. In parallel, Vertiv is also working with key global customers to develop new hydrogen-based generators that will help replace diesel generators. Bart Biebuyck, Executive Director, Clean Hydrogen Partnership said: With its ongoing support of research and development of fuel cells for stationary applications, the Clean Hydrogen Partnership (previously FCH JU) managed to set a strong basis for European industry to lead in the deployment of new technologies. We are proud to see that the E2P2 project will provide clean fuel cell-based applications for the decarbonisation of data centres within a solid consortium gathering fuel cell providers, system integrators as well as data centre operators and energy utilities. Projects such as E2P2 are absolutely essential in offering solutions to un-tap markets with great potential and contribute to our ambitious EU climate targets. Eugene Bergen Henegouwen, President, EMEA, Equinix, stated: The E2P2 project hopes to be a breakthrough in making data centres more environmentally sustainable worldwide. Equinix has committed to mitigating our environmental impact, and this project provides a unique opportunity to demonstrate the use of an innovative, clean, primary energy source. We hope it will make a considerable impact towards reaching our global commitment of 100% renewable energy and climate neutrality by 2030, as well as advancing our industrys sustainability goals. Its important we support the growth of the market in Europe for clean and reliable on-site power. Dr Jon Summers, Scientific Lead in Data Centres, RISE, said: This decade is undeniably focused on building a future that is environmentally sustainable. We all know that digitisation and data centres are key elements of this future, where innovation is at the heart of our journey to our global 2030 goals. As researchers at RISE, we are invested to be a strong part of the E2P2 team, to push the technology envelope and to transparently demonstrate new sustainable approaches of prime power for the future digital infrastructure. Susanna Kass and Dr Alberto Ravagni, Co-Founders, InfraPrime, said: The E2P2 clean energy standard is an inflection point for clean cloud providers to achieve Carbon Neutral (Positive) cloud infrastructure on a global scale. InfraPrime is proud to lead in this project on the creation of an open industry standard to support the global adoption of eco edge prime power solutions with fuel cells across clean cloud infrastructure, to support industries and applications at hyperscale. Cosma Panzacchi, Executive Vice President Hydrogen, Snam, said: We are happy to contribute our know-how to the E2P2 alliance to help tackle the issue of powering urban data centres with clean and competitive energy solutions. The concept of connecting fuel cells to gas networks to power resilient urban and edge data centres overcomes the need to have backup generation in such areas, thus reducing emissions as well as noise impact. This project is part of Snam's efforts to foster the use of hydrogen to decarbonise economic sectors, leveraging existing gas networks and sustainable technologies like hydrogen-ready fuel cells. Dr Klaus Lucka, Managing Director, TEC4FUELS, said: TEC4FUELS is a competence centre for sustainable liquid and gaseous energy carriers (fuels) and operating fluids in technical systems. For the operation of the fuel cells, the company contributes its know-how to the research project in the supply and purification of the process gas medium and water. In addition, TEC4FUELS is developing a sensor-based fluid condition monitoring system to monitor gas and water quality. The aim is to help reduce system-related greenhouse gas emissions by optimising the operational reliability and service life of technical components and increasing the efficiency of this subsystem.-- TradeArabia News Service (Natural News) Experts in military strategy and artificial intelligence are raising the alarm after a UN conference did not reach an agreement on banning the use of so-called slaughterbots at a recent meeting in Geneva. Slaughterbots is the name that has been given to weapons that can select and apply force to targets without using any human intervention. These weapons make their decisions using a series of algorithms in artificial intelligence software. Capable of hunting and striking targets without any input from controllers, their technology is growing so fast that many fear societies and governments have not taken the time to fully consider the dangers. This year, for the first time, most of the 125 nations in the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons called for new laws governing the killer robots. However, some countries opposed the measure, such as the U.S. and Russia, both of whom are known to be working on developing such weapons. Other nations that objected included India, Australia and the UK, with some arguing that continuing the development of these killer robots is vital to avoid having a strategic disadvantage. The leader of the Future of Life Institutes advocacy program on autonomous weapons, Emilia Javorsky, called the groups failure to reach an agreement an epic failure. She added: It is now blatantly clear this forum whose unanimity requirement makes it easily derailed by any state with a vested interest is utterly incapable of taking seriously, let alone meaningfully addressing, the urgent threats posed by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. Unfortunately, time appears to be running out as slaughterbots are already being used in some places on the battlefield. For example, a UN report published this spring showed that STM Kargu drones have been used in the Libyan civil war. These small, portable rotary wing attack drones have precision strike capabilities and were used to hunt down soldiers who were retreating. The companies that are developing the drones are working on AI systems that will be able to find a human targets thermal signature or even identify peoples faces using a camera. However, they seem to lack some of the accuracy needed to make the distinction between a combatant and a non-combatant. These weapons could be easy for anyone to obtain The STM drones are among the most worrying for many officials, not least because of their resemblance to a normal consumer drone. They are fairly inexpensive, easy to mass produce, and can be equipped with guns. Some experts have warned that this accessibility means that gangs and other criminals could try to use them. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor Max Tegmark believes were headed for the worst possible outcome. He said: Thats going to be the weapon of choice for basically anyone who wants to kill anyone. A slaughterbot would basically be able to anonymously assassinate anybody whos pissed off anybody. Tegmark told The Sun some of the ways this technology could be used. For example, he pointed out that if slaughterbots cost the same as AK-47s, drug cartels would use the bots to evade getting caught when they kill people. He also said that a judge with lots of bodyguards could still be killed by one of these if it was flown into their bedroom window while they were sleeping. Macalester College Professor James Dawes said: It is a world where the sort of unavoidable algorithmic errors that plague even tech giants like Amazon and Google can now lead to the elimination of whole cities. The world should not repeat the catastrophic mistakes of the nuclear arms race. It should not sleepwalk into dystopia, he added. Theres no way it can end well when you let machines that are prone to unpredictable errors make their own decisions about who to kill. If these artificial intelligence weapons were to be equipped with chemical, biological or nuclear warheads, they could even wipe out humanity. Sources for this article include: The-Sun.com CNBC.com (Natural News) Experts in military strategy and artificial intelligence are raising the alarm after a UN conference did not reach an agreement on banning the use of so-called slaughterbots at a recent meeting in Geneva. Slaughterbots is the name that has been given to weapons that can select and apply force to targets without using any human intervention. These weapons make their decisions using a series of algorithms in artificial intelligence software. Capable of hunting and striking targets without any input from controllers, their technology is growing so fast that many fear societies and governments have not taken the time to fully consider the dangers. This year, for the first time, most of the 125 nations in the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons called for new laws governing the killer robots. However, some countries opposed the measure, such as the U.S. and Russia, both of whom are known to be working on developing such weapons. Other nations that objected included India, Australia and the UK, with some arguing that continuing the development of these killer robots is vital to avoid having a strategic disadvantage. The leader of the Future of Life Institutes advocacy program on autonomous weapons, Emilia Javorsky, called the groups failure to reach an agreement an epic failure. She added: It is now blatantly clear this forum whose unanimity requirement makes it easily derailed by any state with a vested interest is utterly incapable of taking seriously, let alone meaningfully addressing, the urgent threats posed by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. Unfortunately, time appears to be running out as slaughterbots are already being used in some places on the battlefield. For example, a UN report published this spring showed that STM Kargu drones have been used in the Libyan civil war. These small, portable rotary wing attack drones have precision strike capabilities and were used to hunt down soldiers who were retreating. The companies that are developing the drones are working on AI systems that will be able to find a human targets thermal signature or even identify peoples faces using a camera. However, they seem to lack some of the accuracy needed to make the distinction between a combatant and a non-combatant. These weapons could be easy for anyone to obtain The STM drones are among the most worrying for many officials, not least because of their resemblance to a normal consumer drone. They are fairly inexpensive, easy to mass produce, and can be equipped with guns. Some experts have warned that this accessibility means that gangs and other criminals could try to use them. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor Max Tegmark believes were headed for the worst possible outcome. He said: Thats going to be the weapon of choice for basically anyone who wants to kill anyone. A slaughterbot would basically be able to anonymously assassinate anybody whos pissed off anybody. Tegmark told The Sun some of the ways this technology could be used. For example, he pointed out that if slaughterbots cost the same as AK-47s, drug cartels would use the bots to evade getting caught when they kill people. He also said that a judge with lots of bodyguards could still be killed by one of these if it was flown into their bedroom window while they were sleeping. Macalester College Professor James Dawes said: It is a world where the sort of unavoidable algorithmic errors that plague even tech giants like Amazon and Google can now lead to the elimination of whole cities. The world should not repeat the catastrophic mistakes of the nuclear arms race. It should not sleepwalk into dystopia, he added. Theres no way it can end well when you let machines that are prone to unpredictable errors make their own decisions about who to kill. If these artificial intelligence weapons were to be equipped with chemical, biological or nuclear warheads, they could even wipe out humanity. Sources for this article include: The-Sun.com CNBC.com Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Through unsealed closed session minutes from New Berns Board of Aldermen in 2020, the Sun Journal learned the worlds first Pepsi museum was in the works to call the city its home. On Dec. 17, the first pieces of the museum were put on display at a teaser exhibit in North Carolina History Center. The history center received more than 1,300 items of a Pepsi collection owned by the late Mitchell Slotnick from Illinois in November 2020. The collection is said to take several years to process and catalog items. For more than 30 years, Slotnick was a financial management consultant with PepsiCo. His family donated the collection to the history center. Slotnick developed a metrics system that revolutionized Pepsis bottling business model, according to a news release from the history center. The entire Slotnick collection of Pepsi-related items consists of clocks, signs, advertisements, bottles, trays, thermometers, radios, toys, books, bottle openers, calendars, tableware, and more. Items that are on the current sample exhibit include a pull toy, coin banks, glasses, ashtrays, radio, figurine, calendar, salt and pepper shakers, and drinking glasses. He (Slotnick) was an avid philanthropist and Tryon Palace is excited to have received this collection that honors the history of Pepsi and New Bern, the birthplace of Pepsi, according to a news release. The collection will eventually be housed in New Berns planned Pepsi Museum. Coca-Cola has its own museum in Atlanta, Georgia. PepsiCo does not, but bringing one to its birthplace is estimated to bring 50,000 annual visitors, adding an economic impact of $7.5 million. To go along with the Slotnick collection, PepsiCo also acquired a large collection of Pepsi memorabilia between 2015 and 2018. In the closed session minutes, the city discussed a potential partnership with Swiss Bear and the Tryon Palace Commission to display the items in a museum. PepsiCo offered to provide a seed grant to fund up to $750,000 for program items such as planning, architectural design, and display and was willing to pursue if local leadership was willing. Under the partnership, the city would provide the facility and discuss the old firemens museum as a potential location. Swiss Bear is committed to helping raise funds but a concept would be needed for the plans to continue. The aldermen supported the idea but no other actions have taken place. Director of Collections and Exhibits Alyson Rhodes-Murphy explained in October that leadership is waiting to see how many items there are before moving forward with finding a museum site. More than likely, one will have to be built. Through unsealed closed session minutes from New Berns Board of Aldermen in 2020, the Sun Journal learned the worlds first Pepsi museum was in the works to call the city its home. On Dec. 17, the first pieces of the museum were put on display at a teaser exhibit in North Carolina History Center. The history center received more than 1,300 items of a Pepsi collection owned by the late Mitchell Slotnick from Illinois in November 2020. The collection is said to take several years to process and catalog items. For more than 30 years, Slotnick was a financial management consultant with PepsiCo. His family donated the collection to the history center. Slotnick developed a metrics system that revolutionized Pepsis bottling business model, according to a news release from the history center. The entire Slotnick collection of Pepsi-related items consists of clocks, signs, advertisements, bottles, trays, thermometers, radios, toys, books, bottle openers, calendars, tableware, and more. Items that are on the current sample exhibit include a pull toy, coin banks, glasses, ashtrays, radio, figurine, calendar, salt and pepper shakers, and drinking glasses. He (Slotnick) was an avid philanthropist and Tryon Palace is excited to have received this collection that honors the history of Pepsi and New Bern, the birthplace of Pepsi, according to a news release. The collection will eventually be housed in New Berns planned Pepsi Museum. Coca-Cola has its own museum in Atlanta, Georgia. PepsiCo does not, but bringing one to its birthplace is estimated to bring 50,000 annual visitors, adding an economic impact of $7.5 million. To go along with the Slotnick collection, PepsiCo also acquired a large collection of Pepsi memorabilia between 2015 and 2018. In the closed session minutes, the city discussed a potential partnership with Swiss Bear and the Tryon Palace Commission to display the items in a museum. PepsiCo offered to provide a seed grant to fund up to $750,000 for program items such as planning, architectural design, and display and was willing to pursue if local leadership was willing. Under the partnership, the city would provide the facility and discuss the old firemens museum as a potential location. Swiss Bear is committed to helping raise funds but a concept would be needed for the plans to continue. The aldermen supported the idea but no other actions have taken place. Director of Collections and Exhibits Alyson Rhodes-Murphy explained in October that leadership is waiting to see how many items there are before moving forward with finding a museum site. More than likely, one will have to be built. Through unsealed closed session minutes from New Berns Board of Aldermen in 2020, the Sun Journal learned the worlds first Pepsi museum was in the works to call the city its home. On Dec. 17, the first pieces of the museum were put on display at a teaser exhibit in North Carolina History Center. The history center received more than 1,300 items of a Pepsi collection owned by the late Mitchell Slotnick from Illinois in November 2020. The collection is said to take several years to process and catalog items. For more than 30 years, Slotnick was a financial management consultant with PepsiCo. His family donated the collection to the history center. Slotnick developed a metrics system that revolutionized Pepsis bottling business model, according to a news release from the history center. The entire Slotnick collection of Pepsi-related items consists of clocks, signs, advertisements, bottles, trays, thermometers, radios, toys, books, bottle openers, calendars, tableware, and more. Items that are on the current sample exhibit include a pull toy, coin banks, glasses, ashtrays, radio, figurine, calendar, salt and pepper shakers, and drinking glasses. He (Slotnick) was an avid philanthropist and Tryon Palace is excited to have received this collection that honors the history of Pepsi and New Bern, the birthplace of Pepsi, according to a news release. The collection will eventually be housed in New Berns planned Pepsi Museum. Coca-Cola has its own museum in Atlanta, Georgia. PepsiCo does not, but bringing one to its birthplace is estimated to bring 50,000 annual visitors, adding an economic impact of $7.5 million. To go along with the Slotnick collection, PepsiCo also acquired a large collection of Pepsi memorabilia between 2015 and 2018. In the closed session minutes, the city discussed a potential partnership with Swiss Bear and the Tryon Palace Commission to display the items in a museum. PepsiCo offered to provide a seed grant to fund up to $750,000 for program items such as planning, architectural design, and display and was willing to pursue if local leadership was willing. Under the partnership, the city would provide the facility and discuss the old firemens museum as a potential location. Swiss Bear is committed to helping raise funds but a concept would be needed for the plans to continue. The aldermen supported the idea but no other actions have taken place. Director of Collections and Exhibits Alyson Rhodes-Murphy explained in October that leadership is waiting to see how many items there are before moving forward with finding a museum site. More than likely, one will have to be built. (Natural News) The most vaccinated state in the country has become a mad house of outright insanity and paranoia over the ever-scary Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19). Hospitals all across Vermont are reportedly overflowing with fully vaccinated patients and not the kind with vaccine-induced illnesses, just to be clear, but rather asymptomatic jabbed folks who merely tested positive with a fraudulent PCR test. The emergency department at the Rutland Regional Medical Center (RRMC), for instance, is reportedly being overwhelmed with asymptomatic folks who, despite not showing any symptoms, are freaking out because of everything they have been told by the likes of Tony Fauci. What is apparently happening is that Branch Covidians across the Green Mountain State are obsessively seeking out and collecting antigen tests in order to test themselves. After finally testing positive, these same folks are rushing out to the emergency room to get treatment for their non-diseases. Its not so much the beds that are the precious resources, its the staff at this time, explained Dr. Rick Hildebrant, RRMCs medical director about how badly this bizarre phenomenon is depleting much-needed hospital resources. So we have to have some of our clinical staff providing care to those people and they cant provide care to the folks in the ER. Branch Covidianism is a religion with doctrines and dogmas of mental illness Amazingly, Vermonters are so scared of the China Disease that even after testing positive with their at-home rapid tests, many of them are rushing out to the hospital to take a PCR test as well for additional confirmation. It is almost like these people want to test positive and want to be sick, almost like an induction into the Covid Cult. Perhaps taking all these tests is some kind of equivalent to holy communion or eucharist for them, making them feel as though they belong. And to think that the unvaccinated are being blamed for this hospital surge when they are the ones out there living their lives, unmasked and untested, and not even thinking about going anywhere near a hospital facility. Branch Covidian hysteria is not just affecting Vermont hospitals, by the way. Institutions of higher learning such as Middlebury College are also enduring collective panic attacks over the idea of Chinese Germs spreading from person to person. The following sampling of deranged tweets shows just how crazy leftist plandemic-embracers have become within the new normal of perpetual hypochondriac insanity. Like, right this very second as my partner makes plans to have an indoor xmas gathering with his (vaxed, boosted) family that my anxiety will not allow me to attend or even be furious about, one of the deranged tweets reads. Me too, responded another. The unvaccinated need to stay home, those of us whove done everything possible to stop the spread & continue to do everything asked of us should be allowed to live. We have the right to live! This writer is uncertain if both of these folks live in Vermont, but it is certainly within the realm of possibility because it sounds exactly like what is happening up there to hospitals, schools and probably all other institutions. Fear is control, wrote one commenter at Red State about how the mass brainwashing has been a total success, at least among leftists. The media wont let the panic die down until universal mail-in voting is safely locked in, wrote another, speculating as to why the plandemic has still not been allowed to end. I dont think weve come to terms yet with the fact that 40% of the country is mentally ill. pic.twitter.com/ZWM3fYqUJy Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) December 23, 2021 The latest news about the raging plandemic hysteria infecting blue areas of the country can be found at Pandemic.news. Sources for this article include: RedState.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) A Project Veritas expose has exposed Rick Saleeby, a former senior producer for CNNs The Lead with Jake Tapper, as being under investigation for suspected pedophilia. According to credible allegations, Saleeby solicited sexually explicit photos of an underage girl. And Project Veritas got ahold of the evidence, prompting Saleeby to resign earlier this month. CNN confirmed Saleebys resignation, and the investigation has now garnered international attention. The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) in Virginia confirmed that a criminal investigation has been launched into serious allegations involving potential juvenile victims. Detective assigned to the Child Exploitation Squad of the Major Crimes Bureau are leading this investigation, Fox News further reported. While we will eventually be transparent about our findings, safeguarding the personal privacy and safety of victims and witnesses as well as maintaining the integrity of our criminal investigation are of paramount importance, reads a statement from a Fairfax County Police spokesman. It was further confirmed by the FCPD that it has been in contact with Project Veritas about Saleebys victims. Numerous items from the subjects Virginia home were also seized as part of the investigation. Saleeby fantasized about molesting his fiances daughter, texts show Among the evidence obtained by Project Veritas were text messages involving sexually explicit images of an underage girl, as well as a conversation Saleeby apparently had about wanting to molest the young daughter of his fiance. In one of the text exchanges, Saleeby told the source how his fiances daughter was wearing very closely cut bottoms at the pool before graphically describing how he could see the outline of her genitals. Janine Banani, who was involved in a relationship with Saleeby for more than a decade, told Project Veritas that Saleeby solicited photos of their own daughter as well. after Im done having my mouth on her, Im going to walk up and put my crotch very close to her face, Saleeby said in one audio recording that Banani provided. In another recording, Saleeby engaged in even more explicit speech about what he wanted his own daughter to do to himself. slowly unzip my zipper and just guide her head a little closer and Im just going to have her kiss the head and Im going to put her hand on it so she can feel what the hard flesh feels like. Keep in mind that Saleeby is not the first but the second CNN producer in less than a month to be under criminal investigation for this type of perversion against minors. The other is former CNN producer John Griffin, who was arrested and indicted for abusing underage girls. Griffin produced a show for CNN senior political analyst John Avlon, who was arrested by the FBI and charged by a federal grand jury in Vermont. Tapper, as you may recall, threatened Donald Trumps staffers last November to either concede his election loss to Joe Biden or get blacklisted. Tapper apparently thought he held some kind of sway over the future of their political careers. Now, he is likely singing a much different tune based on these latest developments. We are coming for all you media talking heads, wrote one commenter at Natural News. There will be justice. To be blacklisted by sacks of s*** like Biden, Harris, Tapper, and the rest of the lefties would be a badge of honor, wrote another. Jake, nothing brings a people together like shared suffering and persecution, and, Jake, I doubt you realize this, but living as an unprincipled coward is far worse than anything you can throw at us. More news about the likes of CNN and its employees can be found at Corruption.news. Sources for this article include: ThePostMillennial.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) A Project Veritas expose has exposed Rick Saleeby, a former senior producer for CNNs The Lead with Jake Tapper, as being under investigation for suspected pedophilia. According to credible allegations, Saleeby solicited sexually explicit photos of an underage girl. And Project Veritas got ahold of the evidence, prompting Saleeby to resign earlier this month. CNN confirmed Saleebys resignation, and the investigation has now garnered international attention. The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) in Virginia confirmed that a criminal investigation has been launched into serious allegations involving potential juvenile victims. Detective assigned to the Child Exploitation Squad of the Major Crimes Bureau are leading this investigation, Fox News further reported. While we will eventually be transparent about our findings, safeguarding the personal privacy and safety of victims and witnesses as well as maintaining the integrity of our criminal investigation are of paramount importance, reads a statement from a Fairfax County Police spokesman. It was further confirmed by the FCPD that it has been in contact with Project Veritas about Saleebys victims. Numerous items from the subjects Virginia home were also seized as part of the investigation. Saleeby fantasized about molesting his fiances daughter, texts show Among the evidence obtained by Project Veritas were text messages involving sexually explicit images of an underage girl, as well as a conversation Saleeby apparently had about wanting to molest the young daughter of his fiance. In one of the text exchanges, Saleeby told the source how his fiances daughter was wearing very closely cut bottoms at the pool before graphically describing how he could see the outline of her genitals. Janine Banani, who was involved in a relationship with Saleeby for more than a decade, told Project Veritas that Saleeby solicited photos of their own daughter as well. after Im done having my mouth on her, Im going to walk up and put my crotch very close to her face, Saleeby said in one audio recording that Banani provided. In another recording, Saleeby engaged in even more explicit speech about what he wanted his own daughter to do to himself. slowly unzip my zipper and just guide her head a little closer and Im just going to have her kiss the head and Im going to put her hand on it so she can feel what the hard flesh feels like. Keep in mind that Saleeby is not the first but the second CNN producer in less than a month to be under criminal investigation for this type of perversion against minors. The other is former CNN producer John Griffin, who was arrested and indicted for abusing underage girls. Griffin produced a show for CNN senior political analyst John Avlon, who was arrested by the FBI and charged by a federal grand jury in Vermont. Tapper, as you may recall, threatened Donald Trumps staffers last November to either concede his election loss to Joe Biden or get blacklisted. Tapper apparently thought he held some kind of sway over the future of their political careers. Now, he is likely singing a much different tune based on these latest developments. We are coming for all you media talking heads, wrote one commenter at Natural News. There will be justice. To be blacklisted by sacks of s*** like Biden, Harris, Tapper, and the rest of the lefties would be a badge of honor, wrote another. Jake, nothing brings a people together like shared suffering and persecution, and, Jake, I doubt you realize this, but living as an unprincipled coward is far worse than anything you can throw at us. More news about the likes of CNN and its employees can be found at Corruption.news. Sources for this article include: ThePostMillennial.com NaturalNews.com The United States has publicly tried to wash its hands of ongoing responsibility in Afghanistan, with President Biden justifying the chaotic withdrawal of troops by saying he was not going to extend this forever war. But American influence is still shaping the lives, and livelihoods, of millions of Afghans in the form of economic sanctions revealing that there will be no neat ending to Americas longest war. Ongoing American influence in Afghanistan For years, Afghanistan was an aid state. American and international assistance made up 45 percent of the countrys G.N.P. and funded 75 percent of the governments budget, including health and education services. But with the Taliban takeover, that aid and that cash circulating in the Afghan economy has nearly vanished. As the Taliban took over the country, the Biden administration froze Afghanistans $9.5 billion in foreign reserves and stopped sending the shipments of U.S. dollars upon which Afghanistans central bank relied. The American goal was simple: Keep cash from getting into Taliban hands. But the effects of this policy were far more complicated. While the American sanctions were intended to punish the Taliban for their military takeover and limit their ability to establish governing legitimacy, the result has been a wholesale economic collapse in the country. You now have a crisis in virtually every dimension, Anthony H. Cordesman, emeritus chair in strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said. Theres now an aid crisis, a financial crisis, job crisis, governance crisis and legal crisis. The United States has publicly tried to wash its hands of ongoing responsibility in Afghanistan, with President Biden justifying the chaotic withdrawal of troops by saying he was not going to extend this forever war. But American influence is still shaping the lives, and livelihoods, of millions of Afghans in the form of economic sanctions revealing that there will be no neat ending to Americas longest war. Ongoing American influence in Afghanistan For years, Afghanistan was an aid state. American and international assistance made up 45 percent of the countrys G.N.P. and funded 75 percent of the governments budget, including health and education services. But with the Taliban takeover, that aid and that cash circulating in the Afghan economy has nearly vanished. As the Taliban took over the country, the Biden administration froze Afghanistans $9.5 billion in foreign reserves and stopped sending the shipments of U.S. dollars upon which Afghanistans central bank relied. The American goal was simple: Keep cash from getting into Taliban hands. But the effects of this policy were far more complicated. While the American sanctions were intended to punish the Taliban for their military takeover and limit their ability to establish governing legitimacy, the result has been a wholesale economic collapse in the country. You now have a crisis in virtually every dimension, Anthony H. Cordesman, emeritus chair in strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said. Theres now an aid crisis, a financial crisis, job crisis, governance crisis and legal crisis. U.S. imposes sanctions on Iranian vice police Liz Truss considers moving British embassy in Israel to Jerusalem Speaker of Iranian Parliament: Security in Persian Gulf will be achieved by withdrawal of extra-regional powers CSTO exercises will be held in Kazakhstan Lawyer: Mothers of deceased servicemen in Yerablur are subjected to different bodily injuries Erdogan will hold meeting on Russian 'Mir' cards and possible sanctions Erdogan does not rule out meeting with Pashinyan in Prague: We will have certain initiatives on Caucasus Iran demonstrates new long-range ballistic missiles for first time Two servicemen of Armenian Armed Forces are out of encirclement after 9 days Karekin II to meet today with Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan Trump: Conflict in Ukraine can lead to World War III Russia's budget deficit in 2022 will amount to 1.3 trillion rubles One of Armenia civilians wounded in recent Azerbaijan military aggression dies France says it will continue helping Ukraine with arms UN Armenia office team visits Gegharkunik Province communities affected by Azerbaijan shootings (PHOTOS) Dollar increases slightly, euro drops considerably in Armenia Armenia ombudswoman briefs EU envoy on closed part of her ad hoc report on recent Azerbaijan attack State assistance being provided to Armenia brandy businesses to be extended by one year Bloomberg: UK intends to sign agreement on LNG supplies from U.S. for up to 20 years China's former justice minister sentenced to death Jermuk: Changes in Jermuk resort town after Azerbaijani attack (photo report) Jermuk-Yerevan-Jermuk shuttle service already operating Armenian Genocide Memorials Memory Ally area to be expanded Biden to Pashinyan: We remain committed to promote peaceful resolution to conflict, including for people of Karabakh Internal investigation underway into police actions at Yerevan military pantheon on Independence Day anniversary Aggression-affected IDPs from Gegharkunik, Syunik and Vayots Dzor to be provided with financial assistance Peskov declines to comment on his son's refusal to report to military registration and enlistment office Belgian parliamentary delegation visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Missing, captured Armenian civilians families to get financial support for another month Turkish lira hits new historic low Peskov comments on reports of agitation at airports and checkpoints Russia air carrier to conduct additional flights to Armenia, Turkey Kazakhstan parliament passes law to exclude Day of First President from state holidays US Congressman Schiff: These atrocities will continue until international community condemns Aliyev Jim Costa talks Azerbaijani attack on Armenia: It was an attack on sovereign territory Greece official: Azerbaijan war against Armenia not on newspapers front pages as it is in Ukraine case Senator: the U.S. must stop providing security assistance to Azerbaijan Armenia, Finland FMs discuss Karabakh conflict settlement process CSTO Secretary General, Armenia army chief discuss situation on border with Azerbaijan Moscow agrees to appointing Lynne Tracy as new US envoy to Russia Armenia FM to Red Cross president: Azerbaijan crimes impunity makes aggressor more reckless (PHOTOS) Greece politician condemns Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia Iran, Russia and China to hold joint naval drills Iran army chief: We will not allow changes in borders in region Parliament speaker: We expect our Belgian colleagues to continue efforts for Armenian POWs return from Azerbaijan Karabakh FM discusses Artsakh foreign policy with group of US Congress members, senators Relatives of those who died and those who were injured in Yerevan market explosion to get one-time financial aid Copper rises in price Truss says Russia is not threatened by anyone Crime report is sent to Armenia Prosecutor General regarding recent harassment toward reporters in parliament Armenia FM to International Crisis Group head: Azerbaijan trying to achieve its maximalist demands by using force Gold prices fall below $1670 per ounce Borrell announces new sanctions on Russia because of referendums Oil prices move to some growth Blinken says US will continue to support Ukraine Newspaper: Armenia 3 ex-presidents, Catholicos to meet soon Armenia FM in New York, meets with UN Secretary General special adviser on genocide prevention Russian soldiers are exchanged with 215 Ukrainian POWs Newspaper: PM urges political teammates not to do anything drastic regarding topic of Armenia leaving CSTO Bulgaria gets closer to buying the second batch of eight new F-16s Armenia FM to Sweden counterpart: International community must restrain Azerbaijan military aggression FM briefs Nicaragua colleague on consequences of Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia 2 of 3 injured in Yerevan market damaged building collapse discharged from hospital Britain decides to revise its defense and security plan Iranian parliament says border violation due to aggravation between Armenia and Azerbaijan unacceptable Pashinyan leaves for New York Biden not to restrict imports of neodymium magnets from China No threat to life of serviceman wounded by Azerbaijani Armed Forces shelling EU's desire for independence from Russian gas will lead to slowdown of economy, rising inflation and fall of euro Biden to release 10 million barrels of oil ahead of EU ban on Russian oil Earthquake in Iran felt in Armenia Armenian Defense Ministry: Azerbaijan opens fire at Armenian positions, one wounded EU begins to develop new sanctions against Russia Canada is committed to further deepening bilateral relations and supporting strengthening of democracy in Armenia MEPs investigating use of spyware by EU governments criticize Poland and Israel Union of Armenians of Russia plans to send help to Armenia, Ara Abrahamyan holds meetings with Russian leadership Armenian FM meets with USAID Director Germany, Slovenia sign agreement for Slovenia to send 28 Soviet tanks to Ukraine Azerbaijani president makes aggressive statements about Armenia Greece extends subsidies for energy bills ahead of 'winter battle' Iset Tower in Yekaterinburg is painted in colors of Armenian flag NEWS.am digest: Azerbaijan violates ceasefire, Russia announces mobilization U.S. supports increasing number of permanent and non-permanent members of UN Security Council Biden accuses Russia of violating basic principles of UN membership Germany nationalizes energy giant Uniper CSTO foreign ministers hold working meeting under coordination of Armenian foreign minister European governments spend half trillion euros to fight energy crisis Cavusoglu: Announcement of partial mobilization in Russia is indicator of situation's seriousness Ebrahim Raisi: Iran is ready for comprehensive deepening of relations with Armenia, using common historical border 3 people hospitalized in Yerevan amid collapse of Surmalu shopping center's building subject to demolition NATO should view Beijing as a security threat Is West starting to insist on opening of so-called Zangezur corridor? Forest fire breaks out and fire helicopter crashes in Turkish city of Marmaris Wall of building subject to demolition collapses on territory of burnt-out Surmalu shopping center Queen of Denmark tests positive for COVID-19 after Elizabeth II's funeral Price of air ticket from Moscow to Yerevan is approaching $5,000 NATO Secretary General: Partial mobilization in Russia will lead to escalation of conflict Bloomberg: Qatar wants to supply energy to Europe under long-term contracts Yeghishe Kirakosyan tells US Congress about war crimes committed by Azerbaijanis Putin's speech sends pound to new 37-year low Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, has announced the Clean Hydrogen Partnership will provide EUR2.5 million ($2.82 million) to help fund a project to develop low-carbon fuel cells to power data centres. It is hoped this could reduce carbon emissions from operations by up to 100%. The EcoEdge PrimePower (E2P2) project is a novel proof-of-concept initiative aiming to develop and demonstrate low environmental impact fuel cells that provide economic and resilient prime power solutions for the data centre environment. A consortium of seven companiesEquinix, InfraPrime, RISE, Snam, SolidPower, TEC4FUELS and Vertivwill explore an innovative integration of solid-oxide fuel cells with uninterruptible power supply (UPS) technology and lithium-ion batteries to provide resilient and clean primary power to data centre deployments and other critical infrastructure. Implementing natural gas solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) as a prime power application will be instrumental to pave the way for the use of green hydrogen for fuel cells application, for both backup and prime power systems. Digitalisation and the data centre industry are growing at an increasing pace and thus it is even more vital to fast-track our journey towards an environmentally sustainable future, said Giordano Albertazzi, president for Vertiv in Europe, Middle East, and Africa. This can only be made possible by developing clean, innovative technologies such as fuel-cell solutions to provide sustainable power for the digital world. Vertiv is proud to actively contribute to the E2P2 proof-of-concept initiative and looks forward to provide next-generation power solutions to its global customers. The E2P2 project is the latest in a series of initiatives Vertiv has conducted around sustainability and the wider Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) arena. Vertiv is also part of the Sustainable Digital Infrastructure Alliance (SDIA) and the European Data Centre Association (EUDCA) and contributes to the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact with the aim to meet the European Commissions goal for climate-neutral data centres by 2030. The E2P2 project is part of the companys effort to prioritise and support the development of clean, sustainable and renewable power solutions for application across the data centre industry. GREENER FUTURE Fuel cells are recognised as a cleaner and quieter power solution that can alleviate demand on urban power grids. They can be deployed on-site at a data centre campus, and operate using natural gas, biogas, LPG or green hydrogenwhich can be transported and distributed over existing gas networks. The E2P2 project marks an exciting step toward significant carbon reduction, whilst still meeting requirements for a highly resilient critical power supply to data centres. At the heart of this vision, is a market-oriented approach that integrates innovation and stakeholder engagement to maximise acceptance and uptake opportunities of stationary fuel cells as reliable, efficient and decentralised prime power sources for other industrial scale applications. The consortium hopes to develop the authoritative open standard for fuel cell applications to pave the way toward commercialisation of fuel cell energy for data centres in Europe, demonstrating the industrys potential role in achieving EU carbon reduction targets. E2P2 is a joint project from Equinix, InfraPrime, RISE, Snam, SolidPower, TEC4FUELS and Vertiv, partially funded with a grant by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, from the Horizon 2020 programme of the European Commission. The consortium will engage with the organisations that work on developing European best practices and standards to facilitate high-level concept design and interface definitions. The E2P2 project goals are aligned to the objectives of the European Commission to rapidly accelerate the application of fuel cells to power the needs of energy intensive sectors while achieving a greener grid. E2P2 aims to achieve multiple environmental objectives, including showcasing a real-world proof of concept of 24/7 low-carbon power that does not rely on diesel generators and supports the growing hydrogen and renewable energy economy across Europe. The intention is for the resulting units to replace the traditional power supply and generators, with additional redundancies built in to maintain uptime standards. Vertiv will leverage its extensive experience in AC power systems as well as in prefabricated modular solutions for data centres to design and develop an integrated fuel-cell power module, including the Vertiv Liebert EXL S1 uninterruptible power supply (UPS). Close collaboration between the Vertiv AC Power line of business based in Italy and its Integrated Modular Solutions line of business based in Croatia will be key to engineer an all-in-one 100 kW module as a proof-of-concept by 2023, with the final goal of developing a commercially viable product that can support multiple MWs of critical load and facilitate a greener future for data centres worldwide. In parallel, Vertiv is also working with key global customers to develop new hydrogen-based generators that will help replace diesel generators. Bart Biebuyck, Executive Director, Clean Hydrogen Partnership said: With its ongoing support of research and development of fuel cells for stationary applications, the Clean Hydrogen Partnership (previously FCH JU) managed to set a strong basis for European industry to lead in the deployment of new technologies. We are proud to see that the E2P2 project will provide clean fuel cell-based applications for the decarbonisation of data centres within a solid consortium gathering fuel cell providers, system integrators as well as data centre operators and energy utilities. Projects such as E2P2 are absolutely essential in offering solutions to un-tap markets with great potential and contribute to our ambitious EU climate targets. Eugene Bergen Henegouwen, President, EMEA, Equinix, stated: The E2P2 project hopes to be a breakthrough in making data centres more environmentally sustainable worldwide. Equinix has committed to mitigating our environmental impact, and this project provides a unique opportunity to demonstrate the use of an innovative, clean, primary energy source. We hope it will make a considerable impact towards reaching our global commitment of 100% renewable energy and climate neutrality by 2030, as well as advancing our industrys sustainability goals. Its important we support the growth of the market in Europe for clean and reliable on-site power. Dr Jon Summers, Scientific Lead in Data Centres, RISE, said: This decade is undeniably focused on building a future that is environmentally sustainable. We all know that digitisation and data centres are key elements of this future, where innovation is at the heart of our journey to our global 2030 goals. As researchers at RISE, we are invested to be a strong part of the E2P2 team, to push the technology envelope and to transparently demonstrate new sustainable approaches of prime power for the future digital infrastructure. Susanna Kass and Dr Alberto Ravagni, Co-Founders, InfraPrime, said: The E2P2 clean energy standard is an inflection point for clean cloud providers to achieve Carbon Neutral (Positive) cloud infrastructure on a global scale. InfraPrime is proud to lead in this project on the creation of an open industry standard to support the global adoption of eco edge prime power solutions with fuel cells across clean cloud infrastructure, to support industries and applications at hyperscale. Cosma Panzacchi, Executive Vice President Hydrogen, Snam, said: We are happy to contribute our know-how to the E2P2 alliance to help tackle the issue of powering urban data centres with clean and competitive energy solutions. The concept of connecting fuel cells to gas networks to power resilient urban and edge data centres overcomes the need to have backup generation in such areas, thus reducing emissions as well as noise impact. This project is part of Snam's efforts to foster the use of hydrogen to decarbonise economic sectors, leveraging existing gas networks and sustainable technologies like hydrogen-ready fuel cells. Dr Klaus Lucka, Managing Director, TEC4FUELS, said: TEC4FUELS is a competence centre for sustainable liquid and gaseous energy carriers (fuels) and operating fluids in technical systems. For the operation of the fuel cells, the company contributes its know-how to the research project in the supply and purification of the process gas medium and water. In addition, TEC4FUELS is developing a sensor-based fluid condition monitoring system to monitor gas and water quality. The aim is to help reduce system-related greenhouse gas emissions by optimising the operational reliability and service life of technical components and increasing the efficiency of this subsystem.-- TradeArabia News Service Through unsealed closed session minutes from New Berns Board of Aldermen in 2020, the Sun Journal learned the worlds first Pepsi museum was in the works to call the city its home. On Dec. 17, the first pieces of the museum were put on display at a teaser exhibit in North Carolina History Center. The history center received more than 1,300 items of a Pepsi collection owned by the late Mitchell Slotnick from Illinois in November 2020. The collection is said to take several years to process and catalog items. For more than 30 years, Slotnick was a financial management consultant with PepsiCo. His family donated the collection to the history center. Slotnick developed a metrics system that revolutionized Pepsis bottling business model, according to a news release from the history center. The entire Slotnick collection of Pepsi-related items consists of clocks, signs, advertisements, bottles, trays, thermometers, radios, toys, books, bottle openers, calendars, tableware, and more. Items that are on the current sample exhibit include a pull toy, coin banks, glasses, ashtrays, radio, figurine, calendar, salt and pepper shakers, and drinking glasses. He (Slotnick) was an avid philanthropist and Tryon Palace is excited to have received this collection that honors the history of Pepsi and New Bern, the birthplace of Pepsi, according to a news release. The collection will eventually be housed in New Berns planned Pepsi Museum. Coca-Cola has its own museum in Atlanta, Georgia. PepsiCo does not, but bringing one to its birthplace is estimated to bring 50,000 annual visitors, adding an economic impact of $7.5 million. To go along with the Slotnick collection, PepsiCo also acquired a large collection of Pepsi memorabilia between 2015 and 2018. In the closed session minutes, the city discussed a potential partnership with Swiss Bear and the Tryon Palace Commission to display the items in a museum. PepsiCo offered to provide a seed grant to fund up to $750,000 for program items such as planning, architectural design, and display and was willing to pursue if local leadership was willing. Under the partnership, the city would provide the facility and discuss the old firemens museum as a potential location. Swiss Bear is committed to helping raise funds but a concept would be needed for the plans to continue. The aldermen supported the idea but no other actions have taken place. Director of Collections and Exhibits Alyson Rhodes-Murphy explained in October that leadership is waiting to see how many items there are before moving forward with finding a museum site. More than likely, one will have to be built. (Natural News) A Project Veritas expose has exposed Rick Saleeby, a former senior producer for CNNs The Lead with Jake Tapper, as being under investigation for suspected pedophilia. According to credible allegations, Saleeby solicited sexually explicit photos of an underage girl. And Project Veritas got ahold of the evidence, prompting Saleeby to resign earlier this month. CNN confirmed Saleebys resignation, and the investigation has now garnered international attention. The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) in Virginia confirmed that a criminal investigation has been launched into serious allegations involving potential juvenile victims. Detective assigned to the Child Exploitation Squad of the Major Crimes Bureau are leading this investigation, Fox News further reported. While we will eventually be transparent about our findings, safeguarding the personal privacy and safety of victims and witnesses as well as maintaining the integrity of our criminal investigation are of paramount importance, reads a statement from a Fairfax County Police spokesman. It was further confirmed by the FCPD that it has been in contact with Project Veritas about Saleebys victims. Numerous items from the subjects Virginia home were also seized as part of the investigation. Saleeby fantasized about molesting his fiances daughter, texts show Among the evidence obtained by Project Veritas were text messages involving sexually explicit images of an underage girl, as well as a conversation Saleeby apparently had about wanting to molest the young daughter of his fiance. In one of the text exchanges, Saleeby told the source how his fiances daughter was wearing very closely cut bottoms at the pool before graphically describing how he could see the outline of her genitals. Janine Banani, who was involved in a relationship with Saleeby for more than a decade, told Project Veritas that Saleeby solicited photos of their own daughter as well. after Im done having my mouth on her, Im going to walk up and put my crotch very close to her face, Saleeby said in one audio recording that Banani provided. In another recording, Saleeby engaged in even more explicit speech about what he wanted his own daughter to do to himself. slowly unzip my zipper and just guide her head a little closer and Im just going to have her kiss the head and Im going to put her hand on it so she can feel what the hard flesh feels like. Keep in mind that Saleeby is not the first but the second CNN producer in less than a month to be under criminal investigation for this type of perversion against minors. The other is former CNN producer John Griffin, who was arrested and indicted for abusing underage girls. Griffin produced a show for CNN senior political analyst John Avlon, who was arrested by the FBI and charged by a federal grand jury in Vermont. Tapper, as you may recall, threatened Donald Trumps staffers last November to either concede his election loss to Joe Biden or get blacklisted. Tapper apparently thought he held some kind of sway over the future of their political careers. Now, he is likely singing a much different tune based on these latest developments. We are coming for all you media talking heads, wrote one commenter at Natural News. There will be justice. To be blacklisted by sacks of s*** like Biden, Harris, Tapper, and the rest of the lefties would be a badge of honor, wrote another. Jake, nothing brings a people together like shared suffering and persecution, and, Jake, I doubt you realize this, but living as an unprincipled coward is far worse than anything you can throw at us. More news about the likes of CNN and its employees can be found at Corruption.news. Sources for this article include: ThePostMillennial.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) A Project Veritas expose has exposed Rick Saleeby, a former senior producer for CNNs The Lead with Jake Tapper, as being under investigation for suspected pedophilia. According to credible allegations, Saleeby solicited sexually explicit photos of an underage girl. And Project Veritas got ahold of the evidence, prompting Saleeby to resign earlier this month. CNN confirmed Saleebys resignation, and the investigation has now garnered international attention. The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) in Virginia confirmed that a criminal investigation has been launched into serious allegations involving potential juvenile victims. Detective assigned to the Child Exploitation Squad of the Major Crimes Bureau are leading this investigation, Fox News further reported. While we will eventually be transparent about our findings, safeguarding the personal privacy and safety of victims and witnesses as well as maintaining the integrity of our criminal investigation are of paramount importance, reads a statement from a Fairfax County Police spokesman. It was further confirmed by the FCPD that it has been in contact with Project Veritas about Saleebys victims. Numerous items from the subjects Virginia home were also seized as part of the investigation. Saleeby fantasized about molesting his fiances daughter, texts show Among the evidence obtained by Project Veritas were text messages involving sexually explicit images of an underage girl, as well as a conversation Saleeby apparently had about wanting to molest the young daughter of his fiance. In one of the text exchanges, Saleeby told the source how his fiances daughter was wearing very closely cut bottoms at the pool before graphically describing how he could see the outline of her genitals. Janine Banani, who was involved in a relationship with Saleeby for more than a decade, told Project Veritas that Saleeby solicited photos of their own daughter as well. after Im done having my mouth on her, Im going to walk up and put my crotch very close to her face, Saleeby said in one audio recording that Banani provided. In another recording, Saleeby engaged in even more explicit speech about what he wanted his own daughter to do to himself. slowly unzip my zipper and just guide her head a little closer and Im just going to have her kiss the head and Im going to put her hand on it so she can feel what the hard flesh feels like. Keep in mind that Saleeby is not the first but the second CNN producer in less than a month to be under criminal investigation for this type of perversion against minors. The other is former CNN producer John Griffin, who was arrested and indicted for abusing underage girls. Griffin produced a show for CNN senior political analyst John Avlon, who was arrested by the FBI and charged by a federal grand jury in Vermont. Tapper, as you may recall, threatened Donald Trumps staffers last November to either concede his election loss to Joe Biden or get blacklisted. Tapper apparently thought he held some kind of sway over the future of their political careers. Now, he is likely singing a much different tune based on these latest developments. We are coming for all you media talking heads, wrote one commenter at Natural News. There will be justice. To be blacklisted by sacks of s*** like Biden, Harris, Tapper, and the rest of the lefties would be a badge of honor, wrote another. Jake, nothing brings a people together like shared suffering and persecution, and, Jake, I doubt you realize this, but living as an unprincipled coward is far worse than anything you can throw at us. More news about the likes of CNN and its employees can be found at Corruption.news. Sources for this article include: ThePostMillennial.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) It has finally happened: The inventor of mRNA (messenger RNA) technology has officially been banned from Twitter for telling the truth about the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) and its deadly vaccines. In a December 29 update on his Substack, Dr. Robert Malone, M.D., M.S., explained that he was axed from the social media platform without notice. He can now no longer communicate with his more than 500,000 followers, whom he says were gone in the blink of an eye. That means I must have been on the mark, so to speak, Malone writes. Over the target. It also means we lost a critical component in our fight to stop these vaccines being mandated for children and to stop the corruption in our governments, as well as the medical-industrial complex and pharmaceutical industries. On his Substack, Malone has provided a form to sign up for his email newsletter. If you are interested in learning more about medicine, science, bioethics, analytics, politics, and life in general from his perspective, go there and enter your email address. Big Tech is a big bully This is an unfortunate development for the man whose very invention (mRNA) is driving Operation Warp Speed and the global vaccination push. It is not, however, unexpected. As we reported back in the summer, Malone is being censored all over the internet. Wikipedia, it was reported, scrubbed numerous entries about RNA vaccines to which Malone contributed. Various schools and universities have also removed his name and all of his accomplishments from their records. To censor a scientific discussion with the actual inventor of the technology used to manufacture these COVID-19 shots is beyond shocking, wrote Dr. Joseph Mercola at the time. Wikipedia actually went so far as to try to remove Malone from existence. The tech platform removed all information about Malones mRNA research from back in the 90s and is now attributing Malones work to someone else named Katalin Kariko. Kariko, by the way, currently serves as senior vice president of BioNTech, which we now know partnered up with Pfizer and developed one of the two mRNA injections for covid currently in widespread use. Malone, meanwhile, continues to try to warn the world that the mRNA technology he created is being used in such a way as to harm people by turning their bodies into deadly spike protein factories. This goes against the official narrative, so naturally Big Tech is silencing and trying to erase Malone from the annals of science as well as basic human understanding about what mRNA technology does when used as a vaccine. One controversial position held by Malone maintains that every human being has the right to decide whether or not to get injected in the first place. This goes against the White House, the federal government and pretty much the entire corporate media gamut including many right-leaning news outlets. Malone also says that mRNA injections pose far more dangers than any potential benefits. Getting injected, he has repeatedly stated, is a high-risk gamble. Other than signing up for his email newsletter, you can keep up with Malones work by following his Substack @rwmalonemd, as well as at the following websites: https://gab.com/RobertMaloneMD https://gettr.com/user/rwmalonemd https://www.linkedin.com/in/rwmalonemd/ Malones personal website is: http://www.rwmalonemd.com Only truth is suppressed, wrote one of Malones followers and supporters in the comment section on his Substack. No one ever suppresses lies and bulls***, those are free to proliferate. Another suggested that Malones followers and supporters take to Twitter in protest of his removal. One idea is to post all over the platform about how Malone was censored and banned, along with links to other mediums and platforms where his work can still be found. To keep up with the latest news about social media censorship, visit Censorship.news. Sources for this article include: RWMaloneMD.substack.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) It has finally happened: The inventor of mRNA (messenger RNA) technology has officially been banned from Twitter for telling the truth about the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) and its deadly vaccines. In a December 29 update on his Substack, Dr. Robert Malone, M.D., M.S., explained that he was axed from the social media platform without notice. He can now no longer communicate with his more than 500,000 followers, whom he says were gone in the blink of an eye. That means I must have been on the mark, so to speak, Malone writes. Over the target. It also means we lost a critical component in our fight to stop these vaccines being mandated for children and to stop the corruption in our governments, as well as the medical-industrial complex and pharmaceutical industries. On his Substack, Malone has provided a form to sign up for his email newsletter. If you are interested in learning more about medicine, science, bioethics, analytics, politics, and life in general from his perspective, go there and enter your email address. Big Tech is a big bully This is an unfortunate development for the man whose very invention (mRNA) is driving Operation Warp Speed and the global vaccination push. It is not, however, unexpected. As we reported back in the summer, Malone is being censored all over the internet. Wikipedia, it was reported, scrubbed numerous entries about RNA vaccines to which Malone contributed. Various schools and universities have also removed his name and all of his accomplishments from their records. To censor a scientific discussion with the actual inventor of the technology used to manufacture these COVID-19 shots is beyond shocking, wrote Dr. Joseph Mercola at the time. Wikipedia actually went so far as to try to remove Malone from existence. The tech platform removed all information about Malones mRNA research from back in the 90s and is now attributing Malones work to someone else named Katalin Kariko. Kariko, by the way, currently serves as senior vice president of BioNTech, which we now know partnered up with Pfizer and developed one of the two mRNA injections for covid currently in widespread use. Malone, meanwhile, continues to try to warn the world that the mRNA technology he created is being used in such a way as to harm people by turning their bodies into deadly spike protein factories. This goes against the official narrative, so naturally Big Tech is silencing and trying to erase Malone from the annals of science as well as basic human understanding about what mRNA technology does when used as a vaccine. One controversial position held by Malone maintains that every human being has the right to decide whether or not to get injected in the first place. This goes against the White House, the federal government and pretty much the entire corporate media gamut including many right-leaning news outlets. Malone also says that mRNA injections pose far more dangers than any potential benefits. Getting injected, he has repeatedly stated, is a high-risk gamble. Other than signing up for his email newsletter, you can keep up with Malones work by following his Substack @rwmalonemd, as well as at the following websites: https://gab.com/RobertMaloneMD https://gettr.com/user/rwmalonemd https://www.linkedin.com/in/rwmalonemd/ Malones personal website is: http://www.rwmalonemd.com Only truth is suppressed, wrote one of Malones followers and supporters in the comment section on his Substack. No one ever suppresses lies and bulls***, those are free to proliferate. Another suggested that Malones followers and supporters take to Twitter in protest of his removal. One idea is to post all over the platform about how Malone was censored and banned, along with links to other mediums and platforms where his work can still be found. To keep up with the latest news about social media censorship, visit Censorship.news. Sources for this article include: RWMaloneMD.substack.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) The most vaccinated state in the country has become a mad house of outright insanity and paranoia over the ever-scary Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19). Hospitals all across Vermont are reportedly overflowing with fully vaccinated patients and not the kind with vaccine-induced illnesses, just to be clear, but rather asymptomatic jabbed folks who merely tested positive with a fraudulent PCR test. The emergency department at the Rutland Regional Medical Center (RRMC), for instance, is reportedly being overwhelmed with asymptomatic folks who, despite not showing any symptoms, are freaking out because of everything they have been told by the likes of Tony Fauci. What is apparently happening is that Branch Covidians across the Green Mountain State are obsessively seeking out and collecting antigen tests in order to test themselves. After finally testing positive, these same folks are rushing out to the emergency room to get treatment for their non-diseases. Its not so much the beds that are the precious resources, its the staff at this time, explained Dr. Rick Hildebrant, RRMCs medical director about how badly this bizarre phenomenon is depleting much-needed hospital resources. So we have to have some of our clinical staff providing care to those people and they cant provide care to the folks in the ER. Branch Covidianism is a religion with doctrines and dogmas of mental illness Amazingly, Vermonters are so scared of the China Disease that even after testing positive with their at-home rapid tests, many of them are rushing out to the hospital to take a PCR test as well for additional confirmation. It is almost like these people want to test positive and want to be sick, almost like an induction into the Covid Cult. Perhaps taking all these tests is some kind of equivalent to holy communion or eucharist for them, making them feel as though they belong. And to think that the unvaccinated are being blamed for this hospital surge when they are the ones out there living their lives, unmasked and untested, and not even thinking about going anywhere near a hospital facility. Branch Covidian hysteria is not just affecting Vermont hospitals, by the way. Institutions of higher learning such as Middlebury College are also enduring collective panic attacks over the idea of Chinese Germs spreading from person to person. The following sampling of deranged tweets shows just how crazy leftist plandemic-embracers have become within the new normal of perpetual hypochondriac insanity. Like, right this very second as my partner makes plans to have an indoor xmas gathering with his (vaxed, boosted) family that my anxiety will not allow me to attend or even be furious about, one of the deranged tweets reads. Me too, responded another. The unvaccinated need to stay home, those of us whove done everything possible to stop the spread & continue to do everything asked of us should be allowed to live. We have the right to live! This writer is uncertain if both of these folks live in Vermont, but it is certainly within the realm of possibility because it sounds exactly like what is happening up there to hospitals, schools and probably all other institutions. Fear is control, wrote one commenter at Red State about how the mass brainwashing has been a total success, at least among leftists. The media wont let the panic die down until universal mail-in voting is safely locked in, wrote another, speculating as to why the plandemic has still not been allowed to end. I dont think weve come to terms yet with the fact that 40% of the country is mentally ill. pic.twitter.com/ZWM3fYqUJy Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) December 23, 2021 The latest news about the raging plandemic hysteria infecting blue areas of the country can be found at Pandemic.news. Sources for this article include: RedState.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) The most vaccinated state in the country has become a mad house of outright insanity and paranoia over the ever-scary Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19). Hospitals all across Vermont are reportedly overflowing with fully vaccinated patients and not the kind with vaccine-induced illnesses, just to be clear, but rather asymptomatic jabbed folks who merely tested positive with a fraudulent PCR test. The emergency department at the Rutland Regional Medical Center (RRMC), for instance, is reportedly being overwhelmed with asymptomatic folks who, despite not showing any symptoms, are freaking out because of everything they have been told by the likes of Tony Fauci. What is apparently happening is that Branch Covidians across the Green Mountain State are obsessively seeking out and collecting antigen tests in order to test themselves. After finally testing positive, these same folks are rushing out to the emergency room to get treatment for their non-diseases. Its not so much the beds that are the precious resources, its the staff at this time, explained Dr. Rick Hildebrant, RRMCs medical director about how badly this bizarre phenomenon is depleting much-needed hospital resources. So we have to have some of our clinical staff providing care to those people and they cant provide care to the folks in the ER. Branch Covidianism is a religion with doctrines and dogmas of mental illness Amazingly, Vermonters are so scared of the China Disease that even after testing positive with their at-home rapid tests, many of them are rushing out to the hospital to take a PCR test as well for additional confirmation. It is almost like these people want to test positive and want to be sick, almost like an induction into the Covid Cult. Perhaps taking all these tests is some kind of equivalent to holy communion or eucharist for them, making them feel as though they belong. And to think that the unvaccinated are being blamed for this hospital surge when they are the ones out there living their lives, unmasked and untested, and not even thinking about going anywhere near a hospital facility. Branch Covidian hysteria is not just affecting Vermont hospitals, by the way. Institutions of higher learning such as Middlebury College are also enduring collective panic attacks over the idea of Chinese Germs spreading from person to person. The following sampling of deranged tweets shows just how crazy leftist plandemic-embracers have become within the new normal of perpetual hypochondriac insanity. Like, right this very second as my partner makes plans to have an indoor xmas gathering with his (vaxed, boosted) family that my anxiety will not allow me to attend or even be furious about, one of the deranged tweets reads. Me too, responded another. The unvaccinated need to stay home, those of us whove done everything possible to stop the spread & continue to do everything asked of us should be allowed to live. We have the right to live! This writer is uncertain if both of these folks live in Vermont, but it is certainly within the realm of possibility because it sounds exactly like what is happening up there to hospitals, schools and probably all other institutions. Fear is control, wrote one commenter at Red State about how the mass brainwashing has been a total success, at least among leftists. The media wont let the panic die down until universal mail-in voting is safely locked in, wrote another, speculating as to why the plandemic has still not been allowed to end. I dont think weve come to terms yet with the fact that 40% of the country is mentally ill. pic.twitter.com/ZWM3fYqUJy Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) December 23, 2021 The latest news about the raging plandemic hysteria infecting blue areas of the country can be found at Pandemic.news. Sources for this article include: RedState.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) It has finally happened: The inventor of mRNA (messenger RNA) technology has officially been banned from Twitter for telling the truth about the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) and its deadly vaccines. In a December 29 update on his Substack, Dr. Robert Malone, M.D., M.S., explained that he was axed from the social media platform without notice. He can now no longer communicate with his more than 500,000 followers, whom he says were gone in the blink of an eye. That means I must have been on the mark, so to speak, Malone writes. Over the target. It also means we lost a critical component in our fight to stop these vaccines being mandated for children and to stop the corruption in our governments, as well as the medical-industrial complex and pharmaceutical industries. On his Substack, Malone has provided a form to sign up for his email newsletter. If you are interested in learning more about medicine, science, bioethics, analytics, politics, and life in general from his perspective, go there and enter your email address. Big Tech is a big bully This is an unfortunate development for the man whose very invention (mRNA) is driving Operation Warp Speed and the global vaccination push. It is not, however, unexpected. As we reported back in the summer, Malone is being censored all over the internet. Wikipedia, it was reported, scrubbed numerous entries about RNA vaccines to which Malone contributed. Various schools and universities have also removed his name and all of his accomplishments from their records. To censor a scientific discussion with the actual inventor of the technology used to manufacture these COVID-19 shots is beyond shocking, wrote Dr. Joseph Mercola at the time. Wikipedia actually went so far as to try to remove Malone from existence. The tech platform removed all information about Malones mRNA research from back in the 90s and is now attributing Malones work to someone else named Katalin Kariko. Kariko, by the way, currently serves as senior vice president of BioNTech, which we now know partnered up with Pfizer and developed one of the two mRNA injections for covid currently in widespread use. Malone, meanwhile, continues to try to warn the world that the mRNA technology he created is being used in such a way as to harm people by turning their bodies into deadly spike protein factories. This goes against the official narrative, so naturally Big Tech is silencing and trying to erase Malone from the annals of science as well as basic human understanding about what mRNA technology does when used as a vaccine. One controversial position held by Malone maintains that every human being has the right to decide whether or not to get injected in the first place. This goes against the White House, the federal government and pretty much the entire corporate media gamut including many right-leaning news outlets. Malone also says that mRNA injections pose far more dangers than any potential benefits. Getting injected, he has repeatedly stated, is a high-risk gamble. Other than signing up for his email newsletter, you can keep up with Malones work by following his Substack @rwmalonemd, as well as at the following websites: https://gab.com/RobertMaloneMD https://gettr.com/user/rwmalonemd https://www.linkedin.com/in/rwmalonemd/ Malones personal website is: http://www.rwmalonemd.com Only truth is suppressed, wrote one of Malones followers and supporters in the comment section on his Substack. No one ever suppresses lies and bulls***, those are free to proliferate. Another suggested that Malones followers and supporters take to Twitter in protest of his removal. One idea is to post all over the platform about how Malone was censored and banned, along with links to other mediums and platforms where his work can still be found. To keep up with the latest news about social media censorship, visit Censorship.news. Sources for this article include: RWMaloneMD.substack.com NaturalNews.com 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. (Natural News) Left-wing billionaire George Soros is on a mission to use law enforcement to his own advantage and for his own political gain. George Soros uses his vast financial resources to install Marxists into District Attorneys offices around the country. Once these left-wing district attorneys are installed, they begin to target their political opposition, while making a mockery of the rule of law. Most shocking of all, these left-wing district attorneys try to make it easier for felons to get out of jail, allowing them back onto the streets with no bail. Republican Senator Tom Cotton sees this corruption for what it really is, which is why he is calling on the American people to recall, remove and replace every last prosecutor who is financially backed by George Soros. Every last George Soros installation must be removed from office These Marxists prosecutors are dangerous to the security and prosperity of their districts and to the country as a whole. As they are installed across the country, they become a force of insurrection and sedition, eating away at the rule of law and subverting the justice system. Senator Cotton warns: Last year, our nation experienced the largest increase in murder in American history and the largest number of drug overdose deaths ever recorded. This carnage continues today and is not distributed equally. Instead, it is concentrated in cities and localities where radical, left-wing, George Soros progressives have captured state and district attorney offices. These legal arsonists condemn our rule of law as systemically racist and have not simply abused prosecutorial discretion, they have embraced prosecutorial nullification. As a result, a contagion of crime has infected virtually every neighborhood under their charge. The George Soros mafia has been targeting inner city district attorneys offices and funneling large amounts of money to ensure that left-wing candidates take over these positions. Once these puppets are installed, they quickly vouch for bail reform. These bail reforms are sold to the public under the guise of combating systemic racism. In truth, these reforms simply allow criminals to walk right back onto the streets, right after they have been arrested for serious crimes. This has led to historic increases in crime throughout these cities in 2020 and 2021. Left-wing District Attorneys are behind the historic rate of murder, property, and drug crimes These left-wing installations allow violent criminals and drug dealers to walk right back onto the streets, where they end up committing more property crimes and threatening more lives. For instance, young hero Kyle Rittenhouse would have never had to defend himself and be traumatized, had these left-wing district attorneys not allowed violent criminals back onto the streets. In the middle of the worst drug crisis in American history, states attorneys like Baltimores Marilyn Mosby refuse to press charges for drug crimes, claiming the drug war is over. In Chicagos Cook County, State attorney Kim Foxx wont prosecute any theft that is under $1,000. In Manhattan, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. openly allows prostitution. Philadelphias District Attorney Larry Krasner is combative toward the police, routinely slashes bond, and lets criminals go free, accelerating crime rates throughout the city. San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin has such disdain for law enforcement, she led the city to suffer through routine downtown shutdowns that allow smash-and-grab looters to take what they want. Los Angeles DA George Gascon openly invites the waves of crime that are plaguing California because he stopped enforcing laws for disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and making criminal threats. In Boston, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins created a do not prosecute list that includes trespassing, destruction of property, and drug trafficking. Consequentially, the number of homicides is rising in these cities specifically. In Cook county Chicago, there were more than 1,000 people murdered in 2021 alone. Los Angeles and Baltimore have seen murder rates skyrocket as well. These left-wing district attorneys tell the public they are for police reforms and de-funding the police. After the police departments are disrespected, de-funded and gutted, criminal operations gain power in the district. This lax policing environment allows drug and sex trafficking rings to dictate law enforcement operations. Drug rings are empowered and more people are left to fear for their lives as their family members suffer under the crushing weight of drug addiction, moral depravity and overdose. Read Tom Cottons statement for yourself to learn more: Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com NaturalNews.com RealClearPolitics.com (Natural News) A Project Veritas expose has exposed Rick Saleeby, a former senior producer for CNNs The Lead with Jake Tapper, as being under investigation for suspected pedophilia. According to credible allegations, Saleeby solicited sexually explicit photos of an underage girl. And Project Veritas got ahold of the evidence, prompting Saleeby to resign earlier this month. CNN confirmed Saleebys resignation, and the investigation has now garnered international attention. The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) in Virginia confirmed that a criminal investigation has been launched into serious allegations involving potential juvenile victims. Detective assigned to the Child Exploitation Squad of the Major Crimes Bureau are leading this investigation, Fox News further reported. While we will eventually be transparent about our findings, safeguarding the personal privacy and safety of victims and witnesses as well as maintaining the integrity of our criminal investigation are of paramount importance, reads a statement from a Fairfax County Police spokesman. It was further confirmed by the FCPD that it has been in contact with Project Veritas about Saleebys victims. Numerous items from the subjects Virginia home were also seized as part of the investigation. Saleeby fantasized about molesting his fiances daughter, texts show Among the evidence obtained by Project Veritas were text messages involving sexually explicit images of an underage girl, as well as a conversation Saleeby apparently had about wanting to molest the young daughter of his fiance. In one of the text exchanges, Saleeby told the source how his fiances daughter was wearing very closely cut bottoms at the pool before graphically describing how he could see the outline of her genitals. Janine Banani, who was involved in a relationship with Saleeby for more than a decade, told Project Veritas that Saleeby solicited photos of their own daughter as well. after Im done having my mouth on her, Im going to walk up and put my crotch very close to her face, Saleeby said in one audio recording that Banani provided. In another recording, Saleeby engaged in even more explicit speech about what he wanted his own daughter to do to himself. slowly unzip my zipper and just guide her head a little closer and Im just going to have her kiss the head and Im going to put her hand on it so she can feel what the hard flesh feels like. Keep in mind that Saleeby is not the first but the second CNN producer in less than a month to be under criminal investigation for this type of perversion against minors. The other is former CNN producer John Griffin, who was arrested and indicted for abusing underage girls. Griffin produced a show for CNN senior political analyst John Avlon, who was arrested by the FBI and charged by a federal grand jury in Vermont. Tapper, as you may recall, threatened Donald Trumps staffers last November to either concede his election loss to Joe Biden or get blacklisted. Tapper apparently thought he held some kind of sway over the future of their political careers. Now, he is likely singing a much different tune based on these latest developments. We are coming for all you media talking heads, wrote one commenter at Natural News. There will be justice. To be blacklisted by sacks of s*** like Biden, Harris, Tapper, and the rest of the lefties would be a badge of honor, wrote another. Jake, nothing brings a people together like shared suffering and persecution, and, Jake, I doubt you realize this, but living as an unprincipled coward is far worse than anything you can throw at us. More news about the likes of CNN and its employees can be found at Corruption.news. Sources for this article include: ThePostMillennial.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Left-wing billionaire George Soros is on a mission to use law enforcement to his own advantage and for his own political gain. George Soros uses his vast financial resources to install Marxists into District Attorneys offices around the country. Once these left-wing district attorneys are installed, they begin to target their political opposition, while making a mockery of the rule of law. Most shocking of all, these left-wing district attorneys try to make it easier for felons to get out of jail, allowing them back onto the streets with no bail. Republican Senator Tom Cotton sees this corruption for what it really is, which is why he is calling on the American people to recall, remove and replace every last prosecutor who is financially backed by George Soros. Every last George Soros installation must be removed from office These Marxists prosecutors are dangerous to the security and prosperity of their districts and to the country as a whole. As they are installed across the country, they become a force of insurrection and sedition, eating away at the rule of law and subverting the justice system. Senator Cotton warns: Last year, our nation experienced the largest increase in murder in American history and the largest number of drug overdose deaths ever recorded. This carnage continues today and is not distributed equally. Instead, it is concentrated in cities and localities where radical, left-wing, George Soros progressives have captured state and district attorney offices. These legal arsonists condemn our rule of law as systemically racist and have not simply abused prosecutorial discretion, they have embraced prosecutorial nullification. As a result, a contagion of crime has infected virtually every neighborhood under their charge. The George Soros mafia has been targeting inner city district attorneys offices and funneling large amounts of money to ensure that left-wing candidates take over these positions. Once these puppets are installed, they quickly vouch for bail reform. These bail reforms are sold to the public under the guise of combating systemic racism. In truth, these reforms simply allow criminals to walk right back onto the streets, right after they have been arrested for serious crimes. This has led to historic increases in crime throughout these cities in 2020 and 2021. Left-wing District Attorneys are behind the historic rate of murder, property, and drug crimes These left-wing installations allow violent criminals and drug dealers to walk right back onto the streets, where they end up committing more property crimes and threatening more lives. For instance, young hero Kyle Rittenhouse would have never had to defend himself and be traumatized, had these left-wing district attorneys not allowed violent criminals back onto the streets. In the middle of the worst drug crisis in American history, states attorneys like Baltimores Marilyn Mosby refuse to press charges for drug crimes, claiming the drug war is over. In Chicagos Cook County, State attorney Kim Foxx wont prosecute any theft that is under $1,000. In Manhattan, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. openly allows prostitution. Philadelphias District Attorney Larry Krasner is combative toward the police, routinely slashes bond, and lets criminals go free, accelerating crime rates throughout the city. San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin has such disdain for law enforcement, she led the city to suffer through routine downtown shutdowns that allow smash-and-grab looters to take what they want. Los Angeles DA George Gascon openly invites the waves of crime that are plaguing California because he stopped enforcing laws for disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and making criminal threats. In Boston, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins created a do not prosecute list that includes trespassing, destruction of property, and drug trafficking. Consequentially, the number of homicides is rising in these cities specifically. In Cook county Chicago, there were more than 1,000 people murdered in 2021 alone. Los Angeles and Baltimore have seen murder rates skyrocket as well. These left-wing district attorneys tell the public they are for police reforms and de-funding the police. After the police departments are disrespected, de-funded and gutted, criminal operations gain power in the district. This lax policing environment allows drug and sex trafficking rings to dictate law enforcement operations. Drug rings are empowered and more people are left to fear for their lives as their family members suffer under the crushing weight of drug addiction, moral depravity and overdose. Read Tom Cottons statement for yourself to learn more: Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com NaturalNews.com RealClearPolitics.com (Natural News) Left-wing billionaire George Soros is on a mission to use law enforcement to his own advantage and for his own political gain. George Soros uses his vast financial resources to install Marxists into District Attorneys offices around the country. Once these left-wing district attorneys are installed, they begin to target their political opposition, while making a mockery of the rule of law. Most shocking of all, these left-wing district attorneys try to make it easier for felons to get out of jail, allowing them back onto the streets with no bail. Republican Senator Tom Cotton sees this corruption for what it really is, which is why he is calling on the American people to recall, remove and replace every last prosecutor who is financially backed by George Soros. Every last George Soros installation must be removed from office These Marxists prosecutors are dangerous to the security and prosperity of their districts and to the country as a whole. As they are installed across the country, they become a force of insurrection and sedition, eating away at the rule of law and subverting the justice system. Senator Cotton warns: Last year, our nation experienced the largest increase in murder in American history and the largest number of drug overdose deaths ever recorded. This carnage continues today and is not distributed equally. Instead, it is concentrated in cities and localities where radical, left-wing, George Soros progressives have captured state and district attorney offices. These legal arsonists condemn our rule of law as systemically racist and have not simply abused prosecutorial discretion, they have embraced prosecutorial nullification. As a result, a contagion of crime has infected virtually every neighborhood under their charge. The George Soros mafia has been targeting inner city district attorneys offices and funneling large amounts of money to ensure that left-wing candidates take over these positions. Once these puppets are installed, they quickly vouch for bail reform. These bail reforms are sold to the public under the guise of combating systemic racism. In truth, these reforms simply allow criminals to walk right back onto the streets, right after they have been arrested for serious crimes. This has led to historic increases in crime throughout these cities in 2020 and 2021. Left-wing District Attorneys are behind the historic rate of murder, property, and drug crimes These left-wing installations allow violent criminals and drug dealers to walk right back onto the streets, where they end up committing more property crimes and threatening more lives. For instance, young hero Kyle Rittenhouse would have never had to defend himself and be traumatized, had these left-wing district attorneys not allowed violent criminals back onto the streets. In the middle of the worst drug crisis in American history, states attorneys like Baltimores Marilyn Mosby refuse to press charges for drug crimes, claiming the drug war is over. In Chicagos Cook County, State attorney Kim Foxx wont prosecute any theft that is under $1,000. In Manhattan, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. openly allows prostitution. Philadelphias District Attorney Larry Krasner is combative toward the police, routinely slashes bond, and lets criminals go free, accelerating crime rates throughout the city. San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin has such disdain for law enforcement, she led the city to suffer through routine downtown shutdowns that allow smash-and-grab looters to take what they want. Los Angeles DA George Gascon openly invites the waves of crime that are plaguing California because he stopped enforcing laws for disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and making criminal threats. In Boston, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins created a do not prosecute list that includes trespassing, destruction of property, and drug trafficking. Consequentially, the number of homicides is rising in these cities specifically. In Cook county Chicago, there were more than 1,000 people murdered in 2021 alone. Los Angeles and Baltimore have seen murder rates skyrocket as well. These left-wing district attorneys tell the public they are for police reforms and de-funding the police. After the police departments are disrespected, de-funded and gutted, criminal operations gain power in the district. This lax policing environment allows drug and sex trafficking rings to dictate law enforcement operations. Drug rings are empowered and more people are left to fear for their lives as their family members suffer under the crushing weight of drug addiction, moral depravity and overdose. Read Tom Cottons statement for yourself to learn more: Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com NaturalNews.com RealClearPolitics.com (Natural News) Left-wing billionaire George Soros is on a mission to use law enforcement to his own advantage and for his own political gain. George Soros uses his vast financial resources to install Marxists into District Attorneys offices around the country. Once these left-wing district attorneys are installed, they begin to target their political opposition, while making a mockery of the rule of law. Most shocking of all, these left-wing district attorneys try to make it easier for felons to get out of jail, allowing them back onto the streets with no bail. Republican Senator Tom Cotton sees this corruption for what it really is, which is why he is calling on the American people to recall, remove and replace every last prosecutor who is financially backed by George Soros. Every last George Soros installation must be removed from office These Marxists prosecutors are dangerous to the security and prosperity of their districts and to the country as a whole. As they are installed across the country, they become a force of insurrection and sedition, eating away at the rule of law and subverting the justice system. Senator Cotton warns: Last year, our nation experienced the largest increase in murder in American history and the largest number of drug overdose deaths ever recorded. This carnage continues today and is not distributed equally. Instead, it is concentrated in cities and localities where radical, left-wing, George Soros progressives have captured state and district attorney offices. These legal arsonists condemn our rule of law as systemically racist and have not simply abused prosecutorial discretion, they have embraced prosecutorial nullification. As a result, a contagion of crime has infected virtually every neighborhood under their charge. The George Soros mafia has been targeting inner city district attorneys offices and funneling large amounts of money to ensure that left-wing candidates take over these positions. Once these puppets are installed, they quickly vouch for bail reform. These bail reforms are sold to the public under the guise of combating systemic racism. In truth, these reforms simply allow criminals to walk right back onto the streets, right after they have been arrested for serious crimes. This has led to historic increases in crime throughout these cities in 2020 and 2021. Left-wing District Attorneys are behind the historic rate of murder, property, and drug crimes These left-wing installations allow violent criminals and drug dealers to walk right back onto the streets, where they end up committing more property crimes and threatening more lives. For instance, young hero Kyle Rittenhouse would have never had to defend himself and be traumatized, had these left-wing district attorneys not allowed violent criminals back onto the streets. In the middle of the worst drug crisis in American history, states attorneys like Baltimores Marilyn Mosby refuse to press charges for drug crimes, claiming the drug war is over. In Chicagos Cook County, State attorney Kim Foxx wont prosecute any theft that is under $1,000. In Manhattan, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. openly allows prostitution. Philadelphias District Attorney Larry Krasner is combative toward the police, routinely slashes bond, and lets criminals go free, accelerating crime rates throughout the city. San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin has such disdain for law enforcement, she led the city to suffer through routine downtown shutdowns that allow smash-and-grab looters to take what they want. Los Angeles DA George Gascon openly invites the waves of crime that are plaguing California because he stopped enforcing laws for disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and making criminal threats. In Boston, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins created a do not prosecute list that includes trespassing, destruction of property, and drug trafficking. Consequentially, the number of homicides is rising in these cities specifically. In Cook county Chicago, there were more than 1,000 people murdered in 2021 alone. Los Angeles and Baltimore have seen murder rates skyrocket as well. These left-wing district attorneys tell the public they are for police reforms and de-funding the police. After the police departments are disrespected, de-funded and gutted, criminal operations gain power in the district. This lax policing environment allows drug and sex trafficking rings to dictate law enforcement operations. Drug rings are empowered and more people are left to fear for their lives as their family members suffer under the crushing weight of drug addiction, moral depravity and overdose. Read Tom Cottons statement for yourself to learn more: Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com NaturalNews.com RealClearPolitics.com Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. High near 65F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Overcast. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 52F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed by a man who went on to carjack, rob and shoot more people during a two-state manhunt this week said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters, Missouri. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a "series" of carjackings, robberies and shootings on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities eventually caught up to him in Clinton County, Illinois, where he held a person hostage in a home. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. The family's full statement is below: The Family of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley mourns the loss of their husband, father, son and friend. We could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support. To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero. Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. -Matthew 5:9 Visitation for Sean Riley will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m., Monday January 3, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with a first responder walk thru at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials in his honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. Memorials will be accepted at the services and the Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, IL which is assisting with arrangements. Additional information will be released in the coming days. We ask the community to show their support by lining the procession route. 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. Some said the blood screenings that look for the rarest conditions are good for little more than bolstering testing companies bottom lines. Its a little like running mammograms on kids, said Mary Norton, an obstetrician and geneticist at the University of California, San Francisco. The chance of breast cancer is so low, so why are you doing it? I think its purely a marketing thing. There are few restrictions on what test makers can offer. The Food and Drug Administration often requires evaluations of how frequently other consequential medical tests are right and whether shortfalls are clearly explained to patients and doctors. But the F.D.A. does not regulate this type of test. Alberto Gutierrez, the former director of the F.D.A. office that oversees many medical tests, reviewed marketing materials from three testing companies and described them as problematic. I think the information they provide is misleading, he said. Patients who receive a positive result are supposed to pursue follow-up testing, which often requires a drawing of amniotic fluid or a sample of placental tissue. Those tests can cost thousands of dollars, come with a small risk of miscarriage and cant be performed until later in pregnancy in some states, past the point where abortions are legal. The companies have known for years that the follow-up testing doesnt always happen. A 2014 study found that 6 percent of patients who screened positive obtained an abortion without getting another test to confirm the result. That same year The Boston Globe quoted a doctor describing three terminations following unconfirmed positive results. (Natural News) Experts in military strategy and artificial intelligence are raising the alarm after a UN conference did not reach an agreement on banning the use of so-called slaughterbots at a recent meeting in Geneva. Slaughterbots is the name that has been given to weapons that can select and apply force to targets without using any human intervention. These weapons make their decisions using a series of algorithms in artificial intelligence software. Capable of hunting and striking targets without any input from controllers, their technology is growing so fast that many fear societies and governments have not taken the time to fully consider the dangers. This year, for the first time, most of the 125 nations in the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons called for new laws governing the killer robots. However, some countries opposed the measure, such as the U.S. and Russia, both of whom are known to be working on developing such weapons. Other nations that objected included India, Australia and the UK, with some arguing that continuing the development of these killer robots is vital to avoid having a strategic disadvantage. The leader of the Future of Life Institutes advocacy program on autonomous weapons, Emilia Javorsky, called the groups failure to reach an agreement an epic failure. She added: It is now blatantly clear this forum whose unanimity requirement makes it easily derailed by any state with a vested interest is utterly incapable of taking seriously, let alone meaningfully addressing, the urgent threats posed by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. Unfortunately, time appears to be running out as slaughterbots are already being used in some places on the battlefield. For example, a UN report published this spring showed that STM Kargu drones have been used in the Libyan civil war. These small, portable rotary wing attack drones have precision strike capabilities and were used to hunt down soldiers who were retreating. The companies that are developing the drones are working on AI systems that will be able to find a human targets thermal signature or even identify peoples faces using a camera. However, they seem to lack some of the accuracy needed to make the distinction between a combatant and a non-combatant. These weapons could be easy for anyone to obtain The STM drones are among the most worrying for many officials, not least because of their resemblance to a normal consumer drone. They are fairly inexpensive, easy to mass produce, and can be equipped with guns. Some experts have warned that this accessibility means that gangs and other criminals could try to use them. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor Max Tegmark believes were headed for the worst possible outcome. He said: Thats going to be the weapon of choice for basically anyone who wants to kill anyone. A slaughterbot would basically be able to anonymously assassinate anybody whos pissed off anybody. Tegmark told The Sun some of the ways this technology could be used. For example, he pointed out that if slaughterbots cost the same as AK-47s, drug cartels would use the bots to evade getting caught when they kill people. He also said that a judge with lots of bodyguards could still be killed by one of these if it was flown into their bedroom window while they were sleeping. Macalester College Professor James Dawes said: It is a world where the sort of unavoidable algorithmic errors that plague even tech giants like Amazon and Google can now lead to the elimination of whole cities. The world should not repeat the catastrophic mistakes of the nuclear arms race. It should not sleepwalk into dystopia, he added. Theres no way it can end well when you let machines that are prone to unpredictable errors make their own decisions about who to kill. If these artificial intelligence weapons were to be equipped with chemical, biological or nuclear warheads, they could even wipe out humanity. Sources for this article include: The-Sun.com CNBC.com (Natural News) Experts in military strategy and artificial intelligence are raising the alarm after a UN conference did not reach an agreement on banning the use of so-called slaughterbots at a recent meeting in Geneva. Slaughterbots is the name that has been given to weapons that can select and apply force to targets without using any human intervention. These weapons make their decisions using a series of algorithms in artificial intelligence software. Capable of hunting and striking targets without any input from controllers, their technology is growing so fast that many fear societies and governments have not taken the time to fully consider the dangers. This year, for the first time, most of the 125 nations in the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons called for new laws governing the killer robots. However, some countries opposed the measure, such as the U.S. and Russia, both of whom are known to be working on developing such weapons. Other nations that objected included India, Australia and the UK, with some arguing that continuing the development of these killer robots is vital to avoid having a strategic disadvantage. The leader of the Future of Life Institutes advocacy program on autonomous weapons, Emilia Javorsky, called the groups failure to reach an agreement an epic failure. She added: It is now blatantly clear this forum whose unanimity requirement makes it easily derailed by any state with a vested interest is utterly incapable of taking seriously, let alone meaningfully addressing, the urgent threats posed by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. Unfortunately, time appears to be running out as slaughterbots are already being used in some places on the battlefield. For example, a UN report published this spring showed that STM Kargu drones have been used in the Libyan civil war. These small, portable rotary wing attack drones have precision strike capabilities and were used to hunt down soldiers who were retreating. The companies that are developing the drones are working on AI systems that will be able to find a human targets thermal signature or even identify peoples faces using a camera. However, they seem to lack some of the accuracy needed to make the distinction between a combatant and a non-combatant. These weapons could be easy for anyone to obtain The STM drones are among the most worrying for many officials, not least because of their resemblance to a normal consumer drone. They are fairly inexpensive, easy to mass produce, and can be equipped with guns. Some experts have warned that this accessibility means that gangs and other criminals could try to use them. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor Max Tegmark believes were headed for the worst possible outcome. He said: Thats going to be the weapon of choice for basically anyone who wants to kill anyone. A slaughterbot would basically be able to anonymously assassinate anybody whos pissed off anybody. Tegmark told The Sun some of the ways this technology could be used. For example, he pointed out that if slaughterbots cost the same as AK-47s, drug cartels would use the bots to evade getting caught when they kill people. He also said that a judge with lots of bodyguards could still be killed by one of these if it was flown into their bedroom window while they were sleeping. Macalester College Professor James Dawes said: It is a world where the sort of unavoidable algorithmic errors that plague even tech giants like Amazon and Google can now lead to the elimination of whole cities. The world should not repeat the catastrophic mistakes of the nuclear arms race. It should not sleepwalk into dystopia, he added. Theres no way it can end well when you let machines that are prone to unpredictable errors make their own decisions about who to kill. If these artificial intelligence weapons were to be equipped with chemical, biological or nuclear warheads, they could even wipe out humanity. Sources for this article include: The-Sun.com CNBC.com How can you tell when a society is deeply in trouble? I would argue that one sign is if you watch a wacky satirical movie about a culture so ignorant and inward-looking that it cant protect itself from a massive, plainly visible threat, and you wonder if this could actually happen today. And then you realize that it already has. That was the unsettling feeling I got after I finished laughing through the movie Dont Look Up, a new offering from Netflix. Its an entertaining, star-packed indictment of a society that has largely stopped listening to its scientists and is enthralled instead by moronic mass-media and pop-culture figures, predatory capitalists and, most of all, cynical politicians. Does any of this sound familiar? The movies premise is a well-worn science-fiction trope: Astronomers discover that a mountain-sized comet is on a collision course with Earth and will doom humanity if it isnt stopped. It has happened before (so long, dinosaurs) and it could happen again; NASA actually has an office dedicated to scanning our cosmic neighborhood for any incoming objects that might threaten Earth. And what would we do if they found one? According to standard Hollywood fare, we would send Bruce Willis up there with an atomic bomb to knock it off course. Dont Look Up borrows that plotline for awhile, until the endeavor is derailed by a creepy gazillionaire Mark Zuckerberg-type who convinces President Meryl Streep (an amalgam of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, and, yes, that is every bit as disturbing as it sounds) that maybe aggressively confronting an existential threat to humanity isnt really the best plan for the economy. Again: Does this sound familiar? The film is an appropriately unsubtle allegory about the boneheaded non-response by much of this country (and one of its major political parties) to the existential threat of global warming. But as I watched the movie recently with my windows open to enjoy the balmy late-December air here in the Midwest, it struck me how applicable the satire is to a certain other current threat not quite existential, but fatal to more than 800,000 Americans (so far) in which much of society is aggressively ignoring the scientists. I dont know how accurate the movies science is, but boy does it nail the absurdities of American politics and pop culture today. After astronomers Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence discover the approaching comet, they struggle to get political leaders and the public to take it seriously. The president and her staff are more concerned about the approaching midterms never mind that science is telling them the midterms arent going to happen unless somebody does something about the comet. When the astronomers take to a morning talk show to try and alert the public, they get back-burnered to a vacuous popstar and an on-air marriage proposal, and then mired in chatty banter from the co-hosts, who chafe at all this downer talk of Armageddon. The point that todays mass media penalizes intelligence and rewards vapidity seems to be lost on some critics who have lambasted the film, perhaps not getting the joke, or just not wanting to. Wrote one: Yelling Look at all the dumb-dumbs cannot be the basis for successful satire. Unless that shoe perfectly fits. Even when the threat finally becomes undeniable because the approaching comet can be plainly seen in the sky much of the country continues to deny it. A populist movement touting the phrase Dont look up emerges around President Streep, complete with campaign hats emblazoned with downward-pointing arrows (yes, red ones) signifying the direction in which youre supposed to keep looking. They want you to look up because they are looking down their noses at you! Streep tells a cheering crowd, nonsensically but its no more nonsensical than the anti-intellectual grievance politics that dominates so much of red-state America today. The cast is rounded out by First Son Jonah Hill, whose shadowed jaw and vacant head is an unmistakable homage to one of the adult Trump sons. (Take your pick.) Without ruining the movie for anyone, I have to say that the image of that character abandoned and babbling on a doomed planet sort of qualifies as a happy ending. Inspired by the film, here is my idea for another wacky satire: America is being threatened by a once-in-a-century deadly virus. Its effects are obvious in overwhelmed hospitals and morgues. And yet almost half the country decides its a cultural/political issue rather than a medical one. Conservatives make it a badge of honor to refuse vaccination. Red-state leaders pass laws to prevent businesses from protecting their employees and customers. Some even reward anti-vaccination holdouts by giving them extra unemployment benefits. Parents disrupt school board meetings to ensure their children are allowed to breathe in the virus unimpeded by masks. I know: Too much. Even Hollywood wouldnt buy that story. The United States has publicly tried to wash its hands of ongoing responsibility in Afghanistan, with President Biden justifying the chaotic withdrawal of troops by saying he was not going to extend this forever war. But American influence is still shaping the lives, and livelihoods, of millions of Afghans in the form of economic sanctions revealing that there will be no neat ending to Americas longest war. Ongoing American influence in Afghanistan For years, Afghanistan was an aid state. American and international assistance made up 45 percent of the countrys G.N.P. and funded 75 percent of the governments budget, including health and education services. But with the Taliban takeover, that aid and that cash circulating in the Afghan economy has nearly vanished. As the Taliban took over the country, the Biden administration froze Afghanistans $9.5 billion in foreign reserves and stopped sending the shipments of U.S. dollars upon which Afghanistans central bank relied. The American goal was simple: Keep cash from getting into Taliban hands. But the effects of this policy were far more complicated. While the American sanctions were intended to punish the Taliban for their military takeover and limit their ability to establish governing legitimacy, the result has been a wholesale economic collapse in the country. You now have a crisis in virtually every dimension, Anthony H. Cordesman, emeritus chair in strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said. Theres now an aid crisis, a financial crisis, job crisis, governance crisis and legal crisis. The United States has publicly tried to wash its hands of ongoing responsibility in Afghanistan, with President Biden justifying the chaotic withdrawal of troops by saying he was not going to extend this forever war. But American influence is still shaping the lives, and livelihoods, of millions of Afghans in the form of economic sanctions revealing that there will be no neat ending to Americas longest war. Ongoing American influence in Afghanistan For years, Afghanistan was an aid state. American and international assistance made up 45 percent of the countrys G.N.P. and funded 75 percent of the governments budget, including health and education services. But with the Taliban takeover, that aid and that cash circulating in the Afghan economy has nearly vanished. As the Taliban took over the country, the Biden administration froze Afghanistans $9.5 billion in foreign reserves and stopped sending the shipments of U.S. dollars upon which Afghanistans central bank relied. The American goal was simple: Keep cash from getting into Taliban hands. But the effects of this policy were far more complicated. While the American sanctions were intended to punish the Taliban for their military takeover and limit their ability to establish governing legitimacy, the result has been a wholesale economic collapse in the country. You now have a crisis in virtually every dimension, Anthony H. Cordesman, emeritus chair in strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said. Theres now an aid crisis, a financial crisis, job crisis, governance crisis and legal crisis. Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, has announced the Clean Hydrogen Partnership will provide EUR2.5 million ($2.82 million) to help fund a project to develop low-carbon fuel cells to power data centres. It is hoped this could reduce carbon emissions from operations by up to 100%. The EcoEdge PrimePower (E2P2) project is a novel proof-of-concept initiative aiming to develop and demonstrate low environmental impact fuel cells that provide economic and resilient prime power solutions for the data centre environment. A consortium of seven companiesEquinix, InfraPrime, RISE, Snam, SolidPower, TEC4FUELS and Vertivwill explore an innovative integration of solid-oxide fuel cells with uninterruptible power supply (UPS) technology and lithium-ion batteries to provide resilient and clean primary power to data centre deployments and other critical infrastructure. Implementing natural gas solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) as a prime power application will be instrumental to pave the way for the use of green hydrogen for fuel cells application, for both backup and prime power systems. Digitalisation and the data centre industry are growing at an increasing pace and thus it is even more vital to fast-track our journey towards an environmentally sustainable future, said Giordano Albertazzi, president for Vertiv in Europe, Middle East, and Africa. This can only be made possible by developing clean, innovative technologies such as fuel-cell solutions to provide sustainable power for the digital world. Vertiv is proud to actively contribute to the E2P2 proof-of-concept initiative and looks forward to provide next-generation power solutions to its global customers. The E2P2 project is the latest in a series of initiatives Vertiv has conducted around sustainability and the wider Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) arena. Vertiv is also part of the Sustainable Digital Infrastructure Alliance (SDIA) and the European Data Centre Association (EUDCA) and contributes to the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact with the aim to meet the European Commissions goal for climate-neutral data centres by 2030. The E2P2 project is part of the companys effort to prioritise and support the development of clean, sustainable and renewable power solutions for application across the data centre industry. GREENER FUTURE Fuel cells are recognised as a cleaner and quieter power solution that can alleviate demand on urban power grids. They can be deployed on-site at a data centre campus, and operate using natural gas, biogas, LPG or green hydrogenwhich can be transported and distributed over existing gas networks. The E2P2 project marks an exciting step toward significant carbon reduction, whilst still meeting requirements for a highly resilient critical power supply to data centres. At the heart of this vision, is a market-oriented approach that integrates innovation and stakeholder engagement to maximise acceptance and uptake opportunities of stationary fuel cells as reliable, efficient and decentralised prime power sources for other industrial scale applications. The consortium hopes to develop the authoritative open standard for fuel cell applications to pave the way toward commercialisation of fuel cell energy for data centres in Europe, demonstrating the industrys potential role in achieving EU carbon reduction targets. E2P2 is a joint project from Equinix, InfraPrime, RISE, Snam, SolidPower, TEC4FUELS and Vertiv, partially funded with a grant by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, from the Horizon 2020 programme of the European Commission. The consortium will engage with the organisations that work on developing European best practices and standards to facilitate high-level concept design and interface definitions. The E2P2 project goals are aligned to the objectives of the European Commission to rapidly accelerate the application of fuel cells to power the needs of energy intensive sectors while achieving a greener grid. E2P2 aims to achieve multiple environmental objectives, including showcasing a real-world proof of concept of 24/7 low-carbon power that does not rely on diesel generators and supports the growing hydrogen and renewable energy economy across Europe. The intention is for the resulting units to replace the traditional power supply and generators, with additional redundancies built in to maintain uptime standards. Vertiv will leverage its extensive experience in AC power systems as well as in prefabricated modular solutions for data centres to design and develop an integrated fuel-cell power module, including the Vertiv Liebert EXL S1 uninterruptible power supply (UPS). Close collaboration between the Vertiv AC Power line of business based in Italy and its Integrated Modular Solutions line of business based in Croatia will be key to engineer an all-in-one 100 kW module as a proof-of-concept by 2023, with the final goal of developing a commercially viable product that can support multiple MWs of critical load and facilitate a greener future for data centres worldwide. In parallel, Vertiv is also working with key global customers to develop new hydrogen-based generators that will help replace diesel generators. Bart Biebuyck, Executive Director, Clean Hydrogen Partnership said: With its ongoing support of research and development of fuel cells for stationary applications, the Clean Hydrogen Partnership (previously FCH JU) managed to set a strong basis for European industry to lead in the deployment of new technologies. We are proud to see that the E2P2 project will provide clean fuel cell-based applications for the decarbonisation of data centres within a solid consortium gathering fuel cell providers, system integrators as well as data centre operators and energy utilities. Projects such as E2P2 are absolutely essential in offering solutions to un-tap markets with great potential and contribute to our ambitious EU climate targets. Eugene Bergen Henegouwen, President, EMEA, Equinix, stated: The E2P2 project hopes to be a breakthrough in making data centres more environmentally sustainable worldwide. Equinix has committed to mitigating our environmental impact, and this project provides a unique opportunity to demonstrate the use of an innovative, clean, primary energy source. We hope it will make a considerable impact towards reaching our global commitment of 100% renewable energy and climate neutrality by 2030, as well as advancing our industrys sustainability goals. Its important we support the growth of the market in Europe for clean and reliable on-site power. Dr Jon Summers, Scientific Lead in Data Centres, RISE, said: This decade is undeniably focused on building a future that is environmentally sustainable. We all know that digitisation and data centres are key elements of this future, where innovation is at the heart of our journey to our global 2030 goals. As researchers at RISE, we are invested to be a strong part of the E2P2 team, to push the technology envelope and to transparently demonstrate new sustainable approaches of prime power for the future digital infrastructure. Susanna Kass and Dr Alberto Ravagni, Co-Founders, InfraPrime, said: The E2P2 clean energy standard is an inflection point for clean cloud providers to achieve Carbon Neutral (Positive) cloud infrastructure on a global scale. InfraPrime is proud to lead in this project on the creation of an open industry standard to support the global adoption of eco edge prime power solutions with fuel cells across clean cloud infrastructure, to support industries and applications at hyperscale. Cosma Panzacchi, Executive Vice President Hydrogen, Snam, said: We are happy to contribute our know-how to the E2P2 alliance to help tackle the issue of powering urban data centres with clean and competitive energy solutions. The concept of connecting fuel cells to gas networks to power resilient urban and edge data centres overcomes the need to have backup generation in such areas, thus reducing emissions as well as noise impact. This project is part of Snam's efforts to foster the use of hydrogen to decarbonise economic sectors, leveraging existing gas networks and sustainable technologies like hydrogen-ready fuel cells. Dr Klaus Lucka, Managing Director, TEC4FUELS, said: TEC4FUELS is a competence centre for sustainable liquid and gaseous energy carriers (fuels) and operating fluids in technical systems. For the operation of the fuel cells, the company contributes its know-how to the research project in the supply and purification of the process gas medium and water. In addition, TEC4FUELS is developing a sensor-based fluid condition monitoring system to monitor gas and water quality. The aim is to help reduce system-related greenhouse gas emissions by optimising the operational reliability and service life of technical components and increasing the efficiency of this subsystem.-- TradeArabia News Service 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. (Natural News) The most vaccinated state in the country has become a mad house of outright insanity and paranoia over the ever-scary Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19). Hospitals all across Vermont are reportedly overflowing with fully vaccinated patients and not the kind with vaccine-induced illnesses, just to be clear, but rather asymptomatic jabbed folks who merely tested positive with a fraudulent PCR test. The emergency department at the Rutland Regional Medical Center (RRMC), for instance, is reportedly being overwhelmed with asymptomatic folks who, despite not showing any symptoms, are freaking out because of everything they have been told by the likes of Tony Fauci. What is apparently happening is that Branch Covidians across the Green Mountain State are obsessively seeking out and collecting antigen tests in order to test themselves. After finally testing positive, these same folks are rushing out to the emergency room to get treatment for their non-diseases. Its not so much the beds that are the precious resources, its the staff at this time, explained Dr. Rick Hildebrant, RRMCs medical director about how badly this bizarre phenomenon is depleting much-needed hospital resources. So we have to have some of our clinical staff providing care to those people and they cant provide care to the folks in the ER. Branch Covidianism is a religion with doctrines and dogmas of mental illness Amazingly, Vermonters are so scared of the China Disease that even after testing positive with their at-home rapid tests, many of them are rushing out to the hospital to take a PCR test as well for additional confirmation. It is almost like these people want to test positive and want to be sick, almost like an induction into the Covid Cult. Perhaps taking all these tests is some kind of equivalent to holy communion or eucharist for them, making them feel as though they belong. And to think that the unvaccinated are being blamed for this hospital surge when they are the ones out there living their lives, unmasked and untested, and not even thinking about going anywhere near a hospital facility. Branch Covidian hysteria is not just affecting Vermont hospitals, by the way. Institutions of higher learning such as Middlebury College are also enduring collective panic attacks over the idea of Chinese Germs spreading from person to person. The following sampling of deranged tweets shows just how crazy leftist plandemic-embracers have become within the new normal of perpetual hypochondriac insanity. Like, right this very second as my partner makes plans to have an indoor xmas gathering with his (vaxed, boosted) family that my anxiety will not allow me to attend or even be furious about, one of the deranged tweets reads. Me too, responded another. The unvaccinated need to stay home, those of us whove done everything possible to stop the spread & continue to do everything asked of us should be allowed to live. We have the right to live! This writer is uncertain if both of these folks live in Vermont, but it is certainly within the realm of possibility because it sounds exactly like what is happening up there to hospitals, schools and probably all other institutions. Fear is control, wrote one commenter at Red State about how the mass brainwashing has been a total success, at least among leftists. The media wont let the panic die down until universal mail-in voting is safely locked in, wrote another, speculating as to why the plandemic has still not been allowed to end. I dont think weve come to terms yet with the fact that 40% of the country is mentally ill. pic.twitter.com/ZWM3fYqUJy Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) December 23, 2021 The latest news about the raging plandemic hysteria infecting blue areas of the country can be found at Pandemic.news. Sources for this article include: RedState.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com On Dec. 31, people from cultures all around the world will be raising a toast to welcome in A.D. 2022. Few of them will think about the fact that A.D. signals anno Domini, Latin for in the year of our Lord. In A.D. temporality the one acknowledged by most societies today next year marks 2023 years since the purported birth of Jesus Christ. So why are we all toasting this new year, given that most of the worlds nearly 8 billion people arent Christians? My fascination with time was nurtured by the millennium and the hype that surrounded its approach, as the globe anticipated traversing from 11:59 p.m., Dec. 31, 1999 to 12:00 a.m., Jan. 1, 2000. Convinced that there was some truth to fears about technological disruptions caused by the Y2K bug, I stayed away from the ball drop in Times Square. Instead, I watched the celebration on my laptop and enjoyed trailing journalists reports abroad. I began to wonder: How did it come to be that people all over the Earth subscribed to and were aware of the temporal system followed by the Christian West? After all, cultures have historically experienced and documented time in a variety of ways. These questions about time blossomed into a research project and book. Part of the phenomenon was caused by global capitalism, but I soon learned that another aspect involved the globalization of anno Domini. The A.D. system, often called C.E. or Common Era time today, was introduced in Europe during the Middle Ages. It joined the worlds other temporal systems like the Coptic, Seleucid, Egyptian, Jewish and the Zodiac calendars, along with calculations based on the years of rulers reigns and the founding of Rome. Latin Christendom slowly but confidently came to dominate Europe, and its year dating system then came to dominate the world, so that most countries now take A.D. for granted, at least when it comes to globalized business and government. A.D.s ubiquity has almost silenced other ways of thinking about time. This began during the medieval era, under the influence of educated Christian monks what historian Bernard Guenee describes as anno Dominis conquest of time. My recent work as a medieval studies professor focuses on the demonization of Jewish communities in Europe at a time when the A.D. system was gaining prominence and marginalizing the Jewish calendar. Counting backwards Part of the story of anno Domini time takes us back to the fourth and fifth century, when Christian scholars like Eusebius of Caesarea and John Chrysostom were trying to calculate what they considered was the beginning of Christian time in other words, the birth date of Jesus of Nazareth. Eusebius and Chrysostom were working with the Gospel accounts of Jesus birth and death. According to the Gospels, Jesus was arrested around the time of the Jewish holiday of Passover, and the Gospel of John suggests that Jesus was about 33 when he died. Therefore, Eusebius and Chrysostom first tried to determine the date of his death based on Passover dates in the Jewish calendar. But both men failed in their calculations and blamed the Jews for their difficulty. In their twisted reasoning, the Jewish community had postponed Passover in order to make anno Domini time impossible to calculate. This accusation illustrates the intense antisemitism common in Europe at their time and which work like theirs helped continue. But in many ways, the real author of the worlds modern sense of time, the one who decided to choose the date when Year One would begin, is the Venerable Bede, an English monk who lived circa 673-735. Bede found himself with several calculations he did not approve of, and decided Christ must have actually been born on Dec. 25, 1 B.C.. By his reasoning, in other words, the A.D. system began a year after Jesus purported birth. Bede also determined that March 25, 34 A.D. marked Christs death. Bede, a monk in an important monastery in Northumbria, popularized the A.D. dating system by using it in his work Ecclesiastical History of the People of England, which made him the first historian to tell time by anno Domini. The Ecclesiastical History was dedicated to King Ceowulf of Northumbria, written in Latin in 731, and translated into Old English around the end of the ninth or the beginning of the 10th centuries. Still read by many today, it popularized anno Domini time by infusing A.D. time into events Bede told about the English people. Taken together, these ingredients helped A.D. time become the norm. While the Christian calendar is built on and infused with other cultures time systems, A.D.s popularization contributed to sidelining these calendars to the margins what postcolonial scholars call temporal colonization. For example, the date Bede set for Easter in his work The Reckoning of Time is based on a polytheistic celebration of Eostre, a German goddess. Eostre has, thus, disappeared into Easter. Likewise, the fraught connections between the dates of Jesuss Passion, Easter and Passover further fueled antisemitism at a time when Jewish communities were also trying to formalize a Jewish calendar. Changing the name Approximately 1,400 years ago, when Bede selected a date to begin "anno Domini time, he perhaps unwittingly started the process of privileging Christian time, which is now near-universally recognized. [Over 140,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletters to understand the world. Sign up today.] Today, many people use the expressions common era and before the common era, or C.E. and B.C.E., instead of A.D. and B.C. But despite what we call it now, the roots of this system are not common but Christian. As the medieval studies scholar Kathleen Davis writes, using C.E. does little to diminish the effect of a globalized Christian calendar. Initially, I too had applauded C.E. as a less Christian replacement for A.D. But today, Id argue it is just the equivalent of a yellow sticky note placed over it. Theres nothing naturally common about the common era, and its worth applauding all kinds of diversity even in time on planet Earth. This year, what will you be toasting at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 31? ___ Miriamne Ara Krummel 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. ___ WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed by a man who went on to carjack, rob and shoot more people during a two-state manhunt this week said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters, Missouri. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a "series" of carjackings, robberies and shootings on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities eventually caught up to him in Clinton County, Illinois, where he held a person hostage in a home. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. The family's full statement is below: The Family of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley mourns the loss of their husband, father, son and friend. We could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support. To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero. Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. -Matthew 5:9 Visitation for Sean Riley will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m., Monday January 3, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with a first responder walk thru at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials in his honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. Memorials will be accepted at the services and the Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, IL which is assisting with arrangements. Additional information will be released in the coming days. We ask the community to show their support by lining the procession route. Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, has announced the Clean Hydrogen Partnership will provide EUR2.5 million ($2.82 million) to help fund a project to develop low-carbon fuel cells to power data centres. It is hoped this could reduce carbon emissions from operations by up to 100%. The EcoEdge PrimePower (E2P2) project is a novel proof-of-concept initiative aiming to develop and demonstrate low environmental impact fuel cells that provide economic and resilient prime power solutions for the data centre environment. A consortium of seven companiesEquinix, InfraPrime, RISE, Snam, SolidPower, TEC4FUELS and Vertivwill explore an innovative integration of solid-oxide fuel cells with uninterruptible power supply (UPS) technology and lithium-ion batteries to provide resilient and clean primary power to data centre deployments and other critical infrastructure. Implementing natural gas solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) as a prime power application will be instrumental to pave the way for the use of green hydrogen for fuel cells application, for both backup and prime power systems. Digitalisation and the data centre industry are growing at an increasing pace and thus it is even more vital to fast-track our journey towards an environmentally sustainable future, said Giordano Albertazzi, president for Vertiv in Europe, Middle East, and Africa. This can only be made possible by developing clean, innovative technologies such as fuel-cell solutions to provide sustainable power for the digital world. Vertiv is proud to actively contribute to the E2P2 proof-of-concept initiative and looks forward to provide next-generation power solutions to its global customers. The E2P2 project is the latest in a series of initiatives Vertiv has conducted around sustainability and the wider Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) arena. Vertiv is also part of the Sustainable Digital Infrastructure Alliance (SDIA) and the European Data Centre Association (EUDCA) and contributes to the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact with the aim to meet the European Commissions goal for climate-neutral data centres by 2030. The E2P2 project is part of the companys effort to prioritise and support the development of clean, sustainable and renewable power solutions for application across the data centre industry. GREENER FUTURE Fuel cells are recognised as a cleaner and quieter power solution that can alleviate demand on urban power grids. They can be deployed on-site at a data centre campus, and operate using natural gas, biogas, LPG or green hydrogenwhich can be transported and distributed over existing gas networks. The E2P2 project marks an exciting step toward significant carbon reduction, whilst still meeting requirements for a highly resilient critical power supply to data centres. At the heart of this vision, is a market-oriented approach that integrates innovation and stakeholder engagement to maximise acceptance and uptake opportunities of stationary fuel cells as reliable, efficient and decentralised prime power sources for other industrial scale applications. The consortium hopes to develop the authoritative open standard for fuel cell applications to pave the way toward commercialisation of fuel cell energy for data centres in Europe, demonstrating the industrys potential role in achieving EU carbon reduction targets. E2P2 is a joint project from Equinix, InfraPrime, RISE, Snam, SolidPower, TEC4FUELS and Vertiv, partially funded with a grant by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, from the Horizon 2020 programme of the European Commission. The consortium will engage with the organisations that work on developing European best practices and standards to facilitate high-level concept design and interface definitions. The E2P2 project goals are aligned to the objectives of the European Commission to rapidly accelerate the application of fuel cells to power the needs of energy intensive sectors while achieving a greener grid. E2P2 aims to achieve multiple environmental objectives, including showcasing a real-world proof of concept of 24/7 low-carbon power that does not rely on diesel generators and supports the growing hydrogen and renewable energy economy across Europe. The intention is for the resulting units to replace the traditional power supply and generators, with additional redundancies built in to maintain uptime standards. Vertiv will leverage its extensive experience in AC power systems as well as in prefabricated modular solutions for data centres to design and develop an integrated fuel-cell power module, including the Vertiv Liebert EXL S1 uninterruptible power supply (UPS). Close collaboration between the Vertiv AC Power line of business based in Italy and its Integrated Modular Solutions line of business based in Croatia will be key to engineer an all-in-one 100 kW module as a proof-of-concept by 2023, with the final goal of developing a commercially viable product that can support multiple MWs of critical load and facilitate a greener future for data centres worldwide. In parallel, Vertiv is also working with key global customers to develop new hydrogen-based generators that will help replace diesel generators. Bart Biebuyck, Executive Director, Clean Hydrogen Partnership said: With its ongoing support of research and development of fuel cells for stationary applications, the Clean Hydrogen Partnership (previously FCH JU) managed to set a strong basis for European industry to lead in the deployment of new technologies. We are proud to see that the E2P2 project will provide clean fuel cell-based applications for the decarbonisation of data centres within a solid consortium gathering fuel cell providers, system integrators as well as data centre operators and energy utilities. Projects such as E2P2 are absolutely essential in offering solutions to un-tap markets with great potential and contribute to our ambitious EU climate targets. Eugene Bergen Henegouwen, President, EMEA, Equinix, stated: The E2P2 project hopes to be a breakthrough in making data centres more environmentally sustainable worldwide. Equinix has committed to mitigating our environmental impact, and this project provides a unique opportunity to demonstrate the use of an innovative, clean, primary energy source. We hope it will make a considerable impact towards reaching our global commitment of 100% renewable energy and climate neutrality by 2030, as well as advancing our industrys sustainability goals. Its important we support the growth of the market in Europe for clean and reliable on-site power. Dr Jon Summers, Scientific Lead in Data Centres, RISE, said: This decade is undeniably focused on building a future that is environmentally sustainable. We all know that digitisation and data centres are key elements of this future, where innovation is at the heart of our journey to our global 2030 goals. As researchers at RISE, we are invested to be a strong part of the E2P2 team, to push the technology envelope and to transparently demonstrate new sustainable approaches of prime power for the future digital infrastructure. Susanna Kass and Dr Alberto Ravagni, Co-Founders, InfraPrime, said: The E2P2 clean energy standard is an inflection point for clean cloud providers to achieve Carbon Neutral (Positive) cloud infrastructure on a global scale. InfraPrime is proud to lead in this project on the creation of an open industry standard to support the global adoption of eco edge prime power solutions with fuel cells across clean cloud infrastructure, to support industries and applications at hyperscale. Cosma Panzacchi, Executive Vice President Hydrogen, Snam, said: We are happy to contribute our know-how to the E2P2 alliance to help tackle the issue of powering urban data centres with clean and competitive energy solutions. The concept of connecting fuel cells to gas networks to power resilient urban and edge data centres overcomes the need to have backup generation in such areas, thus reducing emissions as well as noise impact. This project is part of Snam's efforts to foster the use of hydrogen to decarbonise economic sectors, leveraging existing gas networks and sustainable technologies like hydrogen-ready fuel cells. Dr Klaus Lucka, Managing Director, TEC4FUELS, said: TEC4FUELS is a competence centre for sustainable liquid and gaseous energy carriers (fuels) and operating fluids in technical systems. For the operation of the fuel cells, the company contributes its know-how to the research project in the supply and purification of the process gas medium and water. In addition, TEC4FUELS is developing a sensor-based fluid condition monitoring system to monitor gas and water quality. The aim is to help reduce system-related greenhouse gas emissions by optimising the operational reliability and service life of technical components and increasing the efficiency of this subsystem.-- TradeArabia News Service Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, has announced the Clean Hydrogen Partnership will provide EUR2.5 million ($2.82 million) to help fund a project to develop low-carbon fuel cells to power data centres. It is hoped this could reduce carbon emissions from operations by up to 100%. The EcoEdge PrimePower (E2P2) project is a novel proof-of-concept initiative aiming to develop and demonstrate low environmental impact fuel cells that provide economic and resilient prime power solutions for the data centre environment. A consortium of seven companiesEquinix, InfraPrime, RISE, Snam, SolidPower, TEC4FUELS and Vertivwill explore an innovative integration of solid-oxide fuel cells with uninterruptible power supply (UPS) technology and lithium-ion batteries to provide resilient and clean primary power to data centre deployments and other critical infrastructure. Implementing natural gas solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) as a prime power application will be instrumental to pave the way for the use of green hydrogen for fuel cells application, for both backup and prime power systems. Digitalisation and the data centre industry are growing at an increasing pace and thus it is even more vital to fast-track our journey towards an environmentally sustainable future, said Giordano Albertazzi, president for Vertiv in Europe, Middle East, and Africa. This can only be made possible by developing clean, innovative technologies such as fuel-cell solutions to provide sustainable power for the digital world. Vertiv is proud to actively contribute to the E2P2 proof-of-concept initiative and looks forward to provide next-generation power solutions to its global customers. The E2P2 project is the latest in a series of initiatives Vertiv has conducted around sustainability and the wider Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) arena. Vertiv is also part of the Sustainable Digital Infrastructure Alliance (SDIA) and the European Data Centre Association (EUDCA) and contributes to the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact with the aim to meet the European Commissions goal for climate-neutral data centres by 2030. The E2P2 project is part of the companys effort to prioritise and support the development of clean, sustainable and renewable power solutions for application across the data centre industry. GREENER FUTURE Fuel cells are recognised as a cleaner and quieter power solution that can alleviate demand on urban power grids. They can be deployed on-site at a data centre campus, and operate using natural gas, biogas, LPG or green hydrogenwhich can be transported and distributed over existing gas networks. The E2P2 project marks an exciting step toward significant carbon reduction, whilst still meeting requirements for a highly resilient critical power supply to data centres. At the heart of this vision, is a market-oriented approach that integrates innovation and stakeholder engagement to maximise acceptance and uptake opportunities of stationary fuel cells as reliable, efficient and decentralised prime power sources for other industrial scale applications. The consortium hopes to develop the authoritative open standard for fuel cell applications to pave the way toward commercialisation of fuel cell energy for data centres in Europe, demonstrating the industrys potential role in achieving EU carbon reduction targets. E2P2 is a joint project from Equinix, InfraPrime, RISE, Snam, SolidPower, TEC4FUELS and Vertiv, partially funded with a grant by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, from the Horizon 2020 programme of the European Commission. The consortium will engage with the organisations that work on developing European best practices and standards to facilitate high-level concept design and interface definitions. The E2P2 project goals are aligned to the objectives of the European Commission to rapidly accelerate the application of fuel cells to power the needs of energy intensive sectors while achieving a greener grid. E2P2 aims to achieve multiple environmental objectives, including showcasing a real-world proof of concept of 24/7 low-carbon power that does not rely on diesel generators and supports the growing hydrogen and renewable energy economy across Europe. The intention is for the resulting units to replace the traditional power supply and generators, with additional redundancies built in to maintain uptime standards. Vertiv will leverage its extensive experience in AC power systems as well as in prefabricated modular solutions for data centres to design and develop an integrated fuel-cell power module, including the Vertiv Liebert EXL S1 uninterruptible power supply (UPS). Close collaboration between the Vertiv AC Power line of business based in Italy and its Integrated Modular Solutions line of business based in Croatia will be key to engineer an all-in-one 100 kW module as a proof-of-concept by 2023, with the final goal of developing a commercially viable product that can support multiple MWs of critical load and facilitate a greener future for data centres worldwide. In parallel, Vertiv is also working with key global customers to develop new hydrogen-based generators that will help replace diesel generators. Bart Biebuyck, Executive Director, Clean Hydrogen Partnership said: With its ongoing support of research and development of fuel cells for stationary applications, the Clean Hydrogen Partnership (previously FCH JU) managed to set a strong basis for European industry to lead in the deployment of new technologies. We are proud to see that the E2P2 project will provide clean fuel cell-based applications for the decarbonisation of data centres within a solid consortium gathering fuel cell providers, system integrators as well as data centre operators and energy utilities. Projects such as E2P2 are absolutely essential in offering solutions to un-tap markets with great potential and contribute to our ambitious EU climate targets. Eugene Bergen Henegouwen, President, EMEA, Equinix, stated: The E2P2 project hopes to be a breakthrough in making data centres more environmentally sustainable worldwide. Equinix has committed to mitigating our environmental impact, and this project provides a unique opportunity to demonstrate the use of an innovative, clean, primary energy source. We hope it will make a considerable impact towards reaching our global commitment of 100% renewable energy and climate neutrality by 2030, as well as advancing our industrys sustainability goals. Its important we support the growth of the market in Europe for clean and reliable on-site power. Dr Jon Summers, Scientific Lead in Data Centres, RISE, said: This decade is undeniably focused on building a future that is environmentally sustainable. We all know that digitisation and data centres are key elements of this future, where innovation is at the heart of our journey to our global 2030 goals. As researchers at RISE, we are invested to be a strong part of the E2P2 team, to push the technology envelope and to transparently demonstrate new sustainable approaches of prime power for the future digital infrastructure. Susanna Kass and Dr Alberto Ravagni, Co-Founders, InfraPrime, said: The E2P2 clean energy standard is an inflection point for clean cloud providers to achieve Carbon Neutral (Positive) cloud infrastructure on a global scale. InfraPrime is proud to lead in this project on the creation of an open industry standard to support the global adoption of eco edge prime power solutions with fuel cells across clean cloud infrastructure, to support industries and applications at hyperscale. Cosma Panzacchi, Executive Vice President Hydrogen, Snam, said: We are happy to contribute our know-how to the E2P2 alliance to help tackle the issue of powering urban data centres with clean and competitive energy solutions. The concept of connecting fuel cells to gas networks to power resilient urban and edge data centres overcomes the need to have backup generation in such areas, thus reducing emissions as well as noise impact. This project is part of Snam's efforts to foster the use of hydrogen to decarbonise economic sectors, leveraging existing gas networks and sustainable technologies like hydrogen-ready fuel cells. Dr Klaus Lucka, Managing Director, TEC4FUELS, said: TEC4FUELS is a competence centre for sustainable liquid and gaseous energy carriers (fuels) and operating fluids in technical systems. For the operation of the fuel cells, the company contributes its know-how to the research project in the supply and purification of the process gas medium and water. In addition, TEC4FUELS is developing a sensor-based fluid condition monitoring system to monitor gas and water quality. The aim is to help reduce system-related greenhouse gas emissions by optimising the operational reliability and service life of technical components and increasing the efficiency of this subsystem.-- TradeArabia News Service Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, has announced the Clean Hydrogen Partnership will provide EUR2.5 million ($2.82 million) to help fund a project to develop low-carbon fuel cells to power data centres. It is hoped this could reduce carbon emissions from operations by up to 100%. The EcoEdge PrimePower (E2P2) project is a novel proof-of-concept initiative aiming to develop and demonstrate low environmental impact fuel cells that provide economic and resilient prime power solutions for the data centre environment. A consortium of seven companiesEquinix, InfraPrime, RISE, Snam, SolidPower, TEC4FUELS and Vertivwill explore an innovative integration of solid-oxide fuel cells with uninterruptible power supply (UPS) technology and lithium-ion batteries to provide resilient and clean primary power to data centre deployments and other critical infrastructure. Implementing natural gas solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) as a prime power application will be instrumental to pave the way for the use of green hydrogen for fuel cells application, for both backup and prime power systems. Digitalisation and the data centre industry are growing at an increasing pace and thus it is even more vital to fast-track our journey towards an environmentally sustainable future, said Giordano Albertazzi, president for Vertiv in Europe, Middle East, and Africa. This can only be made possible by developing clean, innovative technologies such as fuel-cell solutions to provide sustainable power for the digital world. Vertiv is proud to actively contribute to the E2P2 proof-of-concept initiative and looks forward to provide next-generation power solutions to its global customers. The E2P2 project is the latest in a series of initiatives Vertiv has conducted around sustainability and the wider Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) arena. Vertiv is also part of the Sustainable Digital Infrastructure Alliance (SDIA) and the European Data Centre Association (EUDCA) and contributes to the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact with the aim to meet the European Commissions goal for climate-neutral data centres by 2030. The E2P2 project is part of the companys effort to prioritise and support the development of clean, sustainable and renewable power solutions for application across the data centre industry. GREENER FUTURE Fuel cells are recognised as a cleaner and quieter power solution that can alleviate demand on urban power grids. They can be deployed on-site at a data centre campus, and operate using natural gas, biogas, LPG or green hydrogenwhich can be transported and distributed over existing gas networks. The E2P2 project marks an exciting step toward significant carbon reduction, whilst still meeting requirements for a highly resilient critical power supply to data centres. At the heart of this vision, is a market-oriented approach that integrates innovation and stakeholder engagement to maximise acceptance and uptake opportunities of stationary fuel cells as reliable, efficient and decentralised prime power sources for other industrial scale applications. The consortium hopes to develop the authoritative open standard for fuel cell applications to pave the way toward commercialisation of fuel cell energy for data centres in Europe, demonstrating the industrys potential role in achieving EU carbon reduction targets. E2P2 is a joint project from Equinix, InfraPrime, RISE, Snam, SolidPower, TEC4FUELS and Vertiv, partially funded with a grant by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, from the Horizon 2020 programme of the European Commission. The consortium will engage with the organisations that work on developing European best practices and standards to facilitate high-level concept design and interface definitions. The E2P2 project goals are aligned to the objectives of the European Commission to rapidly accelerate the application of fuel cells to power the needs of energy intensive sectors while achieving a greener grid. E2P2 aims to achieve multiple environmental objectives, including showcasing a real-world proof of concept of 24/7 low-carbon power that does not rely on diesel generators and supports the growing hydrogen and renewable energy economy across Europe. The intention is for the resulting units to replace the traditional power supply and generators, with additional redundancies built in to maintain uptime standards. Vertiv will leverage its extensive experience in AC power systems as well as in prefabricated modular solutions for data centres to design and develop an integrated fuel-cell power module, including the Vertiv Liebert EXL S1 uninterruptible power supply (UPS). Close collaboration between the Vertiv AC Power line of business based in Italy and its Integrated Modular Solutions line of business based in Croatia will be key to engineer an all-in-one 100 kW module as a proof-of-concept by 2023, with the final goal of developing a commercially viable product that can support multiple MWs of critical load and facilitate a greener future for data centres worldwide. In parallel, Vertiv is also working with key global customers to develop new hydrogen-based generators that will help replace diesel generators. Bart Biebuyck, Executive Director, Clean Hydrogen Partnership said: With its ongoing support of research and development of fuel cells for stationary applications, the Clean Hydrogen Partnership (previously FCH JU) managed to set a strong basis for European industry to lead in the deployment of new technologies. We are proud to see that the E2P2 project will provide clean fuel cell-based applications for the decarbonisation of data centres within a solid consortium gathering fuel cell providers, system integrators as well as data centre operators and energy utilities. Projects such as E2P2 are absolutely essential in offering solutions to un-tap markets with great potential and contribute to our ambitious EU climate targets. Eugene Bergen Henegouwen, President, EMEA, Equinix, stated: The E2P2 project hopes to be a breakthrough in making data centres more environmentally sustainable worldwide. Equinix has committed to mitigating our environmental impact, and this project provides a unique opportunity to demonstrate the use of an innovative, clean, primary energy source. We hope it will make a considerable impact towards reaching our global commitment of 100% renewable energy and climate neutrality by 2030, as well as advancing our industrys sustainability goals. Its important we support the growth of the market in Europe for clean and reliable on-site power. Dr Jon Summers, Scientific Lead in Data Centres, RISE, said: This decade is undeniably focused on building a future that is environmentally sustainable. We all know that digitisation and data centres are key elements of this future, where innovation is at the heart of our journey to our global 2030 goals. As researchers at RISE, we are invested to be a strong part of the E2P2 team, to push the technology envelope and to transparently demonstrate new sustainable approaches of prime power for the future digital infrastructure. Susanna Kass and Dr Alberto Ravagni, Co-Founders, InfraPrime, said: The E2P2 clean energy standard is an inflection point for clean cloud providers to achieve Carbon Neutral (Positive) cloud infrastructure on a global scale. InfraPrime is proud to lead in this project on the creation of an open industry standard to support the global adoption of eco edge prime power solutions with fuel cells across clean cloud infrastructure, to support industries and applications at hyperscale. Cosma Panzacchi, Executive Vice President Hydrogen, Snam, said: We are happy to contribute our know-how to the E2P2 alliance to help tackle the issue of powering urban data centres with clean and competitive energy solutions. The concept of connecting fuel cells to gas networks to power resilient urban and edge data centres overcomes the need to have backup generation in such areas, thus reducing emissions as well as noise impact. This project is part of Snam's efforts to foster the use of hydrogen to decarbonise economic sectors, leveraging existing gas networks and sustainable technologies like hydrogen-ready fuel cells. Dr Klaus Lucka, Managing Director, TEC4FUELS, said: TEC4FUELS is a competence centre for sustainable liquid and gaseous energy carriers (fuels) and operating fluids in technical systems. For the operation of the fuel cells, the company contributes its know-how to the research project in the supply and purification of the process gas medium and water. In addition, TEC4FUELS is developing a sensor-based fluid condition monitoring system to monitor gas and water quality. The aim is to help reduce system-related greenhouse gas emissions by optimising the operational reliability and service life of technical components and increasing the efficiency of this subsystem.-- TradeArabia News Service (Natural News) Experts in military strategy and artificial intelligence are raising the alarm after a UN conference did not reach an agreement on banning the use of so-called slaughterbots at a recent meeting in Geneva. Slaughterbots is the name that has been given to weapons that can select and apply force to targets without using any human intervention. These weapons make their decisions using a series of algorithms in artificial intelligence software. Capable of hunting and striking targets without any input from controllers, their technology is growing so fast that many fear societies and governments have not taken the time to fully consider the dangers. This year, for the first time, most of the 125 nations in the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons called for new laws governing the killer robots. However, some countries opposed the measure, such as the U.S. and Russia, both of whom are known to be working on developing such weapons. Other nations that objected included India, Australia and the UK, with some arguing that continuing the development of these killer robots is vital to avoid having a strategic disadvantage. The leader of the Future of Life Institutes advocacy program on autonomous weapons, Emilia Javorsky, called the groups failure to reach an agreement an epic failure. She added: It is now blatantly clear this forum whose unanimity requirement makes it easily derailed by any state with a vested interest is utterly incapable of taking seriously, let alone meaningfully addressing, the urgent threats posed by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. Unfortunately, time appears to be running out as slaughterbots are already being used in some places on the battlefield. For example, a UN report published this spring showed that STM Kargu drones have been used in the Libyan civil war. These small, portable rotary wing attack drones have precision strike capabilities and were used to hunt down soldiers who were retreating. The companies that are developing the drones are working on AI systems that will be able to find a human targets thermal signature or even identify peoples faces using a camera. However, they seem to lack some of the accuracy needed to make the distinction between a combatant and a non-combatant. These weapons could be easy for anyone to obtain The STM drones are among the most worrying for many officials, not least because of their resemblance to a normal consumer drone. They are fairly inexpensive, easy to mass produce, and can be equipped with guns. Some experts have warned that this accessibility means that gangs and other criminals could try to use them. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor Max Tegmark believes were headed for the worst possible outcome. He said: Thats going to be the weapon of choice for basically anyone who wants to kill anyone. A slaughterbot would basically be able to anonymously assassinate anybody whos pissed off anybody. Tegmark told The Sun some of the ways this technology could be used. For example, he pointed out that if slaughterbots cost the same as AK-47s, drug cartels would use the bots to evade getting caught when they kill people. He also said that a judge with lots of bodyguards could still be killed by one of these if it was flown into their bedroom window while they were sleeping. Macalester College Professor James Dawes said: It is a world where the sort of unavoidable algorithmic errors that plague even tech giants like Amazon and Google can now lead to the elimination of whole cities. The world should not repeat the catastrophic mistakes of the nuclear arms race. It should not sleepwalk into dystopia, he added. Theres no way it can end well when you let machines that are prone to unpredictable errors make their own decisions about who to kill. If these artificial intelligence weapons were to be equipped with chemical, biological or nuclear warheads, they could even wipe out humanity. Sources for this article include: The-Sun.com CNBC.com (Natural News) The vast intelligence network behind pedophile sex traffickers Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell is resting easy now that Maxwell has finally been tossed in prison and Epstein is (supposedly) dead. Maxwell was reportedly convicted on five of six counts related to the abuse and trafficking of underage children, including: Conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts Conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity Transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity Sex trafficking conspiracy Sex trafficking of a minor The only count for which Maxwell was found not guilty was enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts. How we know that this case was conducted in such a way as to cover for anyone else involved in this child sex trafficking ring is that Judge Alison Nathan, who presided over the case, promised from the beginning that the network behind Maxwell and Epstein would remain protected. Chris Menahan from Information Liberation says that this is the reason why he did not even bother to cover the case until now because Nathan, whom he says cut her chops staging bizarre debates on Talmudic law between Alan Dershowitz and Eliot Spitzer, basically rigged the whole thing. The fact it was never addressed that Epstein and Maxwells criminal operation was funded with hundreds of millions of dollars from pro-Israel billionaires Lex Wexner and Leon Black was also by design, Menahan maintains. Ghislaine Maxwell is the daughter of Israels Superspy Robert Maxwell, who blackmailed politicians with child sex schemes Another thing that was ignored in the Maxwell case is the fact that this cretins father is none other than Israels Superspy Robert Maxwell. Former Israeli spy Ari Ben-Menashe said back in late 2019 that Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell were also Israel spies who, like Maxwells father, blackmailed politicians through honey trap operations involving underage children. Also ignored in the case was a claim made by former Epstein business partner Steven Hoffenberg that Epstein admitted to him that he was a top-level agent for the Israeli Mossad. The fact Epstein entered into a partnership worth millions in 2015 with Ehud Barak, the former Prime Minister of Israel and the head of Israeli Military Intelligence, and Barak regularly visited Epsteins apartment building in New York where underage girls say they were trafficked was also never brought up, by design, Menahan says. Alex Acosta, the former U.S. attorney in Miami who cut Epstein his sweetheart plea deal, also admitted and this, too, was ignored by the court that he was told that Epstein belonged to intelligence and to just leave it alone. One of the only people to speak out against these coverups is Rep. Lauren Boebert, who wrote on Twitter that Ghislaine Maxwell deserves to rot behind bars for the rest of her days and the public deserves to know every single person involved in the Epstein sex trafficking network. We deserve to know the whole truth, not just some vague court sketches. We do know, at least, that The New York Times was (is still?) involved, as is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Its somehow peak America 2.0 that a Jewish lesbian judge (Alison Nathan) appointed by Obama presided over an epic cover-up of (what is generally thought to have been) a Jewish / Mossad sexual entrapment and blackmail operation targeting goyim, wrote one commenter at Information Liberation. In its current form the country is simply unsalvageable I only hope more Whites are starting to recognize this. More of the latest news about Jeffrey Epstein can be found at Epstein.news Sources for this article include: InformationLiberation.com AboveTheLaw.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) The vast intelligence network behind pedophile sex traffickers Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell is resting easy now that Maxwell has finally been tossed in prison and Epstein is (supposedly) dead. Maxwell was reportedly convicted on five of six counts related to the abuse and trafficking of underage children, including: Conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts Conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity Transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity Sex trafficking conspiracy Sex trafficking of a minor The only count for which Maxwell was found not guilty was enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts. How we know that this case was conducted in such a way as to cover for anyone else involved in this child sex trafficking ring is that Judge Alison Nathan, who presided over the case, promised from the beginning that the network behind Maxwell and Epstein would remain protected. Chris Menahan from Information Liberation says that this is the reason why he did not even bother to cover the case until now because Nathan, whom he says cut her chops staging bizarre debates on Talmudic law between Alan Dershowitz and Eliot Spitzer, basically rigged the whole thing. The fact it was never addressed that Epstein and Maxwells criminal operation was funded with hundreds of millions of dollars from pro-Israel billionaires Lex Wexner and Leon Black was also by design, Menahan maintains. Ghislaine Maxwell is the daughter of Israels Superspy Robert Maxwell, who blackmailed politicians with child sex schemes Another thing that was ignored in the Maxwell case is the fact that this cretins father is none other than Israels Superspy Robert Maxwell. Former Israeli spy Ari Ben-Menashe said back in late 2019 that Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell were also Israel spies who, like Maxwells father, blackmailed politicians through honey trap operations involving underage children. Also ignored in the case was a claim made by former Epstein business partner Steven Hoffenberg that Epstein admitted to him that he was a top-level agent for the Israeli Mossad. The fact Epstein entered into a partnership worth millions in 2015 with Ehud Barak, the former Prime Minister of Israel and the head of Israeli Military Intelligence, and Barak regularly visited Epsteins apartment building in New York where underage girls say they were trafficked was also never brought up, by design, Menahan says. Alex Acosta, the former U.S. attorney in Miami who cut Epstein his sweetheart plea deal, also admitted and this, too, was ignored by the court that he was told that Epstein belonged to intelligence and to just leave it alone. One of the only people to speak out against these coverups is Rep. Lauren Boebert, who wrote on Twitter that Ghislaine Maxwell deserves to rot behind bars for the rest of her days and the public deserves to know every single person involved in the Epstein sex trafficking network. We deserve to know the whole truth, not just some vague court sketches. We do know, at least, that The New York Times was (is still?) involved, as is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Its somehow peak America 2.0 that a Jewish lesbian judge (Alison Nathan) appointed by Obama presided over an epic cover-up of (what is generally thought to have been) a Jewish / Mossad sexual entrapment and blackmail operation targeting goyim, wrote one commenter at Information Liberation. In its current form the country is simply unsalvageable I only hope more Whites are starting to recognize this. More of the latest news about Jeffrey Epstein can be found at Epstein.news Sources for this article include: InformationLiberation.com AboveTheLaw.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) The vast intelligence network behind pedophile sex traffickers Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell is resting easy now that Maxwell has finally been tossed in prison and Epstein is (supposedly) dead. Maxwell was reportedly convicted on five of six counts related to the abuse and trafficking of underage children, including: Conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts Conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity Transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity Sex trafficking conspiracy Sex trafficking of a minor The only count for which Maxwell was found not guilty was enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts. How we know that this case was conducted in such a way as to cover for anyone else involved in this child sex trafficking ring is that Judge Alison Nathan, who presided over the case, promised from the beginning that the network behind Maxwell and Epstein would remain protected. Chris Menahan from Information Liberation says that this is the reason why he did not even bother to cover the case until now because Nathan, whom he says cut her chops staging bizarre debates on Talmudic law between Alan Dershowitz and Eliot Spitzer, basically rigged the whole thing. The fact it was never addressed that Epstein and Maxwells criminal operation was funded with hundreds of millions of dollars from pro-Israel billionaires Lex Wexner and Leon Black was also by design, Menahan maintains. Ghislaine Maxwell is the daughter of Israels Superspy Robert Maxwell, who blackmailed politicians with child sex schemes Another thing that was ignored in the Maxwell case is the fact that this cretins father is none other than Israels Superspy Robert Maxwell. Former Israeli spy Ari Ben-Menashe said back in late 2019 that Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell were also Israel spies who, like Maxwells father, blackmailed politicians through honey trap operations involving underage children. Also ignored in the case was a claim made by former Epstein business partner Steven Hoffenberg that Epstein admitted to him that he was a top-level agent for the Israeli Mossad. The fact Epstein entered into a partnership worth millions in 2015 with Ehud Barak, the former Prime Minister of Israel and the head of Israeli Military Intelligence, and Barak regularly visited Epsteins apartment building in New York where underage girls say they were trafficked was also never brought up, by design, Menahan says. Alex Acosta, the former U.S. attorney in Miami who cut Epstein his sweetheart plea deal, also admitted and this, too, was ignored by the court that he was told that Epstein belonged to intelligence and to just leave it alone. One of the only people to speak out against these coverups is Rep. Lauren Boebert, who wrote on Twitter that Ghislaine Maxwell deserves to rot behind bars for the rest of her days and the public deserves to know every single person involved in the Epstein sex trafficking network. We deserve to know the whole truth, not just some vague court sketches. We do know, at least, that The New York Times was (is still?) involved, as is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Its somehow peak America 2.0 that a Jewish lesbian judge (Alison Nathan) appointed by Obama presided over an epic cover-up of (what is generally thought to have been) a Jewish / Mossad sexual entrapment and blackmail operation targeting goyim, wrote one commenter at Information Liberation. In its current form the country is simply unsalvageable I only hope more Whites are starting to recognize this. More of the latest news about Jeffrey Epstein can be found at Epstein.news Sources for this article include: InformationLiberation.com AboveTheLaw.com NaturalNews.com WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed by a man who went on to carjack, rob and shoot more people during a two-state manhunt this week said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters, Missouri. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a "series" of carjackings, robberies and shootings on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities eventually caught up to him in Clinton County, Illinois, where he held a person hostage in a home. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. The family's full statement is below: The Family of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley mourns the loss of their husband, father, son and friend. We could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support. To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero. Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. -Matthew 5:9 Visitation for Sean Riley will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m., Monday January 3, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with a first responder walk thru at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials in his honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. Memorials will be accepted at the services and the Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, IL which is assisting with arrangements. Additional information will be released in the coming days. We ask the community to show their support by lining the procession route. (Natural News) The vast intelligence network behind pedophile sex traffickers Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell is resting easy now that Maxwell has finally been tossed in prison and Epstein is (supposedly) dead. Maxwell was reportedly convicted on five of six counts related to the abuse and trafficking of underage children, including: Conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts Conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity Transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity Sex trafficking conspiracy Sex trafficking of a minor The only count for which Maxwell was found not guilty was enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts. How we know that this case was conducted in such a way as to cover for anyone else involved in this child sex trafficking ring is that Judge Alison Nathan, who presided over the case, promised from the beginning that the network behind Maxwell and Epstein would remain protected. Chris Menahan from Information Liberation says that this is the reason why he did not even bother to cover the case until now because Nathan, whom he says cut her chops staging bizarre debates on Talmudic law between Alan Dershowitz and Eliot Spitzer, basically rigged the whole thing. The fact it was never addressed that Epstein and Maxwells criminal operation was funded with hundreds of millions of dollars from pro-Israel billionaires Lex Wexner and Leon Black was also by design, Menahan maintains. Ghislaine Maxwell is the daughter of Israels Superspy Robert Maxwell, who blackmailed politicians with child sex schemes Another thing that was ignored in the Maxwell case is the fact that this cretins father is none other than Israels Superspy Robert Maxwell. Former Israeli spy Ari Ben-Menashe said back in late 2019 that Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell were also Israel spies who, like Maxwells father, blackmailed politicians through honey trap operations involving underage children. Also ignored in the case was a claim made by former Epstein business partner Steven Hoffenberg that Epstein admitted to him that he was a top-level agent for the Israeli Mossad. The fact Epstein entered into a partnership worth millions in 2015 with Ehud Barak, the former Prime Minister of Israel and the head of Israeli Military Intelligence, and Barak regularly visited Epsteins apartment building in New York where underage girls say they were trafficked was also never brought up, by design, Menahan says. Alex Acosta, the former U.S. attorney in Miami who cut Epstein his sweetheart plea deal, also admitted and this, too, was ignored by the court that he was told that Epstein belonged to intelligence and to just leave it alone. One of the only people to speak out against these coverups is Rep. Lauren Boebert, who wrote on Twitter that Ghislaine Maxwell deserves to rot behind bars for the rest of her days and the public deserves to know every single person involved in the Epstein sex trafficking network. We deserve to know the whole truth, not just some vague court sketches. We do know, at least, that The New York Times was (is still?) involved, as is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Its somehow peak America 2.0 that a Jewish lesbian judge (Alison Nathan) appointed by Obama presided over an epic cover-up of (what is generally thought to have been) a Jewish / Mossad sexual entrapment and blackmail operation targeting goyim, wrote one commenter at Information Liberation. In its current form the country is simply unsalvageable I only hope more Whites are starting to recognize this. More of the latest news about Jeffrey Epstein can be found at Epstein.news Sources for this article include: InformationLiberation.com AboveTheLaw.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) The vast intelligence network behind pedophile sex traffickers Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell is resting easy now that Maxwell has finally been tossed in prison and Epstein is (supposedly) dead. Maxwell was reportedly convicted on five of six counts related to the abuse and trafficking of underage children, including: Conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts Conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity Transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity Sex trafficking conspiracy Sex trafficking of a minor The only count for which Maxwell was found not guilty was enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts. How we know that this case was conducted in such a way as to cover for anyone else involved in this child sex trafficking ring is that Judge Alison Nathan, who presided over the case, promised from the beginning that the network behind Maxwell and Epstein would remain protected. Chris Menahan from Information Liberation says that this is the reason why he did not even bother to cover the case until now because Nathan, whom he says cut her chops staging bizarre debates on Talmudic law between Alan Dershowitz and Eliot Spitzer, basically rigged the whole thing. The fact it was never addressed that Epstein and Maxwells criminal operation was funded with hundreds of millions of dollars from pro-Israel billionaires Lex Wexner and Leon Black was also by design, Menahan maintains. Ghislaine Maxwell is the daughter of Israels Superspy Robert Maxwell, who blackmailed politicians with child sex schemes Another thing that was ignored in the Maxwell case is the fact that this cretins father is none other than Israels Superspy Robert Maxwell. Former Israeli spy Ari Ben-Menashe said back in late 2019 that Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell were also Israel spies who, like Maxwells father, blackmailed politicians through honey trap operations involving underage children. Also ignored in the case was a claim made by former Epstein business partner Steven Hoffenberg that Epstein admitted to him that he was a top-level agent for the Israeli Mossad. The fact Epstein entered into a partnership worth millions in 2015 with Ehud Barak, the former Prime Minister of Israel and the head of Israeli Military Intelligence, and Barak regularly visited Epsteins apartment building in New York where underage girls say they were trafficked was also never brought up, by design, Menahan says. Alex Acosta, the former U.S. attorney in Miami who cut Epstein his sweetheart plea deal, also admitted and this, too, was ignored by the court that he was told that Epstein belonged to intelligence and to just leave it alone. One of the only people to speak out against these coverups is Rep. Lauren Boebert, who wrote on Twitter that Ghislaine Maxwell deserves to rot behind bars for the rest of her days and the public deserves to know every single person involved in the Epstein sex trafficking network. We deserve to know the whole truth, not just some vague court sketches. We do know, at least, that The New York Times was (is still?) involved, as is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Its somehow peak America 2.0 that a Jewish lesbian judge (Alison Nathan) appointed by Obama presided over an epic cover-up of (what is generally thought to have been) a Jewish / Mossad sexual entrapment and blackmail operation targeting goyim, wrote one commenter at Information Liberation. In its current form the country is simply unsalvageable I only hope more Whites are starting to recognize this. More of the latest news about Jeffrey Epstein can be found at Epstein.news Sources for this article include: InformationLiberation.com AboveTheLaw.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Left-wing billionaire George Soros is on a mission to use law enforcement to his own advantage and for his own political gain. George Soros uses his vast financial resources to install Marxists into District Attorneys offices around the country. Once these left-wing district attorneys are installed, they begin to target their political opposition, while making a mockery of the rule of law. Most shocking of all, these left-wing district attorneys try to make it easier for felons to get out of jail, allowing them back onto the streets with no bail. Republican Senator Tom Cotton sees this corruption for what it really is, which is why he is calling on the American people to recall, remove and replace every last prosecutor who is financially backed by George Soros. Every last George Soros installation must be removed from office These Marxists prosecutors are dangerous to the security and prosperity of their districts and to the country as a whole. As they are installed across the country, they become a force of insurrection and sedition, eating away at the rule of law and subverting the justice system. Senator Cotton warns: Last year, our nation experienced the largest increase in murder in American history and the largest number of drug overdose deaths ever recorded. This carnage continues today and is not distributed equally. Instead, it is concentrated in cities and localities where radical, left-wing, George Soros progressives have captured state and district attorney offices. These legal arsonists condemn our rule of law as systemically racist and have not simply abused prosecutorial discretion, they have embraced prosecutorial nullification. As a result, a contagion of crime has infected virtually every neighborhood under their charge. The George Soros mafia has been targeting inner city district attorneys offices and funneling large amounts of money to ensure that left-wing candidates take over these positions. Once these puppets are installed, they quickly vouch for bail reform. These bail reforms are sold to the public under the guise of combating systemic racism. In truth, these reforms simply allow criminals to walk right back onto the streets, right after they have been arrested for serious crimes. This has led to historic increases in crime throughout these cities in 2020 and 2021. Left-wing District Attorneys are behind the historic rate of murder, property, and drug crimes These left-wing installations allow violent criminals and drug dealers to walk right back onto the streets, where they end up committing more property crimes and threatening more lives. For instance, young hero Kyle Rittenhouse would have never had to defend himself and be traumatized, had these left-wing district attorneys not allowed violent criminals back onto the streets. In the middle of the worst drug crisis in American history, states attorneys like Baltimores Marilyn Mosby refuse to press charges for drug crimes, claiming the drug war is over. In Chicagos Cook County, State attorney Kim Foxx wont prosecute any theft that is under $1,000. In Manhattan, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. openly allows prostitution. Philadelphias District Attorney Larry Krasner is combative toward the police, routinely slashes bond, and lets criminals go free, accelerating crime rates throughout the city. San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin has such disdain for law enforcement, she led the city to suffer through routine downtown shutdowns that allow smash-and-grab looters to take what they want. Los Angeles DA George Gascon openly invites the waves of crime that are plaguing California because he stopped enforcing laws for disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and making criminal threats. In Boston, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins created a do not prosecute list that includes trespassing, destruction of property, and drug trafficking. Consequentially, the number of homicides is rising in these cities specifically. In Cook county Chicago, there were more than 1,000 people murdered in 2021 alone. Los Angeles and Baltimore have seen murder rates skyrocket as well. These left-wing district attorneys tell the public they are for police reforms and de-funding the police. After the police departments are disrespected, de-funded and gutted, criminal operations gain power in the district. This lax policing environment allows drug and sex trafficking rings to dictate law enforcement operations. Drug rings are empowered and more people are left to fear for their lives as their family members suffer under the crushing weight of drug addiction, moral depravity and overdose. Read Tom Cottons statement for yourself to learn more: Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com NaturalNews.com RealClearPolitics.com (Natural News) Left-wing billionaire George Soros is on a mission to use law enforcement to his own advantage and for his own political gain. George Soros uses his vast financial resources to install Marxists into District Attorneys offices around the country. Once these left-wing district attorneys are installed, they begin to target their political opposition, while making a mockery of the rule of law. Most shocking of all, these left-wing district attorneys try to make it easier for felons to get out of jail, allowing them back onto the streets with no bail. Republican Senator Tom Cotton sees this corruption for what it really is, which is why he is calling on the American people to recall, remove and replace every last prosecutor who is financially backed by George Soros. Every last George Soros installation must be removed from office These Marxists prosecutors are dangerous to the security and prosperity of their districts and to the country as a whole. As they are installed across the country, they become a force of insurrection and sedition, eating away at the rule of law and subverting the justice system. Senator Cotton warns: Last year, our nation experienced the largest increase in murder in American history and the largest number of drug overdose deaths ever recorded. This carnage continues today and is not distributed equally. Instead, it is concentrated in cities and localities where radical, left-wing, George Soros progressives have captured state and district attorney offices. These legal arsonists condemn our rule of law as systemically racist and have not simply abused prosecutorial discretion, they have embraced prosecutorial nullification. As a result, a contagion of crime has infected virtually every neighborhood under their charge. The George Soros mafia has been targeting inner city district attorneys offices and funneling large amounts of money to ensure that left-wing candidates take over these positions. Once these puppets are installed, they quickly vouch for bail reform. These bail reforms are sold to the public under the guise of combating systemic racism. In truth, these reforms simply allow criminals to walk right back onto the streets, right after they have been arrested for serious crimes. This has led to historic increases in crime throughout these cities in 2020 and 2021. Left-wing District Attorneys are behind the historic rate of murder, property, and drug crimes These left-wing installations allow violent criminals and drug dealers to walk right back onto the streets, where they end up committing more property crimes and threatening more lives. For instance, young hero Kyle Rittenhouse would have never had to defend himself and be traumatized, had these left-wing district attorneys not allowed violent criminals back onto the streets. In the middle of the worst drug crisis in American history, states attorneys like Baltimores Marilyn Mosby refuse to press charges for drug crimes, claiming the drug war is over. In Chicagos Cook County, State attorney Kim Foxx wont prosecute any theft that is under $1,000. In Manhattan, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. openly allows prostitution. Philadelphias District Attorney Larry Krasner is combative toward the police, routinely slashes bond, and lets criminals go free, accelerating crime rates throughout the city. San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin has such disdain for law enforcement, she led the city to suffer through routine downtown shutdowns that allow smash-and-grab looters to take what they want. Los Angeles DA George Gascon openly invites the waves of crime that are plaguing California because he stopped enforcing laws for disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and making criminal threats. In Boston, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins created a do not prosecute list that includes trespassing, destruction of property, and drug trafficking. Consequentially, the number of homicides is rising in these cities specifically. In Cook county Chicago, there were more than 1,000 people murdered in 2021 alone. Los Angeles and Baltimore have seen murder rates skyrocket as well. These left-wing district attorneys tell the public they are for police reforms and de-funding the police. After the police departments are disrespected, de-funded and gutted, criminal operations gain power in the district. This lax policing environment allows drug and sex trafficking rings to dictate law enforcement operations. Drug rings are empowered and more people are left to fear for their lives as their family members suffer under the crushing weight of drug addiction, moral depravity and overdose. Read Tom Cottons statement for yourself to learn more: Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com NaturalNews.com RealClearPolitics.com (Natural News) Left-wing billionaire George Soros is on a mission to use law enforcement to his own advantage and for his own political gain. George Soros uses his vast financial resources to install Marxists into District Attorneys offices around the country. Once these left-wing district attorneys are installed, they begin to target their political opposition, while making a mockery of the rule of law. Most shocking of all, these left-wing district attorneys try to make it easier for felons to get out of jail, allowing them back onto the streets with no bail. Republican Senator Tom Cotton sees this corruption for what it really is, which is why he is calling on the American people to recall, remove and replace every last prosecutor who is financially backed by George Soros. Every last George Soros installation must be removed from office These Marxists prosecutors are dangerous to the security and prosperity of their districts and to the country as a whole. As they are installed across the country, they become a force of insurrection and sedition, eating away at the rule of law and subverting the justice system. Senator Cotton warns: Last year, our nation experienced the largest increase in murder in American history and the largest number of drug overdose deaths ever recorded. This carnage continues today and is not distributed equally. Instead, it is concentrated in cities and localities where radical, left-wing, George Soros progressives have captured state and district attorney offices. These legal arsonists condemn our rule of law as systemically racist and have not simply abused prosecutorial discretion, they have embraced prosecutorial nullification. As a result, a contagion of crime has infected virtually every neighborhood under their charge. The George Soros mafia has been targeting inner city district attorneys offices and funneling large amounts of money to ensure that left-wing candidates take over these positions. Once these puppets are installed, they quickly vouch for bail reform. These bail reforms are sold to the public under the guise of combating systemic racism. In truth, these reforms simply allow criminals to walk right back onto the streets, right after they have been arrested for serious crimes. This has led to historic increases in crime throughout these cities in 2020 and 2021. Left-wing District Attorneys are behind the historic rate of murder, property, and drug crimes These left-wing installations allow violent criminals and drug dealers to walk right back onto the streets, where they end up committing more property crimes and threatening more lives. For instance, young hero Kyle Rittenhouse would have never had to defend himself and be traumatized, had these left-wing district attorneys not allowed violent criminals back onto the streets. In the middle of the worst drug crisis in American history, states attorneys like Baltimores Marilyn Mosby refuse to press charges for drug crimes, claiming the drug war is over. In Chicagos Cook County, State attorney Kim Foxx wont prosecute any theft that is under $1,000. In Manhattan, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. openly allows prostitution. Philadelphias District Attorney Larry Krasner is combative toward the police, routinely slashes bond, and lets criminals go free, accelerating crime rates throughout the city. San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin has such disdain for law enforcement, she led the city to suffer through routine downtown shutdowns that allow smash-and-grab looters to take what they want. Los Angeles DA George Gascon openly invites the waves of crime that are plaguing California because he stopped enforcing laws for disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and making criminal threats. In Boston, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins created a do not prosecute list that includes trespassing, destruction of property, and drug trafficking. Consequentially, the number of homicides is rising in these cities specifically. In Cook county Chicago, there were more than 1,000 people murdered in 2021 alone. Los Angeles and Baltimore have seen murder rates skyrocket as well. These left-wing district attorneys tell the public they are for police reforms and de-funding the police. After the police departments are disrespected, de-funded and gutted, criminal operations gain power in the district. This lax policing environment allows drug and sex trafficking rings to dictate law enforcement operations. Drug rings are empowered and more people are left to fear for their lives as their family members suffer under the crushing weight of drug addiction, moral depravity and overdose. Read Tom Cottons statement for yourself to learn more: Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com NaturalNews.com RealClearPolitics.com (Natural News) Left-wing billionaire George Soros is on a mission to use law enforcement to his own advantage and for his own political gain. George Soros uses his vast financial resources to install Marxists into District Attorneys offices around the country. Once these left-wing district attorneys are installed, they begin to target their political opposition, while making a mockery of the rule of law. Most shocking of all, these left-wing district attorneys try to make it easier for felons to get out of jail, allowing them back onto the streets with no bail. Republican Senator Tom Cotton sees this corruption for what it really is, which is why he is calling on the American people to recall, remove and replace every last prosecutor who is financially backed by George Soros. Every last George Soros installation must be removed from office These Marxists prosecutors are dangerous to the security and prosperity of their districts and to the country as a whole. As they are installed across the country, they become a force of insurrection and sedition, eating away at the rule of law and subverting the justice system. Senator Cotton warns: Last year, our nation experienced the largest increase in murder in American history and the largest number of drug overdose deaths ever recorded. This carnage continues today and is not distributed equally. Instead, it is concentrated in cities and localities where radical, left-wing, George Soros progressives have captured state and district attorney offices. These legal arsonists condemn our rule of law as systemically racist and have not simply abused prosecutorial discretion, they have embraced prosecutorial nullification. As a result, a contagion of crime has infected virtually every neighborhood under their charge. The George Soros mafia has been targeting inner city district attorneys offices and funneling large amounts of money to ensure that left-wing candidates take over these positions. Once these puppets are installed, they quickly vouch for bail reform. These bail reforms are sold to the public under the guise of combating systemic racism. In truth, these reforms simply allow criminals to walk right back onto the streets, right after they have been arrested for serious crimes. This has led to historic increases in crime throughout these cities in 2020 and 2021. Left-wing District Attorneys are behind the historic rate of murder, property, and drug crimes These left-wing installations allow violent criminals and drug dealers to walk right back onto the streets, where they end up committing more property crimes and threatening more lives. For instance, young hero Kyle Rittenhouse would have never had to defend himself and be traumatized, had these left-wing district attorneys not allowed violent criminals back onto the streets. In the middle of the worst drug crisis in American history, states attorneys like Baltimores Marilyn Mosby refuse to press charges for drug crimes, claiming the drug war is over. In Chicagos Cook County, State attorney Kim Foxx wont prosecute any theft that is under $1,000. In Manhattan, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. openly allows prostitution. Philadelphias District Attorney Larry Krasner is combative toward the police, routinely slashes bond, and lets criminals go free, accelerating crime rates throughout the city. San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin has such disdain for law enforcement, she led the city to suffer through routine downtown shutdowns that allow smash-and-grab looters to take what they want. Los Angeles DA George Gascon openly invites the waves of crime that are plaguing California because he stopped enforcing laws for disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and making criminal threats. In Boston, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins created a do not prosecute list that includes trespassing, destruction of property, and drug trafficking. Consequentially, the number of homicides is rising in these cities specifically. In Cook county Chicago, there were more than 1,000 people murdered in 2021 alone. Los Angeles and Baltimore have seen murder rates skyrocket as well. These left-wing district attorneys tell the public they are for police reforms and de-funding the police. After the police departments are disrespected, de-funded and gutted, criminal operations gain power in the district. This lax policing environment allows drug and sex trafficking rings to dictate law enforcement operations. Drug rings are empowered and more people are left to fear for their lives as their family members suffer under the crushing weight of drug addiction, moral depravity and overdose. Read Tom Cottons statement for yourself to learn more: Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com NaturalNews.com RealClearPolitics.com (Natural News) Ask anyone who has received the deadly Covid vaccines and they will tell you they are totally pro-science, yet there is NO science behind the jabs to show they stop contraction, transmission or even severe cases of Covid. There is also NO science behind quarantines, lockdowns, masks or isolation, and now comes the admission from the highly corrupt CDC Director herself, Rochelle Walensky. It really had a lot to do with what we thought people would be able to tolerate, Walensky said in a recent MSM fake news interview. In other words, its all about how much they can manipulate and control the populace, and as that withers away, now its time to just save face for the communist Biden Regime. The Dark Winter of Omicron the minor head cold version of Covid that requires vaccine boosters, isolation, vaccine passports, masks and increased illegal immigration Run for your lives, there are germs outside. As if humans have never survived the flu before, we are all supposed to listen to the CDC, who falsely blamed Trump for Covid deaths while he was still in office. Now, Resident Biden admits there is no federal solution to Covid. Oh really. How about an apology to Trump then? Fauci and Walensky have been dead wrong about Omicron, shifting their guidelines faster than a Democrat poll worker can pull a suitcase full of illegal ballots out from under their desk on election night. Quarantine and isolation times have already changed for Omicron, the Covid head cold, cut from 10 days to 5 days. Plus, the CDC just admitted what every non-vaxxed American already knows, that the PCR tests for Covid say youre positive even if you just have the flu or a head cold. Plus, they admitted that testing at the end of quarantine is useless since the antigen tests and the PCR tests are faulty most of the time. Better not let society collapse under the Biden watch, huh? Just torture Americans to the point where they almost cant tolerate it anymore, then let up a little bit, is the plan, according to Walensky, the Covid-terror-plotter. CDC has been dead wrong about nearly everything COVID-19 If America still had any semblance of checks and balances, the CDC would be shut down already, having guessed wrong on just about every piece of advice theyve dished out since the Fauci Flu was released in China. CDC said Trump was racist for banning travel to US from China at the outbreak CDC did not stop cruise boats from coming to US West coast from China at onset CDC claimed lockdowns, masks and social distancing would flatten the curve CDC poorly advised everyone to get faulty PCR tests that grossly inflate pandemic stats CDC claimed the Covid vaccines were safe and effective but they cause blood clots, myocarditis, heart attacks, and neurological disorders while providing short-lived protection (if any) against Covid-19 and its variants CDC claims everyone will need booster shots, but the boosters havent even been tested for safety or efficacy CDC targets the elderly and immuno-compromised with the Fauci clot shots, but those Americans are the most susceptible to dying from the shots that cause severe inflammation and blood clots CDC is pushing for vaccine passports for international and domestic travel of all kinds, including planes, trains, buses and even cars, even from state to state, all for a flu that causes .03 percent deaths (among people already dying from cancer, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, etc.) And so yes, its going to be a dark winter if you listen to the advice of the CDC, the Center for Disease CONTINUATION in America. Watch out for myths and misinformation about the Fauci Flu on mass media. Be sure to bookmark Vaccines.news for updates on experimental vaccines and boosters that can cause blood clots, ADE, and other horrific side effects. Sources for this article include: TheGatewayPundit.com Pandemic.news TruthWiki.org NaturalNews.com This article was first published by CalMatters, it is part of the California Divide, a collaboration among newsrooms examining income inequality and economic survival in California. (Natural News) Left-wing billionaire George Soros is on a mission to use law enforcement to his own advantage and for his own political gain. George Soros uses his vast financial resources to install Marxists into District Attorneys offices around the country. Once these left-wing district attorneys are installed, they begin to target their political opposition, while making a mockery of the rule of law. Most shocking of all, these left-wing district attorneys try to make it easier for felons to get out of jail, allowing them back onto the streets with no bail. Republican Senator Tom Cotton sees this corruption for what it really is, which is why he is calling on the American people to recall, remove and replace every last prosecutor who is financially backed by George Soros. Every last George Soros installation must be removed from office These Marxists prosecutors are dangerous to the security and prosperity of their districts and to the country as a whole. As they are installed across the country, they become a force of insurrection and sedition, eating away at the rule of law and subverting the justice system. Senator Cotton warns: Last year, our nation experienced the largest increase in murder in American history and the largest number of drug overdose deaths ever recorded. This carnage continues today and is not distributed equally. Instead, it is concentrated in cities and localities where radical, left-wing, George Soros progressives have captured state and district attorney offices. These legal arsonists condemn our rule of law as systemically racist and have not simply abused prosecutorial discretion, they have embraced prosecutorial nullification. As a result, a contagion of crime has infected virtually every neighborhood under their charge. The George Soros mafia has been targeting inner city district attorneys offices and funneling large amounts of money to ensure that left-wing candidates take over these positions. Once these puppets are installed, they quickly vouch for bail reform. These bail reforms are sold to the public under the guise of combating systemic racism. In truth, these reforms simply allow criminals to walk right back onto the streets, right after they have been arrested for serious crimes. This has led to historic increases in crime throughout these cities in 2020 and 2021. Left-wing District Attorneys are behind the historic rate of murder, property, and drug crimes These left-wing installations allow violent criminals and drug dealers to walk right back onto the streets, where they end up committing more property crimes and threatening more lives. For instance, young hero Kyle Rittenhouse would have never had to defend himself and be traumatized, had these left-wing district attorneys not allowed violent criminals back onto the streets. In the middle of the worst drug crisis in American history, states attorneys like Baltimores Marilyn Mosby refuse to press charges for drug crimes, claiming the drug war is over. In Chicagos Cook County, State attorney Kim Foxx wont prosecute any theft that is under $1,000. In Manhattan, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. openly allows prostitution. Philadelphias District Attorney Larry Krasner is combative toward the police, routinely slashes bond, and lets criminals go free, accelerating crime rates throughout the city. San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin has such disdain for law enforcement, she led the city to suffer through routine downtown shutdowns that allow smash-and-grab looters to take what they want. Los Angeles DA George Gascon openly invites the waves of crime that are plaguing California because he stopped enforcing laws for disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and making criminal threats. In Boston, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins created a do not prosecute list that includes trespassing, destruction of property, and drug trafficking. Consequentially, the number of homicides is rising in these cities specifically. In Cook county Chicago, there were more than 1,000 people murdered in 2021 alone. Los Angeles and Baltimore have seen murder rates skyrocket as well. These left-wing district attorneys tell the public they are for police reforms and de-funding the police. After the police departments are disrespected, de-funded and gutted, criminal operations gain power in the district. This lax policing environment allows drug and sex trafficking rings to dictate law enforcement operations. Drug rings are empowered and more people are left to fear for their lives as their family members suffer under the crushing weight of drug addiction, moral depravity and overdose. Read Tom Cottons statement for yourself to learn more: Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com NaturalNews.com RealClearPolitics.com Through unsealed closed session minutes from New Berns Board of Aldermen in 2020, the Sun Journal learned the worlds first Pepsi museum was in the works to call the city its home. On Dec. 17, the first pieces of the museum were put on display at a teaser exhibit in North Carolina History Center. The history center received more than 1,300 items of a Pepsi collection owned by the late Mitchell Slotnick from Illinois in November 2020. The collection is said to take several years to process and catalog items. For more than 30 years, Slotnick was a financial management consultant with PepsiCo. His family donated the collection to the history center. Slotnick developed a metrics system that revolutionized Pepsis bottling business model, according to a news release from the history center. The entire Slotnick collection of Pepsi-related items consists of clocks, signs, advertisements, bottles, trays, thermometers, radios, toys, books, bottle openers, calendars, tableware, and more. Items that are on the current sample exhibit include a pull toy, coin banks, glasses, ashtrays, radio, figurine, calendar, salt and pepper shakers, and drinking glasses. He (Slotnick) was an avid philanthropist and Tryon Palace is excited to have received this collection that honors the history of Pepsi and New Bern, the birthplace of Pepsi, according to a news release. The collection will eventually be housed in New Berns planned Pepsi Museum. Coca-Cola has its own museum in Atlanta, Georgia. PepsiCo does not, but bringing one to its birthplace is estimated to bring 50,000 annual visitors, adding an economic impact of $7.5 million. To go along with the Slotnick collection, PepsiCo also acquired a large collection of Pepsi memorabilia between 2015 and 2018. In the closed session minutes, the city discussed a potential partnership with Swiss Bear and the Tryon Palace Commission to display the items in a museum. PepsiCo offered to provide a seed grant to fund up to $750,000 for program items such as planning, architectural design, and display and was willing to pursue if local leadership was willing. Under the partnership, the city would provide the facility and discuss the old firemens museum as a potential location. Swiss Bear is committed to helping raise funds but a concept would be needed for the plans to continue. The aldermen supported the idea but no other actions have taken place. Director of Collections and Exhibits Alyson Rhodes-Murphy explained in October that leadership is waiting to see how many items there are before moving forward with finding a museum site. More than likely, one will have to be built. (Natural News) The more we learn about the alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the more we find out that not only did the FBI set this hoax up, but they also didnt use very reliable people to do the job. In fact, two people associated with the entrapment scheme one now a former FBI agent and another who acted as an informant have been in trouble with the law themselves. The most recent, Stephen Robeson, was charged in late December with allegedly defrauding a couple out of their SUV after he convinced them to donate it to a phony charity (because obviously the FBI and the shady people on the bureaus payroll are all about hoaxes). In addition, Robesons wife, Kimberly, has also been charged, and the two of them face up to three years behind bars with fines as high as $10,000 if the FBI allows them to be convicted. Big League Politics reports: Court records indicate that Robeson was particularly instrumental in setting up the phony kidnapping plot of Whitmer that was used as an October Surprise of sorts before the Nov. 2020 presidential election. He found the patsies who were set up, organized meetings that were bugged, and paid expenses for the poor saps to attend the events used to create the bogus kidnapping scheme. Its not as though Robeson is a newbie to the life of crime. Previously, Robeson was set to go to prison for a maximum of 10 years on a firearms-related charge but he cut a deal with the feds regarding the felony charge so he skated with time served and some probation. As usual, Big League Politics notes, the feds protect their own and hold them to a different standard of justice than ordinary Americans. Meanwhile, in September former FBI Special Agent Richard Trask, the lead agent in the Whitmer kidnapping set up, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor involving a domestic violence allegation. The charges for assault with intent to do bodily harm stem from allegations that Trask beat his wifes head against a nightstand following an argument that originated on the way home from a swingers party they attended, BizPac Review reported, revealing, also, what kind of immoral character Trask was as well, since swingers are into partner-swapping for sex (doesnt the FBI screen their agents?). His firing comes amid questions surrounding the FBIs use of perhaps 12 informants, members of a supposed far-right militia group, Wolverine Watchmen, that appear to have driven the conspiracy to kidnap Whitmer, the report continued, adding: He was dropped as a witness for the FBI following comments he made on social media calling former President Donald Trump a douchebag and a piece of s.' All of this comes as lawyers for five of the men charged with this bogus conspiracy have filed a request with a federal court over Christmas asking that the case be dropped because it has become fairly obvious the FBI entrapped the men. The men Adam Fox, 38, Barry Croft, 46, Kaleb Franks, 27, Daniel Harris, 24, and Brandon Caserta, 33 face up to life in prison if they are convicted, but their attorneys argued in court papers they would not be facing any punishment at all had they not been set up by the bureau. When the government was faced with evidence showing that the defendants had no interest in a kidnapping plot, it refused to accept failure and continued to push its plan, their attorneys noted, according to The American Wire. Essentially, the evidence here demonstrates egregious overreaching by the governments agents, and by the informants those agents handled, says the dismissal filing, which comes ahead of the March 8 trial date. The government initiated this case, despite the fact that it knew there was no plan to kidnap, no operational plan, and no details about how a kidnapping would occur or what would happen afterward, the lawyers argued. Our FBI is compromised, that much is plain; this case should go away. Read more stories like this at Hoax.news. Sources include: AmericanWireNews.com BigLeaguePolitics.com (Natural News) The most vaccinated state in the country has become a mad house of outright insanity and paranoia over the ever-scary Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19). Hospitals all across Vermont are reportedly overflowing with fully vaccinated patients and not the kind with vaccine-induced illnesses, just to be clear, but rather asymptomatic jabbed folks who merely tested positive with a fraudulent PCR test. The emergency department at the Rutland Regional Medical Center (RRMC), for instance, is reportedly being overwhelmed with asymptomatic folks who, despite not showing any symptoms, are freaking out because of everything they have been told by the likes of Tony Fauci. What is apparently happening is that Branch Covidians across the Green Mountain State are obsessively seeking out and collecting antigen tests in order to test themselves. After finally testing positive, these same folks are rushing out to the emergency room to get treatment for their non-diseases. Its not so much the beds that are the precious resources, its the staff at this time, explained Dr. Rick Hildebrant, RRMCs medical director about how badly this bizarre phenomenon is depleting much-needed hospital resources. So we have to have some of our clinical staff providing care to those people and they cant provide care to the folks in the ER. Branch Covidianism is a religion with doctrines and dogmas of mental illness Amazingly, Vermonters are so scared of the China Disease that even after testing positive with their at-home rapid tests, many of them are rushing out to the hospital to take a PCR test as well for additional confirmation. It is almost like these people want to test positive and want to be sick, almost like an induction into the Covid Cult. Perhaps taking all these tests is some kind of equivalent to holy communion or eucharist for them, making them feel as though they belong. And to think that the unvaccinated are being blamed for this hospital surge when they are the ones out there living their lives, unmasked and untested, and not even thinking about going anywhere near a hospital facility. Branch Covidian hysteria is not just affecting Vermont hospitals, by the way. Institutions of higher learning such as Middlebury College are also enduring collective panic attacks over the idea of Chinese Germs spreading from person to person. The following sampling of deranged tweets shows just how crazy leftist plandemic-embracers have become within the new normal of perpetual hypochondriac insanity. Like, right this very second as my partner makes plans to have an indoor xmas gathering with his (vaxed, boosted) family that my anxiety will not allow me to attend or even be furious about, one of the deranged tweets reads. Me too, responded another. The unvaccinated need to stay home, those of us whove done everything possible to stop the spread & continue to do everything asked of us should be allowed to live. We have the right to live! This writer is uncertain if both of these folks live in Vermont, but it is certainly within the realm of possibility because it sounds exactly like what is happening up there to hospitals, schools and probably all other institutions. Fear is control, wrote one commenter at Red State about how the mass brainwashing has been a total success, at least among leftists. The media wont let the panic die down until universal mail-in voting is safely locked in, wrote another, speculating as to why the plandemic has still not been allowed to end. I dont think weve come to terms yet with the fact that 40% of the country is mentally ill. pic.twitter.com/ZWM3fYqUJy Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) December 23, 2021 The latest news about the raging plandemic hysteria infecting blue areas of the country can be found at Pandemic.news. Sources for this article include: RedState.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com This article was first published by CalMatters, it is part of the California Divide, a collaboration among newsrooms examining income inequality and economic survival in California. (Natural News) A Project Veritas expose has exposed Rick Saleeby, a former senior producer for CNNs The Lead with Jake Tapper, as being under investigation for suspected pedophilia. According to credible allegations, Saleeby solicited sexually explicit photos of an underage girl. And Project Veritas got ahold of the evidence, prompting Saleeby to resign earlier this month. CNN confirmed Saleebys resignation, and the investigation has now garnered international attention. The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) in Virginia confirmed that a criminal investigation has been launched into serious allegations involving potential juvenile victims. Detective assigned to the Child Exploitation Squad of the Major Crimes Bureau are leading this investigation, Fox News further reported. While we will eventually be transparent about our findings, safeguarding the personal privacy and safety of victims and witnesses as well as maintaining the integrity of our criminal investigation are of paramount importance, reads a statement from a Fairfax County Police spokesman. It was further confirmed by the FCPD that it has been in contact with Project Veritas about Saleebys victims. Numerous items from the subjects Virginia home were also seized as part of the investigation. Saleeby fantasized about molesting his fiances daughter, texts show Among the evidence obtained by Project Veritas were text messages involving sexually explicit images of an underage girl, as well as a conversation Saleeby apparently had about wanting to molest the young daughter of his fiance. In one of the text exchanges, Saleeby told the source how his fiances daughter was wearing very closely cut bottoms at the pool before graphically describing how he could see the outline of her genitals. Janine Banani, who was involved in a relationship with Saleeby for more than a decade, told Project Veritas that Saleeby solicited photos of their own daughter as well. after Im done having my mouth on her, Im going to walk up and put my crotch very close to her face, Saleeby said in one audio recording that Banani provided. In another recording, Saleeby engaged in even more explicit speech about what he wanted his own daughter to do to himself. slowly unzip my zipper and just guide her head a little closer and Im just going to have her kiss the head and Im going to put her hand on it so she can feel what the hard flesh feels like. Keep in mind that Saleeby is not the first but the second CNN producer in less than a month to be under criminal investigation for this type of perversion against minors. The other is former CNN producer John Griffin, who was arrested and indicted for abusing underage girls. Griffin produced a show for CNN senior political analyst John Avlon, who was arrested by the FBI and charged by a federal grand jury in Vermont. Tapper, as you may recall, threatened Donald Trumps staffers last November to either concede his election loss to Joe Biden or get blacklisted. Tapper apparently thought he held some kind of sway over the future of their political careers. Now, he is likely singing a much different tune based on these latest developments. We are coming for all you media talking heads, wrote one commenter at Natural News. There will be justice. To be blacklisted by sacks of s*** like Biden, Harris, Tapper, and the rest of the lefties would be a badge of honor, wrote another. Jake, nothing brings a people together like shared suffering and persecution, and, Jake, I doubt you realize this, but living as an unprincipled coward is far worse than anything you can throw at us. More news about the likes of CNN and its employees can be found at Corruption.news. Sources for this article include: ThePostMillennial.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) A Project Veritas expose has exposed Rick Saleeby, a former senior producer for CNNs The Lead with Jake Tapper, as being under investigation for suspected pedophilia. According to credible allegations, Saleeby solicited sexually explicit photos of an underage girl. And Project Veritas got ahold of the evidence, prompting Saleeby to resign earlier this month. CNN confirmed Saleebys resignation, and the investigation has now garnered international attention. The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) in Virginia confirmed that a criminal investigation has been launched into serious allegations involving potential juvenile victims. Detective assigned to the Child Exploitation Squad of the Major Crimes Bureau are leading this investigation, Fox News further reported. While we will eventually be transparent about our findings, safeguarding the personal privacy and safety of victims and witnesses as well as maintaining the integrity of our criminal investigation are of paramount importance, reads a statement from a Fairfax County Police spokesman. It was further confirmed by the FCPD that it has been in contact with Project Veritas about Saleebys victims. Numerous items from the subjects Virginia home were also seized as part of the investigation. Saleeby fantasized about molesting his fiances daughter, texts show Among the evidence obtained by Project Veritas were text messages involving sexually explicit images of an underage girl, as well as a conversation Saleeby apparently had about wanting to molest the young daughter of his fiance. In one of the text exchanges, Saleeby told the source how his fiances daughter was wearing very closely cut bottoms at the pool before graphically describing how he could see the outline of her genitals. Janine Banani, who was involved in a relationship with Saleeby for more than a decade, told Project Veritas that Saleeby solicited photos of their own daughter as well. after Im done having my mouth on her, Im going to walk up and put my crotch very close to her face, Saleeby said in one audio recording that Banani provided. In another recording, Saleeby engaged in even more explicit speech about what he wanted his own daughter to do to himself. slowly unzip my zipper and just guide her head a little closer and Im just going to have her kiss the head and Im going to put her hand on it so she can feel what the hard flesh feels like. Keep in mind that Saleeby is not the first but the second CNN producer in less than a month to be under criminal investigation for this type of perversion against minors. The other is former CNN producer John Griffin, who was arrested and indicted for abusing underage girls. Griffin produced a show for CNN senior political analyst John Avlon, who was arrested by the FBI and charged by a federal grand jury in Vermont. Tapper, as you may recall, threatened Donald Trumps staffers last November to either concede his election loss to Joe Biden or get blacklisted. Tapper apparently thought he held some kind of sway over the future of their political careers. Now, he is likely singing a much different tune based on these latest developments. We are coming for all you media talking heads, wrote one commenter at Natural News. There will be justice. To be blacklisted by sacks of s*** like Biden, Harris, Tapper, and the rest of the lefties would be a badge of honor, wrote another. Jake, nothing brings a people together like shared suffering and persecution, and, Jake, I doubt you realize this, but living as an unprincipled coward is far worse than anything you can throw at us. More news about the likes of CNN and its employees can be found at Corruption.news. Sources for this article include: ThePostMillennial.com NaturalNews.com Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. High near 65F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Overcast. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 52F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. (Natural News) Left-wing billionaire George Soros is on a mission to use law enforcement to his own advantage and for his own political gain. George Soros uses his vast financial resources to install Marxists into District Attorneys offices around the country. Once these left-wing district attorneys are installed, they begin to target their political opposition, while making a mockery of the rule of law. Most shocking of all, these left-wing district attorneys try to make it easier for felons to get out of jail, allowing them back onto the streets with no bail. Republican Senator Tom Cotton sees this corruption for what it really is, which is why he is calling on the American people to recall, remove and replace every last prosecutor who is financially backed by George Soros. Every last George Soros installation must be removed from office These Marxists prosecutors are dangerous to the security and prosperity of their districts and to the country as a whole. As they are installed across the country, they become a force of insurrection and sedition, eating away at the rule of law and subverting the justice system. Senator Cotton warns: Last year, our nation experienced the largest increase in murder in American history and the largest number of drug overdose deaths ever recorded. This carnage continues today and is not distributed equally. Instead, it is concentrated in cities and localities where radical, left-wing, George Soros progressives have captured state and district attorney offices. These legal arsonists condemn our rule of law as systemically racist and have not simply abused prosecutorial discretion, they have embraced prosecutorial nullification. As a result, a contagion of crime has infected virtually every neighborhood under their charge. The George Soros mafia has been targeting inner city district attorneys offices and funneling large amounts of money to ensure that left-wing candidates take over these positions. Once these puppets are installed, they quickly vouch for bail reform. These bail reforms are sold to the public under the guise of combating systemic racism. In truth, these reforms simply allow criminals to walk right back onto the streets, right after they have been arrested for serious crimes. This has led to historic increases in crime throughout these cities in 2020 and 2021. Left-wing District Attorneys are behind the historic rate of murder, property, and drug crimes These left-wing installations allow violent criminals and drug dealers to walk right back onto the streets, where they end up committing more property crimes and threatening more lives. For instance, young hero Kyle Rittenhouse would have never had to defend himself and be traumatized, had these left-wing district attorneys not allowed violent criminals back onto the streets. In the middle of the worst drug crisis in American history, states attorneys like Baltimores Marilyn Mosby refuse to press charges for drug crimes, claiming the drug war is over. In Chicagos Cook County, State attorney Kim Foxx wont prosecute any theft that is under $1,000. In Manhattan, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. openly allows prostitution. Philadelphias District Attorney Larry Krasner is combative toward the police, routinely slashes bond, and lets criminals go free, accelerating crime rates throughout the city. San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin has such disdain for law enforcement, she led the city to suffer through routine downtown shutdowns that allow smash-and-grab looters to take what they want. Los Angeles DA George Gascon openly invites the waves of crime that are plaguing California because he stopped enforcing laws for disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and making criminal threats. In Boston, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins created a do not prosecute list that includes trespassing, destruction of property, and drug trafficking. Consequentially, the number of homicides is rising in these cities specifically. In Cook county Chicago, there were more than 1,000 people murdered in 2021 alone. Los Angeles and Baltimore have seen murder rates skyrocket as well. These left-wing district attorneys tell the public they are for police reforms and de-funding the police. After the police departments are disrespected, de-funded and gutted, criminal operations gain power in the district. This lax policing environment allows drug and sex trafficking rings to dictate law enforcement operations. Drug rings are empowered and more people are left to fear for their lives as their family members suffer under the crushing weight of drug addiction, moral depravity and overdose. Read Tom Cottons statement for yourself to learn more: Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com NaturalNews.com RealClearPolitics.com (Natural News) Left-wing billionaire George Soros is on a mission to use law enforcement to his own advantage and for his own political gain. George Soros uses his vast financial resources to install Marxists into District Attorneys offices around the country. Once these left-wing district attorneys are installed, they begin to target their political opposition, while making a mockery of the rule of law. Most shocking of all, these left-wing district attorneys try to make it easier for felons to get out of jail, allowing them back onto the streets with no bail. Republican Senator Tom Cotton sees this corruption for what it really is, which is why he is calling on the American people to recall, remove and replace every last prosecutor who is financially backed by George Soros. Every last George Soros installation must be removed from office These Marxists prosecutors are dangerous to the security and prosperity of their districts and to the country as a whole. As they are installed across the country, they become a force of insurrection and sedition, eating away at the rule of law and subverting the justice system. Senator Cotton warns: Last year, our nation experienced the largest increase in murder in American history and the largest number of drug overdose deaths ever recorded. This carnage continues today and is not distributed equally. Instead, it is concentrated in cities and localities where radical, left-wing, George Soros progressives have captured state and district attorney offices. These legal arsonists condemn our rule of law as systemically racist and have not simply abused prosecutorial discretion, they have embraced prosecutorial nullification. As a result, a contagion of crime has infected virtually every neighborhood under their charge. The George Soros mafia has been targeting inner city district attorneys offices and funneling large amounts of money to ensure that left-wing candidates take over these positions. Once these puppets are installed, they quickly vouch for bail reform. These bail reforms are sold to the public under the guise of combating systemic racism. In truth, these reforms simply allow criminals to walk right back onto the streets, right after they have been arrested for serious crimes. This has led to historic increases in crime throughout these cities in 2020 and 2021. Left-wing District Attorneys are behind the historic rate of murder, property, and drug crimes These left-wing installations allow violent criminals and drug dealers to walk right back onto the streets, where they end up committing more property crimes and threatening more lives. For instance, young hero Kyle Rittenhouse would have never had to defend himself and be traumatized, had these left-wing district attorneys not allowed violent criminals back onto the streets. In the middle of the worst drug crisis in American history, states attorneys like Baltimores Marilyn Mosby refuse to press charges for drug crimes, claiming the drug war is over. In Chicagos Cook County, State attorney Kim Foxx wont prosecute any theft that is under $1,000. In Manhattan, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. openly allows prostitution. Philadelphias District Attorney Larry Krasner is combative toward the police, routinely slashes bond, and lets criminals go free, accelerating crime rates throughout the city. San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin has such disdain for law enforcement, she led the city to suffer through routine downtown shutdowns that allow smash-and-grab looters to take what they want. Los Angeles DA George Gascon openly invites the waves of crime that are plaguing California because he stopped enforcing laws for disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and making criminal threats. In Boston, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins created a do not prosecute list that includes trespassing, destruction of property, and drug trafficking. Consequentially, the number of homicides is rising in these cities specifically. In Cook county Chicago, there were more than 1,000 people murdered in 2021 alone. Los Angeles and Baltimore have seen murder rates skyrocket as well. These left-wing district attorneys tell the public they are for police reforms and de-funding the police. After the police departments are disrespected, de-funded and gutted, criminal operations gain power in the district. This lax policing environment allows drug and sex trafficking rings to dictate law enforcement operations. Drug rings are empowered and more people are left to fear for their lives as their family members suffer under the crushing weight of drug addiction, moral depravity and overdose. Read Tom Cottons statement for yourself to learn more: Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com NaturalNews.com RealClearPolitics.com Through unsealed closed session minutes from New Berns Board of Aldermen in 2020, the Sun Journal learned the worlds first Pepsi museum was in the works to call the city its home. On Dec. 17, the first pieces of the museum were put on display at a teaser exhibit in North Carolina History Center. The history center received more than 1,300 items of a Pepsi collection owned by the late Mitchell Slotnick from Illinois in November 2020. The collection is said to take several years to process and catalog items. For more than 30 years, Slotnick was a financial management consultant with PepsiCo. His family donated the collection to the history center. Slotnick developed a metrics system that revolutionized Pepsis bottling business model, according to a news release from the history center. The entire Slotnick collection of Pepsi-related items consists of clocks, signs, advertisements, bottles, trays, thermometers, radios, toys, books, bottle openers, calendars, tableware, and more. Items that are on the current sample exhibit include a pull toy, coin banks, glasses, ashtrays, radio, figurine, calendar, salt and pepper shakers, and drinking glasses. He (Slotnick) was an avid philanthropist and Tryon Palace is excited to have received this collection that honors the history of Pepsi and New Bern, the birthplace of Pepsi, according to a news release. The collection will eventually be housed in New Berns planned Pepsi Museum. Coca-Cola has its own museum in Atlanta, Georgia. PepsiCo does not, but bringing one to its birthplace is estimated to bring 50,000 annual visitors, adding an economic impact of $7.5 million. To go along with the Slotnick collection, PepsiCo also acquired a large collection of Pepsi memorabilia between 2015 and 2018. In the closed session minutes, the city discussed a potential partnership with Swiss Bear and the Tryon Palace Commission to display the items in a museum. PepsiCo offered to provide a seed grant to fund up to $750,000 for program items such as planning, architectural design, and display and was willing to pursue if local leadership was willing. Under the partnership, the city would provide the facility and discuss the old firemens museum as a potential location. Swiss Bear is committed to helping raise funds but a concept would be needed for the plans to continue. The aldermen supported the idea but no other actions have taken place. Director of Collections and Exhibits Alyson Rhodes-Murphy explained in October that leadership is waiting to see how many items there are before moving forward with finding a museum site. More than likely, one will have to be built. (Natural News) Left-wing billionaire George Soros is on a mission to use law enforcement to his own advantage and for his own political gain. George Soros uses his vast financial resources to install Marxists into District Attorneys offices around the country. Once these left-wing district attorneys are installed, they begin to target their political opposition, while making a mockery of the rule of law. Most shocking of all, these left-wing district attorneys try to make it easier for felons to get out of jail, allowing them back onto the streets with no bail. Republican Senator Tom Cotton sees this corruption for what it really is, which is why he is calling on the American people to recall, remove and replace every last prosecutor who is financially backed by George Soros. Every last George Soros installation must be removed from office These Marxists prosecutors are dangerous to the security and prosperity of their districts and to the country as a whole. As they are installed across the country, they become a force of insurrection and sedition, eating away at the rule of law and subverting the justice system. Senator Cotton warns: Last year, our nation experienced the largest increase in murder in American history and the largest number of drug overdose deaths ever recorded. This carnage continues today and is not distributed equally. Instead, it is concentrated in cities and localities where radical, left-wing, George Soros progressives have captured state and district attorney offices. These legal arsonists condemn our rule of law as systemically racist and have not simply abused prosecutorial discretion, they have embraced prosecutorial nullification. As a result, a contagion of crime has infected virtually every neighborhood under their charge. The George Soros mafia has been targeting inner city district attorneys offices and funneling large amounts of money to ensure that left-wing candidates take over these positions. Once these puppets are installed, they quickly vouch for bail reform. These bail reforms are sold to the public under the guise of combating systemic racism. In truth, these reforms simply allow criminals to walk right back onto the streets, right after they have been arrested for serious crimes. This has led to historic increases in crime throughout these cities in 2020 and 2021. Left-wing District Attorneys are behind the historic rate of murder, property, and drug crimes These left-wing installations allow violent criminals and drug dealers to walk right back onto the streets, where they end up committing more property crimes and threatening more lives. For instance, young hero Kyle Rittenhouse would have never had to defend himself and be traumatized, had these left-wing district attorneys not allowed violent criminals back onto the streets. In the middle of the worst drug crisis in American history, states attorneys like Baltimores Marilyn Mosby refuse to press charges for drug crimes, claiming the drug war is over. In Chicagos Cook County, State attorney Kim Foxx wont prosecute any theft that is under $1,000. In Manhattan, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. openly allows prostitution. Philadelphias District Attorney Larry Krasner is combative toward the police, routinely slashes bond, and lets criminals go free, accelerating crime rates throughout the city. San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin has such disdain for law enforcement, she led the city to suffer through routine downtown shutdowns that allow smash-and-grab looters to take what they want. Los Angeles DA George Gascon openly invites the waves of crime that are plaguing California because he stopped enforcing laws for disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and making criminal threats. In Boston, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins created a do not prosecute list that includes trespassing, destruction of property, and drug trafficking. Consequentially, the number of homicides is rising in these cities specifically. In Cook county Chicago, there were more than 1,000 people murdered in 2021 alone. Los Angeles and Baltimore have seen murder rates skyrocket as well. These left-wing district attorneys tell the public they are for police reforms and de-funding the police. After the police departments are disrespected, de-funded and gutted, criminal operations gain power in the district. This lax policing environment allows drug and sex trafficking rings to dictate law enforcement operations. Drug rings are empowered and more people are left to fear for their lives as their family members suffer under the crushing weight of drug addiction, moral depravity and overdose. Read Tom Cottons statement for yourself to learn more: Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com NaturalNews.com RealClearPolitics.com (Natural News) A Project Veritas expose has exposed Rick Saleeby, a former senior producer for CNNs The Lead with Jake Tapper, as being under investigation for suspected pedophilia. According to credible allegations, Saleeby solicited sexually explicit photos of an underage girl. And Project Veritas got ahold of the evidence, prompting Saleeby to resign earlier this month. CNN confirmed Saleebys resignation, and the investigation has now garnered international attention. The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) in Virginia confirmed that a criminal investigation has been launched into serious allegations involving potential juvenile victims. Detective assigned to the Child Exploitation Squad of the Major Crimes Bureau are leading this investigation, Fox News further reported. While we will eventually be transparent about our findings, safeguarding the personal privacy and safety of victims and witnesses as well as maintaining the integrity of our criminal investigation are of paramount importance, reads a statement from a Fairfax County Police spokesman. It was further confirmed by the FCPD that it has been in contact with Project Veritas about Saleebys victims. Numerous items from the subjects Virginia home were also seized as part of the investigation. Saleeby fantasized about molesting his fiances daughter, texts show Among the evidence obtained by Project Veritas were text messages involving sexually explicit images of an underage girl, as well as a conversation Saleeby apparently had about wanting to molest the young daughter of his fiance. In one of the text exchanges, Saleeby told the source how his fiances daughter was wearing very closely cut bottoms at the pool before graphically describing how he could see the outline of her genitals. Janine Banani, who was involved in a relationship with Saleeby for more than a decade, told Project Veritas that Saleeby solicited photos of their own daughter as well. after Im done having my mouth on her, Im going to walk up and put my crotch very close to her face, Saleeby said in one audio recording that Banani provided. In another recording, Saleeby engaged in even more explicit speech about what he wanted his own daughter to do to himself. slowly unzip my zipper and just guide her head a little closer and Im just going to have her kiss the head and Im going to put her hand on it so she can feel what the hard flesh feels like. Keep in mind that Saleeby is not the first but the second CNN producer in less than a month to be under criminal investigation for this type of perversion against minors. The other is former CNN producer John Griffin, who was arrested and indicted for abusing underage girls. Griffin produced a show for CNN senior political analyst John Avlon, who was arrested by the FBI and charged by a federal grand jury in Vermont. Tapper, as you may recall, threatened Donald Trumps staffers last November to either concede his election loss to Joe Biden or get blacklisted. Tapper apparently thought he held some kind of sway over the future of their political careers. Now, he is likely singing a much different tune based on these latest developments. We are coming for all you media talking heads, wrote one commenter at Natural News. There will be justice. To be blacklisted by sacks of s*** like Biden, Harris, Tapper, and the rest of the lefties would be a badge of honor, wrote another. Jake, nothing brings a people together like shared suffering and persecution, and, Jake, I doubt you realize this, but living as an unprincipled coward is far worse than anything you can throw at us. More news about the likes of CNN and its employees can be found at Corruption.news. Sources for this article include: ThePostMillennial.com NaturalNews.com 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. Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. High near 65F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Overcast. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 52F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. (Natural News) Experts in military strategy and artificial intelligence are raising the alarm after a UN conference did not reach an agreement on banning the use of so-called slaughterbots at a recent meeting in Geneva. Slaughterbots is the name that has been given to weapons that can select and apply force to targets without using any human intervention. These weapons make their decisions using a series of algorithms in artificial intelligence software. Capable of hunting and striking targets without any input from controllers, their technology is growing so fast that many fear societies and governments have not taken the time to fully consider the dangers. This year, for the first time, most of the 125 nations in the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons called for new laws governing the killer robots. However, some countries opposed the measure, such as the U.S. and Russia, both of whom are known to be working on developing such weapons. Other nations that objected included India, Australia and the UK, with some arguing that continuing the development of these killer robots is vital to avoid having a strategic disadvantage. The leader of the Future of Life Institutes advocacy program on autonomous weapons, Emilia Javorsky, called the groups failure to reach an agreement an epic failure. She added: It is now blatantly clear this forum whose unanimity requirement makes it easily derailed by any state with a vested interest is utterly incapable of taking seriously, let alone meaningfully addressing, the urgent threats posed by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. Unfortunately, time appears to be running out as slaughterbots are already being used in some places on the battlefield. For example, a UN report published this spring showed that STM Kargu drones have been used in the Libyan civil war. These small, portable rotary wing attack drones have precision strike capabilities and were used to hunt down soldiers who were retreating. The companies that are developing the drones are working on AI systems that will be able to find a human targets thermal signature or even identify peoples faces using a camera. However, they seem to lack some of the accuracy needed to make the distinction between a combatant and a non-combatant. These weapons could be easy for anyone to obtain The STM drones are among the most worrying for many officials, not least because of their resemblance to a normal consumer drone. They are fairly inexpensive, easy to mass produce, and can be equipped with guns. Some experts have warned that this accessibility means that gangs and other criminals could try to use them. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor Max Tegmark believes were headed for the worst possible outcome. He said: Thats going to be the weapon of choice for basically anyone who wants to kill anyone. A slaughterbot would basically be able to anonymously assassinate anybody whos pissed off anybody. Tegmark told The Sun some of the ways this technology could be used. For example, he pointed out that if slaughterbots cost the same as AK-47s, drug cartels would use the bots to evade getting caught when they kill people. He also said that a judge with lots of bodyguards could still be killed by one of these if it was flown into their bedroom window while they were sleeping. Macalester College Professor James Dawes said: It is a world where the sort of unavoidable algorithmic errors that plague even tech giants like Amazon and Google can now lead to the elimination of whole cities. The world should not repeat the catastrophic mistakes of the nuclear arms race. It should not sleepwalk into dystopia, he added. Theres no way it can end well when you let machines that are prone to unpredictable errors make their own decisions about who to kill. If these artificial intelligence weapons were to be equipped with chemical, biological or nuclear warheads, they could even wipe out humanity. Sources for this article include: The-Sun.com CNBC.com (Natural News) Left-wing billionaire George Soros is on a mission to use law enforcement to his own advantage and for his own political gain. George Soros uses his vast financial resources to install Marxists into District Attorneys offices around the country. Once these left-wing district attorneys are installed, they begin to target their political opposition, while making a mockery of the rule of law. Most shocking of all, these left-wing district attorneys try to make it easier for felons to get out of jail, allowing them back onto the streets with no bail. Republican Senator Tom Cotton sees this corruption for what it really is, which is why he is calling on the American people to recall, remove and replace every last prosecutor who is financially backed by George Soros. Every last George Soros installation must be removed from office These Marxists prosecutors are dangerous to the security and prosperity of their districts and to the country as a whole. As they are installed across the country, they become a force of insurrection and sedition, eating away at the rule of law and subverting the justice system. Senator Cotton warns: Last year, our nation experienced the largest increase in murder in American history and the largest number of drug overdose deaths ever recorded. This carnage continues today and is not distributed equally. Instead, it is concentrated in cities and localities where radical, left-wing, George Soros progressives have captured state and district attorney offices. These legal arsonists condemn our rule of law as systemically racist and have not simply abused prosecutorial discretion, they have embraced prosecutorial nullification. As a result, a contagion of crime has infected virtually every neighborhood under their charge. The George Soros mafia has been targeting inner city district attorneys offices and funneling large amounts of money to ensure that left-wing candidates take over these positions. Once these puppets are installed, they quickly vouch for bail reform. These bail reforms are sold to the public under the guise of combating systemic racism. In truth, these reforms simply allow criminals to walk right back onto the streets, right after they have been arrested for serious crimes. This has led to historic increases in crime throughout these cities in 2020 and 2021. Left-wing District Attorneys are behind the historic rate of murder, property, and drug crimes These left-wing installations allow violent criminals and drug dealers to walk right back onto the streets, where they end up committing more property crimes and threatening more lives. For instance, young hero Kyle Rittenhouse would have never had to defend himself and be traumatized, had these left-wing district attorneys not allowed violent criminals back onto the streets. In the middle of the worst drug crisis in American history, states attorneys like Baltimores Marilyn Mosby refuse to press charges for drug crimes, claiming the drug war is over. In Chicagos Cook County, State attorney Kim Foxx wont prosecute any theft that is under $1,000. In Manhattan, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. openly allows prostitution. Philadelphias District Attorney Larry Krasner is combative toward the police, routinely slashes bond, and lets criminals go free, accelerating crime rates throughout the city. San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin has such disdain for law enforcement, she led the city to suffer through routine downtown shutdowns that allow smash-and-grab looters to take what they want. Los Angeles DA George Gascon openly invites the waves of crime that are plaguing California because he stopped enforcing laws for disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and making criminal threats. In Boston, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins created a do not prosecute list that includes trespassing, destruction of property, and drug trafficking. Consequentially, the number of homicides is rising in these cities specifically. In Cook county Chicago, there were more than 1,000 people murdered in 2021 alone. Los Angeles and Baltimore have seen murder rates skyrocket as well. These left-wing district attorneys tell the public they are for police reforms and de-funding the police. After the police departments are disrespected, de-funded and gutted, criminal operations gain power in the district. This lax policing environment allows drug and sex trafficking rings to dictate law enforcement operations. Drug rings are empowered and more people are left to fear for their lives as their family members suffer under the crushing weight of drug addiction, moral depravity and overdose. Read Tom Cottons statement for yourself to learn more: Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com NaturalNews.com RealClearPolitics.com (Natural News) Left-wing billionaire George Soros is on a mission to use law enforcement to his own advantage and for his own political gain. George Soros uses his vast financial resources to install Marxists into District Attorneys offices around the country. Once these left-wing district attorneys are installed, they begin to target their political opposition, while making a mockery of the rule of law. Most shocking of all, these left-wing district attorneys try to make it easier for felons to get out of jail, allowing them back onto the streets with no bail. Republican Senator Tom Cotton sees this corruption for what it really is, which is why he is calling on the American people to recall, remove and replace every last prosecutor who is financially backed by George Soros. Every last George Soros installation must be removed from office These Marxists prosecutors are dangerous to the security and prosperity of their districts and to the country as a whole. As they are installed across the country, they become a force of insurrection and sedition, eating away at the rule of law and subverting the justice system. Senator Cotton warns: Last year, our nation experienced the largest increase in murder in American history and the largest number of drug overdose deaths ever recorded. This carnage continues today and is not distributed equally. Instead, it is concentrated in cities and localities where radical, left-wing, George Soros progressives have captured state and district attorney offices. These legal arsonists condemn our rule of law as systemically racist and have not simply abused prosecutorial discretion, they have embraced prosecutorial nullification. As a result, a contagion of crime has infected virtually every neighborhood under their charge. The George Soros mafia has been targeting inner city district attorneys offices and funneling large amounts of money to ensure that left-wing candidates take over these positions. Once these puppets are installed, they quickly vouch for bail reform. These bail reforms are sold to the public under the guise of combating systemic racism. In truth, these reforms simply allow criminals to walk right back onto the streets, right after they have been arrested for serious crimes. This has led to historic increases in crime throughout these cities in 2020 and 2021. Left-wing District Attorneys are behind the historic rate of murder, property, and drug crimes These left-wing installations allow violent criminals and drug dealers to walk right back onto the streets, where they end up committing more property crimes and threatening more lives. For instance, young hero Kyle Rittenhouse would have never had to defend himself and be traumatized, had these left-wing district attorneys not allowed violent criminals back onto the streets. In the middle of the worst drug crisis in American history, states attorneys like Baltimores Marilyn Mosby refuse to press charges for drug crimes, claiming the drug war is over. In Chicagos Cook County, State attorney Kim Foxx wont prosecute any theft that is under $1,000. In Manhattan, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. openly allows prostitution. Philadelphias District Attorney Larry Krasner is combative toward the police, routinely slashes bond, and lets criminals go free, accelerating crime rates throughout the city. San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin has such disdain for law enforcement, she led the city to suffer through routine downtown shutdowns that allow smash-and-grab looters to take what they want. Los Angeles DA George Gascon openly invites the waves of crime that are plaguing California because he stopped enforcing laws for disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and making criminal threats. In Boston, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins created a do not prosecute list that includes trespassing, destruction of property, and drug trafficking. Consequentially, the number of homicides is rising in these cities specifically. In Cook county Chicago, there were more than 1,000 people murdered in 2021 alone. Los Angeles and Baltimore have seen murder rates skyrocket as well. These left-wing district attorneys tell the public they are for police reforms and de-funding the police. After the police departments are disrespected, de-funded and gutted, criminal operations gain power in the district. This lax policing environment allows drug and sex trafficking rings to dictate law enforcement operations. Drug rings are empowered and more people are left to fear for their lives as their family members suffer under the crushing weight of drug addiction, moral depravity and overdose. Read Tom Cottons statement for yourself to learn more: Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com NaturalNews.com RealClearPolitics.com (Natural News) Left-wing billionaire George Soros is on a mission to use law enforcement to his own advantage and for his own political gain. George Soros uses his vast financial resources to install Marxists into District Attorneys offices around the country. Once these left-wing district attorneys are installed, they begin to target their political opposition, while making a mockery of the rule of law. Most shocking of all, these left-wing district attorneys try to make it easier for felons to get out of jail, allowing them back onto the streets with no bail. Republican Senator Tom Cotton sees this corruption for what it really is, which is why he is calling on the American people to recall, remove and replace every last prosecutor who is financially backed by George Soros. Every last George Soros installation must be removed from office These Marxists prosecutors are dangerous to the security and prosperity of their districts and to the country as a whole. As they are installed across the country, they become a force of insurrection and sedition, eating away at the rule of law and subverting the justice system. Senator Cotton warns: Last year, our nation experienced the largest increase in murder in American history and the largest number of drug overdose deaths ever recorded. This carnage continues today and is not distributed equally. Instead, it is concentrated in cities and localities where radical, left-wing, George Soros progressives have captured state and district attorney offices. These legal arsonists condemn our rule of law as systemically racist and have not simply abused prosecutorial discretion, they have embraced prosecutorial nullification. As a result, a contagion of crime has infected virtually every neighborhood under their charge. The George Soros mafia has been targeting inner city district attorneys offices and funneling large amounts of money to ensure that left-wing candidates take over these positions. Once these puppets are installed, they quickly vouch for bail reform. These bail reforms are sold to the public under the guise of combating systemic racism. In truth, these reforms simply allow criminals to walk right back onto the streets, right after they have been arrested for serious crimes. This has led to historic increases in crime throughout these cities in 2020 and 2021. Left-wing District Attorneys are behind the historic rate of murder, property, and drug crimes These left-wing installations allow violent criminals and drug dealers to walk right back onto the streets, where they end up committing more property crimes and threatening more lives. For instance, young hero Kyle Rittenhouse would have never had to defend himself and be traumatized, had these left-wing district attorneys not allowed violent criminals back onto the streets. In the middle of the worst drug crisis in American history, states attorneys like Baltimores Marilyn Mosby refuse to press charges for drug crimes, claiming the drug war is over. In Chicagos Cook County, State attorney Kim Foxx wont prosecute any theft that is under $1,000. In Manhattan, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. openly allows prostitution. Philadelphias District Attorney Larry Krasner is combative toward the police, routinely slashes bond, and lets criminals go free, accelerating crime rates throughout the city. San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin has such disdain for law enforcement, she led the city to suffer through routine downtown shutdowns that allow smash-and-grab looters to take what they want. Los Angeles DA George Gascon openly invites the waves of crime that are plaguing California because he stopped enforcing laws for disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and making criminal threats. In Boston, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins created a do not prosecute list that includes trespassing, destruction of property, and drug trafficking. Consequentially, the number of homicides is rising in these cities specifically. In Cook county Chicago, there were more than 1,000 people murdered in 2021 alone. Los Angeles and Baltimore have seen murder rates skyrocket as well. These left-wing district attorneys tell the public they are for police reforms and de-funding the police. After the police departments are disrespected, de-funded and gutted, criminal operations gain power in the district. This lax policing environment allows drug and sex trafficking rings to dictate law enforcement operations. Drug rings are empowered and more people are left to fear for their lives as their family members suffer under the crushing weight of drug addiction, moral depravity and overdose. Read Tom Cottons statement for yourself to learn more: Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com NaturalNews.com RealClearPolitics.com (Natural News) Left-wing billionaire George Soros is on a mission to use law enforcement to his own advantage and for his own political gain. George Soros uses his vast financial resources to install Marxists into District Attorneys offices around the country. Once these left-wing district attorneys are installed, they begin to target their political opposition, while making a mockery of the rule of law. Most shocking of all, these left-wing district attorneys try to make it easier for felons to get out of jail, allowing them back onto the streets with no bail. Republican Senator Tom Cotton sees this corruption for what it really is, which is why he is calling on the American people to recall, remove and replace every last prosecutor who is financially backed by George Soros. Every last George Soros installation must be removed from office These Marxists prosecutors are dangerous to the security and prosperity of their districts and to the country as a whole. As they are installed across the country, they become a force of insurrection and sedition, eating away at the rule of law and subverting the justice system. Senator Cotton warns: Last year, our nation experienced the largest increase in murder in American history and the largest number of drug overdose deaths ever recorded. This carnage continues today and is not distributed equally. Instead, it is concentrated in cities and localities where radical, left-wing, George Soros progressives have captured state and district attorney offices. These legal arsonists condemn our rule of law as systemically racist and have not simply abused prosecutorial discretion, they have embraced prosecutorial nullification. As a result, a contagion of crime has infected virtually every neighborhood under their charge. The George Soros mafia has been targeting inner city district attorneys offices and funneling large amounts of money to ensure that left-wing candidates take over these positions. Once these puppets are installed, they quickly vouch for bail reform. These bail reforms are sold to the public under the guise of combating systemic racism. In truth, these reforms simply allow criminals to walk right back onto the streets, right after they have been arrested for serious crimes. This has led to historic increases in crime throughout these cities in 2020 and 2021. Left-wing District Attorneys are behind the historic rate of murder, property, and drug crimes These left-wing installations allow violent criminals and drug dealers to walk right back onto the streets, where they end up committing more property crimes and threatening more lives. For instance, young hero Kyle Rittenhouse would have never had to defend himself and be traumatized, had these left-wing district attorneys not allowed violent criminals back onto the streets. In the middle of the worst drug crisis in American history, states attorneys like Baltimores Marilyn Mosby refuse to press charges for drug crimes, claiming the drug war is over. In Chicagos Cook County, State attorney Kim Foxx wont prosecute any theft that is under $1,000. In Manhattan, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. openly allows prostitution. Philadelphias District Attorney Larry Krasner is combative toward the police, routinely slashes bond, and lets criminals go free, accelerating crime rates throughout the city. San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin has such disdain for law enforcement, she led the city to suffer through routine downtown shutdowns that allow smash-and-grab looters to take what they want. Los Angeles DA George Gascon openly invites the waves of crime that are plaguing California because he stopped enforcing laws for disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and making criminal threats. In Boston, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins created a do not prosecute list that includes trespassing, destruction of property, and drug trafficking. Consequentially, the number of homicides is rising in these cities specifically. In Cook county Chicago, there were more than 1,000 people murdered in 2021 alone. Los Angeles and Baltimore have seen murder rates skyrocket as well. These left-wing district attorneys tell the public they are for police reforms and de-funding the police. After the police departments are disrespected, de-funded and gutted, criminal operations gain power in the district. This lax policing environment allows drug and sex trafficking rings to dictate law enforcement operations. Drug rings are empowered and more people are left to fear for their lives as their family members suffer under the crushing weight of drug addiction, moral depravity and overdose. Read Tom Cottons statement for yourself to learn more: Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com NaturalNews.com RealClearPolitics.com (Natural News) Ask anyone who has received the deadly Covid vaccines and they will tell you they are totally pro-science, yet there is NO science behind the jabs to show they stop contraction, transmission or even severe cases of Covid. There is also NO science behind quarantines, lockdowns, masks or isolation, and now comes the admission from the highly corrupt CDC Director herself, Rochelle Walensky. It really had a lot to do with what we thought people would be able to tolerate, Walensky said in a recent MSM fake news interview. In other words, its all about how much they can manipulate and control the populace, and as that withers away, now its time to just save face for the communist Biden Regime. The Dark Winter of Omicron the minor head cold version of Covid that requires vaccine boosters, isolation, vaccine passports, masks and increased illegal immigration Run for your lives, there are germs outside. As if humans have never survived the flu before, we are all supposed to listen to the CDC, who falsely blamed Trump for Covid deaths while he was still in office. Now, Resident Biden admits there is no federal solution to Covid. Oh really. How about an apology to Trump then? Fauci and Walensky have been dead wrong about Omicron, shifting their guidelines faster than a Democrat poll worker can pull a suitcase full of illegal ballots out from under their desk on election night. Quarantine and isolation times have already changed for Omicron, the Covid head cold, cut from 10 days to 5 days. Plus, the CDC just admitted what every non-vaxxed American already knows, that the PCR tests for Covid say youre positive even if you just have the flu or a head cold. Plus, they admitted that testing at the end of quarantine is useless since the antigen tests and the PCR tests are faulty most of the time. Better not let society collapse under the Biden watch, huh? Just torture Americans to the point where they almost cant tolerate it anymore, then let up a little bit, is the plan, according to Walensky, the Covid-terror-plotter. CDC has been dead wrong about nearly everything COVID-19 If America still had any semblance of checks and balances, the CDC would be shut down already, having guessed wrong on just about every piece of advice theyve dished out since the Fauci Flu was released in China. CDC said Trump was racist for banning travel to US from China at the outbreak CDC did not stop cruise boats from coming to US West coast from China at onset CDC claimed lockdowns, masks and social distancing would flatten the curve CDC poorly advised everyone to get faulty PCR tests that grossly inflate pandemic stats CDC claimed the Covid vaccines were safe and effective but they cause blood clots, myocarditis, heart attacks, and neurological disorders while providing short-lived protection (if any) against Covid-19 and its variants CDC claims everyone will need booster shots, but the boosters havent even been tested for safety or efficacy CDC targets the elderly and immuno-compromised with the Fauci clot shots, but those Americans are the most susceptible to dying from the shots that cause severe inflammation and blood clots CDC is pushing for vaccine passports for international and domestic travel of all kinds, including planes, trains, buses and even cars, even from state to state, all for a flu that causes .03 percent deaths (among people already dying from cancer, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, etc.) And so yes, its going to be a dark winter if you listen to the advice of the CDC, the Center for Disease CONTINUATION in America. Watch out for myths and misinformation about the Fauci Flu on mass media. Be sure to bookmark Vaccines.news for updates on experimental vaccines and boosters that can cause blood clots, ADE, and other horrific side effects. Sources for this article include: TheGatewayPundit.com Pandemic.news TruthWiki.org NaturalNews.com From time to time, we believe its helpful to update readers with the names and faces behind the Editorial Board, the people who debate the major issues of the day and determine the direction our editorial commentary will take. The process, which well explain further below, might seem opaque to those on the outside, sometimes prompting critics to envision Joseph Pulitzer spinning in his grave because we have somehow failed to adhere to one phrase or another in the Post-Dispatch founders Platform. Pulitzer offered a list of general principles that have endured the test of time. We strive to uphold them as best we can in a modern world full of challenges and situations Pulitzer could never have foreseen. The Platform has appeared on these opinion pages every day for more than a century. Our goal is not to please everyone but rather to persuade as many people as we can. Pulitzers Platform is a set of guideposts and bedrock principles upon which this newspaper has built its editorial positions since he wrote those words in 1907. We include short historical editorial blurbs at the top of the op-ed page each day as a way of helping readers gauge the consistency of our positions and adherence to Pulitzers principles over time, even as far back as a century ago. The bedrock journalistic principles that Pulitzer supported back in 1907 remain our bedrock principles today. When East St. Louis was burning a century ago, these editorial pages were aflame with the same levels of outrage and demands for racial justice as was our outrage over George Floyds murder by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020. The newspaper stood for womens rights long before universal suffrage became the law of the land. Our predecessors tracked hate crimes, lynchings and Jim Crow legislation over the decades and used these editorial pages to take an unequivocal stand for justice. Plenty of opportunities were overlooked to do better, expose more hypocrisy and insist that injustices be addressed. We still miss a lot of those opportunities, mainly because theres only so much space and so many writers available to get the job done. The mission is further complicated by our adherence to precedent, much as the U.S. Supreme Court abides by precedent in its rulings. We do not change our positions on a whim. When we reverse our opinion on a given issue, we owe it to our readers to announce it boldly and explain why we believe we were wrong before and why an editorial change of course was necessary. We strive to make all such reversals rare. In order to avoid making hasty decisions, usually between four and six members of the Editorial Board meet each weekday morning to discuss the major local, regional, national and international events driving the news. No subject is out of bounds provided the debate that ensues is informed debate. The most persuasive argument is the one that becomes an editorial, regardless of whether our position might rankle liberal or conservative readers. There are times when our morning debates have yielded a decision to kill an editorial idea altogether or to reverse course and write exactly the opposite of what the original idea called for. Thats what those meetings are supposed to be all about. The more diverse the opinions and backgrounds of the board members, the better-informed our editorials will be. Some critics have been absolutely correct in complaining that the board, for years, was a white-male bastion. Although its entirely possible the editorial results wouldve been the same regardless of who did the writing, theres no questioning the benefits weve derived from expanding our sources of input and perspective. We also put a premium on life experience. Wisdom, perspective and mature judgment come from having been around the block a few times. With that in mind, lets start with the newest members who joined the Editorial Board in 2021 and work in reverse chronological order: Janet Y. Jackson, 71, is an adjunct columnist who lives in University City. She is a former federal and state government worker who specialized in helping Social Security annuitants process their papers and get the benefits they were due. She caught our eye after submitting a series of op-eds containing well-written, well-reasoned analyses of offbeat subjects. She regularly surprised us with her out-of-the-mainstream perspective on a variety of local and national issues. She attended Sumner High School and contributes a kind of institutional memory the good and the bad from the civil-rights era all the way to the present. She also is our go-to person on senior and aging issues. Lynn Schmidt, 52, is a conservative/libertarian columnist contributing to the Editorial Board on an adjunct basis from St. Charles County. She has been active on the national political scene helping organize a conservative alternative to the current Republican Party. Because Lynn also is a registered nurse, she provides us an important depth of knowledge on health care issues, particularly when it comes to informing our pandemic-related commentary. In addition to her professional duties and those of a mother, Lynn also is working on a graduate degree in political science. She is a persistent advocate for restoring civility in Americas partisan dialogue and finding ways to bridge the nations growing cultural and political gap. Antonio French, 44, is a former St. Louis alderman and mayoral candidate whose insider knowledge of local politics adds depth to just about everything we write regarding local and state elected officials. Antonio drew national attention for his independent commentary and social-media coverage of the Black Lives Matter protests following Michael Browns killing in 2014. Antonio joined us in 2020 as a full-time staffer but opted in 2021 to become an adjunct columnist and board member because of an increasingly demanding workload in his outside life. And demanding it clearly is: Beyond his work with us, Antonio is a newspaper publisher, restaurant owner, concert-venue developer and real-estate investor. Ian Caso, 50, has been the president and publisher of the Post-Dispatch since February 2020. His ascension to the job was a baptism by fire as the pandemic hit shortly after he assumed his duties, and Ian had to oversee the entire newspapers transition to an unprecedented work-from-home staffing format. That entailed keeping all elements of the paper news coverage, circulation, printing and advertising on track so that readers would recognize no hiccups or disruptions in coverage or service. Ian joined the Post-Dispatch in 2001 as a retail sales manager after four years with the Tribune Company in Chicago. Kevin McDermott, 56, is a columnist and staff editorial writer who spent more than two decades covering state and local politics and general news for the Post-Dispatch. He started as the papers Springfield, Illinois, correspondent in 1995, covering the Illinois Legislature, the early career of then-state Sen. Barack Obama, and the federal criminal convictions of Governors George Ryan and Rod Blagojevich. Kevin has also reported for the Decatur (Ill.) Herald & Review, the Freeport (Ill.) Journal-Standard, the Evansville (Ind.) Courier & Press, and the Charleston (Ill.) Times-Courier. Tod Robberson, 65, has been the editorial page editor since January 2016. He previously served eight years on the editorial board of The Dallas Morning News, where he received a Pulitzer Prize in editorial writing among other national and state awards. Before that, Tod was a foreign correspondent for the Morning News, The Washington Post and Reuters news agency. He has covered North and South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Europe, Afghanistan and Pakistan and has lived in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Cyprus, El Salvador, Mexico, Colombia, Panama and the United Kingdom. Gilbert Bailon, 62, is editor of the Post-Dispatch. Last year, he received the Presidents Award from the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. His career in newspaper management began as executive editor of The Dallas Morning News and as the founding editor/publisher of its Spanish-language newspaper, Al Dia. Gilbert resigned after 21 years at The Dallas Morning News to become editorial page editor of the Post-Dispatch, later becoming editor. He oversees all print and digital news coverage, including the papers award-winning photography of the police shooting in Ferguson and the social unrest that followed. Gilbert received the Benjamin C. Bradlee Editor of the Year Award from the National Press Foundation for the newspapers coverage of the unrest in Ferguson in 2014. He also has worked for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, San Diego Union and Kansas City Star. At least 35 civilians burned alive by Burmese army on Christmas Eve Myanmars ruling military burned alive at least 35 internally displaced people, including elders, women and children, in a village in eastern Kayah State on Christmas Eve, according to human rights groups. The Karenni Human Rights Group said it discovered the victims' bodies on Saturday, the day after the massacre near the Mo So village of Hpruso town. We were so shocked at seeing that all the dead bodies were different sizes, including children, women and old people, a commander from the Karenni National Defense Force, one of the largest of several civilian militias opposing the junta that led to a Feb. 1 coup, told Reuters. I went to see this morning. I saw dead bodies that had been burned, and also the clothes of children and women spread around, a local villager was quoted as saying. The international aid group Save the Children said two of its staffers were missing in that massacre, adding that it was suspending operations in that region in Myanmar, previously known as Burma, NPR reported. The military, also known as Tatmadaw, admitted it shot and killed an unspecified number of terrorists with weapons from the KNDF in the village, adding that the people were in seven vehicles and did not stop for the military, Reuters added. The presence of the Buddhist nationalist military makes civilians and militias in conflict-ridden states nervous. The military has been accused of damaging places of worship and civilians homes, raping girls and women, abducting civilians to be used for forced labor and executing civilians. Myanmars ethnic minorities, including Christians, live in the various conflict zones across the countrys borders with Thailand, China and India. Hundreds of thousands of civilians, many of them Christians, have been displaced due to the escalation of conflicts in the zones since the military coup on Feb. 1. Militias in those areas have been supporting pro-democracy protesters since the coup, which has led to the use of heavy weapons by the Myanmar army. Thousands of civilians in the conflict zones have sought shelter in churches when their villages are under attack. Today the 25th of December, Christmas Day, is an important day of celebration and peace for the world. However, today the genocidal junta made their choice to say clearly that peace is..., tweeted Dr. Sasa, who is Union Minister of the Ministry of International Cooperation, Spokesperson of the National Unity Government of Myanmar and the Myanmar Special Envoy to the United Nations. These acts clearly constitute the worst crimes against humanity and we expect that all peoples and governments the world over should condemn these acts, he said in a statement. With the condemnation, however, should come a commitment that these criminals be brought to justice and held fully accountable for their actions. According to the KHRG, at least 651 houses, six churches and at least one clinic in Kayah state, also known as Karenni, were destroyed between May 21 and Dec. 20, the U.K.-based group Christian Solidarity Worldwide said in a statement. From June to May, at least eight churches were damaged in 30 days in the Kayah and Shan states. According to Radio Free Asia, five civilians sheltering inside the churches were killed. In May, four civilians were reportedly killed and around eight others were injured when security forces fired artillery shells at a Catholic church in the Kayah state. Myanmar is ranked No. 18 on Open Doors USAs 2021 World Watch List of 50 countries where Christians face the most severe persecution. The persecution level in Myanmar is very high due to Buddhist nationalism. Burma is recognized by the U.S. State Department as a country of particular concern for egregious violations of religious liberty. (Natural News) Left-wing billionaire George Soros is on a mission to use law enforcement to his own advantage and for his own political gain. George Soros uses his vast financial resources to install Marxists into District Attorneys offices around the country. Once these left-wing district attorneys are installed, they begin to target their political opposition, while making a mockery of the rule of law. Most shocking of all, these left-wing district attorneys try to make it easier for felons to get out of jail, allowing them back onto the streets with no bail. Republican Senator Tom Cotton sees this corruption for what it really is, which is why he is calling on the American people to recall, remove and replace every last prosecutor who is financially backed by George Soros. Every last George Soros installation must be removed from office These Marxists prosecutors are dangerous to the security and prosperity of their districts and to the country as a whole. As they are installed across the country, they become a force of insurrection and sedition, eating away at the rule of law and subverting the justice system. Senator Cotton warns: Last year, our nation experienced the largest increase in murder in American history and the largest number of drug overdose deaths ever recorded. This carnage continues today and is not distributed equally. Instead, it is concentrated in cities and localities where radical, left-wing, George Soros progressives have captured state and district attorney offices. These legal arsonists condemn our rule of law as systemically racist and have not simply abused prosecutorial discretion, they have embraced prosecutorial nullification. As a result, a contagion of crime has infected virtually every neighborhood under their charge. The George Soros mafia has been targeting inner city district attorneys offices and funneling large amounts of money to ensure that left-wing candidates take over these positions. Once these puppets are installed, they quickly vouch for bail reform. These bail reforms are sold to the public under the guise of combating systemic racism. In truth, these reforms simply allow criminals to walk right back onto the streets, right after they have been arrested for serious crimes. This has led to historic increases in crime throughout these cities in 2020 and 2021. Left-wing District Attorneys are behind the historic rate of murder, property, and drug crimes These left-wing installations allow violent criminals and drug dealers to walk right back onto the streets, where they end up committing more property crimes and threatening more lives. For instance, young hero Kyle Rittenhouse would have never had to defend himself and be traumatized, had these left-wing district attorneys not allowed violent criminals back onto the streets. In the middle of the worst drug crisis in American history, states attorneys like Baltimores Marilyn Mosby refuse to press charges for drug crimes, claiming the drug war is over. In Chicagos Cook County, State attorney Kim Foxx wont prosecute any theft that is under $1,000. In Manhattan, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. openly allows prostitution. Philadelphias District Attorney Larry Krasner is combative toward the police, routinely slashes bond, and lets criminals go free, accelerating crime rates throughout the city. San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin has such disdain for law enforcement, she led the city to suffer through routine downtown shutdowns that allow smash-and-grab looters to take what they want. Los Angeles DA George Gascon openly invites the waves of crime that are plaguing California because he stopped enforcing laws for disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and making criminal threats. In Boston, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins created a do not prosecute list that includes trespassing, destruction of property, and drug trafficking. Consequentially, the number of homicides is rising in these cities specifically. In Cook county Chicago, there were more than 1,000 people murdered in 2021 alone. Los Angeles and Baltimore have seen murder rates skyrocket as well. These left-wing district attorneys tell the public they are for police reforms and de-funding the police. After the police departments are disrespected, de-funded and gutted, criminal operations gain power in the district. This lax policing environment allows drug and sex trafficking rings to dictate law enforcement operations. Drug rings are empowered and more people are left to fear for their lives as their family members suffer under the crushing weight of drug addiction, moral depravity and overdose. Read Tom Cottons statement for yourself to learn more: Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com NaturalNews.com RealClearPolitics.com (Natural News) Left-wing billionaire George Soros is on a mission to use law enforcement to his own advantage and for his own political gain. George Soros uses his vast financial resources to install Marxists into District Attorneys offices around the country. Once these left-wing district attorneys are installed, they begin to target their political opposition, while making a mockery of the rule of law. Most shocking of all, these left-wing district attorneys try to make it easier for felons to get out of jail, allowing them back onto the streets with no bail. Republican Senator Tom Cotton sees this corruption for what it really is, which is why he is calling on the American people to recall, remove and replace every last prosecutor who is financially backed by George Soros. Every last George Soros installation must be removed from office These Marxists prosecutors are dangerous to the security and prosperity of their districts and to the country as a whole. As they are installed across the country, they become a force of insurrection and sedition, eating away at the rule of law and subverting the justice system. Senator Cotton warns: Last year, our nation experienced the largest increase in murder in American history and the largest number of drug overdose deaths ever recorded. This carnage continues today and is not distributed equally. Instead, it is concentrated in cities and localities where radical, left-wing, George Soros progressives have captured state and district attorney offices. These legal arsonists condemn our rule of law as systemically racist and have not simply abused prosecutorial discretion, they have embraced prosecutorial nullification. As a result, a contagion of crime has infected virtually every neighborhood under their charge. The George Soros mafia has been targeting inner city district attorneys offices and funneling large amounts of money to ensure that left-wing candidates take over these positions. Once these puppets are installed, they quickly vouch for bail reform. These bail reforms are sold to the public under the guise of combating systemic racism. In truth, these reforms simply allow criminals to walk right back onto the streets, right after they have been arrested for serious crimes. This has led to historic increases in crime throughout these cities in 2020 and 2021. Left-wing District Attorneys are behind the historic rate of murder, property, and drug crimes These left-wing installations allow violent criminals and drug dealers to walk right back onto the streets, where they end up committing more property crimes and threatening more lives. For instance, young hero Kyle Rittenhouse would have never had to defend himself and be traumatized, had these left-wing district attorneys not allowed violent criminals back onto the streets. In the middle of the worst drug crisis in American history, states attorneys like Baltimores Marilyn Mosby refuse to press charges for drug crimes, claiming the drug war is over. In Chicagos Cook County, State attorney Kim Foxx wont prosecute any theft that is under $1,000. In Manhattan, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. openly allows prostitution. Philadelphias District Attorney Larry Krasner is combative toward the police, routinely slashes bond, and lets criminals go free, accelerating crime rates throughout the city. San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin has such disdain for law enforcement, she led the city to suffer through routine downtown shutdowns that allow smash-and-grab looters to take what they want. Los Angeles DA George Gascon openly invites the waves of crime that are plaguing California because he stopped enforcing laws for disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and making criminal threats. In Boston, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins created a do not prosecute list that includes trespassing, destruction of property, and drug trafficking. Consequentially, the number of homicides is rising in these cities specifically. In Cook county Chicago, there were more than 1,000 people murdered in 2021 alone. Los Angeles and Baltimore have seen murder rates skyrocket as well. These left-wing district attorneys tell the public they are for police reforms and de-funding the police. After the police departments are disrespected, de-funded and gutted, criminal operations gain power in the district. This lax policing environment allows drug and sex trafficking rings to dictate law enforcement operations. Drug rings are empowered and more people are left to fear for their lives as their family members suffer under the crushing weight of drug addiction, moral depravity and overdose. Read Tom Cottons statement for yourself to learn more: Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com NaturalNews.com RealClearPolitics.com (Natural News) Left-wing billionaire George Soros is on a mission to use law enforcement to his own advantage and for his own political gain. George Soros uses his vast financial resources to install Marxists into District Attorneys offices around the country. Once these left-wing district attorneys are installed, they begin to target their political opposition, while making a mockery of the rule of law. Most shocking of all, these left-wing district attorneys try to make it easier for felons to get out of jail, allowing them back onto the streets with no bail. Republican Senator Tom Cotton sees this corruption for what it really is, which is why he is calling on the American people to recall, remove and replace every last prosecutor who is financially backed by George Soros. Every last George Soros installation must be removed from office These Marxists prosecutors are dangerous to the security and prosperity of their districts and to the country as a whole. As they are installed across the country, they become a force of insurrection and sedition, eating away at the rule of law and subverting the justice system. Senator Cotton warns: Last year, our nation experienced the largest increase in murder in American history and the largest number of drug overdose deaths ever recorded. This carnage continues today and is not distributed equally. Instead, it is concentrated in cities and localities where radical, left-wing, George Soros progressives have captured state and district attorney offices. These legal arsonists condemn our rule of law as systemically racist and have not simply abused prosecutorial discretion, they have embraced prosecutorial nullification. As a result, a contagion of crime has infected virtually every neighborhood under their charge. The George Soros mafia has been targeting inner city district attorneys offices and funneling large amounts of money to ensure that left-wing candidates take over these positions. Once these puppets are installed, they quickly vouch for bail reform. These bail reforms are sold to the public under the guise of combating systemic racism. In truth, these reforms simply allow criminals to walk right back onto the streets, right after they have been arrested for serious crimes. This has led to historic increases in crime throughout these cities in 2020 and 2021. Left-wing District Attorneys are behind the historic rate of murder, property, and drug crimes These left-wing installations allow violent criminals and drug dealers to walk right back onto the streets, where they end up committing more property crimes and threatening more lives. For instance, young hero Kyle Rittenhouse would have never had to defend himself and be traumatized, had these left-wing district attorneys not allowed violent criminals back onto the streets. In the middle of the worst drug crisis in American history, states attorneys like Baltimores Marilyn Mosby refuse to press charges for drug crimes, claiming the drug war is over. In Chicagos Cook County, State attorney Kim Foxx wont prosecute any theft that is under $1,000. In Manhattan, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. openly allows prostitution. Philadelphias District Attorney Larry Krasner is combative toward the police, routinely slashes bond, and lets criminals go free, accelerating crime rates throughout the city. San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin has such disdain for law enforcement, she led the city to suffer through routine downtown shutdowns that allow smash-and-grab looters to take what they want. Los Angeles DA George Gascon openly invites the waves of crime that are plaguing California because he stopped enforcing laws for disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and making criminal threats. In Boston, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins created a do not prosecute list that includes trespassing, destruction of property, and drug trafficking. Consequentially, the number of homicides is rising in these cities specifically. In Cook county Chicago, there were more than 1,000 people murdered in 2021 alone. Los Angeles and Baltimore have seen murder rates skyrocket as well. These left-wing district attorneys tell the public they are for police reforms and de-funding the police. After the police departments are disrespected, de-funded and gutted, criminal operations gain power in the district. This lax policing environment allows drug and sex trafficking rings to dictate law enforcement operations. Drug rings are empowered and more people are left to fear for their lives as their family members suffer under the crushing weight of drug addiction, moral depravity and overdose. Read Tom Cottons statement for yourself to learn more: Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com NaturalNews.com RealClearPolitics.com (Natural News) A Project Veritas expose has exposed Rick Saleeby, a former senior producer for CNNs The Lead with Jake Tapper, as being under investigation for suspected pedophilia. According to credible allegations, Saleeby solicited sexually explicit photos of an underage girl. And Project Veritas got ahold of the evidence, prompting Saleeby to resign earlier this month. CNN confirmed Saleebys resignation, and the investigation has now garnered international attention. The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) in Virginia confirmed that a criminal investigation has been launched into serious allegations involving potential juvenile victims. Detective assigned to the Child Exploitation Squad of the Major Crimes Bureau are leading this investigation, Fox News further reported. While we will eventually be transparent about our findings, safeguarding the personal privacy and safety of victims and witnesses as well as maintaining the integrity of our criminal investigation are of paramount importance, reads a statement from a Fairfax County Police spokesman. It was further confirmed by the FCPD that it has been in contact with Project Veritas about Saleebys victims. Numerous items from the subjects Virginia home were also seized as part of the investigation. Saleeby fantasized about molesting his fiances daughter, texts show Among the evidence obtained by Project Veritas were text messages involving sexually explicit images of an underage girl, as well as a conversation Saleeby apparently had about wanting to molest the young daughter of his fiance. In one of the text exchanges, Saleeby told the source how his fiances daughter was wearing very closely cut bottoms at the pool before graphically describing how he could see the outline of her genitals. Janine Banani, who was involved in a relationship with Saleeby for more than a decade, told Project Veritas that Saleeby solicited photos of their own daughter as well. after Im done having my mouth on her, Im going to walk up and put my crotch very close to her face, Saleeby said in one audio recording that Banani provided. In another recording, Saleeby engaged in even more explicit speech about what he wanted his own daughter to do to himself. slowly unzip my zipper and just guide her head a little closer and Im just going to have her kiss the head and Im going to put her hand on it so she can feel what the hard flesh feels like. Keep in mind that Saleeby is not the first but the second CNN producer in less than a month to be under criminal investigation for this type of perversion against minors. The other is former CNN producer John Griffin, who was arrested and indicted for abusing underage girls. Griffin produced a show for CNN senior political analyst John Avlon, who was arrested by the FBI and charged by a federal grand jury in Vermont. Tapper, as you may recall, threatened Donald Trumps staffers last November to either concede his election loss to Joe Biden or get blacklisted. Tapper apparently thought he held some kind of sway over the future of their political careers. Now, he is likely singing a much different tune based on these latest developments. We are coming for all you media talking heads, wrote one commenter at Natural News. There will be justice. To be blacklisted by sacks of s*** like Biden, Harris, Tapper, and the rest of the lefties would be a badge of honor, wrote another. Jake, nothing brings a people together like shared suffering and persecution, and, Jake, I doubt you realize this, but living as an unprincipled coward is far worse than anything you can throw at us. More news about the likes of CNN and its employees can be found at Corruption.news. Sources for this article include: ThePostMillennial.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) A Project Veritas expose has exposed Rick Saleeby, a former senior producer for CNNs The Lead with Jake Tapper, as being under investigation for suspected pedophilia. According to credible allegations, Saleeby solicited sexually explicit photos of an underage girl. And Project Veritas got ahold of the evidence, prompting Saleeby to resign earlier this month. CNN confirmed Saleebys resignation, and the investigation has now garnered international attention. The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) in Virginia confirmed that a criminal investigation has been launched into serious allegations involving potential juvenile victims. Detective assigned to the Child Exploitation Squad of the Major Crimes Bureau are leading this investigation, Fox News further reported. While we will eventually be transparent about our findings, safeguarding the personal privacy and safety of victims and witnesses as well as maintaining the integrity of our criminal investigation are of paramount importance, reads a statement from a Fairfax County Police spokesman. It was further confirmed by the FCPD that it has been in contact with Project Veritas about Saleebys victims. Numerous items from the subjects Virginia home were also seized as part of the investigation. Saleeby fantasized about molesting his fiances daughter, texts show Among the evidence obtained by Project Veritas were text messages involving sexually explicit images of an underage girl, as well as a conversation Saleeby apparently had about wanting to molest the young daughter of his fiance. In one of the text exchanges, Saleeby told the source how his fiances daughter was wearing very closely cut bottoms at the pool before graphically describing how he could see the outline of her genitals. Janine Banani, who was involved in a relationship with Saleeby for more than a decade, told Project Veritas that Saleeby solicited photos of their own daughter as well. after Im done having my mouth on her, Im going to walk up and put my crotch very close to her face, Saleeby said in one audio recording that Banani provided. In another recording, Saleeby engaged in even more explicit speech about what he wanted his own daughter to do to himself. slowly unzip my zipper and just guide her head a little closer and Im just going to have her kiss the head and Im going to put her hand on it so she can feel what the hard flesh feels like. Keep in mind that Saleeby is not the first but the second CNN producer in less than a month to be under criminal investigation for this type of perversion against minors. The other is former CNN producer John Griffin, who was arrested and indicted for abusing underage girls. Griffin produced a show for CNN senior political analyst John Avlon, who was arrested by the FBI and charged by a federal grand jury in Vermont. Tapper, as you may recall, threatened Donald Trumps staffers last November to either concede his election loss to Joe Biden or get blacklisted. Tapper apparently thought he held some kind of sway over the future of their political careers. Now, he is likely singing a much different tune based on these latest developments. We are coming for all you media talking heads, wrote one commenter at Natural News. There will be justice. To be blacklisted by sacks of s*** like Biden, Harris, Tapper, and the rest of the lefties would be a badge of honor, wrote another. Jake, nothing brings a people together like shared suffering and persecution, and, Jake, I doubt you realize this, but living as an unprincipled coward is far worse than anything you can throw at us. More news about the likes of CNN and its employees can be found at Corruption.news. Sources for this article include: ThePostMillennial.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) A Project Veritas expose has exposed Rick Saleeby, a former senior producer for CNNs The Lead with Jake Tapper, as being under investigation for suspected pedophilia. According to credible allegations, Saleeby solicited sexually explicit photos of an underage girl. And Project Veritas got ahold of the evidence, prompting Saleeby to resign earlier this month. CNN confirmed Saleebys resignation, and the investigation has now garnered international attention. The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) in Virginia confirmed that a criminal investigation has been launched into serious allegations involving potential juvenile victims. Detective assigned to the Child Exploitation Squad of the Major Crimes Bureau are leading this investigation, Fox News further reported. While we will eventually be transparent about our findings, safeguarding the personal privacy and safety of victims and witnesses as well as maintaining the integrity of our criminal investigation are of paramount importance, reads a statement from a Fairfax County Police spokesman. It was further confirmed by the FCPD that it has been in contact with Project Veritas about Saleebys victims. Numerous items from the subjects Virginia home were also seized as part of the investigation. Saleeby fantasized about molesting his fiances daughter, texts show Among the evidence obtained by Project Veritas were text messages involving sexually explicit images of an underage girl, as well as a conversation Saleeby apparently had about wanting to molest the young daughter of his fiance. In one of the text exchanges, Saleeby told the source how his fiances daughter was wearing very closely cut bottoms at the pool before graphically describing how he could see the outline of her genitals. Janine Banani, who was involved in a relationship with Saleeby for more than a decade, told Project Veritas that Saleeby solicited photos of their own daughter as well. after Im done having my mouth on her, Im going to walk up and put my crotch very close to her face, Saleeby said in one audio recording that Banani provided. In another recording, Saleeby engaged in even more explicit speech about what he wanted his own daughter to do to himself. slowly unzip my zipper and just guide her head a little closer and Im just going to have her kiss the head and Im going to put her hand on it so she can feel what the hard flesh feels like. Keep in mind that Saleeby is not the first but the second CNN producer in less than a month to be under criminal investigation for this type of perversion against minors. The other is former CNN producer John Griffin, who was arrested and indicted for abusing underage girls. Griffin produced a show for CNN senior political analyst John Avlon, who was arrested by the FBI and charged by a federal grand jury in Vermont. Tapper, as you may recall, threatened Donald Trumps staffers last November to either concede his election loss to Joe Biden or get blacklisted. Tapper apparently thought he held some kind of sway over the future of their political careers. Now, he is likely singing a much different tune based on these latest developments. We are coming for all you media talking heads, wrote one commenter at Natural News. There will be justice. To be blacklisted by sacks of s*** like Biden, Harris, Tapper, and the rest of the lefties would be a badge of honor, wrote another. Jake, nothing brings a people together like shared suffering and persecution, and, Jake, I doubt you realize this, but living as an unprincipled coward is far worse than anything you can throw at us. More news about the likes of CNN and its employees can be found at Corruption.news. Sources for this article include: ThePostMillennial.com NaturalNews.com Meta, nee Facebook, had a rough year in 2021, in public opinion if not financially. Revelations from whistleblower Frances Haugen, first detailed in a Wall Street Journal investigative series and then presented in congressional testimony, show that the company was aware of the harm it was causing. Growing concerns about misinformation, emotional manipulation and psychological harm came to a head this year when Haugen released internal company documents showing that the companys own research confirmed the societal and individual harm its Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp platforms cause. The Conversation gathered four articles from our archives that delve into research that explains Metas problematic behavior. This story is a roundup of articles from The Conversations archives. 1. Addicted to engagement At the root of Metas harmfulness is its set of algorithms, the rules the company uses to choose what content you see. The algorithms are designed to boost the companys profits, but they also allow misinformation to thrive. The algorithms work by increasing engagement in other words, by provoking a response from the companys users. Indiana Universitys Filippo Menczer, who studies the spread of information and misinformation in social networks, explains that engagement plays into peoples tendency to favor posts that seem popular. When social media tells people an item is going viral, their cognitive biases kick in and translate into the irresistible urge to pay attention to it and share it, he wrote. One result is that low-quality information that gets an initial boost can garner more attention than it otherwise deserves. Worse, this dynamic can be gamed by people aiming to spread misinformation. People aiming to manipulate the information market have created fake accounts, like trolls and social bots, and organized fake networks, Menczer wrote. They have flooded the network to create the appearance that a conspiracy theory or a political candidate is popular, tricking both platform algorithms and peoples cognitive biases at once. 2. Kneecapping teen girls self-esteem Some of the most disturbing revelations concern the harm Metas Instagram social media platform causes adolescents, particularly teen girls. University of Kentucky psychologist Christia Spears Brown explains that Instagram can lead teens to objectify themselves by focusing on how their bodies appear to others. It also can lead them to make unrealistic comparisons of themselves with celebrities and filtered and retouched images of their peers. Even when teens know the comparisons are unrealistic, they end up feeling worse about themselves. Even in studies in which participants knew the photos they were shown on Instagram were retouched and reshaped, adolescent girls still felt worse about their bodies after viewing them, she wrote. The problem is widespread because Instagram is where teens tend to hang out online. Teens are more likely to log on to Instagram than any other social media site. It is a ubiquitous part of adolescent life, Brown writes. Yet studies consistently show that the more often teens use Instagram, the worse their overall well-being, self-esteem, life satisfaction, mood and body image. 3. Fudging the numbers on harm Meta has, not surprisingly, pushed back against claims of harm despite the revelations in the leaked internal documents. The company has provided research that shows that its platforms do not cause harm in the way many researchers describe, and claims that the overall picture from all research on harm is unclear. University of Washington computational social scientist Joseph Bak-Coleman explains that Metas research can be both accurate and misleading. The explanation lies in averages. Metas studies look at effects on the average user. Given that Metas social media platforms have billions of users, harm to many thousands of people can be lost when all of the users experiences are averaged together. The inability of this type of research to capture the smaller but still significant numbers of people at risk the tail of the distribution is made worse by the need to measure a range of human experiences in discrete increments, he wrote. 4. Hiding the numbers on misinformation Just as evidence of emotional and psychological harm can be lost in averages, evidence of the spread of misinformation can be lost without the context of another type of math: fractions. Despite substantial efforts to track misinformation on social media, its impossible to know the scope of the problem without knowing the number of overall posts social media users see each day. And thats information Meta doesnt make available to researchers. The overall number of posts is the denominator to the misinformation numerator in the fraction that tells you how bad the misinformation problem is, explains UMass Amhersts Ethan Zuckerman, who studies social and civic media. The denominator problem is compounded by the distribution problem, which is the need to figure out where misinformation is concentrated. Simply counting instances of misinformation found on a social media platform leaves two key questions unanswered: How likely are users to encounter misinformation, and are certain users especially likely to be affected by misinformation? he wrote. This lack of information isnt unique to Meta. No social media platform makes it possible for researchers to accurately calculate how prominent a particular piece of content is across its platform, Zuckerman wrote. Over 140,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletters to understand the world. Sign up today. ___ Meta, nee Facebook, had a rough year in 2021, in public opinion if not financially. Revelations from whistleblower Frances Haugen, first detailed in a Wall Street Journal investigative series and then presented in congressional testimony, show that the company was aware of the harm it was causing. Growing concerns about misinformation, emotional manipulation and psychological harm came to a head this year when Haugen released internal company documents showing that the companys own research confirmed the societal and individual harm its Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp platforms cause. The Conversation gathered four articles from our archives that delve into research that explains Metas problematic behavior. This story is a roundup of articles from The Conversations archives. 1. Addicted to engagement At the root of Metas harmfulness is its set of algorithms, the rules the company uses to choose what content you see. The algorithms are designed to boost the companys profits, but they also allow misinformation to thrive. The algorithms work by increasing engagement in other words, by provoking a response from the companys users. Indiana Universitys Filippo Menczer, who studies the spread of information and misinformation in social networks, explains that engagement plays into peoples tendency to favor posts that seem popular. When social media tells people an item is going viral, their cognitive biases kick in and translate into the irresistible urge to pay attention to it and share it, he wrote. One result is that low-quality information that gets an initial boost can garner more attention than it otherwise deserves. Worse, this dynamic can be gamed by people aiming to spread misinformation. People aiming to manipulate the information market have created fake accounts, like trolls and social bots, and organized fake networks, Menczer wrote. They have flooded the network to create the appearance that a conspiracy theory or a political candidate is popular, tricking both platform algorithms and peoples cognitive biases at once. 2. Kneecapping teen girls self-esteem Some of the most disturbing revelations concern the harm Metas Instagram social media platform causes adolescents, particularly teen girls. University of Kentucky psychologist Christia Spears Brown explains that Instagram can lead teens to objectify themselves by focusing on how their bodies appear to others. It also can lead them to make unrealistic comparisons of themselves with celebrities and filtered and retouched images of their peers. Even when teens know the comparisons are unrealistic, they end up feeling worse about themselves. Even in studies in which participants knew the photos they were shown on Instagram were retouched and reshaped, adolescent girls still felt worse about their bodies after viewing them, she wrote. The problem is widespread because Instagram is where teens tend to hang out online. Teens are more likely to log on to Instagram than any other social media site. It is a ubiquitous part of adolescent life, Brown writes. Yet studies consistently show that the more often teens use Instagram, the worse their overall well-being, self-esteem, life satisfaction, mood and body image. 3. Fudging the numbers on harm Meta has, not surprisingly, pushed back against claims of harm despite the revelations in the leaked internal documents. The company has provided research that shows that its platforms do not cause harm in the way many researchers describe, and claims that the overall picture from all research on harm is unclear. University of Washington computational social scientist Joseph Bak-Coleman explains that Metas research can be both accurate and misleading. The explanation lies in averages. Metas studies look at effects on the average user. Given that Metas social media platforms have billions of users, harm to many thousands of people can be lost when all of the users experiences are averaged together. The inability of this type of research to capture the smaller but still significant numbers of people at risk the tail of the distribution is made worse by the need to measure a range of human experiences in discrete increments, he wrote. 4. Hiding the numbers on misinformation Just as evidence of emotional and psychological harm can be lost in averages, evidence of the spread of misinformation can be lost without the context of another type of math: fractions. Despite substantial efforts to track misinformation on social media, its impossible to know the scope of the problem without knowing the number of overall posts social media users see each day. And thats information Meta doesnt make available to researchers. The overall number of posts is the denominator to the misinformation numerator in the fraction that tells you how bad the misinformation problem is, explains UMass Amhersts Ethan Zuckerman, who studies social and civic media. The denominator problem is compounded by the distribution problem, which is the need to figure out where misinformation is concentrated. Simply counting instances of misinformation found on a social media platform leaves two key questions unanswered: How likely are users to encounter misinformation, and are certain users especially likely to be affected by misinformation? he wrote. This lack of information isnt unique to Meta. No social media platform makes it possible for researchers to accurately calculate how prominent a particular piece of content is across its platform, Zuckerman wrote. Over 140,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletters to understand the world. Sign up today. ___ Meta, nee Facebook, had a rough year in 2021, in public opinion if not financially. Revelations from whistleblower Frances Haugen, first detailed in a Wall Street Journal investigative series and then presented in congressional testimony, show that the company was aware of the harm it was causing. Growing concerns about misinformation, emotional manipulation and psychological harm came to a head this year when Haugen released internal company documents showing that the companys own research confirmed the societal and individual harm its Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp platforms cause. The Conversation gathered four articles from our archives that delve into research that explains Metas problematic behavior. This story is a roundup of articles from The Conversations archives. 1. Addicted to engagement At the root of Metas harmfulness is its set of algorithms, the rules the company uses to choose what content you see. The algorithms are designed to boost the companys profits, but they also allow misinformation to thrive. The algorithms work by increasing engagement in other words, by provoking a response from the companys users. Indiana Universitys Filippo Menczer, who studies the spread of information and misinformation in social networks, explains that engagement plays into peoples tendency to favor posts that seem popular. When social media tells people an item is going viral, their cognitive biases kick in and translate into the irresistible urge to pay attention to it and share it, he wrote. One result is that low-quality information that gets an initial boost can garner more attention than it otherwise deserves. Worse, this dynamic can be gamed by people aiming to spread misinformation. People aiming to manipulate the information market have created fake accounts, like trolls and social bots, and organized fake networks, Menczer wrote. They have flooded the network to create the appearance that a conspiracy theory or a political candidate is popular, tricking both platform algorithms and peoples cognitive biases at once. 2. Kneecapping teen girls self-esteem Some of the most disturbing revelations concern the harm Metas Instagram social media platform causes adolescents, particularly teen girls. University of Kentucky psychologist Christia Spears Brown explains that Instagram can lead teens to objectify themselves by focusing on how their bodies appear to others. It also can lead them to make unrealistic comparisons of themselves with celebrities and filtered and retouched images of their peers. Even when teens know the comparisons are unrealistic, they end up feeling worse about themselves. Even in studies in which participants knew the photos they were shown on Instagram were retouched and reshaped, adolescent girls still felt worse about their bodies after viewing them, she wrote. The problem is widespread because Instagram is where teens tend to hang out online. Teens are more likely to log on to Instagram than any other social media site. It is a ubiquitous part of adolescent life, Brown writes. Yet studies consistently show that the more often teens use Instagram, the worse their overall well-being, self-esteem, life satisfaction, mood and body image. 3. Fudging the numbers on harm Meta has, not surprisingly, pushed back against claims of harm despite the revelations in the leaked internal documents. The company has provided research that shows that its platforms do not cause harm in the way many researchers describe, and claims that the overall picture from all research on harm is unclear. University of Washington computational social scientist Joseph Bak-Coleman explains that Metas research can be both accurate and misleading. The explanation lies in averages. Metas studies look at effects on the average user. Given that Metas social media platforms have billions of users, harm to many thousands of people can be lost when all of the users experiences are averaged together. The inability of this type of research to capture the smaller but still significant numbers of people at risk the tail of the distribution is made worse by the need to measure a range of human experiences in discrete increments, he wrote. 4. Hiding the numbers on misinformation Just as evidence of emotional and psychological harm can be lost in averages, evidence of the spread of misinformation can be lost without the context of another type of math: fractions. Despite substantial efforts to track misinformation on social media, its impossible to know the scope of the problem without knowing the number of overall posts social media users see each day. And thats information Meta doesnt make available to researchers. The overall number of posts is the denominator to the misinformation numerator in the fraction that tells you how bad the misinformation problem is, explains UMass Amhersts Ethan Zuckerman, who studies social and civic media. The denominator problem is compounded by the distribution problem, which is the need to figure out where misinformation is concentrated. Simply counting instances of misinformation found on a social media platform leaves two key questions unanswered: How likely are users to encounter misinformation, and are certain users especially likely to be affected by misinformation? he wrote. This lack of information isnt unique to Meta. No social media platform makes it possible for researchers to accurately calculate how prominent a particular piece of content is across its platform, Zuckerman wrote. Over 140,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletters to understand the world. Sign up today. ___ Meta, nee Facebook, had a rough year in 2021, in public opinion if not financially. Revelations from whistleblower Frances Haugen, first detailed in a Wall Street Journal investigative series and then presented in congressional testimony, show that the company was aware of the harm it was causing. Growing concerns about misinformation, emotional manipulation and psychological harm came to a head this year when Haugen released internal company documents showing that the companys own research confirmed the societal and individual harm its Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp platforms cause. The Conversation gathered four articles from our archives that delve into research that explains Metas problematic behavior. This story is a roundup of articles from The Conversations archives. 1. Addicted to engagement At the root of Metas harmfulness is its set of algorithms, the rules the company uses to choose what content you see. The algorithms are designed to boost the companys profits, but they also allow misinformation to thrive. The algorithms work by increasing engagement in other words, by provoking a response from the companys users. Indiana Universitys Filippo Menczer, who studies the spread of information and misinformation in social networks, explains that engagement plays into peoples tendency to favor posts that seem popular. When social media tells people an item is going viral, their cognitive biases kick in and translate into the irresistible urge to pay attention to it and share it, he wrote. One result is that low-quality information that gets an initial boost can garner more attention than it otherwise deserves. Worse, this dynamic can be gamed by people aiming to spread misinformation. People aiming to manipulate the information market have created fake accounts, like trolls and social bots, and organized fake networks, Menczer wrote. They have flooded the network to create the appearance that a conspiracy theory or a political candidate is popular, tricking both platform algorithms and peoples cognitive biases at once. 2. Kneecapping teen girls self-esteem Some of the most disturbing revelations concern the harm Metas Instagram social media platform causes adolescents, particularly teen girls. University of Kentucky psychologist Christia Spears Brown explains that Instagram can lead teens to objectify themselves by focusing on how their bodies appear to others. It also can lead them to make unrealistic comparisons of themselves with celebrities and filtered and retouched images of their peers. Even when teens know the comparisons are unrealistic, they end up feeling worse about themselves. Even in studies in which participants knew the photos they were shown on Instagram were retouched and reshaped, adolescent girls still felt worse about their bodies after viewing them, she wrote. The problem is widespread because Instagram is where teens tend to hang out online. Teens are more likely to log on to Instagram than any other social media site. It is a ubiquitous part of adolescent life, Brown writes. Yet studies consistently show that the more often teens use Instagram, the worse their overall well-being, self-esteem, life satisfaction, mood and body image. 3. Fudging the numbers on harm Meta has, not surprisingly, pushed back against claims of harm despite the revelations in the leaked internal documents. The company has provided research that shows that its platforms do not cause harm in the way many researchers describe, and claims that the overall picture from all research on harm is unclear. University of Washington computational social scientist Joseph Bak-Coleman explains that Metas research can be both accurate and misleading. The explanation lies in averages. Metas studies look at effects on the average user. Given that Metas social media platforms have billions of users, harm to many thousands of people can be lost when all of the users experiences are averaged together. The inability of this type of research to capture the smaller but still significant numbers of people at risk the tail of the distribution is made worse by the need to measure a range of human experiences in discrete increments, he wrote. 4. Hiding the numbers on misinformation Just as evidence of emotional and psychological harm can be lost in averages, evidence of the spread of misinformation can be lost without the context of another type of math: fractions. Despite substantial efforts to track misinformation on social media, its impossible to know the scope of the problem without knowing the number of overall posts social media users see each day. And thats information Meta doesnt make available to researchers. The overall number of posts is the denominator to the misinformation numerator in the fraction that tells you how bad the misinformation problem is, explains UMass Amhersts Ethan Zuckerman, who studies social and civic media. The denominator problem is compounded by the distribution problem, which is the need to figure out where misinformation is concentrated. Simply counting instances of misinformation found on a social media platform leaves two key questions unanswered: How likely are users to encounter misinformation, and are certain users especially likely to be affected by misinformation? he wrote. This lack of information isnt unique to Meta. No social media platform makes it possible for researchers to accurately calculate how prominent a particular piece of content is across its platform, Zuckerman wrote. Over 140,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletters to understand the world. Sign up today. ___ Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. (Natural News) Left-wing billionaire George Soros is on a mission to use law enforcement to his own advantage and for his own political gain. George Soros uses his vast financial resources to install Marxists into District Attorneys offices around the country. Once these left-wing district attorneys are installed, they begin to target their political opposition, while making a mockery of the rule of law. Most shocking of all, these left-wing district attorneys try to make it easier for felons to get out of jail, allowing them back onto the streets with no bail. Republican Senator Tom Cotton sees this corruption for what it really is, which is why he is calling on the American people to recall, remove and replace every last prosecutor who is financially backed by George Soros. Every last George Soros installation must be removed from office These Marxists prosecutors are dangerous to the security and prosperity of their districts and to the country as a whole. As they are installed across the country, they become a force of insurrection and sedition, eating away at the rule of law and subverting the justice system. Senator Cotton warns: Last year, our nation experienced the largest increase in murder in American history and the largest number of drug overdose deaths ever recorded. This carnage continues today and is not distributed equally. Instead, it is concentrated in cities and localities where radical, left-wing, George Soros progressives have captured state and district attorney offices. These legal arsonists condemn our rule of law as systemically racist and have not simply abused prosecutorial discretion, they have embraced prosecutorial nullification. As a result, a contagion of crime has infected virtually every neighborhood under their charge. The George Soros mafia has been targeting inner city district attorneys offices and funneling large amounts of money to ensure that left-wing candidates take over these positions. Once these puppets are installed, they quickly vouch for bail reform. These bail reforms are sold to the public under the guise of combating systemic racism. In truth, these reforms simply allow criminals to walk right back onto the streets, right after they have been arrested for serious crimes. This has led to historic increases in crime throughout these cities in 2020 and 2021. Left-wing District Attorneys are behind the historic rate of murder, property, and drug crimes These left-wing installations allow violent criminals and drug dealers to walk right back onto the streets, where they end up committing more property crimes and threatening more lives. For instance, young hero Kyle Rittenhouse would have never had to defend himself and be traumatized, had these left-wing district attorneys not allowed violent criminals back onto the streets. In the middle of the worst drug crisis in American history, states attorneys like Baltimores Marilyn Mosby refuse to press charges for drug crimes, claiming the drug war is over. In Chicagos Cook County, State attorney Kim Foxx wont prosecute any theft that is under $1,000. In Manhattan, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. openly allows prostitution. Philadelphias District Attorney Larry Krasner is combative toward the police, routinely slashes bond, and lets criminals go free, accelerating crime rates throughout the city. San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin has such disdain for law enforcement, she led the city to suffer through routine downtown shutdowns that allow smash-and-grab looters to take what they want. Los Angeles DA George Gascon openly invites the waves of crime that are plaguing California because he stopped enforcing laws for disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and making criminal threats. In Boston, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins created a do not prosecute list that includes trespassing, destruction of property, and drug trafficking. Consequentially, the number of homicides is rising in these cities specifically. In Cook county Chicago, there were more than 1,000 people murdered in 2021 alone. Los Angeles and Baltimore have seen murder rates skyrocket as well. These left-wing district attorneys tell the public they are for police reforms and de-funding the police. After the police departments are disrespected, de-funded and gutted, criminal operations gain power in the district. This lax policing environment allows drug and sex trafficking rings to dictate law enforcement operations. Drug rings are empowered and more people are left to fear for their lives as their family members suffer under the crushing weight of drug addiction, moral depravity and overdose. Read Tom Cottons statement for yourself to learn more: Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com NaturalNews.com RealClearPolitics.com How can you tell when a society is deeply in trouble? I would argue that one sign is if you watch a wacky satirical movie about a culture so ignorant and inward-looking that it cant protect itself from a massive, plainly visible threat, and you wonder if this could actually happen today. And then you realize that it already has. That was the unsettling feeling I got after I finished laughing through the movie Dont Look Up, a new offering from Netflix. Its an entertaining, star-packed indictment of a society that has largely stopped listening to its scientists and is enthralled instead by moronic mass-media and pop-culture figures, predatory capitalists and, most of all, cynical politicians. Does any of this sound familiar? The movies premise is a well-worn science-fiction trope: Astronomers discover that a mountain-sized comet is on a collision course with Earth and will doom humanity if it isnt stopped. It has happened before (so long, dinosaurs) and it could happen again; NASA actually has an office dedicated to scanning our cosmic neighborhood for any incoming objects that might threaten Earth. And what would we do if they found one? According to standard Hollywood fare, we would send Bruce Willis up there with an atomic bomb to knock it off course. Dont Look Up borrows that plotline for awhile, until the endeavor is derailed by a creepy gazillionaire Mark Zuckerberg-type who convinces President Meryl Streep (an amalgam of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, and, yes, that is every bit as disturbing as it sounds) that maybe aggressively confronting an existential threat to humanity isnt really the best plan for the economy. Again: Does this sound familiar? The film is an appropriately unsubtle allegory about the boneheaded non-response by much of this country (and one of its major political parties) to the existential threat of global warming. But as I watched the movie recently with my windows open to enjoy the balmy late-December air here in the Midwest, it struck me how applicable the satire is to a certain other current threat not quite existential, but fatal to more than 800,000 Americans (so far) in which much of society is aggressively ignoring the scientists. I dont know how accurate the movies science is, but boy does it nail the absurdities of American politics and pop culture today. After astronomers Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence discover the approaching comet, they struggle to get political leaders and the public to take it seriously. The president and her staff are more concerned about the approaching midterms never mind that science is telling them the midterms arent going to happen unless somebody does something about the comet. When the astronomers take to a morning talk show to try and alert the public, they get back-burnered to a vacuous popstar and an on-air marriage proposal, and then mired in chatty banter from the co-hosts, who chafe at all this downer talk of Armageddon. The point that todays mass media penalizes intelligence and rewards vapidity seems to be lost on some critics who have lambasted the film, perhaps not getting the joke, or just not wanting to. Wrote one: Yelling Look at all the dumb-dumbs cannot be the basis for successful satire. Unless that shoe perfectly fits. Even when the threat finally becomes undeniable because the approaching comet can be plainly seen in the sky much of the country continues to deny it. A populist movement touting the phrase Dont look up emerges around President Streep, complete with campaign hats emblazoned with downward-pointing arrows (yes, red ones) signifying the direction in which youre supposed to keep looking. They want you to look up because they are looking down their noses at you! Streep tells a cheering crowd, nonsensically but its no more nonsensical than the anti-intellectual grievance politics that dominates so much of red-state America today. The cast is rounded out by First Son Jonah Hill, whose shadowed jaw and vacant head is an unmistakable homage to one of the adult Trump sons. (Take your pick.) Without ruining the movie for anyone, I have to say that the image of that character abandoned and babbling on a doomed planet sort of qualifies as a happy ending. Inspired by the film, here is my idea for another wacky satire: America is being threatened by a once-in-a-century deadly virus. Its effects are obvious in overwhelmed hospitals and morgues. And yet almost half the country decides its a cultural/political issue rather than a medical one. Conservatives make it a badge of honor to refuse vaccination. Red-state leaders pass laws to prevent businesses from protecting their employees and customers. Some even reward anti-vaccination holdouts by giving them extra unemployment benefits. Parents disrupt school board meetings to ensure their children are allowed to breathe in the virus unimpeded by masks. I know: Too much. Even Hollywood wouldnt buy that story. (Natural News) Left-wing billionaire George Soros is on a mission to use law enforcement to his own advantage and for his own political gain. George Soros uses his vast financial resources to install Marxists into District Attorneys offices around the country. Once these left-wing district attorneys are installed, they begin to target their political opposition, while making a mockery of the rule of law. Most shocking of all, these left-wing district attorneys try to make it easier for felons to get out of jail, allowing them back onto the streets with no bail. Republican Senator Tom Cotton sees this corruption for what it really is, which is why he is calling on the American people to recall, remove and replace every last prosecutor who is financially backed by George Soros. Every last George Soros installation must be removed from office These Marxists prosecutors are dangerous to the security and prosperity of their districts and to the country as a whole. As they are installed across the country, they become a force of insurrection and sedition, eating away at the rule of law and subverting the justice system. Senator Cotton warns: Last year, our nation experienced the largest increase in murder in American history and the largest number of drug overdose deaths ever recorded. This carnage continues today and is not distributed equally. Instead, it is concentrated in cities and localities where radical, left-wing, George Soros progressives have captured state and district attorney offices. These legal arsonists condemn our rule of law as systemically racist and have not simply abused prosecutorial discretion, they have embraced prosecutorial nullification. As a result, a contagion of crime has infected virtually every neighborhood under their charge. The George Soros mafia has been targeting inner city district attorneys offices and funneling large amounts of money to ensure that left-wing candidates take over these positions. Once these puppets are installed, they quickly vouch for bail reform. These bail reforms are sold to the public under the guise of combating systemic racism. In truth, these reforms simply allow criminals to walk right back onto the streets, right after they have been arrested for serious crimes. This has led to historic increases in crime throughout these cities in 2020 and 2021. Left-wing District Attorneys are behind the historic rate of murder, property, and drug crimes These left-wing installations allow violent criminals and drug dealers to walk right back onto the streets, where they end up committing more property crimes and threatening more lives. For instance, young hero Kyle Rittenhouse would have never had to defend himself and be traumatized, had these left-wing district attorneys not allowed violent criminals back onto the streets. In the middle of the worst drug crisis in American history, states attorneys like Baltimores Marilyn Mosby refuse to press charges for drug crimes, claiming the drug war is over. In Chicagos Cook County, State attorney Kim Foxx wont prosecute any theft that is under $1,000. In Manhattan, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. openly allows prostitution. Philadelphias District Attorney Larry Krasner is combative toward the police, routinely slashes bond, and lets criminals go free, accelerating crime rates throughout the city. San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin has such disdain for law enforcement, she led the city to suffer through routine downtown shutdowns that allow smash-and-grab looters to take what they want. Los Angeles DA George Gascon openly invites the waves of crime that are plaguing California because he stopped enforcing laws for disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and making criminal threats. In Boston, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins created a do not prosecute list that includes trespassing, destruction of property, and drug trafficking. Consequentially, the number of homicides is rising in these cities specifically. In Cook county Chicago, there were more than 1,000 people murdered in 2021 alone. Los Angeles and Baltimore have seen murder rates skyrocket as well. These left-wing district attorneys tell the public they are for police reforms and de-funding the police. After the police departments are disrespected, de-funded and gutted, criminal operations gain power in the district. This lax policing environment allows drug and sex trafficking rings to dictate law enforcement operations. Drug rings are empowered and more people are left to fear for their lives as their family members suffer under the crushing weight of drug addiction, moral depravity and overdose. Read Tom Cottons statement for yourself to learn more: Sources include: 100PercentFedUp.com NaturalNews.com RealClearPolitics.com Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION DIRECTLY, OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 31, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Immutable Holdings Inc. (NEO:HOLD) (Immutable Holdings or the Company), a publicly-traded blockchain holding company, is pleased to announce that, further to its press releases of November 23, 2021, November 29, 2021 and December 17, 2021, Immutable Holdings has closed a second tranche (the Second Tranche) of its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the Offering) of units (the Units) at a price of $2.60 per Unit for additional gross proceeds of approximately $5.04 million. Together with the first tranche of the Offering (the First Tranche), which closed on December 17, 2021 for gross proceeds of approximately $10 million, the Company raised approximately $15.04 million through the issuance of 5,783,280 Units under the Offering. Due to excess demand, the Company increased the size of the Offering by an additional $1,036,528, which upsized amount was previously reserved for an option of the Agents (as defined below) to increase the size of the Offering by up to approximately $3 million. The brokered portion of the First Tranche was made through a syndicate of agents comprised of Stifel GMP, as lead agent, and Canaccord Genuity Corp., Eight Capital, Gravitas Securities Inc., Paradigm Capital Inc. and Beacon Securities Limited (collectively, the Agents). Second Tranche In connection with the Second Tranche, the Company issued a total of 1,937,126 Units for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $5.04 million. Each Unit consists of one class A subordinate voting share (each, a Share) and one-half of one Share purchase warrant of the Company (each whole Share purchase warrant, a Warrant). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one Share at a price of $4.00, until the date which is 36 months following the closing of the Second Tranche (the Expiry Date), subject to adjustment in certain events. In the event the volume weighted average trading price of the Shares on the NEO Exchange (the Exchange) is equal to or greater than $8.00 for a period of 20 consecutive trading days at any time following the date which is four months and a day after the closing date of the Second Tranche, the Company may, at its sole option, accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants by giving notice to the holders thereof and in such case the Warrants will expire at 4:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on the date which is the earlier of: (i) the 60th day after the date on which such notice is given by the Company; and (ii) the Expiry Date. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, a portion of the Units issued under the Second Tranche, as well as the shares underlying the Warrants, were comprised of class B multiple voting shares in the capital of the Company rather than class A subordinate voting shares. All of the Units issued under the Second Tranche were issued and sold by the Company on a non-brokered basis. Pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws, all securities issued pursuant to the Second Tranche are subject to a hold period of four months and one day, expiring on May 1, 2022. Additional hold periods and/or trading or resale restrictions may also apply in the United States. The Offering remains subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the final acceptance of the Exchange. As previously announced, the Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for working capital and general corporate purposes. Pursuant to the Second Tranche, a certain director of the Company subscribed for 96,154 Units for gross proceeds to the Company of $250,000.40, which is considered a related party transaction within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI 61-101). Full details of this transaction will be available on the System for Electronic Disclosure by Insiders (SEDI) at: www.sedi.ca. The Offering is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of the subject matter of the Offering, nor the consideration paid, exceed 25% of the Companys market capitalization. No additional insiders or related parties of the Company participated in the Offering. No new insiders or control persons were created in connection with the closing of the Offering. In connection with the Offering, the Agents received an aggregate of $100,730.55 as a cash advisory fee and an aggregate of 38,742 advisor warrants, which are each exercisable until the Expiry Date to acquire a Unit of the Company (having the same terms as set out above) at a price of $2.60 per Unit. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to or for the account or benefit of a U.S. person (as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. About Immutable Holdings Inc. Immutable Holdings (NEO:HOLD), the Blockchain Holding Company, is on a mission to democratize access to Web3 and blockchain-based products and services. Founded by Jordan Fried, a founding team member of the multibillion-dollar Hedera Hashgraph network, Immutable Holdings already boasts over $120M under management and a portfolio of businesses and brands built on the blockchain ecosystem: 1800Bitcoin.com, Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC.com), HBAR Labs, Immutable Advisory, Immutable Asset Management and NFT.com. To learn more, visit https://immutableholdings.com/. Contact: finance@immutableholdings.com This news release contains certain statements which constitute forward-looking statements or information under applicable Canadian securities laws, including statements relating to the expected use of proceeds from the Offering. Such forward-looking statements are subject to numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond the Companys control, which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those stated, anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include changes to applicable laws or the regulatory sphere in which the Company operates, general economic and capital markets conditions, stock market volatility and the ability of the Company to obtain necessary consents and approvals for the Offering, including the final acceptance of the Exchange. Although the Company believes that the forward-looking statements in this news release are reasonable, they are based on factors and assumptions, based on currently available information, concerning future events, which may prove to be inaccurate. As such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, as no assurance can be provided as to future plans, operations, results, levels of activity or achievements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and, except as required by applicable law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or to revise any of the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak to Ukraines president this weekend after warning Russia not to invade Ukraine. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russias military build-up on Ukraines borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region, according to a White House official. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said in a statement that he looked forward to speaking to Biden to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe. Biden last spoke with Zelensky last month, when he promised decisions or discussions would be made about Ukraine without Ukraine. Biden talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week for nearly an hour. According to the White House, Biden attempted to de-escalate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which was once part of the Soviet Union. I made it clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves and goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe with our NATO allies, and it will have to be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters on Friday in Wilmington, Delaware, where he and First Lady Jill Biden retreat to virtually every weekend. We laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, and we laid out ours. And we said wed begin to negotiate some of those issues. But I made it clear that they only could work if, in fact, he deescalated, not escalated, the situation there, Biden added. Russia has amassed troops at its border with Ukraine in recent weeks with estimates of more than 90,000 along the border and in Russian-annexed Crimea. Russia has also repeatedly said Ukraine must not join NATO, a bloc of mostly European countries. The United States and its allies, though, have refused to offer Russia any guarantees, citing NATOs principle that membership is open to any qualifying country. Biden was vice president when Russia invaded Crimea. The Obama administration did not take military action but imposed sanctions on Russian leadership over the move. U.S. officials are set to meet in person with Russian counterparts in Geneva later this month to go over sticking points in ongoing negotiations. The talks will be supervised by the two presidents personally, Yuri Ushakov, a Putin aide, told reporters on Friday. Biden mentioned that if tension along Ukraines borders keeps escalating, Western countries will impose large-scale sanctions in economic, finance, and military spheres, Ushakov said. But our president immediately responded that if the West decides in this or other circumstances to impose the unprecedented sanctions mentioned, that could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries and cause the most severe damage to relations between Russia and the West. Nick Ciolino contributed to this report. From The Epoch Times U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak to Ukraines president this weekend after warning Russia not to invade Ukraine. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russias military build-up on Ukraines borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region, according to a White House official. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said in a statement that he looked forward to speaking to Biden to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe. Biden last spoke with Zelensky last month, when he promised decisions or discussions would be made about Ukraine without Ukraine. Biden talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week for nearly an hour. According to the White House, Biden attempted to de-escalate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which was once part of the Soviet Union. I made it clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves and goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe with our NATO allies, and it will have to be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters on Friday in Wilmington, Delaware, where he and First Lady Jill Biden retreat to virtually every weekend. We laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, and we laid out ours. And we said wed begin to negotiate some of those issues. But I made it clear that they only could work if, in fact, he deescalated, not escalated, the situation there, Biden added. Russia has amassed troops at its border with Ukraine in recent weeks with estimates of more than 90,000 along the border and in Russian-annexed Crimea. Russia has also repeatedly said Ukraine must not join NATO, a bloc of mostly European countries. The United States and its allies, though, have refused to offer Russia any guarantees, citing NATOs principle that membership is open to any qualifying country. Biden was vice president when Russia invaded Crimea. The Obama administration did not take military action but imposed sanctions on Russian leadership over the move. U.S. officials are set to meet in person with Russian counterparts in Geneva later this month to go over sticking points in ongoing negotiations. The talks will be supervised by the two presidents personally, Yuri Ushakov, a Putin aide, told reporters on Friday. Biden mentioned that if tension along Ukraines borders keeps escalating, Western countries will impose large-scale sanctions in economic, finance, and military spheres, Ushakov said. But our president immediately responded that if the West decides in this or other circumstances to impose the unprecedented sanctions mentioned, that could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries and cause the most severe damage to relations between Russia and the West. Nick Ciolino contributed to this report. From The Epoch Times After inputs about the planned bomb blasts in Shimla were received by the Himachal Pradesh police, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Saturday said that instructions to stay alert have been shared with authorities at all places where people are gathering for New Year celebrations. "We have shared the information (inputs about the planned blasts at Ridge Ground, Shimla) and instructions to stay alert with authorities at all places where people are gathering for New year celebrations," said CM Thakur while speaking to the media."The government is still alert about any possible incident by anti-social elements trying to disturb the peace in the state," Chief Minister Thakur added. Terror threat in Shimla Police had suddenly stopped the ongoing New Year celebrations at Shimla's Ridge Maidan on Friday evening. This step was taken as a precautionary measure against a terror threat from Pakistan based groups of an explosion during the celebrations at the Ridge Ground. The person who was entrusted with the responsibility of planting the bomb is said to be of Kashmiri origin. The police hurriedly vacated Ridge Maidan and alerted the entire state. However, police did not reveal the terror threat initially and while instructing people to clear the area told them that it was due to the rising Omicorn threat. When thousands of tourists had reached Ridge Maidan and Mall Road on Friday evening, Shimla Police suddenly made an announcement to vacate the place. The police attributed the reason for this to the new variant of COVID-19, Omicron. At the same time, the bomb disposal squad of the police was called to the spot. The checking was conducted on Ridge Maidan and Mall Road. An investigation has been launched. "In view of these inputs, Himachal Pradesh police has been directed to keep watch over activities of anti-nation or anti-social elements and also to strengthen the checking in their perspective jurisdictions," an official note of the Shimla Superintendent of Police (SP) office read. The police were further directed to take preventive and precautionary measures to maintain law and order and carry out frequent checking of hotels, gurudwaras, mosques, temples, railway stations, bus stands, hospitals, etc. (With agency inputs) After inputs about the planned bomb blasts in Shimla were received by the Himachal Pradesh police, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Saturday said that instructions to stay alert have been shared with authorities at all places where people are gathering for New Year celebrations. "We have shared the information (inputs about the planned blasts at Ridge Ground, Shimla) and instructions to stay alert with authorities at all places where people are gathering for New year celebrations," said CM Thakur while speaking to the media."The government is still alert about any possible incident by anti-social elements trying to disturb the peace in the state," Chief Minister Thakur added. Terror threat in Shimla Police had suddenly stopped the ongoing New Year celebrations at Shimla's Ridge Maidan on Friday evening. This step was taken as a precautionary measure against a terror threat from Pakistan based groups of an explosion during the celebrations at the Ridge Ground. The person who was entrusted with the responsibility of planting the bomb is said to be of Kashmiri origin. The police hurriedly vacated Ridge Maidan and alerted the entire state. However, police did not reveal the terror threat initially and while instructing people to clear the area told them that it was due to the rising Omicorn threat. When thousands of tourists had reached Ridge Maidan and Mall Road on Friday evening, Shimla Police suddenly made an announcement to vacate the place. The police attributed the reason for this to the new variant of COVID-19, Omicron. At the same time, the bomb disposal squad of the police was called to the spot. The checking was conducted on Ridge Maidan and Mall Road. An investigation has been launched. "In view of these inputs, Himachal Pradesh police has been directed to keep watch over activities of anti-nation or anti-social elements and also to strengthen the checking in their perspective jurisdictions," an official note of the Shimla Superintendent of Police (SP) office read. The police were further directed to take preventive and precautionary measures to maintain law and order and carry out frequent checking of hotels, gurudwaras, mosques, temples, railway stations, bus stands, hospitals, etc. (With agency inputs) U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak to Ukraines president this weekend after warning Russia not to invade Ukraine. Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russias military build-up on Ukraines borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region, according to a White House official. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said in a statement that he looked forward to speaking to Biden to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe. Biden last spoke with Zelensky last month, when he promised decisions or discussions would be made about Ukraine without Ukraine. Biden talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week for nearly an hour. According to the White House, Biden attempted to de-escalate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which was once part of the Soviet Union. I made it clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves and goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe with our NATO allies, and it will have to be a heavy price to pay for it, Biden told reporters on Friday in Wilmington, Delaware, where he and First Lady Jill Biden retreat to virtually every weekend. We laid out some of his concerns about NATO and the United States and Europe, and we laid out ours. And we said wed begin to negotiate some of those issues. But I made it clear that they only could work if, in fact, he deescalated, not escalated, the situation there, Biden added. Russia has amassed troops at its border with Ukraine in recent weeks with estimates of more than 90,000 along the border and in Russian-annexed Crimea. Russia has also repeatedly said Ukraine must not join NATO, a bloc of mostly European countries. The United States and its allies, though, have refused to offer Russia any guarantees, citing NATOs principle that membership is open to any qualifying country. Biden was vice president when Russia invaded Crimea. The Obama administration did not take military action but imposed sanctions on Russian leadership over the move. U.S. officials are set to meet in person with Russian counterparts in Geneva later this month to go over sticking points in ongoing negotiations. The talks will be supervised by the two presidents personally, Yuri Ushakov, a Putin aide, told reporters on Friday. Biden mentioned that if tension along Ukraines borders keeps escalating, Western countries will impose large-scale sanctions in economic, finance, and military spheres, Ushakov said. But our president immediately responded that if the West decides in this or other circumstances to impose the unprecedented sanctions mentioned, that could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries and cause the most severe damage to relations between Russia and the West. Nick Ciolino contributed to this report. From The Epoch Times NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION DIRECTLY, OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 31, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Immutable Holdings Inc. (NEO:HOLD) (Immutable Holdings or the Company), a publicly-traded blockchain holding company, is pleased to announce that, further to its press releases of November 23, 2021, November 29, 2021 and December 17, 2021, Immutable Holdings has closed a second tranche (the Second Tranche) of its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the Offering) of units (the Units) at a price of $2.60 per Unit for additional gross proceeds of approximately $5.04 million. Together with the first tranche of the Offering (the First Tranche), which closed on December 17, 2021 for gross proceeds of approximately $10 million, the Company raised approximately $15.04 million through the issuance of 5,783,280 Units under the Offering. Due to excess demand, the Company increased the size of the Offering by an additional $1,036,528, which upsized amount was previously reserved for an option of the Agents (as defined below) to increase the size of the Offering by up to approximately $3 million. The brokered portion of the First Tranche was made through a syndicate of agents comprised of Stifel GMP, as lead agent, and Canaccord Genuity Corp., Eight Capital, Gravitas Securities Inc., Paradigm Capital Inc. and Beacon Securities Limited (collectively, the Agents). Second Tranche In connection with the Second Tranche, the Company issued a total of 1,937,126 Units for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $5.04 million. Each Unit consists of one class A subordinate voting share (each, a Share) and one-half of one Share purchase warrant of the Company (each whole Share purchase warrant, a Warrant). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one Share at a price of $4.00, until the date which is 36 months following the closing of the Second Tranche (the Expiry Date), subject to adjustment in certain events. In the event the volume weighted average trading price of the Shares on the NEO Exchange (the Exchange) is equal to or greater than $8.00 for a period of 20 consecutive trading days at any time following the date which is four months and a day after the closing date of the Second Tranche, the Company may, at its sole option, accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants by giving notice to the holders thereof and in such case the Warrants will expire at 4:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on the date which is the earlier of: (i) the 60th day after the date on which such notice is given by the Company; and (ii) the Expiry Date. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, a portion of the Units issued under the Second Tranche, as well as the shares underlying the Warrants, were comprised of class B multiple voting shares in the capital of the Company rather than class A subordinate voting shares. All of the Units issued under the Second Tranche were issued and sold by the Company on a non-brokered basis. Pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws, all securities issued pursuant to the Second Tranche are subject to a hold period of four months and one day, expiring on May 1, 2022. Additional hold periods and/or trading or resale restrictions may also apply in the United States. The Offering remains subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the final acceptance of the Exchange. As previously announced, the Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for working capital and general corporate purposes. Pursuant to the Second Tranche, a certain director of the Company subscribed for 96,154 Units for gross proceeds to the Company of $250,000.40, which is considered a related party transaction within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI 61-101). Full details of this transaction will be available on the System for Electronic Disclosure by Insiders (SEDI) at: www.sedi.ca. The Offering is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of the subject matter of the Offering, nor the consideration paid, exceed 25% of the Companys market capitalization. No additional insiders or related parties of the Company participated in the Offering. No new insiders or control persons were created in connection with the closing of the Offering. In connection with the Offering, the Agents received an aggregate of $100,730.55 as a cash advisory fee and an aggregate of 38,742 advisor warrants, which are each exercisable until the Expiry Date to acquire a Unit of the Company (having the same terms as set out above) at a price of $2.60 per Unit. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to or for the account or benefit of a U.S. person (as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. About Immutable Holdings Inc. Immutable Holdings (NEO:HOLD), the Blockchain Holding Company, is on a mission to democratize access to Web3 and blockchain-based products and services. Founded by Jordan Fried, a founding team member of the multibillion-dollar Hedera Hashgraph network, Immutable Holdings already boasts over $120M under management and a portfolio of businesses and brands built on the blockchain ecosystem: 1800Bitcoin.com, Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC.com), HBAR Labs, Immutable Advisory, Immutable Asset Management and NFT.com. To learn more, visit https://immutableholdings.com/. Contact: finance@immutableholdings.com This news release contains certain statements which constitute forward-looking statements or information under applicable Canadian securities laws, including statements relating to the expected use of proceeds from the Offering. Such forward-looking statements are subject to numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond the Companys control, which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those stated, anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include changes to applicable laws or the regulatory sphere in which the Company operates, general economic and capital markets conditions, stock market volatility and the ability of the Company to obtain necessary consents and approvals for the Offering, including the final acceptance of the Exchange. Although the Company believes that the forward-looking statements in this news release are reasonable, they are based on factors and assumptions, based on currently available information, concerning future events, which may prove to be inaccurate. As such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, as no assurance can be provided as to future plans, operations, results, levels of activity or achievements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and, except as required by applicable law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or to revise any of the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For the latest traffic information, click or tap here. Update 12:06 p.m. Looking ahead at today's forecast, there's a 30% chance of snow fall before 2 p.m., according to the National Weather Service in Pueblo. The low temperature for tonight will be 1 degree with wind blowing 5 to 10 mph and a wind chill values between -5 and zero. Update 11:21 a.m. The Outlets at Castle Rock are closed because of today's winter weather. Update 8:45 a.m. Powderhorn ski area has had 17 inches of snow over the past 48 hours, according to coloradoski.com. That's the highest total among ski areas. Silverton is second with 14 inches, followed by Telluride with 13 and Monarch with 12. Click or tap here for the most recent ski area snow totals. Update 8:39 a.m. US 50 is closed from mile markers 78-82 due to an avalanche. The closure is about a mile west of Olathe. Update 7:30a.m. US 50 is closed in both directions due to avalanche danger. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center is warning of "dangerous avalanche conditions on all aspects and elevations." Update 7:07 a.m. Commercial chain laws are in effect on I-70 from Exit 203 (Silverthorne) and Exit 216 (Eisenhower Tunnel) as well as between mile markers 205 and 213.5. Chains or alternative traction devices required for all commercial motor vehicles including buses and vans of 16 or more passenger capacity. CO 133 over McClure Pass has been closed due to avalanche hazard. Commercial chain laws are also in effect on CO 67 and CO 119. Click or tap here for the latest road conditions, delays and closures. Update 12:09 a.m. The City of Fountain has gone on accident alert status. "If you are involved in a traffic accident and there are no injuries, no suspected alcohol or drugs involved, both drivers are licensed and all vehicles involved are registered, please exchange information with the other party," the city said in a release. "Within 72 hours, please report it online at https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/csp/crash-information." -- After 233 consecutive days without measurable snow in Colorado Springs, the streak finally ended Friday night, as the city welcomed the new year with a fresh blanket of snow. According to the National Weather Service in Pueblo, it was the "4th longest snowless day stretch on record." Measurable snow has fallen at the Colorado Springs Airport bringing the number of consecutive snowless days to close at 233! This is the 4th longest snowless day stretch on record. Dec 31, 2021 will also go down as the latest first measurable snowfall on record. #cowx NWS Pueblo (@NWSPueblo) January 1, 2022 Snow fell starting Friday night. It has continued into New Years Day on Saturday, with the majority of the new precipitation expected to fall before 11 a.m. 10 PM 12/31/21 Update: Snow will continue over the Colorado Springs area through 2 AM causing slick and snow covered roads. Use caution if you must travel. #cowx pic.twitter.com/4Y9soZC7uF NWS Pueblo (@NWSPueblo) January 1, 2022 Woodland Park was forecast to receive between 2 to 4 inches of snow Friday night and 1 inch Saturday. Near Monument Hill, 3 to 5 inches was expected with another 1 to 2 inches in the morning. The winter storm hit many other areas throughout the state and is needed to combat the Marshall fire in Boulder County, which has burned an estimated 6,000 acres and destroyed at least 500 homes, according to Boulder County officials. Boulder was forecast to receive 1 to 2 inches Friday, another 3 to 5 inches Friday night and less than an inch Saturday. Officials are hoping the moisture will aid with firefighting efforts across the county. For the latest traffic information, click or tap here. Update 12:06 p.m. Looking ahead at today's forecast, there's a 30% chance of snow fall before 2 p.m., according to the National Weather Service in Pueblo. The low temperature for tonight will be 1 degree with wind blowing 5 to 10 mph and a wind chill values between -5 and zero. Update 11:21 a.m. The Outlets at Castle Rock are closed because of today's winter weather. Update 8:45 a.m. Powderhorn ski area has had 17 inches of snow over the past 48 hours, according to coloradoski.com. That's the highest total among ski areas. Silverton is second with 14 inches, followed by Telluride with 13 and Monarch with 12. Click or tap here for the most recent ski area snow totals. Update 8:39 a.m. US 50 is closed from mile markers 78-82 due to an avalanche. The closure is about a mile west of Olathe. Update 7:30a.m. US 50 is closed in both directions due to avalanche danger. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center is warning of "dangerous avalanche conditions on all aspects and elevations." Update 7:07 a.m. Commercial chain laws are in effect on I-70 from Exit 203 (Silverthorne) and Exit 216 (Eisenhower Tunnel) as well as between mile markers 205 and 213.5. Chains or alternative traction devices required for all commercial motor vehicles including buses and vans of 16 or more passenger capacity. CO 133 over McClure Pass has been closed due to avalanche hazard. Commercial chain laws are also in effect on CO 67 and CO 119. Click or tap here for the latest road conditions, delays and closures. Update 12:09 a.m. The City of Fountain has gone on accident alert status. "If you are involved in a traffic accident and there are no injuries, no suspected alcohol or drugs involved, both drivers are licensed and all vehicles involved are registered, please exchange information with the other party," the city said in a release. "Within 72 hours, please report it online at https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/csp/crash-information." -- After 233 consecutive days without measurable snow in Colorado Springs, the streak finally ended Friday night, as the city welcomed the new year with a fresh blanket of snow. According to the National Weather Service in Pueblo, it was the "4th longest snowless day stretch on record." Measurable snow has fallen at the Colorado Springs Airport bringing the number of consecutive snowless days to close at 233! This is the 4th longest snowless day stretch on record. Dec 31, 2021 will also go down as the latest first measurable snowfall on record. #cowx NWS Pueblo (@NWSPueblo) January 1, 2022 Snow fell starting Friday night. It has continued into New Years Day on Saturday, with the majority of the new precipitation expected to fall before 11 a.m. 10 PM 12/31/21 Update: Snow will continue over the Colorado Springs area through 2 AM causing slick and snow covered roads. Use caution if you must travel. #cowx pic.twitter.com/4Y9soZC7uF NWS Pueblo (@NWSPueblo) January 1, 2022 Woodland Park was forecast to receive between 2 to 4 inches of snow Friday night and 1 inch Saturday. Near Monument Hill, 3 to 5 inches was expected with another 1 to 2 inches in the morning. The winter storm hit many other areas throughout the state and is needed to combat the Marshall fire in Boulder County, which has burned an estimated 6,000 acres and destroyed at least 500 homes, according to Boulder County officials. Boulder was forecast to receive 1 to 2 inches Friday, another 3 to 5 inches Friday night and less than an inch Saturday. Officials are hoping the moisture will aid with firefighting efforts across the county. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. After inputs about the planned bomb blasts in Shimla were received by the Himachal Pradesh police, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Saturday said that instructions to stay alert have been shared with authorities at all places where people are gathering for New Year celebrations. "We have shared the information (inputs about the planned blasts at Ridge Ground, Shimla) and instructions to stay alert with authorities at all places where people are gathering for New year celebrations," said CM Thakur while speaking to the media."The government is still alert about any possible incident by anti-social elements trying to disturb the peace in the state," Chief Minister Thakur added. Terror threat in Shimla Police had suddenly stopped the ongoing New Year celebrations at Shimla's Ridge Maidan on Friday evening. This step was taken as a precautionary measure against a terror threat from Pakistan based groups of an explosion during the celebrations at the Ridge Ground. The person who was entrusted with the responsibility of planting the bomb is said to be of Kashmiri origin. The police hurriedly vacated Ridge Maidan and alerted the entire state. However, police did not reveal the terror threat initially and while instructing people to clear the area told them that it was due to the rising Omicorn threat. When thousands of tourists had reached Ridge Maidan and Mall Road on Friday evening, Shimla Police suddenly made an announcement to vacate the place. The police attributed the reason for this to the new variant of COVID-19, Omicron. At the same time, the bomb disposal squad of the police was called to the spot. The checking was conducted on Ridge Maidan and Mall Road. An investigation has been launched. "In view of these inputs, Himachal Pradesh police has been directed to keep watch over activities of anti-nation or anti-social elements and also to strengthen the checking in their perspective jurisdictions," an official note of the Shimla Superintendent of Police (SP) office read. The police were further directed to take preventive and precautionary measures to maintain law and order and carry out frequent checking of hotels, gurudwaras, mosques, temples, railway stations, bus stands, hospitals, etc. (With agency inputs) 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. After inputs about the planned bomb blasts in Shimla were received by the Himachal Pradesh police, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Saturday said that instructions to stay alert have been shared with authorities at all places where people are gathering for New Year celebrations. "We have shared the information (inputs about the planned blasts at Ridge Ground, Shimla) and instructions to stay alert with authorities at all places where people are gathering for New year celebrations," said CM Thakur while speaking to the media."The government is still alert about any possible incident by anti-social elements trying to disturb the peace in the state," Chief Minister Thakur added. Terror threat in Shimla Police had suddenly stopped the ongoing New Year celebrations at Shimla's Ridge Maidan on Friday evening. This step was taken as a precautionary measure against a terror threat from Pakistan based groups of an explosion during the celebrations at the Ridge Ground. The person who was entrusted with the responsibility of planting the bomb is said to be of Kashmiri origin. The police hurriedly vacated Ridge Maidan and alerted the entire state. However, police did not reveal the terror threat initially and while instructing people to clear the area told them that it was due to the rising Omicorn threat. When thousands of tourists had reached Ridge Maidan and Mall Road on Friday evening, Shimla Police suddenly made an announcement to vacate the place. The police attributed the reason for this to the new variant of COVID-19, Omicron. At the same time, the bomb disposal squad of the police was called to the spot. The checking was conducted on Ridge Maidan and Mall Road. An investigation has been launched. "In view of these inputs, Himachal Pradesh police has been directed to keep watch over activities of anti-nation or anti-social elements and also to strengthen the checking in their perspective jurisdictions," an official note of the Shimla Superintendent of Police (SP) office read. The police were further directed to take preventive and precautionary measures to maintain law and order and carry out frequent checking of hotels, gurudwaras, mosques, temples, railway stations, bus stands, hospitals, etc. (With agency inputs) By Kate Chappell KINGSTON (Reuters) - A former Colombian military member implicated in last year's assassination of Haiti President Jovenel Moise will be deported from Jamaica to his home country on Jan. 3, Jamaica's attorney general said on Saturday. Mario Antonio Palacios, 43, is accused by Haitian authorities of forming part of a mercenary group that assassinated Moise in July during an assault on his private residence, during which his wife was also injured. Palacios was arrested in Jamaica last October and convicted for illegally entering the country from the Dominican Republic. Jamaica's government had issued a deportation order for illegally entering the country. But the island nation has no formal extradition treaty with Haiti, where Palacios is wanted, a local police spokesman said. "The information supplied did not link him to the assassination and essentially indicated that he was a suspect for attempted armed robbery, without any detail," Marlene Malahoo Forte said in a statement to Reuters. "Our attempts to get further and better particulars from the Haitian government were unsuccessful." Lawyers for Palacios have asked for his immediate release from Kingston's Horizon Adult Remand Centre, arguing that his detention is unlawful, she said. Neither Palacio's lawyers nor Haiti government officials immediately responded to requests for comment. (Reporting by Kate Chappell in Kingston; Additional reporting by Gessika Thomas in Port-au-Prince; Editing by Marguerita Choy) By Kate Chappell KINGSTON (Reuters) - A former Colombian military member implicated in last year's assassination of Haiti President Jovenel Moise will be deported from Jamaica to his home country on Jan. 3, Jamaica's attorney general said on Saturday. Mario Antonio Palacios, 43, is accused by Haitian authorities of forming part of a mercenary group that assassinated Moise in July during an assault on his private residence, during which his wife was also injured. Palacios was arrested in Jamaica last October and convicted for illegally entering the country from the Dominican Republic. Jamaica's government had issued a deportation order for illegally entering the country. But the island nation has no formal extradition treaty with Haiti, where Palacios is wanted, a local police spokesman said. "The information supplied did not link him to the assassination and essentially indicated that he was a suspect for attempted armed robbery, without any detail," Marlene Malahoo Forte said in a statement to Reuters. "Our attempts to get further and better particulars from the Haitian government were unsuccessful." Lawyers for Palacios have asked for his immediate release from Kingston's Horizon Adult Remand Centre, arguing that his detention is unlawful, she said. Neither Palacio's lawyers nor Haiti government officials immediately responded to requests for comment. (Reporting by Kate Chappell in Kingston; Additional reporting by Gessika Thomas in Port-au-Prince; Editing by Marguerita Choy) By Kate Chappell KINGSTON (Reuters) - A former Colombian military member implicated in last year's assassination of Haiti President Jovenel Moise will be deported from Jamaica to his home country on Jan. 3, Jamaica's attorney general said on Saturday. Mario Antonio Palacios, 43, is accused by Haitian authorities of forming part of a mercenary group that assassinated Moise in July during an assault on his private residence, during which his wife was also injured. Palacios was arrested in Jamaica last October and convicted for illegally entering the country from the Dominican Republic. Jamaica's government had issued a deportation order for illegally entering the country. But the island nation has no formal extradition treaty with Haiti, where Palacios is wanted, a local police spokesman said. "The information supplied did not link him to the assassination and essentially indicated that he was a suspect for attempted armed robbery, without any detail," Marlene Malahoo Forte said in a statement to Reuters. "Our attempts to get further and better particulars from the Haitian government were unsuccessful." Lawyers for Palacios have asked for his immediate release from Kingston's Horizon Adult Remand Centre, arguing that his detention is unlawful, she said. Neither Palacio's lawyers nor Haiti government officials immediately responded to requests for comment. (Reporting by Kate Chappell in Kingston; Additional reporting by Gessika Thomas in Port-au-Prince; Editing by Marguerita Choy) By Kate Chappell KINGSTON (Reuters) - A former Colombian military member implicated in last year's assassination of Haiti President Jovenel Moise will be deported from Jamaica to his home country on Jan. 3, Jamaica's attorney general said on Saturday. Mario Antonio Palacios, 43, is accused by Haitian authorities of forming part of a mercenary group that assassinated Moise in July during an assault on his private residence, during which his wife was also injured. Palacios was arrested in Jamaica last October and convicted for illegally entering the country from the Dominican Republic. Jamaica's government had issued a deportation order for illegally entering the country. But the island nation has no formal extradition treaty with Haiti, where Palacios is wanted, a local police spokesman said. "The information supplied did not link him to the assassination and essentially indicated that he was a suspect for attempted armed robbery, without any detail," Marlene Malahoo Forte said in a statement to Reuters. "Our attempts to get further and better particulars from the Haitian government were unsuccessful." Lawyers for Palacios have asked for his immediate release from Kingston's Horizon Adult Remand Centre, arguing that his detention is unlawful, she said. Neither Palacio's lawyers nor Haiti government officials immediately responded to requests for comment. (Reporting by Kate Chappell in Kingston; Additional reporting by Gessika Thomas in Port-au-Prince; Editing by Marguerita Choy) By Kate Chappell KINGSTON (Reuters) - A former Colombian military member implicated in last year's assassination of Haiti President Jovenel Moise will be deported from Jamaica to his home country on Jan. 3, Jamaica's attorney general said on Saturday. Mario Antonio Palacios, 43, is accused by Haitian authorities of forming part of a mercenary group that assassinated Moise in July during an assault on his private residence, during which his wife was also injured. Palacios was arrested in Jamaica last October and convicted for illegally entering the country from the Dominican Republic. Jamaica's government had issued a deportation order for illegally entering the country. But the island nation has no formal extradition treaty with Haiti, where Palacios is wanted, a local police spokesman said. "The information supplied did not link him to the assassination and essentially indicated that he was a suspect for attempted armed robbery, without any detail," Marlene Malahoo Forte said in a statement to Reuters. "Our attempts to get further and better particulars from the Haitian government were unsuccessful." Lawyers for Palacios have asked for his immediate release from Kingston's Horizon Adult Remand Centre, arguing that his detention is unlawful, she said. Neither Palacio's lawyers nor Haiti government officials immediately responded to requests for comment. (Reporting by Kate Chappell in Kingston; Additional reporting by Gessika Thomas in Port-au-Prince; Editing by Marguerita Choy) Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. Texas Senator Ted Cruz's teenage daughter said she often disagrees with her father's views and outlined the difficulties of being his child in a now viral TikTok video. Caroline Cruz, 13, said people are quick to judge her over her Republican dad's politics, despite the fact that she often opposes his conservative views. 'A lot of people judge me based upon him at first glance,' she said. 'But I really disagree with most of his views.' She also revealed the perks and downsides of having a parent in the public eye, calling out their media team for editing the length of her shirt on the family Christmas card. Caroline Cruz, 13, said she often disagrees with her conservatives father's views and outlined the difficulties of being his child in a now viral TikTok video Caroline, whose TikTok account @_caro_iguess_ has since been made private, started gaining new followers after people identified her as the Texas senator's oldest daughter. The teenager made the video - which was re-shared on Twitter - after several TikTokers questioned what it was like to be Cruz's daughter. Offering insight to her family life, Caroline made a pros and cons list. Highlighting the positives, she said: 'Some of the good things are we get candy and gifts in the mail. We also get to travel sometimes.' However, Caroline's list of 'bad things' was more detailed and highlighted her high-security life, expectations of appearance, and the public perception of her beliefs. 'I literally have to have security following me everywhere,' she said. 'Like if I want to go on a walk through the neighborhood or to my friend's house or something, I have to have like two security guards behind me the entire time.' Caroline said people are quick to judge her over her dad's politics, despite the fact that she often opposes them (Pictured: Sen. Ted Cruz on Dec. 15) When someone said 'your dad is awesome,' Caroline simply replied: 'Ok' Caroline shared how she is often judged by others over her father's conservative views, beliefs and actions, despite disagreeing with them. In fact, when one TikToker said 'your dad is awesome,' Caroline simply replied: 'Ok'. The teen also alleged that her father's media team photoshopped her outfit on the family Christmas card to reflect Cruz's conservative views. In the printed photo, Caroline appears to be wearing a standard-length knit shirt, however she claims it was actually a crop top. 'On the Christmas card, they literally made my shirt longer,' she said before revealing a mirror selfie of what her outfit looked like the day of the shoot. The teen also alleged her outfit was photoshopped on the family Christmas card to reflect Cruz's conservative views (Pictured L to R: Catherine, Ted, Heidi and Caroline) 'On the Christmas card, they literally made my shirt longer,' she said before revealing a mirror selfie of what her outfit looked like the day of the shoot Caroline's TikTok account went private after her video blew up, but not before social media users took screengrabs of her bio, in which she listed her pronouns as she/her and indicated that she identified as bisexual. When another user questioned about her sexuality and whether Cruz was aware of it, Caroline replied: 'I haven't told him yet, I'm kinda nervous to tbh but I don't think he would be mad about it.' She also acquired a large following. Her @_caro_iguess_ account has over 17,000 followers and 51,000 likes. The teen is also said to have another account, @carolinecamille04, which is also private. That account only has 668 followers. Caroline is the daughter of Cruz, 51, and his wife, Heidi, 49. The couple also has another daughter, 11-year-old Catherine. Social media users took screengrabs of her bio, in which she listed her pronouns as she/her and indicated that she identified as bisexual One questioned about whether or not her father knew she was bisexual, Caroline said she hadn't old him yet, adding: 'I don't think he would be mad about it' The US senator, who ran for president in 2016, has indicated he is considering running again in 2024. Last week, during an interview of conservative news service The Truth Gazette, Cruz described his presidential run as the 'most fun' he'd ever had. Although former president Donald Trump ultimately prevailed in the Republican primary, Cruz applauded himself for placing second. 'You know there's a reason historically that the runner-up is almost always the next nominee,' Cruz told host Brilyn Hollyhand. 'And that's been true going back to Nixon or Reagan or McCain or Romney. That's played out repeatedly. You come in with just [an] enormous base of support.' When Hollyhand asked if he'd consider running again, Cruz responded: 'Absolutely. In a heartbeat.' Santander UK is trying to recover about $175 million, or about 130 million pounds, that it accidentally paid tens of thousands of people on Christmas Day. About 75,000 people received the mistaken payments, including many customers of rival banks. Santander is seeking help from the other banks to recoup the money, the bank said in a statement. The mistaken deposits could look like normal payments to recipients because they were duplicates of regular and one-off payments that about 2,000 of the banks commercial and corporate customers had already paid to people including their suppliers and employees. Public health warnings haven't inspired much more than panicked talk and we kind that that more serious action might be merited given so much fearsome chatter directed at the media. To be fair, there are plenty of reasons to stay home tonight. COVID is just one. Nevertheless, here's a TKC glimpse at more warnings for tonight that will mostly be ignored . . . Kansas City area health leaders stress skipping crowded NYE parties as COVID cases surge KANSAS CITY, Mo. - It's been another tough year dealing with the pandemic so as you can imagine a lot of people are wanting to let loose and enjoy the night at parties like Power and Light's New Year's Live! While others are choosing a low-key route to ring in the new year. Testing center in Overland Park offers new test that detects omicron variant Antigen test manufacturer Quidel announced this week that its new COVID-19 antigen test now detects the omicron variant.Overland Park-based COVID-19 testing center Health Gauge said that it now offers the test.It's by drive-up appointment only at Health Gauge in Overland Park."Over the course of the last week and a half, we've seen a real pickup in testing," said Scott McGlothlen, of Health Gauge.Scott McGlothlen said his company had nearly closed shop on COVID-19 testing at its Overland Park center. KC bars, restaurants and businesses prepare for another pandemic New Year's Eve KANSAS CITY, Mo. - As New Year's Eve celebrations return this year, some businesses are taking extra safety precautions due to the recent rise in COVID-19 cases. Last year, a lot of New Year's Eve celebrations were called off due to the pandemic, but many restaurants, bars and businesses are bringing back the festivities this year. Metro hospitals brace for more COVID patients while battling the flu KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) --- Hospitals across the Kansas City metro area and all of Kansas will host a conference Jan. 3 to discuss capacity issues and staffing challenges. They're dealing with a new Covid-19 variant, staffing shortages and high rates of flu. Fauci Warns Against 'Hugging and Kissing' in New Year's Eve Celebrations The nation's leading infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci OK'd small, at-home New Year's Eve gatherings among vaccinated and boosted individuals on Wednesday, but he urged Americans to cancel plans to attend larger parties as conditions become more grim amid the omicron variant. Developing . . . Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Minister Carla Qualtrough responds to a question during a news conference in Ottawa on Aug. 20, 2020. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press) Unvaccinated Workers Who Lose Their Job May Also Lose EI Benefits, Employment Minister Says Canadians who become jobless because they arent willing to get vaccinated for COVID-19 may be ineligible for employment insurance (EI) benefits, Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough said. In an interview with The Canadian Press, Qualtrough said the decision was made in part to ensure workplaces werent shut down due to an outbreak, and also to encourage vaccine uptake. The Liberals have tacked the condition on to a suite of other benefit payments besides EI, saying none can go to workers who lose their jobs or work hours because they refused to get vaccinated. The rules dont apply to those with a medical exemption. Qualtrough said the vaccination rules for COVID-19 benefits will continue as long as public health concerns remain a top priority for the federal government. As long as the collective public health of Canadians is jeopardized, and our economy is thereby threatened, were going to have to keep public health policy top of mind in our employment and labor and economic decision making, she said. And I dont know how long that will be. Employment and Social Development Canada, the federal department responsible for administering EI, recently issued an updated guidance notice to employers filling out records of employment (ROE) for workers who do not comply with their firms COVID-19 vaccination policies. Those applying for EI need an ROE. If an employee doesnt meet the criteria stated in the ROE, he or she will likely not receive the benefits. When the employee doesnt report to work because they refuse to comply with your mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, use code E (quit) or code N (leave of absence), said the notice, updated on Dec. 24. When you suspend or terminate an employee for not complying with your mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, use code M (dismissal or suspension). The notice added that should employers use any of those codes, the department will contact them to determine if they had communicated their vaccine policies clearly to the affected employees, the consequences for non-compliance, any potential exemptions, and whether the policies were enforced within reasonable context. The government has rolled out several COVID-19 benefits for workers in the course of the pandemic. During the first wave, 3 million jobs were lost over two months from March 2020 to April 2020, while almost as many had their hours cut. By May 2020, the unemployment rate hit a historic high of 13.7 percent, and the government shut down the EI system at the time in favour of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit and its successor, the Canada Recovery Benefit. Federal aid was revamped again in December 2021 with a more targeted focus on the hardest-hit sectors that includes a $300-a-week benefit for workers who are subject to a lockdown. Qualtrough said the latest pivot in pandemic aid was conceived in the fall to encourage participation in the labour force. We knew we had to make sure that if something like Omicron happened, that we still needed a tool to help Canadians who either would lose their jobs or would face reduced hours, she said. But we knew the economy in September of 2021 looked very different than it did in September of 2020. So we couldnt just continue with broad measures that maybe would disincentivize work, or wouldnt encourage maximum labour force participation. The Canadian Press contributed to this article. Texas Senator Ted Cruz's teenage daughter said she often disagrees with her father's views and outlined the difficulties of being his child in a now viral TikTok video. Caroline Cruz, 13, said people are quick to judge her over her Republican dad's politics, despite the fact that she often opposes his conservative views. 'A lot of people judge me based upon him at first glance,' she said. 'But I really disagree with most of his views.' She also revealed the perks and downsides of having a parent in the public eye, calling out their media team for editing the length of her shirt on the family Christmas card. Caroline Cruz, 13, said she often disagrees with her conservatives father's views and outlined the difficulties of being his child in a now viral TikTok video Caroline, whose TikTok account @_caro_iguess_ has since been made private, started gaining new followers after people identified her as the Texas senator's oldest daughter. The teenager made the video - which was re-shared on Twitter - after several TikTokers questioned what it was like to be Cruz's daughter. Offering insight to her family life, Caroline made a pros and cons list. Highlighting the positives, she said: 'Some of the good things are we get candy and gifts in the mail. We also get to travel sometimes.' However, Caroline's list of 'bad things' was more detailed and highlighted her high-security life, expectations of appearance, and the public perception of her beliefs. 'I literally have to have security following me everywhere,' she said. 'Like if I want to go on a walk through the neighborhood or to my friend's house or something, I have to have like two security guards behind me the entire time.' Caroline said people are quick to judge her over her dad's politics, despite the fact that she often opposes them (Pictured: Sen. Ted Cruz on Dec. 15) When someone said 'your dad is awesome,' Caroline simply replied: 'Ok' Caroline shared how she is often judged by others over her father's conservative views, beliefs and actions, despite disagreeing with them. In fact, when one TikToker said 'your dad is awesome,' Caroline simply replied: 'Ok'. The teen also alleged that her father's media team photoshopped her outfit on the family Christmas card to reflect Cruz's conservative views. In the printed photo, Caroline appears to be wearing a standard-length knit shirt, however she claims it was actually a crop top. 'On the Christmas card, they literally made my shirt longer,' she said before revealing a mirror selfie of what her outfit looked like the day of the shoot. The teen also alleged her outfit was photoshopped on the family Christmas card to reflect Cruz's conservative views (Pictured L to R: Catherine, Ted, Heidi and Caroline) 'On the Christmas card, they literally made my shirt longer,' she said before revealing a mirror selfie of what her outfit looked like the day of the shoot Caroline's TikTok account went private after her video blew up, but not before social media users took screengrabs of her bio, in which she listed her pronouns as she/her and indicated that she identified as bisexual. When another user questioned about her sexuality and whether Cruz was aware of it, Caroline replied: 'I haven't told him yet, I'm kinda nervous to tbh but I don't think he would be mad about it.' She also acquired a large following. Her @_caro_iguess_ account has over 17,000 followers and 51,000 likes. The teen is also said to have another account, @carolinecamille04, which is also private. That account only has 668 followers. Caroline is the daughter of Cruz, 51, and his wife, Heidi, 49. The couple also has another daughter, 11-year-old Catherine. Social media users took screengrabs of her bio, in which she listed her pronouns as she/her and indicated that she identified as bisexual One questioned about whether or not her father knew she was bisexual, Caroline said she hadn't old him yet, adding: 'I don't think he would be mad about it' The US senator, who ran for president in 2016, has indicated he is considering running again in 2024. Last week, during an interview of conservative news service The Truth Gazette, Cruz described his presidential run as the 'most fun' he'd ever had. Although former president Donald Trump ultimately prevailed in the Republican primary, Cruz applauded himself for placing second. 'You know there's a reason historically that the runner-up is almost always the next nominee,' Cruz told host Brilyn Hollyhand. 'And that's been true going back to Nixon or Reagan or McCain or Romney. That's played out repeatedly. You come in with just [an] enormous base of support.' When Hollyhand asked if he'd consider running again, Cruz responded: 'Absolutely. In a heartbeat.' Texas Senator Ted Cruz's teenage daughter said she often disagrees with her father's views and outlined the difficulties of being his child in a now viral TikTok video. Caroline Cruz, 13, said people are quick to judge her over her Republican dad's politics, despite the fact that she often opposes his conservative views. 'A lot of people judge me based upon him at first glance,' she said. 'But I really disagree with most of his views.' She also revealed the perks and downsides of having a parent in the public eye, calling out their media team for editing the length of her shirt on the family Christmas card. Caroline Cruz, 13, said she often disagrees with her conservatives father's views and outlined the difficulties of being his child in a now viral TikTok video Caroline, whose TikTok account @_caro_iguess_ has since been made private, started gaining new followers after people identified her as the Texas senator's oldest daughter. The teenager made the video - which was re-shared on Twitter - after several TikTokers questioned what it was like to be Cruz's daughter. Offering insight to her family life, Caroline made a pros and cons list. Highlighting the positives, she said: 'Some of the good things are we get candy and gifts in the mail. We also get to travel sometimes.' However, Caroline's list of 'bad things' was more detailed and highlighted her high-security life, expectations of appearance, and the public perception of her beliefs. 'I literally have to have security following me everywhere,' she said. 'Like if I want to go on a walk through the neighborhood or to my friend's house or something, I have to have like two security guards behind me the entire time.' Caroline said people are quick to judge her over her dad's politics, despite the fact that she often opposes them (Pictured: Sen. Ted Cruz on Dec. 15) When someone said 'your dad is awesome,' Caroline simply replied: 'Ok' Caroline shared how she is often judged by others over her father's conservative views, beliefs and actions, despite disagreeing with them. In fact, when one TikToker said 'your dad is awesome,' Caroline simply replied: 'Ok'. The teen also alleged that her father's media team photoshopped her outfit on the family Christmas card to reflect Cruz's conservative views. In the printed photo, Caroline appears to be wearing a standard-length knit shirt, however she claims it was actually a crop top. 'On the Christmas card, they literally made my shirt longer,' she said before revealing a mirror selfie of what her outfit looked like the day of the shoot. The teen also alleged her outfit was photoshopped on the family Christmas card to reflect Cruz's conservative views (Pictured L to R: Catherine, Ted, Heidi and Caroline) 'On the Christmas card, they literally made my shirt longer,' she said before revealing a mirror selfie of what her outfit looked like the day of the shoot Caroline's TikTok account went private after her video blew up, but not before social media users took screengrabs of her bio, in which she listed her pronouns as she/her and indicated that she identified as bisexual. When another user questioned about her sexuality and whether Cruz was aware of it, Caroline replied: 'I haven't told him yet, I'm kinda nervous to tbh but I don't think he would be mad about it.' She also acquired a large following. Her @_caro_iguess_ account has over 17,000 followers and 51,000 likes. The teen is also said to have another account, @carolinecamille04, which is also private. That account only has 668 followers. Caroline is the daughter of Cruz, 51, and his wife, Heidi, 49. The couple also has another daughter, 11-year-old Catherine. Social media users took screengrabs of her bio, in which she listed her pronouns as she/her and indicated that she identified as bisexual One questioned about whether or not her father knew she was bisexual, Caroline said she hadn't old him yet, adding: 'I don't think he would be mad about it' The US senator, who ran for president in 2016, has indicated he is considering running again in 2024. Last week, during an interview of conservative news service The Truth Gazette, Cruz described his presidential run as the 'most fun' he'd ever had. Although former president Donald Trump ultimately prevailed in the Republican primary, Cruz applauded himself for placing second. 'You know there's a reason historically that the runner-up is almost always the next nominee,' Cruz told host Brilyn Hollyhand. 'And that's been true going back to Nixon or Reagan or McCain or Romney. That's played out repeatedly. You come in with just [an] enormous base of support.' When Hollyhand asked if he'd consider running again, Cruz responded: 'Absolutely. In a heartbeat.' Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. While Flagstaffs annual New Years celebration the much-loved Great Pinecone Drop had to be canceled last night due to COVID-related concerns, revelers can still welcome in the new year with a celestial fireworks show, courtesy of the Quadrantid Meteor Shower. This is not only one of the best meteor showers, but also noteworthy for its ties to northern Arizona. The Quadrantid Meteor Shower is one of the most active meteor showers, typically producing as many meteors during peak activity as its better known siblings such as the Perseids. Unlike these other showers, however, the duration of peak activity is relatively short several hours instead of one or two days. The Quadrantids are active from December 28 to January 12, with the peak typically from late on the evening of January 2 into the early morning of January 3. This year, there will be no interfering light from the moon since it is just past its new phase and setting before dark. Italian observer Antonio Brucalassi first noted the Quadrantid Meteor Shower when he wrote in 1825, the atmosphere was traversed by a multitude of the luminous bodies known by the name of falling stars. The celestial streakers appeared to radiate from the constellation Quadrans Muralis, the Mural Quadrant, which French astronomer Jerome Lalande had named in 1795 in recognition of the instrument he used a wall-mounted quadrant to map the heavens. Since meteor showers are named for the constellation from which they appear to emanate, this one became known as the Quadrantid Meteor Shower. If Quadrans Muralis doesnt sound familiar, thats because it is no longer recognized as a valid constellation. In 1922 the International Astronomical Union, the governing body of astronomical policy including nomenclature, condensed and standardized the Greek/Roman constellations in an effort to create a universally accepted method of mapping the sky. Quadrans Muralis didnt make the cut, and the area of sky with which it had been associated was subsumed under the constellations Bootes and Draco. Despite Quadrans Muraliss rejection from the modern family of 88 constellations, the name Quadrantids stuck for the meteor shower. Most meteor showers come from the remains of comet tails orbiting the Sun. The parent body of the Perseid meteors, for instance, is a comet commonly known as Swift-Tuttle. Into the 20th century, the parent body of the Quadrantids was unknown. This changed in 2003 when Dutch/American astronomer and meteor shower expert Peter Jenniskens theorized their connection to a small solar system body, (196256) 2003 EH1, which is likely an extinct comet; astronomers today generally classify it as an asteroid. This body had been discovered on March 6, 2003 by the Lowell Observatory Near-Earth-Object Search, an asteroid and comet search program headed by Lowell astronomer Ted Bowell that ran from 1993 to 2008. After this discovery, Jenniskens studied its orbit and realized it matched that of the Quadrantids, indicating it was the likely parent body. Whatever the true origin of the Quadrantids, they reliably visit at the beginning of each year, with a peak from 60-200 (under ideal conditions) meteors per hour. Viewing them is relatively straightforward. Its important to find a location away from street lights or other artificial glow. Most observers lie on a blanket or sit back on a chair and look towards the northeast part of the sky, where the meteors will appear to be radiating from (though, in reality, they may be seen anywhere in the sky). Observers should also plan to be outside for at least half an hour, to give their eyes time to adapt to the dark. Santander UK is trying to recover about $175 million, or about 130 million pounds, that it accidentally paid tens of thousands of people on Christmas Day. About 75,000 people received the mistaken payments, including many customers of rival banks. Santander is seeking help from the other banks to recoup the money, the bank said in a statement. The mistaken deposits could look like normal payments to recipients because they were duplicates of regular and one-off payments that about 2,000 of the banks commercial and corporate customers had already paid to people including their suppliers and employees. Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Minister Carla Qualtrough responds to a question during a news conference in Ottawa on Aug. 20, 2020. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press) Unvaccinated Workers Who Lose Their Job May Also Lose EI Benefits, Employment Minister Says Canadians who become jobless because they arent willing to get vaccinated for COVID-19 may be ineligible for employment insurance (EI) benefits, Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough said. In an interview with The Canadian Press, Qualtrough said the decision was made in part to ensure workplaces werent shut down due to an outbreak, and also to encourage vaccine uptake. The Liberals have tacked the condition on to a suite of other benefit payments besides EI, saying none can go to workers who lose their jobs or work hours because they refused to get vaccinated. The rules dont apply to those with a medical exemption. Qualtrough said the vaccination rules for COVID-19 benefits will continue as long as public health concerns remain a top priority for the federal government. As long as the collective public health of Canadians is jeopardized, and our economy is thereby threatened, were going to have to keep public health policy top of mind in our employment and labor and economic decision making, she said. And I dont know how long that will be. Employment and Social Development Canada, the federal department responsible for administering EI, recently issued an updated guidance notice to employers filling out records of employment (ROE) for workers who do not comply with their firms COVID-19 vaccination policies. Those applying for EI need an ROE. If an employee doesnt meet the criteria stated in the ROE, he or she will likely not receive the benefits. When the employee doesnt report to work because they refuse to comply with your mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, use code E (quit) or code N (leave of absence), said the notice, updated on Dec. 24. When you suspend or terminate an employee for not complying with your mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, use code M (dismissal or suspension). The notice added that should employers use any of those codes, the department will contact them to determine if they had communicated their vaccine policies clearly to the affected employees, the consequences for non-compliance, any potential exemptions, and whether the policies were enforced within reasonable context. The government has rolled out several COVID-19 benefits for workers in the course of the pandemic. During the first wave, 3 million jobs were lost over two months from March 2020 to April 2020, while almost as many had their hours cut. By May 2020, the unemployment rate hit a historic high of 13.7 percent, and the government shut down the EI system at the time in favour of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit and its successor, the Canada Recovery Benefit. Federal aid was revamped again in December 2021 with a more targeted focus on the hardest-hit sectors that includes a $300-a-week benefit for workers who are subject to a lockdown. Qualtrough said the latest pivot in pandemic aid was conceived in the fall to encourage participation in the labour force. We knew we had to make sure that if something like Omicron happened, that we still needed a tool to help Canadians who either would lose their jobs or would face reduced hours, she said. But we knew the economy in September of 2021 looked very different than it did in September of 2020. So we couldnt just continue with broad measures that maybe would disincentivize work, or wouldnt encourage maximum labour force participation. The Canadian Press contributed to this article. Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Minister Carla Qualtrough responds to a question during a news conference in Ottawa on Aug. 20, 2020. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press) Unvaccinated Workers Who Lose Their Job May Also Lose EI Benefits, Employment Minister Says Canadians who become jobless because they arent willing to get vaccinated for COVID-19 may be ineligible for employment insurance (EI) benefits, Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough said. In an interview with The Canadian Press, Qualtrough said the decision was made in part to ensure workplaces werent shut down due to an outbreak, and also to encourage vaccine uptake. The Liberals have tacked the condition on to a suite of other benefit payments besides EI, saying none can go to workers who lose their jobs or work hours because they refused to get vaccinated. The rules dont apply to those with a medical exemption. Qualtrough said the vaccination rules for COVID-19 benefits will continue as long as public health concerns remain a top priority for the federal government. As long as the collective public health of Canadians is jeopardized, and our economy is thereby threatened, were going to have to keep public health policy top of mind in our employment and labor and economic decision making, she said. And I dont know how long that will be. Employment and Social Development Canada, the federal department responsible for administering EI, recently issued an updated guidance notice to employers filling out records of employment (ROE) for workers who do not comply with their firms COVID-19 vaccination policies. Those applying for EI need an ROE. If an employee doesnt meet the criteria stated in the ROE, he or she will likely not receive the benefits. When the employee doesnt report to work because they refuse to comply with your mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, use code E (quit) or code N (leave of absence), said the notice, updated on Dec. 24. When you suspend or terminate an employee for not complying with your mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, use code M (dismissal or suspension). The notice added that should employers use any of those codes, the department will contact them to determine if they had communicated their vaccine policies clearly to the affected employees, the consequences for non-compliance, any potential exemptions, and whether the policies were enforced within reasonable context. The government has rolled out several COVID-19 benefits for workers in the course of the pandemic. During the first wave, 3 million jobs were lost over two months from March 2020 to April 2020, while almost as many had their hours cut. By May 2020, the unemployment rate hit a historic high of 13.7 percent, and the government shut down the EI system at the time in favour of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit and its successor, the Canada Recovery Benefit. Federal aid was revamped again in December 2021 with a more targeted focus on the hardest-hit sectors that includes a $300-a-week benefit for workers who are subject to a lockdown. Qualtrough said the latest pivot in pandemic aid was conceived in the fall to encourage participation in the labour force. We knew we had to make sure that if something like Omicron happened, that we still needed a tool to help Canadians who either would lose their jobs or would face reduced hours, she said. But we knew the economy in September of 2021 looked very different than it did in September of 2020. So we couldnt just continue with broad measures that maybe would disincentivize work, or wouldnt encourage maximum labour force participation. The Canadian Press contributed to this article. Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. We can only hope that this silly sentiment from a locally connected heiress gives a local worker a good laugh. Either way . . . Here's your future hottie boss attempting to convince her lessers that she has earned at least a smallish portion of her good fortune . . . Gracie Hunt, 22 who is the daughter of billionaire Kansas City Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt won the Miss Kansas USA title in April and went on to place in the top 16 at Miss USA last month. But pageant queens can't just rely on their good looks to win crowns, and Gracie told the New York Post this week that there was quite a bit of training involved including perfecting her pageant walk. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . . By Kate Chappell KINGSTON (Reuters) - A former Colombian military member implicated in last year's assassination of Haiti President Jovenel Moise will be deported from Jamaica to his home country on Jan. 3, Jamaica's attorney general said on Saturday. Mario Antonio Palacios, 43, is accused by Haitian authorities of forming part of a mercenary group that assassinated Moise in July during an assault on his private residence, during which his wife was also injured. Palacios was arrested in Jamaica last October and convicted for illegally entering the country from the Dominican Republic. Jamaica's government had issued a deportation order for illegally entering the country. But the island nation has no formal extradition treaty with Haiti, where Palacios is wanted, a local police spokesman said. "The information supplied did not link him to the assassination and essentially indicated that he was a suspect for attempted armed robbery, without any detail," Marlene Malahoo Forte said in a statement to Reuters. "Our attempts to get further and better particulars from the Haitian government were unsuccessful." Lawyers for Palacios have asked for his immediate release from Kingston's Horizon Adult Remand Centre, arguing that his detention is unlawful, she said. Neither Palacio's lawyers nor Haiti government officials immediately responded to requests for comment. (Reporting by Kate Chappell in Kingston; Additional reporting by Gessika Thomas in Port-au-Prince; Editing by Marguerita Choy) By Kate Chappell KINGSTON (Reuters) - A former Colombian military member implicated in last year's assassination of Haiti President Jovenel Moise will be deported from Jamaica to his home country on Jan. 3, Jamaica's attorney general said on Saturday. Mario Antonio Palacios, 43, is accused by Haitian authorities of forming part of a mercenary group that assassinated Moise in July during an assault on his private residence, during which his wife was also injured. Palacios was arrested in Jamaica last October and convicted for illegally entering the country from the Dominican Republic. Jamaica's government had issued a deportation order for illegally entering the country. But the island nation has no formal extradition treaty with Haiti, where Palacios is wanted, a local police spokesman said. "The information supplied did not link him to the assassination and essentially indicated that he was a suspect for attempted armed robbery, without any detail," Marlene Malahoo Forte said in a statement to Reuters. "Our attempts to get further and better particulars from the Haitian government were unsuccessful." Lawyers for Palacios have asked for his immediate release from Kingston's Horizon Adult Remand Centre, arguing that his detention is unlawful, she said. Neither Palacio's lawyers nor Haiti government officials immediately responded to requests for comment. (Reporting by Kate Chappell in Kingston; Additional reporting by Gessika Thomas in Port-au-Prince; Editing by Marguerita Choy) Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. GAITHERSBURG, Md., Jan. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The new year is off to a bright and busy start at two Adventist HealthCare hospitals, where some of the first babies of 2022 in the Washington, D.C., area have arrived. Cyrus Mason arrived to mom Sarah and dad David at 12:12 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2022, at Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, Maryland. He was the first baby of the year born at the hospital and among the first to arrive in 2022 in the Washington, D.C., area. Just 12 minutes after midnight, Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, Maryland, welcomed a baby boy. Sarah Ivins of Germantown, Maryland, delivered Cyrus Mason, who weighed 6 pounds 11 ounces. Cyrus was one of three babies born in the first 25 minutes of the year to moms at Shady Grove Medical Center. At 1:35 a.m. in Silver Spring, Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center welcomed its first baby of the year, a girl. The New Year's babies and their parents received gift baskets filled with books and baby essentials from the hospitals to help celebrate being 2022's first arrivals. "It is with great joy that our Birth Center welcomes the first baby of 2022," said Nan Troiano, Shady Grove Medical Center's Director of Women's and Infants' Services. "What a blessing it is to serve our community and provide world-class care to new parents and their babies." Shady Grove Medical Center delivers approximately 4,500 babies each year and offers a Level III NICU to care for premature or critically ill infants. "Each year we feel so blessed to welcome the first baby of the new year at our Birth Center and this year is even more meaningful as it offers joy during challenging times for our community," said Patricia Hudson, manager of the Birth Center at White Oak Medical Center. "We are looking forward to celebrating more special moments with many families this year." Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center , a not-for-profit, 443-bed hospital in Rockville, Maryland, has earned national recognition for quality in cardiology, stroke care, orthopedics, bariatrics, and maternity services. Shady Grove offers comprehensive mental health care and a freestanding cancer center that provides the community with holistic care and cutting-edge treatments. Story continues Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center, a not-for-profit, 198-bed, all private room hospital in Silver Spring, Maryland, offers a full range of health services including a comprehensive and nationally recognized heart program, cancer care, maternity care, surgical and emergency care. White Oak Medical Center is a neighbor and research partner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and at the center of the emerging White Oak Science Gateway in Montgomery County. Both hospitals are part of the Adventist HealthCare system based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, which has served the people of the D.C. area since 1907. Contact: Tina Sheesley TSheesle@AdventistHealthCare.com 301-315-3330 Cyrus Mason was the first baby born in 2022 at Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, Maryland, He arrived at 12:12 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2022, making him one of the first babies to arrive in the new year in the Washington, D.C., area. Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/adventist-healthcare-hospitals-welcome-first-babies-of-2022-301452474.html SOURCE Adventist HealthCare GAITHERSBURG, Md., Jan. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The new year is off to a bright and busy start at two Adventist HealthCare hospitals, where some of the first babies of 2022 in the Washington, D.C., area have arrived. Cyrus Mason arrived to mom Sarah and dad David at 12:12 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2022, at Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, Maryland. He was the first baby of the year born at the hospital and among the first to arrive in 2022 in the Washington, D.C., area. Just 12 minutes after midnight, Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, Maryland, welcomed a baby boy. Sarah Ivins of Germantown, Maryland, delivered Cyrus Mason, who weighed 6 pounds 11 ounces. Cyrus was one of three babies born in the first 25 minutes of the year to moms at Shady Grove Medical Center. At 1:35 a.m. in Silver Spring, Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center welcomed its first baby of the year, a girl. The New Year's babies and their parents received gift baskets filled with books and baby essentials from the hospitals to help celebrate being 2022's first arrivals. "It is with great joy that our Birth Center welcomes the first baby of 2022," said Nan Troiano, Shady Grove Medical Center's Director of Women's and Infants' Services. "What a blessing it is to serve our community and provide world-class care to new parents and their babies." Shady Grove Medical Center delivers approximately 4,500 babies each year and offers a Level III NICU to care for premature or critically ill infants. "Each year we feel so blessed to welcome the first baby of the new year at our Birth Center and this year is even more meaningful as it offers joy during challenging times for our community," said Patricia Hudson, manager of the Birth Center at White Oak Medical Center. "We are looking forward to celebrating more special moments with many families this year." Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center , a not-for-profit, 443-bed hospital in Rockville, Maryland, has earned national recognition for quality in cardiology, stroke care, orthopedics, bariatrics, and maternity services. Shady Grove offers comprehensive mental health care and a freestanding cancer center that provides the community with holistic care and cutting-edge treatments. Story continues Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center, a not-for-profit, 198-bed, all private room hospital in Silver Spring, Maryland, offers a full range of health services including a comprehensive and nationally recognized heart program, cancer care, maternity care, surgical and emergency care. White Oak Medical Center is a neighbor and research partner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and at the center of the emerging White Oak Science Gateway in Montgomery County. Both hospitals are part of the Adventist HealthCare system based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, which has served the people of the D.C. area since 1907. Contact: Tina Sheesley TSheesle@AdventistHealthCare.com 301-315-3330 Cyrus Mason was the first baby born in 2022 at Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, Maryland, He arrived at 12:12 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2022, making him one of the first babies to arrive in the new year in the Washington, D.C., area. Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/adventist-healthcare-hospitals-welcome-first-babies-of-2022-301452474.html SOURCE Adventist HealthCare By Kate Chappell KINGSTON (Reuters) - A former Colombian military member implicated in last year's assassination of Haiti President Jovenel Moise will be deported from Jamaica to his home country on Jan. 3, Jamaica's attorney general said on Saturday. Mario Antonio Palacios, 43, is accused by Haitian authorities of forming part of a mercenary group that assassinated Moise in July during an assault on his private residence, during which his wife was also injured. Palacios was arrested in Jamaica last October and convicted for illegally entering the country from the Dominican Republic. Jamaica's government had issued a deportation order for illegally entering the country. But the island nation has no formal extradition treaty with Haiti, where Palacios is wanted, a local police spokesman said. "The information supplied did not link him to the assassination and essentially indicated that he was a suspect for attempted armed robbery, without any detail," Marlene Malahoo Forte said in a statement to Reuters. "Our attempts to get further and better particulars from the Haitian government were unsuccessful." Lawyers for Palacios have asked for his immediate release from Kingston's Horizon Adult Remand Centre, arguing that his detention is unlawful, she said. Neither Palacio's lawyers nor Haiti government officials immediately responded to requests for comment. (Reporting by Kate Chappell in Kingston; Additional reporting by Gessika Thomas in Port-au-Prince; Editing by Marguerita Choy) By Kate Chappell KINGSTON (Reuters) - A former Colombian military member implicated in last year's assassination of Haiti President Jovenel Moise will be deported from Jamaica to his home country on Jan. 3, Jamaica's attorney general said on Saturday. Mario Antonio Palacios, 43, is accused by Haitian authorities of forming part of a mercenary group that assassinated Moise in July during an assault on his private residence, during which his wife was also injured. Palacios was arrested in Jamaica last October and convicted for illegally entering the country from the Dominican Republic. Jamaica's government had issued a deportation order for illegally entering the country. But the island nation has no formal extradition treaty with Haiti, where Palacios is wanted, a local police spokesman said. "The information supplied did not link him to the assassination and essentially indicated that he was a suspect for attempted armed robbery, without any detail," Marlene Malahoo Forte said in a statement to Reuters. "Our attempts to get further and better particulars from the Haitian government were unsuccessful." Lawyers for Palacios have asked for his immediate release from Kingston's Horizon Adult Remand Centre, arguing that his detention is unlawful, she said. Neither Palacio's lawyers nor Haiti government officials immediately responded to requests for comment. (Reporting by Kate Chappell in Kingston; Additional reporting by Gessika Thomas in Port-au-Prince; Editing by Marguerita Choy) By Kate Chappell KINGSTON (Reuters) - A former Colombian military member implicated in last year's assassination of Haiti President Jovenel Moise will be deported from Jamaica to his home country on Jan. 3, Jamaica's attorney general said on Saturday. Mario Antonio Palacios, 43, is accused by Haitian authorities of forming part of a mercenary group that assassinated Moise in July during an assault on his private residence, during which his wife was also injured. Palacios was arrested in Jamaica last October and convicted for illegally entering the country from the Dominican Republic. Jamaica's government had issued a deportation order for illegally entering the country. But the island nation has no formal extradition treaty with Haiti, where Palacios is wanted, a local police spokesman said. "The information supplied did not link him to the assassination and essentially indicated that he was a suspect for attempted armed robbery, without any detail," Marlene Malahoo Forte said in a statement to Reuters. "Our attempts to get further and better particulars from the Haitian government were unsuccessful." Lawyers for Palacios have asked for his immediate release from Kingston's Horizon Adult Remand Centre, arguing that his detention is unlawful, she said. Neither Palacio's lawyers nor Haiti government officials immediately responded to requests for comment. (Reporting by Kate Chappell in Kingston; Additional reporting by Gessika Thomas in Port-au-Prince; Editing by Marguerita Choy) By Kate Chappell KINGSTON (Reuters) - A former Colombian military member implicated in last year's assassination of Haiti President Jovenel Moise will be deported from Jamaica to his home country on Jan. 3, Jamaica's attorney general said on Saturday. Mario Antonio Palacios, 43, is accused by Haitian authorities of forming part of a mercenary group that assassinated Moise in July during an assault on his private residence, during which his wife was also injured. Palacios was arrested in Jamaica last October and convicted for illegally entering the country from the Dominican Republic. Jamaica's government had issued a deportation order for illegally entering the country. But the island nation has no formal extradition treaty with Haiti, where Palacios is wanted, a local police spokesman said. "The information supplied did not link him to the assassination and essentially indicated that he was a suspect for attempted armed robbery, without any detail," Marlene Malahoo Forte said in a statement to Reuters. "Our attempts to get further and better particulars from the Haitian government were unsuccessful." Lawyers for Palacios have asked for his immediate release from Kingston's Horizon Adult Remand Centre, arguing that his detention is unlawful, she said. Neither Palacio's lawyers nor Haiti government officials immediately responded to requests for comment. (Reporting by Kate Chappell in Kingston; Additional reporting by Gessika Thomas in Port-au-Prince; Editing by Marguerita Choy) By Kate Chappell KINGSTON (Reuters) - A former Colombian military member implicated in last year's assassination of Haiti President Jovenel Moise will be deported from Jamaica to his home country on Jan. 3, Jamaica's attorney general said on Saturday. Mario Antonio Palacios, 43, is accused by Haitian authorities of forming part of a mercenary group that assassinated Moise in July during an assault on his private residence, during which his wife was also injured. Palacios was arrested in Jamaica last October and convicted for illegally entering the country from the Dominican Republic. Jamaica's government had issued a deportation order for illegally entering the country. But the island nation has no formal extradition treaty with Haiti, where Palacios is wanted, a local police spokesman said. "The information supplied did not link him to the assassination and essentially indicated that he was a suspect for attempted armed robbery, without any detail," Marlene Malahoo Forte said in a statement to Reuters. "Our attempts to get further and better particulars from the Haitian government were unsuccessful." Lawyers for Palacios have asked for his immediate release from Kingston's Horizon Adult Remand Centre, arguing that his detention is unlawful, she said. Neither Palacio's lawyers nor Haiti government officials immediately responded to requests for comment. (Reporting by Kate Chappell in Kingston; Additional reporting by Gessika Thomas in Port-au-Prince; Editing by Marguerita Choy) By Kate Chappell KINGSTON (Reuters) - A former Colombian military member implicated in last year's assassination of Haiti President Jovenel Moise will be deported from Jamaica to his home country on Jan. 3, Jamaica's attorney general said on Saturday. Mario Antonio Palacios, 43, is accused by Haitian authorities of forming part of a mercenary group that assassinated Moise in July during an assault on his private residence, during which his wife was also injured. Palacios was arrested in Jamaica last October and convicted for illegally entering the country from the Dominican Republic. Jamaica's government had issued a deportation order for illegally entering the country. But the island nation has no formal extradition treaty with Haiti, where Palacios is wanted, a local police spokesman said. "The information supplied did not link him to the assassination and essentially indicated that he was a suspect for attempted armed robbery, without any detail," Marlene Malahoo Forte said in a statement to Reuters. "Our attempts to get further and better particulars from the Haitian government were unsuccessful." Lawyers for Palacios have asked for his immediate release from Kingston's Horizon Adult Remand Centre, arguing that his detention is unlawful, she said. Neither Palacio's lawyers nor Haiti government officials immediately responded to requests for comment. (Reporting by Kate Chappell in Kingston; Additional reporting by Gessika Thomas in Port-au-Prince; Editing by Marguerita Choy) By Kate Chappell KINGSTON (Reuters) - A former Colombian military member implicated in last year's assassination of Haiti President Jovenel Moise will be deported from Jamaica to his home country on Jan. 3, Jamaica's attorney general said on Saturday. Mario Antonio Palacios, 43, is accused by Haitian authorities of forming part of a mercenary group that assassinated Moise in July during an assault on his private residence, during which his wife was also injured. Palacios was arrested in Jamaica last October and convicted for illegally entering the country from the Dominican Republic. Jamaica's government had issued a deportation order for illegally entering the country. But the island nation has no formal extradition treaty with Haiti, where Palacios is wanted, a local police spokesman said. "The information supplied did not link him to the assassination and essentially indicated that he was a suspect for attempted armed robbery, without any detail," Marlene Malahoo Forte said in a statement to Reuters. "Our attempts to get further and better particulars from the Haitian government were unsuccessful." Lawyers for Palacios have asked for his immediate release from Kingston's Horizon Adult Remand Centre, arguing that his detention is unlawful, she said. Neither Palacio's lawyers nor Haiti government officials immediately responded to requests for comment. (Reporting by Kate Chappell in Kingston; Additional reporting by Gessika Thomas in Port-au-Prince; Editing by Marguerita Choy) Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Minister Carla Qualtrough responds to a question during a news conference in Ottawa on Aug. 20, 2020. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press) Unvaccinated Workers Who Lose Their Job May Also Lose EI Benefits, Employment Minister Says Canadians who become jobless because they arent willing to get vaccinated for COVID-19 may be ineligible for employment insurance (EI) benefits, Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough said. In an interview with The Canadian Press, Qualtrough said the decision was made in part to ensure workplaces werent shut down due to an outbreak, and also to encourage vaccine uptake. The Liberals have tacked the condition on to a suite of other benefit payments besides EI, saying none can go to workers who lose their jobs or work hours because they refused to get vaccinated. The rules dont apply to those with a medical exemption. Qualtrough said the vaccination rules for COVID-19 benefits will continue as long as public health concerns remain a top priority for the federal government. As long as the collective public health of Canadians is jeopardized, and our economy is thereby threatened, were going to have to keep public health policy top of mind in our employment and labor and economic decision making, she said. And I dont know how long that will be. Employment and Social Development Canada, the federal department responsible for administering EI, recently issued an updated guidance notice to employers filling out records of employment (ROE) for workers who do not comply with their firms COVID-19 vaccination policies. Those applying for EI need an ROE. If an employee doesnt meet the criteria stated in the ROE, he or she will likely not receive the benefits. When the employee doesnt report to work because they refuse to comply with your mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, use code E (quit) or code N (leave of absence), said the notice, updated on Dec. 24. When you suspend or terminate an employee for not complying with your mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, use code M (dismissal or suspension). The notice added that should employers use any of those codes, the department will contact them to determine if they had communicated their vaccine policies clearly to the affected employees, the consequences for non-compliance, any potential exemptions, and whether the policies were enforced within reasonable context. The government has rolled out several COVID-19 benefits for workers in the course of the pandemic. During the first wave, 3 million jobs were lost over two months from March 2020 to April 2020, while almost as many had their hours cut. By May 2020, the unemployment rate hit a historic high of 13.7 percent, and the government shut down the EI system at the time in favour of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit and its successor, the Canada Recovery Benefit. Federal aid was revamped again in December 2021 with a more targeted focus on the hardest-hit sectors that includes a $300-a-week benefit for workers who are subject to a lockdown. Qualtrough said the latest pivot in pandemic aid was conceived in the fall to encourage participation in the labour force. We knew we had to make sure that if something like Omicron happened, that we still needed a tool to help Canadians who either would lose their jobs or would face reduced hours, she said. But we knew the economy in September of 2021 looked very different than it did in September of 2020. So we couldnt just continue with broad measures that maybe would disincentivize work, or wouldnt encourage maximum labour force participation. The Canadian Press contributed to this article. Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Minister Carla Qualtrough responds to a question during a news conference in Ottawa on Aug. 20, 2020. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press) Unvaccinated Workers Who Lose Their Job May Also Lose EI Benefits, Employment Minister Says Canadians who become jobless because they arent willing to get vaccinated for COVID-19 may be ineligible for employment insurance (EI) benefits, Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough said. In an interview with The Canadian Press, Qualtrough said the decision was made in part to ensure workplaces werent shut down due to an outbreak, and also to encourage vaccine uptake. The Liberals have tacked the condition on to a suite of other benefit payments besides EI, saying none can go to workers who lose their jobs or work hours because they refused to get vaccinated. The rules dont apply to those with a medical exemption. Qualtrough said the vaccination rules for COVID-19 benefits will continue as long as public health concerns remain a top priority for the federal government. As long as the collective public health of Canadians is jeopardized, and our economy is thereby threatened, were going to have to keep public health policy top of mind in our employment and labor and economic decision making, she said. And I dont know how long that will be. Employment and Social Development Canada, the federal department responsible for administering EI, recently issued an updated guidance notice to employers filling out records of employment (ROE) for workers who do not comply with their firms COVID-19 vaccination policies. Those applying for EI need an ROE. If an employee doesnt meet the criteria stated in the ROE, he or she will likely not receive the benefits. When the employee doesnt report to work because they refuse to comply with your mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, use code E (quit) or code N (leave of absence), said the notice, updated on Dec. 24. When you suspend or terminate an employee for not complying with your mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, use code M (dismissal or suspension). The notice added that should employers use any of those codes, the department will contact them to determine if they had communicated their vaccine policies clearly to the affected employees, the consequences for non-compliance, any potential exemptions, and whether the policies were enforced within reasonable context. The government has rolled out several COVID-19 benefits for workers in the course of the pandemic. During the first wave, 3 million jobs were lost over two months from March 2020 to April 2020, while almost as many had their hours cut. By May 2020, the unemployment rate hit a historic high of 13.7 percent, and the government shut down the EI system at the time in favour of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit and its successor, the Canada Recovery Benefit. Federal aid was revamped again in December 2021 with a more targeted focus on the hardest-hit sectors that includes a $300-a-week benefit for workers who are subject to a lockdown. Qualtrough said the latest pivot in pandemic aid was conceived in the fall to encourage participation in the labour force. We knew we had to make sure that if something like Omicron happened, that we still needed a tool to help Canadians who either would lose their jobs or would face reduced hours, she said. But we knew the economy in September of 2021 looked very different than it did in September of 2020. So we couldnt just continue with broad measures that maybe would disincentivize work, or wouldnt encourage maximum labour force participation. The Canadian Press contributed to this article. Texas Senator Ted Cruz's teenage daughter said she often disagrees with her father's views and outlined the difficulties of being his child in a now viral TikTok video. Caroline Cruz, 13, said people are quick to judge her over her Republican dad's politics, despite the fact that she often opposes his conservative views. 'A lot of people judge me based upon him at first glance,' she said. 'But I really disagree with most of his views.' She also revealed the perks and downsides of having a parent in the public eye, calling out their media team for editing the length of her shirt on the family Christmas card. Caroline Cruz, 13, said she often disagrees with her conservatives father's views and outlined the difficulties of being his child in a now viral TikTok video Caroline, whose TikTok account @_caro_iguess_ has since been made private, started gaining new followers after people identified her as the Texas senator's oldest daughter. The teenager made the video - which was re-shared on Twitter - after several TikTokers questioned what it was like to be Cruz's daughter. Offering insight to her family life, Caroline made a pros and cons list. Highlighting the positives, she said: 'Some of the good things are we get candy and gifts in the mail. We also get to travel sometimes.' However, Caroline's list of 'bad things' was more detailed and highlighted her high-security life, expectations of appearance, and the public perception of her beliefs. 'I literally have to have security following me everywhere,' she said. 'Like if I want to go on a walk through the neighborhood or to my friend's house or something, I have to have like two security guards behind me the entire time.' Caroline said people are quick to judge her over her dad's politics, despite the fact that she often opposes them (Pictured: Sen. Ted Cruz on Dec. 15) When someone said 'your dad is awesome,' Caroline simply replied: 'Ok' Caroline shared how she is often judged by others over her father's conservative views, beliefs and actions, despite disagreeing with them. In fact, when one TikToker said 'your dad is awesome,' Caroline simply replied: 'Ok'. The teen also alleged that her father's media team photoshopped her outfit on the family Christmas card to reflect Cruz's conservative views. In the printed photo, Caroline appears to be wearing a standard-length knit shirt, however she claims it was actually a crop top. 'On the Christmas card, they literally made my shirt longer,' she said before revealing a mirror selfie of what her outfit looked like the day of the shoot. The teen also alleged her outfit was photoshopped on the family Christmas card to reflect Cruz's conservative views (Pictured L to R: Catherine, Ted, Heidi and Caroline) 'On the Christmas card, they literally made my shirt longer,' she said before revealing a mirror selfie of what her outfit looked like the day of the shoot Caroline's TikTok account went private after her video blew up, but not before social media users took screengrabs of her bio, in which she listed her pronouns as she/her and indicated that she identified as bisexual. When another user questioned about her sexuality and whether Cruz was aware of it, Caroline replied: 'I haven't told him yet, I'm kinda nervous to tbh but I don't think he would be mad about it.' She also acquired a large following. Her @_caro_iguess_ account has over 17,000 followers and 51,000 likes. The teen is also said to have another account, @carolinecamille04, which is also private. That account only has 668 followers. Caroline is the daughter of Cruz, 51, and his wife, Heidi, 49. The couple also has another daughter, 11-year-old Catherine. Social media users took screengrabs of her bio, in which she listed her pronouns as she/her and indicated that she identified as bisexual One questioned about whether or not her father knew she was bisexual, Caroline said she hadn't old him yet, adding: 'I don't think he would be mad about it' The US senator, who ran for president in 2016, has indicated he is considering running again in 2024. Last week, during an interview of conservative news service The Truth Gazette, Cruz described his presidential run as the 'most fun' he'd ever had. Although former president Donald Trump ultimately prevailed in the Republican primary, Cruz applauded himself for placing second. 'You know there's a reason historically that the runner-up is almost always the next nominee,' Cruz told host Brilyn Hollyhand. 'And that's been true going back to Nixon or Reagan or McCain or Romney. That's played out repeatedly. You come in with just [an] enormous base of support.' When Hollyhand asked if he'd consider running again, Cruz responded: 'Absolutely. In a heartbeat.' Texas Senator Ted Cruz's teenage daughter said she often disagrees with her father's views and outlined the difficulties of being his child in a now viral TikTok video. Caroline Cruz, 13, said people are quick to judge her over her Republican dad's politics, despite the fact that she often opposes his conservative views. 'A lot of people judge me based upon him at first glance,' she said. 'But I really disagree with most of his views.' She also revealed the perks and downsides of having a parent in the public eye, calling out their media team for editing the length of her shirt on the family Christmas card. Caroline Cruz, 13, said she often disagrees with her conservatives father's views and outlined the difficulties of being his child in a now viral TikTok video Caroline, whose TikTok account @_caro_iguess_ has since been made private, started gaining new followers after people identified her as the Texas senator's oldest daughter. The teenager made the video - which was re-shared on Twitter - after several TikTokers questioned what it was like to be Cruz's daughter. Offering insight to her family life, Caroline made a pros and cons list. Highlighting the positives, she said: 'Some of the good things are we get candy and gifts in the mail. We also get to travel sometimes.' However, Caroline's list of 'bad things' was more detailed and highlighted her high-security life, expectations of appearance, and the public perception of her beliefs. 'I literally have to have security following me everywhere,' she said. 'Like if I want to go on a walk through the neighborhood or to my friend's house or something, I have to have like two security guards behind me the entire time.' Caroline said people are quick to judge her over her dad's politics, despite the fact that she often opposes them (Pictured: Sen. Ted Cruz on Dec. 15) When someone said 'your dad is awesome,' Caroline simply replied: 'Ok' Caroline shared how she is often judged by others over her father's conservative views, beliefs and actions, despite disagreeing with them. In fact, when one TikToker said 'your dad is awesome,' Caroline simply replied: 'Ok'. The teen also alleged that her father's media team photoshopped her outfit on the family Christmas card to reflect Cruz's conservative views. In the printed photo, Caroline appears to be wearing a standard-length knit shirt, however she claims it was actually a crop top. 'On the Christmas card, they literally made my shirt longer,' she said before revealing a mirror selfie of what her outfit looked like the day of the shoot. The teen also alleged her outfit was photoshopped on the family Christmas card to reflect Cruz's conservative views (Pictured L to R: Catherine, Ted, Heidi and Caroline) 'On the Christmas card, they literally made my shirt longer,' she said before revealing a mirror selfie of what her outfit looked like the day of the shoot Caroline's TikTok account went private after her video blew up, but not before social media users took screengrabs of her bio, in which she listed her pronouns as she/her and indicated that she identified as bisexual. When another user questioned about her sexuality and whether Cruz was aware of it, Caroline replied: 'I haven't told him yet, I'm kinda nervous to tbh but I don't think he would be mad about it.' She also acquired a large following. Her @_caro_iguess_ account has over 17,000 followers and 51,000 likes. The teen is also said to have another account, @carolinecamille04, which is also private. That account only has 668 followers. Caroline is the daughter of Cruz, 51, and his wife, Heidi, 49. The couple also has another daughter, 11-year-old Catherine. Social media users took screengrabs of her bio, in which she listed her pronouns as she/her and indicated that she identified as bisexual One questioned about whether or not her father knew she was bisexual, Caroline said she hadn't old him yet, adding: 'I don't think he would be mad about it' The US senator, who ran for president in 2016, has indicated he is considering running again in 2024. Last week, during an interview of conservative news service The Truth Gazette, Cruz described his presidential run as the 'most fun' he'd ever had. Although former president Donald Trump ultimately prevailed in the Republican primary, Cruz applauded himself for placing second. 'You know there's a reason historically that the runner-up is almost always the next nominee,' Cruz told host Brilyn Hollyhand. 'And that's been true going back to Nixon or Reagan or McCain or Romney. That's played out repeatedly. You come in with just [an] enormous base of support.' When Hollyhand asked if he'd consider running again, Cruz responded: 'Absolutely. In a heartbeat.' Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. At least 35 civilians burned alive by Burmese army on Christmas Eve Myanmars ruling military burned alive at least 35 internally displaced people, including elders, women and children, in a village in eastern Kayah State on Christmas Eve, according to human rights groups. The Karenni Human Rights Group said it discovered the victims' bodies on Saturday, the day after the massacre near the Mo So village of Hpruso town. We were so shocked at seeing that all the dead bodies were different sizes, including children, women and old people, a commander from the Karenni National Defense Force, one of the largest of several civilian militias opposing the junta that led to a Feb. 1 coup, told Reuters. I went to see this morning. I saw dead bodies that had been burned, and also the clothes of children and women spread around, a local villager was quoted as saying. The international aid group Save the Children said two of its staffers were missing in that massacre, adding that it was suspending operations in that region in Myanmar, previously known as Burma, NPR reported. The military, also known as Tatmadaw, admitted it shot and killed an unspecified number of terrorists with weapons from the KNDF in the village, adding that the people were in seven vehicles and did not stop for the military, Reuters added. The presence of the Buddhist nationalist military makes civilians and militias in conflict-ridden states nervous. The military has been accused of damaging places of worship and civilians homes, raping girls and women, abducting civilians to be used for forced labor and executing civilians. Myanmars ethnic minorities, including Christians, live in the various conflict zones across the countrys borders with Thailand, China and India. Hundreds of thousands of civilians, many of them Christians, have been displaced due to the escalation of conflicts in the zones since the military coup on Feb. 1. Militias in those areas have been supporting pro-democracy protesters since the coup, which has led to the use of heavy weapons by the Myanmar army. Thousands of civilians in the conflict zones have sought shelter in churches when their villages are under attack. Today the 25th of December, Christmas Day, is an important day of celebration and peace for the world. However, today the genocidal junta made their choice to say clearly that peace is..., tweeted Dr. Sasa, who is Union Minister of the Ministry of International Cooperation, Spokesperson of the National Unity Government of Myanmar and the Myanmar Special Envoy to the United Nations. These acts clearly constitute the worst crimes against humanity and we expect that all peoples and governments the world over should condemn these acts, he said in a statement. With the condemnation, however, should come a commitment that these criminals be brought to justice and held fully accountable for their actions. According to the KHRG, at least 651 houses, six churches and at least one clinic in Kayah state, also known as Karenni, were destroyed between May 21 and Dec. 20, the U.K.-based group Christian Solidarity Worldwide said in a statement. From June to May, at least eight churches were damaged in 30 days in the Kayah and Shan states. According to Radio Free Asia, five civilians sheltering inside the churches were killed. In May, four civilians were reportedly killed and around eight others were injured when security forces fired artillery shells at a Catholic church in the Kayah state. Myanmar is ranked No. 18 on Open Doors USAs 2021 World Watch List of 50 countries where Christians face the most severe persecution. The persecution level in Myanmar is very high due to Buddhist nationalism. Burma is recognized by the U.S. State Department as a country of particular concern for egregious violations of religious liberty. Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. At least 35 civilians burned alive by Burmese army on Christmas Eve Myanmars ruling military burned alive at least 35 internally displaced people, including elders, women and children, in a village in eastern Kayah State on Christmas Eve, according to human rights groups. The Karenni Human Rights Group said it discovered the victims' bodies on Saturday, the day after the massacre near the Mo So village of Hpruso town. We were so shocked at seeing that all the dead bodies were different sizes, including children, women and old people, a commander from the Karenni National Defense Force, one of the largest of several civilian militias opposing the junta that led to a Feb. 1 coup, told Reuters. I went to see this morning. I saw dead bodies that had been burned, and also the clothes of children and women spread around, a local villager was quoted as saying. The international aid group Save the Children said two of its staffers were missing in that massacre, adding that it was suspending operations in that region in Myanmar, previously known as Burma, NPR reported. The military, also known as Tatmadaw, admitted it shot and killed an unspecified number of terrorists with weapons from the KNDF in the village, adding that the people were in seven vehicles and did not stop for the military, Reuters added. The presence of the Buddhist nationalist military makes civilians and militias in conflict-ridden states nervous. The military has been accused of damaging places of worship and civilians homes, raping girls and women, abducting civilians to be used for forced labor and executing civilians. Myanmars ethnic minorities, including Christians, live in the various conflict zones across the countrys borders with Thailand, China and India. Hundreds of thousands of civilians, many of them Christians, have been displaced due to the escalation of conflicts in the zones since the military coup on Feb. 1. Militias in those areas have been supporting pro-democracy protesters since the coup, which has led to the use of heavy weapons by the Myanmar army. Thousands of civilians in the conflict zones have sought shelter in churches when their villages are under attack. Today the 25th of December, Christmas Day, is an important day of celebration and peace for the world. However, today the genocidal junta made their choice to say clearly that peace is..., tweeted Dr. Sasa, who is Union Minister of the Ministry of International Cooperation, Spokesperson of the National Unity Government of Myanmar and the Myanmar Special Envoy to the United Nations. These acts clearly constitute the worst crimes against humanity and we expect that all peoples and governments the world over should condemn these acts, he said in a statement. With the condemnation, however, should come a commitment that these criminals be brought to justice and held fully accountable for their actions. According to the KHRG, at least 651 houses, six churches and at least one clinic in Kayah state, also known as Karenni, were destroyed between May 21 and Dec. 20, the U.K.-based group Christian Solidarity Worldwide said in a statement. From June to May, at least eight churches were damaged in 30 days in the Kayah and Shan states. According to Radio Free Asia, five civilians sheltering inside the churches were killed. In May, four civilians were reportedly killed and around eight others were injured when security forces fired artillery shells at a Catholic church in the Kayah state. Myanmar is ranked No. 18 on Open Doors USAs 2021 World Watch List of 50 countries where Christians face the most severe persecution. The persecution level in Myanmar is very high due to Buddhist nationalism. Burma is recognized by the U.S. State Department as a country of particular concern for egregious violations of religious liberty. Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. While Flagstaffs annual New Years celebration the much-loved Great Pinecone Drop had to be canceled last night due to COVID-related concerns, revelers can still welcome in the new year with a celestial fireworks show, courtesy of the Quadrantid Meteor Shower. This is not only one of the best meteor showers, but also noteworthy for its ties to northern Arizona. The Quadrantid Meteor Shower is one of the most active meteor showers, typically producing as many meteors during peak activity as its better known siblings such as the Perseids. Unlike these other showers, however, the duration of peak activity is relatively short several hours instead of one or two days. The Quadrantids are active from December 28 to January 12, with the peak typically from late on the evening of January 2 into the early morning of January 3. This year, there will be no interfering light from the moon since it is just past its new phase and setting before dark. Italian observer Antonio Brucalassi first noted the Quadrantid Meteor Shower when he wrote in 1825, the atmosphere was traversed by a multitude of the luminous bodies known by the name of falling stars. The celestial streakers appeared to radiate from the constellation Quadrans Muralis, the Mural Quadrant, which French astronomer Jerome Lalande had named in 1795 in recognition of the instrument he used a wall-mounted quadrant to map the heavens. Since meteor showers are named for the constellation from which they appear to emanate, this one became known as the Quadrantid Meteor Shower. If Quadrans Muralis doesnt sound familiar, thats because it is no longer recognized as a valid constellation. In 1922 the International Astronomical Union, the governing body of astronomical policy including nomenclature, condensed and standardized the Greek/Roman constellations in an effort to create a universally accepted method of mapping the sky. Quadrans Muralis didnt make the cut, and the area of sky with which it had been associated was subsumed under the constellations Bootes and Draco. Despite Quadrans Muraliss rejection from the modern family of 88 constellations, the name Quadrantids stuck for the meteor shower. Most meteor showers come from the remains of comet tails orbiting the Sun. The parent body of the Perseid meteors, for instance, is a comet commonly known as Swift-Tuttle. Into the 20th century, the parent body of the Quadrantids was unknown. This changed in 2003 when Dutch/American astronomer and meteor shower expert Peter Jenniskens theorized their connection to a small solar system body, (196256) 2003 EH1, which is likely an extinct comet; astronomers today generally classify it as an asteroid. This body had been discovered on March 6, 2003 by the Lowell Observatory Near-Earth-Object Search, an asteroid and comet search program headed by Lowell astronomer Ted Bowell that ran from 1993 to 2008. After this discovery, Jenniskens studied its orbit and realized it matched that of the Quadrantids, indicating it was the likely parent body. Whatever the true origin of the Quadrantids, they reliably visit at the beginning of each year, with a peak from 60-200 (under ideal conditions) meteors per hour. Viewing them is relatively straightforward. Its important to find a location away from street lights or other artificial glow. Most observers lie on a blanket or sit back on a chair and look towards the northeast part of the sky, where the meteors will appear to be radiating from (though, in reality, they may be seen anywhere in the sky). Observers should also plan to be outside for at least half an hour, to give their eyes time to adapt to the dark. GAITHERSBURG, Md., Jan. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The new year is off to a bright and busy start at two Adventist HealthCare hospitals, where some of the first babies of 2022 in the Washington, D.C., area have arrived. Cyrus Mason arrived to mom Sarah and dad David at 12:12 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2022, at Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, Maryland. He was the first baby of the year born at the hospital and among the first to arrive in 2022 in the Washington, D.C., area. Just 12 minutes after midnight, Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, Maryland, welcomed a baby boy. Sarah Ivins of Germantown, Maryland, delivered Cyrus Mason, who weighed 6 pounds 11 ounces. Cyrus was one of three babies born in the first 25 minutes of the year to moms at Shady Grove Medical Center. At 1:35 a.m. in Silver Spring, Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center welcomed its first baby of the year, a girl. The New Year's babies and their parents received gift baskets filled with books and baby essentials from the hospitals to help celebrate being 2022's first arrivals. "It is with great joy that our Birth Center welcomes the first baby of 2022," said Nan Troiano, Shady Grove Medical Center's Director of Women's and Infants' Services. "What a blessing it is to serve our community and provide world-class care to new parents and their babies." Shady Grove Medical Center delivers approximately 4,500 babies each year and offers a Level III NICU to care for premature or critically ill infants. "Each year we feel so blessed to welcome the first baby of the new year at our Birth Center and this year is even more meaningful as it offers joy during challenging times for our community," said Patricia Hudson, manager of the Birth Center at White Oak Medical Center. "We are looking forward to celebrating more special moments with many families this year." Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center , a not-for-profit, 443-bed hospital in Rockville, Maryland, has earned national recognition for quality in cardiology, stroke care, orthopedics, bariatrics, and maternity services. Shady Grove offers comprehensive mental health care and a freestanding cancer center that provides the community with holistic care and cutting-edge treatments. Story continues Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center, a not-for-profit, 198-bed, all private room hospital in Silver Spring, Maryland, offers a full range of health services including a comprehensive and nationally recognized heart program, cancer care, maternity care, surgical and emergency care. White Oak Medical Center is a neighbor and research partner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and at the center of the emerging White Oak Science Gateway in Montgomery County. Both hospitals are part of the Adventist HealthCare system based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, which has served the people of the D.C. area since 1907. Contact: Tina Sheesley TSheesle@AdventistHealthCare.com 301-315-3330 Cyrus Mason was the first baby born in 2022 at Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, Maryland, He arrived at 12:12 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2022, making him one of the first babies to arrive in the new year in the Washington, D.C., area. Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/adventist-healthcare-hospitals-welcome-first-babies-of-2022-301452474.html SOURCE Adventist HealthCare GAITHERSBURG, Md., Jan. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The new year is off to a bright and busy start at two Adventist HealthCare hospitals, where some of the first babies of 2022 in the Washington, D.C., area have arrived. Cyrus Mason arrived to mom Sarah and dad David at 12:12 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2022, at Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, Maryland. He was the first baby of the year born at the hospital and among the first to arrive in 2022 in the Washington, D.C., area. Just 12 minutes after midnight, Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, Maryland, welcomed a baby boy. Sarah Ivins of Germantown, Maryland, delivered Cyrus Mason, who weighed 6 pounds 11 ounces. Cyrus was one of three babies born in the first 25 minutes of the year to moms at Shady Grove Medical Center. At 1:35 a.m. in Silver Spring, Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center welcomed its first baby of the year, a girl. The New Year's babies and their parents received gift baskets filled with books and baby essentials from the hospitals to help celebrate being 2022's first arrivals. "It is with great joy that our Birth Center welcomes the first baby of 2022," said Nan Troiano, Shady Grove Medical Center's Director of Women's and Infants' Services. "What a blessing it is to serve our community and provide world-class care to new parents and their babies." Shady Grove Medical Center delivers approximately 4,500 babies each year and offers a Level III NICU to care for premature or critically ill infants. "Each year we feel so blessed to welcome the first baby of the new year at our Birth Center and this year is even more meaningful as it offers joy during challenging times for our community," said Patricia Hudson, manager of the Birth Center at White Oak Medical Center. "We are looking forward to celebrating more special moments with many families this year." Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center , a not-for-profit, 443-bed hospital in Rockville, Maryland, has earned national recognition for quality in cardiology, stroke care, orthopedics, bariatrics, and maternity services. Shady Grove offers comprehensive mental health care and a freestanding cancer center that provides the community with holistic care and cutting-edge treatments. Story continues Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center, a not-for-profit, 198-bed, all private room hospital in Silver Spring, Maryland, offers a full range of health services including a comprehensive and nationally recognized heart program, cancer care, maternity care, surgical and emergency care. White Oak Medical Center is a neighbor and research partner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and at the center of the emerging White Oak Science Gateway in Montgomery County. Both hospitals are part of the Adventist HealthCare system based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, which has served the people of the D.C. area since 1907. Contact: Tina Sheesley TSheesle@AdventistHealthCare.com 301-315-3330 Cyrus Mason was the first baby born in 2022 at Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, Maryland, He arrived at 12:12 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2022, making him one of the first babies to arrive in the new year in the Washington, D.C., area. Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/adventist-healthcare-hospitals-welcome-first-babies-of-2022-301452474.html SOURCE Adventist HealthCare GAITHERSBURG, Md., Jan. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The new year is off to a bright and busy start at two Adventist HealthCare hospitals, where some of the first babies of 2022 in the Washington, D.C., area have arrived. Cyrus Mason arrived to mom Sarah and dad David at 12:12 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2022, at Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, Maryland. He was the first baby of the year born at the hospital and among the first to arrive in 2022 in the Washington, D.C., area. Just 12 minutes after midnight, Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, Maryland, welcomed a baby boy. Sarah Ivins of Germantown, Maryland, delivered Cyrus Mason, who weighed 6 pounds 11 ounces. Cyrus was one of three babies born in the first 25 minutes of the year to moms at Shady Grove Medical Center. At 1:35 a.m. in Silver Spring, Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center welcomed its first baby of the year, a girl. The New Year's babies and their parents received gift baskets filled with books and baby essentials from the hospitals to help celebrate being 2022's first arrivals. "It is with great joy that our Birth Center welcomes the first baby of 2022," said Nan Troiano, Shady Grove Medical Center's Director of Women's and Infants' Services. "What a blessing it is to serve our community and provide world-class care to new parents and their babies." Shady Grove Medical Center delivers approximately 4,500 babies each year and offers a Level III NICU to care for premature or critically ill infants. "Each year we feel so blessed to welcome the first baby of the new year at our Birth Center and this year is even more meaningful as it offers joy during challenging times for our community," said Patricia Hudson, manager of the Birth Center at White Oak Medical Center. "We are looking forward to celebrating more special moments with many families this year." Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center , a not-for-profit, 443-bed hospital in Rockville, Maryland, has earned national recognition for quality in cardiology, stroke care, orthopedics, bariatrics, and maternity services. Shady Grove offers comprehensive mental health care and a freestanding cancer center that provides the community with holistic care and cutting-edge treatments. Story continues Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center, a not-for-profit, 198-bed, all private room hospital in Silver Spring, Maryland, offers a full range of health services including a comprehensive and nationally recognized heart program, cancer care, maternity care, surgical and emergency care. White Oak Medical Center is a neighbor and research partner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and at the center of the emerging White Oak Science Gateway in Montgomery County. Both hospitals are part of the Adventist HealthCare system based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, which has served the people of the D.C. area since 1907. Contact: Tina Sheesley TSheesle@AdventistHealthCare.com 301-315-3330 Cyrus Mason was the first baby born in 2022 at Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, Maryland, He arrived at 12:12 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2022, making him one of the first babies to arrive in the new year in the Washington, D.C., area. Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/adventist-healthcare-hospitals-welcome-first-babies-of-2022-301452474.html SOURCE Adventist HealthCare While Flagstaffs annual New Years celebration the much-loved Great Pinecone Drop had to be canceled last night due to COVID-related concerns, revelers can still welcome in the new year with a celestial fireworks show, courtesy of the Quadrantid Meteor Shower. This is not only one of the best meteor showers, but also noteworthy for its ties to northern Arizona. The Quadrantid Meteor Shower is one of the most active meteor showers, typically producing as many meteors during peak activity as its better known siblings such as the Perseids. Unlike these other showers, however, the duration of peak activity is relatively short several hours instead of one or two days. The Quadrantids are active from December 28 to January 12, with the peak typically from late on the evening of January 2 into the early morning of January 3. This year, there will be no interfering light from the moon since it is just past its new phase and setting before dark. Italian observer Antonio Brucalassi first noted the Quadrantid Meteor Shower when he wrote in 1825, the atmosphere was traversed by a multitude of the luminous bodies known by the name of falling stars. The celestial streakers appeared to radiate from the constellation Quadrans Muralis, the Mural Quadrant, which French astronomer Jerome Lalande had named in 1795 in recognition of the instrument he used a wall-mounted quadrant to map the heavens. Since meteor showers are named for the constellation from which they appear to emanate, this one became known as the Quadrantid Meteor Shower. If Quadrans Muralis doesnt sound familiar, thats because it is no longer recognized as a valid constellation. In 1922 the International Astronomical Union, the governing body of astronomical policy including nomenclature, condensed and standardized the Greek/Roman constellations in an effort to create a universally accepted method of mapping the sky. Quadrans Muralis didnt make the cut, and the area of sky with which it had been associated was subsumed under the constellations Bootes and Draco. Despite Quadrans Muraliss rejection from the modern family of 88 constellations, the name Quadrantids stuck for the meteor shower. Most meteor showers come from the remains of comet tails orbiting the Sun. The parent body of the Perseid meteors, for instance, is a comet commonly known as Swift-Tuttle. Into the 20th century, the parent body of the Quadrantids was unknown. This changed in 2003 when Dutch/American astronomer and meteor shower expert Peter Jenniskens theorized their connection to a small solar system body, (196256) 2003 EH1, which is likely an extinct comet; astronomers today generally classify it as an asteroid. This body had been discovered on March 6, 2003 by the Lowell Observatory Near-Earth-Object Search, an asteroid and comet search program headed by Lowell astronomer Ted Bowell that ran from 1993 to 2008. After this discovery, Jenniskens studied its orbit and realized it matched that of the Quadrantids, indicating it was the likely parent body. Whatever the true origin of the Quadrantids, they reliably visit at the beginning of each year, with a peak from 60-200 (under ideal conditions) meteors per hour. Viewing them is relatively straightforward. Its important to find a location away from street lights or other artificial glow. Most observers lie on a blanket or sit back on a chair and look towards the northeast part of the sky, where the meteors will appear to be radiating from (though, in reality, they may be seen anywhere in the sky). Observers should also plan to be outside for at least half an hour, to give their eyes time to adapt to the dark. Texas Senator Ted Cruz's teenage daughter said she often disagrees with her father's views and outlined the difficulties of being his child in a now viral TikTok video. Caroline Cruz, 13, said people are quick to judge her over her Republican dad's politics, despite the fact that she often opposes his conservative views. 'A lot of people judge me based upon him at first glance,' she said. 'But I really disagree with most of his views.' She also revealed the perks and downsides of having a parent in the public eye, calling out their media team for editing the length of her shirt on the family Christmas card. Caroline Cruz, 13, said she often disagrees with her conservatives father's views and outlined the difficulties of being his child in a now viral TikTok video Caroline, whose TikTok account @_caro_iguess_ has since been made private, started gaining new followers after people identified her as the Texas senator's oldest daughter. The teenager made the video - which was re-shared on Twitter - after several TikTokers questioned what it was like to be Cruz's daughter. Offering insight to her family life, Caroline made a pros and cons list. Highlighting the positives, she said: 'Some of the good things are we get candy and gifts in the mail. We also get to travel sometimes.' However, Caroline's list of 'bad things' was more detailed and highlighted her high-security life, expectations of appearance, and the public perception of her beliefs. 'I literally have to have security following me everywhere,' she said. 'Like if I want to go on a walk through the neighborhood or to my friend's house or something, I have to have like two security guards behind me the entire time.' Caroline said people are quick to judge her over her dad's politics, despite the fact that she often opposes them (Pictured: Sen. Ted Cruz on Dec. 15) When someone said 'your dad is awesome,' Caroline simply replied: 'Ok' Caroline shared how she is often judged by others over her father's conservative views, beliefs and actions, despite disagreeing with them. In fact, when one TikToker said 'your dad is awesome,' Caroline simply replied: 'Ok'. The teen also alleged that her father's media team photoshopped her outfit on the family Christmas card to reflect Cruz's conservative views. In the printed photo, Caroline appears to be wearing a standard-length knit shirt, however she claims it was actually a crop top. 'On the Christmas card, they literally made my shirt longer,' she said before revealing a mirror selfie of what her outfit looked like the day of the shoot. The teen also alleged her outfit was photoshopped on the family Christmas card to reflect Cruz's conservative views (Pictured L to R: Catherine, Ted, Heidi and Caroline) 'On the Christmas card, they literally made my shirt longer,' she said before revealing a mirror selfie of what her outfit looked like the day of the shoot Caroline's TikTok account went private after her video blew up, but not before social media users took screengrabs of her bio, in which she listed her pronouns as she/her and indicated that she identified as bisexual. When another user questioned about her sexuality and whether Cruz was aware of it, Caroline replied: 'I haven't told him yet, I'm kinda nervous to tbh but I don't think he would be mad about it.' She also acquired a large following. Her @_caro_iguess_ account has over 17,000 followers and 51,000 likes. The teen is also said to have another account, @carolinecamille04, which is also private. That account only has 668 followers. Caroline is the daughter of Cruz, 51, and his wife, Heidi, 49. The couple also has another daughter, 11-year-old Catherine. Social media users took screengrabs of her bio, in which she listed her pronouns as she/her and indicated that she identified as bisexual One questioned about whether or not her father knew she was bisexual, Caroline said she hadn't old him yet, adding: 'I don't think he would be mad about it' The US senator, who ran for president in 2016, has indicated he is considering running again in 2024. Last week, during an interview of conservative news service The Truth Gazette, Cruz described his presidential run as the 'most fun' he'd ever had. Although former president Donald Trump ultimately prevailed in the Republican primary, Cruz applauded himself for placing second. 'You know there's a reason historically that the runner-up is almost always the next nominee,' Cruz told host Brilyn Hollyhand. 'And that's been true going back to Nixon or Reagan or McCain or Romney. That's played out repeatedly. You come in with just [an] enormous base of support.' When Hollyhand asked if he'd consider running again, Cruz responded: 'Absolutely. In a heartbeat.' Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. Myanmars media freedom record has charted a drastically downward trajectory over the past year. Within hours of the military ousting Myanmars democratically elected government in February, the junta sought to control access to information, cutting the internet and blocking social media sites. From there, broadcasters had their licenses revoked, journalists were arrested, and in December, at least two media workers were killed: photojournalist Soe Naing, who died in military custody, and Sai Win Aung, who was killed covering fighting in the Myawadddy district of the country, near the Thai border. Myanmar went into 2020 with no journalists behind bars. By March, the junta had detained dozens of journalists, including Thein Zaw, who works for the Associated Press, and freelance journalist Robert Bociaga. Dismal year Political analyst Aung Thu Nyein said 2021 was one of the worst years for the media. I can say the last year is the most oppressive year against independent media in Myanmar. He noted how reporters have been targeted in the same capacity as those refusing to accept military rule. The junta has been using a broad range of actions against activists, journalists, and armed fighters, the worst is accusing them of anti-terrorism charges. What I [expect] in a new year will not be a different environment, [not a] release of the military iron grip, I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media by building firewalls similar to China, Aung Thu Nyein added. Win Zaw Naing, an editor for the independent news website Red News Agency, told VOA, that journalists are now being targeted, arrested and sued." Yet, the official message from the spokesman for the military, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, was that the military respects and values media freedom and has only arrested journalists who were inciting unrest. As of December, at least 26 were currently detained, with many more arrested and later released during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Most of those arrested are held on charges under Section 505A, a new provision of Myanmars Penal Code law that criminalizes causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating crimes against the government. Infamous reputation Many journalists were held in Yangons Insein Prison, which rights groups say has a reputation for inhumane conditions and treatment. Journalists like Yuki Kitazumi from Japan, who was detained for one month, spoke to VOA about incidents of torture of the inmates. Most of the political prisoners were tortured in the military compound, [the] military institute, "where fellow inmates suffered abuse while blindfolded throughout intake interrogations, said Kitazumi. One man was asked to choose: knife or a gun? Kitazumi said of the interrogation techniques used by the military. And American journalist Nathan Maung, who was detained for nearly 100 days at Insein, says his captors initially blindfolded him, provided no water and food for days, and beat him while the journalist was confined to a chair. Maung was the first of two U.S. journalists to be detained. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Now, was arrested in May as he was about to board a plane back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Fenster was accused of working for Myanmar Now, an outlet banned by the junta. While he had previously worked for the news website, Fenster had quit months before the coup. Despite that, he was later sentenced to 11 years in jail, before finally being released and deported in November. Fenster's arrest served as a warning to other journalists, according to political analysts and experts who spoke with VOA. Working in exile With the risk of arrest increasing, some like Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to go into exile. The 31-year-old had won the AFPs Kate Webb Award in 2017 for his coverage of the Rohingya genocide. But fast-forward to 2021, he was wanted by the military. Mratt Kyaw Thaw said the junta quickly denounced his work. I think February 12 they announced my name as fake news, he told VOA. When his name was announced on state-owned radio after he interviewed a military general who had defected, Mratt Kyaw Thaw decided to leave. He left Yangon and was able to eventually enter Spain as an asylum seeker. He told VOA in June, Im a fugitive forever. For many journalists, reporting on the ground had become untenable. Several outlets have suspended operations or have started working from exile. One of those is the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB. Exiled Burmese founded the DVB in 2005, with the broadcaster providing unfiltered news and information about Myanmar. In 2012, DVB slowly moved back into Myanmar before being banned by the military this year. It is now managed in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Aye Chan Naing, editorial director of DVB, said they would continue to report despite the obstacles. For this situation is nothing new, we have been doing this from exile for the past 20 years, until we moved to Yangon in 2012, for us its nothing really special, but we have to take the risk, like in the past. The editor admitted, though, that the broadcaster is now decentralized, and it is relying on citizen journalists because of the risks to reporters. Being an independent journalist is already a ticket to get arrested, Aye Chan Naing said. Downward spiral Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of English language news outlet Frontier Myanmar, pointed to the banning of the five media outlets in March as the watershed moment for Myanmars media decline. Since then, more have been banned, more journalists have been arrested, and its been downhill since then, gradually more difficult, month by month, said Kean. His own publication has stopped its print edition and temporarily suspended its website given the uncertainty around the country. One Myanmar journalist, known as Cape Diamond, believes the junta is clamping down on reporters because it is frightened by the media. The junta know how important the journalism is, thats why they are oppressing the journalists as much as they can. But as Myanmar enters its second year under military rule, Aung Thu Nyein said the future remains bleak for the countrys media. I believe the military wont loosen its grip until its proposed elections in 2023. I worry the restriction will be imposed on a new frontsocial media, by building firewalls similar to China. Texas Senator Ted Cruz's teenage daughter said she often disagrees with her father's views and outlined the difficulties of being his child in a now viral TikTok video. Caroline Cruz, 13, said people are quick to judge her over her Republican dad's politics, despite the fact that she often opposes his conservative views. 'A lot of people judge me based upon him at first glance,' she said. 'But I really disagree with most of his views.' She also revealed the perks and downsides of having a parent in the public eye, calling out their media team for editing the length of her shirt on the family Christmas card. Caroline Cruz, 13, said she often disagrees with her conservatives father's views and outlined the difficulties of being his child in a now viral TikTok video Caroline, whose TikTok account @_caro_iguess_ has since been made private, started gaining new followers after people identified her as the Texas senator's oldest daughter. The teenager made the video - which was re-shared on Twitter - after several TikTokers questioned what it was like to be Cruz's daughter. Offering insight to her family life, Caroline made a pros and cons list. Highlighting the positives, she said: 'Some of the good things are we get candy and gifts in the mail. We also get to travel sometimes.' However, Caroline's list of 'bad things' was more detailed and highlighted her high-security life, expectations of appearance, and the public perception of her beliefs. 'I literally have to have security following me everywhere,' she said. 'Like if I want to go on a walk through the neighborhood or to my friend's house or something, I have to have like two security guards behind me the entire time.' Caroline said people are quick to judge her over her dad's politics, despite the fact that she often opposes them (Pictured: Sen. Ted Cruz on Dec. 15) When someone said 'your dad is awesome,' Caroline simply replied: 'Ok' Caroline shared how she is often judged by others over her father's conservative views, beliefs and actions, despite disagreeing with them. In fact, when one TikToker said 'your dad is awesome,' Caroline simply replied: 'Ok'. The teen also alleged that her father's media team photoshopped her outfit on the family Christmas card to reflect Cruz's conservative views. In the printed photo, Caroline appears to be wearing a standard-length knit shirt, however she claims it was actually a crop top. 'On the Christmas card, they literally made my shirt longer,' she said before revealing a mirror selfie of what her outfit looked like the day of the shoot. The teen also alleged her outfit was photoshopped on the family Christmas card to reflect Cruz's conservative views (Pictured L to R: Catherine, Ted, Heidi and Caroline) 'On the Christmas card, they literally made my shirt longer,' she said before revealing a mirror selfie of what her outfit looked like the day of the shoot Caroline's TikTok account went private after her video blew up, but not before social media users took screengrabs of her bio, in which she listed her pronouns as she/her and indicated that she identified as bisexual. When another user questioned about her sexuality and whether Cruz was aware of it, Caroline replied: 'I haven't told him yet, I'm kinda nervous to tbh but I don't think he would be mad about it.' She also acquired a large following. Her @_caro_iguess_ account has over 17,000 followers and 51,000 likes. The teen is also said to have another account, @carolinecamille04, which is also private. That account only has 668 followers. Caroline is the daughter of Cruz, 51, and his wife, Heidi, 49. The couple also has another daughter, 11-year-old Catherine. Social media users took screengrabs of her bio, in which she listed her pronouns as she/her and indicated that she identified as bisexual One questioned about whether or not her father knew she was bisexual, Caroline said she hadn't old him yet, adding: 'I don't think he would be mad about it' The US senator, who ran for president in 2016, has indicated he is considering running again in 2024. Last week, during an interview of conservative news service The Truth Gazette, Cruz described his presidential run as the 'most fun' he'd ever had. Although former president Donald Trump ultimately prevailed in the Republican primary, Cruz applauded himself for placing second. 'You know there's a reason historically that the runner-up is almost always the next nominee,' Cruz told host Brilyn Hollyhand. 'And that's been true going back to Nixon or Reagan or McCain or Romney. That's played out repeatedly. You come in with just [an] enormous base of support.' When Hollyhand asked if he'd consider running again, Cruz responded: 'Absolutely. In a heartbeat.' THE UL Hospitals Group has confirmed those aged between 16 and 29 will be able to receive a Covid-19 booster vaccine at walk-in clinics in Limerick from this Sunday. The first of the clinics, which are part of an acceleration of the Covid-19 vaccination programme, will take place at Scoil Carmel in the city between 1.30pm and 7pm tomorrow. Further walk-in vaccination clinics, for this age cohort, will take place on Monday (1.30pm - 7pm) and Tuesday (1.30pm - 7pm). There will also be clinics in Ennis and Nenagh. Walk-in booster clinics also continue over the coming days for people aged in the 30+ group. In Limerick, there is a free shuttle-bus service running between the Southcourt Hotel, Raheen and the vaccination centre every half-hour between 8am and 7.30pm. Limited parking is available on-site, with additional parking at the nearby former Moloneys Garage at Punchs Cross, from which there is easy pedestrian access to Scoil Carmel. Details of all walk-in clinics are available on the HSE website which is updated regularly as new clinics are added. People aged 16 years and older are being reminded they should not attend for a Booster dose until three months (90 days) have elapsed since they received their Dose 2 vaccine. Anyone who has had a Covid-19 positive result in the last three months should not attend for a Booster dose, in line with the latest national guidance. Bruce Sams is no stranger to fighting for his life and fighting to save others lives. As a McMinnville firefighter, its right there in his j Some military officials were given promises before the fall of Kabul that they would be evacuated, and their departure was a major reason for the defeat of the Afghan army by the Taliban, said former Afghan president Ashraf Ghani, according to media reports, Ghani referred to the Doha agreement, which was signed between the US and the Islamic Emirate on February 29, 2020, saying that it was a unilateral deal that isolated the Kabul administration, Tolo News reported. Ghani said that convening a Loya Jirga (National Assembly) could possibly give legitimacy to the Taliban. "Taliban leaders to refrain from taking forceful actions, warning that such actions will pave the way for a proxy war in Afghanistan," he said. "The Taliban should understand that they are repeating the mistakes of Communists and the Mujahedeen. Deprivation and reliance on force and killings will not bring any result. The Afghans want to service and opportunities," he added... Ghani said that he left the country suddenly, citing the dangerous situation, but his first vice president, Amrullah Saleh, said the behaviour of Hamdullah Mohib (national security council) and Fazal Mahmood Fazli (Ghani's close aide) was not typical, suggesting that the ex-president and his staff were planning to flee the country, according to Tolo News. (ANI) New Delhi: Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi is a "crook" and Indian officials are "free to interrogate him", said Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, on Wednesday. He added that Mehul Choksi will be extradited to India after he exhausts all his appeals in the country. Browne also said that Antigua is has no interest in having him as he adds no value to the country. "I can assure you that he will be ultimately deported after exhausting all his appeals. He will be extradited back to India to face whatever charges against him. It is just a matter of time," Browne said. "They can come and if they wish to interview Choksi based on his willingness to participate, it has nothing to do with my government," he added. However, Browne said that it is "unfortunate" that Choksi was cleared by Indian officials as a person in "good standing" only to be told later that he is a "crook". "In any case, our officials acted based on the information from India and made him a citizen... the Indian officials have to take the responsibility for that situation," he said. Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi, who both fled the country a year ago, are key accused in the USD 2 billion PNB fraud case. Choksi was granted citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda on January 15, 2018. On June 17, Choksi had submitted an affidavit in the Bombay High Court, stating that he is residing in Antigua and was willing to co-operate in the investigation into the PNB scam. (With ANI Inputs) For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. New Delhi: Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi is a "crook" and Indian officials are "free to interrogate him", said Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, on Wednesday. He added that Mehul Choksi will be extradited to India after he exhausts all his appeals in the country. Browne also said that Antigua is has no interest in having him as he adds no value to the country. "I can assure you that he will be ultimately deported after exhausting all his appeals. He will be extradited back to India to face whatever charges against him. It is just a matter of time," Browne said. "They can come and if they wish to interview Choksi based on his willingness to participate, it has nothing to do with my government," he added. However, Browne said that it is "unfortunate" that Choksi was cleared by Indian officials as a person in "good standing" only to be told later that he is a "crook". "In any case, our officials acted based on the information from India and made him a citizen... the Indian officials have to take the responsibility for that situation," he said. Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi, who both fled the country a year ago, are key accused in the USD 2 billion PNB fraud case. Choksi was granted citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda on January 15, 2018. On June 17, Choksi had submitted an affidavit in the Bombay High Court, stating that he is residing in Antigua and was willing to co-operate in the investigation into the PNB scam. (With ANI Inputs) For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi is a "crook" and Indian officials are "free to interrogate him", said Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, on Wednesday. He added that Mehul Choksi will be extradited to India after he exhausts all his appeals in the country. Browne also said that Antigua is has no interest in having him as he adds no value to the country. "I can assure you that he will be ultimately deported after exhausting all his appeals. He will be extradited back to India to face whatever charges against him. It is just a matter of time," Browne said. "They can come and if they wish to interview Choksi based on his willingness to participate, it has nothing to do with my government," he added. However, Browne said that it is "unfortunate" that Choksi was cleared by Indian officials as a person in "good standing" only to be told later that he is a "crook". "In any case, our officials acted based on the information from India and made him a citizen... the Indian officials have to take the responsibility for that situation," he said. Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi, who both fled the country a year ago, are key accused in the USD 2 billion PNB fraud case. Choksi was granted citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda on January 15, 2018. On June 17, Choksi had submitted an affidavit in the Bombay High Court, stating that he is residing in Antigua and was willing to co-operate in the investigation into the PNB scam. (With ANI Inputs) For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi is a "crook" and Indian officials are "free to interrogate him", said Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, on Wednesday. He added that Mehul Choksi will be extradited to India after he exhausts all his appeals in the country. Browne also said that Antigua is has no interest in having him as he adds no value to the country. "I can assure you that he will be ultimately deported after exhausting all his appeals. He will be extradited back to India to face whatever charges against him. It is just a matter of time," Browne said. "They can come and if they wish to interview Choksi based on his willingness to participate, it has nothing to do with my government," he added. However, Browne said that it is "unfortunate" that Choksi was cleared by Indian officials as a person in "good standing" only to be told later that he is a "crook". "In any case, our officials acted based on the information from India and made him a citizen... the Indian officials have to take the responsibility for that situation," he said. Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi, who both fled the country a year ago, are key accused in the USD 2 billion PNB fraud case. Choksi was granted citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda on January 15, 2018. On June 17, Choksi had submitted an affidavit in the Bombay High Court, stating that he is residing in Antigua and was willing to co-operate in the investigation into the PNB scam. (With ANI Inputs) For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi is a "crook" and Indian officials are "free to interrogate him", said Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, on Wednesday. He added that Mehul Choksi will be extradited to India after he exhausts all his appeals in the country. Browne also said that Antigua is has no interest in having him as he adds no value to the country. "I can assure you that he will be ultimately deported after exhausting all his appeals. He will be extradited back to India to face whatever charges against him. It is just a matter of time," Browne said. "They can come and if they wish to interview Choksi based on his willingness to participate, it has nothing to do with my government," he added. However, Browne said that it is "unfortunate" that Choksi was cleared by Indian officials as a person in "good standing" only to be told later that he is a "crook". "In any case, our officials acted based on the information from India and made him a citizen... the Indian officials have to take the responsibility for that situation," he said. Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi, who both fled the country a year ago, are key accused in the USD 2 billion PNB fraud case. Choksi was granted citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda on January 15, 2018. On June 17, Choksi had submitted an affidavit in the Bombay High Court, stating that he is residing in Antigua and was willing to co-operate in the investigation into the PNB scam. (With ANI Inputs) For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi is a "crook" and Indian officials are "free to interrogate him", said Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, on Wednesday. He added that Mehul Choksi will be extradited to India after he exhausts all his appeals in the country. Browne also said that Antigua is has no interest in having him as he adds no value to the country. "I can assure you that he will be ultimately deported after exhausting all his appeals. He will be extradited back to India to face whatever charges against him. It is just a matter of time," Browne said. "They can come and if they wish to interview Choksi based on his willingness to participate, it has nothing to do with my government," he added. However, Browne said that it is "unfortunate" that Choksi was cleared by Indian officials as a person in "good standing" only to be told later that he is a "crook". "In any case, our officials acted based on the information from India and made him a citizen... the Indian officials have to take the responsibility for that situation," he said. Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi, who both fled the country a year ago, are key accused in the USD 2 billion PNB fraud case. Choksi was granted citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda on January 15, 2018. On June 17, Choksi had submitted an affidavit in the Bombay High Court, stating that he is residing in Antigua and was willing to co-operate in the investigation into the PNB scam. (With ANI Inputs) For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi is a "crook" and Indian officials are "free to interrogate him", said Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, on Wednesday. He added that Mehul Choksi will be extradited to India after he exhausts all his appeals in the country. Browne also said that Antigua is has no interest in having him as he adds no value to the country. "I can assure you that he will be ultimately deported after exhausting all his appeals. He will be extradited back to India to face whatever charges against him. It is just a matter of time," Browne said. "They can come and if they wish to interview Choksi based on his willingness to participate, it has nothing to do with my government," he added. However, Browne said that it is "unfortunate" that Choksi was cleared by Indian officials as a person in "good standing" only to be told later that he is a "crook". "In any case, our officials acted based on the information from India and made him a citizen... the Indian officials have to take the responsibility for that situation," he said. Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi, who both fled the country a year ago, are key accused in the USD 2 billion PNB fraud case. Choksi was granted citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda on January 15, 2018. On June 17, Choksi had submitted an affidavit in the Bombay High Court, stating that he is residing in Antigua and was willing to co-operate in the investigation into the PNB scam. (With ANI Inputs) For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi is a "crook" and Indian officials are "free to interrogate him", said Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, on Wednesday. He added that Mehul Choksi will be extradited to India after he exhausts all his appeals in the country. Browne also said that Antigua is has no interest in having him as he adds no value to the country. "I can assure you that he will be ultimately deported after exhausting all his appeals. He will be extradited back to India to face whatever charges against him. It is just a matter of time," Browne said. "They can come and if they wish to interview Choksi based on his willingness to participate, it has nothing to do with my government," he added. However, Browne said that it is "unfortunate" that Choksi was cleared by Indian officials as a person in "good standing" only to be told later that he is a "crook". "In any case, our officials acted based on the information from India and made him a citizen... the Indian officials have to take the responsibility for that situation," he said. Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi, who both fled the country a year ago, are key accused in the USD 2 billion PNB fraud case. Choksi was granted citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda on January 15, 2018. On June 17, Choksi had submitted an affidavit in the Bombay High Court, stating that he is residing in Antigua and was willing to co-operate in the investigation into the PNB scam. (With ANI Inputs) For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Cong's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' enters Thrissur 22 Sep 2022 | 8:51 PM Thrissur, Sep 22 (UNI) The Bharat Jodo Yatra, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, entered the cultural capital of Thrissur in Kerala on Thursday on the 15th day on his 150-day sojourn for a tumultuous welcome at Chalakudy. see more.. HSL launches two indigenously developed Diving Support Vessels for Indian Navy 22 Sep 2022 | 8:19 PM Visakhapatnam, Sep 22 (UNI) Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral R Hari Kumar on Thursday said that commissioning of Two Diving Support Vessels (DSVs)-- Nistar and Nipun -- will start a new era in the deep ocean diving operation and submarine rescue operations. see more.. 'Mana badi-Naadu-Nedu' 2nd phase works to be expedited: Kakinada Collector 22 Sep 2022 | 7:39 PM Kakinada, Sep 22 (UNI) Kakinada District Collector Kritika Shukla on Thursday said the works proposed in the district under the second phase of 'Mana badi-Nadu-Nedu' scheme would be expedited. see more.. Telangana rural Cooperatives have huge potential to increase their businesses: CS 22 Sep 2022 | 7:20 PM Hyderabad, Sep 22 (UNI) Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar on Thursday said there is a huge potential for the rural cooperative institutions to increase their volume of business. see more.. NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said the focus was now on monitoring the health systems capacity, which remains at manageable levels. We will continue adapting our response as needed and if the facts and our evidence base change, we will adapt again. New data from more than a million COVID-19 cases in Britain found the risk of hospitalisation due to Omicron was a third of the rate of Delta. However, with Omicron circulating primarily among the young and a known lag between when people test positive and fall sick, Kirby Institute epidemiologist John Kaldor says it was too early to confidently say how big the surge in Australian hospitalisations might be. Were still probably a few weeks out from knowing how this is going to unfold. Even though the COVID patients are not as sick as they were with Delta and there are less in ICU, theyre still taking up beds, they still need nurses to look after them. Australian Medical Association president Omar Khorshid Public health officials say a big proportion of cases are likely going undetected and Professor Kaldor said it would be not too wild a guess to suggest that there at least were three to five times as many cases as the officially notified. Professor Esterman said it was safe to assume that Omicron had become the dominant variant nationally, but the proportion of Delta cases was unknown because most states and territories were no longer performing widespread genomic screening. He said South Australia seemed to be coming down the other side from its peak, with the reproductive rate falling from four to two in the past fortnight. Its not really uniform, but it will happen in NSW, he said. Its really a matter of how long it will take and can you hold out until then? Im hoping a lot of people will come to their senses and get vaccinated. COVID-19 cases in NSW hospitals have risen almost five-fold since the start of December and Australian Medical Association president Omar Khorshid said the impact of these new admissions was already being felt in extremely busy emergency departments and an acute shortage of nurses exacerbated by staff getting the virus. He expected fresh restrictions on elective surgery following the Christmas break to free up space for COVID-19 cases. Even though the COVID patients are not as sick as they were with Delta and there are less in ICU, theyre still taking up beds, they still need nurses to look after them, he said. NSW Health confirmed late on New Years Eve that healthcare staff who are close contacts of a COVID-19 case can return to work before completing the required seven days isolation if they are deemed to be essential by a senior manager. The move is to ensure continued delivery of essential health services and will apply to asymptomatic workers in public and private facilities in exceptional circumstances, a spokesperson said. If the workers develop any symptoms of COVID-19 they are required to seek a PCR test and not attend their workplace until a negative result is received. The exemption allows these close contacts to leave self-isolation to attend their workplace, provided they have been identified by their employer as critical to the service and cannot work from home, a NSW Health spokesperson said. Under the exemption, healthcare workers must travel directly to and from their residence to their workplace. They are required to wear a mask at all times in their workplace, unless eating or drinking or providing services where it needs to be removed. These workers are also required to comply with risk-management strategies put in place by their employer. The NSW Nurses and Midwives Association said there was a widespread staffing crisis in the states hospitals, with one major Sydney hospital asking for patients to be discharged as soon as possible. In another hospital, just three midwives were on hand to support 14 women in labour. Brett Holmes, the unions general secretary, said the hospital system was struggling under increased demand and the situation is becoming unsafe, with nurses and midwives targeted with abuse and aggression. Loading Our members are faced with an impossible task of trying to care for rising COVID-19 hospitalisations as well as other emergency presentations, and not enough staff to provide safe care, Mr Holmes said. Patients and family members are presenting to hospital expecting a robust, high-functioning health system and become extremely agitated when they experience the widespread staffing crisis first-hand. A NSW Health spokesperson said there were more nurses and midwives in public hospitals than at any other time in history. There is currently sufficient capacity in our intensive care units to accommodate seriously unwell patients with COVID-19, the spokesperson said. NSW Health said it had upskilled staff from other specialities and recruited students and former health professionals to deal with the surge. There were 119,278 tests in the 24-hour period to 8pm on Friday and four deaths, three women and one man, aged in their 60s, 70s and 80s. Victoria recorded 7442 new cases and nine deaths, with 451 people in hospital and 51 active cases in intensive care. The new cases were detected in 63,026 tests. NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said the focus was now on monitoring the health systems capacity, which remains at manageable levels. We will continue adapting our response as needed and if the facts and our evidence base change, we will adapt again. New data from more than a million COVID-19 cases in Britain found the risk of hospitalisation due to Omicron was a third of the rate of Delta. However, with Omicron circulating primarily among the young and a known lag between when people test positive and fall sick, Kirby Institute epidemiologist John Kaldor says it was too early to confidently say how big the surge in Australian hospitalisations might be. Were still probably a few weeks out from knowing how this is going to unfold. Even though the COVID patients are not as sick as they were with Delta and there are less in ICU, theyre still taking up beds, they still need nurses to look after them. Australian Medical Association president Omar Khorshid Public health officials say a big proportion of cases are likely going undetected and Professor Kaldor said it would be not too wild a guess to suggest that there at least were three to five times as many cases as the officially notified. Professor Esterman said it was safe to assume that Omicron had become the dominant variant nationally, but the proportion of Delta cases was unknown because most states and territories were no longer performing widespread genomic screening. He said South Australia seemed to be coming down the other side from its peak, with the reproductive rate falling from four to two in the past fortnight. Its not really uniform, but it will happen in NSW, he said. Its really a matter of how long it will take and can you hold out until then? Im hoping a lot of people will come to their senses and get vaccinated. COVID-19 cases in NSW hospitals have risen almost five-fold since the start of December and Australian Medical Association president Omar Khorshid said the impact of these new admissions was already being felt in extremely busy emergency departments and an acute shortage of nurses exacerbated by staff getting the virus. He expected fresh restrictions on elective surgery following the Christmas break to free up space for COVID-19 cases. Even though the COVID patients are not as sick as they were with Delta and there are less in ICU, theyre still taking up beds, they still need nurses to look after them, he said. NSW Health confirmed late on New Years Eve that healthcare staff who are close contacts of a COVID-19 case can return to work before completing the required seven days isolation if they are deemed to be essential by a senior manager. The move is to ensure continued delivery of essential health services and will apply to asymptomatic workers in public and private facilities in exceptional circumstances, a spokesperson said. If the workers develop any symptoms of COVID-19 they are required to seek a PCR test and not attend their workplace until a negative result is received. The exemption allows these close contacts to leave self-isolation to attend their workplace, provided they have been identified by their employer as critical to the service and cannot work from home, a NSW Health spokesperson said. Under the exemption, healthcare workers must travel directly to and from their residence to their workplace. They are required to wear a mask at all times in their workplace, unless eating or drinking or providing services where it needs to be removed. These workers are also required to comply with risk-management strategies put in place by their employer. The NSW Nurses and Midwives Association said there was a widespread staffing crisis in the states hospitals, with one major Sydney hospital asking for patients to be discharged as soon as possible. In another hospital, just three midwives were on hand to support 14 women in labour. Brett Holmes, the unions general secretary, said the hospital system was struggling under increased demand and the situation is becoming unsafe, with nurses and midwives targeted with abuse and aggression. Loading Our members are faced with an impossible task of trying to care for rising COVID-19 hospitalisations as well as other emergency presentations, and not enough staff to provide safe care, Mr Holmes said. Patients and family members are presenting to hospital expecting a robust, high-functioning health system and become extremely agitated when they experience the widespread staffing crisis first-hand. A NSW Health spokesperson said there were more nurses and midwives in public hospitals than at any other time in history. There is currently sufficient capacity in our intensive care units to accommodate seriously unwell patients with COVID-19, the spokesperson said. NSW Health said it had upskilled staff from other specialities and recruited students and former health professionals to deal with the surge. There were 119,278 tests in the 24-hour period to 8pm on Friday and four deaths, three women and one man, aged in their 60s, 70s and 80s. Victoria recorded 7442 new cases and nine deaths, with 451 people in hospital and 51 active cases in intensive care. The new cases were detected in 63,026 tests. Cong's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' enters Thrissur 22 Sep 2022 | 8:51 PM Thrissur, Sep 22 (UNI) The Bharat Jodo Yatra, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, entered the cultural capital of Thrissur in Kerala on Thursday on the 15th day on his 150-day sojourn for a tumultuous welcome at Chalakudy. see more.. HSL launches two indigenously developed Diving Support Vessels for Indian Navy 22 Sep 2022 | 8:19 PM Visakhapatnam, Sep 22 (UNI) Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral R Hari Kumar on Thursday said that commissioning of Two Diving Support Vessels (DSVs)-- Nistar and Nipun -- will start a new era in the deep ocean diving operation and submarine rescue operations. see more.. 'Mana badi-Naadu-Nedu' 2nd phase works to be expedited: Kakinada Collector 22 Sep 2022 | 7:39 PM Kakinada, Sep 22 (UNI) Kakinada District Collector Kritika Shukla on Thursday said the works proposed in the district under the second phase of 'Mana badi-Nadu-Nedu' scheme would be expedited. see more.. Telangana rural Cooperatives have huge potential to increase their businesses: CS 22 Sep 2022 | 7:20 PM Hyderabad, Sep 22 (UNI) Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar on Thursday said there is a huge potential for the rural cooperative institutions to increase their volume of business. see more.. Cong's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' enters Thrissur 22 Sep 2022 | 8:51 PM Thrissur, Sep 22 (UNI) The Bharat Jodo Yatra, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, entered the cultural capital of Thrissur in Kerala on Thursday on the 15th day on his 150-day sojourn for a tumultuous welcome at Chalakudy. see more.. HSL launches two indigenously developed Diving Support Vessels for Indian Navy 22 Sep 2022 | 8:19 PM Visakhapatnam, Sep 22 (UNI) Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral R Hari Kumar on Thursday said that commissioning of Two Diving Support Vessels (DSVs)-- Nistar and Nipun -- will start a new era in the deep ocean diving operation and submarine rescue operations. see more.. 'Mana badi-Naadu-Nedu' 2nd phase works to be expedited: Kakinada Collector 22 Sep 2022 | 7:39 PM Kakinada, Sep 22 (UNI) Kakinada District Collector Kritika Shukla on Thursday said the works proposed in the district under the second phase of 'Mana badi-Nadu-Nedu' scheme would be expedited. see more.. Telangana rural Cooperatives have huge potential to increase their businesses: CS 22 Sep 2022 | 7:20 PM Hyderabad, Sep 22 (UNI) Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar on Thursday said there is a huge potential for the rural cooperative institutions to increase their volume of business. see more.. McGregor City Council Member Steven Dutschmann remembers a Sunday morning in November when, aggravated by SpaceXs rocket testing, he vainly searched for a phone number, email address or company contact. He wanted someone to explain why SpaceX had obliterated his sound barrier. If I had a neighbor making this much noise, Id call the police. Here, I didnt have anyone to call, Dutschmann said. I get it. They have a business to run. But that does not give them the right to disturb the peace. McGregor and SpaceX have developed a symbiotic relationship. Elon Musks company leases nearly 4,300 acres in the citys industrial park, where it tests the rocket engines it uses to haul satellites and other payloads into orbit. Under development nearby is a second plant, a $150 million facility to build nearly a thousand Raptor 2 rocket engines annually. Musk first broached the subject of McGregor landing a rocket production plant in July, tweeting it would champion volume production of Raptor 2 rocket engines, while a factory in California would focus on Raptor Vacuum rockets. On a normal basis, SpaceX is not a problem, said Shannon Torn, who owns Cedar Chest Antique Mall on Highway 84 in McGregor. Locals are used to it. If they hear a rumble, they say, Oh, its SpaceX, and they dont pay any attention or notice. Out-of-town visitors think a tornado is coming. Torn said testing takes place periodically throughout the day, without notice or warning. Though she isnt bothered, she said she noticed right before the holidays that test burns, as they are called, seemed louder and more intense. The difference between then and now caused her to wonder if SpaceX placed testing on holiday hiatus. Multiple sources said SpaceX is actively pursuing a solution, not wanting to antagonize a community on which it has staked its future. Yes, there has been an increase in intensity, and that has been addressed with the company, said Andrew Smith, executive director of the McGregor Economic Development Corp. They want to be good neighbors. He said city management and the McGregor City Council got involved. Specifically, SpaceX continues installing a new test stand that muffles testing noise significantly, he said. SpaceX has had a presence in McGregor since 2003, and before that, the nearly 10,000 acres comprising the citys industrial park was occupied by the U.S. Navy and defense contractors. Smith said the new vertical test stand should be online within 60 days. McGregor Mayor Jim Hering wrote a letter to residents in mid-December, addressing the situation and requesting patience with SpaceX, which he described as a first class corporate citizen that has been true to its word. For all the great things that SpaceX has done and brought to our city, we recognize that this goodwill is difficult to maintain in the midst of a house-shaking engine test, Hering wrote. As SpaceX has transitioned from manufacturing and testing of Merlin engines to Raptor engines, the noise and vibration has grown significantly. Raptor engines power SpaceXs Starship, the worlds most powerful launch vehicle ever developed that will carry people to the Moon, Mars and beyond. He said the rumble residents hear, feel and see the effects of is a low frequency sound. It is not high decibel noise, nor is it ground vibration. He said winter weather conditions can make the rumble sound louder. SpaceX first test-fired a Raptor engine in September 2016, and first test-fired a Raptor Vacuum, the version to be used on space vehicles while outside Earths atmosphere, in September 2020. McLennan County Judge Scott Felton said he believes county commissioners are confident appropriate action is underway to address concerns with testing noise. He said new systems can better absorb power and noise that testing generates. Felton said he is not personally aware of property damage caused by testing, but has heard of foundation issues and window cracking. There are areas of displeasure with what progress brings, Felton said. SpaceX is a good community partner, and very open to discussion. SpaceX in summer 2020 announced it would spend about $10 million on infrastructure improvements, including noise suppressors, at its McGregor testing site. The city of Waco and McLennan County Commissioners voted to give SpaceX $2 million from the city-county economic development fund. At that time, McGregor City Manager Kevin Evans downplayed any noise issue related to SpaceX, saying he had received no complaints in a long time. He said SpaceX did not come close to decibel limits the city put in place. He said then SpaceX must not fire rockets after 11 p.m. If it tests between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m., McGregor charges a fee: $10,000 the first time, $15,000 the second, and $25,000 each time after that, with a reset each year. Evans could not be reached for additional comment Thursday. Dutschmann said testing shakes my house pretty good. He said he lives about 3 miles from SpaceX but hears from friends and relatives living all over Greater Waco and beyond who inquire about the chronic rumbling. He contends years of testing may have damaged a brick fence surrounding his property, and cracked concrete around his swimming pool. I was told by SpaceX community relations that they will send out an adjuster to make inspections if contacted, he said. Im going to do that. NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said the focus was now on monitoring the health systems capacity, which remains at manageable levels. We will continue adapting our response as needed and if the facts and our evidence base change, we will adapt again. New data from more than a million COVID-19 cases in Britain found the risk of hospitalisation due to Omicron was a third of the rate of Delta. However, with Omicron circulating primarily among the young and a known lag between when people test positive and fall sick, Kirby Institute epidemiologist John Kaldor says it was too early to confidently say how big the surge in Australian hospitalisations might be. Were still probably a few weeks out from knowing how this is going to unfold. Even though the COVID patients are not as sick as they were with Delta and there are less in ICU, theyre still taking up beds, they still need nurses to look after them. Australian Medical Association president Omar Khorshid Public health officials say a big proportion of cases are likely going undetected and Professor Kaldor said it would be not too wild a guess to suggest that there at least were three to five times as many cases as the officially notified. Professor Esterman said it was safe to assume that Omicron had become the dominant variant nationally, but the proportion of Delta cases was unknown because most states and territories were no longer performing widespread genomic screening. He said South Australia seemed to be coming down the other side from its peak, with the reproductive rate falling from four to two in the past fortnight. Its not really uniform, but it will happen in NSW, he said. Its really a matter of how long it will take and can you hold out until then? Im hoping a lot of people will come to their senses and get vaccinated. COVID-19 cases in NSW hospitals have risen almost five-fold since the start of December and Australian Medical Association president Omar Khorshid said the impact of these new admissions was already being felt in extremely busy emergency departments and an acute shortage of nurses exacerbated by staff getting the virus. He expected fresh restrictions on elective surgery following the Christmas break to free up space for COVID-19 cases. Even though the COVID patients are not as sick as they were with Delta and there are less in ICU, theyre still taking up beds, they still need nurses to look after them, he said. NSW Health confirmed late on New Years Eve that healthcare staff who are close contacts of a COVID-19 case can return to work before completing the required seven days isolation if they are deemed to be essential by a senior manager. The move is to ensure continued delivery of essential health services and will apply to asymptomatic workers in public and private facilities in exceptional circumstances, a spokesperson said. If the workers develop any symptoms of COVID-19 they are required to seek a PCR test and not attend their workplace until a negative result is received. The exemption allows these close contacts to leave self-isolation to attend their workplace, provided they have been identified by their employer as critical to the service and cannot work from home, a NSW Health spokesperson said. Under the exemption, healthcare workers must travel directly to and from their residence to their workplace. They are required to wear a mask at all times in their workplace, unless eating or drinking or providing services where it needs to be removed. These workers are also required to comply with risk-management strategies put in place by their employer. The NSW Nurses and Midwives Association said there was a widespread staffing crisis in the states hospitals, with one major Sydney hospital asking for patients to be discharged as soon as possible. In another hospital, just three midwives were on hand to support 14 women in labour. Brett Holmes, the unions general secretary, said the hospital system was struggling under increased demand and the situation is becoming unsafe, with nurses and midwives targeted with abuse and aggression. Loading Our members are faced with an impossible task of trying to care for rising COVID-19 hospitalisations as well as other emergency presentations, and not enough staff to provide safe care, Mr Holmes said. Patients and family members are presenting to hospital expecting a robust, high-functioning health system and become extremely agitated when they experience the widespread staffing crisis first-hand. A NSW Health spokesperson said there were more nurses and midwives in public hospitals than at any other time in history. There is currently sufficient capacity in our intensive care units to accommodate seriously unwell patients with COVID-19, the spokesperson said. NSW Health said it had upskilled staff from other specialities and recruited students and former health professionals to deal with the surge. There were 119,278 tests in the 24-hour period to 8pm on Friday and four deaths, three women and one man, aged in their 60s, 70s and 80s. Victoria recorded 7442 new cases and nine deaths, with 451 people in hospital and 51 active cases in intensive care. The new cases were detected in 63,026 tests. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said the focus was now on monitoring the health systems capacity, which remains at manageable levels. We will continue adapting our response as needed and if the facts and our evidence base change, we will adapt again. New data from more than a million COVID-19 cases in Britain found the risk of hospitalisation due to Omicron was a third of the rate of Delta. However, with Omicron circulating primarily among the young and a known lag between when people test positive and fall sick, Kirby Institute epidemiologist John Kaldor says it was too early to confidently say how big the surge in Australian hospitalisations might be. Were still probably a few weeks out from knowing how this is going to unfold. Even though the COVID patients are not as sick as they were with Delta and there are less in ICU, theyre still taking up beds, they still need nurses to look after them. Australian Medical Association president Omar Khorshid Public health officials say a big proportion of cases are likely going undetected and Professor Kaldor said it would be not too wild a guess to suggest that there at least were three to five times as many cases as the officially notified. Professor Esterman said it was safe to assume that Omicron had become the dominant variant nationally, but the proportion of Delta cases was unknown because most states and territories were no longer performing widespread genomic screening. He said South Australia seemed to be coming down the other side from its peak, with the reproductive rate falling from four to two in the past fortnight. Its not really uniform, but it will happen in NSW, he said. Its really a matter of how long it will take and can you hold out until then? Im hoping a lot of people will come to their senses and get vaccinated. COVID-19 cases in NSW hospitals have risen almost five-fold since the start of December and Australian Medical Association president Omar Khorshid said the impact of these new admissions was already being felt in extremely busy emergency departments and an acute shortage of nurses exacerbated by staff getting the virus. He expected fresh restrictions on elective surgery following the Christmas break to free up space for COVID-19 cases. Even though the COVID patients are not as sick as they were with Delta and there are less in ICU, theyre still taking up beds, they still need nurses to look after them, he said. NSW Health confirmed late on New Years Eve that healthcare staff who are close contacts of a COVID-19 case can return to work before completing the required seven days isolation if they are deemed to be essential by a senior manager. The move is to ensure continued delivery of essential health services and will apply to asymptomatic workers in public and private facilities in exceptional circumstances, a spokesperson said. If the workers develop any symptoms of COVID-19 they are required to seek a PCR test and not attend their workplace until a negative result is received. The exemption allows these close contacts to leave self-isolation to attend their workplace, provided they have been identified by their employer as critical to the service and cannot work from home, a NSW Health spokesperson said. Under the exemption, healthcare workers must travel directly to and from their residence to their workplace. They are required to wear a mask at all times in their workplace, unless eating or drinking or providing services where it needs to be removed. These workers are also required to comply with risk-management strategies put in place by their employer. The NSW Nurses and Midwives Association said there was a widespread staffing crisis in the states hospitals, with one major Sydney hospital asking for patients to be discharged as soon as possible. In another hospital, just three midwives were on hand to support 14 women in labour. Brett Holmes, the unions general secretary, said the hospital system was struggling under increased demand and the situation is becoming unsafe, with nurses and midwives targeted with abuse and aggression. Loading Our members are faced with an impossible task of trying to care for rising COVID-19 hospitalisations as well as other emergency presentations, and not enough staff to provide safe care, Mr Holmes said. Patients and family members are presenting to hospital expecting a robust, high-functioning health system and become extremely agitated when they experience the widespread staffing crisis first-hand. A NSW Health spokesperson said there were more nurses and midwives in public hospitals than at any other time in history. There is currently sufficient capacity in our intensive care units to accommodate seriously unwell patients with COVID-19, the spokesperson said. NSW Health said it had upskilled staff from other specialities and recruited students and former health professionals to deal with the surge. There were 119,278 tests in the 24-hour period to 8pm on Friday and four deaths, three women and one man, aged in their 60s, 70s and 80s. Victoria recorded 7442 new cases and nine deaths, with 451 people in hospital and 51 active cases in intensive care. The new cases were detected in 63,026 tests. NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said the focus was now on monitoring the health systems capacity, which remains at manageable levels. We will continue adapting our response as needed and if the facts and our evidence base change, we will adapt again. New data from more than a million COVID-19 cases in Britain found the risk of hospitalisation due to Omicron was a third of the rate of Delta. However, with Omicron circulating primarily among the young and a known lag between when people test positive and fall sick, Kirby Institute epidemiologist John Kaldor says it was too early to confidently say how big the surge in Australian hospitalisations might be. Were still probably a few weeks out from knowing how this is going to unfold. Even though the COVID patients are not as sick as they were with Delta and there are less in ICU, theyre still taking up beds, they still need nurses to look after them. Australian Medical Association president Omar Khorshid Public health officials say a big proportion of cases are likely going undetected and Professor Kaldor said it would be not too wild a guess to suggest that there at least were three to five times as many cases as the officially notified. Professor Esterman said it was safe to assume that Omicron had become the dominant variant nationally, but the proportion of Delta cases was unknown because most states and territories were no longer performing widespread genomic screening. He said South Australia seemed to be coming down the other side from its peak, with the reproductive rate falling from four to two in the past fortnight. Its not really uniform, but it will happen in NSW, he said. Its really a matter of how long it will take and can you hold out until then? Im hoping a lot of people will come to their senses and get vaccinated. COVID-19 cases in NSW hospitals have risen almost five-fold since the start of December and Australian Medical Association president Omar Khorshid said the impact of these new admissions was already being felt in extremely busy emergency departments and an acute shortage of nurses exacerbated by staff getting the virus. He expected fresh restrictions on elective surgery following the Christmas break to free up space for COVID-19 cases. Even though the COVID patients are not as sick as they were with Delta and there are less in ICU, theyre still taking up beds, they still need nurses to look after them, he said. NSW Health confirmed late on New Years Eve that healthcare staff who are close contacts of a COVID-19 case can return to work before completing the required seven days isolation if they are deemed to be essential by a senior manager. The move is to ensure continued delivery of essential health services and will apply to asymptomatic workers in public and private facilities in exceptional circumstances, a spokesperson said. If the workers develop any symptoms of COVID-19 they are required to seek a PCR test and not attend their workplace until a negative result is received. The exemption allows these close contacts to leave self-isolation to attend their workplace, provided they have been identified by their employer as critical to the service and cannot work from home, a NSW Health spokesperson said. Under the exemption, healthcare workers must travel directly to and from their residence to their workplace. They are required to wear a mask at all times in their workplace, unless eating or drinking or providing services where it needs to be removed. These workers are also required to comply with risk-management strategies put in place by their employer. The NSW Nurses and Midwives Association said there was a widespread staffing crisis in the states hospitals, with one major Sydney hospital asking for patients to be discharged as soon as possible. In another hospital, just three midwives were on hand to support 14 women in labour. Brett Holmes, the unions general secretary, said the hospital system was struggling under increased demand and the situation is becoming unsafe, with nurses and midwives targeted with abuse and aggression. Loading Our members are faced with an impossible task of trying to care for rising COVID-19 hospitalisations as well as other emergency presentations, and not enough staff to provide safe care, Mr Holmes said. Patients and family members are presenting to hospital expecting a robust, high-functioning health system and become extremely agitated when they experience the widespread staffing crisis first-hand. A NSW Health spokesperson said there were more nurses and midwives in public hospitals than at any other time in history. There is currently sufficient capacity in our intensive care units to accommodate seriously unwell patients with COVID-19, the spokesperson said. NSW Health said it had upskilled staff from other specialities and recruited students and former health professionals to deal with the surge. There were 119,278 tests in the 24-hour period to 8pm on Friday and four deaths, three women and one man, aged in their 60s, 70s and 80s. Victoria recorded 7442 new cases and nine deaths, with 451 people in hospital and 51 active cases in intensive care. The new cases were detected in 63,026 tests. Cong's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' enters Thrissur 22 Sep 2022 | 8:51 PM Thrissur, Sep 22 (UNI) The Bharat Jodo Yatra, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, entered the cultural capital of Thrissur in Kerala on Thursday on the 15th day on his 150-day sojourn for a tumultuous welcome at Chalakudy. see more.. HSL launches two indigenously developed Diving Support Vessels for Indian Navy 22 Sep 2022 | 8:19 PM Visakhapatnam, Sep 22 (UNI) Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral R Hari Kumar on Thursday said that commissioning of Two Diving Support Vessels (DSVs)-- Nistar and Nipun -- will start a new era in the deep ocean diving operation and submarine rescue operations. see more.. 'Mana badi-Naadu-Nedu' 2nd phase works to be expedited: Kakinada Collector 22 Sep 2022 | 7:39 PM Kakinada, Sep 22 (UNI) Kakinada District Collector Kritika Shukla on Thursday said the works proposed in the district under the second phase of 'Mana badi-Nadu-Nedu' scheme would be expedited. see more.. Telangana rural Cooperatives have huge potential to increase their businesses: CS 22 Sep 2022 | 7:20 PM Hyderabad, Sep 22 (UNI) Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar on Thursday said there is a huge potential for the rural cooperative institutions to increase their volume of business. see more.. Cong's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' enters Thrissur 22 Sep 2022 | 8:51 PM Thrissur, Sep 22 (UNI) The Bharat Jodo Yatra, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, entered the cultural capital of Thrissur in Kerala on Thursday on the 15th day on his 150-day sojourn for a tumultuous welcome at Chalakudy. see more.. HSL launches two indigenously developed Diving Support Vessels for Indian Navy 22 Sep 2022 | 8:19 PM Visakhapatnam, Sep 22 (UNI) Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral R Hari Kumar on Thursday said that commissioning of Two Diving Support Vessels (DSVs)-- Nistar and Nipun -- will start a new era in the deep ocean diving operation and submarine rescue operations. see more.. 'Mana badi-Naadu-Nedu' 2nd phase works to be expedited: Kakinada Collector 22 Sep 2022 | 7:39 PM Kakinada, Sep 22 (UNI) Kakinada District Collector Kritika Shukla on Thursday said the works proposed in the district under the second phase of 'Mana badi-Nadu-Nedu' scheme would be expedited. see more.. Telangana rural Cooperatives have huge potential to increase their businesses: CS 22 Sep 2022 | 7:20 PM Hyderabad, Sep 22 (UNI) Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar on Thursday said there is a huge potential for the rural cooperative institutions to increase their volume of business. see more.. Cong's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' enters Thrissur 22 Sep 2022 | 8:51 PM Thrissur, Sep 22 (UNI) The Bharat Jodo Yatra, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, entered the cultural capital of Thrissur in Kerala on Thursday on the 15th day on his 150-day sojourn for a tumultuous welcome at Chalakudy. see more.. HSL launches two indigenously developed Diving Support Vessels for Indian Navy 22 Sep 2022 | 8:19 PM Visakhapatnam, Sep 22 (UNI) Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral R Hari Kumar on Thursday said that commissioning of Two Diving Support Vessels (DSVs)-- Nistar and Nipun -- will start a new era in the deep ocean diving operation and submarine rescue operations. see more.. 'Mana badi-Naadu-Nedu' 2nd phase works to be expedited: Kakinada Collector 22 Sep 2022 | 7:39 PM Kakinada, Sep 22 (UNI) Kakinada District Collector Kritika Shukla on Thursday said the works proposed in the district under the second phase of 'Mana badi-Nadu-Nedu' scheme would be expedited. see more.. Telangana rural Cooperatives have huge potential to increase their businesses: CS 22 Sep 2022 | 7:20 PM Hyderabad, Sep 22 (UNI) Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar on Thursday said there is a huge potential for the rural cooperative institutions to increase their volume of business. see more.. Cong's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' enters Thrissur 22 Sep 2022 | 8:51 PM Thrissur, Sep 22 (UNI) The Bharat Jodo Yatra, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, entered the cultural capital of Thrissur in Kerala on Thursday on the 15th day on his 150-day sojourn for a tumultuous welcome at Chalakudy. see more.. HSL launches two indigenously developed Diving Support Vessels for Indian Navy 22 Sep 2022 | 8:19 PM Visakhapatnam, Sep 22 (UNI) Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral R Hari Kumar on Thursday said that commissioning of Two Diving Support Vessels (DSVs)-- Nistar and Nipun -- will start a new era in the deep ocean diving operation and submarine rescue operations. see more.. 'Mana badi-Naadu-Nedu' 2nd phase works to be expedited: Kakinada Collector 22 Sep 2022 | 7:39 PM Kakinada, Sep 22 (UNI) Kakinada District Collector Kritika Shukla on Thursday said the works proposed in the district under the second phase of 'Mana badi-Nadu-Nedu' scheme would be expedited. see more.. Telangana rural Cooperatives have huge potential to increase their businesses: CS 22 Sep 2022 | 7:20 PM Hyderabad, Sep 22 (UNI) Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar on Thursday said there is a huge potential for the rural cooperative institutions to increase their volume of business. see more.. THE UL Hospitals Group has confirmed those aged between 16 and 29 will be able to receive a Covid-19 booster vaccine at walk-in clinics in Limerick from this Sunday. The first of the clinics, which are part of an acceleration of the Covid-19 vaccination programme, will take place at Scoil Carmel in the city between 1.30pm and 7pm tomorrow. Further walk-in vaccination clinics, for this age cohort, will take place on Monday (1.30pm - 7pm) and Tuesday (1.30pm - 7pm). There will also be clinics in Ennis and Nenagh. Walk-in booster clinics also continue over the coming days for people aged in the 30+ group. In Limerick, there is a free shuttle-bus service running between the Southcourt Hotel, Raheen and the vaccination centre every half-hour between 8am and 7.30pm. Limited parking is available on-site, with additional parking at the nearby former Moloneys Garage at Punchs Cross, from which there is easy pedestrian access to Scoil Carmel. Details of all walk-in clinics are available on the HSE website which is updated regularly as new clinics are added. People aged 16 years and older are being reminded they should not attend for a Booster dose until three months (90 days) have elapsed since they received their Dose 2 vaccine. Anyone who has had a Covid-19 positive result in the last three months should not attend for a Booster dose, in line with the latest national guidance. It becomes more and more difficult for EU to agree on new sanctions against Russia U.S. imposes sanctions on Iranian vice police Liz Truss considers moving British embassy in Israel to Jerusalem Speaker of Iranian Parliament: Security in Persian Gulf will be achieved by withdrawal of extra-regional powers CSTO exercises will be held in Kazakhstan Lawyer: Mothers of deceased servicemen in Yerablur are subjected to different bodily injuries Erdogan will hold meeting on Russian 'Mir' cards and possible sanctions Erdogan does not rule out meeting with Pashinyan in Prague: We will have certain initiatives on Caucasus Iran demonstrates new long-range ballistic missiles for first time Two servicemen of Armenian Armed Forces are out of encirclement after 9 days Karekin II to meet today with Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan Trump: Conflict in Ukraine can lead to World War III Russia's budget deficit in 2022 will amount to 1.3 trillion rubles One of Armenia civilians wounded in recent Azerbaijan military aggression dies France says it will continue helping Ukraine with arms UN Armenia office team visits Gegharkunik Province communities affected by Azerbaijan shootings (PHOTOS) Dollar increases slightly, euro drops considerably in Armenia Armenia ombudswoman briefs EU envoy on closed part of her ad hoc report on recent Azerbaijan attack State assistance being provided to Armenia brandy businesses to be extended by one year Bloomberg: UK intends to sign agreement on LNG supplies from U.S. for up to 20 years China's former justice minister sentenced to death Jermuk: Changes in Jermuk resort town after Azerbaijani attack (photo report) Jermuk-Yerevan-Jermuk shuttle service already operating Armenian Genocide Memorials Memory Ally area to be expanded Biden to Pashinyan: We remain committed to promote peaceful resolution to conflict, including for people of Karabakh Internal investigation underway into police actions at Yerevan military pantheon on Independence Day anniversary Aggression-affected IDPs from Gegharkunik, Syunik and Vayots Dzor to be provided with financial assistance Peskov declines to comment on his son's refusal to report to military registration and enlistment office Belgian parliamentary delegation visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Missing, captured Armenian civilians families to get financial support for another month Turkish lira hits new historic low Peskov comments on reports of agitation at airports and checkpoints Russia air carrier to conduct additional flights to Armenia, Turkey Kazakhstan parliament passes law to exclude Day of First President from state holidays US Congressman Schiff: These atrocities will continue until international community condemns Aliyev Jim Costa talks Azerbaijani attack on Armenia: It was an attack on sovereign territory Greece official: Azerbaijan war against Armenia not on newspapers front pages as it is in Ukraine case Senator: the U.S. must stop providing security assistance to Azerbaijan Armenia, Finland FMs discuss Karabakh conflict settlement process CSTO Secretary General, Armenia army chief discuss situation on border with Azerbaijan Moscow agrees to appointing Lynne Tracy as new US envoy to Russia Armenia FM to Red Cross president: Azerbaijan crimes impunity makes aggressor more reckless (PHOTOS) Greece politician condemns Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia Iran, Russia and China to hold joint naval drills Iran army chief: We will not allow changes in borders in region Parliament speaker: We expect our Belgian colleagues to continue efforts for Armenian POWs return from Azerbaijan Karabakh FM discusses Artsakh foreign policy with group of US Congress members, senators Relatives of those who died and those who were injured in Yerevan market explosion to get one-time financial aid Copper rises in price Truss says Russia is not threatened by anyone Crime report is sent to Armenia Prosecutor General regarding recent harassment toward reporters in parliament Armenia FM to International Crisis Group head: Azerbaijan trying to achieve its maximalist demands by using force Gold prices fall below $1670 per ounce Borrell announces new sanctions on Russia because of referendums Oil prices move to some growth Blinken says US will continue to support Ukraine Newspaper: Armenia 3 ex-presidents, Catholicos to meet soon Armenia FM in New York, meets with UN Secretary General special adviser on genocide prevention Russian soldiers are exchanged with 215 Ukrainian POWs Newspaper: PM urges political teammates not to do anything drastic regarding topic of Armenia leaving CSTO Bulgaria gets closer to buying the second batch of eight new F-16s Armenia FM to Sweden counterpart: International community must restrain Azerbaijan military aggression FM briefs Nicaragua colleague on consequences of Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia 2 of 3 injured in Yerevan market damaged building collapse discharged from hospital Britain decides to revise its defense and security plan Iranian parliament says border violation due to aggravation between Armenia and Azerbaijan unacceptable Pashinyan leaves for New York Biden not to restrict imports of neodymium magnets from China No threat to life of serviceman wounded by Azerbaijani Armed Forces shelling EU's desire for independence from Russian gas will lead to slowdown of economy, rising inflation and fall of euro Biden to release 10 million barrels of oil ahead of EU ban on Russian oil Earthquake in Iran felt in Armenia Armenian Defense Ministry: Azerbaijan opens fire at Armenian positions, one wounded EU begins to develop new sanctions against Russia Canada is committed to further deepening bilateral relations and supporting strengthening of democracy in Armenia MEPs investigating use of spyware by EU governments criticize Poland and Israel Union of Armenians of Russia plans to send help to Armenia, Ara Abrahamyan holds meetings with Russian leadership Armenian FM meets with USAID Director Germany, Slovenia sign agreement for Slovenia to send 28 Soviet tanks to Ukraine Azerbaijani president makes aggressive statements about Armenia Greece extends subsidies for energy bills ahead of 'winter battle' Iset Tower in Yekaterinburg is painted in colors of Armenian flag NEWS.am digest: Azerbaijan violates ceasefire, Russia announces mobilization U.S. supports increasing number of permanent and non-permanent members of UN Security Council Biden accuses Russia of violating basic principles of UN membership Germany nationalizes energy giant Uniper CSTO foreign ministers hold working meeting under coordination of Armenian foreign minister European governments spend half trillion euros to fight energy crisis Cavusoglu: Announcement of partial mobilization in Russia is indicator of situation's seriousness Ebrahim Raisi: Iran is ready for comprehensive deepening of relations with Armenia, using common historical border 3 people hospitalized in Yerevan amid collapse of Surmalu shopping center's building subject to demolition NATO should view Beijing as a security threat Is West starting to insist on opening of so-called Zangezur corridor? Forest fire breaks out and fire helicopter crashes in Turkish city of Marmaris Wall of building subject to demolition collapses on territory of burnt-out Surmalu shopping center Queen of Denmark tests positive for COVID-19 after Elizabeth II's funeral Price of air ticket from Moscow to Yerevan is approaching $5,000 NATO Secretary General: Partial mobilization in Russia will lead to escalation of conflict Bloomberg: Qatar wants to supply energy to Europe under long-term contracts Yeghishe Kirakosyan tells US Congress about war crimes committed by Azerbaijanis It becomes more and more difficult for EU to agree on new sanctions against Russia U.S. imposes sanctions on Iranian vice police Liz Truss considers moving British embassy in Israel to Jerusalem Speaker of Iranian Parliament: Security in Persian Gulf will be achieved by withdrawal of extra-regional powers CSTO exercises will be held in Kazakhstan Lawyer: Mothers of deceased servicemen in Yerablur are subjected to different bodily injuries Erdogan will hold meeting on Russian 'Mir' cards and possible sanctions Erdogan does not rule out meeting with Pashinyan in Prague: We will have certain initiatives on Caucasus Iran demonstrates new long-range ballistic missiles for first time Two servicemen of Armenian Armed Forces are out of encirclement after 9 days Karekin II to meet today with Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan Trump: Conflict in Ukraine can lead to World War III Russia's budget deficit in 2022 will amount to 1.3 trillion rubles One of Armenia civilians wounded in recent Azerbaijan military aggression dies France says it will continue helping Ukraine with arms UN Armenia office team visits Gegharkunik Province communities affected by Azerbaijan shootings (PHOTOS) Dollar increases slightly, euro drops considerably in Armenia Armenia ombudswoman briefs EU envoy on closed part of her ad hoc report on recent Azerbaijan attack State assistance being provided to Armenia brandy businesses to be extended by one year Bloomberg: UK intends to sign agreement on LNG supplies from U.S. for up to 20 years China's former justice minister sentenced to death Jermuk: Changes in Jermuk resort town after Azerbaijani attack (photo report) Jermuk-Yerevan-Jermuk shuttle service already operating Armenian Genocide Memorials Memory Ally area to be expanded Biden to Pashinyan: We remain committed to promote peaceful resolution to conflict, including for people of Karabakh Internal investigation underway into police actions at Yerevan military pantheon on Independence Day anniversary Aggression-affected IDPs from Gegharkunik, Syunik and Vayots Dzor to be provided with financial assistance Peskov declines to comment on his son's refusal to report to military registration and enlistment office Belgian parliamentary delegation visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Missing, captured Armenian civilians families to get financial support for another month Turkish lira hits new historic low Peskov comments on reports of agitation at airports and checkpoints Russia air carrier to conduct additional flights to Armenia, Turkey Kazakhstan parliament passes law to exclude Day of First President from state holidays US Congressman Schiff: These atrocities will continue until international community condemns Aliyev Jim Costa talks Azerbaijani attack on Armenia: It was an attack on sovereign territory Greece official: Azerbaijan war against Armenia not on newspapers front pages as it is in Ukraine case Senator: the U.S. must stop providing security assistance to Azerbaijan Armenia, Finland FMs discuss Karabakh conflict settlement process CSTO Secretary General, Armenia army chief discuss situation on border with Azerbaijan Moscow agrees to appointing Lynne Tracy as new US envoy to Russia Armenia FM to Red Cross president: Azerbaijan crimes impunity makes aggressor more reckless (PHOTOS) Greece politician condemns Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia Iran, Russia and China to hold joint naval drills Iran army chief: We will not allow changes in borders in region Parliament speaker: We expect our Belgian colleagues to continue efforts for Armenian POWs return from Azerbaijan Karabakh FM discusses Artsakh foreign policy with group of US Congress members, senators Relatives of those who died and those who were injured in Yerevan market explosion to get one-time financial aid Copper rises in price Truss says Russia is not threatened by anyone Crime report is sent to Armenia Prosecutor General regarding recent harassment toward reporters in parliament Armenia FM to International Crisis Group head: Azerbaijan trying to achieve its maximalist demands by using force Gold prices fall below $1670 per ounce Borrell announces new sanctions on Russia because of referendums Oil prices move to some growth Blinken says US will continue to support Ukraine Newspaper: Armenia 3 ex-presidents, Catholicos to meet soon Armenia FM in New York, meets with UN Secretary General special adviser on genocide prevention Russian soldiers are exchanged with 215 Ukrainian POWs Newspaper: PM urges political teammates not to do anything drastic regarding topic of Armenia leaving CSTO Bulgaria gets closer to buying the second batch of eight new F-16s Armenia FM to Sweden counterpart: International community must restrain Azerbaijan military aggression FM briefs Nicaragua colleague on consequences of Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia 2 of 3 injured in Yerevan market damaged building collapse discharged from hospital Britain decides to revise its defense and security plan Iranian parliament says border violation due to aggravation between Armenia and Azerbaijan unacceptable Pashinyan leaves for New York Biden not to restrict imports of neodymium magnets from China No threat to life of serviceman wounded by Azerbaijani Armed Forces shelling EU's desire for independence from Russian gas will lead to slowdown of economy, rising inflation and fall of euro Biden to release 10 million barrels of oil ahead of EU ban on Russian oil Earthquake in Iran felt in Armenia Armenian Defense Ministry: Azerbaijan opens fire at Armenian positions, one wounded EU begins to develop new sanctions against Russia Canada is committed to further deepening bilateral relations and supporting strengthening of democracy in Armenia MEPs investigating use of spyware by EU governments criticize Poland and Israel Union of Armenians of Russia plans to send help to Armenia, Ara Abrahamyan holds meetings with Russian leadership Armenian FM meets with USAID Director Germany, Slovenia sign agreement for Slovenia to send 28 Soviet tanks to Ukraine Azerbaijani president makes aggressive statements about Armenia Greece extends subsidies for energy bills ahead of 'winter battle' Iset Tower in Yekaterinburg is painted in colors of Armenian flag NEWS.am digest: Azerbaijan violates ceasefire, Russia announces mobilization U.S. supports increasing number of permanent and non-permanent members of UN Security Council Biden accuses Russia of violating basic principles of UN membership Germany nationalizes energy giant Uniper CSTO foreign ministers hold working meeting under coordination of Armenian foreign minister European governments spend half trillion euros to fight energy crisis Cavusoglu: Announcement of partial mobilization in Russia is indicator of situation's seriousness Ebrahim Raisi: Iran is ready for comprehensive deepening of relations with Armenia, using common historical border 3 people hospitalized in Yerevan amid collapse of Surmalu shopping center's building subject to demolition NATO should view Beijing as a security threat Is West starting to insist on opening of so-called Zangezur corridor? Forest fire breaks out and fire helicopter crashes in Turkish city of Marmaris Wall of building subject to demolition collapses on territory of burnt-out Surmalu shopping center Queen of Denmark tests positive for COVID-19 after Elizabeth II's funeral Price of air ticket from Moscow to Yerevan is approaching $5,000 NATO Secretary General: Partial mobilization in Russia will lead to escalation of conflict Bloomberg: Qatar wants to supply energy to Europe under long-term contracts Yeghishe Kirakosyan tells US Congress about war crimes committed by Azerbaijanis Buc-ee's is known for its large stores with dozens of gas pumps, lots of bathrooms and aisles of snacks. Merchandise with its mascot, a beaver in a red cap, is also popular. The stores are open 24 hours, 365 days of the year. (2015 file photo by Ron Baselice/The Dallas Morning News) Cong's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' enters Thrissur 22 Sep 2022 | 8:51 PM Thrissur, Sep 22 (UNI) The Bharat Jodo Yatra, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, entered the cultural capital of Thrissur in Kerala on Thursday on the 15th day on his 150-day sojourn for a tumultuous welcome at Chalakudy. see more.. HSL launches two indigenously developed Diving Support Vessels for Indian Navy 22 Sep 2022 | 8:19 PM Visakhapatnam, Sep 22 (UNI) Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral R Hari Kumar on Thursday said that commissioning of Two Diving Support Vessels (DSVs)-- Nistar and Nipun -- will start a new era in the deep ocean diving operation and submarine rescue operations. see more.. 'Mana badi-Naadu-Nedu' 2nd phase works to be expedited: Kakinada Collector 22 Sep 2022 | 7:39 PM Kakinada, Sep 22 (UNI) Kakinada District Collector Kritika Shukla on Thursday said the works proposed in the district under the second phase of 'Mana badi-Nadu-Nedu' scheme would be expedited. see more.. Telangana rural Cooperatives have huge potential to increase their businesses: CS 22 Sep 2022 | 7:20 PM Hyderabad, Sep 22 (UNI) Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar on Thursday said there is a huge potential for the rural cooperative institutions to increase their volume of business. see more.. Cong's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' enters Thrissur 22 Sep 2022 | 8:51 PM Thrissur, Sep 22 (UNI) The Bharat Jodo Yatra, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, entered the cultural capital of Thrissur in Kerala on Thursday on the 15th day on his 150-day sojourn for a tumultuous welcome at Chalakudy. see more.. HSL launches two indigenously developed Diving Support Vessels for Indian Navy 22 Sep 2022 | 8:19 PM Visakhapatnam, Sep 22 (UNI) Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral R Hari Kumar on Thursday said that commissioning of Two Diving Support Vessels (DSVs)-- Nistar and Nipun -- will start a new era in the deep ocean diving operation and submarine rescue operations. see more.. 'Mana badi-Naadu-Nedu' 2nd phase works to be expedited: Kakinada Collector 22 Sep 2022 | 7:39 PM Kakinada, Sep 22 (UNI) Kakinada District Collector Kritika Shukla on Thursday said the works proposed in the district under the second phase of 'Mana badi-Nadu-Nedu' scheme would be expedited. see more.. Telangana rural Cooperatives have huge potential to increase their businesses: CS 22 Sep 2022 | 7:20 PM Hyderabad, Sep 22 (UNI) Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar on Thursday said there is a huge potential for the rural cooperative institutions to increase their volume of business. see more.. DECATUR Central Illinois saw its first snow and ice storm of the winter on Saturday, but Decatur and Mattoon were mostly spared from the worst impacts. IDOTs winter conditions map showed area roads were partially or mostly covered in snow and ice by mid-afternoon Saturday, with most highways north and west of Interstate 55 fully covered. "Lincoln and south along I-55 will probably stay mostly rain, but as you get into McLean County, that's when the wintry precip starts angling over towards the east and including the Bloomington-Normal areas, said Ed Shimon, meteorologist at the National Weather Service's Lincoln office on Saturday morning. The National Weather Service predicted daytime accumulations of up to 3 inches of snow in Bloomington, with another 1 to 2 inches possible overnight. As of Saturday afternoon, the highest snowfall totals were west of the Illinois River, with 5 inches reported in Knox County, 4 inches in Princeville and 3.9 inches in Dunlap. But farther south and east, essentially along a line from Springfield to Decatur to Champaign, precipitation during the day came in the form of rain. The changeover to snow was not expected until later Saturday evening. Still, Decatur was expected to see its first measurable snow of the year. "It'll probably just be kind of like a coating, a dusting so to speak, a couple of tenths of an inch. Decatur will probably see that," said Ed Shimon, meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Lincoln office. "Mattoon will be more of a glancing blow as the rain changes to snow this evening." The rest of the weekend and the early week are expected to be clearer but chillier. The forecasted low in Decatur Sunday night is 6 degrees. The wind chill is expected to be between minus 5 and 0 degrees. Low temps will be falling towards the teens, but wind chills will be below zero real close to Decatur, and Bloomington probably will see wind chills below zero by Sunday morning," Shimon said. Looking toward Sunday and Monday, IDOT is warning of freezing on roads, especially in areas west of I-55 on Sunday and north of Interstate 72 on Monday. For those who are traveling, IDOT suggests driving at a slower speed, keeping the gas tank full, having emergency supplies in the vehicle, including a cellphone, and making sure someone knows the route the driver is taking. IDOT plans to have its plows out and asks drivers use extra caution and patience when driving near the plows. "We haven't had a lot of wintry weather yet this year and it kind of catches you off guard once you get into it, Shimon said. You think the road's just wet when it's really icy, so you just got to keep that in mind and slow down and don't speed through wintry weather." Elsewhere in the Midwest, the NWS forecast snow amounts up to 7 inches in west Michigan and 3 to 6 inches in northern Indiana. Chicago and surrounding suburbs were caught between a winter storm coming in from the southwest and a northeasterly wind coming off of Lake Michigan a combination that could create as much as an inch of lake effect snow every hour. Winter has finally arrived, weather service meteorologist Brett Borchardt told the Chicago Tribune. We knew it was going to happen at some point. Brenden Moore and The Associated Press contributed reporting. DECATUR Central Illinois saw its first snow and ice storm of the winter on Saturday, but Decatur and Mattoon were mostly spared from the worst impacts. IDOTs winter conditions map showed area roads were partially or mostly covered in snow and ice by mid-afternoon Saturday, with most highways north and west of Interstate 55 fully covered. "Lincoln and south along I-55 will probably stay mostly rain, but as you get into McLean County, that's when the wintry precip starts angling over towards the east and including the Bloomington-Normal areas, said Ed Shimon, meteorologist at the National Weather Service's Lincoln office on Saturday morning. The National Weather Service predicted daytime accumulations of up to 3 inches of snow in Bloomington, with another 1 to 2 inches possible overnight. As of Saturday afternoon, the highest snowfall totals were west of the Illinois River, with 5 inches reported in Knox County, 4 inches in Princeville and 3.9 inches in Dunlap. But farther south and east, essentially along a line from Springfield to Decatur to Champaign, precipitation during the day came in the form of rain. The changeover to snow was not expected until later Saturday evening. Still, Decatur was expected to see its first measurable snow of the year. "It'll probably just be kind of like a coating, a dusting so to speak, a couple of tenths of an inch. Decatur will probably see that," said Ed Shimon, meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Lincoln office. "Mattoon will be more of a glancing blow as the rain changes to snow this evening." The rest of the weekend and the early week are expected to be clearer but chillier. The forecasted low in Decatur Sunday night is 6 degrees. The wind chill is expected to be between minus 5 and 0 degrees. Low temps will be falling towards the teens, but wind chills will be below zero real close to Decatur, and Bloomington probably will see wind chills below zero by Sunday morning," Shimon said. Looking toward Sunday and Monday, IDOT is warning of freezing on roads, especially in areas west of I-55 on Sunday and north of Interstate 72 on Monday. For those who are traveling, IDOT suggests driving at a slower speed, keeping the gas tank full, having emergency supplies in the vehicle, including a cellphone, and making sure someone knows the route the driver is taking. IDOT plans to have its plows out and asks drivers use extra caution and patience when driving near the plows. "We haven't had a lot of wintry weather yet this year and it kind of catches you off guard once you get into it, Shimon said. You think the road's just wet when it's really icy, so you just got to keep that in mind and slow down and don't speed through wintry weather." Elsewhere in the Midwest, the NWS forecast snow amounts up to 7 inches in west Michigan and 3 to 6 inches in northern Indiana. Chicago and surrounding suburbs were caught between a winter storm coming in from the southwest and a northeasterly wind coming off of Lake Michigan a combination that could create as much as an inch of lake effect snow every hour. Winter has finally arrived, weather service meteorologist Brett Borchardt told the Chicago Tribune. We knew it was going to happen at some point. Brenden Moore and The Associated Press contributed reporting. McGregor City Council Member Steven Dutschmann remembers a Sunday morning in November when, aggravated by SpaceXs rocket testing, he vainly searched for a phone number, email address or company contact. He wanted someone to explain why SpaceX had obliterated his sound barrier. If I had a neighbor making this much noise, Id call the police. Here, I didnt have anyone to call, Dutschmann said. I get it. They have a business to run. But that does not give them the right to disturb the peace. McGregor and SpaceX have developed a symbiotic relationship. Elon Musks company leases nearly 4,300 acres in the citys industrial park, where it tests the rocket engines it uses to haul satellites and other payloads into orbit. Under development nearby is a second plant, a $150 million facility to build nearly a thousand Raptor 2 rocket engines annually. Musk first broached the subject of McGregor landing a rocket production plant in July, tweeting it would champion volume production of Raptor 2 rocket engines, while a factory in California would focus on Raptor Vacuum rockets. On a normal basis, SpaceX is not a problem, said Shannon Torn, who owns Cedar Chest Antique Mall on Highway 84 in McGregor. Locals are used to it. If they hear a rumble, they say, Oh, its SpaceX, and they dont pay any attention or notice. Out-of-town visitors think a tornado is coming. Torn said testing takes place periodically throughout the day, without notice or warning. Though she isnt bothered, she said she noticed right before the holidays that test burns, as they are called, seemed louder and more intense. The difference between then and now caused her to wonder if SpaceX placed testing on holiday hiatus. Multiple sources said SpaceX is actively pursuing a solution, not wanting to antagonize a community on which it has staked its future. Yes, there has been an increase in intensity, and that has been addressed with the company, said Andrew Smith, executive director of the McGregor Economic Development Corp. They want to be good neighbors. He said city management and the McGregor City Council got involved. Specifically, SpaceX continues installing a new test stand that muffles testing noise significantly, he said. SpaceX has had a presence in McGregor since 2003, and before that, the nearly 10,000 acres comprising the citys industrial park was occupied by the U.S. Navy and defense contractors. Smith said the new vertical test stand should be online within 60 days. McGregor Mayor Jim Hering wrote a letter to residents in mid-December, addressing the situation and requesting patience with SpaceX, which he described as a first class corporate citizen that has been true to its word. For all the great things that SpaceX has done and brought to our city, we recognize that this goodwill is difficult to maintain in the midst of a house-shaking engine test, Hering wrote. As SpaceX has transitioned from manufacturing and testing of Merlin engines to Raptor engines, the noise and vibration has grown significantly. Raptor engines power SpaceXs Starship, the worlds most powerful launch vehicle ever developed that will carry people to the Moon, Mars and beyond. He said the rumble residents hear, feel and see the effects of is a low frequency sound. It is not high decibel noise, nor is it ground vibration. He said winter weather conditions can make the rumble sound louder. SpaceX first test-fired a Raptor engine in September 2016, and first test-fired a Raptor Vacuum, the version to be used on space vehicles while outside Earths atmosphere, in September 2020. McLennan County Judge Scott Felton said he believes county commissioners are confident appropriate action is underway to address concerns with testing noise. He said new systems can better absorb power and noise that testing generates. Felton said he is not personally aware of property damage caused by testing, but has heard of foundation issues and window cracking. There are areas of displeasure with what progress brings, Felton said. SpaceX is a good community partner, and very open to discussion. SpaceX in summer 2020 announced it would spend about $10 million on infrastructure improvements, including noise suppressors, at its McGregor testing site. The city of Waco and McLennan County Commissioners voted to give SpaceX $2 million from the city-county economic development fund. At that time, McGregor City Manager Kevin Evans downplayed any noise issue related to SpaceX, saying he had received no complaints in a long time. He said SpaceX did not come close to decibel limits the city put in place. He said then SpaceX must not fire rockets after 11 p.m. If it tests between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m., McGregor charges a fee: $10,000 the first time, $15,000 the second, and $25,000 each time after that, with a reset each year. Evans could not be reached for additional comment Thursday. Dutschmann said testing shakes my house pretty good. He said he lives about 3 miles from SpaceX but hears from friends and relatives living all over Greater Waco and beyond who inquire about the chronic rumbling. He contends years of testing may have damaged a brick fence surrounding his property, and cracked concrete around his swimming pool. I was told by SpaceX community relations that they will send out an adjuster to make inspections if contacted, he said. Im going to do that. WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed by a man who went on to carjack, rob and shoot more people during a two-state manhunt this week said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters, Missouri. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a "series" of carjackings, robberies and shootings on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities eventually caught up to him in Clinton County, Illinois, where he held a person hostage in a home. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. The family's full statement is below: The Family of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley mourns the loss of their husband, father, son and friend. We could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support. To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero. Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. -Matthew 5:9 Visitation for Sean Riley will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m., Monday January 3, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with a first responder walk thru at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials in his honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. Memorials will be accepted at the services and the Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, IL which is assisting with arrangements. Additional information will be released in the coming days. We ask the community to show their support by lining the procession route. DECATUR Central Illinois saw its first snow and ice storm of the winter on Saturday, but Decatur and Mattoon were mostly spared from the worst impacts. IDOTs winter conditions map showed area roads were partially or mostly covered in snow and ice by mid-afternoon Saturday, with most highways north and west of Interstate 55 fully covered. "Lincoln and south along I-55 will probably stay mostly rain, but as you get into McLean County, that's when the wintry precip starts angling over towards the east and including the Bloomington-Normal areas, said Ed Shimon, meteorologist at the National Weather Service's Lincoln office on Saturday morning. The National Weather Service predicted daytime accumulations of up to 3 inches of snow in Bloomington, with another 1 to 2 inches possible overnight. As of Saturday afternoon, the highest snowfall totals were west of the Illinois River, with 5 inches reported in Knox County, 4 inches in Princeville and 3.9 inches in Dunlap. But farther south and east, essentially along a line from Springfield to Decatur to Champaign, precipitation during the day came in the form of rain. The changeover to snow was not expected until later Saturday evening. Still, Decatur was expected to see its first measurable snow of the year. "It'll probably just be kind of like a coating, a dusting so to speak, a couple of tenths of an inch. Decatur will probably see that," said Ed Shimon, meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Lincoln office. "Mattoon will be more of a glancing blow as the rain changes to snow this evening." The rest of the weekend and the early week are expected to be clearer but chillier. The forecasted low in Decatur Sunday night is 6 degrees. The wind chill is expected to be between minus 5 and 0 degrees. Low temps will be falling towards the teens, but wind chills will be below zero real close to Decatur, and Bloomington probably will see wind chills below zero by Sunday morning," Shimon said. Looking toward Sunday and Monday, IDOT is warning of freezing on roads, especially in areas west of I-55 on Sunday and north of Interstate 72 on Monday. For those who are traveling, IDOT suggests driving at a slower speed, keeping the gas tank full, having emergency supplies in the vehicle, including a cellphone, and making sure someone knows the route the driver is taking. IDOT plans to have its plows out and asks drivers use extra caution and patience when driving near the plows. "We haven't had a lot of wintry weather yet this year and it kind of catches you off guard once you get into it, Shimon said. You think the road's just wet when it's really icy, so you just got to keep that in mind and slow down and don't speed through wintry weather." Elsewhere in the Midwest, the NWS forecast snow amounts up to 7 inches in west Michigan and 3 to 6 inches in northern Indiana. Chicago and surrounding suburbs were caught between a winter storm coming in from the southwest and a northeasterly wind coming off of Lake Michigan a combination that could create as much as an inch of lake effect snow every hour. Winter has finally arrived, weather service meteorologist Brett Borchardt told the Chicago Tribune. We knew it was going to happen at some point. Brenden Moore and The Associated Press contributed reporting. HARRISBURG Hospitals and emergency medical services based in Scranton and York will be the first to receive help from federal teams to deal with the latest COVID-19 surge, Gov. Tom Wolfs administration said Wednesday. Three federal strike teams will arrive at the Scranton Regional Hospital and WellSpan York early next week and open about 30 additional acute care hospital beds for 30 days, the Wolf administration said in a statement. On top of that, emergency medical teams will go to York and Scranton, although the exact number of health care workers to be deployed is still being determined, the administration said. Hospitals and nursing homes statewide have been sounding the alarm in recent weeks as largely unvaccinated COVID-19 patients fill hospital beds. That has sent some acute-care facilities over capacity, jammed some emergency rooms and forced nursing homes to stop accepting new residents. Wolf's administration continues to urge Pennsylvanians to get vaccinated against COVID-19, saying vaccinated people are far less likely to be hospitalized if they contract the disease. The administration asked the federal government for help on Dec. 15, seeking health care workers to help at hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and ambulance companies in the hardest-hit areas of the state. Pennsylvania is reporting an average of almost 9,000 new, confirmed infections per day over the last two weeks, up 50% since the second half of November. The number of COVID-19 patients requiring hospital care has increased by 80% since last month, at more than 4,500 per day. Two top leaders of the bandits terrorising the North-west region have reportedly been killed in an air strike by Nigerian armed forces on New Year day. PR Nigeria reports that the wanted bandit leaders, Alhaji Auta and Kachalla Ruga, were killed in a forest in Zamfara State. Defence spokesperson, Benjamin Sawyer, could not be reached for comments immediately. PRNigeria, which has close links with the military, said the notorious bandit commanders were killed after a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft, under Operation Hadarin Daji, acted on credible intelligence, and bombarded their enclaves, in Gusami Forest and Tsamre Village in Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of the state in the early hours of Saturday. It quoted familiar sources as saying bandits who later converged on late Autas residence for his burial were also struck by missiles of the military jet, with an unconfirmed number killed in the process. It said the follow-up airstrikes conducted by the NAF fighter aircraft on fleeing bandits and those who took cover under trees within the area resulted in heavy casualties on the side of the bandits. For now, the whereabouts of other notorious bandits like Alhaji Nashama, Shingi and Halilu who may either be incapacitated or on the run remain unknown, the report added. Mr Sawyer did not respond to calls and SMS sent to his mobile telephone by PREMIUM TIMES requesting confirmation. Zamfara and others states in the North-west and North-central regions, especially Katsina, Sokoto, Kaduna, Kebbi and Niger, have been experiencing attacks by bandits who kidnapped and sometimes kill their victims. The bandits invaded some schools in the states and abducted their students, some of whom have released after ransom was reportedly paid. Some of the students are still in their captivity. The military recently said it had recorded some success against the bandits in the recent times. Bengaluru, Jan 2 : In a major cause of worry for the Karnataka Health Department, as many as 1,033 Covid cases were reported across the state on Saturday, with 810 in capital Bengaluru alone, as well as five deaths. The authorities are predicting that the third wave of Covid is slowly rearing its head in the state. The testing has been increased by authorities and 1,19,225 tests have been conducted. The number of infected persons in the state rose to 30,08,370. The active cases in the state stand at 9,386. The number of discharges in the state stood at 354, way behind the number of infections. The infection rate is standing at 0.86 per cent. In Bengaluru, 218 people have been discharged from the hospitals and active cases stand at 7,876. The authorities have screened 1,702 international passengers, including 597 international arrivals from at risk nations. There are 2,569 Delta cases in the state and 66 persons have tested positive for Omicron so far. Meanwhile, state Education Minister B.C. Nagesh has tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday. The minister, who shared the information on social media, has requested all the people in contact with him to isolate and get tested. He has undergone a test after minor symptoms cropped up. He is quarantined and being treated. The authorities are more concerned with this development as Nagesh has attended many programmes in Bengaluru and other places in the recent past. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) LOS ANGELES After many childhood years spent camping overnight along the Rose Parade route to score a front-row view, Leslie Lemus was stunned when she arrived in Pasadena just before sunrise Saturday and found two things practically unheard of in years past: nearby parking and plenty of sidewalk space. You get, like, VIP views! Lemus, 29, of Downey, told her 8-year-old daughter as they plopped camping chairs along Colorado Boulevard in the Pasadena Playhouse District. Im surprised there arent more people, said Lemus, who wore a black surgical mask as she peered at sidewalks that typically would be jam-packed long before the parade began. Blame the coronavirus. The Rose Parade returned Saturday after the pandemic forced its first cancellation since World War II last year. And while it was seen by many as a whimsical respite from two painful pandemic years, the return was clouded by a dramatic surge in coronavirus cases fueled by the highly contagious omicron variant. Across the country, other New Years events were scaled back or canceled as the virus continued its unrelenting march. As thousands of spectators across the country lined Colorado Boulevard, nearly 1 in 4 people in Los Angeles County who are being tested are positive for the coronavirus, and daily totals of new, confirmed infections are doubling every two days. The surge undoubtedly led to the smaller crowd at the 133rd Rose Parade. But along the route, the joy was palpable. The parade started in 1890 as a promotional event by a local social club to show off Pasadenas famously mild winter weather kicked off under sunny, blue skies and temperatures in the mid-50s. Actor and television host LeVar Burton served as grand marshal, and the theme was Dream. Achieve. Believe. Organizers said they felt safe continuing the parade because it was outdoors which health officials say is safer than indoor gatherings and because of numerous safety measures. The Tournament of Roses required the 6,000-plus parade participants, as well spectators in ticketed areas, such as grandstands, to provide proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test within 72 hours of the start of the event. Attendees ages 2 and up in those areas were required to wear a mask. Along the rest of the 5.5-mile route, where people can just walk up and watch, vaccination and negative test results were not checked. COVID worries me in general, like all the time, said Kathleen Peralta-Wente, who shouted, Happy New Year! at every passing float and band while standing atop a kitchen stool near Madison Avenue to see over other spectators heads. Several of Peralta-Wentes relatives tested positive for the coronavirus after gathering for Christmas, she said. Peralta-Wente, 55, a lifelong Pasadena resident, quarantined at home all week and tested negative before the parade, which she has attended at least 25 times. We did not go out, she said of herself and her husband. We Postmated and Instacarted our way through that. She said she plans to get a booster shoot soon, with added motivation after this weeks scare. Before the parade began, Craig Farestveit jogged along an empty Colorado Boulevard with two friends, as he has done annually for a decade. Even without a parade last year, they ran the parade route to try and keep the festive spirit alive. Its nice being back, seeing the tortillas in the street, innovative bedding situations, Farestveit said as he peered at campers who rang in the new year on the street. (For years, it has been a tradition for campers to throw tortillas filled with shaving cream at passing cars.) Farestveit and his friends shook their heads when asked if the omicron surge made them consider sitting this one out, saying running was one of the few things they have been able to do safely together. At the height of COVID, on our deep trail runs, everybody was masked up; it was interesting, said his friend, Tom Queally, 60. Just before sunrise, Danelle Sullivan, 45, of Highland Park, applied makeup to her eyes with a small compact mirror as her 9-year-old daughter slept next to her on an inflatable mattress, clutching a stuffed horse with a Rose Parade bandana around its neck. The mother and daughter last came in 2018. They arrived for this years parade at noon Friday, expecting the huge crowds they saw back then. We couldve stayed warmer for longer, Sullivan said. But [were] not really upset. To come out here is an adventure. Near Roosevelt Avenue, Deborah Twyford, 54, of Eastvale, sat by a propane-fueled fire pit with crumpled confetti at her feet. Six chairs were reserved for the rest of her family, who arrived Friday afternoon and camped overnight, barbecuing hamburgers and playing games. I thought there would be more people last night for the New Years celebration, and I thought Id wake up to rows of chairs from what Id read, she said. Im really surprised. This years parade featured 43 floats, 20 marching bands and 18 equestrian units, according to the Tournament of Roses. On Thursday, Kaiser Permanente canceled plans to have front-line medical staffers participate in the Rose Parade. We must prioritize the health and safety of our front-line medical staff and ensure we are able to treat patients during this recent surge of COVID-19 cases caused by the omicron variant, the company said in a statement. Kaiser planned to have 20 medical workers riding and walking in front of its float, which was called A Healthier Future and featured the figures of four children, including one wearing a stethoscope and caring for a teddy bear named Booster. The float still rolled through the parade. In another nod to these pandemic times, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation float was called Vaccinate Our World and featured a robot nurse wielding a syringe. Michelle Van Slyke, senior vice president of marketing and sales for the UPS Store, said preparations for her companys float which was called Rise, Shine & Read! and features a bespectacled, bright yellow rooster named Charlie reading to a group of chicks took about a year. The UPS Store float won the parades prestigious Sweepstakes award this year, as it did in 2019 and 2020. In 2020, float planning was already underway when the Tournament of Roses pulled the plug on the 2021 event because of the pandemic. But the UPS Store, she said, had our hands full as an essential business that stayed open amid lockdowns. This week, as the final decorations were being applied to the float, she said that safety is the number one priority, and that masking and social distancing have been essential. The companys float was enormous: 35 feet tall and 55 feet long. Van Slyke said it weighed about 24 tons, with 12 moving parts and 130,000 flowers. If youre going to do it, do it in a way thats going to be fun and magical, she said. We all know were in the lifes-too-short category these days, and we want to bring some brightness after everything weve been through these last two years. Van Slyke grew up in San Bernardino and came to the parade year after year with her grandfather, a construction worker who came annually, even if he was by himself. They would spend the night along the parade route with chorizo and egg burritos and hot chocolate in thermoses. My grandfather would just be ecstatic if he knew I was involved in putting a float together, she said. Valerie Brown, 62, of Loma Linda, sat with several family members near Lake Avenue, wearing a Happy New Year headband. Sometimes Ive been here when its so crowded you cant move, Brown said from the unobstructed front-row spot she snagged Saturday morning. So it is nice having less people. After moving to California in 1986, Brown made it a priority to attend the parade as often as possible. Her father had always wanted to come. We grew up in Indiana watching the Rose Parade, but we could never afford to go, Brown said. Wed talk about how he always wanted to watch it. Her father loved the marching bands. He played tuba in his high school band. Brown played the flute, her sister played the clarinet, one brother played the saxophone, and another brother played the trumpet. Browns son was a percussionist and still plays music for a living, she said. She was able to bring her father to the parade one time. A bucket-list item, checked off. (Los Angeles Times staff writers Salma Loum and Anumita Kaur contributed to this report.) ___ Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. LOS ANGELES After many childhood years spent camping overnight along the Rose Parade route to score a front-row view, Leslie Lemus was stunned when she arrived in Pasadena just before sunrise Saturday and found two things practically unheard of in years past: nearby parking and plenty of sidewalk space. You get, like, VIP views! Lemus, 29, of Downey, told her 8-year-old daughter as they plopped camping chairs along Colorado Boulevard in the Pasadena Playhouse District. Im surprised there arent more people, said Lemus, who wore a black surgical mask as she peered at sidewalks that typically would be jam-packed long before the parade began. Blame the coronavirus. The Rose Parade returned Saturday after the pandemic forced its first cancellation since World War II last year. And while it was seen by many as a whimsical respite from two painful pandemic years, the return was clouded by a dramatic surge in coronavirus cases fueled by the highly contagious omicron variant. Across the country, other New Years events were scaled back or canceled as the virus continued its unrelenting march. As thousands of spectators across the country lined Colorado Boulevard, nearly 1 in 4 people in Los Angeles County who are being tested are positive for the coronavirus, and daily totals of new, confirmed infections are doubling every two days. The surge undoubtedly led to the smaller crowd at the 133rd Rose Parade. But along the route, the joy was palpable. The parade started in 1890 as a promotional event by a local social club to show off Pasadenas famously mild winter weather kicked off under sunny, blue skies and temperatures in the mid-50s. Actor and television host LeVar Burton served as grand marshal, and the theme was Dream. Achieve. Believe. Organizers said they felt safe continuing the parade because it was outdoors which health officials say is safer than indoor gatherings and because of numerous safety measures. The Tournament of Roses required the 6,000-plus parade participants, as well spectators in ticketed areas, such as grandstands, to provide proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test within 72 hours of the start of the event. Attendees ages 2 and up in those areas were required to wear a mask. Along the rest of the 5.5-mile route, where people can just walk up and watch, vaccination and negative test results were not checked. COVID worries me in general, like all the time, said Kathleen Peralta-Wente, who shouted, Happy New Year! at every passing float and band while standing atop a kitchen stool near Madison Avenue to see over other spectators heads. Several of Peralta-Wentes relatives tested positive for the coronavirus after gathering for Christmas, she said. Peralta-Wente, 55, a lifelong Pasadena resident, quarantined at home all week and tested negative before the parade, which she has attended at least 25 times. We did not go out, she said of herself and her husband. We Postmated and Instacarted our way through that. She said she plans to get a booster shoot soon, with added motivation after this weeks scare. Before the parade began, Craig Farestveit jogged along an empty Colorado Boulevard with two friends, as he has done annually for a decade. Even without a parade last year, they ran the parade route to try and keep the festive spirit alive. Its nice being back, seeing the tortillas in the street, innovative bedding situations, Farestveit said as he peered at campers who rang in the new year on the street. (For years, it has been a tradition for campers to throw tortillas filled with shaving cream at passing cars.) Farestveit and his friends shook their heads when asked if the omicron surge made them consider sitting this one out, saying running was one of the few things they have been able to do safely together. At the height of COVID, on our deep trail runs, everybody was masked up; it was interesting, said his friend, Tom Queally, 60. Just before sunrise, Danelle Sullivan, 45, of Highland Park, applied makeup to her eyes with a small compact mirror as her 9-year-old daughter slept next to her on an inflatable mattress, clutching a stuffed horse with a Rose Parade bandana around its neck. The mother and daughter last came in 2018. They arrived for this years parade at noon Friday, expecting the huge crowds they saw back then. We couldve stayed warmer for longer, Sullivan said. But [were] not really upset. To come out here is an adventure. Near Roosevelt Avenue, Deborah Twyford, 54, of Eastvale, sat by a propane-fueled fire pit with crumpled confetti at her feet. Six chairs were reserved for the rest of her family, who arrived Friday afternoon and camped overnight, barbecuing hamburgers and playing games. I thought there would be more people last night for the New Years celebration, and I thought Id wake up to rows of chairs from what Id read, she said. Im really surprised. This years parade featured 43 floats, 20 marching bands and 18 equestrian units, according to the Tournament of Roses. On Thursday, Kaiser Permanente canceled plans to have front-line medical staffers participate in the Rose Parade. We must prioritize the health and safety of our front-line medical staff and ensure we are able to treat patients during this recent surge of COVID-19 cases caused by the omicron variant, the company said in a statement. Kaiser planned to have 20 medical workers riding and walking in front of its float, which was called A Healthier Future and featured the figures of four children, including one wearing a stethoscope and caring for a teddy bear named Booster. The float still rolled through the parade. In another nod to these pandemic times, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation float was called Vaccinate Our World and featured a robot nurse wielding a syringe. Michelle Van Slyke, senior vice president of marketing and sales for the UPS Store, said preparations for her companys float which was called Rise, Shine & Read! and features a bespectacled, bright yellow rooster named Charlie reading to a group of chicks took about a year. The UPS Store float won the parades prestigious Sweepstakes award this year, as it did in 2019 and 2020. In 2020, float planning was already underway when the Tournament of Roses pulled the plug on the 2021 event because of the pandemic. But the UPS Store, she said, had our hands full as an essential business that stayed open amid lockdowns. This week, as the final decorations were being applied to the float, she said that safety is the number one priority, and that masking and social distancing have been essential. The companys float was enormous: 35 feet tall and 55 feet long. Van Slyke said it weighed about 24 tons, with 12 moving parts and 130,000 flowers. If youre going to do it, do it in a way thats going to be fun and magical, she said. We all know were in the lifes-too-short category these days, and we want to bring some brightness after everything weve been through these last two years. Van Slyke grew up in San Bernardino and came to the parade year after year with her grandfather, a construction worker who came annually, even if he was by himself. They would spend the night along the parade route with chorizo and egg burritos and hot chocolate in thermoses. My grandfather would just be ecstatic if he knew I was involved in putting a float together, she said. Valerie Brown, 62, of Loma Linda, sat with several family members near Lake Avenue, wearing a Happy New Year headband. Sometimes Ive been here when its so crowded you cant move, Brown said from the unobstructed front-row spot she snagged Saturday morning. So it is nice having less people. After moving to California in 1986, Brown made it a priority to attend the parade as often as possible. Her father had always wanted to come. We grew up in Indiana watching the Rose Parade, but we could never afford to go, Brown said. Wed talk about how he always wanted to watch it. Her father loved the marching bands. He played tuba in his high school band. Brown played the flute, her sister played the clarinet, one brother played the saxophone, and another brother played the trumpet. Browns son was a percussionist and still plays music for a living, she said. She was able to bring her father to the parade one time. A bucket-list item, checked off. (Los Angeles Times staff writers Salma Loum and Anumita Kaur contributed to this report.) ___ Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Members of the clergy carrying the casket of Archbishop Tutu out of St. George's Cathedral following the funeral service on January 1. He requested a simple pine casket. A modest requiem mass for Archbishop Desmond Tutu took place at Cape Town's Anglican cathedral. The anti-apartheid hero died aged 90 on 26 December. South African anti-apartheid hero Archbishop Desmond Tutu is being laid to rest on Saturday at a state funeral in Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral, where he will also be burried. The funeral started with a hymn and a procession of clerics down the aisle burning incense and carrying candles inside the church where, for years, Tutu used the pulpit to fight against the country's white minority regime. South Africa has been marking a week of mourning following Tutu's death on December 26. He was aged 90. "When we were in the dark, he brought light,'' Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the head of the worldwide Anglican church, said in a video message shown at the funeral mass. "For me to praise him is like a mouse giving tribute to an elephant,'' Welby said. "South Africa has given us extraordinary examples of towering leaders of the rainbow nation with President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Tutu.... Many Nobel winners' lights have grown dimmer over time, but Archbishop Tutu's has grown brighter.'' In his eulogy, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called Tutu "a crusader in the struggle for freedom and justice around the world." DW's Thuso Kumalo said outside St. George's, "The majority of South Africans were not allowed to come and gather here. Under normal circumstances you would have thousands of people gathering," but this was not possible due to the pandemic. "He left this nation in a better position from what it was because he left Blacks and whites living in peace ever more," Kumalo said. Tutu died peacefully at the Oasis Frail Care Center in Cape Town, his trust said. He had been hospitalized several times since 2015 after being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1997. Tutu requests 'no lavish spending' Several thousand people on Saturday, some of whom had travelled across the country, filed past the rope-handled casket made of pine, adorned by a bunch of carnations. Renowned for his modesty, the archbishop requested "no lavish spending" on his funeral and he even "asked that the coffin be the cheapest available," his foundation said. President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the eulogy at state funeral and handed South Africa's multicoloured flag to Tutu's widow, Leah, as a symbol of her husband's description of the post-apartheid country as the "Rainbow Nation." Anti-apartheid hero, human rights advocate Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines South Africa Religion By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Tutu's death represents a huge loss for South Africa, where many called him "Tata," meaning father. Born on October 7, 1931, in Klerksdorp, west of Johannesburg, Tutu became a teacher before entering St. Peters Theological College in Rosetenville in 1958. He was ordained in 1961. In 1985, Tutu became the first Black Anglican bishop of Johannesburg. A year later, he was named the first Black archbishop of Cape Town. Throughout the 1980s, when South Africa was marred by apartheid violence, Tutu was one of the most prominent Black leaders to speak out against abuses committed by the white regime. He was a powerful force for nonviolence in the the country's anti-apartheid movement, earning him a Nobel Peace Prize in 1984. Tutu also campaigned internationally for human rights, particularly LGBTQ rights and same-sex marriage. "I would not worship a God who is homophobic," he said in 2013, launching a campaign for LGBTQ rights in Cape Town. "I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say, 'Sorry, I would much rather go to the other place.'" mvb/rc (AFP, AP) Members of the clergy carrying the casket of Archbishop Tutu out of St. George's Cathedral following the funeral service on January 1. He requested a simple pine casket. A modest requiem mass for Archbishop Desmond Tutu took place at Cape Town's Anglican cathedral. The anti-apartheid hero died aged 90 on 26 December. South African anti-apartheid hero Archbishop Desmond Tutu is being laid to rest on Saturday at a state funeral in Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral, where he will also be burried. The funeral started with a hymn and a procession of clerics down the aisle burning incense and carrying candles inside the church where, for years, Tutu used the pulpit to fight against the country's white minority regime. South Africa has been marking a week of mourning following Tutu's death on December 26. He was aged 90. "When we were in the dark, he brought light,'' Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the head of the worldwide Anglican church, said in a video message shown at the funeral mass. "For me to praise him is like a mouse giving tribute to an elephant,'' Welby said. "South Africa has given us extraordinary examples of towering leaders of the rainbow nation with President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Tutu.... Many Nobel winners' lights have grown dimmer over time, but Archbishop Tutu's has grown brighter.'' In his eulogy, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called Tutu "a crusader in the struggle for freedom and justice around the world." DW's Thuso Kumalo said outside St. George's, "The majority of South Africans were not allowed to come and gather here. Under normal circumstances you would have thousands of people gathering," but this was not possible due to the pandemic. "He left this nation in a better position from what it was because he left Blacks and whites living in peace ever more," Kumalo said. Tutu died peacefully at the Oasis Frail Care Center in Cape Town, his trust said. He had been hospitalized several times since 2015 after being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1997. Tutu requests 'no lavish spending' Several thousand people on Saturday, some of whom had travelled across the country, filed past the rope-handled casket made of pine, adorned by a bunch of carnations. Renowned for his modesty, the archbishop requested "no lavish spending" on his funeral and he even "asked that the coffin be the cheapest available," his foundation said. President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the eulogy at state funeral and handed South Africa's multicoloured flag to Tutu's widow, Leah, as a symbol of her husband's description of the post-apartheid country as the "Rainbow Nation." Anti-apartheid hero, human rights advocate Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines South Africa Religion By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Tutu's death represents a huge loss for South Africa, where many called him "Tata," meaning father. Born on October 7, 1931, in Klerksdorp, west of Johannesburg, Tutu became a teacher before entering St. Peters Theological College in Rosetenville in 1958. He was ordained in 1961. In 1985, Tutu became the first Black Anglican bishop of Johannesburg. A year later, he was named the first Black archbishop of Cape Town. Throughout the 1980s, when South Africa was marred by apartheid violence, Tutu was one of the most prominent Black leaders to speak out against abuses committed by the white regime. He was a powerful force for nonviolence in the the country's anti-apartheid movement, earning him a Nobel Peace Prize in 1984. Tutu also campaigned internationally for human rights, particularly LGBTQ rights and same-sex marriage. "I would not worship a God who is homophobic," he said in 2013, launching a campaign for LGBTQ rights in Cape Town. "I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say, 'Sorry, I would much rather go to the other place.'" mvb/rc (AFP, AP) Members of the clergy carrying the casket of Archbishop Tutu out of St. George's Cathedral following the funeral service on January 1. He requested a simple pine casket. A modest requiem mass for Archbishop Desmond Tutu took place at Cape Town's Anglican cathedral. The anti-apartheid hero died aged 90 on 26 December. South African anti-apartheid hero Archbishop Desmond Tutu is being laid to rest on Saturday at a state funeral in Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral, where he will also be burried. The funeral started with a hymn and a procession of clerics down the aisle burning incense and carrying candles inside the church where, for years, Tutu used the pulpit to fight against the country's white minority regime. South Africa has been marking a week of mourning following Tutu's death on December 26. He was aged 90. "When we were in the dark, he brought light,'' Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the head of the worldwide Anglican church, said in a video message shown at the funeral mass. "For me to praise him is like a mouse giving tribute to an elephant,'' Welby said. "South Africa has given us extraordinary examples of towering leaders of the rainbow nation with President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Tutu.... Many Nobel winners' lights have grown dimmer over time, but Archbishop Tutu's has grown brighter.'' In his eulogy, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called Tutu "a crusader in the struggle for freedom and justice around the world." DW's Thuso Kumalo said outside St. George's, "The majority of South Africans were not allowed to come and gather here. Under normal circumstances you would have thousands of people gathering," but this was not possible due to the pandemic. "He left this nation in a better position from what it was because he left Blacks and whites living in peace ever more," Kumalo said. Tutu died peacefully at the Oasis Frail Care Center in Cape Town, his trust said. He had been hospitalized several times since 2015 after being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1997. Tutu requests 'no lavish spending' Several thousand people on Saturday, some of whom had travelled across the country, filed past the rope-handled casket made of pine, adorned by a bunch of carnations. Renowned for his modesty, the archbishop requested "no lavish spending" on his funeral and he even "asked that the coffin be the cheapest available," his foundation said. President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the eulogy at state funeral and handed South Africa's multicoloured flag to Tutu's widow, Leah, as a symbol of her husband's description of the post-apartheid country as the "Rainbow Nation." Anti-apartheid hero, human rights advocate Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines South Africa Religion By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Tutu's death represents a huge loss for South Africa, where many called him "Tata," meaning father. Born on October 7, 1931, in Klerksdorp, west of Johannesburg, Tutu became a teacher before entering St. Peters Theological College in Rosetenville in 1958. He was ordained in 1961. In 1985, Tutu became the first Black Anglican bishop of Johannesburg. A year later, he was named the first Black archbishop of Cape Town. Throughout the 1980s, when South Africa was marred by apartheid violence, Tutu was one of the most prominent Black leaders to speak out against abuses committed by the white regime. He was a powerful force for nonviolence in the the country's anti-apartheid movement, earning him a Nobel Peace Prize in 1984. Tutu also campaigned internationally for human rights, particularly LGBTQ rights and same-sex marriage. "I would not worship a God who is homophobic," he said in 2013, launching a campaign for LGBTQ rights in Cape Town. "I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say, 'Sorry, I would much rather go to the other place.'" mvb/rc (AFP, AP) Members of the clergy carrying the casket of Archbishop Tutu out of St. George's Cathedral following the funeral service on January 1. He requested a simple pine casket. A modest requiem mass for Archbishop Desmond Tutu took place at Cape Town's Anglican cathedral. The anti-apartheid hero died aged 90 on 26 December. South African anti-apartheid hero Archbishop Desmond Tutu is being laid to rest on Saturday at a state funeral in Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral, where he will also be burried. The funeral started with a hymn and a procession of clerics down the aisle burning incense and carrying candles inside the church where, for years, Tutu used the pulpit to fight against the country's white minority regime. South Africa has been marking a week of mourning following Tutu's death on December 26. He was aged 90. "When we were in the dark, he brought light,'' Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the head of the worldwide Anglican church, said in a video message shown at the funeral mass. "For me to praise him is like a mouse giving tribute to an elephant,'' Welby said. "South Africa has given us extraordinary examples of towering leaders of the rainbow nation with President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Tutu.... Many Nobel winners' lights have grown dimmer over time, but Archbishop Tutu's has grown brighter.'' In his eulogy, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called Tutu "a crusader in the struggle for freedom and justice around the world." DW's Thuso Kumalo said outside St. George's, "The majority of South Africans were not allowed to come and gather here. Under normal circumstances you would have thousands of people gathering," but this was not possible due to the pandemic. "He left this nation in a better position from what it was because he left Blacks and whites living in peace ever more," Kumalo said. Tutu died peacefully at the Oasis Frail Care Center in Cape Town, his trust said. He had been hospitalized several times since 2015 after being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1997. Tutu requests 'no lavish spending' Several thousand people on Saturday, some of whom had travelled across the country, filed past the rope-handled casket made of pine, adorned by a bunch of carnations. Renowned for his modesty, the archbishop requested "no lavish spending" on his funeral and he even "asked that the coffin be the cheapest available," his foundation said. President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the eulogy at state funeral and handed South Africa's multicoloured flag to Tutu's widow, Leah, as a symbol of her husband's description of the post-apartheid country as the "Rainbow Nation." Anti-apartheid hero, human rights advocate Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines South Africa Religion By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Tutu's death represents a huge loss for South Africa, where many called him "Tata," meaning father. Born on October 7, 1931, in Klerksdorp, west of Johannesburg, Tutu became a teacher before entering St. Peters Theological College in Rosetenville in 1958. He was ordained in 1961. In 1985, Tutu became the first Black Anglican bishop of Johannesburg. A year later, he was named the first Black archbishop of Cape Town. Throughout the 1980s, when South Africa was marred by apartheid violence, Tutu was one of the most prominent Black leaders to speak out against abuses committed by the white regime. He was a powerful force for nonviolence in the the country's anti-apartheid movement, earning him a Nobel Peace Prize in 1984. Tutu also campaigned internationally for human rights, particularly LGBTQ rights and same-sex marriage. "I would not worship a God who is homophobic," he said in 2013, launching a campaign for LGBTQ rights in Cape Town. "I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say, 'Sorry, I would much rather go to the other place.'" mvb/rc (AFP, AP) Members of the clergy carrying the casket of Archbishop Tutu out of St. George's Cathedral following the funeral service on January 1. He requested a simple pine casket. A modest requiem mass for Archbishop Desmond Tutu took place at Cape Town's Anglican cathedral. The anti-apartheid hero died aged 90 on 26 December. South African anti-apartheid hero Archbishop Desmond Tutu is being laid to rest on Saturday at a state funeral in Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral, where he will also be burried. The funeral started with a hymn and a procession of clerics down the aisle burning incense and carrying candles inside the church where, for years, Tutu used the pulpit to fight against the country's white minority regime. South Africa has been marking a week of mourning following Tutu's death on December 26. He was aged 90. "When we were in the dark, he brought light,'' Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the head of the worldwide Anglican church, said in a video message shown at the funeral mass. "For me to praise him is like a mouse giving tribute to an elephant,'' Welby said. "South Africa has given us extraordinary examples of towering leaders of the rainbow nation with President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Tutu.... Many Nobel winners' lights have grown dimmer over time, but Archbishop Tutu's has grown brighter.'' In his eulogy, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called Tutu "a crusader in the struggle for freedom and justice around the world." DW's Thuso Kumalo said outside St. George's, "The majority of South Africans were not allowed to come and gather here. Under normal circumstances you would have thousands of people gathering," but this was not possible due to the pandemic. "He left this nation in a better position from what it was because he left Blacks and whites living in peace ever more," Kumalo said. Tutu died peacefully at the Oasis Frail Care Center in Cape Town, his trust said. He had been hospitalized several times since 2015 after being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1997. Tutu requests 'no lavish spending' Several thousand people on Saturday, some of whom had travelled across the country, filed past the rope-handled casket made of pine, adorned by a bunch of carnations. Renowned for his modesty, the archbishop requested "no lavish spending" on his funeral and he even "asked that the coffin be the cheapest available," his foundation said. President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the eulogy at state funeral and handed South Africa's multicoloured flag to Tutu's widow, Leah, as a symbol of her husband's description of the post-apartheid country as the "Rainbow Nation." Anti-apartheid hero, human rights advocate Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines South Africa Religion By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Tutu's death represents a huge loss for South Africa, where many called him "Tata," meaning father. Born on October 7, 1931, in Klerksdorp, west of Johannesburg, Tutu became a teacher before entering St. Peters Theological College in Rosetenville in 1958. He was ordained in 1961. In 1985, Tutu became the first Black Anglican bishop of Johannesburg. A year later, he was named the first Black archbishop of Cape Town. Throughout the 1980s, when South Africa was marred by apartheid violence, Tutu was one of the most prominent Black leaders to speak out against abuses committed by the white regime. He was a powerful force for nonviolence in the the country's anti-apartheid movement, earning him a Nobel Peace Prize in 1984. Tutu also campaigned internationally for human rights, particularly LGBTQ rights and same-sex marriage. "I would not worship a God who is homophobic," he said in 2013, launching a campaign for LGBTQ rights in Cape Town. "I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say, 'Sorry, I would much rather go to the other place.'" mvb/rc (AFP, AP) Two top leaders of the bandits terrorising the North-west region have reportedly been killed in an air strike by Nigerian armed forces on New Year day. PR Nigeria reports that the wanted bandit leaders, Alhaji Auta and Kachalla Ruga, were killed in a forest in Zamfara State. Defence spokesperson, Benjamin Sawyer, could not be reached for comments immediately. PRNigeria, which has close links with the military, said the notorious bandit commanders were killed after a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft, under Operation Hadarin Daji, acted on credible intelligence, and bombarded their enclaves, in Gusami Forest and Tsamre Village in Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of the state in the early hours of Saturday. It quoted familiar sources as saying bandits who later converged on late Autas residence for his burial were also struck by missiles of the military jet, with an unconfirmed number killed in the process. It said the follow-up airstrikes conducted by the NAF fighter aircraft on fleeing bandits and those who took cover under trees within the area resulted in heavy casualties on the side of the bandits. For now, the whereabouts of other notorious bandits like Alhaji Nashama, Shingi and Halilu who may either be incapacitated or on the run remain unknown, the report added. Mr Sawyer did not respond to calls and SMS sent to his mobile telephone by PREMIUM TIMES requesting confirmation. Zamfara and others states in the North-west and North-central regions, especially Katsina, Sokoto, Kaduna, Kebbi and Niger, have been experiencing attacks by bandits who kidnapped and sometimes kill their victims. The bandits invaded some schools in the states and abducted their students, some of whom have released after ransom was reportedly paid. Some of the students are still in their captivity. The military recently said it had recorded some success against the bandits in the recent times. Two top leaders of the bandits terrorising the North-west region have reportedly been killed in an air strike by Nigerian armed forces on New Year day. PR Nigeria reports that the wanted bandit leaders, Alhaji Auta and Kachalla Ruga, were killed in a forest in Zamfara State. Defence spokesperson, Benjamin Sawyer, could not be reached for comments immediately. PRNigeria, which has close links with the military, said the notorious bandit commanders were killed after a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft, under Operation Hadarin Daji, acted on credible intelligence, and bombarded their enclaves, in Gusami Forest and Tsamre Village in Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of the state in the early hours of Saturday. It quoted familiar sources as saying bandits who later converged on late Autas residence for his burial were also struck by missiles of the military jet, with an unconfirmed number killed in the process. It said the follow-up airstrikes conducted by the NAF fighter aircraft on fleeing bandits and those who took cover under trees within the area resulted in heavy casualties on the side of the bandits. For now, the whereabouts of other notorious bandits like Alhaji Nashama, Shingi and Halilu who may either be incapacitated or on the run remain unknown, the report added. Mr Sawyer did not respond to calls and SMS sent to his mobile telephone by PREMIUM TIMES requesting confirmation. Zamfara and others states in the North-west and North-central regions, especially Katsina, Sokoto, Kaduna, Kebbi and Niger, have been experiencing attacks by bandits who kidnapped and sometimes kill their victims. The bandits invaded some schools in the states and abducted their students, some of whom have released after ransom was reportedly paid. Some of the students are still in their captivity. The military recently said it had recorded some success against the bandits in the recent times. LOS ANGELES After many childhood years spent camping overnight along the Rose Parade route to score a front-row view, Leslie Lemus was stunned when she arrived in Pasadena just before sunrise Saturday and found two things practically unheard of in years past: nearby parking and plenty of sidewalk space. You get, like, VIP views! Lemus, 29, of Downey, told her 8-year-old daughter as they plopped camping chairs along Colorado Boulevard in the Pasadena Playhouse District. Im surprised there arent more people, said Lemus, who wore a black surgical mask as she peered at sidewalks that typically would be jam-packed long before the parade began. Blame the coronavirus. The Rose Parade returned Saturday after the pandemic forced its first cancellation since World War II last year. And while it was seen by many as a whimsical respite from two painful pandemic years, the return was clouded by a dramatic surge in coronavirus cases fueled by the highly contagious omicron variant. Across the country, other New Years events were scaled back or canceled as the virus continued its unrelenting march. As thousands of spectators across the country lined Colorado Boulevard, nearly 1 in 4 people in Los Angeles County who are being tested are positive for the coronavirus, and daily totals of new, confirmed infections are doubling every two days. The surge undoubtedly led to the smaller crowd at the 133rd Rose Parade. But along the route, the joy was palpable. The parade started in 1890 as a promotional event by a local social club to show off Pasadenas famously mild winter weather kicked off under sunny, blue skies and temperatures in the mid-50s. Actor and television host LeVar Burton served as grand marshal, and the theme was Dream. Achieve. Believe. Organizers said they felt safe continuing the parade because it was outdoors which health officials say is safer than indoor gatherings and because of numerous safety measures. The Tournament of Roses required the 6,000-plus parade participants, as well spectators in ticketed areas, such as grandstands, to provide proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test within 72 hours of the start of the event. Attendees ages 2 and up in those areas were required to wear a mask. Along the rest of the 5.5-mile route, where people can just walk up and watch, vaccination and negative test results were not checked. COVID worries me in general, like all the time, said Kathleen Peralta-Wente, who shouted, Happy New Year! at every passing float and band while standing atop a kitchen stool near Madison Avenue to see over other spectators heads. Several of Peralta-Wentes relatives tested positive for the coronavirus after gathering for Christmas, she said. Peralta-Wente, 55, a lifelong Pasadena resident, quarantined at home all week and tested negative before the parade, which she has attended at least 25 times. We did not go out, she said of herself and her husband. We Postmated and Instacarted our way through that. She said she plans to get a booster shoot soon, with added motivation after this weeks scare. Before the parade began, Craig Farestveit jogged along an empty Colorado Boulevard with two friends, as he has done annually for a decade. Even without a parade last year, they ran the parade route to try and keep the festive spirit alive. Its nice being back, seeing the tortillas in the street, innovative bedding situations, Farestveit said as he peered at campers who rang in the new year on the street. (For years, it has been a tradition for campers to throw tortillas filled with shaving cream at passing cars.) Farestveit and his friends shook their heads when asked if the omicron surge made them consider sitting this one out, saying running was one of the few things they have been able to do safely together. At the height of COVID, on our deep trail runs, everybody was masked up; it was interesting, said his friend, Tom Queally, 60. Just before sunrise, Danelle Sullivan, 45, of Highland Park, applied makeup to her eyes with a small compact mirror as her 9-year-old daughter slept next to her on an inflatable mattress, clutching a stuffed horse with a Rose Parade bandana around its neck. The mother and daughter last came in 2018. They arrived for this years parade at noon Friday, expecting the huge crowds they saw back then. We couldve stayed warmer for longer, Sullivan said. But [were] not really upset. To come out here is an adventure. Near Roosevelt Avenue, Deborah Twyford, 54, of Eastvale, sat by a propane-fueled fire pit with crumpled confetti at her feet. Six chairs were reserved for the rest of her family, who arrived Friday afternoon and camped overnight, barbecuing hamburgers and playing games. I thought there would be more people last night for the New Years celebration, and I thought Id wake up to rows of chairs from what Id read, she said. Im really surprised. This years parade featured 43 floats, 20 marching bands and 18 equestrian units, according to the Tournament of Roses. On Thursday, Kaiser Permanente canceled plans to have front-line medical staffers participate in the Rose Parade. We must prioritize the health and safety of our front-line medical staff and ensure we are able to treat patients during this recent surge of COVID-19 cases caused by the omicron variant, the company said in a statement. Kaiser planned to have 20 medical workers riding and walking in front of its float, which was called A Healthier Future and featured the figures of four children, including one wearing a stethoscope and caring for a teddy bear named Booster. The float still rolled through the parade. In another nod to these pandemic times, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation float was called Vaccinate Our World and featured a robot nurse wielding a syringe. Michelle Van Slyke, senior vice president of marketing and sales for the UPS Store, said preparations for her companys float which was called Rise, Shine & Read! and features a bespectacled, bright yellow rooster named Charlie reading to a group of chicks took about a year. The UPS Store float won the parades prestigious Sweepstakes award this year, as it did in 2019 and 2020. In 2020, float planning was already underway when the Tournament of Roses pulled the plug on the 2021 event because of the pandemic. But the UPS Store, she said, had our hands full as an essential business that stayed open amid lockdowns. This week, as the final decorations were being applied to the float, she said that safety is the number one priority, and that masking and social distancing have been essential. The companys float was enormous: 35 feet tall and 55 feet long. Van Slyke said it weighed about 24 tons, with 12 moving parts and 130,000 flowers. If youre going to do it, do it in a way thats going to be fun and magical, she said. We all know were in the lifes-too-short category these days, and we want to bring some brightness after everything weve been through these last two years. Van Slyke grew up in San Bernardino and came to the parade year after year with her grandfather, a construction worker who came annually, even if he was by himself. They would spend the night along the parade route with chorizo and egg burritos and hot chocolate in thermoses. My grandfather would just be ecstatic if he knew I was involved in putting a float together, she said. Valerie Brown, 62, of Loma Linda, sat with several family members near Lake Avenue, wearing a Happy New Year headband. Sometimes Ive been here when its so crowded you cant move, Brown said from the unobstructed front-row spot she snagged Saturday morning. So it is nice having less people. After moving to California in 1986, Brown made it a priority to attend the parade as often as possible. Her father had always wanted to come. We grew up in Indiana watching the Rose Parade, but we could never afford to go, Brown said. Wed talk about how he always wanted to watch it. Her father loved the marching bands. He played tuba in his high school band. Brown played the flute, her sister played the clarinet, one brother played the saxophone, and another brother played the trumpet. Browns son was a percussionist and still plays music for a living, she said. She was able to bring her father to the parade one time. A bucket-list item, checked off. (Los Angeles Times staff writers Salma Loum and Anumita Kaur contributed to this report.) ___ Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Guwahati, Jan 1 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday that his security entourage would be reduced by 50 per cent and the personal security officers (PSOs) of many politicians, officials and others would also be reduced by half to minimise government expenditure. The Chief Minister said that over 4,240 PSOs are now being posted with the politicians, in-service and retired officials, businessmen, surrendered militants, tea estate owners and others. According to Sarma, who also holds the home portfolio, of the 4,240 PSOs, 2,526 PSOs are deployed with the politicians of different parties, 854 with in-service and retired civil officials and 546 with judicial officers. "We have formed a security review committee to examine the necessity of PSOs for different persons. We want to reduce the number of PSOs by half. Except those people holding constitutional posts, PSOs for others would be reduced drastically," the Chief Minister told the media after the New Year's first Cabinet meeting. Noting that the Assam government has been spending around Rs 400 crore every year to provide PSOs to the politicians, officials and others, Sarma said that currently there are around 22 vehicles in his security entourage which would be reduced by seven to eight soon. "PSOs should not be the status symbol... It will be based on the necessity of the person concerned," he said. Sarma had recently courted a controversy by saying that PSOs are a "Congress culture". Slamming the Chief Minister over his "the PSO system is a Congress culture" remark, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhupen Kumar Borah and Congress' Rajya Sabha member Ripun Bora had asked the Chief Minister to surrender his huge security cover. "Sarma groomed himself in the Congress for many, many years, built his entire political career, and then switched over to the BJP and became the CM. Now he has become allergic to the Congress culture," Bora had told a television channel. Sarma had earlier urged BJP leaders and party functionaries to give up their PSOs. "There is no need for PSOs. We do not have any threat to life as we have done nothing wrong," the Chief Minister had said at a function in Guwahati. LOS ANGELES After many childhood years spent camping overnight along the Rose Parade route to score a front-row view, Leslie Lemus was stunned when she arrived in Pasadena just before sunrise Saturday and found two things practically unheard of in years past: nearby parking and plenty of sidewalk space. You get, like, VIP views! Lemus, 29, of Downey, told her 8-year-old daughter as they plopped camping chairs along Colorado Boulevard in the Pasadena Playhouse District. Im surprised there arent more people, said Lemus, who wore a black surgical mask as she peered at sidewalks that typically would be jam-packed long before the parade began. Blame the coronavirus. The Rose Parade returned Saturday after the pandemic forced its first cancellation since World War II last year. And while it was seen by many as a whimsical respite from two painful pandemic years, the return was clouded by a dramatic surge in coronavirus cases fueled by the highly contagious omicron variant. Across the country, other New Years events were scaled back or canceled as the virus continued its unrelenting march. As thousands of spectators across the country lined Colorado Boulevard, nearly 1 in 4 people in Los Angeles County who are being tested are positive for the coronavirus, and daily totals of new, confirmed infections are doubling every two days. The surge undoubtedly led to the smaller crowd at the 133rd Rose Parade. But along the route, the joy was palpable. The parade started in 1890 as a promotional event by a local social club to show off Pasadenas famously mild winter weather kicked off under sunny, blue skies and temperatures in the mid-50s. Actor and television host LeVar Burton served as grand marshal, and the theme was Dream. Achieve. Believe. Organizers said they felt safe continuing the parade because it was outdoors which health officials say is safer than indoor gatherings and because of numerous safety measures. The Tournament of Roses required the 6,000-plus parade participants, as well spectators in ticketed areas, such as grandstands, to provide proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test within 72 hours of the start of the event. Attendees ages 2 and up in those areas were required to wear a mask. Along the rest of the 5.5-mile route, where people can just walk up and watch, vaccination and negative test results were not checked. COVID worries me in general, like all the time, said Kathleen Peralta-Wente, who shouted, Happy New Year! at every passing float and band while standing atop a kitchen stool near Madison Avenue to see over other spectators heads. Several of Peralta-Wentes relatives tested positive for the coronavirus after gathering for Christmas, she said. Peralta-Wente, 55, a lifelong Pasadena resident, quarantined at home all week and tested negative before the parade, which she has attended at least 25 times. We did not go out, she said of herself and her husband. We Postmated and Instacarted our way through that. She said she plans to get a booster shoot soon, with added motivation after this weeks scare. Before the parade began, Craig Farestveit jogged along an empty Colorado Boulevard with two friends, as he has done annually for a decade. Even without a parade last year, they ran the parade route to try and keep the festive spirit alive. Its nice being back, seeing the tortillas in the street, innovative bedding situations, Farestveit said as he peered at campers who rang in the new year on the street. (For years, it has been a tradition for campers to throw tortillas filled with shaving cream at passing cars.) Farestveit and his friends shook their heads when asked if the omicron surge made them consider sitting this one out, saying running was one of the few things they have been able to do safely together. At the height of COVID, on our deep trail runs, everybody was masked up; it was interesting, said his friend, Tom Queally, 60. Just before sunrise, Danelle Sullivan, 45, of Highland Park, applied makeup to her eyes with a small compact mirror as her 9-year-old daughter slept next to her on an inflatable mattress, clutching a stuffed horse with a Rose Parade bandana around its neck. The mother and daughter last came in 2018. They arrived for this years parade at noon Friday, expecting the huge crowds they saw back then. We couldve stayed warmer for longer, Sullivan said. But [were] not really upset. To come out here is an adventure. Near Roosevelt Avenue, Deborah Twyford, 54, of Eastvale, sat by a propane-fueled fire pit with crumpled confetti at her feet. Six chairs were reserved for the rest of her family, who arrived Friday afternoon and camped overnight, barbecuing hamburgers and playing games. I thought there would be more people last night for the New Years celebration, and I thought Id wake up to rows of chairs from what Id read, she said. Im really surprised. This years parade featured 43 floats, 20 marching bands and 18 equestrian units, according to the Tournament of Roses. On Thursday, Kaiser Permanente canceled plans to have front-line medical staffers participate in the Rose Parade. We must prioritize the health and safety of our front-line medical staff and ensure we are able to treat patients during this recent surge of COVID-19 cases caused by the omicron variant, the company said in a statement. Kaiser planned to have 20 medical workers riding and walking in front of its float, which was called A Healthier Future and featured the figures of four children, including one wearing a stethoscope and caring for a teddy bear named Booster. The float still rolled through the parade. In another nod to these pandemic times, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation float was called Vaccinate Our World and featured a robot nurse wielding a syringe. Michelle Van Slyke, senior vice president of marketing and sales for the UPS Store, said preparations for her companys float which was called Rise, Shine & Read! and features a bespectacled, bright yellow rooster named Charlie reading to a group of chicks took about a year. The UPS Store float won the parades prestigious Sweepstakes award this year, as it did in 2019 and 2020. In 2020, float planning was already underway when the Tournament of Roses pulled the plug on the 2021 event because of the pandemic. But the UPS Store, she said, had our hands full as an essential business that stayed open amid lockdowns. This week, as the final decorations were being applied to the float, she said that safety is the number one priority, and that masking and social distancing have been essential. The companys float was enormous: 35 feet tall and 55 feet long. Van Slyke said it weighed about 24 tons, with 12 moving parts and 130,000 flowers. If youre going to do it, do it in a way thats going to be fun and magical, she said. We all know were in the lifes-too-short category these days, and we want to bring some brightness after everything weve been through these last two years. Van Slyke grew up in San Bernardino and came to the parade year after year with her grandfather, a construction worker who came annually, even if he was by himself. They would spend the night along the parade route with chorizo and egg burritos and hot chocolate in thermoses. My grandfather would just be ecstatic if he knew I was involved in putting a float together, she said. Valerie Brown, 62, of Loma Linda, sat with several family members near Lake Avenue, wearing a Happy New Year headband. Sometimes Ive been here when its so crowded you cant move, Brown said from the unobstructed front-row spot she snagged Saturday morning. So it is nice having less people. After moving to California in 1986, Brown made it a priority to attend the parade as often as possible. Her father had always wanted to come. We grew up in Indiana watching the Rose Parade, but we could never afford to go, Brown said. Wed talk about how he always wanted to watch it. Her father loved the marching bands. He played tuba in his high school band. Brown played the flute, her sister played the clarinet, one brother played the saxophone, and another brother played the trumpet. Browns son was a percussionist and still plays music for a living, she said. She was able to bring her father to the parade one time. A bucket-list item, checked off. (Los Angeles Times staff writers Salma Loum and Anumita Kaur contributed to this report.) ___ Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. LOS ANGELES After many childhood years spent camping overnight along the Rose Parade route to score a front-row view, Leslie Lemus was stunned when she arrived in Pasadena just before sunrise Saturday and found two things practically unheard of in years past: nearby parking and plenty of sidewalk space. You get, like, VIP views! Lemus, 29, of Downey, told her 8-year-old daughter as they plopped camping chairs along Colorado Boulevard in the Pasadena Playhouse District. Im surprised there arent more people, said Lemus, who wore a black surgical mask as she peered at sidewalks that typically would be jam-packed long before the parade began. Blame the coronavirus. The Rose Parade returned Saturday after the pandemic forced its first cancellation since World War II last year. And while it was seen by many as a whimsical respite from two painful pandemic years, the return was clouded by a dramatic surge in coronavirus cases fueled by the highly contagious omicron variant. Across the country, other New Years events were scaled back or canceled as the virus continued its unrelenting march. As thousands of spectators across the country lined Colorado Boulevard, nearly 1 in 4 people in Los Angeles County who are being tested are positive for the coronavirus, and daily totals of new, confirmed infections are doubling every two days. The surge undoubtedly led to the smaller crowd at the 133rd Rose Parade. But along the route, the joy was palpable. The parade started in 1890 as a promotional event by a local social club to show off Pasadenas famously mild winter weather kicked off under sunny, blue skies and temperatures in the mid-50s. Actor and television host LeVar Burton served as grand marshal, and the theme was Dream. Achieve. Believe. Organizers said they felt safe continuing the parade because it was outdoors which health officials say is safer than indoor gatherings and because of numerous safety measures. The Tournament of Roses required the 6,000-plus parade participants, as well spectators in ticketed areas, such as grandstands, to provide proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test within 72 hours of the start of the event. Attendees ages 2 and up in those areas were required to wear a mask. Along the rest of the 5.5-mile route, where people can just walk up and watch, vaccination and negative test results were not checked. COVID worries me in general, like all the time, said Kathleen Peralta-Wente, who shouted, Happy New Year! at every passing float and band while standing atop a kitchen stool near Madison Avenue to see over other spectators heads. Several of Peralta-Wentes relatives tested positive for the coronavirus after gathering for Christmas, she said. Peralta-Wente, 55, a lifelong Pasadena resident, quarantined at home all week and tested negative before the parade, which she has attended at least 25 times. We did not go out, she said of herself and her husband. We Postmated and Instacarted our way through that. She said she plans to get a booster shoot soon, with added motivation after this weeks scare. Before the parade began, Craig Farestveit jogged along an empty Colorado Boulevard with two friends, as he has done annually for a decade. Even without a parade last year, they ran the parade route to try and keep the festive spirit alive. Its nice being back, seeing the tortillas in the street, innovative bedding situations, Farestveit said as he peered at campers who rang in the new year on the street. (For years, it has been a tradition for campers to throw tortillas filled with shaving cream at passing cars.) Farestveit and his friends shook their heads when asked if the omicron surge made them consider sitting this one out, saying running was one of the few things they have been able to do safely together. At the height of COVID, on our deep trail runs, everybody was masked up; it was interesting, said his friend, Tom Queally, 60. Just before sunrise, Danelle Sullivan, 45, of Highland Park, applied makeup to her eyes with a small compact mirror as her 9-year-old daughter slept next to her on an inflatable mattress, clutching a stuffed horse with a Rose Parade bandana around its neck. The mother and daughter last came in 2018. They arrived for this years parade at noon Friday, expecting the huge crowds they saw back then. We couldve stayed warmer for longer, Sullivan said. But [were] not really upset. To come out here is an adventure. Near Roosevelt Avenue, Deborah Twyford, 54, of Eastvale, sat by a propane-fueled fire pit with crumpled confetti at her feet. Six chairs were reserved for the rest of her family, who arrived Friday afternoon and camped overnight, barbecuing hamburgers and playing games. I thought there would be more people last night for the New Years celebration, and I thought Id wake up to rows of chairs from what Id read, she said. Im really surprised. This years parade featured 43 floats, 20 marching bands and 18 equestrian units, according to the Tournament of Roses. On Thursday, Kaiser Permanente canceled plans to have front-line medical staffers participate in the Rose Parade. We must prioritize the health and safety of our front-line medical staff and ensure we are able to treat patients during this recent surge of COVID-19 cases caused by the omicron variant, the company said in a statement. Kaiser planned to have 20 medical workers riding and walking in front of its float, which was called A Healthier Future and featured the figures of four children, including one wearing a stethoscope and caring for a teddy bear named Booster. The float still rolled through the parade. In another nod to these pandemic times, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation float was called Vaccinate Our World and featured a robot nurse wielding a syringe. Michelle Van Slyke, senior vice president of marketing and sales for the UPS Store, said preparations for her companys float which was called Rise, Shine & Read! and features a bespectacled, bright yellow rooster named Charlie reading to a group of chicks took about a year. The UPS Store float won the parades prestigious Sweepstakes award this year, as it did in 2019 and 2020. In 2020, float planning was already underway when the Tournament of Roses pulled the plug on the 2021 event because of the pandemic. But the UPS Store, she said, had our hands full as an essential business that stayed open amid lockdowns. This week, as the final decorations were being applied to the float, she said that safety is the number one priority, and that masking and social distancing have been essential. The companys float was enormous: 35 feet tall and 55 feet long. Van Slyke said it weighed about 24 tons, with 12 moving parts and 130,000 flowers. If youre going to do it, do it in a way thats going to be fun and magical, she said. We all know were in the lifes-too-short category these days, and we want to bring some brightness after everything weve been through these last two years. Van Slyke grew up in San Bernardino and came to the parade year after year with her grandfather, a construction worker who came annually, even if he was by himself. They would spend the night along the parade route with chorizo and egg burritos and hot chocolate in thermoses. My grandfather would just be ecstatic if he knew I was involved in putting a float together, she said. Valerie Brown, 62, of Loma Linda, sat with several family members near Lake Avenue, wearing a Happy New Year headband. Sometimes Ive been here when its so crowded you cant move, Brown said from the unobstructed front-row spot she snagged Saturday morning. So it is nice having less people. After moving to California in 1986, Brown made it a priority to attend the parade as often as possible. Her father had always wanted to come. We grew up in Indiana watching the Rose Parade, but we could never afford to go, Brown said. Wed talk about how he always wanted to watch it. Her father loved the marching bands. He played tuba in his high school band. Brown played the flute, her sister played the clarinet, one brother played the saxophone, and another brother played the trumpet. Browns son was a percussionist and still plays music for a living, she said. She was able to bring her father to the parade one time. A bucket-list item, checked off. (Los Angeles Times staff writers Salma Loum and Anumita Kaur contributed to this report.) ___ Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Buc-ee's is known for its large stores with dozens of gas pumps, lots of bathrooms and aisles of snacks. Merchandise with its mascot, a beaver in a red cap, is also popular. The stores are open 24 hours, 365 days of the year. (2015 file photo by Ron Baselice/The Dallas Morning News) Bengaluru, Jan 2 : In a major cause of worry for the Karnataka Health Department, as many as 1,033 Covid cases were reported across the state on Saturday, with 810 in capital Bengaluru alone, as well as five deaths. The authorities are predicting that the third wave of Covid is slowly rearing its head in the state. The testing has been increased by authorities and 1,19,225 tests have been conducted. The number of infected persons in the state rose to 30,08,370. The active cases in the state stand at 9,386. The number of discharges in the state stood at 354, way behind the number of infections. The infection rate is standing at 0.86 per cent. In Bengaluru, 218 people have been discharged from the hospitals and active cases stand at 7,876. The authorities have screened 1,702 international passengers, including 597 international arrivals from at risk nations. There are 2,569 Delta cases in the state and 66 persons have tested positive for Omicron so far. Meanwhile, state Education Minister B.C. Nagesh has tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday. The minister, who shared the information on social media, has requested all the people in contact with him to isolate and get tested. He has undergone a test after minor symptoms cropped up. He is quarantined and being treated. The authorities are more concerned with this development as Nagesh has attended many programmes in Bengaluru and other places in the recent past. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Members of the clergy carrying the casket of Archbishop Tutu out of St. George's Cathedral following the funeral service on January 1. He requested a simple pine casket. A modest requiem mass for Archbishop Desmond Tutu took place at Cape Town's Anglican cathedral. The anti-apartheid hero died aged 90 on 26 December. South African anti-apartheid hero Archbishop Desmond Tutu is being laid to rest on Saturday at a state funeral in Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral, where he will also be burried. The funeral started with a hymn and a procession of clerics down the aisle burning incense and carrying candles inside the church where, for years, Tutu used the pulpit to fight against the country's white minority regime. South Africa has been marking a week of mourning following Tutu's death on December 26. He was aged 90. "When we were in the dark, he brought light,'' Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the head of the worldwide Anglican church, said in a video message shown at the funeral mass. "For me to praise him is like a mouse giving tribute to an elephant,'' Welby said. "South Africa has given us extraordinary examples of towering leaders of the rainbow nation with President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Tutu.... Many Nobel winners' lights have grown dimmer over time, but Archbishop Tutu's has grown brighter.'' In his eulogy, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called Tutu "a crusader in the struggle for freedom and justice around the world." DW's Thuso Kumalo said outside St. George's, "The majority of South Africans were not allowed to come and gather here. Under normal circumstances you would have thousands of people gathering," but this was not possible due to the pandemic. "He left this nation in a better position from what it was because he left Blacks and whites living in peace ever more," Kumalo said. Tutu died peacefully at the Oasis Frail Care Center in Cape Town, his trust said. He had been hospitalized several times since 2015 after being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1997. Tutu requests 'no lavish spending' Several thousand people on Saturday, some of whom had travelled across the country, filed past the rope-handled casket made of pine, adorned by a bunch of carnations. Renowned for his modesty, the archbishop requested "no lavish spending" on his funeral and he even "asked that the coffin be the cheapest available," his foundation said. President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the eulogy at state funeral and handed South Africa's multicoloured flag to Tutu's widow, Leah, as a symbol of her husband's description of the post-apartheid country as the "Rainbow Nation." Anti-apartheid hero, human rights advocate Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines South Africa Religion By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Tutu's death represents a huge loss for South Africa, where many called him "Tata," meaning father. Born on October 7, 1931, in Klerksdorp, west of Johannesburg, Tutu became a teacher before entering St. Peters Theological College in Rosetenville in 1958. He was ordained in 1961. In 1985, Tutu became the first Black Anglican bishop of Johannesburg. A year later, he was named the first Black archbishop of Cape Town. Throughout the 1980s, when South Africa was marred by apartheid violence, Tutu was one of the most prominent Black leaders to speak out against abuses committed by the white regime. He was a powerful force for nonviolence in the the country's anti-apartheid movement, earning him a Nobel Peace Prize in 1984. Tutu also campaigned internationally for human rights, particularly LGBTQ rights and same-sex marriage. "I would not worship a God who is homophobic," he said in 2013, launching a campaign for LGBTQ rights in Cape Town. "I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say, 'Sorry, I would much rather go to the other place.'" mvb/rc (AFP, AP) Guwahati, Jan 1 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday that his security entourage would be reduced by 50 per cent and the personal security officers (PSOs) of many politicians, officials and others would also be reduced by half to minimise government expenditure. The Chief Minister said that over 4,240 PSOs are now being posted with the politicians, in-service and retired officials, businessmen, surrendered militants, tea estate owners and others. According to Sarma, who also holds the home portfolio, of the 4,240 PSOs, 2,526 PSOs are deployed with the politicians of different parties, 854 with in-service and retired civil officials and 546 with judicial officers. "We have formed a security review committee to examine the necessity of PSOs for different persons. We want to reduce the number of PSOs by half. Except those people holding constitutional posts, PSOs for others would be reduced drastically," the Chief Minister told the media after the New Year's first Cabinet meeting. Noting that the Assam government has been spending around Rs 400 crore every year to provide PSOs to the politicians, officials and others, Sarma said that currently there are around 22 vehicles in his security entourage which would be reduced by seven to eight soon. "PSOs should not be the status symbol... It will be based on the necessity of the person concerned," he said. Sarma had recently courted a controversy by saying that PSOs are a "Congress culture". Slamming the Chief Minister over his "the PSO system is a Congress culture" remark, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhupen Kumar Borah and Congress' Rajya Sabha member Ripun Bora had asked the Chief Minister to surrender his huge security cover. "Sarma groomed himself in the Congress for many, many years, built his entire political career, and then switched over to the BJP and became the CM. Now he has become allergic to the Congress culture," Bora had told a television channel. Sarma had earlier urged BJP leaders and party functionaries to give up their PSOs. "There is no need for PSOs. We do not have any threat to life as we have done nothing wrong," the Chief Minister had said at a function in Guwahati. Guwahati, Jan 1 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday that his security entourage would be reduced by 50 per cent and the personal security officers (PSOs) of many politicians, officials and others would also be reduced by half to minimise government expenditure. The Chief Minister said that over 4,240 PSOs are now being posted with the politicians, in-service and retired officials, businessmen, surrendered militants, tea estate owners and others. According to Sarma, who also holds the home portfolio, of the 4,240 PSOs, 2,526 PSOs are deployed with the politicians of different parties, 854 with in-service and retired civil officials and 546 with judicial officers. "We have formed a security review committee to examine the necessity of PSOs for different persons. We want to reduce the number of PSOs by half. Except those people holding constitutional posts, PSOs for others would be reduced drastically," the Chief Minister told the media after the New Year's first Cabinet meeting. Noting that the Assam government has been spending around Rs 400 crore every year to provide PSOs to the politicians, officials and others, Sarma said that currently there are around 22 vehicles in his security entourage which would be reduced by seven to eight soon. "PSOs should not be the status symbol... It will be based on the necessity of the person concerned," he said. Sarma had recently courted a controversy by saying that PSOs are a "Congress culture". Slamming the Chief Minister over his "the PSO system is a Congress culture" remark, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhupen Kumar Borah and Congress' Rajya Sabha member Ripun Bora had asked the Chief Minister to surrender his huge security cover. "Sarma groomed himself in the Congress for many, many years, built his entire political career, and then switched over to the BJP and became the CM. Now he has become allergic to the Congress culture," Bora had told a television channel. Sarma had earlier urged BJP leaders and party functionaries to give up their PSOs. "There is no need for PSOs. We do not have any threat to life as we have done nothing wrong," the Chief Minister had said at a function in Guwahati. HARRISBURG Hospitals and emergency medical services based in Scranton and York will be the first to receive help from federal teams to deal with the latest COVID-19 surge, Gov. Tom Wolfs administration said Wednesday. Three federal strike teams will arrive at the Scranton Regional Hospital and WellSpan York early next week and open about 30 additional acute care hospital beds for 30 days, the Wolf administration said in a statement. On top of that, emergency medical teams will go to York and Scranton, although the exact number of health care workers to be deployed is still being determined, the administration said. Hospitals and nursing homes statewide have been sounding the alarm in recent weeks as largely unvaccinated COVID-19 patients fill hospital beds. That has sent some acute-care facilities over capacity, jammed some emergency rooms and forced nursing homes to stop accepting new residents. Wolf's administration continues to urge Pennsylvanians to get vaccinated against COVID-19, saying vaccinated people are far less likely to be hospitalized if they contract the disease. The administration asked the federal government for help on Dec. 15, seeking health care workers to help at hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and ambulance companies in the hardest-hit areas of the state. Pennsylvania is reporting an average of almost 9,000 new, confirmed infections per day over the last two weeks, up 50% since the second half of November. The number of COVID-19 patients requiring hospital care has increased by 80% since last month, at more than 4,500 per day. GAITHERSBURG, Md., Jan. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The new year is off to a bright and busy start at two Adventist HealthCare hospitals, where some of the first babies of 2022 in the Washington, D.C., area have arrived. Just 12 minutes after midnight, Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, Maryland, welcomed a baby boy. Sarah Ivins of Germantown, Maryland, delivered Cyrus Mason, who weighed 6 pounds 11 ounces. Cyrus was one of three babies born in the first 25 minutes of the year to moms at Shady Grove Medical Center. At 1:35 a.m. in Silver Spring, Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center welcomed its first baby of the year, a girl. The New Year's babies and their parents received gift baskets filled with books and baby essentials from the hospitals to help celebrate being 2022's first arrivals. "It is with great joy that our Birth Center welcomes the first baby of 2022," said Nan Troiano, Shady Grove Medical Center's Director of Women's and Infants' Services. "What a blessing it is to serve our community and provide world-class care to new parents and their babies." Shady Grove Medical Center delivers approximately 4,500 babies each year and offers a Level III NICU to care for premature or critically ill infants. "Each year we feel so blessed to welcome the first baby of the new year at our Birth Center and this year is even more meaningful as it offers joy during challenging times for our community," said Patricia Hudson, manager of the Birth Center at White Oak Medical Center. "We are looking forward to celebrating more special moments with many families this year." Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center, a not-for-profit, 443-bed hospital in Rockville, Maryland, has earned national recognition for quality in cardiology, stroke care, orthopedics, bariatrics, and maternity services. Shady Grove offers comprehensive mental health care and a freestanding cancer center that provides the community with holistic care and cutting-edge treatments. Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center, a not-for-profit, 198-bed, all private room hospital in Silver Spring, Maryland, offers a full range of health services including a comprehensive and nationally recognized heart program, cancer care, maternity care, surgical and emergency care. White Oak Medical Center is a neighbor and research partner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and at the center of the emerging White Oak Science Gateway in Montgomery County. Both hospitals are part of the Adventist HealthCare system based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, which has served the people of the D.C. area since 1907. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/adventist-healthcare-hospitals-welcome-first-babies-of-2022-301452474.html SOURCE Adventist HealthCare Guwahati, Jan 1 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday that his security entourage would be reduced by 50 per cent and the personal security officers (PSOs) of many politicians, officials and others would also be reduced by half to minimise government expenditure. The Chief Minister said that over 4,240 PSOs are now being posted with the politicians, in-service and retired officials, businessmen, surrendered militants, tea estate owners and others. According to Sarma, who also holds the home portfolio, of the 4,240 PSOs, 2,526 PSOs are deployed with the politicians of different parties, 854 with in-service and retired civil officials and 546 with judicial officers. "We have formed a security review committee to examine the necessity of PSOs for different persons. We want to reduce the number of PSOs by half. Except those people holding constitutional posts, PSOs for others would be reduced drastically," the Chief Minister told the media after the New Year's first Cabinet meeting. Noting that the Assam government has been spending around Rs 400 crore every year to provide PSOs to the politicians, officials and others, Sarma said that currently there are around 22 vehicles in his security entourage which would be reduced by seven to eight soon. "PSOs should not be the status symbol... It will be based on the necessity of the person concerned," he said. Sarma had recently courted a controversy by saying that PSOs are a "Congress culture". Slamming the Chief Minister over his "the PSO system is a Congress culture" remark, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhupen Kumar Borah and Congress' Rajya Sabha member Ripun Bora had asked the Chief Minister to surrender his huge security cover. "Sarma groomed himself in the Congress for many, many years, built his entire political career, and then switched over to the BJP and became the CM. Now he has become allergic to the Congress culture," Bora had told a television channel. Sarma had earlier urged BJP leaders and party functionaries to give up their PSOs. "There is no need for PSOs. We do not have any threat to life as we have done nothing wrong," the Chief Minister had said at a function in Guwahati. Guwahati, Jan 1 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday that his security entourage would be reduced by 50 per cent and the personal security officers (PSOs) of many politicians, officials and others would also be reduced by half to minimise government expenditure. The Chief Minister said that over 4,240 PSOs are now being posted with the politicians, in-service and retired officials, businessmen, surrendered militants, tea estate owners and others. According to Sarma, who also holds the home portfolio, of the 4,240 PSOs, 2,526 PSOs are deployed with the politicians of different parties, 854 with in-service and retired civil officials and 546 with judicial officers. "We have formed a security review committee to examine the necessity of PSOs for different persons. We want to reduce the number of PSOs by half. Except those people holding constitutional posts, PSOs for others would be reduced drastically," the Chief Minister told the media after the New Year's first Cabinet meeting. Noting that the Assam government has been spending around Rs 400 crore every year to provide PSOs to the politicians, officials and others, Sarma said that currently there are around 22 vehicles in his security entourage which would be reduced by seven to eight soon. "PSOs should not be the status symbol... It will be based on the necessity of the person concerned," he said. Sarma had recently courted a controversy by saying that PSOs are a "Congress culture". Slamming the Chief Minister over his "the PSO system is a Congress culture" remark, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhupen Kumar Borah and Congress' Rajya Sabha member Ripun Bora had asked the Chief Minister to surrender his huge security cover. "Sarma groomed himself in the Congress for many, many years, built his entire political career, and then switched over to the BJP and became the CM. Now he has become allergic to the Congress culture," Bora had told a television channel. Sarma had earlier urged BJP leaders and party functionaries to give up their PSOs. "There is no need for PSOs. We do not have any threat to life as we have done nothing wrong," the Chief Minister had said at a function in Guwahati. WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed by a man who went on to carjack, rob and shoot more people during a two-state manhunt this week said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters, Missouri. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a "series" of carjackings, robberies and shootings on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities eventually caught up to him in Clinton County, Illinois, where he held a person hostage in a home. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. The family's full statement is below: The Family of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley mourns the loss of their husband, father, son and friend. We could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support. To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero. Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. -Matthew 5:9 Visitation for Sean Riley will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m., Monday January 3, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with a first responder walk thru at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials in his honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. Memorials will be accepted at the services and the Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, IL which is assisting with arrangements. Additional information will be released in the coming days. We ask the community to show their support by lining the procession route. Guwahati, Jan 1 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday that his security entourage would be reduced by 50 per cent and the personal security officers (PSOs) of many politicians, officials and others would also be reduced by half to minimise government expenditure. The Chief Minister said that over 4,240 PSOs are now being posted with the politicians, in-service and retired officials, businessmen, surrendered militants, tea estate owners and others. According to Sarma, who also holds the home portfolio, of the 4,240 PSOs, 2,526 PSOs are deployed with the politicians of different parties, 854 with in-service and retired civil officials and 546 with judicial officers. "We have formed a security review committee to examine the necessity of PSOs for different persons. We want to reduce the number of PSOs by half. Except those people holding constitutional posts, PSOs for others would be reduced drastically," the Chief Minister told the media after the New Year's first Cabinet meeting. Noting that the Assam government has been spending around Rs 400 crore every year to provide PSOs to the politicians, officials and others, Sarma said that currently there are around 22 vehicles in his security entourage which would be reduced by seven to eight soon. "PSOs should not be the status symbol... It will be based on the necessity of the person concerned," he said. Sarma had recently courted a controversy by saying that PSOs are a "Congress culture". Slamming the Chief Minister over his "the PSO system is a Congress culture" remark, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhupen Kumar Borah and Congress' Rajya Sabha member Ripun Bora had asked the Chief Minister to surrender his huge security cover. "Sarma groomed himself in the Congress for many, many years, built his entire political career, and then switched over to the BJP and became the CM. Now he has become allergic to the Congress culture," Bora had told a television channel. Sarma had earlier urged BJP leaders and party functionaries to give up their PSOs. "There is no need for PSOs. We do not have any threat to life as we have done nothing wrong," the Chief Minister had said at a function in Guwahati. Two top leaders of the bandits terrorising the North-west region have reportedly been killed in an air strike by Nigerian armed forces on New Year day. PR Nigeria reports that the wanted bandit leaders, Alhaji Auta and Kachalla Ruga, were killed in a forest in Zamfara State. Defence spokesperson, Benjamin Sawyer, could not be reached for comments immediately. PRNigeria, which has close links with the military, said the notorious bandit commanders were killed after a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft, under Operation Hadarin Daji, acted on credible intelligence, and bombarded their enclaves, in Gusami Forest and Tsamre Village in Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of the state in the early hours of Saturday. It quoted familiar sources as saying bandits who later converged on late Autas residence for his burial were also struck by missiles of the military jet, with an unconfirmed number killed in the process. It said the follow-up airstrikes conducted by the NAF fighter aircraft on fleeing bandits and those who took cover under trees within the area resulted in heavy casualties on the side of the bandits. For now, the whereabouts of other notorious bandits like Alhaji Nashama, Shingi and Halilu who may either be incapacitated or on the run remain unknown, the report added. Mr Sawyer did not respond to calls and SMS sent to his mobile telephone by PREMIUM TIMES requesting confirmation. Zamfara and others states in the North-west and North-central regions, especially Katsina, Sokoto, Kaduna, Kebbi and Niger, have been experiencing attacks by bandits who kidnapped and sometimes kill their victims. The bandits invaded some schools in the states and abducted their students, some of whom have released after ransom was reportedly paid. Some of the students are still in their captivity. The military recently said it had recorded some success against the bandits in the recent times. Two top leaders of the bandits terrorising the North-west region have reportedly been killed in an air strike by Nigerian armed forces on New Year day. PR Nigeria reports that the wanted bandit leaders, Alhaji Auta and Kachalla Ruga, were killed in a forest in Zamfara State. Defence spokesperson, Benjamin Sawyer, could not be reached for comments immediately. PRNigeria, which has close links with the military, said the notorious bandit commanders were killed after a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft, under Operation Hadarin Daji, acted on credible intelligence, and bombarded their enclaves, in Gusami Forest and Tsamre Village in Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of the state in the early hours of Saturday. It quoted familiar sources as saying bandits who later converged on late Autas residence for his burial were also struck by missiles of the military jet, with an unconfirmed number killed in the process. It said the follow-up airstrikes conducted by the NAF fighter aircraft on fleeing bandits and those who took cover under trees within the area resulted in heavy casualties on the side of the bandits. For now, the whereabouts of other notorious bandits like Alhaji Nashama, Shingi and Halilu who may either be incapacitated or on the run remain unknown, the report added. Mr Sawyer did not respond to calls and SMS sent to his mobile telephone by PREMIUM TIMES requesting confirmation. Zamfara and others states in the North-west and North-central regions, especially Katsina, Sokoto, Kaduna, Kebbi and Niger, have been experiencing attacks by bandits who kidnapped and sometimes kill their victims. The bandits invaded some schools in the states and abducted their students, some of whom have released after ransom was reportedly paid. Some of the students are still in their captivity. The military recently said it had recorded some success against the bandits in the recent times. Two top leaders of the bandits terrorising the North-west region have reportedly been killed in an air strike by Nigerian armed forces on New Year day. PR Nigeria reports that the wanted bandit leaders, Alhaji Auta and Kachalla Ruga, were killed in a forest in Zamfara State. Defence spokesperson, Benjamin Sawyer, could not be reached for comments immediately. PRNigeria, which has close links with the military, said the notorious bandit commanders were killed after a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft, under Operation Hadarin Daji, acted on credible intelligence, and bombarded their enclaves, in Gusami Forest and Tsamre Village in Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of the state in the early hours of Saturday. It quoted familiar sources as saying bandits who later converged on late Autas residence for his burial were also struck by missiles of the military jet, with an unconfirmed number killed in the process. It said the follow-up airstrikes conducted by the NAF fighter aircraft on fleeing bandits and those who took cover under trees within the area resulted in heavy casualties on the side of the bandits. For now, the whereabouts of other notorious bandits like Alhaji Nashama, Shingi and Halilu who may either be incapacitated or on the run remain unknown, the report added. Mr Sawyer did not respond to calls and SMS sent to his mobile telephone by PREMIUM TIMES requesting confirmation. Zamfara and others states in the North-west and North-central regions, especially Katsina, Sokoto, Kaduna, Kebbi and Niger, have been experiencing attacks by bandits who kidnapped and sometimes kill their victims. The bandits invaded some schools in the states and abducted their students, some of whom have released after ransom was reportedly paid. Some of the students are still in their captivity. The military recently said it had recorded some success against the bandits in the recent times. Two top leaders of the bandits terrorising the North-west region have reportedly been killed in an air strike by Nigerian armed forces on New Year day. PR Nigeria reports that the wanted bandit leaders, Alhaji Auta and Kachalla Ruga, were killed in a forest in Zamfara State. Defence spokesperson, Benjamin Sawyer, could not be reached for comments immediately. PRNigeria, which has close links with the military, said the notorious bandit commanders were killed after a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft, under Operation Hadarin Daji, acted on credible intelligence, and bombarded their enclaves, in Gusami Forest and Tsamre Village in Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of the state in the early hours of Saturday. It quoted familiar sources as saying bandits who later converged on late Autas residence for his burial were also struck by missiles of the military jet, with an unconfirmed number killed in the process. It said the follow-up airstrikes conducted by the NAF fighter aircraft on fleeing bandits and those who took cover under trees within the area resulted in heavy casualties on the side of the bandits. For now, the whereabouts of other notorious bandits like Alhaji Nashama, Shingi and Halilu who may either be incapacitated or on the run remain unknown, the report added. Mr Sawyer did not respond to calls and SMS sent to his mobile telephone by PREMIUM TIMES requesting confirmation. Zamfara and others states in the North-west and North-central regions, especially Katsina, Sokoto, Kaduna, Kebbi and Niger, have been experiencing attacks by bandits who kidnapped and sometimes kill their victims. The bandits invaded some schools in the states and abducted their students, some of whom have released after ransom was reportedly paid. Some of the students are still in their captivity. The military recently said it had recorded some success against the bandits in the recent times. Two top leaders of the bandits terrorising the North-west region have reportedly been killed in an air strike by Nigerian armed forces on New Year day. PR Nigeria reports that the wanted bandit leaders, Alhaji Auta and Kachalla Ruga, were killed in a forest in Zamfara State. Defence spokesperson, Benjamin Sawyer, could not be reached for comments immediately. PRNigeria, which has close links with the military, said the notorious bandit commanders were killed after a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft, under Operation Hadarin Daji, acted on credible intelligence, and bombarded their enclaves, in Gusami Forest and Tsamre Village in Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of the state in the early hours of Saturday. It quoted familiar sources as saying bandits who later converged on late Autas residence for his burial were also struck by missiles of the military jet, with an unconfirmed number killed in the process. It said the follow-up airstrikes conducted by the NAF fighter aircraft on fleeing bandits and those who took cover under trees within the area resulted in heavy casualties on the side of the bandits. For now, the whereabouts of other notorious bandits like Alhaji Nashama, Shingi and Halilu who may either be incapacitated or on the run remain unknown, the report added. Mr Sawyer did not respond to calls and SMS sent to his mobile telephone by PREMIUM TIMES requesting confirmation. Zamfara and others states in the North-west and North-central regions, especially Katsina, Sokoto, Kaduna, Kebbi and Niger, have been experiencing attacks by bandits who kidnapped and sometimes kill their victims. The bandits invaded some schools in the states and abducted their students, some of whom have released after ransom was reportedly paid. Some of the students are still in their captivity. The military recently said it had recorded some success against the bandits in the recent times. Two top leaders of the bandits terrorising the North-west region have reportedly been killed in an air strike by Nigerian armed forces on New Year day. PR Nigeria reports that the wanted bandit leaders, Alhaji Auta and Kachalla Ruga, were killed in a forest in Zamfara State. Defence spokesperson, Benjamin Sawyer, could not be reached for comments immediately. PRNigeria, which has close links with the military, said the notorious bandit commanders were killed after a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft, under Operation Hadarin Daji, acted on credible intelligence, and bombarded their enclaves, in Gusami Forest and Tsamre Village in Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of the state in the early hours of Saturday. It quoted familiar sources as saying bandits who later converged on late Autas residence for his burial were also struck by missiles of the military jet, with an unconfirmed number killed in the process. It said the follow-up airstrikes conducted by the NAF fighter aircraft on fleeing bandits and those who took cover under trees within the area resulted in heavy casualties on the side of the bandits. For now, the whereabouts of other notorious bandits like Alhaji Nashama, Shingi and Halilu who may either be incapacitated or on the run remain unknown, the report added. Mr Sawyer did not respond to calls and SMS sent to his mobile telephone by PREMIUM TIMES requesting confirmation. Zamfara and others states in the North-west and North-central regions, especially Katsina, Sokoto, Kaduna, Kebbi and Niger, have been experiencing attacks by bandits who kidnapped and sometimes kill their victims. The bandits invaded some schools in the states and abducted their students, some of whom have released after ransom was reportedly paid. Some of the students are still in their captivity. The military recently said it had recorded some success against the bandits in the recent times. Two top leaders of the bandits terrorising the North-west region have reportedly been killed in an air strike by Nigerian armed forces on New Year day. PR Nigeria reports that the wanted bandit leaders, Alhaji Auta and Kachalla Ruga, were killed in a forest in Zamfara State. Defence spokesperson, Benjamin Sawyer, could not be reached for comments immediately. PRNigeria, which has close links with the military, said the notorious bandit commanders were killed after a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft, under Operation Hadarin Daji, acted on credible intelligence, and bombarded their enclaves, in Gusami Forest and Tsamre Village in Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of the state in the early hours of Saturday. It quoted familiar sources as saying bandits who later converged on late Autas residence for his burial were also struck by missiles of the military jet, with an unconfirmed number killed in the process. It said the follow-up airstrikes conducted by the NAF fighter aircraft on fleeing bandits and those who took cover under trees within the area resulted in heavy casualties on the side of the bandits. For now, the whereabouts of other notorious bandits like Alhaji Nashama, Shingi and Halilu who may either be incapacitated or on the run remain unknown, the report added. Mr Sawyer did not respond to calls and SMS sent to his mobile telephone by PREMIUM TIMES requesting confirmation. Zamfara and others states in the North-west and North-central regions, especially Katsina, Sokoto, Kaduna, Kebbi and Niger, have been experiencing attacks by bandits who kidnapped and sometimes kill their victims. The bandits invaded some schools in the states and abducted their students, some of whom have released after ransom was reportedly paid. Some of the students are still in their captivity. The military recently said it had recorded some success against the bandits in the recent times. Two top leaders of the bandits terrorising the North-west region have reportedly been killed in an air strike by Nigerian armed forces on New Year day. PR Nigeria reports that the wanted bandit leaders, Alhaji Auta and Kachalla Ruga, were killed in a forest in Zamfara State. Defence spokesperson, Benjamin Sawyer, could not be reached for comments immediately. PRNigeria, which has close links with the military, said the notorious bandit commanders were killed after a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft, under Operation Hadarin Daji, acted on credible intelligence, and bombarded their enclaves, in Gusami Forest and Tsamre Village in Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of the state in the early hours of Saturday. It quoted familiar sources as saying bandits who later converged on late Autas residence for his burial were also struck by missiles of the military jet, with an unconfirmed number killed in the process. It said the follow-up airstrikes conducted by the NAF fighter aircraft on fleeing bandits and those who took cover under trees within the area resulted in heavy casualties on the side of the bandits. For now, the whereabouts of other notorious bandits like Alhaji Nashama, Shingi and Halilu who may either be incapacitated or on the run remain unknown, the report added. Mr Sawyer did not respond to calls and SMS sent to his mobile telephone by PREMIUM TIMES requesting confirmation. Zamfara and others states in the North-west and North-central regions, especially Katsina, Sokoto, Kaduna, Kebbi and Niger, have been experiencing attacks by bandits who kidnapped and sometimes kill their victims. The bandits invaded some schools in the states and abducted their students, some of whom have released after ransom was reportedly paid. Some of the students are still in their captivity. The military recently said it had recorded some success against the bandits in the recent times. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen had a New Year message for China Saturday: military conflict is not the answer, but Beijing responded with a stern warning that if Taiwan crossed any red line it would lead to "profound catastrophe." China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has increased military and diplomatic pressure in the past two years to assert its sovereignty claims. "We must remind the Beijing authorities to not misjudge the situation and to prevent the internal expansion of 'military adventurism'," Tsai said Saturday in her New Year's speech, broadcast live on Facebook. Taiwan says it is an independent country and repeatedly has vowed to defend its freedom and democracy. Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his New Year address Friday the complete unification of "the motherland" was an aspiration shared by people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. On Saturday, after Tsai's speech, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing, said: "We are willing to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification." "But if 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces continue to provoke and coerce, or even cross any red line, we will have to take decisive measures." The pursuit of independence will only throw Taiwan into a "deep chasm" and bring about "profound catastrophe," Zhu added. In recent months, Beijing has sent repeated air missions over the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan has said it will not give in to threats. "The military is definitely not an option for solving cross-strait disagreements. Military conflicts would impact economic stability," Tsai said. To ease tension in the region, both Taipei and Beijing must "work hard to take care of people's livelihoods and calm the hearts of the people" in order to find peaceful solutions to problems together, she said. Tsai also said Taiwan would continue to monitor the situation in Hong Kong, adding that interference in the recent legislative election and the arrests this week of senior staff at the pro-democracy media outlet. Stand News "made people worry even more about human rights and freedom of speech in Hong Kong." "We will hold fast to our sovereignty, uphold the values of freedom and democracy, defend territorial sovereignty and national security, and maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region," Tsai said. A film celebrating the 100th birthday of Betty White, who died Friday, will still be released as planned. The producers of Betty White: 100 Years Young said in a statement that they 'will go forward' with plans to release the movie special on January 17. The Golden Girls star passed away from natural causes just shy of her landmark birthday and the film, featuring a star-studded roster of celebrities, will serve as a celebration of her incredible life and career. Going ahead: A film celebrating the 100th birthday of Betty White will still be released as planned on January 17, producers said Friday following new of the comedy legend's death Producers Steve Boettcher and Mike Trinklein explained, as reported by People: 'Our hearts mourn today with the passing of Betty White. During the many years we worked with her, we developed a great love and admiration for Betty as a person, and as an accomplished entertainer. 'We are thankful for the many decades of delight she brought to everyone. Betty always said she was the 'luckiest broad on two feet' to have had a career as long as she did. And honestly, we were the lucky ones to have had her for so long.' In conclusion, Boettcher and Trinklein stated: 'We will go forward with our plans to show the film on January 17 in hopes our film will provide a way for all who loved her to celebrate her life and experience what made her such a national treasure.' Tribute: The film, featuring a star-studded roster of celebrities including Ryan Reynolds, Clint Eastwood and Robert Redford, will now serve as a celebration of her incredible life and career White appears in the film along with the likes of Ryan Reynolds, Tina Fey, Robert Redford, Lin Manuel- Miranda, Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Jay Leno, Carol Burnett, Craig Ferguson, Jimmy Kimmel, Valerie Bertinelli, James Corden, Wendy Malick and Jennifer Love Hewitt. It includes highlights of her most famous roles as well as stories about her life and her long career in Hollywood. White made her name on The Mary Tyler Moore Show as Sue Ann Nivens and cemented her star status with TV's The Golden Girls and Hot In Cleveland. Legend: White made her name on The Mary Tyler Moore Show as Sue Ann Nivens. She's pictured backstage at the Emmys in 1976 with Ed Asner, Moore and Ted Knight Popular star: White cemented her star status on popular sitcom The Golden Girls in the 80s, left, and in the comedy Hot In Cleveland in the 2010s Her death was confirmed by her longtime agent Jeff Witjas, who told The Associated Press that she had passed away at her home in Los Angeles. He added that she had not been suffering from any diagnosed illness. 'I truly never thought she was going to pass away,' Witjas said. 'She meant the world to me as a friend. She was the most positive person I've ever known.' Ryan Reynolds, who starred with White in the big screen comedy The Proposal, tweeted: 'She was great at defying expectation. She managed to grow very old and somehow, not old enough. Well miss you, Betty.' White was pre-deceased by her beloved husband Allen Ludden, whom she met in 1961 when she appeared on an episode of his daytime game show Password. Ludden, a widower with three children, proposed to her in 1963 and they were happily married until his death from cancer in 1981. R.I.P.: White's death was confirmed by her longtime agent Jeff Witjas, who said she had passed away at her home in Los Angeles and had not been suffering from any diagnosed illness LOS ANGELES After many childhood years spent camping overnight along the Rose Parade route to score a front-row view, Leslie Lemus was stunned when she arrived in Pasadena just before sunrise Saturday and found two things practically unheard of in years past: nearby parking and plenty of sidewalk space. You get, like, VIP views! Lemus, 29, of Downey, told her 8-year-old daughter as they plopped camping chairs along Colorado Boulevard in the Pasadena Playhouse District. Im surprised there arent more people, said Lemus, who wore a black surgical mask as she peered at sidewalks that typically would be jam-packed long before the parade began. Blame the coronavirus. The Rose Parade returned Saturday after the pandemic forced its first cancellation since World War II last year. And while it was seen by many as a whimsical respite from two painful pandemic years, the return was clouded by a dramatic surge in coronavirus cases fueled by the highly contagious omicron variant. Across the country, other New Years events were scaled back or canceled as the virus continued its unrelenting march. As thousands of spectators across the country lined Colorado Boulevard, nearly 1 in 4 people in Los Angeles County who are being tested are positive for the coronavirus, and daily totals of new, confirmed infections are doubling every two days. The surge undoubtedly led to the smaller crowd at the 133rd Rose Parade. But along the route, the joy was palpable. The parade started in 1890 as a promotional event by a local social club to show off Pasadenas famously mild winter weather kicked off under sunny, blue skies and temperatures in the mid-50s. Actor and television host LeVar Burton served as grand marshal, and the theme was Dream. Achieve. Believe. Organizers said they felt safe continuing the parade because it was outdoors which health officials say is safer than indoor gatherings and because of numerous safety measures. The Tournament of Roses required the 6,000-plus parade participants, as well spectators in ticketed areas, such as grandstands, to provide proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test within 72 hours of the start of the event. Attendees ages 2 and up in those areas were required to wear a mask. Along the rest of the 5.5-mile route, where people can just walk up and watch, vaccination and negative test results were not checked. COVID worries me in general, like all the time, said Kathleen Peralta-Wente, who shouted, Happy New Year! at every passing float and band while standing atop a kitchen stool near Madison Avenue to see over other spectators heads. Several of Peralta-Wentes relatives tested positive for the coronavirus after gathering for Christmas, she said. Peralta-Wente, 55, a lifelong Pasadena resident, quarantined at home all week and tested negative before the parade, which she has attended at least 25 times. We did not go out, she said of herself and her husband. We Postmated and Instacarted our way through that. She said she plans to get a booster shoot soon, with added motivation after this weeks scare. Before the parade began, Craig Farestveit jogged along an empty Colorado Boulevard with two friends, as he has done annually for a decade. Even without a parade last year, they ran the parade route to try and keep the festive spirit alive. Its nice being back, seeing the tortillas in the street, innovative bedding situations, Farestveit said as he peered at campers who rang in the new year on the street. (For years, it has been a tradition for campers to throw tortillas filled with shaving cream at passing cars.) Farestveit and his friends shook their heads when asked if the omicron surge made them consider sitting this one out, saying running was one of the few things they have been able to do safely together. At the height of COVID, on our deep trail runs, everybody was masked up; it was interesting, said his friend, Tom Queally, 60. Just before sunrise, Danelle Sullivan, 45, of Highland Park, applied makeup to her eyes with a small compact mirror as her 9-year-old daughter slept next to her on an inflatable mattress, clutching a stuffed horse with a Rose Parade bandana around its neck. The mother and daughter last came in 2018. They arrived for this years parade at noon Friday, expecting the huge crowds they saw back then. We couldve stayed warmer for longer, Sullivan said. But [were] not really upset. To come out here is an adventure. Near Roosevelt Avenue, Deborah Twyford, 54, of Eastvale, sat by a propane-fueled fire pit with crumpled confetti at her feet. Six chairs were reserved for the rest of her family, who arrived Friday afternoon and camped overnight, barbecuing hamburgers and playing games. I thought there would be more people last night for the New Years celebration, and I thought Id wake up to rows of chairs from what Id read, she said. Im really surprised. This years parade featured 43 floats, 20 marching bands and 18 equestrian units, according to the Tournament of Roses. On Thursday, Kaiser Permanente canceled plans to have front-line medical staffers participate in the Rose Parade. We must prioritize the health and safety of our front-line medical staff and ensure we are able to treat patients during this recent surge of COVID-19 cases caused by the omicron variant, the company said in a statement. Kaiser planned to have 20 medical workers riding and walking in front of its float, which was called A Healthier Future and featured the figures of four children, including one wearing a stethoscope and caring for a teddy bear named Booster. The float still rolled through the parade. In another nod to these pandemic times, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation float was called Vaccinate Our World and featured a robot nurse wielding a syringe. Michelle Van Slyke, senior vice president of marketing and sales for the UPS Store, said preparations for her companys float which was called Rise, Shine & Read! and features a bespectacled, bright yellow rooster named Charlie reading to a group of chicks took about a year. The UPS Store float won the parades prestigious Sweepstakes award this year, as it did in 2019 and 2020. In 2020, float planning was already underway when the Tournament of Roses pulled the plug on the 2021 event because of the pandemic. But the UPS Store, she said, had our hands full as an essential business that stayed open amid lockdowns. This week, as the final decorations were being applied to the float, she said that safety is the number one priority, and that masking and social distancing have been essential. The companys float was enormous: 35 feet tall and 55 feet long. Van Slyke said it weighed about 24 tons, with 12 moving parts and 130,000 flowers. If youre going to do it, do it in a way thats going to be fun and magical, she said. We all know were in the lifes-too-short category these days, and we want to bring some brightness after everything weve been through these last two years. Van Slyke grew up in San Bernardino and came to the parade year after year with her grandfather, a construction worker who came annually, even if he was by himself. They would spend the night along the parade route with chorizo and egg burritos and hot chocolate in thermoses. My grandfather would just be ecstatic if he knew I was involved in putting a float together, she said. Valerie Brown, 62, of Loma Linda, sat with several family members near Lake Avenue, wearing a Happy New Year headband. Sometimes Ive been here when its so crowded you cant move, Brown said from the unobstructed front-row spot she snagged Saturday morning. So it is nice having less people. After moving to California in 1986, Brown made it a priority to attend the parade as often as possible. Her father had always wanted to come. We grew up in Indiana watching the Rose Parade, but we could never afford to go, Brown said. Wed talk about how he always wanted to watch it. Her father loved the marching bands. He played tuba in his high school band. Brown played the flute, her sister played the clarinet, one brother played the saxophone, and another brother played the trumpet. Browns son was a percussionist and still plays music for a living, she said. She was able to bring her father to the parade one time. A bucket-list item, checked off. (Los Angeles Times staff writers Salma Loum and Anumita Kaur contributed to this report.) ___ Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. LOS ANGELES After many childhood years spent camping overnight along the Rose Parade route to score a front-row view, Leslie Lemus was stunned when she arrived in Pasadena just before sunrise Saturday and found two things practically unheard of in years past: nearby parking and plenty of sidewalk space. You get, like, VIP views! Lemus, 29, of Downey, told her 8-year-old daughter as they plopped camping chairs along Colorado Boulevard in the Pasadena Playhouse District. Im surprised there arent more people, said Lemus, who wore a black surgical mask as she peered at sidewalks that typically would be jam-packed long before the parade began. Blame the coronavirus. The Rose Parade returned Saturday after the pandemic forced its first cancellation since World War II last year. And while it was seen by many as a whimsical respite from two painful pandemic years, the return was clouded by a dramatic surge in coronavirus cases fueled by the highly contagious omicron variant. Across the country, other New Years events were scaled back or canceled as the virus continued its unrelenting march. As thousands of spectators across the country lined Colorado Boulevard, nearly 1 in 4 people in Los Angeles County who are being tested are positive for the coronavirus, and daily totals of new, confirmed infections are doubling every two days. The surge undoubtedly led to the smaller crowd at the 133rd Rose Parade. But along the route, the joy was palpable. The parade started in 1890 as a promotional event by a local social club to show off Pasadenas famously mild winter weather kicked off under sunny, blue skies and temperatures in the mid-50s. Actor and television host LeVar Burton served as grand marshal, and the theme was Dream. Achieve. Believe. Organizers said they felt safe continuing the parade because it was outdoors which health officials say is safer than indoor gatherings and because of numerous safety measures. The Tournament of Roses required the 6,000-plus parade participants, as well spectators in ticketed areas, such as grandstands, to provide proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test within 72 hours of the start of the event. Attendees ages 2 and up in those areas were required to wear a mask. Along the rest of the 5.5-mile route, where people can just walk up and watch, vaccination and negative test results were not checked. COVID worries me in general, like all the time, said Kathleen Peralta-Wente, who shouted, Happy New Year! at every passing float and band while standing atop a kitchen stool near Madison Avenue to see over other spectators heads. Several of Peralta-Wentes relatives tested positive for the coronavirus after gathering for Christmas, she said. Peralta-Wente, 55, a lifelong Pasadena resident, quarantined at home all week and tested negative before the parade, which she has attended at least 25 times. We did not go out, she said of herself and her husband. We Postmated and Instacarted our way through that. She said she plans to get a booster shoot soon, with added motivation after this weeks scare. Before the parade began, Craig Farestveit jogged along an empty Colorado Boulevard with two friends, as he has done annually for a decade. Even without a parade last year, they ran the parade route to try and keep the festive spirit alive. Its nice being back, seeing the tortillas in the street, innovative bedding situations, Farestveit said as he peered at campers who rang in the new year on the street. (For years, it has been a tradition for campers to throw tortillas filled with shaving cream at passing cars.) Farestveit and his friends shook their heads when asked if the omicron surge made them consider sitting this one out, saying running was one of the few things they have been able to do safely together. At the height of COVID, on our deep trail runs, everybody was masked up; it was interesting, said his friend, Tom Queally, 60. Just before sunrise, Danelle Sullivan, 45, of Highland Park, applied makeup to her eyes with a small compact mirror as her 9-year-old daughter slept next to her on an inflatable mattress, clutching a stuffed horse with a Rose Parade bandana around its neck. The mother and daughter last came in 2018. They arrived for this years parade at noon Friday, expecting the huge crowds they saw back then. We couldve stayed warmer for longer, Sullivan said. But [were] not really upset. To come out here is an adventure. Near Roosevelt Avenue, Deborah Twyford, 54, of Eastvale, sat by a propane-fueled fire pit with crumpled confetti at her feet. Six chairs were reserved for the rest of her family, who arrived Friday afternoon and camped overnight, barbecuing hamburgers and playing games. I thought there would be more people last night for the New Years celebration, and I thought Id wake up to rows of chairs from what Id read, she said. Im really surprised. This years parade featured 43 floats, 20 marching bands and 18 equestrian units, according to the Tournament of Roses. On Thursday, Kaiser Permanente canceled plans to have front-line medical staffers participate in the Rose Parade. We must prioritize the health and safety of our front-line medical staff and ensure we are able to treat patients during this recent surge of COVID-19 cases caused by the omicron variant, the company said in a statement. Kaiser planned to have 20 medical workers riding and walking in front of its float, which was called A Healthier Future and featured the figures of four children, including one wearing a stethoscope and caring for a teddy bear named Booster. The float still rolled through the parade. In another nod to these pandemic times, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation float was called Vaccinate Our World and featured a robot nurse wielding a syringe. Michelle Van Slyke, senior vice president of marketing and sales for the UPS Store, said preparations for her companys float which was called Rise, Shine & Read! and features a bespectacled, bright yellow rooster named Charlie reading to a group of chicks took about a year. The UPS Store float won the parades prestigious Sweepstakes award this year, as it did in 2019 and 2020. In 2020, float planning was already underway when the Tournament of Roses pulled the plug on the 2021 event because of the pandemic. But the UPS Store, she said, had our hands full as an essential business that stayed open amid lockdowns. This week, as the final decorations were being applied to the float, she said that safety is the number one priority, and that masking and social distancing have been essential. The companys float was enormous: 35 feet tall and 55 feet long. Van Slyke said it weighed about 24 tons, with 12 moving parts and 130,000 flowers. If youre going to do it, do it in a way thats going to be fun and magical, she said. We all know were in the lifes-too-short category these days, and we want to bring some brightness after everything weve been through these last two years. Van Slyke grew up in San Bernardino and came to the parade year after year with her grandfather, a construction worker who came annually, even if he was by himself. They would spend the night along the parade route with chorizo and egg burritos and hot chocolate in thermoses. My grandfather would just be ecstatic if he knew I was involved in putting a float together, she said. Valerie Brown, 62, of Loma Linda, sat with several family members near Lake Avenue, wearing a Happy New Year headband. Sometimes Ive been here when its so crowded you cant move, Brown said from the unobstructed front-row spot she snagged Saturday morning. So it is nice having less people. After moving to California in 1986, Brown made it a priority to attend the parade as often as possible. Her father had always wanted to come. We grew up in Indiana watching the Rose Parade, but we could never afford to go, Brown said. Wed talk about how he always wanted to watch it. Her father loved the marching bands. He played tuba in his high school band. Brown played the flute, her sister played the clarinet, one brother played the saxophone, and another brother played the trumpet. Browns son was a percussionist and still plays music for a living, she said. She was able to bring her father to the parade one time. A bucket-list item, checked off. (Los Angeles Times staff writers Salma Loum and Anumita Kaur contributed to this report.) ___ Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. GAITHERSBURG, Md., Jan. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The new year is off to a bright and busy start at two Adventist HealthCare hospitals, where some of the first babies of 2022 in the Washington, D.C., area have arrived. Just 12 minutes after midnight, Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, Maryland, welcomed a baby boy. Sarah Ivins of Germantown, Maryland, delivered Cyrus Mason, who weighed 6 pounds 11 ounces. Cyrus was one of three babies born in the first 25 minutes of the year to moms at Shady Grove Medical Center. At 1:35 a.m. in Silver Spring, Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center welcomed its first baby of the year, a girl. The New Year's babies and their parents received gift baskets filled with books and baby essentials from the hospitals to help celebrate being 2022's first arrivals. "It is with great joy that our Birth Center welcomes the first baby of 2022," said Nan Troiano, Shady Grove Medical Center's Director of Women's and Infants' Services. "What a blessing it is to serve our community and provide world-class care to new parents and their babies." Shady Grove Medical Center delivers approximately 4,500 babies each year and offers a Level III NICU to care for premature or critically ill infants. "Each year we feel so blessed to welcome the first baby of the new year at our Birth Center and this year is even more meaningful as it offers joy during challenging times for our community," said Patricia Hudson, manager of the Birth Center at White Oak Medical Center. "We are looking forward to celebrating more special moments with many families this year." Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center, a not-for-profit, 443-bed hospital in Rockville, Maryland, has earned national recognition for quality in cardiology, stroke care, orthopedics, bariatrics, and maternity services. Shady Grove offers comprehensive mental health care and a freestanding cancer center that provides the community with holistic care and cutting-edge treatments. Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center, a not-for-profit, 198-bed, all private room hospital in Silver Spring, Maryland, offers a full range of health services including a comprehensive and nationally recognized heart program, cancer care, maternity care, surgical and emergency care. White Oak Medical Center is a neighbor and research partner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and at the center of the emerging White Oak Science Gateway in Montgomery County. Both hospitals are part of the Adventist HealthCare system based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, which has served the people of the D.C. area since 1907. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/adventist-healthcare-hospitals-welcome-first-babies-of-2022-301452474.html SOURCE Adventist HealthCare HARRISBURG Hospitals and emergency medical services based in Scranton and York will be the first to receive help from federal teams to deal with the latest COVID-19 surge, Gov. Tom Wolfs administration said Wednesday. Three federal strike teams will arrive at the Scranton Regional Hospital and WellSpan York early next week and open about 30 additional acute care hospital beds for 30 days, the Wolf administration said in a statement. On top of that, emergency medical teams will go to York and Scranton, although the exact number of health care workers to be deployed is still being determined, the administration said. Hospitals and nursing homes statewide have been sounding the alarm in recent weeks as largely unvaccinated COVID-19 patients fill hospital beds. That has sent some acute-care facilities over capacity, jammed some emergency rooms and forced nursing homes to stop accepting new residents. Wolf's administration continues to urge Pennsylvanians to get vaccinated against COVID-19, saying vaccinated people are far less likely to be hospitalized if they contract the disease. The administration asked the federal government for help on Dec. 15, seeking health care workers to help at hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and ambulance companies in the hardest-hit areas of the state. Pennsylvania is reporting an average of almost 9,000 new, confirmed infections per day over the last two weeks, up 50% since the second half of November. The number of COVID-19 patients requiring hospital care has increased by 80% since last month, at more than 4,500 per day. Members of the clergy carrying the casket of Archbishop Tutu out of St. George's Cathedral following the funeral service on January 1. He requested a simple pine casket. A modest requiem mass for Archbishop Desmond Tutu took place at Cape Town's Anglican cathedral. The anti-apartheid hero died aged 90 on 26 December. South African anti-apartheid hero Archbishop Desmond Tutu is being laid to rest on Saturday at a state funeral in Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral, where he will also be burried. The funeral started with a hymn and a procession of clerics down the aisle burning incense and carrying candles inside the church where, for years, Tutu used the pulpit to fight against the country's white minority regime. South Africa has been marking a week of mourning following Tutu's death on December 26. He was aged 90. "When we were in the dark, he brought light,'' Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the head of the worldwide Anglican church, said in a video message shown at the funeral mass. "For me to praise him is like a mouse giving tribute to an elephant,'' Welby said. "South Africa has given us extraordinary examples of towering leaders of the rainbow nation with President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Tutu.... Many Nobel winners' lights have grown dimmer over time, but Archbishop Tutu's has grown brighter.'' In his eulogy, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called Tutu "a crusader in the struggle for freedom and justice around the world." DW's Thuso Kumalo said outside St. George's, "The majority of South Africans were not allowed to come and gather here. Under normal circumstances you would have thousands of people gathering," but this was not possible due to the pandemic. "He left this nation in a better position from what it was because he left Blacks and whites living in peace ever more," Kumalo said. Tutu died peacefully at the Oasis Frail Care Center in Cape Town, his trust said. He had been hospitalized several times since 2015 after being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1997. Tutu requests 'no lavish spending' Several thousand people on Saturday, some of whom had travelled across the country, filed past the rope-handled casket made of pine, adorned by a bunch of carnations. Renowned for his modesty, the archbishop requested "no lavish spending" on his funeral and he even "asked that the coffin be the cheapest available," his foundation said. President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the eulogy at state funeral and handed South Africa's multicoloured flag to Tutu's widow, Leah, as a symbol of her husband's description of the post-apartheid country as the "Rainbow Nation." Anti-apartheid hero, human rights advocate Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines South Africa Religion By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Tutu's death represents a huge loss for South Africa, where many called him "Tata," meaning father. Born on October 7, 1931, in Klerksdorp, west of Johannesburg, Tutu became a teacher before entering St. Peters Theological College in Rosetenville in 1958. He was ordained in 1961. In 1985, Tutu became the first Black Anglican bishop of Johannesburg. A year later, he was named the first Black archbishop of Cape Town. Throughout the 1980s, when South Africa was marred by apartheid violence, Tutu was one of the most prominent Black leaders to speak out against abuses committed by the white regime. He was a powerful force for nonviolence in the the country's anti-apartheid movement, earning him a Nobel Peace Prize in 1984. Tutu also campaigned internationally for human rights, particularly LGBTQ rights and same-sex marriage. "I would not worship a God who is homophobic," he said in 2013, launching a campaign for LGBTQ rights in Cape Town. "I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say, 'Sorry, I would much rather go to the other place.'" mvb/rc (AFP, AP) Members of the clergy carrying the casket of Archbishop Tutu out of St. George's Cathedral following the funeral service on January 1. He requested a simple pine casket. A modest requiem mass for Archbishop Desmond Tutu took place at Cape Town's Anglican cathedral. The anti-apartheid hero died aged 90 on 26 December. South African anti-apartheid hero Archbishop Desmond Tutu is being laid to rest on Saturday at a state funeral in Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral, where he will also be burried. The funeral started with a hymn and a procession of clerics down the aisle burning incense and carrying candles inside the church where, for years, Tutu used the pulpit to fight against the country's white minority regime. South Africa has been marking a week of mourning following Tutu's death on December 26. He was aged 90. "When we were in the dark, he brought light,'' Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the head of the worldwide Anglican church, said in a video message shown at the funeral mass. "For me to praise him is like a mouse giving tribute to an elephant,'' Welby said. "South Africa has given us extraordinary examples of towering leaders of the rainbow nation with President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Tutu.... Many Nobel winners' lights have grown dimmer over time, but Archbishop Tutu's has grown brighter.'' In his eulogy, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called Tutu "a crusader in the struggle for freedom and justice around the world." DW's Thuso Kumalo said outside St. George's, "The majority of South Africans were not allowed to come and gather here. Under normal circumstances you would have thousands of people gathering," but this was not possible due to the pandemic. "He left this nation in a better position from what it was because he left Blacks and whites living in peace ever more," Kumalo said. Tutu died peacefully at the Oasis Frail Care Center in Cape Town, his trust said. He had been hospitalized several times since 2015 after being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1997. Tutu requests 'no lavish spending' Several thousand people on Saturday, some of whom had travelled across the country, filed past the rope-handled casket made of pine, adorned by a bunch of carnations. Renowned for his modesty, the archbishop requested "no lavish spending" on his funeral and he even "asked that the coffin be the cheapest available," his foundation said. President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the eulogy at state funeral and handed South Africa's multicoloured flag to Tutu's widow, Leah, as a symbol of her husband's description of the post-apartheid country as the "Rainbow Nation." Anti-apartheid hero, human rights advocate Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines South Africa Religion By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Tutu's death represents a huge loss for South Africa, where many called him "Tata," meaning father. Born on October 7, 1931, in Klerksdorp, west of Johannesburg, Tutu became a teacher before entering St. Peters Theological College in Rosetenville in 1958. He was ordained in 1961. In 1985, Tutu became the first Black Anglican bishop of Johannesburg. A year later, he was named the first Black archbishop of Cape Town. Throughout the 1980s, when South Africa was marred by apartheid violence, Tutu was one of the most prominent Black leaders to speak out against abuses committed by the white regime. He was a powerful force for nonviolence in the the country's anti-apartheid movement, earning him a Nobel Peace Prize in 1984. Tutu also campaigned internationally for human rights, particularly LGBTQ rights and same-sex marriage. "I would not worship a God who is homophobic," he said in 2013, launching a campaign for LGBTQ rights in Cape Town. "I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say, 'Sorry, I would much rather go to the other place.'" mvb/rc (AFP, AP) Members of the clergy carrying the casket of Archbishop Tutu out of St. George's Cathedral following the funeral service on January 1. He requested a simple pine casket. A modest requiem mass for Archbishop Desmond Tutu took place at Cape Town's Anglican cathedral. The anti-apartheid hero died aged 90 on 26 December. South African anti-apartheid hero Archbishop Desmond Tutu is being laid to rest on Saturday at a state funeral in Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral, where he will also be burried. The funeral started with a hymn and a procession of clerics down the aisle burning incense and carrying candles inside the church where, for years, Tutu used the pulpit to fight against the country's white minority regime. South Africa has been marking a week of mourning following Tutu's death on December 26. He was aged 90. "When we were in the dark, he brought light,'' Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the head of the worldwide Anglican church, said in a video message shown at the funeral mass. "For me to praise him is like a mouse giving tribute to an elephant,'' Welby said. "South Africa has given us extraordinary examples of towering leaders of the rainbow nation with President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Tutu.... Many Nobel winners' lights have grown dimmer over time, but Archbishop Tutu's has grown brighter.'' In his eulogy, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called Tutu "a crusader in the struggle for freedom and justice around the world." DW's Thuso Kumalo said outside St. George's, "The majority of South Africans were not allowed to come and gather here. Under normal circumstances you would have thousands of people gathering," but this was not possible due to the pandemic. "He left this nation in a better position from what it was because he left Blacks and whites living in peace ever more," Kumalo said. Tutu died peacefully at the Oasis Frail Care Center in Cape Town, his trust said. He had been hospitalized several times since 2015 after being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1997. Tutu requests 'no lavish spending' Several thousand people on Saturday, some of whom had travelled across the country, filed past the rope-handled casket made of pine, adorned by a bunch of carnations. Renowned for his modesty, the archbishop requested "no lavish spending" on his funeral and he even "asked that the coffin be the cheapest available," his foundation said. President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the eulogy at state funeral and handed South Africa's multicoloured flag to Tutu's widow, Leah, as a symbol of her husband's description of the post-apartheid country as the "Rainbow Nation." Anti-apartheid hero, human rights advocate Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines South Africa Religion By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Tutu's death represents a huge loss for South Africa, where many called him "Tata," meaning father. Born on October 7, 1931, in Klerksdorp, west of Johannesburg, Tutu became a teacher before entering St. Peters Theological College in Rosetenville in 1958. He was ordained in 1961. In 1985, Tutu became the first Black Anglican bishop of Johannesburg. A year later, he was named the first Black archbishop of Cape Town. Throughout the 1980s, when South Africa was marred by apartheid violence, Tutu was one of the most prominent Black leaders to speak out against abuses committed by the white regime. He was a powerful force for nonviolence in the the country's anti-apartheid movement, earning him a Nobel Peace Prize in 1984. Tutu also campaigned internationally for human rights, particularly LGBTQ rights and same-sex marriage. "I would not worship a God who is homophobic," he said in 2013, launching a campaign for LGBTQ rights in Cape Town. "I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say, 'Sorry, I would much rather go to the other place.'" mvb/rc (AFP, AP) $25K rewards offered to find killers of slain 1-y-o and 3-y-o killed in Chicago A group of Chicago businessmen has announced two $25,000 awards for anyone who provides information leading to the arrest of suspects who killed a one-year-old baby last weekend and a 3-year-old child over Father's Day weekend. Twenty-month-old Sincere Gaston was shot Saturday afternoon while he was with his mother in a car in Chicagos Englewood neighborhood, according to NBC Chicago. Another car pulled up next to their vehicle and a person inside fired at least seven shots. A bullet hit the boys chest and he was later pronounced dead at St. Bernard Hospital. His mother suffered a graze wound to her head. Of the dozens of killings that took place on Father's Day weekend was the killing of 3-year-old Mekhi James. James was shot when he was riding in a car with his stepfather while on his way home from getting a haircut. Earley Walker, owner of W&W Towing, along with a new group of business leaders called Im Telling, Dont Shoot, announced at a press conference Sunday $25,000 awards for people who provide information leading the arrests of the people who killed Gaston and James. The business leaders were joined at the press conference by 16th Ward Alderman Stephanie Coleman. [I]ts a group fed up with gun violence in our communities, Walker said, according to NBC Chicago. We are tired and fed up with gun violence, and the innocent bystanders are being killed. Our kids are dying at a fast rate, and its time for change. Weve got to do something, Walker added. I am absolutely ecstatic that these business owners are standing behind me to support this initiative. We need to find this killer. At least 65 people were shot across Chicago last weekend. According to The Chicago Sun-Times, 18 victims who were shot last weekend have died, including three children. The newspaper reports that the city has already surpassed 300 homicides so far in 2020, a mark that Chicago didnt reach until early August in 2019. Over the Fathers Day weekend, more than 100 people were shot and at least 14 were killed, including five children, the Associated Press reports. Among the victims killed this month in Chicago is Gary Tinder, a 20-year-old DePaul University student and member at Edgewater Baptist Church. ABC 7 Chicago reports that Tinder was shot while walking home from work in the Rogers Park neighborhood. Tinders friends said they can't imagine what motive anyone would have to shoot him. As of Monday afternoon, Tinders friends have raised over $24,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to benefit his family. Rev. Ira Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church in Chicago told The Chicago Tribune that a line was crossed with James killing. This is a horrific Fathers Day. This 3-year-old baby lost his life, Acree said. I could not pastor this community and not say something. The pastor referred to protests against police brutality over the death of George Floyd. He expressed concerns about the safety of the citys black youth. We say black lives matter, but were here to say black baby lives matter more, Acree was quoted as saying. At least 1,508 people in Chicago have been shot from January until June 22, according to a tracker run by The Chicago Tribune. You dont start bringing in the new year with bringing in violence. Thats unacceptable. We will find those who are carrying guns and we will make sure that they are removed off our streets. This is a horrendous act that took place, to have a shooting of this magnitude while resting to go back to perform duties to protect our city. On this New Years Day, we are grateful that our officer is recovering, as we know this could have been a very tragic outcome. I also truly believe this incident underscores that there are far too many guns out there in the wrong hands and too many people willing to fire those weapons. And that is something we intend to tackle head on. It appears that the bullet was fired from a significant distance away. Its hard to tell who the intended target was, if any. But let me say this: There are no stray bullets. There is someone firing that weapon, and we intend to try to locate that person, if possible. The Regional Medical Center will hold off on requiring its employees to get vaccinated until the U.S. Supreme Court makes a ruling on the matter. RMC President David Southerland said the hospital will wait until a final ruling is made before requiring its employees to get the shot. While we are not yet mandating vaccines for our employees, RMC is closely following the litigation surrounding vaccine mandates, Southerland said. As these various cases resolve, RMC will revisit its policies. Southerland said he is hearing the Supreme Court ruling could come as early as January. South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson joined 26 other states, private employers and organizations in asking the U.S. Supreme Court to block the federal COVID-19 vaccine and weekly testing mandates. U.S. courts have offered different rulings on the federal vaccine mandate. The hospital trustees unanimously voted in November to require all employees to be vaccinated based on the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requirement that health care facilities with over 100 employees have a policy in place ensuring that eligible staff be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4, 2022. Failure to comply with the requirement would have placed the hospital's Medicare funding in jeopardy. RMC receives about 72% of its revenue from the federal government. The hospital ended up putting its COVID-19 vaccine mandate on hold following a federal judges decision in Louisiana on Nov. 6. The judge issued a preliminary injunction against the mandate, saying such a mandate needs to come from the legislative branch and not the executive branch. The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the mandate on Dec. 17. The vaccine mandate was immediately appealed and will more than likely go before the United States Supreme Court for a final decision. The hospital continues to provide vaccines for employees who want to become vaccinated. RMC currently employs about 1,300. About 900 are estimated to be fully vaccinated. Employees are required to wear masks. At the hospital's Dec. 21 board meeting, RMC Vice President of Physician Practice Operations Sabrina Robinson said the hospital saw its gross patient revenue fall below budget by about $3.8 million for the month of November. In-patient volumes caused revenue to fall below budget by $4.2 million, said Robinson. "On a positive note, outpatient revenue was above budget by $394,000 and physician revenues were above budget by about $23,000," Robinson said. The hospital received $7.7 million in provider relief funds, which are a part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2020. We have not recognized any of this money that was received yet in our financial statement, Robinson said. We will want to evaluate it at quarter end and we will take it as necessary by the end of this first quarter. Expenses, including salaries, for the month were over budget by about $864,000 and $1.5 million over budget year-to-date. Robinson said salaries went over budget because of employee bonuses $276,000 in November and $401,000 year-to date. Robinson also noted wages in the hospital's 3 East (progressive care unit) were over $104,000 for November and over $183,000 year-to-date. That is related to our internal strategies in order to internally provide temporary assignments for nurses we have in specific departments for our nursing shortage, Robinson said. Robinson said the hospital's cash did increase in November by about $2 million due to the $7.7 million in COVID funding. A look at the hospital's income statement for November revealed the RMC had a net income loss for the month of $3.1 million and a net income loss of $6.9 million year-to-date. For the entire system, including the hospital's six primary care practices, its net income loss for the month of November was $3.4 million and the net income loss for the entire system was $7.4 million year-to-date. When you look at these numbers, it is kind of what we budgeted, RMC Chair the Rev. Dr. Caesar Richburg said. We budgeted for soft numbers or lost numbers in preparation to engage in this very aggressive plan we have going forward. In other business: Trustees were reminded to turn in their annual self-assessment forms. Trustees entered into closed session to receive a report from the hospital president, a community works update, a quality care update, information on the opportunity of a Bowman practice, an update on the family practice residency program partnership between the RMC and the Family Health Centers, an update on its ambulatory surgery center lawsuit and a revenue cycle update. The Regional Medical Center will hold off on requiring its employees to get vaccinated until the U.S. Supreme Court makes a ruling on the matter. RMC President David Southerland said the hospital will wait until a final ruling is made before requiring its employees to get the shot. While we are not yet mandating vaccines for our employees, RMC is closely following the litigation surrounding vaccine mandates, Southerland said. As these various cases resolve, RMC will revisit its policies. Southerland said he is hearing the Supreme Court ruling could come as early as January. South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson joined 26 other states, private employers and organizations in asking the U.S. Supreme Court to block the federal COVID-19 vaccine and weekly testing mandates. U.S. courts have offered different rulings on the federal vaccine mandate. The hospital trustees unanimously voted in November to require all employees to be vaccinated based on the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requirement that health care facilities with over 100 employees have a policy in place ensuring that eligible staff be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4, 2022. Failure to comply with the requirement would have placed the hospital's Medicare funding in jeopardy. RMC receives about 72% of its revenue from the federal government. The hospital ended up putting its COVID-19 vaccine mandate on hold following a federal judges decision in Louisiana on Nov. 6. The judge issued a preliminary injunction against the mandate, saying such a mandate needs to come from the legislative branch and not the executive branch. The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the mandate on Dec. 17. The vaccine mandate was immediately appealed and will more than likely go before the United States Supreme Court for a final decision. The hospital continues to provide vaccines for employees who want to become vaccinated. RMC currently employs about 1,300. About 900 are estimated to be fully vaccinated. Employees are required to wear masks. At the hospital's Dec. 21 board meeting, RMC Vice President of Physician Practice Operations Sabrina Robinson said the hospital saw its gross patient revenue fall below budget by about $3.8 million for the month of November. In-patient volumes caused revenue to fall below budget by $4.2 million, said Robinson. "On a positive note, outpatient revenue was above budget by $394,000 and physician revenues were above budget by about $23,000," Robinson said. The hospital received $7.7 million in provider relief funds, which are a part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2020. We have not recognized any of this money that was received yet in our financial statement, Robinson said. We will want to evaluate it at quarter end and we will take it as necessary by the end of this first quarter. Expenses, including salaries, for the month were over budget by about $864,000 and $1.5 million over budget year-to-date. Robinson said salaries went over budget because of employee bonuses $276,000 in November and $401,000 year-to date. Robinson also noted wages in the hospital's 3 East (progressive care unit) were over $104,000 for November and over $183,000 year-to-date. That is related to our internal strategies in order to internally provide temporary assignments for nurses we have in specific departments for our nursing shortage, Robinson said. Robinson said the hospital's cash did increase in November by about $2 million due to the $7.7 million in COVID funding. A look at the hospital's income statement for November revealed the RMC had a net income loss for the month of $3.1 million and a net income loss of $6.9 million year-to-date. For the entire system, including the hospital's six primary care practices, its net income loss for the month of November was $3.4 million and the net income loss for the entire system was $7.4 million year-to-date. When you look at these numbers, it is kind of what we budgeted, RMC Chair the Rev. Dr. Caesar Richburg said. We budgeted for soft numbers or lost numbers in preparation to engage in this very aggressive plan we have going forward. In other business: Trustees were reminded to turn in their annual self-assessment forms. Trustees entered into closed session to receive a report from the hospital president, a community works update, a quality care update, information on the opportunity of a Bowman practice, an update on the family practice residency program partnership between the RMC and the Family Health Centers, an update on its ambulatory surgery center lawsuit and a revenue cycle update. MIDDLETOWN, NJ As 2022 officially begins, we thought it'd be a good idea to round up top 10 Middletown news stories of 2021. These are stories chosen because they generated the most page views, attracted the most "spirited" public debate or discussion, or had a profound impact on peoples' lives: Off-Duty Union Beach Cop Saves Woman In Middletown Fire (January 2021): This happened in North Middletown on a weekday morning in the dead of winter, when an off-duty police officer ran into a smoke-filled garage and rescued an elderly woman trapped insider her burning home. The woman could not walk without her walker and was alone in the house. The man said he only rushed inside when he saw a wheelchair in the open garage and wanted to check the burning home for occupants. Firefighters later said she never would have made it out of the home if he had not rushed in. A beautiful story that started off the year on a positive note, and shows the power of community, bravery and thinking about others. School Reopening Rally Planned For Sunday In A Divided Middletown (January 2021): The decision to reopen Middletown schools or keep virtual learning in place was a heated battle last winter. Holmdel Board Member Calls Into Middletown BOE: Get Kids In Class: The battle only got spicier when a Holmdel school board member called into the Middletown school board meeting one January night, telling them his district had been open for weeks "It's going great; it's going fantastic" and told Middletown they should do the same. BOE member Terrence Wall was alternately heaped with praise from Middletown residents or told to seriously mind his own business. Monmouth Co. Girl, 9, Confesses To Virtual Class She's Starving (Feb. 2021): This heartbreaking story, which Patch was first to report nationwide and went on to be covered by CNN and the NY Post, was read by more than 200,000 people worldwide. This story revealed the unintended consequences of COVID lockdowns: This third grader's mother had lost her multiple jobs when New Jersey restaurants closed and because schools were all virtual, her mother did not know she could still pick up the free breakfasts and lunches her daughter qualified for. The girl could not concentrate during a Zoom class and when her teacher told her to pay attention, the girl broke down crying saying she could not concentrate because she was so hungry. Story continues Luxury Fitness Complex Life Time Coming To Middletown (March 2021): This luxury gym brand plans to open this three-story fitness and wellness complex on Half Mile Road in Middletown, just off Exit 109. Major Middletown Parks/Playground Improvements Are Coming (April 2021): Tindall Park is getting a dog park and Bodman, Chanceville and Countryside playgrounds are all getting new playground equipment. Middletown Students Join Anti-Mask Lawsuit In NJ Schools (July 2021): Two Middletown High School students, both at South, joined a class-action lawsuit suing Gov. Murphy for his school mask mandate. However, the lawsuit was dismissed by multiple judges and did not advance very far in the New Jersey court system. Murphy: We 'Will Take Action' Against Parents' Notes On Masks (August 2021): Who could forget when the Middletown school board tried to pass a policy that would allow student or parental notes to exempt a child from mask wearing? When Murphy caught wind of what was happening in his own backyard, he said "not so fast" and threatened to sue the Middletown school district if they followed through. Some in Middletown begged the school district to hold its ground and engage in a legal battle with the man some call "King Murphy," but the BOE ultimately backed down and followed Murphy's Law. Middletown Twp. Committee Candidate Has A Criminal Record (Oct. 2021): Patch again unearthed a hidden bit of information, when we were the first to report that a candidate running for Middletown Twp. Committee had prior criminal charges of forgery and theft. Democrat Nick Babcock never admitted to the charges from more than a decade ago. He remained in the race, but did not win a public seat. Middletown To Get $6.6 Million Under 2nd COVID Relief Bill: Middletown, like all towns in America, got a nice big chunk of cash from the federal gov't from the $1.9 trillion second COVID relief bill, signed into law by President Joe Biden. "We'll take the money. If we don't take it, it will go to some other town that will spend it," said the area's state Senator Declan O'Scanlon, (R-NJ13). "But this is like a wildly irresponsible Christmas gift. Democrats in Washington dancing around like they're giving us a gift is really outrageous, because in reality they are taking from our children's and grandchildren's bank accounts and making us think they are doing us a favor. Nobody is talking about fiscal responsibility and the public doesn't want to hear it." Patch still has to find out how Middletown Twp. will spend the money. More playground improvements? Other big news of 2021: Marijuana Is Now Officially Legal In New Jersey (Feb. 2021): Not Middletown specific news, but still extremely big news that happened in New Jersey in 2021. Gov. Murphy made small-amount marijuana possession legal after a majority New Jersey voters (more than 70 percent) voted to legalize marijuana in the Nov. 2020 election. Middletown passed a controversial ban on recreational pot shops opening up within Gov. Murphy Clarifies His Stance On NJ COVID 'Vaccine Passports' (March 2021): Again, not a Middletown-specific story, but a hot-button topic in 2021. Gov. Murphy initially said he liked the idea, something that New York and other states have carried out, but then backed off the idea after immense public backlash from New Jersey voters. Sandy Hook Raises Daily Parking Fee To $20; Season Pass To $100 (April 2021): Just news that pissed a lot of people off. Get great local news. Sign up for Patch emails: https://patch.com/subscribe Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe New Delhi, January 1: Delhi Police on Saturday said they have arrested a man for allegedly posting private pictures of a girl on social media and blackmailing her for the same. The accused, identified as Rajesh Singh Suman, a resident of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, was arrested under sections 354D (stalking), 384 (extortion), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code. According to an official, a complaint was received at Dwarka South police station in which a girl levelled allegations against the accused Rajesh for stalking, blackmailing and threatening her. She alleged that she came in contact with the accused through a matrimonial website and also met him a couple of times. Karnataka: Youths Blackmail Woman Over Nude Pics and Videos, Extort Rs 5 Lakhs. The complainant informed that she had shared her personal photographs with the accused. The marriage proposal was somehow later cancelled after which the accused started blackmailing and threatening the complainant to post her private photos on social platforms and share her photographs with multiple acquaintances. She further alleged that the accused made her fake Facebook and Instagram accounts in which he was posting her pictures. Based on the complaint, police registered an FIR and arrested the accused from Aligarh. During interrogation, the accused disclosed to have committed a number of such offences with various victims and the same were being analysed from his mobile phone data. "Further probe is still on," the official added. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 01, 2022 11:54 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe $25K rewards offered to find killers of slain 1-y-o and 3-y-o killed in Chicago A group of Chicago businessmen has announced two $25,000 awards for anyone who provides information leading to the arrest of suspects who killed a one-year-old baby last weekend and a 3-year-old child over Father's Day weekend. Twenty-month-old Sincere Gaston was shot Saturday afternoon while he was with his mother in a car in Chicagos Englewood neighborhood, according to NBC Chicago. Another car pulled up next to their vehicle and a person inside fired at least seven shots. A bullet hit the boys chest and he was later pronounced dead at St. Bernard Hospital. His mother suffered a graze wound to her head. Of the dozens of killings that took place on Father's Day weekend was the killing of 3-year-old Mekhi James. James was shot when he was riding in a car with his stepfather while on his way home from getting a haircut. Earley Walker, owner of W&W Towing, along with a new group of business leaders called Im Telling, Dont Shoot, announced at a press conference Sunday $25,000 awards for people who provide information leading the arrests of the people who killed Gaston and James. The business leaders were joined at the press conference by 16th Ward Alderman Stephanie Coleman. [I]ts a group fed up with gun violence in our communities, Walker said, according to NBC Chicago. We are tired and fed up with gun violence, and the innocent bystanders are being killed. Our kids are dying at a fast rate, and its time for change. Weve got to do something, Walker added. I am absolutely ecstatic that these business owners are standing behind me to support this initiative. We need to find this killer. At least 65 people were shot across Chicago last weekend. According to The Chicago Sun-Times, 18 victims who were shot last weekend have died, including three children. The newspaper reports that the city has already surpassed 300 homicides so far in 2020, a mark that Chicago didnt reach until early August in 2019. Over the Fathers Day weekend, more than 100 people were shot and at least 14 were killed, including five children, the Associated Press reports. Among the victims killed this month in Chicago is Gary Tinder, a 20-year-old DePaul University student and member at Edgewater Baptist Church. ABC 7 Chicago reports that Tinder was shot while walking home from work in the Rogers Park neighborhood. Tinders friends said they can't imagine what motive anyone would have to shoot him. As of Monday afternoon, Tinders friends have raised over $24,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to benefit his family. Rev. Ira Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church in Chicago told The Chicago Tribune that a line was crossed with James killing. This is a horrific Fathers Day. This 3-year-old baby lost his life, Acree said. I could not pastor this community and not say something. The pastor referred to protests against police brutality over the death of George Floyd. He expressed concerns about the safety of the citys black youth. We say black lives matter, but were here to say black baby lives matter more, Acree was quoted as saying. At least 1,508 people in Chicago have been shot from January until June 22, according to a tracker run by The Chicago Tribune. MIDDLETOWN, NJ As 2022 officially begins, we thought it'd be a good idea to round up top 10 Middletown news stories of 2021. These are stories chosen because they generated the most page views, attracted the most "spirited" public debate or discussion, or had a profound impact on peoples' lives: Off-Duty Union Beach Cop Saves Woman In Middletown Fire (January 2021): This happened in North Middletown on a weekday morning in the dead of winter, when an off-duty police officer ran into a smoke-filled garage and rescued an elderly woman trapped insider her burning home. The woman could not walk without her walker and was alone in the house. The man said he only rushed inside when he saw a wheelchair in the open garage and wanted to check the burning home for occupants. Firefighters later said she never would have made it out of the home if he had not rushed in. A beautiful story that started off the year on a positive note, and shows the power of community, bravery and thinking about others. School Reopening Rally Planned For Sunday In A Divided Middletown (January 2021): The decision to reopen Middletown schools or keep virtual learning in place was a heated battle last winter. Holmdel Board Member Calls Into Middletown BOE: Get Kids In Class: The battle only got spicier when a Holmdel school board member called into the Middletown school board meeting one January night, telling them his district had been open for weeks "It's going great; it's going fantastic" and told Middletown they should do the same. BOE member Terrence Wall was alternately heaped with praise from Middletown residents or told to seriously mind his own business. Monmouth Co. Girl, 9, Confesses To Virtual Class She's Starving (Feb. 2021): This heartbreaking story, which Patch was first to report nationwide and went on to be covered by CNN and the NY Post, was read by more than 200,000 people worldwide. This story revealed the unintended consequences of COVID lockdowns: This third grader's mother had lost her multiple jobs when New Jersey restaurants closed and because schools were all virtual, her mother did not know she could still pick up the free breakfasts and lunches her daughter qualified for. The girl could not concentrate during a Zoom class and when her teacher told her to pay attention, the girl broke down crying saying she could not concentrate because she was so hungry. Story continues Luxury Fitness Complex Life Time Coming To Middletown (March 2021): This luxury gym brand plans to open this three-story fitness and wellness complex on Half Mile Road in Middletown, just off Exit 109. Major Middletown Parks/Playground Improvements Are Coming (April 2021): Tindall Park is getting a dog park and Bodman, Chanceville and Countryside playgrounds are all getting new playground equipment. Middletown Students Join Anti-Mask Lawsuit In NJ Schools (July 2021): Two Middletown High School students, both at South, joined a class-action lawsuit suing Gov. Murphy for his school mask mandate. However, the lawsuit was dismissed by multiple judges and did not advance very far in the New Jersey court system. Murphy: We 'Will Take Action' Against Parents' Notes On Masks (August 2021): Who could forget when the Middletown school board tried to pass a policy that would allow student or parental notes to exempt a child from mask wearing? When Murphy caught wind of what was happening in his own backyard, he said "not so fast" and threatened to sue the Middletown school district if they followed through. Some in Middletown begged the school district to hold its ground and engage in a legal battle with the man some call "King Murphy," but the BOE ultimately backed down and followed Murphy's Law. Middletown Twp. Committee Candidate Has A Criminal Record (Oct. 2021): Patch again unearthed a hidden bit of information, when we were the first to report that a candidate running for Middletown Twp. Committee had prior criminal charges of forgery and theft. Democrat Nick Babcock never admitted to the charges from more than a decade ago. He remained in the race, but did not win a public seat. Middletown To Get $6.6 Million Under 2nd COVID Relief Bill: Middletown, like all towns in America, got a nice big chunk of cash from the federal gov't from the $1.9 trillion second COVID relief bill, signed into law by President Joe Biden. "We'll take the money. If we don't take it, it will go to some other town that will spend it," said the area's state Senator Declan O'Scanlon, (R-NJ13). "But this is like a wildly irresponsible Christmas gift. Democrats in Washington dancing around like they're giving us a gift is really outrageous, because in reality they are taking from our children's and grandchildren's bank accounts and making us think they are doing us a favor. Nobody is talking about fiscal responsibility and the public doesn't want to hear it." Patch still has to find out how Middletown Twp. will spend the money. More playground improvements? Other big news of 2021: Marijuana Is Now Officially Legal In New Jersey (Feb. 2021): Not Middletown specific news, but still extremely big news that happened in New Jersey in 2021. Gov. Murphy made small-amount marijuana possession legal after a majority New Jersey voters (more than 70 percent) voted to legalize marijuana in the Nov. 2020 election. Middletown passed a controversial ban on recreational pot shops opening up within Gov. Murphy Clarifies His Stance On NJ COVID 'Vaccine Passports' (March 2021): Again, not a Middletown-specific story, but a hot-button topic in 2021. Gov. Murphy initially said he liked the idea, something that New York and other states have carried out, but then backed off the idea after immense public backlash from New Jersey voters. Sandy Hook Raises Daily Parking Fee To $20; Season Pass To $100 (April 2021): Just news that pissed a lot of people off. Get great local news. Sign up for Patch emails: https://patch.com/subscribe Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com. This article originally appeared on the Middletown Patch WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed by a man who went on to carjack, rob and shoot more people during a two-state manhunt this week said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters, Missouri. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a "series" of carjackings, robberies and shootings on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities eventually caught up to him in Clinton County, Illinois, where he held a person hostage in a home. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. The family's full statement is below: The Family of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley mourns the loss of their husband, father, son and friend. We could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support. To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero. Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. -Matthew 5:9 Visitation for Sean Riley will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m., Monday January 3, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with a first responder walk thru at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials in his honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. Memorials will be accepted at the services and the Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, IL which is assisting with arrangements. Additional information will be released in the coming days. We ask the community to show their support by lining the procession route. MEXICO CITY, Dec 17 (Reuters) - The former chief of security for Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) was arrested in Canada on charges of protecting a fuel theft racket within the state-run oil company, and his extradition process has begun, Mexican officials told Reuters on Friday. A brief statement from the attorney general's office on Friday indicated that an "Eduardo L" had been detained by Canadian authorities, and two officials with knowledge of the case confirmed that the individual is retired Gen. Eduardo Leon Trauwitz, the former head of security at Pemex. The statement noted that the individual is accused of "probable responsibility as protector of (fuel theft) within Pemex." It added that prosecutors now have proof that he and a group of accomplices allegedly "covered up and protected" the theft within Pemex's fuel distribution networks. Trauwitz was given charge of security at Pemex under former President Enrique Pena Nieto. Before Pena Nieto became president, Trauwitz served on his security detail. The extradition request for Trauwitz was issued to Canadian officials in November 2019, the statement added. (Reporting by Diego Ore and Dave Graham Editing by Sonya Hepinstall) MEXICO CITY, Dec 17 (Reuters) - The former chief of security for Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) was arrested in Canada on charges of protecting a fuel theft racket within the state-run oil company, and his extradition process has begun, Mexican officials told Reuters on Friday. A brief statement from the attorney general's office on Friday indicated that an "Eduardo L" had been detained by Canadian authorities, and two officials with knowledge of the case confirmed that the individual is retired Gen. Eduardo Leon Trauwitz, the former head of security at Pemex. The statement noted that the individual is accused of "probable responsibility as protector of (fuel theft) within Pemex." It added that prosecutors now have proof that he and a group of accomplices allegedly "covered up and protected" the theft within Pemex's fuel distribution networks. Trauwitz was given charge of security at Pemex under former President Enrique Pena Nieto. Before Pena Nieto became president, Trauwitz served on his security detail. The extradition request for Trauwitz was issued to Canadian officials in November 2019, the statement added. (Reporting by Diego Ore and Dave Graham Editing by Sonya Hepinstall) You dont start bringing in the new year with bringing in violence. Thats unacceptable. We will find those who are carrying guns and we will make sure that they are removed off our streets. This is a horrendous act that took place, to have a shooting of this magnitude while resting to go back to perform duties to protect our city. On this New Years Day, we are grateful that our officer is recovering, as we know this could have been a very tragic outcome. I also truly believe this incident underscores that there are far too many guns out there in the wrong hands and too many people willing to fire those weapons. And that is something we intend to tackle head on. It appears that the bullet was fired from a significant distance away. Its hard to tell who the intended target was, if any. But let me say this: There are no stray bullets. There is someone firing that weapon, and we intend to try to locate that person, if possible. You dont start bringing in the new year with bringing in violence. Thats unacceptable. We will find those who are carrying guns and we will make sure that they are removed off our streets. This is a horrendous act that took place, to have a shooting of this magnitude while resting to go back to perform duties to protect our city. On this New Years Day, we are grateful that our officer is recovering, as we know this could have been a very tragic outcome. I also truly believe this incident underscores that there are far too many guns out there in the wrong hands and too many people willing to fire those weapons. And that is something we intend to tackle head on. It appears that the bullet was fired from a significant distance away. Its hard to tell who the intended target was, if any. But let me say this: There are no stray bullets. There is someone firing that weapon, and we intend to try to locate that person, if possible. You dont start bringing in the new year with bringing in violence. Thats unacceptable. We will find those who are carrying guns and we will make sure that they are removed off our streets. This is a horrendous act that took place, to have a shooting of this magnitude while resting to go back to perform duties to protect our city. On this New Years Day, we are grateful that our officer is recovering, as we know this could have been a very tragic outcome. I also truly believe this incident underscores that there are far too many guns out there in the wrong hands and too many people willing to fire those weapons. And that is something we intend to tackle head on. It appears that the bullet was fired from a significant distance away. Its hard to tell who the intended target was, if any. But let me say this: There are no stray bullets. There is someone firing that weapon, and we intend to try to locate that person, if possible. $25K rewards offered to find killers of slain 1-y-o and 3-y-o killed in Chicago A group of Chicago businessmen has announced two $25,000 awards for anyone who provides information leading to the arrest of suspects who killed a one-year-old baby last weekend and a 3-year-old child over Father's Day weekend. Twenty-month-old Sincere Gaston was shot Saturday afternoon while he was with his mother in a car in Chicagos Englewood neighborhood, according to NBC Chicago. Another car pulled up next to their vehicle and a person inside fired at least seven shots. A bullet hit the boys chest and he was later pronounced dead at St. Bernard Hospital. His mother suffered a graze wound to her head. Of the dozens of killings that took place on Father's Day weekend was the killing of 3-year-old Mekhi James. James was shot when he was riding in a car with his stepfather while on his way home from getting a haircut. Earley Walker, owner of W&W Towing, along with a new group of business leaders called Im Telling, Dont Shoot, announced at a press conference Sunday $25,000 awards for people who provide information leading the arrests of the people who killed Gaston and James. The business leaders were joined at the press conference by 16th Ward Alderman Stephanie Coleman. [I]ts a group fed up with gun violence in our communities, Walker said, according to NBC Chicago. We are tired and fed up with gun violence, and the innocent bystanders are being killed. Our kids are dying at a fast rate, and its time for change. Weve got to do something, Walker added. I am absolutely ecstatic that these business owners are standing behind me to support this initiative. We need to find this killer. At least 65 people were shot across Chicago last weekend. According to The Chicago Sun-Times, 18 victims who were shot last weekend have died, including three children. The newspaper reports that the city has already surpassed 300 homicides so far in 2020, a mark that Chicago didnt reach until early August in 2019. Over the Fathers Day weekend, more than 100 people were shot and at least 14 were killed, including five children, the Associated Press reports. Among the victims killed this month in Chicago is Gary Tinder, a 20-year-old DePaul University student and member at Edgewater Baptist Church. ABC 7 Chicago reports that Tinder was shot while walking home from work in the Rogers Park neighborhood. Tinders friends said they can't imagine what motive anyone would have to shoot him. As of Monday afternoon, Tinders friends have raised over $24,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to benefit his family. Rev. Ira Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church in Chicago told The Chicago Tribune that a line was crossed with James killing. This is a horrific Fathers Day. This 3-year-old baby lost his life, Acree said. I could not pastor this community and not say something. The pastor referred to protests against police brutality over the death of George Floyd. He expressed concerns about the safety of the citys black youth. We say black lives matter, but were here to say black baby lives matter more, Acree was quoted as saying. At least 1,508 people in Chicago have been shot from January until June 22, according to a tracker run by The Chicago Tribune. WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed by a man who went on to carjack, rob and shoot more people during a two-state manhunt this week said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters, Missouri. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a "series" of carjackings, robberies and shootings on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities eventually caught up to him in Clinton County, Illinois, where he held a person hostage in a home. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. The family's full statement is below: The Family of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley mourns the loss of their husband, father, son and friend. We could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support. To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero. Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. -Matthew 5:9 Visitation for Sean Riley will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m., Monday January 3, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with a first responder walk thru at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials in his honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. Memorials will be accepted at the services and the Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, IL which is assisting with arrangements. Additional information will be released in the coming days. We ask the community to show their support by lining the procession route. Hundreds of Ukrainians held a torchlight march in the capital, Kyiv, to mark the birthday of the controversial nationalist leader Stepan Bandera. The January 1 march came amid a buildup of Russian forces near the border with Ukraine, which some believe could be a prelude to an invasion. Today, when there is a war with the occupier at the front, and the struggle against the fifth column continues in the rear, we remember and honor the memory of Stepan Bandera, Andriy Tarasenko, leader of the nationalist party Right Sector, said. Bandera is revered as a hero by many Ukrainians for leading the political wing of the anti-Soviet independence movement, the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN). Its military wing -- the Ukrainian Insurgent Army -- waged partisan warfare during and after World War II. But Bandera -- who was killed by a Soviet assassin in Munich in 1959 -- is regarded as a traitor by others for leading an insurgent war against Soviet forces and collaborating with Nazi Germany. His forces also fought against the Nazis at times during the war and are accused of carrying out murderous campaigns against Poles and Jews. Similar marches also took place in several other cities, including Lviv, where about 500 people gathered at Banderas monument to honor him. With reporting by AP Hundreds of Ukrainians held a torchlight march in the capital, Kyiv, to mark the birthday of the controversial nationalist leader Stepan Bandera. The January 1 march came amid a buildup of Russian forces near the border with Ukraine, which some believe could be a prelude to an invasion. Today, when there is a war with the occupier at the front, and the struggle against the fifth column continues in the rear, we remember and honor the memory of Stepan Bandera, Andriy Tarasenko, leader of the nationalist party Right Sector, said. Bandera is revered as a hero by many Ukrainians for leading the political wing of the anti-Soviet independence movement, the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN). Its military wing -- the Ukrainian Insurgent Army -- waged partisan warfare during and after World War II. But Bandera -- who was killed by a Soviet assassin in Munich in 1959 -- is regarded as a traitor by others for leading an insurgent war against Soviet forces and collaborating with Nazi Germany. His forces also fought against the Nazis at times during the war and are accused of carrying out murderous campaigns against Poles and Jews. Similar marches also took place in several other cities, including Lviv, where about 500 people gathered at Banderas monument to honor him. With reporting by AP Our children are dying: Faith-based groups look to heal Chicago amid rising violence 2021 was the most violent year Chicago has experienced since the birth of the 21st century, according to recently released data from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. The office reported 820 homicides in the Windy City in 2021, the highest since 1995, when 828 murders were reported, according to the Sun-Times Media Wire. "We all know this has been a challenging year here in the city of Chicago," said Police Superintendent David Brown on Thursday. "Too many families are reeling from the loss of loved ones due to senseless gun violence ... Too many residents are dealing with the ripple effects of this trauma due to crime in our community." In late November, the Cook County Medical Examiners Office issued a report confirming that the number of homicides in the county had passed 1,000 by the end of Thanksgiving. Of the 1,009 confirmed homicides, 777 of them occurred in Chicago. It was the largest number of murders in the county since 1994, when the office reported 1,141 homicides. In early July, The Chicago Tribune's crime team released data showing that there had been 2,021 shooting victims in the city through July 7, which was 164 more than at the same point in 2020. These and other statistics have led many to call Chicago the pejorative nickname Chiraq, the idea being that some parts of the city are more violent than war-torn countries like Iraq. Pastor Isaac Paintsil, head of Christs Oasis Ministries, a multisite congregation with campuses in and near Chicago, told The Christian Post that the rising violence is horrendous and heartbreaking. At a certain point, how can mothers be grieving and families be grieving, fathers be grieving week after week after week after week?" Paintsil asked. "This is the real challenge that we are having, and the emotional toll on us is just unbelievable." Paintsil is among a number of pastors who connected through a group called the Chicago Pastors Rally, which brings together clergy from across the city to engage in events, such as a prayer rally held every two weeks and breakfasts with local officials. We have what we call the unity torch, said Paintsil, noting that the object symbolizes peace and is comparable to the Olympic torch. It just passes from one church to another. Wherever the torch is located, they spend a certain amount of time in prayer, praying for peace and harmony among our communities and churches. CP reached out to several ministries and faith-based groups to learn more about how the violent crime rate has impacted them and find out what they're doing to improve their city and what they believe needs to be done to bring about sustainable change. Our children are dying Sylvia Bennett-Stone is executive director of the Voices of Black Mothers United, an organization with chapters across the country that seeks to heal crime-ridden communities. The organization is overseen by black mothers and community leaders. It is supported by the Woodson Center, a nonprofit that focuses on improving low-income neighborhoods. Bennett-Stone, whose daughter was killed in a crossfire between two gunmen in 2004, told CP that her organization was in the process of setting up a new chapter in Chicago. "We recruit mothers who have lost children and are well enough and cared enough to go back into the community and make some changes, said Bennett-Stone. "We've lost children to violence, but we also are mothers who are healed. And we believe, we totally believe that if mothers heal, then families heal. And if the family heals, then the community heals." Bennett-Stone says Chicago's problems are multifaceted" and are impacted by drug addiction, gang violence, lack of income and mental illness. "Our children are dying. Its no longer just adults or people who are involved in the violence. It is our babies that are dying. It is our babies that are getting caught in the crossfire, she said. My baby was caught in the crossfire. And its no longer just an issue that's contained in one area. Its everywhere." Pastor Ira Acree, who leads Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago, said his congregation has been devastated by the rising violence in the city and surrounding county. Our community, everybody in our church, they either have someone in their family that has been affected by violence or they know someone personally, whether its a friend or neighbor, who has been impacted, said Acree. We are quite familiar and quite acquainted with the impact of violence." Acree agrees that a myriad of things are driving the rising violence, including a decision by the Chicago Board of Education in 2013 to close 50 schools, the shuttering of multiple mental units, and what he described as disinvestment by powers that be. There's been a cumulative failure in multiple institutions, he said. They have concentrated on building up the North Side and the downtown parts of our city, which are the more affluent areas, and they have left the poor communities out here by themselves." He also cited issues like police reform, telling CP that we are still hoping for that to take place, but there's still an issue with police being trusted in our community." Action and prayer Chicago Pastors Rally member Pastor Joseph Rhoiney of First Progressive Church of Chicago said that member churches are each doing things in their individual locations that they feel are working. The idea is that there is a branch that guides to the root, and the root is faith, hope, and love and peace. And we continue to multiply and magnify that as manifested in different areas, he said. As an example, Rhoiney described an intergenerational buddy system." "We have the young people buddy with somebody. Something happens that they feel unsure about, they can call the buddy," he explained. The buddy system says, Im not in this by myself, he added. Somebody else is partnered with me, and were partnered with another group for this one thing called peace within the community, peace within ourselves. There were also events that included competitions involving mental, physical and spiritual prowess played between younger and older individuals to help get the two generations talking, physically engaging one another. The ultimate goal is to have the connections between the older generation and the younger generation. And every time weve done it, weve had tremendous success with it, continued Rhoiney. Because we see that peace can abide between the two, and the young people can learn to trust the old people, and the old people can see how they can share and receive openly how the young people feel. Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago said his church has an after-school program that aims to keep a lot of children out of harm's way" and offers safe party events on Friday evenings twice a month. Greater St. John Bible Church also coordinates a faith-based first responders training to help with trauma alongside other local congregations, according to Acree. "Although we try to be proactive in these urban communities, until there's a radical change, there will be trauma. And so, we deal with how to respond to violence when it happens, he added. Gun buyback events Some congregations in Chicago and elsewhere have held gun buyback events with the intention of helping to stem the tide of firearms-related violence in the city. These events typically involve people bringing guns to a church and anonymously selling them to the congregation without any questions being asked. In July, the Chicago-based Faith Community of Saint Sabina held a multiday buyback event that saw 123 handguns, 31 rifles and one assault weapon bought in the first two days. The Rev. Michael L. Pfleger of Saint Sabina Church told CP in an interview that they were able to meet and speak to many young brothers to help turn their lives around. We are continuing to try many things to stop this senseless killing, Pfleger said at the time, listing other events centered on this effort, including weekly peace walks and block parties. This is just one more application. Acree of Greater St. John said that while his congregation has done such events in the past, he has had some doubts about their effectiveness. "I'm not a real big fan of it. If the police want to do it, the superintendent wants to do it, I'll try to support them. I've got to give them an opportunity to work his vision for what he believes," said Acree. "I'm certainly not a police officer. I'm not a law enforcement expert. But I personally have my thoughts about how all the good guys are turning in their guns but the thugs still have theirs." Paintsil noted that he was unaware of any of CPRs member churches doing a gun buyback event and felt he could not respond on whether they worked. Boots on the ground Bennett-Stone of Voices of Black Mothers United, told CP that she believes there needs to be more direct engagement between officials and the community. "Based upon my observations, they need to come outside and work with the boots on the ground, Bennett-Stone asserted. Typically, city officials in government agencies engage more with larger organizations. However, larger organizations deal with people that come to them. The boots on the ground go to the people. So they need to look at the real grassroots organizations that [are] going to the neighborhood where it is gang-infested and work with those people; help them, help support those grassroots. Because they are meeting people where they are." Bennett-Stone told CP that houses of worship have a role to play in combating the violence, but stressed that they need to come outside of the walls. Churches have been the guiding light for years in urban communities, she said. However, churches need to come outside of the walls and engage with the community and understand what are the factors, what ministering can be done." Acree echoed the boots on the ground comment, believing that there needs to be more investment in the South Side and West Side, including investment in education. They need to also realize that building up schools is a path out of this trauma that we are in, the mayhem that we're in. Building an education, eliminating schools is not the answer, he said. "I also believe they can build to capacity of these community organizations are there already with boots on the ground. Acree felt that officials tend to fund the outside organizations who come in as the savior." "They give them tons of money, but I think ... they should make a concerted effort to build up the people who are there on the frontlines," he said. Some of these churches have feeding programs, some have afterschool programs, some have mentoring programs. These [are] people that live here, that work here and they are going to be here, for the most part, the pastor added. "They need to learn how to see the importance of building up these home-grown institutions who are going to be here, come what may." Paintsil also believes there needs to be stronger relationships with the faith-based communities." He said one reason we are not able to carry out the work at the degree that we would like to, definitely is finances. I know that quite a lot of support comes in for different things, but I always call the Church the spiritual levy. Because when the levy is breached, everything breaks down, said Paintsil. Rhoiney of First Progressive Church stressed the spiritual need that must be part of the change. He noted that in the Bible, whenever the land was in turmoil, rulers went to the prophets and the Church for help. I think we all need to stand up and say thats what we are, and respond in such a way that affects peace and harmony and goodwill for all men, said Rhoiney. We all carry multiple titles, whether we are editors, writers, reporters, pastors, doctors, engineers, accountants, global communicators, broadcasters, it makes no difference. You are Christians. Your witness should rise inside your office to affect the change for the greater good and the greater community. Our children are dying: Faith-based groups look to heal Chicago amid rising violence 2021 was the most violent year Chicago has experienced since the birth of the 21st century, according to recently released data from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. The office reported 820 homicides in the Windy City in 2021, the highest since 1995, when 828 murders were reported, according to the Sun-Times Media Wire. "We all know this has been a challenging year here in the city of Chicago," said Police Superintendent David Brown on Thursday. "Too many families are reeling from the loss of loved ones due to senseless gun violence ... Too many residents are dealing with the ripple effects of this trauma due to crime in our community." In late November, the Cook County Medical Examiners Office issued a report confirming that the number of homicides in the county had passed 1,000 by the end of Thanksgiving. Of the 1,009 confirmed homicides, 777 of them occurred in Chicago. It was the largest number of murders in the county since 1994, when the office reported 1,141 homicides. In early July, The Chicago Tribune's crime team released data showing that there had been 2,021 shooting victims in the city through July 7, which was 164 more than at the same point in 2020. These and other statistics have led many to call Chicago the pejorative nickname Chiraq, the idea being that some parts of the city are more violent than war-torn countries like Iraq. Pastor Isaac Paintsil, head of Christs Oasis Ministries, a multisite congregation with campuses in and near Chicago, told The Christian Post that the rising violence is horrendous and heartbreaking. At a certain point, how can mothers be grieving and families be grieving, fathers be grieving week after week after week after week?" Paintsil asked. "This is the real challenge that we are having, and the emotional toll on us is just unbelievable." Paintsil is among a number of pastors who connected through a group called the Chicago Pastors Rally, which brings together clergy from across the city to engage in events, such as a prayer rally held every two weeks and breakfasts with local officials. We have what we call the unity torch, said Paintsil, noting that the object symbolizes peace and is comparable to the Olympic torch. It just passes from one church to another. Wherever the torch is located, they spend a certain amount of time in prayer, praying for peace and harmony among our communities and churches. CP reached out to several ministries and faith-based groups to learn more about how the violent crime rate has impacted them and find out what they're doing to improve their city and what they believe needs to be done to bring about sustainable change. Our children are dying Sylvia Bennett-Stone is executive director of the Voices of Black Mothers United, an organization with chapters across the country that seeks to heal crime-ridden communities. The organization is overseen by black mothers and community leaders. It is supported by the Woodson Center, a nonprofit that focuses on improving low-income neighborhoods. Bennett-Stone, whose daughter was killed in a crossfire between two gunmen in 2004, told CP that her organization was in the process of setting up a new chapter in Chicago. "We recruit mothers who have lost children and are well enough and cared enough to go back into the community and make some changes, said Bennett-Stone. "We've lost children to violence, but we also are mothers who are healed. And we believe, we totally believe that if mothers heal, then families heal. And if the family heals, then the community heals." Bennett-Stone says Chicago's problems are multifaceted" and are impacted by drug addiction, gang violence, lack of income and mental illness. "Our children are dying. Its no longer just adults or people who are involved in the violence. It is our babies that are dying. It is our babies that are getting caught in the crossfire, she said. My baby was caught in the crossfire. And its no longer just an issue that's contained in one area. Its everywhere." Pastor Ira Acree, who leads Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago, said his congregation has been devastated by the rising violence in the city and surrounding county. Our community, everybody in our church, they either have someone in their family that has been affected by violence or they know someone personally, whether its a friend or neighbor, who has been impacted, said Acree. We are quite familiar and quite acquainted with the impact of violence." Acree agrees that a myriad of things are driving the rising violence, including a decision by the Chicago Board of Education in 2013 to close 50 schools, the shuttering of multiple mental units, and what he described as disinvestment by powers that be. There's been a cumulative failure in multiple institutions, he said. They have concentrated on building up the North Side and the downtown parts of our city, which are the more affluent areas, and they have left the poor communities out here by themselves." He also cited issues like police reform, telling CP that we are still hoping for that to take place, but there's still an issue with police being trusted in our community." Action and prayer Chicago Pastors Rally member Pastor Joseph Rhoiney of First Progressive Church of Chicago said that member churches are each doing things in their individual locations that they feel are working. The idea is that there is a branch that guides to the root, and the root is faith, hope, and love and peace. And we continue to multiply and magnify that as manifested in different areas, he said. As an example, Rhoiney described an intergenerational buddy system." "We have the young people buddy with somebody. Something happens that they feel unsure about, they can call the buddy," he explained. The buddy system says, Im not in this by myself, he added. Somebody else is partnered with me, and were partnered with another group for this one thing called peace within the community, peace within ourselves. There were also events that included competitions involving mental, physical and spiritual prowess played between younger and older individuals to help get the two generations talking, physically engaging one another. The ultimate goal is to have the connections between the older generation and the younger generation. And every time weve done it, weve had tremendous success with it, continued Rhoiney. Because we see that peace can abide between the two, and the young people can learn to trust the old people, and the old people can see how they can share and receive openly how the young people feel. Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago said his church has an after-school program that aims to keep a lot of children out of harm's way" and offers safe party events on Friday evenings twice a month. Greater St. John Bible Church also coordinates a faith-based first responders training to help with trauma alongside other local congregations, according to Acree. "Although we try to be proactive in these urban communities, until there's a radical change, there will be trauma. And so, we deal with how to respond to violence when it happens, he added. Gun buyback events Some congregations in Chicago and elsewhere have held gun buyback events with the intention of helping to stem the tide of firearms-related violence in the city. These events typically involve people bringing guns to a church and anonymously selling them to the congregation without any questions being asked. In July, the Chicago-based Faith Community of Saint Sabina held a multiday buyback event that saw 123 handguns, 31 rifles and one assault weapon bought in the first two days. The Rev. Michael L. Pfleger of Saint Sabina Church told CP in an interview that they were able to meet and speak to many young brothers to help turn their lives around. We are continuing to try many things to stop this senseless killing, Pfleger said at the time, listing other events centered on this effort, including weekly peace walks and block parties. This is just one more application. Acree of Greater St. John said that while his congregation has done such events in the past, he has had some doubts about their effectiveness. "I'm not a real big fan of it. If the police want to do it, the superintendent wants to do it, I'll try to support them. I've got to give them an opportunity to work his vision for what he believes," said Acree. "I'm certainly not a police officer. I'm not a law enforcement expert. But I personally have my thoughts about how all the good guys are turning in their guns but the thugs still have theirs." Paintsil noted that he was unaware of any of CPRs member churches doing a gun buyback event and felt he could not respond on whether they worked. Boots on the ground Bennett-Stone of Voices of Black Mothers United, told CP that she believes there needs to be more direct engagement between officials and the community. "Based upon my observations, they need to come outside and work with the boots on the ground, Bennett-Stone asserted. Typically, city officials in government agencies engage more with larger organizations. However, larger organizations deal with people that come to them. The boots on the ground go to the people. So they need to look at the real grassroots organizations that [are] going to the neighborhood where it is gang-infested and work with those people; help them, help support those grassroots. Because they are meeting people where they are." Bennett-Stone told CP that houses of worship have a role to play in combating the violence, but stressed that they need to come outside of the walls. Churches have been the guiding light for years in urban communities, she said. However, churches need to come outside of the walls and engage with the community and understand what are the factors, what ministering can be done." Acree echoed the boots on the ground comment, believing that there needs to be more investment in the South Side and West Side, including investment in education. They need to also realize that building up schools is a path out of this trauma that we are in, the mayhem that we're in. Building an education, eliminating schools is not the answer, he said. "I also believe they can build to capacity of these community organizations are there already with boots on the ground. Acree felt that officials tend to fund the outside organizations who come in as the savior." "They give them tons of money, but I think ... they should make a concerted effort to build up the people who are there on the frontlines," he said. Some of these churches have feeding programs, some have afterschool programs, some have mentoring programs. These [are] people that live here, that work here and they are going to be here, for the most part, the pastor added. "They need to learn how to see the importance of building up these home-grown institutions who are going to be here, come what may." Paintsil also believes there needs to be stronger relationships with the faith-based communities." He said one reason we are not able to carry out the work at the degree that we would like to, definitely is finances. I know that quite a lot of support comes in for different things, but I always call the Church the spiritual levy. Because when the levy is breached, everything breaks down, said Paintsil. Rhoiney of First Progressive Church stressed the spiritual need that must be part of the change. He noted that in the Bible, whenever the land was in turmoil, rulers went to the prophets and the Church for help. I think we all need to stand up and say thats what we are, and respond in such a way that affects peace and harmony and goodwill for all men, said Rhoiney. We all carry multiple titles, whether we are editors, writers, reporters, pastors, doctors, engineers, accountants, global communicators, broadcasters, it makes no difference. You are Christians. Your witness should rise inside your office to affect the change for the greater good and the greater community. MIDDLETOWN, NJ As 2022 officially begins, we thought it'd be a good idea to round up top 10 Middletown news stories of 2021. These are stories chosen because they generated the most page views, attracted the most "spirited" public debate or discussion, or had a profound impact on peoples' lives: Off-Duty Union Beach Cop Saves Woman In Middletown Fire (January 2021): This happened in North Middletown on a weekday morning in the dead of winter, when an off-duty police officer ran into a smoke-filled garage and rescued an elderly woman trapped insider her burning home. The woman could not walk without her walker and was alone in the house. The man said he only rushed inside when he saw a wheelchair in the open garage and wanted to check the burning home for occupants. Firefighters later said she never would have made it out of the home if he had not rushed in. A beautiful story that started off the year on a positive note, and shows the power of community, bravery and thinking about others. School Reopening Rally Planned For Sunday In A Divided Middletown (January 2021): The decision to reopen Middletown schools or keep virtual learning in place was a heated battle last winter. Holmdel Board Member Calls Into Middletown BOE: Get Kids In Class: The battle only got spicier when a Holmdel school board member called into the Middletown school board meeting one January night, telling them his district had been open for weeks "It's going great; it's going fantastic" and told Middletown they should do the same. BOE member Terrence Wall was alternately heaped with praise from Middletown residents or told to seriously mind his own business. Monmouth Co. Girl, 9, Confesses To Virtual Class She's Starving (Feb. 2021): This heartbreaking story, which Patch was first to report nationwide and went on to be covered by CNN and the NY Post, was read by more than 200,000 people worldwide. This story revealed the unintended consequences of COVID lockdowns: This third grader's mother had lost her multiple jobs when New Jersey restaurants closed and because schools were all virtual, her mother did not know she could still pick up the free breakfasts and lunches her daughter qualified for. The girl could not concentrate during a Zoom class and when her teacher told her to pay attention, the girl broke down crying saying she could not concentrate because she was so hungry. Story continues Luxury Fitness Complex Life Time Coming To Middletown (March 2021): This luxury gym brand plans to open this three-story fitness and wellness complex on Half Mile Road in Middletown, just off Exit 109. Major Middletown Parks/Playground Improvements Are Coming (April 2021): Tindall Park is getting a dog park and Bodman, Chanceville and Countryside playgrounds are all getting new playground equipment. Middletown Students Join Anti-Mask Lawsuit In NJ Schools (July 2021): Two Middletown High School students, both at South, joined a class-action lawsuit suing Gov. Murphy for his school mask mandate. However, the lawsuit was dismissed by multiple judges and did not advance very far in the New Jersey court system. Murphy: We 'Will Take Action' Against Parents' Notes On Masks (August 2021): Who could forget when the Middletown school board tried to pass a policy that would allow student or parental notes to exempt a child from mask wearing? When Murphy caught wind of what was happening in his own backyard, he said "not so fast" and threatened to sue the Middletown school district if they followed through. Some in Middletown begged the school district to hold its ground and engage in a legal battle with the man some call "King Murphy," but the BOE ultimately backed down and followed Murphy's Law. Middletown Twp. Committee Candidate Has A Criminal Record (Oct. 2021): Patch again unearthed a hidden bit of information, when we were the first to report that a candidate running for Middletown Twp. Committee had prior criminal charges of forgery and theft. Democrat Nick Babcock never admitted to the charges from more than a decade ago. He remained in the race, but did not win a public seat. Middletown To Get $6.6 Million Under 2nd COVID Relief Bill: Middletown, like all towns in America, got a nice big chunk of cash from the federal gov't from the $1.9 trillion second COVID relief bill, signed into law by President Joe Biden. "We'll take the money. If we don't take it, it will go to some other town that will spend it," said the area's state Senator Declan O'Scanlon, (R-NJ13). "But this is like a wildly irresponsible Christmas gift. Democrats in Washington dancing around like they're giving us a gift is really outrageous, because in reality they are taking from our children's and grandchildren's bank accounts and making us think they are doing us a favor. Nobody is talking about fiscal responsibility and the public doesn't want to hear it." Patch still has to find out how Middletown Twp. will spend the money. More playground improvements? Other big news of 2021: Marijuana Is Now Officially Legal In New Jersey (Feb. 2021): Not Middletown specific news, but still extremely big news that happened in New Jersey in 2021. Gov. Murphy made small-amount marijuana possession legal after a majority New Jersey voters (more than 70 percent) voted to legalize marijuana in the Nov. 2020 election. Middletown passed a controversial ban on recreational pot shops opening up within Gov. Murphy Clarifies His Stance On NJ COVID 'Vaccine Passports' (March 2021): Again, not a Middletown-specific story, but a hot-button topic in 2021. Gov. Murphy initially said he liked the idea, something that New York and other states have carried out, but then backed off the idea after immense public backlash from New Jersey voters. Sandy Hook Raises Daily Parking Fee To $20; Season Pass To $100 (April 2021): Just news that pissed a lot of people off. Get great local news. Sign up for Patch emails: https://patch.com/subscribe Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com. This article originally appeared on the Middletown Patch MIDDLETOWN, NJ As 2022 officially begins, we thought it'd be a good idea to round up top 10 Middletown news stories of 2021. These are stories chosen because they generated the most page views, attracted the most "spirited" public debate or discussion, or had a profound impact on peoples' lives: Off-Duty Union Beach Cop Saves Woman In Middletown Fire (January 2021): This happened in North Middletown on a weekday morning in the dead of winter, when an off-duty police officer ran into a smoke-filled garage and rescued an elderly woman trapped insider her burning home. The woman could not walk without her walker and was alone in the house. The man said he only rushed inside when he saw a wheelchair in the open garage and wanted to check the burning home for occupants. Firefighters later said she never would have made it out of the home if he had not rushed in. A beautiful story that started off the year on a positive note, and shows the power of community, bravery and thinking about others. School Reopening Rally Planned For Sunday In A Divided Middletown (January 2021): The decision to reopen Middletown schools or keep virtual learning in place was a heated battle last winter. Holmdel Board Member Calls Into Middletown BOE: Get Kids In Class: The battle only got spicier when a Holmdel school board member called into the Middletown school board meeting one January night, telling them his district had been open for weeks "It's going great; it's going fantastic" and told Middletown they should do the same. BOE member Terrence Wall was alternately heaped with praise from Middletown residents or told to seriously mind his own business. Monmouth Co. Girl, 9, Confesses To Virtual Class She's Starving (Feb. 2021): This heartbreaking story, which Patch was first to report nationwide and went on to be covered by CNN and the NY Post, was read by more than 200,000 people worldwide. This story revealed the unintended consequences of COVID lockdowns: This third grader's mother had lost her multiple jobs when New Jersey restaurants closed and because schools were all virtual, her mother did not know she could still pick up the free breakfasts and lunches her daughter qualified for. The girl could not concentrate during a Zoom class and when her teacher told her to pay attention, the girl broke down crying saying she could not concentrate because she was so hungry. Story continues Luxury Fitness Complex Life Time Coming To Middletown (March 2021): This luxury gym brand plans to open this three-story fitness and wellness complex on Half Mile Road in Middletown, just off Exit 109. Major Middletown Parks/Playground Improvements Are Coming (April 2021): Tindall Park is getting a dog park and Bodman, Chanceville and Countryside playgrounds are all getting new playground equipment. Middletown Students Join Anti-Mask Lawsuit In NJ Schools (July 2021): Two Middletown High School students, both at South, joined a class-action lawsuit suing Gov. Murphy for his school mask mandate. However, the lawsuit was dismissed by multiple judges and did not advance very far in the New Jersey court system. Murphy: We 'Will Take Action' Against Parents' Notes On Masks (August 2021): Who could forget when the Middletown school board tried to pass a policy that would allow student or parental notes to exempt a child from mask wearing? When Murphy caught wind of what was happening in his own backyard, he said "not so fast" and threatened to sue the Middletown school district if they followed through. Some in Middletown begged the school district to hold its ground and engage in a legal battle with the man some call "King Murphy," but the BOE ultimately backed down and followed Murphy's Law. Middletown Twp. Committee Candidate Has A Criminal Record (Oct. 2021): Patch again unearthed a hidden bit of information, when we were the first to report that a candidate running for Middletown Twp. Committee had prior criminal charges of forgery and theft. Democrat Nick Babcock never admitted to the charges from more than a decade ago. He remained in the race, but did not win a public seat. Middletown To Get $6.6 Million Under 2nd COVID Relief Bill: Middletown, like all towns in America, got a nice big chunk of cash from the federal gov't from the $1.9 trillion second COVID relief bill, signed into law by President Joe Biden. "We'll take the money. If we don't take it, it will go to some other town that will spend it," said the area's state Senator Declan O'Scanlon, (R-NJ13). "But this is like a wildly irresponsible Christmas gift. Democrats in Washington dancing around like they're giving us a gift is really outrageous, because in reality they are taking from our children's and grandchildren's bank accounts and making us think they are doing us a favor. Nobody is talking about fiscal responsibility and the public doesn't want to hear it." Patch still has to find out how Middletown Twp. will spend the money. More playground improvements? Other big news of 2021: Marijuana Is Now Officially Legal In New Jersey (Feb. 2021): Not Middletown specific news, but still extremely big news that happened in New Jersey in 2021. Gov. Murphy made small-amount marijuana possession legal after a majority New Jersey voters (more than 70 percent) voted to legalize marijuana in the Nov. 2020 election. Middletown passed a controversial ban on recreational pot shops opening up within Gov. Murphy Clarifies His Stance On NJ COVID 'Vaccine Passports' (March 2021): Again, not a Middletown-specific story, but a hot-button topic in 2021. Gov. Murphy initially said he liked the idea, something that New York and other states have carried out, but then backed off the idea after immense public backlash from New Jersey voters. Sandy Hook Raises Daily Parking Fee To $20; Season Pass To $100 (April 2021): Just news that pissed a lot of people off. Get great local news. Sign up for Patch emails: https://patch.com/subscribe Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com. This article originally appeared on the Middletown Patch MIDDLETOWN, NJ As 2022 officially begins, we thought it'd be a good idea to round up top 10 Middletown news stories of 2021. These are stories chosen because they generated the most page views, attracted the most "spirited" public debate or discussion, or had a profound impact on peoples' lives: Off-Duty Union Beach Cop Saves Woman In Middletown Fire (January 2021): This happened in North Middletown on a weekday morning in the dead of winter, when an off-duty police officer ran into a smoke-filled garage and rescued an elderly woman trapped insider her burning home. The woman could not walk without her walker and was alone in the house. The man said he only rushed inside when he saw a wheelchair in the open garage and wanted to check the burning home for occupants. Firefighters later said she never would have made it out of the home if he had not rushed in. A beautiful story that started off the year on a positive note, and shows the power of community, bravery and thinking about others. School Reopening Rally Planned For Sunday In A Divided Middletown (January 2021): The decision to reopen Middletown schools or keep virtual learning in place was a heated battle last winter. Holmdel Board Member Calls Into Middletown BOE: Get Kids In Class: The battle only got spicier when a Holmdel school board member called into the Middletown school board meeting one January night, telling them his district had been open for weeks "It's going great; it's going fantastic" and told Middletown they should do the same. BOE member Terrence Wall was alternately heaped with praise from Middletown residents or told to seriously mind his own business. Monmouth Co. Girl, 9, Confesses To Virtual Class She's Starving (Feb. 2021): This heartbreaking story, which Patch was first to report nationwide and went on to be covered by CNN and the NY Post, was read by more than 200,000 people worldwide. This story revealed the unintended consequences of COVID lockdowns: This third grader's mother had lost her multiple jobs when New Jersey restaurants closed and because schools were all virtual, her mother did not know she could still pick up the free breakfasts and lunches her daughter qualified for. The girl could not concentrate during a Zoom class and when her teacher told her to pay attention, the girl broke down crying saying she could not concentrate because she was so hungry. Story continues Luxury Fitness Complex Life Time Coming To Middletown (March 2021): This luxury gym brand plans to open this three-story fitness and wellness complex on Half Mile Road in Middletown, just off Exit 109. Major Middletown Parks/Playground Improvements Are Coming (April 2021): Tindall Park is getting a dog park and Bodman, Chanceville and Countryside playgrounds are all getting new playground equipment. Middletown Students Join Anti-Mask Lawsuit In NJ Schools (July 2021): Two Middletown High School students, both at South, joined a class-action lawsuit suing Gov. Murphy for his school mask mandate. However, the lawsuit was dismissed by multiple judges and did not advance very far in the New Jersey court system. Murphy: We 'Will Take Action' Against Parents' Notes On Masks (August 2021): Who could forget when the Middletown school board tried to pass a policy that would allow student or parental notes to exempt a child from mask wearing? When Murphy caught wind of what was happening in his own backyard, he said "not so fast" and threatened to sue the Middletown school district if they followed through. Some in Middletown begged the school district to hold its ground and engage in a legal battle with the man some call "King Murphy," but the BOE ultimately backed down and followed Murphy's Law. Middletown Twp. Committee Candidate Has A Criminal Record (Oct. 2021): Patch again unearthed a hidden bit of information, when we were the first to report that a candidate running for Middletown Twp. Committee had prior criminal charges of forgery and theft. Democrat Nick Babcock never admitted to the charges from more than a decade ago. He remained in the race, but did not win a public seat. Middletown To Get $6.6 Million Under 2nd COVID Relief Bill: Middletown, like all towns in America, got a nice big chunk of cash from the federal gov't from the $1.9 trillion second COVID relief bill, signed into law by President Joe Biden. "We'll take the money. If we don't take it, it will go to some other town that will spend it," said the area's state Senator Declan O'Scanlon, (R-NJ13). "But this is like a wildly irresponsible Christmas gift. Democrats in Washington dancing around like they're giving us a gift is really outrageous, because in reality they are taking from our children's and grandchildren's bank accounts and making us think they are doing us a favor. Nobody is talking about fiscal responsibility and the public doesn't want to hear it." Patch still has to find out how Middletown Twp. will spend the money. More playground improvements? Other big news of 2021: Marijuana Is Now Officially Legal In New Jersey (Feb. 2021): Not Middletown specific news, but still extremely big news that happened in New Jersey in 2021. Gov. Murphy made small-amount marijuana possession legal after a majority New Jersey voters (more than 70 percent) voted to legalize marijuana in the Nov. 2020 election. Middletown passed a controversial ban on recreational pot shops opening up within Gov. Murphy Clarifies His Stance On NJ COVID 'Vaccine Passports' (March 2021): Again, not a Middletown-specific story, but a hot-button topic in 2021. Gov. Murphy initially said he liked the idea, something that New York and other states have carried out, but then backed off the idea after immense public backlash from New Jersey voters. Sandy Hook Raises Daily Parking Fee To $20; Season Pass To $100 (April 2021): Just news that pissed a lot of people off. Get great local news. Sign up for Patch emails: https://patch.com/subscribe Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com. This article originally appeared on the Middletown Patch MIDDLETOWN, NJ As 2022 officially begins, we thought it'd be a good idea to round up top 10 Middletown news stories of 2021. These are stories chosen because they generated the most page views, attracted the most "spirited" public debate or discussion, or had a profound impact on peoples' lives: Off-Duty Union Beach Cop Saves Woman In Middletown Fire (January 2021): This happened in North Middletown on a weekday morning in the dead of winter, when an off-duty police officer ran into a smoke-filled garage and rescued an elderly woman trapped insider her burning home. The woman could not walk without her walker and was alone in the house. The man said he only rushed inside when he saw a wheelchair in the open garage and wanted to check the burning home for occupants. Firefighters later said she never would have made it out of the home if he had not rushed in. A beautiful story that started off the year on a positive note, and shows the power of community, bravery and thinking about others. School Reopening Rally Planned For Sunday In A Divided Middletown (January 2021): The decision to reopen Middletown schools or keep virtual learning in place was a heated battle last winter. Holmdel Board Member Calls Into Middletown BOE: Get Kids In Class: The battle only got spicier when a Holmdel school board member called into the Middletown school board meeting one January night, telling them his district had been open for weeks "It's going great; it's going fantastic" and told Middletown they should do the same. BOE member Terrence Wall was alternately heaped with praise from Middletown residents or told to seriously mind his own business. Monmouth Co. Girl, 9, Confesses To Virtual Class She's Starving (Feb. 2021): This heartbreaking story, which Patch was first to report nationwide and went on to be covered by CNN and the NY Post, was read by more than 200,000 people worldwide. This story revealed the unintended consequences of COVID lockdowns: This third grader's mother had lost her multiple jobs when New Jersey restaurants closed and because schools were all virtual, her mother did not know she could still pick up the free breakfasts and lunches her daughter qualified for. The girl could not concentrate during a Zoom class and when her teacher told her to pay attention, the girl broke down crying saying she could not concentrate because she was so hungry. Story continues Luxury Fitness Complex Life Time Coming To Middletown (March 2021): This luxury gym brand plans to open this three-story fitness and wellness complex on Half Mile Road in Middletown, just off Exit 109. Major Middletown Parks/Playground Improvements Are Coming (April 2021): Tindall Park is getting a dog park and Bodman, Chanceville and Countryside playgrounds are all getting new playground equipment. Middletown Students Join Anti-Mask Lawsuit In NJ Schools (July 2021): Two Middletown High School students, both at South, joined a class-action lawsuit suing Gov. Murphy for his school mask mandate. However, the lawsuit was dismissed by multiple judges and did not advance very far in the New Jersey court system. Murphy: We 'Will Take Action' Against Parents' Notes On Masks (August 2021): Who could forget when the Middletown school board tried to pass a policy that would allow student or parental notes to exempt a child from mask wearing? When Murphy caught wind of what was happening in his own backyard, he said "not so fast" and threatened to sue the Middletown school district if they followed through. Some in Middletown begged the school district to hold its ground and engage in a legal battle with the man some call "King Murphy," but the BOE ultimately backed down and followed Murphy's Law. Middletown Twp. Committee Candidate Has A Criminal Record (Oct. 2021): Patch again unearthed a hidden bit of information, when we were the first to report that a candidate running for Middletown Twp. Committee had prior criminal charges of forgery and theft. Democrat Nick Babcock never admitted to the charges from more than a decade ago. He remained in the race, but did not win a public seat. Middletown To Get $6.6 Million Under 2nd COVID Relief Bill: Middletown, like all towns in America, got a nice big chunk of cash from the federal gov't from the $1.9 trillion second COVID relief bill, signed into law by President Joe Biden. "We'll take the money. If we don't take it, it will go to some other town that will spend it," said the area's state Senator Declan O'Scanlon, (R-NJ13). "But this is like a wildly irresponsible Christmas gift. Democrats in Washington dancing around like they're giving us a gift is really outrageous, because in reality they are taking from our children's and grandchildren's bank accounts and making us think they are doing us a favor. Nobody is talking about fiscal responsibility and the public doesn't want to hear it." Patch still has to find out how Middletown Twp. will spend the money. More playground improvements? Other big news of 2021: Marijuana Is Now Officially Legal In New Jersey (Feb. 2021): Not Middletown specific news, but still extremely big news that happened in New Jersey in 2021. Gov. Murphy made small-amount marijuana possession legal after a majority New Jersey voters (more than 70 percent) voted to legalize marijuana in the Nov. 2020 election. Middletown passed a controversial ban on recreational pot shops opening up within Gov. Murphy Clarifies His Stance On NJ COVID 'Vaccine Passports' (March 2021): Again, not a Middletown-specific story, but a hot-button topic in 2021. Gov. Murphy initially said he liked the idea, something that New York and other states have carried out, but then backed off the idea after immense public backlash from New Jersey voters. Sandy Hook Raises Daily Parking Fee To $20; Season Pass To $100 (April 2021): Just news that pissed a lot of people off. Get great local news. Sign up for Patch emails: https://patch.com/subscribe Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com. This article originally appeared on the Middletown Patch MIDDLETOWN, NJ As 2022 officially begins, we thought it'd be a good idea to round up top 10 Middletown news stories of 2021. These are stories chosen because they generated the most page views, attracted the most "spirited" public debate or discussion, or had a profound impact on peoples' lives: Off-Duty Union Beach Cop Saves Woman In Middletown Fire (January 2021): This happened in North Middletown on a weekday morning in the dead of winter, when an off-duty police officer ran into a smoke-filled garage and rescued an elderly woman trapped insider her burning home. The woman could not walk without her walker and was alone in the house. The man said he only rushed inside when he saw a wheelchair in the open garage and wanted to check the burning home for occupants. Firefighters later said she never would have made it out of the home if he had not rushed in. A beautiful story that started off the year on a positive note, and shows the power of community, bravery and thinking about others. School Reopening Rally Planned For Sunday In A Divided Middletown (January 2021): The decision to reopen Middletown schools or keep virtual learning in place was a heated battle last winter. Holmdel Board Member Calls Into Middletown BOE: Get Kids In Class: The battle only got spicier when a Holmdel school board member called into the Middletown school board meeting one January night, telling them his district had been open for weeks "It's going great; it's going fantastic" and told Middletown they should do the same. BOE member Terrence Wall was alternately heaped with praise from Middletown residents or told to seriously mind his own business. Monmouth Co. Girl, 9, Confesses To Virtual Class She's Starving (Feb. 2021): This heartbreaking story, which Patch was first to report nationwide and went on to be covered by CNN and the NY Post, was read by more than 200,000 people worldwide. This story revealed the unintended consequences of COVID lockdowns: This third grader's mother had lost her multiple jobs when New Jersey restaurants closed and because schools were all virtual, her mother did not know she could still pick up the free breakfasts and lunches her daughter qualified for. The girl could not concentrate during a Zoom class and when her teacher told her to pay attention, the girl broke down crying saying she could not concentrate because she was so hungry. Story continues Luxury Fitness Complex Life Time Coming To Middletown (March 2021): This luxury gym brand plans to open this three-story fitness and wellness complex on Half Mile Road in Middletown, just off Exit 109. Major Middletown Parks/Playground Improvements Are Coming (April 2021): Tindall Park is getting a dog park and Bodman, Chanceville and Countryside playgrounds are all getting new playground equipment. Middletown Students Join Anti-Mask Lawsuit In NJ Schools (July 2021): Two Middletown High School students, both at South, joined a class-action lawsuit suing Gov. Murphy for his school mask mandate. However, the lawsuit was dismissed by multiple judges and did not advance very far in the New Jersey court system. Murphy: We 'Will Take Action' Against Parents' Notes On Masks (August 2021): Who could forget when the Middletown school board tried to pass a policy that would allow student or parental notes to exempt a child from mask wearing? When Murphy caught wind of what was happening in his own backyard, he said "not so fast" and threatened to sue the Middletown school district if they followed through. Some in Middletown begged the school district to hold its ground and engage in a legal battle with the man some call "King Murphy," but the BOE ultimately backed down and followed Murphy's Law. Middletown Twp. Committee Candidate Has A Criminal Record (Oct. 2021): Patch again unearthed a hidden bit of information, when we were the first to report that a candidate running for Middletown Twp. Committee had prior criminal charges of forgery and theft. Democrat Nick Babcock never admitted to the charges from more than a decade ago. He remained in the race, but did not win a public seat. Middletown To Get $6.6 Million Under 2nd COVID Relief Bill: Middletown, like all towns in America, got a nice big chunk of cash from the federal gov't from the $1.9 trillion second COVID relief bill, signed into law by President Joe Biden. "We'll take the money. If we don't take it, it will go to some other town that will spend it," said the area's state Senator Declan O'Scanlon, (R-NJ13). "But this is like a wildly irresponsible Christmas gift. Democrats in Washington dancing around like they're giving us a gift is really outrageous, because in reality they are taking from our children's and grandchildren's bank accounts and making us think they are doing us a favor. Nobody is talking about fiscal responsibility and the public doesn't want to hear it." Patch still has to find out how Middletown Twp. will spend the money. More playground improvements? Other big news of 2021: Marijuana Is Now Officially Legal In New Jersey (Feb. 2021): Not Middletown specific news, but still extremely big news that happened in New Jersey in 2021. Gov. Murphy made small-amount marijuana possession legal after a majority New Jersey voters (more than 70 percent) voted to legalize marijuana in the Nov. 2020 election. Middletown passed a controversial ban on recreational pot shops opening up within Gov. Murphy Clarifies His Stance On NJ COVID 'Vaccine Passports' (March 2021): Again, not a Middletown-specific story, but a hot-button topic in 2021. Gov. Murphy initially said he liked the idea, something that New York and other states have carried out, but then backed off the idea after immense public backlash from New Jersey voters. Sandy Hook Raises Daily Parking Fee To $20; Season Pass To $100 (April 2021): Just news that pissed a lot of people off. Get great local news. Sign up for Patch emails: https://patch.com/subscribe Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com. This article originally appeared on the Middletown Patch The Regional Medical Center will hold off on requiring its employees to get vaccinated until the U.S. Supreme Court makes a ruling on the matter. RMC President David Southerland said the hospital will wait until a final ruling is made before requiring its employees to get the shot. While we are not yet mandating vaccines for our employees, RMC is closely following the litigation surrounding vaccine mandates, Southerland said. As these various cases resolve, RMC will revisit its policies. Southerland said he is hearing the Supreme Court ruling could come as early as January. South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson joined 26 other states, private employers and organizations in asking the U.S. Supreme Court to block the federal COVID-19 vaccine and weekly testing mandates. U.S. courts have offered different rulings on the federal vaccine mandate. The hospital trustees unanimously voted in November to require all employees to be vaccinated based on the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requirement that health care facilities with over 100 employees have a policy in place ensuring that eligible staff be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4, 2022. Failure to comply with the requirement would have placed the hospital's Medicare funding in jeopardy. RMC receives about 72% of its revenue from the federal government. The hospital ended up putting its COVID-19 vaccine mandate on hold following a federal judges decision in Louisiana on Nov. 6. The judge issued a preliminary injunction against the mandate, saying such a mandate needs to come from the legislative branch and not the executive branch. The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the mandate on Dec. 17. The vaccine mandate was immediately appealed and will more than likely go before the United States Supreme Court for a final decision. The hospital continues to provide vaccines for employees who want to become vaccinated. RMC currently employs about 1,300. About 900 are estimated to be fully vaccinated. Employees are required to wear masks. At the hospital's Dec. 21 board meeting, RMC Vice President of Physician Practice Operations Sabrina Robinson said the hospital saw its gross patient revenue fall below budget by about $3.8 million for the month of November. In-patient volumes caused revenue to fall below budget by $4.2 million, said Robinson. "On a positive note, outpatient revenue was above budget by $394,000 and physician revenues were above budget by about $23,000," Robinson said. The hospital received $7.7 million in provider relief funds, which are a part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2020. We have not recognized any of this money that was received yet in our financial statement, Robinson said. We will want to evaluate it at quarter end and we will take it as necessary by the end of this first quarter. Expenses, including salaries, for the month were over budget by about $864,000 and $1.5 million over budget year-to-date. Robinson said salaries went over budget because of employee bonuses $276,000 in November and $401,000 year-to date. Robinson also noted wages in the hospital's 3 East (progressive care unit) were over $104,000 for November and over $183,000 year-to-date. That is related to our internal strategies in order to internally provide temporary assignments for nurses we have in specific departments for our nursing shortage, Robinson said. Robinson said the hospital's cash did increase in November by about $2 million due to the $7.7 million in COVID funding. A look at the hospital's income statement for November revealed the RMC had a net income loss for the month of $3.1 million and a net income loss of $6.9 million year-to-date. For the entire system, including the hospital's six primary care practices, its net income loss for the month of November was $3.4 million and the net income loss for the entire system was $7.4 million year-to-date. When you look at these numbers, it is kind of what we budgeted, RMC Chair the Rev. Dr. Caesar Richburg said. We budgeted for soft numbers or lost numbers in preparation to engage in this very aggressive plan we have going forward. In other business: Trustees were reminded to turn in their annual self-assessment forms. Trustees entered into closed session to receive a report from the hospital president, a community works update, a quality care update, information on the opportunity of a Bowman practice, an update on the family practice residency program partnership between the RMC and the Family Health Centers, an update on its ambulatory surgery center lawsuit and a revenue cycle update. WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed by a man who went on to carjack, rob and shoot more people during a two-state manhunt this week said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters, Missouri. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a "series" of carjackings, robberies and shootings on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities eventually caught up to him in Clinton County, Illinois, where he held a person hostage in a home. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. The family's full statement is below: The Family of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley mourns the loss of their husband, father, son and friend. We could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support. To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero. Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. -Matthew 5:9 Visitation for Sean Riley will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m., Monday January 3, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with a first responder walk thru at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials in his honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. Memorials will be accepted at the services and the Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, IL which is assisting with arrangements. Additional information will be released in the coming days. We ask the community to show their support by lining the procession route. The Regional Medical Center will hold off on requiring its employees to get vaccinated until the U.S. Supreme Court makes a ruling on the matter. RMC President David Southerland said the hospital will wait until a final ruling is made before requiring its employees to get the shot. While we are not yet mandating vaccines for our employees, RMC is closely following the litigation surrounding vaccine mandates, Southerland said. As these various cases resolve, RMC will revisit its policies. Southerland said he is hearing the Supreme Court ruling could come as early as January. South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson joined 26 other states, private employers and organizations in asking the U.S. Supreme Court to block the federal COVID-19 vaccine and weekly testing mandates. U.S. courts have offered different rulings on the federal vaccine mandate. The hospital trustees unanimously voted in November to require all employees to be vaccinated based on the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requirement that health care facilities with over 100 employees have a policy in place ensuring that eligible staff be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4, 2022. Failure to comply with the requirement would have placed the hospital's Medicare funding in jeopardy. RMC receives about 72% of its revenue from the federal government. The hospital ended up putting its COVID-19 vaccine mandate on hold following a federal judges decision in Louisiana on Nov. 6. The judge issued a preliminary injunction against the mandate, saying such a mandate needs to come from the legislative branch and not the executive branch. The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the mandate on Dec. 17. The vaccine mandate was immediately appealed and will more than likely go before the United States Supreme Court for a final decision. The hospital continues to provide vaccines for employees who want to become vaccinated. RMC currently employs about 1,300. About 900 are estimated to be fully vaccinated. Employees are required to wear masks. At the hospital's Dec. 21 board meeting, RMC Vice President of Physician Practice Operations Sabrina Robinson said the hospital saw its gross patient revenue fall below budget by about $3.8 million for the month of November. In-patient volumes caused revenue to fall below budget by $4.2 million, said Robinson. "On a positive note, outpatient revenue was above budget by $394,000 and physician revenues were above budget by about $23,000," Robinson said. The hospital received $7.7 million in provider relief funds, which are a part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2020. We have not recognized any of this money that was received yet in our financial statement, Robinson said. We will want to evaluate it at quarter end and we will take it as necessary by the end of this first quarter. Expenses, including salaries, for the month were over budget by about $864,000 and $1.5 million over budget year-to-date. Robinson said salaries went over budget because of employee bonuses $276,000 in November and $401,000 year-to date. Robinson also noted wages in the hospital's 3 East (progressive care unit) were over $104,000 for November and over $183,000 year-to-date. That is related to our internal strategies in order to internally provide temporary assignments for nurses we have in specific departments for our nursing shortage, Robinson said. Robinson said the hospital's cash did increase in November by about $2 million due to the $7.7 million in COVID funding. A look at the hospital's income statement for November revealed the RMC had a net income loss for the month of $3.1 million and a net income loss of $6.9 million year-to-date. For the entire system, including the hospital's six primary care practices, its net income loss for the month of November was $3.4 million and the net income loss for the entire system was $7.4 million year-to-date. When you look at these numbers, it is kind of what we budgeted, RMC Chair the Rev. Dr. Caesar Richburg said. We budgeted for soft numbers or lost numbers in preparation to engage in this very aggressive plan we have going forward. In other business: Trustees were reminded to turn in their annual self-assessment forms. Trustees entered into closed session to receive a report from the hospital president, a community works update, a quality care update, information on the opportunity of a Bowman practice, an update on the family practice residency program partnership between the RMC and the Family Health Centers, an update on its ambulatory surgery center lawsuit and a revenue cycle update. 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Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe The murdered wife of disgraced lawyer Alex Murdaugh left everything to her husband in her will, it has been revealed. Margaret Maggie Murdaugh, 52, and her son Paul Murdaugh, 22, were shot and killed at the familys sprawling hunting lodge in Islandton, South Carolina, on 7 June. It was Mr Murdaugh who called 911 that night saying he had come home to discover his wife and sons bodies by the kennels on their estate. Almost seven months on, the double murder still remains a mystery with no arrests made, no suspects named and no charges filed. Since the killings, Mr Murdaughs life has continued to unravel with the high-powered attorney claiming in September that he was shot in the head in a drive-by shooting in Hampton County. He then admitted to orchestrating the hitman plot so that his surviving son Buster could access a $10m life insurance payout after he had blown much of the familys wealth on feeding his 20-year opioid addiction. He has since been accused of stealing money from his law firm and swindling the family of his dead housekeeper out of money from a wrongful death lawsuit following her mysterious trip and fall death in 2018. Ms Murdaughs last will and testimony, unsealed last week and obtained by The Island Packet, has now revealed that she left all of her property to her husband. However, she listed her sister Marian Proctor as the person who would have oversight of her estate in the event of her death. The will was signed in August 2005 but was later amended by hand at an unknown point in time. The document reveals Ms Proctors name was crossed out by hand and replaced with Randolph Murdaugh III, Mr Murdaughs fathers name, giving him the role of handling the estate. Randolph Murdaugh died just three days after Ms Murdaugh and her son Paul were murdered. The family law firm at the time said he had died after a battle with illness. Mr Murdaughs attorney Jim Griffin previously said his client was a person of interest in his wife and sons deaths from the get go but insisted that he didnt think in any form or fashion the will was a motive for their deaths. Story continues I think her untimely death actually works harm to his financial planning by having the (Moselle) property conveyed back to him through probate, he said. It opens it up to creditors claims and, before, it was protected. Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were both found shot to death at the family hunting lodge in June (Handout) Mr Murdaugh, Buster and Ms Proctor all separately renounced their rights to handle Maggie Murdaughs estate following her death, The Island Packet reported. Instead, on 9 December, Mr Murdaughs brother John Marvin Murdaugh was appointed as the personal representative for the estate. In a sworn statement, he has said he will resolve the estates debts before distributing any money or property to Mr Murdaugh or Buster. He told The Island Packet he does not know why Ms Murdaugh would have amended her will but said he believes the changes were made when she was alive because it looked like her handwriting. The disclosure of the will marks just the latest twist in the case which has rocked the South Carolina county. Speculation has long mounted over who was behind the double murders, given the familys ties to other mystery deaths in the area. At the time of the killings, Paul was due to stand trial on charges of boating under the influence over a 2019 boat crash which killed 19-year-old Mallory Beach. He was facing up to 25 years in prison if convicted. Mr Murdaugh is currently being held behind bars on a string of charges in connection to the botched hit-for-hire plot back in September. He called 911 claiming he was ambushed by the side of a road when changing a tyre on his car. He was taken to hospital with superficial head injuries before checking himself into rehab for his opioid addiction. Days later, he confessed to the plot and he and his alleged co-conspirator Curtis Smith were arrested on a slew of charges. Mr Murdaugh was arrested and charged again the following month with misappropriating funds from the estate of Gloria Satterfield, the familys housekeeper who died after a fall at their home in 2018. He agreed last month to pay a $4.3m settlement to Ms Satterfields sons. The attorney, whose family once dominated the countys justice system, is also under investigation for allegations he stole funds from his law firm PMPED. Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe The Regional Medical Center will hold off on requiring its employees to get vaccinated until the U.S. Supreme Court makes a ruling on the matter. RMC President David Southerland said the hospital will wait until a final ruling is made before requiring its employees to get the shot. While we are not yet mandating vaccines for our employees, RMC is closely following the litigation surrounding vaccine mandates, Southerland said. As these various cases resolve, RMC will revisit its policies. Southerland said he is hearing the Supreme Court ruling could come as early as January. South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson joined 26 other states, private employers and organizations in asking the U.S. Supreme Court to block the federal COVID-19 vaccine and weekly testing mandates. U.S. courts have offered different rulings on the federal vaccine mandate. The hospital trustees unanimously voted in November to require all employees to be vaccinated based on the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requirement that health care facilities with over 100 employees have a policy in place ensuring that eligible staff be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4, 2022. Failure to comply with the requirement would have placed the hospital's Medicare funding in jeopardy. RMC receives about 72% of its revenue from the federal government. The hospital ended up putting its COVID-19 vaccine mandate on hold following a federal judges decision in Louisiana on Nov. 6. The judge issued a preliminary injunction against the mandate, saying such a mandate needs to come from the legislative branch and not the executive branch. The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the mandate on Dec. 17. The vaccine mandate was immediately appealed and will more than likely go before the United States Supreme Court for a final decision. The hospital continues to provide vaccines for employees who want to become vaccinated. RMC currently employs about 1,300. About 900 are estimated to be fully vaccinated. Employees are required to wear masks. At the hospital's Dec. 21 board meeting, RMC Vice President of Physician Practice Operations Sabrina Robinson said the hospital saw its gross patient revenue fall below budget by about $3.8 million for the month of November. In-patient volumes caused revenue to fall below budget by $4.2 million, said Robinson. "On a positive note, outpatient revenue was above budget by $394,000 and physician revenues were above budget by about $23,000," Robinson said. The hospital received $7.7 million in provider relief funds, which are a part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2020. We have not recognized any of this money that was received yet in our financial statement, Robinson said. We will want to evaluate it at quarter end and we will take it as necessary by the end of this first quarter. Expenses, including salaries, for the month were over budget by about $864,000 and $1.5 million over budget year-to-date. Robinson said salaries went over budget because of employee bonuses $276,000 in November and $401,000 year-to date. Robinson also noted wages in the hospital's 3 East (progressive care unit) were over $104,000 for November and over $183,000 year-to-date. That is related to our internal strategies in order to internally provide temporary assignments for nurses we have in specific departments for our nursing shortage, Robinson said. Robinson said the hospital's cash did increase in November by about $2 million due to the $7.7 million in COVID funding. A look at the hospital's income statement for November revealed the RMC had a net income loss for the month of $3.1 million and a net income loss of $6.9 million year-to-date. For the entire system, including the hospital's six primary care practices, its net income loss for the month of November was $3.4 million and the net income loss for the entire system was $7.4 million year-to-date. When you look at these numbers, it is kind of what we budgeted, RMC Chair the Rev. Dr. Caesar Richburg said. We budgeted for soft numbers or lost numbers in preparation to engage in this very aggressive plan we have going forward. In other business: Trustees were reminded to turn in their annual self-assessment forms. Trustees entered into closed session to receive a report from the hospital president, a community works update, a quality care update, information on the opportunity of a Bowman practice, an update on the family practice residency program partnership between the RMC and the Family Health Centers, an update on its ambulatory surgery center lawsuit and a revenue cycle update. The fire department of Seoul, South Korea, is warning cat owners to be especially careful in the kitchen. More than 100 house fires in the city between January 2019 and November 2021 were attributed to cats accidentally turning on electric stoves, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Fire & Disaster Headquarters, per The Korea Herald. If an electric stove has touch-sensitive buttons, a cat can accidentally switch it on by jumping up and hitting the controls with their paws. Luckily, there are easy things you can do to prevent your cat from becoming an unintentional arsonist. Many electric stoves with button controls have a function that allows users to lock the buttons, which keeps them from being activated by someone who shouldnt do so, like a cat or a small child. The Seoul officials recommended using this feature, as well as keeping flammable objects, like paper towels, away from the stove, according to CNN. Stay away from those buttons, Mr. Mittens! (Photo: Martin Theisen / EyeEm via Getty Images) This warning was specifically about electric stoves with buttons, but you still may want to cat-proof your stove if it uses knobs. There have been instances of especially dextrous cats accidentally manipulating stove knobs and turning on a burner, or, in the case of gas ranges, filling a home with flammable gas. In these cases, the problem can be avoided by buying childproofing covers to go over the stoves knobs. Don't even think about it. (Photo: Klim Berezutsky / EyeEm via Getty Images) In the United States, about 1,000 house fires a year are started by pets, according to the nonprofit American Humane, though the organization does not break down that figure by species. To help prevent pet-related blazes, the nonprofit recommends covering stove knobs, securing any loose wires and never leaving open flames, like a candle, unattended. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... The fire department of Seoul, South Korea, is warning cat owners to be especially careful in the kitchen. More than 100 house fires in the city between January 2019 and November 2021 were attributed to cats accidentally turning on electric stoves, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Fire & Disaster Headquarters, per The Korea Herald. If an electric stove has touch-sensitive buttons, a cat can accidentally switch it on by jumping up and hitting the controls with their paws. Luckily, there are easy things you can do to prevent your cat from becoming an unintentional arsonist. Many electric stoves with button controls have a function that allows users to lock the buttons, which keeps them from being activated by someone who shouldnt do so, like a cat or a small child. The Seoul officials recommended using this feature, as well as keeping flammable objects, like paper towels, away from the stove, according to CNN. Stay away from those buttons, Mr. Mittens! (Photo: Martin Theisen / EyeEm via Getty Images) This warning was specifically about electric stoves with buttons, but you still may want to cat-proof your stove if it uses knobs. There have been instances of especially dextrous cats accidentally manipulating stove knobs and turning on a burner, or, in the case of gas ranges, filling a home with flammable gas. In these cases, the problem can be avoided by buying childproofing covers to go over the stoves knobs. Don't even think about it. (Photo: Klim Berezutsky / EyeEm via Getty Images) In the United States, about 1,000 house fires a year are started by pets, according to the nonprofit American Humane, though the organization does not break down that figure by species. To help prevent pet-related blazes, the nonprofit recommends covering stove knobs, securing any loose wires and never leaving open flames, like a candle, unattended. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... The Regional Medical Center will hold off on requiring its employees to get vaccinated until the U.S. Supreme Court makes a ruling on the matter. RMC President David Southerland said the hospital will wait until a final ruling is made before requiring its employees to get the shot. While we are not yet mandating vaccines for our employees, RMC is closely following the litigation surrounding vaccine mandates, Southerland said. As these various cases resolve, RMC will revisit its policies. Southerland said he is hearing the Supreme Court ruling could come as early as January. South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson joined 26 other states, private employers and organizations in asking the U.S. Supreme Court to block the federal COVID-19 vaccine and weekly testing mandates. U.S. courts have offered different rulings on the federal vaccine mandate. The hospital trustees unanimously voted in November to require all employees to be vaccinated based on the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requirement that health care facilities with over 100 employees have a policy in place ensuring that eligible staff be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4, 2022. Failure to comply with the requirement would have placed the hospital's Medicare funding in jeopardy. RMC receives about 72% of its revenue from the federal government. The hospital ended up putting its COVID-19 vaccine mandate on hold following a federal judges decision in Louisiana on Nov. 6. The judge issued a preliminary injunction against the mandate, saying such a mandate needs to come from the legislative branch and not the executive branch. The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the mandate on Dec. 17. The vaccine mandate was immediately appealed and will more than likely go before the United States Supreme Court for a final decision. The hospital continues to provide vaccines for employees who want to become vaccinated. RMC currently employs about 1,300. About 900 are estimated to be fully vaccinated. Employees are required to wear masks. At the hospital's Dec. 21 board meeting, RMC Vice President of Physician Practice Operations Sabrina Robinson said the hospital saw its gross patient revenue fall below budget by about $3.8 million for the month of November. In-patient volumes caused revenue to fall below budget by $4.2 million, said Robinson. "On a positive note, outpatient revenue was above budget by $394,000 and physician revenues were above budget by about $23,000," Robinson said. The hospital received $7.7 million in provider relief funds, which are a part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2020. We have not recognized any of this money that was received yet in our financial statement, Robinson said. We will want to evaluate it at quarter end and we will take it as necessary by the end of this first quarter. Expenses, including salaries, for the month were over budget by about $864,000 and $1.5 million over budget year-to-date. Robinson said salaries went over budget because of employee bonuses $276,000 in November and $401,000 year-to date. Robinson also noted wages in the hospital's 3 East (progressive care unit) were over $104,000 for November and over $183,000 year-to-date. That is related to our internal strategies in order to internally provide temporary assignments for nurses we have in specific departments for our nursing shortage, Robinson said. Robinson said the hospital's cash did increase in November by about $2 million due to the $7.7 million in COVID funding. A look at the hospital's income statement for November revealed the RMC had a net income loss for the month of $3.1 million and a net income loss of $6.9 million year-to-date. For the entire system, including the hospital's six primary care practices, its net income loss for the month of November was $3.4 million and the net income loss for the entire system was $7.4 million year-to-date. When you look at these numbers, it is kind of what we budgeted, RMC Chair the Rev. Dr. Caesar Richburg said. We budgeted for soft numbers or lost numbers in preparation to engage in this very aggressive plan we have going forward. In other business: Trustees were reminded to turn in their annual self-assessment forms. Trustees entered into closed session to receive a report from the hospital president, a community works update, a quality care update, information on the opportunity of a Bowman practice, an update on the family practice residency program partnership between the RMC and the Family Health Centers, an update on its ambulatory surgery center lawsuit and a revenue cycle update. Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Public health warnings haven't inspired much more than panicked talk and we kind that that more serious action might be merited given so much fearsome chatter directed at the media. To be fair, there are plenty of reasons to stay home tonight. COVID is just one. Nevertheless, here's a TKC glimpse at more warnings for tonight that will mostly be ignored . . . Kansas City area health leaders stress skipping crowded NYE parties as COVID cases surge KANSAS CITY, Mo. - It's been another tough year dealing with the pandemic so as you can imagine a lot of people are wanting to let loose and enjoy the night at parties like Power and Light's New Year's Live! While others are choosing a low-key route to ring in the new year. Testing center in Overland Park offers new test that detects omicron variant Antigen test manufacturer Quidel announced this week that its new COVID-19 antigen test now detects the omicron variant.Overland Park-based COVID-19 testing center Health Gauge said that it now offers the test.It's by drive-up appointment only at Health Gauge in Overland Park."Over the course of the last week and a half, we've seen a real pickup in testing," said Scott McGlothlen, of Health Gauge.Scott McGlothlen said his company had nearly closed shop on COVID-19 testing at its Overland Park center. KC bars, restaurants and businesses prepare for another pandemic New Year's Eve KANSAS CITY, Mo. - As New Year's Eve celebrations return this year, some businesses are taking extra safety precautions due to the recent rise in COVID-19 cases. Last year, a lot of New Year's Eve celebrations were called off due to the pandemic, but many restaurants, bars and businesses are bringing back the festivities this year. Metro hospitals brace for more COVID patients while battling the flu KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) --- Hospitals across the Kansas City metro area and all of Kansas will host a conference Jan. 3 to discuss capacity issues and staffing challenges. They're dealing with a new Covid-19 variant, staffing shortages and high rates of flu. Fauci Warns Against 'Hugging and Kissing' in New Year's Eve Celebrations The nation's leading infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci OK'd small, at-home New Year's Eve gatherings among vaccinated and boosted individuals on Wednesday, but he urged Americans to cancel plans to attend larger parties as conditions become more grim amid the omicron variant. Developing . . . MIDDLETOWN, NJ As 2022 officially begins, we thought it'd be a good idea to round up top 10 Middletown news stories of 2021. These are stories chosen because they generated the most page views, attracted the most "spirited" public debate or discussion, or had a profound impact on peoples' lives: Off-Duty Union Beach Cop Saves Woman In Middletown Fire (January 2021): This happened in North Middletown on a weekday morning in the dead of winter, when an off-duty police officer ran into a smoke-filled garage and rescued an elderly woman trapped insider her burning home. The woman could not walk without her walker and was alone in the house. The man said he only rushed inside when he saw a wheelchair in the open garage and wanted to check the burning home for occupants. Firefighters later said she never would have made it out of the home if he had not rushed in. A beautiful story that started off the year on a positive note, and shows the power of community, bravery and thinking about others. School Reopening Rally Planned For Sunday In A Divided Middletown (January 2021): The decision to reopen Middletown schools or keep virtual learning in place was a heated battle last winter. Holmdel Board Member Calls Into Middletown BOE: Get Kids In Class: The battle only got spicier when a Holmdel school board member called into the Middletown school board meeting one January night, telling them his district had been open for weeks "It's going great; it's going fantastic" and told Middletown they should do the same. BOE member Terrence Wall was alternately heaped with praise from Middletown residents or told to seriously mind his own business. Monmouth Co. Girl, 9, Confesses To Virtual Class She's Starving (Feb. 2021): This heartbreaking story, which Patch was first to report nationwide and went on to be covered by CNN and the NY Post, was read by more than 200,000 people worldwide. This story revealed the unintended consequences of COVID lockdowns: This third grader's mother had lost her multiple jobs when New Jersey restaurants closed and because schools were all virtual, her mother did not know she could still pick up the free breakfasts and lunches her daughter qualified for. The girl could not concentrate during a Zoom class and when her teacher told her to pay attention, the girl broke down crying saying she could not concentrate because she was so hungry. Story continues Luxury Fitness Complex Life Time Coming To Middletown (March 2021): This luxury gym brand plans to open this three-story fitness and wellness complex on Half Mile Road in Middletown, just off Exit 109. Major Middletown Parks/Playground Improvements Are Coming (April 2021): Tindall Park is getting a dog park and Bodman, Chanceville and Countryside playgrounds are all getting new playground equipment. Middletown Students Join Anti-Mask Lawsuit In NJ Schools (July 2021): Two Middletown High School students, both at South, joined a class-action lawsuit suing Gov. Murphy for his school mask mandate. However, the lawsuit was dismissed by multiple judges and did not advance very far in the New Jersey court system. Murphy: We 'Will Take Action' Against Parents' Notes On Masks (August 2021): Who could forget when the Middletown school board tried to pass a policy that would allow student or parental notes to exempt a child from mask wearing? When Murphy caught wind of what was happening in his own backyard, he said "not so fast" and threatened to sue the Middletown school district if they followed through. Some in Middletown begged the school district to hold its ground and engage in a legal battle with the man some call "King Murphy," but the BOE ultimately backed down and followed Murphy's Law. Middletown Twp. Committee Candidate Has A Criminal Record (Oct. 2021): Patch again unearthed a hidden bit of information, when we were the first to report that a candidate running for Middletown Twp. Committee had prior criminal charges of forgery and theft. Democrat Nick Babcock never admitted to the charges from more than a decade ago. He remained in the race, but did not win a public seat. Middletown To Get $6.6 Million Under 2nd COVID Relief Bill: Middletown, like all towns in America, got a nice big chunk of cash from the federal gov't from the $1.9 trillion second COVID relief bill, signed into law by President Joe Biden. "We'll take the money. If we don't take it, it will go to some other town that will spend it," said the area's state Senator Declan O'Scanlon, (R-NJ13). "But this is like a wildly irresponsible Christmas gift. Democrats in Washington dancing around like they're giving us a gift is really outrageous, because in reality they are taking from our children's and grandchildren's bank accounts and making us think they are doing us a favor. Nobody is talking about fiscal responsibility and the public doesn't want to hear it." Patch still has to find out how Middletown Twp. will spend the money. More playground improvements? Other big news of 2021: Marijuana Is Now Officially Legal In New Jersey (Feb. 2021): Not Middletown specific news, but still extremely big news that happened in New Jersey in 2021. Gov. Murphy made small-amount marijuana possession legal after a majority New Jersey voters (more than 70 percent) voted to legalize marijuana in the Nov. 2020 election. Middletown passed a controversial ban on recreational pot shops opening up within Gov. Murphy Clarifies His Stance On NJ COVID 'Vaccine Passports' (March 2021): Again, not a Middletown-specific story, but a hot-button topic in 2021. Gov. Murphy initially said he liked the idea, something that New York and other states have carried out, but then backed off the idea after immense public backlash from New Jersey voters. Sandy Hook Raises Daily Parking Fee To $20; Season Pass To $100 (April 2021): Just news that pissed a lot of people off. Get great local news. Sign up for Patch emails: https://patch.com/subscribe Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com. This article originally appeared on the Middletown Patch Dogs and puppies King, a 1-year-old black male Boxer-mix, needs the warm embrace of safety with you (case 0328). Cyndi Lou, a 3-year-old black-and-white female Lab-mix, is no Grinch to be around (case 0361). Roxie, an 18-month-old tan-and-white female Lab-mix, makes you feel young again (case 0472). Ollie, a 1-year-old spotted white-and-black male Lab-mix, will only have eyes for you (case 0542). Nosey, 2-year-old tan female Shepherd-mix, needs someone to love just as much as she does (case 0001). Bandi, a 4-5 year-old white female Lab-mix, needs love she has never been shown (case 0051). Petunia, a 2-3 year-old brindle female Boxer-mix, will cuddle with you all day long (case 0137). Benji, an 8-year-old tan Lhasa Apso male, needs a partner in crime (case 0198). Diesel, a 10-month-old black male Boston Terrier-mix, is that fire you need in life (case 0242). Lyric, a 10-month-old red female Carolina-mix, will make your heart sing (case 0248). Selena, a 9-month-old black-and-white spotted female Heeler-mix, needs a new leading man (case 0251). Nala, a 6-month-old white female Lab-mix, is looking for her Simba (case 0262). Shadow, a 3-4 year-old black male mini Shepherd-mix, will stick to you like glue (case 0266). Cats and kittens Penelope, 2-year-old tabby female, will turn your sour in to sweet (case 0331). Camilla, a 1-year-old diluted female tabby, specializes in purrs (case 0161). Juliet, a 5-month old black-and-white female tuxedo/magpie-mix, needs a new Romeo (case 0326). Carolina, a 1-year-old tabby with white female DSH, makes every day feel like sunshine (case 0416). June, an 18-month-old black female Bombay-mix, who makes it feel like summer all year long (case 0178). Dotty, a 2-year-old tabby female DSH, will make your heart skip a beat (case 0548). Emma, a 10-month-old black-and-white female DSH, will cast a spell over your heart (case 0059). Freda, an 11-year-old tri-color female calico, knows cuddles are the best medicine (case 0075). Missy, a 5-month-old female tortoise shell, who needs someone classy in her life (case 0229). Haley, an 11-month-old female tortoise shell, is out of this world fun (case 0218). Cynthia, a 1-year-old female diluted calico, is the best couch surfer (case 0132). Sofie, a 1-year-old female calico-mix, will make you feel like the only one in the room (case 0137). Simon, a 3-month-old black male DSH, knows what he wants and how to tell you (case 0141). Raven, a 4-month-old female tabby DSH, will make you feel like your soaring (case 0144). Crissy, an 11-year-old female calico, will steal your heart (case 0145). Jade, a 3-month-old female tabby DSH, will climb curtains for your love (case 0183). Kira, a 3-month-old female tabby DSH, has a way with purrs (case 0184). Sunshine, an 18-month-old orange-and-white female tabby DSH, will show brighten your day (case 0185). Kahn, a 2-month-old orange tabby male DSH, will conquer your heart (case 0244). Champ, a 6-month-old black male DSH, is the winner you are searching for (case 0131). Buzz, a 2-month-old orange male DSH, will love you for infinity (case 0256). Jack, a 2-month-old black male DSH, is looking for his Rose (case 0257). The Orangeburg SPCA will be limiting the number of people inside its facility at this time. Hours of operation are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the first and third Saturdays. The SPCA is located at 225 Ruf Road and the phone number is 803-536-3918. Check out available adoptions on the internet at orangeburgspca.petfinder.com, the interactive website at www.OrangeburgSPCA.org and Facebook page at Orangeburg SPCA. Email any questions to adopt@orangeburgspca.org. MEXICO CITY, Dec 17 (Reuters) - The former chief of security for Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) was arrested in Canada on charges of protecting a fuel theft racket within the state-run oil company, and his extradition process has begun, Mexican officials told Reuters on Friday. A brief statement from the attorney general's office on Friday indicated that an "Eduardo L" had been detained by Canadian authorities, and two officials with knowledge of the case confirmed that the individual is retired Gen. Eduardo Leon Trauwitz, the former head of security at Pemex. The statement noted that the individual is accused of "probable responsibility as protector of (fuel theft) within Pemex." It added that prosecutors now have proof that he and a group of accomplices allegedly "covered up and protected" the theft within Pemex's fuel distribution networks. Trauwitz was given charge of security at Pemex under former President Enrique Pena Nieto. Before Pena Nieto became president, Trauwitz served on his security detail. The extradition request for Trauwitz was issued to Canadian officials in November 2019, the statement added. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe BAMAKO (Reuters) - Mali's interim authorities proposed to its West African neighbours that a transition back to democracy following a 2020 military coup be extended by five years, the foreign minister said in comments broadcast on Saturday. The transitional government initially agreed to hold presidential and legislative elections in February 2022, 18 months after Colonel Assimi Goita led the overthrow of President Boubacar Ibrahim Keita. It has made little progress since then, blaming disorganisation and a rash of Islamist violence. A conference charged with recommending an election timetable said on Thursday the polls should be delayed by between six months and five years. Following a meeting with Ghana President Nana Akufo-Addo, the chair of the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Mali's Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop said he had proposed the upper bound of that interval. "What was retained was a duration of five years. That's the issue that was presented," Diop said in comments broadcast by the state-run television network. "But it's a question of indicating that this period, it's the maximum." An ECOWAS spokesperson was not immediately available for comment. The organisation is struggling to hold the line against military coups in a region that until recently appeared to have shed its reputation as Africa's "coup belt". Goita staged a second coup in May 2021 when he pushed aside the interim president that had taken over after Keita's ouster and took the job himself. Guinea's military also overthrew President Alpha Conde in September. ECOWAS has imposed sanctions on Malian officials over election delays and promised more https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/west-african-bloc-imposes-sanctions-mali-leaders-over-stalled-vote-2021-11-07 if Mali did not produce a plan for February elections by the end of 2021. Mali's actions have also deepened tensions with former colonial power France, which has thousands of soldiers deployed across West Africa's Sahel region to battle Islamist insurgents. (Reporting by Tiemoko Diallo; Writing by Aaron Ross; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) Michael Pfleger's Chicago church giving away $25K in gun buyback program in effort to reduce crime A congregation in Chicago, Illinois, has sought to combat gun violence in the city through a $25,000 firearms buyback program centered on young adults and youth. The Faith Community of Saint Sabina began the buyback event on Monday and plans to continue the event until they have fully spent the $25,000 allotted for the program. The Rev. Michael L. Pfleger of Saint Sabina Church provided The Christian Post with more information on the program, which is centered on getting guns out of the hands of youth. The event allows individuals 25 years old and younger to anonymously sell their guns to the church from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Listed prices for working firearms given to the church include $100 for rifles, $200 for modern rifles, what some call "assault weapons," and $20 for high-capacity magazines. We are continuing to try many things to stop this senseless killing, said Pfleger, who listed other events geared toward this effort, including weekly peace walks and block parties. This is just one more application. For the first two days of their buyback program, according to Pfleger, the church acquired 123 handguns, 31 rifles, and one assault weapon, with the pastor adding that they were able to meet and speak to many young brothers to help turn their lives around. Over the July 4 weekend, Chicago saw its "deadliest and most violent weekend," with 104 people being shot and 19 of them killed. Among the wounded were 13 children, The Chicago Sun Times reported. According to the Chicago Tribune, 2,021 people had been victims of shootings by July 7, which was 164 more than all of 2020. The high number of shootings and murders in Chicago has led many to refer to the city by using the pejorative nickname Chiraq, alluding to the idea that some parts of Chicago are more violent than war-torn countries like Iraq. Last weekend, there were 70 shooting victims in the city, 12 of whom have died from their wounds. Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown has blamed the spike in crime on the courts releasing suspects instead of prosecuting them. "We are arresting violent offenders, the courts are releasing these people back into the community," said Brown, as reported by ABC News' Chicago affiliate. "My question to you is, what the courts can do different[ly] rather than release violent people back to these communities to create an environment of lawlessness." Last week, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, disagreed, contending at a press conference that while she welcomed increased federal aid in response, we cannot arrest our way out of this problem. Fundamentally, if you look at the West Side and you look at the problems, the opioid addiction that is really harming so many individuals, families and communities, the investments we have to make in human capital and the investments we have to make in infrastructure, those are why I spend so much time on the West Side, said Lightfoot, as reported by NBC Chicago. If we can get it right [on the west side], with the mix of resources and investments and capacity building in neighborhoods, empowering residents to be able to hold the territory under their feet, with our help and our support not just in the short-term but in the long-term, thats really what the investments have to be about, and Im totally committed to that. Michael Pfleger's Chicago church giving away $25K in gun buyback program in effort to reduce crime A congregation in Chicago, Illinois, has sought to combat gun violence in the city through a $25,000 firearms buyback program centered on young adults and youth. The Faith Community of Saint Sabina began the buyback event on Monday and plans to continue the event until they have fully spent the $25,000 allotted for the program. The Rev. Michael L. Pfleger of Saint Sabina Church provided The Christian Post with more information on the program, which is centered on getting guns out of the hands of youth. The event allows individuals 25 years old and younger to anonymously sell their guns to the church from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Listed prices for working firearms given to the church include $100 for rifles, $200 for modern rifles, what some call "assault weapons," and $20 for high-capacity magazines. We are continuing to try many things to stop this senseless killing, said Pfleger, who listed other events geared toward this effort, including weekly peace walks and block parties. This is just one more application. For the first two days of their buyback program, according to Pfleger, the church acquired 123 handguns, 31 rifles, and one assault weapon, with the pastor adding that they were able to meet and speak to many young brothers to help turn their lives around. Over the July 4 weekend, Chicago saw its "deadliest and most violent weekend," with 104 people being shot and 19 of them killed. Among the wounded were 13 children, The Chicago Sun Times reported. According to the Chicago Tribune, 2,021 people had been victims of shootings by July 7, which was 164 more than all of 2020. The high number of shootings and murders in Chicago has led many to refer to the city by using the pejorative nickname Chiraq, alluding to the idea that some parts of Chicago are more violent than war-torn countries like Iraq. Last weekend, there were 70 shooting victims in the city, 12 of whom have died from their wounds. Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown has blamed the spike in crime on the courts releasing suspects instead of prosecuting them. "We are arresting violent offenders, the courts are releasing these people back into the community," said Brown, as reported by ABC News' Chicago affiliate. "My question to you is, what the courts can do different[ly] rather than release violent people back to these communities to create an environment of lawlessness." Last week, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, disagreed, contending at a press conference that while she welcomed increased federal aid in response, we cannot arrest our way out of this problem. Fundamentally, if you look at the West Side and you look at the problems, the opioid addiction that is really harming so many individuals, families and communities, the investments we have to make in human capital and the investments we have to make in infrastructure, those are why I spend so much time on the West Side, said Lightfoot, as reported by NBC Chicago. If we can get it right [on the west side], with the mix of resources and investments and capacity building in neighborhoods, empowering residents to be able to hold the territory under their feet, with our help and our support not just in the short-term but in the long-term, thats really what the investments have to be about, and Im totally committed to that. Memories and Jokes without Pomp at Archbishop Tutu's Funeral Mass The funeral for Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu on January 1 was the culmination of a South African period of mourning, during which the national flag flew at half-mast countrywide and at South African diplomatic missions. President Cyril Ramaphosa, announced the observances, saying, "Every night this week, the City of Cape Town will light up Table Mountain and City Hall in purple - the colour that is so synonymous with The Arch." In accordance with Covid precautions, only 100 people were present in St. George's Cathedral in Cape Town, but the streamed service was watched in countries around the world. In case you missed it, here are the eulogy by President Ramaphosa; the sermon by The Rt Rev. Michael Nuttall, Retired Bishop of Natal & Dean of the Province to Archbishop Tutu; and the liturgy/order of service, which reflects the planning by Archbishop Tutu in the selection of hymns, choirs and readings. Hundreds of Ukrainians held a torchlight march in the capital, Kyiv, to mark the birthday of the controversial nationalist leader Stepan Bandera. The January 1 march came amid a buildup of Russian forces near the border with Ukraine, which some believe could be a prelude to an invasion. Today, when there is a war with the occupier at the front, and the struggle against the fifth column continues in the rear, we remember and honor the memory of Stepan Bandera, Andriy Tarasenko, leader of the nationalist party Right Sector, said. Bandera is revered as a hero by many Ukrainians for leading the political wing of the anti-Soviet independence movement, the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN). Its military wing -- the Ukrainian Insurgent Army -- waged partisan warfare during and after World War II. But Bandera -- who was killed by a Soviet assassin in Munich in 1959 -- is regarded as a traitor by others for leading an insurgent war against Soviet forces and collaborating with Nazi Germany. His forces also fought against the Nazis at times during the war and are accused of carrying out murderous campaigns against Poles and Jews. Similar marches also took place in several other cities, including Lviv, where about 500 people gathered at Banderas monument to honor him. With reporting by AP Public health warnings haven't inspired much more than panicked talk and we kind that that more serious action might be merited given so much fearsome chatter directed at the media. To be fair, there are plenty of reasons to stay home tonight. COVID is just one. Nevertheless, here's a TKC glimpse at more warnings for tonight that will mostly be ignored . . . Kansas City area health leaders stress skipping crowded NYE parties as COVID cases surge KANSAS CITY, Mo. - It's been another tough year dealing with the pandemic so as you can imagine a lot of people are wanting to let loose and enjoy the night at parties like Power and Light's New Year's Live! While others are choosing a low-key route to ring in the new year. Testing center in Overland Park offers new test that detects omicron variant Antigen test manufacturer Quidel announced this week that its new COVID-19 antigen test now detects the omicron variant.Overland Park-based COVID-19 testing center Health Gauge said that it now offers the test.It's by drive-up appointment only at Health Gauge in Overland Park."Over the course of the last week and a half, we've seen a real pickup in testing," said Scott McGlothlen, of Health Gauge.Scott McGlothlen said his company had nearly closed shop on COVID-19 testing at its Overland Park center. KC bars, restaurants and businesses prepare for another pandemic New Year's Eve KANSAS CITY, Mo. - As New Year's Eve celebrations return this year, some businesses are taking extra safety precautions due to the recent rise in COVID-19 cases. Last year, a lot of New Year's Eve celebrations were called off due to the pandemic, but many restaurants, bars and businesses are bringing back the festivities this year. Metro hospitals brace for more COVID patients while battling the flu KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) --- Hospitals across the Kansas City metro area and all of Kansas will host a conference Jan. 3 to discuss capacity issues and staffing challenges. They're dealing with a new Covid-19 variant, staffing shortages and high rates of flu. Fauci Warns Against 'Hugging and Kissing' in New Year's Eve Celebrations The nation's leading infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci OK'd small, at-home New Year's Eve gatherings among vaccinated and boosted individuals on Wednesday, but he urged Americans to cancel plans to attend larger parties as conditions become more grim amid the omicron variant. Developing . . . Hundreds of Ukrainians held a torchlight march in the capital, Kyiv, to mark the birthday of the controversial nationalist leader Stepan Bandera. The January 1 march came amid a buildup of Russian forces near the border with Ukraine, which some believe could be a prelude to an invasion. Today, when there is a war with the occupier at the front, and the struggle against the fifth column continues in the rear, we remember and honor the memory of Stepan Bandera, Andriy Tarasenko, leader of the nationalist party Right Sector, said. Bandera is revered as a hero by many Ukrainians for leading the political wing of the anti-Soviet independence movement, the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN). Its military wing -- the Ukrainian Insurgent Army -- waged partisan warfare during and after World War II. But Bandera -- who was killed by a Soviet assassin in Munich in 1959 -- is regarded as a traitor by others for leading an insurgent war against Soviet forces and collaborating with Nazi Germany. His forces also fought against the Nazis at times during the war and are accused of carrying out murderous campaigns against Poles and Jews. Similar marches also took place in several other cities, including Lviv, where about 500 people gathered at Banderas monument to honor him. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Samaritans Purse serves meals to over 1,500 survivors of Kentucky tornados Evangelist Franklin Graham and the disaster relief organization Samaritans Purse served a hot, free meal to over 1,500 people who were affected by the recent tornadoes in Mayfield, Kentucky, joined by country music legend Ricky Skaggs who sang Christmas songs. No matter what storms you face in life, God loves you, Graham, president of Samaritan's Purse, told the crowd eating lunch at Graves County High School on Christmas Eve, about two weeks after 76 people died when four tornadoes struck the state on Dec. 10. Jesus Christ will never leave you or forsake you, added Graham, son of the late evangelist Billy Graham. The Evangelical group Samaritans Purse, which has aided those impacted by the worlds worst humanitarian disasters and global conflicts, earlier this month launched its relief operations in Kentucky and five other states that were impacted by the deadly tornadoes. In Mayfield, much of which was destroyed, officials say at least 22 people died, including nine when a candle factory collapsed and trapped dozens. Samaritans Purse had sent dozens of staff and three cooking trailers to Mayfield to prepare the free hot meals on Christmas Eve. Families literally lost everything just before Christmas, and knowing that Christmas would be different, we knew that we couldnt replace things or fix it right away, but we knew we could love them in the midst of their pain, Kendra Bandy, Samaritans Purse's podcast production manager, said in a podcast on the organizations website. So we wanted to bring some joy to this community. The group has mobilized more than 2,000 volunteers who've helped over 400 families affected by the tornadoes in Kentucky and northeast Arkansas. Helping alongside are crisis-trained chaplains from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Associations Rapid Response Team to provide emotional support and share the love of Christ. A podcast team member named Melissa and Andy Jeter, the charitys director of food services, shared their thoughts on the Christmas Eve lunch. We work for someone who is an incredible visionary. Franklin Graham, he surprises us with these plans sometimes, Melissa shared. But [Graham] just has a vision for helping these people and he knew that they would be hurting, that people would not have the same kind of Christmas that they normally would and so it was just something that the Lord put on his heart to do. Jeter added, We talked to Franklin, and we didnt know at that time what the number would be, but very soon, he made that evident that he was thinking big, which we like, but now weve got the fun part of figuring out the logistics of that and working through details and getting food procured. MIDDLETOWN, NJ As 2022 officially begins, we thought it'd be a good idea to round up top 10 Middletown news stories of 2021. These are stories chosen because they generated the most page views, attracted the most "spirited" public debate or discussion, or had a profound impact on peoples' lives: Off-Duty Union Beach Cop Saves Woman In Middletown Fire (January 2021): This happened in North Middletown on a weekday morning in the dead of winter, when an off-duty police officer ran into a smoke-filled garage and rescued an elderly woman trapped insider her burning home. The woman could not walk without her walker and was alone in the house. The man said he only rushed inside when he saw a wheelchair in the open garage and wanted to check the burning home for occupants. Firefighters later said she never would have made it out of the home if he had not rushed in. A beautiful story that started off the year on a positive note, and shows the power of community, bravery and thinking about others. School Reopening Rally Planned For Sunday In A Divided Middletown (January 2021): The decision to reopen Middletown schools or keep virtual learning in place was a heated battle last winter. Holmdel Board Member Calls Into Middletown BOE: Get Kids In Class: The battle only got spicier when a Holmdel school board member called into the Middletown school board meeting one January night, telling them his district had been open for weeks "It's going great; it's going fantastic" and told Middletown they should do the same. BOE member Terrence Wall was alternately heaped with praise from Middletown residents or told to seriously mind his own business. Monmouth Co. Girl, 9, Confesses To Virtual Class She's Starving (Feb. 2021): This heartbreaking story, which Patch was first to report nationwide and went on to be covered by CNN and the NY Post, was read by more than 200,000 people worldwide. This story revealed the unintended consequences of COVID lockdowns: This third grader's mother had lost her multiple jobs when New Jersey restaurants closed and because schools were all virtual, her mother did not know she could still pick up the free breakfasts and lunches her daughter qualified for. The girl could not concentrate during a Zoom class and when her teacher told her to pay attention, the girl broke down crying saying she could not concentrate because she was so hungry. Story continues Luxury Fitness Complex Life Time Coming To Middletown (March 2021): This luxury gym brand plans to open this three-story fitness and wellness complex on Half Mile Road in Middletown, just off Exit 109. Major Middletown Parks/Playground Improvements Are Coming (April 2021): Tindall Park is getting a dog park and Bodman, Chanceville and Countryside playgrounds are all getting new playground equipment. Middletown Students Join Anti-Mask Lawsuit In NJ Schools (July 2021): Two Middletown High School students, both at South, joined a class-action lawsuit suing Gov. Murphy for his school mask mandate. However, the lawsuit was dismissed by multiple judges and did not advance very far in the New Jersey court system. Murphy: We 'Will Take Action' Against Parents' Notes On Masks (August 2021): Who could forget when the Middletown school board tried to pass a policy that would allow student or parental notes to exempt a child from mask wearing? When Murphy caught wind of what was happening in his own backyard, he said "not so fast" and threatened to sue the Middletown school district if they followed through. Some in Middletown begged the school district to hold its ground and engage in a legal battle with the man some call "King Murphy," but the BOE ultimately backed down and followed Murphy's Law. Middletown Twp. Committee Candidate Has A Criminal Record (Oct. 2021): Patch again unearthed a hidden bit of information, when we were the first to report that a candidate running for Middletown Twp. Committee had prior criminal charges of forgery and theft. Democrat Nick Babcock never admitted to the charges from more than a decade ago. He remained in the race, but did not win a public seat. Middletown To Get $6.6 Million Under 2nd COVID Relief Bill: Middletown, like all towns in America, got a nice big chunk of cash from the federal gov't from the $1.9 trillion second COVID relief bill, signed into law by President Joe Biden. "We'll take the money. If we don't take it, it will go to some other town that will spend it," said the area's state Senator Declan O'Scanlon, (R-NJ13). "But this is like a wildly irresponsible Christmas gift. Democrats in Washington dancing around like they're giving us a gift is really outrageous, because in reality they are taking from our children's and grandchildren's bank accounts and making us think they are doing us a favor. Nobody is talking about fiscal responsibility and the public doesn't want to hear it." Patch still has to find out how Middletown Twp. will spend the money. More playground improvements? Other big news of 2021: Marijuana Is Now Officially Legal In New Jersey (Feb. 2021): Not Middletown specific news, but still extremely big news that happened in New Jersey in 2021. Gov. Murphy made small-amount marijuana possession legal after a majority New Jersey voters (more than 70 percent) voted to legalize marijuana in the Nov. 2020 election. Middletown passed a controversial ban on recreational pot shops opening up within Gov. Murphy Clarifies His Stance On NJ COVID 'Vaccine Passports' (March 2021): Again, not a Middletown-specific story, but a hot-button topic in 2021. Gov. Murphy initially said he liked the idea, something that New York and other states have carried out, but then backed off the idea after immense public backlash from New Jersey voters. Sandy Hook Raises Daily Parking Fee To $20; Season Pass To $100 (April 2021): Just news that pissed a lot of people off. Get great local news. Sign up for Patch emails: https://patch.com/subscribe Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com. This article originally appeared on the Middletown Patch MIDDLETOWN, NJ As 2022 officially begins, we thought it'd be a good idea to round up top 10 Middletown news stories of 2021. These are stories chosen because they generated the most page views, attracted the most "spirited" public debate or discussion, or had a profound impact on peoples' lives: Off-Duty Union Beach Cop Saves Woman In Middletown Fire (January 2021): This happened in North Middletown on a weekday morning in the dead of winter, when an off-duty police officer ran into a smoke-filled garage and rescued an elderly woman trapped insider her burning home. The woman could not walk without her walker and was alone in the house. The man said he only rushed inside when he saw a wheelchair in the open garage and wanted to check the burning home for occupants. Firefighters later said she never would have made it out of the home if he had not rushed in. A beautiful story that started off the year on a positive note, and shows the power of community, bravery and thinking about others. School Reopening Rally Planned For Sunday In A Divided Middletown (January 2021): The decision to reopen Middletown schools or keep virtual learning in place was a heated battle last winter. Holmdel Board Member Calls Into Middletown BOE: Get Kids In Class: The battle only got spicier when a Holmdel school board member called into the Middletown school board meeting one January night, telling them his district had been open for weeks "It's going great; it's going fantastic" and told Middletown they should do the same. BOE member Terrence Wall was alternately heaped with praise from Middletown residents or told to seriously mind his own business. Monmouth Co. Girl, 9, Confesses To Virtual Class She's Starving (Feb. 2021): This heartbreaking story, which Patch was first to report nationwide and went on to be covered by CNN and the NY Post, was read by more than 200,000 people worldwide. This story revealed the unintended consequences of COVID lockdowns: This third grader's mother had lost her multiple jobs when New Jersey restaurants closed and because schools were all virtual, her mother did not know she could still pick up the free breakfasts and lunches her daughter qualified for. The girl could not concentrate during a Zoom class and when her teacher told her to pay attention, the girl broke down crying saying she could not concentrate because she was so hungry. Story continues Luxury Fitness Complex Life Time Coming To Middletown (March 2021): This luxury gym brand plans to open this three-story fitness and wellness complex on Half Mile Road in Middletown, just off Exit 109. Major Middletown Parks/Playground Improvements Are Coming (April 2021): Tindall Park is getting a dog park and Bodman, Chanceville and Countryside playgrounds are all getting new playground equipment. Middletown Students Join Anti-Mask Lawsuit In NJ Schools (July 2021): Two Middletown High School students, both at South, joined a class-action lawsuit suing Gov. Murphy for his school mask mandate. However, the lawsuit was dismissed by multiple judges and did not advance very far in the New Jersey court system. Murphy: We 'Will Take Action' Against Parents' Notes On Masks (August 2021): Who could forget when the Middletown school board tried to pass a policy that would allow student or parental notes to exempt a child from mask wearing? When Murphy caught wind of what was happening in his own backyard, he said "not so fast" and threatened to sue the Middletown school district if they followed through. Some in Middletown begged the school district to hold its ground and engage in a legal battle with the man some call "King Murphy," but the BOE ultimately backed down and followed Murphy's Law. Middletown Twp. Committee Candidate Has A Criminal Record (Oct. 2021): Patch again unearthed a hidden bit of information, when we were the first to report that a candidate running for Middletown Twp. Committee had prior criminal charges of forgery and theft. Democrat Nick Babcock never admitted to the charges from more than a decade ago. He remained in the race, but did not win a public seat. Middletown To Get $6.6 Million Under 2nd COVID Relief Bill: Middletown, like all towns in America, got a nice big chunk of cash from the federal gov't from the $1.9 trillion second COVID relief bill, signed into law by President Joe Biden. "We'll take the money. If we don't take it, it will go to some other town that will spend it," said the area's state Senator Declan O'Scanlon, (R-NJ13). "But this is like a wildly irresponsible Christmas gift. Democrats in Washington dancing around like they're giving us a gift is really outrageous, because in reality they are taking from our children's and grandchildren's bank accounts and making us think they are doing us a favor. Nobody is talking about fiscal responsibility and the public doesn't want to hear it." Patch still has to find out how Middletown Twp. will spend the money. More playground improvements? Other big news of 2021: Marijuana Is Now Officially Legal In New Jersey (Feb. 2021): Not Middletown specific news, but still extremely big news that happened in New Jersey in 2021. Gov. Murphy made small-amount marijuana possession legal after a majority New Jersey voters (more than 70 percent) voted to legalize marijuana in the Nov. 2020 election. Middletown passed a controversial ban on recreational pot shops opening up within Gov. Murphy Clarifies His Stance On NJ COVID 'Vaccine Passports' (March 2021): Again, not a Middletown-specific story, but a hot-button topic in 2021. Gov. Murphy initially said he liked the idea, something that New York and other states have carried out, but then backed off the idea after immense public backlash from New Jersey voters. Sandy Hook Raises Daily Parking Fee To $20; Season Pass To $100 (April 2021): Just news that pissed a lot of people off. Get great local news. Sign up for Patch emails: https://patch.com/subscribe Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com. This article originally appeared on the Middletown Patch WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed by a man who went on to carjack, rob and shoot more people during a two-state manhunt this week said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters, Missouri. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a "series" of carjackings, robberies and shootings on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities eventually caught up to him in Clinton County, Illinois, where he held a person hostage in a home. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. The family's full statement is below: The Family of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley mourns the loss of their husband, father, son and friend. We could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support. To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero. Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. -Matthew 5:9 Visitation for Sean Riley will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m., Monday January 3, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with a first responder walk thru at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials in his honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. Memorials will be accepted at the services and the Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, IL which is assisting with arrangements. Additional information will be released in the coming days. We ask the community to show their support by lining the procession route. MIDDLETOWN, NJ As 2022 officially begins, we thought it'd be a good idea to round up top 10 Middletown news stories of 2021. These are stories chosen because they generated the most page views, attracted the most "spirited" public debate or discussion, or had a profound impact on peoples' lives: Off-Duty Union Beach Cop Saves Woman In Middletown Fire (January 2021): This happened in North Middletown on a weekday morning in the dead of winter, when an off-duty police officer ran into a smoke-filled garage and rescued an elderly woman trapped insider her burning home. The woman could not walk without her walker and was alone in the house. The man said he only rushed inside when he saw a wheelchair in the open garage and wanted to check the burning home for occupants. Firefighters later said she never would have made it out of the home if he had not rushed in. A beautiful story that started off the year on a positive note, and shows the power of community, bravery and thinking about others. School Reopening Rally Planned For Sunday In A Divided Middletown (January 2021): The decision to reopen Middletown schools or keep virtual learning in place was a heated battle last winter. Holmdel Board Member Calls Into Middletown BOE: Get Kids In Class: The battle only got spicier when a Holmdel school board member called into the Middletown school board meeting one January night, telling them his district had been open for weeks "It's going great; it's going fantastic" and told Middletown they should do the same. BOE member Terrence Wall was alternately heaped with praise from Middletown residents or told to seriously mind his own business. Monmouth Co. Girl, 9, Confesses To Virtual Class She's Starving (Feb. 2021): This heartbreaking story, which Patch was first to report nationwide and went on to be covered by CNN and the NY Post, was read by more than 200,000 people worldwide. This story revealed the unintended consequences of COVID lockdowns: This third grader's mother had lost her multiple jobs when New Jersey restaurants closed and because schools were all virtual, her mother did not know she could still pick up the free breakfasts and lunches her daughter qualified for. The girl could not concentrate during a Zoom class and when her teacher told her to pay attention, the girl broke down crying saying she could not concentrate because she was so hungry. Story continues Luxury Fitness Complex Life Time Coming To Middletown (March 2021): This luxury gym brand plans to open this three-story fitness and wellness complex on Half Mile Road in Middletown, just off Exit 109. Major Middletown Parks/Playground Improvements Are Coming (April 2021): Tindall Park is getting a dog park and Bodman, Chanceville and Countryside playgrounds are all getting new playground equipment. Middletown Students Join Anti-Mask Lawsuit In NJ Schools (July 2021): Two Middletown High School students, both at South, joined a class-action lawsuit suing Gov. Murphy for his school mask mandate. However, the lawsuit was dismissed by multiple judges and did not advance very far in the New Jersey court system. Murphy: We 'Will Take Action' Against Parents' Notes On Masks (August 2021): Who could forget when the Middletown school board tried to pass a policy that would allow student or parental notes to exempt a child from mask wearing? When Murphy caught wind of what was happening in his own backyard, he said "not so fast" and threatened to sue the Middletown school district if they followed through. Some in Middletown begged the school district to hold its ground and engage in a legal battle with the man some call "King Murphy," but the BOE ultimately backed down and followed Murphy's Law. Middletown Twp. Committee Candidate Has A Criminal Record (Oct. 2021): Patch again unearthed a hidden bit of information, when we were the first to report that a candidate running for Middletown Twp. Committee had prior criminal charges of forgery and theft. Democrat Nick Babcock never admitted to the charges from more than a decade ago. He remained in the race, but did not win a public seat. Middletown To Get $6.6 Million Under 2nd COVID Relief Bill: Middletown, like all towns in America, got a nice big chunk of cash from the federal gov't from the $1.9 trillion second COVID relief bill, signed into law by President Joe Biden. "We'll take the money. If we don't take it, it will go to some other town that will spend it," said the area's state Senator Declan O'Scanlon, (R-NJ13). "But this is like a wildly irresponsible Christmas gift. Democrats in Washington dancing around like they're giving us a gift is really outrageous, because in reality they are taking from our children's and grandchildren's bank accounts and making us think they are doing us a favor. Nobody is talking about fiscal responsibility and the public doesn't want to hear it." Patch still has to find out how Middletown Twp. will spend the money. More playground improvements? Other big news of 2021: Marijuana Is Now Officially Legal In New Jersey (Feb. 2021): Not Middletown specific news, but still extremely big news that happened in New Jersey in 2021. Gov. Murphy made small-amount marijuana possession legal after a majority New Jersey voters (more than 70 percent) voted to legalize marijuana in the Nov. 2020 election. Middletown passed a controversial ban on recreational pot shops opening up within Gov. Murphy Clarifies His Stance On NJ COVID 'Vaccine Passports' (March 2021): Again, not a Middletown-specific story, but a hot-button topic in 2021. Gov. Murphy initially said he liked the idea, something that New York and other states have carried out, but then backed off the idea after immense public backlash from New Jersey voters. Sandy Hook Raises Daily Parking Fee To $20; Season Pass To $100 (April 2021): Just news that pissed a lot of people off. Get great local news. Sign up for Patch emails: https://patch.com/subscribe Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com. This article originally appeared on the Middletown Patch MIDDLETOWN, NJ As 2022 officially begins, we thought it'd be a good idea to round up top 10 Middletown news stories of 2021. These are stories chosen because they generated the most page views, attracted the most "spirited" public debate or discussion, or had a profound impact on peoples' lives: Off-Duty Union Beach Cop Saves Woman In Middletown Fire (January 2021): This happened in North Middletown on a weekday morning in the dead of winter, when an off-duty police officer ran into a smoke-filled garage and rescued an elderly woman trapped insider her burning home. The woman could not walk without her walker and was alone in the house. The man said he only rushed inside when he saw a wheelchair in the open garage and wanted to check the burning home for occupants. Firefighters later said she never would have made it out of the home if he had not rushed in. A beautiful story that started off the year on a positive note, and shows the power of community, bravery and thinking about others. School Reopening Rally Planned For Sunday In A Divided Middletown (January 2021): The decision to reopen Middletown schools or keep virtual learning in place was a heated battle last winter. Holmdel Board Member Calls Into Middletown BOE: Get Kids In Class: The battle only got spicier when a Holmdel school board member called into the Middletown school board meeting one January night, telling them his district had been open for weeks "It's going great; it's going fantastic" and told Middletown they should do the same. BOE member Terrence Wall was alternately heaped with praise from Middletown residents or told to seriously mind his own business. Monmouth Co. Girl, 9, Confesses To Virtual Class She's Starving (Feb. 2021): This heartbreaking story, which Patch was first to report nationwide and went on to be covered by CNN and the NY Post, was read by more than 200,000 people worldwide. This story revealed the unintended consequences of COVID lockdowns: This third grader's mother had lost her multiple jobs when New Jersey restaurants closed and because schools were all virtual, her mother did not know she could still pick up the free breakfasts and lunches her daughter qualified for. The girl could not concentrate during a Zoom class and when her teacher told her to pay attention, the girl broke down crying saying she could not concentrate because she was so hungry. Story continues Luxury Fitness Complex Life Time Coming To Middletown (March 2021): This luxury gym brand plans to open this three-story fitness and wellness complex on Half Mile Road in Middletown, just off Exit 109. Major Middletown Parks/Playground Improvements Are Coming (April 2021): Tindall Park is getting a dog park and Bodman, Chanceville and Countryside playgrounds are all getting new playground equipment. Middletown Students Join Anti-Mask Lawsuit In NJ Schools (July 2021): Two Middletown High School students, both at South, joined a class-action lawsuit suing Gov. Murphy for his school mask mandate. However, the lawsuit was dismissed by multiple judges and did not advance very far in the New Jersey court system. Murphy: We 'Will Take Action' Against Parents' Notes On Masks (August 2021): Who could forget when the Middletown school board tried to pass a policy that would allow student or parental notes to exempt a child from mask wearing? When Murphy caught wind of what was happening in his own backyard, he said "not so fast" and threatened to sue the Middletown school district if they followed through. Some in Middletown begged the school district to hold its ground and engage in a legal battle with the man some call "King Murphy," but the BOE ultimately backed down and followed Murphy's Law. Middletown Twp. Committee Candidate Has A Criminal Record (Oct. 2021): Patch again unearthed a hidden bit of information, when we were the first to report that a candidate running for Middletown Twp. Committee had prior criminal charges of forgery and theft. Democrat Nick Babcock never admitted to the charges from more than a decade ago. He remained in the race, but did not win a public seat. Middletown To Get $6.6 Million Under 2nd COVID Relief Bill: Middletown, like all towns in America, got a nice big chunk of cash from the federal gov't from the $1.9 trillion second COVID relief bill, signed into law by President Joe Biden. "We'll take the money. If we don't take it, it will go to some other town that will spend it," said the area's state Senator Declan O'Scanlon, (R-NJ13). "But this is like a wildly irresponsible Christmas gift. Democrats in Washington dancing around like they're giving us a gift is really outrageous, because in reality they are taking from our children's and grandchildren's bank accounts and making us think they are doing us a favor. Nobody is talking about fiscal responsibility and the public doesn't want to hear it." Patch still has to find out how Middletown Twp. will spend the money. More playground improvements? Other big news of 2021: Marijuana Is Now Officially Legal In New Jersey (Feb. 2021): Not Middletown specific news, but still extremely big news that happened in New Jersey in 2021. Gov. Murphy made small-amount marijuana possession legal after a majority New Jersey voters (more than 70 percent) voted to legalize marijuana in the Nov. 2020 election. Middletown passed a controversial ban on recreational pot shops opening up within Gov. Murphy Clarifies His Stance On NJ COVID 'Vaccine Passports' (March 2021): Again, not a Middletown-specific story, but a hot-button topic in 2021. Gov. Murphy initially said he liked the idea, something that New York and other states have carried out, but then backed off the idea after immense public backlash from New Jersey voters. Sandy Hook Raises Daily Parking Fee To $20; Season Pass To $100 (April 2021): Just news that pissed a lot of people off. Get great local news. Sign up for Patch emails: https://patch.com/subscribe Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com. This article originally appeared on the Middletown Patch Our children are dying: Faith-based groups look to heal Chicago amid rising violence 2021 was the most violent year Chicago has experienced since the birth of the 21st century, according to recently released data from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. The office reported 820 homicides in the Windy City in 2021, the highest since 1995, when 828 murders were reported, according to the Sun-Times Media Wire. "We all know this has been a challenging year here in the city of Chicago," said Police Superintendent David Brown on Thursday. "Too many families are reeling from the loss of loved ones due to senseless gun violence ... Too many residents are dealing with the ripple effects of this trauma due to crime in our community." In late November, the Cook County Medical Examiners Office issued a report confirming that the number of homicides in the county had passed 1,000 by the end of Thanksgiving. Of the 1,009 confirmed homicides, 777 of them occurred in Chicago. It was the largest number of murders in the county since 1994, when the office reported 1,141 homicides. In early July, The Chicago Tribune's crime team released data showing that there had been 2,021 shooting victims in the city through July 7, which was 164 more than at the same point in 2020. These and other statistics have led many to call Chicago the pejorative nickname Chiraq, the idea being that some parts of the city are more violent than war-torn countries like Iraq. Pastor Isaac Paintsil, head of Christs Oasis Ministries, a multisite congregation with campuses in and near Chicago, told The Christian Post that the rising violence is horrendous and heartbreaking. At a certain point, how can mothers be grieving and families be grieving, fathers be grieving week after week after week after week?" Paintsil asked. "This is the real challenge that we are having, and the emotional toll on us is just unbelievable." Paintsil is among a number of pastors who connected through a group called the Chicago Pastors Rally, which brings together clergy from across the city to engage in events, such as a prayer rally held every two weeks and breakfasts with local officials. We have what we call the unity torch, said Paintsil, noting that the object symbolizes peace and is comparable to the Olympic torch. It just passes from one church to another. Wherever the torch is located, they spend a certain amount of time in prayer, praying for peace and harmony among our communities and churches. CP reached out to several ministries and faith-based groups to learn more about how the violent crime rate has impacted them and find out what they're doing to improve their city and what they believe needs to be done to bring about sustainable change. Our children are dying Sylvia Bennett-Stone is executive director of the Voices of Black Mothers United, an organization with chapters across the country that seeks to heal crime-ridden communities. The organization is overseen by black mothers and community leaders. It is supported by the Woodson Center, a nonprofit that focuses on improving low-income neighborhoods. Bennett-Stone, whose daughter was killed in a crossfire between two gunmen in 2004, told CP that her organization was in the process of setting up a new chapter in Chicago. "We recruit mothers who have lost children and are well enough and cared enough to go back into the community and make some changes, said Bennett-Stone. "We've lost children to violence, but we also are mothers who are healed. And we believe, we totally believe that if mothers heal, then families heal. And if the family heals, then the community heals." Bennett-Stone says Chicago's problems are multifaceted" and are impacted by drug addiction, gang violence, lack of income and mental illness. "Our children are dying. Its no longer just adults or people who are involved in the violence. It is our babies that are dying. It is our babies that are getting caught in the crossfire, she said. My baby was caught in the crossfire. And its no longer just an issue that's contained in one area. Its everywhere." Pastor Ira Acree, who leads Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago, said his congregation has been devastated by the rising violence in the city and surrounding county. Our community, everybody in our church, they either have someone in their family that has been affected by violence or they know someone personally, whether its a friend or neighbor, who has been impacted, said Acree. We are quite familiar and quite acquainted with the impact of violence." Acree agrees that a myriad of things are driving the rising violence, including a decision by the Chicago Board of Education in 2013 to close 50 schools, the shuttering of multiple mental units, and what he described as disinvestment by powers that be. There's been a cumulative failure in multiple institutions, he said. They have concentrated on building up the North Side and the downtown parts of our city, which are the more affluent areas, and they have left the poor communities out here by themselves." He also cited issues like police reform, telling CP that we are still hoping for that to take place, but there's still an issue with police being trusted in our community." Action and prayer Chicago Pastors Rally member Pastor Joseph Rhoiney of First Progressive Church of Chicago said that member churches are each doing things in their individual locations that they feel are working. The idea is that there is a branch that guides to the root, and the root is faith, hope, and love and peace. And we continue to multiply and magnify that as manifested in different areas, he said. As an example, Rhoiney described an intergenerational buddy system." "We have the young people buddy with somebody. Something happens that they feel unsure about, they can call the buddy," he explained. The buddy system says, Im not in this by myself, he added. Somebody else is partnered with me, and were partnered with another group for this one thing called peace within the community, peace within ourselves. There were also events that included competitions involving mental, physical and spiritual prowess played between younger and older individuals to help get the two generations talking, physically engaging one another. The ultimate goal is to have the connections between the older generation and the younger generation. And every time weve done it, weve had tremendous success with it, continued Rhoiney. Because we see that peace can abide between the two, and the young people can learn to trust the old people, and the old people can see how they can share and receive openly how the young people feel. Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church of Chicago said his church has an after-school program that aims to keep a lot of children out of harm's way" and offers safe party events on Friday evenings twice a month. Greater St. John Bible Church also coordinates a faith-based first responders training to help with trauma alongside other local congregations, according to Acree. "Although we try to be proactive in these urban communities, until there's a radical change, there will be trauma. And so, we deal with how to respond to violence when it happens, he added. Gun buyback events Some congregations in Chicago and elsewhere have held gun buyback events with the intention of helping to stem the tide of firearms-related violence in the city. These events typically involve people bringing guns to a church and anonymously selling them to the congregation without any questions being asked. In July, the Chicago-based Faith Community of Saint Sabina held a multiday buyback event that saw 123 handguns, 31 rifles and one assault weapon bought in the first two days. The Rev. Michael L. Pfleger of Saint Sabina Church told CP in an interview that they were able to meet and speak to many young brothers to help turn their lives around. We are continuing to try many things to stop this senseless killing, Pfleger said at the time, listing other events centered on this effort, including weekly peace walks and block parties. This is just one more application. Acree of Greater St. John said that while his congregation has done such events in the past, he has had some doubts about their effectiveness. "I'm not a real big fan of it. If the police want to do it, the superintendent wants to do it, I'll try to support them. I've got to give them an opportunity to work his vision for what he believes," said Acree. "I'm certainly not a police officer. I'm not a law enforcement expert. But I personally have my thoughts about how all the good guys are turning in their guns but the thugs still have theirs." Paintsil noted that he was unaware of any of CPRs member churches doing a gun buyback event and felt he could not respond on whether they worked. Boots on the ground Bennett-Stone of Voices of Black Mothers United, told CP that she believes there needs to be more direct engagement between officials and the community. "Based upon my observations, they need to come outside and work with the boots on the ground, Bennett-Stone asserted. Typically, city officials in government agencies engage more with larger organizations. However, larger organizations deal with people that come to them. The boots on the ground go to the people. So they need to look at the real grassroots organizations that [are] going to the neighborhood where it is gang-infested and work with those people; help them, help support those grassroots. Because they are meeting people where they are." Bennett-Stone told CP that houses of worship have a role to play in combating the violence, but stressed that they need to come outside of the walls. Churches have been the guiding light for years in urban communities, she said. However, churches need to come outside of the walls and engage with the community and understand what are the factors, what ministering can be done." Acree echoed the boots on the ground comment, believing that there needs to be more investment in the South Side and West Side, including investment in education. They need to also realize that building up schools is a path out of this trauma that we are in, the mayhem that we're in. Building an education, eliminating schools is not the answer, he said. "I also believe they can build to capacity of these community organizations are there already with boots on the ground. Acree felt that officials tend to fund the outside organizations who come in as the savior." "They give them tons of money, but I think ... they should make a concerted effort to build up the people who are there on the frontlines," he said. Some of these churches have feeding programs, some have afterschool programs, some have mentoring programs. These [are] people that live here, that work here and they are going to be here, for the most part, the pastor added. "They need to learn how to see the importance of building up these home-grown institutions who are going to be here, come what may." Paintsil also believes there needs to be stronger relationships with the faith-based communities." He said one reason we are not able to carry out the work at the degree that we would like to, definitely is finances. I know that quite a lot of support comes in for different things, but I always call the Church the spiritual levy. Because when the levy is breached, everything breaks down, said Paintsil. Rhoiney of First Progressive Church stressed the spiritual need that must be part of the change. He noted that in the Bible, whenever the land was in turmoil, rulers went to the prophets and the Church for help. I think we all need to stand up and say thats what we are, and respond in such a way that affects peace and harmony and goodwill for all men, said Rhoiney. We all carry multiple titles, whether we are editors, writers, reporters, pastors, doctors, engineers, accountants, global communicators, broadcasters, it makes no difference. You are Christians. Your witness should rise inside your office to affect the change for the greater good and the greater community. $25K rewards offered to find killers of slain 1-y-o and 3-y-o killed in Chicago A group of Chicago businessmen has announced two $25,000 awards for anyone who provides information leading to the arrest of suspects who killed a one-year-old baby last weekend and a 3-year-old child over Father's Day weekend. Twenty-month-old Sincere Gaston was shot Saturday afternoon while he was with his mother in a car in Chicagos Englewood neighborhood, according to NBC Chicago. Another car pulled up next to their vehicle and a person inside fired at least seven shots. A bullet hit the boys chest and he was later pronounced dead at St. Bernard Hospital. His mother suffered a graze wound to her head. Of the dozens of killings that took place on Father's Day weekend was the killing of 3-year-old Mekhi James. James was shot when he was riding in a car with his stepfather while on his way home from getting a haircut. Earley Walker, owner of W&W Towing, along with a new group of business leaders called Im Telling, Dont Shoot, announced at a press conference Sunday $25,000 awards for people who provide information leading the arrests of the people who killed Gaston and James. The business leaders were joined at the press conference by 16th Ward Alderman Stephanie Coleman. [I]ts a group fed up with gun violence in our communities, Walker said, according to NBC Chicago. We are tired and fed up with gun violence, and the innocent bystanders are being killed. Our kids are dying at a fast rate, and its time for change. Weve got to do something, Walker added. I am absolutely ecstatic that these business owners are standing behind me to support this initiative. We need to find this killer. At least 65 people were shot across Chicago last weekend. According to The Chicago Sun-Times, 18 victims who were shot last weekend have died, including three children. The newspaper reports that the city has already surpassed 300 homicides so far in 2020, a mark that Chicago didnt reach until early August in 2019. Over the Fathers Day weekend, more than 100 people were shot and at least 14 were killed, including five children, the Associated Press reports. Among the victims killed this month in Chicago is Gary Tinder, a 20-year-old DePaul University student and member at Edgewater Baptist Church. ABC 7 Chicago reports that Tinder was shot while walking home from work in the Rogers Park neighborhood. Tinders friends said they can't imagine what motive anyone would have to shoot him. As of Monday afternoon, Tinders friends have raised over $24,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to benefit his family. Rev. Ira Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church in Chicago told The Chicago Tribune that a line was crossed with James killing. This is a horrific Fathers Day. This 3-year-old baby lost his life, Acree said. I could not pastor this community and not say something. The pastor referred to protests against police brutality over the death of George Floyd. He expressed concerns about the safety of the citys black youth. We say black lives matter, but were here to say black baby lives matter more, Acree was quoted as saying. At least 1,508 people in Chicago have been shot from January until June 22, according to a tracker run by The Chicago Tribune. $25K rewards offered to find killers of slain 1-y-o and 3-y-o killed in Chicago A group of Chicago businessmen has announced two $25,000 awards for anyone who provides information leading to the arrest of suspects who killed a one-year-old baby last weekend and a 3-year-old child over Father's Day weekend. Twenty-month-old Sincere Gaston was shot Saturday afternoon while he was with his mother in a car in Chicagos Englewood neighborhood, according to NBC Chicago. Another car pulled up next to their vehicle and a person inside fired at least seven shots. A bullet hit the boys chest and he was later pronounced dead at St. Bernard Hospital. His mother suffered a graze wound to her head. Of the dozens of killings that took place on Father's Day weekend was the killing of 3-year-old Mekhi James. James was shot when he was riding in a car with his stepfather while on his way home from getting a haircut. Earley Walker, owner of W&W Towing, along with a new group of business leaders called Im Telling, Dont Shoot, announced at a press conference Sunday $25,000 awards for people who provide information leading the arrests of the people who killed Gaston and James. The business leaders were joined at the press conference by 16th Ward Alderman Stephanie Coleman. [I]ts a group fed up with gun violence in our communities, Walker said, according to NBC Chicago. We are tired and fed up with gun violence, and the innocent bystanders are being killed. Our kids are dying at a fast rate, and its time for change. Weve got to do something, Walker added. I am absolutely ecstatic that these business owners are standing behind me to support this initiative. We need to find this killer. At least 65 people were shot across Chicago last weekend. According to The Chicago Sun-Times, 18 victims who were shot last weekend have died, including three children. The newspaper reports that the city has already surpassed 300 homicides so far in 2020, a mark that Chicago didnt reach until early August in 2019. Over the Fathers Day weekend, more than 100 people were shot and at least 14 were killed, including five children, the Associated Press reports. Among the victims killed this month in Chicago is Gary Tinder, a 20-year-old DePaul University student and member at Edgewater Baptist Church. ABC 7 Chicago reports that Tinder was shot while walking home from work in the Rogers Park neighborhood. Tinders friends said they can't imagine what motive anyone would have to shoot him. As of Monday afternoon, Tinders friends have raised over $24,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to benefit his family. Rev. Ira Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church in Chicago told The Chicago Tribune that a line was crossed with James killing. This is a horrific Fathers Day. This 3-year-old baby lost his life, Acree said. I could not pastor this community and not say something. The pastor referred to protests against police brutality over the death of George Floyd. He expressed concerns about the safety of the citys black youth. We say black lives matter, but were here to say black baby lives matter more, Acree was quoted as saying. At least 1,508 people in Chicago have been shot from January until June 22, according to a tracker run by The Chicago Tribune. MIDDLETOWN, NJ As 2022 officially begins, we thought it'd be a good idea to round up top 10 Middletown news stories of 2021. These are stories chosen because they generated the most page views, attracted the most "spirited" public debate or discussion, or had a profound impact on peoples' lives: Off-Duty Union Beach Cop Saves Woman In Middletown Fire (January 2021): This happened in North Middletown on a weekday morning in the dead of winter, when an off-duty police officer ran into a smoke-filled garage and rescued an elderly woman trapped insider her burning home. The woman could not walk without her walker and was alone in the house. The man said he only rushed inside when he saw a wheelchair in the open garage and wanted to check the burning home for occupants. Firefighters later said she never would have made it out of the home if he had not rushed in. A beautiful story that started off the year on a positive note, and shows the power of community, bravery and thinking about others. School Reopening Rally Planned For Sunday In A Divided Middletown (January 2021): The decision to reopen Middletown schools or keep virtual learning in place was a heated battle last winter. Holmdel Board Member Calls Into Middletown BOE: Get Kids In Class: The battle only got spicier when a Holmdel school board member called into the Middletown school board meeting one January night, telling them his district had been open for weeks "It's going great; it's going fantastic" and told Middletown they should do the same. BOE member Terrence Wall was alternately heaped with praise from Middletown residents or told to seriously mind his own business. Monmouth Co. Girl, 9, Confesses To Virtual Class She's Starving (Feb. 2021): This heartbreaking story, which Patch was first to report nationwide and went on to be covered by CNN and the NY Post, was read by more than 200,000 people worldwide. This story revealed the unintended consequences of COVID lockdowns: This third grader's mother had lost her multiple jobs when New Jersey restaurants closed and because schools were all virtual, her mother did not know she could still pick up the free breakfasts and lunches her daughter qualified for. The girl could not concentrate during a Zoom class and when her teacher told her to pay attention, the girl broke down crying saying she could not concentrate because she was so hungry. Story continues Luxury Fitness Complex Life Time Coming To Middletown (March 2021): This luxury gym brand plans to open this three-story fitness and wellness complex on Half Mile Road in Middletown, just off Exit 109. Major Middletown Parks/Playground Improvements Are Coming (April 2021): Tindall Park is getting a dog park and Bodman, Chanceville and Countryside playgrounds are all getting new playground equipment. Middletown Students Join Anti-Mask Lawsuit In NJ Schools (July 2021): Two Middletown High School students, both at South, joined a class-action lawsuit suing Gov. Murphy for his school mask mandate. However, the lawsuit was dismissed by multiple judges and did not advance very far in the New Jersey court system. Murphy: We 'Will Take Action' Against Parents' Notes On Masks (August 2021): Who could forget when the Middletown school board tried to pass a policy that would allow student or parental notes to exempt a child from mask wearing? When Murphy caught wind of what was happening in his own backyard, he said "not so fast" and threatened to sue the Middletown school district if they followed through. Some in Middletown begged the school district to hold its ground and engage in a legal battle with the man some call "King Murphy," but the BOE ultimately backed down and followed Murphy's Law. Middletown Twp. Committee Candidate Has A Criminal Record (Oct. 2021): Patch again unearthed a hidden bit of information, when we were the first to report that a candidate running for Middletown Twp. Committee had prior criminal charges of forgery and theft. Democrat Nick Babcock never admitted to the charges from more than a decade ago. He remained in the race, but did not win a public seat. Middletown To Get $6.6 Million Under 2nd COVID Relief Bill: Middletown, like all towns in America, got a nice big chunk of cash from the federal gov't from the $1.9 trillion second COVID relief bill, signed into law by President Joe Biden. "We'll take the money. If we don't take it, it will go to some other town that will spend it," said the area's state Senator Declan O'Scanlon, (R-NJ13). "But this is like a wildly irresponsible Christmas gift. Democrats in Washington dancing around like they're giving us a gift is really outrageous, because in reality they are taking from our children's and grandchildren's bank accounts and making us think they are doing us a favor. Nobody is talking about fiscal responsibility and the public doesn't want to hear it." Patch still has to find out how Middletown Twp. will spend the money. More playground improvements? Other big news of 2021: Marijuana Is Now Officially Legal In New Jersey (Feb. 2021): Not Middletown specific news, but still extremely big news that happened in New Jersey in 2021. Gov. Murphy made small-amount marijuana possession legal after a majority New Jersey voters (more than 70 percent) voted to legalize marijuana in the Nov. 2020 election. Middletown passed a controversial ban on recreational pot shops opening up within Gov. Murphy Clarifies His Stance On NJ COVID 'Vaccine Passports' (March 2021): Again, not a Middletown-specific story, but a hot-button topic in 2021. Gov. Murphy initially said he liked the idea, something that New York and other states have carried out, but then backed off the idea after immense public backlash from New Jersey voters. Sandy Hook Raises Daily Parking Fee To $20; Season Pass To $100 (April 2021): Just news that pissed a lot of people off. Get great local news. Sign up for Patch emails: https://patch.com/subscribe Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed by a man who went on to carjack, rob and shoot more people during a two-state manhunt this week said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters, Missouri. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a "series" of carjackings, robberies and shootings on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities eventually caught up to him in Clinton County, Illinois, where he held a person hostage in a home. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. The family's full statement is below: The Family of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley mourns the loss of their husband, father, son and friend. We could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support. To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero. Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. -Matthew 5:9 Visitation for Sean Riley will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m., Monday January 3, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with a first responder walk thru at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials in his honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. Memorials will be accepted at the services and the Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, IL which is assisting with arrangements. Additional information will be released in the coming days. We ask the community to show their support by lining the procession route. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe MIDDLETOWN, NJ As 2022 officially begins, we thought it'd be a good idea to round up top 10 Middletown news stories of 2021. These are stories chosen because they generated the most page views, attracted the most "spirited" public debate or discussion, or had a profound impact on peoples' lives: Off-Duty Union Beach Cop Saves Woman In Middletown Fire (January 2021): This happened in North Middletown on a weekday morning in the dead of winter, when an off-duty police officer ran into a smoke-filled garage and rescued an elderly woman trapped insider her burning home. The woman could not walk without her walker and was alone in the house. The man said he only rushed inside when he saw a wheelchair in the open garage and wanted to check the burning home for occupants. Firefighters later said she never would have made it out of the home if he had not rushed in. A beautiful story that started off the year on a positive note, and shows the power of community, bravery and thinking about others. School Reopening Rally Planned For Sunday In A Divided Middletown (January 2021): The decision to reopen Middletown schools or keep virtual learning in place was a heated battle last winter. Holmdel Board Member Calls Into Middletown BOE: Get Kids In Class: The battle only got spicier when a Holmdel school board member called into the Middletown school board meeting one January night, telling them his district had been open for weeks "It's going great; it's going fantastic" and told Middletown they should do the same. BOE member Terrence Wall was alternately heaped with praise from Middletown residents or told to seriously mind his own business. Monmouth Co. Girl, 9, Confesses To Virtual Class She's Starving (Feb. 2021): This heartbreaking story, which Patch was first to report nationwide and went on to be covered by CNN and the NY Post, was read by more than 200,000 people worldwide. This story revealed the unintended consequences of COVID lockdowns: This third grader's mother had lost her multiple jobs when New Jersey restaurants closed and because schools were all virtual, her mother did not know she could still pick up the free breakfasts and lunches her daughter qualified for. The girl could not concentrate during a Zoom class and when her teacher told her to pay attention, the girl broke down crying saying she could not concentrate because she was so hungry. Story continues Luxury Fitness Complex Life Time Coming To Middletown (March 2021): This luxury gym brand plans to open this three-story fitness and wellness complex on Half Mile Road in Middletown, just off Exit 109. Major Middletown Parks/Playground Improvements Are Coming (April 2021): Tindall Park is getting a dog park and Bodman, Chanceville and Countryside playgrounds are all getting new playground equipment. Middletown Students Join Anti-Mask Lawsuit In NJ Schools (July 2021): Two Middletown High School students, both at South, joined a class-action lawsuit suing Gov. Murphy for his school mask mandate. However, the lawsuit was dismissed by multiple judges and did not advance very far in the New Jersey court system. Murphy: We 'Will Take Action' Against Parents' Notes On Masks (August 2021): Who could forget when the Middletown school board tried to pass a policy that would allow student or parental notes to exempt a child from mask wearing? When Murphy caught wind of what was happening in his own backyard, he said "not so fast" and threatened to sue the Middletown school district if they followed through. Some in Middletown begged the school district to hold its ground and engage in a legal battle with the man some call "King Murphy," but the BOE ultimately backed down and followed Murphy's Law. Middletown Twp. Committee Candidate Has A Criminal Record (Oct. 2021): Patch again unearthed a hidden bit of information, when we were the first to report that a candidate running for Middletown Twp. Committee had prior criminal charges of forgery and theft. Democrat Nick Babcock never admitted to the charges from more than a decade ago. He remained in the race, but did not win a public seat. Middletown To Get $6.6 Million Under 2nd COVID Relief Bill: Middletown, like all towns in America, got a nice big chunk of cash from the federal gov't from the $1.9 trillion second COVID relief bill, signed into law by President Joe Biden. "We'll take the money. If we don't take it, it will go to some other town that will spend it," said the area's state Senator Declan O'Scanlon, (R-NJ13). "But this is like a wildly irresponsible Christmas gift. Democrats in Washington dancing around like they're giving us a gift is really outrageous, because in reality they are taking from our children's and grandchildren's bank accounts and making us think they are doing us a favor. Nobody is talking about fiscal responsibility and the public doesn't want to hear it." Patch still has to find out how Middletown Twp. will spend the money. More playground improvements? Other big news of 2021: Marijuana Is Now Officially Legal In New Jersey (Feb. 2021): Not Middletown specific news, but still extremely big news that happened in New Jersey in 2021. Gov. Murphy made small-amount marijuana possession legal after a majority New Jersey voters (more than 70 percent) voted to legalize marijuana in the Nov. 2020 election. Middletown passed a controversial ban on recreational pot shops opening up within Gov. Murphy Clarifies His Stance On NJ COVID 'Vaccine Passports' (March 2021): Again, not a Middletown-specific story, but a hot-button topic in 2021. Gov. Murphy initially said he liked the idea, something that New York and other states have carried out, but then backed off the idea after immense public backlash from New Jersey voters. Sandy Hook Raises Daily Parking Fee To $20; Season Pass To $100 (April 2021): Just news that pissed a lot of people off. Get great local news. Sign up for Patch emails: https://patch.com/subscribe Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com. This article originally appeared on the Middletown Patch MIDDLETOWN, NJ As 2022 officially begins, we thought it'd be a good idea to round up top 10 Middletown news stories of 2021. These are stories chosen because they generated the most page views, attracted the most "spirited" public debate or discussion, or had a profound impact on peoples' lives: Off-Duty Union Beach Cop Saves Woman In Middletown Fire (January 2021): This happened in North Middletown on a weekday morning in the dead of winter, when an off-duty police officer ran into a smoke-filled garage and rescued an elderly woman trapped insider her burning home. The woman could not walk without her walker and was alone in the house. The man said he only rushed inside when he saw a wheelchair in the open garage and wanted to check the burning home for occupants. Firefighters later said she never would have made it out of the home if he had not rushed in. A beautiful story that started off the year on a positive note, and shows the power of community, bravery and thinking about others. School Reopening Rally Planned For Sunday In A Divided Middletown (January 2021): The decision to reopen Middletown schools or keep virtual learning in place was a heated battle last winter. Holmdel Board Member Calls Into Middletown BOE: Get Kids In Class: The battle only got spicier when a Holmdel school board member called into the Middletown school board meeting one January night, telling them his district had been open for weeks "It's going great; it's going fantastic" and told Middletown they should do the same. BOE member Terrence Wall was alternately heaped with praise from Middletown residents or told to seriously mind his own business. Monmouth Co. Girl, 9, Confesses To Virtual Class She's Starving (Feb. 2021): This heartbreaking story, which Patch was first to report nationwide and went on to be covered by CNN and the NY Post, was read by more than 200,000 people worldwide. This story revealed the unintended consequences of COVID lockdowns: This third grader's mother had lost her multiple jobs when New Jersey restaurants closed and because schools were all virtual, her mother did not know she could still pick up the free breakfasts and lunches her daughter qualified for. The girl could not concentrate during a Zoom class and when her teacher told her to pay attention, the girl broke down crying saying she could not concentrate because she was so hungry. Story continues Luxury Fitness Complex Life Time Coming To Middletown (March 2021): This luxury gym brand plans to open this three-story fitness and wellness complex on Half Mile Road in Middletown, just off Exit 109. Major Middletown Parks/Playground Improvements Are Coming (April 2021): Tindall Park is getting a dog park and Bodman, Chanceville and Countryside playgrounds are all getting new playground equipment. Middletown Students Join Anti-Mask Lawsuit In NJ Schools (July 2021): Two Middletown High School students, both at South, joined a class-action lawsuit suing Gov. Murphy for his school mask mandate. However, the lawsuit was dismissed by multiple judges and did not advance very far in the New Jersey court system. Murphy: We 'Will Take Action' Against Parents' Notes On Masks (August 2021): Who could forget when the Middletown school board tried to pass a policy that would allow student or parental notes to exempt a child from mask wearing? When Murphy caught wind of what was happening in his own backyard, he said "not so fast" and threatened to sue the Middletown school district if they followed through. Some in Middletown begged the school district to hold its ground and engage in a legal battle with the man some call "King Murphy," but the BOE ultimately backed down and followed Murphy's Law. Middletown Twp. Committee Candidate Has A Criminal Record (Oct. 2021): Patch again unearthed a hidden bit of information, when we were the first to report that a candidate running for Middletown Twp. Committee had prior criminal charges of forgery and theft. Democrat Nick Babcock never admitted to the charges from more than a decade ago. He remained in the race, but did not win a public seat. Middletown To Get $6.6 Million Under 2nd COVID Relief Bill: Middletown, like all towns in America, got a nice big chunk of cash from the federal gov't from the $1.9 trillion second COVID relief bill, signed into law by President Joe Biden. "We'll take the money. If we don't take it, it will go to some other town that will spend it," said the area's state Senator Declan O'Scanlon, (R-NJ13). "But this is like a wildly irresponsible Christmas gift. Democrats in Washington dancing around like they're giving us a gift is really outrageous, because in reality they are taking from our children's and grandchildren's bank accounts and making us think they are doing us a favor. Nobody is talking about fiscal responsibility and the public doesn't want to hear it." Patch still has to find out how Middletown Twp. will spend the money. More playground improvements? Other big news of 2021: Marijuana Is Now Officially Legal In New Jersey (Feb. 2021): Not Middletown specific news, but still extremely big news that happened in New Jersey in 2021. Gov. Murphy made small-amount marijuana possession legal after a majority New Jersey voters (more than 70 percent) voted to legalize marijuana in the Nov. 2020 election. Middletown passed a controversial ban on recreational pot shops opening up within Gov. Murphy Clarifies His Stance On NJ COVID 'Vaccine Passports' (March 2021): Again, not a Middletown-specific story, but a hot-button topic in 2021. Gov. Murphy initially said he liked the idea, something that New York and other states have carried out, but then backed off the idea after immense public backlash from New Jersey voters. Sandy Hook Raises Daily Parking Fee To $20; Season Pass To $100 (April 2021): Just news that pissed a lot of people off. Get great local news. Sign up for Patch emails: https://patch.com/subscribe Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com. This article originally appeared on the Middletown Patch MIDDLETOWN, NJ As 2022 officially begins, we thought it'd be a good idea to round up top 10 Middletown news stories of 2021. These are stories chosen because they generated the most page views, attracted the most "spirited" public debate or discussion, or had a profound impact on peoples' lives: Off-Duty Union Beach Cop Saves Woman In Middletown Fire (January 2021): This happened in North Middletown on a weekday morning in the dead of winter, when an off-duty police officer ran into a smoke-filled garage and rescued an elderly woman trapped insider her burning home. The woman could not walk without her walker and was alone in the house. The man said he only rushed inside when he saw a wheelchair in the open garage and wanted to check the burning home for occupants. Firefighters later said she never would have made it out of the home if he had not rushed in. A beautiful story that started off the year on a positive note, and shows the power of community, bravery and thinking about others. School Reopening Rally Planned For Sunday In A Divided Middletown (January 2021): The decision to reopen Middletown schools or keep virtual learning in place was a heated battle last winter. Holmdel Board Member Calls Into Middletown BOE: Get Kids In Class: The battle only got spicier when a Holmdel school board member called into the Middletown school board meeting one January night, telling them his district had been open for weeks "It's going great; it's going fantastic" and told Middletown they should do the same. BOE member Terrence Wall was alternately heaped with praise from Middletown residents or told to seriously mind his own business. Monmouth Co. Girl, 9, Confesses To Virtual Class She's Starving (Feb. 2021): This heartbreaking story, which Patch was first to report nationwide and went on to be covered by CNN and the NY Post, was read by more than 200,000 people worldwide. This story revealed the unintended consequences of COVID lockdowns: This third grader's mother had lost her multiple jobs when New Jersey restaurants closed and because schools were all virtual, her mother did not know she could still pick up the free breakfasts and lunches her daughter qualified for. The girl could not concentrate during a Zoom class and when her teacher told her to pay attention, the girl broke down crying saying she could not concentrate because she was so hungry. Story continues Luxury Fitness Complex Life Time Coming To Middletown (March 2021): This luxury gym brand plans to open this three-story fitness and wellness complex on Half Mile Road in Middletown, just off Exit 109. Major Middletown Parks/Playground Improvements Are Coming (April 2021): Tindall Park is getting a dog park and Bodman, Chanceville and Countryside playgrounds are all getting new playground equipment. Middletown Students Join Anti-Mask Lawsuit In NJ Schools (July 2021): Two Middletown High School students, both at South, joined a class-action lawsuit suing Gov. Murphy for his school mask mandate. However, the lawsuit was dismissed by multiple judges and did not advance very far in the New Jersey court system. Murphy: We 'Will Take Action' Against Parents' Notes On Masks (August 2021): Who could forget when the Middletown school board tried to pass a policy that would allow student or parental notes to exempt a child from mask wearing? When Murphy caught wind of what was happening in his own backyard, he said "not so fast" and threatened to sue the Middletown school district if they followed through. Some in Middletown begged the school district to hold its ground and engage in a legal battle with the man some call "King Murphy," but the BOE ultimately backed down and followed Murphy's Law. Middletown Twp. Committee Candidate Has A Criminal Record (Oct. 2021): Patch again unearthed a hidden bit of information, when we were the first to report that a candidate running for Middletown Twp. Committee had prior criminal charges of forgery and theft. Democrat Nick Babcock never admitted to the charges from more than a decade ago. He remained in the race, but did not win a public seat. Middletown To Get $6.6 Million Under 2nd COVID Relief Bill: Middletown, like all towns in America, got a nice big chunk of cash from the federal gov't from the $1.9 trillion second COVID relief bill, signed into law by President Joe Biden. "We'll take the money. If we don't take it, it will go to some other town that will spend it," said the area's state Senator Declan O'Scanlon, (R-NJ13). "But this is like a wildly irresponsible Christmas gift. Democrats in Washington dancing around like they're giving us a gift is really outrageous, because in reality they are taking from our children's and grandchildren's bank accounts and making us think they are doing us a favor. Nobody is talking about fiscal responsibility and the public doesn't want to hear it." Patch still has to find out how Middletown Twp. will spend the money. More playground improvements? Other big news of 2021: Marijuana Is Now Officially Legal In New Jersey (Feb. 2021): Not Middletown specific news, but still extremely big news that happened in New Jersey in 2021. Gov. Murphy made small-amount marijuana possession legal after a majority New Jersey voters (more than 70 percent) voted to legalize marijuana in the Nov. 2020 election. Middletown passed a controversial ban on recreational pot shops opening up within Gov. Murphy Clarifies His Stance On NJ COVID 'Vaccine Passports' (March 2021): Again, not a Middletown-specific story, but a hot-button topic in 2021. Gov. Murphy initially said he liked the idea, something that New York and other states have carried out, but then backed off the idea after immense public backlash from New Jersey voters. Sandy Hook Raises Daily Parking Fee To $20; Season Pass To $100 (April 2021): Just news that pissed a lot of people off. Get great local news. Sign up for Patch emails: https://patch.com/subscribe Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com. This article originally appeared on the Middletown Patch An Ord man has agreed to a $16,000 settlement with the central Nebraska town that filed a lawsuit against him last year in an attempt to get him to stop writing letters and emails to city officials and the police department that they called "burdensome." After the city lost the suit, Guy Brock sued Ord for his attorney fees and punitive damages. At a hearing in December, Brock and a representative for the town's insurance carrier, Oak Creek Insurance, told U.S. Magistrate Judge Cheryl Zwart they had reached the $16,000 amount to release Brock's claims and the city's defenses and to dismiss the case. The town did not admit liability. And the city attorney didn't return a request for comment. The settlement followed an order in September, where U.S. District Judge John Gerrard denied a motion by the city, Mayor Dan Petska and City Attorney Heather Sikyta to dismiss Brock's claims that they had violated his First Amendment rights. At the same time, Gerrard said just because he permitted the case to go forward didn't mean it ought to. "All of the people involved with this lawsuit should regret being here," he wrote in the order. "To begin with, nearly every public official draws the attention of critics and cranks who have opinions they insist on sharing." He said he, too, has no shortage of his own "pen pals." "But rather than accept that as one of the privileges of public service, the defendants decided to pursue a lawsuit that asked a state court to impose a prior restraint on the plaintiff's speech," Gerrard said. Brock won. But, rather than being content with having his First Amendment rights vindicated, he filed another lawsuit, the judge said. "This court's docket is full of cases genuinely implicating lives, livelihoods and liberty but instead of addressing those claims, the court finds its attention diverted by having to referee this squabble. It is tempting to turn this car around and go straight home. But, of course, as long as the parties intend to keep it up, the court is duty-bound to preside," Gerrard wrote then. He went on to dismiss Brock's claims alleging that the city's actions constituted malicious prosecution. But he said Petska and Sikyta weren't entitled to qualified immunity at that stage of the proceedings on the First Amendment retaliation claims, as their attorneys had argued. "Taking Brock's allegations as true that he was writing letters to his elected officials about city activities, and that Petska and Sikyta decided to assert the lawsuit because of that speech every reasonable official would have known that Brock's speech was protected from intrusion by the First Amendment," Gerrard wrote. In the lawsuit, Brock's attorney, J.L. Spray, said during the last decade Brock has had a practice of writing letters to the city of Ord and its elected representatives related to city government. On March 4, 2020, the city filed a lawsuit against him in Valley County District Court seeking a restraining order or an injunction to stop him from "sending communication of any kind to the City of Ord and the Ord Police Department unless directly related to a city service or other city function related specifically to the defendant and his property," Sikyta wrote in the complaint. She said Brock's letters and emails had "increasingly become harassing and burdensome" to the city and the police department. In them, he alleged wrongful conduct by city officials, employees and police officers that she said either were unfounded or had already been handled internally. On Oct. 21, 2019, Ord Police Chief Jay Welch sent a letter to Brock telling him his constant harassment must stop. But Brock kept writing. Sikyta said unless the judge stopped Brock, he would cause "great and irreparable" damage to the reputation of elected officials, city employees and their family members. On May 12, 2020, Valley County District Karin L. Noakes granted Brock's motion to dismiss the lawsuit. A year later, Brock filed his federal lawsuit alleging the city had retaliated against him for exercising free speech and petitioning his elected and appointed representatives. Ord is a town of 2,300 people about 60 miles northwest of Grand Island. Michael Pfleger's Chicago church giving away $25K in gun buyback program in effort to reduce crime A congregation in Chicago, Illinois, has sought to combat gun violence in the city through a $25,000 firearms buyback program centered on young adults and youth. The Faith Community of Saint Sabina began the buyback event on Monday and plans to continue the event until they have fully spent the $25,000 allotted for the program. The Rev. Michael L. Pfleger of Saint Sabina Church provided The Christian Post with more information on the program, which is centered on getting guns out of the hands of youth. The event allows individuals 25 years old and younger to anonymously sell their guns to the church from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Listed prices for working firearms given to the church include $100 for rifles, $200 for modern rifles, what some call "assault weapons," and $20 for high-capacity magazines. We are continuing to try many things to stop this senseless killing, said Pfleger, who listed other events geared toward this effort, including weekly peace walks and block parties. This is just one more application. For the first two days of their buyback program, according to Pfleger, the church acquired 123 handguns, 31 rifles, and one assault weapon, with the pastor adding that they were able to meet and speak to many young brothers to help turn their lives around. Over the July 4 weekend, Chicago saw its "deadliest and most violent weekend," with 104 people being shot and 19 of them killed. Among the wounded were 13 children, The Chicago Sun Times reported. According to the Chicago Tribune, 2,021 people had been victims of shootings by July 7, which was 164 more than all of 2020. The high number of shootings and murders in Chicago has led many to refer to the city by using the pejorative nickname Chiraq, alluding to the idea that some parts of Chicago are more violent than war-torn countries like Iraq. Last weekend, there were 70 shooting victims in the city, 12 of whom have died from their wounds. Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown has blamed the spike in crime on the courts releasing suspects instead of prosecuting them. "We are arresting violent offenders, the courts are releasing these people back into the community," said Brown, as reported by ABC News' Chicago affiliate. "My question to you is, what the courts can do different[ly] rather than release violent people back to these communities to create an environment of lawlessness." Last week, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, disagreed, contending at a press conference that while she welcomed increased federal aid in response, we cannot arrest our way out of this problem. Fundamentally, if you look at the West Side and you look at the problems, the opioid addiction that is really harming so many individuals, families and communities, the investments we have to make in human capital and the investments we have to make in infrastructure, those are why I spend so much time on the West Side, said Lightfoot, as reported by NBC Chicago. If we can get it right [on the west side], with the mix of resources and investments and capacity building in neighborhoods, empowering residents to be able to hold the territory under their feet, with our help and our support not just in the short-term but in the long-term, thats really what the investments have to be about, and Im totally committed to that. MIDDLETOWN, NJ As 2022 officially begins, we thought it'd be a good idea to round up top 10 Middletown news stories of 2021. These are stories chosen because they generated the most page views, attracted the most "spirited" public debate or discussion, or had a profound impact on peoples' lives: Off-Duty Union Beach Cop Saves Woman In Middletown Fire (January 2021): This happened in North Middletown on a weekday morning in the dead of winter, when an off-duty police officer ran into a smoke-filled garage and rescued an elderly woman trapped insider her burning home. The woman could not walk without her walker and was alone in the house. The man said he only rushed inside when he saw a wheelchair in the open garage and wanted to check the burning home for occupants. Firefighters later said she never would have made it out of the home if he had not rushed in. A beautiful story that started off the year on a positive note, and shows the power of community, bravery and thinking about others. School Reopening Rally Planned For Sunday In A Divided Middletown (January 2021): The decision to reopen Middletown schools or keep virtual learning in place was a heated battle last winter. Holmdel Board Member Calls Into Middletown BOE: Get Kids In Class: The battle only got spicier when a Holmdel school board member called into the Middletown school board meeting one January night, telling them his district had been open for weeks "It's going great; it's going fantastic" and told Middletown they should do the same. BOE member Terrence Wall was alternately heaped with praise from Middletown residents or told to seriously mind his own business. Monmouth Co. Girl, 9, Confesses To Virtual Class She's Starving (Feb. 2021): This heartbreaking story, which Patch was first to report nationwide and went on to be covered by CNN and the NY Post, was read by more than 200,000 people worldwide. This story revealed the unintended consequences of COVID lockdowns: This third grader's mother had lost her multiple jobs when New Jersey restaurants closed and because schools were all virtual, her mother did not know she could still pick up the free breakfasts and lunches her daughter qualified for. The girl could not concentrate during a Zoom class and when her teacher told her to pay attention, the girl broke down crying saying she could not concentrate because she was so hungry. Story continues Luxury Fitness Complex Life Time Coming To Middletown (March 2021): This luxury gym brand plans to open this three-story fitness and wellness complex on Half Mile Road in Middletown, just off Exit 109. Major Middletown Parks/Playground Improvements Are Coming (April 2021): Tindall Park is getting a dog park and Bodman, Chanceville and Countryside playgrounds are all getting new playground equipment. Middletown Students Join Anti-Mask Lawsuit In NJ Schools (July 2021): Two Middletown High School students, both at South, joined a class-action lawsuit suing Gov. Murphy for his school mask mandate. However, the lawsuit was dismissed by multiple judges and did not advance very far in the New Jersey court system. Murphy: We 'Will Take Action' Against Parents' Notes On Masks (August 2021): Who could forget when the Middletown school board tried to pass a policy that would allow student or parental notes to exempt a child from mask wearing? When Murphy caught wind of what was happening in his own backyard, he said "not so fast" and threatened to sue the Middletown school district if they followed through. Some in Middletown begged the school district to hold its ground and engage in a legal battle with the man some call "King Murphy," but the BOE ultimately backed down and followed Murphy's Law. Middletown Twp. Committee Candidate Has A Criminal Record (Oct. 2021): Patch again unearthed a hidden bit of information, when we were the first to report that a candidate running for Middletown Twp. Committee had prior criminal charges of forgery and theft. Democrat Nick Babcock never admitted to the charges from more than a decade ago. He remained in the race, but did not win a public seat. Middletown To Get $6.6 Million Under 2nd COVID Relief Bill: Middletown, like all towns in America, got a nice big chunk of cash from the federal gov't from the $1.9 trillion second COVID relief bill, signed into law by President Joe Biden. "We'll take the money. If we don't take it, it will go to some other town that will spend it," said the area's state Senator Declan O'Scanlon, (R-NJ13). "But this is like a wildly irresponsible Christmas gift. Democrats in Washington dancing around like they're giving us a gift is really outrageous, because in reality they are taking from our children's and grandchildren's bank accounts and making us think they are doing us a favor. Nobody is talking about fiscal responsibility and the public doesn't want to hear it." Patch still has to find out how Middletown Twp. will spend the money. More playground improvements? Other big news of 2021: Marijuana Is Now Officially Legal In New Jersey (Feb. 2021): Not Middletown specific news, but still extremely big news that happened in New Jersey in 2021. Gov. Murphy made small-amount marijuana possession legal after a majority New Jersey voters (more than 70 percent) voted to legalize marijuana in the Nov. 2020 election. Middletown passed a controversial ban on recreational pot shops opening up within Gov. Murphy Clarifies His Stance On NJ COVID 'Vaccine Passports' (March 2021): Again, not a Middletown-specific story, but a hot-button topic in 2021. Gov. Murphy initially said he liked the idea, something that New York and other states have carried out, but then backed off the idea after immense public backlash from New Jersey voters. Sandy Hook Raises Daily Parking Fee To $20; Season Pass To $100 (April 2021): Just news that pissed a lot of people off. Get great local news. Sign up for Patch emails: https://patch.com/subscribe Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com. This article originally appeared on the Middletown Patch MIDDLETOWN, NJ As 2022 officially begins, we thought it'd be a good idea to round up top 10 Middletown news stories of 2021. These are stories chosen because they generated the most page views, attracted the most "spirited" public debate or discussion, or had a profound impact on peoples' lives: Off-Duty Union Beach Cop Saves Woman In Middletown Fire (January 2021): This happened in North Middletown on a weekday morning in the dead of winter, when an off-duty police officer ran into a smoke-filled garage and rescued an elderly woman trapped insider her burning home. The woman could not walk without her walker and was alone in the house. The man said he only rushed inside when he saw a wheelchair in the open garage and wanted to check the burning home for occupants. Firefighters later said she never would have made it out of the home if he had not rushed in. A beautiful story that started off the year on a positive note, and shows the power of community, bravery and thinking about others. School Reopening Rally Planned For Sunday In A Divided Middletown (January 2021): The decision to reopen Middletown schools or keep virtual learning in place was a heated battle last winter. Holmdel Board Member Calls Into Middletown BOE: Get Kids In Class: The battle only got spicier when a Holmdel school board member called into the Middletown school board meeting one January night, telling them his district had been open for weeks "It's going great; it's going fantastic" and told Middletown they should do the same. BOE member Terrence Wall was alternately heaped with praise from Middletown residents or told to seriously mind his own business. Monmouth Co. Girl, 9, Confesses To Virtual Class She's Starving (Feb. 2021): This heartbreaking story, which Patch was first to report nationwide and went on to be covered by CNN and the NY Post, was read by more than 200,000 people worldwide. This story revealed the unintended consequences of COVID lockdowns: This third grader's mother had lost her multiple jobs when New Jersey restaurants closed and because schools were all virtual, her mother did not know she could still pick up the free breakfasts and lunches her daughter qualified for. The girl could not concentrate during a Zoom class and when her teacher told her to pay attention, the girl broke down crying saying she could not concentrate because she was so hungry. Story continues Luxury Fitness Complex Life Time Coming To Middletown (March 2021): This luxury gym brand plans to open this three-story fitness and wellness complex on Half Mile Road in Middletown, just off Exit 109. Major Middletown Parks/Playground Improvements Are Coming (April 2021): Tindall Park is getting a dog park and Bodman, Chanceville and Countryside playgrounds are all getting new playground equipment. Middletown Students Join Anti-Mask Lawsuit In NJ Schools (July 2021): Two Middletown High School students, both at South, joined a class-action lawsuit suing Gov. Murphy for his school mask mandate. However, the lawsuit was dismissed by multiple judges and did not advance very far in the New Jersey court system. Murphy: We 'Will Take Action' Against Parents' Notes On Masks (August 2021): Who could forget when the Middletown school board tried to pass a policy that would allow student or parental notes to exempt a child from mask wearing? When Murphy caught wind of what was happening in his own backyard, he said "not so fast" and threatened to sue the Middletown school district if they followed through. Some in Middletown begged the school district to hold its ground and engage in a legal battle with the man some call "King Murphy," but the BOE ultimately backed down and followed Murphy's Law. Middletown Twp. Committee Candidate Has A Criminal Record (Oct. 2021): Patch again unearthed a hidden bit of information, when we were the first to report that a candidate running for Middletown Twp. Committee had prior criminal charges of forgery and theft. Democrat Nick Babcock never admitted to the charges from more than a decade ago. He remained in the race, but did not win a public seat. Middletown To Get $6.6 Million Under 2nd COVID Relief Bill: Middletown, like all towns in America, got a nice big chunk of cash from the federal gov't from the $1.9 trillion second COVID relief bill, signed into law by President Joe Biden. "We'll take the money. If we don't take it, it will go to some other town that will spend it," said the area's state Senator Declan O'Scanlon, (R-NJ13). "But this is like a wildly irresponsible Christmas gift. Democrats in Washington dancing around like they're giving us a gift is really outrageous, because in reality they are taking from our children's and grandchildren's bank accounts and making us think they are doing us a favor. Nobody is talking about fiscal responsibility and the public doesn't want to hear it." Patch still has to find out how Middletown Twp. will spend the money. More playground improvements? Other big news of 2021: Marijuana Is Now Officially Legal In New Jersey (Feb. 2021): Not Middletown specific news, but still extremely big news that happened in New Jersey in 2021. Gov. Murphy made small-amount marijuana possession legal after a majority New Jersey voters (more than 70 percent) voted to legalize marijuana in the Nov. 2020 election. Middletown passed a controversial ban on recreational pot shops opening up within Gov. Murphy Clarifies His Stance On NJ COVID 'Vaccine Passports' (March 2021): Again, not a Middletown-specific story, but a hot-button topic in 2021. Gov. Murphy initially said he liked the idea, something that New York and other states have carried out, but then backed off the idea after immense public backlash from New Jersey voters. Sandy Hook Raises Daily Parking Fee To $20; Season Pass To $100 (April 2021): Just news that pissed a lot of people off. Get great local news. Sign up for Patch emails: https://patch.com/subscribe Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com. This article originally appeared on the Middletown Patch WAYNE COUNTY, Ill. The family of a sheriff's deputy who was killed by a man who went on to carjack, rob and shoot more people during a two-state manhunt this week said Friday their son, husband, father and friend was a hero. Deputy Sean Riley's family in a written statement thanked the thousands of people who offered their support. "Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same," the statement said. "But we take comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply and he died doing what he loved." A visitation, funeral and burial are planned for Monday in Fairfield, Illinois, roughly two hours east of St. Louis and 30 minutes west of the Indiana border. The man accused of fatally shooting Riley is 40-year-old Ray Tate of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Illinois State Police said Tate took Riley's squad car immediately after the shooting then drove a few minutes east where he held a semitrailer at gunpoint and forced him to drive to St. Peters, Missouri. Tate carjacked and shot another person at a gas station there before committing a "series" of carjackings, robberies and shootings on his way back to Illinois, police said. Authorities eventually caught up to him in Clinton County, Illinois, where he held a person hostage in a home. State police eventually went into the home and arrested Tate. The family's full statement is below: The Family of Wayne County Sheriffs Deputy Sean Riley mourns the loss of their husband, father, son and friend. We could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support. To the public, he became a hero on December 29th, when he was killed in the line of duty. To his family, he has always been a hero. Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same. But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. -Matthew 5:9 Visitation for Sean Riley will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m., Monday January 3, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with a first responder walk thru at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at the Fairfield Community High School Gymnasium, with law enforcement procession and burial to follow at Cisne Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials in his honor may be made to the Sean Riley Benefit Fund at the Trust Bank in Cisne. Memorials will be accepted at the services and the Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, IL which is assisting with arrangements. Additional information will be released in the coming days. We ask the community to show their support by lining the procession route. MIDDLETOWN, NJ As 2022 officially begins, we thought it'd be a good idea to round up top 10 Middletown news stories of 2021. These are stories chosen because they generated the most page views, attracted the most "spirited" public debate or discussion, or had a profound impact on peoples' lives: Off-Duty Union Beach Cop Saves Woman In Middletown Fire (January 2021): This happened in North Middletown on a weekday morning in the dead of winter, when an off-duty police officer ran into a smoke-filled garage and rescued an elderly woman trapped insider her burning home. The woman could not walk without her walker and was alone in the house. The man said he only rushed inside when he saw a wheelchair in the open garage and wanted to check the burning home for occupants. Firefighters later said she never would have made it out of the home if he had not rushed in. A beautiful story that started off the year on a positive note, and shows the power of community, bravery and thinking about others. School Reopening Rally Planned For Sunday In A Divided Middletown (January 2021): The decision to reopen Middletown schools or keep virtual learning in place was a heated battle last winter. Holmdel Board Member Calls Into Middletown BOE: Get Kids In Class: The battle only got spicier when a Holmdel school board member called into the Middletown school board meeting one January night, telling them his district had been open for weeks "It's going great; it's going fantastic" and told Middletown they should do the same. BOE member Terrence Wall was alternately heaped with praise from Middletown residents or told to seriously mind his own business. Monmouth Co. Girl, 9, Confesses To Virtual Class She's Starving (Feb. 2021): This heartbreaking story, which Patch was first to report nationwide and went on to be covered by CNN and the NY Post, was read by more than 200,000 people worldwide. This story revealed the unintended consequences of COVID lockdowns: This third grader's mother had lost her multiple jobs when New Jersey restaurants closed and because schools were all virtual, her mother did not know she could still pick up the free breakfasts and lunches her daughter qualified for. The girl could not concentrate during a Zoom class and when her teacher told her to pay attention, the girl broke down crying saying she could not concentrate because she was so hungry. Story continues Luxury Fitness Complex Life Time Coming To Middletown (March 2021): This luxury gym brand plans to open this three-story fitness and wellness complex on Half Mile Road in Middletown, just off Exit 109. Major Middletown Parks/Playground Improvements Are Coming (April 2021): Tindall Park is getting a dog park and Bodman, Chanceville and Countryside playgrounds are all getting new playground equipment. Middletown Students Join Anti-Mask Lawsuit In NJ Schools (July 2021): Two Middletown High School students, both at South, joined a class-action lawsuit suing Gov. Murphy for his school mask mandate. However, the lawsuit was dismissed by multiple judges and did not advance very far in the New Jersey court system. Murphy: We 'Will Take Action' Against Parents' Notes On Masks (August 2021): Who could forget when the Middletown school board tried to pass a policy that would allow student or parental notes to exempt a child from mask wearing? When Murphy caught wind of what was happening in his own backyard, he said "not so fast" and threatened to sue the Middletown school district if they followed through. Some in Middletown begged the school district to hold its ground and engage in a legal battle with the man some call "King Murphy," but the BOE ultimately backed down and followed Murphy's Law. Middletown Twp. Committee Candidate Has A Criminal Record (Oct. 2021): Patch again unearthed a hidden bit of information, when we were the first to report that a candidate running for Middletown Twp. Committee had prior criminal charges of forgery and theft. Democrat Nick Babcock never admitted to the charges from more than a decade ago. He remained in the race, but did not win a public seat. Middletown To Get $6.6 Million Under 2nd COVID Relief Bill: Middletown, like all towns in America, got a nice big chunk of cash from the federal gov't from the $1.9 trillion second COVID relief bill, signed into law by President Joe Biden. "We'll take the money. If we don't take it, it will go to some other town that will spend it," said the area's state Senator Declan O'Scanlon, (R-NJ13). "But this is like a wildly irresponsible Christmas gift. Democrats in Washington dancing around like they're giving us a gift is really outrageous, because in reality they are taking from our children's and grandchildren's bank accounts and making us think they are doing us a favor. Nobody is talking about fiscal responsibility and the public doesn't want to hear it." Patch still has to find out how Middletown Twp. will spend the money. More playground improvements? Other big news of 2021: Marijuana Is Now Officially Legal In New Jersey (Feb. 2021): Not Middletown specific news, but still extremely big news that happened in New Jersey in 2021. Gov. Murphy made small-amount marijuana possession legal after a majority New Jersey voters (more than 70 percent) voted to legalize marijuana in the Nov. 2020 election. Middletown passed a controversial ban on recreational pot shops opening up within Gov. Murphy Clarifies His Stance On NJ COVID 'Vaccine Passports' (March 2021): Again, not a Middletown-specific story, but a hot-button topic in 2021. Gov. Murphy initially said he liked the idea, something that New York and other states have carried out, but then backed off the idea after immense public backlash from New Jersey voters. Sandy Hook Raises Daily Parking Fee To $20; Season Pass To $100 (April 2021): Just news that pissed a lot of people off. Get great local news. Sign up for Patch emails: https://patch.com/subscribe Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com. This article originally appeared on the Middletown Patch $25K rewards offered to find killers of slain 1-y-o and 3-y-o killed in Chicago A group of Chicago businessmen has announced two $25,000 awards for anyone who provides information leading to the arrest of suspects who killed a one-year-old baby last weekend and a 3-year-old child over Father's Day weekend. Twenty-month-old Sincere Gaston was shot Saturday afternoon while he was with his mother in a car in Chicagos Englewood neighborhood, according to NBC Chicago. Another car pulled up next to their vehicle and a person inside fired at least seven shots. A bullet hit the boys chest and he was later pronounced dead at St. Bernard Hospital. His mother suffered a graze wound to her head. Of the dozens of killings that took place on Father's Day weekend was the killing of 3-year-old Mekhi James. James was shot when he was riding in a car with his stepfather while on his way home from getting a haircut. Earley Walker, owner of W&W Towing, along with a new group of business leaders called Im Telling, Dont Shoot, announced at a press conference Sunday $25,000 awards for people who provide information leading the arrests of the people who killed Gaston and James. The business leaders were joined at the press conference by 16th Ward Alderman Stephanie Coleman. [I]ts a group fed up with gun violence in our communities, Walker said, according to NBC Chicago. We are tired and fed up with gun violence, and the innocent bystanders are being killed. Our kids are dying at a fast rate, and its time for change. Weve got to do something, Walker added. I am absolutely ecstatic that these business owners are standing behind me to support this initiative. We need to find this killer. At least 65 people were shot across Chicago last weekend. According to The Chicago Sun-Times, 18 victims who were shot last weekend have died, including three children. The newspaper reports that the city has already surpassed 300 homicides so far in 2020, a mark that Chicago didnt reach until early August in 2019. Over the Fathers Day weekend, more than 100 people were shot and at least 14 were killed, including five children, the Associated Press reports. Among the victims killed this month in Chicago is Gary Tinder, a 20-year-old DePaul University student and member at Edgewater Baptist Church. ABC 7 Chicago reports that Tinder was shot while walking home from work in the Rogers Park neighborhood. Tinders friends said they can't imagine what motive anyone would have to shoot him. As of Monday afternoon, Tinders friends have raised over $24,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to benefit his family. Rev. Ira Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church in Chicago told The Chicago Tribune that a line was crossed with James killing. This is a horrific Fathers Day. This 3-year-old baby lost his life, Acree said. I could not pastor this community and not say something. The pastor referred to protests against police brutality over the death of George Floyd. He expressed concerns about the safety of the citys black youth. We say black lives matter, but were here to say black baby lives matter more, Acree was quoted as saying. At least 1,508 people in Chicago have been shot from January until June 22, according to a tracker run by The Chicago Tribune. $25K rewards offered to find killers of slain 1-y-o and 3-y-o killed in Chicago A group of Chicago businessmen has announced two $25,000 awards for anyone who provides information leading to the arrest of suspects who killed a one-year-old baby last weekend and a 3-year-old child over Father's Day weekend. Twenty-month-old Sincere Gaston was shot Saturday afternoon while he was with his mother in a car in Chicagos Englewood neighborhood, according to NBC Chicago. Another car pulled up next to their vehicle and a person inside fired at least seven shots. A bullet hit the boys chest and he was later pronounced dead at St. Bernard Hospital. His mother suffered a graze wound to her head. Of the dozens of killings that took place on Father's Day weekend was the killing of 3-year-old Mekhi James. James was shot when he was riding in a car with his stepfather while on his way home from getting a haircut. Earley Walker, owner of W&W Towing, along with a new group of business leaders called Im Telling, Dont Shoot, announced at a press conference Sunday $25,000 awards for people who provide information leading the arrests of the people who killed Gaston and James. The business leaders were joined at the press conference by 16th Ward Alderman Stephanie Coleman. [I]ts a group fed up with gun violence in our communities, Walker said, according to NBC Chicago. We are tired and fed up with gun violence, and the innocent bystanders are being killed. Our kids are dying at a fast rate, and its time for change. Weve got to do something, Walker added. I am absolutely ecstatic that these business owners are standing behind me to support this initiative. We need to find this killer. At least 65 people were shot across Chicago last weekend. According to The Chicago Sun-Times, 18 victims who were shot last weekend have died, including three children. The newspaper reports that the city has already surpassed 300 homicides so far in 2020, a mark that Chicago didnt reach until early August in 2019. Over the Fathers Day weekend, more than 100 people were shot and at least 14 were killed, including five children, the Associated Press reports. Among the victims killed this month in Chicago is Gary Tinder, a 20-year-old DePaul University student and member at Edgewater Baptist Church. ABC 7 Chicago reports that Tinder was shot while walking home from work in the Rogers Park neighborhood. Tinders friends said they can't imagine what motive anyone would have to shoot him. As of Monday afternoon, Tinders friends have raised over $24,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to benefit his family. Rev. Ira Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church in Chicago told The Chicago Tribune that a line was crossed with James killing. This is a horrific Fathers Day. This 3-year-old baby lost his life, Acree said. I could not pastor this community and not say something. The pastor referred to protests against police brutality over the death of George Floyd. He expressed concerns about the safety of the citys black youth. We say black lives matter, but were here to say black baby lives matter more, Acree was quoted as saying. At least 1,508 people in Chicago have been shot from January until June 22, according to a tracker run by The Chicago Tribune. $25K rewards offered to find killers of slain 1-y-o and 3-y-o killed in Chicago A group of Chicago businessmen has announced two $25,000 awards for anyone who provides information leading to the arrest of suspects who killed a one-year-old baby last weekend and a 3-year-old child over Father's Day weekend. Twenty-month-old Sincere Gaston was shot Saturday afternoon while he was with his mother in a car in Chicagos Englewood neighborhood, according to NBC Chicago. Another car pulled up next to their vehicle and a person inside fired at least seven shots. A bullet hit the boys chest and he was later pronounced dead at St. Bernard Hospital. His mother suffered a graze wound to her head. Of the dozens of killings that took place on Father's Day weekend was the killing of 3-year-old Mekhi James. James was shot when he was riding in a car with his stepfather while on his way home from getting a haircut. Earley Walker, owner of W&W Towing, along with a new group of business leaders called Im Telling, Dont Shoot, announced at a press conference Sunday $25,000 awards for people who provide information leading the arrests of the people who killed Gaston and James. The business leaders were joined at the press conference by 16th Ward Alderman Stephanie Coleman. [I]ts a group fed up with gun violence in our communities, Walker said, according to NBC Chicago. We are tired and fed up with gun violence, and the innocent bystanders are being killed. Our kids are dying at a fast rate, and its time for change. Weve got to do something, Walker added. I am absolutely ecstatic that these business owners are standing behind me to support this initiative. We need to find this killer. At least 65 people were shot across Chicago last weekend. According to The Chicago Sun-Times, 18 victims who were shot last weekend have died, including three children. The newspaper reports that the city has already surpassed 300 homicides so far in 2020, a mark that Chicago didnt reach until early August in 2019. Over the Fathers Day weekend, more than 100 people were shot and at least 14 were killed, including five children, the Associated Press reports. Among the victims killed this month in Chicago is Gary Tinder, a 20-year-old DePaul University student and member at Edgewater Baptist Church. ABC 7 Chicago reports that Tinder was shot while walking home from work in the Rogers Park neighborhood. Tinders friends said they can't imagine what motive anyone would have to shoot him. As of Monday afternoon, Tinders friends have raised over $24,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to benefit his family. Rev. Ira Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church in Chicago told The Chicago Tribune that a line was crossed with James killing. This is a horrific Fathers Day. This 3-year-old baby lost his life, Acree said. I could not pastor this community and not say something. The pastor referred to protests against police brutality over the death of George Floyd. He expressed concerns about the safety of the citys black youth. We say black lives matter, but were here to say black baby lives matter more, Acree was quoted as saying. At least 1,508 people in Chicago have been shot from January until June 22, according to a tracker run by The Chicago Tribune. MIDDLETOWN, NJ As 2022 officially begins, we thought it'd be a good idea to round up top 10 Middletown news stories of 2021. These are stories chosen because they generated the most page views, attracted the most "spirited" public debate or discussion, or had a profound impact on peoples' lives: Off-Duty Union Beach Cop Saves Woman In Middletown Fire (January 2021): This happened in North Middletown on a weekday morning in the dead of winter, when an off-duty police officer ran into a smoke-filled garage and rescued an elderly woman trapped insider her burning home. The woman could not walk without her walker and was alone in the house. The man said he only rushed inside when he saw a wheelchair in the open garage and wanted to check the burning home for occupants. Firefighters later said she never would have made it out of the home if he had not rushed in. A beautiful story that started off the year on a positive note, and shows the power of community, bravery and thinking about others. School Reopening Rally Planned For Sunday In A Divided Middletown (January 2021): The decision to reopen Middletown schools or keep virtual learning in place was a heated battle last winter. Holmdel Board Member Calls Into Middletown BOE: Get Kids In Class: The battle only got spicier when a Holmdel school board member called into the Middletown school board meeting one January night, telling them his district had been open for weeks "It's going great; it's going fantastic" and told Middletown they should do the same. BOE member Terrence Wall was alternately heaped with praise from Middletown residents or told to seriously mind his own business. Monmouth Co. Girl, 9, Confesses To Virtual Class She's Starving (Feb. 2021): This heartbreaking story, which Patch was first to report nationwide and went on to be covered by CNN and the NY Post, was read by more than 200,000 people worldwide. This story revealed the unintended consequences of COVID lockdowns: This third grader's mother had lost her multiple jobs when New Jersey restaurants closed and because schools were all virtual, her mother did not know she could still pick up the free breakfasts and lunches her daughter qualified for. The girl could not concentrate during a Zoom class and when her teacher told her to pay attention, the girl broke down crying saying she could not concentrate because she was so hungry. Story continues Luxury Fitness Complex Life Time Coming To Middletown (March 2021): This luxury gym brand plans to open this three-story fitness and wellness complex on Half Mile Road in Middletown, just off Exit 109. Major Middletown Parks/Playground Improvements Are Coming (April 2021): Tindall Park is getting a dog park and Bodman, Chanceville and Countryside playgrounds are all getting new playground equipment. Middletown Students Join Anti-Mask Lawsuit In NJ Schools (July 2021): Two Middletown High School students, both at South, joined a class-action lawsuit suing Gov. Murphy for his school mask mandate. However, the lawsuit was dismissed by multiple judges and did not advance very far in the New Jersey court system. Murphy: We 'Will Take Action' Against Parents' Notes On Masks (August 2021): Who could forget when the Middletown school board tried to pass a policy that would allow student or parental notes to exempt a child from mask wearing? When Murphy caught wind of what was happening in his own backyard, he said "not so fast" and threatened to sue the Middletown school district if they followed through. Some in Middletown begged the school district to hold its ground and engage in a legal battle with the man some call "King Murphy," but the BOE ultimately backed down and followed Murphy's Law. Middletown Twp. Committee Candidate Has A Criminal Record (Oct. 2021): Patch again unearthed a hidden bit of information, when we were the first to report that a candidate running for Middletown Twp. Committee had prior criminal charges of forgery and theft. Democrat Nick Babcock never admitted to the charges from more than a decade ago. He remained in the race, but did not win a public seat. Middletown To Get $6.6 Million Under 2nd COVID Relief Bill: Middletown, like all towns in America, got a nice big chunk of cash from the federal gov't from the $1.9 trillion second COVID relief bill, signed into law by President Joe Biden. "We'll take the money. If we don't take it, it will go to some other town that will spend it," said the area's state Senator Declan O'Scanlon, (R-NJ13). "But this is like a wildly irresponsible Christmas gift. Democrats in Washington dancing around like they're giving us a gift is really outrageous, because in reality they are taking from our children's and grandchildren's bank accounts and making us think they are doing us a favor. Nobody is talking about fiscal responsibility and the public doesn't want to hear it." Patch still has to find out how Middletown Twp. will spend the money. More playground improvements? Other big news of 2021: Marijuana Is Now Officially Legal In New Jersey (Feb. 2021): Not Middletown specific news, but still extremely big news that happened in New Jersey in 2021. Gov. Murphy made small-amount marijuana possession legal after a majority New Jersey voters (more than 70 percent) voted to legalize marijuana in the Nov. 2020 election. Middletown passed a controversial ban on recreational pot shops opening up within Gov. Murphy Clarifies His Stance On NJ COVID 'Vaccine Passports' (March 2021): Again, not a Middletown-specific story, but a hot-button topic in 2021. Gov. Murphy initially said he liked the idea, something that New York and other states have carried out, but then backed off the idea after immense public backlash from New Jersey voters. Sandy Hook Raises Daily Parking Fee To $20; Season Pass To $100 (April 2021): Just news that pissed a lot of people off. Get great local news. Sign up for Patch emails: https://patch.com/subscribe Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com. This article originally appeared on the Middletown Patch Memories and Jokes without Pomp at Archbishop Tutu's Funeral Mass The funeral for Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu on January 1 was the culmination of a South African period of mourning, during which the national flag flew at half-mast countrywide and at South African diplomatic missions. President Cyril Ramaphosa, announced the observances, saying, "Every night this week, the City of Cape Town will light up Table Mountain and City Hall in purple - the colour that is so synonymous with The Arch." In accordance with Covid precautions, only 100 people were present in St. George's Cathedral in Cape Town, but the streamed service was watched in countries around the world. In case you missed it, here are the eulogy by President Ramaphosa; the sermon by The Rt Rev. Michael Nuttall, Retired Bishop of Natal & Dean of the Province to Archbishop Tutu; and the liturgy/order of service, which reflects the planning by Archbishop Tutu in the selection of hymns, choirs and readings. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) AMERICA The US military has a number of hypersonic weapons programs across the Navy, Army and Air Force but most are still in development phase and highly top secret. However the known programs are all more conventional hypersonic weapons that strike from high altitude, rather than orbital bombardment systems that strike from space which the Chinese were revealed to have developed tis week. The only US hypersonic weapon know to have been successfully tested is the Air Force's GM-183 ARRW which is designed to be launched from a large bomber aircraft. It then accelerates to hypersonic speeds using of up to 15,345mph using a supersonic combustion ramjet to strike targets within 1,000 miles. Donald Trump refered to a 'super duper missile' while in office and this is believed to be the AGM-183 ARRW. The Navy's submarine launched Long Range Hypersonic Weapon is expected to be operational by 2023 and will have a range of 1,725 miles. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) but kept details such as range, speed and payload secret. The missile uses oxygen in the atmosphere as part of its fuel - marking the first successful test of that class of weapon since 2013. The missile, which is built by Raytheon, was released from an aircraft just 'seconds' before the scramjet engine from Northrop Grumman kicked on, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) said. The engine works by compressing incoming air with hydrocarbon fuel to create a fast airflow mixture, one capable of reaching over 1,700 meters per second, or five times the speed of sound. Earlier this year, a test of a hypersonic missile from the U.S. Air Force was abandoned after it was unable to complete its launch sequence. On March 19 last year, the Pentagon flight-tested a hypersonic glide vehicle at its Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. It deemed the test a success and 'a major milestone towards the department's goal of fielding hypersonic warfighting capabilities in the early- to mid-2020s.' Unlike Russia, the United States says it is not developing hypersonic weapons for use with a nuclear warhead. As a result, a U.S. hypersonic weapon will need to be more accurate, posing additional technical challenges. In 2004, NASA's experimental unmanned hypersonic aircraft X-43 reached 7,366mph (Mach 9.6) using a scramjet engine, setting the current record. In 2019, DailyMail.com reported that the Raytheon and Northrop Grumman-developed missile would use an engine made by a 3D printer. Last year, DARPA said it was working with Aerojet Rocketdyne on a nearly $20 million project to develop a hypersonic rocket that could intercept enemy missiles mid-air. Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine and has the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles RUSSIA Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine, and since late 2019 has had the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles in service. The Avangard can travel at up to Mach 27, changing course and altitude. The range of Russia's hypersonic missile, the Zircon, is 621 miles with a speed of 9,800mph. But the missile flies below the atmosphere and uses fuel to power itself to hypersonic speeds rather than the Earth's orbit. Earlier this month, Russia announced it has successfully test-fired the Zircon from a nuclear submarine for the first time. The 6,670mph weapon hit a target in the Barents Sea according to the Moscow defence ministry, who claims the missile is capable of Mach-9 speeds and able to evade all Western defences. Russia said it had completed flight tests of the new-age missile from a frigate - the Admiral Gorshkov - and a coastal mount, but it had not previously been launched from a submarine. The Zircon has been identified by Moscow's state-controlled TV as Vladimir Putin's weapon of choice to wipe out coastal American cities in the event of an atomic conflict. He has declared the missile as 'truly unparalleled anywhere in the world', and the Russians have boasted it is 'unstoppable' by Western defences. Putin first announced the development of an array of new hypersonic weapons in 2018, insisting that they would be able to hit almost any point in the world and evade a US-built missile shield. The Zircon is due to go into service next year, and will first be deployed via the Admiral Golovko frigate which carries significant stealth-technology. A key use of the missile is taking out enemy ships and reports suggested its maximum range is between 188 and 620 miles. But there have been unconfirmed reports its true range is some 1,200 miles. The missile system's design and development have been conducted in deep secrecy, and Putin has warned that foreign spies have tried to steal its secrets. It is one of a number of hypersonic missiles Russia is deploying including the 188-tonne Sarmat - known in the West as Satan-2 - which will be the biggest beast in Russia's nuclear arsenal, due for tests in the autumn with deployment slated for next year. In May, Russia said it tested three 'invincible' hypersonic 'Satan 2' missiles that some have said could wipe out areas the size of England and Wales. China launched the dummy weapon into space on board a Long March 2C rocket (pictured) during a test in mid-August which it did not disclose at the time and was only revealed at the weekend by security analysts assigned to work out its purpose CHINA The hypersonic orbital bombardment system that China tested in August reportedly reaches a top speed of 21,000 mph and strikes from space. The core concept of China's 'new' weapon - deliver a warhead into orbit and have it circle the globe before hitting a target - was first developed by the Soviets in the 1960s. Called a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, or FOBS, it was developed to evade powerful US radar arrays and missile defence systems. Those systems work by detecting launches of ICBMs - very long-range missiles that can be tipped with nukes - and tracking them into space, then firing at the warheads as they come down in the hope of blowing them up before they hit their targets. This is possible because ICBMs and their warheads follow a predictable trajectory that rises high into space - making them relatively easy to spot and allowing defence crews to calculate where they are aimed so they can be shot out of the sky. FOBS aim to negate these defences by firing their warheads along a much-flatter trajectory - assisted by Earth's gravity. This means they pass under the scope of many radar detection arrays and are harder to track. It also makes the warheads much harder to shoot down because their trajectory is harder to calculate. The use of orbit makes a warhead's range potentially unlimited, meaning it can be fired at its target from any direction. This helps to avoid radar systems which generally point at a fixed spot in the sky - in America's case, over the North Pole. Meanwhile, China has also unveiled a hypersonic medium-range missile, the DF-17, in 2019, which can travel around 2,000 kilometres and can carry nuclear warheads. In October, China deployed the DF 17 missile to coastal areas in preparation for a possible invasion of Taiwan. The weapon has a maximum range of 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles) and is capable of achieving speeds of up to 7,680 miles per hour (12,360 kph) - or 10 times the speed of sound - while carrying a nuclear warhead, according to previous reports. It has been billed as 'a death sentence' to aircraft carriers within its range. Hypersonic missiles travel at more than five times the speed of sound in the upper atmosphere - or about 6,200 km per hour (3,850 mph). This is slower than an intercontinental ballistic missile, but the shape of a hypersonic glide vehicle allows it to manoeuvre toward a target or away from defences. Combining a glide vehicle with a missile that can launch it partially into orbit - a so-called fractional orbital bombardment system (FOBS) - could strip adversaries of reaction time and traditional defences mechanisms. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), by contrast, carry nuclear warheads on ballistic trajectories that travel into space but never reach orbit. China on Monday insisted that the test in August was a routine one for a spacecraft rather than a missile. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) AMERICA The US military has a number of hypersonic weapons programs across the Navy, Army and Air Force but most are still in development phase and highly top secret. However the known programs are all more conventional hypersonic weapons that strike from high altitude, rather than orbital bombardment systems that strike from space which the Chinese were revealed to have developed tis week. The only US hypersonic weapon know to have been successfully tested is the Air Force's GM-183 ARRW which is designed to be launched from a large bomber aircraft. It then accelerates to hypersonic speeds using of up to 15,345mph using a supersonic combustion ramjet to strike targets within 1,000 miles. Donald Trump refered to a 'super duper missile' while in office and this is believed to be the AGM-183 ARRW. The Navy's submarine launched Long Range Hypersonic Weapon is expected to be operational by 2023 and will have a range of 1,725 miles. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) but kept details such as range, speed and payload secret. The missile uses oxygen in the atmosphere as part of its fuel - marking the first successful test of that class of weapon since 2013. The missile, which is built by Raytheon, was released from an aircraft just 'seconds' before the scramjet engine from Northrop Grumman kicked on, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) said. The engine works by compressing incoming air with hydrocarbon fuel to create a fast airflow mixture, one capable of reaching over 1,700 meters per second, or five times the speed of sound. Earlier this year, a test of a hypersonic missile from the U.S. Air Force was abandoned after it was unable to complete its launch sequence. On March 19 last year, the Pentagon flight-tested a hypersonic glide vehicle at its Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. It deemed the test a success and 'a major milestone towards the department's goal of fielding hypersonic warfighting capabilities in the early- to mid-2020s.' Unlike Russia, the United States says it is not developing hypersonic weapons for use with a nuclear warhead. As a result, a U.S. hypersonic weapon will need to be more accurate, posing additional technical challenges. In 2004, NASA's experimental unmanned hypersonic aircraft X-43 reached 7,366mph (Mach 9.6) using a scramjet engine, setting the current record. In 2019, DailyMail.com reported that the Raytheon and Northrop Grumman-developed missile would use an engine made by a 3D printer. Last year, DARPA said it was working with Aerojet Rocketdyne on a nearly $20 million project to develop a hypersonic rocket that could intercept enemy missiles mid-air. Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine and has the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles RUSSIA Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine, and since late 2019 has had the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles in service. The Avangard can travel at up to Mach 27, changing course and altitude. The range of Russia's hypersonic missile, the Zircon, is 621 miles with a speed of 9,800mph. But the missile flies below the atmosphere and uses fuel to power itself to hypersonic speeds rather than the Earth's orbit. Earlier this month, Russia announced it has successfully test-fired the Zircon from a nuclear submarine for the first time. The 6,670mph weapon hit a target in the Barents Sea according to the Moscow defence ministry, who claims the missile is capable of Mach-9 speeds and able to evade all Western defences. Russia said it had completed flight tests of the new-age missile from a frigate - the Admiral Gorshkov - and a coastal mount, but it had not previously been launched from a submarine. The Zircon has been identified by Moscow's state-controlled TV as Vladimir Putin's weapon of choice to wipe out coastal American cities in the event of an atomic conflict. He has declared the missile as 'truly unparalleled anywhere in the world', and the Russians have boasted it is 'unstoppable' by Western defences. Putin first announced the development of an array of new hypersonic weapons in 2018, insisting that they would be able to hit almost any point in the world and evade a US-built missile shield. The Zircon is due to go into service next year, and will first be deployed via the Admiral Golovko frigate which carries significant stealth-technology. A key use of the missile is taking out enemy ships and reports suggested its maximum range is between 188 and 620 miles. But there have been unconfirmed reports its true range is some 1,200 miles. The missile system's design and development have been conducted in deep secrecy, and Putin has warned that foreign spies have tried to steal its secrets. It is one of a number of hypersonic missiles Russia is deploying including the 188-tonne Sarmat - known in the West as Satan-2 - which will be the biggest beast in Russia's nuclear arsenal, due for tests in the autumn with deployment slated for next year. In May, Russia said it tested three 'invincible' hypersonic 'Satan 2' missiles that some have said could wipe out areas the size of England and Wales. China launched the dummy weapon into space on board a Long March 2C rocket (pictured) during a test in mid-August which it did not disclose at the time and was only revealed at the weekend by security analysts assigned to work out its purpose CHINA The hypersonic orbital bombardment system that China tested in August reportedly reaches a top speed of 21,000 mph and strikes from space. The core concept of China's 'new' weapon - deliver a warhead into orbit and have it circle the globe before hitting a target - was first developed by the Soviets in the 1960s. Called a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, or FOBS, it was developed to evade powerful US radar arrays and missile defence systems. Those systems work by detecting launches of ICBMs - very long-range missiles that can be tipped with nukes - and tracking them into space, then firing at the warheads as they come down in the hope of blowing them up before they hit their targets. This is possible because ICBMs and their warheads follow a predictable trajectory that rises high into space - making them relatively easy to spot and allowing defence crews to calculate where they are aimed so they can be shot out of the sky. FOBS aim to negate these defences by firing their warheads along a much-flatter trajectory - assisted by Earth's gravity. This means they pass under the scope of many radar detection arrays and are harder to track. It also makes the warheads much harder to shoot down because their trajectory is harder to calculate. The use of orbit makes a warhead's range potentially unlimited, meaning it can be fired at its target from any direction. This helps to avoid radar systems which generally point at a fixed spot in the sky - in America's case, over the North Pole. Meanwhile, China has also unveiled a hypersonic medium-range missile, the DF-17, in 2019, which can travel around 2,000 kilometres and can carry nuclear warheads. In October, China deployed the DF 17 missile to coastal areas in preparation for a possible invasion of Taiwan. The weapon has a maximum range of 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles) and is capable of achieving speeds of up to 7,680 miles per hour (12,360 kph) - or 10 times the speed of sound - while carrying a nuclear warhead, according to previous reports. It has been billed as 'a death sentence' to aircraft carriers within its range. Hypersonic missiles travel at more than five times the speed of sound in the upper atmosphere - or about 6,200 km per hour (3,850 mph). This is slower than an intercontinental ballistic missile, but the shape of a hypersonic glide vehicle allows it to manoeuvre toward a target or away from defences. Combining a glide vehicle with a missile that can launch it partially into orbit - a so-called fractional orbital bombardment system (FOBS) - could strip adversaries of reaction time and traditional defences mechanisms. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), by contrast, carry nuclear warheads on ballistic trajectories that travel into space but never reach orbit. China on Monday insisted that the test in August was a routine one for a spacecraft rather than a missile. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) AMERICA The US military has a number of hypersonic weapons programs across the Navy, Army and Air Force but most are still in development phase and highly top secret. However the known programs are all more conventional hypersonic weapons that strike from high altitude, rather than orbital bombardment systems that strike from space which the Chinese were revealed to have developed tis week. The only US hypersonic weapon know to have been successfully tested is the Air Force's GM-183 ARRW which is designed to be launched from a large bomber aircraft. It then accelerates to hypersonic speeds using of up to 15,345mph using a supersonic combustion ramjet to strike targets within 1,000 miles. Donald Trump refered to a 'super duper missile' while in office and this is believed to be the AGM-183 ARRW. The Navy's submarine launched Long Range Hypersonic Weapon is expected to be operational by 2023 and will have a range of 1,725 miles. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) but kept details such as range, speed and payload secret. The missile uses oxygen in the atmosphere as part of its fuel - marking the first successful test of that class of weapon since 2013. The missile, which is built by Raytheon, was released from an aircraft just 'seconds' before the scramjet engine from Northrop Grumman kicked on, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) said. The engine works by compressing incoming air with hydrocarbon fuel to create a fast airflow mixture, one capable of reaching over 1,700 meters per second, or five times the speed of sound. Earlier this year, a test of a hypersonic missile from the U.S. Air Force was abandoned after it was unable to complete its launch sequence. On March 19 last year, the Pentagon flight-tested a hypersonic glide vehicle at its Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. It deemed the test a success and 'a major milestone towards the department's goal of fielding hypersonic warfighting capabilities in the early- to mid-2020s.' Unlike Russia, the United States says it is not developing hypersonic weapons for use with a nuclear warhead. As a result, a U.S. hypersonic weapon will need to be more accurate, posing additional technical challenges. In 2004, NASA's experimental unmanned hypersonic aircraft X-43 reached 7,366mph (Mach 9.6) using a scramjet engine, setting the current record. In 2019, DailyMail.com reported that the Raytheon and Northrop Grumman-developed missile would use an engine made by a 3D printer. Last year, DARPA said it was working with Aerojet Rocketdyne on a nearly $20 million project to develop a hypersonic rocket that could intercept enemy missiles mid-air. Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine and has the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles RUSSIA Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine, and since late 2019 has had the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles in service. The Avangard can travel at up to Mach 27, changing course and altitude. The range of Russia's hypersonic missile, the Zircon, is 621 miles with a speed of 9,800mph. But the missile flies below the atmosphere and uses fuel to power itself to hypersonic speeds rather than the Earth's orbit. Earlier this month, Russia announced it has successfully test-fired the Zircon from a nuclear submarine for the first time. The 6,670mph weapon hit a target in the Barents Sea according to the Moscow defence ministry, who claims the missile is capable of Mach-9 speeds and able to evade all Western defences. Russia said it had completed flight tests of the new-age missile from a frigate - the Admiral Gorshkov - and a coastal mount, but it had not previously been launched from a submarine. The Zircon has been identified by Moscow's state-controlled TV as Vladimir Putin's weapon of choice to wipe out coastal American cities in the event of an atomic conflict. He has declared the missile as 'truly unparalleled anywhere in the world', and the Russians have boasted it is 'unstoppable' by Western defences. Putin first announced the development of an array of new hypersonic weapons in 2018, insisting that they would be able to hit almost any point in the world and evade a US-built missile shield. The Zircon is due to go into service next year, and will first be deployed via the Admiral Golovko frigate which carries significant stealth-technology. A key use of the missile is taking out enemy ships and reports suggested its maximum range is between 188 and 620 miles. But there have been unconfirmed reports its true range is some 1,200 miles. The missile system's design and development have been conducted in deep secrecy, and Putin has warned that foreign spies have tried to steal its secrets. It is one of a number of hypersonic missiles Russia is deploying including the 188-tonne Sarmat - known in the West as Satan-2 - which will be the biggest beast in Russia's nuclear arsenal, due for tests in the autumn with deployment slated for next year. In May, Russia said it tested three 'invincible' hypersonic 'Satan 2' missiles that some have said could wipe out areas the size of England and Wales. China launched the dummy weapon into space on board a Long March 2C rocket (pictured) during a test in mid-August which it did not disclose at the time and was only revealed at the weekend by security analysts assigned to work out its purpose CHINA The hypersonic orbital bombardment system that China tested in August reportedly reaches a top speed of 21,000 mph and strikes from space. The core concept of China's 'new' weapon - deliver a warhead into orbit and have it circle the globe before hitting a target - was first developed by the Soviets in the 1960s. Called a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, or FOBS, it was developed to evade powerful US radar arrays and missile defence systems. Those systems work by detecting launches of ICBMs - very long-range missiles that can be tipped with nukes - and tracking them into space, then firing at the warheads as they come down in the hope of blowing them up before they hit their targets. This is possible because ICBMs and their warheads follow a predictable trajectory that rises high into space - making them relatively easy to spot and allowing defence crews to calculate where they are aimed so they can be shot out of the sky. FOBS aim to negate these defences by firing their warheads along a much-flatter trajectory - assisted by Earth's gravity. This means they pass under the scope of many radar detection arrays and are harder to track. It also makes the warheads much harder to shoot down because their trajectory is harder to calculate. The use of orbit makes a warhead's range potentially unlimited, meaning it can be fired at its target from any direction. This helps to avoid radar systems which generally point at a fixed spot in the sky - in America's case, over the North Pole. Meanwhile, China has also unveiled a hypersonic medium-range missile, the DF-17, in 2019, which can travel around 2,000 kilometres and can carry nuclear warheads. In October, China deployed the DF 17 missile to coastal areas in preparation for a possible invasion of Taiwan. The weapon has a maximum range of 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles) and is capable of achieving speeds of up to 7,680 miles per hour (12,360 kph) - or 10 times the speed of sound - while carrying a nuclear warhead, according to previous reports. It has been billed as 'a death sentence' to aircraft carriers within its range. Hypersonic missiles travel at more than five times the speed of sound in the upper atmosphere - or about 6,200 km per hour (3,850 mph). This is slower than an intercontinental ballistic missile, but the shape of a hypersonic glide vehicle allows it to manoeuvre toward a target or away from defences. Combining a glide vehicle with a missile that can launch it partially into orbit - a so-called fractional orbital bombardment system (FOBS) - could strip adversaries of reaction time and traditional defences mechanisms. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), by contrast, carry nuclear warheads on ballistic trajectories that travel into space but never reach orbit. China on Monday insisted that the test in August was a routine one for a spacecraft rather than a missile. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) AMERICA The US military has a number of hypersonic weapons programs across the Navy, Army and Air Force but most are still in development phase and highly top secret. However the known programs are all more conventional hypersonic weapons that strike from high altitude, rather than orbital bombardment systems that strike from space which the Chinese were revealed to have developed tis week. The only US hypersonic weapon know to have been successfully tested is the Air Force's GM-183 ARRW which is designed to be launched from a large bomber aircraft. It then accelerates to hypersonic speeds using of up to 15,345mph using a supersonic combustion ramjet to strike targets within 1,000 miles. Donald Trump refered to a 'super duper missile' while in office and this is believed to be the AGM-183 ARRW. The Navy's submarine launched Long Range Hypersonic Weapon is expected to be operational by 2023 and will have a range of 1,725 miles. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) but kept details such as range, speed and payload secret. The missile uses oxygen in the atmosphere as part of its fuel - marking the first successful test of that class of weapon since 2013. The missile, which is built by Raytheon, was released from an aircraft just 'seconds' before the scramjet engine from Northrop Grumman kicked on, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) said. The engine works by compressing incoming air with hydrocarbon fuel to create a fast airflow mixture, one capable of reaching over 1,700 meters per second, or five times the speed of sound. Earlier this year, a test of a hypersonic missile from the U.S. Air Force was abandoned after it was unable to complete its launch sequence. On March 19 last year, the Pentagon flight-tested a hypersonic glide vehicle at its Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. It deemed the test a success and 'a major milestone towards the department's goal of fielding hypersonic warfighting capabilities in the early- to mid-2020s.' Unlike Russia, the United States says it is not developing hypersonic weapons for use with a nuclear warhead. As a result, a U.S. hypersonic weapon will need to be more accurate, posing additional technical challenges. In 2004, NASA's experimental unmanned hypersonic aircraft X-43 reached 7,366mph (Mach 9.6) using a scramjet engine, setting the current record. In 2019, DailyMail.com reported that the Raytheon and Northrop Grumman-developed missile would use an engine made by a 3D printer. Last year, DARPA said it was working with Aerojet Rocketdyne on a nearly $20 million project to develop a hypersonic rocket that could intercept enemy missiles mid-air. Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine and has the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles RUSSIA Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine, and since late 2019 has had the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles in service. The Avangard can travel at up to Mach 27, changing course and altitude. The range of Russia's hypersonic missile, the Zircon, is 621 miles with a speed of 9,800mph. But the missile flies below the atmosphere and uses fuel to power itself to hypersonic speeds rather than the Earth's orbit. Earlier this month, Russia announced it has successfully test-fired the Zircon from a nuclear submarine for the first time. The 6,670mph weapon hit a target in the Barents Sea according to the Moscow defence ministry, who claims the missile is capable of Mach-9 speeds and able to evade all Western defences. Russia said it had completed flight tests of the new-age missile from a frigate - the Admiral Gorshkov - and a coastal mount, but it had not previously been launched from a submarine. The Zircon has been identified by Moscow's state-controlled TV as Vladimir Putin's weapon of choice to wipe out coastal American cities in the event of an atomic conflict. He has declared the missile as 'truly unparalleled anywhere in the world', and the Russians have boasted it is 'unstoppable' by Western defences. Putin first announced the development of an array of new hypersonic weapons in 2018, insisting that they would be able to hit almost any point in the world and evade a US-built missile shield. The Zircon is due to go into service next year, and will first be deployed via the Admiral Golovko frigate which carries significant stealth-technology. A key use of the missile is taking out enemy ships and reports suggested its maximum range is between 188 and 620 miles. But there have been unconfirmed reports its true range is some 1,200 miles. The missile system's design and development have been conducted in deep secrecy, and Putin has warned that foreign spies have tried to steal its secrets. It is one of a number of hypersonic missiles Russia is deploying including the 188-tonne Sarmat - known in the West as Satan-2 - which will be the biggest beast in Russia's nuclear arsenal, due for tests in the autumn with deployment slated for next year. In May, Russia said it tested three 'invincible' hypersonic 'Satan 2' missiles that some have said could wipe out areas the size of England and Wales. China launched the dummy weapon into space on board a Long March 2C rocket (pictured) during a test in mid-August which it did not disclose at the time and was only revealed at the weekend by security analysts assigned to work out its purpose CHINA The hypersonic orbital bombardment system that China tested in August reportedly reaches a top speed of 21,000 mph and strikes from space. The core concept of China's 'new' weapon - deliver a warhead into orbit and have it circle the globe before hitting a target - was first developed by the Soviets in the 1960s. Called a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, or FOBS, it was developed to evade powerful US radar arrays and missile defence systems. Those systems work by detecting launches of ICBMs - very long-range missiles that can be tipped with nukes - and tracking them into space, then firing at the warheads as they come down in the hope of blowing them up before they hit their targets. This is possible because ICBMs and their warheads follow a predictable trajectory that rises high into space - making them relatively easy to spot and allowing defence crews to calculate where they are aimed so they can be shot out of the sky. FOBS aim to negate these defences by firing their warheads along a much-flatter trajectory - assisted by Earth's gravity. This means they pass under the scope of many radar detection arrays and are harder to track. It also makes the warheads much harder to shoot down because their trajectory is harder to calculate. The use of orbit makes a warhead's range potentially unlimited, meaning it can be fired at its target from any direction. This helps to avoid radar systems which generally point at a fixed spot in the sky - in America's case, over the North Pole. Meanwhile, China has also unveiled a hypersonic medium-range missile, the DF-17, in 2019, which can travel around 2,000 kilometres and can carry nuclear warheads. In October, China deployed the DF 17 missile to coastal areas in preparation for a possible invasion of Taiwan. The weapon has a maximum range of 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles) and is capable of achieving speeds of up to 7,680 miles per hour (12,360 kph) - or 10 times the speed of sound - while carrying a nuclear warhead, according to previous reports. It has been billed as 'a death sentence' to aircraft carriers within its range. Hypersonic missiles travel at more than five times the speed of sound in the upper atmosphere - or about 6,200 km per hour (3,850 mph). This is slower than an intercontinental ballistic missile, but the shape of a hypersonic glide vehicle allows it to manoeuvre toward a target or away from defences. Combining a glide vehicle with a missile that can launch it partially into orbit - a so-called fractional orbital bombardment system (FOBS) - could strip adversaries of reaction time and traditional defences mechanisms. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), by contrast, carry nuclear warheads on ballistic trajectories that travel into space but never reach orbit. China on Monday insisted that the test in August was a routine one for a spacecraft rather than a missile. RICHMOND Gov. Ralph Northam reduced from life to 20 years the sentence of a Black man convicted of non-violent drug offenses under a state continuing criminal enterprise law. Jesse James Dunaway Jr. was convicted in Halifax County in 2006. In his early 20s, he sold crack and drugs with friends in the rural South Boston area, said his lawyer, Jon Sheldon. He was convicted of attempted manufacture of marijuana, conspiracy to distribute less than half an ounce of marijuana and organizing a continuing criminal enterprise. The case was not serious enough for federal law enforcements interest, Sheldon said, and Dunaways friends pleaded guilty. But Dunaway would not, and received the mandatory life sentence for a continuing criminal enterprise. The charges should have warranted a prison sentence of about six years, Sheldon said. We couldnt find anybody who got more than 20 years for what he had done, he said. And Sheldon said his research didnt turn up others convicted under that law. A conditional pardon signed by Northam Dec. 17 says Dunaway will be released June 1, 2025, giving him about 20 years to serve. He will be on supervised probation for three years after that. Sheldon said Dunaway feared he would die in prison and now looks forward to someday seeing his children outside prison. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) AMERICA The US military has a number of hypersonic weapons programs across the Navy, Army and Air Force but most are still in development phase and highly top secret. However the known programs are all more conventional hypersonic weapons that strike from high altitude, rather than orbital bombardment systems that strike from space which the Chinese were revealed to have developed tis week. The only US hypersonic weapon know to have been successfully tested is the Air Force's GM-183 ARRW which is designed to be launched from a large bomber aircraft. It then accelerates to hypersonic speeds using of up to 15,345mph using a supersonic combustion ramjet to strike targets within 1,000 miles. Donald Trump refered to a 'super duper missile' while in office and this is believed to be the AGM-183 ARRW. The Navy's submarine launched Long Range Hypersonic Weapon is expected to be operational by 2023 and will have a range of 1,725 miles. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) but kept details such as range, speed and payload secret. The missile uses oxygen in the atmosphere as part of its fuel - marking the first successful test of that class of weapon since 2013. The missile, which is built by Raytheon, was released from an aircraft just 'seconds' before the scramjet engine from Northrop Grumman kicked on, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) said. The engine works by compressing incoming air with hydrocarbon fuel to create a fast airflow mixture, one capable of reaching over 1,700 meters per second, or five times the speed of sound. Earlier this year, a test of a hypersonic missile from the U.S. Air Force was abandoned after it was unable to complete its launch sequence. On March 19 last year, the Pentagon flight-tested a hypersonic glide vehicle at its Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. It deemed the test a success and 'a major milestone towards the department's goal of fielding hypersonic warfighting capabilities in the early- to mid-2020s.' Unlike Russia, the United States says it is not developing hypersonic weapons for use with a nuclear warhead. As a result, a U.S. hypersonic weapon will need to be more accurate, posing additional technical challenges. In 2004, NASA's experimental unmanned hypersonic aircraft X-43 reached 7,366mph (Mach 9.6) using a scramjet engine, setting the current record. In 2019, DailyMail.com reported that the Raytheon and Northrop Grumman-developed missile would use an engine made by a 3D printer. Last year, DARPA said it was working with Aerojet Rocketdyne on a nearly $20 million project to develop a hypersonic rocket that could intercept enemy missiles mid-air. Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine and has the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles RUSSIA Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine, and since late 2019 has had the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles in service. The Avangard can travel at up to Mach 27, changing course and altitude. The range of Russia's hypersonic missile, the Zircon, is 621 miles with a speed of 9,800mph. But the missile flies below the atmosphere and uses fuel to power itself to hypersonic speeds rather than the Earth's orbit. Earlier this month, Russia announced it has successfully test-fired the Zircon from a nuclear submarine for the first time. The 6,670mph weapon hit a target in the Barents Sea according to the Moscow defence ministry, who claims the missile is capable of Mach-9 speeds and able to evade all Western defences. Russia said it had completed flight tests of the new-age missile from a frigate - the Admiral Gorshkov - and a coastal mount, but it had not previously been launched from a submarine. The Zircon has been identified by Moscow's state-controlled TV as Vladimir Putin's weapon of choice to wipe out coastal American cities in the event of an atomic conflict. He has declared the missile as 'truly unparalleled anywhere in the world', and the Russians have boasted it is 'unstoppable' by Western defences. Putin first announced the development of an array of new hypersonic weapons in 2018, insisting that they would be able to hit almost any point in the world and evade a US-built missile shield. The Zircon is due to go into service next year, and will first be deployed via the Admiral Golovko frigate which carries significant stealth-technology. A key use of the missile is taking out enemy ships and reports suggested its maximum range is between 188 and 620 miles. But there have been unconfirmed reports its true range is some 1,200 miles. The missile system's design and development have been conducted in deep secrecy, and Putin has warned that foreign spies have tried to steal its secrets. It is one of a number of hypersonic missiles Russia is deploying including the 188-tonne Sarmat - known in the West as Satan-2 - which will be the biggest beast in Russia's nuclear arsenal, due for tests in the autumn with deployment slated for next year. In May, Russia said it tested three 'invincible' hypersonic 'Satan 2' missiles that some have said could wipe out areas the size of England and Wales. China launched the dummy weapon into space on board a Long March 2C rocket (pictured) during a test in mid-August which it did not disclose at the time and was only revealed at the weekend by security analysts assigned to work out its purpose CHINA The hypersonic orbital bombardment system that China tested in August reportedly reaches a top speed of 21,000 mph and strikes from space. The core concept of China's 'new' weapon - deliver a warhead into orbit and have it circle the globe before hitting a target - was first developed by the Soviets in the 1960s. Called a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, or FOBS, it was developed to evade powerful US radar arrays and missile defence systems. Those systems work by detecting launches of ICBMs - very long-range missiles that can be tipped with nukes - and tracking them into space, then firing at the warheads as they come down in the hope of blowing them up before they hit their targets. This is possible because ICBMs and their warheads follow a predictable trajectory that rises high into space - making them relatively easy to spot and allowing defence crews to calculate where they are aimed so they can be shot out of the sky. FOBS aim to negate these defences by firing their warheads along a much-flatter trajectory - assisted by Earth's gravity. This means they pass under the scope of many radar detection arrays and are harder to track. It also makes the warheads much harder to shoot down because their trajectory is harder to calculate. The use of orbit makes a warhead's range potentially unlimited, meaning it can be fired at its target from any direction. This helps to avoid radar systems which generally point at a fixed spot in the sky - in America's case, over the North Pole. Meanwhile, China has also unveiled a hypersonic medium-range missile, the DF-17, in 2019, which can travel around 2,000 kilometres and can carry nuclear warheads. In October, China deployed the DF 17 missile to coastal areas in preparation for a possible invasion of Taiwan. The weapon has a maximum range of 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles) and is capable of achieving speeds of up to 7,680 miles per hour (12,360 kph) - or 10 times the speed of sound - while carrying a nuclear warhead, according to previous reports. It has been billed as 'a death sentence' to aircraft carriers within its range. Hypersonic missiles travel at more than five times the speed of sound in the upper atmosphere - or about 6,200 km per hour (3,850 mph). This is slower than an intercontinental ballistic missile, but the shape of a hypersonic glide vehicle allows it to manoeuvre toward a target or away from defences. Combining a glide vehicle with a missile that can launch it partially into orbit - a so-called fractional orbital bombardment system (FOBS) - could strip adversaries of reaction time and traditional defences mechanisms. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), by contrast, carry nuclear warheads on ballistic trajectories that travel into space but never reach orbit. China on Monday insisted that the test in August was a routine one for a spacecraft rather than a missile. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) AMERICA The US military has a number of hypersonic weapons programs across the Navy, Army and Air Force but most are still in development phase and highly top secret. However the known programs are all more conventional hypersonic weapons that strike from high altitude, rather than orbital bombardment systems that strike from space which the Chinese were revealed to have developed tis week. The only US hypersonic weapon know to have been successfully tested is the Air Force's GM-183 ARRW which is designed to be launched from a large bomber aircraft. It then accelerates to hypersonic speeds using of up to 15,345mph using a supersonic combustion ramjet to strike targets within 1,000 miles. Donald Trump refered to a 'super duper missile' while in office and this is believed to be the AGM-183 ARRW. The Navy's submarine launched Long Range Hypersonic Weapon is expected to be operational by 2023 and will have a range of 1,725 miles. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) but kept details such as range, speed and payload secret. The missile uses oxygen in the atmosphere as part of its fuel - marking the first successful test of that class of weapon since 2013. The missile, which is built by Raytheon, was released from an aircraft just 'seconds' before the scramjet engine from Northrop Grumman kicked on, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) said. The engine works by compressing incoming air with hydrocarbon fuel to create a fast airflow mixture, one capable of reaching over 1,700 meters per second, or five times the speed of sound. Earlier this year, a test of a hypersonic missile from the U.S. Air Force was abandoned after it was unable to complete its launch sequence. On March 19 last year, the Pentagon flight-tested a hypersonic glide vehicle at its Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. It deemed the test a success and 'a major milestone towards the department's goal of fielding hypersonic warfighting capabilities in the early- to mid-2020s.' Unlike Russia, the United States says it is not developing hypersonic weapons for use with a nuclear warhead. As a result, a U.S. hypersonic weapon will need to be more accurate, posing additional technical challenges. In 2004, NASA's experimental unmanned hypersonic aircraft X-43 reached 7,366mph (Mach 9.6) using a scramjet engine, setting the current record. In 2019, DailyMail.com reported that the Raytheon and Northrop Grumman-developed missile would use an engine made by a 3D printer. Last year, DARPA said it was working with Aerojet Rocketdyne on a nearly $20 million project to develop a hypersonic rocket that could intercept enemy missiles mid-air. Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine and has the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles RUSSIA Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine, and since late 2019 has had the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles in service. The Avangard can travel at up to Mach 27, changing course and altitude. The range of Russia's hypersonic missile, the Zircon, is 621 miles with a speed of 9,800mph. But the missile flies below the atmosphere and uses fuel to power itself to hypersonic speeds rather than the Earth's orbit. Earlier this month, Russia announced it has successfully test-fired the Zircon from a nuclear submarine for the first time. The 6,670mph weapon hit a target in the Barents Sea according to the Moscow defence ministry, who claims the missile is capable of Mach-9 speeds and able to evade all Western defences. Russia said it had completed flight tests of the new-age missile from a frigate - the Admiral Gorshkov - and a coastal mount, but it had not previously been launched from a submarine. The Zircon has been identified by Moscow's state-controlled TV as Vladimir Putin's weapon of choice to wipe out coastal American cities in the event of an atomic conflict. He has declared the missile as 'truly unparalleled anywhere in the world', and the Russians have boasted it is 'unstoppable' by Western defences. Putin first announced the development of an array of new hypersonic weapons in 2018, insisting that they would be able to hit almost any point in the world and evade a US-built missile shield. The Zircon is due to go into service next year, and will first be deployed via the Admiral Golovko frigate which carries significant stealth-technology. A key use of the missile is taking out enemy ships and reports suggested its maximum range is between 188 and 620 miles. But there have been unconfirmed reports its true range is some 1,200 miles. The missile system's design and development have been conducted in deep secrecy, and Putin has warned that foreign spies have tried to steal its secrets. It is one of a number of hypersonic missiles Russia is deploying including the 188-tonne Sarmat - known in the West as Satan-2 - which will be the biggest beast in Russia's nuclear arsenal, due for tests in the autumn with deployment slated for next year. In May, Russia said it tested three 'invincible' hypersonic 'Satan 2' missiles that some have said could wipe out areas the size of England and Wales. China launched the dummy weapon into space on board a Long March 2C rocket (pictured) during a test in mid-August which it did not disclose at the time and was only revealed at the weekend by security analysts assigned to work out its purpose CHINA The hypersonic orbital bombardment system that China tested in August reportedly reaches a top speed of 21,000 mph and strikes from space. The core concept of China's 'new' weapon - deliver a warhead into orbit and have it circle the globe before hitting a target - was first developed by the Soviets in the 1960s. Called a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, or FOBS, it was developed to evade powerful US radar arrays and missile defence systems. Those systems work by detecting launches of ICBMs - very long-range missiles that can be tipped with nukes - and tracking them into space, then firing at the warheads as they come down in the hope of blowing them up before they hit their targets. This is possible because ICBMs and their warheads follow a predictable trajectory that rises high into space - making them relatively easy to spot and allowing defence crews to calculate where they are aimed so they can be shot out of the sky. FOBS aim to negate these defences by firing their warheads along a much-flatter trajectory - assisted by Earth's gravity. This means they pass under the scope of many radar detection arrays and are harder to track. It also makes the warheads much harder to shoot down because their trajectory is harder to calculate. The use of orbit makes a warhead's range potentially unlimited, meaning it can be fired at its target from any direction. This helps to avoid radar systems which generally point at a fixed spot in the sky - in America's case, over the North Pole. Meanwhile, China has also unveiled a hypersonic medium-range missile, the DF-17, in 2019, which can travel around 2,000 kilometres and can carry nuclear warheads. In October, China deployed the DF 17 missile to coastal areas in preparation for a possible invasion of Taiwan. The weapon has a maximum range of 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles) and is capable of achieving speeds of up to 7,680 miles per hour (12,360 kph) - or 10 times the speed of sound - while carrying a nuclear warhead, according to previous reports. It has been billed as 'a death sentence' to aircraft carriers within its range. Hypersonic missiles travel at more than five times the speed of sound in the upper atmosphere - or about 6,200 km per hour (3,850 mph). This is slower than an intercontinental ballistic missile, but the shape of a hypersonic glide vehicle allows it to manoeuvre toward a target or away from defences. Combining a glide vehicle with a missile that can launch it partially into orbit - a so-called fractional orbital bombardment system (FOBS) - could strip adversaries of reaction time and traditional defences mechanisms. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), by contrast, carry nuclear warheads on ballistic trajectories that travel into space but never reach orbit. China on Monday insisted that the test in August was a routine one for a spacecraft rather than a missile. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates. Shepherd, 33, is now an inmate at HMP Frankland, according to the Mirror. Among the other prisoners at the jail, in County Durham, are Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield. 'He spends his days writing to friends and family and getting on with the other inmates. Prison has been a humbling experience for him,' a source said. Shepherd was given a six-year sentence after being convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of Charlotte Brown when his speedboat capsized during a champagne-fuelled date on the River Thames in 2015. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd (above) has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates Other inmates at HMP Frankland include (l to r) Wayne Couzens, Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield Charlotte Brown, 24, was killed after Shepherd's boat capsized on the Thames near Wandsworth Bridge in 2015 Ms Brown, from Clacton, Essex was on her first date with Shepherd after meeting on dating website OkCupid. In July 2020, Shepherd has had 78 days cut from his 10-year jail term because of time he served waiting for extradition after fleeing the UK to Georgia. Three appeal judges said the 78 days Shepherd spent in custody awaiting extradition in Georgia should count as part of the jail term he is serving. Shepherd's trial in July 2018 heard how he had bought the 1980s' boat on Gumtree and had tried to impress other women with it. But his first date with Ms Brown ended in tragedy when the 14ft Fletcher Arrowflyte GTO, which was riddled with defects, hit a log and capsized, throwing them into the river near Wandsworth Bridge. He later sparked outrage by launching an appeal against the conviction while on the run in Georgia - and he was awarded funds to do so. The speedboat owned by web designer Jack Shepherd, which crashed in the Thames in 2015 In 2019, Shepherd (above) was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at After spending ten months on the run, Shepherd was finally extradited and ordered to serve six years with six months consecutive for skipping his bail in April 2019. The web designer then admitted hitting a barman over the head with a vodka bottle in a hotel in Devon and was given four years extra. In 2019, Shepherd was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at. Couzens is on a life-long rap for murdering Ms Everard after using his status as a police officer to kidnap her in London last year. Bellfield has a life sentence for killing Milly Dowler, 13, Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22. Huntley, a former school caretaker, was convicted of the murders of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates. Shepherd, 33, is now an inmate at HMP Frankland, according to the Mirror. Among the other prisoners at the jail, in County Durham, are Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield. 'He spends his days writing to friends and family and getting on with the other inmates. Prison has been a humbling experience for him,' a source said. Shepherd was given a six-year sentence after being convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of Charlotte Brown when his speedboat capsized during a champagne-fuelled date on the River Thames in 2015. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd (above) has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates Other inmates at HMP Frankland include (l to r) Wayne Couzens, Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield Charlotte Brown, 24, was killed after Shepherd's boat capsized on the Thames near Wandsworth Bridge in 2015 Ms Brown, from Clacton, Essex was on her first date with Shepherd after meeting on dating website OkCupid. In July 2020, Shepherd has had 78 days cut from his 10-year jail term because of time he served waiting for extradition after fleeing the UK to Georgia. Three appeal judges said the 78 days Shepherd spent in custody awaiting extradition in Georgia should count as part of the jail term he is serving. Shepherd's trial in July 2018 heard how he had bought the 1980s' boat on Gumtree and had tried to impress other women with it. But his first date with Ms Brown ended in tragedy when the 14ft Fletcher Arrowflyte GTO, which was riddled with defects, hit a log and capsized, throwing them into the river near Wandsworth Bridge. He later sparked outrage by launching an appeal against the conviction while on the run in Georgia - and he was awarded funds to do so. The speedboat owned by web designer Jack Shepherd, which crashed in the Thames in 2015 In 2019, Shepherd (above) was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at After spending ten months on the run, Shepherd was finally extradited and ordered to serve six years with six months consecutive for skipping his bail in April 2019. The web designer then admitted hitting a barman over the head with a vodka bottle in a hotel in Devon and was given four years extra. In 2019, Shepherd was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at. Couzens is on a life-long rap for murdering Ms Everard after using his status as a police officer to kidnap her in London last year. Bellfield has a life sentence for killing Milly Dowler, 13, Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22. Huntley, a former school caretaker, was convicted of the murders of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) AMERICA The US military has a number of hypersonic weapons programs across the Navy, Army and Air Force but most are still in development phase and highly top secret. However the known programs are all more conventional hypersonic weapons that strike from high altitude, rather than orbital bombardment systems that strike from space which the Chinese were revealed to have developed tis week. The only US hypersonic weapon know to have been successfully tested is the Air Force's GM-183 ARRW which is designed to be launched from a large bomber aircraft. It then accelerates to hypersonic speeds using of up to 15,345mph using a supersonic combustion ramjet to strike targets within 1,000 miles. Donald Trump refered to a 'super duper missile' while in office and this is believed to be the AGM-183 ARRW. The Navy's submarine launched Long Range Hypersonic Weapon is expected to be operational by 2023 and will have a range of 1,725 miles. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) but kept details such as range, speed and payload secret. The missile uses oxygen in the atmosphere as part of its fuel - marking the first successful test of that class of weapon since 2013. The missile, which is built by Raytheon, was released from an aircraft just 'seconds' before the scramjet engine from Northrop Grumman kicked on, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) said. The engine works by compressing incoming air with hydrocarbon fuel to create a fast airflow mixture, one capable of reaching over 1,700 meters per second, or five times the speed of sound. Earlier this year, a test of a hypersonic missile from the U.S. Air Force was abandoned after it was unable to complete its launch sequence. On March 19 last year, the Pentagon flight-tested a hypersonic glide vehicle at its Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. It deemed the test a success and 'a major milestone towards the department's goal of fielding hypersonic warfighting capabilities in the early- to mid-2020s.' Unlike Russia, the United States says it is not developing hypersonic weapons for use with a nuclear warhead. As a result, a U.S. hypersonic weapon will need to be more accurate, posing additional technical challenges. In 2004, NASA's experimental unmanned hypersonic aircraft X-43 reached 7,366mph (Mach 9.6) using a scramjet engine, setting the current record. In 2019, DailyMail.com reported that the Raytheon and Northrop Grumman-developed missile would use an engine made by a 3D printer. Last year, DARPA said it was working with Aerojet Rocketdyne on a nearly $20 million project to develop a hypersonic rocket that could intercept enemy missiles mid-air. Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine and has the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles RUSSIA Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine, and since late 2019 has had the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles in service. The Avangard can travel at up to Mach 27, changing course and altitude. The range of Russia's hypersonic missile, the Zircon, is 621 miles with a speed of 9,800mph. But the missile flies below the atmosphere and uses fuel to power itself to hypersonic speeds rather than the Earth's orbit. Earlier this month, Russia announced it has successfully test-fired the Zircon from a nuclear submarine for the first time. The 6,670mph weapon hit a target in the Barents Sea according to the Moscow defence ministry, who claims the missile is capable of Mach-9 speeds and able to evade all Western defences. Russia said it had completed flight tests of the new-age missile from a frigate - the Admiral Gorshkov - and a coastal mount, but it had not previously been launched from a submarine. The Zircon has been identified by Moscow's state-controlled TV as Vladimir Putin's weapon of choice to wipe out coastal American cities in the event of an atomic conflict. He has declared the missile as 'truly unparalleled anywhere in the world', and the Russians have boasted it is 'unstoppable' by Western defences. Putin first announced the development of an array of new hypersonic weapons in 2018, insisting that they would be able to hit almost any point in the world and evade a US-built missile shield. The Zircon is due to go into service next year, and will first be deployed via the Admiral Golovko frigate which carries significant stealth-technology. A key use of the missile is taking out enemy ships and reports suggested its maximum range is between 188 and 620 miles. But there have been unconfirmed reports its true range is some 1,200 miles. The missile system's design and development have been conducted in deep secrecy, and Putin has warned that foreign spies have tried to steal its secrets. It is one of a number of hypersonic missiles Russia is deploying including the 188-tonne Sarmat - known in the West as Satan-2 - which will be the biggest beast in Russia's nuclear arsenal, due for tests in the autumn with deployment slated for next year. In May, Russia said it tested three 'invincible' hypersonic 'Satan 2' missiles that some have said could wipe out areas the size of England and Wales. China launched the dummy weapon into space on board a Long March 2C rocket (pictured) during a test in mid-August which it did not disclose at the time and was only revealed at the weekend by security analysts assigned to work out its purpose CHINA The hypersonic orbital bombardment system that China tested in August reportedly reaches a top speed of 21,000 mph and strikes from space. The core concept of China's 'new' weapon - deliver a warhead into orbit and have it circle the globe before hitting a target - was first developed by the Soviets in the 1960s. Called a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, or FOBS, it was developed to evade powerful US radar arrays and missile defence systems. Those systems work by detecting launches of ICBMs - very long-range missiles that can be tipped with nukes - and tracking them into space, then firing at the warheads as they come down in the hope of blowing them up before they hit their targets. This is possible because ICBMs and their warheads follow a predictable trajectory that rises high into space - making them relatively easy to spot and allowing defence crews to calculate where they are aimed so they can be shot out of the sky. FOBS aim to negate these defences by firing their warheads along a much-flatter trajectory - assisted by Earth's gravity. This means they pass under the scope of many radar detection arrays and are harder to track. It also makes the warheads much harder to shoot down because their trajectory is harder to calculate. The use of orbit makes a warhead's range potentially unlimited, meaning it can be fired at its target from any direction. This helps to avoid radar systems which generally point at a fixed spot in the sky - in America's case, over the North Pole. Meanwhile, China has also unveiled a hypersonic medium-range missile, the DF-17, in 2019, which can travel around 2,000 kilometres and can carry nuclear warheads. In October, China deployed the DF 17 missile to coastal areas in preparation for a possible invasion of Taiwan. The weapon has a maximum range of 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles) and is capable of achieving speeds of up to 7,680 miles per hour (12,360 kph) - or 10 times the speed of sound - while carrying a nuclear warhead, according to previous reports. It has been billed as 'a death sentence' to aircraft carriers within its range. Hypersonic missiles travel at more than five times the speed of sound in the upper atmosphere - or about 6,200 km per hour (3,850 mph). This is slower than an intercontinental ballistic missile, but the shape of a hypersonic glide vehicle allows it to manoeuvre toward a target or away from defences. Combining a glide vehicle with a missile that can launch it partially into orbit - a so-called fractional orbital bombardment system (FOBS) - could strip adversaries of reaction time and traditional defences mechanisms. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), by contrast, carry nuclear warheads on ballistic trajectories that travel into space but never reach orbit. China on Monday insisted that the test in August was a routine one for a spacecraft rather than a missile. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) AMERICA The US military has a number of hypersonic weapons programs across the Navy, Army and Air Force but most are still in development phase and highly top secret. However the known programs are all more conventional hypersonic weapons that strike from high altitude, rather than orbital bombardment systems that strike from space which the Chinese were revealed to have developed tis week. The only US hypersonic weapon know to have been successfully tested is the Air Force's GM-183 ARRW which is designed to be launched from a large bomber aircraft. It then accelerates to hypersonic speeds using of up to 15,345mph using a supersonic combustion ramjet to strike targets within 1,000 miles. Donald Trump refered to a 'super duper missile' while in office and this is believed to be the AGM-183 ARRW. The Navy's submarine launched Long Range Hypersonic Weapon is expected to be operational by 2023 and will have a range of 1,725 miles. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) but kept details such as range, speed and payload secret. The missile uses oxygen in the atmosphere as part of its fuel - marking the first successful test of that class of weapon since 2013. The missile, which is built by Raytheon, was released from an aircraft just 'seconds' before the scramjet engine from Northrop Grumman kicked on, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) said. The engine works by compressing incoming air with hydrocarbon fuel to create a fast airflow mixture, one capable of reaching over 1,700 meters per second, or five times the speed of sound. Earlier this year, a test of a hypersonic missile from the U.S. Air Force was abandoned after it was unable to complete its launch sequence. On March 19 last year, the Pentagon flight-tested a hypersonic glide vehicle at its Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. It deemed the test a success and 'a major milestone towards the department's goal of fielding hypersonic warfighting capabilities in the early- to mid-2020s.' Unlike Russia, the United States says it is not developing hypersonic weapons for use with a nuclear warhead. As a result, a U.S. hypersonic weapon will need to be more accurate, posing additional technical challenges. In 2004, NASA's experimental unmanned hypersonic aircraft X-43 reached 7,366mph (Mach 9.6) using a scramjet engine, setting the current record. In 2019, DailyMail.com reported that the Raytheon and Northrop Grumman-developed missile would use an engine made by a 3D printer. Last year, DARPA said it was working with Aerojet Rocketdyne on a nearly $20 million project to develop a hypersonic rocket that could intercept enemy missiles mid-air. Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine and has the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles RUSSIA Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine, and since late 2019 has had the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles in service. The Avangard can travel at up to Mach 27, changing course and altitude. The range of Russia's hypersonic missile, the Zircon, is 621 miles with a speed of 9,800mph. But the missile flies below the atmosphere and uses fuel to power itself to hypersonic speeds rather than the Earth's orbit. Earlier this month, Russia announced it has successfully test-fired the Zircon from a nuclear submarine for the first time. The 6,670mph weapon hit a target in the Barents Sea according to the Moscow defence ministry, who claims the missile is capable of Mach-9 speeds and able to evade all Western defences. Russia said it had completed flight tests of the new-age missile from a frigate - the Admiral Gorshkov - and a coastal mount, but it had not previously been launched from a submarine. The Zircon has been identified by Moscow's state-controlled TV as Vladimir Putin's weapon of choice to wipe out coastal American cities in the event of an atomic conflict. He has declared the missile as 'truly unparalleled anywhere in the world', and the Russians have boasted it is 'unstoppable' by Western defences. Putin first announced the development of an array of new hypersonic weapons in 2018, insisting that they would be able to hit almost any point in the world and evade a US-built missile shield. The Zircon is due to go into service next year, and will first be deployed via the Admiral Golovko frigate which carries significant stealth-technology. A key use of the missile is taking out enemy ships and reports suggested its maximum range is between 188 and 620 miles. But there have been unconfirmed reports its true range is some 1,200 miles. The missile system's design and development have been conducted in deep secrecy, and Putin has warned that foreign spies have tried to steal its secrets. It is one of a number of hypersonic missiles Russia is deploying including the 188-tonne Sarmat - known in the West as Satan-2 - which will be the biggest beast in Russia's nuclear arsenal, due for tests in the autumn with deployment slated for next year. In May, Russia said it tested three 'invincible' hypersonic 'Satan 2' missiles that some have said could wipe out areas the size of England and Wales. China launched the dummy weapon into space on board a Long March 2C rocket (pictured) during a test in mid-August which it did not disclose at the time and was only revealed at the weekend by security analysts assigned to work out its purpose CHINA The hypersonic orbital bombardment system that China tested in August reportedly reaches a top speed of 21,000 mph and strikes from space. The core concept of China's 'new' weapon - deliver a warhead into orbit and have it circle the globe before hitting a target - was first developed by the Soviets in the 1960s. Called a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, or FOBS, it was developed to evade powerful US radar arrays and missile defence systems. Those systems work by detecting launches of ICBMs - very long-range missiles that can be tipped with nukes - and tracking them into space, then firing at the warheads as they come down in the hope of blowing them up before they hit their targets. This is possible because ICBMs and their warheads follow a predictable trajectory that rises high into space - making them relatively easy to spot and allowing defence crews to calculate where they are aimed so they can be shot out of the sky. FOBS aim to negate these defences by firing their warheads along a much-flatter trajectory - assisted by Earth's gravity. This means they pass under the scope of many radar detection arrays and are harder to track. It also makes the warheads much harder to shoot down because their trajectory is harder to calculate. The use of orbit makes a warhead's range potentially unlimited, meaning it can be fired at its target from any direction. This helps to avoid radar systems which generally point at a fixed spot in the sky - in America's case, over the North Pole. Meanwhile, China has also unveiled a hypersonic medium-range missile, the DF-17, in 2019, which can travel around 2,000 kilometres and can carry nuclear warheads. In October, China deployed the DF 17 missile to coastal areas in preparation for a possible invasion of Taiwan. The weapon has a maximum range of 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles) and is capable of achieving speeds of up to 7,680 miles per hour (12,360 kph) - or 10 times the speed of sound - while carrying a nuclear warhead, according to previous reports. It has been billed as 'a death sentence' to aircraft carriers within its range. Hypersonic missiles travel at more than five times the speed of sound in the upper atmosphere - or about 6,200 km per hour (3,850 mph). This is slower than an intercontinental ballistic missile, but the shape of a hypersonic glide vehicle allows it to manoeuvre toward a target or away from defences. Combining a glide vehicle with a missile that can launch it partially into orbit - a so-called fractional orbital bombardment system (FOBS) - could strip adversaries of reaction time and traditional defences mechanisms. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), by contrast, carry nuclear warheads on ballistic trajectories that travel into space but never reach orbit. China on Monday insisted that the test in August was a routine one for a spacecraft rather than a missile. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) AMERICA The US military has a number of hypersonic weapons programs across the Navy, Army and Air Force but most are still in development phase and highly top secret. However the known programs are all more conventional hypersonic weapons that strike from high altitude, rather than orbital bombardment systems that strike from space which the Chinese were revealed to have developed tis week. The only US hypersonic weapon know to have been successfully tested is the Air Force's GM-183 ARRW which is designed to be launched from a large bomber aircraft. It then accelerates to hypersonic speeds using of up to 15,345mph using a supersonic combustion ramjet to strike targets within 1,000 miles. Donald Trump refered to a 'super duper missile' while in office and this is believed to be the AGM-183 ARRW. The Navy's submarine launched Long Range Hypersonic Weapon is expected to be operational by 2023 and will have a range of 1,725 miles. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) but kept details such as range, speed and payload secret. The missile uses oxygen in the atmosphere as part of its fuel - marking the first successful test of that class of weapon since 2013. The missile, which is built by Raytheon, was released from an aircraft just 'seconds' before the scramjet engine from Northrop Grumman kicked on, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) said. The engine works by compressing incoming air with hydrocarbon fuel to create a fast airflow mixture, one capable of reaching over 1,700 meters per second, or five times the speed of sound. Earlier this year, a test of a hypersonic missile from the U.S. Air Force was abandoned after it was unable to complete its launch sequence. On March 19 last year, the Pentagon flight-tested a hypersonic glide vehicle at its Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. It deemed the test a success and 'a major milestone towards the department's goal of fielding hypersonic warfighting capabilities in the early- to mid-2020s.' Unlike Russia, the United States says it is not developing hypersonic weapons for use with a nuclear warhead. As a result, a U.S. hypersonic weapon will need to be more accurate, posing additional technical challenges. In 2004, NASA's experimental unmanned hypersonic aircraft X-43 reached 7,366mph (Mach 9.6) using a scramjet engine, setting the current record. In 2019, DailyMail.com reported that the Raytheon and Northrop Grumman-developed missile would use an engine made by a 3D printer. Last year, DARPA said it was working with Aerojet Rocketdyne on a nearly $20 million project to develop a hypersonic rocket that could intercept enemy missiles mid-air. Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine and has the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles RUSSIA Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine, and since late 2019 has had the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles in service. The Avangard can travel at up to Mach 27, changing course and altitude. The range of Russia's hypersonic missile, the Zircon, is 621 miles with a speed of 9,800mph. But the missile flies below the atmosphere and uses fuel to power itself to hypersonic speeds rather than the Earth's orbit. Earlier this month, Russia announced it has successfully test-fired the Zircon from a nuclear submarine for the first time. The 6,670mph weapon hit a target in the Barents Sea according to the Moscow defence ministry, who claims the missile is capable of Mach-9 speeds and able to evade all Western defences. Russia said it had completed flight tests of the new-age missile from a frigate - the Admiral Gorshkov - and a coastal mount, but it had not previously been launched from a submarine. The Zircon has been identified by Moscow's state-controlled TV as Vladimir Putin's weapon of choice to wipe out coastal American cities in the event of an atomic conflict. He has declared the missile as 'truly unparalleled anywhere in the world', and the Russians have boasted it is 'unstoppable' by Western defences. Putin first announced the development of an array of new hypersonic weapons in 2018, insisting that they would be able to hit almost any point in the world and evade a US-built missile shield. The Zircon is due to go into service next year, and will first be deployed via the Admiral Golovko frigate which carries significant stealth-technology. A key use of the missile is taking out enemy ships and reports suggested its maximum range is between 188 and 620 miles. But there have been unconfirmed reports its true range is some 1,200 miles. The missile system's design and development have been conducted in deep secrecy, and Putin has warned that foreign spies have tried to steal its secrets. It is one of a number of hypersonic missiles Russia is deploying including the 188-tonne Sarmat - known in the West as Satan-2 - which will be the biggest beast in Russia's nuclear arsenal, due for tests in the autumn with deployment slated for next year. In May, Russia said it tested three 'invincible' hypersonic 'Satan 2' missiles that some have said could wipe out areas the size of England and Wales. China launched the dummy weapon into space on board a Long March 2C rocket (pictured) during a test in mid-August which it did not disclose at the time and was only revealed at the weekend by security analysts assigned to work out its purpose CHINA The hypersonic orbital bombardment system that China tested in August reportedly reaches a top speed of 21,000 mph and strikes from space. The core concept of China's 'new' weapon - deliver a warhead into orbit and have it circle the globe before hitting a target - was first developed by the Soviets in the 1960s. Called a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, or FOBS, it was developed to evade powerful US radar arrays and missile defence systems. Those systems work by detecting launches of ICBMs - very long-range missiles that can be tipped with nukes - and tracking them into space, then firing at the warheads as they come down in the hope of blowing them up before they hit their targets. This is possible because ICBMs and their warheads follow a predictable trajectory that rises high into space - making them relatively easy to spot and allowing defence crews to calculate where they are aimed so they can be shot out of the sky. FOBS aim to negate these defences by firing their warheads along a much-flatter trajectory - assisted by Earth's gravity. This means they pass under the scope of many radar detection arrays and are harder to track. It also makes the warheads much harder to shoot down because their trajectory is harder to calculate. The use of orbit makes a warhead's range potentially unlimited, meaning it can be fired at its target from any direction. This helps to avoid radar systems which generally point at a fixed spot in the sky - in America's case, over the North Pole. Meanwhile, China has also unveiled a hypersonic medium-range missile, the DF-17, in 2019, which can travel around 2,000 kilometres and can carry nuclear warheads. In October, China deployed the DF 17 missile to coastal areas in preparation for a possible invasion of Taiwan. The weapon has a maximum range of 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles) and is capable of achieving speeds of up to 7,680 miles per hour (12,360 kph) - or 10 times the speed of sound - while carrying a nuclear warhead, according to previous reports. It has been billed as 'a death sentence' to aircraft carriers within its range. Hypersonic missiles travel at more than five times the speed of sound in the upper atmosphere - or about 6,200 km per hour (3,850 mph). This is slower than an intercontinental ballistic missile, but the shape of a hypersonic glide vehicle allows it to manoeuvre toward a target or away from defences. Combining a glide vehicle with a missile that can launch it partially into orbit - a so-called fractional orbital bombardment system (FOBS) - could strip adversaries of reaction time and traditional defences mechanisms. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), by contrast, carry nuclear warheads on ballistic trajectories that travel into space but never reach orbit. China on Monday insisted that the test in August was a routine one for a spacecraft rather than a missile. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates. Shepherd, 33, is now an inmate at HMP Frankland, according to the Mirror. Among the other prisoners at the jail, in County Durham, are Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield. 'He spends his days writing to friends and family and getting on with the other inmates. Prison has been a humbling experience for him,' a source said. Shepherd was given a six-year sentence after being convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of Charlotte Brown when his speedboat capsized during a champagne-fuelled date on the River Thames in 2015. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd (above) has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates Other inmates at HMP Frankland include (l to r) Wayne Couzens, Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield Charlotte Brown, 24, was killed after Shepherd's boat capsized on the Thames near Wandsworth Bridge in 2015 Ms Brown, from Clacton, Essex was on her first date with Shepherd after meeting on dating website OkCupid. In July 2020, Shepherd has had 78 days cut from his 10-year jail term because of time he served waiting for extradition after fleeing the UK to Georgia. Three appeal judges said the 78 days Shepherd spent in custody awaiting extradition in Georgia should count as part of the jail term he is serving. Shepherd's trial in July 2018 heard how he had bought the 1980s' boat on Gumtree and had tried to impress other women with it. But his first date with Ms Brown ended in tragedy when the 14ft Fletcher Arrowflyte GTO, which was riddled with defects, hit a log and capsized, throwing them into the river near Wandsworth Bridge. He later sparked outrage by launching an appeal against the conviction while on the run in Georgia - and he was awarded funds to do so. The speedboat owned by web designer Jack Shepherd, which crashed in the Thames in 2015 In 2019, Shepherd (above) was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at After spending ten months on the run, Shepherd was finally extradited and ordered to serve six years with six months consecutive for skipping his bail in April 2019. The web designer then admitted hitting a barman over the head with a vodka bottle in a hotel in Devon and was given four years extra. In 2019, Shepherd was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at. Couzens is on a life-long rap for murdering Ms Everard after using his status as a police officer to kidnap her in London last year. Bellfield has a life sentence for killing Milly Dowler, 13, Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22. Huntley, a former school caretaker, was convicted of the murders of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates. Shepherd, 33, is now an inmate at HMP Frankland, according to the Mirror. Among the other prisoners at the jail, in County Durham, are Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield. 'He spends his days writing to friends and family and getting on with the other inmates. Prison has been a humbling experience for him,' a source said. Shepherd was given a six-year sentence after being convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of Charlotte Brown when his speedboat capsized during a champagne-fuelled date on the River Thames in 2015. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd (above) has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates Other inmates at HMP Frankland include (l to r) Wayne Couzens, Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield Charlotte Brown, 24, was killed after Shepherd's boat capsized on the Thames near Wandsworth Bridge in 2015 Ms Brown, from Clacton, Essex was on her first date with Shepherd after meeting on dating website OkCupid. In July 2020, Shepherd has had 78 days cut from his 10-year jail term because of time he served waiting for extradition after fleeing the UK to Georgia. Three appeal judges said the 78 days Shepherd spent in custody awaiting extradition in Georgia should count as part of the jail term he is serving. Shepherd's trial in July 2018 heard how he had bought the 1980s' boat on Gumtree and had tried to impress other women with it. But his first date with Ms Brown ended in tragedy when the 14ft Fletcher Arrowflyte GTO, which was riddled with defects, hit a log and capsized, throwing them into the river near Wandsworth Bridge. He later sparked outrage by launching an appeal against the conviction while on the run in Georgia - and he was awarded funds to do so. The speedboat owned by web designer Jack Shepherd, which crashed in the Thames in 2015 In 2019, Shepherd (above) was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at After spending ten months on the run, Shepherd was finally extradited and ordered to serve six years with six months consecutive for skipping his bail in April 2019. The web designer then admitted hitting a barman over the head with a vodka bottle in a hotel in Devon and was given four years extra. In 2019, Shepherd was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at. Couzens is on a life-long rap for murdering Ms Everard after using his status as a police officer to kidnap her in London last year. Bellfield has a life sentence for killing Milly Dowler, 13, Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22. Huntley, a former school caretaker, was convicted of the murders of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates. Shepherd, 33, is now an inmate at HMP Frankland, according to the Mirror. Among the other prisoners at the jail, in County Durham, are Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield. 'He spends his days writing to friends and family and getting on with the other inmates. Prison has been a humbling experience for him,' a source said. Shepherd was given a six-year sentence after being convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of Charlotte Brown when his speedboat capsized during a champagne-fuelled date on the River Thames in 2015. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd (above) has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates Other inmates at HMP Frankland include (l to r) Wayne Couzens, Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield Charlotte Brown, 24, was killed after Shepherd's boat capsized on the Thames near Wandsworth Bridge in 2015 Ms Brown, from Clacton, Essex was on her first date with Shepherd after meeting on dating website OkCupid. In July 2020, Shepherd has had 78 days cut from his 10-year jail term because of time he served waiting for extradition after fleeing the UK to Georgia. Three appeal judges said the 78 days Shepherd spent in custody awaiting extradition in Georgia should count as part of the jail term he is serving. Shepherd's trial in July 2018 heard how he had bought the 1980s' boat on Gumtree and had tried to impress other women with it. But his first date with Ms Brown ended in tragedy when the 14ft Fletcher Arrowflyte GTO, which was riddled with defects, hit a log and capsized, throwing them into the river near Wandsworth Bridge. He later sparked outrage by launching an appeal against the conviction while on the run in Georgia - and he was awarded funds to do so. The speedboat owned by web designer Jack Shepherd, which crashed in the Thames in 2015 In 2019, Shepherd (above) was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at After spending ten months on the run, Shepherd was finally extradited and ordered to serve six years with six months consecutive for skipping his bail in April 2019. The web designer then admitted hitting a barman over the head with a vodka bottle in a hotel in Devon and was given four years extra. In 2019, Shepherd was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at. Couzens is on a life-long rap for murdering Ms Everard after using his status as a police officer to kidnap her in London last year. Bellfield has a life sentence for killing Milly Dowler, 13, Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22. Huntley, a former school caretaker, was convicted of the murders of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. She said 'I do' to the man of her dreams during a star-studded wedding in November, and has since traveled the world on a months-long, enviable honeymoon. And Paris Hilton celebrated the turn of a new year with husband Carter Reum as she puckered up for a kiss in shots shared to Instagram on Saturday morning. The 40-year-old socialite caught the first sunset of the year from the luxurious Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi as she continues the most opulent tropical honeymoon after vacationing in Bora Bora and also a private estate on Moskito Island in the British Virgin Islands. The Simple Life: Paris Hilton celebrated the turn of a new year with husband Carter Reum as she puckered up for a kiss in shots shared to Instagram on Saturday morning 'Celebrating the New Year in Paradise with my love,' she captioned a carousel of shots. 'So excited going in to 2022 as Husband and Wife!' Paris rocked a black swimsuit with one snakeskin print strap and her platinum blonde hair tied back into buns as she sat outside on her private overwater bungalow with her beau. She wore a pair of white oversized frames and swiped a bright red shade across her lips for the sweet snap with Carter. Bliss: Paris rocked a black swimsuit with one snakeskin print strap and her platinum blonde hair tied back into buns as she sat outside on her private overwater bungalow with her beau 'Celebrating the New Year in Paradise with my love,' she captioned a carousel of shots. 'So excited going in to 2022 as Husband and Wife!' Quick break: Paris and Carter did put a brief pause on their romantic vacation if only for a day or two to celebrate Christmas in London Reum, a venture capitalist, looked to be in vacation mode as he held up his phone for a selfie while wearing a simple navy blue T-shirt. Paris and Carter did put a brief pause on their romantic vacation if only for a day or two to celebrate Christmas in London. She took her millions of followers along for the ride as she picked up a few things at Lanvin with Carter before spending a quiet holiday with her husband. The couple married on Nov. 11 at her grandfather's Bel Air estate during a three-day wild wedding weekend which also included a Paris-themed carnival at the Santa Monica pier. Ahead of their wedding, Paris had been proudly showing off her gigantic engagement ring, an emerald-cut diamond ring from Jean Dousset that was rumored to have set Carter back an eye-watering $2million when he proposed in February. The happy couple have been romantically involved since December of 2019, although they had known each other for over a decade. So many choices: She took her millions of followers along for the ride as she picked up a few things at Lanvin with Carter before spending a quiet holiday with her husband Having a blast: In November, the couple embarked on the first part of their honeymoon to Bora Bora before heading over to the Moskito Island in the British Virgin Islands Vacation all I ever wanted: The pair later whisked away to the Zemi Beach House on the British Virgin Islands Paris admitted that being married is a 'magical feeling' and knows Carter will be the 'best dad' to their future children. 'I can't wait to grow our family,' the Simple Life star told PEOPLE magazine. 'I feel like Carter and I are puzzle pieces getting connected.' Days after their wedding, PageSix revealed Carter had a secret nine-year-old child from a previous relationship who he has allegedly seen 'only once.' The 40-year-old entrepreneur fathered a child with reality star Laura Bellizzi, known for appearing on the short-lived VH-1 show Secrets of Aspen. Bellizii - a Chicago native who now lives in California with the child - also briefly dated actor Mel Gibson. 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. India and Pakistan exchanged lists of the two countries' nuclear facilities and lists of citizens imprisoned in the neighboring country on Saturday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India said on the official website. The exchange of the list of nuclear facilities took place in accordance with the 1988 treaty to prevent attacks on such facilities. India and Pakistan exchanged today through diplomatic channels simultaneously in Delhi and Islamabad the list of nuclear installations covered by the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attacks on Nuclear Installations between India and Pakistan, the Foreign Ministry said. The treaty stipulates that the two neighboring nuclear powers of South Asia at the beginning of each year notify each other about nuclear facilities on their territory in order to prevent unauthorized attacks on them. This measure is considered one of the most important in maintaining security in the region. The first exchange of such documents took place on January 1, 1992. The two countries also gave each other lists of citizens of the other side who are in prisons on their territory. The Indian diplomatic service noted that the exchange took place through diplomatic channels in accordance with an agreement of 2008, according to which the transfer of such lists is carried out twice a year - on January 1 and July 1. India has handed over to Pakistan the lists [of] 282 Pakistani civilians and 73 fishermen imprisoned in India. Likewise, Pakistan has shared lists [of] 51 detained civilians and 577 fishermen who are Indian or may be Indian, the Foreign Ministry said. Citizens of India and Pakistan often find themselves on the adjacent side due to the inaccurately demarcated border in the mountainous regions. There are always many fishermen among the prisoners. The Coast Guard of both India and Pakistan regularly detain them for infiltrating adjacent territorial waters. One of the main reasons for this is the uncertainty of the maritime borders between countries in the Arabian Sea, in addition, fishing boats often do not have equipment that allows them to accurately determine their location. At the same time, Islamabad and New Delhi periodically release the detained citizens of the neighboring country. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) AMERICA The US military has a number of hypersonic weapons programs across the Navy, Army and Air Force but most are still in development phase and highly top secret. However the known programs are all more conventional hypersonic weapons that strike from high altitude, rather than orbital bombardment systems that strike from space which the Chinese were revealed to have developed tis week. The only US hypersonic weapon know to have been successfully tested is the Air Force's GM-183 ARRW which is designed to be launched from a large bomber aircraft. It then accelerates to hypersonic speeds using of up to 15,345mph using a supersonic combustion ramjet to strike targets within 1,000 miles. Donald Trump refered to a 'super duper missile' while in office and this is believed to be the AGM-183 ARRW. The Navy's submarine launched Long Range Hypersonic Weapon is expected to be operational by 2023 and will have a range of 1,725 miles. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) but kept details such as range, speed and payload secret. The missile uses oxygen in the atmosphere as part of its fuel - marking the first successful test of that class of weapon since 2013. The missile, which is built by Raytheon, was released from an aircraft just 'seconds' before the scramjet engine from Northrop Grumman kicked on, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) said. The engine works by compressing incoming air with hydrocarbon fuel to create a fast airflow mixture, one capable of reaching over 1,700 meters per second, or five times the speed of sound. Earlier this year, a test of a hypersonic missile from the U.S. Air Force was abandoned after it was unable to complete its launch sequence. On March 19 last year, the Pentagon flight-tested a hypersonic glide vehicle at its Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. It deemed the test a success and 'a major milestone towards the department's goal of fielding hypersonic warfighting capabilities in the early- to mid-2020s.' Unlike Russia, the United States says it is not developing hypersonic weapons for use with a nuclear warhead. As a result, a U.S. hypersonic weapon will need to be more accurate, posing additional technical challenges. In 2004, NASA's experimental unmanned hypersonic aircraft X-43 reached 7,366mph (Mach 9.6) using a scramjet engine, setting the current record. In 2019, DailyMail.com reported that the Raytheon and Northrop Grumman-developed missile would use an engine made by a 3D printer. Last year, DARPA said it was working with Aerojet Rocketdyne on a nearly $20 million project to develop a hypersonic rocket that could intercept enemy missiles mid-air. Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine and has the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles RUSSIA Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine, and since late 2019 has had the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles in service. The Avangard can travel at up to Mach 27, changing course and altitude. The range of Russia's hypersonic missile, the Zircon, is 621 miles with a speed of 9,800mph. But the missile flies below the atmosphere and uses fuel to power itself to hypersonic speeds rather than the Earth's orbit. Earlier this month, Russia announced it has successfully test-fired the Zircon from a nuclear submarine for the first time. The 6,670mph weapon hit a target in the Barents Sea according to the Moscow defence ministry, who claims the missile is capable of Mach-9 speeds and able to evade all Western defences. Russia said it had completed flight tests of the new-age missile from a frigate - the Admiral Gorshkov - and a coastal mount, but it had not previously been launched from a submarine. The Zircon has been identified by Moscow's state-controlled TV as Vladimir Putin's weapon of choice to wipe out coastal American cities in the event of an atomic conflict. He has declared the missile as 'truly unparalleled anywhere in the world', and the Russians have boasted it is 'unstoppable' by Western defences. Putin first announced the development of an array of new hypersonic weapons in 2018, insisting that they would be able to hit almost any point in the world and evade a US-built missile shield. The Zircon is due to go into service next year, and will first be deployed via the Admiral Golovko frigate which carries significant stealth-technology. A key use of the missile is taking out enemy ships and reports suggested its maximum range is between 188 and 620 miles. But there have been unconfirmed reports its true range is some 1,200 miles. The missile system's design and development have been conducted in deep secrecy, and Putin has warned that foreign spies have tried to steal its secrets. It is one of a number of hypersonic missiles Russia is deploying including the 188-tonne Sarmat - known in the West as Satan-2 - which will be the biggest beast in Russia's nuclear arsenal, due for tests in the autumn with deployment slated for next year. In May, Russia said it tested three 'invincible' hypersonic 'Satan 2' missiles that some have said could wipe out areas the size of England and Wales. China launched the dummy weapon into space on board a Long March 2C rocket (pictured) during a test in mid-August which it did not disclose at the time and was only revealed at the weekend by security analysts assigned to work out its purpose CHINA The hypersonic orbital bombardment system that China tested in August reportedly reaches a top speed of 21,000 mph and strikes from space. The core concept of China's 'new' weapon - deliver a warhead into orbit and have it circle the globe before hitting a target - was first developed by the Soviets in the 1960s. Called a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, or FOBS, it was developed to evade powerful US radar arrays and missile defence systems. Those systems work by detecting launches of ICBMs - very long-range missiles that can be tipped with nukes - and tracking them into space, then firing at the warheads as they come down in the hope of blowing them up before they hit their targets. This is possible because ICBMs and their warheads follow a predictable trajectory that rises high into space - making them relatively easy to spot and allowing defence crews to calculate where they are aimed so they can be shot out of the sky. FOBS aim to negate these defences by firing their warheads along a much-flatter trajectory - assisted by Earth's gravity. This means they pass under the scope of many radar detection arrays and are harder to track. It also makes the warheads much harder to shoot down because their trajectory is harder to calculate. The use of orbit makes a warhead's range potentially unlimited, meaning it can be fired at its target from any direction. This helps to avoid radar systems which generally point at a fixed spot in the sky - in America's case, over the North Pole. Meanwhile, China has also unveiled a hypersonic medium-range missile, the DF-17, in 2019, which can travel around 2,000 kilometres and can carry nuclear warheads. In October, China deployed the DF 17 missile to coastal areas in preparation for a possible invasion of Taiwan. The weapon has a maximum range of 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles) and is capable of achieving speeds of up to 7,680 miles per hour (12,360 kph) - or 10 times the speed of sound - while carrying a nuclear warhead, according to previous reports. It has been billed as 'a death sentence' to aircraft carriers within its range. Hypersonic missiles travel at more than five times the speed of sound in the upper atmosphere - or about 6,200 km per hour (3,850 mph). This is slower than an intercontinental ballistic missile, but the shape of a hypersonic glide vehicle allows it to manoeuvre toward a target or away from defences. Combining a glide vehicle with a missile that can launch it partially into orbit - a so-called fractional orbital bombardment system (FOBS) - could strip adversaries of reaction time and traditional defences mechanisms. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), by contrast, carry nuclear warheads on ballistic trajectories that travel into space but never reach orbit. China on Monday insisted that the test in August was a routine one for a spacecraft rather than a missile. 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. POWELL A post-World War II uprising in Hungary attracted the attention of a 12-year-old Powell boy and inspired a life of stamp collecting. Hungarians revolted against their Stalinist government in October of 1956, but their declaration of freedom was quickly crushed by Russian tanks and troops. Wes Learned of Powell remembers feeling empathy as the world watched Russian forces clamp down on the Hungarians bid for freedom. I came to understand that we just couldnt help them, and felt bad for them at the time, Learned said. He turned to a nascent interest in stamps in response. At age 12, Learned had already been introduced to philately (stamp collecting) under the arm of the late Ray Easton, a longtime Powell funeral home director and father of Don Easton. I researched more of the history of Hungary and their stamps, Learned recalled. I like the geography of it and learn from it. Now 77, he has accumulated more than 4,400 regular issue Hungarian stamps through a variety of sources individual collectors, auctions and eBay. Learned also knows the owner of the Hungarian Stamp Exchange, from whom he has made numerous acquisitions. All are meticulously numbered in order and mounted in one of the several albums in his collection. His early and persistent interest in Hungarian stamps has landed him in an unusual position. Working from his study in his Powell home, Learned serves as treasurer of the Society of Hungarian Philately, a group whose members worldwide have a strong interest in Hungarian philately and have ties to Hungary. In correspondence with members of the society and the editor of the groups newsletter, Learneds background in finance and accounting appeared to sync up with the needs of a soon-to-be vacant treasurer position. He was asked to replace the retiring treasurer and did so in 2005. The Society meets annually at large stamp shows around the country. He has recently attended meetings in Riverside, California; Mesa, Arizona; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Next years meeting is set for Chicago. Hes never been to Europe, but has also actively collected stamps from the Baltic Sea states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, along with many others. Again asserting geography is my deal, his stamps portray the relative disappearance of Estonia for some 50 years. From the time of Hitlers German invasion of Estonia in 1939 through the Russian domination at the end of World War II, Estonia didnt issue a stamp until 1989-90. Ive collected all of the Estonian stamps including all the souvenir books of stamps since then, Learned said. He has no idea how many stamps he possesses in his various albums. They number in the thousands. Ive got a U.S. stamp collection, too, but Im not done collecting worldwide yet, said Learned, who is also a member of the American Philatelic Society. Of course, he has a copy of the first postage stamp ever issued in the world. Known as the Penny Black, it was issued in Great Britain in 1840, a crude black stamp showing the head of Queen Victoria. Postage stamps debuted in the United States in 1845. Learneds nearly 50 years of stamp collecting began as a young boy, then tapered off in his early adult years. He credits his wife, Linda, with stimulating his renewed interest in stamps when he began suffering serious hearing loss. Linda said it would be good for me. Ive been collecting seriously since about 1980, said Learned. I dont spend much time at it any more, but when I was traveling the state in my job, I would take stamps with me. I could spread them out on the table in my room and put them in the proper place. Learned worked as an auditor for the State of Wyoming Department of Audit for 33 years. His favorite stamp is from his U.S. collection, a commemorative stamp issued in a set of five to mark the 100th anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase from France. The acquisition doubled the size of the United States in 1803-04, including lands in 15 present states west of the Mississippi (Wyoming being among them). The set of five Louisiana Purchase commemorative stamps was sold only at the 1904 Worlds Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. It took some doing for Learned to find all five. There are prettier stamps, he said. But I had to look so hard for the final one, and it felt so good when I finally completed my set of five. Thats my favorite stamp, Learned affirmed. He looks at it every day: His daughter, Rae Eckley of Cody, had the stamp enlarged as the face of a clock that resides in the master bedroom of the Learned home. History, geography and satisfaction are the takeaways of Learneds many years adventuring in stamps. He also offers a piece of advice. Stamp collecting is a hobby, strictly for the enjoyment of the collector, Learned said. If you think you are going to make a lot of money at it, youre sadly mistaken. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. Public health warnings haven't inspired much more than panicked talk and we kind that that more serious action might be merited given so much fearsome chatter directed at the media. To be fair, there are plenty of reasons to stay home tonight. COVID is just one. Nevertheless, here's a TKC glimpse at more warnings for tonight that will mostly be ignored . . . Kansas City area health leaders stress skipping crowded NYE parties as COVID cases surge KANSAS CITY, Mo. - It's been another tough year dealing with the pandemic so as you can imagine a lot of people are wanting to let loose and enjoy the night at parties like Power and Light's New Year's Live! While others are choosing a low-key route to ring in the new year. Testing center in Overland Park offers new test that detects omicron variant Antigen test manufacturer Quidel announced this week that its new COVID-19 antigen test now detects the omicron variant.Overland Park-based COVID-19 testing center Health Gauge said that it now offers the test.It's by drive-up appointment only at Health Gauge in Overland Park."Over the course of the last week and a half, we've seen a real pickup in testing," said Scott McGlothlen, of Health Gauge.Scott McGlothlen said his company had nearly closed shop on COVID-19 testing at its Overland Park center. KC bars, restaurants and businesses prepare for another pandemic New Year's Eve KANSAS CITY, Mo. - As New Year's Eve celebrations return this year, some businesses are taking extra safety precautions due to the recent rise in COVID-19 cases. Last year, a lot of New Year's Eve celebrations were called off due to the pandemic, but many restaurants, bars and businesses are bringing back the festivities this year. Metro hospitals brace for more COVID patients while battling the flu KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) --- Hospitals across the Kansas City metro area and all of Kansas will host a conference Jan. 3 to discuss capacity issues and staffing challenges. They're dealing with a new Covid-19 variant, staffing shortages and high rates of flu. Fauci Warns Against 'Hugging and Kissing' in New Year's Eve Celebrations The nation's leading infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci OK'd small, at-home New Year's Eve gatherings among vaccinated and boosted individuals on Wednesday, but he urged Americans to cancel plans to attend larger parties as conditions become more grim amid the omicron variant. Developing . . . Nearly 13,000 households around Boulder were without natural gas on Saturday, and 7,500 households still had no power, according to Xcel Energy, the local provider. The company said that electricity would be restored later on Saturday but that natural gas would take several days. The Town of Superior said it was shutting off water in the fire zone on Saturday to prevent additional damage. This is disappointment on disappointment, said Alli Bowdey, a nurse whose family fled its Louisville home and was packed into a house with relatives. On top of everything else, her husband tested positive for the coronavirus and was isolating in a hotel on Saturday. We just looked at each other in disbelief, she said. In the Sans Souci mobile home park, Robert Guokas, 83, was trying to stay warm with a propane heater and warming water on a camp stove as he bundled up in sleeping bags and layers of clothing collected over the years from Army surplus stores. But as much as his long-ago time as a Boy Scout had prepared him for this emergency, he was starting to run low on propane by Saturday. Thats going to stretch my limit, he said, but he worried that leaving for an emergency shelter would be even worse than staying home. By staying put, he could try to minimize the damage, for instance by replacing the pots he had set up to catch the water dripping through his roof after the harsh winds on Thursday tore part of it off. It becomes more and more difficult for EU to agree on new sanctions against Russia U.S. imposes sanctions on Iranian vice police Liz Truss considers moving British embassy in Israel to Jerusalem Speaker of Iranian Parliament: Security in Persian Gulf will be achieved by withdrawal of extra-regional powers CSTO exercises will be held in Kazakhstan Lawyer: Mothers of deceased servicemen in Yerablur are subjected to different bodily injuries Erdogan will hold meeting on Russian 'Mir' cards and possible sanctions Erdogan does not rule out meeting with Pashinyan in Prague: We will have certain initiatives on Caucasus Iran demonstrates new long-range ballistic missiles for first time Two servicemen of Armenian Armed Forces are out of encirclement after 9 days Karekin II to meet today with Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan Trump: Conflict in Ukraine can lead to World War III Russia's budget deficit in 2022 will amount to 1.3 trillion rubles One of Armenia civilians wounded in recent Azerbaijan military aggression dies France says it will continue helping Ukraine with arms UN Armenia office team visits Gegharkunik Province communities affected by Azerbaijan shootings (PHOTOS) Dollar increases slightly, euro drops considerably in Armenia Armenia ombudswoman briefs EU envoy on closed part of her ad hoc report on recent Azerbaijan attack State assistance being provided to Armenia brandy businesses to be extended by one year Bloomberg: UK intends to sign agreement on LNG supplies from U.S. for up to 20 years China's former justice minister sentenced to death Jermuk: Changes in Jermuk resort town after Azerbaijani attack (photo report) Jermuk-Yerevan-Jermuk shuttle service already operating Armenian Genocide Memorials Memory Ally area to be expanded Biden to Pashinyan: We remain committed to promote peaceful resolution to conflict, including for people of Karabakh Internal investigation underway into police actions at Yerevan military pantheon on Independence Day anniversary Aggression-affected IDPs from Gegharkunik, Syunik and Vayots Dzor to be provided with financial assistance Peskov declines to comment on his son's refusal to report to military registration and enlistment office Belgian parliamentary delegation visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Missing, captured Armenian civilians families to get financial support for another month Turkish lira hits new historic low Peskov comments on reports of agitation at airports and checkpoints Russia air carrier to conduct additional flights to Armenia, Turkey Kazakhstan parliament passes law to exclude Day of First President from state holidays US Congressman Schiff: These atrocities will continue until international community condemns Aliyev Jim Costa talks Azerbaijani attack on Armenia: It was an attack on sovereign territory Greece official: Azerbaijan war against Armenia not on newspapers front pages as it is in Ukraine case Senator: the U.S. must stop providing security assistance to Azerbaijan Armenia, Finland FMs discuss Karabakh conflict settlement process CSTO Secretary General, Armenia army chief discuss situation on border with Azerbaijan Moscow agrees to appointing Lynne Tracy as new US envoy to Russia Armenia FM to Red Cross president: Azerbaijan crimes impunity makes aggressor more reckless (PHOTOS) Greece politician condemns Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia Iran, Russia and China to hold joint naval drills Iran army chief: We will not allow changes in borders in region Parliament speaker: We expect our Belgian colleagues to continue efforts for Armenian POWs return from Azerbaijan Karabakh FM discusses Artsakh foreign policy with group of US Congress members, senators Relatives of those who died and those who were injured in Yerevan market explosion to get one-time financial aid Copper rises in price Truss says Russia is not threatened by anyone Crime report is sent to Armenia Prosecutor General regarding recent harassment toward reporters in parliament Armenia FM to International Crisis Group head: Azerbaijan trying to achieve its maximalist demands by using force Gold prices fall below $1670 per ounce Borrell announces new sanctions on Russia because of referendums Oil prices move to some growth Blinken says US will continue to support Ukraine Newspaper: Armenia 3 ex-presidents, Catholicos to meet soon Armenia FM in New York, meets with UN Secretary General special adviser on genocide prevention Russian soldiers are exchanged with 215 Ukrainian POWs Newspaper: PM urges political teammates not to do anything drastic regarding topic of Armenia leaving CSTO Bulgaria gets closer to buying the second batch of eight new F-16s Armenia FM to Sweden counterpart: International community must restrain Azerbaijan military aggression FM briefs Nicaragua colleague on consequences of Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia 2 of 3 injured in Yerevan market damaged building collapse discharged from hospital Britain decides to revise its defense and security plan Iranian parliament says border violation due to aggravation between Armenia and Azerbaijan unacceptable Pashinyan leaves for New York Biden not to restrict imports of neodymium magnets from China No threat to life of serviceman wounded by Azerbaijani Armed Forces shelling EU's desire for independence from Russian gas will lead to slowdown of economy, rising inflation and fall of euro Biden to release 10 million barrels of oil ahead of EU ban on Russian oil Earthquake in Iran felt in Armenia Armenian Defense Ministry: Azerbaijan opens fire at Armenian positions, one wounded EU begins to develop new sanctions against Russia Canada is committed to further deepening bilateral relations and supporting strengthening of democracy in Armenia MEPs investigating use of spyware by EU governments criticize Poland and Israel Union of Armenians of Russia plans to send help to Armenia, Ara Abrahamyan holds meetings with Russian leadership Armenian FM meets with USAID Director Germany, Slovenia sign agreement for Slovenia to send 28 Soviet tanks to Ukraine Azerbaijani president makes aggressive statements about Armenia Greece extends subsidies for energy bills ahead of 'winter battle' Iset Tower in Yekaterinburg is painted in colors of Armenian flag NEWS.am digest: Azerbaijan violates ceasefire, Russia announces mobilization U.S. supports increasing number of permanent and non-permanent members of UN Security Council Biden accuses Russia of violating basic principles of UN membership Germany nationalizes energy giant Uniper CSTO foreign ministers hold working meeting under coordination of Armenian foreign minister European governments spend half trillion euros to fight energy crisis Cavusoglu: Announcement of partial mobilization in Russia is indicator of situation's seriousness Ebrahim Raisi: Iran is ready for comprehensive deepening of relations with Armenia, using common historical border 3 people hospitalized in Yerevan amid collapse of Surmalu shopping center's building subject to demolition NATO should view Beijing as a security threat Is West starting to insist on opening of so-called Zangezur corridor? Forest fire breaks out and fire helicopter crashes in Turkish city of Marmaris Wall of building subject to demolition collapses on territory of burnt-out Surmalu shopping center Queen of Denmark tests positive for COVID-19 after Elizabeth II's funeral Price of air ticket from Moscow to Yerevan is approaching $5,000 NATO Secretary General: Partial mobilization in Russia will lead to escalation of conflict Bloomberg: Qatar wants to supply energy to Europe under long-term contracts Yeghishe Kirakosyan tells US Congress about war crimes committed by Azerbaijanis It becomes more and more difficult for EU to agree on new sanctions against Russia U.S. imposes sanctions on Iranian vice police Liz Truss considers moving British embassy in Israel to Jerusalem Speaker of Iranian Parliament: Security in Persian Gulf will be achieved by withdrawal of extra-regional powers CSTO exercises will be held in Kazakhstan Lawyer: Mothers of deceased servicemen in Yerablur are subjected to different bodily injuries Erdogan will hold meeting on Russian 'Mir' cards and possible sanctions Erdogan does not rule out meeting with Pashinyan in Prague: We will have certain initiatives on Caucasus Iran demonstrates new long-range ballistic missiles for first time Two servicemen of Armenian Armed Forces are out of encirclement after 9 days Karekin II to meet today with Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan Trump: Conflict in Ukraine can lead to World War III Russia's budget deficit in 2022 will amount to 1.3 trillion rubles One of Armenia civilians wounded in recent Azerbaijan military aggression dies France says it will continue helping Ukraine with arms UN Armenia office team visits Gegharkunik Province communities affected by Azerbaijan shootings (PHOTOS) Dollar increases slightly, euro drops considerably in Armenia Armenia ombudswoman briefs EU envoy on closed part of her ad hoc report on recent Azerbaijan attack State assistance being provided to Armenia brandy businesses to be extended by one year Bloomberg: UK intends to sign agreement on LNG supplies from U.S. for up to 20 years China's former justice minister sentenced to death Jermuk: Changes in Jermuk resort town after Azerbaijani attack (photo report) Jermuk-Yerevan-Jermuk shuttle service already operating Armenian Genocide Memorials Memory Ally area to be expanded Biden to Pashinyan: We remain committed to promote peaceful resolution to conflict, including for people of Karabakh Internal investigation underway into police actions at Yerevan military pantheon on Independence Day anniversary Aggression-affected IDPs from Gegharkunik, Syunik and Vayots Dzor to be provided with financial assistance Peskov declines to comment on his son's refusal to report to military registration and enlistment office Belgian parliamentary delegation visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Missing, captured Armenian civilians families to get financial support for another month Turkish lira hits new historic low Peskov comments on reports of agitation at airports and checkpoints Russia air carrier to conduct additional flights to Armenia, Turkey Kazakhstan parliament passes law to exclude Day of First President from state holidays US Congressman Schiff: These atrocities will continue until international community condemns Aliyev Jim Costa talks Azerbaijani attack on Armenia: It was an attack on sovereign territory Greece official: Azerbaijan war against Armenia not on newspapers front pages as it is in Ukraine case Senator: the U.S. must stop providing security assistance to Azerbaijan Armenia, Finland FMs discuss Karabakh conflict settlement process CSTO Secretary General, Armenia army chief discuss situation on border with Azerbaijan Moscow agrees to appointing Lynne Tracy as new US envoy to Russia Armenia FM to Red Cross president: Azerbaijan crimes impunity makes aggressor more reckless (PHOTOS) Greece politician condemns Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia Iran, Russia and China to hold joint naval drills Iran army chief: We will not allow changes in borders in region Parliament speaker: We expect our Belgian colleagues to continue efforts for Armenian POWs return from Azerbaijan Karabakh FM discusses Artsakh foreign policy with group of US Congress members, senators Relatives of those who died and those who were injured in Yerevan market explosion to get one-time financial aid Copper rises in price Truss says Russia is not threatened by anyone Crime report is sent to Armenia Prosecutor General regarding recent harassment toward reporters in parliament Armenia FM to International Crisis Group head: Azerbaijan trying to achieve its maximalist demands by using force Gold prices fall below $1670 per ounce Borrell announces new sanctions on Russia because of referendums Oil prices move to some growth Blinken says US will continue to support Ukraine Newspaper: Armenia 3 ex-presidents, Catholicos to meet soon Armenia FM in New York, meets with UN Secretary General special adviser on genocide prevention Russian soldiers are exchanged with 215 Ukrainian POWs Newspaper: PM urges political teammates not to do anything drastic regarding topic of Armenia leaving CSTO Bulgaria gets closer to buying the second batch of eight new F-16s Armenia FM to Sweden counterpart: International community must restrain Azerbaijan military aggression FM briefs Nicaragua colleague on consequences of Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia 2 of 3 injured in Yerevan market damaged building collapse discharged from hospital Britain decides to revise its defense and security plan Iranian parliament says border violation due to aggravation between Armenia and Azerbaijan unacceptable Pashinyan leaves for New York Biden not to restrict imports of neodymium magnets from China No threat to life of serviceman wounded by Azerbaijani Armed Forces shelling EU's desire for independence from Russian gas will lead to slowdown of economy, rising inflation and fall of euro Biden to release 10 million barrels of oil ahead of EU ban on Russian oil Earthquake in Iran felt in Armenia Armenian Defense Ministry: Azerbaijan opens fire at Armenian positions, one wounded EU begins to develop new sanctions against Russia Canada is committed to further deepening bilateral relations and supporting strengthening of democracy in Armenia MEPs investigating use of spyware by EU governments criticize Poland and Israel Union of Armenians of Russia plans to send help to Armenia, Ara Abrahamyan holds meetings with Russian leadership Armenian FM meets with USAID Director Germany, Slovenia sign agreement for Slovenia to send 28 Soviet tanks to Ukraine Azerbaijani president makes aggressive statements about Armenia Greece extends subsidies for energy bills ahead of 'winter battle' Iset Tower in Yekaterinburg is painted in colors of Armenian flag NEWS.am digest: Azerbaijan violates ceasefire, Russia announces mobilization U.S. supports increasing number of permanent and non-permanent members of UN Security Council Biden accuses Russia of violating basic principles of UN membership Germany nationalizes energy giant Uniper CSTO foreign ministers hold working meeting under coordination of Armenian foreign minister European governments spend half trillion euros to fight energy crisis Cavusoglu: Announcement of partial mobilization in Russia is indicator of situation's seriousness Ebrahim Raisi: Iran is ready for comprehensive deepening of relations with Armenia, using common historical border 3 people hospitalized in Yerevan amid collapse of Surmalu shopping center's building subject to demolition NATO should view Beijing as a security threat Is West starting to insist on opening of so-called Zangezur corridor? Forest fire breaks out and fire helicopter crashes in Turkish city of Marmaris Wall of building subject to demolition collapses on territory of burnt-out Surmalu shopping center Queen of Denmark tests positive for COVID-19 after Elizabeth II's funeral Price of air ticket from Moscow to Yerevan is approaching $5,000 NATO Secretary General: Partial mobilization in Russia will lead to escalation of conflict Bloomberg: Qatar wants to supply energy to Europe under long-term contracts Yeghishe Kirakosyan tells US Congress about war crimes committed by Azerbaijanis The author owns The McCully Group LLC, which provides management consulting for dairy and food companies. The dairy market disruptions from COVID-19 through 2020 and into 2021 exposed flaws in the foundation of U.S. dairy policy and milk pricing. Numerous discussions have been had over negative producer price differentials (PPDs), depooling, the Class I formula, and other aspects of the arcane Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) system. While many dairy farmers, and others throughout the industry, have not fully understood milk pricing, they have now lost some trust in the system with few believing it is working for them. A Senate hearing in September concluded with everyone saying the system needs to change, but there was no consensus on how to move forward. A recent announcement of legislation directing USDA to hold hearings to fix things is a start, but more work is needed to develop a framework to modernize milk pricing in the U.S. Perhaps the federal order reform process from the 1996 Farm Bill could be used as a model to bring industry, academics, and others together to work on the key aspects of dairy policy. Can you see the rocks? First, the debate around the Class I formula, depooling, and negative PPDs is like rocks in a pond. When the water went down in 2020, we saw the rocks, but they didnt just show up they were always there. The fundamental problem is that the FMMO system is based on Class I milk and the revenue generated from Class I sales, which is viewed as the highest value use of milk in the FMMO system. However, as fluid milk consumption has dropped sharply over the last decade, there are simply not enough sales to generate the revenue needed to make the orders work as designed in the 1930s or even the late 1990s. In the mid-1990s, when federal order reform started, roughly one-third of the milk in the U.S. was used in fluid milk beverages. That number has dropped to under 20% in some months in 2021. More importantly, the amount of milk exported has gone from around 3% in the mid-1990s to near 20% in recent months. In other words, the U.S. is exporting more product than goes into fluid milk. That is a seismic shift in utilization and one the current FMMO system was not designed for. With exports being key to future U.S. dairy industry growth, dairy policy needs to adapt to this new reality. Competitors to the U.S. in the global dairy market do not have to deal with the limitations from federal order milk pricing, standards of identity, and other regulations unique to the U.S. This can put U.S. dairy companies at a disadvantage. New Zealand, Australia, and Europe operate in free market systems for dairy, which has allowed companies in those countries to innovate and develop value-added products. From 2017 to 2019, the average value of European and New Zealand dairy exports was 40% to 60% higher than the U.S. Consider the additional value in the market that U.S. dairy farmers and processors could capture through investments in processing technology and product innovation. Unfortunately, the U.S. milk pricing system is based on commodity products, which results in commodity (low) milk prices. Furthermore, the FMMO system incentivizes the production of commodity products through product price formulas. The result is a minimum price that is then used as the benchmark price for all milk. Moving to a free-market system where plants innovate, compete for milk, and create more value for dairy products benefits everyone along the dairy value chain from farmers to dairy processors to consumers. This should be the ultimate goal of future dairy policy. The future There are a number of impediments to change, including fear of the unknown. Companies and people are invested in the current system, and some have figured out how to make it work for them. Unfortunately, dire predictions are made of what could happen if pricing regulations were relaxed or removed. But we dont have to speculate what the future could hold. Look at the success Idaho has had since deregulating in 2004. The state is now the No. 3 milk producer in the U.S. and has seen billions of dollars in investment in new plants. Milk pricing is easy to understand and dairy farmers are able to effectively manage their margin risk from volatile milk prices, another goal of future dairy policy. The activity around changes to U.S. dairy policy has quieted down in recent months, but this is a mistake. The old saying is to fix your roof while the sun is shining. Unfortunately, the history with dairy policy has been a call to change when milk prices are low, but then everything is fine when prices are high. I have my opinions on what needs to change, first by making milk pricing simple and easy for everyone to understand. Policies should foster innovation and investment in new products and allow milk to move to the highest value use through competition, not rigid government formulas. And lets not limit the discussion to just the federal order system. We also need to factor in how new environmental programs will impact dairy, what changes if any should be made to existing dairy farm safety nets, and if dairy can participate in the massive investments being made in infrastructure. Finally, lets not judge the effectiveness of any new policies on what it does to next months milk price. Dairy policy needs to be designed for the markets and industry of the next decade, not the last decade. Regional interests The politics of dairy are a rare example of bipartisan alliances, but they are marred by regional fights. These have not been helpful in the past and should be avoided as much as possible. The what in changes to dairy policy are easier than the how in getting them implemented. Lets start by defining guiding principles on what a future dairy policy framework looks like and developing a timeline for implementation. This should be viewed as a glide path over time and not an abrupt change from one month to the next. The FMMO system brings a lot of value and could perform new functions like expanded weekly price reporting of milk, component, and product prices. This would bring information to all participants needed to negotiate pricing contracts. New futures contracts could be developed for butterfat and protein prices in addition to one milk price. A basis market would quickly develop to determine location values for milk and products. In short, there are enough smart people to figure out how dairy pricing works without a government regulated system doing it for them. The dairy industry has a unique opportunity over the next several years to rethink and redesign federal dairy policy. My fear is inertia, one of the strongest forces in the universe, will lead to no or only incremental changes to a system that is fundamentally broken. Removing outdated regulations could let the dairy industry prosper, bringing more money and profits to dairy farmers and processors. Get involved in various industry groups to make your voice heard and help lead successful change. Wages and other payments related to labor relations are no longer issued in cash in Lithuania. On January 1, amendments to the Labor Code entered into force, according to which the employer must transfer this money to the employee's bank account, TASS reports. As noted by the State Labor Inspectorate under the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, the refusal to issue wages in cash should reduce the shadow business and should more effectively protect the interests of the employee. According to the ministry, in the private sector of the economy, there are often cases when a larger amount is indicated in the statements than is paid to a person. Labor disputes arising in this regard are difficult to resolve. It is expected that the bank transfer of salaries, per diems and travel allowances will make this segment of labor relations more transparent. All business entities will have to adhere to this form of payment, except for sea trading companies, for which an exception has been made. The payment of salaries to seafarers is regulated by the Lithuanian merchant marine law. As critics of the innovation note, in the fight against shadow business, politicians will leave the village without money. In rural areas, in many shops you can pay only in cash, and there are no ATMs where you can get them. Currently, 1,044 ATM machines are installed in 91 settlements of the country. They are not even in some small towns. There are 103 settlements in Lithuania with the status of a city. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) AMERICA The US military has a number of hypersonic weapons programs across the Navy, Army and Air Force but most are still in development phase and highly top secret. However the known programs are all more conventional hypersonic weapons that strike from high altitude, rather than orbital bombardment systems that strike from space which the Chinese were revealed to have developed tis week. The only US hypersonic weapon know to have been successfully tested is the Air Force's GM-183 ARRW which is designed to be launched from a large bomber aircraft. It then accelerates to hypersonic speeds using of up to 15,345mph using a supersonic combustion ramjet to strike targets within 1,000 miles. Donald Trump refered to a 'super duper missile' while in office and this is believed to be the AGM-183 ARRW. The Navy's submarine launched Long Range Hypersonic Weapon is expected to be operational by 2023 and will have a range of 1,725 miles. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) but kept details such as range, speed and payload secret. The missile uses oxygen in the atmosphere as part of its fuel - marking the first successful test of that class of weapon since 2013. The missile, which is built by Raytheon, was released from an aircraft just 'seconds' before the scramjet engine from Northrop Grumman kicked on, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) said. The engine works by compressing incoming air with hydrocarbon fuel to create a fast airflow mixture, one capable of reaching over 1,700 meters per second, or five times the speed of sound. Earlier this year, a test of a hypersonic missile from the U.S. Air Force was abandoned after it was unable to complete its launch sequence. On March 19 last year, the Pentagon flight-tested a hypersonic glide vehicle at its Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. It deemed the test a success and 'a major milestone towards the department's goal of fielding hypersonic warfighting capabilities in the early- to mid-2020s.' Unlike Russia, the United States says it is not developing hypersonic weapons for use with a nuclear warhead. As a result, a U.S. hypersonic weapon will need to be more accurate, posing additional technical challenges. In 2004, NASA's experimental unmanned hypersonic aircraft X-43 reached 7,366mph (Mach 9.6) using a scramjet engine, setting the current record. In 2019, DailyMail.com reported that the Raytheon and Northrop Grumman-developed missile would use an engine made by a 3D printer. Last year, DARPA said it was working with Aerojet Rocketdyne on a nearly $20 million project to develop a hypersonic rocket that could intercept enemy missiles mid-air. Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine and has the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles RUSSIA Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine, and since late 2019 has had the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles in service. The Avangard can travel at up to Mach 27, changing course and altitude. The range of Russia's hypersonic missile, the Zircon, is 621 miles with a speed of 9,800mph. But the missile flies below the atmosphere and uses fuel to power itself to hypersonic speeds rather than the Earth's orbit. Earlier this month, Russia announced it has successfully test-fired the Zircon from a nuclear submarine for the first time. The 6,670mph weapon hit a target in the Barents Sea according to the Moscow defence ministry, who claims the missile is capable of Mach-9 speeds and able to evade all Western defences. Russia said it had completed flight tests of the new-age missile from a frigate - the Admiral Gorshkov - and a coastal mount, but it had not previously been launched from a submarine. The Zircon has been identified by Moscow's state-controlled TV as Vladimir Putin's weapon of choice to wipe out coastal American cities in the event of an atomic conflict. He has declared the missile as 'truly unparalleled anywhere in the world', and the Russians have boasted it is 'unstoppable' by Western defences. Putin first announced the development of an array of new hypersonic weapons in 2018, insisting that they would be able to hit almost any point in the world and evade a US-built missile shield. The Zircon is due to go into service next year, and will first be deployed via the Admiral Golovko frigate which carries significant stealth-technology. A key use of the missile is taking out enemy ships and reports suggested its maximum range is between 188 and 620 miles. But there have been unconfirmed reports its true range is some 1,200 miles. The missile system's design and development have been conducted in deep secrecy, and Putin has warned that foreign spies have tried to steal its secrets. It is one of a number of hypersonic missiles Russia is deploying including the 188-tonne Sarmat - known in the West as Satan-2 - which will be the biggest beast in Russia's nuclear arsenal, due for tests in the autumn with deployment slated for next year. In May, Russia said it tested three 'invincible' hypersonic 'Satan 2' missiles that some have said could wipe out areas the size of England and Wales. China launched the dummy weapon into space on board a Long March 2C rocket (pictured) during a test in mid-August which it did not disclose at the time and was only revealed at the weekend by security analysts assigned to work out its purpose CHINA The hypersonic orbital bombardment system that China tested in August reportedly reaches a top speed of 21,000 mph and strikes from space. The core concept of China's 'new' weapon - deliver a warhead into orbit and have it circle the globe before hitting a target - was first developed by the Soviets in the 1960s. Called a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, or FOBS, it was developed to evade powerful US radar arrays and missile defence systems. Those systems work by detecting launches of ICBMs - very long-range missiles that can be tipped with nukes - and tracking them into space, then firing at the warheads as they come down in the hope of blowing them up before they hit their targets. This is possible because ICBMs and their warheads follow a predictable trajectory that rises high into space - making them relatively easy to spot and allowing defence crews to calculate where they are aimed so they can be shot out of the sky. FOBS aim to negate these defences by firing their warheads along a much-flatter trajectory - assisted by Earth's gravity. This means they pass under the scope of many radar detection arrays and are harder to track. It also makes the warheads much harder to shoot down because their trajectory is harder to calculate. The use of orbit makes a warhead's range potentially unlimited, meaning it can be fired at its target from any direction. This helps to avoid radar systems which generally point at a fixed spot in the sky - in America's case, over the North Pole. Meanwhile, China has also unveiled a hypersonic medium-range missile, the DF-17, in 2019, which can travel around 2,000 kilometres and can carry nuclear warheads. In October, China deployed the DF 17 missile to coastal areas in preparation for a possible invasion of Taiwan. The weapon has a maximum range of 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles) and is capable of achieving speeds of up to 7,680 miles per hour (12,360 kph) - or 10 times the speed of sound - while carrying a nuclear warhead, according to previous reports. It has been billed as 'a death sentence' to aircraft carriers within its range. Hypersonic missiles travel at more than five times the speed of sound in the upper atmosphere - or about 6,200 km per hour (3,850 mph). This is slower than an intercontinental ballistic missile, but the shape of a hypersonic glide vehicle allows it to manoeuvre toward a target or away from defences. Combining a glide vehicle with a missile that can launch it partially into orbit - a so-called fractional orbital bombardment system (FOBS) - could strip adversaries of reaction time and traditional defences mechanisms. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), by contrast, carry nuclear warheads on ballistic trajectories that travel into space but never reach orbit. China on Monday insisted that the test in August was a routine one for a spacecraft rather than a missile. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) AMERICA The US military has a number of hypersonic weapons programs across the Navy, Army and Air Force but most are still in development phase and highly top secret. However the known programs are all more conventional hypersonic weapons that strike from high altitude, rather than orbital bombardment systems that strike from space which the Chinese were revealed to have developed tis week. The only US hypersonic weapon know to have been successfully tested is the Air Force's GM-183 ARRW which is designed to be launched from a large bomber aircraft. It then accelerates to hypersonic speeds using of up to 15,345mph using a supersonic combustion ramjet to strike targets within 1,000 miles. Donald Trump refered to a 'super duper missile' while in office and this is believed to be the AGM-183 ARRW. The Navy's submarine launched Long Range Hypersonic Weapon is expected to be operational by 2023 and will have a range of 1,725 miles. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) but kept details such as range, speed and payload secret. The missile uses oxygen in the atmosphere as part of its fuel - marking the first successful test of that class of weapon since 2013. The missile, which is built by Raytheon, was released from an aircraft just 'seconds' before the scramjet engine from Northrop Grumman kicked on, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) said. The engine works by compressing incoming air with hydrocarbon fuel to create a fast airflow mixture, one capable of reaching over 1,700 meters per second, or five times the speed of sound. Earlier this year, a test of a hypersonic missile from the U.S. Air Force was abandoned after it was unable to complete its launch sequence. On March 19 last year, the Pentagon flight-tested a hypersonic glide vehicle at its Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. It deemed the test a success and 'a major milestone towards the department's goal of fielding hypersonic warfighting capabilities in the early- to mid-2020s.' Unlike Russia, the United States says it is not developing hypersonic weapons for use with a nuclear warhead. As a result, a U.S. hypersonic weapon will need to be more accurate, posing additional technical challenges. In 2004, NASA's experimental unmanned hypersonic aircraft X-43 reached 7,366mph (Mach 9.6) using a scramjet engine, setting the current record. In 2019, DailyMail.com reported that the Raytheon and Northrop Grumman-developed missile would use an engine made by a 3D printer. Last year, DARPA said it was working with Aerojet Rocketdyne on a nearly $20 million project to develop a hypersonic rocket that could intercept enemy missiles mid-air. Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine and has the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles RUSSIA Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine, and since late 2019 has had the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles in service. The Avangard can travel at up to Mach 27, changing course and altitude. The range of Russia's hypersonic missile, the Zircon, is 621 miles with a speed of 9,800mph. But the missile flies below the atmosphere and uses fuel to power itself to hypersonic speeds rather than the Earth's orbit. Earlier this month, Russia announced it has successfully test-fired the Zircon from a nuclear submarine for the first time. The 6,670mph weapon hit a target in the Barents Sea according to the Moscow defence ministry, who claims the missile is capable of Mach-9 speeds and able to evade all Western defences. Russia said it had completed flight tests of the new-age missile from a frigate - the Admiral Gorshkov - and a coastal mount, but it had not previously been launched from a submarine. The Zircon has been identified by Moscow's state-controlled TV as Vladimir Putin's weapon of choice to wipe out coastal American cities in the event of an atomic conflict. He has declared the missile as 'truly unparalleled anywhere in the world', and the Russians have boasted it is 'unstoppable' by Western defences. Putin first announced the development of an array of new hypersonic weapons in 2018, insisting that they would be able to hit almost any point in the world and evade a US-built missile shield. The Zircon is due to go into service next year, and will first be deployed via the Admiral Golovko frigate which carries significant stealth-technology. A key use of the missile is taking out enemy ships and reports suggested its maximum range is between 188 and 620 miles. But there have been unconfirmed reports its true range is some 1,200 miles. The missile system's design and development have been conducted in deep secrecy, and Putin has warned that foreign spies have tried to steal its secrets. It is one of a number of hypersonic missiles Russia is deploying including the 188-tonne Sarmat - known in the West as Satan-2 - which will be the biggest beast in Russia's nuclear arsenal, due for tests in the autumn with deployment slated for next year. In May, Russia said it tested three 'invincible' hypersonic 'Satan 2' missiles that some have said could wipe out areas the size of England and Wales. China launched the dummy weapon into space on board a Long March 2C rocket (pictured) during a test in mid-August which it did not disclose at the time and was only revealed at the weekend by security analysts assigned to work out its purpose CHINA The hypersonic orbital bombardment system that China tested in August reportedly reaches a top speed of 21,000 mph and strikes from space. The core concept of China's 'new' weapon - deliver a warhead into orbit and have it circle the globe before hitting a target - was first developed by the Soviets in the 1960s. Called a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, or FOBS, it was developed to evade powerful US radar arrays and missile defence systems. Those systems work by detecting launches of ICBMs - very long-range missiles that can be tipped with nukes - and tracking them into space, then firing at the warheads as they come down in the hope of blowing them up before they hit their targets. This is possible because ICBMs and their warheads follow a predictable trajectory that rises high into space - making them relatively easy to spot and allowing defence crews to calculate where they are aimed so they can be shot out of the sky. FOBS aim to negate these defences by firing their warheads along a much-flatter trajectory - assisted by Earth's gravity. This means they pass under the scope of many radar detection arrays and are harder to track. It also makes the warheads much harder to shoot down because their trajectory is harder to calculate. The use of orbit makes a warhead's range potentially unlimited, meaning it can be fired at its target from any direction. This helps to avoid radar systems which generally point at a fixed spot in the sky - in America's case, over the North Pole. Meanwhile, China has also unveiled a hypersonic medium-range missile, the DF-17, in 2019, which can travel around 2,000 kilometres and can carry nuclear warheads. In October, China deployed the DF 17 missile to coastal areas in preparation for a possible invasion of Taiwan. The weapon has a maximum range of 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles) and is capable of achieving speeds of up to 7,680 miles per hour (12,360 kph) - or 10 times the speed of sound - while carrying a nuclear warhead, according to previous reports. It has been billed as 'a death sentence' to aircraft carriers within its range. Hypersonic missiles travel at more than five times the speed of sound in the upper atmosphere - or about 6,200 km per hour (3,850 mph). This is slower than an intercontinental ballistic missile, but the shape of a hypersonic glide vehicle allows it to manoeuvre toward a target or away from defences. Combining a glide vehicle with a missile that can launch it partially into orbit - a so-called fractional orbital bombardment system (FOBS) - could strip adversaries of reaction time and traditional defences mechanisms. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), by contrast, carry nuclear warheads on ballistic trajectories that travel into space but never reach orbit. China on Monday insisted that the test in August was a routine one for a spacecraft rather than a missile. A man and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a man's body was found in the street in South Yorkshire. Police were called to an incident in Rotherham at 1.20am where they discovered the body of a man. Officers have secured two crime scenes and have been looking for evidence related to the crime. Police have launched a murder investigation after the body of a man was discovered on Doncaster Road, Rotherham at 1.20am on New Year's Day South Yorkshire Police said: 'A 26-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman have been arrested on suspicion of murder in London, and this is now being treated as a murder investigation. 'Officers attended Doncaster Road after the mans body was found at about 1.20am today, and also Badsley Moor Lane in relation to an incident of public disorder. Formal identification is yet to take place. 'The scene at Doncaster Road has now been cleared and the road has reopened. Badsley Moor Lane remains closed near the junction with Victoria Avenue.' Police asked members of the public to stay away from the crime scenes until the officers are finished gathering evidence . Drones have low Radar Cross Section (RCS), slow speed and a small size lending to its stealth and concealment advantages in battlefields, and thereafter, making it difficult to identify and localise. (Representative Image: ANI) Remote-controlled soldier boys, deadly killing machines which are armed to the teeth... that create more ill will than they extinguish, through indiscriminate collateral damage, that is how Joe Haldman, the award winning science fiction author of Forever Peace, envisioned what the future weapons and warfare would look like. That was in 1998! Fast forward 23 years, today the global market of Unmanned Aerial Systems has touched 21.47 billion dollars. US Predator drones have been used to carry out more than 1,100 air strikes. Turkish Byraktar TB2 have destroyed hundreds of Syrian armoured vehicles and the Azerbaijani forces have used the Israeli Kamikaze drones against Armenian military in the Nagarno Karabakh conflict. Haldmans Forever Peace was more a prescient prophecy than just a snazzy a sci-fi novel. Today drones have become an important part of military arsenals across the world. Conventional war fighting doctrines are singularly ill-equipped to respond to these new age offensive weapons. Their lethality is only going to increase in the future with advances in machine learning, artificial intelligence and precision guidance. The use of drones to mount localised and virtually autonomous terrorist attacks marks the commencement of a significant new security challenge for India. The attack in the June of 2021, where low-flying drones were used to drop two improvised explosive devices (IED) on the Jammu IAF station, is a clear manifestation of this emerging frontier. The attack was significant not just because it was the first time drones were used to launch an attack on a defence establishment in India, but also because the Indian defence systems were completely caught off guard. Not a very unusual occurrence unfortunately. A threat to India The stupefied reaction of the national security establishment after the attack was disconcerting to say the least. It seemed as if they were only now waking up to the portentousness of the drone threat. However, the fact remains that the drone menace in India is not new. There have been over 300 drone sightings since 2019. A bulk of them have been reported from the Kanachak, Satwari, Samba, Hiranagar and Kathua sectors of the International border and Line of Control, respectively. In June 2020, the BSF shot down a drone carrying a rifle, two magazines and a cache of grenades. There was even a drone hovering above the premises of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad when India had invited diplomats from other countries to commemorate 75 years of its Independence. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had seized 85-high end Chinese drones busting a ring of drone smuggling worth Rs.10,000 crores in 2019. Not only government agencies but even strategic analysts and chief ministers of border states have been flagging the possibility of attacks via low-flying sub-conventional aerial platforms including UAVs and their use for the cross border smuggling of arms and ammunitions. These threats do not just come from across the border today even Naxalites, are now reportedly deploying drones in their operations against Indian security forces. Why drones? Why are drones now the weapon of choice for terrorists and insurgents? They are inexpensive. They can be easily procured off the shelf or assembled using retail-level components. This rudimentary but lethal assemblage is closely associated with the issue of drone availability. Modern drones, debuting with the expensive Predator drones of the US post the 9/11 attack ,are not easily available. This is because US tightly controls the export of its Predator and Reaper Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs). They are only available to close military allies. However, China, Israel and Turkey have started developing their own UCAVs, that they also widely export. It is not difficult for quasi military states like Pakistan, to now develop affordable ways to project force with greater lethality at a much lower risk for non-conventional operations. India has an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) market pegged at $866 million, this essentially means drones are available in the country in large numbers and can be probably weaponised by anyone, anywhere and anytime. Drones have low Radar Cross Section (RCS), slow speed and a small size lending to its stealth and concealment advantages in battlefields, and thereafter, making it difficult to identify and localise. Conventional radar systems are not meant for detecting small flying objects, and, even if they are calibrated that way, they might confuse a bird for a drone and the system may get overwhelmed. The small size also grants them weak thermal, and aural signatures. Swarm drones are even harder to track, as miniature drones attacking in wave-after-waves of swarms overwhelm enemy sensors with a deluge of targets an eerie reminder of the 2012 sci-fi novel Kill Decisions. While drones can be countered with drones, the technology to counter swarm drones is still a work in progress. Australias drone shield is an attempt at solving this problem. It disrupts radio frequency in the hostile drones video feed and forces it to land on the spot or return to the operator. Then there is the matter of actually disabling such drones. Choosing between soft and hard kill options is not straightforward. While in some cases a soft kill would be preferable, in other cases like swarm attacks, rapid hard kill will be more appropriate. Whatever method of detection and removal is chosen, the protection required is technological in nature and far more costly than the actual danger. Moreover, differentiating between legitimate and potentially threatening drones will be a massive challenge itself. Indias response The domestic research and development for anti-drone systems is at a nascent stage. While the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an Anti Drone System, they have been only used to guard VIPs during national day celebrations. If India needs to take up the challenge it needs to develop fast-track research and development for systems that can be operationally deployed for wider use. Then there is the challenge of the technologys strategic deployment and the money the government is ready to spend. Additionally, there is the problem of militarys unduly focus on major platforms and not enough on future technologies like robotics, artificial intelligence, cyber and electronic warfare to counter 21st century threats. General M.M. Naravane rightly opined that ...the advent of drones and counter-drone systems, has radically altered the way we think and how we will fight in the future. It is about time that our defence establishment starts to walk the talk. Drones have low Radar Cross Section (RCS), slow speed and a small size lending to its stealth and concealment advantages in battlefields, and thereafter, making it difficult to identify and localise. (Representative Image: ANI) Remote-controlled soldier boys, deadly killing machines which are armed to the teeth... that create more ill will than they extinguish, through indiscriminate collateral damage, that is how Joe Haldman, the award winning science fiction author of Forever Peace, envisioned what the future weapons and warfare would look like. That was in 1998! Fast forward 23 years, today the global market of Unmanned Aerial Systems has touched 21.47 billion dollars. US Predator drones have been used to carry out more than 1,100 air strikes. Turkish Byraktar TB2 have destroyed hundreds of Syrian armoured vehicles and the Azerbaijani forces have used the Israeli Kamikaze drones against Armenian military in the Nagarno Karabakh conflict. Haldmans Forever Peace was more a prescient prophecy than just a snazzy a sci-fi novel. Today drones have become an important part of military arsenals across the world. Conventional war fighting doctrines are singularly ill-equipped to respond to these new age offensive weapons. Their lethality is only going to increase in the future with advances in machine learning, artificial intelligence and precision guidance. The use of drones to mount localised and virtually autonomous terrorist attacks marks the commencement of a significant new security challenge for India. The attack in the June of 2021, where low-flying drones were used to drop two improvised explosive devices (IED) on the Jammu IAF station, is a clear manifestation of this emerging frontier. The attack was significant not just because it was the first time drones were used to launch an attack on a defence establishment in India, but also because the Indian defence systems were completely caught off guard. Not a very unusual occurrence unfortunately. A threat to India The stupefied reaction of the national security establishment after the attack was disconcerting to say the least. It seemed as if they were only now waking up to the portentousness of the drone threat. However, the fact remains that the drone menace in India is not new. There have been over 300 drone sightings since 2019. A bulk of them have been reported from the Kanachak, Satwari, Samba, Hiranagar and Kathua sectors of the International border and Line of Control, respectively. In June 2020, the BSF shot down a drone carrying a rifle, two magazines and a cache of grenades. There was even a drone hovering above the premises of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad when India had invited diplomats from other countries to commemorate 75 years of its Independence. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had seized 85-high end Chinese drones busting a ring of drone smuggling worth Rs.10,000 crores in 2019. Not only government agencies but even strategic analysts and chief ministers of border states have been flagging the possibility of attacks via low-flying sub-conventional aerial platforms including UAVs and their use for the cross border smuggling of arms and ammunitions. These threats do not just come from across the border today even Naxalites, are now reportedly deploying drones in their operations against Indian security forces. Why drones? Why are drones now the weapon of choice for terrorists and insurgents? They are inexpensive. They can be easily procured off the shelf or assembled using retail-level components. This rudimentary but lethal assemblage is closely associated with the issue of drone availability. Modern drones, debuting with the expensive Predator drones of the US post the 9/11 attack ,are not easily available. This is because US tightly controls the export of its Predator and Reaper Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs). They are only available to close military allies. However, China, Israel and Turkey have started developing their own UCAVs, that they also widely export. It is not difficult for quasi military states like Pakistan, to now develop affordable ways to project force with greater lethality at a much lower risk for non-conventional operations. India has an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) market pegged at $866 million, this essentially means drones are available in the country in large numbers and can be probably weaponised by anyone, anywhere and anytime. Drones have low Radar Cross Section (RCS), slow speed and a small size lending to its stealth and concealment advantages in battlefields, and thereafter, making it difficult to identify and localise. Conventional radar systems are not meant for detecting small flying objects, and, even if they are calibrated that way, they might confuse a bird for a drone and the system may get overwhelmed. The small size also grants them weak thermal, and aural signatures. Swarm drones are even harder to track, as miniature drones attacking in wave-after-waves of swarms overwhelm enemy sensors with a deluge of targets an eerie reminder of the 2012 sci-fi novel Kill Decisions. While drones can be countered with drones, the technology to counter swarm drones is still a work in progress. Australias drone shield is an attempt at solving this problem. It disrupts radio frequency in the hostile drones video feed and forces it to land on the spot or return to the operator. Then there is the matter of actually disabling such drones. Choosing between soft and hard kill options is not straightforward. While in some cases a soft kill would be preferable, in other cases like swarm attacks, rapid hard kill will be more appropriate. Whatever method of detection and removal is chosen, the protection required is technological in nature and far more costly than the actual danger. Moreover, differentiating between legitimate and potentially threatening drones will be a massive challenge itself. Indias response The domestic research and development for anti-drone systems is at a nascent stage. While the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an Anti Drone System, they have been only used to guard VIPs during national day celebrations. If India needs to take up the challenge it needs to develop fast-track research and development for systems that can be operationally deployed for wider use. Then there is the challenge of the technologys strategic deployment and the money the government is ready to spend. Additionally, there is the problem of militarys unduly focus on major platforms and not enough on future technologies like robotics, artificial intelligence, cyber and electronic warfare to counter 21st century threats. General M.M. Naravane rightly opined that ...the advent of drones and counter-drone systems, has radically altered the way we think and how we will fight in the future. It is about time that our defence establishment starts to walk the talk. The gunman who shot dead a veteran Illinois cop and critically wounded her young partner was tracked down after a 36-hour manhunt at an Indiana home and arrested before another suspect turned herself in, police officials said. Darius Sullivan, 25, was found hiding out at home in North Manchester, near Fort Wayne, after a search warrant was executed by US Marshals and a SWAT team at about 9:30 a.m. on Friday. Hours later, Xandria A. Harris, 26, turned herself in to the Bradley Police Department in the fatal shooting of Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, 49, and her partner Tyler Bailey, 27, at a Comfort Inn motel in Kankakee, located south of Chicago. 'In a multi-jurisdictional effort, two alleged cop killers have been taken into custody today and will now face justice,' Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly said. Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, a 14-year veteran of the Bradley Police Department, was shot dead after responding to a call about a barking dog Police arrested Darius Sullivan and Xandria Harris in connection to the fatal shooting of 49-year-old Bradley police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic Rittmanic, a 14-year veteran with the Bradley Police Department, and Bailey were responding to a report of dogs barking in an unattended vehicle at the motel on Wednesday when they were shot. The cops went to the car's owner's hotel room when police say Sullivan and Harris began attacking the two officers before shooting them. Bailey underwent surgery for head injuries and remained in very critical condition at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois, officials said. 'The Law Enforcement family and the community lost a devoted officer, and another continues to fight for his life. The ISP will continue to offer our prayers and support to the Bradley Police Department during this difficult time,' Kelly said Sullivan was found at the Indiana home with 19-year-old Daniel Acros, who was also arrested. 'Also at the house, several weapons and narcotics were also recovered,' Sgt. Glen Fifield with Indiana State Police said. Cellphone video showed the suspects walking out with their hands in the air after police cleared the home. Bradley Police Officer Tyler Bailey, 27 remains in critical condition after being shot in the head Arrangements are currently being made to extradite Sullivan back to Illinois to face charges of murder and attempted murder. Harris' attorney, Phil Haddad, said she turned herself in voluntarily. 'She maintains her innocence. She's a mother of three children and she's pregnant,' Haddad said. Harris will appear in bond court Monday, Haddad said. Police also arrested two other suspects in Indiana connected to the case. Bryce Baker, 20, and Joshua Adams, 26, both from Kankakee, Illinois, were taken into custody when police spotted them driving the wrong-way during the manhunt for Sullivan. Their possible connection to Sullivan was being investigated, FOX 32 reported. 'Any time an officer is killed in the line of duty, no matter where it happens in the country, it affects all of us,' Fifield said. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday visited the under-construction campus of the upcoming Delhi Teachers' University at Bakkarwala village and informed that it will be opened this year for a total of 5,000 students. Delhi Government will set up Delhi Teachers University on 12 acres of land and students will be able to apply for admission from 2022 itself as Sisodia directed officials to fast track the work of setting up this university in Bakkarwala village as sessions will start in 2022. After this visit, Sisodia, in a statement, said, ''In the meanwhile, the concerned department is also working on bringing in the best teachers who have worked with foreign universities and will groom teachers in Delhi with the help of the world's best practices. The University will cater to the professional needs of both pre-service and in-service teachers.'' The University will have lecture halls, digital labs, and a library with world-class facilities. The four-storey main university block has been divided into two parts- the Administrative floor and Education Floor. Here, the ground floor will have an administration office, whereas classes will be run on the first, second and third floors. As of now, the main university block is ready to open and other blocks are near completion. It is to be noted that, earlier on December 20, 2021, the Delhi Cabinet had approved the proposal to set up Delhi Teachers' University. The bill related to this will be tabled in the winter session of the Delhi Legislative Assembly starting from January 3. But even before that, Delhi Government got indulged in preparing its infrastructure. (ANI) A man and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a man's body was found in the street in South Yorkshire. Police were called to an incident in Rotherham at 1.20am where they discovered the body of a man. Officers have secured two crime scenes and have been looking for evidence related to the crime. Police have launched a murder investigation after the body of a man was discovered on Doncaster Road, Rotherham at 1.20am on New Year's Day South Yorkshire Police said: 'A 26-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman have been arrested on suspicion of murder in London, and this is now being treated as a murder investigation. 'Officers attended Doncaster Road after the mans body was found at about 1.20am today, and also Badsley Moor Lane in relation to an incident of public disorder. Formal identification is yet to take place. 'The scene at Doncaster Road has now been cleared and the road has reopened. Badsley Moor Lane remains closed near the junction with Victoria Avenue.' Police asked members of the public to stay away from the crime scenes until the officers are finished gathering evidence . The gunman who shot dead a veteran Illinois cop and critically wounded her young partner was tracked down after a 36-hour manhunt at an Indiana home and arrested before another suspect turned herself in, police officials said. Darius Sullivan, 25, was found hiding out at home in North Manchester, near Fort Wayne, after a search warrant was executed by US Marshals and a SWAT team at about 9:30 a.m. on Friday. Hours later, Xandria A. Harris, 26, turned herself in to the Bradley Police Department in the fatal shooting of Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, 49, and her partner Tyler Bailey, 27, at a Comfort Inn motel in Kankakee, located south of Chicago. 'In a multi-jurisdictional effort, two alleged cop killers have been taken into custody today and will now face justice,' Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly said. Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, a 14-year veteran of the Bradley Police Department, was shot dead after responding to a call about a barking dog Police arrested Darius Sullivan and Xandria Harris in connection to the fatal shooting of 49-year-old Bradley police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic Rittmanic, a 14-year veteran with the Bradley Police Department, and Bailey were responding to a report of dogs barking in an unattended vehicle at the motel on Wednesday when they were shot. The cops went to the car's owner's hotel room when police say Sullivan and Harris began attacking the two officers before shooting them. Bailey underwent surgery for head injuries and remained in very critical condition at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois, officials said. 'The Law Enforcement family and the community lost a devoted officer, and another continues to fight for his life. The ISP will continue to offer our prayers and support to the Bradley Police Department during this difficult time,' Kelly said Sullivan was found at the Indiana home with 19-year-old Daniel Acros, who was also arrested. 'Also at the house, several weapons and narcotics were also recovered,' Sgt. Glen Fifield with Indiana State Police said. Cellphone video showed the suspects walking out with their hands in the air after police cleared the home. Bradley Police Officer Tyler Bailey, 27 remains in critical condition after being shot in the head Arrangements are currently being made to extradite Sullivan back to Illinois to face charges of murder and attempted murder. Harris' attorney, Phil Haddad, said she turned herself in voluntarily. 'She maintains her innocence. She's a mother of three children and she's pregnant,' Haddad said. Harris will appear in bond court Monday, Haddad said. Police also arrested two other suspects in Indiana connected to the case. Bryce Baker, 20, and Joshua Adams, 26, both from Kankakee, Illinois, were taken into custody when police spotted them driving the wrong-way during the manhunt for Sullivan. Their possible connection to Sullivan was being investigated, FOX 32 reported. 'Any time an officer is killed in the line of duty, no matter where it happens in the country, it affects all of us,' Fifield said. The gunman who shot dead a veteran Illinois cop and critically wounded her young partner was tracked down after a 36-hour manhunt at an Indiana home and arrested before another suspect turned herself in, police officials said. Darius Sullivan, 25, was found hiding out at home in North Manchester, near Fort Wayne, after a search warrant was executed by US Marshals and a SWAT team at about 9:30 a.m. on Friday. Hours later, Xandria A. Harris, 26, turned herself in to the Bradley Police Department in the fatal shooting of Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, 49, and her partner Tyler Bailey, 27, at a Comfort Inn motel in Kankakee, located south of Chicago. 'In a multi-jurisdictional effort, two alleged cop killers have been taken into custody today and will now face justice,' Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly said. Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, a 14-year veteran of the Bradley Police Department, was shot dead after responding to a call about a barking dog Police arrested Darius Sullivan and Xandria Harris in connection to the fatal shooting of 49-year-old Bradley police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic Rittmanic, a 14-year veteran with the Bradley Police Department, and Bailey were responding to a report of dogs barking in an unattended vehicle at the motel on Wednesday when they were shot. The cops went to the car's owner's hotel room when police say Sullivan and Harris began attacking the two officers before shooting them. Bailey underwent surgery for head injuries and remained in very critical condition at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois, officials said. 'The Law Enforcement family and the community lost a devoted officer, and another continues to fight for his life. The ISP will continue to offer our prayers and support to the Bradley Police Department during this difficult time,' Kelly said Sullivan was found at the Indiana home with 19-year-old Daniel Acros, who was also arrested. 'Also at the house, several weapons and narcotics were also recovered,' Sgt. Glen Fifield with Indiana State Police said. Cellphone video showed the suspects walking out with their hands in the air after police cleared the home. Bradley Police Officer Tyler Bailey, 27 remains in critical condition after being shot in the head Arrangements are currently being made to extradite Sullivan back to Illinois to face charges of murder and attempted murder. Harris' attorney, Phil Haddad, said she turned herself in voluntarily. 'She maintains her innocence. She's a mother of three children and she's pregnant,' Haddad said. Harris will appear in bond court Monday, Haddad said. Police also arrested two other suspects in Indiana connected to the case. Bryce Baker, 20, and Joshua Adams, 26, both from Kankakee, Illinois, were taken into custody when police spotted them driving the wrong-way during the manhunt for Sullivan. Their possible connection to Sullivan was being investigated, FOX 32 reported. 'Any time an officer is killed in the line of duty, no matter where it happens in the country, it affects all of us,' Fifield said. The gunman who shot dead a veteran Illinois cop and critically wounded her young partner was tracked down after a 36-hour manhunt at an Indiana home and arrested before another suspect turned herself in, police officials said. Darius Sullivan, 25, was found hiding out at home in North Manchester, near Fort Wayne, after a search warrant was executed by US Marshals and a SWAT team at about 9:30 a.m. on Friday. Hours later, Xandria A. Harris, 26, turned herself in to the Bradley Police Department in the fatal shooting of Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, 49, and her partner Tyler Bailey, 27, at a Comfort Inn motel in Kankakee, located south of Chicago. 'In a multi-jurisdictional effort, two alleged cop killers have been taken into custody today and will now face justice,' Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly said. Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, a 14-year veteran of the Bradley Police Department, was shot dead after responding to a call about a barking dog Police arrested Darius Sullivan and Xandria Harris in connection to the fatal shooting of 49-year-old Bradley police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic Rittmanic, a 14-year veteran with the Bradley Police Department, and Bailey were responding to a report of dogs barking in an unattended vehicle at the motel on Wednesday when they were shot. The cops went to the car's owner's hotel room when police say Sullivan and Harris began attacking the two officers before shooting them. Bailey underwent surgery for head injuries and remained in very critical condition at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois, officials said. 'The Law Enforcement family and the community lost a devoted officer, and another continues to fight for his life. The ISP will continue to offer our prayers and support to the Bradley Police Department during this difficult time,' Kelly said Sullivan was found at the Indiana home with 19-year-old Daniel Acros, who was also arrested. 'Also at the house, several weapons and narcotics were also recovered,' Sgt. Glen Fifield with Indiana State Police said. Cellphone video showed the suspects walking out with their hands in the air after police cleared the home. Bradley Police Officer Tyler Bailey, 27 remains in critical condition after being shot in the head Arrangements are currently being made to extradite Sullivan back to Illinois to face charges of murder and attempted murder. Harris' attorney, Phil Haddad, said she turned herself in voluntarily. 'She maintains her innocence. She's a mother of three children and she's pregnant,' Haddad said. Harris will appear in bond court Monday, Haddad said. Police also arrested two other suspects in Indiana connected to the case. Bryce Baker, 20, and Joshua Adams, 26, both from Kankakee, Illinois, were taken into custody when police spotted them driving the wrong-way during the manhunt for Sullivan. Their possible connection to Sullivan was being investigated, FOX 32 reported. 'Any time an officer is killed in the line of duty, no matter where it happens in the country, it affects all of us,' Fifield said. Colorado prosecutors vowed to release previously undisclosed information about a truck driver involved in a deadly crash who is now at the center of a controversial clemency granted by Governor Jared Polis, commuting the convict's 110-year sentence to just 10 years. Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, was sentenced on Dec. 13 to 110 years after being found guilty on 27 counts when his breaks failed in an April 2019 crash that caused a mass pile-up and resulted in a fireball explosion that killed four people. In a rare move, Polis, 46, granted Aguilera-Mederos clemency before the appellate process began after his sentence was met with widespread public backlash, including from the likes of Kim Kardashian. 'After learning about the highly atypical and unjust sentence in your case, I am commuting your sentence to 10 years and granting you parole eligibility on December 30, 2026,' Polis said on Thursday. Jefferson County District Attorney Alexis King, who prosecuted the case, said on his office will release information that was 'ethically prohibited' while the case 'was pending.' Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, caused a two-dozen car pile-up in April 2019 after his semi-truck breaks failed, which resulted in a fireball explosion that killed four people Colorado Gov Jared Polis (pictured) said the 'atypical' sentence was 'unjust It is unclear when the information will be released to the public. DailyMail.com reached out to the Colorado AG's Office for a comment. The court has not officially vacated the hearing to reconsider the original sentence, which is set for Jan. 13, but Mederos' attorney said they expect the judge to do so next week. Aguilera-Mederos' attorneys said it doesn't 'matter' what is disclosed now that he has been granted clemency and that it's was 'politically' motivated. 'It wouldn't matter what she disclosed now,' James Colgan told ABC News. 'I'm not aware of any law that allows [the DA's office] to have jurisdiction over the case.' Colgan said he did not know what information would be released. Leonard Martinez, Aguilera-Mederos' other attorney, said the driver was 'shocked' and 'grateful' after receiving clemency from the governor. Aguilera-Mederos was driving a semi-truck on April 25, 2019, along Interstate 70 in Lakewood, Colorado, when he slammed into two dozen vehicles. The impact caused a fireball explosion that incinerated cars and trucks, killing four people and injuring several others. Aguilera-Mederos testified that the brakes on his semitrailer failed as he was descending a steep grade of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountain foothills. His defense attorney claimed he did not know that his truck brakes were smoking or that he would not be able to stop. He also argued that Aguilera-Mederos' actions were a series of negligent decisions, and that he did not intend to hurt anybody. But prosecutors argued he should have used a runaway ramp designed for such situations. Aguilera-Mederos, for his part, said he was struggling to avoid traffic and trying to shift to slow down. On October 15, a jury ultimately found Aguilera-Mederos guilty of 27 criminal charges. The impact caused a fireball explosion that incinerated cars and trucks, killing four people and injuring several others. Aguilera-Mederos testified that the brakes on his semitrailer failed as he was descending a steep grade of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountain foothills On December 13, he was given the excessive sentence - one the judge said he would not given if he had the choice. Due to state minimums, the judge's hands were tied. Aguilera-Mederos issued a statement apologizing to the victims' families, crying as he spoke on December 13: 'It's hard. This was a terrible accident, I know. I take the responsibility, but it was an accident. 'I have never thought about hurting anyone in my entire life and Jesus Christ, he knows that, he knows my heart,' he continued. 'I am not a criminal, I am not a murderer. 'The accident - it wasn't intentional, it wasn't intentional, Your Honor. I did all that I can as a man. I put myself in harm's way to avoid harming anyone else.' He claimed that he tried to avoid the traffic, and noted that he did not flee in the aftermath 'because I respect the laws. 'I want to say sorry, sorry for the loss, sorry for the people injured,' he concluded, noting: 'I ask...God many times why them and not me.' Relatives of the victims supported at least some prison time at his sentencing hearing, but in the statement last week, King said she and her team had spoken to the surviving victims of the crash and the families of those who died about the possibility of Aguilera-Mederos being resentenced before she issued her request. His case received wide-spread public backlash and celebrity appeal. Kardashian, who is studying law, had called for a lesser sentence for Aguilera-Mederos. She posted on Instagram to her 271 million followers that she had heard about the case and 'took a deep dive in it to figure out what the situation is.' She continued: 'He was not drunk or under the influence; his brakes on the tractor-trailer failed. 'Another shocking and unfair part of this case is that the judge didn't want to sentence him to such a lengthy sentence. The explosion was so big, it created a large plume of smoke to form over the highway After the explosion, Aguilera-Mederos was convicted of 27 charges 'However, because of the mandatory minimums in Colorado, his hands were tied. 'Mandatory minimums take away judicial discretion and need to end.' Kardashian also condemned the gleeful celebrations of the prosecutors, saying their gift of a brake shoe trophy made her 'sick'. She added that the governor, Jared Polis, 'is a really good person and I know he will do the right thing.' Besides Kardashian's support, millions signed a petition to lower his sentence. 'Rogel is very grateful for all the support he's gotten not only locally, but nationally. He's humbled by it,' Martinez said. The decision on Rogel Aguilera-Mederos sentence was among several year-end commutations and pardons issued by Polis. Photo credit: FX Atlanta wrapped up its second season four years ago, and now the wait for season 3 is, well it's over, but at least we know exactly how long the wait is going to be. As reported by TVLine, the show will return to FX in the US on March 24 with two episodes at once. From the next day, all of the season 3 episodes will be available to stream on Hulu. In the United Kingdom, the show aired on BBC Two and iPlayer, but is now available on Disney+. We don't know which platform it will debut on first, but we'll be sure to let you know when we do. Photo credit: FX Related: Fleabag's Phoebe Waller-Bridge explains meaning behind the show's name Following the end of season 2, the third run of the show will see Donald Glover's Earnest 'Earn' Marks and the crew travelling around Europe and trying to come to terms with their newfound success, while also adjusting to an environment that sees them as outsides. A fourth season of eight episodes has already been greenlit, and as both seasons were filmed back-to-back, the wait shouldn't be too long. Last year it was announced that Donald Glover would be reuniting with his Solo: A Star Wars Story co-star Phoebe Waller-Bridge for a TV series reboot of Mr & Mrs Smith, the movie that starred Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie as a couple of assassins who try to kill each other. It was the film that led to them getting together in real life. Photo credit: Frazer Harrison/BAFTA LA - Getty Images Related: First look at Fleabag's Phoebe Waller-Bridge in Indiana Jones 5 It was announced later in the year that Waller-Bridge has stepped away from the series, as she had a different creative vision for the show to Glover. A new actress playing the leading lady hasn't been announced yet. You Might Also Like Legislation significantly facilitating the procedure for changing gender and name came into force on Saturday in Switzerland. For this, citizens of the country now only need to submit an application to the authorities and pay a fee of 75 francs. No medical examination or other preconditions are required, TASS reports. Parliament introduced the relevant amendments to the legislation in December 2020, and in October 2021, the government (Federal Council) decided to enter into force on January 1, 2022. The Federal Council clarified that citizens now have the right, through a simple and quick procedure, to modify the indication of gender and name by filing an application with the Office of Civil Status. Such a statement can be submitted by any citizen who has an internal firm conviction that he does not belong to the gender indicated in the civil status act. If the person wishing to change gender and name is less than 16 years old, then the consent of his legal representative will be required. The Government clarified that the gender-related changes in the civil status act did not affect family law in any way, including kinship and marriage registration. In this case, only the female or male gender can be indicated in the civil status register. At the moment, there is no third gender option for those wishing to change sex, and there is also no way to refuse to indicate gender. In 2022, same-sex couples in Switzerland will have the right to enter into a full-fledged marriage: the relevant legislation will enter into force on July 1. At the referendum held in the country in September 2021, 64.5% of citizens spoke in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage. In Switzerland, since 2007, couples of two men or two women have been legally entitled to enter into a registered partnership. This gave them a number of the same rights that heterosexual married couples have, in particular in the areas of inheritance, pensions and adoption and adoption of a child by one partner by another partner. However, they did not have the right to adopt and adopt children together, as well as to use the services of medical centers for artificial insemination in Switzerland. The new legislation will give them these rights. In addition, if one of the spouses of the same sex does not have a Swiss passport, he will now be able to take advantage of the facilitated acquisition of Swiss citizenship after marriage. A registered partnership, according to the new rules, can be transformed into a legal marriage. India and Pakistan exchanged lists of the two countries' nuclear facilities and lists of citizens imprisoned in the neighboring country on Saturday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India said on the official website. The exchange of the list of nuclear facilities took place in accordance with the 1988 treaty to prevent attacks on such facilities. India and Pakistan exchanged today through diplomatic channels simultaneously in Delhi and Islamabad the list of nuclear installations covered by the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attacks on Nuclear Installations between India and Pakistan, the Foreign Ministry said. The treaty stipulates that the two neighboring nuclear powers of South Asia at the beginning of each year notify each other about nuclear facilities on their territory in order to prevent unauthorized attacks on them. This measure is considered one of the most important in maintaining security in the region. The first exchange of such documents took place on January 1, 1992. The two countries also gave each other lists of citizens of the other side who are in prisons on their territory. The Indian diplomatic service noted that the exchange took place through diplomatic channels in accordance with an agreement of 2008, according to which the transfer of such lists is carried out twice a year - on January 1 and July 1. India has handed over to Pakistan the lists [of] 282 Pakistani civilians and 73 fishermen imprisoned in India. Likewise, Pakistan has shared lists [of] 51 detained civilians and 577 fishermen who are Indian or may be Indian, the Foreign Ministry said. Citizens of India and Pakistan often find themselves on the adjacent side due to the inaccurately demarcated border in the mountainous regions. There are always many fishermen among the prisoners. The Coast Guard of both India and Pakistan regularly detain them for infiltrating adjacent territorial waters. One of the main reasons for this is the uncertainty of the maritime borders between countries in the Arabian Sea, in addition, fishing boats often do not have equipment that allows them to accurately determine their location. At the same time, Islamabad and New Delhi periodically release the detained citizens of the neighboring country. Local leaders seem to be giving the Prez a pass on his pandemic record and so we offer this post for balance and because the vast majority of cowtown scribes wouldn't dare ask a relevant question of the current White House. To wit . . . HAS PREZ BIDEN'S RECORD ON COVID NEGATIVELY IMPACTED KANSAS CITY?!?! Notice . . . Kansas City "journalists" are quick to blame Missouri Governor Mike Parson for a great many pandemic misdeeds but they don't make a peep about the foibles of the current administration. For what it's worth . . . TKC admires Guv Parson for making sure that the biggest COVID vaxx event in Kansas City took place inside the 3rd District and proved to be a very easily accessible and efficient medical clinic run by the National Guard with planning help from his office along with a bipartisan coalition. Meanwhile . . . Under Prez Biden's leadership there have been serious problems with testing, workplace rules and general confusion about the response from progressive public officials . . . Again, all of this has been happening without so much as a peep from local progressive pundits, politicos and social media trollz. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news links . . . Long lines of cars wait to get COVID-19 tests at Vibrant Health KC testing site in KCK Vibrant Health KC says they've seen a dramatic spike in people getting tested for COVID-19."It's starting to resemble peaks of 2020," said Patrick Sallee, CEO of Vibrant Health KC. In a four-day span, nearly 1,000 people will be tested.Normally they test 200 people a week. Skyrocketing demand for at-home COVID-19 tests causes brief shortage in Missouri KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The demand for at-home COVID-19 tests exceeded the supply this week in Missouri. The state contracts with Fulgent Genetics to provide 15,000 at-home tests each month. Demand for the tests had not exceeded supply until December, according to a spokesperson for Missouri Gov. Mike Parson. Biden's goal of 500 million free tests will require major production scale-up WASHINGTON - Meeting President Joe Biden's goal of offering 500 million free at-home Covid-19 tests for Americans will require a massive scale-up in test manufacturing that may take months to achieve - falling short of demand as the omicron variant drives a surge in infections. The U.S. Ted Cruz tears into Fauci for playing 'pandemic politics' Fauci told MSNBC a child 'automatically' gets tested for COVID at a hospital It means they get counted as a 'COVID-hospitalized' individual no matter what They could test positive after going in with a 'broken leg or appendicitis' Cruz responded by saying in a tweet: 'Now Fauci says this? At-home COVID tests: Where can you find them? For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO and CDC websites. As demand for rapid at-home COVID test kits soars, many drugstores and online suppliers are out of stock, and states and the federal government are taking matters into their own hands. Biden officials now fear booster programs will limit global vaccine supply If that happens, and countries across the world continue to roll out booster campaigns, U.S. officials fear the world might not have enough vaccine doses to meet the WHO's goal of inoculating 70 percent of the global population by the middle of next year. Firm gets $137M from US to make COVID test materials - in three years The Biden administration has inked a nearly $137 million contract with a pharmaceutical company to build a factory in Wisconsin to produce material used in COVID-19 test strips - but the finished product is not scheduled to roll off assembly lines before late 2024. You decide . . . Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. 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. 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. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. Wages and other payments related to labor relations are no longer issued in cash in Lithuania. On January 1, amendments to the Labor Code entered into force, according to which the employer must transfer this money to the employee's bank account, TASS reports. As noted by the State Labor Inspectorate under the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, the refusal to issue wages in cash should reduce the shadow business and should more effectively protect the interests of the employee. According to the ministry, in the private sector of the economy, there are often cases when a larger amount is indicated in the statements than is paid to a person. Labor disputes arising in this regard are difficult to resolve. It is expected that the bank transfer of salaries, per diems and travel allowances will make this segment of labor relations more transparent. All business entities will have to adhere to this form of payment, except for sea trading companies, for which an exception has been made. The payment of salaries to seafarers is regulated by the Lithuanian merchant marine law. As critics of the innovation note, in the fight against shadow business, politicians will leave the village without money. In rural areas, in many shops you can pay only in cash, and there are no ATMs where you can get them. Currently, 1,044 ATM machines are installed in 91 settlements of the country. They are not even in some small towns. There are 103 settlements in Lithuania with the status of a city. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday visited the under-construction campus of the upcoming Delhi Teachers' University at Bakkarwala village and informed that it will be opened this year for a total of 5,000 students. Delhi Government will set up Delhi Teachers University on 12 acres of land and students will be able to apply for admission from 2022 itself as Sisodia directed officials to fast track the work of setting up this university in Bakkarwala village as sessions will start in 2022. After this visit, Sisodia, in a statement, said, ''In the meanwhile, the concerned department is also working on bringing in the best teachers who have worked with foreign universities and will groom teachers in Delhi with the help of the world's best practices. The University will cater to the professional needs of both pre-service and in-service teachers.'' The University will have lecture halls, digital labs, and a library with world-class facilities. The four-storey main university block has been divided into two parts- the Administrative floor and Education Floor. Here, the ground floor will have an administration office, whereas classes will be run on the first, second and third floors. As of now, the main university block is ready to open and other blocks are near completion. It is to be noted that, earlier on December 20, 2021, the Delhi Cabinet had approved the proposal to set up Delhi Teachers' University. The bill related to this will be tabled in the winter session of the Delhi Legislative Assembly starting from January 3. But even before that, Delhi Government got indulged in preparing its infrastructure. (ANI) Wages and other payments related to labor relations are no longer issued in cash in Lithuania. On January 1, amendments to the Labor Code entered into force, according to which the employer must transfer this money to the employee's bank account, TASS reports. As noted by the State Labor Inspectorate under the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, the refusal to issue wages in cash should reduce the shadow business and should more effectively protect the interests of the employee. According to the ministry, in the private sector of the economy, there are often cases when a larger amount is indicated in the statements than is paid to a person. Labor disputes arising in this regard are difficult to resolve. It is expected that the bank transfer of salaries, per diems and travel allowances will make this segment of labor relations more transparent. All business entities will have to adhere to this form of payment, except for sea trading companies, for which an exception has been made. The payment of salaries to seafarers is regulated by the Lithuanian merchant marine law. As critics of the innovation note, in the fight against shadow business, politicians will leave the village without money. In rural areas, in many shops you can pay only in cash, and there are no ATMs where you can get them. Currently, 1,044 ATM machines are installed in 91 settlements of the country. They are not even in some small towns. There are 103 settlements in Lithuania with the status of a city. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday visited the under-construction campus of the upcoming Delhi Teachers' University at Bakkarwala village and informed that it will be opened this year for a total of 5,000 students. Delhi Government will set up Delhi Teachers University on 12 acres of land and students will be able to apply for admission from 2022 itself as Sisodia directed officials to fast track the work of setting up this university in Bakkarwala village as sessions will start in 2022. After this visit, Sisodia, in a statement, said, ''In the meanwhile, the concerned department is also working on bringing in the best teachers who have worked with foreign universities and will groom teachers in Delhi with the help of the world's best practices. The University will cater to the professional needs of both pre-service and in-service teachers.'' The University will have lecture halls, digital labs, and a library with world-class facilities. The four-storey main university block has been divided into two parts- the Administrative floor and Education Floor. Here, the ground floor will have an administration office, whereas classes will be run on the first, second and third floors. As of now, the main university block is ready to open and other blocks are near completion. It is to be noted that, earlier on December 20, 2021, the Delhi Cabinet had approved the proposal to set up Delhi Teachers' University. The bill related to this will be tabled in the winter session of the Delhi Legislative Assembly starting from January 3. But even before that, Delhi Government got indulged in preparing its infrastructure. (ANI) Local leaders seem to be giving the Prez a pass on his pandemic record and so we offer this post for balance and because the vast majority of cowtown scribes wouldn't dare ask a relevant question of the current White House. To wit . . . HAS PREZ BIDEN'S RECORD ON COVID NEGATIVELY IMPACTED KANSAS CITY?!?! Notice . . . Kansas City "journalists" are quick to blame Missouri Governor Mike Parson for a great many pandemic misdeeds but they don't make a peep about the foibles of the current administration. For what it's worth . . . TKC admires Guv Parson for making sure that the biggest COVID vaxx event in Kansas City took place inside the 3rd District and proved to be a very easily accessible and efficient medical clinic run by the National Guard with planning help from his office along with a bipartisan coalition. Meanwhile . . . Under Prez Biden's leadership there have been serious problems with testing, workplace rules and general confusion about the response from progressive public officials . . . Again, all of this has been happening without so much as a peep from local progressive pundits, politicos and social media trollz. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news links . . . Long lines of cars wait to get COVID-19 tests at Vibrant Health KC testing site in KCK Vibrant Health KC says they've seen a dramatic spike in people getting tested for COVID-19."It's starting to resemble peaks of 2020," said Patrick Sallee, CEO of Vibrant Health KC. In a four-day span, nearly 1,000 people will be tested.Normally they test 200 people a week. Skyrocketing demand for at-home COVID-19 tests causes brief shortage in Missouri KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The demand for at-home COVID-19 tests exceeded the supply this week in Missouri. The state contracts with Fulgent Genetics to provide 15,000 at-home tests each month. Demand for the tests had not exceeded supply until December, according to a spokesperson for Missouri Gov. Mike Parson. Biden's goal of 500 million free tests will require major production scale-up WASHINGTON - Meeting President Joe Biden's goal of offering 500 million free at-home Covid-19 tests for Americans will require a massive scale-up in test manufacturing that may take months to achieve - falling short of demand as the omicron variant drives a surge in infections. The U.S. Ted Cruz tears into Fauci for playing 'pandemic politics' Fauci told MSNBC a child 'automatically' gets tested for COVID at a hospital It means they get counted as a 'COVID-hospitalized' individual no matter what They could test positive after going in with a 'broken leg or appendicitis' Cruz responded by saying in a tweet: 'Now Fauci says this? At-home COVID tests: Where can you find them? For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO and CDC websites. As demand for rapid at-home COVID test kits soars, many drugstores and online suppliers are out of stock, and states and the federal government are taking matters into their own hands. Biden officials now fear booster programs will limit global vaccine supply If that happens, and countries across the world continue to roll out booster campaigns, U.S. officials fear the world might not have enough vaccine doses to meet the WHO's goal of inoculating 70 percent of the global population by the middle of next year. Firm gets $137M from US to make COVID test materials - in three years The Biden administration has inked a nearly $137 million contract with a pharmaceutical company to build a factory in Wisconsin to produce material used in COVID-19 test strips - but the finished product is not scheduled to roll off assembly lines before late 2024. You decide . . . Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday visited the under-construction campus of the upcoming Delhi Teachers' University at Bakkarwala village and informed that it will be opened this year for a total of 5,000 students. Delhi Government will set up Delhi Teachers University on 12 acres of land and students will be able to apply for admission from 2022 itself as Sisodia directed officials to fast track the work of setting up this university in Bakkarwala village as sessions will start in 2022. After this visit, Sisodia, in a statement, said, ''In the meanwhile, the concerned department is also working on bringing in the best teachers who have worked with foreign universities and will groom teachers in Delhi with the help of the world's best practices. The University will cater to the professional needs of both pre-service and in-service teachers.'' The University will have lecture halls, digital labs, and a library with world-class facilities. The four-storey main university block has been divided into two parts- the Administrative floor and Education Floor. Here, the ground floor will have an administration office, whereas classes will be run on the first, second and third floors. As of now, the main university block is ready to open and other blocks are near completion. It is to be noted that, earlier on December 20, 2021, the Delhi Cabinet had approved the proposal to set up Delhi Teachers' University. The bill related to this will be tabled in the winter session of the Delhi Legislative Assembly starting from January 3. But even before that, Delhi Government got indulged in preparing its infrastructure. (ANI) Photo credit: FX Atlanta wrapped up its second season four years ago, and now the wait for season 3 is, well it's over, but at least we know exactly how long the wait is going to be. As reported by TVLine, the show will return to FX in the US on March 24 with two episodes at once. From the next day, all of the season 3 episodes will be available to stream on Hulu. In the United Kingdom, the show aired on BBC Two and iPlayer, but is now available on Disney+. We don't know which platform it will debut on first, but we'll be sure to let you know when we do. Photo credit: FX Related: Fleabag's Phoebe Waller-Bridge explains meaning behind the show's name Following the end of season 2, the third run of the show will see Donald Glover's Earnest 'Earn' Marks and the crew travelling around Europe and trying to come to terms with their newfound success, while also adjusting to an environment that sees them as outsides. A fourth season of eight episodes has already been greenlit, and as both seasons were filmed back-to-back, the wait shouldn't be too long. Last year it was announced that Donald Glover would be reuniting with his Solo: A Star Wars Story co-star Phoebe Waller-Bridge for a TV series reboot of Mr & Mrs Smith, the movie that starred Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie as a couple of assassins who try to kill each other. It was the film that led to them getting together in real life. Photo credit: Frazer Harrison/BAFTA LA - Getty Images Related: First look at Fleabag's Phoebe Waller-Bridge in Indiana Jones 5 It was announced later in the year that Waller-Bridge has stepped away from the series, as she had a different creative vision for the show to Glover. A new actress playing the leading lady hasn't been announced yet. You Might Also Like She said 'I do' to the man of her dreams during a star-studded wedding in November, and has since traveled the world on a months-long, enviable honeymoon. And Paris Hilton celebrated the turn of a new year with husband Carter Reum as she puckered up for a kiss in shots shared to Instagram on Saturday morning. The 40-year-old socialite caught the first sunset of the year from the luxurious Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi as she continues the most opulent tropical honeymoon after vacationing in Bora Bora and also a private estate on Moskito Island in the British Virgin Islands. The Simple Life: Paris Hilton celebrated the turn of a new year with husband Carter Reum as she puckered up for a kiss in shots shared to Instagram on Saturday morning 'Celebrating the New Year in Paradise with my love,' she captioned a carousel of shots. 'So excited going in to 2022 as Husband and Wife!' Paris rocked a black swimsuit with one snakeskin print strap and her platinum blonde hair tied back into buns as she sat outside on her private overwater bungalow with her beau. She wore a pair of white oversized frames and swiped a bright red shade across her lips for the sweet snap with Carter. Bliss: Paris rocked a black swimsuit with one snakeskin print strap and her platinum blonde hair tied back into buns as she sat outside on her private overwater bungalow with her beau 'Celebrating the New Year in Paradise with my love,' she captioned a carousel of shots. 'So excited going in to 2022 as Husband and Wife!' Quick break: Paris and Carter did put a brief pause on their romantic vacation if only for a day or two to celebrate Christmas in London Reum, a venture capitalist, looked to be in vacation mode as he held up his phone for a selfie while wearing a simple navy blue T-shirt. Paris and Carter did put a brief pause on their romantic vacation if only for a day or two to celebrate Christmas in London. She took her millions of followers along for the ride as she picked up a few things at Lanvin with Carter before spending a quiet holiday with her husband. The couple married on Nov. 11 at her grandfather's Bel Air estate during a three-day wild wedding weekend which also included a Paris-themed carnival at the Santa Monica pier. Ahead of their wedding, Paris had been proudly showing off her gigantic engagement ring, an emerald-cut diamond ring from Jean Dousset that was rumored to have set Carter back an eye-watering $2million when he proposed in February. The happy couple have been romantically involved since December of 2019, although they had known each other for over a decade. So many choices: She took her millions of followers along for the ride as she picked up a few things at Lanvin with Carter before spending a quiet holiday with her husband Having a blast: In November, the couple embarked on the first part of their honeymoon to Bora Bora before heading over to the Moskito Island in the British Virgin Islands Vacation all I ever wanted: The pair later whisked away to the Zemi Beach House on the British Virgin Islands Paris admitted that being married is a 'magical feeling' and knows Carter will be the 'best dad' to their future children. 'I can't wait to grow our family,' the Simple Life star told PEOPLE magazine. 'I feel like Carter and I are puzzle pieces getting connected.' Days after their wedding, PageSix revealed Carter had a secret nine-year-old child from a previous relationship who he has allegedly seen 'only once.' The 40-year-old entrepreneur fathered a child with reality star Laura Bellizzi, known for appearing on the short-lived VH-1 show Secrets of Aspen. Bellizii - a Chicago native who now lives in California with the child - also briefly dated actor Mel Gibson. She said 'I do' to the man of her dreams during a star-studded wedding in November, and has since traveled the world on a months-long, enviable honeymoon. And Paris Hilton celebrated the turn of a new year with husband Carter Reum as she puckered up for a kiss in shots shared to Instagram on Saturday morning. The 40-year-old socialite caught the first sunset of the year from the luxurious Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi as she continues the most opulent tropical honeymoon after vacationing in Bora Bora and also a private estate on Moskito Island in the British Virgin Islands. The Simple Life: Paris Hilton celebrated the turn of a new year with husband Carter Reum as she puckered up for a kiss in shots shared to Instagram on Saturday morning 'Celebrating the New Year in Paradise with my love,' she captioned a carousel of shots. 'So excited going in to 2022 as Husband and Wife!' Paris rocked a black swimsuit with one snakeskin print strap and her platinum blonde hair tied back into buns as she sat outside on her private overwater bungalow with her beau. She wore a pair of white oversized frames and swiped a bright red shade across her lips for the sweet snap with Carter. Bliss: Paris rocked a black swimsuit with one snakeskin print strap and her platinum blonde hair tied back into buns as she sat outside on her private overwater bungalow with her beau 'Celebrating the New Year in Paradise with my love,' she captioned a carousel of shots. 'So excited going in to 2022 as Husband and Wife!' Quick break: Paris and Carter did put a brief pause on their romantic vacation if only for a day or two to celebrate Christmas in London Reum, a venture capitalist, looked to be in vacation mode as he held up his phone for a selfie while wearing a simple navy blue T-shirt. Paris and Carter did put a brief pause on their romantic vacation if only for a day or two to celebrate Christmas in London. She took her millions of followers along for the ride as she picked up a few things at Lanvin with Carter before spending a quiet holiday with her husband. The couple married on Nov. 11 at her grandfather's Bel Air estate during a three-day wild wedding weekend which also included a Paris-themed carnival at the Santa Monica pier. Ahead of their wedding, Paris had been proudly showing off her gigantic engagement ring, an emerald-cut diamond ring from Jean Dousset that was rumored to have set Carter back an eye-watering $2million when he proposed in February. The happy couple have been romantically involved since December of 2019, although they had known each other for over a decade. So many choices: She took her millions of followers along for the ride as she picked up a few things at Lanvin with Carter before spending a quiet holiday with her husband Having a blast: In November, the couple embarked on the first part of their honeymoon to Bora Bora before heading over to the Moskito Island in the British Virgin Islands Vacation all I ever wanted: The pair later whisked away to the Zemi Beach House on the British Virgin Islands Paris admitted that being married is a 'magical feeling' and knows Carter will be the 'best dad' to their future children. 'I can't wait to grow our family,' the Simple Life star told PEOPLE magazine. 'I feel like Carter and I are puzzle pieces getting connected.' Days after their wedding, PageSix revealed Carter had a secret nine-year-old child from a previous relationship who he has allegedly seen 'only once.' The 40-year-old entrepreneur fathered a child with reality star Laura Bellizzi, known for appearing on the short-lived VH-1 show Secrets of Aspen. Bellizii - a Chicago native who now lives in California with the child - also briefly dated actor Mel Gibson. She said 'I do' to the man of her dreams during a star-studded wedding in November, and has since traveled the world on a months-long, enviable honeymoon. And Paris Hilton celebrated the turn of a new year with husband Carter Reum as she puckered up for a kiss in shots shared to Instagram on Saturday morning. The 40-year-old socialite caught the first sunset of the year from the luxurious Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi as she continues the most opulent tropical honeymoon after vacationing in Bora Bora and also a private estate on Moskito Island in the British Virgin Islands. The Simple Life: Paris Hilton celebrated the turn of a new year with husband Carter Reum as she puckered up for a kiss in shots shared to Instagram on Saturday morning 'Celebrating the New Year in Paradise with my love,' she captioned a carousel of shots. 'So excited going in to 2022 as Husband and Wife!' Paris rocked a black swimsuit with one snakeskin print strap and her platinum blonde hair tied back into buns as she sat outside on her private overwater bungalow with her beau. She wore a pair of white oversized frames and swiped a bright red shade across her lips for the sweet snap with Carter. Bliss: Paris rocked a black swimsuit with one snakeskin print strap and her platinum blonde hair tied back into buns as she sat outside on her private overwater bungalow with her beau 'Celebrating the New Year in Paradise with my love,' she captioned a carousel of shots. 'So excited going in to 2022 as Husband and Wife!' Quick break: Paris and Carter did put a brief pause on their romantic vacation if only for a day or two to celebrate Christmas in London Reum, a venture capitalist, looked to be in vacation mode as he held up his phone for a selfie while wearing a simple navy blue T-shirt. Paris and Carter did put a brief pause on their romantic vacation if only for a day or two to celebrate Christmas in London. She took her millions of followers along for the ride as she picked up a few things at Lanvin with Carter before spending a quiet holiday with her husband. The couple married on Nov. 11 at her grandfather's Bel Air estate during a three-day wild wedding weekend which also included a Paris-themed carnival at the Santa Monica pier. Ahead of their wedding, Paris had been proudly showing off her gigantic engagement ring, an emerald-cut diamond ring from Jean Dousset that was rumored to have set Carter back an eye-watering $2million when he proposed in February. The happy couple have been romantically involved since December of 2019, although they had known each other for over a decade. So many choices: She took her millions of followers along for the ride as she picked up a few things at Lanvin with Carter before spending a quiet holiday with her husband Having a blast: In November, the couple embarked on the first part of their honeymoon to Bora Bora before heading over to the Moskito Island in the British Virgin Islands Vacation all I ever wanted: The pair later whisked away to the Zemi Beach House on the British Virgin Islands Paris admitted that being married is a 'magical feeling' and knows Carter will be the 'best dad' to their future children. 'I can't wait to grow our family,' the Simple Life star told PEOPLE magazine. 'I feel like Carter and I are puzzle pieces getting connected.' Days after their wedding, PageSix revealed Carter had a secret nine-year-old child from a previous relationship who he has allegedly seen 'only once.' The 40-year-old entrepreneur fathered a child with reality star Laura Bellizzi, known for appearing on the short-lived VH-1 show Secrets of Aspen. Bellizii - a Chicago native who now lives in California with the child - also briefly dated actor Mel Gibson. She said 'I do' to the man of her dreams during a star-studded wedding in November, and has since traveled the world on a months-long, enviable honeymoon. And Paris Hilton celebrated the turn of a new year with husband Carter Reum as she puckered up for a kiss in shots shared to Instagram on Saturday morning. The 40-year-old socialite caught the first sunset of the year from the luxurious Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi as she continues the most opulent tropical honeymoon after vacationing in Bora Bora and also a private estate on Moskito Island in the British Virgin Islands. The Simple Life: Paris Hilton celebrated the turn of a new year with husband Carter Reum as she puckered up for a kiss in shots shared to Instagram on Saturday morning 'Celebrating the New Year in Paradise with my love,' she captioned a carousel of shots. 'So excited going in to 2022 as Husband and Wife!' Paris rocked a black swimsuit with one snakeskin print strap and her platinum blonde hair tied back into buns as she sat outside on her private overwater bungalow with her beau. She wore a pair of white oversized frames and swiped a bright red shade across her lips for the sweet snap with Carter. Bliss: Paris rocked a black swimsuit with one snakeskin print strap and her platinum blonde hair tied back into buns as she sat outside on her private overwater bungalow with her beau 'Celebrating the New Year in Paradise with my love,' she captioned a carousel of shots. 'So excited going in to 2022 as Husband and Wife!' Quick break: Paris and Carter did put a brief pause on their romantic vacation if only for a day or two to celebrate Christmas in London Reum, a venture capitalist, looked to be in vacation mode as he held up his phone for a selfie while wearing a simple navy blue T-shirt. Paris and Carter did put a brief pause on their romantic vacation if only for a day or two to celebrate Christmas in London. She took her millions of followers along for the ride as she picked up a few things at Lanvin with Carter before spending a quiet holiday with her husband. The couple married on Nov. 11 at her grandfather's Bel Air estate during a three-day wild wedding weekend which also included a Paris-themed carnival at the Santa Monica pier. Ahead of their wedding, Paris had been proudly showing off her gigantic engagement ring, an emerald-cut diamond ring from Jean Dousset that was rumored to have set Carter back an eye-watering $2million when he proposed in February. The happy couple have been romantically involved since December of 2019, although they had known each other for over a decade. So many choices: She took her millions of followers along for the ride as she picked up a few things at Lanvin with Carter before spending a quiet holiday with her husband Having a blast: In November, the couple embarked on the first part of their honeymoon to Bora Bora before heading over to the Moskito Island in the British Virgin Islands Vacation all I ever wanted: The pair later whisked away to the Zemi Beach House on the British Virgin Islands Paris admitted that being married is a 'magical feeling' and knows Carter will be the 'best dad' to their future children. 'I can't wait to grow our family,' the Simple Life star told PEOPLE magazine. 'I feel like Carter and I are puzzle pieces getting connected.' Days after their wedding, PageSix revealed Carter had a secret nine-year-old child from a previous relationship who he has allegedly seen 'only once.' The 40-year-old entrepreneur fathered a child with reality star Laura Bellizzi, known for appearing on the short-lived VH-1 show Secrets of Aspen. Bellizii - a Chicago native who now lives in California with the child - also briefly dated actor Mel Gibson. She said 'I do' to the man of her dreams during a star-studded wedding in November, and has since traveled the world on a months-long, enviable honeymoon. And Paris Hilton celebrated the turn of a new year with husband Carter Reum as she puckered up for a kiss in shots shared to Instagram on Saturday morning. The 40-year-old socialite caught the first sunset of the year from the luxurious Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi as she continues the most opulent tropical honeymoon after vacationing in Bora Bora and also a private estate on Moskito Island in the British Virgin Islands. The Simple Life: Paris Hilton celebrated the turn of a new year with husband Carter Reum as she puckered up for a kiss in shots shared to Instagram on Saturday morning 'Celebrating the New Year in Paradise with my love,' she captioned a carousel of shots. 'So excited going in to 2022 as Husband and Wife!' Paris rocked a black swimsuit with one snakeskin print strap and her platinum blonde hair tied back into buns as she sat outside on her private overwater bungalow with her beau. She wore a pair of white oversized frames and swiped a bright red shade across her lips for the sweet snap with Carter. Bliss: Paris rocked a black swimsuit with one snakeskin print strap and her platinum blonde hair tied back into buns as she sat outside on her private overwater bungalow with her beau 'Celebrating the New Year in Paradise with my love,' she captioned a carousel of shots. 'So excited going in to 2022 as Husband and Wife!' Quick break: Paris and Carter did put a brief pause on their romantic vacation if only for a day or two to celebrate Christmas in London Reum, a venture capitalist, looked to be in vacation mode as he held up his phone for a selfie while wearing a simple navy blue T-shirt. Paris and Carter did put a brief pause on their romantic vacation if only for a day or two to celebrate Christmas in London. She took her millions of followers along for the ride as she picked up a few things at Lanvin with Carter before spending a quiet holiday with her husband. The couple married on Nov. 11 at her grandfather's Bel Air estate during a three-day wild wedding weekend which also included a Paris-themed carnival at the Santa Monica pier. Ahead of their wedding, Paris had been proudly showing off her gigantic engagement ring, an emerald-cut diamond ring from Jean Dousset that was rumored to have set Carter back an eye-watering $2million when he proposed in February. The happy couple have been romantically involved since December of 2019, although they had known each other for over a decade. So many choices: She took her millions of followers along for the ride as she picked up a few things at Lanvin with Carter before spending a quiet holiday with her husband Having a blast: In November, the couple embarked on the first part of their honeymoon to Bora Bora before heading over to the Moskito Island in the British Virgin Islands Vacation all I ever wanted: The pair later whisked away to the Zemi Beach House on the British Virgin Islands Paris admitted that being married is a 'magical feeling' and knows Carter will be the 'best dad' to their future children. 'I can't wait to grow our family,' the Simple Life star told PEOPLE magazine. 'I feel like Carter and I are puzzle pieces getting connected.' Days after their wedding, PageSix revealed Carter had a secret nine-year-old child from a previous relationship who he has allegedly seen 'only once.' The 40-year-old entrepreneur fathered a child with reality star Laura Bellizzi, known for appearing on the short-lived VH-1 show Secrets of Aspen. Bellizii - a Chicago native who now lives in California with the child - also briefly dated actor Mel Gibson. She said 'I do' to the man of her dreams during a star-studded wedding in November, and has since traveled the world on a months-long, enviable honeymoon. And Paris Hilton celebrated the turn of a new year with husband Carter Reum as she puckered up for a kiss in shots shared to Instagram on Saturday morning. The 40-year-old socialite caught the first sunset of the year from the luxurious Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi as she continues the most opulent tropical honeymoon after vacationing in Bora Bora and also a private estate on Moskito Island in the British Virgin Islands. The Simple Life: Paris Hilton celebrated the turn of a new year with husband Carter Reum as she puckered up for a kiss in shots shared to Instagram on Saturday morning 'Celebrating the New Year in Paradise with my love,' she captioned a carousel of shots. 'So excited going in to 2022 as Husband and Wife!' Paris rocked a black swimsuit with one snakeskin print strap and her platinum blonde hair tied back into buns as she sat outside on her private overwater bungalow with her beau. She wore a pair of white oversized frames and swiped a bright red shade across her lips for the sweet snap with Carter. Bliss: Paris rocked a black swimsuit with one snakeskin print strap and her platinum blonde hair tied back into buns as she sat outside on her private overwater bungalow with her beau 'Celebrating the New Year in Paradise with my love,' she captioned a carousel of shots. 'So excited going in to 2022 as Husband and Wife!' Quick break: Paris and Carter did put a brief pause on their romantic vacation if only for a day or two to celebrate Christmas in London Reum, a venture capitalist, looked to be in vacation mode as he held up his phone for a selfie while wearing a simple navy blue T-shirt. Paris and Carter did put a brief pause on their romantic vacation if only for a day or two to celebrate Christmas in London. She took her millions of followers along for the ride as she picked up a few things at Lanvin with Carter before spending a quiet holiday with her husband. The couple married on Nov. 11 at her grandfather's Bel Air estate during a three-day wild wedding weekend which also included a Paris-themed carnival at the Santa Monica pier. Ahead of their wedding, Paris had been proudly showing off her gigantic engagement ring, an emerald-cut diamond ring from Jean Dousset that was rumored to have set Carter back an eye-watering $2million when he proposed in February. The happy couple have been romantically involved since December of 2019, although they had known each other for over a decade. So many choices: She took her millions of followers along for the ride as she picked up a few things at Lanvin with Carter before spending a quiet holiday with her husband Having a blast: In November, the couple embarked on the first part of their honeymoon to Bora Bora before heading over to the Moskito Island in the British Virgin Islands Vacation all I ever wanted: The pair later whisked away to the Zemi Beach House on the British Virgin Islands Paris admitted that being married is a 'magical feeling' and knows Carter will be the 'best dad' to their future children. 'I can't wait to grow our family,' the Simple Life star told PEOPLE magazine. 'I feel like Carter and I are puzzle pieces getting connected.' Days after their wedding, PageSix revealed Carter had a secret nine-year-old child from a previous relationship who he has allegedly seen 'only once.' The 40-year-old entrepreneur fathered a child with reality star Laura Bellizzi, known for appearing on the short-lived VH-1 show Secrets of Aspen. Bellizii - a Chicago native who now lives in California with the child - also briefly dated actor Mel Gibson. She said 'I do' to the man of her dreams during a star-studded wedding in November, and has since traveled the world on a months-long, enviable honeymoon. And Paris Hilton celebrated the turn of a new year with husband Carter Reum as she puckered up for a kiss in shots shared to Instagram on Saturday morning. The 40-year-old socialite caught the first sunset of the year from the luxurious Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi as she continues the most opulent tropical honeymoon after vacationing in Bora Bora and also a private estate on Moskito Island in the British Virgin Islands. The Simple Life: Paris Hilton celebrated the turn of a new year with husband Carter Reum as she puckered up for a kiss in shots shared to Instagram on Saturday morning 'Celebrating the New Year in Paradise with my love,' she captioned a carousel of shots. 'So excited going in to 2022 as Husband and Wife!' Paris rocked a black swimsuit with one snakeskin print strap and her platinum blonde hair tied back into buns as she sat outside on her private overwater bungalow with her beau. She wore a pair of white oversized frames and swiped a bright red shade across her lips for the sweet snap with Carter. Bliss: Paris rocked a black swimsuit with one snakeskin print strap and her platinum blonde hair tied back into buns as she sat outside on her private overwater bungalow with her beau 'Celebrating the New Year in Paradise with my love,' she captioned a carousel of shots. 'So excited going in to 2022 as Husband and Wife!' Quick break: Paris and Carter did put a brief pause on their romantic vacation if only for a day or two to celebrate Christmas in London Reum, a venture capitalist, looked to be in vacation mode as he held up his phone for a selfie while wearing a simple navy blue T-shirt. Paris and Carter did put a brief pause on their romantic vacation if only for a day or two to celebrate Christmas in London. She took her millions of followers along for the ride as she picked up a few things at Lanvin with Carter before spending a quiet holiday with her husband. The couple married on Nov. 11 at her grandfather's Bel Air estate during a three-day wild wedding weekend which also included a Paris-themed carnival at the Santa Monica pier. Ahead of their wedding, Paris had been proudly showing off her gigantic engagement ring, an emerald-cut diamond ring from Jean Dousset that was rumored to have set Carter back an eye-watering $2million when he proposed in February. The happy couple have been romantically involved since December of 2019, although they had known each other for over a decade. So many choices: She took her millions of followers along for the ride as she picked up a few things at Lanvin with Carter before spending a quiet holiday with her husband Having a blast: In November, the couple embarked on the first part of their honeymoon to Bora Bora before heading over to the Moskito Island in the British Virgin Islands Vacation all I ever wanted: The pair later whisked away to the Zemi Beach House on the British Virgin Islands Paris admitted that being married is a 'magical feeling' and knows Carter will be the 'best dad' to their future children. 'I can't wait to grow our family,' the Simple Life star told PEOPLE magazine. 'I feel like Carter and I are puzzle pieces getting connected.' Days after their wedding, PageSix revealed Carter had a secret nine-year-old child from a previous relationship who he has allegedly seen 'only once.' The 40-year-old entrepreneur fathered a child with reality star Laura Bellizzi, known for appearing on the short-lived VH-1 show Secrets of Aspen. Bellizii - a Chicago native who now lives in California with the child - also briefly dated actor Mel Gibson. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates. Shepherd, 33, is now an inmate at HMP Frankland, according to the Mirror. Among the other prisoners at the jail, in County Durham, are Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield. 'He spends his days writing to friends and family and getting on with the other inmates. Prison has been a humbling experience for him,' a source said. Shepherd was given a six-year sentence after being convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of Charlotte Brown when his speedboat capsized during a champagne-fuelled date on the River Thames in 2015. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd (above) has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates Other inmates at HMP Frankland include (l to r) Wayne Couzens, Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield Charlotte Brown, 24, was killed after Shepherd's boat capsized on the Thames near Wandsworth Bridge in 2015 Ms Brown, from Clacton, Essex was on her first date with Shepherd after meeting on dating website OkCupid. In July 2020, Shepherd has had 78 days cut from his 10-year jail term because of time he served waiting for extradition after fleeing the UK to Georgia. Three appeal judges said the 78 days Shepherd spent in custody awaiting extradition in Georgia should count as part of the jail term he is serving. Shepherd's trial in July 2018 heard how he had bought the 1980s' boat on Gumtree and had tried to impress other women with it. But his first date with Ms Brown ended in tragedy when the 14ft Fletcher Arrowflyte GTO, which was riddled with defects, hit a log and capsized, throwing them into the river near Wandsworth Bridge. He later sparked outrage by launching an appeal against the conviction while on the run in Georgia - and he was awarded funds to do so. The speedboat owned by web designer Jack Shepherd, which crashed in the Thames in 2015 In 2019, Shepherd (above) was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at After spending ten months on the run, Shepherd was finally extradited and ordered to serve six years with six months consecutive for skipping his bail in April 2019. The web designer then admitted hitting a barman over the head with a vodka bottle in a hotel in Devon and was given four years extra. In 2019, Shepherd was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at. Couzens is on a life-long rap for murdering Ms Everard after using his status as a police officer to kidnap her in London last year. Bellfield has a life sentence for killing Milly Dowler, 13, Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22. Huntley, a former school caretaker, was convicted of the murders of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Local leaders seem to be giving the Prez a pass on his pandemic record and so we offer this post for balance and because the vast majority of cowtown scribes wouldn't dare ask a relevant question of the current White House. To wit . . . HAS PREZ BIDEN'S RECORD ON COVID NEGATIVELY IMPACTED KANSAS CITY?!?! Notice . . . Kansas City "journalists" are quick to blame Missouri Governor Mike Parson for a great many pandemic misdeeds but they don't make a peep about the foibles of the current administration. For what it's worth . . . TKC admires Guv Parson for making sure that the biggest COVID vaxx event in Kansas City took place inside the 3rd District and proved to be a very easily accessible and efficient medical clinic run by the National Guard with planning help from his office along with a bipartisan coalition. Meanwhile . . . Under Prez Biden's leadership there have been serious problems with testing, workplace rules and general confusion about the response from progressive public officials . . . Again, all of this has been happening without so much as a peep from local progressive pundits, politicos and social media trollz. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news links . . . Long lines of cars wait to get COVID-19 tests at Vibrant Health KC testing site in KCK Vibrant Health KC says they've seen a dramatic spike in people getting tested for COVID-19."It's starting to resemble peaks of 2020," said Patrick Sallee, CEO of Vibrant Health KC. In a four-day span, nearly 1,000 people will be tested.Normally they test 200 people a week. Skyrocketing demand for at-home COVID-19 tests causes brief shortage in Missouri KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The demand for at-home COVID-19 tests exceeded the supply this week in Missouri. The state contracts with Fulgent Genetics to provide 15,000 at-home tests each month. Demand for the tests had not exceeded supply until December, according to a spokesperson for Missouri Gov. Mike Parson. Biden's goal of 500 million free tests will require major production scale-up WASHINGTON - Meeting President Joe Biden's goal of offering 500 million free at-home Covid-19 tests for Americans will require a massive scale-up in test manufacturing that may take months to achieve - falling short of demand as the omicron variant drives a surge in infections. The U.S. Ted Cruz tears into Fauci for playing 'pandemic politics' Fauci told MSNBC a child 'automatically' gets tested for COVID at a hospital It means they get counted as a 'COVID-hospitalized' individual no matter what They could test positive after going in with a 'broken leg or appendicitis' Cruz responded by saying in a tweet: 'Now Fauci says this? At-home COVID tests: Where can you find them? For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO and CDC websites. As demand for rapid at-home COVID test kits soars, many drugstores and online suppliers are out of stock, and states and the federal government are taking matters into their own hands. Biden officials now fear booster programs will limit global vaccine supply If that happens, and countries across the world continue to roll out booster campaigns, U.S. officials fear the world might not have enough vaccine doses to meet the WHO's goal of inoculating 70 percent of the global population by the middle of next year. Firm gets $137M from US to make COVID test materials - in three years The Biden administration has inked a nearly $137 million contract with a pharmaceutical company to build a factory in Wisconsin to produce material used in COVID-19 test strips - but the finished product is not scheduled to roll off assembly lines before late 2024. You decide . . . Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates. Shepherd, 33, is now an inmate at HMP Frankland, according to the Mirror. Among the other prisoners at the jail, in County Durham, are Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield. 'He spends his days writing to friends and family and getting on with the other inmates. Prison has been a humbling experience for him,' a source said. Shepherd was given a six-year sentence after being convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of Charlotte Brown when his speedboat capsized during a champagne-fuelled date on the River Thames in 2015. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd (above) has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates Other inmates at HMP Frankland include (l to r) Wayne Couzens, Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield Charlotte Brown, 24, was killed after Shepherd's boat capsized on the Thames near Wandsworth Bridge in 2015 Ms Brown, from Clacton, Essex was on her first date with Shepherd after meeting on dating website OkCupid. In July 2020, Shepherd has had 78 days cut from his 10-year jail term because of time he served waiting for extradition after fleeing the UK to Georgia. Three appeal judges said the 78 days Shepherd spent in custody awaiting extradition in Georgia should count as part of the jail term he is serving. Shepherd's trial in July 2018 heard how he had bought the 1980s' boat on Gumtree and had tried to impress other women with it. But his first date with Ms Brown ended in tragedy when the 14ft Fletcher Arrowflyte GTO, which was riddled with defects, hit a log and capsized, throwing them into the river near Wandsworth Bridge. He later sparked outrage by launching an appeal against the conviction while on the run in Georgia - and he was awarded funds to do so. The speedboat owned by web designer Jack Shepherd, which crashed in the Thames in 2015 In 2019, Shepherd (above) was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at After spending ten months on the run, Shepherd was finally extradited and ordered to serve six years with six months consecutive for skipping his bail in April 2019. The web designer then admitted hitting a barman over the head with a vodka bottle in a hotel in Devon and was given four years extra. In 2019, Shepherd was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at. Couzens is on a life-long rap for murdering Ms Everard after using his status as a police officer to kidnap her in London last year. Bellfield has a life sentence for killing Milly Dowler, 13, Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22. Huntley, a former school caretaker, was convicted of the murders of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates. Shepherd, 33, is now an inmate at HMP Frankland, according to the Mirror. Among the other prisoners at the jail, in County Durham, are Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield. 'He spends his days writing to friends and family and getting on with the other inmates. Prison has been a humbling experience for him,' a source said. Shepherd was given a six-year sentence after being convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of Charlotte Brown when his speedboat capsized during a champagne-fuelled date on the River Thames in 2015. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd (above) has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates Other inmates at HMP Frankland include (l to r) Wayne Couzens, Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield Charlotte Brown, 24, was killed after Shepherd's boat capsized on the Thames near Wandsworth Bridge in 2015 Ms Brown, from Clacton, Essex was on her first date with Shepherd after meeting on dating website OkCupid. In July 2020, Shepherd has had 78 days cut from his 10-year jail term because of time he served waiting for extradition after fleeing the UK to Georgia. Three appeal judges said the 78 days Shepherd spent in custody awaiting extradition in Georgia should count as part of the jail term he is serving. Shepherd's trial in July 2018 heard how he had bought the 1980s' boat on Gumtree and had tried to impress other women with it. But his first date with Ms Brown ended in tragedy when the 14ft Fletcher Arrowflyte GTO, which was riddled with defects, hit a log and capsized, throwing them into the river near Wandsworth Bridge. He later sparked outrage by launching an appeal against the conviction while on the run in Georgia - and he was awarded funds to do so. The speedboat owned by web designer Jack Shepherd, which crashed in the Thames in 2015 In 2019, Shepherd (above) was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at After spending ten months on the run, Shepherd was finally extradited and ordered to serve six years with six months consecutive for skipping his bail in April 2019. The web designer then admitted hitting a barman over the head with a vodka bottle in a hotel in Devon and was given four years extra. In 2019, Shepherd was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at. Couzens is on a life-long rap for murdering Ms Everard after using his status as a police officer to kidnap her in London last year. Bellfield has a life sentence for killing Milly Dowler, 13, Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22. Huntley, a former school caretaker, was convicted of the murders of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates. Shepherd, 33, is now an inmate at HMP Frankland, according to the Mirror. Among the other prisoners at the jail, in County Durham, are Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield. 'He spends his days writing to friends and family and getting on with the other inmates. Prison has been a humbling experience for him,' a source said. Shepherd was given a six-year sentence after being convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of Charlotte Brown when his speedboat capsized during a champagne-fuelled date on the River Thames in 2015. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd (above) has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates Other inmates at HMP Frankland include (l to r) Wayne Couzens, Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield Charlotte Brown, 24, was killed after Shepherd's boat capsized on the Thames near Wandsworth Bridge in 2015 Ms Brown, from Clacton, Essex was on her first date with Shepherd after meeting on dating website OkCupid. In July 2020, Shepherd has had 78 days cut from his 10-year jail term because of time he served waiting for extradition after fleeing the UK to Georgia. Three appeal judges said the 78 days Shepherd spent in custody awaiting extradition in Georgia should count as part of the jail term he is serving. Shepherd's trial in July 2018 heard how he had bought the 1980s' boat on Gumtree and had tried to impress other women with it. But his first date with Ms Brown ended in tragedy when the 14ft Fletcher Arrowflyte GTO, which was riddled with defects, hit a log and capsized, throwing them into the river near Wandsworth Bridge. He later sparked outrage by launching an appeal against the conviction while on the run in Georgia - and he was awarded funds to do so. The speedboat owned by web designer Jack Shepherd, which crashed in the Thames in 2015 In 2019, Shepherd (above) was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at After spending ten months on the run, Shepherd was finally extradited and ordered to serve six years with six months consecutive for skipping his bail in April 2019. The web designer then admitted hitting a barman over the head with a vodka bottle in a hotel in Devon and was given four years extra. In 2019, Shepherd was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at. Couzens is on a life-long rap for murdering Ms Everard after using his status as a police officer to kidnap her in London last year. Bellfield has a life sentence for killing Milly Dowler, 13, Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22. Huntley, a former school caretaker, was convicted of the murders of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates. Shepherd, 33, is now an inmate at HMP Frankland, according to the Mirror. Among the other prisoners at the jail, in County Durham, are Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield. 'He spends his days writing to friends and family and getting on with the other inmates. Prison has been a humbling experience for him,' a source said. Shepherd was given a six-year sentence after being convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of Charlotte Brown when his speedboat capsized during a champagne-fuelled date on the River Thames in 2015. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd (above) has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates Other inmates at HMP Frankland include (l to r) Wayne Couzens, Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield Charlotte Brown, 24, was killed after Shepherd's boat capsized on the Thames near Wandsworth Bridge in 2015 Ms Brown, from Clacton, Essex was on her first date with Shepherd after meeting on dating website OkCupid. In July 2020, Shepherd has had 78 days cut from his 10-year jail term because of time he served waiting for extradition after fleeing the UK to Georgia. Three appeal judges said the 78 days Shepherd spent in custody awaiting extradition in Georgia should count as part of the jail term he is serving. Shepherd's trial in July 2018 heard how he had bought the 1980s' boat on Gumtree and had tried to impress other women with it. But his first date with Ms Brown ended in tragedy when the 14ft Fletcher Arrowflyte GTO, which was riddled with defects, hit a log and capsized, throwing them into the river near Wandsworth Bridge. He later sparked outrage by launching an appeal against the conviction while on the run in Georgia - and he was awarded funds to do so. The speedboat owned by web designer Jack Shepherd, which crashed in the Thames in 2015 In 2019, Shepherd (above) was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at After spending ten months on the run, Shepherd was finally extradited and ordered to serve six years with six months consecutive for skipping his bail in April 2019. The web designer then admitted hitting a barman over the head with a vodka bottle in a hotel in Devon and was given four years extra. In 2019, Shepherd was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at. Couzens is on a life-long rap for murdering Ms Everard after using his status as a police officer to kidnap her in London last year. Bellfield has a life sentence for killing Milly Dowler, 13, Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22. Huntley, a former school caretaker, was convicted of the murders of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates. Shepherd, 33, is now an inmate at HMP Frankland, according to the Mirror. Among the other prisoners at the jail, in County Durham, are Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield. 'He spends his days writing to friends and family and getting on with the other inmates. Prison has been a humbling experience for him,' a source said. Shepherd was given a six-year sentence after being convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of Charlotte Brown when his speedboat capsized during a champagne-fuelled date on the River Thames in 2015. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd (above) has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates Other inmates at HMP Frankland include (l to r) Wayne Couzens, Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield Charlotte Brown, 24, was killed after Shepherd's boat capsized on the Thames near Wandsworth Bridge in 2015 Ms Brown, from Clacton, Essex was on her first date with Shepherd after meeting on dating website OkCupid. In July 2020, Shepherd has had 78 days cut from his 10-year jail term because of time he served waiting for extradition after fleeing the UK to Georgia. Three appeal judges said the 78 days Shepherd spent in custody awaiting extradition in Georgia should count as part of the jail term he is serving. Shepherd's trial in July 2018 heard how he had bought the 1980s' boat on Gumtree and had tried to impress other women with it. But his first date with Ms Brown ended in tragedy when the 14ft Fletcher Arrowflyte GTO, which was riddled with defects, hit a log and capsized, throwing them into the river near Wandsworth Bridge. He later sparked outrage by launching an appeal against the conviction while on the run in Georgia - and he was awarded funds to do so. The speedboat owned by web designer Jack Shepherd, which crashed in the Thames in 2015 In 2019, Shepherd (above) was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at After spending ten months on the run, Shepherd was finally extradited and ordered to serve six years with six months consecutive for skipping his bail in April 2019. The web designer then admitted hitting a barman over the head with a vodka bottle in a hotel in Devon and was given four years extra. In 2019, Shepherd was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at. Couzens is on a life-long rap for murdering Ms Everard after using his status as a police officer to kidnap her in London last year. Bellfield has a life sentence for killing Milly Dowler, 13, Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22. Huntley, a former school caretaker, was convicted of the murders of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates. Shepherd, 33, is now an inmate at HMP Frankland, according to the Mirror. Among the other prisoners at the jail, in County Durham, are Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield. 'He spends his days writing to friends and family and getting on with the other inmates. Prison has been a humbling experience for him,' a source said. Shepherd was given a six-year sentence after being convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of Charlotte Brown when his speedboat capsized during a champagne-fuelled date on the River Thames in 2015. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd (above) has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates Other inmates at HMP Frankland include (l to r) Wayne Couzens, Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield Charlotte Brown, 24, was killed after Shepherd's boat capsized on the Thames near Wandsworth Bridge in 2015 Ms Brown, from Clacton, Essex was on her first date with Shepherd after meeting on dating website OkCupid. In July 2020, Shepherd has had 78 days cut from his 10-year jail term because of time he served waiting for extradition after fleeing the UK to Georgia. Three appeal judges said the 78 days Shepherd spent in custody awaiting extradition in Georgia should count as part of the jail term he is serving. Shepherd's trial in July 2018 heard how he had bought the 1980s' boat on Gumtree and had tried to impress other women with it. But his first date with Ms Brown ended in tragedy when the 14ft Fletcher Arrowflyte GTO, which was riddled with defects, hit a log and capsized, throwing them into the river near Wandsworth Bridge. He later sparked outrage by launching an appeal against the conviction while on the run in Georgia - and he was awarded funds to do so. The speedboat owned by web designer Jack Shepherd, which crashed in the Thames in 2015 In 2019, Shepherd (above) was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at After spending ten months on the run, Shepherd was finally extradited and ordered to serve six years with six months consecutive for skipping his bail in April 2019. The web designer then admitted hitting a barman over the head with a vodka bottle in a hotel in Devon and was given four years extra. In 2019, Shepherd was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at. Couzens is on a life-long rap for murdering Ms Everard after using his status as a police officer to kidnap her in London last year. Bellfield has a life sentence for killing Milly Dowler, 13, Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22. Huntley, a former school caretaker, was convicted of the murders of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates. Shepherd, 33, is now an inmate at HMP Frankland, according to the Mirror. Among the other prisoners at the jail, in County Durham, are Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield. 'He spends his days writing to friends and family and getting on with the other inmates. Prison has been a humbling experience for him,' a source said. Shepherd was given a six-year sentence after being convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of Charlotte Brown when his speedboat capsized during a champagne-fuelled date on the River Thames in 2015. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd (above) has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates Other inmates at HMP Frankland include (l to r) Wayne Couzens, Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield Charlotte Brown, 24, was killed after Shepherd's boat capsized on the Thames near Wandsworth Bridge in 2015 Ms Brown, from Clacton, Essex was on her first date with Shepherd after meeting on dating website OkCupid. In July 2020, Shepherd has had 78 days cut from his 10-year jail term because of time he served waiting for extradition after fleeing the UK to Georgia. Three appeal judges said the 78 days Shepherd spent in custody awaiting extradition in Georgia should count as part of the jail term he is serving. Shepherd's trial in July 2018 heard how he had bought the 1980s' boat on Gumtree and had tried to impress other women with it. But his first date with Ms Brown ended in tragedy when the 14ft Fletcher Arrowflyte GTO, which was riddled with defects, hit a log and capsized, throwing them into the river near Wandsworth Bridge. He later sparked outrage by launching an appeal against the conviction while on the run in Georgia - and he was awarded funds to do so. The speedboat owned by web designer Jack Shepherd, which crashed in the Thames in 2015 In 2019, Shepherd (above) was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at After spending ten months on the run, Shepherd was finally extradited and ordered to serve six years with six months consecutive for skipping his bail in April 2019. The web designer then admitted hitting a barman over the head with a vodka bottle in a hotel in Devon and was given four years extra. In 2019, Shepherd was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at. Couzens is on a life-long rap for murdering Ms Everard after using his status as a police officer to kidnap her in London last year. Bellfield has a life sentence for killing Milly Dowler, 13, Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22. Huntley, a former school caretaker, was convicted of the murders of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates. Shepherd, 33, is now an inmate at HMP Frankland, according to the Mirror. Among the other prisoners at the jail, in County Durham, are Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield. 'He spends his days writing to friends and family and getting on with the other inmates. Prison has been a humbling experience for him,' a source said. Shepherd was given a six-year sentence after being convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of Charlotte Brown when his speedboat capsized during a champagne-fuelled date on the River Thames in 2015. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd (above) has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates Other inmates at HMP Frankland include (l to r) Wayne Couzens, Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield Charlotte Brown, 24, was killed after Shepherd's boat capsized on the Thames near Wandsworth Bridge in 2015 Ms Brown, from Clacton, Essex was on her first date with Shepherd after meeting on dating website OkCupid. In July 2020, Shepherd has had 78 days cut from his 10-year jail term because of time he served waiting for extradition after fleeing the UK to Georgia. Three appeal judges said the 78 days Shepherd spent in custody awaiting extradition in Georgia should count as part of the jail term he is serving. Shepherd's trial in July 2018 heard how he had bought the 1980s' boat on Gumtree and had tried to impress other women with it. But his first date with Ms Brown ended in tragedy when the 14ft Fletcher Arrowflyte GTO, which was riddled with defects, hit a log and capsized, throwing them into the river near Wandsworth Bridge. He later sparked outrage by launching an appeal against the conviction while on the run in Georgia - and he was awarded funds to do so. The speedboat owned by web designer Jack Shepherd, which crashed in the Thames in 2015 In 2019, Shepherd (above) was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at After spending ten months on the run, Shepherd was finally extradited and ordered to serve six years with six months consecutive for skipping his bail in April 2019. The web designer then admitted hitting a barman over the head with a vodka bottle in a hotel in Devon and was given four years extra. In 2019, Shepherd was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at. Couzens is on a life-long rap for murdering Ms Everard after using his status as a police officer to kidnap her in London last year. Bellfield has a life sentence for killing Milly Dowler, 13, Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22. Huntley, a former school caretaker, was convicted of the murders of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates. Shepherd, 33, is now an inmate at HMP Frankland, according to the Mirror. Among the other prisoners at the jail, in County Durham, are Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield. 'He spends his days writing to friends and family and getting on with the other inmates. Prison has been a humbling experience for him,' a source said. Shepherd was given a six-year sentence after being convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of Charlotte Brown when his speedboat capsized during a champagne-fuelled date on the River Thames in 2015. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd (above) has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates Other inmates at HMP Frankland include (l to r) Wayne Couzens, Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield Charlotte Brown, 24, was killed after Shepherd's boat capsized on the Thames near Wandsworth Bridge in 2015 Ms Brown, from Clacton, Essex was on her first date with Shepherd after meeting on dating website OkCupid. In July 2020, Shepherd has had 78 days cut from his 10-year jail term because of time he served waiting for extradition after fleeing the UK to Georgia. Three appeal judges said the 78 days Shepherd spent in custody awaiting extradition in Georgia should count as part of the jail term he is serving. Shepherd's trial in July 2018 heard how he had bought the 1980s' boat on Gumtree and had tried to impress other women with it. But his first date with Ms Brown ended in tragedy when the 14ft Fletcher Arrowflyte GTO, which was riddled with defects, hit a log and capsized, throwing them into the river near Wandsworth Bridge. He later sparked outrage by launching an appeal against the conviction while on the run in Georgia - and he was awarded funds to do so. The speedboat owned by web designer Jack Shepherd, which crashed in the Thames in 2015 In 2019, Shepherd (above) was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at After spending ten months on the run, Shepherd was finally extradited and ordered to serve six years with six months consecutive for skipping his bail in April 2019. The web designer then admitted hitting a barman over the head with a vodka bottle in a hotel in Devon and was given four years extra. In 2019, Shepherd was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at. Couzens is on a life-long rap for murdering Ms Everard after using his status as a police officer to kidnap her in London last year. Bellfield has a life sentence for killing Milly Dowler, 13, Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22. Huntley, a former school caretaker, was convicted of the murders of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. She said 'I do' to the man of her dreams during a star-studded wedding in November, and has since traveled the world on a months-long, enviable honeymoon. And Paris Hilton celebrated the turn of a new year with husband Carter Reum as she puckered up for a kiss in shots shared to Instagram on Saturday morning. The 40-year-old socialite caught the first sunset of the year from the luxurious Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi as she continues the most opulent tropical honeymoon after vacationing in Bora Bora and also a private estate on Moskito Island in the British Virgin Islands. The Simple Life: Paris Hilton celebrated the turn of a new year with husband Carter Reum as she puckered up for a kiss in shots shared to Instagram on Saturday morning 'Celebrating the New Year in Paradise with my love,' she captioned a carousel of shots. 'So excited going in to 2022 as Husband and Wife!' Paris rocked a black swimsuit with one snakeskin print strap and her platinum blonde hair tied back into buns as she sat outside on her private overwater bungalow with her beau. She wore a pair of white oversized frames and swiped a bright red shade across her lips for the sweet snap with Carter. Bliss: Paris rocked a black swimsuit with one snakeskin print strap and her platinum blonde hair tied back into buns as she sat outside on her private overwater bungalow with her beau 'Celebrating the New Year in Paradise with my love,' she captioned a carousel of shots. 'So excited going in to 2022 as Husband and Wife!' Quick break: Paris and Carter did put a brief pause on their romantic vacation if only for a day or two to celebrate Christmas in London Reum, a venture capitalist, looked to be in vacation mode as he held up his phone for a selfie while wearing a simple navy blue T-shirt. Paris and Carter did put a brief pause on their romantic vacation if only for a day or two to celebrate Christmas in London. She took her millions of followers along for the ride as she picked up a few things at Lanvin with Carter before spending a quiet holiday with her husband. The couple married on Nov. 11 at her grandfather's Bel Air estate during a three-day wild wedding weekend which also included a Paris-themed carnival at the Santa Monica pier. Ahead of their wedding, Paris had been proudly showing off her gigantic engagement ring, an emerald-cut diamond ring from Jean Dousset that was rumored to have set Carter back an eye-watering $2million when he proposed in February. The happy couple have been romantically involved since December of 2019, although they had known each other for over a decade. So many choices: She took her millions of followers along for the ride as she picked up a few things at Lanvin with Carter before spending a quiet holiday with her husband Having a blast: In November, the couple embarked on the first part of their honeymoon to Bora Bora before heading over to the Moskito Island in the British Virgin Islands Vacation all I ever wanted: The pair later whisked away to the Zemi Beach House on the British Virgin Islands Paris admitted that being married is a 'magical feeling' and knows Carter will be the 'best dad' to their future children. 'I can't wait to grow our family,' the Simple Life star told PEOPLE magazine. 'I feel like Carter and I are puzzle pieces getting connected.' Days after their wedding, PageSix revealed Carter had a secret nine-year-old child from a previous relationship who he has allegedly seen 'only once.' The 40-year-old entrepreneur fathered a child with reality star Laura Bellizzi, known for appearing on the short-lived VH-1 show Secrets of Aspen. Bellizii - a Chicago native who now lives in California with the child - also briefly dated actor Mel Gibson. She said 'I do' to the man of her dreams during a star-studded wedding in November, and has since traveled the world on a months-long, enviable honeymoon. And Paris Hilton celebrated the turn of a new year with husband Carter Reum as she puckered up for a kiss in shots shared to Instagram on Saturday morning. The 40-year-old socialite caught the first sunset of the year from the luxurious Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi as she continues the most opulent tropical honeymoon after vacationing in Bora Bora and also a private estate on Moskito Island in the British Virgin Islands. The Simple Life: Paris Hilton celebrated the turn of a new year with husband Carter Reum as she puckered up for a kiss in shots shared to Instagram on Saturday morning 'Celebrating the New Year in Paradise with my love,' she captioned a carousel of shots. 'So excited going in to 2022 as Husband and Wife!' Paris rocked a black swimsuit with one snakeskin print strap and her platinum blonde hair tied back into buns as she sat outside on her private overwater bungalow with her beau. She wore a pair of white oversized frames and swiped a bright red shade across her lips for the sweet snap with Carter. Bliss: Paris rocked a black swimsuit with one snakeskin print strap and her platinum blonde hair tied back into buns as she sat outside on her private overwater bungalow with her beau 'Celebrating the New Year in Paradise with my love,' she captioned a carousel of shots. 'So excited going in to 2022 as Husband and Wife!' Quick break: Paris and Carter did put a brief pause on their romantic vacation if only for a day or two to celebrate Christmas in London Reum, a venture capitalist, looked to be in vacation mode as he held up his phone for a selfie while wearing a simple navy blue T-shirt. Paris and Carter did put a brief pause on their romantic vacation if only for a day or two to celebrate Christmas in London. She took her millions of followers along for the ride as she picked up a few things at Lanvin with Carter before spending a quiet holiday with her husband. The couple married on Nov. 11 at her grandfather's Bel Air estate during a three-day wild wedding weekend which also included a Paris-themed carnival at the Santa Monica pier. Ahead of their wedding, Paris had been proudly showing off her gigantic engagement ring, an emerald-cut diamond ring from Jean Dousset that was rumored to have set Carter back an eye-watering $2million when he proposed in February. The happy couple have been romantically involved since December of 2019, although they had known each other for over a decade. So many choices: She took her millions of followers along for the ride as she picked up a few things at Lanvin with Carter before spending a quiet holiday with her husband Having a blast: In November, the couple embarked on the first part of their honeymoon to Bora Bora before heading over to the Moskito Island in the British Virgin Islands Vacation all I ever wanted: The pair later whisked away to the Zemi Beach House on the British Virgin Islands Paris admitted that being married is a 'magical feeling' and knows Carter will be the 'best dad' to their future children. 'I can't wait to grow our family,' the Simple Life star told PEOPLE magazine. 'I feel like Carter and I are puzzle pieces getting connected.' Days after their wedding, PageSix revealed Carter had a secret nine-year-old child from a previous relationship who he has allegedly seen 'only once.' The 40-year-old entrepreneur fathered a child with reality star Laura Bellizzi, known for appearing on the short-lived VH-1 show Secrets of Aspen. Bellizii - a Chicago native who now lives in California with the child - also briefly dated actor Mel Gibson. She said 'I do' to the man of her dreams during a star-studded wedding in November, and has since traveled the world on a months-long, enviable honeymoon. And Paris Hilton celebrated the turn of a new year with husband Carter Reum as she puckered up for a kiss in shots shared to Instagram on Saturday morning. The 40-year-old socialite caught the first sunset of the year from the luxurious Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi as she continues the most opulent tropical honeymoon after vacationing in Bora Bora and also a private estate on Moskito Island in the British Virgin Islands. The Simple Life: Paris Hilton celebrated the turn of a new year with husband Carter Reum as she puckered up for a kiss in shots shared to Instagram on Saturday morning 'Celebrating the New Year in Paradise with my love,' she captioned a carousel of shots. 'So excited going in to 2022 as Husband and Wife!' Paris rocked a black swimsuit with one snakeskin print strap and her platinum blonde hair tied back into buns as she sat outside on her private overwater bungalow with her beau. She wore a pair of white oversized frames and swiped a bright red shade across her lips for the sweet snap with Carter. Bliss: Paris rocked a black swimsuit with one snakeskin print strap and her platinum blonde hair tied back into buns as she sat outside on her private overwater bungalow with her beau 'Celebrating the New Year in Paradise with my love,' she captioned a carousel of shots. 'So excited going in to 2022 as Husband and Wife!' Quick break: Paris and Carter did put a brief pause on their romantic vacation if only for a day or two to celebrate Christmas in London Reum, a venture capitalist, looked to be in vacation mode as he held up his phone for a selfie while wearing a simple navy blue T-shirt. Paris and Carter did put a brief pause on their romantic vacation if only for a day or two to celebrate Christmas in London. She took her millions of followers along for the ride as she picked up a few things at Lanvin with Carter before spending a quiet holiday with her husband. The couple married on Nov. 11 at her grandfather's Bel Air estate during a three-day wild wedding weekend which also included a Paris-themed carnival at the Santa Monica pier. Ahead of their wedding, Paris had been proudly showing off her gigantic engagement ring, an emerald-cut diamond ring from Jean Dousset that was rumored to have set Carter back an eye-watering $2million when he proposed in February. The happy couple have been romantically involved since December of 2019, although they had known each other for over a decade. So many choices: She took her millions of followers along for the ride as she picked up a few things at Lanvin with Carter before spending a quiet holiday with her husband Having a blast: In November, the couple embarked on the first part of their honeymoon to Bora Bora before heading over to the Moskito Island in the British Virgin Islands Vacation all I ever wanted: The pair later whisked away to the Zemi Beach House on the British Virgin Islands Paris admitted that being married is a 'magical feeling' and knows Carter will be the 'best dad' to their future children. 'I can't wait to grow our family,' the Simple Life star told PEOPLE magazine. 'I feel like Carter and I are puzzle pieces getting connected.' Days after their wedding, PageSix revealed Carter had a secret nine-year-old child from a previous relationship who he has allegedly seen 'only once.' The 40-year-old entrepreneur fathered a child with reality star Laura Bellizzi, known for appearing on the short-lived VH-1 show Secrets of Aspen. Bellizii - a Chicago native who now lives in California with the child - also briefly dated actor Mel Gibson. She said 'I do' to the man of her dreams during a star-studded wedding in November, and has since traveled the world on a months-long, enviable honeymoon. And Paris Hilton celebrated the turn of a new year with husband Carter Reum as she puckered up for a kiss in shots shared to Instagram on Saturday morning. The 40-year-old socialite caught the first sunset of the year from the luxurious Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi as she continues the most opulent tropical honeymoon after vacationing in Bora Bora and also a private estate on Moskito Island in the British Virgin Islands. The Simple Life: Paris Hilton celebrated the turn of a new year with husband Carter Reum as she puckered up for a kiss in shots shared to Instagram on Saturday morning 'Celebrating the New Year in Paradise with my love,' she captioned a carousel of shots. 'So excited going in to 2022 as Husband and Wife!' Paris rocked a black swimsuit with one snakeskin print strap and her platinum blonde hair tied back into buns as she sat outside on her private overwater bungalow with her beau. She wore a pair of white oversized frames and swiped a bright red shade across her lips for the sweet snap with Carter. Bliss: Paris rocked a black swimsuit with one snakeskin print strap and her platinum blonde hair tied back into buns as she sat outside on her private overwater bungalow with her beau 'Celebrating the New Year in Paradise with my love,' she captioned a carousel of shots. 'So excited going in to 2022 as Husband and Wife!' Quick break: Paris and Carter did put a brief pause on their romantic vacation if only for a day or two to celebrate Christmas in London Reum, a venture capitalist, looked to be in vacation mode as he held up his phone for a selfie while wearing a simple navy blue T-shirt. Paris and Carter did put a brief pause on their romantic vacation if only for a day or two to celebrate Christmas in London. She took her millions of followers along for the ride as she picked up a few things at Lanvin with Carter before spending a quiet holiday with her husband. The couple married on Nov. 11 at her grandfather's Bel Air estate during a three-day wild wedding weekend which also included a Paris-themed carnival at the Santa Monica pier. Ahead of their wedding, Paris had been proudly showing off her gigantic engagement ring, an emerald-cut diamond ring from Jean Dousset that was rumored to have set Carter back an eye-watering $2million when he proposed in February. The happy couple have been romantically involved since December of 2019, although they had known each other for over a decade. So many choices: She took her millions of followers along for the ride as she picked up a few things at Lanvin with Carter before spending a quiet holiday with her husband Having a blast: In November, the couple embarked on the first part of their honeymoon to Bora Bora before heading over to the Moskito Island in the British Virgin Islands Vacation all I ever wanted: The pair later whisked away to the Zemi Beach House on the British Virgin Islands Paris admitted that being married is a 'magical feeling' and knows Carter will be the 'best dad' to their future children. 'I can't wait to grow our family,' the Simple Life star told PEOPLE magazine. 'I feel like Carter and I are puzzle pieces getting connected.' Days after their wedding, PageSix revealed Carter had a secret nine-year-old child from a previous relationship who he has allegedly seen 'only once.' The 40-year-old entrepreneur fathered a child with reality star Laura Bellizzi, known for appearing on the short-lived VH-1 show Secrets of Aspen. Bellizii - a Chicago native who now lives in California with the child - also briefly dated actor Mel Gibson. Drones have low Radar Cross Section (RCS), slow speed and a small size lending to its stealth and concealment advantages in battlefields, and thereafter, making it difficult to identify and localise. (Representative Image: ANI) Remote-controlled soldier boys, deadly killing machines which are armed to the teeth... that create more ill will than they extinguish, through indiscriminate collateral damage, that is how Joe Haldman, the award winning science fiction author of Forever Peace, envisioned what the future weapons and warfare would look like. That was in 1998! Fast forward 23 years, today the global market of Unmanned Aerial Systems has touched 21.47 billion dollars. US Predator drones have been used to carry out more than 1,100 air strikes. Turkish Byraktar TB2 have destroyed hundreds of Syrian armoured vehicles and the Azerbaijani forces have used the Israeli Kamikaze drones against Armenian military in the Nagarno Karabakh conflict. Haldmans Forever Peace was more a prescient prophecy than just a snazzy a sci-fi novel. Today drones have become an important part of military arsenals across the world. Conventional war fighting doctrines are singularly ill-equipped to respond to these new age offensive weapons. Their lethality is only going to increase in the future with advances in machine learning, artificial intelligence and precision guidance. The use of drones to mount localised and virtually autonomous terrorist attacks marks the commencement of a significant new security challenge for India. The attack in the June of 2021, where low-flying drones were used to drop two improvised explosive devices (IED) on the Jammu IAF station, is a clear manifestation of this emerging frontier. The attack was significant not just because it was the first time drones were used to launch an attack on a defence establishment in India, but also because the Indian defence systems were completely caught off guard. Not a very unusual occurrence unfortunately. A threat to India The stupefied reaction of the national security establishment after the attack was disconcerting to say the least. It seemed as if they were only now waking up to the portentousness of the drone threat. However, the fact remains that the drone menace in India is not new. There have been over 300 drone sightings since 2019. A bulk of them have been reported from the Kanachak, Satwari, Samba, Hiranagar and Kathua sectors of the International border and Line of Control, respectively. In June 2020, the BSF shot down a drone carrying a rifle, two magazines and a cache of grenades. There was even a drone hovering above the premises of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad when India had invited diplomats from other countries to commemorate 75 years of its Independence. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had seized 85-high end Chinese drones busting a ring of drone smuggling worth Rs.10,000 crores in 2019. Not only government agencies but even strategic analysts and chief ministers of border states have been flagging the possibility of attacks via low-flying sub-conventional aerial platforms including UAVs and their use for the cross border smuggling of arms and ammunitions. These threats do not just come from across the border today even Naxalites, are now reportedly deploying drones in their operations against Indian security forces. Why drones? Why are drones now the weapon of choice for terrorists and insurgents? They are inexpensive. They can be easily procured off the shelf or assembled using retail-level components. This rudimentary but lethal assemblage is closely associated with the issue of drone availability. Modern drones, debuting with the expensive Predator drones of the US post the 9/11 attack ,are not easily available. This is because US tightly controls the export of its Predator and Reaper Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs). They are only available to close military allies. However, China, Israel and Turkey have started developing their own UCAVs, that they also widely export. It is not difficult for quasi military states like Pakistan, to now develop affordable ways to project force with greater lethality at a much lower risk for non-conventional operations. India has an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) market pegged at $866 million, this essentially means drones are available in the country in large numbers and can be probably weaponised by anyone, anywhere and anytime. Drones have low Radar Cross Section (RCS), slow speed and a small size lending to its stealth and concealment advantages in battlefields, and thereafter, making it difficult to identify and localise. Conventional radar systems are not meant for detecting small flying objects, and, even if they are calibrated that way, they might confuse a bird for a drone and the system may get overwhelmed. The small size also grants them weak thermal, and aural signatures. Swarm drones are even harder to track, as miniature drones attacking in wave-after-waves of swarms overwhelm enemy sensors with a deluge of targets an eerie reminder of the 2012 sci-fi novel Kill Decisions. While drones can be countered with drones, the technology to counter swarm drones is still a work in progress. Australias drone shield is an attempt at solving this problem. It disrupts radio frequency in the hostile drones video feed and forces it to land on the spot or return to the operator. Then there is the matter of actually disabling such drones. Choosing between soft and hard kill options is not straightforward. While in some cases a soft kill would be preferable, in other cases like swarm attacks, rapid hard kill will be more appropriate. Whatever method of detection and removal is chosen, the protection required is technological in nature and far more costly than the actual danger. Moreover, differentiating between legitimate and potentially threatening drones will be a massive challenge itself. Indias response The domestic research and development for anti-drone systems is at a nascent stage. While the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an Anti Drone System, they have been only used to guard VIPs during national day celebrations. If India needs to take up the challenge it needs to develop fast-track research and development for systems that can be operationally deployed for wider use. Then there is the challenge of the technologys strategic deployment and the money the government is ready to spend. Additionally, there is the problem of militarys unduly focus on major platforms and not enough on future technologies like robotics, artificial intelligence, cyber and electronic warfare to counter 21st century threats. General M.M. Naravane rightly opined that ...the advent of drones and counter-drone systems, has radically altered the way we think and how we will fight in the future. It is about time that our defence establishment starts to walk the talk. It becomes more and more difficult for EU to agree on new sanctions against Russia U.S. imposes sanctions on Iranian vice police Liz Truss considers moving British embassy in Israel to Jerusalem Speaker of Iranian Parliament: Security in Persian Gulf will be achieved by withdrawal of extra-regional powers CSTO exercises will be held in Kazakhstan Lawyer: Mothers of deceased servicemen in Yerablur are subjected to different bodily injuries Erdogan will hold meeting on Russian 'Mir' cards and possible sanctions Erdogan does not rule out meeting with Pashinyan in Prague: We will have certain initiatives on Caucasus Iran demonstrates new long-range ballistic missiles for first time Two servicemen of Armenian Armed Forces are out of encirclement after 9 days Karekin II to meet today with Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan Trump: Conflict in Ukraine can lead to World War III Russia's budget deficit in 2022 will amount to 1.3 trillion rubles One of Armenia civilians wounded in recent Azerbaijan military aggression dies France says it will continue helping Ukraine with arms UN Armenia office team visits Gegharkunik Province communities affected by Azerbaijan shootings (PHOTOS) Dollar increases slightly, euro drops considerably in Armenia Armenia ombudswoman briefs EU envoy on closed part of her ad hoc report on recent Azerbaijan attack State assistance being provided to Armenia brandy businesses to be extended by one year Bloomberg: UK intends to sign agreement on LNG supplies from U.S. for up to 20 years China's former justice minister sentenced to death Jermuk: Changes in Jermuk resort town after Azerbaijani attack (photo report) Jermuk-Yerevan-Jermuk shuttle service already operating Armenian Genocide Memorials Memory Ally area to be expanded Biden to Pashinyan: We remain committed to promote peaceful resolution to conflict, including for people of Karabakh Internal investigation underway into police actions at Yerevan military pantheon on Independence Day anniversary Aggression-affected IDPs from Gegharkunik, Syunik and Vayots Dzor to be provided with financial assistance Peskov declines to comment on his son's refusal to report to military registration and enlistment office Belgian parliamentary delegation visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Missing, captured Armenian civilians families to get financial support for another month Turkish lira hits new historic low Peskov comments on reports of agitation at airports and checkpoints Russia air carrier to conduct additional flights to Armenia, Turkey Kazakhstan parliament passes law to exclude Day of First President from state holidays US Congressman Schiff: These atrocities will continue until international community condemns Aliyev Jim Costa talks Azerbaijani attack on Armenia: It was an attack on sovereign territory Greece official: Azerbaijan war against Armenia not on newspapers front pages as it is in Ukraine case Senator: the U.S. must stop providing security assistance to Azerbaijan Armenia, Finland FMs discuss Karabakh conflict settlement process CSTO Secretary General, Armenia army chief discuss situation on border with Azerbaijan Moscow agrees to appointing Lynne Tracy as new US envoy to Russia Armenia FM to Red Cross president: Azerbaijan crimes impunity makes aggressor more reckless (PHOTOS) Greece politician condemns Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia Iran, Russia and China to hold joint naval drills Iran army chief: We will not allow changes in borders in region Parliament speaker: We expect our Belgian colleagues to continue efforts for Armenian POWs return from Azerbaijan Karabakh FM discusses Artsakh foreign policy with group of US Congress members, senators Relatives of those who died and those who were injured in Yerevan market explosion to get one-time financial aid Copper rises in price Truss says Russia is not threatened by anyone Crime report is sent to Armenia Prosecutor General regarding recent harassment toward reporters in parliament Armenia FM to International Crisis Group head: Azerbaijan trying to achieve its maximalist demands by using force Gold prices fall below $1670 per ounce Borrell announces new sanctions on Russia because of referendums Oil prices move to some growth Blinken says US will continue to support Ukraine Newspaper: Armenia 3 ex-presidents, Catholicos to meet soon Armenia FM in New York, meets with UN Secretary General special adviser on genocide prevention Russian soldiers are exchanged with 215 Ukrainian POWs Newspaper: PM urges political teammates not to do anything drastic regarding topic of Armenia leaving CSTO Bulgaria gets closer to buying the second batch of eight new F-16s Armenia FM to Sweden counterpart: International community must restrain Azerbaijan military aggression FM briefs Nicaragua colleague on consequences of Azerbaijan military aggression against Armenia 2 of 3 injured in Yerevan market damaged building collapse discharged from hospital Britain decides to revise its defense and security plan Iranian parliament says border violation due to aggravation between Armenia and Azerbaijan unacceptable Pashinyan leaves for New York Biden not to restrict imports of neodymium magnets from China No threat to life of serviceman wounded by Azerbaijani Armed Forces shelling EU's desire for independence from Russian gas will lead to slowdown of economy, rising inflation and fall of euro Biden to release 10 million barrels of oil ahead of EU ban on Russian oil Earthquake in Iran felt in Armenia Armenian Defense Ministry: Azerbaijan opens fire at Armenian positions, one wounded EU begins to develop new sanctions against Russia Canada is committed to further deepening bilateral relations and supporting strengthening of democracy in Armenia MEPs investigating use of spyware by EU governments criticize Poland and Israel Union of Armenians of Russia plans to send help to Armenia, Ara Abrahamyan holds meetings with Russian leadership Armenian FM meets with USAID Director Germany, Slovenia sign agreement for Slovenia to send 28 Soviet tanks to Ukraine Azerbaijani president makes aggressive statements about Armenia Greece extends subsidies for energy bills ahead of 'winter battle' Iset Tower in Yekaterinburg is painted in colors of Armenian flag NEWS.am digest: Azerbaijan violates ceasefire, Russia announces mobilization U.S. supports increasing number of permanent and non-permanent members of UN Security Council Biden accuses Russia of violating basic principles of UN membership Germany nationalizes energy giant Uniper CSTO foreign ministers hold working meeting under coordination of Armenian foreign minister European governments spend half trillion euros to fight energy crisis Cavusoglu: Announcement of partial mobilization in Russia is indicator of situation's seriousness Ebrahim Raisi: Iran is ready for comprehensive deepening of relations with Armenia, using common historical border 3 people hospitalized in Yerevan amid collapse of Surmalu shopping center's building subject to demolition NATO should view Beijing as a security threat Is West starting to insist on opening of so-called Zangezur corridor? Forest fire breaks out and fire helicopter crashes in Turkish city of Marmaris Wall of building subject to demolition collapses on territory of burnt-out Surmalu shopping center Queen of Denmark tests positive for COVID-19 after Elizabeth II's funeral Price of air ticket from Moscow to Yerevan is approaching $5,000 NATO Secretary General: Partial mobilization in Russia will lead to escalation of conflict Bloomberg: Qatar wants to supply energy to Europe under long-term contracts Yeghishe Kirakosyan tells US Congress about war crimes committed by Azerbaijanis Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Saturday said that the state government would initiate strict actions against the land mafia and people involved in illegal land grabbing. "If someone uses politics as a shield to run illegal works like land encroachment openly, I want to make it clear that they cannot save themselves from being prosecuted legally. The law will take its own course and no one will be spared", said CM Deb in a programme organized by Purvaudaya NGO and State Bank of India (SBI) on New Year. Appreciating the role of new Mayor Deepak Majumder, Deb said, "During the previous Left regime, the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) Council failed to free illegally occupied land at the heart of the city. After the political change of guard, the new AMC council has succeeded in vacating those places." The chief minister was indicating the demolition of a building in front of Maharani Tulsibati School in Agartala. The building was formerly known as the Trinamool Congress Bhavan when dissident Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Sudip Roy Barman and his close confidant were in TMC. After they switched sides with the BJP, the building came under the control of an anti-Left employees union that extended its conditional support towards the BJP prior to the 2018 assembly elections. Deb also reacted to the allegations being levelled against the BJP government and the party leaders on the issue of Tripura State Rifles (TSR) recruitment. "Now scopes are less to get benefits in getting a job taking political advantage. Unlike the previous regime, MLAs, Ministers and other influential people do not have any say in government recruitment. Tripura government is now recruiting people as per a fair and transparent recruitment policy. Only the meritorious candidates are getting the scope of employment nowadays", Deb added. Deb also highlighted the Tripura government's initiatives to empower women and said the Tripura government has recruited 500 additional women cops in the State police department. "I hope people of Tripura shall get the benefit of the transparent recruitment rules in the days to come", added Deb. The Chief Minister spent the first day of the New Year with elderly persons at "Apna Ghar" old age home. SBI and Purvaudaya NGO organized a programme at the old age home in which CM Deb attended as the chief guest. (ANI) Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Saturday said that the state government would initiate strict actions against the land mafia and people involved in illegal land grabbing. "If someone uses politics as a shield to run illegal works like land encroachment openly, I want to make it clear that they cannot save themselves from being prosecuted legally. The law will take its own course and no one will be spared", said CM Deb in a programme organized by Purvaudaya NGO and State Bank of India (SBI) on New Year. Appreciating the role of new Mayor Deepak Majumder, Deb said, "During the previous Left regime, the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) Council failed to free illegally occupied land at the heart of the city. After the political change of guard, the new AMC council has succeeded in vacating those places." The chief minister was indicating the demolition of a building in front of Maharani Tulsibati School in Agartala. The building was formerly known as the Trinamool Congress Bhavan when dissident Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Sudip Roy Barman and his close confidant were in TMC. After they switched sides with the BJP, the building came under the control of an anti-Left employees union that extended its conditional support towards the BJP prior to the 2018 assembly elections. Deb also reacted to the allegations being levelled against the BJP government and the party leaders on the issue of Tripura State Rifles (TSR) recruitment. "Now scopes are less to get benefits in getting a job taking political advantage. Unlike the previous regime, MLAs, Ministers and other influential people do not have any say in government recruitment. Tripura government is now recruiting people as per a fair and transparent recruitment policy. Only the meritorious candidates are getting the scope of employment nowadays", Deb added. Deb also highlighted the Tripura government's initiatives to empower women and said the Tripura government has recruited 500 additional women cops in the State police department. "I hope people of Tripura shall get the benefit of the transparent recruitment rules in the days to come", added Deb. The Chief Minister spent the first day of the New Year with elderly persons at "Apna Ghar" old age home. SBI and Purvaudaya NGO organized a programme at the old age home in which CM Deb attended as the chief guest. (ANI) Drones have low Radar Cross Section (RCS), slow speed and a small size lending to its stealth and concealment advantages in battlefields, and thereafter, making it difficult to identify and localise. (Representative Image: ANI) Remote-controlled soldier boys, deadly killing machines which are armed to the teeth... that create more ill will than they extinguish, through indiscriminate collateral damage, that is how Joe Haldman, the award winning science fiction author of Forever Peace, envisioned what the future weapons and warfare would look like. That was in 1998! Fast forward 23 years, today the global market of Unmanned Aerial Systems has touched 21.47 billion dollars. US Predator drones have been used to carry out more than 1,100 air strikes. Turkish Byraktar TB2 have destroyed hundreds of Syrian armoured vehicles and the Azerbaijani forces have used the Israeli Kamikaze drones against Armenian military in the Nagarno Karabakh conflict. Haldmans Forever Peace was more a prescient prophecy than just a snazzy a sci-fi novel. Today drones have become an important part of military arsenals across the world. Conventional war fighting doctrines are singularly ill-equipped to respond to these new age offensive weapons. Their lethality is only going to increase in the future with advances in machine learning, artificial intelligence and precision guidance. The use of drones to mount localised and virtually autonomous terrorist attacks marks the commencement of a significant new security challenge for India. The attack in the June of 2021, where low-flying drones were used to drop two improvised explosive devices (IED) on the Jammu IAF station, is a clear manifestation of this emerging frontier. The attack was significant not just because it was the first time drones were used to launch an attack on a defence establishment in India, but also because the Indian defence systems were completely caught off guard. Not a very unusual occurrence unfortunately. A threat to India The stupefied reaction of the national security establishment after the attack was disconcerting to say the least. It seemed as if they were only now waking up to the portentousness of the drone threat. However, the fact remains that the drone menace in India is not new. There have been over 300 drone sightings since 2019. A bulk of them have been reported from the Kanachak, Satwari, Samba, Hiranagar and Kathua sectors of the International border and Line of Control, respectively. In June 2020, the BSF shot down a drone carrying a rifle, two magazines and a cache of grenades. There was even a drone hovering above the premises of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad when India had invited diplomats from other countries to commemorate 75 years of its Independence. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had seized 85-high end Chinese drones busting a ring of drone smuggling worth Rs.10,000 crores in 2019. Not only government agencies but even strategic analysts and chief ministers of border states have been flagging the possibility of attacks via low-flying sub-conventional aerial platforms including UAVs and their use for the cross border smuggling of arms and ammunitions. These threats do not just come from across the border today even Naxalites, are now reportedly deploying drones in their operations against Indian security forces. Why drones? Why are drones now the weapon of choice for terrorists and insurgents? They are inexpensive. They can be easily procured off the shelf or assembled using retail-level components. This rudimentary but lethal assemblage is closely associated with the issue of drone availability. Modern drones, debuting with the expensive Predator drones of the US post the 9/11 attack ,are not easily available. This is because US tightly controls the export of its Predator and Reaper Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs). They are only available to close military allies. However, China, Israel and Turkey have started developing their own UCAVs, that they also widely export. It is not difficult for quasi military states like Pakistan, to now develop affordable ways to project force with greater lethality at a much lower risk for non-conventional operations. India has an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) market pegged at $866 million, this essentially means drones are available in the country in large numbers and can be probably weaponised by anyone, anywhere and anytime. Drones have low Radar Cross Section (RCS), slow speed and a small size lending to its stealth and concealment advantages in battlefields, and thereafter, making it difficult to identify and localise. Conventional radar systems are not meant for detecting small flying objects, and, even if they are calibrated that way, they might confuse a bird for a drone and the system may get overwhelmed. The small size also grants them weak thermal, and aural signatures. Swarm drones are even harder to track, as miniature drones attacking in wave-after-waves of swarms overwhelm enemy sensors with a deluge of targets an eerie reminder of the 2012 sci-fi novel Kill Decisions. While drones can be countered with drones, the technology to counter swarm drones is still a work in progress. Australias drone shield is an attempt at solving this problem. It disrupts radio frequency in the hostile drones video feed and forces it to land on the spot or return to the operator. Then there is the matter of actually disabling such drones. Choosing between soft and hard kill options is not straightforward. While in some cases a soft kill would be preferable, in other cases like swarm attacks, rapid hard kill will be more appropriate. Whatever method of detection and removal is chosen, the protection required is technological in nature and far more costly than the actual danger. Moreover, differentiating between legitimate and potentially threatening drones will be a massive challenge itself. Indias response The domestic research and development for anti-drone systems is at a nascent stage. While the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an Anti Drone System, they have been only used to guard VIPs during national day celebrations. If India needs to take up the challenge it needs to develop fast-track research and development for systems that can be operationally deployed for wider use. Then there is the challenge of the technologys strategic deployment and the money the government is ready to spend. Additionally, there is the problem of militarys unduly focus on major platforms and not enough on future technologies like robotics, artificial intelligence, cyber and electronic warfare to counter 21st century threats. General M.M. Naravane rightly opined that ...the advent of drones and counter-drone systems, has radically altered the way we think and how we will fight in the future. It is about time that our defence establishment starts to walk the talk. Drones have low Radar Cross Section (RCS), slow speed and a small size lending to its stealth and concealment advantages in battlefields, and thereafter, making it difficult to identify and localise. (Representative Image: ANI) Remote-controlled soldier boys, deadly killing machines which are armed to the teeth... that create more ill will than they extinguish, through indiscriminate collateral damage, that is how Joe Haldman, the award winning science fiction author of Forever Peace, envisioned what the future weapons and warfare would look like. That was in 1998! Fast forward 23 years, today the global market of Unmanned Aerial Systems has touched 21.47 billion dollars. US Predator drones have been used to carry out more than 1,100 air strikes. Turkish Byraktar TB2 have destroyed hundreds of Syrian armoured vehicles and the Azerbaijani forces have used the Israeli Kamikaze drones against Armenian military in the Nagarno Karabakh conflict. Haldmans Forever Peace was more a prescient prophecy than just a snazzy a sci-fi novel. Today drones have become an important part of military arsenals across the world. Conventional war fighting doctrines are singularly ill-equipped to respond to these new age offensive weapons. Their lethality is only going to increase in the future with advances in machine learning, artificial intelligence and precision guidance. The use of drones to mount localised and virtually autonomous terrorist attacks marks the commencement of a significant new security challenge for India. The attack in the June of 2021, where low-flying drones were used to drop two improvised explosive devices (IED) on the Jammu IAF station, is a clear manifestation of this emerging frontier. The attack was significant not just because it was the first time drones were used to launch an attack on a defence establishment in India, but also because the Indian defence systems were completely caught off guard. Not a very unusual occurrence unfortunately. A threat to India The stupefied reaction of the national security establishment after the attack was disconcerting to say the least. It seemed as if they were only now waking up to the portentousness of the drone threat. However, the fact remains that the drone menace in India is not new. There have been over 300 drone sightings since 2019. A bulk of them have been reported from the Kanachak, Satwari, Samba, Hiranagar and Kathua sectors of the International border and Line of Control, respectively. In June 2020, the BSF shot down a drone carrying a rifle, two magazines and a cache of grenades. There was even a drone hovering above the premises of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad when India had invited diplomats from other countries to commemorate 75 years of its Independence. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had seized 85-high end Chinese drones busting a ring of drone smuggling worth Rs.10,000 crores in 2019. Not only government agencies but even strategic analysts and chief ministers of border states have been flagging the possibility of attacks via low-flying sub-conventional aerial platforms including UAVs and their use for the cross border smuggling of arms and ammunitions. These threats do not just come from across the border today even Naxalites, are now reportedly deploying drones in their operations against Indian security forces. Why drones? Why are drones now the weapon of choice for terrorists and insurgents? They are inexpensive. They can be easily procured off the shelf or assembled using retail-level components. This rudimentary but lethal assemblage is closely associated with the issue of drone availability. Modern drones, debuting with the expensive Predator drones of the US post the 9/11 attack ,are not easily available. This is because US tightly controls the export of its Predator and Reaper Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs). They are only available to close military allies. However, China, Israel and Turkey have started developing their own UCAVs, that they also widely export. It is not difficult for quasi military states like Pakistan, to now develop affordable ways to project force with greater lethality at a much lower risk for non-conventional operations. India has an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) market pegged at $866 million, this essentially means drones are available in the country in large numbers and can be probably weaponised by anyone, anywhere and anytime. Drones have low Radar Cross Section (RCS), slow speed and a small size lending to its stealth and concealment advantages in battlefields, and thereafter, making it difficult to identify and localise. Conventional radar systems are not meant for detecting small flying objects, and, even if they are calibrated that way, they might confuse a bird for a drone and the system may get overwhelmed. The small size also grants them weak thermal, and aural signatures. Swarm drones are even harder to track, as miniature drones attacking in wave-after-waves of swarms overwhelm enemy sensors with a deluge of targets an eerie reminder of the 2012 sci-fi novel Kill Decisions. While drones can be countered with drones, the technology to counter swarm drones is still a work in progress. Australias drone shield is an attempt at solving this problem. It disrupts radio frequency in the hostile drones video feed and forces it to land on the spot or return to the operator. Then there is the matter of actually disabling such drones. Choosing between soft and hard kill options is not straightforward. While in some cases a soft kill would be preferable, in other cases like swarm attacks, rapid hard kill will be more appropriate. Whatever method of detection and removal is chosen, the protection required is technological in nature and far more costly than the actual danger. Moreover, differentiating between legitimate and potentially threatening drones will be a massive challenge itself. Indias response The domestic research and development for anti-drone systems is at a nascent stage. While the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an Anti Drone System, they have been only used to guard VIPs during national day celebrations. If India needs to take up the challenge it needs to develop fast-track research and development for systems that can be operationally deployed for wider use. Then there is the challenge of the technologys strategic deployment and the money the government is ready to spend. Additionally, there is the problem of militarys unduly focus on major platforms and not enough on future technologies like robotics, artificial intelligence, cyber and electronic warfare to counter 21st century threats. General M.M. Naravane rightly opined that ...the advent of drones and counter-drone systems, has radically altered the way we think and how we will fight in the future. It is about time that our defence establishment starts to walk the talk. He also said that the results of genome sequencing of COVID-19 positive samples are being sent to labs in Delhi and this was a cause of a little delay in getting results. "Results for genome sequencing get a little delayed as the labs are in Delhi. We will have to exercise extra precautions and put restrictions in case of a rise in Omicron cases," Thakur said. Himachal Pradesh has reported one case of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. (ANI) A film celebrating the 100th birthday of Betty White, who died Friday, will still be released as planned. The producers of Betty White: 100 Years Young said in a statement that they 'will go forward' with plans to release the movie special on January 17. The Golden Girls star passed away from natural causes just shy of her landmark birthday and the film, featuring a star-studded roster of celebrities, will serve as a celebration of her incredible life and career. Going ahead: A film celebrating the 100th birthday of Betty White will still be released as planned on January 17, producers said Friday following new of the comedy legend's death Producers Steve Boettcher and Mike Trinklein explained, as reported by People: 'Our hearts mourn today with the passing of Betty White. During the many years we worked with her, we developed a great love and admiration for Betty as a person, and as an accomplished entertainer. 'We are thankful for the many decades of delight she brought to everyone. Betty always said she was the 'luckiest broad on two feet' to have had a career as long as she did. And honestly, we were the lucky ones to have had her for so long.' In conclusion, Boettcher and Trinklein stated: 'We will go forward with our plans to show the film on January 17 in hopes our film will provide a way for all who loved her to celebrate her life and experience what made her such a national treasure.' Tribute: The film, featuring a star-studded roster of celebrities including Ryan Reynolds, Clint Eastwood and Robert Redford, will now serve as a celebration of her incredible life and career White appears in the film along with the likes of Ryan Reynolds, Tina Fey, Robert Redford, Lin Manuel- Miranda, Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Jay Leno, Carol Burnett, Craig Ferguson, Jimmy Kimmel, Valerie Bertinelli, James Corden, Wendy Malick and Jennifer Love Hewitt. It includes highlights of her most famous roles as well as stories about her life and her long career in Hollywood. White made her name on The Mary Tyler Moore Show as Sue Ann Nivens and cemented her star status with TV's The Golden Girls and Hot In Cleveland. Legend: White made her name on The Mary Tyler Moore Show as Sue Ann Nivens. She's pictured backstage at the Emmys in 1976 with Ed Asner, Moore and Ted Knight Popular star: White cemented her star status on popular sitcom The Golden Girls in the 80s, left, and in the comedy Hot In Cleveland in the 2010s Her death was confirmed by her longtime agent Jeff Witjas, who told The Associated Press that she had passed away at her home in Los Angeles. He added that she had not been suffering from any diagnosed illness. 'I truly never thought she was going to pass away,' Witjas said. 'She meant the world to me as a friend. She was the most positive person I've ever known.' Ryan Reynolds, who starred with White in the big screen comedy The Proposal, tweeted: 'She was great at defying expectation. She managed to grow very old and somehow, not old enough. Well miss you, Betty.' White was pre-deceased by her beloved husband Allen Ludden, whom she met in 1961 when she appeared on an episode of his daytime game show Password. Ludden, a widower with three children, proposed to her in 1963 and they were happily married until his death from cancer in 1981. R.I.P.: White's death was confirmed by her longtime agent Jeff Witjas, who said she had passed away at her home in Los Angeles and had not been suffering from any diagnosed illness New Delhi, Jan 1 (PTI) The CPI(M) on Saturday condemned the detention of PAGD leaders ahead of a proposed sit-in against the draft proposals of the Jammu and Kashmir Delimitation Commission. Leaders of the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration, including three former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, were put under house arrest earlier in the day. Also Read | Delhi Shocker: Man Arrested for Posting Private Pictures of Girl on Social Media and Blackmailing Her. The PAGD -- an amalgam of various mainstream political parties in Jammu and Kashmir including the NC, the PDP, the CPI(M), Peoples Movement and Awami National Conference -- had given the call for a peaceful protest against the Delimitation Commission's recommendations. "The draconian lockdown in J&K intensifies. All political leaders put under house arrest to prevent PAGD public protest against Delimitation Commission proposals. Modi invites these leaders to Delhi for a photo op, makes tall promises & then arrests them. Strongly condemn," CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said in a tweet. Also Read | WhatsApp Bans 1.75 Million Accounts in India Due to New IT Rules in November 2021. Earlier, senior CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami, who is also the spokesperson of the PAGD, said it was sad that the Jammu and Kashmir administration was "scared even to allow a peaceful protest". "In Kashmir, New Year began on another disappointing note where Police resumed their work of scuttling the legitimate voices and squeezing democratic space by cracking down on protest against Delimitation Commission. Entire PAGD leadership including me have been put under house arrest," he tweeted. On December 21, the PAGD had termed the proposal by the Delimitation Commission of adding six seats to the Jammu region against only one to the Kashmir Valley "divisive and unacceptable". (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) He also said that the results of genome sequencing of COVID-19 positive samples are being sent to labs in Delhi and this was a cause of a little delay in getting results. "Results for genome sequencing get a little delayed as the labs are in Delhi. We will have to exercise extra precautions and put restrictions in case of a rise in Omicron cases," Thakur said. Himachal Pradesh has reported one case of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. (ANI) India and Pakistan exchanged lists of the two countries' nuclear facilities and lists of citizens imprisoned in the neighboring country on Saturday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India said on the official website. The exchange of the list of nuclear facilities took place in accordance with the 1988 treaty to prevent attacks on such facilities. India and Pakistan exchanged today through diplomatic channels simultaneously in Delhi and Islamabad the list of nuclear installations covered by the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attacks on Nuclear Installations between India and Pakistan, the Foreign Ministry said. The treaty stipulates that the two neighboring nuclear powers of South Asia at the beginning of each year notify each other about nuclear facilities on their territory in order to prevent unauthorized attacks on them. This measure is considered one of the most important in maintaining security in the region. The first exchange of such documents took place on January 1, 1992. The two countries also gave each other lists of citizens of the other side who are in prisons on their territory. The Indian diplomatic service noted that the exchange took place through diplomatic channels in accordance with an agreement of 2008, according to which the transfer of such lists is carried out twice a year - on January 1 and July 1. India has handed over to Pakistan the lists [of] 282 Pakistani civilians and 73 fishermen imprisoned in India. Likewise, Pakistan has shared lists [of] 51 detained civilians and 577 fishermen who are Indian or may be Indian, the Foreign Ministry said. Citizens of India and Pakistan often find themselves on the adjacent side due to the inaccurately demarcated border in the mountainous regions. There are always many fishermen among the prisoners. The Coast Guard of both India and Pakistan regularly detain them for infiltrating adjacent territorial waters. One of the main reasons for this is the uncertainty of the maritime borders between countries in the Arabian Sea, in addition, fishing boats often do not have equipment that allows them to accurately determine their location. At the same time, Islamabad and New Delhi periodically release the detained citizens of the neighboring country. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday visited the under-construction campus of the upcoming Delhi Teachers' University at Bakkarwala village and informed that it will be opened this year for a total of 5,000 students. Delhi Government will set up Delhi Teachers University on 12 acres of land and students will be able to apply for admission from 2022 itself as Sisodia directed officials to fast track the work of setting up this university in Bakkarwala village as sessions will start in 2022. After this visit, Sisodia, in a statement, said, ''In the meanwhile, the concerned department is also working on bringing in the best teachers who have worked with foreign universities and will groom teachers in Delhi with the help of the world's best practices. The University will cater to the professional needs of both pre-service and in-service teachers.'' The University will have lecture halls, digital labs, and a library with world-class facilities. The four-storey main university block has been divided into two parts- the Administrative floor and Education Floor. Here, the ground floor will have an administration office, whereas classes will be run on the first, second and third floors. As of now, the main university block is ready to open and other blocks are near completion. It is to be noted that, earlier on December 20, 2021, the Delhi Cabinet had approved the proposal to set up Delhi Teachers' University. The bill related to this will be tabled in the winter session of the Delhi Legislative Assembly starting from January 3. But even before that, Delhi Government got indulged in preparing its infrastructure. (ANI) Colorado prosecutors vowed to release previously undisclosed information about a truck driver involved in a deadly crash who is now at the center of a controversial clemency granted by Governor Jared Polis, commuting the convict's 110-year sentence to just 10 years. Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, was sentenced on Dec. 13 to 110 years after being found guilty on 27 counts when his breaks failed in an April 2019 crash that caused a mass pile-up and resulted in a fireball explosion that killed four people. In a rare move, Polis, 46, granted Aguilera-Mederos clemency before the appellate process began after his sentence was met with widespread public backlash, including from the likes of Kim Kardashian. 'After learning about the highly atypical and unjust sentence in your case, I am commuting your sentence to 10 years and granting you parole eligibility on December 30, 2026,' Polis said on Thursday. Jefferson County District Attorney Alexis King, who prosecuted the case, said on his office will release information that was 'ethically prohibited' while the case 'was pending.' Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, caused a two-dozen car pile-up in April 2019 after his semi-truck breaks failed, which resulted in a fireball explosion that killed four people Colorado Gov Jared Polis (pictured) said the 'atypical' sentence was 'unjust It is unclear when the information will be released to the public. DailyMail.com reached out to the Colorado AG's Office for a comment. The court has not officially vacated the hearing to reconsider the original sentence, which is set for Jan. 13, but Mederos' attorney said they expect the judge to do so next week. Aguilera-Mederos' attorneys said it doesn't 'matter' what is disclosed now that he has been granted clemency and that it's was 'politically' motivated. 'It wouldn't matter what she disclosed now,' James Colgan told ABC News. 'I'm not aware of any law that allows [the DA's office] to have jurisdiction over the case.' Colgan said he did not know what information would be released. Leonard Martinez, Aguilera-Mederos' other attorney, said the driver was 'shocked' and 'grateful' after receiving clemency from the governor. Aguilera-Mederos was driving a semi-truck on April 25, 2019, along Interstate 70 in Lakewood, Colorado, when he slammed into two dozen vehicles. The impact caused a fireball explosion that incinerated cars and trucks, killing four people and injuring several others. Aguilera-Mederos testified that the brakes on his semitrailer failed as he was descending a steep grade of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountain foothills. His defense attorney claimed he did not know that his truck brakes were smoking or that he would not be able to stop. He also argued that Aguilera-Mederos' actions were a series of negligent decisions, and that he did not intend to hurt anybody. But prosecutors argued he should have used a runaway ramp designed for such situations. Aguilera-Mederos, for his part, said he was struggling to avoid traffic and trying to shift to slow down. On October 15, a jury ultimately found Aguilera-Mederos guilty of 27 criminal charges. The impact caused a fireball explosion that incinerated cars and trucks, killing four people and injuring several others. Aguilera-Mederos testified that the brakes on his semitrailer failed as he was descending a steep grade of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountain foothills On December 13, he was given the excessive sentence - one the judge said he would not given if he had the choice. Due to state minimums, the judge's hands were tied. Aguilera-Mederos issued a statement apologizing to the victims' families, crying as he spoke on December 13: 'It's hard. This was a terrible accident, I know. I take the responsibility, but it was an accident. 'I have never thought about hurting anyone in my entire life and Jesus Christ, he knows that, he knows my heart,' he continued. 'I am not a criminal, I am not a murderer. 'The accident - it wasn't intentional, it wasn't intentional, Your Honor. I did all that I can as a man. I put myself in harm's way to avoid harming anyone else.' He claimed that he tried to avoid the traffic, and noted that he did not flee in the aftermath 'because I respect the laws. 'I want to say sorry, sorry for the loss, sorry for the people injured,' he concluded, noting: 'I ask...God many times why them and not me.' Relatives of the victims supported at least some prison time at his sentencing hearing, but in the statement last week, King said she and her team had spoken to the surviving victims of the crash and the families of those who died about the possibility of Aguilera-Mederos being resentenced before she issued her request. His case received wide-spread public backlash and celebrity appeal. Kardashian, who is studying law, had called for a lesser sentence for Aguilera-Mederos. She posted on Instagram to her 271 million followers that she had heard about the case and 'took a deep dive in it to figure out what the situation is.' She continued: 'He was not drunk or under the influence; his brakes on the tractor-trailer failed. 'Another shocking and unfair part of this case is that the judge didn't want to sentence him to such a lengthy sentence. The explosion was so big, it created a large plume of smoke to form over the highway After the explosion, Aguilera-Mederos was convicted of 27 charges 'However, because of the mandatory minimums in Colorado, his hands were tied. 'Mandatory minimums take away judicial discretion and need to end.' Kardashian also condemned the gleeful celebrations of the prosecutors, saying their gift of a brake shoe trophy made her 'sick'. She added that the governor, Jared Polis, 'is a really good person and I know he will do the right thing.' Besides Kardashian's support, millions signed a petition to lower his sentence. 'Rogel is very grateful for all the support he's gotten not only locally, but nationally. He's humbled by it,' Martinez said. The decision on Rogel Aguilera-Mederos sentence was among several year-end commutations and pardons issued by Polis. Colorado prosecutors vowed to release previously undisclosed information about a truck driver involved in a deadly crash who is now at the center of a controversial clemency granted by Governor Jared Polis, commuting the convict's 110-year sentence to just 10 years. Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, was sentenced on Dec. 13 to 110 years after being found guilty on 27 counts when his breaks failed in an April 2019 crash that caused a mass pile-up and resulted in a fireball explosion that killed four people. In a rare move, Polis, 46, granted Aguilera-Mederos clemency before the appellate process began after his sentence was met with widespread public backlash, including from the likes of Kim Kardashian. 'After learning about the highly atypical and unjust sentence in your case, I am commuting your sentence to 10 years and granting you parole eligibility on December 30, 2026,' Polis said on Thursday. Jefferson County District Attorney Alexis King, who prosecuted the case, said on his office will release information that was 'ethically prohibited' while the case 'was pending.' Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, caused a two-dozen car pile-up in April 2019 after his semi-truck breaks failed, which resulted in a fireball explosion that killed four people Colorado Gov Jared Polis (pictured) said the 'atypical' sentence was 'unjust It is unclear when the information will be released to the public. DailyMail.com reached out to the Colorado AG's Office for a comment. The court has not officially vacated the hearing to reconsider the original sentence, which is set for Jan. 13, but Mederos' attorney said they expect the judge to do so next week. Aguilera-Mederos' attorneys said it doesn't 'matter' what is disclosed now that he has been granted clemency and that it's was 'politically' motivated. 'It wouldn't matter what she disclosed now,' James Colgan told ABC News. 'I'm not aware of any law that allows [the DA's office] to have jurisdiction over the case.' Colgan said he did not know what information would be released. Leonard Martinez, Aguilera-Mederos' other attorney, said the driver was 'shocked' and 'grateful' after receiving clemency from the governor. Aguilera-Mederos was driving a semi-truck on April 25, 2019, along Interstate 70 in Lakewood, Colorado, when he slammed into two dozen vehicles. The impact caused a fireball explosion that incinerated cars and trucks, killing four people and injuring several others. Aguilera-Mederos testified that the brakes on his semitrailer failed as he was descending a steep grade of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountain foothills. His defense attorney claimed he did not know that his truck brakes were smoking or that he would not be able to stop. He also argued that Aguilera-Mederos' actions were a series of negligent decisions, and that he did not intend to hurt anybody. But prosecutors argued he should have used a runaway ramp designed for such situations. Aguilera-Mederos, for his part, said he was struggling to avoid traffic and trying to shift to slow down. On October 15, a jury ultimately found Aguilera-Mederos guilty of 27 criminal charges. The impact caused a fireball explosion that incinerated cars and trucks, killing four people and injuring several others. Aguilera-Mederos testified that the brakes on his semitrailer failed as he was descending a steep grade of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountain foothills On December 13, he was given the excessive sentence - one the judge said he would not given if he had the choice. Due to state minimums, the judge's hands were tied. Aguilera-Mederos issued a statement apologizing to the victims' families, crying as he spoke on December 13: 'It's hard. This was a terrible accident, I know. I take the responsibility, but it was an accident. 'I have never thought about hurting anyone in my entire life and Jesus Christ, he knows that, he knows my heart,' he continued. 'I am not a criminal, I am not a murderer. 'The accident - it wasn't intentional, it wasn't intentional, Your Honor. I did all that I can as a man. I put myself in harm's way to avoid harming anyone else.' He claimed that he tried to avoid the traffic, and noted that he did not flee in the aftermath 'because I respect the laws. 'I want to say sorry, sorry for the loss, sorry for the people injured,' he concluded, noting: 'I ask...God many times why them and not me.' Relatives of the victims supported at least some prison time at his sentencing hearing, but in the statement last week, King said she and her team had spoken to the surviving victims of the crash and the families of those who died about the possibility of Aguilera-Mederos being resentenced before she issued her request. His case received wide-spread public backlash and celebrity appeal. Kardashian, who is studying law, had called for a lesser sentence for Aguilera-Mederos. She posted on Instagram to her 271 million followers that she had heard about the case and 'took a deep dive in it to figure out what the situation is.' She continued: 'He was not drunk or under the influence; his brakes on the tractor-trailer failed. 'Another shocking and unfair part of this case is that the judge didn't want to sentence him to such a lengthy sentence. The explosion was so big, it created a large plume of smoke to form over the highway After the explosion, Aguilera-Mederos was convicted of 27 charges 'However, because of the mandatory minimums in Colorado, his hands were tied. 'Mandatory minimums take away judicial discretion and need to end.' Kardashian also condemned the gleeful celebrations of the prosecutors, saying their gift of a brake shoe trophy made her 'sick'. She added that the governor, Jared Polis, 'is a really good person and I know he will do the right thing.' Besides Kardashian's support, millions signed a petition to lower his sentence. 'Rogel is very grateful for all the support he's gotten not only locally, but nationally. He's humbled by it,' Martinez said. The decision on Rogel Aguilera-Mederos sentence was among several year-end commutations and pardons issued by Polis. Chief Justice John Roberts made his case for judicial independence in his annual year-end report as the Supreme Court enters the second half of one of its most consequential terms to date, weighing in on whether to overturn Roe v. Wade and uphold federal rules to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Why it matters: It's an opportune time for the chief justice to make his case as Gallup polling from December shows Roberts leading all other federal officials in approval among a cross-section of Americans. Roberts received a 60% approval rating, the only leader to receive bipartisan majority support, with 55% of Democrats and 57% of Republicans saying they approved of his handling of his job. Yes, but: A separate poll conducted in September showed the approval rating of the court as a whole had dipped to a new low. State of play: Roberts' year-end remarks come as some Democrats continue to call for increasing the Supreme Court's membership. Last month, a bipartisan commission created by the Biden administration, released its long-awaited final report, which found considerable, bipartisan support for implementing non-renewable 18-year term limits for the justices and profound disagreement about whether lawmakers should attempt to expand the bench. Flashback: Roberts and former President Trump clashed about the independence of the federal judiciary back in 2018 after the president criticized judges who ruled against his administration, calling them "Obama judges." That prompted Roberts to issue a rare public critique aimed at the president, saying the U.S. doesn't have "Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges." The other side: As Axios' Sam Baker noted back in 2020, the courts abortion docket, in particular, demonstrates why liberals aren't easily swayed by the chief justice's oft-repeated pleas for procedural moderation. What he's saying: The judiciarys power to manage its internal affairs insulates courts from inappropriate political influence and is crucial to preserving public trust in its work as a separate and coequal branch of government, Roberts wrote in the report. Roberts also referenced William Howard Taft, who served as Chief Justice of the United States after his presidency. "He understood that criticism of the courts is inevitable, and he lived through an era when federal courts faced strident calls for reform, some warranted and some not," the current chief justice wrote. Roberts addressed a Wall Street Journal analysis, which ran in September and revealed 131 federal judges unlawfully failed to disqualify themselves in 685 cases from 2010 to 2018. "Let me be crystal clear," Roberts wrote, "the Judiciary takes this matter seriously." Though he pointed out that the cases cited represented less than three hundredths of one percent of the 2.5 million civil cases filed in the district courts, the chief justice said suggested more training as well as modernizing technological systems to improve compliance. What to watch: The justices on Friday will hold oral arguments to consider legal challenges to President Biden's COVID-19 vaccine mandates for health care workers and large companies. The justices on Friday will hold oral arguments to consider legal challenges to President Biden's COVID-19 vaccine mandates for health care workers and large companies. The mandates have faced a series of lawsuits from Republican-led states, businesses and religious coalitions. Go deeper: John Roberts' long game Colorado prosecutors vowed to release previously undisclosed information about a truck driver involved in a deadly crash who is now at the center of a controversial clemency granted by Governor Jared Polis, commuting the convict's 110-year sentence to just 10 years. Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, was sentenced on Dec. 13 to 110 years after being found guilty on 27 counts when his breaks failed in an April 2019 crash that caused a mass pile-up and resulted in a fireball explosion that killed four people. In a rare move, Polis, 46, granted Aguilera-Mederos clemency before the appellate process began after his sentence was met with widespread public backlash, including from the likes of Kim Kardashian. 'After learning about the highly atypical and unjust sentence in your case, I am commuting your sentence to 10 years and granting you parole eligibility on December 30, 2026,' Polis said on Thursday. Jefferson County District Attorney Alexis King, who prosecuted the case, said on his office will release information that was 'ethically prohibited' while the case 'was pending.' Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, caused a two-dozen car pile-up in April 2019 after his semi-truck breaks failed, which resulted in a fireball explosion that killed four people Colorado Gov Jared Polis (pictured) said the 'atypical' sentence was 'unjust It is unclear when the information will be released to the public. DailyMail.com reached out to the Colorado AG's Office for a comment. The court has not officially vacated the hearing to reconsider the original sentence, which is set for Jan. 13, but Mederos' attorney said they expect the judge to do so next week. Aguilera-Mederos' attorneys said it doesn't 'matter' what is disclosed now that he has been granted clemency and that it's was 'politically' motivated. 'It wouldn't matter what she disclosed now,' James Colgan told ABC News. 'I'm not aware of any law that allows [the DA's office] to have jurisdiction over the case.' Colgan said he did not know what information would be released. Leonard Martinez, Aguilera-Mederos' other attorney, said the driver was 'shocked' and 'grateful' after receiving clemency from the governor. Aguilera-Mederos was driving a semi-truck on April 25, 2019, along Interstate 70 in Lakewood, Colorado, when he slammed into two dozen vehicles. The impact caused a fireball explosion that incinerated cars and trucks, killing four people and injuring several others. Aguilera-Mederos testified that the brakes on his semitrailer failed as he was descending a steep grade of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountain foothills. His defense attorney claimed he did not know that his truck brakes were smoking or that he would not be able to stop. He also argued that Aguilera-Mederos' actions were a series of negligent decisions, and that he did not intend to hurt anybody. But prosecutors argued he should have used a runaway ramp designed for such situations. Aguilera-Mederos, for his part, said he was struggling to avoid traffic and trying to shift to slow down. On October 15, a jury ultimately found Aguilera-Mederos guilty of 27 criminal charges. The impact caused a fireball explosion that incinerated cars and trucks, killing four people and injuring several others. Aguilera-Mederos testified that the brakes on his semitrailer failed as he was descending a steep grade of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountain foothills On December 13, he was given the excessive sentence - one the judge said he would not given if he had the choice. Due to state minimums, the judge's hands were tied. Aguilera-Mederos issued a statement apologizing to the victims' families, crying as he spoke on December 13: 'It's hard. This was a terrible accident, I know. I take the responsibility, but it was an accident. 'I have never thought about hurting anyone in my entire life and Jesus Christ, he knows that, he knows my heart,' he continued. 'I am not a criminal, I am not a murderer. 'The accident - it wasn't intentional, it wasn't intentional, Your Honor. I did all that I can as a man. I put myself in harm's way to avoid harming anyone else.' He claimed that he tried to avoid the traffic, and noted that he did not flee in the aftermath 'because I respect the laws. 'I want to say sorry, sorry for the loss, sorry for the people injured,' he concluded, noting: 'I ask...God many times why them and not me.' Relatives of the victims supported at least some prison time at his sentencing hearing, but in the statement last week, King said she and her team had spoken to the surviving victims of the crash and the families of those who died about the possibility of Aguilera-Mederos being resentenced before she issued her request. His case received wide-spread public backlash and celebrity appeal. Kardashian, who is studying law, had called for a lesser sentence for Aguilera-Mederos. She posted on Instagram to her 271 million followers that she had heard about the case and 'took a deep dive in it to figure out what the situation is.' She continued: 'He was not drunk or under the influence; his brakes on the tractor-trailer failed. 'Another shocking and unfair part of this case is that the judge didn't want to sentence him to such a lengthy sentence. The explosion was so big, it created a large plume of smoke to form over the highway After the explosion, Aguilera-Mederos was convicted of 27 charges 'However, because of the mandatory minimums in Colorado, his hands were tied. 'Mandatory minimums take away judicial discretion and need to end.' Kardashian also condemned the gleeful celebrations of the prosecutors, saying their gift of a brake shoe trophy made her 'sick'. She added that the governor, Jared Polis, 'is a really good person and I know he will do the right thing.' Besides Kardashian's support, millions signed a petition to lower his sentence. 'Rogel is very grateful for all the support he's gotten not only locally, but nationally. He's humbled by it,' Martinez said. The decision on Rogel Aguilera-Mederos sentence was among several year-end commutations and pardons issued by Polis. Colorado prosecutors vowed to release previously undisclosed information about a truck driver involved in a deadly crash who is now at the center of a controversial clemency granted by Governor Jared Polis, commuting the convict's 110-year sentence to just 10 years. Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, was sentenced on Dec. 13 to 110 years after being found guilty on 27 counts when his breaks failed in an April 2019 crash that caused a mass pile-up and resulted in a fireball explosion that killed four people. In a rare move, Polis, 46, granted Aguilera-Mederos clemency before the appellate process began after his sentence was met with widespread public backlash, including from the likes of Kim Kardashian. 'After learning about the highly atypical and unjust sentence in your case, I am commuting your sentence to 10 years and granting you parole eligibility on December 30, 2026,' Polis said on Thursday. Jefferson County District Attorney Alexis King, who prosecuted the case, said on his office will release information that was 'ethically prohibited' while the case 'was pending.' Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, caused a two-dozen car pile-up in April 2019 after his semi-truck breaks failed, which resulted in a fireball explosion that killed four people Colorado Gov Jared Polis (pictured) said the 'atypical' sentence was 'unjust It is unclear when the information will be released to the public. DailyMail.com reached out to the Colorado AG's Office for a comment. The court has not officially vacated the hearing to reconsider the original sentence, which is set for Jan. 13, but Mederos' attorney said they expect the judge to do so next week. Aguilera-Mederos' attorneys said it doesn't 'matter' what is disclosed now that he has been granted clemency and that it's was 'politically' motivated. 'It wouldn't matter what she disclosed now,' James Colgan told ABC News. 'I'm not aware of any law that allows [the DA's office] to have jurisdiction over the case.' Colgan said he did not know what information would be released. Leonard Martinez, Aguilera-Mederos' other attorney, said the driver was 'shocked' and 'grateful' after receiving clemency from the governor. Aguilera-Mederos was driving a semi-truck on April 25, 2019, along Interstate 70 in Lakewood, Colorado, when he slammed into two dozen vehicles. The impact caused a fireball explosion that incinerated cars and trucks, killing four people and injuring several others. Aguilera-Mederos testified that the brakes on his semitrailer failed as he was descending a steep grade of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountain foothills. His defense attorney claimed he did not know that his truck brakes were smoking or that he would not be able to stop. He also argued that Aguilera-Mederos' actions were a series of negligent decisions, and that he did not intend to hurt anybody. But prosecutors argued he should have used a runaway ramp designed for such situations. Aguilera-Mederos, for his part, said he was struggling to avoid traffic and trying to shift to slow down. On October 15, a jury ultimately found Aguilera-Mederos guilty of 27 criminal charges. The impact caused a fireball explosion that incinerated cars and trucks, killing four people and injuring several others. Aguilera-Mederos testified that the brakes on his semitrailer failed as he was descending a steep grade of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountain foothills On December 13, he was given the excessive sentence - one the judge said he would not given if he had the choice. Due to state minimums, the judge's hands were tied. Aguilera-Mederos issued a statement apologizing to the victims' families, crying as he spoke on December 13: 'It's hard. This was a terrible accident, I know. I take the responsibility, but it was an accident. 'I have never thought about hurting anyone in my entire life and Jesus Christ, he knows that, he knows my heart,' he continued. 'I am not a criminal, I am not a murderer. 'The accident - it wasn't intentional, it wasn't intentional, Your Honor. I did all that I can as a man. I put myself in harm's way to avoid harming anyone else.' He claimed that he tried to avoid the traffic, and noted that he did not flee in the aftermath 'because I respect the laws. 'I want to say sorry, sorry for the loss, sorry for the people injured,' he concluded, noting: 'I ask...God many times why them and not me.' Relatives of the victims supported at least some prison time at his sentencing hearing, but in the statement last week, King said she and her team had spoken to the surviving victims of the crash and the families of those who died about the possibility of Aguilera-Mederos being resentenced before she issued her request. His case received wide-spread public backlash and celebrity appeal. Kardashian, who is studying law, had called for a lesser sentence for Aguilera-Mederos. She posted on Instagram to her 271 million followers that she had heard about the case and 'took a deep dive in it to figure out what the situation is.' She continued: 'He was not drunk or under the influence; his brakes on the tractor-trailer failed. 'Another shocking and unfair part of this case is that the judge didn't want to sentence him to such a lengthy sentence. The explosion was so big, it created a large plume of smoke to form over the highway After the explosion, Aguilera-Mederos was convicted of 27 charges 'However, because of the mandatory minimums in Colorado, his hands were tied. 'Mandatory minimums take away judicial discretion and need to end.' Kardashian also condemned the gleeful celebrations of the prosecutors, saying their gift of a brake shoe trophy made her 'sick'. She added that the governor, Jared Polis, 'is a really good person and I know he will do the right thing.' Besides Kardashian's support, millions signed a petition to lower his sentence. 'Rogel is very grateful for all the support he's gotten not only locally, but nationally. He's humbled by it,' Martinez said. The decision on Rogel Aguilera-Mederos sentence was among several year-end commutations and pardons issued by Polis. A film celebrating the 100th birthday of Betty White, who died Friday, will still be released as planned. The producers of Betty White: 100 Years Young said in a statement that they 'will go forward' with plans to release the movie special on January 17. The Golden Girls star passed away from natural causes just shy of her landmark birthday and the film, featuring a star-studded roster of celebrities, will serve as a celebration of her incredible life and career. Going ahead: A film celebrating the 100th birthday of Betty White will still be released as planned on January 17, producers said Friday following new of the comedy legend's death Producers Steve Boettcher and Mike Trinklein explained, as reported by People: 'Our hearts mourn today with the passing of Betty White. During the many years we worked with her, we developed a great love and admiration for Betty as a person, and as an accomplished entertainer. 'We are thankful for the many decades of delight she brought to everyone. Betty always said she was the 'luckiest broad on two feet' to have had a career as long as she did. And honestly, we were the lucky ones to have had her for so long.' In conclusion, Boettcher and Trinklein stated: 'We will go forward with our plans to show the film on January 17 in hopes our film will provide a way for all who loved her to celebrate her life and experience what made her such a national treasure.' Tribute: The film, featuring a star-studded roster of celebrities including Ryan Reynolds, Clint Eastwood and Robert Redford, will now serve as a celebration of her incredible life and career White appears in the film along with the likes of Ryan Reynolds, Tina Fey, Robert Redford, Lin Manuel- Miranda, Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Jay Leno, Carol Burnett, Craig Ferguson, Jimmy Kimmel, Valerie Bertinelli, James Corden, Wendy Malick and Jennifer Love Hewitt. It includes highlights of her most famous roles as well as stories about her life and her long career in Hollywood. White made her name on The Mary Tyler Moore Show as Sue Ann Nivens and cemented her star status with TV's The Golden Girls and Hot In Cleveland. Legend: White made her name on The Mary Tyler Moore Show as Sue Ann Nivens. She's pictured backstage at the Emmys in 1976 with Ed Asner, Moore and Ted Knight Popular star: White cemented her star status on popular sitcom The Golden Girls in the 80s, left, and in the comedy Hot In Cleveland in the 2010s Her death was confirmed by her longtime agent Jeff Witjas, who told The Associated Press that she had passed away at her home in Los Angeles. He added that she had not been suffering from any diagnosed illness. 'I truly never thought she was going to pass away,' Witjas said. 'She meant the world to me as a friend. She was the most positive person I've ever known.' Ryan Reynolds, who starred with White in the big screen comedy The Proposal, tweeted: 'She was great at defying expectation. She managed to grow very old and somehow, not old enough. Well miss you, Betty.' White was pre-deceased by her beloved husband Allen Ludden, whom she met in 1961 when she appeared on an episode of his daytime game show Password. Ludden, a widower with three children, proposed to her in 1963 and they were happily married until his death from cancer in 1981. R.I.P.: White's death was confirmed by her longtime agent Jeff Witjas, who said she had passed away at her home in Los Angeles and had not been suffering from any diagnosed illness Chief Justice John Roberts made his case for judicial independence in his annual year-end report as the Supreme Court enters the second half of one of its most consequential terms to date, weighing in on whether to overturn Roe v. Wade and uphold federal rules to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Why it matters: It's an opportune time for the chief justice to make his case as Gallup polling from December shows Roberts leading all other federal officials in approval among a cross-section of Americans. Roberts received a 60% approval rating, the only leader to receive bipartisan majority support, with 55% of Democrats and 57% of Republicans saying they approved of his handling of his job. Yes, but: A separate poll conducted in September showed the approval rating of the court as a whole had dipped to a new low. State of play: Roberts' year-end remarks come as some Democrats continue to call for increasing the Supreme Court's membership. Last month, a bipartisan commission created by the Biden administration, released its long-awaited final report, which found considerable, bipartisan support for implementing non-renewable 18-year term limits for the justices and profound disagreement about whether lawmakers should attempt to expand the bench. Flashback: Roberts and former President Trump clashed about the independence of the federal judiciary back in 2018 after the president criticized judges who ruled against his administration, calling them "Obama judges." That prompted Roberts to issue a rare public critique aimed at the president, saying the U.S. doesn't have "Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges." The other side: As Axios' Sam Baker noted back in 2020, the courts abortion docket, in particular, demonstrates why liberals aren't easily swayed by the chief justice's oft-repeated pleas for procedural moderation. What he's saying: The judiciarys power to manage its internal affairs insulates courts from inappropriate political influence and is crucial to preserving public trust in its work as a separate and coequal branch of government, Roberts wrote in the report. Roberts also referenced William Howard Taft, who served as Chief Justice of the United States after his presidency. "He understood that criticism of the courts is inevitable, and he lived through an era when federal courts faced strident calls for reform, some warranted and some not," the current chief justice wrote. Roberts addressed a Wall Street Journal analysis, which ran in September and revealed 131 federal judges unlawfully failed to disqualify themselves in 685 cases from 2010 to 2018. "Let me be crystal clear," Roberts wrote, "the Judiciary takes this matter seriously." Though he pointed out that the cases cited represented less than three hundredths of one percent of the 2.5 million civil cases filed in the district courts, the chief justice said suggested more training as well as modernizing technological systems to improve compliance. What to watch: The justices on Friday will hold oral arguments to consider legal challenges to President Biden's COVID-19 vaccine mandates for health care workers and large companies. The justices on Friday will hold oral arguments to consider legal challenges to President Biden's COVID-19 vaccine mandates for health care workers and large companies. The mandates have faced a series of lawsuits from Republican-led states, businesses and religious coalitions. Go deeper: John Roberts' long game Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Saturday said that the state government would initiate strict actions against the land mafia and people involved in illegal land grabbing. "If someone uses politics as a shield to run illegal works like land encroachment openly, I want to make it clear that they cannot save themselves from being prosecuted legally. The law will take its own course and no one will be spared", said CM Deb in a programme organized by Purvaudaya NGO and State Bank of India (SBI) on New Year. Appreciating the role of new Mayor Deepak Majumder, Deb said, "During the previous Left regime, the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) Council failed to free illegally occupied land at the heart of the city. After the political change of guard, the new AMC council has succeeded in vacating those places." The chief minister was indicating the demolition of a building in front of Maharani Tulsibati School in Agartala. The building was formerly known as the Trinamool Congress Bhavan when dissident Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Sudip Roy Barman and his close confidant were in TMC. After they switched sides with the BJP, the building came under the control of an anti-Left employees union that extended its conditional support towards the BJP prior to the 2018 assembly elections. Deb also reacted to the allegations being levelled against the BJP government and the party leaders on the issue of Tripura State Rifles (TSR) recruitment. "Now scopes are less to get benefits in getting a job taking political advantage. Unlike the previous regime, MLAs, Ministers and other influential people do not have any say in government recruitment. Tripura government is now recruiting people as per a fair and transparent recruitment policy. Only the meritorious candidates are getting the scope of employment nowadays", Deb added. Deb also highlighted the Tripura government's initiatives to empower women and said the Tripura government has recruited 500 additional women cops in the State police department. "I hope people of Tripura shall get the benefit of the transparent recruitment rules in the days to come", added Deb. The Chief Minister spent the first day of the New Year with elderly persons at "Apna Ghar" old age home. SBI and Purvaudaya NGO organized a programme at the old age home in which CM Deb attended as the chief guest. (ANI) Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) AMERICA The US military has a number of hypersonic weapons programs across the Navy, Army and Air Force but most are still in development phase and highly top secret. However the known programs are all more conventional hypersonic weapons that strike from high altitude, rather than orbital bombardment systems that strike from space which the Chinese were revealed to have developed tis week. The only US hypersonic weapon know to have been successfully tested is the Air Force's GM-183 ARRW which is designed to be launched from a large bomber aircraft. It then accelerates to hypersonic speeds using of up to 15,345mph using a supersonic combustion ramjet to strike targets within 1,000 miles. Donald Trump refered to a 'super duper missile' while in office and this is believed to be the AGM-183 ARRW. The Navy's submarine launched Long Range Hypersonic Weapon is expected to be operational by 2023 and will have a range of 1,725 miles. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) but kept details such as range, speed and payload secret. The missile uses oxygen in the atmosphere as part of its fuel - marking the first successful test of that class of weapon since 2013. The missile, which is built by Raytheon, was released from an aircraft just 'seconds' before the scramjet engine from Northrop Grumman kicked on, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) said. The engine works by compressing incoming air with hydrocarbon fuel to create a fast airflow mixture, one capable of reaching over 1,700 meters per second, or five times the speed of sound. Earlier this year, a test of a hypersonic missile from the U.S. Air Force was abandoned after it was unable to complete its launch sequence. On March 19 last year, the Pentagon flight-tested a hypersonic glide vehicle at its Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. It deemed the test a success and 'a major milestone towards the department's goal of fielding hypersonic warfighting capabilities in the early- to mid-2020s.' Unlike Russia, the United States says it is not developing hypersonic weapons for use with a nuclear warhead. As a result, a U.S. hypersonic weapon will need to be more accurate, posing additional technical challenges. In 2004, NASA's experimental unmanned hypersonic aircraft X-43 reached 7,366mph (Mach 9.6) using a scramjet engine, setting the current record. In 2019, DailyMail.com reported that the Raytheon and Northrop Grumman-developed missile would use an engine made by a 3D printer. Last year, DARPA said it was working with Aerojet Rocketdyne on a nearly $20 million project to develop a hypersonic rocket that could intercept enemy missiles mid-air. Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine and has the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles RUSSIA Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine, and since late 2019 has had the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles in service. The Avangard can travel at up to Mach 27, changing course and altitude. The range of Russia's hypersonic missile, the Zircon, is 621 miles with a speed of 9,800mph. But the missile flies below the atmosphere and uses fuel to power itself to hypersonic speeds rather than the Earth's orbit. Earlier this month, Russia announced it has successfully test-fired the Zircon from a nuclear submarine for the first time. The 6,670mph weapon hit a target in the Barents Sea according to the Moscow defence ministry, who claims the missile is capable of Mach-9 speeds and able to evade all Western defences. Russia said it had completed flight tests of the new-age missile from a frigate - the Admiral Gorshkov - and a coastal mount, but it had not previously been launched from a submarine. The Zircon has been identified by Moscow's state-controlled TV as Vladimir Putin's weapon of choice to wipe out coastal American cities in the event of an atomic conflict. He has declared the missile as 'truly unparalleled anywhere in the world', and the Russians have boasted it is 'unstoppable' by Western defences. Putin first announced the development of an array of new hypersonic weapons in 2018, insisting that they would be able to hit almost any point in the world and evade a US-built missile shield. The Zircon is due to go into service next year, and will first be deployed via the Admiral Golovko frigate which carries significant stealth-technology. A key use of the missile is taking out enemy ships and reports suggested its maximum range is between 188 and 620 miles. But there have been unconfirmed reports its true range is some 1,200 miles. The missile system's design and development have been conducted in deep secrecy, and Putin has warned that foreign spies have tried to steal its secrets. It is one of a number of hypersonic missiles Russia is deploying including the 188-tonne Sarmat - known in the West as Satan-2 - which will be the biggest beast in Russia's nuclear arsenal, due for tests in the autumn with deployment slated for next year. In May, Russia said it tested three 'invincible' hypersonic 'Satan 2' missiles that some have said could wipe out areas the size of England and Wales. China launched the dummy weapon into space on board a Long March 2C rocket (pictured) during a test in mid-August which it did not disclose at the time and was only revealed at the weekend by security analysts assigned to work out its purpose CHINA The hypersonic orbital bombardment system that China tested in August reportedly reaches a top speed of 21,000 mph and strikes from space. The core concept of China's 'new' weapon - deliver a warhead into orbit and have it circle the globe before hitting a target - was first developed by the Soviets in the 1960s. Called a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, or FOBS, it was developed to evade powerful US radar arrays and missile defence systems. Those systems work by detecting launches of ICBMs - very long-range missiles that can be tipped with nukes - and tracking them into space, then firing at the warheads as they come down in the hope of blowing them up before they hit their targets. This is possible because ICBMs and their warheads follow a predictable trajectory that rises high into space - making them relatively easy to spot and allowing defence crews to calculate where they are aimed so they can be shot out of the sky. FOBS aim to negate these defences by firing their warheads along a much-flatter trajectory - assisted by Earth's gravity. This means they pass under the scope of many radar detection arrays and are harder to track. It also makes the warheads much harder to shoot down because their trajectory is harder to calculate. The use of orbit makes a warhead's range potentially unlimited, meaning it can be fired at its target from any direction. This helps to avoid radar systems which generally point at a fixed spot in the sky - in America's case, over the North Pole. Meanwhile, China has also unveiled a hypersonic medium-range missile, the DF-17, in 2019, which can travel around 2,000 kilometres and can carry nuclear warheads. In October, China deployed the DF 17 missile to coastal areas in preparation for a possible invasion of Taiwan. The weapon has a maximum range of 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles) and is capable of achieving speeds of up to 7,680 miles per hour (12,360 kph) - or 10 times the speed of sound - while carrying a nuclear warhead, according to previous reports. It has been billed as 'a death sentence' to aircraft carriers within its range. Hypersonic missiles travel at more than five times the speed of sound in the upper atmosphere - or about 6,200 km per hour (3,850 mph). This is slower than an intercontinental ballistic missile, but the shape of a hypersonic glide vehicle allows it to manoeuvre toward a target or away from defences. Combining a glide vehicle with a missile that can launch it partially into orbit - a so-called fractional orbital bombardment system (FOBS) - could strip adversaries of reaction time and traditional defences mechanisms. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), by contrast, carry nuclear warheads on ballistic trajectories that travel into space but never reach orbit. China on Monday insisted that the test in August was a routine one for a spacecraft rather than a missile. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) AMERICA The US military has a number of hypersonic weapons programs across the Navy, Army and Air Force but most are still in development phase and highly top secret. However the known programs are all more conventional hypersonic weapons that strike from high altitude, rather than orbital bombardment systems that strike from space which the Chinese were revealed to have developed tis week. The only US hypersonic weapon know to have been successfully tested is the Air Force's GM-183 ARRW which is designed to be launched from a large bomber aircraft. It then accelerates to hypersonic speeds using of up to 15,345mph using a supersonic combustion ramjet to strike targets within 1,000 miles. Donald Trump refered to a 'super duper missile' while in office and this is believed to be the AGM-183 ARRW. The Navy's submarine launched Long Range Hypersonic Weapon is expected to be operational by 2023 and will have a range of 1,725 miles. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) but kept details such as range, speed and payload secret. The missile uses oxygen in the atmosphere as part of its fuel - marking the first successful test of that class of weapon since 2013. The missile, which is built by Raytheon, was released from an aircraft just 'seconds' before the scramjet engine from Northrop Grumman kicked on, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) said. The engine works by compressing incoming air with hydrocarbon fuel to create a fast airflow mixture, one capable of reaching over 1,700 meters per second, or five times the speed of sound. Earlier this year, a test of a hypersonic missile from the U.S. Air Force was abandoned after it was unable to complete its launch sequence. On March 19 last year, the Pentagon flight-tested a hypersonic glide vehicle at its Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. It deemed the test a success and 'a major milestone towards the department's goal of fielding hypersonic warfighting capabilities in the early- to mid-2020s.' Unlike Russia, the United States says it is not developing hypersonic weapons for use with a nuclear warhead. As a result, a U.S. hypersonic weapon will need to be more accurate, posing additional technical challenges. In 2004, NASA's experimental unmanned hypersonic aircraft X-43 reached 7,366mph (Mach 9.6) using a scramjet engine, setting the current record. In 2019, DailyMail.com reported that the Raytheon and Northrop Grumman-developed missile would use an engine made by a 3D printer. Last year, DARPA said it was working with Aerojet Rocketdyne on a nearly $20 million project to develop a hypersonic rocket that could intercept enemy missiles mid-air. Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine and has the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles RUSSIA Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine, and since late 2019 has had the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles in service. The Avangard can travel at up to Mach 27, changing course and altitude. The range of Russia's hypersonic missile, the Zircon, is 621 miles with a speed of 9,800mph. But the missile flies below the atmosphere and uses fuel to power itself to hypersonic speeds rather than the Earth's orbit. Earlier this month, Russia announced it has successfully test-fired the Zircon from a nuclear submarine for the first time. The 6,670mph weapon hit a target in the Barents Sea according to the Moscow defence ministry, who claims the missile is capable of Mach-9 speeds and able to evade all Western defences. Russia said it had completed flight tests of the new-age missile from a frigate - the Admiral Gorshkov - and a coastal mount, but it had not previously been launched from a submarine. The Zircon has been identified by Moscow's state-controlled TV as Vladimir Putin's weapon of choice to wipe out coastal American cities in the event of an atomic conflict. He has declared the missile as 'truly unparalleled anywhere in the world', and the Russians have boasted it is 'unstoppable' by Western defences. Putin first announced the development of an array of new hypersonic weapons in 2018, insisting that they would be able to hit almost any point in the world and evade a US-built missile shield. The Zircon is due to go into service next year, and will first be deployed via the Admiral Golovko frigate which carries significant stealth-technology. A key use of the missile is taking out enemy ships and reports suggested its maximum range is between 188 and 620 miles. But there have been unconfirmed reports its true range is some 1,200 miles. The missile system's design and development have been conducted in deep secrecy, and Putin has warned that foreign spies have tried to steal its secrets. It is one of a number of hypersonic missiles Russia is deploying including the 188-tonne Sarmat - known in the West as Satan-2 - which will be the biggest beast in Russia's nuclear arsenal, due for tests in the autumn with deployment slated for next year. In May, Russia said it tested three 'invincible' hypersonic 'Satan 2' missiles that some have said could wipe out areas the size of England and Wales. China launched the dummy weapon into space on board a Long March 2C rocket (pictured) during a test in mid-August which it did not disclose at the time and was only revealed at the weekend by security analysts assigned to work out its purpose CHINA The hypersonic orbital bombardment system that China tested in August reportedly reaches a top speed of 21,000 mph and strikes from space. The core concept of China's 'new' weapon - deliver a warhead into orbit and have it circle the globe before hitting a target - was first developed by the Soviets in the 1960s. Called a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, or FOBS, it was developed to evade powerful US radar arrays and missile defence systems. Those systems work by detecting launches of ICBMs - very long-range missiles that can be tipped with nukes - and tracking them into space, then firing at the warheads as they come down in the hope of blowing them up before they hit their targets. This is possible because ICBMs and their warheads follow a predictable trajectory that rises high into space - making them relatively easy to spot and allowing defence crews to calculate where they are aimed so they can be shot out of the sky. FOBS aim to negate these defences by firing their warheads along a much-flatter trajectory - assisted by Earth's gravity. This means they pass under the scope of many radar detection arrays and are harder to track. It also makes the warheads much harder to shoot down because their trajectory is harder to calculate. The use of orbit makes a warhead's range potentially unlimited, meaning it can be fired at its target from any direction. This helps to avoid radar systems which generally point at a fixed spot in the sky - in America's case, over the North Pole. Meanwhile, China has also unveiled a hypersonic medium-range missile, the DF-17, in 2019, which can travel around 2,000 kilometres and can carry nuclear warheads. In October, China deployed the DF 17 missile to coastal areas in preparation for a possible invasion of Taiwan. The weapon has a maximum range of 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles) and is capable of achieving speeds of up to 7,680 miles per hour (12,360 kph) - or 10 times the speed of sound - while carrying a nuclear warhead, according to previous reports. It has been billed as 'a death sentence' to aircraft carriers within its range. Hypersonic missiles travel at more than five times the speed of sound in the upper atmosphere - or about 6,200 km per hour (3,850 mph). This is slower than an intercontinental ballistic missile, but the shape of a hypersonic glide vehicle allows it to manoeuvre toward a target or away from defences. Combining a glide vehicle with a missile that can launch it partially into orbit - a so-called fractional orbital bombardment system (FOBS) - could strip adversaries of reaction time and traditional defences mechanisms. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), by contrast, carry nuclear warheads on ballistic trajectories that travel into space but never reach orbit. China on Monday insisted that the test in August was a routine one for a spacecraft rather than a missile. The author owns The McCully Group LLC, which provides management consulting for dairy and food companies. The dairy market disruptions from COVID-19 through 2020 and into 2021 exposed flaws in the foundation of U.S. dairy policy and milk pricing. Numerous discussions have been had over negative producer price differentials (PPDs), depooling, the Class I formula, and other aspects of the arcane Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) system. While many dairy farmers, and others throughout the industry, have not fully understood milk pricing, they have now lost some trust in the system with few believing it is working for them. A Senate hearing in September concluded with everyone saying the system needs to change, but there was no consensus on how to move forward. A recent announcement of legislation directing USDA to hold hearings to fix things is a start, but more work is needed to develop a framework to modernize milk pricing in the U.S. Perhaps the federal order reform process from the 1996 Farm Bill could be used as a model to bring industry, academics, and others together to work on the key aspects of dairy policy. Can you see the rocks? First, the debate around the Class I formula, depooling, and negative PPDs is like rocks in a pond. When the water went down in 2020, we saw the rocks, but they didnt just show up they were always there. The fundamental problem is that the FMMO system is based on Class I milk and the revenue generated from Class I sales, which is viewed as the highest value use of milk in the FMMO system. However, as fluid milk consumption has dropped sharply over the last decade, there are simply not enough sales to generate the revenue needed to make the orders work as designed in the 1930s or even the late 1990s. In the mid-1990s, when federal order reform started, roughly one-third of the milk in the U.S. was used in fluid milk beverages. That number has dropped to under 20% in some months in 2021. More importantly, the amount of milk exported has gone from around 3% in the mid-1990s to near 20% in recent months. In other words, the U.S. is exporting more product than goes into fluid milk. That is a seismic shift in utilization and one the current FMMO system was not designed for. With exports being key to future U.S. dairy industry growth, dairy policy needs to adapt to this new reality. Competitors to the U.S. in the global dairy market do not have to deal with the limitations from federal order milk pricing, standards of identity, and other regulations unique to the U.S. This can put U.S. dairy companies at a disadvantage. New Zealand, Australia, and Europe operate in free market systems for dairy, which has allowed companies in those countries to innovate and develop value-added products. From 2017 to 2019, the average value of European and New Zealand dairy exports was 40% to 60% higher than the U.S. Consider the additional value in the market that U.S. dairy farmers and processors could capture through investments in processing technology and product innovation. Unfortunately, the U.S. milk pricing system is based on commodity products, which results in commodity (low) milk prices. Furthermore, the FMMO system incentivizes the production of commodity products through product price formulas. The result is a minimum price that is then used as the benchmark price for all milk. Moving to a free-market system where plants innovate, compete for milk, and create more value for dairy products benefits everyone along the dairy value chain from farmers to dairy processors to consumers. This should be the ultimate goal of future dairy policy. The future There are a number of impediments to change, including fear of the unknown. Companies and people are invested in the current system, and some have figured out how to make it work for them. Unfortunately, dire predictions are made of what could happen if pricing regulations were relaxed or removed. But we dont have to speculate what the future could hold. Look at the success Idaho has had since deregulating in 2004. The state is now the No. 3 milk producer in the U.S. and has seen billions of dollars in investment in new plants. Milk pricing is easy to understand and dairy farmers are able to effectively manage their margin risk from volatile milk prices, another goal of future dairy policy. The activity around changes to U.S. dairy policy has quieted down in recent months, but this is a mistake. The old saying is to fix your roof while the sun is shining. Unfortunately, the history with dairy policy has been a call to change when milk prices are low, but then everything is fine when prices are high. I have my opinions on what needs to change, first by making milk pricing simple and easy for everyone to understand. Policies should foster innovation and investment in new products and allow milk to move to the highest value use through competition, not rigid government formulas. And lets not limit the discussion to just the federal order system. We also need to factor in how new environmental programs will impact dairy, what changes if any should be made to existing dairy farm safety nets, and if dairy can participate in the massive investments being made in infrastructure. Finally, lets not judge the effectiveness of any new policies on what it does to next months milk price. Dairy policy needs to be designed for the markets and industry of the next decade, not the last decade. Regional interests The politics of dairy are a rare example of bipartisan alliances, but they are marred by regional fights. These have not been helpful in the past and should be avoided as much as possible. The what in changes to dairy policy are easier than the how in getting them implemented. Lets start by defining guiding principles on what a future dairy policy framework looks like and developing a timeline for implementation. This should be viewed as a glide path over time and not an abrupt change from one month to the next. The FMMO system brings a lot of value and could perform new functions like expanded weekly price reporting of milk, component, and product prices. This would bring information to all participants needed to negotiate pricing contracts. New futures contracts could be developed for butterfat and protein prices in addition to one milk price. A basis market would quickly develop to determine location values for milk and products. In short, there are enough smart people to figure out how dairy pricing works without a government regulated system doing it for them. The dairy industry has a unique opportunity over the next several years to rethink and redesign federal dairy policy. My fear is inertia, one of the strongest forces in the universe, will lead to no or only incremental changes to a system that is fundamentally broken. Removing outdated regulations could let the dairy industry prosper, bringing more money and profits to dairy farmers and processors. Get involved in various industry groups to make your voice heard and help lead successful change. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates. Shepherd, 33, is now an inmate at HMP Frankland, according to the Mirror. Among the other prisoners at the jail, in County Durham, are Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield. 'He spends his days writing to friends and family and getting on with the other inmates. Prison has been a humbling experience for him,' a source said. Shepherd was given a six-year sentence after being convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of Charlotte Brown when his speedboat capsized during a champagne-fuelled date on the River Thames in 2015. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd (above) has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates Other inmates at HMP Frankland include (l to r) Wayne Couzens, Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield Charlotte Brown, 24, was killed after Shepherd's boat capsized on the Thames near Wandsworth Bridge in 2015 Ms Brown, from Clacton, Essex was on her first date with Shepherd after meeting on dating website OkCupid. In July 2020, Shepherd has had 78 days cut from his 10-year jail term because of time he served waiting for extradition after fleeing the UK to Georgia. Three appeal judges said the 78 days Shepherd spent in custody awaiting extradition in Georgia should count as part of the jail term he is serving. Shepherd's trial in July 2018 heard how he had bought the 1980s' boat on Gumtree and had tried to impress other women with it. But his first date with Ms Brown ended in tragedy when the 14ft Fletcher Arrowflyte GTO, which was riddled with defects, hit a log and capsized, throwing them into the river near Wandsworth Bridge. He later sparked outrage by launching an appeal against the conviction while on the run in Georgia - and he was awarded funds to do so. The speedboat owned by web designer Jack Shepherd, which crashed in the Thames in 2015 In 2019, Shepherd (above) was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at After spending ten months on the run, Shepherd was finally extradited and ordered to serve six years with six months consecutive for skipping his bail in April 2019. The web designer then admitted hitting a barman over the head with a vodka bottle in a hotel in Devon and was given four years extra. In 2019, Shepherd was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at. Couzens is on a life-long rap for murdering Ms Everard after using his status as a police officer to kidnap her in London last year. Bellfield has a life sentence for killing Milly Dowler, 13, Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22. Huntley, a former school caretaker, was convicted of the murders of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates. Shepherd, 33, is now an inmate at HMP Frankland, according to the Mirror. Among the other prisoners at the jail, in County Durham, are Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield. 'He spends his days writing to friends and family and getting on with the other inmates. Prison has been a humbling experience for him,' a source said. Shepherd was given a six-year sentence after being convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of Charlotte Brown when his speedboat capsized during a champagne-fuelled date on the River Thames in 2015. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd (above) has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates Other inmates at HMP Frankland include (l to r) Wayne Couzens, Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield Charlotte Brown, 24, was killed after Shepherd's boat capsized on the Thames near Wandsworth Bridge in 2015 Ms Brown, from Clacton, Essex was on her first date with Shepherd after meeting on dating website OkCupid. In July 2020, Shepherd has had 78 days cut from his 10-year jail term because of time he served waiting for extradition after fleeing the UK to Georgia. Three appeal judges said the 78 days Shepherd spent in custody awaiting extradition in Georgia should count as part of the jail term he is serving. Shepherd's trial in July 2018 heard how he had bought the 1980s' boat on Gumtree and had tried to impress other women with it. But his first date with Ms Brown ended in tragedy when the 14ft Fletcher Arrowflyte GTO, which was riddled with defects, hit a log and capsized, throwing them into the river near Wandsworth Bridge. He later sparked outrage by launching an appeal against the conviction while on the run in Georgia - and he was awarded funds to do so. The speedboat owned by web designer Jack Shepherd, which crashed in the Thames in 2015 In 2019, Shepherd (above) was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at After spending ten months on the run, Shepherd was finally extradited and ordered to serve six years with six months consecutive for skipping his bail in April 2019. The web designer then admitted hitting a barman over the head with a vodka bottle in a hotel in Devon and was given four years extra. In 2019, Shepherd was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at. Couzens is on a life-long rap for murdering Ms Everard after using his status as a police officer to kidnap her in London last year. Bellfield has a life sentence for killing Milly Dowler, 13, Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22. Huntley, a former school caretaker, was convicted of the murders of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates. Shepherd, 33, is now an inmate at HMP Frankland, according to the Mirror. Among the other prisoners at the jail, in County Durham, are Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield. 'He spends his days writing to friends and family and getting on with the other inmates. Prison has been a humbling experience for him,' a source said. Shepherd was given a six-year sentence after being convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of Charlotte Brown when his speedboat capsized during a champagne-fuelled date on the River Thames in 2015. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd (above) has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates Other inmates at HMP Frankland include (l to r) Wayne Couzens, Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield Charlotte Brown, 24, was killed after Shepherd's boat capsized on the Thames near Wandsworth Bridge in 2015 Ms Brown, from Clacton, Essex was on her first date with Shepherd after meeting on dating website OkCupid. In July 2020, Shepherd has had 78 days cut from his 10-year jail term because of time he served waiting for extradition after fleeing the UK to Georgia. Three appeal judges said the 78 days Shepherd spent in custody awaiting extradition in Georgia should count as part of the jail term he is serving. Shepherd's trial in July 2018 heard how he had bought the 1980s' boat on Gumtree and had tried to impress other women with it. But his first date with Ms Brown ended in tragedy when the 14ft Fletcher Arrowflyte GTO, which was riddled with defects, hit a log and capsized, throwing them into the river near Wandsworth Bridge. He later sparked outrage by launching an appeal against the conviction while on the run in Georgia - and he was awarded funds to do so. The speedboat owned by web designer Jack Shepherd, which crashed in the Thames in 2015 In 2019, Shepherd (above) was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at After spending ten months on the run, Shepherd was finally extradited and ordered to serve six years with six months consecutive for skipping his bail in April 2019. The web designer then admitted hitting a barman over the head with a vodka bottle in a hotel in Devon and was given four years extra. In 2019, Shepherd was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at. Couzens is on a life-long rap for murdering Ms Everard after using his status as a police officer to kidnap her in London last year. Bellfield has a life sentence for killing Milly Dowler, 13, Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22. Huntley, a former school caretaker, was convicted of the murders of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Local leaders seem to be giving the Prez a pass on his pandemic record and so we offer this post for balance and because the vast majority of cowtown scribes wouldn't dare ask a relevant question of the current White House. To wit . . . HAS PREZ BIDEN'S RECORD ON COVID NEGATIVELY IMPACTED KANSAS CITY?!?! Notice . . . Kansas City "journalists" are quick to blame Missouri Governor Mike Parson for a great many pandemic misdeeds but they don't make a peep about the foibles of the current administration. For what it's worth . . . TKC admires Guv Parson for making sure that the biggest COVID vaxx event in Kansas City took place inside the 3rd District and proved to be a very easily accessible and efficient medical clinic run by the National Guard with planning help from his office along with a bipartisan coalition. Meanwhile . . . Under Prez Biden's leadership there have been serious problems with testing, workplace rules and general confusion about the response from progressive public officials . . . Again, all of this has been happening without so much as a peep from local progressive pundits, politicos and social media trollz. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news links . . . Long lines of cars wait to get COVID-19 tests at Vibrant Health KC testing site in KCK Vibrant Health KC says they've seen a dramatic spike in people getting tested for COVID-19."It's starting to resemble peaks of 2020," said Patrick Sallee, CEO of Vibrant Health KC. In a four-day span, nearly 1,000 people will be tested.Normally they test 200 people a week. Skyrocketing demand for at-home COVID-19 tests causes brief shortage in Missouri KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The demand for at-home COVID-19 tests exceeded the supply this week in Missouri. The state contracts with Fulgent Genetics to provide 15,000 at-home tests each month. Demand for the tests had not exceeded supply until December, according to a spokesperson for Missouri Gov. Mike Parson. Biden's goal of 500 million free tests will require major production scale-up WASHINGTON - Meeting President Joe Biden's goal of offering 500 million free at-home Covid-19 tests for Americans will require a massive scale-up in test manufacturing that may take months to achieve - falling short of demand as the omicron variant drives a surge in infections. The U.S. Ted Cruz tears into Fauci for playing 'pandemic politics' Fauci told MSNBC a child 'automatically' gets tested for COVID at a hospital It means they get counted as a 'COVID-hospitalized' individual no matter what They could test positive after going in with a 'broken leg or appendicitis' Cruz responded by saying in a tweet: 'Now Fauci says this? At-home COVID tests: Where can you find them? For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO and CDC websites. As demand for rapid at-home COVID test kits soars, many drugstores and online suppliers are out of stock, and states and the federal government are taking matters into their own hands. Biden officials now fear booster programs will limit global vaccine supply If that happens, and countries across the world continue to roll out booster campaigns, U.S. officials fear the world might not have enough vaccine doses to meet the WHO's goal of inoculating 70 percent of the global population by the middle of next year. Firm gets $137M from US to make COVID test materials - in three years The Biden administration has inked a nearly $137 million contract with a pharmaceutical company to build a factory in Wisconsin to produce material used in COVID-19 test strips - but the finished product is not scheduled to roll off assembly lines before late 2024. You decide . . . Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates. Shepherd, 33, is now an inmate at HMP Frankland, according to the Mirror. Among the other prisoners at the jail, in County Durham, are Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield. 'He spends his days writing to friends and family and getting on with the other inmates. Prison has been a humbling experience for him,' a source said. Shepherd was given a six-year sentence after being convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of Charlotte Brown when his speedboat capsized during a champagne-fuelled date on the River Thames in 2015. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd (above) has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates Other inmates at HMP Frankland include (l to r) Wayne Couzens, Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield Charlotte Brown, 24, was killed after Shepherd's boat capsized on the Thames near Wandsworth Bridge in 2015 Ms Brown, from Clacton, Essex was on her first date with Shepherd after meeting on dating website OkCupid. In July 2020, Shepherd has had 78 days cut from his 10-year jail term because of time he served waiting for extradition after fleeing the UK to Georgia. Three appeal judges said the 78 days Shepherd spent in custody awaiting extradition in Georgia should count as part of the jail term he is serving. Shepherd's trial in July 2018 heard how he had bought the 1980s' boat on Gumtree and had tried to impress other women with it. But his first date with Ms Brown ended in tragedy when the 14ft Fletcher Arrowflyte GTO, which was riddled with defects, hit a log and capsized, throwing them into the river near Wandsworth Bridge. He later sparked outrage by launching an appeal against the conviction while on the run in Georgia - and he was awarded funds to do so. The speedboat owned by web designer Jack Shepherd, which crashed in the Thames in 2015 In 2019, Shepherd (above) was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at After spending ten months on the run, Shepherd was finally extradited and ordered to serve six years with six months consecutive for skipping his bail in April 2019. The web designer then admitted hitting a barman over the head with a vodka bottle in a hotel in Devon and was given four years extra. In 2019, Shepherd was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at. Couzens is on a life-long rap for murdering Ms Everard after using his status as a police officer to kidnap her in London last year. Bellfield has a life sentence for killing Milly Dowler, 13, Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22. Huntley, a former school caretaker, was convicted of the murders of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates. Shepherd, 33, is now an inmate at HMP Frankland, according to the Mirror. Among the other prisoners at the jail, in County Durham, are Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield. 'He spends his days writing to friends and family and getting on with the other inmates. Prison has been a humbling experience for him,' a source said. Shepherd was given a six-year sentence after being convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of Charlotte Brown when his speedboat capsized during a champagne-fuelled date on the River Thames in 2015. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd (above) has reportedly been moved to a category A prison where he will serve the rest of his sentence alongside Sarah Everard's killer ex-police officer Wayne Couzens and other notorious inmates Other inmates at HMP Frankland include (l to r) Wayne Couzens, Soham murderer Ian Huntley and serial killer Levi Bellfield Charlotte Brown, 24, was killed after Shepherd's boat capsized on the Thames near Wandsworth Bridge in 2015 Ms Brown, from Clacton, Essex was on her first date with Shepherd after meeting on dating website OkCupid. In July 2020, Shepherd has had 78 days cut from his 10-year jail term because of time he served waiting for extradition after fleeing the UK to Georgia. Three appeal judges said the 78 days Shepherd spent in custody awaiting extradition in Georgia should count as part of the jail term he is serving. Shepherd's trial in July 2018 heard how he had bought the 1980s' boat on Gumtree and had tried to impress other women with it. But his first date with Ms Brown ended in tragedy when the 14ft Fletcher Arrowflyte GTO, which was riddled with defects, hit a log and capsized, throwing them into the river near Wandsworth Bridge. He later sparked outrage by launching an appeal against the conviction while on the run in Georgia - and he was awarded funds to do so. The speedboat owned by web designer Jack Shepherd, which crashed in the Thames in 2015 In 2019, Shepherd (above) was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at After spending ten months on the run, Shepherd was finally extradited and ordered to serve six years with six months consecutive for skipping his bail in April 2019. The web designer then admitted hitting a barman over the head with a vodka bottle in a hotel in Devon and was given four years extra. In 2019, Shepherd was moved to a different high-security jail after being bullied by other inmates. He was transferred for his own safety to HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes. Shepherd was being held at Wandsworth jail in South London but was moved after being spat at. Couzens is on a life-long rap for murdering Ms Everard after using his status as a police officer to kidnap her in London last year. Bellfield has a life sentence for killing Milly Dowler, 13, Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22. Huntley, a former school caretaker, was convicted of the murders of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. India and Pakistan exchanged lists of the two countries' nuclear facilities and lists of citizens imprisoned in the neighboring country on Saturday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India said on the official website. The exchange of the list of nuclear facilities took place in accordance with the 1988 treaty to prevent attacks on such facilities. India and Pakistan exchanged today through diplomatic channels simultaneously in Delhi and Islamabad the list of nuclear installations covered by the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attacks on Nuclear Installations between India and Pakistan, the Foreign Ministry said. The treaty stipulates that the two neighboring nuclear powers of South Asia at the beginning of each year notify each other about nuclear facilities on their territory in order to prevent unauthorized attacks on them. This measure is considered one of the most important in maintaining security in the region. The first exchange of such documents took place on January 1, 1992. The two countries also gave each other lists of citizens of the other side who are in prisons on their territory. The Indian diplomatic service noted that the exchange took place through diplomatic channels in accordance with an agreement of 2008, according to which the transfer of such lists is carried out twice a year - on January 1 and July 1. India has handed over to Pakistan the lists [of] 282 Pakistani civilians and 73 fishermen imprisoned in India. Likewise, Pakistan has shared lists [of] 51 detained civilians and 577 fishermen who are Indian or may be Indian, the Foreign Ministry said. Citizens of India and Pakistan often find themselves on the adjacent side due to the inaccurately demarcated border in the mountainous regions. There are always many fishermen among the prisoners. The Coast Guard of both India and Pakistan regularly detain them for infiltrating adjacent territorial waters. One of the main reasons for this is the uncertainty of the maritime borders between countries in the Arabian Sea, in addition, fishing boats often do not have equipment that allows them to accurately determine their location. At the same time, Islamabad and New Delhi periodically release the detained citizens of the neighboring country. India and Pakistan exchanged lists of the two countries' nuclear facilities and lists of citizens imprisoned in the neighboring country on Saturday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India said on the official website. The exchange of the list of nuclear facilities took place in accordance with the 1988 treaty to prevent attacks on such facilities. India and Pakistan exchanged today through diplomatic channels simultaneously in Delhi and Islamabad the list of nuclear installations covered by the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attacks on Nuclear Installations between India and Pakistan, the Foreign Ministry said. The treaty stipulates that the two neighboring nuclear powers of South Asia at the beginning of each year notify each other about nuclear facilities on their territory in order to prevent unauthorized attacks on them. This measure is considered one of the most important in maintaining security in the region. The first exchange of such documents took place on January 1, 1992. The two countries also gave each other lists of citizens of the other side who are in prisons on their territory. The Indian diplomatic service noted that the exchange took place through diplomatic channels in accordance with an agreement of 2008, according to which the transfer of such lists is carried out twice a year - on January 1 and July 1. India has handed over to Pakistan the lists [of] 282 Pakistani civilians and 73 fishermen imprisoned in India. Likewise, Pakistan has shared lists [of] 51 detained civilians and 577 fishermen who are Indian or may be Indian, the Foreign Ministry said. Citizens of India and Pakistan often find themselves on the adjacent side due to the inaccurately demarcated border in the mountainous regions. There are always many fishermen among the prisoners. The Coast Guard of both India and Pakistan regularly detain them for infiltrating adjacent territorial waters. One of the main reasons for this is the uncertainty of the maritime borders between countries in the Arabian Sea, in addition, fishing boats often do not have equipment that allows them to accurately determine their location. At the same time, Islamabad and New Delhi periodically release the detained citizens of the neighboring country. India and Pakistan exchanged lists of the two countries' nuclear facilities and lists of citizens imprisoned in the neighboring country on Saturday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India said on the official website. The exchange of the list of nuclear facilities took place in accordance with the 1988 treaty to prevent attacks on such facilities. India and Pakistan exchanged today through diplomatic channels simultaneously in Delhi and Islamabad the list of nuclear installations covered by the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attacks on Nuclear Installations between India and Pakistan, the Foreign Ministry said. The treaty stipulates that the two neighboring nuclear powers of South Asia at the beginning of each year notify each other about nuclear facilities on their territory in order to prevent unauthorized attacks on them. This measure is considered one of the most important in maintaining security in the region. The first exchange of such documents took place on January 1, 1992. The two countries also gave each other lists of citizens of the other side who are in prisons on their territory. The Indian diplomatic service noted that the exchange took place through diplomatic channels in accordance with an agreement of 2008, according to which the transfer of such lists is carried out twice a year - on January 1 and July 1. India has handed over to Pakistan the lists [of] 282 Pakistani civilians and 73 fishermen imprisoned in India. Likewise, Pakistan has shared lists [of] 51 detained civilians and 577 fishermen who are Indian or may be Indian, the Foreign Ministry said. Citizens of India and Pakistan often find themselves on the adjacent side due to the inaccurately demarcated border in the mountainous regions. There are always many fishermen among the prisoners. The Coast Guard of both India and Pakistan regularly detain them for infiltrating adjacent territorial waters. One of the main reasons for this is the uncertainty of the maritime borders between countries in the Arabian Sea, in addition, fishing boats often do not have equipment that allows them to accurately determine their location. At the same time, Islamabad and New Delhi periodically release the detained citizens of the neighboring country. India and Pakistan exchanged lists of the two countries' nuclear facilities and lists of citizens imprisoned in the neighboring country on Saturday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India said on the official website. The exchange of the list of nuclear facilities took place in accordance with the 1988 treaty to prevent attacks on such facilities. India and Pakistan exchanged today through diplomatic channels simultaneously in Delhi and Islamabad the list of nuclear installations covered by the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attacks on Nuclear Installations between India and Pakistan, the Foreign Ministry said. The treaty stipulates that the two neighboring nuclear powers of South Asia at the beginning of each year notify each other about nuclear facilities on their territory in order to prevent unauthorized attacks on them. This measure is considered one of the most important in maintaining security in the region. The first exchange of such documents took place on January 1, 1992. The two countries also gave each other lists of citizens of the other side who are in prisons on their territory. The Indian diplomatic service noted that the exchange took place through diplomatic channels in accordance with an agreement of 2008, according to which the transfer of such lists is carried out twice a year - on January 1 and July 1. India has handed over to Pakistan the lists [of] 282 Pakistani civilians and 73 fishermen imprisoned in India. Likewise, Pakistan has shared lists [of] 51 detained civilians and 577 fishermen who are Indian or may be Indian, the Foreign Ministry said. Citizens of India and Pakistan often find themselves on the adjacent side due to the inaccurately demarcated border in the mountainous regions. There are always many fishermen among the prisoners. The Coast Guard of both India and Pakistan regularly detain them for infiltrating adjacent territorial waters. One of the main reasons for this is the uncertainty of the maritime borders between countries in the Arabian Sea, in addition, fishing boats often do not have equipment that allows them to accurately determine their location. At the same time, Islamabad and New Delhi periodically release the detained citizens of the neighboring country. Drones have low Radar Cross Section (RCS), slow speed and a small size lending to its stealth and concealment advantages in battlefields, and thereafter, making it difficult to identify and localise. (Representative Image: ANI) Remote-controlled soldier boys, deadly killing machines which are armed to the teeth... that create more ill will than they extinguish, through indiscriminate collateral damage, that is how Joe Haldman, the award winning science fiction author of Forever Peace, envisioned what the future weapons and warfare would look like. That was in 1998! Fast forward 23 years, today the global market of Unmanned Aerial Systems has touched 21.47 billion dollars. US Predator drones have been used to carry out more than 1,100 air strikes. Turkish Byraktar TB2 have destroyed hundreds of Syrian armoured vehicles and the Azerbaijani forces have used the Israeli Kamikaze drones against Armenian military in the Nagarno Karabakh conflict. Haldmans Forever Peace was more a prescient prophecy than just a snazzy a sci-fi novel. Today drones have become an important part of military arsenals across the world. Conventional war fighting doctrines are singularly ill-equipped to respond to these new age offensive weapons. Their lethality is only going to increase in the future with advances in machine learning, artificial intelligence and precision guidance. The use of drones to mount localised and virtually autonomous terrorist attacks marks the commencement of a significant new security challenge for India. The attack in the June of 2021, where low-flying drones were used to drop two improvised explosive devices (IED) on the Jammu IAF station, is a clear manifestation of this emerging frontier. The attack was significant not just because it was the first time drones were used to launch an attack on a defence establishment in India, but also because the Indian defence systems were completely caught off guard. Not a very unusual occurrence unfortunately. A threat to India The stupefied reaction of the national security establishment after the attack was disconcerting to say the least. It seemed as if they were only now waking up to the portentousness of the drone threat. However, the fact remains that the drone menace in India is not new. There have been over 300 drone sightings since 2019. A bulk of them have been reported from the Kanachak, Satwari, Samba, Hiranagar and Kathua sectors of the International border and Line of Control, respectively. In June 2020, the BSF shot down a drone carrying a rifle, two magazines and a cache of grenades. There was even a drone hovering above the premises of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad when India had invited diplomats from other countries to commemorate 75 years of its Independence. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had seized 85-high end Chinese drones busting a ring of drone smuggling worth Rs.10,000 crores in 2019. Not only government agencies but even strategic analysts and chief ministers of border states have been flagging the possibility of attacks via low-flying sub-conventional aerial platforms including UAVs and their use for the cross border smuggling of arms and ammunitions. These threats do not just come from across the border today even Naxalites, are now reportedly deploying drones in their operations against Indian security forces. Why drones? Why are drones now the weapon of choice for terrorists and insurgents? They are inexpensive. They can be easily procured off the shelf or assembled using retail-level components. This rudimentary but lethal assemblage is closely associated with the issue of drone availability. Modern drones, debuting with the expensive Predator drones of the US post the 9/11 attack ,are not easily available. This is because US tightly controls the export of its Predator and Reaper Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs). They are only available to close military allies. However, China, Israel and Turkey have started developing their own UCAVs, that they also widely export. It is not difficult for quasi military states like Pakistan, to now develop affordable ways to project force with greater lethality at a much lower risk for non-conventional operations. India has an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) market pegged at $866 million, this essentially means drones are available in the country in large numbers and can be probably weaponised by anyone, anywhere and anytime. Drones have low Radar Cross Section (RCS), slow speed and a small size lending to its stealth and concealment advantages in battlefields, and thereafter, making it difficult to identify and localise. Conventional radar systems are not meant for detecting small flying objects, and, even if they are calibrated that way, they might confuse a bird for a drone and the system may get overwhelmed. The small size also grants them weak thermal, and aural signatures. Swarm drones are even harder to track, as miniature drones attacking in wave-after-waves of swarms overwhelm enemy sensors with a deluge of targets an eerie reminder of the 2012 sci-fi novel Kill Decisions. While drones can be countered with drones, the technology to counter swarm drones is still a work in progress. Australias drone shield is an attempt at solving this problem. It disrupts radio frequency in the hostile drones video feed and forces it to land on the spot or return to the operator. Then there is the matter of actually disabling such drones. Choosing between soft and hard kill options is not straightforward. While in some cases a soft kill would be preferable, in other cases like swarm attacks, rapid hard kill will be more appropriate. Whatever method of detection and removal is chosen, the protection required is technological in nature and far more costly than the actual danger. Moreover, differentiating between legitimate and potentially threatening drones will be a massive challenge itself. Indias response The domestic research and development for anti-drone systems is at a nascent stage. While the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an Anti Drone System, they have been only used to guard VIPs during national day celebrations. If India needs to take up the challenge it needs to develop fast-track research and development for systems that can be operationally deployed for wider use. Then there is the challenge of the technologys strategic deployment and the money the government is ready to spend. Additionally, there is the problem of militarys unduly focus on major platforms and not enough on future technologies like robotics, artificial intelligence, cyber and electronic warfare to counter 21st century threats. General M.M. Naravane rightly opined that ...the advent of drones and counter-drone systems, has radically altered the way we think and how we will fight in the future. It is about time that our defence establishment starts to walk the talk. Drones have low Radar Cross Section (RCS), slow speed and a small size lending to its stealth and concealment advantages in battlefields, and thereafter, making it difficult to identify and localise. (Representative Image: ANI) Remote-controlled soldier boys, deadly killing machines which are armed to the teeth... that create more ill will than they extinguish, through indiscriminate collateral damage, that is how Joe Haldman, the award winning science fiction author of Forever Peace, envisioned what the future weapons and warfare would look like. That was in 1998! Fast forward 23 years, today the global market of Unmanned Aerial Systems has touched 21.47 billion dollars. US Predator drones have been used to carry out more than 1,100 air strikes. Turkish Byraktar TB2 have destroyed hundreds of Syrian armoured vehicles and the Azerbaijani forces have used the Israeli Kamikaze drones against Armenian military in the Nagarno Karabakh conflict. Haldmans Forever Peace was more a prescient prophecy than just a snazzy a sci-fi novel. Today drones have become an important part of military arsenals across the world. Conventional war fighting doctrines are singularly ill-equipped to respond to these new age offensive weapons. Their lethality is only going to increase in the future with advances in machine learning, artificial intelligence and precision guidance. The use of drones to mount localised and virtually autonomous terrorist attacks marks the commencement of a significant new security challenge for India. The attack in the June of 2021, where low-flying drones were used to drop two improvised explosive devices (IED) on the Jammu IAF station, is a clear manifestation of this emerging frontier. The attack was significant not just because it was the first time drones were used to launch an attack on a defence establishment in India, but also because the Indian defence systems were completely caught off guard. Not a very unusual occurrence unfortunately. A threat to India The stupefied reaction of the national security establishment after the attack was disconcerting to say the least. It seemed as if they were only now waking up to the portentousness of the drone threat. However, the fact remains that the drone menace in India is not new. There have been over 300 drone sightings since 2019. A bulk of them have been reported from the Kanachak, Satwari, Samba, Hiranagar and Kathua sectors of the International border and Line of Control, respectively. In June 2020, the BSF shot down a drone carrying a rifle, two magazines and a cache of grenades. There was even a drone hovering above the premises of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad when India had invited diplomats from other countries to commemorate 75 years of its Independence. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had seized 85-high end Chinese drones busting a ring of drone smuggling worth Rs.10,000 crores in 2019. Not only government agencies but even strategic analysts and chief ministers of border states have been flagging the possibility of attacks via low-flying sub-conventional aerial platforms including UAVs and their use for the cross border smuggling of arms and ammunitions. These threats do not just come from across the border today even Naxalites, are now reportedly deploying drones in their operations against Indian security forces. Why drones? Why are drones now the weapon of choice for terrorists and insurgents? They are inexpensive. They can be easily procured off the shelf or assembled using retail-level components. This rudimentary but lethal assemblage is closely associated with the issue of drone availability. Modern drones, debuting with the expensive Predator drones of the US post the 9/11 attack ,are not easily available. This is because US tightly controls the export of its Predator and Reaper Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs). They are only available to close military allies. However, China, Israel and Turkey have started developing their own UCAVs, that they also widely export. It is not difficult for quasi military states like Pakistan, to now develop affordable ways to project force with greater lethality at a much lower risk for non-conventional operations. India has an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) market pegged at $866 million, this essentially means drones are available in the country in large numbers and can be probably weaponised by anyone, anywhere and anytime. Drones have low Radar Cross Section (RCS), slow speed and a small size lending to its stealth and concealment advantages in battlefields, and thereafter, making it difficult to identify and localise. Conventional radar systems are not meant for detecting small flying objects, and, even if they are calibrated that way, they might confuse a bird for a drone and the system may get overwhelmed. The small size also grants them weak thermal, and aural signatures. Swarm drones are even harder to track, as miniature drones attacking in wave-after-waves of swarms overwhelm enemy sensors with a deluge of targets an eerie reminder of the 2012 sci-fi novel Kill Decisions. While drones can be countered with drones, the technology to counter swarm drones is still a work in progress. Australias drone shield is an attempt at solving this problem. It disrupts radio frequency in the hostile drones video feed and forces it to land on the spot or return to the operator. Then there is the matter of actually disabling such drones. Choosing between soft and hard kill options is not straightforward. While in some cases a soft kill would be preferable, in other cases like swarm attacks, rapid hard kill will be more appropriate. Whatever method of detection and removal is chosen, the protection required is technological in nature and far more costly than the actual danger. Moreover, differentiating between legitimate and potentially threatening drones will be a massive challenge itself. Indias response The domestic research and development for anti-drone systems is at a nascent stage. While the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an Anti Drone System, they have been only used to guard VIPs during national day celebrations. If India needs to take up the challenge it needs to develop fast-track research and development for systems that can be operationally deployed for wider use. Then there is the challenge of the technologys strategic deployment and the money the government is ready to spend. Additionally, there is the problem of militarys unduly focus on major platforms and not enough on future technologies like robotics, artificial intelligence, cyber and electronic warfare to counter 21st century threats. General M.M. Naravane rightly opined that ...the advent of drones and counter-drone systems, has radically altered the way we think and how we will fight in the future. It is about time that our defence establishment starts to walk the talk. Wages and other payments related to labor relations are no longer issued in cash in Lithuania. On January 1, amendments to the Labor Code entered into force, according to which the employer must transfer this money to the employee's bank account, TASS reports. As noted by the State Labor Inspectorate under the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, the refusal to issue wages in cash should reduce the shadow business and should more effectively protect the interests of the employee. According to the ministry, in the private sector of the economy, there are often cases when a larger amount is indicated in the statements than is paid to a person. Labor disputes arising in this regard are difficult to resolve. It is expected that the bank transfer of salaries, per diems and travel allowances will make this segment of labor relations more transparent. All business entities will have to adhere to this form of payment, except for sea trading companies, for which an exception has been made. The payment of salaries to seafarers is regulated by the Lithuanian merchant marine law. As critics of the innovation note, in the fight against shadow business, politicians will leave the village without money. In rural areas, in many shops you can pay only in cash, and there are no ATMs where you can get them. Currently, 1,044 ATM machines are installed in 91 settlements of the country. They are not even in some small towns. There are 103 settlements in Lithuania with the status of a city. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) AMERICA The US military has a number of hypersonic weapons programs across the Navy, Army and Air Force but most are still in development phase and highly top secret. However the known programs are all more conventional hypersonic weapons that strike from high altitude, rather than orbital bombardment systems that strike from space which the Chinese were revealed to have developed tis week. The only US hypersonic weapon know to have been successfully tested is the Air Force's GM-183 ARRW which is designed to be launched from a large bomber aircraft. It then accelerates to hypersonic speeds using of up to 15,345mph using a supersonic combustion ramjet to strike targets within 1,000 miles. Donald Trump refered to a 'super duper missile' while in office and this is believed to be the AGM-183 ARRW. The Navy's submarine launched Long Range Hypersonic Weapon is expected to be operational by 2023 and will have a range of 1,725 miles. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) but kept details such as range, speed and payload secret. The missile uses oxygen in the atmosphere as part of its fuel - marking the first successful test of that class of weapon since 2013. The missile, which is built by Raytheon, was released from an aircraft just 'seconds' before the scramjet engine from Northrop Grumman kicked on, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) said. The engine works by compressing incoming air with hydrocarbon fuel to create a fast airflow mixture, one capable of reaching over 1,700 meters per second, or five times the speed of sound. Earlier this year, a test of a hypersonic missile from the U.S. Air Force was abandoned after it was unable to complete its launch sequence. On March 19 last year, the Pentagon flight-tested a hypersonic glide vehicle at its Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. It deemed the test a success and 'a major milestone towards the department's goal of fielding hypersonic warfighting capabilities in the early- to mid-2020s.' Unlike Russia, the United States says it is not developing hypersonic weapons for use with a nuclear warhead. As a result, a U.S. hypersonic weapon will need to be more accurate, posing additional technical challenges. In 2004, NASA's experimental unmanned hypersonic aircraft X-43 reached 7,366mph (Mach 9.6) using a scramjet engine, setting the current record. In 2019, DailyMail.com reported that the Raytheon and Northrop Grumman-developed missile would use an engine made by a 3D printer. Last year, DARPA said it was working with Aerojet Rocketdyne on a nearly $20 million project to develop a hypersonic rocket that could intercept enemy missiles mid-air. Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine and has the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles RUSSIA Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine, and since late 2019 has had the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles in service. The Avangard can travel at up to Mach 27, changing course and altitude. The range of Russia's hypersonic missile, the Zircon, is 621 miles with a speed of 9,800mph. But the missile flies below the atmosphere and uses fuel to power itself to hypersonic speeds rather than the Earth's orbit. Earlier this month, Russia announced it has successfully test-fired the Zircon from a nuclear submarine for the first time. The 6,670mph weapon hit a target in the Barents Sea according to the Moscow defence ministry, who claims the missile is capable of Mach-9 speeds and able to evade all Western defences. Russia said it had completed flight tests of the new-age missile from a frigate - the Admiral Gorshkov - and a coastal mount, but it had not previously been launched from a submarine. The Zircon has been identified by Moscow's state-controlled TV as Vladimir Putin's weapon of choice to wipe out coastal American cities in the event of an atomic conflict. He has declared the missile as 'truly unparalleled anywhere in the world', and the Russians have boasted it is 'unstoppable' by Western defences. Putin first announced the development of an array of new hypersonic weapons in 2018, insisting that they would be able to hit almost any point in the world and evade a US-built missile shield. The Zircon is due to go into service next year, and will first be deployed via the Admiral Golovko frigate which carries significant stealth-technology. A key use of the missile is taking out enemy ships and reports suggested its maximum range is between 188 and 620 miles. But there have been unconfirmed reports its true range is some 1,200 miles. The missile system's design and development have been conducted in deep secrecy, and Putin has warned that foreign spies have tried to steal its secrets. It is one of a number of hypersonic missiles Russia is deploying including the 188-tonne Sarmat - known in the West as Satan-2 - which will be the biggest beast in Russia's nuclear arsenal, due for tests in the autumn with deployment slated for next year. In May, Russia said it tested three 'invincible' hypersonic 'Satan 2' missiles that some have said could wipe out areas the size of England and Wales. China launched the dummy weapon into space on board a Long March 2C rocket (pictured) during a test in mid-August which it did not disclose at the time and was only revealed at the weekend by security analysts assigned to work out its purpose CHINA The hypersonic orbital bombardment system that China tested in August reportedly reaches a top speed of 21,000 mph and strikes from space. The core concept of China's 'new' weapon - deliver a warhead into orbit and have it circle the globe before hitting a target - was first developed by the Soviets in the 1960s. Called a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, or FOBS, it was developed to evade powerful US radar arrays and missile defence systems. Those systems work by detecting launches of ICBMs - very long-range missiles that can be tipped with nukes - and tracking them into space, then firing at the warheads as they come down in the hope of blowing them up before they hit their targets. This is possible because ICBMs and their warheads follow a predictable trajectory that rises high into space - making them relatively easy to spot and allowing defence crews to calculate where they are aimed so they can be shot out of the sky. FOBS aim to negate these defences by firing their warheads along a much-flatter trajectory - assisted by Earth's gravity. This means they pass under the scope of many radar detection arrays and are harder to track. It also makes the warheads much harder to shoot down because their trajectory is harder to calculate. The use of orbit makes a warhead's range potentially unlimited, meaning it can be fired at its target from any direction. This helps to avoid radar systems which generally point at a fixed spot in the sky - in America's case, over the North Pole. Meanwhile, China has also unveiled a hypersonic medium-range missile, the DF-17, in 2019, which can travel around 2,000 kilometres and can carry nuclear warheads. In October, China deployed the DF 17 missile to coastal areas in preparation for a possible invasion of Taiwan. The weapon has a maximum range of 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles) and is capable of achieving speeds of up to 7,680 miles per hour (12,360 kph) - or 10 times the speed of sound - while carrying a nuclear warhead, according to previous reports. It has been billed as 'a death sentence' to aircraft carriers within its range. Hypersonic missiles travel at more than five times the speed of sound in the upper atmosphere - or about 6,200 km per hour (3,850 mph). This is slower than an intercontinental ballistic missile, but the shape of a hypersonic glide vehicle allows it to manoeuvre toward a target or away from defences. Combining a glide vehicle with a missile that can launch it partially into orbit - a so-called fractional orbital bombardment system (FOBS) - could strip adversaries of reaction time and traditional defences mechanisms. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), by contrast, carry nuclear warheads on ballistic trajectories that travel into space but never reach orbit. China on Monday insisted that the test in August was a routine one for a spacecraft rather than a missile. POWELL A post-World War II uprising in Hungary attracted the attention of a 12-year-old Powell boy and inspired a life of stamp collecting. Hungarians revolted against their Stalinist government in October of 1956, but their declaration of freedom was quickly crushed by Russian tanks and troops. Wes Learned of Powell remembers feeling empathy as the world watched Russian forces clamp down on the Hungarians bid for freedom. I came to understand that we just couldnt help them, and felt bad for them at the time, Learned said. He turned to a nascent interest in stamps in response. At age 12, Learned had already been introduced to philately (stamp collecting) under the arm of the late Ray Easton, a longtime Powell funeral home director and father of Don Easton. I researched more of the history of Hungary and their stamps, Learned recalled. I like the geography of it and learn from it. Now 77, he has accumulated more than 4,400 regular issue Hungarian stamps through a variety of sources individual collectors, auctions and eBay. Learned also knows the owner of the Hungarian Stamp Exchange, from whom he has made numerous acquisitions. All are meticulously numbered in order and mounted in one of the several albums in his collection. His early and persistent interest in Hungarian stamps has landed him in an unusual position. Working from his study in his Powell home, Learned serves as treasurer of the Society of Hungarian Philately, a group whose members worldwide have a strong interest in Hungarian philately and have ties to Hungary. In correspondence with members of the society and the editor of the groups newsletter, Learneds background in finance and accounting appeared to sync up with the needs of a soon-to-be vacant treasurer position. He was asked to replace the retiring treasurer and did so in 2005. The Society meets annually at large stamp shows around the country. He has recently attended meetings in Riverside, California; Mesa, Arizona; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Next years meeting is set for Chicago. Hes never been to Europe, but has also actively collected stamps from the Baltic Sea states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, along with many others. Again asserting geography is my deal, his stamps portray the relative disappearance of Estonia for some 50 years. From the time of Hitlers German invasion of Estonia in 1939 through the Russian domination at the end of World War II, Estonia didnt issue a stamp until 1989-90. Ive collected all of the Estonian stamps including all the souvenir books of stamps since then, Learned said. He has no idea how many stamps he possesses in his various albums. They number in the thousands. Ive got a U.S. stamp collection, too, but Im not done collecting worldwide yet, said Learned, who is also a member of the American Philatelic Society. Of course, he has a copy of the first postage stamp ever issued in the world. Known as the Penny Black, it was issued in Great Britain in 1840, a crude black stamp showing the head of Queen Victoria. Postage stamps debuted in the United States in 1845. Learneds nearly 50 years of stamp collecting began as a young boy, then tapered off in his early adult years. He credits his wife, Linda, with stimulating his renewed interest in stamps when he began suffering serious hearing loss. Linda said it would be good for me. Ive been collecting seriously since about 1980, said Learned. I dont spend much time at it any more, but when I was traveling the state in my job, I would take stamps with me. I could spread them out on the table in my room and put them in the proper place. Learned worked as an auditor for the State of Wyoming Department of Audit for 33 years. His favorite stamp is from his U.S. collection, a commemorative stamp issued in a set of five to mark the 100th anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase from France. The acquisition doubled the size of the United States in 1803-04, including lands in 15 present states west of the Mississippi (Wyoming being among them). The set of five Louisiana Purchase commemorative stamps was sold only at the 1904 Worlds Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. It took some doing for Learned to find all five. There are prettier stamps, he said. But I had to look so hard for the final one, and it felt so good when I finally completed my set of five. Thats my favorite stamp, Learned affirmed. He looks at it every day: His daughter, Rae Eckley of Cody, had the stamp enlarged as the face of a clock that resides in the master bedroom of the Learned home. History, geography and satisfaction are the takeaways of Learneds many years adventuring in stamps. He also offers a piece of advice. Stamp collecting is a hobby, strictly for the enjoyment of the collector, Learned said. If you think you are going to make a lot of money at it, youre sadly mistaken. POWELL A post-World War II uprising in Hungary attracted the attention of a 12-year-old Powell boy and inspired a life of stamp collecting. Hungarians revolted against their Stalinist government in October of 1956, but their declaration of freedom was quickly crushed by Russian tanks and troops. Wes Learned of Powell remembers feeling empathy as the world watched Russian forces clamp down on the Hungarians bid for freedom. I came to understand that we just couldnt help them, and felt bad for them at the time, Learned said. He turned to a nascent interest in stamps in response. At age 12, Learned had already been introduced to philately (stamp collecting) under the arm of the late Ray Easton, a longtime Powell funeral home director and father of Don Easton. I researched more of the history of Hungary and their stamps, Learned recalled. I like the geography of it and learn from it. Now 77, he has accumulated more than 4,400 regular issue Hungarian stamps through a variety of sources individual collectors, auctions and eBay. Learned also knows the owner of the Hungarian Stamp Exchange, from whom he has made numerous acquisitions. All are meticulously numbered in order and mounted in one of the several albums in his collection. His early and persistent interest in Hungarian stamps has landed him in an unusual position. Working from his study in his Powell home, Learned serves as treasurer of the Society of Hungarian Philately, a group whose members worldwide have a strong interest in Hungarian philately and have ties to Hungary. In correspondence with members of the society and the editor of the groups newsletter, Learneds background in finance and accounting appeared to sync up with the needs of a soon-to-be vacant treasurer position. He was asked to replace the retiring treasurer and did so in 2005. The Society meets annually at large stamp shows around the country. He has recently attended meetings in Riverside, California; Mesa, Arizona; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Next years meeting is set for Chicago. Hes never been to Europe, but has also actively collected stamps from the Baltic Sea states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, along with many others. Again asserting geography is my deal, his stamps portray the relative disappearance of Estonia for some 50 years. From the time of Hitlers German invasion of Estonia in 1939 through the Russian domination at the end of World War II, Estonia didnt issue a stamp until 1989-90. Ive collected all of the Estonian stamps including all the souvenir books of stamps since then, Learned said. He has no idea how many stamps he possesses in his various albums. They number in the thousands. Ive got a U.S. stamp collection, too, but Im not done collecting worldwide yet, said Learned, who is also a member of the American Philatelic Society. Of course, he has a copy of the first postage stamp ever issued in the world. Known as the Penny Black, it was issued in Great Britain in 1840, a crude black stamp showing the head of Queen Victoria. Postage stamps debuted in the United States in 1845. Learneds nearly 50 years of stamp collecting began as a young boy, then tapered off in his early adult years. He credits his wife, Linda, with stimulating his renewed interest in stamps when he began suffering serious hearing loss. Linda said it would be good for me. Ive been collecting seriously since about 1980, said Learned. I dont spend much time at it any more, but when I was traveling the state in my job, I would take stamps with me. I could spread them out on the table in my room and put them in the proper place. Learned worked as an auditor for the State of Wyoming Department of Audit for 33 years. His favorite stamp is from his U.S. collection, a commemorative stamp issued in a set of five to mark the 100th anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase from France. The acquisition doubled the size of the United States in 1803-04, including lands in 15 present states west of the Mississippi (Wyoming being among them). The set of five Louisiana Purchase commemorative stamps was sold only at the 1904 Worlds Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. It took some doing for Learned to find all five. There are prettier stamps, he said. But I had to look so hard for the final one, and it felt so good when I finally completed my set of five. Thats my favorite stamp, Learned affirmed. He looks at it every day: His daughter, Rae Eckley of Cody, had the stamp enlarged as the face of a clock that resides in the master bedroom of the Learned home. History, geography and satisfaction are the takeaways of Learneds many years adventuring in stamps. He also offers a piece of advice. Stamp collecting is a hobby, strictly for the enjoyment of the collector, Learned said. If you think you are going to make a lot of money at it, youre sadly mistaken. POWELL A post-World War II uprising in Hungary attracted the attention of a 12-year-old Powell boy and inspired a life of stamp collecting. Hungarians revolted against their Stalinist government in October of 1956, but their declaration of freedom was quickly crushed by Russian tanks and troops. Wes Learned of Powell remembers feeling empathy as the world watched Russian forces clamp down on the Hungarians bid for freedom. I came to understand that we just couldnt help them, and felt bad for them at the time, Learned said. He turned to a nascent interest in stamps in response. At age 12, Learned had already been introduced to philately (stamp collecting) under the arm of the late Ray Easton, a longtime Powell funeral home director and father of Don Easton. I researched more of the history of Hungary and their stamps, Learned recalled. I like the geography of it and learn from it. Now 77, he has accumulated more than 4,400 regular issue Hungarian stamps through a variety of sources individual collectors, auctions and eBay. Learned also knows the owner of the Hungarian Stamp Exchange, from whom he has made numerous acquisitions. All are meticulously numbered in order and mounted in one of the several albums in his collection. His early and persistent interest in Hungarian stamps has landed him in an unusual position. Working from his study in his Powell home, Learned serves as treasurer of the Society of Hungarian Philately, a group whose members worldwide have a strong interest in Hungarian philately and have ties to Hungary. In correspondence with members of the society and the editor of the groups newsletter, Learneds background in finance and accounting appeared to sync up with the needs of a soon-to-be vacant treasurer position. He was asked to replace the retiring treasurer and did so in 2005. The Society meets annually at large stamp shows around the country. He has recently attended meetings in Riverside, California; Mesa, Arizona; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Next years meeting is set for Chicago. Hes never been to Europe, but has also actively collected stamps from the Baltic Sea states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, along with many others. Again asserting geography is my deal, his stamps portray the relative disappearance of Estonia for some 50 years. From the time of Hitlers German invasion of Estonia in 1939 through the Russian domination at the end of World War II, Estonia didnt issue a stamp until 1989-90. Ive collected all of the Estonian stamps including all the souvenir books of stamps since then, Learned said. He has no idea how many stamps he possesses in his various albums. They number in the thousands. Ive got a U.S. stamp collection, too, but Im not done collecting worldwide yet, said Learned, who is also a member of the American Philatelic Society. Of course, he has a copy of the first postage stamp ever issued in the world. Known as the Penny Black, it was issued in Great Britain in 1840, a crude black stamp showing the head of Queen Victoria. Postage stamps debuted in the United States in 1845. Learneds nearly 50 years of stamp collecting began as a young boy, then tapered off in his early adult years. He credits his wife, Linda, with stimulating his renewed interest in stamps when he began suffering serious hearing loss. Linda said it would be good for me. Ive been collecting seriously since about 1980, said Learned. I dont spend much time at it any more, but when I was traveling the state in my job, I would take stamps with me. I could spread them out on the table in my room and put them in the proper place. Learned worked as an auditor for the State of Wyoming Department of Audit for 33 years. His favorite stamp is from his U.S. collection, a commemorative stamp issued in a set of five to mark the 100th anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase from France. The acquisition doubled the size of the United States in 1803-04, including lands in 15 present states west of the Mississippi (Wyoming being among them). The set of five Louisiana Purchase commemorative stamps was sold only at the 1904 Worlds Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. It took some doing for Learned to find all five. There are prettier stamps, he said. But I had to look so hard for the final one, and it felt so good when I finally completed my set of five. Thats my favorite stamp, Learned affirmed. He looks at it every day: His daughter, Rae Eckley of Cody, had the stamp enlarged as the face of a clock that resides in the master bedroom of the Learned home. History, geography and satisfaction are the takeaways of Learneds many years adventuring in stamps. He also offers a piece of advice. Stamp collecting is a hobby, strictly for the enjoyment of the collector, Learned said. If you think you are going to make a lot of money at it, youre sadly mistaken. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) AMERICA The US military has a number of hypersonic weapons programs across the Navy, Army and Air Force but most are still in development phase and highly top secret. However the known programs are all more conventional hypersonic weapons that strike from high altitude, rather than orbital bombardment systems that strike from space which the Chinese were revealed to have developed tis week. The only US hypersonic weapon know to have been successfully tested is the Air Force's GM-183 ARRW which is designed to be launched from a large bomber aircraft. It then accelerates to hypersonic speeds using of up to 15,345mph using a supersonic combustion ramjet to strike targets within 1,000 miles. Donald Trump refered to a 'super duper missile' while in office and this is believed to be the AGM-183 ARRW. The Navy's submarine launched Long Range Hypersonic Weapon is expected to be operational by 2023 and will have a range of 1,725 miles. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) but kept details such as range, speed and payload secret. The missile uses oxygen in the atmosphere as part of its fuel - marking the first successful test of that class of weapon since 2013. The missile, which is built by Raytheon, was released from an aircraft just 'seconds' before the scramjet engine from Northrop Grumman kicked on, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) said. The engine works by compressing incoming air with hydrocarbon fuel to create a fast airflow mixture, one capable of reaching over 1,700 meters per second, or five times the speed of sound. Earlier this year, a test of a hypersonic missile from the U.S. Air Force was abandoned after it was unable to complete its launch sequence. On March 19 last year, the Pentagon flight-tested a hypersonic glide vehicle at its Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. It deemed the test a success and 'a major milestone towards the department's goal of fielding hypersonic warfighting capabilities in the early- to mid-2020s.' Unlike Russia, the United States says it is not developing hypersonic weapons for use with a nuclear warhead. As a result, a U.S. hypersonic weapon will need to be more accurate, posing additional technical challenges. In 2004, NASA's experimental unmanned hypersonic aircraft X-43 reached 7,366mph (Mach 9.6) using a scramjet engine, setting the current record. In 2019, DailyMail.com reported that the Raytheon and Northrop Grumman-developed missile would use an engine made by a 3D printer. Last year, DARPA said it was working with Aerojet Rocketdyne on a nearly $20 million project to develop a hypersonic rocket that could intercept enemy missiles mid-air. Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine and has the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles RUSSIA Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine, and since late 2019 has had the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles in service. The Avangard can travel at up to Mach 27, changing course and altitude. The range of Russia's hypersonic missile, the Zircon, is 621 miles with a speed of 9,800mph. But the missile flies below the atmosphere and uses fuel to power itself to hypersonic speeds rather than the Earth's orbit. Earlier this month, Russia announced it has successfully test-fired the Zircon from a nuclear submarine for the first time. The 6,670mph weapon hit a target in the Barents Sea according to the Moscow defence ministry, who claims the missile is capable of Mach-9 speeds and able to evade all Western defences. Russia said it had completed flight tests of the new-age missile from a frigate - the Admiral Gorshkov - and a coastal mount, but it had not previously been launched from a submarine. The Zircon has been identified by Moscow's state-controlled TV as Vladimir Putin's weapon of choice to wipe out coastal American cities in the event of an atomic conflict. He has declared the missile as 'truly unparalleled anywhere in the world', and the Russians have boasted it is 'unstoppable' by Western defences. Putin first announced the development of an array of new hypersonic weapons in 2018, insisting that they would be able to hit almost any point in the world and evade a US-built missile shield. The Zircon is due to go into service next year, and will first be deployed via the Admiral Golovko frigate which carries significant stealth-technology. A key use of the missile is taking out enemy ships and reports suggested its maximum range is between 188 and 620 miles. But there have been unconfirmed reports its true range is some 1,200 miles. The missile system's design and development have been conducted in deep secrecy, and Putin has warned that foreign spies have tried to steal its secrets. It is one of a number of hypersonic missiles Russia is deploying including the 188-tonne Sarmat - known in the West as Satan-2 - which will be the biggest beast in Russia's nuclear arsenal, due for tests in the autumn with deployment slated for next year. In May, Russia said it tested three 'invincible' hypersonic 'Satan 2' missiles that some have said could wipe out areas the size of England and Wales. China launched the dummy weapon into space on board a Long March 2C rocket (pictured) during a test in mid-August which it did not disclose at the time and was only revealed at the weekend by security analysts assigned to work out its purpose CHINA The hypersonic orbital bombardment system that China tested in August reportedly reaches a top speed of 21,000 mph and strikes from space. The core concept of China's 'new' weapon - deliver a warhead into orbit and have it circle the globe before hitting a target - was first developed by the Soviets in the 1960s. Called a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, or FOBS, it was developed to evade powerful US radar arrays and missile defence systems. Those systems work by detecting launches of ICBMs - very long-range missiles that can be tipped with nukes - and tracking them into space, then firing at the warheads as they come down in the hope of blowing them up before they hit their targets. This is possible because ICBMs and their warheads follow a predictable trajectory that rises high into space - making them relatively easy to spot and allowing defence crews to calculate where they are aimed so they can be shot out of the sky. FOBS aim to negate these defences by firing their warheads along a much-flatter trajectory - assisted by Earth's gravity. This means they pass under the scope of many radar detection arrays and are harder to track. It also makes the warheads much harder to shoot down because their trajectory is harder to calculate. The use of orbit makes a warhead's range potentially unlimited, meaning it can be fired at its target from any direction. This helps to avoid radar systems which generally point at a fixed spot in the sky - in America's case, over the North Pole. Meanwhile, China has also unveiled a hypersonic medium-range missile, the DF-17, in 2019, which can travel around 2,000 kilometres and can carry nuclear warheads. In October, China deployed the DF 17 missile to coastal areas in preparation for a possible invasion of Taiwan. The weapon has a maximum range of 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles) and is capable of achieving speeds of up to 7,680 miles per hour (12,360 kph) - or 10 times the speed of sound - while carrying a nuclear warhead, according to previous reports. It has been billed as 'a death sentence' to aircraft carriers within its range. Hypersonic missiles travel at more than five times the speed of sound in the upper atmosphere - or about 6,200 km per hour (3,850 mph). This is slower than an intercontinental ballistic missile, but the shape of a hypersonic glide vehicle allows it to manoeuvre toward a target or away from defences. Combining a glide vehicle with a missile that can launch it partially into orbit - a so-called fractional orbital bombardment system (FOBS) - could strip adversaries of reaction time and traditional defences mechanisms. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), by contrast, carry nuclear warheads on ballistic trajectories that travel into space but never reach orbit. China on Monday insisted that the test in August was a routine one for a spacecraft rather than a missile. India and Pakistan exchanged lists of the two countries' nuclear facilities and lists of citizens imprisoned in the neighboring country on Saturday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India said on the official website. The exchange of the list of nuclear facilities took place in accordance with the 1988 treaty to prevent attacks on such facilities. India and Pakistan exchanged today through diplomatic channels simultaneously in Delhi and Islamabad the list of nuclear installations covered by the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attacks on Nuclear Installations between India and Pakistan, the Foreign Ministry said. The treaty stipulates that the two neighboring nuclear powers of South Asia at the beginning of each year notify each other about nuclear facilities on their territory in order to prevent unauthorized attacks on them. This measure is considered one of the most important in maintaining security in the region. The first exchange of such documents took place on January 1, 1992. The two countries also gave each other lists of citizens of the other side who are in prisons on their territory. The Indian diplomatic service noted that the exchange took place through diplomatic channels in accordance with an agreement of 2008, according to which the transfer of such lists is carried out twice a year - on January 1 and July 1. India has handed over to Pakistan the lists [of] 282 Pakistani civilians and 73 fishermen imprisoned in India. Likewise, Pakistan has shared lists [of] 51 detained civilians and 577 fishermen who are Indian or may be Indian, the Foreign Ministry said. Citizens of India and Pakistan often find themselves on the adjacent side due to the inaccurately demarcated border in the mountainous regions. There are always many fishermen among the prisoners. The Coast Guard of both India and Pakistan regularly detain them for infiltrating adjacent territorial waters. One of the main reasons for this is the uncertainty of the maritime borders between countries in the Arabian Sea, in addition, fishing boats often do not have equipment that allows them to accurately determine their location. At the same time, Islamabad and New Delhi periodically release the detained citizens of the neighboring country. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) AMERICA The US military has a number of hypersonic weapons programs across the Navy, Army and Air Force but most are still in development phase and highly top secret. However the known programs are all more conventional hypersonic weapons that strike from high altitude, rather than orbital bombardment systems that strike from space which the Chinese were revealed to have developed tis week. The only US hypersonic weapon know to have been successfully tested is the Air Force's GM-183 ARRW which is designed to be launched from a large bomber aircraft. It then accelerates to hypersonic speeds using of up to 15,345mph using a supersonic combustion ramjet to strike targets within 1,000 miles. Donald Trump refered to a 'super duper missile' while in office and this is believed to be the AGM-183 ARRW. The Navy's submarine launched Long Range Hypersonic Weapon is expected to be operational by 2023 and will have a range of 1,725 miles. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) but kept details such as range, speed and payload secret. The missile uses oxygen in the atmosphere as part of its fuel - marking the first successful test of that class of weapon since 2013. The missile, which is built by Raytheon, was released from an aircraft just 'seconds' before the scramjet engine from Northrop Grumman kicked on, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) said. The engine works by compressing incoming air with hydrocarbon fuel to create a fast airflow mixture, one capable of reaching over 1,700 meters per second, or five times the speed of sound. Earlier this year, a test of a hypersonic missile from the U.S. Air Force was abandoned after it was unable to complete its launch sequence. On March 19 last year, the Pentagon flight-tested a hypersonic glide vehicle at its Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. It deemed the test a success and 'a major milestone towards the department's goal of fielding hypersonic warfighting capabilities in the early- to mid-2020s.' Unlike Russia, the United States says it is not developing hypersonic weapons for use with a nuclear warhead. As a result, a U.S. hypersonic weapon will need to be more accurate, posing additional technical challenges. In 2004, NASA's experimental unmanned hypersonic aircraft X-43 reached 7,366mph (Mach 9.6) using a scramjet engine, setting the current record. In 2019, DailyMail.com reported that the Raytheon and Northrop Grumman-developed missile would use an engine made by a 3D printer. Last year, DARPA said it was working with Aerojet Rocketdyne on a nearly $20 million project to develop a hypersonic rocket that could intercept enemy missiles mid-air. Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine and has the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles RUSSIA Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine, and since late 2019 has had the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles in service. The Avangard can travel at up to Mach 27, changing course and altitude. The range of Russia's hypersonic missile, the Zircon, is 621 miles with a speed of 9,800mph. But the missile flies below the atmosphere and uses fuel to power itself to hypersonic speeds rather than the Earth's orbit. Earlier this month, Russia announced it has successfully test-fired the Zircon from a nuclear submarine for the first time. The 6,670mph weapon hit a target in the Barents Sea according to the Moscow defence ministry, who claims the missile is capable of Mach-9 speeds and able to evade all Western defences. Russia said it had completed flight tests of the new-age missile from a frigate - the Admiral Gorshkov - and a coastal mount, but it had not previously been launched from a submarine. The Zircon has been identified by Moscow's state-controlled TV as Vladimir Putin's weapon of choice to wipe out coastal American cities in the event of an atomic conflict. He has declared the missile as 'truly unparalleled anywhere in the world', and the Russians have boasted it is 'unstoppable' by Western defences. Putin first announced the development of an array of new hypersonic weapons in 2018, insisting that they would be able to hit almost any point in the world and evade a US-built missile shield. The Zircon is due to go into service next year, and will first be deployed via the Admiral Golovko frigate which carries significant stealth-technology. A key use of the missile is taking out enemy ships and reports suggested its maximum range is between 188 and 620 miles. But there have been unconfirmed reports its true range is some 1,200 miles. The missile system's design and development have been conducted in deep secrecy, and Putin has warned that foreign spies have tried to steal its secrets. It is one of a number of hypersonic missiles Russia is deploying including the 188-tonne Sarmat - known in the West as Satan-2 - which will be the biggest beast in Russia's nuclear arsenal, due for tests in the autumn with deployment slated for next year. In May, Russia said it tested three 'invincible' hypersonic 'Satan 2' missiles that some have said could wipe out areas the size of England and Wales. China launched the dummy weapon into space on board a Long March 2C rocket (pictured) during a test in mid-August which it did not disclose at the time and was only revealed at the weekend by security analysts assigned to work out its purpose CHINA The hypersonic orbital bombardment system that China tested in August reportedly reaches a top speed of 21,000 mph and strikes from space. The core concept of China's 'new' weapon - deliver a warhead into orbit and have it circle the globe before hitting a target - was first developed by the Soviets in the 1960s. Called a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, or FOBS, it was developed to evade powerful US radar arrays and missile defence systems. Those systems work by detecting launches of ICBMs - very long-range missiles that can be tipped with nukes - and tracking them into space, then firing at the warheads as they come down in the hope of blowing them up before they hit their targets. This is possible because ICBMs and their warheads follow a predictable trajectory that rises high into space - making them relatively easy to spot and allowing defence crews to calculate where they are aimed so they can be shot out of the sky. FOBS aim to negate these defences by firing their warheads along a much-flatter trajectory - assisted by Earth's gravity. This means they pass under the scope of many radar detection arrays and are harder to track. It also makes the warheads much harder to shoot down because their trajectory is harder to calculate. The use of orbit makes a warhead's range potentially unlimited, meaning it can be fired at its target from any direction. This helps to avoid radar systems which generally point at a fixed spot in the sky - in America's case, over the North Pole. Meanwhile, China has also unveiled a hypersonic medium-range missile, the DF-17, in 2019, which can travel around 2,000 kilometres and can carry nuclear warheads. In October, China deployed the DF 17 missile to coastal areas in preparation for a possible invasion of Taiwan. The weapon has a maximum range of 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles) and is capable of achieving speeds of up to 7,680 miles per hour (12,360 kph) - or 10 times the speed of sound - while carrying a nuclear warhead, according to previous reports. It has been billed as 'a death sentence' to aircraft carriers within its range. Hypersonic missiles travel at more than five times the speed of sound in the upper atmosphere - or about 6,200 km per hour (3,850 mph). This is slower than an intercontinental ballistic missile, but the shape of a hypersonic glide vehicle allows it to manoeuvre toward a target or away from defences. Combining a glide vehicle with a missile that can launch it partially into orbit - a so-called fractional orbital bombardment system (FOBS) - could strip adversaries of reaction time and traditional defences mechanisms. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), by contrast, carry nuclear warheads on ballistic trajectories that travel into space but never reach orbit. China on Monday insisted that the test in August was a routine one for a spacecraft rather than a missile. Colorado prosecutors vowed to release previously undisclosed information about a truck driver involved in a deadly crash who is now at the center of a controversial clemency granted by Governor Jared Polis, commuting the convict's 110-year sentence to just 10 years. Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, was sentenced on Dec. 13 to 110 years after being found guilty on 27 counts when his breaks failed in an April 2019 crash that caused a mass pile-up and resulted in a fireball explosion that killed four people. In a rare move, Polis, 46, granted Aguilera-Mederos clemency before the appellate process began after his sentence was met with widespread public backlash, including from the likes of Kim Kardashian. 'After learning about the highly atypical and unjust sentence in your case, I am commuting your sentence to 10 years and granting you parole eligibility on December 30, 2026,' Polis said on Thursday. Jefferson County District Attorney Alexis King, who prosecuted the case, said on his office will release information that was 'ethically prohibited' while the case 'was pending.' Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, caused a two-dozen car pile-up in April 2019 after his semi-truck breaks failed, which resulted in a fireball explosion that killed four people Colorado Gov Jared Polis (pictured) said the 'atypical' sentence was 'unjust It is unclear when the information will be released to the public. DailyMail.com reached out to the Colorado AG's Office for a comment. The court has not officially vacated the hearing to reconsider the original sentence, which is set for Jan. 13, but Mederos' attorney said they expect the judge to do so next week. Aguilera-Mederos' attorneys said it doesn't 'matter' what is disclosed now that he has been granted clemency and that it's was 'politically' motivated. 'It wouldn't matter what she disclosed now,' James Colgan told ABC News. 'I'm not aware of any law that allows [the DA's office] to have jurisdiction over the case.' Colgan said he did not know what information would be released. Leonard Martinez, Aguilera-Mederos' other attorney, said the driver was 'shocked' and 'grateful' after receiving clemency from the governor. Aguilera-Mederos was driving a semi-truck on April 25, 2019, along Interstate 70 in Lakewood, Colorado, when he slammed into two dozen vehicles. The impact caused a fireball explosion that incinerated cars and trucks, killing four people and injuring several others. Aguilera-Mederos testified that the brakes on his semitrailer failed as he was descending a steep grade of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountain foothills. His defense attorney claimed he did not know that his truck brakes were smoking or that he would not be able to stop. He also argued that Aguilera-Mederos' actions were a series of negligent decisions, and that he did not intend to hurt anybody. But prosecutors argued he should have used a runaway ramp designed for such situations. Aguilera-Mederos, for his part, said he was struggling to avoid traffic and trying to shift to slow down. On October 15, a jury ultimately found Aguilera-Mederos guilty of 27 criminal charges. The impact caused a fireball explosion that incinerated cars and trucks, killing four people and injuring several others. Aguilera-Mederos testified that the brakes on his semitrailer failed as he was descending a steep grade of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountain foothills On December 13, he was given the excessive sentence - one the judge said he would not given if he had the choice. Due to state minimums, the judge's hands were tied. Aguilera-Mederos issued a statement apologizing to the victims' families, crying as he spoke on December 13: 'It's hard. This was a terrible accident, I know. I take the responsibility, but it was an accident. 'I have never thought about hurting anyone in my entire life and Jesus Christ, he knows that, he knows my heart,' he continued. 'I am not a criminal, I am not a murderer. 'The accident - it wasn't intentional, it wasn't intentional, Your Honor. I did all that I can as a man. I put myself in harm's way to avoid harming anyone else.' He claimed that he tried to avoid the traffic, and noted that he did not flee in the aftermath 'because I respect the laws. 'I want to say sorry, sorry for the loss, sorry for the people injured,' he concluded, noting: 'I ask...God many times why them and not me.' Relatives of the victims supported at least some prison time at his sentencing hearing, but in the statement last week, King said she and her team had spoken to the surviving victims of the crash and the families of those who died about the possibility of Aguilera-Mederos being resentenced before she issued her request. His case received wide-spread public backlash and celebrity appeal. Kardashian, who is studying law, had called for a lesser sentence for Aguilera-Mederos. She posted on Instagram to her 271 million followers that she had heard about the case and 'took a deep dive in it to figure out what the situation is.' She continued: 'He was not drunk or under the influence; his brakes on the tractor-trailer failed. 'Another shocking and unfair part of this case is that the judge didn't want to sentence him to such a lengthy sentence. The explosion was so big, it created a large plume of smoke to form over the highway After the explosion, Aguilera-Mederos was convicted of 27 charges 'However, because of the mandatory minimums in Colorado, his hands were tied. 'Mandatory minimums take away judicial discretion and need to end.' Kardashian also condemned the gleeful celebrations of the prosecutors, saying their gift of a brake shoe trophy made her 'sick'. She added that the governor, Jared Polis, 'is a really good person and I know he will do the right thing.' Besides Kardashian's support, millions signed a petition to lower his sentence. 'Rogel is very grateful for all the support he's gotten not only locally, but nationally. He's humbled by it,' Martinez said. The decision on Rogel Aguilera-Mederos sentence was among several year-end commutations and pardons issued by Polis. POWELL A post-World War II uprising in Hungary attracted the attention of a 12-year-old Powell boy and inspired a life of stamp collecting. Hungarians revolted against their Stalinist government in October of 1956, but their declaration of freedom was quickly crushed by Russian tanks and troops. Wes Learned of Powell remembers feeling empathy as the world watched Russian forces clamp down on the Hungarians bid for freedom. I came to understand that we just couldnt help them, and felt bad for them at the time, Learned said. He turned to a nascent interest in stamps in response. At age 12, Learned had already been introduced to philately (stamp collecting) under the arm of the late Ray Easton, a longtime Powell funeral home director and father of Don Easton. I researched more of the history of Hungary and their stamps, Learned recalled. I like the geography of it and learn from it. Now 77, he has accumulated more than 4,400 regular issue Hungarian stamps through a variety of sources individual collectors, auctions and eBay. Learned also knows the owner of the Hungarian Stamp Exchange, from whom he has made numerous acquisitions. All are meticulously numbered in order and mounted in one of the several albums in his collection. His early and persistent interest in Hungarian stamps has landed him in an unusual position. Working from his study in his Powell home, Learned serves as treasurer of the Society of Hungarian Philately, a group whose members worldwide have a strong interest in Hungarian philately and have ties to Hungary. In correspondence with members of the society and the editor of the groups newsletter, Learneds background in finance and accounting appeared to sync up with the needs of a soon-to-be vacant treasurer position. He was asked to replace the retiring treasurer and did so in 2005. The Society meets annually at large stamp shows around the country. He has recently attended meetings in Riverside, California; Mesa, Arizona; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Next years meeting is set for Chicago. Hes never been to Europe, but has also actively collected stamps from the Baltic Sea states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, along with many others. Again asserting geography is my deal, his stamps portray the relative disappearance of Estonia for some 50 years. From the time of Hitlers German invasion of Estonia in 1939 through the Russian domination at the end of World War II, Estonia didnt issue a stamp until 1989-90. Ive collected all of the Estonian stamps including all the souvenir books of stamps since then, Learned said. He has no idea how many stamps he possesses in his various albums. They number in the thousands. Ive got a U.S. stamp collection, too, but Im not done collecting worldwide yet, said Learned, who is also a member of the American Philatelic Society. Of course, he has a copy of the first postage stamp ever issued in the world. Known as the Penny Black, it was issued in Great Britain in 1840, a crude black stamp showing the head of Queen Victoria. Postage stamps debuted in the United States in 1845. Learneds nearly 50 years of stamp collecting began as a young boy, then tapered off in his early adult years. He credits his wife, Linda, with stimulating his renewed interest in stamps when he began suffering serious hearing loss. Linda said it would be good for me. Ive been collecting seriously since about 1980, said Learned. I dont spend much time at it any more, but when I was traveling the state in my job, I would take stamps with me. I could spread them out on the table in my room and put them in the proper place. Learned worked as an auditor for the State of Wyoming Department of Audit for 33 years. His favorite stamp is from his U.S. collection, a commemorative stamp issued in a set of five to mark the 100th anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase from France. The acquisition doubled the size of the United States in 1803-04, including lands in 15 present states west of the Mississippi (Wyoming being among them). The set of five Louisiana Purchase commemorative stamps was sold only at the 1904 Worlds Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. It took some doing for Learned to find all five. There are prettier stamps, he said. But I had to look so hard for the final one, and it felt so good when I finally completed my set of five. Thats my favorite stamp, Learned affirmed. He looks at it every day: His daughter, Rae Eckley of Cody, had the stamp enlarged as the face of a clock that resides in the master bedroom of the Learned home. History, geography and satisfaction are the takeaways of Learneds many years adventuring in stamps. He also offers a piece of advice. Stamp collecting is a hobby, strictly for the enjoyment of the collector, Learned said. If you think you are going to make a lot of money at it, youre sadly mistaken. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. Colorado prosecutors vowed to release previously undisclosed information about a truck driver involved in a deadly crash who is now at the center of a controversial clemency granted by Governor Jared Polis, commuting the convict's 110-year sentence to just 10 years. Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, was sentenced on Dec. 13 to 110 years after being found guilty on 27 counts when his breaks failed in an April 2019 crash that caused a mass pile-up and resulted in a fireball explosion that killed four people. In a rare move, Polis, 46, granted Aguilera-Mederos clemency before the appellate process began after his sentence was met with widespread public backlash, including from the likes of Kim Kardashian. 'After learning about the highly atypical and unjust sentence in your case, I am commuting your sentence to 10 years and granting you parole eligibility on December 30, 2026,' Polis said on Thursday. Jefferson County District Attorney Alexis King, who prosecuted the case, said on his office will release information that was 'ethically prohibited' while the case 'was pending.' Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, caused a two-dozen car pile-up in April 2019 after his semi-truck breaks failed, which resulted in a fireball explosion that killed four people Colorado Gov Jared Polis (pictured) said the 'atypical' sentence was 'unjust It is unclear when the information will be released to the public. DailyMail.com reached out to the Colorado AG's Office for a comment. The court has not officially vacated the hearing to reconsider the original sentence, which is set for Jan. 13, but Mederos' attorney said they expect the judge to do so next week. Aguilera-Mederos' attorneys said it doesn't 'matter' what is disclosed now that he has been granted clemency and that it's was 'politically' motivated. 'It wouldn't matter what she disclosed now,' James Colgan told ABC News. 'I'm not aware of any law that allows [the DA's office] to have jurisdiction over the case.' Colgan said he did not know what information would be released. Leonard Martinez, Aguilera-Mederos' other attorney, said the driver was 'shocked' and 'grateful' after receiving clemency from the governor. Aguilera-Mederos was driving a semi-truck on April 25, 2019, along Interstate 70 in Lakewood, Colorado, when he slammed into two dozen vehicles. The impact caused a fireball explosion that incinerated cars and trucks, killing four people and injuring several others. Aguilera-Mederos testified that the brakes on his semitrailer failed as he was descending a steep grade of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountain foothills. His defense attorney claimed he did not know that his truck brakes were smoking or that he would not be able to stop. He also argued that Aguilera-Mederos' actions were a series of negligent decisions, and that he did not intend to hurt anybody. But prosecutors argued he should have used a runaway ramp designed for such situations. Aguilera-Mederos, for his part, said he was struggling to avoid traffic and trying to shift to slow down. On October 15, a jury ultimately found Aguilera-Mederos guilty of 27 criminal charges. The impact caused a fireball explosion that incinerated cars and trucks, killing four people and injuring several others. Aguilera-Mederos testified that the brakes on his semitrailer failed as he was descending a steep grade of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountain foothills On December 13, he was given the excessive sentence - one the judge said he would not given if he had the choice. Due to state minimums, the judge's hands were tied. Aguilera-Mederos issued a statement apologizing to the victims' families, crying as he spoke on December 13: 'It's hard. This was a terrible accident, I know. I take the responsibility, but it was an accident. 'I have never thought about hurting anyone in my entire life and Jesus Christ, he knows that, he knows my heart,' he continued. 'I am not a criminal, I am not a murderer. 'The accident - it wasn't intentional, it wasn't intentional, Your Honor. I did all that I can as a man. I put myself in harm's way to avoid harming anyone else.' He claimed that he tried to avoid the traffic, and noted that he did not flee in the aftermath 'because I respect the laws. 'I want to say sorry, sorry for the loss, sorry for the people injured,' he concluded, noting: 'I ask...God many times why them and not me.' Relatives of the victims supported at least some prison time at his sentencing hearing, but in the statement last week, King said she and her team had spoken to the surviving victims of the crash and the families of those who died about the possibility of Aguilera-Mederos being resentenced before she issued her request. His case received wide-spread public backlash and celebrity appeal. Kardashian, who is studying law, had called for a lesser sentence for Aguilera-Mederos. She posted on Instagram to her 271 million followers that she had heard about the case and 'took a deep dive in it to figure out what the situation is.' She continued: 'He was not drunk or under the influence; his brakes on the tractor-trailer failed. 'Another shocking and unfair part of this case is that the judge didn't want to sentence him to such a lengthy sentence. The explosion was so big, it created a large plume of smoke to form over the highway After the explosion, Aguilera-Mederos was convicted of 27 charges 'However, because of the mandatory minimums in Colorado, his hands were tied. 'Mandatory minimums take away judicial discretion and need to end.' Kardashian also condemned the gleeful celebrations of the prosecutors, saying their gift of a brake shoe trophy made her 'sick'. She added that the governor, Jared Polis, 'is a really good person and I know he will do the right thing.' Besides Kardashian's support, millions signed a petition to lower his sentence. 'Rogel is very grateful for all the support he's gotten not only locally, but nationally. He's humbled by it,' Martinez said. The decision on Rogel Aguilera-Mederos sentence was among several year-end commutations and pardons issued by Polis. BRADLEY A woman wanted in the fatal shooting of one police officer and the wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel surrendered to police hours after a man also suspected in the shooting was arrested in Indiana, police said. Xandria Harris, 26, of Bradley, Illinois, turned herself in Friday afternoon at the Bradley Police Department while accompanied by her attorney, Illinois State Police said. She was being held at a detention facility in Kankakee. Harris' attorney could not immediately be reached for comment. Illinois State Police did not identify her attorney in their news release and the case was not yet reflected in Kankakee County court records. The Associated Press left a message Saturday with state police requesting the attorney's name. Hours earlier, a man who is suspected in late Wednesday's shooting that killed Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, a 49-year-old Bradley police officer, and critically wounded her partner, Officer Tyler Bailey, 27, was arrested Friday morning at a home in North Manchester, Indiana, police said. Darius Sullivan, a 26-year-old from Kankakee, Illinois, was wanted in the officers' shootings on active warrants for first-degree murder, attempted murder and aggravated battery with a firearm. State police said in a news release Friday evening that arrangements were being made to extradite Sullivan from Indiana to Kankakee County. "In a multi-jurisdictional effort, two alleged cop killers have been taken into custody today and will now face justice," Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly said in the news release. Investigators believe Harris was at the hotel when Rittmanic and Bailey were shot. Illinois State Police did not specify in their news release what charges she faces, but the (Kankakee) Daily Journal reported that she had been charged in a no-bond warrant with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. Rittmanic and Bailey were at a hotel late Wednesday to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, police said. The officers found the room where the vehicle's possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, authorities said. The Daily Journal reported that five other people have been arrested in connection with the shootings, including two people who allegedly impeded the search for Sullivan and Harris. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriff's deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles (322 kilometers) south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriff's Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputy's squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. BRADLEY A woman wanted in the fatal shooting of one police officer and the wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel surrendered to police hours after a man also suspected in the shooting was arrested in Indiana, police said. Xandria Harris, 26, of Bradley, Illinois, turned herself in Friday afternoon at the Bradley Police Department while accompanied by her attorney, Illinois State Police said. She was being held at a detention facility in Kankakee. Harris' attorney could not immediately be reached for comment. Illinois State Police did not identify her attorney in their news release and the case was not yet reflected in Kankakee County court records. The Associated Press left a message Saturday with state police requesting the attorney's name. Hours earlier, a man who is suspected in late Wednesday's shooting that killed Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, a 49-year-old Bradley police officer, and critically wounded her partner, Officer Tyler Bailey, 27, was arrested Friday morning at a home in North Manchester, Indiana, police said. Darius Sullivan, a 26-year-old from Kankakee, Illinois, was wanted in the officers' shootings on active warrants for first-degree murder, attempted murder and aggravated battery with a firearm. State police said in a news release Friday evening that arrangements were being made to extradite Sullivan from Indiana to Kankakee County. "In a multi-jurisdictional effort, two alleged cop killers have been taken into custody today and will now face justice," Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly said in the news release. Investigators believe Harris was at the hotel when Rittmanic and Bailey were shot. Illinois State Police did not specify in their news release what charges she faces, but the (Kankakee) Daily Journal reported that she had been charged in a no-bond warrant with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. Rittmanic and Bailey were at a hotel late Wednesday to investigate a report of dogs that were barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot, police said. The officers found the room where the vehicle's possible owner was staying and were shot while talking to the people in that room, authorities said. The Daily Journal reported that five other people have been arrested in connection with the shootings, including two people who allegedly impeded the search for Sullivan and Harris. The hotel shootings came hours after a sheriff's deputy was fatally shot while responding to a motorist assist call on a highway near Mill Shoals, roughly 200 miles (322 kilometers) south of Bradley. The Wayne County Sheriff's Office said Deputy Sean Riley was found dead by a second officer who later arrived at the scene, and the deputy's squad car was later found abandoned on I-64, police said. Authorities arrested a Kentucky man suspected in that attack and a carjacking in Missouri. Colorado prosecutors vowed to release previously undisclosed information about a truck driver involved in a deadly crash who is now at the center of a controversial clemency granted by Governor Jared Polis, commuting the convict's 110-year sentence to just 10 years. Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, was sentenced on Dec. 13 to 110 years after being found guilty on 27 counts when his breaks failed in an April 2019 crash that caused a mass pile-up and resulted in a fireball explosion that killed four people. In a rare move, Polis, 46, granted Aguilera-Mederos clemency before the appellate process began after his sentence was met with widespread public backlash, including from the likes of Kim Kardashian. 'After learning about the highly atypical and unjust sentence in your case, I am commuting your sentence to 10 years and granting you parole eligibility on December 30, 2026,' Polis said on Thursday. Jefferson County District Attorney Alexis King, who prosecuted the case, said on his office will release information that was 'ethically prohibited' while the case 'was pending.' Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, caused a two-dozen car pile-up in April 2019 after his semi-truck breaks failed, which resulted in a fireball explosion that killed four people Colorado Gov Jared Polis (pictured) said the 'atypical' sentence was 'unjust It is unclear when the information will be released to the public. DailyMail.com reached out to the Colorado AG's Office for a comment. The court has not officially vacated the hearing to reconsider the original sentence, which is set for Jan. 13, but Mederos' attorney said they expect the judge to do so next week. Aguilera-Mederos' attorneys said it doesn't 'matter' what is disclosed now that he has been granted clemency and that it's was 'politically' motivated. 'It wouldn't matter what she disclosed now,' James Colgan told ABC News. 'I'm not aware of any law that allows [the DA's office] to have jurisdiction over the case.' Colgan said he did not know what information would be released. Leonard Martinez, Aguilera-Mederos' other attorney, said the driver was 'shocked' and 'grateful' after receiving clemency from the governor. Aguilera-Mederos was driving a semi-truck on April 25, 2019, along Interstate 70 in Lakewood, Colorado, when he slammed into two dozen vehicles. The impact caused a fireball explosion that incinerated cars and trucks, killing four people and injuring several others. Aguilera-Mederos testified that the brakes on his semitrailer failed as he was descending a steep grade of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountain foothills. His defense attorney claimed he did not know that his truck brakes were smoking or that he would not be able to stop. He also argued that Aguilera-Mederos' actions were a series of negligent decisions, and that he did not intend to hurt anybody. But prosecutors argued he should have used a runaway ramp designed for such situations. Aguilera-Mederos, for his part, said he was struggling to avoid traffic and trying to shift to slow down. On October 15, a jury ultimately found Aguilera-Mederos guilty of 27 criminal charges. The impact caused a fireball explosion that incinerated cars and trucks, killing four people and injuring several others. Aguilera-Mederos testified that the brakes on his semitrailer failed as he was descending a steep grade of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountain foothills On December 13, he was given the excessive sentence - one the judge said he would not given if he had the choice. Due to state minimums, the judge's hands were tied. Aguilera-Mederos issued a statement apologizing to the victims' families, crying as he spoke on December 13: 'It's hard. This was a terrible accident, I know. I take the responsibility, but it was an accident. 'I have never thought about hurting anyone in my entire life and Jesus Christ, he knows that, he knows my heart,' he continued. 'I am not a criminal, I am not a murderer. 'The accident - it wasn't intentional, it wasn't intentional, Your Honor. I did all that I can as a man. I put myself in harm's way to avoid harming anyone else.' He claimed that he tried to avoid the traffic, and noted that he did not flee in the aftermath 'because I respect the laws. 'I want to say sorry, sorry for the loss, sorry for the people injured,' he concluded, noting: 'I ask...God many times why them and not me.' Relatives of the victims supported at least some prison time at his sentencing hearing, but in the statement last week, King said she and her team had spoken to the surviving victims of the crash and the families of those who died about the possibility of Aguilera-Mederos being resentenced before she issued her request. His case received wide-spread public backlash and celebrity appeal. Kardashian, who is studying law, had called for a lesser sentence for Aguilera-Mederos. She posted on Instagram to her 271 million followers that she had heard about the case and 'took a deep dive in it to figure out what the situation is.' She continued: 'He was not drunk or under the influence; his brakes on the tractor-trailer failed. 'Another shocking and unfair part of this case is that the judge didn't want to sentence him to such a lengthy sentence. The explosion was so big, it created a large plume of smoke to form over the highway After the explosion, Aguilera-Mederos was convicted of 27 charges 'However, because of the mandatory minimums in Colorado, his hands were tied. 'Mandatory minimums take away judicial discretion and need to end.' Kardashian also condemned the gleeful celebrations of the prosecutors, saying their gift of a brake shoe trophy made her 'sick'. She added that the governor, Jared Polis, 'is a really good person and I know he will do the right thing.' Besides Kardashian's support, millions signed a petition to lower his sentence. 'Rogel is very grateful for all the support he's gotten not only locally, but nationally. He's humbled by it,' Martinez said. The decision on Rogel Aguilera-Mederos sentence was among several year-end commutations and pardons issued by Polis. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. Nearly 13,000 households around Boulder were without natural gas on Saturday, and 7,500 households still had no power, according to Xcel Energy, the local provider. The company said that electricity would be restored later on Saturday but that natural gas would take several days. The Town of Superior said it was shutting off water in the fire zone on Saturday to prevent additional damage. This is disappointment on disappointment, said Alli Bowdey, a nurse whose family fled its Louisville home and was packed into a house with relatives. On top of everything else, her husband tested positive for the coronavirus and was isolating in a hotel on Saturday. We just looked at each other in disbelief, she said. In the Sans Souci mobile home park, Robert Guokas, 83, was trying to stay warm with a propane heater and warming water on a camp stove as he bundled up in sleeping bags and layers of clothing collected over the years from Army surplus stores. But as much as his long-ago time as a Boy Scout had prepared him for this emergency, he was starting to run low on propane by Saturday. Thats going to stretch my limit, he said, but he worried that leaving for an emergency shelter would be even worse than staying home. By staying put, he could try to minimize the damage, for instance by replacing the pots he had set up to catch the water dripping through his roof after the harsh winds on Thursday tore part of it off. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. The gunman who shot dead a veteran Illinois cop and critically wounded her young partner was tracked down after a 36-hour manhunt at an Indiana home and arrested before another suspect turned herself in, police officials said. Darius Sullivan, 25, was found hiding out at home in North Manchester, near Fort Wayne, after a search warrant was executed by US Marshals and a SWAT team at about 9:30 a.m. on Friday. Hours later, Xandria A. Harris, 26, turned herself in to the Bradley Police Department in the fatal shooting of Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, 49, and her partner Tyler Bailey, 27, at a Comfort Inn motel in Kankakee, located south of Chicago. 'In a multi-jurisdictional effort, two alleged cop killers have been taken into custody today and will now face justice,' Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly said. Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, a 14-year veteran of the Bradley Police Department, was shot dead after responding to a call about a barking dog Police arrested Darius Sullivan and Xandria Harris in connection to the fatal shooting of 49-year-old Bradley police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic Rittmanic, a 14-year veteran with the Bradley Police Department, and Bailey were responding to a report of dogs barking in an unattended vehicle at the motel on Wednesday when they were shot. The cops went to the car's owner's hotel room when police say Sullivan and Harris began attacking the two officers before shooting them. Bailey underwent surgery for head injuries and remained in very critical condition at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois, officials said. 'The Law Enforcement family and the community lost a devoted officer, and another continues to fight for his life. The ISP will continue to offer our prayers and support to the Bradley Police Department during this difficult time,' Kelly said Sullivan was found at the Indiana home with 19-year-old Daniel Acros, who was also arrested. 'Also at the house, several weapons and narcotics were also recovered,' Sgt. Glen Fifield with Indiana State Police said. Cellphone video showed the suspects walking out with their hands in the air after police cleared the home. Bradley Police Officer Tyler Bailey, 27 remains in critical condition after being shot in the head Arrangements are currently being made to extradite Sullivan back to Illinois to face charges of murder and attempted murder. Harris' attorney, Phil Haddad, said she turned herself in voluntarily. 'She maintains her innocence. She's a mother of three children and she's pregnant,' Haddad said. Harris will appear in bond court Monday, Haddad said. Police also arrested two other suspects in Indiana connected to the case. Bryce Baker, 20, and Joshua Adams, 26, both from Kankakee, Illinois, were taken into custody when police spotted them driving the wrong-way during the manhunt for Sullivan. Their possible connection to Sullivan was being investigated, FOX 32 reported. 'Any time an officer is killed in the line of duty, no matter where it happens in the country, it affects all of us,' Fifield said. I am reassured to see the flocks of screeching cockatoos swoop past my back balcony late each afternoon, and that they are still so loud I cant hear on the phone. I am relieved that white peaches and nectarines, and mangoes, are as sun-kissed sweet as I remember. And that the sky is blindingly blue and the air pure and breathable. This is the Sydney I remember and to which I returned, less than three weeks ago, after living in New York for more than four years. I am reassured and relieved by these perhaps pedestrian markers because so much else has changed that I am finding parts of my country unrecognisable. There are so many areas of policy that are being mismanaged or ignored by the federal and NSW governments that it raises the question of whether we are still even being governed. But it is the handling of the coronavirus that exposes the scary extent to which competence has collapsed. Illustrators: Simon Letch Credit:SMH This is what I witnessed first-hand living under the Trump administration, but I managed to temper my outrage, and my fear, with my belief that there was at least one country in the world that still practised good government. At least you have somewhere sane to escape to, American friends would say after yet another Trump atrocity. Not totally true, it turned out, as the Australian government slammed its borders shut to all except movie and sporting stars, their political mates and those rich enough to afford $20,000 fares plus the costs of hotel quarantine. The gunman who shot dead a veteran Illinois cop and critically wounded her young partner was tracked down after a 36-hour manhunt at an Indiana home and arrested before another suspect turned herself in, police officials said. Darius Sullivan, 25, was found hiding out at home in North Manchester, near Fort Wayne, after a search warrant was executed by US Marshals and a SWAT team at about 9:30 a.m. on Friday. Hours later, Xandria A. Harris, 26, turned herself in to the Bradley Police Department in the fatal shooting of Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, 49, and her partner Tyler Bailey, 27, at a Comfort Inn motel in Kankakee, located south of Chicago. 'In a multi-jurisdictional effort, two alleged cop killers have been taken into custody today and will now face justice,' Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly said. Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, a 14-year veteran of the Bradley Police Department, was shot dead after responding to a call about a barking dog Police arrested Darius Sullivan and Xandria Harris in connection to the fatal shooting of 49-year-old Bradley police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic Rittmanic, a 14-year veteran with the Bradley Police Department, and Bailey were responding to a report of dogs barking in an unattended vehicle at the motel on Wednesday when they were shot. The cops went to the car's owner's hotel room when police say Sullivan and Harris began attacking the two officers before shooting them. Bailey underwent surgery for head injuries and remained in very critical condition at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois, officials said. 'The Law Enforcement family and the community lost a devoted officer, and another continues to fight for his life. The ISP will continue to offer our prayers and support to the Bradley Police Department during this difficult time,' Kelly said Sullivan was found at the Indiana home with 19-year-old Daniel Acros, who was also arrested. 'Also at the house, several weapons and narcotics were also recovered,' Sgt. Glen Fifield with Indiana State Police said. Cellphone video showed the suspects walking out with their hands in the air after police cleared the home. Bradley Police Officer Tyler Bailey, 27 remains in critical condition after being shot in the head Arrangements are currently being made to extradite Sullivan back to Illinois to face charges of murder and attempted murder. Harris' attorney, Phil Haddad, said she turned herself in voluntarily. 'She maintains her innocence. She's a mother of three children and she's pregnant,' Haddad said. Harris will appear in bond court Monday, Haddad said. Police also arrested two other suspects in Indiana connected to the case. Bryce Baker, 20, and Joshua Adams, 26, both from Kankakee, Illinois, were taken into custody when police spotted them driving the wrong-way during the manhunt for Sullivan. Their possible connection to Sullivan was being investigated, FOX 32 reported. 'Any time an officer is killed in the line of duty, no matter where it happens in the country, it affects all of us,' Fifield said. The gunman who shot dead a veteran Illinois cop and critically wounded her young partner was tracked down after a 36-hour manhunt at an Indiana home and arrested before another suspect turned herself in, police officials said. Darius Sullivan, 25, was found hiding out at home in North Manchester, near Fort Wayne, after a search warrant was executed by US Marshals and a SWAT team at about 9:30 a.m. on Friday. Hours later, Xandria A. Harris, 26, turned herself in to the Bradley Police Department in the fatal shooting of Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, 49, and her partner Tyler Bailey, 27, at a Comfort Inn motel in Kankakee, located south of Chicago. 'In a multi-jurisdictional effort, two alleged cop killers have been taken into custody today and will now face justice,' Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly said. Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, a 14-year veteran of the Bradley Police Department, was shot dead after responding to a call about a barking dog Police arrested Darius Sullivan and Xandria Harris in connection to the fatal shooting of 49-year-old Bradley police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic Rittmanic, a 14-year veteran with the Bradley Police Department, and Bailey were responding to a report of dogs barking in an unattended vehicle at the motel on Wednesday when they were shot. The cops went to the car's owner's hotel room when police say Sullivan and Harris began attacking the two officers before shooting them. Bailey underwent surgery for head injuries and remained in very critical condition at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois, officials said. 'The Law Enforcement family and the community lost a devoted officer, and another continues to fight for his life. The ISP will continue to offer our prayers and support to the Bradley Police Department during this difficult time,' Kelly said Sullivan was found at the Indiana home with 19-year-old Daniel Acros, who was also arrested. 'Also at the house, several weapons and narcotics were also recovered,' Sgt. Glen Fifield with Indiana State Police said. Cellphone video showed the suspects walking out with their hands in the air after police cleared the home. Bradley Police Officer Tyler Bailey, 27 remains in critical condition after being shot in the head Arrangements are currently being made to extradite Sullivan back to Illinois to face charges of murder and attempted murder. Harris' attorney, Phil Haddad, said she turned herself in voluntarily. 'She maintains her innocence. She's a mother of three children and she's pregnant,' Haddad said. Harris will appear in bond court Monday, Haddad said. Police also arrested two other suspects in Indiana connected to the case. Bryce Baker, 20, and Joshua Adams, 26, both from Kankakee, Illinois, were taken into custody when police spotted them driving the wrong-way during the manhunt for Sullivan. Their possible connection to Sullivan was being investigated, FOX 32 reported. 'Any time an officer is killed in the line of duty, no matter where it happens in the country, it affects all of us,' Fifield said. The gunman who shot dead a veteran Illinois cop and critically wounded her young partner was tracked down after a 36-hour manhunt at an Indiana home and arrested before another suspect turned herself in, police officials said. Darius Sullivan, 25, was found hiding out at home in North Manchester, near Fort Wayne, after a search warrant was executed by US Marshals and a SWAT team at about 9:30 a.m. on Friday. Hours later, Xandria A. Harris, 26, turned herself in to the Bradley Police Department in the fatal shooting of Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, 49, and her partner Tyler Bailey, 27, at a Comfort Inn motel in Kankakee, located south of Chicago. 'In a multi-jurisdictional effort, two alleged cop killers have been taken into custody today and will now face justice,' Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly said. Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, a 14-year veteran of the Bradley Police Department, was shot dead after responding to a call about a barking dog Police arrested Darius Sullivan and Xandria Harris in connection to the fatal shooting of 49-year-old Bradley police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic Rittmanic, a 14-year veteran with the Bradley Police Department, and Bailey were responding to a report of dogs barking in an unattended vehicle at the motel on Wednesday when they were shot. The cops went to the car's owner's hotel room when police say Sullivan and Harris began attacking the two officers before shooting them. Bailey underwent surgery for head injuries and remained in very critical condition at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois, officials said. 'The Law Enforcement family and the community lost a devoted officer, and another continues to fight for his life. The ISP will continue to offer our prayers and support to the Bradley Police Department during this difficult time,' Kelly said Sullivan was found at the Indiana home with 19-year-old Daniel Acros, who was also arrested. 'Also at the house, several weapons and narcotics were also recovered,' Sgt. Glen Fifield with Indiana State Police said. Cellphone video showed the suspects walking out with their hands in the air after police cleared the home. Bradley Police Officer Tyler Bailey, 27 remains in critical condition after being shot in the head Arrangements are currently being made to extradite Sullivan back to Illinois to face charges of murder and attempted murder. Harris' attorney, Phil Haddad, said she turned herself in voluntarily. 'She maintains her innocence. She's a mother of three children and she's pregnant,' Haddad said. Harris will appear in bond court Monday, Haddad said. Police also arrested two other suspects in Indiana connected to the case. Bryce Baker, 20, and Joshua Adams, 26, both from Kankakee, Illinois, were taken into custody when police spotted them driving the wrong-way during the manhunt for Sullivan. Their possible connection to Sullivan was being investigated, FOX 32 reported. 'Any time an officer is killed in the line of duty, no matter where it happens in the country, it affects all of us,' Fifield said. 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. Colorado prosecutors vowed to release previously undisclosed information about a truck driver involved in a deadly crash who is now at the center of a controversial clemency granted by Governor Jared Polis, commuting the convict's 110-year sentence to just 10 years. Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, was sentenced on Dec. 13 to 110 years after being found guilty on 27 counts when his breaks failed in an April 2019 crash that caused a mass pile-up and resulted in a fireball explosion that killed four people. In a rare move, Polis, 46, granted Aguilera-Mederos clemency before the appellate process began after his sentence was met with widespread public backlash, including from the likes of Kim Kardashian. 'After learning about the highly atypical and unjust sentence in your case, I am commuting your sentence to 10 years and granting you parole eligibility on December 30, 2026,' Polis said on Thursday. Jefferson County District Attorney Alexis King, who prosecuted the case, said on his office will release information that was 'ethically prohibited' while the case 'was pending.' Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, caused a two-dozen car pile-up in April 2019 after his semi-truck breaks failed, which resulted in a fireball explosion that killed four people Colorado Gov Jared Polis (pictured) said the 'atypical' sentence was 'unjust It is unclear when the information will be released to the public. DailyMail.com reached out to the Colorado AG's Office for a comment. The court has not officially vacated the hearing to reconsider the original sentence, which is set for Jan. 13, but Mederos' attorney said they expect the judge to do so next week. Aguilera-Mederos' attorneys said it doesn't 'matter' what is disclosed now that he has been granted clemency and that it's was 'politically' motivated. 'It wouldn't matter what she disclosed now,' James Colgan told ABC News. 'I'm not aware of any law that allows [the DA's office] to have jurisdiction over the case.' Colgan said he did not know what information would be released. Leonard Martinez, Aguilera-Mederos' other attorney, said the driver was 'shocked' and 'grateful' after receiving clemency from the governor. Aguilera-Mederos was driving a semi-truck on April 25, 2019, along Interstate 70 in Lakewood, Colorado, when he slammed into two dozen vehicles. The impact caused a fireball explosion that incinerated cars and trucks, killing four people and injuring several others. Aguilera-Mederos testified that the brakes on his semitrailer failed as he was descending a steep grade of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountain foothills. His defense attorney claimed he did not know that his truck brakes were smoking or that he would not be able to stop. He also argued that Aguilera-Mederos' actions were a series of negligent decisions, and that he did not intend to hurt anybody. But prosecutors argued he should have used a runaway ramp designed for such situations. Aguilera-Mederos, for his part, said he was struggling to avoid traffic and trying to shift to slow down. On October 15, a jury ultimately found Aguilera-Mederos guilty of 27 criminal charges. The impact caused a fireball explosion that incinerated cars and trucks, killing four people and injuring several others. Aguilera-Mederos testified that the brakes on his semitrailer failed as he was descending a steep grade of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountain foothills On December 13, he was given the excessive sentence - one the judge said he would not given if he had the choice. Due to state minimums, the judge's hands were tied. Aguilera-Mederos issued a statement apologizing to the victims' families, crying as he spoke on December 13: 'It's hard. This was a terrible accident, I know. I take the responsibility, but it was an accident. 'I have never thought about hurting anyone in my entire life and Jesus Christ, he knows that, he knows my heart,' he continued. 'I am not a criminal, I am not a murderer. 'The accident - it wasn't intentional, it wasn't intentional, Your Honor. I did all that I can as a man. I put myself in harm's way to avoid harming anyone else.' He claimed that he tried to avoid the traffic, and noted that he did not flee in the aftermath 'because I respect the laws. 'I want to say sorry, sorry for the loss, sorry for the people injured,' he concluded, noting: 'I ask...God many times why them and not me.' Relatives of the victims supported at least some prison time at his sentencing hearing, but in the statement last week, King said she and her team had spoken to the surviving victims of the crash and the families of those who died about the possibility of Aguilera-Mederos being resentenced before she issued her request. His case received wide-spread public backlash and celebrity appeal. Kardashian, who is studying law, had called for a lesser sentence for Aguilera-Mederos. She posted on Instagram to her 271 million followers that she had heard about the case and 'took a deep dive in it to figure out what the situation is.' She continued: 'He was not drunk or under the influence; his brakes on the tractor-trailer failed. 'Another shocking and unfair part of this case is that the judge didn't want to sentence him to such a lengthy sentence. The explosion was so big, it created a large plume of smoke to form over the highway After the explosion, Aguilera-Mederos was convicted of 27 charges 'However, because of the mandatory minimums in Colorado, his hands were tied. 'Mandatory minimums take away judicial discretion and need to end.' Kardashian also condemned the gleeful celebrations of the prosecutors, saying their gift of a brake shoe trophy made her 'sick'. She added that the governor, Jared Polis, 'is a really good person and I know he will do the right thing.' Besides Kardashian's support, millions signed a petition to lower his sentence. 'Rogel is very grateful for all the support he's gotten not only locally, but nationally. He's humbled by it,' Martinez said. The decision on Rogel Aguilera-Mederos sentence was among several year-end commutations and pardons issued by Polis. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. POWELL A post-World War II uprising in Hungary attracted the attention of a 12-year-old Powell boy and inspired a life of stamp collecting. Hungarians revolted against their Stalinist government in October of 1956, but their declaration of freedom was quickly crushed by Russian tanks and troops. Wes Learned of Powell remembers feeling empathy as the world watched Russian forces clamp down on the Hungarians bid for freedom. I came to understand that we just couldnt help them, and felt bad for them at the time, Learned said. He turned to a nascent interest in stamps in response. At age 12, Learned had already been introduced to philately (stamp collecting) under the arm of the late Ray Easton, a longtime Powell funeral home director and father of Don Easton. I researched more of the history of Hungary and their stamps, Learned recalled. I like the geography of it and learn from it. Now 77, he has accumulated more than 4,400 regular issue Hungarian stamps through a variety of sources individual collectors, auctions and eBay. Learned also knows the owner of the Hungarian Stamp Exchange, from whom he has made numerous acquisitions. All are meticulously numbered in order and mounted in one of the several albums in his collection. His early and persistent interest in Hungarian stamps has landed him in an unusual position. Working from his study in his Powell home, Learned serves as treasurer of the Society of Hungarian Philately, a group whose members worldwide have a strong interest in Hungarian philately and have ties to Hungary. In correspondence with members of the society and the editor of the groups newsletter, Learneds background in finance and accounting appeared to sync up with the needs of a soon-to-be vacant treasurer position. He was asked to replace the retiring treasurer and did so in 2005. The Society meets annually at large stamp shows around the country. He has recently attended meetings in Riverside, California; Mesa, Arizona; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Next years meeting is set for Chicago. Hes never been to Europe, but has also actively collected stamps from the Baltic Sea states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, along with many others. Again asserting geography is my deal, his stamps portray the relative disappearance of Estonia for some 50 years. From the time of Hitlers German invasion of Estonia in 1939 through the Russian domination at the end of World War II, Estonia didnt issue a stamp until 1989-90. Ive collected all of the Estonian stamps including all the souvenir books of stamps since then, Learned said. He has no idea how many stamps he possesses in his various albums. They number in the thousands. Ive got a U.S. stamp collection, too, but Im not done collecting worldwide yet, said Learned, who is also a member of the American Philatelic Society. Of course, he has a copy of the first postage stamp ever issued in the world. Known as the Penny Black, it was issued in Great Britain in 1840, a crude black stamp showing the head of Queen Victoria. Postage stamps debuted in the United States in 1845. Learneds nearly 50 years of stamp collecting began as a young boy, then tapered off in his early adult years. He credits his wife, Linda, with stimulating his renewed interest in stamps when he began suffering serious hearing loss. Linda said it would be good for me. Ive been collecting seriously since about 1980, said Learned. I dont spend much time at it any more, but when I was traveling the state in my job, I would take stamps with me. I could spread them out on the table in my room and put them in the proper place. Learned worked as an auditor for the State of Wyoming Department of Audit for 33 years. His favorite stamp is from his U.S. collection, a commemorative stamp issued in a set of five to mark the 100th anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase from France. The acquisition doubled the size of the United States in 1803-04, including lands in 15 present states west of the Mississippi (Wyoming being among them). The set of five Louisiana Purchase commemorative stamps was sold only at the 1904 Worlds Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. It took some doing for Learned to find all five. There are prettier stamps, he said. But I had to look so hard for the final one, and it felt so good when I finally completed my set of five. Thats my favorite stamp, Learned affirmed. He looks at it every day: His daughter, Rae Eckley of Cody, had the stamp enlarged as the face of a clock that resides in the master bedroom of the Learned home. History, geography and satisfaction are the takeaways of Learneds many years adventuring in stamps. He also offers a piece of advice. Stamp collecting is a hobby, strictly for the enjoyment of the collector, Learned said. If you think you are going to make a lot of money at it, youre sadly mistaken. POWELL A post-World War II uprising in Hungary attracted the attention of a 12-year-old Powell boy and inspired a life of stamp collecting. Hungarians revolted against their Stalinist government in October of 1956, but their declaration of freedom was quickly crushed by Russian tanks and troops. Wes Learned of Powell remembers feeling empathy as the world watched Russian forces clamp down on the Hungarians bid for freedom. I came to understand that we just couldnt help them, and felt bad for them at the time, Learned said. He turned to a nascent interest in stamps in response. At age 12, Learned had already been introduced to philately (stamp collecting) under the arm of the late Ray Easton, a longtime Powell funeral home director and father of Don Easton. I researched more of the history of Hungary and their stamps, Learned recalled. I like the geography of it and learn from it. Now 77, he has accumulated more than 4,400 regular issue Hungarian stamps through a variety of sources individual collectors, auctions and eBay. Learned also knows the owner of the Hungarian Stamp Exchange, from whom he has made numerous acquisitions. All are meticulously numbered in order and mounted in one of the several albums in his collection. His early and persistent interest in Hungarian stamps has landed him in an unusual position. Working from his study in his Powell home, Learned serves as treasurer of the Society of Hungarian Philately, a group whose members worldwide have a strong interest in Hungarian philately and have ties to Hungary. In correspondence with members of the society and the editor of the groups newsletter, Learneds background in finance and accounting appeared to sync up with the needs of a soon-to-be vacant treasurer position. He was asked to replace the retiring treasurer and did so in 2005. The Society meets annually at large stamp shows around the country. He has recently attended meetings in Riverside, California; Mesa, Arizona; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Next years meeting is set for Chicago. Hes never been to Europe, but has also actively collected stamps from the Baltic Sea states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, along with many others. Again asserting geography is my deal, his stamps portray the relative disappearance of Estonia for some 50 years. From the time of Hitlers German invasion of Estonia in 1939 through the Russian domination at the end of World War II, Estonia didnt issue a stamp until 1989-90. Ive collected all of the Estonian stamps including all the souvenir books of stamps since then, Learned said. He has no idea how many stamps he possesses in his various albums. They number in the thousands. Ive got a U.S. stamp collection, too, but Im not done collecting worldwide yet, said Learned, who is also a member of the American Philatelic Society. Of course, he has a copy of the first postage stamp ever issued in the world. Known as the Penny Black, it was issued in Great Britain in 1840, a crude black stamp showing the head of Queen Victoria. Postage stamps debuted in the United States in 1845. Learneds nearly 50 years of stamp collecting began as a young boy, then tapered off in his early adult years. He credits his wife, Linda, with stimulating his renewed interest in stamps when he began suffering serious hearing loss. Linda said it would be good for me. Ive been collecting seriously since about 1980, said Learned. I dont spend much time at it any more, but when I was traveling the state in my job, I would take stamps with me. I could spread them out on the table in my room and put them in the proper place. Learned worked as an auditor for the State of Wyoming Department of Audit for 33 years. His favorite stamp is from his U.S. collection, a commemorative stamp issued in a set of five to mark the 100th anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase from France. The acquisition doubled the size of the United States in 1803-04, including lands in 15 present states west of the Mississippi (Wyoming being among them). The set of five Louisiana Purchase commemorative stamps was sold only at the 1904 Worlds Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. It took some doing for Learned to find all five. There are prettier stamps, he said. But I had to look so hard for the final one, and it felt so good when I finally completed my set of five. Thats my favorite stamp, Learned affirmed. He looks at it every day: His daughter, Rae Eckley of Cody, had the stamp enlarged as the face of a clock that resides in the master bedroom of the Learned home. History, geography and satisfaction are the takeaways of Learneds many years adventuring in stamps. He also offers a piece of advice. Stamp collecting is a hobby, strictly for the enjoyment of the collector, Learned said. If you think you are going to make a lot of money at it, youre sadly mistaken. Nearly 13,000 households around Boulder were without natural gas on Saturday, and 7,500 households still had no power, according to Xcel Energy, the local provider. The company said that electricity would be restored later on Saturday but that natural gas would take several days. The Town of Superior said it was shutting off water in the fire zone on Saturday to prevent additional damage. This is disappointment on disappointment, said Alli Bowdey, a nurse whose family fled its Louisville home and was packed into a house with relatives. On top of everything else, her husband tested positive for the coronavirus and was isolating in a hotel on Saturday. We just looked at each other in disbelief, she said. In the Sans Souci mobile home park, Robert Guokas, 83, was trying to stay warm with a propane heater and warming water on a camp stove as he bundled up in sleeping bags and layers of clothing collected over the years from Army surplus stores. But as much as his long-ago time as a Boy Scout had prepared him for this emergency, he was starting to run low on propane by Saturday. Thats going to stretch my limit, he said, but he worried that leaving for an emergency shelter would be even worse than staying home. By staying put, he could try to minimize the damage, for instance by replacing the pots he had set up to catch the water dripping through his roof after the harsh winds on Thursday tore part of it off. John Howard was warned just weeks before the Tampa affair of an impending flood of boat arrivals which would exhaust Australias detention capacity and place major strain on existing security resources ahead of a summit of international leaders in Brisbane. Secret documents given to federal cabinet in 2001, released after two decades on Saturday by the National Archives of Australia, show confidential contingency plans were drawn up to deal with intelligence reports suggesting an increasing pool of 6500 asylum seekers in the smuggling pipeline was awaiting passage across the seas. An Australian Army vessel patrols the waters near the Norwegian freighter Tampa in 2001. Credit:AP They also warn of the need for a demonstrated commitment from the federal government to border security to both reassure the Australian community and send a clear message to potential future arrivals and existing immigration detainees. The submission, stamped cabinet-in-confidence and dated July 6 2001, was circulated just six weeks before a small Indonesian fishing boat, the Palapa, overloaded with 433 mainly Hazara asylum-seekers from Afghanistan, became stranded in international waters about 140 km north of Christmas Island. Nearly 13,000 households around Boulder were without natural gas on Saturday, and 7,500 households still had no power, according to Xcel Energy, the local provider. The company said that electricity would be restored later on Saturday but that natural gas would take several days. The Town of Superior said it was shutting off water in the fire zone on Saturday to prevent additional damage. This is disappointment on disappointment, said Alli Bowdey, a nurse whose family fled its Louisville home and was packed into a house with relatives. On top of everything else, her husband tested positive for the coronavirus and was isolating in a hotel on Saturday. We just looked at each other in disbelief, she said. In the Sans Souci mobile home park, Robert Guokas, 83, was trying to stay warm with a propane heater and warming water on a camp stove as he bundled up in sleeping bags and layers of clothing collected over the years from Army surplus stores. But as much as his long-ago time as a Boy Scout had prepared him for this emergency, he was starting to run low on propane by Saturday. Thats going to stretch my limit, he said, but he worried that leaving for an emergency shelter would be even worse than staying home. By staying put, he could try to minimize the damage, for instance by replacing the pots he had set up to catch the water dripping through his roof after the harsh winds on Thursday tore part of it off. Colorado prosecutors vowed to release previously undisclosed information about a truck driver involved in a deadly crash who is now at the center of a controversial clemency granted by Governor Jared Polis, commuting the convict's 110-year sentence to just 10 years. Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, was sentenced on Dec. 13 to 110 years after being found guilty on 27 counts when his breaks failed in an April 2019 crash that caused a mass pile-up and resulted in a fireball explosion that killed four people. In a rare move, Polis, 46, granted Aguilera-Mederos clemency before the appellate process began after his sentence was met with widespread public backlash, including from the likes of Kim Kardashian. 'After learning about the highly atypical and unjust sentence in your case, I am commuting your sentence to 10 years and granting you parole eligibility on December 30, 2026,' Polis said on Thursday. Jefferson County District Attorney Alexis King, who prosecuted the case, said on his office will release information that was 'ethically prohibited' while the case 'was pending.' Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, caused a two-dozen car pile-up in April 2019 after his semi-truck breaks failed, which resulted in a fireball explosion that killed four people Colorado Gov Jared Polis (pictured) said the 'atypical' sentence was 'unjust It is unclear when the information will be released to the public. DailyMail.com reached out to the Colorado AG's Office for a comment. The court has not officially vacated the hearing to reconsider the original sentence, which is set for Jan. 13, but Mederos' attorney said they expect the judge to do so next week. Aguilera-Mederos' attorneys said it doesn't 'matter' what is disclosed now that he has been granted clemency and that it's was 'politically' motivated. 'It wouldn't matter what she disclosed now,' James Colgan told ABC News. 'I'm not aware of any law that allows [the DA's office] to have jurisdiction over the case.' Colgan said he did not know what information would be released. Leonard Martinez, Aguilera-Mederos' other attorney, said the driver was 'shocked' and 'grateful' after receiving clemency from the governor. Aguilera-Mederos was driving a semi-truck on April 25, 2019, along Interstate 70 in Lakewood, Colorado, when he slammed into two dozen vehicles. The impact caused a fireball explosion that incinerated cars and trucks, killing four people and injuring several others. Aguilera-Mederos testified that the brakes on his semitrailer failed as he was descending a steep grade of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountain foothills. His defense attorney claimed he did not know that his truck brakes were smoking or that he would not be able to stop. He also argued that Aguilera-Mederos' actions were a series of negligent decisions, and that he did not intend to hurt anybody. But prosecutors argued he should have used a runaway ramp designed for such situations. Aguilera-Mederos, for his part, said he was struggling to avoid traffic and trying to shift to slow down. On October 15, a jury ultimately found Aguilera-Mederos guilty of 27 criminal charges. The impact caused a fireball explosion that incinerated cars and trucks, killing four people and injuring several others. Aguilera-Mederos testified that the brakes on his semitrailer failed as he was descending a steep grade of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountain foothills On December 13, he was given the excessive sentence - one the judge said he would not given if he had the choice. Due to state minimums, the judge's hands were tied. Aguilera-Mederos issued a statement apologizing to the victims' families, crying as he spoke on December 13: 'It's hard. This was a terrible accident, I know. I take the responsibility, but it was an accident. 'I have never thought about hurting anyone in my entire life and Jesus Christ, he knows that, he knows my heart,' he continued. 'I am not a criminal, I am not a murderer. 'The accident - it wasn't intentional, it wasn't intentional, Your Honor. I did all that I can as a man. I put myself in harm's way to avoid harming anyone else.' He claimed that he tried to avoid the traffic, and noted that he did not flee in the aftermath 'because I respect the laws. 'I want to say sorry, sorry for the loss, sorry for the people injured,' he concluded, noting: 'I ask...God many times why them and not me.' Relatives of the victims supported at least some prison time at his sentencing hearing, but in the statement last week, King said she and her team had spoken to the surviving victims of the crash and the families of those who died about the possibility of Aguilera-Mederos being resentenced before she issued her request. His case received wide-spread public backlash and celebrity appeal. Kardashian, who is studying law, had called for a lesser sentence for Aguilera-Mederos. She posted on Instagram to her 271 million followers that she had heard about the case and 'took a deep dive in it to figure out what the situation is.' She continued: 'He was not drunk or under the influence; his brakes on the tractor-trailer failed. 'Another shocking and unfair part of this case is that the judge didn't want to sentence him to such a lengthy sentence. The explosion was so big, it created a large plume of smoke to form over the highway After the explosion, Aguilera-Mederos was convicted of 27 charges 'However, because of the mandatory minimums in Colorado, his hands were tied. 'Mandatory minimums take away judicial discretion and need to end.' Kardashian also condemned the gleeful celebrations of the prosecutors, saying their gift of a brake shoe trophy made her 'sick'. She added that the governor, Jared Polis, 'is a really good person and I know he will do the right thing.' Besides Kardashian's support, millions signed a petition to lower his sentence. 'Rogel is very grateful for all the support he's gotten not only locally, but nationally. He's humbled by it,' Martinez said. The decision on Rogel Aguilera-Mederos sentence was among several year-end commutations and pardons issued by Polis. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) AMERICA The US military has a number of hypersonic weapons programs across the Navy, Army and Air Force but most are still in development phase and highly top secret. However the known programs are all more conventional hypersonic weapons that strike from high altitude, rather than orbital bombardment systems that strike from space which the Chinese were revealed to have developed tis week. The only US hypersonic weapon know to have been successfully tested is the Air Force's GM-183 ARRW which is designed to be launched from a large bomber aircraft. It then accelerates to hypersonic speeds using of up to 15,345mph using a supersonic combustion ramjet to strike targets within 1,000 miles. Donald Trump refered to a 'super duper missile' while in office and this is believed to be the AGM-183 ARRW. The Navy's submarine launched Long Range Hypersonic Weapon is expected to be operational by 2023 and will have a range of 1,725 miles. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) but kept details such as range, speed and payload secret. The missile uses oxygen in the atmosphere as part of its fuel - marking the first successful test of that class of weapon since 2013. The missile, which is built by Raytheon, was released from an aircraft just 'seconds' before the scramjet engine from Northrop Grumman kicked on, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) said. The engine works by compressing incoming air with hydrocarbon fuel to create a fast airflow mixture, one capable of reaching over 1,700 meters per second, or five times the speed of sound. Earlier this year, a test of a hypersonic missile from the U.S. Air Force was abandoned after it was unable to complete its launch sequence. On March 19 last year, the Pentagon flight-tested a hypersonic glide vehicle at its Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. It deemed the test a success and 'a major milestone towards the department's goal of fielding hypersonic warfighting capabilities in the early- to mid-2020s.' Unlike Russia, the United States says it is not developing hypersonic weapons for use with a nuclear warhead. As a result, a U.S. hypersonic weapon will need to be more accurate, posing additional technical challenges. In 2004, NASA's experimental unmanned hypersonic aircraft X-43 reached 7,366mph (Mach 9.6) using a scramjet engine, setting the current record. In 2019, DailyMail.com reported that the Raytheon and Northrop Grumman-developed missile would use an engine made by a 3D printer. Last year, DARPA said it was working with Aerojet Rocketdyne on a nearly $20 million project to develop a hypersonic rocket that could intercept enemy missiles mid-air. Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine and has the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles RUSSIA Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine, and since late 2019 has had the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles in service. The Avangard can travel at up to Mach 27, changing course and altitude. The range of Russia's hypersonic missile, the Zircon, is 621 miles with a speed of 9,800mph. But the missile flies below the atmosphere and uses fuel to power itself to hypersonic speeds rather than the Earth's orbit. Earlier this month, Russia announced it has successfully test-fired the Zircon from a nuclear submarine for the first time. The 6,670mph weapon hit a target in the Barents Sea according to the Moscow defence ministry, who claims the missile is capable of Mach-9 speeds and able to evade all Western defences. Russia said it had completed flight tests of the new-age missile from a frigate - the Admiral Gorshkov - and a coastal mount, but it had not previously been launched from a submarine. The Zircon has been identified by Moscow's state-controlled TV as Vladimir Putin's weapon of choice to wipe out coastal American cities in the event of an atomic conflict. He has declared the missile as 'truly unparalleled anywhere in the world', and the Russians have boasted it is 'unstoppable' by Western defences. Putin first announced the development of an array of new hypersonic weapons in 2018, insisting that they would be able to hit almost any point in the world and evade a US-built missile shield. The Zircon is due to go into service next year, and will first be deployed via the Admiral Golovko frigate which carries significant stealth-technology. A key use of the missile is taking out enemy ships and reports suggested its maximum range is between 188 and 620 miles. But there have been unconfirmed reports its true range is some 1,200 miles. The missile system's design and development have been conducted in deep secrecy, and Putin has warned that foreign spies have tried to steal its secrets. It is one of a number of hypersonic missiles Russia is deploying including the 188-tonne Sarmat - known in the West as Satan-2 - which will be the biggest beast in Russia's nuclear arsenal, due for tests in the autumn with deployment slated for next year. In May, Russia said it tested three 'invincible' hypersonic 'Satan 2' missiles that some have said could wipe out areas the size of England and Wales. China launched the dummy weapon into space on board a Long March 2C rocket (pictured) during a test in mid-August which it did not disclose at the time and was only revealed at the weekend by security analysts assigned to work out its purpose CHINA The hypersonic orbital bombardment system that China tested in August reportedly reaches a top speed of 21,000 mph and strikes from space. The core concept of China's 'new' weapon - deliver a warhead into orbit and have it circle the globe before hitting a target - was first developed by the Soviets in the 1960s. Called a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, or FOBS, it was developed to evade powerful US radar arrays and missile defence systems. Those systems work by detecting launches of ICBMs - very long-range missiles that can be tipped with nukes - and tracking them into space, then firing at the warheads as they come down in the hope of blowing them up before they hit their targets. This is possible because ICBMs and their warheads follow a predictable trajectory that rises high into space - making them relatively easy to spot and allowing defence crews to calculate where they are aimed so they can be shot out of the sky. FOBS aim to negate these defences by firing their warheads along a much-flatter trajectory - assisted by Earth's gravity. This means they pass under the scope of many radar detection arrays and are harder to track. It also makes the warheads much harder to shoot down because their trajectory is harder to calculate. The use of orbit makes a warhead's range potentially unlimited, meaning it can be fired at its target from any direction. This helps to avoid radar systems which generally point at a fixed spot in the sky - in America's case, over the North Pole. Meanwhile, China has also unveiled a hypersonic medium-range missile, the DF-17, in 2019, which can travel around 2,000 kilometres and can carry nuclear warheads. In October, China deployed the DF 17 missile to coastal areas in preparation for a possible invasion of Taiwan. The weapon has a maximum range of 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles) and is capable of achieving speeds of up to 7,680 miles per hour (12,360 kph) - or 10 times the speed of sound - while carrying a nuclear warhead, according to previous reports. It has been billed as 'a death sentence' to aircraft carriers within its range. Hypersonic missiles travel at more than five times the speed of sound in the upper atmosphere - or about 6,200 km per hour (3,850 mph). This is slower than an intercontinental ballistic missile, but the shape of a hypersonic glide vehicle allows it to manoeuvre toward a target or away from defences. Combining a glide vehicle with a missile that can launch it partially into orbit - a so-called fractional orbital bombardment system (FOBS) - could strip adversaries of reaction time and traditional defences mechanisms. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), by contrast, carry nuclear warheads on ballistic trajectories that travel into space but never reach orbit. China on Monday insisted that the test in August was a routine one for a spacecraft rather than a missile. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) AMERICA The US military has a number of hypersonic weapons programs across the Navy, Army and Air Force but most are still in development phase and highly top secret. However the known programs are all more conventional hypersonic weapons that strike from high altitude, rather than orbital bombardment systems that strike from space which the Chinese were revealed to have developed tis week. The only US hypersonic weapon know to have been successfully tested is the Air Force's GM-183 ARRW which is designed to be launched from a large bomber aircraft. It then accelerates to hypersonic speeds using of up to 15,345mph using a supersonic combustion ramjet to strike targets within 1,000 miles. Donald Trump refered to a 'super duper missile' while in office and this is believed to be the AGM-183 ARRW. The Navy's submarine launched Long Range Hypersonic Weapon is expected to be operational by 2023 and will have a range of 1,725 miles. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) but kept details such as range, speed and payload secret. The missile uses oxygen in the atmosphere as part of its fuel - marking the first successful test of that class of weapon since 2013. The missile, which is built by Raytheon, was released from an aircraft just 'seconds' before the scramjet engine from Northrop Grumman kicked on, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) said. The engine works by compressing incoming air with hydrocarbon fuel to create a fast airflow mixture, one capable of reaching over 1,700 meters per second, or five times the speed of sound. Earlier this year, a test of a hypersonic missile from the U.S. Air Force was abandoned after it was unable to complete its launch sequence. On March 19 last year, the Pentagon flight-tested a hypersonic glide vehicle at its Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. It deemed the test a success and 'a major milestone towards the department's goal of fielding hypersonic warfighting capabilities in the early- to mid-2020s.' Unlike Russia, the United States says it is not developing hypersonic weapons for use with a nuclear warhead. As a result, a U.S. hypersonic weapon will need to be more accurate, posing additional technical challenges. In 2004, NASA's experimental unmanned hypersonic aircraft X-43 reached 7,366mph (Mach 9.6) using a scramjet engine, setting the current record. In 2019, DailyMail.com reported that the Raytheon and Northrop Grumman-developed missile would use an engine made by a 3D printer. Last year, DARPA said it was working with Aerojet Rocketdyne on a nearly $20 million project to develop a hypersonic rocket that could intercept enemy missiles mid-air. Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine and has the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles RUSSIA Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine, and since late 2019 has had the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles in service. The Avangard can travel at up to Mach 27, changing course and altitude. The range of Russia's hypersonic missile, the Zircon, is 621 miles with a speed of 9,800mph. But the missile flies below the atmosphere and uses fuel to power itself to hypersonic speeds rather than the Earth's orbit. Earlier this month, Russia announced it has successfully test-fired the Zircon from a nuclear submarine for the first time. The 6,670mph weapon hit a target in the Barents Sea according to the Moscow defence ministry, who claims the missile is capable of Mach-9 speeds and able to evade all Western defences. Russia said it had completed flight tests of the new-age missile from a frigate - the Admiral Gorshkov - and a coastal mount, but it had not previously been launched from a submarine. The Zircon has been identified by Moscow's state-controlled TV as Vladimir Putin's weapon of choice to wipe out coastal American cities in the event of an atomic conflict. He has declared the missile as 'truly unparalleled anywhere in the world', and the Russians have boasted it is 'unstoppable' by Western defences. Putin first announced the development of an array of new hypersonic weapons in 2018, insisting that they would be able to hit almost any point in the world and evade a US-built missile shield. The Zircon is due to go into service next year, and will first be deployed via the Admiral Golovko frigate which carries significant stealth-technology. A key use of the missile is taking out enemy ships and reports suggested its maximum range is between 188 and 620 miles. But there have been unconfirmed reports its true range is some 1,200 miles. The missile system's design and development have been conducted in deep secrecy, and Putin has warned that foreign spies have tried to steal its secrets. It is one of a number of hypersonic missiles Russia is deploying including the 188-tonne Sarmat - known in the West as Satan-2 - which will be the biggest beast in Russia's nuclear arsenal, due for tests in the autumn with deployment slated for next year. In May, Russia said it tested three 'invincible' hypersonic 'Satan 2' missiles that some have said could wipe out areas the size of England and Wales. China launched the dummy weapon into space on board a Long March 2C rocket (pictured) during a test in mid-August which it did not disclose at the time and was only revealed at the weekend by security analysts assigned to work out its purpose CHINA The hypersonic orbital bombardment system that China tested in August reportedly reaches a top speed of 21,000 mph and strikes from space. The core concept of China's 'new' weapon - deliver a warhead into orbit and have it circle the globe before hitting a target - was first developed by the Soviets in the 1960s. Called a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, or FOBS, it was developed to evade powerful US radar arrays and missile defence systems. Those systems work by detecting launches of ICBMs - very long-range missiles that can be tipped with nukes - and tracking them into space, then firing at the warheads as they come down in the hope of blowing them up before they hit their targets. This is possible because ICBMs and their warheads follow a predictable trajectory that rises high into space - making them relatively easy to spot and allowing defence crews to calculate where they are aimed so they can be shot out of the sky. FOBS aim to negate these defences by firing their warheads along a much-flatter trajectory - assisted by Earth's gravity. This means they pass under the scope of many radar detection arrays and are harder to track. It also makes the warheads much harder to shoot down because their trajectory is harder to calculate. The use of orbit makes a warhead's range potentially unlimited, meaning it can be fired at its target from any direction. This helps to avoid radar systems which generally point at a fixed spot in the sky - in America's case, over the North Pole. Meanwhile, China has also unveiled a hypersonic medium-range missile, the DF-17, in 2019, which can travel around 2,000 kilometres and can carry nuclear warheads. In October, China deployed the DF 17 missile to coastal areas in preparation for a possible invasion of Taiwan. The weapon has a maximum range of 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles) and is capable of achieving speeds of up to 7,680 miles per hour (12,360 kph) - or 10 times the speed of sound - while carrying a nuclear warhead, according to previous reports. It has been billed as 'a death sentence' to aircraft carriers within its range. Hypersonic missiles travel at more than five times the speed of sound in the upper atmosphere - or about 6,200 km per hour (3,850 mph). This is slower than an intercontinental ballistic missile, but the shape of a hypersonic glide vehicle allows it to manoeuvre toward a target or away from defences. Combining a glide vehicle with a missile that can launch it partially into orbit - a so-called fractional orbital bombardment system (FOBS) - could strip adversaries of reaction time and traditional defences mechanisms. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), by contrast, carry nuclear warheads on ballistic trajectories that travel into space but never reach orbit. China on Monday insisted that the test in August was a routine one for a spacecraft rather than a missile. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. Even as the Board of Regents for the Nevada System of Higher Education deadlocked 6-6 with one absent on a vote to keep in place the COVID vaccine mandate for employees, it also failed to approve a motion that would have delayed firings related to the mandate. The two votes effectively left the policy as-is just hours before terminations for noncompliance became effective. Thursdays meeting was the latest turn in the months-long effort by policy makers to establish vaccine requirements for more than 22,000 employees and more than 100,000 students ahead of the start of the spring semester next year. The inaction came amid mounting concerns that the delay or revocation of terminations the day before they were planned would create operational chaos across all eight NSHE institutions. Operationally, for us to go back and to revisit this on Jan. 15, that change becomes highly problematic, Nevada State College President DeRionne Pollard told regents. And I think it sends a mixed message about the intent of both this policy and also our commitments around public health. Still, an expanding core of regents opposed the employee mandate on varying grounds from individual freedom to concerns over the lack of a student equivalent. On Thursday, that included Regents Byron Brooks, Patrick Boylan, Laura Perkins, Patrick Carter and Cathy McAdoo. I take issue with even one faculty member or one classified worker being terminated for not having the vaccine when clearly the student vaccine mandate has been dropped, Brooks said. So it really becomes about equitable policy for all, rather than for some. However, it was the absence of one Regent Lois Tarkanian an opponent of the mandate in the last two votes on the issue that likely doomed any delay or repeal of the vaccine requirement as the board was left at an even twelve members. That absence briefly became a sticking point as some anti-mandate regents, including Brooks, postulated on the possibility of Tarkanian tipping the vote though the possibility of her favorable vote did little to tip the balance in favor of the motion that would have delayed firings from the vaccine mandate to mid-January. Regents initially voted to create the mandate in late September, following the creation of a student mandate by the Board of Health one month earlier. Nearly 1,700 employees not in compliance were sent termination letters on Dec. 1, but all were allowed stays if they received the vaccine before the end of the month. In the final days before the firings became permanent, only a small fraction of NSHE employees 2.3 percent remained unvaccinated, or just over 500 employees, according to data shared with regents by institutions on Wednesday. The board also voted 10-2 to direct the chancellor to draft a letter in support of a student vaccine requirement to be sent to the governor, Board of Health and Legislature. That letter will be reviewed by regents at an open meeting next month. The vote marked the first time since the pandemic began that regents held a formal vote on the increasingly politically charged issue of student vaccine requirements, as regents have clashed over the specifics of mandates and mitigation policies just as major student and faculty groups who have long supported such mandates have simmered at the inaction. Im kind of floored that we're arguing over whether or not to send a letter, when us, as students and instructors, have to be in the classroom in two weeks, Nicole Thomas, president of the UNLV Graduate and Professional Student Association, said during the meeting. We have to deal with the fallout. Though students enrolling in in-person classes next spring were initially required to prove COVID vaccination status or receive a valid exemption under an emergency regulation created by the state Board of Health, a partisan deadlock on a procedural vote in the Legislative Commission last week effectively ended that mandate. Gov. Steve Sisolak has indicated his office will continue to pursue a student mandate through normal regulatory channels, though that process is not likely to be completed ahead of the start of the spring semester in January. Ahead of Thursdays meeting, Sisolak and all eight presidents or acting heads of the states colleges and universities voiced their support for the continuation of the employee mandate. Shin Sang-yoon, CEO of Sprout Company, an in-house company of LG Electronics / Courtesy of LG Electronics By Baek Byung-yeul Since the outbreak of the COVID-19, the home appliance market has gone through changes as many people around the world are spending more time at home. As more people in the world spend more time at home, demand for new home appliances have increased and manufacturers have been launching new gadgets that are more convenient for everyday life in response. Though large-sized companies tend to become bureaucratic and slow to the fast-changing business environment, LG Electronics, one of the largest home appliance makers in the world, has been nimble in the midst of this turbulent period, swiftly launching new products that fit into the stay-at-home lifestyle. One of the examples of is the LG StandbyME, a battery-powered TV. The height-adjustable TV, which was first launched in the Korean market and will be rolled out overseas later, has enjoyed a enthusiastic response here as the wireless TV can be moved around the home using a stand with wheels. Another example is an in-house aqua farming system called LG tiiun, which allows users to grow various plants including flowers and vegetables at home. It is interesting that a large company has launched a product with a concept fairly uncommon to the home appliance market hydroponics but what is even more attention-grabbing is that the product is developed by Sprout Company, an in-house LG company. Introducing the plant grower, Sprout Company's CEO Shin Sang-youn said the in-house company is LG Electronics' first attempt to effectively develop a new market category. "LG Electronics operates a Biz Incubation Center under the CSO division to find new business opportunities. The center has been supporting company-in-company (CIC) schemes such as Sprout Company, to help the in-house companies develop new products and commercialize them," Shin told The Korea Times during a recent email interview. LG supported several in-house companies with novel ideas and Sprout Company was able to launch the plant grower LG tiiun last October as the first product of the competition. Sprout Company said the LG tiiun is a gadget that automates most of the plant cultivation process so that even beginners can easily grow their own plants. By installing a seed kit on the inner shelf of the device and supplying water and nutrients, consumers are able to grow plants themselves in four to eight weeks depending on the type of plant. "The LG tiiun is the first example of LG Electronics' new CIC business model to foster new businesses and efficiently pioneer new markets. As the plant cultivator is required to sensitively figure out consumers' needs and respond quickly, LG decided to let the in-house company take charge of the business," Shin said. When asked if Sprout Company will be independent from LG in the future, the CEO said the in-house company "plans to operate flexibly as the business progresses further into the future." A model poses with Sprout Company's indoor plant cultivator LG tiiun. Courtesy of LG Electronics The gunman who shot dead a veteran Illinois cop and critically wounded her young partner was tracked down after a 36-hour manhunt at an Indiana home and arrested before another suspect turned herself in, police officials said. Darius Sullivan, 25, was found hiding out at home in North Manchester, near Fort Wayne, after a search warrant was executed by US Marshals and a SWAT team at about 9:30 a.m. on Friday. Hours later, Xandria A. Harris, 26, turned herself in to the Bradley Police Department in the fatal shooting of Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, 49, and her partner Tyler Bailey, 27, at a Comfort Inn motel in Kankakee, located south of Chicago. 'In a multi-jurisdictional effort, two alleged cop killers have been taken into custody today and will now face justice,' Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly said. Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, a 14-year veteran of the Bradley Police Department, was shot dead after responding to a call about a barking dog Police arrested Darius Sullivan and Xandria Harris in connection to the fatal shooting of 49-year-old Bradley police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic Rittmanic, a 14-year veteran with the Bradley Police Department, and Bailey were responding to a report of dogs barking in an unattended vehicle at the motel on Wednesday when they were shot. The cops went to the car's owner's hotel room when police say Sullivan and Harris began attacking the two officers before shooting them. Bailey underwent surgery for head injuries and remained in very critical condition at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois, officials said. 'The Law Enforcement family and the community lost a devoted officer, and another continues to fight for his life. The ISP will continue to offer our prayers and support to the Bradley Police Department during this difficult time,' Kelly said Sullivan was found at the Indiana home with 19-year-old Daniel Acros, who was also arrested. 'Also at the house, several weapons and narcotics were also recovered,' Sgt. Glen Fifield with Indiana State Police said. Cellphone video showed the suspects walking out with their hands in the air after police cleared the home. Bradley Police Officer Tyler Bailey, 27 remains in critical condition after being shot in the head Arrangements are currently being made to extradite Sullivan back to Illinois to face charges of murder and attempted murder. Harris' attorney, Phil Haddad, said she turned herself in voluntarily. 'She maintains her innocence. She's a mother of three children and she's pregnant,' Haddad said. Harris will appear in bond court Monday, Haddad said. Police also arrested two other suspects in Indiana connected to the case. Bryce Baker, 20, and Joshua Adams, 26, both from Kankakee, Illinois, were taken into custody when police spotted them driving the wrong-way during the manhunt for Sullivan. Their possible connection to Sullivan was being investigated, FOX 32 reported. 'Any time an officer is killed in the line of duty, no matter where it happens in the country, it affects all of us,' Fifield said. The gunman who shot dead a veteran Illinois cop and critically wounded her young partner was tracked down after a 36-hour manhunt at an Indiana home and arrested before another suspect turned herself in, police officials said. Darius Sullivan, 25, was found hiding out at home in North Manchester, near Fort Wayne, after a search warrant was executed by US Marshals and a SWAT team at about 9:30 a.m. on Friday. Hours later, Xandria A. Harris, 26, turned herself in to the Bradley Police Department in the fatal shooting of Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, 49, and her partner Tyler Bailey, 27, at a Comfort Inn motel in Kankakee, located south of Chicago. 'In a multi-jurisdictional effort, two alleged cop killers have been taken into custody today and will now face justice,' Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly said. Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, a 14-year veteran of the Bradley Police Department, was shot dead after responding to a call about a barking dog Police arrested Darius Sullivan and Xandria Harris in connection to the fatal shooting of 49-year-old Bradley police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic Rittmanic, a 14-year veteran with the Bradley Police Department, and Bailey were responding to a report of dogs barking in an unattended vehicle at the motel on Wednesday when they were shot. The cops went to the car's owner's hotel room when police say Sullivan and Harris began attacking the two officers before shooting them. Bailey underwent surgery for head injuries and remained in very critical condition at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois, officials said. 'The Law Enforcement family and the community lost a devoted officer, and another continues to fight for his life. The ISP will continue to offer our prayers and support to the Bradley Police Department during this difficult time,' Kelly said Sullivan was found at the Indiana home with 19-year-old Daniel Acros, who was also arrested. 'Also at the house, several weapons and narcotics were also recovered,' Sgt. Glen Fifield with Indiana State Police said. Cellphone video showed the suspects walking out with their hands in the air after police cleared the home. Bradley Police Officer Tyler Bailey, 27 remains in critical condition after being shot in the head Arrangements are currently being made to extradite Sullivan back to Illinois to face charges of murder and attempted murder. Harris' attorney, Phil Haddad, said she turned herself in voluntarily. 'She maintains her innocence. She's a mother of three children and she's pregnant,' Haddad said. Harris will appear in bond court Monday, Haddad said. Police also arrested two other suspects in Indiana connected to the case. Bryce Baker, 20, and Joshua Adams, 26, both from Kankakee, Illinois, were taken into custody when police spotted them driving the wrong-way during the manhunt for Sullivan. Their possible connection to Sullivan was being investigated, FOX 32 reported. 'Any time an officer is killed in the line of duty, no matter where it happens in the country, it affects all of us,' Fifield said. The gunman who shot dead a veteran Illinois cop and critically wounded her young partner was tracked down after a 36-hour manhunt at an Indiana home and arrested before another suspect turned herself in, police officials said. Darius Sullivan, 25, was found hiding out at home in North Manchester, near Fort Wayne, after a search warrant was executed by US Marshals and a SWAT team at about 9:30 a.m. on Friday. Hours later, Xandria A. Harris, 26, turned herself in to the Bradley Police Department in the fatal shooting of Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, 49, and her partner Tyler Bailey, 27, at a Comfort Inn motel in Kankakee, located south of Chicago. 'In a multi-jurisdictional effort, two alleged cop killers have been taken into custody today and will now face justice,' Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly said. Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, a 14-year veteran of the Bradley Police Department, was shot dead after responding to a call about a barking dog Police arrested Darius Sullivan and Xandria Harris in connection to the fatal shooting of 49-year-old Bradley police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic Rittmanic, a 14-year veteran with the Bradley Police Department, and Bailey were responding to a report of dogs barking in an unattended vehicle at the motel on Wednesday when they were shot. The cops went to the car's owner's hotel room when police say Sullivan and Harris began attacking the two officers before shooting them. Bailey underwent surgery for head injuries and remained in very critical condition at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois, officials said. 'The Law Enforcement family and the community lost a devoted officer, and another continues to fight for his life. The ISP will continue to offer our prayers and support to the Bradley Police Department during this difficult time,' Kelly said Sullivan was found at the Indiana home with 19-year-old Daniel Acros, who was also arrested. 'Also at the house, several weapons and narcotics were also recovered,' Sgt. Glen Fifield with Indiana State Police said. Cellphone video showed the suspects walking out with their hands in the air after police cleared the home. Bradley Police Officer Tyler Bailey, 27 remains in critical condition after being shot in the head Arrangements are currently being made to extradite Sullivan back to Illinois to face charges of murder and attempted murder. Harris' attorney, Phil Haddad, said she turned herself in voluntarily. 'She maintains her innocence. She's a mother of three children and she's pregnant,' Haddad said. Harris will appear in bond court Monday, Haddad said. Police also arrested two other suspects in Indiana connected to the case. Bryce Baker, 20, and Joshua Adams, 26, both from Kankakee, Illinois, were taken into custody when police spotted them driving the wrong-way during the manhunt for Sullivan. Their possible connection to Sullivan was being investigated, FOX 32 reported. 'Any time an officer is killed in the line of duty, no matter where it happens in the country, it affects all of us,' Fifield said. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. Colorado prosecutors vowed to release previously undisclosed information about a truck driver involved in a deadly crash who is now at the center of a controversial clemency granted by Governor Jared Polis, commuting the convict's 110-year sentence to just 10 years. Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, was sentenced on Dec. 13 to 110 years after being found guilty on 27 counts when his breaks failed in an April 2019 crash that caused a mass pile-up and resulted in a fireball explosion that killed four people. In a rare move, Polis, 46, granted Aguilera-Mederos clemency before the appellate process began after his sentence was met with widespread public backlash, including from the likes of Kim Kardashian. 'After learning about the highly atypical and unjust sentence in your case, I am commuting your sentence to 10 years and granting you parole eligibility on December 30, 2026,' Polis said on Thursday. Jefferson County District Attorney Alexis King, who prosecuted the case, said on his office will release information that was 'ethically prohibited' while the case 'was pending.' Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, caused a two-dozen car pile-up in April 2019 after his semi-truck breaks failed, which resulted in a fireball explosion that killed four people Colorado Gov Jared Polis (pictured) said the 'atypical' sentence was 'unjust It is unclear when the information will be released to the public. DailyMail.com reached out to the Colorado AG's Office for a comment. The court has not officially vacated the hearing to reconsider the original sentence, which is set for Jan. 13, but Mederos' attorney said they expect the judge to do so next week. Aguilera-Mederos' attorneys said it doesn't 'matter' what is disclosed now that he has been granted clemency and that it's was 'politically' motivated. 'It wouldn't matter what she disclosed now,' James Colgan told ABC News. 'I'm not aware of any law that allows [the DA's office] to have jurisdiction over the case.' Colgan said he did not know what information would be released. Leonard Martinez, Aguilera-Mederos' other attorney, said the driver was 'shocked' and 'grateful' after receiving clemency from the governor. Aguilera-Mederos was driving a semi-truck on April 25, 2019, along Interstate 70 in Lakewood, Colorado, when he slammed into two dozen vehicles. The impact caused a fireball explosion that incinerated cars and trucks, killing four people and injuring several others. Aguilera-Mederos testified that the brakes on his semitrailer failed as he was descending a steep grade of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountain foothills. His defense attorney claimed he did not know that his truck brakes were smoking or that he would not be able to stop. He also argued that Aguilera-Mederos' actions were a series of negligent decisions, and that he did not intend to hurt anybody. But prosecutors argued he should have used a runaway ramp designed for such situations. Aguilera-Mederos, for his part, said he was struggling to avoid traffic and trying to shift to slow down. On October 15, a jury ultimately found Aguilera-Mederos guilty of 27 criminal charges. The impact caused a fireball explosion that incinerated cars and trucks, killing four people and injuring several others. Aguilera-Mederos testified that the brakes on his semitrailer failed as he was descending a steep grade of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountain foothills On December 13, he was given the excessive sentence - one the judge said he would not given if he had the choice. Due to state minimums, the judge's hands were tied. Aguilera-Mederos issued a statement apologizing to the victims' families, crying as he spoke on December 13: 'It's hard. This was a terrible accident, I know. I take the responsibility, but it was an accident. 'I have never thought about hurting anyone in my entire life and Jesus Christ, he knows that, he knows my heart,' he continued. 'I am not a criminal, I am not a murderer. 'The accident - it wasn't intentional, it wasn't intentional, Your Honor. I did all that I can as a man. I put myself in harm's way to avoid harming anyone else.' He claimed that he tried to avoid the traffic, and noted that he did not flee in the aftermath 'because I respect the laws. 'I want to say sorry, sorry for the loss, sorry for the people injured,' he concluded, noting: 'I ask...God many times why them and not me.' Relatives of the victims supported at least some prison time at his sentencing hearing, but in the statement last week, King said she and her team had spoken to the surviving victims of the crash and the families of those who died about the possibility of Aguilera-Mederos being resentenced before she issued her request. His case received wide-spread public backlash and celebrity appeal. Kardashian, who is studying law, had called for a lesser sentence for Aguilera-Mederos. She posted on Instagram to her 271 million followers that she had heard about the case and 'took a deep dive in it to figure out what the situation is.' She continued: 'He was not drunk or under the influence; his brakes on the tractor-trailer failed. 'Another shocking and unfair part of this case is that the judge didn't want to sentence him to such a lengthy sentence. The explosion was so big, it created a large plume of smoke to form over the highway After the explosion, Aguilera-Mederos was convicted of 27 charges 'However, because of the mandatory minimums in Colorado, his hands were tied. 'Mandatory minimums take away judicial discretion and need to end.' Kardashian also condemned the gleeful celebrations of the prosecutors, saying their gift of a brake shoe trophy made her 'sick'. She added that the governor, Jared Polis, 'is a really good person and I know he will do the right thing.' Besides Kardashian's support, millions signed a petition to lower his sentence. 'Rogel is very grateful for all the support he's gotten not only locally, but nationally. He's humbled by it,' Martinez said. The decision on Rogel Aguilera-Mederos sentence was among several year-end commutations and pardons issued by Polis. Colorado prosecutors vowed to release previously undisclosed information about a truck driver involved in a deadly crash who is now at the center of a controversial clemency granted by Governor Jared Polis, commuting the convict's 110-year sentence to just 10 years. Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, was sentenced on Dec. 13 to 110 years after being found guilty on 27 counts when his breaks failed in an April 2019 crash that caused a mass pile-up and resulted in a fireball explosion that killed four people. In a rare move, Polis, 46, granted Aguilera-Mederos clemency before the appellate process began after his sentence was met with widespread public backlash, including from the likes of Kim Kardashian. 'After learning about the highly atypical and unjust sentence in your case, I am commuting your sentence to 10 years and granting you parole eligibility on December 30, 2026,' Polis said on Thursday. Jefferson County District Attorney Alexis King, who prosecuted the case, said on his office will release information that was 'ethically prohibited' while the case 'was pending.' Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, caused a two-dozen car pile-up in April 2019 after his semi-truck breaks failed, which resulted in a fireball explosion that killed four people Colorado Gov Jared Polis (pictured) said the 'atypical' sentence was 'unjust It is unclear when the information will be released to the public. DailyMail.com reached out to the Colorado AG's Office for a comment. The court has not officially vacated the hearing to reconsider the original sentence, which is set for Jan. 13, but Mederos' attorney said they expect the judge to do so next week. Aguilera-Mederos' attorneys said it doesn't 'matter' what is disclosed now that he has been granted clemency and that it's was 'politically' motivated. 'It wouldn't matter what she disclosed now,' James Colgan told ABC News. 'I'm not aware of any law that allows [the DA's office] to have jurisdiction over the case.' Colgan said he did not know what information would be released. Leonard Martinez, Aguilera-Mederos' other attorney, said the driver was 'shocked' and 'grateful' after receiving clemency from the governor. Aguilera-Mederos was driving a semi-truck on April 25, 2019, along Interstate 70 in Lakewood, Colorado, when he slammed into two dozen vehicles. The impact caused a fireball explosion that incinerated cars and trucks, killing four people and injuring several others. Aguilera-Mederos testified that the brakes on his semitrailer failed as he was descending a steep grade of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountain foothills. His defense attorney claimed he did not know that his truck brakes were smoking or that he would not be able to stop. He also argued that Aguilera-Mederos' actions were a series of negligent decisions, and that he did not intend to hurt anybody. But prosecutors argued he should have used a runaway ramp designed for such situations. Aguilera-Mederos, for his part, said he was struggling to avoid traffic and trying to shift to slow down. On October 15, a jury ultimately found Aguilera-Mederos guilty of 27 criminal charges. The impact caused a fireball explosion that incinerated cars and trucks, killing four people and injuring several others. Aguilera-Mederos testified that the brakes on his semitrailer failed as he was descending a steep grade of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountain foothills On December 13, he was given the excessive sentence - one the judge said he would not given if he had the choice. Due to state minimums, the judge's hands were tied. Aguilera-Mederos issued a statement apologizing to the victims' families, crying as he spoke on December 13: 'It's hard. This was a terrible accident, I know. I take the responsibility, but it was an accident. 'I have never thought about hurting anyone in my entire life and Jesus Christ, he knows that, he knows my heart,' he continued. 'I am not a criminal, I am not a murderer. 'The accident - it wasn't intentional, it wasn't intentional, Your Honor. I did all that I can as a man. I put myself in harm's way to avoid harming anyone else.' He claimed that he tried to avoid the traffic, and noted that he did not flee in the aftermath 'because I respect the laws. 'I want to say sorry, sorry for the loss, sorry for the people injured,' he concluded, noting: 'I ask...God many times why them and not me.' Relatives of the victims supported at least some prison time at his sentencing hearing, but in the statement last week, King said she and her team had spoken to the surviving victims of the crash and the families of those who died about the possibility of Aguilera-Mederos being resentenced before she issued her request. His case received wide-spread public backlash and celebrity appeal. Kardashian, who is studying law, had called for a lesser sentence for Aguilera-Mederos. She posted on Instagram to her 271 million followers that she had heard about the case and 'took a deep dive in it to figure out what the situation is.' She continued: 'He was not drunk or under the influence; his brakes on the tractor-trailer failed. 'Another shocking and unfair part of this case is that the judge didn't want to sentence him to such a lengthy sentence. The explosion was so big, it created a large plume of smoke to form over the highway After the explosion, Aguilera-Mederos was convicted of 27 charges 'However, because of the mandatory minimums in Colorado, his hands were tied. 'Mandatory minimums take away judicial discretion and need to end.' Kardashian also condemned the gleeful celebrations of the prosecutors, saying their gift of a brake shoe trophy made her 'sick'. She added that the governor, Jared Polis, 'is a really good person and I know he will do the right thing.' Besides Kardashian's support, millions signed a petition to lower his sentence. 'Rogel is very grateful for all the support he's gotten not only locally, but nationally. He's humbled by it,' Martinez said. The decision on Rogel Aguilera-Mederos sentence was among several year-end commutations and pardons issued by Polis. ADEN, Yemen, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Forces loyal to Yemen's government launched a large-scale military operation against the Houthi rebel militia in the country's southern oil-rich province of Shabwa on Saturday, a government official told Xinhua. The pro-government forces including the southern Giants Brigades targeted the Houthi-held sites in Usaylan district of Shabwa, the local government source said on condition of anonymity. Intense armed confrontations erupted between the two warring sides following the large-scale military operation, he said. He said the pro-government forces achieved on-ground military progress and managed to capture a number of areas from the rebels in Usaylan. Warplanes of the Saudi Arabia-led coalition are participating in the ongoing military operation through shelling the Houthi-held sites and backing the pro-government forces, according to the official. Medical sources confirmed that nearly 12 soldiers of the pro-government forces were killed and several others injured as a result of the ongoing battles. The Iran-backed Houthi rebels made substantial advances on the battlefield in September 2021, capturing Bayhan and other key areas in Shabwa. Yemen has been mired in a civil war since the Houthi militia overran much of the country militarily and seized all northern provinces, including the capital Sanaa, in 2014. Saudi Arabia has been leading an Arab military coalition that intervened in Yemen in 2015 to support the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after Houthis forced him into exile. Enditem Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. By Kwon Mee-yoo Global Affairs Canada, the Canadian ministry of foreign affairs, appointed Mark Fletcher as the country's new ambassador to Korea. Fletcher is a seasoned official at Global Affairs Canada who began his diplomatic career at External Affairs and International Trade Canada in 1992. He previously worked at various foreign affairs and international trade-related departments, including the Representation Abroad Secretariat and the Assignments and Pool Management Division, which manages Canada's global network of missions. Before being appointed as the Canadian ambassador here, Fletcher was the director general of the Locally Engaged Staff Bureau, which manages employees hired locally by Canada's diplomatic missions abroad. His overseas appointments include regional counsellor and consul in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire from 1994 to 1996 and regional counsellor and consul in Budapest, Hungary from 2001 to 2004. Most recently abroad, Fletcher served as the minister-counsellor and consul-general in London from 2010 to 2014. "His extensive experience will serve to further strengthen our strategic bilateral relations," the embassy wrote on its Facebook account. Fletcher succeeds Michael Danagher, who finished his term and returned to Canada in September. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. Since first contact Indigenous people have faced violence from settlers. The violence has spanned centuries and is even more insidious and complex now, say advocates. When the young, blond, white woman Gabby Petito went missing earlier this year, her homicide investigation was covered heavily by mainstream media, while the cases involving scores of missing Indigenous people went largely unpublicized. The omission is another example of deep-seated racism, say advocates of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Pointing out the imbalance of the Petito coverage did bring a resurgence of interest in the missing and murdered crisis and an opportunity for families and activists to spread the word on missing loved ones. However, the issue is even more complex when considering the children and adults who have been, and continue to be, unjustly ripped away from tribal communities. Advocates are working to shed light on all cases, including those who have been wrapped up in the legal system and stripped of their Indigenous identity. These cases are rarely brought into the discussion about missing Indigenous people. Unsolved cases While the recent mainstream media coverage of Petito, a White woman killed by strangulation while on a cross-country road trip with her fiance, was ramping up, there were developments in several cases involving Indigenous women that didnt receive any national interest. On Sept. 3, Reatha May Finkbonner, a member of the Lummi tribe, was reported missing in Las Vegas and found alive 20 days later. On Sept. 16, a person of interest was arrested in connection to the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, Haliwa-Saponi, after an investigation that was over a decade long. But too many Indigenous cases remain unsolved, perpetrators remain at large, and too many missing relatives have not been found, advocates say. In a study titled "Homicide and Indigenous People in North America: A structural analysis," the authors say the homicide rate of Indigenous people is a manifestation of state sanctioned violence. The study, published in the" Aggression and Violent Behavior Journal" in 2019, states the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is tied to the structural conditions...that upend the lives of Indigenous peoples, rendering them disposable, unworthy, precarious, and even responsibilize to violent victimization and homicide experienced at the individual level. An international problem Violence against women is an international problem and the impacts on Indigenous women are staggering. Conservative estimates by the World Health Organization suggest 35 percent of all murders of women globally are committed by an intimate partner, in comparison to only 5 percent of all murders of men are committed by intimate partners. And the WHO evidence suggests women who kill their intimate partners were often acting in self-defense following ongoing violence and intimidation. One study found the Indigenous homicide rate in the U.S. and Canada is the highest of any racial group in either country. The CDC reported homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for females 19 and younger and the fifth leading cause of death for women 20 to 44. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed daily by a current or former intimate partner, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. And for Indigenous women the homicide rate is 10 times higher than it is for White women, according to the Department of Justice. After the highly-publicized murder of Petito, advocates are wondering why all missing person cases are not met with the same level of attention and urgency. On Nov. 25, 2020, Mary Johnson, 40, was last seen walking to a friends house on the Tulalip tribal lands in Washington state. On June 15, Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing from her home in one of the most remote areas of the Navajo Nation. On Aug. 6, Landria Tsosie, Navajo, 30, was reported missing out of Phoenix. Nicole Wagon, Northern Arapaho, lost two of her daughters, Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon, a year apart and she says both cases remain unsolved. The sisters from Wyoming didnt receive anything like the same amount of media attention Petito did and Nicole Wagon believes it would have made a drastic difference in both cases. In 2019, Watt, 30, and her boyfriend were found shot to death in their home. A year later, Jade Wagon, 23, was reported missing by her mom after she didnt return home. Weeks later, Jade was found dead in a field. Law enforcement said she died from hypothermia and noted drugs were in her system, but Nicole believes Jade didnt end up in the field alone and suspects foul play. She believes the investigation was insufficient and is still looking for answers. Nicole called Petitos case a blessing in disguise, saying it increased the visibility of her daughters cases and other missing relatives cases in Wyoming. Wyoming Indigenous Resources were mobilized quickly to locate Petito. Not Our Native Daughters Director Lynette Grey Bull of Wyoming argues that would not have been the case if Petito was an Indigenous woman. "I can honestly say that if (Petito) was a Native American woman that went missing in the Grand Teton region we wouldn't have received those same efforts," Grey Bull said. "And, I, I hope one day, I don't ever have to say that. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addressed Petitos case saying her heart goes out to her family and that she also grieves with the many Indigenous families who have endured similar heartache for the last 500 years, adding its my job to lift up this issue as best I can. The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced a new website in December that it says can be a tool to bring attention to unresolved Indigenous cases. The spotlight on Petitos case brought much-needed national attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming, the least populated state and home to two federally recognized tribes. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People statewide report was widely cited in national publications, and thats important because Wyoming has just 500,000 people across 98,000 square miles of rugged terrain. The states most cited statistic is the reported 710 Indigenous people who went missing in the state between 2011 and 2020. Of that, 85 percent were children and 57 percent were female. Although there are only two federally recognized tribes in Wyoming there are missing Indigenous people in 22 of the 23 counties. Grey Bull, a Democrat who ran for Congress in heavily conservative Wyoming last year, pushed for the MMIP task force and study. She says not a single Indigenous case from Wyoming received nationwide media attention prior to Petitos case and few barely received statewide coverage. If we don't have blonde hair and blue eyes we are not primetime material, Grey Bull said. And when the stories did get media coverage there were harmful depictions. According to the report, White women were portrayed in a positive light, with work and school credentials highlighted, while Indigenous women were portrayed in a harsh light that leaned heavily on stereotypes. I'm not here to shame law enforcement. I'm not here to shame even media coverage, I'm here to try to change that, Grey Bull said. How can we work together to change that? Cause collectively it can be changed and our portrayal of who we are as Indigenous people can absolutely be changed. Kiana Klomp was missing in Idaho for 18 months before any news articles were written about her, the Guardian reported. Her mom, Teri Deschene, Tlingit, said the 17 year old ran away from home and was staying with friends, and ended up at a mans house who Deschene described as a predator. She feels helpless, ignored and all she has now are the memories of Kiana, who loved skateboarding. Petito's father seeks fairness Joseph Petito urged the media to cover all missing people with the same energy they gave his daughter Gabby. I want to ask everyone to help all the people that are missing and need help. Its on all of you, everyone thats in this room to do that, Petito said while pointing to reporters and cameras in front of him. If you dont do that for other people that are missing, thats a shame, because its not just Gabby that deserves it. The family announced the Gabby Petito Foundation which will help others locate their missing loved ones. The foundation hopes to fill in gaps that exist when trying to locate missing people. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase is the founder of Sahnish Scouts, a citizen-led organization dedicated to searching for missing Indigenous people. She hopes to form an allyship with Petitos family. It felt to me like that momentum was going to bring results and it did and that's a good feeling and that's what we need to capture for all of the missing people, Yellowbird-Chase said about the search for Petito. Yellowbird-Chase was upset by the disrespect she saw online, saying people reduced Petito to another White girl, uttering disrespect for a domestic abuse victim. She's gone. How are we going to make allies with a family like that when we've got people that are spewing disrespect online, Yellowbird-Chase said. That White girl was more than just a White girl. She was a daughter, she was a sister and her potential motherhood has been taken from her. Wagon, Yellowbird-Chase and Grey Bull all welcomed the increased visibility Petitos case brought to missing Indigenous people and hope for more parity in responses to MMIP cases. Let's move forward and make sure that when an Indigenous person goes missing or found murdered that we have the same efforts that Petito received and how can anybody say no to that is my question, Grey Bull said. Four Indigenous organizations, focused on ending violence, issued a joint statement that starts with condolences to Petitos family but points to many issues. None of our relatives to date have received much, if any, attention from the news media, concentrated efforts by law enforcement departments or any outpouring of financial contributions from ordinary citizens...The contrast we are witnessing regarding this particular case is heartbreaking to the many Indigenous families and communities dealing with the daily pain of losing their loved ones. The contrast sends the message that society has little regard for Indigenous lives. Despite Petito going missing in a remote area of the country, authorities were able to piece together her whereabouts, largely due to the media spotlight and the tips from the public that poured in. Tangled jurisdictions When it comes to the epidemic of MMIP jurisdiction is often cited as an issue impeding investigations. When crimes occur on tribal lands, which are federal lands, the BIA and FBI get involved. The cross-jurisdictional issues didnt appear to be a problem for authorities trying to locate Petito. She was reported missing in the Grand Teton National Park, which is federal land, and prompted the FBIs involvement. But the level of urgency the FBI gave her case was not comparable to what Indigenous people receive. The FBI and BIA declined to comment to Indian Country Today on the matter. Cara Chambers with the Wyoming Division of Victim Services is also concerned about the differences in responses. Again, not to diminish Gabby and her case but that's the phrase that we keep throwing around the missing White woman syndrome. I mean, somehow that just has a life of its own. It has had a 24 hour news cycle and because of it we found her in nine days from when she was reported missing, Chambers said. Longtime PBS News anchor Gwen Ifill coined the phrase Missing White Woman Syndrome to describe the widespread fascination with such cases. The attention to Petitos case brought urgency and resources were quickly mobilized to find her. Dissecting media coverage sheds light on the life or death nature of implicit biases in newsrooms. For Indigenous people, theres a lack of coverage and if there is any coverage at all its disparaging. That influences public perception, the value placed on an individuals life and the level of urgency law enforcement respond with. The White victims seem to have more positive characterization, Chambers said. And then you had these tribal victims, bodies. And I say bodies intentionally because they were reduced to a body and a crime, versus a person and a loved one in a family and that was a real shame. The Native American Journalists Association issued a survey to newsrooms in 2018 to gauge newsroom diversity. It found that Indigenous people make up just 0.38 percent of employees in newsrooms. Among newsroom leaders Indigenous people comprised 0.49 percent, according to the survey. Many barriers contribute to the low percentages. For example, early career journalists in small markets can make a starting income that ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 a year, more or less, making some jobs more easily accessible to those from certain socioeconomic backgrounds. The lack of proper media representation perpetuates damaging myths and stereotypes, according to Illuminative, a nonprofit initiative led by Indigenous people and designed to increase the visibility of Indigenous people. Yellowbird-Chase pointed out the publics implicit bias and how that can affect solving cases. She says examples can be found online under photos of missing Indigenous people. Was that person an alcoholic, oh, well, we don't need to pay attention to them. Were they a sex worker? Were they a drug addict? Were they homeless? Did they have kids out of wedlock? Do they have a criminal history?, Yellowbird-Chase said. I've seen trolls, you know, we've posted missing persons posters and I've seen trolls come and right away they'll screenshot a criminal record and they give you every reason not to look for them. She said the public played a role in locating Petito and this same momentum needs to be applied to MMIP. It makes you wonder on a bigger level, like as a society, what responsibility do we have in that? And I was really quite touched at how many people responded. There were people that responded to the actual physical abuse that they witnessed. There were people that responded to knowing that the van was at certain places at certain times. The public really are the ones that practice due diligence, Yellowbird-Chase said. One MMIP case that did gain nationwide attention only received headlines because of the sheer brutality of the murder. Savanna Lafontaine-Greywind, Spirit Lake Nation, was found murdered and duct taped in plastic in the Red River - between North Dakota and Minnesota in 2017. The 22 year old was eight months pregnant when her neighbor lured her into an upstairs apartment and cut her baby from her womb. The baby survived the attack, and lives with her father, but Lafontaine-Greywind did not. The shocking nature of her story grabbed headlines and it also brought about a bill named after her, the nations first legislative action aimed at increasing coordination among federal, state and tribal law enforcement. Several news outlets reported Lafontaine-Greywinds family did not feel like law enforcement acted with urgency. Although there was an urgent response to Petitos case the handling of her case was far from perfect. Petitos case highlights systemic issues Police responded to a domestic violence call involving Petito and her alleged abuser weeks before she was found strangled to death. In the Moab, Utah, police body cam footage that was released to the public, male officers can be heard blaming Petito for the violence even after a witness reported a male hitting a female. It just seemed to me that that officer was really fishing, really fishing, to blame the female. And I thought that was a little concerning, Yellowbird-Chase said. How would he know the intention of that scratch? Was it a defensive scratch? Was it her? Because the call didn't come in that she was the one doing the harm. It was him. When a witness called police, he reported a gentleman slapping a female before both hopped into a van and drove off, then officers pulled them over and quickly sided with the male - the person who is now the number one suspect in her homicide investigation, whose remains were allegedly found in Florida. The abuser can be seen in the body cam footage laughing and smiling while talking to police while Petito can be seen crying throughout the police interaction which was over an hour long. At one point he even confesses Petito might have concerns about him, saying he hoped she didnt have too many complaints. Although federal law prohibits discriminatory enforcement of the law, gender-biased policing is a widespread issue, according to the ACLU, which conducted a survey that revealed 88 percent believe police sometimes or often do not believe victims or blame victims for the violence. The alleged abuser was labeled the domestic violence victim in the case, despite the signs of abuse Petito displayed and the 911 call from the witness saying the female was being slapped. Police connected him with a domestic violence shelter which booked him a hotel, free of cost to him. The shelter receives resources from the Violence Against Women Act, funds that are meant for battered women. Petitos case is yet another example of the need for structural change. The ACLU recommends regular, trauma-informed training for officers about implicit biases and effective police responses to sexual assault and domestic violence crimes. Other recommendations include having systems of accountability in place to ensure officers follow policies and are both promoted and penalized according to performance. And that would include incidences of, and responses to, domestic violence and sexual assaults committed by police officers because right now its not consistently tracked. According to the ACLU, a report found sexual misconduct was the second most reported form of police misconduct. Gender-biased policing is even more complicated when it intersects with racially-biased policing. That kind of institutional violence has deep roots in colonialism. Ingrained biases make the Indigenous missing person issue even more complex when considering the ongoing family separations and forced assimilations. Indigenous families separated Too many times Indigenous people are unjustly ripped from their tribal communities. They are alive, many times families know exactly where they are, but the family is separated and its considered legal. It could be due to over-policing, family courts favoring non-Indigenous parents or social service agencies disproportionately removing Indigenous children from their communities. Family separations and implicit biases are not mutually exclusive. Theres a myriad of cases, each uniquely different, but they all share the same imperialist theme. We don't even have a number for the kids that are missing, Yellowbird-Chase said about the small bodies that have been unearthed at boarding schools. Oftentimes people associate the separation, assimilation and trauma children endured at boarding schools as something that only occurred historically. But forced assimilation is ongoing. Indigenous children are still being systematically taken from their tribal communities and forcefully assimilated. We're talking about boarding schools. And that's just the count of the dead children, the murdered children, Yellowbird-Chase said about the growing number of children found buried at boarding schools. What about the children that we've lost to the foster cares? What about the ones that have been rinsed out of their Indianness through foster care, institutionalization, adoption, the great swoop of all these kids? They've literally washed their Indianness from them. Those kids are lost as well. Canadian author Patrick Johnston coined the phrase sixties scoop in his book, Native Children and the Welfare System. He notes in 1950 less than one percent of children in Canadas welfare system were Indigneous but they accounted for one third by the mid-60s. Since Yellowbird-Chase built a reputation helping families locate missing loved ones, many people have reached out to her requesting her help locating their Indigenous families, after receiving results from ancestry DNA tests. Although the tests dont prove Indigenous ancestry or tribal affiliations she says it speaks to the multi-generational scope of the issue. That goes to show you that these people have been displaced. They are the living versions of being stripped of your identity, of your culture, of who you are inside. And when we have this much trauma that we carry, they don't even know where, where to put that, Yellowbird-Chase said. The alive and missing are too often overlooked. Women flee abusers with their children to save their lives, with hopes of not becoming another MMIP statistic, and are treated as criminals in the legal system. Rarely are they brought up in MMIP discussions. One Native advocate talked about her own personal custody case. The non-Native parent and judge pushed the narrative that she was an "unfit" mother and the father was awarded custody. Shortly after, it was discovered that the children were living with the father in a motel and had been abused by him. Despite the fact that the maternal grandmother, who lived on tribal lands, was a social worker they were temporarily placed in foster care. It took years for the mother to gain full-custody of her children in the state of Washington. Today, the data shows Native American children in Washington are three times more likely to be placed in out of home care than White children. And 2016 data shows there were less than 100 Native foster homes. And Native youth are disproportionately affected throughout the juvenile justice system, more than any other group. They suffer the two most severe punishments, out-of-home placements and a transfer to the adult system. According to a Lakota Peoples Law Project report, Native youth make up approximately one percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the youth committed to Federal Bureau Prisons. The CDC found children who are transferred to the adult criminal justice system have a 39 percent higher recidivism rate, which contributes towards higher arrest and incarceration rates for adults. The number of Native men confined in jail is four times the national average. Native women are in prison at six times the rate of White women, according to the report. We are still fighting a system that does not work for us, a system that is not built to protect us, Grey Bull said. Instances of clemency have addressed the issue on a micro-level but are rare. Advocates say theres a need for a new approach, one thats more holistic. Maddesyn George killed a man in self-defense Maddesyn George, Colville, shot a man who was reaching for her through a car window one day after he raped her at gunpoint and a federal court sentenced her to six and a half years. Her case stands in stark contrast to Kyle Rittenhouses case. He killed two men and was aquitted of murder. The legal system did little to question his claims of self-defense despite the fact that he drove across state lines to confront Black Lives Matter protesters. George was arrested for killing him last July and was held in the tribal jail until November when she was indicted in federal court and taken to Spokane. She's been separated from her family since then, her attorney Steve Graham said. George has a child who was 4 months old at the time the incident occurred. She was afraid of the non-Native man and said she didnt feel safe to leave until he fell asleep. She took his gun, cash and drugs. The next day he was walking around tribal lands with a shotgun looking for her when he found her sitting in a friend's car. He reached in and hit her and she shot him defending herself. It seemed like the investigation against her was biased. It seemed like they didn't investigate the sexual assault that was committed against her at all. They didn't intend to preserve or document any of the evidence that was collected and it was a big frustration to her and her family, Graham said. She plead guilty to drug charges but Graham says the case revolves around sexual assault and self-defense. Because the crime occurred on tribal land, she was prosecuted in federal court, under the Major Crimes Act. Native Americans are confined to federal prisons at 38 percent above the national average, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Graham says he has practiced law in the Colville tribal court since 1999. It seems there that the judges really try to keep families together at all costs. Unfortunately under the federal sentencing guidelines, there's not as much consideration for keeping the families together and that's unfortunate, Graham said. The Indigenous overrepresentation in jail cells perpetuates the generational trauma of family separation. The problem is intensified and has ripple effects in communities when mothers are kept away from their babies. Separating mothers from infants goes against the recommendations of medical professionals and has negative impacts on infant health. Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. The observance of the day was made official by the Seattle City Council in 2014, and it takes place annually on the federal holiday of Columbus Day. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Dennis Willard, of Bellevue, Wash., carries a sign that reads "Where Is She" as he marches in support of missing and murdered Indigenous women during a rally to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day in downtown Seattle, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Incarceration and homicide statistics show the disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities. The problem that we face in Indian Country has been an ongoing thing. I would even say even from the first set of settlers and colonization, this is something that we've been facing and we're still fighting it to this day, Grey Bull said. Yellowbird-Chase says its an ongoing fight to raise our children in Indigenous ways. The loss of Indigenous lives and the erasure of the Indigenous experience are rarely considered state sanctioned killings. Still clawing back Indigenous identity The rates of removal for Indigenos children were higher prior to the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. The bill ensures Indigenous children maintain connections to their cultures by giving preference to immediate family members, adoptive families who are Indigenous and from each childs respective tribe, or any Indigenous family. But the legislation is currently being challenged by Texas, Louisiana and Indiana and seven individuals. Before 1978, 25 to 35 percent of all Indigenous children were taken from their parents and 85 percent of children were placed outside of their families and communities even when relatives were available and willing to adopt them, according to data compiled by Illuminative. Lissa Yellowbird-Chase helps families search for their missing loved ones because she's been impacted by the epidemic herself, on more than one occasion. To anybody who's either looking, or have lost a family member, my heart is with you. My prayers are with you, Yellowbird-Chase said. Her nephew Paul YellowBird McCormack was 37 when he was finally able to reconnect with the Indigenous half of his biological family. His biological mother is White and his biological father was from the MHA Nation in North Dakota. He was born before the Indian Child Welfare Act became federal law. At 6-weeks old, in 1976, he was adopted by a White family. In 1980, his adoptive parents received a letter from the Social Service Board of North Dakota stating his birth father Chuck YellowBird was informed of the birth of his son several years ago and had contacted the agency hoping to provide information about his Indian heritage to his son. The letter goes on to say Chuck wanted to be reassured that the child is in a good adoptive home. Chuck had spent years trying to locate Paul, which was difficult because he was searching for him under the name he was given at birth, Richard. Chuck dealt with anxiety and alcoholism. The night before Chuck claimed his life in 2011 he talked to his niece for hours and expressed deep regret for never having found his son. When Paul first attempted to find his biological parents the case worker said his mother didnt want to have contact. When he asked about his father they said paternity had not been established. He asked about the letter they received from the agency when he was a toddler and the case worker said it didnt exist and said he should let it go. He tried searching the internet over the years but using the wrong information his mother had provided. Then in 2013 Paul was involved in a discrimination complaint with his work and was looking for documentation proving his Native ancestry. Paul contacted the agency again requesting a copy of the letter and got it the second time around. To his surprise, the person helping him casually mentioned paternity had been established. She helped Paul search for his MHA Nation family. Now, Paul knows both sides of his biological family but to this day he has never had a conversation with his biological parents. Chuck died before they could meet and his biological mother refuses to speak to him. After all his experience with the legal system over the years, he says the system has changed but it has not improved. He feels like he missed out on his culture, especially because Indigenous communities prioritize family and community. He said coming from the pull yourself up by your bootstraps part of the Midwest where he grew up, to his MHA relatives felt natural and welcoming. Paul said when he met his Indigenous family members for the first time it felt like they had known each other forever but just hadnt seen each other in a long time. But, he says, at 45 he still feels like hes trying to claw back his identity. StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483, Residential School Survivors and Family Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Do you have a relative who has been kept away from your tribal community? Do you have a relative who has been taken through legal means? Please email your story to CarinaDominguez@indiancountrytoday.com with the subject: MISSING AND ALIVE. With Virginias COVID-19 daily caseloads skyrocketing records were set three consecutive days this week Dan River Region residents are flooding the emergency department of Sovah Health-Danville seeking a test for the novel coronavirus. However, the hospital isnt a testing site. Please consider local pharmacies, urgent care, or primary care clinics for testing to help us reserve hospital resources for our sickest patients, local hospital leaders wrote in a Facebook post Thursday. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. The problem isnt unique to Danville. In a statement last week, the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association and the Virginia Department of Health said people are heading to emergency departments with mild cases of COVID-19 or other seasonal illnesses. These unnecessary trips to the hospital are adding to the burden health care facilities already face with staffing shortages and increased patients. People with minor symptoms are encouraged to instead visit or talk to their primary care provider so emergency departments are able to handle the most severe situations. People with severe COVID-19 symptoms such as significant difficulty breathing, intense chest pain, severe weakness, or an elevated temperature that persists for days unabated are among those who should consider seeking emergency medical care for their condition, the statewide health agencies wrote in a joint news release. On Wednesday, Sovah Health was treating more than 40 patients for COVID-19 at its Danville and Martinsville facilities. Thats twice as many as the previous week. Of these hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 90% are unvaccinated, Dr. Sheranda Gunn-Nolan, market chief medical officer for Sovah Health, told the Register & Bee last week. She also reiterated her plea to residents to get vaccinated and boosted against the illness. The time to get vaccinated is now not after being admitted to the hospital with COVID-19. On Saturday, there were 2,292 patients in Virginia hospitals being treated for the virus, a figure that has steadily climbed each day this week. Even as infections have soared, hospitalizations havent reached the levels of last winter. On Friday the last day data will be available until Monday Virginia again set a record for daily COVID-19 infections with 17,618 cases added to the logs. That brings the seven-day rolling average to 9,883, a 60% increase from last Januarys wave. The omicron variant a new strain of the coronavirus is blamed for surge in cases. Local data Daily cases are rising locally but are still below the peaks of the delta wave in the summer. On Friday, Danville and Pittsylvania County were averaging about 60 new cases of COVID-19. The positivity rate 19.88% in Danville and 32.92% in Pittsylvania County also is climbing, often an indicator of an impending surge. The rate measures the positive results against the overall number of tests administered to help gauge the state of the pandemic on the local level. The Dan River Region and nearly all of Virginia is in the highest risk zone for COVID-19 spread, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In these areas, federal and state health experts urge residents to wear face masks for indoor public settings. Deaths Ten new COVID-19 deaths in Danville and Pittsylvania County were added this week, but six of those occurred out-of-state in 2020, health department spokesperson Logan Anderson told the Register & Bee. Those were among the 167 COVID-19 fatalities added this week from residents who died outside of Virginia. The state health department experiences a long delay in getting death reports from other areas and doesnt assess the data until the end of the following year, something it calls a routine data quality step. Outbreak A new COVID-19 outbreak emerged at Dan River High School in Fridays update from the health department. The outbreak involved less than five people and was reported Dec. 22. An outbreak is only declared when two or more COVID-19 infections are spread at the same place. Danville still has three active outbreaks: Riverside Health and Rehabilitation Center, Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute and Westover Christian Academy. Those will remain active until 28 days passes without a new positive cases. As fireworks and gunshots exploded on New Year's Eve and into early 2022, New Orleans public safety officials logged six structure fires, four people waving guns and a 10-year-old wounded by a bullet falling from the sky. The juvenile was injured in the 7900 block of Edgelake Court at about 10 p.m., the Police Department said, and was taken to a hospital for treatment. The child's condition was not known Saturday. Falling bullets often result from celebratory gunfire, long a part of holiday culture in many countries, albeit illegal. Injuries and deaths are rare but still confounding. A round from a medium-caliber pistol shot into the sky can fall back to Earth at 150 mph and as far as 2 miles away, experts warn, and can easily kill a person or become lodged in a building or car. Calls to 911 reporting gunfire historically surge in New Orleans during New Years Eve and Fourth of July celebrations. On Friday, there were 44 calls, more than triple the 2021 daily average of fewer than 13. Those numbers are almost the same as a year earlier: 43 calls on New Year's Eve 2020, compared to a daily average of fewer than 13. New Orleans infamously was the site of one falling bullet fatality, on New Year's Eve 1994. Boston tourist Amy Silberman, 31, was standing near Jackson Square in a crowd awaiting the annual fireworks display over the Mississippi River when she crumpled to the ground, fatally wounded by a bullet that dropped from the sky and pierced her skull. So dangerous is celebratory gunfire that on New Year's Eve 2006, New Orleans Emergency Medical Services began issuing Kevlar combat helmets to its paramedics, instructing them to wear the headgear from 11:45 p.m. to 12:15 a.m., a prescient order. Minutes into 2007, a falling rifle bullet pierced the roof of a patrolling ambulance, missing one medic's head and neck by inches. Falling-bullet warnings renewed; dangerous tradition puts EMS on guard Paramedics in New Orleans don't need explicit reminders about the potential danger of falling bullets, the ones that come down after revelers Silberman's killing was never solved, and police on Saturday asked for the public's help finding the person who fired the gun that wounded the 10-year-old on Edgelake Court. Anyone with information may call 7th District detectives at (504) 658-6070 or Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans Inc. at (504) 822-1111. Elsewhere in New Orleans, police said officers investigating an unrelated traffic incident at about 10 p.m. found three people firing guns in the 7800 block of Coronet Court. One had a rifle and pointed it at police, before all three ran away, police said. Officers chased them and arrested one, a 17-year-old whom they booked with being a juvenile with a gun, illegal use of a gun, flight from an officer and three counts of aggravated assault on an officer. At about 12:30 a.m., an officer patrolling near Canal and Chartres streets observed a disturbance and saw a 15-year-old boy pull a pistol from his waistband and wave it in the air, police said. The officer arrested him. The Fire Department recorded six structure fires between 10:56 p.m. and 2:27 a.m., as well as several outdoor grass and trash fires. "Although all of the incidents ... are being thoroughly investigated, dry weather conditions and the prevalent use of illegal fireworks cannot be overlooked," the agency said. Of note was a two-alarm fire in an abandoned house at 436 Flood St. at 12:38 a.m. Firefighters needed 1 hours to control it. "This was the second time firefighters had responded to this address this evening," the Fire Department said. "Just over an hour earlier, firefighters had extinguished a small fire in another area of this property." With Virginias COVID-19 daily caseloads skyrocketing records were set three consecutive days this week Dan River Region residents are flooding the emergency department of Sovah Health-Danville seeking a test for the novel coronavirus. However, the hospital isnt a testing site. Please consider local pharmacies, urgent care, or primary care clinics for testing to help us reserve hospital resources for our sickest patients, local hospital leaders wrote in a Facebook post Thursday. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. The problem isnt unique to Danville. In a statement last week, the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association and the Virginia Department of Health said people are heading to emergency departments with mild cases of COVID-19 or other seasonal illnesses. These unnecessary trips to the hospital are adding to the burden health care facilities already face with staffing shortages and increased patients. People with minor symptoms are encouraged to instead visit or talk to their primary care provider so emergency departments are able to handle the most severe situations. People with severe COVID-19 symptoms such as significant difficulty breathing, intense chest pain, severe weakness, or an elevated temperature that persists for days unabated are among those who should consider seeking emergency medical care for their condition, the statewide health agencies wrote in a joint news release. On Wednesday, Sovah Health was treating more than 40 patients for COVID-19 at its Danville and Martinsville facilities. Thats twice as many as the previous week. Of these hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 90% are unvaccinated, Dr. Sheranda Gunn-Nolan, market chief medical officer for Sovah Health, told the Register & Bee last week. She also reiterated her plea to residents to get vaccinated and boosted against the illness. The time to get vaccinated is now not after being admitted to the hospital with COVID-19. On Saturday, there were 2,292 patients in Virginia hospitals being treated for the virus, a figure that has steadily climbed each day this week. Even as infections have soared, hospitalizations havent reached the levels of last winter. On Friday the last day data will be available until Monday Virginia again set a record for daily COVID-19 infections with 17,618 cases added to the logs. That brings the seven-day rolling average to 9,883, a 60% increase from last Januarys wave. The omicron variant a new strain of the coronavirus is blamed for surge in cases. Local data Daily cases are rising locally but are still below the peaks of the delta wave in the summer. On Friday, Danville and Pittsylvania County were averaging about 60 new cases of COVID-19. The positivity rate 19.88% in Danville and 32.92% in Pittsylvania County also is climbing, often an indicator of an impending surge. The rate measures the positive results against the overall number of tests administered to help gauge the state of the pandemic on the local level. The Dan River Region and nearly all of Virginia is in the highest risk zone for COVID-19 spread, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In these areas, federal and state health experts urge residents to wear face masks for indoor public settings. Deaths Ten new COVID-19 deaths in Danville and Pittsylvania County were added this week, but six of those occurred out-of-state in 2020, health department spokesperson Logan Anderson told the Register & Bee. Those were among the 167 COVID-19 fatalities added this week from residents who died outside of Virginia. The state health department experiences a long delay in getting death reports from other areas and doesnt assess the data until the end of the following year, something it calls a routine data quality step. Outbreak A new COVID-19 outbreak emerged at Dan River High School in Fridays update from the health department. The outbreak involved less than five people and was reported Dec. 22. An outbreak is only declared when two or more COVID-19 infections are spread at the same place. Danville still has three active outbreaks: Riverside Health and Rehabilitation Center, Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute and Westover Christian Academy. Those will remain active until 28 days passes without a new positive cases. With Virginias COVID-19 daily caseloads skyrocketing records were set three consecutive days this week Dan River Region residents are flooding the emergency department of Sovah Health-Danville seeking a test for the novel coronavirus. However, the hospital isnt a testing site. Please consider local pharmacies, urgent care, or primary care clinics for testing to help us reserve hospital resources for our sickest patients, local hospital leaders wrote in a Facebook post Thursday. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. The problem isnt unique to Danville. In a statement last week, the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association and the Virginia Department of Health said people are heading to emergency departments with mild cases of COVID-19 or other seasonal illnesses. These unnecessary trips to the hospital are adding to the burden health care facilities already face with staffing shortages and increased patients. People with minor symptoms are encouraged to instead visit or talk to their primary care provider so emergency departments are able to handle the most severe situations. People with severe COVID-19 symptoms such as significant difficulty breathing, intense chest pain, severe weakness, or an elevated temperature that persists for days unabated are among those who should consider seeking emergency medical care for their condition, the statewide health agencies wrote in a joint news release. On Wednesday, Sovah Health was treating more than 40 patients for COVID-19 at its Danville and Martinsville facilities. Thats twice as many as the previous week. Of these hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 90% are unvaccinated, Dr. Sheranda Gunn-Nolan, market chief medical officer for Sovah Health, told the Register & Bee last week. She also reiterated her plea to residents to get vaccinated and boosted against the illness. The time to get vaccinated is now not after being admitted to the hospital with COVID-19. On Saturday, there were 2,292 patients in Virginia hospitals being treated for the virus, a figure that has steadily climbed each day this week. Even as infections have soared, hospitalizations havent reached the levels of last winter. On Friday the last day data will be available until Monday Virginia again set a record for daily COVID-19 infections with 17,618 cases added to the logs. That brings the seven-day rolling average to 9,883, a 60% increase from last Januarys wave. The omicron variant a new strain of the coronavirus is blamed for surge in cases. Local data Daily cases are rising locally but are still below the peaks of the delta wave in the summer. On Friday, Danville and Pittsylvania County were averaging about 60 new cases of COVID-19. The positivity rate 19.88% in Danville and 32.92% in Pittsylvania County also is climbing, often an indicator of an impending surge. The rate measures the positive results against the overall number of tests administered to help gauge the state of the pandemic on the local level. The Dan River Region and nearly all of Virginia is in the highest risk zone for COVID-19 spread, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In these areas, federal and state health experts urge residents to wear face masks for indoor public settings. Deaths Ten new COVID-19 deaths in Danville and Pittsylvania County were added this week, but six of those occurred out-of-state in 2020, health department spokesperson Logan Anderson told the Register & Bee. Those were among the 167 COVID-19 fatalities added this week from residents who died outside of Virginia. The state health department experiences a long delay in getting death reports from other areas and doesnt assess the data until the end of the following year, something it calls a routine data quality step. Outbreak A new COVID-19 outbreak emerged at Dan River High School in Fridays update from the health department. The outbreak involved less than five people and was reported Dec. 22. An outbreak is only declared when two or more COVID-19 infections are spread at the same place. Danville still has three active outbreaks: Riverside Health and Rehabilitation Center, Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute and Westover Christian Academy. Those will remain active until 28 days passes without a new positive cases. John Howard was warned just weeks before the Tampa affair of an impending flood of boat arrivals which would exhaust Australias detention capacity and place major strain on existing security resources ahead of a summit of international leaders in Brisbane. Secret documents given to federal cabinet in 2001, released after two decades on Saturday by the National Archives of Australia, show confidential contingency plans were drawn up to deal with intelligence reports suggesting an increasing pool of 6500 asylum seekers in the smuggling pipeline was awaiting passage across the seas. An Australian Army vessel patrols the waters near the Norwegian freighter Tampa in 2001. Credit:AP They also warn of the need for a demonstrated commitment from the federal government to border security to both reassure the Australian community and send a clear message to potential future arrivals and existing immigration detainees. The submission, stamped cabinet-in-confidence and dated July 6 2001, was circulated just six weeks before a small Indonesian fishing boat, the Palapa, overloaded with 433 mainly Hazara asylum-seekers from Afghanistan, became stranded in international waters about 140 km north of Christmas Island. With Virginias COVID-19 daily caseloads skyrocketing records were set three consecutive days this week Dan River Region residents are flooding the emergency department of Sovah Health-Danville seeking a test for the novel coronavirus. However, the hospital isnt a testing site. Please consider local pharmacies, urgent care, or primary care clinics for testing to help us reserve hospital resources for our sickest patients, local hospital leaders wrote in a Facebook post Thursday. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. The problem isnt unique to Danville. In a statement last week, the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association and the Virginia Department of Health said people are heading to emergency departments with mild cases of COVID-19 or other seasonal illnesses. These unnecessary trips to the hospital are adding to the burden health care facilities already face with staffing shortages and increased patients. People with minor symptoms are encouraged to instead visit or talk to their primary care provider so emergency departments are able to handle the most severe situations. People with severe COVID-19 symptoms such as significant difficulty breathing, intense chest pain, severe weakness, or an elevated temperature that persists for days unabated are among those who should consider seeking emergency medical care for their condition, the statewide health agencies wrote in a joint news release. On Wednesday, Sovah Health was treating more than 40 patients for COVID-19 at its Danville and Martinsville facilities. Thats twice as many as the previous week. Of these hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 90% are unvaccinated, Dr. Sheranda Gunn-Nolan, market chief medical officer for Sovah Health, told the Register & Bee last week. She also reiterated her plea to residents to get vaccinated and boosted against the illness. The time to get vaccinated is now not after being admitted to the hospital with COVID-19. On Saturday, there were 2,292 patients in Virginia hospitals being treated for the virus, a figure that has steadily climbed each day this week. Even as infections have soared, hospitalizations havent reached the levels of last winter. On Friday the last day data will be available until Monday Virginia again set a record for daily COVID-19 infections with 17,618 cases added to the logs. That brings the seven-day rolling average to 9,883, a 60% increase from last Januarys wave. The omicron variant a new strain of the coronavirus is blamed for surge in cases. Local data Daily cases are rising locally but are still below the peaks of the delta wave in the summer. On Friday, Danville and Pittsylvania County were averaging about 60 new cases of COVID-19. The positivity rate 19.88% in Danville and 32.92% in Pittsylvania County also is climbing, often an indicator of an impending surge. The rate measures the positive results against the overall number of tests administered to help gauge the state of the pandemic on the local level. The Dan River Region and nearly all of Virginia is in the highest risk zone for COVID-19 spread, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In these areas, federal and state health experts urge residents to wear face masks for indoor public settings. Deaths Ten new COVID-19 deaths in Danville and Pittsylvania County were added this week, but six of those occurred out-of-state in 2020, health department spokesperson Logan Anderson told the Register & Bee. Those were among the 167 COVID-19 fatalities added this week from residents who died outside of Virginia. The state health department experiences a long delay in getting death reports from other areas and doesnt assess the data until the end of the following year, something it calls a routine data quality step. Outbreak A new COVID-19 outbreak emerged at Dan River High School in Fridays update from the health department. The outbreak involved less than five people and was reported Dec. 22. An outbreak is only declared when two or more COVID-19 infections are spread at the same place. Danville still has three active outbreaks: Riverside Health and Rehabilitation Center, Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute and Westover Christian Academy. Those will remain active until 28 days passes without a new positive cases. Over 28,500 children have been killed in conflicts since 2005 in Afghanistan, which accounts for 27 per cent of all verified child casualties around the world. According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) report released on Friday, Afghanistan has the highest number of verified child casualties in the past 16 years, reported Tolo News. "Afghanistan, for example, has the highest number of verified child casualties since 2005, at more than 28,500 - accounting for 27 per cent of all verified child casualties globally," read the press release of UNICEF. Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria and northern Ethiopia are the places where children have paid a devastating price as armed conflict, inter-communal violence and insecurity continued, said the release. "Year after year, parties to the conflict continue to demonstrate a dreadful disregard for the rights and wellbeing of children," said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. "Children are suffering, and children are dying because of this callousness. Every effort should be made to keep these children safe from harm," Fore said. UNICEF has called on "all parties to the conflict" to take concrete measures to protect children, reported Tolo News. "Ultimately, children living through war will only be safe when parties to the conflict take concrete action to protect them and stop committing grave violations," said Fore. "As we approach the end of 2021, I call on all parties to the conflict to end attacks against children, uphold their rights and strive for peaceful political resolutions to war," added UNICEF Executive Director. According to the statement, the UN has verified 266,000 cases of grave violations against children in more than 30 conflict situations across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America over the past 16 years. The statement said that these are only the cases verified by UN-led monitoring and reporting mechanisms, meaning that the true figures may be far higher, reported Tolo News. UNICEF further added that so far there is no data available about grave violations against children in 2021, but in 2020, 26,425 grave violations against children were verified by the UN. (ANI) The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has accused security agencies of aiding, abetting and protecting illegal refineries in Rivers State. Mr Wike, who made the allegations in a state-wide broadcast on Saturday to mark the New Year, said the soot in Port Harcourt and its environs was caused by illegal refineries in the state, and that the federal government and securities agencies were complicit in it. He said his administration, concerned with the pollution of the environment, had requested the federal government to intervene and stop illegal oil bunkering and artisanal crude oil refiners in the state. Unfortunately, the Federal Government has remained inexplicably silent over our request and even complicit to a large extent with the security agencies actively aiding, encouraging and protecting the artisanal refiners to continue with their harmful activities unabated, Mr Wike said. We have equally appealed without success to our people engaging in this illegal business to consider its negative effects on our economy, environment, public safety and public health and disengage from it. He did not specify which security agencies he was referring to. But the governor said the state government is left with no other option than to take action. I have directed the Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government Council to go after all the illegal crude oil refining sites along Creek road and adjourning areas of the city and shut them down with immediate effect. Furthermore, all Local Government Chairmen are directed to work with community leaders to locate and identify those behind all illegal bunkering and crude oil refining sites in their localities and report to my office for further action, Governor Wike said. PREMIUM TIMES contacted the police in Rivers for their response to Mr Wikes allegation, but the police spokesperson in the state, Grace Iringe-koko, said she would get back to our report. She did not as of the time of filing the report. Wikes contradiction? In what appears to be a contradiction of his latest comment, Governor Wike in 2018 said the soot in Port Harcourt was caused by the destruction of illegal refineries by security agencies. We set up a technical committee to investigate the black soot problem. The committees report indicated that the black soot was largely a product of the destruction of illegal refineries by security agencies. It is not within the purview of the state government to tackle (or) control the security agencies. Therefore, we met with them and appealed that they find alternative ways to destroy the illegal refineries, the governor said. For about four years now, residents of Port Harcourt have been raising concern over the emission of toxic soot into the environment by unknown persons or companies. Mr Wikes administration in 2017 sealed off a Chinese company and two other companies over aggravated air pollution, and breach of environmental laws in Rivers State. The Nigerian Senate in 2017 had directed its Committees on Environment, Petroleum and Downstream to investigate the air pollution in Port Harcourt, but it is unclear what the committees findings were and what actions were taken. The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has accused security agencies of aiding, abetting and protecting illegal refineries in Rivers State. Mr Wike, who made the allegations in a state-wide broadcast on Saturday to mark the New Year, said the soot in Port Harcourt and its environs was caused by illegal refineries in the state, and that the federal government and securities agencies were complicit in it. He said his administration, concerned with the pollution of the environment, had requested the federal government to intervene and stop illegal oil bunkering and artisanal crude oil refiners in the state. Unfortunately, the Federal Government has remained inexplicably silent over our request and even complicit to a large extent with the security agencies actively aiding, encouraging and protecting the artisanal refiners to continue with their harmful activities unabated, Mr Wike said. We have equally appealed without success to our people engaging in this illegal business to consider its negative effects on our economy, environment, public safety and public health and disengage from it. He did not specify which security agencies he was referring to. But the governor said the state government is left with no other option than to take action. I have directed the Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government Council to go after all the illegal crude oil refining sites along Creek road and adjourning areas of the city and shut them down with immediate effect. Furthermore, all Local Government Chairmen are directed to work with community leaders to locate and identify those behind all illegal bunkering and crude oil refining sites in their localities and report to my office for further action, Governor Wike said. PREMIUM TIMES contacted the police in Rivers for their response to Mr Wikes allegation, but the police spokesperson in the state, Grace Iringe-koko, said she would get back to our report. She did not as of the time of filing the report. Wikes contradiction? In what appears to be a contradiction of his latest comment, Governor Wike in 2018 said the soot in Port Harcourt was caused by the destruction of illegal refineries by security agencies. We set up a technical committee to investigate the black soot problem. The committees report indicated that the black soot was largely a product of the destruction of illegal refineries by security agencies. It is not within the purview of the state government to tackle (or) control the security agencies. Therefore, we met with them and appealed that they find alternative ways to destroy the illegal refineries, the governor said. For about four years now, residents of Port Harcourt have been raising concern over the emission of toxic soot into the environment by unknown persons or companies. Mr Wikes administration in 2017 sealed off a Chinese company and two other companies over aggravated air pollution, and breach of environmental laws in Rivers State. The Nigerian Senate in 2017 had directed its Committees on Environment, Petroleum and Downstream to investigate the air pollution in Port Harcourt, but it is unclear what the committees findings were and what actions were taken. A former senior civil servant in charge of Brexit planning has warned some British businesses may give up importing as a result of new rules implemented in the new year. Philip Rycroft, who was permanent secretary at the Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) between 2017 and 2019, said the changes that came into play on January 1 will cause teething problems, with some sectors hit harder than others. The news comes as Boris Johnson vowed to maximise the benefits of Brexit in 2022. The Prime Minister, marking a year since the post-Brexit free trade deal with the European Union came into force, said the Government would go further and faster to take advantage of the enormous potential that our new freedoms bring. But with the introduction of new barriers to trade with the bloc, Mr Rycroft said some businesses may decide it isnt worth the hassle. Former senior civil servant Philip Rycroft said new trade rules with the EU will cause teething problems (Gareth Fuller/PA) The changes in place from January 1 mean that importers must make a full customs declaration on goods entering the UK from the EU or other countries. Traders are no longer able to delay completing full import customs declarations for up to 175 days, a measure that was introduced to cope with the disruption of Brexit. There are separate provisions in place for trade with the island of Ireland. Mr Rycroft told BBC Radio 4s PM programme the new rules might be too much for some companies. The Federation of Small Businesses reckon that only about a quarter of their members are ready for this, which is a bit surprising in a way because theyd obviously had a lot of notice that this is coming, he said. But lets not forget, theyve had a pretty torrid year, most businesses, with Covid and everything else, so a lot of businesses wont be ready. POLITICS Brexit There will be teething problems but the big question is, how many businesses ultimately think: Do you know what? This is just too much hassle, and give up importing? Just as some businesses have already given up exporting because its not worth it. Story continues He added: Businesses exporting to the EU from the UK have already faced these rules, obviously, for the best part of a year. So its now going to be those businesses in the UK that import from the EU (that) have got to deal with this, essentially, new Brexit bureaucracy. This is what taking back control of our borders means. It will hit some sectors harder than others. The rules are more complicated for animal products, in particular food products that contain bits of animals, because of all the requirements around that. Rules on country of origin documents have also become marginally stricter, with declarations needing to be made when goods arrive here. Mr Rycroft said this will be really complicated for certain products that contain lots of different bits or ingredients. Asked if the country is likely to see rising prices or empty shelves, he said: I wouldnt overdramatise it. I think at the margins there are new costs, which will ultimately have to be borne by the consumers. So HMRC reckon that the total cost of these new systems will be something like 13 billion a year thats a lot of money by any token spread across a big population like the UK, of course, thats modest increases in costs through the supply chain. But at the margins also therell be some businesses, as I said previously, (who) think: Do you know what? This isnt worth the hassle. So there will at the margins be a reduction in choice as well. This is why the Office (for) Budget Responsibility reckons that the net impact of this deal on our wealth as a country will be to reduce it by about 4% in the medium term. Thats because trade between the UK and the EU will be a lot less free than it was when we were in the single market. The DExEU closed in January 2020, with Brexit negotiations now handled by the Foreign Office. As fireworks and gunshots exploded on New Year's Eve and into early 2022, New Orleans public safety officials logged six structure fires, four people waving guns and a 10-year-old wounded by a bullet falling from the sky. The juvenile was injured in the 7900 block of Edgelake Court at about 10 p.m., the Police Department said, and was taken to a hospital for treatment. The child's condition was not known Saturday. Falling bullets often result from celebratory gunfire, long a part of holiday culture in many countries, albeit illegal. Injuries and deaths are rare but still confounding. A round from a medium-caliber pistol shot into the sky can fall back to Earth at 150 mph and as far as 2 miles away, experts warn, and can easily kill a person or become lodged in a building or car. Calls to 911 reporting gunfire historically surge in New Orleans during New Years Eve and Fourth of July celebrations. On Friday, there were 44 calls, more than triple the 2021 daily average of fewer than 13. Those numbers are almost the same as a year earlier: 43 calls on New Year's Eve 2020, compared to a daily average of fewer than 13. New Orleans infamously was the site of one falling bullet fatality, on New Year's Eve 1994. Boston tourist Amy Silberman, 31, was standing near Jackson Square in a crowd awaiting the annual fireworks display over the Mississippi River when she crumpled to the ground, fatally wounded by a bullet that dropped from the sky and pierced her skull. So dangerous is celebratory gunfire that on New Year's Eve 2006, New Orleans Emergency Medical Services began issuing Kevlar combat helmets to its paramedics, instructing them to wear the headgear from 11:45 p.m. to 12:15 a.m., a prescient order. Minutes into 2007, a falling rifle bullet pierced the roof of a patrolling ambulance, missing one medic's head and neck by inches. Falling-bullet warnings renewed; dangerous tradition puts EMS on guard Paramedics in New Orleans don't need explicit reminders about the potential danger of falling bullets, the ones that come down after revelers Silberman's killing was never solved, and police on Saturday asked for the public's help finding the person who fired the gun that wounded the 10-year-old on Edgelake Court. Anyone with information may call 7th District detectives at (504) 658-6070 or Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans Inc. at (504) 822-1111. Elsewhere in New Orleans, police said officers investigating an unrelated traffic incident at about 10 p.m. found three people firing guns in the 7800 block of Coronet Court. One had a rifle and pointed it at police, before all three ran away, police said. Officers chased them and arrested one, a 17-year-old whom they booked with being a juvenile with a gun, illegal use of a gun, flight from an officer and three counts of aggravated assault on an officer. At about 12:30 a.m., an officer patrolling near Canal and Chartres streets observed a disturbance and saw a 15-year-old boy pull a pistol from his waistband and wave it in the air, police said. The officer arrested him. The Fire Department recorded six structure fires between 10:56 p.m. and 2:27 a.m., as well as several outdoor grass and trash fires. "Although all of the incidents ... are being thoroughly investigated, dry weather conditions and the prevalent use of illegal fireworks cannot be overlooked," the agency said. Of note was a two-alarm fire in an abandoned house at 436 Flood St. at 12:38 a.m. Firefighters needed 1 hours to control it. "This was the second time firefighters had responded to this address this evening," the Fire Department said. "Just over an hour earlier, firefighters had extinguished a small fire in another area of this property." The Coalition for Whistleblower Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF), on Saturday, called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government to stop the growing trend of attacks on journalists in the country. Thus, CWPPF calls on the Federal Government to take prompt measures to end these attacks on the news media, protect journalists from corrupt government officials exposed by journalists through their investigative reporting, and institute cautionary and disciplinary action against state actors who continue unruly attitudes towards journalists and citizens, the coalition said in a statement endorsed by its 16 members. CWPPF, comprising some top Nigerian media and civil society organisations as well as the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), condemned the attacks on the news media which it said constitutes a threat to the Nigerian democracy. This dangerous trend threatens the health of the Nigerian news media and the resilience of our countrys democracy, it said. Citing a recent attack on a journalist with Punch Newspaper in Lagos, the coalition expressed concerns about lack of accountability of the government of President Buhari to the people. On Thursday, December 30, Tony Ufoh a journalist with Punch Newspaper was harassed by the Nigerian Special Police Fraud Unit [SFU] in the line of duty in Milverton Ikoyi area of Lagos. Mr. Ufoh was speaking to tenants who were reportedly defrauded by a developer when he was accosted by the police and his phone and Identity card forcibly taken and still unreturned. This rising pattern of attacks, and its evident constitutional breach, raise worrying concerns for the protection of citizens rights, the ability of the state to ensure effective governance, and the statutory obligation of the news media to hold the government and state officials accountable as required by the 1999 constitution. For the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari which came to power ostensibly to rid the country of corruption, this flagrant abuse of state power and resources by its agents blemishes its preparedness to enable the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people, the statement read in part. The police recently invited Fisayo Soyombo of the Foundation for Investigative Journalist (FIJ) for interrogation over a critical report by his platform exposing alleged acts of corruption of top police officers. CWPPF called on the police to stop abusing their powers against journalists when they should be unravelling the alleged corrupt conduct of one of its officers. The police, on its part, is best served to restrain from abusing its powers using strong-arm tactics against the news media when its concerns should indeed be unravelling the alleged complicity of one of its officers in an act of corruption, it said. ALSO READ: Coalition condemns state attacks on Nigerian journalists over critical reports It added, The graver danger is that if allowed to fester, this trend of attack on journalists for their legitimate reporting duty will embolden others, threatening journalism practice and freedom of the press in Nigeria, and exposing a critical pillar for building and sustaining democracy in our country to jeopardy. The coalition The CWPPF is a group of media and civil society organisations committed to upholding democracy and good governance by protecting the ethos of whistleblowing, freedom of expression and press freedom. Its members include Premium Times, OrderPaper Advocacy Initiative, The Cable, Daily Trust Newspaper, International Centre for Investigative Reporting, Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ) and African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL). The rest are Civic Media Lab, Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), International Press Centre (IPC), Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Paradigm Initiative, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), and HEDA Resources Centre. The United States is extending its operations aboard the International Space Station through 2030, NASA confirmed Friday in a blog post. The International Space Station is a beacon of peaceful international scientific collaboration and for more than 20 years has returned enormous scientific, educational, and technological developments to benefit humanity," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement. Though it was never in doubt that the US would continue its near-term commitment to the ISS, NASA's announcement comes amid heightened tensions with Russia, one of several nations sharing access to the Space Station. 2021 also saw Russia deepen its cooperation in space with China, another US adversary, as The New York Times noted in June. Fall 2021 saw multiple emergencies aboard the ISS, both of which the US blamed on Russia. In October, surprise test fire from a docked Russian spacecraft caused the ISS to tilt out of its normal position, leading personnel on board to briefly evacuate. (A fun footnote: The spacecraft that caused the incident had been in space so that a Russian crew could film the first feature film aboard the Space Station.) Then, in November, satellite debris forced ISS astronauts to seek shelter on the day as a Russian missile attack. The US condemned Russia for the attack. Russia did not acknowledge any wrongdoing. Turn on browser notifications to receive breaking news alerts from Engadget You can disable notifications at any time in your settings menu. Not now Turned on Turn on Later that month, in an unrelated episode, Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, left the door open for possible criminal charges related to a 2018 incident involving a hole in one of its spacecraft, which Russian media insinuated could have been the result of US sabotage. "These attacks are false and lack any credibility," Nelson told Ars Technica in November. In its statement on Friday, NASA highlighted among its continuing projects sending humans to Mars, as well as Project Artemis, an effort to send the first woman and the first person of color to the Moon. Indeed, NASA underwent a reorganization in September that seemed to specifically reflect its priorities around the Moon and Mars. The United States is extending its operations aboard the International Space Station through 2030, NASA confirmed Friday in a blog post. The International Space Station is a beacon of peaceful international scientific collaboration and for more than 20 years has returned enormous scientific, educational, and technological developments to benefit humanity," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement. Though it was never in doubt that the US would continue its near-term commitment to the ISS, NASA's announcement comes amid heightened tensions with Russia, one of several nations sharing access to the Space Station. 2021 also saw Russia deepen its cooperation in space with China, another US adversary, as The New York Times noted in June. Fall 2021 saw multiple emergencies aboard the ISS, both of which the US blamed on Russia. In October, surprise test fire from a docked Russian spacecraft caused the ISS to tilt out of its normal position, leading personnel on board to briefly evacuate. (A fun footnote: The spacecraft that caused the incident had been in space so that a Russian crew could film the first feature film aboard the Space Station.) Then, in November, satellite debris forced ISS astronauts to seek shelter on the day as a Russian missile attack. The US condemned Russia for the attack. Russia did not acknowledge any wrongdoing. Turn on browser notifications to receive breaking news alerts from Engadget You can disable notifications at any time in your settings menu. Not now Turned on Turn on Later that month, in an unrelated episode, Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, left the door open for possible criminal charges related to a 2018 incident involving a hole in one of its spacecraft, which Russian media insinuated could have been the result of US sabotage. "These attacks are false and lack any credibility," Nelson told Ars Technica in November. In its statement on Friday, NASA highlighted among its continuing projects sending humans to Mars, as well as Project Artemis, an effort to send the first woman and the first person of color to the Moon. Indeed, NASA underwent a reorganization in September that seemed to specifically reflect its priorities around the Moon and Mars. The United States is extending its operations aboard the International Space Station through 2030, NASA confirmed Friday in a blog post. The International Space Station is a beacon of peaceful international scientific collaboration and for more than 20 years has returned enormous scientific, educational, and technological developments to benefit humanity," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement. Though it was never in doubt that the US would continue its near-term commitment to the ISS, NASA's announcement comes amid heightened tensions with Russia, one of several nations sharing access to the Space Station. 2021 also saw Russia deepen its cooperation in space with China, another US adversary, as The New York Times noted in June. Fall 2021 saw multiple emergencies aboard the ISS, both of which the US blamed on Russia. In October, surprise test fire from a docked Russian spacecraft caused the ISS to tilt out of its normal position, leading personnel on board to briefly evacuate. (A fun footnote: The spacecraft that caused the incident had been in space so that a Russian crew could film the first feature film aboard the Space Station.) Then, in November, satellite debris forced ISS astronauts to seek shelter on the day as a Russian missile attack. The US condemned Russia for the attack. Russia did not acknowledge any wrongdoing. Turn on browser notifications to receive breaking news alerts from Engadget You can disable notifications at any time in your settings menu. Not now Turned on Turn on Later that month, in an unrelated episode, Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, left the door open for possible criminal charges related to a 2018 incident involving a hole in one of its spacecraft, which Russian media insinuated could have been the result of US sabotage. "These attacks are false and lack any credibility," Nelson told Ars Technica in November. In its statement on Friday, NASA highlighted among its continuing projects sending humans to Mars, as well as Project Artemis, an effort to send the first woman and the first person of color to the Moon. Indeed, NASA underwent a reorganization in September that seemed to specifically reflect its priorities around the Moon and Mars. The Coalition for Whistleblower Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF), on Saturday, called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government to stop the growing trend of attacks on journalists in the country. Thus, CWPPF calls on the Federal Government to take prompt measures to end these attacks on the news media, protect journalists from corrupt government officials exposed by journalists through their investigative reporting, and institute cautionary and disciplinary action against state actors who continue unruly attitudes towards journalists and citizens, the coalition said in a statement endorsed by its 16 members. CWPPF, comprising some top Nigerian media and civil society organisations as well as the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), condemned the attacks on the news media which it said constitutes a threat to the Nigerian democracy. This dangerous trend threatens the health of the Nigerian news media and the resilience of our countrys democracy, it said. Citing a recent attack on a journalist with Punch Newspaper in Lagos, the coalition expressed concerns about lack of accountability of the government of President Buhari to the people. On Thursday, December 30, Tony Ufoh a journalist with Punch Newspaper was harassed by the Nigerian Special Police Fraud Unit [SFU] in the line of duty in Milverton Ikoyi area of Lagos. Mr. Ufoh was speaking to tenants who were reportedly defrauded by a developer when he was accosted by the police and his phone and Identity card forcibly taken and still unreturned. This rising pattern of attacks, and its evident constitutional breach, raise worrying concerns for the protection of citizens rights, the ability of the state to ensure effective governance, and the statutory obligation of the news media to hold the government and state officials accountable as required by the 1999 constitution. For the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari which came to power ostensibly to rid the country of corruption, this flagrant abuse of state power and resources by its agents blemishes its preparedness to enable the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people, the statement read in part. The police recently invited Fisayo Soyombo of the Foundation for Investigative Journalist (FIJ) for interrogation over a critical report by his platform exposing alleged acts of corruption of top police officers. CWPPF called on the police to stop abusing their powers against journalists when they should be unravelling the alleged corrupt conduct of one of its officers. The police, on its part, is best served to restrain from abusing its powers using strong-arm tactics against the news media when its concerns should indeed be unravelling the alleged complicity of one of its officers in an act of corruption, it said. ALSO READ: Coalition condemns state attacks on Nigerian journalists over critical reports It added, The graver danger is that if allowed to fester, this trend of attack on journalists for their legitimate reporting duty will embolden others, threatening journalism practice and freedom of the press in Nigeria, and exposing a critical pillar for building and sustaining democracy in our country to jeopardy. The coalition The CWPPF is a group of media and civil society organisations committed to upholding democracy and good governance by protecting the ethos of whistleblowing, freedom of expression and press freedom. Its members include Premium Times, OrderPaper Advocacy Initiative, The Cable, Daily Trust Newspaper, International Centre for Investigative Reporting, Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ) and African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL). The rest are Civic Media Lab, Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), International Press Centre (IPC), Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Paradigm Initiative, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), and HEDA Resources Centre. As fireworks and gunshots exploded on New Year's Eve and into early 2022, New Orleans public safety officials logged six structure fires, four people waving guns and a 10-year-old wounded by a bullet falling from the sky. The juvenile was injured in the 7900 block of Edgelake Court at about 10 p.m., the Police Department said, and was taken to a hospital for treatment. The child's condition was not known Saturday. Falling bullets often result from celebratory gunfire, long a part of holiday culture in many countries, albeit illegal. Injuries and deaths are rare but still confounding. A round from a medium-caliber pistol shot into the sky can fall back to Earth at 150 mph and as far as 2 miles away, experts warn, and can easily kill a person or become lodged in a building or car. Calls to 911 reporting gunfire historically surge in New Orleans during New Years Eve and Fourth of July celebrations. On Friday, there were 44 calls, more than triple the 2021 daily average of fewer than 13. Those numbers are almost the same as a year earlier: 43 calls on New Year's Eve 2020, compared to a daily average of fewer than 13. New Orleans infamously was the site of one falling bullet fatality, on New Year's Eve 1994. Boston tourist Amy Silberman, 31, was standing near Jackson Square in a crowd awaiting the annual fireworks display over the Mississippi River when she crumpled to the ground, fatally wounded by a bullet that dropped from the sky and pierced her skull. So dangerous is celebratory gunfire that on New Year's Eve 2006, New Orleans Emergency Medical Services began issuing Kevlar combat helmets to its paramedics, instructing them to wear the headgear from 11:45 p.m. to 12:15 a.m., a prescient order. Minutes into 2007, a falling rifle bullet pierced the roof of a patrolling ambulance, missing one medic's head and neck by inches. Falling-bullet warnings renewed; dangerous tradition puts EMS on guard Paramedics in New Orleans don't need explicit reminders about the potential danger of falling bullets, the ones that come down after revelers Silberman's killing was never solved, and police on Saturday asked for the public's help finding the person who fired the gun that wounded the 10-year-old on Edgelake Court. Anyone with information may call 7th District detectives at (504) 658-6070 or Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans Inc. at (504) 822-1111. Elsewhere in New Orleans, police said officers investigating an unrelated traffic incident at about 10 p.m. found three people firing guns in the 7800 block of Coronet Court. One had a rifle and pointed it at police, before all three ran away, police said. Officers chased them and arrested one, a 17-year-old whom they booked with being a juvenile with a gun, illegal use of a gun, flight from an officer and three counts of aggravated assault on an officer. At about 12:30 a.m., an officer patrolling near Canal and Chartres streets observed a disturbance and saw a 15-year-old boy pull a pistol from his waistband and wave it in the air, police said. The officer arrested him. The Fire Department recorded six structure fires between 10:56 p.m. and 2:27 a.m., as well as several outdoor grass and trash fires. "Although all of the incidents ... are being thoroughly investigated, dry weather conditions and the prevalent use of illegal fireworks cannot be overlooked," the agency said. Of note was a two-alarm fire in an abandoned house at 436 Flood St. at 12:38 a.m. Firefighters needed 1 hours to control it. "This was the second time firefighters had responded to this address this evening," the Fire Department said. "Just over an hour earlier, firefighters had extinguished a small fire in another area of this property." The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has accused security agencies of aiding, abetting and protecting illegal refineries in Rivers State. Mr Wike, who made the allegations in a state-wide broadcast on Saturday to mark the New Year, said the soot in Port Harcourt and its environs was caused by illegal refineries in the state, and that the federal government and securities agencies were complicit in it. He said his administration, concerned with the pollution of the environment, had requested the federal government to intervene and stop illegal oil bunkering and artisanal crude oil refiners in the state. Unfortunately, the Federal Government has remained inexplicably silent over our request and even complicit to a large extent with the security agencies actively aiding, encouraging and protecting the artisanal refiners to continue with their harmful activities unabated, Mr Wike said. We have equally appealed without success to our people engaging in this illegal business to consider its negative effects on our economy, environment, public safety and public health and disengage from it. He did not specify which security agencies he was referring to. But the governor said the state government is left with no other option than to take action. I have directed the Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government Council to go after all the illegal crude oil refining sites along Creek road and adjourning areas of the city and shut them down with immediate effect. Furthermore, all Local Government Chairmen are directed to work with community leaders to locate and identify those behind all illegal bunkering and crude oil refining sites in their localities and report to my office for further action, Governor Wike said. PREMIUM TIMES contacted the police in Rivers for their response to Mr Wikes allegation, but the police spokesperson in the state, Grace Iringe-koko, said she would get back to our report. She did not as of the time of filing the report. Wikes contradiction? In what appears to be a contradiction of his latest comment, Governor Wike in 2018 said the soot in Port Harcourt was caused by the destruction of illegal refineries by security agencies. We set up a technical committee to investigate the black soot problem. The committees report indicated that the black soot was largely a product of the destruction of illegal refineries by security agencies. It is not within the purview of the state government to tackle (or) control the security agencies. Therefore, we met with them and appealed that they find alternative ways to destroy the illegal refineries, the governor said. For about four years now, residents of Port Harcourt have been raising concern over the emission of toxic soot into the environment by unknown persons or companies. Mr Wikes administration in 2017 sealed off a Chinese company and two other companies over aggravated air pollution, and breach of environmental laws in Rivers State. The Nigerian Senate in 2017 had directed its Committees on Environment, Petroleum and Downstream to investigate the air pollution in Port Harcourt, but it is unclear what the committees findings were and what actions were taken. The Coalition for Whistleblower Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF), on Saturday, called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government to stop the growing trend of attacks on journalists in the country. Thus, CWPPF calls on the Federal Government to take prompt measures to end these attacks on the news media, protect journalists from corrupt government officials exposed by journalists through their investigative reporting, and institute cautionary and disciplinary action against state actors who continue unruly attitudes towards journalists and citizens, the coalition said in a statement endorsed by its 16 members. CWPPF, comprising some top Nigerian media and civil society organisations as well as the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), condemned the attacks on the news media which it said constitutes a threat to the Nigerian democracy. This dangerous trend threatens the health of the Nigerian news media and the resilience of our countrys democracy, it said. Citing a recent attack on a journalist with Punch Newspaper in Lagos, the coalition expressed concerns about lack of accountability of the government of President Buhari to the people. On Thursday, December 30, Tony Ufoh a journalist with Punch Newspaper was harassed by the Nigerian Special Police Fraud Unit [SFU] in the line of duty in Milverton Ikoyi area of Lagos. Mr. Ufoh was speaking to tenants who were reportedly defrauded by a developer when he was accosted by the police and his phone and Identity card forcibly taken and still unreturned. This rising pattern of attacks, and its evident constitutional breach, raise worrying concerns for the protection of citizens rights, the ability of the state to ensure effective governance, and the statutory obligation of the news media to hold the government and state officials accountable as required by the 1999 constitution. For the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari which came to power ostensibly to rid the country of corruption, this flagrant abuse of state power and resources by its agents blemishes its preparedness to enable the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people, the statement read in part. The police recently invited Fisayo Soyombo of the Foundation for Investigative Journalist (FIJ) for interrogation over a critical report by his platform exposing alleged acts of corruption of top police officers. CWPPF called on the police to stop abusing their powers against journalists when they should be unravelling the alleged corrupt conduct of one of its officers. The police, on its part, is best served to restrain from abusing its powers using strong-arm tactics against the news media when its concerns should indeed be unravelling the alleged complicity of one of its officers in an act of corruption, it said. ALSO READ: Coalition condemns state attacks on Nigerian journalists over critical reports It added, The graver danger is that if allowed to fester, this trend of attack on journalists for their legitimate reporting duty will embolden others, threatening journalism practice and freedom of the press in Nigeria, and exposing a critical pillar for building and sustaining democracy in our country to jeopardy. The coalition The CWPPF is a group of media and civil society organisations committed to upholding democracy and good governance by protecting the ethos of whistleblowing, freedom of expression and press freedom. Its members include Premium Times, OrderPaper Advocacy Initiative, The Cable, Daily Trust Newspaper, International Centre for Investigative Reporting, Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ) and African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL). The rest are Civic Media Lab, Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), International Press Centre (IPC), Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Paradigm Initiative, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), and HEDA Resources Centre. The Coalition for Whistleblower Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF), on Saturday, called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government to stop the growing trend of attacks on journalists in the country. Thus, CWPPF calls on the Federal Government to take prompt measures to end these attacks on the news media, protect journalists from corrupt government officials exposed by journalists through their investigative reporting, and institute cautionary and disciplinary action against state actors who continue unruly attitudes towards journalists and citizens, the coalition said in a statement endorsed by its 16 members. CWPPF, comprising some top Nigerian media and civil society organisations as well as the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), condemned the attacks on the news media which it said constitutes a threat to the Nigerian democracy. This dangerous trend threatens the health of the Nigerian news media and the resilience of our countrys democracy, it said. Citing a recent attack on a journalist with Punch Newspaper in Lagos, the coalition expressed concerns about lack of accountability of the government of President Buhari to the people. On Thursday, December 30, Tony Ufoh a journalist with Punch Newspaper was harassed by the Nigerian Special Police Fraud Unit [SFU] in the line of duty in Milverton Ikoyi area of Lagos. Mr. Ufoh was speaking to tenants who were reportedly defrauded by a developer when he was accosted by the police and his phone and Identity card forcibly taken and still unreturned. This rising pattern of attacks, and its evident constitutional breach, raise worrying concerns for the protection of citizens rights, the ability of the state to ensure effective governance, and the statutory obligation of the news media to hold the government and state officials accountable as required by the 1999 constitution. For the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari which came to power ostensibly to rid the country of corruption, this flagrant abuse of state power and resources by its agents blemishes its preparedness to enable the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people, the statement read in part. The police recently invited Fisayo Soyombo of the Foundation for Investigative Journalist (FIJ) for interrogation over a critical report by his platform exposing alleged acts of corruption of top police officers. CWPPF called on the police to stop abusing their powers against journalists when they should be unravelling the alleged corrupt conduct of one of its officers. The police, on its part, is best served to restrain from abusing its powers using strong-arm tactics against the news media when its concerns should indeed be unravelling the alleged complicity of one of its officers in an act of corruption, it said. ALSO READ: Coalition condemns state attacks on Nigerian journalists over critical reports It added, The graver danger is that if allowed to fester, this trend of attack on journalists for their legitimate reporting duty will embolden others, threatening journalism practice and freedom of the press in Nigeria, and exposing a critical pillar for building and sustaining democracy in our country to jeopardy. The coalition The CWPPF is a group of media and civil society organisations committed to upholding democracy and good governance by protecting the ethos of whistleblowing, freedom of expression and press freedom. Its members include Premium Times, OrderPaper Advocacy Initiative, The Cable, Daily Trust Newspaper, International Centre for Investigative Reporting, Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ) and African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL). The rest are Civic Media Lab, Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), International Press Centre (IPC), Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Paradigm Initiative, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), and HEDA Resources Centre. The Coalition for Whistleblower Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF), on Saturday, called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government to stop the growing trend of attacks on journalists in the country. Thus, CWPPF calls on the Federal Government to take prompt measures to end these attacks on the news media, protect journalists from corrupt government officials exposed by journalists through their investigative reporting, and institute cautionary and disciplinary action against state actors who continue unruly attitudes towards journalists and citizens, the coalition said in a statement endorsed by its 16 members. CWPPF, comprising some top Nigerian media and civil society organisations as well as the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), condemned the attacks on the news media which it said constitutes a threat to the Nigerian democracy. This dangerous trend threatens the health of the Nigerian news media and the resilience of our countrys democracy, it said. Citing a recent attack on a journalist with Punch Newspaper in Lagos, the coalition expressed concerns about lack of accountability of the government of President Buhari to the people. On Thursday, December 30, Tony Ufoh a journalist with Punch Newspaper was harassed by the Nigerian Special Police Fraud Unit [SFU] in the line of duty in Milverton Ikoyi area of Lagos. Mr. Ufoh was speaking to tenants who were reportedly defrauded by a developer when he was accosted by the police and his phone and Identity card forcibly taken and still unreturned. This rising pattern of attacks, and its evident constitutional breach, raise worrying concerns for the protection of citizens rights, the ability of the state to ensure effective governance, and the statutory obligation of the news media to hold the government and state officials accountable as required by the 1999 constitution. For the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari which came to power ostensibly to rid the country of corruption, this flagrant abuse of state power and resources by its agents blemishes its preparedness to enable the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people, the statement read in part. The police recently invited Fisayo Soyombo of the Foundation for Investigative Journalist (FIJ) for interrogation over a critical report by his platform exposing alleged acts of corruption of top police officers. CWPPF called on the police to stop abusing their powers against journalists when they should be unravelling the alleged corrupt conduct of one of its officers. The police, on its part, is best served to restrain from abusing its powers using strong-arm tactics against the news media when its concerns should indeed be unravelling the alleged complicity of one of its officers in an act of corruption, it said. ALSO READ: Coalition condemns state attacks on Nigerian journalists over critical reports It added, The graver danger is that if allowed to fester, this trend of attack on journalists for their legitimate reporting duty will embolden others, threatening journalism practice and freedom of the press in Nigeria, and exposing a critical pillar for building and sustaining democracy in our country to jeopardy. The coalition The CWPPF is a group of media and civil society organisations committed to upholding democracy and good governance by protecting the ethos of whistleblowing, freedom of expression and press freedom. Its members include Premium Times, OrderPaper Advocacy Initiative, The Cable, Daily Trust Newspaper, International Centre for Investigative Reporting, Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ) and African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL). The rest are Civic Media Lab, Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), International Press Centre (IPC), Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Paradigm Initiative, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), and HEDA Resources Centre. The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has accused security agencies of aiding, abetting and protecting illegal refineries in Rivers State. Mr Wike, who made the allegations in a state-wide broadcast on Saturday to mark the New Year, said the soot in Port Harcourt and its environs was caused by illegal refineries in the state, and that the federal government and securities agencies were complicit in it. He said his administration, concerned with the pollution of the environment, had requested the federal government to intervene and stop illegal oil bunkering and artisanal crude oil refiners in the state. Unfortunately, the Federal Government has remained inexplicably silent over our request and even complicit to a large extent with the security agencies actively aiding, encouraging and protecting the artisanal refiners to continue with their harmful activities unabated, Mr Wike said. We have equally appealed without success to our people engaging in this illegal business to consider its negative effects on our economy, environment, public safety and public health and disengage from it. He did not specify which security agencies he was referring to. But the governor said the state government is left with no other option than to take action. I have directed the Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government Council to go after all the illegal crude oil refining sites along Creek road and adjourning areas of the city and shut them down with immediate effect. Furthermore, all Local Government Chairmen are directed to work with community leaders to locate and identify those behind all illegal bunkering and crude oil refining sites in their localities and report to my office for further action, Governor Wike said. PREMIUM TIMES contacted the police in Rivers for their response to Mr Wikes allegation, but the police spokesperson in the state, Grace Iringe-koko, said she would get back to our report. She did not as of the time of filing the report. Wikes contradiction? In what appears to be a contradiction of his latest comment, Governor Wike in 2018 said the soot in Port Harcourt was caused by the destruction of illegal refineries by security agencies. We set up a technical committee to investigate the black soot problem. The committees report indicated that the black soot was largely a product of the destruction of illegal refineries by security agencies. It is not within the purview of the state government to tackle (or) control the security agencies. Therefore, we met with them and appealed that they find alternative ways to destroy the illegal refineries, the governor said. For about four years now, residents of Port Harcourt have been raising concern over the emission of toxic soot into the environment by unknown persons or companies. Mr Wikes administration in 2017 sealed off a Chinese company and two other companies over aggravated air pollution, and breach of environmental laws in Rivers State. The Nigerian Senate in 2017 had directed its Committees on Environment, Petroleum and Downstream to investigate the air pollution in Port Harcourt, but it is unclear what the committees findings were and what actions were taken. The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has accused security agencies of aiding, abetting and protecting illegal refineries in Rivers State. Mr Wike, who made the allegations in a state-wide broadcast on Saturday to mark the New Year, said the soot in Port Harcourt and its environs was caused by illegal refineries in the state, and that the federal government and securities agencies were complicit in it. He said his administration, concerned with the pollution of the environment, had requested the federal government to intervene and stop illegal oil bunkering and artisanal crude oil refiners in the state. Unfortunately, the Federal Government has remained inexplicably silent over our request and even complicit to a large extent with the security agencies actively aiding, encouraging and protecting the artisanal refiners to continue with their harmful activities unabated, Mr Wike said. We have equally appealed without success to our people engaging in this illegal business to consider its negative effects on our economy, environment, public safety and public health and disengage from it. He did not specify which security agencies he was referring to. But the governor said the state government is left with no other option than to take action. I have directed the Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government Council to go after all the illegal crude oil refining sites along Creek road and adjourning areas of the city and shut them down with immediate effect. Furthermore, all Local Government Chairmen are directed to work with community leaders to locate and identify those behind all illegal bunkering and crude oil refining sites in their localities and report to my office for further action, Governor Wike said. PREMIUM TIMES contacted the police in Rivers for their response to Mr Wikes allegation, but the police spokesperson in the state, Grace Iringe-koko, said she would get back to our report. She did not as of the time of filing the report. Wikes contradiction? In what appears to be a contradiction of his latest comment, Governor Wike in 2018 said the soot in Port Harcourt was caused by the destruction of illegal refineries by security agencies. We set up a technical committee to investigate the black soot problem. The committees report indicated that the black soot was largely a product of the destruction of illegal refineries by security agencies. It is not within the purview of the state government to tackle (or) control the security agencies. Therefore, we met with them and appealed that they find alternative ways to destroy the illegal refineries, the governor said. For about four years now, residents of Port Harcourt have been raising concern over the emission of toxic soot into the environment by unknown persons or companies. Mr Wikes administration in 2017 sealed off a Chinese company and two other companies over aggravated air pollution, and breach of environmental laws in Rivers State. The Nigerian Senate in 2017 had directed its Committees on Environment, Petroleum and Downstream to investigate the air pollution in Port Harcourt, but it is unclear what the committees findings were and what actions were taken. Mothers who spend a lot of time on their smartphone while looking after their toddlers could be posing a significant threat to the childrens development, say experts. They only devote 25 per cent of their attention to young children when using their mobile to browse the internet, a study has found. The consequences of these inadequate interactions between mothers and their children could be far-reaching, researchers said. And since men and women use their phones in a similar way, it is likely the findings apply to fathers too. The experiment, carried out by Israeli scientists, involved 33 mothers and their two-year-old children. The mums were asked to perform three tasks while they were looking after their toddlers browse a Facebook page, read printed magazines or play with the child while phones and magazines were outside the room. The consequences of these inadequate interactions between mothers and their children could be far-reaching, researchers said Lead researcher Dr Katy Borodkin said: The mothers were unaware of the purpose of the experiment, so they behaved naturally by splitting their interest between the toddlers and the smartphone and magazines. We videotaped all the interactions and later scanned the recordings frame by frame in an attempt to quantify the mother-child interaction. The researchers, from Tel Aviv University, analysed three components of interactions between the mothers and their toddlers. They looked at what the mother said to the child which is an important predictor of how a child develops language whether the toddler responded, and how quickly the mother replied. Dr Borodkin said: The mothers talked up to four times less with their children while they were on their smartphone. Even when they were able to respond while browsing Facebook, the quality of the response was reduced the mothers kept their responsiveness to a bare minimum. The findings, published in the journal Child Development, also revealed there was no difference found between browsing a phone and reading a magazine. However, it is clear that we use smartphones much more than any other media, so they pose a significant developmental threat, Dr Borodkin said. With Virginias COVID-19 daily caseloads skyrocketing records were set three consecutive days this week Dan River Region residents are flooding the emergency department of Sovah Health-Danville seeking a test for the novel coronavirus. However, the hospital isnt a testing site. Please consider local pharmacies, urgent care, or primary care clinics for testing to help us reserve hospital resources for our sickest patients, local hospital leaders wrote in a Facebook post Thursday. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. The problem isnt unique to Danville. In a statement last week, the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association and the Virginia Department of Health said people are heading to emergency departments with mild cases of COVID-19 or other seasonal illnesses. These unnecessary trips to the hospital are adding to the burden health care facilities already face with staffing shortages and increased patients. People with minor symptoms are encouraged to instead visit or talk to their primary care provider so emergency departments are able to handle the most severe situations. People with severe COVID-19 symptoms such as significant difficulty breathing, intense chest pain, severe weakness, or an elevated temperature that persists for days unabated are among those who should consider seeking emergency medical care for their condition, the statewide health agencies wrote in a joint news release. On Wednesday, Sovah Health was treating more than 40 patients for COVID-19 at its Danville and Martinsville facilities. Thats twice as many as the previous week. Of these hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 90% are unvaccinated, Dr. Sheranda Gunn-Nolan, market chief medical officer for Sovah Health, told the Register & Bee last week. She also reiterated her plea to residents to get vaccinated and boosted against the illness. The time to get vaccinated is now not after being admitted to the hospital with COVID-19. On Saturday, there were 2,292 patients in Virginia hospitals being treated for the virus, a figure that has steadily climbed each day this week. Even as infections have soared, hospitalizations havent reached the levels of last winter. On Friday the last day data will be available until Monday Virginia again set a record for daily COVID-19 infections with 17,618 cases added to the logs. That brings the seven-day rolling average to 9,883, a 60% increase from last Januarys wave. The omicron variant a new strain of the coronavirus is blamed for surge in cases. Local data Daily cases are rising locally but are still below the peaks of the delta wave in the summer. On Friday, Danville and Pittsylvania County were averaging about 60 new cases of COVID-19. The positivity rate 19.88% in Danville and 32.92% in Pittsylvania County also is climbing, often an indicator of an impending surge. The rate measures the positive results against the overall number of tests administered to help gauge the state of the pandemic on the local level. The Dan River Region and nearly all of Virginia is in the highest risk zone for COVID-19 spread, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In these areas, federal and state health experts urge residents to wear face masks for indoor public settings. Deaths Ten new COVID-19 deaths in Danville and Pittsylvania County were added this week, but six of those occurred out-of-state in 2020, health department spokesperson Logan Anderson told the Register & Bee. Those were among the 167 COVID-19 fatalities added this week from residents who died outside of Virginia. The state health department experiences a long delay in getting death reports from other areas and doesnt assess the data until the end of the following year, something it calls a routine data quality step. Outbreak A new COVID-19 outbreak emerged at Dan River High School in Fridays update from the health department. The outbreak involved less than five people and was reported Dec. 22. An outbreak is only declared when two or more COVID-19 infections are spread at the same place. Danville still has three active outbreaks: Riverside Health and Rehabilitation Center, Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute and Westover Christian Academy. Those will remain active until 28 days passes without a new positive cases. With Virginias COVID-19 daily caseloads skyrocketing records were set three consecutive days this week Dan River Region residents are flooding the emergency department of Sovah Health-Danville seeking a test for the novel coronavirus. However, the hospital isnt a testing site. Please consider local pharmacies, urgent care, or primary care clinics for testing to help us reserve hospital resources for our sickest patients, local hospital leaders wrote in a Facebook post Thursday. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. The problem isnt unique to Danville. In a statement last week, the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association and the Virginia Department of Health said people are heading to emergency departments with mild cases of COVID-19 or other seasonal illnesses. These unnecessary trips to the hospital are adding to the burden health care facilities already face with staffing shortages and increased patients. People with minor symptoms are encouraged to instead visit or talk to their primary care provider so emergency departments are able to handle the most severe situations. People with severe COVID-19 symptoms such as significant difficulty breathing, intense chest pain, severe weakness, or an elevated temperature that persists for days unabated are among those who should consider seeking emergency medical care for their condition, the statewide health agencies wrote in a joint news release. On Wednesday, Sovah Health was treating more than 40 patients for COVID-19 at its Danville and Martinsville facilities. Thats twice as many as the previous week. Of these hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 90% are unvaccinated, Dr. Sheranda Gunn-Nolan, market chief medical officer for Sovah Health, told the Register & Bee last week. She also reiterated her plea to residents to get vaccinated and boosted against the illness. The time to get vaccinated is now not after being admitted to the hospital with COVID-19. On Saturday, there were 2,292 patients in Virginia hospitals being treated for the virus, a figure that has steadily climbed each day this week. Even as infections have soared, hospitalizations havent reached the levels of last winter. On Friday the last day data will be available until Monday Virginia again set a record for daily COVID-19 infections with 17,618 cases added to the logs. That brings the seven-day rolling average to 9,883, a 60% increase from last Januarys wave. The omicron variant a new strain of the coronavirus is blamed for surge in cases. Local data Daily cases are rising locally but are still below the peaks of the delta wave in the summer. On Friday, Danville and Pittsylvania County were averaging about 60 new cases of COVID-19. The positivity rate 19.88% in Danville and 32.92% in Pittsylvania County also is climbing, often an indicator of an impending surge. The rate measures the positive results against the overall number of tests administered to help gauge the state of the pandemic on the local level. The Dan River Region and nearly all of Virginia is in the highest risk zone for COVID-19 spread, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In these areas, federal and state health experts urge residents to wear face masks for indoor public settings. Deaths Ten new COVID-19 deaths in Danville and Pittsylvania County were added this week, but six of those occurred out-of-state in 2020, health department spokesperson Logan Anderson told the Register & Bee. Those were among the 167 COVID-19 fatalities added this week from residents who died outside of Virginia. The state health department experiences a long delay in getting death reports from other areas and doesnt assess the data until the end of the following year, something it calls a routine data quality step. Outbreak A new COVID-19 outbreak emerged at Dan River High School in Fridays update from the health department. The outbreak involved less than five people and was reported Dec. 22. An outbreak is only declared when two or more COVID-19 infections are spread at the same place. Danville still has three active outbreaks: Riverside Health and Rehabilitation Center, Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute and Westover Christian Academy. Those will remain active until 28 days passes without a new positive cases. With Virginias COVID-19 daily caseloads skyrocketing records were set three consecutive days this week Dan River Region residents are flooding the emergency department of Sovah Health-Danville seeking a test for the novel coronavirus. However, the hospital isnt a testing site. Please consider local pharmacies, urgent care, or primary care clinics for testing to help us reserve hospital resources for our sickest patients, local hospital leaders wrote in a Facebook post Thursday. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. The problem isnt unique to Danville. In a statement last week, the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association and the Virginia Department of Health said people are heading to emergency departments with mild cases of COVID-19 or other seasonal illnesses. These unnecessary trips to the hospital are adding to the burden health care facilities already face with staffing shortages and increased patients. People with minor symptoms are encouraged to instead visit or talk to their primary care provider so emergency departments are able to handle the most severe situations. People with severe COVID-19 symptoms such as significant difficulty breathing, intense chest pain, severe weakness, or an elevated temperature that persists for days unabated are among those who should consider seeking emergency medical care for their condition, the statewide health agencies wrote in a joint news release. On Wednesday, Sovah Health was treating more than 40 patients for COVID-19 at its Danville and Martinsville facilities. Thats twice as many as the previous week. Of these hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 90% are unvaccinated, Dr. Sheranda Gunn-Nolan, market chief medical officer for Sovah Health, told the Register & Bee last week. She also reiterated her plea to residents to get vaccinated and boosted against the illness. The time to get vaccinated is now not after being admitted to the hospital with COVID-19. On Saturday, there were 2,292 patients in Virginia hospitals being treated for the virus, a figure that has steadily climbed each day this week. Even as infections have soared, hospitalizations havent reached the levels of last winter. On Friday the last day data will be available until Monday Virginia again set a record for daily COVID-19 infections with 17,618 cases added to the logs. That brings the seven-day rolling average to 9,883, a 60% increase from last Januarys wave. The omicron variant a new strain of the coronavirus is blamed for surge in cases. Local data Daily cases are rising locally but are still below the peaks of the delta wave in the summer. On Friday, Danville and Pittsylvania County were averaging about 60 new cases of COVID-19. The positivity rate 19.88% in Danville and 32.92% in Pittsylvania County also is climbing, often an indicator of an impending surge. The rate measures the positive results against the overall number of tests administered to help gauge the state of the pandemic on the local level. The Dan River Region and nearly all of Virginia is in the highest risk zone for COVID-19 spread, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In these areas, federal and state health experts urge residents to wear face masks for indoor public settings. Deaths Ten new COVID-19 deaths in Danville and Pittsylvania County were added this week, but six of those occurred out-of-state in 2020, health department spokesperson Logan Anderson told the Register & Bee. Those were among the 167 COVID-19 fatalities added this week from residents who died outside of Virginia. The state health department experiences a long delay in getting death reports from other areas and doesnt assess the data until the end of the following year, something it calls a routine data quality step. Outbreak A new COVID-19 outbreak emerged at Dan River High School in Fridays update from the health department. The outbreak involved less than five people and was reported Dec. 22. An outbreak is only declared when two or more COVID-19 infections are spread at the same place. Danville still has three active outbreaks: Riverside Health and Rehabilitation Center, Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute and Westover Christian Academy. Those will remain active until 28 days passes without a new positive cases. With Virginias COVID-19 daily caseloads skyrocketing records were set three consecutive days this week Dan River Region residents are flooding the emergency department of Sovah Health-Danville seeking a test for the novel coronavirus. However, the hospital isnt a testing site. Please consider local pharmacies, urgent care, or primary care clinics for testing to help us reserve hospital resources for our sickest patients, local hospital leaders wrote in a Facebook post Thursday. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. The problem isnt unique to Danville. In a statement last week, the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association and the Virginia Department of Health said people are heading to emergency departments with mild cases of COVID-19 or other seasonal illnesses. These unnecessary trips to the hospital are adding to the burden health care facilities already face with staffing shortages and increased patients. People with minor symptoms are encouraged to instead visit or talk to their primary care provider so emergency departments are able to handle the most severe situations. People with severe COVID-19 symptoms such as significant difficulty breathing, intense chest pain, severe weakness, or an elevated temperature that persists for days unabated are among those who should consider seeking emergency medical care for their condition, the statewide health agencies wrote in a joint news release. On Wednesday, Sovah Health was treating more than 40 patients for COVID-19 at its Danville and Martinsville facilities. Thats twice as many as the previous week. Of these hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 90% are unvaccinated, Dr. Sheranda Gunn-Nolan, market chief medical officer for Sovah Health, told the Register & Bee last week. She also reiterated her plea to residents to get vaccinated and boosted against the illness. The time to get vaccinated is now not after being admitted to the hospital with COVID-19. On Saturday, there were 2,292 patients in Virginia hospitals being treated for the virus, a figure that has steadily climbed each day this week. Even as infections have soared, hospitalizations havent reached the levels of last winter. On Friday the last day data will be available until Monday Virginia again set a record for daily COVID-19 infections with 17,618 cases added to the logs. That brings the seven-day rolling average to 9,883, a 60% increase from last Januarys wave. The omicron variant a new strain of the coronavirus is blamed for surge in cases. Local data Daily cases are rising locally but are still below the peaks of the delta wave in the summer. On Friday, Danville and Pittsylvania County were averaging about 60 new cases of COVID-19. The positivity rate 19.88% in Danville and 32.92% in Pittsylvania County also is climbing, often an indicator of an impending surge. The rate measures the positive results against the overall number of tests administered to help gauge the state of the pandemic on the local level. The Dan River Region and nearly all of Virginia is in the highest risk zone for COVID-19 spread, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In these areas, federal and state health experts urge residents to wear face masks for indoor public settings. Deaths Ten new COVID-19 deaths in Danville and Pittsylvania County were added this week, but six of those occurred out-of-state in 2020, health department spokesperson Logan Anderson told the Register & Bee. Those were among the 167 COVID-19 fatalities added this week from residents who died outside of Virginia. The state health department experiences a long delay in getting death reports from other areas and doesnt assess the data until the end of the following year, something it calls a routine data quality step. Outbreak A new COVID-19 outbreak emerged at Dan River High School in Fridays update from the health department. The outbreak involved less than five people and was reported Dec. 22. An outbreak is only declared when two or more COVID-19 infections are spread at the same place. Danville still has three active outbreaks: Riverside Health and Rehabilitation Center, Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute and Westover Christian Academy. Those will remain active until 28 days passes without a new positive cases. Portraits of Bu Chun-hwa, far left, Kim Ok-ryeon and Bu Deok-ryang / Courtesy of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs By Park Han-sol Three "haenyeo," or women divers of Jeju Island, who led the key resistance movement during the 1910-45 Japanese colonial occupation, were selected as the "Independence Fighters of the Month" of January 2022, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs (MPVA) announced Friday. This is the first time the ministry has named the Jeju islanders as independence fighters as part of its monthly designation project, which began in 1992. In the early 1930s, Bu Chun-hwa, Kim Ok-ryeon and Bu Deok-ryang led what came to be the country's largest civil protest ever organized by women against the Japanese forces. Joined by some 17,000 participants, part of the movement's aim was to address the colonial government's economic exploitation of marine resources and labor. All born in Gujwa-eup on the island, the three women started their lives as haenyeo at an early age, between 9 and 15, to help put food on the table for their families. But while working as divers, they also attended the same night school, an experience that gradually raised their spirit of resistance and national awareness within colonized Korea, the MPVA stated. One day in 1930, in the small Jeju village of Hado-ri, a group of young men took issue with the Japanese-controlled union's illicit sale of Ceylon moss a seaweed used to produce agar, which soon led to their arrests by the colonial police. After witnessing the quick suppression of a nonviolent protest against colonial Japan's economic exploitation of the islanders, the haenyeo soon joined forces, with the three women chosen as their leaders. On Jan. 12, 1932, the divers came out to the street, wielding their seafood harvesting tools like handheld scrapers ("bitchang") and picks ("homaengi"). But the Japanese armed forces arrested a number of key figures just days after the incident. As prisoners awaiting trial, the three women were locked behind bars for months. Bu Deok-ryang died soon afterwards due to wounds she sustained from torture. She was only 28. In the early 2000s, the government conferred the National Foundational Medal on all three women. The Coalition for Whistleblower Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF), on Saturday, called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government to stop the growing trend of attacks on journalists in the country. Thus, CWPPF calls on the Federal Government to take prompt measures to end these attacks on the news media, protect journalists from corrupt government officials exposed by journalists through their investigative reporting, and institute cautionary and disciplinary action against state actors who continue unruly attitudes towards journalists and citizens, the coalition said in a statement endorsed by its 16 members. CWPPF, comprising some top Nigerian media and civil society organisations as well as the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), condemned the attacks on the news media which it said constitutes a threat to the Nigerian democracy. This dangerous trend threatens the health of the Nigerian news media and the resilience of our countrys democracy, it said. Citing a recent attack on a journalist with Punch Newspaper in Lagos, the coalition expressed concerns about lack of accountability of the government of President Buhari to the people. On Thursday, December 30, Tony Ufoh a journalist with Punch Newspaper was harassed by the Nigerian Special Police Fraud Unit [SFU] in the line of duty in Milverton Ikoyi area of Lagos. Mr. Ufoh was speaking to tenants who were reportedly defrauded by a developer when he was accosted by the police and his phone and Identity card forcibly taken and still unreturned. This rising pattern of attacks, and its evident constitutional breach, raise worrying concerns for the protection of citizens rights, the ability of the state to ensure effective governance, and the statutory obligation of the news media to hold the government and state officials accountable as required by the 1999 constitution. For the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari which came to power ostensibly to rid the country of corruption, this flagrant abuse of state power and resources by its agents blemishes its preparedness to enable the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people, the statement read in part. The police recently invited Fisayo Soyombo of the Foundation for Investigative Journalist (FIJ) for interrogation over a critical report by his platform exposing alleged acts of corruption of top police officers. CWPPF called on the police to stop abusing their powers against journalists when they should be unravelling the alleged corrupt conduct of one of its officers. The police, on its part, is best served to restrain from abusing its powers using strong-arm tactics against the news media when its concerns should indeed be unravelling the alleged complicity of one of its officers in an act of corruption, it said. ALSO READ: Coalition condemns state attacks on Nigerian journalists over critical reports It added, The graver danger is that if allowed to fester, this trend of attack on journalists for their legitimate reporting duty will embolden others, threatening journalism practice and freedom of the press in Nigeria, and exposing a critical pillar for building and sustaining democracy in our country to jeopardy. The coalition The CWPPF is a group of media and civil society organisations committed to upholding democracy and good governance by protecting the ethos of whistleblowing, freedom of expression and press freedom. Its members include Premium Times, OrderPaper Advocacy Initiative, The Cable, Daily Trust Newspaper, International Centre for Investigative Reporting, Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ) and African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL). The rest are Civic Media Lab, Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), International Press Centre (IPC), Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Paradigm Initiative, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), and HEDA Resources Centre. The Coalition for Whistleblower Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF), on Saturday, called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government to stop the growing trend of attacks on journalists in the country. Thus, CWPPF calls on the Federal Government to take prompt measures to end these attacks on the news media, protect journalists from corrupt government officials exposed by journalists through their investigative reporting, and institute cautionary and disciplinary action against state actors who continue unruly attitudes towards journalists and citizens, the coalition said in a statement endorsed by its 16 members. CWPPF, comprising some top Nigerian media and civil society organisations as well as the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), condemned the attacks on the news media which it said constitutes a threat to the Nigerian democracy. This dangerous trend threatens the health of the Nigerian news media and the resilience of our countrys democracy, it said. Citing a recent attack on a journalist with Punch Newspaper in Lagos, the coalition expressed concerns about lack of accountability of the government of President Buhari to the people. On Thursday, December 30, Tony Ufoh a journalist with Punch Newspaper was harassed by the Nigerian Special Police Fraud Unit [SFU] in the line of duty in Milverton Ikoyi area of Lagos. Mr. Ufoh was speaking to tenants who were reportedly defrauded by a developer when he was accosted by the police and his phone and Identity card forcibly taken and still unreturned. This rising pattern of attacks, and its evident constitutional breach, raise worrying concerns for the protection of citizens rights, the ability of the state to ensure effective governance, and the statutory obligation of the news media to hold the government and state officials accountable as required by the 1999 constitution. For the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari which came to power ostensibly to rid the country of corruption, this flagrant abuse of state power and resources by its agents blemishes its preparedness to enable the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people, the statement read in part. The police recently invited Fisayo Soyombo of the Foundation for Investigative Journalist (FIJ) for interrogation over a critical report by his platform exposing alleged acts of corruption of top police officers. CWPPF called on the police to stop abusing their powers against journalists when they should be unravelling the alleged corrupt conduct of one of its officers. The police, on its part, is best served to restrain from abusing its powers using strong-arm tactics against the news media when its concerns should indeed be unravelling the alleged complicity of one of its officers in an act of corruption, it said. ALSO READ: Coalition condemns state attacks on Nigerian journalists over critical reports It added, The graver danger is that if allowed to fester, this trend of attack on journalists for their legitimate reporting duty will embolden others, threatening journalism practice and freedom of the press in Nigeria, and exposing a critical pillar for building and sustaining democracy in our country to jeopardy. The coalition The CWPPF is a group of media and civil society organisations committed to upholding democracy and good governance by protecting the ethos of whistleblowing, freedom of expression and press freedom. Its members include Premium Times, OrderPaper Advocacy Initiative, The Cable, Daily Trust Newspaper, International Centre for Investigative Reporting, Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ) and African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL). The rest are Civic Media Lab, Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), International Press Centre (IPC), Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Paradigm Initiative, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), and HEDA Resources Centre. While North Carolina saw its COVID-19 cases skyrocket on Wednesday, cases exploded again on Thursday and Friday. And Burke County saw its active virus cases rise to 515 by Thursday evening, up from 339 active cases on Tuesday, according to the county virus dashboard. UNC Health Blue Ridge reported having 14 COVID-19 patients, with all but one unvaccinated, and six of them in the intensive care unit on Thursday. The health care systems virtual hospital had 176 patients Thursday, up from 109 patients on Wednesday. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported 18,572 new cases Thursday, the highest one-day number of COVID-19 cases, for a daily percent positive rate of 22% and 2,258 people hospitalized. On Friday, the state saw even more new cases at 19,174 for a daily percent positive rate of 22.9% and 2,387 people hospitalized. The state also reported a total of 19,399 deaths on Thursday and 19,426 on Friday. The omicron variant of the virus is expected to cause the greatest surge in COVID-19 infections to date in the coming months, the NCDHHS said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and NCDHHS are urging people to get vaccinated with an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) as soon as possible and to get a booster as soon as they are eligible to help prevent serious illness, hospitalization and death. NCDHHS said anyone who has symptoms of COVID-19 or has been exposed to the virus should get tested as soon as possible. To find a testing site, visit ncdhhs.gov/GetTested. In addition to urging people to get vaccinated, the health department recommends people wear a face covering in areas of high transmission, saying proper hand washing, along with covering sneezes and coughs, can go a long way. Multiple pharmacies throughout Burke County are administering vaccines, as well as the county health department. Vaccination is now open to everyone 5 and older. Visit myspot.nc.gov to find a location. Call 828-764-9150 to schedule an appointment with the health department. The health department said the FDA authorized, and the CDC has now recommended, booster vaccines for 16- and 17-year-olds to help strengthen and extend protection against COVID-19. The health department said teens who have received the Pfizer series are now eligible to get their booster dose six months after their second shot. They are only eligible to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 booster, and parental consent is required, it said. Those looking to get a booster shot must bring their vaccination card. If a person has lost their vaccination card, the health department must be able to verify their vaccination status with the states system. The county health department said regular testing schedules will resume on Monday. For general questions about COVID-19, call the Burke County Public Information line at 828-764-9150 or visit the COVID-19 webpage at burkenc.org/COVID-19. The Coalition for Whistleblower Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF), on Saturday, called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government to stop the growing trend of attacks on journalists in the country. Thus, CWPPF calls on the Federal Government to take prompt measures to end these attacks on the news media, protect journalists from corrupt government officials exposed by journalists through their investigative reporting, and institute cautionary and disciplinary action against state actors who continue unruly attitudes towards journalists and citizens, the coalition said in a statement endorsed by its 16 members. CWPPF, comprising some top Nigerian media and civil society organisations as well as the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), condemned the attacks on the news media which it said constitutes a threat to the Nigerian democracy. This dangerous trend threatens the health of the Nigerian news media and the resilience of our countrys democracy, it said. Citing a recent attack on a journalist with Punch Newspaper in Lagos, the coalition expressed concerns about lack of accountability of the government of President Buhari to the people. On Thursday, December 30, Tony Ufoh a journalist with Punch Newspaper was harassed by the Nigerian Special Police Fraud Unit [SFU] in the line of duty in Milverton Ikoyi area of Lagos. Mr. Ufoh was speaking to tenants who were reportedly defrauded by a developer when he was accosted by the police and his phone and Identity card forcibly taken and still unreturned. This rising pattern of attacks, and its evident constitutional breach, raise worrying concerns for the protection of citizens rights, the ability of the state to ensure effective governance, and the statutory obligation of the news media to hold the government and state officials accountable as required by the 1999 constitution. For the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari which came to power ostensibly to rid the country of corruption, this flagrant abuse of state power and resources by its agents blemishes its preparedness to enable the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people, the statement read in part. The police recently invited Fisayo Soyombo of the Foundation for Investigative Journalist (FIJ) for interrogation over a critical report by his platform exposing alleged acts of corruption of top police officers. CWPPF called on the police to stop abusing their powers against journalists when they should be unravelling the alleged corrupt conduct of one of its officers. The police, on its part, is best served to restrain from abusing its powers using strong-arm tactics against the news media when its concerns should indeed be unravelling the alleged complicity of one of its officers in an act of corruption, it said. ALSO READ: Coalition condemns state attacks on Nigerian journalists over critical reports It added, The graver danger is that if allowed to fester, this trend of attack on journalists for their legitimate reporting duty will embolden others, threatening journalism practice and freedom of the press in Nigeria, and exposing a critical pillar for building and sustaining democracy in our country to jeopardy. The coalition The CWPPF is a group of media and civil society organisations committed to upholding democracy and good governance by protecting the ethos of whistleblowing, freedom of expression and press freedom. Its members include Premium Times, OrderPaper Advocacy Initiative, The Cable, Daily Trust Newspaper, International Centre for Investigative Reporting, Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ) and African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL). The rest are Civic Media Lab, Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), International Press Centre (IPC), Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Paradigm Initiative, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), and HEDA Resources Centre. The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has accused security agencies of aiding, abetting and protecting illegal refineries in Rivers State. Mr Wike, who made the allegations in a state-wide broadcast on Saturday to mark the New Year, said the soot in Port Harcourt and its environs was caused by illegal refineries in the state, and that the federal government and securities agencies were complicit in it. He said his administration, concerned with the pollution of the environment, had requested the federal government to intervene and stop illegal oil bunkering and artisanal crude oil refiners in the state. Unfortunately, the Federal Government has remained inexplicably silent over our request and even complicit to a large extent with the security agencies actively aiding, encouraging and protecting the artisanal refiners to continue with their harmful activities unabated, Mr Wike said. We have equally appealed without success to our people engaging in this illegal business to consider its negative effects on our economy, environment, public safety and public health and disengage from it. He did not specify which security agencies he was referring to. But the governor said the state government is left with no other option than to take action. I have directed the Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government Council to go after all the illegal crude oil refining sites along Creek road and adjourning areas of the city and shut them down with immediate effect. Furthermore, all Local Government Chairmen are directed to work with community leaders to locate and identify those behind all illegal bunkering and crude oil refining sites in their localities and report to my office for further action, Governor Wike said. PREMIUM TIMES contacted the police in Rivers for their response to Mr Wikes allegation, but the police spokesperson in the state, Grace Iringe-koko, said she would get back to our report. She did not as of the time of filing the report. Wikes contradiction? In what appears to be a contradiction of his latest comment, Governor Wike in 2018 said the soot in Port Harcourt was caused by the destruction of illegal refineries by security agencies. We set up a technical committee to investigate the black soot problem. The committees report indicated that the black soot was largely a product of the destruction of illegal refineries by security agencies. It is not within the purview of the state government to tackle (or) control the security agencies. Therefore, we met with them and appealed that they find alternative ways to destroy the illegal refineries, the governor said. For about four years now, residents of Port Harcourt have been raising concern over the emission of toxic soot into the environment by unknown persons or companies. Mr Wikes administration in 2017 sealed off a Chinese company and two other companies over aggravated air pollution, and breach of environmental laws in Rivers State. The Nigerian Senate in 2017 had directed its Committees on Environment, Petroleum and Downstream to investigate the air pollution in Port Harcourt, but it is unclear what the committees findings were and what actions were taken. The Coalition for Whistleblower Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF), on Saturday, called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government to stop the growing trend of attacks on journalists in the country. Thus, CWPPF calls on the Federal Government to take prompt measures to end these attacks on the news media, protect journalists from corrupt government officials exposed by journalists through their investigative reporting, and institute cautionary and disciplinary action against state actors who continue unruly attitudes towards journalists and citizens, the coalition said in a statement endorsed by its 16 members. CWPPF, comprising some top Nigerian media and civil society organisations as well as the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), condemned the attacks on the news media which it said constitutes a threat to the Nigerian democracy. This dangerous trend threatens the health of the Nigerian news media and the resilience of our countrys democracy, it said. Citing a recent attack on a journalist with Punch Newspaper in Lagos, the coalition expressed concerns about lack of accountability of the government of President Buhari to the people. On Thursday, December 30, Tony Ufoh a journalist with Punch Newspaper was harassed by the Nigerian Special Police Fraud Unit [SFU] in the line of duty in Milverton Ikoyi area of Lagos. Mr. Ufoh was speaking to tenants who were reportedly defrauded by a developer when he was accosted by the police and his phone and Identity card forcibly taken and still unreturned. This rising pattern of attacks, and its evident constitutional breach, raise worrying concerns for the protection of citizens rights, the ability of the state to ensure effective governance, and the statutory obligation of the news media to hold the government and state officials accountable as required by the 1999 constitution. For the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari which came to power ostensibly to rid the country of corruption, this flagrant abuse of state power and resources by its agents blemishes its preparedness to enable the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people, the statement read in part. The police recently invited Fisayo Soyombo of the Foundation for Investigative Journalist (FIJ) for interrogation over a critical report by his platform exposing alleged acts of corruption of top police officers. CWPPF called on the police to stop abusing their powers against journalists when they should be unravelling the alleged corrupt conduct of one of its officers. The police, on its part, is best served to restrain from abusing its powers using strong-arm tactics against the news media when its concerns should indeed be unravelling the alleged complicity of one of its officers in an act of corruption, it said. ALSO READ: Coalition condemns state attacks on Nigerian journalists over critical reports It added, The graver danger is that if allowed to fester, this trend of attack on journalists for their legitimate reporting duty will embolden others, threatening journalism practice and freedom of the press in Nigeria, and exposing a critical pillar for building and sustaining democracy in our country to jeopardy. The coalition The CWPPF is a group of media and civil society organisations committed to upholding democracy and good governance by protecting the ethos of whistleblowing, freedom of expression and press freedom. Its members include Premium Times, OrderPaper Advocacy Initiative, The Cable, Daily Trust Newspaper, International Centre for Investigative Reporting, Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ) and African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL). The rest are Civic Media Lab, Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), International Press Centre (IPC), Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Paradigm Initiative, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), and HEDA Resources Centre. The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has accused security agencies of aiding, abetting and protecting illegal refineries in Rivers State. Mr Wike, who made the allegations in a state-wide broadcast on Saturday to mark the New Year, said the soot in Port Harcourt and its environs was caused by illegal refineries in the state, and that the federal government and securities agencies were complicit in it. He said his administration, concerned with the pollution of the environment, had requested the federal government to intervene and stop illegal oil bunkering and artisanal crude oil refiners in the state. Unfortunately, the Federal Government has remained inexplicably silent over our request and even complicit to a large extent with the security agencies actively aiding, encouraging and protecting the artisanal refiners to continue with their harmful activities unabated, Mr Wike said. We have equally appealed without success to our people engaging in this illegal business to consider its negative effects on our economy, environment, public safety and public health and disengage from it. He did not specify which security agencies he was referring to. But the governor said the state government is left with no other option than to take action. I have directed the Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government Council to go after all the illegal crude oil refining sites along Creek road and adjourning areas of the city and shut them down with immediate effect. Furthermore, all Local Government Chairmen are directed to work with community leaders to locate and identify those behind all illegal bunkering and crude oil refining sites in their localities and report to my office for further action, Governor Wike said. PREMIUM TIMES contacted the police in Rivers for their response to Mr Wikes allegation, but the police spokesperson in the state, Grace Iringe-koko, said she would get back to our report. She did not as of the time of filing the report. Wikes contradiction? In what appears to be a contradiction of his latest comment, Governor Wike in 2018 said the soot in Port Harcourt was caused by the destruction of illegal refineries by security agencies. We set up a technical committee to investigate the black soot problem. The committees report indicated that the black soot was largely a product of the destruction of illegal refineries by security agencies. It is not within the purview of the state government to tackle (or) control the security agencies. Therefore, we met with them and appealed that they find alternative ways to destroy the illegal refineries, the governor said. For about four years now, residents of Port Harcourt have been raising concern over the emission of toxic soot into the environment by unknown persons or companies. Mr Wikes administration in 2017 sealed off a Chinese company and two other companies over aggravated air pollution, and breach of environmental laws in Rivers State. The Nigerian Senate in 2017 had directed its Committees on Environment, Petroleum and Downstream to investigate the air pollution in Port Harcourt, but it is unclear what the committees findings were and what actions were taken. Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's "First Snow," left, is on display at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, as part of the 120th anniversary celebration of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021. Courtesy of Korea Foundation By Kwon Mee-yoo Wrapping up the celebration of the 120th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021, Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx presents a series of photos exploring the interactions between humans and nature. Co-hosted by the Korea Foundation (KF) and the Embassy of Belgium in Seoul, the exhibition sheds light on the simplicity and profoundness of nature in this complicated era at the KF Gallery in central Seoul. Korea Foundation Gallery President Lee Geun highlighted the longstanding relations of the two countries. "Since the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation in 1901, our two countries have formed a special and enduring partnership. Belgium sent over 3,000 soldiers to fight alongside Korea in the 1950s during the Korean War ... Both countries have witnessed harmony with the growing presence in the international community for operating for a better future," Lee said during the opening of the exhibition, Wednesday. Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps delivers a congratulatory speech during the opening of the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Korea Foundation Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps emphasized how Buyckx's work bridges humankind and nature in Kyrgyzstan, which is located between Belgium and Korea. "At first I was wondering, 'why such an exhibition for the 120th anniversary,' but then I realized that it has a lot to do with reflection from a new context. We are living in an ever-increasing digitalized and globalized world and this reminds us of the reality. We should not forget that the real nature is there, and we have to take care of nature and people I think it's very meaningful that you have to be reminded of the simplicity and the depth of life," Bontemps said. "I can only ask you to take the time to be impressed with this message from Frederik Buyckx the importance of the nexus of humans, nature and tradition." Buyckx is the winner of the Photographer of the Year at the 2017 SONY World Photography Awards, for capturing the "joys and loveliness in each and every environment." The title of the exhibition, "Horse Head," comes from At-Bashy, the name of a small Kyrgyz village the photographer stayed in during his first trip to Kyrgyzstan, which translates into "horse head." There, Buyckx witnessed and took part in the traditional Kyrgyz horseback game, "kok boru," and documented the semi-nomadic lifestyle of the shepherds and their connections with animals. Buyckx soon returned to Kyrgyzstan and stayed and traveled with the people, documenting the harsh cold weather of the Central Asian country and symbiotic lifestyle of the Kyrgyz people. The artist described that going into these mountains by horseback "feels like entering another world." There, he captured the snow-covered landscape of Kyrgyzstan, as well as the people, horses and the connection between them, through black-and-white photos. "To really investigate the connection people still have with nature, I knew I had to join them deep in the mountains I'm mainly observing and documenting, but at the same time, I'm learning a lot about life in these remote places," the photographer said in an interview provided for the exhibition. "I think photography is a way to investigate and to better understand the world, but for me, it's also the perfect excuse to just throw myself into a new adventure." Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps, right, and Kyrgyz Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova pose next to Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's works at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Kwon Mee-yoo This exhibition was also made possible through special cooperation with the Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Korea, as Buyckx's project took place in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova said that the photos show the unique nature of her mountainous country. "Our culture was formed under the influence of nomadic life. The connection between the Kyrgyz culture and nature can be traced everywhere, from design to music ... I hope this exhibition will reach the purpose of developing intercultural exchanges, thus strengthening friendship and mutual understanding among people," Ambassador Kemelova said. The physical exhibit runs until Feb. 9 and is also available to view via VR. The Coalition for Whistleblower Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF), on Saturday, called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government to stop the growing trend of attacks on journalists in the country. Thus, CWPPF calls on the Federal Government to take prompt measures to end these attacks on the news media, protect journalists from corrupt government officials exposed by journalists through their investigative reporting, and institute cautionary and disciplinary action against state actors who continue unruly attitudes towards journalists and citizens, the coalition said in a statement endorsed by its 16 members. CWPPF, comprising some top Nigerian media and civil society organisations as well as the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), condemned the attacks on the news media which it said constitutes a threat to the Nigerian democracy. This dangerous trend threatens the health of the Nigerian news media and the resilience of our countrys democracy, it said. Citing a recent attack on a journalist with Punch Newspaper in Lagos, the coalition expressed concerns about lack of accountability of the government of President Buhari to the people. On Thursday, December 30, Tony Ufoh a journalist with Punch Newspaper was harassed by the Nigerian Special Police Fraud Unit [SFU] in the line of duty in Milverton Ikoyi area of Lagos. Mr. Ufoh was speaking to tenants who were reportedly defrauded by a developer when he was accosted by the police and his phone and Identity card forcibly taken and still unreturned. This rising pattern of attacks, and its evident constitutional breach, raise worrying concerns for the protection of citizens rights, the ability of the state to ensure effective governance, and the statutory obligation of the news media to hold the government and state officials accountable as required by the 1999 constitution. For the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari which came to power ostensibly to rid the country of corruption, this flagrant abuse of state power and resources by its agents blemishes its preparedness to enable the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people, the statement read in part. The police recently invited Fisayo Soyombo of the Foundation for Investigative Journalist (FIJ) for interrogation over a critical report by his platform exposing alleged acts of corruption of top police officers. CWPPF called on the police to stop abusing their powers against journalists when they should be unravelling the alleged corrupt conduct of one of its officers. The police, on its part, is best served to restrain from abusing its powers using strong-arm tactics against the news media when its concerns should indeed be unravelling the alleged complicity of one of its officers in an act of corruption, it said. ALSO READ: Coalition condemns state attacks on Nigerian journalists over critical reports It added, The graver danger is that if allowed to fester, this trend of attack on journalists for their legitimate reporting duty will embolden others, threatening journalism practice and freedom of the press in Nigeria, and exposing a critical pillar for building and sustaining democracy in our country to jeopardy. The coalition The CWPPF is a group of media and civil society organisations committed to upholding democracy and good governance by protecting the ethos of whistleblowing, freedom of expression and press freedom. Its members include Premium Times, OrderPaper Advocacy Initiative, The Cable, Daily Trust Newspaper, International Centre for Investigative Reporting, Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ) and African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL). The rest are Civic Media Lab, Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), International Press Centre (IPC), Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Paradigm Initiative, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), and HEDA Resources Centre. The Saudi Ambassador had called on Qureshi in Islamabad on Tuesday, reported Geo News. Many Saudis found Qureshi sitting with one leg crossed and the other pointing in the direction of the Al-Malki offensive, the report said. A Saudi citizen took to Twitter and said that "the Pakistani minister's sitting manner was devoid of diplomatic etiquette". Another angry Saudi citizen wrote on social media: "We, as Saudis, do not accept that the Pakistani foreign minister insults the Saudi ambassador in this manner". "I think that the Pakistani minister's behaviour was intentional," he added, reported Geo News. "Frankly if I were one of the Saudi ambassadors, I would have left," another Saudi Twitter user said. Pakistani citizens also condemned Qureshi's sitting position terming it as "against diplomatic norms". One user wrote, "Pakistan's foreign minister is in dire need of learning literature. Pakistan begs from Saudi Arabia every year." Another Twitter user said, "Shah Mehmood should apologize asap for his uncouth and jail behaviour which is totally against diplomatic norms. Remember KSA gives us aid." (ANI) The Saudi Ambassador had called on Qureshi in Islamabad on Tuesday, reported Geo News. Many Saudis found Qureshi sitting with one leg crossed and the other pointing in the direction of the Al-Malki offensive, the report said. A Saudi citizen took to Twitter and said that "the Pakistani minister's sitting manner was devoid of diplomatic etiquette". Another angry Saudi citizen wrote on social media: "We, as Saudis, do not accept that the Pakistani foreign minister insults the Saudi ambassador in this manner". "I think that the Pakistani minister's behaviour was intentional," he added, reported Geo News. "Frankly if I were one of the Saudi ambassadors, I would have left," another Saudi Twitter user said. Pakistani citizens also condemned Qureshi's sitting position terming it as "against diplomatic norms". One user wrote, "Pakistan's foreign minister is in dire need of learning literature. Pakistan begs from Saudi Arabia every year." Another Twitter user said, "Shah Mehmood should apologize asap for his uncouth and jail behaviour which is totally against diplomatic norms. Remember KSA gives us aid." (ANI) The Saudi Ambassador had called on Qureshi in Islamabad on Tuesday, reported Geo News. Many Saudis found Qureshi sitting with one leg crossed and the other pointing in the direction of the Al-Malki offensive, the report said. A Saudi citizen took to Twitter and said that "the Pakistani minister's sitting manner was devoid of diplomatic etiquette". Another angry Saudi citizen wrote on social media: "We, as Saudis, do not accept that the Pakistani foreign minister insults the Saudi ambassador in this manner". "I think that the Pakistani minister's behaviour was intentional," he added, reported Geo News. "Frankly if I were one of the Saudi ambassadors, I would have left," another Saudi Twitter user said. Pakistani citizens also condemned Qureshi's sitting position terming it as "against diplomatic norms". One user wrote, "Pakistan's foreign minister is in dire need of learning literature. Pakistan begs from Saudi Arabia every year." Another Twitter user said, "Shah Mehmood should apologize asap for his uncouth and jail behaviour which is totally against diplomatic norms. Remember KSA gives us aid." (ANI) The United States is extending its operations aboard the International Space Station through 2030, NASA confirmed Friday in a blog post. The International Space Station is a beacon of peaceful international scientific collaboration and for more than 20 years has returned enormous scientific, educational, and technological developments to benefit humanity," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement. Though it was never in doubt that the US would continue its near-term commitment to the ISS, NASA's announcement comes amid heightened tensions with Russia, one of several nations sharing access to the Space Station. 2021 also saw Russia deepen its cooperation in space with China, another US adversary, as The New York Times noted in June. Fall 2021 saw multiple emergencies aboard the ISS, both of which the US blamed on Russia. In October, surprise test fire from a docked Russian spacecraft caused the ISS to tilt out of its normal position, leading personnel on board to briefly evacuate. (A fun footnote: The spacecraft that caused the incident had been in space so that a Russian crew could film the first feature film aboard the Space Station.) Then, in November, satellite debris forced ISS astronauts to seek shelter on the day as a Russian missile attack. The US condemned Russia for the attack. Russia did not acknowledge any wrongdoing. Turn on browser notifications to receive breaking news alerts from Engadget You can disable notifications at any time in your settings menu. Not now Turned on Turn on Later that month, in an unrelated episode, Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, left the door open for possible criminal charges related to a 2018 incident involving a hole in one of its spacecraft, which Russian media insinuated could have been the result of US sabotage. "These attacks are false and lack any credibility," Nelson told Ars Technica in November. In its statement on Friday, NASA highlighted among its continuing projects sending humans to Mars, as well as Project Artemis, an effort to send the first woman and the first person of color to the Moon. Indeed, NASA underwent a reorganization in September that seemed to specifically reflect its priorities around the Moon and Mars. The United States is extending its operations aboard the International Space Station through 2030, NASA confirmed Friday in a blog post. The International Space Station is a beacon of peaceful international scientific collaboration and for more than 20 years has returned enormous scientific, educational, and technological developments to benefit humanity," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement. Though it was never in doubt that the US would continue its near-term commitment to the ISS, NASA's announcement comes amid heightened tensions with Russia, one of several nations sharing access to the Space Station. 2021 also saw Russia deepen its cooperation in space with China, another US adversary, as The New York Times noted in June. Fall 2021 saw multiple emergencies aboard the ISS, both of which the US blamed on Russia. In October, surprise test fire from a docked Russian spacecraft caused the ISS to tilt out of its normal position, leading personnel on board to briefly evacuate. (A fun footnote: The spacecraft that caused the incident had been in space so that a Russian crew could film the first feature film aboard the Space Station.) Then, in November, satellite debris forced ISS astronauts to seek shelter on the day as a Russian missile attack. The US condemned Russia for the attack. Russia did not acknowledge any wrongdoing. Turn on browser notifications to receive breaking news alerts from Engadget You can disable notifications at any time in your settings menu. Not now Turned on Turn on Later that month, in an unrelated episode, Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, left the door open for possible criminal charges related to a 2018 incident involving a hole in one of its spacecraft, which Russian media insinuated could have been the result of US sabotage. "These attacks are false and lack any credibility," Nelson told Ars Technica in November. In its statement on Friday, NASA highlighted among its continuing projects sending humans to Mars, as well as Project Artemis, an effort to send the first woman and the first person of color to the Moon. Indeed, NASA underwent a reorganization in September that seemed to specifically reflect its priorities around the Moon and Mars. The United States is extending its operations aboard the International Space Station through 2030, NASA confirmed Friday in a blog post. The International Space Station is a beacon of peaceful international scientific collaboration and for more than 20 years has returned enormous scientific, educational, and technological developments to benefit humanity," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement. Though it was never in doubt that the US would continue its near-term commitment to the ISS, NASA's announcement comes amid heightened tensions with Russia, one of several nations sharing access to the Space Station. 2021 also saw Russia deepen its cooperation in space with China, another US adversary, as The New York Times noted in June. Fall 2021 saw multiple emergencies aboard the ISS, both of which the US blamed on Russia. In October, surprise test fire from a docked Russian spacecraft caused the ISS to tilt out of its normal position, leading personnel on board to briefly evacuate. (A fun footnote: The spacecraft that caused the incident had been in space so that a Russian crew could film the first feature film aboard the Space Station.) Then, in November, satellite debris forced ISS astronauts to seek shelter on the day as a Russian missile attack. The US condemned Russia for the attack. Russia did not acknowledge any wrongdoing. Turn on browser notifications to receive breaking news alerts from Engadget You can disable notifications at any time in your settings menu. Not now Turned on Turn on Later that month, in an unrelated episode, Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, left the door open for possible criminal charges related to a 2018 incident involving a hole in one of its spacecraft, which Russian media insinuated could have been the result of US sabotage. "These attacks are false and lack any credibility," Nelson told Ars Technica in November. In its statement on Friday, NASA highlighted among its continuing projects sending humans to Mars, as well as Project Artemis, an effort to send the first woman and the first person of color to the Moon. Indeed, NASA underwent a reorganization in September that seemed to specifically reflect its priorities around the Moon and Mars. The United States is extending its operations aboard the International Space Station through 2030, NASA confirmed Friday in a blog post. The International Space Station is a beacon of peaceful international scientific collaboration and for more than 20 years has returned enormous scientific, educational, and technological developments to benefit humanity," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement. Though it was never in doubt that the US would continue its near-term commitment to the ISS, NASA's announcement comes amid heightened tensions with Russia, one of several nations sharing access to the Space Station. 2021 also saw Russia deepen its cooperation in space with China, another US adversary, as The New York Times noted in June. Fall 2021 saw multiple emergencies aboard the ISS, both of which the US blamed on Russia. In October, surprise test fire from a docked Russian spacecraft caused the ISS to tilt out of its normal position, leading personnel on board to briefly evacuate. (A fun footnote: The spacecraft that caused the incident had been in space so that a Russian crew could film the first feature film aboard the Space Station.) Then, in November, satellite debris forced ISS astronauts to seek shelter on the day as a Russian missile attack. The US condemned Russia for the attack. Russia did not acknowledge any wrongdoing. Turn on browser notifications to receive breaking news alerts from Engadget You can disable notifications at any time in your settings menu. Not now Turned on Turn on Later that month, in an unrelated episode, Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, left the door open for possible criminal charges related to a 2018 incident involving a hole in one of its spacecraft, which Russian media insinuated could have been the result of US sabotage. "These attacks are false and lack any credibility," Nelson told Ars Technica in November. In its statement on Friday, NASA highlighted among its continuing projects sending humans to Mars, as well as Project Artemis, an effort to send the first woman and the first person of color to the Moon. Indeed, NASA underwent a reorganization in September that seemed to specifically reflect its priorities around the Moon and Mars. The Saudi Ambassador had called on Qureshi in Islamabad on Tuesday, reported Geo News. Many Saudis found Qureshi sitting with one leg crossed and the other pointing in the direction of the Al-Malki offensive, the report said. A Saudi citizen took to Twitter and said that "the Pakistani minister's sitting manner was devoid of diplomatic etiquette". Another angry Saudi citizen wrote on social media: "We, as Saudis, do not accept that the Pakistani foreign minister insults the Saudi ambassador in this manner". "I think that the Pakistani minister's behaviour was intentional," he added, reported Geo News. "Frankly if I were one of the Saudi ambassadors, I would have left," another Saudi Twitter user said. Pakistani citizens also condemned Qureshi's sitting position terming it as "against diplomatic norms". One user wrote, "Pakistan's foreign minister is in dire need of learning literature. Pakistan begs from Saudi Arabia every year." Another Twitter user said, "Shah Mehmood should apologize asap for his uncouth and jail behaviour which is totally against diplomatic norms. Remember KSA gives us aid." (ANI) The Saudi Ambassador had called on Qureshi in Islamabad on Tuesday, reported Geo News. Many Saudis found Qureshi sitting with one leg crossed and the other pointing in the direction of the Al-Malki offensive, the report said. A Saudi citizen took to Twitter and said that "the Pakistani minister's sitting manner was devoid of diplomatic etiquette". Another angry Saudi citizen wrote on social media: "We, as Saudis, do not accept that the Pakistani foreign minister insults the Saudi ambassador in this manner". "I think that the Pakistani minister's behaviour was intentional," he added, reported Geo News. "Frankly if I were one of the Saudi ambassadors, I would have left," another Saudi Twitter user said. Pakistani citizens also condemned Qureshi's sitting position terming it as "against diplomatic norms". One user wrote, "Pakistan's foreign minister is in dire need of learning literature. Pakistan begs from Saudi Arabia every year." Another Twitter user said, "Shah Mehmood should apologize asap for his uncouth and jail behaviour which is totally against diplomatic norms. Remember KSA gives us aid." (ANI) Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Washington: One year after thousands of his supporters stormed the US Capitol, Donald Trump plans to mark the anniversary on January 6 with a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. It will be no mea culpa. In a statement issued before Christmas, the former president made it clear that he would use the event to reassert his false claim that the election was stolen, and launch yet another attack on the bipartisan select House committee investigating the incident. Until then, remember, the insurrection took place on November 3rd, Trump said, referencing the day of the 2020 election. It was the completely unarmed protest of the rigged election that took place on January 6th. The insurgency left several people dead, about 150 police officers injured and a nation shocked and divided. Advertisement But there is every reason to think that the January 6 attack was just the beginning for Donald Trump and his allies and this time, theyre much better organised. Twelve months after Americas chamber of democracy was stormed by the foot soldiers of a president trying to cling to power at any cost, Trumpists and partisan state legislatures are now working to undermine election processes right across the US. Theyre much less violent than an angry mob descending on Congress after being told to fight like hell but far more insidious, strategic, and potentially damaging to democracy in the longer term. Indeed, by last month, at least 262 bills had been introduced in 41 states that would interfere with election administration, according to a joint report released by States United, Law Forward, and Protect Democracy three non-partisan groups seeking to enhance election security. Choking the vote Among them are a raft of voter suppression laws that will constrain the ability of millions of Americans to vote early, through the mail, or on Election Day itself. Take the sunbelt state of Texas, which already had some of the nations toughest voting constraints. It has now introduced a ban on overnight early voting hours and drive-through voting both of which have proved popular among voters of colour. Advertisement Loading In Kansas, people could face criminal charges for returning advance ballots on behalf of voters who need help, such as people with disabilities. In Georgia, people can now be charged with a crime for giving food and water to people waiting in line to vote. Electoral boundaries have also been redrawn to give Republicans the edge in new districts ahead of this years crucial midterm elections. Both parties have a history of gerrymandering maps to improve their Congress numbers, but the Republicans have been more successful in recent decades. And despite losing dozens of legal challenges centred on the baseless claim of a fraudulent result, Trump and his supporters are now working to elect proponents of the myth to powerful positions at state and national level. If elected, these candidates, who say the 2020 presidential election was stolen, could have significant sway to help overturn the next presidential election result. Little wonder democracy groups, politics academics, and former military leaders are warning about America being on the brink of a constitutional crisis. The fight of our lives right now, of this generation, has to be to secure voting rights and to secure a peaceful transition of power. That should not be a partisan issue, renowned presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, told CNN this week. Advertisement RINOs and revenge In Alaska, Trump is seeking to oust moderate Republican senator Liz Murkowski by backing her primary challenger Kelly Tshibaka, a former state bureaucrat who has promoted Trumps theory of election fraud. In Michigan, the former president has put his weight behind state politician Steve Carra, who led the local push for an audit of the 2020 election results, over veteran congressman Fred Upton, who voted for Trumps impeachment. Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney, Republican royalty and daughter of former vice-president Dick Cheney, was called a RINO by Donald Trump (Republican in name only) for voting to impeach him. Credit:AP And in the state of Wyoming, Trump has endorsed local lawyer Harriet Hagemen in her GOP bid to unseat fellow Republican Liz Cheney, the daughter of George W. Bushs former vice-president, Dick Cheney, and an outspoken member of the House committee investigating the January 6 event. Harriet is all in for America First, Trump said in a statement in September, denouncing Cheney as a RINO slang for Republican in Name Only and describing her as the Democrats number one provider of sound bites. Cheney, responding on 60 Minutes, said she was well aware that her once safe seat was about to become a litmus test for Trumps dominance over the party. Advertisement Its going to be the most important House race in the country in 2022, she said. It will be one where people do have the opportunity to say: We want to stand for the constitution. Other Trump loyalists have also been endorsed as candidates to become the chief election official, known as the secretary of state. Key contests will take place in Michigan, Arizona and in Georgia, the southern state that helped deliver Joe Biden the presidency partly because its incumbent secretary, Republican Brad Raffensperger, refused to cave in to Trumps demands to find 11,780 votes to overturn the election result. Georgian congressman Jody Hice voted to overturn the election result after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol. Credit:AP The former president and his allies are instead backing US congressman Jody Hice, who voted against certifying Bidens victory, to run against Raffensberger for the critical post. Jody will stop the Fraud and get honesty into our Elections! Trump declared in 2021. As for Trump? Even without the megaphone of Twitter and Facebook (which have banned his accounts), hes nonetheless spent the past 12 months pushing his message through targeted emails, rallies and interviews on Fox News and other friendly outlets. Trumps fundraising might Advertisement The Saudi Ambassador had called on Qureshi in Islamabad on Tuesday, reported Geo News. Many Saudis found Qureshi sitting with one leg crossed and the other pointing in the direction of the Al-Malki offensive, the report said. A Saudi citizen took to Twitter and said that "the Pakistani minister's sitting manner was devoid of diplomatic etiquette". Another angry Saudi citizen wrote on social media: "We, as Saudis, do not accept that the Pakistani foreign minister insults the Saudi ambassador in this manner". "I think that the Pakistani minister's behaviour was intentional," he added, reported Geo News. "Frankly if I were one of the Saudi ambassadors, I would have left," another Saudi Twitter user said. Pakistani citizens also condemned Qureshi's sitting position terming it as "against diplomatic norms". One user wrote, "Pakistan's foreign minister is in dire need of learning literature. Pakistan begs from Saudi Arabia every year." Another Twitter user said, "Shah Mehmood should apologize asap for his uncouth and jail behaviour which is totally against diplomatic norms. Remember KSA gives us aid." (ANI) With Virginias COVID-19 daily caseloads skyrocketing records were set three consecutive days this week Dan River Region residents are flooding the emergency department of Sovah Health-Danville seeking a test for the novel coronavirus. However, the hospital isnt a testing site. Please consider local pharmacies, urgent care, or primary care clinics for testing to help us reserve hospital resources for our sickest patients, local hospital leaders wrote in a Facebook post Thursday. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. The problem isnt unique to Danville. In a statement last week, the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association and the Virginia Department of Health said people are heading to emergency departments with mild cases of COVID-19 or other seasonal illnesses. These unnecessary trips to the hospital are adding to the burden health care facilities already face with staffing shortages and increased patients. People with minor symptoms are encouraged to instead visit or talk to their primary care provider so emergency departments are able to handle the most severe situations. People with severe COVID-19 symptoms such as significant difficulty breathing, intense chest pain, severe weakness, or an elevated temperature that persists for days unabated are among those who should consider seeking emergency medical care for their condition, the statewide health agencies wrote in a joint news release. On Wednesday, Sovah Health was treating more than 40 patients for COVID-19 at its Danville and Martinsville facilities. Thats twice as many as the previous week. Of these hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 90% are unvaccinated, Dr. Sheranda Gunn-Nolan, market chief medical officer for Sovah Health, told the Register & Bee last week. She also reiterated her plea to residents to get vaccinated and boosted against the illness. The time to get vaccinated is now not after being admitted to the hospital with COVID-19. On Saturday, there were 2,292 patients in Virginia hospitals being treated for the virus, a figure that has steadily climbed each day this week. Even as infections have soared, hospitalizations havent reached the levels of last winter. On Friday the last day data will be available until Monday Virginia again set a record for daily COVID-19 infections with 17,618 cases added to the logs. That brings the seven-day rolling average to 9,883, a 60% increase from last Januarys wave. The omicron variant a new strain of the coronavirus is blamed for surge in cases. Local data Daily cases are rising locally but are still below the peaks of the delta wave in the summer. On Friday, Danville and Pittsylvania County were averaging about 60 new cases of COVID-19. The positivity rate 19.88% in Danville and 32.92% in Pittsylvania County also is climbing, often an indicator of an impending surge. The rate measures the positive results against the overall number of tests administered to help gauge the state of the pandemic on the local level. The Dan River Region and nearly all of Virginia is in the highest risk zone for COVID-19 spread, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In these areas, federal and state health experts urge residents to wear face masks for indoor public settings. Deaths Ten new COVID-19 deaths in Danville and Pittsylvania County were added this week, but six of those occurred out-of-state in 2020, health department spokesperson Logan Anderson told the Register & Bee. Those were among the 167 COVID-19 fatalities added this week from residents who died outside of Virginia. The state health department experiences a long delay in getting death reports from other areas and doesnt assess the data until the end of the following year, something it calls a routine data quality step. Outbreak A new COVID-19 outbreak emerged at Dan River High School in Fridays update from the health department. The outbreak involved less than five people and was reported Dec. 22. An outbreak is only declared when two or more COVID-19 infections are spread at the same place. Danville still has three active outbreaks: Riverside Health and Rehabilitation Center, Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute and Westover Christian Academy. Those will remain active until 28 days passes without a new positive cases. With Virginias COVID-19 daily caseloads skyrocketing records were set three consecutive days this week Dan River Region residents are flooding the emergency department of Sovah Health-Danville seeking a test for the novel coronavirus. However, the hospital isnt a testing site. Please consider local pharmacies, urgent care, or primary care clinics for testing to help us reserve hospital resources for our sickest patients, local hospital leaders wrote in a Facebook post Thursday. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. The problem isnt unique to Danville. In a statement last week, the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association and the Virginia Department of Health said people are heading to emergency departments with mild cases of COVID-19 or other seasonal illnesses. These unnecessary trips to the hospital are adding to the burden health care facilities already face with staffing shortages and increased patients. People with minor symptoms are encouraged to instead visit or talk to their primary care provider so emergency departments are able to handle the most severe situations. People with severe COVID-19 symptoms such as significant difficulty breathing, intense chest pain, severe weakness, or an elevated temperature that persists for days unabated are among those who should consider seeking emergency medical care for their condition, the statewide health agencies wrote in a joint news release. On Wednesday, Sovah Health was treating more than 40 patients for COVID-19 at its Danville and Martinsville facilities. Thats twice as many as the previous week. Of these hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 90% are unvaccinated, Dr. Sheranda Gunn-Nolan, market chief medical officer for Sovah Health, told the Register & Bee last week. She also reiterated her plea to residents to get vaccinated and boosted against the illness. The time to get vaccinated is now not after being admitted to the hospital with COVID-19. On Saturday, there were 2,292 patients in Virginia hospitals being treated for the virus, a figure that has steadily climbed each day this week. Even as infections have soared, hospitalizations havent reached the levels of last winter. On Friday the last day data will be available until Monday Virginia again set a record for daily COVID-19 infections with 17,618 cases added to the logs. That brings the seven-day rolling average to 9,883, a 60% increase from last Januarys wave. The omicron variant a new strain of the coronavirus is blamed for surge in cases. Local data Daily cases are rising locally but are still below the peaks of the delta wave in the summer. On Friday, Danville and Pittsylvania County were averaging about 60 new cases of COVID-19. The positivity rate 19.88% in Danville and 32.92% in Pittsylvania County also is climbing, often an indicator of an impending surge. The rate measures the positive results against the overall number of tests administered to help gauge the state of the pandemic on the local level. The Dan River Region and nearly all of Virginia is in the highest risk zone for COVID-19 spread, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In these areas, federal and state health experts urge residents to wear face masks for indoor public settings. Deaths Ten new COVID-19 deaths in Danville and Pittsylvania County were added this week, but six of those occurred out-of-state in 2020, health department spokesperson Logan Anderson told the Register & Bee. Those were among the 167 COVID-19 fatalities added this week from residents who died outside of Virginia. The state health department experiences a long delay in getting death reports from other areas and doesnt assess the data until the end of the following year, something it calls a routine data quality step. Outbreak A new COVID-19 outbreak emerged at Dan River High School in Fridays update from the health department. The outbreak involved less than five people and was reported Dec. 22. An outbreak is only declared when two or more COVID-19 infections are spread at the same place. Danville still has three active outbreaks: Riverside Health and Rehabilitation Center, Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute and Westover Christian Academy. Those will remain active until 28 days passes without a new positive cases. With Virginias COVID-19 daily caseloads skyrocketing records were set three consecutive days this week Dan River Region residents are flooding the emergency department of Sovah Health-Danville seeking a test for the novel coronavirus. However, the hospital isnt a testing site. Please consider local pharmacies, urgent care, or primary care clinics for testing to help us reserve hospital resources for our sickest patients, local hospital leaders wrote in a Facebook post Thursday. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. The problem isnt unique to Danville. In a statement last week, the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association and the Virginia Department of Health said people are heading to emergency departments with mild cases of COVID-19 or other seasonal illnesses. These unnecessary trips to the hospital are adding to the burden health care facilities already face with staffing shortages and increased patients. People with minor symptoms are encouraged to instead visit or talk to their primary care provider so emergency departments are able to handle the most severe situations. People with severe COVID-19 symptoms such as significant difficulty breathing, intense chest pain, severe weakness, or an elevated temperature that persists for days unabated are among those who should consider seeking emergency medical care for their condition, the statewide health agencies wrote in a joint news release. On Wednesday, Sovah Health was treating more than 40 patients for COVID-19 at its Danville and Martinsville facilities. Thats twice as many as the previous week. Of these hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 90% are unvaccinated, Dr. Sheranda Gunn-Nolan, market chief medical officer for Sovah Health, told the Register & Bee last week. She also reiterated her plea to residents to get vaccinated and boosted against the illness. The time to get vaccinated is now not after being admitted to the hospital with COVID-19. On Saturday, there were 2,292 patients in Virginia hospitals being treated for the virus, a figure that has steadily climbed each day this week. Even as infections have soared, hospitalizations havent reached the levels of last winter. On Friday the last day data will be available until Monday Virginia again set a record for daily COVID-19 infections with 17,618 cases added to the logs. That brings the seven-day rolling average to 9,883, a 60% increase from last Januarys wave. The omicron variant a new strain of the coronavirus is blamed for surge in cases. Local data Daily cases are rising locally but are still below the peaks of the delta wave in the summer. On Friday, Danville and Pittsylvania County were averaging about 60 new cases of COVID-19. The positivity rate 19.88% in Danville and 32.92% in Pittsylvania County also is climbing, often an indicator of an impending surge. The rate measures the positive results against the overall number of tests administered to help gauge the state of the pandemic on the local level. The Dan River Region and nearly all of Virginia is in the highest risk zone for COVID-19 spread, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In these areas, federal and state health experts urge residents to wear face masks for indoor public settings. Deaths Ten new COVID-19 deaths in Danville and Pittsylvania County were added this week, but six of those occurred out-of-state in 2020, health department spokesperson Logan Anderson told the Register & Bee. Those were among the 167 COVID-19 fatalities added this week from residents who died outside of Virginia. The state health department experiences a long delay in getting death reports from other areas and doesnt assess the data until the end of the following year, something it calls a routine data quality step. Outbreak A new COVID-19 outbreak emerged at Dan River High School in Fridays update from the health department. The outbreak involved less than five people and was reported Dec. 22. An outbreak is only declared when two or more COVID-19 infections are spread at the same place. Danville still has three active outbreaks: Riverside Health and Rehabilitation Center, Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute and Westover Christian Academy. Those will remain active until 28 days passes without a new positive cases. With Virginias COVID-19 daily caseloads skyrocketing records were set three consecutive days this week Dan River Region residents are flooding the emergency department of Sovah Health-Danville seeking a test for the novel coronavirus. However, the hospital isnt a testing site. Please consider local pharmacies, urgent care, or primary care clinics for testing to help us reserve hospital resources for our sickest patients, local hospital leaders wrote in a Facebook post Thursday. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. The problem isnt unique to Danville. In a statement last week, the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association and the Virginia Department of Health said people are heading to emergency departments with mild cases of COVID-19 or other seasonal illnesses. These unnecessary trips to the hospital are adding to the burden health care facilities already face with staffing shortages and increased patients. People with minor symptoms are encouraged to instead visit or talk to their primary care provider so emergency departments are able to handle the most severe situations. People with severe COVID-19 symptoms such as significant difficulty breathing, intense chest pain, severe weakness, or an elevated temperature that persists for days unabated are among those who should consider seeking emergency medical care for their condition, the statewide health agencies wrote in a joint news release. On Wednesday, Sovah Health was treating more than 40 patients for COVID-19 at its Danville and Martinsville facilities. Thats twice as many as the previous week. Of these hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 90% are unvaccinated, Dr. Sheranda Gunn-Nolan, market chief medical officer for Sovah Health, told the Register & Bee last week. She also reiterated her plea to residents to get vaccinated and boosted against the illness. The time to get vaccinated is now not after being admitted to the hospital with COVID-19. On Saturday, there were 2,292 patients in Virginia hospitals being treated for the virus, a figure that has steadily climbed each day this week. Even as infections have soared, hospitalizations havent reached the levels of last winter. On Friday the last day data will be available until Monday Virginia again set a record for daily COVID-19 infections with 17,618 cases added to the logs. That brings the seven-day rolling average to 9,883, a 60% increase from last Januarys wave. The omicron variant a new strain of the coronavirus is blamed for surge in cases. Local data Daily cases are rising locally but are still below the peaks of the delta wave in the summer. On Friday, Danville and Pittsylvania County were averaging about 60 new cases of COVID-19. The positivity rate 19.88% in Danville and 32.92% in Pittsylvania County also is climbing, often an indicator of an impending surge. The rate measures the positive results against the overall number of tests administered to help gauge the state of the pandemic on the local level. The Dan River Region and nearly all of Virginia is in the highest risk zone for COVID-19 spread, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In these areas, federal and state health experts urge residents to wear face masks for indoor public settings. Deaths Ten new COVID-19 deaths in Danville and Pittsylvania County were added this week, but six of those occurred out-of-state in 2020, health department spokesperson Logan Anderson told the Register & Bee. Those were among the 167 COVID-19 fatalities added this week from residents who died outside of Virginia. The state health department experiences a long delay in getting death reports from other areas and doesnt assess the data until the end of the following year, something it calls a routine data quality step. Outbreak A new COVID-19 outbreak emerged at Dan River High School in Fridays update from the health department. The outbreak involved less than five people and was reported Dec. 22. An outbreak is only declared when two or more COVID-19 infections are spread at the same place. Danville still has three active outbreaks: Riverside Health and Rehabilitation Center, Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute and Westover Christian Academy. Those will remain active until 28 days passes without a new positive cases. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Washington: One year after thousands of his supporters stormed the US Capitol, Donald Trump plans to mark the anniversary on January 6 with a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. It will be no mea culpa. In a statement issued before Christmas, the former president made it clear that he would use the event to reassert his false claim that the election was stolen, and launch yet another attack on the bipartisan select House committee investigating the incident. Until then, remember, the insurrection took place on November 3rd, Trump said, referencing the day of the 2020 election. It was the completely unarmed protest of the rigged election that took place on January 6th. The insurgency left several people dead, about 150 police officers injured and a nation shocked and divided. Advertisement But there is every reason to think that the January 6 attack was just the beginning for Donald Trump and his allies and this time, theyre much better organised. Twelve months after Americas chamber of democracy was stormed by the foot soldiers of a president trying to cling to power at any cost, Trumpists and partisan state legislatures are now working to undermine election processes right across the US. Theyre much less violent than an angry mob descending on Congress after being told to fight like hell but far more insidious, strategic, and potentially damaging to democracy in the longer term. Indeed, by last month, at least 262 bills had been introduced in 41 states that would interfere with election administration, according to a joint report released by States United, Law Forward, and Protect Democracy three non-partisan groups seeking to enhance election security. Choking the vote Among them are a raft of voter suppression laws that will constrain the ability of millions of Americans to vote early, through the mail, or on Election Day itself. Take the sunbelt state of Texas, which already had some of the nations toughest voting constraints. It has now introduced a ban on overnight early voting hours and drive-through voting both of which have proved popular among voters of colour. Advertisement Loading In Kansas, people could face criminal charges for returning advance ballots on behalf of voters who need help, such as people with disabilities. In Georgia, people can now be charged with a crime for giving food and water to people waiting in line to vote. Electoral boundaries have also been redrawn to give Republicans the edge in new districts ahead of this years crucial midterm elections. Both parties have a history of gerrymandering maps to improve their Congress numbers, but the Republicans have been more successful in recent decades. And despite losing dozens of legal challenges centred on the baseless claim of a fraudulent result, Trump and his supporters are now working to elect proponents of the myth to powerful positions at state and national level. If elected, these candidates, who say the 2020 presidential election was stolen, could have significant sway to help overturn the next presidential election result. Little wonder democracy groups, politics academics, and former military leaders are warning about America being on the brink of a constitutional crisis. The fight of our lives right now, of this generation, has to be to secure voting rights and to secure a peaceful transition of power. That should not be a partisan issue, renowned presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, told CNN this week. Advertisement RINOs and revenge In Alaska, Trump is seeking to oust moderate Republican senator Liz Murkowski by backing her primary challenger Kelly Tshibaka, a former state bureaucrat who has promoted Trumps theory of election fraud. In Michigan, the former president has put his weight behind state politician Steve Carra, who led the local push for an audit of the 2020 election results, over veteran congressman Fred Upton, who voted for Trumps impeachment. Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney, Republican royalty and daughter of former vice-president Dick Cheney, was called a RINO by Donald Trump (Republican in name only) for voting to impeach him. Credit:AP And in the state of Wyoming, Trump has endorsed local lawyer Harriet Hagemen in her GOP bid to unseat fellow Republican Liz Cheney, the daughter of George W. Bushs former vice-president, Dick Cheney, and an outspoken member of the House committee investigating the January 6 event. Harriet is all in for America First, Trump said in a statement in September, denouncing Cheney as a RINO slang for Republican in Name Only and describing her as the Democrats number one provider of sound bites. Cheney, responding on 60 Minutes, said she was well aware that her once safe seat was about to become a litmus test for Trumps dominance over the party. Advertisement Its going to be the most important House race in the country in 2022, she said. It will be one where people do have the opportunity to say: We want to stand for the constitution. Other Trump loyalists have also been endorsed as candidates to become the chief election official, known as the secretary of state. Key contests will take place in Michigan, Arizona and in Georgia, the southern state that helped deliver Joe Biden the presidency partly because its incumbent secretary, Republican Brad Raffensperger, refused to cave in to Trumps demands to find 11,780 votes to overturn the election result. Georgian congressman Jody Hice voted to overturn the election result after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol. Credit:AP The former president and his allies are instead backing US congressman Jody Hice, who voted against certifying Bidens victory, to run against Raffensberger for the critical post. Jody will stop the Fraud and get honesty into our Elections! Trump declared in 2021. As for Trump? Even without the megaphone of Twitter and Facebook (which have banned his accounts), hes nonetheless spent the past 12 months pushing his message through targeted emails, rallies and interviews on Fox News and other friendly outlets. Trumps fundraising might Advertisement The United States is extending its operations aboard the International Space Station through 2030, NASA confirmed Friday in a blog post. The International Space Station is a beacon of peaceful international scientific collaboration and for more than 20 years has returned enormous scientific, educational, and technological developments to benefit humanity," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement. Though it was never in doubt that the US would continue its near-term commitment to the ISS, NASA's announcement comes amid heightened tensions with Russia, one of several nations sharing access to the Space Station. 2021 also saw Russia deepen its cooperation in space with China, another US adversary, as The New York Times noted in June. Fall 2021 saw multiple emergencies aboard the ISS, both of which the US blamed on Russia. In October, surprise test fire from a docked Russian spacecraft caused the ISS to tilt out of its normal position, leading personnel on board to briefly evacuate. (A fun footnote: The spacecraft that caused the incident had been in space so that a Russian crew could film the first feature film aboard the Space Station.) Then, in November, satellite debris forced ISS astronauts to seek shelter on the day as a Russian missile attack. The US condemned Russia for the attack. Russia did not acknowledge any wrongdoing. Turn on browser notifications to receive breaking news alerts from Engadget You can disable notifications at any time in your settings menu. Not now Turned on Turn on Later that month, in an unrelated episode, Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, left the door open for possible criminal charges related to a 2018 incident involving a hole in one of its spacecraft, which Russian media insinuated could have been the result of US sabotage. "These attacks are false and lack any credibility," Nelson told Ars Technica in November. In its statement on Friday, NASA highlighted among its continuing projects sending humans to Mars, as well as Project Artemis, an effort to send the first woman and the first person of color to the Moon. Indeed, NASA underwent a reorganization in September that seemed to specifically reflect its priorities around the Moon and Mars. The United States is extending its operations aboard the International Space Station through 2030, NASA confirmed Friday in a blog post. The International Space Station is a beacon of peaceful international scientific collaboration and for more than 20 years has returned enormous scientific, educational, and technological developments to benefit humanity," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement. Though it was never in doubt that the US would continue its near-term commitment to the ISS, NASA's announcement comes amid heightened tensions with Russia, one of several nations sharing access to the Space Station. 2021 also saw Russia deepen its cooperation in space with China, another US adversary, as The New York Times noted in June. Fall 2021 saw multiple emergencies aboard the ISS, both of which the US blamed on Russia. In October, surprise test fire from a docked Russian spacecraft caused the ISS to tilt out of its normal position, leading personnel on board to briefly evacuate. (A fun footnote: The spacecraft that caused the incident had been in space so that a Russian crew could film the first feature film aboard the Space Station.) Then, in November, satellite debris forced ISS astronauts to seek shelter on the day as a Russian missile attack. The US condemned Russia for the attack. Russia did not acknowledge any wrongdoing. Turn on browser notifications to receive breaking news alerts from Engadget You can disable notifications at any time in your settings menu. Not now Turned on Turn on Later that month, in an unrelated episode, Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, left the door open for possible criminal charges related to a 2018 incident involving a hole in one of its spacecraft, which Russian media insinuated could have been the result of US sabotage. "These attacks are false and lack any credibility," Nelson told Ars Technica in November. In its statement on Friday, NASA highlighted among its continuing projects sending humans to Mars, as well as Project Artemis, an effort to send the first woman and the first person of color to the Moon. Indeed, NASA underwent a reorganization in September that seemed to specifically reflect its priorities around the Moon and Mars. During the course of his 30-year run at The Tonight Show, Johnny Carson hosted more than 20,000 guests. At this point, his place as one of the greatest television icons in history is firmly secured. In the years before he retired, a very beloved, highly inquisitive guest asked if there was any celebrity who shook him up a little in the more than 20 years hed been hosting by then. In response, he said the one person who left him completely unnerved was fashion and film icon, Audrey Hepburn. (L-R) Ed McMahon, Audrey Hepburn, and Johnny Carson | Fred Sabine/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Images Audrey Hepburn: fashion icon, movie star, and humanitarian Hepburn was born Audrey Kathleen Ruston on May 4, 1929 in Brussels, Belgium. She was studying in the Netherlands during much of World War II and struggled to survive the hardships of German occupation. Notably, her thin frame was supposedly caused by being malnourished due to restricted food supplies in her youth. According to Biography, she eventually made her stage debut in 1948, which led her to Broadway and eventually film. Her career took off, turning her into one of the most well-known actors and style icons of all time. But later in her life, she retired from acting and focused on humanitarian efforts for children, reportedly inspired by her own experiences in the Netherlands. In the late 80s, she became a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF and began travelling the world to raise awareness of impoverished youth. Unfortunately, Hepburn died on Jan. 20, 1993 at the age of 63 after undergoing treatment for a rare form of abdominal cancer. Johnny Carson completely fell apart while interviewing Audrey Hepburn During a 1987 interview with Betty White on The Tonight Show, she and Carson chatted about their own long friendship. Despite their familiarity, she admitted that she still got shook when Carson said hello to her. Then, the roles reversed and White the guest was asking Carson the questions. Is there anybody who comes on that really throws you a little bit? White asked him curiously, adding that Carson was seasoned by then and might not have had an answer. But he did have someone in mind. Strangely enough, the one time I got bothered on this show was with the one night Audrey Hepburn was on, he replied. And I dont know why. For reference, Hepburn visited The Tonight Show in 1976. You know, she is very not aloof proper maybe is the word, the almost unshakeable host described his stoic guest. And I just didnt know how to handle it. [] I dont why but she just completely unnerved me. He demonstrated how his interview with Hepburn had left him babbling before adding he completely fell apart. A clip of Carsons interview with White is available on YouTube. Unfortunately, footage of his interview with Hepburn doesnt seem to be anywhere readily accessible but it may be in museums. Audrey Hepburn was supposedly active in the Nazi resistance Though Hepburn was known for a squeaky-clean and proper image, some of that was seemingly created by a good PR team. According to Biography, she had an affair with a married co-star and would have compelled him to leave his wife had he been able to have children. To try to prevent the salacious details from leaking, Paramount studios supposedly arranged a stunt and planned for her to get engaged to her new lover at her ex-lovers house, in front of him and his wife. Another secret that was kept from the public for a long time was that Hepburns parents were reportedly enthusiastic Nazi sympathizers. In the 50s, such an association would have been terrible for her public image, but the information later came to light. For her part, Hepburn was supposedly an active member of the Nazi resistance in her youth. Notably, Carson joined the U.S. Navy and was called to serve in World War II, but it ended before he saw combat. Whether Carson knew of Hepburns wartime secrets during their chat is unclear, but its clear she had an interesting life and a commanding presence in Hollywood. So, its not too surprising that Carson found himself at a rare loss for words. RELATED: Johnny Carson Tried out for This High School Team 3 Times but Never Made the Cut During the course of his 30-year run at The Tonight Show, Johnny Carson hosted more than 20,000 guests. At this point, his place as one of the greatest television icons in history is firmly secured. In the years before he retired, a very beloved, highly inquisitive guest asked if there was any celebrity who shook him up a little in the more than 20 years hed been hosting by then. In response, he said the one person who left him completely unnerved was fashion and film icon, Audrey Hepburn. (L-R) Ed McMahon, Audrey Hepburn, and Johnny Carson | Fred Sabine/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Images Audrey Hepburn: fashion icon, movie star, and humanitarian Hepburn was born Audrey Kathleen Ruston on May 4, 1929 in Brussels, Belgium. She was studying in the Netherlands during much of World War II and struggled to survive the hardships of German occupation. Notably, her thin frame was supposedly caused by being malnourished due to restricted food supplies in her youth. According to Biography, she eventually made her stage debut in 1948, which led her to Broadway and eventually film. Her career took off, turning her into one of the most well-known actors and style icons of all time. But later in her life, she retired from acting and focused on humanitarian efforts for children, reportedly inspired by her own experiences in the Netherlands. In the late 80s, she became a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF and began travelling the world to raise awareness of impoverished youth. Unfortunately, Hepburn died on Jan. 20, 1993 at the age of 63 after undergoing treatment for a rare form of abdominal cancer. Johnny Carson completely fell apart while interviewing Audrey Hepburn During a 1987 interview with Betty White on The Tonight Show, she and Carson chatted about their own long friendship. Despite their familiarity, she admitted that she still got shook when Carson said hello to her. Then, the roles reversed and White the guest was asking Carson the questions. Is there anybody who comes on that really throws you a little bit? White asked him curiously, adding that Carson was seasoned by then and might not have had an answer. But he did have someone in mind. Strangely enough, the one time I got bothered on this show was with the one night Audrey Hepburn was on, he replied. And I dont know why. For reference, Hepburn visited The Tonight Show in 1976. You know, she is very not aloof proper maybe is the word, the almost unshakeable host described his stoic guest. And I just didnt know how to handle it. [] I dont why but she just completely unnerved me. He demonstrated how his interview with Hepburn had left him babbling before adding he completely fell apart. A clip of Carsons interview with White is available on YouTube. Unfortunately, footage of his interview with Hepburn doesnt seem to be anywhere readily accessible but it may be in museums. Audrey Hepburn was supposedly active in the Nazi resistance Though Hepburn was known for a squeaky-clean and proper image, some of that was seemingly created by a good PR team. According to Biography, she had an affair with a married co-star and would have compelled him to leave his wife had he been able to have children. To try to prevent the salacious details from leaking, Paramount studios supposedly arranged a stunt and planned for her to get engaged to her new lover at her ex-lovers house, in front of him and his wife. Another secret that was kept from the public for a long time was that Hepburns parents were reportedly enthusiastic Nazi sympathizers. In the 50s, such an association would have been terrible for her public image, but the information later came to light. For her part, Hepburn was supposedly an active member of the Nazi resistance in her youth. Notably, Carson joined the U.S. Navy and was called to serve in World War II, but it ended before he saw combat. Whether Carson knew of Hepburns wartime secrets during their chat is unclear, but its clear she had an interesting life and a commanding presence in Hollywood. So, its not too surprising that Carson found himself at a rare loss for words. RELATED: Johnny Carson Tried out for This High School Team 3 Times but Never Made the Cut Rich DeLucia has been hired as vice president of government services at CSI Aviation, Inc. Prior to joining CSI Aviation, DeLucia worked with several Part 135, Department of Defense Certified Airlift review board operators as an executive and senior consultant. He is a retired U.S. Air Force senior noncommissioned officer serving as an aircrew instructor loadmaster in C-17 Globemaster expeditionary airlift aircraft, having specialized in remote airdrop, cargo and logistics operations across the globe. DeLucia has worked with CSI Aviation as an industry partner since 2017. In his new role he will develop new business solutions with government customers and industry partners, and the management and execution of new and existing aviation programs both domestic and international. By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and the head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Friday asked AT&T and Verizon Communications to delay the planned Jan. 5 introduction of new 5G wireless service over aviation safety concerns. In a letter Friday seen by Reuters, Buttigieg and FAA Administrator Steve Dickson asked AT&T Chief Executive John Stankey and Verizon Chief Executive Hans Vestberg for a delay of no more than two weeks as part of a "proposal as a near-term solution for advancing the co-existence of 5G deployment in the C-Band and safe flight operations." The aviation industry and FAA have raised concerns about potential interference of 5G with sensitive aircraft electronics like radio altimeters that could disrupt flights. "We ask that your companies continue to pause introducing commercial C-Band service for an additional short period of no more than two weeks beyond the currently scheduled deployment date of January 5," the letter says. Verizon and AT&T both said they received the letter and were reviewing it. Earlier Friday the two companies accused the aerospace industry of seeking to hold C-Band spectrum deployment "hostage until the wireless industry agrees to cover the costs of upgrading any obsolete altimeters." Buttigieg and Dickson said under the framework "commercial C-band service would begin as planned in January with certain exceptions around priority airports." The FAA and the aviation industry would identify priority airports "where a buffer zone would permit aviation operations to continue safely while the FAA completes its assessments of the interference potential." The government would work to identify "mitigations for all priority airports" to enable most "large commercial aircraft to operate safely in all conditions." That would allow deployment around "priority airports on a rolling basis" -- aiming to ensure activation by March 31 barring unforeseen issues. Story continues The carriers, which won the spectrum in an $80 billion government auction, previously agreed to precautionary measures for six months to limit interference. On Thursday, trade group Airlines for America asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to halt deployment of new 5G wireless service around many airports, warning thousands of flights could be disrupted: "The potential damage to the airline industry alone is staggering." Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, representing 50,000 flight attendants at 17 airlines, called the Transportation Department proposal "the right move to successfully implement 5G without using the traveling public (and the crews on their flights) as guinea pigs for two systems that need to coexist without questions for safety." Wireless industry group CTIA said 5G is safe and spectrum is being used in about 40 other countries. House Transportation Committee chair Peter DeFazio Friday backed the airline group petition warning "we cant afford to experiment with aviation safety." 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe A package is seen in a grocery store in California in a file photograph. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images) GMO Foods to Be Labeled Bioengineered as New Rule Takes Effect Products in the United States containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) will now be labeled as bioengineered under new food disclosure rules that took effect on Jan. 1, a change from being described as having genetically engineered or GMO components under the old rules. Companies were given until Jan. 1 to comply with the new rules, which were finalized during the Trump administration. The government was following a law approved by Congress in 2016 to create a national standard for disclosing foods that are or may be bioengineered. The countrywide standard avoids a patchwork state-by-state system that could be confusing to consumers, then-Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said at the time. The updated labeling requirements have drawn criticism, as well as a legal challenge from the Center for Food Safety, which claims that theyre confusing. These regulations are not about informing the public but rather designed to allow corporations to hide their use of genetically engineered ingredients from their customers, Andrew Kimbrell, executive director of the center, said in a statement. It is a regulatory scam, which we are seeking to rescind in federal court. The Organic Trade Association, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, and The Non-GMO Project are among the other opponents of the rule. Overall, many products containing GMOs will not be labeled, meaning that the absence of a bioengineered (BE) disclosure does not mean a product is non-GMO, the project said in a statement when the rules were unveiled. Congress, in the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Law, ordered food manufacturers to place on labels text, a symbol, or a digital link such as a QR code if products have bioengineered ingredients. Lawmakers used the term bioengineered, but allowed the Department of Agriculture to use similar terms. However, the agency opted to stick with just bioengineered. Supporters of the regulations include food industry groups such as the Food Marketing Institute and the Grocery Manufacturers Association. The rule provides a consistent way to provide transparency regarding the foods we sell and allow our customers across the country the means to learn more about grocery products containing bioengineered ingredients, the institute stated in 2018. However, even some supporters had urged the Biden administration to delay the compliance deadline in light of rampant supply chain issues. The administration must take a do no harm position right now that allows companies to focus on delivering for consumers, the Consumer Brands Association said in a recent statement. Domestic and International Flight Cancellations Pile Up Entering 2022 Flight cancellations keep on increasing as travel disruptions from Omicron-related staff shortages and bouts of bad weather spoil passenger plans and attempt to derail a steady recovery from the pandemic. Over 3,300 flights were canceled with more than 11,600 delays, out of which 1,625 were flying into or out of the United States on Friday, according to data from tracking website FlightAware. On Saturday, the number of cancellations reached over 4,100, with almost 2,400 U.S.-based flightsSouthwest has registered 471 cancellations, American 196, Delta 186, United 150, and JetBlue 118. Airline companies were expecting to recuperate some of the losses made during the COVID-19 shutdowns, and had prepared for the peak season with extra incentives to retain staff. But the highly-transmissible variant threw plans off track and has now emerged as the dominant strain of the virus in the country. However, Omicron has been documented to be less symptomatic and has resulted in fewer hospitalizations. This could be one of the reasons why airline companies lobbied for reducing the number of days needed to spend in quarantine from 10 to five, which the CDC has granted. We expect the number of COVID cases in the northeastwhere most of our crew members are basedto continue to surge for the next week or two, JetBlues spokesperson said in an emailed statement to Reuters. This means there is a high likelihood of additional cancellations until case counts start to come down. Besides staff shortages, inclement weather with unusually strong jet-stream winds and snowfall is one of the main reasons behind domestic and international flight disruptions. Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Denver are among the hardest hit airports for weather-related flight cancellations. Its tough enough to travel in the winter just because of bad weather, but COVID and the Omicron variant are introducing new wrinkles that none of us had anticipated, said travel industry analyst Henry Harteveldt, cited by USA Today. Travel in European countries has also been hard hit with a number of cancellations. Almost 15 percent of all flights through January have been called off as countries impose restrictions to curb the spread of Omicron. Based on data from BloomergNEF, airlines in the United States are faring better with only 3.9 percent planned cancellations for January. Under federal law, passengers are entitled to full refunds if their flight is canceled and they opt not to take an alternate flight. Airline companies might offer travel credit, which the passenger can refuse. Refunds for cancellations can be for any reason from bad weather to staff shortages. Many airlines give passengers a heads-up before canceling flights so that they can make alternate arrangements. JetBlue Airways had trimmed down almost 10 percent of its flights through Jan. 13. According to the company, the decision was made to help passengers prevent last-minute rescheduling hassles. Domestic and International Flight Cancellations Pile Up Entering 2022 Flight cancellations keep on increasing as travel disruptions from Omicron-related staff shortages and bouts of bad weather spoil passenger plans and attempt to derail a steady recovery from the pandemic. Over 3,300 flights were canceled with more than 11,600 delays, out of which 1,625 were flying into or out of the United States on Friday, according to data from tracking website FlightAware. On Saturday, the number of cancellations reached over 4,100, with almost 2,400 U.S.-based flightsSouthwest has registered 471 cancellations, American 196, Delta 186, United 150, and JetBlue 118. Airline companies were expecting to recuperate some of the losses made during the COVID-19 shutdowns, and had prepared for the peak season with extra incentives to retain staff. But the highly-transmissible variant threw plans off track and has now emerged as the dominant strain of the virus in the country. However, Omicron has been documented to be less symptomatic and has resulted in fewer hospitalizations. This could be one of the reasons why airline companies lobbied for reducing the number of days needed to spend in quarantine from 10 to five, which the CDC has granted. We expect the number of COVID cases in the northeastwhere most of our crew members are basedto continue to surge for the next week or two, JetBlues spokesperson said in an emailed statement to Reuters. This means there is a high likelihood of additional cancellations until case counts start to come down. Besides staff shortages, inclement weather with unusually strong jet-stream winds and snowfall is one of the main reasons behind domestic and international flight disruptions. Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Denver are among the hardest hit airports for weather-related flight cancellations. Its tough enough to travel in the winter just because of bad weather, but COVID and the Omicron variant are introducing new wrinkles that none of us had anticipated, said travel industry analyst Henry Harteveldt, cited by USA Today. Travel in European countries has also been hard hit with a number of cancellations. Almost 15 percent of all flights through January have been called off as countries impose restrictions to curb the spread of Omicron. Based on data from BloomergNEF, airlines in the United States are faring better with only 3.9 percent planned cancellations for January. Under federal law, passengers are entitled to full refunds if their flight is canceled and they opt not to take an alternate flight. Airline companies might offer travel credit, which the passenger can refuse. Refunds for cancellations can be for any reason from bad weather to staff shortages. Many airlines give passengers a heads-up before canceling flights so that they can make alternate arrangements. JetBlue Airways had trimmed down almost 10 percent of its flights through Jan. 13. According to the company, the decision was made to help passengers prevent last-minute rescheduling hassles. New York City will allow 'guests' staying at its quarantine hotels to bring cigarettes and marijuana with them - and a staff nurse will bag, weigh and distribute their vice of choice for smoke breaks. The city has provided eligible residents a free stay at a hotel if they are infected with COVID-19, a program that has been offered since the pandemic began in 2020 to help stop the spread of the virus by protecting family members and roommates. Now, residents will be allowed to bring cigarettes and marijuana with them, which has to be handed over to the staff nurse upon arrival. Patients will be allowed to smoke during their three daily outside breaks. However, alcohol is not permitted inside the residence. New York City will allow its 'guests' staying at city quarantine hotels - such as the LaGuardia Plaza Hotel (pictured) - to bring cigarettes and marijuana with them Guests will have to turn over their cigarettes and marijuana prior to checking in and will receive it on their three daily 15-minute breaks. Marijuana will be weighed, bagged, and distributed by the staff nurse so that no one steals another's weed Jonathan Martin, 21, from Astoria, Queens, who is staying at the LaGuardia Plaza Hotel in the borough, said the staff took his weed and placed it in a plastic bag when he arrived. He was handed it back on his breaks. Martin, a coffee shop manager, is staying in the hotel for five days until he completes his quarantine. He said he was grateful to be able to bring marijuana with him to help him 'relax.' 'Its nice to relax when Im stuck in a room...by myself for five days,' he told the New York Post from outside of the hotel, where he was being monitored by staff on his 15-minute break. Who's eligible for NYC's free quarantine hotel option? New York City residents who test positive for coronavirus can choose to opt into a free hotel stay at one of the city's partnered hotels. Residents do have to meet certain requirements to qualify, such as living with roommates or family members. The city says residents are eligible if: Your home does not have space for you to stay six feet away from others You share rooms or a bathroom You live with someone who is vulnerable Rooms are also available to those who are not infected, but live with someone(s) who is. To get started, call 311 or 844-NYC-4NYC (1-844-692-4692) and a service provider will go through the next steps after evaluating a patient's symptoms. Source: New York City Government Advertisement He also said the staff carefully inspected his sealed bottle of pomegranate juice when he arrived to make sure he wasn't hiding any alcohol in it. At one point, the city did consider allowing staff to serve serve, finding that guests were refusing the quarantine option when alcohol was off-limits - causing those they lived with to have harmful exposure to the virus. The plan was proposed by Dr. Amanda Johnson, who heads isolation and tracing for Test & Trace Corps - which is in charge of the city's quarantine hotels - and it was reportedly meant to be kept quiet, according to the New York Post. It is unknown the exact reason the city decided against it or if it's still under consideration. Health + Hospitals, which runs Test & Trace Corps, however, said they did not serve alcohol to guests. 'We do not provide guests with alcohol at the hotel.' Despite the no-booze rule, roughly 65 percent of those staying in the LaGuardia Plaza Hotel and the nearby Holiday Inn do enjoy smoking pot during their stay, a source told the New York Post. And the recreational drug - which became legal in New York in September - is weighed by staff so that no one steals each other's stash. This practice became standard after it was claimed that some guests claimed their pot was stolen. Some are critical of the scheme, saying the city is 'supporting' addictions. 'I think its a shame. Nurses go into the field to care for patients, this is not care. Rather than offer patients help for addictions, its being supported, the same insider told the Post. 'Nurses are told its part of the job when they attempt to refuse to accompany patients to smoke marijuana or cigarettes.' The city, which has again become the epicenter of the pandemic amid the Omicron variant, has seen mass testing lines and record-breaking number of cases. There were a 78,090 cases recorded on December 31, just of the single-day mark of 82,350 set earlier in the week. The city offers a free hotel stay for up to 14 days that comes with three meals a day and transportation to and from patients' homes. Nurses will check temperatures and oxygen saturation levels daily. Despite the convenient option, one guest described her experience as the 'corona jail.' 'It really felt more like corona jail than a healthcare facility,' an unidentified woman wrote in her complaint. She wrote in her complaint, which was obtained by the Post, that she received food containing gluten - which she could not eat - and she was sent home in a car with another man, who refused to wear his mask properly and still had symptoms. She also said she never left her room for fresh air due to the elevators always being crowded. The LaGuardia Plaza Hotel reported 732 emergency calls made from the facility in 2021, with 694 of those requesting an ambulance. The reasons for ambulances were not disclosed. Test & Trace Corps has housed 30,000 New Yorkers to date and said it is 'proud' to 'provide a safe place' for residents. 'We are proud that our hotels have provided a safe place to isolate or quarantine for nearly 30,000 New Yorkers to date, and will continue to offer this critical tool for as long as the pandemic continues.' New York City will allow 'guests' staying at its quarantine hotels to bring cigarettes and marijuana with them - and a staff nurse will bag, weigh and distribute their vice of choice for smoke breaks. The city has provided eligible residents a free stay at a hotel if they are infected with COVID-19, a program that has been offered since the pandemic began in 2020 to help stop the spread of the virus by protecting family members and roommates. Now, residents will be allowed to bring cigarettes and marijuana with them, which has to be handed over to the staff nurse upon arrival. Patients will be allowed to smoke during their three daily outside breaks. However, alcohol is not permitted inside the residence. New York City will allow its 'guests' staying at city quarantine hotels - such as the LaGuardia Plaza Hotel (pictured) - to bring cigarettes and marijuana with them Guests will have to turn over their cigarettes and marijuana prior to checking in and will receive it on their three daily 15-minute breaks. Marijuana will be weighed, bagged, and distributed by the staff nurse so that no one steals another's weed Jonathan Martin, 21, from Astoria, Queens, who is staying at the LaGuardia Plaza Hotel in the borough, said the staff took his weed and placed it in a plastic bag when he arrived. He was handed it back on his breaks. Martin, a coffee shop manager, is staying in the hotel for five days until he completes his quarantine. He said he was grateful to be able to bring marijuana with him to help him 'relax.' 'Its nice to relax when Im stuck in a room...by myself for five days,' he told the New York Post from outside of the hotel, where he was being monitored by staff on his 15-minute break. Who's eligible for NYC's free quarantine hotel option? New York City residents who test positive for coronavirus can choose to opt into a free hotel stay at one of the city's partnered hotels. Residents do have to meet certain requirements to qualify, such as living with roommates or family members. The city says residents are eligible if: Your home does not have space for you to stay six feet away from others You share rooms or a bathroom You live with someone who is vulnerable Rooms are also available to those who are not infected, but live with someone(s) who is. To get started, call 311 or 844-NYC-4NYC (1-844-692-4692) and a service provider will go through the next steps after evaluating a patient's symptoms. Source: New York City Government Advertisement He also said the staff carefully inspected his sealed bottle of pomegranate juice when he arrived to make sure he wasn't hiding any alcohol in it. At one point, the city did consider allowing staff to serve serve, finding that guests were refusing the quarantine option when alcohol was off-limits - causing those they lived with to have harmful exposure to the virus. The plan was proposed by Dr. Amanda Johnson, who heads isolation and tracing for Test & Trace Corps - which is in charge of the city's quarantine hotels - and it was reportedly meant to be kept quiet, according to the New York Post. It is unknown the exact reason the city decided against it or if it's still under consideration. Health + Hospitals, which runs Test & Trace Corps, however, said they did not serve alcohol to guests. 'We do not provide guests with alcohol at the hotel.' Despite the no-booze rule, roughly 65 percent of those staying in the LaGuardia Plaza Hotel and the nearby Holiday Inn do enjoy smoking pot during their stay, a source told the New York Post. And the recreational drug - which became legal in New York in September - is weighed by staff so that no one steals each other's stash. This practice became standard after it was claimed that some guests claimed their pot was stolen. Some are critical of the scheme, saying the city is 'supporting' addictions. 'I think its a shame. Nurses go into the field to care for patients, this is not care. Rather than offer patients help for addictions, its being supported, the same insider told the Post. 'Nurses are told its part of the job when they attempt to refuse to accompany patients to smoke marijuana or cigarettes.' The city, which has again become the epicenter of the pandemic amid the Omicron variant, has seen mass testing lines and record-breaking number of cases. There were a 78,090 cases recorded on December 31, just of the single-day mark of 82,350 set earlier in the week. The city offers a free hotel stay for up to 14 days that comes with three meals a day and transportation to and from patients' homes. Nurses will check temperatures and oxygen saturation levels daily. Despite the convenient option, one guest described her experience as the 'corona jail.' 'It really felt more like corona jail than a healthcare facility,' an unidentified woman wrote in her complaint. She wrote in her complaint, which was obtained by the Post, that she received food containing gluten - which she could not eat - and she was sent home in a car with another man, who refused to wear his mask properly and still had symptoms. She also said she never left her room for fresh air due to the elevators always being crowded. The LaGuardia Plaza Hotel reported 732 emergency calls made from the facility in 2021, with 694 of those requesting an ambulance. The reasons for ambulances were not disclosed. Test & Trace Corps has housed 30,000 New Yorkers to date and said it is 'proud' to 'provide a safe place' for residents. 'We are proud that our hotels have provided a safe place to isolate or quarantine for nearly 30,000 New Yorkers to date, and will continue to offer this critical tool for as long as the pandemic continues.' Shaheed Al Hafed, 1 January 2022 (SPS) - The President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), Secretary-General of the Polisario Front, Brahim Ghali commended the "firm and principled" position of Algeria for the Sahrawi issue and the struggle of the Sahrawi people for self-determination, said the Sahrawi News Agency (SPS) Friday. In his closing remarks at the Conference of the General Staff of the Sahrawi People's Liberation Army (SPLA), the Sahrawi president praised Algeria for its firm and principled position supporting the right of peoples to self-determination and independence, saying that Algeria supports just causes and oppressed peoples, particularly the Sahrawi people. "We are proud of our relations with Algeria, a country of pride and dignity," he said. President Ghali also greeted all brothers, friends and allies of the Sahrawi people and their just cause throughout the world and particularly in Africa, "the continent of struggle against colonialism and apartheid, which will be completely free after the decolonization of the last African colony, Western Sahara. 062/700 Millions of people thought they knew the actor John Mahoney from his work in the NBC sitcom Frasier for 11 hit seasons from 1993 through 2004, he played a cranky Seattle police officer whod taken a bullet in the hip and then been forced to live with his neurotic son. But the famously private Steppenwolf Theatre ensemble member was far more than the Hollywood gossip columnists ever knew. Mahoney died Sunday at the age of 77 of complications from throat cancer. Advertisement For one thing, Mahoney was born British, despite his having no trace of a discernible accent. He was a child of Manchester, England, a wartime evacuee to Blackpool on the Lancashire coast. Born in 1940, he first came to Illinois when he was 11 years old to visit his sister Vera, a war bride. That visit made such an impression on his boyhood self, Mahoney found his way back to Chicago eight years later, under his sister's sponsorship. And he never went back to Britain to live, becoming a U.S. citizen in 1959. For another, Mahoney hated Los Angeles and greatly preferred Oak Park, where he lived quietly for years. Once Frasier was over, Mahoney refused to participate in the usual nostalgic reunions. He didnt show up in 2001 when no less than Oprah Winfrey invited the entire cast of the sitcom onto her vaunted talk show. Kelsey Grammer was there. So was David Hyde Pierce. But not Mahoney. Advertisement "I just couldn't be bothered, Mahoney told the Tribune in 2004. "That kind of thing bores me. I have better things to do with my life. I'm 63, I've made a ton of money and I don't have to worry about my next job. It's over. It's done. Let it go. I don't want to talk about it for the rest of my life." Mahoney was always grateful for what Frasier had done for him and took care to say so on numerous occasions. His success on that show meant that, thereafter, he could focus on Chicago theater, his great love, and on the Steppenwolf Theatre in particular. By not having to worry about money, he was able to work on what he wanted like acting for scale in Long Days Journey Into Night at Chicagos tiny Irish Repertory Theatre. But over the years, he lavished most of his time and attention on his beloved Steppenwolf, appearing in more than 30 productions in total at the theater, including Conor McPherson's "The Seafarer" in 2008, perhaps Mahoney's most devastating performance, if only for the way it emphasized his inherent frailty. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 23 Actor John Mahoney in 2008 in a rehearsal building for Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago. (Chris Walker / Chicago Tribune) There was something else unusual about Mahoney he came to the profession that would make him famous uncommonly late. Only in his 40s did Mahoney become a professional actor. By the time I started my career, most people had given up and started selling insurance," Mahoney once said. "I didn't have so much competition." Mahoneys late bloom happened during the Chicago theater renaissance in the late 1970s. In 1979, his friends John Malkovich and Gary Sinise invited him to join their still-nascent Steppenwolf, after theyd seen him taking acting classes at the St. Nicholas Theatre Company. At the time, the early ensemble members were allowed to sponsor the entrance of others. There was good reason for that. In 1979, Steppenwolf still was populated by people, all friends, who were 15 or 20 years younger than Mahoney. Plays being plays, Steppenwolf badly needed someone who could take on older male roles. Slight, ruddy faced and unfailingly good-natured, Mahoney was hired as Steppenwolfs designated adult, and he relished the role until his final appearance this past fall in Jessica Dickey's play The Rembrandt," an examination of art and mortality. Mahoney played a dying poet. His emotional performance was deeply moving, and it was tempting to assume it had something to do with his health, but Mahoney was a formidable actor and this was not the first time he had summoned up tears. Mahoney had been like that from the start, albeit in his quiet way, eschewing all histrionics. Advertisement We were a bunch of kids, distraught Steppenwolf co-founder Terry Kinney said Monday night, recalling his early years with Mahoney. John was a little bit older, so that meant he could credibly play 40 years old, and he was such a character actor, so Malkovich brought him over. John was our first grown-up, said Steppenwolf artistic director Anna D. Shapiro. He brought gravitas and a whole different way to move through the world. I have loved him since I was a girl. It is very hard for me to believe I will not hear from him again." Shapiros sentiment was shared by a huge swath of Chicago audiences. Especially in the years following Frasier, he was willing to perform on Chicago stages large and small, from the Irish Rep to the Northlight Theatre in Skokie, where he often collaborated with director BJ Jones. Among many other shows in what became a second home, Mahoney appeared in The Price by Arthur Miller, The Outgoing Tide by Bruce Graham and in an aptly titled Hugh Leonard drama, A Life. John was beloved by our audience, Jones said Monday. The Chicago theater has lost a leading light who embodied the true spirit of ensemble and who served as a role model for us all. Mahoneys body of work is formidable. Aside from Frasier and his stage work in Chicago, he appeared in the 1987 Barry Levinson film Tin Men, and such movies as Eight Men Out, The Hudsucker Proxy and, most memorably for many, both Moonstruck and Barton Fink. On Broadway, Mahoney appeared in the resonant 2007 revival of "Prelude to a Kiss." Back in 1986, he received a Tony Award for his work in Jerry Zaks' production of John Guare's "The House of Blue Leaves." But he always wanted to come home to Chicago, whose mayor, Rahm Emanuel, said in a statement Monday that Mahoney's contribution to the city would "endure for generations to come." "The city is almost like a person to me," Mahoney said in 2004. "I can't tell you why my heart is so full of Chicago, but it's where I want to be. When I'm not here, I'm not as happy." Advertisement On Monday night, Steppenwolf, which has been suffering through the deaths of several ensemble members in recent months, canceled its planned opening-night performance of the play You Got Older. Artists and supporters were instead expected to gather in the theaters bar and raise a glass to Mahoney, who, some weeks ago, had reminded Shapiro that he did not wish there to be any kind of formal memorial. He was the most optimistic curmudgeon I knew," Kinney said. And we all loved him for that. Chris Jones is a Tribune critic. cjones5@chicagotribune.com Enjoy someone else's drama A great theater city deserves a great theater critic. Enter Chris Jones. Subscribe now and get 4 weeks of full access for only 99. [ Appreciation: John Mahoney, true to the ensemble spirit ] [ Martha Lavey, longtime leader of Steppenwolf Theatre, is dead at 60 ] [ Glenne Headly, early Steppenwolf Theatre Company member, dead at 62 ] [ Review: In 'The Rembrandt,' why would a museum guard try to touch a masterpiece? ] During the course of his 30-year run at The Tonight Show, Johnny Carson hosted more than 20,000 guests. At this point, his place as one of the greatest television icons in history is firmly secured. In the years before he retired, a very beloved, highly inquisitive guest asked if there was any celebrity who shook him up a little in the more than 20 years hed been hosting by then. In response, he said the one person who left him completely unnerved was fashion and film icon, Audrey Hepburn. (L-R) Ed McMahon, Audrey Hepburn, and Johnny Carson | Fred Sabine/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Images Audrey Hepburn: fashion icon, movie star, and humanitarian Hepburn was born Audrey Kathleen Ruston on May 4, 1929 in Brussels, Belgium. She was studying in the Netherlands during much of World War II and struggled to survive the hardships of German occupation. Notably, her thin frame was supposedly caused by being malnourished due to restricted food supplies in her youth. According to Biography, she eventually made her stage debut in 1948, which led her to Broadway and eventually film. Her career took off, turning her into one of the most well-known actors and style icons of all time. But later in her life, she retired from acting and focused on humanitarian efforts for children, reportedly inspired by her own experiences in the Netherlands. In the late 80s, she became a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF and began travelling the world to raise awareness of impoverished youth. Unfortunately, Hepburn died on Jan. 20, 1993 at the age of 63 after undergoing treatment for a rare form of abdominal cancer. Johnny Carson completely fell apart while interviewing Audrey Hepburn During a 1987 interview with Betty White on The Tonight Show, she and Carson chatted about their own long friendship. Despite their familiarity, she admitted that she still got shook when Carson said hello to her. Then, the roles reversed and White the guest was asking Carson the questions. Is there anybody who comes on that really throws you a little bit? White asked him curiously, adding that Carson was seasoned by then and might not have had an answer. But he did have someone in mind. Strangely enough, the one time I got bothered on this show was with the one night Audrey Hepburn was on, he replied. And I dont know why. For reference, Hepburn visited The Tonight Show in 1976. You know, she is very not aloof proper maybe is the word, the almost unshakeable host described his stoic guest. And I just didnt know how to handle it. [] I dont why but she just completely unnerved me. He demonstrated how his interview with Hepburn had left him babbling before adding he completely fell apart. A clip of Carsons interview with White is available on YouTube. Unfortunately, footage of his interview with Hepburn doesnt seem to be anywhere readily accessible but it may be in museums. Audrey Hepburn was supposedly active in the Nazi resistance Though Hepburn was known for a squeaky-clean and proper image, some of that was seemingly created by a good PR team. According to Biography, she had an affair with a married co-star and would have compelled him to leave his wife had he been able to have children. To try to prevent the salacious details from leaking, Paramount studios supposedly arranged a stunt and planned for her to get engaged to her new lover at her ex-lovers house, in front of him and his wife. Another secret that was kept from the public for a long time was that Hepburns parents were reportedly enthusiastic Nazi sympathizers. In the 50s, such an association would have been terrible for her public image, but the information later came to light. For her part, Hepburn was supposedly an active member of the Nazi resistance in her youth. Notably, Carson joined the U.S. Navy and was called to serve in World War II, but it ended before he saw combat. Whether Carson knew of Hepburns wartime secrets during their chat is unclear, but its clear she had an interesting life and a commanding presence in Hollywood. So, its not too surprising that Carson found himself at a rare loss for words. RELATED: Johnny Carson Tried out for This High School Team 3 Times but Never Made the Cut Shaheed Al Hafed, 1 January 2022 (SPS) - The President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), Secretary-General of the Polisario Front, Brahim Ghali commended the "firm and principled" position of Algeria for the Sahrawi issue and the struggle of the Sahrawi people for self-determination, said the Sahrawi News Agency (SPS) Friday. In his closing remarks at the Conference of the General Staff of the Sahrawi People's Liberation Army (SPLA), the Sahrawi president praised Algeria for its firm and principled position supporting the right of peoples to self-determination and independence, saying that Algeria supports just causes and oppressed peoples, particularly the Sahrawi people. "We are proud of our relations with Algeria, a country of pride and dignity," he said. President Ghali also greeted all brothers, friends and allies of the Sahrawi people and their just cause throughout the world and particularly in Africa, "the continent of struggle against colonialism and apartheid, which will be completely free after the decolonization of the last African colony, Western Sahara. 062/700 Two men walk away from the site of a construction crane collapse in Kelowna, B.C. on Wednesday, July 14, 2021. Five people were killed in the accident. Two men walk away from the site of a construction crane collapse in Kelowna, B.C. on Wednesday, July 14, 2021. Five people were killed in the accident. Cabrillo Beach is seen empty after the city of Long Beach closed the beaches due to a sewage spill, in Long Beach, Calif., on Dec. 31, 2021. (David Swanson/Reuters) Massive Sewage Spill Closes Some California Beaches A spill of millions of gallons of untreated sewage in California has led to the closure of some beaches, including many in Los Angeles and Orange counties. All beaches in the city of Long Beach were shut down Friday on the orders of its health officer, Dr. Anissa Davis. The city said approximately 2 to 4 million gallons of sewage were discharged into the Dominguez Channel a day prior. The incident was pinned on the failure of a 48-inch sewer mainline in the city of Carson. Other closures included beaches in and around Los Angeles; the channel terminates at the Los Angeles harbor. Public health officials are advising residents to avoid contact with ocean water in the affected areas, the Los Angeles County Public Health office said in a statement. Sanitation engineers work at the site of a leak in Carson, Calif., on Dec. 31, 2021. (David Swanson/Reuters) The closed beaches were listed as Rancho Palos Verdes Beach at Portuguese Bend, Royal Palm Beach, White Point Beach, Wilder Addition Park Beach at Point Fermin, and Cabrillo Beach. The closures were going to remain in effect until water samples were confirmed to have bacteria levels below thresholds laid out by the state. Local news reports indicated some were expected to reopen over the weekend. Janice Hahn, a Los Angeles County supervisor, said Friday that the spill had grown to an estimated 6 to 7 million gallons. A spill of this magnitude is dangerous and unacceptable, and we need to understand what happened. The recent storm undoubtedly contributed, but we need infrastructure that doesnt fail when it rains, Hahn said in a statement. Cabrillo Beach is seen empty after the city of Long Beach closed the beaches due to a sewage spill, in Long Beach, Calif., on Dec. 31, 2021. (David Swanson/Reuters) Massive Sewage Spill Closes Some California Beaches A spill of millions of gallons of untreated sewage in California has led to the closure of some beaches, including many in Los Angeles and Orange counties. All beaches in the city of Long Beach were shut down Friday on the orders of its health officer, Dr. Anissa Davis. The city said approximately 2 to 4 million gallons of sewage were discharged into the Dominguez Channel a day prior. The incident was pinned on the failure of a 48-inch sewer mainline in the city of Carson. Other closures included beaches in and around Los Angeles; the channel terminates at the Los Angeles harbor. Public health officials are advising residents to avoid contact with ocean water in the affected areas, the Los Angeles County Public Health office said in a statement. Sanitation engineers work at the site of a leak in Carson, Calif., on Dec. 31, 2021. (David Swanson/Reuters) The closed beaches were listed as Rancho Palos Verdes Beach at Portuguese Bend, Royal Palm Beach, White Point Beach, Wilder Addition Park Beach at Point Fermin, and Cabrillo Beach. The closures were going to remain in effect until water samples were confirmed to have bacteria levels below thresholds laid out by the state. Local news reports indicated some were expected to reopen over the weekend. Janice Hahn, a Los Angeles County supervisor, said Friday that the spill had grown to an estimated 6 to 7 million gallons. A spill of this magnitude is dangerous and unacceptable, and we need to understand what happened. The recent storm undoubtedly contributed, but we need infrastructure that doesnt fail when it rains, Hahn said in a statement. Cabrillo Beach is seen empty after the city of Long Beach closed the beaches due to a sewage spill, in Long Beach, Calif., on Dec. 31, 2021. (David Swanson/Reuters) Massive Sewage Spill Closes Some California Beaches A spill of millions of gallons of untreated sewage in California has led to the closure of some beaches, including many in Los Angeles and Orange counties. All beaches in the city of Long Beach were shut down Friday on the orders of its health officer, Dr. Anissa Davis. The city said approximately 2 to 4 million gallons of sewage were discharged into the Dominguez Channel a day prior. The incident was pinned on the failure of a 48-inch sewer mainline in the city of Carson. Other closures included beaches in and around Los Angeles; the channel terminates at the Los Angeles harbor. Public health officials are advising residents to avoid contact with ocean water in the affected areas, the Los Angeles County Public Health office said in a statement. Sanitation engineers work at the site of a leak in Carson, Calif., on Dec. 31, 2021. (David Swanson/Reuters) The closed beaches were listed as Rancho Palos Verdes Beach at Portuguese Bend, Royal Palm Beach, White Point Beach, Wilder Addition Park Beach at Point Fermin, and Cabrillo Beach. The closures were going to remain in effect until water samples were confirmed to have bacteria levels below thresholds laid out by the state. Local news reports indicated some were expected to reopen over the weekend. Janice Hahn, a Los Angeles County supervisor, said Friday that the spill had grown to an estimated 6 to 7 million gallons. A spill of this magnitude is dangerous and unacceptable, and we need to understand what happened. The recent storm undoubtedly contributed, but we need infrastructure that doesnt fail when it rains, Hahn said in a statement. Two men walk away from the site of a construction crane collapse in Kelowna, B.C. on Wednesday, July 14, 2021. Five people were killed in the accident. Two men walk away from the site of a construction crane collapse in Kelowna, B.C. on Wednesday, July 14, 2021. Five people were killed in the accident. Shaheed Al Hafed, 1 January 2022 (SPS) - The President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), Secretary-General of the Polisario Front, Brahim Ghali commended the "firm and principled" position of Algeria for the Sahrawi issue and the struggle of the Sahrawi people for self-determination, said the Sahrawi News Agency (SPS) Friday. In his closing remarks at the Conference of the General Staff of the Sahrawi People's Liberation Army (SPLA), the Sahrawi president praised Algeria for its firm and principled position supporting the right of peoples to self-determination and independence, saying that Algeria supports just causes and oppressed peoples, particularly the Sahrawi people. "We are proud of our relations with Algeria, a country of pride and dignity," he said. President Ghali also greeted all brothers, friends and allies of the Sahrawi people and their just cause throughout the world and particularly in Africa, "the continent of struggle against colonialism and apartheid, which will be completely free after the decolonization of the last African colony, Western Sahara. 062/700 Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's 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Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Millions of people thought they knew the actor John Mahoney from his work in the NBC sitcom Frasier for 11 hit seasons from 1993 through 2004, he played a cranky Seattle police officer whod taken a bullet in the hip and then been forced to live with his neurotic son. But the famously private Steppenwolf Theatre ensemble member was far more than the Hollywood gossip columnists ever knew. Mahoney died Sunday at the age of 77 of complications from throat cancer. Advertisement For one thing, Mahoney was born British, despite his having no trace of a discernible accent. He was a child of Manchester, England, a wartime evacuee to Blackpool on the Lancashire coast. Born in 1940, he first came to Illinois when he was 11 years old to visit his sister Vera, a war bride. That visit made such an impression on his boyhood self, Mahoney found his way back to Chicago eight years later, under his sister's sponsorship. And he never went back to Britain to live, becoming a U.S. citizen in 1959. For another, Mahoney hated Los Angeles and greatly preferred Oak Park, where he lived quietly for years. Once Frasier was over, Mahoney refused to participate in the usual nostalgic reunions. He didnt show up in 2001 when no less than Oprah Winfrey invited the entire cast of the sitcom onto her vaunted talk show. Kelsey Grammer was there. So was David Hyde Pierce. But not Mahoney. Advertisement "I just couldn't be bothered, Mahoney told the Tribune in 2004. "That kind of thing bores me. I have better things to do with my life. I'm 63, I've made a ton of money and I don't have to worry about my next job. It's over. It's done. Let it go. I don't want to talk about it for the rest of my life." Mahoney was always grateful for what Frasier had done for him and took care to say so on numerous occasions. His success on that show meant that, thereafter, he could focus on Chicago theater, his great love, and on the Steppenwolf Theatre in particular. By not having to worry about money, he was able to work on what he wanted like acting for scale in Long Days Journey Into Night at Chicagos tiny Irish Repertory Theatre. But over the years, he lavished most of his time and attention on his beloved Steppenwolf, appearing in more than 30 productions in total at the theater, including Conor McPherson's "The Seafarer" in 2008, perhaps Mahoney's most devastating performance, if only for the way it emphasized his inherent frailty. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 23 Actor John Mahoney in 2008 in a rehearsal building for Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago. (Chris Walker / Chicago Tribune) There was something else unusual about Mahoney he came to the profession that would make him famous uncommonly late. Only in his 40s did Mahoney become a professional actor. By the time I started my career, most people had given up and started selling insurance," Mahoney once said. "I didn't have so much competition." Mahoneys late bloom happened during the Chicago theater renaissance in the late 1970s. In 1979, his friends John Malkovich and Gary Sinise invited him to join their still-nascent Steppenwolf, after theyd seen him taking acting classes at the St. Nicholas Theatre Company. At the time, the early ensemble members were allowed to sponsor the entrance of others. There was good reason for that. In 1979, Steppenwolf still was populated by people, all friends, who were 15 or 20 years younger than Mahoney. Plays being plays, Steppenwolf badly needed someone who could take on older male roles. Slight, ruddy faced and unfailingly good-natured, Mahoney was hired as Steppenwolfs designated adult, and he relished the role until his final appearance this past fall in Jessica Dickey's play The Rembrandt," an examination of art and mortality. Mahoney played a dying poet. His emotional performance was deeply moving, and it was tempting to assume it had something to do with his health, but Mahoney was a formidable actor and this was not the first time he had summoned up tears. Mahoney had been like that from the start, albeit in his quiet way, eschewing all histrionics. Advertisement We were a bunch of kids, distraught Steppenwolf co-founder Terry Kinney said Monday night, recalling his early years with Mahoney. John was a little bit older, so that meant he could credibly play 40 years old, and he was such a character actor, so Malkovich brought him over. John was our first grown-up, said Steppenwolf artistic director Anna D. Shapiro. He brought gravitas and a whole different way to move through the world. I have loved him since I was a girl. It is very hard for me to believe I will not hear from him again." Shapiros sentiment was shared by a huge swath of Chicago audiences. Especially in the years following Frasier, he was willing to perform on Chicago stages large and small, from the Irish Rep to the Northlight Theatre in Skokie, where he often collaborated with director BJ Jones. Among many other shows in what became a second home, Mahoney appeared in The Price by Arthur Miller, The Outgoing Tide by Bruce Graham and in an aptly titled Hugh Leonard drama, A Life. John was beloved by our audience, Jones said Monday. The Chicago theater has lost a leading light who embodied the true spirit of ensemble and who served as a role model for us all. Mahoneys body of work is formidable. Aside from Frasier and his stage work in Chicago, he appeared in the 1987 Barry Levinson film Tin Men, and such movies as Eight Men Out, The Hudsucker Proxy and, most memorably for many, both Moonstruck and Barton Fink. On Broadway, Mahoney appeared in the resonant 2007 revival of "Prelude to a Kiss." Back in 1986, he received a Tony Award for his work in Jerry Zaks' production of John Guare's "The House of Blue Leaves." But he always wanted to come home to Chicago, whose mayor, Rahm Emanuel, said in a statement Monday that Mahoney's contribution to the city would "endure for generations to come." "The city is almost like a person to me," Mahoney said in 2004. "I can't tell you why my heart is so full of Chicago, but it's where I want to be. When I'm not here, I'm not as happy." Advertisement On Monday night, Steppenwolf, which has been suffering through the deaths of several ensemble members in recent months, canceled its planned opening-night performance of the play You Got Older. Artists and supporters were instead expected to gather in the theaters bar and raise a glass to Mahoney, who, some weeks ago, had reminded Shapiro that he did not wish there to be any kind of formal memorial. He was the most optimistic curmudgeon I knew," Kinney said. And we all loved him for that. Chris Jones is a Tribune critic. cjones5@chicagotribune.com Enjoy someone else's drama A great theater city deserves a great theater critic. Enter Chris Jones. Subscribe now and get 4 weeks of full access for only 99. [ Appreciation: John Mahoney, true to the ensemble spirit ] [ Martha Lavey, longtime leader of Steppenwolf Theatre, is dead at 60 ] [ Glenne Headly, early Steppenwolf Theatre Company member, dead at 62 ] [ Review: In 'The Rembrandt,' why would a museum guard try to touch a masterpiece? ] Millions of people thought they knew the actor John Mahoney from his work in the NBC sitcom Frasier for 11 hit seasons from 1993 through 2004, he played a cranky Seattle police officer whod taken a bullet in the hip and then been forced to live with his neurotic son. But the famously private Steppenwolf Theatre ensemble member was far more than the Hollywood gossip columnists ever knew. Mahoney died Sunday at the age of 77 of complications from throat cancer. Advertisement For one thing, Mahoney was born British, despite his having no trace of a discernible accent. He was a child of Manchester, England, a wartime evacuee to Blackpool on the Lancashire coast. Born in 1940, he first came to Illinois when he was 11 years old to visit his sister Vera, a war bride. That visit made such an impression on his boyhood self, Mahoney found his way back to Chicago eight years later, under his sister's sponsorship. And he never went back to Britain to live, becoming a U.S. citizen in 1959. For another, Mahoney hated Los Angeles and greatly preferred Oak Park, where he lived quietly for years. Once Frasier was over, Mahoney refused to participate in the usual nostalgic reunions. He didnt show up in 2001 when no less than Oprah Winfrey invited the entire cast of the sitcom onto her vaunted talk show. Kelsey Grammer was there. So was David Hyde Pierce. But not Mahoney. Advertisement "I just couldn't be bothered, Mahoney told the Tribune in 2004. "That kind of thing bores me. I have better things to do with my life. I'm 63, I've made a ton of money and I don't have to worry about my next job. It's over. It's done. Let it go. I don't want to talk about it for the rest of my life." Mahoney was always grateful for what Frasier had done for him and took care to say so on numerous occasions. His success on that show meant that, thereafter, he could focus on Chicago theater, his great love, and on the Steppenwolf Theatre in particular. By not having to worry about money, he was able to work on what he wanted like acting for scale in Long Days Journey Into Night at Chicagos tiny Irish Repertory Theatre. But over the years, he lavished most of his time and attention on his beloved Steppenwolf, appearing in more than 30 productions in total at the theater, including Conor McPherson's "The Seafarer" in 2008, perhaps Mahoney's most devastating performance, if only for the way it emphasized his inherent frailty. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 23 Actor John Mahoney in 2008 in a rehearsal building for Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago. (Chris Walker / Chicago Tribune) There was something else unusual about Mahoney he came to the profession that would make him famous uncommonly late. Only in his 40s did Mahoney become a professional actor. By the time I started my career, most people had given up and started selling insurance," Mahoney once said. "I didn't have so much competition." Mahoneys late bloom happened during the Chicago theater renaissance in the late 1970s. In 1979, his friends John Malkovich and Gary Sinise invited him to join their still-nascent Steppenwolf, after theyd seen him taking acting classes at the St. Nicholas Theatre Company. At the time, the early ensemble members were allowed to sponsor the entrance of others. There was good reason for that. In 1979, Steppenwolf still was populated by people, all friends, who were 15 or 20 years younger than Mahoney. Plays being plays, Steppenwolf badly needed someone who could take on older male roles. Slight, ruddy faced and unfailingly good-natured, Mahoney was hired as Steppenwolfs designated adult, and he relished the role until his final appearance this past fall in Jessica Dickey's play The Rembrandt," an examination of art and mortality. Mahoney played a dying poet. His emotional performance was deeply moving, and it was tempting to assume it had something to do with his health, but Mahoney was a formidable actor and this was not the first time he had summoned up tears. Mahoney had been like that from the start, albeit in his quiet way, eschewing all histrionics. Advertisement We were a bunch of kids, distraught Steppenwolf co-founder Terry Kinney said Monday night, recalling his early years with Mahoney. John was a little bit older, so that meant he could credibly play 40 years old, and he was such a character actor, so Malkovich brought him over. John was our first grown-up, said Steppenwolf artistic director Anna D. Shapiro. He brought gravitas and a whole different way to move through the world. I have loved him since I was a girl. It is very hard for me to believe I will not hear from him again." Shapiros sentiment was shared by a huge swath of Chicago audiences. Especially in the years following Frasier, he was willing to perform on Chicago stages large and small, from the Irish Rep to the Northlight Theatre in Skokie, where he often collaborated with director BJ Jones. Among many other shows in what became a second home, Mahoney appeared in The Price by Arthur Miller, The Outgoing Tide by Bruce Graham and in an aptly titled Hugh Leonard drama, A Life. John was beloved by our audience, Jones said Monday. The Chicago theater has lost a leading light who embodied the true spirit of ensemble and who served as a role model for us all. Mahoneys body of work is formidable. Aside from Frasier and his stage work in Chicago, he appeared in the 1987 Barry Levinson film Tin Men, and such movies as Eight Men Out, The Hudsucker Proxy and, most memorably for many, both Moonstruck and Barton Fink. On Broadway, Mahoney appeared in the resonant 2007 revival of "Prelude to a Kiss." Back in 1986, he received a Tony Award for his work in Jerry Zaks' production of John Guare's "The House of Blue Leaves." But he always wanted to come home to Chicago, whose mayor, Rahm Emanuel, said in a statement Monday that Mahoney's contribution to the city would "endure for generations to come." "The city is almost like a person to me," Mahoney said in 2004. "I can't tell you why my heart is so full of Chicago, but it's where I want to be. When I'm not here, I'm not as happy." Advertisement On Monday night, Steppenwolf, which has been suffering through the deaths of several ensemble members in recent months, canceled its planned opening-night performance of the play You Got Older. Artists and supporters were instead expected to gather in the theaters bar and raise a glass to Mahoney, who, some weeks ago, had reminded Shapiro that he did not wish there to be any kind of formal memorial. He was the most optimistic curmudgeon I knew," Kinney said. And we all loved him for that. Chris Jones is a Tribune critic. cjones5@chicagotribune.com Enjoy someone else's drama A great theater city deserves a great theater critic. Enter Chris Jones. Subscribe now and get 4 weeks of full access for only 99. [ Appreciation: John Mahoney, true to the ensemble spirit ] [ Martha Lavey, longtime leader of Steppenwolf Theatre, is dead at 60 ] [ Glenne Headly, early Steppenwolf Theatre Company member, dead at 62 ] [ Review: In 'The Rembrandt,' why would a museum guard try to touch a masterpiece? ] Millions of people thought they knew the actor John Mahoney from his work in the NBC sitcom Frasier for 11 hit seasons from 1993 through 2004, he played a cranky Seattle police officer whod taken a bullet in the hip and then been forced to live with his neurotic son. But the famously private Steppenwolf Theatre ensemble member was far more than the Hollywood gossip columnists ever knew. Mahoney died Sunday at the age of 77 of complications from throat cancer. Advertisement For one thing, Mahoney was born British, despite his having no trace of a discernible accent. He was a child of Manchester, England, a wartime evacuee to Blackpool on the Lancashire coast. Born in 1940, he first came to Illinois when he was 11 years old to visit his sister Vera, a war bride. That visit made such an impression on his boyhood self, Mahoney found his way back to Chicago eight years later, under his sister's sponsorship. And he never went back to Britain to live, becoming a U.S. citizen in 1959. For another, Mahoney hated Los Angeles and greatly preferred Oak Park, where he lived quietly for years. Once Frasier was over, Mahoney refused to participate in the usual nostalgic reunions. He didnt show up in 2001 when no less than Oprah Winfrey invited the entire cast of the sitcom onto her vaunted talk show. Kelsey Grammer was there. So was David Hyde Pierce. But not Mahoney. Advertisement "I just couldn't be bothered, Mahoney told the Tribune in 2004. "That kind of thing bores me. I have better things to do with my life. I'm 63, I've made a ton of money and I don't have to worry about my next job. It's over. It's done. Let it go. I don't want to talk about it for the rest of my life." Mahoney was always grateful for what Frasier had done for him and took care to say so on numerous occasions. His success on that show meant that, thereafter, he could focus on Chicago theater, his great love, and on the Steppenwolf Theatre in particular. By not having to worry about money, he was able to work on what he wanted like acting for scale in Long Days Journey Into Night at Chicagos tiny Irish Repertory Theatre. But over the years, he lavished most of his time and attention on his beloved Steppenwolf, appearing in more than 30 productions in total at the theater, including Conor McPherson's "The Seafarer" in 2008, perhaps Mahoney's most devastating performance, if only for the way it emphasized his inherent frailty. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 23 Actor John Mahoney in 2008 in a rehearsal building for Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago. (Chris Walker / Chicago Tribune) There was something else unusual about Mahoney he came to the profession that would make him famous uncommonly late. Only in his 40s did Mahoney become a professional actor. By the time I started my career, most people had given up and started selling insurance," Mahoney once said. "I didn't have so much competition." Mahoneys late bloom happened during the Chicago theater renaissance in the late 1970s. In 1979, his friends John Malkovich and Gary Sinise invited him to join their still-nascent Steppenwolf, after theyd seen him taking acting classes at the St. Nicholas Theatre Company. At the time, the early ensemble members were allowed to sponsor the entrance of others. There was good reason for that. In 1979, Steppenwolf still was populated by people, all friends, who were 15 or 20 years younger than Mahoney. Plays being plays, Steppenwolf badly needed someone who could take on older male roles. Slight, ruddy faced and unfailingly good-natured, Mahoney was hired as Steppenwolfs designated adult, and he relished the role until his final appearance this past fall in Jessica Dickey's play The Rembrandt," an examination of art and mortality. Mahoney played a dying poet. His emotional performance was deeply moving, and it was tempting to assume it had something to do with his health, but Mahoney was a formidable actor and this was not the first time he had summoned up tears. Mahoney had been like that from the start, albeit in his quiet way, eschewing all histrionics. Advertisement We were a bunch of kids, distraught Steppenwolf co-founder Terry Kinney said Monday night, recalling his early years with Mahoney. John was a little bit older, so that meant he could credibly play 40 years old, and he was such a character actor, so Malkovich brought him over. John was our first grown-up, said Steppenwolf artistic director Anna D. Shapiro. He brought gravitas and a whole different way to move through the world. I have loved him since I was a girl. It is very hard for me to believe I will not hear from him again." Shapiros sentiment was shared by a huge swath of Chicago audiences. Especially in the years following Frasier, he was willing to perform on Chicago stages large and small, from the Irish Rep to the Northlight Theatre in Skokie, where he often collaborated with director BJ Jones. Among many other shows in what became a second home, Mahoney appeared in The Price by Arthur Miller, The Outgoing Tide by Bruce Graham and in an aptly titled Hugh Leonard drama, A Life. John was beloved by our audience, Jones said Monday. The Chicago theater has lost a leading light who embodied the true spirit of ensemble and who served as a role model for us all. Mahoneys body of work is formidable. Aside from Frasier and his stage work in Chicago, he appeared in the 1987 Barry Levinson film Tin Men, and such movies as Eight Men Out, The Hudsucker Proxy and, most memorably for many, both Moonstruck and Barton Fink. On Broadway, Mahoney appeared in the resonant 2007 revival of "Prelude to a Kiss." Back in 1986, he received a Tony Award for his work in Jerry Zaks' production of John Guare's "The House of Blue Leaves." But he always wanted to come home to Chicago, whose mayor, Rahm Emanuel, said in a statement Monday that Mahoney's contribution to the city would "endure for generations to come." "The city is almost like a person to me," Mahoney said in 2004. "I can't tell you why my heart is so full of Chicago, but it's where I want to be. When I'm not here, I'm not as happy." Advertisement On Monday night, Steppenwolf, which has been suffering through the deaths of several ensemble members in recent months, canceled its planned opening-night performance of the play You Got Older. Artists and supporters were instead expected to gather in the theaters bar and raise a glass to Mahoney, who, some weeks ago, had reminded Shapiro that he did not wish there to be any kind of formal memorial. He was the most optimistic curmudgeon I knew," Kinney said. And we all loved him for that. Chris Jones is a Tribune critic. cjones5@chicagotribune.com Enjoy someone else's drama A great theater city deserves a great theater critic. Enter Chris Jones. Subscribe now and get 4 weeks of full access for only 99. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Two men walk away from the site of a construction crane collapse in Kelowna, B.C. on Wednesday, July 14, 2021. Five people were killed in the accident. Two men walk away from the site of a construction crane collapse in Kelowna, B.C. on Wednesday, July 14, 2021. Five people were killed in the accident. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Clean Coasts has produced a new video to encourage people in Louth to choose a resolution for 2022, by pledging to a two minute clean up in their area to protect the Irish coast and waterways. Clean Coast, a programme operated by the Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce, say their aim is to let people know, that they dont need to commit to a huge New Years resolution, that they may not be able to sustain until the end of the year to make a difference. A two minute beach clean is an easy pledge to make that is flexible, doable and can be built on as your green year moves forward, say Clean Coasts. In the new video produced by Clean Coasts with Cube Media, Dave (played by Bryan Quinn) is trying to go into 2022 being better and greener by being more conscious of the environment. However, after several failed attempts he begins to lose hope until he finds himself on a beach in front of a 2-minute beach clean board and exclaims; A 2-minute beach clean. So simple and keeps me green. New Years resolution in the bag! Sinead McCoy, Coastal Communities manager said: The #2minutebeachclean is such a great initiative to get involved in. Every day, so many people around Ireland share their #2minutebeachclean on social media, and that helps show how easy it is to get involved and make a difference. "By taking part, not only do you make an immediate positive impact for the marine environment and wildlife, but its also a chance to spend time outdoors by the sea, exercise and even practice mindfulness. In 2021 2,000 people pledged to do a #2minutebeachclean and received a kit. For 2022, Clean Coasts are calling people around Ireland to visit their website and pledge to do a #2minutebeachclean to receive a reusable individual beach clean kit containing a tote bag and gloves. So, the next time you are out and about along the coast or near a waterway, take two minutes to pick up some litter you see, share a picture of it on social media, tag Clean Coasts, use the hashtag #2minutebeachclean and dispose of the litter properly. To sign up to receive your own #2minutebeachclean kit, visit the Clean Coasts website at www.cleancoasts.org. Divorce lawyer Kimia Klein of the law firm Fox Rothschild LLP filed a motion on Tuesday to dismiss Stevie J as a client Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta star Steven Stevie J Jordan may be in the market for a new divorce attorney as his court battle with wife Faith Evans enters its third month. The music producer and reality TV show veterans current divorce lawyer Kimia Klein, of the law firm Fox Rothschild LLP, filed a motion on Tuesday to dismiss him as a client, according to court records obtained by theGrio. Stevie J. and Faith Evans attend the Biggie Inspires Art Exhibit & Celebration at William Vale Hotel on September 13, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images) Jordan filed his petition to divorce Evans on Nov. 8 after accusing her of infidelity. He and Evans married three years ago in a surprise Las Vegas ceremony. Jordans attorney cited an irremediable breakdown in their relationship as the reason for her request to drop him as a client. Despite several attempts by my office to informally resolve the issues with Steven, we have been unsuccessful in resolving the issues, Klein wrote in her filing. The lawyer declined to reveal the cause of the conflict between her and Stevie J., citing attorney-client privilege. The relationship has broken down sufficiently so that my colleagues and I cannot continue to represent Steven, she said. A hearing date to resolve the matter has been set for March 28, court records show. Stevie J (left) and Faith Evans (right) share a marital moment posing for cameras at last Januarys pre-Grammy Awards event honoring Sean Diddy Combs in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo: Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images) In December, Stevie J filed a motion requesting a monthly spousal support stipend from Evans, who asked for a judge to dismiss the request less than a week later. Evans also requested that all property acquired prior to marriage, by gift, inheritance, or devise, and after the date of separation be given to her, as theGrio previously reported. Stevie J publicly apologized to Evans in late November for talking crazy to her after a profanity-laced video of him accusing her of cheating on him went viral on social media earlier the same month. Youre an amazing person, Jordan told his wife in his apology video. Id like to apologize to your family, they dont deserve that either. No, she aint cheat. I was just in the moment you know how us guys do. Story continues Have you subscribed to theGrio podcasts, Dear Culture or Acting Up? Download our newest episodes now! TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. Download theGrio today! The post Stevie Js attorney wants to drop him as a client amid Faith Evans divorce battle appeared first on TheGrio. Say hello to Miss Hap, a North American B-25 Mitchell with a more checkered history than some airplanes that flew only one historic mission. Unlike Enola Gay, Miss Hap was used, abused, and kept flying throughout the war and decades after. It's the oldest example of the Mitchell bomber left in existence, but that doesn't even scratch the surface of the stories this twin-engine plane hides within its cockpit.Miss Hap rolled off the production line at North American's production plant in Inglewood, California, directly adjacent to where LAX airport stands today. It was part of a batch of 24 bombers that were the first built for the US Army Air Corps as a part of a federally mandated preparation for what felt like an inevitable global war.Alas, front-line strategic bombing was not in the cards for Miss Hap. In 1942, it was returned to Inglewood for conversion into a VIP transport role. Upon completion, the bomber was presented to the Commander of the Army Air Forces, Henry "Hap" Arnold, hence its name. Miss Hap served as Hap Arnold's personal transport while tending to business within the continental United States.The airframe was replaced with a new B-25J variant in 1944, at which point, it was stricken from Army Air Force records and transferred into the civilian market. It's here where most good stories about vintage warplanes come to an end. Either to be stored forever in a museum or sold for scrap to the highest bidder. But like strategic bombing over Europe, that wasn't in the cards for Miss Hap either.Instead, the aircraft was allowed to transfer into the civilian market. Where it'd be purchased not by some no-name wealthy person who made their fortune in something mundane like banking or real estate. Instead, it was purchased by the eccentric, brilliant, and some would call completely insane businessman and engineer Howard Hughes.It's said that Howard Hughes, a bit of an Elon Musk -like figure in his day, used Miss Hap to fly the actress Elizabeth Taylor to take care of matters soon after her third husband Mike Todd's tragic death in a plane crash in a Lockheed Lodestar private plane. Boarding a private airplane after your husband had just recently died in one may seem strange to some.Evidently, not to Taylor, who sat next to Hughes in Miss Hap as she tried to come to terms with the loss of her husband. But those that grew up watching her movies know Taylor never went with the status quo. She made Taylor Swift's life seem positively mundane.Miss Happ would go on to fly with a number of different private collectors until it was purchased by the eccentric businessman and owner of the Avirex flight jacket and aviation clothing company Jeff Clyman. Mr. Clyman then donated the historic aircraft to the American Airpower Museum on the grounds of the former Republic Aviation Factory Farmingdale in the Long Island region of New York.Being one of the world's few living aviation museums, Miss Hap and many of the two dozen other planes on display in its main hangar still fly semi-regularly. Arrive at the right time, and you may even see a group of technicians prepping Miss Hap for its next flight. When Miss Hap does take to the sky next, rest assured we'll be there to show you. Check back for that sometime in the near future, right here on autoevolution. Dexter: New Blood introduced Dexter fans to a new serial killer in Iron Lake, New York. Kurt Caldwell has been the main big bad, in the revival, but Dexter might have another target in episode 9. The promo for the new episode shows Dexter Morgan watching a creepy-looking clown. Later he appears to be setting up a kill room for the clown. So who is this new character and how does he fit into the revival? Michael C. Hall as Dexter in Dexter: New Blood | Seacia Pavao/Showtime The promo for Dexter: New Blood Episode 9 features a creepy clown The promo clip for Dexter: New Blood Episode 9 shows a creepy character that hasnt been seen before. Dexter steps into a brightly colored room and picks up a brochure that reads, Mr. Wiggles Playland. There he sees a clown hand a smiling young boy a balloon animal and take his picture with a polaroid camera. Later, it appears that Dexter obtains the clowns polaroid pictures. The clown discovers them hung up in his mirror before Dexter comes up behind him. It definitely seems like Dexter will be putting an end to the clown, but how does he fit in with the direction Dexter: New Blood is headed? Who is the clown in the episode 9 promo? One of the most important things to notice from the promo clip for Dexter: New Blood Episode 9 is that it appears that Dexter is back in Miami. In the shot where he glares at the clown, Dexter is wearing a short-leaved button-down shirt. Its very different from the heavy, warm clothing he has been shown in all season in Iron Lake. Additionally, when Dexter picks up the flyer for Mr. Wiggles Playland, the word Florida is just barely visible at the top of the brochure. Dexter Daily also has exclusive photos of the outside of Mr. Wiggles Playland. The set is adorned with palm trees, which certainly wouldnt grow in Iron Lake. Its possible that the clown will appear as a flashback while Dexter tells Harrison stories of his past victims. If thats the case, the little boy in the promo could be Harrison. The clown could also be a new victim that Dexter travels to Miami to take down. Unraveling the present isn't always so bad. pic.twitter.com/DmwG24f4ru Dexter on Showtime (@SHO_Dexter) December 25, 2021 In the Dexter novels by Jeff Lindsay, Dexter does have a clown victim. In the book, Double Dexter, he kills a pedophile clown named Steve Valentine (a.k.a. Puffalump the Clown) who murdered at least three young boys. Notably, Valentine took pictures of his victims. When does Dexter: New Blood Episode 9 air? Dexter: New Blood Episode 9 airs Sunday, Jan 2, at 9 p.m. ET on Showtime. This episode, titled The Family Business, is the second to last in the series. It looks like Dexter will finally come clean to Harrison about the darkness that haunts him. Dexter: New Blood is not confirmed for season 2, so this could be the last fans will see of Americas favorite serial killer. RELATED: Dexter: New Blood Episode 7 Finally Explained Kurt Caldwells M.O. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Washington: One year after thousands of his supporters stormed the US Capitol, Donald Trump plans to mark the anniversary on January 6 with a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. It will be no mea culpa. In a statement issued before Christmas, the former president made it clear that he would use the event to reassert his false claim that the election was stolen, and launch yet another attack on the bipartisan select House committee investigating the incident. Until then, remember, the insurrection took place on November 3rd, Trump said, referencing the day of the 2020 election. It was the completely unarmed protest of the rigged election that took place on January 6th. The insurgency left several people dead, about 150 police officers injured and a nation shocked and divided. Advertisement But there is every reason to think that the January 6 attack was just the beginning for Donald Trump and his allies and this time, theyre much better organised. Twelve months after Americas chamber of democracy was stormed by the foot soldiers of a president trying to cling to power at any cost, Trumpists and partisan state legislatures are now working to undermine election processes right across the US. Theyre much less violent than an angry mob descending on Congress after being told to fight like hell but far more insidious, strategic, and potentially damaging to democracy in the longer term. Indeed, by last month, at least 262 bills had been introduced in 41 states that would interfere with election administration, according to a joint report released by States United, Law Forward, and Protect Democracy three non-partisan groups seeking to enhance election security. Choking the vote Among them are a raft of voter suppression laws that will constrain the ability of millions of Americans to vote early, through the mail, or on Election Day itself. Take the sunbelt state of Texas, which already had some of the nations toughest voting constraints. It has now introduced a ban on overnight early voting hours and drive-through voting both of which have proved popular among voters of colour. Advertisement Loading In Kansas, people could face criminal charges for returning advance ballots on behalf of voters who need help, such as people with disabilities. In Georgia, people can now be charged with a crime for giving food and water to people waiting in line to vote. Electoral boundaries have also been redrawn to give Republicans the edge in new districts ahead of this years crucial midterm elections. Both parties have a history of gerrymandering maps to improve their Congress numbers, but the Republicans have been more successful in recent decades. And despite losing dozens of legal challenges centred on the baseless claim of a fraudulent result, Trump and his supporters are now working to elect proponents of the myth to powerful positions at state and national level. If elected, these candidates, who say the 2020 presidential election was stolen, could have significant sway to help overturn the next presidential election result. Little wonder democracy groups, politics academics, and former military leaders are warning about America being on the brink of a constitutional crisis. The fight of our lives right now, of this generation, has to be to secure voting rights and to secure a peaceful transition of power. That should not be a partisan issue, renowned presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, told CNN this week. Advertisement RINOs and revenge In Alaska, Trump is seeking to oust moderate Republican senator Liz Murkowski by backing her primary challenger Kelly Tshibaka, a former state bureaucrat who has promoted Trumps theory of election fraud. In Michigan, the former president has put his weight behind state politician Steve Carra, who led the local push for an audit of the 2020 election results, over veteran congressman Fred Upton, who voted for Trumps impeachment. Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney, Republican royalty and daughter of former vice-president Dick Cheney, was called a RINO by Donald Trump (Republican in name only) for voting to impeach him. Credit:AP And in the state of Wyoming, Trump has endorsed local lawyer Harriet Hagemen in her GOP bid to unseat fellow Republican Liz Cheney, the daughter of George W. Bushs former vice-president, Dick Cheney, and an outspoken member of the House committee investigating the January 6 event. Harriet is all in for America First, Trump said in a statement in September, denouncing Cheney as a RINO slang for Republican in Name Only and describing her as the Democrats number one provider of sound bites. Cheney, responding on 60 Minutes, said she was well aware that her once safe seat was about to become a litmus test for Trumps dominance over the party. Advertisement Its going to be the most important House race in the country in 2022, she said. It will be one where people do have the opportunity to say: We want to stand for the constitution. Other Trump loyalists have also been endorsed as candidates to become the chief election official, known as the secretary of state. Key contests will take place in Michigan, Arizona and in Georgia, the southern state that helped deliver Joe Biden the presidency partly because its incumbent secretary, Republican Brad Raffensperger, refused to cave in to Trumps demands to find 11,780 votes to overturn the election result. Georgian congressman Jody Hice voted to overturn the election result after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol. Credit:AP The former president and his allies are instead backing US congressman Jody Hice, who voted against certifying Bidens victory, to run against Raffensberger for the critical post. Jody will stop the Fraud and get honesty into our Elections! Trump declared in 2021. As for Trump? Even without the megaphone of Twitter and Facebook (which have banned his accounts), hes nonetheless spent the past 12 months pushing his message through targeted emails, rallies and interviews on Fox News and other friendly outlets. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Dexter: New Blood introduced Dexter fans to a new serial killer in Iron Lake, New York. Kurt Caldwell has been the main big bad, in the revival, but Dexter might have another target in episode 9. The promo for the new episode shows Dexter Morgan watching a creepy-looking clown. Later he appears to be setting up a kill room for the clown. So who is this new character and how does he fit into the revival? Michael C. Hall as Dexter in Dexter: New Blood | Seacia Pavao/Showtime The promo for Dexter: New Blood Episode 9 features a creepy clown The promo clip for Dexter: New Blood Episode 9 shows a creepy character that hasnt been seen before. Dexter steps into a brightly colored room and picks up a brochure that reads, Mr. Wiggles Playland. There he sees a clown hand a smiling young boy a balloon animal and take his picture with a polaroid camera. Later, it appears that Dexter obtains the clowns polaroid pictures. The clown discovers them hung up in his mirror before Dexter comes up behind him. It definitely seems like Dexter will be putting an end to the clown, but how does he fit in with the direction Dexter: New Blood is headed? Who is the clown in the episode 9 promo? One of the most important things to notice from the promo clip for Dexter: New Blood Episode 9 is that it appears that Dexter is back in Miami. In the shot where he glares at the clown, Dexter is wearing a short-leaved button-down shirt. Its very different from the heavy, warm clothing he has been shown in all season in Iron Lake. Additionally, when Dexter picks up the flyer for Mr. Wiggles Playland, the word Florida is just barely visible at the top of the brochure. Dexter Daily also has exclusive photos of the outside of Mr. Wiggles Playland. The set is adorned with palm trees, which certainly wouldnt grow in Iron Lake. Its possible that the clown will appear as a flashback while Dexter tells Harrison stories of his past victims. If thats the case, the little boy in the promo could be Harrison. The clown could also be a new victim that Dexter travels to Miami to take down. Unraveling the present isn't always so bad. pic.twitter.com/DmwG24f4ru Dexter on Showtime (@SHO_Dexter) December 25, 2021 In the Dexter novels by Jeff Lindsay, Dexter does have a clown victim. In the book, Double Dexter, he kills a pedophile clown named Steve Valentine (a.k.a. Puffalump the Clown) who murdered at least three young boys. Notably, Valentine took pictures of his victims. When does Dexter: New Blood Episode 9 air? Dexter: New Blood Episode 9 airs Sunday, Jan 2, at 9 p.m. ET on Showtime. This episode, titled The Family Business, is the second to last in the series. It looks like Dexter will finally come clean to Harrison about the darkness that haunts him. Dexter: New Blood is not confirmed for season 2, so this could be the last fans will see of Americas favorite serial killer. RELATED: Dexter: New Blood Episode 7 Finally Explained Kurt Caldwells M.O. Dexter: New Blood introduced Dexter fans to a new serial killer in Iron Lake, New York. Kurt Caldwell has been the main big bad, in the revival, but Dexter might have another target in episode 9. The promo for the new episode shows Dexter Morgan watching a creepy-looking clown. Later he appears to be setting up a kill room for the clown. So who is this new character and how does he fit into the revival? Michael C. Hall as Dexter in Dexter: New Blood | Seacia Pavao/Showtime The promo for Dexter: New Blood Episode 9 features a creepy clown The promo clip for Dexter: New Blood Episode 9 shows a creepy character that hasnt been seen before. Dexter steps into a brightly colored room and picks up a brochure that reads, Mr. Wiggles Playland. There he sees a clown hand a smiling young boy a balloon animal and take his picture with a polaroid camera. Later, it appears that Dexter obtains the clowns polaroid pictures. The clown discovers them hung up in his mirror before Dexter comes up behind him. It definitely seems like Dexter will be putting an end to the clown, but how does he fit in with the direction Dexter: New Blood is headed? Who is the clown in the episode 9 promo? One of the most important things to notice from the promo clip for Dexter: New Blood Episode 9 is that it appears that Dexter is back in Miami. In the shot where he glares at the clown, Dexter is wearing a short-leaved button-down shirt. Its very different from the heavy, warm clothing he has been shown in all season in Iron Lake. Additionally, when Dexter picks up the flyer for Mr. Wiggles Playland, the word Florida is just barely visible at the top of the brochure. Dexter Daily also has exclusive photos of the outside of Mr. Wiggles Playland. The set is adorned with palm trees, which certainly wouldnt grow in Iron Lake. Its possible that the clown will appear as a flashback while Dexter tells Harrison stories of his past victims. If thats the case, the little boy in the promo could be Harrison. The clown could also be a new victim that Dexter travels to Miami to take down. Unraveling the present isn't always so bad. pic.twitter.com/DmwG24f4ru Dexter on Showtime (@SHO_Dexter) December 25, 2021 In the Dexter novels by Jeff Lindsay, Dexter does have a clown victim. In the book, Double Dexter, he kills a pedophile clown named Steve Valentine (a.k.a. Puffalump the Clown) who murdered at least three young boys. Notably, Valentine took pictures of his victims. When does Dexter: New Blood Episode 9 air? Dexter: New Blood Episode 9 airs Sunday, Jan 2, at 9 p.m. ET on Showtime. This episode, titled The Family Business, is the second to last in the series. It looks like Dexter will finally come clean to Harrison about the darkness that haunts him. Dexter: New Blood is not confirmed for season 2, so this could be the last fans will see of Americas favorite serial killer. RELATED: Dexter: New Blood Episode 7 Finally Explained Kurt Caldwells M.O. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Washington: One year after thousands of his supporters stormed the US Capitol, Donald Trump plans to mark the anniversary on January 6 with a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. It will be no mea culpa. In a statement issued before Christmas, the former president made it clear that he would use the event to reassert his false claim that the election was stolen, and launch yet another attack on the bipartisan select House committee investigating the incident. Until then, remember, the insurrection took place on November 3rd, Trump said, referencing the day of the 2020 election. It was the completely unarmed protest of the rigged election that took place on January 6th. The insurgency left several people dead, about 150 police officers injured and a nation shocked and divided. Advertisement But there is every reason to think that the January 6 attack was just the beginning for Donald Trump and his allies and this time, theyre much better organised. Twelve months after Americas chamber of democracy was stormed by the foot soldiers of a president trying to cling to power at any cost, Trumpists and partisan state legislatures are now working to undermine election processes right across the US. Theyre much less violent than an angry mob descending on Congress after being told to fight like hell but far more insidious, strategic, and potentially damaging to democracy in the longer term. Indeed, by last month, at least 262 bills had been introduced in 41 states that would interfere with election administration, according to a joint report released by States United, Law Forward, and Protect Democracy three non-partisan groups seeking to enhance election security. Choking the vote Among them are a raft of voter suppression laws that will constrain the ability of millions of Americans to vote early, through the mail, or on Election Day itself. Take the sunbelt state of Texas, which already had some of the nations toughest voting constraints. It has now introduced a ban on overnight early voting hours and drive-through voting both of which have proved popular among voters of colour. Advertisement Loading In Kansas, people could face criminal charges for returning advance ballots on behalf of voters who need help, such as people with disabilities. In Georgia, people can now be charged with a crime for giving food and water to people waiting in line to vote. Electoral boundaries have also been redrawn to give Republicans the edge in new districts ahead of this years crucial midterm elections. Both parties have a history of gerrymandering maps to improve their Congress numbers, but the Republicans have been more successful in recent decades. And despite losing dozens of legal challenges centred on the baseless claim of a fraudulent result, Trump and his supporters are now working to elect proponents of the myth to powerful positions at state and national level. If elected, these candidates, who say the 2020 presidential election was stolen, could have significant sway to help overturn the next presidential election result. Little wonder democracy groups, politics academics, and former military leaders are warning about America being on the brink of a constitutional crisis. The fight of our lives right now, of this generation, has to be to secure voting rights and to secure a peaceful transition of power. That should not be a partisan issue, renowned presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, told CNN this week. Advertisement RINOs and revenge In Alaska, Trump is seeking to oust moderate Republican senator Liz Murkowski by backing her primary challenger Kelly Tshibaka, a former state bureaucrat who has promoted Trumps theory of election fraud. In Michigan, the former president has put his weight behind state politician Steve Carra, who led the local push for an audit of the 2020 election results, over veteran congressman Fred Upton, who voted for Trumps impeachment. Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney, Republican royalty and daughter of former vice-president Dick Cheney, was called a RINO by Donald Trump (Republican in name only) for voting to impeach him. Credit:AP And in the state of Wyoming, Trump has endorsed local lawyer Harriet Hagemen in her GOP bid to unseat fellow Republican Liz Cheney, the daughter of George W. Bushs former vice-president, Dick Cheney, and an outspoken member of the House committee investigating the January 6 event. Harriet is all in for America First, Trump said in a statement in September, denouncing Cheney as a RINO slang for Republican in Name Only and describing her as the Democrats number one provider of sound bites. Cheney, responding on 60 Minutes, said she was well aware that her once safe seat was about to become a litmus test for Trumps dominance over the party. Advertisement Its going to be the most important House race in the country in 2022, she said. It will be one where people do have the opportunity to say: We want to stand for the constitution. Other Trump loyalists have also been endorsed as candidates to become the chief election official, known as the secretary of state. Key contests will take place in Michigan, Arizona and in Georgia, the southern state that helped deliver Joe Biden the presidency partly because its incumbent secretary, Republican Brad Raffensperger, refused to cave in to Trumps demands to find 11,780 votes to overturn the election result. Georgian congressman Jody Hice voted to overturn the election result after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol. Credit:AP The former president and his allies are instead backing US congressman Jody Hice, who voted against certifying Bidens victory, to run against Raffensberger for the critical post. Jody will stop the Fraud and get honesty into our Elections! Trump declared in 2021. As for Trump? Even without the megaphone of Twitter and Facebook (which have banned his accounts), hes nonetheless spent the past 12 months pushing his message through targeted emails, rallies and interviews on Fox News and other friendly outlets. Trumps fundraising might Advertisement Divorce lawyer Kimia Klein of the law firm Fox Rothschild LLP filed a motion on Tuesday to dismiss Stevie J as a client Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta star Steven Stevie J Jordan may be in the market for a new divorce attorney as his court battle with wife Faith Evans enters its third month. The music producer and reality TV show veterans current divorce lawyer Kimia Klein, of the law firm Fox Rothschild LLP, filed a motion on Tuesday to dismiss him as a client, according to court records obtained by theGrio. Stevie J. and Faith Evans attend the Biggie Inspires Art Exhibit & Celebration at William Vale Hotel on September 13, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images) Jordan filed his petition to divorce Evans on Nov. 8 after accusing her of infidelity. He and Evans married three years ago in a surprise Las Vegas ceremony. Jordans attorney cited an irremediable breakdown in their relationship as the reason for her request to drop him as a client. Despite several attempts by my office to informally resolve the issues with Steven, we have been unsuccessful in resolving the issues, Klein wrote in her filing. The lawyer declined to reveal the cause of the conflict between her and Stevie J., citing attorney-client privilege. The relationship has broken down sufficiently so that my colleagues and I cannot continue to represent Steven, she said. A hearing date to resolve the matter has been set for March 28, court records show. Stevie J (left) and Faith Evans (right) share a marital moment posing for cameras at last Januarys pre-Grammy Awards event honoring Sean Diddy Combs in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo: Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images) In December, Stevie J filed a motion requesting a monthly spousal support stipend from Evans, who asked for a judge to dismiss the request less than a week later. Evans also requested that all property acquired prior to marriage, by gift, inheritance, or devise, and after the date of separation be given to her, as theGrio previously reported. Stevie J publicly apologized to Evans in late November for talking crazy to her after a profanity-laced video of him accusing her of cheating on him went viral on social media earlier the same month. Youre an amazing person, Jordan told his wife in his apology video. Id like to apologize to your family, they dont deserve that either. No, she aint cheat. I was just in the moment you know how us guys do. Story continues Have you subscribed to theGrio podcasts, Dear Culture or Acting Up? Download our newest episodes now! TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. Download theGrio today! The post Stevie Js attorney wants to drop him as a client amid Faith Evans divorce battle appeared first on TheGrio. Divorce lawyer Kimia Klein of the law firm Fox Rothschild LLP filed a motion on Tuesday to dismiss Stevie J as a client Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta star Steven Stevie J Jordan may be in the market for a new divorce attorney as his court battle with wife Faith Evans enters its third month. The music producer and reality TV show veterans current divorce lawyer Kimia Klein, of the law firm Fox Rothschild LLP, filed a motion on Tuesday to dismiss him as a client, according to court records obtained by theGrio. Stevie J. and Faith Evans attend the Biggie Inspires Art Exhibit & Celebration at William Vale Hotel on September 13, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images) Jordan filed his petition to divorce Evans on Nov. 8 after accusing her of infidelity. He and Evans married three years ago in a surprise Las Vegas ceremony. Jordans attorney cited an irremediable breakdown in their relationship as the reason for her request to drop him as a client. Despite several attempts by my office to informally resolve the issues with Steven, we have been unsuccessful in resolving the issues, Klein wrote in her filing. The lawyer declined to reveal the cause of the conflict between her and Stevie J., citing attorney-client privilege. The relationship has broken down sufficiently so that my colleagues and I cannot continue to represent Steven, she said. A hearing date to resolve the matter has been set for March 28, court records show. Stevie J (left) and Faith Evans (right) share a marital moment posing for cameras at last Januarys pre-Grammy Awards event honoring Sean Diddy Combs in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo: Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images) In December, Stevie J filed a motion requesting a monthly spousal support stipend from Evans, who asked for a judge to dismiss the request less than a week later. Evans also requested that all property acquired prior to marriage, by gift, inheritance, or devise, and after the date of separation be given to her, as theGrio previously reported. Stevie J publicly apologized to Evans in late November for talking crazy to her after a profanity-laced video of him accusing her of cheating on him went viral on social media earlier the same month. Youre an amazing person, Jordan told his wife in his apology video. Id like to apologize to your family, they dont deserve that either. No, she aint cheat. I was just in the moment you know how us guys do. Story continues Have you subscribed to theGrio podcasts, Dear Culture or Acting Up? Download our newest episodes now! TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. Download theGrio today! The post Stevie Js attorney wants to drop him as a client amid Faith Evans divorce battle appeared first on TheGrio. Divorce lawyer Kimia Klein of the law firm Fox Rothschild LLP filed a motion on Tuesday to dismiss Stevie J as a client Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta star Steven Stevie J Jordan may be in the market for a new divorce attorney as his court battle with wife Faith Evans enters its third month. The music producer and reality TV show veterans current divorce lawyer Kimia Klein, of the law firm Fox Rothschild LLP, filed a motion on Tuesday to dismiss him as a client, according to court records obtained by theGrio. Stevie J. and Faith Evans attend the Biggie Inspires Art Exhibit & Celebration at William Vale Hotel on September 13, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images) Jordan filed his petition to divorce Evans on Nov. 8 after accusing her of infidelity. He and Evans married three years ago in a surprise Las Vegas ceremony. Jordans attorney cited an irremediable breakdown in their relationship as the reason for her request to drop him as a client. Despite several attempts by my office to informally resolve the issues with Steven, we have been unsuccessful in resolving the issues, Klein wrote in her filing. The lawyer declined to reveal the cause of the conflict between her and Stevie J., citing attorney-client privilege. The relationship has broken down sufficiently so that my colleagues and I cannot continue to represent Steven, she said. A hearing date to resolve the matter has been set for March 28, court records show. Stevie J (left) and Faith Evans (right) share a marital moment posing for cameras at last Januarys pre-Grammy Awards event honoring Sean Diddy Combs in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo: Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images) In December, Stevie J filed a motion requesting a monthly spousal support stipend from Evans, who asked for a judge to dismiss the request less than a week later. Evans also requested that all property acquired prior to marriage, by gift, inheritance, or devise, and after the date of separation be given to her, as theGrio previously reported. Stevie J publicly apologized to Evans in late November for talking crazy to her after a profanity-laced video of him accusing her of cheating on him went viral on social media earlier the same month. Youre an amazing person, Jordan told his wife in his apology video. Id like to apologize to your family, they dont deserve that either. No, she aint cheat. I was just in the moment you know how us guys do. Story continues Have you subscribed to theGrio podcasts, Dear Culture or Acting Up? Download our newest episodes now! TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. Download theGrio today! The post Stevie Js attorney wants to drop him as a client amid Faith Evans divorce battle appeared first on TheGrio. 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Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island 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Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe I am reassured to see the flocks of screeching cockatoos swoop past my back balcony late each afternoon, and that they are still so loud I cant hear on the phone. I am relieved that white peaches and nectarines, and mangoes, are as sun-kissed sweet as I remember. And that the sky is blindingly blue and the air pure and breathable. This is the Sydney I remember and to which I returned, less than three weeks ago, after living in New York for more than four years. I am reassured and relieved by these perhaps pedestrian markers because so much else has changed that I am finding parts of my country unrecognisable. There are so many areas of policy that are being mismanaged or ignored by the federal and NSW governments that it raises the question of whether we are still even being governed. But it is the handling of the coronavirus that exposes the scary extent to which competence has collapsed. Illustrators: Simon Letch Credit:SMH This is what I witnessed first-hand living under the Trump administration, but I managed to temper my outrage, and my fear, with my belief that there was at least one country in the world that still practised good government. At least you have somewhere sane to escape to, American friends would say after yet another Trump atrocity. Not totally true, it turned out, as the Australian government slammed its borders shut to all except movie and sporting stars, their political mates and those rich enough to afford $20,000 fares plus the costs of hotel quarantine. 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Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine 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Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Say hello to Miss Hap, a North American B-25 Mitchell with a more checkered history than some airplanes that flew only one historic mission. Unlike Enola Gay, Miss Hap was used, abused, and kept flying throughout the war and decades after. It's the oldest example of the Mitchell bomber left in existence, but that doesn't even scratch the surface of the stories this twin-engine plane hides within its cockpit.Miss Hap rolled off the production line at North American's production plant in Inglewood, California, directly adjacent to where LAX airport stands today. It was part of a batch of 24 bombers that were the first built for the US Army Air Corps as a part of a federally mandated preparation for what felt like an inevitable global war.Alas, front-line strategic bombing was not in the cards for Miss Hap. In 1942, it was returned to Inglewood for conversion into a VIP transport role. Upon completion, the bomber was presented to the Commander of the Army Air Forces, Henry "Hap" Arnold, hence its name. Miss Hap served as Hap Arnold's personal transport while tending to business within the continental United States.The airframe was replaced with a new B-25J variant in 1944, at which point, it was stricken from Army Air Force records and transferred into the civilian market. It's here where most good stories about vintage warplanes come to an end. Either to be stored forever in a museum or sold for scrap to the highest bidder. But like strategic bombing over Europe, that wasn't in the cards for Miss Hap either.Instead, the aircraft was allowed to transfer into the civilian market. Where it'd be purchased not by some no-name wealthy person who made their fortune in something mundane like banking or real estate. Instead, it was purchased by the eccentric, brilliant, and some would call completely insane businessman and engineer Howard Hughes.It's said that Howard Hughes, a bit of an Elon Musk -like figure in his day, used Miss Hap to fly the actress Elizabeth Taylor to take care of matters soon after her third husband Mike Todd's tragic death in a plane crash in a Lockheed Lodestar private plane. Boarding a private airplane after your husband had just recently died in one may seem strange to some.Evidently, not to Taylor, who sat next to Hughes in Miss Hap as she tried to come to terms with the loss of her husband. But those that grew up watching her movies know Taylor never went with the status quo. She made Taylor Swift's life seem positively mundane.Miss Happ would go on to fly with a number of different private collectors until it was purchased by the eccentric businessman and owner of the Avirex flight jacket and aviation clothing company Jeff Clyman. Mr. Clyman then donated the historic aircraft to the American Airpower Museum on the grounds of the former Republic Aviation Factory Farmingdale in the Long Island region of New York.Being one of the world's few living aviation museums, Miss Hap and many of the two dozen other planes on display in its main hangar still fly semi-regularly. Arrive at the right time, and you may even see a group of technicians prepping Miss Hap for its next flight. When Miss Hap does take to the sky next, rest assured we'll be there to show you. Check back for that sometime in the near future, right here on autoevolution. Say hello to Miss Hap, a North American B-25 Mitchell with a more checkered history than some airplanes that flew only one historic mission. Unlike Enola Gay, Miss Hap was used, abused, and kept flying throughout the war and decades after. It's the oldest example of the Mitchell bomber left in existence, but that doesn't even scratch the surface of the stories this twin-engine plane hides within its cockpit.Miss Hap rolled off the production line at North American's production plant in Inglewood, California, directly adjacent to where LAX airport stands today. It was part of a batch of 24 bombers that were the first built for the US Army Air Corps as a part of a federally mandated preparation for what felt like an inevitable global war.Alas, front-line strategic bombing was not in the cards for Miss Hap. In 1942, it was returned to Inglewood for conversion into a VIP transport role. Upon completion, the bomber was presented to the Commander of the Army Air Forces, Henry "Hap" Arnold, hence its name. Miss Hap served as Hap Arnold's personal transport while tending to business within the continental United States.The airframe was replaced with a new B-25J variant in 1944, at which point, it was stricken from Army Air Force records and transferred into the civilian market. It's here where most good stories about vintage warplanes come to an end. Either to be stored forever in a museum or sold for scrap to the highest bidder. But like strategic bombing over Europe, that wasn't in the cards for Miss Hap either.Instead, the aircraft was allowed to transfer into the civilian market. Where it'd be purchased not by some no-name wealthy person who made their fortune in something mundane like banking or real estate. Instead, it was purchased by the eccentric, brilliant, and some would call completely insane businessman and engineer Howard Hughes.It's said that Howard Hughes, a bit of an Elon Musk -like figure in his day, used Miss Hap to fly the actress Elizabeth Taylor to take care of matters soon after her third husband Mike Todd's tragic death in a plane crash in a Lockheed Lodestar private plane. Boarding a private airplane after your husband had just recently died in one may seem strange to some.Evidently, not to Taylor, who sat next to Hughes in Miss Hap as she tried to come to terms with the loss of her husband. But those that grew up watching her movies know Taylor never went with the status quo. She made Taylor Swift's life seem positively mundane.Miss Happ would go on to fly with a number of different private collectors until it was purchased by the eccentric businessman and owner of the Avirex flight jacket and aviation clothing company Jeff Clyman. Mr. Clyman then donated the historic aircraft to the American Airpower Museum on the grounds of the former Republic Aviation Factory Farmingdale in the Long Island region of New York.Being one of the world's few living aviation museums, Miss Hap and many of the two dozen other planes on display in its main hangar still fly semi-regularly. Arrive at the right time, and you may even see a group of technicians prepping Miss Hap for its next flight. When Miss Hap does take to the sky next, rest assured we'll be there to show you. Check back for that sometime in the near future, right here on autoevolution. Say hello to Miss Hap, a North American B-25 Mitchell with a more checkered history than some airplanes that flew only one historic mission. Unlike Enola Gay, Miss Hap was used, abused, and kept flying throughout the war and decades after. It's the oldest example of the Mitchell bomber left in existence, but that doesn't even scratch the surface of the stories this twin-engine plane hides within its cockpit.Miss Hap rolled off the production line at North American's production plant in Inglewood, California, directly adjacent to where LAX airport stands today. It was part of a batch of 24 bombers that were the first built for the US Army Air Corps as a part of a federally mandated preparation for what felt like an inevitable global war.Alas, front-line strategic bombing was not in the cards for Miss Hap. In 1942, it was returned to Inglewood for conversion into a VIP transport role. Upon completion, the bomber was presented to the Commander of the Army Air Forces, Henry "Hap" Arnold, hence its name. Miss Hap served as Hap Arnold's personal transport while tending to business within the continental United States.The airframe was replaced with a new B-25J variant in 1944, at which point, it was stricken from Army Air Force records and transferred into the civilian market. It's here where most good stories about vintage warplanes come to an end. Either to be stored forever in a museum or sold for scrap to the highest bidder. But like strategic bombing over Europe, that wasn't in the cards for Miss Hap either.Instead, the aircraft was allowed to transfer into the civilian market. Where it'd be purchased not by some no-name wealthy person who made their fortune in something mundane like banking or real estate. Instead, it was purchased by the eccentric, brilliant, and some would call completely insane businessman and engineer Howard Hughes.It's said that Howard Hughes, a bit of an Elon Musk -like figure in his day, used Miss Hap to fly the actress Elizabeth Taylor to take care of matters soon after her third husband Mike Todd's tragic death in a plane crash in a Lockheed Lodestar private plane. Boarding a private airplane after your husband had just recently died in one may seem strange to some.Evidently, not to Taylor, who sat next to Hughes in Miss Hap as she tried to come to terms with the loss of her husband. But those that grew up watching her movies know Taylor never went with the status quo. She made Taylor Swift's life seem positively mundane.Miss Happ would go on to fly with a number of different private collectors until it was purchased by the eccentric businessman and owner of the Avirex flight jacket and aviation clothing company Jeff Clyman. Mr. Clyman then donated the historic aircraft to the American Airpower Museum on the grounds of the former Republic Aviation Factory Farmingdale in the Long Island region of New York.Being one of the world's few living aviation museums, Miss Hap and many of the two dozen other planes on display in its main hangar still fly semi-regularly. Arrive at the right time, and you may even see a group of technicians prepping Miss Hap for its next flight. When Miss Hap does take to the sky next, rest assured we'll be there to show you. Check back for that sometime in the near future, right here on autoevolution. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe I am reassured to see the flocks of screeching cockatoos swoop past my back balcony late each afternoon, and that they are still so loud I cant hear on the phone. I am relieved that white peaches and nectarines, and mangoes, are as sun-kissed sweet as I remember. And that the sky is blindingly blue and the air pure and breathable. This is the Sydney I remember and to which I returned, less than three weeks ago, after living in New York for more than four years. I am reassured and relieved by these perhaps pedestrian markers because so much else has changed that I am finding parts of my country unrecognisable. There are so many areas of policy that are being mismanaged or ignored by the federal and NSW governments that it raises the question of whether we are still even being governed. But it is the handling of the coronavirus that exposes the scary extent to which competence has collapsed. Illustrators: Simon Letch Credit:SMH This is what I witnessed first-hand living under the Trump administration, but I managed to temper my outrage, and my fear, with my belief that there was at least one country in the world that still practised good government. At least you have somewhere sane to escape to, American friends would say after yet another Trump atrocity. Not totally true, it turned out, as the Australian government slammed its borders shut to all except movie and sporting stars, their political mates and those rich enough to afford $20,000 fares plus the costs of hotel quarantine. Say hello to Miss Hap, a North American B-25 Mitchell with a more checkered history than some airplanes that flew only one historic mission. Unlike Enola Gay, Miss Hap was used, abused, and kept flying throughout the war and decades after. It's the oldest example of the Mitchell bomber left in existence, but that doesn't even scratch the surface of the stories this twin-engine plane hides within its cockpit.Miss Hap rolled off the production line at North American's production plant in Inglewood, California, directly adjacent to where LAX airport stands today. It was part of a batch of 24 bombers that were the first built for the US Army Air Corps as a part of a federally mandated preparation for what felt like an inevitable global war.Alas, front-line strategic bombing was not in the cards for Miss Hap. In 1942, it was returned to Inglewood for conversion into a VIP transport role. Upon completion, the bomber was presented to the Commander of the Army Air Forces, Henry "Hap" Arnold, hence its name. Miss Hap served as Hap Arnold's personal transport while tending to business within the continental United States.The airframe was replaced with a new B-25J variant in 1944, at which point, it was stricken from Army Air Force records and transferred into the civilian market. It's here where most good stories about vintage warplanes come to an end. Either to be stored forever in a museum or sold for scrap to the highest bidder. But like strategic bombing over Europe, that wasn't in the cards for Miss Hap either.Instead, the aircraft was allowed to transfer into the civilian market. Where it'd be purchased not by some no-name wealthy person who made their fortune in something mundane like banking or real estate. Instead, it was purchased by the eccentric, brilliant, and some would call completely insane businessman and engineer Howard Hughes.It's said that Howard Hughes, a bit of an Elon Musk -like figure in his day, used Miss Hap to fly the actress Elizabeth Taylor to take care of matters soon after her third husband Mike Todd's tragic death in a plane crash in a Lockheed Lodestar private plane. Boarding a private airplane after your husband had just recently died in one may seem strange to some.Evidently, not to Taylor, who sat next to Hughes in Miss Hap as she tried to come to terms with the loss of her husband. But those that grew up watching her movies know Taylor never went with the status quo. She made Taylor Swift's life seem positively mundane.Miss Happ would go on to fly with a number of different private collectors until it was purchased by the eccentric businessman and owner of the Avirex flight jacket and aviation clothing company Jeff Clyman. Mr. Clyman then donated the historic aircraft to the American Airpower Museum on the grounds of the former Republic Aviation Factory Farmingdale in the Long Island region of New York.Being one of the world's few living aviation museums, Miss Hap and many of the two dozen other planes on display in its main hangar still fly semi-regularly. Arrive at the right time, and you may even see a group of technicians prepping Miss Hap for its next flight. When Miss Hap does take to the sky next, rest assured we'll be there to show you. Check back for that sometime in the near future, right here on autoevolution. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. John Howard was warned just weeks before the Tampa affair of an impending flood of boat arrivals which would exhaust Australias detention capacity and place major strain on existing security resources ahead of a summit of international leaders in Brisbane. Secret documents given to federal cabinet in 2001, released after two decades on Saturday by the National Archives of Australia, show confidential contingency plans were drawn up to deal with intelligence reports suggesting an increasing pool of 6500 asylum seekers in the smuggling pipeline was awaiting passage across the seas. An Australian Army vessel patrols the waters near the Norwegian freighter Tampa in 2001. Credit:AP They also warn of the need for a demonstrated commitment from the federal government to border security to both reassure the Australian community and send a clear message to potential future arrivals and existing immigration detainees. The submission, stamped cabinet-in-confidence and dated July 6 2001, was circulated just six weeks before a small Indonesian fishing boat, the Palapa, overloaded with 433 mainly Hazara asylum-seekers from Afghanistan, became stranded in international waters about 140 km north of Christmas Island. In the absence of effective opposition, the A.N.C. is coming apart at the seams. Never a party of ideology, it has always been a broad coalition united in opposition to minority rule. Since the end of apartheid, it has struggled to develop a stable political identity. Given the partys enduring popularity, the challenge is less regaining public credibility than finding internal coherence. But until another party rivals the A.N.C., we can expect it to rest on its laurels. That spells a future of more factional strife and poor governance, at great cost to the country. The president, for his part, is using the unrests aftermath as an opportunity to rebuild. As one of the key negotiators of South Africas liberal Constitution, Mr. Ramaphosa hopes to tap into the spirit of that time a moment also marked by violence, when things felt equally on a knifes edge. But these reserves are low. Back then, at the end of apartheid, the promise of democracy filled many with hope. Now, after nearly three decades of things remaining mostly the same, many people just feel despair. An uneasy calm has settled. How long it lasts is anyones guess. Yet the past few weeks have conclusively dispelled many illusions about the country, none more so than the myth of South African exceptionalism of a South Africa more peaceful than its African neighbors, more developed and with a future that bends inevitably toward good and triumph. The reality, as we await the next outbreak of violence, is much uglier. (Newser) In a new interview, Nicolas Cage appears aware he is opening himself up to some ridicule, but he doesn't seem to care, either. The 57-year-old spoke to Variety's Awards Circuit podcast, and Cage explained why he doesn't like the term "actor." Preferred term: For me it always implies, Oh, hes a great actor, therefore hes a great liar,'" says Cage. So with the risk of sounding like a pretentious a--hole, I like the word thespian because thespian means youre going into your heart, or youre going into your imagination, or your memories or your dreams, and youre bringing something back to communicate with the audience. Going deep: "In movies like Prisoners of the Ghost Land or even Face/Off or Vampires Kiss, I was experimenting with what I would like to call Western Kabuki or more Baroque or operatic style of film performance," says Cage. "Break free from the naturalism, so to speak, and express a larger way of performance. "In movies like Prisoners of the Ghost Land or even Face/Off or Vampires Kiss, I was experimenting with what I would like to call Western Kabuki or more Baroque or operatic style of film performance," says Cage. "Break free from the naturalism, so to speak, and express a larger way of performance. Rave reviews: All of the above appears to paying off in Cage's current film, Pig, in which he plays a truffle hunter searching for his missing pig. The movie has a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and many of the reviews single out Cage. "The character that Cage portrays is incoherent, illustrative, and ludicrous, and yet his portrayal makes the movie," writes Richard Brody at the New Yorker. It's a "superb, triumphant performance," writes Wenlei Ma at news.com.au. All of the above appears to paying off in Cage's current film, Pig, in which he plays a truffle hunter searching for his missing pig. The movie has a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and many of the reviews single out Cage. "The character that Cage portrays is incoherent, illustrative, and ludicrous, and yet his portrayal makes the movie," writes Richard Brody at the New Yorker. It's a "superb, triumphant performance," writes Wenlei Ma at news.com.au. Full interview: Read or listen here. Cage talks about having an out-of-body experience in Face/Off, and he also credits aunt Talia Shire for her influence on his acting. (Read more Nicolas Cage stories.) https://sputniknews.com/20220101/first-day-duties-nyc-mayor-eric-adams-halts-media-engagement-to-report-assault--1091967443.html First Day Duties: NYC Mayor Eric Adams Halts Media Engagement to Report Assault First Day Duties: NYC Mayor Eric Adams Halts Media Engagement to Report Assault On Saturday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams held his first formal address to the public, vowing to abandon divisive rhetoric and tackle the everyday issues... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T20:59+0000 2022-01-01T20:59+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 new york bill de blasio nypd new york city mayor new york city assault police report eric adams us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091967409_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_3266a50851153122952704f96debfc12.jpg Adams' New Year's Day commute to City Hall was put on pause Saturday afternoon, after the former New York City police captain observed two men brawling near a train platform. Social media footage from the scene at Brooklyn's Kosciuszko Street subway station shows the newly-sworn-in NYC mayor surrounded by members of the press as he phones 911 to report "an assault in progress."Witnesses claim that the altercation between the two men ended prior to the arrival of two police cruisers. While the two men in question were waiting nearby, the officers on the scene only questioned a third man who attempted to intervene. The NYC mayor told reporters that he would have investigated the report more thoroughly than the responding officers, who did not exit their vehicles. Adams made an effort to be visible and accessible to the public on his first day, opting to take the subway without a New York City Police Department (NYPD) security detail. "There are days that if intel tells me there is a credible threat, we will make sure we have an appropriate amount," he added. Adams, a former Brooklyn borough president, held his first cabinet meeting on Saturday morning as the 110th mayor of New York City. NYC's first mayor was appointed in 1665. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/new-yorks-new-mayor-sworn-in-at-midnight---mayors-office-1091957715.html new york Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead new york city mayor eric adams, bill de blasio, new york city, nyc, new york, police report, assault nypd https://sputniknews.com/20220101/first-day-duties-nyc-mayor-eric-adams-halts-media-engagement-to-report-assault--1091967443.html First Day Duties: NYC Mayor Eric Adams Halts Media Engagement to Report Assault First Day Duties: NYC Mayor Eric Adams Halts Media Engagement to Report Assault On Saturday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams held his first formal address to the public, vowing to abandon divisive rhetoric and tackle the everyday issues... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T20:59+0000 2022-01-01T20:59+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 new york bill de blasio nypd new york city mayor new york city assault police report eric adams us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091967409_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_3266a50851153122952704f96debfc12.jpg Adams' New Year's Day commute to City Hall was put on pause Saturday afternoon, after the former New York City police captain observed two men brawling near a train platform. Social media footage from the scene at Brooklyn's Kosciuszko Street subway station shows the newly-sworn-in NYC mayor surrounded by members of the press as he phones 911 to report "an assault in progress."Witnesses claim that the altercation between the two men ended prior to the arrival of two police cruisers. While the two men in question were waiting nearby, the officers on the scene only questioned a third man who attempted to intervene. The NYC mayor told reporters that he would have investigated the report more thoroughly than the responding officers, who did not exit their vehicles. Adams made an effort to be visible and accessible to the public on his first day, opting to take the subway without a New York City Police Department (NYPD) security detail. "There are days that if intel tells me there is a credible threat, we will make sure we have an appropriate amount," he added. Adams, a former Brooklyn borough president, held his first cabinet meeting on Saturday morning as the 110th mayor of New York City. NYC's first mayor was appointed in 1665. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/new-yorks-new-mayor-sworn-in-at-midnight---mayors-office-1091957715.html new york Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead new york city mayor eric adams, bill de blasio, new york city, nyc, new york, police report, assault nypd In the absence of effective opposition, the A.N.C. is coming apart at the seams. Never a party of ideology, it has always been a broad coalition united in opposition to minority rule. Since the end of apartheid, it has struggled to develop a stable political identity. Given the partys enduring popularity, the challenge is less regaining public credibility than finding internal coherence. But until another party rivals the A.N.C., we can expect it to rest on its laurels. That spells a future of more factional strife and poor governance, at great cost to the country. The president, for his part, is using the unrests aftermath as an opportunity to rebuild. As one of the key negotiators of South Africas liberal Constitution, Mr. Ramaphosa hopes to tap into the spirit of that time a moment also marked by violence, when things felt equally on a knifes edge. But these reserves are low. Back then, at the end of apartheid, the promise of democracy filled many with hope. Now, after nearly three decades of things remaining mostly the same, many people just feel despair. An uneasy calm has settled. How long it lasts is anyones guess. Yet the past few weeks have conclusively dispelled many illusions about the country, none more so than the myth of South African exceptionalism of a South Africa more peaceful than its African neighbors, more developed and with a future that bends inevitably toward good and triumph. The reality, as we await the next outbreak of violence, is much uglier. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/first-day-duties-nyc-mayor-eric-adams-halts-media-engagement-to-report-assault--1091967443.html First Day Duties: NYC Mayor Eric Adams Halts Media Engagement to Report Assault First Day Duties: NYC Mayor Eric Adams Halts Media Engagement to Report Assault On Saturday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams held his first formal address to the public, vowing to abandon divisive rhetoric and tackle the everyday issues... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T20:59+0000 2022-01-01T20:59+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 new york bill de blasio nypd new york city mayor new york city assault police report eric adams us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091967409_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_3266a50851153122952704f96debfc12.jpg Adams' New Year's Day commute to City Hall was put on pause Saturday afternoon, after the former New York City police captain observed two men brawling near a train platform. Social media footage from the scene at Brooklyn's Kosciuszko Street subway station shows the newly-sworn-in NYC mayor surrounded by members of the press as he phones 911 to report "an assault in progress."Witnesses claim that the altercation between the two men ended prior to the arrival of two police cruisers. While the two men in question were waiting nearby, the officers on the scene only questioned a third man who attempted to intervene. The NYC mayor told reporters that he would have investigated the report more thoroughly than the responding officers, who did not exit their vehicles. Adams made an effort to be visible and accessible to the public on his first day, opting to take the subway without a New York City Police Department (NYPD) security detail. "There are days that if intel tells me there is a credible threat, we will make sure we have an appropriate amount," he added. Adams, a former Brooklyn borough president, held his first cabinet meeting on Saturday morning as the 110th mayor of New York City. NYC's first mayor was appointed in 1665. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/new-yorks-new-mayor-sworn-in-at-midnight---mayors-office-1091957715.html new york Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead new york city mayor eric adams, bill de blasio, new york city, nyc, new york, police report, assault nypd https://sputniknews.com/20220101/first-day-duties-nyc-mayor-eric-adams-halts-media-engagement-to-report-assault--1091967443.html First Day Duties: NYC Mayor Eric Adams Halts Media Engagement to Report Assault First Day Duties: NYC Mayor Eric Adams Halts Media Engagement to Report Assault On Saturday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams held his first formal address to the public, vowing to abandon divisive rhetoric and tackle the everyday issues... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T20:59+0000 2022-01-01T20:59+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 new york bill de blasio nypd new york city mayor new york city assault police report eric adams us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091967409_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_3266a50851153122952704f96debfc12.jpg Adams' New Year's Day commute to City Hall was put on pause Saturday afternoon, after the former New York City police captain observed two men brawling near a train platform. Social media footage from the scene at Brooklyn's Kosciuszko Street subway station shows the newly-sworn-in NYC mayor surrounded by members of the press as he phones 911 to report "an assault in progress."Witnesses claim that the altercation between the two men ended prior to the arrival of two police cruisers. While the two men in question were waiting nearby, the officers on the scene only questioned a third man who attempted to intervene. The NYC mayor told reporters that he would have investigated the report more thoroughly than the responding officers, who did not exit their vehicles. Adams made an effort to be visible and accessible to the public on his first day, opting to take the subway without a New York City Police Department (NYPD) security detail. "There are days that if intel tells me there is a credible threat, we will make sure we have an appropriate amount," he added. Adams, a former Brooklyn borough president, held his first cabinet meeting on Saturday morning as the 110th mayor of New York City. NYC's first mayor was appointed in 1665. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/new-yorks-new-mayor-sworn-in-at-midnight---mayors-office-1091957715.html new york Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead new york city mayor eric adams, bill de blasio, new york city, nyc, new york, police report, assault nypd PARIS, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that he is "resolutely optimistic for the coming year" for France, despite the upcoming few difficult weeks amid COVID-19 cases resurgence. Speaking from the Elysee to the nation for New Year, Macron stressed the importance of vaccination against coronavirus. "Vaccination is our most secure asset. It divides the number of severe forms by ten," he said. He urged the 5 million non-vaccinated French citizens to get vaccinated for themselves, for their compatriots and for their country. Macron also called on people, vaccinated or not, to continue to respect barrier gestures to curb the rapid spread of the virus. Acknowledging the essential role of health staff during the pandemic for the past two years, Macron said he is "optimistic" about a possible end of the pandemic in 2022. Recalling the year 2021, Macron said the government has introduced during the crisis various initiatives to protect spending power, as well as new projects for the young generation, environmental crisis, housing crisis and more. Macron said the year 2022 will be a year of a European turning point as France is going to hold the presidency of the European Union. He continued to say that the year 2022 will also be a decisive year for France. "I will act until the last moment of the mandate for which you elected me," said Macron. The presidential election in France is scheduled for April, 2022. Enditem Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's "First Snow," left, is on display at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, as part of the 120th anniversary celebration of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021. Courtesy of Korea Foundation By Kwon Mee-yoo Wrapping up the celebration of the 120th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021, Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx presents a series of photos exploring the interactions between humans and nature. Co-hosted by the Korea Foundation (KF) and the Embassy of Belgium in Seoul, the exhibition sheds light on the simplicity and profoundness of nature in this complicated era at the KF Gallery in central Seoul. Korea Foundation Gallery President Lee Geun highlighted the longstanding relations of the two countries. "Since the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation in 1901, our two countries have formed a special and enduring partnership. Belgium sent over 3,000 soldiers to fight alongside Korea in the 1950s during the Korean War ... Both countries have witnessed harmony with the growing presence in the international community for operating for a better future," Lee said during the opening of the exhibition, Wednesday. Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps delivers a congratulatory speech during the opening of the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Korea Foundation Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps emphasized how Buyckx's work bridges humankind and nature in Kyrgyzstan, which is located between Belgium and Korea. "At first I was wondering, 'why such an exhibition for the 120th anniversary,' but then I realized that it has a lot to do with reflection from a new context. We are living in an ever-increasing digitalized and globalized world and this reminds us of the reality. We should not forget that the real nature is there, and we have to take care of nature and people I think it's very meaningful that you have to be reminded of the simplicity and the depth of life," Bontemps said. "I can only ask you to take the time to be impressed with this message from Frederik Buyckx the importance of the nexus of humans, nature and tradition." Buyckx is the winner of the Photographer of the Year at the 2017 SONY World Photography Awards, for capturing the "joys and loveliness in each and every environment." The title of the exhibition, "Horse Head," comes from At-Bashy, the name of a small Kyrgyz village the photographer stayed in during his first trip to Kyrgyzstan, which translates into "horse head." There, Buyckx witnessed and took part in the traditional Kyrgyz horseback game, "kok boru," and documented the semi-nomadic lifestyle of the shepherds and their connections with animals. Buyckx soon returned to Kyrgyzstan and stayed and traveled with the people, documenting the harsh cold weather of the Central Asian country and symbiotic lifestyle of the Kyrgyz people. The artist described that going into these mountains by horseback "feels like entering another world." There, he captured the snow-covered landscape of Kyrgyzstan, as well as the people, horses and the connection between them, through black-and-white photos. "To really investigate the connection people still have with nature, I knew I had to join them deep in the mountains I'm mainly observing and documenting, but at the same time, I'm learning a lot about life in these remote places," the photographer said in an interview provided for the exhibition. "I think photography is a way to investigate and to better understand the world, but for me, it's also the perfect excuse to just throw myself into a new adventure." Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps, right, and Kyrgyz Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova pose next to Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's works at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Kwon Mee-yoo This exhibition was also made possible through special cooperation with the Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Korea, as Buyckx's project took place in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova said that the photos show the unique nature of her mountainous country. "Our culture was formed under the influence of nomadic life. The connection between the Kyrgyz culture and nature can be traced everywhere, from design to music ... I hope this exhibition will reach the purpose of developing intercultural exchanges, thus strengthening friendship and mutual understanding among people," Ambassador Kemelova said. The physical exhibit runs until Feb. 9 and is also available to view via VR. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/first-day-duties-nyc-mayor-eric-adams-halts-media-engagement-to-report-assault--1091967443.html First Day Duties: NYC Mayor Eric Adams Halts Media Engagement to Report Assault First Day Duties: NYC Mayor Eric Adams Halts Media Engagement to Report Assault On Saturday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams held his first formal address to the public, vowing to abandon divisive rhetoric and tackle the everyday issues... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T20:59+0000 2022-01-01T20:59+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 new york bill de blasio nypd new york city mayor new york city assault police report eric adams us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091967409_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_3266a50851153122952704f96debfc12.jpg Adams' New Year's Day commute to City Hall was put on pause Saturday afternoon, after the former New York City police captain observed two men brawling near a train platform. Social media footage from the scene at Brooklyn's Kosciuszko Street subway station shows the newly-sworn-in NYC mayor surrounded by members of the press as he phones 911 to report "an assault in progress."Witnesses claim that the altercation between the two men ended prior to the arrival of two police cruisers. While the two men in question were waiting nearby, the officers on the scene only questioned a third man who attempted to intervene. The NYC mayor told reporters that he would have investigated the report more thoroughly than the responding officers, who did not exit their vehicles. Adams made an effort to be visible and accessible to the public on his first day, opting to take the subway without a New York City Police Department (NYPD) security detail. "There are days that if intel tells me there is a credible threat, we will make sure we have an appropriate amount," he added. Adams, a former Brooklyn borough president, held his first cabinet meeting on Saturday morning as the 110th mayor of New York City. NYC's first mayor was appointed in 1665. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/new-yorks-new-mayor-sworn-in-at-midnight---mayors-office-1091957715.html new york Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead new york city mayor eric adams, bill de blasio, new york city, nyc, new york, police report, assault nypd (Newser) In a new interview, Nicolas Cage appears aware he is opening himself up to some ridicule, but he doesn't seem to care, either. The 57-year-old spoke to Variety's Awards Circuit podcast, and Cage explained why he doesn't like the term "actor." Preferred term: For me it always implies, Oh, hes a great actor, therefore hes a great liar,'" says Cage. So with the risk of sounding like a pretentious a--hole, I like the word thespian because thespian means youre going into your heart, or youre going into your imagination, or your memories or your dreams, and youre bringing something back to communicate with the audience. Going deep: "In movies like Prisoners of the Ghost Land or even Face/Off or Vampires Kiss, I was experimenting with what I would like to call Western Kabuki or more Baroque or operatic style of film performance," says Cage. "Break free from the naturalism, so to speak, and express a larger way of performance. "In movies like Prisoners of the Ghost Land or even Face/Off or Vampires Kiss, I was experimenting with what I would like to call Western Kabuki or more Baroque or operatic style of film performance," says Cage. "Break free from the naturalism, so to speak, and express a larger way of performance. Rave reviews: All of the above appears to paying off in Cage's current film, Pig, in which he plays a truffle hunter searching for his missing pig. The movie has a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and many of the reviews single out Cage. "The character that Cage portrays is incoherent, illustrative, and ludicrous, and yet his portrayal makes the movie," writes Richard Brody at the New Yorker. It's a "superb, triumphant performance," writes Wenlei Ma at news.com.au. All of the above appears to paying off in Cage's current film, Pig, in which he plays a truffle hunter searching for his missing pig. The movie has a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and many of the reviews single out Cage. "The character that Cage portrays is incoherent, illustrative, and ludicrous, and yet his portrayal makes the movie," writes Richard Brody at the New Yorker. It's a "superb, triumphant performance," writes Wenlei Ma at news.com.au. Full interview: Read or listen here. Cage talks about having an out-of-body experience in Face/Off, and he also credits aunt Talia Shire for her influence on his acting. (Read more Nicolas Cage stories.) (Newser) In a new interview, Nicolas Cage appears aware he is opening himself up to some ridicule, but he doesn't seem to care, either. The 57-year-old spoke to Variety's Awards Circuit podcast, and Cage explained why he doesn't like the term "actor." Preferred term: For me it always implies, Oh, hes a great actor, therefore hes a great liar,'" says Cage. So with the risk of sounding like a pretentious a--hole, I like the word thespian because thespian means youre going into your heart, or youre going into your imagination, or your memories or your dreams, and youre bringing something back to communicate with the audience. Going deep: "In movies like Prisoners of the Ghost Land or even Face/Off or Vampires Kiss, I was experimenting with what I would like to call Western Kabuki or more Baroque or operatic style of film performance," says Cage. "Break free from the naturalism, so to speak, and express a larger way of performance. "In movies like Prisoners of the Ghost Land or even Face/Off or Vampires Kiss, I was experimenting with what I would like to call Western Kabuki or more Baroque or operatic style of film performance," says Cage. "Break free from the naturalism, so to speak, and express a larger way of performance. Rave reviews: All of the above appears to paying off in Cage's current film, Pig, in which he plays a truffle hunter searching for his missing pig. The movie has a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and many of the reviews single out Cage. "The character that Cage portrays is incoherent, illustrative, and ludicrous, and yet his portrayal makes the movie," writes Richard Brody at the New Yorker. It's a "superb, triumphant performance," writes Wenlei Ma at news.com.au. All of the above appears to paying off in Cage's current film, Pig, in which he plays a truffle hunter searching for his missing pig. The movie has a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and many of the reviews single out Cage. "The character that Cage portrays is incoherent, illustrative, and ludicrous, and yet his portrayal makes the movie," writes Richard Brody at the New Yorker. It's a "superb, triumphant performance," writes Wenlei Ma at news.com.au. Full interview: Read or listen here. Cage talks about having an out-of-body experience in Face/Off, and he also credits aunt Talia Shire for her influence on his acting. (Read more Nicolas Cage stories.) https://sputniknews.com/20220101/first-day-duties-nyc-mayor-eric-adams-halts-media-engagement-to-report-assault--1091967443.html First Day Duties: NYC Mayor Eric Adams Halts Media Engagement to Report Assault First Day Duties: NYC Mayor Eric Adams Halts Media Engagement to Report Assault On Saturday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams held his first formal address to the public, vowing to abandon divisive rhetoric and tackle the everyday issues... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T20:59+0000 2022-01-01T20:59+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 new york bill de blasio nypd new york city mayor new york city assault police report eric adams us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091967409_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_3266a50851153122952704f96debfc12.jpg Adams' New Year's Day commute to City Hall was put on pause Saturday afternoon, after the former New York City police captain observed two men brawling near a train platform. Social media footage from the scene at Brooklyn's Kosciuszko Street subway station shows the newly-sworn-in NYC mayor surrounded by members of the press as he phones 911 to report "an assault in progress."Witnesses claim that the altercation between the two men ended prior to the arrival of two police cruisers. While the two men in question were waiting nearby, the officers on the scene only questioned a third man who attempted to intervene. The NYC mayor told reporters that he would have investigated the report more thoroughly than the responding officers, who did not exit their vehicles. Adams made an effort to be visible and accessible to the public on his first day, opting to take the subway without a New York City Police Department (NYPD) security detail. "There are days that if intel tells me there is a credible threat, we will make sure we have an appropriate amount," he added. Adams, a former Brooklyn borough president, held his first cabinet meeting on Saturday morning as the 110th mayor of New York City. NYC's first mayor was appointed in 1665. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/new-yorks-new-mayor-sworn-in-at-midnight---mayors-office-1091957715.html new york Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead new york city mayor eric adams, bill de blasio, new york city, nyc, new york, police report, assault nypd https://sputniknews.com/20220101/first-day-duties-nyc-mayor-eric-adams-halts-media-engagement-to-report-assault--1091967443.html First Day Duties: NYC Mayor Eric Adams Halts Media Engagement to Report Assault First Day Duties: NYC Mayor Eric Adams Halts Media Engagement to Report Assault On Saturday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams held his first formal address to the public, vowing to abandon divisive rhetoric and tackle the everyday issues... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T20:59+0000 2022-01-01T20:59+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 new york bill de blasio nypd new york city mayor new york city assault police report eric adams us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091967409_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_3266a50851153122952704f96debfc12.jpg Adams' New Year's Day commute to City Hall was put on pause Saturday afternoon, after the former New York City police captain observed two men brawling near a train platform. Social media footage from the scene at Brooklyn's Kosciuszko Street subway station shows the newly-sworn-in NYC mayor surrounded by members of the press as he phones 911 to report "an assault in progress."Witnesses claim that the altercation between the two men ended prior to the arrival of two police cruisers. While the two men in question were waiting nearby, the officers on the scene only questioned a third man who attempted to intervene. The NYC mayor told reporters that he would have investigated the report more thoroughly than the responding officers, who did not exit their vehicles. Adams made an effort to be visible and accessible to the public on his first day, opting to take the subway without a New York City Police Department (NYPD) security detail. "There are days that if intel tells me there is a credible threat, we will make sure we have an appropriate amount," he added. Adams, a former Brooklyn borough president, held his first cabinet meeting on Saturday morning as the 110th mayor of New York City. NYC's first mayor was appointed in 1665. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/new-yorks-new-mayor-sworn-in-at-midnight---mayors-office-1091957715.html new york Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead new york city mayor eric adams, bill de blasio, new york city, nyc, new york, police report, assault nypd Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe French tourism bosses last night told Emmanuel Macron to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers, accusing him of punishing the industry over worsening ties with Britain. The French president slapped the tough measures on UK tourists shortly before Christmas, claiming it was to stop the spread of the Omicron variant. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted. It comes as the countrys own public health agency yesterday admitted Omicron is now the most dominant variant in France. Omicron helped drive infection numbers to a record 232,000 new cases yesterday, piling more pressure on Mr Macron to back down. President Emmanuel Macron (pictured) has been told to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers Francois Badjily, head of the Alpe dHuez tourist office, suggested France was playing politics with the pandemic. We have the impression that our industry is being made to pay the price for the poor relations between both countries right now, whether its about Brexit or fishing or whatever, he said. Mr Badjily said the current rules were incoherent because fully vaccinated tourists from other countries where the Omicron strain is already present are able to visit. Vaccine passports are needed to enter French holiday hotspots such as ski resorts, as well as restaurants, bars and leisure facilities. Alpe dHuez draws a quarter of its visitors from the UK every year, and Mr Badjily added: Why should a Briton who meets these criteria not be allowed to come, but the French and Belgians can? Christophe Lavaut, director of the Val dIsere ski resort, also called on officials in Paris to axe the compelling reason to travel directive that has stopped holidaymakers coming to France. This restriction should simply be lifted as it is no longer necessary, he added. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted At least 42 per cent of Val dIseres customers are British, said Mr Lavaut, who urged his government to act at the beginning of January. Mr Macrons travel measures have created chaos and sowed confusion throughout the entire Christmas break. Earlier this week, border police even prevented Britons who were legal residents in the EU from returning to their homes French officials at the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone said they were not allowed to cross through France on health grounds. But the EUs top disease agency said in a report last month that Omicron travel restrictions only help buy valuable time during the first days of detection, adding that in countries already experiencing community transmission such measures will probably not be relevant for much longer. The French government failed to reply to the Mails request for comment. Germany will remove Britain from its travel red list on Tuesday after its government admitted Omicron was already widely present in the country. Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, 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Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Rachel Pidock holds her newborn son, Axle Zane Pidock. He was born at 1:29 a.m. at Aultman Orrville Hospital. ORRVILLE The New Year started out bright for two families at Aultman Orrville Hospital who welcomed their newest members just one minute apart. Rebecca Horst gave birth to Krista Marie Horst at 1:28 a.m. Saturday. The newborn weighed in at 9 pounds 6 ounces and is 20 inches long, according to a hospital spokesperson. Coping with COVID-19: Flex Yoga for the new year One minute later Axle Zane Pidock was born, weighing 6 pounds 6 1/2 ounces. He is 18.5 inches tall. Their births are the first of the New Year in Wayne County. Meanwhile at Wooster Community Hospital, Tanjiro Moore was born at 2:09 a.m. on Jan. 1 to Alaina Dugan and Collin Moore. Deciding baby names Rebecca and Wendell Horst hold their newborn daughter, Krista Marie Horst. She was born at 1:28 a.m. at Aultman Orrville Hospital. Rebecca Horst and her husband contemplated names and eventually settled on Krista, a name they both love. The newborn has three siblings who were excited to meet their new sister, Horst said. When she gets home, the mother of four will introduce Krista to the rest of her family. "She's a gift from God," Horst said about having a New Year's baby. James Pidock honored his hometown of Zanesville, Ohio, and chose Zane as their newborn son's middle name. As for his first name, Axle, they searched online for names, the couple said. "We Googled different names and wanted one that was trending," Rachel Pidock said. While Pidock is happy to have a healthy baby boy, she is excited to say he is a New Year's baby, something she never thought would happen. Axle Pidock will go home to his 1 1/2-year-old brother, Alistair Gideon Pidock. "I am very eager to find out how Alistair will react to the baby," she said. Tanjiro Moore was born at 2:09 a.m. Jan. 1, 2022 at Wooster Community Hospital. His parents are Alaina Dugan and Collin Moore. Tanjiro is among the first babies born in Wayne County on New Year's Day. Record number of births in 2021 The last year saw two milestones at Aultman Orrville. The hospital celebrated its 70-year anniversary. It also reported 516 births in 2021 a record high. This local record comes despite the lack of a pandemic baby boom nationally. While there were predictions of a COVID baby boom early in the pandemic, U.S. Census data shows that is not the case. Births fell from 2019, and reached a low in February 2021. Story continues Despite a COVID record year, we continued to proceed with normal deliveries, said Dr. Amelia Laing, chair of obstetrics/gynecology at Aultman Orrville. Our hospital excels at providing choices for women. Our patients enjoy a general feeling of hominess throughout our unit, and all of their needs are immediately available 24/7." The record comes in the same year the hospital is recognized by Newsweek as one of the Best Maternity Care Hospitals, according to a news release from Aultman Orrville. Reach Bryce by email at bbuyakie@gannett.com On Twitter: @Bryce_Buyakie This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: New Year's babies clock in 1 minute apart at Aultman Orrville Passengers go through security, Tuesday, March 16, 2021, at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in Hebron, Ky. With the spread of the omicron variant of COVID-19 and a mix of severe weather and heavy snow, many flights across the country have been canceled, complicating travel plans for people traveling home from the holidays. Statistically, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport's cancellations and delays rank in the lower third of the Jan. 1 flights listed by Flight Aware, a flight tracking service. As of 3 p.m., the Cincinnati airport had 31 total delays and 25 total cancellations. CVG had 13 canceled and 16 delayed departures, as well as 12 canceled and 15 delayed arrivals. Those cancellations represent 11 percent of the airport's overall traffic. Allegiant Air had the most Cincinnati cancellations with 10. Frontier Airlines had three flight cancellations while the following airlines had two each: Skywest, Southwest, Delta, Piedmont, Endeavor Air and Mesa. By comparison, Chicago O'Hare International Airport had 165 delays and 840 cancellations as of 3 p.m., representing almost half its flights for the day, according to Flight Aware. Chicago's Midway International had 273 cancellations, representing 56 percent of the day's expected departures and 66 percent of its arrivals. Those airports were Nos. 1 and 2 in the world for the volume of cancellations and delays. View of jet bridges, Friday, May 14, 2021, at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in Hebron, Ky. Of the flights arriving at CVG from Chicago, three have been canceled and one was delayed. Of the flights arriving at Chicago from CVG, three were canceled and another three were delayed. Wintry conditions aren't forecast for Greater Cincinnati Saturday, although heavy rain and isolated flooding are possible, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington, Ohio. Thousands of flights within, entering or leaving the United States have been either canceled or delayed New Year's Day. As of 3 p.m., more than 2,700 flights were delayed and more than 2,500 flights were canceled, Flight Aware shows. According to USA TODAY, meteorologists predict travel-halting snowfall in at least 18 states on New Year's Day, with winter storm warnings in place for parts of nine states. Story continues Heavy snow was expected to spread from the Central Plains to the Mississippi Valley and Lower Great Lakes. Up to a foot of snow was likely from northeast Kansas to the Chicago Metro area. Severe storms and a chance or tornadoes are forecast throughout the South Saturday. More information about flights cancellations and delays nationwide can be found here. A breakdown of cancellations and delays at CVG can be found here. USA TODAY contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Omicron, weather cancel flights nationwide; what to expect at CVG French tourism bosses last night told Emmanuel Macron to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers, accusing him of punishing the industry over worsening ties with Britain. The French president slapped the tough measures on UK tourists shortly before Christmas, claiming it was to stop the spread of the Omicron variant. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted. It comes as the countrys own public health agency yesterday admitted Omicron is now the most dominant variant in France. Omicron helped drive infection numbers to a record 232,000 new cases yesterday, piling more pressure on Mr Macron to back down. President Emmanuel Macron (pictured) has been told to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers Francois Badjily, head of the Alpe dHuez tourist office, suggested France was playing politics with the pandemic. We have the impression that our industry is being made to pay the price for the poor relations between both countries right now, whether its about Brexit or fishing or whatever, he said. Mr Badjily said the current rules were incoherent because fully vaccinated tourists from other countries where the Omicron strain is already present are able to visit. Vaccine passports are needed to enter French holiday hotspots such as ski resorts, as well as restaurants, bars and leisure facilities. Alpe dHuez draws a quarter of its visitors from the UK every year, and Mr Badjily added: Why should a Briton who meets these criteria not be allowed to come, but the French and Belgians can? Christophe Lavaut, director of the Val dIsere ski resort, also called on officials in Paris to axe the compelling reason to travel directive that has stopped holidaymakers coming to France. This restriction should simply be lifted as it is no longer necessary, he added. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted At least 42 per cent of Val dIseres customers are British, said Mr Lavaut, who urged his government to act at the beginning of January. Mr Macrons travel measures have created chaos and sowed confusion throughout the entire Christmas break. Earlier this week, border police even prevented Britons who were legal residents in the EU from returning to their homes French officials at the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone said they were not allowed to cross through France on health grounds. But the EUs top disease agency said in a report last month that Omicron travel restrictions only help buy valuable time during the first days of detection, adding that in countries already experiencing community transmission such measures will probably not be relevant for much longer. The French government failed to reply to the Mails request for comment. Germany will remove Britain from its travel red list on Tuesday after its government admitted Omicron was already widely present in the country. According to authorities, several people opened fire at the party just minutes before midnight. One of the injured is in critical condition. The investigation is underway. 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Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Henry Baxter was away for Christmas, spending the holiday with his daughter Ellen and her family in Pennsylvania. Ellen and her husband, Robert Kavash, drove Baxter back to Buffalo on Monday, before they all grabbed a quick night's sleep and climbed into the car again, this time for a short ride to Ganson Street. It was a chance for Baxter to study the wind damage done to the 1897 Great Northern grain elevator, though the Old First Ward is a frequent destination whenever one of his three children return for a visit. In a larger way as it always is for him this was about truly being home. I appreciate the impact these grain elevators had on the development of the city, said Baxter, an engineer who like his father and grandfather spent years devoted to that district and its longtime purpose in Buffalo. At 98, he offers testament to the days when grain storage and milling were an economic engine fueling growth in a booming Great Lakes city. His family, he said, played a direct role in designing at least four new grain elevators in Buffalo, and in expanding or repairing many more. For Baxter, what has already been lost in that district over the years only underlines the visceral impact the Great Northern commands on Buffalo's ancient and almost primal waterfront skyline. He wishes the structure repaired and reinforced could survive the demolition order sought by Archer Daniels Midland, its owner, whose representatives declined to comment for this piece. The problem, as Baxter put it, is that rebuilding is not cheap. It leaves him wondering if anyone, on short notice, can provide the kind of capital that would make it possible to save the structure. A few blocks away, in downtown Buffalo, Douglas Jemal raises his hand. Jemal, a Washington, D.C., developer, arrived in Buffalo a few years ago and found a way to turn the lights back on in the long-dormant Seneca One tower, the city's tallest building. His Buffalo projects include a restoration of the Statler Hotel, whose sheer dimensions for years had been a formidable obstacle to restoration. He said those efforts the idea that he took on projects that it sometimes seemed might never be done ought to establish just how serious he is. Almost immediately, after a December windstorm knocked a hole in Great Northern and the city granted ADM a demolition order, Jemal told The News' Mark Sommer that he was willing to work with the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers Local 36 in an attempt to safely restore the building. Judge orders hearing Monday on whether Great Northern demolition order was 'rational' "This hearing will be limited to the issue of how the city reached its decision and, specifically, whether the commissioner had a rational basis for issuing the order for the demolition," State Supreme Court Justice Emilio Colaiacovo said. In a phone conversation Thursday, Jemal repeated that commitment. He described Great Northern as a civic treasure, an industrial Mona Lisa that captures the citys heritage in a singular way. He said he has received dozens upon dozens of messages of support since offering to step in, and the central point should be clear: The community cares so much about Great Northern that it warrants extraordinary measures to save it. Jemal knows that State Supreme Court Justice Emilio Colaiacovo has ordered a hearing for Monday on whether the city acted rationally in swiftly issuing an emergency demolition order. Jemal said the answer is evident: Razing the structure makes no sense. If ADM wants out of the situation, Jemal said he has a quick solution: Once the company provides a fair appraisal, Ill write them a check, he said. As for Baxter, I met him through Lorraine Pierro, president of Buffalo's Industrial Heritage Committee. While she and the Campaign for Greater Buffalo History, Architecture and Culture the organization that went to court to stop demolition share a passion for the building, their visions for what comes next diverge in a big way. Its almost like a billboard for Buffalo, said Paul McDonnell, Campaign for Greater Buffalo president, whose group released a rendering that envisions the vast ground floor as entrepreneurial space, while making recreational use of a sweeping wharf. McDonnell dreams of Great Northern as an illuminated nighttime centerpiece when national television crews visit for Bills games. To Pierro, the structure is intertwined with a functioning industrial milling area, meaning the most practical use would be as a giant, high-profile civic monument. Shore it up, she said, patch the vast hole with glass or plexiglass, and she said the view of the old metal bins inside would provide testament to what the Baxter family represents: A time when Buffalo was a world capital for grain storage, which is the tale of Baxter's life. His grandfather, Alfred E. Baxter, was an engineer who moved to Buffalo from Milwaukee in the 1890s to work in the burgeoning grain industry. That career was embraced by Henrys father, Allan, and by his late brother, Edward. Henry Baxter met his late wife, Gloria, here, and they built a marriage of 56 years. He wrote a book about the city's grain elevators. He eats Cheerios every morning, and he laughed when asked if that is because they are made on Buffalo's waterfront creating an aroma that floats across the city. Its a nice town, he said of why he never left, but the truth is that his family is in the fabric of the place. As an engineer, he tries to approach this debate with the sensibilities of his profession. In what amounts to a kind of difficult contradiction, he said the most compelling reason to save Great Northern is the same reason sustaining it might be so difficult. The metal bins, now visible, are protected by vast brick walls. More than a century ago, grain companies eventually realized that was a needless cost, since the bins provided adequate shelter by themselves. Baxter said the Great Northern, built before the turn of the century, is one of the last to use what he calls a shell of masonry" - what Chuck LaChiusa on his Buffalo Architecture and History web page describes as the sole surviving 'brickbox' working house elevator in North America. It shows you how things were done in 1896, Baxter said, of a transition point for the industry, which he also said is the best reason for saving it. The question, always the question, is the money. Baxter could not get close enough Tuesday to offer thoughts on structural integrity, but he summarized the core of the debate in a sentence: Certainly, there is a value in saving it, but whether the cost is up to the value is the real question mark. Jemal insists he can provide that lift, and that a community so passionate about the building would help him work out some creative mix of, say, museum space with offices for community organizations, or whatever makes sense. Sean Kirst: On Labor Day, the embodiment of Buffalo's waterfront roots To most of us, the grain elevators are a kind of industrial Stonehenge, haunting and mysterious forms from some distant past. Not to South Buffalos Wally As for Baxter, he is a living witness to a time when that industry attracted thousands upon thousands of workers to process millions of barrels of grain, pouring into the waterfront. He is always moved by what the surviving grain elevators evoke, a concrete atmosphere that McDonnell would agree offers a kind of concrete Stonehenge effect that still ignites sheer awe. Barely two months away from turning 99, Baxter has been here long enough to know these truths: Everything that offers hope to this community the staggering architecture, the beautiful vista of the lake and river and more than anything the magnificent and vibrant assortment of human beings, arriving here to build new purpose began with the citys magnitude as a port, and its apex as a granary for the world. It put Buffalo on the map, Baxter said, and were lucky for our location. That much holds true. Even now, he feels it. The question is as we again debate what ought to stay or go just how much it is worth to try and save that feeling for our kids. LSU released its pandemic policy for the spring semester, and much of it mirrors the rules from last fall with a couple exceptions. All students living on campus must take a COVID test before classes begin (last fall, only unvaccinated students had to). And for the first two weeks of school, professors may teach remotely. The announcement comes days after Southern University said it would delay the start in-person classes by two weeks in light of the latest COVID surge. Southern University delaying start of spring semester because of omicron-related COVID Southern University said Friday it will delay the start of its spring semester by two weeks with the hope that an omicron variant-related surg Below is the full text of LSU President William F. Tate's announcement about the guidelines. Dear LSU Community, We want to again thank all those who vaccinated, tested regularly, and masked throughout the fall semester. Our student vaccination rate of over 84 percent represents the best in the state for public universities and is among the highest vaccination percentages in the SEC. Consequently, our positivity rate in the fall was extremely low and we were able to successfully complete our semester. In consultation with our faculty Health and Medical Advisory Committee, and looking carefully at the nationwide surge of the Omicron variant, we are building on our successful approach from the fall and providing you with our protocols for the spring 2022 semester. Masks: Masks will be required indoors and within 50 feet of building entrances/exits where congregating occurs. Masks will also be required at campus events and on campus buses. Cloth masks are acceptable but K-N95 and N95 masks offer the best protection to the wearer and are encouraged. Masks should completely cover the nose and mouth. Classrooms: For the first two weeks of the semester, instructors whose courses are listed in the spring catalog as being delivered face-to-face may opt to deliver their courses in synchronous (real time) fully remote, hybrid, or completely face-to-face formats. At the end of the two-week period, if the community and campus COVID-19 positivity rates are below 10 percent, the campus will resume scheduled course delivery. Entry Testing: All students living in on-campus housing (residence halls, campus apartments and Greek Houses) will be required to show proof of a negative test taken within 5 days before returning to their residence hall, or proof of a positive test within the last 90 days. Any type of COVID test, including an at-home test, will be accepted. Anyone who tests positive while getting an entry test should isolate before returning to campus. Students will soon receive a link to the portal where they can upload their test results. Monthly Testing: Students and employees who are not vaccinated will be required to test monthly throughout the spring semester. Wastewater Testing: Wastewater monitoring will continue through the spring semester. COVID testing will be required for all students in residence halls, campus apartments and Greek Houses whose wastewater shows a substantial spike in virus. Ventilation: We will continue to use HEPA filters in all classroom spaces. HEPA units should remain on at all times and are designed to run 24/7. While they do make some noise, they are also cleaning the air to protect against airborne bacteria, allergens, mold and viruses, including COVID-19. Vaccination and Boosters: Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and reduce the impact of COVID-19 on our community. The LSU vaccination mandate remains in place. Unvaccinated community members will resume standing testing protocols. Those who are eligible for the booster shot, as outlined by the Louisiana Department of Health, are strongly encouraged to get the booster before returning to campus. The academic calendar for the spring is unchanged, and we look forward to seeing you all back on campus soon. Thank you for your continued cooperation as we work to keep all members of the LSU community safe and healthy. Sincerely, William F. Tate IV LSU President Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. French tourism bosses last night told Emmanuel Macron to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers, accusing him of punishing the industry over worsening ties with Britain. The French president slapped the tough measures on UK tourists shortly before Christmas, claiming it was to stop the spread of the Omicron variant. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted. It comes as the countrys own public health agency yesterday admitted Omicron is now the most dominant variant in France. Omicron helped drive infection numbers to a record 232,000 new cases yesterday, piling more pressure on Mr Macron to back down. President Emmanuel Macron (pictured) has been told to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers Francois Badjily, head of the Alpe dHuez tourist office, suggested France was playing politics with the pandemic. We have the impression that our industry is being made to pay the price for the poor relations between both countries right now, whether its about Brexit or fishing or whatever, he said. Mr Badjily said the current rules were incoherent because fully vaccinated tourists from other countries where the Omicron strain is already present are able to visit. Vaccine passports are needed to enter French holiday hotspots such as ski resorts, as well as restaurants, bars and leisure facilities. Alpe dHuez draws a quarter of its visitors from the UK every year, and Mr Badjily added: Why should a Briton who meets these criteria not be allowed to come, but the French and Belgians can? Christophe Lavaut, director of the Val dIsere ski resort, also called on officials in Paris to axe the compelling reason to travel directive that has stopped holidaymakers coming to France. This restriction should simply be lifted as it is no longer necessary, he added. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted At least 42 per cent of Val dIseres customers are British, said Mr Lavaut, who urged his government to act at the beginning of January. Mr Macrons travel measures have created chaos and sowed confusion throughout the entire Christmas break. Earlier this week, border police even prevented Britons who were legal residents in the EU from returning to their homes French officials at the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone said they were not allowed to cross through France on health grounds. But the EUs top disease agency said in a report last month that Omicron travel restrictions only help buy valuable time during the first days of detection, adding that in countries already experiencing community transmission such measures will probably not be relevant for much longer. The French government failed to reply to the Mails request for comment. Germany will remove Britain from its travel red list on Tuesday after its government admitted Omicron was already widely present in the country. According to authorities, several people opened fire at the party just minutes before midnight. One of the injured is in critical condition. The investigation is underway. (ANI/Sputnik) Though local body elections in Madhya Pradesh have been cancelled, both the Congress and the BJP continue to attack each other over the OBC reservation issue, with an eye on the next Assembly polls scheduled in 2023. In a fresh twist, former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Kamal Nath on Saturday accused the BJP government of trying to suppress the people belonging to Other Backward Class (OBC). He alleged that the state government is using its power to threaten the members of the OBC community. Nath said that the OBC community was to launch a protest at Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's residence on January 2, but the BJP government threatened them by issuing notices. "OBC people said they are being intimidated, notices are being served to them. They are being made to sit in police stations. Why is the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government so afraid of the OBC community," Nath asked. He further said that the BJP government is neither doing anything for the OBC community, nor is it willing to listen to them. The OBC Mahasabha has decided to launch a protest on Sunday for excluding them from reservation in panchayat polls and many other issues related to the community. However, there is uncertainty whether the protest will be held. The state government on Friday (Dec 31) issued the Madhya Pradesh Panchayati Raj and Gram Swaraj Amendment Ordinance (II), annulling Kamal Nath government's ordinance of 2019. The move came days after the Shirvraj government withdrew its ordinance on panchayat elections. The fresh ordinance stated that if notification of election is not issued for any reason by the State Election Commission within 18 months from the date of publication of the delimitation or division of panchayats or their wards or constituencies done before the expiry of the term of panchayats, such delimitation or division shall be deemed cancelled on the expiry of the period of 18 months. In such a case, the delimitation or division of these panchayats and their wards and constituencies will be done afresh. Delimitation proceedings were held in September 2019 for the election of panchayats for the year 2020 in the state, which has been cancelled as a result of this ordinance. Now, the process of delimitation and division of panchayats and their wards and constituencies will be done again, on the basis of which the pending process of election will be completed. --IANS pd/skp/arm ( 413 Words) 2022-01-01-19:34:02 (IANS) Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Rachel Pidock holds her newborn son, Axle Zane Pidock. He was born at 1:29 a.m. at Aultman Orrville Hospital. ORRVILLE The New Year started out bright for two families at Aultman Orrville Hospital who welcomed their newest members just one minute apart. Rebecca Horst gave birth to Krista Marie Horst at 1:28 a.m. Saturday. The newborn weighed in at 9 pounds 6 ounces and is 20 inches long, according to a hospital spokesperson. Coping with COVID-19: Flex Yoga for the new year One minute later Axle Zane Pidock was born, weighing 6 pounds 6 1/2 ounces. He is 18.5 inches tall. Their births are the first of the New Year in Wayne County. Meanwhile at Wooster Community Hospital, Tanjiro Moore was born at 2:09 a.m. on Jan. 1 to Alaina Dugan and Collin Moore. Deciding baby names Rebecca and Wendell Horst hold their newborn daughter, Krista Marie Horst. She was born at 1:28 a.m. at Aultman Orrville Hospital. Rebecca Horst and her husband contemplated names and eventually settled on Krista, a name they both love. The newborn has three siblings who were excited to meet their new sister, Horst said. When she gets home, the mother of four will introduce Krista to the rest of her family. "She's a gift from God," Horst said about having a New Year's baby. James Pidock honored his hometown of Zanesville, Ohio, and chose Zane as their newborn son's middle name. As for his first name, Axle, they searched online for names, the couple said. "We Googled different names and wanted one that was trending," Rachel Pidock said. While Pidock is happy to have a healthy baby boy, she is excited to say he is a New Year's baby, something she never thought would happen. Axle Pidock will go home to his 1 1/2-year-old brother, Alistair Gideon Pidock. "I am very eager to find out how Alistair will react to the baby," she said. Tanjiro Moore was born at 2:09 a.m. Jan. 1, 2022 at Wooster Community Hospital. His parents are Alaina Dugan and Collin Moore. Tanjiro is among the first babies born in Wayne County on New Year's Day. Record number of births in 2021 The last year saw two milestones at Aultman Orrville. The hospital celebrated its 70-year anniversary. It also reported 516 births in 2021 a record high. This local record comes despite the lack of a pandemic baby boom nationally. While there were predictions of a COVID baby boom early in the pandemic, U.S. Census data shows that is not the case. Births fell from 2019, and reached a low in February 2021. Story continues Despite a COVID record year, we continued to proceed with normal deliveries, said Dr. Amelia Laing, chair of obstetrics/gynecology at Aultman Orrville. Our hospital excels at providing choices for women. Our patients enjoy a general feeling of hominess throughout our unit, and all of their needs are immediately available 24/7." The record comes in the same year the hospital is recognized by Newsweek as one of the Best Maternity Care Hospitals, according to a news release from Aultman Orrville. Reach Bryce by email at bbuyakie@gannett.com On Twitter: @Bryce_Buyakie This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: New Year's babies clock in 1 minute apart at Aultman Orrville Rachel Pidock holds her newborn son, Axle Zane Pidock. He was born at 1:29 a.m. at Aultman Orrville Hospital. ORRVILLE The New Year started out bright for two families at Aultman Orrville Hospital who welcomed their newest members just one minute apart. Rebecca Horst gave birth to Krista Marie Horst at 1:28 a.m. Saturday. The newborn weighed in at 9 pounds 6 ounces and is 20 inches long, according to a hospital spokesperson. Coping with COVID-19: Flex Yoga for the new year One minute later Axle Zane Pidock was born, weighing 6 pounds 6 1/2 ounces. He is 18.5 inches tall. Their births are the first of the New Year in Wayne County. Meanwhile at Wooster Community Hospital, Tanjiro Moore was born at 2:09 a.m. on Jan. 1 to Alaina Dugan and Collin Moore. Deciding baby names Rebecca and Wendell Horst hold their newborn daughter, Krista Marie Horst. She was born at 1:28 a.m. at Aultman Orrville Hospital. Rebecca Horst and her husband contemplated names and eventually settled on Krista, a name they both love. The newborn has three siblings who were excited to meet their new sister, Horst said. When she gets home, the mother of four will introduce Krista to the rest of her family. "She's a gift from God," Horst said about having a New Year's baby. James Pidock honored his hometown of Zanesville, Ohio, and chose Zane as their newborn son's middle name. As for his first name, Axle, they searched online for names, the couple said. "We Googled different names and wanted one that was trending," Rachel Pidock said. While Pidock is happy to have a healthy baby boy, she is excited to say he is a New Year's baby, something she never thought would happen. Axle Pidock will go home to his 1 1/2-year-old brother, Alistair Gideon Pidock. "I am very eager to find out how Alistair will react to the baby," she said. Tanjiro Moore was born at 2:09 a.m. Jan. 1, 2022 at Wooster Community Hospital. His parents are Alaina Dugan and Collin Moore. Tanjiro is among the first babies born in Wayne County on New Year's Day. Record number of births in 2021 The last year saw two milestones at Aultman Orrville. The hospital celebrated its 70-year anniversary. It also reported 516 births in 2021 a record high. This local record comes despite the lack of a pandemic baby boom nationally. While there were predictions of a COVID baby boom early in the pandemic, U.S. Census data shows that is not the case. Births fell from 2019, and reached a low in February 2021. Story continues Despite a COVID record year, we continued to proceed with normal deliveries, said Dr. Amelia Laing, chair of obstetrics/gynecology at Aultman Orrville. Our hospital excels at providing choices for women. Our patients enjoy a general feeling of hominess throughout our unit, and all of their needs are immediately available 24/7." The record comes in the same year the hospital is recognized by Newsweek as one of the Best Maternity Care Hospitals, according to a news release from Aultman Orrville. Reach Bryce by email at bbuyakie@gannett.com On Twitter: @Bryce_Buyakie This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: New Year's babies clock in 1 minute apart at Aultman Orrville Though local body elections in Madhya Pradesh have been cancelled, both the Congress and the BJP continue to attack each other over the OBC reservation issue, with an eye on the next Assembly polls scheduled in 2023. In a fresh twist, former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Kamal Nath on Saturday accused the BJP government of trying to suppress the people belonging to Other Backward Class (OBC). He alleged that the state government is using its power to threaten the members of the OBC community. Nath said that the OBC community was to launch a protest at Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's residence on January 2, but the BJP government threatened them by issuing notices. "OBC people said they are being intimidated, notices are being served to them. They are being made to sit in police stations. Why is the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government so afraid of the OBC community," Nath asked. He further said that the BJP government is neither doing anything for the OBC community, nor is it willing to listen to them. The OBC Mahasabha has decided to launch a protest on Sunday for excluding them from reservation in panchayat polls and many other issues related to the community. However, there is uncertainty whether the protest will be held. The state government on Friday (Dec 31) issued the Madhya Pradesh Panchayati Raj and Gram Swaraj Amendment Ordinance (II), annulling Kamal Nath government's ordinance of 2019. The move came days after the Shirvraj government withdrew its ordinance on panchayat elections. The fresh ordinance stated that if notification of election is not issued for any reason by the State Election Commission within 18 months from the date of publication of the delimitation or division of panchayats or their wards or constituencies done before the expiry of the term of panchayats, such delimitation or division shall be deemed cancelled on the expiry of the period of 18 months. In such a case, the delimitation or division of these panchayats and their wards and constituencies will be done afresh. Delimitation proceedings were held in September 2019 for the election of panchayats for the year 2020 in the state, which has been cancelled as a result of this ordinance. Now, the process of delimitation and division of panchayats and their wards and constituencies will be done again, on the basis of which the pending process of election will be completed. --IANS pd/skp/arm ( 413 Words) 2022-01-01-19:34:02 (IANS) Henry Baxter was away for Christmas, spending the holiday with his daughter Ellen and her family in Pennsylvania. Ellen and her husband, Robert Kavash, drove Baxter back to Buffalo on Monday, before they all grabbed a quick night's sleep and climbed into the car again, this time for a short ride to Ganson Street. It was a chance for Baxter to study the wind damage done to the 1897 Great Northern grain elevator, though the Old First Ward is a frequent destination whenever one of his three children return for a visit. In a larger way as it always is for him this was about truly being home. I appreciate the impact these grain elevators had on the development of the city, said Baxter, an engineer who like his father and grandfather spent years devoted to that district and its longtime purpose in Buffalo. At 98, he offers testament to the days when grain storage and milling were an economic engine fueling growth in a booming Great Lakes city. His family, he said, played a direct role in designing at least four new grain elevators in Buffalo, and in expanding or repairing many more. For Baxter, what has already been lost in that district over the years only underlines the visceral impact the Great Northern commands on Buffalo's ancient and almost primal waterfront skyline. He wishes the structure repaired and reinforced could survive the demolition order sought by Archer Daniels Midland, its owner, whose representatives declined to comment for this piece. The problem, as Baxter put it, is that rebuilding is not cheap. It leaves him wondering if anyone, on short notice, can provide the kind of capital that would make it possible to save the structure. A few blocks away, in downtown Buffalo, Douglas Jemal raises his hand. Jemal, a Washington, D.C., developer, arrived in Buffalo a few years ago and found a way to turn the lights back on in the long-dormant Seneca One tower, the city's tallest building. His Buffalo projects include a restoration of the Statler Hotel, whose sheer dimensions for years had been a formidable obstacle to restoration. He said those efforts the idea that he took on projects that it sometimes seemed might never be done ought to establish just how serious he is. Almost immediately, after a December windstorm knocked a hole in Great Northern and the city granted ADM a demolition order, Jemal told The News' Mark Sommer that he was willing to work with the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers Local 36 in an attempt to safely restore the building. Judge orders hearing Monday on whether Great Northern demolition order was 'rational' "This hearing will be limited to the issue of how the city reached its decision and, specifically, whether the commissioner had a rational basis for issuing the order for the demolition," State Supreme Court Justice Emilio Colaiacovo said. In a phone conversation Thursday, Jemal repeated that commitment. He described Great Northern as a civic treasure, an industrial Mona Lisa that captures the citys heritage in a singular way. He said he has received dozens upon dozens of messages of support since offering to step in, and the central point should be clear: The community cares so much about Great Northern that it warrants extraordinary measures to save it. Jemal knows that State Supreme Court Justice Emilio Colaiacovo has ordered a hearing for Monday on whether the city acted rationally in swiftly issuing an emergency demolition order. Jemal said the answer is evident: Razing the structure makes no sense. If ADM wants out of the situation, Jemal said he has a quick solution: Once the company provides a fair appraisal, Ill write them a check, he said. As for Baxter, I met him through Lorraine Pierro, president of Buffalo's Industrial Heritage Committee. While she and the Campaign for Greater Buffalo History, Architecture and Culture the organization that went to court to stop demolition share a passion for the building, their visions for what comes next diverge in a big way. Its almost like a billboard for Buffalo, said Paul McDonnell, Campaign for Greater Buffalo president, whose group released a rendering that envisions the vast ground floor as entrepreneurial space, while making recreational use of a sweeping wharf. McDonnell dreams of Great Northern as an illuminated nighttime centerpiece when national television crews visit for Bills games. To Pierro, the structure is intertwined with a functioning industrial milling area, meaning the most practical use would be as a giant, high-profile civic monument. Shore it up, she said, patch the vast hole with glass or plexiglass, and she said the view of the old metal bins inside would provide testament to what the Baxter family represents: A time when Buffalo was a world capital for grain storage, which is the tale of Baxter's life. His grandfather, Alfred E. Baxter, was an engineer who moved to Buffalo from Milwaukee in the 1890s to work in the burgeoning grain industry. That career was embraced by Henrys father, Allan, and by his late brother, Edward. Henry Baxter met his late wife, Gloria, here, and they built a marriage of 56 years. He wrote a book about the city's grain elevators. He eats Cheerios every morning, and he laughed when asked if that is because they are made on Buffalo's waterfront creating an aroma that floats across the city. Its a nice town, he said of why he never left, but the truth is that his family is in the fabric of the place. As an engineer, he tries to approach this debate with the sensibilities of his profession. In what amounts to a kind of difficult contradiction, he said the most compelling reason to save Great Northern is the same reason sustaining it might be so difficult. The metal bins, now visible, are protected by vast brick walls. More than a century ago, grain companies eventually realized that was a needless cost, since the bins provided adequate shelter by themselves. Baxter said the Great Northern, built before the turn of the century, is one of the last to use what he calls a shell of masonry" - what Chuck LaChiusa on his Buffalo Architecture and History web page describes as the sole surviving 'brickbox' working house elevator in North America. It shows you how things were done in 1896, Baxter said, of a transition point for the industry, which he also said is the best reason for saving it. The question, always the question, is the money. Baxter could not get close enough Tuesday to offer thoughts on structural integrity, but he summarized the core of the debate in a sentence: Certainly, there is a value in saving it, but whether the cost is up to the value is the real question mark. Jemal insists he can provide that lift, and that a community so passionate about the building would help him work out some creative mix of, say, museum space with offices for community organizations, or whatever makes sense. Sean Kirst: On Labor Day, the embodiment of Buffalo's waterfront roots To most of us, the grain elevators are a kind of industrial Stonehenge, haunting and mysterious forms from some distant past. Not to South Buffalos Wally As for Baxter, he is a living witness to a time when that industry attracted thousands upon thousands of workers to process millions of barrels of grain, pouring into the waterfront. He is always moved by what the surviving grain elevators evoke, a concrete atmosphere that McDonnell would agree offers a kind of concrete Stonehenge effect that still ignites sheer awe. Barely two months away from turning 99, Baxter has been here long enough to know these truths: Everything that offers hope to this community the staggering architecture, the beautiful vista of the lake and river and more than anything the magnificent and vibrant assortment of human beings, arriving here to build new purpose began with the citys magnitude as a port, and its apex as a granary for the world. It put Buffalo on the map, Baxter said, and were lucky for our location. That much holds true. Even now, he feels it. The question is as we again debate what ought to stay or go just how much it is worth to try and save that feeling for our kids. Henry Baxter was away for Christmas, spending the holiday with his daughter Ellen and her family in Pennsylvania. Ellen and her husband, Robert Kavash, drove Baxter back to Buffalo on Monday, before they all grabbed a quick night's sleep and climbed into the car again, this time for a short ride to Ganson Street. It was a chance for Baxter to study the wind damage done to the 1897 Great Northern grain elevator, though the Old First Ward is a frequent destination whenever one of his three children return for a visit. In a larger way as it always is for him this was about truly being home. I appreciate the impact these grain elevators had on the development of the city, said Baxter, an engineer who like his father and grandfather spent years devoted to that district and its longtime purpose in Buffalo. At 98, he offers testament to the days when grain storage and milling were an economic engine fueling growth in a booming Great Lakes city. His family, he said, played a direct role in designing at least four new grain elevators in Buffalo, and in expanding or repairing many more. For Baxter, what has already been lost in that district over the years only underlines the visceral impact the Great Northern commands on Buffalo's ancient and almost primal waterfront skyline. He wishes the structure repaired and reinforced could survive the demolition order sought by Archer Daniels Midland, its owner, whose representatives declined to comment for this piece. The problem, as Baxter put it, is that rebuilding is not cheap. It leaves him wondering if anyone, on short notice, can provide the kind of capital that would make it possible to save the structure. A few blocks away, in downtown Buffalo, Douglas Jemal raises his hand. Jemal, a Washington, D.C., developer, arrived in Buffalo a few years ago and found a way to turn the lights back on in the long-dormant Seneca One tower, the city's tallest building. His Buffalo projects include a restoration of the Statler Hotel, whose sheer dimensions for years had been a formidable obstacle to restoration. He said those efforts the idea that he took on projects that it sometimes seemed might never be done ought to establish just how serious he is. Almost immediately, after a December windstorm knocked a hole in Great Northern and the city granted ADM a demolition order, Jemal told The News' Mark Sommer that he was willing to work with the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers Local 36 in an attempt to safely restore the building. Judge orders hearing Monday on whether Great Northern demolition order was 'rational' "This hearing will be limited to the issue of how the city reached its decision and, specifically, whether the commissioner had a rational basis for issuing the order for the demolition," State Supreme Court Justice Emilio Colaiacovo said. In a phone conversation Thursday, Jemal repeated that commitment. He described Great Northern as a civic treasure, an industrial Mona Lisa that captures the citys heritage in a singular way. He said he has received dozens upon dozens of messages of support since offering to step in, and the central point should be clear: The community cares so much about Great Northern that it warrants extraordinary measures to save it. Jemal knows that State Supreme Court Justice Emilio Colaiacovo has ordered a hearing for Monday on whether the city acted rationally in swiftly issuing an emergency demolition order. Jemal said the answer is evident: Razing the structure makes no sense. If ADM wants out of the situation, Jemal said he has a quick solution: Once the company provides a fair appraisal, Ill write them a check, he said. As for Baxter, I met him through Lorraine Pierro, president of Buffalo's Industrial Heritage Committee. While she and the Campaign for Greater Buffalo History, Architecture and Culture the organization that went to court to stop demolition share a passion for the building, their visions for what comes next diverge in a big way. Its almost like a billboard for Buffalo, said Paul McDonnell, Campaign for Greater Buffalo president, whose group released a rendering that envisions the vast ground floor as entrepreneurial space, while making recreational use of a sweeping wharf. McDonnell dreams of Great Northern as an illuminated nighttime centerpiece when national television crews visit for Bills games. To Pierro, the structure is intertwined with a functioning industrial milling area, meaning the most practical use would be as a giant, high-profile civic monument. Shore it up, she said, patch the vast hole with glass or plexiglass, and she said the view of the old metal bins inside would provide testament to what the Baxter family represents: A time when Buffalo was a world capital for grain storage, which is the tale of Baxter's life. His grandfather, Alfred E. Baxter, was an engineer who moved to Buffalo from Milwaukee in the 1890s to work in the burgeoning grain industry. That career was embraced by Henrys father, Allan, and by his late brother, Edward. Henry Baxter met his late wife, Gloria, here, and they built a marriage of 56 years. He wrote a book about the city's grain elevators. He eats Cheerios every morning, and he laughed when asked if that is because they are made on Buffalo's waterfront creating an aroma that floats across the city. Its a nice town, he said of why he never left, but the truth is that his family is in the fabric of the place. As an engineer, he tries to approach this debate with the sensibilities of his profession. In what amounts to a kind of difficult contradiction, he said the most compelling reason to save Great Northern is the same reason sustaining it might be so difficult. The metal bins, now visible, are protected by vast brick walls. More than a century ago, grain companies eventually realized that was a needless cost, since the bins provided adequate shelter by themselves. Baxter said the Great Northern, built before the turn of the century, is one of the last to use what he calls a shell of masonry" - what Chuck LaChiusa on his Buffalo Architecture and History web page describes as the sole surviving 'brickbox' working house elevator in North America. It shows you how things were done in 1896, Baxter said, of a transition point for the industry, which he also said is the best reason for saving it. The question, always the question, is the money. Baxter could not get close enough Tuesday to offer thoughts on structural integrity, but he summarized the core of the debate in a sentence: Certainly, there is a value in saving it, but whether the cost is up to the value is the real question mark. Jemal insists he can provide that lift, and that a community so passionate about the building would help him work out some creative mix of, say, museum space with offices for community organizations, or whatever makes sense. Sean Kirst: On Labor Day, the embodiment of Buffalo's waterfront roots To most of us, the grain elevators are a kind of industrial Stonehenge, haunting and mysterious forms from some distant past. Not to South Buffalos Wally As for Baxter, he is a living witness to a time when that industry attracted thousands upon thousands of workers to process millions of barrels of grain, pouring into the waterfront. He is always moved by what the surviving grain elevators evoke, a concrete atmosphere that McDonnell would agree offers a kind of concrete Stonehenge effect that still ignites sheer awe. Barely two months away from turning 99, Baxter has been here long enough to know these truths: Everything that offers hope to this community the staggering architecture, the beautiful vista of the lake and river and more than anything the magnificent and vibrant assortment of human beings, arriving here to build new purpose began with the citys magnitude as a port, and its apex as a granary for the world. It put Buffalo on the map, Baxter said, and were lucky for our location. That much holds true. Even now, he feels it. The question is as we again debate what ought to stay or go just how much it is worth to try and save that feeling for our kids. Henry Baxter was away for Christmas, spending the holiday with his daughter Ellen and her family in Pennsylvania. Ellen and her husband, Robert Kavash, drove Baxter back to Buffalo on Monday, before they all grabbed a quick night's sleep and climbed into the car again, this time for a short ride to Ganson Street. It was a chance for Baxter to study the wind damage done to the 1897 Great Northern grain elevator, though the Old First Ward is a frequent destination whenever one of his three children return for a visit. In a larger way as it always is for him this was about truly being home. I appreciate the impact these grain elevators had on the development of the city, said Baxter, an engineer who like his father and grandfather spent years devoted to that district and its longtime purpose in Buffalo. At 98, he offers testament to the days when grain storage and milling were an economic engine fueling growth in a booming Great Lakes city. His family, he said, played a direct role in designing at least four new grain elevators in Buffalo, and in expanding or repairing many more. For Baxter, what has already been lost in that district over the years only underlines the visceral impact the Great Northern commands on Buffalo's ancient and almost primal waterfront skyline. He wishes the structure repaired and reinforced could survive the demolition order sought by Archer Daniels Midland, its owner, whose representatives declined to comment for this piece. The problem, as Baxter put it, is that rebuilding is not cheap. It leaves him wondering if anyone, on short notice, can provide the kind of capital that would make it possible to save the structure. A few blocks away, in downtown Buffalo, Douglas Jemal raises his hand. Jemal, a Washington, D.C., developer, arrived in Buffalo a few years ago and found a way to turn the lights back on in the long-dormant Seneca One tower, the city's tallest building. His Buffalo projects include a restoration of the Statler Hotel, whose sheer dimensions for years had been a formidable obstacle to restoration. He said those efforts the idea that he took on projects that it sometimes seemed might never be done ought to establish just how serious he is. Almost immediately, after a December windstorm knocked a hole in Great Northern and the city granted ADM a demolition order, Jemal told The News' Mark Sommer that he was willing to work with the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers Local 36 in an attempt to safely restore the building. Judge orders hearing Monday on whether Great Northern demolition order was 'rational' "This hearing will be limited to the issue of how the city reached its decision and, specifically, whether the commissioner had a rational basis for issuing the order for the demolition," State Supreme Court Justice Emilio Colaiacovo said. In a phone conversation Thursday, Jemal repeated that commitment. He described Great Northern as a civic treasure, an industrial Mona Lisa that captures the citys heritage in a singular way. He said he has received dozens upon dozens of messages of support since offering to step in, and the central point should be clear: The community cares so much about Great Northern that it warrants extraordinary measures to save it. Jemal knows that State Supreme Court Justice Emilio Colaiacovo has ordered a hearing for Monday on whether the city acted rationally in swiftly issuing an emergency demolition order. Jemal said the answer is evident: Razing the structure makes no sense. If ADM wants out of the situation, Jemal said he has a quick solution: Once the company provides a fair appraisal, Ill write them a check, he said. As for Baxter, I met him through Lorraine Pierro, president of Buffalo's Industrial Heritage Committee. While she and the Campaign for Greater Buffalo History, Architecture and Culture the organization that went to court to stop demolition share a passion for the building, their visions for what comes next diverge in a big way. Its almost like a billboard for Buffalo, said Paul McDonnell, Campaign for Greater Buffalo president, whose group released a rendering that envisions the vast ground floor as entrepreneurial space, while making recreational use of a sweeping wharf. McDonnell dreams of Great Northern as an illuminated nighttime centerpiece when national television crews visit for Bills games. To Pierro, the structure is intertwined with a functioning industrial milling area, meaning the most practical use would be as a giant, high-profile civic monument. Shore it up, she said, patch the vast hole with glass or plexiglass, and she said the view of the old metal bins inside would provide testament to what the Baxter family represents: A time when Buffalo was a world capital for grain storage, which is the tale of Baxter's life. His grandfather, Alfred E. Baxter, was an engineer who moved to Buffalo from Milwaukee in the 1890s to work in the burgeoning grain industry. That career was embraced by Henrys father, Allan, and by his late brother, Edward. Henry Baxter met his late wife, Gloria, here, and they built a marriage of 56 years. He wrote a book about the city's grain elevators. He eats Cheerios every morning, and he laughed when asked if that is because they are made on Buffalo's waterfront creating an aroma that floats across the city. Its a nice town, he said of why he never left, but the truth is that his family is in the fabric of the place. As an engineer, he tries to approach this debate with the sensibilities of his profession. In what amounts to a kind of difficult contradiction, he said the most compelling reason to save Great Northern is the same reason sustaining it might be so difficult. The metal bins, now visible, are protected by vast brick walls. More than a century ago, grain companies eventually realized that was a needless cost, since the bins provided adequate shelter by themselves. Baxter said the Great Northern, built before the turn of the century, is one of the last to use what he calls a shell of masonry" - what Chuck LaChiusa on his Buffalo Architecture and History web page describes as the sole surviving 'brickbox' working house elevator in North America. It shows you how things were done in 1896, Baxter said, of a transition point for the industry, which he also said is the best reason for saving it. The question, always the question, is the money. Baxter could not get close enough Tuesday to offer thoughts on structural integrity, but he summarized the core of the debate in a sentence: Certainly, there is a value in saving it, but whether the cost is up to the value is the real question mark. Jemal insists he can provide that lift, and that a community so passionate about the building would help him work out some creative mix of, say, museum space with offices for community organizations, or whatever makes sense. Sean Kirst: On Labor Day, the embodiment of Buffalo's waterfront roots To most of us, the grain elevators are a kind of industrial Stonehenge, haunting and mysterious forms from some distant past. Not to South Buffalos Wally As for Baxter, he is a living witness to a time when that industry attracted thousands upon thousands of workers to process millions of barrels of grain, pouring into the waterfront. He is always moved by what the surviving grain elevators evoke, a concrete atmosphere that McDonnell would agree offers a kind of concrete Stonehenge effect that still ignites sheer awe. Barely two months away from turning 99, Baxter has been here long enough to know these truths: Everything that offers hope to this community the staggering architecture, the beautiful vista of the lake and river and more than anything the magnificent and vibrant assortment of human beings, arriving here to build new purpose began with the citys magnitude as a port, and its apex as a granary for the world. It put Buffalo on the map, Baxter said, and were lucky for our location. That much holds true. Even now, he feels it. The question is as we again debate what ought to stay or go just how much it is worth to try and save that feeling for our kids. Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's "First Snow," left, is on display at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, as part of the 120th anniversary celebration of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021. Courtesy of Korea Foundation By Kwon Mee-yoo Wrapping up the celebration of the 120th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021, Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx presents a series of photos exploring the interactions between humans and nature. Co-hosted by the Korea Foundation (KF) and the Embassy of Belgium in Seoul, the exhibition sheds light on the simplicity and profoundness of nature in this complicated era at the KF Gallery in central Seoul. Korea Foundation Gallery President Lee Geun highlighted the longstanding relations of the two countries. "Since the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation in 1901, our two countries have formed a special and enduring partnership. Belgium sent over 3,000 soldiers to fight alongside Korea in the 1950s during the Korean War ... Both countries have witnessed harmony with the growing presence in the international community for operating for a better future," Lee said during the opening of the exhibition, Wednesday. Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps delivers a congratulatory speech during the opening of the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Korea Foundation Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps emphasized how Buyckx's work bridges humankind and nature in Kyrgyzstan, which is located between Belgium and Korea. "At first I was wondering, 'why such an exhibition for the 120th anniversary,' but then I realized that it has a lot to do with reflection from a new context. We are living in an ever-increasing digitalized and globalized world and this reminds us of the reality. We should not forget that the real nature is there, and we have to take care of nature and people I think it's very meaningful that you have to be reminded of the simplicity and the depth of life," Bontemps said. "I can only ask you to take the time to be impressed with this message from Frederik Buyckx the importance of the nexus of humans, nature and tradition." Buyckx is the winner of the Photographer of the Year at the 2017 SONY World Photography Awards, for capturing the "joys and loveliness in each and every environment." The title of the exhibition, "Horse Head," comes from At-Bashy, the name of a small Kyrgyz village the photographer stayed in during his first trip to Kyrgyzstan, which translates into "horse head." There, Buyckx witnessed and took part in the traditional Kyrgyz horseback game, "kok boru," and documented the semi-nomadic lifestyle of the shepherds and their connections with animals. Buyckx soon returned to Kyrgyzstan and stayed and traveled with the people, documenting the harsh cold weather of the Central Asian country and symbiotic lifestyle of the Kyrgyz people. The artist described that going into these mountains by horseback "feels like entering another world." There, he captured the snow-covered landscape of Kyrgyzstan, as well as the people, horses and the connection between them, through black-and-white photos. "To really investigate the connection people still have with nature, I knew I had to join them deep in the mountains I'm mainly observing and documenting, but at the same time, I'm learning a lot about life in these remote places," the photographer said in an interview provided for the exhibition. "I think photography is a way to investigate and to better understand the world, but for me, it's also the perfect excuse to just throw myself into a new adventure." Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps, right, and Kyrgyz Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova pose next to Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's works at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Kwon Mee-yoo This exhibition was also made possible through special cooperation with the Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Korea, as Buyckx's project took place in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova said that the photos show the unique nature of her mountainous country. "Our culture was formed under the influence of nomadic life. The connection between the Kyrgyz culture and nature can be traced everywhere, from design to music ... I hope this exhibition will reach the purpose of developing intercultural exchanges, thus strengthening friendship and mutual understanding among people," Ambassador Kemelova said. The physical exhibit runs until Feb. 9 and is also available to view via VR. Henry Baxter was away for Christmas, spending the holiday with his daughter Ellen and her family in Pennsylvania. Ellen and her husband, Robert Kavash, drove Baxter back to Buffalo on Monday, before they all grabbed a quick night's sleep and climbed into the car again, this time for a short ride to Ganson Street. It was a chance for Baxter to study the wind damage done to the 1897 Great Northern grain elevator, though the Old First Ward is a frequent destination whenever one of his three children return for a visit. In a larger way as it always is for him this was about truly being home. I appreciate the impact these grain elevators had on the development of the city, said Baxter, an engineer who like his father and grandfather spent years devoted to that district and its longtime purpose in Buffalo. At 98, he offers testament to the days when grain storage and milling were an economic engine fueling growth in a booming Great Lakes city. His family, he said, played a direct role in designing at least four new grain elevators in Buffalo, and in expanding or repairing many more. For Baxter, what has already been lost in that district over the years only underlines the visceral impact the Great Northern commands on Buffalo's ancient and almost primal waterfront skyline. He wishes the structure repaired and reinforced could survive the demolition order sought by Archer Daniels Midland, its owner, whose representatives declined to comment for this piece. The problem, as Baxter put it, is that rebuilding is not cheap. It leaves him wondering if anyone, on short notice, can provide the kind of capital that would make it possible to save the structure. A few blocks away, in downtown Buffalo, Douglas Jemal raises his hand. Jemal, a Washington, D.C., developer, arrived in Buffalo a few years ago and found a way to turn the lights back on in the long-dormant Seneca One tower, the city's tallest building. His Buffalo projects include a restoration of the Statler Hotel, whose sheer dimensions for years had been a formidable obstacle to restoration. He said those efforts the idea that he took on projects that it sometimes seemed might never be done ought to establish just how serious he is. Almost immediately, after a December windstorm knocked a hole in Great Northern and the city granted ADM a demolition order, Jemal told The News' Mark Sommer that he was willing to work with the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers Local 36 in an attempt to safely restore the building. Judge orders hearing Monday on whether Great Northern demolition order was 'rational' "This hearing will be limited to the issue of how the city reached its decision and, specifically, whether the commissioner had a rational basis for issuing the order for the demolition," State Supreme Court Justice Emilio Colaiacovo said. In a phone conversation Thursday, Jemal repeated that commitment. He described Great Northern as a civic treasure, an industrial Mona Lisa that captures the citys heritage in a singular way. He said he has received dozens upon dozens of messages of support since offering to step in, and the central point should be clear: The community cares so much about Great Northern that it warrants extraordinary measures to save it. Jemal knows that State Supreme Court Justice Emilio Colaiacovo has ordered a hearing for Monday on whether the city acted rationally in swiftly issuing an emergency demolition order. Jemal said the answer is evident: Razing the structure makes no sense. If ADM wants out of the situation, Jemal said he has a quick solution: Once the company provides a fair appraisal, Ill write them a check, he said. As for Baxter, I met him through Lorraine Pierro, president of Buffalo's Industrial Heritage Committee. While she and the Campaign for Greater Buffalo History, Architecture and Culture the organization that went to court to stop demolition share a passion for the building, their visions for what comes next diverge in a big way. Its almost like a billboard for Buffalo, said Paul McDonnell, Campaign for Greater Buffalo president, whose group released a rendering that envisions the vast ground floor as entrepreneurial space, while making recreational use of a sweeping wharf. McDonnell dreams of Great Northern as an illuminated nighttime centerpiece when national television crews visit for Bills games. To Pierro, the structure is intertwined with a functioning industrial milling area, meaning the most practical use would be as a giant, high-profile civic monument. Shore it up, she said, patch the vast hole with glass or plexiglass, and she said the view of the old metal bins inside would provide testament to what the Baxter family represents: A time when Buffalo was a world capital for grain storage, which is the tale of Baxter's life. His grandfather, Alfred E. Baxter, was an engineer who moved to Buffalo from Milwaukee in the 1890s to work in the burgeoning grain industry. That career was embraced by Henrys father, Allan, and by his late brother, Edward. Henry Baxter met his late wife, Gloria, here, and they built a marriage of 56 years. He wrote a book about the city's grain elevators. He eats Cheerios every morning, and he laughed when asked if that is because they are made on Buffalo's waterfront creating an aroma that floats across the city. Its a nice town, he said of why he never left, but the truth is that his family is in the fabric of the place. As an engineer, he tries to approach this debate with the sensibilities of his profession. In what amounts to a kind of difficult contradiction, he said the most compelling reason to save Great Northern is the same reason sustaining it might be so difficult. The metal bins, now visible, are protected by vast brick walls. More than a century ago, grain companies eventually realized that was a needless cost, since the bins provided adequate shelter by themselves. Baxter said the Great Northern, built before the turn of the century, is one of the last to use what he calls a shell of masonry" - what Chuck LaChiusa on his Buffalo Architecture and History web page describes as the sole surviving 'brickbox' working house elevator in North America. It shows you how things were done in 1896, Baxter said, of a transition point for the industry, which he also said is the best reason for saving it. The question, always the question, is the money. Baxter could not get close enough Tuesday to offer thoughts on structural integrity, but he summarized the core of the debate in a sentence: Certainly, there is a value in saving it, but whether the cost is up to the value is the real question mark. Jemal insists he can provide that lift, and that a community so passionate about the building would help him work out some creative mix of, say, museum space with offices for community organizations, or whatever makes sense. Sean Kirst: On Labor Day, the embodiment of Buffalo's waterfront roots To most of us, the grain elevators are a kind of industrial Stonehenge, haunting and mysterious forms from some distant past. Not to South Buffalos Wally As for Baxter, he is a living witness to a time when that industry attracted thousands upon thousands of workers to process millions of barrels of grain, pouring into the waterfront. He is always moved by what the surviving grain elevators evoke, a concrete atmosphere that McDonnell would agree offers a kind of concrete Stonehenge effect that still ignites sheer awe. Barely two months away from turning 99, Baxter has been here long enough to know these truths: Everything that offers hope to this community the staggering architecture, the beautiful vista of the lake and river and more than anything the magnificent and vibrant assortment of human beings, arriving here to build new purpose began with the citys magnitude as a port, and its apex as a granary for the world. It put Buffalo on the map, Baxter said, and were lucky for our location. That much holds true. Even now, he feels it. The question is as we again debate what ought to stay or go just how much it is worth to try and save that feeling for our kids. Advertisement Restaurant workers who had finished their New Years Eve night shift at a mountaintop restaurant in New Mexico, were forced to spend their first night of 2022 huddled together in a cable car after it became stuck in the middle of the night as it was transporting them back down the 10,300ft mountain. Guests had all left the TEN 3 restaurant high up in the Sandia Mountains in the early hours of Saturday morning leaving just 20 workers to be ferried back down to the ground to return to their homes. But just as they began their 15 minute descent, the wintry conditions worsened forcing the aeriel tramway to come to a halt as a freak storm blew in causing the cables to ice up making the entire system 'unsafe'. A spokesperson for Sandia Peak Tramway explained that the ice accumulated unusually fast on one of the cables, causing the cable to droop below the tram. After being stuck on the frozen cable car for hours, the workers were finally rappelled to safety 85feet below, one by one A rescue helicopter works to help passengers who were stuck overnight on a Sandia Peak Tramway on Saturday 1.) Two cable cars become stuck at 2am after icy conditions force tramway to be halted 2.) 20 restaurant workers are stuck on one car with 1 security guard stranded on the other 3.) Supplies and blankets are delivered up the mountain by hikers at 8am on Saturday morning 4.) Those stranded are rappelled 85feet down to ground from the cable cars on Saturday afternoon 5.) All 21 are finally rescued by helicopter late on Saturday afternoon Stranded, and with no realistic way to get down to the ground 85 feet beneath them, the workers were forced to wait until daylight before a daring rescue attempt could be made. At first light on Saturday, New Mexico search and rescue crews used ropes and helicopter to rescue all 21 people who had become stranded in the two tram cars after an iced-over cable caused the cars to become completely stuck. Lt. Robert Arguellas a Bernalillo County Fire Department spokesman, said early on Saturday afternoon that crews first managed to rescued 20 people stranded in one car and several hours later rescued a 21st person who was stranded by themselves in a second car. All the people on the two cars were employees of the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway or the mountaintop restaurant, TEN 3, Arguellas said. The other employee had been heading up the mountain was doing so to provide overnight security when the tram system suddenly shut down on New Years Eve due to icing, Arguellas explained. Restaurant workers were seen shivering in the cable car having been forced to spend the night there after the system stopped 20 restaurant workers were stuck on Sandia Peak Tramway following their New Years Eve service on Friday night A group of 20 employees had no choice but to wait until a daylight rescue attempt could be made due to the wintry conditions Restaurant workers were forced to sleep on the floor until help arrived as they remained stranded in the cable car The cable car was able to reach a support tower from where the restaurant workers were able to rappel 85 feet down After being stranded overnight in the frozen cable car, rescuers were able to slowly winch down the trapped workers A picture of a computer display from the rescue helicopter shows the gondola and the support tower where those waiting to be rescued were waiting Images from the rescue helicopter shows those waiting to be rescued on the ground, left, and the cable car stuck next to the support tower, right The stranded gondola can be seen on the left of this video and graphic from a rescue helicopter There was no report of any injuries among those who had become stranded, Arguellas said. 'More just pretty frustrated.' But it was quite the task in order to rescue those who were stranded in mid-air. To reach the 20 people who were in the one stuck car, operators were able to move it to a nearby support tower more than halfway up the mountain, with search and rescue personnel then hiking up the mountain early on Saturday morning before climbing the tower to deliver blankets and other supplies to those inside the heated car, Arguellas said. Over the course of several hours, search and rescue personnel then used ropes and other equipment to lower the stranded employees about 85 feet to the ground before escorting them to a nearby landing zone in the steep and rocky terrain where the tower was located. The tramway completely froze up after wintry conditions became so severe it became dangerous to operate the cable car At one stage it was extremely difficult to see the cable cars with visibility much reduced The two trams (right) were left immobilized because of icy conditions, officials said A rescue helicopter can be seen racing to pluck 20 people who were trapped aboard struck tram Daylight brought a clearer view of the mountain on which the 20 restaurant workers and security guard were stranded Imagery from a rescue helicopter shows that when conditions cleared a mission to reach the stranded restaurant workers was on track Images shot by the rescue helicopter shows one of the first responders, left, while a camera is able to assist, right The 20 people were then ferried by helicopter, several at a time, to the base of the mountain. Dramatic video from a livestream captured those trapped on the tramway rappelling from the disabled tram to the ground and then moving to a spot on the mountain where a helicopter could pick them up. Arguellas said the second car with the one employee aboard was higher up the mountain and at location where the car was too high above the ground to lower people by ropes. But the tram system was able to inch the second car down the cable to the rescue site at the support tower, and rescuers then used ropes to lower the 21st person as was done with the others, Arguellas said. Rescue helicopter delivers those trapped aboard tram to safety Saturday Members of the Bernalillo County Sheriff Search and Rescue team assist the people who were rescued after being stuck overnight in a tramway gondola at Sandia Peak near Albuquerque, New Mexico Restaurant workers crouch down as they leave the rescue helicopter which helped bring them to safety The restaurant workers can be seen getting ready to enter the County Sheriff's vehicles after their all night ordeal Members of the Bernalillo County Sheriff Search and Rescue team assist the people who were rescued after being stuck overnight in a tramway gondola The helicopter had to make several journies up to where the workers had become stranded The workers were ferried to safety as they were brought down to the ground by helicopter having spent the night in the air The rescue helicopter is seen sitting in a parking lot after it made the journey to pick up those who had been stranded Another of the restaurant workers is sent in the direction of safety following their all-nighter It had been a long night and an even longer wait for rescuers to arrive at the New Mexico cable car Alex Garcia jumped on her boyfriend as he was brought down safely using a Bernalillo County Sheriff's helicopter as passengers were rescued on Saturday. Garcia's boyfriend works at the restaurant atop of the Sandia Crest as a cook A passenger is rescued Saturday after a Sandia Peak Tramway car that was stranded overnight on New Year's Eve A Bernalillo County Sheriff helicopter assists in a rescue operation after people stuck overnight in a tramway gondola were rescued from Sandia Peak near Albuquerque Brian Coon, a tramway system manager, said there was an unusually fast accumulation of ice on one of the cables that made it droop below the tram, making it dangerous to keep going and causing the cable cars to stop moving at around 2am. Those rescued were workers at TEN 3 restaurant, located at the top of the mountain which bills itself as America's most breathtaking new dining experience on its website. The tram cars are supplied with food and water, as well as emergency heating blankets. 'Been stuck in Tram since 9p rescue happening soon,' Colleen Elvidge posted on social media Saturday morning, along with photos showing weary passengers in hoodies trying to keep warm with silver space blankets. Those trapped were in good condition despite having their festivities ruined, said Michael Donavan, general manager at Sandia Peak Tramway, located outside of Albuquerque. 'All 21 people and rescuers are off the mountain with no injuries. We want to thank BCSO, NM Search and Rescue Teams, NM State Police, and Sandia Peak Aerial Tram personnel for their assistance in making this a successful rescue. Way to start the New Year off right!!', Bernalillo County Fire Department tweeted on Saturday afternoon. Rising from the hustle and bustle of Albuquerque, the Sandia Aerial Tramway travels up the 10,378-foot crest of the Sandia Mountains. The journey takes 15 minutes The restaurant workers would normally have a very simple commute in a 15 minute gondala ride back down to the ground Spectacular views covering 11,000 sq miles and be witnesses from the TEN 3 restaurant at the top of the mountain Rachel Pidock holds her newborn son, Axle Zane Pidock. He was born at 1:29 a.m. at Aultman Orrville Hospital. ORRVILLE The New Year started out bright for two families at Aultman Orrville Hospital who welcomed their newest members just one minute apart. Rebecca Horst gave birth to Krista Marie Horst at 1:28 a.m. Saturday. The newborn weighed in at 9 pounds 6 ounces and is 20 inches long, according to a hospital spokesperson. Coping with COVID-19: Flex Yoga for the new year One minute later Axle Zane Pidock was born, weighing 6 pounds 6 1/2 ounces. He is 18.5 inches tall. Their births are the first of the New Year in Wayne County. Meanwhile at Wooster Community Hospital, Tanjiro Moore was born at 2:09 a.m. on Jan. 1 to Alaina Dugan and Collin Moore. Deciding baby names Rebecca and Wendell Horst hold their newborn daughter, Krista Marie Horst. She was born at 1:28 a.m. at Aultman Orrville Hospital. Rebecca Horst and her husband contemplated names and eventually settled on Krista, a name they both love. The newborn has three siblings who were excited to meet their new sister, Horst said. When she gets home, the mother of four will introduce Krista to the rest of her family. "She's a gift from God," Horst said about having a New Year's baby. James Pidock honored his hometown of Zanesville, Ohio, and chose Zane as their newborn son's middle name. As for his first name, Axle, they searched online for names, the couple said. "We Googled different names and wanted one that was trending," Rachel Pidock said. While Pidock is happy to have a healthy baby boy, she is excited to say he is a New Year's baby, something she never thought would happen. Axle Pidock will go home to his 1 1/2-year-old brother, Alistair Gideon Pidock. "I am very eager to find out how Alistair will react to the baby," she said. Tanjiro Moore was born at 2:09 a.m. Jan. 1, 2022 at Wooster Community Hospital. His parents are Alaina Dugan and Collin Moore. Tanjiro is among the first babies born in Wayne County on New Year's Day. Record number of births in 2021 The last year saw two milestones at Aultman Orrville. The hospital celebrated its 70-year anniversary. It also reported 516 births in 2021 a record high. This local record comes despite the lack of a pandemic baby boom nationally. While there were predictions of a COVID baby boom early in the pandemic, U.S. Census data shows that is not the case. Births fell from 2019, and reached a low in February 2021. Story continues Despite a COVID record year, we continued to proceed with normal deliveries, said Dr. Amelia Laing, chair of obstetrics/gynecology at Aultman Orrville. Our hospital excels at providing choices for women. Our patients enjoy a general feeling of hominess throughout our unit, and all of their needs are immediately available 24/7." The record comes in the same year the hospital is recognized by Newsweek as one of the Best Maternity Care Hospitals, according to a news release from Aultman Orrville. Reach Bryce by email at bbuyakie@gannett.com On Twitter: @Bryce_Buyakie This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: New Year's babies clock in 1 minute apart at Aultman Orrville Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's "First Snow," left, is on display at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, as part of the 120th anniversary celebration of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021. Courtesy of Korea Foundation By Kwon Mee-yoo Wrapping up the celebration of the 120th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021, Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx presents a series of photos exploring the interactions between humans and nature. Co-hosted by the Korea Foundation (KF) and the Embassy of Belgium in Seoul, the exhibition sheds light on the simplicity and profoundness of nature in this complicated era at the KF Gallery in central Seoul. Korea Foundation Gallery President Lee Geun highlighted the longstanding relations of the two countries. "Since the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation in 1901, our two countries have formed a special and enduring partnership. Belgium sent over 3,000 soldiers to fight alongside Korea in the 1950s during the Korean War ... Both countries have witnessed harmony with the growing presence in the international community for operating for a better future," Lee said during the opening of the exhibition, Wednesday. Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps delivers a congratulatory speech during the opening of the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Korea Foundation Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps emphasized how Buyckx's work bridges humankind and nature in Kyrgyzstan, which is located between Belgium and Korea. "At first I was wondering, 'why such an exhibition for the 120th anniversary,' but then I realized that it has a lot to do with reflection from a new context. We are living in an ever-increasing digitalized and globalized world and this reminds us of the reality. We should not forget that the real nature is there, and we have to take care of nature and people I think it's very meaningful that you have to be reminded of the simplicity and the depth of life," Bontemps said. "I can only ask you to take the time to be impressed with this message from Frederik Buyckx the importance of the nexus of humans, nature and tradition." Buyckx is the winner of the Photographer of the Year at the 2017 SONY World Photography Awards, for capturing the "joys and loveliness in each and every environment." The title of the exhibition, "Horse Head," comes from At-Bashy, the name of a small Kyrgyz village the photographer stayed in during his first trip to Kyrgyzstan, which translates into "horse head." There, Buyckx witnessed and took part in the traditional Kyrgyz horseback game, "kok boru," and documented the semi-nomadic lifestyle of the shepherds and their connections with animals. Buyckx soon returned to Kyrgyzstan and stayed and traveled with the people, documenting the harsh cold weather of the Central Asian country and symbiotic lifestyle of the Kyrgyz people. The artist described that going into these mountains by horseback "feels like entering another world." There, he captured the snow-covered landscape of Kyrgyzstan, as well as the people, horses and the connection between them, through black-and-white photos. "To really investigate the connection people still have with nature, I knew I had to join them deep in the mountains I'm mainly observing and documenting, but at the same time, I'm learning a lot about life in these remote places," the photographer said in an interview provided for the exhibition. "I think photography is a way to investigate and to better understand the world, but for me, it's also the perfect excuse to just throw myself into a new adventure." Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps, right, and Kyrgyz Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova pose next to Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's works at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Kwon Mee-yoo This exhibition was also made possible through special cooperation with the Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Korea, as Buyckx's project took place in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova said that the photos show the unique nature of her mountainous country. "Our culture was formed under the influence of nomadic life. The connection between the Kyrgyz culture and nature can be traced everywhere, from design to music ... I hope this exhibition will reach the purpose of developing intercultural exchanges, thus strengthening friendship and mutual understanding among people," Ambassador Kemelova said. The physical exhibit runs until Feb. 9 and is also available to view via VR. Rachel Pidock holds her newborn son, Axle Zane Pidock. He was born at 1:29 a.m. at Aultman Orrville Hospital. ORRVILLE The New Year started out bright for two families at Aultman Orrville Hospital who welcomed their newest members just one minute apart. Rebecca Horst gave birth to Krista Marie Horst at 1:28 a.m. Saturday. The newborn weighed in at 9 pounds 6 ounces and is 20 inches long, according to a hospital spokesperson. Coping with COVID-19: Flex Yoga for the new year One minute later Axle Zane Pidock was born, weighing 6 pounds 6 1/2 ounces. He is 18.5 inches tall. Their births are the first of the New Year in Wayne County. Meanwhile at Wooster Community Hospital, Tanjiro Moore was born at 2:09 a.m. on Jan. 1 to Alaina Dugan and Collin Moore. Deciding baby names Rebecca and Wendell Horst hold their newborn daughter, Krista Marie Horst. She was born at 1:28 a.m. at Aultman Orrville Hospital. Rebecca Horst and her husband contemplated names and eventually settled on Krista, a name they both love. The newborn has three siblings who were excited to meet their new sister, Horst said. When she gets home, the mother of four will introduce Krista to the rest of her family. "She's a gift from God," Horst said about having a New Year's baby. James Pidock honored his hometown of Zanesville, Ohio, and chose Zane as their newborn son's middle name. As for his first name, Axle, they searched online for names, the couple said. "We Googled different names and wanted one that was trending," Rachel Pidock said. While Pidock is happy to have a healthy baby boy, she is excited to say he is a New Year's baby, something she never thought would happen. Axle Pidock will go home to his 1 1/2-year-old brother, Alistair Gideon Pidock. "I am very eager to find out how Alistair will react to the baby," she said. Tanjiro Moore was born at 2:09 a.m. Jan. 1, 2022 at Wooster Community Hospital. His parents are Alaina Dugan and Collin Moore. Tanjiro is among the first babies born in Wayne County on New Year's Day. Record number of births in 2021 The last year saw two milestones at Aultman Orrville. The hospital celebrated its 70-year anniversary. It also reported 516 births in 2021 a record high. This local record comes despite the lack of a pandemic baby boom nationally. While there were predictions of a COVID baby boom early in the pandemic, U.S. Census data shows that is not the case. Births fell from 2019, and reached a low in February 2021. Story continues Despite a COVID record year, we continued to proceed with normal deliveries, said Dr. Amelia Laing, chair of obstetrics/gynecology at Aultman Orrville. Our hospital excels at providing choices for women. Our patients enjoy a general feeling of hominess throughout our unit, and all of their needs are immediately available 24/7." The record comes in the same year the hospital is recognized by Newsweek as one of the Best Maternity Care Hospitals, according to a news release from Aultman Orrville. Reach Bryce by email at bbuyakie@gannett.com On Twitter: @Bryce_Buyakie This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: New Year's babies clock in 1 minute apart at Aultman Orrville Passengers go through security, Tuesday, March 16, 2021, at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in Hebron, Ky. With the spread of the omicron variant of COVID-19 and a mix of severe weather and heavy snow, many flights across the country have been canceled, complicating travel plans for people traveling home from the holidays. Statistically, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport's cancellations and delays rank in the lower third of the Jan. 1 flights listed by Flight Aware, a flight tracking service. As of 3 p.m., the Cincinnati airport had 31 total delays and 25 total cancellations. CVG had 13 canceled and 16 delayed departures, as well as 12 canceled and 15 delayed arrivals. Those cancellations represent 11 percent of the airport's overall traffic. Allegiant Air had the most Cincinnati cancellations with 10. Frontier Airlines had three flight cancellations while the following airlines had two each: Skywest, Southwest, Delta, Piedmont, Endeavor Air and Mesa. By comparison, Chicago O'Hare International Airport had 165 delays and 840 cancellations as of 3 p.m., representing almost half its flights for the day, according to Flight Aware. Chicago's Midway International had 273 cancellations, representing 56 percent of the day's expected departures and 66 percent of its arrivals. Those airports were Nos. 1 and 2 in the world for the volume of cancellations and delays. View of jet bridges, Friday, May 14, 2021, at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in Hebron, Ky. Of the flights arriving at CVG from Chicago, three have been canceled and one was delayed. Of the flights arriving at Chicago from CVG, three were canceled and another three were delayed. Wintry conditions aren't forecast for Greater Cincinnati Saturday, although heavy rain and isolated flooding are possible, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington, Ohio. Thousands of flights within, entering or leaving the United States have been either canceled or delayed New Year's Day. As of 3 p.m., more than 2,700 flights were delayed and more than 2,500 flights were canceled, Flight Aware shows. According to USA TODAY, meteorologists predict travel-halting snowfall in at least 18 states on New Year's Day, with winter storm warnings in place for parts of nine states. Story continues Heavy snow was expected to spread from the Central Plains to the Mississippi Valley and Lower Great Lakes. Up to a foot of snow was likely from northeast Kansas to the Chicago Metro area. Severe storms and a chance or tornadoes are forecast throughout the South Saturday. More information about flights cancellations and delays nationwide can be found here. A breakdown of cancellations and delays at CVG can be found here. USA TODAY contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Omicron, weather cancel flights nationwide; what to expect at CVG Henry Baxter was away for Christmas, spending the holiday with his daughter Ellen and her family in Pennsylvania. Ellen and her husband, Robert Kavash, drove Baxter back to Buffalo on Monday, before they all grabbed a quick night's sleep and climbed into the car again, this time for a short ride to Ganson Street. It was a chance for Baxter to study the wind damage done to the 1897 Great Northern grain elevator, though the Old First Ward is a frequent destination whenever one of his three children return for a visit. In a larger way as it always is for him this was about truly being home. I appreciate the impact these grain elevators had on the development of the city, said Baxter, an engineer who like his father and grandfather spent years devoted to that district and its longtime purpose in Buffalo. At 98, he offers testament to the days when grain storage and milling were an economic engine fueling growth in a booming Great Lakes city. His family, he said, played a direct role in designing at least four new grain elevators in Buffalo, and in expanding or repairing many more. For Baxter, what has already been lost in that district over the years only underlines the visceral impact the Great Northern commands on Buffalo's ancient and almost primal waterfront skyline. He wishes the structure repaired and reinforced could survive the demolition order sought by Archer Daniels Midland, its owner, whose representatives declined to comment for this piece. The problem, as Baxter put it, is that rebuilding is not cheap. It leaves him wondering if anyone, on short notice, can provide the kind of capital that would make it possible to save the structure. A few blocks away, in downtown Buffalo, Douglas Jemal raises his hand. Jemal, a Washington, D.C., developer, arrived in Buffalo a few years ago and found a way to turn the lights back on in the long-dormant Seneca One tower, the city's tallest building. His Buffalo projects include a restoration of the Statler Hotel, whose sheer dimensions for years had been a formidable obstacle to restoration. He said those efforts the idea that he took on projects that it sometimes seemed might never be done ought to establish just how serious he is. Almost immediately, after a December windstorm knocked a hole in Great Northern and the city granted ADM a demolition order, Jemal told The News' Mark Sommer that he was willing to work with the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers Local 36 in an attempt to safely restore the building. Judge orders hearing Monday on whether Great Northern demolition order was 'rational' "This hearing will be limited to the issue of how the city reached its decision and, specifically, whether the commissioner had a rational basis for issuing the order for the demolition," State Supreme Court Justice Emilio Colaiacovo said. In a phone conversation Thursday, Jemal repeated that commitment. He described Great Northern as a civic treasure, an industrial Mona Lisa that captures the citys heritage in a singular way. He said he has received dozens upon dozens of messages of support since offering to step in, and the central point should be clear: The community cares so much about Great Northern that it warrants extraordinary measures to save it. Jemal knows that State Supreme Court Justice Emilio Colaiacovo has ordered a hearing for Monday on whether the city acted rationally in swiftly issuing an emergency demolition order. Jemal said the answer is evident: Razing the structure makes no sense. If ADM wants out of the situation, Jemal said he has a quick solution: Once the company provides a fair appraisal, Ill write them a check, he said. As for Baxter, I met him through Lorraine Pierro, president of Buffalo's Industrial Heritage Committee. While she and the Campaign for Greater Buffalo History, Architecture and Culture the organization that went to court to stop demolition share a passion for the building, their visions for what comes next diverge in a big way. Its almost like a billboard for Buffalo, said Paul McDonnell, Campaign for Greater Buffalo president, whose group released a rendering that envisions the vast ground floor as entrepreneurial space, while making recreational use of a sweeping wharf. McDonnell dreams of Great Northern as an illuminated nighttime centerpiece when national television crews visit for Bills games. To Pierro, the structure is intertwined with a functioning industrial milling area, meaning the most practical use would be as a giant, high-profile civic monument. Shore it up, she said, patch the vast hole with glass or plexiglass, and she said the view of the old metal bins inside would provide testament to what the Baxter family represents: A time when Buffalo was a world capital for grain storage, which is the tale of Baxter's life. His grandfather, Alfred E. Baxter, was an engineer who moved to Buffalo from Milwaukee in the 1890s to work in the burgeoning grain industry. That career was embraced by Henrys father, Allan, and by his late brother, Edward. Henry Baxter met his late wife, Gloria, here, and they built a marriage of 56 years. He wrote a book about the city's grain elevators. He eats Cheerios every morning, and he laughed when asked if that is because they are made on Buffalo's waterfront creating an aroma that floats across the city. Its a nice town, he said of why he never left, but the truth is that his family is in the fabric of the place. As an engineer, he tries to approach this debate with the sensibilities of his profession. In what amounts to a kind of difficult contradiction, he said the most compelling reason to save Great Northern is the same reason sustaining it might be so difficult. The metal bins, now visible, are protected by vast brick walls. More than a century ago, grain companies eventually realized that was a needless cost, since the bins provided adequate shelter by themselves. Baxter said the Great Northern, built before the turn of the century, is one of the last to use what he calls a shell of masonry" - what Chuck LaChiusa on his Buffalo Architecture and History web page describes as the sole surviving 'brickbox' working house elevator in North America. It shows you how things were done in 1896, Baxter said, of a transition point for the industry, which he also said is the best reason for saving it. The question, always the question, is the money. Baxter could not get close enough Tuesday to offer thoughts on structural integrity, but he summarized the core of the debate in a sentence: Certainly, there is a value in saving it, but whether the cost is up to the value is the real question mark. Jemal insists he can provide that lift, and that a community so passionate about the building would help him work out some creative mix of, say, museum space with offices for community organizations, or whatever makes sense. Sean Kirst: On Labor Day, the embodiment of Buffalo's waterfront roots To most of us, the grain elevators are a kind of industrial Stonehenge, haunting and mysterious forms from some distant past. Not to South Buffalos Wally As for Baxter, he is a living witness to a time when that industry attracted thousands upon thousands of workers to process millions of barrels of grain, pouring into the waterfront. He is always moved by what the surviving grain elevators evoke, a concrete atmosphere that McDonnell would agree offers a kind of concrete Stonehenge effect that still ignites sheer awe. Barely two months away from turning 99, Baxter has been here long enough to know these truths: Everything that offers hope to this community the staggering architecture, the beautiful vista of the lake and river and more than anything the magnificent and vibrant assortment of human beings, arriving here to build new purpose began with the citys magnitude as a port, and its apex as a granary for the world. It put Buffalo on the map, Baxter said, and were lucky for our location. That much holds true. Even now, he feels it. The question is as we again debate what ought to stay or go just how much it is worth to try and save that feeling for our kids. According to authorities, several people opened fire at the party just minutes before midnight. One of the injured is in critical condition. The investigation is underway. (ANI/Sputnik) Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's "First Snow," left, is on display at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, as part of the 120th anniversary celebration of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021. Courtesy of Korea Foundation By Kwon Mee-yoo Wrapping up the celebration of the 120th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021, Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx presents a series of photos exploring the interactions between humans and nature. Co-hosted by the Korea Foundation (KF) and the Embassy of Belgium in Seoul, the exhibition sheds light on the simplicity and profoundness of nature in this complicated era at the KF Gallery in central Seoul. Korea Foundation Gallery President Lee Geun highlighted the longstanding relations of the two countries. "Since the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation in 1901, our two countries have formed a special and enduring partnership. Belgium sent over 3,000 soldiers to fight alongside Korea in the 1950s during the Korean War ... Both countries have witnessed harmony with the growing presence in the international community for operating for a better future," Lee said during the opening of the exhibition, Wednesday. Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps delivers a congratulatory speech during the opening of the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Korea Foundation Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps emphasized how Buyckx's work bridges humankind and nature in Kyrgyzstan, which is located between Belgium and Korea. "At first I was wondering, 'why such an exhibition for the 120th anniversary,' but then I realized that it has a lot to do with reflection from a new context. We are living in an ever-increasing digitalized and globalized world and this reminds us of the reality. We should not forget that the real nature is there, and we have to take care of nature and people I think it's very meaningful that you have to be reminded of the simplicity and the depth of life," Bontemps said. "I can only ask you to take the time to be impressed with this message from Frederik Buyckx the importance of the nexus of humans, nature and tradition." Buyckx is the winner of the Photographer of the Year at the 2017 SONY World Photography Awards, for capturing the "joys and loveliness in each and every environment." The title of the exhibition, "Horse Head," comes from At-Bashy, the name of a small Kyrgyz village the photographer stayed in during his first trip to Kyrgyzstan, which translates into "horse head." There, Buyckx witnessed and took part in the traditional Kyrgyz horseback game, "kok boru," and documented the semi-nomadic lifestyle of the shepherds and their connections with animals. Buyckx soon returned to Kyrgyzstan and stayed and traveled with the people, documenting the harsh cold weather of the Central Asian country and symbiotic lifestyle of the Kyrgyz people. The artist described that going into these mountains by horseback "feels like entering another world." There, he captured the snow-covered landscape of Kyrgyzstan, as well as the people, horses and the connection between them, through black-and-white photos. "To really investigate the connection people still have with nature, I knew I had to join them deep in the mountains I'm mainly observing and documenting, but at the same time, I'm learning a lot about life in these remote places," the photographer said in an interview provided for the exhibition. "I think photography is a way to investigate and to better understand the world, but for me, it's also the perfect excuse to just throw myself into a new adventure." Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps, right, and Kyrgyz Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova pose next to Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's works at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Kwon Mee-yoo This exhibition was also made possible through special cooperation with the Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Korea, as Buyckx's project took place in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova said that the photos show the unique nature of her mountainous country. "Our culture was formed under the influence of nomadic life. The connection between the Kyrgyz culture and nature can be traced everywhere, from design to music ... I hope this exhibition will reach the purpose of developing intercultural exchanges, thus strengthening friendship and mutual understanding among people," Ambassador Kemelova said. The physical exhibit runs until Feb. 9 and is also available to view via VR. Advertisement Restaurant workers who had finished their New Years Eve night shift at a mountaintop restaurant in New Mexico, were forced to spend their first night of 2022 huddled together in a cable car after it became stuck in the middle of the night as it was transporting them back down the 10,300ft mountain. Guests had all left the TEN 3 restaurant high up in the Sandia Mountains in the early hours of Saturday morning leaving just 20 workers to be ferried back down to the ground to return to their homes. But just as they began their 15 minute descent, the wintry conditions worsened forcing the aeriel tramway to come to a halt as a freak storm blew in causing the cables to ice up making the entire system 'unsafe'. A spokesperson for Sandia Peak Tramway explained that the ice accumulated unusually fast on one of the cables, causing the cable to droop below the tram. After being stuck on the frozen cable car for hours, the workers were finally rappelled to safety 85feet below, one by one A rescue helicopter works to help passengers who were stuck overnight on a Sandia Peak Tramway on Saturday 1.) Two cable cars become stuck at 2am after icy conditions force tramway to be halted 2.) 20 restaurant workers are stuck on one car with 1 security guard stranded on the other 3.) Supplies and blankets are delivered up the mountain by hikers at 8am on Saturday morning 4.) Those stranded are rappelled 85feet down to ground from the cable cars on Saturday afternoon 5.) All 21 are finally rescued by helicopter late on Saturday afternoon Stranded, and with no realistic way to get down to the ground 85 feet beneath them, the workers were forced to wait until daylight before a daring rescue attempt could be made. At first light on Saturday, New Mexico search and rescue crews used ropes and helicopter to rescue all 21 people who had become stranded in the two tram cars after an iced-over cable caused the cars to become completely stuck. Lt. Robert Arguellas a Bernalillo County Fire Department spokesman, said early on Saturday afternoon that crews first managed to rescued 20 people stranded in one car and several hours later rescued a 21st person who was stranded by themselves in a second car. All the people on the two cars were employees of the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway or the mountaintop restaurant, TEN 3, Arguellas said. The other employee had been heading up the mountain was doing so to provide overnight security when the tram system suddenly shut down on New Years Eve due to icing, Arguellas explained. Restaurant workers were seen shivering in the cable car having been forced to spend the night there after the system stopped 20 restaurant workers were stuck on Sandia Peak Tramway following their New Years Eve service on Friday night A group of 20 employees had no choice but to wait until a daylight rescue attempt could be made due to the wintry conditions Restaurant workers were forced to sleep on the floor until help arrived as they remained stranded in the cable car The cable car was able to reach a support tower from where the restaurant workers were able to rappel 85 feet down After being stranded overnight in the frozen cable car, rescuers were able to slowly winch down the trapped workers A picture of a computer display from the rescue helicopter shows the gondola and the support tower where those waiting to be rescued were waiting Images from the rescue helicopter shows those waiting to be rescued on the ground, left, and the cable car stuck next to the support tower, right The stranded gondola can be seen on the left of this video and graphic from a rescue helicopter There was no report of any injuries among those who had become stranded, Arguellas said. 'More just pretty frustrated.' But it was quite the task in order to rescue those who were stranded in mid-air. To reach the 20 people who were in the one stuck car, operators were able to move it to a nearby support tower more than halfway up the mountain, with search and rescue personnel then hiking up the mountain early on Saturday morning before climbing the tower to deliver blankets and other supplies to those inside the heated car, Arguellas said. Over the course of several hours, search and rescue personnel then used ropes and other equipment to lower the stranded employees about 85 feet to the ground before escorting them to a nearby landing zone in the steep and rocky terrain where the tower was located. The tramway completely froze up after wintry conditions became so severe it became dangerous to operate the cable car At one stage it was extremely difficult to see the cable cars with visibility much reduced The two trams (right) were left immobilized because of icy conditions, officials said A rescue helicopter can be seen racing to pluck 20 people who were trapped aboard struck tram Daylight brought a clearer view of the mountain on which the 20 restaurant workers and security guard were stranded Imagery from a rescue helicopter shows that when conditions cleared a mission to reach the stranded restaurant workers was on track Images shot by the rescue helicopter shows one of the first responders, left, while a camera is able to assist, right The 20 people were then ferried by helicopter, several at a time, to the base of the mountain. Dramatic video from a livestream captured those trapped on the tramway rappelling from the disabled tram to the ground and then moving to a spot on the mountain where a helicopter could pick them up. Arguellas said the second car with the one employee aboard was higher up the mountain and at location where the car was too high above the ground to lower people by ropes. But the tram system was able to inch the second car down the cable to the rescue site at the support tower, and rescuers then used ropes to lower the 21st person as was done with the others, Arguellas said. Rescue helicopter delivers those trapped aboard tram to safety Saturday Members of the Bernalillo County Sheriff Search and Rescue team assist the people who were rescued after being stuck overnight in a tramway gondola at Sandia Peak near Albuquerque, New Mexico Restaurant workers crouch down as they leave the rescue helicopter which helped bring them to safety The restaurant workers can be seen getting ready to enter the County Sheriff's vehicles after their all night ordeal Members of the Bernalillo County Sheriff Search and Rescue team assist the people who were rescued after being stuck overnight in a tramway gondola The helicopter had to make several journies up to where the workers had become stranded The workers were ferried to safety as they were brought down to the ground by helicopter having spent the night in the air The rescue helicopter is seen sitting in a parking lot after it made the journey to pick up those who had been stranded Another of the restaurant workers is sent in the direction of safety following their all-nighter It had been a long night and an even longer wait for rescuers to arrive at the New Mexico cable car Alex Garcia jumped on her boyfriend as he was brought down safely using a Bernalillo County Sheriff's helicopter as passengers were rescued on Saturday. Garcia's boyfriend works at the restaurant atop of the Sandia Crest as a cook A passenger is rescued Saturday after a Sandia Peak Tramway car that was stranded overnight on New Year's Eve A Bernalillo County Sheriff helicopter assists in a rescue operation after people stuck overnight in a tramway gondola were rescued from Sandia Peak near Albuquerque Brian Coon, a tramway system manager, said there was an unusually fast accumulation of ice on one of the cables that made it droop below the tram, making it dangerous to keep going and causing the cable cars to stop moving at around 2am. Those rescued were workers at TEN 3 restaurant, located at the top of the mountain which bills itself as America's most breathtaking new dining experience on its website. The tram cars are supplied with food and water, as well as emergency heating blankets. 'Been stuck in Tram since 9p rescue happening soon,' Colleen Elvidge posted on social media Saturday morning, along with photos showing weary passengers in hoodies trying to keep warm with silver space blankets. Those trapped were in good condition despite having their festivities ruined, said Michael Donavan, general manager at Sandia Peak Tramway, located outside of Albuquerque. 'All 21 people and rescuers are off the mountain with no injuries. We want to thank BCSO, NM Search and Rescue Teams, NM State Police, and Sandia Peak Aerial Tram personnel for their assistance in making this a successful rescue. Way to start the New Year off right!!', Bernalillo County Fire Department tweeted on Saturday afternoon. Rising from the hustle and bustle of Albuquerque, the Sandia Aerial Tramway travels up the 10,378-foot crest of the Sandia Mountains. The journey takes 15 minutes The restaurant workers would normally have a very simple commute in a 15 minute gondala ride back down to the ground Spectacular views covering 11,000 sq miles and be witnesses from the TEN 3 restaurant at the top of the mountain Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Rachel Pidock holds her newborn son, Axle Zane Pidock. He was born at 1:29 a.m. at Aultman Orrville Hospital. ORRVILLE The New Year started out bright for two families at Aultman Orrville Hospital who welcomed their newest members just one minute apart. Rebecca Horst gave birth to Krista Marie Horst at 1:28 a.m. Saturday. The newborn weighed in at 9 pounds 6 ounces and is 20 inches long, according to a hospital spokesperson. Coping with COVID-19: Flex Yoga for the new year One minute later Axle Zane Pidock was born, weighing 6 pounds 6 1/2 ounces. He is 18.5 inches tall. Their births are the first of the New Year in Wayne County. Meanwhile at Wooster Community Hospital, Tanjiro Moore was born at 2:09 a.m. on Jan. 1 to Alaina Dugan and Collin Moore. Deciding baby names Rebecca and Wendell Horst hold their newborn daughter, Krista Marie Horst. She was born at 1:28 a.m. at Aultman Orrville Hospital. Rebecca Horst and her husband contemplated names and eventually settled on Krista, a name they both love. The newborn has three siblings who were excited to meet their new sister, Horst said. When she gets home, the mother of four will introduce Krista to the rest of her family. "She's a gift from God," Horst said about having a New Year's baby. James Pidock honored his hometown of Zanesville, Ohio, and chose Zane as their newborn son's middle name. As for his first name, Axle, they searched online for names, the couple said. "We Googled different names and wanted one that was trending," Rachel Pidock said. While Pidock is happy to have a healthy baby boy, she is excited to say he is a New Year's baby, something she never thought would happen. Axle Pidock will go home to his 1 1/2-year-old brother, Alistair Gideon Pidock. "I am very eager to find out how Alistair will react to the baby," she said. Tanjiro Moore was born at 2:09 a.m. Jan. 1, 2022 at Wooster Community Hospital. His parents are Alaina Dugan and Collin Moore. Tanjiro is among the first babies born in Wayne County on New Year's Day. Record number of births in 2021 The last year saw two milestones at Aultman Orrville. The hospital celebrated its 70-year anniversary. It also reported 516 births in 2021 a record high. This local record comes despite the lack of a pandemic baby boom nationally. While there were predictions of a COVID baby boom early in the pandemic, U.S. Census data shows that is not the case. Births fell from 2019, and reached a low in February 2021. Story continues Despite a COVID record year, we continued to proceed with normal deliveries, said Dr. Amelia Laing, chair of obstetrics/gynecology at Aultman Orrville. Our hospital excels at providing choices for women. Our patients enjoy a general feeling of hominess throughout our unit, and all of their needs are immediately available 24/7." The record comes in the same year the hospital is recognized by Newsweek as one of the Best Maternity Care Hospitals, according to a news release from Aultman Orrville. Reach Bryce by email at bbuyakie@gannett.com On Twitter: @Bryce_Buyakie This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: New Year's babies clock in 1 minute apart at Aultman Orrville Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. The Reverend Emmanuel Franklin Agyeman, Senior Pastor of the Banner of Grace Ministries, has urged Christians to follow established processes to have the fruitfulness they deserved in the New Year. Rev Agyeman gave the advice during the Church's December 31 watch night service to usher in the year 2022 amid singing, dancing, prayers, declarations and jubilations. Rev. Agyeman, who declared the year 2022 as the year of fruitfulness for members of the church, emphasized that scriptures were explicit about the fact that everyone had an hour for his or her progress and fruitfulness. However, progress is achieved through various processes. According to him, the first process was to be in the right environment, explaining that the parable of the sower in the Bible showed that all the seeds had the potential to grow but the environment that it fell determined its outcome. The second requirement for fruitfulness, he noted, was the ability of a person to isolate from some things, stressing that loneliness is not always a curse, it can bring the potential in you out, it is a principle for growth. Rev. Agyeman further said there was also the need for Christians to die to the things of the flesh, including alcoholism and sexual immoralities, among others. He cautioned that failure to discipline oneself against such things would mean such promised blessings of fruitfulness from God would only sound like a jingle in their minds without seeing its manifestation. He said the fourth and fifth processes respectively were the need to water one's expectations with the studying of the Word of God and fertilize it by surrounding oneself with encouragers who would help them to achieve their aims. No matter how spiritual you are, if you surround yourself with people who will discourage you, you cannot make it, he emphasized. The Banner of Grace Senior Pastor also noted that there was the need to use good networking as the sunshine for the good things that Christians expected to be fruitful in the year 2022. He explained that three things were needed in everyone's life - hard work, networking and smart work. Rev. Agyeman indicated that just like plants, Christians must prune themselves as part of the processes to fruitfulness by cutting off unacceptable behaviours such as disrespectfulness, laziness, impulse buying and covetousness, among others. He said above all Christians must give themselves time and patient to grow, you can't force the seed to grow, you must give it time, learn to give yourself time to be fruitful. GNA PHILADELPHIA (Tribune News Service) On the streets of Philadelphia, 2022 began where 2021 left off. It took less than four hours for 14 people to get shot, two of them killed in two separate violent outbursts. One of the dead was only 16 years old. Police responded to calls for a person shot on Cecil B. Moore Avenue between Wellington and 17th Streets near Temple University at about 1:50 a.m. Saturday. Officers found two people who had been shot, one of them a 16-year-old boy with a single gunshot wound to the back of his head. The other was a 27-year-old man who had been shot once in the left leg. Both were rushed to Temple University Hospital, where the teenager died shortly after arrival. The man was listed in stable condition. Police did not identify the victims. Two women and one man also suffered gunshot wounds at the scene, and Temple University police took all three to Temple Hospital. A 23-year-old woman was shot once in the leg, and another woman, about 20 years old, was shot once in the pelvis. Both were in stable condition Saturday afternoon. Gunfire also struck a man, also about 20 years old, multiple times in the chest and he's in critical condition, police said. All victims were part of a large group gathered to celebrate the new year. No weapon was recovered, police said. "We do not have a lot of information on the shooter," Inspector D F Pace told reporters at the scene. But there are numerous surveillance cameras in the area. "Our homicide detectives will be combing through that video to see what else we can glean with respect to what occurred here this evening," he said. Shortly before that shooting, at around 1:30 a.m., 25th District officers received multiple calls about gunshots in the 100 block of East Luray Street near North Front Street in Feltonville. Police found a 33-year-old man who had been shot multiple times in the chest. He was rushed to Temple Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Two women, both 23 and acquaintances of the victim, were shot once in the leg. Police took them to Temple, where they were listed in stable condition. The crime scene was an auto parts or repair shop that had been converted as a backdrop for a large New Year's Eve bash. Police found six spent shell casings, one projectile and a significant amount of blood, Pace said. Homicide detectives were questioning a number of the revelers. At 2:15 a.m., a man and a woman were shot at 8th and Cambria Streets in the Fairhill section. A 36-year-old man was struck twice in the right leg, and once in the left. A 22-year-old woman was shot in the right eye. Both were taken by a private vehicle to Temple Hospital, where they were in stable condition. At 3:23 a.m., a 28-year-old man was shot twice in the lower leg at Torresdale Avenue and Howell Street in the Wissinoming section. He was in stable condition at Temple Hospital. And there was a triple shooting in the 3900 block of Frankford Avenue, but police have not yet determined when gunshots started popping. Police recovered weapons nearby. A 23-year-old man was shot once in the leg and was taken by a private car to Temple Hospital. Two men, 21 and 23, who were both shot in the abdomen, walked into St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. Both are listed in critical but stable condition, police said. This was the continuation of a year in Philadelphia that hit an all-time high for killings. In 2021, at least 560 people were murdered, a bigger tally than in more heavily populated cities including New York and Los Angeles. The vast majority of Philadelphia homicides have been committed with firearms. And the number of women slain has surged. As of last Monday, 70 women were killed in homicides last year, an 84% leap from 2020. On Nov. 20, Jessica Covington, 32, who was pregnant, was shot multiple times in the head and stomach just after 8:30 p.m. on the 6100 block of Palmetto Street in Crescentville, where she lived. Both she and her unborn baby were killed. She had just left her own baby shower and was unloading gifts from her vehicle when shots rang out, detectives believe. Last Thursday, a gunfight erupted in Germantown that left a 21-year-old woman in critical condition and five men injured. Six armed men had jumped out of a van and opened fire on the group on a street corner. Some of those people shot back. In all, more than 65 shots were traded on the 5100 block of Germantown Avenue near Collom Street. The gun battle prompted City Councilmember Cindy Bass, who represents the area, to ask Mayor Jim Kenney and Gov. Tom Wolf to dispatch National Guard troops to the city to support the Police Department and help enforce laws. "We cannot fight the tragic escalation of gun violence alone," Bass said in a statement. Kenney said he had no plans to call in the National Guard. Earlier last year, he rejected similar calls by community activists as the number of shootings soared. 2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. PHILADELPHIA (Tribune News Service) On the streets of Philadelphia, 2022 began where 2021 left off. It took less than four hours for 14 people to get shot, two of them killed in two separate violent outbursts. One of the dead was only 16 years old. Police responded to calls for a person shot on Cecil B. Moore Avenue between Wellington and 17th Streets near Temple University at about 1:50 a.m. Saturday. Officers found two people who had been shot, one of them a 16-year-old boy with a single gunshot wound to the back of his head. The other was a 27-year-old man who had been shot once in the left leg. Both were rushed to Temple University Hospital, where the teenager died shortly after arrival. The man was listed in stable condition. Police did not identify the victims. Two women and one man also suffered gunshot wounds at the scene, and Temple University police took all three to Temple Hospital. A 23-year-old woman was shot once in the leg, and another woman, about 20 years old, was shot once in the pelvis. Both were in stable condition Saturday afternoon. Gunfire also struck a man, also about 20 years old, multiple times in the chest and he's in critical condition, police said. All victims were part of a large group gathered to celebrate the new year. No weapon was recovered, police said. "We do not have a lot of information on the shooter," Inspector D F Pace told reporters at the scene. But there are numerous surveillance cameras in the area. "Our homicide detectives will be combing through that video to see what else we can glean with respect to what occurred here this evening," he said. Shortly before that shooting, at around 1:30 a.m., 25th District officers received multiple calls about gunshots in the 100 block of East Luray Street near North Front Street in Feltonville. Police found a 33-year-old man who had been shot multiple times in the chest. He was rushed to Temple Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Two women, both 23 and acquaintances of the victim, were shot once in the leg. Police took them to Temple, where they were listed in stable condition. The crime scene was an auto parts or repair shop that had been converted as a backdrop for a large New Year's Eve bash. Police found six spent shell casings, one projectile and a significant amount of blood, Pace said. Homicide detectives were questioning a number of the revelers. At 2:15 a.m., a man and a woman were shot at 8th and Cambria Streets in the Fairhill section. A 36-year-old man was struck twice in the right leg, and once in the left. A 22-year-old woman was shot in the right eye. Both were taken by a private vehicle to Temple Hospital, where they were in stable condition. At 3:23 a.m., a 28-year-old man was shot twice in the lower leg at Torresdale Avenue and Howell Street in the Wissinoming section. He was in stable condition at Temple Hospital. And there was a triple shooting in the 3900 block of Frankford Avenue, but police have not yet determined when gunshots started popping. Police recovered weapons nearby. A 23-year-old man was shot once in the leg and was taken by a private car to Temple Hospital. Two men, 21 and 23, who were both shot in the abdomen, walked into St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. Both are listed in critical but stable condition, police said. This was the continuation of a year in Philadelphia that hit an all-time high for killings. In 2021, at least 560 people were murdered, a bigger tally than in more heavily populated cities including New York and Los Angeles. The vast majority of Philadelphia homicides have been committed with firearms. And the number of women slain has surged. As of last Monday, 70 women were killed in homicides last year, an 84% leap from 2020. On Nov. 20, Jessica Covington, 32, who was pregnant, was shot multiple times in the head and stomach just after 8:30 p.m. on the 6100 block of Palmetto Street in Crescentville, where she lived. Both she and her unborn baby were killed. She had just left her own baby shower and was unloading gifts from her vehicle when shots rang out, detectives believe. Last Thursday, a gunfight erupted in Germantown that left a 21-year-old woman in critical condition and five men injured. Six armed men had jumped out of a van and opened fire on the group on a street corner. Some of those people shot back. In all, more than 65 shots were traded on the 5100 block of Germantown Avenue near Collom Street. The gun battle prompted City Councilmember Cindy Bass, who represents the area, to ask Mayor Jim Kenney and Gov. Tom Wolf to dispatch National Guard troops to the city to support the Police Department and help enforce laws. "We cannot fight the tragic escalation of gun violence alone," Bass said in a statement. Kenney said he had no plans to call in the National Guard. Earlier last year, he rejected similar calls by community activists as the number of shootings soared. 2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's "First Snow," left, is on display at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, as part of the 120th anniversary celebration of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021. Courtesy of Korea Foundation By Kwon Mee-yoo Wrapping up the celebration of the 120th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021, Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx presents a series of photos exploring the interactions between humans and nature. Co-hosted by the Korea Foundation (KF) and the Embassy of Belgium in Seoul, the exhibition sheds light on the simplicity and profoundness of nature in this complicated era at the KF Gallery in central Seoul. Korea Foundation Gallery President Lee Geun highlighted the longstanding relations of the two countries. "Since the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation in 1901, our two countries have formed a special and enduring partnership. Belgium sent over 3,000 soldiers to fight alongside Korea in the 1950s during the Korean War ... Both countries have witnessed harmony with the growing presence in the international community for operating for a better future," Lee said during the opening of the exhibition, Wednesday. Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps delivers a congratulatory speech during the opening of the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Korea Foundation Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps emphasized how Buyckx's work bridges humankind and nature in Kyrgyzstan, which is located between Belgium and Korea. "At first I was wondering, 'why such an exhibition for the 120th anniversary,' but then I realized that it has a lot to do with reflection from a new context. We are living in an ever-increasing digitalized and globalized world and this reminds us of the reality. We should not forget that the real nature is there, and we have to take care of nature and people I think it's very meaningful that you have to be reminded of the simplicity and the depth of life," Bontemps said. "I can only ask you to take the time to be impressed with this message from Frederik Buyckx the importance of the nexus of humans, nature and tradition." Buyckx is the winner of the Photographer of the Year at the 2017 SONY World Photography Awards, for capturing the "joys and loveliness in each and every environment." The title of the exhibition, "Horse Head," comes from At-Bashy, the name of a small Kyrgyz village the photographer stayed in during his first trip to Kyrgyzstan, which translates into "horse head." There, Buyckx witnessed and took part in the traditional Kyrgyz horseback game, "kok boru," and documented the semi-nomadic lifestyle of the shepherds and their connections with animals. Buyckx soon returned to Kyrgyzstan and stayed and traveled with the people, documenting the harsh cold weather of the Central Asian country and symbiotic lifestyle of the Kyrgyz people. The artist described that going into these mountains by horseback "feels like entering another world." There, he captured the snow-covered landscape of Kyrgyzstan, as well as the people, horses and the connection between them, through black-and-white photos. "To really investigate the connection people still have with nature, I knew I had to join them deep in the mountains I'm mainly observing and documenting, but at the same time, I'm learning a lot about life in these remote places," the photographer said in an interview provided for the exhibition. "I think photography is a way to investigate and to better understand the world, but for me, it's also the perfect excuse to just throw myself into a new adventure." Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps, right, and Kyrgyz Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova pose next to Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's works at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Kwon Mee-yoo This exhibition was also made possible through special cooperation with the Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Korea, as Buyckx's project took place in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova said that the photos show the unique nature of her mountainous country. "Our culture was formed under the influence of nomadic life. The connection between the Kyrgyz culture and nature can be traced everywhere, from design to music ... I hope this exhibition will reach the purpose of developing intercultural exchanges, thus strengthening friendship and mutual understanding among people," Ambassador Kemelova said. The physical exhibit runs until Feb. 9 and is also available to view via VR. PHILADELPHIA (Tribune News Service) On the streets of Philadelphia, 2022 began where 2021 left off. It took less than four hours for 14 people to get shot, two of them killed in two separate violent outbursts. One of the dead was only 16 years old. Police responded to calls for a person shot on Cecil B. Moore Avenue between Wellington and 17th Streets near Temple University at about 1:50 a.m. Saturday. Officers found two people who had been shot, one of them a 16-year-old boy with a single gunshot wound to the back of his head. The other was a 27-year-old man who had been shot once in the left leg. Both were rushed to Temple University Hospital, where the teenager died shortly after arrival. The man was listed in stable condition. Police did not identify the victims. Two women and one man also suffered gunshot wounds at the scene, and Temple University police took all three to Temple Hospital. A 23-year-old woman was shot once in the leg, and another woman, about 20 years old, was shot once in the pelvis. Both were in stable condition Saturday afternoon. Gunfire also struck a man, also about 20 years old, multiple times in the chest and he's in critical condition, police said. All victims were part of a large group gathered to celebrate the new year. No weapon was recovered, police said. "We do not have a lot of information on the shooter," Inspector D F Pace told reporters at the scene. But there are numerous surveillance cameras in the area. "Our homicide detectives will be combing through that video to see what else we can glean with respect to what occurred here this evening," he said. Shortly before that shooting, at around 1:30 a.m., 25th District officers received multiple calls about gunshots in the 100 block of East Luray Street near North Front Street in Feltonville. Police found a 33-year-old man who had been shot multiple times in the chest. He was rushed to Temple Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Two women, both 23 and acquaintances of the victim, were shot once in the leg. Police took them to Temple, where they were listed in stable condition. The crime scene was an auto parts or repair shop that had been converted as a backdrop for a large New Year's Eve bash. Police found six spent shell casings, one projectile and a significant amount of blood, Pace said. Homicide detectives were questioning a number of the revelers. At 2:15 a.m., a man and a woman were shot at 8th and Cambria Streets in the Fairhill section. A 36-year-old man was struck twice in the right leg, and once in the left. A 22-year-old woman was shot in the right eye. Both were taken by a private vehicle to Temple Hospital, where they were in stable condition. At 3:23 a.m., a 28-year-old man was shot twice in the lower leg at Torresdale Avenue and Howell Street in the Wissinoming section. He was in stable condition at Temple Hospital. And there was a triple shooting in the 3900 block of Frankford Avenue, but police have not yet determined when gunshots started popping. Police recovered weapons nearby. A 23-year-old man was shot once in the leg and was taken by a private car to Temple Hospital. Two men, 21 and 23, who were both shot in the abdomen, walked into St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. Both are listed in critical but stable condition, police said. This was the continuation of a year in Philadelphia that hit an all-time high for killings. In 2021, at least 560 people were murdered, a bigger tally than in more heavily populated cities including New York and Los Angeles. The vast majority of Philadelphia homicides have been committed with firearms. And the number of women slain has surged. As of last Monday, 70 women were killed in homicides last year, an 84% leap from 2020. On Nov. 20, Jessica Covington, 32, who was pregnant, was shot multiple times in the head and stomach just after 8:30 p.m. on the 6100 block of Palmetto Street in Crescentville, where she lived. Both she and her unborn baby were killed. She had just left her own baby shower and was unloading gifts from her vehicle when shots rang out, detectives believe. Last Thursday, a gunfight erupted in Germantown that left a 21-year-old woman in critical condition and five men injured. Six armed men had jumped out of a van and opened fire on the group on a street corner. Some of those people shot back. In all, more than 65 shots were traded on the 5100 block of Germantown Avenue near Collom Street. The gun battle prompted City Councilmember Cindy Bass, who represents the area, to ask Mayor Jim Kenney and Gov. Tom Wolf to dispatch National Guard troops to the city to support the Police Department and help enforce laws. "We cannot fight the tragic escalation of gun violence alone," Bass said in a statement. Kenney said he had no plans to call in the National Guard. Earlier last year, he rejected similar calls by community activists as the number of shootings soared. 2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A statue of Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador that had been erected in an important opposition stronghold lasted just two days, the state prosecutor said, after photographs of the apparent vandalism were shared on social media. The statue had been unveiled on Thursday by outgoing Mayor Roberto Tellez Monroy in the municipality of Atlacomulco in the central State of Mexico, the hometown of Lopez Obrador's predecessor, Enrique Pena Nieto. The National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) party Lopez Obrador heads had governed the municipality until recently before it fell back to the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, that has long ruled it. "The statue was demolished," a spokesman at the state prosecutor's office said. "It was an apparent act of vandalism." In order to start an investigation, the prosecutor's office needs a complaint he said has so far not been presented. Photographs shared on social media showed the headless statue lying on the ground. Lopez Obrador remains popular in Mexico, with his approval rating at 64.3%, according to the latest Mitofsky poll on Saturday. Atlacomulco city council did not immediately respond to requests for information on the incident. In the past, Lopez Obrador has said that he does not agree with the erection of images of his person. (Reporting by Lizbeth Diaz; Editing by Sandra Maler) PHILADELPHIA (Tribune News Service) On the streets of Philadelphia, 2022 began where 2021 left off. It took less than four hours for 14 people to get shot, two of them killed in two separate violent outbursts. One of the dead was only 16 years old. Police responded to calls for a person shot on Cecil B. Moore Avenue between Wellington and 17th Streets near Temple University at about 1:50 a.m. Saturday. Officers found two people who had been shot, one of them a 16-year-old boy with a single gunshot wound to the back of his head. The other was a 27-year-old man who had been shot once in the left leg. Both were rushed to Temple University Hospital, where the teenager died shortly after arrival. The man was listed in stable condition. Police did not identify the victims. Two women and one man also suffered gunshot wounds at the scene, and Temple University police took all three to Temple Hospital. A 23-year-old woman was shot once in the leg, and another woman, about 20 years old, was shot once in the pelvis. Both were in stable condition Saturday afternoon. Gunfire also struck a man, also about 20 years old, multiple times in the chest and he's in critical condition, police said. All victims were part of a large group gathered to celebrate the new year. No weapon was recovered, police said. "We do not have a lot of information on the shooter," Inspector D F Pace told reporters at the scene. But there are numerous surveillance cameras in the area. "Our homicide detectives will be combing through that video to see what else we can glean with respect to what occurred here this evening," he said. Shortly before that shooting, at around 1:30 a.m., 25th District officers received multiple calls about gunshots in the 100 block of East Luray Street near North Front Street in Feltonville. Police found a 33-year-old man who had been shot multiple times in the chest. He was rushed to Temple Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Two women, both 23 and acquaintances of the victim, were shot once in the leg. Police took them to Temple, where they were listed in stable condition. The crime scene was an auto parts or repair shop that had been converted as a backdrop for a large New Year's Eve bash. Police found six spent shell casings, one projectile and a significant amount of blood, Pace said. Homicide detectives were questioning a number of the revelers. At 2:15 a.m., a man and a woman were shot at 8th and Cambria Streets in the Fairhill section. A 36-year-old man was struck twice in the right leg, and once in the left. A 22-year-old woman was shot in the right eye. Both were taken by a private vehicle to Temple Hospital, where they were in stable condition. At 3:23 a.m., a 28-year-old man was shot twice in the lower leg at Torresdale Avenue and Howell Street in the Wissinoming section. He was in stable condition at Temple Hospital. And there was a triple shooting in the 3900 block of Frankford Avenue, but police have not yet determined when gunshots started popping. Police recovered weapons nearby. A 23-year-old man was shot once in the leg and was taken by a private car to Temple Hospital. Two men, 21 and 23, who were both shot in the abdomen, walked into St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. Both are listed in critical but stable condition, police said. This was the continuation of a year in Philadelphia that hit an all-time high for killings. In 2021, at least 560 people were murdered, a bigger tally than in more heavily populated cities including New York and Los Angeles. The vast majority of Philadelphia homicides have been committed with firearms. And the number of women slain has surged. As of last Monday, 70 women were killed in homicides last year, an 84% leap from 2020. On Nov. 20, Jessica Covington, 32, who was pregnant, was shot multiple times in the head and stomach just after 8:30 p.m. on the 6100 block of Palmetto Street in Crescentville, where she lived. Both she and her unborn baby were killed. She had just left her own baby shower and was unloading gifts from her vehicle when shots rang out, detectives believe. Last Thursday, a gunfight erupted in Germantown that left a 21-year-old woman in critical condition and five men injured. Six armed men had jumped out of a van and opened fire on the group on a street corner. Some of those people shot back. In all, more than 65 shots were traded on the 5100 block of Germantown Avenue near Collom Street. The gun battle prompted City Councilmember Cindy Bass, who represents the area, to ask Mayor Jim Kenney and Gov. Tom Wolf to dispatch National Guard troops to the city to support the Police Department and help enforce laws. "We cannot fight the tragic escalation of gun violence alone," Bass said in a statement. Kenney said he had no plans to call in the National Guard. Earlier last year, he rejected similar calls by community activists as the number of shootings soared. 2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's "First Snow," left, is on display at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, as part of the 120th anniversary celebration of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021. Courtesy of Korea Foundation By Kwon Mee-yoo Wrapping up the celebration of the 120th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021, Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx presents a series of photos exploring the interactions between humans and nature. Co-hosted by the Korea Foundation (KF) and the Embassy of Belgium in Seoul, the exhibition sheds light on the simplicity and profoundness of nature in this complicated era at the KF Gallery in central Seoul. Korea Foundation Gallery President Lee Geun highlighted the longstanding relations of the two countries. "Since the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation in 1901, our two countries have formed a special and enduring partnership. Belgium sent over 3,000 soldiers to fight alongside Korea in the 1950s during the Korean War ... Both countries have witnessed harmony with the growing presence in the international community for operating for a better future," Lee said during the opening of the exhibition, Wednesday. Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps delivers a congratulatory speech during the opening of the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Korea Foundation Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps emphasized how Buyckx's work bridges humankind and nature in Kyrgyzstan, which is located between Belgium and Korea. "At first I was wondering, 'why such an exhibition for the 120th anniversary,' but then I realized that it has a lot to do with reflection from a new context. We are living in an ever-increasing digitalized and globalized world and this reminds us of the reality. We should not forget that the real nature is there, and we have to take care of nature and people I think it's very meaningful that you have to be reminded of the simplicity and the depth of life," Bontemps said. "I can only ask you to take the time to be impressed with this message from Frederik Buyckx the importance of the nexus of humans, nature and tradition." Buyckx is the winner of the Photographer of the Year at the 2017 SONY World Photography Awards, for capturing the "joys and loveliness in each and every environment." The title of the exhibition, "Horse Head," comes from At-Bashy, the name of a small Kyrgyz village the photographer stayed in during his first trip to Kyrgyzstan, which translates into "horse head." There, Buyckx witnessed and took part in the traditional Kyrgyz horseback game, "kok boru," and documented the semi-nomadic lifestyle of the shepherds and their connections with animals. Buyckx soon returned to Kyrgyzstan and stayed and traveled with the people, documenting the harsh cold weather of the Central Asian country and symbiotic lifestyle of the Kyrgyz people. The artist described that going into these mountains by horseback "feels like entering another world." There, he captured the snow-covered landscape of Kyrgyzstan, as well as the people, horses and the connection between them, through black-and-white photos. "To really investigate the connection people still have with nature, I knew I had to join them deep in the mountains I'm mainly observing and documenting, but at the same time, I'm learning a lot about life in these remote places," the photographer said in an interview provided for the exhibition. "I think photography is a way to investigate and to better understand the world, but for me, it's also the perfect excuse to just throw myself into a new adventure." Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps, right, and Kyrgyz Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova pose next to Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's works at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Kwon Mee-yoo This exhibition was also made possible through special cooperation with the Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Korea, as Buyckx's project took place in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova said that the photos show the unique nature of her mountainous country. "Our culture was formed under the influence of nomadic life. The connection between the Kyrgyz culture and nature can be traced everywhere, from design to music ... I hope this exhibition will reach the purpose of developing intercultural exchanges, thus strengthening friendship and mutual understanding among people," Ambassador Kemelova said. The physical exhibit runs until Feb. 9 and is also available to view via VR. PHILADELPHIA (Tribune News Service) On the streets of Philadelphia, 2022 began where 2021 left off. It took less than four hours for 14 people to get shot, two of them killed in two separate violent outbursts. One of the dead was only 16 years old. Police responded to calls for a person shot on Cecil B. Moore Avenue between Wellington and 17th Streets near Temple University at about 1:50 a.m. Saturday. Officers found two people who had been shot, one of them a 16-year-old boy with a single gunshot wound to the back of his head. The other was a 27-year-old man who had been shot once in the left leg. Both were rushed to Temple University Hospital, where the teenager died shortly after arrival. The man was listed in stable condition. Police did not identify the victims. Two women and one man also suffered gunshot wounds at the scene, and Temple University police took all three to Temple Hospital. A 23-year-old woman was shot once in the leg, and another woman, about 20 years old, was shot once in the pelvis. Both were in stable condition Saturday afternoon. Gunfire also struck a man, also about 20 years old, multiple times in the chest and he's in critical condition, police said. All victims were part of a large group gathered to celebrate the new year. No weapon was recovered, police said. "We do not have a lot of information on the shooter," Inspector D F Pace told reporters at the scene. But there are numerous surveillance cameras in the area. "Our homicide detectives will be combing through that video to see what else we can glean with respect to what occurred here this evening," he said. Shortly before that shooting, at around 1:30 a.m., 25th District officers received multiple calls about gunshots in the 100 block of East Luray Street near North Front Street in Feltonville. Police found a 33-year-old man who had been shot multiple times in the chest. He was rushed to Temple Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Two women, both 23 and acquaintances of the victim, were shot once in the leg. Police took them to Temple, where they were listed in stable condition. The crime scene was an auto parts or repair shop that had been converted as a backdrop for a large New Year's Eve bash. Police found six spent shell casings, one projectile and a significant amount of blood, Pace said. Homicide detectives were questioning a number of the revelers. At 2:15 a.m., a man and a woman were shot at 8th and Cambria Streets in the Fairhill section. A 36-year-old man was struck twice in the right leg, and once in the left. A 22-year-old woman was shot in the right eye. Both were taken by a private vehicle to Temple Hospital, where they were in stable condition. At 3:23 a.m., a 28-year-old man was shot twice in the lower leg at Torresdale Avenue and Howell Street in the Wissinoming section. He was in stable condition at Temple Hospital. And there was a triple shooting in the 3900 block of Frankford Avenue, but police have not yet determined when gunshots started popping. Police recovered weapons nearby. A 23-year-old man was shot once in the leg and was taken by a private car to Temple Hospital. Two men, 21 and 23, who were both shot in the abdomen, walked into St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. Both are listed in critical but stable condition, police said. This was the continuation of a year in Philadelphia that hit an all-time high for killings. In 2021, at least 560 people were murdered, a bigger tally than in more heavily populated cities including New York and Los Angeles. The vast majority of Philadelphia homicides have been committed with firearms. And the number of women slain has surged. As of last Monday, 70 women were killed in homicides last year, an 84% leap from 2020. On Nov. 20, Jessica Covington, 32, who was pregnant, was shot multiple times in the head and stomach just after 8:30 p.m. on the 6100 block of Palmetto Street in Crescentville, where she lived. Both she and her unborn baby were killed. She had just left her own baby shower and was unloading gifts from her vehicle when shots rang out, detectives believe. Last Thursday, a gunfight erupted in Germantown that left a 21-year-old woman in critical condition and five men injured. Six armed men had jumped out of a van and opened fire on the group on a street corner. Some of those people shot back. In all, more than 65 shots were traded on the 5100 block of Germantown Avenue near Collom Street. The gun battle prompted City Councilmember Cindy Bass, who represents the area, to ask Mayor Jim Kenney and Gov. Tom Wolf to dispatch National Guard troops to the city to support the Police Department and help enforce laws. "We cannot fight the tragic escalation of gun violence alone," Bass said in a statement. Kenney said he had no plans to call in the National Guard. Earlier last year, he rejected similar calls by community activists as the number of shootings soared. 2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The Reverend Emmanuel Franklin Agyeman, Senior Pastor of the Banner of Grace Ministries, has urged Christians to follow established processes to have the fruitfulness they deserved in the New Year. Rev Agyeman gave the advice during the Church's December 31 watch night service to usher in the year 2022 amid singing, dancing, prayers, declarations and jubilations. Rev. Agyeman, who declared the year 2022 as the year of fruitfulness for members of the church, emphasized that scriptures were explicit about the fact that everyone had an hour for his or her progress and fruitfulness. However, progress is achieved through various processes. According to him, the first process was to be in the right environment, explaining that the parable of the sower in the Bible showed that all the seeds had the potential to grow but the environment that it fell determined its outcome. The second requirement for fruitfulness, he noted, was the ability of a person to isolate from some things, stressing that loneliness is not always a curse, it can bring the potential in you out, it is a principle for growth. Rev. Agyeman further said there was also the need for Christians to die to the things of the flesh, including alcoholism and sexual immoralities, among others. He cautioned that failure to discipline oneself against such things would mean such promised blessings of fruitfulness from God would only sound like a jingle in their minds without seeing its manifestation. He said the fourth and fifth processes respectively were the need to water one's expectations with the studying of the Word of God and fertilize it by surrounding oneself with encouragers who would help them to achieve their aims. No matter how spiritual you are, if you surround yourself with people who will discourage you, you cannot make it, he emphasized. The Banner of Grace Senior Pastor also noted that there was the need to use good networking as the sunshine for the good things that Christians expected to be fruitful in the year 2022. He explained that three things were needed in everyone's life - hard work, networking and smart work. Rev. Agyeman indicated that just like plants, Christians must prune themselves as part of the processes to fruitfulness by cutting off unacceptable behaviours such as disrespectfulness, laziness, impulse buying and covetousness, among others. He said above all Christians must give themselves time and patient to grow, you can't force the seed to grow, you must give it time, learn to give yourself time to be fruitful. GNA PHILADELPHIA (Tribune News Service) On the streets of Philadelphia, 2022 began where 2021 left off. It took less than four hours for 14 people to get shot, two of them killed in two separate violent outbursts. One of the dead was only 16 years old. Police responded to calls for a person shot on Cecil B. Moore Avenue between Wellington and 17th Streets near Temple University at about 1:50 a.m. Saturday. Officers found two people who had been shot, one of them a 16-year-old boy with a single gunshot wound to the back of his head. The other was a 27-year-old man who had been shot once in the left leg. Both were rushed to Temple University Hospital, where the teenager died shortly after arrival. The man was listed in stable condition. Police did not identify the victims. Two women and one man also suffered gunshot wounds at the scene, and Temple University police took all three to Temple Hospital. A 23-year-old woman was shot once in the leg, and another woman, about 20 years old, was shot once in the pelvis. Both were in stable condition Saturday afternoon. Gunfire also struck a man, also about 20 years old, multiple times in the chest and he's in critical condition, police said. All victims were part of a large group gathered to celebrate the new year. No weapon was recovered, police said. "We do not have a lot of information on the shooter," Inspector D F Pace told reporters at the scene. But there are numerous surveillance cameras in the area. "Our homicide detectives will be combing through that video to see what else we can glean with respect to what occurred here this evening," he said. Shortly before that shooting, at around 1:30 a.m., 25th District officers received multiple calls about gunshots in the 100 block of East Luray Street near North Front Street in Feltonville. Police found a 33-year-old man who had been shot multiple times in the chest. He was rushed to Temple Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Two women, both 23 and acquaintances of the victim, were shot once in the leg. Police took them to Temple, where they were listed in stable condition. The crime scene was an auto parts or repair shop that had been converted as a backdrop for a large New Year's Eve bash. Police found six spent shell casings, one projectile and a significant amount of blood, Pace said. Homicide detectives were questioning a number of the revelers. At 2:15 a.m., a man and a woman were shot at 8th and Cambria Streets in the Fairhill section. A 36-year-old man was struck twice in the right leg, and once in the left. A 22-year-old woman was shot in the right eye. Both were taken by a private vehicle to Temple Hospital, where they were in stable condition. At 3:23 a.m., a 28-year-old man was shot twice in the lower leg at Torresdale Avenue and Howell Street in the Wissinoming section. He was in stable condition at Temple Hospital. And there was a triple shooting in the 3900 block of Frankford Avenue, but police have not yet determined when gunshots started popping. Police recovered weapons nearby. A 23-year-old man was shot once in the leg and was taken by a private car to Temple Hospital. Two men, 21 and 23, who were both shot in the abdomen, walked into St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. Both are listed in critical but stable condition, police said. This was the continuation of a year in Philadelphia that hit an all-time high for killings. In 2021, at least 560 people were murdered, a bigger tally than in more heavily populated cities including New York and Los Angeles. The vast majority of Philadelphia homicides have been committed with firearms. And the number of women slain has surged. As of last Monday, 70 women were killed in homicides last year, an 84% leap from 2020. On Nov. 20, Jessica Covington, 32, who was pregnant, was shot multiple times in the head and stomach just after 8:30 p.m. on the 6100 block of Palmetto Street in Crescentville, where she lived. Both she and her unborn baby were killed. She had just left her own baby shower and was unloading gifts from her vehicle when shots rang out, detectives believe. Last Thursday, a gunfight erupted in Germantown that left a 21-year-old woman in critical condition and five men injured. Six armed men had jumped out of a van and opened fire on the group on a street corner. Some of those people shot back. In all, more than 65 shots were traded on the 5100 block of Germantown Avenue near Collom Street. The gun battle prompted City Councilmember Cindy Bass, who represents the area, to ask Mayor Jim Kenney and Gov. Tom Wolf to dispatch National Guard troops to the city to support the Police Department and help enforce laws. "We cannot fight the tragic escalation of gun violence alone," Bass said in a statement. Kenney said he had no plans to call in the National Guard. Earlier last year, he rejected similar calls by community activists as the number of shootings soared. 2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. PHILADELPHIA (Tribune News Service) On the streets of Philadelphia, 2022 began where 2021 left off. It took less than four hours for 14 people to get shot, two of them killed in two separate violent outbursts. One of the dead was only 16 years old. Police responded to calls for a person shot on Cecil B. Moore Avenue between Wellington and 17th Streets near Temple University at about 1:50 a.m. Saturday. Officers found two people who had been shot, one of them a 16-year-old boy with a single gunshot wound to the back of his head. The other was a 27-year-old man who had been shot once in the left leg. Both were rushed to Temple University Hospital, where the teenager died shortly after arrival. The man was listed in stable condition. Police did not identify the victims. Two women and one man also suffered gunshot wounds at the scene, and Temple University police took all three to Temple Hospital. A 23-year-old woman was shot once in the leg, and another woman, about 20 years old, was shot once in the pelvis. Both were in stable condition Saturday afternoon. Gunfire also struck a man, also about 20 years old, multiple times in the chest and he's in critical condition, police said. All victims were part of a large group gathered to celebrate the new year. No weapon was recovered, police said. "We do not have a lot of information on the shooter," Inspector D F Pace told reporters at the scene. But there are numerous surveillance cameras in the area. "Our homicide detectives will be combing through that video to see what else we can glean with respect to what occurred here this evening," he said. Shortly before that shooting, at around 1:30 a.m., 25th District officers received multiple calls about gunshots in the 100 block of East Luray Street near North Front Street in Feltonville. Police found a 33-year-old man who had been shot multiple times in the chest. He was rushed to Temple Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Two women, both 23 and acquaintances of the victim, were shot once in the leg. Police took them to Temple, where they were listed in stable condition. The crime scene was an auto parts or repair shop that had been converted as a backdrop for a large New Year's Eve bash. Police found six spent shell casings, one projectile and a significant amount of blood, Pace said. Homicide detectives were questioning a number of the revelers. At 2:15 a.m., a man and a woman were shot at 8th and Cambria Streets in the Fairhill section. A 36-year-old man was struck twice in the right leg, and once in the left. A 22-year-old woman was shot in the right eye. Both were taken by a private vehicle to Temple Hospital, where they were in stable condition. At 3:23 a.m., a 28-year-old man was shot twice in the lower leg at Torresdale Avenue and Howell Street in the Wissinoming section. He was in stable condition at Temple Hospital. And there was a triple shooting in the 3900 block of Frankford Avenue, but police have not yet determined when gunshots started popping. Police recovered weapons nearby. A 23-year-old man was shot once in the leg and was taken by a private car to Temple Hospital. Two men, 21 and 23, who were both shot in the abdomen, walked into St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. Both are listed in critical but stable condition, police said. This was the continuation of a year in Philadelphia that hit an all-time high for killings. In 2021, at least 560 people were murdered, a bigger tally than in more heavily populated cities including New York and Los Angeles. The vast majority of Philadelphia homicides have been committed with firearms. And the number of women slain has surged. As of last Monday, 70 women were killed in homicides last year, an 84% leap from 2020. On Nov. 20, Jessica Covington, 32, who was pregnant, was shot multiple times in the head and stomach just after 8:30 p.m. on the 6100 block of Palmetto Street in Crescentville, where she lived. Both she and her unborn baby were killed. She had just left her own baby shower and was unloading gifts from her vehicle when shots rang out, detectives believe. Last Thursday, a gunfight erupted in Germantown that left a 21-year-old woman in critical condition and five men injured. Six armed men had jumped out of a van and opened fire on the group on a street corner. Some of those people shot back. In all, more than 65 shots were traded on the 5100 block of Germantown Avenue near Collom Street. The gun battle prompted City Councilmember Cindy Bass, who represents the area, to ask Mayor Jim Kenney and Gov. Tom Wolf to dispatch National Guard troops to the city to support the Police Department and help enforce laws. "We cannot fight the tragic escalation of gun violence alone," Bass said in a statement. Kenney said he had no plans to call in the National Guard. Earlier last year, he rejected similar calls by community activists as the number of shootings soared. 2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. PHILADELPHIA (Tribune News Service) On the streets of Philadelphia, 2022 began where 2021 left off. It took less than four hours for 14 people to get shot, two of them killed in two separate violent outbursts. One of the dead was only 16 years old. Police responded to calls for a person shot on Cecil B. Moore Avenue between Wellington and 17th Streets near Temple University at about 1:50 a.m. Saturday. Officers found two people who had been shot, one of them a 16-year-old boy with a single gunshot wound to the back of his head. The other was a 27-year-old man who had been shot once in the left leg. Both were rushed to Temple University Hospital, where the teenager died shortly after arrival. The man was listed in stable condition. Police did not identify the victims. Two women and one man also suffered gunshot wounds at the scene, and Temple University police took all three to Temple Hospital. A 23-year-old woman was shot once in the leg, and another woman, about 20 years old, was shot once in the pelvis. Both were in stable condition Saturday afternoon. Gunfire also struck a man, also about 20 years old, multiple times in the chest and he's in critical condition, police said. All victims were part of a large group gathered to celebrate the new year. No weapon was recovered, police said. "We do not have a lot of information on the shooter," Inspector D F Pace told reporters at the scene. But there are numerous surveillance cameras in the area. "Our homicide detectives will be combing through that video to see what else we can glean with respect to what occurred here this evening," he said. Shortly before that shooting, at around 1:30 a.m., 25th District officers received multiple calls about gunshots in the 100 block of East Luray Street near North Front Street in Feltonville. Police found a 33-year-old man who had been shot multiple times in the chest. He was rushed to Temple Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Two women, both 23 and acquaintances of the victim, were shot once in the leg. Police took them to Temple, where they were listed in stable condition. The crime scene was an auto parts or repair shop that had been converted as a backdrop for a large New Year's Eve bash. Police found six spent shell casings, one projectile and a significant amount of blood, Pace said. Homicide detectives were questioning a number of the revelers. At 2:15 a.m., a man and a woman were shot at 8th and Cambria Streets in the Fairhill section. A 36-year-old man was struck twice in the right leg, and once in the left. A 22-year-old woman was shot in the right eye. Both were taken by a private vehicle to Temple Hospital, where they were in stable condition. At 3:23 a.m., a 28-year-old man was shot twice in the lower leg at Torresdale Avenue and Howell Street in the Wissinoming section. He was in stable condition at Temple Hospital. And there was a triple shooting in the 3900 block of Frankford Avenue, but police have not yet determined when gunshots started popping. Police recovered weapons nearby. A 23-year-old man was shot once in the leg and was taken by a private car to Temple Hospital. Two men, 21 and 23, who were both shot in the abdomen, walked into St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. Both are listed in critical but stable condition, police said. This was the continuation of a year in Philadelphia that hit an all-time high for killings. In 2021, at least 560 people were murdered, a bigger tally than in more heavily populated cities including New York and Los Angeles. The vast majority of Philadelphia homicides have been committed with firearms. And the number of women slain has surged. As of last Monday, 70 women were killed in homicides last year, an 84% leap from 2020. On Nov. 20, Jessica Covington, 32, who was pregnant, was shot multiple times in the head and stomach just after 8:30 p.m. on the 6100 block of Palmetto Street in Crescentville, where she lived. Both she and her unborn baby were killed. She had just left her own baby shower and was unloading gifts from her vehicle when shots rang out, detectives believe. Last Thursday, a gunfight erupted in Germantown that left a 21-year-old woman in critical condition and five men injured. Six armed men had jumped out of a van and opened fire on the group on a street corner. Some of those people shot back. In all, more than 65 shots were traded on the 5100 block of Germantown Avenue near Collom Street. The gun battle prompted City Councilmember Cindy Bass, who represents the area, to ask Mayor Jim Kenney and Gov. Tom Wolf to dispatch National Guard troops to the city to support the Police Department and help enforce laws. "We cannot fight the tragic escalation of gun violence alone," Bass said in a statement. Kenney said he had no plans to call in the National Guard. Earlier last year, he rejected similar calls by community activists as the number of shootings soared. 2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. PHILADELPHIA (Tribune News Service) On the streets of Philadelphia, 2022 began where 2021 left off. It took less than four hours for 14 people to get shot, two of them killed in two separate violent outbursts. One of the dead was only 16 years old. Police responded to calls for a person shot on Cecil B. Moore Avenue between Wellington and 17th Streets near Temple University at about 1:50 a.m. Saturday. Officers found two people who had been shot, one of them a 16-year-old boy with a single gunshot wound to the back of his head. The other was a 27-year-old man who had been shot once in the left leg. Both were rushed to Temple University Hospital, where the teenager died shortly after arrival. The man was listed in stable condition. Police did not identify the victims. Two women and one man also suffered gunshot wounds at the scene, and Temple University police took all three to Temple Hospital. A 23-year-old woman was shot once in the leg, and another woman, about 20 years old, was shot once in the pelvis. Both were in stable condition Saturday afternoon. Gunfire also struck a man, also about 20 years old, multiple times in the chest and he's in critical condition, police said. All victims were part of a large group gathered to celebrate the new year. No weapon was recovered, police said. "We do not have a lot of information on the shooter," Inspector D F Pace told reporters at the scene. But there are numerous surveillance cameras in the area. "Our homicide detectives will be combing through that video to see what else we can glean with respect to what occurred here this evening," he said. Shortly before that shooting, at around 1:30 a.m., 25th District officers received multiple calls about gunshots in the 100 block of East Luray Street near North Front Street in Feltonville. Police found a 33-year-old man who had been shot multiple times in the chest. He was rushed to Temple Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Two women, both 23 and acquaintances of the victim, were shot once in the leg. Police took them to Temple, where they were listed in stable condition. The crime scene was an auto parts or repair shop that had been converted as a backdrop for a large New Year's Eve bash. Police found six spent shell casings, one projectile and a significant amount of blood, Pace said. Homicide detectives were questioning a number of the revelers. At 2:15 a.m., a man and a woman were shot at 8th and Cambria Streets in the Fairhill section. A 36-year-old man was struck twice in the right leg, and once in the left. A 22-year-old woman was shot in the right eye. Both were taken by a private vehicle to Temple Hospital, where they were in stable condition. At 3:23 a.m., a 28-year-old man was shot twice in the lower leg at Torresdale Avenue and Howell Street in the Wissinoming section. He was in stable condition at Temple Hospital. And there was a triple shooting in the 3900 block of Frankford Avenue, but police have not yet determined when gunshots started popping. Police recovered weapons nearby. A 23-year-old man was shot once in the leg and was taken by a private car to Temple Hospital. Two men, 21 and 23, who were both shot in the abdomen, walked into St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. Both are listed in critical but stable condition, police said. This was the continuation of a year in Philadelphia that hit an all-time high for killings. In 2021, at least 560 people were murdered, a bigger tally than in more heavily populated cities including New York and Los Angeles. The vast majority of Philadelphia homicides have been committed with firearms. And the number of women slain has surged. As of last Monday, 70 women were killed in homicides last year, an 84% leap from 2020. On Nov. 20, Jessica Covington, 32, who was pregnant, was shot multiple times in the head and stomach just after 8:30 p.m. on the 6100 block of Palmetto Street in Crescentville, where she lived. Both she and her unborn baby were killed. She had just left her own baby shower and was unloading gifts from her vehicle when shots rang out, detectives believe. Last Thursday, a gunfight erupted in Germantown that left a 21-year-old woman in critical condition and five men injured. Six armed men had jumped out of a van and opened fire on the group on a street corner. Some of those people shot back. In all, more than 65 shots were traded on the 5100 block of Germantown Avenue near Collom Street. The gun battle prompted City Councilmember Cindy Bass, who represents the area, to ask Mayor Jim Kenney and Gov. Tom Wolf to dispatch National Guard troops to the city to support the Police Department and help enforce laws. "We cannot fight the tragic escalation of gun violence alone," Bass said in a statement. Kenney said he had no plans to call in the National Guard. Earlier last year, he rejected similar calls by community activists as the number of shootings soared. 2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's "First Snow," left, is on display at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, as part of the 120th anniversary celebration of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021. Courtesy of Korea Foundation By Kwon Mee-yoo Wrapping up the celebration of the 120th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021, Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx presents a series of photos exploring the interactions between humans and nature. Co-hosted by the Korea Foundation (KF) and the Embassy of Belgium in Seoul, the exhibition sheds light on the simplicity and profoundness of nature in this complicated era at the KF Gallery in central Seoul. Korea Foundation Gallery President Lee Geun highlighted the longstanding relations of the two countries. "Since the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation in 1901, our two countries have formed a special and enduring partnership. Belgium sent over 3,000 soldiers to fight alongside Korea in the 1950s during the Korean War ... Both countries have witnessed harmony with the growing presence in the international community for operating for a better future," Lee said during the opening of the exhibition, Wednesday. Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps delivers a congratulatory speech during the opening of the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Korea Foundation Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps emphasized how Buyckx's work bridges humankind and nature in Kyrgyzstan, which is located between Belgium and Korea. "At first I was wondering, 'why such an exhibition for the 120th anniversary,' but then I realized that it has a lot to do with reflection from a new context. We are living in an ever-increasing digitalized and globalized world and this reminds us of the reality. We should not forget that the real nature is there, and we have to take care of nature and people I think it's very meaningful that you have to be reminded of the simplicity and the depth of life," Bontemps said. "I can only ask you to take the time to be impressed with this message from Frederik Buyckx the importance of the nexus of humans, nature and tradition." Buyckx is the winner of the Photographer of the Year at the 2017 SONY World Photography Awards, for capturing the "joys and loveliness in each and every environment." The title of the exhibition, "Horse Head," comes from At-Bashy, the name of a small Kyrgyz village the photographer stayed in during his first trip to Kyrgyzstan, which translates into "horse head." There, Buyckx witnessed and took part in the traditional Kyrgyz horseback game, "kok boru," and documented the semi-nomadic lifestyle of the shepherds and their connections with animals. Buyckx soon returned to Kyrgyzstan and stayed and traveled with the people, documenting the harsh cold weather of the Central Asian country and symbiotic lifestyle of the Kyrgyz people. The artist described that going into these mountains by horseback "feels like entering another world." There, he captured the snow-covered landscape of Kyrgyzstan, as well as the people, horses and the connection between them, through black-and-white photos. "To really investigate the connection people still have with nature, I knew I had to join them deep in the mountains I'm mainly observing and documenting, but at the same time, I'm learning a lot about life in these remote places," the photographer said in an interview provided for the exhibition. "I think photography is a way to investigate and to better understand the world, but for me, it's also the perfect excuse to just throw myself into a new adventure." Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps, right, and Kyrgyz Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova pose next to Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's works at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Kwon Mee-yoo This exhibition was also made possible through special cooperation with the Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Korea, as Buyckx's project took place in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova said that the photos show the unique nature of her mountainous country. "Our culture was formed under the influence of nomadic life. The connection between the Kyrgyz culture and nature can be traced everywhere, from design to music ... I hope this exhibition will reach the purpose of developing intercultural exchanges, thus strengthening friendship and mutual understanding among people," Ambassador Kemelova said. The physical exhibit runs until Feb. 9 and is also available to view via VR. PHILADELPHIA (Tribune News Service) On the streets of Philadelphia, 2022 began where 2021 left off. It took less than four hours for 14 people to get shot, two of them killed in two separate violent outbursts. One of the dead was only 16 years old. Police responded to calls for a person shot on Cecil B. Moore Avenue between Wellington and 17th Streets near Temple University at about 1:50 a.m. Saturday. Officers found two people who had been shot, one of them a 16-year-old boy with a single gunshot wound to the back of his head. The other was a 27-year-old man who had been shot once in the left leg. Both were rushed to Temple University Hospital, where the teenager died shortly after arrival. The man was listed in stable condition. Police did not identify the victims. Two women and one man also suffered gunshot wounds at the scene, and Temple University police took all three to Temple Hospital. A 23-year-old woman was shot once in the leg, and another woman, about 20 years old, was shot once in the pelvis. Both were in stable condition Saturday afternoon. Gunfire also struck a man, also about 20 years old, multiple times in the chest and he's in critical condition, police said. All victims were part of a large group gathered to celebrate the new year. No weapon was recovered, police said. "We do not have a lot of information on the shooter," Inspector D F Pace told reporters at the scene. But there are numerous surveillance cameras in the area. "Our homicide detectives will be combing through that video to see what else we can glean with respect to what occurred here this evening," he said. Shortly before that shooting, at around 1:30 a.m., 25th District officers received multiple calls about gunshots in the 100 block of East Luray Street near North Front Street in Feltonville. Police found a 33-year-old man who had been shot multiple times in the chest. He was rushed to Temple Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Two women, both 23 and acquaintances of the victim, were shot once in the leg. Police took them to Temple, where they were listed in stable condition. The crime scene was an auto parts or repair shop that had been converted as a backdrop for a large New Year's Eve bash. Police found six spent shell casings, one projectile and a significant amount of blood, Pace said. Homicide detectives were questioning a number of the revelers. At 2:15 a.m., a man and a woman were shot at 8th and Cambria Streets in the Fairhill section. A 36-year-old man was struck twice in the right leg, and once in the left. A 22-year-old woman was shot in the right eye. Both were taken by a private vehicle to Temple Hospital, where they were in stable condition. At 3:23 a.m., a 28-year-old man was shot twice in the lower leg at Torresdale Avenue and Howell Street in the Wissinoming section. He was in stable condition at Temple Hospital. And there was a triple shooting in the 3900 block of Frankford Avenue, but police have not yet determined when gunshots started popping. Police recovered weapons nearby. A 23-year-old man was shot once in the leg and was taken by a private car to Temple Hospital. Two men, 21 and 23, who were both shot in the abdomen, walked into St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. Both are listed in critical but stable condition, police said. This was the continuation of a year in Philadelphia that hit an all-time high for killings. In 2021, at least 560 people were murdered, a bigger tally than in more heavily populated cities including New York and Los Angeles. The vast majority of Philadelphia homicides have been committed with firearms. And the number of women slain has surged. As of last Monday, 70 women were killed in homicides last year, an 84% leap from 2020. On Nov. 20, Jessica Covington, 32, who was pregnant, was shot multiple times in the head and stomach just after 8:30 p.m. on the 6100 block of Palmetto Street in Crescentville, where she lived. Both she and her unborn baby were killed. She had just left her own baby shower and was unloading gifts from her vehicle when shots rang out, detectives believe. Last Thursday, a gunfight erupted in Germantown that left a 21-year-old woman in critical condition and five men injured. Six armed men had jumped out of a van and opened fire on the group on a street corner. Some of those people shot back. In all, more than 65 shots were traded on the 5100 block of Germantown Avenue near Collom Street. The gun battle prompted City Councilmember Cindy Bass, who represents the area, to ask Mayor Jim Kenney and Gov. Tom Wolf to dispatch National Guard troops to the city to support the Police Department and help enforce laws. "We cannot fight the tragic escalation of gun violence alone," Bass said in a statement. Kenney said he had no plans to call in the National Guard. Earlier last year, he rejected similar calls by community activists as the number of shootings soared. 2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. PHILADELPHIA (Tribune News Service) On the streets of Philadelphia, 2022 began where 2021 left off. It took less than four hours for 14 people to get shot, two of them killed in two separate violent outbursts. One of the dead was only 16 years old. Police responded to calls for a person shot on Cecil B. Moore Avenue between Wellington and 17th Streets near Temple University at about 1:50 a.m. Saturday. Officers found two people who had been shot, one of them a 16-year-old boy with a single gunshot wound to the back of his head. The other was a 27-year-old man who had been shot once in the left leg. Both were rushed to Temple University Hospital, where the teenager died shortly after arrival. The man was listed in stable condition. Police did not identify the victims. Two women and one man also suffered gunshot wounds at the scene, and Temple University police took all three to Temple Hospital. A 23-year-old woman was shot once in the leg, and another woman, about 20 years old, was shot once in the pelvis. Both were in stable condition Saturday afternoon. Gunfire also struck a man, also about 20 years old, multiple times in the chest and he's in critical condition, police said. All victims were part of a large group gathered to celebrate the new year. No weapon was recovered, police said. "We do not have a lot of information on the shooter," Inspector D F Pace told reporters at the scene. But there are numerous surveillance cameras in the area. "Our homicide detectives will be combing through that video to see what else we can glean with respect to what occurred here this evening," he said. Shortly before that shooting, at around 1:30 a.m., 25th District officers received multiple calls about gunshots in the 100 block of East Luray Street near North Front Street in Feltonville. Police found a 33-year-old man who had been shot multiple times in the chest. He was rushed to Temple Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Two women, both 23 and acquaintances of the victim, were shot once in the leg. Police took them to Temple, where they were listed in stable condition. The crime scene was an auto parts or repair shop that had been converted as a backdrop for a large New Year's Eve bash. Police found six spent shell casings, one projectile and a significant amount of blood, Pace said. Homicide detectives were questioning a number of the revelers. At 2:15 a.m., a man and a woman were shot at 8th and Cambria Streets in the Fairhill section. A 36-year-old man was struck twice in the right leg, and once in the left. A 22-year-old woman was shot in the right eye. Both were taken by a private vehicle to Temple Hospital, where they were in stable condition. At 3:23 a.m., a 28-year-old man was shot twice in the lower leg at Torresdale Avenue and Howell Street in the Wissinoming section. He was in stable condition at Temple Hospital. And there was a triple shooting in the 3900 block of Frankford Avenue, but police have not yet determined when gunshots started popping. Police recovered weapons nearby. A 23-year-old man was shot once in the leg and was taken by a private car to Temple Hospital. Two men, 21 and 23, who were both shot in the abdomen, walked into St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. Both are listed in critical but stable condition, police said. This was the continuation of a year in Philadelphia that hit an all-time high for killings. In 2021, at least 560 people were murdered, a bigger tally than in more heavily populated cities including New York and Los Angeles. The vast majority of Philadelphia homicides have been committed with firearms. And the number of women slain has surged. As of last Monday, 70 women were killed in homicides last year, an 84% leap from 2020. On Nov. 20, Jessica Covington, 32, who was pregnant, was shot multiple times in the head and stomach just after 8:30 p.m. on the 6100 block of Palmetto Street in Crescentville, where she lived. Both she and her unborn baby were killed. She had just left her own baby shower and was unloading gifts from her vehicle when shots rang out, detectives believe. Last Thursday, a gunfight erupted in Germantown that left a 21-year-old woman in critical condition and five men injured. Six armed men had jumped out of a van and opened fire on the group on a street corner. Some of those people shot back. In all, more than 65 shots were traded on the 5100 block of Germantown Avenue near Collom Street. The gun battle prompted City Councilmember Cindy Bass, who represents the area, to ask Mayor Jim Kenney and Gov. Tom Wolf to dispatch National Guard troops to the city to support the Police Department and help enforce laws. "We cannot fight the tragic escalation of gun violence alone," Bass said in a statement. Kenney said he had no plans to call in the National Guard. Earlier last year, he rejected similar calls by community activists as the number of shootings soared. 2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. PHILADELPHIA (Tribune News Service) On the streets of Philadelphia, 2022 began where 2021 left off. It took less than four hours for 14 people to get shot, two of them killed in two separate violent outbursts. One of the dead was only 16 years old. Police responded to calls for a person shot on Cecil B. Moore Avenue between Wellington and 17th Streets near Temple University at about 1:50 a.m. Saturday. Officers found two people who had been shot, one of them a 16-year-old boy with a single gunshot wound to the back of his head. The other was a 27-year-old man who had been shot once in the left leg. Both were rushed to Temple University Hospital, where the teenager died shortly after arrival. The man was listed in stable condition. Police did not identify the victims. Two women and one man also suffered gunshot wounds at the scene, and Temple University police took all three to Temple Hospital. A 23-year-old woman was shot once in the leg, and another woman, about 20 years old, was shot once in the pelvis. Both were in stable condition Saturday afternoon. Gunfire also struck a man, also about 20 years old, multiple times in the chest and he's in critical condition, police said. All victims were part of a large group gathered to celebrate the new year. No weapon was recovered, police said. "We do not have a lot of information on the shooter," Inspector D F Pace told reporters at the scene. But there are numerous surveillance cameras in the area. "Our homicide detectives will be combing through that video to see what else we can glean with respect to what occurred here this evening," he said. Shortly before that shooting, at around 1:30 a.m., 25th District officers received multiple calls about gunshots in the 100 block of East Luray Street near North Front Street in Feltonville. Police found a 33-year-old man who had been shot multiple times in the chest. He was rushed to Temple Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Two women, both 23 and acquaintances of the victim, were shot once in the leg. Police took them to Temple, where they were listed in stable condition. The crime scene was an auto parts or repair shop that had been converted as a backdrop for a large New Year's Eve bash. Police found six spent shell casings, one projectile and a significant amount of blood, Pace said. Homicide detectives were questioning a number of the revelers. At 2:15 a.m., a man and a woman were shot at 8th and Cambria Streets in the Fairhill section. A 36-year-old man was struck twice in the right leg, and once in the left. A 22-year-old woman was shot in the right eye. Both were taken by a private vehicle to Temple Hospital, where they were in stable condition. At 3:23 a.m., a 28-year-old man was shot twice in the lower leg at Torresdale Avenue and Howell Street in the Wissinoming section. He was in stable condition at Temple Hospital. And there was a triple shooting in the 3900 block of Frankford Avenue, but police have not yet determined when gunshots started popping. Police recovered weapons nearby. A 23-year-old man was shot once in the leg and was taken by a private car to Temple Hospital. Two men, 21 and 23, who were both shot in the abdomen, walked into St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. Both are listed in critical but stable condition, police said. This was the continuation of a year in Philadelphia that hit an all-time high for killings. In 2021, at least 560 people were murdered, a bigger tally than in more heavily populated cities including New York and Los Angeles. The vast majority of Philadelphia homicides have been committed with firearms. And the number of women slain has surged. As of last Monday, 70 women were killed in homicides last year, an 84% leap from 2020. On Nov. 20, Jessica Covington, 32, who was pregnant, was shot multiple times in the head and stomach just after 8:30 p.m. on the 6100 block of Palmetto Street in Crescentville, where she lived. Both she and her unborn baby were killed. She had just left her own baby shower and was unloading gifts from her vehicle when shots rang out, detectives believe. Last Thursday, a gunfight erupted in Germantown that left a 21-year-old woman in critical condition and five men injured. Six armed men had jumped out of a van and opened fire on the group on a street corner. Some of those people shot back. In all, more than 65 shots were traded on the 5100 block of Germantown Avenue near Collom Street. The gun battle prompted City Councilmember Cindy Bass, who represents the area, to ask Mayor Jim Kenney and Gov. Tom Wolf to dispatch National Guard troops to the city to support the Police Department and help enforce laws. "We cannot fight the tragic escalation of gun violence alone," Bass said in a statement. Kenney said he had no plans to call in the National Guard. Earlier last year, he rejected similar calls by community activists as the number of shootings soared. 2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. PARIS (Reuters) - Far-right leader Marine Le Pen protested on Saturday against the placing of a European Union flag on the Arc de Triomphe for the start of Paris' six-month presidency of the bloc. Le Pen, whom polls show to be President Emmanuel Macron's main rival for the spring presidential election, was joined by other right-wing politicians in outrage against the EU flag fluttering on the Paris landmark. "To adorn the Arc de Triomphe with the sole colours of the European Union, without the presence of a national flag, is a real attack on our nation's identity, because this monument honours our military victories and houses the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier," she said in a statement. There was no immediate comment from the pro-EU Macron, whom Le Pen accused of giving a "direct order" to hang the flag. But Junior European Affairs Minister Clement Beaune said the display was only temporary. "The French flag has not been replaced. The election campaign is not a free pass for petty lies and controversies," he tweeted. Macron, who has yet to say if he will run for re-election in April, defeated Le Pen in the 2017 run-off by 66%-34%. All polls show him favourite to win another five-year term. Le Pen said she would appeal to the Council of State, which acts as legal adviser of the executive, to remove the EU flag. (Reporting by Elizabeth Pineau; Writing by Benoit Van Overstraeten; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) PARIS (Reuters) - Far-right leader Marine Le Pen protested on Saturday against the placing of a European Union flag on the Arc de Triomphe for the start of Paris' six-month presidency of the bloc. Le Pen, whom polls show to be President Emmanuel Macron's main rival for the spring presidential election, was joined by other right-wing politicians in outrage against the EU flag fluttering on the Paris landmark. "To adorn the Arc de Triomphe with the sole colours of the European Union, without the presence of a national flag, is a real attack on our nation's identity, because this monument honours our military victories and houses the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier," she said in a statement. There was no immediate comment from the pro-EU Macron, whom Le Pen accused of giving a "direct order" to hang the flag. But Junior European Affairs Minister Clement Beaune said the display was only temporary. "The French flag has not been replaced. The election campaign is not a free pass for petty lies and controversies," he tweeted. Macron, who has yet to say if he will run for re-election in April, defeated Le Pen in the 2017 run-off by 66%-34%. All polls show him favourite to win another five-year term. Le Pen said she would appeal to the Council of State, which acts as legal adviser of the executive, to remove the EU flag. (Reporting by Elizabeth Pineau; Writing by Benoit Van Overstraeten; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) PARIS (Reuters) - Far-right leader Marine Le Pen protested on Saturday against the placing of a European Union flag on the Arc de Triomphe for the start of Paris' six-month presidency of the bloc. Le Pen, whom polls show to be President Emmanuel Macron's main rival for the spring presidential election, was joined by other right-wing politicians in outrage against the EU flag fluttering on the Paris landmark. "To adorn the Arc de Triomphe with the sole colours of the European Union, without the presence of a national flag, is a real attack on our nation's identity, because this monument honours our military victories and houses the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier," she said in a statement. There was no immediate comment from the pro-EU Macron, whom Le Pen accused of giving a "direct order" to hang the flag. But Junior European Affairs Minister Clement Beaune said the display was only temporary. "The French flag has not been replaced. The election campaign is not a free pass for petty lies and controversies," he tweeted. Macron, who has yet to say if he will run for re-election in April, defeated Le Pen in the 2017 run-off by 66%-34%. All polls show him favourite to win another five-year term. Le Pen said she would appeal to the Council of State, which acts as legal adviser of the executive, to remove the EU flag. (Reporting by Elizabeth Pineau; Writing by Benoit Van Overstraeten; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's "First Snow," left, is on display at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, as part of the 120th anniversary celebration of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021. Courtesy of Korea Foundation By Kwon Mee-yoo Wrapping up the celebration of the 120th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021, Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx presents a series of photos exploring the interactions between humans and nature. Co-hosted by the Korea Foundation (KF) and the Embassy of Belgium in Seoul, the exhibition sheds light on the simplicity and profoundness of nature in this complicated era at the KF Gallery in central Seoul. Korea Foundation Gallery President Lee Geun highlighted the longstanding relations of the two countries. "Since the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation in 1901, our two countries have formed a special and enduring partnership. Belgium sent over 3,000 soldiers to fight alongside Korea in the 1950s during the Korean War ... Both countries have witnessed harmony with the growing presence in the international community for operating for a better future," Lee said during the opening of the exhibition, Wednesday. Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps delivers a congratulatory speech during the opening of the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Korea Foundation Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps emphasized how Buyckx's work bridges humankind and nature in Kyrgyzstan, which is located between Belgium and Korea. "At first I was wondering, 'why such an exhibition for the 120th anniversary,' but then I realized that it has a lot to do with reflection from a new context. We are living in an ever-increasing digitalized and globalized world and this reminds us of the reality. We should not forget that the real nature is there, and we have to take care of nature and people I think it's very meaningful that you have to be reminded of the simplicity and the depth of life," Bontemps said. "I can only ask you to take the time to be impressed with this message from Frederik Buyckx the importance of the nexus of humans, nature and tradition." Buyckx is the winner of the Photographer of the Year at the 2017 SONY World Photography Awards, for capturing the "joys and loveliness in each and every environment." The title of the exhibition, "Horse Head," comes from At-Bashy, the name of a small Kyrgyz village the photographer stayed in during his first trip to Kyrgyzstan, which translates into "horse head." There, Buyckx witnessed and took part in the traditional Kyrgyz horseback game, "kok boru," and documented the semi-nomadic lifestyle of the shepherds and their connections with animals. Buyckx soon returned to Kyrgyzstan and stayed and traveled with the people, documenting the harsh cold weather of the Central Asian country and symbiotic lifestyle of the Kyrgyz people. The artist described that going into these mountains by horseback "feels like entering another world." There, he captured the snow-covered landscape of Kyrgyzstan, as well as the people, horses and the connection between them, through black-and-white photos. "To really investigate the connection people still have with nature, I knew I had to join them deep in the mountains I'm mainly observing and documenting, but at the same time, I'm learning a lot about life in these remote places," the photographer said in an interview provided for the exhibition. "I think photography is a way to investigate and to better understand the world, but for me, it's also the perfect excuse to just throw myself into a new adventure." Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps, right, and Kyrgyz Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova pose next to Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's works at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Kwon Mee-yoo This exhibition was also made possible through special cooperation with the Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Korea, as Buyckx's project took place in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova said that the photos show the unique nature of her mountainous country. "Our culture was formed under the influence of nomadic life. The connection between the Kyrgyz culture and nature can be traced everywhere, from design to music ... I hope this exhibition will reach the purpose of developing intercultural exchanges, thus strengthening friendship and mutual understanding among people," Ambassador Kemelova said. The physical exhibit runs until Feb. 9 and is also available to view via VR. After President Donald Trump said during a rally in June 2021 that increased testing was responsible for the surging number of infections, the condemnation of the inaccurate claim was swift. Six days later, during a Fox News town hall, Sean Hannity asked Trump about those remarks on increased testing. Sometimes I jokingly say, or sarcastically say, if we didnt do tests we would look great, he replied. This seems to be a pattern. Two months earlier, the president had mused about the beneficial effects of injecting disinfectants into the body to combat COVID-19. After many health officials expressed their dismay, Trump repeatedly claimed that he was just being sarcastic. That same month, after he misspelled Nobel Prize in a tweet writing it out as Noble Prize he deleted the tweet before falling back on on a familiar excuse: sarcasm. What is it about sarcasm that makes it such a convenient excuse for people who are trying to distance themselves from what theyve said? As I describe in my book on irony and sarcasm, most cognitive scientists and other language researchers think of sarcasm as a form of verbal irony. Both ways of speaking involve saying the opposite of what you mean. But the goals of irony and sarcasm are actually different. For example, if someone slowly intones What beautiful weather! on a cold and rainy day, its clear theyre speaking ironically about a disappointing state of affairs. In general, irony is used to provide commentary on unexpected and negative outcomes. Sarcasm, on the other hand, is most frequently used to disparage the actions of other people. If someone tells you that youre a real genius after you forgot to meet them for an important appointment, they clearly dont mean that youre mentally gifted. Simply put, irony is commentary, but sarcasm is criticism. That seems straightforward enough. But in actual practice, the line between irony and sarcasm is blurry and confusing. Many people assert they are being sarcastic when they are in fact being ironic, as in the previous example of the weather. Story continues The enlargement of the domain of sarcasm at ironys expense is a linguistic shift that has been going on for some time. In fact, linguist Geoffrey Nunberg called attention to this phenomenon 20 years ago. So its hard to fault the president for conflating the two. Another element that makes sarcasm tricky to grasp has to do with saying the opposite of what is meant. The recipient of such a statement isnt supposed to take it literally. For this reason, when we use verbal irony or sarcasm, we might employ cues to signal our nonliteral intent. We may, for example, speak in a tone of voice thats slower, lower and louder than how we speak normally. Our pitch may swoop up or down. Ironic statements are also frequently accompanied by facial displays, such as a smirk or the rolling of the eyes. And thats why, when being sarcastic over text or email, well use emojis to relay nonliteral intent. Of course, even then, theres no guarantee that the recipient will interpret the message correctly. President Trump does, at times, clearly make use of sarcasm. For example, at a December 2019 rally in Hershey, Pennsylvania, he said, referring to the Houses imminent decision to initiate impeachment proceedings, that the Democrats also understand poll numbers, but Im sure that had nothing to do with it. He signals sarcasm by using absolute words like sure and nothing and by gesturing broadly with both hands. He also pauses to give his audience a moment to interpret his remark as the opposite of what he has said that, in fact, my high poll numbers have everything to do with impeachment. The remark is sarcastic because theres a clear target: the Democrats in Congress. But at both the Tulsa rally and his April press conference, the presidents controversial remarks didnt have such accompanying verbal and nonverbal cues. He wasnt being critical of anyone; he was simply asserting that testing leads to more infections, or asking what appeared to be sincere questions about the use of disinfectants to combat the virus. Chances are he literally meant what he said. [Science, politics, religion or just plain interesting articles: Check out The Conversations weekly newsletters.] As the president has repeatedly demonstrated, a claim of intended sarcasm can be used to walk back a remark that has been criticized or otherwise fallen flat. Thanks to our slippery understanding of the term, along with the way sarcasm can be easily missed, it can function like a Get Out of Jail Free card: The speaker can take a conversational mulligan and try to make things right. Weve all said things that we later regretted and appealed to just kidding or I was being sarcastic. However, if we habitually reach for such excuses to absolve ourselves of linguistic sins, it becomes, like the little boy who cried wolf, less and less effective. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Roger J. Kreuz, University of Memphis. Read more: Roger J. Kreuz 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. Giving alms to the needy has been described as one of the surest ways Christians can receive God's blessings and honour. If you are a wealthy Christian and you fail to give to those who are in need, the favour and blessings of God will not be bestowed on you, the Reverend Samuel Kwasi Frimpong, Oforikrom District Minister of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), has said. Everyone one must endeavor to give in this New Year to receive divine blessings. He said those in prisons, orphanages, and street children must be at the heart of all Christians as they reflected on theme and planned for the New Year. Rev Frimpong, speaking to the Ghana News Agency in Kumasi after the Watch-night Service at the Victory Congregation of the PCG at Oforikrom, said the Church was reflecting on God's Blessings as its theme for this year. He indicated that the PCG had been advancing efforts in giving to the needy during Christmas, New Year, Easter celebrations, and other special calendar days of the year. God's blessings are available to all people, especially those who would not turn God's instructions aside and related well with one another. These blessings, he said, were mostly presumed to include wealth, good health, financial breakthroughs, new appointments, happiness, good marriages, success in examinations or businesses among others. The District Minister, touching on peaceful co-existence with one another, said it was a strong tool for receiving blessings in one's life, and urged Christians to live in harmony with everyone. He used the occasion to counsel Ghanaians to be tolerant, hardworking, respect authority, and law-abiding this New Year and beyond to ensure progress and development. GNA London, Jan 2 : Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the Duchess of Cornwall, and Baroness Amos are to be appointed as members of the Order of the Garter, England's oldest and most senior order of chivalry. The former prime minister now will be known as 'Sir Tony', the BBC reported on Saturday. The appointments are the personal choice of the Queen, who has up to 24 "knight and lady companions". Baroness Amos, a former Labour cabinet minister, becomes the first black member of the order. The ceremonial order, founded in 1348, is a recognition of significant public service, and made without prime ministerial advice. Blair becomes Sir Tony from January 1, as he joins the order as a "knight companion". "It's an immense honour," he said. He said it had been a "great privilege" to have served as prime minister, adding: "I would like to thank all those who served alongside me, in politics, public service and all parts of our society, for their dedication and commitment to our country." Sir Tony led his party to a landslide victory in 1997 and won two subsequent general elections. He served for 10 years before resigning and handing power to his chancellor, Gordon Brown. Under Sir Tony's leadership, the UK joined the US-led invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan -- an official inquiry into the 2003 Iraq war was strongly critical of his government and UK military chiefs. He famously referred to Diana, Princess of Wales, as the "people's princess" after her death. London, Jan 2 : Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the Duchess of Cornwall, and Baroness Amos are to be appointed as members of the Order of the Garter, England's oldest and most senior order of chivalry. The former prime minister now will be known as 'Sir Tony', the BBC reported on Saturday. The appointments are the personal choice of the Queen, who has up to 24 "knight and lady companions". Baroness Amos, a former Labour cabinet minister, becomes the first black member of the order. The ceremonial order, founded in 1348, is a recognition of significant public service, and made without prime ministerial advice. Blair becomes Sir Tony from January 1, as he joins the order as a "knight companion". "It's an immense honour," he said. He said it had been a "great privilege" to have served as prime minister, adding: "I would like to thank all those who served alongside me, in politics, public service and all parts of our society, for their dedication and commitment to our country." Sir Tony led his party to a landslide victory in 1997 and won two subsequent general elections. He served for 10 years before resigning and handing power to his chancellor, Gordon Brown. Under Sir Tony's leadership, the UK joined the US-led invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan -- an official inquiry into the 2003 Iraq war was strongly critical of his government and UK military chiefs. He famously referred to Diana, Princess of Wales, as the "people's princess" after her death. The Reverend Emmanuel Franklin Agyeman, Senior Pastor of the Banner of Grace Ministries, has urged Christians to follow established processes to have the fruitfulness they deserved in the New Year. Rev Agyeman gave the advice during the Church's December 31 watch night service to usher in the year 2022 amid singing, dancing, prayers, declarations and jubilations. Rev. Agyeman, who declared the year 2022 as the year of fruitfulness for members of the church, emphasized that scriptures were explicit about the fact that everyone had an hour for his or her progress and fruitfulness. However, progress is achieved through various processes. According to him, the first process was to be in the right environment, explaining that the parable of the sower in the Bible showed that all the seeds had the potential to grow but the environment that it fell determined its outcome. The second requirement for fruitfulness, he noted, was the ability of a person to isolate from some things, stressing that loneliness is not always a curse, it can bring the potential in you out, it is a principle for growth. Rev. Agyeman further said there was also the need for Christians to die to the things of the flesh, including alcoholism and sexual immoralities, among others. He cautioned that failure to discipline oneself against such things would mean such promised blessings of fruitfulness from God would only sound like a jingle in their minds without seeing its manifestation. He said the fourth and fifth processes respectively were the need to water one's expectations with the studying of the Word of God and fertilize it by surrounding oneself with encouragers who would help them to achieve their aims. No matter how spiritual you are, if you surround yourself with people who will discourage you, you cannot make it, he emphasized. The Banner of Grace Senior Pastor also noted that there was the need to use good networking as the sunshine for the good things that Christians expected to be fruitful in the year 2022. He explained that three things were needed in everyone's life - hard work, networking and smart work. Rev. Agyeman indicated that just like plants, Christians must prune themselves as part of the processes to fruitfulness by cutting off unacceptable behaviours such as disrespectfulness, laziness, impulse buying and covetousness, among others. He said above all Christians must give themselves time and patient to grow, you can't force the seed to grow, you must give it time, learn to give yourself time to be fruitful. GNA Giving alms to the needy has been described as one of the surest ways Christians can receive God's blessings and honour. If you are a wealthy Christian and you fail to give to those who are in need, the favour and blessings of God will not be bestowed on you, the Reverend Samuel Kwasi Frimpong, Oforikrom District Minister of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), has said. Everyone one must endeavor to give in this New Year to receive divine blessings. He said those in prisons, orphanages, and street children must be at the heart of all Christians as they reflected on theme and planned for the New Year. Rev Frimpong, speaking to the Ghana News Agency in Kumasi after the Watch-night Service at the Victory Congregation of the PCG at Oforikrom, said the Church was reflecting on God's Blessings as its theme for this year. He indicated that the PCG had been advancing efforts in giving to the needy during Christmas, New Year, Easter celebrations, and other special calendar days of the year. God's blessings are available to all people, especially those who would not turn God's instructions aside and related well with one another. These blessings, he said, were mostly presumed to include wealth, good health, financial breakthroughs, new appointments, happiness, good marriages, success in examinations or businesses among others. The District Minister, touching on peaceful co-existence with one another, said it was a strong tool for receiving blessings in one's life, and urged Christians to live in harmony with everyone. He used the occasion to counsel Ghanaians to be tolerant, hardworking, respect authority, and law-abiding this New Year and beyond to ensure progress and development. GNA London, Jan 2 : Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the Duchess of Cornwall, and Baroness Amos are to be appointed as members of the Order of the Garter, England's oldest and most senior order of chivalry. The former prime minister now will be known as 'Sir Tony', the BBC reported on Saturday. The appointments are the personal choice of the Queen, who has up to 24 "knight and lady companions". Baroness Amos, a former Labour cabinet minister, becomes the first black member of the order. The ceremonial order, founded in 1348, is a recognition of significant public service, and made without prime ministerial advice. Blair becomes Sir Tony from January 1, as he joins the order as a "knight companion". "It's an immense honour," he said. He said it had been a "great privilege" to have served as prime minister, adding: "I would like to thank all those who served alongside me, in politics, public service and all parts of our society, for their dedication and commitment to our country." Sir Tony led his party to a landslide victory in 1997 and won two subsequent general elections. He served for 10 years before resigning and handing power to his chancellor, Gordon Brown. Under Sir Tony's leadership, the UK joined the US-led invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan -- an official inquiry into the 2003 Iraq war was strongly critical of his government and UK military chiefs. He famously referred to Diana, Princess of Wales, as the "people's princess" after her death. London, Jan 2 : Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the Duchess of Cornwall, and Baroness Amos are to be appointed as members of the Order of the Garter, England's oldest and most senior order of chivalry. The former prime minister now will be known as 'Sir Tony', the BBC reported on Saturday. The appointments are the personal choice of the Queen, who has up to 24 "knight and lady companions". Baroness Amos, a former Labour cabinet minister, becomes the first black member of the order. The ceremonial order, founded in 1348, is a recognition of significant public service, and made without prime ministerial advice. Blair becomes Sir Tony from January 1, as he joins the order as a "knight companion". "It's an immense honour," he said. He said it had been a "great privilege" to have served as prime minister, adding: "I would like to thank all those who served alongside me, in politics, public service and all parts of our society, for their dedication and commitment to our country." Sir Tony led his party to a landslide victory in 1997 and won two subsequent general elections. He served for 10 years before resigning and handing power to his chancellor, Gordon Brown. Under Sir Tony's leadership, the UK joined the US-led invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan -- an official inquiry into the 2003 Iraq war was strongly critical of his government and UK military chiefs. He famously referred to Diana, Princess of Wales, as the "people's princess" after her death. Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has urged Ghanaians to explore their different ethnicities and religious beliefs to develop the country. In a New Year message posted on his social media handles, Dr Bawumia said: "I pray that Ghana continues to be peaceful. "We have different ethnicities and different religions but we are all children of God. What makes Ghana unique is our unity in diversity and we should continue to focus on that". "I thank God for seeing us through 2021. I also pray for those who we, unfortunately, lost during the year." The Vice President expressed optimism about Ghana's future prospects, nothwithstanding the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. "I am very optimistic about Ghana's future and 2022 should see us continue on the path of economic transformation that we are embarking on. "I wish all Ghanaians a Happy New Year." GNA After President Donald Trump said during a rally in June 2021 that increased testing was responsible for the surging number of infections, the condemnation of the inaccurate claim was swift. Six days later, during a Fox News town hall, Sean Hannity asked Trump about those remarks on increased testing. Sometimes I jokingly say, or sarcastically say, if we didnt do tests we would look great, he replied. This seems to be a pattern. Two months earlier, the president had mused about the beneficial effects of injecting disinfectants into the body to combat COVID-19. After many health officials expressed their dismay, Trump repeatedly claimed that he was just being sarcastic. That same month, after he misspelled Nobel Prize in a tweet writing it out as Noble Prize he deleted the tweet before falling back on on a familiar excuse: sarcasm. What is it about sarcasm that makes it such a convenient excuse for people who are trying to distance themselves from what theyve said? As I describe in my book on irony and sarcasm, most cognitive scientists and other language researchers think of sarcasm as a form of verbal irony. Both ways of speaking involve saying the opposite of what you mean. But the goals of irony and sarcasm are actually different. For example, if someone slowly intones What beautiful weather! on a cold and rainy day, its clear theyre speaking ironically about a disappointing state of affairs. In general, irony is used to provide commentary on unexpected and negative outcomes. Sarcasm, on the other hand, is most frequently used to disparage the actions of other people. If someone tells you that youre a real genius after you forgot to meet them for an important appointment, they clearly dont mean that youre mentally gifted. Simply put, irony is commentary, but sarcasm is criticism. That seems straightforward enough. But in actual practice, the line between irony and sarcasm is blurry and confusing. Many people assert they are being sarcastic when they are in fact being ironic, as in the previous example of the weather. Story continues The enlargement of the domain of sarcasm at ironys expense is a linguistic shift that has been going on for some time. In fact, linguist Geoffrey Nunberg called attention to this phenomenon 20 years ago. So its hard to fault the president for conflating the two. Another element that makes sarcasm tricky to grasp has to do with saying the opposite of what is meant. The recipient of such a statement isnt supposed to take it literally. For this reason, when we use verbal irony or sarcasm, we might employ cues to signal our nonliteral intent. We may, for example, speak in a tone of voice thats slower, lower and louder than how we speak normally. Our pitch may swoop up or down. Ironic statements are also frequently accompanied by facial displays, such as a smirk or the rolling of the eyes. And thats why, when being sarcastic over text or email, well use emojis to relay nonliteral intent. Of course, even then, theres no guarantee that the recipient will interpret the message correctly. President Trump does, at times, clearly make use of sarcasm. For example, at a December 2019 rally in Hershey, Pennsylvania, he said, referring to the Houses imminent decision to initiate impeachment proceedings, that the Democrats also understand poll numbers, but Im sure that had nothing to do with it. He signals sarcasm by using absolute words like sure and nothing and by gesturing broadly with both hands. He also pauses to give his audience a moment to interpret his remark as the opposite of what he has said that, in fact, my high poll numbers have everything to do with impeachment. The remark is sarcastic because theres a clear target: the Democrats in Congress. But at both the Tulsa rally and his April press conference, the presidents controversial remarks didnt have such accompanying verbal and nonverbal cues. He wasnt being critical of anyone; he was simply asserting that testing leads to more infections, or asking what appeared to be sincere questions about the use of disinfectants to combat the virus. Chances are he literally meant what he said. [Science, politics, religion or just plain interesting articles: Check out The Conversations weekly newsletters.] As the president has repeatedly demonstrated, a claim of intended sarcasm can be used to walk back a remark that has been criticized or otherwise fallen flat. Thanks to our slippery understanding of the term, along with the way sarcasm can be easily missed, it can function like a Get Out of Jail Free card: The speaker can take a conversational mulligan and try to make things right. Weve all said things that we later regretted and appealed to just kidding or I was being sarcastic. However, if we habitually reach for such excuses to absolve ourselves of linguistic sins, it becomes, like the little boy who cried wolf, less and less effective. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Roger J. Kreuz, University of Memphis. Read more: Roger J. Kreuz 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. After President Donald Trump said during a rally in June 2021 that increased testing was responsible for the surging number of infections, the condemnation of the inaccurate claim was swift. Six days later, during a Fox News town hall, Sean Hannity asked Trump about those remarks on increased testing. Sometimes I jokingly say, or sarcastically say, if we didnt do tests we would look great, he replied. This seems to be a pattern. Two months earlier, the president had mused about the beneficial effects of injecting disinfectants into the body to combat COVID-19. After many health officials expressed their dismay, Trump repeatedly claimed that he was just being sarcastic. That same month, after he misspelled Nobel Prize in a tweet writing it out as Noble Prize he deleted the tweet before falling back on on a familiar excuse: sarcasm. What is it about sarcasm that makes it such a convenient excuse for people who are trying to distance themselves from what theyve said? As I describe in my book on irony and sarcasm, most cognitive scientists and other language researchers think of sarcasm as a form of verbal irony. Both ways of speaking involve saying the opposite of what you mean. But the goals of irony and sarcasm are actually different. For example, if someone slowly intones What beautiful weather! on a cold and rainy day, its clear theyre speaking ironically about a disappointing state of affairs. In general, irony is used to provide commentary on unexpected and negative outcomes. Sarcasm, on the other hand, is most frequently used to disparage the actions of other people. If someone tells you that youre a real genius after you forgot to meet them for an important appointment, they clearly dont mean that youre mentally gifted. Simply put, irony is commentary, but sarcasm is criticism. That seems straightforward enough. But in actual practice, the line between irony and sarcasm is blurry and confusing. Many people assert they are being sarcastic when they are in fact being ironic, as in the previous example of the weather. Story continues The enlargement of the domain of sarcasm at ironys expense is a linguistic shift that has been going on for some time. In fact, linguist Geoffrey Nunberg called attention to this phenomenon 20 years ago. So its hard to fault the president for conflating the two. Another element that makes sarcasm tricky to grasp has to do with saying the opposite of what is meant. The recipient of such a statement isnt supposed to take it literally. For this reason, when we use verbal irony or sarcasm, we might employ cues to signal our nonliteral intent. We may, for example, speak in a tone of voice thats slower, lower and louder than how we speak normally. Our pitch may swoop up or down. Ironic statements are also frequently accompanied by facial displays, such as a smirk or the rolling of the eyes. And thats why, when being sarcastic over text or email, well use emojis to relay nonliteral intent. Of course, even then, theres no guarantee that the recipient will interpret the message correctly. President Trump does, at times, clearly make use of sarcasm. For example, at a December 2019 rally in Hershey, Pennsylvania, he said, referring to the Houses imminent decision to initiate impeachment proceedings, that the Democrats also understand poll numbers, but Im sure that had nothing to do with it. He signals sarcasm by using absolute words like sure and nothing and by gesturing broadly with both hands. He also pauses to give his audience a moment to interpret his remark as the opposite of what he has said that, in fact, my high poll numbers have everything to do with impeachment. The remark is sarcastic because theres a clear target: the Democrats in Congress. But at both the Tulsa rally and his April press conference, the presidents controversial remarks didnt have such accompanying verbal and nonverbal cues. He wasnt being critical of anyone; he was simply asserting that testing leads to more infections, or asking what appeared to be sincere questions about the use of disinfectants to combat the virus. Chances are he literally meant what he said. [Science, politics, religion or just plain interesting articles: Check out The Conversations weekly newsletters.] As the president has repeatedly demonstrated, a claim of intended sarcasm can be used to walk back a remark that has been criticized or otherwise fallen flat. Thanks to our slippery understanding of the term, along with the way sarcasm can be easily missed, it can function like a Get Out of Jail Free card: The speaker can take a conversational mulligan and try to make things right. Weve all said things that we later regretted and appealed to just kidding or I was being sarcastic. However, if we habitually reach for such excuses to absolve ourselves of linguistic sins, it becomes, like the little boy who cried wolf, less and less effective. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Roger J. Kreuz, University of Memphis. Read more: Roger J. Kreuz 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. PARIS (Reuters) - Far-right leader Marine Le Pen protested on Saturday against the placing of a European Union flag on the Arc de Triomphe for the start of Paris' six-month presidency of the bloc. Le Pen, whom polls show to be President Emmanuel Macron's main rival for the spring presidential election, was joined by other right-wing politicians in outrage against the EU flag fluttering on the Paris landmark. "To adorn the Arc de Triomphe with the sole colours of the European Union, without the presence of a national flag, is a real attack on our nation's identity, because this monument honours our military victories and houses the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier," she said in a statement. There was no immediate comment from the pro-EU Macron, whom Le Pen accused of giving a "direct order" to hang the flag. But Junior European Affairs Minister Clement Beaune said the display was only temporary. "The French flag has not been replaced. The election campaign is not a free pass for petty lies and controversies," he tweeted. Macron, who has yet to say if he will run for re-election in April, defeated Le Pen in the 2017 run-off by 66%-34%. All polls show him favourite to win another five-year term. Le Pen said she would appeal to the Council of State, which acts as legal adviser of the executive, to remove the EU flag. (Reporting by Elizabeth Pineau; Writing by Benoit Van Overstraeten; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) After President Donald Trump said during a rally in June 2021 that increased testing was responsible for the surging number of infections, the condemnation of the inaccurate claim was swift. Six days later, during a Fox News town hall, Sean Hannity asked Trump about those remarks on increased testing. Sometimes I jokingly say, or sarcastically say, if we didnt do tests we would look great, he replied. This seems to be a pattern. Two months earlier, the president had mused about the beneficial effects of injecting disinfectants into the body to combat COVID-19. After many health officials expressed their dismay, Trump repeatedly claimed that he was just being sarcastic. That same month, after he misspelled Nobel Prize in a tweet writing it out as Noble Prize he deleted the tweet before falling back on on a familiar excuse: sarcasm. What is it about sarcasm that makes it such a convenient excuse for people who are trying to distance themselves from what theyve said? As I describe in my book on irony and sarcasm, most cognitive scientists and other language researchers think of sarcasm as a form of verbal irony. Both ways of speaking involve saying the opposite of what you mean. But the goals of irony and sarcasm are actually different. For example, if someone slowly intones What beautiful weather! on a cold and rainy day, its clear theyre speaking ironically about a disappointing state of affairs. In general, irony is used to provide commentary on unexpected and negative outcomes. Sarcasm, on the other hand, is most frequently used to disparage the actions of other people. If someone tells you that youre a real genius after you forgot to meet them for an important appointment, they clearly dont mean that youre mentally gifted. Simply put, irony is commentary, but sarcasm is criticism. That seems straightforward enough. But in actual practice, the line between irony and sarcasm is blurry and confusing. Many people assert they are being sarcastic when they are in fact being ironic, as in the previous example of the weather. Story continues The enlargement of the domain of sarcasm at ironys expense is a linguistic shift that has been going on for some time. In fact, linguist Geoffrey Nunberg called attention to this phenomenon 20 years ago. So its hard to fault the president for conflating the two. Another element that makes sarcasm tricky to grasp has to do with saying the opposite of what is meant. The recipient of such a statement isnt supposed to take it literally. For this reason, when we use verbal irony or sarcasm, we might employ cues to signal our nonliteral intent. We may, for example, speak in a tone of voice thats slower, lower and louder than how we speak normally. Our pitch may swoop up or down. Ironic statements are also frequently accompanied by facial displays, such as a smirk or the rolling of the eyes. And thats why, when being sarcastic over text or email, well use emojis to relay nonliteral intent. Of course, even then, theres no guarantee that the recipient will interpret the message correctly. President Trump does, at times, clearly make use of sarcasm. For example, at a December 2019 rally in Hershey, Pennsylvania, he said, referring to the Houses imminent decision to initiate impeachment proceedings, that the Democrats also understand poll numbers, but Im sure that had nothing to do with it. He signals sarcasm by using absolute words like sure and nothing and by gesturing broadly with both hands. He also pauses to give his audience a moment to interpret his remark as the opposite of what he has said that, in fact, my high poll numbers have everything to do with impeachment. The remark is sarcastic because theres a clear target: the Democrats in Congress. But at both the Tulsa rally and his April press conference, the presidents controversial remarks didnt have such accompanying verbal and nonverbal cues. He wasnt being critical of anyone; he was simply asserting that testing leads to more infections, or asking what appeared to be sincere questions about the use of disinfectants to combat the virus. Chances are he literally meant what he said. [Science, politics, religion or just plain interesting articles: Check out The Conversations weekly newsletters.] As the president has repeatedly demonstrated, a claim of intended sarcasm can be used to walk back a remark that has been criticized or otherwise fallen flat. Thanks to our slippery understanding of the term, along with the way sarcasm can be easily missed, it can function like a Get Out of Jail Free card: The speaker can take a conversational mulligan and try to make things right. Weve all said things that we later regretted and appealed to just kidding or I was being sarcastic. However, if we habitually reach for such excuses to absolve ourselves of linguistic sins, it becomes, like the little boy who cried wolf, less and less effective. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Roger J. Kreuz, University of Memphis. Read more: Roger J. Kreuz 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. After President Donald Trump said during a rally in June 2021 that increased testing was responsible for the surging number of infections, the condemnation of the inaccurate claim was swift. Six days later, during a Fox News town hall, Sean Hannity asked Trump about those remarks on increased testing. Sometimes I jokingly say, or sarcastically say, if we didnt do tests we would look great, he replied. This seems to be a pattern. Two months earlier, the president had mused about the beneficial effects of injecting disinfectants into the body to combat COVID-19. After many health officials expressed their dismay, Trump repeatedly claimed that he was just being sarcastic. That same month, after he misspelled Nobel Prize in a tweet writing it out as Noble Prize he deleted the tweet before falling back on on a familiar excuse: sarcasm. What is it about sarcasm that makes it such a convenient excuse for people who are trying to distance themselves from what theyve said? As I describe in my book on irony and sarcasm, most cognitive scientists and other language researchers think of sarcasm as a form of verbal irony. Both ways of speaking involve saying the opposite of what you mean. But the goals of irony and sarcasm are actually different. For example, if someone slowly intones What beautiful weather! on a cold and rainy day, its clear theyre speaking ironically about a disappointing state of affairs. In general, irony is used to provide commentary on unexpected and negative outcomes. Sarcasm, on the other hand, is most frequently used to disparage the actions of other people. If someone tells you that youre a real genius after you forgot to meet them for an important appointment, they clearly dont mean that youre mentally gifted. Simply put, irony is commentary, but sarcasm is criticism. That seems straightforward enough. But in actual practice, the line between irony and sarcasm is blurry and confusing. Many people assert they are being sarcastic when they are in fact being ironic, as in the previous example of the weather. Story continues The enlargement of the domain of sarcasm at ironys expense is a linguistic shift that has been going on for some time. In fact, linguist Geoffrey Nunberg called attention to this phenomenon 20 years ago. So its hard to fault the president for conflating the two. Another element that makes sarcasm tricky to grasp has to do with saying the opposite of what is meant. The recipient of such a statement isnt supposed to take it literally. For this reason, when we use verbal irony or sarcasm, we might employ cues to signal our nonliteral intent. We may, for example, speak in a tone of voice thats slower, lower and louder than how we speak normally. Our pitch may swoop up or down. Ironic statements are also frequently accompanied by facial displays, such as a smirk or the rolling of the eyes. And thats why, when being sarcastic over text or email, well use emojis to relay nonliteral intent. Of course, even then, theres no guarantee that the recipient will interpret the message correctly. President Trump does, at times, clearly make use of sarcasm. For example, at a December 2019 rally in Hershey, Pennsylvania, he said, referring to the Houses imminent decision to initiate impeachment proceedings, that the Democrats also understand poll numbers, but Im sure that had nothing to do with it. He signals sarcasm by using absolute words like sure and nothing and by gesturing broadly with both hands. He also pauses to give his audience a moment to interpret his remark as the opposite of what he has said that, in fact, my high poll numbers have everything to do with impeachment. The remark is sarcastic because theres a clear target: the Democrats in Congress. But at both the Tulsa rally and his April press conference, the presidents controversial remarks didnt have such accompanying verbal and nonverbal cues. He wasnt being critical of anyone; he was simply asserting that testing leads to more infections, or asking what appeared to be sincere questions about the use of disinfectants to combat the virus. Chances are he literally meant what he said. [Science, politics, religion or just plain interesting articles: Check out The Conversations weekly newsletters.] As the president has repeatedly demonstrated, a claim of intended sarcasm can be used to walk back a remark that has been criticized or otherwise fallen flat. Thanks to our slippery understanding of the term, along with the way sarcasm can be easily missed, it can function like a Get Out of Jail Free card: The speaker can take a conversational mulligan and try to make things right. Weve all said things that we later regretted and appealed to just kidding or I was being sarcastic. However, if we habitually reach for such excuses to absolve ourselves of linguistic sins, it becomes, like the little boy who cried wolf, less and less effective. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Roger J. Kreuz, University of Memphis. Read more: Roger J. Kreuz 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. PHILADELPHIA (Tribune News Service) On the streets of Philadelphia, 2022 began where 2021 left off. It took less than four hours for 14 people to get shot, two of them killed in two separate violent outbursts. One of the dead was only 16 years old. Police responded to calls for a person shot on Cecil B. Moore Avenue between Wellington and 17th Streets near Temple University at about 1:50 a.m. Saturday. Officers found two people who had been shot, one of them a 16-year-old boy with a single gunshot wound to the back of his head. The other was a 27-year-old man who had been shot once in the left leg. Both were rushed to Temple University Hospital, where the teenager died shortly after arrival. The man was listed in stable condition. Police did not identify the victims. Two women and one man also suffered gunshot wounds at the scene, and Temple University police took all three to Temple Hospital. A 23-year-old woman was shot once in the leg, and another woman, about 20 years old, was shot once in the pelvis. Both were in stable condition Saturday afternoon. Gunfire also struck a man, also about 20 years old, multiple times in the chest and he's in critical condition, police said. All victims were part of a large group gathered to celebrate the new year. No weapon was recovered, police said. "We do not have a lot of information on the shooter," Inspector D F Pace told reporters at the scene. But there are numerous surveillance cameras in the area. "Our homicide detectives will be combing through that video to see what else we can glean with respect to what occurred here this evening," he said. Shortly before that shooting, at around 1:30 a.m., 25th District officers received multiple calls about gunshots in the 100 block of East Luray Street near North Front Street in Feltonville. Police found a 33-year-old man who had been shot multiple times in the chest. He was rushed to Temple Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Two women, both 23 and acquaintances of the victim, were shot once in the leg. Police took them to Temple, where they were listed in stable condition. The crime scene was an auto parts or repair shop that had been converted as a backdrop for a large New Year's Eve bash. Police found six spent shell casings, one projectile and a significant amount of blood, Pace said. Homicide detectives were questioning a number of the revelers. At 2:15 a.m., a man and a woman were shot at 8th and Cambria Streets in the Fairhill section. A 36-year-old man was struck twice in the right leg, and once in the left. A 22-year-old woman was shot in the right eye. Both were taken by a private vehicle to Temple Hospital, where they were in stable condition. At 3:23 a.m., a 28-year-old man was shot twice in the lower leg at Torresdale Avenue and Howell Street in the Wissinoming section. He was in stable condition at Temple Hospital. And there was a triple shooting in the 3900 block of Frankford Avenue, but police have not yet determined when gunshots started popping. Police recovered weapons nearby. A 23-year-old man was shot once in the leg and was taken by a private car to Temple Hospital. Two men, 21 and 23, who were both shot in the abdomen, walked into St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. Both are listed in critical but stable condition, police said. This was the continuation of a year in Philadelphia that hit an all-time high for killings. In 2021, at least 560 people were murdered, a bigger tally than in more heavily populated cities including New York and Los Angeles. The vast majority of Philadelphia homicides have been committed with firearms. And the number of women slain has surged. As of last Monday, 70 women were killed in homicides last year, an 84% leap from 2020. On Nov. 20, Jessica Covington, 32, who was pregnant, was shot multiple times in the head and stomach just after 8:30 p.m. on the 6100 block of Palmetto Street in Crescentville, where she lived. Both she and her unborn baby were killed. She had just left her own baby shower and was unloading gifts from her vehicle when shots rang out, detectives believe. Last Thursday, a gunfight erupted in Germantown that left a 21-year-old woman in critical condition and five men injured. Six armed men had jumped out of a van and opened fire on the group on a street corner. Some of those people shot back. In all, more than 65 shots were traded on the 5100 block of Germantown Avenue near Collom Street. The gun battle prompted City Councilmember Cindy Bass, who represents the area, to ask Mayor Jim Kenney and Gov. Tom Wolf to dispatch National Guard troops to the city to support the Police Department and help enforce laws. "We cannot fight the tragic escalation of gun violence alone," Bass said in a statement. Kenney said he had no plans to call in the National Guard. Earlier last year, he rejected similar calls by community activists as the number of shootings soared. 2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. PARIS (Reuters) - Far-right leader Marine Le Pen protested on Saturday against the placing of a European Union flag on the Arc de Triomphe for the start of Paris' six-month presidency of the bloc. Le Pen, whom polls show to be President Emmanuel Macron's main rival for the spring presidential election, was joined by other right-wing politicians in outrage against the EU flag fluttering on the Paris landmark. "To adorn the Arc de Triomphe with the sole colours of the European Union, without the presence of a national flag, is a real attack on our nation's identity, because this monument honours our military victories and houses the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier," she said in a statement. There was no immediate comment from the pro-EU Macron, whom Le Pen accused of giving a "direct order" to hang the flag. But Junior European Affairs Minister Clement Beaune said the display was only temporary. "The French flag has not been replaced. The election campaign is not a free pass for petty lies and controversies," he tweeted. Macron, who has yet to say if he will run for re-election in April, defeated Le Pen in the 2017 run-off by 66%-34%. All polls show him favourite to win another five-year term. Le Pen said she would appeal to the Council of State, which acts as legal adviser of the executive, to remove the EU flag. (Reporting by Elizabeth Pineau; Writing by Benoit Van Overstraeten; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) Most chief executive officers (CEOs) of top expect the economy to make a sharp turnaround in the new year even as they plan to increase capacity and step up hiring. MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A statue of Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador that had been erected in an important opposition stronghold lasted just two days, the state prosecutor said, after photographs of the apparent vandalism were shared on social media. The statue had been unveiled on Thursday by outgoing Mayor Roberto Tellez Monroy in the municipality of Atlacomulco in the central State of Mexico, the hometown of Lopez Obrador's predecessor, Enrique Pena Nieto. The National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) party Lopez Obrador heads had governed the municipality until recently before it fell back to the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, that has long ruled it. "The statue was demolished," a spokesman at the state prosecutor's office said. "It was an apparent act of vandalism." In order to start an investigation, the prosecutor's office needs a complaint he said has so far not been presented. Photographs shared on social media showed the headless statue lying on the ground. Lopez Obrador remains popular in Mexico, with his approval rating at 64.3%, according to the latest Mitofsky poll on Saturday. Atlacomulco city council did not immediately respond to requests for information on the incident. In the past, Lopez Obrador has said that he does not agree with the erection of images of his person. (Reporting by Lizbeth Diaz; Editing by Sandra Maler) MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A statue of Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador that had been erected in an important opposition stronghold lasted just two days, the state prosecutor said, after photographs of the apparent vandalism were shared on social media. The statue had been unveiled on Thursday by outgoing Mayor Roberto Tellez Monroy in the municipality of Atlacomulco in the central State of Mexico, the hometown of Lopez Obrador's predecessor, Enrique Pena Nieto. The National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) party Lopez Obrador heads had governed the municipality until recently before it fell back to the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, that has long ruled it. "The statue was demolished," a spokesman at the state prosecutor's office said. "It was an apparent act of vandalism." In order to start an investigation, the prosecutor's office needs a complaint he said has so far not been presented. Photographs shared on social media showed the headless statue lying on the ground. Lopez Obrador remains popular in Mexico, with his approval rating at 64.3%, according to the latest Mitofsky poll on Saturday. Atlacomulco city council did not immediately respond to requests for information on the incident. In the past, Lopez Obrador has said that he does not agree with the erection of images of his person. (Reporting by Lizbeth Diaz; Editing by Sandra Maler) MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A statue of Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador that had been erected in an important opposition stronghold lasted just two days, the state prosecutor said, after photographs of the apparent vandalism were shared on social media. The statue had been unveiled on Thursday by outgoing Mayor Roberto Tellez Monroy in the municipality of Atlacomulco in the central State of Mexico, the hometown of Lopez Obrador's predecessor, Enrique Pena Nieto. The National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) party Lopez Obrador heads had governed the municipality until recently before it fell back to the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, that has long ruled it. "The statue was demolished," a spokesman at the state prosecutor's office said. "It was an apparent act of vandalism." In order to start an investigation, the prosecutor's office needs a complaint he said has so far not been presented. Photographs shared on social media showed the headless statue lying on the ground. Lopez Obrador remains popular in Mexico, with his approval rating at 64.3%, according to the latest Mitofsky poll on Saturday. Atlacomulco city council did not immediately respond to requests for information on the incident. In the past, Lopez Obrador has said that he does not agree with the erection of images of his person. (Reporting by Lizbeth Diaz; Editing by Sandra Maler) PHILADELPHIA (Tribune News Service) On the streets of Philadelphia, 2022 began where 2021 left off. It took less than four hours for 14 people to get shot, two of them killed in two separate violent outbursts. One of the dead was only 16 years old. Police responded to calls for a person shot on Cecil B. Moore Avenue between Wellington and 17th Streets near Temple University at about 1:50 a.m. Saturday. Officers found two people who had been shot, one of them a 16-year-old boy with a single gunshot wound to the back of his head. The other was a 27-year-old man who had been shot once in the left leg. Both were rushed to Temple University Hospital, where the teenager died shortly after arrival. The man was listed in stable condition. Police did not identify the victims. Two women and one man also suffered gunshot wounds at the scene, and Temple University police took all three to Temple Hospital. A 23-year-old woman was shot once in the leg, and another woman, about 20 years old, was shot once in the pelvis. Both were in stable condition Saturday afternoon. Gunfire also struck a man, also about 20 years old, multiple times in the chest and he's in critical condition, police said. All victims were part of a large group gathered to celebrate the new year. No weapon was recovered, police said. "We do not have a lot of information on the shooter," Inspector D F Pace told reporters at the scene. But there are numerous surveillance cameras in the area. "Our homicide detectives will be combing through that video to see what else we can glean with respect to what occurred here this evening," he said. Shortly before that shooting, at around 1:30 a.m., 25th District officers received multiple calls about gunshots in the 100 block of East Luray Street near North Front Street in Feltonville. Police found a 33-year-old man who had been shot multiple times in the chest. He was rushed to Temple Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Two women, both 23 and acquaintances of the victim, were shot once in the leg. Police took them to Temple, where they were listed in stable condition. The crime scene was an auto parts or repair shop that had been converted as a backdrop for a large New Year's Eve bash. Police found six spent shell casings, one projectile and a significant amount of blood, Pace said. Homicide detectives were questioning a number of the revelers. At 2:15 a.m., a man and a woman were shot at 8th and Cambria Streets in the Fairhill section. A 36-year-old man was struck twice in the right leg, and once in the left. A 22-year-old woman was shot in the right eye. Both were taken by a private vehicle to Temple Hospital, where they were in stable condition. At 3:23 a.m., a 28-year-old man was shot twice in the lower leg at Torresdale Avenue and Howell Street in the Wissinoming section. He was in stable condition at Temple Hospital. And there was a triple shooting in the 3900 block of Frankford Avenue, but police have not yet determined when gunshots started popping. Police recovered weapons nearby. A 23-year-old man was shot once in the leg and was taken by a private car to Temple Hospital. Two men, 21 and 23, who were both shot in the abdomen, walked into St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. Both are listed in critical but stable condition, police said. This was the continuation of a year in Philadelphia that hit an all-time high for killings. In 2021, at least 560 people were murdered, a bigger tally than in more heavily populated cities including New York and Los Angeles. The vast majority of Philadelphia homicides have been committed with firearms. And the number of women slain has surged. As of last Monday, 70 women were killed in homicides last year, an 84% leap from 2020. On Nov. 20, Jessica Covington, 32, who was pregnant, was shot multiple times in the head and stomach just after 8:30 p.m. on the 6100 block of Palmetto Street in Crescentville, where she lived. Both she and her unborn baby were killed. She had just left her own baby shower and was unloading gifts from her vehicle when shots rang out, detectives believe. Last Thursday, a gunfight erupted in Germantown that left a 21-year-old woman in critical condition and five men injured. Six armed men had jumped out of a van and opened fire on the group on a street corner. Some of those people shot back. In all, more than 65 shots were traded on the 5100 block of Germantown Avenue near Collom Street. The gun battle prompted City Councilmember Cindy Bass, who represents the area, to ask Mayor Jim Kenney and Gov. Tom Wolf to dispatch National Guard troops to the city to support the Police Department and help enforce laws. "We cannot fight the tragic escalation of gun violence alone," Bass said in a statement. Kenney said he had no plans to call in the National Guard. Earlier last year, he rejected similar calls by community activists as the number of shootings soared. 2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. 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. PARIS (Reuters) - Far-right leader Marine Le Pen protested on Saturday against the placing of a European Union flag on the Arc de Triomphe for the start of Paris' six-month presidency of the bloc. Le Pen, whom polls show to be President Emmanuel Macron's main rival for the spring presidential election, was joined by other right-wing politicians in outrage against the EU flag fluttering on the Paris landmark. "To adorn the Arc de Triomphe with the sole colours of the European Union, without the presence of a national flag, is a real attack on our nation's identity, because this monument honours our military victories and houses the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier," she said in a statement. There was no immediate comment from the pro-EU Macron, whom Le Pen accused of giving a "direct order" to hang the flag. But Junior European Affairs Minister Clement Beaune said the display was only temporary. "The French flag has not been replaced. The election campaign is not a free pass for petty lies and controversies," he tweeted. Macron, who has yet to say if he will run for re-election in April, defeated Le Pen in the 2017 run-off by 66%-34%. All polls show him favourite to win another five-year term. Le Pen said she would appeal to the Council of State, which acts as legal adviser of the executive, to remove the EU flag. (Reporting by Elizabeth Pineau; Writing by Benoit Van Overstraeten; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) After President Donald Trump said during a rally in June 2021 that increased testing was responsible for the surging number of infections, the condemnation of the inaccurate claim was swift. Six days later, during a Fox News town hall, Sean Hannity asked Trump about those remarks on increased testing. Sometimes I jokingly say, or sarcastically say, if we didnt do tests we would look great, he replied. This seems to be a pattern. Two months earlier, the president had mused about the beneficial effects of injecting disinfectants into the body to combat COVID-19. After many health officials expressed their dismay, Trump repeatedly claimed that he was just being sarcastic. That same month, after he misspelled Nobel Prize in a tweet writing it out as Noble Prize he deleted the tweet before falling back on on a familiar excuse: sarcasm. What is it about sarcasm that makes it such a convenient excuse for people who are trying to distance themselves from what theyve said? As I describe in my book on irony and sarcasm, most cognitive scientists and other language researchers think of sarcasm as a form of verbal irony. Both ways of speaking involve saying the opposite of what you mean. But the goals of irony and sarcasm are actually different. For example, if someone slowly intones What beautiful weather! on a cold and rainy day, its clear theyre speaking ironically about a disappointing state of affairs. In general, irony is used to provide commentary on unexpected and negative outcomes. Sarcasm, on the other hand, is most frequently used to disparage the actions of other people. If someone tells you that youre a real genius after you forgot to meet them for an important appointment, they clearly dont mean that youre mentally gifted. Simply put, irony is commentary, but sarcasm is criticism. That seems straightforward enough. But in actual practice, the line between irony and sarcasm is blurry and confusing. Many people assert they are being sarcastic when they are in fact being ironic, as in the previous example of the weather. Story continues The enlargement of the domain of sarcasm at ironys expense is a linguistic shift that has been going on for some time. In fact, linguist Geoffrey Nunberg called attention to this phenomenon 20 years ago. So its hard to fault the president for conflating the two. Another element that makes sarcasm tricky to grasp has to do with saying the opposite of what is meant. The recipient of such a statement isnt supposed to take it literally. For this reason, when we use verbal irony or sarcasm, we might employ cues to signal our nonliteral intent. We may, for example, speak in a tone of voice thats slower, lower and louder than how we speak normally. Our pitch may swoop up or down. Ironic statements are also frequently accompanied by facial displays, such as a smirk or the rolling of the eyes. And thats why, when being sarcastic over text or email, well use emojis to relay nonliteral intent. Of course, even then, theres no guarantee that the recipient will interpret the message correctly. President Trump does, at times, clearly make use of sarcasm. For example, at a December 2019 rally in Hershey, Pennsylvania, he said, referring to the Houses imminent decision to initiate impeachment proceedings, that the Democrats also understand poll numbers, but Im sure that had nothing to do with it. He signals sarcasm by using absolute words like sure and nothing and by gesturing broadly with both hands. He also pauses to give his audience a moment to interpret his remark as the opposite of what he has said that, in fact, my high poll numbers have everything to do with impeachment. The remark is sarcastic because theres a clear target: the Democrats in Congress. But at both the Tulsa rally and his April press conference, the presidents controversial remarks didnt have such accompanying verbal and nonverbal cues. He wasnt being critical of anyone; he was simply asserting that testing leads to more infections, or asking what appeared to be sincere questions about the use of disinfectants to combat the virus. Chances are he literally meant what he said. [Science, politics, religion or just plain interesting articles: Check out The Conversations weekly newsletters.] As the president has repeatedly demonstrated, a claim of intended sarcasm can be used to walk back a remark that has been criticized or otherwise fallen flat. Thanks to our slippery understanding of the term, along with the way sarcasm can be easily missed, it can function like a Get Out of Jail Free card: The speaker can take a conversational mulligan and try to make things right. Weve all said things that we later regretted and appealed to just kidding or I was being sarcastic. However, if we habitually reach for such excuses to absolve ourselves of linguistic sins, it becomes, like the little boy who cried wolf, less and less effective. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Roger J. Kreuz, University of Memphis. Read more: Roger J. Kreuz 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. Passengers go through security, Tuesday, March 16, 2021, at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in Hebron, Ky. With the spread of the omicron variant of COVID-19 and a mix of severe weather and heavy snow, many flights across the country have been canceled, complicating travel plans for people traveling home from the holidays. Statistically, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport's cancellations and delays rank in the lower third of the Jan. 1 flights listed by Flight Aware, a flight tracking service. As of 3 p.m., the Cincinnati airport had 31 total delays and 25 total cancellations. CVG had 13 canceled and 16 delayed departures, as well as 12 canceled and 15 delayed arrivals. Those cancellations represent 11 percent of the airport's overall traffic. Allegiant Air had the most Cincinnati cancellations with 10. Frontier Airlines had three flight cancellations while the following airlines had two each: Skywest, Southwest, Delta, Piedmont, Endeavor Air and Mesa. By comparison, Chicago O'Hare International Airport had 165 delays and 840 cancellations as of 3 p.m., representing almost half its flights for the day, according to Flight Aware. Chicago's Midway International had 273 cancellations, representing 56 percent of the day's expected departures and 66 percent of its arrivals. Those airports were Nos. 1 and 2 in the world for the volume of cancellations and delays. View of jet bridges, Friday, May 14, 2021, at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in Hebron, Ky. Of the flights arriving at CVG from Chicago, three have been canceled and one was delayed. Of the flights arriving at Chicago from CVG, three were canceled and another three were delayed. Wintry conditions aren't forecast for Greater Cincinnati Saturday, although heavy rain and isolated flooding are possible, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington, Ohio. Thousands of flights within, entering or leaving the United States have been either canceled or delayed New Year's Day. As of 3 p.m., more than 2,700 flights were delayed and more than 2,500 flights were canceled, Flight Aware shows. According to USA TODAY, meteorologists predict travel-halting snowfall in at least 18 states on New Year's Day, with winter storm warnings in place for parts of nine states. Story continues Heavy snow was expected to spread from the Central Plains to the Mississippi Valley and Lower Great Lakes. Up to a foot of snow was likely from northeast Kansas to the Chicago Metro area. Severe storms and a chance or tornadoes are forecast throughout the South Saturday. More information about flights cancellations and delays nationwide can be found here. A breakdown of cancellations and delays at CVG can be found here. USA TODAY contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Omicron, weather cancel flights nationwide; what to expect at CVG Most chief executive officers (CEOs) of top expect the economy to make a sharp turnaround in the new year even as they plan to increase capacity and step up hiring. PHILADELPHIA (Tribune News Service) On the streets of Philadelphia, 2022 began where 2021 left off. It took less than four hours for 14 people to get shot, two of them killed in two separate violent outbursts. One of the dead was only 16 years old. Police responded to calls for a person shot on Cecil B. Moore Avenue between Wellington and 17th Streets near Temple University at about 1:50 a.m. Saturday. Officers found two people who had been shot, one of them a 16-year-old boy with a single gunshot wound to the back of his head. The other was a 27-year-old man who had been shot once in the left leg. Both were rushed to Temple University Hospital, where the teenager died shortly after arrival. The man was listed in stable condition. Police did not identify the victims. Two women and one man also suffered gunshot wounds at the scene, and Temple University police took all three to Temple Hospital. A 23-year-old woman was shot once in the leg, and another woman, about 20 years old, was shot once in the pelvis. Both were in stable condition Saturday afternoon. Gunfire also struck a man, also about 20 years old, multiple times in the chest and he's in critical condition, police said. All victims were part of a large group gathered to celebrate the new year. No weapon was recovered, police said. "We do not have a lot of information on the shooter," Inspector D F Pace told reporters at the scene. But there are numerous surveillance cameras in the area. "Our homicide detectives will be combing through that video to see what else we can glean with respect to what occurred here this evening," he said. Shortly before that shooting, at around 1:30 a.m., 25th District officers received multiple calls about gunshots in the 100 block of East Luray Street near North Front Street in Feltonville. Police found a 33-year-old man who had been shot multiple times in the chest. He was rushed to Temple Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Two women, both 23 and acquaintances of the victim, were shot once in the leg. Police took them to Temple, where they were listed in stable condition. The crime scene was an auto parts or repair shop that had been converted as a backdrop for a large New Year's Eve bash. Police found six spent shell casings, one projectile and a significant amount of blood, Pace said. Homicide detectives were questioning a number of the revelers. At 2:15 a.m., a man and a woman were shot at 8th and Cambria Streets in the Fairhill section. A 36-year-old man was struck twice in the right leg, and once in the left. A 22-year-old woman was shot in the right eye. Both were taken by a private vehicle to Temple Hospital, where they were in stable condition. At 3:23 a.m., a 28-year-old man was shot twice in the lower leg at Torresdale Avenue and Howell Street in the Wissinoming section. He was in stable condition at Temple Hospital. And there was a triple shooting in the 3900 block of Frankford Avenue, but police have not yet determined when gunshots started popping. Police recovered weapons nearby. A 23-year-old man was shot once in the leg and was taken by a private car to Temple Hospital. Two men, 21 and 23, who were both shot in the abdomen, walked into St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. Both are listed in critical but stable condition, police said. This was the continuation of a year in Philadelphia that hit an all-time high for killings. In 2021, at least 560 people were murdered, a bigger tally than in more heavily populated cities including New York and Los Angeles. The vast majority of Philadelphia homicides have been committed with firearms. And the number of women slain has surged. As of last Monday, 70 women were killed in homicides last year, an 84% leap from 2020. On Nov. 20, Jessica Covington, 32, who was pregnant, was shot multiple times in the head and stomach just after 8:30 p.m. on the 6100 block of Palmetto Street in Crescentville, where she lived. Both she and her unborn baby were killed. She had just left her own baby shower and was unloading gifts from her vehicle when shots rang out, detectives believe. Last Thursday, a gunfight erupted in Germantown that left a 21-year-old woman in critical condition and five men injured. Six armed men had jumped out of a van and opened fire on the group on a street corner. Some of those people shot back. In all, more than 65 shots were traded on the 5100 block of Germantown Avenue near Collom Street. The gun battle prompted City Councilmember Cindy Bass, who represents the area, to ask Mayor Jim Kenney and Gov. Tom Wolf to dispatch National Guard troops to the city to support the Police Department and help enforce laws. "We cannot fight the tragic escalation of gun violence alone," Bass said in a statement. Kenney said he had no plans to call in the National Guard. Earlier last year, he rejected similar calls by community activists as the number of shootings soared. 2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. After President Donald Trump said during a rally in June 2021 that increased testing was responsible for the surging number of infections, the condemnation of the inaccurate claim was swift. Six days later, during a Fox News town hall, Sean Hannity asked Trump about those remarks on increased testing. Sometimes I jokingly say, or sarcastically say, if we didnt do tests we would look great, he replied. This seems to be a pattern. Two months earlier, the president had mused about the beneficial effects of injecting disinfectants into the body to combat COVID-19. After many health officials expressed their dismay, Trump repeatedly claimed that he was just being sarcastic. That same month, after he misspelled Nobel Prize in a tweet writing it out as Noble Prize he deleted the tweet before falling back on on a familiar excuse: sarcasm. What is it about sarcasm that makes it such a convenient excuse for people who are trying to distance themselves from what theyve said? As I describe in my book on irony and sarcasm, most cognitive scientists and other language researchers think of sarcasm as a form of verbal irony. Both ways of speaking involve saying the opposite of what you mean. But the goals of irony and sarcasm are actually different. For example, if someone slowly intones What beautiful weather! on a cold and rainy day, its clear theyre speaking ironically about a disappointing state of affairs. In general, irony is used to provide commentary on unexpected and negative outcomes. Sarcasm, on the other hand, is most frequently used to disparage the actions of other people. If someone tells you that youre a real genius after you forgot to meet them for an important appointment, they clearly dont mean that youre mentally gifted. Simply put, irony is commentary, but sarcasm is criticism. That seems straightforward enough. But in actual practice, the line between irony and sarcasm is blurry and confusing. Many people assert they are being sarcastic when they are in fact being ironic, as in the previous example of the weather. Story continues The enlargement of the domain of sarcasm at ironys expense is a linguistic shift that has been going on for some time. In fact, linguist Geoffrey Nunberg called attention to this phenomenon 20 years ago. So its hard to fault the president for conflating the two. Another element that makes sarcasm tricky to grasp has to do with saying the opposite of what is meant. The recipient of such a statement isnt supposed to take it literally. For this reason, when we use verbal irony or sarcasm, we might employ cues to signal our nonliteral intent. We may, for example, speak in a tone of voice thats slower, lower and louder than how we speak normally. Our pitch may swoop up or down. Ironic statements are also frequently accompanied by facial displays, such as a smirk or the rolling of the eyes. And thats why, when being sarcastic over text or email, well use emojis to relay nonliteral intent. Of course, even then, theres no guarantee that the recipient will interpret the message correctly. President Trump does, at times, clearly make use of sarcasm. For example, at a December 2019 rally in Hershey, Pennsylvania, he said, referring to the Houses imminent decision to initiate impeachment proceedings, that the Democrats also understand poll numbers, but Im sure that had nothing to do with it. He signals sarcasm by using absolute words like sure and nothing and by gesturing broadly with both hands. He also pauses to give his audience a moment to interpret his remark as the opposite of what he has said that, in fact, my high poll numbers have everything to do with impeachment. The remark is sarcastic because theres a clear target: the Democrats in Congress. But at both the Tulsa rally and his April press conference, the presidents controversial remarks didnt have such accompanying verbal and nonverbal cues. He wasnt being critical of anyone; he was simply asserting that testing leads to more infections, or asking what appeared to be sincere questions about the use of disinfectants to combat the virus. Chances are he literally meant what he said. [Science, politics, religion or just plain interesting articles: Check out The Conversations weekly newsletters.] As the president has repeatedly demonstrated, a claim of intended sarcasm can be used to walk back a remark that has been criticized or otherwise fallen flat. Thanks to our slippery understanding of the term, along with the way sarcasm can be easily missed, it can function like a Get Out of Jail Free card: The speaker can take a conversational mulligan and try to make things right. Weve all said things that we later regretted and appealed to just kidding or I was being sarcastic. However, if we habitually reach for such excuses to absolve ourselves of linguistic sins, it becomes, like the little boy who cried wolf, less and less effective. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Roger J. Kreuz, University of Memphis. Read more: Roger J. Kreuz 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. PHILADELPHIA (Tribune News Service) On the streets of Philadelphia, 2022 began where 2021 left off. It took less than four hours for 14 people to get shot, two of them killed in two separate violent outbursts. One of the dead was only 16 years old. Police responded to calls for a person shot on Cecil B. Moore Avenue between Wellington and 17th Streets near Temple University at about 1:50 a.m. Saturday. Officers found two people who had been shot, one of them a 16-year-old boy with a single gunshot wound to the back of his head. The other was a 27-year-old man who had been shot once in the left leg. Both were rushed to Temple University Hospital, where the teenager died shortly after arrival. The man was listed in stable condition. Police did not identify the victims. Two women and one man also suffered gunshot wounds at the scene, and Temple University police took all three to Temple Hospital. A 23-year-old woman was shot once in the leg, and another woman, about 20 years old, was shot once in the pelvis. Both were in stable condition Saturday afternoon. Gunfire also struck a man, also about 20 years old, multiple times in the chest and he's in critical condition, police said. All victims were part of a large group gathered to celebrate the new year. No weapon was recovered, police said. "We do not have a lot of information on the shooter," Inspector D F Pace told reporters at the scene. But there are numerous surveillance cameras in the area. "Our homicide detectives will be combing through that video to see what else we can glean with respect to what occurred here this evening," he said. Shortly before that shooting, at around 1:30 a.m., 25th District officers received multiple calls about gunshots in the 100 block of East Luray Street near North Front Street in Feltonville. Police found a 33-year-old man who had been shot multiple times in the chest. He was rushed to Temple Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Two women, both 23 and acquaintances of the victim, were shot once in the leg. Police took them to Temple, where they were listed in stable condition. The crime scene was an auto parts or repair shop that had been converted as a backdrop for a large New Year's Eve bash. Police found six spent shell casings, one projectile and a significant amount of blood, Pace said. Homicide detectives were questioning a number of the revelers. At 2:15 a.m., a man and a woman were shot at 8th and Cambria Streets in the Fairhill section. A 36-year-old man was struck twice in the right leg, and once in the left. A 22-year-old woman was shot in the right eye. Both were taken by a private vehicle to Temple Hospital, where they were in stable condition. At 3:23 a.m., a 28-year-old man was shot twice in the lower leg at Torresdale Avenue and Howell Street in the Wissinoming section. He was in stable condition at Temple Hospital. And there was a triple shooting in the 3900 block of Frankford Avenue, but police have not yet determined when gunshots started popping. Police recovered weapons nearby. A 23-year-old man was shot once in the leg and was taken by a private car to Temple Hospital. Two men, 21 and 23, who were both shot in the abdomen, walked into St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. Both are listed in critical but stable condition, police said. This was the continuation of a year in Philadelphia that hit an all-time high for killings. In 2021, at least 560 people were murdered, a bigger tally than in more heavily populated cities including New York and Los Angeles. The vast majority of Philadelphia homicides have been committed with firearms. And the number of women slain has surged. As of last Monday, 70 women were killed in homicides last year, an 84% leap from 2020. On Nov. 20, Jessica Covington, 32, who was pregnant, was shot multiple times in the head and stomach just after 8:30 p.m. on the 6100 block of Palmetto Street in Crescentville, where she lived. Both she and her unborn baby were killed. She had just left her own baby shower and was unloading gifts from her vehicle when shots rang out, detectives believe. Last Thursday, a gunfight erupted in Germantown that left a 21-year-old woman in critical condition and five men injured. Six armed men had jumped out of a van and opened fire on the group on a street corner. Some of those people shot back. In all, more than 65 shots were traded on the 5100 block of Germantown Avenue near Collom Street. The gun battle prompted City Councilmember Cindy Bass, who represents the area, to ask Mayor Jim Kenney and Gov. Tom Wolf to dispatch National Guard troops to the city to support the Police Department and help enforce laws. "We cannot fight the tragic escalation of gun violence alone," Bass said in a statement. Kenney said he had no plans to call in the National Guard. Earlier last year, he rejected similar calls by community activists as the number of shootings soared. 2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. PHILADELPHIA (Tribune News Service) On the streets of Philadelphia, 2022 began where 2021 left off. It took less than four hours for 14 people to get shot, two of them killed in two separate violent outbursts. One of the dead was only 16 years old. Police responded to calls for a person shot on Cecil B. Moore Avenue between Wellington and 17th Streets near Temple University at about 1:50 a.m. Saturday. Officers found two people who had been shot, one of them a 16-year-old boy with a single gunshot wound to the back of his head. The other was a 27-year-old man who had been shot once in the left leg. Both were rushed to Temple University Hospital, where the teenager died shortly after arrival. The man was listed in stable condition. Police did not identify the victims. Two women and one man also suffered gunshot wounds at the scene, and Temple University police took all three to Temple Hospital. A 23-year-old woman was shot once in the leg, and another woman, about 20 years old, was shot once in the pelvis. Both were in stable condition Saturday afternoon. Gunfire also struck a man, also about 20 years old, multiple times in the chest and he's in critical condition, police said. All victims were part of a large group gathered to celebrate the new year. No weapon was recovered, police said. "We do not have a lot of information on the shooter," Inspector D F Pace told reporters at the scene. But there are numerous surveillance cameras in the area. "Our homicide detectives will be combing through that video to see what else we can glean with respect to what occurred here this evening," he said. Shortly before that shooting, at around 1:30 a.m., 25th District officers received multiple calls about gunshots in the 100 block of East Luray Street near North Front Street in Feltonville. Police found a 33-year-old man who had been shot multiple times in the chest. He was rushed to Temple Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Two women, both 23 and acquaintances of the victim, were shot once in the leg. Police took them to Temple, where they were listed in stable condition. The crime scene was an auto parts or repair shop that had been converted as a backdrop for a large New Year's Eve bash. Police found six spent shell casings, one projectile and a significant amount of blood, Pace said. Homicide detectives were questioning a number of the revelers. At 2:15 a.m., a man and a woman were shot at 8th and Cambria Streets in the Fairhill section. A 36-year-old man was struck twice in the right leg, and once in the left. A 22-year-old woman was shot in the right eye. Both were taken by a private vehicle to Temple Hospital, where they were in stable condition. At 3:23 a.m., a 28-year-old man was shot twice in the lower leg at Torresdale Avenue and Howell Street in the Wissinoming section. He was in stable condition at Temple Hospital. And there was a triple shooting in the 3900 block of Frankford Avenue, but police have not yet determined when gunshots started popping. Police recovered weapons nearby. A 23-year-old man was shot once in the leg and was taken by a private car to Temple Hospital. Two men, 21 and 23, who were both shot in the abdomen, walked into St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. Both are listed in critical but stable condition, police said. This was the continuation of a year in Philadelphia that hit an all-time high for killings. In 2021, at least 560 people were murdered, a bigger tally than in more heavily populated cities including New York and Los Angeles. The vast majority of Philadelphia homicides have been committed with firearms. And the number of women slain has surged. As of last Monday, 70 women were killed in homicides last year, an 84% leap from 2020. On Nov. 20, Jessica Covington, 32, who was pregnant, was shot multiple times in the head and stomach just after 8:30 p.m. on the 6100 block of Palmetto Street in Crescentville, where she lived. Both she and her unborn baby were killed. She had just left her own baby shower and was unloading gifts from her vehicle when shots rang out, detectives believe. Last Thursday, a gunfight erupted in Germantown that left a 21-year-old woman in critical condition and five men injured. Six armed men had jumped out of a van and opened fire on the group on a street corner. Some of those people shot back. In all, more than 65 shots were traded on the 5100 block of Germantown Avenue near Collom Street. The gun battle prompted City Councilmember Cindy Bass, who represents the area, to ask Mayor Jim Kenney and Gov. Tom Wolf to dispatch National Guard troops to the city to support the Police Department and help enforce laws. "We cannot fight the tragic escalation of gun violence alone," Bass said in a statement. Kenney said he had no plans to call in the National Guard. Earlier last year, he rejected similar calls by community activists as the number of shootings soared. 2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A US federal judge has blocked two attempts by Prince Andrew to derail the sex assault lawsuit that Virginia Giuffre has brought against him. Judge Lewis A Kaplan issued a written order telling Prince Andrew's lawyers that they must adhere to an already scheduled document handover. Further, the judge rejected a motion by the prince's attorneys to have the lawsuit dismissed on jurisdictional grounds as Ms Giuffre no longer lives in the US. Ms Giuffre claims that she was sexually abused by Prince Andrew and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein on multiple occasions when she was 17. Major developments in the lawsuit are expected during a hearing on Tuesday, just one day after the 2009 settlement agreement between Epstein and Ms Giuffre is made public. The Guardian reports that Ms Giuffre's legal team is claiming that they have found up to six witnesses who can link Prince Andrew to Ms Giuffre. Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. He claims he was at a Pizza Express in Woking on the night Ms Giuffre claims the pair had sex, and has been challenged to name any witnesses to support his alibi. The prince is a former friend of Ghislaine Maxwell, who was last week convicted on sex trafficking charges tied to her time working with Epstein. On Thursday Maxwell was found guilty on five of six counts against her, including sex trafficking a minor. She is believed to have operated as a pimp and recruiter for Epstein. Prince Andrew was not named in Maxwell's trial, and her conviction does not have any legal implications for the lawsuit involving the prince. Ms Giuffre, however, may be called to give a victim impact statement at Maxwell's sentencing hearing. The next major action in Ms Giuffre's lawsuit will take place on Tuesday, when Judge Kaplan decides if her civil claim against Prince Andrew can proceed to trial. Assuming the case is allowed to go to trial, Ms Giuffre's legal team will seek further documentation from the prince, including proof of an unusual claim he made during a Newsnight interview that he "cannot sweat". Story continues The detail is relevant because Ms Giuffre claims that the prince was "sweating profusely all over me" while they were at a London night club on the night they allegedly had sex. Prince Andrew claimed that since he cannot sweat, she cannot be telling the truth. He claimed he has "a peculiar medical condition which is that I don't sweat or I didn't sweat at the time. Ms Giuffre's legal team is demanding evidence to back his claim. They're also asking for him to name individuals who could place him at the pizza restaurant he claims to have been at the night Ms Giuffre alleges the two had sex. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Graphic by Cho Sang-won By Nam Hyun-woo After grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic for the past two years, South Korea is increasingly recognizing that North Korea's nuclear program is not the only threat it faces, and that new risks can emerge and test the country's ability to manage new challenges. The difficulties facing the country _ and the world _ have shown us that threats could come in unexpected forms and at unexpected times. Indeed, the risks could be strong enough to entirely change how people live and how society works. The pandemic, the climate crisis and network outages in hyper-connected Korea are already issues that pose a significant amount of concern. A small business owner wears a "Younghee" mask, a doll from Netflix's series, "Squid Game," during a rally against the government's social distancing rules near the Government Complex Seoul, Dec. 22. Hundreds of small business owners rallied, calling for the withdrawal of curfews and other strict COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants, cafes, gyms and other facilities. AP-Yonhap 1. New epidemic after COVID-19 In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) selected a number of diseases that could pose the greatest public health risk due to their epidemic potential, and came up with the idea of "Disease X," which "represents the knowledge that a serious international epidemic could be caused by a pathogen currently unknown to cause human disease." In a contribution article in The Telegraph on May 18 of that year, Richard Hatchett, CEO of Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, wrote: "It might sound like science fiction, but Disease X is something we must prepare for." Just two years later, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted ways of life across the world, and the WHO is still keeping Disease X on its watch list. This means the organization believes there is a fair chance of another infectious disease becoming a full-blown pandemic, thereby posing a serious threat to mankind. In a study submitted to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the U.S. on Aug. 31, a research team led by Marco Marani of the University of Padua in Italy asserted that the probability of experiencing a pandemic with similar impact to COVID-19 in one's lifetime is currently at about 38 percent, and this may double in the coming decades. The study also warned that the probability of novel disease outbreaks will likely grow threefold in the next few decades. Against this backdrop, experts say people's reliance on vaccines and treatments will continue to grow, and so will the importance of technological preparedness, in which drug makers can develop vaccines and treatments quickly after an outbreak. For example, it took a year for drug makers to come up with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, but this was an outcome of more than 30 years of research on mRNA technologies. Since South Korea fell short on basic scientific research on the virus, the country could not take the lead in the global race for so-called vaccine sovereignty. However, a number of domestic drug developers have been working on their own mRNA platform technologies, and on Dec. 24, ST Pharm submitted a phase 1 trial application for Korea's first mRNA-type vaccine candidate to the domestic drug authority. The Korean government is also bolstering its support and subsidies for drug makers to achieve President Moon Jae-in's initiative of making the country a regional vaccine manufacturing hub, in order to strengthen Korea's presence in the global vaccine supply chain. However, questions remain as to whether political and economic attention on time and money-consuming research for vaccine technologies will continue as they have done in recent years. Kenneth V. Iserson, professor emeritus in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Arizona, warned in his article titled "The Next Pandemic: Prepare for 'Disease X'": "As the COVID-19 threat lessens, politicians will make grand promises to implement plans to stop, or at least to prepare for, the next pandemic. The recovering economy will be too weak at first to support the effort, although more funding will be promised in the future," Iserson wrote. "Politicians will ultimately make changes that are politically expedient and will fail to authorize the changes necessary to produce faster, more flexible responses. The memories of angst and societal disruption during COVID-19 will recede." Similar scenarios are anticipated in Korea, which will hold its presidential election in March. Though the major candidates are now promising up to 100 trillion won ($84.2 billion) for a public disaster relief fund, which is equivalent to one-sixth of the country's total budget for 2022, and enhanced government responsibility for those suffering vaccine side effects, they have yet to come up with ideas on whether they will succeed Moon's vaccine hub initiative or how to prepare the country for Disease X. A firefighter and citizens push a truck at an underpass in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, as torrential rain floods the city on Aug. 24. Courtesy of Jeonbuk Fire Service 2. Climate change Unlike some countries which have suffered frequent natural disasters fanned by climate change, Korea has not been quite as affected by large-scale natural disasters that would alarm the public about the issue. Nonetheless, experts say the country is not a safe haven from the climate crisis, citing relatively small but noteworthy changes in the country's climate. They added the country could be shunned from global supply chains if it underestimates the pace of the global energy transition. "With a record-breaking monsoon season and heat waves in recent years leading to casualties, property damage and rising food prices, Korea is already facing the deadly impacts of the climate crisis. Of course, things are only expected to worsen and accelerate over time," said Park Jee-hye, a lawyer and director of Solutions for Our Climate. In its 2020 yearbook published in June 2021, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said, "The impact of climate change, which had been somewhat vague, has become more visible in recent years," and "climate change will intensify causing unprecedented heat and cold waves, heavy snowfall and torrential rain." In a separate report, the KMA also noted "the frequency and severity of heat waves on the Korean Peninsula have shown a noticeable uptrend since the 1970s," and "in recent cases of heat waves that have developed strongly on the Korean Peninsula, artificial effects from the increase in greenhouse gases were detected." As a consequence, flooding is anticipated to be one of the most common natural disasters on the Korean Peninsula brought on by climate change. Greenpeace estimates the number of people affected by flooding in the country will increase to 3.3 million in 2030. "As our ecosystems change due to temperature increases, the agricultural and fishing industries will inevitably face more damage and adaptation costs," Park said. "And as the habitat areas for pests and wildlife change, there is also an increased risk of infectious disease." gettyimagesbank Impacts were also felt in the domestic fast food industry. In autumn last year, a number of fast food chains in Korea failed to serve lettuce in their hamburgers due to supply shortages. According to fast food industry officials, Korean fast food chains import lettuce from China in summer, and then secure it from Gangwon Province in autumn _ mostly from October. However, an unusually early cold wave struck the province last year, resulting in local farms seeing their harvest fail thereby causing serious supply shortages. Though the lettuce shortage was alleviated with supplies from other domestic provinces, the case highlighted the growing uncertainty in crop supplies, which will lead to an increase in vegetable prices. Korean companies' inattention to climate change and belated efforts for decarbonization are also reasons why experts pick climate change as one of the risks the country must face. "From a short-term perspective, it may seem that decarbonization is inconvenient and costly to industry," Park said. "However, in the long run, deeper emissions cuts and faster energy transition will bring more economic benefits and global competitiveness. Companies in advanced economies such as Apple, Microsoft, and BMW were quick to realize this, and this is why they are much better positioned now. Samsung, on the other hand, faces a roadblock to going 100 percent renewable like Apple due to Korea's current power sector structure which prevents the direct sale of clean energy." Park added that Korea's next administration needs to strengthen the country's climate commitments, and without those changes, Korea and its industries will be left behind. A customer pays cash at a cafe in Gurye County, South Jeolla Province, Oct. 25, as credit card readers went down nationwide due to a network disruption. Yonhap Beaumont Healths first baby of 2022 is Samirah Nura Ahmed. She was born at 12:01 a.m. Jan. 1, 2022, weighing 8 pounds, 8 ounces, and measuring 21.5 inches long, at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak. Parents are Khatune Papia and Didar Ahmed of Warren. Samirah Nura Ahmed arrived at 12:01 a.m. on New Year's Day, the first baby of 2022 born at the Beaumont Health System and maybe even the first born in the entire state. A week past her Dec. 25 due date, Samirah, who was born at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, weighed in at 8 pounds, 8 ounces and measured 21.5 inches long. Her happy father, Didar Ahmed, 34, considers her a blessing and a sign that good things are to come this year. "2021 was such a challenging and difficult year," Ahmed said. It included car problems, job loss (and a search for new employment that isn't going well), friends and distant relatives dead from COVID-19 and a trip to see the family ofhis wife, Khatune Papia, in Bangladesh that was complicated by worries about the virus and flight cancellations. With a new baby, new year, Im very optimistic something will happen," said Ahmed, who lives in Warren with 23-year-old Papia and their two older daughters, ages 3 and 1. "I'm not losing hope. That's why having a baby ... is like a blessing for me to start off the new year. "I couldn't be much more happier." More: Cold temperatures and up to 5 inches of snow on the way for southeast Michigan More: New Michigan laws in 2022: Tampon tax repeal, 2-year vehicle registration Here's a look at the first babies of 2022 born at other area hospitals: Simon Theodore Wiggins 12:16 a.m.: At Michigan Medicine, a baby boy named Simon Theodore Wiggins was born at the University of Michigan's Von Voightlander Women's Hospital. Thomas Patrick Dunlap with parents Paige Dunlap and Anthony Dunlap. 12:30 a.m.: Over at St. Joseph Mercy in Ann Arbor, with a televised New Year's Eve aftershow playing in the background, Thomas Patrick Dunlap arrived. His due date had been Jan. 4; his mother, Paige Dunlap, was relieved he came a few days early. "I think if we would have waited any longer, I probably would have had a cow at that point, literally, because he was 9 pounds, 10 ounces," she said. "I pushed for two minutes and he was out." His mom and dad, Anthony Dunlap, live in Ypsilanti. Thomas has an older brother. Story continues Maverick Hayes Worsley was born at Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital, becoming the first baby of 2022 to be born in the entire Henry Ford Health System. He weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces and his mother, Jessica Worsley, said he was 20.5 inches long. Worsley and her husband, Paul Worsley, live in Wyandotte. 12:39 a.m.: Maverick Hayes Worsley was born at Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital, becoming the first baby of 2022 to be born in the entire Henry Ford Health System. He weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces and his mother, Jessica Worsley, said he was 20.5 inches long. Worsley and her husband, Paul Worsley, live in Wyandotte. Zy'Aire Anthony-Thomas Bibbs 1:23 a.m. Zy'Aire Anthony-Thomas Bibbs was born to mom Myranda, of Detroit. The baby boy weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces and measured 19 inches, the hospital said in a statement. He was born at Hutzel Women's Hospital, which is part of the Detroit Medical Center. 1:38 a.m.: The first baby at Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital, a girl, was born. Baby Parker Gene Coon with parents Ashley and Lee Coon 2:06 a.m.: Parker Gene Coon was born at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland in Pontiac. Baby Parker weighed 7 pounds, 8 ounces. His parents, Lee and Ashley Coon, live in Hadley. Parker joins an older brother there. 9:29 a.m.: A girl is born at Henry Ford Main Hospital in Detroit. As of midafternoon Saturday, Henry Ford Macomb Hospital had yet to have a New Year baby. Contact Georgea Kovanis: gkovanis@freepress.com This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: First local baby of 2022 arrives at 12:01 a.m. Jan. 1 at Beaumont in Royal Oak Beaumont Healths first baby of 2022 is Samirah Nura Ahmed. She was born at 12:01 a.m. Jan. 1, 2022, weighing 8 pounds, 8 ounces, and measuring 21.5 inches long, at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak. Parents are Khatune Papia and Didar Ahmed of Warren. Samirah Nura Ahmed arrived at 12:01 a.m. on New Year's Day, the first baby of 2022 born at the Beaumont Health System and maybe even the first born in the entire state. A week past her Dec. 25 due date, Samirah, who was born at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, weighed in at 8 pounds, 8 ounces and measured 21.5 inches long. Her happy father, Didar Ahmed, 34, considers her a blessing and a sign that good things are to come this year. "2021 was such a challenging and difficult year," Ahmed said. It included car problems, job loss (and a search for new employment that isn't going well), friends and distant relatives dead from COVID-19 and a trip to see the family ofhis wife, Khatune Papia, in Bangladesh that was complicated by worries about the virus and flight cancellations. With a new baby, new year, Im very optimistic something will happen," said Ahmed, who lives in Warren with 23-year-old Papia and their two older daughters, ages 3 and 1. "I'm not losing hope. That's why having a baby ... is like a blessing for me to start off the new year. "I couldn't be much more happier." More: Cold temperatures and up to 5 inches of snow on the way for southeast Michigan More: New Michigan laws in 2022: Tampon tax repeal, 2-year vehicle registration Here's a look at the first babies of 2022 born at other area hospitals: Simon Theodore Wiggins 12:16 a.m.: At Michigan Medicine, a baby boy named Simon Theodore Wiggins was born at the University of Michigan's Von Voightlander Women's Hospital. Thomas Patrick Dunlap with parents Paige Dunlap and Anthony Dunlap. 12:30 a.m.: Over at St. Joseph Mercy in Ann Arbor, with a televised New Year's Eve aftershow playing in the background, Thomas Patrick Dunlap arrived. His due date had been Jan. 4; his mother, Paige Dunlap, was relieved he came a few days early. "I think if we would have waited any longer, I probably would have had a cow at that point, literally, because he was 9 pounds, 10 ounces," she said. "I pushed for two minutes and he was out." His mom and dad, Anthony Dunlap, live in Ypsilanti. Thomas has an older brother. Story continues Maverick Hayes Worsley was born at Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital, becoming the first baby of 2022 to be born in the entire Henry Ford Health System. He weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces and his mother, Jessica Worsley, said he was 20.5 inches long. Worsley and her husband, Paul Worsley, live in Wyandotte. 12:39 a.m.: Maverick Hayes Worsley was born at Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital, becoming the first baby of 2022 to be born in the entire Henry Ford Health System. He weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces and his mother, Jessica Worsley, said he was 20.5 inches long. Worsley and her husband, Paul Worsley, live in Wyandotte. Zy'Aire Anthony-Thomas Bibbs 1:23 a.m. Zy'Aire Anthony-Thomas Bibbs was born to mom Myranda, of Detroit. The baby boy weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces and measured 19 inches, the hospital said in a statement. He was born at Hutzel Women's Hospital, which is part of the Detroit Medical Center. 1:38 a.m.: The first baby at Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital, a girl, was born. Baby Parker Gene Coon with parents Ashley and Lee Coon 2:06 a.m.: Parker Gene Coon was born at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland in Pontiac. Baby Parker weighed 7 pounds, 8 ounces. His parents, Lee and Ashley Coon, live in Hadley. Parker joins an older brother there. 9:29 a.m.: A girl is born at Henry Ford Main Hospital in Detroit. As of midafternoon Saturday, Henry Ford Macomb Hospital had yet to have a New Year baby. Contact Georgea Kovanis: gkovanis@freepress.com This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: First local baby of 2022 arrives at 12:01 a.m. Jan. 1 at Beaumont in Royal Oak Since 1971, Robert Crawford has spent every New Year's Day at the Emancipation Proclamation Parade in Charleston. That is until 2021, when the annual celebration of the day President Abraham Lincoln signed the document that would formally abolish slavery went virtual because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We did a virtual parade on our website last year and that lasted about five minutes, said Crawford, president of the Emancipation Proclamation Association of Charleston. This year, thank God, we are able to make it much more special. Crawford said the ability to see the faces of the community, wave to parade watchers and talk to people he hasn't seen in the past year made all the difference as the celebration returned to the streets of the peninsula in its 156th year on Jan. 1. Floats adorned with glittering streamers representing over 75 groups like Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, the Unitarian Church of Charleston and SC State University lined Fishburne Street in front of Burke High School. They made their procession down Ashley Avenue, Sumter, King and Calhoun streets before ending at Wharfside Street in front of the nearly completed International African American Museum. The day marked many firsts for the parade, which has been an annual tradition since 1866. It was the first time the parade route ended at the site of the museum, which is set to open this year. The addition of the museum to the parade route is another opportunity to educate people about Black history in Charleston. The museum faces the waterfront of Gadsden Wharf, which was once Charlestons major entry point for the transatlantic slave trade. It makes so much sense for it to start at Burke High School and then end at the International African American Museum, the museums president and CEO, Tonya Matthews, said. Its like the continuation of the legacy of the African American journeys here in Charleston. The 2022 parade was also the first time an Olympic athlete served as grand marshal. Sitting on a pedestal placed on a float glittering in red, white and blue, Olympic shot put silver medalist Raven Saunders led the procession. Saunders, who grew up in Charleston and attended Burke, saw the parade as another opportunity for activism. At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Saunders used her medal-winning moment to raise awareness for the Black and LGBTQ communities by crossing her forearms to make an X above her head. The gesture, which symbolized the intersection of oppressed people, was just the beginning in Saunders journey to advocate for mental health awareness and Black and LGBTQ rights. The history of Charleston is connected to the country, Saunders said. Its so important to the foundation of who we are as a country. So many kids in this city havent really had a chance to understand or learn fully or appreciate that side of it. Saunders said the parade raises awareness and educates young people like herself about African American history both in South Carolina and across the country. Matthews said the African American museum will continue to be a part of the celebration for years to come. Over the course of the next year, the museum will undergo exhibit installations. Meanwhile, Matthews and her team are working to establish the museum as a platform for education, community conversations and programs. We have got a lot of work to do towards racial equity and social justice and authentic telling of American history, Matthews said. Im excited the museum is going to be a part of that work. The parade ended with a series of speeches from Crawford, Matthews and Saunders as well as a reading of excerpts from the Emancipation Proclamation by Mayor John Tecklenburg. Its a pretty remarkable piece of history that we celebrate, which fundamentally meant the inclusion of all citizens in the United States, Tecklenburg said in an interview with The Post and Courier. The proceeds collected from the parade's participation fee will go to the Albert W. Hunt Education Scholarship Program, which is managed by the Emancipation Proclamation Association. Since 1971, Robert Crawford has spent every New Year's Day at the Emancipation Proclamation Parade in Charleston. That is until 2021, when the annual celebration of the day President Abraham Lincoln signed the document that would formally abolish slavery went virtual because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We did a virtual parade on our website last year and that lasted about five minutes, said Crawford, president of the Emancipation Proclamation Association of Charleston. This year, thank God, we are able to make it much more special. Crawford said the ability to see the faces of the community, wave to parade watchers and talk to people he hasn't seen in the past year made all the difference as the celebration returned to the streets of the peninsula in its 156th year on Jan. 1. Floats adorned with glittering streamers representing over 75 groups like Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, the Unitarian Church of Charleston and SC State University lined Fishburne Street in front of Burke High School. They made their procession down Ashley Avenue, Sumter, King and Calhoun streets before ending at Wharfside Street in front of the nearly completed International African American Museum. The day marked many firsts for the parade, which has been an annual tradition since 1866. It was the first time the parade route ended at the site of the museum, which is set to open this year. The addition of the museum to the parade route is another opportunity to educate people about Black history in Charleston. The museum faces the waterfront of Gadsden Wharf, which was once Charlestons major entry point for the transatlantic slave trade. It makes so much sense for it to start at Burke High School and then end at the International African American Museum, the museums president and CEO, Tonya Matthews, said. Its like the continuation of the legacy of the African American journeys here in Charleston. The 2022 parade was also the first time an Olympic athlete served as grand marshal. Sitting on a pedestal placed on a float glittering in red, white and blue, Olympic shot put silver medalist Raven Saunders led the procession. Saunders, who grew up in Charleston and attended Burke, saw the parade as another opportunity for activism. At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Saunders used her medal-winning moment to raise awareness for the Black and LGBTQ communities by crossing her forearms to make an X above her head. The gesture, which symbolized the intersection of oppressed people, was just the beginning in Saunders journey to advocate for mental health awareness and Black and LGBTQ rights. The history of Charleston is connected to the country, Saunders said. Its so important to the foundation of who we are as a country. So many kids in this city havent really had a chance to understand or learn fully or appreciate that side of it. Saunders said the parade raises awareness and educates young people like herself about African American history both in South Carolina and across the country. Matthews said the African American museum will continue to be a part of the celebration for years to come. Over the course of the next year, the museum will undergo exhibit installations. Meanwhile, Matthews and her team are working to establish the museum as a platform for education, community conversations and programs. We have got a lot of work to do towards racial equity and social justice and authentic telling of American history, Matthews said. Im excited the museum is going to be a part of that work. The parade ended with a series of speeches from Crawford, Matthews and Saunders as well as a reading of excerpts from the Emancipation Proclamation by Mayor John Tecklenburg. Its a pretty remarkable piece of history that we celebrate, which fundamentally meant the inclusion of all citizens in the United States, Tecklenburg said in an interview with The Post and Courier. The proceeds collected from the parade's participation fee will go to the Albert W. Hunt Education Scholarship Program, which is managed by the Emancipation Proclamation Association. Travis Scott shared a picture of his daughter Stormi on Instagram on Saturday after returning to social media following the Astroworld tragedy. The 30-year-old rapper, who posted a portrait of himself on New Year's Eve, followed up with a snap of the three-year-old he shares with Kylie Jenner on New Years Day. The toddler was dressed in a $1,290 Gucci tweed coat. Scott appears to be gearing up for a return to the spotlight two months after the devastating Astroworld disaster on November 5. New Year's post: Travis Scott shared a picture of his daughter Stormi on Instagram on Saturday His on-again girlfriend Jenner, 24, is also increasing her presence on social media - she posted pictures of her baby bump on New Year's Eve around the same time Travis updated his account. She is due to give birth to their second child in the coming weeks. She wrote: 'As 2022 is approaching i've been reflecting on this last year and the blessings that it brought but also the many heartaches it held. i will never forget this year and all the significant changes it made to my life. I pray this new year is filled with a lot of love for all of you and i hope everyone stays safe and healthy during this time.' A total of 10 people were killed following a crowd surge at the rapper's music festival in Houston, Texas, and last month medical examiners released documents confirming their causes of death. Jenner and their daughter were both in attendance at the festival. In all cases, the cause of death was ruled as 'compression asphyxia',with one victim also having another cause of death listed as 'combined toxic effects of cocaine, methamphetamine and ethanol'. Back on Instagram: The rapper returned to social media on New Years Eve with a portrait of himself alongside the caption: 'Always' Compression asphyxia occurs when respiration is prevented due to external pressure on the body and is usually caused by force compressing the chest and abdomen. Nine people Jacob Jurinek, 21, John Hilgert, 14, Brianna Rodriguez, 16, Franco Patino, 21, Axel Acosta, 21, Rudy Pena, 23, Madison Dubiski, 23, Danish Baig, 27, and Bharti Shahani, 22 were initially have confirmed to have died after the crowd 'began to compress' to the front of the stage during Travis' set. Over a week later, a nine-year-old boy named Ezra Blount also passed away as a result of his injuries sustained during the surge after spending several days in a medically induced coma. Kylie's back too: His on-again girlfriend is also increasing her presence on social media - she posted pictures of her baby bump on New Year's Eve around the same time Travis updated his account Following the tragedy, the families of several victims have pursued legal action against Travis, as well as Live Nation, the company who organised the event. In November, 282 victims of the concert filed a $2 billion lawsuit against Scott, Drake, Live Nation, Apple Music and NRG Stadium where the event was held claiming they 'cut corners, cut costs, and put attendees at risk'. While a further 125 victims including the family of 21-year-old Axel Acosta Avila who died in the incident filed a $750 million lawsuit for loss of mental and physical health and loss of human life. There was also a lawsuit from two concert security guards Jackson Bush and his uncle Samuel Bush who are seeking $1 million after claiming organisers of the event put 'greed' before safety. And the family of the tragedy's second-youngest victim, 14-year-old John Hilgert, have also filed their own lawsuit against Travis, organisers Live Nation, and several others involved in the concert for $1 million, citing 'gross negligence' and 'reckless disregard' for people's safety. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Graphic by Cho Sang-won By Nam Hyun-woo After grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic for the past two years, South Korea is increasingly recognizing that North Korea's nuclear program is not the only threat it faces, and that new risks can emerge and test the country's ability to manage new challenges. The difficulties facing the country _ and the world _ have shown us that threats could come in unexpected forms and at unexpected times. Indeed, the risks could be strong enough to entirely change how people live and how society works. The pandemic, the climate crisis and network outages in hyper-connected Korea are already issues that pose a significant amount of concern. A small business owner wears a "Younghee" mask, a doll from Netflix's series, "Squid Game," during a rally against the government's social distancing rules near the Government Complex Seoul, Dec. 22. Hundreds of small business owners rallied, calling for the withdrawal of curfews and other strict COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants, cafes, gyms and other facilities. AP-Yonhap 1. New epidemic after COVID-19 In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) selected a number of diseases that could pose the greatest public health risk due to their epidemic potential, and came up with the idea of "Disease X," which "represents the knowledge that a serious international epidemic could be caused by a pathogen currently unknown to cause human disease." In a contribution article in The Telegraph on May 18 of that year, Richard Hatchett, CEO of Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, wrote: "It might sound like science fiction, but Disease X is something we must prepare for." Just two years later, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted ways of life across the world, and the WHO is still keeping Disease X on its watch list. This means the organization believes there is a fair chance of another infectious disease becoming a full-blown pandemic, thereby posing a serious threat to mankind. In a study submitted to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the U.S. on Aug. 31, a research team led by Marco Marani of the University of Padua in Italy asserted that the probability of experiencing a pandemic with similar impact to COVID-19 in one's lifetime is currently at about 38 percent, and this may double in the coming decades. The study also warned that the probability of novel disease outbreaks will likely grow threefold in the next few decades. Against this backdrop, experts say people's reliance on vaccines and treatments will continue to grow, and so will the importance of technological preparedness, in which drug makers can develop vaccines and treatments quickly after an outbreak. For example, it took a year for drug makers to come up with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, but this was an outcome of more than 30 years of research on mRNA technologies. Since South Korea fell short on basic scientific research on the virus, the country could not take the lead in the global race for so-called vaccine sovereignty. However, a number of domestic drug developers have been working on their own mRNA platform technologies, and on Dec. 24, ST Pharm submitted a phase 1 trial application for Korea's first mRNA-type vaccine candidate to the domestic drug authority. The Korean government is also bolstering its support and subsidies for drug makers to achieve President Moon Jae-in's initiative of making the country a regional vaccine manufacturing hub, in order to strengthen Korea's presence in the global vaccine supply chain. However, questions remain as to whether political and economic attention on time and money-consuming research for vaccine technologies will continue as they have done in recent years. Kenneth V. Iserson, professor emeritus in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Arizona, warned in his article titled "The Next Pandemic: Prepare for 'Disease X'": "As the COVID-19 threat lessens, politicians will make grand promises to implement plans to stop, or at least to prepare for, the next pandemic. The recovering economy will be too weak at first to support the effort, although more funding will be promised in the future," Iserson wrote. "Politicians will ultimately make changes that are politically expedient and will fail to authorize the changes necessary to produce faster, more flexible responses. The memories of angst and societal disruption during COVID-19 will recede." Similar scenarios are anticipated in Korea, which will hold its presidential election in March. Though the major candidates are now promising up to 100 trillion won ($84.2 billion) for a public disaster relief fund, which is equivalent to one-sixth of the country's total budget for 2022, and enhanced government responsibility for those suffering vaccine side effects, they have yet to come up with ideas on whether they will succeed Moon's vaccine hub initiative or how to prepare the country for Disease X. A firefighter and citizens push a truck at an underpass in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, as torrential rain floods the city on Aug. 24. Courtesy of Jeonbuk Fire Service 2. Climate change Unlike some countries which have suffered frequent natural disasters fanned by climate change, Korea has not been quite as affected by large-scale natural disasters that would alarm the public about the issue. Nonetheless, experts say the country is not a safe haven from the climate crisis, citing relatively small but noteworthy changes in the country's climate. They added the country could be shunned from global supply chains if it underestimates the pace of the global energy transition. "With a record-breaking monsoon season and heat waves in recent years leading to casualties, property damage and rising food prices, Korea is already facing the deadly impacts of the climate crisis. Of course, things are only expected to worsen and accelerate over time," said Park Jee-hye, a lawyer and director of Solutions for Our Climate. In its 2020 yearbook published in June 2021, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said, "The impact of climate change, which had been somewhat vague, has become more visible in recent years," and "climate change will intensify causing unprecedented heat and cold waves, heavy snowfall and torrential rain." In a separate report, the KMA also noted "the frequency and severity of heat waves on the Korean Peninsula have shown a noticeable uptrend since the 1970s," and "in recent cases of heat waves that have developed strongly on the Korean Peninsula, artificial effects from the increase in greenhouse gases were detected." As a consequence, flooding is anticipated to be one of the most common natural disasters on the Korean Peninsula brought on by climate change. Greenpeace estimates the number of people affected by flooding in the country will increase to 3.3 million in 2030. "As our ecosystems change due to temperature increases, the agricultural and fishing industries will inevitably face more damage and adaptation costs," Park said. "And as the habitat areas for pests and wildlife change, there is also an increased risk of infectious disease." gettyimagesbank Impacts were also felt in the domestic fast food industry. In autumn last year, a number of fast food chains in Korea failed to serve lettuce in their hamburgers due to supply shortages. According to fast food industry officials, Korean fast food chains import lettuce from China in summer, and then secure it from Gangwon Province in autumn _ mostly from October. However, an unusually early cold wave struck the province last year, resulting in local farms seeing their harvest fail thereby causing serious supply shortages. Though the lettuce shortage was alleviated with supplies from other domestic provinces, the case highlighted the growing uncertainty in crop supplies, which will lead to an increase in vegetable prices. Korean companies' inattention to climate change and belated efforts for decarbonization are also reasons why experts pick climate change as one of the risks the country must face. "From a short-term perspective, it may seem that decarbonization is inconvenient and costly to industry," Park said. "However, in the long run, deeper emissions cuts and faster energy transition will bring more economic benefits and global competitiveness. Companies in advanced economies such as Apple, Microsoft, and BMW were quick to realize this, and this is why they are much better positioned now. Samsung, on the other hand, faces a roadblock to going 100 percent renewable like Apple due to Korea's current power sector structure which prevents the direct sale of clean energy." Park added that Korea's next administration needs to strengthen the country's climate commitments, and without those changes, Korea and its industries will be left behind. A customer pays cash at a cafe in Gurye County, South Jeolla Province, Oct. 25, as credit card readers went down nationwide due to a network disruption. Yonhap (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Graphic by Cho Sang-won By Nam Hyun-woo After grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic for the past two years, South Korea is increasingly recognizing that North Korea's nuclear program is not the only threat it faces, and that new risks can emerge and test the country's ability to manage new challenges. The difficulties facing the country _ and the world _ have shown us that threats could come in unexpected forms and at unexpected times. Indeed, the risks could be strong enough to entirely change how people live and how society works. The pandemic, the climate crisis and network outages in hyper-connected Korea are already issues that pose a significant amount of concern. A small business owner wears a "Younghee" mask, a doll from Netflix's series, "Squid Game," during a rally against the government's social distancing rules near the Government Complex Seoul, Dec. 22. Hundreds of small business owners rallied, calling for the withdrawal of curfews and other strict COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants, cafes, gyms and other facilities. AP-Yonhap 1. New epidemic after COVID-19 In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) selected a number of diseases that could pose the greatest public health risk due to their epidemic potential, and came up with the idea of "Disease X," which "represents the knowledge that a serious international epidemic could be caused by a pathogen currently unknown to cause human disease." In a contribution article in The Telegraph on May 18 of that year, Richard Hatchett, CEO of Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, wrote: "It might sound like science fiction, but Disease X is something we must prepare for." Just two years later, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted ways of life across the world, and the WHO is still keeping Disease X on its watch list. This means the organization believes there is a fair chance of another infectious disease becoming a full-blown pandemic, thereby posing a serious threat to mankind. In a study submitted to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the U.S. on Aug. 31, a research team led by Marco Marani of the University of Padua in Italy asserted that the probability of experiencing a pandemic with similar impact to COVID-19 in one's lifetime is currently at about 38 percent, and this may double in the coming decades. The study also warned that the probability of novel disease outbreaks will likely grow threefold in the next few decades. Against this backdrop, experts say people's reliance on vaccines and treatments will continue to grow, and so will the importance of technological preparedness, in which drug makers can develop vaccines and treatments quickly after an outbreak. For example, it took a year for drug makers to come up with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, but this was an outcome of more than 30 years of research on mRNA technologies. Since South Korea fell short on basic scientific research on the virus, the country could not take the lead in the global race for so-called vaccine sovereignty. However, a number of domestic drug developers have been working on their own mRNA platform technologies, and on Dec. 24, ST Pharm submitted a phase 1 trial application for Korea's first mRNA-type vaccine candidate to the domestic drug authority. The Korean government is also bolstering its support and subsidies for drug makers to achieve President Moon Jae-in's initiative of making the country a regional vaccine manufacturing hub, in order to strengthen Korea's presence in the global vaccine supply chain. However, questions remain as to whether political and economic attention on time and money-consuming research for vaccine technologies will continue as they have done in recent years. Kenneth V. Iserson, professor emeritus in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Arizona, warned in his article titled "The Next Pandemic: Prepare for 'Disease X'": "As the COVID-19 threat lessens, politicians will make grand promises to implement plans to stop, or at least to prepare for, the next pandemic. The recovering economy will be too weak at first to support the effort, although more funding will be promised in the future," Iserson wrote. "Politicians will ultimately make changes that are politically expedient and will fail to authorize the changes necessary to produce faster, more flexible responses. The memories of angst and societal disruption during COVID-19 will recede." Similar scenarios are anticipated in Korea, which will hold its presidential election in March. Though the major candidates are now promising up to 100 trillion won ($84.2 billion) for a public disaster relief fund, which is equivalent to one-sixth of the country's total budget for 2022, and enhanced government responsibility for those suffering vaccine side effects, they have yet to come up with ideas on whether they will succeed Moon's vaccine hub initiative or how to prepare the country for Disease X. A firefighter and citizens push a truck at an underpass in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, as torrential rain floods the city on Aug. 24. Courtesy of Jeonbuk Fire Service 2. Climate change Unlike some countries which have suffered frequent natural disasters fanned by climate change, Korea has not been quite as affected by large-scale natural disasters that would alarm the public about the issue. Nonetheless, experts say the country is not a safe haven from the climate crisis, citing relatively small but noteworthy changes in the country's climate. They added the country could be shunned from global supply chains if it underestimates the pace of the global energy transition. "With a record-breaking monsoon season and heat waves in recent years leading to casualties, property damage and rising food prices, Korea is already facing the deadly impacts of the climate crisis. Of course, things are only expected to worsen and accelerate over time," said Park Jee-hye, a lawyer and director of Solutions for Our Climate. In its 2020 yearbook published in June 2021, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said, "The impact of climate change, which had been somewhat vague, has become more visible in recent years," and "climate change will intensify causing unprecedented heat and cold waves, heavy snowfall and torrential rain." In a separate report, the KMA also noted "the frequency and severity of heat waves on the Korean Peninsula have shown a noticeable uptrend since the 1970s," and "in recent cases of heat waves that have developed strongly on the Korean Peninsula, artificial effects from the increase in greenhouse gases were detected." As a consequence, flooding is anticipated to be one of the most common natural disasters on the Korean Peninsula brought on by climate change. Greenpeace estimates the number of people affected by flooding in the country will increase to 3.3 million in 2030. "As our ecosystems change due to temperature increases, the agricultural and fishing industries will inevitably face more damage and adaptation costs," Park said. "And as the habitat areas for pests and wildlife change, there is also an increased risk of infectious disease." gettyimagesbank Impacts were also felt in the domestic fast food industry. In autumn last year, a number of fast food chains in Korea failed to serve lettuce in their hamburgers due to supply shortages. According to fast food industry officials, Korean fast food chains import lettuce from China in summer, and then secure it from Gangwon Province in autumn _ mostly from October. However, an unusually early cold wave struck the province last year, resulting in local farms seeing their harvest fail thereby causing serious supply shortages. Though the lettuce shortage was alleviated with supplies from other domestic provinces, the case highlighted the growing uncertainty in crop supplies, which will lead to an increase in vegetable prices. Korean companies' inattention to climate change and belated efforts for decarbonization are also reasons why experts pick climate change as one of the risks the country must face. "From a short-term perspective, it may seem that decarbonization is inconvenient and costly to industry," Park said. "However, in the long run, deeper emissions cuts and faster energy transition will bring more economic benefits and global competitiveness. Companies in advanced economies such as Apple, Microsoft, and BMW were quick to realize this, and this is why they are much better positioned now. Samsung, on the other hand, faces a roadblock to going 100 percent renewable like Apple due to Korea's current power sector structure which prevents the direct sale of clean energy." Park added that Korea's next administration needs to strengthen the country's climate commitments, and without those changes, Korea and its industries will be left behind. A customer pays cash at a cafe in Gurye County, South Jeolla Province, Oct. 25, as credit card readers went down nationwide due to a network disruption. Yonhap (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Beaumont Healths first baby of 2022 is Samirah Nura Ahmed. She was born at 12:01 a.m. Jan. 1, 2022, weighing 8 pounds, 8 ounces, and measuring 21.5 inches long, at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak. Parents are Khatune Papia and Didar Ahmed of Warren. Samirah Nura Ahmed arrived at 12:01 a.m. on New Year's Day, the first baby of 2022 born at the Beaumont Health System and maybe even the first born in the entire state. A week past her Dec. 25 due date, Samirah, who was born at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, weighed in at 8 pounds, 8 ounces and measured 21.5 inches long. Her happy father, Didar Ahmed, 34, considers her a blessing and a sign that good things are to come this year. "2021 was such a challenging and difficult year," Ahmed said. It included car problems, job loss (and a search for new employment that isn't going well), friends and distant relatives dead from COVID-19 and a trip to see the family ofhis wife, Khatune Papia, in Bangladesh that was complicated by worries about the virus and flight cancellations. With a new baby, new year, Im very optimistic something will happen," said Ahmed, who lives in Warren with 23-year-old Papia and their two older daughters, ages 3 and 1. "I'm not losing hope. That's why having a baby ... is like a blessing for me to start off the new year. "I couldn't be much more happier." More: Cold temperatures and up to 5 inches of snow on the way for southeast Michigan More: New Michigan laws in 2022: Tampon tax repeal, 2-year vehicle registration Here's a look at the first babies of 2022 born at other area hospitals: Simon Theodore Wiggins 12:16 a.m.: At Michigan Medicine, a baby boy named Simon Theodore Wiggins was born at the University of Michigan's Von Voightlander Women's Hospital. Thomas Patrick Dunlap with parents Paige Dunlap and Anthony Dunlap. 12:30 a.m.: Over at St. Joseph Mercy in Ann Arbor, with a televised New Year's Eve aftershow playing in the background, Thomas Patrick Dunlap arrived. His due date had been Jan. 4; his mother, Paige Dunlap, was relieved he came a few days early. "I think if we would have waited any longer, I probably would have had a cow at that point, literally, because he was 9 pounds, 10 ounces," she said. "I pushed for two minutes and he was out." His mom and dad, Anthony Dunlap, live in Ypsilanti. Thomas has an older brother. Story continues Maverick Hayes Worsley was born at Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital, becoming the first baby of 2022 to be born in the entire Henry Ford Health System. He weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces and his mother, Jessica Worsley, said he was 20.5 inches long. Worsley and her husband, Paul Worsley, live in Wyandotte. 12:39 a.m.: Maverick Hayes Worsley was born at Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital, becoming the first baby of 2022 to be born in the entire Henry Ford Health System. He weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces and his mother, Jessica Worsley, said he was 20.5 inches long. Worsley and her husband, Paul Worsley, live in Wyandotte. Zy'Aire Anthony-Thomas Bibbs 1:23 a.m. Zy'Aire Anthony-Thomas Bibbs was born to mom Myranda, of Detroit. The baby boy weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces and measured 19 inches, the hospital said in a statement. He was born at Hutzel Women's Hospital, which is part of the Detroit Medical Center. 1:38 a.m.: The first baby at Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital, a girl, was born. Baby Parker Gene Coon with parents Ashley and Lee Coon 2:06 a.m.: Parker Gene Coon was born at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland in Pontiac. Baby Parker weighed 7 pounds, 8 ounces. His parents, Lee and Ashley Coon, live in Hadley. Parker joins an older brother there. 9:29 a.m.: A girl is born at Henry Ford Main Hospital in Detroit. As of midafternoon Saturday, Henry Ford Macomb Hospital had yet to have a New Year baby. Contact Georgea Kovanis: gkovanis@freepress.com This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: First local baby of 2022 arrives at 12:01 a.m. Jan. 1 at Beaumont in Royal Oak In the first 18 months, there were ... a lot of genuine attempts from men to be more present and do more of the juggle and asking for more flexible work. Now weve got this real risk there will be a snap back that will reinforce penalties to men and make no progress in caring and sharing domestically. Men have got to really push back ... were only going to see a change of community attitudes if men stand up and fight for it. Jarrod Dunn has changed his work pattern to allow him to miss fewer milestones, and do more caring, for his second child, Florence, than he could for his first, Jude. Credit:Scott McNaughton A dramatic game changer? When she saw the flash migration to large-scale working from home, Dr Jennifer Baxter, long-time senior research fellow at the Australian Institute of Family Studies, thought this could be the something dramatic she had long believed it would take to make real change to Australias highly gendered and sticky parental work patterns. I thought this was an amazing thing. I have been saying all along through doing this research that [progress on the ability to share care] was a slow, slow burn and it would take something really dramatic to change things: so I kind of thought this was the thing that could actually make a difference, says Baxter of the pandemic. Loading I was quite excited about looking at the statistics and looking forward to seeing what was going to happen. Nearly two years on, her longitudinal study into the impact of COVID-19 on Australian family life has not shown a shift. Instead, Baxter, like other national researchers, saw that after a little bit of a bump early in the pandemic, there was no lasting change in family patterns. Were very stuck in this way of sharing [care, domestic loads and work], I think some of it is due to the workplace, and some of it [is because] weve still got to make it easier and more acceptable more the standard that men can work part-time, take flexible work and work at home, Baxter says. We need to make it so its not even a question: of course, men can do it. Noting early indicators that men were more likely to return to the office, as women stayed at home, Baxter says there is a danger womens economic equality and opportunity to participate in the workforce could slip backwards after the pandemic. Weve got to keep an eye on that: will it make things even more gendered. If its the women who all opt to work at home to balance work and home, that is a shift backwards in a way. Not just wallets Melbourne father Jarrod Dunn, a manager in a gas company, chose to take primary carers leave when his second child, daughter Florence, was born at the height of the pandemics first wave. Having spent 11 months at home with his two children, he wants to keep the close bond going by continuing a hybrid work pattern. I dont want to just be seen as a wallet for my children, I want to be someone who is emotionally involved in their lives, not just financially involved. Thats the big driver for me, he says. Even at those times when theyre vulnerable, I want them to be able to be like that with Dad, too, not just Mum and its also to support my wifes career. I dont want to just be seen as a wallet for my children, I want to be ... emotionally involved in their lives, not just financially involved. Father of two Jarrod Dunn, who took primary carers leave during the pandemic As he attended new parents groups, he saw more fathers join: Its funny, once they see other dads doing it, it normalises it a bit. But Dunn is still questioned about why he took the year as primary carer and wants to keep doing so much at home. He puts this down to fear of stigma among other working fathers. Theres a void of information out there to explain how a dad can do it, how it works, how youre viewed by your organisation. Is it a threat to your job? Does it put a target on your back, or are you seen relatively positively. Theres a perception, maybe its not always viewed positively, but thats starting to change a little bit, he says. Academics who have measured changes in attitudes and patterns of work and care in Australia during the pandemic have found despite the enforced flexibility during lockdowns, assumptions about who should do the breadwinning and who is primarily caring have not moved. Blake Woodward, a management consultant and fathering blogger, believes while there was good progress towards fathers doing more flexible work and hands-on parenting early in the pandemic, it is now dropping off. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Lyn Craig, professor of sociology social policy at the University of Melbourne, has been studying with colleague Dr Brendan Churchill how heterosexual family life played out during long lockdowns. They found that men participated more in care and household care and work during lockdowns but womens share increased from an already higher base. There is some emotional desire among fathers to be more involved, and weve noticed both men and women thinking over the years that more father involvement is a good thing and the physical care was creeping up, she says. But policy and structural settings and workplace norms still prevent noticeable change. Even with all the goodwill fathers felt about being more involved, [regarding] the practicalities of making it fairer with the workplace expectations of men who are full-time employed ... it will be tricky to make big change. Weve stuck to things such that it is the women who work part-time, and thats because of the tax disincentives to do otherwise for families with children ... if both members of a couple work part-time, they are taxed more highly than if one works full-time and one works part-time hours. Loading Churchill is pessimistic about any loosening of expectations around fathers and office hours, despite the pandemic hiatus. I hate to say this, but I do think we are going to snap back ... I dont think this is going to be transformative, he says. There will be some dads who will have enjoyed it ... some will be able to remote work, but for fathers, there is this penalty when they try and do flexible work. It is seen as gendered, as something women do. So when men take on flexible work, they get punished and dont get promoted, they get looked down upon. Its really hard to shift this stuff, and thats what made the pandemic so novel. Younger men planning families say they want egalitarian relationships, and want to be equal fathers and be there for their children and wives, he says, but theres nothing to support them [doing so]. Theres all the stuff that goes on at work that says, you cant be that kind of dad, or you wont get that promotion. Men ... know flexible work means youre going to be shifted off onto the mummy track, its not feasible to have two parents on that. Associate Professor Elizabeth Hill, University of Sydney Signs of hope are evident to fathering advocates such as Blake Woodward, a Canberra-based management consultant and father of two who started the fatherhood website, Suit Tie Stroller. He ran a global survey during the pandemic on the effect of lockdown restrictions on fathers and found 70 per cent said they were more involved with children than before COVID-19 and 85 per cent wanted to make changes into the future around changing work conditions, adopting flexible work permanently. One-third was considering changing their role or employer if they couldnt achieve the balance they wanted with their current employer. Young fathers to break stereotypes Woodward notes, though, that research from key academics, including Professor Marian Baird and Associate Professor Elizabeth Hill at the University of Sydney, has found that what progress was made towards flexibility and participation at home for fathers has eroded. Luke Benedictus (with his wife, Sarah Eagle and sons Joe and Marc), is co-proprietor of fathering network The Father Hood. He is optimistic men will not have to make their families so invisible to employers from now on. Credit:Eddie Jim All the positive narrative around men getting involved seemed to drop off in 2021, says Woodward. Now were at a real crossroads as to how to make that continue. He hopes new fathers, who have been at home to see their babies develop from birth, will insist on bringing change to workplaces. I look at them, in time, to break the stereotypes because theyve had the experience many older fathers havent had, he says. I think first-time fathers in the last 18 months, or those that had their second or third child, having compared being at home this time with what they experienced previously theyre the ones that will influence the desire and influence their friends who are yet to have children. That is where the change will follow. For this to happen, politicians and policymakers must adopt a carers mindset something many parenting lobby groups have also argued. Hill believes there are few reasons for optimism about the gender division of family labour improving in the immediate future because as the pandemic stretched on, COVID demonstrated how intransigent social norms are, and how the social norms around the gender division of paid and unpaid labour deepened in a time of crisis. Some fathering advocates believe young fathers who have worked at home since their babies births in the pandemic will bring change back with them to the workplace. Credit:iStock There are some households, in the context of that natural experiment [lockdowns] that reorganised and realigned their visions, but we know from good national data that the aggregate picture is quite grim, she says. While COVID delivered this intensification of unpaid labour, the distribution continued in its old pattern and piled the lions share onto women who were already bearing the majority of unpaid labour ... this occurs within a broader context of an economy and society, a culture and labour markets and a care system that do not support gender equality in the division of labour. It means the institutional and policy context within which individual households operate changing, and that means really big change. Are governments and businesses up for doing what it takes ... to incentivise structures within which individual adults make decisions about how they care for kids, elderly family members and communities? That is the key piece. Working from home isnt some kind of magic solution to move the dial on fathers participation, she says, because men and women are not supported equally to do so. The flexible working model has to be available to both, not just women. Men look around and they know flexible work means youre going to be shifted off onto the mummy track, its not feasible to have two parents on that. How Zoom-bombing toddlers actually helped Loading A positive sign of at least some potential for progress is that by virtue of toddler video conference-bombing or a six-year-old coming in wanting another sandwich during a call, fathers family life was once and for all made visible to employers, according to Luke Benedictus, who runs the network, The Father Hood. To me, the big thing is workers families used to be invisible in the professional sphere, and what COVIDs done is to expose that desperate juggle. Men in particular maintain the whole illusion the two worlds are separate, he says. Perhaps because [wanting to be present at home] tacitly suggests lack of vocational commitment, or maybe its because our public identities are defined by our place of work. During the pandemic, he says, every dad has had a Zoom call gatecrashed. Youd hope this nudged employers to acknowledge the two roles parents are forced to juggle, which has been particularly missing for men. Loading Benedictus hopes this awareness will carry over into men not feeling that leaving early regularly to collect a daughter from netball is potential career suicide, and you dont have to hide the reality of the two roles. Employers have an unprecedented opportunity to make flexible work more culturally safe. What were finding is a lot of companies have increasingly progressive policies, but flexible working policies are not enough: youve got to make it culturally safe, so men feel they can take advantage of those things. Gender, work and employment professor Rae Cooper is also hopeful that employers will view the big experiment of lockdowns as something that worked, and conclude there were useful lessons about how work could be run differently. Most employees say, I think its more possible to work from home than I thought it was before, I think its more possible and more desirable to have flexibility ... They also think its more possible for their employer to provide it, she says. Its really going to be about what employers do. Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations. A US federal judge has blocked two attempts by Prince Andrew to derail the sex assault lawsuit that Virginia Giuffre has brought against him. Judge Lewis A Kaplan issued a written order telling Prince Andrew's lawyers that they must adhere to an already scheduled document handover. Further, the judge rejected a motion by the prince's attorneys to have the lawsuit dismissed on jurisdictional grounds as Ms Giuffre no longer lives in the US. Ms Giuffre claims that she was sexually abused by Prince Andrew and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein on multiple occasions when she was 17. Major developments in the lawsuit are expected during a hearing on Tuesday, just one day after the 2009 settlement agreement between Epstein and Ms Giuffre is made public. The Guardian reports that Ms Giuffre's legal team is claiming that they have found up to six witnesses who can link Prince Andrew to Ms Giuffre. Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. He claims he was at a Pizza Express in Woking on the night Ms Giuffre claims the pair had sex, and has been challenged to name any witnesses to support his alibi. The prince is a former friend of Ghislaine Maxwell, who was last week convicted on sex trafficking charges tied to her time working with Epstein. On Thursday Maxwell was found guilty on five of six counts against her, including sex trafficking a minor. She is believed to have operated as a pimp and recruiter for Epstein. Prince Andrew was not named in Maxwell's trial, and her conviction does not have any legal implications for the lawsuit involving the prince. Ms Giuffre, however, may be called to give a victim impact statement at Maxwell's sentencing hearing. The next major action in Ms Giuffre's lawsuit will take place on Tuesday, when Judge Kaplan decides if her civil claim against Prince Andrew can proceed to trial. Assuming the case is allowed to go to trial, Ms Giuffre's legal team will seek further documentation from the prince, including proof of an unusual claim he made during a Newsnight interview that he "cannot sweat". Story continues The detail is relevant because Ms Giuffre claims that the prince was "sweating profusely all over me" while they were at a London night club on the night they allegedly had sex. Prince Andrew claimed that since he cannot sweat, she cannot be telling the truth. He claimed he has "a peculiar medical condition which is that I don't sweat or I didn't sweat at the time. Ms Giuffre's legal team is demanding evidence to back his claim. They're also asking for him to name individuals who could place him at the pizza restaurant he claims to have been at the night Ms Giuffre alleges the two had sex. If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here By Kwon Mee-yoo Global Affairs Canada, the Canadian ministry of foreign affairs, appointed Mark Fletcher as the country's new ambassador to Korea. Fletcher is a seasoned official at Global Affairs Canada who began his diplomatic career at External Affairs and International Trade Canada in 1992. He previously worked at various foreign affairs and international trade-related departments, including the Representation Abroad Secretariat and the Assignments and Pool Management Division, which manages Canada's global network of missions. Before being appointed as the Canadian ambassador here, Fletcher was the director general of the Locally Engaged Staff Bureau, which manages employees hired locally by Canada's diplomatic missions abroad. His overseas appointments include regional counsellor and consul in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire from 1994 to 1996 and regional counsellor and consul in Budapest, Hungary from 2001 to 2004. Most recently abroad, Fletcher served as the minister-counsellor and consul-general in London from 2010 to 2014. "His extensive experience will serve to further strengthen our strategic bilateral relations," the embassy wrote on its Facebook account. Fletcher succeeds Michael Danagher, who finished his term and returned to Canada in September. If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here A US federal judge has blocked two attempts by Prince Andrew to derail the sex assault lawsuit that Virginia Giuffre has brought against him. Judge Lewis A Kaplan issued a written order telling Prince Andrew's lawyers that they must adhere to an already scheduled document handover. Further, the judge rejected a motion by the prince's attorneys to have the lawsuit dismissed on jurisdictional grounds as Ms Giuffre no longer lives in the US. Ms Giuffre claims that she was sexually abused by Prince Andrew and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein on multiple occasions when she was 17. Major developments in the lawsuit are expected during a hearing on Tuesday, just one day after the 2009 settlement agreement between Epstein and Ms Giuffre is made public. The Guardian reports that Ms Giuffre's legal team is claiming that they have found up to six witnesses who can link Prince Andrew to Ms Giuffre. Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. He claims he was at a Pizza Express in Woking on the night Ms Giuffre claims the pair had sex, and has been challenged to name any witnesses to support his alibi. The prince is a former friend of Ghislaine Maxwell, who was last week convicted on sex trafficking charges tied to her time working with Epstein. On Thursday Maxwell was found guilty on five of six counts against her, including sex trafficking a minor. She is believed to have operated as a pimp and recruiter for Epstein. Prince Andrew was not named in Maxwell's trial, and her conviction does not have any legal implications for the lawsuit involving the prince. Ms Giuffre, however, may be called to give a victim impact statement at Maxwell's sentencing hearing. The next major action in Ms Giuffre's lawsuit will take place on Tuesday, when Judge Kaplan decides if her civil claim against Prince Andrew can proceed to trial. Assuming the case is allowed to go to trial, Ms Giuffre's legal team will seek further documentation from the prince, including proof of an unusual claim he made during a Newsnight interview that he "cannot sweat". Story continues The detail is relevant because Ms Giuffre claims that the prince was "sweating profusely all over me" while they were at a London night club on the night they allegedly had sex. Prince Andrew claimed that since he cannot sweat, she cannot be telling the truth. He claimed he has "a peculiar medical condition which is that I don't sweat or I didn't sweat at the time. Ms Giuffre's legal team is demanding evidence to back his claim. They're also asking for him to name individuals who could place him at the pizza restaurant he claims to have been at the night Ms Giuffre alleges the two had sex. 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. 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. A former senior civil servant in charge of Brexit planning has warned some British businesses may give up importing as a result of new rules implemented in the new year. Philip Rycroft, who was permanent secretary at the Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) between 2017 and 2019, said the changes that came into play on January 1 will cause teething problems, with some sectors hit harder than others. The news comes as Boris Johnson vowed to maximise the benefits of Brexit in 2022. The Prime Minister, marking a year since the post-Brexit free trade deal with the European Union came into force, said the Government would go further and faster to take advantage of the enormous potential that our new freedoms bring. But with the introduction of new barriers to trade with the bloc, Mr Rycroft said some businesses may decide it isnt worth the hassle. Former senior civil servant Philip Rycroft said new trade rules with the EU will cause teething problems (Gareth Fuller/PA) The changes in place from January 1 mean that importers must make a full customs declaration on goods entering the UK from the EU or other countries. Traders are no longer able to delay completing full import customs declarations for up to 175 days, a measure that was introduced to cope with the disruption of Brexit. There are separate provisions in place for trade with the island of Ireland. Mr Rycroft told BBC Radio 4s PM programme the new rules might be too much for some companies. The Federation of Small Businesses reckon that only about a quarter of their members are ready for this, which is a bit surprising in a way because theyd obviously had a lot of notice that this is coming, he said. But lets not forget, theyve had a pretty torrid year, most businesses, with Covid and everything else, so a lot of businesses wont be ready. POLITICS Brexit There will be teething problems but the big question is, how many businesses ultimately think: Do you know what? This is just too much hassle, and give up importing? Just as some businesses have already given up exporting because its not worth it. He added: Businesses exporting to the EU from the UK have already faced these rules, obviously, for the best part of a year. So its now going to be those businesses in the UK that import from the EU (that) have got to deal with this, essentially, new Brexit bureaucracy. This is what taking back control of our borders means. It will hit some sectors harder than others. The rules are more complicated for animal products, in particular food products that contain bits of animals, because of all the requirements around that. Rules on country of origin documents have also become marginally stricter, with declarations needing to be made when goods arrive here. Mr Rycroft said this will be really complicated for certain products that contain lots of different bits or ingredients. Asked if the country is likely to see rising prices or empty shelves, he said: I wouldnt overdramatise it. I think at the margins there are new costs, which will ultimately have to be borne by the consumers. So HMRC reckon that the total cost of these new systems will be something like 13 billion a year thats a lot of money by any token spread across a big population like the UK, of course, thats modest increases in costs through the supply chain. But at the margins also therell be some businesses, as I said previously, (who) think: Do you know what? This isnt worth the hassle. So there will at the margins be a reduction in choice as well. This is why the Office (for) Budget Responsibility reckons that the net impact of this deal on our wealth as a country will be to reduce it by about 4% in the medium term. Thats because trade between the UK and the EU will be a lot less free than it was when we were in the single market. The DExEU closed in January 2020, with Brexit negotiations now handled by the Foreign Office. Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations. Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations. Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations. Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations. A US federal judge has blocked two attempts by Prince Andrew to derail the sex assault lawsuit that Virginia Giuffre has brought against him. Judge Lewis A Kaplan issued a written order telling Prince Andrew's lawyers that they must adhere to an already scheduled document handover. Further, the judge rejected a motion by the prince's attorneys to have the lawsuit dismissed on jurisdictional grounds as Ms Giuffre no longer lives in the US. Ms Giuffre claims that she was sexually abused by Prince Andrew and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein on multiple occasions when she was 17. Major developments in the lawsuit are expected during a hearing on Tuesday, just one day after the 2009 settlement agreement between Epstein and Ms Giuffre is made public. The Guardian reports that Ms Giuffre's legal team is claiming that they have found up to six witnesses who can link Prince Andrew to Ms Giuffre. Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. He claims he was at a Pizza Express in Woking on the night Ms Giuffre claims the pair had sex, and has been challenged to name any witnesses to support his alibi. The prince is a former friend of Ghislaine Maxwell, who was last week convicted on sex trafficking charges tied to her time working with Epstein. On Thursday Maxwell was found guilty on five of six counts against her, including sex trafficking a minor. She is believed to have operated as a pimp and recruiter for Epstein. Prince Andrew was not named in Maxwell's trial, and her conviction does not have any legal implications for the lawsuit involving the prince. Ms Giuffre, however, may be called to give a victim impact statement at Maxwell's sentencing hearing. The next major action in Ms Giuffre's lawsuit will take place on Tuesday, when Judge Kaplan decides if her civil claim against Prince Andrew can proceed to trial. Assuming the case is allowed to go to trial, Ms Giuffre's legal team will seek further documentation from the prince, including proof of an unusual claim he made during a Newsnight interview that he "cannot sweat". Story continues The detail is relevant because Ms Giuffre claims that the prince was "sweating profusely all over me" while they were at a London night club on the night they allegedly had sex. Prince Andrew claimed that since he cannot sweat, she cannot be telling the truth. He claimed he has "a peculiar medical condition which is that I don't sweat or I didn't sweat at the time. Ms Giuffre's legal team is demanding evidence to back his claim. They're also asking for him to name individuals who could place him at the pizza restaurant he claims to have been at the night Ms Giuffre alleges the two had sex. Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations. Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations. Beaumont Healths first baby of 2022 is Samirah Nura Ahmed. She was born at 12:01 a.m. Jan. 1, 2022, weighing 8 pounds, 8 ounces, and measuring 21.5 inches long, at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak. Parents are Khatune Papia and Didar Ahmed of Warren. Samirah Nura Ahmed arrived at 12:01 a.m. on New Year's Day, the first baby of 2022 born at the Beaumont Health System and maybe even the first born in the entire state. A week past her Dec. 25 due date, Samirah, who was born at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, weighed in at 8 pounds, 8 ounces and measured 21.5 inches long. Her happy father, Didar Ahmed, 34, considers her a blessing and a sign that good things are to come this year. "2021 was such a challenging and difficult year," Ahmed said. It included car problems, job loss (and a search for new employment that isn't going well), friends and distant relatives dead from COVID-19 and a trip to see the family ofhis wife, Khatune Papia, in Bangladesh that was complicated by worries about the virus and flight cancellations. With a new baby, new year, Im very optimistic something will happen," said Ahmed, who lives in Warren with 23-year-old Papia and their two older daughters, ages 3 and 1. "I'm not losing hope. That's why having a baby ... is like a blessing for me to start off the new year. "I couldn't be much more happier." More: Cold temperatures and up to 5 inches of snow on the way for southeast Michigan More: New Michigan laws in 2022: Tampon tax repeal, 2-year vehicle registration Here's a look at the first babies of 2022 born at other area hospitals: Simon Theodore Wiggins 12:16 a.m.: At Michigan Medicine, a baby boy named Simon Theodore Wiggins was born at the University of Michigan's Von Voightlander Women's Hospital. Thomas Patrick Dunlap with parents Paige Dunlap and Anthony Dunlap. 12:30 a.m.: Over at St. Joseph Mercy in Ann Arbor, with a televised New Year's Eve aftershow playing in the background, Thomas Patrick Dunlap arrived. His due date had been Jan. 4; his mother, Paige Dunlap, was relieved he came a few days early. "I think if we would have waited any longer, I probably would have had a cow at that point, literally, because he was 9 pounds, 10 ounces," she said. "I pushed for two minutes and he was out." His mom and dad, Anthony Dunlap, live in Ypsilanti. Thomas has an older brother. Story continues Maverick Hayes Worsley was born at Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital, becoming the first baby of 2022 to be born in the entire Henry Ford Health System. He weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces and his mother, Jessica Worsley, said he was 20.5 inches long. Worsley and her husband, Paul Worsley, live in Wyandotte. 12:39 a.m.: Maverick Hayes Worsley was born at Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital, becoming the first baby of 2022 to be born in the entire Henry Ford Health System. He weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces and his mother, Jessica Worsley, said he was 20.5 inches long. Worsley and her husband, Paul Worsley, live in Wyandotte. Zy'Aire Anthony-Thomas Bibbs 1:23 a.m. Zy'Aire Anthony-Thomas Bibbs was born to mom Myranda, of Detroit. The baby boy weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces and measured 19 inches, the hospital said in a statement. He was born at Hutzel Women's Hospital, which is part of the Detroit Medical Center. 1:38 a.m.: The first baby at Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital, a girl, was born. Baby Parker Gene Coon with parents Ashley and Lee Coon 2:06 a.m.: Parker Gene Coon was born at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland in Pontiac. Baby Parker weighed 7 pounds, 8 ounces. His parents, Lee and Ashley Coon, live in Hadley. Parker joins an older brother there. 9:29 a.m.: A girl is born at Henry Ford Main Hospital in Detroit. As of midafternoon Saturday, Henry Ford Macomb Hospital had yet to have a New Year baby. Contact Georgea Kovanis: gkovanis@freepress.com This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: First local baby of 2022 arrives at 12:01 a.m. Jan. 1 at Beaumont in Royal Oak (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A US federal judge has blocked two attempts by Prince Andrew to derail the sex assault lawsuit that Virginia Giuffre has brought against him. Judge Lewis A Kaplan issued a written order telling Prince Andrew's lawyers that they must adhere to an already scheduled document handover. Further, the judge rejected a motion by the prince's attorneys to have the lawsuit dismissed on jurisdictional grounds as Ms Giuffre no longer lives in the US. Ms Giuffre claims that she was sexually abused by Prince Andrew and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein on multiple occasions when she was 17. Major developments in the lawsuit are expected during a hearing on Tuesday, just one day after the 2009 settlement agreement between Epstein and Ms Giuffre is made public. The Guardian reports that Ms Giuffre's legal team is claiming that they have found up to six witnesses who can link Prince Andrew to Ms Giuffre. Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. He claims he was at a Pizza Express in Woking on the night Ms Giuffre claims the pair had sex, and has been challenged to name any witnesses to support his alibi. The prince is a former friend of Ghislaine Maxwell, who was last week convicted on sex trafficking charges tied to her time working with Epstein. On Thursday Maxwell was found guilty on five of six counts against her, including sex trafficking a minor. She is believed to have operated as a pimp and recruiter for Epstein. Prince Andrew was not named in Maxwell's trial, and her conviction does not have any legal implications for the lawsuit involving the prince. Ms Giuffre, however, may be called to give a victim impact statement at Maxwell's sentencing hearing. The next major action in Ms Giuffre's lawsuit will take place on Tuesday, when Judge Kaplan decides if her civil claim against Prince Andrew can proceed to trial. Assuming the case is allowed to go to trial, Ms Giuffre's legal team will seek further documentation from the prince, including proof of an unusual claim he made during a Newsnight interview that he "cannot sweat". Story continues The detail is relevant because Ms Giuffre claims that the prince was "sweating profusely all over me" while they were at a London night club on the night they allegedly had sex. Prince Andrew claimed that since he cannot sweat, she cannot be telling the truth. He claimed he has "a peculiar medical condition which is that I don't sweat or I didn't sweat at the time. Ms Giuffre's legal team is demanding evidence to back his claim. They're also asking for him to name individuals who could place him at the pizza restaurant he claims to have been at the night Ms Giuffre alleges the two had sex. A US federal judge has blocked two attempts by Prince Andrew to derail the sex assault lawsuit that Virginia Giuffre has brought against him. Judge Lewis A Kaplan issued a written order telling Prince Andrew's lawyers that they must adhere to an already scheduled document handover. Further, the judge rejected a motion by the prince's attorneys to have the lawsuit dismissed on jurisdictional grounds as Ms Giuffre no longer lives in the US. Ms Giuffre claims that she was sexually abused by Prince Andrew and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein on multiple occasions when she was 17. Major developments in the lawsuit are expected during a hearing on Tuesday, just one day after the 2009 settlement agreement between Epstein and Ms Giuffre is made public. The Guardian reports that Ms Giuffre's legal team is claiming that they have found up to six witnesses who can link Prince Andrew to Ms Giuffre. Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. He claims he was at a Pizza Express in Woking on the night Ms Giuffre claims the pair had sex, and has been challenged to name any witnesses to support his alibi. The prince is a former friend of Ghislaine Maxwell, who was last week convicted on sex trafficking charges tied to her time working with Epstein. On Thursday Maxwell was found guilty on five of six counts against her, including sex trafficking a minor. She is believed to have operated as a pimp and recruiter for Epstein. Prince Andrew was not named in Maxwell's trial, and her conviction does not have any legal implications for the lawsuit involving the prince. Ms Giuffre, however, may be called to give a victim impact statement at Maxwell's sentencing hearing. The next major action in Ms Giuffre's lawsuit will take place on Tuesday, when Judge Kaplan decides if her civil claim against Prince Andrew can proceed to trial. Assuming the case is allowed to go to trial, Ms Giuffre's legal team will seek further documentation from the prince, including proof of an unusual claim he made during a Newsnight interview that he "cannot sweat". Story continues The detail is relevant because Ms Giuffre claims that the prince was "sweating profusely all over me" while they were at a London night club on the night they allegedly had sex. Prince Andrew claimed that since he cannot sweat, she cannot be telling the truth. He claimed he has "a peculiar medical condition which is that I don't sweat or I didn't sweat at the time. Ms Giuffre's legal team is demanding evidence to back his claim. They're also asking for him to name individuals who could place him at the pizza restaurant he claims to have been at the night Ms Giuffre alleges the two had sex. Since 1971, Robert Crawford has spent every New Year's Day at the Emancipation Proclamation Parade in Charleston. That is until 2021, when the annual celebration of the day President Abraham Lincoln signed the document that would formally abolish slavery went virtual because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We did a virtual parade on our website last year and that lasted about five minutes, said Crawford, president of the Emancipation Proclamation Association of Charleston. This year, thank God, we are able to make it much more special. Crawford said the ability to see the faces of the community, wave to parade watchers and talk to people he hasn't seen in the past year made all the difference as the celebration returned to the streets of the peninsula in its 156th year on Jan. 1. Floats adorned with glittering streamers representing over 75 groups like Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, the Unitarian Church of Charleston and SC State University lined Fishburne Street in front of Burke High School. They made their procession down Ashley Avenue, Sumter, King and Calhoun streets before ending at Wharfside Street in front of the nearly completed International African American Museum. The day marked many firsts for the parade, which has been an annual tradition since 1866. It was the first time the parade route ended at the site of the museum, which is set to open this year. The addition of the museum to the parade route is another opportunity to educate people about Black history in Charleston. The museum faces the waterfront of Gadsden Wharf, which was once Charlestons major entry point for the transatlantic slave trade. It makes so much sense for it to start at Burke High School and then end at the International African American Museum, the museums president and CEO, Tonya Matthews, said. Its like the continuation of the legacy of the African American journeys here in Charleston. The 2022 parade was also the first time an Olympic athlete served as grand marshal. Sitting on a pedestal placed on a float glittering in red, white and blue, Olympic shot put silver medalist Raven Saunders led the procession. Saunders, who grew up in Charleston and attended Burke, saw the parade as another opportunity for activism. At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Saunders used her medal-winning moment to raise awareness for the Black and LGBTQ communities by crossing her forearms to make an X above her head. The gesture, which symbolized the intersection of oppressed people, was just the beginning in Saunders journey to advocate for mental health awareness and Black and LGBTQ rights. The history of Charleston is connected to the country, Saunders said. Its so important to the foundation of who we are as a country. So many kids in this city havent really had a chance to understand or learn fully or appreciate that side of it. Saunders said the parade raises awareness and educates young people like herself about African American history both in South Carolina and across the country. Matthews said the African American museum will continue to be a part of the celebration for years to come. Over the course of the next year, the museum will undergo exhibit installations. Meanwhile, Matthews and her team are working to establish the museum as a platform for education, community conversations and programs. We have got a lot of work to do towards racial equity and social justice and authentic telling of American history, Matthews said. Im excited the museum is going to be a part of that work. The parade ended with a series of speeches from Crawford, Matthews and Saunders as well as a reading of excerpts from the Emancipation Proclamation by Mayor John Tecklenburg. Its a pretty remarkable piece of history that we celebrate, which fundamentally meant the inclusion of all citizens in the United States, Tecklenburg said in an interview with The Post and Courier. The proceeds collected from the parade's participation fee will go to the Albert W. Hunt Education Scholarship Program, which is managed by the Emancipation Proclamation Association. Since 1971, Robert Crawford has spent every New Year's Day at the Emancipation Proclamation Parade in Charleston. That is until 2021, when the annual celebration of the day President Abraham Lincoln signed the document that would formally abolish slavery went virtual because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We did a virtual parade on our website last year and that lasted about five minutes, said Crawford, president of the Emancipation Proclamation Association of Charleston. This year, thank God, we are able to make it much more special. Crawford said the ability to see the faces of the community, wave to parade watchers and talk to people he hasn't seen in the past year made all the difference as the celebration returned to the streets of the peninsula in its 156th year on Jan. 1. Floats adorned with glittering streamers representing over 75 groups like Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, the Unitarian Church of Charleston and SC State University lined Fishburne Street in front of Burke High School. They made their procession down Ashley Avenue, Sumter, King and Calhoun streets before ending at Wharfside Street in front of the nearly completed International African American Museum. The day marked many firsts for the parade, which has been an annual tradition since 1866. It was the first time the parade route ended at the site of the museum, which is set to open this year. The addition of the museum to the parade route is another opportunity to educate people about Black history in Charleston. The museum faces the waterfront of Gadsden Wharf, which was once Charlestons major entry point for the transatlantic slave trade. It makes so much sense for it to start at Burke High School and then end at the International African American Museum, the museums president and CEO, Tonya Matthews, said. Its like the continuation of the legacy of the African American journeys here in Charleston. The 2022 parade was also the first time an Olympic athlete served as grand marshal. Sitting on a pedestal placed on a float glittering in red, white and blue, Olympic shot put silver medalist Raven Saunders led the procession. Saunders, who grew up in Charleston and attended Burke, saw the parade as another opportunity for activism. At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Saunders used her medal-winning moment to raise awareness for the Black and LGBTQ communities by crossing her forearms to make an X above her head. The gesture, which symbolized the intersection of oppressed people, was just the beginning in Saunders journey to advocate for mental health awareness and Black and LGBTQ rights. The history of Charleston is connected to the country, Saunders said. Its so important to the foundation of who we are as a country. So many kids in this city havent really had a chance to understand or learn fully or appreciate that side of it. Saunders said the parade raises awareness and educates young people like herself about African American history both in South Carolina and across the country. Matthews said the African American museum will continue to be a part of the celebration for years to come. Over the course of the next year, the museum will undergo exhibit installations. Meanwhile, Matthews and her team are working to establish the museum as a platform for education, community conversations and programs. We have got a lot of work to do towards racial equity and social justice and authentic telling of American history, Matthews said. Im excited the museum is going to be a part of that work. The parade ended with a series of speeches from Crawford, Matthews and Saunders as well as a reading of excerpts from the Emancipation Proclamation by Mayor John Tecklenburg. Its a pretty remarkable piece of history that we celebrate, which fundamentally meant the inclusion of all citizens in the United States, Tecklenburg said in an interview with The Post and Courier. The proceeds collected from the parade's participation fee will go to the Albert W. Hunt Education Scholarship Program, which is managed by the Emancipation Proclamation Association. Travis Scott shared a picture of his daughter Stormi on Instagram on Saturday after returning to social media following the Astroworld tragedy. The 30-year-old rapper, who posted a portrait of himself on New Year's Eve, followed up with a snap of the three-year-old he shares with Kylie Jenner on New Years Day. The toddler was dressed in a $1,290 Gucci tweed coat. Scott appears to be gearing up for a return to the spotlight two months after the devastating Astroworld disaster on November 5. New Year's post: Travis Scott shared a picture of his daughter Stormi on Instagram on Saturday His on-again girlfriend Jenner, 24, is also increasing her presence on social media - she posted pictures of her baby bump on New Year's Eve around the same time Travis updated his account. She is due to give birth to their second child in the coming weeks. She wrote: 'As 2022 is approaching i've been reflecting on this last year and the blessings that it brought but also the many heartaches it held. i will never forget this year and all the significant changes it made to my life. I pray this new year is filled with a lot of love for all of you and i hope everyone stays safe and healthy during this time.' A total of 10 people were killed following a crowd surge at the rapper's music festival in Houston, Texas, and last month medical examiners released documents confirming their causes of death. Jenner and their daughter were both in attendance at the festival. In all cases, the cause of death was ruled as 'compression asphyxia',with one victim also having another cause of death listed as 'combined toxic effects of cocaine, methamphetamine and ethanol'. Back on Instagram: The rapper returned to social media on New Years Eve with a portrait of himself alongside the caption: 'Always' Compression asphyxia occurs when respiration is prevented due to external pressure on the body and is usually caused by force compressing the chest and abdomen. Nine people Jacob Jurinek, 21, John Hilgert, 14, Brianna Rodriguez, 16, Franco Patino, 21, Axel Acosta, 21, Rudy Pena, 23, Madison Dubiski, 23, Danish Baig, 27, and Bharti Shahani, 22 were initially have confirmed to have died after the crowd 'began to compress' to the front of the stage during Travis' set. Over a week later, a nine-year-old boy named Ezra Blount also passed away as a result of his injuries sustained during the surge after spending several days in a medically induced coma. Kylie's back too: His on-again girlfriend is also increasing her presence on social media - she posted pictures of her baby bump on New Year's Eve around the same time Travis updated his account Following the tragedy, the families of several victims have pursued legal action against Travis, as well as Live Nation, the company who organised the event. In November, 282 victims of the concert filed a $2 billion lawsuit against Scott, Drake, Live Nation, Apple Music and NRG Stadium where the event was held claiming they 'cut corners, cut costs, and put attendees at risk'. While a further 125 victims including the family of 21-year-old Axel Acosta Avila who died in the incident filed a $750 million lawsuit for loss of mental and physical health and loss of human life. There was also a lawsuit from two concert security guards Jackson Bush and his uncle Samuel Bush who are seeking $1 million after claiming organisers of the event put 'greed' before safety. And the family of the tragedy's second-youngest victim, 14-year-old John Hilgert, have also filed their own lawsuit against Travis, organisers Live Nation, and several others involved in the concert for $1 million, citing 'gross negligence' and 'reckless disregard' for people's safety. Hilary Swank took several weeks away from social media to process the tragic loss of her beloved father Stephen Swank who, she revealed Saturday, died in October 2021. The 47-year-old star returned to Instagram with her first post since November to pay tribute to her dad, who she called her 'most favorite persons.' Stephen was the recipient of a lung transplant seven years ago and the Oscar winner said she had become his 'sole caretaker' afterwards, growing incredibly close in the intervening years. Heartbroken: Hilary Swank returned to social media after more than a month with an emotional post revealing that her beloved father Stephen Michael died back in October 'This past year was a big one for me and I know for so many of us. I have been off my phone and social media for a couple months due to a tremendous personal loss,' the Million Dollar Baby star wrote in a caption. Swank shared a sweet, close-up photo of she and her father together along with the emotional tribute. In the image, father and daughter share the same wide, sparkling smile. 'I had a rather unique relationship with him as I was his sole caretaker after a lung transplant seven years ago,' she continued. 'I grew incredibly close to him during this time, deepening our relationship and savoring every moment we had together.' 'He will always remain one of my most favorite persons and not a day goes by that I don't miss him. But in this physical loss, as devastating as it is, I was awakened to the truest sense of living again,' Swank wrote (Pictured together in 2001) 'He will always remain one of my most favorite persons and not a day goes by that I don't miss him. But in this physical loss, as devastating as it is, I was awakened to the truest sense of living again,' Swank wrote. Hilary said she has learned to take a deeper meaning from the loss of her father and it's allowed her to reconnect 'back to my truest self.' 'It helped me forgive, to move past the things that hold me back, in whatever form that takes each day,' she said. Her last social media post prior to taking a much needed break to emotionally heal was on Veteran's Day in November. Stephen Michael Swank: On Veteran's Day, Hilary posted an earlier tribute to her dad who had served 27 years in the United States Airforce but didn't reveal that he had passed away Swank shared an old black and white image of her dad who had served 27 years in the United States Airforce. In recent years, the star has largely stepped away from acting and from Hollywood to care for her father. Stephen underwent a lung transplant in 2014. In 2020, Hilary told Health that she'd initially planned to only take a one year hiatus but ended up committing her time to her dad's full time care. 'It takes a lot of energy, love and edifying yourself on the matter at hand. The ups and downs are so challenging and can be overwhelming,' she said at the time. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Editorials represent the institutional view of the newspaper. They are written and edited by the editorial staff, which operates separately from the news department. Editorial writers are not involved in newsroom operations. A new fund for projects to improve water quality in the Charleston area is now accepting applications, until Jan. 17. The Healthy Harbors Fund, administered by the Coastal Community Foundation, expects to award around $150,000 in total after the application period closes, said Caroline Rakar, director of grant-making and scholarships at the foundation. The monies for the fund come from a lawsuit settlement reached last March that closed a dispute over tiny plastics found in the waters of Charleston Harbor. The tiny pieces, known as nurdles, were first spotted on the beaches of Sullivan's Island in 2019 but later showed up in several tidal areas along the estuary. Charleston Waterkeeper and the Coastal Conservation League were plaintiffs in a suit that claimed plastics mover Frontier Logistics let the nurdles escape into the water. Frontier denied wrongdoing but settled the suit for $1 million to be paid over four years, which will provide the funds for CCF's grant awards. "The fund is specifically to benefit the water quality in Charleston Harbor and surrounding environments," Rakar said. Nonprofit groups working in Charleston, Dorchester and Berkeley counties are eligible to apply. Successful applicants could range from academic researchers to grassroots groups, Rakar said. CCF will focus on small to midsize organizations, which it categorizes as groups that have an annual budget of $1 million or less. Groups that want to do work in their local neighborhoods are particularly encouraged to apply. "It's really exciting to us to have a pool of funding directly related to water quality and the health of the Charleston Harbor watershed," said Andrew Wunderley, of Waterkeeper. "The harbor is sort of the cultural and economic heart of our community." Wunderley said his group will not be part of the selection committee that picks the winning proposals. Rakar said that group will be composed of local experts familiar with water quality and other environmental work. The settlement that created the Healthy Harbors Fund was one of the largest ever for a water pollution case in South Carolina. Rakar said the fund will be partially endowed at CCF, meaning some of it will be invested along with other assets the foundation manages. Interested donors can make tax-deductible contributions to the fund, she said. CCF will hold an annual grant cycle for water quality work as long as there is money left in the fund to award, she said. Those interested in applying for a grant can find the application at coastalcommunityfoundation.org/competitive-grants/the-healthy-harbors-grant-program/, and have a deadline of 5 p.m. on the day the grant period closes. Donors who want to contribute to the Healthy Harbors fund can do so online at the link: bit.ly/3y9rpVX. A new fund for projects to improve water quality in the Charleston area is now accepting applications, until Jan. 17. The Healthy Harbors Fund, administered by the Coastal Community Foundation, expects to award around $150,000 in total after the application period closes, said Caroline Rakar, director of grant-making and scholarships at the foundation. The monies for the fund come from a lawsuit settlement reached last March that closed a dispute over tiny plastics found in the waters of Charleston Harbor. The tiny pieces, known as nurdles, were first spotted on the beaches of Sullivan's Island in 2019 but later showed up in several tidal areas along the estuary. Charleston Waterkeeper and the Coastal Conservation League were plaintiffs in a suit that claimed plastics mover Frontier Logistics let the nurdles escape into the water. Frontier denied wrongdoing but settled the suit for $1 million to be paid over four years, which will provide the funds for CCF's grant awards. "The fund is specifically to benefit the water quality in Charleston Harbor and surrounding environments," Rakar said. Nonprofit groups working in Charleston, Dorchester and Berkeley counties are eligible to apply. Successful applicants could range from academic researchers to grassroots groups, Rakar said. CCF will focus on small to midsize organizations, which it categorizes as groups that have an annual budget of $1 million or less. Groups that want to do work in their local neighborhoods are particularly encouraged to apply. "It's really exciting to us to have a pool of funding directly related to water quality and the health of the Charleston Harbor watershed," said Andrew Wunderley, of Waterkeeper. "The harbor is sort of the cultural and economic heart of our community." Wunderley said his group will not be part of the selection committee that picks the winning proposals. Rakar said that group will be composed of local experts familiar with water quality and other environmental work. The settlement that created the Healthy Harbors Fund was one of the largest ever for a water pollution case in South Carolina. Rakar said the fund will be partially endowed at CCF, meaning some of it will be invested along with other assets the foundation manages. Interested donors can make tax-deductible contributions to the fund, she said. CCF will hold an annual grant cycle for water quality work as long as there is money left in the fund to award, she said. Those interested in applying for a grant can find the application at coastalcommunityfoundation.org/competitive-grants/the-healthy-harbors-grant-program/, and have a deadline of 5 p.m. on the day the grant period closes. Donors who want to contribute to the Healthy Harbors fund can do so online at the link: bit.ly/3y9rpVX. Since 1971, Robert Crawford has spent every New Year's Day at the Emancipation Proclamation Parade in Charleston. That is until 2021, when the annual celebration of the day President Abraham Lincoln signed the document that would formally abolish slavery went virtual because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We did a virtual parade on our website last year and that lasted about five minutes, said Crawford, president of the Emancipation Proclamation Association of Charleston. This year, thank God, we are able to make it much more special. Crawford said the ability to see the faces of the community, wave to parade watchers and talk to people he hasn't seen in the past year made all the difference as the celebration returned to the streets of the peninsula in its 156th year on Jan. 1. Floats adorned with glittering streamers representing over 75 groups like Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, the Unitarian Church of Charleston and SC State University lined Fishburne Street in front of Burke High School. They made their procession down Ashley Avenue, Sumter, King and Calhoun streets before ending at Wharfside Street in front of the nearly completed International African American Museum. The day marked many firsts for the parade, which has been an annual tradition since 1866. It was the first time the parade route ended at the site of the museum, which is set to open this year. The addition of the museum to the parade route is another opportunity to educate people about Black history in Charleston. The museum faces the waterfront of Gadsden Wharf, which was once Charlestons major entry point for the transatlantic slave trade. It makes so much sense for it to start at Burke High School and then end at the International African American Museum, the museums president and CEO, Tonya Matthews, said. Its like the continuation of the legacy of the African American journeys here in Charleston. The 2022 parade was also the first time an Olympic athlete served as grand marshal. Sitting on a pedestal placed on a float glittering in red, white and blue, Olympic shot put silver medalist Raven Saunders led the procession. Saunders, who grew up in Charleston and attended Burke, saw the parade as another opportunity for activism. At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Saunders used her medal-winning moment to raise awareness for the Black and LGBTQ communities by crossing her forearms to make an X above her head. The gesture, which symbolized the intersection of oppressed people, was just the beginning in Saunders journey to advocate for mental health awareness and Black and LGBTQ rights. The history of Charleston is connected to the country, Saunders said. Its so important to the foundation of who we are as a country. So many kids in this city havent really had a chance to understand or learn fully or appreciate that side of it. Saunders said the parade raises awareness and educates young people like herself about African American history both in South Carolina and across the country. Matthews said the African American museum will continue to be a part of the celebration for years to come. Over the course of the next year, the museum will undergo exhibit installations. Meanwhile, Matthews and her team are working to establish the museum as a platform for education, community conversations and programs. We have got a lot of work to do towards racial equity and social justice and authentic telling of American history, Matthews said. Im excited the museum is going to be a part of that work. The parade ended with a series of speeches from Crawford, Matthews and Saunders as well as a reading of excerpts from the Emancipation Proclamation by Mayor John Tecklenburg. Its a pretty remarkable piece of history that we celebrate, which fundamentally meant the inclusion of all citizens in the United States, Tecklenburg said in an interview with The Post and Courier. The proceeds collected from the parade's participation fee will go to the Albert W. Hunt Education Scholarship Program, which is managed by the Emancipation Proclamation Association. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portraits of Bu Chun-hwa, far left, Kim Ok-ryeon and Bu Deok-ryang / Courtesy of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs By Park Han-sol Three "haenyeo," or women divers of Jeju Island, who led the key resistance movement during the 1910-45 Japanese colonial occupation, were selected as the "Independence Fighters of the Month" of January 2022, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs (MPVA) announced Friday. This is the first time the ministry has named the Jeju islanders as independence fighters as part of its monthly designation project, which began in 1992. In the early 1930s, Bu Chun-hwa, Kim Ok-ryeon and Bu Deok-ryang led what came to be the country's largest civil protest ever organized by women against the Japanese forces. Joined by some 17,000 participants, part of the movement's aim was to address the colonial government's economic exploitation of marine resources and labor. All born in Gujwa-eup on the island, the three women started their lives as haenyeo at an early age, between 9 and 15, to help put food on the table for their families. But while working as divers, they also attended the same night school, an experience that gradually raised their spirit of resistance and national awareness within colonized Korea, the MPVA stated. One day in 1930, in the small Jeju village of Hado-ri, a group of young men took issue with the Japanese-controlled union's illicit sale of Ceylon moss a seaweed used to produce agar, which soon led to their arrests by the colonial police. After witnessing the quick suppression of a nonviolent protest against colonial Japan's economic exploitation of the islanders, the haenyeo soon joined forces, with the three women chosen as their leaders. On Jan. 12, 1932, the divers came out to the street, wielding their seafood harvesting tools like handheld scrapers ("bitchang") and picks ("homaengi"). But the Japanese armed forces arrested a number of key figures just days after the incident. As prisoners awaiting trial, the three women were locked behind bars for months. Bu Deok-ryang died soon afterwards due to wounds she sustained from torture. She was only 28. In the early 2000s, the government conferred the National Foundational Medal on all three women. (Tribune News Service) In early November, Washington native Marnie Gustavson returned to Kabul, where she has lived and worked for more than 15 years. Gustavson is the executive director of PARSA, a nonprofit that assists Afghan women, children and the disadvantaged. She had left Kabul in August, just before the Taliban takeover. And, after a restless few months in the Puget Sound region, Gustavson went back to help get the group up and running at a time of desperate need in Afghanistan. By the time she arrived, about 20 of PARSA's 120 Afghan staff had left for Pakistan, a first step in an effort to get visas that would enable them to resettle in the U.S. More wanted to leave and sought financial assistance from PARSA, which stands for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan. So Gustavson held a meeting to convey a blunt message. She had compassion for those seeking to depart their homeland, and wrote letters of referral to the U.S. State Department for those who requested them. But it was uncertain if and when any of those visas would come through for people in Pakistan. And, the nonprofit would prioritize spending on mothers with hungry children, and others stuck in Afghanistan amid the economic implosion that followed the U.S. withdrawal. For those who opted to stay with PARSA, that's where their focus needed to be. "I said, 'this is a new opportunity for us,' " Gustavson recalled. " 'You guys need to get reorganized. You are some of the few people in Afghanistan with jobs.' " Since then, few staff have left, and PARSA has stepped up operations including leading Scout troops of boys, and some girls, in putting together aid packages of rice, beans, oil and other foodstuffs. And, at the PARSA campus in Kabul, some 60 teenage girls are once again attending technology and sewing classes. PARSA is regrouping at a difficult and politically sensitive time for the more than 180 international aid organizations that have been operating in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rise to power has raised new questions about how freely U.S. aid groups can operate in Afghanistan, and what programs won't run afoul of their doctrines. Expanding educational opportunities for girls, for example, has been one big goal of international aid to Afghanistan, while the Taliban have sharply restricted girls' access to middle schools, high schools and universities. There are also security concerns. In the year before the Taliban took over, there were targeted killings of activists and others pressing for a more open society. And since they returned to power, Human Rights Watch has documented the killing or disappearance of more than 100 police and intelligence officials who turned themselves in to Taliban forces. Adding to the mix, ISIS is still operating in Afghanistan and carrying out bombings. One Northwest aid group, Mercy Corps, has put Afghanistan operations on hold to focus on the safety and well-being of Afghan staff members, said Christy Delafield, a spokesperson for the Portland-based organization. In a statement posted online, Mercy Corps stated "We will resume providing assistance as soon as it is safe to do so and we have more clarity of the operational context." Country in free fall Afghanistan's dire situation largely results from a drought that reduced harvests and the broader economic collapse in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. In Herat, one United Nations official recently found a young woman reduced to one meal of tea and bread a day, unable to breast-feed her infant, and a clinic reported a 50% increase in the treatment of malnourished children. "Afghanistan is in a free fall," tweeted Martin Griffiths, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator, on Dec. 10. "Without more systemic and sustainable support, chaos will ensue." A recent U.N. report found 23 million people more than half the population face hunger, and 3.2 million face acute malnutrition. Efforts to provide aid have been complicated by an implosion of the banking system that put sharp restrictions on cash withdrawals needed to pay staff. And the Taliban have been subject to long-standing international sanctions that prohibit financial dealings with them. On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Treasury Department loosened those sanctions to allow some financial transactions with the Taliban to help speed up the humanitarian assistance. Some of this money is coming from the American taxpayer under a Biden administration effort to respond to the plight of the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for International Development since August has provided more than $208 million to assist in the relief effort with funds that flow through United Nations agencies as well as nongovernmental groups. The U.N. World Food Program, with a staff of more than 500, is on the front lines of the effort to stave off famine with a massive outreach effort to deliver two months of food supplies, as well as cash and vouchers for local stores, to those in need. The hunger is widespread across the country including in some of the cities that long enjoyed more prosperity. "People are selling household items, and some have sold their children into early marriage," said Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, which projects a need for $2.6 billion in 2022 to feed people in Afghanistan. The suffering is expected to worsen during the cold winter months, and aid groups are scrambling to expand operations. "Across the country, we are working to provide cash support to families who have been displaced, enabling them to purchase essential items such as food, travel, tickets back to their home provinces, medicine and emergency supplies," said Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, which has some 1,200 staff in Afghanistan, 99% of whom are Afghans. Federal Way-based World Vision is operating 14 mobile clinics focused on feeding malnourished children and responding to "urgent health needs," according to spokesperson Nicole Harris, who said the organization plans to scale up food assistance "as we're able to gain access to areas of greatest needs." Wary dialogue PARSA is a small organization founded in 1996 during the first era of Taliban rule by Marty MacMakin, an American physical therapist. In an era when schools were open only to boys, she organized home schools for girls. Gustavson spent much of her youth in Afghanistan, where her father taught school in Kabul in the 1960s. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001 she returned, eventually taking over PARSA in 2006. Now, with the Taliban back in charge, Gustavson, an American woman, has entered into a wary dialogue with the new regime. "It took me a little while to shift from they were my enemies to now they're my protectors and my partners," Gustavson said. "But I have done that. It's kind of like moving into a village and meeting the elders and kind of sizing each other up and saying, 'This is what I'm standing for, and this is what I want.' ... I've really been tested in terms of making sure, personally and professionally, that I'm on track with my own ethics and PARSA's integrity in the face of this whole new reality ... This is pretty complicated. I'm navigating a whole new landscape." The Taliban officials that Gustavson met with included Maulvi Matiul Haq, who had been a member of the negotiating team that met with U.S. officials in Doha. He now heads the Afghan Red Crescent Society, which owns the 20-acre tree-shaded campus where PARSA is located and Gustavson has a residence. And Haq now also lives and works on a separate part of the campus. "He is an older gentleman. Very formal. And I went with two staff members and presented PARSA," Gustavson said. "It was very practical 'How are we going to make this work?' And he said, 'We're absolutely going to cooperate with you.' " One of PARSA"s signature programs has been support for Scout troops comprising both boys and girls that are now active in 34 provinces. She hopes that the scoutmasters, many of whom are teachers, can help organize distribution of the food aid in some of the hardest hit regions of the country. But under the Taliban, some changes to the Scout program are likely, including longer uniforms for girls and more separation of their activities from those of the boys. In mid-December, Gustavson returned to Washington for the holidays and to be with a family member who needs surgery. She plans to fly back to Afghanistan after the new year on Kam Air, an Afghanistan-based airline that has resumed passenger service to the Kabul airport that in August was the scene of the chaotic U.S. evacuation. ___ (c)2022 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. 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. 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. Hilary Swank took several weeks away from social media to process the tragic loss of her beloved father Stephen Swank who, she revealed Saturday, died in October 2021. The 47-year-old star returned to Instagram with her first post since November to pay tribute to her dad, who she called her 'most favorite persons.' Stephen was the recipient of a lung transplant seven years ago and the Oscar winner said she had become his 'sole caretaker' afterwards, growing incredibly close in the intervening years. Heartbroken: Hilary Swank returned to social media after more than a month with an emotional post revealing that her beloved father Stephen Michael died back in October 'This past year was a big one for me and I know for so many of us. I have been off my phone and social media for a couple months due to a tremendous personal loss,' the Million Dollar Baby star wrote in a caption. Swank shared a sweet, close-up photo of she and her father together along with the emotional tribute. In the image, father and daughter share the same wide, sparkling smile. 'I had a rather unique relationship with him as I was his sole caretaker after a lung transplant seven years ago,' she continued. 'I grew incredibly close to him during this time, deepening our relationship and savoring every moment we had together.' 'He will always remain one of my most favorite persons and not a day goes by that I don't miss him. But in this physical loss, as devastating as it is, I was awakened to the truest sense of living again,' Swank wrote (Pictured together in 2001) 'He will always remain one of my most favorite persons and not a day goes by that I don't miss him. But in this physical loss, as devastating as it is, I was awakened to the truest sense of living again,' Swank wrote. Hilary said she has learned to take a deeper meaning from the loss of her father and it's allowed her to reconnect 'back to my truest self.' 'It helped me forgive, to move past the things that hold me back, in whatever form that takes each day,' she said. Her last social media post prior to taking a much needed break to emotionally heal was on Veteran's Day in November. Stephen Michael Swank: On Veteran's Day, Hilary posted an earlier tribute to her dad who had served 27 years in the United States Airforce but didn't reveal that he had passed away Swank shared an old black and white image of her dad who had served 27 years in the United States Airforce. In recent years, the star has largely stepped away from acting and from Hollywood to care for her father. Stephen underwent a lung transplant in 2014. In 2020, Hilary told Health that she'd initially planned to only take a one year hiatus but ended up committing her time to her dad's full time care. 'It takes a lot of energy, love and edifying yourself on the matter at hand. The ups and downs are so challenging and can be overwhelming,' she said at the time. Travis Scott shared a picture of his daughter Stormi on Instagram on Saturday after returning to social media following the Astroworld tragedy. The 30-year-old rapper, who posted a portrait of himself on New Year's Eve, followed up with a snap of the three-year-old he shares with Kylie Jenner on New Years Day. The toddler was dressed in a $1,290 Gucci tweed coat. Scott appears to be gearing up for a return to the spotlight two months after the devastating Astroworld disaster on November 5. New Year's post: Travis Scott shared a picture of his daughter Stormi on Instagram on Saturday His on-again girlfriend Jenner, 24, is also increasing her presence on social media - she posted pictures of her baby bump on New Year's Eve around the same time Travis updated his account. She is due to give birth to their second child in the coming weeks. She wrote: 'As 2022 is approaching i've been reflecting on this last year and the blessings that it brought but also the many heartaches it held. i will never forget this year and all the significant changes it made to my life. I pray this new year is filled with a lot of love for all of you and i hope everyone stays safe and healthy during this time.' A total of 10 people were killed following a crowd surge at the rapper's music festival in Houston, Texas, and last month medical examiners released documents confirming their causes of death. Jenner and their daughter were both in attendance at the festival. In all cases, the cause of death was ruled as 'compression asphyxia',with one victim also having another cause of death listed as 'combined toxic effects of cocaine, methamphetamine and ethanol'. Back on Instagram: The rapper returned to social media on New Years Eve with a portrait of himself alongside the caption: 'Always' Compression asphyxia occurs when respiration is prevented due to external pressure on the body and is usually caused by force compressing the chest and abdomen. Nine people Jacob Jurinek, 21, John Hilgert, 14, Brianna Rodriguez, 16, Franco Patino, 21, Axel Acosta, 21, Rudy Pena, 23, Madison Dubiski, 23, Danish Baig, 27, and Bharti Shahani, 22 were initially have confirmed to have died after the crowd 'began to compress' to the front of the stage during Travis' set. Over a week later, a nine-year-old boy named Ezra Blount also passed away as a result of his injuries sustained during the surge after spending several days in a medically induced coma. Kylie's back too: His on-again girlfriend is also increasing her presence on social media - she posted pictures of her baby bump on New Year's Eve around the same time Travis updated his account Following the tragedy, the families of several victims have pursued legal action against Travis, as well as Live Nation, the company who organised the event. In November, 282 victims of the concert filed a $2 billion lawsuit against Scott, Drake, Live Nation, Apple Music and NRG Stadium where the event was held claiming they 'cut corners, cut costs, and put attendees at risk'. While a further 125 victims including the family of 21-year-old Axel Acosta Avila who died in the incident filed a $750 million lawsuit for loss of mental and physical health and loss of human life. There was also a lawsuit from two concert security guards Jackson Bush and his uncle Samuel Bush who are seeking $1 million after claiming organisers of the event put 'greed' before safety. And the family of the tragedy's second-youngest victim, 14-year-old John Hilgert, have also filed their own lawsuit against Travis, organisers Live Nation, and several others involved in the concert for $1 million, citing 'gross negligence' and 'reckless disregard' for people's safety. Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations. Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations. A US federal judge has blocked two attempts by Prince Andrew to derail the sex assault lawsuit that Virginia Giuffre has brought against him. Judge Lewis A Kaplan issued a written order telling Prince Andrew's lawyers that they must adhere to an already scheduled document handover. Further, the judge rejected a motion by the prince's attorneys to have the lawsuit dismissed on jurisdictional grounds as Ms Giuffre no longer lives in the US. Ms Giuffre claims that she was sexually abused by Prince Andrew and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein on multiple occasions when she was 17. Major developments in the lawsuit are expected during a hearing on Tuesday, just one day after the 2009 settlement agreement between Epstein and Ms Giuffre is made public. The Guardian reports that Ms Giuffre's legal team is claiming that they have found up to six witnesses who can link Prince Andrew to Ms Giuffre. Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. He claims he was at a Pizza Express in Woking on the night Ms Giuffre claims the pair had sex, and has been challenged to name any witnesses to support his alibi. The prince is a former friend of Ghislaine Maxwell, who was last week convicted on sex trafficking charges tied to her time working with Epstein. On Thursday Maxwell was found guilty on five of six counts against her, including sex trafficking a minor. She is believed to have operated as a pimp and recruiter for Epstein. Prince Andrew was not named in Maxwell's trial, and her conviction does not have any legal implications for the lawsuit involving the prince. Ms Giuffre, however, may be called to give a victim impact statement at Maxwell's sentencing hearing. The next major action in Ms Giuffre's lawsuit will take place on Tuesday, when Judge Kaplan decides if her civil claim against Prince Andrew can proceed to trial. Assuming the case is allowed to go to trial, Ms Giuffre's legal team will seek further documentation from the prince, including proof of an unusual claim he made during a Newsnight interview that he "cannot sweat". Story continues The detail is relevant because Ms Giuffre claims that the prince was "sweating profusely all over me" while they were at a London night club on the night they allegedly had sex. Prince Andrew claimed that since he cannot sweat, she cannot be telling the truth. He claimed he has "a peculiar medical condition which is that I don't sweat or I didn't sweat at the time. Ms Giuffre's legal team is demanding evidence to back his claim. They're also asking for him to name individuals who could place him at the pizza restaurant he claims to have been at the night Ms Giuffre alleges the two had sex. A US federal judge has blocked two attempts by Prince Andrew to derail the sex assault lawsuit that Virginia Giuffre has brought against him. Judge Lewis A Kaplan issued a written order telling Prince Andrew's lawyers that they must adhere to an already scheduled document handover. Further, the judge rejected a motion by the prince's attorneys to have the lawsuit dismissed on jurisdictional grounds as Ms Giuffre no longer lives in the US. Ms Giuffre claims that she was sexually abused by Prince Andrew and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein on multiple occasions when she was 17. Major developments in the lawsuit are expected during a hearing on Tuesday, just one day after the 2009 settlement agreement between Epstein and Ms Giuffre is made public. The Guardian reports that Ms Giuffre's legal team is claiming that they have found up to six witnesses who can link Prince Andrew to Ms Giuffre. Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. He claims he was at a Pizza Express in Woking on the night Ms Giuffre claims the pair had sex, and has been challenged to name any witnesses to support his alibi. The prince is a former friend of Ghislaine Maxwell, who was last week convicted on sex trafficking charges tied to her time working with Epstein. On Thursday Maxwell was found guilty on five of six counts against her, including sex trafficking a minor. She is believed to have operated as a pimp and recruiter for Epstein. Prince Andrew was not named in Maxwell's trial, and her conviction does not have any legal implications for the lawsuit involving the prince. Ms Giuffre, however, may be called to give a victim impact statement at Maxwell's sentencing hearing. The next major action in Ms Giuffre's lawsuit will take place on Tuesday, when Judge Kaplan decides if her civil claim against Prince Andrew can proceed to trial. Assuming the case is allowed to go to trial, Ms Giuffre's legal team will seek further documentation from the prince, including proof of an unusual claim he made during a Newsnight interview that he "cannot sweat". Story continues The detail is relevant because Ms Giuffre claims that the prince was "sweating profusely all over me" while they were at a London night club on the night they allegedly had sex. Prince Andrew claimed that since he cannot sweat, she cannot be telling the truth. He claimed he has "a peculiar medical condition which is that I don't sweat or I didn't sweat at the time. Ms Giuffre's legal team is demanding evidence to back his claim. They're also asking for him to name individuals who could place him at the pizza restaurant he claims to have been at the night Ms Giuffre alleges the two had sex. Josh and Amy Bordelon of Manifest started off 2022 with an adventure and it's one they'll be able to tell for years to come. Amy delivered their newborn daughter Isabella at 12:15 a.m. on New Year's Day. And on the Pineville Expressway in Josh's work truck as he drove 70 mph trying to get to CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital. Isabella weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces and was 19 3/4 inches long. The story begins earlier in the night at their Catahoula Parish home. The couple and their two older daughters were getting ready for bed when Amy started having contractions. "And I said, 'I'm just going to wait them out because my water hasn't broken,'" she said. Eventually, she decided that they had to go to the hospital because she was in pain. The only thing they could do was send her back home and she would be fine with that. Amy called her mother to take care of the girls while she and Josh left for Alexandria. "We got into his truck - his work truck to head this way - and he's doing around 70, to try and hurry up and get here because we live an hour and 10 minutes away from the hospital," said Amy. As they made their way through Rhinehart, Josh hit a deer. But even that didn't stop them. "I was kind of all over the truck at that point," she said. They had just arrived in Pineville on Highway 28 East when her water broke. Isabella Bordelon was born at 1215 a.m. Jan. 1, 2022 to Josh and Amy Bordelon at CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital. Amy delivered Isabella herself on the Pineville Expressway as Josh rushed to get to the hospital. He even hit a deer on the way. "I was screaming and hollering in the truck. And I couldn't sit still. And then just when I felt her coming, my water just ruptured everywhere and I felt - like everybody talks about the ring of fire - I started feeling that," she said. And that's when she knew Isabella was about to be born. "When we hit the Pineville Expressway, I started delivering her," said Amy. "So I just bore down and made sure there was plenty of room on the seat. And I pushed one time and the top of her head was trying to come out. So I pushed again and got to her shoulders. And I did one more big push and she came out all the way." Story continues She had seen her other two children born but said she still didn't know what to do so she went on instinct and what she remembered from their births. After Isabella was born, Amy grabbed her so she didn't fall off the seat put her on her chest. "And just started rubbing her and patting her back a little bit because I didn't know what else to do," she said. Then, Amy looked over at Josh and said, "I told you she was coming." Josh looked right at her and gasped. "What?" "She's here," said Amy. He kept gasping and once they got closer to the hospital, he called and told them to meet them outside because Amy already had the baby. Before they left for Alexandria from Manifest, Amy thought of calling an ambulance but they live far out in the country. "By the time an ambulance would have found where we live, we'd already had the baby or been at the hospital," she said. And even if they could have stopped and called for an ambulance, they decided to keep driving. It would be quicker to drive than stop and wait for an ambulance to reach them. This was her third delivery but without medication. Her contractions were bad but she thought since each pregnancy is different that she was being overly dramatic. It was an interesting experience for the couple. And the family has quite a story to tell Isabella about her birth. "It was amazing to be able to pick her up and pull her to my chest. But it was something I would never do again unmedicated," said Amy as she laughed. Rapides Women's and Children's Hospital welcomed their first baby of 2022. Eliette Alexandra Castaneda was born at 3:51 a.m. to Cecilia Castaneda. Rapides Women's and Children's Hospital welcomed their first baby of 2022. Eliette Alexandra Castaneda was born at 3:51 a.m. to Cecilia Castaneda. She weighed 7 lbs. 3 oz. and was 18 inches long. Mom did a great job along with our team of physicians and care team members who helped this precious baby girl enter the world. Congratulations on the Rapides Women's and Children's Hospital Facebook page came from Chantrell Denise Courtney of Simmsport who had Rapides' first baby of 2020, her son Dennis Matthew Slaughter, Jr. "IT'S MY BOYS BIRTHDAY SO MEET YOUR BIRTHDAY TWIN, PRETTY GIRL, & WELCOME TO THE WORLD," Courtney posted. This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: Louisiana New Year's baby makes debut on Pineville Expressway This undated photo provided by Merck & Co. shows their new antiviral medication molnupiravir. U.S. regulators have authorized a second pill against COVID-19, an antiviral drug from Merck that may help blunt the wave of infections driven by the omicron variant. The Food and Drug Administration granted the drug emergency use Thursday, Dec. 23, 2021, for adults with early COVID-19 who face the highest risks of hospitalization. This undated photo provided by Merck & Co. shows their new antiviral medication molnupiravir. U.S. regulators have authorized a second pill against COVID-19, an antiviral drug from Merck that may help blunt the wave of infections driven by the omicron variant. The Food and Drug Administration granted the drug emergency use Thursday, Dec. 23, 2021, for adults with early COVID-19 who face the highest risks of hospitalization. This undated photo provided by Merck & Co. shows their new antiviral medication molnupiravir. U.S. regulators have authorized a second pill against COVID-19, an antiviral drug from Merck that may help blunt the wave of infections driven by the omicron variant. The Food and Drug Administration granted the drug emergency use Thursday, Dec. 23, 2021, for adults with early COVID-19 who face the highest risks of hospitalization. Illinois lawmakers just closed the book on a remarkably active year of legislating. Nearly 700 bills were signed into law, including heavy lift items like criminal justice reform and landmark climate legislation. So what does this year hold in state government and politics? No one can predict the future. But if whats past is prologue, Illinoisans can expect less policymaking and more politicking in 2022, a year where every state legislator, members of Congress and major figures like Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Sen. Tammy Duckworth will face voters. With that, here are 10 topics to watch in Illinois government and politics in 2022: Battle of billionaires? Gov. J.B. Pritzker is running for reelection. And though he, with the help of supermajority Democrats in the General Assembly, has largely steamrolled Republican legislative opposition over the past three years, major GOP players say the party will put up a major fight in 2022. GOP sources say Griffin could spend between $200 million and $300 million on the effort. Forces behind the effort are likely to roll out a slate of candidates in the coming weeks. Pritzker, who spent $172 million in his successful 2018 campaign against Gov. Bruce Rauner, has essentially unlimited resources. He will also likely have support from rank-and-file Democrats for delivering on key priorities like increasing the minimum wage, legalizing recreational marijuana and supporting major climate legislation. However, Republicans believe a favorable national climate mixed with exhaustion over lifestyle changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns over a rise in violent crime in cities across the state and an unemployment rate higher than the country as a whole will put Illinois in play if the GOP can find and finance the right candidate. At the very least, Republicans think a statewide slate that can keep the race close can help their legislative candidates win in the moderate Chicago suburbs and perhaps challenge Democratic supermajorities in the legislature. No electoral outcome is certain. But, assuming Griffin follows through, it is a solid bet that the 2022 governors race will be the most expensive race in state history, easily exceeding the 2018 race. So get ready for lots of television advertisements. Who replaces Jesse White? Four Democrats have declared their candidacies for the office: former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias; Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia; Chicago Ald. Pat Dowell and Chicago Ald. David Moore. State Rep. Dan Brady, a Bloomington Republican, has also announced a bid. Whites lengthy tenure was unprecedented. Historically, the office has been a stepping stone position for candidates seeking higher office, with two former officeholders, Republicans Jim Edgar and George Ryan, going on to become governor. Another, Democrat Alan Dixon, went on to serve two terms in the U.S. Senate. It is the most prominent statewide office outside the governors office, controlling more than 4,000 jobs and touching the lives of nearly every Illinois resident by issuing drivers licenses and registering motor vehicles. In short, it is a great position for an ambitious politician to hold. Giannoulias, who served one term as state treasurer before an unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate in 2010, has emerged as the clear frontrunner, lining up support from major labor unions and elected officials while raising nearly $3.5 million. But, in a good Republican year, the party sees an opportunity to win the open seat. Congressional primaries Springfield Democrats approved and Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a new congressional map into law last fall. Some of the consequences of the decisions made will play out in the first half of 2022. Namely, there are likely to be two inter-party congressional primaries. One will feature Rep. Sean Casten, D-Downers Grove, and Rep. Marie Newman, D-LaGrange. The district includes portions of suburban DuPage County and southwestern Cook County. So why are two Democrats facing off when the party drew the map? Well, the 2020 U.S. Census, which showed the state losing population overall, continued to register gains in the states Hispanic population. So lawmakers drew a second district where the group is a significant plurality. One incumbent had to be bounced as a result. If she does, it would have to be against either Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, or Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, both entrenched incumbents. Either way, it would be an ugly primary battle that could potentially involve former President Donald Trump. How will the state spend the rest of its COVID-19 stimulus funds? Illinois state government was allocated more than $8.1 billion in federal COVID-19 stimulus funds under the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021. How to spend the remaining $5 billion will be a major question for lawmakers this coming year. The state has until 2024 to disperse the funds, so it can continue to spread it out over multiple years. But, there will be pressure from lawmakers and interest groups to fund key initiatives. Expect there to be some pressure, especially from Republicans, to use at least some of the funds to pay down the nearly $4.5 billion the state owes to the federal unemployment trust fund. The state utilized that fund to pay enhanced unemployment benefits during the pandemic. How and what lawmakers decided to spend the money may depend on the states budget situation, which improved significantly last year due to the bounce back of the economy. Unionization as a 'fundamental right' In 2022, Illinois voters will be asked whether or not workers have the fundamental right to unionize and collectively bargain in order to negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions. The binding ballot initiative, approved by a bipartisan group of lawmakers during the last legislative session, would prevent state lawmakers from making Illinois a right-to-work state. Every state bordering Illinois besides Missouri has a right-to-work law on the books, so it presents an opportunity for Illinois to further contrast itself with its neighbors. If approved, it would be a major victory for organized labor, which has established itself among the most powerful collective interests in Springfield just a few short years after being under threat by the notoriously anti-union Gov. Bruce Rauner. Corruption probe Around this time last year, House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, suspended his campaign for another term as speaker when it became clear he did not have the votes to win. Madigan, who had survived several controversies over the years, was finally beat as a corruption probe thats ensnared some of his closest confidants drew closer and closer. In 2020, federal prosecutors in Chicago charged utility giant Commonwealth Edison with bribery. They alleged that the utility awarded jobs and contracts to associates of a top state official identified as Madigan with intent to influence and reward the official. The utility agreed to pay a $200 million fine. Later that year, longtime lobbyist and Madigan consigliere Mike McClain, along with two former ComEd executives and another lobbyist, was charged in the scheme. The case is scheduled to go to trial later this year, potentially presenting a headache to Democrats running for reelection. Madigan has not been charged with any wrongdoing. But could the former speaker eventually be charged? He appears to be the target of federal prosecutors. But Madigan was always careful, not using email and not owning his own cell phone, for instance. This year, we may find out if the man known as the Velvet Hammer slipped up. Battle for the Illinois Supreme Court The governors race will get most of the headlines, but some Illinois political insiders say there are a pair of even more consequential races on the same ballot: the open seats that will determine control of the seven-person Illinois Supreme Court. The court is currently controlled 4-3 by Democrats, but Justice Thomas Kilbride, a Democrat, lost his retention election in 2020, setting up an open race in 2022. Combined with the retirement of Justice Robert Thomas, a Republican, earlier that year, that leaves two open seats. Adding to that, Springfield Democrats redistricted the states judicial districts for the first time since the 1960s (a Republican-led effort in the 1990s was not successful) in an effort to maintain their hold on the court. The new map, which bases those two districts in the Democratic-trending Chicago suburbs, gives the party a better opportunity to do so than the old map. President Joe Biden carried each district relatively comfortably, but Pritzker only won them by a few thousand votes. Heres the political reality: its far more likely that Republicans take control of the Illinois Supreme Court than they win back the Illinois Governors Mansion. These races will probably not reach the level of expense that the governors race will, but they will be costly. State judicial races may go over the head of average voters, but theres a lot at stake for major interest groups such as the business lobby, organized labor and trial lawyers. They will pour millions into these races. Justice Rita Garmon, a Republican, and Justice Mary Jane Theis, a Democrat, are up for retention in seats considered safe for their respective parties. The fiscal state of Illinois Luckily for policymakers, the economic boom post-shutdown was stronger than expected. State tax revenue which mostly comes from sales and income beat even the rosiest of expectations. This, mixed with COVID-19 stimulus funds, allowed the state to pass a budget thats balanced (at least on paper) while still funding key initiatives, such as the additional $350 million for K-12 education under the evidence-based funding formula. Whether this revenue trend continues into 2022 is a question that will significantly impact what the states budget looks like. Growth is a great drug to take advantage of when drawing up a spending plan. But the states structural deficit, driven largely by growing pension obligations, remains the elephant in the room. Shortened legislative session After a remarkably active year of legislating that stretched into the summer months, House Speaker Chris Welch and Senate President Don Harmon have made clear they want an abbreviated legislative session in 2022. The pair have targeted April 8 as adjournment day, which is seven-and-a-half weeks earlier than typical. Many are skeptical. Lawmakers are notoriously bad at meeting hard deadlines let alone an artificial one. But the goal makes sense. For one its an election year. Such years are normally heavy on politics and light on policy. And another factor to weigh is the June 28 primary date, which is more than three months later than usual due to pandemic-induced delays in the delivery of 2020 U.S. Census data, which pushed back redistricting. The last place lawmakers want to be weeks ahead of an election is Springfield. Of course, they will pass a budget. But beyond that, expect some messaging bills, the occasional trailer bill to clean up legislation passed in 2021 and get ready for some political theater. What does Kinzinger do? U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, announced in November his retirement from the House, which became all-but-certain after Springfield Democrats carved up his district in the once-a-decade redistricting process. But Kinzinger, one of the most prominent GOP critics of former President Donald Trump, has been somewhat coy on his future plans. Hes hinted at a possible run for governor against Pritzker or U.S. Senate against incumbent Tammy Duckworth. He may also do more work with his political action committee Country First. Kinzinger has stated his belief that hes the only candidate who can defeat Pritzker if he can win a GOP primary, that is. But a run for statewide office would undoubtedly take him out of the national spotlight, which he has enjoyed for the better part of a year. Either way, a decision will likely come in January, when petitions start getting passed for the June primary election. Illinois lawmakers just closed the book on a remarkably active year of legislating. Nearly 700 bills were signed into law, including heavy lift items like criminal justice reform and landmark climate legislation. So what does this year hold in state government and politics? No one can predict the future. But if whats past is prologue, Illinoisans can expect less policymaking and more politicking in 2022, a year where every state legislator, members of Congress and major figures like Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Sen. Tammy Duckworth will face voters. With that, here are 10 topics to watch in Illinois government and politics in 2022: Battle of billionaires? Gov. J.B. Pritzker is running for reelection. And though he, with the help of supermajority Democrats in the General Assembly, has largely steamrolled Republican legislative opposition over the past three years, major GOP players say the party will put up a major fight in 2022. GOP sources say Griffin could spend between $200 million and $300 million on the effort. Forces behind the effort are likely to roll out a slate of candidates in the coming weeks. Pritzker, who spent $172 million in his successful 2018 campaign against Gov. Bruce Rauner, has essentially unlimited resources. He will also likely have support from rank-and-file Democrats for delivering on key priorities like increasing the minimum wage, legalizing recreational marijuana and supporting major climate legislation. However, Republicans believe a favorable national climate mixed with exhaustion over lifestyle changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns over a rise in violent crime in cities across the state and an unemployment rate higher than the country as a whole will put Illinois in play if the GOP can find and finance the right candidate. At the very least, Republicans think a statewide slate that can keep the race close can help their legislative candidates win in the moderate Chicago suburbs and perhaps challenge Democratic supermajorities in the legislature. No electoral outcome is certain. But, assuming Griffin follows through, it is a solid bet that the 2022 governors race will be the most expensive race in state history, easily exceeding the 2018 race. So get ready for lots of television advertisements. Who replaces Jesse White? Four Democrats have declared their candidacies for the office: former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias; Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia; Chicago Ald. Pat Dowell and Chicago Ald. David Moore. State Rep. Dan Brady, a Bloomington Republican, has also announced a bid. Whites lengthy tenure was unprecedented. Historically, the office has been a stepping stone position for candidates seeking higher office, with two former officeholders, Republicans Jim Edgar and George Ryan, going on to become governor. Another, Democrat Alan Dixon, went on to serve two terms in the U.S. Senate. It is the most prominent statewide office outside the governors office, controlling more than 4,000 jobs and touching the lives of nearly every Illinois resident by issuing drivers licenses and registering motor vehicles. In short, it is a great position for an ambitious politician to hold. Giannoulias, who served one term as state treasurer before an unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate in 2010, has emerged as the clear frontrunner, lining up support from major labor unions and elected officials while raising nearly $3.5 million. But, in a good Republican year, the party sees an opportunity to win the open seat. Congressional primaries Springfield Democrats approved and Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a new congressional map into law last fall. Some of the consequences of the decisions made will play out in the first half of 2022. Namely, there are likely to be two inter-party congressional primaries. One will feature Rep. Sean Casten, D-Downers Grove, and Rep. Marie Newman, D-LaGrange. The district includes portions of suburban DuPage County and southwestern Cook County. So why are two Democrats facing off when the party drew the map? Well, the 2020 U.S. Census, which showed the state losing population overall, continued to register gains in the states Hispanic population. So lawmakers drew a second district where the group is a significant plurality. One incumbent had to be bounced as a result. If she does, it would have to be against either Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, or Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, both entrenched incumbents. Either way, it would be an ugly primary battle that could potentially involve former President Donald Trump. How will the state spend the rest of its COVID-19 stimulus funds? Illinois state government was allocated more than $8.1 billion in federal COVID-19 stimulus funds under the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021. How to spend the remaining $5 billion will be a major question for lawmakers this coming year. The state has until 2024 to disperse the funds, so it can continue to spread it out over multiple years. But, there will be pressure from lawmakers and interest groups to fund key initiatives. Expect there to be some pressure, especially from Republicans, to use at least some of the funds to pay down the nearly $4.5 billion the state owes to the federal unemployment trust fund. The state utilized that fund to pay enhanced unemployment benefits during the pandemic. How and what lawmakers decided to spend the money may depend on the states budget situation, which improved significantly last year due to the bounce back of the economy. Unionization as a 'fundamental right' In 2022, Illinois voters will be asked whether or not workers have the fundamental right to unionize and collectively bargain in order to negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions. The binding ballot initiative, approved by a bipartisan group of lawmakers during the last legislative session, would prevent state lawmakers from making Illinois a right-to-work state. Every state bordering Illinois besides Missouri has a right-to-work law on the books, so it presents an opportunity for Illinois to further contrast itself with its neighbors. If approved, it would be a major victory for organized labor, which has established itself among the most powerful collective interests in Springfield just a few short years after being under threat by the notoriously anti-union Gov. Bruce Rauner. Corruption probe Around this time last year, House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, suspended his campaign for another term as speaker when it became clear he did not have the votes to win. Madigan, who had survived several controversies over the years, was finally beat as a corruption probe thats ensnared some of his closest confidants drew closer and closer. In 2020, federal prosecutors in Chicago charged utility giant Commonwealth Edison with bribery. They alleged that the utility awarded jobs and contracts to associates of a top state official identified as Madigan with intent to influence and reward the official. The utility agreed to pay a $200 million fine. Later that year, longtime lobbyist and Madigan consigliere Mike McClain, along with two former ComEd executives and another lobbyist, was charged in the scheme. The case is scheduled to go to trial later this year, potentially presenting a headache to Democrats running for reelection. Madigan has not been charged with any wrongdoing. But could the former speaker eventually be charged? He appears to be the target of federal prosecutors. But Madigan was always careful, not using email and not owning his own cell phone, for instance. This year, we may find out if the man known as the Velvet Hammer slipped up. Battle for the Illinois Supreme Court The governors race will get most of the headlines, but some Illinois political insiders say there are a pair of even more consequential races on the same ballot: the open seats that will determine control of the seven-person Illinois Supreme Court. The court is currently controlled 4-3 by Democrats, but Justice Thomas Kilbride, a Democrat, lost his retention election in 2020, setting up an open race in 2022. Combined with the retirement of Justice Robert Thomas, a Republican, earlier that year, that leaves two open seats. Adding to that, Springfield Democrats redistricted the states judicial districts for the first time since the 1960s (a Republican-led effort in the 1990s was not successful) in an effort to maintain their hold on the court. The new map, which bases those two districts in the Democratic-trending Chicago suburbs, gives the party a better opportunity to do so than the old map. President Joe Biden carried each district relatively comfortably, but Pritzker only won them by a few thousand votes. Heres the political reality: its far more likely that Republicans take control of the Illinois Supreme Court than they win back the Illinois Governors Mansion. These races will probably not reach the level of expense that the governors race will, but they will be costly. State judicial races may go over the head of average voters, but theres a lot at stake for major interest groups such as the business lobby, organized labor and trial lawyers. They will pour millions into these races. Justice Rita Garmon, a Republican, and Justice Mary Jane Theis, a Democrat, are up for retention in seats considered safe for their respective parties. The fiscal state of Illinois Luckily for policymakers, the economic boom post-shutdown was stronger than expected. State tax revenue which mostly comes from sales and income beat even the rosiest of expectations. This, mixed with COVID-19 stimulus funds, allowed the state to pass a budget thats balanced (at least on paper) while still funding key initiatives, such as the additional $350 million for K-12 education under the evidence-based funding formula. Whether this revenue trend continues into 2022 is a question that will significantly impact what the states budget looks like. Growth is a great drug to take advantage of when drawing up a spending plan. But the states structural deficit, driven largely by growing pension obligations, remains the elephant in the room. Shortened legislative session After a remarkably active year of legislating that stretched into the summer months, House Speaker Chris Welch and Senate President Don Harmon have made clear they want an abbreviated legislative session in 2022. The pair have targeted April 8 as adjournment day, which is seven-and-a-half weeks earlier than typical. Many are skeptical. Lawmakers are notoriously bad at meeting hard deadlines let alone an artificial one. But the goal makes sense. For one its an election year. Such years are normally heavy on politics and light on policy. And another factor to weigh is the June 28 primary date, which is more than three months later than usual due to pandemic-induced delays in the delivery of 2020 U.S. Census data, which pushed back redistricting. The last place lawmakers want to be weeks ahead of an election is Springfield. Of course, they will pass a budget. But beyond that, expect some messaging bills, the occasional trailer bill to clean up legislation passed in 2021 and get ready for some political theater. What does Kinzinger do? U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, announced in November his retirement from the House, which became all-but-certain after Springfield Democrats carved up his district in the once-a-decade redistricting process. But Kinzinger, one of the most prominent GOP critics of former President Donald Trump, has been somewhat coy on his future plans. Hes hinted at a possible run for governor against Pritzker or U.S. Senate against incumbent Tammy Duckworth. He may also do more work with his political action committee Country First. Kinzinger has stated his belief that hes the only candidate who can defeat Pritzker if he can win a GOP primary, that is. But a run for statewide office would undoubtedly take him out of the national spotlight, which he has enjoyed for the better part of a year. Either way, a decision will likely come in January, when petitions start getting passed for the June primary election. Illinois lawmakers just closed the book on a remarkably active year of legislating. Nearly 700 bills were signed into law, including heavy lift items like criminal justice reform and landmark climate legislation. So what does this year hold in state government and politics? No one can predict the future. But if whats past is prologue, Illinoisans can expect less policymaking and more politicking in 2022, a year where every state legislator, members of Congress and major figures like Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Sen. Tammy Duckworth will face voters. With that, here are 10 topics to watch in Illinois government and politics in 2022: Battle of billionaires? Gov. J.B. Pritzker is running for reelection. And though he, with the help of supermajority Democrats in the General Assembly, has largely steamrolled Republican legislative opposition over the past three years, major GOP players say the party will put up a major fight in 2022. GOP sources say Griffin could spend between $200 million and $300 million on the effort. Forces behind the effort are likely to roll out a slate of candidates in the coming weeks. Pritzker, who spent $172 million in his successful 2018 campaign against Gov. Bruce Rauner, has essentially unlimited resources. He will also likely have support from rank-and-file Democrats for delivering on key priorities like increasing the minimum wage, legalizing recreational marijuana and supporting major climate legislation. However, Republicans believe a favorable national climate mixed with exhaustion over lifestyle changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns over a rise in violent crime in cities across the state and an unemployment rate higher than the country as a whole will put Illinois in play if the GOP can find and finance the right candidate. At the very least, Republicans think a statewide slate that can keep the race close can help their legislative candidates win in the moderate Chicago suburbs and perhaps challenge Democratic supermajorities in the legislature. No electoral outcome is certain. But, assuming Griffin follows through, it is a solid bet that the 2022 governors race will be the most expensive race in state history, easily exceeding the 2018 race. So get ready for lots of television advertisements. Who replaces Jesse White? Four Democrats have declared their candidacies for the office: former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias; Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia; Chicago Ald. Pat Dowell and Chicago Ald. David Moore. State Rep. Dan Brady, a Bloomington Republican, has also announced a bid. Whites lengthy tenure was unprecedented. Historically, the office has been a stepping stone position for candidates seeking higher office, with two former officeholders, Republicans Jim Edgar and George Ryan, going on to become governor. Another, Democrat Alan Dixon, went on to serve two terms in the U.S. Senate. It is the most prominent statewide office outside the governors office, controlling more than 4,000 jobs and touching the lives of nearly every Illinois resident by issuing drivers licenses and registering motor vehicles. In short, it is a great position for an ambitious politician to hold. Giannoulias, who served one term as state treasurer before an unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate in 2010, has emerged as the clear frontrunner, lining up support from major labor unions and elected officials while raising nearly $3.5 million. But, in a good Republican year, the party sees an opportunity to win the open seat. Congressional primaries Springfield Democrats approved and Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a new congressional map into law last fall. Some of the consequences of the decisions made will play out in the first half of 2022. Namely, there are likely to be two inter-party congressional primaries. One will feature Rep. Sean Casten, D-Downers Grove, and Rep. Marie Newman, D-LaGrange. The district includes portions of suburban DuPage County and southwestern Cook County. So why are two Democrats facing off when the party drew the map? Well, the 2020 U.S. Census, which showed the state losing population overall, continued to register gains in the states Hispanic population. So lawmakers drew a second district where the group is a significant plurality. One incumbent had to be bounced as a result. If she does, it would have to be against either Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, or Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, both entrenched incumbents. Either way, it would be an ugly primary battle that could potentially involve former President Donald Trump. How will the state spend the rest of its COVID-19 stimulus funds? Illinois state government was allocated more than $8.1 billion in federal COVID-19 stimulus funds under the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021. How to spend the remaining $5 billion will be a major question for lawmakers this coming year. The state has until 2024 to disperse the funds, so it can continue to spread it out over multiple years. But, there will be pressure from lawmakers and interest groups to fund key initiatives. Expect there to be some pressure, especially from Republicans, to use at least some of the funds to pay down the nearly $4.5 billion the state owes to the federal unemployment trust fund. The state utilized that fund to pay enhanced unemployment benefits during the pandemic. How and what lawmakers decided to spend the money may depend on the states budget situation, which improved significantly last year due to the bounce back of the economy. Unionization as a 'fundamental right' In 2022, Illinois voters will be asked whether or not workers have the fundamental right to unionize and collectively bargain in order to negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions. The binding ballot initiative, approved by a bipartisan group of lawmakers during the last legislative session, would prevent state lawmakers from making Illinois a right-to-work state. Every state bordering Illinois besides Missouri has a right-to-work law on the books, so it presents an opportunity for Illinois to further contrast itself with its neighbors. If approved, it would be a major victory for organized labor, which has established itself among the most powerful collective interests in Springfield just a few short years after being under threat by the notoriously anti-union Gov. Bruce Rauner. Corruption probe Around this time last year, House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, suspended his campaign for another term as speaker when it became clear he did not have the votes to win. Madigan, who had survived several controversies over the years, was finally beat as a corruption probe thats ensnared some of his closest confidants drew closer and closer. In 2020, federal prosecutors in Chicago charged utility giant Commonwealth Edison with bribery. They alleged that the utility awarded jobs and contracts to associates of a top state official identified as Madigan with intent to influence and reward the official. The utility agreed to pay a $200 million fine. Later that year, longtime lobbyist and Madigan consigliere Mike McClain, along with two former ComEd executives and another lobbyist, was charged in the scheme. The case is scheduled to go to trial later this year, potentially presenting a headache to Democrats running for reelection. Madigan has not been charged with any wrongdoing. But could the former speaker eventually be charged? He appears to be the target of federal prosecutors. But Madigan was always careful, not using email and not owning his own cell phone, for instance. This year, we may find out if the man known as the Velvet Hammer slipped up. Battle for the Illinois Supreme Court The governors race will get most of the headlines, but some Illinois political insiders say there are a pair of even more consequential races on the same ballot: the open seats that will determine control of the seven-person Illinois Supreme Court. The court is currently controlled 4-3 by Democrats, but Justice Thomas Kilbride, a Democrat, lost his retention election in 2020, setting up an open race in 2022. Combined with the retirement of Justice Robert Thomas, a Republican, earlier that year, that leaves two open seats. Adding to that, Springfield Democrats redistricted the states judicial districts for the first time since the 1960s (a Republican-led effort in the 1990s was not successful) in an effort to maintain their hold on the court. The new map, which bases those two districts in the Democratic-trending Chicago suburbs, gives the party a better opportunity to do so than the old map. President Joe Biden carried each district relatively comfortably, but Pritzker only won them by a few thousand votes. Heres the political reality: its far more likely that Republicans take control of the Illinois Supreme Court than they win back the Illinois Governors Mansion. These races will probably not reach the level of expense that the governors race will, but they will be costly. State judicial races may go over the head of average voters, but theres a lot at stake for major interest groups such as the business lobby, organized labor and trial lawyers. They will pour millions into these races. Justice Rita Garmon, a Republican, and Justice Mary Jane Theis, a Democrat, are up for retention in seats considered safe for their respective parties. The fiscal state of Illinois Luckily for policymakers, the economic boom post-shutdown was stronger than expected. State tax revenue which mostly comes from sales and income beat even the rosiest of expectations. This, mixed with COVID-19 stimulus funds, allowed the state to pass a budget thats balanced (at least on paper) while still funding key initiatives, such as the additional $350 million for K-12 education under the evidence-based funding formula. Whether this revenue trend continues into 2022 is a question that will significantly impact what the states budget looks like. Growth is a great drug to take advantage of when drawing up a spending plan. But the states structural deficit, driven largely by growing pension obligations, remains the elephant in the room. Shortened legislative session After a remarkably active year of legislating that stretched into the summer months, House Speaker Chris Welch and Senate President Don Harmon have made clear they want an abbreviated legislative session in 2022. The pair have targeted April 8 as adjournment day, which is seven-and-a-half weeks earlier than typical. Many are skeptical. Lawmakers are notoriously bad at meeting hard deadlines let alone an artificial one. But the goal makes sense. For one its an election year. Such years are normally heavy on politics and light on policy. And another factor to weigh is the June 28 primary date, which is more than three months later than usual due to pandemic-induced delays in the delivery of 2020 U.S. Census data, which pushed back redistricting. The last place lawmakers want to be weeks ahead of an election is Springfield. Of course, they will pass a budget. But beyond that, expect some messaging bills, the occasional trailer bill to clean up legislation passed in 2021 and get ready for some political theater. What does Kinzinger do? U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, announced in November his retirement from the House, which became all-but-certain after Springfield Democrats carved up his district in the once-a-decade redistricting process. But Kinzinger, one of the most prominent GOP critics of former President Donald Trump, has been somewhat coy on his future plans. Hes hinted at a possible run for governor against Pritzker or U.S. Senate against incumbent Tammy Duckworth. He may also do more work with his political action committee Country First. Kinzinger has stated his belief that hes the only candidate who can defeat Pritzker if he can win a GOP primary, that is. But a run for statewide office would undoubtedly take him out of the national spotlight, which he has enjoyed for the better part of a year. Either way, a decision will likely come in January, when petitions start getting passed for the June primary election. Illinois lawmakers just closed the book on a remarkably active year of legislating. Nearly 700 bills were signed into law, including heavy lift items like criminal justice reform and landmark climate legislation. So what does this year hold in state government and politics? No one can predict the future. But if whats past is prologue, Illinoisans can expect less policymaking and more politicking in 2022, a year where every state legislator, members of Congress and major figures like Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Sen. Tammy Duckworth will face voters. With that, here are 10 topics to watch in Illinois government and politics in 2022: Battle of billionaires? Gov. J.B. Pritzker is running for reelection. And though he, with the help of supermajority Democrats in the General Assembly, has largely steamrolled Republican legislative opposition over the past three years, major GOP players say the party will put up a major fight in 2022. GOP sources say Griffin could spend between $200 million and $300 million on the effort. Forces behind the effort are likely to roll out a slate of candidates in the coming weeks. Pritzker, who spent $172 million in his successful 2018 campaign against Gov. Bruce Rauner, has essentially unlimited resources. He will also likely have support from rank-and-file Democrats for delivering on key priorities like increasing the minimum wage, legalizing recreational marijuana and supporting major climate legislation. However, Republicans believe a favorable national climate mixed with exhaustion over lifestyle changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns over a rise in violent crime in cities across the state and an unemployment rate higher than the country as a whole will put Illinois in play if the GOP can find and finance the right candidate. At the very least, Republicans think a statewide slate that can keep the race close can help their legislative candidates win in the moderate Chicago suburbs and perhaps challenge Democratic supermajorities in the legislature. No electoral outcome is certain. But, assuming Griffin follows through, it is a solid bet that the 2022 governors race will be the most expensive race in state history, easily exceeding the 2018 race. So get ready for lots of television advertisements. Who replaces Jesse White? Four Democrats have declared their candidacies for the office: former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias; Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia; Chicago Ald. Pat Dowell and Chicago Ald. David Moore. State Rep. Dan Brady, a Bloomington Republican, has also announced a bid. Whites lengthy tenure was unprecedented. Historically, the office has been a stepping stone position for candidates seeking higher office, with two former officeholders, Republicans Jim Edgar and George Ryan, going on to become governor. Another, Democrat Alan Dixon, went on to serve two terms in the U.S. Senate. It is the most prominent statewide office outside the governors office, controlling more than 4,000 jobs and touching the lives of nearly every Illinois resident by issuing drivers licenses and registering motor vehicles. In short, it is a great position for an ambitious politician to hold. Giannoulias, who served one term as state treasurer before an unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate in 2010, has emerged as the clear frontrunner, lining up support from major labor unions and elected officials while raising nearly $3.5 million. But, in a good Republican year, the party sees an opportunity to win the open seat. Congressional primaries Springfield Democrats approved and Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a new congressional map into law last fall. Some of the consequences of the decisions made will play out in the first half of 2022. Namely, there are likely to be two inter-party congressional primaries. One will feature Rep. Sean Casten, D-Downers Grove, and Rep. Marie Newman, D-LaGrange. The district includes portions of suburban DuPage County and southwestern Cook County. So why are two Democrats facing off when the party drew the map? Well, the 2020 U.S. Census, which showed the state losing population overall, continued to register gains in the states Hispanic population. So lawmakers drew a second district where the group is a significant plurality. One incumbent had to be bounced as a result. If she does, it would have to be against either Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, or Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, both entrenched incumbents. Either way, it would be an ugly primary battle that could potentially involve former President Donald Trump. How will the state spend the rest of its COVID-19 stimulus funds? Illinois state government was allocated more than $8.1 billion in federal COVID-19 stimulus funds under the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021. How to spend the remaining $5 billion will be a major question for lawmakers this coming year. The state has until 2024 to disperse the funds, so it can continue to spread it out over multiple years. But, there will be pressure from lawmakers and interest groups to fund key initiatives. Expect there to be some pressure, especially from Republicans, to use at least some of the funds to pay down the nearly $4.5 billion the state owes to the federal unemployment trust fund. The state utilized that fund to pay enhanced unemployment benefits during the pandemic. How and what lawmakers decided to spend the money may depend on the states budget situation, which improved significantly last year due to the bounce back of the economy. Unionization as a 'fundamental right' In 2022, Illinois voters will be asked whether or not workers have the fundamental right to unionize and collectively bargain in order to negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions. The binding ballot initiative, approved by a bipartisan group of lawmakers during the last legislative session, would prevent state lawmakers from making Illinois a right-to-work state. Every state bordering Illinois besides Missouri has a right-to-work law on the books, so it presents an opportunity for Illinois to further contrast itself with its neighbors. If approved, it would be a major victory for organized labor, which has established itself among the most powerful collective interests in Springfield just a few short years after being under threat by the notoriously anti-union Gov. Bruce Rauner. Corruption probe Around this time last year, House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, suspended his campaign for another term as speaker when it became clear he did not have the votes to win. Madigan, who had survived several controversies over the years, was finally beat as a corruption probe thats ensnared some of his closest confidants drew closer and closer. In 2020, federal prosecutors in Chicago charged utility giant Commonwealth Edison with bribery. They alleged that the utility awarded jobs and contracts to associates of a top state official identified as Madigan with intent to influence and reward the official. The utility agreed to pay a $200 million fine. Later that year, longtime lobbyist and Madigan consigliere Mike McClain, along with two former ComEd executives and another lobbyist, was charged in the scheme. The case is scheduled to go to trial later this year, potentially presenting a headache to Democrats running for reelection. Madigan has not been charged with any wrongdoing. But could the former speaker eventually be charged? He appears to be the target of federal prosecutors. But Madigan was always careful, not using email and not owning his own cell phone, for instance. This year, we may find out if the man known as the Velvet Hammer slipped up. Battle for the Illinois Supreme Court The governors race will get most of the headlines, but some Illinois political insiders say there are a pair of even more consequential races on the same ballot: the open seats that will determine control of the seven-person Illinois Supreme Court. The court is currently controlled 4-3 by Democrats, but Justice Thomas Kilbride, a Democrat, lost his retention election in 2020, setting up an open race in 2022. Combined with the retirement of Justice Robert Thomas, a Republican, earlier that year, that leaves two open seats. Adding to that, Springfield Democrats redistricted the states judicial districts for the first time since the 1960s (a Republican-led effort in the 1990s was not successful) in an effort to maintain their hold on the court. The new map, which bases those two districts in the Democratic-trending Chicago suburbs, gives the party a better opportunity to do so than the old map. President Joe Biden carried each district relatively comfortably, but Pritzker only won them by a few thousand votes. Heres the political reality: its far more likely that Republicans take control of the Illinois Supreme Court than they win back the Illinois Governors Mansion. These races will probably not reach the level of expense that the governors race will, but they will be costly. State judicial races may go over the head of average voters, but theres a lot at stake for major interest groups such as the business lobby, organized labor and trial lawyers. They will pour millions into these races. Justice Rita Garmon, a Republican, and Justice Mary Jane Theis, a Democrat, are up for retention in seats considered safe for their respective parties. The fiscal state of Illinois Luckily for policymakers, the economic boom post-shutdown was stronger than expected. State tax revenue which mostly comes from sales and income beat even the rosiest of expectations. This, mixed with COVID-19 stimulus funds, allowed the state to pass a budget thats balanced (at least on paper) while still funding key initiatives, such as the additional $350 million for K-12 education under the evidence-based funding formula. Whether this revenue trend continues into 2022 is a question that will significantly impact what the states budget looks like. Growth is a great drug to take advantage of when drawing up a spending plan. But the states structural deficit, driven largely by growing pension obligations, remains the elephant in the room. Shortened legislative session After a remarkably active year of legislating that stretched into the summer months, House Speaker Chris Welch and Senate President Don Harmon have made clear they want an abbreviated legislative session in 2022. The pair have targeted April 8 as adjournment day, which is seven-and-a-half weeks earlier than typical. Many are skeptical. Lawmakers are notoriously bad at meeting hard deadlines let alone an artificial one. But the goal makes sense. For one its an election year. Such years are normally heavy on politics and light on policy. And another factor to weigh is the June 28 primary date, which is more than three months later than usual due to pandemic-induced delays in the delivery of 2020 U.S. Census data, which pushed back redistricting. The last place lawmakers want to be weeks ahead of an election is Springfield. Of course, they will pass a budget. But beyond that, expect some messaging bills, the occasional trailer bill to clean up legislation passed in 2021 and get ready for some political theater. What does Kinzinger do? U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, announced in November his retirement from the House, which became all-but-certain after Springfield Democrats carved up his district in the once-a-decade redistricting process. But Kinzinger, one of the most prominent GOP critics of former President Donald Trump, has been somewhat coy on his future plans. Hes hinted at a possible run for governor against Pritzker or U.S. Senate against incumbent Tammy Duckworth. He may also do more work with his political action committee Country First. Kinzinger has stated his belief that hes the only candidate who can defeat Pritzker if he can win a GOP primary, that is. But a run for statewide office would undoubtedly take him out of the national spotlight, which he has enjoyed for the better part of a year. Either way, a decision will likely come in January, when petitions start getting passed for the June primary election. LOS ANGELES Lara Loxley flexed her phat booty, twerked some and then bounced to the beat of a bass-heavy rap song while mouthing the lyrics. It was Christmas Eve. The MyFreeCams model gave her Guild members a gift that kept on giving during her delightfully dirty, yet festive show with no shortage of topless teasing, fingering and spankingall while wearing not much more than a smile, a G-string and red Santa hat. If we somehow get to 777 today I will roll around in the snow naked, Loxley told her room. She was serious. Its that kind of raw spontaneity that has endeared her to fans and made the former exotic dancers cam shows must-see TV during the past five years. And on this day with her Christmas tree behind her and the fireplace creating a pinkish glow, the curvaceous Canadianas she often doesexpressed her gratitude. Thank you guys so fucking much for everything you doby the way, this year was the best year ever and I really appreciate it, Loxley said. Not long after, one member tipped 1050 tokens toward her Christmas Donation to Local Humane Society goaland Loxley shouted with excitement. In this exclusive interview for the January issue of CAMStar, Lara discusses her passion for animals, her love for the outdoors, her penchant for squirting and even discusses creampies and bondage, among other things. Click here for the digital issue. For bonus questions, see below: How did you develop your camming routine? Routine is something I have always struggled with, which isnt a good thing as a streamer. I started doing morning shows because my roommate had class in the morning and she didnt want to hear me masturbating all the time. Fair enough! I actually ended up enjoying starting my mornings with a cam show. Who wouldnt like to wake up, hang out with their friends, orgasm, and make some money doing it? Honestly, its fantastic. I always have more motivation and energy in the morning, so it just stuck. For the past few months Ive been doing night shows as well, which has been a wonderful change, and a challenge. Its a much different vibe in the evenings, but I enjoy it! Nowadays I am as likely to be on in the morning as I am at night. How would you describe the benefits of being a morning person? Theres a ton of benefits! When I was doing really early mornings Id log on at 7 a.m. EST and be done by noon, or maybe 2 p.m. EST if it was a really busy day! Then I would have the entire afternoon and evening to do whatever I wanted, and I would always feel accomplished. How much offline work do you do to prepare a new cosplay? Some cosplay I just buy online and its just wig styling, like my Tifa Lockhart cosplay. Thats fairly easy. Some of my cosplays are more elaborate, which Ive spent up to 20 hours on, like Rikku from Final Fantasy X2, which I made from scratch. My Ciri cosplay took about a year to put together; I had to find a real leather steel boned corset in the right color and paint the 3D printed belt, which was way harder than it sounds. I think I spent six hours on the belt alone. The makeup for that one usually takes about an hour because Ciri has a big scar down her cheek. Its a very fun cosplay and totally worth the effort. What have been your absolute favorite (or most popular) cosplays so far? I think my favorite cosplay is my OC elf character, so basically just Elf Lara. I have a ton of different elvish looking outfits from long flowy dresses, flowery lingerie, scale mail armor, capes, leather corsets you name it. Im a big fantasy nerd and I love the outdoors so its just always felt right to be an elf! As far as my most popular cosplay, with my crowd, it's probably my metal bikini Princess Leia. I made it for this year's May 4th and everyone just went bonkers over it. Its a fully 3D printed cosplay, which took hours and hours to sand and paint, but it was so worth it. Its not comfortable (ow, plastic bra!) but I dont mind since it always draws a crowd. Whats a cosplay character that youd like to do for the first time in 2022? I actually dont have any on my list right now, Ive been enjoying doing my pin-up style looks so much that I havent really put thought into new cosplays for a while. Im sure Ill come across a character that inspires me soon! Ill happily take suggestions, anytime. How and when did you learn how to speak French and German? In Canada, all English students begin to learn French in 4th grade. I lived in Montreal for two years as well, and thats when I got much better at French. I'm not fluent, but I can have a fairly solid conversation. I get by. German, though thats a more embarrassing story. When I was 14 I was obsessed with this German band called Tokio Hotel. I was going through a bit of a rebellious phase and I got caught stealing from the mall. I was grounded for the entire summer, not allowed to leave the house at all. So I just listened to my favorite band and learned their language for fun. German is similar to English in many ways and I was unbelievably bored so I picked it up fairly quickly. Ive mostly forgotten my German though. Language is a use it or lose it sort of thing. When I cam in the mornings I have quite a few friends from Germany and they always get a kick out of me muddling out a few sentences. Photography by @shutter_owl LOS ANGELES Lara Loxley flexed her phat booty, twerked some and then bounced to the beat of a bass-heavy rap song while mouthing the lyrics. It was Christmas Eve. The MyFreeCams model gave her Guild members a gift that kept on giving during her delightfully dirty, yet festive show with no shortage of topless teasing, fingering and spankingall while wearing not much more than a smile, a G-string and red Santa hat. If we somehow get to 777 today I will roll around in the snow naked, Loxley told her room. She was serious. Its that kind of raw spontaneity that has endeared her to fans and made the former exotic dancers cam shows must-see TV during the past five years. And on this day with her Christmas tree behind her and the fireplace creating a pinkish glow, the curvaceous Canadianas she often doesexpressed her gratitude. Thank you guys so fucking much for everything you doby the way, this year was the best year ever and I really appreciate it, Loxley said. Not long after, one member tipped 1050 tokens toward her Christmas Donation to Local Humane Society goaland Loxley shouted with excitement. In this exclusive interview for the January issue of CAMStar, Lara discusses her passion for animals, her love for the outdoors, her penchant for squirting and even discusses creampies and bondage, among other things. Click here for the digital issue. For bonus questions, see below: How did you develop your camming routine? Routine is something I have always struggled with, which isnt a good thing as a streamer. I started doing morning shows because my roommate had class in the morning and she didnt want to hear me masturbating all the time. Fair enough! I actually ended up enjoying starting my mornings with a cam show. Who wouldnt like to wake up, hang out with their friends, orgasm, and make some money doing it? Honestly, its fantastic. I always have more motivation and energy in the morning, so it just stuck. For the past few months Ive been doing night shows as well, which has been a wonderful change, and a challenge. Its a much different vibe in the evenings, but I enjoy it! Nowadays I am as likely to be on in the morning as I am at night. How would you describe the benefits of being a morning person? Theres a ton of benefits! When I was doing really early mornings Id log on at 7 a.m. EST and be done by noon, or maybe 2 p.m. EST if it was a really busy day! Then I would have the entire afternoon and evening to do whatever I wanted, and I would always feel accomplished. How much offline work do you do to prepare a new cosplay? Some cosplay I just buy online and its just wig styling, like my Tifa Lockhart cosplay. Thats fairly easy. Some of my cosplays are more elaborate, which Ive spent up to 20 hours on, like Rikku from Final Fantasy X2, which I made from scratch. My Ciri cosplay took about a year to put together; I had to find a real leather steel boned corset in the right color and paint the 3D printed belt, which was way harder than it sounds. I think I spent six hours on the belt alone. The makeup for that one usually takes about an hour because Ciri has a big scar down her cheek. Its a very fun cosplay and totally worth the effort. What have been your absolute favorite (or most popular) cosplays so far? I think my favorite cosplay is my OC elf character, so basically just Elf Lara. I have a ton of different elvish looking outfits from long flowy dresses, flowery lingerie, scale mail armor, capes, leather corsets you name it. Im a big fantasy nerd and I love the outdoors so its just always felt right to be an elf! As far as my most popular cosplay, with my crowd, it's probably my metal bikini Princess Leia. I made it for this year's May 4th and everyone just went bonkers over it. Its a fully 3D printed cosplay, which took hours and hours to sand and paint, but it was so worth it. Its not comfortable (ow, plastic bra!) but I dont mind since it always draws a crowd. Whats a cosplay character that youd like to do for the first time in 2022? I actually dont have any on my list right now, Ive been enjoying doing my pin-up style looks so much that I havent really put thought into new cosplays for a while. Im sure Ill come across a character that inspires me soon! Ill happily take suggestions, anytime. How and when did you learn how to speak French and German? In Canada, all English students begin to learn French in 4th grade. I lived in Montreal for two years as well, and thats when I got much better at French. I'm not fluent, but I can have a fairly solid conversation. I get by. German, though thats a more embarrassing story. When I was 14 I was obsessed with this German band called Tokio Hotel. I was going through a bit of a rebellious phase and I got caught stealing from the mall. I was grounded for the entire summer, not allowed to leave the house at all. So I just listened to my favorite band and learned their language for fun. German is similar to English in many ways and I was unbelievably bored so I picked it up fairly quickly. Ive mostly forgotten my German though. Language is a use it or lose it sort of thing. When I cam in the mornings I have quite a few friends from Germany and they always get a kick out of me muddling out a few sentences. Photography by @shutter_owl In December 1933, the comedy quartet the Marx Brothers claimed to be the first in the country to enjoy legal alcoholic libations after the United States officially repealed Prohibition. Nearly nine decades later, the Porter sisters were among the first in Montana to leave a dispensary with bags of legally purchased recreational cannabis. Beginning Saturday, customers age 21 and older got the green light to enter dispensaries across the state. At Lionheart Cannabis just outside Billings, Kate, Amy and Hillary Porter were the first in a line of about a dozen people to make historic purchases, one ounce at a time. Were really excited its here, and it feels great to be a part of history, said Amy Porter, who has been in Billings for the past two weeks with her sisters. For 14 months, officials in and out of the marijuana industry have prepared for Jan. 1, when recreational cannabis became legally available in certain Montana cities and counties. As of Saturday, the question of recreational pot has split the state, the Montana State News Bureau reported. There are 28 green counties that allow its sale, and 28 where voters opted not to allow it. However, statewide use and possession remains legal, albeit with certain limitations. Per the recreational cannabis laws in effect as of Saturday, anyone 21 and older can possess up to one ounce of pot. Anyone who holds more than one ounce, but less than two, or who smokes marijuana in a public space, could be charged with a civil infraction. Local law enforcement are currently bracing for a steep rise in DUIs, the State News Bureau reported, as driving while high is also illegal. Billings voters opted to exclude recreational marijuana storefronts from the city proper. Outside of town, Yellowstone County dispensaries saw a surge in customers Saturday. Cannabis will continue to be available at least until June of this year when county residents will again vote on whether to remain green. In November 2020, while the overall results showed a resounding approval of recreational marijuana sales, Yellowstone Countys results showed an approval rate of 50.7% to 49.3%. At Lionheart Cannabis, some of the customers were locals. Others were like the Porter sisters, visitors who just happened to be in the right place at the right time. The three came to Billings to be with their father, who recently went through surgery at a local hospital. Of the three, only Amy Porter lives in a state where recreational pot is legal. For me, I just appreciate the recreational lifestyle. Im happy to see it available here, and I hope it stays that way in June, Hillary Porter said. The three sisters each left with the purchases sealed in a child-proof exit bag. Legally, those purchases will have to remain there until the Porters reach a private residence. A sign hangs on the entrance to Lionheart reminding recreational cannabis customers that they cannot puff or eat any products inside or around the dispensary. Located on South Frontage Road since September 2018, all five employees at Lionheart were on hand Saturday to meet the rush of customers, which persisted from the morning and into the afternoon. Were definitely letting people know they cant go into the parking lot and light up, said General Manager Alisha Sublette. Sublette, who has worked at Lionheart since it opened, said she and the other employees have fielded calls from customers about recreational marijuanas availability since November of last year. The budtenders putting extra TLC into explaining THC to first-time users contributed to the wait Saturday. Although each person will react differently to marijuana, Sublette recommended those trying it for the first time ask their budtenders for products that stay between 10 mg of THC or less. About an hour after Lionheart opened, Christ Powell joined those waiting in line to show an employee his ID. For years, the Wyoming man has used cannabis to supplement the medications prescribed for his back, cannabis that he needed to drive to Colorado for prior to Jan. 1. After two surgeries, he still suffers from pain and muscle cramps. Between pills or pot, he said, he absolutely prefers marijuana. Im definitely happy its finally available here in Montana. I feel like its just like booze in that people should be able to enjoy it, so long as its in a safe and controlled wayIm grateful for it, and its about time, he said. In December 1933, the comedy quartet the Marx Brothers claimed to be the first in the country to enjoy legal alcoholic libations after the United States officially repealed Prohibition. Nearly nine decades later, the Porter sisters were among the first in Montana to leave a dispensary with bags of legally purchased recreational cannabis. Beginning Saturday, customers age 21 and older got the green light to enter dispensaries across the state. At Lionheart Cannabis just outside Billings, Kate, Amy and Hillary Porter were the first in a line of about a dozen people to make historic purchases, one ounce at a time. Were really excited its here, and it feels great to be a part of history, said Amy Porter, who has been in Billings for the past two weeks with her sisters. For 14 months, officials in and out of the marijuana industry have prepared for Jan. 1, when recreational cannabis became legally available in certain Montana cities and counties. As of Saturday, the question of recreational pot has split the state, the Montana State News Bureau reported. There are 28 green counties that allow its sale, and 28 where voters opted not to allow it. However, statewide use and possession remains legal, albeit with certain limitations. Per the recreational cannabis laws in effect as of Saturday, anyone 21 and older can possess up to one ounce of pot. Anyone who holds more than one ounce, but less than two, or who smokes marijuana in a public space, could be charged with a civil infraction. Local law enforcement are currently bracing for a steep rise in DUIs, the State News Bureau reported, as driving while high is also illegal. Billings voters opted to exclude recreational marijuana storefronts from the city proper. Outside of town, Yellowstone County dispensaries saw a surge in customers Saturday. Cannabis will continue to be available at least until June of this year when county residents will again vote on whether to remain green. In November 2020, while the overall results showed a resounding approval of recreational marijuana sales, Yellowstone Countys results showed an approval rate of 50.7% to 49.3%. At Lionheart Cannabis, some of the customers were locals. Others were like the Porter sisters, visitors who just happened to be in the right place at the right time. The three came to Billings to be with their father, who recently went through surgery at a local hospital. Of the three, only Amy Porter lives in a state where recreational pot is legal. For me, I just appreciate the recreational lifestyle. Im happy to see it available here, and I hope it stays that way in June, Hillary Porter said. The three sisters each left with the purchases sealed in a child-proof exit bag. Legally, those purchases will have to remain there until the Porters reach a private residence. A sign hangs on the entrance to Lionheart reminding recreational cannabis customers that they cannot puff or eat any products inside or around the dispensary. Located on South Frontage Road since September 2018, all five employees at Lionheart were on hand Saturday to meet the rush of customers, which persisted from the morning and into the afternoon. Were definitely letting people know they cant go into the parking lot and light up, said General Manager Alisha Sublette. Sublette, who has worked at Lionheart since it opened, said she and the other employees have fielded calls from customers about recreational marijuanas availability since November of last year. The budtenders putting extra TLC into explaining THC to first-time users contributed to the wait Saturday. Although each person will react differently to marijuana, Sublette recommended those trying it for the first time ask their budtenders for products that stay between 10 mg of THC or less. About an hour after Lionheart opened, Christ Powell joined those waiting in line to show an employee his ID. For years, the Wyoming man has used cannabis to supplement the medications prescribed for his back, cannabis that he needed to drive to Colorado for prior to Jan. 1. After two surgeries, he still suffers from pain and muscle cramps. Between pills or pot, he said, he absolutely prefers marijuana. Im definitely happy its finally available here in Montana. I feel like its just like booze in that people should be able to enjoy it, so long as its in a safe and controlled wayIm grateful for it, and its about time, he said. Cayuga County had nearly 100 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday and over 500 more that have not been processed a growing backlog as the county deals with a "significant uptick" in confirmed cases after Christmas. The increase led Aileen McNabb-Coleman, the outgoing chair of the Cayuga County Legislature, to issue a statement alerting residents of the recent spike in cases and urging those who test positive to isolate immediately. "Regardless of vaccination status, isolate yourself from others in your household," McNabb-Coleman said Friday. "In New York state, isolation guidance continues to be 10 days from the positive test result or the onset of symptoms, whichever occurs first." Laboratory delays have created the backlog the local health department is now working through. Contact tracers worked on New Year's Eve and will work again on New Year's Day to inform residents of their positive tests and identify close contacts. But McNabb-Coleman acknowledged that the tracers won't be able to reach everyone over the weekend. The backlog is so large and new cases continue to be reported. Just a few days ago, there were more than 200 new cases that hadn't been contacted. "If you test positive for COVID-19, we are asking that community members be responsible in preventing the spread of this illness ... The community is being asked to take extra precautions and make responsible decisions over the next few days," McNabb-Coleman added. The county had 93 new cases and 498 active cases on Thursday. Hospitalizations dipped to 18, but the health department didn't receive reports from Crouse Hospital and St. Joseph's Health. McNabb-Coleman advised residents who gather for New Year's festivities to wear masks, maintain social distancing and stay home if they don't feel well. "Any step you take to limit the spread of COVID-19 during this surge is a step toward protecting our health care system, keeping children in schools, and preventing more disease in our community," she said. Josh and Amy Bordelon of Manifest started off 2022 with an adventure and it's one they'll be able to tell for years to come. Amy delivered their newborn daughter Isabella at 12:15 a.m. on New Year's Day. And on the Pineville Expressway in Josh's work truck as he drove 70 mph trying to get to CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital. Isabella weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces and was 19 3/4 inches long. The story begins earlier in the night at their Catahoula Parish home. The couple and their two older daughters were getting ready for bed when Amy started having contractions. "And I said, 'I'm just going to wait them out because my water hasn't broken,'" she said. Eventually, she decided that they had to go to the hospital because she was in pain. The only thing they could do was send her back home and she would be fine with that. Amy called her mother to take care of the girls while she and Josh left for Alexandria. "We got into his truck - his work truck to head this way - and he's doing around 70, to try and hurry up and get here because we live an hour and 10 minutes away from the hospital," said Amy. As they made their way through Rhinehart, Josh hit a deer. But even that didn't stop them. "I was kind of all over the truck at that point," she said. They had just arrived in Pineville on Highway 28 East when her water broke. Isabella Bordelon was born at 1215 a.m. Jan. 1, 2022 to Josh and Amy Bordelon at CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital. Amy delivered Isabella herself on the Pineville Expressway as Josh rushed to get to the hospital. He even hit a deer on the way. "I was screaming and hollering in the truck. And I couldn't sit still. And then just when I felt her coming, my water just ruptured everywhere and I felt - like everybody talks about the ring of fire - I started feeling that," she said. And that's when she knew Isabella was about to be born. "When we hit the Pineville Expressway, I started delivering her," said Amy. "So I just bore down and made sure there was plenty of room on the seat. And I pushed one time and the top of her head was trying to come out. So I pushed again and got to her shoulders. And I did one more big push and she came out all the way." Story continues She had seen her other two children born but said she still didn't know what to do so she went on instinct and what she remembered from their births. After Isabella was born, Amy grabbed her so she didn't fall off the seat put her on her chest. "And just started rubbing her and patting her back a little bit because I didn't know what else to do," she said. Then, Amy looked over at Josh and said, "I told you she was coming." Josh looked right at her and gasped. "What?" "She's here," said Amy. He kept gasping and once they got closer to the hospital, he called and told them to meet them outside because Amy already had the baby. Before they left for Alexandria from Manifest, Amy thought of calling an ambulance but they live far out in the country. "By the time an ambulance would have found where we live, we'd already had the baby or been at the hospital," she said. And even if they could have stopped and called for an ambulance, they decided to keep driving. It would be quicker to drive than stop and wait for an ambulance to reach them. This was her third delivery but without medication. Her contractions were bad but she thought since each pregnancy is different that she was being overly dramatic. It was an interesting experience for the couple. And the family has quite a story to tell Isabella about her birth. "It was amazing to be able to pick her up and pull her to my chest. But it was something I would never do again unmedicated," said Amy as she laughed. Rapides Women's and Children's Hospital welcomed their first baby of 2022. Eliette Alexandra Castaneda was born at 3:51 a.m. to Cecilia Castaneda. Rapides Women's and Children's Hospital welcomed their first baby of 2022. Eliette Alexandra Castaneda was born at 3:51 a.m. to Cecilia Castaneda. She weighed 7 lbs. 3 oz. and was 18 inches long. Mom did a great job along with our team of physicians and care team members who helped this precious baby girl enter the world. Congratulations on the Rapides Women's and Children's Hospital Facebook page came from Chantrell Denise Courtney of Simmsport who had Rapides' first baby of 2020, her son Dennis Matthew Slaughter, Jr. "IT'S MY BOYS BIRTHDAY SO MEET YOUR BIRTHDAY TWIN, PRETTY GIRL, & WELCOME TO THE WORLD," Courtney posted. This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: Louisiana New Year's baby makes debut on Pineville Expressway Josh and Amy Bordelon of Manifest started off 2022 with an adventure and it's one they'll be able to tell for years to come. Amy delivered their newborn daughter Isabella at 12:15 a.m. on New Year's Day. And on the Pineville Expressway in Josh's work truck as he drove 70 mph trying to get to CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital. Isabella weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces and was 19 3/4 inches long. The story begins earlier in the night at their Catahoula Parish home. The couple and their two older daughters were getting ready for bed when Amy started having contractions. "And I said, 'I'm just going to wait them out because my water hasn't broken,'" she said. Eventually, she decided that they had to go to the hospital because she was in pain. The only thing they could do was send her back home and she would be fine with that. Amy called her mother to take care of the girls while she and Josh left for Alexandria. "We got into his truck - his work truck to head this way - and he's doing around 70, to try and hurry up and get here because we live an hour and 10 minutes away from the hospital," said Amy. As they made their way through Rhinehart, Josh hit a deer. But even that didn't stop them. "I was kind of all over the truck at that point," she said. They had just arrived in Pineville on Highway 28 East when her water broke. Isabella Bordelon was born at 1215 a.m. Jan. 1, 2022 to Josh and Amy Bordelon at CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital. Amy delivered Isabella herself on the Pineville Expressway as Josh rushed to get to the hospital. He even hit a deer on the way. "I was screaming and hollering in the truck. And I couldn't sit still. And then just when I felt her coming, my water just ruptured everywhere and I felt - like everybody talks about the ring of fire - I started feeling that," she said. And that's when she knew Isabella was about to be born. "When we hit the Pineville Expressway, I started delivering her," said Amy. "So I just bore down and made sure there was plenty of room on the seat. And I pushed one time and the top of her head was trying to come out. So I pushed again and got to her shoulders. And I did one more big push and she came out all the way." Story continues She had seen her other two children born but said she still didn't know what to do so she went on instinct and what she remembered from their births. After Isabella was born, Amy grabbed her so she didn't fall off the seat put her on her chest. "And just started rubbing her and patting her back a little bit because I didn't know what else to do," she said. Then, Amy looked over at Josh and said, "I told you she was coming." Josh looked right at her and gasped. "What?" "She's here," said Amy. He kept gasping and once they got closer to the hospital, he called and told them to meet them outside because Amy already had the baby. Before they left for Alexandria from Manifest, Amy thought of calling an ambulance but they live far out in the country. "By the time an ambulance would have found where we live, we'd already had the baby or been at the hospital," she said. And even if they could have stopped and called for an ambulance, they decided to keep driving. It would be quicker to drive than stop and wait for an ambulance to reach them. This was her third delivery but without medication. Her contractions were bad but she thought since each pregnancy is different that she was being overly dramatic. It was an interesting experience for the couple. And the family has quite a story to tell Isabella about her birth. "It was amazing to be able to pick her up and pull her to my chest. But it was something I would never do again unmedicated," said Amy as she laughed. Rapides Women's and Children's Hospital welcomed their first baby of 2022. Eliette Alexandra Castaneda was born at 3:51 a.m. to Cecilia Castaneda. Rapides Women's and Children's Hospital welcomed their first baby of 2022. Eliette Alexandra Castaneda was born at 3:51 a.m. to Cecilia Castaneda. She weighed 7 lbs. 3 oz. and was 18 inches long. Mom did a great job along with our team of physicians and care team members who helped this precious baby girl enter the world. Congratulations on the Rapides Women's and Children's Hospital Facebook page came from Chantrell Denise Courtney of Simmsport who had Rapides' first baby of 2020, her son Dennis Matthew Slaughter, Jr. "IT'S MY BOYS BIRTHDAY SO MEET YOUR BIRTHDAY TWIN, PRETTY GIRL, & WELCOME TO THE WORLD," Courtney posted. This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: Louisiana New Year's baby makes debut on Pineville Expressway Illinois lawmakers just closed the book on a remarkably active year of legislating. Nearly 700 bills were signed into law, including heavy lift items like criminal justice reform and landmark climate legislation. So what does this year hold in state government and politics? No one can predict the future. But if whats past is prologue, Illinoisans can expect less policymaking and more politicking in 2022, a year where every state legislator, members of Congress and major figures like Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Sen. Tammy Duckworth will face voters. With that, here are 10 topics to watch in Illinois government and politics in 2022: Battle of billionaires? Gov. J.B. Pritzker is running for reelection. And though he, with the help of supermajority Democrats in the General Assembly, has largely steamrolled Republican legislative opposition over the past three years, major GOP players say the party will put up a major fight in 2022. GOP sources say Griffin could spend between $200 million and $300 million on the effort. Forces behind the effort are likely to roll out a slate of candidates in the coming weeks. Pritzker, who spent $172 million in his successful 2018 campaign against Gov. Bruce Rauner, has essentially unlimited resources. He will also likely have support from rank-and-file Democrats for delivering on key priorities like increasing the minimum wage, legalizing recreational marijuana and supporting major climate legislation. However, Republicans believe a favorable national climate mixed with exhaustion over lifestyle changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns over a rise in violent crime in cities across the state and an unemployment rate higher than the country as a whole will put Illinois in play if the GOP can find and finance the right candidate. At the very least, Republicans think a statewide slate that can keep the race close can help their legislative candidates win in the moderate Chicago suburbs and perhaps challenge Democratic supermajorities in the legislature. No electoral outcome is certain. But, assuming Griffin follows through, it is a solid bet that the 2022 governors race will be the most expensive race in state history, easily exceeding the 2018 race. So get ready for lots of television advertisements. Who replaces Jesse White? Four Democrats have declared their candidacies for the office: former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias; Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia; Chicago Ald. Pat Dowell and Chicago Ald. David Moore. State Rep. Dan Brady, a Bloomington Republican, has also announced a bid. Whites lengthy tenure was unprecedented. Historically, the office has been a stepping stone position for candidates seeking higher office, with two former officeholders, Republicans Jim Edgar and George Ryan, going on to become governor. Another, Democrat Alan Dixon, went on to serve two terms in the U.S. Senate. It is the most prominent statewide office outside the governors office, controlling more than 4,000 jobs and touching the lives of nearly every Illinois resident by issuing drivers licenses and registering motor vehicles. In short, it is a great position for an ambitious politician to hold. Giannoulias, who served one term as state treasurer before an unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate in 2010, has emerged as the clear frontrunner, lining up support from major labor unions and elected officials while raising nearly $3.5 million. But, in a good Republican year, the party sees an opportunity to win the open seat. Congressional primaries Springfield Democrats approved and Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a new congressional map into law last fall. Some of the consequences of the decisions made will play out in the first half of 2022. Namely, there are likely to be two inter-party congressional primaries. One will feature Rep. Sean Casten, D-Downers Grove, and Rep. Marie Newman, D-LaGrange. The district includes portions of suburban DuPage County and southwestern Cook County. So why are two Democrats facing off when the party drew the map? Well, the 2020 U.S. Census, which showed the state losing population overall, continued to register gains in the states Hispanic population. So lawmakers drew a second district where the group is a significant plurality. One incumbent had to be bounced as a result. If she does, it would have to be against either Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, or Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, both entrenched incumbents. Either way, it would be an ugly primary battle that could potentially involve former President Donald Trump. How will the state spend the rest of its COVID-19 stimulus funds? Illinois state government was allocated more than $8.1 billion in federal COVID-19 stimulus funds under the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021. How to spend the remaining $5 billion will be a major question for lawmakers this coming year. The state has until 2024 to disperse the funds, so it can continue to spread it out over multiple years. But, there will be pressure from lawmakers and interest groups to fund key initiatives. Expect there to be some pressure, especially from Republicans, to use at least some of the funds to pay down the nearly $4.5 billion the state owes to the federal unemployment trust fund. The state utilized that fund to pay enhanced unemployment benefits during the pandemic. How and what lawmakers decided to spend the money may depend on the states budget situation, which improved significantly last year due to the bounce back of the economy. Unionization as a 'fundamental right' In 2022, Illinois voters will be asked whether or not workers have the fundamental right to unionize and collectively bargain in order to negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions. The binding ballot initiative, approved by a bipartisan group of lawmakers during the last legislative session, would prevent state lawmakers from making Illinois a right-to-work state. Every state bordering Illinois besides Missouri has a right-to-work law on the books, so it presents an opportunity for Illinois to further contrast itself with its neighbors. If approved, it would be a major victory for organized labor, which has established itself among the most powerful collective interests in Springfield just a few short years after being under threat by the notoriously anti-union Gov. Bruce Rauner. Corruption probe Around this time last year, House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, suspended his campaign for another term as speaker when it became clear he did not have the votes to win. Madigan, who had survived several controversies over the years, was finally beat as a corruption probe thats ensnared some of his closest confidants drew closer and closer. In 2020, federal prosecutors in Chicago charged utility giant Commonwealth Edison with bribery. They alleged that the utility awarded jobs and contracts to associates of a top state official identified as Madigan with intent to influence and reward the official. The utility agreed to pay a $200 million fine. Later that year, longtime lobbyist and Madigan consigliere Mike McClain, along with two former ComEd executives and another lobbyist, was charged in the scheme. The case is scheduled to go to trial later this year, potentially presenting a headache to Democrats running for reelection. Madigan has not been charged with any wrongdoing. But could the former speaker eventually be charged? He appears to be the target of federal prosecutors. But Madigan was always careful, not using email and not owning his own cell phone, for instance. This year, we may find out if the man known as the Velvet Hammer slipped up. Battle for the Illinois Supreme Court The governors race will get most of the headlines, but some Illinois political insiders say there are a pair of even more consequential races on the same ballot: the open seats that will determine control of the seven-person Illinois Supreme Court. The court is currently controlled 4-3 by Democrats, but Justice Thomas Kilbride, a Democrat, lost his retention election in 2020, setting up an open race in 2022. Combined with the retirement of Justice Robert Thomas, a Republican, earlier that year, that leaves two open seats. Adding to that, Springfield Democrats redistricted the states judicial districts for the first time since the 1960s (a Republican-led effort in the 1990s was not successful) in an effort to maintain their hold on the court. The new map, which bases those two districts in the Democratic-trending Chicago suburbs, gives the party a better opportunity to do so than the old map. President Joe Biden carried each district relatively comfortably, but Pritzker only won them by a few thousand votes. Heres the political reality: its far more likely that Republicans take control of the Illinois Supreme Court than they win back the Illinois Governors Mansion. These races will probably not reach the level of expense that the governors race will, but they will be costly. State judicial races may go over the head of average voters, but theres a lot at stake for major interest groups such as the business lobby, organized labor and trial lawyers. They will pour millions into these races. Justice Rita Garmon, a Republican, and Justice Mary Jane Theis, a Democrat, are up for retention in seats considered safe for their respective parties. The fiscal state of Illinois Luckily for policymakers, the economic boom post-shutdown was stronger than expected. State tax revenue which mostly comes from sales and income beat even the rosiest of expectations. This, mixed with COVID-19 stimulus funds, allowed the state to pass a budget thats balanced (at least on paper) while still funding key initiatives, such as the additional $350 million for K-12 education under the evidence-based funding formula. Whether this revenue trend continues into 2022 is a question that will significantly impact what the states budget looks like. Growth is a great drug to take advantage of when drawing up a spending plan. But the states structural deficit, driven largely by growing pension obligations, remains the elephant in the room. Shortened legislative session After a remarkably active year of legislating that stretched into the summer months, House Speaker Chris Welch and Senate President Don Harmon have made clear they want an abbreviated legislative session in 2022. The pair have targeted April 8 as adjournment day, which is seven-and-a-half weeks earlier than typical. Many are skeptical. Lawmakers are notoriously bad at meeting hard deadlines let alone an artificial one. But the goal makes sense. For one its an election year. Such years are normally heavy on politics and light on policy. And another factor to weigh is the June 28 primary date, which is more than three months later than usual due to pandemic-induced delays in the delivery of 2020 U.S. Census data, which pushed back redistricting. The last place lawmakers want to be weeks ahead of an election is Springfield. Of course, they will pass a budget. But beyond that, expect some messaging bills, the occasional trailer bill to clean up legislation passed in 2021 and get ready for some political theater. What does Kinzinger do? U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, announced in November his retirement from the House, which became all-but-certain after Springfield Democrats carved up his district in the once-a-decade redistricting process. But Kinzinger, one of the most prominent GOP critics of former President Donald Trump, has been somewhat coy on his future plans. Hes hinted at a possible run for governor against Pritzker or U.S. Senate against incumbent Tammy Duckworth. He may also do more work with his political action committee Country First. Kinzinger has stated his belief that hes the only candidate who can defeat Pritzker if he can win a GOP primary, that is. But a run for statewide office would undoubtedly take him out of the national spotlight, which he has enjoyed for the better part of a year. Either way, a decision will likely come in January, when petitions start getting passed for the June primary election. Efforts to win power in Libya by Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of the country's late ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi, won't succeed, according to the man who's been at the center of Kremlin-backed efforts to support him. Maxim Shugaley acts as a political consultant for Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon close to President Vladimir Putin. He spent 18 months in a Libyan jail accused by the government of plotting to interfere in Libya's presidential elections in Gadhafi's favor. The Kremlin pushed for his release. Now, Shugaley, 55, says he's gloomy about Gadhafi's prospects of becoming president. "No, he won't be," Shugaley said in an interview in Moscow, blaming the U.S. for thwarting Gadhafi's leadership ambitions, without offering evidence. "He's an unacceptable figure for the United States there is a political order against him," he said. "This would be a unique event in the world 10 years on and the Gadhafi family stages a comeback. Just from a psychological point of view, it's a big blow." Old regime The younger Gadhafi has little prospect of success because "for a lot of Libyans he represents a step back to the old regime," said Elena Suponina, a Moscow-based Middle East expert. "There are many people in Moscow who see this situation and in advance want to blame the potential failure of Seif al-Islam purely on the West," she said. Rich in oil and gas reserves, Libya has drawn global and regional powers vying for influence in a civil war that's raged intermittently since Gadhafi's father was toppled and killed in a 2011 uprising. Putin has repeatedly railed against the West's role in the overthrow through NATO airstrikes. The U.S. and its allies have accused Moscow, which lost billions of dollars in Gadhafi-era contracts, of trying to sabotage their efforts to shore up provisional United Nations-backed authorities. Shugaley warned of the risk of renewed conflict if Gadhafi isn't allowed to run or his supporters believe he lost the election unfairly. "This is a delayed time bomb," he said. Companies including France's TotalEnergies SE, Eni SpA of Italy and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are considering investing billions of dollars to exploit Libya's energy reserves located on Europe's doorstep. ICC warrant An official role for Seif Gadhafi would "present a challenge for any Libyan government and the return of Libya to the international community," U.S. State Department spokesman Sam Werberg said Nov. 15. "He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and is subject to sanctions from the United States and the United Nations." The landmark vote originally set for Dec. 24 has been plunged into uncertainty after Libya's election body called for a postponement. Authorities now propose holding it on Jan. 24. Electoral officials recently denied Shugaley permission to return to Libya as a vote observer a year after he was released from prison to Russia before trial. Libyan prosecutors accused him of illegally providing political consulting to Gadhafi on his potential presidential bid, Bloomberg reported in 2020. Shugaley denied the charges, saying he was just doing research. Shugaley said he met three times with Seif Gadhafi, 49, who only reemerged in mid-2021 after years of imprisonment and seclusion amid the war crimes charges. Meddling, mercenaries Prigozhin, who's known as "Putin's Chef" for his Kremlin catering contracts, is under U.S. sanctions for alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. His Wagner private paramilitary company was sanctioned Dec. 13 by the European Union for abuses including "torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions." Prigozhin denies he controls Wagner but the U.S. and EU reject that. The group has deployed fighters to Libya, Syria, Venezuela and the Central African Republic, all places where Russia is striving for geopolitical influence against the West. Moscow denies any links to the mercenaries. While Shugaley says he's not involved in Wagner, the think tank he heads, the Foundation for the Protection of National Values, is sponsored by Prigozhin. And Shugaley's willingness to discuss his activities in places ranging from Africa to Afghanistan marks a departure from a previous policy by Prigozhin and his lieutenants of keeping a low profile. "For Prigozhin, his status as a defender of national interests is hugely important," said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the Russian political consulting firm R.Politik. "He wants to demonstrate this to Putin." The U.S. sanctioned Shugaley's foundation in April for allegedly "supporting Prigozhin's global influence operations." After his release from prison in December 2020, Shugaley received 18 million rubles (about $245,000) from Prigozhin, as "material support" for the time he spent in jail, the tycoon's company said. Libya's been a major focus for the Kremlin in recent years, with Russia hosting peace talks and the Defense Ministry publicly embracing a powerful warlord. Moscow has often found itself at odds with the U.S. and its European allies there, as well as regional players like Turkey, Egypt and the UAE, which all have sought influence in Libya. ___ 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Efforts to win power in Libya by Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of the country's late ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi, won't succeed, according to the man who's been at the center of Kremlin-backed efforts to support him. Maxim Shugaley acts as a political consultant for Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon close to President Vladimir Putin. He spent 18 months in a Libyan jail accused by the government of plotting to interfere in Libya's presidential elections in Gadhafi's favor. The Kremlin pushed for his release. Now, Shugaley, 55, says he's gloomy about Gadhafi's prospects of becoming president. "No, he won't be," Shugaley said in an interview in Moscow, blaming the U.S. for thwarting Gadhafi's leadership ambitions, without offering evidence. "He's an unacceptable figure for the United States there is a political order against him," he said. "This would be a unique event in the world 10 years on and the Gadhafi family stages a comeback. Just from a psychological point of view, it's a big blow." Old regime The younger Gadhafi has little prospect of success because "for a lot of Libyans he represents a step back to the old regime," said Elena Suponina, a Moscow-based Middle East expert. "There are many people in Moscow who see this situation and in advance want to blame the potential failure of Seif al-Islam purely on the West," she said. Rich in oil and gas reserves, Libya has drawn global and regional powers vying for influence in a civil war that's raged intermittently since Gadhafi's father was toppled and killed in a 2011 uprising. Putin has repeatedly railed against the West's role in the overthrow through NATO airstrikes. The U.S. and its allies have accused Moscow, which lost billions of dollars in Gadhafi-era contracts, of trying to sabotage their efforts to shore up provisional United Nations-backed authorities. Shugaley warned of the risk of renewed conflict if Gadhafi isn't allowed to run or his supporters believe he lost the election unfairly. "This is a delayed time bomb," he said. Companies including France's TotalEnergies SE, Eni SpA of Italy and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are considering investing billions of dollars to exploit Libya's energy reserves located on Europe's doorstep. ICC warrant An official role for Seif Gadhafi would "present a challenge for any Libyan government and the return of Libya to the international community," U.S. State Department spokesman Sam Werberg said Nov. 15. "He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and is subject to sanctions from the United States and the United Nations." The landmark vote originally set for Dec. 24 has been plunged into uncertainty after Libya's election body called for a postponement. Authorities now propose holding it on Jan. 24. Electoral officials recently denied Shugaley permission to return to Libya as a vote observer a year after he was released from prison to Russia before trial. Libyan prosecutors accused him of illegally providing political consulting to Gadhafi on his potential presidential bid, Bloomberg reported in 2020. Shugaley denied the charges, saying he was just doing research. Shugaley said he met three times with Seif Gadhafi, 49, who only reemerged in mid-2021 after years of imprisonment and seclusion amid the war crimes charges. Meddling, mercenaries Prigozhin, who's known as "Putin's Chef" for his Kremlin catering contracts, is under U.S. sanctions for alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. His Wagner private paramilitary company was sanctioned Dec. 13 by the European Union for abuses including "torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions." Prigozhin denies he controls Wagner but the U.S. and EU reject that. The group has deployed fighters to Libya, Syria, Venezuela and the Central African Republic, all places where Russia is striving for geopolitical influence against the West. Moscow denies any links to the mercenaries. While Shugaley says he's not involved in Wagner, the think tank he heads, the Foundation for the Protection of National Values, is sponsored by Prigozhin. And Shugaley's willingness to discuss his activities in places ranging from Africa to Afghanistan marks a departure from a previous policy by Prigozhin and his lieutenants of keeping a low profile. "For Prigozhin, his status as a defender of national interests is hugely important," said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the Russian political consulting firm R.Politik. "He wants to demonstrate this to Putin." The U.S. sanctioned Shugaley's foundation in April for allegedly "supporting Prigozhin's global influence operations." After his release from prison in December 2020, Shugaley received 18 million rubles (about $245,000) from Prigozhin, as "material support" for the time he spent in jail, the tycoon's company said. Libya's been a major focus for the Kremlin in recent years, with Russia hosting peace talks and the Defense Ministry publicly embracing a powerful warlord. Moscow has often found itself at odds with the U.S. and its European allies there, as well as regional players like Turkey, Egypt and the UAE, which all have sought influence in Libya. ___ 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Efforts to win power in Libya by Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of the country's late ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi, won't succeed, according to the man who's been at the center of Kremlin-backed efforts to support him. Maxim Shugaley acts as a political consultant for Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon close to President Vladimir Putin. He spent 18 months in a Libyan jail accused by the government of plotting to interfere in Libya's presidential elections in Gadhafi's favor. The Kremlin pushed for his release. Now, Shugaley, 55, says he's gloomy about Gadhafi's prospects of becoming president. "No, he won't be," Shugaley said in an interview in Moscow, blaming the U.S. for thwarting Gadhafi's leadership ambitions, without offering evidence. "He's an unacceptable figure for the United States there is a political order against him," he said. "This would be a unique event in the world 10 years on and the Gadhafi family stages a comeback. Just from a psychological point of view, it's a big blow." Old regime The younger Gadhafi has little prospect of success because "for a lot of Libyans he represents a step back to the old regime," said Elena Suponina, a Moscow-based Middle East expert. "There are many people in Moscow who see this situation and in advance want to blame the potential failure of Seif al-Islam purely on the West," she said. Rich in oil and gas reserves, Libya has drawn global and regional powers vying for influence in a civil war that's raged intermittently since Gadhafi's father was toppled and killed in a 2011 uprising. Putin has repeatedly railed against the West's role in the overthrow through NATO airstrikes. The U.S. and its allies have accused Moscow, which lost billions of dollars in Gadhafi-era contracts, of trying to sabotage their efforts to shore up provisional United Nations-backed authorities. Shugaley warned of the risk of renewed conflict if Gadhafi isn't allowed to run or his supporters believe he lost the election unfairly. "This is a delayed time bomb," he said. Companies including France's TotalEnergies SE, Eni SpA of Italy and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are considering investing billions of dollars to exploit Libya's energy reserves located on Europe's doorstep. ICC warrant An official role for Seif Gadhafi would "present a challenge for any Libyan government and the return of Libya to the international community," U.S. State Department spokesman Sam Werberg said Nov. 15. "He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and is subject to sanctions from the United States and the United Nations." The landmark vote originally set for Dec. 24 has been plunged into uncertainty after Libya's election body called for a postponement. Authorities now propose holding it on Jan. 24. Electoral officials recently denied Shugaley permission to return to Libya as a vote observer a year after he was released from prison to Russia before trial. Libyan prosecutors accused him of illegally providing political consulting to Gadhafi on his potential presidential bid, Bloomberg reported in 2020. Shugaley denied the charges, saying he was just doing research. Shugaley said he met three times with Seif Gadhafi, 49, who only reemerged in mid-2021 after years of imprisonment and seclusion amid the war crimes charges. Meddling, mercenaries Prigozhin, who's known as "Putin's Chef" for his Kremlin catering contracts, is under U.S. sanctions for alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. His Wagner private paramilitary company was sanctioned Dec. 13 by the European Union for abuses including "torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions." Prigozhin denies he controls Wagner but the U.S. and EU reject that. The group has deployed fighters to Libya, Syria, Venezuela and the Central African Republic, all places where Russia is striving for geopolitical influence against the West. Moscow denies any links to the mercenaries. While Shugaley says he's not involved in Wagner, the think tank he heads, the Foundation for the Protection of National Values, is sponsored by Prigozhin. And Shugaley's willingness to discuss his activities in places ranging from Africa to Afghanistan marks a departure from a previous policy by Prigozhin and his lieutenants of keeping a low profile. "For Prigozhin, his status as a defender of national interests is hugely important," said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the Russian political consulting firm R.Politik. "He wants to demonstrate this to Putin." The U.S. sanctioned Shugaley's foundation in April for allegedly "supporting Prigozhin's global influence operations." After his release from prison in December 2020, Shugaley received 18 million rubles (about $245,000) from Prigozhin, as "material support" for the time he spent in jail, the tycoon's company said. Libya's been a major focus for the Kremlin in recent years, with Russia hosting peace talks and the Defense Ministry publicly embracing a powerful warlord. Moscow has often found itself at odds with the U.S. and its European allies there, as well as regional players like Turkey, Egypt and the UAE, which all have sought influence in Libya. ___ 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Efforts to win power in Libya by Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of the country's late ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi, won't succeed, according to the man who's been at the center of Kremlin-backed efforts to support him. Maxim Shugaley acts as a political consultant for Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon close to President Vladimir Putin. He spent 18 months in a Libyan jail accused by the government of plotting to interfere in Libya's presidential elections in Gadhafi's favor. The Kremlin pushed for his release. Now, Shugaley, 55, says he's gloomy about Gadhafi's prospects of becoming president. "No, he won't be," Shugaley said in an interview in Moscow, blaming the U.S. for thwarting Gadhafi's leadership ambitions, without offering evidence. "He's an unacceptable figure for the United States there is a political order against him," he said. "This would be a unique event in the world 10 years on and the Gadhafi family stages a comeback. Just from a psychological point of view, it's a big blow." Old regime The younger Gadhafi has little prospect of success because "for a lot of Libyans he represents a step back to the old regime," said Elena Suponina, a Moscow-based Middle East expert. "There are many people in Moscow who see this situation and in advance want to blame the potential failure of Seif al-Islam purely on the West," she said. Rich in oil and gas reserves, Libya has drawn global and regional powers vying for influence in a civil war that's raged intermittently since Gadhafi's father was toppled and killed in a 2011 uprising. Putin has repeatedly railed against the West's role in the overthrow through NATO airstrikes. The U.S. and its allies have accused Moscow, which lost billions of dollars in Gadhafi-era contracts, of trying to sabotage their efforts to shore up provisional United Nations-backed authorities. Shugaley warned of the risk of renewed conflict if Gadhafi isn't allowed to run or his supporters believe he lost the election unfairly. "This is a delayed time bomb," he said. Companies including France's TotalEnergies SE, Eni SpA of Italy and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are considering investing billions of dollars to exploit Libya's energy reserves located on Europe's doorstep. ICC warrant An official role for Seif Gadhafi would "present a challenge for any Libyan government and the return of Libya to the international community," U.S. State Department spokesman Sam Werberg said Nov. 15. "He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and is subject to sanctions from the United States and the United Nations." The landmark vote originally set for Dec. 24 has been plunged into uncertainty after Libya's election body called for a postponement. Authorities now propose holding it on Jan. 24. Electoral officials recently denied Shugaley permission to return to Libya as a vote observer a year after he was released from prison to Russia before trial. Libyan prosecutors accused him of illegally providing political consulting to Gadhafi on his potential presidential bid, Bloomberg reported in 2020. Shugaley denied the charges, saying he was just doing research. Shugaley said he met three times with Seif Gadhafi, 49, who only reemerged in mid-2021 after years of imprisonment and seclusion amid the war crimes charges. Meddling, mercenaries Prigozhin, who's known as "Putin's Chef" for his Kremlin catering contracts, is under U.S. sanctions for alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. His Wagner private paramilitary company was sanctioned Dec. 13 by the European Union for abuses including "torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions." Prigozhin denies he controls Wagner but the U.S. and EU reject that. The group has deployed fighters to Libya, Syria, Venezuela and the Central African Republic, all places where Russia is striving for geopolitical influence against the West. Moscow denies any links to the mercenaries. While Shugaley says he's not involved in Wagner, the think tank he heads, the Foundation for the Protection of National Values, is sponsored by Prigozhin. And Shugaley's willingness to discuss his activities in places ranging from Africa to Afghanistan marks a departure from a previous policy by Prigozhin and his lieutenants of keeping a low profile. "For Prigozhin, his status as a defender of national interests is hugely important," said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the Russian political consulting firm R.Politik. "He wants to demonstrate this to Putin." The U.S. sanctioned Shugaley's foundation in April for allegedly "supporting Prigozhin's global influence operations." After his release from prison in December 2020, Shugaley received 18 million rubles (about $245,000) from Prigozhin, as "material support" for the time he spent in jail, the tycoon's company said. Libya's been a major focus for the Kremlin in recent years, with Russia hosting peace talks and the Defense Ministry publicly embracing a powerful warlord. Moscow has often found itself at odds with the U.S. and its European allies there, as well as regional players like Turkey, Egypt and the UAE, which all have sought influence in Libya. ___ 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Efforts to win power in Libya by Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of the country's late ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi, won't succeed, according to the man who's been at the center of Kremlin-backed efforts to support him. Maxim Shugaley acts as a political consultant for Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon close to President Vladimir Putin. He spent 18 months in a Libyan jail accused by the government of plotting to interfere in Libya's presidential elections in Gadhafi's favor. The Kremlin pushed for his release. Now, Shugaley, 55, says he's gloomy about Gadhafi's prospects of becoming president. "No, he won't be," Shugaley said in an interview in Moscow, blaming the U.S. for thwarting Gadhafi's leadership ambitions, without offering evidence. "He's an unacceptable figure for the United States there is a political order against him," he said. "This would be a unique event in the world 10 years on and the Gadhafi family stages a comeback. Just from a psychological point of view, it's a big blow." Old regime The younger Gadhafi has little prospect of success because "for a lot of Libyans he represents a step back to the old regime," said Elena Suponina, a Moscow-based Middle East expert. "There are many people in Moscow who see this situation and in advance want to blame the potential failure of Seif al-Islam purely on the West," she said. Rich in oil and gas reserves, Libya has drawn global and regional powers vying for influence in a civil war that's raged intermittently since Gadhafi's father was toppled and killed in a 2011 uprising. Putin has repeatedly railed against the West's role in the overthrow through NATO airstrikes. The U.S. and its allies have accused Moscow, which lost billions of dollars in Gadhafi-era contracts, of trying to sabotage their efforts to shore up provisional United Nations-backed authorities. Shugaley warned of the risk of renewed conflict if Gadhafi isn't allowed to run or his supporters believe he lost the election unfairly. "This is a delayed time bomb," he said. Companies including France's TotalEnergies SE, Eni SpA of Italy and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are considering investing billions of dollars to exploit Libya's energy reserves located on Europe's doorstep. ICC warrant An official role for Seif Gadhafi would "present a challenge for any Libyan government and the return of Libya to the international community," U.S. State Department spokesman Sam Werberg said Nov. 15. "He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and is subject to sanctions from the United States and the United Nations." The landmark vote originally set for Dec. 24 has been plunged into uncertainty after Libya's election body called for a postponement. Authorities now propose holding it on Jan. 24. Electoral officials recently denied Shugaley permission to return to Libya as a vote observer a year after he was released from prison to Russia before trial. Libyan prosecutors accused him of illegally providing political consulting to Gadhafi on his potential presidential bid, Bloomberg reported in 2020. Shugaley denied the charges, saying he was just doing research. Shugaley said he met three times with Seif Gadhafi, 49, who only reemerged in mid-2021 after years of imprisonment and seclusion amid the war crimes charges. Meddling, mercenaries Prigozhin, who's known as "Putin's Chef" for his Kremlin catering contracts, is under U.S. sanctions for alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. His Wagner private paramilitary company was sanctioned Dec. 13 by the European Union for abuses including "torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions." Prigozhin denies he controls Wagner but the U.S. and EU reject that. The group has deployed fighters to Libya, Syria, Venezuela and the Central African Republic, all places where Russia is striving for geopolitical influence against the West. Moscow denies any links to the mercenaries. While Shugaley says he's not involved in Wagner, the think tank he heads, the Foundation for the Protection of National Values, is sponsored by Prigozhin. And Shugaley's willingness to discuss his activities in places ranging from Africa to Afghanistan marks a departure from a previous policy by Prigozhin and his lieutenants of keeping a low profile. "For Prigozhin, his status as a defender of national interests is hugely important," said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the Russian political consulting firm R.Politik. "He wants to demonstrate this to Putin." The U.S. sanctioned Shugaley's foundation in April for allegedly "supporting Prigozhin's global influence operations." After his release from prison in December 2020, Shugaley received 18 million rubles (about $245,000) from Prigozhin, as "material support" for the time he spent in jail, the tycoon's company said. Libya's been a major focus for the Kremlin in recent years, with Russia hosting peace talks and the Defense Ministry publicly embracing a powerful warlord. Moscow has often found itself at odds with the U.S. and its European allies there, as well as regional players like Turkey, Egypt and the UAE, which all have sought influence in Libya. ___ 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Efforts to win power in Libya by Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of the country's late ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi, won't succeed, according to the man who's been at the center of Kremlin-backed efforts to support him. Maxim Shugaley acts as a political consultant for Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon close to President Vladimir Putin. He spent 18 months in a Libyan jail accused by the government of plotting to interfere in Libya's presidential elections in Gadhafi's favor. The Kremlin pushed for his release. Now, Shugaley, 55, says he's gloomy about Gadhafi's prospects of becoming president. "No, he won't be," Shugaley said in an interview in Moscow, blaming the U.S. for thwarting Gadhafi's leadership ambitions, without offering evidence. "He's an unacceptable figure for the United States there is a political order against him," he said. "This would be a unique event in the world 10 years on and the Gadhafi family stages a comeback. Just from a psychological point of view, it's a big blow." Old regime The younger Gadhafi has little prospect of success because "for a lot of Libyans he represents a step back to the old regime," said Elena Suponina, a Moscow-based Middle East expert. "There are many people in Moscow who see this situation and in advance want to blame the potential failure of Seif al-Islam purely on the West," she said. Rich in oil and gas reserves, Libya has drawn global and regional powers vying for influence in a civil war that's raged intermittently since Gadhafi's father was toppled and killed in a 2011 uprising. Putin has repeatedly railed against the West's role in the overthrow through NATO airstrikes. The U.S. and its allies have accused Moscow, which lost billions of dollars in Gadhafi-era contracts, of trying to sabotage their efforts to shore up provisional United Nations-backed authorities. Shugaley warned of the risk of renewed conflict if Gadhafi isn't allowed to run or his supporters believe he lost the election unfairly. "This is a delayed time bomb," he said. Companies including France's TotalEnergies SE, Eni SpA of Italy and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are considering investing billions of dollars to exploit Libya's energy reserves located on Europe's doorstep. ICC warrant An official role for Seif Gadhafi would "present a challenge for any Libyan government and the return of Libya to the international community," U.S. State Department spokesman Sam Werberg said Nov. 15. "He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and is subject to sanctions from the United States and the United Nations." The landmark vote originally set for Dec. 24 has been plunged into uncertainty after Libya's election body called for a postponement. Authorities now propose holding it on Jan. 24. Electoral officials recently denied Shugaley permission to return to Libya as a vote observer a year after he was released from prison to Russia before trial. Libyan prosecutors accused him of illegally providing political consulting to Gadhafi on his potential presidential bid, Bloomberg reported in 2020. Shugaley denied the charges, saying he was just doing research. Shugaley said he met three times with Seif Gadhafi, 49, who only reemerged in mid-2021 after years of imprisonment and seclusion amid the war crimes charges. Meddling, mercenaries Prigozhin, who's known as "Putin's Chef" for his Kremlin catering contracts, is under U.S. sanctions for alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. His Wagner private paramilitary company was sanctioned Dec. 13 by the European Union for abuses including "torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions." Prigozhin denies he controls Wagner but the U.S. and EU reject that. The group has deployed fighters to Libya, Syria, Venezuela and the Central African Republic, all places where Russia is striving for geopolitical influence against the West. Moscow denies any links to the mercenaries. While Shugaley says he's not involved in Wagner, the think tank he heads, the Foundation for the Protection of National Values, is sponsored by Prigozhin. And Shugaley's willingness to discuss his activities in places ranging from Africa to Afghanistan marks a departure from a previous policy by Prigozhin and his lieutenants of keeping a low profile. "For Prigozhin, his status as a defender of national interests is hugely important," said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the Russian political consulting firm R.Politik. "He wants to demonstrate this to Putin." The U.S. sanctioned Shugaley's foundation in April for allegedly "supporting Prigozhin's global influence operations." After his release from prison in December 2020, Shugaley received 18 million rubles (about $245,000) from Prigozhin, as "material support" for the time he spent in jail, the tycoon's company said. Libya's been a major focus for the Kremlin in recent years, with Russia hosting peace talks and the Defense Ministry publicly embracing a powerful warlord. Moscow has often found itself at odds with the U.S. and its European allies there, as well as regional players like Turkey, Egypt and the UAE, which all have sought influence in Libya. ___ 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Illinois lawmakers just closed the book on a remarkably active year of legislating. Nearly 700 bills were signed into law, including heavy lift items like criminal justice reform and landmark climate legislation. So what does this year hold in state government and politics? No one can predict the future. But if whats past is prologue, Illinoisans can expect less policymaking and more politicking in 2022, a year where every state legislator, members of Congress and major figures like Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Sen. Tammy Duckworth will face voters. With that, here are 10 topics to watch in Illinois government and politics in 2022: Battle of billionaires? Gov. J.B. Pritzker is running for reelection. And though he, with the help of supermajority Democrats in the General Assembly, has largely steamrolled Republican legislative opposition over the past three years, major GOP players say the party will put up a major fight in 2022. GOP sources say Griffin could spend between $200 million and $300 million on the effort. Forces behind the effort are likely to roll out a slate of candidates in the coming weeks. Pritzker, who spent $172 million in his successful 2018 campaign against Gov. Bruce Rauner, has essentially unlimited resources. He will also likely have support from rank-and-file Democrats for delivering on key priorities like increasing the minimum wage, legalizing recreational marijuana and supporting major climate legislation. However, Republicans believe a favorable national climate mixed with exhaustion over lifestyle changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns over a rise in violent crime in cities across the state and an unemployment rate higher than the country as a whole will put Illinois in play if the GOP can find and finance the right candidate. At the very least, Republicans think a statewide slate that can keep the race close can help their legislative candidates win in the moderate Chicago suburbs and perhaps challenge Democratic supermajorities in the legislature. No electoral outcome is certain. But, assuming Griffin follows through, it is a solid bet that the 2022 governors race will be the most expensive race in state history, easily exceeding the 2018 race. So get ready for lots of television advertisements. Who replaces Jesse White? Four Democrats have declared their candidacies for the office: former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias; Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia; Chicago Ald. Pat Dowell and Chicago Ald. David Moore. State Rep. Dan Brady, a Bloomington Republican, has also announced a bid. Whites lengthy tenure was unprecedented. Historically, the office has been a stepping stone position for candidates seeking higher office, with two former officeholders, Republicans Jim Edgar and George Ryan, going on to become governor. Another, Democrat Alan Dixon, went on to serve two terms in the U.S. Senate. It is the most prominent statewide office outside the governors office, controlling more than 4,000 jobs and touching the lives of nearly every Illinois resident by issuing drivers licenses and registering motor vehicles. In short, it is a great position for an ambitious politician to hold. Giannoulias, who served one term as state treasurer before an unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate in 2010, has emerged as the clear frontrunner, lining up support from major labor unions and elected officials while raising nearly $3.5 million. But, in a good Republican year, the party sees an opportunity to win the open seat. Congressional primaries Springfield Democrats approved and Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a new congressional map into law last fall. Some of the consequences of the decisions made will play out in the first half of 2022. Namely, there are likely to be two inter-party congressional primaries. One will feature Rep. Sean Casten, D-Downers Grove, and Rep. Marie Newman, D-LaGrange. The district includes portions of suburban DuPage County and southwestern Cook County. So why are two Democrats facing off when the party drew the map? Well, the 2020 U.S. Census, which showed the state losing population overall, continued to register gains in the states Hispanic population. So lawmakers drew a second district where the group is a significant plurality. One incumbent had to be bounced as a result. If she does, it would have to be against either Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, or Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, both entrenched incumbents. Either way, it would be an ugly primary battle that could potentially involve former President Donald Trump. How will the state spend the rest of its COVID-19 stimulus funds? Illinois state government was allocated more than $8.1 billion in federal COVID-19 stimulus funds under the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021. How to spend the remaining $5 billion will be a major question for lawmakers this coming year. The state has until 2024 to disperse the funds, so it can continue to spread it out over multiple years. But, there will be pressure from lawmakers and interest groups to fund key initiatives. Expect there to be some pressure, especially from Republicans, to use at least some of the funds to pay down the nearly $4.5 billion the state owes to the federal unemployment trust fund. The state utilized that fund to pay enhanced unemployment benefits during the pandemic. How and what lawmakers decided to spend the money may depend on the states budget situation, which improved significantly last year due to the bounce back of the economy. Unionization as a 'fundamental right' In 2022, Illinois voters will be asked whether or not workers have the fundamental right to unionize and collectively bargain in order to negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions. The binding ballot initiative, approved by a bipartisan group of lawmakers during the last legislative session, would prevent state lawmakers from making Illinois a right-to-work state. Every state bordering Illinois besides Missouri has a right-to-work law on the books, so it presents an opportunity for Illinois to further contrast itself with its neighbors. If approved, it would be a major victory for organized labor, which has established itself among the most powerful collective interests in Springfield just a few short years after being under threat by the notoriously anti-union Gov. Bruce Rauner. Corruption probe Around this time last year, House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, suspended his campaign for another term as speaker when it became clear he did not have the votes to win. Madigan, who had survived several controversies over the years, was finally beat as a corruption probe thats ensnared some of his closest confidants drew closer and closer. In 2020, federal prosecutors in Chicago charged utility giant Commonwealth Edison with bribery. They alleged that the utility awarded jobs and contracts to associates of a top state official identified as Madigan with intent to influence and reward the official. The utility agreed to pay a $200 million fine. Later that year, longtime lobbyist and Madigan consigliere Mike McClain, along with two former ComEd executives and another lobbyist, was charged in the scheme. The case is scheduled to go to trial later this year, potentially presenting a headache to Democrats running for reelection. Madigan has not been charged with any wrongdoing. But could the former speaker eventually be charged? He appears to be the target of federal prosecutors. But Madigan was always careful, not using email and not owning his own cell phone, for instance. This year, we may find out if the man known as the Velvet Hammer slipped up. Battle for the Illinois Supreme Court The governors race will get most of the headlines, but some Illinois political insiders say there are a pair of even more consequential races on the same ballot: the open seats that will determine control of the seven-person Illinois Supreme Court. The court is currently controlled 4-3 by Democrats, but Justice Thomas Kilbride, a Democrat, lost his retention election in 2020, setting up an open race in 2022. Combined with the retirement of Justice Robert Thomas, a Republican, earlier that year, that leaves two open seats. Adding to that, Springfield Democrats redistricted the states judicial districts for the first time since the 1960s (a Republican-led effort in the 1990s was not successful) in an effort to maintain their hold on the court. The new map, which bases those two districts in the Democratic-trending Chicago suburbs, gives the party a better opportunity to do so than the old map. President Joe Biden carried each district relatively comfortably, but Pritzker only won them by a few thousand votes. Heres the political reality: its far more likely that Republicans take control of the Illinois Supreme Court than they win back the Illinois Governors Mansion. These races will probably not reach the level of expense that the governors race will, but they will be costly. State judicial races may go over the head of average voters, but theres a lot at stake for major interest groups such as the business lobby, organized labor and trial lawyers. They will pour millions into these races. Justice Rita Garmon, a Republican, and Justice Mary Jane Theis, a Democrat, are up for retention in seats considered safe for their respective parties. The fiscal state of Illinois Luckily for policymakers, the economic boom post-shutdown was stronger than expected. State tax revenue which mostly comes from sales and income beat even the rosiest of expectations. This, mixed with COVID-19 stimulus funds, allowed the state to pass a budget thats balanced (at least on paper) while still funding key initiatives, such as the additional $350 million for K-12 education under the evidence-based funding formula. Whether this revenue trend continues into 2022 is a question that will significantly impact what the states budget looks like. Growth is a great drug to take advantage of when drawing up a spending plan. But the states structural deficit, driven largely by growing pension obligations, remains the elephant in the room. Shortened legislative session After a remarkably active year of legislating that stretched into the summer months, House Speaker Chris Welch and Senate President Don Harmon have made clear they want an abbreviated legislative session in 2022. The pair have targeted April 8 as adjournment day, which is seven-and-a-half weeks earlier than typical. Many are skeptical. Lawmakers are notoriously bad at meeting hard deadlines let alone an artificial one. But the goal makes sense. For one its an election year. Such years are normally heavy on politics and light on policy. And another factor to weigh is the June 28 primary date, which is more than three months later than usual due to pandemic-induced delays in the delivery of 2020 U.S. Census data, which pushed back redistricting. The last place lawmakers want to be weeks ahead of an election is Springfield. Of course, they will pass a budget. But beyond that, expect some messaging bills, the occasional trailer bill to clean up legislation passed in 2021 and get ready for some political theater. What does Kinzinger do? U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, announced in November his retirement from the House, which became all-but-certain after Springfield Democrats carved up his district in the once-a-decade redistricting process. But Kinzinger, one of the most prominent GOP critics of former President Donald Trump, has been somewhat coy on his future plans. Hes hinted at a possible run for governor against Pritzker or U.S. Senate against incumbent Tammy Duckworth. He may also do more work with his political action committee Country First. Kinzinger has stated his belief that hes the only candidate who can defeat Pritzker if he can win a GOP primary, that is. But a run for statewide office would undoubtedly take him out of the national spotlight, which he has enjoyed for the better part of a year. Either way, a decision will likely come in January, when petitions start getting passed for the June primary election. Illinois lawmakers just closed the book on a remarkably active year of legislating. Nearly 700 bills were signed into law, including heavy lift items like criminal justice reform and landmark climate legislation. So what does this year hold in state government and politics? No one can predict the future. But if whats past is prologue, Illinoisans can expect less policymaking and more politicking in 2022, a year where every state legislator, members of Congress and major figures like Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Sen. Tammy Duckworth will face voters. With that, here are 10 topics to watch in Illinois government and politics in 2022: Battle of billionaires? Gov. J.B. Pritzker is running for reelection. And though he, with the help of supermajority Democrats in the General Assembly, has largely steamrolled Republican legislative opposition over the past three years, major GOP players say the party will put up a major fight in 2022. GOP sources say Griffin could spend between $200 million and $300 million on the effort. Forces behind the effort are likely to roll out a slate of candidates in the coming weeks. Pritzker, who spent $172 million in his successful 2018 campaign against Gov. Bruce Rauner, has essentially unlimited resources. He will also likely have support from rank-and-file Democrats for delivering on key priorities like increasing the minimum wage, legalizing recreational marijuana and supporting major climate legislation. However, Republicans believe a favorable national climate mixed with exhaustion over lifestyle changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns over a rise in violent crime in cities across the state and an unemployment rate higher than the country as a whole will put Illinois in play if the GOP can find and finance the right candidate. At the very least, Republicans think a statewide slate that can keep the race close can help their legislative candidates win in the moderate Chicago suburbs and perhaps challenge Democratic supermajorities in the legislature. No electoral outcome is certain. But, assuming Griffin follows through, it is a solid bet that the 2022 governors race will be the most expensive race in state history, easily exceeding the 2018 race. So get ready for lots of television advertisements. Who replaces Jesse White? Four Democrats have declared their candidacies for the office: former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias; Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia; Chicago Ald. Pat Dowell and Chicago Ald. David Moore. State Rep. Dan Brady, a Bloomington Republican, has also announced a bid. Whites lengthy tenure was unprecedented. Historically, the office has been a stepping stone position for candidates seeking higher office, with two former officeholders, Republicans Jim Edgar and George Ryan, going on to become governor. Another, Democrat Alan Dixon, went on to serve two terms in the U.S. Senate. It is the most prominent statewide office outside the governors office, controlling more than 4,000 jobs and touching the lives of nearly every Illinois resident by issuing drivers licenses and registering motor vehicles. In short, it is a great position for an ambitious politician to hold. Giannoulias, who served one term as state treasurer before an unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate in 2010, has emerged as the clear frontrunner, lining up support from major labor unions and elected officials while raising nearly $3.5 million. But, in a good Republican year, the party sees an opportunity to win the open seat. Congressional primaries Springfield Democrats approved and Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a new congressional map into law last fall. Some of the consequences of the decisions made will play out in the first half of 2022. Namely, there are likely to be two inter-party congressional primaries. One will feature Rep. Sean Casten, D-Downers Grove, and Rep. Marie Newman, D-LaGrange. The district includes portions of suburban DuPage County and southwestern Cook County. So why are two Democrats facing off when the party drew the map? Well, the 2020 U.S. Census, which showed the state losing population overall, continued to register gains in the states Hispanic population. So lawmakers drew a second district where the group is a significant plurality. One incumbent had to be bounced as a result. If she does, it would have to be against either Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, or Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, both entrenched incumbents. Either way, it would be an ugly primary battle that could potentially involve former President Donald Trump. How will the state spend the rest of its COVID-19 stimulus funds? Illinois state government was allocated more than $8.1 billion in federal COVID-19 stimulus funds under the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021. How to spend the remaining $5 billion will be a major question for lawmakers this coming year. The state has until 2024 to disperse the funds, so it can continue to spread it out over multiple years. But, there will be pressure from lawmakers and interest groups to fund key initiatives. Expect there to be some pressure, especially from Republicans, to use at least some of the funds to pay down the nearly $4.5 billion the state owes to the federal unemployment trust fund. The state utilized that fund to pay enhanced unemployment benefits during the pandemic. How and what lawmakers decided to spend the money may depend on the states budget situation, which improved significantly last year due to the bounce back of the economy. Unionization as a 'fundamental right' In 2022, Illinois voters will be asked whether or not workers have the fundamental right to unionize and collectively bargain in order to negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions. The binding ballot initiative, approved by a bipartisan group of lawmakers during the last legislative session, would prevent state lawmakers from making Illinois a right-to-work state. Every state bordering Illinois besides Missouri has a right-to-work law on the books, so it presents an opportunity for Illinois to further contrast itself with its neighbors. If approved, it would be a major victory for organized labor, which has established itself among the most powerful collective interests in Springfield just a few short years after being under threat by the notoriously anti-union Gov. Bruce Rauner. Corruption probe Around this time last year, House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, suspended his campaign for another term as speaker when it became clear he did not have the votes to win. Madigan, who had survived several controversies over the years, was finally beat as a corruption probe thats ensnared some of his closest confidants drew closer and closer. In 2020, federal prosecutors in Chicago charged utility giant Commonwealth Edison with bribery. They alleged that the utility awarded jobs and contracts to associates of a top state official identified as Madigan with intent to influence and reward the official. The utility agreed to pay a $200 million fine. Later that year, longtime lobbyist and Madigan consigliere Mike McClain, along with two former ComEd executives and another lobbyist, was charged in the scheme. The case is scheduled to go to trial later this year, potentially presenting a headache to Democrats running for reelection. Madigan has not been charged with any wrongdoing. But could the former speaker eventually be charged? He appears to be the target of federal prosecutors. But Madigan was always careful, not using email and not owning his own cell phone, for instance. This year, we may find out if the man known as the Velvet Hammer slipped up. Battle for the Illinois Supreme Court The governors race will get most of the headlines, but some Illinois political insiders say there are a pair of even more consequential races on the same ballot: the open seats that will determine control of the seven-person Illinois Supreme Court. The court is currently controlled 4-3 by Democrats, but Justice Thomas Kilbride, a Democrat, lost his retention election in 2020, setting up an open race in 2022. Combined with the retirement of Justice Robert Thomas, a Republican, earlier that year, that leaves two open seats. Adding to that, Springfield Democrats redistricted the states judicial districts for the first time since the 1960s (a Republican-led effort in the 1990s was not successful) in an effort to maintain their hold on the court. The new map, which bases those two districts in the Democratic-trending Chicago suburbs, gives the party a better opportunity to do so than the old map. President Joe Biden carried each district relatively comfortably, but Pritzker only won them by a few thousand votes. Heres the political reality: its far more likely that Republicans take control of the Illinois Supreme Court than they win back the Illinois Governors Mansion. These races will probably not reach the level of expense that the governors race will, but they will be costly. State judicial races may go over the head of average voters, but theres a lot at stake for major interest groups such as the business lobby, organized labor and trial lawyers. They will pour millions into these races. Justice Rita Garmon, a Republican, and Justice Mary Jane Theis, a Democrat, are up for retention in seats considered safe for their respective parties. The fiscal state of Illinois Luckily for policymakers, the economic boom post-shutdown was stronger than expected. State tax revenue which mostly comes from sales and income beat even the rosiest of expectations. This, mixed with COVID-19 stimulus funds, allowed the state to pass a budget thats balanced (at least on paper) while still funding key initiatives, such as the additional $350 million for K-12 education under the evidence-based funding formula. Whether this revenue trend continues into 2022 is a question that will significantly impact what the states budget looks like. Growth is a great drug to take advantage of when drawing up a spending plan. But the states structural deficit, driven largely by growing pension obligations, remains the elephant in the room. Shortened legislative session After a remarkably active year of legislating that stretched into the summer months, House Speaker Chris Welch and Senate President Don Harmon have made clear they want an abbreviated legislative session in 2022. The pair have targeted April 8 as adjournment day, which is seven-and-a-half weeks earlier than typical. Many are skeptical. Lawmakers are notoriously bad at meeting hard deadlines let alone an artificial one. But the goal makes sense. For one its an election year. Such years are normally heavy on politics and light on policy. And another factor to weigh is the June 28 primary date, which is more than three months later than usual due to pandemic-induced delays in the delivery of 2020 U.S. Census data, which pushed back redistricting. The last place lawmakers want to be weeks ahead of an election is Springfield. Of course, they will pass a budget. But beyond that, expect some messaging bills, the occasional trailer bill to clean up legislation passed in 2021 and get ready for some political theater. What does Kinzinger do? U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, announced in November his retirement from the House, which became all-but-certain after Springfield Democrats carved up his district in the once-a-decade redistricting process. But Kinzinger, one of the most prominent GOP critics of former President Donald Trump, has been somewhat coy on his future plans. Hes hinted at a possible run for governor against Pritzker or U.S. Senate against incumbent Tammy Duckworth. He may also do more work with his political action committee Country First. Kinzinger has stated his belief that hes the only candidate who can defeat Pritzker if he can win a GOP primary, that is. But a run for statewide office would undoubtedly take him out of the national spotlight, which he has enjoyed for the better part of a year. Either way, a decision will likely come in January, when petitions start getting passed for the June primary election. Illinois lawmakers just closed the book on a remarkably active year of legislating. Nearly 700 bills were signed into law, including heavy lift items like criminal justice reform and landmark climate legislation. So what does this year hold in state government and politics? No one can predict the future. But if whats past is prologue, Illinoisans can expect less policymaking and more politicking in 2022, a year where every state legislator, members of Congress and major figures like Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Sen. Tammy Duckworth will face voters. With that, here are 10 topics to watch in Illinois government and politics in 2022: Battle of billionaires? Gov. J.B. Pritzker is running for reelection. And though he, with the help of supermajority Democrats in the General Assembly, has largely steamrolled Republican legislative opposition over the past three years, major GOP players say the party will put up a major fight in 2022. GOP sources say Griffin could spend between $200 million and $300 million on the effort. Forces behind the effort are likely to roll out a slate of candidates in the coming weeks. Pritzker, who spent $172 million in his successful 2018 campaign against Gov. Bruce Rauner, has essentially unlimited resources. He will also likely have support from rank-and-file Democrats for delivering on key priorities like increasing the minimum wage, legalizing recreational marijuana and supporting major climate legislation. However, Republicans believe a favorable national climate mixed with exhaustion over lifestyle changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns over a rise in violent crime in cities across the state and an unemployment rate higher than the country as a whole will put Illinois in play if the GOP can find and finance the right candidate. At the very least, Republicans think a statewide slate that can keep the race close can help their legislative candidates win in the moderate Chicago suburbs and perhaps challenge Democratic supermajorities in the legislature. No electoral outcome is certain. But, assuming Griffin follows through, it is a solid bet that the 2022 governors race will be the most expensive race in state history, easily exceeding the 2018 race. So get ready for lots of television advertisements. Who replaces Jesse White? Four Democrats have declared their candidacies for the office: former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias; Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia; Chicago Ald. Pat Dowell and Chicago Ald. David Moore. State Rep. Dan Brady, a Bloomington Republican, has also announced a bid. Whites lengthy tenure was unprecedented. Historically, the office has been a stepping stone position for candidates seeking higher office, with two former officeholders, Republicans Jim Edgar and George Ryan, going on to become governor. Another, Democrat Alan Dixon, went on to serve two terms in the U.S. Senate. It is the most prominent statewide office outside the governors office, controlling more than 4,000 jobs and touching the lives of nearly every Illinois resident by issuing drivers licenses and registering motor vehicles. In short, it is a great position for an ambitious politician to hold. Giannoulias, who served one term as state treasurer before an unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate in 2010, has emerged as the clear frontrunner, lining up support from major labor unions and elected officials while raising nearly $3.5 million. But, in a good Republican year, the party sees an opportunity to win the open seat. Congressional primaries Springfield Democrats approved and Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a new congressional map into law last fall. Some of the consequences of the decisions made will play out in the first half of 2022. Namely, there are likely to be two inter-party congressional primaries. One will feature Rep. Sean Casten, D-Downers Grove, and Rep. Marie Newman, D-LaGrange. The district includes portions of suburban DuPage County and southwestern Cook County. So why are two Democrats facing off when the party drew the map? Well, the 2020 U.S. Census, which showed the state losing population overall, continued to register gains in the states Hispanic population. So lawmakers drew a second district where the group is a significant plurality. One incumbent had to be bounced as a result. If she does, it would have to be against either Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, or Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, both entrenched incumbents. Either way, it would be an ugly primary battle that could potentially involve former President Donald Trump. How will the state spend the rest of its COVID-19 stimulus funds? Illinois state government was allocated more than $8.1 billion in federal COVID-19 stimulus funds under the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021. How to spend the remaining $5 billion will be a major question for lawmakers this coming year. The state has until 2024 to disperse the funds, so it can continue to spread it out over multiple years. But, there will be pressure from lawmakers and interest groups to fund key initiatives. Expect there to be some pressure, especially from Republicans, to use at least some of the funds to pay down the nearly $4.5 billion the state owes to the federal unemployment trust fund. The state utilized that fund to pay enhanced unemployment benefits during the pandemic. How and what lawmakers decided to spend the money may depend on the states budget situation, which improved significantly last year due to the bounce back of the economy. Unionization as a 'fundamental right' In 2022, Illinois voters will be asked whether or not workers have the fundamental right to unionize and collectively bargain in order to negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions. The binding ballot initiative, approved by a bipartisan group of lawmakers during the last legislative session, would prevent state lawmakers from making Illinois a right-to-work state. Every state bordering Illinois besides Missouri has a right-to-work law on the books, so it presents an opportunity for Illinois to further contrast itself with its neighbors. If approved, it would be a major victory for organized labor, which has established itself among the most powerful collective interests in Springfield just a few short years after being under threat by the notoriously anti-union Gov. Bruce Rauner. Corruption probe Around this time last year, House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, suspended his campaign for another term as speaker when it became clear he did not have the votes to win. Madigan, who had survived several controversies over the years, was finally beat as a corruption probe thats ensnared some of his closest confidants drew closer and closer. In 2020, federal prosecutors in Chicago charged utility giant Commonwealth Edison with bribery. They alleged that the utility awarded jobs and contracts to associates of a top state official identified as Madigan with intent to influence and reward the official. The utility agreed to pay a $200 million fine. Later that year, longtime lobbyist and Madigan consigliere Mike McClain, along with two former ComEd executives and another lobbyist, was charged in the scheme. The case is scheduled to go to trial later this year, potentially presenting a headache to Democrats running for reelection. Madigan has not been charged with any wrongdoing. But could the former speaker eventually be charged? He appears to be the target of federal prosecutors. But Madigan was always careful, not using email and not owning his own cell phone, for instance. This year, we may find out if the man known as the Velvet Hammer slipped up. Battle for the Illinois Supreme Court The governors race will get most of the headlines, but some Illinois political insiders say there are a pair of even more consequential races on the same ballot: the open seats that will determine control of the seven-person Illinois Supreme Court. The court is currently controlled 4-3 by Democrats, but Justice Thomas Kilbride, a Democrat, lost his retention election in 2020, setting up an open race in 2022. Combined with the retirement of Justice Robert Thomas, a Republican, earlier that year, that leaves two open seats. Adding to that, Springfield Democrats redistricted the states judicial districts for the first time since the 1960s (a Republican-led effort in the 1990s was not successful) in an effort to maintain their hold on the court. The new map, which bases those two districts in the Democratic-trending Chicago suburbs, gives the party a better opportunity to do so than the old map. President Joe Biden carried each district relatively comfortably, but Pritzker only won them by a few thousand votes. Heres the political reality: its far more likely that Republicans take control of the Illinois Supreme Court than they win back the Illinois Governors Mansion. These races will probably not reach the level of expense that the governors race will, but they will be costly. State judicial races may go over the head of average voters, but theres a lot at stake for major interest groups such as the business lobby, organized labor and trial lawyers. They will pour millions into these races. Justice Rita Garmon, a Republican, and Justice Mary Jane Theis, a Democrat, are up for retention in seats considered safe for their respective parties. The fiscal state of Illinois Luckily for policymakers, the economic boom post-shutdown was stronger than expected. State tax revenue which mostly comes from sales and income beat even the rosiest of expectations. This, mixed with COVID-19 stimulus funds, allowed the state to pass a budget thats balanced (at least on paper) while still funding key initiatives, such as the additional $350 million for K-12 education under the evidence-based funding formula. Whether this revenue trend continues into 2022 is a question that will significantly impact what the states budget looks like. Growth is a great drug to take advantage of when drawing up a spending plan. But the states structural deficit, driven largely by growing pension obligations, remains the elephant in the room. Shortened legislative session After a remarkably active year of legislating that stretched into the summer months, House Speaker Chris Welch and Senate President Don Harmon have made clear they want an abbreviated legislative session in 2022. The pair have targeted April 8 as adjournment day, which is seven-and-a-half weeks earlier than typical. Many are skeptical. Lawmakers are notoriously bad at meeting hard deadlines let alone an artificial one. But the goal makes sense. For one its an election year. Such years are normally heavy on politics and light on policy. And another factor to weigh is the June 28 primary date, which is more than three months later than usual due to pandemic-induced delays in the delivery of 2020 U.S. Census data, which pushed back redistricting. The last place lawmakers want to be weeks ahead of an election is Springfield. Of course, they will pass a budget. But beyond that, expect some messaging bills, the occasional trailer bill to clean up legislation passed in 2021 and get ready for some political theater. What does Kinzinger do? U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, announced in November his retirement from the House, which became all-but-certain after Springfield Democrats carved up his district in the once-a-decade redistricting process. But Kinzinger, one of the most prominent GOP critics of former President Donald Trump, has been somewhat coy on his future plans. Hes hinted at a possible run for governor against Pritzker or U.S. Senate against incumbent Tammy Duckworth. He may also do more work with his political action committee Country First. Kinzinger has stated his belief that hes the only candidate who can defeat Pritzker if he can win a GOP primary, that is. But a run for statewide office would undoubtedly take him out of the national spotlight, which he has enjoyed for the better part of a year. Either way, a decision will likely come in January, when petitions start getting passed for the June primary election. Illinois lawmakers just closed the book on a remarkably active year of legislating. Nearly 700 bills were signed into law, including heavy lift items like criminal justice reform and landmark climate legislation. So what does this year hold in state government and politics? No one can predict the future. But if whats past is prologue, Illinoisans can expect less policymaking and more politicking in 2022, a year where every state legislator, members of Congress and major figures like Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Sen. Tammy Duckworth will face voters. With that, here are 10 topics to watch in Illinois government and politics in 2022: Battle of billionaires? Gov. J.B. Pritzker is running for reelection. And though he, with the help of supermajority Democrats in the General Assembly, has largely steamrolled Republican legislative opposition over the past three years, major GOP players say the party will put up a major fight in 2022. GOP sources say Griffin could spend between $200 million and $300 million on the effort. Forces behind the effort are likely to roll out a slate of candidates in the coming weeks. Pritzker, who spent $172 million in his successful 2018 campaign against Gov. Bruce Rauner, has essentially unlimited resources. He will also likely have support from rank-and-file Democrats for delivering on key priorities like increasing the minimum wage, legalizing recreational marijuana and supporting major climate legislation. However, Republicans believe a favorable national climate mixed with exhaustion over lifestyle changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns over a rise in violent crime in cities across the state and an unemployment rate higher than the country as a whole will put Illinois in play if the GOP can find and finance the right candidate. At the very least, Republicans think a statewide slate that can keep the race close can help their legislative candidates win in the moderate Chicago suburbs and perhaps challenge Democratic supermajorities in the legislature. No electoral outcome is certain. But, assuming Griffin follows through, it is a solid bet that the 2022 governors race will be the most expensive race in state history, easily exceeding the 2018 race. So get ready for lots of television advertisements. Who replaces Jesse White? Four Democrats have declared their candidacies for the office: former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias; Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia; Chicago Ald. Pat Dowell and Chicago Ald. David Moore. State Rep. Dan Brady, a Bloomington Republican, has also announced a bid. Whites lengthy tenure was unprecedented. Historically, the office has been a stepping stone position for candidates seeking higher office, with two former officeholders, Republicans Jim Edgar and George Ryan, going on to become governor. Another, Democrat Alan Dixon, went on to serve two terms in the U.S. Senate. It is the most prominent statewide office outside the governors office, controlling more than 4,000 jobs and touching the lives of nearly every Illinois resident by issuing drivers licenses and registering motor vehicles. In short, it is a great position for an ambitious politician to hold. Giannoulias, who served one term as state treasurer before an unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate in 2010, has emerged as the clear frontrunner, lining up support from major labor unions and elected officials while raising nearly $3.5 million. But, in a good Republican year, the party sees an opportunity to win the open seat. Congressional primaries Springfield Democrats approved and Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a new congressional map into law last fall. Some of the consequences of the decisions made will play out in the first half of 2022. Namely, there are likely to be two inter-party congressional primaries. One will feature Rep. Sean Casten, D-Downers Grove, and Rep. Marie Newman, D-LaGrange. The district includes portions of suburban DuPage County and southwestern Cook County. So why are two Democrats facing off when the party drew the map? Well, the 2020 U.S. Census, which showed the state losing population overall, continued to register gains in the states Hispanic population. So lawmakers drew a second district where the group is a significant plurality. One incumbent had to be bounced as a result. If she does, it would have to be against either Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, or Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, both entrenched incumbents. Either way, it would be an ugly primary battle that could potentially involve former President Donald Trump. How will the state spend the rest of its COVID-19 stimulus funds? Illinois state government was allocated more than $8.1 billion in federal COVID-19 stimulus funds under the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021. How to spend the remaining $5 billion will be a major question for lawmakers this coming year. The state has until 2024 to disperse the funds, so it can continue to spread it out over multiple years. But, there will be pressure from lawmakers and interest groups to fund key initiatives. Expect there to be some pressure, especially from Republicans, to use at least some of the funds to pay down the nearly $4.5 billion the state owes to the federal unemployment trust fund. The state utilized that fund to pay enhanced unemployment benefits during the pandemic. How and what lawmakers decided to spend the money may depend on the states budget situation, which improved significantly last year due to the bounce back of the economy. Unionization as a 'fundamental right' In 2022, Illinois voters will be asked whether or not workers have the fundamental right to unionize and collectively bargain in order to negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions. The binding ballot initiative, approved by a bipartisan group of lawmakers during the last legislative session, would prevent state lawmakers from making Illinois a right-to-work state. Every state bordering Illinois besides Missouri has a right-to-work law on the books, so it presents an opportunity for Illinois to further contrast itself with its neighbors. If approved, it would be a major victory for organized labor, which has established itself among the most powerful collective interests in Springfield just a few short years after being under threat by the notoriously anti-union Gov. Bruce Rauner. Corruption probe Around this time last year, House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, suspended his campaign for another term as speaker when it became clear he did not have the votes to win. Madigan, who had survived several controversies over the years, was finally beat as a corruption probe thats ensnared some of his closest confidants drew closer and closer. In 2020, federal prosecutors in Chicago charged utility giant Commonwealth Edison with bribery. They alleged that the utility awarded jobs and contracts to associates of a top state official identified as Madigan with intent to influence and reward the official. The utility agreed to pay a $200 million fine. Later that year, longtime lobbyist and Madigan consigliere Mike McClain, along with two former ComEd executives and another lobbyist, was charged in the scheme. The case is scheduled to go to trial later this year, potentially presenting a headache to Democrats running for reelection. Madigan has not been charged with any wrongdoing. But could the former speaker eventually be charged? He appears to be the target of federal prosecutors. But Madigan was always careful, not using email and not owning his own cell phone, for instance. This year, we may find out if the man known as the Velvet Hammer slipped up. Battle for the Illinois Supreme Court The governors race will get most of the headlines, but some Illinois political insiders say there are a pair of even more consequential races on the same ballot: the open seats that will determine control of the seven-person Illinois Supreme Court. The court is currently controlled 4-3 by Democrats, but Justice Thomas Kilbride, a Democrat, lost his retention election in 2020, setting up an open race in 2022. Combined with the retirement of Justice Robert Thomas, a Republican, earlier that year, that leaves two open seats. Adding to that, Springfield Democrats redistricted the states judicial districts for the first time since the 1960s (a Republican-led effort in the 1990s was not successful) in an effort to maintain their hold on the court. The new map, which bases those two districts in the Democratic-trending Chicago suburbs, gives the party a better opportunity to do so than the old map. President Joe Biden carried each district relatively comfortably, but Pritzker only won them by a few thousand votes. Heres the political reality: its far more likely that Republicans take control of the Illinois Supreme Court than they win back the Illinois Governors Mansion. These races will probably not reach the level of expense that the governors race will, but they will be costly. State judicial races may go over the head of average voters, but theres a lot at stake for major interest groups such as the business lobby, organized labor and trial lawyers. They will pour millions into these races. Justice Rita Garmon, a Republican, and Justice Mary Jane Theis, a Democrat, are up for retention in seats considered safe for their respective parties. The fiscal state of Illinois Luckily for policymakers, the economic boom post-shutdown was stronger than expected. State tax revenue which mostly comes from sales and income beat even the rosiest of expectations. This, mixed with COVID-19 stimulus funds, allowed the state to pass a budget thats balanced (at least on paper) while still funding key initiatives, such as the additional $350 million for K-12 education under the evidence-based funding formula. Whether this revenue trend continues into 2022 is a question that will significantly impact what the states budget looks like. Growth is a great drug to take advantage of when drawing up a spending plan. But the states structural deficit, driven largely by growing pension obligations, remains the elephant in the room. Shortened legislative session After a remarkably active year of legislating that stretched into the summer months, House Speaker Chris Welch and Senate President Don Harmon have made clear they want an abbreviated legislative session in 2022. The pair have targeted April 8 as adjournment day, which is seven-and-a-half weeks earlier than typical. Many are skeptical. Lawmakers are notoriously bad at meeting hard deadlines let alone an artificial one. But the goal makes sense. For one its an election year. Such years are normally heavy on politics and light on policy. And another factor to weigh is the June 28 primary date, which is more than three months later than usual due to pandemic-induced delays in the delivery of 2020 U.S. Census data, which pushed back redistricting. The last place lawmakers want to be weeks ahead of an election is Springfield. Of course, they will pass a budget. But beyond that, expect some messaging bills, the occasional trailer bill to clean up legislation passed in 2021 and get ready for some political theater. What does Kinzinger do? U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, announced in November his retirement from the House, which became all-but-certain after Springfield Democrats carved up his district in the once-a-decade redistricting process. But Kinzinger, one of the most prominent GOP critics of former President Donald Trump, has been somewhat coy on his future plans. Hes hinted at a possible run for governor against Pritzker or U.S. Senate against incumbent Tammy Duckworth. He may also do more work with his political action committee Country First. Kinzinger has stated his belief that hes the only candidate who can defeat Pritzker if he can win a GOP primary, that is. But a run for statewide office would undoubtedly take him out of the national spotlight, which he has enjoyed for the better part of a year. Either way, a decision will likely come in January, when petitions start getting passed for the June primary election. Illinois lawmakers just closed the book on a remarkably active year of legislating. Nearly 700 bills were signed into law, including heavy lift items like criminal justice reform and landmark climate legislation. So what does this year hold in state government and politics? No one can predict the future. But if whats past is prologue, Illinoisans can expect less policymaking and more politicking in 2022, a year where every state legislator, members of Congress and major figures like Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Sen. Tammy Duckworth will face voters. With that, here are 10 topics to watch in Illinois government and politics in 2022: Battle of billionaires? Gov. J.B. Pritzker is running for reelection. And though he, with the help of supermajority Democrats in the General Assembly, has largely steamrolled Republican legislative opposition over the past three years, major GOP players say the party will put up a major fight in 2022. GOP sources say Griffin could spend between $200 million and $300 million on the effort. Forces behind the effort are likely to roll out a slate of candidates in the coming weeks. Pritzker, who spent $172 million in his successful 2018 campaign against Gov. Bruce Rauner, has essentially unlimited resources. He will also likely have support from rank-and-file Democrats for delivering on key priorities like increasing the minimum wage, legalizing recreational marijuana and supporting major climate legislation. However, Republicans believe a favorable national climate mixed with exhaustion over lifestyle changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns over a rise in violent crime in cities across the state and an unemployment rate higher than the country as a whole will put Illinois in play if the GOP can find and finance the right candidate. At the very least, Republicans think a statewide slate that can keep the race close can help their legislative candidates win in the moderate Chicago suburbs and perhaps challenge Democratic supermajorities in the legislature. No electoral outcome is certain. But, assuming Griffin follows through, it is a solid bet that the 2022 governors race will be the most expensive race in state history, easily exceeding the 2018 race. So get ready for lots of television advertisements. Who replaces Jesse White? Four Democrats have declared their candidacies for the office: former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias; Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia; Chicago Ald. Pat Dowell and Chicago Ald. David Moore. State Rep. Dan Brady, a Bloomington Republican, has also announced a bid. Whites lengthy tenure was unprecedented. Historically, the office has been a stepping stone position for candidates seeking higher office, with two former officeholders, Republicans Jim Edgar and George Ryan, going on to become governor. Another, Democrat Alan Dixon, went on to serve two terms in the U.S. Senate. It is the most prominent statewide office outside the governors office, controlling more than 4,000 jobs and touching the lives of nearly every Illinois resident by issuing drivers licenses and registering motor vehicles. In short, it is a great position for an ambitious politician to hold. Giannoulias, who served one term as state treasurer before an unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate in 2010, has emerged as the clear frontrunner, lining up support from major labor unions and elected officials while raising nearly $3.5 million. But, in a good Republican year, the party sees an opportunity to win the open seat. Congressional primaries Springfield Democrats approved and Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a new congressional map into law last fall. Some of the consequences of the decisions made will play out in the first half of 2022. Namely, there are likely to be two inter-party congressional primaries. One will feature Rep. Sean Casten, D-Downers Grove, and Rep. Marie Newman, D-LaGrange. The district includes portions of suburban DuPage County and southwestern Cook County. So why are two Democrats facing off when the party drew the map? Well, the 2020 U.S. Census, which showed the state losing population overall, continued to register gains in the states Hispanic population. So lawmakers drew a second district where the group is a significant plurality. One incumbent had to be bounced as a result. If she does, it would have to be against either Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, or Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, both entrenched incumbents. Either way, it would be an ugly primary battle that could potentially involve former President Donald Trump. How will the state spend the rest of its COVID-19 stimulus funds? Illinois state government was allocated more than $8.1 billion in federal COVID-19 stimulus funds under the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021. How to spend the remaining $5 billion will be a major question for lawmakers this coming year. The state has until 2024 to disperse the funds, so it can continue to spread it out over multiple years. But, there will be pressure from lawmakers and interest groups to fund key initiatives. Expect there to be some pressure, especially from Republicans, to use at least some of the funds to pay down the nearly $4.5 billion the state owes to the federal unemployment trust fund. The state utilized that fund to pay enhanced unemployment benefits during the pandemic. How and what lawmakers decided to spend the money may depend on the states budget situation, which improved significantly last year due to the bounce back of the economy. Unionization as a 'fundamental right' In 2022, Illinois voters will be asked whether or not workers have the fundamental right to unionize and collectively bargain in order to negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions. The binding ballot initiative, approved by a bipartisan group of lawmakers during the last legislative session, would prevent state lawmakers from making Illinois a right-to-work state. Every state bordering Illinois besides Missouri has a right-to-work law on the books, so it presents an opportunity for Illinois to further contrast itself with its neighbors. If approved, it would be a major victory for organized labor, which has established itself among the most powerful collective interests in Springfield just a few short years after being under threat by the notoriously anti-union Gov. Bruce Rauner. Corruption probe Around this time last year, House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, suspended his campaign for another term as speaker when it became clear he did not have the votes to win. Madigan, who had survived several controversies over the years, was finally beat as a corruption probe thats ensnared some of his closest confidants drew closer and closer. In 2020, federal prosecutors in Chicago charged utility giant Commonwealth Edison with bribery. They alleged that the utility awarded jobs and contracts to associates of a top state official identified as Madigan with intent to influence and reward the official. The utility agreed to pay a $200 million fine. Later that year, longtime lobbyist and Madigan consigliere Mike McClain, along with two former ComEd executives and another lobbyist, was charged in the scheme. The case is scheduled to go to trial later this year, potentially presenting a headache to Democrats running for reelection. Madigan has not been charged with any wrongdoing. But could the former speaker eventually be charged? He appears to be the target of federal prosecutors. But Madigan was always careful, not using email and not owning his own cell phone, for instance. This year, we may find out if the man known as the Velvet Hammer slipped up. Battle for the Illinois Supreme Court The governors race will get most of the headlines, but some Illinois political insiders say there are a pair of even more consequential races on the same ballot: the open seats that will determine control of the seven-person Illinois Supreme Court. The court is currently controlled 4-3 by Democrats, but Justice Thomas Kilbride, a Democrat, lost his retention election in 2020, setting up an open race in 2022. Combined with the retirement of Justice Robert Thomas, a Republican, earlier that year, that leaves two open seats. Adding to that, Springfield Democrats redistricted the states judicial districts for the first time since the 1960s (a Republican-led effort in the 1990s was not successful) in an effort to maintain their hold on the court. The new map, which bases those two districts in the Democratic-trending Chicago suburbs, gives the party a better opportunity to do so than the old map. President Joe Biden carried each district relatively comfortably, but Pritzker only won them by a few thousand votes. Heres the political reality: its far more likely that Republicans take control of the Illinois Supreme Court than they win back the Illinois Governors Mansion. These races will probably not reach the level of expense that the governors race will, but they will be costly. State judicial races may go over the head of average voters, but theres a lot at stake for major interest groups such as the business lobby, organized labor and trial lawyers. They will pour millions into these races. Justice Rita Garmon, a Republican, and Justice Mary Jane Theis, a Democrat, are up for retention in seats considered safe for their respective parties. The fiscal state of Illinois Luckily for policymakers, the economic boom post-shutdown was stronger than expected. State tax revenue which mostly comes from sales and income beat even the rosiest of expectations. This, mixed with COVID-19 stimulus funds, allowed the state to pass a budget thats balanced (at least on paper) while still funding key initiatives, such as the additional $350 million for K-12 education under the evidence-based funding formula. Whether this revenue trend continues into 2022 is a question that will significantly impact what the states budget looks like. Growth is a great drug to take advantage of when drawing up a spending plan. But the states structural deficit, driven largely by growing pension obligations, remains the elephant in the room. Shortened legislative session After a remarkably active year of legislating that stretched into the summer months, House Speaker Chris Welch and Senate President Don Harmon have made clear they want an abbreviated legislative session in 2022. The pair have targeted April 8 as adjournment day, which is seven-and-a-half weeks earlier than typical. Many are skeptical. Lawmakers are notoriously bad at meeting hard deadlines let alone an artificial one. But the goal makes sense. For one its an election year. Such years are normally heavy on politics and light on policy. And another factor to weigh is the June 28 primary date, which is more than three months later than usual due to pandemic-induced delays in the delivery of 2020 U.S. Census data, which pushed back redistricting. The last place lawmakers want to be weeks ahead of an election is Springfield. Of course, they will pass a budget. But beyond that, expect some messaging bills, the occasional trailer bill to clean up legislation passed in 2021 and get ready for some political theater. What does Kinzinger do? U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, announced in November his retirement from the House, which became all-but-certain after Springfield Democrats carved up his district in the once-a-decade redistricting process. But Kinzinger, one of the most prominent GOP critics of former President Donald Trump, has been somewhat coy on his future plans. Hes hinted at a possible run for governor against Pritzker or U.S. Senate against incumbent Tammy Duckworth. He may also do more work with his political action committee Country First. Kinzinger has stated his belief that hes the only candidate who can defeat Pritzker if he can win a GOP primary, that is. But a run for statewide office would undoubtedly take him out of the national spotlight, which he has enjoyed for the better part of a year. Either way, a decision will likely come in January, when petitions start getting passed for the June primary election. University chiefs have removed part of an Ancient Greek poem that mentions domestic violence to avoid upsetting students. Officials at the University of Reading cut several lines from the 2,000-year-old Types Of Women, by Semonides of Amorgos, which is taught to first-year classics students. The decision was made on the grounds that the words could 'potentially trigger' distress even though no student had complained. But critics fear that other works from antiquity may be targeted and warned of a 'slippery slope' towards censorship. Jeremy Black, emeritus professor of history at the University of Exeter, said: 'This is beyond naive. 'It is positively ridiculous and has no place in academia. Reading University chiefs have removed part of an Ancient Greek poem that mentions domestic violence to avoid upsetting students 'If we applied this same kind of censorship to the news we would end up with a most limited and ignorant view of the world.' The 118-line poem is controversial because of the way women are portrayed. It says Greek god Zeus created ten types of women, each represented by an animal or an element. Nine those deriving from the pig, fox, dog, earth, sea, donkey, ferret, mare and monkey have negative connotations, with only the female who comes from a bee considered to make a good wife. Reading which is ranked number 27 out of 90 UK universities used a part of the poem in a module on Greek history, alongside works by Homer and Aristotle. Students would have been issued with a verbal trigger alert that the work was an example of 'extreme misogyny in Archaic Greece', but a decision was taken to remove references of overt violence towards women. Papers obtained by The Mail on Sunday under the Freedom of Information Act state: 'The portion of the poem now omitted involved a brief reference to domestic violence. Officials cut several lines from the 2,000-year-old Types Of Women, by Semonides of Amorgos (above), which is taught to first-year classics students 'That portion has subsequently been removed because, while the text as a whole is vitriolic, that part seemed unnecessarily unpleasant and (potentially) triggering.' But Ewen Bowie, an emeritus fellow at Corpus Christi College and Prof Emeritus of Classical Languages and Literature at Oxford University, said ancient works needed to be 'understood in context'. He added: 'When you start censoring reading lists you are putting your foot on the slippery slope down towards censoring what is being sold in bookshops.' Students studying Ancient Egypt have also been given trigger warnings about artworks depicting battle scenes. Last night, a spokesman for the University of Reading said: 'We do not censor academic material. 'Students have access to all texts relevant to their course and are encouraged to read and discuss a wide range of material. 'Content warnings are used to encourage discussion and study in a way that allows students to be aware of difficult or controversial material before being confronted with it.' It is understood the entire text of Types Of Women is available to students either online or in hard copy. Efforts to win power in Libya by Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of the country's late ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi, won't succeed, according to the man who's been at the center of Kremlin-backed efforts to support him. Maxim Shugaley acts as a political consultant for Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon close to President Vladimir Putin. He spent 18 months in a Libyan jail accused by the government of plotting to interfere in Libya's presidential elections in Gadhafi's favor. The Kremlin pushed for his release. Now, Shugaley, 55, says he's gloomy about Gadhafi's prospects of becoming president. "No, he won't be," Shugaley said in an interview in Moscow, blaming the U.S. for thwarting Gadhafi's leadership ambitions, without offering evidence. "He's an unacceptable figure for the United States there is a political order against him," he said. "This would be a unique event in the world 10 years on and the Gadhafi family stages a comeback. Just from a psychological point of view, it's a big blow." Old regime The younger Gadhafi has little prospect of success because "for a lot of Libyans he represents a step back to the old regime," said Elena Suponina, a Moscow-based Middle East expert. "There are many people in Moscow who see this situation and in advance want to blame the potential failure of Seif al-Islam purely on the West," she said. Rich in oil and gas reserves, Libya has drawn global and regional powers vying for influence in a civil war that's raged intermittently since Gadhafi's father was toppled and killed in a 2011 uprising. Putin has repeatedly railed against the West's role in the overthrow through NATO airstrikes. The U.S. and its allies have accused Moscow, which lost billions of dollars in Gadhafi-era contracts, of trying to sabotage their efforts to shore up provisional United Nations-backed authorities. Shugaley warned of the risk of renewed conflict if Gadhafi isn't allowed to run or his supporters believe he lost the election unfairly. "This is a delayed time bomb," he said. Companies including France's TotalEnergies SE, Eni SpA of Italy and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are considering investing billions of dollars to exploit Libya's energy reserves located on Europe's doorstep. ICC warrant An official role for Seif Gadhafi would "present a challenge for any Libyan government and the return of Libya to the international community," U.S. State Department spokesman Sam Werberg said Nov. 15. "He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and is subject to sanctions from the United States and the United Nations." The landmark vote originally set for Dec. 24 has been plunged into uncertainty after Libya's election body called for a postponement. Authorities now propose holding it on Jan. 24. Electoral officials recently denied Shugaley permission to return to Libya as a vote observer a year after he was released from prison to Russia before trial. Libyan prosecutors accused him of illegally providing political consulting to Gadhafi on his potential presidential bid, Bloomberg reported in 2020. Shugaley denied the charges, saying he was just doing research. Shugaley said he met three times with Seif Gadhafi, 49, who only reemerged in mid-2021 after years of imprisonment and seclusion amid the war crimes charges. Meddling, mercenaries Prigozhin, who's known as "Putin's Chef" for his Kremlin catering contracts, is under U.S. sanctions for alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. His Wagner private paramilitary company was sanctioned Dec. 13 by the European Union for abuses including "torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions." Prigozhin denies he controls Wagner but the U.S. and EU reject that. The group has deployed fighters to Libya, Syria, Venezuela and the Central African Republic, all places where Russia is striving for geopolitical influence against the West. Moscow denies any links to the mercenaries. While Shugaley says he's not involved in Wagner, the think tank he heads, the Foundation for the Protection of National Values, is sponsored by Prigozhin. And Shugaley's willingness to discuss his activities in places ranging from Africa to Afghanistan marks a departure from a previous policy by Prigozhin and his lieutenants of keeping a low profile. "For Prigozhin, his status as a defender of national interests is hugely important," said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the Russian political consulting firm R.Politik. "He wants to demonstrate this to Putin." The U.S. sanctioned Shugaley's foundation in April for allegedly "supporting Prigozhin's global influence operations." After his release from prison in December 2020, Shugaley received 18 million rubles (about $245,000) from Prigozhin, as "material support" for the time he spent in jail, the tycoon's company said. Libya's been a major focus for the Kremlin in recent years, with Russia hosting peace talks and the Defense Ministry publicly embracing a powerful warlord. Moscow has often found itself at odds with the U.S. and its European allies there, as well as regional players like Turkey, Egypt and the UAE, which all have sought influence in Libya. ___ 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This undated photo provided by Merck & Co. shows their new antiviral medication molnupiravir. U.S. regulators have authorized a second pill against COVID-19, an antiviral drug from Merck that may help blunt the wave of infections driven by the omicron variant. The Food and Drug Administration granted the drug emergency use Thursday, Dec. 23, 2021, for adults with early COVID-19 who face the highest risks of hospitalization. Graphic by Cho Sang-won No matter who wins, 2022 will be turning point for Korea By Jung Da-min The year 2022 is expected to be a watershed period for Korea, with the major political event of the presidential election slated for March 9. Frustrated with the deepening polarization and division of the country, most Koreans, regardless of age, social status or political background, expect to see a major turnaround following the upcoming election. Though the presidential competition is mainly a race between the rival candidates of the country's two-major parties Lee Jae-myung of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) all eyes are on whether the ruling liberal bloc will manage to retain power or if the conservative bloc will succeed in bringing a leadership change. No matter who wins in the March election, Korea is expected to enter a new era. If elected, Lee is highly likely to expedite reforms that the Moon Jae-in administration has been pushing for and steer the country toward what he calls a "fair society." If Yoon wins, he will try to reshape the Korean political and economic landscape by changing things fundamentally and eventually turning the nation further into a market principle-centered society. From 1987, when a direct presidential election system went into effect in Korea, until the right-wing Park Geun-hye government (2013-2017), conservative and liberal administrations had taken power in turn in a 10-year cycle. Conservative presidents reigned from Roh Tae-woo (1988-1993) to the Kim Young-sam (1993-1998) period. Next, liberal presidents Kim Dae-jung (1998-2003) and Roh Moo-hyun (2003-2008) were elected. And following them, the conservatives came back into power with Presidents Lee Myung-bak (2008-2013) and Park. After Park was impeached before finishing her five-year term over various charges including corruption, the liberal bloc succeeded in changing the party of the leadership in power with the election of President Moon Jae-in. The level of attention is particularly high because foreign and economic policies will take different directions depending on which bloc takes the helm. The two candidates are taking contrasting stances on how to distribute wealth and promote economic growth, as well as how to build relations with key allies, including the United States and China. Bae Jong-chan, an opinion poll expert and head of Insight K, said Lee of the DPK, if elected, will place economic policy priority on resolving polarization and strengthening social welfare systems. "Lee has consistently called for a universal basic income. He is currently taking a rather soft position on the matter, saying he would not unilaterally push for the basic income policy without social consensus. But it is likely that he would put a stronger drive into introducing a basic income once elected," Bae said. In contrast, Bae said that Yoon would shift the focus of economic policies to encouraging entrepreneurial growth over wealth distribution, introducing more company-friendly policies by easing regulations and offering tax incentives. Bae also expected a clear distinction between the rival candidates in their policy directions in diplomatic and security issues. "If Yoon is elected, he would emphasize the principle that denuclearization should come first before inter-Korean cooperation, whereas Lee would continue the engagement policies pursued by the Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in governments," Bae said. Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea, poses at the party headquarters in Seoul's Yeouido, ahead of a joint interview with The Korea Times, Reuters and the South China Morning Post, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul "For other neighboring countries, Lee would try to strike a balance between China and the U.S. amid their growing rivalry, but it would be hard to expect that bilateral relations between South Korea and Japan could improve under Lee's leadership, as he is focused on the historical issues between the countries," Bae said. Seoul-Tokyo relations have deteriorated over historical issues including wartime sex slavery and forced labor. "For Yoon, it is obvious that he would be committed to strengthening the South Korea-U.S. alliance and improving relations with Japan, considering the figures selected as members of his election camp," he said. Cha Jae-won, a professor of special affairs at the Catholic University of Pusan, said conflicts among the different parties in terms of domestic policies and diplomacy with neighboring countries are expected if either Lee or Yoon is elected. Cha said that Lee's "pragmatic" stance on the government's planned increase of capital gains taxes on multiple home owners, for example, could bring a backlash from supporters of the liberal bloc. Aiming to gain the support of swing voters or centrists, Lee has suggested postponing the timing of the tax increase. But his proposal faced opposition from the incumbent administration, which is focused on normalizing the country's overheated housing market. "In addition, if Lee wins the presidential election, it is likely that the DPK could also win the subsequent local elections slated for June 1 to select leaders of local governments across the nation. When the DPK already has a supermajority in the National Assembly, accounting for almost 60 percent of the 300 seats, such a monopoly in politics would threaten the democratic principle of checks and balances. Concerns are that Lee could abandon his pragmatic stance to meet the expectations of the liberal bloc supporters only," Cha said. Cha also expects that Lee, if elected, could tip the balance of diplomacy in favor of China by engaging North Korea and promoting cooperation with Beijing, while distancing from the U.S. Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of the main opposition conservative People Power Party, speaks during an inauguration ceremony of the regional branch of his election camp in Daegu, at the party's regional office in the city, Thursday. Yonhap Efforts to win power in Libya by Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of the country's late ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi, won't succeed, according to the man who's been at the center of Kremlin-backed efforts to support him. Maxim Shugaley acts as a political consultant for Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon close to President Vladimir Putin. He spent 18 months in a Libyan jail accused by the government of plotting to interfere in Libya's presidential elections in Gadhafi's favor. The Kremlin pushed for his release. Now, Shugaley, 55, says he's gloomy about Gadhafi's prospects of becoming president. "No, he won't be," Shugaley said in an interview in Moscow, blaming the U.S. for thwarting Gadhafi's leadership ambitions, without offering evidence. "He's an unacceptable figure for the United States there is a political order against him," he said. "This would be a unique event in the world 10 years on and the Gadhafi family stages a comeback. Just from a psychological point of view, it's a big blow." Old regime The younger Gadhafi has little prospect of success because "for a lot of Libyans he represents a step back to the old regime," said Elena Suponina, a Moscow-based Middle East expert. "There are many people in Moscow who see this situation and in advance want to blame the potential failure of Seif al-Islam purely on the West," she said. Rich in oil and gas reserves, Libya has drawn global and regional powers vying for influence in a civil war that's raged intermittently since Gadhafi's father was toppled and killed in a 2011 uprising. Putin has repeatedly railed against the West's role in the overthrow through NATO airstrikes. The U.S. and its allies have accused Moscow, which lost billions of dollars in Gadhafi-era contracts, of trying to sabotage their efforts to shore up provisional United Nations-backed authorities. Shugaley warned of the risk of renewed conflict if Gadhafi isn't allowed to run or his supporters believe he lost the election unfairly. "This is a delayed time bomb," he said. Companies including France's TotalEnergies SE, Eni SpA of Italy and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are considering investing billions of dollars to exploit Libya's energy reserves located on Europe's doorstep. ICC warrant An official role for Seif Gadhafi would "present a challenge for any Libyan government and the return of Libya to the international community," U.S. State Department spokesman Sam Werberg said Nov. 15. "He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and is subject to sanctions from the United States and the United Nations." The landmark vote originally set for Dec. 24 has been plunged into uncertainty after Libya's election body called for a postponement. Authorities now propose holding it on Jan. 24. Electoral officials recently denied Shugaley permission to return to Libya as a vote observer a year after he was released from prison to Russia before trial. Libyan prosecutors accused him of illegally providing political consulting to Gadhafi on his potential presidential bid, Bloomberg reported in 2020. Shugaley denied the charges, saying he was just doing research. Shugaley said he met three times with Seif Gadhafi, 49, who only reemerged in mid-2021 after years of imprisonment and seclusion amid the war crimes charges. Meddling, mercenaries Prigozhin, who's known as "Putin's Chef" for his Kremlin catering contracts, is under U.S. sanctions for alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. His Wagner private paramilitary company was sanctioned Dec. 13 by the European Union for abuses including "torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions." Prigozhin denies he controls Wagner but the U.S. and EU reject that. The group has deployed fighters to Libya, Syria, Venezuela and the Central African Republic, all places where Russia is striving for geopolitical influence against the West. Moscow denies any links to the mercenaries. While Shugaley says he's not involved in Wagner, the think tank he heads, the Foundation for the Protection of National Values, is sponsored by Prigozhin. And Shugaley's willingness to discuss his activities in places ranging from Africa to Afghanistan marks a departure from a previous policy by Prigozhin and his lieutenants of keeping a low profile. "For Prigozhin, his status as a defender of national interests is hugely important," said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the Russian political consulting firm R.Politik. "He wants to demonstrate this to Putin." The U.S. sanctioned Shugaley's foundation in April for allegedly "supporting Prigozhin's global influence operations." After his release from prison in December 2020, Shugaley received 18 million rubles (about $245,000) from Prigozhin, as "material support" for the time he spent in jail, the tycoon's company said. Libya's been a major focus for the Kremlin in recent years, with Russia hosting peace talks and the Defense Ministry publicly embracing a powerful warlord. Moscow has often found itself at odds with the U.S. and its European allies there, as well as regional players like Turkey, Egypt and the UAE, which all have sought influence in Libya. ___ 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Efforts to win power in Libya by Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of the country's late ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi, won't succeed, according to the man who's been at the center of Kremlin-backed efforts to support him. Maxim Shugaley acts as a political consultant for Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon close to President Vladimir Putin. He spent 18 months in a Libyan jail accused by the government of plotting to interfere in Libya's presidential elections in Gadhafi's favor. The Kremlin pushed for his release. Now, Shugaley, 55, says he's gloomy about Gadhafi's prospects of becoming president. "No, he won't be," Shugaley said in an interview in Moscow, blaming the U.S. for thwarting Gadhafi's leadership ambitions, without offering evidence. "He's an unacceptable figure for the United States there is a political order against him," he said. "This would be a unique event in the world 10 years on and the Gadhafi family stages a comeback. Just from a psychological point of view, it's a big blow." Old regime The younger Gadhafi has little prospect of success because "for a lot of Libyans he represents a step back to the old regime," said Elena Suponina, a Moscow-based Middle East expert. "There are many people in Moscow who see this situation and in advance want to blame the potential failure of Seif al-Islam purely on the West," she said. Rich in oil and gas reserves, Libya has drawn global and regional powers vying for influence in a civil war that's raged intermittently since Gadhafi's father was toppled and killed in a 2011 uprising. Putin has repeatedly railed against the West's role in the overthrow through NATO airstrikes. The U.S. and its allies have accused Moscow, which lost billions of dollars in Gadhafi-era contracts, of trying to sabotage their efforts to shore up provisional United Nations-backed authorities. Shugaley warned of the risk of renewed conflict if Gadhafi isn't allowed to run or his supporters believe he lost the election unfairly. "This is a delayed time bomb," he said. Companies including France's TotalEnergies SE, Eni SpA of Italy and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are considering investing billions of dollars to exploit Libya's energy reserves located on Europe's doorstep. ICC warrant An official role for Seif Gadhafi would "present a challenge for any Libyan government and the return of Libya to the international community," U.S. State Department spokesman Sam Werberg said Nov. 15. "He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and is subject to sanctions from the United States and the United Nations." The landmark vote originally set for Dec. 24 has been plunged into uncertainty after Libya's election body called for a postponement. Authorities now propose holding it on Jan. 24. Electoral officials recently denied Shugaley permission to return to Libya as a vote observer a year after he was released from prison to Russia before trial. Libyan prosecutors accused him of illegally providing political consulting to Gadhafi on his potential presidential bid, Bloomberg reported in 2020. Shugaley denied the charges, saying he was just doing research. Shugaley said he met three times with Seif Gadhafi, 49, who only reemerged in mid-2021 after years of imprisonment and seclusion amid the war crimes charges. Meddling, mercenaries Prigozhin, who's known as "Putin's Chef" for his Kremlin catering contracts, is under U.S. sanctions for alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. His Wagner private paramilitary company was sanctioned Dec. 13 by the European Union for abuses including "torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions." Prigozhin denies he controls Wagner but the U.S. and EU reject that. The group has deployed fighters to Libya, Syria, Venezuela and the Central African Republic, all places where Russia is striving for geopolitical influence against the West. Moscow denies any links to the mercenaries. While Shugaley says he's not involved in Wagner, the think tank he heads, the Foundation for the Protection of National Values, is sponsored by Prigozhin. And Shugaley's willingness to discuss his activities in places ranging from Africa to Afghanistan marks a departure from a previous policy by Prigozhin and his lieutenants of keeping a low profile. "For Prigozhin, his status as a defender of national interests is hugely important," said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the Russian political consulting firm R.Politik. "He wants to demonstrate this to Putin." The U.S. sanctioned Shugaley's foundation in April for allegedly "supporting Prigozhin's global influence operations." After his release from prison in December 2020, Shugaley received 18 million rubles (about $245,000) from Prigozhin, as "material support" for the time he spent in jail, the tycoon's company said. Libya's been a major focus for the Kremlin in recent years, with Russia hosting peace talks and the Defense Ministry publicly embracing a powerful warlord. Moscow has often found itself at odds with the U.S. and its European allies there, as well as regional players like Turkey, Egypt and the UAE, which all have sought influence in Libya. ___ 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Efforts to win power in Libya by Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of the country's late ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi, won't succeed, according to the man who's been at the center of Kremlin-backed efforts to support him. Maxim Shugaley acts as a political consultant for Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon close to President Vladimir Putin. He spent 18 months in a Libyan jail accused by the government of plotting to interfere in Libya's presidential elections in Gadhafi's favor. The Kremlin pushed for his release. Now, Shugaley, 55, says he's gloomy about Gadhafi's prospects of becoming president. "No, he won't be," Shugaley said in an interview in Moscow, blaming the U.S. for thwarting Gadhafi's leadership ambitions, without offering evidence. "He's an unacceptable figure for the United States there is a political order against him," he said. "This would be a unique event in the world 10 years on and the Gadhafi family stages a comeback. Just from a psychological point of view, it's a big blow." Old regime The younger Gadhafi has little prospect of success because "for a lot of Libyans he represents a step back to the old regime," said Elena Suponina, a Moscow-based Middle East expert. "There are many people in Moscow who see this situation and in advance want to blame the potential failure of Seif al-Islam purely on the West," she said. Rich in oil and gas reserves, Libya has drawn global and regional powers vying for influence in a civil war that's raged intermittently since Gadhafi's father was toppled and killed in a 2011 uprising. Putin has repeatedly railed against the West's role in the overthrow through NATO airstrikes. The U.S. and its allies have accused Moscow, which lost billions of dollars in Gadhafi-era contracts, of trying to sabotage their efforts to shore up provisional United Nations-backed authorities. Shugaley warned of the risk of renewed conflict if Gadhafi isn't allowed to run or his supporters believe he lost the election unfairly. "This is a delayed time bomb," he said. Companies including France's TotalEnergies SE, Eni SpA of Italy and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are considering investing billions of dollars to exploit Libya's energy reserves located on Europe's doorstep. ICC warrant An official role for Seif Gadhafi would "present a challenge for any Libyan government and the return of Libya to the international community," U.S. State Department spokesman Sam Werberg said Nov. 15. "He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and is subject to sanctions from the United States and the United Nations." The landmark vote originally set for Dec. 24 has been plunged into uncertainty after Libya's election body called for a postponement. Authorities now propose holding it on Jan. 24. Electoral officials recently denied Shugaley permission to return to Libya as a vote observer a year after he was released from prison to Russia before trial. Libyan prosecutors accused him of illegally providing political consulting to Gadhafi on his potential presidential bid, Bloomberg reported in 2020. Shugaley denied the charges, saying he was just doing research. Shugaley said he met three times with Seif Gadhafi, 49, who only reemerged in mid-2021 after years of imprisonment and seclusion amid the war crimes charges. Meddling, mercenaries Prigozhin, who's known as "Putin's Chef" for his Kremlin catering contracts, is under U.S. sanctions for alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. His Wagner private paramilitary company was sanctioned Dec. 13 by the European Union for abuses including "torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions." Prigozhin denies he controls Wagner but the U.S. and EU reject that. The group has deployed fighters to Libya, Syria, Venezuela and the Central African Republic, all places where Russia is striving for geopolitical influence against the West. Moscow denies any links to the mercenaries. While Shugaley says he's not involved in Wagner, the think tank he heads, the Foundation for the Protection of National Values, is sponsored by Prigozhin. And Shugaley's willingness to discuss his activities in places ranging from Africa to Afghanistan marks a departure from a previous policy by Prigozhin and his lieutenants of keeping a low profile. "For Prigozhin, his status as a defender of national interests is hugely important," said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the Russian political consulting firm R.Politik. "He wants to demonstrate this to Putin." The U.S. sanctioned Shugaley's foundation in April for allegedly "supporting Prigozhin's global influence operations." After his release from prison in December 2020, Shugaley received 18 million rubles (about $245,000) from Prigozhin, as "material support" for the time he spent in jail, the tycoon's company said. Libya's been a major focus for the Kremlin in recent years, with Russia hosting peace talks and the Defense Ministry publicly embracing a powerful warlord. Moscow has often found itself at odds with the U.S. and its European allies there, as well as regional players like Turkey, Egypt and the UAE, which all have sought influence in Libya. ___ 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Efforts to win power in Libya by Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of the country's late ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi, won't succeed, according to the man who's been at the center of Kremlin-backed efforts to support him. Maxim Shugaley acts as a political consultant for Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon close to President Vladimir Putin. He spent 18 months in a Libyan jail accused by the government of plotting to interfere in Libya's presidential elections in Gadhafi's favor. The Kremlin pushed for his release. Now, Shugaley, 55, says he's gloomy about Gadhafi's prospects of becoming president. "No, he won't be," Shugaley said in an interview in Moscow, blaming the U.S. for thwarting Gadhafi's leadership ambitions, without offering evidence. "He's an unacceptable figure for the United States there is a political order against him," he said. "This would be a unique event in the world 10 years on and the Gadhafi family stages a comeback. Just from a psychological point of view, it's a big blow." Old regime The younger Gadhafi has little prospect of success because "for a lot of Libyans he represents a step back to the old regime," said Elena Suponina, a Moscow-based Middle East expert. "There are many people in Moscow who see this situation and in advance want to blame the potential failure of Seif al-Islam purely on the West," she said. Rich in oil and gas reserves, Libya has drawn global and regional powers vying for influence in a civil war that's raged intermittently since Gadhafi's father was toppled and killed in a 2011 uprising. Putin has repeatedly railed against the West's role in the overthrow through NATO airstrikes. The U.S. and its allies have accused Moscow, which lost billions of dollars in Gadhafi-era contracts, of trying to sabotage their efforts to shore up provisional United Nations-backed authorities. Shugaley warned of the risk of renewed conflict if Gadhafi isn't allowed to run or his supporters believe he lost the election unfairly. "This is a delayed time bomb," he said. Companies including France's TotalEnergies SE, Eni SpA of Italy and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are considering investing billions of dollars to exploit Libya's energy reserves located on Europe's doorstep. ICC warrant An official role for Seif Gadhafi would "present a challenge for any Libyan government and the return of Libya to the international community," U.S. State Department spokesman Sam Werberg said Nov. 15. "He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and is subject to sanctions from the United States and the United Nations." The landmark vote originally set for Dec. 24 has been plunged into uncertainty after Libya's election body called for a postponement. Authorities now propose holding it on Jan. 24. Electoral officials recently denied Shugaley permission to return to Libya as a vote observer a year after he was released from prison to Russia before trial. Libyan prosecutors accused him of illegally providing political consulting to Gadhafi on his potential presidential bid, Bloomberg reported in 2020. Shugaley denied the charges, saying he was just doing research. Shugaley said he met three times with Seif Gadhafi, 49, who only reemerged in mid-2021 after years of imprisonment and seclusion amid the war crimes charges. Meddling, mercenaries Prigozhin, who's known as "Putin's Chef" for his Kremlin catering contracts, is under U.S. sanctions for alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. His Wagner private paramilitary company was sanctioned Dec. 13 by the European Union for abuses including "torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions." Prigozhin denies he controls Wagner but the U.S. and EU reject that. The group has deployed fighters to Libya, Syria, Venezuela and the Central African Republic, all places where Russia is striving for geopolitical influence against the West. Moscow denies any links to the mercenaries. While Shugaley says he's not involved in Wagner, the think tank he heads, the Foundation for the Protection of National Values, is sponsored by Prigozhin. And Shugaley's willingness to discuss his activities in places ranging from Africa to Afghanistan marks a departure from a previous policy by Prigozhin and his lieutenants of keeping a low profile. "For Prigozhin, his status as a defender of national interests is hugely important," said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the Russian political consulting firm R.Politik. "He wants to demonstrate this to Putin." The U.S. sanctioned Shugaley's foundation in April for allegedly "supporting Prigozhin's global influence operations." After his release from prison in December 2020, Shugaley received 18 million rubles (about $245,000) from Prigozhin, as "material support" for the time he spent in jail, the tycoon's company said. Libya's been a major focus for the Kremlin in recent years, with Russia hosting peace talks and the Defense Ministry publicly embracing a powerful warlord. Moscow has often found itself at odds with the U.S. and its European allies there, as well as regional players like Turkey, Egypt and the UAE, which all have sought influence in Libya. ___ 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Efforts to win power in Libya by Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of the country's late ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi, won't succeed, according to the man who's been at the center of Kremlin-backed efforts to support him. Maxim Shugaley acts as a political consultant for Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon close to President Vladimir Putin. He spent 18 months in a Libyan jail accused by the government of plotting to interfere in Libya's presidential elections in Gadhafi's favor. The Kremlin pushed for his release. Now, Shugaley, 55, says he's gloomy about Gadhafi's prospects of becoming president. "No, he won't be," Shugaley said in an interview in Moscow, blaming the U.S. for thwarting Gadhafi's leadership ambitions, without offering evidence. "He's an unacceptable figure for the United States there is a political order against him," he said. "This would be a unique event in the world 10 years on and the Gadhafi family stages a comeback. Just from a psychological point of view, it's a big blow." Old regime The younger Gadhafi has little prospect of success because "for a lot of Libyans he represents a step back to the old regime," said Elena Suponina, a Moscow-based Middle East expert. "There are many people in Moscow who see this situation and in advance want to blame the potential failure of Seif al-Islam purely on the West," she said. Rich in oil and gas reserves, Libya has drawn global and regional powers vying for influence in a civil war that's raged intermittently since Gadhafi's father was toppled and killed in a 2011 uprising. Putin has repeatedly railed against the West's role in the overthrow through NATO airstrikes. The U.S. and its allies have accused Moscow, which lost billions of dollars in Gadhafi-era contracts, of trying to sabotage their efforts to shore up provisional United Nations-backed authorities. Shugaley warned of the risk of renewed conflict if Gadhafi isn't allowed to run or his supporters believe he lost the election unfairly. "This is a delayed time bomb," he said. Companies including France's TotalEnergies SE, Eni SpA of Italy and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are considering investing billions of dollars to exploit Libya's energy reserves located on Europe's doorstep. ICC warrant An official role for Seif Gadhafi would "present a challenge for any Libyan government and the return of Libya to the international community," U.S. State Department spokesman Sam Werberg said Nov. 15. "He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and is subject to sanctions from the United States and the United Nations." The landmark vote originally set for Dec. 24 has been plunged into uncertainty after Libya's election body called for a postponement. Authorities now propose holding it on Jan. 24. Electoral officials recently denied Shugaley permission to return to Libya as a vote observer a year after he was released from prison to Russia before trial. Libyan prosecutors accused him of illegally providing political consulting to Gadhafi on his potential presidential bid, Bloomberg reported in 2020. Shugaley denied the charges, saying he was just doing research. Shugaley said he met three times with Seif Gadhafi, 49, who only reemerged in mid-2021 after years of imprisonment and seclusion amid the war crimes charges. Meddling, mercenaries Prigozhin, who's known as "Putin's Chef" for his Kremlin catering contracts, is under U.S. sanctions for alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. His Wagner private paramilitary company was sanctioned Dec. 13 by the European Union for abuses including "torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions." Prigozhin denies he controls Wagner but the U.S. and EU reject that. The group has deployed fighters to Libya, Syria, Venezuela and the Central African Republic, all places where Russia is striving for geopolitical influence against the West. Moscow denies any links to the mercenaries. While Shugaley says he's not involved in Wagner, the think tank he heads, the Foundation for the Protection of National Values, is sponsored by Prigozhin. And Shugaley's willingness to discuss his activities in places ranging from Africa to Afghanistan marks a departure from a previous policy by Prigozhin and his lieutenants of keeping a low profile. "For Prigozhin, his status as a defender of national interests is hugely important," said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the Russian political consulting firm R.Politik. "He wants to demonstrate this to Putin." The U.S. sanctioned Shugaley's foundation in April for allegedly "supporting Prigozhin's global influence operations." After his release from prison in December 2020, Shugaley received 18 million rubles (about $245,000) from Prigozhin, as "material support" for the time he spent in jail, the tycoon's company said. Libya's been a major focus for the Kremlin in recent years, with Russia hosting peace talks and the Defense Ministry publicly embracing a powerful warlord. Moscow has often found itself at odds with the U.S. and its European allies there, as well as regional players like Turkey, Egypt and the UAE, which all have sought influence in Libya. ___ 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Efforts to win power in Libya by Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of the country's late ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi, won't succeed, according to the man who's been at the center of Kremlin-backed efforts to support him. Maxim Shugaley acts as a political consultant for Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon close to President Vladimir Putin. He spent 18 months in a Libyan jail accused by the government of plotting to interfere in Libya's presidential elections in Gadhafi's favor. The Kremlin pushed for his release. Now, Shugaley, 55, says he's gloomy about Gadhafi's prospects of becoming president. "No, he won't be," Shugaley said in an interview in Moscow, blaming the U.S. for thwarting Gadhafi's leadership ambitions, without offering evidence. "He's an unacceptable figure for the United States there is a political order against him," he said. "This would be a unique event in the world 10 years on and the Gadhafi family stages a comeback. Just from a psychological point of view, it's a big blow." Old regime The younger Gadhafi has little prospect of success because "for a lot of Libyans he represents a step back to the old regime," said Elena Suponina, a Moscow-based Middle East expert. "There are many people in Moscow who see this situation and in advance want to blame the potential failure of Seif al-Islam purely on the West," she said. Rich in oil and gas reserves, Libya has drawn global and regional powers vying for influence in a civil war that's raged intermittently since Gadhafi's father was toppled and killed in a 2011 uprising. Putin has repeatedly railed against the West's role in the overthrow through NATO airstrikes. The U.S. and its allies have accused Moscow, which lost billions of dollars in Gadhafi-era contracts, of trying to sabotage their efforts to shore up provisional United Nations-backed authorities. Shugaley warned of the risk of renewed conflict if Gadhafi isn't allowed to run or his supporters believe he lost the election unfairly. "This is a delayed time bomb," he said. Companies including France's TotalEnergies SE, Eni SpA of Italy and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are considering investing billions of dollars to exploit Libya's energy reserves located on Europe's doorstep. ICC warrant An official role for Seif Gadhafi would "present a challenge for any Libyan government and the return of Libya to the international community," U.S. State Department spokesman Sam Werberg said Nov. 15. "He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and is subject to sanctions from the United States and the United Nations." The landmark vote originally set for Dec. 24 has been plunged into uncertainty after Libya's election body called for a postponement. Authorities now propose holding it on Jan. 24. Electoral officials recently denied Shugaley permission to return to Libya as a vote observer a year after he was released from prison to Russia before trial. Libyan prosecutors accused him of illegally providing political consulting to Gadhafi on his potential presidential bid, Bloomberg reported in 2020. Shugaley denied the charges, saying he was just doing research. Shugaley said he met three times with Seif Gadhafi, 49, who only reemerged in mid-2021 after years of imprisonment and seclusion amid the war crimes charges. Meddling, mercenaries Prigozhin, who's known as "Putin's Chef" for his Kremlin catering contracts, is under U.S. sanctions for alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. His Wagner private paramilitary company was sanctioned Dec. 13 by the European Union for abuses including "torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions." Prigozhin denies he controls Wagner but the U.S. and EU reject that. The group has deployed fighters to Libya, Syria, Venezuela and the Central African Republic, all places where Russia is striving for geopolitical influence against the West. Moscow denies any links to the mercenaries. While Shugaley says he's not involved in Wagner, the think tank he heads, the Foundation for the Protection of National Values, is sponsored by Prigozhin. And Shugaley's willingness to discuss his activities in places ranging from Africa to Afghanistan marks a departure from a previous policy by Prigozhin and his lieutenants of keeping a low profile. "For Prigozhin, his status as a defender of national interests is hugely important," said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the Russian political consulting firm R.Politik. "He wants to demonstrate this to Putin." The U.S. sanctioned Shugaley's foundation in April for allegedly "supporting Prigozhin's global influence operations." After his release from prison in December 2020, Shugaley received 18 million rubles (about $245,000) from Prigozhin, as "material support" for the time he spent in jail, the tycoon's company said. Libya's been a major focus for the Kremlin in recent years, with Russia hosting peace talks and the Defense Ministry publicly embracing a powerful warlord. Moscow has often found itself at odds with the U.S. and its European allies there, as well as regional players like Turkey, Egypt and the UAE, which all have sought influence in Libya. ___ 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Efforts to win power in Libya by Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of the country's late ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi, won't succeed, according to the man who's been at the center of Kremlin-backed efforts to support him. Maxim Shugaley acts as a political consultant for Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon close to President Vladimir Putin. He spent 18 months in a Libyan jail accused by the government of plotting to interfere in Libya's presidential elections in Gadhafi's favor. The Kremlin pushed for his release. Now, Shugaley, 55, says he's gloomy about Gadhafi's prospects of becoming president. "No, he won't be," Shugaley said in an interview in Moscow, blaming the U.S. for thwarting Gadhafi's leadership ambitions, without offering evidence. "He's an unacceptable figure for the United States there is a political order against him," he said. "This would be a unique event in the world 10 years on and the Gadhafi family stages a comeback. Just from a psychological point of view, it's a big blow." Old regime The younger Gadhafi has little prospect of success because "for a lot of Libyans he represents a step back to the old regime," said Elena Suponina, a Moscow-based Middle East expert. "There are many people in Moscow who see this situation and in advance want to blame the potential failure of Seif al-Islam purely on the West," she said. Rich in oil and gas reserves, Libya has drawn global and regional powers vying for influence in a civil war that's raged intermittently since Gadhafi's father was toppled and killed in a 2011 uprising. Putin has repeatedly railed against the West's role in the overthrow through NATO airstrikes. The U.S. and its allies have accused Moscow, which lost billions of dollars in Gadhafi-era contracts, of trying to sabotage their efforts to shore up provisional United Nations-backed authorities. Shugaley warned of the risk of renewed conflict if Gadhafi isn't allowed to run or his supporters believe he lost the election unfairly. "This is a delayed time bomb," he said. Companies including France's TotalEnergies SE, Eni SpA of Italy and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are considering investing billions of dollars to exploit Libya's energy reserves located on Europe's doorstep. ICC warrant An official role for Seif Gadhafi would "present a challenge for any Libyan government and the return of Libya to the international community," U.S. State Department spokesman Sam Werberg said Nov. 15. "He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and is subject to sanctions from the United States and the United Nations." The landmark vote originally set for Dec. 24 has been plunged into uncertainty after Libya's election body called for a postponement. Authorities now propose holding it on Jan. 24. Electoral officials recently denied Shugaley permission to return to Libya as a vote observer a year after he was released from prison to Russia before trial. Libyan prosecutors accused him of illegally providing political consulting to Gadhafi on his potential presidential bid, Bloomberg reported in 2020. Shugaley denied the charges, saying he was just doing research. Shugaley said he met three times with Seif Gadhafi, 49, who only reemerged in mid-2021 after years of imprisonment and seclusion amid the war crimes charges. Meddling, mercenaries Prigozhin, who's known as "Putin's Chef" for his Kremlin catering contracts, is under U.S. sanctions for alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. His Wagner private paramilitary company was sanctioned Dec. 13 by the European Union for abuses including "torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions." Prigozhin denies he controls Wagner but the U.S. and EU reject that. The group has deployed fighters to Libya, Syria, Venezuela and the Central African Republic, all places where Russia is striving for geopolitical influence against the West. Moscow denies any links to the mercenaries. While Shugaley says he's not involved in Wagner, the think tank he heads, the Foundation for the Protection of National Values, is sponsored by Prigozhin. And Shugaley's willingness to discuss his activities in places ranging from Africa to Afghanistan marks a departure from a previous policy by Prigozhin and his lieutenants of keeping a low profile. "For Prigozhin, his status as a defender of national interests is hugely important," said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the Russian political consulting firm R.Politik. "He wants to demonstrate this to Putin." The U.S. sanctioned Shugaley's foundation in April for allegedly "supporting Prigozhin's global influence operations." After his release from prison in December 2020, Shugaley received 18 million rubles (about $245,000) from Prigozhin, as "material support" for the time he spent in jail, the tycoon's company said. Libya's been a major focus for the Kremlin in recent years, with Russia hosting peace talks and the Defense Ministry publicly embracing a powerful warlord. Moscow has often found itself at odds with the U.S. and its European allies there, as well as regional players like Turkey, Egypt and the UAE, which all have sought influence in Libya. ___ 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Efforts to win power in Libya by Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of the country's late ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi, won't succeed, according to the man who's been at the center of Kremlin-backed efforts to support him. Maxim Shugaley acts as a political consultant for Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon close to President Vladimir Putin. He spent 18 months in a Libyan jail accused by the government of plotting to interfere in Libya's presidential elections in Gadhafi's favor. The Kremlin pushed for his release. Now, Shugaley, 55, says he's gloomy about Gadhafi's prospects of becoming president. "No, he won't be," Shugaley said in an interview in Moscow, blaming the U.S. for thwarting Gadhafi's leadership ambitions, without offering evidence. "He's an unacceptable figure for the United States there is a political order against him," he said. "This would be a unique event in the world 10 years on and the Gadhafi family stages a comeback. Just from a psychological point of view, it's a big blow." Old regime The younger Gadhafi has little prospect of success because "for a lot of Libyans he represents a step back to the old regime," said Elena Suponina, a Moscow-based Middle East expert. "There are many people in Moscow who see this situation and in advance want to blame the potential failure of Seif al-Islam purely on the West," she said. Rich in oil and gas reserves, Libya has drawn global and regional powers vying for influence in a civil war that's raged intermittently since Gadhafi's father was toppled and killed in a 2011 uprising. Putin has repeatedly railed against the West's role in the overthrow through NATO airstrikes. The U.S. and its allies have accused Moscow, which lost billions of dollars in Gadhafi-era contracts, of trying to sabotage their efforts to shore up provisional United Nations-backed authorities. Shugaley warned of the risk of renewed conflict if Gadhafi isn't allowed to run or his supporters believe he lost the election unfairly. "This is a delayed time bomb," he said. Companies including France's TotalEnergies SE, Eni SpA of Italy and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are considering investing billions of dollars to exploit Libya's energy reserves located on Europe's doorstep. ICC warrant An official role for Seif Gadhafi would "present a challenge for any Libyan government and the return of Libya to the international community," U.S. State Department spokesman Sam Werberg said Nov. 15. "He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and is subject to sanctions from the United States and the United Nations." The landmark vote originally set for Dec. 24 has been plunged into uncertainty after Libya's election body called for a postponement. Authorities now propose holding it on Jan. 24. Electoral officials recently denied Shugaley permission to return to Libya as a vote observer a year after he was released from prison to Russia before trial. Libyan prosecutors accused him of illegally providing political consulting to Gadhafi on his potential presidential bid, Bloomberg reported in 2020. Shugaley denied the charges, saying he was just doing research. Shugaley said he met three times with Seif Gadhafi, 49, who only reemerged in mid-2021 after years of imprisonment and seclusion amid the war crimes charges. Meddling, mercenaries Prigozhin, who's known as "Putin's Chef" for his Kremlin catering contracts, is under U.S. sanctions for alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. His Wagner private paramilitary company was sanctioned Dec. 13 by the European Union for abuses including "torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions." Prigozhin denies he controls Wagner but the U.S. and EU reject that. The group has deployed fighters to Libya, Syria, Venezuela and the Central African Republic, all places where Russia is striving for geopolitical influence against the West. Moscow denies any links to the mercenaries. While Shugaley says he's not involved in Wagner, the think tank he heads, the Foundation for the Protection of National Values, is sponsored by Prigozhin. And Shugaley's willingness to discuss his activities in places ranging from Africa to Afghanistan marks a departure from a previous policy by Prigozhin and his lieutenants of keeping a low profile. "For Prigozhin, his status as a defender of national interests is hugely important," said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the Russian political consulting firm R.Politik. "He wants to demonstrate this to Putin." The U.S. sanctioned Shugaley's foundation in April for allegedly "supporting Prigozhin's global influence operations." After his release from prison in December 2020, Shugaley received 18 million rubles (about $245,000) from Prigozhin, as "material support" for the time he spent in jail, the tycoon's company said. Libya's been a major focus for the Kremlin in recent years, with Russia hosting peace talks and the Defense Ministry publicly embracing a powerful warlord. Moscow has often found itself at odds with the U.S. and its European allies there, as well as regional players like Turkey, Egypt and the UAE, which all have sought influence in Libya. ___ 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Efforts to win power in Libya by Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of the country's late ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi, won't succeed, according to the man who's been at the center of Kremlin-backed efforts to support him. Maxim Shugaley acts as a political consultant for Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon close to President Vladimir Putin. He spent 18 months in a Libyan jail accused by the government of plotting to interfere in Libya's presidential elections in Gadhafi's favor. The Kremlin pushed for his release. Now, Shugaley, 55, says he's gloomy about Gadhafi's prospects of becoming president. "No, he won't be," Shugaley said in an interview in Moscow, blaming the U.S. for thwarting Gadhafi's leadership ambitions, without offering evidence. "He's an unacceptable figure for the United States there is a political order against him," he said. "This would be a unique event in the world 10 years on and the Gadhafi family stages a comeback. Just from a psychological point of view, it's a big blow." Old regime The younger Gadhafi has little prospect of success because "for a lot of Libyans he represents a step back to the old regime," said Elena Suponina, a Moscow-based Middle East expert. "There are many people in Moscow who see this situation and in advance want to blame the potential failure of Seif al-Islam purely on the West," she said. Rich in oil and gas reserves, Libya has drawn global and regional powers vying for influence in a civil war that's raged intermittently since Gadhafi's father was toppled and killed in a 2011 uprising. Putin has repeatedly railed against the West's role in the overthrow through NATO airstrikes. The U.S. and its allies have accused Moscow, which lost billions of dollars in Gadhafi-era contracts, of trying to sabotage their efforts to shore up provisional United Nations-backed authorities. Shugaley warned of the risk of renewed conflict if Gadhafi isn't allowed to run or his supporters believe he lost the election unfairly. "This is a delayed time bomb," he said. Companies including France's TotalEnergies SE, Eni SpA of Italy and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are considering investing billions of dollars to exploit Libya's energy reserves located on Europe's doorstep. ICC warrant An official role for Seif Gadhafi would "present a challenge for any Libyan government and the return of Libya to the international community," U.S. State Department spokesman Sam Werberg said Nov. 15. "He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and is subject to sanctions from the United States and the United Nations." The landmark vote originally set for Dec. 24 has been plunged into uncertainty after Libya's election body called for a postponement. Authorities now propose holding it on Jan. 24. Electoral officials recently denied Shugaley permission to return to Libya as a vote observer a year after he was released from prison to Russia before trial. Libyan prosecutors accused him of illegally providing political consulting to Gadhafi on his potential presidential bid, Bloomberg reported in 2020. Shugaley denied the charges, saying he was just doing research. Shugaley said he met three times with Seif Gadhafi, 49, who only reemerged in mid-2021 after years of imprisonment and seclusion amid the war crimes charges. Meddling, mercenaries Prigozhin, who's known as "Putin's Chef" for his Kremlin catering contracts, is under U.S. sanctions for alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. His Wagner private paramilitary company was sanctioned Dec. 13 by the European Union for abuses including "torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions." Prigozhin denies he controls Wagner but the U.S. and EU reject that. The group has deployed fighters to Libya, Syria, Venezuela and the Central African Republic, all places where Russia is striving for geopolitical influence against the West. Moscow denies any links to the mercenaries. While Shugaley says he's not involved in Wagner, the think tank he heads, the Foundation for the Protection of National Values, is sponsored by Prigozhin. And Shugaley's willingness to discuss his activities in places ranging from Africa to Afghanistan marks a departure from a previous policy by Prigozhin and his lieutenants of keeping a low profile. "For Prigozhin, his status as a defender of national interests is hugely important," said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the Russian political consulting firm R.Politik. "He wants to demonstrate this to Putin." The U.S. sanctioned Shugaley's foundation in April for allegedly "supporting Prigozhin's global influence operations." After his release from prison in December 2020, Shugaley received 18 million rubles (about $245,000) from Prigozhin, as "material support" for the time he spent in jail, the tycoon's company said. Libya's been a major focus for the Kremlin in recent years, with Russia hosting peace talks and the Defense Ministry publicly embracing a powerful warlord. Moscow has often found itself at odds with the U.S. and its European allies there, as well as regional players like Turkey, Egypt and the UAE, which all have sought influence in Libya. ___ 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Efforts to win power in Libya by Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of the country's late ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi, won't succeed, according to the man who's been at the center of Kremlin-backed efforts to support him. Maxim Shugaley acts as a political consultant for Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon close to President Vladimir Putin. He spent 18 months in a Libyan jail accused by the government of plotting to interfere in Libya's presidential elections in Gadhafi's favor. The Kremlin pushed for his release. Now, Shugaley, 55, says he's gloomy about Gadhafi's prospects of becoming president. "No, he won't be," Shugaley said in an interview in Moscow, blaming the U.S. for thwarting Gadhafi's leadership ambitions, without offering evidence. "He's an unacceptable figure for the United States there is a political order against him," he said. "This would be a unique event in the world 10 years on and the Gadhafi family stages a comeback. Just from a psychological point of view, it's a big blow." Old regime The younger Gadhafi has little prospect of success because "for a lot of Libyans he represents a step back to the old regime," said Elena Suponina, a Moscow-based Middle East expert. "There are many people in Moscow who see this situation and in advance want to blame the potential failure of Seif al-Islam purely on the West," she said. Rich in oil and gas reserves, Libya has drawn global and regional powers vying for influence in a civil war that's raged intermittently since Gadhafi's father was toppled and killed in a 2011 uprising. Putin has repeatedly railed against the West's role in the overthrow through NATO airstrikes. The U.S. and its allies have accused Moscow, which lost billions of dollars in Gadhafi-era contracts, of trying to sabotage their efforts to shore up provisional United Nations-backed authorities. Shugaley warned of the risk of renewed conflict if Gadhafi isn't allowed to run or his supporters believe he lost the election unfairly. "This is a delayed time bomb," he said. Companies including France's TotalEnergies SE, Eni SpA of Italy and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are considering investing billions of dollars to exploit Libya's energy reserves located on Europe's doorstep. ICC warrant An official role for Seif Gadhafi would "present a challenge for any Libyan government and the return of Libya to the international community," U.S. State Department spokesman Sam Werberg said Nov. 15. "He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and is subject to sanctions from the United States and the United Nations." The landmark vote originally set for Dec. 24 has been plunged into uncertainty after Libya's election body called for a postponement. Authorities now propose holding it on Jan. 24. Electoral officials recently denied Shugaley permission to return to Libya as a vote observer a year after he was released from prison to Russia before trial. Libyan prosecutors accused him of illegally providing political consulting to Gadhafi on his potential presidential bid, Bloomberg reported in 2020. Shugaley denied the charges, saying he was just doing research. Shugaley said he met three times with Seif Gadhafi, 49, who only reemerged in mid-2021 after years of imprisonment and seclusion amid the war crimes charges. Meddling, mercenaries Prigozhin, who's known as "Putin's Chef" for his Kremlin catering contracts, is under U.S. sanctions for alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. His Wagner private paramilitary company was sanctioned Dec. 13 by the European Union for abuses including "torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions." Prigozhin denies he controls Wagner but the U.S. and EU reject that. The group has deployed fighters to Libya, Syria, Venezuela and the Central African Republic, all places where Russia is striving for geopolitical influence against the West. Moscow denies any links to the mercenaries. While Shugaley says he's not involved in Wagner, the think tank he heads, the Foundation for the Protection of National Values, is sponsored by Prigozhin. And Shugaley's willingness to discuss his activities in places ranging from Africa to Afghanistan marks a departure from a previous policy by Prigozhin and his lieutenants of keeping a low profile. "For Prigozhin, his status as a defender of national interests is hugely important," said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the Russian political consulting firm R.Politik. "He wants to demonstrate this to Putin." The U.S. sanctioned Shugaley's foundation in April for allegedly "supporting Prigozhin's global influence operations." After his release from prison in December 2020, Shugaley received 18 million rubles (about $245,000) from Prigozhin, as "material support" for the time he spent in jail, the tycoon's company said. Libya's been a major focus for the Kremlin in recent years, with Russia hosting peace talks and the Defense Ministry publicly embracing a powerful warlord. Moscow has often found itself at odds with the U.S. and its European allies there, as well as regional players like Turkey, Egypt and the UAE, which all have sought influence in Libya. ___ 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Graphic by Cho Sang-won No matter who wins, 2022 will be turning point for Korea By Jung Da-min The year 2022 is expected to be a watershed period for Korea, with the major political event of the presidential election slated for March 9. Frustrated with the deepening polarization and division of the country, most Koreans, regardless of age, social status or political background, expect to see a major turnaround following the upcoming election. Though the presidential competition is mainly a race between the rival candidates of the country's two-major parties Lee Jae-myung of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) all eyes are on whether the ruling liberal bloc will manage to retain power or if the conservative bloc will succeed in bringing a leadership change. No matter who wins in the March election, Korea is expected to enter a new era. If elected, Lee is highly likely to expedite reforms that the Moon Jae-in administration has been pushing for and steer the country toward what he calls a "fair society." If Yoon wins, he will try to reshape the Korean political and economic landscape by changing things fundamentally and eventually turning the nation further into a market principle-centered society. From 1987, when a direct presidential election system went into effect in Korea, until the right-wing Park Geun-hye government (2013-2017), conservative and liberal administrations had taken power in turn in a 10-year cycle. Conservative presidents reigned from Roh Tae-woo (1988-1993) to the Kim Young-sam (1993-1998) period. Next, liberal presidents Kim Dae-jung (1998-2003) and Roh Moo-hyun (2003-2008) were elected. And following them, the conservatives came back into power with Presidents Lee Myung-bak (2008-2013) and Park. After Park was impeached before finishing her five-year term over various charges including corruption, the liberal bloc succeeded in changing the party of the leadership in power with the election of President Moon Jae-in. The level of attention is particularly high because foreign and economic policies will take different directions depending on which bloc takes the helm. The two candidates are taking contrasting stances on how to distribute wealth and promote economic growth, as well as how to build relations with key allies, including the United States and China. Bae Jong-chan, an opinion poll expert and head of Insight K, said Lee of the DPK, if elected, will place economic policy priority on resolving polarization and strengthening social welfare systems. "Lee has consistently called for a universal basic income. He is currently taking a rather soft position on the matter, saying he would not unilaterally push for the basic income policy without social consensus. But it is likely that he would put a stronger drive into introducing a basic income once elected," Bae said. In contrast, Bae said that Yoon would shift the focus of economic policies to encouraging entrepreneurial growth over wealth distribution, introducing more company-friendly policies by easing regulations and offering tax incentives. Bae also expected a clear distinction between the rival candidates in their policy directions in diplomatic and security issues. "If Yoon is elected, he would emphasize the principle that denuclearization should come first before inter-Korean cooperation, whereas Lee would continue the engagement policies pursued by the Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in governments," Bae said. Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea, poses at the party headquarters in Seoul's Yeouido, ahead of a joint interview with The Korea Times, Reuters and the South China Morning Post, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul "For other neighboring countries, Lee would try to strike a balance between China and the U.S. amid their growing rivalry, but it would be hard to expect that bilateral relations between South Korea and Japan could improve under Lee's leadership, as he is focused on the historical issues between the countries," Bae said. Seoul-Tokyo relations have deteriorated over historical issues including wartime sex slavery and forced labor. "For Yoon, it is obvious that he would be committed to strengthening the South Korea-U.S. alliance and improving relations with Japan, considering the figures selected as members of his election camp," he said. Cha Jae-won, a professor of special affairs at the Catholic University of Pusan, said conflicts among the different parties in terms of domestic policies and diplomacy with neighboring countries are expected if either Lee or Yoon is elected. Cha said that Lee's "pragmatic" stance on the government's planned increase of capital gains taxes on multiple home owners, for example, could bring a backlash from supporters of the liberal bloc. Aiming to gain the support of swing voters or centrists, Lee has suggested postponing the timing of the tax increase. But his proposal faced opposition from the incumbent administration, which is focused on normalizing the country's overheated housing market. "In addition, if Lee wins the presidential election, it is likely that the DPK could also win the subsequent local elections slated for June 1 to select leaders of local governments across the nation. When the DPK already has a supermajority in the National Assembly, accounting for almost 60 percent of the 300 seats, such a monopoly in politics would threaten the democratic principle of checks and balances. Concerns are that Lee could abandon his pragmatic stance to meet the expectations of the liberal bloc supporters only," Cha said. Cha also expects that Lee, if elected, could tip the balance of diplomacy in favor of China by engaging North Korea and promoting cooperation with Beijing, while distancing from the U.S. Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of the main opposition conservative People Power Party, speaks during an inauguration ceremony of the regional branch of his election camp in Daegu, at the party's regional office in the city, Thursday. Yonhap Efforts to win power in Libya by Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of the country's late ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi, won't succeed, according to the man who's been at the center of Kremlin-backed efforts to support him. Maxim Shugaley acts as a political consultant for Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon close to President Vladimir Putin. He spent 18 months in a Libyan jail accused by the government of plotting to interfere in Libya's presidential elections in Gadhafi's favor. The Kremlin pushed for his release. Now, Shugaley, 55, says he's gloomy about Gadhafi's prospects of becoming president. "No, he won't be," Shugaley said in an interview in Moscow, blaming the U.S. for thwarting Gadhafi's leadership ambitions, without offering evidence. "He's an unacceptable figure for the United States there is a political order against him," he said. "This would be a unique event in the world 10 years on and the Gadhafi family stages a comeback. Just from a psychological point of view, it's a big blow." Old regime The younger Gadhafi has little prospect of success because "for a lot of Libyans he represents a step back to the old regime," said Elena Suponina, a Moscow-based Middle East expert. "There are many people in Moscow who see this situation and in advance want to blame the potential failure of Seif al-Islam purely on the West," she said. Rich in oil and gas reserves, Libya has drawn global and regional powers vying for influence in a civil war that's raged intermittently since Gadhafi's father was toppled and killed in a 2011 uprising. Putin has repeatedly railed against the West's role in the overthrow through NATO airstrikes. The U.S. and its allies have accused Moscow, which lost billions of dollars in Gadhafi-era contracts, of trying to sabotage their efforts to shore up provisional United Nations-backed authorities. Shugaley warned of the risk of renewed conflict if Gadhafi isn't allowed to run or his supporters believe he lost the election unfairly. "This is a delayed time bomb," he said. Companies including France's TotalEnergies SE, Eni SpA of Italy and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are considering investing billions of dollars to exploit Libya's energy reserves located on Europe's doorstep. ICC warrant An official role for Seif Gadhafi would "present a challenge for any Libyan government and the return of Libya to the international community," U.S. State Department spokesman Sam Werberg said Nov. 15. "He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and is subject to sanctions from the United States and the United Nations." The landmark vote originally set for Dec. 24 has been plunged into uncertainty after Libya's election body called for a postponement. Authorities now propose holding it on Jan. 24. Electoral officials recently denied Shugaley permission to return to Libya as a vote observer a year after he was released from prison to Russia before trial. Libyan prosecutors accused him of illegally providing political consulting to Gadhafi on his potential presidential bid, Bloomberg reported in 2020. Shugaley denied the charges, saying he was just doing research. Shugaley said he met three times with Seif Gadhafi, 49, who only reemerged in mid-2021 after years of imprisonment and seclusion amid the war crimes charges. Meddling, mercenaries Prigozhin, who's known as "Putin's Chef" for his Kremlin catering contracts, is under U.S. sanctions for alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. His Wagner private paramilitary company was sanctioned Dec. 13 by the European Union for abuses including "torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions." Prigozhin denies he controls Wagner but the U.S. and EU reject that. The group has deployed fighters to Libya, Syria, Venezuela and the Central African Republic, all places where Russia is striving for geopolitical influence against the West. Moscow denies any links to the mercenaries. While Shugaley says he's not involved in Wagner, the think tank he heads, the Foundation for the Protection of National Values, is sponsored by Prigozhin. And Shugaley's willingness to discuss his activities in places ranging from Africa to Afghanistan marks a departure from a previous policy by Prigozhin and his lieutenants of keeping a low profile. "For Prigozhin, his status as a defender of national interests is hugely important," said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the Russian political consulting firm R.Politik. "He wants to demonstrate this to Putin." The U.S. sanctioned Shugaley's foundation in April for allegedly "supporting Prigozhin's global influence operations." After his release from prison in December 2020, Shugaley received 18 million rubles (about $245,000) from Prigozhin, as "material support" for the time he spent in jail, the tycoon's company said. Libya's been a major focus for the Kremlin in recent years, with Russia hosting peace talks and the Defense Ministry publicly embracing a powerful warlord. Moscow has often found itself at odds with the U.S. and its European allies there, as well as regional players like Turkey, Egypt and the UAE, which all have sought influence in Libya. ___ 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Efforts to win power in Libya by Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of the country's late ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi, won't succeed, according to the man who's been at the center of Kremlin-backed efforts to support him. Maxim Shugaley acts as a political consultant for Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon close to President Vladimir Putin. He spent 18 months in a Libyan jail accused by the government of plotting to interfere in Libya's presidential elections in Gadhafi's favor. The Kremlin pushed for his release. Now, Shugaley, 55, says he's gloomy about Gadhafi's prospects of becoming president. "No, he won't be," Shugaley said in an interview in Moscow, blaming the U.S. for thwarting Gadhafi's leadership ambitions, without offering evidence. "He's an unacceptable figure for the United States there is a political order against him," he said. "This would be a unique event in the world 10 years on and the Gadhafi family stages a comeback. Just from a psychological point of view, it's a big blow." Old regime The younger Gadhafi has little prospect of success because "for a lot of Libyans he represents a step back to the old regime," said Elena Suponina, a Moscow-based Middle East expert. "There are many people in Moscow who see this situation and in advance want to blame the potential failure of Seif al-Islam purely on the West," she said. Rich in oil and gas reserves, Libya has drawn global and regional powers vying for influence in a civil war that's raged intermittently since Gadhafi's father was toppled and killed in a 2011 uprising. Putin has repeatedly railed against the West's role in the overthrow through NATO airstrikes. The U.S. and its allies have accused Moscow, which lost billions of dollars in Gadhafi-era contracts, of trying to sabotage their efforts to shore up provisional United Nations-backed authorities. Shugaley warned of the risk of renewed conflict if Gadhafi isn't allowed to run or his supporters believe he lost the election unfairly. "This is a delayed time bomb," he said. Companies including France's TotalEnergies SE, Eni SpA of Italy and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are considering investing billions of dollars to exploit Libya's energy reserves located on Europe's doorstep. ICC warrant An official role for Seif Gadhafi would "present a challenge for any Libyan government and the return of Libya to the international community," U.S. State Department spokesman Sam Werberg said Nov. 15. "He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and is subject to sanctions from the United States and the United Nations." The landmark vote originally set for Dec. 24 has been plunged into uncertainty after Libya's election body called for a postponement. Authorities now propose holding it on Jan. 24. Electoral officials recently denied Shugaley permission to return to Libya as a vote observer a year after he was released from prison to Russia before trial. Libyan prosecutors accused him of illegally providing political consulting to Gadhafi on his potential presidential bid, Bloomberg reported in 2020. Shugaley denied the charges, saying he was just doing research. Shugaley said he met three times with Seif Gadhafi, 49, who only reemerged in mid-2021 after years of imprisonment and seclusion amid the war crimes charges. Meddling, mercenaries Prigozhin, who's known as "Putin's Chef" for his Kremlin catering contracts, is under U.S. sanctions for alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. His Wagner private paramilitary company was sanctioned Dec. 13 by the European Union for abuses including "torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions." Prigozhin denies he controls Wagner but the U.S. and EU reject that. The group has deployed fighters to Libya, Syria, Venezuela and the Central African Republic, all places where Russia is striving for geopolitical influence against the West. Moscow denies any links to the mercenaries. While Shugaley says he's not involved in Wagner, the think tank he heads, the Foundation for the Protection of National Values, is sponsored by Prigozhin. And Shugaley's willingness to discuss his activities in places ranging from Africa to Afghanistan marks a departure from a previous policy by Prigozhin and his lieutenants of keeping a low profile. "For Prigozhin, his status as a defender of national interests is hugely important," said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the Russian political consulting firm R.Politik. "He wants to demonstrate this to Putin." The U.S. sanctioned Shugaley's foundation in April for allegedly "supporting Prigozhin's global influence operations." After his release from prison in December 2020, Shugaley received 18 million rubles (about $245,000) from Prigozhin, as "material support" for the time he spent in jail, the tycoon's company said. Libya's been a major focus for the Kremlin in recent years, with Russia hosting peace talks and the Defense Ministry publicly embracing a powerful warlord. Moscow has often found itself at odds with the U.S. and its European allies there, as well as regional players like Turkey, Egypt and the UAE, which all have sought influence in Libya. ___ 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Efforts to win power in Libya by Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of the country's late ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi, won't succeed, according to the man who's been at the center of Kremlin-backed efforts to support him. Maxim Shugaley acts as a political consultant for Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon close to President Vladimir Putin. He spent 18 months in a Libyan jail accused by the government of plotting to interfere in Libya's presidential elections in Gadhafi's favor. The Kremlin pushed for his release. Now, Shugaley, 55, says he's gloomy about Gadhafi's prospects of becoming president. "No, he won't be," Shugaley said in an interview in Moscow, blaming the U.S. for thwarting Gadhafi's leadership ambitions, without offering evidence. "He's an unacceptable figure for the United States there is a political order against him," he said. "This would be a unique event in the world 10 years on and the Gadhafi family stages a comeback. Just from a psychological point of view, it's a big blow." Old regime The younger Gadhafi has little prospect of success because "for a lot of Libyans he represents a step back to the old regime," said Elena Suponina, a Moscow-based Middle East expert. "There are many people in Moscow who see this situation and in advance want to blame the potential failure of Seif al-Islam purely on the West," she said. Rich in oil and gas reserves, Libya has drawn global and regional powers vying for influence in a civil war that's raged intermittently since Gadhafi's father was toppled and killed in a 2011 uprising. Putin has repeatedly railed against the West's role in the overthrow through NATO airstrikes. The U.S. and its allies have accused Moscow, which lost billions of dollars in Gadhafi-era contracts, of trying to sabotage their efforts to shore up provisional United Nations-backed authorities. Shugaley warned of the risk of renewed conflict if Gadhafi isn't allowed to run or his supporters believe he lost the election unfairly. "This is a delayed time bomb," he said. Companies including France's TotalEnergies SE, Eni SpA of Italy and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are considering investing billions of dollars to exploit Libya's energy reserves located on Europe's doorstep. ICC warrant An official role for Seif Gadhafi would "present a challenge for any Libyan government and the return of Libya to the international community," U.S. State Department spokesman Sam Werberg said Nov. 15. "He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and is subject to sanctions from the United States and the United Nations." The landmark vote originally set for Dec. 24 has been plunged into uncertainty after Libya's election body called for a postponement. Authorities now propose holding it on Jan. 24. Electoral officials recently denied Shugaley permission to return to Libya as a vote observer a year after he was released from prison to Russia before trial. Libyan prosecutors accused him of illegally providing political consulting to Gadhafi on his potential presidential bid, Bloomberg reported in 2020. Shugaley denied the charges, saying he was just doing research. Shugaley said he met three times with Seif Gadhafi, 49, who only reemerged in mid-2021 after years of imprisonment and seclusion amid the war crimes charges. Meddling, mercenaries Prigozhin, who's known as "Putin's Chef" for his Kremlin catering contracts, is under U.S. sanctions for alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. His Wagner private paramilitary company was sanctioned Dec. 13 by the European Union for abuses including "torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions." Prigozhin denies he controls Wagner but the U.S. and EU reject that. The group has deployed fighters to Libya, Syria, Venezuela and the Central African Republic, all places where Russia is striving for geopolitical influence against the West. Moscow denies any links to the mercenaries. While Shugaley says he's not involved in Wagner, the think tank he heads, the Foundation for the Protection of National Values, is sponsored by Prigozhin. And Shugaley's willingness to discuss his activities in places ranging from Africa to Afghanistan marks a departure from a previous policy by Prigozhin and his lieutenants of keeping a low profile. "For Prigozhin, his status as a defender of national interests is hugely important," said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the Russian political consulting firm R.Politik. "He wants to demonstrate this to Putin." The U.S. sanctioned Shugaley's foundation in April for allegedly "supporting Prigozhin's global influence operations." After his release from prison in December 2020, Shugaley received 18 million rubles (about $245,000) from Prigozhin, as "material support" for the time he spent in jail, the tycoon's company said. Libya's been a major focus for the Kremlin in recent years, with Russia hosting peace talks and the Defense Ministry publicly embracing a powerful warlord. Moscow has often found itself at odds with the U.S. and its European allies there, as well as regional players like Turkey, Egypt and the UAE, which all have sought influence in Libya. ___ 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Efforts to win power in Libya by Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of the country's late ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi, won't succeed, according to the man who's been at the center of Kremlin-backed efforts to support him. Maxim Shugaley acts as a political consultant for Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon close to President Vladimir Putin. He spent 18 months in a Libyan jail accused by the government of plotting to interfere in Libya's presidential elections in Gadhafi's favor. The Kremlin pushed for his release. Now, Shugaley, 55, says he's gloomy about Gadhafi's prospects of becoming president. "No, he won't be," Shugaley said in an interview in Moscow, blaming the U.S. for thwarting Gadhafi's leadership ambitions, without offering evidence. "He's an unacceptable figure for the United States there is a political order against him," he said. "This would be a unique event in the world 10 years on and the Gadhafi family stages a comeback. Just from a psychological point of view, it's a big blow." Old regime The younger Gadhafi has little prospect of success because "for a lot of Libyans he represents a step back to the old regime," said Elena Suponina, a Moscow-based Middle East expert. "There are many people in Moscow who see this situation and in advance want to blame the potential failure of Seif al-Islam purely on the West," she said. Rich in oil and gas reserves, Libya has drawn global and regional powers vying for influence in a civil war that's raged intermittently since Gadhafi's father was toppled and killed in a 2011 uprising. Putin has repeatedly railed against the West's role in the overthrow through NATO airstrikes. The U.S. and its allies have accused Moscow, which lost billions of dollars in Gadhafi-era contracts, of trying to sabotage their efforts to shore up provisional United Nations-backed authorities. Shugaley warned of the risk of renewed conflict if Gadhafi isn't allowed to run or his supporters believe he lost the election unfairly. "This is a delayed time bomb," he said. Companies including France's TotalEnergies SE, Eni SpA of Italy and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are considering investing billions of dollars to exploit Libya's energy reserves located on Europe's doorstep. ICC warrant An official role for Seif Gadhafi would "present a challenge for any Libyan government and the return of Libya to the international community," U.S. State Department spokesman Sam Werberg said Nov. 15. "He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and is subject to sanctions from the United States and the United Nations." The landmark vote originally set for Dec. 24 has been plunged into uncertainty after Libya's election body called for a postponement. Authorities now propose holding it on Jan. 24. Electoral officials recently denied Shugaley permission to return to Libya as a vote observer a year after he was released from prison to Russia before trial. Libyan prosecutors accused him of illegally providing political consulting to Gadhafi on his potential presidential bid, Bloomberg reported in 2020. Shugaley denied the charges, saying he was just doing research. Shugaley said he met three times with Seif Gadhafi, 49, who only reemerged in mid-2021 after years of imprisonment and seclusion amid the war crimes charges. Meddling, mercenaries Prigozhin, who's known as "Putin's Chef" for his Kremlin catering contracts, is under U.S. sanctions for alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. His Wagner private paramilitary company was sanctioned Dec. 13 by the European Union for abuses including "torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions." Prigozhin denies he controls Wagner but the U.S. and EU reject that. The group has deployed fighters to Libya, Syria, Venezuela and the Central African Republic, all places where Russia is striving for geopolitical influence against the West. Moscow denies any links to the mercenaries. While Shugaley says he's not involved in Wagner, the think tank he heads, the Foundation for the Protection of National Values, is sponsored by Prigozhin. And Shugaley's willingness to discuss his activities in places ranging from Africa to Afghanistan marks a departure from a previous policy by Prigozhin and his lieutenants of keeping a low profile. "For Prigozhin, his status as a defender of national interests is hugely important," said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the Russian political consulting firm R.Politik. "He wants to demonstrate this to Putin." The U.S. sanctioned Shugaley's foundation in April for allegedly "supporting Prigozhin's global influence operations." After his release from prison in December 2020, Shugaley received 18 million rubles (about $245,000) from Prigozhin, as "material support" for the time he spent in jail, the tycoon's company said. Libya's been a major focus for the Kremlin in recent years, with Russia hosting peace talks and the Defense Ministry publicly embracing a powerful warlord. Moscow has often found itself at odds with the U.S. and its European allies there, as well as regional players like Turkey, Egypt and the UAE, which all have sought influence in Libya. ___ 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Efforts to win power in Libya by Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of the country's late ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi, won't succeed, according to the man who's been at the center of Kremlin-backed efforts to support him. Maxim Shugaley acts as a political consultant for Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon close to President Vladimir Putin. He spent 18 months in a Libyan jail accused by the government of plotting to interfere in Libya's presidential elections in Gadhafi's favor. The Kremlin pushed for his release. Now, Shugaley, 55, says he's gloomy about Gadhafi's prospects of becoming president. "No, he won't be," Shugaley said in an interview in Moscow, blaming the U.S. for thwarting Gadhafi's leadership ambitions, without offering evidence. "He's an unacceptable figure for the United States there is a political order against him," he said. "This would be a unique event in the world 10 years on and the Gadhafi family stages a comeback. Just from a psychological point of view, it's a big blow." Old regime The younger Gadhafi has little prospect of success because "for a lot of Libyans he represents a step back to the old regime," said Elena Suponina, a Moscow-based Middle East expert. "There are many people in Moscow who see this situation and in advance want to blame the potential failure of Seif al-Islam purely on the West," she said. Rich in oil and gas reserves, Libya has drawn global and regional powers vying for influence in a civil war that's raged intermittently since Gadhafi's father was toppled and killed in a 2011 uprising. Putin has repeatedly railed against the West's role in the overthrow through NATO airstrikes. The U.S. and its allies have accused Moscow, which lost billions of dollars in Gadhafi-era contracts, of trying to sabotage their efforts to shore up provisional United Nations-backed authorities. Shugaley warned of the risk of renewed conflict if Gadhafi isn't allowed to run or his supporters believe he lost the election unfairly. "This is a delayed time bomb," he said. Companies including France's TotalEnergies SE, Eni SpA of Italy and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are considering investing billions of dollars to exploit Libya's energy reserves located on Europe's doorstep. ICC warrant An official role for Seif Gadhafi would "present a challenge for any Libyan government and the return of Libya to the international community," U.S. State Department spokesman Sam Werberg said Nov. 15. "He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and is subject to sanctions from the United States and the United Nations." The landmark vote originally set for Dec. 24 has been plunged into uncertainty after Libya's election body called for a postponement. Authorities now propose holding it on Jan. 24. Electoral officials recently denied Shugaley permission to return to Libya as a vote observer a year after he was released from prison to Russia before trial. Libyan prosecutors accused him of illegally providing political consulting to Gadhafi on his potential presidential bid, Bloomberg reported in 2020. Shugaley denied the charges, saying he was just doing research. Shugaley said he met three times with Seif Gadhafi, 49, who only reemerged in mid-2021 after years of imprisonment and seclusion amid the war crimes charges. Meddling, mercenaries Prigozhin, who's known as "Putin's Chef" for his Kremlin catering contracts, is under U.S. sanctions for alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. His Wagner private paramilitary company was sanctioned Dec. 13 by the European Union for abuses including "torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions." Prigozhin denies he controls Wagner but the U.S. and EU reject that. The group has deployed fighters to Libya, Syria, Venezuela and the Central African Republic, all places where Russia is striving for geopolitical influence against the West. Moscow denies any links to the mercenaries. While Shugaley says he's not involved in Wagner, the think tank he heads, the Foundation for the Protection of National Values, is sponsored by Prigozhin. And Shugaley's willingness to discuss his activities in places ranging from Africa to Afghanistan marks a departure from a previous policy by Prigozhin and his lieutenants of keeping a low profile. "For Prigozhin, his status as a defender of national interests is hugely important," said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the Russian political consulting firm R.Politik. "He wants to demonstrate this to Putin." The U.S. sanctioned Shugaley's foundation in April for allegedly "supporting Prigozhin's global influence operations." After his release from prison in December 2020, Shugaley received 18 million rubles (about $245,000) from Prigozhin, as "material support" for the time he spent in jail, the tycoon's company said. Libya's been a major focus for the Kremlin in recent years, with Russia hosting peace talks and the Defense Ministry publicly embracing a powerful warlord. Moscow has often found itself at odds with the U.S. and its European allies there, as well as regional players like Turkey, Egypt and the UAE, which all have sought influence in Libya. ___ 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Efforts to win power in Libya by Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of the country's late ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi, won't succeed, according to the man who's been at the center of Kremlin-backed efforts to support him. Maxim Shugaley acts as a political consultant for Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon close to President Vladimir Putin. He spent 18 months in a Libyan jail accused by the government of plotting to interfere in Libya's presidential elections in Gadhafi's favor. The Kremlin pushed for his release. Now, Shugaley, 55, says he's gloomy about Gadhafi's prospects of becoming president. "No, he won't be," Shugaley said in an interview in Moscow, blaming the U.S. for thwarting Gadhafi's leadership ambitions, without offering evidence. "He's an unacceptable figure for the United States there is a political order against him," he said. "This would be a unique event in the world 10 years on and the Gadhafi family stages a comeback. Just from a psychological point of view, it's a big blow." Old regime The younger Gadhafi has little prospect of success because "for a lot of Libyans he represents a step back to the old regime," said Elena Suponina, a Moscow-based Middle East expert. "There are many people in Moscow who see this situation and in advance want to blame the potential failure of Seif al-Islam purely on the West," she said. Rich in oil and gas reserves, Libya has drawn global and regional powers vying for influence in a civil war that's raged intermittently since Gadhafi's father was toppled and killed in a 2011 uprising. Putin has repeatedly railed against the West's role in the overthrow through NATO airstrikes. The U.S. and its allies have accused Moscow, which lost billions of dollars in Gadhafi-era contracts, of trying to sabotage their efforts to shore up provisional United Nations-backed authorities. Shugaley warned of the risk of renewed conflict if Gadhafi isn't allowed to run or his supporters believe he lost the election unfairly. "This is a delayed time bomb," he said. Companies including France's TotalEnergies SE, Eni SpA of Italy and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are considering investing billions of dollars to exploit Libya's energy reserves located on Europe's doorstep. ICC warrant An official role for Seif Gadhafi would "present a challenge for any Libyan government and the return of Libya to the international community," U.S. State Department spokesman Sam Werberg said Nov. 15. "He is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and is subject to sanctions from the United States and the United Nations." The landmark vote originally set for Dec. 24 has been plunged into uncertainty after Libya's election body called for a postponement. Authorities now propose holding it on Jan. 24. Electoral officials recently denied Shugaley permission to return to Libya as a vote observer a year after he was released from prison to Russia before trial. Libyan prosecutors accused him of illegally providing political consulting to Gadhafi on his potential presidential bid, Bloomberg reported in 2020. Shugaley denied the charges, saying he was just doing research. Shugaley said he met three times with Seif Gadhafi, 49, who only reemerged in mid-2021 after years of imprisonment and seclusion amid the war crimes charges. Meddling, mercenaries Prigozhin, who's known as "Putin's Chef" for his Kremlin catering contracts, is under U.S. sanctions for alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. His Wagner private paramilitary company was sanctioned Dec. 13 by the European Union for abuses including "torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions." Prigozhin denies he controls Wagner but the U.S. and EU reject that. The group has deployed fighters to Libya, Syria, Venezuela and the Central African Republic, all places where Russia is striving for geopolitical influence against the West. Moscow denies any links to the mercenaries. While Shugaley says he's not involved in Wagner, the think tank he heads, the Foundation for the Protection of National Values, is sponsored by Prigozhin. And Shugaley's willingness to discuss his activities in places ranging from Africa to Afghanistan marks a departure from a previous policy by Prigozhin and his lieutenants of keeping a low profile. "For Prigozhin, his status as a defender of national interests is hugely important," said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the Russian political consulting firm R.Politik. "He wants to demonstrate this to Putin." The U.S. sanctioned Shugaley's foundation in April for allegedly "supporting Prigozhin's global influence operations." After his release from prison in December 2020, Shugaley received 18 million rubles (about $245,000) from Prigozhin, as "material support" for the time he spent in jail, the tycoon's company said. Libya's been a major focus for the Kremlin in recent years, with Russia hosting peace talks and the Defense Ministry publicly embracing a powerful warlord. Moscow has often found itself at odds with the U.S. and its European allies there, as well as regional players like Turkey, Egypt and the UAE, which all have sought influence in Libya. ___ 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. While 2021 was a boom time for legal marijuana sales in Illinois, it was another wasted year for minority entrepreneurs trying to break into the business, and a mixed experience for customers. Recreational cannabis retail sales continued to climb steadily this year, to more than $1.2 billion, roughly an 85% increase from 2020 through November of this year alone. The medical cannabis program reached 136,000 active patients, who spent another $362 million. The sales generated more than $300 million in tax revenue in fiscal year 2021 more than from alcohol. But after new applicants waited through more than a year of delays for business licenses, judges prevented them from opening dispensaries while litigation dragged on, with no solution in sight. The year saw many new twists in the cannabis field. Sales took off for hemp-derived Delta-8 THC, called weed light, despite existing in a legal gray area. Huge multistate companies gobbled up independent dispensaries and expanded dramatically. In one constant, prices of marijuana in Illinois remained among the highest in the nation. While cannabis remains illegal under federal law, proposals to decriminalize it or let banks finance it have been slowly gaining some support among lawmakers. The year also ushered in a vast array of new products and consumer trends. Here are a few reasons why 2021 was a great year for big cannabis operators in Illinois, but frustrating for newcomers. Consolidation Several cannabis companies founded and headquartered in Chicago have become among the largest operators in the nation, while out-of-state operators have come into Illinois, by opening new facilities or buying up competitors. Cresco Labs and Curaleaf each have grown to the maximum 10 retail sites in Illinois; PharmaCann has eight; Ascend Wellness, seven; Green Thumb Industries lists nine stores on its website; nuEra has six, and Zen Leaf operates 10. Together, that means seven companies control 60 of the 110 weed stores in the state. The number of growers is even more limited. A mere 18 companies are allowed to grow cannabis compared with hundreds of companies that do so in Western states like Oregon or California, where they have the opposite problem of oversupply to the illegal market. Licensed growers in Illinois say they support new entrants to the market by helping with the complicated application process, by paying hundreds of thousands of dollars each in state fees to help fund startups and for seed projects to help them get started. PharmaCann promised $600,000 to help fund scholarships and build Oakton Community Colleges new cannabis cultivation laboratory. Cresco Labs created its new Illinois Cannabis Education Center in Chicago, which offers a mock dispensary and training facility for aspiring workers and owners. By state law, there was supposed to be a slew of new businesses licensed last year, with favoritism toward poor, largely minority areas with high rates of cannabis arrests. But after a series of delays, applicants complained that consultant KPMG had scored applications unfairly, resulting in wealthy, white, politically connected winners. To address the complaints and associated lawsuits, state lawmakers authorized 185 new dispensary licenses. But Cook County Judge Moshe Jacobius ordered that those licenses not be awarded while he wades through lawsuits challenging the process. The state did award 40 new craft grower licenses plus infuser and transporter licenses, but Cook County Judge Neil Cohen forbade the issuance of up to 60 new craft grower licenses due this year, while the courts try to resolve litigation from applicants who were disqualified. None of this slowed down the existing market. Companies that had been granted licenses to open medical marijuana dispensaries since 2015 were allowed to also sell recreational weed, and to expand to second locations. Because of its artificially constrained market, Illinois still has among the highest-priced weed in the country. Wholesale flower prices reached nearly $4,000 per pound, analyst Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. estimated three times the U.S. average pegged by price tracking company Cannabis Benchmarks. With customers paying $19 per gram for retail flower, Cantor Fitzgerald estimated average annual sales per store at nearly $17 million. Moldy weed worries A big part of the demand $1 out of every $3 spent is from out of state, since Illinois is surrounded by states that dont allow recreational sales. Michigan does have adult use sales, but was hit by a large public recall of cannabis that had high levels of mold or other contaminants, with stores required to post notices alerting customers for a month after sales. Illinois, in contrast, issued a recall and quarantine this year, but kept it quiet. In May, the state Department of Financial and Professional Regulation sent dispensaries notice of a voluntary recall of Veranos Mag Landrace flower due to possible mold contamination. The department investigated the issue, but said it is prohibited by the state cannabis law from disclosing the results. In addition, a former production supervisor for PharmaCann, William Sanford, filed suit claiming that he was fired for repeatedly reporting moldy cannabis for removal after it had passed lab tests. The tests only sample a small part of each crop, so mold may grow undetected and may sicken those who eat it or inhale its spores. Sanford said he was told to stop reporting mold, but continued to do so, and was terminated in July. PharmaCann acknowledged that mold is a factor with any agricultural product, but is tightly controlled. By state law, all legal cannabis products must undergo lab tests to pass strict state limits on mold, pesticides, metals and other contaminants. If they fail, they may be treated with solvents for use in edibles, vapes and other products, but must be tested again to meet safety requirements. Options for sterilizing cannabis include irradiation or ozone gas, as used in the food industry. Microdosing Customers may have noticed a dizzying variety of new products this year. One growing trend was in the area of low-dose edibles, for consumers to better control their experience. Rather than the 10 milligrams of THC, the main component that gets users high, which was previously suggested as a serving size, mints and gummies now often contain 5 or 3 mg, often with matching cannabidiol, or CBD, for users who want to relax without getting too high or paranoid. One study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Chicago found that low levels of THC reduced stress, while slightly higher doses that produced a mild high actually increased anxiety. And a survey by BDS Analytics Report found that 43% of edibles customers prefer low-dose products, and half of customers chose products based on the amount of CBD, which is thought to have a moderating effect on THC. Beverages are also growing in popularity, offering moderate doses of THC and the quick onset of effects without the smoke. For hardcore users, there are still plenty of high-powered flower, vapes and concentrates approaching 90% THC. For those who dont like the high prices and taxes of licensed weed, this year saw the rise of Delta-8 THC. Its typically said to be derived from hemp, and provides similar, if milder, effects as the traditional Delta-9 THC found in pot. Its often sold in gas stations or vape shops. A proposal to outlaw such knockoff cannabinoids did not pass in Springfield this year, but may be reconsidered in the spring session. Cannabis suppliers continue to compete for customers through word-of-mouth and the occasional competition. Most recently, the High Times Cannabis Cup named its winners for 2021, as judged by public participants. Wait till next year Looking ahead to 2022, state Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat, has proposed legislation to expand the new craft growers licenses from 5,000 square feet to 14,000 square feet or more. That would still be a far cry from the 210,000 square feet of canopy that existing growers are allowed, but would help business owners get more financing based on their ability to produce more revenue. Also, in light of the courts de facto lockout of new minority owners, a group called Ex-Cons for Community & Social Change held protests this year, calling for consumers to support their local weed man, or illegal dealers. Found Tyrone Muhammad of Englewood, who served 21 years in prison for murder and now says hes trying to rebuild his community, called for creation of a peddlers license, so people without the money to open a bricks-and-mortar facility can take part in the cannabis industry. He believes licensing would reduce the violence that accompanies illegal drug dealing. Muhammad is also pushing to change state law to drop the ban on former felons working in the field. As it stands, only those with low-level convictions can get expungements and get licensed. Its still a farce, he said. In any other industry, as an ex-con, I can work. But I cant work in the cannabis space. While 2021 was a boom time for legal marijuana sales in Illinois, it was another wasted year for minority entrepreneurs trying to break into the business, and a mixed experience for customers. Recreational cannabis retail sales continued to climb steadily this year, to more than $1.2 billion, roughly an 85% increase from 2020 through November of this year alone. The medical cannabis program reached 136,000 active patients, who spent another $362 million. The sales generated more than $300 million in tax revenue in fiscal year 2021 more than from alcohol. But after new applicants waited through more than a year of delays for business licenses, judges prevented them from opening dispensaries while litigation dragged on, with no solution in sight. The year saw many new twists in the cannabis field. Sales took off for hemp-derived Delta-8 THC, called weed light, despite existing in a legal gray area. Huge multistate companies gobbled up independent dispensaries and expanded dramatically. In one constant, prices of marijuana in Illinois remained among the highest in the nation. While cannabis remains illegal under federal law, proposals to decriminalize it or let banks finance it have been slowly gaining some support among lawmakers. The year also ushered in a vast array of new products and consumer trends. Here are a few reasons why 2021 was a great year for big cannabis operators in Illinois, but frustrating for newcomers. Consolidation Several cannabis companies founded and headquartered in Chicago have become among the largest operators in the nation, while out-of-state operators have come into Illinois, by opening new facilities or buying up competitors. Cresco Labs and Curaleaf each have grown to the maximum 10 retail sites in Illinois; PharmaCann has eight; Ascend Wellness, seven; Green Thumb Industries lists nine stores on its website; nuEra has six, and Zen Leaf operates 10. Together, that means seven companies control 60 of the 110 weed stores in the state. The number of growers is even more limited. A mere 18 companies are allowed to grow cannabis compared with hundreds of companies that do so in Western states like Oregon or California, where they have the opposite problem of oversupply to the illegal market. Licensed growers in Illinois say they support new entrants to the market by helping with the complicated application process, by paying hundreds of thousands of dollars each in state fees to help fund startups and for seed projects to help them get started. PharmaCann promised $600,000 to help fund scholarships and build Oakton Community Colleges new cannabis cultivation laboratory. Cresco Labs created its new Illinois Cannabis Education Center in Chicago, which offers a mock dispensary and training facility for aspiring workers and owners. By state law, there was supposed to be a slew of new businesses licensed last year, with favoritism toward poor, largely minority areas with high rates of cannabis arrests. But after a series of delays, applicants complained that consultant KPMG had scored applications unfairly, resulting in wealthy, white, politically connected winners. To address the complaints and associated lawsuits, state lawmakers authorized 185 new dispensary licenses. But Cook County Judge Moshe Jacobius ordered that those licenses not be awarded while he wades through lawsuits challenging the process. The state did award 40 new craft grower licenses plus infuser and transporter licenses, but Cook County Judge Neil Cohen forbade the issuance of up to 60 new craft grower licenses due this year, while the courts try to resolve litigation from applicants who were disqualified. None of this slowed down the existing market. Companies that had been granted licenses to open medical marijuana dispensaries since 2015 were allowed to also sell recreational weed, and to expand to second locations. Because of its artificially constrained market, Illinois still has among the highest-priced weed in the country. Wholesale flower prices reached nearly $4,000 per pound, analyst Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. estimated three times the U.S. average pegged by price tracking company Cannabis Benchmarks. With customers paying $19 per gram for retail flower, Cantor Fitzgerald estimated average annual sales per store at nearly $17 million. Moldy weed worries A big part of the demand $1 out of every $3 spent is from out of state, since Illinois is surrounded by states that dont allow recreational sales. Michigan does have adult use sales, but was hit by a large public recall of cannabis that had high levels of mold or other contaminants, with stores required to post notices alerting customers for a month after sales. Illinois, in contrast, issued a recall and quarantine this year, but kept it quiet. In May, the state Department of Financial and Professional Regulation sent dispensaries notice of a voluntary recall of Veranos Mag Landrace flower due to possible mold contamination. The department investigated the issue, but said it is prohibited by the state cannabis law from disclosing the results. In addition, a former production supervisor for PharmaCann, William Sanford, filed suit claiming that he was fired for repeatedly reporting moldy cannabis for removal after it had passed lab tests. The tests only sample a small part of each crop, so mold may grow undetected and may sicken those who eat it or inhale its spores. Sanford said he was told to stop reporting mold, but continued to do so, and was terminated in July. PharmaCann acknowledged that mold is a factor with any agricultural product, but is tightly controlled. By state law, all legal cannabis products must undergo lab tests to pass strict state limits on mold, pesticides, metals and other contaminants. If they fail, they may be treated with solvents for use in edibles, vapes and other products, but must be tested again to meet safety requirements. Options for sterilizing cannabis include irradiation or ozone gas, as used in the food industry. Microdosing Customers may have noticed a dizzying variety of new products this year. One growing trend was in the area of low-dose edibles, for consumers to better control their experience. Rather than the 10 milligrams of THC, the main component that gets users high, which was previously suggested as a serving size, mints and gummies now often contain 5 or 3 mg, often with matching cannabidiol, or CBD, for users who want to relax without getting too high or paranoid. One study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Chicago found that low levels of THC reduced stress, while slightly higher doses that produced a mild high actually increased anxiety. And a survey by BDS Analytics Report found that 43% of edibles customers prefer low-dose products, and half of customers chose products based on the amount of CBD, which is thought to have a moderating effect on THC. Beverages are also growing in popularity, offering moderate doses of THC and the quick onset of effects without the smoke. For hardcore users, there are still plenty of high-powered flower, vapes and concentrates approaching 90% THC. For those who dont like the high prices and taxes of licensed weed, this year saw the rise of Delta-8 THC. Its typically said to be derived from hemp, and provides similar, if milder, effects as the traditional Delta-9 THC found in pot. Its often sold in gas stations or vape shops. A proposal to outlaw such knockoff cannabinoids did not pass in Springfield this year, but may be reconsidered in the spring session. Cannabis suppliers continue to compete for customers through word-of-mouth and the occasional competition. Most recently, the High Times Cannabis Cup named its winners for 2021, as judged by public participants. Wait till next year Looking ahead to 2022, state Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat, has proposed legislation to expand the new craft growers licenses from 5,000 square feet to 14,000 square feet or more. That would still be a far cry from the 210,000 square feet of canopy that existing growers are allowed, but would help business owners get more financing based on their ability to produce more revenue. Also, in light of the courts de facto lockout of new minority owners, a group called Ex-Cons for Community & Social Change held protests this year, calling for consumers to support their local weed man, or illegal dealers. Found Tyrone Muhammad of Englewood, who served 21 years in prison for murder and now says hes trying to rebuild his community, called for creation of a peddlers license, so people without the money to open a bricks-and-mortar facility can take part in the cannabis industry. He believes licensing would reduce the violence that accompanies illegal drug dealing. Muhammad is also pushing to change state law to drop the ban on former felons working in the field. As it stands, only those with low-level convictions can get expungements and get licensed. Its still a farce, he said. In any other industry, as an ex-con, I can work. But I cant work in the cannabis space. On the one-year anniversary of the Capitol insurrection, Baraboo High School students will be participating in an educational public event featuring the U.S. Justice Departments counsel for domestic terrorism, Wisconsins attorney general and several former members of hate groups. We can learn from all of those people who were once consumed with racial and cultural hate, said organizer Masood Akhtar of Middleton, founder of We Are Many-United Against Hate. They can teach all of us how to end that hatred. Hosted by the nonpartisan nonprofit organization and its four school chapters, the event on domestic terrorism is free and open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 6 at McFarland High School masks required and will be streamed live online for anyone not attending in person. Registration is required for both. Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul will moderate the event, according to its agenda. Gov. Tony Evers was invited but unavailable to attend, Akhtar said. Akhtar said he came up with the idea after the events of Jan. 6, when hundreds of rioters attacked the U.S. Capitol building in an attempt to stop Congress from certifying the presidential election for Joe Biden. Hes applying a lesson he said the Muslim community learned in the aftermath of 9/11: By engaging the public, its members can remove a lot of misconceptions about Islam. (Engagement) has been key, he said. The 2001 terrorist attack led the American public, officials and media to brand any shooter who is Muslim as a terrorist or an Islamic terrorist, Akhtar said, which effectively leads people unfamiliar with the religion to mistakenly believe that Islam teaches terrorism. That assumption creates a safety issue for the Muslim community, he said. But a similar act by a white person which happens much more frequently in the U.S. often doesnt result in the same language. When the 2021 insurrection happened, that really changed a lot of things, Akhtar said. These were our own people, born in this country, who really attacked it and so the question was, we have a much bigger problem now with our own people, so we said, Well, we need to do similar things as we did for 9/11. We need to start educating people about this, he said. Guest speakers include four ex-members of hate groups, who will discuss why they joined those groups and what motivated them to leave and instead promote peace, during a panel shortly after 11 a.m. Now reformed, Jesse Morton used to be a recruiter for Al Qaeda, TM Garret was a KKK leader, Derek Barsaleau formerly espoused white nationalism and Ryan LoRee was a neo-Nazi, according to the agenda. Akhtar said his organization focuses on peoples real-life experiences, which also will be evident during the student ambassador panel at 10 a.m. At its start, he said audience members will see a short video about a Muslim girl who helped shelter her fellow Oshkosh high school students in a mosque during a school stabbing and shooting in 2019. The students, including two members from Baraboos recently founded chapter of We Are Many, then will share their experiences of Jan. 6 and their work to influence their schools and communities, he said. The other participating schools are McFarland, Dodgeville and Deerfield. He and his organization have been involved in Baraboo since helping local leaders navigate their response to a viral photo showing Baraboo High School students with their arms raised in what appeared to be a Nazi salute. Daryl Johnson, a former Department of Homeland Security official and expert on domestic extremists, and Brian Levin, a criminal justice professor and expert on hate crimes, will participate in another panel discussion at 10:30 a.m. Johnson also will be signing copies of his book, Hateland: A Long, Hard Look at Americas Extremist Heart, starting at 12:30 p.m. If you go What: We Are Many-United Against Hate event, Domestic Terrorism When: Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Where: McFarland High School and live online Cost: Free, open to the public Registration required at: united-against-hate.org/1-6-event Keynote speaker Thomas Brzozowski, counsel to the U.S. Justice Department, will talk about the national strategy for countering home-grown domestic terrorism, which Akhtar said includes working at the community level and must be nonpartisan. Though Brzozowski represents the current administrations policies, Akhtar said he doesnt care who was or is in the White House. What I care about is to make sure this country remains united, he said. As part of the event, which will provide opportunities for attendees to ask questions and talk with guest speakers, Akhtar said hell be proposing the creation of a Wisconsin nonpartisan unity caucus co-chaired by state leaders of both political parties and consisting of people who represent a diversity of races and religions. The caucus would talk regularly about these issues and how they can work together to mitigate them in a more proactive way and potentially serve as a model that could be applied nationwide, he said. Elected officials have to understand that hate is not a Republican issue. Its not a Democrat issue, he said. Its a human issue where innocent lives are being lost. Many cities have one. Many people visit one. And many people think they are a great thing. But for some reason, it is a source of many a debate in Tauranga. Should Tauranga have a museum or not? The much-talked about topic is back in the public eye, with plans for one in the recently announced Civic Precinct Masterplan refresh named Te Manawataki o Te Papa - announced by council includes a 2,400m2 museum on the corner of Willow Street and Hamilton Street. The facility would display the citys taonga and heritage collection which, to Tauranga City COuncil commissioner Stephen Selwoods astonishment, has been stored in a warehouse since 1998. It should be on display so we understand our history and where we came from, he says. This is a fantastic opportunity and we should grasp it with every hand that we have. Grasp it he must, as museum plans in Tauranga have a tendency to slip away. When the current heritage collection went into storage it did so in anticipation of a new museum being in place by 2002. It never happened. In 2007, a waterfront museum plan was scrapped amid political wrangling and rising costs. In May 2018, voters rejected the idea of a museum in a referendum held in conjunction with a concurrent by-election, with 59.4 per cent of voters against the idea. At the time, Tauranga MP Simon Bridges admitted to being disappointed. Three years on, he remains 100 per cent in support of a museum build, particularly in the heart of the city. I have backed a museum in our CBD for many years now and I still do, he says. The reason for this is that I have been to see the collection of historical artifacts and treasures in storage, and they need a place for young and old to see them and understand our citys story and have pride in it. Simon says he is sad to see museums in smaller cities such as Napier, Nelson and New Plymouth, but no such facility in Tauranga. A city of our size needs a heart, and that requires significant cultural amenities like a museum to draw people in. From his own experience of speaking to locals, Simon believes a majority want a museum but acknowledges pushback is possible. So why has a museum been such a contentious idea? Simon has a simple explanation. One word, he says. Cost. He believes the burden on the ratepayer can be softened, suggesting money from central government, Bay of Plenty Regional Council and the local business community can ease the load. Its actually a bit of a misunderstanding in my view, he explains. We dont need a platinum-plated job, and this is where the council has gone wrong in the past. I also know that many hands make light work, and it shouldnt be left up to just Tauranga City Council to foot the bill. Whilst the museum plans, and the overall Civic Precinct refresh, are being widely praised by the likes of Simon and those in the Tauranga business community, opposition is beginning to bubble. We just are not sure a museum is currently the highest priority, says Tauranga Ratepayers Alliance spokesperson Ross Crowley. It is a very ambitious project, but there are other things in Tauranga with more importance, such as sorting out the roads and transport issues. Ross says the TRA is unsure a plan of this significance should be made under the current governance system with the commission currently sitting in place of elected councillors. Our position is that this group of nominated leaders, not contested and aligned to central government, should not be pushing through something like this. They need to take into account what people want, not what they think the people of Tauranga should want. That means they have to listen to the people, not just a small collection of those for whom this suits their agenda. Tauranga City Council commissioner Shadrach Rolleston believes the importance of a museum cannot be understated. A museum is a repository where taonga from our past can be safely held for future generations to enjoy, says Shadrach. But more importantly, its also a place where we can see and learn about where weve come from and gain important lessons to guide our future. Looking around Aotearoa, you would be hard-pressed to find any significant town or city that does not have a museum, so it is a marker of maturity, but also of respect for our past and for the culture of our area. He says the commission received calls for a museum throughout the Long Term Plan process this year, and he has seen widespread support of the idea so far. He does, however, anticipate there will be parts of the community who are opposed, as they have been in the past, with concerns over cost and location expected. There is interest from others to partner with the council in the delivery of the civic masterplan, however, that needs to translate into funding. The commission has directed staff to investigate all funding and financing avenues to deliver the project as a single-stage phased development, including Crown, community and private investment. Ngai Tamarawaho hold the mana whenua for the site, and hapu representative Buddy Mikaere says the idea of a museum has been around for many years. Unfortunately, in his eyes, it has often been used as a political pawn. Efforts to establish a museum have been largely led by community members, says Buddy. Unfortunately, in more recent times, some local politicians have seen it as a handy whipping boy for their own purposes, deliberately misrepresenting the costs to the ratepayers and using that as an election platform. We can see that with the politicians currently absent from the decision making seats, great community ideas like having a museum have been able to progress. I applaud that very much. The epic tale of Taurangas difficult relationship with the concept of a museum appears to be entering its next, and possibly final, chapter. Buddy is hopeful the conclusion of that story sparks the beginning of sharing Taurangas. We have a great historical record here in Tauranga, he says. Through the proposed new museum, lets tell it. Illinois lawmakers just closed the book on a remarkably active year of legislating. Nearly 700 bills were signed into law, including heavy lift items like criminal justice reform and landmark climate legislation. So what does this year hold in state government and politics? No one can predict the future. But if whats past is prologue, Illinoisans can expect less policymaking and more politicking in 2022, a year where every state legislator, members of Congress and major figures like Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Sen. Tammy Duckworth will face voters. With that, here are 10 topics to watch in Illinois government and politics in 2022: Battle of billionaires? Gov. J.B. Pritzker is running for reelection. And though he, with the help of supermajority Democrats in the General Assembly, has largely steamrolled Republican legislative opposition over the past three years, major GOP players say the party will put up a major fight in 2022. GOP sources say Griffin could spend between $200 million and $300 million on the effort. Forces behind the effort are likely to roll out a slate of candidates in the coming weeks. Pritzker, who spent $172 million in his successful 2018 campaign against Gov. Bruce Rauner, has essentially unlimited resources. He will also likely have support from rank-and-file Democrats for delivering on key priorities like increasing the minimum wage, legalizing recreational marijuana and supporting major climate legislation. However, Republicans believe a favorable national climate mixed with exhaustion over lifestyle changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns over a rise in violent crime in cities across the state and an unemployment rate higher than the country as a whole will put Illinois in play if the GOP can find and finance the right candidate. At the very least, Republicans think a statewide slate that can keep the race close can help their legislative candidates win in the moderate Chicago suburbs and perhaps challenge Democratic supermajorities in the legislature. No electoral outcome is certain. But, assuming Griffin follows through, it is a solid bet that the 2022 governors race will be the most expensive race in state history, easily exceeding the 2018 race. So get ready for lots of television advertisements. Who replaces Jesse White? Four Democrats have declared their candidacies for the office: former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias; Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia; Chicago Ald. Pat Dowell and Chicago Ald. David Moore. State Rep. Dan Brady, a Bloomington Republican, has also announced a bid. Whites lengthy tenure was unprecedented. Historically, the office has been a stepping stone position for candidates seeking higher office, with two former officeholders, Republicans Jim Edgar and George Ryan, going on to become governor. Another, Democrat Alan Dixon, went on to serve two terms in the U.S. Senate. It is the most prominent statewide office outside the governors office, controlling more than 4,000 jobs and touching the lives of nearly every Illinois resident by issuing drivers licenses and registering motor vehicles. In short, it is a great position for an ambitious politician to hold. Giannoulias, who served one term as state treasurer before an unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate in 2010, has emerged as the clear frontrunner, lining up support from major labor unions and elected officials while raising nearly $3.5 million. But, in a good Republican year, the party sees an opportunity to win the open seat. Congressional primaries Springfield Democrats approved and Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a new congressional map into law last fall. Some of the consequences of the decisions made will play out in the first half of 2022. Namely, there are likely to be two inter-party congressional primaries. One will feature Rep. Sean Casten, D-Downers Grove, and Rep. Marie Newman, D-LaGrange. The district includes portions of suburban DuPage County and southwestern Cook County. So why are two Democrats facing off when the party drew the map? Well, the 2020 U.S. Census, which showed the state losing population overall, continued to register gains in the states Hispanic population. So lawmakers drew a second district where the group is a significant plurality. One incumbent had to be bounced as a result. If she does, it would have to be against either Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, or Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, both entrenched incumbents. Either way, it would be an ugly primary battle that could potentially involve former President Donald Trump. How will the state spend the rest of its COVID-19 stimulus funds? Illinois state government was allocated more than $8.1 billion in federal COVID-19 stimulus funds under the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021. How to spend the remaining $5 billion will be a major question for lawmakers this coming year. The state has until 2024 to disperse the funds, so it can continue to spread it out over multiple years. But, there will be pressure from lawmakers and interest groups to fund key initiatives. Expect there to be some pressure, especially from Republicans, to use at least some of the funds to pay down the nearly $4.5 billion the state owes to the federal unemployment trust fund. The state utilized that fund to pay enhanced unemployment benefits during the pandemic. How and what lawmakers decided to spend the money may depend on the states budget situation, which improved significantly last year due to the bounce back of the economy. Unionization as a 'fundamental right' In 2022, Illinois voters will be asked whether or not workers have the fundamental right to unionize and collectively bargain in order to negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions. The binding ballot initiative, approved by a bipartisan group of lawmakers during the last legislative session, would prevent state lawmakers from making Illinois a right-to-work state. Every state bordering Illinois besides Missouri has a right-to-work law on the books, so it presents an opportunity for Illinois to further contrast itself with its neighbors. If approved, it would be a major victory for organized labor, which has established itself among the most powerful collective interests in Springfield just a few short years after being under threat by the notoriously anti-union Gov. Bruce Rauner. Corruption probe Around this time last year, House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, suspended his campaign for another term as speaker when it became clear he did not have the votes to win. Madigan, who had survived several controversies over the years, was finally beat as a corruption probe thats ensnared some of his closest confidants drew closer and closer. In 2020, federal prosecutors in Chicago charged utility giant Commonwealth Edison with bribery. They alleged that the utility awarded jobs and contracts to associates of a top state official identified as Madigan with intent to influence and reward the official. The utility agreed to pay a $200 million fine. Later that year, longtime lobbyist and Madigan consigliere Mike McClain, along with two former ComEd executives and another lobbyist, was charged in the scheme. The case is scheduled to go to trial later this year, potentially presenting a headache to Democrats running for reelection. Madigan has not been charged with any wrongdoing. But could the former speaker eventually be charged? He appears to be the target of federal prosecutors. But Madigan was always careful, not using email and not owning his own cell phone, for instance. This year, we may find out if the man known as the Velvet Hammer slipped up. Battle for the Illinois Supreme Court The governors race will get most of the headlines, but some Illinois political insiders say there are a pair of even more consequential races on the same ballot: the open seats that will determine control of the seven-person Illinois Supreme Court. The court is currently controlled 4-3 by Democrats, but Justice Thomas Kilbride, a Democrat, lost his retention election in 2020, setting up an open race in 2022. Combined with the retirement of Justice Robert Thomas, a Republican, earlier that year, that leaves two open seats. Adding to that, Springfield Democrats redistricted the states judicial districts for the first time since the 1960s (a Republican-led effort in the 1990s was not successful) in an effort to maintain their hold on the court. The new map, which bases those two districts in the Democratic-trending Chicago suburbs, gives the party a better opportunity to do so than the old map. President Joe Biden carried each district relatively comfortably, but Pritzker only won them by a few thousand votes. Heres the political reality: its far more likely that Republicans take control of the Illinois Supreme Court than they win back the Illinois Governors Mansion. These races will probably not reach the level of expense that the governors race will, but they will be costly. State judicial races may go over the head of average voters, but theres a lot at stake for major interest groups such as the business lobby, organized labor and trial lawyers. They will pour millions into these races. Justice Rita Garmon, a Republican, and Justice Mary Jane Theis, a Democrat, are up for retention in seats considered safe for their respective parties. The fiscal state of Illinois Luckily for policymakers, the economic boom post-shutdown was stronger than expected. State tax revenue which mostly comes from sales and income beat even the rosiest of expectations. This, mixed with COVID-19 stimulus funds, allowed the state to pass a budget thats balanced (at least on paper) while still funding key initiatives, such as the additional $350 million for K-12 education under the evidence-based funding formula. Whether this revenue trend continues into 2022 is a question that will significantly impact what the states budget looks like. Growth is a great drug to take advantage of when drawing up a spending plan. But the states structural deficit, driven largely by growing pension obligations, remains the elephant in the room. Shortened legislative session After a remarkably active year of legislating that stretched into the summer months, House Speaker Chris Welch and Senate President Don Harmon have made clear they want an abbreviated legislative session in 2022. The pair have targeted April 8 as adjournment day, which is seven-and-a-half weeks earlier than typical. Many are skeptical. Lawmakers are notoriously bad at meeting hard deadlines let alone an artificial one. But the goal makes sense. For one its an election year. Such years are normally heavy on politics and light on policy. And another factor to weigh is the June 28 primary date, which is more than three months later than usual due to pandemic-induced delays in the delivery of 2020 U.S. Census data, which pushed back redistricting. The last place lawmakers want to be weeks ahead of an election is Springfield. Of course, they will pass a budget. But beyond that, expect some messaging bills, the occasional trailer bill to clean up legislation passed in 2021 and get ready for some political theater. What does Kinzinger do? U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, announced in November his retirement from the House, which became all-but-certain after Springfield Democrats carved up his district in the once-a-decade redistricting process. But Kinzinger, one of the most prominent GOP critics of former President Donald Trump, has been somewhat coy on his future plans. Hes hinted at a possible run for governor against Pritzker or U.S. Senate against incumbent Tammy Duckworth. He may also do more work with his political action committee Country First. Kinzinger has stated his belief that hes the only candidate who can defeat Pritzker if he can win a GOP primary, that is. But a run for statewide office would undoubtedly take him out of the national spotlight, which he has enjoyed for the better part of a year. Either way, a decision will likely come in January, when petitions start getting passed for the June primary election. Illinois lawmakers just closed the book on a remarkably active year of legislating. Nearly 700 bills were signed into law, including heavy lift items like criminal justice reform and landmark climate legislation. So what does this year hold in state government and politics? No one can predict the future. But if whats past is prologue, Illinoisans can expect less policymaking and more politicking in 2022, a year where every state legislator, members of Congress and major figures like Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Sen. Tammy Duckworth will face voters. With that, here are 10 topics to watch in Illinois government and politics in 2022: Battle of billionaires? Gov. J.B. Pritzker is running for reelection. And though he, with the help of supermajority Democrats in the General Assembly, has largely steamrolled Republican legislative opposition over the past three years, major GOP players say the party will put up a major fight in 2022. GOP sources say Griffin could spend between $200 million and $300 million on the effort. Forces behind the effort are likely to roll out a slate of candidates in the coming weeks. Pritzker, who spent $172 million in his successful 2018 campaign against Gov. Bruce Rauner, has essentially unlimited resources. He will also likely have support from rank-and-file Democrats for delivering on key priorities like increasing the minimum wage, legalizing recreational marijuana and supporting major climate legislation. However, Republicans believe a favorable national climate mixed with exhaustion over lifestyle changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns over a rise in violent crime in cities across the state and an unemployment rate higher than the country as a whole will put Illinois in play if the GOP can find and finance the right candidate. At the very least, Republicans think a statewide slate that can keep the race close can help their legislative candidates win in the moderate Chicago suburbs and perhaps challenge Democratic supermajorities in the legislature. No electoral outcome is certain. But, assuming Griffin follows through, it is a solid bet that the 2022 governors race will be the most expensive race in state history, easily exceeding the 2018 race. So get ready for lots of television advertisements. Who replaces Jesse White? Four Democrats have declared their candidacies for the office: former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias; Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia; Chicago Ald. Pat Dowell and Chicago Ald. David Moore. State Rep. Dan Brady, a Bloomington Republican, has also announced a bid. Whites lengthy tenure was unprecedented. Historically, the office has been a stepping stone position for candidates seeking higher office, with two former officeholders, Republicans Jim Edgar and George Ryan, going on to become governor. Another, Democrat Alan Dixon, went on to serve two terms in the U.S. Senate. It is the most prominent statewide office outside the governors office, controlling more than 4,000 jobs and touching the lives of nearly every Illinois resident by issuing drivers licenses and registering motor vehicles. In short, it is a great position for an ambitious politician to hold. Giannoulias, who served one term as state treasurer before an unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate in 2010, has emerged as the clear frontrunner, lining up support from major labor unions and elected officials while raising nearly $3.5 million. But, in a good Republican year, the party sees an opportunity to win the open seat. Congressional primaries Springfield Democrats approved and Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a new congressional map into law last fall. Some of the consequences of the decisions made will play out in the first half of 2022. Namely, there are likely to be two inter-party congressional primaries. One will feature Rep. Sean Casten, D-Downers Grove, and Rep. Marie Newman, D-LaGrange. The district includes portions of suburban DuPage County and southwestern Cook County. So why are two Democrats facing off when the party drew the map? Well, the 2020 U.S. Census, which showed the state losing population overall, continued to register gains in the states Hispanic population. So lawmakers drew a second district where the group is a significant plurality. One incumbent had to be bounced as a result. If she does, it would have to be against either Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, or Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, both entrenched incumbents. Either way, it would be an ugly primary battle that could potentially involve former President Donald Trump. How will the state spend the rest of its COVID-19 stimulus funds? Illinois state government was allocated more than $8.1 billion in federal COVID-19 stimulus funds under the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021. How to spend the remaining $5 billion will be a major question for lawmakers this coming year. The state has until 2024 to disperse the funds, so it can continue to spread it out over multiple years. But, there will be pressure from lawmakers and interest groups to fund key initiatives. Expect there to be some pressure, especially from Republicans, to use at least some of the funds to pay down the nearly $4.5 billion the state owes to the federal unemployment trust fund. The state utilized that fund to pay enhanced unemployment benefits during the pandemic. How and what lawmakers decided to spend the money may depend on the states budget situation, which improved significantly last year due to the bounce back of the economy. Unionization as a 'fundamental right' In 2022, Illinois voters will be asked whether or not workers have the fundamental right to unionize and collectively bargain in order to negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions. The binding ballot initiative, approved by a bipartisan group of lawmakers during the last legislative session, would prevent state lawmakers from making Illinois a right-to-work state. Every state bordering Illinois besides Missouri has a right-to-work law on the books, so it presents an opportunity for Illinois to further contrast itself with its neighbors. If approved, it would be a major victory for organized labor, which has established itself among the most powerful collective interests in Springfield just a few short years after being under threat by the notoriously anti-union Gov. Bruce Rauner. Corruption probe Around this time last year, House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, suspended his campaign for another term as speaker when it became clear he did not have the votes to win. Madigan, who had survived several controversies over the years, was finally beat as a corruption probe thats ensnared some of his closest confidants drew closer and closer. In 2020, federal prosecutors in Chicago charged utility giant Commonwealth Edison with bribery. They alleged that the utility awarded jobs and contracts to associates of a top state official identified as Madigan with intent to influence and reward the official. The utility agreed to pay a $200 million fine. Later that year, longtime lobbyist and Madigan consigliere Mike McClain, along with two former ComEd executives and another lobbyist, was charged in the scheme. The case is scheduled to go to trial later this year, potentially presenting a headache to Democrats running for reelection. Madigan has not been charged with any wrongdoing. But could the former speaker eventually be charged? He appears to be the target of federal prosecutors. But Madigan was always careful, not using email and not owning his own cell phone, for instance. This year, we may find out if the man known as the Velvet Hammer slipped up. Battle for the Illinois Supreme Court The governors race will get most of the headlines, but some Illinois political insiders say there are a pair of even more consequential races on the same ballot: the open seats that will determine control of the seven-person Illinois Supreme Court. The court is currently controlled 4-3 by Democrats, but Justice Thomas Kilbride, a Democrat, lost his retention election in 2020, setting up an open race in 2022. Combined with the retirement of Justice Robert Thomas, a Republican, earlier that year, that leaves two open seats. Adding to that, Springfield Democrats redistricted the states judicial districts for the first time since the 1960s (a Republican-led effort in the 1990s was not successful) in an effort to maintain their hold on the court. The new map, which bases those two districts in the Democratic-trending Chicago suburbs, gives the party a better opportunity to do so than the old map. President Joe Biden carried each district relatively comfortably, but Pritzker only won them by a few thousand votes. Heres the political reality: its far more likely that Republicans take control of the Illinois Supreme Court than they win back the Illinois Governors Mansion. These races will probably not reach the level of expense that the governors race will, but they will be costly. State judicial races may go over the head of average voters, but theres a lot at stake for major interest groups such as the business lobby, organized labor and trial lawyers. They will pour millions into these races. Justice Rita Garmon, a Republican, and Justice Mary Jane Theis, a Democrat, are up for retention in seats considered safe for their respective parties. The fiscal state of Illinois Luckily for policymakers, the economic boom post-shutdown was stronger than expected. State tax revenue which mostly comes from sales and income beat even the rosiest of expectations. This, mixed with COVID-19 stimulus funds, allowed the state to pass a budget thats balanced (at least on paper) while still funding key initiatives, such as the additional $350 million for K-12 education under the evidence-based funding formula. Whether this revenue trend continues into 2022 is a question that will significantly impact what the states budget looks like. Growth is a great drug to take advantage of when drawing up a spending plan. But the states structural deficit, driven largely by growing pension obligations, remains the elephant in the room. Shortened legislative session After a remarkably active year of legislating that stretched into the summer months, House Speaker Chris Welch and Senate President Don Harmon have made clear they want an abbreviated legislative session in 2022. The pair have targeted April 8 as adjournment day, which is seven-and-a-half weeks earlier than typical. Many are skeptical. Lawmakers are notoriously bad at meeting hard deadlines let alone an artificial one. But the goal makes sense. For one its an election year. Such years are normally heavy on politics and light on policy. And another factor to weigh is the June 28 primary date, which is more than three months later than usual due to pandemic-induced delays in the delivery of 2020 U.S. Census data, which pushed back redistricting. The last place lawmakers want to be weeks ahead of an election is Springfield. Of course, they will pass a budget. But beyond that, expect some messaging bills, the occasional trailer bill to clean up legislation passed in 2021 and get ready for some political theater. What does Kinzinger do? U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, announced in November his retirement from the House, which became all-but-certain after Springfield Democrats carved up his district in the once-a-decade redistricting process. But Kinzinger, one of the most prominent GOP critics of former President Donald Trump, has been somewhat coy on his future plans. Hes hinted at a possible run for governor against Pritzker or U.S. Senate against incumbent Tammy Duckworth. He may also do more work with his political action committee Country First. Kinzinger has stated his belief that hes the only candidate who can defeat Pritzker if he can win a GOP primary, that is. But a run for statewide office would undoubtedly take him out of the national spotlight, which he has enjoyed for the better part of a year. Either way, a decision will likely come in January, when petitions start getting passed for the June primary election. Illinois lawmakers just closed the book on a remarkably active year of legislating. Nearly 700 bills were signed into law, including heavy lift items like criminal justice reform and landmark climate legislation. So what does this year hold in state government and politics? No one can predict the future. But if whats past is prologue, Illinoisans can expect less policymaking and more politicking in 2022, a year where every state legislator, members of Congress and major figures like Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Sen. Tammy Duckworth will face voters. With that, here are 10 topics to watch in Illinois government and politics in 2022: Battle of billionaires? Gov. J.B. Pritzker is running for reelection. And though he, with the help of supermajority Democrats in the General Assembly, has largely steamrolled Republican legislative opposition over the past three years, major GOP players say the party will put up a major fight in 2022. GOP sources say Griffin could spend between $200 million and $300 million on the effort. Forces behind the effort are likely to roll out a slate of candidates in the coming weeks. Pritzker, who spent $172 million in his successful 2018 campaign against Gov. Bruce Rauner, has essentially unlimited resources. He will also likely have support from rank-and-file Democrats for delivering on key priorities like increasing the minimum wage, legalizing recreational marijuana and supporting major climate legislation. However, Republicans believe a favorable national climate mixed with exhaustion over lifestyle changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns over a rise in violent crime in cities across the state and an unemployment rate higher than the country as a whole will put Illinois in play if the GOP can find and finance the right candidate. At the very least, Republicans think a statewide slate that can keep the race close can help their legislative candidates win in the moderate Chicago suburbs and perhaps challenge Democratic supermajorities in the legislature. No electoral outcome is certain. But, assuming Griffin follows through, it is a solid bet that the 2022 governors race will be the most expensive race in state history, easily exceeding the 2018 race. So get ready for lots of television advertisements. Who replaces Jesse White? Four Democrats have declared their candidacies for the office: former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias; Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia; Chicago Ald. Pat Dowell and Chicago Ald. David Moore. State Rep. Dan Brady, a Bloomington Republican, has also announced a bid. Whites lengthy tenure was unprecedented. Historically, the office has been a stepping stone position for candidates seeking higher office, with two former officeholders, Republicans Jim Edgar and George Ryan, going on to become governor. Another, Democrat Alan Dixon, went on to serve two terms in the U.S. Senate. It is the most prominent statewide office outside the governors office, controlling more than 4,000 jobs and touching the lives of nearly every Illinois resident by issuing drivers licenses and registering motor vehicles. In short, it is a great position for an ambitious politician to hold. Giannoulias, who served one term as state treasurer before an unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate in 2010, has emerged as the clear frontrunner, lining up support from major labor unions and elected officials while raising nearly $3.5 million. But, in a good Republican year, the party sees an opportunity to win the open seat. Congressional primaries Springfield Democrats approved and Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a new congressional map into law last fall. Some of the consequences of the decisions made will play out in the first half of 2022. Namely, there are likely to be two inter-party congressional primaries. One will feature Rep. Sean Casten, D-Downers Grove, and Rep. Marie Newman, D-LaGrange. The district includes portions of suburban DuPage County and southwestern Cook County. So why are two Democrats facing off when the party drew the map? Well, the 2020 U.S. Census, which showed the state losing population overall, continued to register gains in the states Hispanic population. So lawmakers drew a second district where the group is a significant plurality. One incumbent had to be bounced as a result. If she does, it would have to be against either Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, or Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, both entrenched incumbents. Either way, it would be an ugly primary battle that could potentially involve former President Donald Trump. How will the state spend the rest of its COVID-19 stimulus funds? Illinois state government was allocated more than $8.1 billion in federal COVID-19 stimulus funds under the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021. How to spend the remaining $5 billion will be a major question for lawmakers this coming year. The state has until 2024 to disperse the funds, so it can continue to spread it out over multiple years. But, there will be pressure from lawmakers and interest groups to fund key initiatives. Expect there to be some pressure, especially from Republicans, to use at least some of the funds to pay down the nearly $4.5 billion the state owes to the federal unemployment trust fund. The state utilized that fund to pay enhanced unemployment benefits during the pandemic. How and what lawmakers decided to spend the money may depend on the states budget situation, which improved significantly last year due to the bounce back of the economy. Unionization as a 'fundamental right' In 2022, Illinois voters will be asked whether or not workers have the fundamental right to unionize and collectively bargain in order to negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions. The binding ballot initiative, approved by a bipartisan group of lawmakers during the last legislative session, would prevent state lawmakers from making Illinois a right-to-work state. Every state bordering Illinois besides Missouri has a right-to-work law on the books, so it presents an opportunity for Illinois to further contrast itself with its neighbors. If approved, it would be a major victory for organized labor, which has established itself among the most powerful collective interests in Springfield just a few short years after being under threat by the notoriously anti-union Gov. Bruce Rauner. Corruption probe Around this time last year, House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, suspended his campaign for another term as speaker when it became clear he did not have the votes to win. Madigan, who had survived several controversies over the years, was finally beat as a corruption probe thats ensnared some of his closest confidants drew closer and closer. In 2020, federal prosecutors in Chicago charged utility giant Commonwealth Edison with bribery. They alleged that the utility awarded jobs and contracts to associates of a top state official identified as Madigan with intent to influence and reward the official. The utility agreed to pay a $200 million fine. Later that year, longtime lobbyist and Madigan consigliere Mike McClain, along with two former ComEd executives and another lobbyist, was charged in the scheme. The case is scheduled to go to trial later this year, potentially presenting a headache to Democrats running for reelection. Madigan has not been charged with any wrongdoing. But could the former speaker eventually be charged? He appears to be the target of federal prosecutors. But Madigan was always careful, not using email and not owning his own cell phone, for instance. This year, we may find out if the man known as the Velvet Hammer slipped up. Battle for the Illinois Supreme Court The governors race will get most of the headlines, but some Illinois political insiders say there are a pair of even more consequential races on the same ballot: the open seats that will determine control of the seven-person Illinois Supreme Court. The court is currently controlled 4-3 by Democrats, but Justice Thomas Kilbride, a Democrat, lost his retention election in 2020, setting up an open race in 2022. Combined with the retirement of Justice Robert Thomas, a Republican, earlier that year, that leaves two open seats. Adding to that, Springfield Democrats redistricted the states judicial districts for the first time since the 1960s (a Republican-led effort in the 1990s was not successful) in an effort to maintain their hold on the court. The new map, which bases those two districts in the Democratic-trending Chicago suburbs, gives the party a better opportunity to do so than the old map. President Joe Biden carried each district relatively comfortably, but Pritzker only won them by a few thousand votes. Heres the political reality: its far more likely that Republicans take control of the Illinois Supreme Court than they win back the Illinois Governors Mansion. These races will probably not reach the level of expense that the governors race will, but they will be costly. State judicial races may go over the head of average voters, but theres a lot at stake for major interest groups such as the business lobby, organized labor and trial lawyers. They will pour millions into these races. Justice Rita Garmon, a Republican, and Justice Mary Jane Theis, a Democrat, are up for retention in seats considered safe for their respective parties. The fiscal state of Illinois Luckily for policymakers, the economic boom post-shutdown was stronger than expected. State tax revenue which mostly comes from sales and income beat even the rosiest of expectations. This, mixed with COVID-19 stimulus funds, allowed the state to pass a budget thats balanced (at least on paper) while still funding key initiatives, such as the additional $350 million for K-12 education under the evidence-based funding formula. Whether this revenue trend continues into 2022 is a question that will significantly impact what the states budget looks like. Growth is a great drug to take advantage of when drawing up a spending plan. But the states structural deficit, driven largely by growing pension obligations, remains the elephant in the room. Shortened legislative session After a remarkably active year of legislating that stretched into the summer months, House Speaker Chris Welch and Senate President Don Harmon have made clear they want an abbreviated legislative session in 2022. The pair have targeted April 8 as adjournment day, which is seven-and-a-half weeks earlier than typical. Many are skeptical. Lawmakers are notoriously bad at meeting hard deadlines let alone an artificial one. But the goal makes sense. For one its an election year. Such years are normally heavy on politics and light on policy. And another factor to weigh is the June 28 primary date, which is more than three months later than usual due to pandemic-induced delays in the delivery of 2020 U.S. Census data, which pushed back redistricting. The last place lawmakers want to be weeks ahead of an election is Springfield. Of course, they will pass a budget. But beyond that, expect some messaging bills, the occasional trailer bill to clean up legislation passed in 2021 and get ready for some political theater. What does Kinzinger do? U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, announced in November his retirement from the House, which became all-but-certain after Springfield Democrats carved up his district in the once-a-decade redistricting process. But Kinzinger, one of the most prominent GOP critics of former President Donald Trump, has been somewhat coy on his future plans. Hes hinted at a possible run for governor against Pritzker or U.S. Senate against incumbent Tammy Duckworth. He may also do more work with his political action committee Country First. Kinzinger has stated his belief that hes the only candidate who can defeat Pritzker if he can win a GOP primary, that is. But a run for statewide office would undoubtedly take him out of the national spotlight, which he has enjoyed for the better part of a year. Either way, a decision will likely come in January, when petitions start getting passed for the June primary election. Illinois lawmakers just closed the book on a remarkably active year of legislating. Nearly 700 bills were signed into law, including heavy lift items like criminal justice reform and landmark climate legislation. So what does this year hold in state government and politics? No one can predict the future. But if whats past is prologue, Illinoisans can expect less policymaking and more politicking in 2022, a year where every state legislator, members of Congress and major figures like Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Sen. Tammy Duckworth will face voters. With that, here are 10 topics to watch in Illinois government and politics in 2022: Battle of billionaires? Gov. J.B. Pritzker is running for reelection. And though he, with the help of supermajority Democrats in the General Assembly, has largely steamrolled Republican legislative opposition over the past three years, major GOP players say the party will put up a major fight in 2022. GOP sources say Griffin could spend between $200 million and $300 million on the effort. Forces behind the effort are likely to roll out a slate of candidates in the coming weeks. Pritzker, who spent $172 million in his successful 2018 campaign against Gov. Bruce Rauner, has essentially unlimited resources. He will also likely have support from rank-and-file Democrats for delivering on key priorities like increasing the minimum wage, legalizing recreational marijuana and supporting major climate legislation. However, Republicans believe a favorable national climate mixed with exhaustion over lifestyle changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns over a rise in violent crime in cities across the state and an unemployment rate higher than the country as a whole will put Illinois in play if the GOP can find and finance the right candidate. At the very least, Republicans think a statewide slate that can keep the race close can help their legislative candidates win in the moderate Chicago suburbs and perhaps challenge Democratic supermajorities in the legislature. No electoral outcome is certain. But, assuming Griffin follows through, it is a solid bet that the 2022 governors race will be the most expensive race in state history, easily exceeding the 2018 race. So get ready for lots of television advertisements. Who replaces Jesse White? Four Democrats have declared their candidacies for the office: former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias; Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia; Chicago Ald. Pat Dowell and Chicago Ald. David Moore. State Rep. Dan Brady, a Bloomington Republican, has also announced a bid. Whites lengthy tenure was unprecedented. Historically, the office has been a stepping stone position for candidates seeking higher office, with two former officeholders, Republicans Jim Edgar and George Ryan, going on to become governor. Another, Democrat Alan Dixon, went on to serve two terms in the U.S. Senate. It is the most prominent statewide office outside the governors office, controlling more than 4,000 jobs and touching the lives of nearly every Illinois resident by issuing drivers licenses and registering motor vehicles. In short, it is a great position for an ambitious politician to hold. Giannoulias, who served one term as state treasurer before an unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate in 2010, has emerged as the clear frontrunner, lining up support from major labor unions and elected officials while raising nearly $3.5 million. But, in a good Republican year, the party sees an opportunity to win the open seat. Congressional primaries Springfield Democrats approved and Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a new congressional map into law last fall. Some of the consequences of the decisions made will play out in the first half of 2022. Namely, there are likely to be two inter-party congressional primaries. One will feature Rep. Sean Casten, D-Downers Grove, and Rep. Marie Newman, D-LaGrange. The district includes portions of suburban DuPage County and southwestern Cook County. So why are two Democrats facing off when the party drew the map? Well, the 2020 U.S. Census, which showed the state losing population overall, continued to register gains in the states Hispanic population. So lawmakers drew a second district where the group is a significant plurality. One incumbent had to be bounced as a result. If she does, it would have to be against either Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, or Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, both entrenched incumbents. Either way, it would be an ugly primary battle that could potentially involve former President Donald Trump. How will the state spend the rest of its COVID-19 stimulus funds? Illinois state government was allocated more than $8.1 billion in federal COVID-19 stimulus funds under the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021. How to spend the remaining $5 billion will be a major question for lawmakers this coming year. The state has until 2024 to disperse the funds, so it can continue to spread it out over multiple years. But, there will be pressure from lawmakers and interest groups to fund key initiatives. Expect there to be some pressure, especially from Republicans, to use at least some of the funds to pay down the nearly $4.5 billion the state owes to the federal unemployment trust fund. The state utilized that fund to pay enhanced unemployment benefits during the pandemic. How and what lawmakers decided to spend the money may depend on the states budget situation, which improved significantly last year due to the bounce back of the economy. Unionization as a 'fundamental right' In 2022, Illinois voters will be asked whether or not workers have the fundamental right to unionize and collectively bargain in order to negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions. The binding ballot initiative, approved by a bipartisan group of lawmakers during the last legislative session, would prevent state lawmakers from making Illinois a right-to-work state. Every state bordering Illinois besides Missouri has a right-to-work law on the books, so it presents an opportunity for Illinois to further contrast itself with its neighbors. If approved, it would be a major victory for organized labor, which has established itself among the most powerful collective interests in Springfield just a few short years after being under threat by the notoriously anti-union Gov. Bruce Rauner. Corruption probe Around this time last year, House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, suspended his campaign for another term as speaker when it became clear he did not have the votes to win. Madigan, who had survived several controversies over the years, was finally beat as a corruption probe thats ensnared some of his closest confidants drew closer and closer. In 2020, federal prosecutors in Chicago charged utility giant Commonwealth Edison with bribery. They alleged that the utility awarded jobs and contracts to associates of a top state official identified as Madigan with intent to influence and reward the official. The utility agreed to pay a $200 million fine. Later that year, longtime lobbyist and Madigan consigliere Mike McClain, along with two former ComEd executives and another lobbyist, was charged in the scheme. The case is scheduled to go to trial later this year, potentially presenting a headache to Democrats running for reelection. Madigan has not been charged with any wrongdoing. But could the former speaker eventually be charged? He appears to be the target of federal prosecutors. But Madigan was always careful, not using email and not owning his own cell phone, for instance. This year, we may find out if the man known as the Velvet Hammer slipped up. Battle for the Illinois Supreme Court The governors race will get most of the headlines, but some Illinois political insiders say there are a pair of even more consequential races on the same ballot: the open seats that will determine control of the seven-person Illinois Supreme Court. The court is currently controlled 4-3 by Democrats, but Justice Thomas Kilbride, a Democrat, lost his retention election in 2020, setting up an open race in 2022. Combined with the retirement of Justice Robert Thomas, a Republican, earlier that year, that leaves two open seats. Adding to that, Springfield Democrats redistricted the states judicial districts for the first time since the 1960s (a Republican-led effort in the 1990s was not successful) in an effort to maintain their hold on the court. The new map, which bases those two districts in the Democratic-trending Chicago suburbs, gives the party a better opportunity to do so than the old map. President Joe Biden carried each district relatively comfortably, but Pritzker only won them by a few thousand votes. Heres the political reality: its far more likely that Republicans take control of the Illinois Supreme Court than they win back the Illinois Governors Mansion. These races will probably not reach the level of expense that the governors race will, but they will be costly. State judicial races may go over the head of average voters, but theres a lot at stake for major interest groups such as the business lobby, organized labor and trial lawyers. They will pour millions into these races. Justice Rita Garmon, a Republican, and Justice Mary Jane Theis, a Democrat, are up for retention in seats considered safe for their respective parties. The fiscal state of Illinois Luckily for policymakers, the economic boom post-shutdown was stronger than expected. State tax revenue which mostly comes from sales and income beat even the rosiest of expectations. This, mixed with COVID-19 stimulus funds, allowed the state to pass a budget thats balanced (at least on paper) while still funding key initiatives, such as the additional $350 million for K-12 education under the evidence-based funding formula. Whether this revenue trend continues into 2022 is a question that will significantly impact what the states budget looks like. Growth is a great drug to take advantage of when drawing up a spending plan. But the states structural deficit, driven largely by growing pension obligations, remains the elephant in the room. Shortened legislative session After a remarkably active year of legislating that stretched into the summer months, House Speaker Chris Welch and Senate President Don Harmon have made clear they want an abbreviated legislative session in 2022. The pair have targeted April 8 as adjournment day, which is seven-and-a-half weeks earlier than typical. Many are skeptical. Lawmakers are notoriously bad at meeting hard deadlines let alone an artificial one. But the goal makes sense. For one its an election year. Such years are normally heavy on politics and light on policy. And another factor to weigh is the June 28 primary date, which is more than three months later than usual due to pandemic-induced delays in the delivery of 2020 U.S. Census data, which pushed back redistricting. The last place lawmakers want to be weeks ahead of an election is Springfield. Of course, they will pass a budget. But beyond that, expect some messaging bills, the occasional trailer bill to clean up legislation passed in 2021 and get ready for some political theater. What does Kinzinger do? U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, announced in November his retirement from the House, which became all-but-certain after Springfield Democrats carved up his district in the once-a-decade redistricting process. But Kinzinger, one of the most prominent GOP critics of former President Donald Trump, has been somewhat coy on his future plans. Hes hinted at a possible run for governor against Pritzker or U.S. Senate against incumbent Tammy Duckworth. He may also do more work with his political action committee Country First. Kinzinger has stated his belief that hes the only candidate who can defeat Pritzker if he can win a GOP primary, that is. But a run for statewide office would undoubtedly take him out of the national spotlight, which he has enjoyed for the better part of a year. Either way, a decision will likely come in January, when petitions start getting passed for the June primary election. Illinois lawmakers just closed the book on a remarkably active year of legislating. Nearly 700 bills were signed into law, including heavy lift items like criminal justice reform and landmark climate legislation. So what does this year hold in state government and politics? No one can predict the future. But if whats past is prologue, Illinoisans can expect less policymaking and more politicking in 2022, a year where every state legislator, members of Congress and major figures like Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Sen. Tammy Duckworth will face voters. With that, here are 10 topics to watch in Illinois government and politics in 2022: Battle of billionaires? Gov. J.B. Pritzker is running for reelection. And though he, with the help of supermajority Democrats in the General Assembly, has largely steamrolled Republican legislative opposition over the past three years, major GOP players say the party will put up a major fight in 2022. GOP sources say Griffin could spend between $200 million and $300 million on the effort. Forces behind the effort are likely to roll out a slate of candidates in the coming weeks. Pritzker, who spent $172 million in his successful 2018 campaign against Gov. Bruce Rauner, has essentially unlimited resources. He will also likely have support from rank-and-file Democrats for delivering on key priorities like increasing the minimum wage, legalizing recreational marijuana and supporting major climate legislation. However, Republicans believe a favorable national climate mixed with exhaustion over lifestyle changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns over a rise in violent crime in cities across the state and an unemployment rate higher than the country as a whole will put Illinois in play if the GOP can find and finance the right candidate. At the very least, Republicans think a statewide slate that can keep the race close can help their legislative candidates win in the moderate Chicago suburbs and perhaps challenge Democratic supermajorities in the legislature. No electoral outcome is certain. But, assuming Griffin follows through, it is a solid bet that the 2022 governors race will be the most expensive race in state history, easily exceeding the 2018 race. So get ready for lots of television advertisements. Who replaces Jesse White? Four Democrats have declared their candidacies for the office: former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias; Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia; Chicago Ald. Pat Dowell and Chicago Ald. David Moore. State Rep. Dan Brady, a Bloomington Republican, has also announced a bid. Whites lengthy tenure was unprecedented. Historically, the office has been a stepping stone position for candidates seeking higher office, with two former officeholders, Republicans Jim Edgar and George Ryan, going on to become governor. Another, Democrat Alan Dixon, went on to serve two terms in the U.S. Senate. It is the most prominent statewide office outside the governors office, controlling more than 4,000 jobs and touching the lives of nearly every Illinois resident by issuing drivers licenses and registering motor vehicles. In short, it is a great position for an ambitious politician to hold. Giannoulias, who served one term as state treasurer before an unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate in 2010, has emerged as the clear frontrunner, lining up support from major labor unions and elected officials while raising nearly $3.5 million. But, in a good Republican year, the party sees an opportunity to win the open seat. Congressional primaries Springfield Democrats approved and Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a new congressional map into law last fall. Some of the consequences of the decisions made will play out in the first half of 2022. Namely, there are likely to be two inter-party congressional primaries. One will feature Rep. Sean Casten, D-Downers Grove, and Rep. Marie Newman, D-LaGrange. The district includes portions of suburban DuPage County and southwestern Cook County. So why are two Democrats facing off when the party drew the map? Well, the 2020 U.S. Census, which showed the state losing population overall, continued to register gains in the states Hispanic population. So lawmakers drew a second district where the group is a significant plurality. One incumbent had to be bounced as a result. If she does, it would have to be against either Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, or Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, both entrenched incumbents. Either way, it would be an ugly primary battle that could potentially involve former President Donald Trump. How will the state spend the rest of its COVID-19 stimulus funds? Illinois state government was allocated more than $8.1 billion in federal COVID-19 stimulus funds under the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021. How to spend the remaining $5 billion will be a major question for lawmakers this coming year. The state has until 2024 to disperse the funds, so it can continue to spread it out over multiple years. But, there will be pressure from lawmakers and interest groups to fund key initiatives. Expect there to be some pressure, especially from Republicans, to use at least some of the funds to pay down the nearly $4.5 billion the state owes to the federal unemployment trust fund. The state utilized that fund to pay enhanced unemployment benefits during the pandemic. How and what lawmakers decided to spend the money may depend on the states budget situation, which improved significantly last year due to the bounce back of the economy. Unionization as a 'fundamental right' In 2022, Illinois voters will be asked whether or not workers have the fundamental right to unionize and collectively bargain in order to negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions. The binding ballot initiative, approved by a bipartisan group of lawmakers during the last legislative session, would prevent state lawmakers from making Illinois a right-to-work state. Every state bordering Illinois besides Missouri has a right-to-work law on the books, so it presents an opportunity for Illinois to further contrast itself with its neighbors. If approved, it would be a major victory for organized labor, which has established itself among the most powerful collective interests in Springfield just a few short years after being under threat by the notoriously anti-union Gov. Bruce Rauner. Corruption probe Around this time last year, House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, suspended his campaign for another term as speaker when it became clear he did not have the votes to win. Madigan, who had survived several controversies over the years, was finally beat as a corruption probe thats ensnared some of his closest confidants drew closer and closer. In 2020, federal prosecutors in Chicago charged utility giant Commonwealth Edison with bribery. They alleged that the utility awarded jobs and contracts to associates of a top state official identified as Madigan with intent to influence and reward the official. The utility agreed to pay a $200 million fine. Later that year, longtime lobbyist and Madigan consigliere Mike McClain, along with two former ComEd executives and another lobbyist, was charged in the scheme. The case is scheduled to go to trial later this year, potentially presenting a headache to Democrats running for reelection. Madigan has not been charged with any wrongdoing. But could the former speaker eventually be charged? He appears to be the target of federal prosecutors. But Madigan was always careful, not using email and not owning his own cell phone, for instance. This year, we may find out if the man known as the Velvet Hammer slipped up. Battle for the Illinois Supreme Court The governors race will get most of the headlines, but some Illinois political insiders say there are a pair of even more consequential races on the same ballot: the open seats that will determine control of the seven-person Illinois Supreme Court. The court is currently controlled 4-3 by Democrats, but Justice Thomas Kilbride, a Democrat, lost his retention election in 2020, setting up an open race in 2022. Combined with the retirement of Justice Robert Thomas, a Republican, earlier that year, that leaves two open seats. Adding to that, Springfield Democrats redistricted the states judicial districts for the first time since the 1960s (a Republican-led effort in the 1990s was not successful) in an effort to maintain their hold on the court. The new map, which bases those two districts in the Democratic-trending Chicago suburbs, gives the party a better opportunity to do so than the old map. President Joe Biden carried each district relatively comfortably, but Pritzker only won them by a few thousand votes. Heres the political reality: its far more likely that Republicans take control of the Illinois Supreme Court than they win back the Illinois Governors Mansion. These races will probably not reach the level of expense that the governors race will, but they will be costly. State judicial races may go over the head of average voters, but theres a lot at stake for major interest groups such as the business lobby, organized labor and trial lawyers. They will pour millions into these races. Justice Rita Garmon, a Republican, and Justice Mary Jane Theis, a Democrat, are up for retention in seats considered safe for their respective parties. The fiscal state of Illinois Luckily for policymakers, the economic boom post-shutdown was stronger than expected. State tax revenue which mostly comes from sales and income beat even the rosiest of expectations. This, mixed with COVID-19 stimulus funds, allowed the state to pass a budget thats balanced (at least on paper) while still funding key initiatives, such as the additional $350 million for K-12 education under the evidence-based funding formula. Whether this revenue trend continues into 2022 is a question that will significantly impact what the states budget looks like. Growth is a great drug to take advantage of when drawing up a spending plan. But the states structural deficit, driven largely by growing pension obligations, remains the elephant in the room. Shortened legislative session After a remarkably active year of legislating that stretched into the summer months, House Speaker Chris Welch and Senate President Don Harmon have made clear they want an abbreviated legislative session in 2022. The pair have targeted April 8 as adjournment day, which is seven-and-a-half weeks earlier than typical. Many are skeptical. Lawmakers are notoriously bad at meeting hard deadlines let alone an artificial one. But the goal makes sense. For one its an election year. Such years are normally heavy on politics and light on policy. And another factor to weigh is the June 28 primary date, which is more than three months later than usual due to pandemic-induced delays in the delivery of 2020 U.S. Census data, which pushed back redistricting. The last place lawmakers want to be weeks ahead of an election is Springfield. Of course, they will pass a budget. But beyond that, expect some messaging bills, the occasional trailer bill to clean up legislation passed in 2021 and get ready for some political theater. What does Kinzinger do? U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, announced in November his retirement from the House, which became all-but-certain after Springfield Democrats carved up his district in the once-a-decade redistricting process. But Kinzinger, one of the most prominent GOP critics of former President Donald Trump, has been somewhat coy on his future plans. Hes hinted at a possible run for governor against Pritzker or U.S. Senate against incumbent Tammy Duckworth. He may also do more work with his political action committee Country First. Kinzinger has stated his belief that hes the only candidate who can defeat Pritzker if he can win a GOP primary, that is. But a run for statewide office would undoubtedly take him out of the national spotlight, which he has enjoyed for the better part of a year. Either way, a decision will likely come in January, when petitions start getting passed for the June primary election. Illinois lawmakers just closed the book on a remarkably active year of legislating. Nearly 700 bills were signed into law, including heavy lift items like criminal justice reform and landmark climate legislation. So what does this year hold in state government and politics? No one can predict the future. But if whats past is prologue, Illinoisans can expect less policymaking and more politicking in 2022, a year where every state legislator, members of Congress and major figures like Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Sen. Tammy Duckworth will face voters. With that, here are 10 topics to watch in Illinois government and politics in 2022: Battle of billionaires? Gov. J.B. Pritzker is running for reelection. And though he, with the help of supermajority Democrats in the General Assembly, has largely steamrolled Republican legislative opposition over the past three years, major GOP players say the party will put up a major fight in 2022. GOP sources say Griffin could spend between $200 million and $300 million on the effort. Forces behind the effort are likely to roll out a slate of candidates in the coming weeks. Pritzker, who spent $172 million in his successful 2018 campaign against Gov. Bruce Rauner, has essentially unlimited resources. He will also likely have support from rank-and-file Democrats for delivering on key priorities like increasing the minimum wage, legalizing recreational marijuana and supporting major climate legislation. However, Republicans believe a favorable national climate mixed with exhaustion over lifestyle changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns over a rise in violent crime in cities across the state and an unemployment rate higher than the country as a whole will put Illinois in play if the GOP can find and finance the right candidate. At the very least, Republicans think a statewide slate that can keep the race close can help their legislative candidates win in the moderate Chicago suburbs and perhaps challenge Democratic supermajorities in the legislature. No electoral outcome is certain. But, assuming Griffin follows through, it is a solid bet that the 2022 governors race will be the most expensive race in state history, easily exceeding the 2018 race. So get ready for lots of television advertisements. Who replaces Jesse White? Four Democrats have declared their candidacies for the office: former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias; Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia; Chicago Ald. Pat Dowell and Chicago Ald. David Moore. State Rep. Dan Brady, a Bloomington Republican, has also announced a bid. Whites lengthy tenure was unprecedented. Historically, the office has been a stepping stone position for candidates seeking higher office, with two former officeholders, Republicans Jim Edgar and George Ryan, going on to become governor. Another, Democrat Alan Dixon, went on to serve two terms in the U.S. Senate. It is the most prominent statewide office outside the governors office, controlling more than 4,000 jobs and touching the lives of nearly every Illinois resident by issuing drivers licenses and registering motor vehicles. In short, it is a great position for an ambitious politician to hold. Giannoulias, who served one term as state treasurer before an unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate in 2010, has emerged as the clear frontrunner, lining up support from major labor unions and elected officials while raising nearly $3.5 million. But, in a good Republican year, the party sees an opportunity to win the open seat. Congressional primaries Springfield Democrats approved and Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a new congressional map into law last fall. Some of the consequences of the decisions made will play out in the first half of 2022. Namely, there are likely to be two inter-party congressional primaries. One will feature Rep. Sean Casten, D-Downers Grove, and Rep. Marie Newman, D-LaGrange. The district includes portions of suburban DuPage County and southwestern Cook County. So why are two Democrats facing off when the party drew the map? Well, the 2020 U.S. Census, which showed the state losing population overall, continued to register gains in the states Hispanic population. So lawmakers drew a second district where the group is a significant plurality. One incumbent had to be bounced as a result. If she does, it would have to be against either Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, or Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, both entrenched incumbents. Either way, it would be an ugly primary battle that could potentially involve former President Donald Trump. How will the state spend the rest of its COVID-19 stimulus funds? Illinois state government was allocated more than $8.1 billion in federal COVID-19 stimulus funds under the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021. How to spend the remaining $5 billion will be a major question for lawmakers this coming year. The state has until 2024 to disperse the funds, so it can continue to spread it out over multiple years. But, there will be pressure from lawmakers and interest groups to fund key initiatives. Expect there to be some pressure, especially from Republicans, to use at least some of the funds to pay down the nearly $4.5 billion the state owes to the federal unemployment trust fund. The state utilized that fund to pay enhanced unemployment benefits during the pandemic. How and what lawmakers decided to spend the money may depend on the states budget situation, which improved significantly last year due to the bounce back of the economy. Unionization as a 'fundamental right' In 2022, Illinois voters will be asked whether or not workers have the fundamental right to unionize and collectively bargain in order to negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions. The binding ballot initiative, approved by a bipartisan group of lawmakers during the last legislative session, would prevent state lawmakers from making Illinois a right-to-work state. Every state bordering Illinois besides Missouri has a right-to-work law on the books, so it presents an opportunity for Illinois to further contrast itself with its neighbors. If approved, it would be a major victory for organized labor, which has established itself among the most powerful collective interests in Springfield just a few short years after being under threat by the notoriously anti-union Gov. Bruce Rauner. Corruption probe Around this time last year, House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, suspended his campaign for another term as speaker when it became clear he did not have the votes to win. Madigan, who had survived several controversies over the years, was finally beat as a corruption probe thats ensnared some of his closest confidants drew closer and closer. In 2020, federal prosecutors in Chicago charged utility giant Commonwealth Edison with bribery. They alleged that the utility awarded jobs and contracts to associates of a top state official identified as Madigan with intent to influence and reward the official. The utility agreed to pay a $200 million fine. Later that year, longtime lobbyist and Madigan consigliere Mike McClain, along with two former ComEd executives and another lobbyist, was charged in the scheme. The case is scheduled to go to trial later this year, potentially presenting a headache to Democrats running for reelection. Madigan has not been charged with any wrongdoing. But could the former speaker eventually be charged? He appears to be the target of federal prosecutors. But Madigan was always careful, not using email and not owning his own cell phone, for instance. This year, we may find out if the man known as the Velvet Hammer slipped up. Battle for the Illinois Supreme Court The governors race will get most of the headlines, but some Illinois political insiders say there are a pair of even more consequential races on the same ballot: the open seats that will determine control of the seven-person Illinois Supreme Court. The court is currently controlled 4-3 by Democrats, but Justice Thomas Kilbride, a Democrat, lost his retention election in 2020, setting up an open race in 2022. Combined with the retirement of Justice Robert Thomas, a Republican, earlier that year, that leaves two open seats. Adding to that, Springfield Democrats redistricted the states judicial districts for the first time since the 1960s (a Republican-led effort in the 1990s was not successful) in an effort to maintain their hold on the court. The new map, which bases those two districts in the Democratic-trending Chicago suburbs, gives the party a better opportunity to do so than the old map. President Joe Biden carried each district relatively comfortably, but Pritzker only won them by a few thousand votes. Heres the political reality: its far more likely that Republicans take control of the Illinois Supreme Court than they win back the Illinois Governors Mansion. These races will probably not reach the level of expense that the governors race will, but they will be costly. State judicial races may go over the head of average voters, but theres a lot at stake for major interest groups such as the business lobby, organized labor and trial lawyers. They will pour millions into these races. Justice Rita Garmon, a Republican, and Justice Mary Jane Theis, a Democrat, are up for retention in seats considered safe for their respective parties. The fiscal state of Illinois Luckily for policymakers, the economic boom post-shutdown was stronger than expected. State tax revenue which mostly comes from sales and income beat even the rosiest of expectations. This, mixed with COVID-19 stimulus funds, allowed the state to pass a budget thats balanced (at least on paper) while still funding key initiatives, such as the additional $350 million for K-12 education under the evidence-based funding formula. Whether this revenue trend continues into 2022 is a question that will significantly impact what the states budget looks like. Growth is a great drug to take advantage of when drawing up a spending plan. But the states structural deficit, driven largely by growing pension obligations, remains the elephant in the room. Shortened legislative session After a remarkably active year of legislating that stretched into the summer months, House Speaker Chris Welch and Senate President Don Harmon have made clear they want an abbreviated legislative session in 2022. The pair have targeted April 8 as adjournment day, which is seven-and-a-half weeks earlier than typical. Many are skeptical. Lawmakers are notoriously bad at meeting hard deadlines let alone an artificial one. But the goal makes sense. For one its an election year. Such years are normally heavy on politics and light on policy. And another factor to weigh is the June 28 primary date, which is more than three months later than usual due to pandemic-induced delays in the delivery of 2020 U.S. Census data, which pushed back redistricting. The last place lawmakers want to be weeks ahead of an election is Springfield. Of course, they will pass a budget. But beyond that, expect some messaging bills, the occasional trailer bill to clean up legislation passed in 2021 and get ready for some political theater. What does Kinzinger do? U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, announced in November his retirement from the House, which became all-but-certain after Springfield Democrats carved up his district in the once-a-decade redistricting process. But Kinzinger, one of the most prominent GOP critics of former President Donald Trump, has been somewhat coy on his future plans. Hes hinted at a possible run for governor against Pritzker or U.S. Senate against incumbent Tammy Duckworth. He may also do more work with his political action committee Country First. Kinzinger has stated his belief that hes the only candidate who can defeat Pritzker if he can win a GOP primary, that is. But a run for statewide office would undoubtedly take him out of the national spotlight, which he has enjoyed for the better part of a year. Either way, a decision will likely come in January, when petitions start getting passed for the June primary election. Illinois lawmakers just closed the book on a remarkably active year of legislating. Nearly 700 bills were signed into law, including heavy lift items like criminal justice reform and landmark climate legislation. So what does this year hold in state government and politics? No one can predict the future. But if whats past is prologue, Illinoisans can expect less policymaking and more politicking in 2022, a year where every state legislator, members of Congress and major figures like Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Sen. Tammy Duckworth will face voters. With that, here are 10 topics to watch in Illinois government and politics in 2022: Battle of billionaires? Gov. J.B. Pritzker is running for reelection. And though he, with the help of supermajority Democrats in the General Assembly, has largely steamrolled Republican legislative opposition over the past three years, major GOP players say the party will put up a major fight in 2022. GOP sources say Griffin could spend between $200 million and $300 million on the effort. Forces behind the effort are likely to roll out a slate of candidates in the coming weeks. Pritzker, who spent $172 million in his successful 2018 campaign against Gov. Bruce Rauner, has essentially unlimited resources. He will also likely have support from rank-and-file Democrats for delivering on key priorities like increasing the minimum wage, legalizing recreational marijuana and supporting major climate legislation. However, Republicans believe a favorable national climate mixed with exhaustion over lifestyle changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns over a rise in violent crime in cities across the state and an unemployment rate higher than the country as a whole will put Illinois in play if the GOP can find and finance the right candidate. At the very least, Republicans think a statewide slate that can keep the race close can help their legislative candidates win in the moderate Chicago suburbs and perhaps challenge Democratic supermajorities in the legislature. No electoral outcome is certain. But, assuming Griffin follows through, it is a solid bet that the 2022 governors race will be the most expensive race in state history, easily exceeding the 2018 race. So get ready for lots of television advertisements. Who replaces Jesse White? Four Democrats have declared their candidacies for the office: former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias; Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia; Chicago Ald. Pat Dowell and Chicago Ald. David Moore. State Rep. Dan Brady, a Bloomington Republican, has also announced a bid. Whites lengthy tenure was unprecedented. Historically, the office has been a stepping stone position for candidates seeking higher office, with two former officeholders, Republicans Jim Edgar and George Ryan, going on to become governor. Another, Democrat Alan Dixon, went on to serve two terms in the U.S. Senate. It is the most prominent statewide office outside the governors office, controlling more than 4,000 jobs and touching the lives of nearly every Illinois resident by issuing drivers licenses and registering motor vehicles. In short, it is a great position for an ambitious politician to hold. Giannoulias, who served one term as state treasurer before an unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate in 2010, has emerged as the clear frontrunner, lining up support from major labor unions and elected officials while raising nearly $3.5 million. But, in a good Republican year, the party sees an opportunity to win the open seat. Congressional primaries Springfield Democrats approved and Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a new congressional map into law last fall. Some of the consequences of the decisions made will play out in the first half of 2022. Namely, there are likely to be two inter-party congressional primaries. One will feature Rep. Sean Casten, D-Downers Grove, and Rep. Marie Newman, D-LaGrange. The district includes portions of suburban DuPage County and southwestern Cook County. So why are two Democrats facing off when the party drew the map? Well, the 2020 U.S. Census, which showed the state losing population overall, continued to register gains in the states Hispanic population. So lawmakers drew a second district where the group is a significant plurality. One incumbent had to be bounced as a result. If she does, it would have to be against either Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, or Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, both entrenched incumbents. Either way, it would be an ugly primary battle that could potentially involve former President Donald Trump. How will the state spend the rest of its COVID-19 stimulus funds? Illinois state government was allocated more than $8.1 billion in federal COVID-19 stimulus funds under the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021. How to spend the remaining $5 billion will be a major question for lawmakers this coming year. The state has until 2024 to disperse the funds, so it can continue to spread it out over multiple years. But, there will be pressure from lawmakers and interest groups to fund key initiatives. Expect there to be some pressure, especially from Republicans, to use at least some of the funds to pay down the nearly $4.5 billion the state owes to the federal unemployment trust fund. The state utilized that fund to pay enhanced unemployment benefits during the pandemic. How and what lawmakers decided to spend the money may depend on the states budget situation, which improved significantly last year due to the bounce back of the economy. Unionization as a 'fundamental right' In 2022, Illinois voters will be asked whether or not workers have the fundamental right to unionize and collectively bargain in order to negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions. The binding ballot initiative, approved by a bipartisan group of lawmakers during the last legislative session, would prevent state lawmakers from making Illinois a right-to-work state. Every state bordering Illinois besides Missouri has a right-to-work law on the books, so it presents an opportunity for Illinois to further contrast itself with its neighbors. If approved, it would be a major victory for organized labor, which has established itself among the most powerful collective interests in Springfield just a few short years after being under threat by the notoriously anti-union Gov. Bruce Rauner. Corruption probe Around this time last year, House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, suspended his campaign for another term as speaker when it became clear he did not have the votes to win. Madigan, who had survived several controversies over the years, was finally beat as a corruption probe thats ensnared some of his closest confidants drew closer and closer. In 2020, federal prosecutors in Chicago charged utility giant Commonwealth Edison with bribery. They alleged that the utility awarded jobs and contracts to associates of a top state official identified as Madigan with intent to influence and reward the official. The utility agreed to pay a $200 million fine. Later that year, longtime lobbyist and Madigan consigliere Mike McClain, along with two former ComEd executives and another lobbyist, was charged in the scheme. The case is scheduled to go to trial later this year, potentially presenting a headache to Democrats running for reelection. Madigan has not been charged with any wrongdoing. But could the former speaker eventually be charged? He appears to be the target of federal prosecutors. But Madigan was always careful, not using email and not owning his own cell phone, for instance. This year, we may find out if the man known as the Velvet Hammer slipped up. Battle for the Illinois Supreme Court The governors race will get most of the headlines, but some Illinois political insiders say there are a pair of even more consequential races on the same ballot: the open seats that will determine control of the seven-person Illinois Supreme Court. The court is currently controlled 4-3 by Democrats, but Justice Thomas Kilbride, a Democrat, lost his retention election in 2020, setting up an open race in 2022. Combined with the retirement of Justice Robert Thomas, a Republican, earlier that year, that leaves two open seats. Adding to that, Springfield Democrats redistricted the states judicial districts for the first time since the 1960s (a Republican-led effort in the 1990s was not successful) in an effort to maintain their hold on the court. The new map, which bases those two districts in the Democratic-trending Chicago suburbs, gives the party a better opportunity to do so than the old map. President Joe Biden carried each district relatively comfortably, but Pritzker only won them by a few thousand votes. Heres the political reality: its far more likely that Republicans take control of the Illinois Supreme Court than they win back the Illinois Governors Mansion. These races will probably not reach the level of expense that the governors race will, but they will be costly. State judicial races may go over the head of average voters, but theres a lot at stake for major interest groups such as the business lobby, organized labor and trial lawyers. They will pour millions into these races. Justice Rita Garmon, a Republican, and Justice Mary Jane Theis, a Democrat, are up for retention in seats considered safe for their respective parties. The fiscal state of Illinois Luckily for policymakers, the economic boom post-shutdown was stronger than expected. State tax revenue which mostly comes from sales and income beat even the rosiest of expectations. This, mixed with COVID-19 stimulus funds, allowed the state to pass a budget thats balanced (at least on paper) while still funding key initiatives, such as the additional $350 million for K-12 education under the evidence-based funding formula. Whether this revenue trend continues into 2022 is a question that will significantly impact what the states budget looks like. Growth is a great drug to take advantage of when drawing up a spending plan. But the states structural deficit, driven largely by growing pension obligations, remains the elephant in the room. Shortened legislative session After a remarkably active year of legislating that stretched into the summer months, House Speaker Chris Welch and Senate President Don Harmon have made clear they want an abbreviated legislative session in 2022. The pair have targeted April 8 as adjournment day, which is seven-and-a-half weeks earlier than typical. Many are skeptical. Lawmakers are notoriously bad at meeting hard deadlines let alone an artificial one. But the goal makes sense. For one its an election year. Such years are normally heavy on politics and light on policy. And another factor to weigh is the June 28 primary date, which is more than three months later than usual due to pandemic-induced delays in the delivery of 2020 U.S. Census data, which pushed back redistricting. The last place lawmakers want to be weeks ahead of an election is Springfield. Of course, they will pass a budget. But beyond that, expect some messaging bills, the occasional trailer bill to clean up legislation passed in 2021 and get ready for some political theater. What does Kinzinger do? U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, announced in November his retirement from the House, which became all-but-certain after Springfield Democrats carved up his district in the once-a-decade redistricting process. But Kinzinger, one of the most prominent GOP critics of former President Donald Trump, has been somewhat coy on his future plans. Hes hinted at a possible run for governor against Pritzker or U.S. Senate against incumbent Tammy Duckworth. He may also do more work with his political action committee Country First. Kinzinger has stated his belief that hes the only candidate who can defeat Pritzker if he can win a GOP primary, that is. But a run for statewide office would undoubtedly take him out of the national spotlight, which he has enjoyed for the better part of a year. Either way, a decision will likely come in January, when petitions start getting passed for the June primary election. A float featuring Mutual of Omahas Wild Kingdom took home the Director Trophy in the Tournament of Roses Parade Saturday in Pasadena, California. Mutual of Omaha teamed up with RFD-TV on the homage to Wild Kingdom, one of the most beloved wildlife programs in television history. RFD-TV has been replaying Wild Kingdom episodes on Sunday nights since April, and the decision to participate in the parade came from that partnership. The Director Trophy recognizes the most outstanding artistic design and use of floral and non-floral materials, according to the Tournament of Roses. Each year the parade selects three judges who are tasked with selecting award winners. The 55-foot Wild Kingdom float featured a menagerie of different animals, including a lion leaping over a safari jeep holding the shows current host, Peter Gros. Also represented on the float were a heard of African wildlife, a wolf, polar bear, penguins, a whale, sharks and more. Photorealistic floragraphs depicted Marlin Perkins and Jim Fowler, the shows legendary hosts. Phoenix Decorating Company, which has been building and designing floats for the Rose Parade since 1985, was in charge of building the float. RFD-TV plans to launch a new Wild Kingdom series in late 2022. World-Herald Staff Writer Marjie Ducey contributed to this report. French tourism bosses last night told Emmanuel Macron to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers, accusing him of punishing the industry over worsening ties with Britain. The French president slapped the tough measures on UK tourists shortly before Christmas, claiming it was to stop the spread of the Omicron variant. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted. It comes as the countrys own public health agency yesterday admitted Omicron is now the most dominant variant in France. Omicron helped drive infection numbers to a record 232,000 new cases yesterday, piling more pressure on Mr Macron to back down. President Emmanuel Macron (pictured) has been told to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers Francois Badjily, head of the Alpe dHuez tourist office, suggested France was playing politics with the pandemic. We have the impression that our industry is being made to pay the price for the poor relations between both countries right now, whether its about Brexit or fishing or whatever, he said. Mr Badjily said the current rules were incoherent because fully vaccinated tourists from other countries where the Omicron strain is already present are able to visit. Vaccine passports are needed to enter French holiday hotspots such as ski resorts, as well as restaurants, bars and leisure facilities. Alpe dHuez draws a quarter of its visitors from the UK every year, and Mr Badjily added: Why should a Briton who meets these criteria not be allowed to come, but the French and Belgians can? Christophe Lavaut, director of the Val dIsere ski resort, also called on officials in Paris to axe the compelling reason to travel directive that has stopped holidaymakers coming to France. This restriction should simply be lifted as it is no longer necessary, he added. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted At least 42 per cent of Val dIseres customers are British, said Mr Lavaut, who urged his government to act at the beginning of January. Mr Macrons travel measures have created chaos and sowed confusion throughout the entire Christmas break. Earlier this week, border police even prevented Britons who were legal residents in the EU from returning to their homes French officials at the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone said they were not allowed to cross through France on health grounds. But the EUs top disease agency said in a report last month that Omicron travel restrictions only help buy valuable time during the first days of detection, adding that in countries already experiencing community transmission such measures will probably not be relevant for much longer. The French government failed to reply to the Mails request for comment. Germany will remove Britain from its travel red list on Tuesday after its government admitted Omicron was already widely present in the country. China is mining social media platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, to harvest data on Western targets for its military, police and government agencies. The government is purchasing newer and more sophisticated data surveillance systems to collect information on foreign entities, according to the Washington Post which reviewed bidding documents and contracts for over 300 Chinese government projects dating back to early 2020. The documents revealed the purchase of a $320,000 Chinese state media software that mines social media to create a database of foreign journalists and academics. Officials also purchased a $216,000 Beijing police intelligence program that targets Hong Kong and Taiwan and a Xinjiang cybercenter that catalogues Uyghur language content abroad. An analyst with China's Central Propaganda Department said the software will allow the state to 'better understand the underground network of anti-China personnel'. The nation's leaders are also forming a network of warning systems that will sound real-time alarms for trends that threaten or undermine the state's interests. China's systems for analyzing domestic public opinion online are a large pillar of President Xi Jinping's (pictured) initiative to modernize the country's 'propaganda apparatus and maintain control over the Internet' China is mining social media platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, to harvest data on western targets for its military, police and government agencies Some of the highly customizable programs China is purchasing are used to collect real-time data from individual social media users, while others track broad trends including US elections. This type of data collection is banned by both Twitter and Facebook, unless prior authorization has been given China is using its internal internet-data surveillance network to gather information on its western targets as part of a wider drive to refine foreign propaganda efforts. Documents obtained by the newspaper revealed the Chinese government has budgeted for the buying and maintaining of foreign social media accounts on behalf of the police and propaganda department. Other purchases ranged from small, automated programs to large projects costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. The state is also budgeting for 24/7 staffing of teams that include English speakers and foreign policy specialists. Some of the highly customizable programs are used to collect real-time data from individual social media users, while others track broad trends including US elections. 'On the back of the Sino-US trade talks and the Hong Kong rioting incident, it's becoming clearer day by day that the public opinion news war is arduous and necessary,' state-backed newspaper China Daily wrote in a July 2020 bidding document for a $300,000 'foreign personnel analysis platform.' 'We are competing with the US and Western media, the battle for the right to speak has begun,' the document read. It also issued specifications for a program that would mine Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for data on 'well known Western media journalists' and other 'key personnel from political, business and media circles.' The program would automatically collect and store the data in real-time on Chinese servers for analysis. This type of data collection is banned by both Twitter and Facebook, unless prior authorization has been given. 'Our API provides real-time access to public data and Tweets only, not private information. We prohibit use of our API for surveillance purposes, as per our developer policy and terms,' Katie Rosborough, a Twitter spokesperson, told the Washington Post. Facebook did not immediately respond to request for comment. Meanwhile, those familiar with the software and China's domestic public opinion network described the efforts as 'terrifying' and a reflection of how strongly the government feels about battling public opinion. 'They are now reorienting part of that effort outward, and I think that's frankly terrifying, looking at the sheer numbers and sheer scale that this has taken inside China,' said Mareike Ohlberg, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund. 'It really shows that they now feel it's their responsibility to defend China overseas and fight the public opinion war overseas.' China's systems for analyzing domestic public opinion online are a large pillar of President Xi Jinping's initiative to modernize the country's 'propaganda apparatus and maintain control over the Internet'. The large data collection and monitoring will offer government officials insight into public opinion and provide technical surveillance for the nation's censorship apparatus (Pictured: President Xi Jinping delivering his New Year speech on December 31, 2021) The large data collection and monitoring will offer government officials insight into public opinion and provide technical surveillance for the nation's censorship apparatus. Officials argue monitoring and analysis are essential to 'public opinion guidance work,' a program aiming to mold public opinion in favor of Beijing through censorship and targeted propaganda. The nation's public opinion efforts date back to 1989 in response to the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy demonstrations. While the exact scope of the nation's current public opinion monitoring network is unknown, in 2014 a state-backed newspaper reported more than 2 million people were working as public opinion analysts. In 2018, another government approved media outlet described the industry as being worth 'tens of billions of yuan,' which is equivalent to billions of dollars. The official also said the industry was growing at a rate of 50 percent each year. In June 2020, Twitter suspended 23,000 accounts believed to be linked to the Chinese Communist Party. The platform alleged the accounts were covertly spreading propaganda to undermine pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. As of December 2021, Twitter said it removed a further 2,048 accounts associated with Beijing and propaganda efforts. Experts believe those accounts represent a small fraction of Chinese-run accounts. Some dispensaries in the state had lines of people packed inside to avoid cold temperatures, while others saw a small but steady stream of foot traffic. In COVID-19 clinical update #95, Daniel Griffin discusses new CDC guidelines for isolation and quarantine, EUA for Molnupiravir, children and COVID, vaccine safety in 5-11 year olds, Omicron outbreaks in Nebraska and Denmark, Baylors COVID vaccine, and COVID-OUT for ivermectin. Dec 31, 2021 01:24 Current Virus prevalence 03:00 Links for this episode 03:02 Isolation and quarantine guidance 11:12 EUA for Molnupiravir 11:26 Children and COVID state data 12:16 Vaccine safety in 5-11 year olds 13:12 Omicron and antigen tests 14:52 2 of Molecular tests fail with Omicron 15:19 Omicron in Nebraska 16:45 Omicron in Danish households 20:05 Baylor COVID vaccine 24:23 Anti-virals prescriptions 27:26 COVID-OUT for ivermectin 29:12 Global vaccination 29:36 Donations 30:46 Letters 30:49 Chip and Laura rapid tests stay positive 33:39 Philip T-Cell test 34:37 Charlotte Durability of infection prevention 35:32 Lynn quarantine duration for 12-15 olds I tried lots of popular scooters, and they all seemed the same: small and light and cramped, with my knees hitting the apron if braked hard With the pandemic in 2019 came travel restrictions and work from home policies that transformed our lives. Besides, our daily help, an immigrant, had to go home, leaving us to fend for ourselves. With all this, Id been deprived of the long, relaxing motorcycle rides that I loved. But in October, following the early death of a cousin, I wanted to visit her father and sister in Thrissur, some 350 kilometres from home. Here was a chance to ride down. My last such ride had been in 2018, before the pandemic. I had since crossed the age of sixty, been through several eye operations and accumulated many age-related niggles, so I wasnt sure Id be able to make it. Here, I thought, was a chance to find out. Also, I was fed up with the bike. Three years in our home by the seashore had turned it into a rust-bucket, and the Chennai-based manufacturers didnt honour the guarantee. It was time for a change. I decided Id take a long ride, and, if it was fun, Id replace the bike with a comparable one. Otherwise Id replace it with a little runabout for errands and shopping trips. Early one morning in late October, I set out, full of fear and hope. Over the next four days, I covered a thousand kilometres, mostly in Kerala, through territory that had changed dramatically. I got back home tired and discouraged, because although Id managed that long trip, the aches and pains and niggles had taken away most of the fun. So, no more daylong rides to faraway places. No more thumping around magical misty hillsides on chill mornings, fingers frozen and heart aflame. There was a gap in my life that I didnt know how to fill. For the time being, though, there was work to be done, because the bike had to be sold. I had to sell it at the best possible price, and decide what to replace the damn thing with. Being bone lazy in matters of money, I decided to combine the two, and to decide first what to buy. After that it was a matter of leaving it to the guy who sold me the new vehicle to get the best price for the old one. I tried lots of popular scooters, and they all seemed the same: small and light and cramped, with my knees hitting the apron if you braked hard. They all even sounded the same, like an angry sewing machine. But they were simple: you sat on them and pointed them and twisted the throttle and off you went. You turned by shifting your bottom on the seat, and if you wanted to swerve to avoid a pothole or something you wiggled your bottom instead. When you wanted to stop, you just hit the brake: a single lever that operated both front and rear brakes. That was it. None of this business of gearshifts and clutches and using the brakes separately and so on. There were, of course, disadvantages. If you opened the throttle wide the engine sounded like a sewing machine throwing a tantrum but the scooter didnt seem to move any faster. On the few kilometres of highway between home and town you were surrounded by vehicles fifty times heavier and at least as fast as your own, which was terrifying at first. And then I happened upon a scooter that didnt seem too bad. Like the rest, it sounded like a sewing machine and didnt understand how to hurry, but the seat was large and my knees didnt keep hitting the apron, and so I bought it. But I didnt stop complaining until my wife got fed up. You havent done your scooter justice, she said, Take it for a long ride in the hills, and, if you happen to like it, stop whining about it! And so I set out for the Subramanya temple at Kukke, a little over a hundred kilometres away. I hadnt been that way for over a decade, and had no idea how the roads had changed, but Google Maps found me a route that kept me off the highways two-thirds the distance. I left home at half-past-seven, hoping to beat the traffic, and, on the empty roads, found the scooter frustratingly slow. Then came a stretch of highway where I was stuck behind convoys of slow-moving lorries, suffering noise and heat and dust and exhaust fumes. When I stopped for a coffee-break ninety minutes out, I seethed at my own stupidity at having set out on this trip. And then, two-thirds of the way, some kilometres off the highway, everything changed. The road wound through forested hills, with not another vehicle in sight. Riding slowly though the forests, I became suddenly aware of the breeze in the trees and the birdsong and the sunlight glinting off water in a pond and an egret standing meditatively on a bank of a river as I crossed the bridge spanning it. Id have noticed most of this on the bike, but, because the scooter forced me to slow down, I noticed more of it, and at greater depth. Time slowed, and the frustration disappeared. This was the temple I was looking for, I thought, not the beautiful stone structure where devotees lined up to pray. I noticed a cloud of butterflies about a thicket on the riverbank, and stopped, knowing I needed go no further. Then it struck me that the real temple was this place in my heart, and not the riverbank on a pleasant morning, or even a misty hillside. As I watched, the egret flew off, and I, too, moved on, at peace with the world, and with the scooter. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Princess Eugenie Princess Eugenie/Instagram Princess Eugenie is marking her first New Year's Eve as a mom. Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter, 31, welcomed her first child a son named August Philip Hawke in February with her husband of three years Jack Brooksbank. Princess Eugenie reflected on her first year as a mom in a Friday Instagram post celebrating the new year. She shared a carousel of photos featuring sweet moments with Jack and August, plus glimpses inside her experience with motherhood and a touching photo of her late grandfather Prince Philip with The Queen. RELATED: See All of the Adorable Photos of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's Son, August Philip Hawke Brooksbank "Happy New Year to all.. Goodbye 2021," Eugenie captioned the post. "A year that blessed us with our boy and saw our family grow with new additions but also a year that took some of our biggest and brightest lights. Forever in our hearts ." Since his arrival, August has been featured heavily on Princess Eugenie's personal Instagram page from the family's first photo as a trio to showing off his adorable wardrobe (like his cozy knit sweater embroidered with his name in blue). The holiday season comes after a difficult year for Princess Eugenie and Jack, however, as it's the first winter since the death of Eugenie's grandfather Prince Philip (who died in April at age 99) and the death of Jack's father, George Brooksbank. According to The PA, George, 72, had "been ill for some time" after battling the coronavirus last year and died shortly before August's royal christening in November. Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! The Brooksbank family was told to "prepare for the worst" multiple times while he spent nine weeks in the hospital, including five weeks on a ventilator, with COVID-19 after a trip to France, The Telegraph reported last year. His condition improved following a tracheotomy, and George credited his recovery to the staff at both the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London and the Royal Brompton Hospital prior to his death. Story continues Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank; George Brooksbank Dave Benett/Getty Images; YUI MOK/AFP via Getty Images Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank; George Brooksbank In June 2020, Princess Eugenie shared a video on her personal Instagram page thanking frontline workers, especially those who "saved my father in law George's life during his stays at St Mary's, Chelsea and Royal Brompton Hospital after he contracted the virus." "I can't begin to express the thanks I have to you all for bringing him back to our family, my husband Jack, his brother Tom and his beloved wife Nicola. We are forever grateful," Eugenie said. Princess Eugenie Princess Eugenie/Instagram Princess Eugenie is marking her first New Year's Eve as a mom. Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter, 31, welcomed her first child a son named August Philip Hawke in February with her husband of three years Jack Brooksbank. Princess Eugenie reflected on her first year as a mom in a Friday Instagram post celebrating the new year. She shared a carousel of photos featuring sweet moments with Jack and August, plus glimpses inside her experience with motherhood and a touching photo of her late grandfather Prince Philip with The Queen. RELATED: See All of the Adorable Photos of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's Son, August Philip Hawke Brooksbank "Happy New Year to all.. Goodbye 2021," Eugenie captioned the post. "A year that blessed us with our boy and saw our family grow with new additions but also a year that took some of our biggest and brightest lights. Forever in our hearts ." Since his arrival, August has been featured heavily on Princess Eugenie's personal Instagram page from the family's first photo as a trio to showing off his adorable wardrobe (like his cozy knit sweater embroidered with his name in blue). The holiday season comes after a difficult year for Princess Eugenie and Jack, however, as it's the first winter since the death of Eugenie's grandfather Prince Philip (who died in April at age 99) and the death of Jack's father, George Brooksbank. According to The PA, George, 72, had "been ill for some time" after battling the coronavirus last year and died shortly before August's royal christening in November. Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! The Brooksbank family was told to "prepare for the worst" multiple times while he spent nine weeks in the hospital, including five weeks on a ventilator, with COVID-19 after a trip to France, The Telegraph reported last year. His condition improved following a tracheotomy, and George credited his recovery to the staff at both the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London and the Royal Brompton Hospital prior to his death. Story continues Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank; George Brooksbank Dave Benett/Getty Images; YUI MOK/AFP via Getty Images Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank; George Brooksbank In June 2020, Princess Eugenie shared a video on her personal Instagram page thanking frontline workers, especially those who "saved my father in law George's life during his stays at St Mary's, Chelsea and Royal Brompton Hospital after he contracted the virus." "I can't begin to express the thanks I have to you all for bringing him back to our family, my husband Jack, his brother Tom and his beloved wife Nicola. We are forever grateful," Eugenie said. A float featuring Mutual of Omahas Wild Kingdom took home the Director Trophy in the Tournament of Roses Parade Saturday in Pasadena, California. Mutual of Omaha teamed up with RFD-TV on the homage to Wild Kingdom, one of the most beloved wildlife programs in television history. RFD-TV has been replaying Wild Kingdom episodes on Sunday nights since April, and the decision to participate in the parade came from that partnership. The Director Trophy recognizes the most outstanding artistic design and use of floral and non-floral materials, according to the Tournament of Roses. Each year the parade selects three judges who are tasked with selecting award winners. The 55-foot Wild Kingdom float featured a menagerie of different animals, including a lion leaping over a safari jeep holding the shows current host, Peter Gros. Also represented on the float were a heard of African wildlife, a wolf, polar bear, penguins, a whale, sharks and more. Photorealistic floragraphs depicted Marlin Perkins and Jim Fowler, the shows legendary hosts. Phoenix Decorating Company, which has been building and designing floats for the Rose Parade since 1985, was in charge of building the float. RFD-TV plans to launch a new Wild Kingdom series in late 2022. World-Herald Staff Writer Marjie Ducey contributed to this report. French tourism bosses last night told Emmanuel Macron to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers, accusing him of punishing the industry over worsening ties with Britain. The French president slapped the tough measures on UK tourists shortly before Christmas, claiming it was to stop the spread of the Omicron variant. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted. It comes as the countrys own public health agency yesterday admitted Omicron is now the most dominant variant in France. Omicron helped drive infection numbers to a record 232,000 new cases yesterday, piling more pressure on Mr Macron to back down. President Emmanuel Macron (pictured) has been told to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers Francois Badjily, head of the Alpe dHuez tourist office, suggested France was playing politics with the pandemic. We have the impression that our industry is being made to pay the price for the poor relations between both countries right now, whether its about Brexit or fishing or whatever, he said. Mr Badjily said the current rules were incoherent because fully vaccinated tourists from other countries where the Omicron strain is already present are able to visit. Vaccine passports are needed to enter French holiday hotspots such as ski resorts, as well as restaurants, bars and leisure facilities. Alpe dHuez draws a quarter of its visitors from the UK every year, and Mr Badjily added: Why should a Briton who meets these criteria not be allowed to come, but the French and Belgians can? Christophe Lavaut, director of the Val dIsere ski resort, also called on officials in Paris to axe the compelling reason to travel directive that has stopped holidaymakers coming to France. This restriction should simply be lifted as it is no longer necessary, he added. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted At least 42 per cent of Val dIseres customers are British, said Mr Lavaut, who urged his government to act at the beginning of January. Mr Macrons travel measures have created chaos and sowed confusion throughout the entire Christmas break. Earlier this week, border police even prevented Britons who were legal residents in the EU from returning to their homes French officials at the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone said they were not allowed to cross through France on health grounds. But the EUs top disease agency said in a report last month that Omicron travel restrictions only help buy valuable time during the first days of detection, adding that in countries already experiencing community transmission such measures will probably not be relevant for much longer. The French government failed to reply to the Mails request for comment. Germany will remove Britain from its travel red list on Tuesday after its government admitted Omicron was already widely present in the country. A float featuring Mutual of Omahas Wild Kingdom took home the Director Trophy in the Tournament of Roses Parade Saturday in Pasadena, California. Mutual of Omaha teamed up with RFD-TV on the homage to Wild Kingdom, one of the most beloved wildlife programs in television history. RFD-TV has been replaying Wild Kingdom episodes on Sunday nights since April, and the decision to participate in the parade came from that partnership. The Director Trophy recognizes the most outstanding artistic design and use of floral and non-floral materials, according to the Tournament of Roses. Each year the parade selects three judges who are tasked with selecting award winners. The 55-foot Wild Kingdom float featured a menagerie of different animals, including a lion leaping over a safari jeep holding the shows current host, Peter Gros. Also represented on the float were a heard of African wildlife, a wolf, polar bear, penguins, a whale, sharks and more. Photorealistic floragraphs depicted Marlin Perkins and Jim Fowler, the shows legendary hosts. Phoenix Decorating Company, which has been building and designing floats for the Rose Parade since 1985, was in charge of building the float. RFD-TV plans to launch a new Wild Kingdom series in late 2022. World-Herald Staff Writer Marjie Ducey contributed to this report. China is mining social media platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, to harvest data on Western targets for its military, police and government agencies. The government is purchasing newer and more sophisticated data surveillance systems to collect information on foreign entities, according to the Washington Post which reviewed bidding documents and contracts for over 300 Chinese government projects dating back to early 2020. The documents revealed the purchase of a $320,000 Chinese state media software that mines social media to create a database of foreign journalists and academics. Officials also purchased a $216,000 Beijing police intelligence program that targets Hong Kong and Taiwan and a Xinjiang cybercenter that catalogues Uyghur language content abroad. An analyst with China's Central Propaganda Department said the software will allow the state to 'better understand the underground network of anti-China personnel'. The nation's leaders are also forming a network of warning systems that will sound real-time alarms for trends that threaten or undermine the state's interests. China's systems for analyzing domestic public opinion online are a large pillar of President Xi Jinping's (pictured) initiative to modernize the country's 'propaganda apparatus and maintain control over the Internet' China is mining social media platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, to harvest data on western targets for its military, police and government agencies Some of the highly customizable programs China is purchasing are used to collect real-time data from individual social media users, while others track broad trends including US elections. This type of data collection is banned by both Twitter and Facebook, unless prior authorization has been given China is using its internal internet-data surveillance network to gather information on its western targets as part of a wider drive to refine foreign propaganda efforts. Documents obtained by the newspaper revealed the Chinese government has budgeted for the buying and maintaining of foreign social media accounts on behalf of the police and propaganda department. Other purchases ranged from small, automated programs to large projects costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. The state is also budgeting for 24/7 staffing of teams that include English speakers and foreign policy specialists. Some of the highly customizable programs are used to collect real-time data from individual social media users, while others track broad trends including US elections. 'On the back of the Sino-US trade talks and the Hong Kong rioting incident, it's becoming clearer day by day that the public opinion news war is arduous and necessary,' state-backed newspaper China Daily wrote in a July 2020 bidding document for a $300,000 'foreign personnel analysis platform.' 'We are competing with the US and Western media, the battle for the right to speak has begun,' the document read. It also issued specifications for a program that would mine Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for data on 'well known Western media journalists' and other 'key personnel from political, business and media circles.' The program would automatically collect and store the data in real-time on Chinese servers for analysis. This type of data collection is banned by both Twitter and Facebook, unless prior authorization has been given. 'Our API provides real-time access to public data and Tweets only, not private information. We prohibit use of our API for surveillance purposes, as per our developer policy and terms,' Katie Rosborough, a Twitter spokesperson, told the Washington Post. Facebook did not immediately respond to request for comment. Meanwhile, those familiar with the software and China's domestic public opinion network described the efforts as 'terrifying' and a reflection of how strongly the government feels about battling public opinion. 'They are now reorienting part of that effort outward, and I think that's frankly terrifying, looking at the sheer numbers and sheer scale that this has taken inside China,' said Mareike Ohlberg, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund. 'It really shows that they now feel it's their responsibility to defend China overseas and fight the public opinion war overseas.' China's systems for analyzing domestic public opinion online are a large pillar of President Xi Jinping's initiative to modernize the country's 'propaganda apparatus and maintain control over the Internet'. The large data collection and monitoring will offer government officials insight into public opinion and provide technical surveillance for the nation's censorship apparatus (Pictured: President Xi Jinping delivering his New Year speech on December 31, 2021) The large data collection and monitoring will offer government officials insight into public opinion and provide technical surveillance for the nation's censorship apparatus. Officials argue monitoring and analysis are essential to 'public opinion guidance work,' a program aiming to mold public opinion in favor of Beijing through censorship and targeted propaganda. The nation's public opinion efforts date back to 1989 in response to the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy demonstrations. While the exact scope of the nation's current public opinion monitoring network is unknown, in 2014 a state-backed newspaper reported more than 2 million people were working as public opinion analysts. In 2018, another government approved media outlet described the industry as being worth 'tens of billions of yuan,' which is equivalent to billions of dollars. The official also said the industry was growing at a rate of 50 percent each year. In June 2020, Twitter suspended 23,000 accounts believed to be linked to the Chinese Communist Party. The platform alleged the accounts were covertly spreading propaganda to undermine pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. As of December 2021, Twitter said it removed a further 2,048 accounts associated with Beijing and propaganda efforts. Experts believe those accounts represent a small fraction of Chinese-run accounts. China is mining social media platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, to harvest data on Western targets for its military, police and government agencies. The government is purchasing newer and more sophisticated data surveillance systems to collect information on foreign entities, according to the Washington Post which reviewed bidding documents and contracts for over 300 Chinese government projects dating back to early 2020. The documents revealed the purchase of a $320,000 Chinese state media software that mines social media to create a database of foreign journalists and academics. Officials also purchased a $216,000 Beijing police intelligence program that targets Hong Kong and Taiwan and a Xinjiang cybercenter that catalogues Uyghur language content abroad. An analyst with China's Central Propaganda Department said the software will allow the state to 'better understand the underground network of anti-China personnel'. The nation's leaders are also forming a network of warning systems that will sound real-time alarms for trends that threaten or undermine the state's interests. China's systems for analyzing domestic public opinion online are a large pillar of President Xi Jinping's (pictured) initiative to modernize the country's 'propaganda apparatus and maintain control over the Internet' China is mining social media platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, to harvest data on western targets for its military, police and government agencies Some of the highly customizable programs China is purchasing are used to collect real-time data from individual social media users, while others track broad trends including US elections. This type of data collection is banned by both Twitter and Facebook, unless prior authorization has been given China is using its internal internet-data surveillance network to gather information on its western targets as part of a wider drive to refine foreign propaganda efforts. Documents obtained by the newspaper revealed the Chinese government has budgeted for the buying and maintaining of foreign social media accounts on behalf of the police and propaganda department. Other purchases ranged from small, automated programs to large projects costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. The state is also budgeting for 24/7 staffing of teams that include English speakers and foreign policy specialists. Some of the highly customizable programs are used to collect real-time data from individual social media users, while others track broad trends including US elections. 'On the back of the Sino-US trade talks and the Hong Kong rioting incident, it's becoming clearer day by day that the public opinion news war is arduous and necessary,' state-backed newspaper China Daily wrote in a July 2020 bidding document for a $300,000 'foreign personnel analysis platform.' 'We are competing with the US and Western media, the battle for the right to speak has begun,' the document read. It also issued specifications for a program that would mine Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for data on 'well known Western media journalists' and other 'key personnel from political, business and media circles.' The program would automatically collect and store the data in real-time on Chinese servers for analysis. This type of data collection is banned by both Twitter and Facebook, unless prior authorization has been given. 'Our API provides real-time access to public data and Tweets only, not private information. We prohibit use of our API for surveillance purposes, as per our developer policy and terms,' Katie Rosborough, a Twitter spokesperson, told the Washington Post. Facebook did not immediately respond to request for comment. Meanwhile, those familiar with the software and China's domestic public opinion network described the efforts as 'terrifying' and a reflection of how strongly the government feels about battling public opinion. 'They are now reorienting part of that effort outward, and I think that's frankly terrifying, looking at the sheer numbers and sheer scale that this has taken inside China,' said Mareike Ohlberg, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund. 'It really shows that they now feel it's their responsibility to defend China overseas and fight the public opinion war overseas.' China's systems for analyzing domestic public opinion online are a large pillar of President Xi Jinping's initiative to modernize the country's 'propaganda apparatus and maintain control over the Internet'. The large data collection and monitoring will offer government officials insight into public opinion and provide technical surveillance for the nation's censorship apparatus (Pictured: President Xi Jinping delivering his New Year speech on December 31, 2021) The large data collection and monitoring will offer government officials insight into public opinion and provide technical surveillance for the nation's censorship apparatus. Officials argue monitoring and analysis are essential to 'public opinion guidance work,' a program aiming to mold public opinion in favor of Beijing through censorship and targeted propaganda. The nation's public opinion efforts date back to 1989 in response to the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy demonstrations. While the exact scope of the nation's current public opinion monitoring network is unknown, in 2014 a state-backed newspaper reported more than 2 million people were working as public opinion analysts. In 2018, another government approved media outlet described the industry as being worth 'tens of billions of yuan,' which is equivalent to billions of dollars. The official also said the industry was growing at a rate of 50 percent each year. In June 2020, Twitter suspended 23,000 accounts believed to be linked to the Chinese Communist Party. The platform alleged the accounts were covertly spreading propaganda to undermine pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. As of December 2021, Twitter said it removed a further 2,048 accounts associated with Beijing and propaganda efforts. Experts believe those accounts represent a small fraction of Chinese-run accounts. New York City Mayor Eric Adams calls the police while keeping his eye on a fight in the street while waiting for the subway to City Hall in New York on Saturday (AP) New York City Mayor Eric Adams jumped headfirst into tackling the citys rise in crime when he called 911 to report an assault while taking the subway to work on his first day on the job. The former police officer, who was sworn in as mayor just hours earlier, spotted three men fighting in a street in Brooklyn around 8am on Saturday morning. @NYCMayor calls 911 to report an assault in progress as he awaits a train from Brooklyn to City Hall. He does not identify himself as the new mayor pic.twitter.com/ebHyPNX7dt Julia Marsh (@juliakmarsh) January 1, 2022 Footage posted on social media shows Mr Adams watching the men through a railing from where he stood on the platform at the Kosciuszko J stop in Brooklyn on his way to City Hall. The three men are seen throwing punches at each other on a sidewalk below. The mayor, who was sporting a face mask, was filmed on his cellphone speaking to a 911 dispatcher. Yes, Im at Broadway and Kosciuszko and I have an assault in progress. Three males, the mayor says. Yes, Im sorry? No - assault in progress, not past assault. They are fighting each other on the street right now, three males. Mr Adams did not give his identity as the new mayor until the end of the call when he told the dispatcher: Adams, Mayor Adams. Two police cars responded to the scene around five minutes later, by which time the men were getting into a car and leaving the scene, according to the New York Post. The police officers then left the scene without questioning anyone. The incident unfolded when Mr Adams was joined by members of the public and the media as he made his first days commute to his new workplace at City Hall. Once a transit cop always a transit cop, he said of the encounter. Mr Adams was sworn in as mayor just minutes after the ball dropped in Times Square at midnight to celebrate the New Year. Story continues The 61-year-old is the citys 110th mayor overall and second Black mayor, after David Dinkins was in office from 1990 to 1993. Eric Adams is sworn in as the 110th Mayor of New York City during the New Years celebrations in Times Square (REUTERS) As a retired NYPD captain, he vowed during his mayoral campaign to stop violent crime in the streets of the city following an increase during the pandemic. During his first speech as mayor in City Hall on Saturday, he promised to put more resources into stopping violent crime while I work with [the police] commissioner [Keechant] Sewell to bring reform to our police department. Mr Adams also called on New Yorkers to not be controlled by crisis and to get vaccinated as the city deals with a renewed spike in Covid-19 cases. This will be our New Years resolution: We will not be controlled by crisis, he said. China is mining social media platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, to harvest data on Western targets for its military, police and government agencies. The government is purchasing newer and more sophisticated data surveillance systems to collect information on foreign entities, according to the Washington Post which reviewed bidding documents and contracts for over 300 Chinese government projects dating back to early 2020. The documents revealed the purchase of a $320,000 Chinese state media software that mines social media to create a database of foreign journalists and academics. Officials also purchased a $216,000 Beijing police intelligence program that targets Hong Kong and Taiwan and a Xinjiang cybercenter that catalogues Uyghur language content abroad. An analyst with China's Central Propaganda Department said the software will allow the state to 'better understand the underground network of anti-China personnel'. The nation's leaders are also forming a network of warning systems that will sound real-time alarms for trends that threaten or undermine the state's interests. China's systems for analyzing domestic public opinion online are a large pillar of President Xi Jinping's (pictured) initiative to modernize the country's 'propaganda apparatus and maintain control over the Internet' China is mining social media platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, to harvest data on western targets for its military, police and government agencies Some of the highly customizable programs China is purchasing are used to collect real-time data from individual social media users, while others track broad trends including US elections. This type of data collection is banned by both Twitter and Facebook, unless prior authorization has been given China is using its internal internet-data surveillance network to gather information on its western targets as part of a wider drive to refine foreign propaganda efforts. Documents obtained by the newspaper revealed the Chinese government has budgeted for the buying and maintaining of foreign social media accounts on behalf of the police and propaganda department. Other purchases ranged from small, automated programs to large projects costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. The state is also budgeting for 24/7 staffing of teams that include English speakers and foreign policy specialists. Some of the highly customizable programs are used to collect real-time data from individual social media users, while others track broad trends including US elections. 'On the back of the Sino-US trade talks and the Hong Kong rioting incident, it's becoming clearer day by day that the public opinion news war is arduous and necessary,' state-backed newspaper China Daily wrote in a July 2020 bidding document for a $300,000 'foreign personnel analysis platform.' 'We are competing with the US and Western media, the battle for the right to speak has begun,' the document read. It also issued specifications for a program that would mine Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for data on 'well known Western media journalists' and other 'key personnel from political, business and media circles.' The program would automatically collect and store the data in real-time on Chinese servers for analysis. This type of data collection is banned by both Twitter and Facebook, unless prior authorization has been given. 'Our API provides real-time access to public data and Tweets only, not private information. We prohibit use of our API for surveillance purposes, as per our developer policy and terms,' Katie Rosborough, a Twitter spokesperson, told the Washington Post. Facebook did not immediately respond to request for comment. Meanwhile, those familiar with the software and China's domestic public opinion network described the efforts as 'terrifying' and a reflection of how strongly the government feels about battling public opinion. 'They are now reorienting part of that effort outward, and I think that's frankly terrifying, looking at the sheer numbers and sheer scale that this has taken inside China,' said Mareike Ohlberg, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund. 'It really shows that they now feel it's their responsibility to defend China overseas and fight the public opinion war overseas.' China's systems for analyzing domestic public opinion online are a large pillar of President Xi Jinping's initiative to modernize the country's 'propaganda apparatus and maintain control over the Internet'. The large data collection and monitoring will offer government officials insight into public opinion and provide technical surveillance for the nation's censorship apparatus (Pictured: President Xi Jinping delivering his New Year speech on December 31, 2021) The large data collection and monitoring will offer government officials insight into public opinion and provide technical surveillance for the nation's censorship apparatus. Officials argue monitoring and analysis are essential to 'public opinion guidance work,' a program aiming to mold public opinion in favor of Beijing through censorship and targeted propaganda. The nation's public opinion efforts date back to 1989 in response to the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy demonstrations. While the exact scope of the nation's current public opinion monitoring network is unknown, in 2014 a state-backed newspaper reported more than 2 million people were working as public opinion analysts. In 2018, another government approved media outlet described the industry as being worth 'tens of billions of yuan,' which is equivalent to billions of dollars. The official also said the industry was growing at a rate of 50 percent each year. In June 2020, Twitter suspended 23,000 accounts believed to be linked to the Chinese Communist Party. The platform alleged the accounts were covertly spreading propaganda to undermine pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. As of December 2021, Twitter said it removed a further 2,048 accounts associated with Beijing and propaganda efforts. Experts believe those accounts represent a small fraction of Chinese-run accounts. A float featuring Mutual of Omahas Wild Kingdom took home the Director Trophy in the Tournament of Roses Parade Saturday in Pasadena, California. Mutual of Omaha teamed up with RFD-TV on the homage to Wild Kingdom, one of the most beloved wildlife programs in television history. RFD-TV has been replaying Wild Kingdom episodes on Sunday nights since April, and the decision to participate in the parade came from that partnership. The Director Trophy recognizes the most outstanding artistic design and use of floral and non-floral materials, according to the Tournament of Roses. Each year the parade selects three judges who are tasked with selecting award winners. The 55-foot Wild Kingdom float featured a menagerie of different animals, including a lion leaping over a safari jeep holding the shows current host, Peter Gros. Also represented on the float were a heard of African wildlife, a wolf, polar bear, penguins, a whale, sharks and more. Photorealistic floragraphs depicted Marlin Perkins and Jim Fowler, the shows legendary hosts. Phoenix Decorating Company, which has been building and designing floats for the Rose Parade since 1985, was in charge of building the float. RFD-TV plans to launch a new Wild Kingdom series in late 2022. World-Herald Staff Writer Marjie Ducey contributed to this report. A float featuring Mutual of Omahas Wild Kingdom took home the Director Trophy in the Tournament of Roses Parade Saturday in Pasadena, California. Mutual of Omaha teamed up with RFD-TV on the homage to Wild Kingdom, one of the most beloved wildlife programs in television history. RFD-TV has been replaying Wild Kingdom episodes on Sunday nights since April, and the decision to participate in the parade came from that partnership. The Director Trophy recognizes the most outstanding artistic design and use of floral and non-floral materials, according to the Tournament of Roses. Each year the parade selects three judges who are tasked with selecting award winners. The 55-foot Wild Kingdom float featured a menagerie of different animals, including a lion leaping over a safari jeep holding the shows current host, Peter Gros. Also represented on the float were a heard of African wildlife, a wolf, polar bear, penguins, a whale, sharks and more. Photorealistic floragraphs depicted Marlin Perkins and Jim Fowler, the shows legendary hosts. Phoenix Decorating Company, which has been building and designing floats for the Rose Parade since 1985, was in charge of building the float. RFD-TV plans to launch a new Wild Kingdom series in late 2022. World-Herald Staff Writer Marjie Ducey contributed to this report. I tried lots of popular scooters, and they all seemed the same: small and light and cramped, with my knees hitting the apron if braked hard With the pandemic in 2019 came travel restrictions and work from home policies that transformed our lives. Besides, our daily help, an immigrant, had to go home, leaving us to fend for ourselves. With all this, Id been deprived of the long, relaxing motorcycle rides that I loved. But in October, following the early death of a cousin, I wanted to visit her father and sister in Thrissur, some 350 kilometres from home. Here was a chance to ride down. My last such ride had been in 2018, before the pandemic. I had since crossed the age of sixty, been through several eye operations and accumulated many age-related niggles, so I wasnt sure Id be able to make it. Here, I thought, was a chance to find out. Also, I was fed up with the bike. Three years in our home by the seashore had turned it into a rust-bucket, and the Chennai-based manufacturers didnt honour the guarantee. It was time for a change. I decided Id take a long ride, and, if it was fun, Id replace the bike with a comparable one. Otherwise Id replace it with a little runabout for errands and shopping trips. Early one morning in late October, I set out, full of fear and hope. Over the next four days, I covered a thousand kilometres, mostly in Kerala, through territory that had changed dramatically. I got back home tired and discouraged, because although Id managed that long trip, the aches and pains and niggles had taken away most of the fun. So, no more daylong rides to faraway places. No more thumping around magical misty hillsides on chill mornings, fingers frozen and heart aflame. There was a gap in my life that I didnt know how to fill. For the time being, though, there was work to be done, because the bike had to be sold. I had to sell it at the best possible price, and decide what to replace the damn thing with. Being bone lazy in matters of money, I decided to combine the two, and to decide first what to buy. After that it was a matter of leaving it to the guy who sold me the new vehicle to get the best price for the old one. I tried lots of popular scooters, and they all seemed the same: small and light and cramped, with my knees hitting the apron if you braked hard. They all even sounded the same, like an angry sewing machine. But they were simple: you sat on them and pointed them and twisted the throttle and off you went. You turned by shifting your bottom on the seat, and if you wanted to swerve to avoid a pothole or something you wiggled your bottom instead. When you wanted to stop, you just hit the brake: a single lever that operated both front and rear brakes. That was it. None of this business of gearshifts and clutches and using the brakes separately and so on. There were, of course, disadvantages. If you opened the throttle wide the engine sounded like a sewing machine throwing a tantrum but the scooter didnt seem to move any faster. On the few kilometres of highway between home and town you were surrounded by vehicles fifty times heavier and at least as fast as your own, which was terrifying at first. And then I happened upon a scooter that didnt seem too bad. Like the rest, it sounded like a sewing machine and didnt understand how to hurry, but the seat was large and my knees didnt keep hitting the apron, and so I bought it. But I didnt stop complaining until my wife got fed up. You havent done your scooter justice, she said, Take it for a long ride in the hills, and, if you happen to like it, stop whining about it! And so I set out for the Subramanya temple at Kukke, a little over a hundred kilometres away. I hadnt been that way for over a decade, and had no idea how the roads had changed, but Google Maps found me a route that kept me off the highways two-thirds the distance. I left home at half-past-seven, hoping to beat the traffic, and, on the empty roads, found the scooter frustratingly slow. Then came a stretch of highway where I was stuck behind convoys of slow-moving lorries, suffering noise and heat and dust and exhaust fumes. When I stopped for a coffee-break ninety minutes out, I seethed at my own stupidity at having set out on this trip. And then, two-thirds of the way, some kilometres off the highway, everything changed. The road wound through forested hills, with not another vehicle in sight. Riding slowly though the forests, I became suddenly aware of the breeze in the trees and the birdsong and the sunlight glinting off water in a pond and an egret standing meditatively on a bank of a river as I crossed the bridge spanning it. Id have noticed most of this on the bike, but, because the scooter forced me to slow down, I noticed more of it, and at greater depth. Time slowed, and the frustration disappeared. This was the temple I was looking for, I thought, not the beautiful stone structure where devotees lined up to pray. I noticed a cloud of butterflies about a thicket on the riverbank, and stopped, knowing I needed go no further. Then it struck me that the real temple was this place in my heart, and not the riverbank on a pleasant morning, or even a misty hillside. As I watched, the egret flew off, and I, too, moved on, at peace with the world, and with the scooter. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. French tourism bosses last night told Emmanuel Macron to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers, accusing him of punishing the industry over worsening ties with Britain. The French president slapped the tough measures on UK tourists shortly before Christmas, claiming it was to stop the spread of the Omicron variant. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted. It comes as the countrys own public health agency yesterday admitted Omicron is now the most dominant variant in France. Omicron helped drive infection numbers to a record 232,000 new cases yesterday, piling more pressure on Mr Macron to back down. President Emmanuel Macron (pictured) has been told to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers Francois Badjily, head of the Alpe dHuez tourist office, suggested France was playing politics with the pandemic. We have the impression that our industry is being made to pay the price for the poor relations between both countries right now, whether its about Brexit or fishing or whatever, he said. Mr Badjily said the current rules were incoherent because fully vaccinated tourists from other countries where the Omicron strain is already present are able to visit. Vaccine passports are needed to enter French holiday hotspots such as ski resorts, as well as restaurants, bars and leisure facilities. Alpe dHuez draws a quarter of its visitors from the UK every year, and Mr Badjily added: Why should a Briton who meets these criteria not be allowed to come, but the French and Belgians can? Christophe Lavaut, director of the Val dIsere ski resort, also called on officials in Paris to axe the compelling reason to travel directive that has stopped holidaymakers coming to France. This restriction should simply be lifted as it is no longer necessary, he added. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted At least 42 per cent of Val dIseres customers are British, said Mr Lavaut, who urged his government to act at the beginning of January. Mr Macrons travel measures have created chaos and sowed confusion throughout the entire Christmas break. Earlier this week, border police even prevented Britons who were legal residents in the EU from returning to their homes French officials at the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone said they were not allowed to cross through France on health grounds. But the EUs top disease agency said in a report last month that Omicron travel restrictions only help buy valuable time during the first days of detection, adding that in countries already experiencing community transmission such measures will probably not be relevant for much longer. The French government failed to reply to the Mails request for comment. Germany will remove Britain from its travel red list on Tuesday after its government admitted Omicron was already widely present in the country. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Some dispensaries in the state had lines of people packed inside to avoid cold temperatures, while others saw a small but steady stream of foot traffic. According to information published by the "Borneo Bulletin" on December 30, 2021, the Philippines has confirmed the order of two new corvettes from South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), Philippines Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on December 28, 2021. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link HHI's HDF-2500 frigate design, which is the basis of the PN's Jose Rizal-class frigates, and could be used also as the basis for the Philippines' future corvettes. (Picture source Wikimedia) Under the Philippine Navy (PN) Corvette Lot 1 Acquisition Project contract, the navy will receive two warships that can undertake anti-ship, anti-submarine, and anti-air warfare (AAW) missions. This is not the first contract for the South Korean naval industry with The Philippines. In May 2013, the Philippines Department of National Defense opened the "Frigate Acquisition Project", calling for the acquisition of two brand new frigates for the Philippine Navy with the contract price around US$437 million. On 24 October 2016, the contract to supply two brand new general purpose stealth Jose Rizal-Class frigates was signed between the Department of National Defense, represented by Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana, and Hyundai Heavy Industries, represented by its Senior Vice President Mr. Ki Sun Chung, under the presence of officials from the DND, AFP, PN, HHI, and the South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines. The two Jose Rizal-Class frigates for the Philippine Navy were delivered during the year 2021. Citing the Daily Sabah website, the South Korean shipbuilders corvettes tailored for the Southeast Asian country are set to be a multi-purpose surface combatant with 3,200-ton displacement, 116-meter length and 14.8-meter breadth (127-yard length and 16.2-yard breadth). With a maximum speed of 25 knots (46 km/h) and cruising speed of 15 knots (28 km/h), the corvettes will have a 16-cell vertical launching system (VLS), eight anti-ship missile launchers, a 35mm close-in weapon system (CIWS), a 76mm main gun, two three-tube torpedo launchers and Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. According to information published by the "Borneo Bulletin" on December 30, 2021, the Philippines has confirmed the order of two new corvettes from South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), Philippines Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on December 28, 2021. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link HHI's HDF-2500 frigate design, which is the basis of the PN's Jose Rizal-class frigates, and could be used also as the basis for the Philippines' future corvettes. (Picture source Wikimedia) Under the Philippine Navy (PN) Corvette Lot 1 Acquisition Project contract, the navy will receive two warships that can undertake anti-ship, anti-submarine, and anti-air warfare (AAW) missions. This is not the first contract for the South Korean naval industry with The Philippines. In May 2013, the Philippines Department of National Defense opened the "Frigate Acquisition Project", calling for the acquisition of two brand new frigates for the Philippine Navy with the contract price around US$437 million. On 24 October 2016, the contract to supply two brand new general purpose stealth Jose Rizal-Class frigates was signed between the Department of National Defense, represented by Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana, and Hyundai Heavy Industries, represented by its Senior Vice President Mr. Ki Sun Chung, under the presence of officials from the DND, AFP, PN, HHI, and the South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines. The two Jose Rizal-Class frigates for the Philippine Navy were delivered during the year 2021. Citing the Daily Sabah website, the South Korean shipbuilders corvettes tailored for the Southeast Asian country are set to be a multi-purpose surface combatant with 3,200-ton displacement, 116-meter length and 14.8-meter breadth (127-yard length and 16.2-yard breadth). With a maximum speed of 25 knots (46 km/h) and cruising speed of 15 knots (28 km/h), the corvettes will have a 16-cell vertical launching system (VLS), eight anti-ship missile launchers, a 35mm close-in weapon system (CIWS), a 76mm main gun, two three-tube torpedo launchers and Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. According to information published by the "Borneo Bulletin" on December 30, 2021, the Philippines has confirmed the order of two new corvettes from South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), Philippines Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on December 28, 2021. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link HHI's HDF-2500 frigate design, which is the basis of the PN's Jose Rizal-class frigates, and could be used also as the basis for the Philippines' future corvettes. (Picture source Wikimedia) Under the Philippine Navy (PN) Corvette Lot 1 Acquisition Project contract, the navy will receive two warships that can undertake anti-ship, anti-submarine, and anti-air warfare (AAW) missions. This is not the first contract for the South Korean naval industry with The Philippines. In May 2013, the Philippines Department of National Defense opened the "Frigate Acquisition Project", calling for the acquisition of two brand new frigates for the Philippine Navy with the contract price around US$437 million. On 24 October 2016, the contract to supply two brand new general purpose stealth Jose Rizal-Class frigates was signed between the Department of National Defense, represented by Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana, and Hyundai Heavy Industries, represented by its Senior Vice President Mr. Ki Sun Chung, under the presence of officials from the DND, AFP, PN, HHI, and the South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines. The two Jose Rizal-Class frigates for the Philippine Navy were delivered during the year 2021. Citing the Daily Sabah website, the South Korean shipbuilders corvettes tailored for the Southeast Asian country are set to be a multi-purpose surface combatant with 3,200-ton displacement, 116-meter length and 14.8-meter breadth (127-yard length and 16.2-yard breadth). With a maximum speed of 25 knots (46 km/h) and cruising speed of 15 knots (28 km/h), the corvettes will have a 16-cell vertical launching system (VLS), eight anti-ship missile launchers, a 35mm close-in weapon system (CIWS), a 76mm main gun, two three-tube torpedo launchers and Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. According to information published by the "Borneo Bulletin" on December 30, 2021, the Philippines has confirmed the order of two new corvettes from South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), Philippines Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on December 28, 2021. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link HHI's HDF-2500 frigate design, which is the basis of the PN's Jose Rizal-class frigates, and could be used also as the basis for the Philippines' future corvettes. (Picture source Wikimedia) Under the Philippine Navy (PN) Corvette Lot 1 Acquisition Project contract, the navy will receive two warships that can undertake anti-ship, anti-submarine, and anti-air warfare (AAW) missions. This is not the first contract for the South Korean naval industry with The Philippines. In May 2013, the Philippines Department of National Defense opened the "Frigate Acquisition Project", calling for the acquisition of two brand new frigates for the Philippine Navy with the contract price around US$437 million. On 24 October 2016, the contract to supply two brand new general purpose stealth Jose Rizal-Class frigates was signed between the Department of National Defense, represented by Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana, and Hyundai Heavy Industries, represented by its Senior Vice President Mr. Ki Sun Chung, under the presence of officials from the DND, AFP, PN, HHI, and the South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines. The two Jose Rizal-Class frigates for the Philippine Navy were delivered during the year 2021. Citing the Daily Sabah website, the South Korean shipbuilders corvettes tailored for the Southeast Asian country are set to be a multi-purpose surface combatant with 3,200-ton displacement, 116-meter length and 14.8-meter breadth (127-yard length and 16.2-yard breadth). With a maximum speed of 25 knots (46 km/h) and cruising speed of 15 knots (28 km/h), the corvettes will have a 16-cell vertical launching system (VLS), eight anti-ship missile launchers, a 35mm close-in weapon system (CIWS), a 76mm main gun, two three-tube torpedo launchers and Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. According to information published by the "Borneo Bulletin" on December 30, 2021, the Philippines has confirmed the order of two new corvettes from South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), Philippines Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on December 28, 2021. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link HHI's HDF-2500 frigate design, which is the basis of the PN's Jose Rizal-class frigates, and could be used also as the basis for the Philippines' future corvettes. (Picture source Wikimedia) Under the Philippine Navy (PN) Corvette Lot 1 Acquisition Project contract, the navy will receive two warships that can undertake anti-ship, anti-submarine, and anti-air warfare (AAW) missions. This is not the first contract for the South Korean naval industry with The Philippines. In May 2013, the Philippines Department of National Defense opened the "Frigate Acquisition Project", calling for the acquisition of two brand new frigates for the Philippine Navy with the contract price around US$437 million. On 24 October 2016, the contract to supply two brand new general purpose stealth Jose Rizal-Class frigates was signed between the Department of National Defense, represented by Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana, and Hyundai Heavy Industries, represented by its Senior Vice President Mr. Ki Sun Chung, under the presence of officials from the DND, AFP, PN, HHI, and the South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines. The two Jose Rizal-Class frigates for the Philippine Navy were delivered during the year 2021. Citing the Daily Sabah website, the South Korean shipbuilders corvettes tailored for the Southeast Asian country are set to be a multi-purpose surface combatant with 3,200-ton displacement, 116-meter length and 14.8-meter breadth (127-yard length and 16.2-yard breadth). With a maximum speed of 25 knots (46 km/h) and cruising speed of 15 knots (28 km/h), the corvettes will have a 16-cell vertical launching system (VLS), eight anti-ship missile launchers, a 35mm close-in weapon system (CIWS), a 76mm main gun, two three-tube torpedo launchers and Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. According to information published by the "Borneo Bulletin" on December 30, 2021, the Philippines has confirmed the order of two new corvettes from South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), Philippines Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on December 28, 2021. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link HHI's HDF-2500 frigate design, which is the basis of the PN's Jose Rizal-class frigates, and could be used also as the basis for the Philippines' future corvettes. (Picture source Wikimedia) Under the Philippine Navy (PN) Corvette Lot 1 Acquisition Project contract, the navy will receive two warships that can undertake anti-ship, anti-submarine, and anti-air warfare (AAW) missions. This is not the first contract for the South Korean naval industry with The Philippines. In May 2013, the Philippines Department of National Defense opened the "Frigate Acquisition Project", calling for the acquisition of two brand new frigates for the Philippine Navy with the contract price around US$437 million. On 24 October 2016, the contract to supply two brand new general purpose stealth Jose Rizal-Class frigates was signed between the Department of National Defense, represented by Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana, and Hyundai Heavy Industries, represented by its Senior Vice President Mr. Ki Sun Chung, under the presence of officials from the DND, AFP, PN, HHI, and the South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines. The two Jose Rizal-Class frigates for the Philippine Navy were delivered during the year 2021. Citing the Daily Sabah website, the South Korean shipbuilders corvettes tailored for the Southeast Asian country are set to be a multi-purpose surface combatant with 3,200-ton displacement, 116-meter length and 14.8-meter breadth (127-yard length and 16.2-yard breadth). With a maximum speed of 25 knots (46 km/h) and cruising speed of 15 knots (28 km/h), the corvettes will have a 16-cell vertical launching system (VLS), eight anti-ship missile launchers, a 35mm close-in weapon system (CIWS), a 76mm main gun, two three-tube torpedo launchers and Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. 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. In COVID-19 clinical update #95, Daniel Griffin discusses new CDC guidelines for isolation and quarantine, EUA for Molnupiravir, children and COVID, vaccine safety in 5-11 year olds, Omicron outbreaks in Nebraska and Denmark, Baylors COVID vaccine, and COVID-OUT for ivermectin. Dec 31, 2021 01:24 Current Virus prevalence 03:00 Links for this episode 03:02 Isolation and quarantine guidance 11:12 EUA for Molnupiravir 11:26 Children and COVID state data 12:16 Vaccine safety in 5-11 year olds 13:12 Omicron and antigen tests 14:52 2 of Molecular tests fail with Omicron 15:19 Omicron in Nebraska 16:45 Omicron in Danish households 20:05 Baylor COVID vaccine 24:23 Anti-virals prescriptions 27:26 COVID-OUT for ivermectin 29:12 Global vaccination 29:36 Donations 30:46 Letters 30:49 Chip and Laura rapid tests stay positive 33:39 Philip T-Cell test 34:37 Charlotte Durability of infection prevention 35:32 Lynn quarantine duration for 12-15 olds A float featuring Mutual of Omahas Wild Kingdom took home the Director Trophy in the Tournament of Roses Parade Saturday in Pasadena, California. Mutual of Omaha teamed up with RFD-TV on the homage to Wild Kingdom, one of the most beloved wildlife programs in television history. RFD-TV has been replaying Wild Kingdom episodes on Sunday nights since April, and the decision to participate in the parade came from that partnership. The Director Trophy recognizes the most outstanding artistic design and use of floral and non-floral materials, according to the Tournament of Roses. Each year the parade selects three judges who are tasked with selecting award winners. The 55-foot Wild Kingdom float featured a menagerie of different animals, including a lion leaping over a safari jeep holding the shows current host, Peter Gros. Also represented on the float were a heard of African wildlife, a wolf, polar bear, penguins, a whale, sharks and more. Photorealistic floragraphs depicted Marlin Perkins and Jim Fowler, the shows legendary hosts. Phoenix Decorating Company, which has been building and designing floats for the Rose Parade since 1985, was in charge of building the float. RFD-TV plans to launch a new Wild Kingdom series in late 2022. World-Herald Staff Writer Marjie Ducey contributed to this report. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/idf-carries-out-retaliatory-strikes-on-gaza-after-two-rockets-land-near-tel-aviv---reports-1091968198.html Videos: IDF Launches Multiple Retaliatory Strikes on Gaza After Two Rockets Land Near Tel Aviv Videos: IDF Launches Multiple Retaliatory Strikes on Gaza After Two Rockets Land Near Tel Aviv On Sunday, at approximately 12:10 a.m., local time, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) began airstrikes on targets in Gaza in retaliation over two rockets fired... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T21:45+0000 2022-01-01T21:45+0000 2022-01-02T01:22+0000 israel israel defense forces (idf) retaliatory strikes gaza /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091968940_0:0:2790:1569_1920x0_80_0_0_04050159c8ebdec9990ed1e32a3b4955.png After the IDF confirmed the Sunday rocket launches amid the ongoing operation, a follow-up release by the Israeli military body detailed that its fighter jets had specifically targeted "rocket-making compounds.""In addition, tanks attacked Hamas military positions on the Gaza Strip border. The scope of the targets and the type of targets were attacked in response to the rocket fire this morning, from the Gaza Strip to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, west of Gush Dan," reads a translation of the Hebrew statement.A few hours after the IDF's statement the agency published video footage that documented it's strikes.Earlier reports indicated that an airstrike was conducted via a helicopter on Hamas' Qaddissiyah site, followed by three missiles strikes from an Israeli Air Force jet. The Qaddissiyah site in southern Gaza is reportedly a rocket manufacturing facility for Al-Qassam. At least ten missiles are said to have been launched toward Hamas targets by the IAF. Following the strikes by the IAF in southern Gaza, reports emerged of strikes in northern Gaza at Hama's Fillistine Camp. Early reports suggested the strikes were from helicopters and tanks, and that the Israeli Navy was shelling parts of the Gaza shoreline. It has been reported that Hamas launched a number of rockets in the north and toward the sea in response to Israeli actions. On the border, east of Khan Younis, Hamas reportedly launched machine gun fire on IAF jets and onto Israeli civilian communities. Sources within the Israeli military earlier vowed retaliation over the firing of two rockets, reportedly by Hamas, that landed off the coast of Tel Aviv. Through unnamed sources, it was learned that Hamas would respond if Israel should launch another strike. Egyptian mediators unsuccessfully attempted to sway Israel against launching retaliatory strikes. The Al-Quds Brigades, a Palestinian Islamic Jihad military arm, had reportedly been evacuating military sites in anticipation of Sunday IDF strikes. Earlier in the day, a flare, launched from an Israeli helicopter in the northern part of the Gaza strip, was mistaken for a strike. Those initial reports of a retaliatory strike by the IDF were retracted by local media. Strikes at the Hamas' Qaddissiyah site have been confirmed by the IDF. The ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel again escalated dramatically in May 2021, after Hamas fired long-range missiles towards Jerusalem in support of Palestinian protests following killings of Palestinians by Israeli troops. Of the estimated 3,750 missiles fired by Hamas, 90% were intercepted, according to Israel's Health Ministry and 12 people were killed from the missiles.Tel Aviv responded to the reported attacks by launching an aerial offensive on the highly-populated region of Gaza. A strike toppled a highrise building and an estimated 230 Palestinians were killed according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza. On May 20, 2021, the two sides announced a cease-fire. gaza Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Nevin Brown Nevin Brown News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Nevin Brown israel defense forces, gaza, israeli Graphic by Cho Sang-won By Nam Hyun-woo After grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic for the past two years, South Korea is increasingly recognizing that North Korea's nuclear program is not the only threat it faces, and that new risks can emerge and test the country's ability to manage new challenges. The difficulties facing the country _ and the world _ have shown us that threats could come in unexpected forms and at unexpected times. Indeed, the risks could be strong enough to entirely change how people live and how society works. The pandemic, the climate crisis and network outages in hyper-connected Korea are already issues that pose a significant amount of concern. A small business owner wears a "Younghee" mask, a doll from Netflix's series, "Squid Game," during a rally against the government's social distancing rules near the Government Complex Seoul, Dec. 22. Hundreds of small business owners rallied, calling for the withdrawal of curfews and other strict COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants, cafes, gyms and other facilities. AP-Yonhap 1. New epidemic after COVID-19 In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) selected a number of diseases that could pose the greatest public health risk due to their epidemic potential, and came up with the idea of "Disease X," which "represents the knowledge that a serious international epidemic could be caused by a pathogen currently unknown to cause human disease." In a contribution article in The Telegraph on May 18 of that year, Richard Hatchett, CEO of Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, wrote: "It might sound like science fiction, but Disease X is something we must prepare for." Just two years later, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted ways of life across the world, and the WHO is still keeping Disease X on its watch list. This means the organization believes there is a fair chance of another infectious disease becoming a full-blown pandemic, thereby posing a serious threat to mankind. In a study submitted to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the U.S. on Aug. 31, a research team led by Marco Marani of the University of Padua in Italy asserted that the probability of experiencing a pandemic with similar impact to COVID-19 in one's lifetime is currently at about 38 percent, and this may double in the coming decades. The study also warned that the probability of novel disease outbreaks will likely grow threefold in the next few decades. Against this backdrop, experts say people's reliance on vaccines and treatments will continue to grow, and so will the importance of technological preparedness, in which drug makers can develop vaccines and treatments quickly after an outbreak. For example, it took a year for drug makers to come up with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, but this was an outcome of more than 30 years of research on mRNA technologies. Since South Korea fell short on basic scientific research on the virus, the country could not take the lead in the global race for so-called vaccine sovereignty. However, a number of domestic drug developers have been working on their own mRNA platform technologies, and on Dec. 24, ST Pharm submitted a phase 1 trial application for Korea's first mRNA-type vaccine candidate to the domestic drug authority. The Korean government is also bolstering its support and subsidies for drug makers to achieve President Moon Jae-in's initiative of making the country a regional vaccine manufacturing hub, in order to strengthen Korea's presence in the global vaccine supply chain. However, questions remain as to whether political and economic attention on time and money-consuming research for vaccine technologies will continue as they have done in recent years. Kenneth V. Iserson, professor emeritus in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Arizona, warned in his article titled "The Next Pandemic: Prepare for 'Disease X'": "As the COVID-19 threat lessens, politicians will make grand promises to implement plans to stop, or at least to prepare for, the next pandemic. The recovering economy will be too weak at first to support the effort, although more funding will be promised in the future," Iserson wrote. "Politicians will ultimately make changes that are politically expedient and will fail to authorize the changes necessary to produce faster, more flexible responses. The memories of angst and societal disruption during COVID-19 will recede." Similar scenarios are anticipated in Korea, which will hold its presidential election in March. Though the major candidates are now promising up to 100 trillion won ($84.2 billion) for a public disaster relief fund, which is equivalent to one-sixth of the country's total budget for 2022, and enhanced government responsibility for those suffering vaccine side effects, they have yet to come up with ideas on whether they will succeed Moon's vaccine hub initiative or how to prepare the country for Disease X. A firefighter and citizens push a truck at an underpass in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, as torrential rain floods the city on Aug. 24. Courtesy of Jeonbuk Fire Service 2. Climate change Unlike some countries which have suffered frequent natural disasters fanned by climate change, Korea has not been quite as affected by large-scale natural disasters that would alarm the public about the issue. Nonetheless, experts say the country is not a safe haven from the climate crisis, citing relatively small but noteworthy changes in the country's climate. They added the country could be shunned from global supply chains if it underestimates the pace of the global energy transition. "With a record-breaking monsoon season and heat waves in recent years leading to casualties, property damage and rising food prices, Korea is already facing the deadly impacts of the climate crisis. Of course, things are only expected to worsen and accelerate over time," said Park Jee-hye, a lawyer and director of Solutions for Our Climate. In its 2020 yearbook published in June 2021, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said, "The impact of climate change, which had been somewhat vague, has become more visible in recent years," and "climate change will intensify causing unprecedented heat and cold waves, heavy snowfall and torrential rain." In a separate report, the KMA also noted "the frequency and severity of heat waves on the Korean Peninsula have shown a noticeable uptrend since the 1970s," and "in recent cases of heat waves that have developed strongly on the Korean Peninsula, artificial effects from the increase in greenhouse gases were detected." As a consequence, flooding is anticipated to be one of the most common natural disasters on the Korean Peninsula brought on by climate change. Greenpeace estimates the number of people affected by flooding in the country will increase to 3.3 million in 2030. "As our ecosystems change due to temperature increases, the agricultural and fishing industries will inevitably face more damage and adaptation costs," Park said. "And as the habitat areas for pests and wildlife change, there is also an increased risk of infectious disease." gettyimagesbank Impacts were also felt in the domestic fast food industry. In autumn last year, a number of fast food chains in Korea failed to serve lettuce in their hamburgers due to supply shortages. According to fast food industry officials, Korean fast food chains import lettuce from China in summer, and then secure it from Gangwon Province in autumn _ mostly from October. However, an unusually early cold wave struck the province last year, resulting in local farms seeing their harvest fail thereby causing serious supply shortages. Though the lettuce shortage was alleviated with supplies from other domestic provinces, the case highlighted the growing uncertainty in crop supplies, which will lead to an increase in vegetable prices. Korean companies' inattention to climate change and belated efforts for decarbonization are also reasons why experts pick climate change as one of the risks the country must face. "From a short-term perspective, it may seem that decarbonization is inconvenient and costly to industry," Park said. "However, in the long run, deeper emissions cuts and faster energy transition will bring more economic benefits and global competitiveness. Companies in advanced economies such as Apple, Microsoft, and BMW were quick to realize this, and this is why they are much better positioned now. Samsung, on the other hand, faces a roadblock to going 100 percent renewable like Apple due to Korea's current power sector structure which prevents the direct sale of clean energy." Park added that Korea's next administration needs to strengthen the country's climate commitments, and without those changes, Korea and its industries will be left behind. A customer pays cash at a cafe in Gurye County, South Jeolla Province, Oct. 25, as credit card readers went down nationwide due to a network disruption. Yonhap https://sputniknews.com/20220101/idf-carries-out-retaliatory-strikes-on-gaza-after-two-rockets-land-near-tel-aviv---reports-1091968198.html Videos: IDF Launches Multiple Retaliatory Strikes on Gaza After Two Rockets Land Near Tel Aviv Videos: IDF Launches Multiple Retaliatory Strikes on Gaza After Two Rockets Land Near Tel Aviv On Sunday, at approximately 12:10 a.m., local time, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) began airstrikes on targets in Gaza in retaliation over two rockets fired... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T21:45+0000 2022-01-01T21:45+0000 2022-01-02T01:22+0000 israel israel defense forces (idf) retaliatory strikes gaza /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091968940_0:0:2790:1569_1920x0_80_0_0_04050159c8ebdec9990ed1e32a3b4955.png After the IDF confirmed the Sunday rocket launches amid the ongoing operation, a follow-up release by the Israeli military body detailed that its fighter jets had specifically targeted "rocket-making compounds.""In addition, tanks attacked Hamas military positions on the Gaza Strip border. The scope of the targets and the type of targets were attacked in response to the rocket fire this morning, from the Gaza Strip to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, west of Gush Dan," reads a translation of the Hebrew statement.A few hours after the IDF's statement the agency published video footage that documented it's strikes.Earlier reports indicated that an airstrike was conducted via a helicopter on Hamas' Qaddissiyah site, followed by three missiles strikes from an Israeli Air Force jet. The Qaddissiyah site in southern Gaza is reportedly a rocket manufacturing facility for Al-Qassam. At least ten missiles are said to have been launched toward Hamas targets by the IAF. Following the strikes by the IAF in southern Gaza, reports emerged of strikes in northern Gaza at Hama's Fillistine Camp. Early reports suggested the strikes were from helicopters and tanks, and that the Israeli Navy was shelling parts of the Gaza shoreline. It has been reported that Hamas launched a number of rockets in the north and toward the sea in response to Israeli actions. On the border, east of Khan Younis, Hamas reportedly launched machine gun fire on IAF jets and onto Israeli civilian communities. Sources within the Israeli military earlier vowed retaliation over the firing of two rockets, reportedly by Hamas, that landed off the coast of Tel Aviv. Through unnamed sources, it was learned that Hamas would respond if Israel should launch another strike. Egyptian mediators unsuccessfully attempted to sway Israel against launching retaliatory strikes. The Al-Quds Brigades, a Palestinian Islamic Jihad military arm, had reportedly been evacuating military sites in anticipation of Sunday IDF strikes. Earlier in the day, a flare, launched from an Israeli helicopter in the northern part of the Gaza strip, was mistaken for a strike. Those initial reports of a retaliatory strike by the IDF were retracted by local media. Strikes at the Hamas' Qaddissiyah site have been confirmed by the IDF. The ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel again escalated dramatically in May 2021, after Hamas fired long-range missiles towards Jerusalem in support of Palestinian protests following killings of Palestinians by Israeli troops. Of the estimated 3,750 missiles fired by Hamas, 90% were intercepted, according to Israel's Health Ministry and 12 people were killed from the missiles.Tel Aviv responded to the reported attacks by launching an aerial offensive on the highly-populated region of Gaza. A strike toppled a highrise building and an estimated 230 Palestinians were killed according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza. On May 20, 2021, the two sides announced a cease-fire. gaza Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Nevin Brown Nevin Brown News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Nevin Brown israel defense forces, gaza, israeli The Slovak president did not mention hospitals or vaccination in her New Year's address. She called on people not to get provoked by hatred. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Building cohesion and cultivating humanity is what people in Slovakia need to overcome the health crisis as well as any future crisis, President Zuzana Caputova told the inhabitants in her New Year's address. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement There is still hope that the crisis can strengthen society and allow people to further appreciate the ordinary things they have not been able to enjoy during the pandemic. "It is a chance to be better than before," the president said. The traditional annual speech is broadcast by the public-service broadcaster RTVS on January 1, which also marks the emergence of the Slovak Republic in 1993. Caputova remarked that the demanding times we live in require common sense, discipline and thoughtfulness. If a society is to manage a crisis, it needs cohesion, she stressed. https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fzcaputova%2Fvideos%2F302214245166849%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0 A nod to Pope Francis In her speech, she mentioned the children growing up in difficult conditions under the pandemic, the elderly people who have been deprived of contact with their families, and the bereaved who have lost their loved ones over the past year. She also highlighted those who have been able to face the crisis with exceptional determination and even sacrifice their own health to save others. "I would like to thank all those who have not lost their humanity, who have been showing solidarity and have not lost hope that it is worth trying and uniting our Slovakia again," Caputova said. She cited Pope Francis, who said during his 2021 visit to Slovakia that we are all fragile and all need each other. Related article Related article Slovakia's modern history is a message of peace in the heart of Europe, Pope says Read more "Facing the biggest health threat of our times is only possible as humans, as a community - and that requires a contribution from each of us. Every one of us matters," the president said, calling on people to find common ground in the shared desire to be healthy and live their ordinary lives. Royal understanding of freedom She also asked the inhabitants of Slovakia to follow their hearts and not be provoked by hatred. The president paraphrased the priest Martin Kramara, who said that people need to free themselves of the plebeian understanding of freedom and relation to power or to society. In this subordinate understanding of freedom, all measures are viewed as a deal given to the people from above. On the other hand, there is the royal understanding of freedom, which Caputova also called a mature civic freedom that comes from the possibility of acting confidently and freely, in line with individual interest as well as the interest of the community. "We choose freely and we freely give things up," she said. "Responsibility, decency and thoughtfulness of our own will is not perceived as a dictate of the measures." If we can pour oil on troubled waters and do away with conflicts, our cohesion will help us overcome the current crisis as well as in our long-term efforts, the president noted. She hinted at brain drain as one of the problems Slovakia is facing, and from her talks with students abroad reported that they complain about the atmosphere in society. "Let us cultivate humanity, emphasise it at schools. Let us cultivate relationships in communities and in families. Let us build cohesion and let us feel its value in our closest surroundings, to transfer it higher at the level of all society," said Caputova. "So that our Slovakia can be strong, resilient and sovereign in facing all challenges." Heger: we are allies PM Eduard Heger (OLaNO) published his own New Year's wish for Slovakia on social network, in which he too accentuated cooperation and unity. In his reaction to the president's address, he highlighted her appeal to people to not be provoked by hatred. "[This] makes the two of us allies in calming the atmosphere in society," Heger reacted, as quoted by the TASR newswire. "Society needs to join forces and strive for better mutual understanding, because it is the only right way out of any crisis, including the pandemic and the fight for justice. I call it cultivating a culture of respect, [the president] calls it cultivating humanity," Heger stated. The Slovak president did not mention hospitals or vaccination in her New Year's address. She called on people not to get provoked by hatred. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Building cohesion and cultivating humanity is what people in Slovakia need to overcome the health crisis as well as any future crisis, President Zuzana Caputova told the inhabitants in her New Year's address. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement There is still hope that the crisis can strengthen society and allow people to further appreciate the ordinary things they have not been able to enjoy during the pandemic. "It is a chance to be better than before," the president said. The traditional annual speech is broadcast by the public-service broadcaster RTVS on January 1, which also marks the emergence of the Slovak Republic in 1993. Caputova remarked that the demanding times we live in require common sense, discipline and thoughtfulness. If a society is to manage a crisis, it needs cohesion, she stressed. https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fzcaputova%2Fvideos%2F302214245166849%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0 A nod to Pope Francis In her speech, she mentioned the children growing up in difficult conditions under the pandemic, the elderly people who have been deprived of contact with their families, and the bereaved who have lost their loved ones over the past year. She also highlighted those who have been able to face the crisis with exceptional determination and even sacrifice their own health to save others. "I would like to thank all those who have not lost their humanity, who have been showing solidarity and have not lost hope that it is worth trying and uniting our Slovakia again," Caputova said. She cited Pope Francis, who said during his 2021 visit to Slovakia that we are all fragile and all need each other. Related article Related article Slovakia's modern history is a message of peace in the heart of Europe, Pope says Read more "Facing the biggest health threat of our times is only possible as humans, as a community - and that requires a contribution from each of us. Every one of us matters," the president said, calling on people to find common ground in the shared desire to be healthy and live their ordinary lives. Royal understanding of freedom She also asked the inhabitants of Slovakia to follow their hearts and not be provoked by hatred. The president paraphrased the priest Martin Kramara, who said that people need to free themselves of the plebeian understanding of freedom and relation to power or to society. In this subordinate understanding of freedom, all measures are viewed as a deal given to the people from above. On the other hand, there is the royal understanding of freedom, which Caputova also called a mature civic freedom that comes from the possibility of acting confidently and freely, in line with individual interest as well as the interest of the community. "We choose freely and we freely give things up," she said. "Responsibility, decency and thoughtfulness of our own will is not perceived as a dictate of the measures." If we can pour oil on troubled waters and do away with conflicts, our cohesion will help us overcome the current crisis as well as in our long-term efforts, the president noted. She hinted at brain drain as one of the problems Slovakia is facing, and from her talks with students abroad reported that they complain about the atmosphere in society. "Let us cultivate humanity, emphasise it at schools. Let us cultivate relationships in communities and in families. Let us build cohesion and let us feel its value in our closest surroundings, to transfer it higher at the level of all society," said Caputova. "So that our Slovakia can be strong, resilient and sovereign in facing all challenges." Heger: we are allies PM Eduard Heger (OLaNO) published his own New Year's wish for Slovakia on social network, in which he too accentuated cooperation and unity. In his reaction to the president's address, he highlighted her appeal to people to not be provoked by hatred. "[This] makes the two of us allies in calming the atmosphere in society," Heger reacted, as quoted by the TASR newswire. "Society needs to join forces and strive for better mutual understanding, because it is the only right way out of any crisis, including the pandemic and the fight for justice. I call it cultivating a culture of respect, [the president] calls it cultivating humanity," Heger stated. The Bachelorette's Darvid Garayeli has announced he's split from Brooke Blurton. The winner of the show shared a post to Instagram on Sunday, revealing the couple had parted ways, just one month after the series ended. 'Starting off the New Year with an end to a chapter and hopefully the beginning of another,' Darvid began his post. Over: The Bachelorette's Brooke Blurton and Darvid Garayeli (pictured) have SPLIT one month after the series ended 'Unfortunately Brooke and I have parted ways. Whilst we both genuinely thought we were each others person, things change and that's okay.' He continued: 'Please respect our privacy and that at the end of the day we are both just people with real feelings.' 'Thank you so much for being considerate, a lot of lessons learned,' he ended. Announcement: Darvid shared a post to Instagram on Sunday, revealing the couple had parted ways Following Darvid's announcement, Brooke shared a post to Instagram, admitting she was 'surprised' he had shared the news with fans. 'Hey beautiful people before my phone blows up. I just want to say right now I'm finding this really quite overwhelming and just as surprising to me as you guys.' 'I just woke up to the news. It was definitely agreed to part ways. I just wanted to do it privately, amicably and respectfully.' She continued: 'This is not how and what I expected to be doing right now so as you can imagine, this is all a lot. 'You will all have your judgements and have your say but there is a lot going on in my world and D's of course. So I again just ask you be kind, we are human.' 'I really do hope you respect some part of some what 'privacy' we do have right now because like I said, this was a surprise to wake up to just as much as it was for you guys. For now, tuning out but we will speak soon.' 'I'm really quite overwhelmed': Following Darvid's announcement, Brooke admitted she was 'surprised' he had shared the news with fans The news comes after Brooke and Darvid were spotted looking tense as they took a morning walk with their dog Cobar in Melbourne last month. Brooke chose Darvid during the Bachelorette finale, which aired in November, telling him she was in love with him and presenting him with a ring. 'From the moment I met you, I felt a lot of feelings. I felt calm, I felt trusting,' an emotional Brooke began. 'Unfortunately Brooke and I have parted ways. Whilst we both genuinely thought we were each others person, things change and that's okay,' he wrote 'I felt an instant chemistry and connection that I never, ever felt with anyone before. 'Look, I don't know how to say this, but you came in here and you granted me three wishes. And I still have one left.' Sobbing, she added: 'Darvid, will you make me the happiest girl... I love you so much.' Winner: Brooke chose Darvid during the Bachelorette finale, which aired in November, telling him she was in love with him and presenting him with a ring After the finale aired, Darvid revealed to fans that they were about to move in together in Melbourne. He said on Instagram: 'I can't believe I found my person. When I entered this experience, I can honestly say I had no idea what to expect. I've come out of this with my life partner and she's so much more than I could have ever envisioned. 'It's been an absolute roller coaster to get to this point, four months of laughter, tears and endless FaceTimes. 'This is the beginning of a new chapter for both of us and I cant wait to move into our Melbourne abode.' Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. Astronaut Zhai Zhigang, commander of the Shenzhou-13 mission, shared his experience with the young people and encouraged them to overcome difficulties and dangers. "No matter how far we fly, the motherland is forever our strongest supporter. Love for the country always inspires us in space flights," Zhai said. Astronaut Wang Yaping expressed hope that the live class from Tiangong could guide more young people to look up at the stars and plant the seeds of "loving science, pursuing dreams and exploring the unknown" in their hearts. Wang earned the title of China's first space teacher after delivering a televised science lecture during the Shenzhou-10 space mission in June 2013. While in the Shenzhou-13 mission, she and the other two crew members also gave a lecture in Tiangong in December 2021. As China's national space laboratory, the space station Tiangong is expected to play a unique role in encouraging the public, especially the youth, to explore space and carry forward the scientific spirit. "Despite being weightless in space, we feel firmly grounded at heart," said astronaut Ye Guangfu, a newcomer to space. With the support of space professionals, painstaking trainings, and valuable experience from aerospace predecessors, Ye said that they have the confidence, determination and ability to accomplish the mission. Tan Zuwei, student of the School of Aerospace Engineering of Tsinghua University, felt deeply impressed by the astronauts' passion for their dreams and the space cause. He said he was inspired by their spirit and would contribute to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Zhou Ting, a medical student from the University of Hong Kong (HKU), felt lucky to pose her question to the astronauts. "As a would-be doctor, I have been confronted with harsh study and work, and I sometimes thought of giving up. But the astronauts have given me the courage to carry on." Qian Chunzheng, a freshman from the Macao University of Science and Technology (MUST), said that he felt the care of the motherland for students in Hong Kong and Macao, and the development and progress of the country's space cause. All this has enhanced their sense of pride and duty to the country. "As we have our own space station right now, I believe that in the future, Chinese people will surely step further into deep space. As a student in Macao, I hope to contribute to the country's space cause one day," Qian added. "Today's event is a great gift sent to Hong Kong by our motherland. We are cheered up!" said Yeung Wai-Kwok, an HKU professor, adding that Hong Kong youth are expected to be down to earth, study hard, innovate and pursue dreams bravely, so as to become "stars" in the country's space exploration. A series of activities held in Hong Kong and Macao fully demonstrated the care from the central government. Young people in Hong Kong and Macao have realized that there is a vast space for them to bring their talents into full play, said Zhang Keke, head of the State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences based at the MUST. During the video talk, the trio also showed the people on the ground around a painting exhibition in the space station. Around 20 paintings drawn by teenagers from central and western China were displayed in the exhibition. Prior to the talk, Cheng Tangming, chief designer of the Long March-7 carrier rocket system, answered questions from the students, and shared with them touching stories of how scientific researchers defeated difficulties and pioneered innovations. "I feel very honored to be able to participate in this event, and I hope to do my part to contribute to students' space dream and help them build up confidence in the country's self-reliance in innovation," said Cheng. The activity, co-hosted by the Hong Kong SAR government, the Macao SAR government, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong SAR, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao SAR, the China Manned Space Agency and the China Media Group, was broadcast live. The three astronauts went into space onboard the Shenzhou-13 spaceship and entered the space station on Oct. 16, embarking on the country's longest crewed mission for space station construction. According to the plan, China will complete by 2022 construction of the country's space station, which is expected to support long-term and consecutive manned stay. Crew rotation will be done in-orbit. Enditem Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) A college student raises a question while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Space experts answer questions from college students while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) A college student raises a question while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) College students pose for a group photo while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 1, 2022 shows a screen displaying a painting exhibition held in space station Tiangong during a live space-Earth talk between Chinese astronauts and students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao. Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 1, 2022 shows a screen displaying a painting exhibition held in space station Tiangong during a live space-Earth talk between Chinese astronauts and students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao. Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 1, 2022 shows a screen displaying a painting exhibition held in space station Tiangong during a live space-Earth talk between Chinese astronauts and students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao. Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. Astronaut Zhai Zhigang, commander of the Shenzhou-13 mission, shared his experience with the young people and encouraged them to overcome difficulties and dangers. "No matter how far we fly, the motherland is forever our strongest supporter. Love for the country always inspires us in space flights," Zhai said. Astronaut Wang Yaping expressed hope that the live class from Tiangong could guide more young people to look up at the stars and plant the seeds of "loving science, pursuing dreams and exploring the unknown" in their hearts. Wang earned the title of China's first space teacher after delivering a televised science lecture during the Shenzhou-10 space mission in June 2013. While in the Shenzhou-13 mission, she and the other two crew members also gave a lecture in Tiangong in December 2021. As China's national space laboratory, the space station Tiangong is expected to play a unique role in encouraging the public, especially the youth, to explore space and carry forward the scientific spirit. "Despite being weightless in space, we feel firmly grounded at heart," said astronaut Ye Guangfu, a newcomer to space. With the support of space professionals, painstaking trainings, and valuable experience from aerospace predecessors, Ye said that they have the confidence, determination and ability to accomplish the mission. Tan Zuwei, student of the School of Aerospace Engineering of Tsinghua University, felt deeply impressed by the astronauts' passion for their dreams and the space cause. He said he was inspired by their spirit and would contribute to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Zhou Ting, a medical student from the University of Hong Kong (HKU), felt lucky to pose her question to the astronauts. "As a would-be doctor, I have been confronted with harsh study and work, and I sometimes thought of giving up. But the astronauts have given me the courage to carry on." Qian Chunzheng, a freshman from the Macao University of Science and Technology (MUST), said that he felt the care of the motherland for students in Hong Kong and Macao, and the development and progress of the country's space cause. All this has enhanced their sense of pride and duty to the country. "As we have our own space station right now, I believe that in the future, Chinese people will surely step further into deep space. As a student in Macao, I hope to contribute to the country's space cause one day," Qian added. "Today's event is a great gift sent to Hong Kong by our motherland. We are cheered up!" said Yeung Wai-Kwok, an HKU professor, adding that Hong Kong youth are expected to be down to earth, study hard, innovate and pursue dreams bravely, so as to become "stars" in the country's space exploration. A series of activities held in Hong Kong and Macao fully demonstrated the care from the central government. Young people in Hong Kong and Macao have realized that there is a vast space for them to bring their talents into full play, said Zhang Keke, head of the State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences based at the MUST. During the video talk, the trio also showed the people on the ground around a painting exhibition in the space station. Around 20 paintings drawn by teenagers from central and western China were displayed in the exhibition. Prior to the talk, Cheng Tangming, chief designer of the Long March-7 carrier rocket system, answered questions from the students, and shared with them touching stories of how scientific researchers defeated difficulties and pioneered innovations. "I feel very honored to be able to participate in this event, and I hope to do my part to contribute to students' space dream and help them build up confidence in the country's self-reliance in innovation," said Cheng. The activity, co-hosted by the Hong Kong SAR government, the Macao SAR government, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong SAR, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao SAR, the China Manned Space Agency and the China Media Group, was broadcast live. The three astronauts went into space onboard the Shenzhou-13 spaceship and entered the space station on Oct. 16, embarking on the country's longest crewed mission for space station construction. According to the plan, China will complete by 2022 construction of the country's space station, which is expected to support long-term and consecutive manned stay. Crew rotation will be done in-orbit. Enditem Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) A college student raises a question while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Space experts answer questions from college students while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) A college student raises a question while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) College students pose for a group photo while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 1, 2022 shows a screen displaying a painting exhibition held in space station Tiangong during a live space-Earth talk between Chinese astronauts and students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao. Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 1, 2022 shows a screen displaying a painting exhibition held in space station Tiangong during a live space-Earth talk between Chinese astronauts and students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao. Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 1, 2022 shows a screen displaying a painting exhibition held in space station Tiangong during a live space-Earth talk between Chinese astronauts and students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao. Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) The Slovak president did not mention hospitals or vaccination in her New Year's address. She called on people not to get provoked by hatred. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Building cohesion and cultivating humanity is what people in Slovakia need to overcome the health crisis as well as any future crisis, President Zuzana Caputova told the inhabitants in her New Year's address. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement There is still hope that the crisis can strengthen society and allow people to further appreciate the ordinary things they have not been able to enjoy during the pandemic. "It is a chance to be better than before," the president said. The traditional annual speech is broadcast by the public-service broadcaster RTVS on January 1, which also marks the emergence of the Slovak Republic in 1993. Caputova remarked that the demanding times we live in require common sense, discipline and thoughtfulness. If a society is to manage a crisis, it needs cohesion, she stressed. https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fzcaputova%2Fvideos%2F302214245166849%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0 A nod to Pope Francis In her speech, she mentioned the children growing up in difficult conditions under the pandemic, the elderly people who have been deprived of contact with their families, and the bereaved who have lost their loved ones over the past year. She also highlighted those who have been able to face the crisis with exceptional determination and even sacrifice their own health to save others. "I would like to thank all those who have not lost their humanity, who have been showing solidarity and have not lost hope that it is worth trying and uniting our Slovakia again," Caputova said. She cited Pope Francis, who said during his 2021 visit to Slovakia that we are all fragile and all need each other. Related article Related article Slovakia's modern history is a message of peace in the heart of Europe, Pope says Read more "Facing the biggest health threat of our times is only possible as humans, as a community - and that requires a contribution from each of us. Every one of us matters," the president said, calling on people to find common ground in the shared desire to be healthy and live their ordinary lives. Royal understanding of freedom She also asked the inhabitants of Slovakia to follow their hearts and not be provoked by hatred. The president paraphrased the priest Martin Kramara, who said that people need to free themselves of the plebeian understanding of freedom and relation to power or to society. In this subordinate understanding of freedom, all measures are viewed as a deal given to the people from above. On the other hand, there is the royal understanding of freedom, which Caputova also called a mature civic freedom that comes from the possibility of acting confidently and freely, in line with individual interest as well as the interest of the community. "We choose freely and we freely give things up," she said. "Responsibility, decency and thoughtfulness of our own will is not perceived as a dictate of the measures." If we can pour oil on troubled waters and do away with conflicts, our cohesion will help us overcome the current crisis as well as in our long-term efforts, the president noted. She hinted at brain drain as one of the problems Slovakia is facing, and from her talks with students abroad reported that they complain about the atmosphere in society. "Let us cultivate humanity, emphasise it at schools. Let us cultivate relationships in communities and in families. Let us build cohesion and let us feel its value in our closest surroundings, to transfer it higher at the level of all society," said Caputova. "So that our Slovakia can be strong, resilient and sovereign in facing all challenges." Heger: we are allies PM Eduard Heger (OLaNO) published his own New Year's wish for Slovakia on social network, in which he too accentuated cooperation and unity. In his reaction to the president's address, he highlighted her appeal to people to not be provoked by hatred. "[This] makes the two of us allies in calming the atmosphere in society," Heger reacted, as quoted by the TASR newswire. "Society needs to join forces and strive for better mutual understanding, because it is the only right way out of any crisis, including the pandemic and the fight for justice. I call it cultivating a culture of respect, [the president] calls it cultivating humanity," Heger stated. https://sputniknews.com/20220101/idf-carries-out-retaliatory-strikes-on-gaza-after-two-rockets-land-near-tel-aviv---reports-1091968198.html Videos: IDF Launches Multiple Retaliatory Strikes on Gaza After Two Rockets Land Near Tel Aviv Videos: IDF Launches Multiple Retaliatory Strikes on Gaza After Two Rockets Land Near Tel Aviv On Sunday, at approximately 12:10 a.m., local time, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) began airstrikes on targets in Gaza in retaliation over two rockets fired... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T21:45+0000 2022-01-01T21:45+0000 2022-01-02T01:22+0000 israel israel defense forces (idf) retaliatory strikes gaza /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091968940_0:0:2790:1569_1920x0_80_0_0_04050159c8ebdec9990ed1e32a3b4955.png After the IDF confirmed the Sunday rocket launches amid the ongoing operation, a follow-up release by the Israeli military body detailed that its fighter jets had specifically targeted "rocket-making compounds.""In addition, tanks attacked Hamas military positions on the Gaza Strip border. The scope of the targets and the type of targets were attacked in response to the rocket fire this morning, from the Gaza Strip to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, west of Gush Dan," reads a translation of the Hebrew statement.A few hours after the IDF's statement the agency published video footage that documented it's strikes.Earlier reports indicated that an airstrike was conducted via a helicopter on Hamas' Qaddissiyah site, followed by three missiles strikes from an Israeli Air Force jet. The Qaddissiyah site in southern Gaza is reportedly a rocket manufacturing facility for Al-Qassam. At least ten missiles are said to have been launched toward Hamas targets by the IAF. Following the strikes by the IAF in southern Gaza, reports emerged of strikes in northern Gaza at Hama's Fillistine Camp. Early reports suggested the strikes were from helicopters and tanks, and that the Israeli Navy was shelling parts of the Gaza shoreline. It has been reported that Hamas launched a number of rockets in the north and toward the sea in response to Israeli actions. On the border, east of Khan Younis, Hamas reportedly launched machine gun fire on IAF jets and onto Israeli civilian communities. Sources within the Israeli military earlier vowed retaliation over the firing of two rockets, reportedly by Hamas, that landed off the coast of Tel Aviv. Through unnamed sources, it was learned that Hamas would respond if Israel should launch another strike. Egyptian mediators unsuccessfully attempted to sway Israel against launching retaliatory strikes. The Al-Quds Brigades, a Palestinian Islamic Jihad military arm, had reportedly been evacuating military sites in anticipation of Sunday IDF strikes. Earlier in the day, a flare, launched from an Israeli helicopter in the northern part of the Gaza strip, was mistaken for a strike. Those initial reports of a retaliatory strike by the IDF were retracted by local media. Strikes at the Hamas' Qaddissiyah site have been confirmed by the IDF. The ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel again escalated dramatically in May 2021, after Hamas fired long-range missiles towards Jerusalem in support of Palestinian protests following killings of Palestinians by Israeli troops. Of the estimated 3,750 missiles fired by Hamas, 90% were intercepted, according to Israel's Health Ministry and 12 people were killed from the missiles.Tel Aviv responded to the reported attacks by launching an aerial offensive on the highly-populated region of Gaza. A strike toppled a highrise building and an estimated 230 Palestinians were killed according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza. On May 20, 2021, the two sides announced a cease-fire. gaza Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Nevin Brown Nevin Brown News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Nevin Brown israel defense forces, gaza, israeli Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. Astronaut Zhai Zhigang, commander of the Shenzhou-13 mission, shared his experience with the young people and encouraged them to overcome difficulties and dangers. "No matter how far we fly, the motherland is forever our strongest supporter. Love for the country always inspires us in space flights," Zhai said. Astronaut Wang Yaping expressed hope that the live class from Tiangong could guide more young people to look up at the stars and plant the seeds of "loving science, pursuing dreams and exploring the unknown" in their hearts. Wang earned the title of China's first space teacher after delivering a televised science lecture during the Shenzhou-10 space mission in June 2013. While in the Shenzhou-13 mission, she and the other two crew members also gave a lecture in Tiangong in December 2021. As China's national space laboratory, the space station Tiangong is expected to play a unique role in encouraging the public, especially the youth, to explore space and carry forward the scientific spirit. "Despite being weightless in space, we feel firmly grounded at heart," said astronaut Ye Guangfu, a newcomer to space. With the support of space professionals, painstaking trainings, and valuable experience from aerospace predecessors, Ye said that they have the confidence, determination and ability to accomplish the mission. Tan Zuwei, student of the School of Aerospace Engineering of Tsinghua University, felt deeply impressed by the astronauts' passion for their dreams and the space cause. He said he was inspired by their spirit and would contribute to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Zhou Ting, a medical student from the University of Hong Kong (HKU), felt lucky to pose her question to the astronauts. "As a would-be doctor, I have been confronted with harsh study and work, and I sometimes thought of giving up. But the astronauts have given me the courage to carry on." Qian Chunzheng, a freshman from the Macao University of Science and Technology (MUST), said that he felt the care of the motherland for students in Hong Kong and Macao, and the development and progress of the country's space cause. All this has enhanced their sense of pride and duty to the country. "As we have our own space station right now, I believe that in the future, Chinese people will surely step further into deep space. As a student in Macao, I hope to contribute to the country's space cause one day," Qian added. "Today's event is a great gift sent to Hong Kong by our motherland. We are cheered up!" said Yeung Wai-Kwok, an HKU professor, adding that Hong Kong youth are expected to be down to earth, study hard, innovate and pursue dreams bravely, so as to become "stars" in the country's space exploration. A series of activities held in Hong Kong and Macao fully demonstrated the care from the central government. Young people in Hong Kong and Macao have realized that there is a vast space for them to bring their talents into full play, said Zhang Keke, head of the State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences based at the MUST. During the video talk, the trio also showed the people on the ground around a painting exhibition in the space station. Around 20 paintings drawn by teenagers from central and western China were displayed in the exhibition. Prior to the talk, Cheng Tangming, chief designer of the Long March-7 carrier rocket system, answered questions from the students, and shared with them touching stories of how scientific researchers defeated difficulties and pioneered innovations. "I feel very honored to be able to participate in this event, and I hope to do my part to contribute to students' space dream and help them build up confidence in the country's self-reliance in innovation," said Cheng. The activity, co-hosted by the Hong Kong SAR government, the Macao SAR government, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong SAR, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao SAR, the China Manned Space Agency and the China Media Group, was broadcast live. The three astronauts went into space onboard the Shenzhou-13 spaceship and entered the space station on Oct. 16, embarking on the country's longest crewed mission for space station construction. According to the plan, China will complete by 2022 construction of the country's space station, which is expected to support long-term and consecutive manned stay. Crew rotation will be done in-orbit. Enditem Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) A college student raises a question while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Space experts answer questions from college students while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) A college student raises a question while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) College students pose for a group photo while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 1, 2022 shows a screen displaying a painting exhibition held in space station Tiangong during a live space-Earth talk between Chinese astronauts and students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao. Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 1, 2022 shows a screen displaying a painting exhibition held in space station Tiangong during a live space-Earth talk between Chinese astronauts and students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao. Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 1, 2022 shows a screen displaying a painting exhibition held in space station Tiangong during a live space-Earth talk between Chinese astronauts and students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao. Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. Astronaut Zhai Zhigang, commander of the Shenzhou-13 mission, shared his experience with the young people and encouraged them to overcome difficulties and dangers. "No matter how far we fly, the motherland is forever our strongest supporter. Love for the country always inspires us in space flights," Zhai said. Astronaut Wang Yaping expressed hope that the live class from Tiangong could guide more young people to look up at the stars and plant the seeds of "loving science, pursuing dreams and exploring the unknown" in their hearts. Wang earned the title of China's first space teacher after delivering a televised science lecture during the Shenzhou-10 space mission in June 2013. While in the Shenzhou-13 mission, she and the other two crew members also gave a lecture in Tiangong in December 2021. As China's national space laboratory, the space station Tiangong is expected to play a unique role in encouraging the public, especially the youth, to explore space and carry forward the scientific spirit. "Despite being weightless in space, we feel firmly grounded at heart," said astronaut Ye Guangfu, a newcomer to space. With the support of space professionals, painstaking trainings, and valuable experience from aerospace predecessors, Ye said that they have the confidence, determination and ability to accomplish the mission. Tan Zuwei, student of the School of Aerospace Engineering of Tsinghua University, felt deeply impressed by the astronauts' passion for their dreams and the space cause. He said he was inspired by their spirit and would contribute to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Zhou Ting, a medical student from the University of Hong Kong (HKU), felt lucky to pose her question to the astronauts. "As a would-be doctor, I have been confronted with harsh study and work, and I sometimes thought of giving up. But the astronauts have given me the courage to carry on." Qian Chunzheng, a freshman from the Macao University of Science and Technology (MUST), said that he felt the care of the motherland for students in Hong Kong and Macao, and the development and progress of the country's space cause. All this has enhanced their sense of pride and duty to the country. "As we have our own space station right now, I believe that in the future, Chinese people will surely step further into deep space. As a student in Macao, I hope to contribute to the country's space cause one day," Qian added. "Today's event is a great gift sent to Hong Kong by our motherland. We are cheered up!" said Yeung Wai-Kwok, an HKU professor, adding that Hong Kong youth are expected to be down to earth, study hard, innovate and pursue dreams bravely, so as to become "stars" in the country's space exploration. A series of activities held in Hong Kong and Macao fully demonstrated the care from the central government. Young people in Hong Kong and Macao have realized that there is a vast space for them to bring their talents into full play, said Zhang Keke, head of the State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences based at the MUST. During the video talk, the trio also showed the people on the ground around a painting exhibition in the space station. Around 20 paintings drawn by teenagers from central and western China were displayed in the exhibition. Prior to the talk, Cheng Tangming, chief designer of the Long March-7 carrier rocket system, answered questions from the students, and shared with them touching stories of how scientific researchers defeated difficulties and pioneered innovations. "I feel very honored to be able to participate in this event, and I hope to do my part to contribute to students' space dream and help them build up confidence in the country's self-reliance in innovation," said Cheng. The activity, co-hosted by the Hong Kong SAR government, the Macao SAR government, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong SAR, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao SAR, the China Manned Space Agency and the China Media Group, was broadcast live. The three astronauts went into space onboard the Shenzhou-13 spaceship and entered the space station on Oct. 16, embarking on the country's longest crewed mission for space station construction. According to the plan, China will complete by 2022 construction of the country's space station, which is expected to support long-term and consecutive manned stay. Crew rotation will be done in-orbit. Enditem Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) A college student raises a question while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Space experts answer questions from college students while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) A college student raises a question while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) College students pose for a group photo while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 1, 2022 shows a screen displaying a painting exhibition held in space station Tiangong during a live space-Earth talk between Chinese astronauts and students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao. Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 1, 2022 shows a screen displaying a painting exhibition held in space station Tiangong during a live space-Earth talk between Chinese astronauts and students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao. Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 1, 2022 shows a screen displaying a painting exhibition held in space station Tiangong during a live space-Earth talk between Chinese astronauts and students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao. Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. Astronaut Zhai Zhigang, commander of the Shenzhou-13 mission, shared his experience with the young people and encouraged them to overcome difficulties and dangers. "No matter how far we fly, the motherland is forever our strongest supporter. Love for the country always inspires us in space flights," Zhai said. Astronaut Wang Yaping expressed hope that the live class from Tiangong could guide more young people to look up at the stars and plant the seeds of "loving science, pursuing dreams and exploring the unknown" in their hearts. Wang earned the title of China's first space teacher after delivering a televised science lecture during the Shenzhou-10 space mission in June 2013. While in the Shenzhou-13 mission, she and the other two crew members also gave a lecture in Tiangong in December 2021. As China's national space laboratory, the space station Tiangong is expected to play a unique role in encouraging the public, especially the youth, to explore space and carry forward the scientific spirit. "Despite being weightless in space, we feel firmly grounded at heart," said astronaut Ye Guangfu, a newcomer to space. With the support of space professionals, painstaking trainings, and valuable experience from aerospace predecessors, Ye said that they have the confidence, determination and ability to accomplish the mission. Tan Zuwei, student of the School of Aerospace Engineering of Tsinghua University, felt deeply impressed by the astronauts' passion for their dreams and the space cause. He said he was inspired by their spirit and would contribute to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Zhou Ting, a medical student from the University of Hong Kong (HKU), felt lucky to pose her question to the astronauts. "As a would-be doctor, I have been confronted with harsh study and work, and I sometimes thought of giving up. But the astronauts have given me the courage to carry on." Qian Chunzheng, a freshman from the Macao University of Science and Technology (MUST), said that he felt the care of the motherland for students in Hong Kong and Macao, and the development and progress of the country's space cause. All this has enhanced their sense of pride and duty to the country. "As we have our own space station right now, I believe that in the future, Chinese people will surely step further into deep space. As a student in Macao, I hope to contribute to the country's space cause one day," Qian added. "Today's event is a great gift sent to Hong Kong by our motherland. We are cheered up!" said Yeung Wai-Kwok, an HKU professor, adding that Hong Kong youth are expected to be down to earth, study hard, innovate and pursue dreams bravely, so as to become "stars" in the country's space exploration. A series of activities held in Hong Kong and Macao fully demonstrated the care from the central government. Young people in Hong Kong and Macao have realized that there is a vast space for them to bring their talents into full play, said Zhang Keke, head of the State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences based at the MUST. During the video talk, the trio also showed the people on the ground around a painting exhibition in the space station. Around 20 paintings drawn by teenagers from central and western China were displayed in the exhibition. Prior to the talk, Cheng Tangming, chief designer of the Long March-7 carrier rocket system, answered questions from the students, and shared with them touching stories of how scientific researchers defeated difficulties and pioneered innovations. "I feel very honored to be able to participate in this event, and I hope to do my part to contribute to students' space dream and help them build up confidence in the country's self-reliance in innovation," said Cheng. The activity, co-hosted by the Hong Kong SAR government, the Macao SAR government, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong SAR, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao SAR, the China Manned Space Agency and the China Media Group, was broadcast live. The three astronauts went into space onboard the Shenzhou-13 spaceship and entered the space station on Oct. 16, embarking on the country's longest crewed mission for space station construction. According to the plan, China will complete by 2022 construction of the country's space station, which is expected to support long-term and consecutive manned stay. Crew rotation will be done in-orbit. Enditem Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) A college student raises a question while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Space experts answer questions from college students while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) A college student raises a question while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) College students pose for a group photo while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 1, 2022 shows a screen displaying a painting exhibition held in space station Tiangong during a live space-Earth talk between Chinese astronauts and students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao. Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 1, 2022 shows a screen displaying a painting exhibition held in space station Tiangong during a live space-Earth talk between Chinese astronauts and students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao. Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 1, 2022 shows a screen displaying a painting exhibition held in space station Tiangong during a live space-Earth talk between Chinese astronauts and students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao. Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. Astronaut Zhai Zhigang, commander of the Shenzhou-13 mission, shared his experience with the young people and encouraged them to overcome difficulties and dangers. "No matter how far we fly, the motherland is forever our strongest supporter. Love for the country always inspires us in space flights," Zhai said. Astronaut Wang Yaping expressed hope that the live class from Tiangong could guide more young people to look up at the stars and plant the seeds of "loving science, pursuing dreams and exploring the unknown" in their hearts. Wang earned the title of China's first space teacher after delivering a televised science lecture during the Shenzhou-10 space mission in June 2013. While in the Shenzhou-13 mission, she and the other two crew members also gave a lecture in Tiangong in December 2021. As China's national space laboratory, the space station Tiangong is expected to play a unique role in encouraging the public, especially the youth, to explore space and carry forward the scientific spirit. "Despite being weightless in space, we feel firmly grounded at heart," said astronaut Ye Guangfu, a newcomer to space. With the support of space professionals, painstaking trainings, and valuable experience from aerospace predecessors, Ye said that they have the confidence, determination and ability to accomplish the mission. Tan Zuwei, student of the School of Aerospace Engineering of Tsinghua University, felt deeply impressed by the astronauts' passion for their dreams and the space cause. He said he was inspired by their spirit and would contribute to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Zhou Ting, a medical student from the University of Hong Kong (HKU), felt lucky to pose her question to the astronauts. "As a would-be doctor, I have been confronted with harsh study and work, and I sometimes thought of giving up. But the astronauts have given me the courage to carry on." Qian Chunzheng, a freshman from the Macao University of Science and Technology (MUST), said that he felt the care of the motherland for students in Hong Kong and Macao, and the development and progress of the country's space cause. All this has enhanced their sense of pride and duty to the country. "As we have our own space station right now, I believe that in the future, Chinese people will surely step further into deep space. As a student in Macao, I hope to contribute to the country's space cause one day," Qian added. "Today's event is a great gift sent to Hong Kong by our motherland. We are cheered up!" said Yeung Wai-Kwok, an HKU professor, adding that Hong Kong youth are expected to be down to earth, study hard, innovate and pursue dreams bravely, so as to become "stars" in the country's space exploration. A series of activities held in Hong Kong and Macao fully demonstrated the care from the central government. Young people in Hong Kong and Macao have realized that there is a vast space for them to bring their talents into full play, said Zhang Keke, head of the State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences based at the MUST. During the video talk, the trio also showed the people on the ground around a painting exhibition in the space station. Around 20 paintings drawn by teenagers from central and western China were displayed in the exhibition. Prior to the talk, Cheng Tangming, chief designer of the Long March-7 carrier rocket system, answered questions from the students, and shared with them touching stories of how scientific researchers defeated difficulties and pioneered innovations. "I feel very honored to be able to participate in this event, and I hope to do my part to contribute to students' space dream and help them build up confidence in the country's self-reliance in innovation," said Cheng. The activity, co-hosted by the Hong Kong SAR government, the Macao SAR government, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong SAR, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao SAR, the China Manned Space Agency and the China Media Group, was broadcast live. The three astronauts went into space onboard the Shenzhou-13 spaceship and entered the space station on Oct. 16, embarking on the country's longest crewed mission for space station construction. According to the plan, China will complete by 2022 construction of the country's space station, which is expected to support long-term and consecutive manned stay. Crew rotation will be done in-orbit. Enditem Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) A college student raises a question while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Space experts answer questions from college students while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) A college student raises a question while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) College students pose for a group photo while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 1, 2022 shows a screen displaying a painting exhibition held in space station Tiangong during a live space-Earth talk between Chinese astronauts and students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao. Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 1, 2022 shows a screen displaying a painting exhibition held in space station Tiangong during a live space-Earth talk between Chinese astronauts and students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao. Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 1, 2022 shows a screen displaying a painting exhibition held in space station Tiangong during a live space-Earth talk between Chinese astronauts and students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao. Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. Astronaut Zhai Zhigang, commander of the Shenzhou-13 mission, shared his experience with the young people and encouraged them to overcome difficulties and dangers. "No matter how far we fly, the motherland is forever our strongest supporter. Love for the country always inspires us in space flights," Zhai said. Astronaut Wang Yaping expressed hope that the live class from Tiangong could guide more young people to look up at the stars and plant the seeds of "loving science, pursuing dreams and exploring the unknown" in their hearts. Wang earned the title of China's first space teacher after delivering a televised science lecture during the Shenzhou-10 space mission in June 2013. While in the Shenzhou-13 mission, she and the other two crew members also gave a lecture in Tiangong in December 2021. As China's national space laboratory, the space station Tiangong is expected to play a unique role in encouraging the public, especially the youth, to explore space and carry forward the scientific spirit. "Despite being weightless in space, we feel firmly grounded at heart," said astronaut Ye Guangfu, a newcomer to space. With the support of space professionals, painstaking trainings, and valuable experience from aerospace predecessors, Ye said that they have the confidence, determination and ability to accomplish the mission. Tan Zuwei, student of the School of Aerospace Engineering of Tsinghua University, felt deeply impressed by the astronauts' passion for their dreams and the space cause. He said he was inspired by their spirit and would contribute to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Zhou Ting, a medical student from the University of Hong Kong (HKU), felt lucky to pose her question to the astronauts. "As a would-be doctor, I have been confronted with harsh study and work, and I sometimes thought of giving up. But the astronauts have given me the courage to carry on." Qian Chunzheng, a freshman from the Macao University of Science and Technology (MUST), said that he felt the care of the motherland for students in Hong Kong and Macao, and the development and progress of the country's space cause. All this has enhanced their sense of pride and duty to the country. "As we have our own space station right now, I believe that in the future, Chinese people will surely step further into deep space. As a student in Macao, I hope to contribute to the country's space cause one day," Qian added. "Today's event is a great gift sent to Hong Kong by our motherland. We are cheered up!" said Yeung Wai-Kwok, an HKU professor, adding that Hong Kong youth are expected to be down to earth, study hard, innovate and pursue dreams bravely, so as to become "stars" in the country's space exploration. A series of activities held in Hong Kong and Macao fully demonstrated the care from the central government. Young people in Hong Kong and Macao have realized that there is a vast space for them to bring their talents into full play, said Zhang Keke, head of the State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences based at the MUST. During the video talk, the trio also showed the people on the ground around a painting exhibition in the space station. Around 20 paintings drawn by teenagers from central and western China were displayed in the exhibition. Prior to the talk, Cheng Tangming, chief designer of the Long March-7 carrier rocket system, answered questions from the students, and shared with them touching stories of how scientific researchers defeated difficulties and pioneered innovations. "I feel very honored to be able to participate in this event, and I hope to do my part to contribute to students' space dream and help them build up confidence in the country's self-reliance in innovation," said Cheng. The activity, co-hosted by the Hong Kong SAR government, the Macao SAR government, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong SAR, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao SAR, the China Manned Space Agency and the China Media Group, was broadcast live. The three astronauts went into space onboard the Shenzhou-13 spaceship and entered the space station on Oct. 16, embarking on the country's longest crewed mission for space station construction. According to the plan, China will complete by 2022 construction of the country's space station, which is expected to support long-term and consecutive manned stay. Crew rotation will be done in-orbit. Enditem Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) A college student raises a question while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Space experts answer questions from college students while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) A college student raises a question while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Macao. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) College students pose for a group photo while participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken on Jan. 1, 2022 shows college students participating in a space-Earth video talk with the Chinese astronauts on board space station Tiangong in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Photo taken in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 1, 2022 shows a screen displaying a painting exhibition held in space station Tiangong during a live space-Earth talk between Chinese astronauts and students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao. Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 1, 2022 shows a screen displaying a painting exhibition held in space station Tiangong during a live space-Earth talk between Chinese astronauts and students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao. Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) Photo taken in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 1, 2022 shows a screen displaying a painting exhibition held in space station Tiangong during a live space-Earth talk between Chinese astronauts and students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao. Three Chinese astronauts in space station Tiangong held a video chat with students in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Saturday afternoon, the first day of 2022. The live space-Earth talk was attended by around 500 young students at the three venues. The astronauts shared their space dream and aspirations. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai) https://sputniknews.com/20220101/idf-carries-out-retaliatory-strikes-on-gaza-after-two-rockets-land-near-tel-aviv---reports-1091968198.html Videos: IDF Launches Multiple Retaliatory Strikes on Gaza After Two Rockets Land Near Tel Aviv Videos: IDF Launches Multiple Retaliatory Strikes on Gaza After Two Rockets Land Near Tel Aviv On Sunday, at approximately 12:10 a.m., local time, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) began airstrikes on targets in Gaza in retaliation over two rockets fired... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T21:45+0000 2022-01-01T21:45+0000 2022-01-02T01:22+0000 israel israel defense forces (idf) retaliatory strikes gaza /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091968940_0:0:2790:1569_1920x0_80_0_0_04050159c8ebdec9990ed1e32a3b4955.png After the IDF confirmed the Sunday rocket launches amid the ongoing operation, a follow-up release by the Israeli military body detailed that its fighter jets had specifically targeted "rocket-making compounds.""In addition, tanks attacked Hamas military positions on the Gaza Strip border. The scope of the targets and the type of targets were attacked in response to the rocket fire this morning, from the Gaza Strip to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, west of Gush Dan," reads a translation of the Hebrew statement.A few hours after the IDF's statement the agency published video footage that documented it's strikes.Earlier reports indicated that an airstrike was conducted via a helicopter on Hamas' Qaddissiyah site, followed by three missiles strikes from an Israeli Air Force jet. The Qaddissiyah site in southern Gaza is reportedly a rocket manufacturing facility for Al-Qassam. At least ten missiles are said to have been launched toward Hamas targets by the IAF. Following the strikes by the IAF in southern Gaza, reports emerged of strikes in northern Gaza at Hama's Fillistine Camp. Early reports suggested the strikes were from helicopters and tanks, and that the Israeli Navy was shelling parts of the Gaza shoreline. It has been reported that Hamas launched a number of rockets in the north and toward the sea in response to Israeli actions. On the border, east of Khan Younis, Hamas reportedly launched machine gun fire on IAF jets and onto Israeli civilian communities. Sources within the Israeli military earlier vowed retaliation over the firing of two rockets, reportedly by Hamas, that landed off the coast of Tel Aviv. Through unnamed sources, it was learned that Hamas would respond if Israel should launch another strike. Egyptian mediators unsuccessfully attempted to sway Israel against launching retaliatory strikes. The Al-Quds Brigades, a Palestinian Islamic Jihad military arm, had reportedly been evacuating military sites in anticipation of Sunday IDF strikes. Earlier in the day, a flare, launched from an Israeli helicopter in the northern part of the Gaza strip, was mistaken for a strike. Those initial reports of a retaliatory strike by the IDF were retracted by local media. Strikes at the Hamas' Qaddissiyah site have been confirmed by the IDF. The ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel again escalated dramatically in May 2021, after Hamas fired long-range missiles towards Jerusalem in support of Palestinian protests following killings of Palestinians by Israeli troops. Of the estimated 3,750 missiles fired by Hamas, 90% were intercepted, according to Israel's Health Ministry and 12 people were killed from the missiles.Tel Aviv responded to the reported attacks by launching an aerial offensive on the highly-populated region of Gaza. A strike toppled a highrise building and an estimated 230 Palestinians were killed according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza. On May 20, 2021, the two sides announced a cease-fire. gaza Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Nevin Brown Nevin Brown News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Nevin Brown israel defense forces, gaza, israeli https://sputniknews.com/20220101/idf-carries-out-retaliatory-strikes-on-gaza-after-two-rockets-land-near-tel-aviv---reports-1091968198.html Videos: IDF Launches Multiple Retaliatory Strikes on Gaza After Two Rockets Land Near Tel Aviv Videos: IDF Launches Multiple Retaliatory Strikes on Gaza After Two Rockets Land Near Tel Aviv On Sunday, at approximately 12:10 a.m., local time, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) began airstrikes on targets in Gaza in retaliation over two rockets fired... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T21:45+0000 2022-01-01T21:45+0000 2022-01-02T01:22+0000 israel israel defense forces (idf) retaliatory strikes gaza /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091968940_0:0:2790:1569_1920x0_80_0_0_04050159c8ebdec9990ed1e32a3b4955.png After the IDF confirmed the Sunday rocket launches amid the ongoing operation, a follow-up release by the Israeli military body detailed that its fighter jets had specifically targeted "rocket-making compounds.""In addition, tanks attacked Hamas military positions on the Gaza Strip border. The scope of the targets and the type of targets were attacked in response to the rocket fire this morning, from the Gaza Strip to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, west of Gush Dan," reads a translation of the Hebrew statement.A few hours after the IDF's statement the agency published video footage that documented it's strikes.Earlier reports indicated that an airstrike was conducted via a helicopter on Hamas' Qaddissiyah site, followed by three missiles strikes from an Israeli Air Force jet. The Qaddissiyah site in southern Gaza is reportedly a rocket manufacturing facility for Al-Qassam. At least ten missiles are said to have been launched toward Hamas targets by the IAF. Following the strikes by the IAF in southern Gaza, reports emerged of strikes in northern Gaza at Hama's Fillistine Camp. Early reports suggested the strikes were from helicopters and tanks, and that the Israeli Navy was shelling parts of the Gaza shoreline. It has been reported that Hamas launched a number of rockets in the north and toward the sea in response to Israeli actions. On the border, east of Khan Younis, Hamas reportedly launched machine gun fire on IAF jets and onto Israeli civilian communities. Sources within the Israeli military earlier vowed retaliation over the firing of two rockets, reportedly by Hamas, that landed off the coast of Tel Aviv. Through unnamed sources, it was learned that Hamas would respond if Israel should launch another strike. Egyptian mediators unsuccessfully attempted to sway Israel against launching retaliatory strikes. The Al-Quds Brigades, a Palestinian Islamic Jihad military arm, had reportedly been evacuating military sites in anticipation of Sunday IDF strikes. Earlier in the day, a flare, launched from an Israeli helicopter in the northern part of the Gaza strip, was mistaken for a strike. Those initial reports of a retaliatory strike by the IDF were retracted by local media. Strikes at the Hamas' Qaddissiyah site have been confirmed by the IDF. The ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel again escalated dramatically in May 2021, after Hamas fired long-range missiles towards Jerusalem in support of Palestinian protests following killings of Palestinians by Israeli troops. Of the estimated 3,750 missiles fired by Hamas, 90% were intercepted, according to Israel's Health Ministry and 12 people were killed from the missiles.Tel Aviv responded to the reported attacks by launching an aerial offensive on the highly-populated region of Gaza. A strike toppled a highrise building and an estimated 230 Palestinians were killed according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza. On May 20, 2021, the two sides announced a cease-fire. gaza Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Nevin Brown Nevin Brown News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Nevin Brown israel defense forces, gaza, israeli https://sputniknews.com/20220101/idf-carries-out-retaliatory-strikes-on-gaza-after-two-rockets-land-near-tel-aviv---reports-1091968198.html Videos: IDF Launches Multiple Retaliatory Strikes on Gaza After Two Rockets Land Near Tel Aviv Videos: IDF Launches Multiple Retaliatory Strikes on Gaza After Two Rockets Land Near Tel Aviv On Sunday, at approximately 12:10 a.m., local time, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) began airstrikes on targets in Gaza in retaliation over two rockets fired... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T21:45+0000 2022-01-01T21:45+0000 2022-01-02T01:22+0000 israel israel defense forces (idf) retaliatory strikes gaza /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091968940_0:0:2790:1569_1920x0_80_0_0_04050159c8ebdec9990ed1e32a3b4955.png After the IDF confirmed the Sunday rocket launches amid the ongoing operation, a follow-up release by the Israeli military body detailed that its fighter jets had specifically targeted "rocket-making compounds.""In addition, tanks attacked Hamas military positions on the Gaza Strip border. The scope of the targets and the type of targets were attacked in response to the rocket fire this morning, from the Gaza Strip to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, west of Gush Dan," reads a translation of the Hebrew statement.A few hours after the IDF's statement the agency published video footage that documented it's strikes.Earlier reports indicated that an airstrike was conducted via a helicopter on Hamas' Qaddissiyah site, followed by three missiles strikes from an Israeli Air Force jet. The Qaddissiyah site in southern Gaza is reportedly a rocket manufacturing facility for Al-Qassam. At least ten missiles are said to have been launched toward Hamas targets by the IAF. Following the strikes by the IAF in southern Gaza, reports emerged of strikes in northern Gaza at Hama's Fillistine Camp. Early reports suggested the strikes were from helicopters and tanks, and that the Israeli Navy was shelling parts of the Gaza shoreline. It has been reported that Hamas launched a number of rockets in the north and toward the sea in response to Israeli actions. On the border, east of Khan Younis, Hamas reportedly launched machine gun fire on IAF jets and onto Israeli civilian communities. Sources within the Israeli military earlier vowed retaliation over the firing of two rockets, reportedly by Hamas, that landed off the coast of Tel Aviv. Through unnamed sources, it was learned that Hamas would respond if Israel should launch another strike. Egyptian mediators unsuccessfully attempted to sway Israel against launching retaliatory strikes. The Al-Quds Brigades, a Palestinian Islamic Jihad military arm, had reportedly been evacuating military sites in anticipation of Sunday IDF strikes. Earlier in the day, a flare, launched from an Israeli helicopter in the northern part of the Gaza strip, was mistaken for a strike. Those initial reports of a retaliatory strike by the IDF were retracted by local media. Strikes at the Hamas' Qaddissiyah site have been confirmed by the IDF. The ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel again escalated dramatically in May 2021, after Hamas fired long-range missiles towards Jerusalem in support of Palestinian protests following killings of Palestinians by Israeli troops. Of the estimated 3,750 missiles fired by Hamas, 90% were intercepted, according to Israel's Health Ministry and 12 people were killed from the missiles.Tel Aviv responded to the reported attacks by launching an aerial offensive on the highly-populated region of Gaza. A strike toppled a highrise building and an estimated 230 Palestinians were killed according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza. On May 20, 2021, the two sides announced a cease-fire. gaza Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Nevin Brown Nevin Brown News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Nevin Brown israel defense forces, gaza, israeli The Slovak president did not mention hospitals or vaccination in her New Year's address. She called on people not to get provoked by hatred. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Building cohesion and cultivating humanity is what people in Slovakia need to overcome the health crisis as well as any future crisis, President Zuzana Caputova told the inhabitants in her New Year's address. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement There is still hope that the crisis can strengthen society and allow people to further appreciate the ordinary things they have not been able to enjoy during the pandemic. "It is a chance to be better than before," the president said. The traditional annual speech is broadcast by the public-service broadcaster RTVS on January 1, which also marks the emergence of the Slovak Republic in 1993. Caputova remarked that the demanding times we live in require common sense, discipline and thoughtfulness. If a society is to manage a crisis, it needs cohesion, she stressed. https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fzcaputova%2Fvideos%2F302214245166849%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0 A nod to Pope Francis In her speech, she mentioned the children growing up in difficult conditions under the pandemic, the elderly people who have been deprived of contact with their families, and the bereaved who have lost their loved ones over the past year. She also highlighted those who have been able to face the crisis with exceptional determination and even sacrifice their own health to save others. "I would like to thank all those who have not lost their humanity, who have been showing solidarity and have not lost hope that it is worth trying and uniting our Slovakia again," Caputova said. She cited Pope Francis, who said during his 2021 visit to Slovakia that we are all fragile and all need each other. Related article Related article Slovakia's modern history is a message of peace in the heart of Europe, Pope says Read more "Facing the biggest health threat of our times is only possible as humans, as a community - and that requires a contribution from each of us. Every one of us matters," the president said, calling on people to find common ground in the shared desire to be healthy and live their ordinary lives. Royal understanding of freedom She also asked the inhabitants of Slovakia to follow their hearts and not be provoked by hatred. The president paraphrased the priest Martin Kramara, who said that people need to free themselves of the plebeian understanding of freedom and relation to power or to society. In this subordinate understanding of freedom, all measures are viewed as a deal given to the people from above. On the other hand, there is the royal understanding of freedom, which Caputova also called a mature civic freedom that comes from the possibility of acting confidently and freely, in line with individual interest as well as the interest of the community. "We choose freely and we freely give things up," she said. "Responsibility, decency and thoughtfulness of our own will is not perceived as a dictate of the measures." If we can pour oil on troubled waters and do away with conflicts, our cohesion will help us overcome the current crisis as well as in our long-term efforts, the president noted. She hinted at brain drain as one of the problems Slovakia is facing, and from her talks with students abroad reported that they complain about the atmosphere in society. "Let us cultivate humanity, emphasise it at schools. Let us cultivate relationships in communities and in families. Let us build cohesion and let us feel its value in our closest surroundings, to transfer it higher at the level of all society," said Caputova. "So that our Slovakia can be strong, resilient and sovereign in facing all challenges." Heger: we are allies PM Eduard Heger (OLaNO) published his own New Year's wish for Slovakia on social network, in which he too accentuated cooperation and unity. In his reaction to the president's address, he highlighted her appeal to people to not be provoked by hatred. "[This] makes the two of us allies in calming the atmosphere in society," Heger reacted, as quoted by the TASR newswire. "Society needs to join forces and strive for better mutual understanding, because it is the only right way out of any crisis, including the pandemic and the fight for justice. I call it cultivating a culture of respect, [the president] calls it cultivating humanity," Heger stated. The Slovak president did not mention hospitals or vaccination in her New Year's address. She called on people not to get provoked by hatred. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Building cohesion and cultivating humanity is what people in Slovakia need to overcome the health crisis as well as any future crisis, President Zuzana Caputova told the inhabitants in her New Year's address. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement There is still hope that the crisis can strengthen society and allow people to further appreciate the ordinary things they have not been able to enjoy during the pandemic. "It is a chance to be better than before," the president said. The traditional annual speech is broadcast by the public-service broadcaster RTVS on January 1, which also marks the emergence of the Slovak Republic in 1993. Caputova remarked that the demanding times we live in require common sense, discipline and thoughtfulness. If a society is to manage a crisis, it needs cohesion, she stressed. https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fzcaputova%2Fvideos%2F302214245166849%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0 A nod to Pope Francis In her speech, she mentioned the children growing up in difficult conditions under the pandemic, the elderly people who have been deprived of contact with their families, and the bereaved who have lost their loved ones over the past year. She also highlighted those who have been able to face the crisis with exceptional determination and even sacrifice their own health to save others. "I would like to thank all those who have not lost their humanity, who have been showing solidarity and have not lost hope that it is worth trying and uniting our Slovakia again," Caputova said. She cited Pope Francis, who said during his 2021 visit to Slovakia that we are all fragile and all need each other. Related article Related article Slovakia's modern history is a message of peace in the heart of Europe, Pope says Read more "Facing the biggest health threat of our times is only possible as humans, as a community - and that requires a contribution from each of us. Every one of us matters," the president said, calling on people to find common ground in the shared desire to be healthy and live their ordinary lives. Royal understanding of freedom She also asked the inhabitants of Slovakia to follow their hearts and not be provoked by hatred. The president paraphrased the priest Martin Kramara, who said that people need to free themselves of the plebeian understanding of freedom and relation to power or to society. In this subordinate understanding of freedom, all measures are viewed as a deal given to the people from above. On the other hand, there is the royal understanding of freedom, which Caputova also called a mature civic freedom that comes from the possibility of acting confidently and freely, in line with individual interest as well as the interest of the community. "We choose freely and we freely give things up," she said. "Responsibility, decency and thoughtfulness of our own will is not perceived as a dictate of the measures." If we can pour oil on troubled waters and do away with conflicts, our cohesion will help us overcome the current crisis as well as in our long-term efforts, the president noted. She hinted at brain drain as one of the problems Slovakia is facing, and from her talks with students abroad reported that they complain about the atmosphere in society. "Let us cultivate humanity, emphasise it at schools. Let us cultivate relationships in communities and in families. Let us build cohesion and let us feel its value in our closest surroundings, to transfer it higher at the level of all society," said Caputova. "So that our Slovakia can be strong, resilient and sovereign in facing all challenges." Heger: we are allies PM Eduard Heger (OLaNO) published his own New Year's wish for Slovakia on social network, in which he too accentuated cooperation and unity. In his reaction to the president's address, he highlighted her appeal to people to not be provoked by hatred. "[This] makes the two of us allies in calming the atmosphere in society," Heger reacted, as quoted by the TASR newswire. "Society needs to join forces and strive for better mutual understanding, because it is the only right way out of any crisis, including the pandemic and the fight for justice. I call it cultivating a culture of respect, [the president] calls it cultivating humanity," Heger stated. Feet firmly planted amid breaking waves on the seashore, a fisherman powerfully flings his net into the waters in the early morning of Dec. 22 at Yeomjeon Beach in Gangneung, Gangwon Province. Against the rising golden sun, also being flung are perhaps the fisherman's hopes for a good catch in a full net. In Korea, they say, "To judge a man, look at his back." The stout silhouette of the fisherman seems to speak of layers of honest labor, wishes harbored and disappointments swallowed. Not to be deterred, the fisherman will return to his toil the following day, as too, so will we after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic to hold strong in 2022. Welcome to the New Year. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul BLOOMINGTON Central Illinois saw its first snow and ice storm of the winter on Saturday, with winter weather warnings lasting into Sunday morning. The area was hit with a winter mix of rain, snow and sleet that led to some slick conditions. The McLean County Emergency Management Agency and Illinois Department of Transportation are encouraging caution for those drivers who have to go out. IDOTs winter conditions map showed area roads were partially or mostly covered in snow and ice by mid-afternoon Saturday, with most highways north and west of McLean County fully covered. Neither Bloomington nor Normal police departments reported any significant traffic accidents Saturday afternoon. "Lincoln and south along I-55 will probably stay mostly rain, but as you get into McLean County, that's when the wintry precip starts angling over towards the east and including the Bloomington-Normal areas, said Ed Shimon, meteorologist at the National Weather Service's Lincoln office on Saturday morning. The National Weather Service was predicting daytime accumulations of up to 3 inches of snow, with another 1 to 2 inches possible overnight. The rest of the weekend and the early week are expected to be clearer. Temperatures are also dropping going into the week, with a low of 13 degrees expected Saturday night and a low of 0 degrees Sunday night. Both Sunday and Monday are expected to stay below freezing, at 19 degrees and 27 degrees, respectively. Low temps will be falling towards the teens but wind chills will be below zero real close to Decatur and Bloomington probably will see wind chills below zero by Sunday morning," Shimon said. For those who are traveling, IDOT suggests driving at a slower speed, keeping the gas tank full, having emergency supplies in the vehicle, including a cellphone, and making sure someone knows the route the driver is taking. "We haven't had a lot of wintry weather yet this year and it kind of catches you off guard once you get into it, Shimon said. You think the road's just wet when it's really icy, so you just got to keep that in mind and slow down and don't speed through wintry weather." Elsewhere in the Midwest, the NWS forecast snow amounts up to 7 inches in west Michigan and 3 to 6 inches in northern Indiana. Chicago and surrounding suburbs were caught between a winter storm coming in from the southwest and a northeasterly wind coming off of Lake Michigan a combination that could create as much as an inch of lake effect snow every hour. Winter has finally arrived, weather service meteorologist Brett Borchardt told the Chicago Tribune. We knew it was going to happen at some point. Brenden Moore and The Associated Press contributed reporting. Rue McClanahan, left, as Blanche Devereaux, Betty White as Rose Nylund, Bea Arthur as Dorothy Petrillo Zbornak, in the season 1 of "The Golden Girls." circa 1986. (NBC/NBCUniversal via Getty Images) Betty White: Now that was a career. And that was a pro, adored by millions who appreciated comic skill and the ability to get the last laugh. The Oak Park native, who died Dec. 31 just weeks before her 100th birthday, was the daughter of a homemaker and a lighting company executive. She became a Californian when she was just a year old, after the familys move to Alhambra, California, a few miles from downtown Los Angeles. She worked in radio first in 1930, at age eight! and would seek out radio gigs as she grew older, having already been dismissed as unphotogenic by Hollywood casting agents. Advertisement Betty White, photographed during her long run on "Hot in Cleveland," 2010. (Matt Sayles/AP) Over the next half century and more, White avenged that idiotic mischaracterization by wielding one of the greatest, most recognized smiles in American television. She did so across a remarkable spectrum of vivacious sincerity and subtly wicked parody, supported by timing and presence and craft that came together as a natural force as it has for precious few others. We know her for so much long-running situation comedy: As Rose Nylund, of St. Olaf, Minnesota, on The Golden Girls; as Elka Ostrosky on Hot in Cleveland; and as Sue Ann Nivens, star of The Happy Homemaker on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Advertisement Casting the peerless MTM ensemble, Moore and company wanted an icky sweet Betty White type, with a twist. The character was like whipped cream concealing knives: a shark one second, a kitten the next. Lo and behold! Betty White turned out to be perfect for it. In 2021, we lost Ed Asner, Cloris Leachman and Gavin MacLeod before White. For countless Americans (Ill just count one: me), the ritual of The Mary Tyler Moore Show followed by The Bob Newhart Show Saturdays on CBS was like going to comedy school once a week, learning from geniuses. Newhart, still with us at 92, is another Oak Park native. Hemingway wasnt very funny, but he and White made up for that. With White its worth remembering what she did and when, at the point of TVs relative infancy. A 1976 photo of "Mary Tyler Moore" cast members Ed Asner, Betty White, Mary Tyler Moore and Ted Knight. (Reed Saxon/AP) In 1949 White and LA disc jockey Al Jarvis began co-hosting a daily five-and-a-half-hour talk show, Hollywood on Television, live. After a brief stint with a new co-host, Eddie Albert (who left to do Roman Holiday), White fronted the show solo. She was, by most accounts, the first female TV talk show host. Shed do sketches featuring a fictional spin-off character, which led to a domestic sitcom soon afterward, Life with Elizabeth co-starred Del Moore (best known as Prof. Warfield in The Nutty Professor), airing from 1953 to 1955. Take a look at one of those Life with Elizabeth episodes sometime. In the opening credits, she holds a broad, friendly smile for a full eight seconds, like a champ. From the perspective of today, it looks like a joke; back then, it was the blueprint. Smile, girls! Hold it! Elsewhere on the show, in between scenes, White pitched Geritol (for tired blood) and other products of dubious worth nonetheless worth millions in revenue. White, too, was basically a product for sale at that stage, though of increasingly evident value and versatility. She married her third husband, Password host Allen Ludden, in 1963, a year after White appeared in a dramatic role as a Kansas senator in Advise and Consent. With her luck (to go with the prodigious expertise) in landing long-running sitcoms, luck and expertise that continued in various forms well into the 21st century, drama took a back seat. What I love about White, among other reasons to love her, is the way she gently but firmly turned the tables on her own persona. She came into national familiarity as a sugary paragon of female domesticity. And complicated and deepened that cliche by sheer will and skill. Advertisement Revisit any number of Mary Tyler Moore Show episodes, such as the one where Sue Ann auditions for a locally produced program outside her Happy Homemaker wheelhouse. Its a special kind of hilarious. She took a character type the slightly unnerving font of hospitality White was allowed to be in the 50s and in that archetype, she found nugget after nugget of gold. Late in life, she advised: Dont try to be young. Just open your mind. Stay interested in stuff. It worked for Betty White, to the end. She served in the American Womens Voluntary Services in WWII and, as former first lady Michelle Obama tweeted Friday: She broke barriers, defied expectations, served her country, and pushed us all to laugh. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic. mjphillips@chicagotribune.com Twitter @phillipstribune Big screen or home stream, takeout or dine-in, Tribune writers are here to steer you toward your next great experience. Sign up for your free weekly Eat. Watch. Do. newsletter here. Rue McClanahan, left, as Blanche Devereaux, Betty White as Rose Nylund, Bea Arthur as Dorothy Petrillo Zbornak, in the season 1 of "The Golden Girls." circa 1986. (NBC/NBCUniversal via Getty Images) Betty White: Now that was a career. And that was a pro, adored by millions who appreciated comic skill and the ability to get the last laugh. The Oak Park native, who died Dec. 31 just weeks before her 100th birthday, was the daughter of a homemaker and a lighting company executive. She became a Californian when she was just a year old, after the familys move to Alhambra, California, a few miles from downtown Los Angeles. She worked in radio first in 1930, at age eight! and would seek out radio gigs as she grew older, having already been dismissed as unphotogenic by Hollywood casting agents. Advertisement Betty White, photographed during her long run on "Hot in Cleveland," 2010. (Matt Sayles/AP) Over the next half century and more, White avenged that idiotic mischaracterization by wielding one of the greatest, most recognized smiles in American television. She did so across a remarkable spectrum of vivacious sincerity and subtly wicked parody, supported by timing and presence and craft that came together as a natural force as it has for precious few others. We know her for so much long-running situation comedy: As Rose Nylund, of St. Olaf, Minnesota, on The Golden Girls; as Elka Ostrosky on Hot in Cleveland; and as Sue Ann Nivens, star of The Happy Homemaker on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Advertisement Casting the peerless MTM ensemble, Moore and company wanted an icky sweet Betty White type, with a twist. The character was like whipped cream concealing knives: a shark one second, a kitten the next. Lo and behold! Betty White turned out to be perfect for it. In 2021, we lost Ed Asner, Cloris Leachman and Gavin MacLeod before White. For countless Americans (Ill just count one: me), the ritual of The Mary Tyler Moore Show followed by The Bob Newhart Show Saturdays on CBS was like going to comedy school once a week, learning from geniuses. Newhart, still with us at 92, is another Oak Park native. Hemingway wasnt very funny, but he and White made up for that. With White its worth remembering what she did and when, at the point of TVs relative infancy. A 1976 photo of "Mary Tyler Moore" cast members Ed Asner, Betty White, Mary Tyler Moore and Ted Knight. (Reed Saxon/AP) In 1949 White and LA disc jockey Al Jarvis began co-hosting a daily five-and-a-half-hour talk show, Hollywood on Television, live. After a brief stint with a new co-host, Eddie Albert (who left to do Roman Holiday), White fronted the show solo. She was, by most accounts, the first female TV talk show host. Shed do sketches featuring a fictional spin-off character, which led to a domestic sitcom soon afterward, Life with Elizabeth co-starred Del Moore (best known as Prof. Warfield in The Nutty Professor), airing from 1953 to 1955. Take a look at one of those Life with Elizabeth episodes sometime. In the opening credits, she holds a broad, friendly smile for a full eight seconds, like a champ. From the perspective of today, it looks like a joke; back then, it was the blueprint. Smile, girls! Hold it! Elsewhere on the show, in between scenes, White pitched Geritol (for tired blood) and other products of dubious worth nonetheless worth millions in revenue. White, too, was basically a product for sale at that stage, though of increasingly evident value and versatility. She married her third husband, Password host Allen Ludden, in 1963, a year after White appeared in a dramatic role as a Kansas senator in Advise and Consent. With her luck (to go with the prodigious expertise) in landing long-running sitcoms, luck and expertise that continued in various forms well into the 21st century, drama took a back seat. What I love about White, among other reasons to love her, is the way she gently but firmly turned the tables on her own persona. She came into national familiarity as a sugary paragon of female domesticity. And complicated and deepened that cliche by sheer will and skill. Advertisement Revisit any number of Mary Tyler Moore Show episodes, such as the one where Sue Ann auditions for a locally produced program outside her Happy Homemaker wheelhouse. Its a special kind of hilarious. She took a character type the slightly unnerving font of hospitality White was allowed to be in the 50s and in that archetype, she found nugget after nugget of gold. Late in life, she advised: Dont try to be young. Just open your mind. Stay interested in stuff. It worked for Betty White, to the end. She served in the American Womens Voluntary Services in WWII and, as former first lady Michelle Obama tweeted Friday: She broke barriers, defied expectations, served her country, and pushed us all to laugh. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic. mjphillips@chicagotribune.com Twitter @phillipstribune Big screen or home stream, takeout or dine-in, Tribune writers are here to steer you toward your next great experience. Sign up for your free weekly Eat. Watch. Do. newsletter here. As the glamorous heiress to a 340 million hotel fortune, Irene Forte has no concerns about wrinkles, let alone worry lines. But the 33-year-old claims to have developed a miracle cream that can beat the signs of ageing. In a market infamous for being long on promises and short on results, Ms Forte insists that clinical trials of her Hibiscus Night Cream prove consumers are seeing genuine results. And she has already signed deals with Amazon, online fashion giant Net-A-Porter and US retail firm Nordstrom for the treatment, which contains myoxinol, a substance extracted from hibiscus seeds and lauded as 'nature's answer to Botox'. Blind trials of the cream involving 81 women found that 96 per cent would recommend the product to a friend. As the glamorous heiress to a 340 million hotel fortune, Irene Forte has no concerns about wrinkles, let alone worry lines. But the 33-year-old claims to have developed a miracle cream that can beat the signs of ageing One participant said: 'I tried the night cream on my face last night and I cannot begin to tell you how good this feels. I looked in the mirror this morning and I can see a difference from one night.' Another middle-aged woman added: 'My sister said my skin looked like a 20-year-old.' Oxford-graduate Ms Forte whose father Sir Rocco is chairman of the eponymous chain of hotels said an independent clinical trial on the night cream proved that it visibly reduced wrinkles when used in a regime with her Hibiscus Serum and Prickly Pear Face Cream. She added: 'However, consumer feedback is just as, if not more, important to us, and the incredible feedback exceeded our already high expectations. It has been our top seller from day one and is truly our hero product.' The cream is priced at 88 for 30ml or 139 for 50ml and Ms Forte is developing a version for men. The second of Sir Rocco's three children, Ms Forte is the wellness manager for the family firm and a long-standing friend of Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice. Oxford-graduate Ms Forte whose father Sir Rocco is chairman of the eponymous chain of hotels said an independent clinical trial on the night cream proved that it visibly reduced wrinkles when used in a regime with her Hibiscus Serum and Prickly Pear Face Cream The former was a guest at her lavish wedding to tech chief Felix Winckler, 41, in Sicily last year, where guests were treated to a brass brand and a spectacular fireworks display. Ms Forte has previously admitted that her own glowing complexion owes more to just skin cream. 'Like my father, I'm a health- conscious fitness fanatic, so exercise and healthy eating have always been passions of mine,' she said, adding that she had reduced her intake of dairy and sugar. The family's business empire was established by Ms Forte's Italian-born Scottish grandfather Charles Forte. He opened the first catering facility at Heathrow Airport in the 1950s and the first full motorway services at Newport Pagnell in 1960. Secondary school pupils will be told to wear face masks from the moment they arrive until they leave when they return to classrooms this week. In a desperate effort to protect the education of millions of youngsters amid a sharp rise in cases of the Omicron variant, Ministers have requested that pupils cover their faces all day including while they are being taught. Students are already asked to wear masks in communal areas. Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi last night said he and Boris Johnson saw schools as their 'No 1 priority', adding that they wanted to 'do everything in our power to minimise disruption'. School teachers and pupils will have to wear masks when they return to the classroom next week under new guidance issued by the government UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. Figures are for England only today Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across England, up 83 per cent from the 84 recorded in the UK last week. Figures are for England only today The wearing of masks is not a legal requirement, but Ministers expect schools to follow the guidance, which also applies to teachers and support staff. The measures will be reviewed on January 26, with a Government source saying they 'will not be in place a minute longer than they need to be', and adding: 'It is obviously a better classroom experience without masks.' Ministers are braced for a 'big bang' of Omicron cases and staff shortages when students and teachers are tested for coronavirus this week. A substantial surge in either could see larger class sizes or a return to remote learning for some pupils. In London, where rates of Omicron are particularly high, parents have been warned that school closures cannot be ruled out. 'As a general rule, the more you test the more you are going to find Covid,' the source said. 'But the idea is that by containing it early, you stop the spread in schools.' Many MPs are opposed to online lessons given the damage already done to the education of millions of youngsters by successive lockdowns. Writing in The Mail on Sunday today, Conservative MP Robert Halfon, who chairs the Education Select Committee, says: 'Pupils do not need to take any more time off. Every day lost is another day that we are damaging children's lives.' As well as the new measures on masks, the Government is deploying 7,000 extra air-cleaning units across the education sector to improve ventilation and slow the spread of Omicron. The schools regulator Ofcom is also temporarily suspending inspections. Ministers fear there will be a massive increase in Omicron cases when children return to the classroom next week Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi last night said he and Boris Johnson saw schools as their 'No 1 priority', adding that they wanted to 'do everything in our power to minimise disruption' The moves came as: A daily record of 162,572 Covid cases was recorded in England, up 47.9 per cent on last Saturday. There were 1,915 hospital admissions, up almost 50 per cent week-on-week, and 154 deaths; Ministers rejected calls to cut the isolation period for those with Covid-19 from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious; The continued shortage of lateral flow tests sparked fears of staff shortages in schools and hospitals and travel chaos when Britain returns to work this week; Official figures show that 132 million coronavirus jabs were given last year, with more than 90 per cent of over-12s now having had at least one jab. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the figure was 'astounding and a true reflection of the fantastic work of our NHS and its volunteers'; The head of NHS Providers, which represents health trusts, said the next few days would be crucial in understanding the impact of Omicron and Ministers 'must be ready to introduce new restrictions at pace if they're needed'; As a dozen hospitals temporarily suspended routine visits, the British Medical Association said further public health measures should be urgently introduced. But analysis of official figures reveal that just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of coronavirus in late December; MPs called for action after health trusts reintroduced Covid restrictions which force pregnant women to attend scans and appointments alone; Thousands of revellers from Scotland and Wales, where tougher coronavirus restrictions are in place, crossed the border into England to welcome in the New Year; One in eight of those hospitalised with Omicron are from black communities, but studies suggest the variant does less damage to the lungs than previous strains; As the MoS discovered dangerous anti-vax propaganda on YouTube, a father whose pregnant daughter died after being persuaded by such material not to get jabbed urged the tech firm to step up its efforts. Teaching unions broadly welcomed the Government's move on masks. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: 'Reintroducing face masks in secondary classrooms appears to be a sensible move, given the circumstances.' Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said the decision was 'overdue' and urged Ministers to make it a 'requirement'. No 10 is understood to have ruled out a return of the 'bubble' system which saw entire classes and sometimes years sent home if a single pupil tested positive. 'That's all in the past. We want to carry on classroom teaching,' the source said. Given the prospect of staff shortages, Ministers have renewed efforts to lure retired teachers back to the classroom. A website through which former teachers can volunteer has received 30,000 visits and Tory MPs Jonathan Gullis and Caroline Ansell, both qualified teachers, have signed up. Teaching unions broadly welcomed the Government's move on masks. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: 'Reintroducing face masks in secondary classrooms appears to be a sensible move, given the circumstances' Prime Minister Boris Johnson, pictured, has been warned to expect a 'big bang' of Omicron cases in schools when they return next week. Teachers and support staff will also be required to wear masks. The measures will be reviewed on January 26 Tom Hunt, another Conservative MP who sits on the Education Select Committee, urged the Government to keep an open mind on reducing the isolation period from seven to five days, as countries including the US and Greece have done. 'Remote learning should not be on the table... It is mission-critical to keep schools open and keep kids physically in school. No stone should be left unturned,' he said. Mr Hunt also urged teaching unions to be 'constructive'. His call came as it emerged guidance issued by the NEU advised school leaders that teachers should only have to cover for colleagues on 'rare' occasions. Further guidance issued by the union before Christmas said: 'If you are asked to cover for a colleague who is off with Covid or any other absence greater than two days, you should refuse to do it.' Chris McGovern, the chairman of the Campaign For Real Education, said: 'This is educational sabotage. Teachers have a choice. 'The best and the bravest will continue to put their pupils first and they will be remembered for doing so.' Ministers say no to five-day Covid isolation: Fears rise that schools, hospitals and transport networks could grind to a halt as Government defies calls from business chiefs to follow the US' lead because up to 30% of sufferers 'would still be infectious' By Stephen Adams for the Mail on Sunday Ministers have rejected calls to reduce the isolation period for Covid sufferers from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious. Business leaders and some Tory MPs had urged Ministers to follow the lead of other countries, including the US and Greece, by cutting self-isolation for those showing no symptoms to five days. But a Government source told The Mail on Sunday that, while the option was discussed, it was rejected because so many people could still go on to infect others if released from self-isolation that early. Lateral flow tests have been ring-fenced for schools so they can open safely next week Commuters face significant disruption because of large numbers of train and bus workers forced to self-isolate leading to cancelled services It comes amid growing concern that lengthy self-isolation is harming vital services and the economy and with a growing row over the lack of access to lateral flow tests (LFTs). As millions prepared to return to work after the festive break, Labour accused the Government of failing to order sufficient numbers of LFTs, which are increasingly seen as essential to keep the country moving while minimising the threat from Omicron. Ministers insist hundreds of millions more LFTs will soon be available. Just before Christmas, self-isolation was reduced from ten to seven days as long as the individual is negative for Covid on two LFTs the first on day six and the second on day seven. Asked about the proposal for a further cut to five days, the Government source said: 'The data we have is that almost one in three people could still be infectious five days after testing positive with Omicron. It isn't thought it would be safe to cut self-isolation that far.' The decision differs from that taken in the US where the influential Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the move to halve self-isolation from ten to five days would 'ensure people can safely continue their daily lives'. To re-enter everyday life after five days, Americans must be symptom-free and wear a mask around others for a further five days. In Greece, Health Minister Thanos Plevris indicated that Omicron's relative mildness compared with previous variants lay behind its decision to cut the period of self-isolation. 'The evidence we have from Omicron is encouraging,' he said. Rather than solely rely on being symptom-free after five days, the UK Government could in theory require people to have two negative LFT results but move them forward to days four and five. The system is, however, self-policing and people who test negative on LFTs can still be infectious, as they are less sensitive than the gold-standard PCR tests. Another consideration would be the current poor availability of LFTs, with many pharmacies out of stock due to soaring demand. Isolation is also causing problems in hospitals with NHS staff forced to remain at home Last night, Labour's health spokesman Wes Streeting said Health Secretary Sajid Javid needed to 'pull his finger out' to ensure people had access to the tests. He added: 'Given how critical testing is going to be over the course of the coming months, the Government really does need to get an immediate grip on this. 'Testing is going to be vital to keep people working and keeping children at school. If families can't do that, because Ministers haven't got their act together, they will have a lot to answer for.' Around one million LFTs are being taken every day, twice as many as PCRs. When Omicron emerged in early December, health officials were adamant there would be enough supplies to meet higher demand. Mr Streeting said: 'The Health Secretary said before Christmas the challenge was distribution not supply, and there were plentiful stocks of tests in warehouses. 'But I think it's more likely the Government has simply underestimated demand, hasn't ordered enough tests, and doesn't want to 'fess up about it.' Ministers insist hundreds of millions of tests will soon be available and Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi says tests have been ringfenced for schools to ensure they can reopen safely this week. With Britain returning to work this week, commuters are also worried that Covid-related staff shortages will bring misery on trains. More than 20 rail companies have already reduced services or plan to do so as a result of Covid infections and self-isolation rules. NHS trusts 'could start cancelling ops as soon as next week' if Covid admissions keep rising, despite just ONE IN FORTY hospital staff being sick or isolating. Ministers set to defy calls to cut quarantine period to five days Modelling shown to ministers suggests hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for second time in as many days on Saturday Official figures show only 2.5 per cent of NHS workforce were off due to Covid Meanwhile absences from non-Covid sickness fell over the same time period However, the picture was varied between England's 138 NHS hospital trusts NHS trusts could start cancelling operations next week if Covid hospitalisations escalate significantly, hospital chiefs have warned. Modelling shown to ministers suggests that hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January, according to the Telegraph. However, the Government has rejected calls to reduce the isolation period for Covid sufferers from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious. The latest figures show 2,370 Covid admissions a day in England. Another doubling could exceed the peak reached last January, when there were 4,134 daily admissions. England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for the second time in as many days on Saturday, official statistics showed as ministers continued to avoid enforcing new restrictions. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. It is the highest total reported on a day in England ever, with 160,276 cases recorded yesterday. Meanwhile, just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of Covid late last month, official figures show. NHS trusts could start cancelling operations next week if Covid hospitalisations escalate significantly, hospital chiefs have warned. Modelling shown to ministers suggests that hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January (Pictured: An NHS health worker at a pop-up vaccination centre at Redbridge Town Hall, east London on December 25) Just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of Covid late last month, official figures show. While official figures show the number off with Covid did double in the run-up to Christmas , the virus has prevented only a small fraction of hospital staff from working. (File image) Recent media reports have been saturated with warnings that hospital services could collapse because so many staff are either off sick with the virus or having to self- isolate because of it. NHS England's medical director Professor Stephen Powis last week talked of the health service being on a 'war footing', a phrase since frequently repeated by broadcasters. But while official figures show the number off with Covid did double in the run-up to Christmas, the virus has prevented only a small fraction of hospital staff from working. On December 1, 12,508 staff at English hospitals were absent due to Covid-19 'either through sickness or self- isolation', according to data from NHS England. By Boxing Day, the latest day for which figures are available, that had almost doubled to 24,632. But with 983,000 working in NHS hospitals in England, according to official workforce statistics for 2021, it means that only 2.5 per cent of the workforce or one in 40 were off due to Covid towards the end of the month. Meanwhile, non-Covid sickness absences actually fell over the same period, from 47,628 on December 1 to 43,450 on Boxing Day. As a result, overall sickness-related absences among NHS hospital staff only rose by 13 per cent in December from 60,136 on the first of the month to 68,082 on December 26. Consequently, around 93 per cent of hospital staff were still fit and healthy from a work point of view at Christmas. However, the picture is varied between England's 138 NHS hospital trusts. Five reported overall sickness or self-isolation absences exceeding ten per cent on Boxing Day Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (12.2 per cent), Nottingham University Hospitals (12 per cent), Wirral University Teaching Hospitals (10.9 per cent), Warrington and Halton Hospitals (10.8 per cent) and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (10.1 per cent). All had higher than average Covid-related absences. Taking Covid-related absences alone, three had rates of over five per cent on Boxing Day Homerton University Hospital in London (7.1 per cent), Royal United Hospitals Bath (6.9 per cent) and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (6.7 per cent). But nine reported Covid-related absences of less than one per cent of their workforce on December 26. The Times reported that more than 110,000 of all NHS staff - nearly one in 10 - were absent on New Year's Eve, of whom 50,000 were at home sick or self-isolating. Meanwhile, Boris Johnson has ordered a blueprint to be drawn up to deal with up to 300,000 Covid-related staff absences across the NHS, according to the Sun. The PM has tasked ministers with developing 'robust contingency plans' for workplace absences as the Government acknowledged high Covid levels could hit businesses hard over the coming weeks. Public sector leaders have been asked to prepare for a worst case scenario of up to a quarter of staff off work as the virus continues to sweep across the country, the Cabinet Office said. Steve Barclay, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, is chairing 'regular meetings' with ministers to assess how the highly transmissible Omicron variant is affecting workforces and supply chains. He is also keeping close tabs on the situation in schools ahead of pupils returning for the new term. The department said Mr Johnson has charged ministers with working with their respective sectors to test preparations and contingency plans to limit disruption from mounting Covid infections. It acknowledged that, despite the accelerated booster programme, high Covid levels and the increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant could mean businesses and public services face further disruption in the weeks to come. Covid infections in England hit record 162,572 with another 154 deaths after revellers partied into 2022 without restrictions as Sajid Javid reveals tighter rules are unlikely - while Scots fear party-goers will bring virus back with them over the border UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours in England Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across the nation, up 83 per cent in a week Figures were not available for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and hospitalisation data was not updated England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for the second time in as many days today, official statistics showed as ministers continued to avoid enforcing new restrictions. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. It is the highest total reported on a day in England ever, with 160,276 cases recorded yesterday. Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across the nation, up 83 per cent from the 84 recorded in the UK last week. Figures were not available for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland because of differences in reporting schedules over the New Year weekend. Hospitalisation data was also not updated. The figures come after millions of Britons partied into 2022 at late night venues across restriction-free England on New Year's Eve, with thousands coming from Scotland - where measures such as table service in bars and no nightclubs prompted them to seek entertainment on the far side of the River Tweed. Revellers joined boozy celebrations from Newcastle to Portsmouth and Manchester to Brighton on the final day of 2021 as they ignored the threat from Omicron and marked the end of a tumultuous 12 months. Partygoers packed into pubs, bars and clubs until the early hours of the morning despite heightened fears about the spread of the Covid after the UK recorded 189,846 new cases yesterday and 203 deaths. The Office for National Statistics reported an estimated 2.3million people in the UK had the virus in the week ending December 23, setting another pandemic record. But in a fresh boost for the nation's businesses, Health Secretary Sajid Javid hinted tighter restrictions on our everyday lives remain unlikely as he implored the nation to 'try to live' alongside the virus. However, the mass arrivals from north of the English border prompted some Scots to worry on social media that returning revellers would bring coronavirus back with them. One said that those who had taken part in celebrations in England would 'spread further infection around Scotland'. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. Health Secretary Sajid Javid, pictured, hinted that no fresh restrictions would come into force in England as he said Britons will have to get used to living with Covid Pictures taken in Edinburgh and Glasgow showed the extent of the exodus to Newcastle, while in Bristol, bars and clubs were packed with Welsh people. Empty chairs were piled up outside bars and restaurants in Glasgow's usually bustling Merchant City district, while sparse crowds of shoppers were seen along the iconic Royal Mile. Though, around 1,000 people made the annual pilgrimage up Calton Hill in Edinburgh for the stroke of midnight where they were greeted by a lone piper. In Newcastle, pubs filled up with eager revellers including groups of Scottish 'Covid refugees' who declared themselves 'fed up' with the tough rules in Scotland. Josh Urquart, Dean Heggie, Campbell McLean and Jamie had kicked off the celebrations early yesterday in a pub where they sat next to a Saltire. Dylan Neill and Alex Cairns, both 18, had travelled from Fife with a group of pals who were checking in at their hotel in the city centre at around 1pm. College student Dylan said: 'We can't go out properly back home so we've come to Newcastle for a night out. It's something different. 'It's not ideal having these restrictions in place at New Year. If we'd stayed in Scotland we might have ended up sitting at somebody's house. Now we've come here we'll be able to go out properly.' Meanwhile, Alex, who also goes to college, was frustrated by the local restrictions preventing him and his friends from hitting the town at home. He said: 'We're fed up now with the rules at our local. Everyone in Newcastle would be fed up with it too if they were in place here. 'We plan on going to the nightclub Tup Tup later but not sure where before that. Some of us have been here before but some never have. We're looking forward to going out.' A third friend, who didn't want to be named, said: 'We're fed up of Nicola Sturgeon putting in these restrictions. That's why we're happy to be in Newcastle where we can go out and have fun.' One Scot who was concerned about the potential for revellers to bring Covid-19 back with them said on Twitter that they risked 'bringing further infection back to Scotland'. They added: 'we all know there could be another variant' of the virus. But some people in England also complained about Scots coming in their droves to Scotland. One said they would be 'having an early night' whilst Scots were 'spreading covid in my region'. Another said they had 'no thought' for people currently ill with the virus. Secondary school pupils will be told to wear face masks from the moment they arrive until they leave when they return to classrooms this week. In a desperate effort to protect the education of millions of youngsters amid a sharp rise in cases of the Omicron variant, Ministers have requested that pupils cover their faces all day including while they are being taught. Students are already asked to wear masks in communal areas. Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi last night said he and Boris Johnson saw schools as their 'No 1 priority', adding that they wanted to 'do everything in our power to minimise disruption'. School teachers and pupils will have to wear masks when they return to the classroom next week under new guidance issued by the government UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. Figures are for England only today Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across England, up 83 per cent from the 84 recorded in the UK last week. Figures are for England only today The wearing of masks is not a legal requirement, but Ministers expect schools to follow the guidance, which also applies to teachers and support staff. The measures will be reviewed on January 26, with a Government source saying they 'will not be in place a minute longer than they need to be', and adding: 'It is obviously a better classroom experience without masks.' Ministers are braced for a 'big bang' of Omicron cases and staff shortages when students and teachers are tested for coronavirus this week. A substantial surge in either could see larger class sizes or a return to remote learning for some pupils. In London, where rates of Omicron are particularly high, parents have been warned that school closures cannot be ruled out. 'As a general rule, the more you test the more you are going to find Covid,' the source said. 'But the idea is that by containing it early, you stop the spread in schools.' Many MPs are opposed to online lessons given the damage already done to the education of millions of youngsters by successive lockdowns. Writing in The Mail on Sunday today, Conservative MP Robert Halfon, who chairs the Education Select Committee, says: 'Pupils do not need to take any more time off. Every day lost is another day that we are damaging children's lives.' As well as the new measures on masks, the Government is deploying 7,000 extra air-cleaning units across the education sector to improve ventilation and slow the spread of Omicron. The schools regulator Ofcom is also temporarily suspending inspections. Ministers fear there will be a massive increase in Omicron cases when children return to the classroom next week Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi last night said he and Boris Johnson saw schools as their 'No 1 priority', adding that they wanted to 'do everything in our power to minimise disruption' The moves came as: A daily record of 162,572 Covid cases was recorded in England, up 47.9 per cent on last Saturday. There were 1,915 hospital admissions, up almost 50 per cent week-on-week, and 154 deaths; Ministers rejected calls to cut the isolation period for those with Covid-19 from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious; The continued shortage of lateral flow tests sparked fears of staff shortages in schools and hospitals and travel chaos when Britain returns to work this week; Official figures show that 132 million coronavirus jabs were given last year, with more than 90 per cent of over-12s now having had at least one jab. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the figure was 'astounding and a true reflection of the fantastic work of our NHS and its volunteers'; The head of NHS Providers, which represents health trusts, said the next few days would be crucial in understanding the impact of Omicron and Ministers 'must be ready to introduce new restrictions at pace if they're needed'; As a dozen hospitals temporarily suspended routine visits, the British Medical Association said further public health measures should be urgently introduced. But analysis of official figures reveal that just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of coronavirus in late December; MPs called for action after health trusts reintroduced Covid restrictions which force pregnant women to attend scans and appointments alone; Thousands of revellers from Scotland and Wales, where tougher coronavirus restrictions are in place, crossed the border into England to welcome in the New Year; One in eight of those hospitalised with Omicron are from black communities, but studies suggest the variant does less damage to the lungs than previous strains; As the MoS discovered dangerous anti-vax propaganda on YouTube, a father whose pregnant daughter died after being persuaded by such material not to get jabbed urged the tech firm to step up its efforts. Teaching unions broadly welcomed the Government's move on masks. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: 'Reintroducing face masks in secondary classrooms appears to be a sensible move, given the circumstances.' Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said the decision was 'overdue' and urged Ministers to make it a 'requirement'. No 10 is understood to have ruled out a return of the 'bubble' system which saw entire classes and sometimes years sent home if a single pupil tested positive. 'That's all in the past. We want to carry on classroom teaching,' the source said. Given the prospect of staff shortages, Ministers have renewed efforts to lure retired teachers back to the classroom. A website through which former teachers can volunteer has received 30,000 visits and Tory MPs Jonathan Gullis and Caroline Ansell, both qualified teachers, have signed up. Teaching unions broadly welcomed the Government's move on masks. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: 'Reintroducing face masks in secondary classrooms appears to be a sensible move, given the circumstances' Prime Minister Boris Johnson, pictured, has been warned to expect a 'big bang' of Omicron cases in schools when they return next week. Teachers and support staff will also be required to wear masks. The measures will be reviewed on January 26 Tom Hunt, another Conservative MP who sits on the Education Select Committee, urged the Government to keep an open mind on reducing the isolation period from seven to five days, as countries including the US and Greece have done. 'Remote learning should not be on the table... It is mission-critical to keep schools open and keep kids physically in school. No stone should be left unturned,' he said. Mr Hunt also urged teaching unions to be 'constructive'. His call came as it emerged guidance issued by the NEU advised school leaders that teachers should only have to cover for colleagues on 'rare' occasions. Further guidance issued by the union before Christmas said: 'If you are asked to cover for a colleague who is off with Covid or any other absence greater than two days, you should refuse to do it.' Chris McGovern, the chairman of the Campaign For Real Education, said: 'This is educational sabotage. Teachers have a choice. 'The best and the bravest will continue to put their pupils first and they will be remembered for doing so.' Ministers say no to five-day Covid isolation: Fears rise that schools, hospitals and transport networks could grind to a halt as Government defies calls from business chiefs to follow the US' lead because up to 30% of sufferers 'would still be infectious' By Stephen Adams for the Mail on Sunday Ministers have rejected calls to reduce the isolation period for Covid sufferers from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious. Business leaders and some Tory MPs had urged Ministers to follow the lead of other countries, including the US and Greece, by cutting self-isolation for those showing no symptoms to five days. But a Government source told The Mail on Sunday that, while the option was discussed, it was rejected because so many people could still go on to infect others if released from self-isolation that early. Lateral flow tests have been ring-fenced for schools so they can open safely next week Commuters face significant disruption because of large numbers of train and bus workers forced to self-isolate leading to cancelled services It comes amid growing concern that lengthy self-isolation is harming vital services and the economy and with a growing row over the lack of access to lateral flow tests (LFTs). As millions prepared to return to work after the festive break, Labour accused the Government of failing to order sufficient numbers of LFTs, which are increasingly seen as essential to keep the country moving while minimising the threat from Omicron. Ministers insist hundreds of millions more LFTs will soon be available. Just before Christmas, self-isolation was reduced from ten to seven days as long as the individual is negative for Covid on two LFTs the first on day six and the second on day seven. Asked about the proposal for a further cut to five days, the Government source said: 'The data we have is that almost one in three people could still be infectious five days after testing positive with Omicron. It isn't thought it would be safe to cut self-isolation that far.' The decision differs from that taken in the US where the influential Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the move to halve self-isolation from ten to five days would 'ensure people can safely continue their daily lives'. To re-enter everyday life after five days, Americans must be symptom-free and wear a mask around others for a further five days. In Greece, Health Minister Thanos Plevris indicated that Omicron's relative mildness compared with previous variants lay behind its decision to cut the period of self-isolation. 'The evidence we have from Omicron is encouraging,' he said. Rather than solely rely on being symptom-free after five days, the UK Government could in theory require people to have two negative LFT results but move them forward to days four and five. The system is, however, self-policing and people who test negative on LFTs can still be infectious, as they are less sensitive than the gold-standard PCR tests. Another consideration would be the current poor availability of LFTs, with many pharmacies out of stock due to soaring demand. Isolation is also causing problems in hospitals with NHS staff forced to remain at home Last night, Labour's health spokesman Wes Streeting said Health Secretary Sajid Javid needed to 'pull his finger out' to ensure people had access to the tests. He added: 'Given how critical testing is going to be over the course of the coming months, the Government really does need to get an immediate grip on this. 'Testing is going to be vital to keep people working and keeping children at school. If families can't do that, because Ministers haven't got their act together, they will have a lot to answer for.' Around one million LFTs are being taken every day, twice as many as PCRs. When Omicron emerged in early December, health officials were adamant there would be enough supplies to meet higher demand. Mr Streeting said: 'The Health Secretary said before Christmas the challenge was distribution not supply, and there were plentiful stocks of tests in warehouses. 'But I think it's more likely the Government has simply underestimated demand, hasn't ordered enough tests, and doesn't want to 'fess up about it.' Ministers insist hundreds of millions of tests will soon be available and Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi says tests have been ringfenced for schools to ensure they can reopen safely this week. With Britain returning to work this week, commuters are also worried that Covid-related staff shortages will bring misery on trains. More than 20 rail companies have already reduced services or plan to do so as a result of Covid infections and self-isolation rules. NHS trusts 'could start cancelling ops as soon as next week' if Covid admissions keep rising, despite just ONE IN FORTY hospital staff being sick or isolating. Ministers set to defy calls to cut quarantine period to five days Modelling shown to ministers suggests hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for second time in as many days on Saturday Official figures show only 2.5 per cent of NHS workforce were off due to Covid Meanwhile absences from non-Covid sickness fell over the same time period However, the picture was varied between England's 138 NHS hospital trusts NHS trusts could start cancelling operations next week if Covid hospitalisations escalate significantly, hospital chiefs have warned. Modelling shown to ministers suggests that hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January, according to the Telegraph. However, the Government has rejected calls to reduce the isolation period for Covid sufferers from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious. The latest figures show 2,370 Covid admissions a day in England. Another doubling could exceed the peak reached last January, when there were 4,134 daily admissions. England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for the second time in as many days on Saturday, official statistics showed as ministers continued to avoid enforcing new restrictions. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. It is the highest total reported on a day in England ever, with 160,276 cases recorded yesterday. Meanwhile, just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of Covid late last month, official figures show. NHS trusts could start cancelling operations next week if Covid hospitalisations escalate significantly, hospital chiefs have warned. Modelling shown to ministers suggests that hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January (Pictured: An NHS health worker at a pop-up vaccination centre at Redbridge Town Hall, east London on December 25) Just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of Covid late last month, official figures show. While official figures show the number off with Covid did double in the run-up to Christmas , the virus has prevented only a small fraction of hospital staff from working. (File image) Recent media reports have been saturated with warnings that hospital services could collapse because so many staff are either off sick with the virus or having to self- isolate because of it. NHS England's medical director Professor Stephen Powis last week talked of the health service being on a 'war footing', a phrase since frequently repeated by broadcasters. But while official figures show the number off with Covid did double in the run-up to Christmas, the virus has prevented only a small fraction of hospital staff from working. On December 1, 12,508 staff at English hospitals were absent due to Covid-19 'either through sickness or self- isolation', according to data from NHS England. By Boxing Day, the latest day for which figures are available, that had almost doubled to 24,632. But with 983,000 working in NHS hospitals in England, according to official workforce statistics for 2021, it means that only 2.5 per cent of the workforce or one in 40 were off due to Covid towards the end of the month. Meanwhile, non-Covid sickness absences actually fell over the same period, from 47,628 on December 1 to 43,450 on Boxing Day. As a result, overall sickness-related absences among NHS hospital staff only rose by 13 per cent in December from 60,136 on the first of the month to 68,082 on December 26. Consequently, around 93 per cent of hospital staff were still fit and healthy from a work point of view at Christmas. However, the picture is varied between England's 138 NHS hospital trusts. Five reported overall sickness or self-isolation absences exceeding ten per cent on Boxing Day Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (12.2 per cent), Nottingham University Hospitals (12 per cent), Wirral University Teaching Hospitals (10.9 per cent), Warrington and Halton Hospitals (10.8 per cent) and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (10.1 per cent). All had higher than average Covid-related absences. Taking Covid-related absences alone, three had rates of over five per cent on Boxing Day Homerton University Hospital in London (7.1 per cent), Royal United Hospitals Bath (6.9 per cent) and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (6.7 per cent). But nine reported Covid-related absences of less than one per cent of their workforce on December 26. The Times reported that more than 110,000 of all NHS staff - nearly one in 10 - were absent on New Year's Eve, of whom 50,000 were at home sick or self-isolating. Meanwhile, Boris Johnson has ordered a blueprint to be drawn up to deal with up to 300,000 Covid-related staff absences across the NHS, according to the Sun. The PM has tasked ministers with developing 'robust contingency plans' for workplace absences as the Government acknowledged high Covid levels could hit businesses hard over the coming weeks. Public sector leaders have been asked to prepare for a worst case scenario of up to a quarter of staff off work as the virus continues to sweep across the country, the Cabinet Office said. Steve Barclay, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, is chairing 'regular meetings' with ministers to assess how the highly transmissible Omicron variant is affecting workforces and supply chains. He is also keeping close tabs on the situation in schools ahead of pupils returning for the new term. The department said Mr Johnson has charged ministers with working with their respective sectors to test preparations and contingency plans to limit disruption from mounting Covid infections. It acknowledged that, despite the accelerated booster programme, high Covid levels and the increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant could mean businesses and public services face further disruption in the weeks to come. Covid infections in England hit record 162,572 with another 154 deaths after revellers partied into 2022 without restrictions as Sajid Javid reveals tighter rules are unlikely - while Scots fear party-goers will bring virus back with them over the border UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours in England Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across the nation, up 83 per cent in a week Figures were not available for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and hospitalisation data was not updated England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for the second time in as many days today, official statistics showed as ministers continued to avoid enforcing new restrictions. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. It is the highest total reported on a day in England ever, with 160,276 cases recorded yesterday. Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across the nation, up 83 per cent from the 84 recorded in the UK last week. Figures were not available for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland because of differences in reporting schedules over the New Year weekend. Hospitalisation data was also not updated. The figures come after millions of Britons partied into 2022 at late night venues across restriction-free England on New Year's Eve, with thousands coming from Scotland - where measures such as table service in bars and no nightclubs prompted them to seek entertainment on the far side of the River Tweed. Revellers joined boozy celebrations from Newcastle to Portsmouth and Manchester to Brighton on the final day of 2021 as they ignored the threat from Omicron and marked the end of a tumultuous 12 months. Partygoers packed into pubs, bars and clubs until the early hours of the morning despite heightened fears about the spread of the Covid after the UK recorded 189,846 new cases yesterday and 203 deaths. The Office for National Statistics reported an estimated 2.3million people in the UK had the virus in the week ending December 23, setting another pandemic record. But in a fresh boost for the nation's businesses, Health Secretary Sajid Javid hinted tighter restrictions on our everyday lives remain unlikely as he implored the nation to 'try to live' alongside the virus. However, the mass arrivals from north of the English border prompted some Scots to worry on social media that returning revellers would bring coronavirus back with them. One said that those who had taken part in celebrations in England would 'spread further infection around Scotland'. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. Health Secretary Sajid Javid, pictured, hinted that no fresh restrictions would come into force in England as he said Britons will have to get used to living with Covid Pictures taken in Edinburgh and Glasgow showed the extent of the exodus to Newcastle, while in Bristol, bars and clubs were packed with Welsh people. Empty chairs were piled up outside bars and restaurants in Glasgow's usually bustling Merchant City district, while sparse crowds of shoppers were seen along the iconic Royal Mile. Though, around 1,000 people made the annual pilgrimage up Calton Hill in Edinburgh for the stroke of midnight where they were greeted by a lone piper. In Newcastle, pubs filled up with eager revellers including groups of Scottish 'Covid refugees' who declared themselves 'fed up' with the tough rules in Scotland. Josh Urquart, Dean Heggie, Campbell McLean and Jamie had kicked off the celebrations early yesterday in a pub where they sat next to a Saltire. Dylan Neill and Alex Cairns, both 18, had travelled from Fife with a group of pals who were checking in at their hotel in the city centre at around 1pm. College student Dylan said: 'We can't go out properly back home so we've come to Newcastle for a night out. It's something different. 'It's not ideal having these restrictions in place at New Year. If we'd stayed in Scotland we might have ended up sitting at somebody's house. Now we've come here we'll be able to go out properly.' Meanwhile, Alex, who also goes to college, was frustrated by the local restrictions preventing him and his friends from hitting the town at home. He said: 'We're fed up now with the rules at our local. Everyone in Newcastle would be fed up with it too if they were in place here. 'We plan on going to the nightclub Tup Tup later but not sure where before that. Some of us have been here before but some never have. We're looking forward to going out.' A third friend, who didn't want to be named, said: 'We're fed up of Nicola Sturgeon putting in these restrictions. That's why we're happy to be in Newcastle where we can go out and have fun.' One Scot who was concerned about the potential for revellers to bring Covid-19 back with them said on Twitter that they risked 'bringing further infection back to Scotland'. They added: 'we all know there could be another variant' of the virus. But some people in England also complained about Scots coming in their droves to Scotland. One said they would be 'having an early night' whilst Scots were 'spreading covid in my region'. Another said they had 'no thought' for people currently ill with the virus. Secondary school pupils will be told to wear face masks from the moment they arrive until they leave when they return to classrooms this week. In a desperate effort to protect the education of millions of youngsters amid a sharp rise in cases of the Omicron variant, Ministers have requested that pupils cover their faces all day including while they are being taught. Students are already asked to wear masks in communal areas. Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi last night said he and Boris Johnson saw schools as their 'No 1 priority', adding that they wanted to 'do everything in our power to minimise disruption'. School teachers and pupils will have to wear masks when they return to the classroom next week under new guidance issued by the government UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. Figures are for England only today Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across England, up 83 per cent from the 84 recorded in the UK last week. Figures are for England only today The wearing of masks is not a legal requirement, but Ministers expect schools to follow the guidance, which also applies to teachers and support staff. The measures will be reviewed on January 26, with a Government source saying they 'will not be in place a minute longer than they need to be', and adding: 'It is obviously a better classroom experience without masks.' Ministers are braced for a 'big bang' of Omicron cases and staff shortages when students and teachers are tested for coronavirus this week. A substantial surge in either could see larger class sizes or a return to remote learning for some pupils. In London, where rates of Omicron are particularly high, parents have been warned that school closures cannot be ruled out. 'As a general rule, the more you test the more you are going to find Covid,' the source said. 'But the idea is that by containing it early, you stop the spread in schools.' Many MPs are opposed to online lessons given the damage already done to the education of millions of youngsters by successive lockdowns. Writing in The Mail on Sunday today, Conservative MP Robert Halfon, who chairs the Education Select Committee, says: 'Pupils do not need to take any more time off. Every day lost is another day that we are damaging children's lives.' As well as the new measures on masks, the Government is deploying 7,000 extra air-cleaning units across the education sector to improve ventilation and slow the spread of Omicron. The schools regulator Ofcom is also temporarily suspending inspections. Ministers fear there will be a massive increase in Omicron cases when children return to the classroom next week Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi last night said he and Boris Johnson saw schools as their 'No 1 priority', adding that they wanted to 'do everything in our power to minimise disruption' The moves came as: A daily record of 162,572 Covid cases was recorded in England, up 47.9 per cent on last Saturday. There were 1,915 hospital admissions, up almost 50 per cent week-on-week, and 154 deaths; Ministers rejected calls to cut the isolation period for those with Covid-19 from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious; The continued shortage of lateral flow tests sparked fears of staff shortages in schools and hospitals and travel chaos when Britain returns to work this week; Official figures show that 132 million coronavirus jabs were given last year, with more than 90 per cent of over-12s now having had at least one jab. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the figure was 'astounding and a true reflection of the fantastic work of our NHS and its volunteers'; The head of NHS Providers, which represents health trusts, said the next few days would be crucial in understanding the impact of Omicron and Ministers 'must be ready to introduce new restrictions at pace if they're needed'; As a dozen hospitals temporarily suspended routine visits, the British Medical Association said further public health measures should be urgently introduced. But analysis of official figures reveal that just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of coronavirus in late December; MPs called for action after health trusts reintroduced Covid restrictions which force pregnant women to attend scans and appointments alone; Thousands of revellers from Scotland and Wales, where tougher coronavirus restrictions are in place, crossed the border into England to welcome in the New Year; One in eight of those hospitalised with Omicron are from black communities, but studies suggest the variant does less damage to the lungs than previous strains; As the MoS discovered dangerous anti-vax propaganda on YouTube, a father whose pregnant daughter died after being persuaded by such material not to get jabbed urged the tech firm to step up its efforts. Teaching unions broadly welcomed the Government's move on masks. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: 'Reintroducing face masks in secondary classrooms appears to be a sensible move, given the circumstances.' Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said the decision was 'overdue' and urged Ministers to make it a 'requirement'. No 10 is understood to have ruled out a return of the 'bubble' system which saw entire classes and sometimes years sent home if a single pupil tested positive. 'That's all in the past. We want to carry on classroom teaching,' the source said. Given the prospect of staff shortages, Ministers have renewed efforts to lure retired teachers back to the classroom. A website through which former teachers can volunteer has received 30,000 visits and Tory MPs Jonathan Gullis and Caroline Ansell, both qualified teachers, have signed up. Teaching unions broadly welcomed the Government's move on masks. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: 'Reintroducing face masks in secondary classrooms appears to be a sensible move, given the circumstances' Prime Minister Boris Johnson, pictured, has been warned to expect a 'big bang' of Omicron cases in schools when they return next week. Teachers and support staff will also be required to wear masks. The measures will be reviewed on January 26 Tom Hunt, another Conservative MP who sits on the Education Select Committee, urged the Government to keep an open mind on reducing the isolation period from seven to five days, as countries including the US and Greece have done. 'Remote learning should not be on the table... It is mission-critical to keep schools open and keep kids physically in school. No stone should be left unturned,' he said. Mr Hunt also urged teaching unions to be 'constructive'. His call came as it emerged guidance issued by the NEU advised school leaders that teachers should only have to cover for colleagues on 'rare' occasions. Further guidance issued by the union before Christmas said: 'If you are asked to cover for a colleague who is off with Covid or any other absence greater than two days, you should refuse to do it.' Chris McGovern, the chairman of the Campaign For Real Education, said: 'This is educational sabotage. Teachers have a choice. 'The best and the bravest will continue to put their pupils first and they will be remembered for doing so.' Ministers say no to five-day Covid isolation: Fears rise that schools, hospitals and transport networks could grind to a halt as Government defies calls from business chiefs to follow the US' lead because up to 30% of sufferers 'would still be infectious' By Stephen Adams for the Mail on Sunday Ministers have rejected calls to reduce the isolation period for Covid sufferers from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious. Business leaders and some Tory MPs had urged Ministers to follow the lead of other countries, including the US and Greece, by cutting self-isolation for those showing no symptoms to five days. But a Government source told The Mail on Sunday that, while the option was discussed, it was rejected because so many people could still go on to infect others if released from self-isolation that early. Lateral flow tests have been ring-fenced for schools so they can open safely next week Commuters face significant disruption because of large numbers of train and bus workers forced to self-isolate leading to cancelled services It comes amid growing concern that lengthy self-isolation is harming vital services and the economy and with a growing row over the lack of access to lateral flow tests (LFTs). As millions prepared to return to work after the festive break, Labour accused the Government of failing to order sufficient numbers of LFTs, which are increasingly seen as essential to keep the country moving while minimising the threat from Omicron. Ministers insist hundreds of millions more LFTs will soon be available. Just before Christmas, self-isolation was reduced from ten to seven days as long as the individual is negative for Covid on two LFTs the first on day six and the second on day seven. Asked about the proposal for a further cut to five days, the Government source said: 'The data we have is that almost one in three people could still be infectious five days after testing positive with Omicron. It isn't thought it would be safe to cut self-isolation that far.' The decision differs from that taken in the US where the influential Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the move to halve self-isolation from ten to five days would 'ensure people can safely continue their daily lives'. To re-enter everyday life after five days, Americans must be symptom-free and wear a mask around others for a further five days. In Greece, Health Minister Thanos Plevris indicated that Omicron's relative mildness compared with previous variants lay behind its decision to cut the period of self-isolation. 'The evidence we have from Omicron is encouraging,' he said. Rather than solely rely on being symptom-free after five days, the UK Government could in theory require people to have two negative LFT results but move them forward to days four and five. The system is, however, self-policing and people who test negative on LFTs can still be infectious, as they are less sensitive than the gold-standard PCR tests. Another consideration would be the current poor availability of LFTs, with many pharmacies out of stock due to soaring demand. Isolation is also causing problems in hospitals with NHS staff forced to remain at home Last night, Labour's health spokesman Wes Streeting said Health Secretary Sajid Javid needed to 'pull his finger out' to ensure people had access to the tests. He added: 'Given how critical testing is going to be over the course of the coming months, the Government really does need to get an immediate grip on this. 'Testing is going to be vital to keep people working and keeping children at school. If families can't do that, because Ministers haven't got their act together, they will have a lot to answer for.' Around one million LFTs are being taken every day, twice as many as PCRs. When Omicron emerged in early December, health officials were adamant there would be enough supplies to meet higher demand. Mr Streeting said: 'The Health Secretary said before Christmas the challenge was distribution not supply, and there were plentiful stocks of tests in warehouses. 'But I think it's more likely the Government has simply underestimated demand, hasn't ordered enough tests, and doesn't want to 'fess up about it.' Ministers insist hundreds of millions of tests will soon be available and Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi says tests have been ringfenced for schools to ensure they can reopen safely this week. With Britain returning to work this week, commuters are also worried that Covid-related staff shortages will bring misery on trains. More than 20 rail companies have already reduced services or plan to do so as a result of Covid infections and self-isolation rules. NHS trusts 'could start cancelling ops as soon as next week' if Covid admissions keep rising, despite just ONE IN FORTY hospital staff being sick or isolating. Ministers set to defy calls to cut quarantine period to five days Modelling shown to ministers suggests hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for second time in as many days on Saturday Official figures show only 2.5 per cent of NHS workforce were off due to Covid Meanwhile absences from non-Covid sickness fell over the same time period However, the picture was varied between England's 138 NHS hospital trusts NHS trusts could start cancelling operations next week if Covid hospitalisations escalate significantly, hospital chiefs have warned. Modelling shown to ministers suggests that hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January, according to the Telegraph. However, the Government has rejected calls to reduce the isolation period for Covid sufferers from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious. The latest figures show 2,370 Covid admissions a day in England. Another doubling could exceed the peak reached last January, when there were 4,134 daily admissions. England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for the second time in as many days on Saturday, official statistics showed as ministers continued to avoid enforcing new restrictions. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. It is the highest total reported on a day in England ever, with 160,276 cases recorded yesterday. Meanwhile, just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of Covid late last month, official figures show. NHS trusts could start cancelling operations next week if Covid hospitalisations escalate significantly, hospital chiefs have warned. Modelling shown to ministers suggests that hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January (Pictured: An NHS health worker at a pop-up vaccination centre at Redbridge Town Hall, east London on December 25) Just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of Covid late last month, official figures show. While official figures show the number off with Covid did double in the run-up to Christmas , the virus has prevented only a small fraction of hospital staff from working. (File image) Recent media reports have been saturated with warnings that hospital services could collapse because so many staff are either off sick with the virus or having to self- isolate because of it. NHS England's medical director Professor Stephen Powis last week talked of the health service being on a 'war footing', a phrase since frequently repeated by broadcasters. But while official figures show the number off with Covid did double in the run-up to Christmas, the virus has prevented only a small fraction of hospital staff from working. On December 1, 12,508 staff at English hospitals were absent due to Covid-19 'either through sickness or self- isolation', according to data from NHS England. By Boxing Day, the latest day for which figures are available, that had almost doubled to 24,632. But with 983,000 working in NHS hospitals in England, according to official workforce statistics for 2021, it means that only 2.5 per cent of the workforce or one in 40 were off due to Covid towards the end of the month. Meanwhile, non-Covid sickness absences actually fell over the same period, from 47,628 on December 1 to 43,450 on Boxing Day. As a result, overall sickness-related absences among NHS hospital staff only rose by 13 per cent in December from 60,136 on the first of the month to 68,082 on December 26. Consequently, around 93 per cent of hospital staff were still fit and healthy from a work point of view at Christmas. However, the picture is varied between England's 138 NHS hospital trusts. Five reported overall sickness or self-isolation absences exceeding ten per cent on Boxing Day Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (12.2 per cent), Nottingham University Hospitals (12 per cent), Wirral University Teaching Hospitals (10.9 per cent), Warrington and Halton Hospitals (10.8 per cent) and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (10.1 per cent). All had higher than average Covid-related absences. Taking Covid-related absences alone, three had rates of over five per cent on Boxing Day Homerton University Hospital in London (7.1 per cent), Royal United Hospitals Bath (6.9 per cent) and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (6.7 per cent). But nine reported Covid-related absences of less than one per cent of their workforce on December 26. The Times reported that more than 110,000 of all NHS staff - nearly one in 10 - were absent on New Year's Eve, of whom 50,000 were at home sick or self-isolating. Meanwhile, Boris Johnson has ordered a blueprint to be drawn up to deal with up to 300,000 Covid-related staff absences across the NHS, according to the Sun. The PM has tasked ministers with developing 'robust contingency plans' for workplace absences as the Government acknowledged high Covid levels could hit businesses hard over the coming weeks. Public sector leaders have been asked to prepare for a worst case scenario of up to a quarter of staff off work as the virus continues to sweep across the country, the Cabinet Office said. Steve Barclay, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, is chairing 'regular meetings' with ministers to assess how the highly transmissible Omicron variant is affecting workforces and supply chains. He is also keeping close tabs on the situation in schools ahead of pupils returning for the new term. The department said Mr Johnson has charged ministers with working with their respective sectors to test preparations and contingency plans to limit disruption from mounting Covid infections. It acknowledged that, despite the accelerated booster programme, high Covid levels and the increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant could mean businesses and public services face further disruption in the weeks to come. Covid infections in England hit record 162,572 with another 154 deaths after revellers partied into 2022 without restrictions as Sajid Javid reveals tighter rules are unlikely - while Scots fear party-goers will bring virus back with them over the border UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours in England Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across the nation, up 83 per cent in a week Figures were not available for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and hospitalisation data was not updated England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for the second time in as many days today, official statistics showed as ministers continued to avoid enforcing new restrictions. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. It is the highest total reported on a day in England ever, with 160,276 cases recorded yesterday. Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across the nation, up 83 per cent from the 84 recorded in the UK last week. Figures were not available for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland because of differences in reporting schedules over the New Year weekend. Hospitalisation data was also not updated. The figures come after millions of Britons partied into 2022 at late night venues across restriction-free England on New Year's Eve, with thousands coming from Scotland - where measures such as table service in bars and no nightclubs prompted them to seek entertainment on the far side of the River Tweed. Revellers joined boozy celebrations from Newcastle to Portsmouth and Manchester to Brighton on the final day of 2021 as they ignored the threat from Omicron and marked the end of a tumultuous 12 months. Partygoers packed into pubs, bars and clubs until the early hours of the morning despite heightened fears about the spread of the Covid after the UK recorded 189,846 new cases yesterday and 203 deaths. The Office for National Statistics reported an estimated 2.3million people in the UK had the virus in the week ending December 23, setting another pandemic record. But in a fresh boost for the nation's businesses, Health Secretary Sajid Javid hinted tighter restrictions on our everyday lives remain unlikely as he implored the nation to 'try to live' alongside the virus. However, the mass arrivals from north of the English border prompted some Scots to worry on social media that returning revellers would bring coronavirus back with them. One said that those who had taken part in celebrations in England would 'spread further infection around Scotland'. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. Health Secretary Sajid Javid, pictured, hinted that no fresh restrictions would come into force in England as he said Britons will have to get used to living with Covid Pictures taken in Edinburgh and Glasgow showed the extent of the exodus to Newcastle, while in Bristol, bars and clubs were packed with Welsh people. Empty chairs were piled up outside bars and restaurants in Glasgow's usually bustling Merchant City district, while sparse crowds of shoppers were seen along the iconic Royal Mile. Though, around 1,000 people made the annual pilgrimage up Calton Hill in Edinburgh for the stroke of midnight where they were greeted by a lone piper. In Newcastle, pubs filled up with eager revellers including groups of Scottish 'Covid refugees' who declared themselves 'fed up' with the tough rules in Scotland. Josh Urquart, Dean Heggie, Campbell McLean and Jamie had kicked off the celebrations early yesterday in a pub where they sat next to a Saltire. Dylan Neill and Alex Cairns, both 18, had travelled from Fife with a group of pals who were checking in at their hotel in the city centre at around 1pm. College student Dylan said: 'We can't go out properly back home so we've come to Newcastle for a night out. It's something different. 'It's not ideal having these restrictions in place at New Year. If we'd stayed in Scotland we might have ended up sitting at somebody's house. Now we've come here we'll be able to go out properly.' Meanwhile, Alex, who also goes to college, was frustrated by the local restrictions preventing him and his friends from hitting the town at home. He said: 'We're fed up now with the rules at our local. Everyone in Newcastle would be fed up with it too if they were in place here. 'We plan on going to the nightclub Tup Tup later but not sure where before that. Some of us have been here before but some never have. We're looking forward to going out.' A third friend, who didn't want to be named, said: 'We're fed up of Nicola Sturgeon putting in these restrictions. That's why we're happy to be in Newcastle where we can go out and have fun.' One Scot who was concerned about the potential for revellers to bring Covid-19 back with them said on Twitter that they risked 'bringing further infection back to Scotland'. They added: 'we all know there could be another variant' of the virus. But some people in England also complained about Scots coming in their droves to Scotland. One said they would be 'having an early night' whilst Scots were 'spreading covid in my region'. Another said they had 'no thought' for people currently ill with the virus. Feet firmly planted amid breaking waves on the seashore, a fisherman powerfully flings his net into the waters in the early morning of Dec. 22 at Yeomjeon Beach in Gangneung, Gangwon Province. Against the rising golden sun, also being flung are perhaps the fisherman's hopes for a good catch in a full net. In Korea, they say, "To judge a man, look at his back." The stout silhouette of the fisherman seems to speak of layers of honest labor, wishes harbored and disappointments swallowed. Not to be deterred, the fisherman will return to his toil the following day, as too, so will we after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic to hold strong in 2022. Welcome to the New Year. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul WASHINGTON, D.C. The record-busting $768.2 billion defense authorization bill that cleared Congress last week contains a little sugar for Nebraska, courtesy of the states congressional delegation, including $11 million for barracks construction at the Nebraska National Guards training site near Mead. The bill, which passed the Senate 88-11, includes a 2.7% pay increase for military personnel while making landmark changes to the way the military handles sexual assaults, keeping women out of the draft and laying the groundwork for a new war on terror memorial on the National Mall. The bill passed the House 363-70 in September and is now awaiting President Joe Bidens signature. Sen. Deb Fischer and Rep. Don Bacon, who serve on the Armed Services Committees in their respective houses, claimed credit for steering some of that money to benefit military personnel and commands in Nebraska. The (bill) includes critical provisions to support a pay raise for our troops, bolster Nebraska military assets and modernize our nuclear deterrent, Fischer said in a statement. The legislation reflects broad agreement that the country must be prepared to address the many growing national security challenges we face. At least $150 million is slated for construction at Offutt Air Force Base near Bellevue. Of that, $100 million is for reconstruction of parts of the base damaged in the 2019 flood. Thats on top of more than $400 million for cleanup and repairs in previous years, and $234 million to replace RC-135 flight simulators destroyed in the flood. The bill also authorized $50 million for rehabilitation of family housing at Offutt. You can tell its older, and it needs some investment, Bacon said. The sense was were falling a little bit behind. The Pentagon began turning over construction, management and maintenance of military housing to private companies in the mid-1990s, and accusations of mismanagement by some companies prompted congressional hearings in 2019 and again in March. Offutts Rising View housing, owned by Omaha-based Burlington Housing since 2005, drew scrutiny two years ago after some residents complained of poor living conditions and slow repairs. That prompted much closer scrutiny by senior leaders of Offutts 55th Wing. The bill also authorized $10 million to find a site and build the U.S. Strategic Commands nuclear command, control and communications hub. Its tied to a 2019 initiative to put StratCom in charge of what the Pentagon calls NC3. Bacon said it is likely to be built on Offutt property but outside the current fence line. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, whose district includes Offutt, supported the bill. He said in a statement that he was glad to see the pay raise for troops and the funding for nuclear command, control and communications. Nebraska plays a critical role in our national defense, he said. The most important duty of your government is to keep you safe. The yearly National Defense Authorization Act is essential to that goal. Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' A mother whose 14-year-old daughter died after being hit by a suspected drug-driver on New Year's Eve spoke today of how her life has been 'broken forever'. Olivia Kolek was near Rowley Regis railway station, Sandwell, in the West Midlands, at around 4.45pm yesterday, on her way to a party, when she was struck by a grey Mercedes. Paramedics attended the scene but tragically nothing could be done to save the girl and she was pronounced dead just before 5.30pm. Her devastated mother, Post Office assistant Izabela Maziakowska, said how Olivia had gone to her workplace to wish her a happy New Year shortly before the fatal collision. 'She was my whole world. I cannot imagine life without her Girlanymore. I don't know how I am going to get up and get on with my life. It is broken forever,' the 41-year-old told The Sun. Olivia Kolek (above) was near Rowley Regis railway station, Sandwell, in the West Midlands, at around 4.45pm yesterday, on her way to a party, when she was killed after being struck by a grey Mercedes Her devastated mother, Post Office assistant Izabela Maziakowska (above), said how Olivia had gone to her workplace to wish her a happy New Year shortly before the fatal collision Police are pictured at the scene. The driver of the grey Mercedes, a 39-year-old man, stopped at the scene and was arrested on suspicion of causing death by driving while under the influence of drugs. He remains in police custody 'She came into the Post Office where I was working to wish me a happy New Year, and I gave her some money and told her to enjoy herself and have fun. 'That was the last time I saw her. That was her last ever new year,' she added. Polish couple Ms Maziakowska and her husband Lukasz Kolek, 40, had spent Christmas at home with Olivia, who helped decorate the tree and baked festive cookies. 'I took a picture of her while she was baking them. I will treasure them now,' said Ms Maziakowska. She also said that Olivia had been on her way to a house party with friends and was not sure if she had pressed the light at the pedestrian crossing before crossing the road. 'I think she was talking on her phone to a friend because one of her friends later said they had heard a big bang and for someone to call an ambulance.' The driver of the grey Mercedes, a 39-year-old man, stopped at the scene and was arrested on suspicion of causing death by driving while under the influence of drugs. He remains in police custody. Ms Maziakowska said that Olivia had been on her way to a house party with friends and was not sure if she had pressed the light at the pedestrian crossing before crossing the road. (Above, police in Sandwell yesterday) Sergeant Julie Lyman from West Midlands' Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: 'This is a truly awful way to start the New Year and my heart goes out to the girl's family and friends. 'We've started an investigation to understand what happened and the driver has been arrested as we believe he was driving while unfit through drugs. 'The investigation is clearly in the early stages and I would urge people not to speculate online about what happened. It's really not helpful and can be very upsetting for the family.' Anyone who saw what happened or saw the grey Mercedes driving in the build-up to the crash is urged to get in touch. The force says to message officers on Live Chat through its website or email the Serious Collision Investigation Unit directly at FL_COLLISION_INVEST@westmidlands.police.uk Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' John Howard was warned just weeks before the Tampa affair of an impending flood of boat arrivals which would exhaust Australias detention capacity and place major strain on existing security resources ahead of a summit of international leaders in Brisbane. Secret documents given to federal cabinet in 2001, released after two decades on Saturday by the National Archives of Australia, show confidential contingency plans were drawn up to deal with intelligence reports suggesting an increasing pool of 6500 asylum seekers in the smuggling pipeline was awaiting passage across the seas. An Australian Army vessel patrols the waters near the Norwegian freighter Tampa in 2001. Credit:AP They also warn of the need for a demonstrated commitment from the federal government to border security to both reassure the Australian community and send a clear message to potential future arrivals and existing immigration detainees. The submission, stamped cabinet-in-confidence and dated July 6 2001, was circulated just six weeks before a small Indonesian fishing boat, the Palapa, overloaded with 433 mainly Hazara asylum-seekers from Afghanistan, became stranded in international waters about 140 km north of Christmas Island. Nasal swabs are seen on the table at COVID-19 testing site in Times Square subway station on Thursday in New York. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming pouring water on home COVID-19 tests gives a positive result, evidence that they are unreliable or that they are detecting the disease in tap water. Nasal swabs are seen on the table at COVID-19 testing site in Times Square subway station on Thursday in New York. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming pouring water on home COVID-19 tests gives a positive result, evidence that they are unreliable or that they are detecting the disease in tap water. An Alcoholics Anonymous group is under threat after being censured for reciting the Lords Prayer at the start of meetings. The group in Somerset was told by leaders it had become too Christian-focused and has been removed from the organisations online directory. But John Palmer, treasurer of the group in Yeovil, pointed out that the AA was started in the 1930s by Christians and that it adopted and popularised the Serenity Prayer, which is recited at the end of meetings across the world. Its a ridiculous decision, said Mr Palmer. Theyve removed us from the Find a meeting section of the AA website which will prevent new members from finding us. In other words, were being shut down. The group in Somerset was told by leaders it had become too Christian-focused and has been removed from the organisations online directory (file photo) Concerns were aired at a meeting of AA administrators in Somerset, who recorded in the minutes that the Yeovil group was lovely but not [run] along AA guidelines. They also noted with disapproval that someone had announced that the only way to recovery is through Jesus, with the minutes adding: They have gone against the traditions, nothing wrong with talking about Jesus but this is not AA. It concluded that the group must be kept separate. Mr Palmer, a retired businessman, said the group began five years ago and aimed to reflect the movements traditional roots. We arent happy-clappy and nor do we press Christianity on people, he added. But John Palmer, treasurer of the group in Yeovil, pointed out that the AA was started in the 1930s by Christians and that it adopted and popularised the Serenity Prayer, which is recited at the end of meetings across the world (file photo) Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern, said: The power of the Christmas message is what inspired the setting up of AA, following the radical transformation alcoholics experienced after encountering the hope and healing found in Jesus. Separating and punishing Christians so they cannot attract new members for sharing the gospel message of hope is disturbing and ludicrous. It is sad, but not surprising in our world of cancel culture, to hear that the gospel message, which is rooted in the Christmas story, is no longer appropriate for AA and must be kept separate. AA did not respond to requests for comment. An Alcoholics Anonymous group is under threat after being censured for reciting the Lords Prayer at the start of meetings. The group in Somerset was told by leaders it had become too Christian-focused and has been removed from the organisations online directory. But John Palmer, treasurer of the group in Yeovil, pointed out that the AA was started in the 1930s by Christians and that it adopted and popularised the Serenity Prayer, which is recited at the end of meetings across the world. Its a ridiculous decision, said Mr Palmer. Theyve removed us from the Find a meeting section of the AA website which will prevent new members from finding us. In other words, were being shut down. The group in Somerset was told by leaders it had become too Christian-focused and has been removed from the organisations online directory (file photo) Concerns were aired at a meeting of AA administrators in Somerset, who recorded in the minutes that the Yeovil group was lovely but not [run] along AA guidelines. They also noted with disapproval that someone had announced that the only way to recovery is through Jesus, with the minutes adding: They have gone against the traditions, nothing wrong with talking about Jesus but this is not AA. It concluded that the group must be kept separate. Mr Palmer, a retired businessman, said the group began five years ago and aimed to reflect the movements traditional roots. We arent happy-clappy and nor do we press Christianity on people, he added. But John Palmer, treasurer of the group in Yeovil, pointed out that the AA was started in the 1930s by Christians and that it adopted and popularised the Serenity Prayer, which is recited at the end of meetings across the world (file photo) Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern, said: The power of the Christmas message is what inspired the setting up of AA, following the radical transformation alcoholics experienced after encountering the hope and healing found in Jesus. Separating and punishing Christians so they cannot attract new members for sharing the gospel message of hope is disturbing and ludicrous. It is sad, but not surprising in our world of cancel culture, to hear that the gospel message, which is rooted in the Christmas story, is no longer appropriate for AA and must be kept separate. AA did not respond to requests for comment. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe WASHINGTON, D.C. The record-busting $768.2 billion defense authorization bill that cleared Congress last week contains a little sugar for Nebraska, courtesy of the states congressional delegation, including $11 million for barracks construction at the Nebraska National Guards training site near Mead. The bill, which passed the Senate 88-11, includes a 2.7% pay increase for military personnel while making landmark changes to the way the military handles sexual assaults, keeping women out of the draft and laying the groundwork for a new war on terror memorial on the National Mall. The bill passed the House 363-70 in September and is now awaiting President Joe Bidens signature. Sen. Deb Fischer and Rep. Don Bacon, who serve on the Armed Services Committees in their respective houses, claimed credit for steering some of that money to benefit military personnel and commands in Nebraska. The (bill) includes critical provisions to support a pay raise for our troops, bolster Nebraska military assets and modernize our nuclear deterrent, Fischer said in a statement. The legislation reflects broad agreement that the country must be prepared to address the many growing national security challenges we face. At least $150 million is slated for construction at Offutt Air Force Base near Bellevue. Of that, $100 million is for reconstruction of parts of the base damaged in the 2019 flood. Thats on top of more than $400 million for cleanup and repairs in previous years, and $234 million to replace RC-135 flight simulators destroyed in the flood. The bill also authorized $50 million for rehabilitation of family housing at Offutt. You can tell its older, and it needs some investment, Bacon said. The sense was were falling a little bit behind. The Pentagon began turning over construction, management and maintenance of military housing to private companies in the mid-1990s, and accusations of mismanagement by some companies prompted congressional hearings in 2019 and again in March. Offutts Rising View housing, owned by Omaha-based Burlington Housing since 2005, drew scrutiny two years ago after some residents complained of poor living conditions and slow repairs. That prompted much closer scrutiny by senior leaders of Offutts 55th Wing. The bill also authorized $10 million to find a site and build the U.S. Strategic Commands nuclear command, control and communications hub. Its tied to a 2019 initiative to put StratCom in charge of what the Pentagon calls NC3. Bacon said it is likely to be built on Offutt property but outside the current fence line. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, whose district includes Offutt, supported the bill. He said in a statement that he was glad to see the pay raise for troops and the funding for nuclear command, control and communications. Nebraska plays a critical role in our national defense, he said. The most important duty of your government is to keep you safe. The yearly National Defense Authorization Act is essential to that goal. Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' John Howard was warned just weeks before the Tampa affair of an impending flood of boat arrivals which would exhaust Australias detention capacity and place major strain on existing security resources ahead of a summit of international leaders in Brisbane. Secret documents given to federal cabinet in 2001, released after two decades on Saturday by the National Archives of Australia, show confidential contingency plans were drawn up to deal with intelligence reports suggesting an increasing pool of 6500 asylum seekers in the smuggling pipeline was awaiting passage across the seas. An Australian Army vessel patrols the waters near the Norwegian freighter Tampa in 2001. Credit:AP They also warn of the need for a demonstrated commitment from the federal government to border security to both reassure the Australian community and send a clear message to potential future arrivals and existing immigration detainees. The submission, stamped cabinet-in-confidence and dated July 6 2001, was circulated just six weeks before a small Indonesian fishing boat, the Palapa, overloaded with 433 mainly Hazara asylum-seekers from Afghanistan, became stranded in international waters about 140 km north of Christmas Island. Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' PARIS, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that he is "resolutely optimistic for the coming year" for France, despite the upcoming few difficult weeks amid COVID-19 cases resurgence. Speaking from the Elysee to the nation for New Year, Macron stressed the importance of vaccination against coronavirus. "Vaccination is our most secure asset. It divides the number of severe forms by ten," he said. He urged the 5 million non-vaccinated French citizens to get vaccinated for themselves, for their compatriots and for their country. Macron also called on people, vaccinated or not, to continue to respect barrier gestures to curb the rapid spread of the virus. Acknowledging the essential role of health staff during the pandemic for the past two years, Macron said he is "optimistic" about a possible end of the pandemic in 2022. Recalling the year 2021, Macron said the government has introduced during the crisis various initiatives to protect spending power, as well as new projects for the young generation, environmental crisis, housing crisis and more. Macron said the year 2022 will be a year of a European turning point as France is going to hold the presidency of the European Union. He continued to say that the year 2022 will also be a decisive year for France. "I will act until the last moment of the mandate for which you elected me," said Macron. The presidential election in France is scheduled for April, 2022. Enditem A friend recently declared December 29 the best day of the year. Its the middle of that wondrous period between Christmas and New Year when time stands still, the days merge, no one is weighed down by plans or responsibilities, and most of us are free to relax together under the sun. Of course, it hasnt quite been the same this year. Nor was it last year, come to think of it. In Sydney, weve spent the so-called silly season tuned to a fast action replay of COVID-19s greatest hits rising case numbers, changing rules, bickering factions. Just when you wanted all the drama to bugger off and take a holiday, it intensified to fever pitch. Highs and lows: Ash Barty winning Wimbledon; NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet; former premier Gladys Berejiklian; COVID-19 testing queues; and last orders at the Marigold Restaurant in Chinatown. Credit:Sydney Morning Herald Many of us skipped town to see family and friends, as we usually do at this time of year, after so many months of lockdowns and closed borders and separation. It meant lining up for hours in the heat for a test that just days later was ruled unnecessary and, indeed, a burden on the system. For those of us who stayed, Sydney has been surreal. Just as the weather finally started to resemble summer, friends started cancelling plans, every second person seemed to be isolating and the vibe suddenly got all Lockdown 3.0. So much for the bacchanalian hot vaxxed summer. Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Nobody in their right mind really wants to wear a mask. I know I don't. Don't get me wrong, I don't feel suffocated or dehumanised or particularly put-upon having to. I often forget I've got one on. It's just a bit of a faff and I'd rather not. But simple etiquette aside, in many places we have to wear them by law or face a fine. And in many others we're simply asked to, so of course I do. Most of us do. Even after mask mandates were dropped in July last year (they were reintroduced in December, when Omicron hit), more than half of Britons still wore them in many situations, out of choice. Was it necessary? Well, in January 2021, at the peak of our second wave, one in 50 people had Covid. Numbers fell and rose again, and by October it was one in 50 again, across the whole of England. Numbers were higher in certain hotspots. It's now one in 25 in England, which is a startling figure. The chances of coming into close contact with someone carrying the virus while going about your day was high back then, and now it's pretty much inevitable. BARNEY CALMAN: Some types of mask are vastly superior namely, FFP2 masks (pictured), the ones that look like a beak. But, unfortunately, they're not the kind most people are wearing So wearing a mask, which has been shown to help reduce transmission, makes sense in certain situations. Which leads us on to the thorny, and surprisingly complex, subject: 'Do masks actually work or not?' The short answer is yes, they do. Masks can block viral particles coming in and out. It's been shown in many studies now and to argue otherwise is to wilfully ignore the evidence. But, there are those generally not people I'd go to for medical or scientific advice, perhaps who say they don't. I recently saw a truly surreal clip on YouTube, in which Covid denier Piers Corbyn, brother of ex-Labour leader Jeremy, and a rag-tag bunch of followers were singing 'Wearing a mask is like trying to keep a fart in your trousers', over and over, while walking (maskless) through a London Tube train. Of course, they're quite mad. But I can see how, in theory, this might seem like a fair (if slightly infantile) thought: if Covid is like smoke, coming out of our mouths and noses, what's a flimsy bit of fabric going to do to stop it? And, actually, the doubters have a point. Some types of mask are vastly superior namely, FFP2 masks, the ones that look like a beak. But, unfortunately, they're not the kind most people are wearing. The problem is, the differences and relative benefits have just not been made clear by our health chiefs. In all honesty, until recently after a holiday in the south of Germany, where people are required by law to wear FFP2 masks I didn't know how stark the differences were, either. BARNEY CALMAN: A typical cloth mask provides only about 30 to 60 per cent protection to the wearer, according to research. Surgical masks (pictured) those blue pleated ones commonly worn in the UK while better, at 40 to 80 per cent, lack a tight fit to the face Back in April 2020 what feels like a lifetime ago The Mail on Sunday was the first mainstream newspaper to suggest mask-wearing might be a good idea. At the time, officials were claiming the public didn't need to. Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty had said: 'Wearing a mask if you don't have an infection reduces the risk almost not at all. So we do not advise that.' Instead, guidance revolved around washing our hands while singing Happy Birthday. When Covid hit, there was the idea that it could be picked up from surfaces. Someone infected could cough or sneeze and spray virus-laden droplets on to surfaces. Transmission occurred when we came into contact with them. An NHS ad depicted the virus as dayglo paint smeared over door handles and a coffee cup. If this were true (it's not, we now know), then hand-washing would be prudent. What do you think about masks? We want to hear your story. Get in touch by email at health@mailonsunday.co.uk Advertisement There was also justifiable concern that, should everyone rush out to purchase medical masks, there wouldn't be any for doctors and nurses. PPE was in dangerously short supply as it was, back then. What changed? Firstly, it became apparent that Covid was spread through people who were infected but didn't know they had it. If everyone started wearing masks, scientists knew it would be an effective way of reducing this sort of transmission. The Mail on Sunday's GP columnist Dr Ellie Cannon was so concerned that she broke ranks to suggest that people shouldn't wait for guidance, but should just wear one. She even gave a method for making a mask from a cut-up and folded T-shirt, which the US Surgeon General was recommending. Ellie was later invited by the Government to help promote mask-wearing when it was finally mandated in July that year. Since then, we've learnt even more namely, while better than nothing, cloth face masks are not a great option. They're are moderately effective at capturing particles coming out of your own mouth in science lingo, it's called 'source control'. So they do help a bit. But they offer little 'respiratory protection' to the wearer. Covid isn't mainly spread by droplets but through particles in the air, and this is why the fit and quality of a mask is vital when it comes to stopping the virus getting in. A typical cloth mask provides only about 30 to 60 per cent protection to the wearer, according to research. A health worker adjusts her FFP2 mask prior to entering the intensive care unit for patients infected with Covid-19 at the Pourtales hospital in Neuchatel, western Switzerland, on December 21, 2021 Surgical masks those blue pleated ones commonly worn in the UK while better, at 40 to 80 per cent, lack a tight fit to the face. This results in large amounts of leakage around the mask. But FFP2 (FFP stands for 'filtering face piece') masks are much, much better. These high-performance masks are made of several layers of extremely dense fabrics that can filter out the tiniest viral particles. That's why they provide between five and ten times the respiratory protection than that of a cloth mask, while also providing significant protection to others. This has been proven in aerosol lab studies, in which they shoot blasts of gas through masks and measure how well they filter out microscopic particles. There are real-life examples, too. As we reported last week, a University of Cambridge study published in July suggested FFP3 masks provided 'most likely 100 per cent protection against infection on wards'. Study author Chris Illingworth, an infectious diseases expert, wrote: 'Once FFP3 masks were introduced, the number of cases attributed to exposure on Covid-19 wards dropped in fact, our model suggests FFP3 [masks] may have cut ward-based infection to zero.' As an aside, experts warn against masks with a circular filter on the side. These are designed to let your breath out unfiltered, so don't protect those around you. Alongside Germany, Austria and Italy also require FFP2 masks as a minimum, by law, in public now. But our mask mandate isn't specific. The Government website still says face coverings can be 'made of a material that you find comfortable and breathable, such as cotton'. FFP2 masks are more expensive roughly 1 per mask, versus 50p per surgical mask. But since we're all talking about the economic impact of people catching Covid and having to isolate, perhaps policymakers and businesses need to bite the bullet and give us masks that will really help remedy the problem. It comes down to this: if we're going to wear masks, can we at least have ones that really work? Ones that not only stop us giving someone Covid, but prevent us from getting it too. French tourism bosses last night told Emmanuel Macron to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers, accusing him of punishing the industry over worsening ties with Britain. The French president slapped the tough measures on UK tourists shortly before Christmas, claiming it was to stop the spread of the Omicron variant. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted. It comes as the countrys own public health agency yesterday admitted Omicron is now the most dominant variant in France. Omicron helped drive infection numbers to a record 232,000 new cases yesterday, piling more pressure on Mr Macron to back down. President Emmanuel Macron (pictured) has been told to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers Francois Badjily, head of the Alpe dHuez tourist office, suggested France was playing politics with the pandemic. We have the impression that our industry is being made to pay the price for the poor relations between both countries right now, whether its about Brexit or fishing or whatever, he said. Mr Badjily said the current rules were incoherent because fully vaccinated tourists from other countries where the Omicron strain is already present are able to visit. Vaccine passports are needed to enter French holiday hotspots such as ski resorts, as well as restaurants, bars and leisure facilities. Alpe dHuez draws a quarter of its visitors from the UK every year, and Mr Badjily added: Why should a Briton who meets these criteria not be allowed to come, but the French and Belgians can? Christophe Lavaut, director of the Val dIsere ski resort, also called on officials in Paris to axe the compelling reason to travel directive that has stopped holidaymakers coming to France. This restriction should simply be lifted as it is no longer necessary, he added. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted At least 42 per cent of Val dIseres customers are British, said Mr Lavaut, who urged his government to act at the beginning of January. Mr Macrons travel measures have created chaos and sowed confusion throughout the entire Christmas break. Earlier this week, border police even prevented Britons who were legal residents in the EU from returning to their homes French officials at the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone said they were not allowed to cross through France on health grounds. But the EUs top disease agency said in a report last month that Omicron travel restrictions only help buy valuable time during the first days of detection, adding that in countries already experiencing community transmission such measures will probably not be relevant for much longer. The French government failed to reply to the Mails request for comment. Germany will remove Britain from its travel red list on Tuesday after its government admitted Omicron was already widely present in the country. Nobody in their right mind really wants to wear a mask. I know I don't. Don't get me wrong, I don't feel suffocated or dehumanised or particularly put-upon having to. I often forget I've got one on. It's just a bit of a faff and I'd rather not. But simple etiquette aside, in many places we have to wear them by law or face a fine. And in many others we're simply asked to, so of course I do. Most of us do. Even after mask mandates were dropped in July last year (they were reintroduced in December, when Omicron hit), more than half of Britons still wore them in many situations, out of choice. Was it necessary? Well, in January 2021, at the peak of our second wave, one in 50 people had Covid. Numbers fell and rose again, and by October it was one in 50 again, across the whole of England. Numbers were higher in certain hotspots. It's now one in 25 in England, which is a startling figure. The chances of coming into close contact with someone carrying the virus while going about your day was high back then, and now it's pretty much inevitable. BARNEY CALMAN: Some types of mask are vastly superior namely, FFP2 masks (pictured), the ones that look like a beak. But, unfortunately, they're not the kind most people are wearing So wearing a mask, which has been shown to help reduce transmission, makes sense in certain situations. Which leads us on to the thorny, and surprisingly complex, subject: 'Do masks actually work or not?' The short answer is yes, they do. Masks can block viral particles coming in and out. It's been shown in many studies now and to argue otherwise is to wilfully ignore the evidence. But, there are those generally not people I'd go to for medical or scientific advice, perhaps who say they don't. I recently saw a truly surreal clip on YouTube, in which Covid denier Piers Corbyn, brother of ex-Labour leader Jeremy, and a rag-tag bunch of followers were singing 'Wearing a mask is like trying to keep a fart in your trousers', over and over, while walking (maskless) through a London Tube train. Of course, they're quite mad. But I can see how, in theory, this might seem like a fair (if slightly infantile) thought: if Covid is like smoke, coming out of our mouths and noses, what's a flimsy bit of fabric going to do to stop it? And, actually, the doubters have a point. Some types of mask are vastly superior namely, FFP2 masks, the ones that look like a beak. But, unfortunately, they're not the kind most people are wearing. The problem is, the differences and relative benefits have just not been made clear by our health chiefs. In all honesty, until recently after a holiday in the south of Germany, where people are required by law to wear FFP2 masks I didn't know how stark the differences were, either. BARNEY CALMAN: A typical cloth mask provides only about 30 to 60 per cent protection to the wearer, according to research. Surgical masks (pictured) those blue pleated ones commonly worn in the UK while better, at 40 to 80 per cent, lack a tight fit to the face Back in April 2020 what feels like a lifetime ago The Mail on Sunday was the first mainstream newspaper to suggest mask-wearing might be a good idea. At the time, officials were claiming the public didn't need to. Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty had said: 'Wearing a mask if you don't have an infection reduces the risk almost not at all. So we do not advise that.' Instead, guidance revolved around washing our hands while singing Happy Birthday. When Covid hit, there was the idea that it could be picked up from surfaces. Someone infected could cough or sneeze and spray virus-laden droplets on to surfaces. Transmission occurred when we came into contact with them. An NHS ad depicted the virus as dayglo paint smeared over door handles and a coffee cup. If this were true (it's not, we now know), then hand-washing would be prudent. What do you think about masks? We want to hear your story. Get in touch by email at health@mailonsunday.co.uk Advertisement There was also justifiable concern that, should everyone rush out to purchase medical masks, there wouldn't be any for doctors and nurses. PPE was in dangerously short supply as it was, back then. What changed? Firstly, it became apparent that Covid was spread through people who were infected but didn't know they had it. If everyone started wearing masks, scientists knew it would be an effective way of reducing this sort of transmission. The Mail on Sunday's GP columnist Dr Ellie Cannon was so concerned that she broke ranks to suggest that people shouldn't wait for guidance, but should just wear one. She even gave a method for making a mask from a cut-up and folded T-shirt, which the US Surgeon General was recommending. Ellie was later invited by the Government to help promote mask-wearing when it was finally mandated in July that year. Since then, we've learnt even more namely, while better than nothing, cloth face masks are not a great option. They're are moderately effective at capturing particles coming out of your own mouth in science lingo, it's called 'source control'. So they do help a bit. But they offer little 'respiratory protection' to the wearer. Covid isn't mainly spread by droplets but through particles in the air, and this is why the fit and quality of a mask is vital when it comes to stopping the virus getting in. A typical cloth mask provides only about 30 to 60 per cent protection to the wearer, according to research. A health worker adjusts her FFP2 mask prior to entering the intensive care unit for patients infected with Covid-19 at the Pourtales hospital in Neuchatel, western Switzerland, on December 21, 2021 Surgical masks those blue pleated ones commonly worn in the UK while better, at 40 to 80 per cent, lack a tight fit to the face. This results in large amounts of leakage around the mask. But FFP2 (FFP stands for 'filtering face piece') masks are much, much better. These high-performance masks are made of several layers of extremely dense fabrics that can filter out the tiniest viral particles. That's why they provide between five and ten times the respiratory protection than that of a cloth mask, while also providing significant protection to others. This has been proven in aerosol lab studies, in which they shoot blasts of gas through masks and measure how well they filter out microscopic particles. There are real-life examples, too. As we reported last week, a University of Cambridge study published in July suggested FFP3 masks provided 'most likely 100 per cent protection against infection on wards'. Study author Chris Illingworth, an infectious diseases expert, wrote: 'Once FFP3 masks were introduced, the number of cases attributed to exposure on Covid-19 wards dropped in fact, our model suggests FFP3 [masks] may have cut ward-based infection to zero.' As an aside, experts warn against masks with a circular filter on the side. These are designed to let your breath out unfiltered, so don't protect those around you. Alongside Germany, Austria and Italy also require FFP2 masks as a minimum, by law, in public now. But our mask mandate isn't specific. The Government website still says face coverings can be 'made of a material that you find comfortable and breathable, such as cotton'. FFP2 masks are more expensive roughly 1 per mask, versus 50p per surgical mask. But since we're all talking about the economic impact of people catching Covid and having to isolate, perhaps policymakers and businesses need to bite the bullet and give us masks that will really help remedy the problem. It comes down to this: if we're going to wear masks, can we at least have ones that really work? Ones that not only stop us giving someone Covid, but prevent us from getting it too. Nobody in their right mind really wants to wear a mask. I know I don't. Don't get me wrong, I don't feel suffocated or dehumanised or particularly put-upon having to. I often forget I've got one on. It's just a bit of a faff and I'd rather not. But simple etiquette aside, in many places we have to wear them by law or face a fine. And in many others we're simply asked to, so of course I do. Most of us do. Even after mask mandates were dropped in July last year (they were reintroduced in December, when Omicron hit), more than half of Britons still wore them in many situations, out of choice. Was it necessary? Well, in January 2021, at the peak of our second wave, one in 50 people had Covid. Numbers fell and rose again, and by October it was one in 50 again, across the whole of England. Numbers were higher in certain hotspots. It's now one in 25 in England, which is a startling figure. The chances of coming into close contact with someone carrying the virus while going about your day was high back then, and now it's pretty much inevitable. BARNEY CALMAN: Some types of mask are vastly superior namely, FFP2 masks (pictured), the ones that look like a beak. But, unfortunately, they're not the kind most people are wearing So wearing a mask, which has been shown to help reduce transmission, makes sense in certain situations. Which leads us on to the thorny, and surprisingly complex, subject: 'Do masks actually work or not?' The short answer is yes, they do. Masks can block viral particles coming in and out. It's been shown in many studies now and to argue otherwise is to wilfully ignore the evidence. But, there are those generally not people I'd go to for medical or scientific advice, perhaps who say they don't. I recently saw a truly surreal clip on YouTube, in which Covid denier Piers Corbyn, brother of ex-Labour leader Jeremy, and a rag-tag bunch of followers were singing 'Wearing a mask is like trying to keep a fart in your trousers', over and over, while walking (maskless) through a London Tube train. Of course, they're quite mad. But I can see how, in theory, this might seem like a fair (if slightly infantile) thought: if Covid is like smoke, coming out of our mouths and noses, what's a flimsy bit of fabric going to do to stop it? And, actually, the doubters have a point. Some types of mask are vastly superior namely, FFP2 masks, the ones that look like a beak. But, unfortunately, they're not the kind most people are wearing. The problem is, the differences and relative benefits have just not been made clear by our health chiefs. In all honesty, until recently after a holiday in the south of Germany, where people are required by law to wear FFP2 masks I didn't know how stark the differences were, either. BARNEY CALMAN: A typical cloth mask provides only about 30 to 60 per cent protection to the wearer, according to research. Surgical masks (pictured) those blue pleated ones commonly worn in the UK while better, at 40 to 80 per cent, lack a tight fit to the face Back in April 2020 what feels like a lifetime ago The Mail on Sunday was the first mainstream newspaper to suggest mask-wearing might be a good idea. At the time, officials were claiming the public didn't need to. Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty had said: 'Wearing a mask if you don't have an infection reduces the risk almost not at all. So we do not advise that.' Instead, guidance revolved around washing our hands while singing Happy Birthday. When Covid hit, there was the idea that it could be picked up from surfaces. Someone infected could cough or sneeze and spray virus-laden droplets on to surfaces. Transmission occurred when we came into contact with them. An NHS ad depicted the virus as dayglo paint smeared over door handles and a coffee cup. If this were true (it's not, we now know), then hand-washing would be prudent. What do you think about masks? We want to hear your story. Get in touch by email at health@mailonsunday.co.uk Advertisement There was also justifiable concern that, should everyone rush out to purchase medical masks, there wouldn't be any for doctors and nurses. PPE was in dangerously short supply as it was, back then. What changed? Firstly, it became apparent that Covid was spread through people who were infected but didn't know they had it. If everyone started wearing masks, scientists knew it would be an effective way of reducing this sort of transmission. The Mail on Sunday's GP columnist Dr Ellie Cannon was so concerned that she broke ranks to suggest that people shouldn't wait for guidance, but should just wear one. She even gave a method for making a mask from a cut-up and folded T-shirt, which the US Surgeon General was recommending. Ellie was later invited by the Government to help promote mask-wearing when it was finally mandated in July that year. Since then, we've learnt even more namely, while better than nothing, cloth face masks are not a great option. They're are moderately effective at capturing particles coming out of your own mouth in science lingo, it's called 'source control'. So they do help a bit. But they offer little 'respiratory protection' to the wearer. Covid isn't mainly spread by droplets but through particles in the air, and this is why the fit and quality of a mask is vital when it comes to stopping the virus getting in. A typical cloth mask provides only about 30 to 60 per cent protection to the wearer, according to research. A health worker adjusts her FFP2 mask prior to entering the intensive care unit for patients infected with Covid-19 at the Pourtales hospital in Neuchatel, western Switzerland, on December 21, 2021 Surgical masks those blue pleated ones commonly worn in the UK while better, at 40 to 80 per cent, lack a tight fit to the face. This results in large amounts of leakage around the mask. But FFP2 (FFP stands for 'filtering face piece') masks are much, much better. These high-performance masks are made of several layers of extremely dense fabrics that can filter out the tiniest viral particles. That's why they provide between five and ten times the respiratory protection than that of a cloth mask, while also providing significant protection to others. This has been proven in aerosol lab studies, in which they shoot blasts of gas through masks and measure how well they filter out microscopic particles. There are real-life examples, too. As we reported last week, a University of Cambridge study published in July suggested FFP3 masks provided 'most likely 100 per cent protection against infection on wards'. Study author Chris Illingworth, an infectious diseases expert, wrote: 'Once FFP3 masks were introduced, the number of cases attributed to exposure on Covid-19 wards dropped in fact, our model suggests FFP3 [masks] may have cut ward-based infection to zero.' As an aside, experts warn against masks with a circular filter on the side. These are designed to let your breath out unfiltered, so don't protect those around you. Alongside Germany, Austria and Italy also require FFP2 masks as a minimum, by law, in public now. But our mask mandate isn't specific. The Government website still says face coverings can be 'made of a material that you find comfortable and breathable, such as cotton'. FFP2 masks are more expensive roughly 1 per mask, versus 50p per surgical mask. But since we're all talking about the economic impact of people catching Covid and having to isolate, perhaps policymakers and businesses need to bite the bullet and give us masks that will really help remedy the problem. It comes down to this: if we're going to wear masks, can we at least have ones that really work? Ones that not only stop us giving someone Covid, but prevent us from getting it too. Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' A friend recently declared December 29 the best day of the year. Its the middle of that wondrous period between Christmas and New Year when time stands still, the days merge, no one is weighed down by plans or responsibilities, and most of us are free to relax together under the sun. Of course, it hasnt quite been the same this year. Nor was it last year, come to think of it. In Sydney, weve spent the so-called silly season tuned to a fast action replay of COVID-19s greatest hits rising case numbers, changing rules, bickering factions. Just when you wanted all the drama to bugger off and take a holiday, it intensified to fever pitch. Highs and lows: Ash Barty winning Wimbledon; NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet; former premier Gladys Berejiklian; COVID-19 testing queues; and last orders at the Marigold Restaurant in Chinatown. Credit:Sydney Morning Herald Many of us skipped town to see family and friends, as we usually do at this time of year, after so many months of lockdowns and closed borders and separation. It meant lining up for hours in the heat for a test that just days later was ruled unnecessary and, indeed, a burden on the system. For those of us who stayed, Sydney has been surreal. Just as the weather finally started to resemble summer, friends started cancelling plans, every second person seemed to be isolating and the vibe suddenly got all Lockdown 3.0. So much for the bacchanalian hot vaxxed summer. Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' A Huawei logo is seen on a cell phone screen in their store at Vina del Mar, Chile, on July 18, 2019. (Rodrigo Garrido/Reuters) Sanctions-Hit Huawei Says Revenue Down Nearly 30 Percent in 2021 Chinese telecom giant Huawei announced on Dec. 31 that its annual revenue is expected to have declined by nearly 30 percent in 2021, as the company continues to be affected by U.S. sanctions. Huaweis revenue is expected to be 634 billion yuan ($99 billion) for 2021, the company said. Thats a 29 percent drop from the 891.4 billion yuan ($140 billion) the company reported in 2020. Huawei Rotating Chairman Guo Ping disclosed the revenue slide in a New Years Eve letter to employees. But the letter also states that the companys overall performance for the year was in line with their forecasts. Huawei, once the worlds largest maker of telecom gear and second-largest smartphone maker, has been battered by U.S. sanctions that barred the company from using Alphabet Inc.s Android operating system for its new smartphones, among other critical U.S.-originated technology. The company has come under intense scrutiny in the United States over concerns that its products could be used by the Chinese regime for spying or to disrupt communications networks. U.S. officials have cited the companys close ties to the regime, as well as Chinese law, which compels companies to cooperate with intelligence agencies when asked. The restrictions have badly hurt Huaweis handset business, Eric Xu, another of the firms rotating chairmen, said in September. The companys revenue for the third quarter was 38 percent lower than a year earlier. The first three quarters revenue was down by almost a third year-on-year. 2022 will come with its fair share of challenges, the letter reads. But we will keep working closely with our global partners to overcome the difficulties we face, improve business performance, and strengthen our foundations. The company will continue focusing on information and communications technology infrastructure and smart devices, according to the letter. Guo said Huawei will also continue to attract talents worldwide, offering top talent top pay. Huawei also saw the return of its financial chief, Meng Wanzhou, in 2021. Meng, the daughter of the companys founder, was held in Canada after being arrested at Vancouver International Airport in 2018 on a U.S. warrant charging her with bank fraud for allegedly misleading HSBC Holdings about Huaweis business dealings in Iran. After reaching a deal with U.S. prosecutors, Meng was allowed to return to China on Sept. 24. That night, the Chinese regime freed two Canadians who had been held captive in the country for almost three years. Reuters and Cathy He contributed to this report. A Huawei logo is seen on a cell phone screen in their store at Vina del Mar, Chile, on July 18, 2019. (Rodrigo Garrido/Reuters) Sanctions-Hit Huawei Says Revenue Down Nearly 30 Percent in 2021 Chinese telecom giant Huawei announced on Dec. 31 that its annual revenue is expected to have declined by nearly 30 percent in 2021, as the company continues to be affected by U.S. sanctions. Huaweis revenue is expected to be 634 billion yuan ($99 billion) for 2021, the company said. Thats a 29 percent drop from the 891.4 billion yuan ($140 billion) the company reported in 2020. Huawei Rotating Chairman Guo Ping disclosed the revenue slide in a New Years Eve letter to employees. But the letter also states that the companys overall performance for the year was in line with their forecasts. Huawei, once the worlds largest maker of telecom gear and second-largest smartphone maker, has been battered by U.S. sanctions that barred the company from using Alphabet Inc.s Android operating system for its new smartphones, among other critical U.S.-originated technology. The company has come under intense scrutiny in the United States over concerns that its products could be used by the Chinese regime for spying or to disrupt communications networks. U.S. officials have cited the companys close ties to the regime, as well as Chinese law, which compels companies to cooperate with intelligence agencies when asked. The restrictions have badly hurt Huaweis handset business, Eric Xu, another of the firms rotating chairmen, said in September. The companys revenue for the third quarter was 38 percent lower than a year earlier. The first three quarters revenue was down by almost a third year-on-year. 2022 will come with its fair share of challenges, the letter reads. But we will keep working closely with our global partners to overcome the difficulties we face, improve business performance, and strengthen our foundations. The company will continue focusing on information and communications technology infrastructure and smart devices, according to the letter. Guo said Huawei will also continue to attract talents worldwide, offering top talent top pay. Huawei also saw the return of its financial chief, Meng Wanzhou, in 2021. Meng, the daughter of the companys founder, was held in Canada after being arrested at Vancouver International Airport in 2018 on a U.S. warrant charging her with bank fraud for allegedly misleading HSBC Holdings about Huaweis business dealings in Iran. After reaching a deal with U.S. prosecutors, Meng was allowed to return to China on Sept. 24. That night, the Chinese regime freed two Canadians who had been held captive in the country for almost three years. Reuters and Cathy He contributed to this report. A Huawei logo is seen on a cell phone screen in their store at Vina del Mar, Chile, on July 18, 2019. (Rodrigo Garrido/Reuters) Sanctions-Hit Huawei Says Revenue Down Nearly 30 Percent in 2021 Chinese telecom giant Huawei announced on Dec. 31 that its annual revenue is expected to have declined by nearly 30 percent in 2021, as the company continues to be affected by U.S. sanctions. Huaweis revenue is expected to be 634 billion yuan ($99 billion) for 2021, the company said. Thats a 29 percent drop from the 891.4 billion yuan ($140 billion) the company reported in 2020. Huawei Rotating Chairman Guo Ping disclosed the revenue slide in a New Years Eve letter to employees. But the letter also states that the companys overall performance for the year was in line with their forecasts. Huawei, once the worlds largest maker of telecom gear and second-largest smartphone maker, has been battered by U.S. sanctions that barred the company from using Alphabet Inc.s Android operating system for its new smartphones, among other critical U.S.-originated technology. The company has come under intense scrutiny in the United States over concerns that its products could be used by the Chinese regime for spying or to disrupt communications networks. U.S. officials have cited the companys close ties to the regime, as well as Chinese law, which compels companies to cooperate with intelligence agencies when asked. The restrictions have badly hurt Huaweis handset business, Eric Xu, another of the firms rotating chairmen, said in September. The companys revenue for the third quarter was 38 percent lower than a year earlier. The first three quarters revenue was down by almost a third year-on-year. 2022 will come with its fair share of challenges, the letter reads. But we will keep working closely with our global partners to overcome the difficulties we face, improve business performance, and strengthen our foundations. The company will continue focusing on information and communications technology infrastructure and smart devices, according to the letter. Guo said Huawei will also continue to attract talents worldwide, offering top talent top pay. Huawei also saw the return of its financial chief, Meng Wanzhou, in 2021. Meng, the daughter of the companys founder, was held in Canada after being arrested at Vancouver International Airport in 2018 on a U.S. warrant charging her with bank fraud for allegedly misleading HSBC Holdings about Huaweis business dealings in Iran. After reaching a deal with U.S. prosecutors, Meng was allowed to return to China on Sept. 24. That night, the Chinese regime freed two Canadians who had been held captive in the country for almost three years. Reuters and Cathy He contributed to this report. A Huawei logo is seen on a cell phone screen in their store at Vina del Mar, Chile, on July 18, 2019. (Rodrigo Garrido/Reuters) Sanctions-Hit Huawei Says Revenue Down Nearly 30 Percent in 2021 Chinese telecom giant Huawei announced on Dec. 31 that its annual revenue is expected to have declined by nearly 30 percent in 2021, as the company continues to be affected by U.S. sanctions. Huaweis revenue is expected to be 634 billion yuan ($99 billion) for 2021, the company said. Thats a 29 percent drop from the 891.4 billion yuan ($140 billion) the company reported in 2020. Huawei Rotating Chairman Guo Ping disclosed the revenue slide in a New Years Eve letter to employees. But the letter also states that the companys overall performance for the year was in line with their forecasts. Huawei, once the worlds largest maker of telecom gear and second-largest smartphone maker, has been battered by U.S. sanctions that barred the company from using Alphabet Inc.s Android operating system for its new smartphones, among other critical U.S.-originated technology. The company has come under intense scrutiny in the United States over concerns that its products could be used by the Chinese regime for spying or to disrupt communications networks. U.S. officials have cited the companys close ties to the regime, as well as Chinese law, which compels companies to cooperate with intelligence agencies when asked. The restrictions have badly hurt Huaweis handset business, Eric Xu, another of the firms rotating chairmen, said in September. The companys revenue for the third quarter was 38 percent lower than a year earlier. The first three quarters revenue was down by almost a third year-on-year. 2022 will come with its fair share of challenges, the letter reads. But we will keep working closely with our global partners to overcome the difficulties we face, improve business performance, and strengthen our foundations. The company will continue focusing on information and communications technology infrastructure and smart devices, according to the letter. Guo said Huawei will also continue to attract talents worldwide, offering top talent top pay. Huawei also saw the return of its financial chief, Meng Wanzhou, in 2021. Meng, the daughter of the companys founder, was held in Canada after being arrested at Vancouver International Airport in 2018 on a U.S. warrant charging her with bank fraud for allegedly misleading HSBC Holdings about Huaweis business dealings in Iran. After reaching a deal with U.S. prosecutors, Meng was allowed to return to China on Sept. 24. That night, the Chinese regime freed two Canadians who had been held captive in the country for almost three years. Reuters and Cathy He contributed to this report. A Huawei logo is seen on a cell phone screen in their store at Vina del Mar, Chile, on July 18, 2019. (Rodrigo Garrido/Reuters) Sanctions-Hit Huawei Says Revenue Down Nearly 30 Percent in 2021 Chinese telecom giant Huawei announced on Dec. 31 that its annual revenue is expected to have declined by nearly 30 percent in 2021, as the company continues to be affected by U.S. sanctions. Huaweis revenue is expected to be 634 billion yuan ($99 billion) for 2021, the company said. Thats a 29 percent drop from the 891.4 billion yuan ($140 billion) the company reported in 2020. Huawei Rotating Chairman Guo Ping disclosed the revenue slide in a New Years Eve letter to employees. But the letter also states that the companys overall performance for the year was in line with their forecasts. Huawei, once the worlds largest maker of telecom gear and second-largest smartphone maker, has been battered by U.S. sanctions that barred the company from using Alphabet Inc.s Android operating system for its new smartphones, among other critical U.S.-originated technology. The company has come under intense scrutiny in the United States over concerns that its products could be used by the Chinese regime for spying or to disrupt communications networks. U.S. officials have cited the companys close ties to the regime, as well as Chinese law, which compels companies to cooperate with intelligence agencies when asked. The restrictions have badly hurt Huaweis handset business, Eric Xu, another of the firms rotating chairmen, said in September. The companys revenue for the third quarter was 38 percent lower than a year earlier. The first three quarters revenue was down by almost a third year-on-year. 2022 will come with its fair share of challenges, the letter reads. But we will keep working closely with our global partners to overcome the difficulties we face, improve business performance, and strengthen our foundations. The company will continue focusing on information and communications technology infrastructure and smart devices, according to the letter. Guo said Huawei will also continue to attract talents worldwide, offering top talent top pay. Huawei also saw the return of its financial chief, Meng Wanzhou, in 2021. Meng, the daughter of the companys founder, was held in Canada after being arrested at Vancouver International Airport in 2018 on a U.S. warrant charging her with bank fraud for allegedly misleading HSBC Holdings about Huaweis business dealings in Iran. After reaching a deal with U.S. prosecutors, Meng was allowed to return to China on Sept. 24. That night, the Chinese regime freed two Canadians who had been held captive in the country for almost three years. Reuters and Cathy He contributed to this report. A Huawei logo is seen on a cell phone screen in their store at Vina del Mar, Chile, on July 18, 2019. (Rodrigo Garrido/Reuters) Sanctions-Hit Huawei Says Revenue Down Nearly 30 Percent in 2021 Chinese telecom giant Huawei announced on Dec. 31 that its annual revenue is expected to have declined by nearly 30 percent in 2021, as the company continues to be affected by U.S. sanctions. Huaweis revenue is expected to be 634 billion yuan ($99 billion) for 2021, the company said. Thats a 29 percent drop from the 891.4 billion yuan ($140 billion) the company reported in 2020. Huawei Rotating Chairman Guo Ping disclosed the revenue slide in a New Years Eve letter to employees. But the letter also states that the companys overall performance for the year was in line with their forecasts. Huawei, once the worlds largest maker of telecom gear and second-largest smartphone maker, has been battered by U.S. sanctions that barred the company from using Alphabet Inc.s Android operating system for its new smartphones, among other critical U.S.-originated technology. The company has come under intense scrutiny in the United States over concerns that its products could be used by the Chinese regime for spying or to disrupt communications networks. U.S. officials have cited the companys close ties to the regime, as well as Chinese law, which compels companies to cooperate with intelligence agencies when asked. The restrictions have badly hurt Huaweis handset business, Eric Xu, another of the firms rotating chairmen, said in September. The companys revenue for the third quarter was 38 percent lower than a year earlier. The first three quarters revenue was down by almost a third year-on-year. 2022 will come with its fair share of challenges, the letter reads. But we will keep working closely with our global partners to overcome the difficulties we face, improve business performance, and strengthen our foundations. The company will continue focusing on information and communications technology infrastructure and smart devices, according to the letter. Guo said Huawei will also continue to attract talents worldwide, offering top talent top pay. Huawei also saw the return of its financial chief, Meng Wanzhou, in 2021. Meng, the daughter of the companys founder, was held in Canada after being arrested at Vancouver International Airport in 2018 on a U.S. warrant charging her with bank fraud for allegedly misleading HSBC Holdings about Huaweis business dealings in Iran. After reaching a deal with U.S. prosecutors, Meng was allowed to return to China on Sept. 24. That night, the Chinese regime freed two Canadians who had been held captive in the country for almost three years. Reuters and Cathy He contributed to this report. A Huawei logo is seen on a cell phone screen in their store at Vina del Mar, Chile, on July 18, 2019. (Rodrigo Garrido/Reuters) Sanctions-Hit Huawei Says Revenue Down Nearly 30 Percent in 2021 Chinese telecom giant Huawei announced on Dec. 31 that its annual revenue is expected to have declined by nearly 30 percent in 2021, as the company continues to be affected by U.S. sanctions. Huaweis revenue is expected to be 634 billion yuan ($99 billion) for 2021, the company said. Thats a 29 percent drop from the 891.4 billion yuan ($140 billion) the company reported in 2020. Huawei Rotating Chairman Guo Ping disclosed the revenue slide in a New Years Eve letter to employees. But the letter also states that the companys overall performance for the year was in line with their forecasts. Huawei, once the worlds largest maker of telecom gear and second-largest smartphone maker, has been battered by U.S. sanctions that barred the company from using Alphabet Inc.s Android operating system for its new smartphones, among other critical U.S.-originated technology. The company has come under intense scrutiny in the United States over concerns that its products could be used by the Chinese regime for spying or to disrupt communications networks. U.S. officials have cited the companys close ties to the regime, as well as Chinese law, which compels companies to cooperate with intelligence agencies when asked. The restrictions have badly hurt Huaweis handset business, Eric Xu, another of the firms rotating chairmen, said in September. The companys revenue for the third quarter was 38 percent lower than a year earlier. The first three quarters revenue was down by almost a third year-on-year. 2022 will come with its fair share of challenges, the letter reads. But we will keep working closely with our global partners to overcome the difficulties we face, improve business performance, and strengthen our foundations. The company will continue focusing on information and communications technology infrastructure and smart devices, according to the letter. Guo said Huawei will also continue to attract talents worldwide, offering top talent top pay. Huawei also saw the return of its financial chief, Meng Wanzhou, in 2021. Meng, the daughter of the companys founder, was held in Canada after being arrested at Vancouver International Airport in 2018 on a U.S. warrant charging her with bank fraud for allegedly misleading HSBC Holdings about Huaweis business dealings in Iran. After reaching a deal with U.S. prosecutors, Meng was allowed to return to China on Sept. 24. That night, the Chinese regime freed two Canadians who had been held captive in the country for almost three years. Reuters and Cathy He contributed to this report. A Huawei logo is seen on a cell phone screen in their store at Vina del Mar, Chile, on July 18, 2019. (Rodrigo Garrido/Reuters) Sanctions-Hit Huawei Says Revenue Down Nearly 30 Percent in 2021 Chinese telecom giant Huawei announced on Dec. 31 that its annual revenue is expected to have declined by nearly 30 percent in 2021, as the company continues to be affected by U.S. sanctions. Huaweis revenue is expected to be 634 billion yuan ($99 billion) for 2021, the company said. Thats a 29 percent drop from the 891.4 billion yuan ($140 billion) the company reported in 2020. Huawei Rotating Chairman Guo Ping disclosed the revenue slide in a New Years Eve letter to employees. But the letter also states that the companys overall performance for the year was in line with their forecasts. Huawei, once the worlds largest maker of telecom gear and second-largest smartphone maker, has been battered by U.S. sanctions that barred the company from using Alphabet Inc.s Android operating system for its new smartphones, among other critical U.S.-originated technology. The company has come under intense scrutiny in the United States over concerns that its products could be used by the Chinese regime for spying or to disrupt communications networks. U.S. officials have cited the companys close ties to the regime, as well as Chinese law, which compels companies to cooperate with intelligence agencies when asked. The restrictions have badly hurt Huaweis handset business, Eric Xu, another of the firms rotating chairmen, said in September. The companys revenue for the third quarter was 38 percent lower than a year earlier. The first three quarters revenue was down by almost a third year-on-year. 2022 will come with its fair share of challenges, the letter reads. But we will keep working closely with our global partners to overcome the difficulties we face, improve business performance, and strengthen our foundations. The company will continue focusing on information and communications technology infrastructure and smart devices, according to the letter. Guo said Huawei will also continue to attract talents worldwide, offering top talent top pay. Huawei also saw the return of its financial chief, Meng Wanzhou, in 2021. Meng, the daughter of the companys founder, was held in Canada after being arrested at Vancouver International Airport in 2018 on a U.S. warrant charging her with bank fraud for allegedly misleading HSBC Holdings about Huaweis business dealings in Iran. After reaching a deal with U.S. prosecutors, Meng was allowed to return to China on Sept. 24. That night, the Chinese regime freed two Canadians who had been held captive in the country for almost three years. Reuters and Cathy He contributed to this report. Champagne adds sparkle to any special occasion, but we like it best on your average weekday, paired with potato chips and friends. Toast to the weekend, the holidays, or whatever you fancy at San Francisco's best spots for a pop, clink, and fizz. Leo's Oyster Bar The Hideaway at Leo's. (Courtesy of Leo's Oyster Bar) From restaurateur Anna Weinberg, Leo's Oyster Bar not only has some of the most Instagram-worthy decor in town thanks to team Ken Fulk, but the florally fabulous FiDi spot is also home to a dazzling list of sparklers. Wash your oysters down with Paul Laurent Cuvee du Fondateur or Tattinger brut in the leafy front dining room or the delightfully tropical Hideaway at back. // 568 Sacramento St. (Financial District), leossf.com Ungrafted (Courtesy of @ungrafted_sf) Popped open at the beginning of 2019, Ungrafted is a casual urban wine bar and restaurant from a couple of sommeliers with a passion for Champagne. This translates into an incredible wine and sparkling list made for drinking any day of the weekthink bottles of Pierre Moncuit grand cru and Chapuy blanc de blancs. There are three bubbles available by the glass, poured alongside dishes like grilled octopus and hangar steak, not to mention three different types of caviar. Reservations are recommended for drinking and dining in; if you're loving what you're sipping, grab a few bottles to go. PS: Go for a toast to Black History MonthUngrafted is a Black-owned biz. // 2419 3rd St. (Dogpatch), ungraftedsf.com The Bump Bar at California Caviar Co. California Caviar founder Deborah Keane with Bump Bar's chef Callan Smith. (Courtesy of @californiacaviar) Where there's caviar, there must be Champagne. Just over the Golden Gate Bridge in Sausalito, find your way to The Bump Bar, a new spot from California Caviar Company that offers Champagne tasting flights as well as bottleslook for the likes of Pierre Gimonnet and Vilmart & Cie. Come hungry and enjoy a la carte and chef's tasting menus with Champagne pairings. // 1403 Bridgeway (Sausalito), californiacaviar.com High Treason (Courtesy of @hightreasonsf) This minimalist hi-fi bar in the Inner Richmond is a classy, cool place for an effervescent evening over glasses of bubbles and sweet vinyl tracks. High Treason has more than a dozen old and new world sparklers at surprisingly affordable prices, including Chateau Haut-Segottes Grand Cru and Krug Rose Brut Champagne. And because bubbles go with everything, the Caribbean eats from Unco Frank's Island Grindz pair perfectly. Join the Treasonous Wine Club to enjoy up to three bottles a month at home. // 443 Clement St (Inner Richmond), hightreasonsf.com San Francisco Champagne Society SFCS founder and director Bill Marci. (Courtesy of San Francisco Champagne Society) It almost sounds like a secret club, but the San Francisco Champagne Society is actually a reservation-only Champagne lounge where you can sample your way through different glasses of unique bubbly. Expect a private, guided experience from founder Bill Marci, who pours some of the rarest small-batch Champagnes produced (they specialize in small grower-producers who fill as few as 10,000 bottles each year). If you're limited on time, arrange for a Champagne pick up or delivery. // 1097 Howard St. (SoMa), sfchampagnesociety.com Avery (Courtesy of @avery_sf) If you're one to pair your bubbly with upscale eats, Avery is your spot. This fine dining restaurant in San Francisco offers a tasting menu each night focused on creative, seafood-centric American cuisine. For each meal, find a special menu of Champagne pairings available, thoughtfully curated to accentuate the food just so. // 1552 Fillmore St. (Fillmore), averysf.com Charmaine's (Courtesy of @sanfranciscoproper) We're pretty sure an amazing view automatically makes anything taste 100 times better, and Charmaine's has one of the city's best vantage points. On the rooftop of the Proper Hotel, the lounge also benefits from posh Kelly Wearstler design, as well as a selection of more than 10 sparklers including Dom Perignon and Veuve Clicquot Rose. // 1100 Market St. (Civic Center), properhotel.com Barbarossa Lounge (Courtesy of @barbarossa_lounge) Barbarossa is what many may remember as the Bubble Lounge. While the 1800s jailhouse turned cocktail bar has a new name (inspired by its criminal past), it still has all the sparkling delights of its predecessormore than two dozen bottles, Champagne tasting flights, and rare varietals. Sip a Dom Perignon 1996 Rose or Veuve Clicquot Rich. Oh yeah, and stop by for their $1 oysters, Champagne, and cocktails happy hour on Monday through Friday from 4pm to 7pm. // 714 Montgomery St. (Jackson Square), barbarossalounge.com Fool's Errand (Courtesy of @foolserrandsf) Fool's Errand checks all the boxes for what we want in a neighborhood wine bar. It's perfectly casual yet subtly sexy and the place can swing it for cozy meetups with friends or date nights. The wine list is tactfully curated, with bubblies like Domaine du Facteur Chenin Blanc and Marie-Courtin Blanc de Noir. // 639A Divisadero St. (NoPa), foolserrandsf.com Foreign Cinema (Courtesy of @foreigncinemasf) When you think of Foreign Cinema, you undoubtedly think of elegant Mediterranean-inspired food and the dreamy outdoor courtyard with movies quietly rolling each evening. Make sure you also file this under where to get your Champagne fix. You can choose from Champagnes by the glass, magnums (like Egly-Ouriet Brut), or one of their 40-plus bottles of sparkling including Salon Brut Blanc de Blancs or house-favorite Domaine Vouette et Sorbee Extra Brut. // 2534 Mission St. (Mission), foreigncinema.com Arlequin Wine Merchant (Courtesy of Arlequin Wine Merchant) Arlequin Wine Merchant is among Hayes Valley's most low-key gems. The well-rounded bottle shop always has a great selection of wine and Champagne. Purchase your bubbles and cozy up in a corner to enjoy them in-store, or pick up a bottle for a rainy day. Join their wine club to keep yourself in sparkling all year round. // 348A Hayes St. (Hayes Valley), arlequinwinemerchant.com Absinthe Brasserie & Bar (Courtesy of @absinthesf) Absinthe nails the French brasserie vibe, which means Champagne is a must. The mainstay restaurant offers French sparklers by the glass or bottleJ. Lassalle Premier Cru Brut and Maison Foucher Cremant Rose. Pair your bubbles with raw bar classics like oysters or Tsar Nicoulai white sturgeon caviar. // 398 Hayes St. (Hayes Valley), absinthe.com A Huawei logo is seen on a cell phone screen in their store at Vina del Mar, Chile, on July 18, 2019. (Rodrigo Garrido/Reuters) Sanctions-Hit Huawei Says Revenue Down Nearly 30 Percent in 2021 Chinese telecom giant Huawei announced on Dec. 31 that its annual revenue is expected to have declined by nearly 30 percent in 2021, as the company continues to be affected by U.S. sanctions. Huaweis revenue is expected to be 634 billion yuan ($99 billion) for 2021, the company said. Thats a 29 percent drop from the 891.4 billion yuan ($140 billion) the company reported in 2020. Huawei Rotating Chairman Guo Ping disclosed the revenue slide in a New Years Eve letter to employees. But the letter also states that the companys overall performance for the year was in line with their forecasts. Huawei, once the worlds largest maker of telecom gear and second-largest smartphone maker, has been battered by U.S. sanctions that barred the company from using Alphabet Inc.s Android operating system for its new smartphones, among other critical U.S.-originated technology. The company has come under intense scrutiny in the United States over concerns that its products could be used by the Chinese regime for spying or to disrupt communications networks. U.S. officials have cited the companys close ties to the regime, as well as Chinese law, which compels companies to cooperate with intelligence agencies when asked. The restrictions have badly hurt Huaweis handset business, Eric Xu, another of the firms rotating chairmen, said in September. The companys revenue for the third quarter was 38 percent lower than a year earlier. The first three quarters revenue was down by almost a third year-on-year. 2022 will come with its fair share of challenges, the letter reads. But we will keep working closely with our global partners to overcome the difficulties we face, improve business performance, and strengthen our foundations. The company will continue focusing on information and communications technology infrastructure and smart devices, according to the letter. Guo said Huawei will also continue to attract talents worldwide, offering top talent top pay. Huawei also saw the return of its financial chief, Meng Wanzhou, in 2021. Meng, the daughter of the companys founder, was held in Canada after being arrested at Vancouver International Airport in 2018 on a U.S. warrant charging her with bank fraud for allegedly misleading HSBC Holdings about Huaweis business dealings in Iran. After reaching a deal with U.S. prosecutors, Meng was allowed to return to China on Sept. 24. That night, the Chinese regime freed two Canadians who had been held captive in the country for almost three years. Reuters and Cathy He contributed to this report. A Huawei logo is seen on a cell phone screen in their store at Vina del Mar, Chile, on July 18, 2019. (Rodrigo Garrido/Reuters) Sanctions-Hit Huawei Says Revenue Down Nearly 30 Percent in 2021 Chinese telecom giant Huawei announced on Dec. 31 that its annual revenue is expected to have declined by nearly 30 percent in 2021, as the company continues to be affected by U.S. sanctions. Huaweis revenue is expected to be 634 billion yuan ($99 billion) for 2021, the company said. Thats a 29 percent drop from the 891.4 billion yuan ($140 billion) the company reported in 2020. Huawei Rotating Chairman Guo Ping disclosed the revenue slide in a New Years Eve letter to employees. But the letter also states that the companys overall performance for the year was in line with their forecasts. Huawei, once the worlds largest maker of telecom gear and second-largest smartphone maker, has been battered by U.S. sanctions that barred the company from using Alphabet Inc.s Android operating system for its new smartphones, among other critical U.S.-originated technology. The company has come under intense scrutiny in the United States over concerns that its products could be used by the Chinese regime for spying or to disrupt communications networks. U.S. officials have cited the companys close ties to the regime, as well as Chinese law, which compels companies to cooperate with intelligence agencies when asked. The restrictions have badly hurt Huaweis handset business, Eric Xu, another of the firms rotating chairmen, said in September. The companys revenue for the third quarter was 38 percent lower than a year earlier. The first three quarters revenue was down by almost a third year-on-year. 2022 will come with its fair share of challenges, the letter reads. But we will keep working closely with our global partners to overcome the difficulties we face, improve business performance, and strengthen our foundations. The company will continue focusing on information and communications technology infrastructure and smart devices, according to the letter. Guo said Huawei will also continue to attract talents worldwide, offering top talent top pay. Huawei also saw the return of its financial chief, Meng Wanzhou, in 2021. Meng, the daughter of the companys founder, was held in Canada after being arrested at Vancouver International Airport in 2018 on a U.S. warrant charging her with bank fraud for allegedly misleading HSBC Holdings about Huaweis business dealings in Iran. After reaching a deal with U.S. prosecutors, Meng was allowed to return to China on Sept. 24. That night, the Chinese regime freed two Canadians who had been held captive in the country for almost three years. Reuters and Cathy He contributed to this report. A Huawei logo is seen on a cell phone screen in their store at Vina del Mar, Chile, on July 18, 2019. (Rodrigo Garrido/Reuters) Sanctions-Hit Huawei Says Revenue Down Nearly 30 Percent in 2021 Chinese telecom giant Huawei announced on Dec. 31 that its annual revenue is expected to have declined by nearly 30 percent in 2021, as the company continues to be affected by U.S. sanctions. Huaweis revenue is expected to be 634 billion yuan ($99 billion) for 2021, the company said. Thats a 29 percent drop from the 891.4 billion yuan ($140 billion) the company reported in 2020. Huawei Rotating Chairman Guo Ping disclosed the revenue slide in a New Years Eve letter to employees. But the letter also states that the companys overall performance for the year was in line with their forecasts. Huawei, once the worlds largest maker of telecom gear and second-largest smartphone maker, has been battered by U.S. sanctions that barred the company from using Alphabet Inc.s Android operating system for its new smartphones, among other critical U.S.-originated technology. The company has come under intense scrutiny in the United States over concerns that its products could be used by the Chinese regime for spying or to disrupt communications networks. U.S. officials have cited the companys close ties to the regime, as well as Chinese law, which compels companies to cooperate with intelligence agencies when asked. The restrictions have badly hurt Huaweis handset business, Eric Xu, another of the firms rotating chairmen, said in September. The companys revenue for the third quarter was 38 percent lower than a year earlier. The first three quarters revenue was down by almost a third year-on-year. 2022 will come with its fair share of challenges, the letter reads. But we will keep working closely with our global partners to overcome the difficulties we face, improve business performance, and strengthen our foundations. The company will continue focusing on information and communications technology infrastructure and smart devices, according to the letter. Guo said Huawei will also continue to attract talents worldwide, offering top talent top pay. Huawei also saw the return of its financial chief, Meng Wanzhou, in 2021. Meng, the daughter of the companys founder, was held in Canada after being arrested at Vancouver International Airport in 2018 on a U.S. warrant charging her with bank fraud for allegedly misleading HSBC Holdings about Huaweis business dealings in Iran. After reaching a deal with U.S. prosecutors, Meng was allowed to return to China on Sept. 24. That night, the Chinese regime freed two Canadians who had been held captive in the country for almost three years. Reuters and Cathy He contributed to this report. A mother whose 14-year-old daughter died after being hit by a suspected drug-driver on New Year's Eve spoke today of how her life has been 'broken forever'. Olivia Kolek was near Rowley Regis railway station, Sandwell, in the West Midlands, at around 4.45pm yesterday, on her way to a party, when she was struck by a grey Mercedes. Paramedics attended the scene but tragically nothing could be done to save the girl and she was pronounced dead just before 5.30pm. Her devastated mother, Post Office assistant Izabela Maziakowska, said how Olivia had gone to her workplace to wish her a happy New Year shortly before the fatal collision. 'She was my whole world. I cannot imagine life without her Girlanymore. I don't know how I am going to get up and get on with my life. It is broken forever,' the 41-year-old told The Sun. Olivia Kolek (above) was near Rowley Regis railway station, Sandwell, in the West Midlands, at around 4.45pm yesterday, on her way to a party, when she was killed after being struck by a grey Mercedes Her devastated mother, Post Office assistant Izabela Maziakowska (above), said how Olivia had gone to her workplace to wish her a happy New Year shortly before the fatal collision Police are pictured at the scene. The driver of the grey Mercedes, a 39-year-old man, stopped at the scene and was arrested on suspicion of causing death by driving while under the influence of drugs. He remains in police custody 'She came into the Post Office where I was working to wish me a happy New Year, and I gave her some money and told her to enjoy herself and have fun. 'That was the last time I saw her. That was her last ever new year,' she added. Polish couple Ms Maziakowska and her husband Lukasz Kolek, 40, had spent Christmas at home with Olivia, who helped decorate the tree and baked festive cookies. 'I took a picture of her while she was baking them. I will treasure them now,' said Ms Maziakowska. She also said that Olivia had been on her way to a house party with friends and was not sure if she had pressed the light at the pedestrian crossing before crossing the road. 'I think she was talking on her phone to a friend because one of her friends later said they had heard a big bang and for someone to call an ambulance.' The driver of the grey Mercedes, a 39-year-old man, stopped at the scene and was arrested on suspicion of causing death by driving while under the influence of drugs. He remains in police custody. Ms Maziakowska said that Olivia had been on her way to a house party with friends and was not sure if she had pressed the light at the pedestrian crossing before crossing the road. (Above, police in Sandwell yesterday) Sergeant Julie Lyman from West Midlands' Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: 'This is a truly awful way to start the New Year and my heart goes out to the girl's family and friends. 'We've started an investigation to understand what happened and the driver has been arrested as we believe he was driving while unfit through drugs. 'The investigation is clearly in the early stages and I would urge people not to speculate online about what happened. It's really not helpful and can be very upsetting for the family.' Anyone who saw what happened or saw the grey Mercedes driving in the build-up to the crash is urged to get in touch. The force says to message officers on Live Chat through its website or email the Serious Collision Investigation Unit directly at FL_COLLISION_INVEST@westmidlands.police.uk Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Champagne adds sparkle to any special occasion, but we like it best on your average weekday, paired with potato chips and friends. Toast to the weekend, the holidays, or whatever you fancy at San Francisco's best spots for a pop, clink, and fizz. Leo's Oyster Bar The Hideaway at Leo's. (Courtesy of Leo's Oyster Bar) From restaurateur Anna Weinberg, Leo's Oyster Bar not only has some of the most Instagram-worthy decor in town thanks to team Ken Fulk, but the florally fabulous FiDi spot is also home to a dazzling list of sparklers. Wash your oysters down with Paul Laurent Cuvee du Fondateur or Tattinger brut in the leafy front dining room or the delightfully tropical Hideaway at back. // 568 Sacramento St. (Financial District), leossf.com Ungrafted (Courtesy of @ungrafted_sf) Popped open at the beginning of 2019, Ungrafted is a casual urban wine bar and restaurant from a couple of sommeliers with a passion for Champagne. This translates into an incredible wine and sparkling list made for drinking any day of the weekthink bottles of Pierre Moncuit grand cru and Chapuy blanc de blancs. There are three bubbles available by the glass, poured alongside dishes like grilled octopus and hangar steak, not to mention three different types of caviar. Reservations are recommended for drinking and dining in; if you're loving what you're sipping, grab a few bottles to go. PS: Go for a toast to Black History MonthUngrafted is a Black-owned biz. // 2419 3rd St. (Dogpatch), ungraftedsf.com The Bump Bar at California Caviar Co. California Caviar founder Deborah Keane with Bump Bar's chef Callan Smith. (Courtesy of @californiacaviar) Where there's caviar, there must be Champagne. Just over the Golden Gate Bridge in Sausalito, find your way to The Bump Bar, a new spot from California Caviar Company that offers Champagne tasting flights as well as bottleslook for the likes of Pierre Gimonnet and Vilmart & Cie. Come hungry and enjoy a la carte and chef's tasting menus with Champagne pairings. // 1403 Bridgeway (Sausalito), californiacaviar.com High Treason (Courtesy of @hightreasonsf) This minimalist hi-fi bar in the Inner Richmond is a classy, cool place for an effervescent evening over glasses of bubbles and sweet vinyl tracks. High Treason has more than a dozen old and new world sparklers at surprisingly affordable prices, including Chateau Haut-Segottes Grand Cru and Krug Rose Brut Champagne. And because bubbles go with everything, the Caribbean eats from Unco Frank's Island Grindz pair perfectly. Join the Treasonous Wine Club to enjoy up to three bottles a month at home. // 443 Clement St (Inner Richmond), hightreasonsf.com San Francisco Champagne Society SFCS founder and director Bill Marci. (Courtesy of San Francisco Champagne Society) It almost sounds like a secret club, but the San Francisco Champagne Society is actually a reservation-only Champagne lounge where you can sample your way through different glasses of unique bubbly. Expect a private, guided experience from founder Bill Marci, who pours some of the rarest small-batch Champagnes produced (they specialize in small grower-producers who fill as few as 10,000 bottles each year). If you're limited on time, arrange for a Champagne pick up or delivery. // 1097 Howard St. (SoMa), sfchampagnesociety.com Avery (Courtesy of @avery_sf) If you're one to pair your bubbly with upscale eats, Avery is your spot. This fine dining restaurant in San Francisco offers a tasting menu each night focused on creative, seafood-centric American cuisine. For each meal, find a special menu of Champagne pairings available, thoughtfully curated to accentuate the food just so. // 1552 Fillmore St. (Fillmore), averysf.com Charmaine's (Courtesy of @sanfranciscoproper) We're pretty sure an amazing view automatically makes anything taste 100 times better, and Charmaine's has one of the city's best vantage points. On the rooftop of the Proper Hotel, the lounge also benefits from posh Kelly Wearstler design, as well as a selection of more than 10 sparklers including Dom Perignon and Veuve Clicquot Rose. // 1100 Market St. (Civic Center), properhotel.com Barbarossa Lounge (Courtesy of @barbarossa_lounge) Barbarossa is what many may remember as the Bubble Lounge. While the 1800s jailhouse turned cocktail bar has a new name (inspired by its criminal past), it still has all the sparkling delights of its predecessormore than two dozen bottles, Champagne tasting flights, and rare varietals. Sip a Dom Perignon 1996 Rose or Veuve Clicquot Rich. Oh yeah, and stop by for their $1 oysters, Champagne, and cocktails happy hour on Monday through Friday from 4pm to 7pm. // 714 Montgomery St. (Jackson Square), barbarossalounge.com Fool's Errand (Courtesy of @foolserrandsf) Fool's Errand checks all the boxes for what we want in a neighborhood wine bar. It's perfectly casual yet subtly sexy and the place can swing it for cozy meetups with friends or date nights. The wine list is tactfully curated, with bubblies like Domaine du Facteur Chenin Blanc and Marie-Courtin Blanc de Noir. // 639A Divisadero St. (NoPa), foolserrandsf.com Foreign Cinema (Courtesy of @foreigncinemasf) When you think of Foreign Cinema, you undoubtedly think of elegant Mediterranean-inspired food and the dreamy outdoor courtyard with movies quietly rolling each evening. Make sure you also file this under where to get your Champagne fix. You can choose from Champagnes by the glass, magnums (like Egly-Ouriet Brut), or one of their 40-plus bottles of sparkling including Salon Brut Blanc de Blancs or house-favorite Domaine Vouette et Sorbee Extra Brut. // 2534 Mission St. (Mission), foreigncinema.com Arlequin Wine Merchant (Courtesy of Arlequin Wine Merchant) Arlequin Wine Merchant is among Hayes Valley's most low-key gems. The well-rounded bottle shop always has a great selection of wine and Champagne. Purchase your bubbles and cozy up in a corner to enjoy them in-store, or pick up a bottle for a rainy day. Join their wine club to keep yourself in sparkling all year round. // 348A Hayes St. (Hayes Valley), arlequinwinemerchant.com Absinthe Brasserie & Bar (Courtesy of @absinthesf) Absinthe nails the French brasserie vibe, which means Champagne is a must. The mainstay restaurant offers French sparklers by the glass or bottleJ. Lassalle Premier Cru Brut and Maison Foucher Cremant Rose. Pair your bubbles with raw bar classics like oysters or Tsar Nicoulai white sturgeon caviar. // 398 Hayes St. (Hayes Valley), absinthe.com Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' WASHINGTON, D.C. The record-busting $768.2 billion defense authorization bill that cleared Congress last week contains a little sugar for Nebraska, courtesy of the states congressional delegation, including $11 million for barracks construction at the Nebraska National Guards training site near Mead. The bill, which passed the Senate 88-11, includes a 2.7% pay increase for military personnel while making landmark changes to the way the military handles sexual assaults, keeping women out of the draft and laying the groundwork for a new war on terror memorial on the National Mall. The bill passed the House 363-70 in September and is now awaiting President Joe Bidens signature. Sen. Deb Fischer and Rep. Don Bacon, who serve on the Armed Services Committees in their respective houses, claimed credit for steering some of that money to benefit military personnel and commands in Nebraska. The (bill) includes critical provisions to support a pay raise for our troops, bolster Nebraska military assets and modernize our nuclear deterrent, Fischer said in a statement. The legislation reflects broad agreement that the country must be prepared to address the many growing national security challenges we face. At least $150 million is slated for construction at Offutt Air Force Base near Bellevue. Of that, $100 million is for reconstruction of parts of the base damaged in the 2019 flood. Thats on top of more than $400 million for cleanup and repairs in previous years, and $234 million to replace RC-135 flight simulators destroyed in the flood. The bill also authorized $50 million for rehabilitation of family housing at Offutt. You can tell its older, and it needs some investment, Bacon said. The sense was were falling a little bit behind. The Pentagon began turning over construction, management and maintenance of military housing to private companies in the mid-1990s, and accusations of mismanagement by some companies prompted congressional hearings in 2019 and again in March. Offutts Rising View housing, owned by Omaha-based Burlington Housing since 2005, drew scrutiny two years ago after some residents complained of poor living conditions and slow repairs. That prompted much closer scrutiny by senior leaders of Offutts 55th Wing. The bill also authorized $10 million to find a site and build the U.S. Strategic Commands nuclear command, control and communications hub. Its tied to a 2019 initiative to put StratCom in charge of what the Pentagon calls NC3. Bacon said it is likely to be built on Offutt property but outside the current fence line. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, whose district includes Offutt, supported the bill. He said in a statement that he was glad to see the pay raise for troops and the funding for nuclear command, control and communications. Nebraska plays a critical role in our national defense, he said. The most important duty of your government is to keep you safe. The yearly National Defense Authorization Act is essential to that goal. WASHINGTON, D.C. The record-busting $768.2 billion defense authorization bill that cleared Congress last week contains a little sugar for Nebraska, courtesy of the states congressional delegation, including $11 million for barracks construction at the Nebraska National Guards training site near Mead. The bill, which passed the Senate 88-11, includes a 2.7% pay increase for military personnel while making landmark changes to the way the military handles sexual assaults, keeping women out of the draft and laying the groundwork for a new war on terror memorial on the National Mall. The bill passed the House 363-70 in September and is now awaiting President Joe Bidens signature. Sen. Deb Fischer and Rep. Don Bacon, who serve on the Armed Services Committees in their respective houses, claimed credit for steering some of that money to benefit military personnel and commands in Nebraska. The (bill) includes critical provisions to support a pay raise for our troops, bolster Nebraska military assets and modernize our nuclear deterrent, Fischer said in a statement. The legislation reflects broad agreement that the country must be prepared to address the many growing national security challenges we face. At least $150 million is slated for construction at Offutt Air Force Base near Bellevue. Of that, $100 million is for reconstruction of parts of the base damaged in the 2019 flood. Thats on top of more than $400 million for cleanup and repairs in previous years, and $234 million to replace RC-135 flight simulators destroyed in the flood. The bill also authorized $50 million for rehabilitation of family housing at Offutt. You can tell its older, and it needs some investment, Bacon said. The sense was were falling a little bit behind. The Pentagon began turning over construction, management and maintenance of military housing to private companies in the mid-1990s, and accusations of mismanagement by some companies prompted congressional hearings in 2019 and again in March. Offutts Rising View housing, owned by Omaha-based Burlington Housing since 2005, drew scrutiny two years ago after some residents complained of poor living conditions and slow repairs. That prompted much closer scrutiny by senior leaders of Offutts 55th Wing. The bill also authorized $10 million to find a site and build the U.S. Strategic Commands nuclear command, control and communications hub. Its tied to a 2019 initiative to put StratCom in charge of what the Pentagon calls NC3. Bacon said it is likely to be built on Offutt property but outside the current fence line. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, whose district includes Offutt, supported the bill. He said in a statement that he was glad to see the pay raise for troops and the funding for nuclear command, control and communications. Nebraska plays a critical role in our national defense, he said. The most important duty of your government is to keep you safe. The yearly National Defense Authorization Act is essential to that goal. Nobody in their right mind really wants to wear a mask. I know I don't. Don't get me wrong, I don't feel suffocated or dehumanised or particularly put-upon having to. I often forget I've got one on. It's just a bit of a faff and I'd rather not. But simple etiquette aside, in many places we have to wear them by law or face a fine. And in many others we're simply asked to, so of course I do. Most of us do. Even after mask mandates were dropped in July last year (they were reintroduced in December, when Omicron hit), more than half of Britons still wore them in many situations, out of choice. Was it necessary? Well, in January 2021, at the peak of our second wave, one in 50 people had Covid. Numbers fell and rose again, and by October it was one in 50 again, across the whole of England. Numbers were higher in certain hotspots. It's now one in 25 in England, which is a startling figure. The chances of coming into close contact with someone carrying the virus while going about your day was high back then, and now it's pretty much inevitable. BARNEY CALMAN: Some types of mask are vastly superior namely, FFP2 masks (pictured), the ones that look like a beak. But, unfortunately, they're not the kind most people are wearing So wearing a mask, which has been shown to help reduce transmission, makes sense in certain situations. Which leads us on to the thorny, and surprisingly complex, subject: 'Do masks actually work or not?' The short answer is yes, they do. Masks can block viral particles coming in and out. It's been shown in many studies now and to argue otherwise is to wilfully ignore the evidence. But, there are those generally not people I'd go to for medical or scientific advice, perhaps who say they don't. I recently saw a truly surreal clip on YouTube, in which Covid denier Piers Corbyn, brother of ex-Labour leader Jeremy, and a rag-tag bunch of followers were singing 'Wearing a mask is like trying to keep a fart in your trousers', over and over, while walking (maskless) through a London Tube train. Of course, they're quite mad. But I can see how, in theory, this might seem like a fair (if slightly infantile) thought: if Covid is like smoke, coming out of our mouths and noses, what's a flimsy bit of fabric going to do to stop it? And, actually, the doubters have a point. Some types of mask are vastly superior namely, FFP2 masks, the ones that look like a beak. But, unfortunately, they're not the kind most people are wearing. The problem is, the differences and relative benefits have just not been made clear by our health chiefs. In all honesty, until recently after a holiday in the south of Germany, where people are required by law to wear FFP2 masks I didn't know how stark the differences were, either. BARNEY CALMAN: A typical cloth mask provides only about 30 to 60 per cent protection to the wearer, according to research. Surgical masks (pictured) those blue pleated ones commonly worn in the UK while better, at 40 to 80 per cent, lack a tight fit to the face Back in April 2020 what feels like a lifetime ago The Mail on Sunday was the first mainstream newspaper to suggest mask-wearing might be a good idea. At the time, officials were claiming the public didn't need to. Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty had said: 'Wearing a mask if you don't have an infection reduces the risk almost not at all. So we do not advise that.' Instead, guidance revolved around washing our hands while singing Happy Birthday. When Covid hit, there was the idea that it could be picked up from surfaces. Someone infected could cough or sneeze and spray virus-laden droplets on to surfaces. Transmission occurred when we came into contact with them. An NHS ad depicted the virus as dayglo paint smeared over door handles and a coffee cup. If this were true (it's not, we now know), then hand-washing would be prudent. What do you think about masks? We want to hear your story. Get in touch by email at health@mailonsunday.co.uk Advertisement There was also justifiable concern that, should everyone rush out to purchase medical masks, there wouldn't be any for doctors and nurses. PPE was in dangerously short supply as it was, back then. What changed? Firstly, it became apparent that Covid was spread through people who were infected but didn't know they had it. If everyone started wearing masks, scientists knew it would be an effective way of reducing this sort of transmission. The Mail on Sunday's GP columnist Dr Ellie Cannon was so concerned that she broke ranks to suggest that people shouldn't wait for guidance, but should just wear one. She even gave a method for making a mask from a cut-up and folded T-shirt, which the US Surgeon General was recommending. Ellie was later invited by the Government to help promote mask-wearing when it was finally mandated in July that year. Since then, we've learnt even more namely, while better than nothing, cloth face masks are not a great option. They're are moderately effective at capturing particles coming out of your own mouth in science lingo, it's called 'source control'. So they do help a bit. But they offer little 'respiratory protection' to the wearer. Covid isn't mainly spread by droplets but through particles in the air, and this is why the fit and quality of a mask is vital when it comes to stopping the virus getting in. A typical cloth mask provides only about 30 to 60 per cent protection to the wearer, according to research. A health worker adjusts her FFP2 mask prior to entering the intensive care unit for patients infected with Covid-19 at the Pourtales hospital in Neuchatel, western Switzerland, on December 21, 2021 Surgical masks those blue pleated ones commonly worn in the UK while better, at 40 to 80 per cent, lack a tight fit to the face. This results in large amounts of leakage around the mask. But FFP2 (FFP stands for 'filtering face piece') masks are much, much better. These high-performance masks are made of several layers of extremely dense fabrics that can filter out the tiniest viral particles. That's why they provide between five and ten times the respiratory protection than that of a cloth mask, while also providing significant protection to others. This has been proven in aerosol lab studies, in which they shoot blasts of gas through masks and measure how well they filter out microscopic particles. There are real-life examples, too. As we reported last week, a University of Cambridge study published in July suggested FFP3 masks provided 'most likely 100 per cent protection against infection on wards'. Study author Chris Illingworth, an infectious diseases expert, wrote: 'Once FFP3 masks were introduced, the number of cases attributed to exposure on Covid-19 wards dropped in fact, our model suggests FFP3 [masks] may have cut ward-based infection to zero.' As an aside, experts warn against masks with a circular filter on the side. These are designed to let your breath out unfiltered, so don't protect those around you. Alongside Germany, Austria and Italy also require FFP2 masks as a minimum, by law, in public now. But our mask mandate isn't specific. The Government website still says face coverings can be 'made of a material that you find comfortable and breathable, such as cotton'. FFP2 masks are more expensive roughly 1 per mask, versus 50p per surgical mask. But since we're all talking about the economic impact of people catching Covid and having to isolate, perhaps policymakers and businesses need to bite the bullet and give us masks that will really help remedy the problem. It comes down to this: if we're going to wear masks, can we at least have ones that really work? Ones that not only stop us giving someone Covid, but prevent us from getting it too. Nobody in their right mind really wants to wear a mask. I know I don't. Don't get me wrong, I don't feel suffocated or dehumanised or particularly put-upon having to. I often forget I've got one on. It's just a bit of a faff and I'd rather not. But simple etiquette aside, in many places we have to wear them by law or face a fine. And in many others we're simply asked to, so of course I do. Most of us do. Even after mask mandates were dropped in July last year (they were reintroduced in December, when Omicron hit), more than half of Britons still wore them in many situations, out of choice. Was it necessary? Well, in January 2021, at the peak of our second wave, one in 50 people had Covid. Numbers fell and rose again, and by October it was one in 50 again, across the whole of England. Numbers were higher in certain hotspots. It's now one in 25 in England, which is a startling figure. The chances of coming into close contact with someone carrying the virus while going about your day was high back then, and now it's pretty much inevitable. BARNEY CALMAN: Some types of mask are vastly superior namely, FFP2 masks (pictured), the ones that look like a beak. But, unfortunately, they're not the kind most people are wearing So wearing a mask, which has been shown to help reduce transmission, makes sense in certain situations. Which leads us on to the thorny, and surprisingly complex, subject: 'Do masks actually work or not?' The short answer is yes, they do. Masks can block viral particles coming in and out. It's been shown in many studies now and to argue otherwise is to wilfully ignore the evidence. But, there are those generally not people I'd go to for medical or scientific advice, perhaps who say they don't. I recently saw a truly surreal clip on YouTube, in which Covid denier Piers Corbyn, brother of ex-Labour leader Jeremy, and a rag-tag bunch of followers were singing 'Wearing a mask is like trying to keep a fart in your trousers', over and over, while walking (maskless) through a London Tube train. Of course, they're quite mad. But I can see how, in theory, this might seem like a fair (if slightly infantile) thought: if Covid is like smoke, coming out of our mouths and noses, what's a flimsy bit of fabric going to do to stop it? And, actually, the doubters have a point. Some types of mask are vastly superior namely, FFP2 masks, the ones that look like a beak. But, unfortunately, they're not the kind most people are wearing. The problem is, the differences and relative benefits have just not been made clear by our health chiefs. In all honesty, until recently after a holiday in the south of Germany, where people are required by law to wear FFP2 masks I didn't know how stark the differences were, either. BARNEY CALMAN: A typical cloth mask provides only about 30 to 60 per cent protection to the wearer, according to research. Surgical masks (pictured) those blue pleated ones commonly worn in the UK while better, at 40 to 80 per cent, lack a tight fit to the face Back in April 2020 what feels like a lifetime ago The Mail on Sunday was the first mainstream newspaper to suggest mask-wearing might be a good idea. At the time, officials were claiming the public didn't need to. Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty had said: 'Wearing a mask if you don't have an infection reduces the risk almost not at all. So we do not advise that.' Instead, guidance revolved around washing our hands while singing Happy Birthday. When Covid hit, there was the idea that it could be picked up from surfaces. Someone infected could cough or sneeze and spray virus-laden droplets on to surfaces. Transmission occurred when we came into contact with them. An NHS ad depicted the virus as dayglo paint smeared over door handles and a coffee cup. If this were true (it's not, we now know), then hand-washing would be prudent. What do you think about masks? We want to hear your story. Get in touch by email at health@mailonsunday.co.uk Advertisement There was also justifiable concern that, should everyone rush out to purchase medical masks, there wouldn't be any for doctors and nurses. PPE was in dangerously short supply as it was, back then. What changed? Firstly, it became apparent that Covid was spread through people who were infected but didn't know they had it. If everyone started wearing masks, scientists knew it would be an effective way of reducing this sort of transmission. The Mail on Sunday's GP columnist Dr Ellie Cannon was so concerned that she broke ranks to suggest that people shouldn't wait for guidance, but should just wear one. She even gave a method for making a mask from a cut-up and folded T-shirt, which the US Surgeon General was recommending. Ellie was later invited by the Government to help promote mask-wearing when it was finally mandated in July that year. Since then, we've learnt even more namely, while better than nothing, cloth face masks are not a great option. They're are moderately effective at capturing particles coming out of your own mouth in science lingo, it's called 'source control'. So they do help a bit. But they offer little 'respiratory protection' to the wearer. Covid isn't mainly spread by droplets but through particles in the air, and this is why the fit and quality of a mask is vital when it comes to stopping the virus getting in. A typical cloth mask provides only about 30 to 60 per cent protection to the wearer, according to research. A health worker adjusts her FFP2 mask prior to entering the intensive care unit for patients infected with Covid-19 at the Pourtales hospital in Neuchatel, western Switzerland, on December 21, 2021 Surgical masks those blue pleated ones commonly worn in the UK while better, at 40 to 80 per cent, lack a tight fit to the face. This results in large amounts of leakage around the mask. But FFP2 (FFP stands for 'filtering face piece') masks are much, much better. These high-performance masks are made of several layers of extremely dense fabrics that can filter out the tiniest viral particles. That's why they provide between five and ten times the respiratory protection than that of a cloth mask, while also providing significant protection to others. This has been proven in aerosol lab studies, in which they shoot blasts of gas through masks and measure how well they filter out microscopic particles. There are real-life examples, too. As we reported last week, a University of Cambridge study published in July suggested FFP3 masks provided 'most likely 100 per cent protection against infection on wards'. Study author Chris Illingworth, an infectious diseases expert, wrote: 'Once FFP3 masks were introduced, the number of cases attributed to exposure on Covid-19 wards dropped in fact, our model suggests FFP3 [masks] may have cut ward-based infection to zero.' As an aside, experts warn against masks with a circular filter on the side. These are designed to let your breath out unfiltered, so don't protect those around you. Alongside Germany, Austria and Italy also require FFP2 masks as a minimum, by law, in public now. But our mask mandate isn't specific. The Government website still says face coverings can be 'made of a material that you find comfortable and breathable, such as cotton'. FFP2 masks are more expensive roughly 1 per mask, versus 50p per surgical mask. But since we're all talking about the economic impact of people catching Covid and having to isolate, perhaps policymakers and businesses need to bite the bullet and give us masks that will really help remedy the problem. It comes down to this: if we're going to wear masks, can we at least have ones that really work? Ones that not only stop us giving someone Covid, but prevent us from getting it too. Nobody in their right mind really wants to wear a mask. I know I don't. Don't get me wrong, I don't feel suffocated or dehumanised or particularly put-upon having to. I often forget I've got one on. It's just a bit of a faff and I'd rather not. But simple etiquette aside, in many places we have to wear them by law or face a fine. And in many others we're simply asked to, so of course I do. Most of us do. Even after mask mandates were dropped in July last year (they were reintroduced in December, when Omicron hit), more than half of Britons still wore them in many situations, out of choice. Was it necessary? Well, in January 2021, at the peak of our second wave, one in 50 people had Covid. Numbers fell and rose again, and by October it was one in 50 again, across the whole of England. Numbers were higher in certain hotspots. It's now one in 25 in England, which is a startling figure. The chances of coming into close contact with someone carrying the virus while going about your day was high back then, and now it's pretty much inevitable. BARNEY CALMAN: Some types of mask are vastly superior namely, FFP2 masks (pictured), the ones that look like a beak. But, unfortunately, they're not the kind most people are wearing So wearing a mask, which has been shown to help reduce transmission, makes sense in certain situations. Which leads us on to the thorny, and surprisingly complex, subject: 'Do masks actually work or not?' The short answer is yes, they do. Masks can block viral particles coming in and out. It's been shown in many studies now and to argue otherwise is to wilfully ignore the evidence. But, there are those generally not people I'd go to for medical or scientific advice, perhaps who say they don't. I recently saw a truly surreal clip on YouTube, in which Covid denier Piers Corbyn, brother of ex-Labour leader Jeremy, and a rag-tag bunch of followers were singing 'Wearing a mask is like trying to keep a fart in your trousers', over and over, while walking (maskless) through a London Tube train. Of course, they're quite mad. But I can see how, in theory, this might seem like a fair (if slightly infantile) thought: if Covid is like smoke, coming out of our mouths and noses, what's a flimsy bit of fabric going to do to stop it? And, actually, the doubters have a point. Some types of mask are vastly superior namely, FFP2 masks, the ones that look like a beak. But, unfortunately, they're not the kind most people are wearing. The problem is, the differences and relative benefits have just not been made clear by our health chiefs. In all honesty, until recently after a holiday in the south of Germany, where people are required by law to wear FFP2 masks I didn't know how stark the differences were, either. BARNEY CALMAN: A typical cloth mask provides only about 30 to 60 per cent protection to the wearer, according to research. Surgical masks (pictured) those blue pleated ones commonly worn in the UK while better, at 40 to 80 per cent, lack a tight fit to the face Back in April 2020 what feels like a lifetime ago The Mail on Sunday was the first mainstream newspaper to suggest mask-wearing might be a good idea. At the time, officials were claiming the public didn't need to. Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty had said: 'Wearing a mask if you don't have an infection reduces the risk almost not at all. So we do not advise that.' Instead, guidance revolved around washing our hands while singing Happy Birthday. When Covid hit, there was the idea that it could be picked up from surfaces. Someone infected could cough or sneeze and spray virus-laden droplets on to surfaces. Transmission occurred when we came into contact with them. An NHS ad depicted the virus as dayglo paint smeared over door handles and a coffee cup. If this were true (it's not, we now know), then hand-washing would be prudent. What do you think about masks? We want to hear your story. Get in touch by email at health@mailonsunday.co.uk Advertisement There was also justifiable concern that, should everyone rush out to purchase medical masks, there wouldn't be any for doctors and nurses. PPE was in dangerously short supply as it was, back then. What changed? Firstly, it became apparent that Covid was spread through people who were infected but didn't know they had it. If everyone started wearing masks, scientists knew it would be an effective way of reducing this sort of transmission. The Mail on Sunday's GP columnist Dr Ellie Cannon was so concerned that she broke ranks to suggest that people shouldn't wait for guidance, but should just wear one. She even gave a method for making a mask from a cut-up and folded T-shirt, which the US Surgeon General was recommending. Ellie was later invited by the Government to help promote mask-wearing when it was finally mandated in July that year. Since then, we've learnt even more namely, while better than nothing, cloth face masks are not a great option. They're are moderately effective at capturing particles coming out of your own mouth in science lingo, it's called 'source control'. So they do help a bit. But they offer little 'respiratory protection' to the wearer. Covid isn't mainly spread by droplets but through particles in the air, and this is why the fit and quality of a mask is vital when it comes to stopping the virus getting in. A typical cloth mask provides only about 30 to 60 per cent protection to the wearer, according to research. A health worker adjusts her FFP2 mask prior to entering the intensive care unit for patients infected with Covid-19 at the Pourtales hospital in Neuchatel, western Switzerland, on December 21, 2021 Surgical masks those blue pleated ones commonly worn in the UK while better, at 40 to 80 per cent, lack a tight fit to the face. This results in large amounts of leakage around the mask. But FFP2 (FFP stands for 'filtering face piece') masks are much, much better. These high-performance masks are made of several layers of extremely dense fabrics that can filter out the tiniest viral particles. That's why they provide between five and ten times the respiratory protection than that of a cloth mask, while also providing significant protection to others. This has been proven in aerosol lab studies, in which they shoot blasts of gas through masks and measure how well they filter out microscopic particles. There are real-life examples, too. As we reported last week, a University of Cambridge study published in July suggested FFP3 masks provided 'most likely 100 per cent protection against infection on wards'. Study author Chris Illingworth, an infectious diseases expert, wrote: 'Once FFP3 masks were introduced, the number of cases attributed to exposure on Covid-19 wards dropped in fact, our model suggests FFP3 [masks] may have cut ward-based infection to zero.' As an aside, experts warn against masks with a circular filter on the side. These are designed to let your breath out unfiltered, so don't protect those around you. Alongside Germany, Austria and Italy also require FFP2 masks as a minimum, by law, in public now. But our mask mandate isn't specific. The Government website still says face coverings can be 'made of a material that you find comfortable and breathable, such as cotton'. FFP2 masks are more expensive roughly 1 per mask, versus 50p per surgical mask. But since we're all talking about the economic impact of people catching Covid and having to isolate, perhaps policymakers and businesses need to bite the bullet and give us masks that will really help remedy the problem. It comes down to this: if we're going to wear masks, can we at least have ones that really work? Ones that not only stop us giving someone Covid, but prevent us from getting it too. Nobody in their right mind really wants to wear a mask. I know I don't. Don't get me wrong, I don't feel suffocated or dehumanised or particularly put-upon having to. I often forget I've got one on. It's just a bit of a faff and I'd rather not. But simple etiquette aside, in many places we have to wear them by law or face a fine. And in many others we're simply asked to, so of course I do. Most of us do. Even after mask mandates were dropped in July last year (they were reintroduced in December, when Omicron hit), more than half of Britons still wore them in many situations, out of choice. Was it necessary? Well, in January 2021, at the peak of our second wave, one in 50 people had Covid. Numbers fell and rose again, and by October it was one in 50 again, across the whole of England. Numbers were higher in certain hotspots. It's now one in 25 in England, which is a startling figure. The chances of coming into close contact with someone carrying the virus while going about your day was high back then, and now it's pretty much inevitable. BARNEY CALMAN: Some types of mask are vastly superior namely, FFP2 masks (pictured), the ones that look like a beak. But, unfortunately, they're not the kind most people are wearing So wearing a mask, which has been shown to help reduce transmission, makes sense in certain situations. Which leads us on to the thorny, and surprisingly complex, subject: 'Do masks actually work or not?' The short answer is yes, they do. Masks can block viral particles coming in and out. It's been shown in many studies now and to argue otherwise is to wilfully ignore the evidence. But, there are those generally not people I'd go to for medical or scientific advice, perhaps who say they don't. I recently saw a truly surreal clip on YouTube, in which Covid denier Piers Corbyn, brother of ex-Labour leader Jeremy, and a rag-tag bunch of followers were singing 'Wearing a mask is like trying to keep a fart in your trousers', over and over, while walking (maskless) through a London Tube train. Of course, they're quite mad. But I can see how, in theory, this might seem like a fair (if slightly infantile) thought: if Covid is like smoke, coming out of our mouths and noses, what's a flimsy bit of fabric going to do to stop it? And, actually, the doubters have a point. Some types of mask are vastly superior namely, FFP2 masks, the ones that look like a beak. But, unfortunately, they're not the kind most people are wearing. The problem is, the differences and relative benefits have just not been made clear by our health chiefs. In all honesty, until recently after a holiday in the south of Germany, where people are required by law to wear FFP2 masks I didn't know how stark the differences were, either. BARNEY CALMAN: A typical cloth mask provides only about 30 to 60 per cent protection to the wearer, according to research. Surgical masks (pictured) those blue pleated ones commonly worn in the UK while better, at 40 to 80 per cent, lack a tight fit to the face Back in April 2020 what feels like a lifetime ago The Mail on Sunday was the first mainstream newspaper to suggest mask-wearing might be a good idea. At the time, officials were claiming the public didn't need to. Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty had said: 'Wearing a mask if you don't have an infection reduces the risk almost not at all. So we do not advise that.' Instead, guidance revolved around washing our hands while singing Happy Birthday. When Covid hit, there was the idea that it could be picked up from surfaces. Someone infected could cough or sneeze and spray virus-laden droplets on to surfaces. Transmission occurred when we came into contact with them. An NHS ad depicted the virus as dayglo paint smeared over door handles and a coffee cup. If this were true (it's not, we now know), then hand-washing would be prudent. What do you think about masks? We want to hear your story. Get in touch by email at health@mailonsunday.co.uk Advertisement There was also justifiable concern that, should everyone rush out to purchase medical masks, there wouldn't be any for doctors and nurses. PPE was in dangerously short supply as it was, back then. What changed? Firstly, it became apparent that Covid was spread through people who were infected but didn't know they had it. If everyone started wearing masks, scientists knew it would be an effective way of reducing this sort of transmission. The Mail on Sunday's GP columnist Dr Ellie Cannon was so concerned that she broke ranks to suggest that people shouldn't wait for guidance, but should just wear one. She even gave a method for making a mask from a cut-up and folded T-shirt, which the US Surgeon General was recommending. Ellie was later invited by the Government to help promote mask-wearing when it was finally mandated in July that year. Since then, we've learnt even more namely, while better than nothing, cloth face masks are not a great option. They're are moderately effective at capturing particles coming out of your own mouth in science lingo, it's called 'source control'. So they do help a bit. But they offer little 'respiratory protection' to the wearer. Covid isn't mainly spread by droplets but through particles in the air, and this is why the fit and quality of a mask is vital when it comes to stopping the virus getting in. A typical cloth mask provides only about 30 to 60 per cent protection to the wearer, according to research. A health worker adjusts her FFP2 mask prior to entering the intensive care unit for patients infected with Covid-19 at the Pourtales hospital in Neuchatel, western Switzerland, on December 21, 2021 Surgical masks those blue pleated ones commonly worn in the UK while better, at 40 to 80 per cent, lack a tight fit to the face. This results in large amounts of leakage around the mask. But FFP2 (FFP stands for 'filtering face piece') masks are much, much better. These high-performance masks are made of several layers of extremely dense fabrics that can filter out the tiniest viral particles. That's why they provide between five and ten times the respiratory protection than that of a cloth mask, while also providing significant protection to others. This has been proven in aerosol lab studies, in which they shoot blasts of gas through masks and measure how well they filter out microscopic particles. There are real-life examples, too. As we reported last week, a University of Cambridge study published in July suggested FFP3 masks provided 'most likely 100 per cent protection against infection on wards'. Study author Chris Illingworth, an infectious diseases expert, wrote: 'Once FFP3 masks were introduced, the number of cases attributed to exposure on Covid-19 wards dropped in fact, our model suggests FFP3 [masks] may have cut ward-based infection to zero.' As an aside, experts warn against masks with a circular filter on the side. These are designed to let your breath out unfiltered, so don't protect those around you. Alongside Germany, Austria and Italy also require FFP2 masks as a minimum, by law, in public now. But our mask mandate isn't specific. The Government website still says face coverings can be 'made of a material that you find comfortable and breathable, such as cotton'. FFP2 masks are more expensive roughly 1 per mask, versus 50p per surgical mask. But since we're all talking about the economic impact of people catching Covid and having to isolate, perhaps policymakers and businesses need to bite the bullet and give us masks that will really help remedy the problem. It comes down to this: if we're going to wear masks, can we at least have ones that really work? Ones that not only stop us giving someone Covid, but prevent us from getting it too. Champagne adds sparkle to any special occasion, but we like it best on your average weekday, paired with potato chips and friends. Toast to the weekend, the holidays, or whatever you fancy at San Francisco's best spots for a pop, clink, and fizz. Leo's Oyster Bar The Hideaway at Leo's. (Courtesy of Leo's Oyster Bar) From restaurateur Anna Weinberg, Leo's Oyster Bar not only has some of the most Instagram-worthy decor in town thanks to team Ken Fulk, but the florally fabulous FiDi spot is also home to a dazzling list of sparklers. Wash your oysters down with Paul Laurent Cuvee du Fondateur or Tattinger brut in the leafy front dining room or the delightfully tropical Hideaway at back. // 568 Sacramento St. (Financial District), leossf.com Ungrafted (Courtesy of @ungrafted_sf) Popped open at the beginning of 2019, Ungrafted is a casual urban wine bar and restaurant from a couple of sommeliers with a passion for Champagne. This translates into an incredible wine and sparkling list made for drinking any day of the weekthink bottles of Pierre Moncuit grand cru and Chapuy blanc de blancs. There are three bubbles available by the glass, poured alongside dishes like grilled octopus and hangar steak, not to mention three different types of caviar. Reservations are recommended for drinking and dining in; if you're loving what you're sipping, grab a few bottles to go. PS: Go for a toast to Black History MonthUngrafted is a Black-owned biz. // 2419 3rd St. (Dogpatch), ungraftedsf.com The Bump Bar at California Caviar Co. California Caviar founder Deborah Keane with Bump Bar's chef Callan Smith. (Courtesy of @californiacaviar) Where there's caviar, there must be Champagne. Just over the Golden Gate Bridge in Sausalito, find your way to The Bump Bar, a new spot from California Caviar Company that offers Champagne tasting flights as well as bottleslook for the likes of Pierre Gimonnet and Vilmart & Cie. Come hungry and enjoy a la carte and chef's tasting menus with Champagne pairings. // 1403 Bridgeway (Sausalito), californiacaviar.com High Treason (Courtesy of @hightreasonsf) This minimalist hi-fi bar in the Inner Richmond is a classy, cool place for an effervescent evening over glasses of bubbles and sweet vinyl tracks. High Treason has more than a dozen old and new world sparklers at surprisingly affordable prices, including Chateau Haut-Segottes Grand Cru and Krug Rose Brut Champagne. And because bubbles go with everything, the Caribbean eats from Unco Frank's Island Grindz pair perfectly. Join the Treasonous Wine Club to enjoy up to three bottles a month at home. // 443 Clement St (Inner Richmond), hightreasonsf.com San Francisco Champagne Society SFCS founder and director Bill Marci. (Courtesy of San Francisco Champagne Society) It almost sounds like a secret club, but the San Francisco Champagne Society is actually a reservation-only Champagne lounge where you can sample your way through different glasses of unique bubbly. Expect a private, guided experience from founder Bill Marci, who pours some of the rarest small-batch Champagnes produced (they specialize in small grower-producers who fill as few as 10,000 bottles each year). If you're limited on time, arrange for a Champagne pick up or delivery. // 1097 Howard St. (SoMa), sfchampagnesociety.com Avery (Courtesy of @avery_sf) If you're one to pair your bubbly with upscale eats, Avery is your spot. This fine dining restaurant in San Francisco offers a tasting menu each night focused on creative, seafood-centric American cuisine. For each meal, find a special menu of Champagne pairings available, thoughtfully curated to accentuate the food just so. // 1552 Fillmore St. (Fillmore), averysf.com Charmaine's (Courtesy of @sanfranciscoproper) We're pretty sure an amazing view automatically makes anything taste 100 times better, and Charmaine's has one of the city's best vantage points. On the rooftop of the Proper Hotel, the lounge also benefits from posh Kelly Wearstler design, as well as a selection of more than 10 sparklers including Dom Perignon and Veuve Clicquot Rose. // 1100 Market St. (Civic Center), properhotel.com Barbarossa Lounge (Courtesy of @barbarossa_lounge) Barbarossa is what many may remember as the Bubble Lounge. While the 1800s jailhouse turned cocktail bar has a new name (inspired by its criminal past), it still has all the sparkling delights of its predecessormore than two dozen bottles, Champagne tasting flights, and rare varietals. Sip a Dom Perignon 1996 Rose or Veuve Clicquot Rich. Oh yeah, and stop by for their $1 oysters, Champagne, and cocktails happy hour on Monday through Friday from 4pm to 7pm. // 714 Montgomery St. (Jackson Square), barbarossalounge.com Fool's Errand (Courtesy of @foolserrandsf) Fool's Errand checks all the boxes for what we want in a neighborhood wine bar. It's perfectly casual yet subtly sexy and the place can swing it for cozy meetups with friends or date nights. The wine list is tactfully curated, with bubblies like Domaine du Facteur Chenin Blanc and Marie-Courtin Blanc de Noir. // 639A Divisadero St. (NoPa), foolserrandsf.com Foreign Cinema (Courtesy of @foreigncinemasf) When you think of Foreign Cinema, you undoubtedly think of elegant Mediterranean-inspired food and the dreamy outdoor courtyard with movies quietly rolling each evening. Make sure you also file this under where to get your Champagne fix. You can choose from Champagnes by the glass, magnums (like Egly-Ouriet Brut), or one of their 40-plus bottles of sparkling including Salon Brut Blanc de Blancs or house-favorite Domaine Vouette et Sorbee Extra Brut. // 2534 Mission St. (Mission), foreigncinema.com Arlequin Wine Merchant (Courtesy of Arlequin Wine Merchant) Arlequin Wine Merchant is among Hayes Valley's most low-key gems. The well-rounded bottle shop always has a great selection of wine and Champagne. Purchase your bubbles and cozy up in a corner to enjoy them in-store, or pick up a bottle for a rainy day. Join their wine club to keep yourself in sparkling all year round. // 348A Hayes St. (Hayes Valley), arlequinwinemerchant.com Absinthe Brasserie & Bar (Courtesy of @absinthesf) Absinthe nails the French brasserie vibe, which means Champagne is a must. The mainstay restaurant offers French sparklers by the glass or bottleJ. Lassalle Premier Cru Brut and Maison Foucher Cremant Rose. Pair your bubbles with raw bar classics like oysters or Tsar Nicoulai white sturgeon caviar. // 398 Hayes St. (Hayes Valley), absinthe.com Secondary school pupils will be told to wear face masks from the moment they arrive until they leave when they return to classrooms this week. In a desperate effort to protect the education of millions of youngsters amid a sharp rise in cases of the Omicron variant, Ministers have requested that pupils cover their faces all day including while they are being taught. Students are already asked to wear masks in communal areas. Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi last night said he and Boris Johnson saw schools as their 'No 1 priority', adding that they wanted to 'do everything in our power to minimise disruption'. School teachers and pupils will have to wear masks when they return to the classroom next week under new guidance issued by the government UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. Figures are for England only today Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across England, up 83 per cent from the 84 recorded in the UK last week. Figures are for England only today The wearing of masks is not a legal requirement, but Ministers expect schools to follow the guidance, which also applies to teachers and support staff. The measures will be reviewed on January 26, with a Government source saying they 'will not be in place a minute longer than they need to be', and adding: 'It is obviously a better classroom experience without masks.' Ministers are braced for a 'big bang' of Omicron cases and staff shortages when students and teachers are tested for coronavirus this week. A substantial surge in either could see larger class sizes or a return to remote learning for some pupils. In London, where rates of Omicron are particularly high, parents have been warned that school closures cannot be ruled out. 'As a general rule, the more you test the more you are going to find Covid,' the source said. 'But the idea is that by containing it early, you stop the spread in schools.' Many MPs are opposed to online lessons given the damage already done to the education of millions of youngsters by successive lockdowns. Writing in The Mail on Sunday today, Conservative MP Robert Halfon, who chairs the Education Select Committee, says: 'Pupils do not need to take any more time off. Every day lost is another day that we are damaging children's lives.' As well as the new measures on masks, the Government is deploying 7,000 extra air-cleaning units across the education sector to improve ventilation and slow the spread of Omicron. The schools regulator Ofcom is also temporarily suspending inspections. Ministers fear there will be a massive increase in Omicron cases when children return to the classroom next week Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi last night said he and Boris Johnson saw schools as their 'No 1 priority', adding that they wanted to 'do everything in our power to minimise disruption' The moves came as: A daily record of 162,572 Covid cases was recorded in England, up 47.9 per cent on last Saturday. There were 1,915 hospital admissions, up almost 50 per cent week-on-week, and 154 deaths; Ministers rejected calls to cut the isolation period for those with Covid-19 from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious; The continued shortage of lateral flow tests sparked fears of staff shortages in schools and hospitals and travel chaos when Britain returns to work this week; Official figures show that 132 million coronavirus jabs were given last year, with more than 90 per cent of over-12s now having had at least one jab. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the figure was 'astounding and a true reflection of the fantastic work of our NHS and its volunteers'; The head of NHS Providers, which represents health trusts, said the next few days would be crucial in understanding the impact of Omicron and Ministers 'must be ready to introduce new restrictions at pace if they're needed'; As a dozen hospitals temporarily suspended routine visits, the British Medical Association said further public health measures should be urgently introduced. But analysis of official figures reveal that just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of coronavirus in late December; MPs called for action after health trusts reintroduced Covid restrictions which force pregnant women to attend scans and appointments alone; Thousands of revellers from Scotland and Wales, where tougher coronavirus restrictions are in place, crossed the border into England to welcome in the New Year; One in eight of those hospitalised with Omicron are from black communities, but studies suggest the variant does less damage to the lungs than previous strains; As the MoS discovered dangerous anti-vax propaganda on YouTube, a father whose pregnant daughter died after being persuaded by such material not to get jabbed urged the tech firm to step up its efforts. Teaching unions broadly welcomed the Government's move on masks. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: 'Reintroducing face masks in secondary classrooms appears to be a sensible move, given the circumstances.' Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said the decision was 'overdue' and urged Ministers to make it a 'requirement'. No 10 is understood to have ruled out a return of the 'bubble' system which saw entire classes and sometimes years sent home if a single pupil tested positive. 'That's all in the past. We want to carry on classroom teaching,' the source said. Given the prospect of staff shortages, Ministers have renewed efforts to lure retired teachers back to the classroom. A website through which former teachers can volunteer has received 30,000 visits and Tory MPs Jonathan Gullis and Caroline Ansell, both qualified teachers, have signed up. Teaching unions broadly welcomed the Government's move on masks. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: 'Reintroducing face masks in secondary classrooms appears to be a sensible move, given the circumstances' Prime Minister Boris Johnson, pictured, has been warned to expect a 'big bang' of Omicron cases in schools when they return next week. Teachers and support staff will also be required to wear masks. The measures will be reviewed on January 26 Tom Hunt, another Conservative MP who sits on the Education Select Committee, urged the Government to keep an open mind on reducing the isolation period from seven to five days, as countries including the US and Greece have done. 'Remote learning should not be on the table... It is mission-critical to keep schools open and keep kids physically in school. No stone should be left unturned,' he said. Mr Hunt also urged teaching unions to be 'constructive'. His call came as it emerged guidance issued by the NEU advised school leaders that teachers should only have to cover for colleagues on 'rare' occasions. Further guidance issued by the union before Christmas said: 'If you are asked to cover for a colleague who is off with Covid or any other absence greater than two days, you should refuse to do it.' Chris McGovern, the chairman of the Campaign For Real Education, said: 'This is educational sabotage. Teachers have a choice. 'The best and the bravest will continue to put their pupils first and they will be remembered for doing so.' Ministers say no to five-day Covid isolation: Fears rise that schools, hospitals and transport networks could grind to a halt as Government defies calls from business chiefs to follow the US' lead because up to 30% of sufferers 'would still be infectious' By Stephen Adams for the Mail on Sunday Ministers have rejected calls to reduce the isolation period for Covid sufferers from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious. Business leaders and some Tory MPs had urged Ministers to follow the lead of other countries, including the US and Greece, by cutting self-isolation for those showing no symptoms to five days. But a Government source told The Mail on Sunday that, while the option was discussed, it was rejected because so many people could still go on to infect others if released from self-isolation that early. Lateral flow tests have been ring-fenced for schools so they can open safely next week Commuters face significant disruption because of large numbers of train and bus workers forced to self-isolate leading to cancelled services It comes amid growing concern that lengthy self-isolation is harming vital services and the economy and with a growing row over the lack of access to lateral flow tests (LFTs). As millions prepared to return to work after the festive break, Labour accused the Government of failing to order sufficient numbers of LFTs, which are increasingly seen as essential to keep the country moving while minimising the threat from Omicron. Ministers insist hundreds of millions more LFTs will soon be available. Just before Christmas, self-isolation was reduced from ten to seven days as long as the individual is negative for Covid on two LFTs the first on day six and the second on day seven. Asked about the proposal for a further cut to five days, the Government source said: 'The data we have is that almost one in three people could still be infectious five days after testing positive with Omicron. It isn't thought it would be safe to cut self-isolation that far.' The decision differs from that taken in the US where the influential Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the move to halve self-isolation from ten to five days would 'ensure people can safely continue their daily lives'. To re-enter everyday life after five days, Americans must be symptom-free and wear a mask around others for a further five days. In Greece, Health Minister Thanos Plevris indicated that Omicron's relative mildness compared with previous variants lay behind its decision to cut the period of self-isolation. 'The evidence we have from Omicron is encouraging,' he said. Rather than solely rely on being symptom-free after five days, the UK Government could in theory require people to have two negative LFT results but move them forward to days four and five. The system is, however, self-policing and people who test negative on LFTs can still be infectious, as they are less sensitive than the gold-standard PCR tests. Another consideration would be the current poor availability of LFTs, with many pharmacies out of stock due to soaring demand. Isolation is also causing problems in hospitals with NHS staff forced to remain at home Last night, Labour's health spokesman Wes Streeting said Health Secretary Sajid Javid needed to 'pull his finger out' to ensure people had access to the tests. He added: 'Given how critical testing is going to be over the course of the coming months, the Government really does need to get an immediate grip on this. 'Testing is going to be vital to keep people working and keeping children at school. If families can't do that, because Ministers haven't got their act together, they will have a lot to answer for.' Around one million LFTs are being taken every day, twice as many as PCRs. When Omicron emerged in early December, health officials were adamant there would be enough supplies to meet higher demand. Mr Streeting said: 'The Health Secretary said before Christmas the challenge was distribution not supply, and there were plentiful stocks of tests in warehouses. 'But I think it's more likely the Government has simply underestimated demand, hasn't ordered enough tests, and doesn't want to 'fess up about it.' Ministers insist hundreds of millions of tests will soon be available and Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi says tests have been ringfenced for schools to ensure they can reopen safely this week. With Britain returning to work this week, commuters are also worried that Covid-related staff shortages will bring misery on trains. More than 20 rail companies have already reduced services or plan to do so as a result of Covid infections and self-isolation rules. NHS trusts 'could start cancelling ops as soon as next week' if Covid admissions keep rising, despite just ONE IN FORTY hospital staff being sick or isolating. Ministers set to defy calls to cut quarantine period to five days Modelling shown to ministers suggests hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for second time in as many days on Saturday Official figures show only 2.5 per cent of NHS workforce were off due to Covid Meanwhile absences from non-Covid sickness fell over the same time period However, the picture was varied between England's 138 NHS hospital trusts NHS trusts could start cancelling operations next week if Covid hospitalisations escalate significantly, hospital chiefs have warned. Modelling shown to ministers suggests that hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January, according to the Telegraph. However, the Government has rejected calls to reduce the isolation period for Covid sufferers from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious. The latest figures show 2,370 Covid admissions a day in England. Another doubling could exceed the peak reached last January, when there were 4,134 daily admissions. England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for the second time in as many days on Saturday, official statistics showed as ministers continued to avoid enforcing new restrictions. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. It is the highest total reported on a day in England ever, with 160,276 cases recorded yesterday. Meanwhile, just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of Covid late last month, official figures show. NHS trusts could start cancelling operations next week if Covid hospitalisations escalate significantly, hospital chiefs have warned. Modelling shown to ministers suggests that hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January (Pictured: An NHS health worker at a pop-up vaccination centre at Redbridge Town Hall, east London on December 25) Just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of Covid late last month, official figures show. While official figures show the number off with Covid did double in the run-up to Christmas , the virus has prevented only a small fraction of hospital staff from working. (File image) Recent media reports have been saturated with warnings that hospital services could collapse because so many staff are either off sick with the virus or having to self- isolate because of it. NHS England's medical director Professor Stephen Powis last week talked of the health service being on a 'war footing', a phrase since frequently repeated by broadcasters. But while official figures show the number off with Covid did double in the run-up to Christmas, the virus has prevented only a small fraction of hospital staff from working. On December 1, 12,508 staff at English hospitals were absent due to Covid-19 'either through sickness or self- isolation', according to data from NHS England. By Boxing Day, the latest day for which figures are available, that had almost doubled to 24,632. But with 983,000 working in NHS hospitals in England, according to official workforce statistics for 2021, it means that only 2.5 per cent of the workforce or one in 40 were off due to Covid towards the end of the month. Meanwhile, non-Covid sickness absences actually fell over the same period, from 47,628 on December 1 to 43,450 on Boxing Day. As a result, overall sickness-related absences among NHS hospital staff only rose by 13 per cent in December from 60,136 on the first of the month to 68,082 on December 26. Consequently, around 93 per cent of hospital staff were still fit and healthy from a work point of view at Christmas. However, the picture is varied between England's 138 NHS hospital trusts. Five reported overall sickness or self-isolation absences exceeding ten per cent on Boxing Day Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (12.2 per cent), Nottingham University Hospitals (12 per cent), Wirral University Teaching Hospitals (10.9 per cent), Warrington and Halton Hospitals (10.8 per cent) and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (10.1 per cent). All had higher than average Covid-related absences. Taking Covid-related absences alone, three had rates of over five per cent on Boxing Day Homerton University Hospital in London (7.1 per cent), Royal United Hospitals Bath (6.9 per cent) and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (6.7 per cent). But nine reported Covid-related absences of less than one per cent of their workforce on December 26. The Times reported that more than 110,000 of all NHS staff - nearly one in 10 - were absent on New Year's Eve, of whom 50,000 were at home sick or self-isolating. Meanwhile, Boris Johnson has ordered a blueprint to be drawn up to deal with up to 300,000 Covid-related staff absences across the NHS, according to the Sun. The PM has tasked ministers with developing 'robust contingency plans' for workplace absences as the Government acknowledged high Covid levels could hit businesses hard over the coming weeks. Public sector leaders have been asked to prepare for a worst case scenario of up to a quarter of staff off work as the virus continues to sweep across the country, the Cabinet Office said. Steve Barclay, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, is chairing 'regular meetings' with ministers to assess how the highly transmissible Omicron variant is affecting workforces and supply chains. He is also keeping close tabs on the situation in schools ahead of pupils returning for the new term. The department said Mr Johnson has charged ministers with working with their respective sectors to test preparations and contingency plans to limit disruption from mounting Covid infections. It acknowledged that, despite the accelerated booster programme, high Covid levels and the increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant could mean businesses and public services face further disruption in the weeks to come. Covid infections in England hit record 162,572 with another 154 deaths after revellers partied into 2022 without restrictions as Sajid Javid reveals tighter rules are unlikely - while Scots fear party-goers will bring virus back with them over the border UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours in England Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across the nation, up 83 per cent in a week Figures were not available for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and hospitalisation data was not updated England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for the second time in as many days today, official statistics showed as ministers continued to avoid enforcing new restrictions. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. It is the highest total reported on a day in England ever, with 160,276 cases recorded yesterday. Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across the nation, up 83 per cent from the 84 recorded in the UK last week. Figures were not available for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland because of differences in reporting schedules over the New Year weekend. Hospitalisation data was also not updated. The figures come after millions of Britons partied into 2022 at late night venues across restriction-free England on New Year's Eve, with thousands coming from Scotland - where measures such as table service in bars and no nightclubs prompted them to seek entertainment on the far side of the River Tweed. Revellers joined boozy celebrations from Newcastle to Portsmouth and Manchester to Brighton on the final day of 2021 as they ignored the threat from Omicron and marked the end of a tumultuous 12 months. Partygoers packed into pubs, bars and clubs until the early hours of the morning despite heightened fears about the spread of the Covid after the UK recorded 189,846 new cases yesterday and 203 deaths. The Office for National Statistics reported an estimated 2.3million people in the UK had the virus in the week ending December 23, setting another pandemic record. But in a fresh boost for the nation's businesses, Health Secretary Sajid Javid hinted tighter restrictions on our everyday lives remain unlikely as he implored the nation to 'try to live' alongside the virus. However, the mass arrivals from north of the English border prompted some Scots to worry on social media that returning revellers would bring coronavirus back with them. One said that those who had taken part in celebrations in England would 'spread further infection around Scotland'. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. Health Secretary Sajid Javid, pictured, hinted that no fresh restrictions would come into force in England as he said Britons will have to get used to living with Covid Pictures taken in Edinburgh and Glasgow showed the extent of the exodus to Newcastle, while in Bristol, bars and clubs were packed with Welsh people. Empty chairs were piled up outside bars and restaurants in Glasgow's usually bustling Merchant City district, while sparse crowds of shoppers were seen along the iconic Royal Mile. Though, around 1,000 people made the annual pilgrimage up Calton Hill in Edinburgh for the stroke of midnight where they were greeted by a lone piper. In Newcastle, pubs filled up with eager revellers including groups of Scottish 'Covid refugees' who declared themselves 'fed up' with the tough rules in Scotland. Josh Urquart, Dean Heggie, Campbell McLean and Jamie had kicked off the celebrations early yesterday in a pub where they sat next to a Saltire. Dylan Neill and Alex Cairns, both 18, had travelled from Fife with a group of pals who were checking in at their hotel in the city centre at around 1pm. College student Dylan said: 'We can't go out properly back home so we've come to Newcastle for a night out. It's something different. 'It's not ideal having these restrictions in place at New Year. If we'd stayed in Scotland we might have ended up sitting at somebody's house. Now we've come here we'll be able to go out properly.' Meanwhile, Alex, who also goes to college, was frustrated by the local restrictions preventing him and his friends from hitting the town at home. He said: 'We're fed up now with the rules at our local. Everyone in Newcastle would be fed up with it too if they were in place here. 'We plan on going to the nightclub Tup Tup later but not sure where before that. Some of us have been here before but some never have. We're looking forward to going out.' A third friend, who didn't want to be named, said: 'We're fed up of Nicola Sturgeon putting in these restrictions. That's why we're happy to be in Newcastle where we can go out and have fun.' One Scot who was concerned about the potential for revellers to bring Covid-19 back with them said on Twitter that they risked 'bringing further infection back to Scotland'. They added: 'we all know there could be another variant' of the virus. But some people in England also complained about Scots coming in their droves to Scotland. One said they would be 'having an early night' whilst Scots were 'spreading covid in my region'. Another said they had 'no thought' for people currently ill with the virus. Secondary school pupils will be told to wear face masks from the moment they arrive until they leave when they return to classrooms this week. In a desperate effort to protect the education of millions of youngsters amid a sharp rise in cases of the Omicron variant, Ministers have requested that pupils cover their faces all day including while they are being taught. Students are already asked to wear masks in communal areas. Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi last night said he and Boris Johnson saw schools as their 'No 1 priority', adding that they wanted to 'do everything in our power to minimise disruption'. School teachers and pupils will have to wear masks when they return to the classroom next week under new guidance issued by the government UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. Figures are for England only today Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across England, up 83 per cent from the 84 recorded in the UK last week. Figures are for England only today The wearing of masks is not a legal requirement, but Ministers expect schools to follow the guidance, which also applies to teachers and support staff. The measures will be reviewed on January 26, with a Government source saying they 'will not be in place a minute longer than they need to be', and adding: 'It is obviously a better classroom experience without masks.' Ministers are braced for a 'big bang' of Omicron cases and staff shortages when students and teachers are tested for coronavirus this week. A substantial surge in either could see larger class sizes or a return to remote learning for some pupils. In London, where rates of Omicron are particularly high, parents have been warned that school closures cannot be ruled out. 'As a general rule, the more you test the more you are going to find Covid,' the source said. 'But the idea is that by containing it early, you stop the spread in schools.' Many MPs are opposed to online lessons given the damage already done to the education of millions of youngsters by successive lockdowns. Writing in The Mail on Sunday today, Conservative MP Robert Halfon, who chairs the Education Select Committee, says: 'Pupils do not need to take any more time off. Every day lost is another day that we are damaging children's lives.' As well as the new measures on masks, the Government is deploying 7,000 extra air-cleaning units across the education sector to improve ventilation and slow the spread of Omicron. The schools regulator Ofcom is also temporarily suspending inspections. Ministers fear there will be a massive increase in Omicron cases when children return to the classroom next week Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi last night said he and Boris Johnson saw schools as their 'No 1 priority', adding that they wanted to 'do everything in our power to minimise disruption' The moves came as: A daily record of 162,572 Covid cases was recorded in England, up 47.9 per cent on last Saturday. There were 1,915 hospital admissions, up almost 50 per cent week-on-week, and 154 deaths; Ministers rejected calls to cut the isolation period for those with Covid-19 from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious; The continued shortage of lateral flow tests sparked fears of staff shortages in schools and hospitals and travel chaos when Britain returns to work this week; Official figures show that 132 million coronavirus jabs were given last year, with more than 90 per cent of over-12s now having had at least one jab. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the figure was 'astounding and a true reflection of the fantastic work of our NHS and its volunteers'; The head of NHS Providers, which represents health trusts, said the next few days would be crucial in understanding the impact of Omicron and Ministers 'must be ready to introduce new restrictions at pace if they're needed'; As a dozen hospitals temporarily suspended routine visits, the British Medical Association said further public health measures should be urgently introduced. But analysis of official figures reveal that just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of coronavirus in late December; MPs called for action after health trusts reintroduced Covid restrictions which force pregnant women to attend scans and appointments alone; Thousands of revellers from Scotland and Wales, where tougher coronavirus restrictions are in place, crossed the border into England to welcome in the New Year; One in eight of those hospitalised with Omicron are from black communities, but studies suggest the variant does less damage to the lungs than previous strains; As the MoS discovered dangerous anti-vax propaganda on YouTube, a father whose pregnant daughter died after being persuaded by such material not to get jabbed urged the tech firm to step up its efforts. Teaching unions broadly welcomed the Government's move on masks. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: 'Reintroducing face masks in secondary classrooms appears to be a sensible move, given the circumstances.' Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said the decision was 'overdue' and urged Ministers to make it a 'requirement'. No 10 is understood to have ruled out a return of the 'bubble' system which saw entire classes and sometimes years sent home if a single pupil tested positive. 'That's all in the past. We want to carry on classroom teaching,' the source said. Given the prospect of staff shortages, Ministers have renewed efforts to lure retired teachers back to the classroom. A website through which former teachers can volunteer has received 30,000 visits and Tory MPs Jonathan Gullis and Caroline Ansell, both qualified teachers, have signed up. Teaching unions broadly welcomed the Government's move on masks. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: 'Reintroducing face masks in secondary classrooms appears to be a sensible move, given the circumstances' Prime Minister Boris Johnson, pictured, has been warned to expect a 'big bang' of Omicron cases in schools when they return next week. Teachers and support staff will also be required to wear masks. The measures will be reviewed on January 26 Tom Hunt, another Conservative MP who sits on the Education Select Committee, urged the Government to keep an open mind on reducing the isolation period from seven to five days, as countries including the US and Greece have done. 'Remote learning should not be on the table... It is mission-critical to keep schools open and keep kids physically in school. No stone should be left unturned,' he said. Mr Hunt also urged teaching unions to be 'constructive'. His call came as it emerged guidance issued by the NEU advised school leaders that teachers should only have to cover for colleagues on 'rare' occasions. Further guidance issued by the union before Christmas said: 'If you are asked to cover for a colleague who is off with Covid or any other absence greater than two days, you should refuse to do it.' Chris McGovern, the chairman of the Campaign For Real Education, said: 'This is educational sabotage. Teachers have a choice. 'The best and the bravest will continue to put their pupils first and they will be remembered for doing so.' Ministers say no to five-day Covid isolation: Fears rise that schools, hospitals and transport networks could grind to a halt as Government defies calls from business chiefs to follow the US' lead because up to 30% of sufferers 'would still be infectious' By Stephen Adams for the Mail on Sunday Ministers have rejected calls to reduce the isolation period for Covid sufferers from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious. Business leaders and some Tory MPs had urged Ministers to follow the lead of other countries, including the US and Greece, by cutting self-isolation for those showing no symptoms to five days. But a Government source told The Mail on Sunday that, while the option was discussed, it was rejected because so many people could still go on to infect others if released from self-isolation that early. Lateral flow tests have been ring-fenced for schools so they can open safely next week Commuters face significant disruption because of large numbers of train and bus workers forced to self-isolate leading to cancelled services It comes amid growing concern that lengthy self-isolation is harming vital services and the economy and with a growing row over the lack of access to lateral flow tests (LFTs). As millions prepared to return to work after the festive break, Labour accused the Government of failing to order sufficient numbers of LFTs, which are increasingly seen as essential to keep the country moving while minimising the threat from Omicron. Ministers insist hundreds of millions more LFTs will soon be available. Just before Christmas, self-isolation was reduced from ten to seven days as long as the individual is negative for Covid on two LFTs the first on day six and the second on day seven. Asked about the proposal for a further cut to five days, the Government source said: 'The data we have is that almost one in three people could still be infectious five days after testing positive with Omicron. It isn't thought it would be safe to cut self-isolation that far.' The decision differs from that taken in the US where the influential Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the move to halve self-isolation from ten to five days would 'ensure people can safely continue their daily lives'. To re-enter everyday life after five days, Americans must be symptom-free and wear a mask around others for a further five days. In Greece, Health Minister Thanos Plevris indicated that Omicron's relative mildness compared with previous variants lay behind its decision to cut the period of self-isolation. 'The evidence we have from Omicron is encouraging,' he said. Rather than solely rely on being symptom-free after five days, the UK Government could in theory require people to have two negative LFT results but move them forward to days four and five. The system is, however, self-policing and people who test negative on LFTs can still be infectious, as they are less sensitive than the gold-standard PCR tests. Another consideration would be the current poor availability of LFTs, with many pharmacies out of stock due to soaring demand. Isolation is also causing problems in hospitals with NHS staff forced to remain at home Last night, Labour's health spokesman Wes Streeting said Health Secretary Sajid Javid needed to 'pull his finger out' to ensure people had access to the tests. He added: 'Given how critical testing is going to be over the course of the coming months, the Government really does need to get an immediate grip on this. 'Testing is going to be vital to keep people working and keeping children at school. If families can't do that, because Ministers haven't got their act together, they will have a lot to answer for.' Around one million LFTs are being taken every day, twice as many as PCRs. When Omicron emerged in early December, health officials were adamant there would be enough supplies to meet higher demand. Mr Streeting said: 'The Health Secretary said before Christmas the challenge was distribution not supply, and there were plentiful stocks of tests in warehouses. 'But I think it's more likely the Government has simply underestimated demand, hasn't ordered enough tests, and doesn't want to 'fess up about it.' Ministers insist hundreds of millions of tests will soon be available and Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi says tests have been ringfenced for schools to ensure they can reopen safely this week. With Britain returning to work this week, commuters are also worried that Covid-related staff shortages will bring misery on trains. More than 20 rail companies have already reduced services or plan to do so as a result of Covid infections and self-isolation rules. NHS trusts 'could start cancelling ops as soon as next week' if Covid admissions keep rising, despite just ONE IN FORTY hospital staff being sick or isolating. Ministers set to defy calls to cut quarantine period to five days Modelling shown to ministers suggests hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for second time in as many days on Saturday Official figures show only 2.5 per cent of NHS workforce were off due to Covid Meanwhile absences from non-Covid sickness fell over the same time period However, the picture was varied between England's 138 NHS hospital trusts NHS trusts could start cancelling operations next week if Covid hospitalisations escalate significantly, hospital chiefs have warned. Modelling shown to ministers suggests that hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January, according to the Telegraph. However, the Government has rejected calls to reduce the isolation period for Covid sufferers from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious. The latest figures show 2,370 Covid admissions a day in England. Another doubling could exceed the peak reached last January, when there were 4,134 daily admissions. England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for the second time in as many days on Saturday, official statistics showed as ministers continued to avoid enforcing new restrictions. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. It is the highest total reported on a day in England ever, with 160,276 cases recorded yesterday. Meanwhile, just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of Covid late last month, official figures show. NHS trusts could start cancelling operations next week if Covid hospitalisations escalate significantly, hospital chiefs have warned. Modelling shown to ministers suggests that hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January (Pictured: An NHS health worker at a pop-up vaccination centre at Redbridge Town Hall, east London on December 25) Just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of Covid late last month, official figures show. While official figures show the number off with Covid did double in the run-up to Christmas , the virus has prevented only a small fraction of hospital staff from working. (File image) Recent media reports have been saturated with warnings that hospital services could collapse because so many staff are either off sick with the virus or having to self- isolate because of it. NHS England's medical director Professor Stephen Powis last week talked of the health service being on a 'war footing', a phrase since frequently repeated by broadcasters. But while official figures show the number off with Covid did double in the run-up to Christmas, the virus has prevented only a small fraction of hospital staff from working. On December 1, 12,508 staff at English hospitals were absent due to Covid-19 'either through sickness or self- isolation', according to data from NHS England. By Boxing Day, the latest day for which figures are available, that had almost doubled to 24,632. But with 983,000 working in NHS hospitals in England, according to official workforce statistics for 2021, it means that only 2.5 per cent of the workforce or one in 40 were off due to Covid towards the end of the month. Meanwhile, non-Covid sickness absences actually fell over the same period, from 47,628 on December 1 to 43,450 on Boxing Day. As a result, overall sickness-related absences among NHS hospital staff only rose by 13 per cent in December from 60,136 on the first of the month to 68,082 on December 26. Consequently, around 93 per cent of hospital staff were still fit and healthy from a work point of view at Christmas. However, the picture is varied between England's 138 NHS hospital trusts. Five reported overall sickness or self-isolation absences exceeding ten per cent on Boxing Day Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (12.2 per cent), Nottingham University Hospitals (12 per cent), Wirral University Teaching Hospitals (10.9 per cent), Warrington and Halton Hospitals (10.8 per cent) and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (10.1 per cent). All had higher than average Covid-related absences. Taking Covid-related absences alone, three had rates of over five per cent on Boxing Day Homerton University Hospital in London (7.1 per cent), Royal United Hospitals Bath (6.9 per cent) and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (6.7 per cent). But nine reported Covid-related absences of less than one per cent of their workforce on December 26. The Times reported that more than 110,000 of all NHS staff - nearly one in 10 - were absent on New Year's Eve, of whom 50,000 were at home sick or self-isolating. Meanwhile, Boris Johnson has ordered a blueprint to be drawn up to deal with up to 300,000 Covid-related staff absences across the NHS, according to the Sun. The PM has tasked ministers with developing 'robust contingency plans' for workplace absences as the Government acknowledged high Covid levels could hit businesses hard over the coming weeks. Public sector leaders have been asked to prepare for a worst case scenario of up to a quarter of staff off work as the virus continues to sweep across the country, the Cabinet Office said. Steve Barclay, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, is chairing 'regular meetings' with ministers to assess how the highly transmissible Omicron variant is affecting workforces and supply chains. He is also keeping close tabs on the situation in schools ahead of pupils returning for the new term. The department said Mr Johnson has charged ministers with working with their respective sectors to test preparations and contingency plans to limit disruption from mounting Covid infections. It acknowledged that, despite the accelerated booster programme, high Covid levels and the increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant could mean businesses and public services face further disruption in the weeks to come. Covid infections in England hit record 162,572 with another 154 deaths after revellers partied into 2022 without restrictions as Sajid Javid reveals tighter rules are unlikely - while Scots fear party-goers will bring virus back with them over the border UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours in England Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across the nation, up 83 per cent in a week Figures were not available for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and hospitalisation data was not updated England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for the second time in as many days today, official statistics showed as ministers continued to avoid enforcing new restrictions. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. It is the highest total reported on a day in England ever, with 160,276 cases recorded yesterday. Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across the nation, up 83 per cent from the 84 recorded in the UK last week. Figures were not available for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland because of differences in reporting schedules over the New Year weekend. Hospitalisation data was also not updated. The figures come after millions of Britons partied into 2022 at late night venues across restriction-free England on New Year's Eve, with thousands coming from Scotland - where measures such as table service in bars and no nightclubs prompted them to seek entertainment on the far side of the River Tweed. Revellers joined boozy celebrations from Newcastle to Portsmouth and Manchester to Brighton on the final day of 2021 as they ignored the threat from Omicron and marked the end of a tumultuous 12 months. Partygoers packed into pubs, bars and clubs until the early hours of the morning despite heightened fears about the spread of the Covid after the UK recorded 189,846 new cases yesterday and 203 deaths. The Office for National Statistics reported an estimated 2.3million people in the UK had the virus in the week ending December 23, setting another pandemic record. But in a fresh boost for the nation's businesses, Health Secretary Sajid Javid hinted tighter restrictions on our everyday lives remain unlikely as he implored the nation to 'try to live' alongside the virus. However, the mass arrivals from north of the English border prompted some Scots to worry on social media that returning revellers would bring coronavirus back with them. One said that those who had taken part in celebrations in England would 'spread further infection around Scotland'. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. Health Secretary Sajid Javid, pictured, hinted that no fresh restrictions would come into force in England as he said Britons will have to get used to living with Covid Pictures taken in Edinburgh and Glasgow showed the extent of the exodus to Newcastle, while in Bristol, bars and clubs were packed with Welsh people. Empty chairs were piled up outside bars and restaurants in Glasgow's usually bustling Merchant City district, while sparse crowds of shoppers were seen along the iconic Royal Mile. Though, around 1,000 people made the annual pilgrimage up Calton Hill in Edinburgh for the stroke of midnight where they were greeted by a lone piper. In Newcastle, pubs filled up with eager revellers including groups of Scottish 'Covid refugees' who declared themselves 'fed up' with the tough rules in Scotland. Josh Urquart, Dean Heggie, Campbell McLean and Jamie had kicked off the celebrations early yesterday in a pub where they sat next to a Saltire. Dylan Neill and Alex Cairns, both 18, had travelled from Fife with a group of pals who were checking in at their hotel in the city centre at around 1pm. College student Dylan said: 'We can't go out properly back home so we've come to Newcastle for a night out. It's something different. 'It's not ideal having these restrictions in place at New Year. If we'd stayed in Scotland we might have ended up sitting at somebody's house. Now we've come here we'll be able to go out properly.' Meanwhile, Alex, who also goes to college, was frustrated by the local restrictions preventing him and his friends from hitting the town at home. He said: 'We're fed up now with the rules at our local. Everyone in Newcastle would be fed up with it too if they were in place here. 'We plan on going to the nightclub Tup Tup later but not sure where before that. Some of us have been here before but some never have. We're looking forward to going out.' A third friend, who didn't want to be named, said: 'We're fed up of Nicola Sturgeon putting in these restrictions. That's why we're happy to be in Newcastle where we can go out and have fun.' One Scot who was concerned about the potential for revellers to bring Covid-19 back with them said on Twitter that they risked 'bringing further infection back to Scotland'. They added: 'we all know there could be another variant' of the virus. But some people in England also complained about Scots coming in their droves to Scotland. One said they would be 'having an early night' whilst Scots were 'spreading covid in my region'. Another said they had 'no thought' for people currently ill with the virus. The most senior clergyman in the British Army has revealed that mental scars from the Iraq War left him in 'the valley of the shadow of death, a place of utter desolation' for years after returning from the war zone. Clinton Langston, the outgoing chaplain-general of the Army, said he became 'sick with fear' after writing letters to his wife and children that were to be opened in the event of his death during a six-month deployment in 2004. He said: 'Another fear began to emerge, that the fear of losing my family would stop me from caring for my soldiers. 'That instead of risking my life going out and about to visit them in their bases, I would seek out places of relative safety and so give myself the best chance of returning home safely.' Clinton Langston, the most senior clergyman in the British Army has revealed that mental scars from the Iraq War left him in 'the valley of the shadow of death, a place of utter desolation' for years after returning from the war zone More than 10,000 troops have been discharged because of mental health problems over the past 20 years, according to official figures. Another 500 quit last year after being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and other disorders. In a bid to tackle the issue, the Army has launched a 220 million mental health initiative, including a 24-hour helpline for troops following a campaign by The Mail on Sunday. Padre Langston said he decided 'to do my best for my soldiers', but in order to do so 'had to dial down all my emotional connections to my family'. The 59-year-old added: 'I remember getting on the aircraft into theatre [the war zone] and deciding I had already died, because then I would have no feelings and no fear. 'I returned home six months later. Both the immediate days after and the years since have been dominated by my inability to dial my emotions back up. More than 10,000 troops have been discharged because of mental health problems over the past 20 years, according to official figures. Above: British troops in Basra, Iraq, in 2004 'I have remained, as have so many of our soldiers, in the valley of the shadow of death a place of utter desolation where our shadows yearn to feel and love and live again but where our families find only the shell of who we were.' Padre Langston, who also served tours in Bosnia and Northern Ireland and is set to retire in May, made the candid remarks during the Thought For The Day segment on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, which was guest-edited by General Sir Nick Carter, the UK's former Chief of the Defence Staff. He said the biblical story of Jesus bringing his friend Lazarus back from the dead had helped him to believe that 'it's OK to live again, but it's a long road'. He went on: 'I know this experience of trauma and halting recovery is shared by countless people beyond the military, who have faced physical or emotional trauma, who feel condemned to a lifeless existence as they seek to numb the pain of what is and what might be. 'But maybe, as we turn in to this New Year, we can all find ways to reconnect and to escape the tombs and shrouds that imprison us, holding once more the hands that want us to live again.' Nobody in their right mind really wants to wear a mask. I know I don't. Don't get me wrong, I don't feel suffocated or dehumanised or particularly put-upon having to. I often forget I've got one on. It's just a bit of a faff and I'd rather not. But simple etiquette aside, in many places we have to wear them by law or face a fine. And in many others we're simply asked to, so of course I do. Most of us do. Even after mask mandates were dropped in July last year (they were reintroduced in December, when Omicron hit), more than half of Britons still wore them in many situations, out of choice. Was it necessary? Well, in January 2021, at the peak of our second wave, one in 50 people had Covid. Numbers fell and rose again, and by October it was one in 50 again, across the whole of England. Numbers were higher in certain hotspots. It's now one in 25 in England, which is a startling figure. The chances of coming into close contact with someone carrying the virus while going about your day was high back then, and now it's pretty much inevitable. BARNEY CALMAN: Some types of mask are vastly superior namely, FFP2 masks (pictured), the ones that look like a beak. But, unfortunately, they're not the kind most people are wearing So wearing a mask, which has been shown to help reduce transmission, makes sense in certain situations. Which leads us on to the thorny, and surprisingly complex, subject: 'Do masks actually work or not?' The short answer is yes, they do. Masks can block viral particles coming in and out. It's been shown in many studies now and to argue otherwise is to wilfully ignore the evidence. But, there are those generally not people I'd go to for medical or scientific advice, perhaps who say they don't. I recently saw a truly surreal clip on YouTube, in which Covid denier Piers Corbyn, brother of ex-Labour leader Jeremy, and a rag-tag bunch of followers were singing 'Wearing a mask is like trying to keep a fart in your trousers', over and over, while walking (maskless) through a London Tube train. Of course, they're quite mad. But I can see how, in theory, this might seem like a fair (if slightly infantile) thought: if Covid is like smoke, coming out of our mouths and noses, what's a flimsy bit of fabric going to do to stop it? And, actually, the doubters have a point. Some types of mask are vastly superior namely, FFP2 masks, the ones that look like a beak. But, unfortunately, they're not the kind most people are wearing. The problem is, the differences and relative benefits have just not been made clear by our health chiefs. In all honesty, until recently after a holiday in the south of Germany, where people are required by law to wear FFP2 masks I didn't know how stark the differences were, either. BARNEY CALMAN: A typical cloth mask provides only about 30 to 60 per cent protection to the wearer, according to research. Surgical masks (pictured) those blue pleated ones commonly worn in the UK while better, at 40 to 80 per cent, lack a tight fit to the face Back in April 2020 what feels like a lifetime ago The Mail on Sunday was the first mainstream newspaper to suggest mask-wearing might be a good idea. At the time, officials were claiming the public didn't need to. Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty had said: 'Wearing a mask if you don't have an infection reduces the risk almost not at all. So we do not advise that.' Instead, guidance revolved around washing our hands while singing Happy Birthday. When Covid hit, there was the idea that it could be picked up from surfaces. Someone infected could cough or sneeze and spray virus-laden droplets on to surfaces. Transmission occurred when we came into contact with them. An NHS ad depicted the virus as dayglo paint smeared over door handles and a coffee cup. If this were true (it's not, we now know), then hand-washing would be prudent. What do you think about masks? We want to hear your story. Get in touch by email at health@mailonsunday.co.uk Advertisement There was also justifiable concern that, should everyone rush out to purchase medical masks, there wouldn't be any for doctors and nurses. PPE was in dangerously short supply as it was, back then. What changed? Firstly, it became apparent that Covid was spread through people who were infected but didn't know they had it. If everyone started wearing masks, scientists knew it would be an effective way of reducing this sort of transmission. The Mail on Sunday's GP columnist Dr Ellie Cannon was so concerned that she broke ranks to suggest that people shouldn't wait for guidance, but should just wear one. She even gave a method for making a mask from a cut-up and folded T-shirt, which the US Surgeon General was recommending. Ellie was later invited by the Government to help promote mask-wearing when it was finally mandated in July that year. Since then, we've learnt even more namely, while better than nothing, cloth face masks are not a great option. They're are moderately effective at capturing particles coming out of your own mouth in science lingo, it's called 'source control'. So they do help a bit. But they offer little 'respiratory protection' to the wearer. Covid isn't mainly spread by droplets but through particles in the air, and this is why the fit and quality of a mask is vital when it comes to stopping the virus getting in. A typical cloth mask provides only about 30 to 60 per cent protection to the wearer, according to research. A health worker adjusts her FFP2 mask prior to entering the intensive care unit for patients infected with Covid-19 at the Pourtales hospital in Neuchatel, western Switzerland, on December 21, 2021 Surgical masks those blue pleated ones commonly worn in the UK while better, at 40 to 80 per cent, lack a tight fit to the face. This results in large amounts of leakage around the mask. But FFP2 (FFP stands for 'filtering face piece') masks are much, much better. These high-performance masks are made of several layers of extremely dense fabrics that can filter out the tiniest viral particles. That's why they provide between five and ten times the respiratory protection than that of a cloth mask, while also providing significant protection to others. This has been proven in aerosol lab studies, in which they shoot blasts of gas through masks and measure how well they filter out microscopic particles. There are real-life examples, too. As we reported last week, a University of Cambridge study published in July suggested FFP3 masks provided 'most likely 100 per cent protection against infection on wards'. Study author Chris Illingworth, an infectious diseases expert, wrote: 'Once FFP3 masks were introduced, the number of cases attributed to exposure on Covid-19 wards dropped in fact, our model suggests FFP3 [masks] may have cut ward-based infection to zero.' As an aside, experts warn against masks with a circular filter on the side. These are designed to let your breath out unfiltered, so don't protect those around you. Alongside Germany, Austria and Italy also require FFP2 masks as a minimum, by law, in public now. But our mask mandate isn't specific. The Government website still says face coverings can be 'made of a material that you find comfortable and breathable, such as cotton'. FFP2 masks are more expensive roughly 1 per mask, versus 50p per surgical mask. But since we're all talking about the economic impact of people catching Covid and having to isolate, perhaps policymakers and businesses need to bite the bullet and give us masks that will really help remedy the problem. It comes down to this: if we're going to wear masks, can we at least have ones that really work? Ones that not only stop us giving someone Covid, but prevent us from getting it too. Amidst the strong demand to repeal the Armed Forces (Special Power) Act from the entire northeastern region, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that some "rationalisation" regarding the contentious act is expected in the new year. He said that the Army, which deployed in the disturbed areas under the AFSPA, has virtually withdrawn from Assam, except for five-six districts and when the current term of the AFSPA end after four months, the state government would take a "pragmatic decision" in consultation with the Union Home Ministry. "A dynamic situation is now prevailing in Assam. Some rationalisation will be seen on AFSPA in 2022," Sarma told the media. The AFSPA was enforced in Assam in November 1990 and has been extended every six months. He said that the Centre has formed a high-powered committee to look into the demand about the AFSPA in Nagaland and in the next 45 days, some positive development is expected. A vociferous agitations by almost all political parties, NGOs and Naga civil society organisations are going on in Nagaland to repeal the AFSPA after 14 people were killed and 30 other injured by the security forces in its Mon district. The Chief Minister claimed that militancy was on the wane in Assam, with all tribal militant groups already coming forward for talks and depositing their arms and ammunition. "The ULFA-I (United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent) has shown a positive attitude. There has been no conflict between the ULFA-I and the security forces during the past eight months. The demand for sovereignty remained the main hurdle to take forward the talks with ULFA-I," he said. Sarma also said that with the initiatives of the civil society and tribal organisations, specially the students' organisation, the tribal insurgency in Assam is almost over. "Paresh Barua (self-styled ULFA-I Commander-in-Chief) has been in the jungle since 1982. He is very positive about negotiating with the government. The Government of India and Assam government also shown very positive attitude towards the ULFA-I," the Chief Minister said. --IANS sc/vd ( 353 Words) 2022-01-01-22:08:03 (IANS) Speaking to ANI, BSF Commandant Ratnesh Kumar, 120 battalions said, "Whenever there's VVIP movement, alertness is increased to ensure that there is no untoward incident. Patrolling has also increased in the areas." Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Tripura on January 4 to inaugurate the new terminal building of Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in Agartala, official sources said. Sources in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also said that the Prime Minister will address a public gathering at Swami Vivekananda Stadium in Agartala. With the inauguration of the new terminal building, the Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport is about to introduce itself to the list of international airports. (ANI) Champagne adds sparkle to any special occasion, but we like it best on your average weekday, paired with potato chips and friends. Toast to the weekend, the holidays, or whatever you fancy at San Francisco's best spots for a pop, clink, and fizz. Leo's Oyster Bar The Hideaway at Leo's. (Courtesy of Leo's Oyster Bar) From restaurateur Anna Weinberg, Leo's Oyster Bar not only has some of the most Instagram-worthy decor in town thanks to team Ken Fulk, but the florally fabulous FiDi spot is also home to a dazzling list of sparklers. Wash your oysters down with Paul Laurent Cuvee du Fondateur or Tattinger brut in the leafy front dining room or the delightfully tropical Hideaway at back. // 568 Sacramento St. (Financial District), leossf.com Ungrafted (Courtesy of @ungrafted_sf) Popped open at the beginning of 2019, Ungrafted is a casual urban wine bar and restaurant from a couple of sommeliers with a passion for Champagne. This translates into an incredible wine and sparkling list made for drinking any day of the weekthink bottles of Pierre Moncuit grand cru and Chapuy blanc de blancs. There are three bubbles available by the glass, poured alongside dishes like grilled octopus and hangar steak, not to mention three different types of caviar. Reservations are recommended for drinking and dining in; if you're loving what you're sipping, grab a few bottles to go. PS: Go for a toast to Black History MonthUngrafted is a Black-owned biz. // 2419 3rd St. (Dogpatch), ungraftedsf.com The Bump Bar at California Caviar Co. California Caviar founder Deborah Keane with Bump Bar's chef Callan Smith. (Courtesy of @californiacaviar) Where there's caviar, there must be Champagne. Just over the Golden Gate Bridge in Sausalito, find your way to The Bump Bar, a new spot from California Caviar Company that offers Champagne tasting flights as well as bottleslook for the likes of Pierre Gimonnet and Vilmart & Cie. Come hungry and enjoy a la carte and chef's tasting menus with Champagne pairings. // 1403 Bridgeway (Sausalito), californiacaviar.com High Treason (Courtesy of @hightreasonsf) This minimalist hi-fi bar in the Inner Richmond is a classy, cool place for an effervescent evening over glasses of bubbles and sweet vinyl tracks. High Treason has more than a dozen old and new world sparklers at surprisingly affordable prices, including Chateau Haut-Segottes Grand Cru and Krug Rose Brut Champagne. And because bubbles go with everything, the Caribbean eats from Unco Frank's Island Grindz pair perfectly. Join the Treasonous Wine Club to enjoy up to three bottles a month at home. // 443 Clement St (Inner Richmond), hightreasonsf.com San Francisco Champagne Society SFCS founder and director Bill Marci. (Courtesy of San Francisco Champagne Society) It almost sounds like a secret club, but the San Francisco Champagne Society is actually a reservation-only Champagne lounge where you can sample your way through different glasses of unique bubbly. Expect a private, guided experience from founder Bill Marci, who pours some of the rarest small-batch Champagnes produced (they specialize in small grower-producers who fill as few as 10,000 bottles each year). If you're limited on time, arrange for a Champagne pick up or delivery. // 1097 Howard St. (SoMa), sfchampagnesociety.com Avery (Courtesy of @avery_sf) If you're one to pair your bubbly with upscale eats, Avery is your spot. This fine dining restaurant in San Francisco offers a tasting menu each night focused on creative, seafood-centric American cuisine. For each meal, find a special menu of Champagne pairings available, thoughtfully curated to accentuate the food just so. // 1552 Fillmore St. (Fillmore), averysf.com Charmaine's (Courtesy of @sanfranciscoproper) We're pretty sure an amazing view automatically makes anything taste 100 times better, and Charmaine's has one of the city's best vantage points. On the rooftop of the Proper Hotel, the lounge also benefits from posh Kelly Wearstler design, as well as a selection of more than 10 sparklers including Dom Perignon and Veuve Clicquot Rose. // 1100 Market St. (Civic Center), properhotel.com Barbarossa Lounge (Courtesy of @barbarossa_lounge) Barbarossa is what many may remember as the Bubble Lounge. While the 1800s jailhouse turned cocktail bar has a new name (inspired by its criminal past), it still has all the sparkling delights of its predecessormore than two dozen bottles, Champagne tasting flights, and rare varietals. Sip a Dom Perignon 1996 Rose or Veuve Clicquot Rich. Oh yeah, and stop by for their $1 oysters, Champagne, and cocktails happy hour on Monday through Friday from 4pm to 7pm. // 714 Montgomery St. (Jackson Square), barbarossalounge.com Fool's Errand (Courtesy of @foolserrandsf) Fool's Errand checks all the boxes for what we want in a neighborhood wine bar. It's perfectly casual yet subtly sexy and the place can swing it for cozy meetups with friends or date nights. The wine list is tactfully curated, with bubblies like Domaine du Facteur Chenin Blanc and Marie-Courtin Blanc de Noir. // 639A Divisadero St. (NoPa), foolserrandsf.com Foreign Cinema (Courtesy of @foreigncinemasf) When you think of Foreign Cinema, you undoubtedly think of elegant Mediterranean-inspired food and the dreamy outdoor courtyard with movies quietly rolling each evening. Make sure you also file this under where to get your Champagne fix. You can choose from Champagnes by the glass, magnums (like Egly-Ouriet Brut), or one of their 40-plus bottles of sparkling including Salon Brut Blanc de Blancs or house-favorite Domaine Vouette et Sorbee Extra Brut. // 2534 Mission St. (Mission), foreigncinema.com Arlequin Wine Merchant (Courtesy of Arlequin Wine Merchant) Arlequin Wine Merchant is among Hayes Valley's most low-key gems. The well-rounded bottle shop always has a great selection of wine and Champagne. Purchase your bubbles and cozy up in a corner to enjoy them in-store, or pick up a bottle for a rainy day. Join their wine club to keep yourself in sparkling all year round. // 348A Hayes St. (Hayes Valley), arlequinwinemerchant.com Absinthe Brasserie & Bar (Courtesy of @absinthesf) Absinthe nails the French brasserie vibe, which means Champagne is a must. The mainstay restaurant offers French sparklers by the glass or bottleJ. Lassalle Premier Cru Brut and Maison Foucher Cremant Rose. Pair your bubbles with raw bar classics like oysters or Tsar Nicoulai white sturgeon caviar. // 398 Hayes St. (Hayes Valley), absinthe.com Speaking to ANI, BSF Commandant Ratnesh Kumar, 120 battalions said, "Whenever there's VVIP movement, alertness is increased to ensure that there is no untoward incident. Patrolling has also increased in the areas." Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Tripura on January 4 to inaugurate the new terminal building of Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in Agartala, official sources said. Sources in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also said that the Prime Minister will address a public gathering at Swami Vivekananda Stadium in Agartala. With the inauguration of the new terminal building, the Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport is about to introduce itself to the list of international airports. (ANI) Speaking to ANI, BSF Commandant Ratnesh Kumar, 120 battalions said, "Whenever there's VVIP movement, alertness is increased to ensure that there is no untoward incident. Patrolling has also increased in the areas." Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Tripura on January 4 to inaugurate the new terminal building of Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in Agartala, official sources said. Sources in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also said that the Prime Minister will address a public gathering at Swami Vivekananda Stadium in Agartala. With the inauguration of the new terminal building, the Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport is about to introduce itself to the list of international airports. (ANI) An Alcoholics Anonymous group is under threat after being censured for reciting the Lords Prayer at the start of meetings. The group in Somerset was told by leaders it had become too Christian-focused and has been removed from the organisations online directory. But John Palmer, treasurer of the group in Yeovil, pointed out that the AA was started in the 1930s by Christians and that it adopted and popularised the Serenity Prayer, which is recited at the end of meetings across the world. Its a ridiculous decision, said Mr Palmer. Theyve removed us from the Find a meeting section of the AA website which will prevent new members from finding us. In other words, were being shut down. The group in Somerset was told by leaders it had become too Christian-focused and has been removed from the organisations online directory (file photo) Concerns were aired at a meeting of AA administrators in Somerset, who recorded in the minutes that the Yeovil group was lovely but not [run] along AA guidelines. They also noted with disapproval that someone had announced that the only way to recovery is through Jesus, with the minutes adding: They have gone against the traditions, nothing wrong with talking about Jesus but this is not AA. It concluded that the group must be kept separate. Mr Palmer, a retired businessman, said the group began five years ago and aimed to reflect the movements traditional roots. We arent happy-clappy and nor do we press Christianity on people, he added. But John Palmer, treasurer of the group in Yeovil, pointed out that the AA was started in the 1930s by Christians and that it adopted and popularised the Serenity Prayer, which is recited at the end of meetings across the world (file photo) Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern, said: The power of the Christmas message is what inspired the setting up of AA, following the radical transformation alcoholics experienced after encountering the hope and healing found in Jesus. Separating and punishing Christians so they cannot attract new members for sharing the gospel message of hope is disturbing and ludicrous. It is sad, but not surprising in our world of cancel culture, to hear that the gospel message, which is rooted in the Christmas story, is no longer appropriate for AA and must be kept separate. AA did not respond to requests for comment. Nearly 20 years after the plan was approved, the town of Madison will cease to exist next fall, its residents and property absorbed by the cities of Madison and Fitchburg. About 6,236 residents and 502 acres of taxable property with an assessed value of $469 million will change jurisdictions when the town dissolves Oct. 31, as will several familiar features of the town including the Alliant Energy Center, the UW Arboretum, the bustling Novation campus, a mobile home park, auto dealerships and the modest Town Hall itself. Some shifts have already taken place. Since Nov. 1, 2020, the city of Madison has provided fire, emergency medical and building inspection services in the town. Madison expects to spend about $1.4 million to address absorbing about 4,846 people and 370 acres of the towns land. More than 27% of the towns population coming to the city of Madison is Latino, compared to less than 7% of the city, and more than 13% is Black, almost double the citys percentage. To handle the growth, the city is adding police, firefighters and more. Most immediately, (town) residents will gain access to a number of community assistance programs, Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said. Our Parks Division will focus on removing diseased ash trees and assessing maintenance needs in new city parks. The 2022 Budget also included additional funding for expanding city operations into the town regions, including for streets work, removing refuse, leaves, snow, and making street repairs; police, fire, and the Clerks Office for new polling places. Fitchburg, meanwhile, has budgeted for eight positions to address existing and anticipated needs, city administrator Chad Brecklin said. Jim Campbell, who moved to the town in 1977 and has served as its chairman since 1998, said residents and property owners will probably most miss their small, accessible government. But a cooperative plan approved by the jurisdictions in 2003 spelled out how the transition would go, and communication so far has been good, he said. Its pretty seamless, Campbell said. Most people are pretty happy. The town, reduced by annexations over the decades, has long existed as a series of islands mostly between its two much larger neighbors. The historic border agreement that resulted in the dissolution of the town ended a half-century of feuding between the cities. Under the deal, Madison gets the Alliant Energy Center, UW Arboretum, commercial properties and several neighborhoods. Fitchburg will gain the high-tech Novation office park, Zimbrick auto dealership and the Town Hall at 2120 Fish Hatchery Road. The biggest change, perhaps, is that the expansion of the Alliant Energy Center will happen under city of Madison land use regulations instead of the towns, city Planning Division director Heather Stouder said. Fitchburg hasnt decided the fate of the Town Hall, Brecklin said, adding, were going to be taking a look at it to see what makes the most sense for city of Fitchburg taxpayers. Still, dissolving the town brings challenges, even when everyones working together, officials said. About 78% of town residents live in multifamily housing, which suggests high turnover requiring frequent communication to reach new residents, and a language barrier may exist with the 32% of town residents who are not native English speakers, said Angela Puerta, a planner with the city of Madison. The town also has limited capacity to help inform residents about the coming change, she said. The city held informational meetings in the summer and last month, and is scheduling two more meetings next spring and summer. Other challenges include absorbing short-term costs, particularly addressing deferred maintenance on facilities and roads, coordination of transition services, logistical and administrative needs like the timing of tax bills, and coordinating aid allocations with the state, Brecklin said. Fitchburg is planning to host public meetings and other outreach activities as the towns expiration date approaches, he said. In some areas, the change is already underway. City, town of Madison see mutual benefit in fire station deal The city may lease the town of Madison's fire station on Fish Hatchery Road rent free for up to two years to continue fire and EMS services while it renovates and expands its own fire station nearby on West Badger Road. The city has been providing fire, emergency medical and building inspection services to the town since November 2020, Stouder said, after it became clear the towns Fire Department, which also handled building inspection, might not have been able to stay staffed through Oct. 31, 2022. The agreement was financially beneficial to both the city and the town and will make the eventual transition of service go much smoother, she said. In another sign of cooperation, the city of Madison will lease the towns fire station on Fish Hatchery Road rent free for up to two years to continue fire and EMS services while the city renovates and expands its own fire station nearby on West Badger Road. In exchange, the city is guaranteeing that five town employees will be hired by the city in comparable positions when the town is dissolved. Adding personnel Both cities are budgeting to ensure continued delivery of services, officials said. In the city of Madison, those include eight new police officers for a total of 486 sworn personnel, 10 firefighters for a total of 394 sworn personnel, four Streets Division positions, staffing to establish polling places and run elections, money for park maintenance, a new community connector position to expand outreach to Spanish-, Hmong- and Mandarin-speaking residents. In Fitchburg, the coming budget adds two police officers, one firefighter/inspector, an assistant public works director, one public works/park crew member, a social worker, a clerical position, an assessment technician and additional hours for an urban forester/naturalist. In the city of Madison, tax bills sent in December 2022 will be based on assessment data collected by the town assessor. The city assessor will reevaluate all property in the town beginning in 2023. In Fitchburg, officials are still evaluating a course of action but expect to do something similar. Less fragmented With challenges also come opportunities. We will have a neighborhood that is less fragmented by jurisdictional boundaries where we will provide a higher level of service to a diverse community and provide new residents with access to city community assistance programs like neighborhood grants, housing rehabilitation assistance, child care assistance, property tax assistance for seniors and more, Stouder said. The new Fitchburg residents will also be able to receive an array of new services, while absorbing the town also provides opportunities for the city, Brecklin said. Those include the prospect of a new neighborhood in the Southdale area behind the Novation campus, and the addition of businesses and prospects for development near the Beltline and Rimrock Road, Brecklin said. Speaking to ANI, BSF Commandant Ratnesh Kumar, 120 battalions said, "Whenever there's VVIP movement, alertness is increased to ensure that there is no untoward incident. Patrolling has also increased in the areas." Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Tripura on January 4 to inaugurate the new terminal building of Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in Agartala, official sources said. Sources in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also said that the Prime Minister will address a public gathering at Swami Vivekananda Stadium in Agartala. With the inauguration of the new terminal building, the Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport is about to introduce itself to the list of international airports. (ANI) On assuming charge as Director-General of Indian Coast Guard, VS Pathania on Saturday expressed confidence in taking the Indian Coast Guard to greater heights with the efforts of civilians and officers. DG of ICG Pathania said, "It is with much pride and humility that I take over the reins of this fine service as the 24th Director-General. The Indian Coast Guard is in its 44th year of existence and is well known for its service to the nation and humanity." "I am thankful to the Government of India and the Ministry of Defence for reposing faith in me. I am sure with the continued efforts of the civilians and officers, we will be able to take it to higher heights," he said. Virender Singh Pathania received Guard of Honour on taking over as the new Director-General of the Indian Coast Guard on Saturday. The ace chopper pilot has been appointed as the new Director-General of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) which is in charge of the security of over 7,000 km-long coastline of the country. Pathania who hails from Himachal Pradesh is the first chopper pilot from the force to get command of the Coast Guard. Pathania has served the organisation in various assignments over the past three and half decades. He was also holding the charge of Deputy Director of General Policy and Plans at ICG Headquarters in New Delhi. He has also held several key appointments both afloat and ashore, prominent among them being Commander Coast Guard Region (North West) and Commander Coast Guard Region (West). Being an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington and National Defence College in New Delhi, the flag officer is a qualified helicopter pilot. He also holds a Master's Degree in Defence and Strategic Studies from the University of Madras. Pathania has also undergone specialisation in search and rescue and port operations from US Coast Guard. The officials said that the flag officer is a recipient of President's Tatrakshak Medal for distinguished service, Tatrakshak Medal for Gallantry service and has also been commended with Director General Indian Coast Guard Commendation. (ANI) Speaking to ANI, BSF Commandant Ratnesh Kumar, 120 battalions said, "Whenever there's VVIP movement, alertness is increased to ensure that there is no untoward incident. Patrolling has also increased in the areas." Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Tripura on January 4 to inaugurate the new terminal building of Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in Agartala, official sources said. Sources in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also said that the Prime Minister will address a public gathering at Swami Vivekananda Stadium in Agartala. With the inauguration of the new terminal building, the Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport is about to introduce itself to the list of international airports. (ANI) Secondary school pupils will be told to wear face masks from the moment they arrive until they leave when they return to classrooms this week. In a desperate effort to protect the education of millions of youngsters amid a sharp rise in cases of the Omicron variant, Ministers have requested that pupils cover their faces all day including while they are being taught. Students are already asked to wear masks in communal areas. Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi last night said he and Boris Johnson saw schools as their 'No 1 priority', adding that they wanted to 'do everything in our power to minimise disruption'. School teachers and pupils will have to wear masks when they return to the classroom next week under new guidance issued by the government UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. Figures are for England only today Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across England, up 83 per cent from the 84 recorded in the UK last week. Figures are for England only today The wearing of masks is not a legal requirement, but Ministers expect schools to follow the guidance, which also applies to teachers and support staff. The measures will be reviewed on January 26, with a Government source saying they 'will not be in place a minute longer than they need to be', and adding: 'It is obviously a better classroom experience without masks.' Ministers are braced for a 'big bang' of Omicron cases and staff shortages when students and teachers are tested for coronavirus this week. A substantial surge in either could see larger class sizes or a return to remote learning for some pupils. In London, where rates of Omicron are particularly high, parents have been warned that school closures cannot be ruled out. 'As a general rule, the more you test the more you are going to find Covid,' the source said. 'But the idea is that by containing it early, you stop the spread in schools.' Many MPs are opposed to online lessons given the damage already done to the education of millions of youngsters by successive lockdowns. Writing in The Mail on Sunday today, Conservative MP Robert Halfon, who chairs the Education Select Committee, says: 'Pupils do not need to take any more time off. Every day lost is another day that we are damaging children's lives.' As well as the new measures on masks, the Government is deploying 7,000 extra air-cleaning units across the education sector to improve ventilation and slow the spread of Omicron. The schools regulator Ofcom is also temporarily suspending inspections. Ministers fear there will be a massive increase in Omicron cases when children return to the classroom next week Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi last night said he and Boris Johnson saw schools as their 'No 1 priority', adding that they wanted to 'do everything in our power to minimise disruption' The moves came as: A daily record of 162,572 Covid cases was recorded in England, up 47.9 per cent on last Saturday. There were 1,915 hospital admissions, up almost 50 per cent week-on-week, and 154 deaths; Ministers rejected calls to cut the isolation period for those with Covid-19 from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious; The continued shortage of lateral flow tests sparked fears of staff shortages in schools and hospitals and travel chaos when Britain returns to work this week; Official figures show that 132 million coronavirus jabs were given last year, with more than 90 per cent of over-12s now having had at least one jab. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the figure was 'astounding and a true reflection of the fantastic work of our NHS and its volunteers'; The head of NHS Providers, which represents health trusts, said the next few days would be crucial in understanding the impact of Omicron and Ministers 'must be ready to introduce new restrictions at pace if they're needed'; As a dozen hospitals temporarily suspended routine visits, the British Medical Association said further public health measures should be urgently introduced. But analysis of official figures reveal that just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of coronavirus in late December; MPs called for action after health trusts reintroduced Covid restrictions which force pregnant women to attend scans and appointments alone; Thousands of revellers from Scotland and Wales, where tougher coronavirus restrictions are in place, crossed the border into England to welcome in the New Year; One in eight of those hospitalised with Omicron are from black communities, but studies suggest the variant does less damage to the lungs than previous strains; As the MoS discovered dangerous anti-vax propaganda on YouTube, a father whose pregnant daughter died after being persuaded by such material not to get jabbed urged the tech firm to step up its efforts. Teaching unions broadly welcomed the Government's move on masks. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: 'Reintroducing face masks in secondary classrooms appears to be a sensible move, given the circumstances.' Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said the decision was 'overdue' and urged Ministers to make it a 'requirement'. No 10 is understood to have ruled out a return of the 'bubble' system which saw entire classes and sometimes years sent home if a single pupil tested positive. 'That's all in the past. We want to carry on classroom teaching,' the source said. Given the prospect of staff shortages, Ministers have renewed efforts to lure retired teachers back to the classroom. A website through which former teachers can volunteer has received 30,000 visits and Tory MPs Jonathan Gullis and Caroline Ansell, both qualified teachers, have signed up. Teaching unions broadly welcomed the Government's move on masks. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: 'Reintroducing face masks in secondary classrooms appears to be a sensible move, given the circumstances' Prime Minister Boris Johnson, pictured, has been warned to expect a 'big bang' of Omicron cases in schools when they return next week. Teachers and support staff will also be required to wear masks. The measures will be reviewed on January 26 Tom Hunt, another Conservative MP who sits on the Education Select Committee, urged the Government to keep an open mind on reducing the isolation period from seven to five days, as countries including the US and Greece have done. 'Remote learning should not be on the table... It is mission-critical to keep schools open and keep kids physically in school. No stone should be left unturned,' he said. Mr Hunt also urged teaching unions to be 'constructive'. His call came as it emerged guidance issued by the NEU advised school leaders that teachers should only have to cover for colleagues on 'rare' occasions. Further guidance issued by the union before Christmas said: 'If you are asked to cover for a colleague who is off with Covid or any other absence greater than two days, you should refuse to do it.' Chris McGovern, the chairman of the Campaign For Real Education, said: 'This is educational sabotage. Teachers have a choice. 'The best and the bravest will continue to put their pupils first and they will be remembered for doing so.' Ministers say no to five-day Covid isolation: Fears rise that schools, hospitals and transport networks could grind to a halt as Government defies calls from business chiefs to follow the US' lead because up to 30% of sufferers 'would still be infectious' By Stephen Adams for the Mail on Sunday Ministers have rejected calls to reduce the isolation period for Covid sufferers from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious. Business leaders and some Tory MPs had urged Ministers to follow the lead of other countries, including the US and Greece, by cutting self-isolation for those showing no symptoms to five days. But a Government source told The Mail on Sunday that, while the option was discussed, it was rejected because so many people could still go on to infect others if released from self-isolation that early. Lateral flow tests have been ring-fenced for schools so they can open safely next week Commuters face significant disruption because of large numbers of train and bus workers forced to self-isolate leading to cancelled services It comes amid growing concern that lengthy self-isolation is harming vital services and the economy and with a growing row over the lack of access to lateral flow tests (LFTs). As millions prepared to return to work after the festive break, Labour accused the Government of failing to order sufficient numbers of LFTs, which are increasingly seen as essential to keep the country moving while minimising the threat from Omicron. Ministers insist hundreds of millions more LFTs will soon be available. Just before Christmas, self-isolation was reduced from ten to seven days as long as the individual is negative for Covid on two LFTs the first on day six and the second on day seven. Asked about the proposal for a further cut to five days, the Government source said: 'The data we have is that almost one in three people could still be infectious five days after testing positive with Omicron. It isn't thought it would be safe to cut self-isolation that far.' The decision differs from that taken in the US where the influential Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the move to halve self-isolation from ten to five days would 'ensure people can safely continue their daily lives'. To re-enter everyday life after five days, Americans must be symptom-free and wear a mask around others for a further five days. In Greece, Health Minister Thanos Plevris indicated that Omicron's relative mildness compared with previous variants lay behind its decision to cut the period of self-isolation. 'The evidence we have from Omicron is encouraging,' he said. Rather than solely rely on being symptom-free after five days, the UK Government could in theory require people to have two negative LFT results but move them forward to days four and five. The system is, however, self-policing and people who test negative on LFTs can still be infectious, as they are less sensitive than the gold-standard PCR tests. Another consideration would be the current poor availability of LFTs, with many pharmacies out of stock due to soaring demand. Isolation is also causing problems in hospitals with NHS staff forced to remain at home Last night, Labour's health spokesman Wes Streeting said Health Secretary Sajid Javid needed to 'pull his finger out' to ensure people had access to the tests. He added: 'Given how critical testing is going to be over the course of the coming months, the Government really does need to get an immediate grip on this. 'Testing is going to be vital to keep people working and keeping children at school. If families can't do that, because Ministers haven't got their act together, they will have a lot to answer for.' Around one million LFTs are being taken every day, twice as many as PCRs. When Omicron emerged in early December, health officials were adamant there would be enough supplies to meet higher demand. Mr Streeting said: 'The Health Secretary said before Christmas the challenge was distribution not supply, and there were plentiful stocks of tests in warehouses. 'But I think it's more likely the Government has simply underestimated demand, hasn't ordered enough tests, and doesn't want to 'fess up about it.' Ministers insist hundreds of millions of tests will soon be available and Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi says tests have been ringfenced for schools to ensure they can reopen safely this week. With Britain returning to work this week, commuters are also worried that Covid-related staff shortages will bring misery on trains. More than 20 rail companies have already reduced services or plan to do so as a result of Covid infections and self-isolation rules. NHS trusts 'could start cancelling ops as soon as next week' if Covid admissions keep rising, despite just ONE IN FORTY hospital staff being sick or isolating. Ministers set to defy calls to cut quarantine period to five days Modelling shown to ministers suggests hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for second time in as many days on Saturday Official figures show only 2.5 per cent of NHS workforce were off due to Covid Meanwhile absences from non-Covid sickness fell over the same time period However, the picture was varied between England's 138 NHS hospital trusts NHS trusts could start cancelling operations next week if Covid hospitalisations escalate significantly, hospital chiefs have warned. Modelling shown to ministers suggests that hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January, according to the Telegraph. However, the Government has rejected calls to reduce the isolation period for Covid sufferers from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious. The latest figures show 2,370 Covid admissions a day in England. Another doubling could exceed the peak reached last January, when there were 4,134 daily admissions. England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for the second time in as many days on Saturday, official statistics showed as ministers continued to avoid enforcing new restrictions. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. It is the highest total reported on a day in England ever, with 160,276 cases recorded yesterday. Meanwhile, just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of Covid late last month, official figures show. NHS trusts could start cancelling operations next week if Covid hospitalisations escalate significantly, hospital chiefs have warned. Modelling shown to ministers suggests that hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January (Pictured: An NHS health worker at a pop-up vaccination centre at Redbridge Town Hall, east London on December 25) Just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of Covid late last month, official figures show. While official figures show the number off with Covid did double in the run-up to Christmas , the virus has prevented only a small fraction of hospital staff from working. (File image) Recent media reports have been saturated with warnings that hospital services could collapse because so many staff are either off sick with the virus or having to self- isolate because of it. NHS England's medical director Professor Stephen Powis last week talked of the health service being on a 'war footing', a phrase since frequently repeated by broadcasters. But while official figures show the number off with Covid did double in the run-up to Christmas, the virus has prevented only a small fraction of hospital staff from working. On December 1, 12,508 staff at English hospitals were absent due to Covid-19 'either through sickness or self- isolation', according to data from NHS England. By Boxing Day, the latest day for which figures are available, that had almost doubled to 24,632. But with 983,000 working in NHS hospitals in England, according to official workforce statistics for 2021, it means that only 2.5 per cent of the workforce or one in 40 were off due to Covid towards the end of the month. Meanwhile, non-Covid sickness absences actually fell over the same period, from 47,628 on December 1 to 43,450 on Boxing Day. As a result, overall sickness-related absences among NHS hospital staff only rose by 13 per cent in December from 60,136 on the first of the month to 68,082 on December 26. Consequently, around 93 per cent of hospital staff were still fit and healthy from a work point of view at Christmas. However, the picture is varied between England's 138 NHS hospital trusts. Five reported overall sickness or self-isolation absences exceeding ten per cent on Boxing Day Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (12.2 per cent), Nottingham University Hospitals (12 per cent), Wirral University Teaching Hospitals (10.9 per cent), Warrington and Halton Hospitals (10.8 per cent) and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (10.1 per cent). All had higher than average Covid-related absences. Taking Covid-related absences alone, three had rates of over five per cent on Boxing Day Homerton University Hospital in London (7.1 per cent), Royal United Hospitals Bath (6.9 per cent) and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (6.7 per cent). But nine reported Covid-related absences of less than one per cent of their workforce on December 26. The Times reported that more than 110,000 of all NHS staff - nearly one in 10 - were absent on New Year's Eve, of whom 50,000 were at home sick or self-isolating. Meanwhile, Boris Johnson has ordered a blueprint to be drawn up to deal with up to 300,000 Covid-related staff absences across the NHS, according to the Sun. The PM has tasked ministers with developing 'robust contingency plans' for workplace absences as the Government acknowledged high Covid levels could hit businesses hard over the coming weeks. Public sector leaders have been asked to prepare for a worst case scenario of up to a quarter of staff off work as the virus continues to sweep across the country, the Cabinet Office said. Steve Barclay, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, is chairing 'regular meetings' with ministers to assess how the highly transmissible Omicron variant is affecting workforces and supply chains. He is also keeping close tabs on the situation in schools ahead of pupils returning for the new term. The department said Mr Johnson has charged ministers with working with their respective sectors to test preparations and contingency plans to limit disruption from mounting Covid infections. It acknowledged that, despite the accelerated booster programme, high Covid levels and the increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant could mean businesses and public services face further disruption in the weeks to come. Covid infections in England hit record 162,572 with another 154 deaths after revellers partied into 2022 without restrictions as Sajid Javid reveals tighter rules are unlikely - while Scots fear party-goers will bring virus back with them over the border UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours in England Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across the nation, up 83 per cent in a week Figures were not available for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and hospitalisation data was not updated England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for the second time in as many days today, official statistics showed as ministers continued to avoid enforcing new restrictions. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. It is the highest total reported on a day in England ever, with 160,276 cases recorded yesterday. Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across the nation, up 83 per cent from the 84 recorded in the UK last week. Figures were not available for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland because of differences in reporting schedules over the New Year weekend. Hospitalisation data was also not updated. The figures come after millions of Britons partied into 2022 at late night venues across restriction-free England on New Year's Eve, with thousands coming from Scotland - where measures such as table service in bars and no nightclubs prompted them to seek entertainment on the far side of the River Tweed. Revellers joined boozy celebrations from Newcastle to Portsmouth and Manchester to Brighton on the final day of 2021 as they ignored the threat from Omicron and marked the end of a tumultuous 12 months. Partygoers packed into pubs, bars and clubs until the early hours of the morning despite heightened fears about the spread of the Covid after the UK recorded 189,846 new cases yesterday and 203 deaths. The Office for National Statistics reported an estimated 2.3million people in the UK had the virus in the week ending December 23, setting another pandemic record. But in a fresh boost for the nation's businesses, Health Secretary Sajid Javid hinted tighter restrictions on our everyday lives remain unlikely as he implored the nation to 'try to live' alongside the virus. However, the mass arrivals from north of the English border prompted some Scots to worry on social media that returning revellers would bring coronavirus back with them. One said that those who had taken part in celebrations in England would 'spread further infection around Scotland'. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. Health Secretary Sajid Javid, pictured, hinted that no fresh restrictions would come into force in England as he said Britons will have to get used to living with Covid Pictures taken in Edinburgh and Glasgow showed the extent of the exodus to Newcastle, while in Bristol, bars and clubs were packed with Welsh people. Empty chairs were piled up outside bars and restaurants in Glasgow's usually bustling Merchant City district, while sparse crowds of shoppers were seen along the iconic Royal Mile. Though, around 1,000 people made the annual pilgrimage up Calton Hill in Edinburgh for the stroke of midnight where they were greeted by a lone piper. In Newcastle, pubs filled up with eager revellers including groups of Scottish 'Covid refugees' who declared themselves 'fed up' with the tough rules in Scotland. Josh Urquart, Dean Heggie, Campbell McLean and Jamie had kicked off the celebrations early yesterday in a pub where they sat next to a Saltire. Dylan Neill and Alex Cairns, both 18, had travelled from Fife with a group of pals who were checking in at their hotel in the city centre at around 1pm. College student Dylan said: 'We can't go out properly back home so we've come to Newcastle for a night out. It's something different. 'It's not ideal having these restrictions in place at New Year. If we'd stayed in Scotland we might have ended up sitting at somebody's house. Now we've come here we'll be able to go out properly.' Meanwhile, Alex, who also goes to college, was frustrated by the local restrictions preventing him and his friends from hitting the town at home. He said: 'We're fed up now with the rules at our local. Everyone in Newcastle would be fed up with it too if they were in place here. 'We plan on going to the nightclub Tup Tup later but not sure where before that. Some of us have been here before but some never have. We're looking forward to going out.' A third friend, who didn't want to be named, said: 'We're fed up of Nicola Sturgeon putting in these restrictions. That's why we're happy to be in Newcastle where we can go out and have fun.' One Scot who was concerned about the potential for revellers to bring Covid-19 back with them said on Twitter that they risked 'bringing further infection back to Scotland'. They added: 'we all know there could be another variant' of the virus. But some people in England also complained about Scots coming in their droves to Scotland. One said they would be 'having an early night' whilst Scots were 'spreading covid in my region'. Another said they had 'no thought' for people currently ill with the virus. Secondary school pupils will be told to wear face masks from the moment they arrive until they leave when they return to classrooms this week. In a desperate effort to protect the education of millions of youngsters amid a sharp rise in cases of the Omicron variant, Ministers have requested that pupils cover their faces all day including while they are being taught. Students are already asked to wear masks in communal areas. Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi last night said he and Boris Johnson saw schools as their 'No 1 priority', adding that they wanted to 'do everything in our power to minimise disruption'. School teachers and pupils will have to wear masks when they return to the classroom next week under new guidance issued by the government UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. Figures are for England only today Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across England, up 83 per cent from the 84 recorded in the UK last week. Figures are for England only today The wearing of masks is not a legal requirement, but Ministers expect schools to follow the guidance, which also applies to teachers and support staff. The measures will be reviewed on January 26, with a Government source saying they 'will not be in place a minute longer than they need to be', and adding: 'It is obviously a better classroom experience without masks.' Ministers are braced for a 'big bang' of Omicron cases and staff shortages when students and teachers are tested for coronavirus this week. A substantial surge in either could see larger class sizes or a return to remote learning for some pupils. In London, where rates of Omicron are particularly high, parents have been warned that school closures cannot be ruled out. 'As a general rule, the more you test the more you are going to find Covid,' the source said. 'But the idea is that by containing it early, you stop the spread in schools.' Many MPs are opposed to online lessons given the damage already done to the education of millions of youngsters by successive lockdowns. Writing in The Mail on Sunday today, Conservative MP Robert Halfon, who chairs the Education Select Committee, says: 'Pupils do not need to take any more time off. Every day lost is another day that we are damaging children's lives.' As well as the new measures on masks, the Government is deploying 7,000 extra air-cleaning units across the education sector to improve ventilation and slow the spread of Omicron. The schools regulator Ofcom is also temporarily suspending inspections. Ministers fear there will be a massive increase in Omicron cases when children return to the classroom next week Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi last night said he and Boris Johnson saw schools as their 'No 1 priority', adding that they wanted to 'do everything in our power to minimise disruption' The moves came as: A daily record of 162,572 Covid cases was recorded in England, up 47.9 per cent on last Saturday. There were 1,915 hospital admissions, up almost 50 per cent week-on-week, and 154 deaths; Ministers rejected calls to cut the isolation period for those with Covid-19 from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious; The continued shortage of lateral flow tests sparked fears of staff shortages in schools and hospitals and travel chaos when Britain returns to work this week; Official figures show that 132 million coronavirus jabs were given last year, with more than 90 per cent of over-12s now having had at least one jab. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the figure was 'astounding and a true reflection of the fantastic work of our NHS and its volunteers'; The head of NHS Providers, which represents health trusts, said the next few days would be crucial in understanding the impact of Omicron and Ministers 'must be ready to introduce new restrictions at pace if they're needed'; As a dozen hospitals temporarily suspended routine visits, the British Medical Association said further public health measures should be urgently introduced. But analysis of official figures reveal that just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of coronavirus in late December; MPs called for action after health trusts reintroduced Covid restrictions which force pregnant women to attend scans and appointments alone; Thousands of revellers from Scotland and Wales, where tougher coronavirus restrictions are in place, crossed the border into England to welcome in the New Year; One in eight of those hospitalised with Omicron are from black communities, but studies suggest the variant does less damage to the lungs than previous strains; As the MoS discovered dangerous anti-vax propaganda on YouTube, a father whose pregnant daughter died after being persuaded by such material not to get jabbed urged the tech firm to step up its efforts. Teaching unions broadly welcomed the Government's move on masks. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: 'Reintroducing face masks in secondary classrooms appears to be a sensible move, given the circumstances.' Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said the decision was 'overdue' and urged Ministers to make it a 'requirement'. No 10 is understood to have ruled out a return of the 'bubble' system which saw entire classes and sometimes years sent home if a single pupil tested positive. 'That's all in the past. We want to carry on classroom teaching,' the source said. Given the prospect of staff shortages, Ministers have renewed efforts to lure retired teachers back to the classroom. A website through which former teachers can volunteer has received 30,000 visits and Tory MPs Jonathan Gullis and Caroline Ansell, both qualified teachers, have signed up. Teaching unions broadly welcomed the Government's move on masks. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: 'Reintroducing face masks in secondary classrooms appears to be a sensible move, given the circumstances' Prime Minister Boris Johnson, pictured, has been warned to expect a 'big bang' of Omicron cases in schools when they return next week. Teachers and support staff will also be required to wear masks. The measures will be reviewed on January 26 Tom Hunt, another Conservative MP who sits on the Education Select Committee, urged the Government to keep an open mind on reducing the isolation period from seven to five days, as countries including the US and Greece have done. 'Remote learning should not be on the table... It is mission-critical to keep schools open and keep kids physically in school. No stone should be left unturned,' he said. Mr Hunt also urged teaching unions to be 'constructive'. His call came as it emerged guidance issued by the NEU advised school leaders that teachers should only have to cover for colleagues on 'rare' occasions. Further guidance issued by the union before Christmas said: 'If you are asked to cover for a colleague who is off with Covid or any other absence greater than two days, you should refuse to do it.' Chris McGovern, the chairman of the Campaign For Real Education, said: 'This is educational sabotage. Teachers have a choice. 'The best and the bravest will continue to put their pupils first and they will be remembered for doing so.' Ministers say no to five-day Covid isolation: Fears rise that schools, hospitals and transport networks could grind to a halt as Government defies calls from business chiefs to follow the US' lead because up to 30% of sufferers 'would still be infectious' By Stephen Adams for the Mail on Sunday Ministers have rejected calls to reduce the isolation period for Covid sufferers from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious. Business leaders and some Tory MPs had urged Ministers to follow the lead of other countries, including the US and Greece, by cutting self-isolation for those showing no symptoms to five days. But a Government source told The Mail on Sunday that, while the option was discussed, it was rejected because so many people could still go on to infect others if released from self-isolation that early. Lateral flow tests have been ring-fenced for schools so they can open safely next week Commuters face significant disruption because of large numbers of train and bus workers forced to self-isolate leading to cancelled services It comes amid growing concern that lengthy self-isolation is harming vital services and the economy and with a growing row over the lack of access to lateral flow tests (LFTs). As millions prepared to return to work after the festive break, Labour accused the Government of failing to order sufficient numbers of LFTs, which are increasingly seen as essential to keep the country moving while minimising the threat from Omicron. Ministers insist hundreds of millions more LFTs will soon be available. Just before Christmas, self-isolation was reduced from ten to seven days as long as the individual is negative for Covid on two LFTs the first on day six and the second on day seven. Asked about the proposal for a further cut to five days, the Government source said: 'The data we have is that almost one in three people could still be infectious five days after testing positive with Omicron. It isn't thought it would be safe to cut self-isolation that far.' The decision differs from that taken in the US where the influential Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the move to halve self-isolation from ten to five days would 'ensure people can safely continue their daily lives'. To re-enter everyday life after five days, Americans must be symptom-free and wear a mask around others for a further five days. In Greece, Health Minister Thanos Plevris indicated that Omicron's relative mildness compared with previous variants lay behind its decision to cut the period of self-isolation. 'The evidence we have from Omicron is encouraging,' he said. Rather than solely rely on being symptom-free after five days, the UK Government could in theory require people to have two negative LFT results but move them forward to days four and five. The system is, however, self-policing and people who test negative on LFTs can still be infectious, as they are less sensitive than the gold-standard PCR tests. Another consideration would be the current poor availability of LFTs, with many pharmacies out of stock due to soaring demand. Isolation is also causing problems in hospitals with NHS staff forced to remain at home Last night, Labour's health spokesman Wes Streeting said Health Secretary Sajid Javid needed to 'pull his finger out' to ensure people had access to the tests. He added: 'Given how critical testing is going to be over the course of the coming months, the Government really does need to get an immediate grip on this. 'Testing is going to be vital to keep people working and keeping children at school. If families can't do that, because Ministers haven't got their act together, they will have a lot to answer for.' Around one million LFTs are being taken every day, twice as many as PCRs. When Omicron emerged in early December, health officials were adamant there would be enough supplies to meet higher demand. Mr Streeting said: 'The Health Secretary said before Christmas the challenge was distribution not supply, and there were plentiful stocks of tests in warehouses. 'But I think it's more likely the Government has simply underestimated demand, hasn't ordered enough tests, and doesn't want to 'fess up about it.' Ministers insist hundreds of millions of tests will soon be available and Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi says tests have been ringfenced for schools to ensure they can reopen safely this week. With Britain returning to work this week, commuters are also worried that Covid-related staff shortages will bring misery on trains. More than 20 rail companies have already reduced services or plan to do so as a result of Covid infections and self-isolation rules. NHS trusts 'could start cancelling ops as soon as next week' if Covid admissions keep rising, despite just ONE IN FORTY hospital staff being sick or isolating. Ministers set to defy calls to cut quarantine period to five days Modelling shown to ministers suggests hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for second time in as many days on Saturday Official figures show only 2.5 per cent of NHS workforce were off due to Covid Meanwhile absences from non-Covid sickness fell over the same time period However, the picture was varied between England's 138 NHS hospital trusts NHS trusts could start cancelling operations next week if Covid hospitalisations escalate significantly, hospital chiefs have warned. Modelling shown to ministers suggests that hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January, according to the Telegraph. However, the Government has rejected calls to reduce the isolation period for Covid sufferers from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious. The latest figures show 2,370 Covid admissions a day in England. Another doubling could exceed the peak reached last January, when there were 4,134 daily admissions. England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for the second time in as many days on Saturday, official statistics showed as ministers continued to avoid enforcing new restrictions. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. It is the highest total reported on a day in England ever, with 160,276 cases recorded yesterday. Meanwhile, just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of Covid late last month, official figures show. NHS trusts could start cancelling operations next week if Covid hospitalisations escalate significantly, hospital chiefs have warned. Modelling shown to ministers suggests that hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January (Pictured: An NHS health worker at a pop-up vaccination centre at Redbridge Town Hall, east London on December 25) Just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of Covid late last month, official figures show. While official figures show the number off with Covid did double in the run-up to Christmas , the virus has prevented only a small fraction of hospital staff from working. (File image) Recent media reports have been saturated with warnings that hospital services could collapse because so many staff are either off sick with the virus or having to self- isolate because of it. NHS England's medical director Professor Stephen Powis last week talked of the health service being on a 'war footing', a phrase since frequently repeated by broadcasters. But while official figures show the number off with Covid did double in the run-up to Christmas, the virus has prevented only a small fraction of hospital staff from working. On December 1, 12,508 staff at English hospitals were absent due to Covid-19 'either through sickness or self- isolation', according to data from NHS England. By Boxing Day, the latest day for which figures are available, that had almost doubled to 24,632. But with 983,000 working in NHS hospitals in England, according to official workforce statistics for 2021, it means that only 2.5 per cent of the workforce or one in 40 were off due to Covid towards the end of the month. Meanwhile, non-Covid sickness absences actually fell over the same period, from 47,628 on December 1 to 43,450 on Boxing Day. As a result, overall sickness-related absences among NHS hospital staff only rose by 13 per cent in December from 60,136 on the first of the month to 68,082 on December 26. Consequently, around 93 per cent of hospital staff were still fit and healthy from a work point of view at Christmas. However, the picture is varied between England's 138 NHS hospital trusts. Five reported overall sickness or self-isolation absences exceeding ten per cent on Boxing Day Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (12.2 per cent), Nottingham University Hospitals (12 per cent), Wirral University Teaching Hospitals (10.9 per cent), Warrington and Halton Hospitals (10.8 per cent) and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (10.1 per cent). All had higher than average Covid-related absences. Taking Covid-related absences alone, three had rates of over five per cent on Boxing Day Homerton University Hospital in London (7.1 per cent), Royal United Hospitals Bath (6.9 per cent) and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (6.7 per cent). But nine reported Covid-related absences of less than one per cent of their workforce on December 26. The Times reported that more than 110,000 of all NHS staff - nearly one in 10 - were absent on New Year's Eve, of whom 50,000 were at home sick or self-isolating. Meanwhile, Boris Johnson has ordered a blueprint to be drawn up to deal with up to 300,000 Covid-related staff absences across the NHS, according to the Sun. The PM has tasked ministers with developing 'robust contingency plans' for workplace absences as the Government acknowledged high Covid levels could hit businesses hard over the coming weeks. Public sector leaders have been asked to prepare for a worst case scenario of up to a quarter of staff off work as the virus continues to sweep across the country, the Cabinet Office said. Steve Barclay, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, is chairing 'regular meetings' with ministers to assess how the highly transmissible Omicron variant is affecting workforces and supply chains. He is also keeping close tabs on the situation in schools ahead of pupils returning for the new term. The department said Mr Johnson has charged ministers with working with their respective sectors to test preparations and contingency plans to limit disruption from mounting Covid infections. It acknowledged that, despite the accelerated booster programme, high Covid levels and the increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant could mean businesses and public services face further disruption in the weeks to come. Covid infections in England hit record 162,572 with another 154 deaths after revellers partied into 2022 without restrictions as Sajid Javid reveals tighter rules are unlikely - while Scots fear party-goers will bring virus back with them over the border UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours in England Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across the nation, up 83 per cent in a week Figures were not available for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and hospitalisation data was not updated England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for the second time in as many days today, official statistics showed as ministers continued to avoid enforcing new restrictions. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. It is the highest total reported on a day in England ever, with 160,276 cases recorded yesterday. Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across the nation, up 83 per cent from the 84 recorded in the UK last week. Figures were not available for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland because of differences in reporting schedules over the New Year weekend. Hospitalisation data was also not updated. The figures come after millions of Britons partied into 2022 at late night venues across restriction-free England on New Year's Eve, with thousands coming from Scotland - where measures such as table service in bars and no nightclubs prompted them to seek entertainment on the far side of the River Tweed. Revellers joined boozy celebrations from Newcastle to Portsmouth and Manchester to Brighton on the final day of 2021 as they ignored the threat from Omicron and marked the end of a tumultuous 12 months. Partygoers packed into pubs, bars and clubs until the early hours of the morning despite heightened fears about the spread of the Covid after the UK recorded 189,846 new cases yesterday and 203 deaths. The Office for National Statistics reported an estimated 2.3million people in the UK had the virus in the week ending December 23, setting another pandemic record. But in a fresh boost for the nation's businesses, Health Secretary Sajid Javid hinted tighter restrictions on our everyday lives remain unlikely as he implored the nation to 'try to live' alongside the virus. However, the mass arrivals from north of the English border prompted some Scots to worry on social media that returning revellers would bring coronavirus back with them. One said that those who had taken part in celebrations in England would 'spread further infection around Scotland'. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. Health Secretary Sajid Javid, pictured, hinted that no fresh restrictions would come into force in England as he said Britons will have to get used to living with Covid Pictures taken in Edinburgh and Glasgow showed the extent of the exodus to Newcastle, while in Bristol, bars and clubs were packed with Welsh people. Empty chairs were piled up outside bars and restaurants in Glasgow's usually bustling Merchant City district, while sparse crowds of shoppers were seen along the iconic Royal Mile. Though, around 1,000 people made the annual pilgrimage up Calton Hill in Edinburgh for the stroke of midnight where they were greeted by a lone piper. In Newcastle, pubs filled up with eager revellers including groups of Scottish 'Covid refugees' who declared themselves 'fed up' with the tough rules in Scotland. Josh Urquart, Dean Heggie, Campbell McLean and Jamie had kicked off the celebrations early yesterday in a pub where they sat next to a Saltire. Dylan Neill and Alex Cairns, both 18, had travelled from Fife with a group of pals who were checking in at their hotel in the city centre at around 1pm. College student Dylan said: 'We can't go out properly back home so we've come to Newcastle for a night out. It's something different. 'It's not ideal having these restrictions in place at New Year. If we'd stayed in Scotland we might have ended up sitting at somebody's house. Now we've come here we'll be able to go out properly.' Meanwhile, Alex, who also goes to college, was frustrated by the local restrictions preventing him and his friends from hitting the town at home. He said: 'We're fed up now with the rules at our local. Everyone in Newcastle would be fed up with it too if they were in place here. 'We plan on going to the nightclub Tup Tup later but not sure where before that. Some of us have been here before but some never have. We're looking forward to going out.' A third friend, who didn't want to be named, said: 'We're fed up of Nicola Sturgeon putting in these restrictions. That's why we're happy to be in Newcastle where we can go out and have fun.' One Scot who was concerned about the potential for revellers to bring Covid-19 back with them said on Twitter that they risked 'bringing further infection back to Scotland'. They added: 'we all know there could be another variant' of the virus. But some people in England also complained about Scots coming in their droves to Scotland. One said they would be 'having an early night' whilst Scots were 'spreading covid in my region'. Another said they had 'no thought' for people currently ill with the virus. 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. French tourism bosses last night told Emmanuel Macron to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers, accusing him of punishing the industry over worsening ties with Britain. The French president slapped the tough measures on UK tourists shortly before Christmas, claiming it was to stop the spread of the Omicron variant. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted. It comes as the countrys own public health agency yesterday admitted Omicron is now the most dominant variant in France. Omicron helped drive infection numbers to a record 232,000 new cases yesterday, piling more pressure on Mr Macron to back down. President Emmanuel Macron (pictured) has been told to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers Francois Badjily, head of the Alpe dHuez tourist office, suggested France was playing politics with the pandemic. We have the impression that our industry is being made to pay the price for the poor relations between both countries right now, whether its about Brexit or fishing or whatever, he said. Mr Badjily said the current rules were incoherent because fully vaccinated tourists from other countries where the Omicron strain is already present are able to visit. Vaccine passports are needed to enter French holiday hotspots such as ski resorts, as well as restaurants, bars and leisure facilities. Alpe dHuez draws a quarter of its visitors from the UK every year, and Mr Badjily added: Why should a Briton who meets these criteria not be allowed to come, but the French and Belgians can? Christophe Lavaut, director of the Val dIsere ski resort, also called on officials in Paris to axe the compelling reason to travel directive that has stopped holidaymakers coming to France. This restriction should simply be lifted as it is no longer necessary, he added. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted At least 42 per cent of Val dIseres customers are British, said Mr Lavaut, who urged his government to act at the beginning of January. Mr Macrons travel measures have created chaos and sowed confusion throughout the entire Christmas break. Earlier this week, border police even prevented Britons who were legal residents in the EU from returning to their homes French officials at the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone said they were not allowed to cross through France on health grounds. But the EUs top disease agency said in a report last month that Omicron travel restrictions only help buy valuable time during the first days of detection, adding that in countries already experiencing community transmission such measures will probably not be relevant for much longer. The French government failed to reply to the Mails request for comment. Germany will remove Britain from its travel red list on Tuesday after its government admitted Omicron was already widely present in the country. 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. 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. Speaking to ANI, BSF Commandant Ratnesh Kumar, 120 battalions said, "Whenever there's VVIP movement, alertness is increased to ensure that there is no untoward incident. Patrolling has also increased in the areas." Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Tripura on January 4 to inaugurate the new terminal building of Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in Agartala, official sources said. Sources in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also said that the Prime Minister will address a public gathering at Swami Vivekananda Stadium in Agartala. With the inauguration of the new terminal building, the Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport is about to introduce itself to the list of international airports. (ANI) Speaking to ANI, BSF Commandant Ratnesh Kumar, 120 battalions said, "Whenever there's VVIP movement, alertness is increased to ensure that there is no untoward incident. Patrolling has also increased in the areas." Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Tripura on January 4 to inaugurate the new terminal building of Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in Agartala, official sources said. Sources in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also said that the Prime Minister will address a public gathering at Swami Vivekananda Stadium in Agartala. With the inauguration of the new terminal building, the Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport is about to introduce itself to the list of international airports. (ANI) Speaking to ANI, BSF Commandant Ratnesh Kumar, 120 battalions said, "Whenever there's VVIP movement, alertness is increased to ensure that there is no untoward incident. Patrolling has also increased in the areas." Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Tripura on January 4 to inaugurate the new terminal building of Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in Agartala, official sources said. Sources in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also said that the Prime Minister will address a public gathering at Swami Vivekananda Stadium in Agartala. With the inauguration of the new terminal building, the Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport is about to introduce itself to the list of international airports. (ANI) The most senior clergyman in the British Army has revealed that mental scars from the Iraq War left him in 'the valley of the shadow of death, a place of utter desolation' for years after returning from the war zone. Clinton Langston, the outgoing chaplain-general of the Army, said he became 'sick with fear' after writing letters to his wife and children that were to be opened in the event of his death during a six-month deployment in 2004. He said: 'Another fear began to emerge, that the fear of losing my family would stop me from caring for my soldiers. 'That instead of risking my life going out and about to visit them in their bases, I would seek out places of relative safety and so give myself the best chance of returning home safely.' Clinton Langston, the most senior clergyman in the British Army has revealed that mental scars from the Iraq War left him in 'the valley of the shadow of death, a place of utter desolation' for years after returning from the war zone More than 10,000 troops have been discharged because of mental health problems over the past 20 years, according to official figures. Another 500 quit last year after being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and other disorders. In a bid to tackle the issue, the Army has launched a 220 million mental health initiative, including a 24-hour helpline for troops following a campaign by The Mail on Sunday. Padre Langston said he decided 'to do my best for my soldiers', but in order to do so 'had to dial down all my emotional connections to my family'. The 59-year-old added: 'I remember getting on the aircraft into theatre [the war zone] and deciding I had already died, because then I would have no feelings and no fear. 'I returned home six months later. Both the immediate days after and the years since have been dominated by my inability to dial my emotions back up. More than 10,000 troops have been discharged because of mental health problems over the past 20 years, according to official figures. Above: British troops in Basra, Iraq, in 2004 'I have remained, as have so many of our soldiers, in the valley of the shadow of death a place of utter desolation where our shadows yearn to feel and love and live again but where our families find only the shell of who we were.' Padre Langston, who also served tours in Bosnia and Northern Ireland and is set to retire in May, made the candid remarks during the Thought For The Day segment on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, which was guest-edited by General Sir Nick Carter, the UK's former Chief of the Defence Staff. He said the biblical story of Jesus bringing his friend Lazarus back from the dead had helped him to believe that 'it's OK to live again, but it's a long road'. He went on: 'I know this experience of trauma and halting recovery is shared by countless people beyond the military, who have faced physical or emotional trauma, who feel condemned to a lifeless existence as they seek to numb the pain of what is and what might be. 'But maybe, as we turn in to this New Year, we can all find ways to reconnect and to escape the tombs and shrouds that imprison us, holding once more the hands that want us to live again.' The most senior clergyman in the British Army has revealed that mental scars from the Iraq War left him in 'the valley of the shadow of death, a place of utter desolation' for years after returning from the war zone. Clinton Langston, the outgoing chaplain-general of the Army, said he became 'sick with fear' after writing letters to his wife and children that were to be opened in the event of his death during a six-month deployment in 2004. He said: 'Another fear began to emerge, that the fear of losing my family would stop me from caring for my soldiers. 'That instead of risking my life going out and about to visit them in their bases, I would seek out places of relative safety and so give myself the best chance of returning home safely.' Clinton Langston, the most senior clergyman in the British Army has revealed that mental scars from the Iraq War left him in 'the valley of the shadow of death, a place of utter desolation' for years after returning from the war zone More than 10,000 troops have been discharged because of mental health problems over the past 20 years, according to official figures. Another 500 quit last year after being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and other disorders. In a bid to tackle the issue, the Army has launched a 220 million mental health initiative, including a 24-hour helpline for troops following a campaign by The Mail on Sunday. Padre Langston said he decided 'to do my best for my soldiers', but in order to do so 'had to dial down all my emotional connections to my family'. The 59-year-old added: 'I remember getting on the aircraft into theatre [the war zone] and deciding I had already died, because then I would have no feelings and no fear. 'I returned home six months later. Both the immediate days after and the years since have been dominated by my inability to dial my emotions back up. More than 10,000 troops have been discharged because of mental health problems over the past 20 years, according to official figures. Above: British troops in Basra, Iraq, in 2004 'I have remained, as have so many of our soldiers, in the valley of the shadow of death a place of utter desolation where our shadows yearn to feel and love and live again but where our families find only the shell of who we were.' Padre Langston, who also served tours in Bosnia and Northern Ireland and is set to retire in May, made the candid remarks during the Thought For The Day segment on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, which was guest-edited by General Sir Nick Carter, the UK's former Chief of the Defence Staff. He said the biblical story of Jesus bringing his friend Lazarus back from the dead had helped him to believe that 'it's OK to live again, but it's a long road'. He went on: 'I know this experience of trauma and halting recovery is shared by countless people beyond the military, who have faced physical or emotional trauma, who feel condemned to a lifeless existence as they seek to numb the pain of what is and what might be. 'But maybe, as we turn in to this New Year, we can all find ways to reconnect and to escape the tombs and shrouds that imprison us, holding once more the hands that want us to live again.' The most senior clergyman in the British Army has revealed that mental scars from the Iraq War left him in 'the valley of the shadow of death, a place of utter desolation' for years after returning from the war zone. Clinton Langston, the outgoing chaplain-general of the Army, said he became 'sick with fear' after writing letters to his wife and children that were to be opened in the event of his death during a six-month deployment in 2004. He said: 'Another fear began to emerge, that the fear of losing my family would stop me from caring for my soldiers. 'That instead of risking my life going out and about to visit them in their bases, I would seek out places of relative safety and so give myself the best chance of returning home safely.' Clinton Langston, the most senior clergyman in the British Army has revealed that mental scars from the Iraq War left him in 'the valley of the shadow of death, a place of utter desolation' for years after returning from the war zone More than 10,000 troops have been discharged because of mental health problems over the past 20 years, according to official figures. Another 500 quit last year after being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and other disorders. In a bid to tackle the issue, the Army has launched a 220 million mental health initiative, including a 24-hour helpline for troops following a campaign by The Mail on Sunday. Padre Langston said he decided 'to do my best for my soldiers', but in order to do so 'had to dial down all my emotional connections to my family'. The 59-year-old added: 'I remember getting on the aircraft into theatre [the war zone] and deciding I had already died, because then I would have no feelings and no fear. 'I returned home six months later. Both the immediate days after and the years since have been dominated by my inability to dial my emotions back up. More than 10,000 troops have been discharged because of mental health problems over the past 20 years, according to official figures. Above: British troops in Basra, Iraq, in 2004 'I have remained, as have so many of our soldiers, in the valley of the shadow of death a place of utter desolation where our shadows yearn to feel and love and live again but where our families find only the shell of who we were.' Padre Langston, who also served tours in Bosnia and Northern Ireland and is set to retire in May, made the candid remarks during the Thought For The Day segment on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, which was guest-edited by General Sir Nick Carter, the UK's former Chief of the Defence Staff. He said the biblical story of Jesus bringing his friend Lazarus back from the dead had helped him to believe that 'it's OK to live again, but it's a long road'. He went on: 'I know this experience of trauma and halting recovery is shared by countless people beyond the military, who have faced physical or emotional trauma, who feel condemned to a lifeless existence as they seek to numb the pain of what is and what might be. 'But maybe, as we turn in to this New Year, we can all find ways to reconnect and to escape the tombs and shrouds that imprison us, holding once more the hands that want us to live again.' A Huawei logo is seen on a cell phone screen in their store at Vina del Mar, Chile, on July 18, 2019. (Rodrigo Garrido/Reuters) Sanctions-Hit Huawei Says Revenue Down Nearly 30 Percent in 2021 Chinese telecom giant Huawei announced on Dec. 31 that its annual revenue is expected to have declined by nearly 30 percent in 2021, as the company continues to be affected by U.S. sanctions. Huaweis revenue is expected to be 634 billion yuan ($99 billion) for 2021, the company said. Thats a 29 percent drop from the 891.4 billion yuan ($140 billion) the company reported in 2020. Huawei Rotating Chairman Guo Ping disclosed the revenue slide in a New Years Eve letter to employees. But the letter also states that the companys overall performance for the year was in line with their forecasts. Huawei, once the worlds largest maker of telecom gear and second-largest smartphone maker, has been battered by U.S. sanctions that barred the company from using Alphabet Inc.s Android operating system for its new smartphones, among other critical U.S.-originated technology. The company has come under intense scrutiny in the United States over concerns that its products could be used by the Chinese regime for spying or to disrupt communications networks. U.S. officials have cited the companys close ties to the regime, as well as Chinese law, which compels companies to cooperate with intelligence agencies when asked. The restrictions have badly hurt Huaweis handset business, Eric Xu, another of the firms rotating chairmen, said in September. The companys revenue for the third quarter was 38 percent lower than a year earlier. The first three quarters revenue was down by almost a third year-on-year. 2022 will come with its fair share of challenges, the letter reads. But we will keep working closely with our global partners to overcome the difficulties we face, improve business performance, and strengthen our foundations. The company will continue focusing on information and communications technology infrastructure and smart devices, according to the letter. Guo said Huawei will also continue to attract talents worldwide, offering top talent top pay. Huawei also saw the return of its financial chief, Meng Wanzhou, in 2021. Meng, the daughter of the companys founder, was held in Canada after being arrested at Vancouver International Airport in 2018 on a U.S. warrant charging her with bank fraud for allegedly misleading HSBC Holdings about Huaweis business dealings in Iran. After reaching a deal with U.S. prosecutors, Meng was allowed to return to China on Sept. 24. That night, the Chinese regime freed two Canadians who had been held captive in the country for almost three years. Reuters and Cathy He contributed to this report. A Huawei logo is seen on a cell phone screen in their store at Vina del Mar, Chile, on July 18, 2019. (Rodrigo Garrido/Reuters) Sanctions-Hit Huawei Says Revenue Down Nearly 30 Percent in 2021 Chinese telecom giant Huawei announced on Dec. 31 that its annual revenue is expected to have declined by nearly 30 percent in 2021, as the company continues to be affected by U.S. sanctions. Huaweis revenue is expected to be 634 billion yuan ($99 billion) for 2021, the company said. Thats a 29 percent drop from the 891.4 billion yuan ($140 billion) the company reported in 2020. Huawei Rotating Chairman Guo Ping disclosed the revenue slide in a New Years Eve letter to employees. But the letter also states that the companys overall performance for the year was in line with their forecasts. Huawei, once the worlds largest maker of telecom gear and second-largest smartphone maker, has been battered by U.S. sanctions that barred the company from using Alphabet Inc.s Android operating system for its new smartphones, among other critical U.S.-originated technology. The company has come under intense scrutiny in the United States over concerns that its products could be used by the Chinese regime for spying or to disrupt communications networks. U.S. officials have cited the companys close ties to the regime, as well as Chinese law, which compels companies to cooperate with intelligence agencies when asked. The restrictions have badly hurt Huaweis handset business, Eric Xu, another of the firms rotating chairmen, said in September. The companys revenue for the third quarter was 38 percent lower than a year earlier. The first three quarters revenue was down by almost a third year-on-year. 2022 will come with its fair share of challenges, the letter reads. But we will keep working closely with our global partners to overcome the difficulties we face, improve business performance, and strengthen our foundations. The company will continue focusing on information and communications technology infrastructure and smart devices, according to the letter. Guo said Huawei will also continue to attract talents worldwide, offering top talent top pay. Huawei also saw the return of its financial chief, Meng Wanzhou, in 2021. Meng, the daughter of the companys founder, was held in Canada after being arrested at Vancouver International Airport in 2018 on a U.S. warrant charging her with bank fraud for allegedly misleading HSBC Holdings about Huaweis business dealings in Iran. After reaching a deal with U.S. prosecutors, Meng was allowed to return to China on Sept. 24. That night, the Chinese regime freed two Canadians who had been held captive in the country for almost three years. Reuters and Cathy He contributed to this report. A Huawei logo is seen on a cell phone screen in their store at Vina del Mar, Chile, on July 18, 2019. (Rodrigo Garrido/Reuters) Sanctions-Hit Huawei Says Revenue Down Nearly 30 Percent in 2021 Chinese telecom giant Huawei announced on Dec. 31 that its annual revenue is expected to have declined by nearly 30 percent in 2021, as the company continues to be affected by U.S. sanctions. Huaweis revenue is expected to be 634 billion yuan ($99 billion) for 2021, the company said. Thats a 29 percent drop from the 891.4 billion yuan ($140 billion) the company reported in 2020. Huawei Rotating Chairman Guo Ping disclosed the revenue slide in a New Years Eve letter to employees. But the letter also states that the companys overall performance for the year was in line with their forecasts. Huawei, once the worlds largest maker of telecom gear and second-largest smartphone maker, has been battered by U.S. sanctions that barred the company from using Alphabet Inc.s Android operating system for its new smartphones, among other critical U.S.-originated technology. The company has come under intense scrutiny in the United States over concerns that its products could be used by the Chinese regime for spying or to disrupt communications networks. U.S. officials have cited the companys close ties to the regime, as well as Chinese law, which compels companies to cooperate with intelligence agencies when asked. The restrictions have badly hurt Huaweis handset business, Eric Xu, another of the firms rotating chairmen, said in September. The companys revenue for the third quarter was 38 percent lower than a year earlier. The first three quarters revenue was down by almost a third year-on-year. 2022 will come with its fair share of challenges, the letter reads. But we will keep working closely with our global partners to overcome the difficulties we face, improve business performance, and strengthen our foundations. The company will continue focusing on information and communications technology infrastructure and smart devices, according to the letter. Guo said Huawei will also continue to attract talents worldwide, offering top talent top pay. Huawei also saw the return of its financial chief, Meng Wanzhou, in 2021. Meng, the daughter of the companys founder, was held in Canada after being arrested at Vancouver International Airport in 2018 on a U.S. warrant charging her with bank fraud for allegedly misleading HSBC Holdings about Huaweis business dealings in Iran. After reaching a deal with U.S. prosecutors, Meng was allowed to return to China on Sept. 24. That night, the Chinese regime freed two Canadians who had been held captive in the country for almost three years. Reuters and Cathy He contributed to this report. Secondary school pupils will be told to wear face masks from the moment they arrive until they leave when they return to classrooms this week. In a desperate effort to protect the education of millions of youngsters amid a sharp rise in cases of the Omicron variant, Ministers have requested that pupils cover their faces all day including while they are being taught. Students are already asked to wear masks in communal areas. Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi last night said he and Boris Johnson saw schools as their 'No 1 priority', adding that they wanted to 'do everything in our power to minimise disruption'. School teachers and pupils will have to wear masks when they return to the classroom next week under new guidance issued by the government UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. Figures are for England only today Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across England, up 83 per cent from the 84 recorded in the UK last week. Figures are for England only today The wearing of masks is not a legal requirement, but Ministers expect schools to follow the guidance, which also applies to teachers and support staff. The measures will be reviewed on January 26, with a Government source saying they 'will not be in place a minute longer than they need to be', and adding: 'It is obviously a better classroom experience without masks.' Ministers are braced for a 'big bang' of Omicron cases and staff shortages when students and teachers are tested for coronavirus this week. A substantial surge in either could see larger class sizes or a return to remote learning for some pupils. In London, where rates of Omicron are particularly high, parents have been warned that school closures cannot be ruled out. 'As a general rule, the more you test the more you are going to find Covid,' the source said. 'But the idea is that by containing it early, you stop the spread in schools.' Many MPs are opposed to online lessons given the damage already done to the education of millions of youngsters by successive lockdowns. Writing in The Mail on Sunday today, Conservative MP Robert Halfon, who chairs the Education Select Committee, says: 'Pupils do not need to take any more time off. Every day lost is another day that we are damaging children's lives.' As well as the new measures on masks, the Government is deploying 7,000 extra air-cleaning units across the education sector to improve ventilation and slow the spread of Omicron. The schools regulator Ofcom is also temporarily suspending inspections. Ministers fear there will be a massive increase in Omicron cases when children return to the classroom next week Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi last night said he and Boris Johnson saw schools as their 'No 1 priority', adding that they wanted to 'do everything in our power to minimise disruption' The moves came as: A daily record of 162,572 Covid cases was recorded in England, up 47.9 per cent on last Saturday. There were 1,915 hospital admissions, up almost 50 per cent week-on-week, and 154 deaths; Ministers rejected calls to cut the isolation period for those with Covid-19 from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious; The continued shortage of lateral flow tests sparked fears of staff shortages in schools and hospitals and travel chaos when Britain returns to work this week; Official figures show that 132 million coronavirus jabs were given last year, with more than 90 per cent of over-12s now having had at least one jab. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the figure was 'astounding and a true reflection of the fantastic work of our NHS and its volunteers'; The head of NHS Providers, which represents health trusts, said the next few days would be crucial in understanding the impact of Omicron and Ministers 'must be ready to introduce new restrictions at pace if they're needed'; As a dozen hospitals temporarily suspended routine visits, the British Medical Association said further public health measures should be urgently introduced. But analysis of official figures reveal that just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of coronavirus in late December; MPs called for action after health trusts reintroduced Covid restrictions which force pregnant women to attend scans and appointments alone; Thousands of revellers from Scotland and Wales, where tougher coronavirus restrictions are in place, crossed the border into England to welcome in the New Year; One in eight of those hospitalised with Omicron are from black communities, but studies suggest the variant does less damage to the lungs than previous strains; As the MoS discovered dangerous anti-vax propaganda on YouTube, a father whose pregnant daughter died after being persuaded by such material not to get jabbed urged the tech firm to step up its efforts. Teaching unions broadly welcomed the Government's move on masks. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: 'Reintroducing face masks in secondary classrooms appears to be a sensible move, given the circumstances.' Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said the decision was 'overdue' and urged Ministers to make it a 'requirement'. No 10 is understood to have ruled out a return of the 'bubble' system which saw entire classes and sometimes years sent home if a single pupil tested positive. 'That's all in the past. We want to carry on classroom teaching,' the source said. Given the prospect of staff shortages, Ministers have renewed efforts to lure retired teachers back to the classroom. A website through which former teachers can volunteer has received 30,000 visits and Tory MPs Jonathan Gullis and Caroline Ansell, both qualified teachers, have signed up. Teaching unions broadly welcomed the Government's move on masks. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: 'Reintroducing face masks in secondary classrooms appears to be a sensible move, given the circumstances' Prime Minister Boris Johnson, pictured, has been warned to expect a 'big bang' of Omicron cases in schools when they return next week. Teachers and support staff will also be required to wear masks. The measures will be reviewed on January 26 Tom Hunt, another Conservative MP who sits on the Education Select Committee, urged the Government to keep an open mind on reducing the isolation period from seven to five days, as countries including the US and Greece have done. 'Remote learning should not be on the table... It is mission-critical to keep schools open and keep kids physically in school. No stone should be left unturned,' he said. Mr Hunt also urged teaching unions to be 'constructive'. His call came as it emerged guidance issued by the NEU advised school leaders that teachers should only have to cover for colleagues on 'rare' occasions. Further guidance issued by the union before Christmas said: 'If you are asked to cover for a colleague who is off with Covid or any other absence greater than two days, you should refuse to do it.' Chris McGovern, the chairman of the Campaign For Real Education, said: 'This is educational sabotage. Teachers have a choice. 'The best and the bravest will continue to put their pupils first and they will be remembered for doing so.' Ministers say no to five-day Covid isolation: Fears rise that schools, hospitals and transport networks could grind to a halt as Government defies calls from business chiefs to follow the US' lead because up to 30% of sufferers 'would still be infectious' By Stephen Adams for the Mail on Sunday Ministers have rejected calls to reduce the isolation period for Covid sufferers from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious. Business leaders and some Tory MPs had urged Ministers to follow the lead of other countries, including the US and Greece, by cutting self-isolation for those showing no symptoms to five days. But a Government source told The Mail on Sunday that, while the option was discussed, it was rejected because so many people could still go on to infect others if released from self-isolation that early. Lateral flow tests have been ring-fenced for schools so they can open safely next week Commuters face significant disruption because of large numbers of train and bus workers forced to self-isolate leading to cancelled services It comes amid growing concern that lengthy self-isolation is harming vital services and the economy and with a growing row over the lack of access to lateral flow tests (LFTs). As millions prepared to return to work after the festive break, Labour accused the Government of failing to order sufficient numbers of LFTs, which are increasingly seen as essential to keep the country moving while minimising the threat from Omicron. Ministers insist hundreds of millions more LFTs will soon be available. Just before Christmas, self-isolation was reduced from ten to seven days as long as the individual is negative for Covid on two LFTs the first on day six and the second on day seven. Asked about the proposal for a further cut to five days, the Government source said: 'The data we have is that almost one in three people could still be infectious five days after testing positive with Omicron. It isn't thought it would be safe to cut self-isolation that far.' The decision differs from that taken in the US where the influential Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the move to halve self-isolation from ten to five days would 'ensure people can safely continue their daily lives'. To re-enter everyday life after five days, Americans must be symptom-free and wear a mask around others for a further five days. In Greece, Health Minister Thanos Plevris indicated that Omicron's relative mildness compared with previous variants lay behind its decision to cut the period of self-isolation. 'The evidence we have from Omicron is encouraging,' he said. Rather than solely rely on being symptom-free after five days, the UK Government could in theory require people to have two negative LFT results but move them forward to days four and five. The system is, however, self-policing and people who test negative on LFTs can still be infectious, as they are less sensitive than the gold-standard PCR tests. Another consideration would be the current poor availability of LFTs, with many pharmacies out of stock due to soaring demand. Isolation is also causing problems in hospitals with NHS staff forced to remain at home Last night, Labour's health spokesman Wes Streeting said Health Secretary Sajid Javid needed to 'pull his finger out' to ensure people had access to the tests. He added: 'Given how critical testing is going to be over the course of the coming months, the Government really does need to get an immediate grip on this. 'Testing is going to be vital to keep people working and keeping children at school. If families can't do that, because Ministers haven't got their act together, they will have a lot to answer for.' Around one million LFTs are being taken every day, twice as many as PCRs. When Omicron emerged in early December, health officials were adamant there would be enough supplies to meet higher demand. Mr Streeting said: 'The Health Secretary said before Christmas the challenge was distribution not supply, and there were plentiful stocks of tests in warehouses. 'But I think it's more likely the Government has simply underestimated demand, hasn't ordered enough tests, and doesn't want to 'fess up about it.' Ministers insist hundreds of millions of tests will soon be available and Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi says tests have been ringfenced for schools to ensure they can reopen safely this week. With Britain returning to work this week, commuters are also worried that Covid-related staff shortages will bring misery on trains. More than 20 rail companies have already reduced services or plan to do so as a result of Covid infections and self-isolation rules. NHS trusts 'could start cancelling ops as soon as next week' if Covid admissions keep rising, despite just ONE IN FORTY hospital staff being sick or isolating. Ministers set to defy calls to cut quarantine period to five days Modelling shown to ministers suggests hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for second time in as many days on Saturday Official figures show only 2.5 per cent of NHS workforce were off due to Covid Meanwhile absences from non-Covid sickness fell over the same time period However, the picture was varied between England's 138 NHS hospital trusts NHS trusts could start cancelling operations next week if Covid hospitalisations escalate significantly, hospital chiefs have warned. Modelling shown to ministers suggests that hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January, according to the Telegraph. However, the Government has rejected calls to reduce the isolation period for Covid sufferers from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious. The latest figures show 2,370 Covid admissions a day in England. Another doubling could exceed the peak reached last January, when there were 4,134 daily admissions. England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for the second time in as many days on Saturday, official statistics showed as ministers continued to avoid enforcing new restrictions. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. It is the highest total reported on a day in England ever, with 160,276 cases recorded yesterday. Meanwhile, just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of Covid late last month, official figures show. NHS trusts could start cancelling operations next week if Covid hospitalisations escalate significantly, hospital chiefs have warned. Modelling shown to ministers suggests that hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January (Pictured: An NHS health worker at a pop-up vaccination centre at Redbridge Town Hall, east London on December 25) Just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of Covid late last month, official figures show. While official figures show the number off with Covid did double in the run-up to Christmas , the virus has prevented only a small fraction of hospital staff from working. (File image) Recent media reports have been saturated with warnings that hospital services could collapse because so many staff are either off sick with the virus or having to self- isolate because of it. NHS England's medical director Professor Stephen Powis last week talked of the health service being on a 'war footing', a phrase since frequently repeated by broadcasters. But while official figures show the number off with Covid did double in the run-up to Christmas, the virus has prevented only a small fraction of hospital staff from working. On December 1, 12,508 staff at English hospitals were absent due to Covid-19 'either through sickness or self- isolation', according to data from NHS England. By Boxing Day, the latest day for which figures are available, that had almost doubled to 24,632. But with 983,000 working in NHS hospitals in England, according to official workforce statistics for 2021, it means that only 2.5 per cent of the workforce or one in 40 were off due to Covid towards the end of the month. Meanwhile, non-Covid sickness absences actually fell over the same period, from 47,628 on December 1 to 43,450 on Boxing Day. As a result, overall sickness-related absences among NHS hospital staff only rose by 13 per cent in December from 60,136 on the first of the month to 68,082 on December 26. Consequently, around 93 per cent of hospital staff were still fit and healthy from a work point of view at Christmas. However, the picture is varied between England's 138 NHS hospital trusts. Five reported overall sickness or self-isolation absences exceeding ten per cent on Boxing Day Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (12.2 per cent), Nottingham University Hospitals (12 per cent), Wirral University Teaching Hospitals (10.9 per cent), Warrington and Halton Hospitals (10.8 per cent) and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (10.1 per cent). All had higher than average Covid-related absences. Taking Covid-related absences alone, three had rates of over five per cent on Boxing Day Homerton University Hospital in London (7.1 per cent), Royal United Hospitals Bath (6.9 per cent) and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (6.7 per cent). But nine reported Covid-related absences of less than one per cent of their workforce on December 26. The Times reported that more than 110,000 of all NHS staff - nearly one in 10 - were absent on New Year's Eve, of whom 50,000 were at home sick or self-isolating. Meanwhile, Boris Johnson has ordered a blueprint to be drawn up to deal with up to 300,000 Covid-related staff absences across the NHS, according to the Sun. The PM has tasked ministers with developing 'robust contingency plans' for workplace absences as the Government acknowledged high Covid levels could hit businesses hard over the coming weeks. Public sector leaders have been asked to prepare for a worst case scenario of up to a quarter of staff off work as the virus continues to sweep across the country, the Cabinet Office said. Steve Barclay, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, is chairing 'regular meetings' with ministers to assess how the highly transmissible Omicron variant is affecting workforces and supply chains. He is also keeping close tabs on the situation in schools ahead of pupils returning for the new term. The department said Mr Johnson has charged ministers with working with their respective sectors to test preparations and contingency plans to limit disruption from mounting Covid infections. It acknowledged that, despite the accelerated booster programme, high Covid levels and the increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant could mean businesses and public services face further disruption in the weeks to come. Covid infections in England hit record 162,572 with another 154 deaths after revellers partied into 2022 without restrictions as Sajid Javid reveals tighter rules are unlikely - while Scots fear party-goers will bring virus back with them over the border UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours in England Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across the nation, up 83 per cent in a week Figures were not available for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and hospitalisation data was not updated England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for the second time in as many days today, official statistics showed as ministers continued to avoid enforcing new restrictions. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. It is the highest total reported on a day in England ever, with 160,276 cases recorded yesterday. Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across the nation, up 83 per cent from the 84 recorded in the UK last week. Figures were not available for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland because of differences in reporting schedules over the New Year weekend. Hospitalisation data was also not updated. The figures come after millions of Britons partied into 2022 at late night venues across restriction-free England on New Year's Eve, with thousands coming from Scotland - where measures such as table service in bars and no nightclubs prompted them to seek entertainment on the far side of the River Tweed. Revellers joined boozy celebrations from Newcastle to Portsmouth and Manchester to Brighton on the final day of 2021 as they ignored the threat from Omicron and marked the end of a tumultuous 12 months. Partygoers packed into pubs, bars and clubs until the early hours of the morning despite heightened fears about the spread of the Covid after the UK recorded 189,846 new cases yesterday and 203 deaths. The Office for National Statistics reported an estimated 2.3million people in the UK had the virus in the week ending December 23, setting another pandemic record. But in a fresh boost for the nation's businesses, Health Secretary Sajid Javid hinted tighter restrictions on our everyday lives remain unlikely as he implored the nation to 'try to live' alongside the virus. However, the mass arrivals from north of the English border prompted some Scots to worry on social media that returning revellers would bring coronavirus back with them. One said that those who had taken part in celebrations in England would 'spread further infection around Scotland'. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. Health Secretary Sajid Javid, pictured, hinted that no fresh restrictions would come into force in England as he said Britons will have to get used to living with Covid Pictures taken in Edinburgh and Glasgow showed the extent of the exodus to Newcastle, while in Bristol, bars and clubs were packed with Welsh people. Empty chairs were piled up outside bars and restaurants in Glasgow's usually bustling Merchant City district, while sparse crowds of shoppers were seen along the iconic Royal Mile. Though, around 1,000 people made the annual pilgrimage up Calton Hill in Edinburgh for the stroke of midnight where they were greeted by a lone piper. In Newcastle, pubs filled up with eager revellers including groups of Scottish 'Covid refugees' who declared themselves 'fed up' with the tough rules in Scotland. Josh Urquart, Dean Heggie, Campbell McLean and Jamie had kicked off the celebrations early yesterday in a pub where they sat next to a Saltire. Dylan Neill and Alex Cairns, both 18, had travelled from Fife with a group of pals who were checking in at their hotel in the city centre at around 1pm. College student Dylan said: 'We can't go out properly back home so we've come to Newcastle for a night out. It's something different. 'It's not ideal having these restrictions in place at New Year. If we'd stayed in Scotland we might have ended up sitting at somebody's house. Now we've come here we'll be able to go out properly.' Meanwhile, Alex, who also goes to college, was frustrated by the local restrictions preventing him and his friends from hitting the town at home. He said: 'We're fed up now with the rules at our local. Everyone in Newcastle would be fed up with it too if they were in place here. 'We plan on going to the nightclub Tup Tup later but not sure where before that. Some of us have been here before but some never have. We're looking forward to going out.' A third friend, who didn't want to be named, said: 'We're fed up of Nicola Sturgeon putting in these restrictions. That's why we're happy to be in Newcastle where we can go out and have fun.' One Scot who was concerned about the potential for revellers to bring Covid-19 back with them said on Twitter that they risked 'bringing further infection back to Scotland'. They added: 'we all know there could be another variant' of the virus. But some people in England also complained about Scots coming in their droves to Scotland. One said they would be 'having an early night' whilst Scots were 'spreading covid in my region'. Another said they had 'no thought' for people currently ill with the virus. Secondary school pupils will be told to wear face masks from the moment they arrive until they leave when they return to classrooms this week. In a desperate effort to protect the education of millions of youngsters amid a sharp rise in cases of the Omicron variant, Ministers have requested that pupils cover their faces all day including while they are being taught. Students are already asked to wear masks in communal areas. Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi last night said he and Boris Johnson saw schools as their 'No 1 priority', adding that they wanted to 'do everything in our power to minimise disruption'. School teachers and pupils will have to wear masks when they return to the classroom next week under new guidance issued by the government UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. Figures are for England only today Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across England, up 83 per cent from the 84 recorded in the UK last week. Figures are for England only today The wearing of masks is not a legal requirement, but Ministers expect schools to follow the guidance, which also applies to teachers and support staff. The measures will be reviewed on January 26, with a Government source saying they 'will not be in place a minute longer than they need to be', and adding: 'It is obviously a better classroom experience without masks.' Ministers are braced for a 'big bang' of Omicron cases and staff shortages when students and teachers are tested for coronavirus this week. A substantial surge in either could see larger class sizes or a return to remote learning for some pupils. In London, where rates of Omicron are particularly high, parents have been warned that school closures cannot be ruled out. 'As a general rule, the more you test the more you are going to find Covid,' the source said. 'But the idea is that by containing it early, you stop the spread in schools.' Many MPs are opposed to online lessons given the damage already done to the education of millions of youngsters by successive lockdowns. Writing in The Mail on Sunday today, Conservative MP Robert Halfon, who chairs the Education Select Committee, says: 'Pupils do not need to take any more time off. Every day lost is another day that we are damaging children's lives.' As well as the new measures on masks, the Government is deploying 7,000 extra air-cleaning units across the education sector to improve ventilation and slow the spread of Omicron. The schools regulator Ofcom is also temporarily suspending inspections. Ministers fear there will be a massive increase in Omicron cases when children return to the classroom next week Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi last night said he and Boris Johnson saw schools as their 'No 1 priority', adding that they wanted to 'do everything in our power to minimise disruption' The moves came as: A daily record of 162,572 Covid cases was recorded in England, up 47.9 per cent on last Saturday. There were 1,915 hospital admissions, up almost 50 per cent week-on-week, and 154 deaths; Ministers rejected calls to cut the isolation period for those with Covid-19 from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious; The continued shortage of lateral flow tests sparked fears of staff shortages in schools and hospitals and travel chaos when Britain returns to work this week; Official figures show that 132 million coronavirus jabs were given last year, with more than 90 per cent of over-12s now having had at least one jab. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the figure was 'astounding and a true reflection of the fantastic work of our NHS and its volunteers'; The head of NHS Providers, which represents health trusts, said the next few days would be crucial in understanding the impact of Omicron and Ministers 'must be ready to introduce new restrictions at pace if they're needed'; As a dozen hospitals temporarily suspended routine visits, the British Medical Association said further public health measures should be urgently introduced. But analysis of official figures reveal that just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of coronavirus in late December; MPs called for action after health trusts reintroduced Covid restrictions which force pregnant women to attend scans and appointments alone; Thousands of revellers from Scotland and Wales, where tougher coronavirus restrictions are in place, crossed the border into England to welcome in the New Year; One in eight of those hospitalised with Omicron are from black communities, but studies suggest the variant does less damage to the lungs than previous strains; As the MoS discovered dangerous anti-vax propaganda on YouTube, a father whose pregnant daughter died after being persuaded by such material not to get jabbed urged the tech firm to step up its efforts. Teaching unions broadly welcomed the Government's move on masks. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: 'Reintroducing face masks in secondary classrooms appears to be a sensible move, given the circumstances.' Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said the decision was 'overdue' and urged Ministers to make it a 'requirement'. No 10 is understood to have ruled out a return of the 'bubble' system which saw entire classes and sometimes years sent home if a single pupil tested positive. 'That's all in the past. We want to carry on classroom teaching,' the source said. Given the prospect of staff shortages, Ministers have renewed efforts to lure retired teachers back to the classroom. A website through which former teachers can volunteer has received 30,000 visits and Tory MPs Jonathan Gullis and Caroline Ansell, both qualified teachers, have signed up. Teaching unions broadly welcomed the Government's move on masks. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: 'Reintroducing face masks in secondary classrooms appears to be a sensible move, given the circumstances' Prime Minister Boris Johnson, pictured, has been warned to expect a 'big bang' of Omicron cases in schools when they return next week. Teachers and support staff will also be required to wear masks. The measures will be reviewed on January 26 Tom Hunt, another Conservative MP who sits on the Education Select Committee, urged the Government to keep an open mind on reducing the isolation period from seven to five days, as countries including the US and Greece have done. 'Remote learning should not be on the table... It is mission-critical to keep schools open and keep kids physically in school. No stone should be left unturned,' he said. Mr Hunt also urged teaching unions to be 'constructive'. His call came as it emerged guidance issued by the NEU advised school leaders that teachers should only have to cover for colleagues on 'rare' occasions. Further guidance issued by the union before Christmas said: 'If you are asked to cover for a colleague who is off with Covid or any other absence greater than two days, you should refuse to do it.' Chris McGovern, the chairman of the Campaign For Real Education, said: 'This is educational sabotage. Teachers have a choice. 'The best and the bravest will continue to put their pupils first and they will be remembered for doing so.' Ministers say no to five-day Covid isolation: Fears rise that schools, hospitals and transport networks could grind to a halt as Government defies calls from business chiefs to follow the US' lead because up to 30% of sufferers 'would still be infectious' By Stephen Adams for the Mail on Sunday Ministers have rejected calls to reduce the isolation period for Covid sufferers from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious. Business leaders and some Tory MPs had urged Ministers to follow the lead of other countries, including the US and Greece, by cutting self-isolation for those showing no symptoms to five days. But a Government source told The Mail on Sunday that, while the option was discussed, it was rejected because so many people could still go on to infect others if released from self-isolation that early. Lateral flow tests have been ring-fenced for schools so they can open safely next week Commuters face significant disruption because of large numbers of train and bus workers forced to self-isolate leading to cancelled services It comes amid growing concern that lengthy self-isolation is harming vital services and the economy and with a growing row over the lack of access to lateral flow tests (LFTs). As millions prepared to return to work after the festive break, Labour accused the Government of failing to order sufficient numbers of LFTs, which are increasingly seen as essential to keep the country moving while minimising the threat from Omicron. Ministers insist hundreds of millions more LFTs will soon be available. Just before Christmas, self-isolation was reduced from ten to seven days as long as the individual is negative for Covid on two LFTs the first on day six and the second on day seven. Asked about the proposal for a further cut to five days, the Government source said: 'The data we have is that almost one in three people could still be infectious five days after testing positive with Omicron. It isn't thought it would be safe to cut self-isolation that far.' The decision differs from that taken in the US where the influential Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the move to halve self-isolation from ten to five days would 'ensure people can safely continue their daily lives'. To re-enter everyday life after five days, Americans must be symptom-free and wear a mask around others for a further five days. In Greece, Health Minister Thanos Plevris indicated that Omicron's relative mildness compared with previous variants lay behind its decision to cut the period of self-isolation. 'The evidence we have from Omicron is encouraging,' he said. Rather than solely rely on being symptom-free after five days, the UK Government could in theory require people to have two negative LFT results but move them forward to days four and five. The system is, however, self-policing and people who test negative on LFTs can still be infectious, as they are less sensitive than the gold-standard PCR tests. Another consideration would be the current poor availability of LFTs, with many pharmacies out of stock due to soaring demand. Isolation is also causing problems in hospitals with NHS staff forced to remain at home Last night, Labour's health spokesman Wes Streeting said Health Secretary Sajid Javid needed to 'pull his finger out' to ensure people had access to the tests. He added: 'Given how critical testing is going to be over the course of the coming months, the Government really does need to get an immediate grip on this. 'Testing is going to be vital to keep people working and keeping children at school. If families can't do that, because Ministers haven't got their act together, they will have a lot to answer for.' Around one million LFTs are being taken every day, twice as many as PCRs. When Omicron emerged in early December, health officials were adamant there would be enough supplies to meet higher demand. Mr Streeting said: 'The Health Secretary said before Christmas the challenge was distribution not supply, and there were plentiful stocks of tests in warehouses. 'But I think it's more likely the Government has simply underestimated demand, hasn't ordered enough tests, and doesn't want to 'fess up about it.' Ministers insist hundreds of millions of tests will soon be available and Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi says tests have been ringfenced for schools to ensure they can reopen safely this week. With Britain returning to work this week, commuters are also worried that Covid-related staff shortages will bring misery on trains. More than 20 rail companies have already reduced services or plan to do so as a result of Covid infections and self-isolation rules. NHS trusts 'could start cancelling ops as soon as next week' if Covid admissions keep rising, despite just ONE IN FORTY hospital staff being sick or isolating. Ministers set to defy calls to cut quarantine period to five days Modelling shown to ministers suggests hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for second time in as many days on Saturday Official figures show only 2.5 per cent of NHS workforce were off due to Covid Meanwhile absences from non-Covid sickness fell over the same time period However, the picture was varied between England's 138 NHS hospital trusts NHS trusts could start cancelling operations next week if Covid hospitalisations escalate significantly, hospital chiefs have warned. Modelling shown to ministers suggests that hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January, according to the Telegraph. However, the Government has rejected calls to reduce the isolation period for Covid sufferers from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious. The latest figures show 2,370 Covid admissions a day in England. Another doubling could exceed the peak reached last January, when there were 4,134 daily admissions. England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for the second time in as many days on Saturday, official statistics showed as ministers continued to avoid enforcing new restrictions. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. It is the highest total reported on a day in England ever, with 160,276 cases recorded yesterday. Meanwhile, just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of Covid late last month, official figures show. NHS trusts could start cancelling operations next week if Covid hospitalisations escalate significantly, hospital chiefs have warned. Modelling shown to ministers suggests that hospital admissions are doubling every 16 days - and could peak in the middle of January (Pictured: An NHS health worker at a pop-up vaccination centre at Redbridge Town Hall, east London on December 25) Just one in 40 NHS hospital staff were unavailable to work because of Covid late last month, official figures show. While official figures show the number off with Covid did double in the run-up to Christmas , the virus has prevented only a small fraction of hospital staff from working. (File image) Recent media reports have been saturated with warnings that hospital services could collapse because so many staff are either off sick with the virus or having to self- isolate because of it. NHS England's medical director Professor Stephen Powis last week talked of the health service being on a 'war footing', a phrase since frequently repeated by broadcasters. But while official figures show the number off with Covid did double in the run-up to Christmas, the virus has prevented only a small fraction of hospital staff from working. On December 1, 12,508 staff at English hospitals were absent due to Covid-19 'either through sickness or self- isolation', according to data from NHS England. By Boxing Day, the latest day for which figures are available, that had almost doubled to 24,632. But with 983,000 working in NHS hospitals in England, according to official workforce statistics for 2021, it means that only 2.5 per cent of the workforce or one in 40 were off due to Covid towards the end of the month. Meanwhile, non-Covid sickness absences actually fell over the same period, from 47,628 on December 1 to 43,450 on Boxing Day. As a result, overall sickness-related absences among NHS hospital staff only rose by 13 per cent in December from 60,136 on the first of the month to 68,082 on December 26. Consequently, around 93 per cent of hospital staff were still fit and healthy from a work point of view at Christmas. However, the picture is varied between England's 138 NHS hospital trusts. Five reported overall sickness or self-isolation absences exceeding ten per cent on Boxing Day Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (12.2 per cent), Nottingham University Hospitals (12 per cent), Wirral University Teaching Hospitals (10.9 per cent), Warrington and Halton Hospitals (10.8 per cent) and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (10.1 per cent). All had higher than average Covid-related absences. Taking Covid-related absences alone, three had rates of over five per cent on Boxing Day Homerton University Hospital in London (7.1 per cent), Royal United Hospitals Bath (6.9 per cent) and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (6.7 per cent). But nine reported Covid-related absences of less than one per cent of their workforce on December 26. The Times reported that more than 110,000 of all NHS staff - nearly one in 10 - were absent on New Year's Eve, of whom 50,000 were at home sick or self-isolating. Meanwhile, Boris Johnson has ordered a blueprint to be drawn up to deal with up to 300,000 Covid-related staff absences across the NHS, according to the Sun. The PM has tasked ministers with developing 'robust contingency plans' for workplace absences as the Government acknowledged high Covid levels could hit businesses hard over the coming weeks. Public sector leaders have been asked to prepare for a worst case scenario of up to a quarter of staff off work as the virus continues to sweep across the country, the Cabinet Office said. Steve Barclay, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, is chairing 'regular meetings' with ministers to assess how the highly transmissible Omicron variant is affecting workforces and supply chains. He is also keeping close tabs on the situation in schools ahead of pupils returning for the new term. The department said Mr Johnson has charged ministers with working with their respective sectors to test preparations and contingency plans to limit disruption from mounting Covid infections. It acknowledged that, despite the accelerated booster programme, high Covid levels and the increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant could mean businesses and public services face further disruption in the weeks to come. Covid infections in England hit record 162,572 with another 154 deaths after revellers partied into 2022 without restrictions as Sajid Javid reveals tighter rules are unlikely - while Scots fear party-goers will bring virus back with them over the border UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours in England Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across the nation, up 83 per cent in a week Figures were not available for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and hospitalisation data was not updated England's Covid cases breached 160,000 for the second time in as many days today, official statistics showed as ministers continued to avoid enforcing new restrictions. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. It is the highest total reported on a day in England ever, with 160,276 cases recorded yesterday. Some 154 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded across the nation, up 83 per cent from the 84 recorded in the UK last week. Figures were not available for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland because of differences in reporting schedules over the New Year weekend. Hospitalisation data was also not updated. The figures come after millions of Britons partied into 2022 at late night venues across restriction-free England on New Year's Eve, with thousands coming from Scotland - where measures such as table service in bars and no nightclubs prompted them to seek entertainment on the far side of the River Tweed. Revellers joined boozy celebrations from Newcastle to Portsmouth and Manchester to Brighton on the final day of 2021 as they ignored the threat from Omicron and marked the end of a tumultuous 12 months. Partygoers packed into pubs, bars and clubs until the early hours of the morning despite heightened fears about the spread of the Covid after the UK recorded 189,846 new cases yesterday and 203 deaths. The Office for National Statistics reported an estimated 2.3million people in the UK had the virus in the week ending December 23, setting another pandemic record. But in a fresh boost for the nation's businesses, Health Secretary Sajid Javid hinted tighter restrictions on our everyday lives remain unlikely as he implored the nation to 'try to live' alongside the virus. However, the mass arrivals from north of the English border prompted some Scots to worry on social media that returning revellers would bring coronavirus back with them. One said that those who had taken part in celebrations in England would 'spread further infection around Scotland'. UK Health Security Agency data shows there were 162,572 new infections over the last 24 hours, an increase of 33 per cent on the number recorded on Christmas Day when there were 121,880. Health Secretary Sajid Javid, pictured, hinted that no fresh restrictions would come into force in England as he said Britons will have to get used to living with Covid Pictures taken in Edinburgh and Glasgow showed the extent of the exodus to Newcastle, while in Bristol, bars and clubs were packed with Welsh people. Empty chairs were piled up outside bars and restaurants in Glasgow's usually bustling Merchant City district, while sparse crowds of shoppers were seen along the iconic Royal Mile. Though, around 1,000 people made the annual pilgrimage up Calton Hill in Edinburgh for the stroke of midnight where they were greeted by a lone piper. In Newcastle, pubs filled up with eager revellers including groups of Scottish 'Covid refugees' who declared themselves 'fed up' with the tough rules in Scotland. Josh Urquart, Dean Heggie, Campbell McLean and Jamie had kicked off the celebrations early yesterday in a pub where they sat next to a Saltire. Dylan Neill and Alex Cairns, both 18, had travelled from Fife with a group of pals who were checking in at their hotel in the city centre at around 1pm. College student Dylan said: 'We can't go out properly back home so we've come to Newcastle for a night out. It's something different. 'It's not ideal having these restrictions in place at New Year. If we'd stayed in Scotland we might have ended up sitting at somebody's house. Now we've come here we'll be able to go out properly.' Meanwhile, Alex, who also goes to college, was frustrated by the local restrictions preventing him and his friends from hitting the town at home. He said: 'We're fed up now with the rules at our local. Everyone in Newcastle would be fed up with it too if they were in place here. 'We plan on going to the nightclub Tup Tup later but not sure where before that. Some of us have been here before but some never have. We're looking forward to going out.' A third friend, who didn't want to be named, said: 'We're fed up of Nicola Sturgeon putting in these restrictions. That's why we're happy to be in Newcastle where we can go out and have fun.' One Scot who was concerned about the potential for revellers to bring Covid-19 back with them said on Twitter that they risked 'bringing further infection back to Scotland'. They added: 'we all know there could be another variant' of the virus. But some people in England also complained about Scots coming in their droves to Scotland. One said they would be 'having an early night' whilst Scots were 'spreading covid in my region'. Another said they had 'no thought' for people currently ill with the virus. When Lok Sabha elections are held, the BJP and Congress hold public meetings using government funds and the energy they have now during the winter season is derived from the money of the poor people, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati told ANI on Saturday. On the occasion of the new year, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati took the opportunity to take a dig at her political rivals ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections and terming Opposition parties 'anti-people' urged citizens to vote them out in the upcoming polls. "The elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Punjab are near. On the first day of this New Year, I urge the citizens to take the chance to vote out the anti-people parties in the upcoming polls this year," said Mayawati. The BSP chief said that the big parties which have been in power in the Centre like BJP and Congress, only show up ahead of state or regional polls by conducting extravagant rallies. "The rallies that they hold are from Central fund derived from taxpayers' money. My party cannot afford such big election rallies even if we want to. BSP is a poor man's party which consists of people like labourers," said Mayawati. She said her party ideology is against holding extravagant rallies. "As far as election publicity is concerned, BSP has its own way of functioning which is different from other parties," added the former UP CM. "Other parties get money from big industrialists and ponzi scams; BSP doesn't," said Mayawati. (ANI) When Lok Sabha elections are held, the BJP and Congress hold public meetings using government funds and the energy they have now during the winter season is derived from the money of the poor people, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati told ANI on Saturday. On the occasion of the new year, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati took the opportunity to take a dig at her political rivals ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections and terming Opposition parties 'anti-people' urged citizens to vote them out in the upcoming polls. "The elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Punjab are near. On the first day of this New Year, I urge the citizens to take the chance to vote out the anti-people parties in the upcoming polls this year," said Mayawati. The BSP chief said that the big parties which have been in power in the Centre like BJP and Congress, only show up ahead of state or regional polls by conducting extravagant rallies. "The rallies that they hold are from Central fund derived from taxpayers' money. My party cannot afford such big election rallies even if we want to. BSP is a poor man's party which consists of people like labourers," said Mayawati. She said her party ideology is against holding extravagant rallies. "As far as election publicity is concerned, BSP has its own way of functioning which is different from other parties," added the former UP CM. "Other parties get money from big industrialists and ponzi scams; BSP doesn't," said Mayawati. (ANI) Nobody in their right mind really wants to wear a mask. I know I don't. Don't get me wrong, I don't feel suffocated or dehumanised or particularly put-upon having to. I often forget I've got one on. It's just a bit of a faff and I'd rather not. But simple etiquette aside, in many places we have to wear them by law or face a fine. And in many others we're simply asked to, so of course I do. Most of us do. Even after mask mandates were dropped in July last year (they were reintroduced in December, when Omicron hit), more than half of Britons still wore them in many situations, out of choice. Was it necessary? Well, in January 2021, at the peak of our second wave, one in 50 people had Covid. Numbers fell and rose again, and by October it was one in 50 again, across the whole of England. Numbers were higher in certain hotspots. It's now one in 25 in England, which is a startling figure. The chances of coming into close contact with someone carrying the virus while going about your day was high back then, and now it's pretty much inevitable. BARNEY CALMAN: Some types of mask are vastly superior namely, FFP2 masks (pictured), the ones that look like a beak. But, unfortunately, they're not the kind most people are wearing So wearing a mask, which has been shown to help reduce transmission, makes sense in certain situations. Which leads us on to the thorny, and surprisingly complex, subject: 'Do masks actually work or not?' The short answer is yes, they do. Masks can block viral particles coming in and out. It's been shown in many studies now and to argue otherwise is to wilfully ignore the evidence. But, there are those generally not people I'd go to for medical or scientific advice, perhaps who say they don't. I recently saw a truly surreal clip on YouTube, in which Covid denier Piers Corbyn, brother of ex-Labour leader Jeremy, and a rag-tag bunch of followers were singing 'Wearing a mask is like trying to keep a fart in your trousers', over and over, while walking (maskless) through a London Tube train. Of course, they're quite mad. But I can see how, in theory, this might seem like a fair (if slightly infantile) thought: if Covid is like smoke, coming out of our mouths and noses, what's a flimsy bit of fabric going to do to stop it? And, actually, the doubters have a point. Some types of mask are vastly superior namely, FFP2 masks, the ones that look like a beak. But, unfortunately, they're not the kind most people are wearing. The problem is, the differences and relative benefits have just not been made clear by our health chiefs. In all honesty, until recently after a holiday in the south of Germany, where people are required by law to wear FFP2 masks I didn't know how stark the differences were, either. BARNEY CALMAN: A typical cloth mask provides only about 30 to 60 per cent protection to the wearer, according to research. Surgical masks (pictured) those blue pleated ones commonly worn in the UK while better, at 40 to 80 per cent, lack a tight fit to the face Back in April 2020 what feels like a lifetime ago The Mail on Sunday was the first mainstream newspaper to suggest mask-wearing might be a good idea. At the time, officials were claiming the public didn't need to. Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty had said: 'Wearing a mask if you don't have an infection reduces the risk almost not at all. So we do not advise that.' Instead, guidance revolved around washing our hands while singing Happy Birthday. When Covid hit, there was the idea that it could be picked up from surfaces. Someone infected could cough or sneeze and spray virus-laden droplets on to surfaces. Transmission occurred when we came into contact with them. An NHS ad depicted the virus as dayglo paint smeared over door handles and a coffee cup. If this were true (it's not, we now know), then hand-washing would be prudent. What do you think about masks? We want to hear your story. Get in touch by email at health@mailonsunday.co.uk Advertisement There was also justifiable concern that, should everyone rush out to purchase medical masks, there wouldn't be any for doctors and nurses. PPE was in dangerously short supply as it was, back then. What changed? Firstly, it became apparent that Covid was spread through people who were infected but didn't know they had it. If everyone started wearing masks, scientists knew it would be an effective way of reducing this sort of transmission. The Mail on Sunday's GP columnist Dr Ellie Cannon was so concerned that she broke ranks to suggest that people shouldn't wait for guidance, but should just wear one. She even gave a method for making a mask from a cut-up and folded T-shirt, which the US Surgeon General was recommending. Ellie was later invited by the Government to help promote mask-wearing when it was finally mandated in July that year. Since then, we've learnt even more namely, while better than nothing, cloth face masks are not a great option. They're are moderately effective at capturing particles coming out of your own mouth in science lingo, it's called 'source control'. So they do help a bit. But they offer little 'respiratory protection' to the wearer. Covid isn't mainly spread by droplets but through particles in the air, and this is why the fit and quality of a mask is vital when it comes to stopping the virus getting in. A typical cloth mask provides only about 30 to 60 per cent protection to the wearer, according to research. A health worker adjusts her FFP2 mask prior to entering the intensive care unit for patients infected with Covid-19 at the Pourtales hospital in Neuchatel, western Switzerland, on December 21, 2021 Surgical masks those blue pleated ones commonly worn in the UK while better, at 40 to 80 per cent, lack a tight fit to the face. This results in large amounts of leakage around the mask. But FFP2 (FFP stands for 'filtering face piece') masks are much, much better. These high-performance masks are made of several layers of extremely dense fabrics that can filter out the tiniest viral particles. That's why they provide between five and ten times the respiratory protection than that of a cloth mask, while also providing significant protection to others. This has been proven in aerosol lab studies, in which they shoot blasts of gas through masks and measure how well they filter out microscopic particles. There are real-life examples, too. As we reported last week, a University of Cambridge study published in July suggested FFP3 masks provided 'most likely 100 per cent protection against infection on wards'. Study author Chris Illingworth, an infectious diseases expert, wrote: 'Once FFP3 masks were introduced, the number of cases attributed to exposure on Covid-19 wards dropped in fact, our model suggests FFP3 [masks] may have cut ward-based infection to zero.' As an aside, experts warn against masks with a circular filter on the side. These are designed to let your breath out unfiltered, so don't protect those around you. Alongside Germany, Austria and Italy also require FFP2 masks as a minimum, by law, in public now. But our mask mandate isn't specific. The Government website still says face coverings can be 'made of a material that you find comfortable and breathable, such as cotton'. FFP2 masks are more expensive roughly 1 per mask, versus 50p per surgical mask. But since we're all talking about the economic impact of people catching Covid and having to isolate, perhaps policymakers and businesses need to bite the bullet and give us masks that will really help remedy the problem. It comes down to this: if we're going to wear masks, can we at least have ones that really work? Ones that not only stop us giving someone Covid, but prevent us from getting it too. Nobody in their right mind really wants to wear a mask. I know I don't. Don't get me wrong, I don't feel suffocated or dehumanised or particularly put-upon having to. I often forget I've got one on. It's just a bit of a faff and I'd rather not. But simple etiquette aside, in many places we have to wear them by law or face a fine. And in many others we're simply asked to, so of course I do. Most of us do. Even after mask mandates were dropped in July last year (they were reintroduced in December, when Omicron hit), more than half of Britons still wore them in many situations, out of choice. Was it necessary? Well, in January 2021, at the peak of our second wave, one in 50 people had Covid. Numbers fell and rose again, and by October it was one in 50 again, across the whole of England. Numbers were higher in certain hotspots. It's now one in 25 in England, which is a startling figure. The chances of coming into close contact with someone carrying the virus while going about your day was high back then, and now it's pretty much inevitable. BARNEY CALMAN: Some types of mask are vastly superior namely, FFP2 masks (pictured), the ones that look like a beak. But, unfortunately, they're not the kind most people are wearing So wearing a mask, which has been shown to help reduce transmission, makes sense in certain situations. Which leads us on to the thorny, and surprisingly complex, subject: 'Do masks actually work or not?' The short answer is yes, they do. Masks can block viral particles coming in and out. It's been shown in many studies now and to argue otherwise is to wilfully ignore the evidence. But, there are those generally not people I'd go to for medical or scientific advice, perhaps who say they don't. I recently saw a truly surreal clip on YouTube, in which Covid denier Piers Corbyn, brother of ex-Labour leader Jeremy, and a rag-tag bunch of followers were singing 'Wearing a mask is like trying to keep a fart in your trousers', over and over, while walking (maskless) through a London Tube train. Of course, they're quite mad. But I can see how, in theory, this might seem like a fair (if slightly infantile) thought: if Covid is like smoke, coming out of our mouths and noses, what's a flimsy bit of fabric going to do to stop it? And, actually, the doubters have a point. Some types of mask are vastly superior namely, FFP2 masks, the ones that look like a beak. But, unfortunately, they're not the kind most people are wearing. The problem is, the differences and relative benefits have just not been made clear by our health chiefs. In all honesty, until recently after a holiday in the south of Germany, where people are required by law to wear FFP2 masks I didn't know how stark the differences were, either. BARNEY CALMAN: A typical cloth mask provides only about 30 to 60 per cent protection to the wearer, according to research. Surgical masks (pictured) those blue pleated ones commonly worn in the UK while better, at 40 to 80 per cent, lack a tight fit to the face Back in April 2020 what feels like a lifetime ago The Mail on Sunday was the first mainstream newspaper to suggest mask-wearing might be a good idea. At the time, officials were claiming the public didn't need to. Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty had said: 'Wearing a mask if you don't have an infection reduces the risk almost not at all. So we do not advise that.' Instead, guidance revolved around washing our hands while singing Happy Birthday. When Covid hit, there was the idea that it could be picked up from surfaces. Someone infected could cough or sneeze and spray virus-laden droplets on to surfaces. Transmission occurred when we came into contact with them. An NHS ad depicted the virus as dayglo paint smeared over door handles and a coffee cup. If this were true (it's not, we now know), then hand-washing would be prudent. What do you think about masks? We want to hear your story. Get in touch by email at health@mailonsunday.co.uk Advertisement There was also justifiable concern that, should everyone rush out to purchase medical masks, there wouldn't be any for doctors and nurses. PPE was in dangerously short supply as it was, back then. What changed? Firstly, it became apparent that Covid was spread through people who were infected but didn't know they had it. If everyone started wearing masks, scientists knew it would be an effective way of reducing this sort of transmission. The Mail on Sunday's GP columnist Dr Ellie Cannon was so concerned that she broke ranks to suggest that people shouldn't wait for guidance, but should just wear one. She even gave a method for making a mask from a cut-up and folded T-shirt, which the US Surgeon General was recommending. Ellie was later invited by the Government to help promote mask-wearing when it was finally mandated in July that year. Since then, we've learnt even more namely, while better than nothing, cloth face masks are not a great option. They're are moderately effective at capturing particles coming out of your own mouth in science lingo, it's called 'source control'. So they do help a bit. But they offer little 'respiratory protection' to the wearer. Covid isn't mainly spread by droplets but through particles in the air, and this is why the fit and quality of a mask is vital when it comes to stopping the virus getting in. A typical cloth mask provides only about 30 to 60 per cent protection to the wearer, according to research. A health worker adjusts her FFP2 mask prior to entering the intensive care unit for patients infected with Covid-19 at the Pourtales hospital in Neuchatel, western Switzerland, on December 21, 2021 Surgical masks those blue pleated ones commonly worn in the UK while better, at 40 to 80 per cent, lack a tight fit to the face. This results in large amounts of leakage around the mask. But FFP2 (FFP stands for 'filtering face piece') masks are much, much better. These high-performance masks are made of several layers of extremely dense fabrics that can filter out the tiniest viral particles. That's why they provide between five and ten times the respiratory protection than that of a cloth mask, while also providing significant protection to others. This has been proven in aerosol lab studies, in which they shoot blasts of gas through masks and measure how well they filter out microscopic particles. There are real-life examples, too. As we reported last week, a University of Cambridge study published in July suggested FFP3 masks provided 'most likely 100 per cent protection against infection on wards'. Study author Chris Illingworth, an infectious diseases expert, wrote: 'Once FFP3 masks were introduced, the number of cases attributed to exposure on Covid-19 wards dropped in fact, our model suggests FFP3 [masks] may have cut ward-based infection to zero.' As an aside, experts warn against masks with a circular filter on the side. These are designed to let your breath out unfiltered, so don't protect those around you. Alongside Germany, Austria and Italy also require FFP2 masks as a minimum, by law, in public now. But our mask mandate isn't specific. The Government website still says face coverings can be 'made of a material that you find comfortable and breathable, such as cotton'. FFP2 masks are more expensive roughly 1 per mask, versus 50p per surgical mask. But since we're all talking about the economic impact of people catching Covid and having to isolate, perhaps policymakers and businesses need to bite the bullet and give us masks that will really help remedy the problem. It comes down to this: if we're going to wear masks, can we at least have ones that really work? Ones that not only stop us giving someone Covid, but prevent us from getting it too. Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' The most senior clergyman in the British Army has revealed that mental scars from the Iraq War left him in 'the valley of the shadow of death, a place of utter desolation' for years after returning from the war zone. Clinton Langston, the outgoing chaplain-general of the Army, said he became 'sick with fear' after writing letters to his wife and children that were to be opened in the event of his death during a six-month deployment in 2004. He said: 'Another fear began to emerge, that the fear of losing my family would stop me from caring for my soldiers. 'That instead of risking my life going out and about to visit them in their bases, I would seek out places of relative safety and so give myself the best chance of returning home safely.' Clinton Langston, the most senior clergyman in the British Army has revealed that mental scars from the Iraq War left him in 'the valley of the shadow of death, a place of utter desolation' for years after returning from the war zone More than 10,000 troops have been discharged because of mental health problems over the past 20 years, according to official figures. Another 500 quit last year after being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and other disorders. In a bid to tackle the issue, the Army has launched a 220 million mental health initiative, including a 24-hour helpline for troops following a campaign by The Mail on Sunday. Padre Langston said he decided 'to do my best for my soldiers', but in order to do so 'had to dial down all my emotional connections to my family'. The 59-year-old added: 'I remember getting on the aircraft into theatre [the war zone] and deciding I had already died, because then I would have no feelings and no fear. 'I returned home six months later. Both the immediate days after and the years since have been dominated by my inability to dial my emotions back up. More than 10,000 troops have been discharged because of mental health problems over the past 20 years, according to official figures. Above: British troops in Basra, Iraq, in 2004 'I have remained, as have so many of our soldiers, in the valley of the shadow of death a place of utter desolation where our shadows yearn to feel and love and live again but where our families find only the shell of who we were.' Padre Langston, who also served tours in Bosnia and Northern Ireland and is set to retire in May, made the candid remarks during the Thought For The Day segment on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, which was guest-edited by General Sir Nick Carter, the UK's former Chief of the Defence Staff. He said the biblical story of Jesus bringing his friend Lazarus back from the dead had helped him to believe that 'it's OK to live again, but it's a long road'. He went on: 'I know this experience of trauma and halting recovery is shared by countless people beyond the military, who have faced physical or emotional trauma, who feel condemned to a lifeless existence as they seek to numb the pain of what is and what might be. 'But maybe, as we turn in to this New Year, we can all find ways to reconnect and to escape the tombs and shrouds that imprison us, holding once more the hands that want us to live again.' WASHINGTON, D.C. The record-busting $768.2 billion defense authorization bill that cleared Congress last week contains a little sugar for Nebraska, courtesy of the states congressional delegation, including $11 million for barracks construction at the Nebraska National Guards training site near Mead. The bill, which passed the Senate 88-11, includes a 2.7% pay increase for military personnel while making landmark changes to the way the military handles sexual assaults, keeping women out of the draft and laying the groundwork for a new war on terror memorial on the National Mall. The bill passed the House 363-70 in September and is now awaiting President Joe Bidens signature. Sen. Deb Fischer and Rep. Don Bacon, who serve on the Armed Services Committees in their respective houses, claimed credit for steering some of that money to benefit military personnel and commands in Nebraska. The (bill) includes critical provisions to support a pay raise for our troops, bolster Nebraska military assets and modernize our nuclear deterrent, Fischer said in a statement. The legislation reflects broad agreement that the country must be prepared to address the many growing national security challenges we face. At least $150 million is slated for construction at Offutt Air Force Base near Bellevue. Of that, $100 million is for reconstruction of parts of the base damaged in the 2019 flood. Thats on top of more than $400 million for cleanup and repairs in previous years, and $234 million to replace RC-135 flight simulators destroyed in the flood. The bill also authorized $50 million for rehabilitation of family housing at Offutt. You can tell its older, and it needs some investment, Bacon said. The sense was were falling a little bit behind. The Pentagon began turning over construction, management and maintenance of military housing to private companies in the mid-1990s, and accusations of mismanagement by some companies prompted congressional hearings in 2019 and again in March. Offutts Rising View housing, owned by Omaha-based Burlington Housing since 2005, drew scrutiny two years ago after some residents complained of poor living conditions and slow repairs. That prompted much closer scrutiny by senior leaders of Offutts 55th Wing. The bill also authorized $10 million to find a site and build the U.S. Strategic Commands nuclear command, control and communications hub. Its tied to a 2019 initiative to put StratCom in charge of what the Pentagon calls NC3. Bacon said it is likely to be built on Offutt property but outside the current fence line. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, whose district includes Offutt, supported the bill. He said in a statement that he was glad to see the pay raise for troops and the funding for nuclear command, control and communications. Nebraska plays a critical role in our national defense, he said. The most important duty of your government is to keep you safe. The yearly National Defense Authorization Act is essential to that goal. The sacking of a leading zoologist from one of Britain's most prestigious museums has remained a mystery for decades. But newly released documents reveal that Dr Denys Tucker lost his job at the Natural History Museum due to his belief in the existence of the Loch Ness monster. Dr Tucker began his academic career after serving in the Second World War as a pilot, joining the museum in 1949 as a scientific officer in the department of zoology. He rose up the ranks and became a principal scientific officer in 1957. However, when Dr Tucker was 39, his career came to an abrupt end. In 1960, he was fired for alleged insubordination, which stunned colleagues and sparked decades of speculation over his beliefs about Loch Ness. The newly uncovered documents, from the museum's board of trustees, reinforce the view that his dismissal was down to his belief in the creature rather than concerns about his professional behaviour. Ridiculed: Newly released documents reveal that Dr Denys Tucker (pictured) lost his job at the Natural History Museum due to his belief in the existence of the Loch Ness monster The ignominy of the sacking ensured he never worked again in a senior academic post. Months before his exit, he wrote in the New Scientist magazine of his belief that the supposed monster by then the subject of thousands of alleged sightings must be a plesiosaur, a reptile thought to have been extinct for 70million years. The documents from the board of trustees have now revealed the level of paranoia among senior figures at the museum who feared potential reputational damage if it was perceived to be taking the monster's existence seriously. A memo issued to staff by the board in 1959 warned: 'The trustees wish it to be known that they do not approve of the spending of official time or official leave on the so-called Loch Ness Phenomenon.' The memo added: 'If, as a result of the activities of members of the staff, the museum is involved in undesirable publicity, [the trustees] will be gravely displeased.' Faked: Staged 1934 Nessie photo The official reason for Dr Tucker's dismissal was 'continued, vexatious, insubordinate and generally offensive conduct towards the museum's director and other senior staff'. The documents also reveal that Dr Tucker tried to win funding from the Royal Society for a scientific project, but failed to get an interview. In a newspaper cutting from the time, held in the museum's archive, he is quoted as saying: 'I put the project up to the Natural History Museum. The museum does send out expeditions to collect specimens. But they didn't like the idea of a Loch Ness expedition at all. 'They refused me leave to lecture on the subject. Since I was sacked, they have banned me from the library. I had an international reputation as a zoologist. Now I'm like a struck off lawyer.' He later embarked on an unsuccessful legal battle against the museum to be reinstated, which included launching a legal case against the leader of the trustees, then-Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Fisher. In the face of ridicule from leading scientists, Dr Tucker even claimed to have seen the monster. Dr Tucker died in France in 2009, unrepentant in his belief in its existence. Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' The most senior clergyman in the British Army has revealed that mental scars from the Iraq War left him in 'the valley of the shadow of death, a place of utter desolation' for years after returning from the war zone. Clinton Langston, the outgoing chaplain-general of the Army, said he became 'sick with fear' after writing letters to his wife and children that were to be opened in the event of his death during a six-month deployment in 2004. He said: 'Another fear began to emerge, that the fear of losing my family would stop me from caring for my soldiers. 'That instead of risking my life going out and about to visit them in their bases, I would seek out places of relative safety and so give myself the best chance of returning home safely.' Clinton Langston, the most senior clergyman in the British Army has revealed that mental scars from the Iraq War left him in 'the valley of the shadow of death, a place of utter desolation' for years after returning from the war zone More than 10,000 troops have been discharged because of mental health problems over the past 20 years, according to official figures. Another 500 quit last year after being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and other disorders. In a bid to tackle the issue, the Army has launched a 220 million mental health initiative, including a 24-hour helpline for troops following a campaign by The Mail on Sunday. Padre Langston said he decided 'to do my best for my soldiers', but in order to do so 'had to dial down all my emotional connections to my family'. The 59-year-old added: 'I remember getting on the aircraft into theatre [the war zone] and deciding I had already died, because then I would have no feelings and no fear. 'I returned home six months later. Both the immediate days after and the years since have been dominated by my inability to dial my emotions back up. More than 10,000 troops have been discharged because of mental health problems over the past 20 years, according to official figures. Above: British troops in Basra, Iraq, in 2004 'I have remained, as have so many of our soldiers, in the valley of the shadow of death a place of utter desolation where our shadows yearn to feel and love and live again but where our families find only the shell of who we were.' Padre Langston, who also served tours in Bosnia and Northern Ireland and is set to retire in May, made the candid remarks during the Thought For The Day segment on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, which was guest-edited by General Sir Nick Carter, the UK's former Chief of the Defence Staff. He said the biblical story of Jesus bringing his friend Lazarus back from the dead had helped him to believe that 'it's OK to live again, but it's a long road'. He went on: 'I know this experience of trauma and halting recovery is shared by countless people beyond the military, who have faced physical or emotional trauma, who feel condemned to a lifeless existence as they seek to numb the pain of what is and what might be. 'But maybe, as we turn in to this New Year, we can all find ways to reconnect and to escape the tombs and shrouds that imprison us, holding once more the hands that want us to live again.' The most senior clergyman in the British Army has revealed that mental scars from the Iraq War left him in 'the valley of the shadow of death, a place of utter desolation' for years after returning from the war zone. Clinton Langston, the outgoing chaplain-general of the Army, said he became 'sick with fear' after writing letters to his wife and children that were to be opened in the event of his death during a six-month deployment in 2004. He said: 'Another fear began to emerge, that the fear of losing my family would stop me from caring for my soldiers. 'That instead of risking my life going out and about to visit them in their bases, I would seek out places of relative safety and so give myself the best chance of returning home safely.' Clinton Langston, the most senior clergyman in the British Army has revealed that mental scars from the Iraq War left him in 'the valley of the shadow of death, a place of utter desolation' for years after returning from the war zone More than 10,000 troops have been discharged because of mental health problems over the past 20 years, according to official figures. Another 500 quit last year after being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and other disorders. In a bid to tackle the issue, the Army has launched a 220 million mental health initiative, including a 24-hour helpline for troops following a campaign by The Mail on Sunday. Padre Langston said he decided 'to do my best for my soldiers', but in order to do so 'had to dial down all my emotional connections to my family'. The 59-year-old added: 'I remember getting on the aircraft into theatre [the war zone] and deciding I had already died, because then I would have no feelings and no fear. 'I returned home six months later. Both the immediate days after and the years since have been dominated by my inability to dial my emotions back up. More than 10,000 troops have been discharged because of mental health problems over the past 20 years, according to official figures. Above: British troops in Basra, Iraq, in 2004 'I have remained, as have so many of our soldiers, in the valley of the shadow of death a place of utter desolation where our shadows yearn to feel and love and live again but where our families find only the shell of who we were.' Padre Langston, who also served tours in Bosnia and Northern Ireland and is set to retire in May, made the candid remarks during the Thought For The Day segment on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, which was guest-edited by General Sir Nick Carter, the UK's former Chief of the Defence Staff. He said the biblical story of Jesus bringing his friend Lazarus back from the dead had helped him to believe that 'it's OK to live again, but it's a long road'. He went on: 'I know this experience of trauma and halting recovery is shared by countless people beyond the military, who have faced physical or emotional trauma, who feel condemned to a lifeless existence as they seek to numb the pain of what is and what might be. 'But maybe, as we turn in to this New Year, we can all find ways to reconnect and to escape the tombs and shrouds that imprison us, holding once more the hands that want us to live again.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' French tourism bosses last night told Emmanuel Macron to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers, accusing him of punishing the industry over worsening ties with Britain. The French president slapped the tough measures on UK tourists shortly before Christmas, claiming it was to stop the spread of the Omicron variant. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted. It comes as the countrys own public health agency yesterday admitted Omicron is now the most dominant variant in France. Omicron helped drive infection numbers to a record 232,000 new cases yesterday, piling more pressure on Mr Macron to back down. President Emmanuel Macron (pictured) has been told to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers Francois Badjily, head of the Alpe dHuez tourist office, suggested France was playing politics with the pandemic. We have the impression that our industry is being made to pay the price for the poor relations between both countries right now, whether its about Brexit or fishing or whatever, he said. Mr Badjily said the current rules were incoherent because fully vaccinated tourists from other countries where the Omicron strain is already present are able to visit. Vaccine passports are needed to enter French holiday hotspots such as ski resorts, as well as restaurants, bars and leisure facilities. Alpe dHuez draws a quarter of its visitors from the UK every year, and Mr Badjily added: Why should a Briton who meets these criteria not be allowed to come, but the French and Belgians can? Christophe Lavaut, director of the Val dIsere ski resort, also called on officials in Paris to axe the compelling reason to travel directive that has stopped holidaymakers coming to France. This restriction should simply be lifted as it is no longer necessary, he added. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted At least 42 per cent of Val dIseres customers are British, said Mr Lavaut, who urged his government to act at the beginning of January. Mr Macrons travel measures have created chaos and sowed confusion throughout the entire Christmas break. Earlier this week, border police even prevented Britons who were legal residents in the EU from returning to their homes French officials at the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone said they were not allowed to cross through France on health grounds. But the EUs top disease agency said in a report last month that Omicron travel restrictions only help buy valuable time during the first days of detection, adding that in countries already experiencing community transmission such measures will probably not be relevant for much longer. The French government failed to reply to the Mails request for comment. Germany will remove Britain from its travel red list on Tuesday after its government admitted Omicron was already widely present in the country. Luke 'Milky' Moore stripped $1.2million from St George bank when it gave him an unlimited overdraft The story of how a young man from country New South Wales got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. Luke 'Milky' Moore had lost his job after a serious car accident on his girlfriend's 21st birthday and was being paid Centrelink benefits when he opened a St George 'Freedom Account' in 2010. The forklift driver smoked a bit of pot but was no gormless bludger: he had been working since he was 13 and bought a house two years after leaving school. He had only wanted a basic way to manage his income and expenditure including mortgage repayments but realised St George had given him the freedom of an unlimited overdraft. Mr Moore soon learnt he could request tens of thousands of dollars at a time and the bank would always pay him, whether he had savings to cover the withdrawal or not. What the 23-year-old did next was perhaps unsurprising: he bought cars, hired strippers and snorted cocaine until he had gone through more than $2million and police came knocking at his door. A decade later Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has written a book about his experiences, has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm. Mr Moore describes himself these days as 'Australia's Number 1 police and political corruption expert', a 'justice warrior' and human rights advocate. How Luke Moore got away with spending $2.1million of a bank's money is being turned into a podcast and film. After opening a St George Freedom Account Mr Moore learnt he could withdraw as much money as he wanted without the bank asking him to repay the funds Once Luke Moore knew he had an unlimited overdraft he went on a spending spree until police knocked at his door. Mr Moore was found guilty of obtaining a financial advantage by deception but that conviction was overturned. Pictured is a Maserati he bought Mr Moore bought sporting and music memorabilia including this signed Michael Jordan singlet. He also bought signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher He got his 'Milky' nickname for a supposed resemblance to the blond Milkybar Kid used in commercials to promote Nestle's famous white chocolate product. The father-of-one never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Mr Moore, from Goulburn on the NSW Southern Tablelands, was found guilty in 2015 of one count of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime. He was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of four years, six months and three years, with a non-parole period of two years, three months. Mr Moore challenged the verdicts in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw the convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct. Mr Moore served six months in prison before a David v Goliath legal battle saw his convictions overturned. He believes that victory led to him being persecuted by authorities and he has subsequently waged a one-man campaign against unlawful police conduct Mr Moore never denied taking St George's money but did not concede he would not have repaid it. The whole thing was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Pictured is a framed Michael Jackson autograph he bought Mr Moore is currently engaged in an ongoing dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him in February of threatening to kill another officer. The now 34-year-old traces his problems with police back to his accidental windfall from St George which the state's highest court found was essentially the bank's fault. 'They hold grudges and can't let it go,' Mr Moore told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was unlawfully arrested and strip searched within months of my acquittal, then again the next week. 'I have sued them twice over four separate incidents and each time it cost the taxpayer over $100,000. My fraud trial probably cost $2million.' Prosecutors alleged Mr Moore's deception included 'conduct by a person that causes a computer, a machine or any electronic device to make a response that the person is not authorised to cause it to make.' Mr Moore is in dispute with the NSW Police Force after senator Kristina Keneally's cop son wrongly accused him of threatening to kill another officer. Constable Keneally is pictured with his mother (left), father Ben and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian The Court of Criminal Appeal disagreed, finding Mr Moore did not actually deceive anyone. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found. With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and a Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note. He picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhols as well as sporting memorabilia such as a signed Michael Jordan singlet. Mr Moore splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast. 'It was pretty awesome,' Mr Moore told the BBC after he was cleared of defrauding the bank. 'I had a good time up there that's for sure.' With his Alfa in disrepair he spent $30,000 on a Hyundai Veloster so he could drive from the Gold Coast to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati. Mr Moore's story is to be told in a podcast narrated by Australian comedian Jim Jefferies and a movie about his two-year spending spree is in the works. The onetime bank teller has just completed a law degree and hopes to one day run his own legal firm When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' he told the BBC after his acquittal. 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else.' All the while, Mr Moore expected the bank to contact him asking for their money back. It never did so kept spending their loot. Mr Moore was living in Goulburn when he opened the aptly named 'Freedom Account' with St George at a local branch on March 11, 2010. The terms of that account allowed Mr Moore to request loans by periodical payments, direct debit and cash withdrawal. The bank's systems accepted any of Mr Moore's requests for money, regardless of his balance, charging a $9 fee and interest on the overdrawn amount. 'I was just doing what most young guys do when they're that age and they've got a bucket load of cash - just having fun and partying,' Mr Moore said after his acquittal. Pictured is a signed Kylie Minogue picture he bought 'I went to strip clubs and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on girls, alcohol, cocaine and whatever else,' Mr Moore said. His memorabilia collection included this signed pictured of the hosts of Top Gear By the time the account was closed on August 10, 2012, it was overdrawn by more than $2.1million. Initially, fortnightly Centrleink payments of $441 were deposited into the account, and Mr Moore made a series of $440 withdrawals for the first couple of months. By June 2010, Mr Moore was using the account to make fortnightly mortgage payments of $524 but there were few non-automated withdrawals. That changed around Christmas when he made five withdrawals of $4,999 in December and four more the next month. On January 12 and 13 Mr Moore made two more withdrawals of $49,000, leaving the account with a negative balance of more than $150,000. By December 2011 the account was $229,000 in arrears and Mr Moore began spending big over the next eight months. He made PayPal transactions totalling $145,000 in June and $80,000 in July. Interest was charged at a rate of approximately 20 per cent and was more than $30,000 for at least one month. Mr Moore picked up Picasso sketches and a couple of Andy Warhol works as well as this Pro Hart painting. He splashed out on holidays to Thailand and after flying to Surfer's Paradise for a weekend moved to the Gold Coast When anyone asked how he could afford his dissolute new lifestyle Mr Moore told them: 'I'm the Milkybar kid. I still get mad royalties.' Pictured is a painting he bought Armed police executed a search warrant on Mr Moore's mother home on December 12, 2012 while he was in a bedroom and found a treasure trove of sporting and music memorabilia. They seized a drum skin autographed by Amy Winehouse and signed pictures of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters, the hosts of Top Gear and Usher. Police found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and a 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000. St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Justice Leeming said the case was unusual and suggested it might have ended less favourably for Mr Moore if rather than seeking loans he had been receiving unsolicited payments. 'Although Mr Moore's behaviour was dishonest in that he borrowed and dissipated funds which he had no prospect ever of repaying, he did not deceive the bank,' Justice Mark Leeming found With his newfound wealth Mr Moore had bought an Aston Martin, an Alfa Romeo, a fishing boat and artwork including a Pro Hart painting and this Banksy print of a 'Princess Diana' 10 note 'It is perfectly plain that there was a mistake of some kind within the bank,' Justice Leeming found in 2016. 'As a matter of civil law, a mistaken payment gives rise to a right to recovery. 'To be quite clear about it, the notion sourced in board games of a windfall 'Bank error in your favour' is a very poor guide to the position at law. 'It has been the law for centuries that a party making a payment by mistake is entitled, subject to defences, to recover that payment. 'But in the present case, the Bank's mistake lay not in paying Mr Moore, but in continuing to lend Mr Moore large amounts of money.' St George had been entitled to be repaid the money it lent Mr Moore but that did not mean he had committed a criminal offence. 'It is plain that Mr Moore behaved not only extremely foolishly but also dishonestly,' Justice Leeming found. While living on the Gold Coast and with his Alfa Romeo in disrepair Mr Moore spent $30,000 on this Hyundai Veloster so he could drive to Sydney to buy a $36,000 Maserati Mr Moore shouted drinks and lap dances all night at Kings Cross strip joints before hiring a suite at The Star casino and embarking on a holiday to Thailand during a trip to Sydney to buy this Maserati 'He continued to borrow and consume funds, knowing that he had no realistic prospect of repaying them, and appreciating that there was a mistake in the bank's systems.' Justice Leeming said to prove Mr Moore had obtained a financial advantage by deception it would need to be shown he had deceived someone at the bank. 'The unusual aspect of Mr Moore's conduct was that there was nothing covert about it,' he said. 'The statements issued by St George recorded each debit, and charged a fee and interest, and stated with complete accuracy Mr Moore's growing indebtedness. 'Mr Moore communicated nothing to St George which was untrue which induced it to continue and indeed increase its lending of money to him. 'The charge was one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception. There was no deception in the behaviour of Mr Moore.' When police raided Mr Moore's home they found the key to an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage coupe, bought for $91,000, and this 6.1m aluminium Stessl 560 Seahawk worth $54,000 St George recovered property worth more than $1.2million, including $733,000 held with the National Australia Bank and $394,000 in a PayPal account. Pictures is an Alfa Romeo that Mr Moore bought After his acquittal, Mr Moore moved to Nowra to escape what he says was undue attention by police in Goulburn. It was in Nowra he was arrested in February by the fixated persons investigation unit after Constable Daniel Keneally reported he had threatened to kill a Goulburn police officer in a telephone conversation. Unbeknown to Constable Keneally, Mr Moore had recorded that call and it contained no such threats. Mr Moore spent three weeks in custody before police listened to that recording and dropped charges against him. He has rejected a $170,000 compensation offer and Constable Keneally is being investigated by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr Moore now runs the isuepolice.com website which offers to help victims of police misconduct take civil action, particularly over unlawful strip searches. His plan is for isuepolice.com to become a law firm offering affordable pre-paid representation for criminal matters by the middle of next year. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur' Justices Des Fagan and Justice Natalie Adams agreed with Justice Leeming that Mr Moore be acquitted and the convictions quashed. 'Not guilty,' Mroore declared in capital letters in a Facebook post, accompanied by a smiley face Melbourne production company Princess Pictures has produced a podcast about Mr Moore's early life which he says is due to be released in March next year. A film is set to follow, and a book. Mr Moore says if he had his time over he would have taken the bank for $50million and used the money to buy his own island and fund isuepolice.com. 'Nothing good came of it,' Mr Moore said of his short-lived fortune. 'I was stitched up for six months in jail and prosecuted for a crime I never committed, a crime that did not occur. 'It is wrong to say "some good came of it" because now I've got a podcast, a movie deal and am writing a book and started isuepolice.com 'Those things did not happen because "I ripped off the bank 10 years ago". 'Those things have happened because I fought for four years to prove my innocence, studied for another five to get a law degree, and have never given up fighting the good fight, and holding police accountable.' Anderson Cooper attends the 13th annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute at the American Museum of Natural History in New York in 2019. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming Cooper wants Social Security payments to be withheld from those who are unvaccinated. Workers lay the pipes of a gas pipeline outside the town of Waynesburg, Penn., on April 13, 2012. (Mladen Antonov/AFP via Getty Images) West Virginia Grants Key Permit for 304-Mile Natural Gas Pipeline West Virginia approved a key permit for a 304-mile natural gas pipeline project on Friday. State 401 [Water Quality] Certification is granted subject to the conditions contained in Attachment A. Certification shall be effective 15 days from the date of this letter, Katheryn Emery, the acting director of the states Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP), wrote in a letter (pdf) to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The conditions the WVDEP listed include minimizing in-stream operation of equipment, storage and refueling areas not being located within any surface water body, etc. The Mountain Valley Pipeline Project is a natural gas pipelineapproximately 304 miles in length and 42 inches in diameterto supply local distribution companies and industrial users, and power generation facilities in the mid-Atlantic, southeastern, and Appalachian regions. The pipeline traverses 11 counties in West Virginia and 6 counties in Virginia. The project is being constructed and is owned by Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC, which is a joint venture of several companies including EQM Midstream Partners, LP, and Con Edison Transmission Inc. The pipeline still has several hurdles to clear ahead. It needs dredge-and-fill permits in West Virginia from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In Virginia, the state Water Control Board allowed the infrastructure to cross streams and wetlands. However, the decision has been challenged in the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the Associated Press reported. Some environmental advocacy groups said the decision by the WVDEP is disappointing and urged the Biden administration to kill the project. Contrary to robust evidence that the MVP cannot be built without violating state water quality standardsand despite the companys wretched environmental track recordthe West Virginias DEP has regrettably granted MVP new permission to pollute, Appalachian Voices Virginia Policy Director Peter Anderson said in a statement. We hope the Biden administration listens to the thousands of members of the public who oppose this project and finds that more water pollution in service of an unneeded project is not in the public interest. Anderson Cooper attends the 13th annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute at the American Museum of Natural History in New York in 2019. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming Cooper wants Social Security payments to be withheld from those who are unvaccinated. WASHINGTON, D.C. The record-busting $768.2 billion defense authorization bill that cleared Congress last week contains a little sugar for Nebraska, courtesy of the states congressional delegation, including $11 million for barracks construction at the Nebraska National Guards training site near Mead. The bill, which passed the Senate 88-11, includes a 2.7% pay increase for military personnel while making landmark changes to the way the military handles sexual assaults, keeping women out of the draft and laying the groundwork for a new war on terror memorial on the National Mall. The bill passed the House 363-70 in September and is now awaiting President Joe Bidens signature. Sen. Deb Fischer and Rep. Don Bacon, who serve on the Armed Services Committees in their respective houses, claimed credit for steering some of that money to benefit military personnel and commands in Nebraska. The (bill) includes critical provisions to support a pay raise for our troops, bolster Nebraska military assets and modernize our nuclear deterrent, Fischer said in a statement. The legislation reflects broad agreement that the country must be prepared to address the many growing national security challenges we face. At least $150 million is slated for construction at Offutt Air Force Base near Bellevue. Of that, $100 million is for reconstruction of parts of the base damaged in the 2019 flood. Thats on top of more than $400 million for cleanup and repairs in previous years, and $234 million to replace RC-135 flight simulators destroyed in the flood. The bill also authorized $50 million for rehabilitation of family housing at Offutt. You can tell its older, and it needs some investment, Bacon said. The sense was were falling a little bit behind. The Pentagon began turning over construction, management and maintenance of military housing to private companies in the mid-1990s, and accusations of mismanagement by some companies prompted congressional hearings in 2019 and again in March. Offutts Rising View housing, owned by Omaha-based Burlington Housing since 2005, drew scrutiny two years ago after some residents complained of poor living conditions and slow repairs. That prompted much closer scrutiny by senior leaders of Offutts 55th Wing. The bill also authorized $10 million to find a site and build the U.S. Strategic Commands nuclear command, control and communications hub. Its tied to a 2019 initiative to put StratCom in charge of what the Pentagon calls NC3. Bacon said it is likely to be built on Offutt property but outside the current fence line. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, whose district includes Offutt, supported the bill. He said in a statement that he was glad to see the pay raise for troops and the funding for nuclear command, control and communications. Nebraska plays a critical role in our national defense, he said. The most important duty of your government is to keep you safe. The yearly National Defense Authorization Act is essential to that goal. French tourism bosses last night told Emmanuel Macron to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers, accusing him of punishing the industry over worsening ties with Britain. The French president slapped the tough measures on UK tourists shortly before Christmas, claiming it was to stop the spread of the Omicron variant. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted. It comes as the countrys own public health agency yesterday admitted Omicron is now the most dominant variant in France. Omicron helped drive infection numbers to a record 232,000 new cases yesterday, piling more pressure on Mr Macron to back down. President Emmanuel Macron (pictured) has been told to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers Francois Badjily, head of the Alpe dHuez tourist office, suggested France was playing politics with the pandemic. We have the impression that our industry is being made to pay the price for the poor relations between both countries right now, whether its about Brexit or fishing or whatever, he said. Mr Badjily said the current rules were incoherent because fully vaccinated tourists from other countries where the Omicron strain is already present are able to visit. Vaccine passports are needed to enter French holiday hotspots such as ski resorts, as well as restaurants, bars and leisure facilities. Alpe dHuez draws a quarter of its visitors from the UK every year, and Mr Badjily added: Why should a Briton who meets these criteria not be allowed to come, but the French and Belgians can? Christophe Lavaut, director of the Val dIsere ski resort, also called on officials in Paris to axe the compelling reason to travel directive that has stopped holidaymakers coming to France. This restriction should simply be lifted as it is no longer necessary, he added. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted At least 42 per cent of Val dIseres customers are British, said Mr Lavaut, who urged his government to act at the beginning of January. Mr Macrons travel measures have created chaos and sowed confusion throughout the entire Christmas break. Earlier this week, border police even prevented Britons who were legal residents in the EU from returning to their homes French officials at the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone said they were not allowed to cross through France on health grounds. But the EUs top disease agency said in a report last month that Omicron travel restrictions only help buy valuable time during the first days of detection, adding that in countries already experiencing community transmission such measures will probably not be relevant for much longer. The French government failed to reply to the Mails request for comment. Germany will remove Britain from its travel red list on Tuesday after its government admitted Omicron was already widely present in the country. Anderson Cooper attends the 13th annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute at the American Museum of Natural History in New York in 2019. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming Cooper wants Social Security payments to be withheld from those who are unvaccinated. Workers near the top of the 526 ft. Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center spruce up the NASA logo standing on scaffolds in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday, May 20, 2020. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming NASA just hired 24 theologians to assess how the world would react if we discovered alien life. Workers near the top of the 526 ft. Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center spruce up the NASA logo standing on scaffolds in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday, May 20, 2020. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming NASA just hired 24 theologians to assess how the world would react if we discovered alien life. Workers near the top of the 526 ft. Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center spruce up the NASA logo standing on scaffolds in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday, May 20, 2020. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming NASA just hired 24 theologians to assess how the world would react if we discovered alien life. Workers near the top of the 526 ft. Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center spruce up the NASA logo standing on scaffolds in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday, May 20, 2020. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming NASA just hired 24 theologians to assess how the world would react if we discovered alien life. Workers near the top of the 526 ft. Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center spruce up the NASA logo standing on scaffolds in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday, May 20, 2020. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming NASA just hired 24 theologians to assess how the world would react if we discovered alien life. Workers near the top of the 526 ft. Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center spruce up the NASA logo standing on scaffolds in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday, May 20, 2020. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming NASA just hired 24 theologians to assess how the world would react if we discovered alien life. Workers near the top of the 526 ft. Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center spruce up the NASA logo standing on scaffolds in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday, May 20, 2020. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming NASA just hired 24 theologians to assess how the world would react if we discovered alien life. Boris Johnson has pledged to go further and faster to take advantage of Brexit opportunities in 2022. The landmark Trade and Cooperation Agreement setting out the future relationship between the UK and the bloc came into force on January 1, 2021. Since then, the Prime Minister said the UK has secured benefits, such as replacing free movement with a points-based immigration system and signing free trade deals from Switzerland to Singapore. Boris Johnson has pledged to go further and faster to take advantage of Brexit opportunities in 2022 But he added: The job isnt finished and we must keep up the momentum. In the year ahead my government will go further and faster to deliver on the promise of Brexit. His comments came as business leaders warned that post-Brexit customs controls coming in to force today could exacerbate the supply chain crisis. The rules will require UK companies to make customs declarations for goods imported from the EU. They follow the introduction of declarations for products exported from the UK at the start of this year. Businesses will also need to provide extra paperwork for food, drink and animal products in order to pay lower customs duties and avoid tariffs. The Confederation of British Industry said: The main concern will be around impacts on food supply chains ... The Government must prioritise flow over compliance in the short-term to reduce the pressure. Workers near the top of the 526 ft. Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center spruce up the NASA logo standing on scaffolds in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday, May 20, 2020. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming NASA just hired 24 theologians to assess how the world would react if we discovered alien life. Workers near the top of the 526 ft. Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center spruce up the NASA logo standing on scaffolds in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday, May 20, 2020. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming NASA just hired 24 theologians to assess how the world would react if we discovered alien life. Workers near the top of the 526 ft. Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center spruce up the NASA logo standing on scaffolds in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday, May 20, 2020. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming NASA just hired 24 theologians to assess how the world would react if we discovered alien life. Workers near the top of the 526 ft. Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center spruce up the NASA logo standing on scaffolds in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday, May 20, 2020. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming NASA just hired 24 theologians to assess how the world would react if we discovered alien life. Workers near the top of the 526 ft. Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center spruce up the NASA logo standing on scaffolds in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday, May 20, 2020. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming NASA just hired 24 theologians to assess how the world would react if we discovered alien life. Workers near the top of the 526 ft. Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center spruce up the NASA logo standing on scaffolds in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday, May 20, 2020. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming NASA just hired 24 theologians to assess how the world would react if we discovered alien life. Nobody in their right mind really wants to wear a mask. I know I don't. Don't get me wrong, I don't feel suffocated or dehumanised or particularly put-upon having to. I often forget I've got one on. It's just a bit of a faff and I'd rather not. But simple etiquette aside, in many places we have to wear them by law or face a fine. And in many others we're simply asked to, so of course I do. Most of us do. Even after mask mandates were dropped in July last year (they were reintroduced in December, when Omicron hit), more than half of Britons still wore them in many situations, out of choice. Was it necessary? Well, in January 2021, at the peak of our second wave, one in 50 people had Covid. Numbers fell and rose again, and by October it was one in 50 again, across the whole of England. Numbers were higher in certain hotspots. It's now one in 25 in England, which is a startling figure. The chances of coming into close contact with someone carrying the virus while going about your day was high back then, and now it's pretty much inevitable. BARNEY CALMAN: Some types of mask are vastly superior namely, FFP2 masks (pictured), the ones that look like a beak. But, unfortunately, they're not the kind most people are wearing So wearing a mask, which has been shown to help reduce transmission, makes sense in certain situations. Which leads us on to the thorny, and surprisingly complex, subject: 'Do masks actually work or not?' The short answer is yes, they do. Masks can block viral particles coming in and out. It's been shown in many studies now and to argue otherwise is to wilfully ignore the evidence. But, there are those generally not people I'd go to for medical or scientific advice, perhaps who say they don't. I recently saw a truly surreal clip on YouTube, in which Covid denier Piers Corbyn, brother of ex-Labour leader Jeremy, and a rag-tag bunch of followers were singing 'Wearing a mask is like trying to keep a fart in your trousers', over and over, while walking (maskless) through a London Tube train. Of course, they're quite mad. But I can see how, in theory, this might seem like a fair (if slightly infantile) thought: if Covid is like smoke, coming out of our mouths and noses, what's a flimsy bit of fabric going to do to stop it? And, actually, the doubters have a point. Some types of mask are vastly superior namely, FFP2 masks, the ones that look like a beak. But, unfortunately, they're not the kind most people are wearing. The problem is, the differences and relative benefits have just not been made clear by our health chiefs. In all honesty, until recently after a holiday in the south of Germany, where people are required by law to wear FFP2 masks I didn't know how stark the differences were, either. BARNEY CALMAN: A typical cloth mask provides only about 30 to 60 per cent protection to the wearer, according to research. Surgical masks (pictured) those blue pleated ones commonly worn in the UK while better, at 40 to 80 per cent, lack a tight fit to the face Back in April 2020 what feels like a lifetime ago The Mail on Sunday was the first mainstream newspaper to suggest mask-wearing might be a good idea. At the time, officials were claiming the public didn't need to. Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty had said: 'Wearing a mask if you don't have an infection reduces the risk almost not at all. So we do not advise that.' Instead, guidance revolved around washing our hands while singing Happy Birthday. When Covid hit, there was the idea that it could be picked up from surfaces. Someone infected could cough or sneeze and spray virus-laden droplets on to surfaces. Transmission occurred when we came into contact with them. An NHS ad depicted the virus as dayglo paint smeared over door handles and a coffee cup. If this were true (it's not, we now know), then hand-washing would be prudent. What do you think about masks? We want to hear your story. Get in touch by email at health@mailonsunday.co.uk Advertisement There was also justifiable concern that, should everyone rush out to purchase medical masks, there wouldn't be any for doctors and nurses. PPE was in dangerously short supply as it was, back then. What changed? Firstly, it became apparent that Covid was spread through people who were infected but didn't know they had it. If everyone started wearing masks, scientists knew it would be an effective way of reducing this sort of transmission. The Mail on Sunday's GP columnist Dr Ellie Cannon was so concerned that she broke ranks to suggest that people shouldn't wait for guidance, but should just wear one. She even gave a method for making a mask from a cut-up and folded T-shirt, which the US Surgeon General was recommending. Ellie was later invited by the Government to help promote mask-wearing when it was finally mandated in July that year. Since then, we've learnt even more namely, while better than nothing, cloth face masks are not a great option. They're are moderately effective at capturing particles coming out of your own mouth in science lingo, it's called 'source control'. So they do help a bit. But they offer little 'respiratory protection' to the wearer. Covid isn't mainly spread by droplets but through particles in the air, and this is why the fit and quality of a mask is vital when it comes to stopping the virus getting in. A typical cloth mask provides only about 30 to 60 per cent protection to the wearer, according to research. A health worker adjusts her FFP2 mask prior to entering the intensive care unit for patients infected with Covid-19 at the Pourtales hospital in Neuchatel, western Switzerland, on December 21, 2021 Surgical masks those blue pleated ones commonly worn in the UK while better, at 40 to 80 per cent, lack a tight fit to the face. This results in large amounts of leakage around the mask. But FFP2 (FFP stands for 'filtering face piece') masks are much, much better. These high-performance masks are made of several layers of extremely dense fabrics that can filter out the tiniest viral particles. That's why they provide between five and ten times the respiratory protection than that of a cloth mask, while also providing significant protection to others. This has been proven in aerosol lab studies, in which they shoot blasts of gas through masks and measure how well they filter out microscopic particles. There are real-life examples, too. As we reported last week, a University of Cambridge study published in July suggested FFP3 masks provided 'most likely 100 per cent protection against infection on wards'. Study author Chris Illingworth, an infectious diseases expert, wrote: 'Once FFP3 masks were introduced, the number of cases attributed to exposure on Covid-19 wards dropped in fact, our model suggests FFP3 [masks] may have cut ward-based infection to zero.' As an aside, experts warn against masks with a circular filter on the side. These are designed to let your breath out unfiltered, so don't protect those around you. Alongside Germany, Austria and Italy also require FFP2 masks as a minimum, by law, in public now. But our mask mandate isn't specific. The Government website still says face coverings can be 'made of a material that you find comfortable and breathable, such as cotton'. FFP2 masks are more expensive roughly 1 per mask, versus 50p per surgical mask. But since we're all talking about the economic impact of people catching Covid and having to isolate, perhaps policymakers and businesses need to bite the bullet and give us masks that will really help remedy the problem. It comes down to this: if we're going to wear masks, can we at least have ones that really work? Ones that not only stop us giving someone Covid, but prevent us from getting it too. A Huawei logo is seen on a cell phone screen in their store at Vina del Mar, Chile, on July 18, 2019. (Rodrigo Garrido/Reuters) Sanctions-Hit Huawei Says Revenue Down Nearly 30 Percent in 2021 Chinese telecom giant Huawei announced on Dec. 31 that its annual revenue is expected to have declined by nearly 30 percent in 2021, as the company continues to be affected by U.S. sanctions. Huaweis revenue is expected to be 634 billion yuan ($99 billion) for 2021, the company said. Thats a 29 percent drop from the 891.4 billion yuan ($140 billion) the company reported in 2020. Huawei Rotating Chairman Guo Ping disclosed the revenue slide in a New Years Eve letter to employees. But the letter also states that the companys overall performance for the year was in line with their forecasts. Huawei, once the worlds largest maker of telecom gear and second-largest smartphone maker, has been battered by U.S. sanctions that barred the company from using Alphabet Inc.s Android operating system for its new smartphones, among other critical U.S.-originated technology. The company has come under intense scrutiny in the United States over concerns that its products could be used by the Chinese regime for spying or to disrupt communications networks. U.S. officials have cited the companys close ties to the regime, as well as Chinese law, which compels companies to cooperate with intelligence agencies when asked. The restrictions have badly hurt Huaweis handset business, Eric Xu, another of the firms rotating chairmen, said in September. The companys revenue for the third quarter was 38 percent lower than a year earlier. The first three quarters revenue was down by almost a third year-on-year. 2022 will come with its fair share of challenges, the letter reads. But we will keep working closely with our global partners to overcome the difficulties we face, improve business performance, and strengthen our foundations. The company will continue focusing on information and communications technology infrastructure and smart devices, according to the letter. Guo said Huawei will also continue to attract talents worldwide, offering top talent top pay. Huawei also saw the return of its financial chief, Meng Wanzhou, in 2021. Meng, the daughter of the companys founder, was held in Canada after being arrested at Vancouver International Airport in 2018 on a U.S. warrant charging her with bank fraud for allegedly misleading HSBC Holdings about Huaweis business dealings in Iran. After reaching a deal with U.S. prosecutors, Meng was allowed to return to China on Sept. 24. That night, the Chinese regime freed two Canadians who had been held captive in the country for almost three years. Reuters and Cathy He contributed to this report. Anderson Cooper attends the 13th annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute at the American Museum of Natural History in New York in 2019. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming Cooper wants Social Security payments to be withheld from those who are unvaccinated. Nasal swabs are seen on the table at COVID-19 testing site in Times Square subway station on Thursday in New York. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming pouring water on home COVID-19 tests gives a positive result, evidence that they are unreliable or that they are detecting the disease in tap water. French tourism bosses last night told Emmanuel Macron to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers, accusing him of punishing the industry over worsening ties with Britain. The French president slapped the tough measures on UK tourists shortly before Christmas, claiming it was to stop the spread of the Omicron variant. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted. It comes as the countrys own public health agency yesterday admitted Omicron is now the most dominant variant in France. Omicron helped drive infection numbers to a record 232,000 new cases yesterday, piling more pressure on Mr Macron to back down. President Emmanuel Macron (pictured) has been told to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers Francois Badjily, head of the Alpe dHuez tourist office, suggested France was playing politics with the pandemic. We have the impression that our industry is being made to pay the price for the poor relations between both countries right now, whether its about Brexit or fishing or whatever, he said. Mr Badjily said the current rules were incoherent because fully vaccinated tourists from other countries where the Omicron strain is already present are able to visit. Vaccine passports are needed to enter French holiday hotspots such as ski resorts, as well as restaurants, bars and leisure facilities. Alpe dHuez draws a quarter of its visitors from the UK every year, and Mr Badjily added: Why should a Briton who meets these criteria not be allowed to come, but the French and Belgians can? Christophe Lavaut, director of the Val dIsere ski resort, also called on officials in Paris to axe the compelling reason to travel directive that has stopped holidaymakers coming to France. This restriction should simply be lifted as it is no longer necessary, he added. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted At least 42 per cent of Val dIseres customers are British, said Mr Lavaut, who urged his government to act at the beginning of January. Mr Macrons travel measures have created chaos and sowed confusion throughout the entire Christmas break. Earlier this week, border police even prevented Britons who were legal residents in the EU from returning to their homes French officials at the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone said they were not allowed to cross through France on health grounds. But the EUs top disease agency said in a report last month that Omicron travel restrictions only help buy valuable time during the first days of detection, adding that in countries already experiencing community transmission such measures will probably not be relevant for much longer. The French government failed to reply to the Mails request for comment. Germany will remove Britain from its travel red list on Tuesday after its government admitted Omicron was already widely present in the country. Nasal swabs are seen on the table at COVID-19 testing site in Times Square subway station on Thursday in New York. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming pouring water on home COVID-19 tests gives a positive result, evidence that they are unreliable or that they are detecting the disease in tap water. Nasal swabs are seen on the table at COVID-19 testing site in Times Square subway station on Thursday in New York. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming pouring water on home COVID-19 tests gives a positive result, evidence that they are unreliable or that they are detecting the disease in tap water. WASHINGTON, D.C. The record-busting $768.2 billion defense authorization bill that cleared Congress last week contains a little sugar for Nebraska, courtesy of the states congressional delegation, including $11 million for barracks construction at the Nebraska National Guards training site near Mead. The bill, which passed the Senate 88-11, includes a 2.7% pay increase for military personnel while making landmark changes to the way the military handles sexual assaults, keeping women out of the draft and laying the groundwork for a new war on terror memorial on the National Mall. The bill passed the House 363-70 in September and is now awaiting President Joe Bidens signature. Sen. Deb Fischer and Rep. Don Bacon, who serve on the Armed Services Committees in their respective houses, claimed credit for steering some of that money to benefit military personnel and commands in Nebraska. The (bill) includes critical provisions to support a pay raise for our troops, bolster Nebraska military assets and modernize our nuclear deterrent, Fischer said in a statement. The legislation reflects broad agreement that the country must be prepared to address the many growing national security challenges we face. At least $150 million is slated for construction at Offutt Air Force Base near Bellevue. Of that, $100 million is for reconstruction of parts of the base damaged in the 2019 flood. Thats on top of more than $400 million for cleanup and repairs in previous years, and $234 million to replace RC-135 flight simulators destroyed in the flood. The bill also authorized $50 million for rehabilitation of family housing at Offutt. You can tell its older, and it needs some investment, Bacon said. The sense was were falling a little bit behind. The Pentagon began turning over construction, management and maintenance of military housing to private companies in the mid-1990s, and accusations of mismanagement by some companies prompted congressional hearings in 2019 and again in March. Offutts Rising View housing, owned by Omaha-based Burlington Housing since 2005, drew scrutiny two years ago after some residents complained of poor living conditions and slow repairs. That prompted much closer scrutiny by senior leaders of Offutts 55th Wing. The bill also authorized $10 million to find a site and build the U.S. Strategic Commands nuclear command, control and communications hub. Its tied to a 2019 initiative to put StratCom in charge of what the Pentagon calls NC3. Bacon said it is likely to be built on Offutt property but outside the current fence line. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, whose district includes Offutt, supported the bill. He said in a statement that he was glad to see the pay raise for troops and the funding for nuclear command, control and communications. Nebraska plays a critical role in our national defense, he said. The most important duty of your government is to keep you safe. The yearly National Defense Authorization Act is essential to that goal. India on Saturday sent 5 lakh doses of the Covaxin doses to Afghanistan as the second consignment of humanitarian aid to the war-torn country, where the Taliban returned to power on August 15 last year. The vaccine doses were handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul. India will also send another consignment of 5,00,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccines to Afghanistan in the coming weeks. The Government of India has committed to providing humanitarian assistance to Afghan people consisting of food grains, one million doses of Covid-19 vaccine and essential life-saving drugs, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, said. India last month delivered 1.6 tons of medical assistance to Afghanistan through the World Health Organization (WHO). In coming weeks, we would be undertaking the supply of wheat and the remaining medical assistance. In this regard, we are in touch with UN agencies and others for finalizing the modalities for transportation, said the MEA spokesperson. Check out latest videos from DH: Area students head back to school next week following the two-week winter break and amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. Albemarle County schools superintendent Matt Haas wrote in a message to families that the division will operate normally Jan. 4, when classes resume, with all of the protective measures that have been in place for the school year so far. That means, students and staff members will be required to wear masks and a 10-day quarantine for those who test positive, among other tactics. Students and staff members in the Albemarle and Charlottesville school divisions are required to complete a daily health screening for symptoms and encouraged to stay home if they dont feel well. Haas said that the school systems decision is based on guidance for the Blue Ridge Health District. He also pointed to a new state law adopted earlier this year that requires schools to provide in-person instruction. If you have any questions or concerns about anyone in your household going back to in-person school, your school administrators will be happy to work with you to determine the most appropriate next steps for you and your family, Haas wrote. The health of our students, employees, families and community is our top priority, and we will continue to do everything we can to protect it. Since Christmas, the Blue Ridge Health District has reported more than 1,500 new cases, bringing the total for December 2021 to 3,573 the highest of any month of the pandemic. The seven-day average of new cases is up to 221.2. So far, about 15% of COVID tests over the last seven days have been positive, a higher than usual positivity rate. The spike in cases is likely the result of an increase in testing around the holidays, more holiday-related gatherings along with the more transmissible delta and omicron variants, officials have said. The post-holiday winter surge in early 2021 pushed several school divisions in Central Virginia back to all-online classes. The health districts winter surge peaked at 149 new cases over a seven-day period. The current surge in cases hit as schools began winter break, and districts across the country are readying for the return of students and employees. Washington D.C. Public Schools recently announced that it will require a negative COVID-19 test before students and employees can return to school. Charlottesville schools Superintendent Royal Gurley Jr. said in a message to families Thursday that in-person classes would resume Jan. 4 as well and acknowledged that the case levels are troubling. We are committed to following the guidance of health experts for practices such as masking, hand-washing, testing, and more, he wrote. One of their recommendations is to keep students in school. If we all do our part, we can do this safely. Charlottesville students and staff members can receive a free COVID test next week at school if they sign up by Sunday evening. The division has partnered with the state to provide the free tests, which began in early November. For more information, go to charlottesvilleschools.org/COVID-testing. Gurley said existing measures such as encouraging vaccination and boosters, limiting gatherings and eating lunch outside when possible remain in place. The bottom line is that working closely with the BRHD, we are staying the course to continue our many COVID safety strategies, including our testing programs, Gurley wrote. Gurley added that almost all of the positive cases in schools were transmitted outside of school or school programs. At the recommendation of the Blue Ridge Health District, neither school system is planning a change to the existing protocols for quarantine and isolation despite changing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce the time frame for quarantine and isolation from 10 days to five. BRHD said in an update Thursday that the majority of COVID-19 transmission takes place earlier after infection in the first few days before symptoms appear and about two to three days after. However, individuals who have tested positive can still be contagious up to 10 days after the beginning of symptoms or since the positive test. The CDC released these guidelines prior to publication of supporting evidence or full explanation of how they would be implemented in all situations such as schools and daycare centers, BRHD officials wrote. Many of our children are not yet vaccinated and younger children may have difficulty complying with the very strict mask requirements. In addition to questions about implementation, we are seeing our highest rates of COVID infection since the pandemic began. Citing those factors and the goal of keeping students in school, BRHD said it recommended schools and daycares stick with their current protocols. The health district will host a virtual town hall 7 p.m. Jan. 4 to discuss the new guidelines. Area students head back to school next week following the two-week winter break and amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. Albemarle County schools superintendent Matt Haas wrote in a message to families that the division will operate normally Jan. 4, when classes resume, with all of the protective measures that have been in place for the school year so far. That means, students and staff members will be required to wear masks and a 10-day quarantine for those who test positive, among other tactics. Students and staff members in the Albemarle and Charlottesville school divisions are required to complete a daily health screening for symptoms and encouraged to stay home if they dont feel well. Haas said that the school systems decision is based on guidance for the Blue Ridge Health District. He also pointed to a new state law adopted earlier this year that requires schools to provide in-person instruction. If you have any questions or concerns about anyone in your household going back to in-person school, your school administrators will be happy to work with you to determine the most appropriate next steps for you and your family, Haas wrote. The health of our students, employees, families and community is our top priority, and we will continue to do everything we can to protect it. Since Christmas, the Blue Ridge Health District has reported more than 1,500 new cases, bringing the total for December 2021 to 3,573 the highest of any month of the pandemic. The seven-day average of new cases is up to 221.2. So far, about 15% of COVID tests over the last seven days have been positive, a higher than usual positivity rate. The spike in cases is likely the result of an increase in testing around the holidays, more holiday-related gatherings along with the more transmissible delta and omicron variants, officials have said. The post-holiday winter surge in early 2021 pushed several school divisions in Central Virginia back to all-online classes. The health districts winter surge peaked at 149 new cases over a seven-day period. The current surge in cases hit as schools began winter break, and districts across the country are readying for the return of students and employees. Washington D.C. Public Schools recently announced that it will require a negative COVID-19 test before students and employees can return to school. Charlottesville schools Superintendent Royal Gurley Jr. said in a message to families Thursday that in-person classes would resume Jan. 4 as well and acknowledged that the case levels are troubling. We are committed to following the guidance of health experts for practices such as masking, hand-washing, testing, and more, he wrote. One of their recommendations is to keep students in school. If we all do our part, we can do this safely. Charlottesville students and staff members can receive a free COVID test next week at school if they sign up by Sunday evening. The division has partnered with the state to provide the free tests, which began in early November. For more information, go to charlottesvilleschools.org/COVID-testing. Gurley said existing measures such as encouraging vaccination and boosters, limiting gatherings and eating lunch outside when possible remain in place. The bottom line is that working closely with the BRHD, we are staying the course to continue our many COVID safety strategies, including our testing programs, Gurley wrote. Gurley added that almost all of the positive cases in schools were transmitted outside of school or school programs. At the recommendation of the Blue Ridge Health District, neither school system is planning a change to the existing protocols for quarantine and isolation despite changing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce the time frame for quarantine and isolation from 10 days to five. BRHD said in an update Thursday that the majority of COVID-19 transmission takes place earlier after infection in the first few days before symptoms appear and about two to three days after. However, individuals who have tested positive can still be contagious up to 10 days after the beginning of symptoms or since the positive test. The CDC released these guidelines prior to publication of supporting evidence or full explanation of how they would be implemented in all situations such as schools and daycare centers, BRHD officials wrote. Many of our children are not yet vaccinated and younger children may have difficulty complying with the very strict mask requirements. In addition to questions about implementation, we are seeing our highest rates of COVID infection since the pandemic began. Citing those factors and the goal of keeping students in school, BRHD said it recommended schools and daycares stick with their current protocols. The health district will host a virtual town hall 7 p.m. Jan. 4 to discuss the new guidelines. Warrenton, VA (20186) Today Light rain this morning. Breaks of sun this afternoon. High 76F. NW winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Mostly clear. Low 48F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Warrenton, VA (20186) Today Light rain this morning. Breaks of sun this afternoon. High 76F. NW winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Mostly clear. Low 48F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. French tourism bosses last night told Emmanuel Macron to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers, accusing him of punishing the industry over worsening ties with Britain. The French president slapped the tough measures on UK tourists shortly before Christmas, claiming it was to stop the spread of the Omicron variant. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted. It comes as the countrys own public health agency yesterday admitted Omicron is now the most dominant variant in France. Omicron helped drive infection numbers to a record 232,000 new cases yesterday, piling more pressure on Mr Macron to back down. President Emmanuel Macron (pictured) has been told to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers Francois Badjily, head of the Alpe dHuez tourist office, suggested France was playing politics with the pandemic. We have the impression that our industry is being made to pay the price for the poor relations between both countries right now, whether its about Brexit or fishing or whatever, he said. Mr Badjily said the current rules were incoherent because fully vaccinated tourists from other countries where the Omicron strain is already present are able to visit. Vaccine passports are needed to enter French holiday hotspots such as ski resorts, as well as restaurants, bars and leisure facilities. Alpe dHuez draws a quarter of its visitors from the UK every year, and Mr Badjily added: Why should a Briton who meets these criteria not be allowed to come, but the French and Belgians can? Christophe Lavaut, director of the Val dIsere ski resort, also called on officials in Paris to axe the compelling reason to travel directive that has stopped holidaymakers coming to France. This restriction should simply be lifted as it is no longer necessary, he added. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted At least 42 per cent of Val dIseres customers are British, said Mr Lavaut, who urged his government to act at the beginning of January. Mr Macrons travel measures have created chaos and sowed confusion throughout the entire Christmas break. Earlier this week, border police even prevented Britons who were legal residents in the EU from returning to their homes French officials at the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone said they were not allowed to cross through France on health grounds. But the EUs top disease agency said in a report last month that Omicron travel restrictions only help buy valuable time during the first days of detection, adding that in countries already experiencing community transmission such measures will probably not be relevant for much longer. The French government failed to reply to the Mails request for comment. Germany will remove Britain from its travel red list on Tuesday after its government admitted Omicron was already widely present in the country. Warrenton, VA (20186) Today Light rain this morning. Breaks of sun this afternoon. High 76F. NW winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Mostly clear. Low 48F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Area students head back to school next week following the two-week winter break and amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. Albemarle County schools superintendent Matt Haas wrote in a message to families that the division will operate normally Jan. 4, when classes resume, with all of the protective measures that have been in place for the school year so far. That means, students and staff members will be required to wear masks and a 10-day quarantine for those who test positive, among other tactics. Students and staff members in the Albemarle and Charlottesville school divisions are required to complete a daily health screening for symptoms and encouraged to stay home if they dont feel well. Haas said that the school systems decision is based on guidance for the Blue Ridge Health District. He also pointed to a new state law adopted earlier this year that requires schools to provide in-person instruction. If you have any questions or concerns about anyone in your household going back to in-person school, your school administrators will be happy to work with you to determine the most appropriate next steps for you and your family, Haas wrote. The health of our students, employees, families and community is our top priority, and we will continue to do everything we can to protect it. Since Christmas, the Blue Ridge Health District has reported more than 1,500 new cases, bringing the total for December 2021 to 3,573 the highest of any month of the pandemic. The seven-day average of new cases is up to 221.2. So far, about 15% of COVID tests over the last seven days have been positive, a higher than usual positivity rate. The spike in cases is likely the result of an increase in testing around the holidays, more holiday-related gatherings along with the more transmissible delta and omicron variants, officials have said. The post-holiday winter surge in early 2021 pushed several school divisions in Central Virginia back to all-online classes. The health districts winter surge peaked at 149 new cases over a seven-day period. The current surge in cases hit as schools began winter break, and districts across the country are readying for the return of students and employees. Washington D.C. Public Schools recently announced that it will require a negative COVID-19 test before students and employees can return to school. Charlottesville schools Superintendent Royal Gurley Jr. said in a message to families Thursday that in-person classes would resume Jan. 4 as well and acknowledged that the case levels are troubling. We are committed to following the guidance of health experts for practices such as masking, hand-washing, testing, and more, he wrote. One of their recommendations is to keep students in school. If we all do our part, we can do this safely. Charlottesville students and staff members can receive a free COVID test next week at school if they sign up by Sunday evening. The division has partnered with the state to provide the free tests, which began in early November. For more information, go to charlottesvilleschools.org/COVID-testing. Gurley said existing measures such as encouraging vaccination and boosters, limiting gatherings and eating lunch outside when possible remain in place. The bottom line is that working closely with the BRHD, we are staying the course to continue our many COVID safety strategies, including our testing programs, Gurley wrote. Gurley added that almost all of the positive cases in schools were transmitted outside of school or school programs. At the recommendation of the Blue Ridge Health District, neither school system is planning a change to the existing protocols for quarantine and isolation despite changing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce the time frame for quarantine and isolation from 10 days to five. BRHD said in an update Thursday that the majority of COVID-19 transmission takes place earlier after infection in the first few days before symptoms appear and about two to three days after. However, individuals who have tested positive can still be contagious up to 10 days after the beginning of symptoms or since the positive test. The CDC released these guidelines prior to publication of supporting evidence or full explanation of how they would be implemented in all situations such as schools and daycare centers, BRHD officials wrote. Many of our children are not yet vaccinated and younger children may have difficulty complying with the very strict mask requirements. In addition to questions about implementation, we are seeing our highest rates of COVID infection since the pandemic began. Citing those factors and the goal of keeping students in school, BRHD said it recommended schools and daycares stick with their current protocols. The health district will host a virtual town hall 7 p.m. Jan. 4 to discuss the new guidelines. Warrenton, VA (20186) Today Light rain this morning. Breaks of sun this afternoon. High 76F. NW winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Mostly clear. Low 48F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Warrenton, VA (20186) Today Light rain this morning. Breaks of sun this afternoon. High 76F. NW winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Mostly clear. Low 48F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Warrenton, VA (20186) Today Light rain this morning. Breaks of sun this afternoon. High 76F. NW winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Mostly clear. Low 48F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Warrenton, VA (20186) Today Light rain this morning. Breaks of sun this afternoon. High 76F. NW winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Mostly clear. Low 48F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Warrenton, VA (20186) Today Light rain this morning. Breaks of sun this afternoon. High 76F. NW winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Mostly clear. Low 48F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Identical twins Nancy and Nora Groce 'just knew' that one day they'd face breast cancer. The disease killed their great-grandmother and grandmother, and their mother suffered recurring bouts for nearly 30 years before finally succumbing to the illness. The sisters share the same DNA and the same genetic risk. 'We have a spectacular family history. It felt almost inevitable,' says Nora. It was Nancy who was first diagnosed and treated, when she was 42, in 1994. Nora discovered she had the disease in 2012, and then, in 2015, Nancy was diagnosed for a second time. For a while they were undergoing treatment simultaneously. Yet although they each would receive what they describe as 'excellent' care at highly regarded teaching hospitals, their experiences would dramatically diverge. Both American by birth, Nancy lives between New York and Washington, while Nora's home for almost 14 years has been London. And so while Nora, a professor in epidemiology at University College London, received free care through the NHS, she could only watch as Nancy, a government adviser, had to balance gruelling treatment with negotiating mounting medical bills with her health insurance provider which was branded 'more stressful than the cancer itself'. Both sisters, now 69, are in remission. But their story gives a fascinating insight into what it's like to get cancer treatment in two remarkably different healthcare systems. While Nora Groce (pictured), a professor in epidemiology at University College London, received free care through the NHS, she could only watch as Nancy, a government adviser, had to balance gruelling treatment with negotiating mounting medical bills with her health insurance provider which was branded 'more stressful than the cancer itself' 'I was a single woman with no partner to help me,' recalls Nancy. 'Yet here I was alone, facing a life-threatening disease, and having to deal with bills from doctors, hospitals and labs.' Nancy, like most Americans, has private health insurance, paying about 3,000 a year for 'a very good' package. But in the end the plan didn't cover all of her treatment. 'I ended up paying more than $14,000 [10,000] out of my own pocket,' she says. At one point Nancy was 'mistakenly' handed a bill for $40,000 roughly 30,000 and although she ultimately didn't have to pay this, she says that the stress it caused at the time was 'traumatic'. I have persistent hiccups: What's wrong with me? Everyone gets hiccups occasionally, and they usually disappear within a few minutes. They can, however, last more than 48 hours. Hiccups are commonly caused by irritation to the vagus nerve, which is responsible for various automatic functions such as breathing, heart rate and digestion. This triggers the diaphragm to contract, causing a sudden intake of air that is stopped by the vocal cords closing, producing the characteristic hiccup sound. More than 100 causes of persistent hiccups have been recorded. These include kidney disorders, infections and certain medicines which may irritate the diaphragm or vagus nerve. Advertisement Meanwhile, Nora says the most she spent was on food from Marks & Spencer, brought in by her husband once when she didn't fancy the hospital menu a grand total of 6.95. The NHS, of course, is not 'free' instead it's paid for via taxes. The NHS takes roughly 20 per cent of total tax revenue. An individual earning a professional salary of 50,000 a year would pay 7,486 (20 per cent) in income tax, and 4,852 (12 per cent) in National Insurance, so will be personally contributing about 2,467 a year. That person's employer would also pay National Insurance contributions of 5,709, 20 per cent of which 1,141.80 would go to the health service. Despite this, Nora, who has two grown up children, says: 'A diagnosis of cancer is terrible, wherever you are, but Nancy had so much more to deal with. I only had to concentrate on getting better.' When Nora came to the UK, in 2008, she enrolled at her local GP practice. 'At my first appointment they asked, 'Do you have any health concerns?' she recalls. 'I said, 'Well, we have this history of breast cancer in the family,' and I immediately got referred to a genetics clinic to assess my risk. 'I was 55 at the time, so I was at the age where women get mammograms every three years. 'But because of my history, I was told I'd have a mammogram each year, which I had at a hospital 15 minutes from my house, and I did that regularly for about four years.' Nancy adds: 'In the States we didn't have this offered to us, since it wasn't part of our insurance plans.' It was at one such screening that Nora's cancer was detected. She initially had surgery to remove the lump in her left breast, then further surgery to remove more tissue. Later it was decided she needed a double mastectomy. She continues: 'When they were wheeling me in for surgery, I had to sign some sort of consent form. That's the only paperwork I ever got related to my cancer or anything else with the NHS. 'I was over 60, so I had free prescriptions too.' Nancy, on the other hand, has faced enduring and stressful bureaucratic struggles. In the States there is no NHS, and health insurance is typically provided as a benefit by employers, who pay a percentage of the monthly premium, deducting the rest from the employee's pay. Depending on the type of policy held, patients will be hit with further costs, to varying degrees. It is the responsibility of the patient to keep pace with whether treatments are fully or partly covered by insurance or not covered at all. Nancy describes it as a labyrinthine process: 'I set up an Excel spreadsheet and kept meticulous records about when I was going in, for what, who I talked to, what they said and how much I'd pay. 'I probably called my insurance company two dozen times to try to clarify what a charge was for or why they were only paying a certain percentage of my claim to the doctors. 'One lab assumed I was uninsured and sent me a $40,000 bill. I had to spend weeks on the phone correcting that mistake.' Often Nancy had to pay for services up front, then claim it back afterwards, leaving her constantly worried about whether she would be reimbursed. She adds: 'Because of limited sick leave, I worked throughout. There were days I'd go to a radiotherapy appointment early in the morning, and then I'd go and work an eight-hour day. Nancy (pictured), like most Americans, has private health insurance, paying about 3,000 a year for 'a very good' package 'I'd come home, open the mailbox, and there was yet another bill. Sometimes I'd just sit in my apartment and scream at the walls.' Nancy believes the stress led to her developing high blood pressure something she didn't have a problem with before. 'Stress was something that was ever-present throughout, not only the time I was being treated but for months afterwards when I was getting new bills or trying to resolve old ones. It wasn't like I finished treatment and could go out and celebrate. I had to keep monitoring the situation.' In the summer she had to have an MRI scan to check that her body was still clear of cancer. She says: 'It was very expensive, and initially I think I got a bill for $6,000 [4,500]. 'Then they decided it wasn't $6,000. And then they resubmitted it. It's still going back and forth. Almost everybody I know has had run-ins with their insurance company strange billings and paperwork.' At present, the UK Government's Health And Care Bill is making its way through Parliament, which could see a radical restructuring in the way NHS services are delivered. Critics say the proposals borrow from American-style systems, and leave the door open for further integration of private healthcare businesses into the NHS. Despite the growing hospital backlog triggered by Covid there are 5.8 million people waiting to start hospital treatment in the UK and 300,000 who've been waiting more than a year for elective surgery Nora and Nancy feel their story should serve as a warning against going too far down the road of privatisation. Nora says: 'There are undoubtedly many problems with the NHS, and the system is currently under severe strain. 'Comparing our experiences, Nancy and I feel strongly that the NHS and universal health systems have much to commend them.' In the US, 66.5 per cent of all bankruptcies were tied to medical issues either because of high costs for care or time out of work. An estimated 530,000 families file for bankruptcy each year because of medical issues and bills, the recent research found. Nancy adds: 'When I was first diagnosed, a friend in Wales jokingly offered to marry me so that I could get treated in the UK. Of course I declined. But it just highlights the inequity of healthcare provision here in the US.' Family and friends of homicide victims gather to grab their loved ones' candles Thursday after a candlelight vigil for 2021 homicide victims at Ephesians Missionary Baptist Church in Milwaukee. A record 197 people were killed in homicides in Milwaukee in 2021, but the toll it has taken on the community cant be expressed by any number. At an annual vigil Thursday that honored all the lives lost during a second straight record-breaking year of violence in Milwaukee, Acting Mayor Cavalier Johnson again encouraged residents to relay messages of peace among each other. Violence, especially deadly violence it harms not just the person theyre aiming that violence towards, Johnson said. It has a ripple effect to their family. When you kill somebody, youre not just taking their life, youre taking a little piece of their mom away, youre taking a little piece of their brother away, and their father and so on and so forth. Its irreparable harm to our community. More: Two homicides reported Monday break Milwaukee's homicide record for second year in a row More: So many cold cases: Milwaukee is experiencing historic levels of violence, and police clearance rates have dropped to 45% More than a hundred of those mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, coworkers, peers and friends attended Thursdays annual homicide vigil organized by the community center Northcott Neighborhood House. For several decades, the event has provided a space for those grieving the pain of a loved one who was taken far too soon. It was also sponsored by Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope, Pastors United and hosted by the Ephesians Missionary Baptist Church, at 2412 N. 6th St. Ceasar Banks III, 28, is the brother of two men honored Thursday Charleston L. Compton, 41, and Dominic A. Carter, 35. He hailed them as mentors not just to himself, but to many of Milwaukees youth. They had people looking up to them, Banks said. Its been hard. You got to push through it. Although the Milwaukee Police Department crime dashboard and Milwaukee County Sheriffs Office put the final 2021 homicide count at 197, the vigil honored 214 victims including those who were killed in police shootings and incidents that were ruled justified self-defense. The number put forth by law enforcement could change if other incidents are later ruled self-defense. Story continues Each name was read aloud during the vigil and printed on a candle. In 2020, the city experienced 190 homicides, almost doubling the figure from 2019 and smashing a record set in 1991 by 15%. Its been a harrowing two years that came after homicides in the city declined 34% from 2015 through 2019, when 97 homicides were reported. We feel your pain, it is palpable, Arnitta Holliman, the director of the citys Office of Violence Prevention, told the audience. We feel the intensity of your fear and your uncertainty and your frustration around violence in the city. The pattern of fatal violence in Milwaukee is present across the country. From 2019 to 2020, the U.S. saw a 29% rise in homicides, the largest jump from one year to the next since at least 1960, a New York Times analysis found. As of Dec. 8, 12 major cities broke their homicide record in 2021, including Philadelphia; St. Paul, Minnesota; Portland, Oregon; Tucson, Arizona; and Austin, Texas, according to ABC News. Five of those 12, including Columbus, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; and Indianapolis, have now set new records in two straight years. Experts and local officials in Milwaukee have consistently cited the effects of the pandemic, which disrupted employment, education and social service outreach for millions of Americans; declining police legitimacy, especially after the murder of George Floyd; and the increased carrying of firearms as causes behind the rise in violence. Following decades of poverty, neglect and racial segregation in Milwaukees north and northwest sides, which are home to predominantly Black residents, victims of nonfatal shootings and homicides in 2021 are 88% Black, while suspects are 89% Black, according to the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission. Minors accounted for 10.6% of homicide victims, down two percentage points from 2020 but still up by two or three percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. Three teens killed this year were known to one of Thursdays attendees, Belinda Freeman, 55. She once worked as a paraprofessional at the Ralph H. Metcalfe School, where she met Rodney Armstrong, 16; Davonnie Turner-Basey, 17; and Jovan Wilder, 18. All three were killed in shootings less than two months apart last spring. They were good students, smart students, Freeman said as she held a candle affixed with Wilders name, who she said she stayed in touch with through church after he left their school. Rarely got in trouble. Its good to see all the people that came out, let them know we got their backs, she said. They dont have to go through it alone. How to find support Milwaukee's Office of Violence Prevention recommends these resources for free support: Sojourner Family Peace Center's domestic violence shelter and support: 414-933-2722. 414Life outreach and conflict mediation support: 414-439-5398. Milwaukee County's 24-Hour Mental Health Crisis Line: 414-257-7222. Milwaukee's Child Mobile Crisis and Trauma Response Team: 414-257-7621. National crisis text line: text HOPELINE to 741741 to text with a trained crisis counselor. National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255. How to forward tips Anyone with information on a homicide is asked to contact Milwaukee police, at 414-935-7360, or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers, at 414-224-TIPS or by using the P3 Tips app. Drake Bentley of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report Contact Elliot Hughes at elliot.hughes@jrn.com or 414-704-8958. Follow him on Twitter @elliothughes12. Stay in the know. Sign up to get NewsWatch delivered to your inbox every afternoon. Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee totals 197 homicides in 2021, according to law enforcement A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. French tourism bosses last night told Emmanuel Macron to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers, accusing him of punishing the industry over worsening ties with Britain. The French president slapped the tough measures on UK tourists shortly before Christmas, claiming it was to stop the spread of the Omicron variant. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted. It comes as the countrys own public health agency yesterday admitted Omicron is now the most dominant variant in France. Omicron helped drive infection numbers to a record 232,000 new cases yesterday, piling more pressure on Mr Macron to back down. President Emmanuel Macron (pictured) has been told to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers Francois Badjily, head of the Alpe dHuez tourist office, suggested France was playing politics with the pandemic. We have the impression that our industry is being made to pay the price for the poor relations between both countries right now, whether its about Brexit or fishing or whatever, he said. Mr Badjily said the current rules were incoherent because fully vaccinated tourists from other countries where the Omicron strain is already present are able to visit. Vaccine passports are needed to enter French holiday hotspots such as ski resorts, as well as restaurants, bars and leisure facilities. Alpe dHuez draws a quarter of its visitors from the UK every year, and Mr Badjily added: Why should a Briton who meets these criteria not be allowed to come, but the French and Belgians can? Christophe Lavaut, director of the Val dIsere ski resort, also called on officials in Paris to axe the compelling reason to travel directive that has stopped holidaymakers coming to France. This restriction should simply be lifted as it is no longer necessary, he added. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted At least 42 per cent of Val dIseres customers are British, said Mr Lavaut, who urged his government to act at the beginning of January. Mr Macrons travel measures have created chaos and sowed confusion throughout the entire Christmas break. Earlier this week, border police even prevented Britons who were legal residents in the EU from returning to their homes French officials at the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone said they were not allowed to cross through France on health grounds. But the EUs top disease agency said in a report last month that Omicron travel restrictions only help buy valuable time during the first days of detection, adding that in countries already experiencing community transmission such measures will probably not be relevant for much longer. The French government failed to reply to the Mails request for comment. Germany will remove Britain from its travel red list on Tuesday after its government admitted Omicron was already widely present in the country. Identical twins Nancy and Nora Groce 'just knew' that one day they'd face breast cancer. The disease killed their great-grandmother and grandmother, and their mother suffered recurring bouts for nearly 30 years before finally succumbing to the illness. The sisters share the same DNA and the same genetic risk. 'We have a spectacular family history. It felt almost inevitable,' says Nora. It was Nancy who was first diagnosed and treated, when she was 42, in 1994. Nora discovered she had the disease in 2012, and then, in 2015, Nancy was diagnosed for a second time. For a while they were undergoing treatment simultaneously. Yet although they each would receive what they describe as 'excellent' care at highly regarded teaching hospitals, their experiences would dramatically diverge. Both American by birth, Nancy lives between New York and Washington, while Nora's home for almost 14 years has been London. And so while Nora, a professor in epidemiology at University College London, received free care through the NHS, she could only watch as Nancy, a government adviser, had to balance gruelling treatment with negotiating mounting medical bills with her health insurance provider which was branded 'more stressful than the cancer itself'. Both sisters, now 69, are in remission. But their story gives a fascinating insight into what it's like to get cancer treatment in two remarkably different healthcare systems. While Nora Groce (pictured), a professor in epidemiology at University College London, received free care through the NHS, she could only watch as Nancy, a government adviser, had to balance gruelling treatment with negotiating mounting medical bills with her health insurance provider which was branded 'more stressful than the cancer itself' 'I was a single woman with no partner to help me,' recalls Nancy. 'Yet here I was alone, facing a life-threatening disease, and having to deal with bills from doctors, hospitals and labs.' Nancy, like most Americans, has private health insurance, paying about 3,000 a year for 'a very good' package. But in the end the plan didn't cover all of her treatment. 'I ended up paying more than $14,000 [10,000] out of my own pocket,' she says. At one point Nancy was 'mistakenly' handed a bill for $40,000 roughly 30,000 and although she ultimately didn't have to pay this, she says that the stress it caused at the time was 'traumatic'. I have persistent hiccups: What's wrong with me? Everyone gets hiccups occasionally, and they usually disappear within a few minutes. They can, however, last more than 48 hours. Hiccups are commonly caused by irritation to the vagus nerve, which is responsible for various automatic functions such as breathing, heart rate and digestion. This triggers the diaphragm to contract, causing a sudden intake of air that is stopped by the vocal cords closing, producing the characteristic hiccup sound. More than 100 causes of persistent hiccups have been recorded. These include kidney disorders, infections and certain medicines which may irritate the diaphragm or vagus nerve. Advertisement Meanwhile, Nora says the most she spent was on food from Marks & Spencer, brought in by her husband once when she didn't fancy the hospital menu a grand total of 6.95. The NHS, of course, is not 'free' instead it's paid for via taxes. The NHS takes roughly 20 per cent of total tax revenue. An individual earning a professional salary of 50,000 a year would pay 7,486 (20 per cent) in income tax, and 4,852 (12 per cent) in National Insurance, so will be personally contributing about 2,467 a year. That person's employer would also pay National Insurance contributions of 5,709, 20 per cent of which 1,141.80 would go to the health service. Despite this, Nora, who has two grown up children, says: 'A diagnosis of cancer is terrible, wherever you are, but Nancy had so much more to deal with. I only had to concentrate on getting better.' When Nora came to the UK, in 2008, she enrolled at her local GP practice. 'At my first appointment they asked, 'Do you have any health concerns?' she recalls. 'I said, 'Well, we have this history of breast cancer in the family,' and I immediately got referred to a genetics clinic to assess my risk. 'I was 55 at the time, so I was at the age where women get mammograms every three years. 'But because of my history, I was told I'd have a mammogram each year, which I had at a hospital 15 minutes from my house, and I did that regularly for about four years.' Nancy adds: 'In the States we didn't have this offered to us, since it wasn't part of our insurance plans.' It was at one such screening that Nora's cancer was detected. She initially had surgery to remove the lump in her left breast, then further surgery to remove more tissue. Later it was decided she needed a double mastectomy. She continues: 'When they were wheeling me in for surgery, I had to sign some sort of consent form. That's the only paperwork I ever got related to my cancer or anything else with the NHS. 'I was over 60, so I had free prescriptions too.' Nancy, on the other hand, has faced enduring and stressful bureaucratic struggles. In the States there is no NHS, and health insurance is typically provided as a benefit by employers, who pay a percentage of the monthly premium, deducting the rest from the employee's pay. Depending on the type of policy held, patients will be hit with further costs, to varying degrees. It is the responsibility of the patient to keep pace with whether treatments are fully or partly covered by insurance or not covered at all. Nancy describes it as a labyrinthine process: 'I set up an Excel spreadsheet and kept meticulous records about when I was going in, for what, who I talked to, what they said and how much I'd pay. 'I probably called my insurance company two dozen times to try to clarify what a charge was for or why they were only paying a certain percentage of my claim to the doctors. 'One lab assumed I was uninsured and sent me a $40,000 bill. I had to spend weeks on the phone correcting that mistake.' Often Nancy had to pay for services up front, then claim it back afterwards, leaving her constantly worried about whether she would be reimbursed. She adds: 'Because of limited sick leave, I worked throughout. There were days I'd go to a radiotherapy appointment early in the morning, and then I'd go and work an eight-hour day. Nancy (pictured), like most Americans, has private health insurance, paying about 3,000 a year for 'a very good' package 'I'd come home, open the mailbox, and there was yet another bill. Sometimes I'd just sit in my apartment and scream at the walls.' Nancy believes the stress led to her developing high blood pressure something she didn't have a problem with before. 'Stress was something that was ever-present throughout, not only the time I was being treated but for months afterwards when I was getting new bills or trying to resolve old ones. It wasn't like I finished treatment and could go out and celebrate. I had to keep monitoring the situation.' In the summer she had to have an MRI scan to check that her body was still clear of cancer. She says: 'It was very expensive, and initially I think I got a bill for $6,000 [4,500]. 'Then they decided it wasn't $6,000. And then they resubmitted it. It's still going back and forth. Almost everybody I know has had run-ins with their insurance company strange billings and paperwork.' At present, the UK Government's Health And Care Bill is making its way through Parliament, which could see a radical restructuring in the way NHS services are delivered. Critics say the proposals borrow from American-style systems, and leave the door open for further integration of private healthcare businesses into the NHS. Despite the growing hospital backlog triggered by Covid there are 5.8 million people waiting to start hospital treatment in the UK and 300,000 who've been waiting more than a year for elective surgery Nora and Nancy feel their story should serve as a warning against going too far down the road of privatisation. Nora says: 'There are undoubtedly many problems with the NHS, and the system is currently under severe strain. 'Comparing our experiences, Nancy and I feel strongly that the NHS and universal health systems have much to commend them.' In the US, 66.5 per cent of all bankruptcies were tied to medical issues either because of high costs for care or time out of work. An estimated 530,000 families file for bankruptcy each year because of medical issues and bills, the recent research found. Nancy adds: 'When I was first diagnosed, a friend in Wales jokingly offered to marry me so that I could get treated in the UK. Of course I declined. But it just highlights the inequity of healthcare provision here in the US.' Thousands of migraine sufferers could find relief after being told they can have a pain-busting wonder drug on the NHS. Doctors in England and Wales have been given the thumbs-up to increase the use of fremanezumab a monthly jab into the arm, tummy or leg. The drug belongs to a class of medicines called CGRP inhibitors, which have transformed migraine therapy in the past few years and been hailed by some experts as the biggest breakthrough in treatment of the condition since the 1980s. But the drugs have until now been restricted to those with chronic migraines defined as at least 15 days of excruciating attacks every month. Anyone reporting less than that, known as episodic migraine sufferers, did not qualify. Doctors in Scotland already had the go-ahead in 2020, while Northern Ireland has not yet made an announcement. Now the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has ruled patients who suffer on at least four days in a month or more can also get the jab, potentially helping many more every year. Leading UK headache experts welcomed the approval, predicting that it will give many patients back a normal life. Doctors in England and Wales have been given the thumbs-up to increase the use of fremanezumab a monthly jab into the arm, tummy or leg Mystery of foreign accent syndrome Michelle Myers (pictured), from Arizona, woke up one day in 2018 with a 'Mary Poppins-style' British accent Imagine waking up with a strong German accent despite, er, not being German at all. Foreign accent syndrome, as it is known, has baffled medics for decades. Brain damage commonly stroke can change the pitch, intonation and timing of a patient's speech, causing them to unintentionally take on a foreign accent. Examples include an Australian woman who developed a French accent after suffering brain damage in a car accident, and Michelle Myers, above, from Arizona, who woke up one day in 2018 with a 'Mary Poppins-style' British accent after falling asleep the night before with a headache. Most cases resolve in time, and speech therapy can ease symptoms. Advertisement 'These drugs are life-changing,' says Dr Mark Weatherall, consultant neurologist at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust. 'I've had patients who have not been able to work for years due to migraine attacks but who are able to return to their jobs after being put on this treatment. 'The benefits to wider society from this are immense. 'Many of those suffering from episodic migraines may be affected up to 14 days a month just below the old threshold for the drugs. 'Yet their lives are significantly debilitated. 'So the NICE approval could have huge benefits for them.' About seven million people in the UK suffer with migraines, with women three times as likely to get them as men, possibly as attacks are linked to the female hormone oestrogen. The main symptom is an intense, one-sided headache but nausea and increased sensitivity to light and sound are also experienced. Most patients rely on painkillers to dull the agony, or prescription drugs called triptans which can shorten the length of attacks. For years, there was nothing that could prevent migraines or reduce their frequency. Then, in March 2020, the NHS gave the green light to CGRP inhibitors to the most severely affected. The drugs work by blocking a chemical called calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), responsible for the pain and nausea associated with migraines halving the number of attacks. There are three anti-CGRP drugs approved for use in the UK erenumab, galcanezumab and fremanezumab. NICE's decision means fremanezumab joins the two others in being approved for use in chronic and episodic migraine. But, as with its two rivals, fremanezumab can be prescribed only when patients have failed to improve on at least three previous medications, such as painkillers, an anti-epilepsy drug called topiramate that doubles as a migraine therapy, or triptans. Treating migraines has been a challenge for scientists, partly because the causes of attacks are still largely unclear, making it difficult to identify drugs that could help. Some people have certain triggers, such as dark chocolate or caffeine, but that doesn't mean they cause the migraines. The Migraine Trust says the condition runs in families but no single gene is responsible. Instead it's a combination of genes acting together. What's the difference between hypoglycaemia and hyperglycaemia? Both refer to blood-sugar levels the amount of glucose in the blood and most commonly affect people with diabetes. Hypoglycaemia occurs when blood-sugar falls too low, and needs to be treated quickly. Symptoms include sweating, tiredness, a fast heartbeat and, in severe cases, seizures. Hyperglycaemia when blood-sugar is too high develops over a few days or a week and causes thirst, a need to urinate frequently, tiredness and blurred vision. Persistently high blood-sugar damages organs and raises the risk of heart attacks. Advertisement One patient who hopes to benefit is Nia Beynon, a 30-year-old publisher from Cardiff, who has endured about 12 migraine days a month since she was 13. She says: 'It's a really intense pain. It can make me nauseous.' Nia, who lives with her husband, has tried the preventative drug pizotifen and different beta-blockers, but found it difficult to remember to take a daily pill. Nia now endures migraines for about an hour while the treatment sumatriptan kicks in, with her head then still too sensitive to touch. Injectable fremanezumab would give Nia one thing fewer to think about and until now she wasn't eligible. She says: 'It would be a relief. I always have to have my tablets on me.' Dr Weatherall said the NICE decision was 'very good news' but stressed that many patients are already struggling to access the life-changing injections, an issue The Mail on Sunday highlighted last summer. The Migraine Trust estimates that only 1,000 out of the 200,000 or so patients who meet the criteria for anti-CGRPs get them on the NHS. In a recent report, for which it contacted 128 NHS trusts in England, it found that just 13 provided specialist headache clinics and only 15 gave CGRP injections to those in need. The Migraine Trust's Rob Music said: 'There is a postcode lottery of care, where only the lucky few can access a treatment which has proven transformational. This should be such an exciting and positive time but lack of access is leading to continued poor health and deep frustration.' Ruby Bridges was a 6-year-old first-grader when she walked past jeering crowds of white people to become one of the first Black students at racially segregated schools in New Orleans in 1960. Now, she has authored a picture book about her experience for the youngest of readers. I Am Ruby Bridges goes on sale Tuesday. Its aimed at readers as young as 4 at a time when teaching the history of race in America has never been more difficult. Other books by or about Bridges have been challenged by conservatives. She says she hopes the new one winds up in elementary school libraries. A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. India on Saturday sent 5 lakh doses of the Covaxin doses to Afghanistan as the second consignment of humanitarian aid to the war-torn country, where the Taliban returned to power on August 15 last year. The vaccine doses were handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Kabul. India will also send another consignment of 5,00,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccines to Afghanistan in the coming weeks. The Government of India has committed to providing humanitarian assistance to Afghan people consisting of food grains, one million doses of Covid-19 vaccine and essential life-saving drugs, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, said. India last month delivered 1.6 tons of medical assistance to Afghanistan through the World Health Organization (WHO). In coming weeks, we would be undertaking the supply of wheat and the remaining medical assistance. In this regard, we are in touch with UN agencies and others for finalizing the modalities for transportation, said the MEA spokesperson. Check out latest videos from DH: French tourism bosses last night told Emmanuel Macron to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers, accusing him of punishing the industry over worsening ties with Britain. The French president slapped the tough measures on UK tourists shortly before Christmas, claiming it was to stop the spread of the Omicron variant. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted. It comes as the countrys own public health agency yesterday admitted Omicron is now the most dominant variant in France. Omicron helped drive infection numbers to a record 232,000 new cases yesterday, piling more pressure on Mr Macron to back down. President Emmanuel Macron (pictured) has been told to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers Francois Badjily, head of the Alpe dHuez tourist office, suggested France was playing politics with the pandemic. We have the impression that our industry is being made to pay the price for the poor relations between both countries right now, whether its about Brexit or fishing or whatever, he said. Mr Badjily said the current rules were incoherent because fully vaccinated tourists from other countries where the Omicron strain is already present are able to visit. Vaccine passports are needed to enter French holiday hotspots such as ski resorts, as well as restaurants, bars and leisure facilities. Alpe dHuez draws a quarter of its visitors from the UK every year, and Mr Badjily added: Why should a Briton who meets these criteria not be allowed to come, but the French and Belgians can? Christophe Lavaut, director of the Val dIsere ski resort, also called on officials in Paris to axe the compelling reason to travel directive that has stopped holidaymakers coming to France. This restriction should simply be lifted as it is no longer necessary, he added. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted At least 42 per cent of Val dIseres customers are British, said Mr Lavaut, who urged his government to act at the beginning of January. Mr Macrons travel measures have created chaos and sowed confusion throughout the entire Christmas break. Earlier this week, border police even prevented Britons who were legal residents in the EU from returning to their homes French officials at the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone said they were not allowed to cross through France on health grounds. But the EUs top disease agency said in a report last month that Omicron travel restrictions only help buy valuable time during the first days of detection, adding that in countries already experiencing community transmission such measures will probably not be relevant for much longer. The French government failed to reply to the Mails request for comment. Germany will remove Britain from its travel red list on Tuesday after its government admitted Omicron was already widely present in the country. Identical twins Nancy and Nora Groce 'just knew' that one day they'd face breast cancer. The disease killed their great-grandmother and grandmother, and their mother suffered recurring bouts for nearly 30 years before finally succumbing to the illness. The sisters share the same DNA and the same genetic risk. 'We have a spectacular family history. It felt almost inevitable,' says Nora. It was Nancy who was first diagnosed and treated, when she was 42, in 1994. Nora discovered she had the disease in 2012, and then, in 2015, Nancy was diagnosed for a second time. For a while they were undergoing treatment simultaneously. Yet although they each would receive what they describe as 'excellent' care at highly regarded teaching hospitals, their experiences would dramatically diverge. Both American by birth, Nancy lives between New York and Washington, while Nora's home for almost 14 years has been London. And so while Nora, a professor in epidemiology at University College London, received free care through the NHS, she could only watch as Nancy, a government adviser, had to balance gruelling treatment with negotiating mounting medical bills with her health insurance provider which was branded 'more stressful than the cancer itself'. Both sisters, now 69, are in remission. But their story gives a fascinating insight into what it's like to get cancer treatment in two remarkably different healthcare systems. While Nora Groce (pictured), a professor in epidemiology at University College London, received free care through the NHS, she could only watch as Nancy, a government adviser, had to balance gruelling treatment with negotiating mounting medical bills with her health insurance provider which was branded 'more stressful than the cancer itself' 'I was a single woman with no partner to help me,' recalls Nancy. 'Yet here I was alone, facing a life-threatening disease, and having to deal with bills from doctors, hospitals and labs.' Nancy, like most Americans, has private health insurance, paying about 3,000 a year for 'a very good' package. But in the end the plan didn't cover all of her treatment. 'I ended up paying more than $14,000 [10,000] out of my own pocket,' she says. At one point Nancy was 'mistakenly' handed a bill for $40,000 roughly 30,000 and although she ultimately didn't have to pay this, she says that the stress it caused at the time was 'traumatic'. I have persistent hiccups: What's wrong with me? Everyone gets hiccups occasionally, and they usually disappear within a few minutes. They can, however, last more than 48 hours. Hiccups are commonly caused by irritation to the vagus nerve, which is responsible for various automatic functions such as breathing, heart rate and digestion. This triggers the diaphragm to contract, causing a sudden intake of air that is stopped by the vocal cords closing, producing the characteristic hiccup sound. More than 100 causes of persistent hiccups have been recorded. These include kidney disorders, infections and certain medicines which may irritate the diaphragm or vagus nerve. Advertisement Meanwhile, Nora says the most she spent was on food from Marks & Spencer, brought in by her husband once when she didn't fancy the hospital menu a grand total of 6.95. The NHS, of course, is not 'free' instead it's paid for via taxes. The NHS takes roughly 20 per cent of total tax revenue. An individual earning a professional salary of 50,000 a year would pay 7,486 (20 per cent) in income tax, and 4,852 (12 per cent) in National Insurance, so will be personally contributing about 2,467 a year. That person's employer would also pay National Insurance contributions of 5,709, 20 per cent of which 1,141.80 would go to the health service. Despite this, Nora, who has two grown up children, says: 'A diagnosis of cancer is terrible, wherever you are, but Nancy had so much more to deal with. I only had to concentrate on getting better.' When Nora came to the UK, in 2008, she enrolled at her local GP practice. 'At my first appointment they asked, 'Do you have any health concerns?' she recalls. 'I said, 'Well, we have this history of breast cancer in the family,' and I immediately got referred to a genetics clinic to assess my risk. 'I was 55 at the time, so I was at the age where women get mammograms every three years. 'But because of my history, I was told I'd have a mammogram each year, which I had at a hospital 15 minutes from my house, and I did that regularly for about four years.' Nancy adds: 'In the States we didn't have this offered to us, since it wasn't part of our insurance plans.' It was at one such screening that Nora's cancer was detected. She initially had surgery to remove the lump in her left breast, then further surgery to remove more tissue. Later it was decided she needed a double mastectomy. She continues: 'When they were wheeling me in for surgery, I had to sign some sort of consent form. That's the only paperwork I ever got related to my cancer or anything else with the NHS. 'I was over 60, so I had free prescriptions too.' Nancy, on the other hand, has faced enduring and stressful bureaucratic struggles. In the States there is no NHS, and health insurance is typically provided as a benefit by employers, who pay a percentage of the monthly premium, deducting the rest from the employee's pay. Depending on the type of policy held, patients will be hit with further costs, to varying degrees. It is the responsibility of the patient to keep pace with whether treatments are fully or partly covered by insurance or not covered at all. Nancy describes it as a labyrinthine process: 'I set up an Excel spreadsheet and kept meticulous records about when I was going in, for what, who I talked to, what they said and how much I'd pay. 'I probably called my insurance company two dozen times to try to clarify what a charge was for or why they were only paying a certain percentage of my claim to the doctors. 'One lab assumed I was uninsured and sent me a $40,000 bill. I had to spend weeks on the phone correcting that mistake.' Often Nancy had to pay for services up front, then claim it back afterwards, leaving her constantly worried about whether she would be reimbursed. She adds: 'Because of limited sick leave, I worked throughout. There were days I'd go to a radiotherapy appointment early in the morning, and then I'd go and work an eight-hour day. Nancy (pictured), like most Americans, has private health insurance, paying about 3,000 a year for 'a very good' package 'I'd come home, open the mailbox, and there was yet another bill. Sometimes I'd just sit in my apartment and scream at the walls.' Nancy believes the stress led to her developing high blood pressure something she didn't have a problem with before. 'Stress was something that was ever-present throughout, not only the time I was being treated but for months afterwards when I was getting new bills or trying to resolve old ones. It wasn't like I finished treatment and could go out and celebrate. I had to keep monitoring the situation.' In the summer she had to have an MRI scan to check that her body was still clear of cancer. She says: 'It was very expensive, and initially I think I got a bill for $6,000 [4,500]. 'Then they decided it wasn't $6,000. And then they resubmitted it. It's still going back and forth. Almost everybody I know has had run-ins with their insurance company strange billings and paperwork.' At present, the UK Government's Health And Care Bill is making its way through Parliament, which could see a radical restructuring in the way NHS services are delivered. Critics say the proposals borrow from American-style systems, and leave the door open for further integration of private healthcare businesses into the NHS. Despite the growing hospital backlog triggered by Covid there are 5.8 million people waiting to start hospital treatment in the UK and 300,000 who've been waiting more than a year for elective surgery Nora and Nancy feel their story should serve as a warning against going too far down the road of privatisation. Nora says: 'There are undoubtedly many problems with the NHS, and the system is currently under severe strain. 'Comparing our experiences, Nancy and I feel strongly that the NHS and universal health systems have much to commend them.' In the US, 66.5 per cent of all bankruptcies were tied to medical issues either because of high costs for care or time out of work. An estimated 530,000 families file for bankruptcy each year because of medical issues and bills, the recent research found. Nancy adds: 'When I was first diagnosed, a friend in Wales jokingly offered to marry me so that I could get treated in the UK. Of course I declined. But it just highlights the inequity of healthcare provision here in the US.' Family and friends of homicide victims gather to grab their loved ones' candles Thursday after a candlelight vigil for 2021 homicide victims at Ephesians Missionary Baptist Church in Milwaukee. A record 197 people were killed in homicides in Milwaukee in 2021, but the toll it has taken on the community cant be expressed by any number. At an annual vigil Thursday that honored all the lives lost during a second straight record-breaking year of violence in Milwaukee, Acting Mayor Cavalier Johnson again encouraged residents to relay messages of peace among each other. Violence, especially deadly violence it harms not just the person theyre aiming that violence towards, Johnson said. It has a ripple effect to their family. When you kill somebody, youre not just taking their life, youre taking a little piece of their mom away, youre taking a little piece of their brother away, and their father and so on and so forth. Its irreparable harm to our community. More: Two homicides reported Monday break Milwaukee's homicide record for second year in a row More: So many cold cases: Milwaukee is experiencing historic levels of violence, and police clearance rates have dropped to 45% More than a hundred of those mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, coworkers, peers and friends attended Thursdays annual homicide vigil organized by the community center Northcott Neighborhood House. For several decades, the event has provided a space for those grieving the pain of a loved one who was taken far too soon. It was also sponsored by Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope, Pastors United and hosted by the Ephesians Missionary Baptist Church, at 2412 N. 6th St. Ceasar Banks III, 28, is the brother of two men honored Thursday Charleston L. Compton, 41, and Dominic A. Carter, 35. He hailed them as mentors not just to himself, but to many of Milwaukees youth. They had people looking up to them, Banks said. Its been hard. You got to push through it. Although the Milwaukee Police Department crime dashboard and Milwaukee County Sheriffs Office put the final 2021 homicide count at 197, the vigil honored 214 victims including those who were killed in police shootings and incidents that were ruled justified self-defense. The number put forth by law enforcement could change if other incidents are later ruled self-defense. Story continues Each name was read aloud during the vigil and printed on a candle. In 2020, the city experienced 190 homicides, almost doubling the figure from 2019 and smashing a record set in 1991 by 15%. Its been a harrowing two years that came after homicides in the city declined 34% from 2015 through 2019, when 97 homicides were reported. We feel your pain, it is palpable, Arnitta Holliman, the director of the citys Office of Violence Prevention, told the audience. We feel the intensity of your fear and your uncertainty and your frustration around violence in the city. The pattern of fatal violence in Milwaukee is present across the country. From 2019 to 2020, the U.S. saw a 29% rise in homicides, the largest jump from one year to the next since at least 1960, a New York Times analysis found. As of Dec. 8, 12 major cities broke their homicide record in 2021, including Philadelphia; St. Paul, Minnesota; Portland, Oregon; Tucson, Arizona; and Austin, Texas, according to ABC News. Five of those 12, including Columbus, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; and Indianapolis, have now set new records in two straight years. Experts and local officials in Milwaukee have consistently cited the effects of the pandemic, which disrupted employment, education and social service outreach for millions of Americans; declining police legitimacy, especially after the murder of George Floyd; and the increased carrying of firearms as causes behind the rise in violence. Following decades of poverty, neglect and racial segregation in Milwaukees north and northwest sides, which are home to predominantly Black residents, victims of nonfatal shootings and homicides in 2021 are 88% Black, while suspects are 89% Black, according to the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission. Minors accounted for 10.6% of homicide victims, down two percentage points from 2020 but still up by two or three percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. Three teens killed this year were known to one of Thursdays attendees, Belinda Freeman, 55. She once worked as a paraprofessional at the Ralph H. Metcalfe School, where she met Rodney Armstrong, 16; Davonnie Turner-Basey, 17; and Jovan Wilder, 18. All three were killed in shootings less than two months apart last spring. They were good students, smart students, Freeman said as she held a candle affixed with Wilders name, who she said she stayed in touch with through church after he left their school. Rarely got in trouble. Its good to see all the people that came out, let them know we got their backs, she said. They dont have to go through it alone. How to find support Milwaukee's Office of Violence Prevention recommends these resources for free support: Sojourner Family Peace Center's domestic violence shelter and support: 414-933-2722. 414Life outreach and conflict mediation support: 414-439-5398. Milwaukee County's 24-Hour Mental Health Crisis Line: 414-257-7222. Milwaukee's Child Mobile Crisis and Trauma Response Team: 414-257-7621. National crisis text line: text HOPELINE to 741741 to text with a trained crisis counselor. National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255. How to forward tips Anyone with information on a homicide is asked to contact Milwaukee police, at 414-935-7360, or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers, at 414-224-TIPS or by using the P3 Tips app. Drake Bentley of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report Contact Elliot Hughes at elliot.hughes@jrn.com or 414-704-8958. Follow him on Twitter @elliothughes12. Stay in the know. Sign up to get NewsWatch delivered to your inbox every afternoon. Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee totals 197 homicides in 2021, according to law enforcement Family and friends of homicide victims gather to grab their loved ones' candles Thursday after a candlelight vigil for 2021 homicide victims at Ephesians Missionary Baptist Church in Milwaukee. A record 197 people were killed in homicides in Milwaukee in 2021, but the toll it has taken on the community cant be expressed by any number. At an annual vigil Thursday that honored all the lives lost during a second straight record-breaking year of violence in Milwaukee, Acting Mayor Cavalier Johnson again encouraged residents to relay messages of peace among each other. Violence, especially deadly violence it harms not just the person theyre aiming that violence towards, Johnson said. It has a ripple effect to their family. When you kill somebody, youre not just taking their life, youre taking a little piece of their mom away, youre taking a little piece of their brother away, and their father and so on and so forth. Its irreparable harm to our community. More: Two homicides reported Monday break Milwaukee's homicide record for second year in a row More: So many cold cases: Milwaukee is experiencing historic levels of violence, and police clearance rates have dropped to 45% More than a hundred of those mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, coworkers, peers and friends attended Thursdays annual homicide vigil organized by the community center Northcott Neighborhood House. For several decades, the event has provided a space for those grieving the pain of a loved one who was taken far too soon. It was also sponsored by Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope, Pastors United and hosted by the Ephesians Missionary Baptist Church, at 2412 N. 6th St. Ceasar Banks III, 28, is the brother of two men honored Thursday Charleston L. Compton, 41, and Dominic A. Carter, 35. He hailed them as mentors not just to himself, but to many of Milwaukees youth. They had people looking up to them, Banks said. Its been hard. You got to push through it. Although the Milwaukee Police Department crime dashboard and Milwaukee County Sheriffs Office put the final 2021 homicide count at 197, the vigil honored 214 victims including those who were killed in police shootings and incidents that were ruled justified self-defense. The number put forth by law enforcement could change if other incidents are later ruled self-defense. Story continues Each name was read aloud during the vigil and printed on a candle. In 2020, the city experienced 190 homicides, almost doubling the figure from 2019 and smashing a record set in 1991 by 15%. Its been a harrowing two years that came after homicides in the city declined 34% from 2015 through 2019, when 97 homicides were reported. We feel your pain, it is palpable, Arnitta Holliman, the director of the citys Office of Violence Prevention, told the audience. We feel the intensity of your fear and your uncertainty and your frustration around violence in the city. The pattern of fatal violence in Milwaukee is present across the country. From 2019 to 2020, the U.S. saw a 29% rise in homicides, the largest jump from one year to the next since at least 1960, a New York Times analysis found. As of Dec. 8, 12 major cities broke their homicide record in 2021, including Philadelphia; St. Paul, Minnesota; Portland, Oregon; Tucson, Arizona; and Austin, Texas, according to ABC News. Five of those 12, including Columbus, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; and Indianapolis, have now set new records in two straight years. Experts and local officials in Milwaukee have consistently cited the effects of the pandemic, which disrupted employment, education and social service outreach for millions of Americans; declining police legitimacy, especially after the murder of George Floyd; and the increased carrying of firearms as causes behind the rise in violence. Following decades of poverty, neglect and racial segregation in Milwaukees north and northwest sides, which are home to predominantly Black residents, victims of nonfatal shootings and homicides in 2021 are 88% Black, while suspects are 89% Black, according to the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission. Minors accounted for 10.6% of homicide victims, down two percentage points from 2020 but still up by two or three percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. Three teens killed this year were known to one of Thursdays attendees, Belinda Freeman, 55. She once worked as a paraprofessional at the Ralph H. Metcalfe School, where she met Rodney Armstrong, 16; Davonnie Turner-Basey, 17; and Jovan Wilder, 18. All three were killed in shootings less than two months apart last spring. They were good students, smart students, Freeman said as she held a candle affixed with Wilders name, who she said she stayed in touch with through church after he left their school. Rarely got in trouble. Its good to see all the people that came out, let them know we got their backs, she said. They dont have to go through it alone. How to find support Milwaukee's Office of Violence Prevention recommends these resources for free support: Sojourner Family Peace Center's domestic violence shelter and support: 414-933-2722. 414Life outreach and conflict mediation support: 414-439-5398. Milwaukee County's 24-Hour Mental Health Crisis Line: 414-257-7222. Milwaukee's Child Mobile Crisis and Trauma Response Team: 414-257-7621. National crisis text line: text HOPELINE to 741741 to text with a trained crisis counselor. National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255. How to forward tips Anyone with information on a homicide is asked to contact Milwaukee police, at 414-935-7360, or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers, at 414-224-TIPS or by using the P3 Tips app. Drake Bentley of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report Contact Elliot Hughes at elliot.hughes@jrn.com or 414-704-8958. Follow him on Twitter @elliothughes12. Stay in the know. Sign up to get NewsWatch delivered to your inbox every afternoon. Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee totals 197 homicides in 2021, according to law enforcement Small business recovery Editor, Times-Dispatch: CNBC surprised many when it said Virginia is Americas top state for business. While it said the commonwealth offers employers a wealth of talent, CNBC overlooked a host of issues, including a sluggish state economy, low short-term fiscal stability, high business taxes and slow recovery of unemployment claims. When the General Assembly returns to Richmond this month , some legislators will point to CNBCs report and declare their job done, but theyll be wrong. We need lawmakers to address the issues hindering Virginias economic recovery. Thats why the National Federation of Independent Business is asking lawmakers to support its principles for Small Business Recovery in the 2022 session: Ease the tax burden on small businesses. The Paycheck Protection Program, Rebuild Virginia and other pandemic-related loans should remain exempt from state taxes. Since most of the commonwealths small businesses pay taxes at the individual rather than the corporate rate, lawmakers should increase Virginias standard deduction to the federal tax rate. Eliminate costly regulations. The General Assembly should approve the sale of paid family leave insurance policies so businesses and individuals can have financial security. Lawmakers also should bring Virginias overtime law in line with federal requirements and oppose one-size-fits-all mandates on sick leave. Provide financial assistance to help small businesses recover from the pandemic's economic downturn. This includes assistance programs for smaller businesses with continuing financial needs, as well as addressing rising health care costs. Pass unemployment insurance reform, including replenishing the states trust fund with unused federal relief money and ensuring small businesses are not liable for fraudulent payments or overpayments of benefits. Small businesses are doing everything they can to keep customers and employees safe, and stay afloat, but it hasnt been easy. And it looks like labor shortage and supply chain issues will continue this year. We need the House of Delegates and state Senate to set partisan politics aside and pass commonsense legislation that ensures small businesses have the resources needed to move forward. Nicole Riley. 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. Family and friends of homicide victims gather to grab their loved ones' candles Thursday after a candlelight vigil for 2021 homicide victims at Ephesians Missionary Baptist Church in Milwaukee. A record 197 people were killed in homicides in Milwaukee in 2021, but the toll it has taken on the community cant be expressed by any number. At an annual vigil Thursday that honored all the lives lost during a second straight record-breaking year of violence in Milwaukee, Acting Mayor Cavalier Johnson again encouraged residents to relay messages of peace among each other. Violence, especially deadly violence it harms not just the person theyre aiming that violence towards, Johnson said. It has a ripple effect to their family. When you kill somebody, youre not just taking their life, youre taking a little piece of their mom away, youre taking a little piece of their brother away, and their father and so on and so forth. Its irreparable harm to our community. More: Two homicides reported Monday break Milwaukee's homicide record for second year in a row More: So many cold cases: Milwaukee is experiencing historic levels of violence, and police clearance rates have dropped to 45% More than a hundred of those mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, coworkers, peers and friends attended Thursdays annual homicide vigil organized by the community center Northcott Neighborhood House. For several decades, the event has provided a space for those grieving the pain of a loved one who was taken far too soon. It was also sponsored by Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope, Pastors United and hosted by the Ephesians Missionary Baptist Church, at 2412 N. 6th St. Ceasar Banks III, 28, is the brother of two men honored Thursday Charleston L. Compton, 41, and Dominic A. Carter, 35. He hailed them as mentors not just to himself, but to many of Milwaukees youth. They had people looking up to them, Banks said. Its been hard. You got to push through it. Although the Milwaukee Police Department crime dashboard and Milwaukee County Sheriffs Office put the final 2021 homicide count at 197, the vigil honored 214 victims including those who were killed in police shootings and incidents that were ruled justified self-defense. The number put forth by law enforcement could change if other incidents are later ruled self-defense. Story continues Each name was read aloud during the vigil and printed on a candle. In 2020, the city experienced 190 homicides, almost doubling the figure from 2019 and smashing a record set in 1991 by 15%. Its been a harrowing two years that came after homicides in the city declined 34% from 2015 through 2019, when 97 homicides were reported. We feel your pain, it is palpable, Arnitta Holliman, the director of the citys Office of Violence Prevention, told the audience. We feel the intensity of your fear and your uncertainty and your frustration around violence in the city. The pattern of fatal violence in Milwaukee is present across the country. From 2019 to 2020, the U.S. saw a 29% rise in homicides, the largest jump from one year to the next since at least 1960, a New York Times analysis found. As of Dec. 8, 12 major cities broke their homicide record in 2021, including Philadelphia; St. Paul, Minnesota; Portland, Oregon; Tucson, Arizona; and Austin, Texas, according to ABC News. Five of those 12, including Columbus, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; and Indianapolis, have now set new records in two straight years. Experts and local officials in Milwaukee have consistently cited the effects of the pandemic, which disrupted employment, education and social service outreach for millions of Americans; declining police legitimacy, especially after the murder of George Floyd; and the increased carrying of firearms as causes behind the rise in violence. Following decades of poverty, neglect and racial segregation in Milwaukees north and northwest sides, which are home to predominantly Black residents, victims of nonfatal shootings and homicides in 2021 are 88% Black, while suspects are 89% Black, according to the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission. Minors accounted for 10.6% of homicide victims, down two percentage points from 2020 but still up by two or three percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. Three teens killed this year were known to one of Thursdays attendees, Belinda Freeman, 55. She once worked as a paraprofessional at the Ralph H. Metcalfe School, where she met Rodney Armstrong, 16; Davonnie Turner-Basey, 17; and Jovan Wilder, 18. All three were killed in shootings less than two months apart last spring. They were good students, smart students, Freeman said as she held a candle affixed with Wilders name, who she said she stayed in touch with through church after he left their school. Rarely got in trouble. Its good to see all the people that came out, let them know we got their backs, she said. They dont have to go through it alone. How to find support Milwaukee's Office of Violence Prevention recommends these resources for free support: Sojourner Family Peace Center's domestic violence shelter and support: 414-933-2722. 414Life outreach and conflict mediation support: 414-439-5398. Milwaukee County's 24-Hour Mental Health Crisis Line: 414-257-7222. Milwaukee's Child Mobile Crisis and Trauma Response Team: 414-257-7621. National crisis text line: text HOPELINE to 741741 to text with a trained crisis counselor. National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255. How to forward tips Anyone with information on a homicide is asked to contact Milwaukee police, at 414-935-7360, or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers, at 414-224-TIPS or by using the P3 Tips app. Drake Bentley of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report Contact Elliot Hughes at elliot.hughes@jrn.com or 414-704-8958. Follow him on Twitter @elliothughes12. Stay in the know. Sign up to get NewsWatch delivered to your inbox every afternoon. Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee totals 197 homicides in 2021, according to law enforcement Family and friends of homicide victims gather to grab their loved ones' candles Thursday after a candlelight vigil for 2021 homicide victims at Ephesians Missionary Baptist Church in Milwaukee. A record 197 people were killed in homicides in Milwaukee in 2021, but the toll it has taken on the community cant be expressed by any number. At an annual vigil Thursday that honored all the lives lost during a second straight record-breaking year of violence in Milwaukee, Acting Mayor Cavalier Johnson again encouraged residents to relay messages of peace among each other. Violence, especially deadly violence it harms not just the person theyre aiming that violence towards, Johnson said. It has a ripple effect to their family. When you kill somebody, youre not just taking their life, youre taking a little piece of their mom away, youre taking a little piece of their brother away, and their father and so on and so forth. Its irreparable harm to our community. More: Two homicides reported Monday break Milwaukee's homicide record for second year in a row More: So many cold cases: Milwaukee is experiencing historic levels of violence, and police clearance rates have dropped to 45% More than a hundred of those mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, coworkers, peers and friends attended Thursdays annual homicide vigil organized by the community center Northcott Neighborhood House. For several decades, the event has provided a space for those grieving the pain of a loved one who was taken far too soon. It was also sponsored by Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope, Pastors United and hosted by the Ephesians Missionary Baptist Church, at 2412 N. 6th St. Ceasar Banks III, 28, is the brother of two men honored Thursday Charleston L. Compton, 41, and Dominic A. Carter, 35. He hailed them as mentors not just to himself, but to many of Milwaukees youth. They had people looking up to them, Banks said. Its been hard. You got to push through it. Although the Milwaukee Police Department crime dashboard and Milwaukee County Sheriffs Office put the final 2021 homicide count at 197, the vigil honored 214 victims including those who were killed in police shootings and incidents that were ruled justified self-defense. The number put forth by law enforcement could change if other incidents are later ruled self-defense. Story continues Each name was read aloud during the vigil and printed on a candle. In 2020, the city experienced 190 homicides, almost doubling the figure from 2019 and smashing a record set in 1991 by 15%. Its been a harrowing two years that came after homicides in the city declined 34% from 2015 through 2019, when 97 homicides were reported. We feel your pain, it is palpable, Arnitta Holliman, the director of the citys Office of Violence Prevention, told the audience. We feel the intensity of your fear and your uncertainty and your frustration around violence in the city. The pattern of fatal violence in Milwaukee is present across the country. From 2019 to 2020, the U.S. saw a 29% rise in homicides, the largest jump from one year to the next since at least 1960, a New York Times analysis found. As of Dec. 8, 12 major cities broke their homicide record in 2021, including Philadelphia; St. Paul, Minnesota; Portland, Oregon; Tucson, Arizona; and Austin, Texas, according to ABC News. Five of those 12, including Columbus, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; and Indianapolis, have now set new records in two straight years. Experts and local officials in Milwaukee have consistently cited the effects of the pandemic, which disrupted employment, education and social service outreach for millions of Americans; declining police legitimacy, especially after the murder of George Floyd; and the increased carrying of firearms as causes behind the rise in violence. Following decades of poverty, neglect and racial segregation in Milwaukees north and northwest sides, which are home to predominantly Black residents, victims of nonfatal shootings and homicides in 2021 are 88% Black, while suspects are 89% Black, according to the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission. Minors accounted for 10.6% of homicide victims, down two percentage points from 2020 but still up by two or three percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. Three teens killed this year were known to one of Thursdays attendees, Belinda Freeman, 55. She once worked as a paraprofessional at the Ralph H. Metcalfe School, where she met Rodney Armstrong, 16; Davonnie Turner-Basey, 17; and Jovan Wilder, 18. All three were killed in shootings less than two months apart last spring. They were good students, smart students, Freeman said as she held a candle affixed with Wilders name, who she said she stayed in touch with through church after he left their school. Rarely got in trouble. Its good to see all the people that came out, let them know we got their backs, she said. They dont have to go through it alone. How to find support Milwaukee's Office of Violence Prevention recommends these resources for free support: Sojourner Family Peace Center's domestic violence shelter and support: 414-933-2722. 414Life outreach and conflict mediation support: 414-439-5398. Milwaukee County's 24-Hour Mental Health Crisis Line: 414-257-7222. Milwaukee's Child Mobile Crisis and Trauma Response Team: 414-257-7621. National crisis text line: text HOPELINE to 741741 to text with a trained crisis counselor. National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255. How to forward tips Anyone with information on a homicide is asked to contact Milwaukee police, at 414-935-7360, or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers, at 414-224-TIPS or by using the P3 Tips app. Drake Bentley of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report Contact Elliot Hughes at elliot.hughes@jrn.com or 414-704-8958. Follow him on Twitter @elliothughes12. Stay in the know. Sign up to get NewsWatch delivered to your inbox every afternoon. Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee totals 197 homicides in 2021, according to law enforcement 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. 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. Lake Geneva has pushed back the start of its snow emergency. City officials initially announced that no one could park on city streets starting at 1 p.m. But on Saturday morning, it was pushed back to 5 p.m. According to the updated snow emergency: In anticipation of the impending snow fall to occur within the City of Lake Geneva, and in accordance with Lake Geneva municipal code, Lake Geneva Mayor Charlene Klein has declared a snow emergency to begin Saturday, Jan. 1, at 5 p.m. and to continue until terminated by the Mayor (or Council President in the absence of the Mayor). During this time, street parking is prohibited. Citizens and visitors of the City of Lake Geneva shall be required to park their vehicles in driveways and off the street during the emergency. This will allow for proper snow removal and for emergency services to access all neighborhoods. All vehicles found parked on City of Lake Geneva streets during a snow emergency shall be towed at the owners expense. French tourism bosses last night told Emmanuel Macron to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers, accusing him of punishing the industry over worsening ties with Britain. The French president slapped the tough measures on UK tourists shortly before Christmas, claiming it was to stop the spread of the Omicron variant. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted. It comes as the countrys own public health agency yesterday admitted Omicron is now the most dominant variant in France. Omicron helped drive infection numbers to a record 232,000 new cases yesterday, piling more pressure on Mr Macron to back down. President Emmanuel Macron (pictured) has been told to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers Francois Badjily, head of the Alpe dHuez tourist office, suggested France was playing politics with the pandemic. We have the impression that our industry is being made to pay the price for the poor relations between both countries right now, whether its about Brexit or fishing or whatever, he said. Mr Badjily said the current rules were incoherent because fully vaccinated tourists from other countries where the Omicron strain is already present are able to visit. Vaccine passports are needed to enter French holiday hotspots such as ski resorts, as well as restaurants, bars and leisure facilities. Alpe dHuez draws a quarter of its visitors from the UK every year, and Mr Badjily added: Why should a Briton who meets these criteria not be allowed to come, but the French and Belgians can? Christophe Lavaut, director of the Val dIsere ski resort, also called on officials in Paris to axe the compelling reason to travel directive that has stopped holidaymakers coming to France. This restriction should simply be lifted as it is no longer necessary, he added. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted At least 42 per cent of Val dIseres customers are British, said Mr Lavaut, who urged his government to act at the beginning of January. Mr Macrons travel measures have created chaos and sowed confusion throughout the entire Christmas break. Earlier this week, border police even prevented Britons who were legal residents in the EU from returning to their homes French officials at the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone said they were not allowed to cross through France on health grounds. But the EUs top disease agency said in a report last month that Omicron travel restrictions only help buy valuable time during the first days of detection, adding that in countries already experiencing community transmission such measures will probably not be relevant for much longer. The French government failed to reply to the Mails request for comment. Germany will remove Britain from its travel red list on Tuesday after its government admitted Omicron was already widely present in the country. Lake Geneva has pushed back the start of its snow emergency. City officials initially announced that no one could park on city streets starting at 1 p.m. But on Saturday morning, it was pushed back to 5 p.m. According to the updated snow emergency: In anticipation of the impending snow fall to occur within the City of Lake Geneva, and in accordance with Lake Geneva municipal code, Lake Geneva Mayor Charlene Klein has declared a snow emergency to begin Saturday, Jan. 1, at 5 p.m. and to continue until terminated by the Mayor (or Council President in the absence of the Mayor). During this time, street parking is prohibited. Citizens and visitors of the City of Lake Geneva shall be required to park their vehicles in driveways and off the street during the emergency. This will allow for proper snow removal and for emergency services to access all neighborhoods. All vehicles found parked on City of Lake Geneva streets during a snow emergency shall be towed at the owners expense. NEW YORK, Jan. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of the securities of Zhangmen Education Inc. ( NYSE: ZME) in or traceable to Zhangmen Education's initial public offering conducted on or about June 8, 2021 ("IPO"), pursuant to the IPO prospectus (the "Prospectus") and Form F-1 registration statement, as amended (together with the Prospectus, the "Registration Statement"), of the important January 18, 2022 lead plaintiff deadline. SO WHAT: If you purchased Zhangmen Education securities pursuant and/or traceable to the IPO you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Zhangmen Education class action, go to http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases-register-2213.html or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than January 18, 2022. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, the Registration Statement was false and/or misleading and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Chinese authorities were in the process of implementing sweeping new regulatory reforms on the private education industry in China including, among others, prohibitions on (a) profit-making by private education companies, (b) engaging in core-curriculum tutoring on weekends and vacations, and (c) capital-raising by companies like Zhangmen Education; (2) the known risks, events, and uncertainties noted in the Registration Statement were reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on Zhangmen Education's business; and (3) based on the foregoing, the statements in the Registration Statement concerning Zhangmen Education's historical financial performance, market demand, and industry trends were materially incomplete, inaccurate, and misleading. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the Zhangmen Education class action, go to http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases-register-2213.html or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.rosenlegal.com SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A. Last week I described a long-ago Christmas in Moscow, in those days the capital city of one of the maddest ideas that ever seized the human mind. It was a crazy place, needlessly dangerous, dirty, corrupt, desperately inefficient. One fact about it will tell you a lot. We always kept a spare can of petrol in the boot of the car (for petrol could suddenly disappear from the scarce pumps without warning) in case we needed to get to the airport in a hurry. Because, if any of us was seriously ill, the only wise thing to do was to get the first plane out to Helsinki, where up-to-date medical treatment, modern drugs and clean conditions were available. There we were, in the heart of a state supposedly dedicated to the ideal of human equality, and the only good hospital in the whole country was hidden behind a 15ft wall, in guarded private grounds, available solely to a few dozen members of the Communist Party Central Committee. For years here I have warned against the Green dogma which has largely replaced Communism in the minds of the global Left. Like Communism, it has a noble goal, the saving of the planet. This goal is in fact so noble that it causes its supporters to sweep aside all doubt and restraint The USSR was also supposed to be dedicated to plenty but the official shops were empty. The joke described a woman going into one of these ornate places and asking one of the many unoccupied staff if they had any fish to which the helpful reply was: No, this is the shop where we dont have any meat. The shop which doesnt have any fish is just there across the road. During my time there, this was more or less an accurate account of real life. If you wanted meat, then the black market was where you went except for the privileged Communists, who had their own special shops and supplies. The point of this story is not to dance on the grave of the Soviet Union. It is dead and gone. It is to warn against the creation of another society, just as stupid, and equally driven by ideas which look good and nice at the beginning. For years here I have warned against the Green dogma which has largely replaced Communism in the minds of the global Left. Like Communism, it has a noble goal, the saving of the planet. This goal is in fact so noble that it causes its supporters to sweep aside all doubt and restraint. They are so good and so right that any opposition is wicked, all doubt is unforgivable. In the minds of these people, a golden future lies just beyond the next hill, provided by sunshine and windmills. The point of this story is not to dance on the grave of the Soviet Union. It is dead and gone. It is to warn against the creation of another society, just as stupid, and equally driven by ideas which look good and nice at the beginning Every few months for some years I have marked the wanton destruction of efficient, useful, modern coal-fired power stations not cautiously mothballed in case they are needed again, but swiftly blown up with high explosives, relying on a certainty about the future which no sane person should claim to possess. I have noted the folly of failing to renew or sustain our nuclear power stations, pointing out that a programme for building them would be a far better use of the cash poured into the modernisation of our unusable, grandiose Trident nuclear missile system. This is a Cold War superpower weapon, when we are no longer a superpower and the Cold War has been over for 30 years. You might as well build huge new factories dedicated to making black-and-white TV sets for export. Now the threat I warned of has arrived. Sunshine and wind cannot power this country. So, without coal and nuclear power, we have become hopelessly reliant on the quick fix of gas-fired power stations, which are not even Green. And gas has become so expensive that all of us can now expect to pay vastly increased power bills very soon. By next autumn, we will all be paying hard cash to sustain the dogmatic lunacy of a power elite wholly gripped with Green zealotry. Good luck organising an economic recovery while this is going on. The country will begin to get colder and darker. Because, like the Red fanaticism it replaced and which it so strongly resembles, Green zealotry never blames itself for the disasters it causes. It goes on and on until it becomes intolerable and falls. For some time I have tried to find out if drugs especially marijuana may have been involved in cases of apparently irrational violence. This is because the excellent Ross Grainger has compiled the website Attacker Smoked Cannabis, which records the huge number of crazed violent crimes in this country, where the perpetrator has been found to have been taking this drug. I suspect there are many more, where it never comes out. The police are astonishingly unhelpful in such matters. I think this may be because they are rightly embarrassed about their almost total failure to enforce the law against marijuana possession. Anyway, you might like to know that when I asked if any investigation had been made into whether the suspect in the recent Windsor Castle incident had used illegal drugs, Scotland Yard refused to answer the question. A dreadful Duchess who shamed herself I am not sure what is especially British about A Very British Scandal, so oddly dramatised last week by the BBC. Margaret Whigham, third wife of the Duke of Argyll, grew up in New York City and her life was, mostly, so cushioned by money that it could have been anywhere where there were rich people. Any sympathy I might have had for her vanished when it turned out that she had cruelly forged a letter to try to turn the Duke against his young sons by a previous marriage. The letter claimed the boys had been fathered by someone else. This was surely the work of a monster. The drama ends with an announcement on screen that the divorce case in which the Duchesss advanced sexual activities were revealed was the first time a woman was publicly shamed by the UK mass media. Can this be true? You could make a very good case for saying she had publicly shamed herself. But, apparently, we are supposed to think that this nasty, super-wealthy adventurer was some sort of prototype strong woman, Germaine Greer before her time. As usual, there was no real attempt to recreate the past. Just old cars, old hats and old frocks. Even the swearing was modern, totally reliant on the F-word as it was not in those days. To make up for this, everyone smoked all the time everywhere. Please somebody correct me if I am wrong but I do not think that even dukes, let alone reporters, were ever allowed to smoke during divorce cases in court. Claire Foy, left, more or less repeated her role as the Queen from The Crown. Is it now a rule that all major dramas must star either Ms Foy or Olivia Colman? A brief appearance by the marvellous, shiningly intelligent Phoebe Nicholls, who long ago played Cordelia in Brideshead Revisited, was a reminder of how much other talent there is and how little it is used. Act to keep death off pavements On Thursday afternoon I stepped out of a bookshop on Kensington High Street and was almost eradicated by a phalanx of four e-scooters speeding along the pavement, each bearing a fit young man. I tried, for the sake of form, to point out that this was illegal. They just sneered and sped on. I reckon I very nearly ended up in hospital. There were of course no police to be seen (I did eventually come across one later, with a gun on his hip, heading back to sentry duty at some embassy). This is the future everywhere if Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is not persuaded to change his mind. When it happens, everyone will ask How did this happen? It will happen because you did not write to your MPs, now, in large numbers, saying these menaces should stay banned. If you want to comment on Peter Hitchens click here 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. A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. Lake Geneva has pushed back the start of its snow emergency. City officials initially announced that no one could park on city streets starting at 1 p.m. But on Saturday morning, it was pushed back to 5 p.m. According to the updated snow emergency: In anticipation of the impending snow fall to occur within the City of Lake Geneva, and in accordance with Lake Geneva municipal code, Lake Geneva Mayor Charlene Klein has declared a snow emergency to begin Saturday, Jan. 1, at 5 p.m. and to continue until terminated by the Mayor (or Council President in the absence of the Mayor). During this time, street parking is prohibited. Citizens and visitors of the City of Lake Geneva shall be required to park their vehicles in driveways and off the street during the emergency. This will allow for proper snow removal and for emergency services to access all neighborhoods. All vehicles found parked on City of Lake Geneva streets during a snow emergency shall be towed at the owners expense. French tourism bosses last night told Emmanuel Macron to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers, accusing him of punishing the industry over worsening ties with Britain. The French president slapped the tough measures on UK tourists shortly before Christmas, claiming it was to stop the spread of the Omicron variant. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted. It comes as the countrys own public health agency yesterday admitted Omicron is now the most dominant variant in France. Omicron helped drive infection numbers to a record 232,000 new cases yesterday, piling more pressure on Mr Macron to back down. President Emmanuel Macron (pictured) has been told to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers Francois Badjily, head of the Alpe dHuez tourist office, suggested France was playing politics with the pandemic. We have the impression that our industry is being made to pay the price for the poor relations between both countries right now, whether its about Brexit or fishing or whatever, he said. Mr Badjily said the current rules were incoherent because fully vaccinated tourists from other countries where the Omicron strain is already present are able to visit. Vaccine passports are needed to enter French holiday hotspots such as ski resorts, as well as restaurants, bars and leisure facilities. Alpe dHuez draws a quarter of its visitors from the UK every year, and Mr Badjily added: Why should a Briton who meets these criteria not be allowed to come, but the French and Belgians can? Christophe Lavaut, director of the Val dIsere ski resort, also called on officials in Paris to axe the compelling reason to travel directive that has stopped holidaymakers coming to France. This restriction should simply be lifted as it is no longer necessary, he added. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted At least 42 per cent of Val dIseres customers are British, said Mr Lavaut, who urged his government to act at the beginning of January. Mr Macrons travel measures have created chaos and sowed confusion throughout the entire Christmas break. Earlier this week, border police even prevented Britons who were legal residents in the EU from returning to their homes French officials at the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone said they were not allowed to cross through France on health grounds. But the EUs top disease agency said in a report last month that Omicron travel restrictions only help buy valuable time during the first days of detection, adding that in countries already experiencing community transmission such measures will probably not be relevant for much longer. The French government failed to reply to the Mails request for comment. Germany will remove Britain from its travel red list on Tuesday after its government admitted Omicron was already widely present in the country. A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. Area students head back to school next week following the two-week winter break and amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. Albemarle County schools superintendent Matt Haas wrote in a message to families that the division will operate normally Jan. 4, when classes resume, with all of the protective measures that have been in place for the school year so far. That means, students and staff members will be required to wear masks and a 10-day quarantine for those who test positive, among other tactics. Students and staff members in the Albemarle and Charlottesville school divisions are required to complete a daily health screening for symptoms and encouraged to stay home if they dont feel well. Haas said that the school systems decision is based on guidance for the Blue Ridge Health District. He also pointed to a new state law adopted earlier this year that requires schools to provide in-person instruction. If you have any questions or concerns about anyone in your household going back to in-person school, your school administrators will be happy to work with you to determine the most appropriate next steps for you and your family, Haas wrote. The health of our students, employees, families and community is our top priority, and we will continue to do everything we can to protect it. Since Christmas, the Blue Ridge Health District has reported more than 1,500 new cases, bringing the total for December 2021 to 3,573 the highest of any month of the pandemic. The seven-day average of new cases is up to 221.2. So far, about 15% of COVID tests over the last seven days have been positive, a higher than usual positivity rate. The spike in cases is likely the result of an increase in testing around the holidays, more holiday-related gatherings along with the more transmissible delta and omicron variants, officials have said. The post-holiday winter surge in early 2021 pushed several school divisions in Central Virginia back to all-online classes. The health districts winter surge peaked at 149 new cases over a seven-day period. The current surge in cases hit as schools began winter break, and districts across the country are readying for the return of students and employees. Washington D.C. Public Schools recently announced that it will require a negative COVID-19 test before students and employees can return to school. Charlottesville schools Superintendent Royal Gurley Jr. said in a message to families Thursday that in-person classes would resume Jan. 4 as well and acknowledged that the case levels are troubling. We are committed to following the guidance of health experts for practices such as masking, hand-washing, testing, and more, he wrote. One of their recommendations is to keep students in school. If we all do our part, we can do this safely. Charlottesville students and staff members can receive a free COVID test next week at school if they sign up by Sunday evening. The division has partnered with the state to provide the free tests, which began in early November. For more information, go to charlottesvilleschools.org/COVID-testing. Gurley said existing measures such as encouraging vaccination and boosters, limiting gatherings and eating lunch outside when possible remain in place. The bottom line is that working closely with the BRHD, we are staying the course to continue our many COVID safety strategies, including our testing programs, Gurley wrote. Gurley added that almost all of the positive cases in schools were transmitted outside of school or school programs. At the recommendation of the Blue Ridge Health District, neither school system is planning a change to the existing protocols for quarantine and isolation despite changing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce the time frame for quarantine and isolation from 10 days to five. BRHD said in an update Thursday that the majority of COVID-19 transmission takes place earlier after infection in the first few days before symptoms appear and about two to three days after. However, individuals who have tested positive can still be contagious up to 10 days after the beginning of symptoms or since the positive test. The CDC released these guidelines prior to publication of supporting evidence or full explanation of how they would be implemented in all situations such as schools and daycare centers, BRHD officials wrote. Many of our children are not yet vaccinated and younger children may have difficulty complying with the very strict mask requirements. In addition to questions about implementation, we are seeing our highest rates of COVID infection since the pandemic began. Citing those factors and the goal of keeping students in school, BRHD said it recommended schools and daycares stick with their current protocols. The health district will host a virtual town hall 7 p.m. Jan. 4 to discuss the new guidelines. A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. Identical twins Nancy and Nora Groce 'just knew' that one day they'd face breast cancer. The disease killed their great-grandmother and grandmother, and their mother suffered recurring bouts for nearly 30 years before finally succumbing to the illness. The sisters share the same DNA and the same genetic risk. 'We have a spectacular family history. It felt almost inevitable,' says Nora. It was Nancy who was first diagnosed and treated, when she was 42, in 1994. Nora discovered she had the disease in 2012, and then, in 2015, Nancy was diagnosed for a second time. For a while they were undergoing treatment simultaneously. Yet although they each would receive what they describe as 'excellent' care at highly regarded teaching hospitals, their experiences would dramatically diverge. Both American by birth, Nancy lives between New York and Washington, while Nora's home for almost 14 years has been London. And so while Nora, a professor in epidemiology at University College London, received free care through the NHS, she could only watch as Nancy, a government adviser, had to balance gruelling treatment with negotiating mounting medical bills with her health insurance provider which was branded 'more stressful than the cancer itself'. Both sisters, now 69, are in remission. But their story gives a fascinating insight into what it's like to get cancer treatment in two remarkably different healthcare systems. While Nora Groce (pictured), a professor in epidemiology at University College London, received free care through the NHS, she could only watch as Nancy, a government adviser, had to balance gruelling treatment with negotiating mounting medical bills with her health insurance provider which was branded 'more stressful than the cancer itself' 'I was a single woman with no partner to help me,' recalls Nancy. 'Yet here I was alone, facing a life-threatening disease, and having to deal with bills from doctors, hospitals and labs.' Nancy, like most Americans, has private health insurance, paying about 3,000 a year for 'a very good' package. But in the end the plan didn't cover all of her treatment. 'I ended up paying more than $14,000 [10,000] out of my own pocket,' she says. At one point Nancy was 'mistakenly' handed a bill for $40,000 roughly 30,000 and although she ultimately didn't have to pay this, she says that the stress it caused at the time was 'traumatic'. I have persistent hiccups: What's wrong with me? Everyone gets hiccups occasionally, and they usually disappear within a few minutes. They can, however, last more than 48 hours. Hiccups are commonly caused by irritation to the vagus nerve, which is responsible for various automatic functions such as breathing, heart rate and digestion. This triggers the diaphragm to contract, causing a sudden intake of air that is stopped by the vocal cords closing, producing the characteristic hiccup sound. More than 100 causes of persistent hiccups have been recorded. These include kidney disorders, infections and certain medicines which may irritate the diaphragm or vagus nerve. Advertisement Meanwhile, Nora says the most she spent was on food from Marks & Spencer, brought in by her husband once when she didn't fancy the hospital menu a grand total of 6.95. The NHS, of course, is not 'free' instead it's paid for via taxes. The NHS takes roughly 20 per cent of total tax revenue. An individual earning a professional salary of 50,000 a year would pay 7,486 (20 per cent) in income tax, and 4,852 (12 per cent) in National Insurance, so will be personally contributing about 2,467 a year. That person's employer would also pay National Insurance contributions of 5,709, 20 per cent of which 1,141.80 would go to the health service. Despite this, Nora, who has two grown up children, says: 'A diagnosis of cancer is terrible, wherever you are, but Nancy had so much more to deal with. I only had to concentrate on getting better.' When Nora came to the UK, in 2008, she enrolled at her local GP practice. 'At my first appointment they asked, 'Do you have any health concerns?' she recalls. 'I said, 'Well, we have this history of breast cancer in the family,' and I immediately got referred to a genetics clinic to assess my risk. 'I was 55 at the time, so I was at the age where women get mammograms every three years. 'But because of my history, I was told I'd have a mammogram each year, which I had at a hospital 15 minutes from my house, and I did that regularly for about four years.' Nancy adds: 'In the States we didn't have this offered to us, since it wasn't part of our insurance plans.' It was at one such screening that Nora's cancer was detected. She initially had surgery to remove the lump in her left breast, then further surgery to remove more tissue. Later it was decided she needed a double mastectomy. She continues: 'When they were wheeling me in for surgery, I had to sign some sort of consent form. That's the only paperwork I ever got related to my cancer or anything else with the NHS. 'I was over 60, so I had free prescriptions too.' Nancy, on the other hand, has faced enduring and stressful bureaucratic struggles. In the States there is no NHS, and health insurance is typically provided as a benefit by employers, who pay a percentage of the monthly premium, deducting the rest from the employee's pay. Depending on the type of policy held, patients will be hit with further costs, to varying degrees. It is the responsibility of the patient to keep pace with whether treatments are fully or partly covered by insurance or not covered at all. Nancy describes it as a labyrinthine process: 'I set up an Excel spreadsheet and kept meticulous records about when I was going in, for what, who I talked to, what they said and how much I'd pay. 'I probably called my insurance company two dozen times to try to clarify what a charge was for or why they were only paying a certain percentage of my claim to the doctors. 'One lab assumed I was uninsured and sent me a $40,000 bill. I had to spend weeks on the phone correcting that mistake.' Often Nancy had to pay for services up front, then claim it back afterwards, leaving her constantly worried about whether she would be reimbursed. She adds: 'Because of limited sick leave, I worked throughout. There were days I'd go to a radiotherapy appointment early in the morning, and then I'd go and work an eight-hour day. Nancy (pictured), like most Americans, has private health insurance, paying about 3,000 a year for 'a very good' package 'I'd come home, open the mailbox, and there was yet another bill. Sometimes I'd just sit in my apartment and scream at the walls.' Nancy believes the stress led to her developing high blood pressure something she didn't have a problem with before. 'Stress was something that was ever-present throughout, not only the time I was being treated but for months afterwards when I was getting new bills or trying to resolve old ones. It wasn't like I finished treatment and could go out and celebrate. I had to keep monitoring the situation.' In the summer she had to have an MRI scan to check that her body was still clear of cancer. She says: 'It was very expensive, and initially I think I got a bill for $6,000 [4,500]. 'Then they decided it wasn't $6,000. And then they resubmitted it. It's still going back and forth. Almost everybody I know has had run-ins with their insurance company strange billings and paperwork.' At present, the UK Government's Health And Care Bill is making its way through Parliament, which could see a radical restructuring in the way NHS services are delivered. Critics say the proposals borrow from American-style systems, and leave the door open for further integration of private healthcare businesses into the NHS. Despite the growing hospital backlog triggered by Covid there are 5.8 million people waiting to start hospital treatment in the UK and 300,000 who've been waiting more than a year for elective surgery Nora and Nancy feel their story should serve as a warning against going too far down the road of privatisation. Nora says: 'There are undoubtedly many problems with the NHS, and the system is currently under severe strain. 'Comparing our experiences, Nancy and I feel strongly that the NHS and universal health systems have much to commend them.' In the US, 66.5 per cent of all bankruptcies were tied to medical issues either because of high costs for care or time out of work. An estimated 530,000 families file for bankruptcy each year because of medical issues and bills, the recent research found. Nancy adds: 'When I was first diagnosed, a friend in Wales jokingly offered to marry me so that I could get treated in the UK. Of course I declined. But it just highlights the inequity of healthcare provision here in the US.' 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. Warrenton, VA (20186) Today Light rain this morning. Breaks of sun this afternoon. High 76F. NW winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Mostly clear. Low 48F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Area students head back to school next week following the two-week winter break and amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. Albemarle County schools superintendent Matt Haas wrote in a message to families that the division will operate normally Jan. 4, when classes resume, with all of the protective measures that have been in place for the school year so far. That means, students and staff members will be required to wear masks and a 10-day quarantine for those who test positive, among other tactics. Students and staff members in the Albemarle and Charlottesville school divisions are required to complete a daily health screening for symptoms and encouraged to stay home if they dont feel well. Haas said that the school systems decision is based on guidance for the Blue Ridge Health District. He also pointed to a new state law adopted earlier this year that requires schools to provide in-person instruction. If you have any questions or concerns about anyone in your household going back to in-person school, your school administrators will be happy to work with you to determine the most appropriate next steps for you and your family, Haas wrote. The health of our students, employees, families and community is our top priority, and we will continue to do everything we can to protect it. Since Christmas, the Blue Ridge Health District has reported more than 1,500 new cases, bringing the total for December 2021 to 3,573 the highest of any month of the pandemic. The seven-day average of new cases is up to 221.2. So far, about 15% of COVID tests over the last seven days have been positive, a higher than usual positivity rate. The spike in cases is likely the result of an increase in testing around the holidays, more holiday-related gatherings along with the more transmissible delta and omicron variants, officials have said. The post-holiday winter surge in early 2021 pushed several school divisions in Central Virginia back to all-online classes. The health districts winter surge peaked at 149 new cases over a seven-day period. The current surge in cases hit as schools began winter break, and districts across the country are readying for the return of students and employees. Washington D.C. Public Schools recently announced that it will require a negative COVID-19 test before students and employees can return to school. Charlottesville schools Superintendent Royal Gurley Jr. said in a message to families Thursday that in-person classes would resume Jan. 4 as well and acknowledged that the case levels are troubling. We are committed to following the guidance of health experts for practices such as masking, hand-washing, testing, and more, he wrote. One of their recommendations is to keep students in school. If we all do our part, we can do this safely. Charlottesville students and staff members can receive a free COVID test next week at school if they sign up by Sunday evening. The division has partnered with the state to provide the free tests, which began in early November. For more information, go to charlottesvilleschools.org/COVID-testing. Gurley said existing measures such as encouraging vaccination and boosters, limiting gatherings and eating lunch outside when possible remain in place. The bottom line is that working closely with the BRHD, we are staying the course to continue our many COVID safety strategies, including our testing programs, Gurley wrote. Gurley added that almost all of the positive cases in schools were transmitted outside of school or school programs. At the recommendation of the Blue Ridge Health District, neither school system is planning a change to the existing protocols for quarantine and isolation despite changing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce the time frame for quarantine and isolation from 10 days to five. BRHD said in an update Thursday that the majority of COVID-19 transmission takes place earlier after infection in the first few days before symptoms appear and about two to three days after. However, individuals who have tested positive can still be contagious up to 10 days after the beginning of symptoms or since the positive test. The CDC released these guidelines prior to publication of supporting evidence or full explanation of how they would be implemented in all situations such as schools and daycare centers, BRHD officials wrote. Many of our children are not yet vaccinated and younger children may have difficulty complying with the very strict mask requirements. In addition to questions about implementation, we are seeing our highest rates of COVID infection since the pandemic began. Citing those factors and the goal of keeping students in school, BRHD said it recommended schools and daycares stick with their current protocols. The health district will host a virtual town hall 7 p.m. Jan. 4 to discuss the new guidelines. Area students head back to school next week following the two-week winter break and amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. Albemarle County schools superintendent Matt Haas wrote in a message to families that the division will operate normally Jan. 4, when classes resume, with all of the protective measures that have been in place for the school year so far. That means, students and staff members will be required to wear masks and a 10-day quarantine for those who test positive, among other tactics. Students and staff members in the Albemarle and Charlottesville school divisions are required to complete a daily health screening for symptoms and encouraged to stay home if they dont feel well. Haas said that the school systems decision is based on guidance for the Blue Ridge Health District. He also pointed to a new state law adopted earlier this year that requires schools to provide in-person instruction. If you have any questions or concerns about anyone in your household going back to in-person school, your school administrators will be happy to work with you to determine the most appropriate next steps for you and your family, Haas wrote. The health of our students, employees, families and community is our top priority, and we will continue to do everything we can to protect it. Since Christmas, the Blue Ridge Health District has reported more than 1,500 new cases, bringing the total for December 2021 to 3,573 the highest of any month of the pandemic. The seven-day average of new cases is up to 221.2. So far, about 15% of COVID tests over the last seven days have been positive, a higher than usual positivity rate. The spike in cases is likely the result of an increase in testing around the holidays, more holiday-related gatherings along with the more transmissible delta and omicron variants, officials have said. The post-holiday winter surge in early 2021 pushed several school divisions in Central Virginia back to all-online classes. The health districts winter surge peaked at 149 new cases over a seven-day period. The current surge in cases hit as schools began winter break, and districts across the country are readying for the return of students and employees. Washington D.C. Public Schools recently announced that it will require a negative COVID-19 test before students and employees can return to school. Charlottesville schools Superintendent Royal Gurley Jr. said in a message to families Thursday that in-person classes would resume Jan. 4 as well and acknowledged that the case levels are troubling. We are committed to following the guidance of health experts for practices such as masking, hand-washing, testing, and more, he wrote. One of their recommendations is to keep students in school. If we all do our part, we can do this safely. Charlottesville students and staff members can receive a free COVID test next week at school if they sign up by Sunday evening. The division has partnered with the state to provide the free tests, which began in early November. For more information, go to charlottesvilleschools.org/COVID-testing. Gurley said existing measures such as encouraging vaccination and boosters, limiting gatherings and eating lunch outside when possible remain in place. The bottom line is that working closely with the BRHD, we are staying the course to continue our many COVID safety strategies, including our testing programs, Gurley wrote. Gurley added that almost all of the positive cases in schools were transmitted outside of school or school programs. At the recommendation of the Blue Ridge Health District, neither school system is planning a change to the existing protocols for quarantine and isolation despite changing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce the time frame for quarantine and isolation from 10 days to five. BRHD said in an update Thursday that the majority of COVID-19 transmission takes place earlier after infection in the first few days before symptoms appear and about two to three days after. However, individuals who have tested positive can still be contagious up to 10 days after the beginning of symptoms or since the positive test. The CDC released these guidelines prior to publication of supporting evidence or full explanation of how they would be implemented in all situations such as schools and daycare centers, BRHD officials wrote. Many of our children are not yet vaccinated and younger children may have difficulty complying with the very strict mask requirements. In addition to questions about implementation, we are seeing our highest rates of COVID infection since the pandemic began. Citing those factors and the goal of keeping students in school, BRHD said it recommended schools and daycares stick with their current protocols. The health district will host a virtual town hall 7 p.m. Jan. 4 to discuss the new guidelines. Boris Johnson has pledged to go further and faster to take advantage of Brexit opportunities in 2022. The landmark Trade and Cooperation Agreement setting out the future relationship between the UK and the bloc came into force on January 1, 2021. Since then, the Prime Minister said the UK has secured benefits, such as replacing free movement with a points-based immigration system and signing free trade deals from Switzerland to Singapore. Boris Johnson has pledged to go further and faster to take advantage of Brexit opportunities in 2022 But he added: The job isnt finished and we must keep up the momentum. In the year ahead my government will go further and faster to deliver on the promise of Brexit. His comments came as business leaders warned that post-Brexit customs controls coming in to force today could exacerbate the supply chain crisis. The rules will require UK companies to make customs declarations for goods imported from the EU. They follow the introduction of declarations for products exported from the UK at the start of this year. Businesses will also need to provide extra paperwork for food, drink and animal products in order to pay lower customs duties and avoid tariffs. The Confederation of British Industry said: The main concern will be around impacts on food supply chains ... The Government must prioritise flow over compliance in the short-term to reduce the pressure. Warrenton, VA (20186) Today Light rain this morning. Breaks of sun this afternoon. High 76F. NW winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Mostly clear. Low 48F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. Area students head back to school next week following the two-week winter break and amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. Albemarle County schools superintendent Matt Haas wrote in a message to families that the division will operate normally Jan. 4, when classes resume, with all of the protective measures that have been in place for the school year so far. That means, students and staff members will be required to wear masks and a 10-day quarantine for those who test positive, among other tactics. Students and staff members in the Albemarle and Charlottesville school divisions are required to complete a daily health screening for symptoms and encouraged to stay home if they dont feel well. Haas said that the school systems decision is based on guidance for the Blue Ridge Health District. He also pointed to a new state law adopted earlier this year that requires schools to provide in-person instruction. If you have any questions or concerns about anyone in your household going back to in-person school, your school administrators will be happy to work with you to determine the most appropriate next steps for you and your family, Haas wrote. The health of our students, employees, families and community is our top priority, and we will continue to do everything we can to protect it. Since Christmas, the Blue Ridge Health District has reported more than 1,500 new cases, bringing the total for December 2021 to 3,573 the highest of any month of the pandemic. The seven-day average of new cases is up to 221.2. So far, about 15% of COVID tests over the last seven days have been positive, a higher than usual positivity rate. The spike in cases is likely the result of an increase in testing around the holidays, more holiday-related gatherings along with the more transmissible delta and omicron variants, officials have said. The post-holiday winter surge in early 2021 pushed several school divisions in Central Virginia back to all-online classes. The health districts winter surge peaked at 149 new cases over a seven-day period. The current surge in cases hit as schools began winter break, and districts across the country are readying for the return of students and employees. Washington D.C. Public Schools recently announced that it will require a negative COVID-19 test before students and employees can return to school. Charlottesville schools Superintendent Royal Gurley Jr. said in a message to families Thursday that in-person classes would resume Jan. 4 as well and acknowledged that the case levels are troubling. We are committed to following the guidance of health experts for practices such as masking, hand-washing, testing, and more, he wrote. One of their recommendations is to keep students in school. If we all do our part, we can do this safely. Charlottesville students and staff members can receive a free COVID test next week at school if they sign up by Sunday evening. The division has partnered with the state to provide the free tests, which began in early November. For more information, go to charlottesvilleschools.org/COVID-testing. Gurley said existing measures such as encouraging vaccination and boosters, limiting gatherings and eating lunch outside when possible remain in place. The bottom line is that working closely with the BRHD, we are staying the course to continue our many COVID safety strategies, including our testing programs, Gurley wrote. Gurley added that almost all of the positive cases in schools were transmitted outside of school or school programs. At the recommendation of the Blue Ridge Health District, neither school system is planning a change to the existing protocols for quarantine and isolation despite changing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce the time frame for quarantine and isolation from 10 days to five. BRHD said in an update Thursday that the majority of COVID-19 transmission takes place earlier after infection in the first few days before symptoms appear and about two to three days after. However, individuals who have tested positive can still be contagious up to 10 days after the beginning of symptoms or since the positive test. The CDC released these guidelines prior to publication of supporting evidence or full explanation of how they would be implemented in all situations such as schools and daycare centers, BRHD officials wrote. Many of our children are not yet vaccinated and younger children may have difficulty complying with the very strict mask requirements. In addition to questions about implementation, we are seeing our highest rates of COVID infection since the pandemic began. Citing those factors and the goal of keeping students in school, BRHD said it recommended schools and daycares stick with their current protocols. The health district will host a virtual town hall 7 p.m. Jan. 4 to discuss the new guidelines. A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. They're there, front-and-centre, on the shelves at Boots under a sign saying 'sleep and relaxation' little bottles of tincture, capsules, tablets and creams, all containing the same 'wonder' ingredient, cannabis extract CBD. Perhaps you'd like some Green Stem Seville Orange Flavoured CBD Oil at 35 for a 30ml bottle? Or some Vitality CBD Muscle Balm, which costs 30 for a 50ml pot? If that's too pricey, try the Vitality CBD Oral Spray, at just 14.99. Online you can get CBD 'gummies' Boots stocks the CBDfx range, which comes in a variety of flavours and cost 37.50 for 60 sweets, along with an astonishing 88 other CBD products, including CBD bath salts and CBD moisturising balm ('harnessing the power of nature', apparently). Elsewhere, you can get CBD tea, CBD-infused toothpicks, CBD intimate lubricant and even a CBD-impregnated facemask (the CBD inner layer apparently makes the mask less irritating to the skin). Why, you might ask, would you want any of these things? It's a good question, and one that's not massively straightforward to answer. Today, CBD is estimated to be a 690 million-a-year industry, outselling all other vitamin supplements combined (Pictured: Claudia Winkleman posing with a CBD product from the company Cannaray, for which she is an ambassador) A YouGov survey taken in 2019 found that one in ten Britons regularly used products with CBD in them. Today, it's one in six (file photo of CBD oil) Until recently, CBD short for cannabidiol was a niche natural health product. It is derived from the cannabis sativa plant but with none of the tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which is the psychoactive element that has a narcotic effect, and its advocates claim it can do everything from treating insomnia, anxiety and joint pain to helping with serious conditions such as high blood pressure and even the eye disease glaucoma. But in the past few years it has exploded in popularity in Britain. Today, CBD is estimated to be a 690 million-a-year industry, outselling all other vitamin supplements combined. (The UK vitamin market is said to be worth an annual 500 million, according to analyst Mintel.) Demand is said to have soared during the pandemic. A YouGov survey taken in 2019 found that one in ten Britons regularly used products with CBD in them. Today, it's one in six. Yet look at the packaging of any of the products that line chemists' shelves and you won't find a single clue as to what they are meant to do. There are instructions for usage 'take one drop of oil, under the tongue before bed', or 'two tablets, once a day,' that sort of thing but no solid claims as to the health benefits. The reason? So far, researchers and manufacturers have been unable to produce evidence strong enough to convince medical regulators in the UK, or anywhere in the world, that off-the-shelf CBD does anything at all. Claudia Winkleman's CBD regime just left me feeling queasy As hundreds of thousands of Britons take CBD regularly, I decided to have my own CBD experience for a week. I am a sceptical person, and not into natural health. But at 25 years of age, I do suffer from back pain which can make sleeping tough, so I was ready to give something new a try. I decided to get in touch with one of the CBD companies to try their wares. One stood out: Cannaray, which has Claudia Winkleman, 49, as its 'brand ambassador'. The celebrity shares her CBD regime on the Cannaray website, so I thought I'd give it a go. The first product was Night Time CBD Oil Drops (18), which Winkleman says she loves because 'number one, it has sexy packaging. And it's just next to my bed, so it's super easy'. So far, so mysterious. The oil is peppermint-flavoured and the bottle contains 100 doses. Each 50mg of CBD is delivered with a glass pipette under the tongue or in a drink. Before bed on a Monday night, I squirted the oil under my tongue and held it there for 30 seconds as instructed. I had to stop myself from gagging, and the horrible oily taste stayed well after I'd brushed my teeth. Cannaray said Winkleman takes the oil to help her sleep, but it didn't work for me. Next up was Bright Days CBD Oil Drops, with a juniper and lime flavour. I put the oil in my morning coffee on Tuesday and instantly regretted it. It was a sour, greasy mess, and I didn't feel any different. Finally, Winkleman recommended Bright Days CBD capsules, containing 10mg of CBD. A tub of 20 costs 18, and Winkleman takes this 'little magic capsule' because 'there's a lot going on' in her daily routine (which includes two naps, and a spray tan). I decided to try these late on a Wednesday afternoon, on a tiring and busy day, in the hope that the capsules would perk me up. But I struggled to concentrate and felt zonked. I don't know if this was the CBD. I can confidently say CBD did not help my pains or improve my sleep, or have any other noticeable effect. But I'm glad Claudia Winkleman enjoys hers so much. Advertisement Small-scale studies in the US have looked at the effect of taking CBD on anxiety, insomnia, cannabis addiction, even public speaking. But according to Dr Amir Englund, a cannabis expert at King's College London, they have not provided enough data to make any conclusive statements on the benefit of CBD. 'The majority of studies have either been on animals or in such small groups of people you can't scientifically prove much. In many of these trials you've had participants report that taking CBD has, for example, improved their sleep. 'But when people take placebos such as sugar tablets during trials, they often report that their health has improved too.' That's not to say CBD is useless. In fact, there is evidence that in some specific cases CBD has a positive impact in treating illness. In August 2019, the NHS gave the green light for severe epilepsy patients to use Epidyolex, which contains CBD, after studies showed that when taken with another drug, clobazam, the cannabis-based medicine cut seizures in some children by 40 per cent. But, says Dr Englund, this has been one of the few exceptions. He points out that the amount of CBD given to epilepsy patients is significantly larger than doses in over-the-counter supplements. Patients on the epilepsy trial were taking 1,000mg of CBD a day. Meanwhile, CBD gummies typically contain about 5mg per gummy. Oil drops contain 1mg per serving. 'It would be like taking 1mg of paracetamol for a headache when the standard dose is two 500mg tablets,' says Dr Englund. If you drank two 30ml bottles of Green Stem CBD oil, or ate 500 gummies, you'd be able to take in roughly 1,000mg of CBD. But this would make you sick or cause other digestive problems, say experts. Due to the lack of evidence for over-the-counter CBD, UK health regulators class it as a food, not a medicine. And this brings strict limitations on what companies can say their product does. This hasn't, however, stopped companies from launching ambitious advertising campaigns to market their products. Last August, CBD brand Cannaray became the first company to advertise cannabis products on British television. Its advertisement featured TV personality Claudia Winkleman, who sheds no light on what CBD does during the 30-second clip, but encourages viewers to 'just try some'. Winkleman, who is also the company's brand ambassador, has claimed in interviews that she takes CBD every day to help her sleep and to 'stay calm'. Alexej Pikovsky, chief executive of Alphagreen, an online CBD marketplace that allows customers to compare products, says many companies use creative solutions to get around the advertising rules. 'A common trick is to hire social-media influencers to promote the product. The influencer doesn't need to say anything specific about what the CBD does. You might get a famous person who's known for talking about the menopause, and that might imply the CBD helps with the menopause.' Big companies such as Nestle, pharmaceutical firm GSK and tobacco giant Philip Morris USA have invested substantial sums into developing CBD products. But are they cashing in because they see the potential financial gain from a product that sells despite having no scientific backing that it works? Dr Leon Barron, a Hertfordshire-based GP, believes that CBD has a place in modern medicine. He said: 'I have patients as old as 70 and 80 regularly using CBD. Many are at a time in their life where they're suffering from aches and pains and they're looking for new ways to treat whatever is bothering them. CBD seems to help with some of those issues.' CBD facts The worldwide CBD market could be worth more than 15 billion by 2025, according to some projections. CBD oil vaping has been linked to outbreaks of severe lung disease among young Americans. Advertisement Dr Barron, a member of the Primary Care Cannabis Network, a group of GPs that backs the adoption of cannabis-based medicines on the NHS, says he is convinced that CBD can help with conditions including chronic pain, insomnia and post-traumatic stress disorder. He added: 'There is a huge amount of research going on. It's only in recent years doctors have been legally allowed to research cannabis and got the funding to do so, so it's no surprise we haven't had any clear conclusions yet.' However, Dr Barron says, since CBD is not a licensed medicine, he is restricted by the NHS from recommending it. 'If patients come in and ask my advice, all I can say is, 'CBD might help because it has a wide range of effects on the body.' I can't say it will help with specific conditions.' Scientists are unsure how CBD affects the body. The prevailing theory is that it interacts with receptors in the body called cannabinoid receptors that regulate bodily sensations such as pain, hunger and fatigue. Dr Englund, however, says: 'Many people are not convinced that the small doses of CBD found in the gummies you can buy are potent enough to have any impact on this system.' But Dr Attam Singh, a specialist at the London Pain Clinic, says: 'My background is in anaesthesia, and there are anaesthetics we use regularly during surgery which we still don't know exactly how they work.' He believes CBD products could offer an alternative treatment to addictive opioid drugs. According to the UK Health Security Agency, about seven million people are taking high-strength prescription medications such as codeine, tramadol and oxycodone. Dr Singh who prescribes CBD as well as medical cannabis, which private clinics have been legally allowed to do since 2018 said: 'We need to reduce the level of opioid use in this country. CBD is one possible alternative.' Dr Leon Barron, a Hertfordshire-based GP, believes that CBD has a place in modern medicine (file photo of CBD oil products) There are those who are convinced CBD has helped them. One is Rhiannon McKeown, 29, from Southport, Merseyside, who took opioids for ten years to treat a chronic pain condition. Rhiannon suffers from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a rare condition that means the tissue between her bones is fragile. Her condition kept her in constant pain and left her with migraines, heart arrhythmia and digestive issues. So doctors put her on a 'concoction of drugs'. 'By the time I was 15, I was taking tramadol, codeine and even liquid morphine. When I got older, I found it hard to hold down a job because of the impact the drugs were having on my brain.' As a result, Rhiannon was forced to give up her job as a carer. In 2018, she asked her doctors if she could come off the medications. 'I didn't think they were doing me any good. The doctors allowed me to stop, but I remember wondering what my life was going to look like without pain medication.' At about that time a friend opened a CBD shop in Southport and suggested she tried some. 'My first thought was, 'Oh my God, that's illegal.' But my friend explained to me that it was completely legal and gave me a bottle of oil and told me to put it in my coffee every day.' Rhiannon, who lives with her wife Chelsea, says she felt the effect quickly. 'It felt like my aches were going. I used to always have constant pain in my back, and suddenly I felt that go.' She says her digestion problems also subsided. 'I was suddenly eating near-on full meals for the first time in years. I was in so much less pain and discomfort.' Rhiannon is still taking CBD and says she has slowly upped her dose. She now takes roughly 70mg. She also uses a CBD cream on her joints when these ache. Does it bother her that there is no scientific evidence to support the treatment she takes every day? 'Not really, no. It's helped reduce my pain and I'm living a much better quality life. That's all the proof I need.' Last week I described a long-ago Christmas in Moscow, in those days the capital city of one of the maddest ideas that ever seized the human mind. It was a crazy place, needlessly dangerous, dirty, corrupt, desperately inefficient. One fact about it will tell you a lot. We always kept a spare can of petrol in the boot of the car (for petrol could suddenly disappear from the scarce pumps without warning) in case we needed to get to the airport in a hurry. Because, if any of us was seriously ill, the only wise thing to do was to get the first plane out to Helsinki, where up-to-date medical treatment, modern drugs and clean conditions were available. There we were, in the heart of a state supposedly dedicated to the ideal of human equality, and the only good hospital in the whole country was hidden behind a 15ft wall, in guarded private grounds, available solely to a few dozen members of the Communist Party Central Committee. For years here I have warned against the Green dogma which has largely replaced Communism in the minds of the global Left. Like Communism, it has a noble goal, the saving of the planet. This goal is in fact so noble that it causes its supporters to sweep aside all doubt and restraint The USSR was also supposed to be dedicated to plenty but the official shops were empty. The joke described a woman going into one of these ornate places and asking one of the many unoccupied staff if they had any fish to which the helpful reply was: No, this is the shop where we dont have any meat. The shop which doesnt have any fish is just there across the road. During my time there, this was more or less an accurate account of real life. If you wanted meat, then the black market was where you went except for the privileged Communists, who had their own special shops and supplies. The point of this story is not to dance on the grave of the Soviet Union. It is dead and gone. It is to warn against the creation of another society, just as stupid, and equally driven by ideas which look good and nice at the beginning. For years here I have warned against the Green dogma which has largely replaced Communism in the minds of the global Left. Like Communism, it has a noble goal, the saving of the planet. This goal is in fact so noble that it causes its supporters to sweep aside all doubt and restraint. They are so good and so right that any opposition is wicked, all doubt is unforgivable. In the minds of these people, a golden future lies just beyond the next hill, provided by sunshine and windmills. The point of this story is not to dance on the grave of the Soviet Union. It is dead and gone. It is to warn against the creation of another society, just as stupid, and equally driven by ideas which look good and nice at the beginning Every few months for some years I have marked the wanton destruction of efficient, useful, modern coal-fired power stations not cautiously mothballed in case they are needed again, but swiftly blown up with high explosives, relying on a certainty about the future which no sane person should claim to possess. I have noted the folly of failing to renew or sustain our nuclear power stations, pointing out that a programme for building them would be a far better use of the cash poured into the modernisation of our unusable, grandiose Trident nuclear missile system. This is a Cold War superpower weapon, when we are no longer a superpower and the Cold War has been over for 30 years. You might as well build huge new factories dedicated to making black-and-white TV sets for export. Now the threat I warned of has arrived. Sunshine and wind cannot power this country. So, without coal and nuclear power, we have become hopelessly reliant on the quick fix of gas-fired power stations, which are not even Green. And gas has become so expensive that all of us can now expect to pay vastly increased power bills very soon. By next autumn, we will all be paying hard cash to sustain the dogmatic lunacy of a power elite wholly gripped with Green zealotry. Good luck organising an economic recovery while this is going on. The country will begin to get colder and darker. Because, like the Red fanaticism it replaced and which it so strongly resembles, Green zealotry never blames itself for the disasters it causes. It goes on and on until it becomes intolerable and falls. For some time I have tried to find out if drugs especially marijuana may have been involved in cases of apparently irrational violence. This is because the excellent Ross Grainger has compiled the website Attacker Smoked Cannabis, which records the huge number of crazed violent crimes in this country, where the perpetrator has been found to have been taking this drug. I suspect there are many more, where it never comes out. The police are astonishingly unhelpful in such matters. I think this may be because they are rightly embarrassed about their almost total failure to enforce the law against marijuana possession. Anyway, you might like to know that when I asked if any investigation had been made into whether the suspect in the recent Windsor Castle incident had used illegal drugs, Scotland Yard refused to answer the question. A dreadful Duchess who shamed herself I am not sure what is especially British about A Very British Scandal, so oddly dramatised last week by the BBC. Margaret Whigham, third wife of the Duke of Argyll, grew up in New York City and her life was, mostly, so cushioned by money that it could have been anywhere where there were rich people. Any sympathy I might have had for her vanished when it turned out that she had cruelly forged a letter to try to turn the Duke against his young sons by a previous marriage. The letter claimed the boys had been fathered by someone else. This was surely the work of a monster. The drama ends with an announcement on screen that the divorce case in which the Duchesss advanced sexual activities were revealed was the first time a woman was publicly shamed by the UK mass media. Can this be true? You could make a very good case for saying she had publicly shamed herself. But, apparently, we are supposed to think that this nasty, super-wealthy adventurer was some sort of prototype strong woman, Germaine Greer before her time. As usual, there was no real attempt to recreate the past. Just old cars, old hats and old frocks. Even the swearing was modern, totally reliant on the F-word as it was not in those days. To make up for this, everyone smoked all the time everywhere. Please somebody correct me if I am wrong but I do not think that even dukes, let alone reporters, were ever allowed to smoke during divorce cases in court. Claire Foy, left, more or less repeated her role as the Queen from The Crown. Is it now a rule that all major dramas must star either Ms Foy or Olivia Colman? A brief appearance by the marvellous, shiningly intelligent Phoebe Nicholls, who long ago played Cordelia in Brideshead Revisited, was a reminder of how much other talent there is and how little it is used. Act to keep death off pavements On Thursday afternoon I stepped out of a bookshop on Kensington High Street and was almost eradicated by a phalanx of four e-scooters speeding along the pavement, each bearing a fit young man. I tried, for the sake of form, to point out that this was illegal. They just sneered and sped on. I reckon I very nearly ended up in hospital. There were of course no police to be seen (I did eventually come across one later, with a gun on his hip, heading back to sentry duty at some embassy). This is the future everywhere if Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is not persuaded to change his mind. When it happens, everyone will ask How did this happen? It will happen because you did not write to your MPs, now, in large numbers, saying these menaces should stay banned. If you want to comment on Peter Hitchens click here A clutch of City grandees bagged a knighthood in the New Year's Honours list. Former BT chairman Jan du Plessis, hedge fund tycoon David Harding, ex-Lord Mayor William Russell, Games Workshop founder Ian Livingstone and Legal & General boss Nigel Wilson will take on the title of 'Sir' for achievements recognised by the Queen. After another year dominated by the pandemic, John Dawson chief executive of Oxford Biomedica, which became a stock market darling after creating Britain's Covid vaccine with Astrazeneca was handed a CBE. Awards: Despite auditors taking another beating for their roles in a string of accounting scandals, two were honoured Astra senior vice-president Ruth March and senior director of research and development Julia Thompson also claimed an OBE each. Stephen Reese, a partner at law firm Clifford Chance, was awarded a CBE for advising the Government and Pfizer on their vaccine plans. Despite auditors taking another beating for their roles in a string of accounting scandals, two were honoured. Nick Owen, who recently stepped down as the UK chairman of Deloitte, was recognised with a CBE. And Bina Mehta, his counterpart at KPMG, was awarded an MBE. Kate Grussing took home a CBE after her headhunting firm Sapphire Partners was the first in 326 years to help the search for a Bank of England governor, as Threadneedle Street finally decided it needed to shortlist some women. Former TSB chairman Richard Meddings and consumer champion Martin Lewis scooped CBEs for their work in the finance sector. Meddings now in line for the top NHS England chairman job helped to turn TSB around after presiding over an IT meltdown which left around 2m customers locked out of their accounts. Lewis, who founded advice website Moneysavingexpert, caught MPs' attention this year after his impassioned appearance in Parliament, urging the Government to do more to tackle online fraud. The knighthoods were dished out for acumen and contributions to society. Du Plessis, 67, helped BT 'to make fundamental investments that are critical to the future success of the UK economy', the Cabinet Office list read. These included the 15billion commitment to extend fibre broadband to 25m homes. Harding, 60, of Winton Group, who has donated hundreds of millions to charity, enabling 'enormous contributions to research, industry and civil society'. Wilson, 65, was praised for growing L&G to be the UK's first 1trillion investment manager. Livingstone, 72, was grandly titled 'one of the founding fathers of the UK games industry'. And Russell, 56, the City of London's 692nd Lord Mayor, received credit for his contributions to fintech, green finance and charity There's CBEs for grocery bosses too The boss of the Co-op and a former chief of Asda have been honoured for keeping shelves stocked amid the pandemic. Steve Murrells, chief executive of the Co-op Group, and Roger Burnley, who stepped down as Asda's chief executive this year, will be made CBEs. Honoured: Steve Murrells (far right), chief executive of the Co-op Group, and Roger Burnley (left), who stepped down as Asda's chief executive this year, will be made CBEs The pair have been recognised for services to the food supply chain, the Government said, in a year when supermarkets, hospitality firms and suppliers worked to avoid shortages as a lack of staff, pandemic restrictions and global disruption took a toll. Products such as poultry saw particular pressure in the summer before the Government issued emergency visas for workers in supply chains. Murrells, who has led the Co-op Group since 2017, said: 'This award recognises the broader social impact a strong and vibrant Co-op can make within society, and the tireless support of 60,000 incredible Co-op colleagues.' Burnley departed from Asda after its 6.8billion takeover by the Issa brothers and TDR Capital. He said: 'I am incredibly proud, and humbled, by this recognition. Everyone in the UK food industry has done an amazing job against the relentless backdrop of the Covid pandemic.' Jo Scott, a shop floor worker and community champion at Asda in Pwllheli, north Wales, received a BEM. They're there, front-and-centre, on the shelves at Boots under a sign saying 'sleep and relaxation' little bottles of tincture, capsules, tablets and creams, all containing the same 'wonder' ingredient, cannabis extract CBD. Perhaps you'd like some Green Stem Seville Orange Flavoured CBD Oil at 35 for a 30ml bottle? Or some Vitality CBD Muscle Balm, which costs 30 for a 50ml pot? If that's too pricey, try the Vitality CBD Oral Spray, at just 14.99. Online you can get CBD 'gummies' Boots stocks the CBDfx range, which comes in a variety of flavours and cost 37.50 for 60 sweets, along with an astonishing 88 other CBD products, including CBD bath salts and CBD moisturising balm ('harnessing the power of nature', apparently). Elsewhere, you can get CBD tea, CBD-infused toothpicks, CBD intimate lubricant and even a CBD-impregnated facemask (the CBD inner layer apparently makes the mask less irritating to the skin). Why, you might ask, would you want any of these things? It's a good question, and one that's not massively straightforward to answer. Today, CBD is estimated to be a 690 million-a-year industry, outselling all other vitamin supplements combined (Pictured: Claudia Winkleman posing with a CBD product from the company Cannaray, for which she is an ambassador) A YouGov survey taken in 2019 found that one in ten Britons regularly used products with CBD in them. Today, it's one in six (file photo of CBD oil) Until recently, CBD short for cannabidiol was a niche natural health product. It is derived from the cannabis sativa plant but with none of the tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which is the psychoactive element that has a narcotic effect, and its advocates claim it can do everything from treating insomnia, anxiety and joint pain to helping with serious conditions such as high blood pressure and even the eye disease glaucoma. But in the past few years it has exploded in popularity in Britain. Today, CBD is estimated to be a 690 million-a-year industry, outselling all other vitamin supplements combined. (The UK vitamin market is said to be worth an annual 500 million, according to analyst Mintel.) Demand is said to have soared during the pandemic. A YouGov survey taken in 2019 found that one in ten Britons regularly used products with CBD in them. Today, it's one in six. Yet look at the packaging of any of the products that line chemists' shelves and you won't find a single clue as to what they are meant to do. There are instructions for usage 'take one drop of oil, under the tongue before bed', or 'two tablets, once a day,' that sort of thing but no solid claims as to the health benefits. The reason? So far, researchers and manufacturers have been unable to produce evidence strong enough to convince medical regulators in the UK, or anywhere in the world, that off-the-shelf CBD does anything at all. Claudia Winkleman's CBD regime just left me feeling queasy As hundreds of thousands of Britons take CBD regularly, I decided to have my own CBD experience for a week. I am a sceptical person, and not into natural health. But at 25 years of age, I do suffer from back pain which can make sleeping tough, so I was ready to give something new a try. I decided to get in touch with one of the CBD companies to try their wares. One stood out: Cannaray, which has Claudia Winkleman, 49, as its 'brand ambassador'. The celebrity shares her CBD regime on the Cannaray website, so I thought I'd give it a go. The first product was Night Time CBD Oil Drops (18), which Winkleman says she loves because 'number one, it has sexy packaging. And it's just next to my bed, so it's super easy'. So far, so mysterious. The oil is peppermint-flavoured and the bottle contains 100 doses. Each 50mg of CBD is delivered with a glass pipette under the tongue or in a drink. Before bed on a Monday night, I squirted the oil under my tongue and held it there for 30 seconds as instructed. I had to stop myself from gagging, and the horrible oily taste stayed well after I'd brushed my teeth. Cannaray said Winkleman takes the oil to help her sleep, but it didn't work for me. Next up was Bright Days CBD Oil Drops, with a juniper and lime flavour. I put the oil in my morning coffee on Tuesday and instantly regretted it. It was a sour, greasy mess, and I didn't feel any different. Finally, Winkleman recommended Bright Days CBD capsules, containing 10mg of CBD. A tub of 20 costs 18, and Winkleman takes this 'little magic capsule' because 'there's a lot going on' in her daily routine (which includes two naps, and a spray tan). I decided to try these late on a Wednesday afternoon, on a tiring and busy day, in the hope that the capsules would perk me up. But I struggled to concentrate and felt zonked. I don't know if this was the CBD. I can confidently say CBD did not help my pains or improve my sleep, or have any other noticeable effect. But I'm glad Claudia Winkleman enjoys hers so much. Advertisement Small-scale studies in the US have looked at the effect of taking CBD on anxiety, insomnia, cannabis addiction, even public speaking. But according to Dr Amir Englund, a cannabis expert at King's College London, they have not provided enough data to make any conclusive statements on the benefit of CBD. 'The majority of studies have either been on animals or in such small groups of people you can't scientifically prove much. In many of these trials you've had participants report that taking CBD has, for example, improved their sleep. 'But when people take placebos such as sugar tablets during trials, they often report that their health has improved too.' That's not to say CBD is useless. In fact, there is evidence that in some specific cases CBD has a positive impact in treating illness. In August 2019, the NHS gave the green light for severe epilepsy patients to use Epidyolex, which contains CBD, after studies showed that when taken with another drug, clobazam, the cannabis-based medicine cut seizures in some children by 40 per cent. But, says Dr Englund, this has been one of the few exceptions. He points out that the amount of CBD given to epilepsy patients is significantly larger than doses in over-the-counter supplements. Patients on the epilepsy trial were taking 1,000mg of CBD a day. Meanwhile, CBD gummies typically contain about 5mg per gummy. Oil drops contain 1mg per serving. 'It would be like taking 1mg of paracetamol for a headache when the standard dose is two 500mg tablets,' says Dr Englund. If you drank two 30ml bottles of Green Stem CBD oil, or ate 500 gummies, you'd be able to take in roughly 1,000mg of CBD. But this would make you sick or cause other digestive problems, say experts. Due to the lack of evidence for over-the-counter CBD, UK health regulators class it as a food, not a medicine. And this brings strict limitations on what companies can say their product does. This hasn't, however, stopped companies from launching ambitious advertising campaigns to market their products. Last August, CBD brand Cannaray became the first company to advertise cannabis products on British television. Its advertisement featured TV personality Claudia Winkleman, who sheds no light on what CBD does during the 30-second clip, but encourages viewers to 'just try some'. Winkleman, who is also the company's brand ambassador, has claimed in interviews that she takes CBD every day to help her sleep and to 'stay calm'. Alexej Pikovsky, chief executive of Alphagreen, an online CBD marketplace that allows customers to compare products, says many companies use creative solutions to get around the advertising rules. 'A common trick is to hire social-media influencers to promote the product. The influencer doesn't need to say anything specific about what the CBD does. You might get a famous person who's known for talking about the menopause, and that might imply the CBD helps with the menopause.' Big companies such as Nestle, pharmaceutical firm GSK and tobacco giant Philip Morris USA have invested substantial sums into developing CBD products. But are they cashing in because they see the potential financial gain from a product that sells despite having no scientific backing that it works? Dr Leon Barron, a Hertfordshire-based GP, believes that CBD has a place in modern medicine. He said: 'I have patients as old as 70 and 80 regularly using CBD. Many are at a time in their life where they're suffering from aches and pains and they're looking for new ways to treat whatever is bothering them. CBD seems to help with some of those issues.' CBD facts The worldwide CBD market could be worth more than 15 billion by 2025, according to some projections. CBD oil vaping has been linked to outbreaks of severe lung disease among young Americans. Advertisement Dr Barron, a member of the Primary Care Cannabis Network, a group of GPs that backs the adoption of cannabis-based medicines on the NHS, says he is convinced that CBD can help with conditions including chronic pain, insomnia and post-traumatic stress disorder. He added: 'There is a huge amount of research going on. It's only in recent years doctors have been legally allowed to research cannabis and got the funding to do so, so it's no surprise we haven't had any clear conclusions yet.' However, Dr Barron says, since CBD is not a licensed medicine, he is restricted by the NHS from recommending it. 'If patients come in and ask my advice, all I can say is, 'CBD might help because it has a wide range of effects on the body.' I can't say it will help with specific conditions.' Scientists are unsure how CBD affects the body. The prevailing theory is that it interacts with receptors in the body called cannabinoid receptors that regulate bodily sensations such as pain, hunger and fatigue. Dr Englund, however, says: 'Many people are not convinced that the small doses of CBD found in the gummies you can buy are potent enough to have any impact on this system.' But Dr Attam Singh, a specialist at the London Pain Clinic, says: 'My background is in anaesthesia, and there are anaesthetics we use regularly during surgery which we still don't know exactly how they work.' He believes CBD products could offer an alternative treatment to addictive opioid drugs. According to the UK Health Security Agency, about seven million people are taking high-strength prescription medications such as codeine, tramadol and oxycodone. Dr Singh who prescribes CBD as well as medical cannabis, which private clinics have been legally allowed to do since 2018 said: 'We need to reduce the level of opioid use in this country. CBD is one possible alternative.' Dr Leon Barron, a Hertfordshire-based GP, believes that CBD has a place in modern medicine (file photo of CBD oil products) There are those who are convinced CBD has helped them. One is Rhiannon McKeown, 29, from Southport, Merseyside, who took opioids for ten years to treat a chronic pain condition. Rhiannon suffers from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a rare condition that means the tissue between her bones is fragile. Her condition kept her in constant pain and left her with migraines, heart arrhythmia and digestive issues. So doctors put her on a 'concoction of drugs'. 'By the time I was 15, I was taking tramadol, codeine and even liquid morphine. When I got older, I found it hard to hold down a job because of the impact the drugs were having on my brain.' As a result, Rhiannon was forced to give up her job as a carer. In 2018, she asked her doctors if she could come off the medications. 'I didn't think they were doing me any good. The doctors allowed me to stop, but I remember wondering what my life was going to look like without pain medication.' At about that time a friend opened a CBD shop in Southport and suggested she tried some. 'My first thought was, 'Oh my God, that's illegal.' But my friend explained to me that it was completely legal and gave me a bottle of oil and told me to put it in my coffee every day.' Rhiannon, who lives with her wife Chelsea, says she felt the effect quickly. 'It felt like my aches were going. I used to always have constant pain in my back, and suddenly I felt that go.' She says her digestion problems also subsided. 'I was suddenly eating near-on full meals for the first time in years. I was in so much less pain and discomfort.' Rhiannon is still taking CBD and says she has slowly upped her dose. She now takes roughly 70mg. She also uses a CBD cream on her joints when these ache. Does it bother her that there is no scientific evidence to support the treatment she takes every day? 'Not really, no. It's helped reduce my pain and I'm living a much better quality life. That's all the proof I need.' (Newser) Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy told former President Donald Trump just what he wanted to hear on Thursday, as the two cut a political deal in the open. "Please tell the President thank you for the endorsement," the Republican governor said in a statement, CNN reports. "With regard to the other issue, please tell the President he has nothing to worry about." Trump's worry was that Dunleavy would endorse Sen. Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican seeking reelection this year. Murkowski voted to convict Trump in his Senate trial over his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol. Dunleavy is also on the ballot, in the governor's race. Trump had issued a statement Tuesday saying Dunleavy is within his rights to endorse Murkowski, but if he does, the former president's endorsement will become "null and void." After Dunleavy accepted the terms, Trump said in a statement, "This is why Mike Dunleavy has been, and will be, a great governor," per the Hill. Trump is backing Kelly Tshibaka in the GOP primary against Murkowski. Republican leaders in Alaska had warned that Trump's strings-attached endorsement of Dunleavy could needlessly divide the state party, per Slate. (Read more Alaska Senate race stories.) Last week I described a long-ago Christmas in Moscow, in those days the capital city of one of the maddest ideas that ever seized the human mind. It was a crazy place, needlessly dangerous, dirty, corrupt, desperately inefficient. One fact about it will tell you a lot. We always kept a spare can of petrol in the boot of the car (for petrol could suddenly disappear from the scarce pumps without warning) in case we needed to get to the airport in a hurry. Because, if any of us was seriously ill, the only wise thing to do was to get the first plane out to Helsinki, where up-to-date medical treatment, modern drugs and clean conditions were available. There we were, in the heart of a state supposedly dedicated to the ideal of human equality, and the only good hospital in the whole country was hidden behind a 15ft wall, in guarded private grounds, available solely to a few dozen members of the Communist Party Central Committee. For years here I have warned against the Green dogma which has largely replaced Communism in the minds of the global Left. Like Communism, it has a noble goal, the saving of the planet. This goal is in fact so noble that it causes its supporters to sweep aside all doubt and restraint The USSR was also supposed to be dedicated to plenty but the official shops were empty. The joke described a woman going into one of these ornate places and asking one of the many unoccupied staff if they had any fish to which the helpful reply was: No, this is the shop where we dont have any meat. The shop which doesnt have any fish is just there across the road. During my time there, this was more or less an accurate account of real life. If you wanted meat, then the black market was where you went except for the privileged Communists, who had their own special shops and supplies. The point of this story is not to dance on the grave of the Soviet Union. It is dead and gone. It is to warn against the creation of another society, just as stupid, and equally driven by ideas which look good and nice at the beginning. For years here I have warned against the Green dogma which has largely replaced Communism in the minds of the global Left. Like Communism, it has a noble goal, the saving of the planet. This goal is in fact so noble that it causes its supporters to sweep aside all doubt and restraint. They are so good and so right that any opposition is wicked, all doubt is unforgivable. In the minds of these people, a golden future lies just beyond the next hill, provided by sunshine and windmills. The point of this story is not to dance on the grave of the Soviet Union. It is dead and gone. It is to warn against the creation of another society, just as stupid, and equally driven by ideas which look good and nice at the beginning Every few months for some years I have marked the wanton destruction of efficient, useful, modern coal-fired power stations not cautiously mothballed in case they are needed again, but swiftly blown up with high explosives, relying on a certainty about the future which no sane person should claim to possess. I have noted the folly of failing to renew or sustain our nuclear power stations, pointing out that a programme for building them would be a far better use of the cash poured into the modernisation of our unusable, grandiose Trident nuclear missile system. This is a Cold War superpower weapon, when we are no longer a superpower and the Cold War has been over for 30 years. You might as well build huge new factories dedicated to making black-and-white TV sets for export. Now the threat I warned of has arrived. Sunshine and wind cannot power this country. So, without coal and nuclear power, we have become hopelessly reliant on the quick fix of gas-fired power stations, which are not even Green. And gas has become so expensive that all of us can now expect to pay vastly increased power bills very soon. By next autumn, we will all be paying hard cash to sustain the dogmatic lunacy of a power elite wholly gripped with Green zealotry. Good luck organising an economic recovery while this is going on. The country will begin to get colder and darker. Because, like the Red fanaticism it replaced and which it so strongly resembles, Green zealotry never blames itself for the disasters it causes. It goes on and on until it becomes intolerable and falls. For some time I have tried to find out if drugs especially marijuana may have been involved in cases of apparently irrational violence. This is because the excellent Ross Grainger has compiled the website Attacker Smoked Cannabis, which records the huge number of crazed violent crimes in this country, where the perpetrator has been found to have been taking this drug. I suspect there are many more, where it never comes out. The police are astonishingly unhelpful in such matters. I think this may be because they are rightly embarrassed about their almost total failure to enforce the law against marijuana possession. Anyway, you might like to know that when I asked if any investigation had been made into whether the suspect in the recent Windsor Castle incident had used illegal drugs, Scotland Yard refused to answer the question. A dreadful Duchess who shamed herself I am not sure what is especially British about A Very British Scandal, so oddly dramatised last week by the BBC. Margaret Whigham, third wife of the Duke of Argyll, grew up in New York City and her life was, mostly, so cushioned by money that it could have been anywhere where there were rich people. Any sympathy I might have had for her vanished when it turned out that she had cruelly forged a letter to try to turn the Duke against his young sons by a previous marriage. The letter claimed the boys had been fathered by someone else. This was surely the work of a monster. The drama ends with an announcement on screen that the divorce case in which the Duchesss advanced sexual activities were revealed was the first time a woman was publicly shamed by the UK mass media. Can this be true? You could make a very good case for saying she had publicly shamed herself. But, apparently, we are supposed to think that this nasty, super-wealthy adventurer was some sort of prototype strong woman, Germaine Greer before her time. As usual, there was no real attempt to recreate the past. Just old cars, old hats and old frocks. Even the swearing was modern, totally reliant on the F-word as it was not in those days. To make up for this, everyone smoked all the time everywhere. Please somebody correct me if I am wrong but I do not think that even dukes, let alone reporters, were ever allowed to smoke during divorce cases in court. Claire Foy, left, more or less repeated her role as the Queen from The Crown. Is it now a rule that all major dramas must star either Ms Foy or Olivia Colman? A brief appearance by the marvellous, shiningly intelligent Phoebe Nicholls, who long ago played Cordelia in Brideshead Revisited, was a reminder of how much other talent there is and how little it is used. Act to keep death off pavements On Thursday afternoon I stepped out of a bookshop on Kensington High Street and was almost eradicated by a phalanx of four e-scooters speeding along the pavement, each bearing a fit young man. I tried, for the sake of form, to point out that this was illegal. They just sneered and sped on. I reckon I very nearly ended up in hospital. There were of course no police to be seen (I did eventually come across one later, with a gun on his hip, heading back to sentry duty at some embassy). This is the future everywhere if Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is not persuaded to change his mind. When it happens, everyone will ask How did this happen? It will happen because you did not write to your MPs, now, in large numbers, saying these menaces should stay banned. If you want to comment on Peter Hitchens click here 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. 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. A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. Should Christians Argue with Each Other over Scriptural Meaning? Because there are people who are Christians who misinterpret or misunderstand Scripture, having open dialogue about it, its history, its original texts, translations, and its meaning is important. Honest disagreements about Scriptural meaning can lead to substantive debate, and perhaps even consensus. However, as Paul pointed out with Hymenaeus and Philetus, debating with people who participate in irreverent babble is not fruitful. When someone has taken the meaning of the Bible and the message of Christ and changed it, getting into an argument with that individual is usually not fruitful because A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion (Proverbs 18:2). Behavior to look out for that may indicate that someone is merely expressing their opinion and just wants to foolishly argue about it include taking verses out of context, getting aggressive quickly, refusing to accept new information, and an unwillingness to admit when they are wrong or when their debate partner is correct. Just because there is disagreement about a passage in the Bible and its meaning does not necessarily indicate that someone is being misleading, ignorant, or deceitful. As imperfect people, mistakes happen, or sincere disagreements can be held. If people wish to gather together to carefully review Scripture, discuss it, and then leave in brotherly love, that is appropriate. In fact, a group of Macedonian Christians carefully consulted the Scriptures they had after Paul shared the Gospel with them. Luke recorded in the Book of Acts, ...when [Paul and Silas] arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men (Acts 17:10b-12). They compared Scripture with Scripture, and human testimony against it. Because of this careful examination - and probably some debate - many came to believe in Jesus, both Jew and Gentile. These principles of choosing when to engage in debate or argument about Scripture can be applied equally to non-believers. Examine the intention of the person who wants to talk. Are they open to the message of the Bible? Is the Holy Spirit guiding the discussion? Is there sincerity? Are they making good-faith arguments or are they being dismissive and not debating honestly? Photo credit: Getty Images/SIphotography Should Christians Argue with Each Other over Scriptural Meaning? Because there are people who are Christians who misinterpret or misunderstand Scripture, having open dialogue about it, its history, its original texts, translations, and its meaning is important. Honest disagreements about Scriptural meaning can lead to substantive debate, and perhaps even consensus. However, as Paul pointed out with Hymenaeus and Philetus, debating with people who participate in irreverent babble is not fruitful. When someone has taken the meaning of the Bible and the message of Christ and changed it, getting into an argument with that individual is usually not fruitful because A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion (Proverbs 18:2). Behavior to look out for that may indicate that someone is merely expressing their opinion and just wants to foolishly argue about it include taking verses out of context, getting aggressive quickly, refusing to accept new information, and an unwillingness to admit when they are wrong or when their debate partner is correct. Just because there is disagreement about a passage in the Bible and its meaning does not necessarily indicate that someone is being misleading, ignorant, or deceitful. As imperfect people, mistakes happen, or sincere disagreements can be held. If people wish to gather together to carefully review Scripture, discuss it, and then leave in brotherly love, that is appropriate. In fact, a group of Macedonian Christians carefully consulted the Scriptures they had after Paul shared the Gospel with them. Luke recorded in the Book of Acts, ...when [Paul and Silas] arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men (Acts 17:10b-12). They compared Scripture with Scripture, and human testimony against it. Because of this careful examination - and probably some debate - many came to believe in Jesus, both Jew and Gentile. These principles of choosing when to engage in debate or argument about Scripture can be applied equally to non-believers. Examine the intention of the person who wants to talk. Are they open to the message of the Bible? Is the Holy Spirit guiding the discussion? Is there sincerity? Are they making good-faith arguments or are they being dismissive and not debating honestly? Photo credit: Getty Images/SIphotography Should Christians Argue with Each Other over Scriptural Meaning? Because there are people who are Christians who misinterpret or misunderstand Scripture, having open dialogue about it, its history, its original texts, translations, and its meaning is important. Honest disagreements about Scriptural meaning can lead to substantive debate, and perhaps even consensus. However, as Paul pointed out with Hymenaeus and Philetus, debating with people who participate in irreverent babble is not fruitful. When someone has taken the meaning of the Bible and the message of Christ and changed it, getting into an argument with that individual is usually not fruitful because A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion (Proverbs 18:2). Behavior to look out for that may indicate that someone is merely expressing their opinion and just wants to foolishly argue about it include taking verses out of context, getting aggressive quickly, refusing to accept new information, and an unwillingness to admit when they are wrong or when their debate partner is correct. Just because there is disagreement about a passage in the Bible and its meaning does not necessarily indicate that someone is being misleading, ignorant, or deceitful. As imperfect people, mistakes happen, or sincere disagreements can be held. If people wish to gather together to carefully review Scripture, discuss it, and then leave in brotherly love, that is appropriate. In fact, a group of Macedonian Christians carefully consulted the Scriptures they had after Paul shared the Gospel with them. Luke recorded in the Book of Acts, ...when [Paul and Silas] arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men (Acts 17:10b-12). They compared Scripture with Scripture, and human testimony against it. Because of this careful examination - and probably some debate - many came to believe in Jesus, both Jew and Gentile. These principles of choosing when to engage in debate or argument about Scripture can be applied equally to non-believers. Examine the intention of the person who wants to talk. Are they open to the message of the Bible? Is the Holy Spirit guiding the discussion? Is there sincerity? Are they making good-faith arguments or are they being dismissive and not debating honestly? Photo credit: Getty Images/SIphotography Warrenton, VA (20186) Today Light rain this morning. Breaks of sun this afternoon. High 76F. NW winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Mostly clear. Low 48F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Area students head back to school next week following the two-week winter break and amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. Albemarle County schools superintendent Matt Haas wrote in a message to families that the division will operate normally Jan. 4, when classes resume, with all of the protective measures that have been in place for the school year so far. That means, students and staff members will be required to wear masks and a 10-day quarantine for those who test positive, among other tactics. Students and staff members in the Albemarle and Charlottesville school divisions are required to complete a daily health screening for symptoms and encouraged to stay home if they dont feel well. Haas said that the school systems decision is based on guidance for the Blue Ridge Health District. He also pointed to a new state law adopted earlier this year that requires schools to provide in-person instruction. If you have any questions or concerns about anyone in your household going back to in-person school, your school administrators will be happy to work with you to determine the most appropriate next steps for you and your family, Haas wrote. The health of our students, employees, families and community is our top priority, and we will continue to do everything we can to protect it. Since Christmas, the Blue Ridge Health District has reported more than 1,500 new cases, bringing the total for December 2021 to 3,573 the highest of any month of the pandemic. The seven-day average of new cases is up to 221.2. So far, about 15% of COVID tests over the last seven days have been positive, a higher than usual positivity rate. The spike in cases is likely the result of an increase in testing around the holidays, more holiday-related gatherings along with the more transmissible delta and omicron variants, officials have said. The post-holiday winter surge in early 2021 pushed several school divisions in Central Virginia back to all-online classes. The health districts winter surge peaked at 149 new cases over a seven-day period. The current surge in cases hit as schools began winter break, and districts across the country are readying for the return of students and employees. Washington D.C. Public Schools recently announced that it will require a negative COVID-19 test before students and employees can return to school. Charlottesville schools Superintendent Royal Gurley Jr. said in a message to families Thursday that in-person classes would resume Jan. 4 as well and acknowledged that the case levels are troubling. We are committed to following the guidance of health experts for practices such as masking, hand-washing, testing, and more, he wrote. One of their recommendations is to keep students in school. If we all do our part, we can do this safely. Charlottesville students and staff members can receive a free COVID test next week at school if they sign up by Sunday evening. The division has partnered with the state to provide the free tests, which began in early November. For more information, go to charlottesvilleschools.org/COVID-testing. Gurley said existing measures such as encouraging vaccination and boosters, limiting gatherings and eating lunch outside when possible remain in place. The bottom line is that working closely with the BRHD, we are staying the course to continue our many COVID safety strategies, including our testing programs, Gurley wrote. Gurley added that almost all of the positive cases in schools were transmitted outside of school or school programs. At the recommendation of the Blue Ridge Health District, neither school system is planning a change to the existing protocols for quarantine and isolation despite changing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce the time frame for quarantine and isolation from 10 days to five. BRHD said in an update Thursday that the majority of COVID-19 transmission takes place earlier after infection in the first few days before symptoms appear and about two to three days after. However, individuals who have tested positive can still be contagious up to 10 days after the beginning of symptoms or since the positive test. The CDC released these guidelines prior to publication of supporting evidence or full explanation of how they would be implemented in all situations such as schools and daycare centers, BRHD officials wrote. Many of our children are not yet vaccinated and younger children may have difficulty complying with the very strict mask requirements. In addition to questions about implementation, we are seeing our highest rates of COVID infection since the pandemic began. Citing those factors and the goal of keeping students in school, BRHD said it recommended schools and daycares stick with their current protocols. The health district will host a virtual town hall 7 p.m. Jan. 4 to discuss the new guidelines. Small business recovery Editor, Times-Dispatch: CNBC surprised many when it said Virginia is Americas top state for business. While it said the commonwealth offers employers a wealth of talent, CNBC overlooked a host of issues, including a sluggish state economy, low short-term fiscal stability, high business taxes and slow recovery of unemployment claims. When the General Assembly returns to Richmond this month , some legislators will point to CNBCs report and declare their job done, but theyll be wrong. We need lawmakers to address the issues hindering Virginias economic recovery. Thats why the National Federation of Independent Business is asking lawmakers to support its principles for Small Business Recovery in the 2022 session: Ease the tax burden on small businesses. The Paycheck Protection Program, Rebuild Virginia and other pandemic-related loans should remain exempt from state taxes. Since most of the commonwealths small businesses pay taxes at the individual rather than the corporate rate, lawmakers should increase Virginias standard deduction to the federal tax rate. Eliminate costly regulations. The General Assembly should approve the sale of paid family leave insurance policies so businesses and individuals can have financial security. Lawmakers also should bring Virginias overtime law in line with federal requirements and oppose one-size-fits-all mandates on sick leave. Provide financial assistance to help small businesses recover from the pandemic's economic downturn. This includes assistance programs for smaller businesses with continuing financial needs, as well as addressing rising health care costs. Pass unemployment insurance reform, including replenishing the states trust fund with unused federal relief money and ensuring small businesses are not liable for fraudulent payments or overpayments of benefits. Small businesses are doing everything they can to keep customers and employees safe, and stay afloat, but it hasnt been easy. And it looks like labor shortage and supply chain issues will continue this year. We need the House of Delegates and state Senate to set partisan politics aside and pass commonsense legislation that ensures small businesses have the resources needed to move forward. Nicole Riley. Small business recovery Editor, Times-Dispatch: CNBC surprised many when it said Virginia is Americas top state for business. While it said the commonwealth offers employers a wealth of talent, CNBC overlooked a host of issues, including a sluggish state economy, low short-term fiscal stability, high business taxes and slow recovery of unemployment claims. When the General Assembly returns to Richmond this month , some legislators will point to CNBCs report and declare their job done, but theyll be wrong. We need lawmakers to address the issues hindering Virginias economic recovery. Thats why the National Federation of Independent Business is asking lawmakers to support its principles for Small Business Recovery in the 2022 session: Ease the tax burden on small businesses. The Paycheck Protection Program, Rebuild Virginia and other pandemic-related loans should remain exempt from state taxes. Since most of the commonwealths small businesses pay taxes at the individual rather than the corporate rate, lawmakers should increase Virginias standard deduction to the federal tax rate. Eliminate costly regulations. The General Assembly should approve the sale of paid family leave insurance policies so businesses and individuals can have financial security. Lawmakers also should bring Virginias overtime law in line with federal requirements and oppose one-size-fits-all mandates on sick leave. Provide financial assistance to help small businesses recover from the pandemic's economic downturn. This includes assistance programs for smaller businesses with continuing financial needs, as well as addressing rising health care costs. Pass unemployment insurance reform, including replenishing the states trust fund with unused federal relief money and ensuring small businesses are not liable for fraudulent payments or overpayments of benefits. Small businesses are doing everything they can to keep customers and employees safe, and stay afloat, but it hasnt been easy. And it looks like labor shortage and supply chain issues will continue this year. We need the House of Delegates and state Senate to set partisan politics aside and pass commonsense legislation that ensures small businesses have the resources needed to move forward. Nicole Riley. (Newser) Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy told former President Donald Trump just what he wanted to hear on Thursday, as the two cut a political deal in the open. "Please tell the President thank you for the endorsement," the Republican governor said in a statement, CNN reports. "With regard to the other issue, please tell the President he has nothing to worry about." Trump's worry was that Dunleavy would endorse Sen. Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican seeking reelection this year. Murkowski voted to convict Trump in his Senate trial over his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol. Dunleavy is also on the ballot, in the governor's race. Trump had issued a statement Tuesday saying Dunleavy is within his rights to endorse Murkowski, but if he does, the former president's endorsement will become "null and void." After Dunleavy accepted the terms, Trump said in a statement, "This is why Mike Dunleavy has been, and will be, a great governor," per the Hill. Trump is backing Kelly Tshibaka in the GOP primary against Murkowski. Republican leaders in Alaska had warned that Trump's strings-attached endorsement of Dunleavy could needlessly divide the state party, per Slate. (Read more Alaska Senate race stories.) (Newser) Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy told former President Donald Trump just what he wanted to hear on Thursday, as the two cut a political deal in the open. "Please tell the President thank you for the endorsement," the Republican governor said in a statement, CNN reports. "With regard to the other issue, please tell the President he has nothing to worry about." Trump's worry was that Dunleavy would endorse Sen. Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican seeking reelection this year. Murkowski voted to convict Trump in his Senate trial over his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol. Dunleavy is also on the ballot, in the governor's race. Trump had issued a statement Tuesday saying Dunleavy is within his rights to endorse Murkowski, but if he does, the former president's endorsement will become "null and void." After Dunleavy accepted the terms, Trump said in a statement, "This is why Mike Dunleavy has been, and will be, a great governor," per the Hill. Trump is backing Kelly Tshibaka in the GOP primary against Murkowski. Republican leaders in Alaska had warned that Trump's strings-attached endorsement of Dunleavy could needlessly divide the state party, per Slate. (Read more Alaska Senate race stories.) Warrenton, VA (20186) Today Light rain this morning. Breaks of sun this afternoon. High 76F. NW winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Mostly clear. Low 48F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. 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. Should Christians Argue with Each Other over Scriptural Meaning? Because there are people who are Christians who misinterpret or misunderstand Scripture, having open dialogue about it, its history, its original texts, translations, and its meaning is important. Honest disagreements about Scriptural meaning can lead to substantive debate, and perhaps even consensus. However, as Paul pointed out with Hymenaeus and Philetus, debating with people who participate in irreverent babble is not fruitful. When someone has taken the meaning of the Bible and the message of Christ and changed it, getting into an argument with that individual is usually not fruitful because A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion (Proverbs 18:2). Behavior to look out for that may indicate that someone is merely expressing their opinion and just wants to foolishly argue about it include taking verses out of context, getting aggressive quickly, refusing to accept new information, and an unwillingness to admit when they are wrong or when their debate partner is correct. Just because there is disagreement about a passage in the Bible and its meaning does not necessarily indicate that someone is being misleading, ignorant, or deceitful. As imperfect people, mistakes happen, or sincere disagreements can be held. If people wish to gather together to carefully review Scripture, discuss it, and then leave in brotherly love, that is appropriate. In fact, a group of Macedonian Christians carefully consulted the Scriptures they had after Paul shared the Gospel with them. Luke recorded in the Book of Acts, ...when [Paul and Silas] arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men (Acts 17:10b-12). They compared Scripture with Scripture, and human testimony against it. Because of this careful examination - and probably some debate - many came to believe in Jesus, both Jew and Gentile. These principles of choosing when to engage in debate or argument about Scripture can be applied equally to non-believers. Examine the intention of the person who wants to talk. Are they open to the message of the Bible? Is the Holy Spirit guiding the discussion? Is there sincerity? Are they making good-faith arguments or are they being dismissive and not debating honestly? Photo credit: Getty Images/SIphotography Should Christians Argue with Each Other over Scriptural Meaning? Because there are people who are Christians who misinterpret or misunderstand Scripture, having open dialogue about it, its history, its original texts, translations, and its meaning is important. Honest disagreements about Scriptural meaning can lead to substantive debate, and perhaps even consensus. However, as Paul pointed out with Hymenaeus and Philetus, debating with people who participate in irreverent babble is not fruitful. When someone has taken the meaning of the Bible and the message of Christ and changed it, getting into an argument with that individual is usually not fruitful because A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion (Proverbs 18:2). Behavior to look out for that may indicate that someone is merely expressing their opinion and just wants to foolishly argue about it include taking verses out of context, getting aggressive quickly, refusing to accept new information, and an unwillingness to admit when they are wrong or when their debate partner is correct. Just because there is disagreement about a passage in the Bible and its meaning does not necessarily indicate that someone is being misleading, ignorant, or deceitful. As imperfect people, mistakes happen, or sincere disagreements can be held. If people wish to gather together to carefully review Scripture, discuss it, and then leave in brotherly love, that is appropriate. In fact, a group of Macedonian Christians carefully consulted the Scriptures they had after Paul shared the Gospel with them. Luke recorded in the Book of Acts, ...when [Paul and Silas] arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men (Acts 17:10b-12). They compared Scripture with Scripture, and human testimony against it. Because of this careful examination - and probably some debate - many came to believe in Jesus, both Jew and Gentile. These principles of choosing when to engage in debate or argument about Scripture can be applied equally to non-believers. Examine the intention of the person who wants to talk. Are they open to the message of the Bible? Is the Holy Spirit guiding the discussion? Is there sincerity? Are they making good-faith arguments or are they being dismissive and not debating honestly? Photo credit: Getty Images/SIphotography Should Christians Argue with Each Other over Scriptural Meaning? Because there are people who are Christians who misinterpret or misunderstand Scripture, having open dialogue about it, its history, its original texts, translations, and its meaning is important. Honest disagreements about Scriptural meaning can lead to substantive debate, and perhaps even consensus. However, as Paul pointed out with Hymenaeus and Philetus, debating with people who participate in irreverent babble is not fruitful. When someone has taken the meaning of the Bible and the message of Christ and changed it, getting into an argument with that individual is usually not fruitful because A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion (Proverbs 18:2). Behavior to look out for that may indicate that someone is merely expressing their opinion and just wants to foolishly argue about it include taking verses out of context, getting aggressive quickly, refusing to accept new information, and an unwillingness to admit when they are wrong or when their debate partner is correct. Just because there is disagreement about a passage in the Bible and its meaning does not necessarily indicate that someone is being misleading, ignorant, or deceitful. As imperfect people, mistakes happen, or sincere disagreements can be held. If people wish to gather together to carefully review Scripture, discuss it, and then leave in brotherly love, that is appropriate. In fact, a group of Macedonian Christians carefully consulted the Scriptures they had after Paul shared the Gospel with them. Luke recorded in the Book of Acts, ...when [Paul and Silas] arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men (Acts 17:10b-12). They compared Scripture with Scripture, and human testimony against it. Because of this careful examination - and probably some debate - many came to believe in Jesus, both Jew and Gentile. These principles of choosing when to engage in debate or argument about Scripture can be applied equally to non-believers. Examine the intention of the person who wants to talk. Are they open to the message of the Bible? Is the Holy Spirit guiding the discussion? Is there sincerity? Are they making good-faith arguments or are they being dismissive and not debating honestly? Photo credit: Getty Images/SIphotography 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. 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. Should Christians Argue with Each Other over Scriptural Meaning? Because there are people who are Christians who misinterpret or misunderstand Scripture, having open dialogue about it, its history, its original texts, translations, and its meaning is important. Honest disagreements about Scriptural meaning can lead to substantive debate, and perhaps even consensus. However, as Paul pointed out with Hymenaeus and Philetus, debating with people who participate in irreverent babble is not fruitful. When someone has taken the meaning of the Bible and the message of Christ and changed it, getting into an argument with that individual is usually not fruitful because A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion (Proverbs 18:2). Behavior to look out for that may indicate that someone is merely expressing their opinion and just wants to foolishly argue about it include taking verses out of context, getting aggressive quickly, refusing to accept new information, and an unwillingness to admit when they are wrong or when their debate partner is correct. Just because there is disagreement about a passage in the Bible and its meaning does not necessarily indicate that someone is being misleading, ignorant, or deceitful. As imperfect people, mistakes happen, or sincere disagreements can be held. If people wish to gather together to carefully review Scripture, discuss it, and then leave in brotherly love, that is appropriate. In fact, a group of Macedonian Christians carefully consulted the Scriptures they had after Paul shared the Gospel with them. Luke recorded in the Book of Acts, ...when [Paul and Silas] arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men (Acts 17:10b-12). They compared Scripture with Scripture, and human testimony against it. Because of this careful examination - and probably some debate - many came to believe in Jesus, both Jew and Gentile. These principles of choosing when to engage in debate or argument about Scripture can be applied equally to non-believers. Examine the intention of the person who wants to talk. Are they open to the message of the Bible? Is the Holy Spirit guiding the discussion? Is there sincerity? Are they making good-faith arguments or are they being dismissive and not debating honestly? Photo credit: Getty Images/SIphotography Should Christians Argue with Each Other over Scriptural Meaning? Because there are people who are Christians who misinterpret or misunderstand Scripture, having open dialogue about it, its history, its original texts, translations, and its meaning is important. Honest disagreements about Scriptural meaning can lead to substantive debate, and perhaps even consensus. However, as Paul pointed out with Hymenaeus and Philetus, debating with people who participate in irreverent babble is not fruitful. When someone has taken the meaning of the Bible and the message of Christ and changed it, getting into an argument with that individual is usually not fruitful because A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion (Proverbs 18:2). Behavior to look out for that may indicate that someone is merely expressing their opinion and just wants to foolishly argue about it include taking verses out of context, getting aggressive quickly, refusing to accept new information, and an unwillingness to admit when they are wrong or when their debate partner is correct. Just because there is disagreement about a passage in the Bible and its meaning does not necessarily indicate that someone is being misleading, ignorant, or deceitful. As imperfect people, mistakes happen, or sincere disagreements can be held. If people wish to gather together to carefully review Scripture, discuss it, and then leave in brotherly love, that is appropriate. In fact, a group of Macedonian Christians carefully consulted the Scriptures they had after Paul shared the Gospel with them. Luke recorded in the Book of Acts, ...when [Paul and Silas] arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men (Acts 17:10b-12). They compared Scripture with Scripture, and human testimony against it. Because of this careful examination - and probably some debate - many came to believe in Jesus, both Jew and Gentile. These principles of choosing when to engage in debate or argument about Scripture can be applied equally to non-believers. Examine the intention of the person who wants to talk. Are they open to the message of the Bible? Is the Holy Spirit guiding the discussion? Is there sincerity? Are they making good-faith arguments or are they being dismissive and not debating honestly? Photo credit: Getty Images/SIphotography (Newser) Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy told former President Donald Trump just what he wanted to hear on Thursday, as the two cut a political deal in the open. "Please tell the President thank you for the endorsement," the Republican governor said in a statement, CNN reports. "With regard to the other issue, please tell the President he has nothing to worry about." Trump's worry was that Dunleavy would endorse Sen. Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican seeking reelection this year. Murkowski voted to convict Trump in his Senate trial over his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol. Dunleavy is also on the ballot, in the governor's race. Trump had issued a statement Tuesday saying Dunleavy is within his rights to endorse Murkowski, but if he does, the former president's endorsement will become "null and void." After Dunleavy accepted the terms, Trump said in a statement, "This is why Mike Dunleavy has been, and will be, a great governor," per the Hill. Trump is backing Kelly Tshibaka in the GOP primary against Murkowski. Republican leaders in Alaska had warned that Trump's strings-attached endorsement of Dunleavy could needlessly divide the state party, per Slate. (Read more Alaska Senate race stories.) A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. Family and friends of homicide victims gather to grab their loved ones' candles Thursday after a candlelight vigil for 2021 homicide victims at Ephesians Missionary Baptist Church in Milwaukee. A record 197 people were killed in homicides in Milwaukee in 2021, but the toll it has taken on the community cant be expressed by any number. At an annual vigil Thursday that honored all the lives lost during a second straight record-breaking year of violence in Milwaukee, Acting Mayor Cavalier Johnson again encouraged residents to relay messages of peace among each other. Violence, especially deadly violence it harms not just the person theyre aiming that violence towards, Johnson said. It has a ripple effect to their family. When you kill somebody, youre not just taking their life, youre taking a little piece of their mom away, youre taking a little piece of their brother away, and their father and so on and so forth. Its irreparable harm to our community. More: Two homicides reported Monday break Milwaukee's homicide record for second year in a row More: So many cold cases: Milwaukee is experiencing historic levels of violence, and police clearance rates have dropped to 45% More than a hundred of those mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, coworkers, peers and friends attended Thursdays annual homicide vigil organized by the community center Northcott Neighborhood House. For several decades, the event has provided a space for those grieving the pain of a loved one who was taken far too soon. It was also sponsored by Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope, Pastors United and hosted by the Ephesians Missionary Baptist Church, at 2412 N. 6th St. Ceasar Banks III, 28, is the brother of two men honored Thursday Charleston L. Compton, 41, and Dominic A. Carter, 35. He hailed them as mentors not just to himself, but to many of Milwaukees youth. They had people looking up to them, Banks said. Its been hard. You got to push through it. Although the Milwaukee Police Department crime dashboard and Milwaukee County Sheriffs Office put the final 2021 homicide count at 197, the vigil honored 214 victims including those who were killed in police shootings and incidents that were ruled justified self-defense. The number put forth by law enforcement could change if other incidents are later ruled self-defense. Story continues Each name was read aloud during the vigil and printed on a candle. In 2020, the city experienced 190 homicides, almost doubling the figure from 2019 and smashing a record set in 1991 by 15%. Its been a harrowing two years that came after homicides in the city declined 34% from 2015 through 2019, when 97 homicides were reported. We feel your pain, it is palpable, Arnitta Holliman, the director of the citys Office of Violence Prevention, told the audience. We feel the intensity of your fear and your uncertainty and your frustration around violence in the city. The pattern of fatal violence in Milwaukee is present across the country. From 2019 to 2020, the U.S. saw a 29% rise in homicides, the largest jump from one year to the next since at least 1960, a New York Times analysis found. As of Dec. 8, 12 major cities broke their homicide record in 2021, including Philadelphia; St. Paul, Minnesota; Portland, Oregon; Tucson, Arizona; and Austin, Texas, according to ABC News. Five of those 12, including Columbus, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; and Indianapolis, have now set new records in two straight years. Experts and local officials in Milwaukee have consistently cited the effects of the pandemic, which disrupted employment, education and social service outreach for millions of Americans; declining police legitimacy, especially after the murder of George Floyd; and the increased carrying of firearms as causes behind the rise in violence. Following decades of poverty, neglect and racial segregation in Milwaukees north and northwest sides, which are home to predominantly Black residents, victims of nonfatal shootings and homicides in 2021 are 88% Black, while suspects are 89% Black, according to the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission. Minors accounted for 10.6% of homicide victims, down two percentage points from 2020 but still up by two or three percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. Three teens killed this year were known to one of Thursdays attendees, Belinda Freeman, 55. She once worked as a paraprofessional at the Ralph H. Metcalfe School, where she met Rodney Armstrong, 16; Davonnie Turner-Basey, 17; and Jovan Wilder, 18. All three were killed in shootings less than two months apart last spring. They were good students, smart students, Freeman said as she held a candle affixed with Wilders name, who she said she stayed in touch with through church after he left their school. Rarely got in trouble. Its good to see all the people that came out, let them know we got their backs, she said. They dont have to go through it alone. How to find support Milwaukee's Office of Violence Prevention recommends these resources for free support: Sojourner Family Peace Center's domestic violence shelter and support: 414-933-2722. 414Life outreach and conflict mediation support: 414-439-5398. Milwaukee County's 24-Hour Mental Health Crisis Line: 414-257-7222. Milwaukee's Child Mobile Crisis and Trauma Response Team: 414-257-7621. National crisis text line: text HOPELINE to 741741 to text with a trained crisis counselor. National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255. How to forward tips Anyone with information on a homicide is asked to contact Milwaukee police, at 414-935-7360, or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers, at 414-224-TIPS or by using the P3 Tips app. Drake Bentley of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report Contact Elliot Hughes at elliot.hughes@jrn.com or 414-704-8958. Follow him on Twitter @elliothughes12. Stay in the know. Sign up to get NewsWatch delivered to your inbox every afternoon. Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee totals 197 homicides in 2021, according to law enforcement A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. Graphic by Cho Sang-won No matter who wins, 2022 will be turning point for Korea By Jung Da-min The year 2022 is expected to be a watershed period for Korea, with the major political event of the presidential election slated for March 9. Frustrated with the deepening polarization and division of the country, most Koreans, regardless of age, social status or political background, expect to see a major turnaround following the upcoming election. Though the presidential competition is mainly a race between the rival candidates of the country's two-major parties Lee Jae-myung of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) all eyes are on whether the ruling liberal bloc will manage to retain power or if the conservative bloc will succeed in bringing a leadership change. No matter who wins in the March election, Korea is expected to enter a new era. If elected, Lee is highly likely to expedite reforms that the Moon Jae-in administration has been pushing for and steer the country toward what he calls a "fair society." If Yoon wins, he will try to reshape the Korean political and economic landscape by changing things fundamentally and eventually turning the nation further into a market principle-centered society. From 1987, when a direct presidential election system went into effect in Korea, until the right-wing Park Geun-hye government (2013-2017), conservative and liberal administrations had taken power in turn in a 10-year cycle. Conservative presidents reigned from Roh Tae-woo (1988-1993) to the Kim Young-sam (1993-1998) period. Next, liberal presidents Kim Dae-jung (1998-2003) and Roh Moo-hyun (2003-2008) were elected. And following them, the conservatives came back into power with Presidents Lee Myung-bak (2008-2013) and Park. After Park was impeached before finishing her five-year term over various charges including corruption, the liberal bloc succeeded in changing the party of the leadership in power with the election of President Moon Jae-in. The level of attention is particularly high because foreign and economic policies will take different directions depending on which bloc takes the helm. The two candidates are taking contrasting stances on how to distribute wealth and promote economic growth, as well as how to build relations with key allies, including the United States and China. Bae Jong-chan, an opinion poll expert and head of Insight K, said Lee of the DPK, if elected, will place economic policy priority on resolving polarization and strengthening social welfare systems. "Lee has consistently called for a universal basic income. He is currently taking a rather soft position on the matter, saying he would not unilaterally push for the basic income policy without social consensus. But it is likely that he would put a stronger drive into introducing a basic income once elected," Bae said. In contrast, Bae said that Yoon would shift the focus of economic policies to encouraging entrepreneurial growth over wealth distribution, introducing more company-friendly policies by easing regulations and offering tax incentives. Bae also expected a clear distinction between the rival candidates in their policy directions in diplomatic and security issues. "If Yoon is elected, he would emphasize the principle that denuclearization should come first before inter-Korean cooperation, whereas Lee would continue the engagement policies pursued by the Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in governments," Bae said. Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea, poses at the party headquarters in Seoul's Yeouido, ahead of a joint interview with The Korea Times, Reuters and the South China Morning Post, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul "For other neighboring countries, Lee would try to strike a balance between China and the U.S. amid their growing rivalry, but it would be hard to expect that bilateral relations between South Korea and Japan could improve under Lee's leadership, as he is focused on the historical issues between the countries," Bae said. Seoul-Tokyo relations have deteriorated over historical issues including wartime sex slavery and forced labor. "For Yoon, it is obvious that he would be committed to strengthening the South Korea-U.S. alliance and improving relations with Japan, considering the figures selected as members of his election camp," he said. Cha Jae-won, a professor of special affairs at the Catholic University of Pusan, said conflicts among the different parties in terms of domestic policies and diplomacy with neighboring countries are expected if either Lee or Yoon is elected. Cha said that Lee's "pragmatic" stance on the government's planned increase of capital gains taxes on multiple home owners, for example, could bring a backlash from supporters of the liberal bloc. Aiming to gain the support of swing voters or centrists, Lee has suggested postponing the timing of the tax increase. But his proposal faced opposition from the incumbent administration, which is focused on normalizing the country's overheated housing market. "In addition, if Lee wins the presidential election, it is likely that the DPK could also win the subsequent local elections slated for June 1 to select leaders of local governments across the nation. When the DPK already has a supermajority in the National Assembly, accounting for almost 60 percent of the 300 seats, such a monopoly in politics would threaten the democratic principle of checks and balances. Concerns are that Lee could abandon his pragmatic stance to meet the expectations of the liberal bloc supporters only," Cha said. Cha also expects that Lee, if elected, could tip the balance of diplomacy in favor of China by engaging North Korea and promoting cooperation with Beijing, while distancing from the U.S. Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of the main opposition conservative People Power Party, speaks during an inauguration ceremony of the regional branch of his election camp in Daegu, at the party's regional office in the city, Thursday. Yonhap 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. Family and friends of homicide victims gather to grab their loved ones' candles Thursday after a candlelight vigil for 2021 homicide victims at Ephesians Missionary Baptist Church in Milwaukee. A record 197 people were killed in homicides in Milwaukee in 2021, but the toll it has taken on the community cant be expressed by any number. At an annual vigil Thursday that honored all the lives lost during a second straight record-breaking year of violence in Milwaukee, Acting Mayor Cavalier Johnson again encouraged residents to relay messages of peace among each other. Violence, especially deadly violence it harms not just the person theyre aiming that violence towards, Johnson said. It has a ripple effect to their family. When you kill somebody, youre not just taking their life, youre taking a little piece of their mom away, youre taking a little piece of their brother away, and their father and so on and so forth. Its irreparable harm to our community. More: Two homicides reported Monday break Milwaukee's homicide record for second year in a row More: So many cold cases: Milwaukee is experiencing historic levels of violence, and police clearance rates have dropped to 45% More than a hundred of those mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, coworkers, peers and friends attended Thursdays annual homicide vigil organized by the community center Northcott Neighborhood House. For several decades, the event has provided a space for those grieving the pain of a loved one who was taken far too soon. It was also sponsored by Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope, Pastors United and hosted by the Ephesians Missionary Baptist Church, at 2412 N. 6th St. Ceasar Banks III, 28, is the brother of two men honored Thursday Charleston L. Compton, 41, and Dominic A. Carter, 35. He hailed them as mentors not just to himself, but to many of Milwaukees youth. They had people looking up to them, Banks said. Its been hard. You got to push through it. Although the Milwaukee Police Department crime dashboard and Milwaukee County Sheriffs Office put the final 2021 homicide count at 197, the vigil honored 214 victims including those who were killed in police shootings and incidents that were ruled justified self-defense. The number put forth by law enforcement could change if other incidents are later ruled self-defense. Story continues Each name was read aloud during the vigil and printed on a candle. In 2020, the city experienced 190 homicides, almost doubling the figure from 2019 and smashing a record set in 1991 by 15%. Its been a harrowing two years that came after homicides in the city declined 34% from 2015 through 2019, when 97 homicides were reported. We feel your pain, it is palpable, Arnitta Holliman, the director of the citys Office of Violence Prevention, told the audience. We feel the intensity of your fear and your uncertainty and your frustration around violence in the city. The pattern of fatal violence in Milwaukee is present across the country. From 2019 to 2020, the U.S. saw a 29% rise in homicides, the largest jump from one year to the next since at least 1960, a New York Times analysis found. As of Dec. 8, 12 major cities broke their homicide record in 2021, including Philadelphia; St. Paul, Minnesota; Portland, Oregon; Tucson, Arizona; and Austin, Texas, according to ABC News. Five of those 12, including Columbus, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; and Indianapolis, have now set new records in two straight years. Experts and local officials in Milwaukee have consistently cited the effects of the pandemic, which disrupted employment, education and social service outreach for millions of Americans; declining police legitimacy, especially after the murder of George Floyd; and the increased carrying of firearms as causes behind the rise in violence. Following decades of poverty, neglect and racial segregation in Milwaukees north and northwest sides, which are home to predominantly Black residents, victims of nonfatal shootings and homicides in 2021 are 88% Black, while suspects are 89% Black, according to the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission. Minors accounted for 10.6% of homicide victims, down two percentage points from 2020 but still up by two or three percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. Three teens killed this year were known to one of Thursdays attendees, Belinda Freeman, 55. She once worked as a paraprofessional at the Ralph H. Metcalfe School, where she met Rodney Armstrong, 16; Davonnie Turner-Basey, 17; and Jovan Wilder, 18. All three were killed in shootings less than two months apart last spring. They were good students, smart students, Freeman said as she held a candle affixed with Wilders name, who she said she stayed in touch with through church after he left their school. Rarely got in trouble. Its good to see all the people that came out, let them know we got their backs, she said. They dont have to go through it alone. How to find support Milwaukee's Office of Violence Prevention recommends these resources for free support: Sojourner Family Peace Center's domestic violence shelter and support: 414-933-2722. 414Life outreach and conflict mediation support: 414-439-5398. Milwaukee County's 24-Hour Mental Health Crisis Line: 414-257-7222. Milwaukee's Child Mobile Crisis and Trauma Response Team: 414-257-7621. National crisis text line: text HOPELINE to 741741 to text with a trained crisis counselor. National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255. How to forward tips Anyone with information on a homicide is asked to contact Milwaukee police, at 414-935-7360, or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers, at 414-224-TIPS or by using the P3 Tips app. Drake Bentley of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report Contact Elliot Hughes at elliot.hughes@jrn.com or 414-704-8958. Follow him on Twitter @elliothughes12. Stay in the know. Sign up to get NewsWatch delivered to your inbox every afternoon. Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee totals 197 homicides in 2021, according to law enforcement Family and friends of homicide victims gather to grab their loved ones' candles Thursday after a candlelight vigil for 2021 homicide victims at Ephesians Missionary Baptist Church in Milwaukee. A record 197 people were killed in homicides in Milwaukee in 2021, but the toll it has taken on the community cant be expressed by any number. At an annual vigil Thursday that honored all the lives lost during a second straight record-breaking year of violence in Milwaukee, Acting Mayor Cavalier Johnson again encouraged residents to relay messages of peace among each other. Violence, especially deadly violence it harms not just the person theyre aiming that violence towards, Johnson said. It has a ripple effect to their family. When you kill somebody, youre not just taking their life, youre taking a little piece of their mom away, youre taking a little piece of their brother away, and their father and so on and so forth. Its irreparable harm to our community. More: Two homicides reported Monday break Milwaukee's homicide record for second year in a row More: So many cold cases: Milwaukee is experiencing historic levels of violence, and police clearance rates have dropped to 45% More than a hundred of those mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, coworkers, peers and friends attended Thursdays annual homicide vigil organized by the community center Northcott Neighborhood House. For several decades, the event has provided a space for those grieving the pain of a loved one who was taken far too soon. It was also sponsored by Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope, Pastors United and hosted by the Ephesians Missionary Baptist Church, at 2412 N. 6th St. Ceasar Banks III, 28, is the brother of two men honored Thursday Charleston L. Compton, 41, and Dominic A. Carter, 35. He hailed them as mentors not just to himself, but to many of Milwaukees youth. They had people looking up to them, Banks said. Its been hard. You got to push through it. Although the Milwaukee Police Department crime dashboard and Milwaukee County Sheriffs Office put the final 2021 homicide count at 197, the vigil honored 214 victims including those who were killed in police shootings and incidents that were ruled justified self-defense. The number put forth by law enforcement could change if other incidents are later ruled self-defense. Story continues Each name was read aloud during the vigil and printed on a candle. In 2020, the city experienced 190 homicides, almost doubling the figure from 2019 and smashing a record set in 1991 by 15%. Its been a harrowing two years that came after homicides in the city declined 34% from 2015 through 2019, when 97 homicides were reported. We feel your pain, it is palpable, Arnitta Holliman, the director of the citys Office of Violence Prevention, told the audience. We feel the intensity of your fear and your uncertainty and your frustration around violence in the city. The pattern of fatal violence in Milwaukee is present across the country. From 2019 to 2020, the U.S. saw a 29% rise in homicides, the largest jump from one year to the next since at least 1960, a New York Times analysis found. As of Dec. 8, 12 major cities broke their homicide record in 2021, including Philadelphia; St. Paul, Minnesota; Portland, Oregon; Tucson, Arizona; and Austin, Texas, according to ABC News. Five of those 12, including Columbus, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; and Indianapolis, have now set new records in two straight years. Experts and local officials in Milwaukee have consistently cited the effects of the pandemic, which disrupted employment, education and social service outreach for millions of Americans; declining police legitimacy, especially after the murder of George Floyd; and the increased carrying of firearms as causes behind the rise in violence. Following decades of poverty, neglect and racial segregation in Milwaukees north and northwest sides, which are home to predominantly Black residents, victims of nonfatal shootings and homicides in 2021 are 88% Black, while suspects are 89% Black, according to the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission. Minors accounted for 10.6% of homicide victims, down two percentage points from 2020 but still up by two or three percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. Three teens killed this year were known to one of Thursdays attendees, Belinda Freeman, 55. She once worked as a paraprofessional at the Ralph H. Metcalfe School, where she met Rodney Armstrong, 16; Davonnie Turner-Basey, 17; and Jovan Wilder, 18. All three were killed in shootings less than two months apart last spring. They were good students, smart students, Freeman said as she held a candle affixed with Wilders name, who she said she stayed in touch with through church after he left their school. Rarely got in trouble. Its good to see all the people that came out, let them know we got their backs, she said. They dont have to go through it alone. How to find support Milwaukee's Office of Violence Prevention recommends these resources for free support: Sojourner Family Peace Center's domestic violence shelter and support: 414-933-2722. 414Life outreach and conflict mediation support: 414-439-5398. Milwaukee County's 24-Hour Mental Health Crisis Line: 414-257-7222. Milwaukee's Child Mobile Crisis and Trauma Response Team: 414-257-7621. National crisis text line: text HOPELINE to 741741 to text with a trained crisis counselor. National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255. How to forward tips Anyone with information on a homicide is asked to contact Milwaukee police, at 414-935-7360, or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers, at 414-224-TIPS or by using the P3 Tips app. Drake Bentley of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report Contact Elliot Hughes at elliot.hughes@jrn.com or 414-704-8958. Follow him on Twitter @elliothughes12. Stay in the know. Sign up to get NewsWatch delivered to your inbox every afternoon. Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee totals 197 homicides in 2021, according to law enforcement 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. French tourism bosses last night told Emmanuel Macron to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers, accusing him of punishing the industry over worsening ties with Britain. The French president slapped the tough measures on UK tourists shortly before Christmas, claiming it was to stop the spread of the Omicron variant. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted. It comes as the countrys own public health agency yesterday admitted Omicron is now the most dominant variant in France. Omicron helped drive infection numbers to a record 232,000 new cases yesterday, piling more pressure on Mr Macron to back down. President Emmanuel Macron (pictured) has been told to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers Francois Badjily, head of the Alpe dHuez tourist office, suggested France was playing politics with the pandemic. We have the impression that our industry is being made to pay the price for the poor relations between both countries right now, whether its about Brexit or fishing or whatever, he said. Mr Badjily said the current rules were incoherent because fully vaccinated tourists from other countries where the Omicron strain is already present are able to visit. Vaccine passports are needed to enter French holiday hotspots such as ski resorts, as well as restaurants, bars and leisure facilities. Alpe dHuez draws a quarter of its visitors from the UK every year, and Mr Badjily added: Why should a Briton who meets these criteria not be allowed to come, but the French and Belgians can? Christophe Lavaut, director of the Val dIsere ski resort, also called on officials in Paris to axe the compelling reason to travel directive that has stopped holidaymakers coming to France. This restriction should simply be lifted as it is no longer necessary, he added. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted At least 42 per cent of Val dIseres customers are British, said Mr Lavaut, who urged his government to act at the beginning of January. Mr Macrons travel measures have created chaos and sowed confusion throughout the entire Christmas break. Earlier this week, border police even prevented Britons who were legal residents in the EU from returning to their homes French officials at the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone said they were not allowed to cross through France on health grounds. But the EUs top disease agency said in a report last month that Omicron travel restrictions only help buy valuable time during the first days of detection, adding that in countries already experiencing community transmission such measures will probably not be relevant for much longer. The French government failed to reply to the Mails request for comment. Germany will remove Britain from its travel red list on Tuesday after its government admitted Omicron was already widely present in the country. A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. Family and friends of homicide victims gather to grab their loved ones' candles Thursday after a candlelight vigil for 2021 homicide victims at Ephesians Missionary Baptist Church in Milwaukee. A record 197 people were killed in homicides in Milwaukee in 2021, but the toll it has taken on the community cant be expressed by any number. At an annual vigil Thursday that honored all the lives lost during a second straight record-breaking year of violence in Milwaukee, Acting Mayor Cavalier Johnson again encouraged residents to relay messages of peace among each other. Violence, especially deadly violence it harms not just the person theyre aiming that violence towards, Johnson said. It has a ripple effect to their family. When you kill somebody, youre not just taking their life, youre taking a little piece of their mom away, youre taking a little piece of their brother away, and their father and so on and so forth. Its irreparable harm to our community. More: Two homicides reported Monday break Milwaukee's homicide record for second year in a row More: So many cold cases: Milwaukee is experiencing historic levels of violence, and police clearance rates have dropped to 45% More than a hundred of those mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, coworkers, peers and friends attended Thursdays annual homicide vigil organized by the community center Northcott Neighborhood House. For several decades, the event has provided a space for those grieving the pain of a loved one who was taken far too soon. It was also sponsored by Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope, Pastors United and hosted by the Ephesians Missionary Baptist Church, at 2412 N. 6th St. Ceasar Banks III, 28, is the brother of two men honored Thursday Charleston L. Compton, 41, and Dominic A. Carter, 35. He hailed them as mentors not just to himself, but to many of Milwaukees youth. They had people looking up to them, Banks said. Its been hard. You got to push through it. Although the Milwaukee Police Department crime dashboard and Milwaukee County Sheriffs Office put the final 2021 homicide count at 197, the vigil honored 214 victims including those who were killed in police shootings and incidents that were ruled justified self-defense. The number put forth by law enforcement could change if other incidents are later ruled self-defense. Story continues Each name was read aloud during the vigil and printed on a candle. In 2020, the city experienced 190 homicides, almost doubling the figure from 2019 and smashing a record set in 1991 by 15%. Its been a harrowing two years that came after homicides in the city declined 34% from 2015 through 2019, when 97 homicides were reported. We feel your pain, it is palpable, Arnitta Holliman, the director of the citys Office of Violence Prevention, told the audience. We feel the intensity of your fear and your uncertainty and your frustration around violence in the city. The pattern of fatal violence in Milwaukee is present across the country. From 2019 to 2020, the U.S. saw a 29% rise in homicides, the largest jump from one year to the next since at least 1960, a New York Times analysis found. As of Dec. 8, 12 major cities broke their homicide record in 2021, including Philadelphia; St. Paul, Minnesota; Portland, Oregon; Tucson, Arizona; and Austin, Texas, according to ABC News. Five of those 12, including Columbus, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; and Indianapolis, have now set new records in two straight years. Experts and local officials in Milwaukee have consistently cited the effects of the pandemic, which disrupted employment, education and social service outreach for millions of Americans; declining police legitimacy, especially after the murder of George Floyd; and the increased carrying of firearms as causes behind the rise in violence. Following decades of poverty, neglect and racial segregation in Milwaukees north and northwest sides, which are home to predominantly Black residents, victims of nonfatal shootings and homicides in 2021 are 88% Black, while suspects are 89% Black, according to the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission. Minors accounted for 10.6% of homicide victims, down two percentage points from 2020 but still up by two or three percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. Three teens killed this year were known to one of Thursdays attendees, Belinda Freeman, 55. She once worked as a paraprofessional at the Ralph H. Metcalfe School, where she met Rodney Armstrong, 16; Davonnie Turner-Basey, 17; and Jovan Wilder, 18. All three were killed in shootings less than two months apart last spring. They were good students, smart students, Freeman said as she held a candle affixed with Wilders name, who she said she stayed in touch with through church after he left their school. Rarely got in trouble. Its good to see all the people that came out, let them know we got their backs, she said. They dont have to go through it alone. How to find support Milwaukee's Office of Violence Prevention recommends these resources for free support: Sojourner Family Peace Center's domestic violence shelter and support: 414-933-2722. 414Life outreach and conflict mediation support: 414-439-5398. Milwaukee County's 24-Hour Mental Health Crisis Line: 414-257-7222. Milwaukee's Child Mobile Crisis and Trauma Response Team: 414-257-7621. National crisis text line: text HOPELINE to 741741 to text with a trained crisis counselor. National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255. How to forward tips Anyone with information on a homicide is asked to contact Milwaukee police, at 414-935-7360, or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers, at 414-224-TIPS or by using the P3 Tips app. Drake Bentley of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report Contact Elliot Hughes at elliot.hughes@jrn.com or 414-704-8958. Follow him on Twitter @elliothughes12. Stay in the know. Sign up to get NewsWatch delivered to your inbox every afternoon. Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee totals 197 homicides in 2021, according to law enforcement Area students head back to school next week following the two-week winter break and amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. Albemarle County schools superintendent Matt Haas wrote in a message to families that the division will operate normally Jan. 4, when classes resume, with all of the protective measures that have been in place for the school year so far. That means, students and staff members will be required to wear masks and a 10-day quarantine for those who test positive, among other tactics. Students and staff members in the Albemarle and Charlottesville school divisions are required to complete a daily health screening for symptoms and encouraged to stay home if they dont feel well. Haas said that the school systems decision is based on guidance for the Blue Ridge Health District. He also pointed to a new state law adopted earlier this year that requires schools to provide in-person instruction. If you have any questions or concerns about anyone in your household going back to in-person school, your school administrators will be happy to work with you to determine the most appropriate next steps for you and your family, Haas wrote. The health of our students, employees, families and community is our top priority, and we will continue to do everything we can to protect it. Since Christmas, the Blue Ridge Health District has reported more than 1,500 new cases, bringing the total for December 2021 to 3,573 the highest of any month of the pandemic. The seven-day average of new cases is up to 221.2. So far, about 15% of COVID tests over the last seven days have been positive, a higher than usual positivity rate. The spike in cases is likely the result of an increase in testing around the holidays, more holiday-related gatherings along with the more transmissible delta and omicron variants, officials have said. The post-holiday winter surge in early 2021 pushed several school divisions in Central Virginia back to all-online classes. The health districts winter surge peaked at 149 new cases over a seven-day period. The current surge in cases hit as schools began winter break, and districts across the country are readying for the return of students and employees. Washington D.C. Public Schools recently announced that it will require a negative COVID-19 test before students and employees can return to school. Charlottesville schools Superintendent Royal Gurley Jr. said in a message to families Thursday that in-person classes would resume Jan. 4 as well and acknowledged that the case levels are troubling. We are committed to following the guidance of health experts for practices such as masking, hand-washing, testing, and more, he wrote. One of their recommendations is to keep students in school. If we all do our part, we can do this safely. Charlottesville students and staff members can receive a free COVID test next week at school if they sign up by Sunday evening. The division has partnered with the state to provide the free tests, which began in early November. For more information, go to charlottesvilleschools.org/COVID-testing. Gurley said existing measures such as encouraging vaccination and boosters, limiting gatherings and eating lunch outside when possible remain in place. The bottom line is that working closely with the BRHD, we are staying the course to continue our many COVID safety strategies, including our testing programs, Gurley wrote. Gurley added that almost all of the positive cases in schools were transmitted outside of school or school programs. At the recommendation of the Blue Ridge Health District, neither school system is planning a change to the existing protocols for quarantine and isolation despite changing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce the time frame for quarantine and isolation from 10 days to five. BRHD said in an update Thursday that the majority of COVID-19 transmission takes place earlier after infection in the first few days before symptoms appear and about two to three days after. However, individuals who have tested positive can still be contagious up to 10 days after the beginning of symptoms or since the positive test. The CDC released these guidelines prior to publication of supporting evidence or full explanation of how they would be implemented in all situations such as schools and daycare centers, BRHD officials wrote. Many of our children are not yet vaccinated and younger children may have difficulty complying with the very strict mask requirements. In addition to questions about implementation, we are seeing our highest rates of COVID infection since the pandemic began. Citing those factors and the goal of keeping students in school, BRHD said it recommended schools and daycares stick with their current protocols. The health district will host a virtual town hall 7 p.m. Jan. 4 to discuss the new guidelines. Warrenton, VA (20186) Today Light rain this morning. Breaks of sun this afternoon. High 76F. NW winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Mostly clear. Low 48F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Area students head back to school next week following the two-week winter break and amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. Albemarle County schools superintendent Matt Haas wrote in a message to families that the division will operate normally Jan. 4, when classes resume, with all of the protective measures that have been in place for the school year so far. That means, students and staff members will be required to wear masks and a 10-day quarantine for those who test positive, among other tactics. Students and staff members in the Albemarle and Charlottesville school divisions are required to complete a daily health screening for symptoms and encouraged to stay home if they dont feel well. Haas said that the school systems decision is based on guidance for the Blue Ridge Health District. He also pointed to a new state law adopted earlier this year that requires schools to provide in-person instruction. If you have any questions or concerns about anyone in your household going back to in-person school, your school administrators will be happy to work with you to determine the most appropriate next steps for you and your family, Haas wrote. The health of our students, employees, families and community is our top priority, and we will continue to do everything we can to protect it. Since Christmas, the Blue Ridge Health District has reported more than 1,500 new cases, bringing the total for December 2021 to 3,573 the highest of any month of the pandemic. The seven-day average of new cases is up to 221.2. So far, about 15% of COVID tests over the last seven days have been positive, a higher than usual positivity rate. The spike in cases is likely the result of an increase in testing around the holidays, more holiday-related gatherings along with the more transmissible delta and omicron variants, officials have said. The post-holiday winter surge in early 2021 pushed several school divisions in Central Virginia back to all-online classes. The health districts winter surge peaked at 149 new cases over a seven-day period. The current surge in cases hit as schools began winter break, and districts across the country are readying for the return of students and employees. Washington D.C. Public Schools recently announced that it will require a negative COVID-19 test before students and employees can return to school. Charlottesville schools Superintendent Royal Gurley Jr. said in a message to families Thursday that in-person classes would resume Jan. 4 as well and acknowledged that the case levels are troubling. We are committed to following the guidance of health experts for practices such as masking, hand-washing, testing, and more, he wrote. One of their recommendations is to keep students in school. If we all do our part, we can do this safely. Charlottesville students and staff members can receive a free COVID test next week at school if they sign up by Sunday evening. The division has partnered with the state to provide the free tests, which began in early November. For more information, go to charlottesvilleschools.org/COVID-testing. Gurley said existing measures such as encouraging vaccination and boosters, limiting gatherings and eating lunch outside when possible remain in place. The bottom line is that working closely with the BRHD, we are staying the course to continue our many COVID safety strategies, including our testing programs, Gurley wrote. Gurley added that almost all of the positive cases in schools were transmitted outside of school or school programs. At the recommendation of the Blue Ridge Health District, neither school system is planning a change to the existing protocols for quarantine and isolation despite changing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce the time frame for quarantine and isolation from 10 days to five. BRHD said in an update Thursday that the majority of COVID-19 transmission takes place earlier after infection in the first few days before symptoms appear and about two to three days after. However, individuals who have tested positive can still be contagious up to 10 days after the beginning of symptoms or since the positive test. The CDC released these guidelines prior to publication of supporting evidence or full explanation of how they would be implemented in all situations such as schools and daycare centers, BRHD officials wrote. Many of our children are not yet vaccinated and younger children may have difficulty complying with the very strict mask requirements. In addition to questions about implementation, we are seeing our highest rates of COVID infection since the pandemic began. Citing those factors and the goal of keeping students in school, BRHD said it recommended schools and daycares stick with their current protocols. The health district will host a virtual town hall 7 p.m. Jan. 4 to discuss the new guidelines. A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. French tourism bosses last night told Emmanuel Macron to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers, accusing him of punishing the industry over worsening ties with Britain. The French president slapped the tough measures on UK tourists shortly before Christmas, claiming it was to stop the spread of the Omicron variant. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted. It comes as the countrys own public health agency yesterday admitted Omicron is now the most dominant variant in France. Omicron helped drive infection numbers to a record 232,000 new cases yesterday, piling more pressure on Mr Macron to back down. President Emmanuel Macron (pictured) has been told to scrap his travel ban on UK holidaymakers Francois Badjily, head of the Alpe dHuez tourist office, suggested France was playing politics with the pandemic. We have the impression that our industry is being made to pay the price for the poor relations between both countries right now, whether its about Brexit or fishing or whatever, he said. Mr Badjily said the current rules were incoherent because fully vaccinated tourists from other countries where the Omicron strain is already present are able to visit. Vaccine passports are needed to enter French holiday hotspots such as ski resorts, as well as restaurants, bars and leisure facilities. Alpe dHuez draws a quarter of its visitors from the UK every year, and Mr Badjily added: Why should a Briton who meets these criteria not be allowed to come, but the French and Belgians can? Christophe Lavaut, director of the Val dIsere ski resort, also called on officials in Paris to axe the compelling reason to travel directive that has stopped holidaymakers coming to France. This restriction should simply be lifted as it is no longer necessary, he added. Senior industry figures across the Channel said several holiday and ski resorts face economic catastrophe this month unless the ban is lifted At least 42 per cent of Val dIseres customers are British, said Mr Lavaut, who urged his government to act at the beginning of January. Mr Macrons travel measures have created chaos and sowed confusion throughout the entire Christmas break. Earlier this week, border police even prevented Britons who were legal residents in the EU from returning to their homes French officials at the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone said they were not allowed to cross through France on health grounds. But the EUs top disease agency said in a report last month that Omicron travel restrictions only help buy valuable time during the first days of detection, adding that in countries already experiencing community transmission such measures will probably not be relevant for much longer. The French government failed to reply to the Mails request for comment. Germany will remove Britain from its travel red list on Tuesday after its government admitted Omicron was already widely present in the country. A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. 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. 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. 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. 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. Area students head back to school next week following the two-week winter break and amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. Albemarle County schools superintendent Matt Haas wrote in a message to families that the division will operate normally Jan. 4, when classes resume, with all of the protective measures that have been in place for the school year so far. That means, students and staff members will be required to wear masks and a 10-day quarantine for those who test positive, among other tactics. Students and staff members in the Albemarle and Charlottesville school divisions are required to complete a daily health screening for symptoms and encouraged to stay home if they dont feel well. Haas said that the school systems decision is based on guidance for the Blue Ridge Health District. He also pointed to a new state law adopted earlier this year that requires schools to provide in-person instruction. If you have any questions or concerns about anyone in your household going back to in-person school, your school administrators will be happy to work with you to determine the most appropriate next steps for you and your family, Haas wrote. The health of our students, employees, families and community is our top priority, and we will continue to do everything we can to protect it. Since Christmas, the Blue Ridge Health District has reported more than 1,500 new cases, bringing the total for December 2021 to 3,573 the highest of any month of the pandemic. The seven-day average of new cases is up to 221.2. So far, about 15% of COVID tests over the last seven days have been positive, a higher than usual positivity rate. The spike in cases is likely the result of an increase in testing around the holidays, more holiday-related gatherings along with the more transmissible delta and omicron variants, officials have said. The post-holiday winter surge in early 2021 pushed several school divisions in Central Virginia back to all-online classes. The health districts winter surge peaked at 149 new cases over a seven-day period. The current surge in cases hit as schools began winter break, and districts across the country are readying for the return of students and employees. Washington D.C. Public Schools recently announced that it will require a negative COVID-19 test before students and employees can return to school. Charlottesville schools Superintendent Royal Gurley Jr. said in a message to families Thursday that in-person classes would resume Jan. 4 as well and acknowledged that the case levels are troubling. We are committed to following the guidance of health experts for practices such as masking, hand-washing, testing, and more, he wrote. One of their recommendations is to keep students in school. If we all do our part, we can do this safely. Charlottesville students and staff members can receive a free COVID test next week at school if they sign up by Sunday evening. The division has partnered with the state to provide the free tests, which began in early November. For more information, go to charlottesvilleschools.org/COVID-testing. Gurley said existing measures such as encouraging vaccination and boosters, limiting gatherings and eating lunch outside when possible remain in place. The bottom line is that working closely with the BRHD, we are staying the course to continue our many COVID safety strategies, including our testing programs, Gurley wrote. Gurley added that almost all of the positive cases in schools were transmitted outside of school or school programs. At the recommendation of the Blue Ridge Health District, neither school system is planning a change to the existing protocols for quarantine and isolation despite changing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce the time frame for quarantine and isolation from 10 days to five. BRHD said in an update Thursday that the majority of COVID-19 transmission takes place earlier after infection in the first few days before symptoms appear and about two to three days after. However, individuals who have tested positive can still be contagious up to 10 days after the beginning of symptoms or since the positive test. The CDC released these guidelines prior to publication of supporting evidence or full explanation of how they would be implemented in all situations such as schools and daycare centers, BRHD officials wrote. Many of our children are not yet vaccinated and younger children may have difficulty complying with the very strict mask requirements. In addition to questions about implementation, we are seeing our highest rates of COVID infection since the pandemic began. Citing those factors and the goal of keeping students in school, BRHD said it recommended schools and daycares stick with their current protocols. The health district will host a virtual town hall 7 p.m. Jan. 4 to discuss the new guidelines. Graphic by Cho Sang-won No matter who wins, 2022 will be turning point for Korea By Jung Da-min The year 2022 is expected to be a watershed period for Korea, with the major political event of the presidential election slated for March 9. Frustrated with the deepening polarization and division of the country, most Koreans, regardless of age, social status or political background, expect to see a major turnaround following the upcoming election. Though the presidential competition is mainly a race between the rival candidates of the country's two-major parties Lee Jae-myung of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) all eyes are on whether the ruling liberal bloc will manage to retain power or if the conservative bloc will succeed in bringing a leadership change. No matter who wins in the March election, Korea is expected to enter a new era. If elected, Lee is highly likely to expedite reforms that the Moon Jae-in administration has been pushing for and steer the country toward what he calls a "fair society." If Yoon wins, he will try to reshape the Korean political and economic landscape by changing things fundamentally and eventually turning the nation further into a market principle-centered society. From 1987, when a direct presidential election system went into effect in Korea, until the right-wing Park Geun-hye government (2013-2017), conservative and liberal administrations had taken power in turn in a 10-year cycle. Conservative presidents reigned from Roh Tae-woo (1988-1993) to the Kim Young-sam (1993-1998) period. Next, liberal presidents Kim Dae-jung (1998-2003) and Roh Moo-hyun (2003-2008) were elected. And following them, the conservatives came back into power with Presidents Lee Myung-bak (2008-2013) and Park. After Park was impeached before finishing her five-year term over various charges including corruption, the liberal bloc succeeded in changing the party of the leadership in power with the election of President Moon Jae-in. The level of attention is particularly high because foreign and economic policies will take different directions depending on which bloc takes the helm. The two candidates are taking contrasting stances on how to distribute wealth and promote economic growth, as well as how to build relations with key allies, including the United States and China. Bae Jong-chan, an opinion poll expert and head of Insight K, said Lee of the DPK, if elected, will place economic policy priority on resolving polarization and strengthening social welfare systems. "Lee has consistently called for a universal basic income. He is currently taking a rather soft position on the matter, saying he would not unilaterally push for the basic income policy without social consensus. But it is likely that he would put a stronger drive into introducing a basic income once elected," Bae said. In contrast, Bae said that Yoon would shift the focus of economic policies to encouraging entrepreneurial growth over wealth distribution, introducing more company-friendly policies by easing regulations and offering tax incentives. Bae also expected a clear distinction between the rival candidates in their policy directions in diplomatic and security issues. "If Yoon is elected, he would emphasize the principle that denuclearization should come first before inter-Korean cooperation, whereas Lee would continue the engagement policies pursued by the Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in governments," Bae said. Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea, poses at the party headquarters in Seoul's Yeouido, ahead of a joint interview with The Korea Times, Reuters and the South China Morning Post, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul "For other neighboring countries, Lee would try to strike a balance between China and the U.S. amid their growing rivalry, but it would be hard to expect that bilateral relations between South Korea and Japan could improve under Lee's leadership, as he is focused on the historical issues between the countries," Bae said. Seoul-Tokyo relations have deteriorated over historical issues including wartime sex slavery and forced labor. "For Yoon, it is obvious that he would be committed to strengthening the South Korea-U.S. alliance and improving relations with Japan, considering the figures selected as members of his election camp," he said. Cha Jae-won, a professor of special affairs at the Catholic University of Pusan, said conflicts among the different parties in terms of domestic policies and diplomacy with neighboring countries are expected if either Lee or Yoon is elected. Cha said that Lee's "pragmatic" stance on the government's planned increase of capital gains taxes on multiple home owners, for example, could bring a backlash from supporters of the liberal bloc. Aiming to gain the support of swing voters or centrists, Lee has suggested postponing the timing of the tax increase. But his proposal faced opposition from the incumbent administration, which is focused on normalizing the country's overheated housing market. "In addition, if Lee wins the presidential election, it is likely that the DPK could also win the subsequent local elections slated for June 1 to select leaders of local governments across the nation. When the DPK already has a supermajority in the National Assembly, accounting for almost 60 percent of the 300 seats, such a monopoly in politics would threaten the democratic principle of checks and balances. Concerns are that Lee could abandon his pragmatic stance to meet the expectations of the liberal bloc supporters only," Cha said. Cha also expects that Lee, if elected, could tip the balance of diplomacy in favor of China by engaging North Korea and promoting cooperation with Beijing, while distancing from the U.S. Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of the main opposition conservative People Power Party, speaks during an inauguration ceremony of the regional branch of his election camp in Daegu, at the party's regional office in the city, Thursday. Yonhap Area students head back to school next week following the two-week winter break and amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. Albemarle County schools superintendent Matt Haas wrote in a message to families that the division will operate normally Jan. 4, when classes resume, with all of the protective measures that have been in place for the school year so far. That means, students and staff members will be required to wear masks and a 10-day quarantine for those who test positive, among other tactics. Students and staff members in the Albemarle and Charlottesville school divisions are required to complete a daily health screening for symptoms and encouraged to stay home if they dont feel well. Haas said that the school systems decision is based on guidance for the Blue Ridge Health District. He also pointed to a new state law adopted earlier this year that requires schools to provide in-person instruction. If you have any questions or concerns about anyone in your household going back to in-person school, your school administrators will be happy to work with you to determine the most appropriate next steps for you and your family, Haas wrote. The health of our students, employees, families and community is our top priority, and we will continue to do everything we can to protect it. Since Christmas, the Blue Ridge Health District has reported more than 1,500 new cases, bringing the total for December 2021 to 3,573 the highest of any month of the pandemic. The seven-day average of new cases is up to 221.2. So far, about 15% of COVID tests over the last seven days have been positive, a higher than usual positivity rate. The spike in cases is likely the result of an increase in testing around the holidays, more holiday-related gatherings along with the more transmissible delta and omicron variants, officials have said. The post-holiday winter surge in early 2021 pushed several school divisions in Central Virginia back to all-online classes. The health districts winter surge peaked at 149 new cases over a seven-day period. The current surge in cases hit as schools began winter break, and districts across the country are readying for the return of students and employees. Washington D.C. Public Schools recently announced that it will require a negative COVID-19 test before students and employees can return to school. Charlottesville schools Superintendent Royal Gurley Jr. said in a message to families Thursday that in-person classes would resume Jan. 4 as well and acknowledged that the case levels are troubling. We are committed to following the guidance of health experts for practices such as masking, hand-washing, testing, and more, he wrote. One of their recommendations is to keep students in school. If we all do our part, we can do this safely. Charlottesville students and staff members can receive a free COVID test next week at school if they sign up by Sunday evening. The division has partnered with the state to provide the free tests, which began in early November. For more information, go to charlottesvilleschools.org/COVID-testing. Gurley said existing measures such as encouraging vaccination and boosters, limiting gatherings and eating lunch outside when possible remain in place. The bottom line is that working closely with the BRHD, we are staying the course to continue our many COVID safety strategies, including our testing programs, Gurley wrote. Gurley added that almost all of the positive cases in schools were transmitted outside of school or school programs. At the recommendation of the Blue Ridge Health District, neither school system is planning a change to the existing protocols for quarantine and isolation despite changing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce the time frame for quarantine and isolation from 10 days to five. BRHD said in an update Thursday that the majority of COVID-19 transmission takes place earlier after infection in the first few days before symptoms appear and about two to three days after. However, individuals who have tested positive can still be contagious up to 10 days after the beginning of symptoms or since the positive test. The CDC released these guidelines prior to publication of supporting evidence or full explanation of how they would be implemented in all situations such as schools and daycare centers, BRHD officials wrote. Many of our children are not yet vaccinated and younger children may have difficulty complying with the very strict mask requirements. In addition to questions about implementation, we are seeing our highest rates of COVID infection since the pandemic began. Citing those factors and the goal of keeping students in school, BRHD said it recommended schools and daycares stick with their current protocols. The health district will host a virtual town hall 7 p.m. Jan. 4 to discuss the new guidelines. Small business recovery Editor, Times-Dispatch: CNBC surprised many when it said Virginia is Americas top state for business. While it said the commonwealth offers employers a wealth of talent, CNBC overlooked a host of issues, including a sluggish state economy, low short-term fiscal stability, high business taxes and slow recovery of unemployment claims. When the General Assembly returns to Richmond this month , some legislators will point to CNBCs report and declare their job done, but theyll be wrong. We need lawmakers to address the issues hindering Virginias economic recovery. Thats why the National Federation of Independent Business is asking lawmakers to support its principles for Small Business Recovery in the 2022 session: Ease the tax burden on small businesses. The Paycheck Protection Program, Rebuild Virginia and other pandemic-related loans should remain exempt from state taxes. Since most of the commonwealths small businesses pay taxes at the individual rather than the corporate rate, lawmakers should increase Virginias standard deduction to the federal tax rate. Eliminate costly regulations. The General Assembly should approve the sale of paid family leave insurance policies so businesses and individuals can have financial security. Lawmakers also should bring Virginias overtime law in line with federal requirements and oppose one-size-fits-all mandates on sick leave. Provide financial assistance to help small businesses recover from the pandemic's economic downturn. This includes assistance programs for smaller businesses with continuing financial needs, as well as addressing rising health care costs. Pass unemployment insurance reform, including replenishing the states trust fund with unused federal relief money and ensuring small businesses are not liable for fraudulent payments or overpayments of benefits. Small businesses are doing everything they can to keep customers and employees safe, and stay afloat, but it hasnt been easy. And it looks like labor shortage and supply chain issues will continue this year. We need the House of Delegates and state Senate to set partisan politics aside and pass commonsense legislation that ensures small businesses have the resources needed to move forward. Nicole Riley. A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. Area students head back to school next week following the two-week winter break and amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. Albemarle County schools superintendent Matt Haas wrote in a message to families that the division will operate normally Jan. 4, when classes resume, with all of the protective measures that have been in place for the school year so far. That means, students and staff members will be required to wear masks and a 10-day quarantine for those who test positive, among other tactics. Students and staff members in the Albemarle and Charlottesville school divisions are required to complete a daily health screening for symptoms and encouraged to stay home if they dont feel well. Haas said that the school systems decision is based on guidance for the Blue Ridge Health District. He also pointed to a new state law adopted earlier this year that requires schools to provide in-person instruction. If you have any questions or concerns about anyone in your household going back to in-person school, your school administrators will be happy to work with you to determine the most appropriate next steps for you and your family, Haas wrote. The health of our students, employees, families and community is our top priority, and we will continue to do everything we can to protect it. Since Christmas, the Blue Ridge Health District has reported more than 1,500 new cases, bringing the total for December 2021 to 3,573 the highest of any month of the pandemic. The seven-day average of new cases is up to 221.2. So far, about 15% of COVID tests over the last seven days have been positive, a higher than usual positivity rate. The spike in cases is likely the result of an increase in testing around the holidays, more holiday-related gatherings along with the more transmissible delta and omicron variants, officials have said. The post-holiday winter surge in early 2021 pushed several school divisions in Central Virginia back to all-online classes. The health districts winter surge peaked at 149 new cases over a seven-day period. The current surge in cases hit as schools began winter break, and districts across the country are readying for the return of students and employees. Washington D.C. Public Schools recently announced that it will require a negative COVID-19 test before students and employees can return to school. Charlottesville schools Superintendent Royal Gurley Jr. said in a message to families Thursday that in-person classes would resume Jan. 4 as well and acknowledged that the case levels are troubling. We are committed to following the guidance of health experts for practices such as masking, hand-washing, testing, and more, he wrote. One of their recommendations is to keep students in school. If we all do our part, we can do this safely. Charlottesville students and staff members can receive a free COVID test next week at school if they sign up by Sunday evening. The division has partnered with the state to provide the free tests, which began in early November. For more information, go to charlottesvilleschools.org/COVID-testing. Gurley said existing measures such as encouraging vaccination and boosters, limiting gatherings and eating lunch outside when possible remain in place. The bottom line is that working closely with the BRHD, we are staying the course to continue our many COVID safety strategies, including our testing programs, Gurley wrote. Gurley added that almost all of the positive cases in schools were transmitted outside of school or school programs. At the recommendation of the Blue Ridge Health District, neither school system is planning a change to the existing protocols for quarantine and isolation despite changing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce the time frame for quarantine and isolation from 10 days to five. BRHD said in an update Thursday that the majority of COVID-19 transmission takes place earlier after infection in the first few days before symptoms appear and about two to three days after. However, individuals who have tested positive can still be contagious up to 10 days after the beginning of symptoms or since the positive test. The CDC released these guidelines prior to publication of supporting evidence or full explanation of how they would be implemented in all situations such as schools and daycare centers, BRHD officials wrote. Many of our children are not yet vaccinated and younger children may have difficulty complying with the very strict mask requirements. In addition to questions about implementation, we are seeing our highest rates of COVID infection since the pandemic began. Citing those factors and the goal of keeping students in school, BRHD said it recommended schools and daycares stick with their current protocols. The health district will host a virtual town hall 7 p.m. Jan. 4 to discuss the new guidelines. A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. (Newser) Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy told former President Donald Trump just what he wanted to hear on Thursday, as the two cut a political deal in the open. "Please tell the President thank you for the endorsement," the Republican governor said in a statement, CNN reports. "With regard to the other issue, please tell the President he has nothing to worry about." Trump's worry was that Dunleavy would endorse Sen. Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican seeking reelection this year. Murkowski voted to convict Trump in his Senate trial over his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol. Dunleavy is also on the ballot, in the governor's race. Trump had issued a statement Tuesday saying Dunleavy is within his rights to endorse Murkowski, but if he does, the former president's endorsement will become "null and void." After Dunleavy accepted the terms, Trump said in a statement, "This is why Mike Dunleavy has been, and will be, a great governor," per the Hill. Trump is backing Kelly Tshibaka in the GOP primary against Murkowski. Republican leaders in Alaska had warned that Trump's strings-attached endorsement of Dunleavy could needlessly divide the state party, per Slate. (Read more Alaska Senate race stories.) A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. Graphic by Cho Sang-won No matter who wins, 2022 will be turning point for Korea By Jung Da-min The year 2022 is expected to be a watershed period for Korea, with the major political event of the presidential election slated for March 9. Frustrated with the deepening polarization and division of the country, most Koreans, regardless of age, social status or political background, expect to see a major turnaround following the upcoming election. Though the presidential competition is mainly a race between the rival candidates of the country's two-major parties Lee Jae-myung of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) all eyes are on whether the ruling liberal bloc will manage to retain power or if the conservative bloc will succeed in bringing a leadership change. No matter who wins in the March election, Korea is expected to enter a new era. If elected, Lee is highly likely to expedite reforms that the Moon Jae-in administration has been pushing for and steer the country toward what he calls a "fair society." If Yoon wins, he will try to reshape the Korean political and economic landscape by changing things fundamentally and eventually turning the nation further into a market principle-centered society. From 1987, when a direct presidential election system went into effect in Korea, until the right-wing Park Geun-hye government (2013-2017), conservative and liberal administrations had taken power in turn in a 10-year cycle. Conservative presidents reigned from Roh Tae-woo (1988-1993) to the Kim Young-sam (1993-1998) period. Next, liberal presidents Kim Dae-jung (1998-2003) and Roh Moo-hyun (2003-2008) were elected. And following them, the conservatives came back into power with Presidents Lee Myung-bak (2008-2013) and Park. After Park was impeached before finishing her five-year term over various charges including corruption, the liberal bloc succeeded in changing the party of the leadership in power with the election of President Moon Jae-in. The level of attention is particularly high because foreign and economic policies will take different directions depending on which bloc takes the helm. The two candidates are taking contrasting stances on how to distribute wealth and promote economic growth, as well as how to build relations with key allies, including the United States and China. Bae Jong-chan, an opinion poll expert and head of Insight K, said Lee of the DPK, if elected, will place economic policy priority on resolving polarization and strengthening social welfare systems. "Lee has consistently called for a universal basic income. He is currently taking a rather soft position on the matter, saying he would not unilaterally push for the basic income policy without social consensus. But it is likely that he would put a stronger drive into introducing a basic income once elected," Bae said. In contrast, Bae said that Yoon would shift the focus of economic policies to encouraging entrepreneurial growth over wealth distribution, introducing more company-friendly policies by easing regulations and offering tax incentives. Bae also expected a clear distinction between the rival candidates in their policy directions in diplomatic and security issues. "If Yoon is elected, he would emphasize the principle that denuclearization should come first before inter-Korean cooperation, whereas Lee would continue the engagement policies pursued by the Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in governments," Bae said. Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea, poses at the party headquarters in Seoul's Yeouido, ahead of a joint interview with The Korea Times, Reuters and the South China Morning Post, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul "For other neighboring countries, Lee would try to strike a balance between China and the U.S. amid their growing rivalry, but it would be hard to expect that bilateral relations between South Korea and Japan could improve under Lee's leadership, as he is focused on the historical issues between the countries," Bae said. Seoul-Tokyo relations have deteriorated over historical issues including wartime sex slavery and forced labor. "For Yoon, it is obvious that he would be committed to strengthening the South Korea-U.S. alliance and improving relations with Japan, considering the figures selected as members of his election camp," he said. Cha Jae-won, a professor of special affairs at the Catholic University of Pusan, said conflicts among the different parties in terms of domestic policies and diplomacy with neighboring countries are expected if either Lee or Yoon is elected. Cha said that Lee's "pragmatic" stance on the government's planned increase of capital gains taxes on multiple home owners, for example, could bring a backlash from supporters of the liberal bloc. Aiming to gain the support of swing voters or centrists, Lee has suggested postponing the timing of the tax increase. But his proposal faced opposition from the incumbent administration, which is focused on normalizing the country's overheated housing market. "In addition, if Lee wins the presidential election, it is likely that the DPK could also win the subsequent local elections slated for June 1 to select leaders of local governments across the nation. When the DPK already has a supermajority in the National Assembly, accounting for almost 60 percent of the 300 seats, such a monopoly in politics would threaten the democratic principle of checks and balances. Concerns are that Lee could abandon his pragmatic stance to meet the expectations of the liberal bloc supporters only," Cha said. Cha also expects that Lee, if elected, could tip the balance of diplomacy in favor of China by engaging North Korea and promoting cooperation with Beijing, while distancing from the U.S. Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of the main opposition conservative People Power Party, speaks during an inauguration ceremony of the regional branch of his election camp in Daegu, at the party's regional office in the city, Thursday. Yonhap Area students head back to school next week following the two-week winter break and amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. Albemarle County schools superintendent Matt Haas wrote in a message to families that the division will operate normally Jan. 4, when classes resume, with all of the protective measures that have been in place for the school year so far. That means, students and staff members will be required to wear masks and a 10-day quarantine for those who test positive, among other tactics. Students and staff members in the Albemarle and Charlottesville school divisions are required to complete a daily health screening for symptoms and encouraged to stay home if they dont feel well. Haas said that the school systems decision is based on guidance for the Blue Ridge Health District. He also pointed to a new state law adopted earlier this year that requires schools to provide in-person instruction. If you have any questions or concerns about anyone in your household going back to in-person school, your school administrators will be happy to work with you to determine the most appropriate next steps for you and your family, Haas wrote. The health of our students, employees, families and community is our top priority, and we will continue to do everything we can to protect it. Since Christmas, the Blue Ridge Health District has reported more than 1,500 new cases, bringing the total for December 2021 to 3,573 the highest of any month of the pandemic. The seven-day average of new cases is up to 221.2. So far, about 15% of COVID tests over the last seven days have been positive, a higher than usual positivity rate. The spike in cases is likely the result of an increase in testing around the holidays, more holiday-related gatherings along with the more transmissible delta and omicron variants, officials have said. The post-holiday winter surge in early 2021 pushed several school divisions in Central Virginia back to all-online classes. The health districts winter surge peaked at 149 new cases over a seven-day period. The current surge in cases hit as schools began winter break, and districts across the country are readying for the return of students and employees. Washington D.C. Public Schools recently announced that it will require a negative COVID-19 test before students and employees can return to school. Charlottesville schools Superintendent Royal Gurley Jr. said in a message to families Thursday that in-person classes would resume Jan. 4 as well and acknowledged that the case levels are troubling. We are committed to following the guidance of health experts for practices such as masking, hand-washing, testing, and more, he wrote. One of their recommendations is to keep students in school. If we all do our part, we can do this safely. Charlottesville students and staff members can receive a free COVID test next week at school if they sign up by Sunday evening. The division has partnered with the state to provide the free tests, which began in early November. For more information, go to charlottesvilleschools.org/COVID-testing. Gurley said existing measures such as encouraging vaccination and boosters, limiting gatherings and eating lunch outside when possible remain in place. The bottom line is that working closely with the BRHD, we are staying the course to continue our many COVID safety strategies, including our testing programs, Gurley wrote. Gurley added that almost all of the positive cases in schools were transmitted outside of school or school programs. At the recommendation of the Blue Ridge Health District, neither school system is planning a change to the existing protocols for quarantine and isolation despite changing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce the time frame for quarantine and isolation from 10 days to five. BRHD said in an update Thursday that the majority of COVID-19 transmission takes place earlier after infection in the first few days before symptoms appear and about two to three days after. However, individuals who have tested positive can still be contagious up to 10 days after the beginning of symptoms or since the positive test. The CDC released these guidelines prior to publication of supporting evidence or full explanation of how they would be implemented in all situations such as schools and daycare centers, BRHD officials wrote. Many of our children are not yet vaccinated and younger children may have difficulty complying with the very strict mask requirements. In addition to questions about implementation, we are seeing our highest rates of COVID infection since the pandemic began. Citing those factors and the goal of keeping students in school, BRHD said it recommended schools and daycares stick with their current protocols. The health district will host a virtual town hall 7 p.m. Jan. 4 to discuss the new guidelines. A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. Area students head back to school next week following the two-week winter break and amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. Albemarle County schools superintendent Matt Haas wrote in a message to families that the division will operate normally Jan. 4, when classes resume, with all of the protective measures that have been in place for the school year so far. That means, students and staff members will be required to wear masks and a 10-day quarantine for those who test positive, among other tactics. Students and staff members in the Albemarle and Charlottesville school divisions are required to complete a daily health screening for symptoms and encouraged to stay home if they dont feel well. Haas said that the school systems decision is based on guidance for the Blue Ridge Health District. He also pointed to a new state law adopted earlier this year that requires schools to provide in-person instruction. If you have any questions or concerns about anyone in your household going back to in-person school, your school administrators will be happy to work with you to determine the most appropriate next steps for you and your family, Haas wrote. The health of our students, employees, families and community is our top priority, and we will continue to do everything we can to protect it. Since Christmas, the Blue Ridge Health District has reported more than 1,500 new cases, bringing the total for December 2021 to 3,573 the highest of any month of the pandemic. The seven-day average of new cases is up to 221.2. So far, about 15% of COVID tests over the last seven days have been positive, a higher than usual positivity rate. The spike in cases is likely the result of an increase in testing around the holidays, more holiday-related gatherings along with the more transmissible delta and omicron variants, officials have said. The post-holiday winter surge in early 2021 pushed several school divisions in Central Virginia back to all-online classes. The health districts winter surge peaked at 149 new cases over a seven-day period. The current surge in cases hit as schools began winter break, and districts across the country are readying for the return of students and employees. Washington D.C. Public Schools recently announced that it will require a negative COVID-19 test before students and employees can return to school. Charlottesville schools Superintendent Royal Gurley Jr. said in a message to families Thursday that in-person classes would resume Jan. 4 as well and acknowledged that the case levels are troubling. We are committed to following the guidance of health experts for practices such as masking, hand-washing, testing, and more, he wrote. One of their recommendations is to keep students in school. If we all do our part, we can do this safely. Charlottesville students and staff members can receive a free COVID test next week at school if they sign up by Sunday evening. The division has partnered with the state to provide the free tests, which began in early November. For more information, go to charlottesvilleschools.org/COVID-testing. Gurley said existing measures such as encouraging vaccination and boosters, limiting gatherings and eating lunch outside when possible remain in place. The bottom line is that working closely with the BRHD, we are staying the course to continue our many COVID safety strategies, including our testing programs, Gurley wrote. Gurley added that almost all of the positive cases in schools were transmitted outside of school or school programs. At the recommendation of the Blue Ridge Health District, neither school system is planning a change to the existing protocols for quarantine and isolation despite changing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce the time frame for quarantine and isolation from 10 days to five. BRHD said in an update Thursday that the majority of COVID-19 transmission takes place earlier after infection in the first few days before symptoms appear and about two to three days after. However, individuals who have tested positive can still be contagious up to 10 days after the beginning of symptoms or since the positive test. The CDC released these guidelines prior to publication of supporting evidence or full explanation of how they would be implemented in all situations such as schools and daycare centers, BRHD officials wrote. Many of our children are not yet vaccinated and younger children may have difficulty complying with the very strict mask requirements. In addition to questions about implementation, we are seeing our highest rates of COVID infection since the pandemic began. Citing those factors and the goal of keeping students in school, BRHD said it recommended schools and daycares stick with their current protocols. The health district will host a virtual town hall 7 p.m. Jan. 4 to discuss the new guidelines. Area students head back to school next week following the two-week winter break and amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. Albemarle County schools superintendent Matt Haas wrote in a message to families that the division will operate normally Jan. 4, when classes resume, with all of the protective measures that have been in place for the school year so far. That means, students and staff members will be required to wear masks and a 10-day quarantine for those who test positive, among other tactics. Students and staff members in the Albemarle and Charlottesville school divisions are required to complete a daily health screening for symptoms and encouraged to stay home if they dont feel well. Haas said that the school systems decision is based on guidance for the Blue Ridge Health District. He also pointed to a new state law adopted earlier this year that requires schools to provide in-person instruction. If you have any questions or concerns about anyone in your household going back to in-person school, your school administrators will be happy to work with you to determine the most appropriate next steps for you and your family, Haas wrote. The health of our students, employees, families and community is our top priority, and we will continue to do everything we can to protect it. Since Christmas, the Blue Ridge Health District has reported more than 1,500 new cases, bringing the total for December 2021 to 3,573 the highest of any month of the pandemic. The seven-day average of new cases is up to 221.2. So far, about 15% of COVID tests over the last seven days have been positive, a higher than usual positivity rate. The spike in cases is likely the result of an increase in testing around the holidays, more holiday-related gatherings along with the more transmissible delta and omicron variants, officials have said. The post-holiday winter surge in early 2021 pushed several school divisions in Central Virginia back to all-online classes. The health districts winter surge peaked at 149 new cases over a seven-day period. The current surge in cases hit as schools began winter break, and districts across the country are readying for the return of students and employees. Washington D.C. Public Schools recently announced that it will require a negative COVID-19 test before students and employees can return to school. Charlottesville schools Superintendent Royal Gurley Jr. said in a message to families Thursday that in-person classes would resume Jan. 4 as well and acknowledged that the case levels are troubling. We are committed to following the guidance of health experts for practices such as masking, hand-washing, testing, and more, he wrote. One of their recommendations is to keep students in school. If we all do our part, we can do this safely. Charlottesville students and staff members can receive a free COVID test next week at school if they sign up by Sunday evening. The division has partnered with the state to provide the free tests, which began in early November. For more information, go to charlottesvilleschools.org/COVID-testing. Gurley said existing measures such as encouraging vaccination and boosters, limiting gatherings and eating lunch outside when possible remain in place. The bottom line is that working closely with the BRHD, we are staying the course to continue our many COVID safety strategies, including our testing programs, Gurley wrote. Gurley added that almost all of the positive cases in schools were transmitted outside of school or school programs. At the recommendation of the Blue Ridge Health District, neither school system is planning a change to the existing protocols for quarantine and isolation despite changing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce the time frame for quarantine and isolation from 10 days to five. BRHD said in an update Thursday that the majority of COVID-19 transmission takes place earlier after infection in the first few days before symptoms appear and about two to three days after. However, individuals who have tested positive can still be contagious up to 10 days after the beginning of symptoms or since the positive test. The CDC released these guidelines prior to publication of supporting evidence or full explanation of how they would be implemented in all situations such as schools and daycare centers, BRHD officials wrote. Many of our children are not yet vaccinated and younger children may have difficulty complying with the very strict mask requirements. In addition to questions about implementation, we are seeing our highest rates of COVID infection since the pandemic began. Citing those factors and the goal of keeping students in school, BRHD said it recommended schools and daycares stick with their current protocols. The health district will host a virtual town hall 7 p.m. Jan. 4 to discuss the new guidelines. A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. A distinguished public health professional, a legislator who would serve as the first president of South Carolina State University, and a family of community servants with strong ties to Claflin University are among those featured in the 2022 African American History Calendar. Dr. Saundra Glover, a native of Orangeburg Countys Four Holes Community, is one of 14 people honored in the 2022 South Carolina Department of Education African-American History Calendar sponsored by AT&T and other community partners, including Dominion Energy, South Carolina ETV, the University of South Carolina and WIS-TV. Glover has championed public health practice and health equity initiatives for more than 30 years. She is currently a distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. The Gaither family of Fairfield County included the late couple Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither, and their five children, all of whom made distinguished contributions in a variety of areas, including art, education, disability rights and the civil rights movement. Three of the five children attended what is now Claflin University. Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born in 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C., near present-day Ridgeland. Raised by freed slaves, Miller and his family moved to Charleston in 1851. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1872, when he returned to South Carolina and became school commissioner of Beaufort County. Miller would later study law at the recently integrated USC before returning to Beaufort to set up his law practice. He was eventually elected to the S.C. General Assembly, where he served in the House of Representatives until 1880, when he began serving in the state Senate. He returned to the House in 1877 and served on the Republican State Executive Committee from 1878 to 1880. Miller was state party chairman in 1884. He also served for a few months in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 in the seat formerly occupied by Black representative and Civil War hero Robert Smalls. It was after leaving Congress that Miller remained active in politics, including serving as a member of the 1895 Constitutional Convention. He helped established what is now South Carolina State University in 1896 and served as its first president until 1911. Miller was married to Anne Hume and was the father of nine children. He passed away in 1938 in Charleston. The calendar, which is in its 33rd year, was unveiled at a formal ceremony held Oct. 6 at the Koger Center in Columbia. It annually honors individuals who have made significant contributions to South Carolina and their professions, and who serve as role models to the students and citizens of the Palmetto state. Glover and Edmund Barry Gaither, one of the five Gaither siblings, both said it is their and their familys passion for serving others that has helped them receive their blessings in life. I feel that Ive been called to serve Glover said she was humbled and honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar. I havent done the work that Ive done over the years to receive recognition. Ive done it because I feel that Ive been called to serve mankind and my community, she said. Referencing the biblical scripture of Colossians 3:23-24, she continued, I know that I will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. So thats what I work toward. I work toward eternal reward, not earthly reward. Glover, who served as the Arnold Schools first associate dean for health disparities and social justice, was also the first tenured African-American faculty member in the schools history and the first to be promoted to full professor. She directed the Arnold Schools Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities with a research portfolio that grew to $35 million under her leadership. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she established a Center of Excellence in Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Research focused on reducing health disparities in cancer and HIV/AIDS with Claflin University. Glover also led a multiyear award from the Department of Defense to address health disparities in the military. She considered her work lifelong work to eliminate health disparities and move us toward health equity in our communities. That was work from the heart. It continues. The need is still there. We still press to close those gaps. It was humbling for them to call me and to honor me in this way. I dont take it lightly at all, Glover said, referring to her placement in the calendar. I know theres so many more worthy of that recognition, so many unsung heroes that dont get on the calendar. So I acknowledge the work thats been done before me, alongside me, and the work that will continue going forward, she said. U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Glover as the state director for (USDA) Rural Development in South Carolina in October 2021. Rural Development is one of the agencies for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. My role as state director is to make sure that the programs and benefits that come under Rural Development are applied in an equitable way to all rural residents of South Carolina, Glover said. She continued, We have housing, we have water, we have rural business. Its about really transforming rural communities in a way that we have affordable housing and good-paying jobs that will attract and retain our residents. Glover said her rural background will serve her well in her new role. I grew up in a rural community. So my heart is rural, I am rural. This role allows me to take all that experience working with communities and my banking experience to try to lift those communities and make sure that they know about those programs and benefits and how to access them. Then we can make sure that those resources are expanded across the state of South Carolina in all rural communities, she said. Glover continues her community work, including partnering with the nonprofit Hold Out the Lifeline to address health disparities. I just kind of did quick digital pivot to work with Hold Out the Lifetime through virtual meetings and calls to inform our communities about COVID-19, to address the issues around vaccine hesitancy and then tie it to the health disparities, Glover said She continued, What we were seeing were the same health disparities with underlying conditions that were leading to more people of color being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Glover said her lifes journey had sort of come full circle with her most recent appointment in October. I started out in banking, went to academia for 30 years and meshed that with community engagement around health disparities. This appointment really just brings all that together in a culminating role. So its just amazing how the journey plays out. Were really not in control over it, we just have to be obedient, she said. A summa cum laude graduate of the School of Business at South Carolina State University, Glover received her master of business administration and doctorate degrees from USC. She and her husband, the Rev. Samuel B. Glover, are the parents of three children and the grandparents of four. My parents were extraordinary people Walter and Fannie Mae Gaither were not born with silver spoons in their mouths, but they had golden dreams for themselves and their five children, including Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth, Glenda Jean, Edmund Barry and Diane. Barry Gaither said his parents were special, hard-working people who wanted the best for their children. "I think that my parents were extraordinary people who made certain commitments to themselves and carried them forward. We were beneficiaries even though for much of the time we didn't really know it, he said. Gaither continued, My parents met at junior college and neither came from wealth or privilege. There was a mill family on one side and farmers on the other, but they were persuaded that hard work and education were roots that could take you beyond." His parents met at Rock Hills Friendship Junior College. After graduating, they married and started their family. Fannie Mae became a teacher, steering generations of students through eighth grade until the mid-1950s, when many Black teachers were fired following the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. Walter earned a bachelors degree from Benedict College and became a brick and tile mason. The Gaithers were active in educational, fraternal and church matters, especially at Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church. Gaither said his parents were determined that their children received a good education. "They were determined to see each of us through at least a first degree and to support us in every way possible. So at the beginning, my mother was a teacher. In fact, my older siblings went through the first eight grades under my mother, and I went through my first five or six under her, he said. He continued, "We were at school whether we were at school or at home, and we were attending a school built by my home church, Pleasant Grove AME Zion Church, at a moment when white students had real schools built by the state for them. There were a lot of the evidences of the South that we lived in around us, but there was also love, family, communion and a positive outlook on the world. Gaither and his siblings have each made their own contributions to society, with three -- Thomas Walter, Herman Kenneth and Diane -- having graduated from what was then Claflin College. Thomas Walter was a leader in the Friendship Nine civil rights student movement in Rock Hill and an organizer of the 1961 Freedom Riders. He retired as a professor of mycology at Slippery Rock University in the Pennsylvania University System. Herman Kenneth retired as superintendent of Beaufort County Public Schools after having previously served Beaufort schools as a teacher and as chief fiscal officer. He is an education consultant and has been an important member of the Claflin College Board of Trustees. Glenda Jean was a Freedom Rider and retired as a librarian in the Atlanta public schools system. She continues to reside in Atlanta, where she and her husband raised their family, and is also the author of a published book of poems. Thomas, Herman, and Glenda all completed their elementary education in a one-teacher school under their mother. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Diane Gaither Thompson retired as program manager for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled in Ohio. Barry is a Morehouse College graduate who retired from Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. He remains the director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Maryland. It was at Claflin where he as a teen met the late art professor Arthur Rose Sr., who has an art museum established in his name at the university. "By chance, my work has been in the visual arts for my whole career, but the very first actual living African-American artist I met with was Arthur Rose, who taught at Claflin. I met him before I traveled all beyond the parochial world of the outlying county. He introduced me to visual arts as an enterprise and fulfilling pursuit," Barry said. "So Orangeburg has its own little special places in my heart. He said it all began, however, with his beloved parents, who had a vision for their children. We were, of course, the beneficiaries of this great energy and vision on my mother's and father's part. Until we actually started to make our own way in the world, we didn't fully appreciate how considerable was his commitment in seeing us move forward in the world, Barry said. "I think that we were a fine inspiration in our own little community, and that mattered. I think that ideas of respectability and self-application and those kinds of values were very much the emphasis. I think all five of us were the beneficiaries of all that, he said. The 2022 African-American History Calendar is available online at https://scafricanamerican.com/, where members of the public can either download the calendar electronically or submit orders for hard copies. More information about previous calendar editions, including biographies of past honorees and resources for educators, is also found on the website. Mapping a better future Editor, Times-Dispatch: When the Supreme Court of Virginia declined to issue redistricting maps for the commonwealths congressional and state legislative districts before Christmas, some Virginians heaved sighs of relief. Such relief was short-lived, however, as new redistricting maps were recently distributed. The court dutifully assumed the constitutionally assigned responsibility for preparing maps once the Virginia Redistricting Commission (authorized by a recent amendment to the Constitution of Virginia) deadlocked. On Nov. 19, the Virginia Supreme Court expeditiously appointed one Democratic and one Republican special master to draw the maps within 30 days a deadline satisfied by Dec. 7. No one was surprised when the justices rang in the new year by delivering final redistricting maps. An independent, nonpartisan commission comprised of Virginia citizens, senators and delegates taking on decennial redistricting constitutes the first real attempt to ascertain whether a new approach could prove more effective than General Assembly redistricting or whether the 2021 endeavor was simply a structurally flawed experiment. Carl Tobias. Mapping a better future Editor, Times-Dispatch: When the Supreme Court of Virginia declined to issue redistricting maps for the commonwealths congressional and state legislative districts before Christmas, some Virginians heaved sighs of relief. Such relief was short-lived, however, as new redistricting maps were recently distributed. The court dutifully assumed the constitutionally assigned responsibility for preparing maps once the Virginia Redistricting Commission (authorized by a recent amendment to the Constitution of Virginia) deadlocked. On Nov. 19, the Virginia Supreme Court expeditiously appointed one Democratic and one Republican special master to draw the maps within 30 days a deadline satisfied by Dec. 7. No one was surprised when the justices rang in the new year by delivering final redistricting maps. An independent, nonpartisan commission comprised of Virginia citizens, senators and delegates taking on decennial redistricting constitutes the first real attempt to ascertain whether a new approach could prove more effective than General Assembly redistricting or whether the 2021 endeavor was simply a structurally flawed experiment. Carl Tobias. 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. Rochelle Wilcox, owner of three child care centers in New Orleans, has been receiving 10 to 15 phone calls nearly every day for each school fr Graphic by Cho Sang-won No matter who wins, 2022 will be turning point for Korea By Jung Da-min The year 2022 is expected to be a watershed period for Korea, with the major political event of the presidential election slated for March 9. Frustrated with the deepening polarization and division of the country, most Koreans, regardless of age, social status or political background, expect to see a major turnaround following the upcoming election. Though the presidential competition is mainly a race between the rival candidates of the country's two-major parties Lee Jae-myung of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) all eyes are on whether the ruling liberal bloc will manage to retain power or if the conservative bloc will succeed in bringing a leadership change. No matter who wins in the March election, Korea is expected to enter a new era. If elected, Lee is highly likely to expedite reforms that the Moon Jae-in administration has been pushing for and steer the country toward what he calls a "fair society." If Yoon wins, he will try to reshape the Korean political and economic landscape by changing things fundamentally and eventually turning the nation further into a market principle-centered society. From 1987, when a direct presidential election system went into effect in Korea, until the right-wing Park Geun-hye government (2013-2017), conservative and liberal administrations had taken power in turn in a 10-year cycle. Conservative presidents reigned from Roh Tae-woo (1988-1993) to the Kim Young-sam (1993-1998) period. Next, liberal presidents Kim Dae-jung (1998-2003) and Roh Moo-hyun (2003-2008) were elected. And following them, the conservatives came back into power with Presidents Lee Myung-bak (2008-2013) and Park. After Park was impeached before finishing her five-year term over various charges including corruption, the liberal bloc succeeded in changing the party of the leadership in power with the election of President Moon Jae-in. The level of attention is particularly high because foreign and economic policies will take different directions depending on which bloc takes the helm. The two candidates are taking contrasting stances on how to distribute wealth and promote economic growth, as well as how to build relations with key allies, including the United States and China. Bae Jong-chan, an opinion poll expert and head of Insight K, said Lee of the DPK, if elected, will place economic policy priority on resolving polarization and strengthening social welfare systems. "Lee has consistently called for a universal basic income. He is currently taking a rather soft position on the matter, saying he would not unilaterally push for the basic income policy without social consensus. But it is likely that he would put a stronger drive into introducing a basic income once elected," Bae said. In contrast, Bae said that Yoon would shift the focus of economic policies to encouraging entrepreneurial growth over wealth distribution, introducing more company-friendly policies by easing regulations and offering tax incentives. Bae also expected a clear distinction between the rival candidates in their policy directions in diplomatic and security issues. "If Yoon is elected, he would emphasize the principle that denuclearization should come first before inter-Korean cooperation, whereas Lee would continue the engagement policies pursued by the Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in governments," Bae said. Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea, poses at the party headquarters in Seoul's Yeouido, ahead of a joint interview with The Korea Times, Reuters and the South China Morning Post, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul "For other neighboring countries, Lee would try to strike a balance between China and the U.S. amid their growing rivalry, but it would be hard to expect that bilateral relations between South Korea and Japan could improve under Lee's leadership, as he is focused on the historical issues between the countries," Bae said. Seoul-Tokyo relations have deteriorated over historical issues including wartime sex slavery and forced labor. "For Yoon, it is obvious that he would be committed to strengthening the South Korea-U.S. alliance and improving relations with Japan, considering the figures selected as members of his election camp," he said. Cha Jae-won, a professor of special affairs at the Catholic University of Pusan, said conflicts among the different parties in terms of domestic policies and diplomacy with neighboring countries are expected if either Lee or Yoon is elected. Cha said that Lee's "pragmatic" stance on the government's planned increase of capital gains taxes on multiple home owners, for example, could bring a backlash from supporters of the liberal bloc. Aiming to gain the support of swing voters or centrists, Lee has suggested postponing the timing of the tax increase. But his proposal faced opposition from the incumbent administration, which is focused on normalizing the country's overheated housing market. "In addition, if Lee wins the presidential election, it is likely that the DPK could also win the subsequent local elections slated for June 1 to select leaders of local governments across the nation. When the DPK already has a supermajority in the National Assembly, accounting for almost 60 percent of the 300 seats, such a monopoly in politics would threaten the democratic principle of checks and balances. Concerns are that Lee could abandon his pragmatic stance to meet the expectations of the liberal bloc supporters only," Cha said. Cha also expects that Lee, if elected, could tip the balance of diplomacy in favor of China by engaging North Korea and promoting cooperation with Beijing, while distancing from the U.S. Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of the main opposition conservative People Power Party, speaks during an inauguration ceremony of the regional branch of his election camp in Daegu, at the party's regional office in the city, Thursday. Yonhap Ministers have rejected calls to reduce the isolation period for Covid sufferers from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious. Business leaders and some Tory MPs had urged Ministers to follow the lead of other countries, including the US and Greece, by cutting self-isolation for those showing no symptoms to five days. But a Government source told The Mail on Sunday that, while the option was discussed, it was rejected because so many people could still go on to infect others if released from self-isolation that early. Lateral flow tests have been ring-fenced for schools so they can open safely next week Commuters face significant disruption because of large numbers of train and bus workers forced to self-isolate leading to cancelled services Isolation is also causing problems in hospitals with NHS staff forced to remain at home It comes amid growing concern that lengthy self-isolation is harming vital services and the economy and with a growing row over the lack of access to lateral flow tests (LFTs). As millions prepared to return to work after the festive break, Labour accused the Government of failing to order sufficient numbers of LFTs, which are increasingly seen as essential to keep the country moving while minimising the threat from Omicron. Ministers insist hundreds of millions more LFTs will soon be available. Just before Christmas, self-isolation was reduced from ten to seven days as long as the individual is negative for Covid on two LFTs the first on day six and the second on day seven. Asked about the proposal for a further cut to five days, the Government source said: The data we have is that almost one in three people could still be infectious five days after testing positive with Omicron. It isnt thought it would be safe to cut self-isolation that far. The decision differs from that taken in the US where the influential Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the move to halve self-isolation from ten to five days would ensure people can safely continue their daily lives. To re-enter everyday life after five days, Americans must be symptom-free and wear a mask around others for a further five days. In Greece, Health Minister Thanos Plevris indicated that Omicrons relative mildness compared with previous variants lay behind its decision to cut the period of self-isolation. The evidence we have from Omicron is encouraging, he said. Rather than solely rely on being symptom-free after five days, the UK Government could in theory require people to have two negative LFT results but move them forward to days four and five. The system is, however, self-policing and people who test negative on LFTs can still be infectious, as they are less sensitive than the gold-standard PCR tests. Another consideration would be the current poor availability of LFTs, with many pharmacies out of stock due to soaring demand. Last night, Labours health spokesman Wes Streeting said Health Secretary Sajid Javid needed to pull his finger out to ensure people had access to the tests. He added: Given how critical testing is going to be over the course of the coming months, the Government really does need to get an immediate grip on this. Testing is going to be vital to keep people working and keeping children at school. If families cant do that, because Ministers havent got their act together, they will have a lot to answer for. Around one million LFTs are being taken every day, twice as many as PCRs. When Omicron emerged in early December, health officials were adamant there would be enough supplies to meet higher demand. Mr Streeting said: The Health Secretary said before Christmas the challenge was distribution not supply, and there were plentiful stocks of tests in warehouses. But I think its more likely the Government has simply underestimated demand, hasnt ordered enough tests, and doesnt want to fess up about it. Ministers insist hundreds of millions of tests will soon be available and Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi says tests have been ringfenced for schools to ensure they can reopen safely this week. With Britain returning to work this week, commuters are also worried that Covid-related staff shortages will bring misery on trains. More than 20 rail companies have already reduced services or plan to do so as a result of Covid infections and self-isolation rules. Its been a two-year journey for Melissa Carter and Miranda Kwok to see The Cleaning Lady go from idea to filming. As the series goes from page to screen beginning Monday, Jan. 3, the pair are excited to have the world see the final product. What excited me about the show is that I wanted to do a female Breaking Bad type story, but have the point of view from an undocumented person, says Kwok, who is also the creator and writer. To tell a more timely story as to what is going on today. I wanted to layer in a lot of issues through the story. The Cleaning Lady follows the story of Cambodian doctor, Thony, played by Elodie Yung, who comes to the United States for a medical treatment to save her ailing son Luca. With her son diagnosed with a life-threatening immunodeficiency disorder and her husband, Marco, played by Ivan Shaw, struggling with a gambling addiction and unable to get a visa, Thony is left to save the boy on her own. Where she once had it all a successful career as a doctor, loving husband and family, Thony is now in Las Vegas, Nevada, with her sister-in-law, Fiona, played by Martha Millan, waiting for a matching bone marrow donor for Luca, while struggling to make ends meet as an undocumented worker. When the system fails and pushes her into hiding, she refuses to be beaten down and marginalized. Instead, through an unexpected run-in with a lieutenant of a powerful crime syndicate, Arman Morales, played by Adan Canto, she becomes a cleaning lady for their operation. Crossing into a world of moral grays, Thony begins to live a double life, keeping secrets from her family, while cleaning crime scenes for Arman and dodging the law, including the smooth-talking FBI Agent Garrett Miller, played by Oliver Hudson, who is in pursuit. Using her cunning and intelligence to forge her own path in the criminal underworld, Thony does what is necessary to save Luca even if it means sacrificing her own soul in the process. The series premieres at 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 3, on Fox. The series is based on the original Argentine series. Carter, the showrunner, was drawn to the production because its an ensemble piece. You have female empowerment, Carter says. Different types of families and backgrounds are shown. Cambodian, Filipino, Armenian and Mexican. Its a great mix. Kwok says Thony isnt choosing this life. Her circumstances are forcing her down this path, Kwok says. Shes doing all the wrong things for the right reasons. Its about a mother struggling to keep her son alive. Carter says the series allows viewers to think about what circumstances would push one over the edge. Weve all done jobs that arent glamorous, Carter says. Thony and Fiona are undocumented workers and the series allows us to see what its like to walk in their shoes. Its very relatable. They are doing a job just to pay the bills. Kwok wanted to get across the point of compassion. Were all people, she says. Thats what the series is about. The series filmed mostly in New Mexico, with the exception of a few production days in Las Vegas, Nevada. Prior to the series, neither Carter or Kwok had been to New Mexico and they both fell in love with the area. After the production got the green light from Fox, Carter began looking for locations. Somehow, Albuquerque wasnt on the list. We were really fighting for it to be in Los Angeles or Santa Clarita, (California), Carter says. Once we visited Albuquerque, we saw it could completely be done. From the high end to the rest of it, (Albuquerque) did look like the suburbs. We found amazing locations and amazing crews. Its a bounty of riches. Kwok says the cast and crew felt like family throughout filming. Theres a lot of passion and support for this project, Kwok says. Not only did we have a wonderful of talent, the crew brought their A game. Carter didnt realize how much of a production boomtown Albuquerque is. During her time filming, she made the leap and purchased a home in the city. So many people have moved to work on productions in New Mexico, Carter says. I bought a house there in Nob Hill and I think the show is going to come back. Im trying to talk my husband into retiring there. According to the New Mexico Film Office, the production filmed from August through November in Albuquerque and surrounding areas. It employed about 200 New Mexico crew members, six New Mexico principal actors, and over 1,800 New Mexico background actors and extras. The production filmed during the pandemic, as vaccines were starting to roll out. Carter says the New Mexico Film Office had already put guidelines into place. In Albuquerque, we felt safe because everyone was wearing a mask, Carter says. For the pilot, we were wearing masks and shields. We had the full COVID protocol down the entire production. ON TV The premiere of The Cleaning Lady will air at 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 3, on Fox. The production filmed in New Mexico. Its been a two-year journey for Melissa Carter and Miranda Kwok to see The Cleaning Lady go from idea to filming. As the series goes from page to screen beginning Monday, Jan. 3, the pair are excited to have the world see the final product. What excited me about the show is that I wanted to do a female Breaking Bad type story, but have the point of view from an undocumented person, says Kwok, who is also the creator and writer. To tell a more timely story as to what is going on today. I wanted to layer in a lot of issues through the story. The Cleaning Lady follows the story of Cambodian doctor, Thony, played by Elodie Yung, who comes to the United States for a medical treatment to save her ailing son Luca. With her son diagnosed with a life-threatening immunodeficiency disorder and her husband, Marco, played by Ivan Shaw, struggling with a gambling addiction and unable to get a visa, Thony is left to save the boy on her own. Where she once had it all a successful career as a doctor, loving husband and family, Thony is now in Las Vegas, Nevada, with her sister-in-law, Fiona, played by Martha Millan, waiting for a matching bone marrow donor for Luca, while struggling to make ends meet as an undocumented worker. When the system fails and pushes her into hiding, she refuses to be beaten down and marginalized. Instead, through an unexpected run-in with a lieutenant of a powerful crime syndicate, Arman Morales, played by Adan Canto, she becomes a cleaning lady for their operation. Crossing into a world of moral grays, Thony begins to live a double life, keeping secrets from her family, while cleaning crime scenes for Arman and dodging the law, including the smooth-talking FBI Agent Garrett Miller, played by Oliver Hudson, who is in pursuit. Using her cunning and intelligence to forge her own path in the criminal underworld, Thony does what is necessary to save Luca even if it means sacrificing her own soul in the process. The series premieres at 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 3, on Fox. The series is based on the original Argentine series. Carter, the showrunner, was drawn to the production because its an ensemble piece. You have female empowerment, Carter says. Different types of families and backgrounds are shown. Cambodian, Filipino, Armenian and Mexican. Its a great mix. Kwok says Thony isnt choosing this life. Her circumstances are forcing her down this path, Kwok says. Shes doing all the wrong things for the right reasons. Its about a mother struggling to keep her son alive. Carter says the series allows viewers to think about what circumstances would push one over the edge. Weve all done jobs that arent glamorous, Carter says. Thony and Fiona are undocumented workers and the series allows us to see what its like to walk in their shoes. Its very relatable. They are doing a job just to pay the bills. Kwok wanted to get across the point of compassion. Were all people, she says. Thats what the series is about. The series filmed mostly in New Mexico, with the exception of a few production days in Las Vegas, Nevada. Prior to the series, neither Carter or Kwok had been to New Mexico and they both fell in love with the area. After the production got the green light from Fox, Carter began looking for locations. Somehow, Albuquerque wasnt on the list. We were really fighting for it to be in Los Angeles or Santa Clarita, (California), Carter says. Once we visited Albuquerque, we saw it could completely be done. From the high end to the rest of it, (Albuquerque) did look like the suburbs. We found amazing locations and amazing crews. Its a bounty of riches. Kwok says the cast and crew felt like family throughout filming. Theres a lot of passion and support for this project, Kwok says. Not only did we have a wonderful of talent, the crew brought their A game. Carter didnt realize how much of a production boomtown Albuquerque is. During her time filming, she made the leap and purchased a home in the city. So many people have moved to work on productions in New Mexico, Carter says. I bought a house there in Nob Hill and I think the show is going to come back. Im trying to talk my husband into retiring there. According to the New Mexico Film Office, the production filmed from August through November in Albuquerque and surrounding areas. It employed about 200 New Mexico crew members, six New Mexico principal actors, and over 1,800 New Mexico background actors and extras. The production filmed during the pandemic, as vaccines were starting to roll out. Carter says the New Mexico Film Office had already put guidelines into place. In Albuquerque, we felt safe because everyone was wearing a mask, Carter says. For the pilot, we were wearing masks and shields. We had the full COVID protocol down the entire production. ON TV The premiere of The Cleaning Lady will air at 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 3, on Fox. The production filmed in New Mexico. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Bankers are set for a New Year bonus bonanza after raking in record fees over the last year. Financiers who worked on lucrative mergers and acquisitions (M&A), including big names at the likes of Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and Barclays, are in line for huge sums of money following the deal-making boom. In the UK alone, M&A advisers pocketed 2.7billion, according to data from Refinitiv, the most since records began at the turn of the millennium. It is thought that the surge in income could pump up investment banks' total bonus pools by as much as 20 per cent. City slickers: Financiers who worked on lucrative mergers and acquisitions are in line for huge sums of money following the deal-making boom And the rewards offered to M&A departments may climb by 50 per cent, experts have predicted, with the top staff set to pocket tens of millions of pounds. In a sign of windfalls to come: JP Morgan is weighing up a hike of 40 per cent for investment bankers' bonuses; Goldman Sachs has pencilled in a rise of up to 50 per cent; Barclays is thought to be lifting investment bank bonuses by more than 25 per cent; Some staff at Royal Bank of Canada have reported rises of up to 50 per cent. Among those cashing in will be some of the best-known bankers in London. Goldman Sachs' Mark Sorrell, son of the advertising tycoon Sir Martin, worked on deals such as the Advent International-backed takeover of Ultra Electronics by Cobham. His brother, Robert, managing director at investment bank Moelis & Company, was part of the team advising private equity firm Lone Star on its buyout of housebuilder McCarthy & Stone. Robey Warshaw, the London bank which has hired former Chancellor George Osborne, advised the London Stock Exchange on its blockbuster merger with Refinitiv. Its top bankers on the deal, Philip Apostolides and Sir Simon Robey, will be expecting to receive a handsome pay package. Bonus discussions typically begin towards the end of the year as staff try to convince bosses why they deserve a bumper payout. Excitement levels have reached fever pitch after more than 4,500 buyouts of UK firms in 2021, the most on record. Deals involving private equity firms, which tend to entail higher fees for advisers, also hit record levels, meaning many in the City will be feeling extremely flush. A total of 773 British companies, worth 62billion, were snapped up by private equity barons last year. The number of firms floating on the stock market also surged, with more than 100 companies going public. All the listings will have generated work for bankers, as will the fundraising deals for businesses which needed more cash to get through the pandemic. Banker bonuses have tended to be more muted since the heady days leading up to the financial crisis. After the 2008 crash, the EU brought in a rule limiting most banker bonuses to no more than 100 per cent of their salary. But this only applies to the major banks, not the smaller boutiques such as Robey Warshaw, Moelis and Evercore. Douglas McWilliams, deputy chairman of the Centre for Economics and Business Research, said: 'My impression is that the banks themselves pay much lower bonuses these days. 'But quite a few of the deals have involved private equity. And they pay quite large bonuses.' He said there may be 'a few blockbuster individual bonuses'. Phillippa O'Connor, executive pay specialist at accounting firm PwC, said staff at many global banks could be celebrating their 'biggest bonus outcome year since the financial crisis'. She added: 'We anticipate that increases this year of 20 per cent or potentially more in some cases will not be unusual.' NSW has recorded 22,577 new cases of COVID-19 and four deaths on Saturday, as thousands gathered to celebrate the New Year in Sydney and across the state. There are 901 coronavirus patients in hospital, with 79 in intensive care; a rise from Fridays figures of 832 and 69 respectively. The number of patients in NSW hospitals has more than doubled since this time last week, when there were 388 hospitalised on Christmas Day. ICU staff treating COVID-19 positive patients in St Vincents Hospital. Credit:Kate Geraghty There were 119,278 tests in the 24-hour period to 8pm on Friday, a decrease from 148,410 on the previous day. The four deaths were three women and one man from Sydney aged in their 60s, 70s and 80s, two of whom were fully vaccinated. One of the women, in her 80s, is the second death linked to the Lilian Wells Nursing Home in North Parramatta. Indigos deep midnight blue splashes and flows its way throughout the world and across history. Artists from Asia, Africa and the Americas have used indigo in various forms and techniques for at least the last 6,200 years, said Josie Lopez, curator of art for the Albuquerque Museum. One of the seven colors of the rainbow, blue remains one of the rarest naturally occurring colors. Indigo is one of the few organic sources of blue dye. Opening at the Albuquerque Museum, Indelible Blue: Indigo Across the Globe explores the history of that elusive plant from the Navajo Nation to South Carolina to Japan. Indigos famous blue weaves from a rocky history buttressed by trade, colonialism, slavery, globalism and cultural exchange. Its been in the state since the colonial period, said Leslie Kim, Albuquerque Museum curator of history. The friars robes were dyed with it. It came up the Camino Real via both dye and fabric. The labor-intensive process of growing and extracting indigo plants combined with their value led colonial powers to establish indigo plantations in the Southeast, the Caribbean, Latin America and India. The legacy of slavery and Indias 1859 Indigo Revolt reflect its sometimes ugly and violent history. The revolt erupted when farmers rebelled against British planters who forced them to give up their land, working it exclusively for British benefit. A Japanese farmers coat and Indian saris reveal its use in utilitarian clothing. The exhibition includes a rare First Phase Navajo Chiefs blanket and a similar garment from the Ivory Coast as markers of prestige. Some contemporary artists use the dye in political installations. Enslaved people performed the cultivation and processing of indigo from the 17th to the 19th centuries for European profit. Works by Laura Anderson Barbata and Taos artist Nikesha Breeze reflect this dark history. Breeze created sculptures titled Red, White, Black and Blue: An Homage to African American Indigo, made of ceramic, raw indigo, red iron, cotton and denim. The installation honors the enslaved people who were crucial to the indigo trade, especially in North and South Carolina. Breeze stumbled upon the sad history of American indigo plantations while she was researching her ancestral roots. She created two altar pieces in an homage to the enslaved people who worked there. American blue jeans had its history in what was called Negro cloth, she explained. They not only wore the cloth; they made it for themselves. Most of them were only given one pair of pants per year. It was like a uniform. Levi Strauss spotted the pants and turned them into a business. He added rivets and created a history of American ingeniousness that was literally taken off the backs of slaves. Breezes altars start with indigo cakes and raw cotton, then climb into Negro cloth growing into Levi Strauss jeans. At the top are carved ceramic hands and feet with dark black skin dyed blue, she said. It wasnt until the discovery of synthetic dyes around 1880 that the botanical indigo trade subsided. Many of the exhibition artists such as Rowland Ricketts, Scott Sutton, Maria Davila and Eudorado Portillo process their own indigo. Taos artist Sutton created a hanging indigo map of the Rio Grande Watershed. Its environmentally/ecologically-based stuff, Sutton said. I use a lot of mineral pigments that I collect. Sutton grows Japanese indigo plants in his Taos greenhouse. He named his website pigmenthunter.com. Its an annual, so you have to collect seeds and let some of it grow to flower, he said. The pigments in the leaves. He strips the leaves from the stems, then places them in a 35-gallon garbage container with water. Youre making like a sun tea, he explained. After about three days, he aerates the dye by blowing into the water with an irrigation tube. Pigment particles settle on the bottom. Sutton borrowed his seeds from the Indiana artist Rowland Ricketts. His Albuquerque project consists of multiple shades of blue. He based the pattern on U.S. Geological Survey height maps. Mahatma Gandhis non-violent policy sprang from watching the Indian farmers cultivate indigo, Kim said. Gandhi went to visit the farmers to understand the labor systems tied to British colonization, she said. Indigo was a very important crop to England, she continued. They forbade them to plant crops and forced them to grow indigo. Its a difficult history. Indigo weaves its magic throughout cultures and history. Its that deep blue becoming a symbol of prestige, Lopez said. Theres no blue without indigo. Indigos deep midnight blue splashes and flows its way throughout the world and across history. Artists from Asia, Africa and the Americas have used indigo in various forms and techniques for at least the last 6,200 years, said Josie Lopez, curator of art for the Albuquerque Museum. One of the seven colors of the rainbow, blue remains one of the rarest naturally occurring colors. Indigo is one of the few organic sources of blue dye. Opening at the Albuquerque Museum, Indelible Blue: Indigo Across the Globe explores the history of that elusive plant from the Navajo Nation to South Carolina to Japan. Indigos famous blue weaves from a rocky history buttressed by trade, colonialism, slavery, globalism and cultural exchange. Its been in the state since the colonial period, said Leslie Kim, Albuquerque Museum curator of history. The friars robes were dyed with it. It came up the Camino Real via both dye and fabric. The labor-intensive process of growing and extracting indigo plants combined with their value led colonial powers to establish indigo plantations in the Southeast, the Caribbean, Latin America and India. The legacy of slavery and Indias 1859 Indigo Revolt reflect its sometimes ugly and violent history. The revolt erupted when farmers rebelled against British planters who forced them to give up their land, working it exclusively for British benefit. A Japanese farmers coat and Indian saris reveal its use in utilitarian clothing. The exhibition includes a rare First Phase Navajo Chiefs blanket and a similar garment from the Ivory Coast as markers of prestige. Some contemporary artists use the dye in political installations. Enslaved people performed the cultivation and processing of indigo from the 17th to the 19th centuries for European profit. Works by Laura Anderson Barbata and Taos artist Nikesha Breeze reflect this dark history. Breeze created sculptures titled Red, White, Black and Blue: An Homage to African American Indigo, made of ceramic, raw indigo, red iron, cotton and denim. The installation honors the enslaved people who were crucial to the indigo trade, especially in North and South Carolina. Breeze stumbled upon the sad history of American indigo plantations while she was researching her ancestral roots. She created two altar pieces in an homage to the enslaved people who worked there. American blue jeans had its history in what was called Negro cloth, she explained. They not only wore the cloth; they made it for themselves. Most of them were only given one pair of pants per year. It was like a uniform. Levi Strauss spotted the pants and turned them into a business. He added rivets and created a history of American ingeniousness that was literally taken off the backs of slaves. Breezes altars start with indigo cakes and raw cotton, then climb into Negro cloth growing into Levi Strauss jeans. At the top are carved ceramic hands and feet with dark black skin dyed blue, she said. It wasnt until the discovery of synthetic dyes around 1880 that the botanical indigo trade subsided. Many of the exhibition artists such as Rowland Ricketts, Scott Sutton, Maria Davila and Eudorado Portillo process their own indigo. Taos artist Sutton created a hanging indigo map of the Rio Grande Watershed. Its environmentally/ecologically-based stuff, Sutton said. I use a lot of mineral pigments that I collect. Sutton grows Japanese indigo plants in his Taos greenhouse. He named his website pigmenthunter.com. Its an annual, so you have to collect seeds and let some of it grow to flower, he said. The pigments in the leaves. He strips the leaves from the stems, then places them in a 35-gallon garbage container with water. Youre making like a sun tea, he explained. After about three days, he aerates the dye by blowing into the water with an irrigation tube. Pigment particles settle on the bottom. Sutton borrowed his seeds from the Indiana artist Rowland Ricketts. His Albuquerque project consists of multiple shades of blue. He based the pattern on U.S. Geological Survey height maps. Mahatma Gandhis non-violent policy sprang from watching the Indian farmers cultivate indigo, Kim said. Gandhi went to visit the farmers to understand the labor systems tied to British colonization, she said. Indigo was a very important crop to England, she continued. They forbade them to plant crops and forced them to grow indigo. Its a difficult history. Indigo weaves its magic throughout cultures and history. Its that deep blue becoming a symbol of prestige, Lopez said. Theres no blue without indigo. Its been a two-year journey for Melissa Carter and Miranda Kwok to see The Cleaning Lady go from idea to filming. As the series goes from page to screen beginning Monday, Jan. 3, the pair are excited to have the world see the final product. What excited me about the show is that I wanted to do a female Breaking Bad type story, but have the point of view from an undocumented person, says Kwok, who is also the creator and writer. To tell a more timely story as to what is going on today. I wanted to layer in a lot of issues through the story. The Cleaning Lady follows the story of Cambodian doctor, Thony, played by Elodie Yung, who comes to the United States for a medical treatment to save her ailing son Luca. With her son diagnosed with a life-threatening immunodeficiency disorder and her husband, Marco, played by Ivan Shaw, struggling with a gambling addiction and unable to get a visa, Thony is left to save the boy on her own. Where she once had it all a successful career as a doctor, loving husband and family, Thony is now in Las Vegas, Nevada, with her sister-in-law, Fiona, played by Martha Millan, waiting for a matching bone marrow donor for Luca, while struggling to make ends meet as an undocumented worker. When the system fails and pushes her into hiding, she refuses to be beaten down and marginalized. Instead, through an unexpected run-in with a lieutenant of a powerful crime syndicate, Arman Morales, played by Adan Canto, she becomes a cleaning lady for their operation. Crossing into a world of moral grays, Thony begins to live a double life, keeping secrets from her family, while cleaning crime scenes for Arman and dodging the law, including the smooth-talking FBI Agent Garrett Miller, played by Oliver Hudson, who is in pursuit. Using her cunning and intelligence to forge her own path in the criminal underworld, Thony does what is necessary to save Luca even if it means sacrificing her own soul in the process. The series premieres at 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 3, on Fox. The series is based on the original Argentine series. Carter, the showrunner, was drawn to the production because its an ensemble piece. You have female empowerment, Carter says. Different types of families and backgrounds are shown. Cambodian, Filipino, Armenian and Mexican. Its a great mix. Kwok says Thony isnt choosing this life. Her circumstances are forcing her down this path, Kwok says. Shes doing all the wrong things for the right reasons. Its about a mother struggling to keep her son alive. Carter says the series allows viewers to think about what circumstances would push one over the edge. Weve all done jobs that arent glamorous, Carter says. Thony and Fiona are undocumented workers and the series allows us to see what its like to walk in their shoes. Its very relatable. They are doing a job just to pay the bills. Kwok wanted to get across the point of compassion. Were all people, she says. Thats what the series is about. The series filmed mostly in New Mexico, with the exception of a few production days in Las Vegas, Nevada. Prior to the series, neither Carter or Kwok had been to New Mexico and they both fell in love with the area. After the production got the green light from Fox, Carter began looking for locations. Somehow, Albuquerque wasnt on the list. We were really fighting for it to be in Los Angeles or Santa Clarita, (California), Carter says. Once we visited Albuquerque, we saw it could completely be done. From the high end to the rest of it, (Albuquerque) did look like the suburbs. We found amazing locations and amazing crews. Its a bounty of riches. Kwok says the cast and crew felt like family throughout filming. Theres a lot of passion and support for this project, Kwok says. Not only did we have a wonderful of talent, the crew brought their A game. Carter didnt realize how much of a production boomtown Albuquerque is. During her time filming, she made the leap and purchased a home in the city. So many people have moved to work on productions in New Mexico, Carter says. I bought a house there in Nob Hill and I think the show is going to come back. Im trying to talk my husband into retiring there. According to the New Mexico Film Office, the production filmed from August through November in Albuquerque and surrounding areas. It employed about 200 New Mexico crew members, six New Mexico principal actors, and over 1,800 New Mexico background actors and extras. The production filmed during the pandemic, as vaccines were starting to roll out. Carter says the New Mexico Film Office had already put guidelines into place. In Albuquerque, we felt safe because everyone was wearing a mask, Carter says. For the pilot, we were wearing masks and shields. We had the full COVID protocol down the entire production. ON TV The premiere of The Cleaning Lady will air at 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 3, on Fox. The production filmed in New Mexico. Its been a two-year journey for Melissa Carter and Miranda Kwok to see The Cleaning Lady go from idea to filming. As the series goes from page to screen beginning Monday, Jan. 3, the pair are excited to have the world see the final product. What excited me about the show is that I wanted to do a female Breaking Bad type story, but have the point of view from an undocumented person, says Kwok, who is also the creator and writer. To tell a more timely story as to what is going on today. I wanted to layer in a lot of issues through the story. The Cleaning Lady follows the story of Cambodian doctor, Thony, played by Elodie Yung, who comes to the United States for a medical treatment to save her ailing son Luca. With her son diagnosed with a life-threatening immunodeficiency disorder and her husband, Marco, played by Ivan Shaw, struggling with a gambling addiction and unable to get a visa, Thony is left to save the boy on her own. Where she once had it all a successful career as a doctor, loving husband and family, Thony is now in Las Vegas, Nevada, with her sister-in-law, Fiona, played by Martha Millan, waiting for a matching bone marrow donor for Luca, while struggling to make ends meet as an undocumented worker. When the system fails and pushes her into hiding, she refuses to be beaten down and marginalized. Instead, through an unexpected run-in with a lieutenant of a powerful crime syndicate, Arman Morales, played by Adan Canto, she becomes a cleaning lady for their operation. Crossing into a world of moral grays, Thony begins to live a double life, keeping secrets from her family, while cleaning crime scenes for Arman and dodging the law, including the smooth-talking FBI Agent Garrett Miller, played by Oliver Hudson, who is in pursuit. Using her cunning and intelligence to forge her own path in the criminal underworld, Thony does what is necessary to save Luca even if it means sacrificing her own soul in the process. The series premieres at 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 3, on Fox. The series is based on the original Argentine series. Carter, the showrunner, was drawn to the production because its an ensemble piece. You have female empowerment, Carter says. Different types of families and backgrounds are shown. Cambodian, Filipino, Armenian and Mexican. Its a great mix. Kwok says Thony isnt choosing this life. Her circumstances are forcing her down this path, Kwok says. Shes doing all the wrong things for the right reasons. Its about a mother struggling to keep her son alive. Carter says the series allows viewers to think about what circumstances would push one over the edge. Weve all done jobs that arent glamorous, Carter says. Thony and Fiona are undocumented workers and the series allows us to see what its like to walk in their shoes. Its very relatable. They are doing a job just to pay the bills. Kwok wanted to get across the point of compassion. Were all people, she says. Thats what the series is about. The series filmed mostly in New Mexico, with the exception of a few production days in Las Vegas, Nevada. Prior to the series, neither Carter or Kwok had been to New Mexico and they both fell in love with the area. After the production got the green light from Fox, Carter began looking for locations. Somehow, Albuquerque wasnt on the list. We were really fighting for it to be in Los Angeles or Santa Clarita, (California), Carter says. Once we visited Albuquerque, we saw it could completely be done. From the high end to the rest of it, (Albuquerque) did look like the suburbs. We found amazing locations and amazing crews. Its a bounty of riches. Kwok says the cast and crew felt like family throughout filming. Theres a lot of passion and support for this project, Kwok says. Not only did we have a wonderful of talent, the crew brought their A game. Carter didnt realize how much of a production boomtown Albuquerque is. During her time filming, she made the leap and purchased a home in the city. So many people have moved to work on productions in New Mexico, Carter says. I bought a house there in Nob Hill and I think the show is going to come back. Im trying to talk my husband into retiring there. According to the New Mexico Film Office, the production filmed from August through November in Albuquerque and surrounding areas. It employed about 200 New Mexico crew members, six New Mexico principal actors, and over 1,800 New Mexico background actors and extras. The production filmed during the pandemic, as vaccines were starting to roll out. Carter says the New Mexico Film Office had already put guidelines into place. In Albuquerque, we felt safe because everyone was wearing a mask, Carter says. For the pilot, we were wearing masks and shields. We had the full COVID protocol down the entire production. ON TV The premiere of The Cleaning Lady will air at 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 3, on Fox. The production filmed in New Mexico. NSW has recorded 22,577 new cases of COVID-19 and four deaths on Saturday, as thousands gathered to celebrate the New Year in Sydney and across the state. There are 901 coronavirus patients in hospital, with 79 in intensive care; a rise from Fridays figures of 832 and 69 respectively. The number of patients in NSW hospitals has more than doubled since this time last week, when there were 388 hospitalised on Christmas Day. ICU staff treating COVID-19 positive patients in St Vincents Hospital. Credit:Kate Geraghty There were 119,278 tests in the 24-hour period to 8pm on Friday, a decrease from 148,410 on the previous day. The four deaths were three women and one man from Sydney aged in their 60s, 70s and 80s, two of whom were fully vaccinated. One of the women, in her 80s, is the second death linked to the Lilian Wells Nursing Home in North Parramatta. People walk though the destruction across from Davidson Mesa Open Space in Louisville, Colo., on Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. The Marshall fire ripped through Boulder County, fueled by high winds on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021 and destroying nearly 1,000 homes. Approximately 35,000 people were evacuated in Louisville and Superior.(Chancey Bush/ The Gazette) People walk though the destruction across from Davidson Mesa Open Space in Louisville, Colo., on Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. The Marshall fire ripped through Boulder County, fueled by high winds on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021 and destroying nearly 1,000 homes. Approximately 35,000 people were evacuated in Louisville and Superior.(Chancey Bush/ The Gazette) Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Washington: One year after thousands of his supporters stormed the US Capitol, Donald Trump plans to mark the anniversary on January 6 with a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. It will be no mea culpa. In a statement issued before Christmas, the former president made it clear that he would use the event to reassert his false claim that the election was stolen, and launch yet another attack on the bipartisan select House committee investigating the incident. Until then, remember, the insurrection took place on November 3rd, Trump said, referencing the day of the 2020 election. It was the completely unarmed protest of the rigged election that took place on January 6th. The insurgency left several people dead, about 150 police officers injured and a nation shocked and divided. Advertisement But there is every reason to think that the January 6 attack was just the beginning for Donald Trump and his allies and this time, theyre much better organised. Twelve months after Americas chamber of democracy was stormed by the foot soldiers of a president trying to cling to power at any cost, Trumpists and partisan state legislatures are now working to undermine election processes right across the US. Theyre much less violent than an angry mob descending on Congress after being told to fight like hell but far more insidious, strategic, and potentially damaging to democracy in the longer term. Indeed, by last month, at least 262 bills had been introduced in 41 states that would interfere with election administration, according to a joint report released by States United, Law Forward, and Protect Democracy three non-partisan groups seeking to enhance election security. Choking the vote Among them are a raft of voter suppression laws that will constrain the ability of millions of Americans to vote early, through the mail, or on Election Day itself. Take the sunbelt state of Texas, which already had some of the nations toughest voting constraints. It has now introduced a ban on overnight early voting hours and drive-through voting both of which have proved popular among voters of colour. Advertisement Loading In Kansas, people could face criminal charges for returning advance ballots on behalf of voters who need help, such as people with disabilities. In Georgia, people can now be charged with a crime for giving food and water to people waiting in line to vote. Electoral boundaries have also been redrawn to give Republicans the edge in new districts ahead of this years crucial midterm elections. Both parties have a history of gerrymandering maps to improve their Congress numbers, but the Republicans have been more successful in recent decades. And despite losing dozens of legal challenges centred on the baseless claim of a fraudulent result, Trump and his supporters are now working to elect proponents of the myth to powerful positions at state and national level. If elected, these candidates, who say the 2020 presidential election was stolen, could have significant sway to help overturn the next presidential election result. Little wonder democracy groups, politics academics, and former military leaders are warning about America being on the brink of a constitutional crisis. The fight of our lives right now, of this generation, has to be to secure voting rights and to secure a peaceful transition of power. That should not be a partisan issue, renowned presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, told CNN this week. Advertisement RINOs and revenge In Alaska, Trump is seeking to oust moderate Republican senator Liz Murkowski by backing her primary challenger Kelly Tshibaka, a former state bureaucrat who has promoted Trumps theory of election fraud. In Michigan, the former president has put his weight behind state politician Steve Carra, who led the local push for an audit of the 2020 election results, over veteran congressman Fred Upton, who voted for Trumps impeachment. Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney, Republican royalty and daughter of former vice-president Dick Cheney, was called a RINO by Donald Trump (Republican in name only) for voting to impeach him. Credit:AP And in the state of Wyoming, Trump has endorsed local lawyer Harriet Hagemen in her GOP bid to unseat fellow Republican Liz Cheney, the daughter of George W. Bushs former vice-president, Dick Cheney, and an outspoken member of the House committee investigating the January 6 event. Harriet is all in for America First, Trump said in a statement in September, denouncing Cheney as a RINO slang for Republican in Name Only and describing her as the Democrats number one provider of sound bites. Cheney, responding on 60 Minutes, said she was well aware that her once safe seat was about to become a litmus test for Trumps dominance over the party. Advertisement Its going to be the most important House race in the country in 2022, she said. It will be one where people do have the opportunity to say: We want to stand for the constitution. Other Trump loyalists have also been endorsed as candidates to become the chief election official, known as the secretary of state. Key contests will take place in Michigan, Arizona and in Georgia, the southern state that helped deliver Joe Biden the presidency partly because its incumbent secretary, Republican Brad Raffensperger, refused to cave in to Trumps demands to find 11,780 votes to overturn the election result. Georgian congressman Jody Hice voted to overturn the election result after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol. Credit:AP The former president and his allies are instead backing US congressman Jody Hice, who voted against certifying Bidens victory, to run against Raffensberger for the critical post. Jody will stop the Fraud and get honesty into our Elections! Trump declared in 2021. As for Trump? Even without the megaphone of Twitter and Facebook (which have banned his accounts), hes nonetheless spent the past 12 months pushing his message through targeted emails, rallies and interviews on Fox News and other friendly outlets. Trumps fundraising might Advertisement Rochelle Wilcox, owner of three child care centers in New Orleans, has been receiving 10 to 15 phone calls nearly every day for each school fr Rochelle Wilcox, owner of three child care centers in New Orleans, has been receiving 10 to 15 phone calls nearly every day for each school fr Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Washington: One year after thousands of his supporters stormed the US Capitol, Donald Trump plans to mark the anniversary on January 6 with a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. It will be no mea culpa. In a statement issued before Christmas, the former president made it clear that he would use the event to reassert his false claim that the election was stolen, and launch yet another attack on the bipartisan select House committee investigating the incident. Until then, remember, the insurrection took place on November 3rd, Trump said, referencing the day of the 2020 election. It was the completely unarmed protest of the rigged election that took place on January 6th. The insurgency left several people dead, about 150 police officers injured and a nation shocked and divided. Advertisement But there is every reason to think that the January 6 attack was just the beginning for Donald Trump and his allies and this time, theyre much better organised. Twelve months after Americas chamber of democracy was stormed by the foot soldiers of a president trying to cling to power at any cost, Trumpists and partisan state legislatures are now working to undermine election processes right across the US. Theyre much less violent than an angry mob descending on Congress after being told to fight like hell but far more insidious, strategic, and potentially damaging to democracy in the longer term. Indeed, by last month, at least 262 bills had been introduced in 41 states that would interfere with election administration, according to a joint report released by States United, Law Forward, and Protect Democracy three non-partisan groups seeking to enhance election security. Choking the vote Among them are a raft of voter suppression laws that will constrain the ability of millions of Americans to vote early, through the mail, or on Election Day itself. Take the sunbelt state of Texas, which already had some of the nations toughest voting constraints. It has now introduced a ban on overnight early voting hours and drive-through voting both of which have proved popular among voters of colour. Advertisement Loading In Kansas, people could face criminal charges for returning advance ballots on behalf of voters who need help, such as people with disabilities. In Georgia, people can now be charged with a crime for giving food and water to people waiting in line to vote. Electoral boundaries have also been redrawn to give Republicans the edge in new districts ahead of this years crucial midterm elections. Both parties have a history of gerrymandering maps to improve their Congress numbers, but the Republicans have been more successful in recent decades. And despite losing dozens of legal challenges centred on the baseless claim of a fraudulent result, Trump and his supporters are now working to elect proponents of the myth to powerful positions at state and national level. If elected, these candidates, who say the 2020 presidential election was stolen, could have significant sway to help overturn the next presidential election result. Little wonder democracy groups, politics academics, and former military leaders are warning about America being on the brink of a constitutional crisis. The fight of our lives right now, of this generation, has to be to secure voting rights and to secure a peaceful transition of power. That should not be a partisan issue, renowned presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, told CNN this week. Advertisement RINOs and revenge In Alaska, Trump is seeking to oust moderate Republican senator Liz Murkowski by backing her primary challenger Kelly Tshibaka, a former state bureaucrat who has promoted Trumps theory of election fraud. In Michigan, the former president has put his weight behind state politician Steve Carra, who led the local push for an audit of the 2020 election results, over veteran congressman Fred Upton, who voted for Trumps impeachment. Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney, Republican royalty and daughter of former vice-president Dick Cheney, was called a RINO by Donald Trump (Republican in name only) for voting to impeach him. Credit:AP And in the state of Wyoming, Trump has endorsed local lawyer Harriet Hagemen in her GOP bid to unseat fellow Republican Liz Cheney, the daughter of George W. Bushs former vice-president, Dick Cheney, and an outspoken member of the House committee investigating the January 6 event. Harriet is all in for America First, Trump said in a statement in September, denouncing Cheney as a RINO slang for Republican in Name Only and describing her as the Democrats number one provider of sound bites. Cheney, responding on 60 Minutes, said she was well aware that her once safe seat was about to become a litmus test for Trumps dominance over the party. Advertisement Its going to be the most important House race in the country in 2022, she said. It will be one where people do have the opportunity to say: We want to stand for the constitution. Other Trump loyalists have also been endorsed as candidates to become the chief election official, known as the secretary of state. Key contests will take place in Michigan, Arizona and in Georgia, the southern state that helped deliver Joe Biden the presidency partly because its incumbent secretary, Republican Brad Raffensperger, refused to cave in to Trumps demands to find 11,780 votes to overturn the election result. Georgian congressman Jody Hice voted to overturn the election result after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol. Credit:AP The former president and his allies are instead backing US congressman Jody Hice, who voted against certifying Bidens victory, to run against Raffensberger for the critical post. Jody will stop the Fraud and get honesty into our Elections! Trump declared in 2021. As for Trump? Even without the megaphone of Twitter and Facebook (which have banned his accounts), hes nonetheless spent the past 12 months pushing his message through targeted emails, rallies and interviews on Fox News and other friendly outlets. Trumps fundraising might Advertisement Rochelle Wilcox, owner of three child care centers in New Orleans, has been receiving 10 to 15 phone calls nearly every day for each school fr Indigos deep midnight blue splashes and flows its way throughout the world and across history. Artists from Asia, Africa and the Americas have used indigo in various forms and techniques for at least the last 6,200 years, said Josie Lopez, curator of art for the Albuquerque Museum. One of the seven colors of the rainbow, blue remains one of the rarest naturally occurring colors. Indigo is one of the few organic sources of blue dye. Opening at the Albuquerque Museum, Indelible Blue: Indigo Across the Globe explores the history of that elusive plant from the Navajo Nation to South Carolina to Japan. Indigos famous blue weaves from a rocky history buttressed by trade, colonialism, slavery, globalism and cultural exchange. Its been in the state since the colonial period, said Leslie Kim, Albuquerque Museum curator of history. The friars robes were dyed with it. It came up the Camino Real via both dye and fabric. The labor-intensive process of growing and extracting indigo plants combined with their value led colonial powers to establish indigo plantations in the Southeast, the Caribbean, Latin America and India. The legacy of slavery and Indias 1859 Indigo Revolt reflect its sometimes ugly and violent history. The revolt erupted when farmers rebelled against British planters who forced them to give up their land, working it exclusively for British benefit. A Japanese farmers coat and Indian saris reveal its use in utilitarian clothing. The exhibition includes a rare First Phase Navajo Chiefs blanket and a similar garment from the Ivory Coast as markers of prestige. Some contemporary artists use the dye in political installations. Enslaved people performed the cultivation and processing of indigo from the 17th to the 19th centuries for European profit. Works by Laura Anderson Barbata and Taos artist Nikesha Breeze reflect this dark history. Breeze created sculptures titled Red, White, Black and Blue: An Homage to African American Indigo, made of ceramic, raw indigo, red iron, cotton and denim. The installation honors the enslaved people who were crucial to the indigo trade, especially in North and South Carolina. Breeze stumbled upon the sad history of American indigo plantations while she was researching her ancestral roots. She created two altar pieces in an homage to the enslaved people who worked there. American blue jeans had its history in what was called Negro cloth, she explained. They not only wore the cloth; they made it for themselves. Most of them were only given one pair of pants per year. It was like a uniform. Levi Strauss spotted the pants and turned them into a business. He added rivets and created a history of American ingeniousness that was literally taken off the backs of slaves. Breezes altars start with indigo cakes and raw cotton, then climb into Negro cloth growing into Levi Strauss jeans. At the top are carved ceramic hands and feet with dark black skin dyed blue, she said. It wasnt until the discovery of synthetic dyes around 1880 that the botanical indigo trade subsided. Many of the exhibition artists such as Rowland Ricketts, Scott Sutton, Maria Davila and Eudorado Portillo process their own indigo. Taos artist Sutton created a hanging indigo map of the Rio Grande Watershed. Its environmentally/ecologically-based stuff, Sutton said. I use a lot of mineral pigments that I collect. Sutton grows Japanese indigo plants in his Taos greenhouse. He named his website pigmenthunter.com. Its an annual, so you have to collect seeds and let some of it grow to flower, he said. The pigments in the leaves. He strips the leaves from the stems, then places them in a 35-gallon garbage container with water. Youre making like a sun tea, he explained. After about three days, he aerates the dye by blowing into the water with an irrigation tube. Pigment particles settle on the bottom. Sutton borrowed his seeds from the Indiana artist Rowland Ricketts. His Albuquerque project consists of multiple shades of blue. He based the pattern on U.S. Geological Survey height maps. Mahatma Gandhis non-violent policy sprang from watching the Indian farmers cultivate indigo, Kim said. Gandhi went to visit the farmers to understand the labor systems tied to British colonization, she said. Indigo was a very important crop to England, she continued. They forbade them to plant crops and forced them to grow indigo. Its a difficult history. Indigo weaves its magic throughout cultures and history. Its that deep blue becoming a symbol of prestige, Lopez said. Theres no blue without indigo. Indigos deep midnight blue splashes and flows its way throughout the world and across history. Artists from Asia, Africa and the Americas have used indigo in various forms and techniques for at least the last 6,200 years, said Josie Lopez, curator of art for the Albuquerque Museum. One of the seven colors of the rainbow, blue remains one of the rarest naturally occurring colors. Indigo is one of the few organic sources of blue dye. Opening at the Albuquerque Museum, Indelible Blue: Indigo Across the Globe explores the history of that elusive plant from the Navajo Nation to South Carolina to Japan. Indigos famous blue weaves from a rocky history buttressed by trade, colonialism, slavery, globalism and cultural exchange. Its been in the state since the colonial period, said Leslie Kim, Albuquerque Museum curator of history. The friars robes were dyed with it. It came up the Camino Real via both dye and fabric. The labor-intensive process of growing and extracting indigo plants combined with their value led colonial powers to establish indigo plantations in the Southeast, the Caribbean, Latin America and India. The legacy of slavery and Indias 1859 Indigo Revolt reflect its sometimes ugly and violent history. The revolt erupted when farmers rebelled against British planters who forced them to give up their land, working it exclusively for British benefit. A Japanese farmers coat and Indian saris reveal its use in utilitarian clothing. The exhibition includes a rare First Phase Navajo Chiefs blanket and a similar garment from the Ivory Coast as markers of prestige. Some contemporary artists use the dye in political installations. Enslaved people performed the cultivation and processing of indigo from the 17th to the 19th centuries for European profit. Works by Laura Anderson Barbata and Taos artist Nikesha Breeze reflect this dark history. Breeze created sculptures titled Red, White, Black and Blue: An Homage to African American Indigo, made of ceramic, raw indigo, red iron, cotton and denim. The installation honors the enslaved people who were crucial to the indigo trade, especially in North and South Carolina. Breeze stumbled upon the sad history of American indigo plantations while she was researching her ancestral roots. She created two altar pieces in an homage to the enslaved people who worked there. American blue jeans had its history in what was called Negro cloth, she explained. They not only wore the cloth; they made it for themselves. Most of them were only given one pair of pants per year. It was like a uniform. Levi Strauss spotted the pants and turned them into a business. He added rivets and created a history of American ingeniousness that was literally taken off the backs of slaves. Breezes altars start with indigo cakes and raw cotton, then climb into Negro cloth growing into Levi Strauss jeans. At the top are carved ceramic hands and feet with dark black skin dyed blue, she said. It wasnt until the discovery of synthetic dyes around 1880 that the botanical indigo trade subsided. Many of the exhibition artists such as Rowland Ricketts, Scott Sutton, Maria Davila and Eudorado Portillo process their own indigo. Taos artist Sutton created a hanging indigo map of the Rio Grande Watershed. Its environmentally/ecologically-based stuff, Sutton said. I use a lot of mineral pigments that I collect. Sutton grows Japanese indigo plants in his Taos greenhouse. He named his website pigmenthunter.com. Its an annual, so you have to collect seeds and let some of it grow to flower, he said. The pigments in the leaves. He strips the leaves from the stems, then places them in a 35-gallon garbage container with water. Youre making like a sun tea, he explained. After about three days, he aerates the dye by blowing into the water with an irrigation tube. Pigment particles settle on the bottom. Sutton borrowed his seeds from the Indiana artist Rowland Ricketts. His Albuquerque project consists of multiple shades of blue. He based the pattern on U.S. Geological Survey height maps. Mahatma Gandhis non-violent policy sprang from watching the Indian farmers cultivate indigo, Kim said. Gandhi went to visit the farmers to understand the labor systems tied to British colonization, she said. Indigo was a very important crop to England, she continued. They forbade them to plant crops and forced them to grow indigo. Its a difficult history. Indigo weaves its magic throughout cultures and history. Its that deep blue becoming a symbol of prestige, Lopez said. Theres no blue without indigo. Ministers have rejected calls to reduce the isolation period for Covid sufferers from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious. Business leaders and some Tory MPs had urged Ministers to follow the lead of other countries, including the US and Greece, by cutting self-isolation for those showing no symptoms to five days. But a Government source told The Mail on Sunday that, while the option was discussed, it was rejected because so many people could still go on to infect others if released from self-isolation that early. Lateral flow tests have been ring-fenced for schools so they can open safely next week Commuters face significant disruption because of large numbers of train and bus workers forced to self-isolate leading to cancelled services Isolation is also causing problems in hospitals with NHS staff forced to remain at home It comes amid growing concern that lengthy self-isolation is harming vital services and the economy and with a growing row over the lack of access to lateral flow tests (LFTs). As millions prepared to return to work after the festive break, Labour accused the Government of failing to order sufficient numbers of LFTs, which are increasingly seen as essential to keep the country moving while minimising the threat from Omicron. Ministers insist hundreds of millions more LFTs will soon be available. Just before Christmas, self-isolation was reduced from ten to seven days as long as the individual is negative for Covid on two LFTs the first on day six and the second on day seven. Asked about the proposal for a further cut to five days, the Government source said: The data we have is that almost one in three people could still be infectious five days after testing positive with Omicron. It isnt thought it would be safe to cut self-isolation that far. The decision differs from that taken in the US where the influential Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the move to halve self-isolation from ten to five days would ensure people can safely continue their daily lives. To re-enter everyday life after five days, Americans must be symptom-free and wear a mask around others for a further five days. In Greece, Health Minister Thanos Plevris indicated that Omicrons relative mildness compared with previous variants lay behind its decision to cut the period of self-isolation. The evidence we have from Omicron is encouraging, he said. Rather than solely rely on being symptom-free after five days, the UK Government could in theory require people to have two negative LFT results but move them forward to days four and five. The system is, however, self-policing and people who test negative on LFTs can still be infectious, as they are less sensitive than the gold-standard PCR tests. Another consideration would be the current poor availability of LFTs, with many pharmacies out of stock due to soaring demand. Last night, Labours health spokesman Wes Streeting said Health Secretary Sajid Javid needed to pull his finger out to ensure people had access to the tests. He added: Given how critical testing is going to be over the course of the coming months, the Government really does need to get an immediate grip on this. Testing is going to be vital to keep people working and keeping children at school. If families cant do that, because Ministers havent got their act together, they will have a lot to answer for. Around one million LFTs are being taken every day, twice as many as PCRs. When Omicron emerged in early December, health officials were adamant there would be enough supplies to meet higher demand. Mr Streeting said: The Health Secretary said before Christmas the challenge was distribution not supply, and there were plentiful stocks of tests in warehouses. But I think its more likely the Government has simply underestimated demand, hasnt ordered enough tests, and doesnt want to fess up about it. Ministers insist hundreds of millions of tests will soon be available and Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi says tests have been ringfenced for schools to ensure they can reopen safely this week. With Britain returning to work this week, commuters are also worried that Covid-related staff shortages will bring misery on trains. More than 20 rail companies have already reduced services or plan to do so as a result of Covid infections and self-isolation rules. People walk though the destruction across from Davidson Mesa Open Space in Louisville, Colo., on Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. The Marshall fire ripped through Boulder County, fueled by high winds on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021 and destroying nearly 1,000 homes. Approximately 35,000 people were evacuated in Louisville and Superior.(Chancey Bush/ The Gazette) Mothers who spend a lot of time on their smartphone while looking after their toddlers could be posing a significant threat to the childrens development, say experts. They only devote 25 per cent of their attention to young children when using their mobile to browse the internet, a study has found. The consequences of these inadequate interactions between mothers and their children could be far-reaching, researchers said. And since men and women use their phones in a similar way, it is likely the findings apply to fathers too. The experiment, carried out by Israeli scientists, involved 33 mothers and their two-year-old children. The mums were asked to perform three tasks while they were looking after their toddlers browse a Facebook page, read printed magazines or play with the child while phones and magazines were outside the room. The consequences of these inadequate interactions between mothers and their children could be far-reaching, researchers said Lead researcher Dr Katy Borodkin said: The mothers were unaware of the purpose of the experiment, so they behaved naturally by splitting their interest between the toddlers and the smartphone and magazines. We videotaped all the interactions and later scanned the recordings frame by frame in an attempt to quantify the mother-child interaction. The researchers, from Tel Aviv University, analysed three components of interactions between the mothers and their toddlers. They looked at what the mother said to the child which is an important predictor of how a child develops language whether the toddler responded, and how quickly the mother replied. Dr Borodkin said: The mothers talked up to four times less with their children while they were on their smartphone. Even when they were able to respond while browsing Facebook, the quality of the response was reduced the mothers kept their responsiveness to a bare minimum. The findings, published in the journal Child Development, also revealed there was no difference found between browsing a phone and reading a magazine. However, it is clear that we use smartphones much more than any other media, so they pose a significant developmental threat, Dr Borodkin said. Do at-home COVID-19 tests detect the omicron variant? Yes, but U.S. health officials say early data suggests they may be less sensitive at picking it up. Government recommendations for using at-home tests haven't changed. People should continue to use them when a quick result is important. "The bottom line is the tests still detect COVID-19 whether it is delta or alpha or omicron," says Dr. Emily Volk, president of the College of American Pathologists. Government scientists have been checking to make sure the rapid tests still work as each new variant comes along. And this week, the Food and Drug Administration said preliminary research indicates they detect omicron, but may have reduced sensitivity. The agency noted it's still studying how the tests perform with the variant, which was first detected in late November. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, said the FDA wanted to be "totally transparent" by noting the sensitivity might come down a bit, but that the tests remain important. There are many good uses for at-home tests, Volk says. Combined with vaccination, they can make you more comfortable about gathering with family and friends. If you've been exposed to a person who tested positive but you don't have symptoms, a rapid test five days later can give a good indication of whether you caught the virus. It can also help if you're not sure whether your runny nose or sore throat is COVID-19. But consider the context when looking at results. If you feel sick after going out to a nightclub in an area with high infection rates, for example, you should look at a negative result from an at-home test with a little more skepticism, Volk says. Following up with a PCR test is a good idea, she says. Those tests are more accurate and are done at testing sites and hospitals. Do at-home COVID-19 tests detect the omicron variant? Yes, but U.S. health officials say early data suggests they may be less sensitive at picking it up. Government recommendations for using at-home tests haven't changed. People should continue to use them when a quick result is important. "The bottom line is the tests still detect COVID-19 whether it is delta or alpha or omicron," says Dr. Emily Volk, president of the College of American Pathologists. Government scientists have been checking to make sure the rapid tests still work as each new variant comes along. And this week, the Food and Drug Administration said preliminary research indicates they detect omicron, but may have reduced sensitivity. The agency noted it's still studying how the tests perform with the variant, which was first detected in late November. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, said the FDA wanted to be "totally transparent" by noting the sensitivity might come down a bit, but that the tests remain important. There are many good uses for at-home tests, Volk says. Combined with vaccination, they can make you more comfortable about gathering with family and friends. If you've been exposed to a person who tested positive but you don't have symptoms, a rapid test five days later can give a good indication of whether you caught the virus. It can also help if you're not sure whether your runny nose or sore throat is COVID-19. But consider the context when looking at results. If you feel sick after going out to a nightclub in an area with high infection rates, for example, you should look at a negative result from an at-home test with a little more skepticism, Volk says. Following up with a PCR test is a good idea, she says. Those tests are more accurate and are done at testing sites and hospitals. Do at-home COVID-19 tests detect the omicron variant? Yes, but U.S. health officials say early data suggests they may be less sensitive at picking it up. Government recommendations for using at-home tests haven't changed. People should continue to use them when a quick result is important. "The bottom line is the tests still detect COVID-19 whether it is delta or alpha or omicron," says Dr. Emily Volk, president of the College of American Pathologists. Government scientists have been checking to make sure the rapid tests still work as each new variant comes along. And this week, the Food and Drug Administration said preliminary research indicates they detect omicron, but may have reduced sensitivity. The agency noted it's still studying how the tests perform with the variant, which was first detected in late November. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, said the FDA wanted to be "totally transparent" by noting the sensitivity might come down a bit, but that the tests remain important. There are many good uses for at-home tests, Volk says. Combined with vaccination, they can make you more comfortable about gathering with family and friends. If you've been exposed to a person who tested positive but you don't have symptoms, a rapid test five days later can give a good indication of whether you caught the virus. It can also help if you're not sure whether your runny nose or sore throat is COVID-19. But consider the context when looking at results. If you feel sick after going out to a nightclub in an area with high infection rates, for example, you should look at a negative result from an at-home test with a little more skepticism, Volk says. Following up with a PCR test is a good idea, she says. Those tests are more accurate and are done at testing sites and hospitals. Do at-home COVID-19 tests detect the omicron variant? Yes, but U.S. health officials say early data suggests they may be less sensitive at picking it up. Government recommendations for using at-home tests haven't changed. People should continue to use them when a quick result is important. "The bottom line is the tests still detect COVID-19 whether it is delta or alpha or omicron," says Dr. Emily Volk, president of the College of American Pathologists. Government scientists have been checking to make sure the rapid tests still work as each new variant comes along. And this week, the Food and Drug Administration said preliminary research indicates they detect omicron, but may have reduced sensitivity. The agency noted it's still studying how the tests perform with the variant, which was first detected in late November. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, said the FDA wanted to be "totally transparent" by noting the sensitivity might come down a bit, but that the tests remain important. There are many good uses for at-home tests, Volk says. Combined with vaccination, they can make you more comfortable about gathering with family and friends. If you've been exposed to a person who tested positive but you don't have symptoms, a rapid test five days later can give a good indication of whether you caught the virus. It can also help if you're not sure whether your runny nose or sore throat is COVID-19. But consider the context when looking at results. If you feel sick after going out to a nightclub in an area with high infection rates, for example, you should look at a negative result from an at-home test with a little more skepticism, Volk says. Following up with a PCR test is a good idea, she says. Those tests are more accurate and are done at testing sites and hospitals. Ministers have rejected calls to reduce the isolation period for Covid sufferers from seven to five days because up to 30 per cent would still be infectious. Business leaders and some Tory MPs had urged Ministers to follow the lead of other countries, including the US and Greece, by cutting self-isolation for those showing no symptoms to five days. But a Government source told The Mail on Sunday that, while the option was discussed, it was rejected because so many people could still go on to infect others if released from self-isolation that early. Lateral flow tests have been ring-fenced for schools so they can open safely next week Commuters face significant disruption because of large numbers of train and bus workers forced to self-isolate leading to cancelled services Isolation is also causing problems in hospitals with NHS staff forced to remain at home It comes amid growing concern that lengthy self-isolation is harming vital services and the economy and with a growing row over the lack of access to lateral flow tests (LFTs). As millions prepared to return to work after the festive break, Labour accused the Government of failing to order sufficient numbers of LFTs, which are increasingly seen as essential to keep the country moving while minimising the threat from Omicron. Ministers insist hundreds of millions more LFTs will soon be available. Just before Christmas, self-isolation was reduced from ten to seven days as long as the individual is negative for Covid on two LFTs the first on day six and the second on day seven. Asked about the proposal for a further cut to five days, the Government source said: The data we have is that almost one in three people could still be infectious five days after testing positive with Omicron. It isnt thought it would be safe to cut self-isolation that far. The decision differs from that taken in the US where the influential Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the move to halve self-isolation from ten to five days would ensure people can safely continue their daily lives. To re-enter everyday life after five days, Americans must be symptom-free and wear a mask around others for a further five days. In Greece, Health Minister Thanos Plevris indicated that Omicrons relative mildness compared with previous variants lay behind its decision to cut the period of self-isolation. The evidence we have from Omicron is encouraging, he said. Rather than solely rely on being symptom-free after five days, the UK Government could in theory require people to have two negative LFT results but move them forward to days four and five. The system is, however, self-policing and people who test negative on LFTs can still be infectious, as they are less sensitive than the gold-standard PCR tests. Another consideration would be the current poor availability of LFTs, with many pharmacies out of stock due to soaring demand. Last night, Labours health spokesman Wes Streeting said Health Secretary Sajid Javid needed to pull his finger out to ensure people had access to the tests. He added: Given how critical testing is going to be over the course of the coming months, the Government really does need to get an immediate grip on this. Testing is going to be vital to keep people working and keeping children at school. If families cant do that, because Ministers havent got their act together, they will have a lot to answer for. Around one million LFTs are being taken every day, twice as many as PCRs. When Omicron emerged in early December, health officials were adamant there would be enough supplies to meet higher demand. Mr Streeting said: The Health Secretary said before Christmas the challenge was distribution not supply, and there were plentiful stocks of tests in warehouses. But I think its more likely the Government has simply underestimated demand, hasnt ordered enough tests, and doesnt want to fess up about it. Ministers insist hundreds of millions of tests will soon be available and Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi says tests have been ringfenced for schools to ensure they can reopen safely this week. With Britain returning to work this week, commuters are also worried that Covid-related staff shortages will bring misery on trains. More than 20 rail companies have already reduced services or plan to do so as a result of Covid infections and self-isolation rules. TRIPOLI, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Libyan Ministry of Interior on Saturday announced arresting a foreign national with 32 hand grenades in his possession in Garabulli city, some 50 km east of the capital Tripoli. The arrested individual faces charges of armed robbery, the ministry said, adding that machine gun ammunition was also found in his possession upon searching. The arrested individual is part of a criminal group that is still at large, which is responsible for a number of armed robberies in the area, the ministry said. Libya has been suffering insecurity and chaos since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011. Enditem TRIPOLI, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Libyan Ministry of Interior on Saturday announced arresting a foreign national with 32 hand grenades in his possession in Garabulli city, some 50 km east of the capital Tripoli. The arrested individual faces charges of armed robbery, the ministry said, adding that machine gun ammunition was also found in his possession upon searching. The arrested individual is part of a criminal group that is still at large, which is responsible for a number of armed robberies in the area, the ministry said. Libya has been suffering insecurity and chaos since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011. Enditem https://sputniknews.com/20220101/us-military-reportedly-zeroing-in-on-daesh-cell-linked-to-kabul-airport-suicide-bomber-1091967683.html US Military Reportedly Zeroing in on Daesh Cell Linked to Kabul Airport Suicide Bomber US Military Reportedly Zeroing in on Daesh Cell Linked to Kabul Airport Suicide Bomber Nearly 200 individuals, including 13 US service members, were killed in August 2021 by a suicide bomber near the Kabul airport's southeast gate. Both the... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T23:09+0000 2022-01-01T23:09+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 kabul afghanistan kabul international airport us military hamid karzai international airport isis-k daesh us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091967656_0:323:3067:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_2f880e64653fe7ad58ca623e97a9b86b.jpg The US and foreign intelligence officials are making headway in efforts to gather intelligence on Daesh-Khorasan*, the Afghan-based Islamic State branch, as well as an affiliated suicide bomber who killed almost 200 individuals on August 26, according to a new report in the New York Times. Citing American officials, the outlet detailed that the US and Logari had a previous run-in back in 2017, when the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) tipped off Indian counterparts to warn of a planned suicide bombing by Logari in New Delhi. Authorities in India ultimately thwarted the student-turned-militant's planned attack and detained the suspect. Soon after, Logari was handed over to the CIA, which assigned him to serve time at the US-made Parwan Detention Facility.The militant remained at the Bagram Air Base prison until August 15, 2021, when the Taliban swarmed the abandoned air base and freed over 12,000 prisonersincluding some 6,000 Taliban fighters. At the same time, the Taliban also released rival militants from the Pul-e-Charkhi and Parwan prison, including Logari and some 1,800 Daesh-K fighters, according to US officials. The release occurred just 11 days prior to the suicide bombing. Daesh-K, which quickly claimed responsibility for the August 26 terror attack, has significantly expanded since Shahab al-Muhajir, a new commander, took hold of the group in June 2020. In October 2021, Colin H. Kahl, a US undersecretary of defense for policy, told members of Congress that the militant group could be preparing to attack the US as soon as 2022. *A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries https://sputniknews.com/20220101/over-52000-afghan-evacuees-resettled-across-america-under-operation-allies-welcome-1091967179.html kabul afghanistan hamid karzai international airport daesh Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead daesh, us, afghanistan, taliban, daesh-k, isis-k, kabul international airport Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of 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Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe https://sputniknews.com/20220101/us-military-reportedly-zeroing-in-on-daesh-cell-linked-to-kabul-airport-suicide-bomber-1091967683.html US Military Reportedly Zeroing in on Daesh Cell Linked to Kabul Airport Suicide Bomber US Military Reportedly Zeroing in on Daesh Cell Linked to Kabul Airport Suicide Bomber Nearly 200 individuals, including 13 US service members, were killed in August 2021 by a suicide bomber near the Kabul airport's southeast gate. Both the... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T23:09+0000 2022-01-01T23:09+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 kabul afghanistan kabul international airport us military hamid karzai international airport isis-k daesh us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091967656_0:323:3067:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_2f880e64653fe7ad58ca623e97a9b86b.jpg The US and foreign intelligence officials are making headway in efforts to gather intelligence on Daesh-Khorasan*, the Afghan-based Islamic State branch, as well as an affiliated suicide bomber who killed almost 200 individuals on August 26, according to a new report in the New York Times. Citing American officials, the outlet detailed that the US and Logari had a previous run-in back in 2017, when the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) tipped off Indian counterparts to warn of a planned suicide bombing by Logari in New Delhi. Authorities in India ultimately thwarted the student-turned-militant's planned attack and detained the suspect. Soon after, Logari was handed over to the CIA, which assigned him to serve time at the US-made Parwan Detention Facility.The militant remained at the Bagram Air Base prison until August 15, 2021, when the Taliban swarmed the abandoned air base and freed over 12,000 prisonersincluding some 6,000 Taliban fighters. At the same time, the Taliban also released rival militants from the Pul-e-Charkhi and Parwan prison, including Logari and some 1,800 Daesh-K fighters, according to US officials. The release occurred just 11 days prior to the suicide bombing. Daesh-K, which quickly claimed responsibility for the August 26 terror attack, has significantly expanded since Shahab al-Muhajir, a new commander, took hold of the group in June 2020. In October 2021, Colin H. Kahl, a US undersecretary of defense for policy, told members of Congress that the militant group could be preparing to attack the US as soon as 2022. *A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries https://sputniknews.com/20220101/over-52000-afghan-evacuees-resettled-across-america-under-operation-allies-welcome-1091967179.html kabul afghanistan hamid karzai international airport daesh Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead daesh, us, afghanistan, taliban, daesh-k, isis-k, kabul international airport https://sputniknews.com/20220101/us-military-reportedly-zeroing-in-on-daesh-cell-linked-to-kabul-airport-suicide-bomber-1091967683.html US Military Reportedly Zeroing in on Daesh Cell Linked to Kabul Airport Suicide Bomber US Military Reportedly Zeroing in on Daesh Cell Linked to Kabul Airport Suicide Bomber Nearly 200 individuals, including 13 US service members, were killed in August 2021 by a suicide bomber near the Kabul airport's southeast gate. Both the... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T23:09+0000 2022-01-01T23:09+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 kabul afghanistan kabul international airport us military hamid karzai international airport isis-k daesh us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091967656_0:323:3067:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_2f880e64653fe7ad58ca623e97a9b86b.jpg The US and foreign intelligence officials are making headway in efforts to gather intelligence on Daesh-Khorasan*, the Afghan-based Islamic State branch, as well as an affiliated suicide bomber who killed almost 200 individuals on August 26, according to a new report in the New York Times. Citing American officials, the outlet detailed that the US and Logari had a previous run-in back in 2017, when the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) tipped off Indian counterparts to warn of a planned suicide bombing by Logari in New Delhi. Authorities in India ultimately thwarted the student-turned-militant's planned attack and detained the suspect. Soon after, Logari was handed over to the CIA, which assigned him to serve time at the US-made Parwan Detention Facility.The militant remained at the Bagram Air Base prison until August 15, 2021, when the Taliban swarmed the abandoned air base and freed over 12,000 prisonersincluding some 6,000 Taliban fighters. At the same time, the Taliban also released rival militants from the Pul-e-Charkhi and Parwan prison, including Logari and some 1,800 Daesh-K fighters, according to US officials. The release occurred just 11 days prior to the suicide bombing. Daesh-K, which quickly claimed responsibility for the August 26 terror attack, has significantly expanded since Shahab al-Muhajir, a new commander, took hold of the group in June 2020. In October 2021, Colin H. Kahl, a US undersecretary of defense for policy, told members of Congress that the militant group could be preparing to attack the US as soon as 2022. *A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries https://sputniknews.com/20220101/over-52000-afghan-evacuees-resettled-across-america-under-operation-allies-welcome-1091967179.html kabul afghanistan hamid karzai international airport daesh Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead daesh, us, afghanistan, taliban, daesh-k, isis-k, kabul international airport https://sputniknews.com/20220101/us-military-reportedly-zeroing-in-on-daesh-cell-linked-to-kabul-airport-suicide-bomber-1091967683.html US Military Reportedly Zeroing in on Daesh Cell Linked to Kabul Airport Suicide Bomber US Military Reportedly Zeroing in on Daesh Cell Linked to Kabul Airport Suicide Bomber Nearly 200 individuals, including 13 US service members, were killed in August 2021 by a suicide bomber near the Kabul airport's southeast gate. Both the... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T23:09+0000 2022-01-01T23:09+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 kabul afghanistan kabul international airport us military hamid karzai international airport isis-k daesh us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091967656_0:323:3067:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_2f880e64653fe7ad58ca623e97a9b86b.jpg The US and foreign intelligence officials are making headway in efforts to gather intelligence on Daesh-Khorasan*, the Afghan-based Islamic State branch, as well as an affiliated suicide bomber who killed almost 200 individuals on August 26, according to a new report in the New York Times. Citing American officials, the outlet detailed that the US and Logari had a previous run-in back in 2017, when the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) tipped off Indian counterparts to warn of a planned suicide bombing by Logari in New Delhi. Authorities in India ultimately thwarted the student-turned-militant's planned attack and detained the suspect. Soon after, Logari was handed over to the CIA, which assigned him to serve time at the US-made Parwan Detention Facility.The militant remained at the Bagram Air Base prison until August 15, 2021, when the Taliban swarmed the abandoned air base and freed over 12,000 prisonersincluding some 6,000 Taliban fighters. At the same time, the Taliban also released rival militants from the Pul-e-Charkhi and Parwan prison, including Logari and some 1,800 Daesh-K fighters, according to US officials. The release occurred just 11 days prior to the suicide bombing. Daesh-K, which quickly claimed responsibility for the August 26 terror attack, has significantly expanded since Shahab al-Muhajir, a new commander, took hold of the group in June 2020. In October 2021, Colin H. Kahl, a US undersecretary of defense for policy, told members of Congress that the militant group could be preparing to attack the US as soon as 2022. *A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries https://sputniknews.com/20220101/over-52000-afghan-evacuees-resettled-across-america-under-operation-allies-welcome-1091967179.html kabul afghanistan hamid karzai international airport daesh Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead daesh, us, afghanistan, taliban, daesh-k, isis-k, kabul international airport https://sputniknews.com/20220101/us-military-reportedly-zeroing-in-on-daesh-cell-linked-to-kabul-airport-suicide-bomber-1091967683.html US Military Reportedly Zeroing in on Daesh Cell Linked to Kabul Airport Suicide Bomber US Military Reportedly Zeroing in on Daesh Cell Linked to Kabul Airport Suicide Bomber Nearly 200 individuals, including 13 US service members, were killed in August 2021 by a suicide bomber near the Kabul airport's southeast gate. Both the... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T23:09+0000 2022-01-01T23:09+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 kabul afghanistan kabul international airport us military hamid karzai international airport isis-k daesh us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091967656_0:323:3067:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_2f880e64653fe7ad58ca623e97a9b86b.jpg The US and foreign intelligence officials are making headway in efforts to gather intelligence on Daesh-Khorasan*, the Afghan-based Islamic State branch, as well as an affiliated suicide bomber who killed almost 200 individuals on August 26, according to a new report in the New York Times. Citing American officials, the outlet detailed that the US and Logari had a previous run-in back in 2017, when the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) tipped off Indian counterparts to warn of a planned suicide bombing by Logari in New Delhi. Authorities in India ultimately thwarted the student-turned-militant's planned attack and detained the suspect. Soon after, Logari was handed over to the CIA, which assigned him to serve time at the US-made Parwan Detention Facility.The militant remained at the Bagram Air Base prison until August 15, 2021, when the Taliban swarmed the abandoned air base and freed over 12,000 prisonersincluding some 6,000 Taliban fighters. At the same time, the Taliban also released rival militants from the Pul-e-Charkhi and Parwan prison, including Logari and some 1,800 Daesh-K fighters, according to US officials. The release occurred just 11 days prior to the suicide bombing. Daesh-K, which quickly claimed responsibility for the August 26 terror attack, has significantly expanded since Shahab al-Muhajir, a new commander, took hold of the group in June 2020. In October 2021, Colin H. Kahl, a US undersecretary of defense for policy, told members of Congress that the militant group could be preparing to attack the US as soon as 2022. *A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries https://sputniknews.com/20220101/over-52000-afghan-evacuees-resettled-across-america-under-operation-allies-welcome-1091967179.html kabul afghanistan hamid karzai international airport daesh Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead daesh, us, afghanistan, taliban, daesh-k, isis-k, kabul international airport SANAA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Thirty-seven Houthi militants were killed on Saturday in a battle with the Yemeni army in Yemen's central province of Marib, government military source told Xinhua. The ground battle took place in the area of al-Balak al-Sharki in the government-controlled southern Marib, during which the army recaptured several positions of the militia, he said on condition of anonymity. Meanwhile, the Saudi-led Arab coalition backing the Yemeni army announced the launch of 23 airstrikes, killing 160 Houthi militants and destroying 17 vehicles in southern Marib frontline, the Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya TV reported. Houthi media made no comment on the battle. In February last year, the Iran-backed Houthi militia began a major offensive against the Saudi-backed Yemeni government army to capture the strategic oil-rich province. Enditem Rochelle Wilcox, owner of three child care centers in New Orleans, has been receiving 10 to 15 phone calls nearly every day for each school fr Rochelle Wilcox, owner of three child care centers in New Orleans, has been receiving 10 to 15 phone calls nearly every day for each school fr 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. Indigos deep midnight blue splashes and flows its way throughout the world and across history. Artists from Asia, Africa and the Americas have used indigo in various forms and techniques for at least the last 6,200 years, said Josie Lopez, curator of art for the Albuquerque Museum. One of the seven colors of the rainbow, blue remains one of the rarest naturally occurring colors. Indigo is one of the few organic sources of blue dye. Opening at the Albuquerque Museum, Indelible Blue: Indigo Across the Globe explores the history of that elusive plant from the Navajo Nation to South Carolina to Japan. Indigos famous blue weaves from a rocky history buttressed by trade, colonialism, slavery, globalism and cultural exchange. Its been in the state since the colonial period, said Leslie Kim, Albuquerque Museum curator of history. The friars robes were dyed with it. It came up the Camino Real via both dye and fabric. The labor-intensive process of growing and extracting indigo plants combined with their value led colonial powers to establish indigo plantations in the Southeast, the Caribbean, Latin America and India. The legacy of slavery and Indias 1859 Indigo Revolt reflect its sometimes ugly and violent history. The revolt erupted when farmers rebelled against British planters who forced them to give up their land, working it exclusively for British benefit. A Japanese farmers coat and Indian saris reveal its use in utilitarian clothing. The exhibition includes a rare First Phase Navajo Chiefs blanket and a similar garment from the Ivory Coast as markers of prestige. Some contemporary artists use the dye in political installations. Enslaved people performed the cultivation and processing of indigo from the 17th to the 19th centuries for European profit. Works by Laura Anderson Barbata and Taos artist Nikesha Breeze reflect this dark history. Breeze created sculptures titled Red, White, Black and Blue: An Homage to African American Indigo, made of ceramic, raw indigo, red iron, cotton and denim. The installation honors the enslaved people who were crucial to the indigo trade, especially in North and South Carolina. Breeze stumbled upon the sad history of American indigo plantations while she was researching her ancestral roots. She created two altar pieces in an homage to the enslaved people who worked there. American blue jeans had its history in what was called Negro cloth, she explained. They not only wore the cloth; they made it for themselves. Most of them were only given one pair of pants per year. It was like a uniform. Levi Strauss spotted the pants and turned them into a business. He added rivets and created a history of American ingeniousness that was literally taken off the backs of slaves. Breezes altars start with indigo cakes and raw cotton, then climb into Negro cloth growing into Levi Strauss jeans. At the top are carved ceramic hands and feet with dark black skin dyed blue, she said. It wasnt until the discovery of synthetic dyes around 1880 that the botanical indigo trade subsided. Many of the exhibition artists such as Rowland Ricketts, Scott Sutton, Maria Davila and Eudorado Portillo process their own indigo. Taos artist Sutton created a hanging indigo map of the Rio Grande Watershed. Its environmentally/ecologically-based stuff, Sutton said. I use a lot of mineral pigments that I collect. Sutton grows Japanese indigo plants in his Taos greenhouse. He named his website pigmenthunter.com. Its an annual, so you have to collect seeds and let some of it grow to flower, he said. The pigments in the leaves. He strips the leaves from the stems, then places them in a 35-gallon garbage container with water. Youre making like a sun tea, he explained. After about three days, he aerates the dye by blowing into the water with an irrigation tube. Pigment particles settle on the bottom. Sutton borrowed his seeds from the Indiana artist Rowland Ricketts. His Albuquerque project consists of multiple shades of blue. He based the pattern on U.S. Geological Survey height maps. Mahatma Gandhis non-violent policy sprang from watching the Indian farmers cultivate indigo, Kim said. Gandhi went to visit the farmers to understand the labor systems tied to British colonization, she said. Indigo was a very important crop to England, she continued. They forbade them to plant crops and forced them to grow indigo. Its a difficult history. Indigo weaves its magic throughout cultures and history. Its that deep blue becoming a symbol of prestige, Lopez said. Theres no blue without indigo. Rochelle Wilcox, owner of three child care centers in New Orleans, has been receiving 10 to 15 phone calls nearly every day for each school fr 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. Indigos deep midnight blue splashes and flows its way throughout the world and across history. Artists from Asia, Africa and the Americas have used indigo in various forms and techniques for at least the last 6,200 years, said Josie Lopez, curator of art for the Albuquerque Museum. One of the seven colors of the rainbow, blue remains one of the rarest naturally occurring colors. Indigo is one of the few organic sources of blue dye. Opening at the Albuquerque Museum, Indelible Blue: Indigo Across the Globe explores the history of that elusive plant from the Navajo Nation to South Carolina to Japan. Indigos famous blue weaves from a rocky history buttressed by trade, colonialism, slavery, globalism and cultural exchange. Its been in the state since the colonial period, said Leslie Kim, Albuquerque Museum curator of history. The friars robes were dyed with it. It came up the Camino Real via both dye and fabric. The labor-intensive process of growing and extracting indigo plants combined with their value led colonial powers to establish indigo plantations in the Southeast, the Caribbean, Latin America and India. The legacy of slavery and Indias 1859 Indigo Revolt reflect its sometimes ugly and violent history. The revolt erupted when farmers rebelled against British planters who forced them to give up their land, working it exclusively for British benefit. A Japanese farmers coat and Indian saris reveal its use in utilitarian clothing. The exhibition includes a rare First Phase Navajo Chiefs blanket and a similar garment from the Ivory Coast as markers of prestige. Some contemporary artists use the dye in political installations. Enslaved people performed the cultivation and processing of indigo from the 17th to the 19th centuries for European profit. Works by Laura Anderson Barbata and Taos artist Nikesha Breeze reflect this dark history. Breeze created sculptures titled Red, White, Black and Blue: An Homage to African American Indigo, made of ceramic, raw indigo, red iron, cotton and denim. The installation honors the enslaved people who were crucial to the indigo trade, especially in North and South Carolina. Breeze stumbled upon the sad history of American indigo plantations while she was researching her ancestral roots. She created two altar pieces in an homage to the enslaved people who worked there. American blue jeans had its history in what was called Negro cloth, she explained. They not only wore the cloth; they made it for themselves. Most of them were only given one pair of pants per year. It was like a uniform. Levi Strauss spotted the pants and turned them into a business. He added rivets and created a history of American ingeniousness that was literally taken off the backs of slaves. Breezes altars start with indigo cakes and raw cotton, then climb into Negro cloth growing into Levi Strauss jeans. At the top are carved ceramic hands and feet with dark black skin dyed blue, she said. It wasnt until the discovery of synthetic dyes around 1880 that the botanical indigo trade subsided. Many of the exhibition artists such as Rowland Ricketts, Scott Sutton, Maria Davila and Eudorado Portillo process their own indigo. Taos artist Sutton created a hanging indigo map of the Rio Grande Watershed. Its environmentally/ecologically-based stuff, Sutton said. I use a lot of mineral pigments that I collect. Sutton grows Japanese indigo plants in his Taos greenhouse. He named his website pigmenthunter.com. Its an annual, so you have to collect seeds and let some of it grow to flower, he said. The pigments in the leaves. He strips the leaves from the stems, then places them in a 35-gallon garbage container with water. Youre making like a sun tea, he explained. After about three days, he aerates the dye by blowing into the water with an irrigation tube. Pigment particles settle on the bottom. Sutton borrowed his seeds from the Indiana artist Rowland Ricketts. His Albuquerque project consists of multiple shades of blue. He based the pattern on U.S. Geological Survey height maps. Mahatma Gandhis non-violent policy sprang from watching the Indian farmers cultivate indigo, Kim said. Gandhi went to visit the farmers to understand the labor systems tied to British colonization, she said. Indigo was a very important crop to England, she continued. They forbade them to plant crops and forced them to grow indigo. Its a difficult history. Indigo weaves its magic throughout cultures and history. Its that deep blue becoming a symbol of prestige, Lopez said. Theres no blue without indigo. Indigos deep midnight blue splashes and flows its way throughout the world and across history. Artists from Asia, Africa and the Americas have used indigo in various forms and techniques for at least the last 6,200 years, said Josie Lopez, curator of art for the Albuquerque Museum. One of the seven colors of the rainbow, blue remains one of the rarest naturally occurring colors. Indigo is one of the few organic sources of blue dye. Opening at the Albuquerque Museum, Indelible Blue: Indigo Across the Globe explores the history of that elusive plant from the Navajo Nation to South Carolina to Japan. Indigos famous blue weaves from a rocky history buttressed by trade, colonialism, slavery, globalism and cultural exchange. Its been in the state since the colonial period, said Leslie Kim, Albuquerque Museum curator of history. The friars robes were dyed with it. It came up the Camino Real via both dye and fabric. The labor-intensive process of growing and extracting indigo plants combined with their value led colonial powers to establish indigo plantations in the Southeast, the Caribbean, Latin America and India. The legacy of slavery and Indias 1859 Indigo Revolt reflect its sometimes ugly and violent history. The revolt erupted when farmers rebelled against British planters who forced them to give up their land, working it exclusively for British benefit. A Japanese farmers coat and Indian saris reveal its use in utilitarian clothing. The exhibition includes a rare First Phase Navajo Chiefs blanket and a similar garment from the Ivory Coast as markers of prestige. Some contemporary artists use the dye in political installations. Enslaved people performed the cultivation and processing of indigo from the 17th to the 19th centuries for European profit. Works by Laura Anderson Barbata and Taos artist Nikesha Breeze reflect this dark history. Breeze created sculptures titled Red, White, Black and Blue: An Homage to African American Indigo, made of ceramic, raw indigo, red iron, cotton and denim. The installation honors the enslaved people who were crucial to the indigo trade, especially in North and South Carolina. Breeze stumbled upon the sad history of American indigo plantations while she was researching her ancestral roots. She created two altar pieces in an homage to the enslaved people who worked there. American blue jeans had its history in what was called Negro cloth, she explained. They not only wore the cloth; they made it for themselves. Most of them were only given one pair of pants per year. It was like a uniform. Levi Strauss spotted the pants and turned them into a business. He added rivets and created a history of American ingeniousness that was literally taken off the backs of slaves. Breezes altars start with indigo cakes and raw cotton, then climb into Negro cloth growing into Levi Strauss jeans. At the top are carved ceramic hands and feet with dark black skin dyed blue, she said. It wasnt until the discovery of synthetic dyes around 1880 that the botanical indigo trade subsided. Many of the exhibition artists such as Rowland Ricketts, Scott Sutton, Maria Davila and Eudorado Portillo process their own indigo. Taos artist Sutton created a hanging indigo map of the Rio Grande Watershed. Its environmentally/ecologically-based stuff, Sutton said. I use a lot of mineral pigments that I collect. Sutton grows Japanese indigo plants in his Taos greenhouse. He named his website pigmenthunter.com. Its an annual, so you have to collect seeds and let some of it grow to flower, he said. The pigments in the leaves. He strips the leaves from the stems, then places them in a 35-gallon garbage container with water. Youre making like a sun tea, he explained. After about three days, he aerates the dye by blowing into the water with an irrigation tube. Pigment particles settle on the bottom. Sutton borrowed his seeds from the Indiana artist Rowland Ricketts. His Albuquerque project consists of multiple shades of blue. He based the pattern on U.S. Geological Survey height maps. Mahatma Gandhis non-violent policy sprang from watching the Indian farmers cultivate indigo, Kim said. Gandhi went to visit the farmers to understand the labor systems tied to British colonization, she said. Indigo was a very important crop to England, she continued. They forbade them to plant crops and forced them to grow indigo. Its a difficult history. Indigo weaves its magic throughout cultures and history. Its that deep blue becoming a symbol of prestige, Lopez said. Theres no blue without indigo. Bankers are set for a New Year bonus bonanza after raking in record fees over the last year. Financiers who worked on lucrative mergers and acquisitions (M&A), including big names at the likes of Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and Barclays, are in line for huge sums of money following the deal-making boom. In the UK alone, M&A advisers pocketed 2.7billion, according to data from Refinitiv, the most since records began at the turn of the millennium. It is thought that the surge in income could pump up investment banks' total bonus pools by as much as 20 per cent. City slickers: Financiers who worked on lucrative mergers and acquisitions are in line for huge sums of money following the deal-making boom And the rewards offered to M&A departments may climb by 50 per cent, experts have predicted, with the top staff set to pocket tens of millions of pounds. In a sign of windfalls to come: JP Morgan is weighing up a hike of 40 per cent for investment bankers' bonuses; Goldman Sachs has pencilled in a rise of up to 50 per cent; Barclays is thought to be lifting investment bank bonuses by more than 25 per cent; Some staff at Royal Bank of Canada have reported rises of up to 50 per cent. Among those cashing in will be some of the best-known bankers in London. Goldman Sachs' Mark Sorrell, son of the advertising tycoon Sir Martin, worked on deals such as the Advent International-backed takeover of Ultra Electronics by Cobham. His brother, Robert, managing director at investment bank Moelis & Company, was part of the team advising private equity firm Lone Star on its buyout of housebuilder McCarthy & Stone. Robey Warshaw, the London bank which has hired former Chancellor George Osborne, advised the London Stock Exchange on its blockbuster merger with Refinitiv. Its top bankers on the deal, Philip Apostolides and Sir Simon Robey, will be expecting to receive a handsome pay package. Bonus discussions typically begin towards the end of the year as staff try to convince bosses why they deserve a bumper payout. Excitement levels have reached fever pitch after more than 4,500 buyouts of UK firms in 2021, the most on record. Deals involving private equity firms, which tend to entail higher fees for advisers, also hit record levels, meaning many in the City will be feeling extremely flush. A total of 773 British companies, worth 62billion, were snapped up by private equity barons last year. The number of firms floating on the stock market also surged, with more than 100 companies going public. All the listings will have generated work for bankers, as will the fundraising deals for businesses which needed more cash to get through the pandemic. Banker bonuses have tended to be more muted since the heady days leading up to the financial crisis. After the 2008 crash, the EU brought in a rule limiting most banker bonuses to no more than 100 per cent of their salary. But this only applies to the major banks, not the smaller boutiques such as Robey Warshaw, Moelis and Evercore. Douglas McWilliams, deputy chairman of the Centre for Economics and Business Research, said: 'My impression is that the banks themselves pay much lower bonuses these days. 'But quite a few of the deals have involved private equity. And they pay quite large bonuses.' He said there may be 'a few blockbuster individual bonuses'. Phillippa O'Connor, executive pay specialist at accounting firm PwC, said staff at many global banks could be celebrating their 'biggest bonus outcome year since the financial crisis'. She added: 'We anticipate that increases this year of 20 per cent or potentially more in some cases will not be unusual.' https://sputniknews.com/20220101/us-military-reportedly-zeroing-in-on-daesh-cell-linked-to-kabul-airport-suicide-bomber-1091967683.html US Military Reportedly Zeroing in on Daesh Cell Linked to Kabul Airport Suicide Bomber US Military Reportedly Zeroing in on Daesh Cell Linked to Kabul Airport Suicide Bomber Nearly 200 individuals, including 13 US service members, were killed in August 2021 by a suicide bomber near the Kabul airport's southeast gate. Both the... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T23:09+0000 2022-01-01T23:09+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 kabul afghanistan kabul international airport us military hamid karzai international airport isis-k daesh us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091967656_0:323:3067:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_2f880e64653fe7ad58ca623e97a9b86b.jpg The US and foreign intelligence officials are making headway in efforts to gather intelligence on Daesh-Khorasan*, the Afghan-based Islamic State branch, as well as an affiliated suicide bomber who killed almost 200 individuals on August 26, according to a new report in the New York Times. Citing American officials, the outlet detailed that the US and Logari had a previous run-in back in 2017, when the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) tipped off Indian counterparts to warn of a planned suicide bombing by Logari in New Delhi. Authorities in India ultimately thwarted the student-turned-militant's planned attack and detained the suspect. Soon after, Logari was handed over to the CIA, which assigned him to serve time at the US-made Parwan Detention Facility.The militant remained at the Bagram Air Base prison until August 15, 2021, when the Taliban swarmed the abandoned air base and freed over 12,000 prisonersincluding some 6,000 Taliban fighters. At the same time, the Taliban also released rival militants from the Pul-e-Charkhi and Parwan prison, including Logari and some 1,800 Daesh-K fighters, according to US officials. The release occurred just 11 days prior to the suicide bombing. Daesh-K, which quickly claimed responsibility for the August 26 terror attack, has significantly expanded since Shahab al-Muhajir, a new commander, took hold of the group in June 2020. In October 2021, Colin H. Kahl, a US undersecretary of defense for policy, told members of Congress that the militant group could be preparing to attack the US as soon as 2022. *A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries https://sputniknews.com/20220101/over-52000-afghan-evacuees-resettled-across-america-under-operation-allies-welcome-1091967179.html kabul afghanistan hamid karzai international airport daesh Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead daesh, us, afghanistan, taliban, daesh-k, isis-k, kabul international airport https://sputniknews.com/20220101/us-military-reportedly-zeroing-in-on-daesh-cell-linked-to-kabul-airport-suicide-bomber-1091967683.html US Military Reportedly Zeroing in on Daesh Cell Linked to Kabul Airport Suicide Bomber US Military Reportedly Zeroing in on Daesh Cell Linked to Kabul Airport Suicide Bomber Nearly 200 individuals, including 13 US service members, were killed in August 2021 by a suicide bomber near the Kabul airport's southeast gate. Both the... 01.01.2022, Sputnik International 2022-01-01T23:09+0000 2022-01-01T23:09+0000 2022-08-06T13:27+0000 kabul afghanistan kabul international airport us military hamid karzai international airport isis-k daesh us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/01/1091967656_0:323:3067:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_2f880e64653fe7ad58ca623e97a9b86b.jpg The US and foreign intelligence officials are making headway in efforts to gather intelligence on Daesh-Khorasan*, the Afghan-based Islamic State branch, as well as an affiliated suicide bomber who killed almost 200 individuals on August 26, according to a new report in the New York Times. Citing American officials, the outlet detailed that the US and Logari had a previous run-in back in 2017, when the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) tipped off Indian counterparts to warn of a planned suicide bombing by Logari in New Delhi. Authorities in India ultimately thwarted the student-turned-militant's planned attack and detained the suspect. Soon after, Logari was handed over to the CIA, which assigned him to serve time at the US-made Parwan Detention Facility.The militant remained at the Bagram Air Base prison until August 15, 2021, when the Taliban swarmed the abandoned air base and freed over 12,000 prisonersincluding some 6,000 Taliban fighters. At the same time, the Taliban also released rival militants from the Pul-e-Charkhi and Parwan prison, including Logari and some 1,800 Daesh-K fighters, according to US officials. The release occurred just 11 days prior to the suicide bombing. Daesh-K, which quickly claimed responsibility for the August 26 terror attack, has significantly expanded since Shahab al-Muhajir, a new commander, took hold of the group in June 2020. In October 2021, Colin H. Kahl, a US undersecretary of defense for policy, told members of Congress that the militant group could be preparing to attack the US as soon as 2022. *A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries https://sputniknews.com/20220101/over-52000-afghan-evacuees-resettled-across-america-under-operation-allies-welcome-1091967179.html kabul afghanistan hamid karzai international airport daesh Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead daesh, us, afghanistan, taliban, daesh-k, isis-k, kabul international airport SANAA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Thirty-seven Houthi militants were killed on Saturday in a battle with the Yemeni army in Yemen's central province of Marib, government military source told Xinhua. The ground battle took place in the area of al-Balak al-Sharki in the government-controlled southern Marib, during which the army recaptured several positions of the militia, he said on condition of anonymity. Meanwhile, the Saudi-led Arab coalition backing the Yemeni army announced the launch of 23 airstrikes, killing 160 Houthi militants and destroying 17 vehicles in southern Marib frontline, the Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya TV reported. Houthi media made no comment on the battle. In February last year, the Iran-backed Houthi militia began a major offensive against the Saudi-backed Yemeni government army to capture the strategic oil-rich province. Enditem Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Graphic by Cho Sang-won By Nam Hyun-woo After grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic for the past two years, South Korea is increasingly recognizing that North Korea's nuclear program is not the only threat it faces, and that new risks can emerge and test the country's ability to manage new challenges. The difficulties facing the country _ and the world _ have shown us that threats could come in unexpected forms and at unexpected times. Indeed, the risks could be strong enough to entirely change how people live and how society works. The pandemic, the climate crisis and network outages in hyper-connected Korea are already issues that pose a significant amount of concern. A small business owner wears a "Younghee" mask, a doll from Netflix's series, "Squid Game," during a rally against the government's social distancing rules near the Government Complex Seoul, Dec. 22. Hundreds of small business owners rallied, calling for the withdrawal of curfews and other strict COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants, cafes, gyms and other facilities. AP-Yonhap 1. New epidemic after COVID-19 In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) selected a number of diseases that could pose the greatest public health risk due to their epidemic potential, and came up with the idea of "Disease X," which "represents the knowledge that a serious international epidemic could be caused by a pathogen currently unknown to cause human disease." In a contribution article in The Telegraph on May 18 of that year, Richard Hatchett, CEO of Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, wrote: "It might sound like science fiction, but Disease X is something we must prepare for." Just two years later, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted ways of life across the world, and the WHO is still keeping Disease X on its watch list. This means the organization believes there is a fair chance of another infectious disease becoming a full-blown pandemic, thereby posing a serious threat to mankind. In a study submitted to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the U.S. on Aug. 31, a research team led by Marco Marani of the University of Padua in Italy asserted that the probability of experiencing a pandemic with similar impact to COVID-19 in one's lifetime is currently at about 38 percent, and this may double in the coming decades. The study also warned that the probability of novel disease outbreaks will likely grow threefold in the next few decades. Against this backdrop, experts say people's reliance on vaccines and treatments will continue to grow, and so will the importance of technological preparedness, in which drug makers can develop vaccines and treatments quickly after an outbreak. For example, it took a year for drug makers to come up with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, but this was an outcome of more than 30 years of research on mRNA technologies. Since South Korea fell short on basic scientific research on the virus, the country could not take the lead in the global race for so-called vaccine sovereignty. However, a number of domestic drug developers have been working on their own mRNA platform technologies, and on Dec. 24, ST Pharm submitted a phase 1 trial application for Korea's first mRNA-type vaccine candidate to the domestic drug authority. The Korean government is also bolstering its support and subsidies for drug makers to achieve President Moon Jae-in's initiative of making the country a regional vaccine manufacturing hub, in order to strengthen Korea's presence in the global vaccine supply chain. However, questions remain as to whether political and economic attention on time and money-consuming research for vaccine technologies will continue as they have done in recent years. Kenneth V. Iserson, professor emeritus in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Arizona, warned in his article titled "The Next Pandemic: Prepare for 'Disease X'": "As the COVID-19 threat lessens, politicians will make grand promises to implement plans to stop, or at least to prepare for, the next pandemic. The recovering economy will be too weak at first to support the effort, although more funding will be promised in the future," Iserson wrote. "Politicians will ultimately make changes that are politically expedient and will fail to authorize the changes necessary to produce faster, more flexible responses. The memories of angst and societal disruption during COVID-19 will recede." Similar scenarios are anticipated in Korea, which will hold its presidential election in March. Though the major candidates are now promising up to 100 trillion won ($84.2 billion) for a public disaster relief fund, which is equivalent to one-sixth of the country's total budget for 2022, and enhanced government responsibility for those suffering vaccine side effects, they have yet to come up with ideas on whether they will succeed Moon's vaccine hub initiative or how to prepare the country for Disease X. A firefighter and citizens push a truck at an underpass in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, as torrential rain floods the city on Aug. 24. Courtesy of Jeonbuk Fire Service 2. Climate change Unlike some countries which have suffered frequent natural disasters fanned by climate change, Korea has not been quite as affected by large-scale natural disasters that would alarm the public about the issue. Nonetheless, experts say the country is not a safe haven from the climate crisis, citing relatively small but noteworthy changes in the country's climate. They added the country could be shunned from global supply chains if it underestimates the pace of the global energy transition. "With a record-breaking monsoon season and heat waves in recent years leading to casualties, property damage and rising food prices, Korea is already facing the deadly impacts of the climate crisis. Of course, things are only expected to worsen and accelerate over time," said Park Jee-hye, a lawyer and director of Solutions for Our Climate. In its 2020 yearbook published in June 2021, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said, "The impact of climate change, which had been somewhat vague, has become more visible in recent years," and "climate change will intensify causing unprecedented heat and cold waves, heavy snowfall and torrential rain." In a separate report, the KMA also noted "the frequency and severity of heat waves on the Korean Peninsula have shown a noticeable uptrend since the 1970s," and "in recent cases of heat waves that have developed strongly on the Korean Peninsula, artificial effects from the increase in greenhouse gases were detected." As a consequence, flooding is anticipated to be one of the most common natural disasters on the Korean Peninsula brought on by climate change. Greenpeace estimates the number of people affected by flooding in the country will increase to 3.3 million in 2030. "As our ecosystems change due to temperature increases, the agricultural and fishing industries will inevitably face more damage and adaptation costs," Park said. "And as the habitat areas for pests and wildlife change, there is also an increased risk of infectious disease." gettyimagesbank Impacts were also felt in the domestic fast food industry. In autumn last year, a number of fast food chains in Korea failed to serve lettuce in their hamburgers due to supply shortages. According to fast food industry officials, Korean fast food chains import lettuce from China in summer, and then secure it from Gangwon Province in autumn _ mostly from October. However, an unusually early cold wave struck the province last year, resulting in local farms seeing their harvest fail thereby causing serious supply shortages. Though the lettuce shortage was alleviated with supplies from other domestic provinces, the case highlighted the growing uncertainty in crop supplies, which will lead to an increase in vegetable prices. Korean companies' inattention to climate change and belated efforts for decarbonization are also reasons why experts pick climate change as one of the risks the country must face. "From a short-term perspective, it may seem that decarbonization is inconvenient and costly to industry," Park said. "However, in the long run, deeper emissions cuts and faster energy transition will bring more economic benefits and global competitiveness. Companies in advanced economies such as Apple, Microsoft, and BMW were quick to realize this, and this is why they are much better positioned now. Samsung, on the other hand, faces a roadblock to going 100 percent renewable like Apple due to Korea's current power sector structure which prevents the direct sale of clean energy." Park added that Korea's next administration needs to strengthen the country's climate commitments, and without those changes, Korea and its industries will be left behind. A customer pays cash at a cafe in Gurye County, South Jeolla Province, Oct. 25, as credit card readers went down nationwide due to a network disruption. Yonhap Portraits of Bu Chun-hwa, far left, Kim Ok-ryeon and Bu Deok-ryang / Courtesy of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs By Park Han-sol Three "haenyeo," or women divers of Jeju Island, who led the key resistance movement during the 1910-45 Japanese colonial occupation, were selected as the "Independence Fighters of the Month" of January 2022, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs (MPVA) announced Friday. This is the first time the ministry has named the Jeju islanders as independence fighters as part of its monthly designation project, which began in 1992. In the early 1930s, Bu Chun-hwa, Kim Ok-ryeon and Bu Deok-ryang led what came to be the country's largest civil protest ever organized by women against the Japanese forces. Joined by some 17,000 participants, part of the movement's aim was to address the colonial government's economic exploitation of marine resources and labor. All born in Gujwa-eup on the island, the three women started their lives as haenyeo at an early age, between 9 and 15, to help put food on the table for their families. But while working as divers, they also attended the same night school, an experience that gradually raised their spirit of resistance and national awareness within colonized Korea, the MPVA stated. One day in 1930, in the small Jeju village of Hado-ri, a group of young men took issue with the Japanese-controlled union's illicit sale of Ceylon moss a seaweed used to produce agar, which soon led to their arrests by the colonial police. After witnessing the quick suppression of a nonviolent protest against colonial Japan's economic exploitation of the islanders, the haenyeo soon joined forces, with the three women chosen as their leaders. On Jan. 12, 1932, the divers came out to the street, wielding their seafood harvesting tools like handheld scrapers ("bitchang") and picks ("homaengi"). But the Japanese armed forces arrested a number of key figures just days after the incident. As prisoners awaiting trial, the three women were locked behind bars for months. Bu Deok-ryang died soon afterwards due to wounds she sustained from torture. She was only 28. In the early 2000s, the government conferred the National Foundational Medal on all three women. A clutch of City grandees bagged a knighthood in the New Year's Honours list. Former BT chairman Jan du Plessis, hedge fund tycoon David Harding, ex-Lord Mayor William Russell, Games Workshop founder Ian Livingstone and Legal & General boss Nigel Wilson will take on the title of 'Sir' for achievements recognised by the Queen. After another year dominated by the pandemic, John Dawson chief executive of Oxford Biomedica, which became a stock market darling after creating Britain's Covid vaccine with Astrazeneca was handed a CBE. Awards: Despite auditors taking another beating for their roles in a string of accounting scandals, two were honoured Astra senior vice-president Ruth March and senior director of research and development Julia Thompson also claimed an OBE each. Stephen Reese, a partner at law firm Clifford Chance, was awarded a CBE for advising the Government and Pfizer on their vaccine plans. Despite auditors taking another beating for their roles in a string of accounting scandals, two were honoured. Nick Owen, who recently stepped down as the UK chairman of Deloitte, was recognised with a CBE. And Bina Mehta, his counterpart at KPMG, was awarded an MBE. Kate Grussing took home a CBE after her headhunting firm Sapphire Partners was the first in 326 years to help the search for a Bank of England governor, as Threadneedle Street finally decided it needed to shortlist some women. Former TSB chairman Richard Meddings and consumer champion Martin Lewis scooped CBEs for their work in the finance sector. Meddings now in line for the top NHS England chairman job helped to turn TSB around after presiding over an IT meltdown which left around 2m customers locked out of their accounts. Lewis, who founded advice website Moneysavingexpert, caught MPs' attention this year after his impassioned appearance in Parliament, urging the Government to do more to tackle online fraud. The knighthoods were dished out for acumen and contributions to society. Du Plessis, 67, helped BT 'to make fundamental investments that are critical to the future success of the UK economy', the Cabinet Office list read. These included the 15billion commitment to extend fibre broadband to 25m homes. Harding, 60, of Winton Group, who has donated hundreds of millions to charity, enabling 'enormous contributions to research, industry and civil society'. Wilson, 65, was praised for growing L&G to be the UK's first 1trillion investment manager. Livingstone, 72, was grandly titled 'one of the founding fathers of the UK games industry'. And Russell, 56, the City of London's 692nd Lord Mayor, received credit for his contributions to fintech, green finance and charity There's CBEs for grocery bosses too The boss of the Co-op and a former chief of Asda have been honoured for keeping shelves stocked amid the pandemic. Steve Murrells, chief executive of the Co-op Group, and Roger Burnley, who stepped down as Asda's chief executive this year, will be made CBEs. Honoured: Steve Murrells (far right), chief executive of the Co-op Group, and Roger Burnley (left), who stepped down as Asda's chief executive this year, will be made CBEs The pair have been recognised for services to the food supply chain, the Government said, in a year when supermarkets, hospitality firms and suppliers worked to avoid shortages as a lack of staff, pandemic restrictions and global disruption took a toll. Products such as poultry saw particular pressure in the summer before the Government issued emergency visas for workers in supply chains. Murrells, who has led the Co-op Group since 2017, said: 'This award recognises the broader social impact a strong and vibrant Co-op can make within society, and the tireless support of 60,000 incredible Co-op colleagues.' Burnley departed from Asda after its 6.8billion takeover by the Issa brothers and TDR Capital. He said: 'I am incredibly proud, and humbled, by this recognition. Everyone in the UK food industry has done an amazing job against the relentless backdrop of the Covid pandemic.' Jo Scott, a shop floor worker and community champion at Asda in Pwllheli, north Wales, received a BEM. London: The Duke of York has suggested there are no witnesses to corroborate his claim that he was at Pizza Express on the night he allegedly slept with a teenager trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein. He also said he had no documents in his possession regarding the peculiar medical condition that prevented him from perspiring, which he referred to in his Newsnight interview to rebuff a claim that he was sweating all over his alleged victim, Virginia Giuffre. The duke, who was seen driving away from his home on the Windsor royal estate yesterday, is facing mounting pressure in the wake of Ghislaine Maxwells conviction for sex trafficking. Giuffres lawyer has revealed that she could be among the alleged victims invited to give impact statements to the New York judge deciding Maxwells sentence, despite not having given evidence at the trial. Giuffre has lodged a civil claim for unspecified damages, alleging that the duke assaulted or raped her on three separate occasions in 2001 when she was 17. London: The Duke of York has suggested there are no witnesses to corroborate his claim that he was at Pizza Express on the night he allegedly slept with a teenager trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein. He also said he had no documents in his possession regarding the peculiar medical condition that prevented him from perspiring, which he referred to in his Newsnight interview to rebuff a claim that he was sweating all over his alleged victim, Virginia Giuffre. The duke, who was seen driving away from his home on the Windsor royal estate yesterday, is facing mounting pressure in the wake of Ghislaine Maxwells conviction for sex trafficking. Giuffres lawyer has revealed that she could be among the alleged victims invited to give impact statements to the New York judge deciding Maxwells sentence, despite not having given evidence at the trial. Giuffre has lodged a civil claim for unspecified damages, alleging that the duke assaulted or raped her on three separate occasions in 2001 when she was 17. Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's "First Snow," left, is on display at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, as part of the 120th anniversary celebration of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021. Courtesy of Korea Foundation By Kwon Mee-yoo Wrapping up the celebration of the 120th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021, Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx presents a series of photos exploring the interactions between humans and nature. Co-hosted by the Korea Foundation (KF) and the Embassy of Belgium in Seoul, the exhibition sheds light on the simplicity and profoundness of nature in this complicated era at the KF Gallery in central Seoul. Korea Foundation Gallery President Lee Geun highlighted the longstanding relations of the two countries. "Since the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation in 1901, our two countries have formed a special and enduring partnership. Belgium sent over 3,000 soldiers to fight alongside Korea in the 1950s during the Korean War ... Both countries have witnessed harmony with the growing presence in the international community for operating for a better future," Lee said during the opening of the exhibition, Wednesday. Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps delivers a congratulatory speech during the opening of the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Korea Foundation Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps emphasized how Buyckx's work bridges humankind and nature in Kyrgyzstan, which is located between Belgium and Korea. "At first I was wondering, 'why such an exhibition for the 120th anniversary,' but then I realized that it has a lot to do with reflection from a new context. We are living in an ever-increasing digitalized and globalized world and this reminds us of the reality. We should not forget that the real nature is there, and we have to take care of nature and people I think it's very meaningful that you have to be reminded of the simplicity and the depth of life," Bontemps said. "I can only ask you to take the time to be impressed with this message from Frederik Buyckx the importance of the nexus of humans, nature and tradition." Buyckx is the winner of the Photographer of the Year at the 2017 SONY World Photography Awards, for capturing the "joys and loveliness in each and every environment." The title of the exhibition, "Horse Head," comes from At-Bashy, the name of a small Kyrgyz village the photographer stayed in during his first trip to Kyrgyzstan, which translates into "horse head." There, Buyckx witnessed and took part in the traditional Kyrgyz horseback game, "kok boru," and documented the semi-nomadic lifestyle of the shepherds and their connections with animals. Buyckx soon returned to Kyrgyzstan and stayed and traveled with the people, documenting the harsh cold weather of the Central Asian country and symbiotic lifestyle of the Kyrgyz people. The artist described that going into these mountains by horseback "feels like entering another world." There, he captured the snow-covered landscape of Kyrgyzstan, as well as the people, horses and the connection between them, through black-and-white photos. "To really investigate the connection people still have with nature, I knew I had to join them deep in the mountains I'm mainly observing and documenting, but at the same time, I'm learning a lot about life in these remote places," the photographer said in an interview provided for the exhibition. "I think photography is a way to investigate and to better understand the world, but for me, it's also the perfect excuse to just throw myself into a new adventure." Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps, right, and Kyrgyz Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova pose next to Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's works at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Kwon Mee-yoo This exhibition was also made possible through special cooperation with the Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Korea, as Buyckx's project took place in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova said that the photos show the unique nature of her mountainous country. "Our culture was formed under the influence of nomadic life. The connection between the Kyrgyz culture and nature can be traced everywhere, from design to music ... I hope this exhibition will reach the purpose of developing intercultural exchanges, thus strengthening friendship and mutual understanding among people," Ambassador Kemelova said. The physical exhibit runs until Feb. 9 and is also available to view via VR. Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's "First Snow," left, is on display at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, as part of the 120th anniversary celebration of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021. Courtesy of Korea Foundation By Kwon Mee-yoo Wrapping up the celebration of the 120th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021, Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx presents a series of photos exploring the interactions between humans and nature. Co-hosted by the Korea Foundation (KF) and the Embassy of Belgium in Seoul, the exhibition sheds light on the simplicity and profoundness of nature in this complicated era at the KF Gallery in central Seoul. Korea Foundation Gallery President Lee Geun highlighted the longstanding relations of the two countries. "Since the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation in 1901, our two countries have formed a special and enduring partnership. Belgium sent over 3,000 soldiers to fight alongside Korea in the 1950s during the Korean War ... Both countries have witnessed harmony with the growing presence in the international community for operating for a better future," Lee said during the opening of the exhibition, Wednesday. Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps delivers a congratulatory speech during the opening of the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Korea Foundation Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps emphasized how Buyckx's work bridges humankind and nature in Kyrgyzstan, which is located between Belgium and Korea. "At first I was wondering, 'why such an exhibition for the 120th anniversary,' but then I realized that it has a lot to do with reflection from a new context. We are living in an ever-increasing digitalized and globalized world and this reminds us of the reality. We should not forget that the real nature is there, and we have to take care of nature and people I think it's very meaningful that you have to be reminded of the simplicity and the depth of life," Bontemps said. "I can only ask you to take the time to be impressed with this message from Frederik Buyckx the importance of the nexus of humans, nature and tradition." Buyckx is the winner of the Photographer of the Year at the 2017 SONY World Photography Awards, for capturing the "joys and loveliness in each and every environment." The title of the exhibition, "Horse Head," comes from At-Bashy, the name of a small Kyrgyz village the photographer stayed in during his first trip to Kyrgyzstan, which translates into "horse head." There, Buyckx witnessed and took part in the traditional Kyrgyz horseback game, "kok boru," and documented the semi-nomadic lifestyle of the shepherds and their connections with animals. Buyckx soon returned to Kyrgyzstan and stayed and traveled with the people, documenting the harsh cold weather of the Central Asian country and symbiotic lifestyle of the Kyrgyz people. The artist described that going into these mountains by horseback "feels like entering another world." There, he captured the snow-covered landscape of Kyrgyzstan, as well as the people, horses and the connection between them, through black-and-white photos. "To really investigate the connection people still have with nature, I knew I had to join them deep in the mountains I'm mainly observing and documenting, but at the same time, I'm learning a lot about life in these remote places," the photographer said in an interview provided for the exhibition. "I think photography is a way to investigate and to better understand the world, but for me, it's also the perfect excuse to just throw myself into a new adventure." Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps, right, and Kyrgyz Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova pose next to Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's works at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Kwon Mee-yoo This exhibition was also made possible through special cooperation with the Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Korea, as Buyckx's project took place in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova said that the photos show the unique nature of her mountainous country. "Our culture was formed under the influence of nomadic life. The connection between the Kyrgyz culture and nature can be traced everywhere, from design to music ... I hope this exhibition will reach the purpose of developing intercultural exchanges, thus strengthening friendship and mutual understanding among people," Ambassador Kemelova said. The physical exhibit runs until Feb. 9 and is also available to view via VR. Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's "First Snow," left, is on display at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, as part of the 120th anniversary celebration of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021. Courtesy of Korea Foundation By Kwon Mee-yoo Wrapping up the celebration of the 120th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021, Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx presents a series of photos exploring the interactions between humans and nature. Co-hosted by the Korea Foundation (KF) and the Embassy of Belgium in Seoul, the exhibition sheds light on the simplicity and profoundness of nature in this complicated era at the KF Gallery in central Seoul. Korea Foundation Gallery President Lee Geun highlighted the longstanding relations of the two countries. "Since the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation in 1901, our two countries have formed a special and enduring partnership. Belgium sent over 3,000 soldiers to fight alongside Korea in the 1950s during the Korean War ... Both countries have witnessed harmony with the growing presence in the international community for operating for a better future," Lee said during the opening of the exhibition, Wednesday. Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps delivers a congratulatory speech during the opening of the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Korea Foundation Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps emphasized how Buyckx's work bridges humankind and nature in Kyrgyzstan, which is located between Belgium and Korea. "At first I was wondering, 'why such an exhibition for the 120th anniversary,' but then I realized that it has a lot to do with reflection from a new context. We are living in an ever-increasing digitalized and globalized world and this reminds us of the reality. We should not forget that the real nature is there, and we have to take care of nature and people I think it's very meaningful that you have to be reminded of the simplicity and the depth of life," Bontemps said. "I can only ask you to take the time to be impressed with this message from Frederik Buyckx the importance of the nexus of humans, nature and tradition." Buyckx is the winner of the Photographer of the Year at the 2017 SONY World Photography Awards, for capturing the "joys and loveliness in each and every environment." The title of the exhibition, "Horse Head," comes from At-Bashy, the name of a small Kyrgyz village the photographer stayed in during his first trip to Kyrgyzstan, which translates into "horse head." There, Buyckx witnessed and took part in the traditional Kyrgyz horseback game, "kok boru," and documented the semi-nomadic lifestyle of the shepherds and their connections with animals. Buyckx soon returned to Kyrgyzstan and stayed and traveled with the people, documenting the harsh cold weather of the Central Asian country and symbiotic lifestyle of the Kyrgyz people. The artist described that going into these mountains by horseback "feels like entering another world." There, he captured the snow-covered landscape of Kyrgyzstan, as well as the people, horses and the connection between them, through black-and-white photos. "To really investigate the connection people still have with nature, I knew I had to join them deep in the mountains I'm mainly observing and documenting, but at the same time, I'm learning a lot about life in these remote places," the photographer said in an interview provided for the exhibition. "I think photography is a way to investigate and to better understand the world, but for me, it's also the perfect excuse to just throw myself into a new adventure." Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps, right, and Kyrgyz Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova pose next to Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's works at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Kwon Mee-yoo This exhibition was also made possible through special cooperation with the Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Korea, as Buyckx's project took place in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova said that the photos show the unique nature of her mountainous country. "Our culture was formed under the influence of nomadic life. The connection between the Kyrgyz culture and nature can be traced everywhere, from design to music ... I hope this exhibition will reach the purpose of developing intercultural exchanges, thus strengthening friendship and mutual understanding among people," Ambassador Kemelova said. The physical exhibit runs until Feb. 9 and is also available to view via VR. Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's "First Snow," left, is on display at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, as part of the 120th anniversary celebration of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021. Courtesy of Korea Foundation By Kwon Mee-yoo Wrapping up the celebration of the 120th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021, Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx presents a series of photos exploring the interactions between humans and nature. Co-hosted by the Korea Foundation (KF) and the Embassy of Belgium in Seoul, the exhibition sheds light on the simplicity and profoundness of nature in this complicated era at the KF Gallery in central Seoul. Korea Foundation Gallery President Lee Geun highlighted the longstanding relations of the two countries. "Since the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation in 1901, our two countries have formed a special and enduring partnership. Belgium sent over 3,000 soldiers to fight alongside Korea in the 1950s during the Korean War ... Both countries have witnessed harmony with the growing presence in the international community for operating for a better future," Lee said during the opening of the exhibition, Wednesday. Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps delivers a congratulatory speech during the opening of the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Korea Foundation Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps emphasized how Buyckx's work bridges humankind and nature in Kyrgyzstan, which is located between Belgium and Korea. "At first I was wondering, 'why such an exhibition for the 120th anniversary,' but then I realized that it has a lot to do with reflection from a new context. We are living in an ever-increasing digitalized and globalized world and this reminds us of the reality. We should not forget that the real nature is there, and we have to take care of nature and people I think it's very meaningful that you have to be reminded of the simplicity and the depth of life," Bontemps said. "I can only ask you to take the time to be impressed with this message from Frederik Buyckx the importance of the nexus of humans, nature and tradition." Buyckx is the winner of the Photographer of the Year at the 2017 SONY World Photography Awards, for capturing the "joys and loveliness in each and every environment." The title of the exhibition, "Horse Head," comes from At-Bashy, the name of a small Kyrgyz village the photographer stayed in during his first trip to Kyrgyzstan, which translates into "horse head." There, Buyckx witnessed and took part in the traditional Kyrgyz horseback game, "kok boru," and documented the semi-nomadic lifestyle of the shepherds and their connections with animals. Buyckx soon returned to Kyrgyzstan and stayed and traveled with the people, documenting the harsh cold weather of the Central Asian country and symbiotic lifestyle of the Kyrgyz people. The artist described that going into these mountains by horseback "feels like entering another world." There, he captured the snow-covered landscape of Kyrgyzstan, as well as the people, horses and the connection between them, through black-and-white photos. "To really investigate the connection people still have with nature, I knew I had to join them deep in the mountains I'm mainly observing and documenting, but at the same time, I'm learning a lot about life in these remote places," the photographer said in an interview provided for the exhibition. "I think photography is a way to investigate and to better understand the world, but for me, it's also the perfect excuse to just throw myself into a new adventure." Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps, right, and Kyrgyz Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova pose next to Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's works at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Kwon Mee-yoo This exhibition was also made possible through special cooperation with the Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Korea, as Buyckx's project took place in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova said that the photos show the unique nature of her mountainous country. "Our culture was formed under the influence of nomadic life. The connection between the Kyrgyz culture and nature can be traced everywhere, from design to music ... I hope this exhibition will reach the purpose of developing intercultural exchanges, thus strengthening friendship and mutual understanding among people," Ambassador Kemelova said. The physical exhibit runs until Feb. 9 and is also available to view via VR. Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's "First Snow," left, is on display at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, as part of the 120th anniversary celebration of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021. Courtesy of Korea Foundation By Kwon Mee-yoo Wrapping up the celebration of the 120th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021, Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx presents a series of photos exploring the interactions between humans and nature. Co-hosted by the Korea Foundation (KF) and the Embassy of Belgium in Seoul, the exhibition sheds light on the simplicity and profoundness of nature in this complicated era at the KF Gallery in central Seoul. Korea Foundation Gallery President Lee Geun highlighted the longstanding relations of the two countries. "Since the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation in 1901, our two countries have formed a special and enduring partnership. Belgium sent over 3,000 soldiers to fight alongside Korea in the 1950s during the Korean War ... Both countries have witnessed harmony with the growing presence in the international community for operating for a better future," Lee said during the opening of the exhibition, Wednesday. Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps delivers a congratulatory speech during the opening of the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Korea Foundation Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps emphasized how Buyckx's work bridges humankind and nature in Kyrgyzstan, which is located between Belgium and Korea. "At first I was wondering, 'why such an exhibition for the 120th anniversary,' but then I realized that it has a lot to do with reflection from a new context. We are living in an ever-increasing digitalized and globalized world and this reminds us of the reality. We should not forget that the real nature is there, and we have to take care of nature and people I think it's very meaningful that you have to be reminded of the simplicity and the depth of life," Bontemps said. "I can only ask you to take the time to be impressed with this message from Frederik Buyckx the importance of the nexus of humans, nature and tradition." Buyckx is the winner of the Photographer of the Year at the 2017 SONY World Photography Awards, for capturing the "joys and loveliness in each and every environment." The title of the exhibition, "Horse Head," comes from At-Bashy, the name of a small Kyrgyz village the photographer stayed in during his first trip to Kyrgyzstan, which translates into "horse head." There, Buyckx witnessed and took part in the traditional Kyrgyz horseback game, "kok boru," and documented the semi-nomadic lifestyle of the shepherds and their connections with animals. Buyckx soon returned to Kyrgyzstan and stayed and traveled with the people, documenting the harsh cold weather of the Central Asian country and symbiotic lifestyle of the Kyrgyz people. The artist described that going into these mountains by horseback "feels like entering another world." There, he captured the snow-covered landscape of Kyrgyzstan, as well as the people, horses and the connection between them, through black-and-white photos. "To really investigate the connection people still have with nature, I knew I had to join them deep in the mountains I'm mainly observing and documenting, but at the same time, I'm learning a lot about life in these remote places," the photographer said in an interview provided for the exhibition. "I think photography is a way to investigate and to better understand the world, but for me, it's also the perfect excuse to just throw myself into a new adventure." Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps, right, and Kyrgyz Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova pose next to Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's works at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Kwon Mee-yoo This exhibition was also made possible through special cooperation with the Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Korea, as Buyckx's project took place in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova said that the photos show the unique nature of her mountainous country. "Our culture was formed under the influence of nomadic life. The connection between the Kyrgyz culture and nature can be traced everywhere, from design to music ... I hope this exhibition will reach the purpose of developing intercultural exchanges, thus strengthening friendship and mutual understanding among people," Ambassador Kemelova said. The physical exhibit runs until Feb. 9 and is also available to view via VR. Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's "First Snow," left, is on display at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, as part of the 120th anniversary celebration of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021. Courtesy of Korea Foundation By Kwon Mee-yoo Wrapping up the celebration of the 120th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021, Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx presents a series of photos exploring the interactions between humans and nature. Co-hosted by the Korea Foundation (KF) and the Embassy of Belgium in Seoul, the exhibition sheds light on the simplicity and profoundness of nature in this complicated era at the KF Gallery in central Seoul. Korea Foundation Gallery President Lee Geun highlighted the longstanding relations of the two countries. "Since the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation in 1901, our two countries have formed a special and enduring partnership. Belgium sent over 3,000 soldiers to fight alongside Korea in the 1950s during the Korean War ... Both countries have witnessed harmony with the growing presence in the international community for operating for a better future," Lee said during the opening of the exhibition, Wednesday. Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps delivers a congratulatory speech during the opening of the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Korea Foundation Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps emphasized how Buyckx's work bridges humankind and nature in Kyrgyzstan, which is located between Belgium and Korea. "At first I was wondering, 'why such an exhibition for the 120th anniversary,' but then I realized that it has a lot to do with reflection from a new context. We are living in an ever-increasing digitalized and globalized world and this reminds us of the reality. We should not forget that the real nature is there, and we have to take care of nature and people I think it's very meaningful that you have to be reminded of the simplicity and the depth of life," Bontemps said. "I can only ask you to take the time to be impressed with this message from Frederik Buyckx the importance of the nexus of humans, nature and tradition." Buyckx is the winner of the Photographer of the Year at the 2017 SONY World Photography Awards, for capturing the "joys and loveliness in each and every environment." The title of the exhibition, "Horse Head," comes from At-Bashy, the name of a small Kyrgyz village the photographer stayed in during his first trip to Kyrgyzstan, which translates into "horse head." There, Buyckx witnessed and took part in the traditional Kyrgyz horseback game, "kok boru," and documented the semi-nomadic lifestyle of the shepherds and their connections with animals. Buyckx soon returned to Kyrgyzstan and stayed and traveled with the people, documenting the harsh cold weather of the Central Asian country and symbiotic lifestyle of the Kyrgyz people. The artist described that going into these mountains by horseback "feels like entering another world." There, he captured the snow-covered landscape of Kyrgyzstan, as well as the people, horses and the connection between them, through black-and-white photos. "To really investigate the connection people still have with nature, I knew I had to join them deep in the mountains I'm mainly observing and documenting, but at the same time, I'm learning a lot about life in these remote places," the photographer said in an interview provided for the exhibition. "I think photography is a way to investigate and to better understand the world, but for me, it's also the perfect excuse to just throw myself into a new adventure." Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps, right, and Kyrgyz Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova pose next to Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's works at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Kwon Mee-yoo This exhibition was also made possible through special cooperation with the Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Korea, as Buyckx's project took place in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova said that the photos show the unique nature of her mountainous country. "Our culture was formed under the influence of nomadic life. The connection between the Kyrgyz culture and nature can be traced everywhere, from design to music ... I hope this exhibition will reach the purpose of developing intercultural exchanges, thus strengthening friendship and mutual understanding among people," Ambassador Kemelova said. The physical exhibit runs until Feb. 9 and is also available to view via VR. Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's "First Snow," left, is on display at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, as part of the 120th anniversary celebration of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021. Courtesy of Korea Foundation By Kwon Mee-yoo Wrapping up the celebration of the 120th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021, Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx presents a series of photos exploring the interactions between humans and nature. Co-hosted by the Korea Foundation (KF) and the Embassy of Belgium in Seoul, the exhibition sheds light on the simplicity and profoundness of nature in this complicated era at the KF Gallery in central Seoul. Korea Foundation Gallery President Lee Geun highlighted the longstanding relations of the two countries. "Since the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation in 1901, our two countries have formed a special and enduring partnership. Belgium sent over 3,000 soldiers to fight alongside Korea in the 1950s during the Korean War ... Both countries have witnessed harmony with the growing presence in the international community for operating for a better future," Lee said during the opening of the exhibition, Wednesday. Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps delivers a congratulatory speech during the opening of the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Korea Foundation Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps emphasized how Buyckx's work bridges humankind and nature in Kyrgyzstan, which is located between Belgium and Korea. "At first I was wondering, 'why such an exhibition for the 120th anniversary,' but then I realized that it has a lot to do with reflection from a new context. We are living in an ever-increasing digitalized and globalized world and this reminds us of the reality. We should not forget that the real nature is there, and we have to take care of nature and people I think it's very meaningful that you have to be reminded of the simplicity and the depth of life," Bontemps said. "I can only ask you to take the time to be impressed with this message from Frederik Buyckx the importance of the nexus of humans, nature and tradition." Buyckx is the winner of the Photographer of the Year at the 2017 SONY World Photography Awards, for capturing the "joys and loveliness in each and every environment." The title of the exhibition, "Horse Head," comes from At-Bashy, the name of a small Kyrgyz village the photographer stayed in during his first trip to Kyrgyzstan, which translates into "horse head." There, Buyckx witnessed and took part in the traditional Kyrgyz horseback game, "kok boru," and documented the semi-nomadic lifestyle of the shepherds and their connections with animals. Buyckx soon returned to Kyrgyzstan and stayed and traveled with the people, documenting the harsh cold weather of the Central Asian country and symbiotic lifestyle of the Kyrgyz people. The artist described that going into these mountains by horseback "feels like entering another world." There, he captured the snow-covered landscape of Kyrgyzstan, as well as the people, horses and the connection between them, through black-and-white photos. "To really investigate the connection people still have with nature, I knew I had to join them deep in the mountains I'm mainly observing and documenting, but at the same time, I'm learning a lot about life in these remote places," the photographer said in an interview provided for the exhibition. "I think photography is a way to investigate and to better understand the world, but for me, it's also the perfect excuse to just throw myself into a new adventure." Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps, right, and Kyrgyz Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova pose next to Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's works at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Kwon Mee-yoo This exhibition was also made possible through special cooperation with the Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Korea, as Buyckx's project took place in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova said that the photos show the unique nature of her mountainous country. "Our culture was formed under the influence of nomadic life. The connection between the Kyrgyz culture and nature can be traced everywhere, from design to music ... I hope this exhibition will reach the purpose of developing intercultural exchanges, thus strengthening friendship and mutual understanding among people," Ambassador Kemelova said. The physical exhibit runs until Feb. 9 and is also available to view via VR. Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's "First Snow," left, is on display at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, as part of the 120th anniversary celebration of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021. Courtesy of Korea Foundation By Kwon Mee-yoo Wrapping up the celebration of the 120th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021, Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx presents a series of photos exploring the interactions between humans and nature. Co-hosted by the Korea Foundation (KF) and the Embassy of Belgium in Seoul, the exhibition sheds light on the simplicity and profoundness of nature in this complicated era at the KF Gallery in central Seoul. Korea Foundation Gallery President Lee Geun highlighted the longstanding relations of the two countries. "Since the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation in 1901, our two countries have formed a special and enduring partnership. Belgium sent over 3,000 soldiers to fight alongside Korea in the 1950s during the Korean War ... Both countries have witnessed harmony with the growing presence in the international community for operating for a better future," Lee said during the opening of the exhibition, Wednesday. Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps delivers a congratulatory speech during the opening of the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Korea Foundation Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps emphasized how Buyckx's work bridges humankind and nature in Kyrgyzstan, which is located between Belgium and Korea. "At first I was wondering, 'why such an exhibition for the 120th anniversary,' but then I realized that it has a lot to do with reflection from a new context. We are living in an ever-increasing digitalized and globalized world and this reminds us of the reality. We should not forget that the real nature is there, and we have to take care of nature and people I think it's very meaningful that you have to be reminded of the simplicity and the depth of life," Bontemps said. "I can only ask you to take the time to be impressed with this message from Frederik Buyckx the importance of the nexus of humans, nature and tradition." Buyckx is the winner of the Photographer of the Year at the 2017 SONY World Photography Awards, for capturing the "joys and loveliness in each and every environment." The title of the exhibition, "Horse Head," comes from At-Bashy, the name of a small Kyrgyz village the photographer stayed in during his first trip to Kyrgyzstan, which translates into "horse head." There, Buyckx witnessed and took part in the traditional Kyrgyz horseback game, "kok boru," and documented the semi-nomadic lifestyle of the shepherds and their connections with animals. Buyckx soon returned to Kyrgyzstan and stayed and traveled with the people, documenting the harsh cold weather of the Central Asian country and symbiotic lifestyle of the Kyrgyz people. The artist described that going into these mountains by horseback "feels like entering another world." There, he captured the snow-covered landscape of Kyrgyzstan, as well as the people, horses and the connection between them, through black-and-white photos. "To really investigate the connection people still have with nature, I knew I had to join them deep in the mountains I'm mainly observing and documenting, but at the same time, I'm learning a lot about life in these remote places," the photographer said in an interview provided for the exhibition. "I think photography is a way to investigate and to better understand the world, but for me, it's also the perfect excuse to just throw myself into a new adventure." Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps, right, and Kyrgyz Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova pose next to Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's works at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Kwon Mee-yoo This exhibition was also made possible through special cooperation with the Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Korea, as Buyckx's project took place in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova said that the photos show the unique nature of her mountainous country. "Our culture was formed under the influence of nomadic life. The connection between the Kyrgyz culture and nature can be traced everywhere, from design to music ... I hope this exhibition will reach the purpose of developing intercultural exchanges, thus strengthening friendship and mutual understanding among people," Ambassador Kemelova said. The physical exhibit runs until Feb. 9 and is also available to view via VR. A clutch of City grandees bagged a knighthood in the New Year's Honours list. Former BT chairman Jan du Plessis, hedge fund tycoon David Harding, ex-Lord Mayor William Russell, Games Workshop founder Ian Livingstone and Legal & General boss Nigel Wilson will take on the title of 'Sir' for achievements recognised by the Queen. After another year dominated by the pandemic, John Dawson chief executive of Oxford Biomedica, which became a stock market darling after creating Britain's Covid vaccine with Astrazeneca was handed a CBE. Awards: Despite auditors taking another beating for their roles in a string of accounting scandals, two were honoured Astra senior vice-president Ruth March and senior director of research and development Julia Thompson also claimed an OBE each. Stephen Reese, a partner at law firm Clifford Chance, was awarded a CBE for advising the Government and Pfizer on their vaccine plans. Despite auditors taking another beating for their roles in a string of accounting scandals, two were honoured. Nick Owen, who recently stepped down as the UK chairman of Deloitte, was recognised with a CBE. And Bina Mehta, his counterpart at KPMG, was awarded an MBE. Kate Grussing took home a CBE after her headhunting firm Sapphire Partners was the first in 326 years to help the search for a Bank of England governor, as Threadneedle Street finally decided it needed to shortlist some women. Former TSB chairman Richard Meddings and consumer champion Martin Lewis scooped CBEs for their work in the finance sector. Meddings now in line for the top NHS England chairman job helped to turn TSB around after presiding over an IT meltdown which left around 2m customers locked out of their accounts. Lewis, who founded advice website Moneysavingexpert, caught MPs' attention this year after his impassioned appearance in Parliament, urging the Government to do more to tackle online fraud. The knighthoods were dished out for acumen and contributions to society. Du Plessis, 67, helped BT 'to make fundamental investments that are critical to the future success of the UK economy', the Cabinet Office list read. These included the 15billion commitment to extend fibre broadband to 25m homes. Harding, 60, of Winton Group, who has donated hundreds of millions to charity, enabling 'enormous contributions to research, industry and civil society'. Wilson, 65, was praised for growing L&G to be the UK's first 1trillion investment manager. Livingstone, 72, was grandly titled 'one of the founding fathers of the UK games industry'. And Russell, 56, the City of London's 692nd Lord Mayor, received credit for his contributions to fintech, green finance and charity There's CBEs for grocery bosses too The boss of the Co-op and a former chief of Asda have been honoured for keeping shelves stocked amid the pandemic. Steve Murrells, chief executive of the Co-op Group, and Roger Burnley, who stepped down as Asda's chief executive this year, will be made CBEs. Honoured: Steve Murrells (far right), chief executive of the Co-op Group, and Roger Burnley (left), who stepped down as Asda's chief executive this year, will be made CBEs The pair have been recognised for services to the food supply chain, the Government said, in a year when supermarkets, hospitality firms and suppliers worked to avoid shortages as a lack of staff, pandemic restrictions and global disruption took a toll. Products such as poultry saw particular pressure in the summer before the Government issued emergency visas for workers in supply chains. Murrells, who has led the Co-op Group since 2017, said: 'This award recognises the broader social impact a strong and vibrant Co-op can make within society, and the tireless support of 60,000 incredible Co-op colleagues.' Burnley departed from Asda after its 6.8billion takeover by the Issa brothers and TDR Capital. He said: 'I am incredibly proud, and humbled, by this recognition. Everyone in the UK food industry has done an amazing job against the relentless backdrop of the Covid pandemic.' Jo Scott, a shop floor worker and community champion at Asda in Pwllheli, north Wales, received a BEM. Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's "First Snow," left, is on display at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, as part of the 120th anniversary celebration of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021. Courtesy of Korea Foundation By Kwon Mee-yoo Wrapping up the celebration of the 120th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium in 2021, Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx presents a series of photos exploring the interactions between humans and nature. Co-hosted by the Korea Foundation (KF) and the Embassy of Belgium in Seoul, the exhibition sheds light on the simplicity and profoundness of nature in this complicated era at the KF Gallery in central Seoul. Korea Foundation Gallery President Lee Geun highlighted the longstanding relations of the two countries. "Since the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation in 1901, our two countries have formed a special and enduring partnership. Belgium sent over 3,000 soldiers to fight alongside Korea in the 1950s during the Korean War ... Both countries have witnessed harmony with the growing presence in the international community for operating for a better future," Lee said during the opening of the exhibition, Wednesday. Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps delivers a congratulatory speech during the opening of the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Korea Foundation Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps emphasized how Buyckx's work bridges humankind and nature in Kyrgyzstan, which is located between Belgium and Korea. "At first I was wondering, 'why such an exhibition for the 120th anniversary,' but then I realized that it has a lot to do with reflection from a new context. We are living in an ever-increasing digitalized and globalized world and this reminds us of the reality. We should not forget that the real nature is there, and we have to take care of nature and people I think it's very meaningful that you have to be reminded of the simplicity and the depth of life," Bontemps said. "I can only ask you to take the time to be impressed with this message from Frederik Buyckx the importance of the nexus of humans, nature and tradition." Buyckx is the winner of the Photographer of the Year at the 2017 SONY World Photography Awards, for capturing the "joys and loveliness in each and every environment." The title of the exhibition, "Horse Head," comes from At-Bashy, the name of a small Kyrgyz village the photographer stayed in during his first trip to Kyrgyzstan, which translates into "horse head." There, Buyckx witnessed and took part in the traditional Kyrgyz horseback game, "kok boru," and documented the semi-nomadic lifestyle of the shepherds and their connections with animals. Buyckx soon returned to Kyrgyzstan and stayed and traveled with the people, documenting the harsh cold weather of the Central Asian country and symbiotic lifestyle of the Kyrgyz people. The artist described that going into these mountains by horseback "feels like entering another world." There, he captured the snow-covered landscape of Kyrgyzstan, as well as the people, horses and the connection between them, through black-and-white photos. "To really investigate the connection people still have with nature, I knew I had to join them deep in the mountains I'm mainly observing and documenting, but at the same time, I'm learning a lot about life in these remote places," the photographer said in an interview provided for the exhibition. "I think photography is a way to investigate and to better understand the world, but for me, it's also the perfect excuse to just throw myself into a new adventure." Belgian Ambassador to Korea Francois Bontemps, right, and Kyrgyz Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova pose next to Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx's works at the "Horse Head" exhibition at the KF Gallery in central Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Kwon Mee-yoo This exhibition was also made possible through special cooperation with the Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Korea, as Buyckx's project took place in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan Ambassador to Korea Dinara Kemelova said that the photos show the unique nature of her mountainous country. "Our culture was formed under the influence of nomadic life. The connection between the Kyrgyz culture and nature can be traced everywhere, from design to music ... I hope this exhibition will reach the purpose of developing intercultural exchanges, thus strengthening friendship and mutual understanding among people," Ambassador Kemelova said. The physical exhibit runs until Feb. 9 and is also available to view via VR. Feet firmly planted amid breaking waves on the seashore, a fisherman powerfully flings his net into the waters in the early morning of Dec. 22 at Yeomjeon Beach in Gangneung, Gangwon Province. Against the rising golden sun, also being flung are perhaps the fisherman's hopes for a good catch in a full net. In Korea, they say, "To judge a man, look at his back." The stout silhouette of the fisherman seems to speak of layers of honest labor, wishes harbored and disappointments swallowed. Not to be deterred, the fisherman will return to his toil the following day, as too, so will we after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic to hold strong in 2022. Welcome to the New Year. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Washington: One year after thousands of his supporters stormed the US Capitol, Donald Trump plans to mark the anniversary on January 6 with a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. It will be no mea culpa. In a statement issued before Christmas, the former president made it clear that he would use the event to reassert his false claim that the election was stolen, and launch yet another attack on the bipartisan select House committee investigating the incident. Until then, remember, the insurrection took place on November 3rd, Trump said, referencing the day of the 2020 election. It was the completely unarmed protest of the rigged election that took place on January 6th. The insurgency left several people dead, about 150 police officers injured and a nation shocked and divided. Advertisement But there is every reason to think that the January 6 attack was just the beginning for Donald Trump and his allies and this time, theyre much better organised. Twelve months after Americas chamber of democracy was stormed by the foot soldiers of a president trying to cling to power at any cost, Trumpists and partisan state legislatures are now working to undermine election processes right across the US. Theyre much less violent than an angry mob descending on Congress after being told to fight like hell but far more insidious, strategic, and potentially damaging to democracy in the longer term. Indeed, by last month, at least 262 bills had been introduced in 41 states that would interfere with election administration, according to a joint report released by States United, Law Forward, and Protect Democracy three non-partisan groups seeking to enhance election security. Choking the vote Among them are a raft of voter suppression laws that will constrain the ability of millions of Americans to vote early, through the mail, or on Election Day itself. Take the sunbelt state of Texas, which already had some of the nations toughest voting constraints. It has now introduced a ban on overnight early voting hours and drive-through voting both of which have proved popular among voters of colour. Advertisement Loading In Kansas, people could face criminal charges for returning advance ballots on behalf of voters who need help, such as people with disabilities. In Georgia, people can now be charged with a crime for giving food and water to people waiting in line to vote. Electoral boundaries have also been redrawn to give Republicans the edge in new districts ahead of this years crucial midterm elections. Both parties have a history of gerrymandering maps to improve their Congress numbers, but the Republicans have been more successful in recent decades. And despite losing dozens of legal challenges centred on the baseless claim of a fraudulent result, Trump and his supporters are now working to elect proponents of the myth to powerful positions at state and national level. If elected, these candidates, who say the 2020 presidential election was stolen, could have significant sway to help overturn the next presidential election result. Little wonder democracy groups, politics academics, and former military leaders are warning about America being on the brink of a constitutional crisis. The fight of our lives right now, of this generation, has to be to secure voting rights and to secure a peaceful transition of power. That should not be a partisan issue, renowned presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, told CNN this week. Advertisement RINOs and revenge In Alaska, Trump is seeking to oust moderate Republican senator Liz Murkowski by backing her primary challenger Kelly Tshibaka, a former state bureaucrat who has promoted Trumps theory of election fraud. In Michigan, the former president has put his weight behind state politician Steve Carra, who led the local push for an audit of the 2020 election results, over veteran congressman Fred Upton, who voted for Trumps impeachment. Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney, Republican royalty and daughter of former vice-president Dick Cheney, was called a RINO by Donald Trump (Republican in name only) for voting to impeach him. Credit:AP And in the state of Wyoming, Trump has endorsed local lawyer Harriet Hagemen in her GOP bid to unseat fellow Republican Liz Cheney, the daughter of George W. Bushs former vice-president, Dick Cheney, and an outspoken member of the House committee investigating the January 6 event. Harriet is all in for America First, Trump said in a statement in September, denouncing Cheney as a RINO slang for Republican in Name Only and describing her as the Democrats number one provider of sound bites. Cheney, responding on 60 Minutes, said she was well aware that her once safe seat was about to become a litmus test for Trumps dominance over the party. Advertisement Its going to be the most important House race in the country in 2022, she said. It will be one where people do have the opportunity to say: We want to stand for the constitution. Other Trump loyalists have also been endorsed as candidates to become the chief election official, known as the secretary of state. Key contests will take place in Michigan, Arizona and in Georgia, the southern state that helped deliver Joe Biden the presidency partly because its incumbent secretary, Republican Brad Raffensperger, refused to cave in to Trumps demands to find 11,780 votes to overturn the election result. Georgian congressman Jody Hice voted to overturn the election result after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol. Credit:AP The former president and his allies are instead backing US congressman Jody Hice, who voted against certifying Bidens victory, to run against Raffensberger for the critical post. Jody will stop the Fraud and get honesty into our Elections! Trump declared in 2021. As for Trump? Even without the megaphone of Twitter and Facebook (which have banned his accounts), hes nonetheless spent the past 12 months pushing his message through targeted emails, rallies and interviews on Fox News and other friendly outlets. Trumps fundraising might Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Washington: One year after thousands of his supporters stormed the US Capitol, Donald Trump plans to mark the anniversary on January 6 with a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. It will be no mea culpa. In a statement issued before Christmas, the former president made it clear that he would use the event to reassert his false claim that the election was stolen, and launch yet another attack on the bipartisan select House committee investigating the incident. Until then, remember, the insurrection took place on November 3rd, Trump said, referencing the day of the 2020 election. It was the completely unarmed protest of the rigged election that took place on January 6th. The insurgency left several people dead, about 150 police officers injured and a nation shocked and divided. Advertisement But there is every reason to think that the January 6 attack was just the beginning for Donald Trump and his allies and this time, theyre much better organised. Twelve months after Americas chamber of democracy was stormed by the foot soldiers of a president trying to cling to power at any cost, Trumpists and partisan state legislatures are now working to undermine election processes right across the US. Theyre much less violent than an angry mob descending on Congress after being told to fight like hell but far more insidious, strategic, and potentially damaging to democracy in the longer term. Indeed, by last month, at least 262 bills had been introduced in 41 states that would interfere with election administration, according to a joint report released by States United, Law Forward, and Protect Democracy three non-partisan groups seeking to enhance election security. Choking the vote Among them are a raft of voter suppression laws that will constrain the ability of millions of Americans to vote early, through the mail, or on Election Day itself. Take the sunbelt state of Texas, which already had some of the nations toughest voting constraints. It has now introduced a ban on overnight early voting hours and drive-through voting both of which have proved popular among voters of colour. Advertisement Loading In Kansas, people could face criminal charges for returning advance ballots on behalf of voters who need help, such as people with disabilities. In Georgia, people can now be charged with a crime for giving food and water to people waiting in line to vote. Electoral boundaries have also been redrawn to give Republicans the edge in new districts ahead of this years crucial midterm elections. Both parties have a history of gerrymandering maps to improve their Congress numbers, but the Republicans have been more successful in recent decades. And despite losing dozens of legal challenges centred on the baseless claim of a fraudulent result, Trump and his supporters are now working to elect proponents of the myth to powerful positions at state and national level. If elected, these candidates, who say the 2020 presidential election was stolen, could have significant sway to help overturn the next presidential election result. Little wonder democracy groups, politics academics, and former military leaders are warning about America being on the brink of a constitutional crisis. The fight of our lives right now, of this generation, has to be to secure voting rights and to secure a peaceful transition of power. That should not be a partisan issue, renowned presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, told CNN this week. Advertisement RINOs and revenge In Alaska, Trump is seeking to oust moderate Republican senator Liz Murkowski by backing her primary challenger Kelly Tshibaka, a former state bureaucrat who has promoted Trumps theory of election fraud. In Michigan, the former president has put his weight behind state politician Steve Carra, who led the local push for an audit of the 2020 election results, over veteran congressman Fred Upton, who voted for Trumps impeachment. Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney, Republican royalty and daughter of former vice-president Dick Cheney, was called a RINO by Donald Trump (Republican in name only) for voting to impeach him. Credit:AP And in the state of Wyoming, Trump has endorsed local lawyer Harriet Hagemen in her GOP bid to unseat fellow Republican Liz Cheney, the daughter of George W. Bushs former vice-president, Dick Cheney, and an outspoken member of the House committee investigating the January 6 event. Harriet is all in for America First, Trump said in a statement in September, denouncing Cheney as a RINO slang for Republican in Name Only and describing her as the Democrats number one provider of sound bites. Cheney, responding on 60 Minutes, said she was well aware that her once safe seat was about to become a litmus test for Trumps dominance over the party. Advertisement Its going to be the most important House race in the country in 2022, she said. It will be one where people do have the opportunity to say: We want to stand for the constitution. Other Trump loyalists have also been endorsed as candidates to become the chief election official, known as the secretary of state. Key contests will take place in Michigan, Arizona and in Georgia, the southern state that helped deliver Joe Biden the presidency partly because its incumbent secretary, Republican Brad Raffensperger, refused to cave in to Trumps demands to find 11,780 votes to overturn the election result. Georgian congressman Jody Hice voted to overturn the election result after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol. Credit:AP The former president and his allies are instead backing US congressman Jody Hice, who voted against certifying Bidens victory, to run against Raffensberger for the critical post. Jody will stop the Fraud and get honesty into our Elections! Trump declared in 2021. As for Trump? Even without the megaphone of Twitter and Facebook (which have banned his accounts), hes nonetheless spent the past 12 months pushing his message through targeted emails, rallies and interviews on Fox News and other friendly outlets. Trumps fundraising might Advertisement Cayuga County had nearly 100 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday and over 500 more that have not been processed a growing backlog as the county deals with a "significant uptick" in confirmed cases after Christmas. The increase led Aileen McNabb-Coleman, the outgoing chair of the Cayuga County Legislature, to issue a statement alerting residents of the recent spike in cases and urging those who test positive to isolate immediately. "Regardless of vaccination status, isolate yourself from others in your household," McNabb-Coleman said Friday. "In New York state, isolation guidance continues to be 10 days from the positive test result or the onset of symptoms, whichever occurs first." Laboratory delays have created the backlog the local health department is now working through. Contact tracers worked on New Year's Eve and will work again on New Year's Day to inform residents of their positive tests and identify close contacts. But McNabb-Coleman acknowledged that the tracers won't be able to reach everyone over the weekend. The backlog is so large and new cases continue to be reported. Just a few days ago, there were more than 200 new cases that hadn't been contacted. "If you test positive for COVID-19, we are asking that community members be responsible in preventing the spread of this illness ... The community is being asked to take extra precautions and make responsible decisions over the next few days," McNabb-Coleman added. The county had 93 new cases and 498 active cases on Thursday. Hospitalizations dipped to 18, but the health department didn't receive reports from Crouse Hospital and St. Joseph's Health. McNabb-Coleman advised residents who gather for New Year's festivities to wear masks, maintain social distancing and stay home if they don't feel well. "Any step you take to limit the spread of COVID-19 during this surge is a step toward protecting our health care system, keeping children in schools, and preventing more disease in our community," she said. Cayuga County had nearly 100 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday and over 500 more that have not been processed a growing backlog as the county deals with a "significant uptick" in confirmed cases after Christmas. The increase led Aileen McNabb-Coleman, the outgoing chair of the Cayuga County Legislature, to issue a statement alerting residents of the recent spike in cases and urging those who test positive to isolate immediately. "Regardless of vaccination status, isolate yourself from others in your household," McNabb-Coleman said Friday. "In New York state, isolation guidance continues to be 10 days from the positive test result or the onset of symptoms, whichever occurs first." Laboratory delays have created the backlog the local health department is now working through. Contact tracers worked on New Year's Eve and will work again on New Year's Day to inform residents of their positive tests and identify close contacts. But McNabb-Coleman acknowledged that the tracers won't be able to reach everyone over the weekend. The backlog is so large and new cases continue to be reported. Just a few days ago, there were more than 200 new cases that hadn't been contacted. "If you test positive for COVID-19, we are asking that community members be responsible in preventing the spread of this illness ... The community is being asked to take extra precautions and make responsible decisions over the next few days," McNabb-Coleman added. The county had 93 new cases and 498 active cases on Thursday. Hospitalizations dipped to 18, but the health department didn't receive reports from Crouse Hospital and St. Joseph's Health. McNabb-Coleman advised residents who gather for New Year's festivities to wear masks, maintain social distancing and stay home if they don't feel well. "Any step you take to limit the spread of COVID-19 during this surge is a step toward protecting our health care system, keeping children in schools, and preventing more disease in our community," she said. Graphic by Cho Sang-won By Nam Hyun-woo After grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic for the past two years, South Korea is increasingly recognizing that North Korea's nuclear program is not the only threat it faces, and that new risks can emerge and test the country's ability to manage new challenges. The difficulties facing the country _ and the world _ have shown us that threats could come in unexpected forms and at unexpected times. Indeed, the risks could be strong enough to entirely change how people live and how society works. The pandemic, the climate crisis and network outages in hyper-connected Korea are already issues that pose a significant amount of concern. A small business owner wears a "Younghee" mask, a doll from Netflix's series, "Squid Game," during a rally against the government's social distancing rules near the Government Complex Seoul, Dec. 22. Hundreds of small business owners rallied, calling for the withdrawal of curfews and other strict COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants, cafes, gyms and other facilities. AP-Yonhap 1. New epidemic after COVID-19 In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) selected a number of diseases that could pose the greatest public health risk due to their epidemic potential, and came up with the idea of "Disease X," which "represents the knowledge that a serious international epidemic could be caused by a pathogen currently unknown to cause human disease." In a contribution article in The Telegraph on May 18 of that year, Richard Hatchett, CEO of Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, wrote: "It might sound like science fiction, but Disease X is something we must prepare for." Just two years later, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted ways of life across the world, and the WHO is still keeping Disease X on its watch list. This means the organization believes there is a fair chance of another infectious disease becoming a full-blown pandemic, thereby posing a serious threat to mankind. In a study submitted to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the U.S. on Aug. 31, a research team led by Marco Marani of the University of Padua in Italy asserted that the probability of experiencing a pandemic with similar impact to COVID-19 in one's lifetime is currently at about 38 percent, and this may double in the coming decades. The study also warned that the probability of novel disease outbreaks will likely grow threefold in the next few decades. Against this backdrop, experts say people's reliance on vaccines and treatments will continue to grow, and so will the importance of technological preparedness, in which drug makers can develop vaccines and treatments quickly after an outbreak. For example, it took a year for drug makers to come up with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, but this was an outcome of more than 30 years of research on mRNA technologies. Since South Korea fell short on basic scientific research on the virus, the country could not take the lead in the global race for so-called vaccine sovereignty. However, a number of domestic drug developers have been working on their own mRNA platform technologies, and on Dec. 24, ST Pharm submitted a phase 1 trial application for Korea's first mRNA-type vaccine candidate to the domestic drug authority. The Korean government is also bolstering its support and subsidies for drug makers to achieve President Moon Jae-in's initiative of making the country a regional vaccine manufacturing hub, in order to strengthen Korea's presence in the global vaccine supply chain. However, questions remain as to whether political and economic attention on time and money-consuming research for vaccine technologies will continue as they have done in recent years. Kenneth V. Iserson, professor emeritus in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Arizona, warned in his article titled "The Next Pandemic: Prepare for 'Disease X'": "As the COVID-19 threat lessens, politicians will make grand promises to implement plans to stop, or at least to prepare for, the next pandemic. The recovering economy will be too weak at first to support the effort, although more funding will be promised in the future," Iserson wrote. "Politicians will ultimately make changes that are politically expedient and will fail to authorize the changes necessary to produce faster, more flexible responses. The memories of angst and societal disruption during COVID-19 will recede." Similar scenarios are anticipated in Korea, which will hold its presidential election in March. Though the major candidates are now promising up to 100 trillion won ($84.2 billion) for a public disaster relief fund, which is equivalent to one-sixth of the country's total budget for 2022, and enhanced government responsibility for those suffering vaccine side effects, they have yet to come up with ideas on whether they will succeed Moon's vaccine hub initiative or how to prepare the country for Disease X. A firefighter and citizens push a truck at an underpass in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, as torrential rain floods the city on Aug. 24. Courtesy of Jeonbuk Fire Service 2. Climate change Unlike some countries which have suffered frequent natural disasters fanned by climate change, Korea has not been quite as affected by large-scale natural disasters that would alarm the public about the issue. Nonetheless, experts say the country is not a safe haven from the climate crisis, citing relatively small but noteworthy changes in the country's climate. They added the country could be shunned from global supply chains if it underestimates the pace of the global energy transition. "With a record-breaking monsoon season and heat waves in recent years leading to casualties, property damage and rising food prices, Korea is already facing the deadly impacts of the climate crisis. Of course, things are only expected to worsen and accelerate over time," said Park Jee-hye, a lawyer and director of Solutions for Our Climate. In its 2020 yearbook published in June 2021, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said, "The impact of climate change, which had been somewhat vague, has become more visible in recent years," and "climate change will intensify causing unprecedented heat and cold waves, heavy snowfall and torrential rain." In a separate report, the KMA also noted "the frequency and severity of heat waves on the Korean Peninsula have shown a noticeable uptrend since the 1970s," and "in recent cases of heat waves that have developed strongly on the Korean Peninsula, artificial effects from the increase in greenhouse gases were detected." As a consequence, flooding is anticipated to be one of the most common natural disasters on the Korean Peninsula brought on by climate change. Greenpeace estimates the number of people affected by flooding in the country will increase to 3.3 million in 2030. "As our ecosystems change due to temperature increases, the agricultural and fishing industries will inevitably face more damage and adaptation costs," Park said. "And as the habitat areas for pests and wildlife change, there is also an increased risk of infectious disease." gettyimagesbank Impacts were also felt in the domestic fast food industry. In autumn last year, a number of fast food chains in Korea failed to serve lettuce in their hamburgers due to supply shortages. According to fast food industry officials, Korean fast food chains import lettuce from China in summer, and then secure it from Gangwon Province in autumn _ mostly from October. However, an unusually early cold wave struck the province last year, resulting in local farms seeing their harvest fail thereby causing serious supply shortages. Though the lettuce shortage was alleviated with supplies from other domestic provinces, the case highlighted the growing uncertainty in crop supplies, which will lead to an increase in vegetable prices. Korean companies' inattention to climate change and belated efforts for decarbonization are also reasons why experts pick climate change as one of the risks the country must face. "From a short-term perspective, it may seem that decarbonization is inconvenient and costly to industry," Park said. "However, in the long run, deeper emissions cuts and faster energy transition will bring more economic benefits and global competitiveness. Companies in advanced economies such as Apple, Microsoft, and BMW were quick to realize this, and this is why they are much better positioned now. Samsung, on the other hand, faces a roadblock to going 100 percent renewable like Apple due to Korea's current power sector structure which prevents the direct sale of clean energy." Park added that Korea's next administration needs to strengthen the country's climate commitments, and without those changes, Korea and its industries will be left behind. A customer pays cash at a cafe in Gurye County, South Jeolla Province, Oct. 25, as credit card readers went down nationwide due to a network disruption. Yonhap